Applejack trotted along with a soft hum, a wagon being pulled with her motion. "Trade ya," offered a mare as she passed. The mare was holding a bundle of carrots.
Applejack considered that before nodding, "Sure, one bundle fer two big apples." And the deal was sealed, the mares both getting something they could use. "How're things?"
"Well, you just saw bit of it," noted the orange maned mare. "My carrots grew!" She turned to present her rump. "And so did I!"
Applejack applauded for her friend, clopping her hooves. "Congratulations. Reckon that means we'll be rival farmers from now on."
Carrot Top grinned. "Friendly rivals, I do hope."
"You know it." They touched noses, but Applejack had places to be, trotting onwards until she ran into her mother. "Here ya go." She pulled the cart up and soon they had them emptied into the sale's stand that was looking a little empty. "Wow, business' good?"
"It's as much about how you ask ponies to buy something," explained Pear Butter with a soft nod. "Just hollerin' at them only gets you so far." She dipped her head and came up with a fresh apron, tossing it with a flick of her head towards Applejack. "Wanna try?"
Applejack soon had the wagon parked out of the way and joined her mother for some one-on-one sales lessons, ready to help the farm how she could. "Buy some apples!"
Pear Butter smirked softly, gently patting Applejack on the head. "You need to come at them a bit gentler. Think of that time ah wanted you to try that spicy-glazed parsnip." Applejack's ears flipped back. "Ya weren't eager to give it a try, remember?"
"Hard ta forget," admitted the teen filly. "But it weren't so bad."
"And you never would have learned that, if I just put it in front of you and told you to eat it." Her eyes half lidded. "So I had to be a bit more clever..."
"Subtle-like," mused Applejack, thinking of the time she had been convinced to give it a try. "Yeah..." She would have finer salesponyship for the presence of her supportive mother, even if she would have developed her own rough methods when she was forced to alone.
"Hiya!" The pink filly tumbled over herself, coming to a half sitting upright in front of Applejack. "You work on the apple farm, right?" She pointed past Applejack, to the farm in the distance.
Applejack inclined her head faintly. "Sure do."
"Great!" Pinkie clopped her hooves excitedly. "We need apples, for treats. I told the Cakes I'd get a bunch of apples."
Applejack smiled at that. "Well, ya done found the right pony fer that. Cakes?" She twitched an ear. "Oh, Miss Swirl's new name. How's she doin'?"
Pinkie paused a moment before it clicked. "Oh, Misses Cake's doing great, but they need apples."
"And apples they will have." She turned in place, starting back towards her farm, only to pause. "Actually, mah brother's at the stand. That's a lot closer." She pivoted and started in a new direction. "How much do ya need?"
"A whole lot." Pinkie threw a hoof wide. "At least one big bag to start though."
"One bag." Applejack nodded softly. "In the future, ya should come straight here." They arrived at the stand, Applejack pointing the way. "Ah was off duty an' all."
"Oh, sorry." Pinkie saluted before bouncing to be in line. "See you tomorrow!"
For better or worse, Applejack would not be quite as eager to spend all her time working. She never had to press her nose against the stone for the sake of the farm.
Moondancer looked in the mirror, admiring her new manecut. It looked just like Twilight's. The only pony worth taking a moment for. Would she like it? It wasn't really for Twilight... It was for herself. Moondancer nodded slowly, reasoning with herself.
She trotted through the vaulted hallways of the palace, allowed by merit of being Celestia's personal student. Ponies rushed past her on their various projects, and she ignored them all. They weren't important. Few ponies were. She willed her magic and created a knock on the door she approached. "I am prepared for today's lessons."
The door opened, glowing with golden light. There was Celestia, smiling gently. "Oh, you have a new mane cut."
"Are we studying that?" Moonlight stepped in, her magic closing the door behind us. "I completed your assignment."
Celestia inclined her head at her book-saavy student. "I didn't imagine you would have a problem with it. Spike?" A small face popped out from around the corner of the table. "There you are. Spike will be spending time with you now."
"Hi." He waved at the new pony with immature hands. "Um... I'm... Spike."
"I am Moondancer," she replied, pointing to herself, then pointing at him. "And you are a dragon I am not studying."
