Interlude. House Arrest
One month ago...
“Guilty on all counts?” the lead prosecutor, Closed Case, exclaimed as he, Twilight, and judge Honorable Oath trotted into a side-room of the courthouse, along with the clients of the prosecutor – technically all of Ponyville, but here represented by the town’s mayor and the eight members of its town council. A truncheon-armed guard was also accompanying Twilight, out of legal if not practical necessity.
Closed Case turned to Twilight, made a slight face, then looked back to the judge, who was settling down behind a desk in the room. “Guilty on all counts,” he repeated. “Your lordship, Miss Twilight Sparkle is an expert in magic, not law. I don’t think she knows what she’s doing. It’s not too late for her to hire a proper attorney, and given her inexperience I don’t think it would be untoward to not accept what she just said out there.”
The judge – a staid earth pony, gray in coat and mane both – considered for a moment, then looked to Twilight. “Mister Closed Case has a point, Miss Sparkle,” Honorable Oath said. “I would like to double-check the books to be sure, but I’m certain that I could strike your plea from the record and let you try again once you find a lawyer.”
Twilight shook her head before she could give the judge’s offer any thought, as she wasn’t certain she wouldn’t take him up on it if she did try to think things through more than she already had over the past month. “I know what I said, your lordship,” she said, looking him in the eye. “And I meant it. I plead guilty to all charges.”
“Are you attempting a plea bargain?” Filthy Rich, one of the members of Ponyville’s town council, asked. “The time for that was a few weeks ago, Miss Sparkle.”
“Not sure if’n we’d be willing to accept one, anyway,” Applejack, another member of the council, mused. “You gotta owe up t’ what ya did wrong, Miss Sparkle.”
Twilight nodded at Applejack’s words, not out of panic of over-thinking them this time, but rather out of complete agreement. “I know. That’s what I’m doing.” She looked back to Honorable Oath. “I’m guilty. I’ll take whatever I’m sentenced with.”
There was a knock on the door before Honorable Oath could speak. A moment later, the door opened, and a secretary peeked in. “Your lordship?” she asked. “There’s, um – somepony here to see you…”
“Tell him or her that I am quite busy at the moment,” Honorable Oath responded. He didn’t take his eyes off of Twilight, however, instead staring at her as though he were trying to solve some great puzzle.
The secretary looked mortified at what the judge told her, glancing out the door, then back in. “It’s the Princess!” she squeaked after a moment.
That got Honorable Oath’s attention, and everypony else’s as well, as the judge stood quickly, mouth opening and closing a few times. “Let her in, you silly filly!” he exclaimed as he came around from behind his desk. The secretary opened the door fully, and indeed, standing outside with a somewhat bemused smile on her face was the Alicorn of the Night, a trio of Night Guards accompanying her. One proceeded into the room ahead of her, while the other two remained outside as Luna trotted in.
Everypony inside bowed, of course. Luna acknowledge the bow with a nod, then indicated they should rise. “I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, Honorable,” the princess said, then glanced over Twilight and Ponyville’s town council. “However, after my failure to act quickly when Ponyville was last attacked, I have taken a personal interest in this case,” she looked to Twilight, “especially as, among other charges, Twilight Sparkle has been charged with the learning and use of dark magic.”
Twilight almost tried to defend herself, to point out that the dark magic spell she had used was, as these things were measured, fairly minor –an Ursa Minor was, after all, only an animal, not a pony, and she hadn’t caused any harm to it, either. She stopped herself after giving it a fraction of thought, however. It didn’t matter that the Ursa had only been an animal, she had still overridden its will and replaced it with her own, and had done so recklessly and without true thought towards consequences.
Honorable Oath, meanwhile, nodded. “Y-yes, your majesty. Twilight Sparkle has just plead guilty to all charges. I was about to dismiss her and the prosecution, to consider her sentencing, but if you would like to…?”
Luna looked to Honorable Oath, the slight smile returning to her face. “The Crown may be the law, Honorable, but this is your case, and I do not wish to impose myself on it unnecessarily. Do you have any preliminary thoughts?”
Honorable Oath clapped his mouth shut and glanced down, thinking hard. Twilight couldn’t help but think that the judge must have felt like a colt being given a pop quiz. “Nothing I have read about this case suggests malicious intent,” he said at length. “Twilight Sparkle turned herself in of her own free will, and before, I understand that it was she who banished the Ursa Minor back into the Everfree Forest.” Honorable Oath looked to Twilight. “Were this simply a matter of destruction of property, I would charge you to pay for damages. However…there is the matter of the reckless endangerment and resisting lawful arrest, as well as the use of dark magic. A more severe punishment then a simple fine is required.” Honorable Oath looked to Luna. “I would like more time to consider, Princess, but if I had to sentence Miss Sparkle here and now, then I would sentence her to ten years of house arrest, at the Starlight’s family home here in Canterlot. And I would require her to submit to random checks of the spells she has been casting, to ensure that whatever dark magic spells she has learned, she has not been using them.”
Twilight blinked a few times. “Not prison?” she asked. Luna and Honorable Oath both looked to her, and she shrank back a little, but steeled herself. “Um…sorry, your majesty, your lordship…it’s just…I was expecting prison.”
