Princess Celestia stared at Twilight. To Twilight's surprise she didn't look angry; instead she looked deeply confused. There was a long, awkward silence, and then the ruler of Equestria spoke. “Would you care to explain what is going on?” she asked gently.
Twilight looked up at the towering white alicorn. She thought about the day that Applejack died, and the immense pain she felt when she realized that her friend was unquestionably dead. She thought about how Rainbow Dash insisted there was something she could do to fix it, and the long, hard hours it took to find a solution that would bring her dear friend back to life.
It had been so hard and so difficult. The magic spells that Twilight had used to resurrect her friend had drained her, and she was so tired she could no longer even do simple tasks. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. The simple act of standing up on her hooves took all the strength she had left.
But the worst part was knowing that she had failed. Frosted Arrow was right: Twilight hadn't brought Applejack back. Her dear, dear friend was gone, and she would never return. The new Applejack hates me, she thought desperately. She will never get over who she is. Her family thinks I used dark magic to bring her back, and that I've done something evil and twisted. It's only a matter of time before the whole town comes to my home and burns it down. I'll have to run for my life, and go into hiding, and–
Twilight finally couldn't take it anymore. She collapsed onto the ground and burst into tears.
Celestia looked at Twilight in shock. “Twilight, what's wrong? I don't understand. What is going on?”
But Twilight did not respond. She just cried even harder. All the pain and suffering of the past week had finally caught up with her, and she couldn't hold it back any more.
Celestia quickly walked over to Twilight, picked her up off the ground, and hugged her. “I am so sorry,” Celestia said softly. “I didn't know how hard all of this had been for you. I thought you were doing all right. I should have been here for you – and insisted that Rainbow Dash let me inside. But I'm here for you now and I'm not going anywhere. Just let it all go.”
It took some time for Twilight to calm down. When Celestia saw that a crowd of onlookers was starting to gather, she gently carried Twilight inside the castle and closed the door. Once Twilight finally regained control of herself, Celestia dried her tears and set her down in a chair in her beloved library.
Celestia noticed that the library was a mess, but she didn't say anything about it. I should have been with Twilight this week, Celestia thought. I should never have left her all alone. Rainbow Dash was not the comfort that she needed. I have let Twilight down.
Celestia looked at Twilight. “Do you feel like talking?”
Twilight nodded. “I think so. I'm just so sorry about all this! I didn't know things would turn out this way. I had good intentions – really, I did.”
“What are you talking about? Everything turned out fine. I stopped by Sweet Apple Acres before I came here, and–”
“You stopped by the Apple farm?” Twilight asked, surprised.
“Yes, I did, and I saw Applejack there. She's doing fine, Twilight. Her family loves her and is so happy to have her back. All of Ponyville came out to see her and welcome her home. Everyone is happy about this – everyone except for you, apparently. Applejack told me that you were upset, but she wouldn't say why. She just said I should come and see you.”
“I did my best,” Twilight said hurriedly. “I really did. You have to understand that this was really, really hard. I found the best solution that I could, but there are some things that just can't be done.”
Celestia nodded. “I know – and I used to think that bringing ponies back from the dead was one of those things. Yet, somehow, you found a way to do it. When I saw Applejack I was quite impressed. I thought you had used some sort of necromancy to reanimate her, but I could detect no dark magic about her at all. That really was Applejack, in the flesh. She was no different from the last time I saw her. You did it, Twilight, but I don't understand how. You have accomplished something that I have never seen done before.”
Twilight sighed. “But that's just it. I didn't do it. I mean, I thought I had done it, until Frosted Arrow explained what was really going on. Applejack saw the truth all along. That's why she was so upset.”
“Who is Frosted Arrow?” Celestia asked.
“Um, well, I don't really know a lot about him. I do know that he runs the comic book store in Ponyville. He's the stallion that ran off in a panic when you appeared on my doorstep.”
“Oh.” Celestia paused. “Is he a powerful magic user?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, he's an earth pony. Like I said, he sells comic books.”
