Good apples went into the first basket, ugly ones in the second, and finally the rotten fruits were thrown in the third basket. Applejack was sorting through the fruits as she absentmindedly nodded at Rainbow Dash, who was retelling the details of the Wonderbolts’ latest air show. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was silently sitting in the grass and writing a letter.
"You know Rainbow, I'm sure you could join them Wonderbolts if you really wanted," Applejack said as she threw a bad apple away. "It's not like Spitfire's a stranger to you."
"I know AJ, but let's be honest — my life is here," Rainbow replied after taking a bite of an apple. "We have this awesome castle and we get to do the whole ‘magic of friendship’ thing. I like the Wonderbolts and all, always will, but for now I'm happy here."
"That's what you keep saying, but whenever you're going on about this stuff, it sounds like Ponyville's holding you back." Applejack said.
"Don't worry, when I'm ready for the Wonderbolts, you'll all know," Rainbow teased with a grin before turning toward the yellow pegasus. "So Fluttershy, what are you writing about?"
Fluttershy's attention turned from her letter. "Oh, I was letting Discord know how things are here in Ponyville. I'm always afraid he'll get lonely, living by himself in his Chaos Labyrinth."
Applejack frowned at the mention of Discord's home. Regardless of his attempt at being a good friend, the earth pony still found it difficult to trust the spirit of chaos. Nopony in their right mind would isolate their homes the way he did.
Rainbow grunted. "Seriously Fluttershy, I don't know how you can still talk to that guy. It seems like every time he shows up, some disaster happens. I know he helped us out a couple of times, but he's still one creepy... whatever he is!"
Applejack couldn't help but agree with Rainbow. However, both Twilight and Fluttershy had decided that Discord was worthy of their trust, and this was enough for her. "Give the poor girl a rest, Rainbow. Discord’s helped us plenty of times before. While I admit the fella gives me the creeps too, I think Fluttershy has plenty of good reasons to call him friend."
Rainbow let out another grunt and gave up the argument, as Fluttershy flashed a smile at Applejack.
"Oh, I know you don't really mean it, Rainbow," the timid pegasus replied. "Beside, Discord has been asking about all of you. I know he cares deeply and really wants to be a good friend."
"Well, I hope you didn't tell him about the princess being sick," Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow. "We all agreed nopony had to know."
Fluttershy shook her head. "No. I made a promise to Twilight and I intend to keep it. Beside, I can understand the princess not wanting everypony to know she's sick. She must feel so vulnerable."
"Well, I'm sure our princess will be fine." Applejack retorted. "Still, Twilight wanted us ready to go to Canterlot in case we're needed." She took off her hat and wiped the sweat off her brow. "That reminds me, we'll be late — Rarity's expecting us to try out those fancy schmancy dresses she made. Can't see why I can't just wear my old one, but apparently we need to look our best for the Canterlot snobs."
Applejack finished sorting her apples and took up the good apple basket on her back. "If you girls don't mind helping out? Rainbow can you take the rotten ones behind the barn with the others? Fluttershy, take that there basket to Big Macintosh in the cellar for the next cider batch. Then we can go see Rarity." Both of the earth pony's friends nodded and got to work.
Rarity was busy fixing Pinkie Pie's dress when Applejack and her friends walked in. The party pony seemed to be struggling with standing still.
"Please, Pinkie dear," the fashionista said, "I just have to fix the length here in the back, then you can jump about to your heart's content."
"Hi girls!" Pinkie said, interrupting Rarity as she waved at Applejack's group. "Are you here for your dresses too?"
"Yup," replied Applejack. "From what Twilight's been saying, we'll probably have to stop by Canterlot soon, although I don't understand why I can't just wear my dress from last time."
Rarity frowned lightly. "Applejack, you know quite well that you can't be seen twice by royalty wearing the same dress. Twilight is a princess, and as her companions, we must look our best and make her proud." Her expression softened as she smiled warmly. "With that said, make yourselves at home. I'll be with you shortly."
Applejack somehow doubted Twilight's worth as a princess would be judged on their wardrobe. Still, she politely nodded and sat, waiting for Rarity to make adjustments to her new dress. "If you say so, Rarity. If anything, it's an excuse for the six of us to spend some time together".
"That's the spirit!" cheered Pinkie Pie.
Rarity was finishing Pinkie's dress when Twilight Sparkle showed up with Spike on her back. The alicorn landed gracefully in front of Rarity's boutique, impressing Applejack with how fast she had mastered flight.
"Hey girls! How is everything?" the princess asked in the falsely cheerful tone she used whenever she was nervous.
"All fine and dandy," Applejack pleasantly replied. The rest of her friends mirrored the gesture.
Twilight's voice took on a more serious tone. "Thanks again for doing this, Rarity. It's been six months and I'm afraid I'll be asked to help rule in Canterlot. I'm sure having these dresses ready will be useful."
Rarity nodded with a smile, but it was Applejack who replied, "You don't sound too eager at the prospect, Twilight. Is everything okay?"
Twilight smiled nervously at first. She looked at all of her friends and sighed. "No, it's not okay Applejack!" she said, waving her hoof in frustration. "Celestia isn't getting any better! What if she asks me to rule in Canterlot? What if she wants me to be just like her and I can't do it? I don't have her talents for politics, and I don't know the Canterlot nobles like she does. What if I mess up?"
Applejack placed a comforting hoof on Twilight's back. "We'll all be there to help you if it comes down to that. Beside, Celestia's sick but you can still ask her for advice once in a while. You'll see in a few weeks. She'll get all better and we can forget any of this ever happened."
