June 23rd
Dear Twilight,
How’s the princess job going? Meet any exciting ponies yet?
Me, I’m getting a taste of being in charge myself. I know how to run a farm, I been doing it since I was just barely grown up, but I never had to manage a crew of ponies all the time. It’s gonna be like Winter Wrap-Up every day.
Let me back up a bit here. So, I’m managing Sunny Grove Farm for Aunt and Uncle Orange. They got this great big orange farm, but neither of them knows a lick about actually farming it, and their manager up and quit on them. After a bit of shuffling between the Apple family, the Seed folks, and the Oranges, I ended up here for the summer, running the place.
But like I said, I got help. There’s ten farmhooves here; some of them are old hooves at this, some bright young ponies, and some... not so bright young ponies.
Pulp is my right hoof stallion. He’s about the same age as my uncle, and to be honest he could be running the place. He says he don’t want the headache, though. I can’t say I blame him.
Then we got OJ. OJ is my uncle’s nephew, I’m supposed to be training him to take over when I go home. Twilight, I’m pretty sure this is that headache that Pulp don’t want. This colt might be my age, but he’s got a ways to go before he earns being called a stallion.
Today Pulp was taking me around the farm, showing me where everything was, and we were just coming up from meeting old Toothy. (Old Toothy is the gator who lives in the lake. I’m waiting to hear from Fluttershy about that little detail.) We got close to the house, where my aunt and uncle’s swimming pool is for when they visit, and there was OJ just laying there.
Pulp tells me this was the pony I’d be training as manager, so I hold out my hoof, and he just raises his eyebrow at it.
I raised both of mine back at him, and asked him why he wasn’t out working with the rest of the farmhooves, and you know what he said to me?
“It’s too nice out.”
I ask you, Twilight, when does that pony think you’re supposed to be farming? I mean, I understand taking a break to have some lunch and enjoy the day, but if that boy thinks I’m letting him take this farm when he’s just gonna sit on his tail all day, he’s got another thing coming.
I told him tomorrow we’re gonna use the nice weather for growing some oranges, since that’s our job. He just sighed and turned back to sunning himself.
I’m boss of this place for now, so tomorrow he’s gonna find out how a pony farms, if I have to light his tail on fire to do it. I don’t want to be mean, but I can’t see how a pony with a job can just... not be doing it. I got a bad feeling about this.
Anyhow, I’m gonna sign off for now. I miss y’all, and I hope things are going nice and smooth on your trip.
Your friend,
Applejack
June 24th
I guess this actually is a desk Princess of Magic
From the desk of Twilight Sparkle, student of Princess Celestia
First thing tomorrow I’m getting blank paper without any letterhead.
Dear Applejack,
It’s great to hear from you. Even with Cadence, Shining, and the princesses here it’s really lonely. Everypony’s in ‘public appearance’ mode all the time, so I don’t really have anypony to talk to. All I’ve been doing is sending frustrated letters. That and developing an eye twich. Have I ever had an eye twitch, Applejack?
Anyway, OJ sounds like a headache, but give him a chance. My first impression of Rainbow Dash wasn’t much better. Granted, when I challenged her she cleared the sky in exactly ten seconds. Then again, this is Rainbow Dash we’re talking about.
Still, knowing you and how hard a worker you are, I’m sure you’ll be able to get through to him. Everything can be a learning experience and you’re just the mare for the job; I have faith in you.
So far, this ‘princess job’ has been as stuffy as I was afraid it was going to be. I got used to formal dinners in Canterlot, but I’ve never been comfortable being the subject of conversation. The intricacies of high society are lost on me, too. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it, but right now I feel like a bug under a magnifying glass.
We toured an industrial complex today, which actually was rather fascinating. I’ve read about metallurgy at length before, but actually seeing the refining process really hammered home how hot they need things to be to burn away impurities on a large scale. The nature of it is interesting, too, seeing as Stalliongrad was founded by earth ponies, so it’s all done without magic. I’ve purified some metal using magic before, but I couldn’t imagine trying to do something on the scale it’s done here, even with a team of ponies. It’s almost as mind-boggling as contemplating how the sun and moon were raised by groups of unicorns before Celestia and Luna were around. The amount of magic necessary to do something like all of smelting that’s done here would be astronomical, and they work all hours of the day and night here.
I told Luna that if nothing else, she always had the night shift workers of Stalliongrad to appreciate her beautiful nights. Celestia nearly choked on her tea, but Luna laughed.
How does farming oranges compare to apples? I know turning frogs into oranges is much more difficult than turning them into apples, but I don’t believe that example translates perfectly to farming. I imagine it’s a challenge to not only take on the responsibility of running the whole farm, but also to learn all the discrepancies.
Also knowing you, don’t work yourself to death! Just like how nice weather isn’t an excuse to not work, having a job to do isn’t an excuse to not cut back and relax a little! With all those beaches and pools around, you should be curled up with a good book and sipping something sweet in the shade.
And no, I’m not trying to live vicariously through you. I just know how tired you get.
Take care. Have a piña colada for me!
-Twilight Sparkle
June 26th
Dear Twilight,
Well now, sugarcube, I reckon that from time to time you might have something that a pony could think of as an eye twitch. Just remember them deep breaths Cadance taught you about, and run any big spells you wanna cast by the princesses first, okay?
As much as I wish I could be there to help calm you down, I guess I ain’t the best pony for helping with intricacies and whatnot. Maybe Rarity can give you some pointers. But I can listen, if you need to blow off some steam. Taking a minute and writing to a pony might help some with that twitchy eye you get.
I’m real glad to hear about the smelting, though. Not so much because I get it, but because you get it and you like learning about it. Whenever I think you might be having a bad time, I remember this is Twilight Sparkle I’m thinking of. If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, long as you had some quills and paper you’d get to studying the sand and be happy as a coconut. What I’m saying is, you’re gonna learn lots of new things, so don’t let the rest of it get you down.
As for my and my troubles with OJ... well, they ain’t quite gone yet. I heard from Pinkie the other day (do you know why she’s in Detrot?) and got to thinking, maybe this is one of them things where friendship oughta make a difference. We’re kinda experts on that, right? I thought maybe he’d like working better if he was doing it with a friend, so I tried being real friendly.
No matter how cheerful I am working, it just seems to make him mad at me. But I been trying to keep my temper. So then yesterday, we had some storms in the afternoon, so I decided I’d try to be friendly when we weren’t working. I went to his room, to ask if he wanted to play a game of checkers or whatnot. When he came to the door, he was real ticked off, and the cause of that was this game he’s got in there. One of them arcade games, you know the ones, and it seems I’d made him pause it in the middle of some real important beeps or flashy lights or something.
So, he rolled his eyes at me when I suggested playing checkers. He’d rather play ActionFighter, which is what it’s called. I can’t see why a pony would rather play a game with a machine than another pony... Twilight, you think maybe he just don’t like me?
I wish I was back on Sweet Apple Acres with you girls around.
But, I ain’t gonna worry about that right now. Tomorrow’s my day off, and I’m gonna go try learning to surf. Rainbow Dash suggested that. She also suggested learning to wrestle gators, and yelling “shark” on the beach. You did check to make sure all that crashing didn’t mess up her brain, right?
Well, even if it did, I’d still love to have her here right now. Or you, or anypony I love.
As to oranges, they’re a lot like apples when it comes to farming. They like it a lot hotter and wetter, and the trees are skinnier and harder to aim for when you’re bucking. I know if you were here you’d tell me a million ways it’s different, but to me it’s just more trees to take care of, and I know trees.
Write me more about that stuff you’re learning. I might not remember it all, but I know you’ll have fun telling me.
Your friend,
AJ
June 27th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, attempting a new sending spell to mimic dragonfire.
