Happy Days
Spike and Twilight sat at the table, eating a delicious plate of brownies the drake had ordered from the counter up. Fluttershy and Rarity sat accrossed from them, both eating with much more refinement and grace than the two library dwellers.
Rarity had shut down her botique for a half day to attend the get together, happy to oblige the request to have a treat with three of her friends. Fluttershy was talking about her day with, of course, Angle Bunny being the primary antagonist. Spike didn't know how he put up with that rabbit, cute and cuddly or not, that thing was an abusive menace that tortured his caretaker and showed her not gratitude at all. He didn't say anything, but he played over a few choice series of unfortunate events he wouldn't mind seeing happen to it.
"After that, I gave Barry a quick bath.." She chuckled. "Hybernation always leaves his coat all scraggly and nasty, what with the bugs and all."
Rarity gwafed. "Please darling, can we refrain from speaking of such things while eating?"
It wasn't meant to be an insult, just a plea for a different topic, and a change Spike was in agreement on.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I've just been so used to it, talking about it doesn't bother me anymore." The timid pegasus apologized.
"So, how's business at the boutique, Rarity? Coming up with any new fashion designs for Spring?" Twilight asked.
Rarity's eyes lit up. "Oh dear, the ensemble I've assembled is just marvelous! I plan on sending a few pictures to Hoity Toity next week to see what his opinion is. But I know fashion, and I just know my designs will be all the rage, as they say."
This lead to a segue into asking Fluttershy if she'd be willing to model, which the mare was unsure of, considering what happened last time, and Rarity trying to convince her with the "But darling, you simply must" argument.
Spike smiled and took a sip of orange milk shake. He'd missed days like this, where ponies were just hanging out and talking to eachother. No really big problems.
"Well if you insist, I suppose I can't ask you to change your mind more than once." The fashionista bemoaned. "How about you, Spike? How have things been for you since..." She grimaced.
"No, no it's fine." He said quickly, not wanting the good mood to die off on his account. He didn't want to tell them about the problems he'd run into yesterday, or his little interaction with the city officials a few days ago, so he settled for the card game with Mac, Shining and his co-worker.
Not much happened, other than shit talking, as Blade put it. The three of them spoke about the affairs they'd run into as of late. Macintosh said nothing about Scootaloo staying over, but had plenty to say in terms of family drama. Blade going on about how he still hadn't found a mare and was a little irritated at his brother for not coming with him to Sugar Cube Corner because the place was 'for foals, not adults', and Spike's interactions with City Council, which Blade found quite amusing.
Shining was pretty tight lipped at first, but opened up as the game progressed. Apparently he'd sent out multiple search parties all over Equestria to drive off the remaining Changelings and search for Chrysalis, as well as send a search party after his apprentice, Valiar. The stallion was honestly worried for the younger pony and upset with himself that he'd been to wrapped up in his own mental drama to act quicker to see to the obviously unstable unicorn.
So, aside from playing cards and talking, not much had happened. Well aside from Spike losing his tail in the game. Seriously, who'd have thought Shining had such a great pokerface?
"Wait, Shining won that?" Twilight asked.
"Yep."
"I didn't take Shining for the card game type." Rarity said, also a bit surprised.
Spike chuckled. "None of us did. It all came down to him and Blade in the end. Blade said it was the most intense and fun game he'd played in months." Even though there were no stakes to win or lose for, the game did get pretty heated, but he left out how broken up his ex-co-worker was about it, as well as the vengeance he swore come next weeks game.
Which reminded Spike that he'd need to get an actual card table, sitting down at the dinner table just didn't seem as appealing as a legitimate velvet green top. Also, snacks. Snacks were necessary, he was starving for a good bag of chips or soda at one point and felt a little embarrassed that there wasn't any soda or... more sophisticated beverages that he could offer.
"Was it me, or was Blade really interested in Pinkie Pie in Sugar Cube Corner yesterday?"
