ο
Constant Change
Applejack entered the Mayor's office, unable to shake the annoyance off her face. She'd been in there no less than four times in the past three months. Some things she could understand. Applejack had been called out on keeping her farm in Fall when it was Winter, and later had been called out on moving clouds around and ignoring what the weather team was doing. She was okay with that, she knew she'd been walking a fine line. She wasn't too happy when Rainbow Dash got mad at her, talking about how she'd been on thin ice for taking her side one too many times. Applejack had to stop herself from pointing out that she never asked for help in that.
What really got her was when she was called in and fined for exceeding the number of structures in an agricultural zone. Apparently, she'd put up too many barns. That didn't make any sense to her, it was her farm, why would anypony care how many barns she raised? When she explained that they weren't for storing anything, or housing other creatures, but that the family was moving towards a more industrial route as food production became less profitable, she was fined again for not filing the proper permits and informed her farm wasn't zoned for that kind of stuff. Applejack thought of asking Twilight for help, but she figured the family could handle it. And they did. It was amazing how much a lot of money could accomplish, and the Apples now had a lot of money. She just wished she'd stop losing a bunch of it to fines.
"Applejack," said the Mayor, smiling. She was courteous, but obviously not happy. Applejack was used to that.
"Mayor," said Applejack, nodding. "I'd like to get straight to it if you don't mind. My little sister's coming back from Maressachusettes today and I gotta be back in time to greet her at the station."
"Oh?" asked the mayor. "May I ask why she's there? Awfully far away for a filly without a cutie mark."
"No further than I went when I didn't have my cutie mark. Apple Bloom has hers by the way. Got it two months ago or some such."
"That's good news. You didn't answer why she was there?" Applejack felt herself grow more irritated. She had just explained that she wanted to do this quickly.
"She was doing consulting work," said Applejack. "Can we please get to the point of this?" She pointed her hoof quickly between herself and the Mayor.
The Mayor sighed.
"I was just trying to make small talk. I don't have good news."
"You haven't lately."
The Mayor looked to re-compose herself after that comment.
"You put in an application to compete in this year's Equestria Rodeo Competition in Canterlot. I'm afraid you no longer qualify as a competitor."
Applejack's wings flared in irritation. "How's that?"
"You're a Pegasus," said the Mayor. Applejack's wings snapped back to her sides at hearing that.
"But I'm also an Earth Pony," said Applejack. "Earth Ponies can compete."
The Mayor turned around and opened up one of the file drawers that were behind her desk, looked through it for a moment and pulled out a single sheet of paper. She laid it on the table, put on her reading glasses, and spoke.
"You will find here, it says 'Only Earth Ponies are eligible to compete,' and in parenthesis, 'Unicorns and Pegasi are ineligible.' I believe this is to rule out the odd Alicorn that might crop up, but as it so happens the specific ruling against Pegasi and Unicorns also rules you out. I know you're still an Earth Pony, everpony in Ponyville knows what you did to yourself and what it means. You're still an Earth Pony, but you're also a Pegasus. You can't compete. In fact, all Ponyville applications I've seen have clauses like this, so you won't be able to compete in much of anything anymore. Not unless the laws for application change."
"But Canterlot - "
"This is still an Earth Pony town, Miss Applejack," said the Mayor, cutting her off. "You live here. Our rules for application apply, not Canterlot's."
Inside, Applejack didn't know how to feel. This was so minor compared to most of what she'd had to deal with recently. But she was really looking forward to the rodeo, and was disappointed she couldn't join in. She was planning on winning all the blue ribbons they had, and she didn't see any reason why, at most, they couldn't just tie up her wings like she did Rainbow Dash during that stupid Iron Pony competition. A smile crept up on her face suddenly. They should get together and do a rematch. No way Rainbow would "win" again. Her advantages didn't apply anymore.
She put her mind back on what was happening here and now, in front of her. The thoughts of competition suddenly jarred Applejack into remembering something Twilight said. It seemed like a dumb idea then. But maybe Twilight was right? It'd be a competition too, and she could try and have fun with it and help ponies at the same time.
"If that's all?" asked Applejack. She'd think about it later, though she knew in her gut she'd already decided.
The Mayor nodded, and Applejack checked the time before leaving and heading straight for the train station. She was about a half hour early, but that was okay.
