//------------------------------// // Ch4 - Applebuck Season - Part 1 (revised) // Story: Ponyville's Tiny Librarian // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Ponyville’s Tiny Librarian - Chapter 4 Applebuck Season - part 1 ‘SMASH’ Twilight bounced on her pillow once before tumbling and faceplanting onto the floor with the basket she had been in flipping over and landing on top of her. Awakened by the sudden impact, she opened her eyes, though she saw nothing but darkness. Alarmed and in panic, she lit her horn and pushed blindly at the object on top of her before galloping. The combination of panic and blurry morning vision made her blunder off of some unknown object while shouting at the top of her lungs. "We're under attack! Everypony get to your stations!" She had just charged her horn, ready to blast any intruders, when her footing vanished from underhoof. The stairs felt brutal and hard to her head as she bounced off the step, then the second, then the large number of uncounted impacts that followed with little yelps of pain intermixed between them. She was just about to hit the ground at the bottom of the stairs when a magical field arrested her in mid air, levitating her over to the female guard. Twilight saw stars circling over her for several seconds before shaking her head as her vision slowly sharpened. She gasped at the sight of so many books covering the floor, ignoring the few small bruises now beginning to show on her body. “Who did this? Who dared to ruin the order of books in my library?” Overwatch shrugged while getting out the familiar first aid kit and walking toward the balcony door. "Yeah, you're fine. Let's find out if anyone besides you need a medical attention.” The who in this case was a familiar blue pegasus, who had managed to plow through the balcony flower box with such speed that the only recognizable part left was a gardenia sitting on top of her head. Rainbow Dash was still trying to pull her hind legs out of what had once been part of the balcony when Overwatch opened the door, rolled her eyes, and sat Twilight down on the debris-strewn balcony floor. “Rainbow Dash! Are you hurt? How did you even wind up here?” Twilight asked before placing forelegs on her sides and looking at the pegasus suspiciously. “Let me guess. You tried to get my attention and invite me on an adventure. Am I right?” Dash massaged her head before shaking it briefly, giving a little wince and brushing away a jagged wooden splinter. “No! At least not this time,” she remarked before staggering to all four hooves. “I asked Applejack to help me with my stunt.” Twilight sighed. “Let me guess: Exhaustion, heavy eyelids, reduced agility and focus?” Dash nodded. “Yeah, she was like… a zombie. All she had to do was jump on this big target I had all marked out for her. It was kinda pathetic the way she kept missing it. That is, until she hit it and fired me straight across town and into your library.” She pushed away the first aid kit Overwatch was offering to her and gave the guard a prideful glare. “That’s just a scratch. I’m fine.” Overwatch rolled her eyes. “Mares these days. Pretending injuries don’t exist and running around strapped to rocks just so they can run straight into danger and monsters. I swear, Steelie is the most feminine pony here solely on the fact that he’s completely normal.” Twilight smirked. “Since your flying practice seems to be over for the day, how about you help me with some research?” Rainbow Dash’s wings flapped hastily as Twilight could see the excitement in her eyes. “Sure, Twilight. What kind of research is it?” She grabbed the little unicorn between her hooves while her nose made contact with her muzzle. “Are you making some sort of secret weapon?” She threw Twilight into the air as the little mare used a levitation spell on herself to regain balance, Dash already hovering in front of her. “Are you making some sort of magically powered monster for us to fight?” Whatever Rainbow Dash wanted to say next was cut off as Twilight quickly clamped onto her mouth with all four hooves and held on tight, although the pegasus managed to free her face after just a few moments of wrestling. "Beat you again! Keep practicing and maybe someday you'll come close to beating me," Dash said while giving her friend an encouraging smile. "Maybe sooner than you expect," said Twilight, floating herself back down to the balcony floor. "Right now, I have some experiments that need running. Do you think you're awesome enough to..." *** Rainbow Dash’s legs and wings trembled as another piece of lead was being levitated over and placed on her wing, sweat falling from her body as if she was a raincloud. She gritted her teeth and looked down at Twilight who was wearing a white tiny apron, most likely made by Rarity, while levitating a notepad and pen in