//------------------------------// // A New Home // Story: The More Things Change // by The Crane //------------------------------// "Uuurr.... Why are we here again?" Tonya grumbles. She looks up at a burnt out barn that barely has anything left standing. She sits on her hindquarters on one end of a line while three of her friends can be seen making up the rest. "Because we are being gracious," Amanda replies with a smile. "Because Winter is coming," Kat remarks. "Because that sounded way too ominous!" Bobbi adds while looking in Kat's reasonable vicinitiy. "And because you ate all of Twilight's donuts while she wasn't looking," Casie snorts. ~~~~~~~~ Earlier... ~~~~~~~~ While the five were doing what they were doing, a knock came at the door followed swiftly by Applejack walking in. The orange country pony trotted in "Twilight? Ya here?" She looked about and found a number of books stacked in neat and not so neat piles about the floor. Her blonde tail and mane, topped with a stetson, waved around a little as she looked for her friend. "Over here!" a purple leg waved from behind a wall of bound paper. Her stack was neat, organized, color coordinated, alphabetized, and OCD'd so well you'd swear it was right where it was supposed to be. "Hey there, Twi. New project?" "Yeah. One that I can't see yet. But, I'm working on it!!" she proclaims with a raised hoof. But, she drops her hoof again and looks at her friend. "What's up?" "Compared ta this? Nothin' special. Maybe Ah'll leave you be." She takes a moment to look around and inspects the madness at hand. Of the many ponies in the library, only two of them stand out--Twilight and Fluttershy. "Wait. YOU!!!" she shouts. Casie had been studying a book, but buries herself in it far more. She's sure she knows what's coming. And, sure enough, Applejack bounces over to her red self. "Me?" "Yeah you!!" She grabs up Casie's hoof and shakes it liberally. "Ah owe ya a BIIG Thank You!!! Ya saved my sister and 'er friends!!!" "Wasn't a big deal," Casie replies. "I couldn't stand by and do nothing." "NO BIG DEAL?! You ran into the fire and saved them all!! You're a hero!!" "Yeah," Casie says with a smile. "As I told your sister, fire has no effect on me." She turns a bit to show off her flank with a flaming Cutie Mark. "My element's fire. Heat and cold, even in extreme, won't hurt me." "To a point I'm sure," Amanda remarks. Tonya giggles a bit, and that's never a good sign. "Throw her into the sun and find out?" Casie just rolls her eyes for a moment and shakes her head. "Ignore her. I think she grew up standing on her head." But, her seriousness returns as she looks at Applejack. "There is something I need to say, though." "What is it?" "The fire? I... may have had something... to do with it..." "Say what now?" Applejack wonders. "What are you goin' on about, Sugarcube?" "When I landed," Casie explains, "I think my element... got loose for a moment. I landed somewhere behind your barn, and I think my flame might've.... set it ablaze." There is a loud unanimous gasp from around the room as everyone else hears such a shocking revelation. Her friends step next to her for support and evaluate what's been said. "You... burned down my barn?" "Applejack!" Twilight shouts. But, her friend raises a 'hold it' hoof in her direction to keep her from saying anything else. "Yes. I did." "Totally accidental?" Applejack continues. "I had no control in the matter," Casie affirms. "When I saw the fire, I realized that I might have involuntarily started it. When I saw that those three were in danger, I knew that it was my fault in the first place. After I saved them, I ran off because I was ashamed of what I had done. I'm sorry, Applejack. I did not mean for any of this to happen. Please forgive me." There is a long silence as the two stare at each other. Applejack searches Casie's eyes for any sign of falsehood or half-truth. Casie looks at Applejack's expression, waiting to see if such a thing can be forgiven. Twilight watches from the sidelines. She's fully aware that she cannot intervene. This is strictly between the two of them. Fluttershy watches as well, but her head shrinks down into her shoulders. If she were a turtle, it wouldn't be seen at all. Pinkie Pie had snuck in during all of this. She watches from behind the crowd and bites a potato chip as if this were a suspenseful movie. "Ah forgive ya," Applejack finally says. "You were honest and upfront about the whole thing. I appreciate that." After her words, everyone gives a sigh of relief in some way. "Ah lost a barn, but it wasn't yer fault. Ah can't be mad at you for it." "Thank you," Casie says with a small smile. "I'd like to help build a new barn for you. It's the least I could do." Applejack puts a hoof to her chin and looks to the ceiling for a moment. "Tell ya what..." ~~~~~~~~ And.... ~~~~~~~~ "So," Bobbi says, "we all