She hadn't seen Apple Bloom in over a month, and she was excited to have her sister back in town again, even if she wouldn't be staying with Applejack when she got back. Twilight taking Apple Bloom on as a full-time apprentice and assistant was nice, and Twilight could probably keep Apple Bloom out of any trouble she was liable to get into on account of that crazy science stuff. But Applejack still missed her sister dearly. Most ponies thought their youngin's grew up too fast. For Applejack, she couldn't help but feel she was entirely justified in that idea.
The train rolled in, still one of the normal steam powered engines and not one of those Light-driven ones Twilight made up. Applejack knew the train to Appleloosa was on a Light-engine because it was easier to convert from engineless than it was from steam. She didn't like it. Seemed kinda unnatural. Of course, nothing natural about making a pony a Pegasus when they weren't before. She tried to remember that whenever her mind drifted off to call something unnatural.
The train rolled in about five minutes late. Applejack wasn't surprised. It looked like not even Twilight could make the trains run on time. When the doors opened, Apple Bloom was one of the first leave the train, looking a might frazzled but with a smile on her face. Applejack rushed over to greet her, ignoring the other ponies leaving and greeting each other as they sometimes bumped into her.
"Apple Bloom!" said Applejack brightly, once she was within earshot. "How was Maressachusettes? Did you have a good time?"
"You know it wasn't a vacation," said Apple Bloom, who began moving forward to get off the platform. Applejack walked beside her. She dropped back a smidge as the sun reflected off Apple Bloom's magic necklace, the glare shining into Applejack's eye.
"I know it wasn't a vacation, but I still hope you had a good time. Did you?"
"It was... interestin'," she then said.
"How so?" Applejack moved in to take Apple Bloom's luggage from her, so she wouldn't have to carry it. Apple Bloom stopped to let her before continuing on.
"It feels weird," she said. "I was with all these ponies, adults and old folks. Ponies who'd gone to school for years and years. And I knew more than all of them, and they all looked to me to make sure everything was right. They did that, but I could tell they didn't like me. I'd hear them talking sometimes when they thought I wasn't listening or couldn't hear them, that I was just some foal and they'd worked hard to get where they are and I didn't deserve to be brought in and at least Twilight had credentials and blah blah blah. Except Star Swirl, she was nice. I never heard her say anything bad about me and she was head of the project so I guess she kept everypony else in line so I at least never heard anything bad said to my face. Way things were goin' when I left, they'll probably have a successful mission in five months, assuming they get the fundin'."
Applejack didn't know what to say to that.
"It was kinda like school," she continued as they got on the main road going through town. "Like everypony was given a group assignment, and everypony in the group wanted to do well but didn't like each other. I guess that's another reason it was weird, I'da thought that was just something that happened in school. My teachers, except Twilight I guess, always said 'the real world' was different. But it's not."
"Yeah," said Applejack. "That's the truth of it. Things like that don't change. You get out of school, and there are still bullies, and you won't get on with everypony you meet, and there are still others trying to tell ya what to do even when it makes no sense." She thought about her own recent decision.
"About that, I won't be able to compete in the Equestria Rodeo Competition. Ponyville doesn't allow Pegasi to apply."
Apple Bloom stopped walking.
"Now why would they do somethin' like that? I was really looking forward to seeing you win a bunch of ribbons!"
"I know," said Applejack. "It's just one of those things. Anyway, I was thinking...."
There was a moment where Applejack reconsidered telling her. Saying it out loud made it real. It created expectation. Did she really want to commit to that?
"Yeah?" asked Apple Bloom, waiting.
"What would you say if I said I was thinkin' about running for mayor of Ponyville?"
There was a moment before Apple Bloom spoke. A moment where they continued to walk, and Apple Bloom continued to look forward, as if nothing had been said.
"I'd think you'd be making sense," she said. "Twilight said you should a long time ago. I think it'd be a good idea."
"Really? You don't think it'd cut into time for the farm too much? Or seem like showboatin'?"
"What time for the farm? Ya'll are making less apple sales every day. Making a living off of apple pies and cider outside of cider season and Zappapple jam outside of Zappapple harvests, and things that aren't even apples, would have been unthinkable just a few months ago, but ya'll are doing it now because it's better and we can now. We make more money than ever for it. Plus everypony's got at least eight hours more time to work each day. If anything I think you and Big Mac and Granny need more hobbies. And it's only gonna get worse. I've been thinking of more ways to improve the farm and improve our production, and that means even more free time for everypony."