“Then why were you taking magic advice from him? Why not talk to me instead? If you had asked me for help, Twilight, I would have come. Luna would have helped as well. We are both well versed in the magical arts.”
“I would never dream of asking either of you, princess! You have a whole nation to run and important things to do. You're just too busy. That's why I had to do this myself – well, with Rainbow's help. I couldn't have done it without her.”
“But she's not a magic user either. What did you do, Twilight? How did you bring Applejack back to life?”
Twilight hesitated. “It's – um, it's complicated.”
“I have all day,” Celestia said gently. “Take your time.”
Twilight pointed a hoof at the library window. “Um, about that. I'm pretty sure the day is almost over. Isn't it almost time for you to set the sun?”
“I can set the sun from here,” Celestia pointed out. “I have time for you, Twilight. I know I am busy, but you do matter to me. You are my favorite student, you know, and you always will be. I care a great deal about you.”
“Thank you,” Twilight replied. Celestia saw that her former student was finally beginning to relax. The fear and pain seemed to be leaving her. “That really means a lot to me. Let me get my notes, then, and we can get started. I think you'll find this fascinating.”
Twilight tried to get out of her chair, but she ended up falling onto the floor instead. Her back legs knocked over the end table and sent it crashing onto the ground. The teacup that was resting on the table shattered into dozens of tiny pieces.
The noise roused Spike, who leaped out of bed and raced into the library. He was surprised to see that Celestia was there, helping a very unsteady Twilight get back up onto her hooves.
“Oh, hello, princess,” Spike said. “So, uh, what's going on? What did I miss?”
“Twilight has had a long day,” Celestia replied. “I think she needs to go to bed and get some rest. I can continue my discussion with her another day. Can you take care of her?”
“Of course!” Spike announced. “That's what I'm here for. So, um, how did that thing with Applejack go? Did that work out?”
Celestia nodded. “Twilight was able to bring her back to life. I'm not sure how she did it, but it worked. Applejack is now home again.”
“That's great news! Maybe that means Rainbow Dash will move out and stop bothering Twilight. She has been a real pest lately. In fact, she hasn't let Twilight get any sleep at all! It's been awful.”
“I see,” Celestia said thoughtfully. “That certainly explains a lot.”
Twilight spoke up. “Celestia, do you think you could come back a week from today? Maybe you could return in the evening so Luna can join you. By then I'll be rested and will have my notes organized, and I can teach both of you how to perform the technique that I used on Applejack. Will that work?”
“That sounds like a wise plan – and I am sure my sister will gladly join us. She enjoys spending time with you, you know. I will make sure that our schedules are clear that evening. Who are we going to raise from the dead?”
“Um, let me think. Hmmm. What about Starswirl the Bearded? He had his brain preserved for science, right?”
“That is correct. His brain currently resides in the Canterlot Library.”
“Great – then that should work. When you come back next week, bring that and a lock from his mane. That should be enough.”
“Very well. I will acquire both of those items.”
Celestia was about to return to Canterlot when the force of what they were talking about suddenly hit her. Starswirl had been dead for almost a thousand years, but a week from now they were going to bring him back to life again. The thought filled her with hope and joy. This wasn't just another magic lesson; this was something amazing – something that would change Equestria forever!
The princess was overwhelmed with pure happiness. “Oh, Twilight, it will be so good to see him again! He has been gone for such a long time. It's still hard for me to believe that this is possible. I thought he was gone for good – but you've changed that. You have made all sorts of things possible. I never imagined that this day would come.”
The ruler of Equestria turned her attention to Spike. “Make sure that Twilight gets plenty of rest this week, and don't let anyone bother her. She is exhausted and needs to recover. Can I trust you to handle that?”
“Of course! You can count on me. I'm Twilight's number-one assistant, after all.”
Celestia smiled. “Then I will see you both next week. Twilight, please write to me if you need anything. I will do whatever I can to help you. All right?”
“Thanks,” Twilight said wearily. “I'll see you then.”