Dear Applejack,
Rainbow sent me her ‘checklist’ for safekeeping. I’m…well, I think the less said about the ‘shark’ idea, the better. I’m not sure exactly what she meant about alligator wrestling, either, but as I thought about it, I couldn’t help but picturing you hogtying one with a lasso. So, if the farming ever doesn’t work out, there’s a viable second career option for you.
I’m kidding, I’m kidding.
Don’t give up hope on OJ just yet; some ponies take a while to warm up to new friends, especially if they’re as lonely sounding as him. What little you’ve said reminded me of…well, me, back before I moved to Ponyville. Change ‘rather play a game with a machine than another pony’ to ‘rather read a book than talk to another pony,’ and that was me exactly. And I’ll tell you, being like that was one of those things where I didn’t know what I was missing until after I had found you girls. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in your own little world you miss out on who’s around you, and next thing you know, the idea of having friends sounds like something that doesn’t fit into a daily schedule.
Nopony sane would dislike you, though, Applejack. He hasn’t given you a chance yet.
If you want to hear me ramble on about new things I’ve learned, I will, although at the moment it’s all discussions about import and export taxes, new percentage rates, trending stock values, and planned production figures. Which…okay, it is interesting to me, but only if I have paper and pencil at hoof to run through the math myself. Having it recited at length by somepony who’s just as bored as me isn’t exciting.
I hope there’s a stop off in the itinerary in Palomino Beach, or at least close-by. Knowing a natural athlete like you, you’ll be surfing like a professional in no time at all and I’d love to see you in action! By which I mean surfing, not anything else Rainbow mentioned in her checklist. Not that she mentioned anything else in her checklist. Erm. Excuse me for a moment. I know this is a letter and I could just stop writing, [span]but I kind of feel like I’m talking to you and I don’t want to break immersion, and oh I’m rambling again and[/span]
By the way, those breathing exercises are very helpful, thank you for reminding me of them.
-Twilight Sparkle
PS My spell backfired. I have some ideas why, which I might go into details about in another letter, since you offered to listen about such things, but right now I’m resending all the letters that got returned. Hope to hear from you soon.
July 3rd.
Dear Twilight,
I sure would like to have you visit here, if you get a chance. You’re even welcome to stay at the farm with me. I know Aunt and Uncle Orange would be right honored, and this place seems fancy enough for a Princess. At least, it does by my thinking, for what that’s worth.
I’ll keep in mind what you say about OJ. I guess you’re right, you weren’t quite the most sociable pony I ever met when you first came to town. But a little pushing worked out there, I made one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and not a day goes by that I don’t get happy thinking of you.
To that end, I had a bit of an idea. I’ve been trying to find out how OJ got the orange he has for a cutie mark. I figure that way, I can find out what it is he loves about them, and maybe use that to help him love his job here. I mean, a pony can’t have a cutie mark in something they hate, so there’s gotta be a way to get through to him there.
I tried to bring the conversation round to that yesterday, while we were checking the grove for pests (well, while I was checking the grove for pests and he was kinda leaning against the trees.) Turns out he grew up by Manehattan, so I reckon farming wasn’t really a part of it, but I ain’t discouraged. There’s lots that goes into running a farm-- knowing about the plants, the weather, what kind of foods the produce makes so you know who to sell it too, making foods and drinks to sell, knowing how to handle bits... there’s gotta be some part of that he’d like, then the rest of it would be important to make all that work. Me, I gotta say I like being outside and working, but when it comes to keeping the books it makes my eyes go crossed. Especially round tax season-- I reckon figuring out twenty percent of our gross after deductions ain’t really my special talent, but it’s part of running a farm.
Of course, I’d rather do the taxes than hear a pony talk about it. Can’t say I envy you there. But I guess it’s the same thing thee, right? It’s your destiny to be a princess, and that ain’t gonna be all libraries and friends, but sitting and listening to other ponies that about imports and exports is stuff you do so the libraries got plenty of books for you.
I’m going surfing again tomorrow, so I’ll have plenty of action to show you if you come and visit. Not the kind that makes you ramble, of course. Unless I meet a nice, friendly, sweet pony around here that particular item ain’t getting checked off Dash’s list. I’m a down-home girl, I’m looking for a special pony, not some fling. Of course, if I found a pony like that I can’t say I’d mind checking that off that list, but it ain’t likely to happen miles away from everypony I love.
Speaking of special ponies (a bit too special for considering that way, but special all the same) do you know that Pinkie wrote me a song to sing? I went and sang it in the orchard, and wouldn’t you know it, that gator came right on outta the lake and made friends with me. Pinkie is one of a kind, that’s what, I don’t know what I’d do without her, and all you girls.
Write back soon, and let me know if you’re gonna be in these parts. I’ll look forward to seeing a friendly face.
Your friend,
AJ
July 3rd
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
You’ll have to forgive me, but I just had a rather…interesting experience writing a letter to Rainbow, so I’m a little out of sorts. I think I’m back to normal, but I might wander off-topic here and there.
Pinkie Pie has been a life-saver for both of us apparently. She didn’t send me a song with any sort of magical reptile-befriending properties (which I will have to do extensive research on, mind forwarding me a copy of the lyrics? It would give me something to do during all this sitting), but she did send me two sock-puppets that made me feel like I was back home in Ponyville, and some advice for livening up parties. Knowing her, she intended a lot less subtlety than I used, but the hearts of the ideas were ones I could use to steer conversations.
Really, it’s completely obvious in retrospect. I just needed to take the lead and steer conversations to something relaxed and comfortable. I still have all these decorum rules to follow, but it’s amazing how much easier understanding those sorts of subjects is for me when I have a structure to apply them to. The whole thing became a jigsaw puzzle of words and manners. I bet Rarity would get a kick out of that idea.
As I think about it, singing seems to have a lot of unexplored magical properties. I know it was laughter that dispelled Nightmare Moon’s illusions in the Everfree Forest, but it can’t be a coincidence that Pinkie got us all there through a song. And that pony sings all the time, and if I didn’t know better I’d think she was a unicorn some days. I wonder if Pinkie Sense is connected? Or maybe it’s just Pinkie who renders the music magical?
It’s settled. I’ll have to write a song before you send me Pinkie’s lyrics, so I can compare any latent magic present in either set. I’ll have to conduct experiments on both the songs in written form as well as when performed.
Oh, but I’m an alicorn and my song might be magical for that reason. Drat, practically everypony here is either an alicorn or a unicorn, too. I need a pegasus or an earth pony to write songs as well.
Erm. Applejack, if it wasn’t too much trouble, could I request you write a song as well? It really would be the best comparison, to gauge if it’s something inherent in Pinkie Pie or in music itself. If it’s too much to ask, I understand, you have a farm to run. But it would help me out with this experiment immensely.
Now I just have to track down a place in this airship to conduct this experiment without being disturbed. And maybe a pegasus who is willing to write a song as well. I might be able to get Shining to write something, that way I can have songs from all four pony tribes, but I might be able to convince Rarity if he won’t.
Oh, I can taste the science on the air!
…Wow, I really did get off-topic. Anyway, good luck with OJ. Hearing the story behind his special talent sounds like a solid plan, if not for discovering what it is about oranges that he’s connected to, then at least for building a better understanding of him. And I asked Rainbow this already, but with this surfing and boxing going on, I thought I might try to take up something physical over the summer. Any ideas for something I could do on this trip?
Can’t wait to hear from you (send lyrics!)
-Twilight Sparkle
Dear Twilight,
Okay, sugarcube. You know you’re the only pony in Equestria who could ask me for a song, and I’d set down and write them a song. It ain’t a good song, I’m no Pinkie Pie, but I sawed out a tune on my fiddle, and I wrote down some words. I admit, I don’t know how to write down the tune, I never really studied music stuff, you see. I just learned the fiddle from my ma. So I’ll have to play you the tune later, but I’ll send you the words now:
What do you think
When ya’ ain’t face to face?
