"Goodbye everypony. Apple Bloom, remember to keep with your studies. Big Mac, you take care of yourself an' let yer injuries heal up before you take on any big work, I've already paid Caramel to stand' in for ya for a week at least. Granny, you keep doin' what you do, but take it easy on th' dancin', lest ya throw out yer hip again. Braeburn... don't do anything stupid."
Everypony hugged Applejack, standing on the departing platform for the train. She smiled a bit, ruffling her younger sister's hair, and turned her attention to Big Mac, giving him one more hug. "And thank you for makin' this a good week." Throughout Applejack's stay, Big Mac had made a point of trying to remain active, while not putting stress on himself. True, he wanted to work, but his sister's happiness was more important, and since this was her week to relax, he had to relax to help her do that.
"Eeyup," he said with a smile.
With one more round of goodbyes, Applejack made her way from the group and towards the train, boarding it. Moments later, the departing call was made, and the train hissed to life. Slowly, it began to push forward, slowly building up speed. Soon, it had pushed away, and was making its way out of the station. Big Mac watched it disappear, before letting loose a tired sigh. He missed his sister when she left. It was always fun to have her around, and it seemed anytime she was gone, life was just a little less full.
"Well," said Braeburn with a sigh of his own, "Guess I'm off to the bar to grab a drink."
"You'll do no such thing."
"What!?" Braeburn shifted to look at Big Mac like he had just grown a second head. "You got to rest the whole week! I've had to pick up for your slack! Applejack's been workin' me ragged on anything she couldn't do herself!"
"Yeah, well," Macintosh said with a shrug, "her job don't take a lot of physical labor. She ain't used to farm work like you are."
Braeburn snorted indignantly, shaking his head. "Fine. I'll just... go home and drink some of my personal stash..."
"Much better."
The family made their way through and from the station, Apple Bloom stopping momentarily to watch an airship take off. "Whoooaahh...."
Big Mac smirked a bit, looking towards his sister. "You like airships?"
"I've never seen one takin' off b'fore..." The filly stared wide-eyed as the balloon-carried carriage drifted into the sky. "I bet it's like bein' a pegasus! But... your house flies instead of you!"
Big Mac simply chuckled at the very notion, shaking his head. "Well, maybe. If I ever meet a pegasus, I'll be sure to ask."
Applebloom frowned a bit. She knew he had met at least Scootaloo, but thought better of bringing her up. "What about that one pegasus mare that came here for ya last week?"
Macintosh quirked his brow. "Hm?"
"You know... uh... Butterfly?" Applebloom seemed to squint, as if she could see the answer written on a far wall.
"Oh. Fluttershy." Macintosh shrugged. "If I see 'er again, I'll ask."
"Ya know," said Granny with a firm nod, "we Apples ain't none too concerned about the pegasus kind. She looked like she'd birth some strong young Apples, pegasus or Earth Pony!"
Big Mac raised a brow, looking towards Braeburn. "She rejected Braeburn already." It was a cheap tactic, but it would divert attention away from him for a moment.
"Course she did," said Granny with a chuckle, "Boy has no tact! Don't know how to treat a lady!"
"Hey," whined Braeburn, "I got tact. She's just really shy is all..."
"Well then what ya need is to be more sensitive an' nurturin'." Granny nodded. "Mares are like plants. You can't set 'em all in the exact same place an' think they're gonna be okay. Each one likes to be treated diff'rntly. That's why ya save yer big guns until you've figured out how they tick." Granny nodded towards Big Mac. "Take yer cousin fer example. He dated that Cheerilee filly for a while, an' they was cute as could be. If it weren't for..." She stopped, puckering her elder lips. "Say, boy, what did happen 'tween you two?"
Well, that plan backfired, and now Macintosh was forced to discuss something he'd really not talk about. "Just didn't work out."
"Oh." Granny frowned a bit. "Darn shame. She was a cute one she was."
"So, Apple Bloom," said Big Mac, trying to change the subject. "How'd you like to stop n' get ice cream on the way home?"
Apple Bloom smiled wide. "Ya really mean it?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac said, punctuating with a nod. Apple Bloom giggled with excitement and jumped a bit, seeming to trot a bit as she walked. Big Mac smiled a bit. He did enjoy spoiling his kid sister.
"So I told 'em, you're g- *hic*..... gonna... gonna eat thoshe wordsh....!"