"I've already started working on the ‘Princess-Celestia-got-better-and-Twilight-can-start-relaxing’ party!" Pinkie Pie immediately added as she jumped up and down. "Umm, do you think the princess likes chocolate or strawberry cake best?"
Twilight giggled lightly. "Pinkie, Princess Celestia is very fond of chocolate cake. As for all of you, thank you for being here for me. It means a lot."
They all smiled and got back to small talk. Rainbow Dash and Twilight started debating the latest ‘Daring Do’ book, causing Applejack to stop paying attention as she had never been a particular fan of the series. She instead turned her attention to Fluttershy, who happily described the progress of the baby raccoons who were born a few weeks ago.
As they were discussing, Spike burped out a letter in a puff of green flames. "Looks like a message from the princesses!" he declared. He broke the seal and was about to start reading when Twilight snatched the scroll with her magic.
The alicorn’s expression quickly began to change as she started reading. He lips first started trembling and soon enough, tears welled up in her eyes. Silence fell in the room. Applejack did not want to believe it, but such a reaction from her friend could only mean one thing.
Applejack gently took the letter from Twilight. The alicorn barely registered her presence as Fluttershy went to comfort her. The farm pony started reading the letter, confirming what they all feared.
Your Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle,
It is with the deepest sorrow that I must announce the death of Equestria's ruler, Princess Celestia. I know her highness was a dear friend and mentor to you, and I wish you to know that all of Equestria grieves with you. The Princess was beloved by all, and her loss will be deeply felt by everypony across our nation.
The Royal Council believes the princess was poisoned by her sister, Princess Luna. When confronted on this matter she escaped, killing a royal guard in the process. While the specifics are not yet known, rest assured that you will be fully brought up to speed upon your arrival in Canterlot.
We hereby request your presence in the capital to attend Princess Celestia's funeral and assume the throne. A council of nobles led by Prince Blueblood governs the kingdom in your absence. They will be at your service in facilitating an easy transition, both for yourself and for the citizens of Equestria.
May your reign be long and bring great prosperity. Princess Celestia was a wise ruler, and I have no doubt that you will follow closely in her hoofsteps with the grace and strength of a true Equestrian princess.
Your servant and royal advisor,
Kibitz
Applejack read it again, this time out loud for the rest of her friends to hear. This made no sense. Celestia dead? Luna a murderer? Twilight had mentioned that Celestia was sick, but weren't alicorns immortal? And if she were sick, why would Luna be blamed? The farm pony was nearly speechless. "Sweet Celestia…" she murmured under her breath.
Rainbow Dash was the first to speak, "This is ridiculous! Luna couldn't have done it. We know her! She loves her sister, and she left all that Nightmare Moon nonsense behind her! Those darn snobby unicorns have got to be lying; you all remember how Blueblood treated Rarity back at the Gala!"
Rarity weakly whispered, "Not now, Rainbow."
The six friends stood in silence. Applejack searched for something to say, but couldn't find the words. Rarity never finished her dresses.
They all got aboard the early afternoon train to Canterlot. They didn't take much time to pack, as they opted to get to the capital as fast as possible. Truth be told, Applejack knew Twilight wouldn't rest until they arrived. The farm mare barely had time to say goodbye to her family.
Twilight silently stared out out the window of her private train car. Applejack sat next to her. She waited a moment before speaking up. "You know Twi, I get what you're going through. I didn't know you back then, but when my folks died, I was devastated; the whole family was. Thing is, situations like that are never easy. You just wanna be alone, but you know you gotta be strong. Even if you're not sure how much you should lean on those around you, you have to have faith in them."
Applejack knew she was reaching through to her friend as Twilight's face perked up. The alicorn tried to force a weak smile through her tears as the earth pony continued.
"Me, I found it hard at first. I didn't want to run the farm — that was Pa's job. Big Mac was trying his hardest to fill Pa's shoes. He obviously wasn't cut out for it, though. You know how he is; never says anything unless he absolutely has to. As for Granny... She wasn't cut out for the pace like she once was — a great wealth of information though."
"Seeing the rest of the family struggling... I tried to take it all on myself — showed a strong face to everypony down in Ponyville. That never fooled Granny for a second. She came to me one night and told me she was proud of me. She also said I didn't have to shoulder it all alone. Down in Ponyville, I had to keep acting strong; right there with the family, I could cry all I wanted to. We spent a good part of the night talking after that. Just reminiscing about Ma and Pa, talking about the family, the day Applebloom was born, that kind of stuff. Family and friends, that's what they're here for, Twi."
"The next morning, I was back on the job and it all felt easier. I knew I'd still miss my folks. I still do to this day, but I also knew I wouldn't have to miss them alone. Horseapples, even Big Macintosh and Applebloom noticed the change. We became more united as a family after that day. I realized I could be both the strong mare they needed in the fields, and let them support me back at home."
The earth pony smiled tentatively. "I wanna offer the same thing to you, Twilight. Once we arrive in the capital, all of them snobby Canterlot types are gonna wanna talk to Princess Twilight. The rest of us will probably get snubbed out of sight until Rarity manages to butter up the nobility enough to actually be in the same room as you. When we're together though, you can forget about all this princessy stuff. You can cry as much as you need to, and we can talk about Celestia as you remember her, as mentor and a friend. Then we'll all do what we can to help you out, and figure out what the hay's going on with Luna."