Celestia considered chastising Moondancer on what she had said, but a better idea came to her. "You are now." She lowered her head to be next to Spike. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn how dragons develop, and how best to see to their needs. Study him and how ponies can interact with dragons to form longterm relationships."
"A field assignment?" Moondancer tapped her chin thoughtfully, considering Spike. "I prefer reading."
Spike tried to approach her, but toppled off the table and flopped to the ground in a display of infant coordination. Celestia's magic gently glowed around him, turning him upright so he could resume his waddling towards her. She smiled at the act. "Already you're making progress. To support you in this task, I will allow you to visit the dragon wing of the library."
Moondancer's eyes shined with desire. New books? Any new book was worth reaching for. She delighted in the pure act of study, in learning, for the sake of learning, and no other intent. "I accept this assignment." A book appeared beside her, a quill floating and taking notes. "Spike, how do you feel? Have you been fed sufficiently? Is your diaper in need of replacement?"
Spike smiled at the little filly that seemed so much more interested in him than just a moment ago. "Hello," he greeted, still not doing words very well. He grabbed her closest hoof and squeezed firmly, just establishing that she was there, and so was he, and that was pretty neat.
"You're off to an excellent start." Celestia considered a moment. "Consider him more of your little brother, rather than your child. I will be glad to assist, if you feel overwhelmed."
"A dragon can't be a pony's child," she agreed. They couldn't usually be their little brothers either, but she didn't argue that point. "Spike." He looked towards her. "Brother." She pointed at him, then turned the hoof at herself. "Sister."
"Sis!" he cried with joy, hugging one of her hind legs.
Moondancer smiled a little, unsure, but not entirely put out. "We have studying to do." Her magic gently picked him up and put him on her back as she started for the door, just to pause, looking at Celestia. "Were there other topics for today?"
"No. I've given you quite the research project." Celestia gently waved Moondancer off. "Learn what you can, and be kind."
"Be kind?" Moondancer turned an ear towards Spike on her back, just to have it grabbed. The little dragon was tugging and then it got wet. He was mouthing her ear without hesitation.
Celestia slowly nodded. "You will see, with large research tasks, patience and a soft touch is required."
"I... see." She didn't see, but she trotted off with Spike, perhaps ready to learn.
Twilight inclined her head at her tired-looking friend. "You alright?"
"No."
Twilight rolled a hoof awkwardly in the air. "Wanna... talk about it?" She circled around Moondancer. "You look really tired."
"I am." Moondancer thunked her forehead against her desk. "Princess Celestia gave me a research project and I think I'm failing at it."
Twilight sat beside her friend. "Can I help?"
Moondancer peeked up above her folded fore leg to see Twilight. "What do you want in return?" That is what friendship was, of course.
"To see you less tired?" offered Twilight with a nervous smile. "We're friends. If I can help...?"
"You are..." Too good for their world, she left unsaid. "Thank you. Remember that dragon?"
Twilight stepped into Moondancer's dorm room for the first time. "Spike?" A little dragon face peeked out from behind the bed. "There you are! I'm going to be your foalsitter for today. Doesn't that sound fun!"
Spike responded well to her excited greeting and waved his hands. "Hello!" That was one word he had down. He pointed at himself. "Spike." Then he pointed at Twilight, looking at her questioning.
"Twilight," she answered, moving to sit next to him. "And we're going to be good friends."
A pattern began. Moondancer was his primary caretaker, his 'big sister', and Twilight stopped by a few times a week to give her a break. Twilight wasn't family, he knew, and Moondancer knew, but Spike grew close to her, always happy when she stopped by.
"Here's your book." He held out a book towards Moondancer.
"Thank you." Moondancer's magic wrapped around it, bringing it over to flip over and peer in. "You are becoming an accomplished scholar's assistant."
"Aw, ain't nothin'" Spike waved it off as he plopped down and pulled out a comic to read himself. They had developed a pattern that had extended, not that different from that other when, though with less family. "You're almost done, right?"
"With this book?" Moondancer gestured to it with a tilt of her head. "I just started."
Spike shook his head firmly. "With school, I mean."