On any other day, Macintosh would have let his cousin drink alone. When he didn't have a drinking buddy, Braeburn would usually just drink enough to get buzzed and call it a day. However, Big Mac had been having a tough time of things this past month, and felt the unusual need to indulge in drink to take the edge off. Fortunately, he could hold his drink better than Braeburn.
"Braeburn," said Macintosh, a bit warm from the cider, and a bit more talkative to boot, "Y'all seem t' have so much fun... how ya do it?" It was a question he might never ask without a little alcohol in his system. This seemed to dawn on his cousin, who seemed almost shell shocked at being asked the question.
"Well," said Braeburn, trying to keep his balance after his head swayed a little too far to his left. Once he was certain he was upright, he continued. "Well... I jusht... do shtuff. I go out, an' I find shomethin' or... shomepony... an' *hic* I jush do shtuff."
"Just... do stuff...?"
"Eeyup..." Braeburn snickered. "Eeyup! Eeeeeeeyup! Hey... hey Big Mac... guess who I.... oh... yeah... it'sh you."
Big Mac took a swig from his own mug, following it with a sip from a glass of water. "Ya know... I don't talk about it often... but sometimes, I think I really might be boring..."
"Whaaaaat?" Braeburn's jaw hung wide open. He scooted closer to his cousin, placing a hoof on his back. "Y-.... you... are not boring. You're... you're Big Macintosh. Your name ish Big Macintosh...."
"Braeburn... yer drunk..."
"N-*urp*... No, yer drunk," said Braeburn, in a moment of inebriated brilliance, "also, Big Macintosh. Big Mac?" Braeburn seemed to pause, combing his alcohol drowned brain for something to say. "Big Mac. You... you are a great guy. Th' besht shtallion I know."
Macintosh nodded, looking down in his drink a moment. "Miss Nightingale... I'm pretty sure she has a crush on me. Everytime we meet, she kisses on me."
Braeburn seemed to gasp. "You dog! D-d.... did you do any-anything...?"
"Nope," Macintosh shook his head a bit, "But she wants to..."
Braeburn slapped Big Mac's back. "Why not buddy? Ya know, it'sh not everyday a mare jush... throwsh hershelf at ya! Go for it!"
"Nope..." Macintosh sighed a bit, still looking at his drink as if it had the answers he sought. "I don't know how I feel about 'er. She's attractive an' all... but I barely know the girl, but that don't seem to stop 'er."
Braeburn laughed drunkenly. "Sho... what... you an' Cheerilee ne-*hic*.... never did nothin'...?"
Big Mac took a drink and sighed. "Y-yeah, I guess we did... not that it's any of yer business." Yet another secret he might not have divulged had he been totally sober. "But this mare's not like Cheerilee. When we kiss, it's like somethin' else is takin' over. My heart beats real fast... an' it gets real hard to think..."
"It'sh looo-*hic* ..... ooove...!"
"Nope," said Big Mac, shaking his head, though he paused for a moment. "Least, I don't think so." He and Braeburn both took another drink from their mugs. "... When me an' Cheerilee kissed, it felt like I had knots in my stomach. With her, it's like instinct."
Braeburn seemed to consider this a moment, though how deep he could possibly think in his current condition was up for debate. "Well," he said, wavering a bit, "Pershonally... I'd... I'd jush do it to get it outta my shyshtem.... but if-*hic*... yer not sure... jush talk to 'er... tell 'er how ya feel, an' that you wanna take it shlower..."
Mac stared at Braeburn with relative surprise. "That's... surprisingly well thought out considerin' how drunk you are."
"I'm not drunk," said Braeburn, waving a hoof, "Yer drunk."
A knock at the cellar door. Both stallions turned to see Granny Smith descend into the basement, the smile she was wearing as she entered shifting into one of mild annoyance. "Oh dag nabbit, Big Mac! You know it's a bad idea to indulge Braeburn!"
"Sorry..." Big Mac hung his head a bit.
Granny sighed. "It's okay. You sober enough to talk to ponies? Cause there's somepony here to see ya. It's a pretty mare, an' if yer not presentable, I'd rather not ruin yer chances."
Macintosh waved a hoof, standing up and making his way towards his grandmother. "I'm a bit buzzed, but I think I can still talk. I been offsetting the drink with water." Macintosh nodded towards a glass of water sitting next to his mug.
