//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Historical Friction // Story: In the Service of the Goddess. // by Blue Print //------------------------------// Chapter Four: Historical Friction After the picnic, the rest of the day passed in a monotony of further writing and planning. Applejack had tried to write several of the letters by magic after her jaw began to cramp, but the results had been illegible. Late in the evening she finished her correspondence. Looking for a chance to exercise, she went out to get the winter’s firewood laid in. Big Macintosh was still out tending the orchards, and wouldn’t be likely to have time for it for a week or two at least. She had pushed herself physically, testing the limits of what her body could do without magical augmentation. Even before the change, Applejack’s command of ascetic magic had been as natural as breathing, so, without it, the work was actually more exhausting than usual. As she worked up a good lather, she let her mind clear, putting aside her worries and stresses. *** House found himself at loose ends. His research materials were mostly packed and hopelessly jumbled, and he was pretty sure that he would be worse than useless at farm work. He finally settled for pulling out the book at the heart of his current study and giving it another clean read-through, without bothering with notes. The book was ancient and wrapped in protective magics far stronger than anything he could even dream of casting. As he read, he thought back on the brief lesson he had given earlier. It had pained him, having to simplify that much. He was a researcher first, and the few classes he taught were exclusive to post-graduate students and other faculty. He could tell that he would have to be patient with Princess Mara. On the other hoof, she obviously had sources of knowledge that mortals were not privy to. Most information about the time before Celestia’s monarchy had only recently come to light, including the manuscript he now held. Her intellectual makeup was an odd mixture of innocence and cunning that he rarely encountered in his ivory-tower world. It disturbed, impressed and intrigued him all at once. From downstairs, he heard the front door slam to chorus of cheerful ‘howdy!’s. After a moment came the distinctive clomping of the Princess up the stairs. House poked his head out the door of the guest room and immediately regretted it. The Princess was panting slightly as she headed towards the bathroom, and her coat was streaked with white lather. The stench was overwhelming. Some tiny part of him rebelled at this revelation; Princesses should smell like lavender, or maybe apples in this case, even when they sweat! Suppressing a gag, it was all House could do to nod at Mara. Mara nodded back. “Hay there sugar. Sorry ‘bout cuttin’ ya short back at tha picnic.” She glanced at the book being held in his magic. “What’cha readin’ there?” Startled, he glanced down at the book that he had absently brought with him. “Oh, it’s a journal. Now, don’t look at me like that. I have permission to read it. It belonged to Celestia a long time ago. She released it to the college of history at Canterlot University a year back. A lot, actually, has been released from the Royal Archives in the years since Luna’s return. I suspect, though, that my study of this book is the reason my application to be your tutor was accepted.” “Oh? When’s it from?” “Well, it’s from around the time of what some scholars are calling the Lunar Rebellion…” He trailed off, obviously not happy with the term. “Ah think Ah hear a ‘but’ in there somewhere.” “Yes, well, in light of this book, I think the older term might be more appropriate.” “And what is that?” “The Nightmare.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Well, first thing Ah gotta do is take a shower-” “Thank Celestia!” House immediately clamped a hoof over his mouth. This was why he was a research professor, not a teacher. He had a very difficult time controlling his mouth. Applejack gave him a stare that was slightly more amused than angry. “As Ah was sayin’, Ah think Ah’m gonna have a nice soak after. Why don’t ah call ya in when Ah’m decent and settled, and ya can tell me about it, ok?” House nodded, grateful to have dodged banishment once again. “As you wish, Princess.” *** House, of course, had an easy time hearing Applejack’s shout of, “Ready!” He carefully knocked on the door before opening it. “Come on in,” she said. House entered. A curtain had been drawn partway around the tub, leaving only Applejack’s head visible as she reclined in the bubbly water. Her voluminous golden hair hung limply around her face, while a serene smile played about her lips. “Go on and tell me ‘bout the Nightmare. Ah swear Ah won’t fall asleep on ya.” House opened his book, flipped around to a few different places, then shut it again. “Well, I suppose I should ask you what you already know about Luna’s fall. You seem to be a lot more knowledgeable than anypony has a right to be.” “Well, Ah know that it happened after Sombra kidnapped her and she and Celestia killed him tha first time, but that’s about it.” House stayed silent for quite some time, so Applejack turned her