front of her. “I get that you wanted to test how my earth pony magic make me stronger, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said with unease in her voice as she stabilised herself, “but why my wings?” Twilight levitated another piece of lead as the cold metal pressed itself between feathers of her friend’s wing, forcing Dash to put even more effort into keeping them spread. “Earth pony magic is meant to increase strength, endurance and stamina, but you’re the first pegasus to have it,” Twilight lectured as she looked at her stopwatch. “I need to make sure if your new magic type makes your wings stronger as well.” Rainbow Dash smiled with resolve as her facial expression became serious. “You better prepare yourself for a long wait, because a world class athlete like me isn’t going down anytime soon.” Twilight chuckled at the image of her mentor being here in Rainbow Dash's place, and she whispered to herself, "I wonder if Princess Celestia's larger wings are proportionately just as strong or stronger than wings of a typical pegasus? Oh, well. I guess I'll never know." Celestia sneezed as she signed a document levitated by Silver Scroll. “Bless you,” the secretary spoke as she levitated another document from a stack of papers right next to her. Silver Scroll was unusually on edge, even considering the circumstances of her recent actions done in spite of Celestia’s command not to involve Twilight Sparkle. It seemed as if she were expecting Celestia to order the young servant clapped in irons and dragged off to some dank dungeon for the rest of her life at any second, a feeling probably emphasized by the alert guards flanking her. With a small frown, Celestia returned to silently reading and signing documents as she formulated a strategy to encourage Silver Scroll into saying what was obviously on her mind. The secretary was first to break the silence. “I understand that you’re angry at me, Your Highness—justifiably if I may add—and I am truly sorry.” Celestia once again broke her routine in order to look back at her secretary, her expression like that of a weary, disappointed mother, brooding after having scolded her foal. “I am more disappointed than angry. I trusted you enough to share personal information with you, and it will take time before I can trust you again.” Silver Scroll closed her eyes and hung her head low. She didn’t regret sending an innocent, faithful, and hardworking student into mortal danger. Everything worked out in the end, after all. She had even hoped to give Twilight a few words of praise for a job well-done. Instead, Silver Scroll's heart was nearly crushed by the expression of sorrow which bled from the cracks in the barriers Princess Celestia kept around her own emotions. Most ponies wouldn’t be able to tell, but Silver Scroll had been with Celestia for a long time, even considering the princess to be a close friend, and she could see it in the princess’s eyes. Every time Celestia looked in her direction, the secretary expected those huge violet eyes to be filled with tears. Tears which were her fault. Even while Silver Scroll glared at the floor, she could tell Celestia was looking at her, saying, “If not for the fact that Nightmare Moon was not the monster I expected, my student would have died.” “But she wasn’t, and you regained your sister as well as the Elements of Harmony, Your Highness. Isn't that all you had aimed for?" Celestia groaned, but quickly put a hoof to her lips as her anger faded in an instant. “I admit I was considering that possibility, which is why I hold no grudge against you. My student’s astonishing success and your many decades of flawless service to the crown are enough reasons to grant you some degree of clemency. Do not think you are getting off easy, though. Cadence will most certainly lecture you severely over the next few years, and Brave Blade doesn’t have much better. Celestia lowered her head and let out her breath slowly in a deep sigh. "To think I would need to put a retired captain of my own Royal Guard under house arrest for insubordination..." Silver Scroll tried to smile and nod, but she couldn’t help looking at Princess Celestia's wings instead. Both broad white appendages had been spread wide while ever so slowly rising and falling in a slow facsimile of a flap for nearly an hour now. "Would it be out of place if I asked you a question, Your Highness?” “Go on,” Celestia said firmly but not looking at her formerly trusted secretary she still considered as friend, her attention once again focused on the documents as she resumed her deep, rhythmic breaths. Silver Scroll cleared her throat carefully. “Why do you have weights tied to your wings, Your Highness?” It was difficult to ignore the set-up behind the throne. A pair of one ton lead blocks were attached to ropes that led over the