“So what was that little rendezvous between you and Luna all about? I mean, if I can ask. It didn’t seem like a secret, I guess, but I suppose now it might have been one, so maybe I should just stop talking.” Twilight cringed a little bit, blushing at her perceived misstep. “I just was curious, was all.”
Applejack didn’t respond immediately, but it was not out of thought. She was chewing on a rather exorbitant sandwich, a flower one that must have had at least half the royal gardens thrown into it. It was good, of course; the dozen different colourful petals had all brought their essences of tartness and fragrance, and balanced well with the sweet seasoning of pollen. It was just a huge pain to chew through, was all.
She rolled her head in apology and continued munching, looking around the room while Twilight offered a polite “Take your time”. The Canterlot Castle’s kitchen was massive, and she traced pillars of limestone all the way from floor to ceiling, marvelling at them. These weren’t polished marble, being in the maintenance side of the building, but all the same the chiselled bricks were imposing and impressive. Behind the huge wooden tables where Twilight and Applejack were sitting, a dozen different ponies were rushing back and forth, hauling trays of fresh bread and pastries out of roaring ovens, shouting orders around crates of hay and vegetables, chopping selections of fruits up with such well timed and practiced knife movements it had almost made a song. It was a lot to take in for the farmer, and she shirked back to Twilight while finally swallowing her bite.
“Aw, it’s nothin’ special. She’s been teaching me all about stars and whatnot. Constellations, astronomy, a little bit’a physics I suppose. Just enough to understand what’s going on on the larger scale of things.”
The grin that spread across Twilight’s face was the largest one Applejack had ever seen on her, rivalling the ones that Rainbow Dash would sport whenever she spoke to a Wonderbolt. Applejack thought momentarily about how she still smiled like that, despite being a Wonderbolt, and gave a small snort of laughter.
“Ohmigosh Applejack you didn’t tell me you were fascinated by space! I could have taught you! Oh I have so many charts for you to memorize and all these textbooks I can loan you—”
She noticed Applejack’s cringing smile, her telltale expression of “I’m really not interested in that idea but I respect you so I’m going to listen anyways”, and interrupted herself.
“Ooorrrrr, you could maybe stick with Princess Luna, who’s obviously found a teaching method that works very well for you.”
“No offense, Twilight, I would appreciate any info I can get on it, but you’re right on the bits there. We’ve only met about a dozen times over the last two years, back at the farm, and she brings the sky to life with her magic. Actually shows me what she means. Zooms in on particular things, or at least makes it look like she’s zoomed in on it. Less reading and more like… field trips.” She nodded, happy with the metaphor. “Book learning’s always been frustrating for me.”
“No offense taken. I’m just happy to know you’re studying something that we both share interest in.” She took a bite of her own meal, a plate of hay fries that were somehow more exquisitely prepared than the Botanical Special Sandwich Applejack had received. “So how’d that even start, anyways?” she asked between mouthfuls.
“Well, usually after a hard day’s work, I ain’t one to just leap straight into bed and fast forward to the next day of labour. It don’t do you no good to spend all your time tending to nature without actually enjoying the… well, the fruits of it,” she laughed. “Anyways, there’s been plenty a’night when we’ve gotten the last cart stored away and the barn door latched after the sun’s set, and I ain’t about to give up on tradition just cause it’s dark out.
“So on those occasions I’d sit on our little bench outside the house and just take in the night. Look up at the stars, see the moonlight filtering through the trees, take in the smells of the cooling grass. Well, there came a time when the Crown chose Sweet Apple Acres to supply one of the Galas with food. Princess Luna personally came to inspect the farm, though she said she had ulterior motives after that inspection was quickly finished.”
“Oh?” Twilight asked through a full mouth.
“Yeah. Said she could feel the appreciation of the night, and, well, appreciated it. She wanted to thank me for taking the time to enjoy the result of her hard work, as much as she was about to enjoy the results of mine. We got to talking about what exactly it was that I liked the most and that led us to the lessons.” Applejack shrugged before picking apart her sandwich and grabbing a small bunch of flowers from the center. She ate them fast, happy to get some food in her a bit quicker.
“Well, I’m happy for you. Really, that’s wonderful!”
“Phanks,” Applejack replied, her own mouth now full of petals.
They continued to eat in relative silence, looking about the room every now and then as troupes of courtesans rushed in to grab snacks and treats for whatever occasion happened to be occurring—often to the chagrin of the wooden spoon-threatening chefs, who would shout and chase them before catching some pot that had begun to boil over. Twilight laughed when this happened, and Applejack only shook her head.
When at last the plates had been finished and bellies had been filled, Twilight tapped the table absentmindedly, appearing to be struggling with some internal debate. Applejack looked at her quizzically, to which she replied with a sigh.
“So, uh, are you two dating?”
Applejack’s laugh echoed off the vaulted ceiling, earning annoyed looks from the chefs.
“Oh, that’s a good one Twi, that really is,” Applejack said finally, wiping a tear from her eye. “Me, dating a half-goddess? ‘Lil ol’ farmer me, cuddling with the Avatar of Night herself?” She resumed her laughter, a rolling set of ‘hyuks’ that quickly pulled Twilight into the laugh herself.
