Applejack helped Fluttershy get unhitched from the wagon. Immediately, Fluttershy turned around and walked up to Owlowscious’ cage. “Okay little one, let’s get you settled in with some delicious food,” the owl responded with a very happy hoot. Without bothering to talk to anypony else the yellow pegasus bustled him inside.
“Oh that Fluttershy, not a single pony around here can take care of animals like her,” Applejack stated in amusement, “Though sometimes I think she forgets about their owners.”
“I’m surprised it’s not her special talent,” Twilight replied. Applejack chuckled.
“It’s funny, sometimes I feel the same way,” the earth pony stated, walking into the house. Fluttershy had left the door open for them. “But she’s good at taking care of all kinds of living things. Her passion is what makes her a great farmer.”
Twilight recalled the pony’s cutie-mark. A pink heart shaped apple, with that in mind, it made a lot of sense. That’s when she spotted Applejack’s, a beautiful red gemstone shaped like an apple. She opened her mouth to ask the pony about it when an age worn voice called out.
“Applejack? Is that you? Is Twilight there?” it came from the room to their left. As Applejack responded affirmatively, Twilight took a quick look around. The living room was very cozy, with a plush green sofa and one very well loved rocking chair. A round pastel yellow and red rug was draped in the center of the room. Twilight was interrupted as she was trying to determine the material it was made of.
“Coming Twi?” the unicorn in question turned back to Applejack who was standing in the kitchen doorway, she hadn’t realized she had stopped walking.
“Oh! Yeah, just looking around,” the unicorn responded with a sheepish chuckle.
“I don’t blame you. The Apple family home is cozier than a new-born lamb with its ma,” Applejack said. “Speaking of, here are the rest of the Apples: Granny Smith and Big Macintosh.” As Twilight entered the kitchen/dining room Applejack gestured to a huge red stallion and an older green mare in turn.
“Hoo hoo hoo… Well welcome there young ‘in!” Granny said stepping forewords. “Now how about you just get settled in cuz grub is almost ready!”
“Thank you Granny Smith,” Twilight politely responded. She took a seat at the wooden table before her. She wasn’t entirely certain what wood the table and matching chairs were made of. “I should brush up on my fauna, especially if I’m going to be living near the Everfree Forest.”
As Granny started to place dishes on the table Applejack spoke up, “Hay, where’s Applebloom?” Twilight found herself looking around for the energetic filly. She liked foals but the ones who were like Applebloom were the toughest for her to be around. As a youth she kept to herself, her only love being books and writing. There was also her family of course, and Smarty Pants, her beloved foalhood rag doll.
“Appleblooom!!” called Applejack.
“IMMA COMING!!” the filly responded entirely too loudly.
“What did I tell you about your inside voice?!” Applejack shouted back. Twilight sunk back in her chair, one of the things she hated most was ponies shouting. “Oh Celestia I really hope it’s not like this every night,” she groaned inwardly.
“Hush up the both of ya!” Granny Smith piped up as loud as she could. “Applejack now, you know better, what happened to them fancy Manehatten manners?” the pony in question flushed.
“Sorry Granny Smith,” she apologized. Her brother let out a very deep sounding chuckle of amusement. “Guess I’m not the only one who gets too excited sometimes.”
“Darn right,” her grandmother agreed. “Twilight I’m sorry ‘bout all the noise. I promise we ain’t always yellin’ at each other so don’t worry ‘bout your studies.”
Twilight sighed in relief, “Thank you Granny Smith. My studies mean a lot to me.” At that moment Applebloom came bursting into the kitchen, followed closely by Fluttershy.
“Hi again Miss. Sparkle! Boy am I hungry!” the table was now all set and the filly was very eager to dig in.
“Not before everypony is seated,” Granny said.
“I know, I know” Applebloom huffed.
Despite the foal’s impatience, it didn’t take very long after for everypony to be seated and happily eating. Twilight normally ate snacks, easy-to-make meals, or take-out. So having an extremely delicious home cooked meal was very exciting!
“I think our guest is finding her meal quite tasty huh,” Applejack said. Her tone made Twilight freeze. She looked around; the Apples seemed to be staring at her with various degrees of discomfort and amusement. She touched a hoof to her face and to her horror she felt a bit of carrot mushed on her chin.
She swallowed. “Uh, oh… I’m so sorry I…” she felt her face heat up as she snatched her napkin with her magic and wiped her face. “I’m just not used to eating with others and this food is really good an-“ before she could finish Applebloom and Granny Smith burst out laughing. Fluttershy and Big Mac simply chuckled.
“Aw don’t sweat it young lady. I knew you Canterlot types wouldn’t have had anything as great as Apple cookin’ before! Just make sure you slow down a bit so you can remember the flavor,” Granny reassured Twilight.
The unicorn was briefly comforted before she met Applejack’s gaze. The mare was the only one at the table who didn’t seem amused, if anything, Twilight felt a little judged by her vividly green eyes. “Well, that’s the first time I’ve seen a Canterlot pony eat like that,” she remarked. “You really are something Twilight Sparkle,”
There was an unusual tension in the air at her words; Twilight didn’t know what to say. “Well! You know, it’s funny, a lot of ponies say that haha,” the unicorn felt her anxiety spike. She abruptly decided that she had enough of socializing for the day.
“Well, it’s been a really lovely dinner but I’m so sorry I just realized I have to lookovermynotesformymeetingwithCheerileetomorrow bye!” Twilight rapidly explained herself before she took off, leaving her dinner half eaten.
She hurried so fast that she barely even processed her surroundings until she was inside her bedroom, which was easy to identify with it being the only door in the hall that was open and having her stuff inside. She closed the door with her magic and flopped down onto her bed, groaning into her pillow.