“And you would go to one, if you violated the terms of your house arrest,” Honorable Oath warned. “Barring that, however – prisons are for ponies who are a danger to others, or to themselves. Nothing about this case, however, has suggested malicious intent to me. I see a mare who made a stupid mistake in the heat of the moment. The law says you must pay for that mistake, Miss Sparkle, but nowhere does it require that you suffer for it.”
Luna nodded at that, glancing a moment at Twilight and the Ponyville town council before turning once again to the judge. “Well said, Honorable. You are also right to want more time to consider the sentencing and legal technicalities. I shall leave you to your deliberations. I should like to address the court after you sentence her, however.”
The judge agreed, of course. Luna left the room at that, and Twilight and the Ponyvillians were escorted from the room afterwards, and back to the courtroom outside. As they were, Twilight heard Closed Case muttering to himself. Twilight couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit of sympathy – this case was probably supposed to have been a big thing, a huge media circus, and a chance for Closed Case to get a little bit of fame. She was, after all, the daughter of viceroy Night Light, arguably the most powerful pony in Equestria after Luna. For Twilight to be charged and brought to court was a huge embarrassment, and certainly most ponies had probably expected the trial to be drawn-out affair.
Twilight resumed her place at the table reserved for the defendant, while the Ponyvillians went to their own table, which had a new pony sitting at it that wasn’t there before – Trixie Lulamoon, Twilight realized. The blue unicorn grinned and waved at Twilight, but quickly found herself surrounded by Ponyville’s town council, asking her what was going on.
Luna, meanwhile, stood near the door to the judge’s side-room, talking to one of her Night Guards, though in too low a voice to be heard. Directly behind her in the gallery, abuzz with talk of the arrival of Luna, sat her father, mother, and brother, all looking at her worriedly. Her father leaned forward. “The princess just arrived,” he noted.
Twilight knew she wasn’t supposed to talk to her father at the moment. She glanced at the guard that still shadowed her, who looked back, considered a moment, and then looked away, whistling a low tune. Smiling a little, she risked leaning back slightly, though she kept her head forward. “I noticed,” she whispered.
“What did she want?”
“I don’t know. She wanted to address the court after I’ve been sentenced.”
“What did you get?”
“I don’t know yet,” Twilight lied. But only a white lie – even more so than talking to the gallery, she knew she couldn’t share details of whatever went on in the side room with them, and besides, there was every chance that the judge might change his mind in some way.
It was some time – more than an hour – before Honorable Oath emerged again. The court’s bailiff looked confused for a few moments, glancing nervously at Luna as he no doubt wondered if he was allowed to order the princess to rise in what was technically her own courtroom, but after a reassuring nod from the alicorn he spoke up. “All rise for his lordship, Honorable Oath.”
Everypony did, then seated themselves when Honorable Oath gave them leave to. Twilight felt a reassuring hoof on her shoulder; she glanced behind her and saw it was her brother’s, though her mother seemed to be steadying him. Honorable Oath took a few moments to gather himself, then looked to the courtroom. “The court accepts the defendant’s guilty plea,” he said. “Therefore, for the crimes you have been charged with, I hereby sentence you, Twilight Sparkle, to be placed under house arrest here in Canterlot, for a period of not more than ten years; and to submit yourself to random inspections of the spells you have cast, whenever required by a duly appointed representative of the Crown.”
The courtroom’s gallery burst into conversation at that. Twilight took the opportunity to glance back at her family. There were tears in all their eyes, but they were also all smiling, knowing that this was probably the best sentence they could have expected. The sound of Honorable Oath’s hoof striking his podium a few times brought the courtroom back into focus. He glanced down at Luna. “Before this case is closed, her majesty, Princess Luna, has asked to say a few words.”
Luna nodded to him, then stepped forward from where she had been standing, making sure to stand in plain view. “My little ponies,” Luna said, “I can find no problems with judge Honorable Oath’s sentencing. It is fair and just and right in every way, and I do not wish to challenge it…however.”
Luna paused them, no doubt anticipating the breakout of murmurs that would ensue with her words. She was right, of course, and Twilight took a moment to once again glance back at her family. They all looked more than a little confused, and worried as well. Twilight had to admit to no small amount of worry herself.
Twilight glanced back to Luna when the murmurs died down. Luna glanced to Honorable Oath, and then to the Ponyville town council and Trixie. “However,” Luna repeated, “I should like to suggest an alternative sentence. Twilight’s house arrest in Canterlot would more than pay her debt to society as a whole; however, she did not harm society as a whole, only Ponyville.” Luna turned to look at the Ponyvillians. “What follows is not an order – merely a suggestion. Rather than remaining in Canterlot for ten years, I would like to suggest that she be placed under house arrest in Ponyville for five, that she be given a job there, and that a portion of her earnings from that job go to pay for the damages that she caused.”
Luna turned to Twilight. “You would be given a chance to see and to personally apologize to the ponies you have wronged, to grow to know them and connect to them. And in turn, they would have a chance to grow to know you and connect to you, and grow to understand that you did what you did not out of maliciousness, but rather that all your crimes stem from a single, foolish mistake.”
Luna turned, and looked to Honorable Oath. “Once again, Honorable, this is not an order, nor a royal pardon. It is only a suggestion, that you may amend in any way you see fit, made to you, to Ponyville, and to Twilight.”
