Chapter 3: Plot Holes
---------------{]Morning[}---------------
CRACK
"No, not like that Twi. Try a bit higher up on the trunk and add a bit more strength to your kick," Jackie suggested.
CRACK
"Much better! Now just a mite higher..."
CRACK
"That's it! Now all you need is a little more practice."
Jackie had been teaching Twilight some of her apple bucking tricks. Her most recent addition to her trick book: The apple fall delay, or how to control when and which apples fell. To be honest, most of what Jackie was saying was beyond him. How did you control which part of the hoof hit the tree first? In any case, Twilight seemed to understand it.
Waking up that morning wasn't too bad. Granny Smith didn't seem to mind too much. Applebloom was a bit of a different story. Once she saw Jace she ran out the door and later came back with her friends in a second attempt at their monster catching cutie marks. The stings of them smacking with sticks was still fresh in his mind.
Jace asked if he could stay on the farm, seeing as he had a job there now and didn't want to keep hiking from the cottage to the orchard. Twilight and Jackie seemed okay with it. Granny was also fine with a new resident in the house.
"So long as he keeps himself useful," was her only requirement.
Big Macintosh seemed fine with it, simply replying with his signature, "Eeyup."
Applebloom seemed a bit too happy with him asking. She said yes and immediately left once again. Hoping he wouldn't have a repeat of that morning, he kept wary of his surroundings in case of attack...
It was now three days later. Jace was now very informed on the workings of the farm. Now, there was less explaining and the apples were being harvested much faster. Also, the less explaining gave Jace more time to think while he worked. Most of his thinking was about when he would meet the other two out of the mane six. In order to keep his status of not knowing much, he usually stayed off the topic of Fluttershy and Rainbow. Still, he kept his eyes on the skies in hopes of seeing that famed rainbow trail across. No such luck however.
One thing that came through his mind quite a few times before it finally stuck was a question that seemed simple enough. However, to him, it could be a massive shift in his thinking. It would be almost a day later that he asked it.
Eventually, the moment came. It was during the morning harvest. Jackie was taking some time to coach Twilight on different tricks. Jace was up in a tree lounging on a low branch watching. Then Twilight looked up.
"You know, we don't pay you to lounge around," she chastised.
"Sorry," Jace quickly replied. He got up and began his ascent into the tree. "I was thinking about some things."
"What kind of things?" She asked with an inquisitive expression. She turned and bucked the tree behind her.
"Hmm... I guess now's as good a time as any." Okay, I'll give you the gist. What is a unicorn like you doing in a place like this?" He quickly said, hopping down to move on to the next tree.
The reaction was almost immediate. Twilight's expression changed quickly to one of confusion, then to one of understanding, then to one of contemplation. "Umm, I need to think about that. Give me until our lunch break," was her only response.
The rest of the shift was tense for Jace. His mind was swimming with ideas, thoughts, and explanations as to why Twilight reacted like she did. "Maybe she wasn't sure of how she should say it? No more like she needed time to get herself together. Wait, if that's the case, then what kind of experience did she go through?" His thoughts were not kind to him in the least. His mind was put at ease when the bell rang out across the orchard.
"Okay," he said under his breath. "Time for answers."
That day's lunch was not to eventful, except for Jace's mind was starting to go into overdrive again. He stopped half way through his sandwich, which was one of the best things he had ever tasted, and looked at Twilight.
"Now," he began. "I believe you owe me an explanation?"
"Hmm? Oh yes. In case you were wondering, I needed the time to figure out where to start. But I think I should just start at the beginning. It all started after I failed the entrance exam to get into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns...
---------------{]-[}---------------
"BBBFF?"
"Twiley! C'mere, I heard about... what's up?" the purple pony exuded as much determination as her filly frame could hold.
"Remember when your Guard application came in?"
"Of course, listen don't-"
"What was that other thing you were trying to do?" the unicorn filly was not going to be sidetracked.
