//------------------------------// // The Second Part // Story: A Change in Three Parts // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// Dust’s head was still buried in the cloud when she felt the air stir around her, and heard the beat of wings. Lifting her head, she saw Twilight Sparkle hovering nearby. She was in her full royal regalia, which was very unusual for the friendly and approachable princess. Dust didn’t know what to think, and so only watched as Twilight touched down on the little cloud. “Princess,” Dust said, her voice cracking as she tried to speak. “I’m sorry I missed our meeting.” “Pinkie Pie found me,” Twilight explained calmly. “She told me what happened with you and Rainbow Dash. I’m sorry.” “It’s not your fault,” Dust insisted. Her voice again wavered, and she reached up to rub the tears of her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not presentable.” “It’s alright. You’ve given up a lot to be here—sacrificed so much,” Twilight’s voice was touched with sympathy, and she reached a hoof out to rest it over Dust’s. “I can’t imagine how stressful it must be to worry it was all for nothing. But don’t worry. I promise that won’t happen.” “It... won’t?” Dust sniffled again, but she lifted her head. “No. I think I have a compromise solution that will work for everypony,” Twilight said, adding a bright little kick to her tone. “Publishing your work would be controversial, but I’ve spoken with Celestia, and she said the Crown would be happy to buy your research. All of it. And I don’t mean like she’s going to cover it up—of course we’re going to acknowledge your great accomplishment. You’d get your own shelf in the restricted section of the Canterlot library, the chance to write a few books, and it would be more than enough money to bail you out of debt. You’d get your family fortune back! Isn’t that great?” Dust said nothing, and as the silence grew overlong, Twilight’s smile flickered. “I thought you’d be happy.” “Are you...” Dust swallowed. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and dust, and when she licked her lips, little moisture came. “Are you telling me that I will not be permitted to publish my work? Publically, that is. For general consumption.” “No,” Twilight replied, but her voice was hesitant now. “I thought we could skip all that. Find a better way.” “I spoke with your friends,” Dust said quickly, forcing her eyes to stay locked on Twilight’s face. “They said you asked their advice on the matter, and all of them came out quite strongly against me. Have you decided that if I refuse your offer, you will deny me the right to publish?” “No,” Twilight repeated. “Granted, five of my five advisors are all strongly against you. But we aren’t a democracy. Their advice is just advice.” Twilight considered Dust, and carefully folded her legs. “But I would need a compelling reason to ignore their wishes. Applejack is concerned you’ll destroy Equestria’s culture and traditions. She was very upset when Apple Bloom considered if her destiny might be to become a unicorn. Rarity raises significant safety concerns. Fluttershy points out you might start a class war. Pinkie Pie questions if there’s any compelling reason to bother with the trouble. And Rainbow Dash points out, unkindly but not inaccurately, that you have a proven history of irrational decisions and recklessness.” Dust said nothing, and so after a moment, Twilight prompted her: “Do you think they’re wrong?” “No, Princess,” Dust said. “I do not think that they are wrong. I just don’t think they matter.” Twilight lifted her head and neck, and her eyes narrowed slightly. “I hope there’s something coming after that.” Dust took in a slow breath, forcing herself to swallow what felt like a lump of sand in her throat. “Applejack’s culture will die. You know that. That’s what cultures do—they die. If I don’t kill it, somepony else will. Maybe somepony who makes a better apple picker. Or maybe changing tastes that shift demand for produce. Or maybe something awful like a war. But her traditions will die, and that’s not a bad thing. Once it was tradition that you couldn't marry a pony of another race. We don’t feel sad that went away!” Dust took another sharp breath, her hooves shaking. “And—and if Apple Bloom’s destiny is to become a unicorn? Or a pegasus? If her destiny is to become the next great wizard or a brilliant weather pony? Applejack should be proud of her! Which matters more, her stupid traditions or her sister’s happiness? She should be ashamed for even thinking that!” “Calm down,” Twilight cooed, gently pressing her hoof over Dust’s shaking forelegs. “I know you’ve had a rough day, but shouting won’t help.” Her trembling gradually stopped, and she took long, deep breaths. “I know,” Dust said quickly. After a moment, she flicked her tail and repeated the words slower, “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...” “It’s okay. Go on,” Twilight urged. “When you’re ready.” Dust nodded, and after a few more deep breaths, went on. “Rarity and Fluttershy aren’t wrong. But they are wrong. Mistaken. Yes, of course new things are dangerous. But what’s the alternative, never try new things? I’m not proposing we throw a how-to guide for my work to every first-year enchanter and tell him to have at it.” She shook her head. “Obviously it’s going to be more complicated than that. Precautions taken. But the risk of magical discovery never stopped you, and it shouldn’t stop the rest of us either.” “That’s Rarity. What about Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. “That only the rich can afford it?” Dust shook her head. “What else are you going to ban? Fine art? The opera? Commissioning a painting isn’t cheap. Are you going to quarry Canterlot Palace? Open up your home to boarders? Or, no. Because those are luxuries. Education is a better example.” Her pace picked up, and she made a sharp, wild gesture of her hooves. “Sure, the poor get an education, but would you be the Princess of Friendship if you’d been born to two earth pony coal miners? I don’t think so. And yes, that’s unfair and the government should do something about it, but the solution isn’t to ban ponies from learning. And the solution isn’t to ban my work!” Dust took a few deep breaths, forcing her pace to slow. “And you think my work is so important that the poor absolutely cannot be without it, isn’t that even more proof that it’s worth publishing? You’re a monarch. You can... find some way to fix the money problem.” “It’s not quite that easy. And that’s