Honorable Oath pursed his lips as the courtroom came alive with low conversation. It was not often that the Princess merely made a “suggestion,” but he nevertheless was obviously trying to treat it as one, and measure it carefully. Twilight, for her part, was frozen in shock. Spend her time not in Canterlot, but in Ponyville? Surrounded by the ponies she’d insulted and nearly hurt? Whose Eventime festival she had ruined? They would hate her, despise her, and they had every right to. How crazy would she have to be to give up the comfort of Canterlot for…
“Oh,” Twilight said quietly. Canterlot would be comfortable. Her family’s estate wasn’t the largest in the city, but it very nearly was, and it was well-appointed with staff and other amenities. She would be surrounded by her family, have as much chance to do whatever she wanted, not expected to do anything…it wouldn’t be the punishment she knew she deserved. It would be a ten-year vacation. And there was more, too, something about the way Luna had explained the alternative sentencing, the chance to connect…she looked back up to Luna, who was looking at her. “If you want to speak with your family, you may,” Luna said, easily heard over the buzz of the courtroom.
Twilight didn’t waste in any time in turning to her family. Her mother, father, and brother were all glancing between Twilight and Luna, confused. “What is the Princess doing?” her brother asked.
Twilight only shook her head, glancing over at the Ponyvillians, who were talking amongst themselves, looking just as confused as Twilight’s family – all except Lulamoon. Twilight suddenly realized she knew why the blue pony was here now: as the Representative of the Night Court to Ponyville, Trixie was empowered to break any tie votes the town council may find itself in. And with what Luna had just proposed, a tiebreaker might very well be necessary. Twilight then turned back to her own family. “I’m going to take what the Princess suggested,” she said.
Her mother started, and reached out to her, placing a hoof on her cheek. “Don’t,” she insisted. “Twilight – you could stay in Canterlot – ”
“But it’s not a real punishment, mom,” Twilight said, leaning forward to nuzzle her mother. “I mean…it’s not. Not really.”
“Nonsense,” her father said, making a cutting motion with one hoof. “It’s exactly what anypony would get for the same, Twilight, Just accept what the judge sentenced you with – ”
“Dad,” Twilight said, looking to her father without moving away from her mother. She felt wetness in her eyes. “I’m…I’m sorry…but Princess Luna is right. I shouldn’t just…just sit around in Canterlot. That’s not paying my debt. A-and, and besides, you heard what Luna said. It’s only five years. And Ponyville isn’t that far from Canterlot! You could still visit whenever you liked!”
Her father’s mouth opened and closed a few times, before he looked down. “But…” he said, “Twilight…we only just got you back…”
“I know. But…but I think I need this.” She looked to Luna, then to Lulamoon, who was sitting amongst the Ponyvillians while they debated. Lulamoon looked up to her, and smiled a little, before being pulled aside to answer a question. Twilight looked back to her father. “Trixie…she tried to explain something to me once. Something about…connections…I can’t remember. But what Luna said, she made me remember it.” Twilight nodded to herself, breaking away from her mother, finally, but only so that she could nuzzle her father. “I need to go to Ponyville. But I won’t be going anywhere else for awhile. I’ll just be a little further away, that’s all.”
Her father reached up, putting a hoof on Twilight’s withers as he returned the nuzzle. “Alright,” he said. “Alright…”
Twilight smiled, then turned to look at Shining Armor. Her brother looked her up and down. “You’ve grown a lot, Twilie,” he said. “I’m supposed to be the responsible one. You’re supposed to be goofing off across the country reading books.”
Twilight giggled a little, as she and her brother nuzzled. “Look where that got me,” she noted. Shining Armor let out an ironic chuckle of his own, before Twilight turned away, and looked to Luna. She was the first to reach her decision, it seemed. The town council of Ponyville followed.
Honorable Oath banged his hoof on the podium for silence again. When he got it, he looked between Twilight, the Ponyvillians, and Luna. “Twilight Sparkle,” he said, “I am open to the Princess’ suggestion, with a few clarifications. You would be placed in Ponyville and a job suitable to your skills would be found. You would have to pay your debt to Ponyville solely from this job – I don’t want your family stepping in here. The five year sentence would be mandatory, and not open to shortening. You would be allowed to change jobs if you so chose, provided that you remained within Ponyville. And at any time, you would be allowed to contact this court and request a change of sentence back to the one originally proposed, and time spent in Ponyville would count towards that ten-year sentence.” The judge looked to Ponyville’s town council. “Twilight would be employed in Ponyville at your pleasure, beginning no more than one month from this date. You could at any time and for any reason submit a request for her original sentence to be resumed, though a final decision on that matter would rest with this court and Twilight would be interviewed first. She will otherwise be treated as any other citizen placed under house arrest would be treated.” Honorable Oath looked between the two parties. “Is this acceptable to both of you?”
“It is,” Twilight answered first.
The Ponyvillians needed a few moments more of discussing things with each other, but at length, Ivory Scroll said something to Case Closed, and the lawyer looked to the judge. “The citizens of Ponyville agree,” he said.
“Very good,” Honorable oath said. With a glance at the princess, who nodded, he banged his hoof on the podium a final time. “Case closed.”
---
Earlier today...
Twilight’s first day had mostly been her inspecting the library in detail, settling herself in her home upstairs, and then setting about trying to find out what kind of condition the library’s organization was in.