Are ya’ lonely and blue
Or glad for the space?
Is it hard to remember
What it used to be?
I know I’m thinkin’ of you
Are y’all thinking of me?
It won’t last forever
Just get by another day
And we’ll all be together
So I’ll just write ya’ to say
My days are full
Of work and normal stuff
But for once in my life
That just ain’t enough
I never did know
Just how much I feel
like my life’s full up
When y’all are near
It won’t last forever
Just get by another day
And we’ll all be together
So I’ll just write ya’ to say
It won’t last forever
Just get by another day
And we’ll all be together
So I’ll just write ya’ to say
I miss ya’
I love ya’
I’m always
Thinkin’ of ya’
My friends
Now, I’d be obliged if you’d kindly never show that to another pony. I don’t mind a bit of bad poetry between you and me, but Dash seems to think if I don’t act like I’m kicking flank at breakfast, lunch, and supper I’m some kind of pansy. I’d rather not deal with her poking at me over a song.
I suppose maybe I’ve been a bit more careful, and a bit more worried since we been apart. I guess I worry, when I ain’t next to you girls to help you. I do what I can in letters, but sometimes I worry that ain’t enough. So I look for more I can do, and I try to keep myself out of trouble. Dash might think that makes me soft, but you girls wouldn’t believe how fast I’d move if I thought any of y’all needed me, and what manner of trouble I’d jump into for ya’.
But, Dash has been acting funny herself. She says she just misses us, but she sure seems to think I’m interested in hearing just what me and other ponies wanna be getting up to in bed. I hope she gets that outta her system soon, I’m not sure I’m all the way comfortable with her gossiping like that. Some things are personal, you know? If ponies want other ponies to know, they’ll say it to them.
I reckon you ain’t the only pony that can get off topic. I hope your song project gives you some fun stuff to think on.
In terms of stuff to keep you fit, how about something you can do to spend some time with your brother? You two could have some time together, and maybe go for a run, or kick around a hoofball, or he could even teach you some fighting. (Not that you can’t handle yourself, sugarcube. But learning to fight like a royal guard could come in handy some day.) Anyhow, I think anything the two of you could have fun doing with be a treat for both of you, and keep you both in shape.
I ain’t had any luck with OJ yet. Do you know how frustrating it is to talk to a pony who’s grumpy all the time? You leave the talk feeling tired, like keeping cheerful was a fight you had to put up. My day off was nice, though, and I been spending some time with the other farmhooves to kind of recharge. It ain’t as good as my friends and family, y’all make me happy just thinking of you, but it does me some good.
Anyhow, good luck with the songs, and write back soon.
Your friend,
AJ
July 8th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
I’m really glad I asked for the song, and I’m really, really glad you wrote one. I got maybe a little bit overexcited when I wrote you that last letter and asked everypony to write one for the experiment. I’ve had a chance to calm down a little bit, and I’m currently a little worried I may have come across too demanding. You know me, though. Sometimes when I get ideas like this I lose track of things.
But with a little perspective, I’m still glad I did it. Reading over your song, I can almost hear you singing it in my head. And, to put it bluntly, I miss hearing your voice. It was made worse by Rainbow; she actually found an old recording of herself singing when she was a filly and sent it to me. I miss everypony so much, I’m getting wistful over all of the little things.
And while I wouldn’t call your song ‘bad poetry,’ I’ll respect your desire to keep it between us. Especially considering the song I wrote for this experiment. I think I’m better at singing spontaneously than actually planning anything out. Maybe next time something exciting happens and I find myself singing for no apparent reason, I’ll have the faculties about me to test for latent magic.
As a sign of good faith (and a way to give you mutual blackmail material), here’s the song I wrote for this experiment. I trust you’ll keep it as hidden as I’ll keep yours hidden.
As far away as you are
You five are close to my heart
These months will blur like racing down a hill
Memories we will chase after
But I miss your smiles and laughter
I'll write to each of you, still
‘Cause I miss Ponyville
I'll try my best to fit in
But without you girls I’m worn thin
‘Cause without you five I feel all alone
The lesson isn't too tough
But without my friends here it feels rough
Although the distance just melts away
Just think of you and I’m back home
I'll try hard to not panic
Though I think I’m getting manic
Insomnia and heartache don’t mix well
But sure as I’m Princess Twilight
I'll stay up working all night
And write everyone letters
Our friendship is an unbreakable spell
An unbreakable spell
An unbreakable spell
Counting clouds through the windows
I'll think of you tonight
I'll think of you tonight
When violet eyes get brighter
And heavy wings grow lighter
I'll taste the sky and feel at home again
We’ll all return there at summer’s end
But until then my ear I’ll lend
We’ll keep the magic alive if we try
And all six of us will thrive
‘Cause our friendship will survive.
Tune source here
And who knows, maybe you’ll be able to read it and hear my voice, too.
I asked Shining about your training idea, and thanks to Cadence he’s getting more receptive to it. Rainbow suggested flying, which I’d love to do more, but I’m stuck on airships for so much of the time I won’t have much of a chance. I’m going to try to do both when I can. If I get to stop close to Palomino Beach, maybe you’ll be able to give me some surfing lessons, too!
And about OJ, maybe Pinkie has some ideas. She can be a little overboard for some ponies, but she did get through to Cranky Doodle. For a while, anyway. I’ve found Pinkie’s advice to almost always be valuable, provided you flex a little subtlety.
I hope to hear from you soon, Applejack. I’ll let you know what comes of these experiments, if anything. I’ll be landing in Manehattan soon, so that should be exciting. I’m at least excited at the idea of stretching my wings.
-Twilight Sparkle
July 11th
Dear Rainbow Dash,
I reckon I get why you don’t want me to tell the other girls, but you’re gonna have to do a hay of a lot more explaining if you don’t want me to tell Twilight. Because right now, it looks like you think Twilight likes you, and you don’t wanna let her know you’re dating another pony so you can lead her on in case things don’t work out.
That ain’t gonna happen, not on my watch. It just so happens I wrote Twilight a letter tonight, and no matter what she writes back, I am not gonna let you break her heart, Rainbow Dash. She’s a princess! And she’s beautiful and a damn sight smarter than either of us’ll ever be, and she deserves better than a pony with two hooves out the door. There are ponies out there, Dash, who ain’t interested in finding some random pony to sleep with for the summer ‘cause they can see just how damn special a pony like Twilight is.
So what I’m telling you is that you’d better mare up before I sober up enough to get out to Las Pegasus and kick that candy colored flank of yours for even thinking of doing that to Twilight. Cause if I didn’t have half a bottle of Captain Morgan in me, I’d be on a train tonight. But don’t you think I’m just writing this ‘cause I’m drunk. I ain’t. Drunk, that is. Or writing this cause I’m drunk. I’m writing it cause it’s what I’m thinking when I read your letter, and being drunk has nothing to do with it.
In case some of that got confused, here’s what I’m saying: If you hurt Twilight Sparkle, I will pluck every feather off your wings.
Clear?
Your friend,
Applejack
July 11th
Dear Twilight,
I think I mighta sent you a letter last night.
I didn’t mean to say
How bad was
I’m real sorry
Let’s just pretend I didn’t, okay?
Your friend,
AJ
July 11th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
You did send me a letter. A letter addressed to Rainbow Dash. I’m…not sure what to take from it, exactly. Frankly, I’m sort of confused. Rainbow asked you to not tell me she’s dating somepony? She hasn’t told me that she was dating anypony, but if I had to guess it would be Booster seeing as he was the only pony she’s mentioned aside from Beesting, and I don’t even want to think about that.