head to look at him. He was staring at her, eyes wide. “Yes?” “King Sombra actually kidnapped her? Physically? This just mentions a spell…This changes everything…” Applejack settled back down into her bath. “Ah’ll see what Ah can tell ya about that another time. What happened after tha spell?” “Right, well, the princesses thought they had broken it after the defeat of Sombra. However, there was a more long-term effect as well. As far as I can translate, Luna began withdrawing from her own kin, by which I assume the book means ponykind.” “Translate? Ah thought they still spoke Equish back then.” “They did, but this is Celestia’s private journal. It was written in Old-High-Unicornian. Even by that time, the language was unfathomably ancient and completely dead. Anyways, Luna began withdrawing herself from society. She all but abandoned the nobility of her court, meeting them perhaps once or twice per year, and she ceased her dreamwalking entirely. The book seems to indicate that she may have ceased sleeping at all. Her mannerisms, while they were always rougher than her sister’s, became yet harsher and more inscrutable. The tiniest mishap could send her into a towering rage. She frightened ponies so badly that they largely ceased even attending the Night court. Meanwhile, her few loyal retainers were covertly attacked and publicly discredited by a hidden and very illegitimate cult of the sun. One day, Celestia went to visit her in her chambers, bringing… something. I haven’t worked out what. What Celestia saw inside was no longer her sister, but a beast instead. She had fallen to the Nightmare. “Nightmare Moon, as she was later called, stalked up to Celestia and snatched away the gift she had brought. It’s a little unclear what happened next, but there is mention in the passage about weeping and blood… Nightmare began screaming at Celestia in one of the ancient tongues, with words that could be heard across Equestria. Her final shout was the infamous declaration, ‘The night shall last forever!’ With those words, she launched herself at her sister with a fury and violence that has never been seen before or since…” “Go on, whut happened next?” “Well, it’s incredibly awful. With what I’ve been able to piece together from this book and other sources, the Lunar Rebellion is a total fiction. There was no organized marshaling of troops or clearly drawn battle-lines. There weren’t even soldiers. Celestia and Luna clashed in the hurricane skies of Equestria for months while the ponies below mirrored their conflict in blood and mud and steel. Hideous lights and thunder that would shatter glass pealed out at all times of that unnatural night, making true sleep impossible. The dark goddess’s power and horror and anguish invaded the minds of ponies everywhere, making life a waking nightmare. Reality and dream blurred and bled into one another, often literally. Among ponies, there were no sides in the Nightmare War. Everypony turned against her neighbor and lashed out with the despair and confusion of the utterly hopeless.” Applejack had sat up in the tub by this time. “So, tha whole world was thrown into murderin’ and chaos, jest because Luna went mad?” “That and more. I think that is the real reason why there are so few records of the time. Nopony, not a single one, was spared from the atrocity. At the end, when a single, blinding rainbow cut through the storms, the sun shone on a ruined Equestria. The cries of the widows, widowers and orphans rang out for weeks on end as the world desperately tried to wake itself from a Nightmare that was all too real. There was so much blood on everypony’s hooves that they were forced to ignore what had happened, just so that they could live with themselves.” House glanced at the book that sat beside him, a haunted expression on his face. “I… I don’t know if I can publish the full account. I don’t think it would be safe for anypony, if everyone knew what the Sisters are capable of, nevermind the violence.” Applejack crouched down in the tub, her hulking form seemed somehow shrunken, and her muzzle was scrunched up in an expression of shocked realization. “Whut Ah’m capable of…” House hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. I heard about the thorns. I’m certain that is the least of what you could do. Remember though, Luna was under the effects of a powerful and terrible spell, and even then it took years for her to fall.” House sighed. “I’ve been wrestling with myself about whether or not to ask Luna in a letter about the nature of the spell that felled her. Psychotropic magic is notoriously potent. Even a simple affection spell is so dangerous as to be completely illegal. The mere fact that she resisted it for so long without even being conscious of it speaks of a mind and will so deep as to be incomprehensible. If, instead, there was some technique she used, some mantra or counterspell, it could make the world a lot safer.” Applejack gazed owlishly at House, looking incongruously ridiculous as her sopping hair framed her solemn face. “Luna don’t know.” She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. “Luna don’t know any of it, and you ain’t gonna tell her. Y’all ain’t gonna say