Chapter 5 - The Book
Tia did not know how long ago it had been since sobs and tears had overtaken her. She did not know when those gentle hooves had slowly gathered her into a warm lap and soothed her - provided her with a clean rag to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. Water when her throat ran dry and soft brushes to keep her mane out of the way. She did not know when every wall of serenity and poise had broken down and left her this weeping wreck. What she did know, however - was that not long ago one of those hooves that had been stroking her back had stopped and reached over to the table next to the sofa. A few minutes after that... A voice above her head began to speak.
"And thus I was a stranger in a strange land. And every hoof was turned against me, and every eye shunned me from sight, and every mouth spoke no good word to me. But I did not despair, for Harmony was within me, and I knew that Harmony would enlighten my path. And so as I traveled, I found those with Kindness in their hearts, who granted me shelter without fear. And lo, from the Kindness of a few, more did I meet who were filled with Generosity, who provided provender and comfort to others in their time of need. And from that Generosity was born words of Honesty, that we were not strangers to be feared, but ponies like they - and so did Harmony beget Harmony, and I was no longer a stranger in that strange land..."
Tia's tears flowed a little less, a small voice in her heart whispering along with the voice as soon as she recognized the passage. The voice spoke again... Cheerilee. Tia reminded herself, dragging her mind out of the depths of her despair. "The Journey, Passage thirteen." said Cheerilee, a gentle smile audible in her voice. Tia nodded a little from where she lay, still trying to grab control over her stupid eyes and their stupid tears. Cheerilee spoke softly again. "You know it, Hm? How about another one then..." Tia slowly wiggled her way up, realizing that she was holding fiercely on to Cheerilee's midsection... and not wanting to let go for more than to wipe her eyes with the towel, as Cheerilee spoke again.
"And so I looked upon the wrecked and ruined land which I called home, and I wept. For it was naught but burnt grasses and tumbled stone. No living thing would grow from the earth, and no living thing could travel the land for fear of dread Chaos. I wept for what had been lost and despaired that anything could ever make it right again when the Spirit of Harmony did speak to me and said 'Lo, my child. Do not despair, for deep within the soil here is the strength to endure. Go forth, with the power of Harmony in your steps, and in your voice, and all can be made aright again.' And so did I tread the ground of my home and held Harmony within my heart, and the grass bloomed from beneath my hooves and Chaos was chased away at the thunder of my song. And even amidst the death, I found Harmony."
Tia looked up then, and wondered just how much of a wreck she looked. "The Beginning, Passage Twenty-eight." She whispered softly, looking up into the hard white cover - obviously well-worn and cared for, with the golden words upon the cover still as bright as the day it had been made. 'The Book of Harmony'. Tia felt a slow smile tug at her lips, even as her tears slowly began to dry. No wonder she had felt safe here... Harmony was strong in this place, and in this pony. "That was always one of my favorites." Tia said gently, working her way into a more comfortable position for both her and Cheerilee. Of course, I was the one who wrote it, but... That was a very long time ago. Just after the battle with Discord, point of fact.
Cheerilee smiled softly at her, gently closing the book. "I thought a little inspirational reading might help... It's always helped me." She chuckled softly, setting the book down on the side table. "Feel better?" she asked softly, with a twinkle of mischief in her eye. Tia couldn't help but smile up at her at that, even if only just a little. "Or do you just feel like you cried for an hour, and now your eyes hurt?" Cheerilee then suggested - prompting a little burst of laughter out of Tia.
Tia nodded a little, still half giggling under her breath. "Little bit of both, actually." She said softly, and rubbed at her sore eyes gently for a moment. "I cannot remember the last time I cried quite like that." Tia admitted softly, wiping the last of her tears away with the towel before carefully magicking it to the table. "I am very sorry I broke down like that, Miss Cheerilee." she said, her voice quiet. "That was..."
Cheerilee cut her off a moment later with a slightly sharp voice. "Exactly what you needed, Tia. There is no need to apologize... If I haven't told you yet, I like being able to help other ponies." She grinned broadly, and gently helped Tia back up to her seat. "So, you enjoy reading the Book?" She asked next, a carefully crafty look on her face - she was still smiling, but obviously was still very worried about Tia.