Twilight began to cry heavier tears. "Oh, Applejack, you don't know what this means to me. Everypony is always expecting me to know what to do, and I do know, but I don't wanna be that pony right now! The truth is, I can't be Celestia. I know she trusted me and I will do what I have to do. I just..." Twilight took a few moments to slow down her erratic breathing and got up. Her ears finally perked up and an energetic spark returned to her eyes. "We shouldn't sit here doing nothing. Let's do something productive. Rarity, did you bring the funeral dresses?"
Rarity's head turned as Twilight called her name. "Why yes, though they could use some adjustments. They are last year's fashion after all. I was actually hoping to finish them so we wouldn't have to rent."
Twilight beamed "Alright, we'll need to look our best in Canterlot. I'll put on my dress first. Rarity, you can make the first few adjustments, then Fluttershy can complete the rest. Spike, help Rarity with her supplies. Pinkie Pie, please assist Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, find the other dresses. We can talk about Celestia as we get ready. We'll get through this together girls, I promise."
As they got their dresses ready under Rarity's instructions, the six ponies and the baby dragon started retelling stories about their beloved monarch. Fluttershy told them of the time the princess brought Philomena to Ponyville, and of her subsequent visits to Canterlot when she saw the phoenix again. Pinkie Pie decribed how Celestia couldn't stop laughing after Luna threw a pie in her face at the Chuckle-Lot Banquet.
Rarity talked of her stay at the castle, where the princess let her use the royal suite and gave her a personal tour of the castle. Spike told them of the time Celestia helped him find a gift for Twilight, which lead the both of them on an adventure all across Equestria. Rainbow Dash then talked about the interest that Princess Celestia gave to her Sonic Rainboom — how she first witnessed it at the Young Flyer's Competition and gave her more opportunities to perform as the years went by.
Applejack was reminded of the day the Princess burst into the Sweet Apple Acres barn asking Granny Smith to bake her a pie. Celestia had apparently developed a sudden craving from a pie she tasted back when Granny was young. As for Twilight, she had a lot of stories about her childhood as the Princess' protégé. She talked of her first meeting with Celestia, of various spells she learned from her, of her friendship letters - all the way to her own ascension as an alicorn.
They spent the rest of the trip getting ready for the funeral and reminiscing. Applejack had hoped that her speech would help her friend, but did not expect things to go this well. Twilight even helped her cope with her own loss. The alicorn was, before everything else, a leader. Applejack knew at this moment that her friend was undoubtedly the best pony to succeed Princess Celestia.
As expected, a large group of ponies were waiting for their arrival at the Canterlot train station. A group of guards kept the busy station secure, holding back the crowd that was trying to get closer to the princess. Applejack held her hat as a slight breeze blew. This high in the mountains, winds were very common.
The Royal Canterlot Trotting Band performed the National Anthem as Applejack accompanied Twilight and their other friends off the train. The princess had insisted they disembarked as a single group. Making a strong example of the magic of friendship was something Applejack could get behind. She also suspected that Twilight did not want to face the crowd alone.
Royal Advisor Kibitz greeted them first, accompanied by Prince Blueblood and Captain Silvermane, the guard captain who had replaced Shining Armor. They all bowed when Twilight approached. The alicorn would have looked confident and regal to most onlookers in her crown and long, embroidered black dress, but Applejack knew her well enough to see she wasn't entirely comfortable with the situation. "You may rise." was all she said.
Kibitz spoke for the group in a straight but unimposing voice. "We are honored you came so fast, your highness. I have taken the liberty to start planning the funeral for tomorrow, and we can look over the details later. Hopefully my work will meet with your approval. We have received word from Princess Cadance that she is set to arrive in time. However, as the new ruler, we were all hoping you would preside over the ceremony. We'll also have to go over the business of succession — get you up to speed and all, although all of that can wait. Oh, and we planned a small reception tonight to get you better acquainted with the various ambassadors and councilors. We are, of course, at your command, Your Highness."
Twilight only hesitated for a moment before giving her orders. It always surprised Applejack when her friend spoke like royalty. "My friends and I are weary of this trip. I'd like to see my quarters. I assume you prepared some for my friends as well? Once we're at the palace, we'll discuss the situation with Princess Luna in detail. I have a hard time imagining my fellow princess capable of the crimes described in your letter."
They were all about to walk to the castle when Applejack noticed Rarity tapping Twilight on the shoulder. The alicorn stopped and stared at the crowd for a moment before taking a deep breath. "My fellow Equestrians and dear subjects." The farm pony noticed the word subject did not come easily to Twilight, "I know we all feel terrible regarding the loss of Princess Celestia. She was not only a mentor to me, but a dear friend. I can never truly replace her, but given time, I promise to become the wise ruler you all hope for and expect. With the help of my friends, I know that I can give you all the Equestria that you deserve."
The crowd politely clopped their hooves for the newest princess. So far, it appeared that they were accepting the new ruler, however the farm pony was left unconvinced. She remembered these very same elite laughing at both Twilight and her friends a few years ago when they accompanied Rarity to that fancy-schmancy garden party. Sure, they bowed now, but Applejack could smell dishonesty from a mile away, and these ponies stank of it.
The trip to the castle took longer than usual. They paraded Twilight and her friends on a float so she could smile and wave at her new subjects. Kibitz and the nobility had planned for Twilight to be on the royal float by herself, but she insisted that her friends accompany her. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Spike seemed more than happy to smile, wave, and cheer, though Fluttershy kept hiding behind her mane and Applejack was happy to sit quietly. Twilight politely waved and smile, but the few looks she shared with Applejack spoke volumes; the alicorn was putting on a show for the masses, nothing more.
Things calmed down a bit once the group arrived at the castle. As they walked toward the throne room, Councilor Kibitz spoke in hushed tones. "Your Highness, while Luna raised the sun this morning before her disappearance, we have no reason to believe that she intends to continue. Even if she still wishes do to so, I believe it would be proper for you to handle this task yourself."