It wasn’t good. In point of fact, as near as Twilight could tell, there wasn’t any kind of organization at all. Books seemed to have been shoved into shelves with no regard for the decimal system of organization that had been standardized throughout Equestria two centuries ago. History was mixed with literature. Sciences were haphazardly scattered everywhere. Foal’s books were mixed in with advanced mathematics. The closest thing to organization was that the astronomy books were at least grouped helpfully near the spiral staircase that led up to the small observatory, but even then, that wasn’t out of a sense of order, it was out of sheer laziness on the part of the Ponyvillians. And the periodical section was completely out of date.
The library, according to a file that Twilight had managed to find in the front desk, had a total of twelve thousand, eight hundred and seventy-four books. And not a single one of them was where it was supposed to be.
It had kept her a little busy throughout the night. Two hours alone had been spent trying to decide whether it was better to just pull everything off of every shelf and start fresh, or try and just gradually re-organize everything. Finding a cookbook in the chemistry section (well, flanked by four chemistry books, anyway) had prompted the former choice, if for no other reason than the process of trying to decide whether or not there was some logic to the idea of putting cooking and chemistry together caused her to maybe have a very small breakdown and pull everything from the shelves and onto the floor with a burst of frustrated magic.
Once that decision had been made, she had ended up staying up all night. It was a chance to put her newly-restored magic back to work, at least: when the Sun had set and the day given way to the night, she had eschewed the normal lights the library was equipped with and instead created and released dozens of glowing purple orbs throughout the library to give her light enough to read by. Then came the organizing. Admittedly, that had calmed her down more than a little, not only because she was bringing some much-needed structure to the library, but because with every book she laid hooves on, checked the library card number, found the appropriate space on a book shelf for, and put away, she felt an ever-growing sense of the library becoming more ‘hers.’ It wasn’t long before she was moving automatically, not even keeping track of the time that was passing, or even fully cognizant of what she was doing. Yes, it quickly became rote, but Twilight enjoyed rote. She’d had so little of it ever since the Ursa Minor…it was actually nice.
The progress she was making was nothing short of amazing. Or, at least, she thought it was, until she heard the front door to the library chime from where she sat on the second floor, putting away the modern histories. Glancing up at the sound, she saw from a nearby window that it was light outside, and another quick search of the walls let her spot a clock that, more than simply having worked through the night, she had worked through the morning as well – it was past three o’clock PM. A glance around the floor, meanwhile, revealed books everywhere – not scattered everywhere, organized in neat piles, but they still formed a veritable maze. She knew the ground floor didn’t look any better, either.
Stifling a yawn at the sudden realization of how long she’d stayed up, Twilight cantered over to the stairs and down, trying her best to put on a smile and hoping she didn’t look too bad from staying up all night trying to reorganize the library. “Good morning!” she said as brightly as she could. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, the new…um.”
Twilight stopped halfway down the stairs, blinking a few times, when she locked eyes with the pony who had come trotting in – an orange earth pony with a blond mane and a cutie mark of three apples, wearing a Stetson hat and glancing around the library, or more precisely the piles of books everywhere, with one eyebrow raised. When she looked up at Twilight, her own eyes grew at least as large as Twilight’s.
Applejack. Head of Sweet Apple Acres, but more importantly to Twilight, a member of Ponyville’s town council. Twilight remembered her from her trial. She remembered each member of Ponyville’s town council, in fact, but Applejack in particular had stood out – after all, Twilight had met her counterpart from another world. She tried not to draw any conclusions from what she knew of that Applejack, however – this was a different pony, who had grown up in a wholly different world with, for all Twilight knew, wildly different circumstances.
Twilight forced herself forward, unconsciously lowering her head submissively. “S-sorry about the state of the place, Miss Applejack…” she said. “I’m just doing a little, ah, re-shelving.”
Applejack got over her surprise, and instead waved off Twilight. “Place has needed a good overhaul for years now,” she observed, trotting up to meet the unicorn and giving a hearty smile. “Ain’t hardly gonna call ya out on doin’ the job the rest of us were too bone-idle to do ourselves!”
Twilight smiled a little at that, as well as the country accent that Applejack sported that, despite its questionable grammar, went a long way towards putting her at ease around the orange pony. Applejack extended a hoof. “Don’t think we’ve been formally introduced,” she said. “Name’s Applejack. Ah run Sweet Apple Acres, with the rest of mah family. An’ Ah’m a member of the town council.”
Twilight nodded, taking the hoof. “Um, Twilight Sparkle,” she said, glancing around the library. “Librarian, I guess. But you knew that.”
Applejack, to Twilight’s surprise, shook her head, even as she gave Twilight’s hoof a vigorous shake. “It’s fall now, keeps me busy at the orchard. I missed the meetin’ where we set you up. Suits ya, though.” She looked around. “Anyway. Ah can’t seem ta find my almanac for the year, so Ah was lookin’ ta see if’n the library still had a copy. Probably won’t have much luck right now, though…”
Twilight brightened as a cover, decimal number, and location flashed through her head. “Actually…” she said, turning around and beginning to navigate through the book maze she had created. After a few minutes of searching around, and one or two false leads, she managed to find one of the few bookcases that was full up already. Using her hooves, she pulled out a large book, and hoofed it over to Applejack. “Here you go.”
