Where Night Meets Day

by _Medicshy

Cruelty and Kindnesses

To say Apple Bloom had been one for all that fancy book learnin' back in Ponyville would've been the biggest lie a pony could tell, but you wouldn't have guessed it from her work in her first years in Canterlot. Although earth ponies were exceedingly rare additions to the Canterlot School of Magic and Technology's magic division, a skilled alchemist could not be denied her place among her peers.

A place that, expectedly, came with all of the jeers, snide remarks, and mischievous pranks any young filly must go through with a group they don't fit in with. Hardly a day went by without her mane magically turning a different color or half her chemicals spilling on the floor as she was tripped walking across the class. Stemming from that, hardly a day went by where she didn't miss her friends and family back in Ponyville. But she was an Apple, and no Apple ran away from a good thing just because a little hardship got in their way.

Although she largely ended up working alone, grumbling to herself as her unicorn classmates created their cliques, Apple Bloom stubbornly kept at her work, making her few school friends in the more technical branch of the school. She picked up a surprising amount from her friends there, astounding them in turn with her own know-how and intuition from back on the farm. Among the ponies in her own branch she wasn't always the top of the class, particularly not when a potion needed a pinch of unicorn magic that she couldn't fake or borrow, but she put in triple the effort that the others did and that kind of determination doesn't go unnoticed.

Upon graduating she was offered a job, as nearly all graduates of such a prestigious school were. However, she was one of a very select few to earn a letter with a golden border, the royal seal showing its origin proudly. She had been selected, above all of the other alchemists in her class, or indeed in quite a few classes before it, to join the Equestria Magical Research Division, working out of the castle like so few ponies could. After rubbing it in a few choice faces, she eagerly accepted, arriving for work on her first day ready for and expecting anything.

And that was what they threw at her. On everything from quick cures for ailments to growth serums for plants she worked her magic, even without a horn to trivialize the process. Her dedication and creative problem solving got her promoted quickly, and, oddly, with more responsibility came more free time to roam around the castle where she worked.

There she made perhaps her favorite discovery of those early years: that Scootaloo was a Royal Guard. It happened completely by accident, walking through the gardens while lost in thought, passing by armored pony after armored pony without even a second glance. She probably wouldn't have even noticed if she hadn't been watching a bird as it flew in front of her friend's face.

The two of them stared at each other for a second, the connection of familiar face to the friend it belonged to taking longer than it should have due to their long separation, but once it was made the reaction was immediate. “Scootaloo?”

“Apple Bloom?!” The two Crusaders looked at each other in surprise, then laughed and ran together, meeting in a tearful hug. Apple Bloom didn't have long for her break, but she spent the entire time catching up with her friend and making sure they would meet again. After that day, the two were inseparable.

There was hardly an evening where Scootaloo didn't come over to Apple Bloom's small apartment near the castle, often in her armor and immediately after her shift. They'd laugh, they'd talk, play games, reminisce... No adventures, which was a little disheartening to them both when they realized it, but then they weren't looking for cutie marks anymore, just finding meaning in their talents.

However, just that little reconnection sparked a fire in both of the Ponyvillians, boosting them in both of their chosen professions. Scootaloo's natural talent shone in her training, and her bravery in the line of duty got her swiftly promoted to Captain of the Guard. Meanwhile, Apple Bloom was suddenly tackling tasks that had stumped even the greatest minds for ages, like how to turn some of the nation's surplus gold into much more useful lead and iron. When she, with a single serum, managed to safely and instantly triple the output of the farms supplying Canterlot, her position as head of the Alchemical Department was guaranteed.

But even over the years as their duties multiplied, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom made sure to spend time together whenever they could. And then, on the day Sweetie Belle released her first album, her two closest friends listened to the copy she sent them, finally feeling like the old group was back together again. Life had gone amazingly for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and it was only looking brighter.

Even the brightest candles eventually burn out, and such was the case as weather became the focus of everypony's attention. The drought that swept through Equestria was devastating, and neither friend was able to spend much time together. Scootaloo was called off to defend the peace while Apple Bloom tried the impossible task of creating large amounts of water from nothing at all. She even got close, developing the balloon cactus, which very slowly filled with drinking water, assuming it could be grown in the right conditions. Unfortunately, she had no hope of finishing in time as Manehattan exploded, the Weather Riots officially kicking off.

As a Royal Alchemist, Apple Bloom fully devoted herself to her research, spending long nights locked in the castle tower pouring over equations and looking for that silver bullet, but there was no solution to be found. Still, nothing would stop her from trying. Neither a Crusader nor an Apple gave up that easy!