Twilight stopped in her tracks and blinked a few times at the request. Applejack had to admit she had been taking the sun for granted. The alicorn politely nodded at Kibitz. "Well, I will certainly consider doing so, although I have never tried raising the sun or moon by myself before. Perhaps with the help of other unicorns?"
Rainbow Dash loudly intervened before Kibitz had a chance to reply. "Oh come on! You know Luna would never really let Equestria down. Whatever you're accusing her of, she'll still raise the sun and moon, you'll see!"
As the farm pony smiled appreciatively at Rainbow's show of faith, Twilight gave her answer. "Very well, have the magic academy prepare a group of unicorns to assist me in raising the moon, should it be necessary. It hasn’t even been a day though, so I suggest we wait for Luna to raise the moon tonight to see if she still takes her duties seriously. I share my friend Rainbow Dash's opinion: Luna may be in hiding, but I suspect she's still loyal to her subjects."
Kibitz bowed his head. "As Your Highness commands."
Applejack noticed Prince Blueblood raising his hoof as if about to protest, but he lowered it after a moment and kept quiet. They soon arrived at their destination.
Once they got to the throne room, guards closed the doors to give them some privacy. The room always felt larger when it was empty. Applejack could not help but stare at the empty throne from which Princess Celestia used to hold court. A small pink earth mare was waiting for them in a corner. Her white lab coat, and cutie mark of a stethoscope within a heart, hinted that she could be a doctor.
Before anyone could say anything, Captain Silvermane's horn started glowing and a magical orange aura appeared around Twilight. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" the princess asked severely, staring at the captain.
"My apologies Your Highness," Silvermane immediately replied in a flat tone. "Due to recent events, I had to make sure you were really yourself and not a changeling impostor. As you are aware, protective spells have been placed around Canterlot to detect their presence, but we have to take this extra step to be certain. I would also like to screen your companions, with your permission of course."
Rainbow Dash flew down in the captain's face. "None of us are changelings. You can take my word for that, Missy. I'm certainly not letting you anywhere near me with that horn!"
Applejack raised a hoof to calm her brash friend down. "She's just doing her job, Rainbow. If it helps, I'll go first."
Twilight nodded as Silvermane performed her spell on Applejack. She was surrounded by the same orange hue that she saw around Twilight. The spell was complete after a short time, and the glow disappeared. "See Rainbow? Nothing weird to it."
The captain quickly scanned the rest of their party, and then swiftly nodded at Blueblood and Kibitz. "Now then, I believe we can get down to business," the white-coated prince said. "Princess Twilight, your friends can wait for us in their quarters."
"My friends will stay." the alicorn severely stated. "They may not be nobleponies but they are very dear to me and I trust them with everything. In fact, I plan to rule with their help." As she took to her friends' defense, Twilight moved under the stained glass window that depicted the six of them defeating Discord.
Blueblood awkwardly bowed his head to Twilight Sparkle. "We serve at your command, Your Highness. As you are aware, my dear Aunt Celestia's health has worsened these last few months. During that time, her sister, Luna, assumed her magical duties in raising the sun while Princess Celestia still held court for appearance's sake. Many of the day-to-day tasks fell to Councilor Kibitz, myself, and a number of other nobles. In fact, an emergency council was formed in order to help govern the Kingdom. This council, led by myself, still rules over Equestria. We will continue to do so until you decide to take up the throne, at which point we will assure you a smooth transition. We will then continue to serve the crown under your rule."
Applejack did not like this pony's tone. He almost seemed dismissive as he used Twilight's title, and did not hesitate to mention his family ties to Princess Celestia. Applejack did not fail to notice Rarity' awkwardly avoiding eye contact with Celestia's nephew. She remembered the fashionista’s misadventures at the gala a few years ago, when Blueblood proved to be a pompous pain in the flank.
The prince continued his explanation. "When Celestia died, our dear Doctor Shimmerheart here," he pointed at the small pink pony in the back, "took some blood and performed an autopsy. Traces of moontears were found in her blood, and the drug's effect on her liver confirmed it. I will let the good doctor explain."
Doctor Shimmerheart stepped forward as she was called. She gave Applejack and her friends a weak smile. "First of all, I'm deeply sorry for your loss. Princess Twilight, I remember how close you and Princess Celestia were and I really wish I could have done more." Twilight nodded in appreciation. "Now, as for Princess Celestia, you already know she was very weak. Over a thousand years of raising both the sun and the moon took its toll on her, and while it did take a few years for the sickness to manifest itself, there is no doubt it's what made her weak enough that the poison could affect her. Without this burden, she would have been able to brush the sickness off; alicorns are resistant to many infections and diseases, as you are no doubt aware."
The earth pony doctor took a breath before continuing. "Now, regarding the actual poison, moontears are extracted from the moonflower — a rare flower said to grow on the moon itself, according to stories at least. It can be found in Equestria, prominently at the tops of mountains. The princess was poisoned slowly, over time. The poison can be placed in food or drink, and can also be absorbed through the skin in large enough quantities."
Applejack had to interrupt. "Hold on a second, Sugarcube. None of that proves Luna was involved. Some old pony's tale says that a poisonous flower grows on the moon and then you featherbrains go ahead and accuse Princess Luna based on some darn theory? You're gonna need more than that to convince this pony."
"Of course we have evidence, little pony, if you would listen long enough for your betters to explain. What was your name again, anyway?" The prince replied.
"It's Applejack, and don't you ‘little pony’ me, you overstuffed..."
