- XXVIII -
Celestia, with Light Stride by her side, lead Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash onto the front step of the Apple family’s farmhouse. She nodded to the group, who gave her encouraging smiles, and knocked on the front door. A few moments later, Applejack opened the door. She stared at Princess Celestia for a moment, her face an unreadable mask, then slammed the door shut.
Celestia glanced over her shoulder at the group, who shrugged her way. With a sigh, she knocked again. Applejack’s voice called from inside, “Go away!”
Celestia called back, “Applejack? May we speak with you?”
“I don’t have anythin’ to say to you!” Applejack’s voice rang from inside.
Celestia frowned, and knocked on the door more insistently. “Please, Applejack, it is important that I speak with you.”
A bitter laugh came from the other side of the door. “Oh, now ya want to talk. After what you did, you got a lotta nerve showin’ up! I have half a mind to buck ya clear across the porch, so you best get goin’ before I do something we’ll both regret.”
Celestia sighed. “Applejack, I’m sorry, but we need to talk. I’ve got your friends here, and—”
The front door of the farmhouse was thrown open, and Celestia found herself staring at Applejack’s backside and two legs coiled to kick. Celestia barely managed to throw up a shield before Applejack’s powerful back legs lashed out, impacting her defenses and sending Celestia stepping back at the sheer force of the buck. Applejack spun, growling at her. “I don’t care who you brought with ya! You got no right to speak with me, and I ain’t got nothin’ to talk with you about!”
Light Stride dashed towards Princess Celestia, moving to defend her, but Celestia held up a hoof, halting his charge with a gesture. He scowled, but held his ground. “I don’t understand.” Celestia stated, taking another step away from Applejack.
“Let me make it perfectly clear, then!” Applejack turned around and clomped back inside the house, returning moments later with an official-looking envelope, which she threw in Celestia’s face.
Celestia caught it with her telekinesis and flipped it over, reading the address. “This is from the Office of The Royal Wilderness Survey Commission.”
“Like you don’t know that,” Applejack snorted.
Celestia opened the envelope and read the enclosed writ carefully. “This explains that the boundaries of the Everfree Forest have been changed to incorporate the new growth and allow for a further spread of the wildlife contained therein.”
“Darn tootin’. And guess where them new boundaries fall?” Applejack gestured towards the eastern orchards. “Right through half my family farm. Twenty acres of our apples are now a protected wildlife preserve! We’re going to go under in a month, because we don’t have the supply to meet our demand, and the customers are findin’ other places to get their apples.”
Celestia’s eyes widened. “This... I mean...”
“Look at the bottom, Your Majesty. Look at that signature,” Applejack spat.
Celestia winced, and her eyes went to the bottom of the writ. There, in curving script, was her own signature. “Authorized by Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria,” she murmured, sitting down heavily.
Applejack scowled at her. “You did this to mah family.”
“I didn’t know,” Celestia protested softly.
“Ignorance is no excuse! In fact, it makes this worse!” Applejack snarled. “You mean you didn’t check the new boundaries? You didn’t think to make sure nopony was gonna get hurt by the changes?”
“I did not,” Celestia said, voice growing quieter.
“You’re the Princess! You’re supposed to take care of your subjects, not let ‘em get ruined because you can’t be bothered to make certain your decision is the right one!”
“I... I try, but...” Celestia said, head lowering and ears drooping flat.
“But nothin’. You ain’t fit t’ rule if ya can’t make proper decisions!”
“Applejack, stop!” cried Pinkie Pie, jumping over to stand before Applejack.
Rarity joined Pinkie Pie. “That is quite enough rudeness out of you.”
“Yeah, Applejack. Lay off the Princess,” Rainbow Dash chimed in, pushing between the enraged Applejack and the drooping Celestia.
“Y’ don’t understand! None of you do!” Applejack shouted, angry tears in her eyes.
“We do understand!” cried Pinkie Pie, taking a careful step towards Applejack, reaching for the farm mare.
Applejack noticed Pinkie Pie’s blind eyes and gasped softly. “Pinkie! What happened t’ ya!” She turned to gape at Rarity, rubbing at her eyes. “You too, Rares? Is this what Celestia was talkin’ about?”