Spike's eyes shot wide as he heard Rarity's infamous gossipy gasp. He turned indrudulous stare to his mother's innocent inquary. "What have you done?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What?" Twilight tilted her head curiously.
In the blink of an eye, Rarity was in Twilight's face, gushingly demanding details to Ponyville's 'newest couple'. "Tell me, was their flaunting, kissing, or dare I say, cuddling? DETAILS TWILIGHT! Spare nothing, especially the juicy stuff."
"Umm, you know, Rarity, it's not polite to pry into somepony else's personal life without asking them about it." Fluttershy squeeked, cheeks flushed.
"Oh pish posh, darling. It's just a little bit of bridal gossip, no harm in that, is there?"
It was a blunt and absolutely inconsiderate dismissal of a friend's privacey with wanton disregard for implications and the new ammo for the town rumor mill.
Yep, it was good to have the old Rarity back.
Sadly, Blade's active pursuite in Pinkie had died out as soon as he'd asked why she was so down that day. He'd originally thought it would be the perfect seguey into trying to cheer her up and asking her out, but as soon as the subject of the city council came up, he deflated just like she did.
Rarity's delight and insistence quickly shattered into dejected indignant at the mention as well.
City council just left a trail of misery or anger where ever it came up, it appeared, though the fashionista's displeasure with them was far more superficial.
"Ugh, please can we not talk about them right now? I mean, did you see the newest member's mane?"
"Now Rarity, that's not very nice." Fluttershy chided.
"I know dear! I'd gone to visit the council just the other day to confirm a few of the romers going around town. That's when I'd met that Social Justice character. How anypony could have such a ghastly lack of fashion sense, I just can't understand. It's a travesty against all things decent!"
Spike chuckled as Twilight and Fluttershy continued to reprimand the fashionista's shallowness. He didn't mind it near as much, and he suspected that, when the time came, the unicorn and pegasus wouldn't either.
"I'm just telling it how it is dear. I mean, it didn't help that she completely dismissed me and treated me as though I was some common street rat."
"Street rat?"
Rarity nodded, according to her, Social Justice hadn't been the most pleasant during their interactions. When she'd walked into city hall to confirm the roumers, the place was undergoing some very strange aesthetic changes. Nothing like putting up banners or anything, but taking down pictures of the former city council members, and new drapes and such.
She found the hot pink pony overseeing some renovations and introduced herself. Social Justice wasn't really mean or spiteful to her or anything, just kinda rude and neutral when she confirmed some rumors and denied others. Kinda like how a politician has to indulge a grievance they don't want to, but will sit there and indulge it with a forced and empty smile.
Just as the mare was in the middle of her story, the door to the bakery opened revealing, none other than the topic herself. Both Spike and Rarity grimaced when they saw her and quitely went back to thier respective snacks. Twilight and Fluttershy flinched upon seeing her, but rebounded with happy smiles.
The hot pink mare walked into the establishment with two neutral faced ponies behind her. One an orange earth pony male with a fist holding a red rose cutie mark and the other a lavander earth pony female with a male symbol cutie mark.
Justice walked up to the counter and smiled at Pinkie.
"Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, what can I get you?" The darker pink pony asked through a forced grin. Her eyes trailing to the two ponies behind Justice.
"Oh, I've come to deliver this to the owners of the establishment." Justice proclaimed, producing a white envelope onto the counter. "Are you their daughter?"
"Oh no, I just work here and live upstairs, but I guess you could call the cakes like my second set of parents!" Pinkie replied.
Spike watched the display with a small churning in his stomach. It wasn't fair on his part to judge her nearly as harshly as he was, Social Justice just wanted to help, she didn't know he wasn't really "oppressed" or whatever. She seemed like a nice enough mare as far as he could see. So why was he so wary of her?
"Oh my!" Justice declared when her eyes fell on Spike. "Hello there, I haven't seen you since I first got here."
Spike waved and gave himself a proper introduced, an introduction Justice returned and introduced her female associate as Mask and her male associate as Sock.