top of the Royal Seat, tied securely into a web wrapped around Celestia’s wings and forcing the princess to fight against the weights. Celestia’s forelegs were anchored against both sides of the throne just so she could maintain a sitting position. “Shouldn’t you be punishing me with such device rather than yourself? It must be both extremely tiring and distracting.” Celestia glanced at her now sore wings, a drop of sweat sliding down her muzzle before she looked at Silver Scroll. “Just a little exercise the Wonderbolts instructed me to do everyday to keep them in shape." She flapped her wings and sighed before adding with a tired voice, “Though I must admit that I have somewhat lengthened my exercise schedule.” “Lengthened?” “I tripled it,” Celestia admitted. It would be a lie to say that she did not enjoy watching her normally calm and collected secretary blubber like a stranded fish. “Another day, more research!” Twilight shouted cheerfully to herself, her well written checklist of her friends and experiments to perform levitated back to her miniscule saddlebag. The first in the line was none other than the party pony, Pinkie Pie. Much to Twilight’s disappointment, Pinkie Pie and both Cakes were absent. The always so full of life Sugarcube Corner was so empty that the little unicorn could hear the sound of her own steps. Suddenly, one of the regular customers walked in, only to warn her about the cupcake epidemic. Without wasting any time, Twilight ran towards Ponyville’s hospital, only to bump into a nurse as she bounced off the tackled foreleg. “S-sorry,” she said and looked up, quickly noticing the big white hoof raising from the ground and moving right above her while the bigger pony looked around in confusion. Twilight lit her horn reflexively, immobilizing the giant hoof with her magic. She stood up and jumped out of its way while the released hoof slammed with a loud thump. “Hello!” Twilight called while standing on her rear hooves and waving her forelegs in attempt to get the nurse’s attention, recognizing the pony as one called Nurse Redheart. The earth pony looked down, only to raise her eyebrow. “It is you,” Redheart said in annoyance as she knelt to Twilight’s level and poked her belly with a hoof. “Any minor injuries that you want us not to heal?” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck before shaking her head. “No, I’m just here to check on Pinkie Pie and also offer my help.” She pointed inside the room the nurse had exited just a moment ago. The sight proved rather disturbing as several ponies were vomiting while having sick green expressions on their faces. “You want to help?” Nurse Redheart asked in confusion. “How?” Twilight smiled widely and said, “Watch me!” as she ran inside the room and started to jump onto the sick ponies while casting spell after spell. Nurse Redheart could only watch in admiration and disgust, as the tiny unicorn pushed herself into ponies’ mouth to take a close look down their throats, and with the help of a few scanning spells and levitation, managed to levitate the poisonous food from inside the ponies’ stomachs via their mouths. Occasionally adding thin barriers to minimize the damage. She followed it by sending a toxin destroying spell into their bodies to eliminate the poison that had already spread through their veins. After half an hour of hard work, Twilight collapsed, her horn red and her body covered in sweat and saliva as the majority of patients thanked her and left the hospital. The little unicorn struggled to keep her eyes open, as the nurse gently raised and cleaned her with a wet towel before placing her down on a comfortable bed. “Thank you so much. I had no idea you had such a talent for healing.” Twilight sat as she puffed on her now very hot horn and looked up into the nurse’s eyes. “With my lifestyle, learning healing magic was necessary,” Twilight remarked with curled ears as the nurse looked at her in pity. "Not to mention working for half a year as a personal medic for the Wonderbolts." The nurse closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. The idea that a pony of similar profession would be so reckless was giving her a headache. “How did this happen?” She pointed towards the few ponies who were still lying sick in their beds, wishing she could help them if not for her exhausted reserves of magic and headache. Nurse Redheart spoke in a professional tone, “Apparently, Pinkie Pie and Applejack made some highly poisonous cupcakes. Thankfully, they were not lethal; however,” the nurse pointed towards a patient and then at the cupcake that was lying on the floor, “you can see the results.” Twilight nodded and jumped onto the floor. She ran towards the cupcake and examined it before tearing a small part from it and ate it, much to the nurse’s shock. “Why did you do that?” Twilight ran over and jumped back onto the bed before focusing what little magic she had left and scanned herself. She looked into the nurse’s eyes and answered, “Just doing a little research, but don’t worry, I only took a small portion, I should be alright.” Before the nurse could say a word, Pinkie Pie appeared right between her and Twilight, jumping onto the bed. The little unicorn bounced before being pressed into her belly with the softer part of her hoof. “I'm alive!” she shouted loudly as she placed a plate with a small piece of cake before releasing her little friend. As Twilight greedly gasped for air, she could see tiny sized letters, together spelling out ‘Thanks for healing me, Twilight.’ “Oh Twilight, you’re the bestest of best friends. Thanks to you I can run around Ponyville and spread fun and cheer instead of being tied to this no-fun bed, so I thought I should make you a ‘thank you for being such a good friend’ gift and here it is!” Pinkie said cheerfully as she pointed at the small gift for her small friend. ”Thanks, Pinkie!” Twilight levitated the cake over and took a greedy bite out of it. The delicious taste of the cake took away the disgusting sensation she felt after eating a tiny part of the poisonous cupcake. She wiped the leftovers from her face and gulped. “Would you mind if I carried out some research on you?” “Research?” Redheart asked curiously and exposed her ear as Pinkie nodded energetically. “Sure thing, Twilight! What are friends for if not for helping each other, cheering one another or being one another’s test subjects!” Pinkie stated as she clopped her hooves cheerfully. Twilight nodded and lit her horn as she scanned her pink friend, doing her best to ignore the painful headache as if woodpecker was poking her head. After reviewing the data, she cast it again and again with a pout on her face until not a single spark could go out of her horn, her magic completely worn out. “Sooooo, did I pass, did I pass?” Twilight blinked at Pinkie and said with a dumbfounded expression on her face while spreading her forelegs. “But that doesn't make any sense!” “Pinkie Pie never makes any sense; the less you think about it, the more healthy you’ll be. Trust me,” Nurse Redheart advised the tiny mare as Pinkie started to bounce in front of them. “So, what did you find? Tell me, tell me, tell me!” Twilight jumped onto the energetic pony’s nose and spoke, “Pinkie, you have far more pegasus magic in yourself than earth pony magic!” Pinkie crossed her eyes to look at her tiny friend. “I do?” Twilight nodded as she climbed up on her muzzle and sat on it, while gesturing her forelegs all around in panic. “And not just that! There is even more of another type of magic in you that makes no sense.” She took a deep breath before continuing, “I don’t even know what to make of this. It’s just so… chaotic.” Pinkie looked at Twilight in confusion before a cheerful smile radiated on her face. “Coooool!” Twilight hung her head low in defeat before she jumped down from Pinkie’s muzzle and walked towards the exit, only for the hooves of a nurse to block her way. Twilight looked up at her while poking her own horn. “I don't have any magic left to heal more ponies. Anything else I can help you with?” The nurse looked at the tiny mare with worry and concern. “You shouldn’t leave yet, young lady.” “Why?” “First, you ate a bit of a dangerous cupcake. We need to make sure that it doesn’t poison you.” Redheart paused before adding, “Secondly, with your magic fully spent, you’re too vulnerable to simply walk around Ponyville.” “I’ll be fine.” Twilight shrugged as the nurse closed the door behind her. “I’m not letting you out for your own good, little missy. I’m sorry, but you must remain in this room until I’m sure that you’re healthy and well rested,” Redheart remarked as she stomped her hoof in front of Twilight, almost throwing the little mare off balance. “Furthermore, this time you have no magic to aid in your escape.” Twilight smirked as she gave the nurse a challenging glare. “So you’re saying that without my magic... I won't be able to escape?” “Not a chance,” the nurse answered as she moved her giant hoof towards her little patient, only for Twilight to dodge with a swift and elegant backflip, landing on her rear-hooves. “I don’t need magic to win a game of tag, watch me,” Twilight said as she started to jump from bed to bed while the nurse tried fruitlessly to restrain her overly energetic patient. True to Twilight’s words, even without magic, capturing the little mare proved almost impossible. Meanwhile, Pinkie sat on a hospital bed and ate popcorn while watching the scene with amusement, at least until Twilight opened a window with her tiny hooves and jumped outside. All the poor nurse could do was watch as the tiny purple shape disappeared to her disappointment.