//------------------------------//
// Generosity 
// Story: Harmony's End 
// by Vanity 
//------------------------------//

My dearest Twilight,

I hope this letter finds you well, warm, and comfortable - three things I can most assure you I am not! Mount Everhoof has to be the least hospitable corner of Equestria I've ever had the misfortune to find myself in, and I assure you that if I weren't here on official Equestrian business, I would be writing this letter from the first airship back home!

However, as you requested, I've taken some time to examine the windfall the Wonderbolts have dug out of that awful mine. You know I wouldn't have agreed if you hadn't told me you needed Equestria's finest gem appraiser - you old flatterer, you. Hah! Well, you were right, these gems are like nothing I've ever seen. Oh darling, they're so gorgeous, and so clear, I could simply die!

Ahem. But, moving beyond mere appearances, these gems also have a far more unusual magical property. I'm sure you'll be able to explain it better than I ever could, but when magical energy is applied to them, the gemstones are able to conduct the magic and store it for later use. A rather useful little trick, and I'm sure we could come up with a thousand different uses for them. I asked for a few samples to send home so that you might take a look yourself, but I'm afraid I ran into a little... unpleasantness.

Unfortunately, the Pegasai - or, I should say, the Wonderbolts - are somewhat less enthusiastic about these events. I'm afraid quite a few of the Wonderbolts who entered that mine to recover the gemstones didn't make it back out. That, along with the frankly quite callous and snooty attitudes of many of the Unicorns has resulted in a little disagreement over who the gemstones actually belong too. I tried to talk some sense into Rainbow, but she wasn't having any of it. Accused me of sympathising with "my kind" over my friends! I understand she's upset, but I can't pretend that last remark didn't sting. After all the two of us have been through, I had hoped she'd be a little more level-headed.

As of now, the Pegasai - I mean, the Wonderbolts - aren't letting any of the gems leave the base. Fortunately, I was able to lay my hooves on three little jewels of those gems before things turned ugly. I'll stash them in my saddlebags before I leave, which should be in around a week or so.

I'm sure you'll have more success into making Rainbow see the error of her ways. A few strongly-worded letters should help knock some sense into her. But... could you wait until after I've left? Obviously, I feel completely safe here, but I just wouldn't want to engender any misgivings amongst the Pegasai against me until I'm safely back with all four hooves planted in Manehattan. You understand how it is. 

Applejack sends her love, of course. She absolutely insisted I mentioned that. That pony is the living end of anxiety, worried the farm will spontaneously burn to the ground if she's not there, no doubt. Tell Sweetie Belle I'm proud of her, and to make sure Scootaloo doesn't break her neck doing something silly on her scooter. You know, I've always thought I worry more about that filly than her own parents. Dreadful, isn't it?

Love and best wishes,

Rarity