Twilight raised her hoof. "Please, Applejack, let them finish before we jump to conclusions," she severely admonished before turning an angry glare toward the prince. "As for you, Prince Blueblood, these ponies are my friends, and I'll ask you treat them with more respect, is that understood?"
"Perfectly, Your Highness." the prince replied. "Now, regarding evidence, I will let our dear captain explain. She has been leading the investigation."
Captain Silvermane cleared her throat before starting her explanation. "Well, as Applejack said, we wouldn't accuse Princess Luna without evidence. During Princess Celestia's illness, I took it as my personal responsibility to follow Luna and ensure her personal safety. This gave me an opportunity to observe her routine, which often involved her staying alone in her quarters. She once told me she was chasing nightmares from the ponies of Equestria during these times, and that she required solitude to do so, though this could never be confirmed. This was one of two opportunities she would have had to be out of my sight. The other was when she'd visit Celestia in her quarters. The both of them often took their evening meals together, without anypony else in attendance. I, of course, objected, but both princesses insisted. Looking back, I believe that Celestia placed too much trust in her sister. Let us not forget that Luna once betrayed Equestria when she took the name 'Nightmare Moon'. If I remember properly, the six of you were instrumental in stopping her."
"Of course they'd want to be alone, silly, they're sisters!" Pinkie Pie immediately responded. "Would you like to have some grumpy-mcgrumpyface guard stand over you as you try to spend some time with your sister?" The pink pony imitated a guard's salute while making an exaggerated frowny face. This made Rainbow Dash and Spike giggle while Fluttershy tried her best to hide her own amusement. Applejack, herself had to smile. Luckily for Pinkie, the only guard present in the throne room at the time was Silvermane.
Blueblood scoffed while Silvermane ignored the pink pony as she continued her explanation. "There is more. The princess was in very poor health on the night of her death. Doctor Shimmerheart had insisted on keeping watch over her during the night; just before this, Celestia was alone with Luna. During Celestia’s final moments, the doctor did all she could, but nothing could stop the inevitable. She told the guards, and they went to get help; only then were myself and Councilor Kibitz awoken. Due to Princess Luna's past, we decided not to wake her right away. Truth be told, her past crimes as Nightmare Moon have not been forgiven by everypony. The fact that she was one of the few ponies left alone with Princess Celestia helped make her a suspect."
"Being a suspect, it was decided that it would not be proper for Princess Luna to assume leadership," Blueblood chimed in. "I would assume the regency until a time that you, Princess Twilight, are ready to take the throne." The prince pointed at the large, empty chair that dominated the room.
The captain nodded at Blueblood before she continued, "The princess did not react well to this news and became violent. She erected a shield that pushed Doctor Shimmerheart against the wall. Luckily she was unhurt. One of my guards wasn't so lucky; when he tried to penetrate the shield bubble, a burst of energy electrocuted him. He died instantly."
Applejack and her friends all gasped at this revelation. Twilight reacted first. "You're telling me Princess Luna killed a guard? What happened to the body?"
"It was taken to the morgue," Shimmerheart explained. "I performed the autopsy myself and can confirm the cause of death."
"Good, we'll look at your findings." the alicorn announced. "Both with this guard and Princess Celestia. First, I would like to discuss some things with my friends; it will only take a moment."
The Canterlot ponies all bowed and left them to talk. Applejack spoke first. "So what do you have in mind, Twi?"
Twilight seemed lost in thought for a moment as she tapped her hoof to her chin. "Some of this feels off. I would like to confirm some of their claims, and I'd like some of you to go investigate. Rainbow Dash, see if you can talk to some of the pegasus guards. I know you've always wanted to try their training course so now's likely your chance. Maybe they saw or heard something."
The blue pegasus nodded. "You got it Twilight."
"Applejack, I'd like you to question the cooks. If the princess was poisoned, maybe something happened in the kitchen."
The farm pony smiled at her friend. "Been a while since I've seen the Canterlot cooks. Maybe Salt And Pepper still works here."
"Good. Rarity, can you see what you can find out from the nobility? I know you still have friends with Canterlot's high society. Take Fluttershy with you."
"Of course Twilight, it will be my pleasure," Rarity pleasantly replied.
"Pinkie Pie and Spike, the two of you will stay with me. I'd like for at least one or two of my friends to accompany me during anything remotely official; Blueblood obviously wants the rest of you out of the picture, and I won't have it."
The pink pony beamed. "I'll wipe that frown off his face!" She quickly mounted a surprised Spike onto her back.
Twilight smiled at her friends. "Thank you girls. And Spike. I knew I could count on you."
The princess then turned toward Blueblood and the others as she spoke up. "We will see your doctor's findings. After that, I would like to see both Celestia and Luna's quarters. Some of my friends will be leaving us now. I need them to perform some errands."
The group split up, leaving Applejack to find the kitchen on her own. With any luck, some of her friends from Cadance's wedding would still be working there. It would definitely help to have somepony she trusted in the castle outside of her group of friends.
The first pony Applejack saw in the kitchen was Salt And Pepper, one of her old acquaintances from the castle. She was a yellow earth mare with a brown and white mane. Like Applejack, her face was covered in freckles. Her cutie mark was, unsurprisingly, salt and pepper shakers.
She beamed the moment she saw the farm pony. "Applejack! It's been ages! How have you been? Wait, umm, you're probably here for the funeral — oops, wrong question," she said with a cringe. "I'm really sorry for your loss! Well, it's my loss too, all our loss. Oh, cinnamon sticks," she sighed, "I'm terrible at this."
