//------------------------------//
// Step Three: Harvest 
// Story: How to Farm Rocks (in three easy steps) 
// by mushroompone 
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“What are you doing home?”

Cadance lifted her head from the table and looked mournfully towards her husband. “That’s a fine way to greet your wife in the morning,” she said, only half-joking.

Shining’s face went red in an instant, and he chuckled awkwardly as he scooted across the kitchen. “Sorry, sorry. It’s great that you're home, it’s just--” He paused, looking Cadance up and down. “I… thought you were doing that rock farming thing with Pinkie’s family.”

Cadance sighed, long and weary, and put her head down on the table. “I was.”

“What happened?” Shining asked, sliding into the seat across from Cadance. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” Cadance said. She couldn’t help but laugh at the worry in her husband’s voice. “Always panicking over the littlest thing… that’s something you and Twilight have in common.”

Shining blushed again and looked down at the floor. “Maybe… but, seriously, what happened?”

Cadance sat up.

Suddenly, when faced with the opportunity to explain her feelings, she was struck by how foolish they were. 

She rolled her eyes and painted on a carefree smirk, as if it might soften the blow. “Maud came home.”

Shining cocked his head. “Um… okay.” He looked down at the floor, then up at the ceiling, as if searching for the answer in the kitchen tile. “What, did she kick you out or something? Because, if she did, I’ll go right down there and--”

“Whoa!”’ Cadance held up a hoof. “Over-protective dad alert.”

“Over-protective husband alert…” he corrected softly.

“She didn’t kick me out.” Cadance scoffed. “She just… you know, Limestone and Maud really have this all figured out. They didn’t need me hanging around any more.”

Shining furrowed his brows. “Uh… was that the point of all this?” he asked. “I thought the point was to learn. Wouldn’t an extra mare around be helpful?”

“For me, maybe,” Cadance said.

“Okay,” Shining said with a laugh. “So who exactly is it bad for?”

Cadance threw her head back and made a long, low sound of frustration. “It was just-- I don’t know, it was awkward.” She ran a hoof through her mane. “I just felt like a third wheel.”

Shining made a face. “Okay.”

Cadance leaned across the table. “What was that face?”

“What face?”

“The face!” Cadance repeated. “I know your faces. That was a face.”

Shining shrugged. “You tell me, then.”

He smiled, a condescending I’m-your-husband-and-I-know-you-better-than-you-know-yourself sort of smile.

Candace scowled at him. “You think I’m being ridiculous,” she said. “I’m not.”

“Okay.”

“I was getting in the way,” Cadance continued, though Shining hadn’t asked. “I-I’ve been falling all over myself trying to impress her, and then Maud comes in and-- and she knows what she’s doing, of course, and she knows Maud, of course, and so I’m just… extra.”

“Uh-huh…” Shining nodded slowly, encouraging Cadance to continue.

“It’s fine. It was a silly thing to be spending my time on anyway,” Cadance murmured. “Like I needed one more thing in my schedule. I have enough to deal with. I should have quit that first day-- right when she told me to ‘be patient’ and ‘come back tomorrow’.” She used her hooves for air quote, and then dropped them on the table with a groan.

Shining Armor was looking at her. Not in the way he normally did.

He looked like he was calculating something. Maybe once, long ago, he had needed to work out what his wife was thinking-- back when she was just his high school fillyfriend, and they were both awkward messes in their own ways. But not for many years, now.

And here he was, gears spinning as he looked his wife in the eyes. The harder they spun, the more he seemed to smile. A strange, knowing smile that only caused Cadance to deepen her grimace.

“Oh, what?” She finally asked. “Just quit looking at me like that.”

Shining’s face broke into a much larger grin. “Oh, nothing. Just… y’know, it’s funny.”

He showed no signs of finishing the thought.

“What’s funny?” Cadance asked.

“Just how familiar this all is,” Shining said simply. “I remember it well.”

“You remember what?” Cadance demanded.

“Having a crush on you.”

Cadance scoffed. “Don’t make this some cute thing to reminisce over, okay?” she said. “It’s not even that big of a deal, really. I just--”

“Cadance.”

She stopped.

She looked at Shining, at the way he smiled--sort of sad, and sort of amused, and definitely all love--and the way his eyes sparkled in the light of the morning sun.

Oh.

Oh.

Cadance closed her eyes and just sat there for a moment, trying desperately to slot the pieces together. Not just the way she felt about Limestone, but the things Limestone made her feel about herself. And about Shining Armor. And about Flurry Heart.

She opened her eyes.

“Oh,” was all she could say, meek and tiny.

Shining snorted. “Y’know, I gotta say: pretty fun to be on the other side of one of these things for once in my life.” He slid out from his seat at the breakfast nook and stretched. “You can thank me later. You better get moving, though-- don’t want your cool crush to think you’re some kinda slacker.”