Moondancer sat up with surprise. He wasn't wrong. She had just... forgotten that. "I'll still be Princess Celestia's student." Her daily life wouldn't change that much. "But, yes, this is the last year."
"We should have a get together, you know, with your school chums." He clapped his hands together. "I already know what Twilight will like."
Moondancer shook her head. "Maybe just Twilight. I'll ask her..." Her chest tightened, realizing something else. "She... won't be at class anymore."
Moondancer and Spike shared a look, both coming to that dreadful realization. "Oh no," he whispered out. "Will she still be in Canterlot?"
"I'll... ask." Moondancer's magic closed her book. Her attempts at study were dashed. She couldn't even consider reading right that moment, which itself felt alien and horrible. "I hope so," she said in a small voice.
Spike hugged her around the neck, and the two were quiet a moment, unified in their want to have Twilight around.
Twilight inclined her head. "I found a library that was closed, and not because it didn't have books, or didn't have people who wanted to go. How horrible is that?"
Moondancer blinked softly. "That does sound less than ideal." She rubbed one leg with the opposing hoof. "But i was asking if you--"
"I was accepted for the job," completed Twilight. "I'll be a librarian! I'll get to help ponies learn and discover, and, wait for it, best part, I'll be near a foal-friend of mine, Applejack!"
Moondancer's ears began to fall. "Near Applejack? Didn't you mention she lives in... not Canterlot?"
"Ponyville," provided Twilight with a firm nod. "I'll be the best librarian they ever had." She cantered in place with a proud smile. "I'm ready!"
"I'm not," echoed Moondancer far more quietly. "That's so far away."
"Yeah..." Twilight reached and soon had Moondancer in a one-legged hug. "I'll come to visit, promise. It's just a train ride away. Lyra showed me how easy it is to get back and forth."
"I present, Bon Bon!" Lyra waved eagerly to the young earth pony mare that was exiting her house.
Bon Bon raised a brow at Lyra, then looked past her to Twilight. "Hello. Did Lyra drag you along?" She smiled a little. "She does that."
Twilight smiled at the new pony. "Nice to meet you. I came willingly, promise. Say, do you know Applejack?"
Bon Bon seemed surprised. "Someone from Canterlot knows Applejack? Sure I know her. Her family's the source of my apples for my apple candies." She coiled on herself, getting out a wrapped bit of candy and holding it towards Twilight.
Twilight's magic wrapped around it, undoing the wrapping and popping it in her mouth. "Mmm! Sweet and sour. I like it!"
Bon Bon smiled brightly at that. "I'm opening a candy shop."
"It'll be the best in Equestria," gushed Lyra. "I'll help!"
Twilight looked over Lyra, focusing on her rump. "I figured you'd be more interested in playing music."
"What? Pfft." Lyra waved it away. "I can do both! For Bonnie, I'll make time."
Bon Bon nudged Lyra away a step. "Stop that! Still, nice to meet you." She nodded at Twilight. "I'll pencil you down as a potential customer."
Twilight burst into light laughter. "With pleasure. Tell me when and where you set up and I'll join the line."
Moondancer sagged. There would be no great new books in that little town. "I hope you... come often." She glanced away and back. "I was... thinking of a little party, for the end of school..." She rubbed her fore hooves together nervously. "If you'd like to be there?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Twilight agreed without hesitation. "Will all the girls be there?"
Moondancer glanced across the class. She had developed some small affinity, but... There was only one mare she really wanted to be there. "Consider it... a family thing. Spike wants to say bye too."
Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh, of course." She brought a hoof to her face. "How dumb of me! Poor thing, he'll probably be in tears, little guy..." She smiled gently, thinking of Spike. "I'll let him down gently." Just like that, it made perfect sense it wasn't the whole class involved. "I'll be there."
He wasn't alone, both of them united with tears they were holding back to the best of their ability. "Hi..." Spike wriggled a few fingers at Twilight. "Oh, got you something." He reached behind himseld and pulled out a box with a big bow. "Just for you."
"Aw, you didn't have to." Twilight's magic wrapped around the box, drawing it close and opening it along the way. Inside was a teddy bear that made her giggle. "Aw, it's adorable. I'll treasure it." she parked the bear on her own back, then noticed there was more. Inside was a picture of Spike, Moondancer, and Twilight, each with an arm around each other, Twilight in the middle. "Aw..." Twilight brought it up to touch her nose to the picture, nostrils flaring. "It's... This is just perfect, Spike..."