raise a barn for them, and we get to stay in it while we're here." "I don't need a barn," Tonya groans. "I'll just dig a hole for myself somewhere." She gets up to go do just that. She quickly trots off to find some land to call her own, but two unicorns named Bobbi and Amanda use their powers to drag her back by her hind legs. "Hey, Casie," Kat asks. "Your powers protected you while you saved those kids?" "Yah. They did." "What if they didn't?" Kat wonders. "Would you still have jumped in?" Casie shakes her head for a minute in slight bemusement. "Kat, after all these years, do you have to ask?" "So we're building a barn? Just the five of us?" Amanda wonders. "Ah didn't say anythang about that!!" Applejack shouts from nearby. The five all look over their shoulders to find Applejack trotting in with her five friends, each carrying various supplies. In addition, a large red clydesdale pulls a cart of lumber along with an elderly green pony and Apple Bloom. All in all, 14 showed up to help out with this project. Two more filly heads popped out of the back of the wagon to make it 16. ==-==-== Over the course of the day, each one of them had their hooves in the project in some way or another. Not everypony knew how to raise a barn, but there were enough to teach the rest. Tonya and Bobbi had the first job. Tonya is well connected to the soil below her and can make it bend to her will. It was her responsibility to clear the ground of all the burnt out debris. With her abilities, she managed to sweep all the remnants of the old barn into a cluster. "Good job, Tonya," Bobbi says happily. "Why don't you go get the wagon and I'll get ready to load it." Tonya grumbled a bit but returned quickly with the vehicle in question. She found it easy to harness herself into it. There were small belts she pulled to secure it to herself. Bobbi used her unicorn magic to pile the load on the wagon. It was eventually taken away by Tonya and her everpresent scowl. Their amazing displays of power left the indigineous residents flabbergasted. "My word she's strong!" Rarity gasps. "She's able to pull ALL of that?" "She'll be fine," Bobbi notes. "She's... got some special magic that reduces the gravity, making it easier to pull." "You'd think someone with such a gift would be... happier." "Yeah..." Bobbi responds. "But, life still finds a way to squeeze a lemon in your eye. Trust me. I know." "That was quite the ability," Twilight wonders. "Of all the Earth Ponies I've seen, I don't recall any ever moving the ground like that!!" "Yeah," Amanda grins. "She's sure special." "She rode the short bus to school!" Kat muses. "I HEARD THAT!!" Tonya growls from afar. ==-==-== Over the course of the next several hours, everypony had their parts to play. Fluttershy took the time to bring in food for the entire crew. She had snacks ready at all times for them. Granny Smith and Rarity kept them hydrated by keeping water on hand. Rainbow Dash was airborne-ready throughout the adventure. She kept the sky clear from too many clouds that could rain on the project. Pinkie Pie and Big Mcintosh kept the materials flowing in the right direction. Even the three little fillies known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders helped out with small stuff (no pun intended). But, despite all their duties, every last one of them chipped in for the actual construction. They all pounded nails into the boards. They all worked together to lift the walls into place. They all worked together to build anew what had been destroyed. Applejack and Casie had the master plan and pounded nails in while they gave directions. Both ponies gave smiles as they saw all their friends together in a unified goal. AJ's friends would do anything to help her. Casie's friends (even a grumbling Tonya) would do anything to help her. Although they were both creeped out by a hammer floating about on its own. At least it was helpful. But not as creeped out as with Pinkie Pie singing "la la lalala la.... la lalala la... Sing a Pony song!!!" And after hours upon hours of hammer and nailing, the structure was raised. After a long day's work, the basic structure was complete. Fluttershy had put together a grand lunch for all of the workers. ==-==-== Once the building was done, many of the crew sauntered off to rest. Tonya made good on her promise and dug a hole for herself. She managed to dig far enough that she was flush with the surrounding terrain. She curled up per usual and tried to ignore the world. If she had thought about it, she could've pulled the grass over herself like a blanket. Twilight and Kat had their own project to do. "Kat," Twilight tells her, "I need you to stand in this circle. As quickly as she had mouthed the words, she uses her horn's magic to grab a stick and draw a circle in the ground. "Right here?" Kat replies. Twilight notes that four hoofprints are growing