Applejack suddenly had images of a farm that somehow worked itself, where Applejack didn't have to spend any time on it. She hoped such a day would never come and that Apple Bloom wasn't trying to make that happen with her fancy science.
"What about showboatin'?" asked Appejack. She hadn't heard anything about that.
Apple Bloom shrugged.
"I don't know about that. But I don't think of the current mayor as showboatin' just for being mayor. Somepony has to do it, don't they?"
Technically that wasn't true. Ponyville could vote to be run by a noble or general, if demographics changed enough and ponies wanted it. But the Mayor was right, this was still an Earth Pony town so that wasn't about to happen.
"Guess so," was all Applejack said.
A short while later they arrived at Twilight's place. Recently expanded to house more storage and give Apple Bloom a place to stay, it was starting to look like less of a workshop and home, and more of a huge factory where several ponies would go and work every day. Despite the size increase, it was only Twilight, Spike, and Apple Bloom who lived and worked there now.
Applejack opened the door and rushed in, seeing the heads of Apple Bloom's friends and family poking out from under tables or behind bookcases or chairs. Applejack tried to shoo them away, whispering lightly that Apple Bloom was about to come in and everypony should be ready. A big banner hung from the ceiling saying "Welcome Back Apple Bloom" in bright orange letters, the O's filled in with small red apples.
Applejack turned around and waited. Apple Bloom walked in a moment later and Applejack shouted, "surprise!" right along with everypony else. Pinkie Pie had been ready with the balloons and music, and it seemed that in the span of an instant the room had gone from empty to a full blown party. Pinkie was good at that.
It was really for everypony else's benefit. Applejack had told Apple Bloom beforehand this would happen. It was a surprise party, but not for Apple Bloom. For everypony else. To make them think things were more normal than they were.
Apple Bloom's face was a mixture of happiness and confusion. For only a moment. Then it turned into a frown as her eyes began darting back and forth, looking at things. Applejack went by her side and turned to see what the big deal was.
Right, Applejack thought. Applejack cleared her throat and tried to speak over the music without having to yell.
"Everyone, please try not to make a mess," she said. "If ya nudge something out of place or nock something over, put it back where it was."
Apple Bloom visibly relaxed, though she still seemed on edge and her eyes would move around to look at things she thought things were out of place.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo quickly ran up and stood beside Apple Bloom, both pelting her with questions. Applejack could tell she was finding it overwhelming, but there wasn't much she could do about that. She just told Apple Bloom to have fun and walked over to the phonograph to try and lower the volume a bit.
Twilight had assured Applejack that Apple Bloom would be fine after a few weeks. That the chances of permanent damage to her mind were less than one percent.
Then she told her that sometimes, statistical miracles happened. And sometimes they weren't in your favour.
Apple Bloom was mostly back to normal. She was a bit more mature than Applejack remembered, knew much more than Applejack did, or according to Twilight, anypony in Equestria except for herself, and seemed to be having trouble with her friends, especially Scootaloo.
But she was off now. Her room upstairs was immaculately clean. Completely unlike the room Apple Bloom was known for back on Sweet Apple Acres. It was so neat and orderly Applejack had a feeling Rarity would be bothered by it.
She didn't like to break routine, so she got irritated if Applejack didn't announce her intention to visit or if she wasn't on time for that visit. She also wanted Applejack to leave precisely at a pre-determined time. She was very inflexible with her schedule and what she wanted to do. Applejack couldn't help but again compare her to Rarity. If Rarity was ten times more annoying.
But unlike Rarity, Apple Bloom was her sister and she was like this as a result of getting sick. Apple Bloom couldn't help it, and Applejack had to just accept it and be there for her sister.
Applejack shook her head, focusing on the party. Apple Bloom's old classmates were here. Even Ditzy Doo. Applejack's friends were here too. Rainbow Dash was currently shooting multicoloured sparks from her magic necklace, showing off to Sunny Days, if Applejack remembered the name right. Scootaloo was now skulking in the corner, something had probably happened and Applejack would have to check up on that. Apple Bloom was carefully eating a small slice of cake as she spoke to Big Mac.
"I don't think Apple Bloom's having that much fun," said Pinkie, appearing out of nowhere. Applejack stiffened in restrained surprise. "She hasn't danced at all, she's hardly touched the treats I made, and she just had a fight with Scootaloo." Pinkie's hair seemed a bit straighter than usual.
"It's not your fault Pinkie. This is a great party. Apple Bloom's just... well, I think a party's a little much for her. Not your fault."