a word. If she asks, you run. Now, run along. Ah’m gonna towel off.” *** Applejack went to bed that night deeply disturbed. House’s words had triggered a profound sense of sorrow and trepidation in her. She supposed it might be an artifact of her burgeoning second sight, but she had caught faint whispers of what the ponies of the time must have felt while he had told their story. She tossed and turned for a while before falling into a fitful sleep. *** Her dreams were filled with storm clouds whipping about at gale speeds as faint wails and screams of panic and rage drifted up from below. Nothing was visible in any direction except roiling grey and black. Another scream, this one pure hatred, sounded out from above her with a volume that tore streaks in the cloud cover. A horrific chorus echoed it in twisted unison from the darkness below. A sudden staccato of thunder sounded from above. In the strobing light, Applejack could see two alicorns locked in brutal combat. There was another, quieter, cry, and then the two were gone again from sight. Suddenly, Luna rose up from her left, shouting, “I think Celestia’s planning something!” Applejack yelled hoarsely and fell into an uncontrolled dive. Luna dove after her, expanding to fill the world as she wrapped her wings around Applejack. When she opened them again a moment later, Applejack was deposited onto a soft couch in room filled with colorful tapestries and a crackling fire in the corner. “Art thou alright, Applejack? It seemed to be some sort of nightmare we rescued thee from.” Applejack’s glance darted around the room in a panic. “Uh, Ah ate… somethin’ um… terrifyin’ before bath-uh-bed. Eeyup, indigestion.” Luna gave Applejack an incredulous glance. “Truly? You can tell me what it is. I have been dreamwalking for millennia. There is almost no specter nor feverish fantasy for which I would judge you.” Applejack furrowed her brow. “Well, Ah’m afraid ta ask, but whut would ya judge me for?” Luna turned aside to tend the possibly imaginary fire. There was a grim expression in her eyes, and her withers were tense, as if ready to flee. “Well, how dost thou feel about ink blotters?” AJ blinked. “Ah, uh, don’t have strong feelings either way. Take ‘em or leave ‘em.” Seeing Applejack’s consternation, Luna burst into a hearty gut-laugh. “I hope thou knowest that I speak in jest. Haha! Come, thou art a sister, there is nothing that would sway my loyalty to thee.” Applejack smiled awkwardly, not really seeing the joke. After Luna had calmed down, she asked, “So, you were sayin’ somethin’ about Celestia?” Luna nodded. “She has been working overtime lately. More than I have seen her do since my return. I feel as though she is clearing her schedule for something. Perhaps she plans to visit you? I know she deeply desires to get to know you better.” “She wants ta come visit? Ah really don’t think she’d enjoy herself out here on tha farm. It ain’t really up to Canterlot standards at all.” Luna smiled warmly. “To be honest, I don’t think my sister is either. She loves her ponies like a mother, and has worn the face of infallibility for a thousand years, but you should have seen her in times long past. Time was she would throw wild feasts to rival anything imaginable to Pinkie, and would challenge her guards and retainers to races. Some days she would simply take her flute, leave the castle and wander about playing music so beautiful as to make the heart melt and the world hold its breath. I think, after I left, ponies were terrified of her. With me gone and her utterly alone, I can easily imagine her giving herself completely to the royal image to calm their fears and be their rock. It may have been necessary at the time, but I do not think it is either healthy or needful any longer. I cannot tell you how much it heartens me to see her excited about something like this.” “Well, if she asks, Ah’m ok with it. Let her know Ah do plan to have a lot more space fer guests in the next week.” “Excellent, I shall drop the hint.” Luna glanced at the doorway to the room. “Applejack?” “Yes?” “If she comes down, I shall likely stay behind to catch any matters that may spring up in the interim. However, may I still visit thee in dreams like this? I would actually like to teach thee combat. Thou wilt have guards, but they must be trained and, after all, they are more for the protection of the foolish ponies who would try to assault thy puissant self. If there is a real threat to thee, no number of ponies shall be enough. Indeed, in such a matter it would be cowardly to hide behind them, rather than to rise up and defend them as thou ought.” “That sounds alright ta me. Tomorrow night?” Luna smiled. “That sounds like fun, see you then.” Luna’s face slowly faded from view, leaving Applejack to the oblivion of dreamless sleep. *** Applejack had woken to a huge pile of scrolls being dumped on her all at once. After a moment of sputtering in shock and surprise, she wiped the sleep out of her eyes and opened one at random. It was from Celestia. Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle. There were exactly a dozen of them. Heh, she responded ta every single one. The first one read: Dear Applejack, I must admit, your little surprise was quite a relief from the interminable meetings today. One of the scrolls dropped square on the horn of a visiting minotaur as he was paying his respects. It was all I could do to keep from bursting out in laughter at the sight of it perched so neatly on his head. Yours, Celestia Applejack pawed through the pile and opened a few more. Dear Applejack, Sending these letters every hour, on the hour, was a stroke of genius. They managed to interrupt me at quite the most inopportune of times. The letter in front of me now was dropped in a bowl of watercress soup, and is nearly illegible. Yours, Celestia Dear Applejack, Honestly, Applejack, you’re quite as bad as Luna. I hope you know this means war. You should know that I play the long game, and I play to win. This particular letter nearly landed in the garden fountain. Yours, Celestia Dear Applejack, I bet you must be wondering by now: if you are opening these at random, how are you reading them in sequence? If you ask nicely, I may tell you someday. Yours, Celestia Applejack dropped the scroll and kicked the pile off of her bed, thoroughly spooked. *** Applejack was much less busy than the day previous. She spent a few hours in the morning listening to a lecture from House on the differences between Earthen and Pegasus theories of democracy and found the time to lend Big Mac a hoof around the farm. For lunch she invited Merry to Sugarcube Corner to discuss business. When the two had found a table, Pinkie bounced up with her usual energy. “So, aaaanything I can get you two?” AJ smiled. “Alfalfa smoothie fer me.” Merry thought a moment. “How about a couple of maple doughnuts? Pinkie bowed low and rushed back into the kitchen to prepare the snack. “So,” said Applejack, “We need ta get this whole guard thing figured out. Before Ah say anythin’ what’re your thoughts, sugar cube?” Merry leaned back in her chair as her gaze wandered to the ceiling. “Well, like, I don’t really know anything about fighting. I don’t think I’ve even been in a brawl before. I can try, but I kinda doubt I’m gonna be any good. I like doing the whole seneschal thing, though.” Pinkie had returned by that time, expertly balancing a tray on her head. “Here you go, an alfalfa smoothie and two maple doughnuts; the sprinkles are on the house. Anything else?” Both of the other ponies shook their heads. Pinkie smiled and winked at them before going to help the other patrons. Merry called out a thanks to Pinkie before continuing. “And, there was one other thing. You remember the bit I gave back to you?” AJ nodded. “Ah was gonna ask you about that.” “I gave it away to somepony who looked like she needed it. I mean, there’s lots to fight besides invaders and monsters. We could fight hunger, or-or hobos!” Several of the nearby patrons stared incredulously at Merry. Applejack chuckled. “Heh, Ah think you mean fight homelessness.” Between sips of her smoothie, Applejack said, “Ah’ve been thinkin’ about that. Ah don’t need much protecting anyhow, and Equestria don’t really need more soldiers. We’ve got tha Royal Guard, tha Army, tha Wonderbolts, Royal Artillery, the Foreign Legion and Celestia only knows what else… Did you ever hear ‘bout tha Appleloosan-Buffalo war?” “I think so. It was a bunch of skirmishes that went on when Appleloosa was first settled. They say it’s a miracle that nopony died in the fighting.” “Durn straight. Most of it was just little raids and dust-ups. Ah was there fer tha only day of actual fighting. Ah saw the Appleloosa clock tower smashed to splinters from the battle, and Ah saw Chief Thunderhooves take a pie right to tha face. Whut Ah also saw was a group of brave and resourceful ponies willin’ ta defend what they held dear, even against terrifyin’ odds, far from any hope of aid. And what’s more, they were unwillin’ to take a life to do it. Ah happen to know fer a fact that Sheriff Silver Star owns a rifle… But even when all looked lost, and the pies started runnin’ out, he faced his fate with dignity and integrity. If it had been a bullet that took down the Chief, Ah don’t think there’d be an Appleloosa today. Tha Buffalo woulda sworn an eternal war on ponies and they would have leveled the town like they were already in process of doin’.” Applejack, whose gaze had drifted off into the distance, looked back at Merry May. “The thing is, Ah don’t think any of that was really necessary. If we’d had somepony there in tha first place, ta teach us that we gotta share, we gotta care fer one another –” “I said that!” shouted Pinkie from behind the counter. “No, Pinkie, y’all sang that, and there’s a huge difference,” Applejack shouted back. A mild ‘humph’ was the only reply. “Anyhow, ta show ponies that there’s a better way, that eveypony’s needs can be met, Ah think that’s what Ah want mah guard ta do. Yeah, they need ta know how to defend a place as a last resort, but, like you say, their first job will be to travel about, helpin’ ponies ‘n’ others to coexist ‘n’ provide fer themselves and fer others.” Merry’s eyes lit up as AJ spoke, but her expression quickly fell. “Applejack… I don’t think I can do any of that. I’ve never been a leader. I have no idea how to organize