Applejack couldn't help but smile. She had forgotten this particular aspect of Salt And Pepper's personality. "Don't sweat it. All I've been hearing is ‘sorry for your loss’ lately anyway. Why don't you tell me what you're baking there?"
"Oh, these? Lemon cakes for the reception tonight. I hear your friend Rarity is very fond of them. My own secret recipe, passed down to me by my mother. She figured it out by accident when she accidentally dropped a bit of chocolate fudge in the bowl. Oh no!" She buried her face in her hoof. "I just told you the secret haven't I?"
Applejack laughed a bit. "I won't tell nopony, on that you can trust me. Anyway, I was actually coming down here for another reason. How much did they tell you about how the princess died?"
Salt And Pepper's tone got more serious. "Not much, we just learned this morning actually. They kept the princess' condition a secret, so it was definitely a shock to everypony here. Why do you ask?"
"Well, no easy way to say it, some of the bigwigs think the princess might have been poisoned. Twilight sent me down here to look around." Applejack noticed a bit of panic in her old acquaintance’s composure. "Don't you worry now, sugarcube. Nopony's in trouble. I just wanna look around, ask some questions, then I'm going straight back to Princess Twilight. No guards involved or anything like that."
"Poison, in the kitchen? I'd have a hard time imagining it," the cook replied in a shaking voice. "For starters, none of us are ever left alone. The kitchens are locked at night; so are all the storerooms."
Applejack nodded, allowing the mare to continue.
"They are also protected by a spell that only allows them to be opened at certain hours, real fancy stuff. The guards randomly inspect the kitchens and royal tasters will try dishes at random."
"Well, you do seem to take security seriously down here." Applejack replied as she started looking around the room and nodded at a guard who was standing right outside the kitchen, the cooks well in his sight.
"On top of that, we are never told which plate will be given to whom. Still, you can have a look around if you want. Only two other cooks are here right now, but they were also working the night the princess died."
Applejack allowed the mare to show her the kitchen. The room was exactly as she remembered it, kept clean with every ingredient labeled properly. She could smell a carrot and dandelion pie baking in the oven, reminding her that she hadn't eaten very well on the train. A griffon was cutting vegetables at one of the work tables. At the same time, a pegasus with a spatula cutie mark was busy preparing some pasta. The farmer had never met either of the two.
Applejack let her friend return to her lemon cakes and introduced herself to the griffon. "Hey there, partner. Sorry to bother you. My name's Applejack, I'm with Princess Twilight. She asked me to come down here, take a look at things."
The griffon smiled at her and extended a claw, which Applejack shook. "A pleasure, mademoiselle Applejack. My name is Gracien, cuisinier extraordinaire! If you are a chef, then you absolutely must try my potage!"
"I'd be happy too," Applejack replied with a pleasant smile. "Who's your partner here?"
The pegasus cook trotted toward Applejack. "Well hello, always happy to meet a new potential colleague. The name is Pancake Flip, I just started here at the castle last week."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both. I imagine this is where the princess's dishes are prepared?"
Gracien nodded. "Indeed. Does Princess Twilight have any particular dietary requirement we should follow?"
"I'm sure whatever you'll make is fine. I'm mostly worried about Princess Celestia," Applejack replied. She almost whispered as she continued. "Some ponies think she might have been poisoned."
"In our kitchen? Preposterous!" the griffon snapped with a gasp.
Pancake Flip quickly shook his head. "None of us would ever do such a terrible thing!"
Applejack backed stepped as she raised a hoof. "Don't worry, I'm not accusing either of you. I'd just like to look around if you don't mind."
The two cooks shared a look, then nodded at Applejack. "If there's the slightest possibility, then of course you can look around," the pegasus said.
Applejack searched the cupboards; nothing appeared out of the ordinary. She looked at the flower storage. She could easily identify each and every one of them, and was satisfied none could be the "moonflower" that poisoned the princess. Finally, she took a quick look at the ledgers but didn't see anything that seemed strange to her. If a poisoner had been in the kitchen, they hid their evidence well. I just hope my friends had better luck than me.
Applejack quickly stopped by her room before she joined Twilight. It was larger than she was used to, and while it had all the furniture she could need, the space felt empty. She made a mental note to bring some of her things from Ponyville. She would have to ‘country up’ the place a bit if she were to stay here.
She thought about how she would have to split her time between helping Twilight in Canterlot and running the farm down in Ponyville. She would definitely have to hire Caramel as a full-time farmhoof to make up for her absence. Those things could wait for later though. Twilight was waiting for her.
She made her way to Celestia's quarters. The nobility had insisted that Twilight take residence there as a symbol of her new status or some other nonsense. Applejack knew Princess Celestia had died just last night in that very room; as far as she was concerned, nopony should have to sleep in there.
The day's events were running through Applejack's head. Her investigation in the kitchen did not bring her any closer to understanding what was going on. She considered how her friends may have fared in their investigations. Both Rarity and Pinkie Pie had a good eye for details. Twilight could be very thorough, and so could Fluttershy in her own way. As for Rainbow Dash, she seemed to have perfect faith in Luna.
Applejack sighed loudly. Intrigue and mystery did not exist in her world. She prized honesty and straightforward answers. It's what she saw in others too. Those cooks were decent, hardworking ponies, or griffons in Gracien's case. She hated having to suspect them.
As the farm pony was lost in thought, she abruptly arrived at her destination. The two double-doors blocking entry to Celestia's quarters were closed, two unicorn guards blocking the way.
"Can I go in?" Applejack asked.