Pinkie didn't seem convinced. "I could plan a party for later?" she asked.
"I don't think that'd be a good idea."
"Oh." Pinkie Pie seemed to literally deflate like a balloon. She probably thought it was a personal failure that the pony the party was for didn't seem to be enjoying herself.
"Apple Bloom's having fun," said Applejack, maybe a bit too quickly. "She just expresses it differently."
"Hm," was all Pinkie said.
Pinkie seemed to get lost in thought for a moment, before she zipped off towards Apple Bloom, who was now talking with Sweetie Belle, who was wearing a big party hat on her head. After a few moments Sweetie looked at Apple Bloom a bit odd and moved to shift her hat over so it was sitting square on her head instead of on the side. Applejack almost chuckled.
When Pinkie arrived she tilted Sweetie Belle's hat back to where it was, and Applejack cringed right along with Apple Bloom. Applejack didn't like where this was going.
A faint yellow glow showed around the hat as Apple Bloom magically righted it. Pinkie smiled and put it back, obviously thinking this was a game of some kind. Applejack rushed over, not too keen on seeing Apple Bloom throw a tantrum.
Applejack arrived just in time to stop Pinkie from righting Sweetie's hat for the fourth time. Sweetie, for her part, immediately took the opportunity to run over to Apple Bloom's side, confused at what was going on.
"Aww, I was gonna win," said Pinkie Pie.
"Pinkie, didn't you listen to a word I said?" said Applejack, annoyed.
"I did," she said. "But then I thought Apple Bloom must not like the party because nopony's playing with her!" Pinkie tried to move closer and reach for Sweetie's hat again. Sweetie backed away and Applejack reached over and swatted Pinkie's hooves back down.
"Stop that," said Applejack. "It's annoyin' her, and honestly it's annoyin' me too."
"Annoying?" asked Pinkie. "What's annoying about a game? Or maybe she wants to play another game! How about pin the tail on the pony? Or we could play go fish! Or maybe - "
"Do you want to play a game with Pinkie?" Applejack asked, cutting Pinkie off. She looked at Apple Bloom in the muzzle, aware that her sister now felt awkward with eye contact.
Apple Bloom shook her head.
"No. I'd really rather she leave me alone."
"Aww, don't be like that," said Pinkie, clearly not taking the hint. "Come on, we could play Parcheesi, or x's and o's, or Scrab-apple, I bet you'd like that one, or - "
"Pinkie!" shouted Applejack. Apple Bloom was looking to be half frightened, half angry, and none of it was good. Applejack had shouted loud enough that everypony had stopped what they were doing and turned their head to see what was going on.
"I'm gonna make this real clear," Applejack continued. Her voice was low, and she hoped Pinkie would realise just how series she was. "I let you throw this party for Apple Bloom, and it's Apple Bloom's party. Apple Bloom doesn't want to play with you right now. I'm sure Apple Bloom was having a fine time until you started bothering her. So just go do something else for a while."
Pinkie stared for a few moments as if thinking too hard. Finally she said, "if she's having a good time, why isn't she smiling?"
"Because you're here right now," said Apple Bloom. Pinkie Pie's ears folded back at the words.
"Harsh," Applejack heard Rainbow Dash say. She walked forward until she was next to Applejack.
"You gotta admit you can be super annoying sometimes Pinkie," she continued. "Not everypony can handle your antics."
Pinkie seemed to shrink into herself.
"What Rainbow Dash means to say, dear," said Rarity, also moving forward only to stop next to Applejack. "Is that some ponies are more subdued than others. While many of us here certainly enjoy your, ahem, antics, you shouldn't take it the wrong way if somepony else would rather be left alone for a while."
A few tense moments passed as Pinkie looked like she was going to cry.
Instead she just said, "Alright, I can leave her alone if it'll make her happy." Applejack exhaled. She didn't even know she'd been holding her breath. She noticed Apple Bloom exhaled too.
As time went on nopony else fought with Apple Bloom, and others seemed more ready to let her tell them to do weird things like hold their drinks with the other hoof, or eat their cupcake from the other side. Applejack wondered if they knew. She didn't tell them, but that didn't mean Twilight didn't, or Granny or Big Mac.
Rainbow Dash sat with Scootaloo, who'd been sulking since early in the party. Rainbow didn't know the kid too well, but Rainbow couldn't help but try and cheer up foals when they were obviously down in the dumps. She was like Pinkie like that. Maybe a bit less crazy about it. She could admit defeat in that stuff. Pinkie couldn't, or at least, she couldn't before this party.
