//------------------------------// // Legacy Prompt #37: Bureaucracy // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// There was a knock on her office door. Sunset Shimmer glanced up, her horn lighting up and levitating the stack of laws that she had to review for the Mayor to one side, and took a second to straighten out her desk. Though she had initially feared the worst about her appointment as official Representative of Canterlot to Ponyville, it had turned out to be a mostly relaxing position. Even her house was paid for. “Come in!” she called. Applejack strode in and tossed a peice of paper on Sunset’s desk. “You mind explainin’ what in tarnation your signature is doin’ on this form?” she asked. Sunset levitated the form over for a closer inspection. As she had expected, it was a request for the Apples to expand their farmland. And, as she expected, her signature, along with Mayor Mare’s, was on it, denying the Apples permission. Sunset sighed. “Look, Applejack,” began Sunset, before she was cut off. “I don’t know if y’all know this, but we’re not doin’ too fancy. You know how many barns we’ve had to rebuild since the Summer Sun Celebration? Three. Now, I know that you’re from Canterlot an’ all, and you don’t know what it’s like scraping by or how much it costs to run an orchard our size, but we need that expansion or we ain’t turnin’ a profit no more. Granny’s hip ain’t getting any better, Sunset. I thought that you could help me out here, Sunset.” Sunset blinked, and silence fell between the two ponies for a short time. “Applejack, you’re requesting to expand into the Everfree,” said Sunset. “Yeah?” said Applejack. Sunset rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “Applejack, the Everfree is protected ground. Neither I, or Mayor Mare can allow anypony to expand their land into the Everfree until it’s been rezoned by Canterlot. Also, you can’t be granted anymore land because there are limits on how much you can have depending on your income,” said Sunset, “and also? Big Macintosh showed me the account books. You are nowhere near not turning a profit, Applejack. You should try listening to him when he talks about that stuff.” “Oh,” said Applejack, “well, I just made a right fool of myself, didn’t I?” “Yes, you did,” grumbled Sunset, “was that all?” “Just about,” said Applejack, “You gonna be at Princess Celestia’s visit later?” “That’s today?” shrieked Sunset, yanking the calender off her wall, her eyes scanning over dates and attached notes. “Um, sorry, no, many laws to review. Much work. So intense. Bye!” And with that, Sunset Shimmer levitated Applejack and tossed her out of the door, bolting it shut behind her. Outside, Applejack picked herself up, and decided that she’d head on over to Sugarcube Corner. “Wonder if all of Princess Celestia’s students are that twitchy about the Princess?” she mused to herself. “Nah, it’s probably just her,” concluded Applejack. ****** Sunset finally managed to get her breathing back under control, and was about to sit back down and spend a morning (and afternoon) going over Ponyville’s laws when a gilded birdcage knocked her in the side of the head. This was swiftly followed by Fluttershy darting through the open window. “Oh, um, Sunset Shimmer?” she asked, picking the birdcage and the dilapidated bird within. “Oww,” groaned Celestia’s student. “Oh, I’m so sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering if you could maybe help me with this?” Fluttershy thrust the birdcage towards Sunset. “Philomena?” groaned Sunset, rising to her hooves, and searching the small freezer in her office for something cold. “Why do you have Philomena?” “I just saw this poor little birdy in his cage, and he looked so sick so I just had to help him,” cooed Fluttershy, “but no matter what I try, he never seems to get better. I just thought that since you were Celestia’s student up in Canterlot, you might know more about him.” “Well, there’s not really much you can do,” said Sunset, finding a tray of ice, and placing it against her head with a sigh. “He’s dying, but,” Fluttershy grabbed the cage, and fled Sunset’s office, sobbing about how she was going to make the bird’s last moments as peaceful as possible. Sunset’s eye twitched. “But he’s a phoenix, and this is a perfectly normal part of their lifecycle,” finished Sunset with a sigh. She settled back into her chair, holding the ice tray against her head, wincing as she went back to looking over Ponyville’s older laws. ****Time**** “Keeping yourself so busy that you don’t have to see me, Sunset? You did the same thing up in Canterlot,” said Celestia, as she teleported into the office. Sunset fell backwards out of her chair with a scream. “My, I didn’t know you were that terrified of seeing me, Sunset Shimmer,” giggled Celestia. However, Sunset was too busy being unconscious to reply. “Sunset Shimmer?” asked Celestia, leaning over the desk, “Oh dear.”