not quite how the monarchy works,” Twilight replied, but she nodded for Dust to go on. “I’m sure you could work something out with Celestia. And...” She spread her wings, gesturing down to Sugarcube Corner. “And Dash and Pinkie Pie are wrong too. If you removed the works of every researcher who was a little personally abrasive from Canterlot Library, you know what you’d have?” “An empty building?” Twilight asked, with a small dry smile. “Exactly,” Dust gave a half laugh. “Research demands sacrifice, and... and your hero. Starswirl the Bearded? People still use his magic, even though he was responsible for everything from the birth of the Changeling race to King Sombra. His, let’s be frank, screw ups have killed thousands if not tens of thousands over the course of history. I’m not saying that’s okay. What he did was wrong, and we can acknowledge he did bad things. But we don’t throw out his work because of it.” “I’m not sure that logic quite holds,” Twilight said, looking down at Sugarcube Corner. “But even if it did, all you’ve done is argue that it’s less dangerous than some ponies think. It’s still dangerous, and honestly? I agree with Pinkie Pie. I don’t see what good it does. With hard work and determination, anypony of any race can fulfill their destiny. The fact that an earth pony made this incredible discovery proves that as much as anything.” Dust sniffled as she lifted her head, nodding to Twilight. She took a breath, sniffled again, and finally forced herself to go on. “I’m sorry, Princess. I suppose I shouldn't say this to my betters. But that’s a load of horse apples.” Dust’s jaw worked without sound for a moment, but abruptly she began to speak again, cutting off Twilight’s reply. “Do you seriously expect me to believe that Apple Bloom could be a weather pony if she really put her heart into it? Because being able to fly is kind of a big part of that. Or is she born not wanting it? That earth ponies naturally just have no interest in weather?” Her tail lashed back and forth. “Because for a pony who is literally the physical incarnation of unity between all tribes, that’s pretty racist. But I don’t think you meant it that way.” Dust pointed sharply down towards Sweet Apple Acres in the distance, jabbing an accusative hoof towards it. “I think you meant that she’ll get over it. That she’ll learn to accept her limitations and forget she ever had those dreams and be happy without them. And you know, she will. Just like Scootaloo and Nova Star will get over being crippled! I’m sure they will be happy one day but it’s still wrong!” Dust started to tear up again, her wings fluffing out from her side. “That’s not how ponies are. We don’t sit there and force ourselves to become happy with what we have. We strive for more and we make it happen and we refuse to accept our limitations. Earth ponies did it when they founded this town right by the Everfree. Unicorns did it when they let Starswirl revolutionize magic. And pegasi... I don’t know! They did something.” Dust lifted her head to Twilight, spread her wings out by her side, and forced her wavering voice to stay level. “I’m better than I was. More than I was. Just like you became more than you were.” She paused, and then added quickly. “No. No.” She gestured out at the town. “Just like everypony becomes more than they were when they learn a new trick. A new ability. That’s what ponies do. It is good and it is right and I don’t have to justify that.” “That may be so,” Twilight agreed. “But then why not accept my first offer? You’d get to stay as you are. You worked hard and earned your wings and horn.” “Because when a little colt who doesn’t get to go to the restricted wing of the library runs up to me and asks how they can learn that trick, I want a better answer than, ‘You can’t because I really wanted to have a nice house.’” Dust snapped the words out bitterly, and then turned to look away. “You feel very strongly about this,” Twilight said slowly, though her tone remained calm. “As strongly as you do about friendship and magic, Princess,” Dust nodded, reaching up to rub her eyes. “It’s what I’ve dedicated my life to. It’s what makes me special. And it’s what I share with other ponies to make the world a better place.” “I see that.” Twilight looked down at the cloud. “Can I ask you a question then?” Dust nodded. “Which race do you prefer? I know you don’t think one is better. I’m not making an accusation. I’m asking which body you prefer to wear.” “Unicorn magic is better for manipulating small objects,” Dust answered, “and I’m really enjoying learning to cast spells. Pegasi wings are great for getting around, and dealing with physical things. Running, stamina, long moves. Cold resistant too. But I always go to sleep as an earth pony.” She swallowed, and a moment later clarified. “When I’m a unicorn, I always sleep right through my alarm. Earth ponies have an easier time of it.” “You enjoy getting up at sunrise?” Twilight asked. “No. I enjoy sleeping in,” Dust answered. “But I have work to do in the morning. Sleeping in feels good physically, but... there’s so much in the world worth doing. What if today was the day I was going to learn something important, or finally have that last breakthrough, but I miss it because I’m sleeping? I couldn't.” She pulled her hooves together, rubbing one over the other. “There’s not enough time as it is. I don’t see how you could waste it sleeping.” “Hmph.” Twilight paused, and then slowly rose to her hooves. “If I can’t persuade you to take the third option then?” “You can’t,” Dust confirmed. “Then, I’ll need a couple of days to think this over. I want to talk to Princess Celestia again.” She turned to go, but then paused. “And, Dust? Could you look at me for a moment?” Slowly, Dust turned her face back to Twilight. The princess fluffed her wings, pausing a moment to find the right words. “I don’t know what decision I’m going to make. This could change the fate of Equestria and... and it’s not to be made lightly. I have to do what’s best for my subjects. But no matter what decision I make, I want you to know that... well. I think you’re brilliant. A genius. And now that your work is done, maybe... maybe we can see you in Ponyville more. Make some friends.” “I’d... like that,” Dust said. After a moment, she added, “Thank you, Princess.” Twilight nodded, spread her wings, and lept from the edge of the cloud. Dust watched her fly away, twisting through the sky back towards her crystal palace, until she slipped within its doors, and was lost to sight.