She stayed silent for a while. Scootaloo she could tell, was the type who'd say something when she was ready. Best not to push too hard. She was like Rainbow herself that way.
It took a while. Rainbow went through three slices of cake and four cups of punch before Scootaloo finally said something.
"You don't have to feel sorry for me," she said. Not a good start.
"Who said I felt sorry for you?" asked Rainbow Dash. She did, kinda. But not really. It was more that she just wanted to be helpful to a friend's sister's friend, who was a fan, and just a kid. "It's obvious you got something going on. Just let it out, you'll feel better."
Scootaloo groaned, but she didn't object.
"I think I lost my two best friends," she said.
"Oh yeah?" asked Rainbow Dash. "What makes you say that? You know, I get into arguments with my friends all the time. We just kinda had one. But at the end of the day it's nothing friends can't get over."
"I don't think I want to get over it."
"Why don't you tell me what happened?"
"I don't even know what happened anymore," said Scootaloo, groaning again. "I was trying to talk to Apple Bloom about what she'd been doing, because you know, building a ship that can fly to the moon sounds pretty cool. But then she kept using all these words I didn't understand, and when I asked what they meant she said I should have paid more attention at school. I only went with them to that stupid school so I wouldn't be alone!"
Rainbow felt a twinge of annoyance.
"That 'stupid school' is run by my friend," said Rainbow, trying not to sound as angry as she felt. She didn't think she succeeded. "You should be proud you were accepted into it. Not everypony got to be taught by Twilight, and it's obvious now that she's the smartest pony in the world. And even if she kept up that school every year for the rest of her life, most ponies aren't going to be taught by her. It's pretty cool, I think."
"I still don't care," said Scootaloo. It looked like she'd gotten angry too. "They do cool things, and yeah, I thought there was some cool stuff I could do. But I'm just too stupid for it. I tried. I'd stay up all night and I'd study whatever Twilight told us. I took notes and studied, and did my homework and our projects and everything. But nothing I built ever worked and I didn't get it. And now Apple Bloom is building moon ships and getting her cutie mark in something I could never do, and I'm just left behind."
"Is that it?" asked Rainbow. "You're mad she got her cutie mark before you?"
"I'm not mad about that. We all wanted our cutie marks. But in things that were cool. Things we could all do. I could never be talented in anything even close to what Apple Bloom's talent is."
"What about Sweetie Belle?"
She slunk down even further into the corner.
"Sweetie Belle could, I bet. She's not as smart as Apple Bloom, especially not now. But she's smarter than me. She tries and she gets it. That's why she's over there and I'm over here."
That was it.
"You think you're being left behind," said Rainbow Dash. It wasn't a question. When Scootaloo didn't say anything, she knew she'd nailed it.
"Look," said Rainbow Dash, trying to get closer and lower her voice so only Scootaloo could hear. She was sure they weren't being overheard anyway, but you could never be too careful. "All my friends? None of them are good at my talent. And I'm not that good at anything they do either. Sometimes I'm terrible at it. If I tried Fluttershy's job, I'd go crazy. It's not how similar you are to your friends, it's how much you're willing to work to stay with them."
Scootaloo didn't say anything to that, but Rainbow figured she understood. After a few more minutes to make sure. Rainbow decided she could leave. Scootaloo would be okay.
Rarity sipped lightly on a glass of water. She'd put a lemon wedge in it for a bit of flavour. She couldn't help but let her eyes drift slightly as Sweetie Belle continued to speak.
"So can I?" asked Sweetie. Rarity's eyes snapped back to Sweetie, and she set her glass of water down as she tried to go over what she'd heard. Sweetie Belle had what? She was talking about Apple Bloom getting her cutie mark, and how Twilight was coming back in three days. Ah yes, she understood now. Sweetie Belle asked if she too could join Apple Bloom in being Twilight's assistant.
"Sweetie, there are so many things wrong with that question I don't know where to begin," said Rarity, only mildly concerned that that might be taken to be rude. Sweetie just cocked her head, so she either didn't notice or didn't care.
"I'm not our mother and father, for one," said Rarity. "Whether or not to take you as an apprentice is also not up to me, but to Twilight. And consider, she not only has Apple Bloom now, but she already had Spike. That's two assistants. If I understood the situation correctly, Apple Bloom was only taken in because that fiasco during winter put her so far ahead of you and your other classmates she could not possibly learn anything more there for years. And before you get any ideas about that, recall that what she did was dangerous. Just look at how Apple Bloom acts now.