Celestia gave Twilight one last hug and then disappeared in a flash of yellow light, leaving Twilight and Spike alone in the library.
“All right,” Spike said. “Let's get you off to bed. Do you think you can make it? Because if you can't, I don't think I can carry you.”
Twilight smiled in spite of weariness. “I can try. A little rest is definitely what I need. I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning.”
* * * * *
Twilight was so tired that she went to sleep immediately after collapsing in bed – but rest did not come easy for her. Her sleep was troubled and fitful. She kept tossing and turning, unable to find the peace that she so craved.
The worst part was the nightmare that she kept having. Usually the princess dreamed gentle, happy dreams about reading books or making new friends. Tonight, however, her dreams were dark and disturbing.
Twilight saw herself standing in front of her crystal castle. The area around her was bathed in a gray light. All the color seemed to be drained out of the world; even her castle had been turned black. It was as if all of Equestria was in a state of mourning.
In front of her, about thirty feet away, was Celestia. The ruler of Equestria had a look of intense anger on her face, and her horn was glowing. Twilight knew that she was getting ready to attack and she began to panic. She desperately wanted to flee, but found to her terror that she couldn't move. Celestia was going to try to kill her and Twilight could do nothing about it. The dream was fixed and could not be changed.
Behind Celestia was the ruins of Ponyville. The city had crumbled into dust and was overrun with weeds and trees. It looked like the town had been abandoned for a century – perhaps more. Nothing was intact and nothing was lived in. The town was deserted and forgotten.
A cold wind blew through the air, and a dark sun hung low on the horizon. Evening was approaching. There were a few scattered clouds high in the sky, but there were no birds or pegasi in sight. Somehow Twilight knew that she and Celestia were the only two ponies left in the world. Everypony else was gone, and had been gone for a long time. The whole world had come to an end.
Celestia was the one who broke the chilling silence. “You have to end this!” she screamed. “Do you not see what you have done? Is this what you wanted? Was this your plan all along?”
Twilight found that she had no choice. Each time she dreamed this dream she tried to change its outcome, but she couldn't. It was as if she was watching someone else – or was a part of something that could not be changed.
“You should have gone with Luna!” Twilight shouted at her former mentor. “Everypony else has left and is safe. They have found their own happiness. Why have you stayed behind? There's nothing left here in this dark and terrible world. Even I don't live here anymore! I only came back to protect my kingdom from your rage.”
“Rage? Rage? I will show you rage!”
Celestia leaped into the air and fired a bolt of intense magical energy directly at Twilight.
Twilight immediately woke up, screaming in terror. She was drenched in sweat and her heart was racing. Her thoughts were filled with blind panic. Celestia is going to try to kill me! I just know she is. But why? What have I done?
* * * * *
After a restless night, Twilight hauled herself out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. She did feel a little bit better. Her headache was gone and her body's pains had mostly subdued. It was an improvement – but she was still field with doubts and uncertainties.
As she made herself a cup of tea she thought about her dream the night before. Does that scene have any significance? Am I seeing a glimpse of the future, or is it just a manifestation of my own anxieties? Am I worried that Celestia is going to be upset when she learns how I brought Applejack back, or was I just overly tired?
The fact that she kept having the same dream over and over again weighed on her. It had to mean something; she just didn't know what. I don't understand how my new magic could destroy Equestria. Raising the dead seems like a good thing! Maybe I was just too tired yesterday.
After Twilight finished her tea she went downstairs into her basement. She had a lot of work to do. I don't even know where to begin! Let me think. I need to organize my findings and create a book I can publish, so other unicorns can learn how to cast these spells. Since non-alicorns are going to be attempting this, I might need to find an easier way to do some of these tricks. After all, unicorns aren't going to have alicorn magic to fall back on when things get tough.
Then she remembered the ruined barn at Sweet Apple Acres. The Apple family depended on that barn; rebuilding it would be a terrible financial hardship on them. It was a virtual certainty that Applejack would eventually come by and ask for help rebuilding it. She would be reluctant at first, because the Apple family was proud and self-reliant. But she would give in eventually, out of necessity. That meant that when she came by, Twilight had to be ready for her. Even though Twilight was upset with Applejack, she was still her friend and she wasn't going to let the Apple family suffer if she could help them.