Tia nodded softly. "Though I haven't really sat down to actually read it in..." Tia halted, trying to remember how long ago it was. Decades? Centuries? "I don't remember..." Tia whispered, and for some reason that hurt far, far more than she'd thought it would. "There's so much I cannot remember doing. I cannot even remember the last time I had a stiff drink!" She exclaimed - a combination of shame and exasperation overtaking her - temporarily burying her hurt in self-examination.
Cheerilee burst into a moment of laughter, putting her hooves over her mouth to stifle it, and Tia leveled a steely sort of look at her. "I am quite serious! I cannot remember the last time I did so many things!" She sighed out sadly, leaning back like a lump into the arm of the couch. "I feel as though..." She rubbed her eyes again, this time not out of soreness but out of a feel of exhaustion. "Like I've been living in a haze. Consumed by my plans, my thoughts... And now they're all... " She flicked a hoof silently into the air. "Dust in the wind. And I am left with naught to show for it, but a collection of fractured shards at my hooves, and no knowledge of what to do next."
Cheerilee nodded slowly, though Tia wondered if she could truly comprehend what all of this meant. Two centuries of planning, and all of it for naught because I was too arrogant to see the truth before my very eyes. How Discord would laugh at me now, and for once I would agree with him. Tia thought bitterly, hugging her forehooves around herself. Cheerilee sighed gently, and Tia looked up in a touch of confusion. Cheerilee pointed with her hoof and a soft smile. "Do you even realize you're doing that?" Tia blinked slowly, then looked down at her hooves around her chest - as though she was hugging herself. Tia shook her head slowly. "You're very unused to looking for physical comfort from others, aren't you?" Cheerilee said with a gentle insistence - making it a question between friends, and not strangers.
Tia paused then, and really thought about what she was being asked. I'm not... But does this mean I really just... need to be hugged? It seemed silly on the surface of it... until Tia thought of all those cool nights spent alone before her Sister had come back to her. Of a thousand years of nopony to truly turn to... not even when Cadence was born and grown. No true lovers, no intimacy. Just duty, and a need to see it through. There had been no one to pass along the load to... and now? Now... there was no more load. No more duty. Just herself, her thoughts and feelings long delayed. Harmony had turned her away... she still had something to do in this world. But what? If she was no longer to rule... what was she to do?
Tia looked up and blew out a soft sigh. "No, I suppose not." She said quietly. Perhaps... just perhaps... Luna had not been speaking for herself that evening. Tia knew all too well that Harmony worked in many ways, and sometimes it would just come right out and tell you what you were supposed to do. Perhaps... perhaps she was right. Perhaps I have completely forgotten what the lives of my ponies are like. She quietly thought, her head coming down to gaze across the expanse of cushions towards Cheerilee, who was still watching with a patient sort of smile. A teacher. Just like me. Tia thought, a slow smile of her own coming to her face. She understands. Better than anypony else could, I think.
Tia spoke softly, "Cheerilee... I..." She hesitated, and then plowed on ahead - hoping that raw courage would be enough to get her through the next words. "I want... I need..." She found herself tripping over her words, stuttering her words out - until she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder squeezing it. Tia took a deep breath and exhaled - the simple physical touch calming her. "Will you be my friend?" Tia asked softly, tremulously - fearing both acceptance and rejection in much the same breath.
Cheerilee smiled softly. "Of course. If you'll be my friend too, Tia." Cheerilee said in a bright, soft voice - and leaned in to wrap a gentle hug around Tia's neck. "And since we're friends now, I think it's my turn to hug you." She said in a teasing sort of voice, the gentle weight of the squeeze around her neck was.... wonderful. Warm and soft and inviting and everything Tia could have imagined it might be. She sat there for a moment, reveling in the hug... before she just couldn't help herself, and wrapped her own hooves back around the teacher closely.
Friend.
It was a good word. The kind of word Tia could get used to saying more often.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Geeze. That bad huh?" Vinyl observed - her flyaway mane now combed into something resembling sense, even though it still looked like she'd just stood in the path of a sonic rainboom. "Well don’t you worry, Derps. We'll take care of her." She nudged the mare next to her with a grin. "Right Tavi?" She cooed out, and Octavia gave off a sophisticated sort of smile.