"I'm afraid then, that the best I can say is to ask our parents when you get home, and if they allow it, ask Twilight when she returns. I wouldn't get my hopes up, however."
Sweetie seemed a bit crestfallen at her response. But she picked right back up, a hard look in her eyes that seemed very out of place to Rarity.
"I'll do whatever I have to," she said. "Apple Bloom got her cutie mark doing that stuff, and I know I can get a cutie mark from it too."
Rarity sighed. Still all about cutie marks.
"Sweetie," she began, "your cutie mark will just come to you. You shouldn't go looking for it. Look at what happened to Apple Bloom! She didn't even notice when her cutie mark appeared!"
"That's because she was sick," said Sweetie. "She would have if she weren't."
"You have a lovely voice," said Rarity suddenly. "I bet if you could get a cutie mark in singing." Rarity had always assumed that's where Sweetie's talents would be. For some reason she couldn't quite place, the idea of Sweetie being a scientist of all things seemed rather silly. It seemed an awful lot of work, and not at all Sweetie's forte. She wanted to spare her the disappointment of chasing after something you weren't good at.
"I get nervous singing for crowds," Sweetie said. "Besides, I don't want to be a singer. I don't care that everypony says I can sing. I want to do what Apple Bloom did. I want to do what she's doing."
Rarity sighed. Loyalty. Sweetie was loyal to her friend, like some other ponies Rarity knew. Or maybe it was something else?
"You've never expressed an interest in science before," said Rarity.
"I never knew anything about it before," came the reply. "Apple Bloom just came back from working on a ship meant to go to the moon." She sounded awestruck. "That's amazing. Nopony thought that was ever possible. But Apple Bloom's helped to make it happen. I want to do something like that."
"That is impressive," Rarity allowed. "But again, Apple Bloom is far ahead of you. Do you think you have the drive?"
"I'll learn. I'll learn faster if I could become Twilight's assistant."
They'd gone in a circle. Rarity wasn't doing anything to dissuade Sweetie of this fantasy. But it was at least a nice fantasy, once Sweetie explained it. So she could humour her until she lost interest.
"Do you know how that... moon ship works?"
"I understand a little," said Sweetie. "Apple Bloom tried to explain it to me."
"Well, tell me. Let me see how much you know."
Sweetie took a moment, looking up towards the ceiling in thought. She was trying to remember.
"I don't remember the specifics like she does. Like how big it is exactly or the shape. But I remember it's lined with Fire-Gold, and uses huge balls of the stuff to help propel it up."
"Twilight's mentioned it before. How does it make the ship go up?"
"Well, if you don't compress it at all, you can get something that's lighter than Air, like a balloon. And you can also use it to make a rocket that never goes out. So they're using it to keep the ship really light, propel the ship up, and thin the Air around the ship so it can go faster. They're hoping to get Luna to keep the moon up for a few days, and they'll purposely crash the ship into the bottom of the moon. Then they want to use machines to carve out big blocks from it, and use those to come back down. When they're done Luna will move the moon and the ship can be left to fall down."
"How do they know it won't crash into somepony's house?"
"They already have it figured out, where they want the moon to be and where the ship should leave from. When it falls it'll fall into the badlands. Nopony lives there."
Rarity figured somepony lived there. Ponies lived everywhere. But other than ponies, dragons and other things lived there too. But smarter ponies than her or Sweetie Belle had decided on it, so probably it would be alright.
"Sounds like you're on your way," said Rarity. It did, but only just. It sounded entirely like somepony who barely knew what was going on had just explained it. She was tempted to talk with Apple Bloom about it, just to compare, but the poor filly had enough on her plate to be bothered yet again at her own party.
"I'll learn it," said Sweetie, suddenly. Rarity wasn't sure she was talking to her anymore. "I will."
Fluttershy listened quietly as Rainbow Dash continued her story. Something about trying to figure out something to do with magic.
"And then you know, I just asked Twilight, but that seems like cheating since she knows like, everything. But I'd read all the books on light creation I could find and nothing told me what I wanted to know."
"That's nice," said Fluttershy. She wasn't bored. She just wasn't interested in what Rainbow Dash was saying.