“Everypony in this town is crazy!” she muttered angrily to herself. “What is everypony’s obsession with socializing? What they hay do they want from me?” she asked herself. She flipped over and stared at the ceiling. “Why does any of that matter? I’m just a strange pony. They all act like they want to be my best friend, and then judge me for being myself. This is exactly why I prefer to keep myself busy!”
“Hoo?” Owlowiscious’ voice brought Twilight out of her own head. “Oh Owlowiscious, I know you understand,” she said, rolling to the other side of the bed she walked over to her pet. As she reached the owl and was unlatching his cage she heard muffled shouts from the kitchen.
Doing her best to tune out the ongoing argument, she took the owl out and nuzzled him. He hoo’d happily in response. “I’m glad you decided to come home with me from the park,” she said. She placed him on her back and walked to the currently empty desk on the far wall. A large window gave her an amazing view of the moonlit eastern apple orchid. “There isn’t a single pony who could make me feel comforted and listened to like you do Owlowiscious.”
He let out another “hoo” in response, but Twilight’s mind was already wandering. Thoughts swirled through the purple unicorns head. She spent so much time studying and writing that it had been her entire life. It was what her cutie-mark represented. She had been making a name for herself in the academic community. There had been nothing she loved more than books, nopony she cared for other than her family, and then…
Twilight stood at the head of a classroom. Her heart pounded wildly, she had never thought that she would ever be invited to do a talk at the Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns! The very one she had failed to enroll in so many years ago. She was thrilled to see everypony in attendance listening carefully to her lecture as she was covering the finer points of matter transport (Teleportation Theory, the basis of which rested on the Law of the Conservation of Mass).
The ponies in attendance were around high school age, but they were nothing like her former classmates. While she didn’t attend public high school like her brother, the private school she attended wasn’t that different in experience. Ponies were petty and often judgmental of her, choosing to bully her when her performance soared above theirs.
The atmosphere at Celestia’s School was extremely different. She could tell the ponies in the audience had a genuine love for learning, and weren’t there simply because their parents made them. This environment helped Twilight feel a lot more comfortable than she had ever been in front of an audience.
After she was done with the lecture, a young unicorn mare with beautiful aqua eyes approached her. “Thank you for coming here Twilight Sparkle,” she said, “I loved your lecture! I also read your paper on this subject for some extra credit in my conjuration course.”
Twilight practically beamed, “Really? Wow, I’m so flattered!” she said. “Some of that material is pretty advanced too, you’ve definitely earned your place at this school,” the other unicorn laughed in response.
“Oh, thank you! I really hope so; sometimes I worry about my place here. Even after being here for years I’m still surprised I belong!” the unicorn responded. “The real surprise is that this isn’t your alma mater! After reading your book I was shocked to find out you didn’t attend the school yourself.” Twilight inwardly cringed at the statement.
“Oh well, ya know, sometimes it’s just not what a pony needs at a particularly uh, developmental point in their life,” she said. The other mare’s smile turned into a small look of alarm.
“Oh no! I’m so sorry, that must be a sore subject. I guess my point was that I think you’re very smart and uh…” the mare paused as she seemed to collect herself a little, “I was hoping to ask for a favor actually. Which I totally understand if you don’t want to given what just happened but I can pay you, or rather… My parents can. It’s my younger brother, he really needs some tutoring and we just can’t afford anypony who usually offers. Not that we can’t pay you decently! Just…”
Twilight held up a hoof, halting her mid-sentence. “Don’t worry, I understand, my parents had a hard time paying for a tutor as well… Not for me of course, for my own brother,” she smiled. “I would be more than happy to help tutor him in whatever magical study he needs, and to be honest, you really don’t have to pay. The bits I get from my publications are more than enough for me right now.”
“Oh thank you!!” the mare squealed in excitement. To Twilight’s immense surprised she hugged her. “This means the world to me! My parents are going to be so happy…”
Twilight was brought out of her thoughts by a knocking at her door. She jumped in surprised causing Owlowliscious (who was dozing on her back) to let out an indigent “Hoot!” and perch on the unoccupied chair beside her.
“Twilight, it’s Applejack, I just came to apologize. Is it okay if I come in?” Twilight opened her mouth almost ready to say “No I’m busy,” but something stopped her.
She turned to face the door fully before replying, “Yes, you can come in." The door creaked open and the earth pony in question sheepishly walked in. She took a quick look around before her eyes met Twilight’s.
She sighed, “Listen, I am truly sorry about earlier. Sometimes I let my Manehatten up brining get the best of me. Truth is I know deep down it doesn’t matter how you eat something, or if you dictate every little syllable while you talk… It’s all those little things upper society micromanages just to look down on others…” she trailed off. “I came back because I didn’t want to be like that so, ya know, I know it wasn’t right of me to be so rude. Can you forgive me?”
Twilight felt a little tired again at this additional interaction, but she was also extremely relieved that the conflict had resolved itself so fast. “Yes, of course, I get it… It’s one of the reasons I usually keep to myself. Sure lots of ponies in Canterlot are fellow scholars, but all those stupid little rules they had were too much for me,” Twilight found herself saying more than intended. She cleared her throat, “I appreciate you coming to talk with me Applejack, but I’m very tired and I need to finish my notes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The mare smiled at her “Thank you Twilight, I hope you have a good night sugarcube,” with those words she turned and headed back out, shutting the door behind her.
Twilight sighed as she levitated the notes she was reading earlier from her saddlebags. She would fully unpack later, it really was important that she reviewed everything one last time, even if the events of the day had exhausted her. “Just a quick look over and then sleep,” she thought to herself. The next day was going to be busy, probably even more so than she anticipated.