Applejack offered a bright grin as she took the almanac, then glanced around at the book maze. “Y’know, believe it or not,” she said, “It’d probably have taken me three times that long ta’ find it before, what with how disorganized the place was. Color me impressed. Place’ll probably look new-built by the time yer done with it.”
Twilight brightened much more at that, looking over Applejack as the two began making their way towards the library’s front counter, Applejack balancing the almanac on her back, flicking it with her tail every now and then to keep it from falling off. Her smile faded a little as she remembered that Applejack had been at her trial – and had been one of the members of Ponyville’s town council that had voted as to whether or not she should be allowed in town.
“Um…Miss Applejack?” Twilight asked.
The earth pony looked over at Twilight, smiling. “Jes’ Applejack,” she insisted.
Twilight nodded. “Applejack…I was wondering…and you can feel free not to answer this! But I was just wondering…a month ago, at my trial. When you and the rest of the council were voting for whether or not I should be allowed to come here. Which…which way did you vote?”
Applejack’s smile didn’t falter, though it did become a little wry. “It’s a secret ballot, Twi, Ah can’t tell ya,” she said.
“Oh,” Twilight said, looking away. “Sorry – ”
“Nah, don’t be. Yer new, ya didn’t know.” The two had reached the front counter, and Applejack put down the almanac on the counter, and looked pointedly at Twilight. “Ah can tell ya that it ain’t secret forever, it’ll be open ta the public in one year. Ah can tell ya that it was a six-to-two vote, too. Yer friend Trixie didn’t need to break a tie. And,” Applejack offered a wink at Twilight, “Ah can tell ya that Ah’m the sort a’ pony who feels a mite tickled when a pony that’s done wrong or who needs help, has the guts to stand up and admit it, and take responsibility. Took me awhile ta’ learn that lesson mahself, too.”
Twilight looked Applejack over, even as she began filling out the library card for the almanac. Applejack had all but told her that she’d voted to let Twilight stay in Ponyville. Why? The Apple family’s night had been ruined at the Eventime just like everypony else’s. The Ursa Minor she’d lead into town had destroyed an Apple family cart. She’d put Apple lives at risk, hadn’t she?
“So,” Applejack said, “yer stuck in here for the next five years, huh?” At a nod from Twilight, Applejack tks’d. “Cider season’s commin’ up. Apple family cider ain’t somethin’ ya want to miss. Tell ya what – Ah’ll make sure ta save ya a bottle or two. Consider it a ‘welcome ta Ponyville’ gift.” She suddenly glanced sidelong at Twilight. “Ya do like apple cider, right?”
Twilight blinked as she carefully slipped the library card into the almanac. “Y-yes,” she confirmed.
Applejack brightened again. “Good ta…” she began, when she paused, ears flickering a few times and frowning as she glanced towards a nearby window. “D’ya hear fireworks?”
Twilight did, actually – softly, at first, but the sound rapidly gained in volume. Applejack trotted over to the library’s front door and opened it, looking around. Twilight poked her head out as well, fairly certain that as long as her four hooves stayed inside the threshold, she wasn’t violating her house arrest. The two of them spotted the source of the sound – fireworks were launching from the Official Residency of the Representative of the Night Court of Luna to Ponyville, which wasn’t very far from the library. The unicorn looked to Applejack. “What’s the occasion?” she asked.
Applejack shrugged. “It’s always one fool thing or another with that pony,” Applejack said, then glanced back to Twilight. “You’ll get used to it. Am Ah good ta go?”
Twilight blinked a moment, then nodded, using her horn to telekinetically grab the almanac and float it out to Applejack, who took it and placed it on her back again. “Thank’ye kindly,” she said, tipping her Stetson. “Ah’ll be seein’ ya soon, Twi. Always good ta make a new friend. An’ welcome ta Ponyville.”
Twilight nodded as Applejack turned and left, then went back inside, closing the door to her library and looking around at all the work she still had to do. At a guess, she was maybe a sixth of the way done with her re-shelving. She had a lot to do still.
On the other hoof, Applejack seemed to think she was doing a good job. Smiling to herself, and feeling a small surge of confidence, Twilight trotted through the maze of books and back upstairs, getting back to work.
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This, I should think, means that Twilight will be less a saviour than she will be an offerer of advice. Anyways, nice callback to the Crisis; she does know that AN Applejack is an element-bearer but is smart enough to realize that not all AJs are created equal. (Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof, is a constant!!!
)
Applejack.
On the town council.
So much NO.
This is the pony that couldn't handle her own family reunion. without a building getting leveled. The pony that can't even notice when her sister is being bullied in her own house, and then blames the fallout on her sister-- and then does nothing about the bully when she IS told. The one who gets suckered into stupid bets and contests on a routine basis. The one who doesn't have the common sense to rest when she's overworked or accept help when she needs it. Who hid in a house shivering like a foal when a zebra came to town (and that's in the continuity where Zecora was just an innocent neighbor!). Who thinks 1+1 is "fancy mathematicals." Who started a damn RANGE WAR with the buffalo.
No. Hell no in fact. She shouldn't be overseeing anything that doesn't have roots and leaves on it.
3488280 Actually, no, it isn't. You're thinking of the kid's show Applejack. This one did none of the things you're using as an example, and in this universe she would actually be justified in reacting badly if she saw Zecora walking through town.