"Are you talking about the Canterlot Civilian Conservation Corps?" Shining Armor was lost.
"Yeah, do you still have the application form?", Twilight asked, eyeing the conglomeration of paper and pens that
constituted her brother’s desk.
"Right over... here it is. But talk to me sis, how are you?", Shining made one last attempt to steer the conversation.
"I'm, you know what? I'm ok - I'm not happy, but the world didn't end. They're not making me go back to m-magic k k... to my old school; Mom and Dad aren't disowning me."
"Well, that's a remarkably quick recovery", the adolescent colt playfully mussed his sister's mane, letting his breath when he realized he’d been holding it.
"I think I built it up in my head, a lot. I think I spend a lot of time in my head… Everybody's leaving; it feels like I'm standing still, you're going to be a guard, Cadence is going off to do princess things, and I'm too old to talk to Smarty-pants anymore. What if studying isn't helping me with my life?" Twilight's expression darkened,” It hurts when I say that - but it doesn't fill me with terror like it would have before... and I think I need to explore what that means, maybe..."
"Maybe set hoof outside a library?” Twilight's glare made Armor raise his forehooves reflexively, "hey, c'mon now... you remember humor, don't you?” He returned to the subject of the conversation, “a-are you sure about this? I mean I'm all for you getting outside your shell, but you shouldn't just make huge decisions while you're upset, -"
"I'm NOT UPSET!" Twilight helped Shining back onto his hooves, embarrassed by her outburst "Eh heh heh hee... look, I studied, I practiced, I think I gave myself a pony migraine practicing channeling, and I still had No idea what I was in for with that test. It would have taken some sort of improbable miracle for me to be able to hatch... where did they even GET a dragon egg..." shaking her head, Twilight returned to her train of thought, "what I mean is, my encyclopedic knowledge of scholastics did nothing to help me. Maybe, maybe I need... what do you call learning something from physical experience without referencing pertinent study materials?"
"Wha-um,” Shining’s brain floundered ”do you mean ‘practical experience’?"
"Yeah, that. Also," she scuffed her hoof along the ground, lowering her head," I don't like how I reacted. Sure, I failed. I HUMILIATED myself in front of educators from Equestria's premier school of magic. But, that's just it: I humiliated MYSELF, it wasn't the test, I got so worked up they had to have somepony carry me out of the room. I don't like that about myself. It got me thinking, I've gotten worked up before, and after somepony gets me straightened out I'm ok. Well, that's the last time I'll do that, I say, SURELY next time I'll feel it coming and just let it go. But I don't, maybe won't. Argh, I'm frustrated with my frustration!"
"Ok, sis, here's the form. Just, make sure you talk to Mom and Dad, ok?"
"Ok, thanks for listening Shiny"
"Any time squirt, any time"
[||||||||||]
...Much later, I came to my parents after finding an opening for a trip to Zebrica. I tried to see if I could go, but my argunemt tactics failed me...
[||||||||||]
'Step 1, keep to the offensive.'
"How can you do this to me!?"
"Young lady, you will not take that tone with your parents."
'Step 2, divide and conquer.'
"Dad, you said you thought I could handle it."
"Your mother and I have talked it over and we made a completely mutual decision that a filly your age simply cannot travel to Zebrica, even with supervising adults. There's just no way our precious baby is going to be thrown into a wild jungle thousands of miles away with our approval."
'Step 3, divert the opponent from their source of strength. Oh Sun Hoof, don't fail me now...'
"This is my life! I want to make a difference in ponies lives... even if they aren't ponies - all sentient species deserve Love and Tolerance."
"Doesn't that mean that ponies living in your own country deserve consideration? You seem to forget that we're letting you do this 'volunteer program' at all because you agreed to abide by our decisions." The gray and purple of her mother's mane was swaying ever so slightly, revealing her subconscious shaking of her head 'Aack! retreat, retreat!'
