Dinner Talk
“He’s a killer?” Rainbow Dash yelled, spraying crumbs from her sandwich all over the table and her friends. “Like… an actual killer?”
“Darling, please,” Rarity said, her horn flaring blue as she used her telekinesis to expertly pick the crumbs out of her mane. “This is hardly acceptable dinner table conversation.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, what should we be talking about, the weather?” Rainbow demanded. “I just moved a few clouds around today; what I didn’t do was meet anypony who had killed anypony else before! How did you do on that count, Twilight?”
“Well there’s no need to be facetious about it,” Rarity muttered.
“Because that’s something anypony wants to talk about at dinner?” Rainbow replied.
Rarity rolled her eyes. “Facetious, dear, it means flippant, mocking, not… that.”
At Twilight’s request, Fluttershy had been kind enough to invite everypony around for dinner so that they could discuss everything that Twilight had learned about Lightning Dawn and about Celestia’s reaction to him, as described to her by Shining Armour; and so, the sun having set and the moon having risen over Ponyville and Equestria, the six friends - Spike had stayed behind to keep an eye on Lightning and Krysta, a good service for which Twilight hoped he could forgive her asking - had gathered in Fluttershy’s living room, squatting on the ground around a long table that Rainbow had brought down from Fluttershy’s attic, to go over everything that Twilight had learned.
They weren’t all taking it as well as she might have liked.
“Look, it isn’t as though I want to talk about stuff like this at dinner,” Rainbow said. “Trust me, there are a hundred things that I would rather be talking about right now, not least the Grand Galloping Gala and how awesome that’s gonna be. But Twilight just out and said that this guy admitted to her that he straight up killed somepony and we’re supposed to ignore that until after dessert?”
Rarity sighed. “I suppose I can’t deny that there is some force in what you say, Rainbow darling, and there are times when even good manners must yield to necessity… but I can’t help wondering if you’re not overreacting just a little bit.”
“Overreacting?” Rainbow said. “Overreacting, are you serious?”
“Please don’t fight, girls,” Twilight said. “And… I think Rarity might have a point. I’m not trying to minimise what he did-”
“Are you sure about that?” Rainbow asked.
“Yes,” Twilight said firmly. “Just because… just because he’s taken a life once in extremis doesn’t make him-“
“Is it just once?” Applejack said. “Seems to me from all I’ve heard that he’s done it a few more times than that to say the least.” She frowned, and pushed her hat back a little further up her head. “Are you sure that Spike’s okay back there with him and his sister?”
“Just because Spike is smaller than a filly doesn’t make him helpless,” Twilight said. “Already his scales are stronger than most armour, and he’s probably nearly as strong as you are even now. And besides, I’d hope that you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t leave Spike with somepony whom I genuinely thought was dangerous.”
Applejack smiled softly. “I know you wouldn’t, sugarcube. I just suppose that has us all, well some of us anyways, wondering why you don’t think he’s dangerous. On account of him having killed before and all.”
“He’s a soldier,” Twilight said. “He’s killed in battle, I admit, but… like I said, that’s his duty. Shining Armour would be prepared to do that if the need arose because that’s his duty too.”
“If we weren’t discussing murders we could talk about how you never told us that you have a brother, darling,” Rarity said. “A dashing, handsome older brother who is a literal knight in shining armour, no less.”
“I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t… you know, I’d almost rather talk about Lightning at this point,” Twilight said, with a touch of amusement in her voice.
“So would we,” Rainbow said.
“I take the point about duty, I guess,” Applejack said. “It ain’t something I’d want any kin of mine to do, but at the same time it ain’t no unworthy thing to do defend your home and hearth and all the folks who can’t protect themselves.”
“Isn’t that we did when we wielded the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon?” Twilight asked.
“We didn’t kill Princess Luna,” Rainbow reminded her.
“I remember, I was there,” Twilight said, with only a touch of sharpness. “And I’m not condoning what Lightning does-“
“To be honest, Twi, I’m really glad to hear you say that because I couldn’t have gotten it from what else you’ve been saying,” Rainbow said. “And he didn’t kill that farmer in battle, did he?”