And…Rainbow thinks I like her? Like, like her? I’m…
Applejack, you know me. Before I moved to Ponyville, I didn’t have any friends at all. I don’t know anything about romance; I haven’t thought about this sort of thing. I mean, sure, she’s quite physically…I mean, her aesthetics are…ugh, I just went through this with the horseshoe on the other hoof.
I don’t know what to think. Rainbow Dash is a really good friend and sometimes when I talk to her I get a glimpse of this other mare underneath her façade; a pony who’s spent her whole life pretending to be somepony she isn’t who’s vulnerable and hurting on the inside. When I see that, I just want to help her and let her know that she doesn’t need to hurt or pretend around me. And even when I don’t get that glimpse, she teases me and it makes me laugh just as much as it makes me blush.
Is that romance? I don’t think it is. I see a lot in Rainbow, but I see a lot in you, too. I see under your façade of hard work and selflessness to somepony who’s dead tired half the time and worried she’s going to let everypony down, but most especially herself. And when I see that, I just want to help you and let you know that you don’t have to be strong all the time around me.
I see it in Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, too. I see it in myself. All six of us…all six of us are so strong, but so unsure of ourselves at the same time. I think it’s a symptom of the hoof of cards we’ve been dealt. As much as they’ve brought us together and as much as they’ve helped Equestria, the Elements of Harmony are a burden. One that we’ve all gladly taken on, but one that leaves a mark just the same. A mark that was on all of us before they were ever really in our lives. If we weren’t strong, we wouldn’t have gone into that forest in eternal night. And if we weren’t vulnerable, the Elements wouldn’t have come to us at all.
I don’t know why I’m talking about this now. If Rainbow’s dating somepony at the moment, it’s not like I need to think about it. I’m just…I’m confused, Applejack. Rainbow and I have been exchanging letters, pretty much as often as the two of us have been, and they’ve been playful and funny. Rainbow’s good at teasing me. She knows what buttons to push to get me to go beet red, and she pushes them, and as embarrassing as that can be, it’s also kind of fun. It’s nice to get shaken out of my comfort zone sometimes.
I…don’t know where that led to Rainbow thinking I have feelings for her, and I don’t know why she would hide dating somepony from me to spare them. I’m…I’m a little hurt she didn’t tell me, like I wouldn’t be happy for her, or something. I don’t think she meant it that way, though. And I don’t know that if the situation was different, she wasn’t seeing anypony, and she asked me out on a date that I’d say no.
I mean, I haven’t thought about this. At all. I’m still getting used to what it feels like to have friends, Applejack. I guess now would be the time to start thinking about it, but I don’t know. If somepony as close to me as Rainbow asked me on a date, I’d probably say yes just to see where things went, test the waters, that sort of thing. Life is about experiences, and just because I can’t say right now that I have feelings for anypony doesn’t mean that I’m unwilling to find out if there’s something there or not.
I don’t really know what to do. What I’m going to do is forward your letter to Rainbow. Even if what you were talking to her about is kind of spoiled at this point, it was supposed to go to Rainbow, so that’s where it’s going.
I…don’t know where I’m going with this letter. I guess I’m just trying to talk everything out and make sense of it all. There are some implications here that I’m avoiding. The assumption I can make, from what I read in her letters is that she wants to spare hurting my ‘feelings’ from finding out she’s involved with somepony else. But the assumption you’re making is that she…does have feelings for me, at least a little. And I don’t know that that’s an assumption, since I’ve not been privy to all of your conversations.
And then there’s the other thing.
…Applejack? What was in the letter that was supposed to come to me? I look back over this one to Rainbow, and I get the impression you were going to ask me something, and then this second letter that actually was to me you’re afraid of what my answer might be. What were you going to ask me that you were afraid to find out the answer to? You know there’s nothing you could ask me that would stop us from being friends.
-Twilight Sparkle
P.S. Please don’t say I’m smarter than you. I read a lot and have a lot of things memorized, but that doesn’t make somepony smarter than anypony else. I’m just a pony, Applejack, and you’ve got a great head on your shoulders.
July 11th (evening)
Dear Twilight,
And I thought this couldn’t get worse.
Okay, I reckon the only thing to do is explain here. I was kinda down after work yesterday-- missing you girls, and dealing with OJ, and all. So the farmhooves invited me to the bar. I thought it might be fun to have a good time with some other ponies, so I told ‘em I just had to be back by midnight, so I could write to you and Dash.
We went to this place called Hemmingneigh’s, and I had maybe too good a time. They know how to mix up some rum here, lemme tell you. I’m lucky Pulp was there, he kept me from doing anything too foolish (though I do seem to recall singing “Redneck Filly” at the top of my lungs along with the jukebox...) and he got me home in time to write those letters.
I kinda wish he’d kept me from doing anything foolish there, too.
I’ll be honest, I can’t remember exactly what went into either of them. I just remember how I felt when I wrote them. I’m sorry you saw that one I wrote Dash. I’m sorry it was confusing, and I’m sorry if I was harder on Dash than I shoulda been. And I owe an apology to Dash, cause I reckon I ran my mouth about things that were supposed to be between me and her, even if I thought I was just telling them to her.
I made this mess, so I figure I oughta try to make this less confusing for you, as much as I can without telling too much. Dash was spending time with a pony, and she asked me not to mention it to folks, including you. I don’t think she meant any harm, I think she just doesn’t know what she’s feeling yet. What she thinks about what you’re feeling could be her imagination-- you know she can’t think a pony ain’t thinking of her 24/7-- or it might be her wishing. Either way, it didn’t seem that way to me last night, and I was good and riled up by the time I wrote her. Don’t hold nothing I said against her, that was a bottle writing that. Both y’all need to figure out what you’re feeling on your own, without my help.
As for what I said to you, and sent to Rainbow Dash... I’m never gonna live that down. Twilight, I try to be honest, but I know that there’s a time and a place to tell things. What I had to ask you wasn’t something a pony oughta write in a letter, especially not drunk. You know, I got a roaring headache right now, but I’d take one twice as bad if it’d erase last night.
Anyhow, I guess what I wrote was something about how much I miss you. You see, I think I miss you more than I should. I miss you more than anypony else, and I miss you in ways I don’t miss the other girls, and I been feeling like that for a bit. Really, I ain’t much less confused than you are ‘bout it all, I just had a bunch of liquor in me and it all seemed real clear all of a sudden. Same with what I wrote Dash, really. Things that I was thinking about turned into things I was doing something about without me noticing that the thinking was nowhere near done. I never meant to lay this on you now, when we’re missing each other so much, and we can’t sit down and talk it out. I’m so sorry I messed up this bad.
Your friend,
AJ
July 13th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
Rainbow sent me that letter that was supposed to go to me, and right now I’m so frayed at the edges I don’t think I can go through everything I just went through writing to her again, so I’m just going to copy what I wrote to her. A lot of it applies to you already.
I can’t help but feel like this is all my fault.
I have done several things today that I thought I’d never be able to do in my life, without either dying of embarrassment or being banished or locked away, or locked away in the place I was banished, possibly while attending magic kindergarten on the moon.
First thing was I showed all our letters to Cadence. She’s had a bit of an outside view of things, mostly because I have a habit of dictating my letters out loud as I write them and I’m not always mindful of other ponies in the room.
I…I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t even know you were flirting with me, and I was flirting back. I thought you were teasing me and I was teasing back. I still don’t understand the distinction as I look at it.
I feel like a fool, and I feel like I’ve been leading you on. And the worst part of it is…
The worst part is I don’t know what I’m feeling. Before I got Applejack’s letter that was intended for you, I hadn’t thought about romance in my life at all. But if you couldn’t guess it about me already, as soon as I realized I hadn’t thought about something…
…Care to guess what I’ve been thinking about every minute since?
Celestia damn the world to tartarus, I have no idea what I’m feeling, Rainbow Dash. I just know that when I read your letters, or listen to your record, or think about your face, I just want to see you again. For real. I want to see everypony again, but it’s not quite the same.