“Alright, okay, you don’t need to be mean about it,” she said, giggling. “Don’t sell yourself so short though. ‘‘Lil ol’ farmer you’ has also helped save the world at least three times, nevermind the hundreds of other ponies who you’ve individually assisted. And don’t set her on so high a pedestal. Sure, she might be nigh-immortal and anciently wise, but aside from that she’s just as much a pony as you or I.”
“Sure, sure. But no, Twilight, it’s just studying together.”
“Okay then.” There was another small yet extended gap in conversation between the two, and after looking about the kitchen one last time, Twilight continued. “Soooo, uh. What are you going to do now?”
It was not about Luna, Applejack knew. The question was delivered to her with a sense of gravitas, a sort of quiet hesitance that carried a heavier purpose than idle gossip. Twilight was talking now about the plan they had developed after figuring out the poem.
The decision to go was not a difficult one on its own; regardless of how they organized it, Applejack was positive she would be setting out on yet another adventure in her life. If she hadn’t gone, and things didn’t work out, she would have blamed herself in perpetuity. She tried not to think about things not working out if she did go, but, at least she would be able to say she tried.
The difficulty came instead from the proposal that Celestia had put forth shortly after Twilight and Applejack began building a plan together. Given the intensely secretive nature of their quest, and the importance that others not find out they knew where they were going, Celestia had suggested that only one of the elements go. Sending them all was out of the question; anypony knew that the six of them heading anywhere with loaded saddlebags meant it was time to do some stocking up at the store and perhaps make sure your insurance is all renewed. As well, if a disaster were to occur at home, they would all be half a world away.
A couple of them could go, no more than two, but in discussion they all ended up agreeing that really only one of them would be necessary, and would be the least suspicious. It couldn’t be Twilight, as the disappearance of a princess would tip off any astute character in their groups of imagined enemies. And so they moved on, starting to discuss their other friends while trying to think about their fit with the mission as honestly as possible. Sure, Rainbow Dash would be dependable in retrieving the Source and bringing it home, but her brashness and carelessness might impede the ships crew or even lead to the Source being lost. Fluttershy might give it away if given a good enough reason too. They had moved on to discussing Rarity when Applejack had offered herself.
And why not, she thought. Just like she had told Twilight earlier, there wasn’t much she was needed for on the farm and Apple Bloom was able to help out far more than years prior. She was strong, worldly, and dependable. Perhaps not being able to cast spells might even make transporting the Source easier, for all they knew.
Applejack ruminated over all of this while absentmindedly wiping her muzzle with a hoof. Maybe it was foolish, running off by herself with no notice. Maybe it was a mistake.
Maybe things were getting a little bit boring these days.
“Well, first thing’s first,” she finally replied, “will be popping home to grab extra travelling supplies and let them all know what’s up. You know they can be trusted just as much as me,” she said, interrupting Twilight. “Don’t you worry your royal behind one bit about that.”
“Hey!”
“You were thinkin’ it!”
“Fair enough. And then where are you headed?”
“It’s two days by train to Seaward Shoals, and as I understand it they’ll have a ship prepared by the time I get there. Did you know we have a navy?”
“You just said I was royalty. Of course I knew that.”
“Did you know before you got your wings?”
Twilight gave a cold stare at Applejack, who chuckled.
“Well, I didn’t. I’m guessing it ain’t that big, anyways, but we’ll be heading out on one of those. Being military and all should keep us from being accosted by any of the more eager mean-types on the ocean.”
“It’s not really big, no. There’s six ships, last I recall being briefed on it. They don’t really go far from Equestria all that often, either, mainly patrolling the trade routes along the coasts and to Griffinstone.” She noticed Applejack turn slightly worried. “They’re all trained just as diligently as the royal guard! I joined in on an inspection once a few years back, and I didn’t see a single pony there who didn’t know what they were doing.”
Applejack shrugged. “I suppose I’ll have to find out.” She looked around and finally found a tall grandfather clock nestled in an alcove to the side of the dining area, and grunted when she found the time. “I suppose I’ll have to be heading out here too. You taking the train back with me?”
“Unfortunately not,” Twilight said, standing up and quickly teleporting to the opposite side of the table, next to Applejack. “We’re going to be doing a bit more research on the Source, see if we can’t learn anything useful before your ship departs. I might even head out to the Crystal Empire library, still.” She wrapped a hoof around Applejack’s back and brought her in close, hugging her hard. “I’m gonna miss you. Stay safe, alright?”
Applejack smiled warmly and returned the hug, patting Twilight’s back. “I’ll be fine. Should be a few day’s journey to Dove Island, and then from there who knows, but say a month later I should be back in Ponyville, with the power to unravel space and time in the frog of my hoof.”
“When you say it like that, it makes me worry a little bit.”
“Hey, just imagine, Twilight… Trees that harvest themselves… and regrow new apples in a day! All with just a thought.”
“Don’t you dare!”
Applejack hugged Twilight one final time before standing up and hefting her saddlebags into place. “You know I wouldn’t. Something not right about apples that move all on their own. You take care, Twi. It’s time for this Apple to hustle on down to the train station.”