"Oh, my gosh!" Cadance blurted out, clumsily scrabbling out of her own seat. "You're right, I--"

She paused, and looked at her husband.

He only arched his eyebrows at her.

"You're… okay with this?" she asked, soft yet frazzled.

"You're the princess of love," Shining Armor said simply. "I knew what I was signing up for. Even if you didn't, I guess."

Cadance smiled. She felt about ready to burst into tears, if she was honest.

"C'mere." Shining waved his wife in closer.

Cadance rushed in for a hug, which Shining Armor gladly gave. When they pulled apart, Shining quickly licked his hoof and tucked back a few stray hairs. Cadance leaned lovingly into his touch.

"Lookin' good," he said, and tapped her gently on the nose. "Go get her, Princess."







Princess Cadance was in a wonderful mood.

There wasn't any particular reason for it. Rather, there was a whole pile of little reasons adding up to a great, big, warm, shimmering ball of nigh explosive joy.

Her daughter was strong and talented and happy, and growing up so fast. Her husband, bless his heart, was as loving and supportive as always, even when she hadn’t expected to need it. Though the air was dry and arid, the feeling of the dusty earth beneath her hooves was invigorating in a way it had never been before.

And, to top it all off, Princess Cadance was in love.

Well, perhaps love was a strong word for it so soon. But, whatever it was, it was warm and it was happy and it felt so, so big.

And she was going to show it proudly.

She galloped down the dirt road with everything she had, feeling her mane whipping along behind her like a flag. She felt quite certain that ponies were looking out their windows at her as she ran, but she didn’t care.

Or… perhaps they weren’t. Perhaps they didn’t care that she was a princess. Perhaps they only cared about who she was to them.

And she loved it.

Just like she loved the way Limestone looked at her. Not like a princess. Like a student, or a friend-- even a frustrating or difficult one. Just as a pony. As the things she did, not the title she carried.

At last, Cadance neared the farm and took a flying leap over the broken-down fence that surrounded the property. As her hooves slammed down on the dirt of the rock farm, she swore she could feel each and every seed therein echoing back to her, like shockwaves from an earthquake.

Her hooves beat the dirt path hard and fast as she wove through the elaborate system of gates and fences, taking the gentle swells and dips of the land with grace. She tried to keep her head up, to look ahead, always searching the horizon for that familiar head of spiky grey hair.

She just barely made the turn into the quartz field. A sharp left, and--

But it was empty.

Cadance skidded to a halt.

No Limestone. No Maud, even. Just an empty field.

“Limestone?” Cadance called, turning to look over her shoulder, as if the tiny mare may have snuck up behind her. “Limestone! I’m sorry I was late, I-- where are you?”

Her voice rang out over the empty plains, to no reply.

Cadance wasn’t sure what that meant, exactly.

Was she… gone? In some other field? Was this all just busy work all along? A simple task to keep the princess busy, to get her on her way?

Cadance could feel her chest tightening, and tried to call to mind the advice she’d always given to Twilight.

Deep breath in.

Hold it.

Deep breath out.

She looked to the sky, examining the sun’s position. She couldn’t possibly be in for lunch, yet. Was she just getting a late start?

Cadance squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself even a tiny measure of concentration.

Entirely on instinct, she could feel the stones in the ground. All of those crystals she had planted, watered, dusted, and formed. All seeds she had lovingly watched and cared for, had tended with a gentleness and a carefulness that she had never thought to give to a rock.

And, as she thought about it, she began to feel more.

No longer was she feeling out the details of the rocks under her, but the way they fit into the landscape, into the pockets of earth with slightly different qualities, into the world itself, almost-- as if they were all extensions of some much greater whole, roots tying back to a single trunk at the center of the world.

She took a deep breath.

And she waited.

Patience is a big part of earth pony magic, she had said. So be patient.

She waited.

She listened.

She felt.

She watched.

And then--like a tiny pebble dropped onto the surface of a vast lake--she felt the ripples flowing towards her. The tiny, yet strong, hoofsteps of none other than Limestone Pie.

Cadance smiled, opened her eyes, and took off running once more.

Another practiced route, from the field back to the farmhouse for lunch. A few strange twists and turns that said the farm had been grown, not planned. She leapt over the swell and came to a triumphant halt at the steps of the farmhouse, just as Limestone was retreating inside to grab her bag.

She had looked up, paused in the doorframe to listen for this panicked visitor.

Though her eyes first held nothing but empathy and happiness, they quickly crumpled into her typical look of analytical displeasure. “You’re late.”

Cadance tried desperately to get control of her breath, but could not stop her heaving chest. “I know,” she managed to gasp out. “I’m sorry.”

Limestone looked her up and down. “Well, why?”

Cadance blinked. “Why?”

“Yeah. Why are you late?” Limestone asked. She let herself fall against the doorframe in a relaxed slump. “You not takin’ this seriously or somethin’?”