It was this devotion that caused her to start awake in her tower, listening to the alarm being spread throughout Canterlot Castle one bright, sunny morning. Her mane was a mess, her bow barely keeping its shape and failing to keep her mane out of her face. There was a small puddle of drool on the papers on her desk and the soreness of her back did little to help. Groggily she walked to the window where she saw a group flying from the castle, apparently with Princess Luna at its head. Moments later the sky was abuzz with ponies in armor chasing after them. Highly confused, Apple Bloom left the tower, making her way through the chaos of the halls.

Ponies in armor ran every which way, all shouting orders or coming back with reports that didn't seem to make much sense to her tired mind. Why were they keeping so much track on Princess Luna? She seemed guarded enough. Heck, they were even saying she had a personal detail with her. Eventually, with her curiosity piqued, Apple Bloom stopped one of the soldiers, asking him where Scootaloo was for her to talk to.

The silence that immediately befell the hall was deafening after the clattering of hundreds of armored hooves. But even the heavy silence was a feather compared to the answer to her question. Her face scrunched up in confusion. “Ex-Cap'n Scootaloo? Traitor? Secession? What're y'all talkin' crazy for?” Immediately the tired mare was led away from the general bustle, practically tossed into the library to be dealt with later.

Apple Bloom didn't have any idea what all of this nonsense was, but she did have something she'd been meaning to look through the royal library for anyway, so she managed to find the book in question, yawning as she searched through it for what she needed. As she was looking, a pony sat down across from her, getting a quick glance from the alchemist. “Oh, howdy Twilight. How're ya doin'?”

The purple alicorn looked frazzled, as though she'd been hit by a hammer earlier and it was still registering, and Apple Bloom's greeting didn't help matters in the slightest. “I should be asking you that. Haven't you heard the news?”

Apple Bloom flipped through a couple pages. “What, did the riots stop when I wasn't lookin'?”

“No, in fact...” Twilight choked up, the very thought in her head making her unable to speak. “Apple Bloom... Princess Luna just created her own nation, with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Scootaloo backing her up, as well as a surprising amount of other ponies once they left the castle walls...”

“Nah.” Apple Bloom flipped another page. “That can't be right. Scootaloo'd never do somethin' like that. Somepony's messin' with ya.”

Twilight looked her in the eyes. “I was in the room when it happened. Celestia has given the order... they are all to be taken in, dead or alive.”

Apple Bloom stopped, putting a hoof to her forehead. “Alright, the joke weren't funny the first time, Princess. Y'all can stop tryin' now.” She looked up then, seeing the dead serious look on Twilight's face, and immediately her attitude dropped, the weight of the moment hitting her. “No...”

“It happened, Apple Bloom. Right in front of me. I even talked to them all... Equestria is no longer unified.”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, it can't be. Scootaloo... She'd never...” The sad look in Twilight's eyes said it all. Slowly Apple Bloom closed the book, shaking her head. “No... no, yer lyin', or there's a mistake, o-or–“ Twilight was about to say something, but Apple Bloom got up, knocking over her chair in the process. “I ain't listenin'! It ain't true!” She ran from the library, through the constant stream of guards. The constant stream of ponies searching for one of her oldest friends... She went home and shut the door, locking out the rest of the world, sure that in the morning it'd all be some sort of nightmare.

Morning brought no fix, no solution or magical remedy, it only cemented what she'd already feared was true. Princess Luna had left the castle, with Scootaloo as the honor guard on her exit. That wasn't even the kicker, though. Over a quarter of the Royal Guard had disappeared, as had nearly a third of the ponies Apple Bloom had worked with every single day. Notes were missing, whole projects were in shambles, and trying to pull that together alone would have taken months. But that was only the beginning.

Within a day of Princess Luna's secession, demands came into the Magical Research Division from Princess Celestia for all manner of new things. Weapons, aggressive spells, enchantments for the soldiers... All other projects were to be put on hold “to deal with this new threat consuming our nation”. On seeing the specs of these new research plans, almost half of the remaining ponies in Magical Research quit, including all of those above Apple Bloom. In the wake of that news, she was informed that she was going to be taking over as the head and be given a week to get the place running again.

Facing the mountain of paperwork, setbacks, and sudden responsibility, Apple Bloom froze, a dangerous thing to do with so many ponies looking to her for guidance. Eventually she managed to babble something about getting things organized before slipping from the tower, walking into the garden to try to clear her head.

Even the feel of nature around her did nothing to settle Apple Bloom's mind. How was she supposed to run the Magical Research Division? She was nothing more than a farm mare from Ponyville at heart. And even putting that aside, she was being asked to make weapons... weapons that would be used against ponies... against Scootaloo. She would, singlehoofedly, be responsible for the death of so many just by continuing her job. How could she possibly be expected to do this? Her head swirled as the plant life surrounding her seemed to crowd in. She was supposed to be solving the weather issue, not killing the rioters! And without all of her friends and colleagues, she'd never–

She bumped directly into the solid form before her, not even moving it as her nose pressed against something warm and tough. At first she thought she'd hit a guard who'd been standing in the sun, an apology leaving her mouth automatically, but once her vision came into focus, she realized the purple before her wasn't a bunch of orchids, but a single dragon, and a familiar one at that. “Spike?”