that kind of thing. I was just a weathermare before. You should probably make me a hoofmaiden or something.” Applejack laid a hoof on Merry’s shoulder. “Hay now, sugar cube. Ah’ve seen ya lead a parade to cheer me up, and a caravan of camels to rescue me. You’ve said ya want this before. Is that still true?” Merry nodded. “Then what kinda earth-goddess would Ah be if Ah couldn’t help ya grow?” Merry smiled. “Thanks, but shouldn’t I be the one keeping you happy?” “That don’t mean Ah can’t do the same fer you. We’re in this together, right?” Applejack offered her hoof. Merry bumped it solemnly. “Right.” “Alright, you go ahead and finish lunch, then take tha afternoon ta think about it a little more. Ah’m thinkin’ we’ll have tha knightin’ in a couple a days, once we’ve hashed out tha oath. Ah’m gonna go talk ta Twilight.” “Will do. Have fun!” *** Twilight was busy sorting through a stack of scrolls that had been sent earlier in the day. They were all from Princess Celestia, and each one was post-dated for various days throughout the rest of the month. She had just finished laying them in chronological order in her writing desk when Applejack knocked on her door. She trotted over to it and opened it before Spike could get there. “Oh! Hi… Applejack. What brings you here?” “Howdy, Twi. Ah was jest stoppin’ by ta see when ya wanted to practice magic. Ah kinda have mah schedule under control fer the next couple a weeks. What times are convenient fer you?” Twilight glanced at her clock. “Actually, early afternoons are best. I find that the first rush is at three and then again at five, so, right now is perfect. Would you like to start in on it now?” “Sure, Ah have a couple of hours. Whut did ya have in mind?” Twilight furrowed her brow in thought. “Well… You aren’t a foal, so just making you practice levitation until it starts to make instinctual sense is probably less effective. Besides, you already have a cutie mark, that’s usually a big boost in helping a unicorn get a handle on more complex magic. But, maybe we can use that to our advantage… I’ve got it.” “Got what?” “Come on AJ, we’re going to the hardware store.” *** They actually went to several stores before Twilight found what she wanted. The two were now walking back to the library with a full wheelbarrow load of loose stone in Twilight’s telekinetic grip. Applejack gazed at it appraisingly. “So, what’s all this for again?” Twilight wiped a small drop of sweat from her brow before replying. “This is shale. I figured we could try channeling. It’s what they do in hospitals after a pony suffers a serious horn-injury to relearn magic. One pony will cast a mid-level spell on something, but use only a wisp of power, just enough to start, but not finish, the spell. The recovering pony will then pour their magic into the other unicorn’s spell, helping them refine their control and get a feel for complex weaves.” Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief as she dumped the stone behind her house. “That sounds alright ta me, but what are we actually gonna do to the shale?” “Oh, right, well, since your cutie mark has to do with the earth, I thought it would be best to cast a spell related to geology. I’m going to weave a basic metamorphosis spell to turn the shale into slate. I could use a new chalkboard anyway. What I want you to do is, after I fire up my spell, just grab the rock with your telekinesis. Try to feel what I’m doing and wrap your magic around mine. Trust me, it will make sense when you try it.” Applejack frowned. “Couldn’t that hurt you, Twi? Ah may not be good at this whole thing, but Ah got power ta spare.” Twilight smiled up at her friend. “No, don’t worry. I’ve practiced this with Celestia herself. If you do lose control, I know how to deal with the extra magic. Now, let’s try it.” Applejack nodded and settled into a ready stance. Twilight lifted a portion of the loose rock with her magic and arranged it in the air. She shaped it into a thick sheet and glanced out of the corner of her eyes at AJ. “Ok, Applejack, whenever you’re ready.” Applejack closed her eyes, lowered her horn and sent out an exploratory pulse of magic. She felt the shape of the stone, solid and real. She also felt the tingle of Twilight’s spell. Right as she started to reach out to it, she felt a jerk on her horn and a loud, crunching, screeching, scraping noise filled the air and broke her concentration. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the floating stone had compressed into a solid mass, streaked with white and black. “Did we do it?” Twilight grimaced and let the rock drop to the street with a resounding thud. “Well, this is gneiss…” Applejack grinned. “Well, shucks, it was only mah first try too. Ah don’t know how that was supposed ta help me feel the spell though. It was a mite too fast.” Twilight facehooved. “No, I mean this is the rock called gneiss. You pressed way, way, way too hard. Ugh, this isn’t going to work. We need a much more complex spell.” Applejack scratched her head for a moment. She racked her brain for what little she knew about complex magic. Her mind drifted back to something Luna had shown her a week ago. “Twilight, Ah think Ah have an idea…”