"These are my friends, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and I think you've already met Rarity."
Social Justice smiled politely at all of them and nodded. "Nice to meet all of you. Hold a tick, Twilight Sparkle? As in the personal assistant of Princess Celestia?"
Twilight blushed but nodded in the affirmative. Justice's smile faltered a little bit, but maintained her cheery demeanor. The lavander unicorn complimented the pegasus's efforts to wring in some much needed changes to the town. "I think you're doing a good thing, and you have my complete support."
"That's... good to hear." Justice chuckled. "So, umm, what is it you guys all do?"
Each of them listed off their occupations. Twilight being the town's librarian, Rarity being the local seamstress, Spike working at the local mill and Fluttershy making a living off of helping others with their animals.
"Oh I love animals!" Justice declared, swooning just a little. "Which school did you go to get your certificate in veterinarianism?"
"Oh, I'm not actually certified for it." Fluttershy replied bashfully.
"Ehehe, what?" The new arbiter asked with a stupefied smile.
"Well, everything I know about animals, I learned myself. I've always loved taking care of little critters and it all just came naturally to me."
Justice's smile dropped completely to a thoughtful frown. "I see... You do realize that what you're doing is against the law, right?"
"It is?" Fluttershy tilted her head. "I didn't know that."
"Oh yes. If it wasn't, then ponies who hadn't the education as to what they were doing, but well intention-ed, such as yourself, could end up hurting animals more than helping them."
Spike frowned, not liking where this was going.
"Ahem." Sock cleared his throat. "Actually, Justice, that's not entirely accurate." The mare turned to him and gave the orange earth pony. "I was reading through the lawful exemptions, and it would seem your predecessor had written up a specific exemption for pony and wild life relations in Ponyville, among many other exemptions. Technically speaking, what this young mare is doing isn't illegal."
Justice eyed him for a moment then returned her hardened gaze back to Fluttershy before smiling. "Well, you really should still go to school and become educated before you start helping animals like that. Nature is a very delicate thing, and so are animals. You could easily end up doing more harm than good if you're not educated properly."
"Oh, but I am educated." Fluttershy protested. Though, Justice was adiment that if she was as educated as she claimed than there was no reason she shouldn't have a certification for being veterinarian.
"Ms. Justice?" Said Mr. Cake as he came down the stairs.
"It was nice speaking to you all." Social Justice said turning to the stallion and smiling brightly. "Mr. Cake, it's nice to see you again. Do you have some place we may speak privately?"
The bakery co-owner lead the mare into the back, closely followed by her posse.
"I didn't know what I was doing was illegal." Fluttershy's eyes widened, her irises constricting. "You don't think I'll be arrested, do you?"
"No, Fluttershy. They said that there was an exemption for what you did, so that makes what you did okay." Spike said, trying to reassure the distraught mare. But how Justice acted after that told the drake that her activities wouldn't be legal much longer.
It was ridiculous, Fluttershy was one of the best animal care takers in the world. Hay, she could even speak to some of them. So what if she didn't have some school diploma or certification? If she could do the job and help others, who cared?
Rarity placed a comforting hoof on the pegasus' back and reaffirmed her comfort, saying that she shouldn't worry about the matter. Still, Fluttershy was much too shaken up over the prospect and began listing off all the animal's she'd been taking care of and how aweful she'd feel if her passions were lost to her simply because the law dictated it.
"Oh dear, come along Fluttershy, let's get you home and relaxed for a bit." Rarity said standing up. "After all you've done for me, this is the least I can do."
The two said their goodbyes and walked out of the establishment, Fluttershy nearly on the verge of tears. Leaving Spike and Twilight to pay the bill and mull over the prospect of just how many things were about to change...
Macintosh looked over the tax letter and smiled. His owed taxes were no where near as bad as he'd expected them to be.
Though, he supposed he should have known that, all things considered. Still though, this freed up alot of money for the farm. Money he was considering asking the family about using for his wedding.