Cadance shook her head violently. “No! No, I… I think I was taking it a little too seriously, actually.”

“Uh-huh.” Limestone sucked at her teeth. “How do you figure, exactly?”

Cadance closed her eyes and let out a magnificent sigh. “It’s… hard to explain,” she said, laughing breathlessly.

“Try me,” Limestone said.

“Hey, isn’t this what you always scold me for?” Cadance said, smiling coyly. “Asking questions without easy answers?”

Limestone hesitated. “Yeah, but I’m allowed,” she finally said. “My farm.”

Cadance laughed. “Touche.”

Limestone fought a smile, though the battle was written all over her face. “Well, it’s a good thing you showed up. We’re harvesting today,” she said, snatching her saddlebags and pounding down the porch steps. “You wouldn’t wanna miss that.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” Cadance agreed. Then, as if it had just now occurred to her: “Were you waiting for me?”

“No!” Limestone spat back. Her face went red in a heartbeat. “No, I just… got a slow start today, is all.”

Cadance smirked, but decided not to argue.

The pair trotted back out to the quartz field, Cadance taking the lead this time. Limestone seemed to be fighting that, but only barely succeeding. It was hard to beat out Cadance's long strides-- or Cadance's anything when she was determined, for that matter.

She stepped out of the way to allow Limestone to unlock the gate, smiling to herself all the while.

Limestone gave her a funny look, but said nothing.

With both ponies safely inside the gate, Limestone turned to face Cadance.

Cadance straightened up and smiled down at the mare before her.

“Okay,” Limestone began. She paused to clear her throat. “So. Harvesting. Just like vegetables, not every stone is going to be ready at once. You’re going to have to check them carefully before you start digging.”

“Alright,” Cadance said with a nod.

Limestone nodded, too. “You’re looking for stones with good shape, good color, and at an appropriate size,” she continued. “That means big enough to flip for profit. Nothing too small or we won’t make back what we spent on seeds-- quartz is cheap.”

“Mm-hm.”

Limestone sniffed. “Okay. Let’s, uh…” she looked around the field, as if searching for something. “Let’s get started.”

Cadance nodded curtly, then turned to head to her side of the field.

“W-wait a sec,” Limestone said hesitantly. “Let’s… let’s start over here, okay? In the blue row.”

Cadance cocked her head. “Those are yours,” she said.

“I know,” Limestone said. “I just… think you’re ready for ‘em, is all. Come over here.”

Though she was a bit suspicious, Cadance did as she was asked and came to Limestone’s side. Limestone did her best to suppress an obvious smile, and Cadance did her best not to notice it.

“Remember: you’re looking for big,” Limestone repeated, a strange urgency in her voice.

“Right.”

“And colorful.”

“Yep.”

“And a good shape.”

Cadance nodded. “I got it. I promise.”

“O-okay,” Limestone said, sucking in a deep breath. “Uh. Go for it, I guess.”

Cadance did as she was told, following the row with one hoof dragging along in the dirt. She felt a few crystals that gave her pause, ones that were large enough for a nice pendant or perhaps even a paperweight-- but nothing that was quite right.

Until, nearly at the end of the row, she happened upon a crystal nearly as big as her head.

She paused, and Limestone sucked in a breath.

It was smooth and clear. She could see that right away. But, more than that, it was perfect. A flawless stone with a beautiful shimmer and shine to it, even in the dark of the soil. It was a gorgeous baby blue, the color of the sky on a cloudless day-- and heart-shaped. 

Cadance knew it immediately.

She looked over at Limestone, whose face was practically beet red.

“I, uh… I meant what I said,” she mumbled. “About patience. It’s… important.”

Cadance broke into a smile so wide it made her cheeks ache.







“I think I know what you mean,” Cadance said softly, gazing out the window of her breakfast nook. “About feeling grounded.”

“Mm-hm,” Twilight grumbled. She stirred her coffee with a power that bordered on frenzy. “Great.”

“It’s really wonderful. I feel so connected to… well, to everything! To magic, to the earth, to other ponies…” Cadance sighed wistfully. “I can’t thank you enough for the advice. I know I was a bit of a pill about it.”

Twilight’s eye twitched as she took a loud slurp of her coffee.

Cadance didn’t seem to notice.

“How are things with you and Applejack?” Cadance asked, smiling sweetly at her sister-in-law.

Twilight flashed a very fake smile. “They’re great. Thanks for asking.”

“So… what’s the deal with all this, then?” Cadance said, gesturing vaguely to Twilight’s dark circles and mussed mane.

“Well, as it turns out, the original earth pony settlers did not, in fact, keep in touch with their magic through bulk composting.” Her fake smile dissolved into a deep grimace. “And ‘earth pony traditions’ may have been Applejack’s clever term for ‘chores’ all along.”

Cadance giggled. “Smart girl,” she said, sipping her own coffee. “Now that you mentioned it, I thought you smelled a bit like apple cores.”