//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// The train arrived eight days late. I didn’t like that fact as it not only made the deliveries to us late, but also made the deliveries my ponies had late as well. Which meant that I wanted to talk to the train people about it… ...But I didn’t and stayed out of it. Because that sort of thing was meant to be something beneath my attention as the ruler of a city. Town. Village. Bunch of huts. With a population of two thousand or so, we really didn’t warrant the title of city. Buck, we were barely even a town. But it was perception that mattered in this case. So instead of asking a poor train conductor why our vital deliveries were over a week late, I was instead in my office with a cup of tea and facing my mortal enemy. Preliminary report said something about engine trouble anyway, I’m sure the full report will give more details. Tight Bit faced me across the small table, sitting in his own comfortable chair as he regarded me calmly, “It’s really not as bad as it looks, your highness.” “Which part of it?” I asked and motioned towards the cup towards the stack of papers sitting next to him, “All those red negative numbers or the fact that more than twice as much Bits flow into Nocturnis from royal loans than out of it? He shuffled through his papers without even looking down at them as he shifted his wings, “It really isn’t,” he said again, “My projections is that if current projections continue we should be able to have a positive flow of Bits and start to really pay back the loans in perhaps twenty years. With the private economy of our citizens starting to improve in as little as five years when major construction efforts slow down.” “And if we cut the loans now?” Tight Bit flinched slightly, “I really would recommend strongly against that, your majesty. We are far from self sufficient on anything but food right now because our environment and until we can get ground farms going as well, that’s only on some of the current foodstuffs. Some like grains we are currently import-” I raised my hoof to stall him, “I know, I know,” I admitted and sighed, sipping my tea, “I just… I don’t like borrowing like this.” “Welcome to government.” I chuckled softly and shook my head, “What about private enterprise? How are we doing there?” “Actually, I do have good news there,” he said and shuffled out another paper, “I have a report here from just today. Along with the cargo on the train there were a number of passengers. Apparently a number of the local goods have gotten some attention in Canterlot and they are interested in importing. Especially the local wine and some of the fruits, like the Grape-Melons.” “That’s good.” Right now our main export was… ...Wood. Exotic woods. But we couldn’t just cut down the entire forest. And it was a pain in the tail to transport. “What about that other idea?” I asked, “Tourism.” “There is a possibility,” Tight Bit agreed and shifted to another paper, “This is quite an exotic location compared to most of Equestria and there is plenty of interest I think, but right now we don’t have anywhere to put them if we can get them to come. We have one hotel, it consists of five rooms that used to be a bunk room before walls were set up.” “True.” “Maybe in a few years…” I nodded again, “I see. Well, if you think of something, feel free to let me know.” “Of course, your highness,” He said and slipped off his chair, gathering his papers beneath his wing before he bowed slightly, “Same time next week?” “Same time next week,” I confirmed and he left, the door closing behind him. I sipped my tea before putting the cup down on the small table before moving off my chair and walking out onto the balcony. Luna's moon shone high above the forest, giving the trees a silvery look and I looked down at the village below. Ponies were moving around, going about their night. Lights shimmered through windows and there were smoke coming out from some chimes, some ponies having an early lunch. I put a hoof on the railing and stretched my wings for a moment. Maybe… maybe Sparks know a spell to find mineral deposits or something. For all I knew, we might be sitting on a literal goldmine. We’re in a jungle. We had massive biodiversity, there had to be something with valuable medical properties out here somewhere. “Hey.” I glanced back to see Twilight walk inside, “Hey.” “I saw Tight Bit leaving on my way inside,” she said and walked up next to me, shutting down the light spell she had on her horn, “Weekly budget meeting?” “Weekly budget meeting,” I agreed with a small sigh, “Nothing like a weekly meeting about how poor you are and how much more we are in debt since last week to improve your mood.” Sparks moved a bit closer, half extending one wing to touch mine as she looked at me, “You know Princess Celestia never intended to ask for any of that back, right?” I held my wing up in turn beneath hers, my flight skin brushing her feathers, “Maybe not she, but the bit pushers and tax ponies certainly will eventually,” I said and then I smiled slightly, “Besides, I hate owing money. I want to pay it back. If we did, it would prove that we could do this without…” I cut myself off. Sparks just nodded, her wing shifting softly ontop of mine, “I know,” she agreed, “And we’ll figure things out. Everypony is working so hard that I don’t see how we wouldn’t.” I nodded and smiled at her, “Thanks, Sparks.” She smiled back and pulled her wing away to fold it again, “We’re all in this together, you know that,” she said before she flicked one ear, “Is Sunset back yet?” “Not yet, she’s out by the train station still with the guards covering the loading and unloading. They should be done by mid day or so.” Twilight frowned slightly, “She’s going to be exhausted tomorrow.” I nodded, “Want to stay up?” I asked, moving slightly closer. Twilight hesitated, “...Yes, but there is so much to do tomorrow night. We shouldn’t, either of us.” I smiled at her, looking up at the moon as I touched my wing against hers, “We still are going to, aren’t we?” Twilight shifted a bit closer, allowing my wing to settle over her back, “...Yeah…” she agreed quietly and shifted closer, leaning softly against me in turn. “Want to read a book while we wait?” I asked, resting my head against hers. “I’d like that.”