The guards nodded and opened the door with their magic. Applejack immediately noticed Twilight and Silvermane discussing something in the middle of the room as she walked in. She had been in Celestia's quarters in the past, and noticed some of the furniture had been changed. The bed was brand new — understandably they wouldn't have expected Twilight to sleep on the same mattress that her late mentor had just passed away on. The farm pony was glad for that at least.
Scorch marks marred the red carpet and the walls. Applejack had seen the aftermath of enough magical battles to recognize them. It would seem that a fight definitely took place in this room. If the carpet wasn't proof enough, one of the stained glass windows had been broken and boarded up.
Pinkie Pie and Spike were over in the reading area. The pink pony was wearing her detective hat, inspecting and shaking a small tea box underneath her magnifying glass. At the same time, the baby dragon was reading a diary, probably looking for clues. He poked Pinkie with his claw and showed her something in the journal, which immediately got her attention.
Captain Silvermane nodded at Applejack as she spoke to Twilight. "So, these scorch marks indicate where Luna created her shield bubble. It first knocked Doctor Shimmerheart against the wall here." She pointed at a crack on the wall, suggesting the point of impact.
Twilight nodded with interest as Pinkie Pie immediately started poking the crack with her hoof.
The guard captain ignored the pink pony and continued. "The shield bubble surrounded the princess afterwards; it burned this circle, which you can see here, into the carpet. It was then that one of my guards tried to break the spell and was hurled backwards, his body landed where the lady Applejack is currently standing."
Applejack yelped and jumped back at this announcement. The cold, analytical tone Silvermane used when explaining where a pony had died only a few hours ago, did not sit well with the earth pony. Twilight nervously gulped at the mention of the dead guard.
"After she killed the guard, Luna escaped through the broken window. Some of the pegasus guards gave chase, but she managed to escape." The captain continued as she pointed at the window. "I then did what I could to calm the ponies who had gathered in this room."
"The part about the chase fits with what I've heard," a voice said coming from behind Applejack. She turned around and saw Rainbow Dash, who had come in without anypony noticing. "I talked to a lot of guards outside, and they said the princess did fly away. They were training next to the window when it happened. The princess ordered them to stop pursuing, but the pegasi officers insisted."
"The officers were indeed informed that Princess Luna was a suspect," Silvermane confirmed. "I had hoped it would not come to that, but I was the one who ordered the training exercises to take place outside the windows."
Rainbow Dash looked like she was about to say something, but Twilight silenced her by raising her hoof. "Thank you very much Captain. Unless there is more I will let you return to your duties," she said with a forced smile.
Silvermane nodded and saluted the princess before leaving. The guards closed the doors behind her.
"I do not like that mare," Rainbow Dash said. "I can't believe Luna could have done any of that."
Twilight looked at her friends, her ears drooped and her tail tucked between her legs. "I'm afraid the part about her killing a guard is true. I trust Doctor Shimmerheart; I've known her since I was a filly. Rarity and Fluttershy also talked to witnesses who saw the whole thing."
Applejack frowned. "I still won't believe Luna poisoned her own sister."
"I don't believe it either." the alicorn confirmed. "They did find poison in her quarters, but I believe somepony planted it there."
Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash jumped at this. "Who the hay did that?" The pegasus asked angrily as she flew up.
"I don't know, but we'll have to find out," Twilight severely replied. "We can't just throw accusations though, we'll need to handle this carefully." She tapped her hoof to her chin and turned toward the farm pony. "Applejack, did you learn anything in the kitchen?"
"Nothing much. There's only three cooks. First one's Salt And Pepper, an old friend of mine from Cadance's wedding. I trust her." Her tone brooked no argument. "The second one was Pancake Flip, a pegasus who only came in a week ago."
"It couldn't have been him," the princess replied. "Celestia was poisoned over multiple months. I had a look at Doctor Shimmerheart's report."
"It obviously can't be him then. Either way, the third cook was a griffon. His name is Gracien. Nothing too suspicious about him either. He seemed really proud of his work. Overall, the security is pretty tight down in the kitchen. I had a look around and couldn't find anything suspicious-like."
Twilight sighed. "I suppose this is all we'll get for now. I do mean to get to the bottom of this. It would really help if we could talk to Luna. For now, let's prepare for the reception. Fluttershy and Rarity are already in their quarters getting ready. We should all do the same."
The moment Applejack and her friends entered the Canterlot Castle ballroom , a herald announced her alicorn friend's entrance. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler of Equestria." Applejack gently patted Rarity on the back, who scoffed as the herald ignored her.
As Twilight was led to her place of honor, a smaller version of the throne at the end of the ballroom, Applejack did what she usually did at these events; she found a corner where she could chat with Rainbow Dash without having to mingle with the nobility. Pinkie Pie went with Fluttershy to the balcony, the yellow pegasus obviously uncomfortable with the large crowd of ponies. As for Rarity, she wasted no time in following Twilight around and talking to some noble or other. Applejack had to admit the unicorn's skills would probably prove useful to Twilight regarding Equestrian politics.
Rainbow quickly spotted a table filled with little sandwiches and led Applejack there. The two of them started devouring their way through one of the plates. "I never got why they have to make these sandwiches so tiny," Rainbow said with her mouth full. "It takes a hundred of them to make a decent meal."
Applejack chuckled as a familiar voice made itself heard from behind them. "I've been wondering the exact same thing ever since I arrived here. It's been a while since I've seen the two of you."
Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash turned around at the same time. Standing there was Little Strongheart, their buffalo friend from Appleoosa. She did clash a bit, being the only buffalo in the room and choosing to wear her traditional headdress rather than the froo-froo dresses everypony was wearing at the event.