"Young filly, this opening at Sweet Apple Acres is perfect. You'll be far enough away that you can feel you are making a break from school and ... us. You'll be helping an important historical landmark remain in the original founder's family, learning horticulture and local history, and most importantly your father won't be a nervous wreck the entire time."
"But..."
"And Lastly" 'oh no,' "the mission to Zebrica is part of the Pony Corps, NOT the Canterlot Civilian Conservation Corps that we agreed to let you apply for." Her mother's glower was ruined by her attempts to smother the grin her pride in her stubborn daughter brought on.
'step 4, when all else fails and the battle is hopeless, surrender to an honorable enemy, stubborn defiance is foalish and a waste in the face of mercy.' "Sigh, okay, you win. I'll go to Apple Arches or whatever. There's just nothing in Ponyville, and I'm pretty sure nothing will ever happen there."
"First you have to grow a little before you can go risking your life." Her parents pulled Twilight into a hug," And we do want you to know how proud we are of you, sweetie. A month ago you would have fought hoof and horn against being dragged out of your bed an hour early..."
"This is something I feel I have to do. Somewhere out there is whatever I didn't find before. I was so sure..." 'Keep it together Twilight, you tried and you failed. A sane pony tries something new, and you are a sane pony aren't you? Even if you are talking to yours-shut up! Keep it together...' "Right, I'll do this." Her parents relaxed visibly as she pulled herself out of her funk. "Well, I guess I'll go see what the library has on... arborculture."
[||||||||||]
...And that's how I got here, but that's not where my story ends. When I got here, I was determined to help in any way I could to make a difference. It was about a month later that I finally completed the puzzle...
[||||||||||
Twilight Sparkle contemplated the apple tree in front of her. 'Malus domestica, Cultivar Red Delicious, South field, row 12 tree 2, Bloomenthal the 2nd.' Satisfied that she had identified the tree in question, she addressed the taste of apples, the feel of bark, the smell of freshly watered soil, and the darn fact that she couldn't buck an apple to save her life. "Look, I'm here to help pick apples. Mr. Mackintosh and Mrs. Smith say it's ok that I'm not strong enough to make apples fall, and I think it's heavily implied that I'd have to be an Earth Pony to do it right anyway... but I'm going to be helpful!" Shouting at the tree did not help.
'All of my studies were either wrong, obvious, or things that members of the Apple family were the first to learn anyway! The only things I have that I can contribute are brainpower, organizational skill, and magic. My theoretical knowledge is trumped by the practical knowledge the Apples already have, ditto for the organization of the farm... mental note, the Zap Apple rituals are fascinating, make sure you document Mrs. Smith's methodologies. Argh! Focus! That only leaves magic, and plucking one apple at a time telekinetically is ridiculously inefficient, probably why the Apples developed bucking in the first place. I can't learn to buck because I'm not strong enough and I don't get plants the way an earth pony would!'
Twilight stopped wheezing before she hyperventilated and regained her wits. 'The solution is obvious, in hindsight. If magic is my tool to unlock this dilemma, then the key is a spell. A spell like Verdant Horn's "Analyze Plant" which I just.so.happen. to have found at the local library.'
With a smile that was only slightly self congratulatory, Sparkle unrolled the scroll in question with her magic and began formulating the mental symbols that would mold her magic to the desired effect. Glowing sigils popped, one at a time, from her horn and began surrounding her in a gentle violet glow. Arranging themselves into two rings, they rotated in opposite directions, shifting colors to a deep green. The upper ring drifted forward, surrounding the tree, Bloomenthal the 2nd, a hazy green glow tethering the two rings, and therefore the pony and tree. The rings condensed into their targets with an audible pop.