The dragon turned around, standing a little taller than Apple Bloom after all these years, his scales like armor as his body began to show the strength of his race. “Apple Bloom? Fancy meeting you here!” Immediately his eyes shone with concern. “Are you alright? You look horrible.”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, I'm not alright. I just got promoted ta head of the Magical Research Division.”

Spike smiled at the news. “Congratulations! I'm sure you'll be amazing at it.”

Apple Bloom stomped at him. “No, I won't be! I ain't ready for anythin' like this! An' even if I was, I don't wanna be if'n it means makin' weapons ta hurt my friends...”

Spike paused for a moment, a claw going up to tap at his chin while his tail wrapped around his feet, its spines looking a lot more streamlined than they had when he was younger. After a few moments, he looked her in the eyes, seeing the conflict in her distraught face. “You know, Twilight always freaked out before tests too. She always said she wasn't prepared, that she'd do something wrong... it even continued after she became a princess. She even blew the whole library into the air once. But no matter how she raged, she knew she had the strength to do it. I think you might be in the same boat there. From what I've heard of you since you left Ponyville, you're more than qualified for the job.”

Apple Bloom sat down, shaking her head. “I was never meant ta hurt ponies... I didn't sign up for this...”

Spike sighed. “And Twilight was never meant to lead, and yet she became the Princess of Friendship. She's fought monsters, she's saved nations... She went head to head with Tirek and won. She never wanted to hurt anything either. She didn't even want to make friends, initially... But sometimes you do that you have to, for your country. For your family, your friends, and those close to you.”

“But Scootaloo is all of those things, an' she's on the other side...”

“And Applejack is all of those things too, and she's still here.” Apple Bloom went pale at the thought of Scootaloo hurting Sweet Apple Acres, but Spike managed to catch her before her mind ran wild. “I'm not saying that they will attack or something crazy like that, but if they did, wouldn't you rather have some sort of defense?” She nodded. “And wouldn't you rather you knew what that defense was? That it would only knock a pony out, not turn them into a meaty goo?” She nodded again, her eyes wide in horror at the image of the meaty goo. “Then I think you're exactly where you need to be.”

Apple Bloom thought for a few moments, considering everything Spike had said, before nodding, a slight smile showing on her face. “Ya know, yer right... I think I know just what to do. Thanks, Spike! When did ya get so good at motivational speeches?”

Spike smirked. “I live with a neurotic bookworm princess. You learn a lot of useful skills while being the royal vent.”

“You gonna be around for a while? I could use a familiar face, an' y'all got the perfect skills ta help me keep from goin' crazy.” She rolled her hoof near the side of her head, joking about the situation already. Just that one thing he said had illuminated so much, and knowing she controlled the weaponry, well... that put her at ease once more.

Spike chuckled warmly. “Yeah, I'll be around. I'm at the castle as long as Twilight is, and I don't think we'll be leaving any time soon.”

“Good. We need ta catch up sometime anyway. I'll see ya around!” She gave the dragon a quick hug, then went back to her tower, ready to face the ponies and the trials within.

After that Apple Bloom and Spike started to meet on a fairly regular basis, growing closer as the crisis evolved, with both able to vent their frustrations and worries out on the other. It was comforting for Apple Bloom to have somebody there to listen when things got heated, and she was always glad to be able to return the favor for him whenever the politics on his end got overwhelming. Knowing he was there to bounce ideas off of, her confidence in her decisions grew and the Magical Research Division thrived under her leadership.

As months went by with no sign of the conflict stopping, their visits grew more frequent as they became fast friends, always there for each other no matter what else the world threw at them. And as the conflict grew into a war between nations, they grew even closer, each becoming an anchor for the other in a sea of turmoil and emotions stretched to the snapping point. They never would have guessed, meeting by chance in the royal gardens, that they'd be the only things keeping each other sane, but they were glad of it all the same.

Flora sighed, her chin leaning on the dining room table as she looked longingly out of the frosty window. Wracking her brain, she went over every note of the song, everything that had happened recently, everything she'd said, and still she was no closer to pinpointing the cause of her heartache. Or, rather, Jazz's heartache, but they might as well be the same thing the way she felt.