"Alright," said Granny with a sigh though she didn't seem entirely convinced, "Just remember, don't do anything silly. This could be the filly. She's awful cute, though she seems a kinda cold." Granny was quick to spit on her hooves and brush at Big Mac's mane to his ire. Once she had it all slicked back, she looked at the top of his head for a moment until the mane seemed to pop back into place. She smiled, satisfied. "There. Yer all presentable now."
Macintosh sighed, making his way up the stairs and out of the cellar. He rounded about towards the back door of their home, stepping inside and finding a familiar purple mare at the kitchen table, sipping tea. She wasn't wearing the strange coat she was at her house this time, rather the coat she was wearing when he first saw her in Rich's house. "Ms. Sparkle?"
"Mister Apple." Twilight nodded in acknowledgement, taking a small sip of her tea. "How are you this morning?"
"I'm fine, thanks for askin'." Macintosh nodded, pulling a chair out, readying to sit. However, Twilight stood up instead.
"May we go for a walk?"
Big Mac raised a brow, looking down at the chair and shrugging, pushing it back in. "Eeyup." Twilight nodded to him, pushing her own chair back in, and both ponies made their way out of the house, and into the garden. They passed a pig pen, which Macintosh noticed Twilight looking at for a moment, as well as some of the Apples' personal vegetable gardens, and into their famous orchards.
"This is a lovely farm you have," said Twilight, as if trying to strike up conversation. The sentiment didn't seem to reach her eyes, however, so Macintosh found it hard to tell if he should feel complimented or not.
"Thanks."
"It is my understanding you produce what is considered the best apples in Equestria?"
Macintosh nodded, grinning a bit proudly. "Considered for reason. Our farm's the top of the apple market, an' we're the only producers of Zap Apples the world over."
That seemed to catch her interest. Twilight raised a brow, giving a sideways glance to Big Mac. "Zap apples?"
Big Mac chuckled. "Never heard of 'em?" Twilight simply shook her head. "Well, we got some special trees that don't seem to grow nowhere else. Every once in a while, they bloom, an' with a lil' ritual Granny performs, they sprout Zap Apples."
"Oh?" Twilight said, seemingly intrigued. "You mean like magic?"
Big Mac nodded. "Granny says they are. Lotsa ponies don't think so, an' imagine they'd grow all the same without 'er, but they ain't seen it happen." He smiled a bit, looking at the trees. "Them trees are magic."
It got silent for a bit. The two ponies climbed up a hill, where one might see the vastness of Sweet Apple Acres. "I've finished translating a third of the book," said Twilight, still staring forward. Macintosh didn't respond, simply giving her a sideways glance. "It looked like a diary at first, but the truth is what you found is more along the lines of an Autobiography."
"An autobiography?" Big Mac raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Well," said Twilight with a nod, "It's like a diary, but--"
"I know what an Autobiography is."
"Oh." Twilight blushed a bit, though she kept her indifferent look otherwise. "Well, it doesn't seem like she was writing this particular book as she went along. Rather, it seems it was written particularly to tell a tale, and maybe give instructions..."
"So she was expectin' somepony to eventually find and read it?"
"Seems like it. It gives a lot of basic detail about who she was. How she reigned. How she lived... we're in possession of a tome most historians would spill innocent blood for."
"Well," Big Mac shrugged, looking down at his own mending injuries, "Guess that makes sense."
"Most importantly," said Twilight, looking off into the distance, "I've confirmed something I've feared for a while."
"That is?"
Twilight remained silent. Macintosh looked towards her, wondering if she heard him. "Nightmare Moon is among us."
"Pardon?"
"You heard me. An age old fairy tale sorceress is somewhere in Equestria right now." Macintosh fell silent, turning to face the horizon. "One with the power to engulf the world in eternal darkness and claim her reign over Equestria."
"But where is she?"
The stallion looked towards Twilight, who didn't move her gaze from the horizon before them. "The mare on the moon stopped appearing almost two years ago. Very few ponies actually noticed it, and of the few that did, only so many actually took it seriously, though when they took to the streets screaming about the end of days, they were quickly written off as lunatics."
'Just like Zecora,' Big Mac thought to himself.