"Once she told me, I started practicing the trick, and sometime then I said to myself, 'wow Rainbow, you just finished reading like, a dozen books about science and magic and stuff. You've become an egghead.' And I thought about that for a while and figured, well, Twilight's an egghead and she's the most awesome pony I know, other than me of course."
"Of course," said Fluttershy, repeating the words she heard even though she wasn't sure what Rainbow had said before them.
"Hmm?" asked Rainbow. "You seem distracted. Is something wrong?"
The direct question made Fluttershy look directly at Rainbow. She tried to focus her thoughts.
"Oh, it's nothing," said Fluttershy. "I was just thinking."
A few moments passed and Rainbow Dash looked on expectantly.
"About?" she asked.
"Oh, you wouldn't be interested. And it's a bit embarrassing." She looked away and stared hard at a strange looking metal ball sitting on a nearby table.
"Fluttershy!" said Rainbow. Fluttershy looked back at her. "Now you gotta tell me! What's going on?"
"I'd really rather not." Of course that didn't work. Fluttershy let out a small squeak as Rainbow Dash suddenly managed to teleport them both outside. Rainbow looked around to make sure nopony was listening in.
"Spill," she said.
Fluttershy had no choice. She took a deep breath.
"I was thinking about Applejack," she said quietly. Rainbow leaned in closer, turning her ear towards Fluttershy's muzzle.
"Speak louder Fluttershy, I can't hear you."
"I was thinking about Applejack," she said, louder.
"Still not enough. Try again. There's nopony out here, you don't have to worry."
"I was thinking about Applejack!" said Fluttershy. Rainbow pulled her ear away and shook her head roughly.
"What about her?" she asked while rubbing her ear. Fluttershy kept her voice quieter.
"I was thinking about her... and Twilight."
"Huh?" said Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy felt herself stammer slightly as she tried to explain herself.
"I know it's weird to think about your friends getting together like that, but it just seems so cute and - "
"Wait, wait, wait," said Rainbow, holding her hooves out. "I still don't get it."
Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but before she could Rainbow's eyes widened.
"Ooh!" she said, smiling. "You're talking about Twilight's crush on Applejack!"
Fluttershy blushed.
Rainbow chuckled.
"Don't think too much about it," she said. "I happen to know Applejack doesn't swing that way. I'm kinda surprised Twilight does though. But anyway, best case scenario for them, nothing happens. Worst case, it's a disaster. So I don't think about it."
"I just thought they'd be cute together," said Fluttershy, nervously pawing at the ground.
"Hey, I'm all for that lovey dovey stuff for other ponies. I guess. But it's just not gonna happen for them. Applejack wouldn't go for it. And Twilight thinks she's being subtle about it but it's so obvious to everypony that she's into Applejack. Which means her being subtle? She can't do it. So when she does make a move it's probably gonna be a disaster."
"Maybe we could help them get together?" asked Fluttershy.
"Woah now Fluttershy, their big kids, they can take care of themselves. It's not cool to get involved in other ponies's lives like that."
Fluttershy didn't know about that. She got involved in animals's lives all the time, and there wasn't a difference between them and ponies, right? Still, better to not cause a confrontation.
"You're probably right," she said, looking away.
Rainbow turned and looked at Twilight's house.
"We should probably get back inside. Let's use the door, I'm still not the greatest at teleportation yet."
Fluttershy was fine with that. She didn't like being teleported without warning. Or teleporting at all.
They entered through the front door and got a few curious glances. Fluttershy shrank slightly at the stares, but it wasn't long before everypony returned to what they were doing. Rainbow Dash moved easily back into a conversation about something Fluttershy wasn't interested in, and again her mind began to wander towards Applejack and Twilight, and possibly helping them along....
Luna's eyes shone with a worryingly amount of defiance as she spoke.
"It's not your right!" she said. "It's not their right either! This is a bad idea! Like letting it get this far in the first place!"
Celestia closed her eyes and tried to think of calm things. The ocean. Waterfalls. The sky. Except sometimes the sky had the moon. She opened her eyes.
"I admit it," she said. "You were right then. I let this get out of hoof. Completely out of hoof. I knew that as soon as I found out Twilight built a machine that can turn anypony anywhere into an Alicorn." She recalled something. "No, that's a mistake, not Twilight, but one of Twilight's students. Twilight only perfected it. That it more worrying. But it's too late now. Not only has Twilight gotten this far, but your way didn't work either, and I can't reinstate it after having previously been the one to vote to remove it. Again, I admit that was a mistake."