A rapidly expanding ring of rippling gray streaked across the sky, followed by an explosive roar that completely shattered Twilight's concentration. Her carefully orchestrated spell fell apart as reservoirs of magical potential she never contemplated let alone knew of poured into the purple pony's mind. It suffused her horn in a brilliant fuchsia glow and caused her eyes to emit white light that would have blinded anypony looking into them. The spell, disrupted but not dispersed, provided an outlet for the massive magical energy emission. A deep green shockwave blasted across Sweet Apple Acres, without causing so much as a single leaf to fall.
'I... I can see... every plant, every limb, every vein on every leaf. I can feel them growing, I know what photosynthesis feels like. It's all connected. It's so... perfect.' Tears streamed down eyes that went from floodlights to flashlights to a dim residual glow. Twilight didn't even realize she'd been floating until her hooves touched the ground. Gently, the spell ended, but the experience was burned deeply into the unicorn's memory, etched in green. 'All of it, it's just so...' She wiped the remaining tears away with a wistful smile on her face.
"Twai-ligh! Twilight Sparkles!" Big Mackintosh galloped up the road, concerned for the volunteer worker. "There y'are Miss Sparkles, you ok?", Twilight was pretty sure the 'Sparkles' thing had originally been a mistake, then a joke, and had simply become habit. She considered it part of her training in not getting upset by minor details... most of the time, although she had the feeling it wouldn't bother her much anymore. "I say, did th' explosion damage your ears Miss Sparkles?"
'Huh, oh, right, interaction.' "Sorry, I'm ok Mr. Mackintosh-"
"Big Mac will just fine-" Big Mac caught sight of something, stared, realized where he was staring, and looked away blushing furiously. "Y'you got somethin' on your..." he gestured behind Twilight.
"On my what?" Twilight turned around once before looking at her flank, where her newly acquired cutie mark lay. Nine stars arranged in a hexagon, points vertical, with lines between and one star below pointing earthward. "The... the tree of knowledge?" 'I don't know what to say.' "I don't know what to say." She didn't know what to say.
---------------{]-[}---------------
"...And that's how I got here. It's also the story of how I got my cutie mark. Now any questions?" Twilight beamed.
Jace was speechless. His jaw was on the floor from the moment she began. "She failed the entrance exam!? How did that happen? And what was that about what sounded like a 'cloud-boom'?" His thoughts were moving faster than a train at this point.
"Uh, one question. Can you explain to me the reason why the rainboom was missing?" He said in an attempt to take his shocked expression off his face.
Twilight's confused face said it all. "The what?"
"The rainboom? The sonic rainboom?" He clarified.
"Uh, that move has never been done. It's just an old mare's tale." She said. "Where did you even hear about it?"
"Wha-, well I, uh, um... Oh is lunch over already?" He asked in an attempt to change the subject. "I think we should get back to work. See you guys out on the field!" Jace made a mad dash to the door. The two mares didn't even have time to react until he was out the door.
Jackie turned to Twilight. "What just happened?"
"I have no idea. Though I'm still curious about how and where he learned about the sonic rainboom." Twilight wondered.
"Maybe we'll figure it out later. Right now we got some trees to buck." Jackie launched herself off her chair.
Twilight followed in close pursuit. "Wait for me!"
---------------{]-[}---------------
The hours following that lunch were tense for Jace. Every time Twilight would come to ask him a question, he would instinctively flinch before finding out what the actual question was. He knew he would need to say something soon, but that wasn't the right time. He tried focusing on the task at hand too keep his mind off it. Eventually, Jace was finally able to get it out of his mind. But then he saw something that surprised him far more than Twilight's story.
Flying across the sky at speeds he never thought possible, he saw a familiar pegasus. Before he could even say her name, Jackie saw her and beat him too it.
"Lookie there! Fluttershy's headed this way. Wonder what for?"
(}--------------------{][}--------------------{)
A/N: Well, that wasn't too long between updates this time. Okay, sure it was mostly copying and pasting, but still. In any case, I hope you guys have enjoyed thus far. Next chapter: Fluttershy's initial reactions and Jace's reaction to non shyness (If that makes any sense).