"By all means, they should be right." Twilight shook her head, turning to face Big Mac. "... My... colleagues and I have every reason to believe she is here. Since the disappearance of the Mare on the Moon, there have been days when the moon lingered slightly longer than it should have. The average pony wouldn't notice, but ponies who pay attention to this sort of thing catch it happening once in a while." She turned and started pacing a bit. "Then there's the rumor of ghost castles that appear for short periods of time and disappear afterwards. Upon researching, their descriptions lead me to believe they're all the same castle and it's moving around.
Big Mac stared at this strange mare as she continued to pace. She stopped, turning to face him. "They're all connected. I know it. Nightmare Moon is among us, but for some reason, she isn't doing anything."
"Well," said Big Mac, waving a hoof, "If she ain't doing anything, is that really a problem?"
This seemed to surprise Twilight. "Not a problem? Not a problem!? You've got an ancient sorceress possibly buying apples from you who could turn you inside out with a thought, and you're not bothered by it!?"
Big Macintosh shrugged. "Well... sure, it sounds scary when ya put it like that, but I reckon if she ain't hurtin' nopony, why should I care what she did? She spent a thousand years on the moon, I reckon she did her time."
Twilight stared at him for a moment, seemingly confused by the statement. "So, as long as she wasn't hurting anypony, you wouldn't be bothered by her?"
Big Mac simply shook his head. "Don't see why I would."
It was odd. The mare suddenly shifted from being so much business, to being almost panicky, to looking unsure of herself. She looked at him like he was an anomaly she couldn't figure out for a moment; like a filly who had broken her toy and didn't know how it broke. Eventually, however, she shook her head and regained her wits. "Well, nontheless, I highly doubt she'll be pleased with doing nothing. If nothing else, we're better off preparing at least for when she does do something, and that's part of the reason I'm here."
"I've determined," said Twilight with a nod, "that the stone orb that Fluttershy supposedly made glow is, in fact, an Element of Magic, as the journal states one was hidden in Harmony's Tomb."
"Harmony's Tomb?" Big Mac raised a brow.
"It's a tomb that was under my house," said Twilight with a shrug. "Celestia wrote she 'left a kindness buried in the grave of Canterlot, for anypony who mourned the loss of harmony." The mare seemed to consider this a moment. "I'm not sure she thought that one through, because the house had been abandoned some time by the time I found it, and I've never been able to discern what happened to the previous owner. For all she knew, nopony would have ever found the thing."
"And you found it?"
Twilight shrugged. "Technically, my predecessor found it. Whatever happened to her, it was left perfectly alone, and she even left instructions on how to open the tomb."
Macintosh nodded. "So... discover anything else?"
"I know of the locations of two more Elements of Magic."
"You mean Elements of Harmony, right?"
Twilight simply shrugged. "Some ponies call them Elements of Harmony, some call them Elements of Magic, it differs from pony to pony."
Big Mac frowned a bit, looking at the little purple mare. "Don't think I've ever heard anypony but you call 'em that."
Twilight shook her head and rolled her eyes a bit at the stallion. "Forget about it. I just wanted to tell you these things to let you understand the gravity of the situation surrounding this thing." The two ponies stood quietly on the hill for a moment. Macintosh had the question in his head, and he decided to ask it.
"You were looking for them, weren't you?"
It was quiet for a bit. He already knew the answer, he was sure of it. "You weren't just lookin' for historical documents. You were lookin' for those Elements, just like Zecora was."
Twilight's expression remained indifferent. "I was. Though, if it's all the same to you, I'd still like to finish translating that journal."
"Feel free to it."
Silence once more as the two ponies stared out into the distance.
"Are you going to look for the others?"
Twilight nodded. "I intend to. If I actually find or obtain them is another matter entirely."
Big Mac stared out at the horizon for a moment. "Do you believe in fate?" Twilight turned to him, clearly confused by the question. "I ran into two mares lookin' for the same thing that could save the world. What are the odds of that?"
"Well," said Twilight with a shrug, "better than you'd think, given the circumstances." Big Mac nodded silently, acknowledging the logic she proposed, so he continued to stare into the fields.
"What do you intend to do when ya find all the elements?"
The lavender mare simply sighed, shaking her head. "Your guess is as good as mine. On the off chance Nightmare Moon does remain passive, I'll simply research the Elements and figure out their workings... but if she acts out, well, I'll do what must be done." Twilight turned around, and she made her way down the hill. "If you could, please come by my house tomorrow. I could use your help with something."
"Hm?" Macintosh raised a brow, seemingly confused. "What do ya need me for?"