“No,” Twilight admitted. “But he was doing it to protect his sister.”
“Yeah,” Applejack murmured. “I… if I saw somepony whomping my sister… well, I don’t deny that I’d get pretty mad at them; may be I’d want to do something pretty serious to show ‘em, too. But I’d like to think that they’d be able to crawl away by the time I was through with ‘em, and… regardless of why he did it the idea of somepony who can take a life like that and not flinch from it… I can’t say I like him being here and I can’t say that I like him being so close to you, sugarcube.”
“Like I said,” Twilight repeated. “It doesn’t make him a murderer.”
“Doesn’t it?” Rainbow said. “It sounds a lot like murder to me.”
“Once again, Rainbow Dash, you’re exaggerating,” Rarity said. “Like Twilight, I don’t condone the act, but it surely falls under some sort of self-defence? Like Applejack, if I saw somepony abusing Sweetie Belle… I’m no expert brawler but surely these things happen sometimes?”
“I guess,” Rainbow conceded. “But shouldn’t you be sorry that they did? From what Twilight said this guy is stone cold about it, no regrets at all. Is that somepony we want hanging around Twilight? Around this town?”
“You’re talking as if he’s dangerous, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy murmured, having been unobstrusively eating her sandwiches until this point in the conversation. “And, while I admit that I wasn’t there to hear what he said he did to that poor pony, I… it’s difficult for me to think of the pony who was so helpful today as being this kind of monster you’re making him out to be.” She glanced at the pink earth pony sitting next to her. “Um, yes, Pinkie, you can have the chocolate cake if you want.”
“Thank you!” Pinkie, who had said no words but had been saying a great deal with the way that she had staring at that cake all evening, grabbed a slice and stuffed it into her mouth. She said something unintelligible.
Rarity sighed. “Swallow first, Pinkie dear, then talk.”
Pinkie swallowed. “He and Krysta were both really nice when they came to Sugarcube corner.”
“I agree, Prince Lightning Dawn’s manners have been of the highest quality,” Rarity said.
“To some of us,” Applejack muttered.
“Yes, I admit that he was a little haughty to you, Applejack.”
“Just because he’s polite to some of us doesn’t make him a good guy,” Rainbow said. “Just because he’s nice to Pinkie and enjoys your cupcakes doesn’t make him a good guy; it just means he’s got good taste.”
“And just because he’s done one bad thing doesn’t make him wicked either,” Fluttershy said. “We all make mistakes from time to time, and we all do things that aren’t very nice.”
“Not like that,” Rainbow said.
“But we have to be willing to accept the idea that ponies can change, don’t we?” Fluttershy said. “You’re right, Rainbow Dash, we didn’t kill Princess Luna; because we accepted that she could be sorry for what she’d done, and want to make amends for it. And Princess Celestia was willing to accept this too, and forgive her. If we can’t forgive… then wouldn’t we have… have had to do something drastic to her for what she’d done?”
Rainbow crossed her forehooves. “Well… put it like that… I still don’t like this guy.”
“I’ve picked up on that, surprisingly,” Twilight said, with just a smidgeon of sarcasm in her voice. “Although I don’t really understand why?”
“Don’t you? Really?”
“You’re only just hearing about all of this,” Twilight said. “Why does it bother you so much?”
“Because I worry about you, don’t you get that?” Rainbow snapped. She took a deep breath. “What I want to know is why it doesn’t bother you more? Why it doesn’t bother any of you more? Why Applejack is the only other pony here who seems to get this?”
“Because nopony who likes cupcakes could be that bad,” Pinkie said.
“Because we’ve seen a different side of him,” Fluttershy said. “A side that is at odds with the kind of picture you seem to have. Maybe if you spent a little more time with him then-“
“What makes you think I want to spend time with him?”
“Would you rather just keep holding on to a negative opinion that is at odds with the reality?” Twilight said. “Fluttershy’s right, you’ve interacted with him the least of any of us except for Rarity, and yet you’re the one who seems the most dead set against him? I appreciate you’re concern, but the Lightning Dawn that you’ve constructed in your head isn’t the one that I see in my library.”