Applejack smiled at the acquaintance. "It has been a while, I’m surprised the news about the princess reached your tribe this fast. From what Braeburn tells me it can take weeks for any news from Canterlot to make its way to Appleoosa."
"Oh, I was already here." The young buffalo said as she sat at their table. "One of the first things Princess Celestia did when she heard about what happened in Appleoosa was to visit us. She made sure both sides could live with the arrangement we made, and she made me and the chief an offer. You see, she wasn't even aware there might be conflicts between the ponies and buffaloes before you brought it to her attention. She offered me a position as an ambassador, representing my people's interest here in Canterlot. While I do miss the stampeding grounds greatly, I've been able to help my people a lot. I never cared much for all the politics, but the princess always listened to me. I'm hoping Twilight will do the same."
"You can bet your flank she will!" Rainbow ardently affirmed. "You remember how much she cared about finding a peaceful way to settle your problems."
The buffalo ambassador continued. "Either way, I can show you the ropes, tell you who's who, if you want. I sure wish someone helped me out when I first arrived." She waited for both ponies to nod before continuing. "For starters, I'm not the only ambassador here. You see that zebra talking to your friend Pinkie Pie? That's Zeratra. She's been trying to convince the magic academy to create a magical exchange program to get some ponies from Equestria to learn zebra alchemy and rune magic down in Zebrica, while the zebras could learn Equestrian magic."
"Applebloom would sure love that," Applejack replied. "She's been spending a lot of time with our local zebra healer, Zecora. Apparently she's been learning all kinds of potions and other concoctions. I gotta admit, one of them is doing wonders for Granny's back. That zebra alchemy sure has its wonders."
Little Strongheart smiled at that. "I couldn't tell. We buffaloes aren't very magically inclined. Apparently it's not that simple though. A group of nobles led by a pony called Floribunda are doing all they can to keep zebra magic out of the schools."
"Now, if you look at that griffon bowing to Princess Twilight," the buffalo continued as she pointed toward a well-dressed griffon with white fur and gray feathers, "that's Antoine. He was in the middle of hammering out some trade agreement with Celestia, and I'm sure he'll do everything he can to get that completed. He's also been making friends with a lot of nobles. As for Blueblood, I assume he did everything he could to keep you out of the loop?"
Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded at the same time.
"He did the same when I first arrived," Little Strongheart said with a light chuckle. "That one's never easy to deal with. The noble that's actually reasonable is Fancy Pants. He's the one with the blue mustache talking with your friend Rarity over there. He took the time to ask me about my people's traditions and wanted to make sure I was comfortably settling in."
"Yep, we already know him. Well, kinda." Applejack replied. "I know he's Rarity's friend. Always seemed to me like he's trying to advance his own position, but Rarity trusts him and he's always done good by her."
"Either way, I'm deeply sorry about Princess Celestia. If there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask. I think a lot of ponies are relieved to see you and Princess Twilight arrive. I'll admit, I shudder at the thought of Blueblood on the throne."
Rainbow Dash beamed at the praise. "Well, you can count on Twilight, she'd never let Equestria down. As for the rest of us, we'll be here to help. I can't speak for our entire group, but I'll definitely be staying with Twilight."
Twilight stood up from her throne and created a flash of light with her horn. It was a trick Applejack had seen Celestia do on multiple occasions when the monarch wanted to get everypony's attention. The ponies in the room quieted to let the princess speak.
"My friends, while I am very saddened by the loss of Princess Celestia, I'm also very happy about the warm welcome you have given me. I hope I can be the great ruler you all deserve, and promise I will do my best. My friends are here with me, and as always, I will continue to benefit from their help and council. I would not be where I am today if it weren't for them, and I hope you can all learn to love them the way I do."
The crowd responded with polite applause. Applejack suspected that it would take more than a speech for the nobility to realize the Princess of Friendship wanted to rule with her friends.
Twilight continued. "Now, ever since arriving here, I've learned a lot of disturbing things about Princess Luna. While the evidence does point to her, I believe that some of it could have been fabricated. The only way to know is to tackle this situation like civilized ponies. My first act as ruling princess is therefore to ask Princess Luna to return to Canterlot. She will be allowed to present her case and will be judged fairly, by myself and my friends. I would also ask all of you to give her a chance. Regardless of what she has done, Luna is a princess of Equestria and will be treated as such."
The princess took a deep breath before continuing. "Now, I would like all of us to go outside. As some of you may know, Luna has been raising both the sun and the moon these past few months. She may have run away, but I'm fairly certain she will still perform her duty as a princess. Therefore, let us all witness the raising of the moon. You can all see that I'm not using my own magic."
Applejack had to admire Twilight's faith in Luna. For all their optimism, none of them knew where Luna was, let alone if she'd raise the moon.
A few moments passed as the ponies gathered and stared at the sky. Applejack noticed Captain Silvermane, still in her uniform, standing guard on the balcony. The farm pony politely nodded at her, but the guard captain did not seem to register her presence.
Their patience was rewarded as the ponies witnessed the sun slowly setting and the moon making its way into the sky as it always had. Applejack could hear cheers coming from the city. It seemed that their concerns had become widespread, and they weren't the only ones relieved to see the day and night cycle continue uninterrupted.
Twilight took the opportunity to address the crowd. "As you can see, Princess Luna is still doing her duty. I hope that when she returns to Canterlot, we can all figure out what happened, and she can eventually rule by my side. For now, let us appreciate her night."
The speech was followed by another polite applause. Applejack heard Silvermane mutter under her breath, "Let's hope this particular night does not last forever."