“This is troubling,” Celestia sighed, catching the attention of her dinner guests as she put the letter down.
“What’s wrong Sister?” Luna asked, fork gathering as many noodles as she could with great concentration.
“It seems rather than a friendship lesson, my student is worried about the reactions of Trixie to her decision,”
“Decision about what?” Trade Wind asked, watching Luna who was pouring parmesan on her mound of spaghetti and bringing it to her mouth.
“The punishment for two colts responsible for waking an Ursa Minor and bringing it to town,” the fork dropped to the plate with a loud splat, sending red sauce and parmesan everywhere as Luna gave her sister an incredulous look.
“Come again?” she asked, blinking several times, Trade Wind put a hoof to her head,
“Let me guess, Snips and Snails?” Celestia nodded,
“Apparently they wanted to see ‘awesome magic’,” the pegasus groaned.
“Oh honestly, wait, didn’t Fluttershy post a Rescue animal to guard that part of the forest?” Celestia scowled.
“They knocked it out with sleeping powder,” the two blue mares froze, horror on their faces.
“So not only did these foolish colts risk destruction to their own village, they also knocked out one of their protectors?” “That is not the only thing,” Celestia stated grimly, “In the rampage of the Ursa Minor, it stepped onto Trixie Lulamoon’s trailer, destroying it along with Junior who had been a statue. Junior is a Gargoyle,” she added upon Luna’s confused expression, raising a hoof when Trade made to leave the table, “Junior is fine now, with the help of Limestone and a few others they put him back together,” the pegasus collapsed back into her chair, pale with both horror and relief.
“A Gargoyle, in Equestria?” Luna’s question was understandable and Trade Wind rubbed her head, sighing.
“A story we’ll get to in the sessions your Highness, the context of which won’t be understood without learning other things first,” she explained when the Princess looked like she wanted to protest.
“We see, what punishment did your student decide,” Trade Wind grimaced, already having a guess and Celestia sighed.
“That’s just it,” she said, “Even if she helped put the Ursa Minor back before it caused more damage, that does not give her the right to the decision. Which is probably why Miss Lulamoon got so angry with her. Because apparently to punish the colts Twilight used the Mustache trick on them,” Luna opened her mouth, closed it, then tilted her head.
“Did she cause the mustache to grow over their eyes and blind them?” “No,” “Out of their noses to block their breathing,” “No Luna,” “Hideous mustaches?” the alicorn tried again, “Wrong again, normal mustaches that they enjoyed,” Princess Luna leaned back, glancing at Trade Wind, looking puzzled.
“Has the idea of punishment changed throughout the years? We fail to see how that would make the colts learn their lesson. Plus as you said she didn’t have the authority,”
“No, and she feels upset that she was called out for it. This in addition to the letter from Spike and Miss Rarity makes me worry. Trade Wind,” her voice stopped the pegasus from slipping away, giving the eighteen-year-old an unamused look which got her a sheepish one in return, “Your thoughts please,” “Your Highness I don’t-” “And be as blunt as possible,” Princess Celestia stated firmly.
Trade Wind flinched, giving her and Luna an uncertain look before sighing.
“Alright, your Highness-” “ahem,” “Celestia, when you sent Twilight to Ponyville and gave her the library to use as her new home, did you tell her that part of her duties was to manage the library?” Celestia tilted her head.
“Well, no, but I figured after how Twilight managed the books in the Tower, it would be alright,” “Unfortunately I think you need to be a bit more clear with her, considering the time since she’s joined the village, the library hasn’t ordered any new books or resumed its previous events that had been under the previous librarian. I have received letters from Granny Smith herself complaining about having to go all the way to the Town Hall for her Quilting Club, and some complaints about the stock aisle not being updated. Then there is, well, the comment Twilight made about Spike being her assistant and not attending school. Pinkie expanded on that somewhat, sending me a message about Twilight wanting Spike to look after the library while she met with her friends. While Spike is capable of looking after himself, he is still not yet ten years old and managing the library is not something he should have to do. I understand that Twilight Sparkle has studies that she needs to do, but she also has responsibilities, and once Spike attends school (because he does need to attend school), she will have to learn how to cook for herself as well,” Celestia narrowed her eyes, realizing that there was something Trade Wind wanted to say but the pegasus stopped herself from doing so.
“Spit it out Trade Wind,” “I just do not feel comfortable about the fact Twilight treats Spike as an assistant and nothing more. I’ve also come across him putting away books she took down, and while she can use her magic to take them down, he has to climb a ladder to put them back. While you did have good intentions of putting her somewhere with a lot of books, it might be best if you appoint an assistant librarian who can help with her duties. The book ones I mean, not the chores,” Celestia thought about it.