“He didn’t get those scars picking flowers,” Rainbow insisted.
“No, he got them being brave,” Twilight said. “Are you really saying that if Ponyville was threatened by danger you wouldn’t fight?”
“Sure I’d fight,” Rainbow said. “I’d fight to protect all of you. That’s what I’m trying to do right now.”
Twilight smiled. “And I appreciate that, but-“
Rainbow grinned. “There’s no need to sugarcoat it or patronise me, Twi; if you want to call me an idiot just say so.”
“I would never call you an idiot,” Twilight said. “I just think you’re wrong about him.”
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so? And what do you think of him?”
“I think…” Twilight hesitated for a moment. “I think that he’s someone who’s had to live a hard life, and as part of that he’s had to make some difficult choices. I wish… I wish that his life had been easier, and I would like to make his time here as easy and as pleasant as possible. I can’t imagine having my home, my family, all ripped away from me the way that he has. Can any of you?” She frowned, just trying to imagine it caused her a pain that was almost physical. Canterlot gone, her parents, Spike, Shining Armour… Princess Celestia, ripped away from her, gone beyond recall, lost forever. The fact that Lightning didn’t seem to remember very much about his lost home… what might have seemed a consolation appeared to Twilight almost to make it worse. Not only to have lost but not even to remember what you had lost? She couldn’t imagine anything worse.
Nopony said anything, not even Rainbow Dash.
“I don’t disagree that it sounds all kinds of rough,” Applejack said. “But that don’t make… aw, heck, we just worry about you, Sugarcube, and we worry about Ponyville too. Maybe we worry too much. Truth is I think we’re just talking past one another at this point, I don’t think we’re going to see eye to eye, not tonight at least; but if you trust him… I guess with oughtta trust you. Just be careful, okay?”
“Of course,” Twilight said. “I always am. Just one more thing: Princess Celestia doesn’t seem worried about him-“
“Princess Celestia doesn’t know what he did,” Rainbow muttered.
“Rainbow Dash, you ain’t helping at this point,” Applejack said. “Princess Celestia was what I wanted to talk about next, regardless of what we all might think about Lightning Dawn I hope we can agree that this business from Princess Celestia is a mite strange and unsettlin’.”
“Do you think it’s possible that your brother could be wrong?” Rarity asked.
Twilight shrugged. “It’s possible… Shining Armour wouldn’t lie to me, but some of what he said is hearsay and might have been misconstrued.”
“In which case we don’t know nothing and its pointless talking about this,” Applejack said. “But if he’s right, and what he said did happen-“
“Then that would be strange,” Twilight agreed.
“You know the princess far, far better than we do, darling,” Rarity said. “Has she ever acted like this before?”
“Not in my experience,” Twilight said. “Although, in terms of her life I haven’t known her for very long at all.”
“I wonder what could worry her so much?” Fluttershy asked.
“It seems pretty clear to me,” Rainbow said. “She doesn’t want more guys like him showing up.”
“Okay,” Twilight said. “But why not?”
“Because she gets what you don’t?”
“Rainbow Dash!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop,” Rainbow said, holding up her forehooves in surrender. “I’m just saying: Princess Celestia got really worried when she found out who he was and where he came from; where he says he came from.”
“You think he’s lying?” Twilight asked.
“I’d never heard any of this before,” Rainbow said. “Now that’s not so surprising because I spent most of my history classes taking a nap, but even you’d never heard of any of this before and you… well, you’re Twilight Sparkle, you know everything!”
Twilight chuckled. “I have never claimed to know everything,” she said. “And apparently I know very little.”
“According to him.”
“I believe him,” Twilight said. “Or at the very least I believe that he believes what he’s saying. And wouldn’t it be… wouldn’t it just be wonderful if what he said was true: a whole universe teeming with creatures just waiting to meet us? New friends to make, new experiences to share, new discoveries and all of it out there, waiting for us if only we can get to it!”
“Princess Celestia don’t seem to share your enthusiasm,” Applejack pointed out.
“No,” Twilight conceded. “No, that… that is a little worrying. I just wish that she’d explain to me why, what she knows that I don’t. I can’t understand until she does.”
