A few days passed in relative peace.
Cheerilee returned home from another exciting set of lessons with her eager foals. “Notary!” she chirped. “Did you have a fun day?”
Notary poked her head out of the kitchen. “I suppose. I spent most of it at the library, but I also finished the front of your house.”
Cheerilee looked around and noted the sparkling-clean living room. “You really don’t need to do this,” she protested.
“I want to,” said Notary, simply. “I am staying at your house rent-free... I want to help you.”
Cheerilee smiled. Even though other ponies could do it? she thought, but did not ask. A special talent is what a pony loves to do. You want to matter and make a difference, Notary. Even when you got your cutie mark, it was after you'd helped a writer produce his final work, which I bet he could never have done if not for you. Call it 'changing the world' or 'making a difference' or just 'mattering', I'll bet that's your talent. Not 'recording the deeds of others.'
But Notary would need to discover this on her own -- she certainly hadn't agreed when Cheerilee had broached the subject over the past few days. So she just said, “Thank you, then," as she smiled at her former roommate. "It looks wonderful."
The teacher entered the kitchen, where Notary -- wearing a maid’s outfit that she’d found in Cheerilee’s closet; it looked kind of frilly but Notary said that it helped keep her coat clean while she dusted or swept -- served Cheerilee’s favorite kind of tea and a few fresh pieces of sliced fruit. Honestly, I could kind of get used to having her as a maid, thought Cheerilee, with another smile. She knew Notary wouldn’t go for that long-term, and she knew Notary’s passions lay elsewhere... but a mare could dream. “What were you studying in the library?”
“What to do next,” said Notary. “It was... interesting... to do nothing for three days, but I think I’m read to get back into the world. I just had to decide what to do.”
“What did you decide?”
“Of my legitimate skills, I would probably be most useful as a functionary in some local government,” said Notary. “I have experience that I gained with Greengrass and also from study. I was looking for towns that need somepony like me... somepony who has an encyclopedic knowledge of the law, the diligence and industry to help solve problems, and so forth.” She paused. “There are some towns and cities... even small provinces... in Equestria that are not doing as well as others. Some due to changes in industry, some due to the shift in focus caused by Corona's return, a few because their nobles are neglectful. I want to go to one of those towns and turn it around.”
“Notary, that’s wonderful,” said Cheerilee. “Which one did you pick?”
“Bitsberg. It's one of the smallest provinces in the nation; it consists of one industrial town and its outlying farms. It was largely neglected by its noble, the former Baronetess of Bitsberg, and its industry was slowly supplanted by Detrot, Stalliongrad, and two or three other cities. That only accelerated once Corona returned and the government began focusing more on military contracts, none of which Bitsberg was able to obtain. For the past several years, Bitsberg’s had less and less industry with every financial quarter. The town is collapsing -- first it was just the factories, but by now the farms are falling apart, and even the city's infrastructure is breaking down, from the streets to its one rail line.” She paused. “I think I can save it. There are laws they can use, ancient ones that few ponies besides myself know, but that are still in effect and can be used to obtain some government support. There are some procedures they can take... ordinances, and so forth, to make the citizens use what they have in more efficient ways. I can help them. I can save that town.”
“Without,” said Cheerilee, her tone underscoring her words, “Any of Greengrass’s kind of actions, I hope.”
“Yes. No weeding. No destroying the weak as fertilizer for the strong. Just good, honest work for a town that needs me.” Notary nodded slowly. “They have no leader at this moment. Bitsberg has no Representative; because the town and the province are the same, the duties of the Representative were folded into those of the Baronetess to save money. But the Baronetess of Bitsberg has just been removed from her position due to her neglect of her province. The position is currently vacant, so there is nopony to advocate for the town in the national government. As for the Lord, he has given up hope and does not know how to use whatever power he has to help his town.” She lowered her head. “I can help the Lord and its citizens. I can save the town... and perhaps, now, with the threat of the Tyrant, it might be even beyond Luna’s power to focus on every little--”
“Stop,” said Cheerilee. “You can’t worry about that, Notary. Do you think the citizens of that town will care whether Luna could have saved them but didn’t bother, or whether she couldn’t in the first place? All that matters is that they be saved. If you can do that... that would be a great deed, Notary. It would matter.”
“I have to try,” said Notary. “I realize now that I have not wanted anything as badly as I want to save this city. All that work with Greengrass, it was... interesting... but this matters to me in a way none of that did.” She bowed her head. “Thank you for helping me to understand what I was missing.”
“I’m a teacher, Natalia. It’s what we do.” Cheerilee smiled. “I do hope you’ll say goodbye to the class, though. They’ll want to know what happened to my wife.”
“Speaking of that...” Notary sighed. “The forms are lost. I think the foals somehow destroyed them or let them fly off into the breeze. They would take some time to get here from Canterlot; it will require requisitioning official records. I--”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Cheerilee. “You do what you need to do. When the forms arrive, I’ll fill them out and mail them to you. We’ll get it sorted. But please don’t let papers that even you barely care about anymore stop you from your dream.”
“I won’t. Thank you.”
The two were silent for a moment.