“You have a point, and I fear I will have to tell her that her decisions regarding these two colts were wrong. Actions have their consequences after all,” Trade Wind nodded, looking at her plate and lifting something up when she stiffened and flew out.
“Tra-” the doors blew open, cutting Celestia off as a panting Cadance with mussed hair and twigs in her mane came in.
“Transporting me to the Minotaur lands was a dirty trick Trade Wind! (Even if the wedding ceremony was lovely.)” but the pegasus was nowhere to be seen, chair pushed back and plate empty. Letting out a humph, Cadence looked around, growling under her breath as she took a seat at the table.
“Is that where you were Cadance?” Celestia asked, dipping her garlic bread into the red sauce.
“Yes,” steam was emitting from her mane, “I found a letter in my mailbox, opened it, and somehow found myself transported all the way over there in the middle of a wedding party. I flew back,” she was seething, “If she thinks she can hide from me forever she has another thing coming!” Celestia sweatdropped.
“I see,” did she want to know how Trade Wind figured out how to booby-trap letters? Or should she stay away from this topic? The thought of using it on Po was tempting, maybe next time he’ll think twice about interrupting Day Court with another one of his ridiculous requests. Or yet another unwanted critique about Equestrian cuisine.
Something to consider.
After she messaged Twilight back of course, though the subject of an assistant librarian will be shelved for now.
No need to stress her student and cause her to panic at the wrong conclusion any further.
------------
Trade Wind checked to make sure that Cadance wasn’t following before closing her curtains and collapsing onto her hammock.
That was close, the Alicorn got even faster than before.
Maybe she should send her into space next time?
Anything to avoid the interrogation she knows is going to take place at the Alicorn’s hooves. Right now she’d rather worry about the implications of the changes to canon, changes that were throwing everything into disarray.
Fluttershy’s Ranger status and Nocturne accessories. Her brother (s)
Pinkie Pie’s control over her Blessing. Her brother
Lyra…
Rarity’s business partners
And her son.
That last part still shook her to this day, and it took everything in Trade Wind not to leave Equestria to go caving in other countries.
Applejack was a bit concerning, her attitude towards Big Mac and the Mash family concerned Trade Wind who avoided the mare when she could because of the former’s obsession with ‘tradition’ and the like.
The mare had never forgiven Big Mac for ‘abandoning’ their family to attend a school like WEU, and she and Rarity shared a strange animosity towards one another that was worse than the show.
She had a feeling about the reason but didn’t want to make things worse.
They were bad enough already.
Rainbow Dash was unknown, so much happened over the years with Wind Scar, Trade’s former parents, and her estranged sister that their relationship was pretty nonexistent.
She knew that was why Pinkie decided not to make Rainbow her pranking buddy, the Earth mare being friendly with the pegasus but nothing more than that.
Fluttershy wasn’t any better, the pegasus having her own grudge against the rainbow-maned pegasus and feeling guilty about it at the same time.
Lyra straight out wanted to magic all the hair off of her but Trade Wind stopped her, several times.
Then there was Twilight Sparkle.
Letting out a deep sigh, Trade Wind turned so that she was facing the wall where a map of Equestria’s caves was painted on the wallpaper.
She should have known at the beginning that Master Po and Celestia would wind up dragging Twilight and her into their little tiff with one another.
Trade did what she could not to let it bother her, but Twilight, unfortunately, did not do the same. Her rigid personality and hero-worship of powerful unicorns like Starswirl the Bearded led to some close-minded opinions spouted by the historical figure.
She even had the chance to attend WEU as a way to expand her horizons but refused it on the grounds that she wanted the rigid curriculum of Celestia’s School and did not feel comfortable attending a school where the teachers were free to teach what they want.
Especially the Magic Teachers which were constantly changing every year.
Trade Wind wondered if they would ever have a teacher who would last beyond the first year, she especially liked the third-year teacher.
Even if no one else remembered him.
But with the changes in the world, to the canon itself, Trade did not realize what was wrong with the original till it was staring at her right in the face.
In the show, Twilight had Spike as her assistant who cooked, cleaned, put away books, watched the library, and transcribed for her. That one episode where he got a claw cramp was not as funny now that she realized how young he was.
But even though Spike was raised by ponies, he was still a member of the Dragon race and fell under the new Bill. If he wanted to continue being Twilight’s assistant, then he needed to finish school and get a degree, and she should be able to manage the library by herself till then.
Right?
Another thing that bothered her about the library, but she had a big enough headache and did not want to think about it anymore.
“Tomorrow morning I’ll arrange for the cubs and Spike’s registration in the school,” she muttered out loud, eyelids closing, “and I need to make sure the bridge constr-” her eyes closed as sleep overcame her.
The wind settled around her, the whispers it brought going into a low murmur as they let the Wielder rest.
When she woke up the message would be delivered, but for now they would let her sleep.
The message could wait.