“Maybe she’s going to explain everything at the Gala,” Pinkie suggested. “She doesn’t want to write to you, she’s going to tell you in person?”
Twilight nodded. “That’s possible. I hope you’re right, Pinkie.” She decided to change the subject; everypony had said all that there was to say about both Lightning Dawn and Princess Celestia, and the truth was that without more information there just wasn’t a whole lot more to say upon either subject. So Twilight, not wishing to talk in circles anymore, decided to change the subject. “So… Applejack, how are the apples?”
“Smooth, Twilight,” Rainbow said, a welcome smile pricking at the corners of a mouth that had otherwise been stern all evening.
“Well, I don’t know for sure and I don’t like to jinx nothin’, but I reckon we’re in for a bumper crop this year if I do say so myself,” Applejack declared proudly. “Of course we already had one of those last year, thanks to y’all, I gotta admit, but this year, well, we’ll have more cider than we’ve had for a few years now, looks like.”
“Maybe you’ll be able to make more than you have for a few years now?” Rainbow suggested.
“Rainbow Dash, you know we always try our hardest to make as much cider as we can,” Applejack said.
“I know that you say you do,” Rainbow replied.
“You have bad luck, is all, it ain’t my fault,” Applejack declared. “The line is as long as the line gets, and the line moves how the line wants, I don’t hold off to spite you or nothin’.”
“You never save me a cup, either,” Rainbow pointed out.
“You know I can’t do that, it ain’t fair.”
“What are you two talking about?” Twilight asked.
“Cider season,” Rainbow said, wistful longing and bitter regret mingling in her tone.
“The cider apples don’t stay ripe very long, so cider season don’t last too long,” Applejack explained. “Now we Apples have been makin’ cider the old fashioned way with love and care since my great-grandpappy founded Sweet Apple Acres, and you can be sure that every cup is fine quality guaranteed! Unfortunately… there ain’t always enough to go around.”
“Don’t I know it,” Rainbow muttered.
“That doesn’t sound like Applejack’s fault,” Twilight ventured.
“I know it’s not her fault, but I still don’t like it,” Rainbow said.
“Anyways,” Applejack went on. “I think, with a bit of luck, we might even get zap apple jam this year.”
“Ooh!” Pinkie said. “That’s great! I’ve been thinking about trying some of that as a bonding agent in sponges, you know, to have layers of jam to stick the icing to the sponge. And maybe the cream or the buttercream, too. The only problem is that the zap apples grow so rarely that I’ve never been able to get any before.”
Applejack smiled. “I’ll try and save you a jar or two, sugarcube.”
“Oh, her you can save-“
“Rainbow, darling, let it go,” Rarity insisted. “Twilight, I appreciate the sentiment, but the choice of subject to drift over to was not the wisest.”
“I’m starting to see that for myself,” Twilight replied, a hint of laughter in her voice.
“My animals are already starting to get back to normal after yesterday,” Fluttershy ventured. “I’m so glad. I don’t think that I’d be able to go to the Grand Galloping Gala and leave them behind if they were still upset.”
“Oh, Fluttershy, you must go, you simply must!” Rarity declared. “After all the trouble that we put Twilight to trying to get tickets, it would be terribly rude of you to stay home. And besides, isn’t this the night when all our dreams will come true? Isn’t this the night when we will get what we want, dare I say, what we deserve?”
Applejack chuckled. “And do you know what you want any more, Rarity? Seems to me like you’re thinking of shovin’ that Prince Charmin’ of yours aside for Twilight’s brother.”
Rarity gasped. “Pshaw, Applejack! I say again, pshaw! Shame on you, for making such a suggestion. Is a mare no longer allowed to make any remark, no matter how innocuous, about a gentlecolt lest calumnies and slanderous accusations be hurled down upon her head.” She placed one forehoof to her forehead, swooning dramatically. “Oh! I’m so offended I should retire to my room in the highest of dudgeon…” her tone became immediately less melodramatic as she added, “but that would be an awful waste of this delicious and an insult to Fluttershy who put it altogether for us.”