Spike pointed to Moondancer. "She picked the frame... Uh, glad you like it." He rocked on his feet awkwardly. "You... moving away, huh?"
"To Ponyville," explained Twilight. "But I will visit, and, if Moondancer is up for it, you could visit me too. Think of it, I'll be in charge of an entire library. It'll be a task, but I feel ready for it!"
Spike shot a thumbs up that didn't match the conflicted look on his face. "That's great!" he lied with middling skill at best. "I... hope you have fun with it."
Moondancer thumped against Twilight suddenly. "Let's not think about that. Twilight, I've been studying new magic."
Twilight laughed at that. "You're always studying. It's what makes you 'you', Moondancer." She inclined her head. "But I do like new magic. What did you learn?"
Moondancer's horn glowed, a book appearing. "Celestia gave me access to the draconian research wing." She lowered her horn towards Twilight, zapping her without delay, or permission.
Twilight let out a startled squeak, her form rapidly reformed under Moondancer's studied touch. By the time she next blinked, she was a small young-adult dragon, surprised and dizzy. "What?"
Spike blinked owlishly. "Wow..."
Twilight rose up, finding bipedalism to come naturally to her new form. "Huh..." She took slow unsure steps, getting her balance. "Transformation magic is very advanced, Moondancer. No wonder Princess Celestia choose you to be her student!"
Moondancer smiled thinly at that. "Impressed?"
"Very." Twilight closed in, hugging Moondancer with altered arms. "But, please, turn me back. I'm a pony." She tapped Moondancer with a new finger. "Besides, I think it's making Spike territorial."
Even as Twilight was being turned back, Spike glanced away. He had been feeling things, but territorial was not one of them. "Good luck, Twilight. I'll see you again, soon, alright?"
"Soon," agreed the re-ponied Twilight. She hugged Spike, and was just as suddenly hugged by Moondancer. They remained in that moment of contact. "Please don't cry," she whispered. "This isn't goodbye, it's just a see you later," she assured. It had become impossible to miss how both were being affected. "My door will always be open, to both of you."
Twilight set off to Ponyville, leaving Canterlot behind.
All the students moved on, in their varied ways. Most of them remained in Canterlot. They were better than nothing, but they were usually loud distractions, never the peaceful co-scholar that Twilight had been. At least she had Spike. He knew how to enjoy a book, and how not to be noisy.
"Golden Oak Library," announced Twilight to herself, bringing a glowing key to the door and unlocking it with a satisfying click. "You'll be open for business in two shakes of the tail." She trotted inside, closing the door behind herself and getting to work.
A knocking came from the window and she looked up. There was Applejack, grinning at her. "Applejack?" Twilight hurried to the door and had it open shortly. "What are you doing here?"
"Now that's a daft question if ever ah heard one." she stepped inside with a small cart attached, filled with cleaning supplies. "Ah'm here to help. What are friends fer?"
"Aw." She put a leg over Applejack's neck, hugging her friend and closing the door with her magic. "If you're not too busy?"
"Sugarcube, ah'm already here." She unhooked herself from the wagon and turned around, grabbing a bucket and setting it on the ground. "With everythin' we need. Let's get this place shinin'."
The two got to work, dusting off the unused shelves and sorting the books. It took quite a bit of effort, but they were both ready for the task. Applejack wiped her forehead with an arm. "Phew, lookin' mighty good."
"Hey, if you know." Twilight inclined her head. "What happened to the old librarian?"
"Hmm?" Applejack shrugged softly. "Look, ah know ya love yerself a book more than much anypony else." She wobbled a hoof. "But that ain't usually mah thin'. Ah'm here for you."
"And I do appreciate that." With a glowing horn, she began placing Applejack's supplies back in her cart. "We're neighbors now!"
"We are," she agreed with a smile. "Can't wait to show you off around town. There are new ponies fer you to go meetin'."
"I imagine I'll meet some of them on my own. I'll be opening the library tomorrow since it's all cleaned up. It'll do good for the town to have a working library." Twilight nodded with budding pride. "I saw a few books on farming, they have something for everypony."