Okay, so Manehattan has been similar and different compared to Stalliongrad, but I’ve had this weight on my mind through all the silly formality (we went on a yacht tour through a harbor where all the houses of some rich and famous ponies live, pointing out interesting architecture [yay!] and discussing which such-and-such sugar baron built the original mansion that burned to the ground a hundred years ago that the new one is modeled after, and which ones were owned by their foals, and I couldn’t hope to begin caring). And then…right before I got your second letter that had the note from Applejack, I took your advice and went flying.
And suddenly everything made sense. I don’t know what specifically made sense, but for the first time in weeks I felt at home again. And then I went back to my hotel room, played your record, and started crying.
And then I got Applejack’s letter. And I’ve been thinking about what she said to me the other day, too, about how what she asked was something she should have asked face to face. And then I read the song she wrote me and started crying again.
Because I want to see Applejack so bad right now, too. I want to see all six of you so badly I could scream, but for Applejack it’s different. Like how it’s different for you. But not the same different. Different different. And I don’t know what that means.
I’m still so confused, Rainbow. At first it was about what was going on around me, now it’s about myself. I don’t know what I want, and what’s worse, the two ponies I’d turn to for help in this are…well, they’re you and Applejack.
I know you’d probably think I’d talk to Rarity about this, but she’d be running around making me a dress for a date that hasn’t even been planned with…with I don’t know who, and why this would even result in a date with anypony is a ridiculous notion at this point, since I don’t know that that’s something I really want, or you want, or Applejack wants, or that any of us don’t want, and I’m just so confused, and Rarity wouldn’t help with that at all. She’d think it was ‘romantic,’ whatever the hell that means.
No, it’s you and Applejack I’d talk to, because we think the same about these sorts of things, I think. Even when we’re angry or overwhelmed, we’re practical and we think in down to earth and reasonable ways. Any advice you would give me, while full of teasing (or flirting, I don’t know), would be something simple and rational. And it would be the same with Applejack. I like simple and rational.
But I can’t ask for either of your advice on this, really. And we’re all so far away from each other.
Which leads me to the other thing I never thought I’d do that I did today.
I…sorta threatened Princess Luna.
She was taken aback by it, and I think I hurt her feelings and I’ll need to make amends, but I couldn’t be in the dark on this anymore. One of the things Applejack mentioned in her letter was that thanks to this summer, ‘we can’t sit down and talk it out.’
I threatened her so I could see the itinerary. I told her I needed to see it and if she didn’t share then I would take it from her by force. I feel scummy and awful for doing it, but I’m at the end of my rope here. I need to see you and Applejack again, as soon as I can, or I’m going to go crazy. There’s too much that needs to be said face to face.
Because…because Cadence says she doesn’t believe you when you say you just thought it was adorable. And she says she doesn’t believe me when I say I didn’t know it was just teasing. And she says she doesn’t believe me about not ever thinking about any of this before.
And…and I think about your face and your smile…and when I got Applejack’s drunken letter and read it, I imagined Applejack’s hooves around me in that hug she wanted to give me.
I think Cadence is right.
I’ve made a mess of things, most of all myself. I’m sorry, Rainbow. I’m sorry I couldn’t see what’s supposed to be right in front of me, and I’m sorry that all of this had to happen while we’re miles away from each other. I don’t know what I want, and I doubt either you or Applejack really know, either, based on everything Cadence has said to me about this, not only about me and you, and me and her, but you and her as well. All I know is that we need to talk about this face to face to face. Because letters aren’t cutting it.
I didn’t get to see the itinerary. Princess Celestia took one look at me and said I could take a few days off from the trip to sort out this mess with myself.
I’ll be in Las Pegasus on July 18th.
If I can organize it, Applejack might be with me.
I’ll be in Palomino Beach on the 17th. Think you can take a day off from the farm?
I need to see you, Applejack. And Rainbow. And I think you need to see each other as well. Even if we can’t answer any questions, it’s exactly as you said. We can sit down and talk it out. If there’s nothing else being a princess has gotten me so far, it at least lets me do this.
See you soon.
-Twilight Sparkle
July 13th
Dear Twilight,
You... wanna sit down and talk this out? Like, face to face talking? Where we’re in the same place and looking at each other, all three of us?
Well now, that sounds like a fine idea, yesiree! I can’t wait to see y'all and talk. About how I feel. There’s nothing like a good old talk with my friends about how we all feel about each other. Yup.
I’m sure I can take some days off. And there’s a lot of stuff here in Palomino Beach I gotta show you, like the beach! You can’t come to Palimino Beach and not see the beach, right? Oh, and the farm. I dunno how much time we’re gonna have for talking. And I bet Dash has a bunch to show us in Las Pegasus. I never been to Las Pegasus, so I’m gonna have to see all the sights, of course. But I’m sure we’ll get some time to say some words.
By the way, while it’s no problem me taking some time off, I’m gonna have something real important to do whenever your train’s coming in, so there’s no way I can meet ya’ at the train station. I’m real, real sorry about that. If you think you’ll have trouble getting out here, I can send Pulp to pick you up.
So, speaking about the farm! I finally made some way with OJ, but now I got a friendship question I’m gonna need your help with. Maybe it’ll do ya’ some good to focus on things else for a bit?
So, it turns out OJ’s cutie mark is from cooking! Of course, that’s great news cause I’m a bit of a cook myself, so we can share some recipes and show each other some tricks. I asked him to help me make an orange glazed squash tomorrow night, so he gets some time using his special talent. That oughta cheer him up a bit.
Anyhow, the problem is that apparently, he was gonna open a restaurant in Manehattan with his best friend, when Uncle Orange asked him to take this job. OJ kinda thought he should-- it’s family, it’s good pay, and Palomino Beach ain’t a bad place for a restaurant, and he’d have all the fresh oranges he could get his hooves on. But his friend didn’t see it that way, and they had a bad fight.
That kinda soured OJ on the whole farming thing. I think he’s real lonely, and not really trusting other ponies to be good friends. And I think he’s feeling like it’s the farm’s fault that he lost his best friend, so he’s not gonna give a lick about it. I really do feel bad for him.
So, I know I can help him have some fun with his special talent, and maybe talk to him about opening a cart to sell some treats. That way he’ll feel like the farm is part of his life, and I think he’ll want to be more involved. And I know I can be a good friend to him, as long as I’m here. But I’ll be going home in the fall, and I don’t want him to feel let down by that. I wish I could get in touch with his buddy, and try to make things right there. Even if that pony has a good reason for staying in Manehattan, at least OJ wouldn’t feel like he gave up a friend to be here. At the same time, I don’t wanna go sticking my muzzle in where it don’t belong. I don’t even know this pony’s name, or how to find it out, and OJ seems a little touchy on the subject.
So, what do you think I should do there? I been mulling it over myself, I gotta say it’s a bit easier to think about somepony elses problems than other stuff.
I reckon I’ll be seeing you soon, so write back with what time I can expect you, and if you need a pony to meet you at the station and stuff.
Your friend,
AJ
July 16th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
That’s great to hear about OJ! I knew you’d get through to him eventually. I wish I could have looked up this friend of his here in Manehattan, but I’ve been busy and distracted. Really distracted. But…well, I’m sure you understand about that. It’s been a great relief to know that I’d get to see you soon, but it hasn’t made tours and dinners easier to handle in the meantime.
It sounds to me like the restaurant part isn’t really what’s at stake for OJ. Sure, the move to Palomino Beach and the strain with his friend made opening the restaurant unfeasible for him at the moment, but I’d imagine the fight with his friend is really what’s hurting him. If these last few weeks have taught me anything, forced distance with friends is painful and draining. If he’s a touchy subject for OJ, it might be hard to do, but I think encouraging him to try and rebuild that relationship might get a bit more spring in his step. After all, with enough hard work he’d be able to open a restaurant in Palomino Beach just as easily as Manehattan, but if he’s feeling lonely and hurt, all that motivation is gone.