Ditzy sighed in relief. She'd been worried either of them might have had second thoughts about holding a gig in the library, but it looked like Scratchy was still game for darn near anything. "Thanks girls." She said with a soft smile. "By the way, it's good to see you looking so chipper, Octavia. Lyra was gettin' awful worried about you for a while there." She picked up the coffee cup and drained the last of the cool, caffeinated liquid from it.
Octavia blushed faintly and smiled prettily. "Nothing to be worried about, Ditzy. I Went through a bad time there but... Vinyl sorted me out." She blushed more deeply now, her hoof curling around Vinyl's waist gently. "Tell Lyra I'd like to join her playing in the park sometime. I have come to miss playing just with my Cello, and I doubt there will be any stress involved with playing for every day ponies." Octavia finished, her hoof coming up to her collar and tie - it looked a little curious to Ditzy's eyes. Not quite cloth, it looked like some other kind of shiny materiel.
Vinyl gently socked Octavia in the arm and gave off a huge grin. "That's my girl! I knew you had it in you, Tavi." And then she kissed her - quite thoroughly - on the mouth, and ditzy felt a red blush creep up into her cheeks. Oh dear... They're really going at that. Ditzy thought with a little sadness. It'd been a long time since she'd done anything like that with anypony...
Luckily, Vinyl let Tavi go a few breaths later, and Ditzy decided it was time to beat a strategic retreat before they got heated again. "Anyway, It's been great to see you two... I'm going to go find Dinky and start rounding up everypony to get the party set up." She hopped up out of the sofa as the couple both blushed and let off light laughs.
Octavia shook her head. "My apologies, Ditzy. I promise you that Vinyl and I shall be on our very best behavior tonight." She then shot a glare at Vinyl, who was grinning like a madpony. "Because if she is not, Vinyl will very much not enjoy the punishment I shall levy upon her. Right Vinyl?" Octavia asked with a light glare. Vinyl then gulped down her grin and nodded hurriedly.
Ditzy decided this was a good moment to slip out... before things got heated in a bad way "Alrighty then! Bye Scratchy! Bye Tavi!" And she practically zoomed out of the house, taking to the skies at top speed. Phew! That was a close one! She thought, wiping sweat from her brow as she set her course for one of the few obvious landmarks in Ponyville... the Solar Shrine.
It was a simple enough place. A set of stone stairs leading up to a raised platform, upon which a single golden structure stood - a pillar leading up to a circular sun emblem, wreathed in metallic flames. Off to one side, a little cottage stood where the caretaker lived along with the priestess who watched over the shrine, and spoke to those who needed guidance.
Dinky had decided she wanted to spend the day up here playing with the other foals, since School was temporarily closed while repairs were made to the building. Sure enough, she was in the midst of quite a few of them - running about the shrine with all the reckless abandon a young pony could display. Ditzy felt her mouth crease into a smile as she looked on - never able to keep a smile off her face when her little Muffin was happy.
A white-robed and hooded pony slipped up next to her quietly, with a slight smile of her own. "She is a good child, Miss Hooves." said Bright Dawn, the priestess of the shrine. "And you a true follower of Harmony for raising her as well as you have." Bright Dawn was a pegasus pony, with a bright blue coat and soft, gentle green eyes. She smiled at Ditzy, who was blushing slightly. "What ails you, my child? You have the look of one with regret in her heart." She spoke with a soft sympathy, a gentle insistence that she could be trusted in her voice.
Ditzy sighed a little. Bright always had some weird way of seeing right to the heart of Ditzy's worries. "I'm just lonely, miss." She said softly, sadly. "I mean... I've got Lyres and Bon Bon but... None of the stallions in town will even look twice at me." She said softly, her wings drooping down a little bit as she did so. "I want Dinky to have a dad. Or heck, at this point I'd even take giving her another Mommy so she doesn't feel so lonely when I can't be there..." Ditzy said softly, feeling a weight laying down heavily upon her shoulders.