"You've made a lot of those lately," said Luna. "Another mistake. Refusing me my right to rule by your side. Yet another. Refusing to allow me to return."
"You're still not ready," said Celestia, once again trying to think of calming things. "You may have been right, but I think that was more by accident than the strength of your arguments."
"Maybe you're not as smart as you think you are."
That hurt. Less because of what was said and more that it was said at all, and so casually. Somewhere down the line, things had gone terribly wrong between her and her sister. Things had gone terribly wrong with Twilight as well. But that wasn't what the discussion was supposed to be about.
"Let's compromise," said Celestia, trying to impress upon her sister that she didn't wish to argue.
"What, let me half rule, half not? I'll be one quarter ruler?"
"Not about that, about the planned Moon landing. Currently I move the Moon and the Sun. And I say, they should be allowed to land their ship on it if they can, so I will help them. However, their ship isn't ready, and will not be so for many more months. If you can prove to me you've acclimated to modern culture and understand modern ideas of governance by that time, you can have your title back, your right to rule, and you can move the moon as you see fit."
"That's not a compromise," said Luna. She didn't sound angry. Her voice was flat and even, like she expected Celestia to say what she had said.
"It's how it's going to be. I've decided."
Luna's jaw clenched.
"Of course," she said. "Have you considered the political ramifications of keeping the moon still?"
"I have," said Celestia, feeling like she was being asked a question appropriate only for a foal. "It can be dealt with. I've had to deal with similar situations before."
"This is not comparable to oversleeping one morning and raising the sun an hour late. You're contemplating leaving the moon stationary for several days!"
"Nopony says the moon and the sun can't be in the same area of the sky. Not when I control them both. It's not as if anypony's going to burn."
"Oh yes!" said Luna, her voice getting louder. "It's just a simple matter of keeping the moon in place and continuing to move the sun! That's why when I refused to move the moon a thousand years ago, you just ignored me and brought out the dawn anyway!"
"I am not going to have this argument with you yet again Luna!" said Celestia, her wings spread out to increase her form. She could feel the sun grow slightly brighter in her anger, though she doubted her ponies noticed. "It is done!" She moved to walk out of Luna's chambers. "This discussion is over!" she said, slamming the door behind her.
Her wings folded back, and after a moment she felt herself calm. She could have handled that better. But it was becoming far more difficult to speak with Luna. A part of her couldn't blame her. Luna had lost her authority, her respect, and all her previous edicts had been undone. To her, she must still feel exiled.
And yet, Celestia couldn't say it was without reason.
She returned to her own chambers, intent on penning a few more letters. Luna was correct, there were diplomatic consequences to keeping the moon over Equestria for several days. It would be better if she could at least warn other countries to expect it. Better still to convince them it was a good idea.
As she wrote, her thoughts drifted, as they often did these days, to Twilight. It was, in a rather direct way, her who demanded these letters be written after all. And they weren't the first.
Twilight probably was aware of the ramifications of her science in Equestria. Celestia doubted she knew what she was doing to the world at large. Celestia, just at the top of her head, remembered the frantic letters written over concerns for Equestria's lowered food production. Survival pills had all but eliminated Equestria's need for food. So Equestria grew less crops as domestic sales plummeted. Equestria however, was a net exporter in agricultural products, and so foreign countries suffered. And as of yet, the production of survival pills had not yet reached the point that they could be exported to foreign lands and provide for foreign creatures. Even worse, the vast majority of foreign countries were inhabited by non-ponies, and no survival pills had been designed for them. More than a few diplomats had expressed their country's concerns of a prelude to invasion. A fear of Equestria attempting to starve its enemies and strike.
Fire-Clay brought images of new advanced weaponry. Twilight's new materials brought images of greater industrial might, of technological progress not shared with the rest of the world, and again, the building of secret advanced weapons. As far as Celestia knew, Twilight had not created a single thing for the purpose of weaponry. But such assurances didn't matter in international politics.
Perhaps a trip to the moon would be more problematic than she had realised. As she thought this, she added a few final lines to her current letter, suddenly struck by a possible solution.
If the other countries could share in the spoils of Twilight's technology, or at least see it all in action, they would be less inclined to feel wary. It would also increase Equestria's recognition further, perhaps improve relations overall.
Celestia looked at her stack of completed letters. She'd have to rewrite them to add the new proposal.
Other nations probably wouldn't be averse to an expedition to the moon if they too could take part in it.