Believe me, I have had no motivation at all these last few days. If I could, I’d sit in my hotel room and listen to Rainbow’s record, play with sock puppets, and read everypony’s letters over and over again.
And I had this really awful dream the other night that’s been making things worse. It was…well, it was probably me being silly and over-reactive, but it still scared me. There’s a lot about me that’s…changed. And I’m still getting used to it. It’s…
Well, maybe I’ll talk to you about it when I see you. I don’t want to think about it anymore right now. You’re right; focusing on other ponies’ problems really is comforting.
I’m taking a sleeper train into Palomino Beack tomorrow later today, so I’ll be there bright and early tomorrow morning. Having somepony meet me would probably be helpful, unless it’s easy to find the farm. Heck, just directions might be enough; I’m kind of tired of having a group of ponies with me wherever I go. Although it would be rather nice if you were there to meet me, but if you’re busy, I understand.
Although how you could be busy for certain when I’m arriving, but not know when that is exactly is beyond me.
No, don’t worry about it, Applejack. I’m really nervous about this, too. Seeing you and Rainbow will be wonderful; I miss you both so much and I can’t wait to see you again and hug you, but I know this isn’t going to be easy. I don’t expect it to be easy at all.
But I know it’s gonna be worth it, I can just tell.
See you soon tomorrow!
-Twilight Sparkle
July 29th
Dear Twilight,
I don’t even know how to start off. Should our letters be more special now? I reckon Rarity’d think so, she’d think I oughta be writing you flowery stuff and poetry. But you know I ain’t any good with that. Besides, I smile just thinking about you, so I’m hoping that just getting a letter from me will be enough by itself to brighten your day.
I reckon I better start off with saying I’m sorry for taking so long to write you. See, I wasn’t back but a day, when who should show up for a visit but Aunt and Uncle Orange. They’re still here, actually, they decided to stay for two weeks. Two really long weeks, it turns out.
Aunt and Uncle Orange can’t go anyplace without a fancy party, so I been to more than my share. Being as I’m their niece, and a “close, personal friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle,” they couldn’t wait for me to meet all their friends. Don’t worry, sugarcube, I didn’t tell nopony just how close and personal we are these days. You decide what I oughta say there, and ‘til then I just tell them you’re one of my best friends.
Of course, you know I can’t go to these parties in my cowpony hat. So between the fancy parties (and brunches. don’t get me started on brunches, let me tell you...) I got to go shopping.
Yup, I’m just as happy about this as you think I am.
But I will say this: Darn near every pony I’ve talked to these past weeks has told me they met you once and you were “utterly charming.” That always makes me smile, ‘cause it’s so true, and I’m so lucky. They got no idea just how cute you are, sugarcube. Not to mention smart and kind and loving. Every time they say that I feel like the richest pony in the room, ‘cause I got to hold you for a night.
I miss you now, Twilight. Not that I’d have time to hold you proper. I been so busy with frou-frou stuff that I hardly have time to get out to the groves, let alone take some time to surf or try and make things better with OJ. But, I need to make time, at least to write you and Dash letter more often. Y’all deserve better than a mare that don’t got time for you.
I know you been spending all summer doing this sort of stuff. Hey, didn’t you say Pinkie told you how to make these things fun? I don’t suppose you’d mind passing that along.
And while you’re at it, tell me all about where you’re at now. You know I’ve always just liked reading words you wrote, and that goes double now when I can think about holding you while I’m reading.
Love,
Applejack
August 4th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
Our letters are more special now, without flowery poetry, because I can imagine you holding me, too. That’s special, right? That’s not something I thought about before, but it’s something I’m thinking about now, and you’re thinking about, and it makes this long distance seem a little bit less important, at least to me.
I’m sorry I broke my promise about writing right away, too, but I’ve been kept really busy on my side of things as well. It’s been a flurry of meetings and tours and I’ve barely had the energy to read letters, let alone write any. We’re getting ready to leave for Yokestone National Park next, so I have the breather of a few days in an air-ship, and I’ll hopefully have more time to write there than I did here. But that’s something both of us—Heck, Rainbow, too; all three of us—will just have to accept. Now and once we’re all home again. We are not idle ponies. We all work very hard and we take pride in that. Finding time will always be a little bit of a challenge, and I’ll never begrudge you your work. I know it’s important to you, and I would never want to get in the way of you keeping your farm together.
Remember that first Applebuck season after I moved to Ponyville? You don’t need to take this all on your shoulders by yourself now, either. We’ll work on it together. We’re three busy mares, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I’ll find time for you, and I know you will find time, too. So no more of this ‘mare that doesn’t have time for you’ stuff. I know you care; it bleeds off the page and makes those imagined hooves of yours hug me all the more strongly.
Now, for parties, this is what Pinkie sent me for helping make them a little bit less…I want to say soul-sucking. I don’t think I’ll sugar-coat it beyond that:
P – Personality! Find out what those ponies like and bring them together.
A – Are you playing games? Games rev up the fun!
R – Remember the refreshments. Guests that are full are full of fun and laughter, too!
T – Take the lead! The party starts with you! Kick out the jams and boogie! Tell some jokes! Get those ponies into a good mood!
Y- You can make a difference – Even if it’s not your party, you can be the party. Put on a smile and jump right in!
Alright, now for what I’ve done in toning these down to something a bit less Pinkie Pie and a bit more practical for something I’m not hosting. It’s really just ‘taking the lead,’ not just on the conversation, but on everything. I tell myself going in that I’m going to make sure I have a good time. I steer conversations somewhere that everypony can enjoy to the best of my ability and really just try to take the responsibility onto myself for my own enjoyment. I started off feeling really out of my element, which I’m sure is something with which you can relate, but it was a wonder how much easier it got when I just told myself that I was in my element.
I hope these parties get a little easier for you. If not, I have possibly the single most sympathetic ear in Equestria when it comes to surviving dull parties at this point and I’m happy to commiserate with you.
As for what’s happening, I’m afraid I don’t have much to share; everything flew by in a torrent it seemed. A happy one, because it felt like everything reminded me of home, but a rush nonetheless. I’m planning on really getting started working on magical frequencies and qualities within music, so I should be able to share some of that with you soon. Mostly I’m happy about going over your song again. I really can feel your hooves around me and I still feel so safe, Applejack. This week has been a marvel for me, for that reason. Knowing I have you there, and Rainbow, too. I still don’t know what this is that the three of us have, because it feels so…
I don’t even know. I know that it’s something I’m going to hold onto for as long as I can. I tried talking to Cadence about it, since this is her area of specialty, but she got kind of quiet. Not bad by any means; I know she’s happy. I know, because Shining almost blew open a hole in a wall before Cadence calmed him down. He’s always been a touch on the protective side, so I don’t know why I was surprised. Don’t worry about him any, because he’s calmed down since then, after a long talk with Cadence.
Anyway, she got quiet about it and gave me a bunch of books to read, which I haven’t had the chance look through. I’m not sure what they’re for, but she said they might answer some questions for the three of us. I’ll let you know when I figure out what the heck she’s talking about.
Write back to me when you have the time. I know it feels like you need to get everything done at once and curse the fact that a day is only 24 hours when you have 30 hours of stuff to fit in, but time is something that doesn’t go away. We’ll have time, all three of us. Between now to the end of summer, and every single day afterwards if we want them.
I don’t know what the future holds, but right now, I want them with all my heart. We’ll find the time together, no matter how long it takes.