3488280
You know, I can't help but be curious as to why you're still reading this. When I don't like a fic, I just stop reading it, I don't keep driving up my blood pressure.
In any event, the idea isn't mine originally. I totally ripped it off from HopeFox's The Crusaders Take Manehattan. Which hopefully one day he'll get back to.
Oh, and also, what 3488295 said. Sooner or later, you're gonna actually notice that "Alternate Universe" tag. Maybe. Unless you stop reading this, which, if you're not enjoying it, you really should do.
Nice to see Sparkle settling in with a soothing initial go at reshelving day. Well, days.
3488280 I'd like to introduce you to some of the city council members in my home town. Shouldn't be isn't the same thing as wouldn't be.
Also, didn't you make AJ an alicorn and give her the Roughnecks in The Great Alicorn Hunt?
3488280 Reality, having already said in a blog post that you dislike the Lunaverse, why the hay are you even reading this? Since apparently you don't understand what the term "AU" means, allow me to clarify:
Alternate Universes explore alternate interpretations of characters when placed in different circumstances. That's precisely what the Lunaverse is. Your blog post complained that 'everyone was severely OOC' or some such. Within the strict confines of canon, you'd be correct. But not in the Lunaverse's canon. And yes, I just said that the Lunaverse had canon, despite being fan-made. Why? Because even fan-made universes can have their own canon.
Also, 3488295 and 3488340 are right. This world's Applejack is a far cry from the Applejack portrayed in the show for little girls.
RDD...I am a little disappointed in you right now.
I mean...after a straight line like that, how could you pass up the opportunity for a "Who's on First" gag?
3488280 Actually with the control obsession that L!AJ has, I would have been shocked not to find her or an older sibling of dark red hue firmly at each meeting, with one hoof placed solidly into every project that the council approves.
Also RDD: You may consider expanding her house arrest to "and the vicinity" or she's going to starve to death in the library (because she certainly won't eat the books). Or maybe you have that planned all ready with one of the L!6 dropping by and noticing a certain reduction in the librarian's body mass index
To the Marketplace! For shopping! And if it's Trixie, all the better. It would let you reflect a bit on her eccentric diet. 
3488681
Yeah, it's Trixie. That's Trixie's primary role as her designated escort; One of Trixie's jobs is obviously going to be to make sure that she can go to market and not starve to death n' such.
To be honest I'd have quite liked a Twilight only story I am interested in how she's going to fit into the population (I'm sure not all will be as nice as AJ) and sooner or later it's going to hit her that House arrest is still arrest. It might sound nice to live in a library but when you can't walk out the door when you want it looses some of its shine.
It might also be fun to seem Shining and the rest of her family visit.
It was at this point that I realized that he was the honorable Judge Honorable.
Anyway, I loved this. Character development!
Definitely looking forward to more in both plots. Also, æ is best letter.
And suddently, I hear faint sounds of "we were destined to be friends" coming form this and I don't know why.
Pinkie Pie party in 3...2...1...
Now this is more like the Twilight we all know and love. Organize ALL the things!
3488280 Dude, do you not notice the 'alternate universe' tag?! If you don't like the Lunaverse...
STOP READING THE STORIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Ahem* Sorry about that. Anyway, not too shabby. I admit, part of me wondered what would've happened if Honorable Oath told Luna, "No" and sent her to the original sentence.
What's more likely here, that Applejack really, really, couldn't find her almanac, no matter how hard she looked, orrrr
Perhaps a certain monosyllabic sibling secretly stashed it someplace secluded as part of some sinister scheme to make his sister socialise with strangers?
So A plot will combine with E plot and turn to Æ?
THEY'RE GUNNA BURN DOWN THE LIBRARY!!!!!!
I rather understand the desire to switch to two seperate storys, one following Twi, one following Trixi, but, I am expecting that both of them are going to end up involved with this tutoring thing rather soon. Trix has a bit of a problem in that really shes not all that good, shes very much into intertaining others with magic, Twi is much more a high end general mage. Both have very good methods and ways to teach, if alowed. Could also be, oddly enough, a learning experence for each of them. Twi needs her nose outa the books now and again and to practice, Twix needs to get her nose into a book and learn a little about what shes playing with.
I also kinda hate to say it, but, I would be unsuprised to find the reason Reality check comes on to post negativly is that there are same sex couples in the storys, and that said couples are portrayed in a posative light, even mentioned as role models. RC is, from what I have managed to glean, very much anti gay. Its a stupid reason, yes, but, sadly a very human reason.
I am enjoying this so far. A bit slow but I like the tone.
One thing I would sort of prematurely mention is that I hope Twi's new relationships do not gravitate overly heavily toward exclusively her alternat self's friends. None of Trixie's friends have any real reason to dislike Twi any more than anypony in Ponyville, and since Trixie became her friend, they have the highest likelyhood of getting to know Twi without incentive or happenstance.
I have no idea what your overall plans are, but just thought I would drop my 2 cents in that I would prefer fewer parallels between the 2 Twis.
Nice chapter, it was very well written and had good scenery/world building, the judges 'I see a pony" line seemed a bit... something, but besides that it was very well paced and an easy read, I'll be looking forward to the next one.