Then she felt a gentle wing softly encircle those shoulders and squeeze firmly. "The Book of Harmony says 'We do not always get to choose who we walk the high path with. Often those we love will lead us to trod the fields of Harmony, and we can but walk on until our day to leave the path comes to us. So long as we hold Harmony in our hearts, though, we shall never be alone.'" Bright intoned in a pious sort of way, then smiled wearily. "I know that is my most overused and clichéd passage, child - but I do feel deeply for you. You deserve a handsome stallion to call your own."
Ditzy smiled a little, and nuzzled her cheek into the wing. "I know, Miss. The Book doesn't have an answer to everything." She teased softly - it was the most often joke they'd shared between them, ever since a crying little filly had begged for Harmony to restore her eyes to normal. But such was not the power of Harmony, she'd been told. There was a reason for all things in the world - including her eyes. Ditzy had said that the world was stupid. The Priestess had agreed. "Thanks for looking after her while school is out." Ditzy continued, as though her thoughts had not taken several long moments.
The priestess merely dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Walk in Harmony, Ditzy Hooves." She raised her hoof in a benediction. "May Light guide your path." she finished, and then was gone - off to perform some nebulous duty.
Ditzy sighed and then raised her voice. "Muffin! Come on! We've gotta go!" There was no time to feel maudlin - and who knew? Maybe tonight would be her lucky night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh dearest goddess, this is hilarious!" Tia burst out, her sides stitching with laughter and her head bowed over the pile of papers on the kitchen table. It was all she could do not to knock over her cup of tea in the middle of her moment of pure amusement. "Do all of this one's papers read like this?" She asked the wryly smiling Cheerilee, her hooves coming up to try and restrain her giggles.
"Like they were written by somepony ten years older than she is? Yep, that's Silver Spoon's work alright. I'm pretty certain she gets it done by one of Diamond Tiara's tutors." Cheerilee said with a gusty sigh. "You see what I have to work with? I can't even convince her parents that she's not the one writing these!" She threw up her hooves in exasperation, and Tia just kept on giggling. "They think she's some kind of genius savant! If it wasn't for Diamond Tiara being her best friend, they'd have taken her out and sent her to a private school years ago... But nooooo..." Cheerilee drawled out, sticking her chin in her hoof. "I can't be that lucky."
Tia just burst into laughter again, and a moment later Cheerilee joined her, though her laugh was much more rueful.
Tia had decided the very best way to show her appreciation to Cheerilee for everything she'd done so far was to help her get some of those papers grades. Harmony knows I've been buried beneath that job enough. Tia had thought, and though Cheerilee had been initially a little hesitant, a quick display of teaching techniques and knowledge had convinced Cheerilee to give over and accept her help. Besides, that stack of paperwork had been awfully high.
It was much reduced now - thanks to the assistance of Tia's magic, and her rather extensive knowledge of the incredibly simple topics on display here. Cheerilee herself was looking much more... well, cheery. Which she wryly informed Tia was her not-entirely-joking nickname. "I swear, every parent in town calls me Cheery. They think I'm eternally happy, or something." She rolled her eyes. "I'm hardly Pinkie. I get drunk and surly with the best of them some nights!" She made a grring sound and Tia laughed again. "But seriously, just give her a B. There's no reasoning with Spoon's parents when she's at this age." She waved her hoof with a sigh. "I'm going to have enough on my plate soon without having to worry about those spoiled brats."
Tia arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" She asked cautiously, grading the paper a B as directed - then justifying it with a few made up punctuation and grammar errors. She set the paper aside and continued working with the stack - a little smile crossing her face as the name 'Applebloom' came up, and it turned out the young earth pony actually knew a thing or two about properly writing.
Cheerilee sighed softly. "Well, Ponyville's going to be getting a lot bigger soon enough. The town's already expanding as it is, and trying to keep the temporary foals in residence busy has been a headache and a half even without school being in session. I've got some teaching aides coming in from Manehatten, but..." She paused, chewing on her quill. "Can you keep a secret, Tia? There's another thing happening, but I don't know if we're allowed to talk publicly about it yet."