He wasn't going to ask to use all of it, just maybe purchase better material for the small alter, cater the wedding a little more, add a few decorations and such. Annabelle didn't know yet, but her answer would likely remain the same. She didn't want a big fancy wedding, especially one that required formal attire. All she wanted was to make a statement of commitment, good food, happy family and friends, and place to dance and be merry.
Mac could more than agree to that, but something continued interrupting his happy train of thought.
While playing cards last night, the subject of his desceased friend pushed itself to the surface, and Spike's Co-worker asked when the funeral would be so he could pay his final respects.
Sin didn't have any family to set it up, a notion Macintosh and Spike hadn't really taken into too much consideration. If anypony was going to hold a funeral, it would have to be them.
Macintosh had no way of contacting Sin's relitives and telling them about it or finding out if the stallion had anyone at home he wanted at his Funeral. All he knew was that the Federalist liked his grandfather detested his brother, and despised his father. It was kinda funny in hindsight just how little the stallion knew of his friend personally. Even the length of time he'd known him, Mac couldn't think of a single thing to say about him an a eulagy aside from his political stances.
'Not exactly something to be remembered by, is it?'
No. No it wasn't. Even so, he wanted to get the funeral over with so it wouldn't be such a dark cloud on his mood. He felt bad and selfish for it, but life had to go on. Sin was dead, dead and gone and he should be able to move on from it.
'He didn't have many friends, so maybe you could just have a small funeral at Sweet Apple Achers? A funeral pyre for him.'
That sounded nice, he wasn't an apple, so they wouldn't burn a tree on his account, but maybe cut down one of the trees from the Everfree forest and burn it instead. Yea, Sin might have liked that. Keeping in the traditions of the apple family, but still adding his own bit of home to it.
As he sat in his father's study in silent contemplation, a knock from the door drew his attention. "Come in." He said. Applejack opened the door and greeted her brother, closing the door behind her.
She stared at him apologetically and asked if he was alright.
"Ah'm fine, jes thinkin's all."
"Alrigh'." The applemare took a breath. "Ya thinkin' 'bout what all yer gonna do 'bout Scootaloo n' the weddin'?"
The question irritated the red stallion, but he knew that it was a subject that would need to be dealt with sooner or later. So he couldn't really blame her for being pragmatic about the problem. "Nah, thinking 'bout a funeral."
"Oh, umm." The cow pony kicked at the floor bored. "Righ', well, Ah came tah apologize to ya, Mac. Annabelle n' Ah been talkin' n' while Ah still don't agree with what all she did, Ah can say Ah understand. It's jes', she ain't part o' the family yet, n' she's got no righ' makin' those kinds a decisions without talkin' to us 'bout it first."
Mac nodded, he figured that's what she was upset about, and to a point, he agreed. Anna really should have counciled the rest of them prior to taking Scootaloo in. It would have been the honest thing to do, but then again, who knows what would have happened if the filly was placed into Ponyville custody? So while he could understand where his sister was coming from, the circumstances worked out for the best that Anna acted against the norm.
"Thank ya, kindly." He replied. "Hey ya gotta sec? Ah need ta talk to you n' granny 'bout somethin'."
"Ya wanna have the funeral here, don't ya?"
'Wow, and you only mentioned it once.'
AJ gave him an encouraging smile. "Ya know we'll support ya in that. Ah may notta liked him all that much, but yer friend wasn't all that bad neither. Not really anyhow."
Mac looked down at the tax statement and pushed it over to her. "Mighta been a little better then ya thought."
Taking the paper, Applejack's eyebrows shot up at the numbers. She may not have been too good at math, but even she could see the durastic decrease in what they'd owed. "Oh nelly, how'd he make this happen?"
Smiling to himself, Mac remained silent, letting his sister come to her own conclusion. Though, that did lead to another matter, discussing his use of some of the excess revenue for the wedding and beginning the planning process. Starting off with sending the invitations to their kin inviting them down to the farm for last day of the month.