“Yes, dear Applejack. She’s gathering us all together. Something’s happened, and... well, it is Princess Celestia’s fault, but she’s trying to make it right. She’s here to make everything alright,” Rarity said, taking Pinkie Pie’s outstretched hoof and guiding the pink mare to Applejack’s side.
Applejack looked at her friends carefully, and then slowly turned to Princess Celestia. “Is... is that true?”
Celestia nodded. “Yes.”
“It’s... your fault that Rarity’s... uh... elderly? And Pinkie Pie is blind? And—” Applejack squinted at Rainbow Dash. “What’s wrong with you?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I dunno.”
Applejack shook her head, before casting her gaze to Celestia once more. “You did all this? And my farm?”
“Yes,” Celestia replied.
“But... you’re gonna make it right?” Applejack asked skeptically.
“I will do everything in my power to fix things. That is why I’m gathering your friends together.”
Applejack frowned slightly. “How can we trust you?”
Light Stride frowned at Applejack, finally stepping forward. “She’s the Princess, and your friend. She said she’ll make things right, so she will.”
Applejack nodded at Light Stride. “I’d normally believe that, but... after what’s happened, I need more than that.”
Light Stride’s scowl deepened. “You attack the Princess, and then start making demands? You’ve got a—”
“Light Stride, please,” Celestia said quietly, interrupting her guard. “Your willingness to defend me is nothing less than what I’d expect from my Royal Guards, but this is something that I need to do.”
Light Stride shut his mouth, chewing back his words, and then nodded. “Of course.”
Celestia straightened up slowly, looking Applejack in the eye. “You are right. I signed that writ, and I did not take the time to ascertain where the new boundaries would lie. The fault is wholly mine. I trust the ponies I appointed to my Wilderness Survey Commission, and I believe them to be good ponies. I’ll do everything in my power to learn why the boundaries were moved to intrude on your farm. It should not have happened.”
“But it did happen, Princess!” Applejack protested.
“You’re right,” Celestia replied. “It did. There is nothing I can immediately do for you, Applejack, but it is something that I will endeavor to correct. The burden of running a country means that, sometimes, I do not get the time to look over every piece of legislature passed, or writ put into motion. I must rely on my advisors and appointed council members to do the right thing, and to inform me of things that I may object to. That said, they are not perfect... and neither am I. I make mistakes, and sometimes they have far-reaching consequences. That is the burden of the crown; the weight of responsibility.”
Applejack stared at Celestia for a few moments, before nodding. “Well... alright. I believe ya.”
Celestia smiled. “Thank you, Applejack.”
Scuffing a hoof in the dirt, Applejack suddenly bowed low, scooping her hat off her head. “An, uh, ah’m sorry for nearly buckin’ you off the porch, Princess. I wasn’t in my right mind.”
Celestia chuckled softly. “Your apology is accepted, of course. Please, stand up. We still need to retrieve Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle.”
Applejack smiled sheepishly at Celestia, standing up and putting her hat back on. “All right then. Who’s next?”
“Fluttershy’s cottage is on the way back into town from here,” Rarity chimed in.
“Yeah! Let’s go get Flutters!” Pinkie cheered, almost seeming her usual self.
“Very well, let’s get Fluttershy next,” Celestia said, smiling.
The group moved off, Celestia and Light Stride leading the way. A few minutes into their walk, Light Stride spoke up quietly to Celestia. “Ah, Celestia... if I may speak?”
“You don’t have to ask permission from me, Light Stride,” Celestia replied with a smile.
“Right... sorry. I just wanted to say that... I understand why you didn’t want me to step in when Applejack attacked you, but I need to know what is and isn’t appropriate, I guess. I’ve been trained to protect you, and I’ve given my life to make sure you stay safe, and being told not to do my job is disconcerting.”
Celestia nodded. “I understand your concern. If I truly had felt threatened, Light Stride, or had I not thought that Applejack would restrain herself, I would have allowed you to step in.”
Light Stride considered that for a moment, before nodding. “That sounds fair, I suppose. I just... I worry.”
“I appreciate it, Light Stride. I truly do.” Celestia smiled at Light Stride.
The group continued on towards Fluttershy’s cottage, near the edge of the Everfree Forest.