Tia nodded softly and Cheerilee continued. "Well, Twilight - maybe I should be calling her Queen now, but whatever." She snorted softly, and Tia couldn't help but grin a little. Her prize student or not, Twilight was about to find out that being a ruler didn't always mean sunshine and rainbows. "Just issued a royal decree today, along with Prin - Queen Cadence." Cheerilee made a disgusted face. "Never going to get used to that. The gist of it was... well, they're completely repealing the racial restriction laws for just about everything, except when it pertains to protecting individual ponies."
Tia stared for a moment in disbelief... and then exhaled deeply. I had anticipated this, but I did not think Cadence would fold on the subject so quickly. Perhaps Luna had been right there too... I am going to get awfully sick of those I-told-you-so's. And Cadence could have used her to back up her arguments against doing this so quickly. "That... is going to cause some issues." Tia commented softly, and Cheerilee nodded solemnly. "I take it the Mayor has decided to fully embrace this decree, given our proximity to the Everfree Forest?"
Cheerilee sighed and nodded again. "Yes, mother is quite excited by the prospect of making Ponyville into one of the premier cities in Equestria by throwing open the doors to any and all who might want to live here. Worse, she wants me to build her a fully-functional education system single-hoofedly!" She sighed heavily, sticking her head in her hoof with a grumble. "Sometimes, I wish Celestia had just let her go to Canterlot. She'd probably have been a lot happier there and I wouldn't have to deal with her calling me into meetings all the bloody time."
Tia blinked at her for a moment, her thoughts racing to process that bit of information before she spoke again. Oh dear. I remember her now... that nice young earth pony, so full of pride and ambition in her extensive learning, her brilliant analytical mind. she sighed. She still hasn't learned that book smarts alone do not make an effective leader, I see. Tia did not even notice she was idly grading papers without so much as more than a few looks at it, now worried about her friend.
This is going to cause a lot of local trouble. Why did Twilight not tell me personally? Tia thought. Perhaps she had not wanted Tia to know... given Tia opinion about some of those forbidden races. Changelings alone... I'm going to need to brush up on my Anti-Changeling magic. They were not to be trusted, of course. Tia knew that far too well. She was just about to start in on the tidbit of information that the Mayor was Cheerilee's mother when...
Tia was startled by the sudden appearance of a tumbler glass in front of her, and the bottle of a golden liquid poured to halfway up the glass - followed by a second glass and a second pour. "Apple Family Brandy." Cheerilee said, lifting her own glass carefully between her hooves. Tia raised her own glass with a soft glow of magic, eyeballing the slightly viscous liquid dubiously. Cheerilee grinned at her. "S'got a kick like Big Mac, but buck it. I think we could both use a drink. Here's to our mighty new Queens! May they reign with more Wisdom! Or at least, less stupidity!" Cheerilee raised the glass up towards Tia with a soft grin on her face.
Tia paused and chuckled softly, gently tapping her glass to Cheerilee's. "To Harmony." She said softly, and that softened Cheerilee's gaze immensely. "And to new friends." Tia said with much more vigor, and felt a bright smile come over her face.
Tia slowly took a long pull of the liquid... with her eyes going as wide as teacups. The stuff tasted like liquid apples laced with pure fire. It burned down her throat like a wave of too-hot cocoa, leaving a sweet-sour aftertaste burning in her mouth. She broke out into a fit of coughs and startled hacks, with Cheerilee chuckling brightly and taking a far longer drink with a look of pure bliss on her face. Then she set the glass down on the table and grinned at Tia. "Tastes good, doesn't it?"
Tia coughed over and over again, but she was nodding as she did so. It did taste good. Very good! Why in Equestria did I not indulge in this sort of thing more? She wondered, feeling a touch of heat in her cheeks - as well as a burning heat in her belly where the fiery apples stewed and stirred.
Cheerilee paused then with that big grin still on her face, and tapped her glass against Tia's more gently this time. "To Harmony." She whispered back. "And to new friends." She echoed Tia's words, but a touch of heat in her voice... and the pair of friends gently took another drink of the liquor. This time, together.
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And to fewer idiots calling the shots.