Twilight pulled up a chair to her workbench and looked over the materials scattered all over it. The table was a mess – books, quills, and crystals were scattered everywhere. The lack of organization made her wince. I must have been really out of it yesterday, she thought. The alicorn took a moment to put everything into symmetric groups and neatly organized stacks, and then sighed in relief. Much better. She then gathered up her thoughts and levitated a quill off the table. I guess I'd better get to work, then! These to-do lists aren't going to get themselves done.
Twilight took a blank book off of a stack she had prepared and began writing. She had only been at work for a few minutes when a small dragon walked into the basement. “So that's where you are,” Spike said with relief. “I've been looking all over for you! To be honest, I kinda thought you would still be in bed. It's still pretty early, you know.”
“It's eight in the morning,” Twilight replied. “I went to bed yesterday afternoon! I've had plenty of sleep.”
“Well, sort of, I guess. I mean, if you count having nightmares and screaming yourself awake as 'sleep'. Which I'm pretty sure you did all night long. Are you sure you don't want to go back to bed? After all, Equestria isn't in danger or anything, and everything is fine. There's no reason why you can't take the week off.”
“Sorry, Spike, but I've got a lot of work to do! I just can't afford to take any time off right now.”
“I don't know,” Spike said dubiously. “Celestia seemed pretty certain that you needed to rest. She thinks you've been working too hard.”
Twilight put down her quill and looked at Spike. “I am taking it easy! In a way. I mean, I'm not going outside and fighting any monsters or anything. I'm just going to sit here and write. That will give me something to do – something that isn't strenuous. You don't have a problem with me writing books, do you?”
“I guess not. It still sounds like work to me, though. Couldn't you spend the day with your friends instead? You could go to the lake or have a picnic or something! You have kind of been neglecting them lately. When was the last time you spent time with somepony who wasn't Rainbow Dash?”
Twilight winced. “I know, Spike, I know. I do need to do that – but I promised Celestia I'd get all of this ready for her return visit next week. After I've finished my work I promise I'll go relax, all right? I just need to finish a few things first.”
“If you say so. Is there any way I can help?”
“There certainly is,” Twilight replied. “I need you to watch the door and keep everypony out. I don't want to be disturbed.”
“You want me to keep everypony out? Really? Even your friends?”
“Well, not my friends, I guess. If Applejack comes by be sure to let her in. I'm just afraid that once word gets out that I know how to raise ponies from the dead, a giant mob will form outside the castle. I need you to keep them out so I can work. Can you do that?”
“Absolutely! Now that is something I can do. Consider it done.”
Twilight smiled as Spike made his way back upstairs. She then levitated the quill once more and resumed her work.
* * * * *
It wasn't until that afternoon that she had any visitors. Twilight was working on documenting the new technique she had invented when she heard voices echo down the stairwell. When she heard the noise she put down her quill, got off her stool, and stretched. I guess I could use a break, she thought.
“I'm still not sure this is a good idea,” she heard a deeply country voice say.
“Oh, come on! This is a great idea. You need help, and Twilight can help you. It'll be easy!”
“That's the whole problem – it'll be too easy. I don't like this at all.”
A moment later Applejack and Rainbow Dash entered the basement. “Oh hey there, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “I see you're still busy working. Got anything good going on?”
“Just documenting my findings,” Twilight replied. “So how can I help you two?”
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth, but Applejack stopped her. “Let me handle this, ok? I've got some things I need to say.”
“Fine, fine,” Rainbow Dash replied. She flew over and landed in front of Twilight. Applejack walked over to Twilight and stood in front of her. Applejack looked at her awkwardly, then looked down at the ground. Twilight noticed that she was wearing her straw hat.
“First of all, I want to apologize for the things I said yesterday,” Applejack said. “I know I hurt you, and I didn't mean to do that.”