-Twilight Sparkle
August 18th
Dear Twilight,
I’m so tired. Right after the Oranges went home, we got slammed with a hay of a storm. These past two weeks I been cutting up fallen trees, righting the ones that could be saved, and gathering what oranges are still good. I got plenty help, I promise, but it’s been all I can do to keep my eyes open long enough to make it to my bed.
Course, that gets me thinking about how I’m going to get home right in time for harvest season there. I reckon I might get a day off sometime after we set up for winter. But at least at home I’ll have you girls near by, and I was thinking maybe you and Dash could come and curl up with me in bed one night, if you wanted. I know my house is crowded, but those days I don’t know that I’ll be up to much anyhow, and I don’t suppose a little cuddling is gonna hurt anypony. That’s all I want right now, you and Dash curled up with me in my bed.
The good news is I’ve been getting OJ to help more. With all them fallen oranges, I suggested he oughta make up some treats. They were darn good! I see now why the boy got that orange on his flank. Everypony thought he oughta sell them, so we built him a cart from the downed trees, and he set up right next to the beach last weekend. Pulled in a pretty penny, too. He threw in full force to help save what trees we could, and he’s talking about building a proper stand in town that would be like a little cafe... it’s a little frou-frou for me, to be honest, but it’d fit right in there and it’s got him thinking of this place like his home, so I’m behind him all the way.
You ever think about what makes a place a home, Twilight? Ponies always say it’s where the ponies they love are, but I don’t know that’s true. To be honest, I think a pony finds ponies they love wherever their home is. I think home is something more than that, it’s where your life is. Where there’s something for you to do that you love doing, and ponies who appreciate it. I can’t see you being happy in Ponyville, even with us girls around, unless you had the library to take care of. And right now, you’re out there with ponies you love but I can tell from your letters that none of those places are feeling like home. You’re not doing the things you love, so it ain’t home. I’m right glad there’s something for you to do in Ponyville, so that can be your home near me.
Just something I was thinking. It’s probably pretty silly.
Sorry to cut this letter a bit short, but I’l well behind on getting back to the other girls, and I got a few that seem kind of important. Not that you ain’t most important, but, well, I know you understand.
Love,
AJ
August 24th
From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
Dear Applejack,
I’m going to be in Palomino Beach next week, and the first thing I’m going to do is kiss you senseless.
…Let me back up a little. I had a rough time in Las Pegasus for a lot of reasons. Rainbow had a run-in with Spitfire, and then afterwards she told me that she loved me. I’ve been running around in circles for weeks about what the three of us have, worrying and questioning myself, thinking about the future, trying to make plans for a life that’s so confusing I was about ready to pull my mane out by the roots.
And I couldn’t really talk to Rainbow about it. I said maybe one sentence about how it was bothering me and she basically said, ‘Eh, who cares? It’s awesome,’ which it is, but doesn’t exactly ease my thoughts when they’re going every which way.
Plus, she needed me to be the strong one for her; she can be so fragile at times. She’s strong and bold and makes me laugh, but after Spitfire she needed my shoulder, and all I could think about was how much I wanted you there. I wanted your hooves around me so bad, so I could know everything was okay and I didn’t have to worry so much, because I don’t have to worry when you’re there and I know everything will be okay.
I told her the truth, by the way. I said I thought I loved her back, which made me think about you, because I felt the same, and I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what it means to feel like this, and I just went in a loop, worrying and worrying. I knew that what I feel is powerful, and a little scary, but comforting, too. So I guessed, because Rainbow was there and I could smell her mane and everything felt right, and it was as close to the truth as I could get.
And then I had a fight with Shining and I just wanted you more. I just wanted to feel safe again, and it’s just not the same with Rainbow, and dear Celestia, I’ve been a mess.
So I picked up the music experiment again. I’ve been so drained the last few weeks, I got it all ready to go and then left it for when I was feeling better. I wrote some letters earlier, but I kept going in circles in my head, questioning myself and what I feel, and knowing I’d be in Palomino Beach soon, and thinking about you, and about Rainbow. Last time I got like that I listened to Rainbow’s record and read your song to feel better, so I thought actually trying out the experiment would help.
The experiment was successful. Music inherently carries magic in it, in some form. Written songs, even ones that are extremely short, have a potency, and it doesn’t matter if the writer is a unicorn, alicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. The words themselves hold power and can sway the very fabric of the world.
Some songs are more powerful than others; Pinkie’s song is especially powerful. I’ll have to run further tests with other songs of hers, but I tested not only the one you sent along, but others I remember from her. The most powerful song I tested today was the song about laughter she sang the day we all met.
That’s all in raw magic, from the songs. That magic affects the world around it in quantifiable ways, too. The laughter song actually made the room I was in physically brighter to ward off anything that could cause fear in anypony present. At this point, I was very distracted from my worrying: the applications of such magic are tremendous. I don’t know if this helps explain why Pinkie can be so…Pinkie, or if it’s because Pinkie is so Pinkie she can create powerful musical magic, but the magic is there, and real, and meaningful.
But that’s not the best thing that happened today. Pinkie’s songs were the most powerful, but there were two songs that had an affect that meant more to me.
Your songs. The one you wrote, and the one Rainbow Dash sent me.
The magic produced was fairly similar between both; Rainbow’s was a little weaker, which I have the beginnings of a hypothesis for an explanation: the time since it was written but not performed regularly weakened it compared to newer songs and older songs that everypony knows and sings (happy birthday had a surprisingly high amount of magic), but otherwise they were fairly nondescript.
Except all of the magic went into me. All of it.
It’s hard to get an accurate self-analytical magical reading, since one has to use magic to read magic, but I traced where it went and what it did to me the best I could. It seemed to stimulate memory centers specifically connected to olfactory sensors, elevate my heart rate, and trigger the release of a lot of hormones. But more than that, the magic settled in a specific place in my brain that was unmarked in general anatomy.
I nearly tore my saddlebags apart digging through books, trying to find any sort of information, because for some reason that location was very familiar to me, even though I couldn’t put a hoof on it.
The magic wasn’t changing anything I could find, just seeming to trigger autonomic reactions in me, and ones that would happen normally, anyway. It didn’t make sense compared to the other songs: most left an ambient trace of magic in the room, or attempted to fulfill some sort of purpose. I tried your songs again with magical barriers in place to separate myself from the location, and they behaved the same as any other song.
I was siphoning the magic into myself. The songs weren’t changing me, the songs were responding to my own changes.
And the reason they were doing it was because you and Rainbow wrote them. Because that location in the brain was the same place that lit up in Shining Armor and Cadence when they repelled the Changelings from Canterlot.
The magic of the songs knows I’m in love with you.
I’m in love with you, Applejack. I know it now, and knowing it makes me so happy. I didn’t lie to Rainbow; I’m in love with her, too.
And I don’t care if that’s weird or not anymore. It’s real, I can feel it, and I can see the magic flow into my own head from a song performed over a decade ago.
So when I see you this week, I’m going to kiss you senseless, because I’m in love, and I don’t care what that means or what’s going to happen in the future, so long as you’re in it. It’s a future where I can feel this unfettered all the time, wrapped in your hooves where everything makes sense.
With Love,
-Twilight Sparkle
Dear Dash and Twilight,
I’m sending this to both you girls, because I figure it’s kind of important.
I’m headed home. This weekend, just in time for cider season.
But what home is, now that keeps on changing on me. I suppose you’d think that living all my life in the same place would mean home is always the same place, but it ain’t. Thinking on the home I’m going to now, well, it ain’t even the same home I left from at the beginning of the summer, let alone the one I grew up in. It might be the same houses and shops, the same trees on the farm, even mostly the same ponies. But none of that makes it the same place.
When I was born, it was my folks, and Mac, and Granny. My whole world was Sweet Apple Acres, then Ponyville when I was a bit bigger, and it was mostly good. There were foals at school I butted heads with, and chores that needed doing, but plenty of time to play and I always had Mac around to play with. When I was little, that’s what I thought my home was, and I never thought it could change, until Ma told me I was getting a little sister.