Her head rolled onto her cheek as her eyes roamed the room, eventually coming to rest on the small memorial set up in the corner. A helmet of the Royal Guard with Equestria's flag folded neatly beneath it. That just brought to mind a smiling face that somehow made her sadder as Newsprint's laughter floated through her memory, the only place where she'd ever hear it again. Maybe she could just go back to bed, curl up, and lose herself in dreams of a better time... With the morning light only now seeming to gain strength, it wasn't too late for that, right?

A cough sounded from the door frame, causing her to perk up and turn to see her mother leaning in it, a slight smile on her face. “How are you this morning, dear?” she asked, a warmth in her voice despite the cold weather outside.

“I'm fine, mom,” Flora sighed, feeling herself sinking back into the chair as thoughts crowded on her once more. She stayed there as Rose walked to her side, sitting down next to her.

“Really? Well it's just that, if that clock is right, it's a little after eight and you are normally right to work making sure your plants are watered first thing in the morning. Don't you still care about the little darlings?” Rose's voice was soft and sweet, with a caring smile waiting when Flora turned to look at her.

But her daughter had no smile to give, just a little frown of annoyance. “I know what you're doing. It's not like that, mom.”

Rose smirked. “Isn't it? I might have believed you if I hadn't picked that same chair for the view it provided. Perfect for quiet, brooding contemplation.” She walked around the table, closing the curtains on the wintry world outside before sitting down and taking her daughter's hoof in hers. “You've been out of sorts for days, but this is the worst I've seen it yet. What's wrong?”

Flora rolled her eyes, looking towards the ground as she started to walk away, but her mother's grip was unrelenting. The few tugs Flora gave did nothing to free her, and she quickly realized 'no' wasn't an acceptable answer. Sitting back down, Flora huffed, collecting her thoughts in line. “I want to tell you what's wrong, but that would mean I'd know and could fix it. But it's been days and I'm still no closer to cheering Jazz up than I was at the start.”

Rose sat up a little straighter, her interest piqued at that statement. “Oh? Did he do something bad to you?”

Flora shook her head. “No, nothing like that. He's just been... off. He had a family issue with his father, which resolved itself, but ever since then he hasn't been himself. Silver hasn't seen him, he hasn't been to the market, and when I go over to help him he barely talks to me! If it weren't for the music ringing in my ears I'd hardly be able to tell another pony had been in the room. And I know something is bugging him, but I just can't get it out of him.”

Rose leaned in a little bit, just a hint of worry edging her features. “And while this is upsetting, you're sure nothing's wrong with you? He hasn't offended you in any way, right? You're feeling okay? Nopony's been harassing you?”

Flora shook her head, only holding back a glare with the knowledge that Rose was only trying to help. “No, mom, I'm fine. Just sad.”

Rose raised a hoof, leaning back out. “Just making sure.” Slowly her face melted into a warm smile, which moved to her eyes as she spoke. “You really do care for him, don't you dear?” Flora moved to answer, but Rose went on, having already known it. “But if you're going to prove you care about him, you're going to have to stop being so kind.”

Flora raised an eyebrow at her mother. “What, start yelling at him? If he's got an actual problem, that's the last thing that's going to help.”

Rose's smile deepened. “No, not yelling, just use a little more force.” As she looked at the disbelieving look on Flora's face she just shook her head, knowing why the idea was so hard for the young mare. “You know, when your father and I first met, long before I would have ever dreamed that he would be the stallion I would marry, he tried something like this. He had gotten himself into some very deep trouble and was gravely injured, and he had come to me for help.”

Rose got up, walking over to the door and looking out the window in the living room. It was hard to tell among the other roofs of Ponyville, but she could just barely see the top of her shop from here. “When he finally woke up, the first thing he asked me to do was warn a friend that they might be in danger. I had no idea what was happening, but seeing his state, I was willing to believe he was right. But one thing led to another, and soon the whole issue had only gotten worse from his intervention.” She shook her head. “He was beating himself up, hurt and raging on the inside, and no matter how I tried to comfort him, it had no effect. And then, beaten and bloody as he was, he tried to run off so he wouldn't be an issue to anypony anymore.”

Rose turned around, seeing the disbelieving look on Flora's face. All three of Rose's children had looked up to their father, with his great stories and how brave and strong and determined he always was for them. If they had known the details of any of his adventures before them... Well, they probably wouldn't have been so shocked when he disappeared like he did. With her smile fading at her own thought, she continued. “I managed to find him, but that was the last straw. I had been much too kind, letting him do his own thing and push himself to the edge of sanity. I marched him back to the house, bandaged him up tight, and kept him under my constant watch until he healed and knew for a fact that he was actually wanted.”