“So! What else did you do today?” asked Cheerilee.
“I cleaned your living room, dusted the shelves, swept the floor... oh, and I alphebatized your fish,” said Notary.
Cheerilee blinked. “...what was that last one?”
“Your fish. They were out of order, so I rearranged them appropriately.”
Cheerilee blinked. “Uh.” But... but some of them like the sun! And some like shade! Now the shady ones might be in the sun and vice versa! I have to fix this!
"...and also civic administration."
"What?" asked Cheerilee, realizing that Notary had been talking even as her thoughts drifted to her fish. "What do you mean by--"
And then somepony began pounding on Cheerilee's door.
Cheerilee hurried over and opened it, only to almost be run over by Trixie and Twilight Sparkle. "Hi Cheerilee!" called Trixie as they ran. "Sorry! Emergency!"
"What?" managed Cheerilee. “What’s going on?”
“Magic emergency!” said Trixie. “Come on... hurry up, Twilight!”
“I’m working on it!” said a flustered Twilight. “Let’s just... there!” One of Cheerilee’s doors, the one to her bathroom, glowed yellow.
Notary looked at Cheerilee as they followed the two unicorns into the hallway. “Is this normal?”
“...kind of. Usually not both of them at once,” said Cheerilee. To them, she said, “I want to know--”
The unicorns' horns glowed brightly, the door burst open... and Mayor Ivory Scrolls fell out.
Cheerilee stared blankly.
"We summoned her back!" said Twilight, beaming. "Told you it would be easy to reverse the spell once we identified her location!"
“Mayor Scrolls!” said Trixie, ignoring Twilight utterly as she helped the mayor to her hooves. "Are you alright?"
“I’m fine,” said Scrolls, woozily getting up. She was wearing a viking hat and had a big mace slung in one of her saddlebags. On her barrel she wore silvery metal armor.
Twilight gasped. “Did Trixie send you back to Viking times?"
"Twilight, I--"
"Did you have to fight and wage war to survive?"
"Twilight, I--"
"I’m so sorry, Mayor Scrolls! I would never have helped her learn that spell otherwise! I didn’t mean to force you to become a barbarian chief and pillage the coastal cities! I--”
“Twilight Sparkle!” said Mayor Scrolls. “Trixie sent me to Coneigh Island. These are from a gift shop.” She took off the helmet, which had a label indicating it had been made in Detrot. “They aren’t real.”
There was a pause for a few moments.
“Oh,” said Twilight. “Well... at least it's not as bad as becoming an actual Viking?”
"Hey!" said Trixie. "Coneigh Island is six hours from here by train!" She paused. "They have a telegraph! Why didn't you tell anypony where you were?"
"I telegraphed my family."
"Why didn't you telegraph me? Or just come home on your own?"
"That would have cost money which I would have had to bill to the town, since it was as part of my duties that I participated in your experiment at all." Scrolls smiled serenely. "And I was confident that you would find a way to extract me without the town expending additional revenue. Besides, while I was there I took advantage of the opportunity to try to bolster our town's tourism industry."
"Tourism?"
"Well, it seems many ponies are interested in meeting the Elements. Especially you. I talked with some of the tour group managers at Coneigh Island, and was able to set up some tours. They'll bring in trainfuls of ponies to Ponyville to take their photographs with an Element, eat, shop, and maybe even invest in local businesses! Of course, it is contingent on finding a willing Element to talk to these groups..."
Trixie's ears perked up. "Which groups? Amateur magicians? Foals? Courtiers?"
"I believe the first tour has ponies from the Retirement Home for Elderly Ponies who Love Garlic."
Trixie opened her mouth, then shut it. After a few moments, she sighed and said, "I suppose I'd look like a complete prat if I said 'no' to that after I accidentally sent you all the way to another province."
Scrolls said nothing.
"...alright, fine."
Scrolls beamed. "Have a good day Miss Sparkle, Miss Punch, Miss... um, maid pony. Dame Trixie, the first tour group arrives in four days at nine o'clock in the morning sharp." She began to leave. "Oh, and one last thing. If this ever happens again, check before summoning somepony back from somewhere. I was on a date with a very nice carnival barker.” And she left.
Trixie groaned. “...sorry to barge in, Cheerilee. The return spell picked a random door in town; we couldn't control which one it was. I think we can safely safe that Abracascooby wasn’t the great wizard he was cracked up to be." She turned to Twilight. "Thanks."
"No problem! Happy to help."
The two unicorns began to leave, the earth ponies staring as they left. Twilight was asking, "Does this happen often?"
"No, of course not!" Trixie forced a laugh. "Why?"
"Well, I had a little time to talk to my alternate self in that other world, and she said things like this happened about twenty-four times a year to her, often during weekend mornings. She had a theory..." The two left, Twilight still talking about the other-world's Twilight.
Cheerilee and Notary looked at each other for a moment.
"That is what I meant by 'civic administration,'" said Notary at last. "Mayor Scrolls' actions while in Coneigh--"
"Talk later." Cheerilee began to head back to her kitchen. "Cider now."