How plea bargaining, or more acurately immunity, works: You turn over evidence and testify against your colleges or otherwise aid in the resolution of a serious crime, and you in return are charged with lesser crimes that you plead guilty to. You are still found guilty and face criminal sentencing, but for lesser crimes resulting in an overall lighter sentence. For example, let's say you and your partner broke into a house to steal property. The owner of the house surprises you, and your partner shoots and kills him, and the two of you get caught. You could go for immunity from the murder charge (at the very least being an accessory) by testifying that your partner shot and killed the owner. You would still have to confess to the burglary and plead guilty on that charge, but you wouldn't be an accessory to murder.
3490017
He hasn't implied that yet with any of my stories, so I'm not going to assume that here.
3488280 Yes, because everyone who holds an elected office deserves the position, and nobody unqualified has ever held an elected position ever. Isn't that right President Taft? President Taft? Where is he? What? He's stuck in the bath tub? Not again.
3490747
To be fair, in the Lunaverse, I actually think Applejack is good at her job.
Though, uh, she also isn't elected. Filthy RIch's family and Applejack's family automatically have a seat on the town council, being the town's founders.
3490756 I'm with you there. Personally, I like to think that Applejack's level of education, or lack thereof, comes from motivation. In canon, (being a kid's show with a light-hearted comedic bent) it's played for laughs. Nevertheless, if you do take it seriously, you could easily assume that Granny and/or Big Mac handle the books for the farm while Applejack handles the face-to-face social side of things by selling their produce at the market. Instead of focusing on the big picture, she just throws herself into doing whatever task is required of her right at that moment, and it works well enough that she doesn't feel the need to overturn the appropriately proverbial applecart.
Here in the Lunaverse, she's much more driven to take the reins herself because she believes the Apple Trust philosophy of needing to be the immovable rock in the storm in case of a famine, which she believes Big Mac is too soft-hearted for. Just like in canon, she throws herself whole-heartedly into whatever needs to be done for the good of the Trust or (her idea of what's best for) the community, and because she's appropriated more responsibility, her skillset is more oriented in the business end of running the farm.
Taking it to the far extreme {BLATANT PLUG WARNING!} would be my own AU series where, due to the lack of a Sonic Rainboom, she didn't return to Sweet Apple Acres right away, and got introduced to her Uncle Orange's friend Fancypants. Instead of making her feel like her rural heritage diminished her, Fancypants encouraged her to never be ashamed of her upbringing, and got her curious about investment and philanthropy by comparing it to growing crops on a farm. As a result, my Applejack became motivated to pursue higher education, and her drive to do it well led her to become an investment mogul with her own firm, Apple Orchard Farm & Loan.
3490708
i haven't read that story of yours yet, and i do like your stories. Is it part of the Lunaverse, Maneverse, some other AU or is it just a generic stand-alone?
This still feels like it could have been its own story to me. I can see how it is going to fit into the Magical Tutor bit you've got going as that is rather obvious, but it's still a rather major figure in the actual canon media being relegated to a bit part in what is in her Twilight-centric chapters her own redemption story. It feels unfair to do that to me. None of that is to say you aren't writing her well and that this isn't interesting it just feels sad to not let Twilight have a bit more weight here.
My only other concern is that I really hope Twilight doesn't make all the same friends she did in the Maneverse. Pinky hating her because the Ursa ruined the party she was planning for Twilight or something (a new resident coming into town) would be rather nicely different. I do agree with giving her this redemption yes, just hope it doesn't result in a carbon copy is all.
Beyond those two concerns remains a lovely and very well written story. Thanks for sharing.
3488280
Just about everyone above me has outlined what is wrong with your post so there isn't anything I can add about that really so all I have to say is the fallowing:
Sir I very much enjoyed Parting Words and feel that you hit a number of the things that bothered me in regards to the series dead on, and as much as our views on other things differ I respect you a fair deal so I am compelled to ask: RC. Why are you doing this to yourself?
You clearly don't like the Lunaverse having stated is outright on your blog. Any logical person would have stopped reading by now.
and yet... here you are inflicting it upon yourself it just makes no sens.
This kind violation of logic is on par with someone who vehemently hates peppermint popping peppermint tic tac's like candy. Save yourself the time and stress and just stop reading, your comments aren't having any effect other then reflecting badly on you. :(
3487641
Scenario:
Trixie is attending a night court social event where an pegasus stunt team (some team other than the wonder bolts) is providing the entertainment. As they come to the end of the display Trixie casts her magic sight spell so she can watch the magical contrails in detail formed by the pegasi's magic.
Brilliantly colored ribbons of light trail the three flyers who end with a dramatic dive to land right in front of Trixie and the other courtiers.
Trixie blinks and rubs here eyes and looks again at the stallion on the right side of the trio. To her eyes the hooves and wings are shining brightly, and the rest of them glows softly, with the sky blue of pagasus magic. But the Stallion is different. His wings shine blue like his team mates but is body shines bright green. But it was his hooves that really caught her attention, within them she saw a roiling swirl of green and blue, distinct, never mixing, but constantly intermingling.
Trixie stared for a moment longer before speaking to herself, "Huh. Never thought I'd see a pegasus/earth pony hybrid on a stunt flyer team."
3490906: It's part of the Lunaverse.
Really, really enjoied this chapter. It carried all the tone and feel I could have hoped for, even if I could nitpick over a few minor details here and there.