Rose took a few slow steps towards Flora, remembering those same eyes looking back to her in a bandaged face all those years ago. “If I had been a little slower, or his leg brace a little quieter, he might have slipped away. He might have hurt himself or worse, and my whole life would have never been the same. When I look back at everything that happened and how easily it could have changed... Well, I am glad I was too nice, but I'm also glad I knew when to put my hoof down and be mean once more.”

She sat down across from Flora again, looking her daughter in the eyes. “Now, your stallion is collapsing in on himself, and you might think it best to let him do so, to try to dance around him and help him without. But I have a feeling whatever is bugging him is coming from within, and, while neither of you may like it and it might not be pretty... You're going to have to get a little mean and make him see it. Do you understand?”

Flora nodded, the sadness from before gone from her movements, replaced with a touch of determination. “I think I do.” She got up, walking upstairs and getting her things. A few minutes later she came back down, bandanna around her neck, winter hat on her head, and a plan of action in her mind. However, as she opened the door, she heard her mother call her name. Turning around, she barely reacted in time to catch the apple sailing through the air at her.

Rose was leaning in the door frame once more, watching her daughter get ready to go. “Don't forget that apples bruise easily, dear. Be mean, not cruel. I don't want to see you moping again.” Flora smiled warmly, nodding as she made her exit. Watching the door, Rose sighed happily. “They grow up so fast...”

Flora hurried through her routine at her own greenhouse, nearly forgetting to water a whole wall of plants as she tried to plan what she was going to do beforehoof. Grabbing her violin on the way out the door, she rushed to the jazz apple greenhouse, arriving a little early and pacing nervously as she waited. Would confronting him really be the best idea? True, she couldn't help him if she didn't know what help he needed, but was it really right for her to badger him until he asked for it? He was the brightest light in her life right now, even if his light was a little dimmer... Did she really want to risk it being taken away?

Her questions were answered when Jazz arrived ten minutes late, a brooding scowl plastered on his face as he brusquely dismissed her greeting wave. He only paused to unlock the door, and hardly reacted to the kiss she planted on his cheek when he did. Inside he wasted no time to tune up the instruments, skipping smalltalk until he snappily asked her if she was ready to play. With Flora's mood souring by the minute, the last straw was the performance itself: rushed and angry, the usual beautiful tones of his trumpet pained as they were forced out, and her violin crying as it tried to keep in time. The flowers on the vines barely glowed, drooping slightly compared to their beautiful state a few days prior...

At the end of the song, Jazz packed up his trumpet without saying a word, ready to rush right back out into the snow when he was stopped by Flora, carefully replacing her violin in its case and blocking the door with her body. He stood there, visibly tense and hoof tapping, for a few moments before he gave an annoyed cough. Flora shot him an irritated look in response. “There's no use looking so antsy, you aren't going anywhere until you talk to me.”

Jazz snorted. “I got chores I hafta tend ta, Flora, so-”

Flora snapped her case shut, standing up and glaring at him. “Chores can wait, Jazzy. I don't like this attitude you're putting on and neither I nor your plants deserve to be treated like this. If I did something wrong, tell me.”

Jazz took a step back, brow furrowing. “Ya ain't done nothin' wrong, Flora, so if ya'd just-”

Flora shifted in front of him as he tried to sidestep her. “Then tell me what is wrong. You've barely talked to me for days, and that smiling face I knew so well has completely disappeared. I want that back. Tell me how to help you.”

“I don't need help. I need ya ta get outta my way, I'll be fine, Flora.” Jazz took a step forward, nearly reaching the door, when Flora grabbed him by the tail and swung him to the side, looking him in the eye.

“No you don't! You aren't leaving until you tell me what has you so worked up! Is it the thing with your father? Did your mom send you back some bad news?”

Jazz looked away, reaching for the door once more. “I don't wanna talk about it, alright?”

He pulled it open slightly, but it was immediately slammed shut by Flora's hoof, holding it firmly in place. “No, that's not alright. It's been days and I just want to see you smile again, Jazzy. I want to feel the music flowing through me as I spend time with my special somepony, and he's being too mule headed to let me in!”

Jazz glared at Flora. “I ain't havin' an argument with ya in here. It ain't the place for it an it'll upset the vines.”

Flora matched his glare, her emerald eyes locked onto his hazel ones. “Then where do you want one? Outside where ponies can hear? In the farmhouse with Big Mac mediating? Or maybe you'd like to taint the memories of the barn with a shouting match. We could even go to a bar, get everypony in town right in on our social life, if that'll make you call me 'Sugar' again.”

Jazz looked at Flora flatly. “Sugar, open the door.” He tried to handle again, only for Flora to hold it tight once more, and this time he growled, stomping on the ground. “Why're ya makin' this so difficult, huh? All this woulda been so much simpler if'n ya didn't care!”