Twilight turned to face him as if he had said something stupid. "Remember? You offered to help me? As it so happens, I might be able to use your help. Unless, of course, you changed your mind." Admittedly, Macintosh wasn't sure how much help she'd actually need. A promise is a promise, however, and all things considered, he was certain she wouldn't need him for very much.
"Okay then."
Satisfied by his answer, Twilight gave him a little nod, and continued on her way into the direction of the town. Macintosh watched her leave, giving a small nod to nothing in particular before turning his attention back to the fields.
"Wow, she seemed nice!"
The large red stallion nearly jumped out of his skin, the color drained from his face as he turned to face a familiar pink pony. "P-Pinkie! You scared me!"
"Yeah, I do that sometimes!" Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "So, Macky Wacky is going on another exciting adventure?"
Big Mac shrugged. "Guess so. Seems like it."
Pinkie grinned a bit, turning to look to where Twilight had left to, and then looking back to Big Mac. "You know, I'm kind of surprised you and Twilight Sparkle are hanging out! She doesn't usually talk to other ponies!"
Big Mac didn't know why he would be surprised, but he had to ask. "You know her?"
"Sort of," the pink pony shrugged, waggling her hoof around. "She's not as elusive as your marefriend, but she does seem to like to keep to herself. She's even crankier than Cranky Doodle Donkey, but she's a nice pony once she's comfortable with you, and I've been making it a point to be her friend since she helped the Cakes out."
Big Mac didn't like to pry, but he was curious. "What did the Cakes need from 'er?"
Pinkie's smile deflated a little, and she seemed to become quiet. "I can't say. I know you wouldn't tell anypony... but it's not my secret to share." She looked to Big Mac, and at this moment he realized there was something off about her smile; joyful, but also kind of sad somehow. "Let's just say... Twilight helped them with something nopony else in Ponyville could have helped them with." It left more questions than answers, but Macintosh supposed that if the Cakes had their secrets, they were entitled to them.
"Alright."
"Speaking of," Pinkie said, her bubbly nature returning in full force, "can I come with you when you go to Twilight's place tomorrow?"
"Why do you wanna go?"
"Well, Spike really likes these little cupcakes with gems in them, and I never really get to make cupcakes like that, so it's fun making him some once in a while, plus Twilight stays locked up so long that I think she forgets to have fun, and I figure she needs to be reminded she has a friend!"
Big Mac almost seemed shocked. "You know about Spike?"
Pinkie stared at him. "Spike? Who's Spike? I don't know about a Spike. Unless you know Spike. But if you don't, there is no Spike and he doesn't exist."
Macintosh rolled his eyes. "I know Spike. He cooked me a meal."
Pinkie grinned. "I taught him how to make sweet rolls last time I visited, did he make those?"
"Eeyup."
Pinkie's smile widened. "Were they good?"
"Eeyup."
"Yay!" Pinkie threw her hooves in the air. "I knew he had it in him! He's such a nice dra--pony! Pony! Normal pony!" She looked around really fast, as if trying to find spies, then leaned in close and whispered into Big Mac's ear. "Dragon, really!" The stallion rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"Welp," Pinkie said, bouncing for emphasis, "I've gotta go! You take care of yourself Macky!" Without another word, she was bouncing away, humming a little tune to herself. Big Mac could only shake his head, smiling as his maybe-cousin left for whatever devices she had arranged. It was at this moment he realized he never actually gave her permission to come, and she hadn't asked him again. Maybe that was for the best?
He gave a final glance out at the fields, staring silently. "Guess I should head inside myself." With a nod as if to confirm his own statement, Big Mac made his way down the hill, towards the house. Braeburn was likely passed out by now, and Granny was likely already working on lunch; the mere thought of which made his stomach growl.
With some luck, maybe things wouldn't be so bad?
Rich stared out the window of his house, watching as the sun set. He sighed a bit, sadly, as it went down. 'She used to love watching the sun set,' he thought to himself, letting himself become lost in his memories. Memories of a better time. Memories that seemed to be so long ago. He was drawn from these memories by the sound of a knock at the door. "Come in."
The door opened, and a butler stepped in. "Master Rich, Lady Twilight Sparkle." Rich turned around, nodding at the butler, who stepped aside, pushing the door open further to allow Twilight into the room. The mare stepped in, her expression cold and stoic as usual.