I must say that I am sort of getting the vibe that maybe this should be two stories, but I'll trust that this is all going to come together adequitly. Argualby, at least given the title, the Trixie+foals stuff should be the main story though, while the stuff Twilight is more like a side story and one that seems to be ecroaching over the supposed main attraction such as it were. If I was orginizing this I might split it into the main episode with Trixie and a webisode tie-in with Twilight, but I can understand why you might rather just have it all together.
3490713
I can not say otherwise, but I have read RC commenting on other storys as well, for him this is but another method to push his agenda. I don't care that hes pushing an agenda, but, hes going about it in a very negative way. I am sure if you went and posted simular comments on his storys he would be quite wroth over it.
3490910 Given how this is bound to go, and as long as RDD keeps giving us these Twilight focus chapters where appropriate, I see her as more of a deuteragonist for this story rather than a bit part.
Twilight is wikipedia but also horse.
3493044
Perhaps. Though still felt like her actions in Crisis, and her own development there kind of warranted her own story. It wouldn't have really been long. And it could have just been this court of law bit, and the turning herself in bit that came before, have been its own story. Then her actions that slot into this story would have been fine and natural. It just really feels like Twilight deserved her own story after she has made so much progress in Crisis. Hell we had a Prelude to Crisis where Twilight was our lone character. Her redemption story though doesn't rate? I don't understand it.
3496512
Again, the big problem is that in a chapter or so the two are going to merge completely. I don't have anything thought up for Twilight by herself, nor Trixie by herself.
3496586
Realize that. And you wouldn't have even needed to write more then this and what you already did here. But this treatment of Twilight makes her feel like a prop and vastly second rate which was sort of what this story and Twilight's redemption arc was supposed to alleviate no?
Like I said wouldn't have needed to be long, similar to length of your Cadence side story bits would have been more then adequate. Even just this chapter and her turning herself in, while arriving in Ponyville and the whole sentencing thing would have been fine as a short story and it would've established her. Ending this sort of story with Twilight organizing the library and helping Applejack find her Almanac and then a small addition of wondering what she's going to do with herself in the town in general, maybe with someone else walking in to find a book would have been perfect. Then she's established and any other plans you had for her in terms of this story would feel fine. And others would have felt like they could use her from that point fine as well you'd have set up her circumstances nicely.
3496622
I'll...consider it. I'm working all day today, so don't expect much movement on that front for at least a little while.
I dunno, I'll see what I can do.
3489593
Well, like Luna said, it was only a suggestion; Luna was putting the ball firmly in his Honorable's court (so to speak), and Honorable, Ponyville, and Twilight would all three of them have to agree to it.
I don't think Luna imposes herself on the law system very often if she can help it (that tyrant thing n' such), but then again I'm sure that over 1,000 years she's had to step in now and then. Preferably only when absolutely necessary and/or if it would make a particularly funny or meaningful story for us to tell.
Luna: So the Crown is the law.
Fancy Pants: Yes.
Luna: And as the law, the Crown owns all courts in the land.
Fancy Pants: Yes...
Luna: And as I own all courts in the land, I can interpose myself into anything taking place in those courts if I want.
Fancy Pants: Absolutely.
Luna: Which means that the ball was not out-of-bounds and I can overrule the referee-
Fancy Pants: Not that kind of court!
Luna: *mumble, grumble* fine, here's your 20 bits...
Trixie: SO THAT'S WHAT THOSE WERE FOR!
[Kudos to whoever gets the reference]
I really liked this chapter. Can always use more Twilight.
3496753
Also that was just generally hilarious.
The Longest Day Longest Night, Luna insisting she wanted Trixie to repay her after the whole debacle due to "princesses not actually getting paid?" It's 3 Am here so I may have that one wrong.
3497442
Yup, that's it.
3499585
Huzzah!
3499601
None
3517541
That's fair, I was really just looking for a chance to throw that clip around. Sorry if I seemed rude.
ah, reshelving day is such a magical time.
This is a nice chapter.
I really enjoyed this chapter. I felt it covered exactly what it needed to. It showed how Twilight went from surrendering herself to the authorities and how that ultimately lead to Twilight paying her debt to society by spending out her house arrest in Ponyville. I pictured this to be how the Equestrian courts treated prison sentences, as a final option for when the ponies were too dangerous to be left in regular society.
Also, while I've said it before, I'll say it again, I like the way you portray Applejack. No she isn't the hero we have in the maneverse but she is still a decent pony when she's not in one of her stubborn streaks. Plus I like to think that there aren't really any pony holding a grudge against Twilight.
And oh the fireworks
I'm pretty sure that it is a rule that when ever fireworks are introduced into a story they must be set off prematurely. 
Nicely done.
Well, this should prove to be interesting, it's nice to see a lighter side of Applejack,when she's not obsessed with her farm she can be pretty nice. Fireworks at Trixies? Oh dear...
3488280
I'm sorry, but at what point did you not get the ALTERNATE UNIVERSE tag on these stories? Expect the Lunaverse versions of our Mane 6 to be a little different from the norm. I wouldn't have piped in after all the other responses saying the exact same thing, but considering this is at least the second time you've chimed in about the mane 6 being OOC in an AU story, it apparently needs to be drilled in as much as possible.
I honestly can't decide if that's stupid or clever.