***
“You’re leaving?” said Scootaloo, sounding completely horrified. “But why? Don’t you love Miss Cheerilee?”
The two mares were addressing Cheerilee’s class (Notary no longer in her maid outfit). Notary had just told them she would be leaving on the next train west.
“Miss Cheerilee and I are friends,” said Notary, enunciating each word carefully. “Very good friends. We are... we are not in love. But we still do care for each other, and that will not change, however far apart we are.”
“Then why leave?” protested Apple Bloom. “Can’t you stay here?”
Cheerilee and Notary looked at each other, and Notary bowed her head slightly. “In the first place, I have hurt ponies in this town. I am not proud of this, and I am sorry. But the fact remains. I do not deserve to remain here.”
“But we’ll forgive you!” protested Sweetie Belle. “We won’t split you and Miss Cheerilee up over that!”
“Second,” said Notary, “I have things I want to accomplish. I cannot accomplish them here. Your teacher, she has more talent than I. She can influence the world and improve it right here, in Ponyville, by teaching all of you. Me, I must go elsewhere to change the world for the better.” She nodded firmly. “But I will change it. I will improve it. And when I do... then I will be able to return here, and see you all again. Miss Cheerilee included.”
“... so you’re going away to become worthy of Miss Cheerilee?” said Sweetie Belle, eyes shining. “That’s so romantic!”
“It’s like a big heroic quest!” said Scootaloo.
Notary smiled. “I am glad you all understand. We both appreciate the effort you put in towards effecting our reconciliation, and of course, I also understand how much of that is due to Miss Cheerilee’s diligent instruction. You are very lucky to have the teacher you do.”
A few of the foals were sniffing back tears. "They're so lovely!" whispered Sweetie Belle.
Notary bowed. “Thank you for the hospitality you have shown me. I do plan to return someday.” And she began to walk out the door.
“BYE, MISS NOTARY!” The foals yelled.
Cheerilee quickly stepped before the class. “Ah, one more thing, class,” she said. “Miss Notary is wrong.”
Notary froze. So did the foals.
“What she plans to do after leaving Ponyville is... noble. Valiant. A good and laudable deed, and I applaud her decision. But she has made one mistake,” said Cheerilee. “She said that she needs to leave Ponyville to matter. But she already matters.”
Notary frowned. “Blackcherry--”
“She matters not just because of our college adventures, or her... deeds subsequent to that. She matters, just as I matter, and you all matter, because we are all friends.” Cheerilee smiled slightly, but her tone was still serious. “What do friends do? They make each other feel happy, and stop each other from feeling sad. They laugh and cry together. They share, and they help, and they love. Without friendship, nothing else matters. Would any of us really want wealth, or fame, or power, without any friends to share it with? But with friendship, all else is possible. Only with friendship can a nation be built, or a city be saved, or any other great deed performed. Notary, your friendships, with me -- and with, perhaps, a few of the students -- have already mattered far more than you know.”
(Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “This is so lame,” she muttered to Silver Spoon.”
Scootaloo’s eyes were watering. “That’s so beautiful!” she whispered.
Diamond Tiara blinked. “I agree!” she told Scootaloo.
Silver Spoon put a hoof to her face.)
Notary paused. “I don’t agree,” she said. “You define mattering differently than I do; I speak in a more... cosmic sense. But... but I think that, when I am away, I will find out. One way or the other. And I swear I will be back someday to tell you my answer.”
Cheerilee walked over and embraced her. “I’ll be waiting,” she said.
And she whispered in her ear, “Be careful, and stay safe. Don’t act as Greengrass would have you act, and don’t sell yourself short. You matter more than you understand. And remember... you are always welcome here. Even if Bitsberg doesn’t work out; even if it fails completely. You have a home here.”
“I know,” replied Notary, eyes misting over. “You were a better friend than I deserved... I will do what I can to honor our friendship.”
The two embraced for a few moments more.
The class was openly crying by now, and Sweetie Belle kept repeating how beautiful it all was.
Finally, Notary had to break the hug. “My train departs soon,” she said. “Thank you all, again. For everything.”
“Ooh! Ooh!” said Snips.
Cheerilee frowned. “Yes, Snips?”
“Are you two still married?”
The two looked at each other, and then both chuckled. Cheerilee said, “I don't know. But what does it matter? We’re friends. That’s what matters.”
***
“GRADUATION!” screamed hundreds of ponies.
Cheerilee grinned as she sniffed the air. She could already feel it. The release of tension, the dissipation of all that final exam stress. She could hardly wait to start hitting the bars and the clubs.
But she had one errand first, and so she made her way to the train station.
“Natalia!” she called, seeing her friend in line to buy tickets.
Notary turned. “Blackcherry,” she said. “Congratulations. I heard you were in the top 1% of the class.”
“You were there too,” said Cheerilee. “Do you have to go home right away?”
“My father wants me to look into some jobs back in Moscolt.” Notary shrugged. “I would have liked to stay a little longer, but... well, does it matter? We can keep in touch wherever we are. We’re friends.”
“Friends,” said Cheerilee, touching her hooves.
And so they were. And that was what truly mattered.