"Twilight. This is an unexpected surprise." Rich smiled, sitting down and pouring a liquid into a glass. "Care for a drink? Hard Cider."
"No thank you." Twilight took a seat across from the table. "I've been wondering what your niece has been doing stalking the Apple house lately?"
Rich simply laughed, shaking his head. "Nightingale? She seems quite taken by Macintosh. I dare say, I've had to talk her down from buying the poor colt elaborate gifts, knowing that he'd likely be either unimpressed by the display or intimidated by the extra attention."
Twilight nodded a bit, staying quiet a moment. "You and the Apples are friends, correct?"
"Indeed." Rich took a drink, sighing. "Macintosh's father and I were the best of friends in our youths. We did everything together. He was my best colt, I was his..." He seemed to get lost in memories, a distant, almost sad smile on his face. "The night he died... tore me apart."
The mare sitting across from Rich seemed interested. "... What happened to his father?"
Rich shrugged. "Murdered on a delivery. Bandits. Killed him and almost murdered Macintosh..." He frowned a bit, seeming almost disturbed by the thought. "It was... painful to lose my friend. And to see his son so close behind..." Twilight could see the look on the stallion's face, the pained expression speaking volumes.
"I... never knew."
Filthy Rich sighed, taking another drink from his glass. "Why the sudden fascination?"
Twilight was silent a moment. "I took an interest in the town's history. After running into the Apples earlier, I realized I had never even considered the idea of interviewing the other half of the founders of Ponyville. It's only unfortunate that when I found him he was covered in bandages."
"Ah yes.... Nightingale told me of him being injured. I was considering sending a gift basket to him, a sort of 'get well soon' gathering."
The two sat in silence for a few moments. Rich looked down at a satchel she was wearing, when he noticed something; the edge of a book, and on it, strange letters. "What have you there?"
Twilight seemed surprised by the question. She looked down at the book, then shut her satchel over it. "Oh, an old book I'm trying to translate for a friend." She sighed, her expression seeming quite annoyed. "Is it too much to ask other ponies take an interest in learning that the ponies who can actually translate these things can't be counted with one pony's hooves?"
The noblepony laughed, shaking his head. "Well, I imagine you could possibly start charging if it becomes too burdensome. I like to imagine the funding I give you for your research and experiments makes dealing with my errands worth it?" Twilight nodded, though she did not say anything immediately. "Speaking of experiments and research... have you found anything more on our little venture...?"
Twilight was silent for a bit. "I... have some leads."
"What kind of leads?"
"Well..." Twilight gulped a bit, looking off to the side, "... the catacombs of the Castle of the Sisters was empty. Plenty of books, but none of them said anything useful. Some accounts of the Princesses' lives, some of the trials they faced..."
Filthy Rich frowned. "And the Elements of Harmony?"
"The most I can say," said Twilight with another sigh, "is that they seem to have been in the castle at one time or another."
Rich frowned a bit, brushing a hoof through his mane. "And we turned that place upside down last time we were there... I fear your theory of looters may hold some ground. Surely something of such importance wouldn't be hidden away so nopony could find it." He turned his attention back to the window, staring out into the town that seemed so small beneath his gaze. "Where would she hide them...?"
Once more, the room became silent. "I think I need to go. I've got a lot of work to do, and I'd rather be back home before it gets dark."
Rich smiled to the mare. "Why not stay here a night? You know I've always got a little guest room prepared for you with plenty of books to keep you occupied."
"Thanks, but I have to pass." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "Spike is alone back home, and apparently, I've adopted a new pet owl, and he doesn't seem to care for him very much."
Rich nodded, tapping his hooves together. "I see. Allow me to do this then... Teacup!"
The door opened, and a butler pony stepped in. "Yes, sire?"
"Please, have somepony escort Miss Sparkle to a carriage driver and have them ride her to her home."
"Of course, sire." Teacup stepped aside for Twilight, who stood up and made her way to the door. The two ponies left, and the door was gently pulled shut behind them, leaving Rich alone with his thoughts for a moment.
"Oh Twilight... I am all too aware you aren't telling me the whole truth..." Rich sighed a bit, taking another drink of his cider. "I will give you a chance, though. You've been an honest and noble mare, and the least I can do is let you tell me yourself."
He turned his attention back to the sunset. "You'll be helping me. Even if you don't realize it."
TO BE CONTINUED...