I kind of agree that that kind of laws can't be forced *that* fast... But I do agree that any kind of racial laws need to be gone. :(
Anyhow, this is another good chapter, and I'm confused on why the hell some ponies are like... so prejudiced against others when Harmony is more about acceptance? Although that can be blamed with the first thing that started it all, eradicating the Dissonance followers. I like Harmony, and I like Dissonance, but isn't Harmony has always more about acceptance? There's something wrong when Harmony didn't do that... The very proof that the Harmony's followers need to open their eyes more.
2692591
politics will be politics will be ...
No, not fewer idiots ... Just Different Idiots ...
Oh boy... I had tried to doubt it, but it certainly seems like the Code of Harmony is trying to make a come back against the Code of Dissonance. That or I could be reading too much into that. Even though it is the title of the story, it could just be a plot device but not the whole part of the story.
Not much else to comment on here. Things are spicy but nothing has exploded into an orgy yet.
Still missing Spike.
My headcanon is that the last time Lilith/Luna sleep-spelled him to keep him out of the way, she made the spell too strong, and forgot she'd tucked him into a cupboard in the Golden Oak's kitchen. He's still snoozing away in there, and is going to be VERY confused and upset when he finally wakes up...
It occurs to me -- after reading chapter one and the later chapter titles -- that with this new system of balance, there will be a "Newton's 3rd" for everything. The bush I'm beating around is the Elements of Dissonance and their... currently absent counters.
I don't believe in coincidence. Just really smart people with time on their hands. And sometimes coincidence.
The prospect that the Book of Harmony was written by Celestia years back makes an odd kind of parallel. Between how she is now and how she was just a week before, she finds herself looking to how she was way back when for guidance, reading her own book and all that. Trippy, but cool.
we need some chocolate here! for the cats of course.
2692780
but hopefully the idiocy isn't in areas lie common sense, geography, social skills/effects or politics.
hopefully in something like carpentry.
2692778
Just because they are about acceptance does not necessarily mean that they are stupid.
Those races that were kicked out of Equestria ... They use ponies as a food source. Acceptance is all well and good until ...you know. ..they start killing and eating (maby eating and then killing) your friends and family...
When two wolves start talking about supper ponies still get eaten ...
Why would they keep on feeding on ponies?
the old story had it right ...
"Because I am a scorpion and that is what scorpions do"
2694420
Then why weren't they simply exterminated?
A perfectly logical solution for an "impure" race.
You either don't do it or go all out.
It is that simple.
Purge the filthy and unclean, leaving the superior master race intact...
Ugh.
In case you fellows haven't noticed, I am being heavily sarcastic here.
Surely a changeling could make for a good spy for the royal court, keeping tabs on the bad guys as an undercover agent.
So I'm thinking that the whole, "Learning the true meaning of equality" aspect is supposed to be in Celestia's accepting the other races. Some of the other races are considered to be "impure" or what, based on the Word of Harmony, which was written by Celestia, herself.
After Ditzy had that talk with Bright Dawn, my first thoughts were that she is either going to find one of the "dark" races for a partner, have her eyes cured by them, or both.
why do i feel the beginning of a harem plot here?
Twilight and the others are really getting themselves set up for trouble with how quickly they passed that decree.
It would have been far better for them to slowly take it apart. Have they even truly thought about what the enormous consequences of something like this could be?!
4536930
Sorry for commenting on such an old comment, but I have to say something here.
The consequences of undoing the race laws are going to be there whether they wait and dismantle them slowly, or do it quickly. What's worse is that doing things slowly often drags the issue out more than it needs to be, causing even more problems down the road.
Take civil rights legislation in the U.S. for instance. President Johnson signed the Equal Housing Act separate from the other bills, and had to deal with the fallout of twice as many riots as he would have if he had one Act that took care of everything.
I personally like what Twilight has done; then again, race laws are unfair in the extreme. Making things difficult for ponies simply because of what they are is never right, no matter what the justification.
And before you say that it's needed in the case of changelings, think on this; there wouldn't even be any changelings if Celestia hadn't betrayed Starshine all those years ago. Even so, they only do half the stuff they do because they were persecuted.
4536930
I think it was important to get that one passed quickly or else Ponyville would have serious problems.
Because you bucked up.