“But the things that you said yesterday were true,” Twilight pointed out. “You were absolutely right. I didn't bring you back from the dead; I just created a copy of you. I didn't understand that at the time but I do understand it now.”
“You do?” Applejack asked, surprised. “Really?”
Twilight nodded. “Really. Applejack, I'm the one who is sorry. I wanted to raise you back to life, but in the end I couldn't. This is the best I could do. I think, though, we can all agree that having you back – even as a copy – is the best thing for everyone, can't we? Your friends need you and your family needs you, and they have you now. That's got to count for something.”
“I guess I can agree with that. I know you did your best, Twilight, and the Apple family is grateful. Can we be friends again now? I really don't like knowing that you're angry with me.”
Twilight walked over to Applejack and gave her a hug. “Of course we can be friends! I don't know what got into me yesterday. I must have been tired or something.”
Applejack hugged her back and then smiled. “Well, that's a load off my mind! I feel better now.”
Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Enough about feelings already! We've got work to do. Twilight, we need you to create some bits for us. Applejack needs a new barn and I figured you could help us out. After all, you can make bits, right?”
“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack exclaimed. “That's no way to treat Twilight! My barn is not her problem. She doesn't have to help me. She's already done a lot, and I have no right to ask her for anything else.”
“It's all right,” Twilight replied. “I knew you'd be by. My whole goal was to help the Apple family, and recreating your barn is part of recovering from that terrible storm. I'm not going to leave a job half done.”
“Follow me,” she called out, as she walked over to the basement stairs. Behind the stairs was a wooden door. She opened the door and revealed a long underground hallway. The hallway was made of polished crystal.
“Hey, wait a minute,” Rainbow Dash said. “I'm pretty sure this hallway wasn't here yesterday. What gives?”
Twilight shrugged. “I needed some more storage space, so I made it this morning. It's not a big deal.”
“You made it this morning? But – that's impossible! Your hooves aren't even dirty. How could you possibly have dug all this out in one morning? That would take a whole team of construction ponies!”
“I used magic, of course! I just wrote about it in a comic and then extracted it into my castle. It wasn't hard.”
Rainbow Dash stopped. “Woah. You can do that?”
“Of course I can! That's what we did for Applejack, remember? Why did you think it would work on ponies but not rooms?”
“I dunno. I just think that's kind of amazing, that's all. Does that mean you could just create Applejack's barn intact?”
Applejack interrupted. “Now hold on just a minute! I ain't doin' that. I'll take the bits, buy the materials, and build it myself, but that's as far as I'll go. Having a whole barn conjured out of nothin' is just too lazy.”
“I figured you'd say that,” Twilight said. “Which is why I built this hallway. Come with me.”
With Applejack and Rainbow Dash following behind her, Twilight entered the hallway and went to the third door on the left. When she reached it she opened the wooden door and motioned inside with her hoof. “Take whatever you need.”
Applejack poked her head inside the room and gasped. The room was filled with hundreds of bags of bits, which were stacked to the ceiling. “Why, there's got to be thousands of bits in there!”
“Millions,” Twilight corrected. “I could buy Diamond Tiara's estate several times over – and there's more where that came from. Just take whatever you want.”
“See?” Rainbow Dash said, as she nudged Applejack. “I told you Twilight could help! Isn't this awesome?”
“It's surely amazing, all right,” Applejack said in wonder, as she stared at the enormous wealth that was in front of her. “I'm just not sure this is a good idea. I was kinda hopin' that this wasn't possible.”
Twilight frowned. “And why is that? These are bits, Applejack. They don't have souls. There are no ethical considerations whatsoever in creating little round pieces of metal! They aren't counterfeit; they're genuine.”
“Right, I know,” Applejack said reluctantly. “Look. I don't want to step on your feelings again or anything, but I'm a mite worried about all this. I mean, it used to be that in order to get bits you had to earn them. Oh, sure, there were bad folks who would spend their time defrauding ponies – like those awful Flim Flam brothers – but by and large you had to work. If you could have whatever you wanted without working for it then why would anypony bother to work at all? Isn't it mighty dangerous to be doin' this?”