Then Apple Bloom was born… the whole farm just about lit up. I guess neither of y’all know it, but there’s nothing like having a baby foal around to change everything. Ma and Pa were were happy, and so sweet with the baby. There was a lot of work, and sometimes she was a fussy little thing, but it was worth it when she took her first steps, and started learning words, and followed me and Mac all over like a kitten.
I’m glad Apple Bloom came when she did. Those last years with my folks… I couldn’t have asked for better ones. The very last thing I remember of my folks was them leaving, and Pa found that Apple Bloom hid cookies all in their bags, for “snats,” she said. We had to take every darn thing out and shake it out, then put it all back in, but we were laughing the whole time. It took about ten extra minutes I guess, but… I never thought then that ten minutes would mean so much to me now.
Y’all will have to pardon my messy writing just there.
After that, home was different again. The farm was dark, as much as we all loved each other, we knew we were hurtin’. On top of that, there was all that work that needed doing, and back then it felt like it never ended. I stepped up and did what I had to, but it wasn’t the life I’d been used to, and it took a while, and me and Mac growing up, to get to what y’all saw when you came to town.
But at the same time, ponies around town were real nice to me, and all Ponyville was my home. One little filly who I’d been having some troubles with was even good enough to drop all that and start over as friends. It took a good pony to be just a foal, and see how rough my life was right then, and try to make it a little easier by saying sorry. I’ll always owe Rarity for that.
From there, well, the farm got better as Apple Bloom got bigger, and me and Mac could get stuff done with less trouble. And of course in town I met Pinkie, and Fluttershy, and Dash. Over time I thought everything was pretty good. I loved my home, my farm and town both, and all the ponies in it.
Then everything changed again when you came to town, Twilight. My life has been better than ever, having the best friends a pony could ask for, going on adventures. You and the girls have helped me step up to take care of my home in ways I never thought I could, and taught me when it’s better for everypony if I take care of me first. It’s been hard, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a life I never thought I’d trade for anything.
But I reckon I traded it, there in Las Pegasus. I traded it for a life with two ponies I love, and whatever comes with that. I don’t know what that is just yet, but it’s gonna be different. The Ponyville I’m coming home to ain’t the place I left. But, for this time at least, I can’t wait to see what it is. I can’t wait to have two more ponies I can love with all my heart, to see y’all in town and know I can walk right over and get a kiss, to have all the more reason to make you both proud.
So, like I said, I’m coming home soon, and I can’t wait to get there. I reckon it ain’t getting back, it’s going forward, but I can’t help thinking I’m going someplace even more special than before.
I love ya both, and I’ll see ya’ soon.
Love,
AJ
October 27th
From the desk of Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic
(You can only imagine how wonderful it was to finally get new letterhead)
Dear Applejack and Rainbow,
This has been the craziest summer, hasn’t it?
I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to write very much recently. It’s not entirely my fault; it was a joint effort between me and Shining Armor to completely derail the tour across Equestria and nearly kill everypony.
…I should probably explain that.
See, after our visit, Applejack, things between me and my brother improved a lot. I’m not sure exactly what was said between the two of you in the grove, but not only has he been in better spirits, he’s also stopped treating me so much like a foal. It was nice…well, nice isn’t quite enough to cover it. I know you both know that Shining and I have been close most of our lives, but…
We really haven’t been that close. Not for a very long time. We were as close as a pair of siblings could be when I was really little. I still remember what it was like, being in awe of him, because not only was he older and bigger than me (funny how big of a deal that could be when you’re a kid), but because he was so many things that I wasn’t.
Shining was so outgoing and charismatic; as a filly I kept to myself not only because I didn’t get the point of having friends, but because I had trouble relating to other ponies. I was so far in my own head that making those connections was beyond me, and he was so good at it, and at sports, and just as involved in his studies as I was.
Okay, not as involved in studying as me, but I could hold better conversations about magic with him than some of my teachers, back before I got accepted to Celestia’s school.
But then I did go to school, which brought me to living in the castle instead of with my parents. I saw Shining, and both my parents for that matter, off and on for all those years, but that relationship we had had as foals had become a memory instead of reality. For the few days I saw him, that didn’t matter, and we could pretend everything was the same as it was because there was no reason to look deeper and see that our relationship was built on a house of cards. Even when his wedding made me see that, I didn’t want to believe it. I’m glad things turned out the way they did, but at the same time we willingly put ourselves back in the dark, pretending that we were always this same team of BBBFF and little Twiley.
If I ignore everything amazing, wonderful, tedious, educational, and frightening, magical, boring, and eye-opening that happened this summer, it would still have been worth it to start that over, get to know who Shining Armor really is, and build something new with him.
Unfortunately, that meant that he stopped holding back for our sparring sessions. On the one hoof, I could keep up with him and learned a move or two (though I imagine without magic the two of you could still best me with no trouble; we’ll have to test this theory somewhere secluded). On the other hoof, we almost blew up the airship.
…And by ‘almost,’ I mean we blew up the airship.
I didn’t mean to, okay? I wasn’t trying to put everypony’s lives in danger when I cast that lance spell, and I know Shining didn’t know that it would go through three engines when he blocked it! It was an accident! And as many times as I’ve told Celestia that, I just know she’s gonna send me back to magic kindergarten any day now, and it’s hard to remember to breathe sometimes, and it was an accident, but
Sorry, started to panic there a little. I calmed down and had a slice of cake. It’s funny, I got so sick of cake there for a while, but now it’s relaxing. Maybe I ate so much of it that I got sick of being sick of it and grew fond of it again. I wonder if that happened to Pinkie ever? Anyway, that’s mostly what I’ve been doing: making myself panic and then eating cake. I’ll probably have to make myself useful around the farm before I make this triad look more like a quadrad.
Oh, that reminds me. Cadence gave me this book about relationships that I never had time to really read with any sort of critical eye until after I blew up the airship, and I finally found why she gave it to me.
What we have is called a triad. The simplest definition for that is a romantic relationship involving three ponies.
My book had a lot to say about it, a lot of which didn’t apply (for instance, most triads start out with a primary couple dating a third pony, with that relationship sometimes limited to sexual), or had some negative things to say. Triads are difficult to manage; most ponies who try them have issues with jealousy, if not over their partners having feelings for each other, than over how time gets split up. One on one relationships can be difficult on their own, without a third pony involved, and they have a history of being short lived and frustrating. I confess I saw the point; we three aren’t idle ponies who have all the time in Equestria to focus on each other, and we’re going to be hard pressed to always be available to be there for one another.
It was liberating to find how little I cared about that, though.
It was nice to know that what we have has a name, and that others have tried and succeeded before us to make it work, but that doesn’t matter to me, either.
I’ve spent the past two months dealing with an exploded airship and several dozen annoyed dignitaries who had to make arrangements to meet with us in Canterlot instead of their home cities, annoyed princesses who don’t enjoy having airships explode around them (also Luna was disappointed we didn’t make it to Baltimare. I was, too; I’ll have to make it up to Rarity later), working more on this song-magic project, eating far too much cake, and panicking.
And I’m finally coming home.
I’ve been dreaming about seeing the both of you again, every night and half of each day. I’ve missed my home, I’ve missed my friends, and I’ve missed the two ponies who have captured my heart. I’m excited for the challenge of making this work with the both of you. It’s going to be hard, and whatever the future holds now is going to take conviction and strength.
But I’m so ready for that, because you’re both worth it. Wherever life takes us, wherever we go, no matter how this ends, whether that’s months, or years, or decades in the future, through hard times and good times, I’m ready to take that journey with both of you.
I really can’t wait. I’ll see you both in a few days.
With love,
-Twilight Sparkle