Rainbow Dash chuckled. “You ever think about going on stage, Rarity?”
“Oh, I’ve considered it, darling, but on the whole I’d rather make the costumes than wear them,” Rarity replied.
“You wear a lot of costumes anyway,” Rainbow pointed out.
“Those are dresses, Rainbow Dash, not costumes, it’s not the same thing, not the same thing at all.”
Twilight smiled. “For what it’s worth, Rarity, I think that Shining Armour could do a lot worse than you.”
A faint blush rose to Rarity’s pale cheeks. “Well, thank you, Twilight, thank you… thank you very much indeed, I… I shall consider that amongst the highest of compliments. And as much as I am sure you love your brother, I know you wouldn’t mention it unless I could do a lot worse than him.”
Twilight chuckled softly. “Well, yeah; that too.”
“I’ll say this,” Applejack added. “Twilight’s brother sounds like he does something useful with his time, instead of, well, whatever it is that this prince of yours does, Rarity.”
“That’s very easy for you to say, Applejack, no one doubts your utility,” Rarity replied. “For myself, I can quit easily imagine a circumstance in which some austere brute proclaims my occupation frivolous and without value. And so I must confess that such concerns do not enter one jot into my consideration of the perfect stallion.” She smiled. “My perfect stallion would be one who is-“
“Rich?” Rainbow Dash guessed.
Rarity’s eyebrows rose a little as she favoured the cyan pegasus with an old-fashioned look. “Character, darling, character,” she proclaimed reproachfully. “Good manners are a must, of course. Courteous speech, a noble bearing…but also virtues of the spirit, I could never love a stallion who was not brave, honest, loyal and true. And of course I would prefer one who was handsome too.”
“You don’t want a lot, do you?” Rainbow said, grinning.
“I want what I deserve,” Rarity said, almost daring Rainbow Dash to contradict her.
Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, and you should hold out for it too.”
Twilight listened to them speak, and as she listened she found her mind straying to a pair of golden eyes set in a face that was mottled like marble.
“Twilight?” Fluttershy said. “Are you alright?”
“Yes,” Twilight said quickly. “Um, what were you saying?”
It was getting late by the time – having long ago finished eating, and indeed having done the dishes rather than leaving them all the hostess – that the party broke up, with Rainbow flying off to her home amidst the clouds while Applejack and Pinkie headed back to Sweet Apple Acres and Sugarcube Corner respectively. Twilight remained to say farewell to Fluttershy.
“Thank you for having everypony around like this,” Twilight said.
“Oh, it was no trouble at all,” Fluttershy said. “You’re all welcome, any time.”
“Even so,” Twilight said. “I appreciate it. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Twilight.”
Twilight left the house, to find Rarity waiting for her outside of Fluttershy’s cottage.
“Rarity,” Twilight said. “You haven’t headed home?”
“I thought you might like some company on the way back,” Rarity said.
Twilight smiled. “Oh, thank you, Rarity, that’s really generous of you,” she said, and they both trotted back together in the direction of Ponyville.
“So,” Rarity said. “What’s it like having guests in the library?”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Twilight said. “It’s not as if there isn’t room; although there are probably places they’d both be more comfortable.”
Rarity nodded. “And how are you taking to your guests?”
“Like I said up there,” Twilight said. “I like them. They’ve both been through a lot and yet, in spite of what Rainbow Dash seems to think, it hasn’t made them cruel. Lightning… Lightning can be a little strange at times, a little… I’ll be honest, a little rude. He certainly isn’t the perfect stallion by any stretch of the imagination, and there are things about him that I’d change if I could, but… I get the impression that he could change, if that makes sense. Not changing him exactly, but… but showing him that there’s a different way to be, to live. He and Krysta have been through so much, that’s why I think it’s important that while he’s here… he’s shown something different, because I hope that if he sees that life doesn’t have to be harsh… then it will soften some of his harsh edges at the same time.” Twilight blinked. “What are you smiling at?” she asked, noticing the smile playing on the edges of Rarity’s face.
“Oh, me?” Rarity said. “Nothing, darling, nothing at all.”