in the ground. "That's right. I've been researching your problem. I'm sorry that I haven't found a solution faster, but I've had a few other issues. LIKE SOME-PONY WOLFING DOWN MY DONUTS!!!" At the mere thought, Tonya licks her muzzle. "Grudge much?" Kat wonders aloud. "Hay yeah!!" But, she quickly composes herself and clears her throat. "Anyway." Several scrolls rise up and unfurl themselves. One after another, as Twilight watches, they attach to the unpainted barn. Nails from the project bullet into the scrolls to keep them into place. "Hey, Twilight, I thought you said that invisibility spells were easy." "They are!! But, if you don't know what MADE you invisible, it's harder to undo it. As such, I have found several methods to undo your invisibility. I've cataloged the pros and cons. I've categorized from simple to complex. There is a way to fix your problem with patience and a committed mind." ~~~ Nearby, Applejack and Big McIntosh place several open cans of paint on the ground. Amanda walks up and looks at it all. "Is this all of it?" "Eeyup," the big red one notes. "Sure you c'n do this?" Applejack asks. "Oh, this will be fun," Amanda says happily. Her blue horn glows a lighter blue color. "My specialty is water. And liquids. Although some days I can't hold my liquor." "I ain't never had that problem." "N-ope." Aside from all the talk, the contents of the paint cans rise up into the air like a reversed drain. "Seems paint's not a problem." After it all rises, from their individual containers, it comes together as a combined ball of red fluid. Applejack and Bic Mac stand with a collective 'ooooo...' expression. "You two..." she says. "Can you stand apart? The length of the barn between you?" The two look at each other for a moment and then walk away. Within a span of a few moments, they comply with her demands and show the length requested. "What now, Sugarcube?" Amanda grins a little. Her horn glows a little brighter. The ball of red paint stretches out between the siblings. Both of them are a little apprehensive as it gets closer, but trust her just the same. She then stretches it upwards and creates a wall of red. "My turn." ~~~ "I don't know the specifics of how your Crystal caused this." Even as she speaks, she reviews her research on the wall. "I can't do a cancelling spell without knowing the details because I might hurt you. But, these here might work." "Uh... Twilight?" "I know, I know..." she continues. "You're worried about the dangers. Well, the side effects of these is minor at best. I might return you to a visible form, but you might be a different color." "Twilight?" "I'm kidding!!! These are perfectly harmless!! Well, Kat are you ready to--" Her speaking is suddenly cut short as a wall of red paint passes over her and changes her purple coat, mane and tail as such. "Hey!!" Pinkie Pie gasps. "There's a Twi-houlette on the side of the barn!!!" Amanda had just affixed the paint to the side of the barn when Pinkie opened her mouth. "Why is there a..." She quickly sees a very red pony standing with narrow eyelids. "I AM SO SORRY!!!" Amanda says with extreme panic. "I had no idea you were standing there!! I couldn't see you from the other side!!!" Twilight stands in shock and dismay as Amanda uses her horn's magic to try and peel the paint back off of her. "It's okay..." she sighs. "I've had worse." She stands still to allow Amanda to work her magic, but finds a fair amount of it has already set in and will be difficult to remove. "I'll be fine. I just want to get back to" she starts as she turns her head back towards the wall. "MY RESEARCH!!!!" Kat looks over and finds that all the parchments the Twilight was going to use to try to fix her have been completely painted over. In her own defense, she tried to warn her about this. Twilight's lip quivers with horror as the entirety of her work has been for naught. Her eyes water as she sees her efforts have been erased. The (red and) purple princess drops to her knees in a defeated pose as her entire project has been destroyed. "WWWWHHHHYYYYY???" "I am so sorry!!" Amanda quickly tells her. "It seemed like such a great idea at the time..." But, Twilight says nothing. She stands to her four hooves and walks away with her head hung low. Amanda and Kat watch her shuffle off as if a loved one had just been murdered. She stops by another one of the newcomers and looks at her for a moment. "Tonya? Is there room in there for one more?" Tonya swings her head around to find Twilight staring at her with a heavy pouting muzzle and gushes of watery eyes. But, what stands out is the red streaks dripping from her body. Her eyes widen as she looks at her and can only speculate at what just happened. "Y-YOU CAN HAVE IT!!!" She quickly jumps to her hooves and gallops away from the apparent ax-murderer. "I'M SORRY ABOUT YOUR DONUTS!!! PLEASE DON'T END MEEEE!!!"