Applejack cocked a brow. "I could do that... or I could invite my flly-hood friend over fer dinner. Only one though, which'll it be?".
Twilight licked over her lips. "Is... your mom?"
"She's making yer favorite," taunted Applejack. "Which'll it be?"
Twilight groaned at the situation. "You're not playing fair!" She nudged Applejack on the shoulder though she was laughing at it all the while. "I'll be there."
"Darn right ya will." Applejack grinned as she stepped back into the harness of the cart. "Just at sundown. See ya there." And off she went, looking mighty pleased with herself.
Celestia penned a book quietly, well, not the entire book. She was just adding a chapter. "I hope... no, I know you can come through with this." She had to have faith. Her faithful student had so much more growing to do, but it was coming upon time for her to spread her wings.
Figuratively, of course. Moondancer was a unicorn.
For the time being.
Moondancer leaned forward to study the sky in a telescope that had come with the wing she had been allowed to live and work in. "Mmm..."
"What's up?" asked Spike, looking up from his book.
"A troubling set of incidents," replied Moondancer, not prone to panic attacks in the same way Twilight once had been. She turned to Spike and slid a book towards him. "Look at that, then this." she pointed to the viewfinder of the telescope. "Similar, is it not?"
Spike did not know what new chapter of his life was fast approaching, but there would be no going back. "Woah, strange..." he agreed, peering at it, the harbinger of his future.
Moondancer began striding from the room. "Spike, with me. We must conduct additional research."
As they crossed the bridge, Moondancer saw three ponies she knew, classmates, former classmates. "Pardon me." She nudged past them, occupied. They had no answers for what she was dealing with.
No matter where she looked, it seemed Celestia was busy, or just not there. She was forced to send a letter. "Spike?"
Spike blew fire on it, sending it off towards Celestia. "Hope she gets back to us soon."
It didn't take long for that fateful letter, and its encouragement to make friends, to arrive.
"I must say, it's fabulous that this place is open again." Rarity nodded with appreciation as her magic plucked a few books off the shelves. "They have some books I've been just dying to get my hooves on and I couldn't. No librarian, no books. Isn't that a crime?"
Twilight inclined her head from behind her little desk. "Understandable, and yet unacceptable. That's why I'm here." She pointed at herself. "To keep the books straight and ready for your reading."
"I truly appreciate that, darling." She trotted towards the desk, setting the books down. "I'll be careful with them, but these techniques on mane care simply will not wait another day to be read."
Twilight smiled gently at the fashionista that was also her client. "Of course." Her eyes wandered over the books and a floating quill took notes, recording who had borrowed what. "There you are, enjoy yourself. They're due in a week."
"A week is more than enough time, dear. I'll have devoured them in a day or two, I feel certain." Her magic plucked them up and placed them in saddlebags. "Oh, welcome to town! It's nice to have another pony of style around. Have you considered a new ensemble? Librarian has a potent look, we could capture it, in cloth."
"I'll consider that," allowed Twilight uncertaintly. "You offered that at the big 'welcome to town' party."
"And you still haven't answered," defended Rarity with a pout. "Have some faith in me. I'll have you looking your absolute best."
"Rarity?"
"Hmm?" She paused her retreat at Twilight's question.
"You're a unicorn... So... Do you know much magic?" Twilight smiled hopefully.
Rarity inclined her head. "I fear not, darling. My specialty is gem finding." She inclined at her cutie mark. "I know almost nothing else, besides the usual. You know, grabbing things? I'm quite good at that." She shrugged as she resumed her trot outside. "Why, are you, darling? You'll have to show me sometime." And she was gone.
"Twilight!"
Twilight smiled brightly. There was Lyra, a unicorn she knew knew magic. "Lyra! What perfect timing." She inclined her head. "I doubt you're here for a book though."
"Guilty," admitted Lyra. "Well, there is one, really rare. In fact, I hear there's only one of this book in all of Equestria." Lyra threw her hooves wide. "Can I check out Twilight Sparkle, first edition? I'll be really careful with it."
Twilight snorted a half-laugh at Lyra's antics. "It's good to see you."