“It's exciting,” Twilight insisted. She felt her irritation from yesterday start to return. “With my new magical technique I can put an end to hunger and poverty. I can create an entirely new society – one in which everypony can have everything that they want, all of the time. This is a good thing. Nopony needs to go hungry anymore.”
“But what are ponies going to do with their time? If they don't need to work then doesn't that make life kind of meaningless?”
“Only if you consider work the purpose of life. If ponies are freed from having to work then they can spend time with their families and friends. They can build relationships. They can pursue the arts and the sciences. We can make a better world – one in which life isn't so hard.”
“If you say so,” Applejack said doubtfully. “This all sounds kinda scary to me, but you could be right. You usually are, you know.”
Applejack took one of the bags of bits and put it in her saddlebag. Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Aw, c'mon, take more than that! They're free, you know. Is one bag really enough to rebuild an entire barn? That barn was pretty big.”
“Fine,” Applejack said. She reluctantly took a second bag. “I really appreciate this, Twilight. You've done a lot for us.”
“You're welcome!” Twilight replied. She closed the door to the room of bits. “Is there anything else I can do?”
Rainbow Dash spoke up. “Could you give Applejack wings? Please? That would be so awesome! You can do that, right?”
“Oh, probably, I guess. I could take some of your genetic material and fuse it with Applejack's comic. If I did it right she would have both earth pony strength and the flight abilities of a pegasus. Of course, to teach her to fly I'd have to give her your knowledge as well. I'm pretty sure it would be possible – in theory, anyway. I've never actually tried it.”
“Now hold on just a second,” Applejack interrupted. “I do not want to be a pegasus. I'm an earth pony – always have been and always will be! There ain't ever been a pegasus in the Apple family. That's not who I am.”
“But why not?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You have a chance to fly, Applejack – to fly! Do you know how awesome flying is? Not only would it help you with your farming stuff, but you could soar into the air. This is an amazing opportunity – an opportunity that nopony else has ever had. Are you really going to throw all that away just because it's something new?”
Twilight spoke up. “She has a point, you know. Besides, if you don't like it I can always put you back the way you were. Is there really any harm in trying it out? Is the thought of having wings really that scary?”
“I ain't scared,” Applejack insisted. “It's just – I'd never even thought of that before. That sort of thing isn't usually possible. You and Cadence are the only ponies who have ever switched species.”
“But it is possible now. In fact, all sorts of new things are possible. You should embrace the future, not run from it.”
Applejack sighed. “All right. I guess I'll give it a try. Now, if I don't like it then you can put me back, right?”
“Of course! Not a problem. So, Rainbow Dash, I'm going to need your help. Specifically, I'm going to need a lock of your mane.”
“Aw, but my mane is awesome! How about feathers? I've got lots of those. Could you use them?”
Twilight shook her head. “The spell I know doesn't work on feathers.”
“Then why can't you use your mane? After all, you've got wings! Wouldn't that work?”
“I'm an alicorn, not a pegasus! We're trying to give Applejack wings, not a horn. Besides, you're the best flier in Equestria. What pegasus could possibly be better to use than you?”
“Well, that's true. I guess I am pretty awesome. Fine, fine, you can have some of my mane. But don't take too much, all right?”
Twilight nodded. She levitated a pair of scissors off the table and took a sample of Rainbow's mane. “Thanks! That's exactly what I needed. Now, I'm going to need some time to figure this out, and I'm going to need both of you here to actually do it.”
“Ok, I guess that makes sense. So when will you be ready?”
“Tomorrow evening. That should give me enough time to set things up. If everything goes well, I mean.”
“Fantastic! Then we will see you tomorrow.”
Twilight walked Applejack and Rainbow Dash back upstairs and led them to the door of her castle. When she opened the door and told them goodbye she was surprised to see that there was a large mob waiting outside.
“What in Equestria is that?” Twilight shrieked.