“Of course I care, Jazz! You're my special somepony! When you're unhappy, I'm unhappy, when you're nothing but smiles, my heart soars.”

Jazz shook his head, moving back into the room and away from the door. “If'n it was just family they'd understand! Pa wouldn't, but the rest of 'em would be right behind me!”

Flora followed him into the room, her eyes pleading as she moved. “You said we were like family, Jazz, back in the clubhouse. Since then, I've supported you through everything, by your side when I could and behind you when I couldn't. Tell me what's on your mind.”

Jazz spun around, continuing his rant. “An' then ya dragged Silver inta this, an' got me all worked up an' all this talk ain't makin' it any easier! It was all easy when I wasn't wanted.”

Flora looked confused. “I know your father tried to do something really cruel to you, but that doesn't mean you aren't wanted.”

Jazz laughed once, a short, mirthless sound. “Yer jokin', right? You saw the looks I was getting' around town, the watchin' eyes in Jennydale... I ain't wanted here. All their kin are out on the front line, fightin' and workin' ta defend this country, an' here I am sellin' apples like I ain't got a care in the world.” He stalked forward a few steps, blazing anger in his eyes. “Every time I went ta the market, I got nothin' but scowls, all accusin' me a bein' a traitor, with more hatred in 'em than even Pa was givin' me. They're wonderin' why I ain't doin' my part, an' ya know what? I'm wonderin' too. I got my Ma 'n my aunt out there workin' for the cause, doin' all my fightin' for me, an' all I can do is sit around with my injured uncle watchin' my old farm be run ten times better by you than I ever could on my own. If only ya didn't care, I coulda disappeared tomorrow 'n nopony woulda cared.”

Flora's confusion only deepened, wondering how long these thoughts had been eating away at him. “Disappeared where? Your place is here, making sure that those ponies out on the front have a home to come back to, and you do a fine job of it. I might kick a few trees and help build up the greenhouse each year, but without you this place would fall apart.”

“Oh yeah?” Jazz said as he walked over to his trumpet case, opening it up and pulling out a small notebook. “When I was thinkin' 'bout all this, I started keepin' notes, tryin' ta figure out what it is I do around here every year.” He tossed the book in front of Flora, where it fluttered open, landing only a few pages in. And yet, it was blank. “Ever since the night Pa tried ta take the place I started writin' things down. Stuff I'd know that you wouldn't. I ain't more'n a half dozen pages in an' I'm already stumped. If I gave ya that book an' told ya where ta find the ledger, you could run the whole of Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow. An' lemme tell ya, Sugar, it's temptin'.”

Flora kicked the book closed, shaking her head. “I'm not going to take your farm from you, Jazz.”

Jazz smirked coldly. “Oh, ya wouldn't be takin' it, Flora. Yer actin' like I'd run off an stop carin' about ya, an that just ain't true. Carin' about ya just makes what I'm about ta say a lot harder.” He walked over to the book, picking it up while he grabbed one of her forehooves in his, placing the book into it carefully and holding it in her hoof. “I'm gonna go join the army, Flora, an' I want ya ta keep the Acres safe until the war's done.”

Flora's jaw dropped as she looked at his serious expression, then at the book he was holding in her hoof. She pulled away, shaking her head violently as she saw all those happy memories of him consumed inside her mind. “No! You're not giving me the orchard and you're not going off to war. It's suicide to march off to fight in the dead of winter, and I am not going to stand for it!”

Jazz shook his head as well, picking up the book and walking towards her again. “It ain't up for debate. I shoulda done this years ago.” He put a hoof to his heart. “It's my duty, both as an Equestrian an' as an Apple.”

Flora backed away from him, heart suddenly pounding in her chest. “But what about Big Mac? Or what if your dad tries to take the place over again?”

“Mac's behind me all the way, an' I already made sure Concord an' Cassidy would do everythin' in their power ta keep Pa off'n this place.”

His calm tones did nothing to soothe Flora as she looked around the room, mind racing for something, anything, to stop this madness. Her eyes landed on the beautiful glowing apple blossoms. “What about our duet, huh? You promised me that much, and an Apple never goes back on his word.”

Jazz sighed. “Well, ya got me there, but the duet will be a lot sweeter when I get back, right? Might lose a coupla jazz apples before winter's out, but it ain't like we were sellin' 'em anyway. It's nothin' ta worry about.”

That was where Flora stopped backing up, though her shoulders shook visibly. “Nothing to worry about? Nothing to worry about? I don't care about losing a few jazz apples because all of the notes aren't being played. I'm afraid of losing my Jazz Apple to a war that's already ripped my family apart! It has taken my father, my brother, my sister, and for years I was left with nothing but the shadow of a mother, all for some stupid war nopony wanted in the first place! You want me not to worry when you're galloping into that fiery blaze ponies keep mistaking for a sunset? You're asking me to do the impossible.” She walked forward, throwing her arms around Jazz's neck and hugging him close. “You're the one light in my life... Don't take that away from me.”

