I looked at my watch that read 2:09, at this time; Twilight and I were headed towards the apple farm by Gondola.
“I must say, your highness, we’re making excellent time.”
“Please, just don’t call me that,” she told me. I raised an eyebrow and asked her why not. “My title of Princess shouldn't remove me from everypony else. I wanted to be treated like a normal pony.”
“Normal doesn't exist.” I corrected her and she gave me a confused look, she asked what I meant by that. “If normalcy really did exist, life would be incredibly boring. Normal means having to live with the exact same thing over and over. It’s only in a state of mind that ‘normal’ could exist, but not for long.” I looked down at my passenger. “You don’t get me to do you?” she shook her head. I sighed, “Look, life cannot exist without something changing right? As I tell my students, change is what gives life color, a shade of light and dark. Change helps us see the difference between beauty and ugliness. Then again, a change could make ugly things be inspiring. This is what most people don’t get, they think that things are set in stone and there are things that can’t change and therefore, it’s perfect; but it’s a lie. Perfection, you see, doesn't exist either. There’s an only imperfection that’s bad, good and in-between. Imperfection, you see, is perfection.”
“Since when have you been taking up philosophy?” Twilight asked.
“When you’re in a mental hospital for about a three and a half years, you have plenty of time to think.”
“Hey Mr. D!” we looked up to find all six of the crusaders passing by, dragging a cart full of wooden planks. “Hey Twilight,” Sweetie Belle squeaked.
“Uh, girls, what are you doing with all of that wood?” Twilight questioned.
“We’re going to build a set with it,” Scoots answered. “It’s for our movie; it’s going to be great!”
“It’s jus’ gonna be a short film Scoots,” Applebloom piped up. “‘Sides, we have ta build the set anyway.”
“And we've only got before five ta do it,” AB added. “So come on, let’s go. Bye, Mr. D. Bye Twi.”
Before either of us could say anything, they left while dropping a few planks along the way.
“Sometimes I worry about those three,” Twilight sighed. I kept on rowing down the road. The phonograph was playing an aria from some Italian opera, thinking it was too clichéd, I kicked it to play something else. And for some reason, it started to play Smooth Criminal.
“Huh, that was random,” I muttered.
“I agree,” I looked up and Twilight turned around. “Istaillion can get old after a while.”
“Hello other me,” I tipped my sombrero while he did the same with his fez. “Any reason you’re here?”
“Hmm…” he put his lion paw to his chin. “Not much, rumor has it that you’re in town again so I thought I pop by.” Discord looked to the sky, “This isn't right, it’s too calm.” He muttered.
“How have you been doing lately?” I asked.
“After getting into trouble with Sunbutt and have to clean up your mess, you know how I’m doing.”
“Still mad at me?”
“Mad? Not really. Just disappointed,” at this point, we reached the gate of the farm. “Now it’s my turn, what are you doing here?”
“Field trip,” I told him jumping off the boat. Twilight and the other me did the same, though he did raise an eyebrow. “Fluttershy’s friends from my universe wanted to see what this place is like so I allowed it if I could come along. And here we are. Also, our Crusaders are here too.”
“Are they now?” he hummed in thought as we approached the farmhouse. “Whelp, I think I know what I’m going to do today.” And just like that, he popped out of existence.
I looked over to Twilight, she seemed worried. “I got a bad feeling about this.”
Shrugging, I said: “Why? He knows that I've already forgiven him for triggering one of my episodes here. And if he’s anything like me, I’m sure he’ll make sure the Crusaders won’t get hurt.”
“Are you sure?”
“From what your Applebloom has told me, I can assume that.”
As we approached the front door, Twilight knocked on it, “Come in!” said an older lady’s voice. You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say she kinda sounds like that one lunch lady from the school. Twilight stepped in asking where Applejack was, the old lady replied they’re in a particular part of the orchard. So with that, we entered the great apple forest.
Several minutes later, we found them kicking away at the trees.
“Good afternoon,” I called out, getting their attention. “Why are you kicking at these threes for?”
“What does it look like?” Applejack uttered as she kicked at another tree, whereby the apples fell out and into baskets. “We’re collectin’ apples.”
AJ whipped the sweat from her forehead. “It’s quite the workout, Ah can tell ya that.”
“How long have you been working?” Twilight asked.
“What time is it?” I looked at my watch and told her that it’s about two-forty. “Really? It doesn't seem like it.”
“Ah know,” Applejack interjected. “Time here really flies out here. Apple?” she kicked an apple over to me.
“No thanks, I had an apple pie for lunch,” I handed the apple over to Twilight, she gladly took it. “So how’s the farm AJ?”
“Ah can tell ya one thing,” she said. “Kickin’, or Buckin’ as she puts it, is a whole lot better than climbing each and every tree ta pick each one.”
“Y’all should have been here when she started out.” Applejack laughed, “And ya should have seen the look on Big Mac’s face when he saw the two of us.”
“What happened?” Twilight asked.
“At first, his eyes went as wide as cartwheels. Then he thought that the Changelings-”
“Were invading again?” I completed her sentence.
She laughed, “Yeah, how did ya know?”
“Lucky guess.”
“Anyways, Ah had ta explained ta him that it wasn't it and told him the truth.”
“Ya know, it was weird, Ah can tell ya that.” AJ said, “Walkin’ around this place ta find ponies that look like the people back at home. Makes me wonder who else might be here as well.”
“Like who?” Applejack asked.
“Well, do ya know someone by the name of… ah…? (What’s a good example?)… Sombra?”
“Sombra!” Applejack spat at the ground at the very mentioning of his name.
“Ah’ll take that as a yes.”
“Why Sombra?”
“Don’t know. Considerin’ what he when he was Principal for that Elementary School befor’ he got arrested.”
“An Elementary School! Oh Celestia, our Sombra was a king of the Crystal Empire, Ah can’t imagine what he must’ve done to those poor foals over in your world!”
“At least he’s in prison now. At least, that’s what I've heard before I got fired. I think he’s still locked up or something. I’m not too sure; it’s been a while since he kidnapped those kids. I can’t for the life of me remember what the reason was. Oh well.” I lied to a degree. In all honesty, I’m still not exactly sure what he did to those kids. But I did see a few during my time at the asylum, and even heard them too when some of them were screaming their heads off over… something. But I tell you I was using my teacher’s instincts to keep my mouth shut.
Yes, there are a few things that I don’t tell my students from my hospital days.