“Looks like you've got some fans!” Rainbow Dash said. “They've been here all morning. Anyway, see you later!”
As Applejack and Rainbow Dash made their way through the mob and headed off into the distance, the large mass of ponies turned its attention to Twilight. They began to move in closer to her.
Twilight immediately took a step back. “Woah there! Hold on, everypony! What's the problem?”
“You gotta help me!” a voice called out.
“No, help me first!” another voice said.
“I've been waiting the longest!” a deep voice bellowed.
As the crowd grew more animated, it rushed toward Twilight. The princess panicked and lit up her horn. She cast a protective shield around her castle, which pushed the mob back.
The mob started shouting at her. There were so many ponies talking at once that she couldn't understand what they were saying.
“QUIET!” Twilight bellowed.
The voices in the mob died down.
“That's better. Now listen up, everypony. I know that you all want help – I understand that. But I can't possibly help all of you. There's only one of me and there are lots and lots of you. That means there's not enough of me to go around.”
The mob started to make noise again. Twilight silenced them. “That is why I am working very, very hard to publish my findings. I am working on a book that will explain everything. Once it's released, any unicorn with magical ability will be able to do what I did for Applejack. I just need you to be patient while I work on this. Please help me help you. Can you do that?”
The mob started shouting at her again. Twilight shook her head. Apparently not. Well, this just got a lot harder.
Spike walked up to Twilight and peeked outside. “Yeah, they've been out there all morning. I've been trying to keep them at bay but they're kinda pushy. They don't really want to listen to reason. I've at least managed to keep them outside, though – although I don't know how long that will last.”
“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight sighed. “I have a feeling that crowd is just going to grow. The spell I cast around the castle should keep them out – well, for now, anyway. I'll have to remember to maintain it, though, or it will decay. Then we'll be overrun by that mob and I won't be able to get any work done.”
“So how can I help?” Spike asked.
“Just let me know if anything bad happens. I'll be down in the basement writing, and I need some peace and quiet. Keep an eye on things, will you?”
“Absolutely! I'll take care of everything for you.”
* * * * *
Twilight walked back down to the basement and sat on the chair in front of her workbench. She wanted to get back to work, but she was distracted. There was too much on her mind.
Twilight glanced at the bags of bits that were still sitting in front of the fireplace. Applejack just doesn't understand, she thought. She doesn't see the vision of what Equestria could be. All she sees are problems. She even sees herself as a problem! I understand her point of view, but this new magic can make Equestria better than ever. I just wish she could see that.
Then she thought of something. Applejack's personality and mind was defined by the comic book that Twilight had written. It was true that the comic book did not wholly define her; now that Applejack was alive she would continue to have new experiences and would change over time. However, the definition in the comic book was her foundation. If Twilight rewrote that foundation, she could give Applejack a new appreciation for magic. She could change the way Applejack thought.
She could change Applejack.
It was so tempting. All it would take was a small change – just a few lines added to her definition. Once the change was done, Applejack wouldn't have a problem with this anymore. She would be happy again and at peace with her new self. Everything would be the way Twilight wanted.
It was tempting – but it wasn't right. No, Twilight thought firmly. I am not going to do that. It would be a violation of her character. Applejack is who she is, and I'm not going to rewrite her to change her into someone I like better. That would be wrong – very, very wrong – and I am not a bad pony. I would never do something like that to my friends. Not for any reason. Not even if they hate me.
Twilight sighed. “I need help,” she said aloud. “This is just too much for one pony to handle! I can't possibly get all this work done in time. I have to document my findings, and prepare things for Celestia's visit next week, and learn how to turn Applejack into a pegasus, and keep that blasted shield maintained so I don't get trampled to death. What I need is help.”
Twilight glanced down at the blank comic book in front of her. Maybe I'm overthinking this. Maybe all I need to do is create somepony to help me. Spike is great and all, but I need a powerful magical user. I need a pony who can help me with my research and work to meet my deadline. After all, I can create anything I want. Why not create some help?
And I know just who to copy.