Jazz hugged Flora back, kissing her lightly on the cheek before he pulled away. “Flora, yer actin' like I want ta go. I ain't doin' this because it'll be fun, I'm doin' it because I haveta.”

“No you don't! Your family is giving enough, you don't-”

“My family gave far too much already. Equestria lost its greatest treasure ta this war, an' it don't even know!” He looked her in the eyes this time, the sadness within showing through. “Granny Smith loved this country more'n anything. She'd watched it for years, been there for the foundin' of Ponyville, an' she always believed in the value of a hard day a' work, family, 'n good friends. She'd lived for over three hundred years, a bafflin' miracle, every day praisin' Celestia an' this great nation she lived in. An' then the whole thing ripped apart, an' she watched her family get dragged off ta fight ponies they'd known all their life... An' that was that.” He shook his head, eyes shut and tears forming at the edges of his eyes. “She faded away the second it all started, an' I weren't even a year later that she was gone. She lived her whole life with Equestria whole... It's only fair we put it back in her honor.”

Jazz sat silently, his teary eyes looking to Flora's for comfort, but that was not what he found. Whether it was from before or something new, she showed only angered horror. “And, what, you think winning this fight is going to bring Granny back? Do you think that's what she wants? To see her own family go off and forget the farm she worked so hard for as they kill and fight and die, just so that some border line can be erased? Because it won't. Your death won't bring back Granny, or Newsprint. It won't clear my father's name or stop a nation's rebellion. It'll just add another name to the list.”

Any touching moment Jazz thought he had created was lost when he heard her rant, the insulted look on his face betraying him as his eyes turned harsh. “So what? Ya think my family's just a bunch of fools runnin' in an' killin' themselves? Ya don't think Equestria's worth fightin' for?”

Rose squared her shoulders as she matched his gaze. “I don't give two licks if Equestria fell to the Lunar Republic or dissolved entirely. Nothing is worth tearing apart and tossing aside lives like this.”

Jazz stalked forward, glaring at Flora. “I dunno if'n I can stay with a traitor.”

Flora's jaw clenched. “What?”

“A traitor.” He spat the words with venom. “Yer brother fought for the nation, an' I miss that colt somethin' fierce, but he's the only one a y'all who ain't gone all cowardly and featherbrained.” Flora stood there, silent, though her cool exterior belied the seething inferno growing within. Taking her silence as proof and with his own blood boiling, Jazz kept talking. “When yer father ran off, it was his cowerin' that got Newsprint goin' in the first place. An' then you lose one pony ta the cause and suddenly yer mom freezes up, yer sister runs off, an' the only one still workin' an' seein' the light was you. But I guess that was just an act, huh? Well, act or not, this is a war, which means ya gotta fight for what ya believe in, an if yer just gonna hide like some fool coward pegasus, then I-”

Flora wasn't even the least bit curious what he was gonna do as her forehoof smashed across Jazz's cheek, stunning the stallion mid speech. She spun around after that, rearing into a devastating buck that flung him across the greenhouse into the dirt at the far end. He rolled when he landed, coughing in the dust kicked up and with the taste of metal in his mouth. “Ow!” he said, spitting blood droplets as he pushed himself up. “What th' hay was that for?”

Before he could finish getting up he was grabbed by the fur of his chest and pulled up so he looked Flora in her fiery eyes. “'What was that for?' Is that what you're going to be asking those 'cowardly pegasi' trying to kill you on the front line?” She picked his front up bodily, not caring that he was scrambling to get his back legs up under him properly. “Or maybe those 'traitors' will see that you're fighting for your poor lost Granny and let you go. They obviously don't have ponies they're fighting for either.” Just as he almost had himself steady she pushed him back, making him lose his balance and fall against the greenhouse wall. “I don't care if you think I'm a traitor. I don't care what you or anypony else might think of my family. But I won't stand by and let you spout ignorant ideals at me when you won't even take your own fight seriously.”

Flora stalked towards Jazz, his truly frightful eyes telling her she had his full attention. “Did you forget that your own best friend is a pegasus loyal to the nation when so many others were chased off? Or maybe you've forgotten all of the normal lives uprooted and families torn apart by some stupid border we keep fighting over. I don't know why my father ran off, and by Tartarus I don't forgive him for it, but if I had to guess, I would assume it was to try to stop ponies thinking like you from running our nation off a cliff!”

She stopped, sighing heavily as she turned around, walking towards the door. “You said it yourself, Jazz. This is war, and you have to fight for what you believe in. And if you believe all that garbage in your head... Remember that it was you who decided we couldn't play a duet.” Opening the door and letting the chill winter air in, she looked back at Jazz, his face injured in more ways than one. As much as that sight pained her, she still stepped outside, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Inside, her green bandanna fluttered in the air from the closing door, finally coming to a rest on the violin she'd left behind.

Flora shivered the entire walk home, feeling the chill blasts on parts of her neck that hadn't felt the air in years. And yet, even then, one look at her red eyes, at the tears frosting to her cheeks, would tell you that the cold wasn't responsible for her shaking. She was glad that nopony walked the long, empty path from the farm to town, her short sobs able to be let out freely as she forced herself to keep putting one hoof in front of the others.

Her hoof stung from where she had hit Jazz, as did her lungs from the freezing air they swallowed in gulps, but they weren't of any comparison to the aching she held in her chest or the guilt rising up from the bottom of her soul. She knew, she knew that she had handled that about as poorly as it could have gone. Every step made her want to turn around and apologize, with regret upon regret for her actions and lines racing through her mind to validate the hurtful things he had said.

But Flora never stopped moving, and not once did a regret rear its head over the words that had left her lips. Their order was appalling, their effect was abysmal, and the choice could have been arranged into a beautiful bouquet, not the heap of waste and pain she'd created. But their content, spiteful as it had been, was all filled with the truth she felt. No, she did not regret the words, just that she would ever have actually had to say them to the pony she loved.

Of course, that was something she didn't regret either. She knew Jazz, the real Jazz, when he wasn't blinded by whatever delusions were running through his head right now, and she loved that pony with all of her heart. Just a few months ago that idea would have been laughable, that her closest friend could have gotten any closer, and yet, as she felt him slipping away with each step, she nearly missed those naïve days. Perhaps she should have just given him to Silver... then she wouldn't be trudging home with this weight upon her chest.

It was cruel beyond words, but the irony was that she had asked for it. She had badgered him, been just as mean as she'd thought necessary, and then life played another one of its horrible tricks and she just couldn't take it anymore, getting cruel right back. But after everything this war had done, after spending nearly half her life watching her home town dwindle and her family collapse, she hadn't been prepared for anything to get worse. It had had no worse to get, and had only just started getting better...

Gathering storm clouds built overhead, darkening the land and bringing with them slow falling snowflakes. As much as she had always liked the snow and the calm it brought to her life, right now she wished it would leave, or else bury her beneath it. Perhaps, come spring, this would all be over, with budding blossoms helping repair the damage done. But the snow kept itself reserved, only slowing her walk and leaving her more time with her thoughts.

What would she tell her mother? What would she tell Silver? Would she even be able to say anything once she got home? Rose's advice had been sound, and yet look at where it had gotten her. And Silver... if she'd heard anything Flora had said... if she knew how close Flora had been to spilling her secret crush and dragging her into this whole mess...

A mess she hoped, deep down, would have cleared up like a romance novel, where Jazz realizes the error of his ways and rushes out to stop her, holding her close and telling her everything would be alright. With each step and every sob she strained her ears, hoping to hear the crunch of hooves on snow bringing him closer to her even as she walked further and further from him. But he was no closer than all of the ponies she'd brought up, all of the ponies that had left her behind...

After an eternity Flora saw her house, the warm light from the windows promising everything she wanted right now. She would exit the ice and snow, walk into that heat, and melt into a little sobbing puddle to be mopped up by her mother's comforting hooves until she formed into a pony once more. As sad as that sounded, as she placed her hoof on the doorknob, she wanted nothing more.

Or so she thought as she entered the house and was nearly tackled by a more lively and excited Dot than she'd seen in years. There was no question as to why, though, as Flora looked into the dining room and saw the mares sitting there. Rose was carrying on a pleasant conversation, her face lit up like a beacon with the joy radiating from it. She only stopped when Flora reached the door frame, prompting her two guests to turn and look.

Flora ran towards the one she knew, sweeping the young pegasus into her arms and crushing her in a hug that would wind an elephant, and the pegasus matched it, the mirthful laughter removing almost all of weight from Flora's heart. When finally the hug was over, emerald eyes looked into ivy ones, while words Flora wondered if she'd ever say passed through her lips. “Welcome back, Windy!” Flora pulled herself back into the hug, resting her chin in the crook of her sister's neck. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.... It's so good to be home.” Hearing those words, Flora released her sister, wiping the newly formed tears of happiness from her eyes and joining the others in their conversation. For once, life had given something back. For once, it had proven it wasn't cruel. Just incredibly, insufferably, unforgivably mean.

Comments

[Flutterknight]

I can't believe I waited this long to finally read this and catch up on your work, Medicshy. I can't wait to read more. ^_^