The Parole
They left at the crack of dawn the next morning.
Before they left, Princess Celestia has brought the three foals in front of her, with Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna there, as well.
“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle,” she said without preamble. “Do you understand what the concept of a parole is?”
The three foals looked at each other. “It’s a promise for prisoners, isn’t it? Prisoners promise something to their captor, in exchange for something from the captor?” Sweetie Belle asked, curiously.
“Very close, Sweetie Belle. What I propose is this-we will depart today. All of your friends will be told that you have sustained injuries that require treatment in Canterlot. While you are ‘recovering’, you will be allowed freedom within Canterlot, you will not be confined, and you will have tutoring and assistance to help your academic studies,” Princess Celestia agreed. “In exchange, you will cooperate in our efforts to find out your full origins. You will not escape from Canterlot or leave the city boundaries without our agreement. And, you must maintain your current identities as ‘normal’ ponies. I am willing to make an exception for Scootaloo, she can have her wings in full.”
“And, what if...you decide to do something about us,” Scootaloo asked. “If we’re some sort of danger to you or other ponies?”
“If that happens,” Princess Luna said, “you will be fully within your rights to defend yourself, and escape. Our protection is for as long as you are Our guests. The moment that changes, the relationships change.”
The three foals looked at each other, and Apple Bloom nodded at the Princesses. “I agree to your terms, Princess Celestia.”
“Me too,” Scootaloo said.
“I agree,” Sweetie Belle said, as well.
They left in the same chariot that Princess Celestia and Luna had arrived in. Apple Bloom looked at Princess Celestia and said, “Do y’know how Applejack is doing?”
“The healers will arrive before the end of the day today, and they will repair her memories. Your notes were very helpful, we can probably minimize the amount of conflicts within their minds from the memory manipulations,” Princess Celestia replied.
“Did she...say anything about me,” Apple Bloom asked softly.
“Nothing that is worth repeating,” Princess Celestia replied. “She is very angry with you, and with good reason. But, her anger comes from her love for you-you are her precious sister and you have made a place for you in her heart, honestly. Which is why it hurts her so much to be angry with you.”
Princess Celestia looked away from Apple Bloom for a second, then back at her. “I understand her feelings, all too well.”
“Oh,” Apple Bloom said, and she settled onto the floor of the chariot.
She deliberately hadn’t said anything about the tears in Princess Celestia’s eyes.
Princess Celestia allowed them to make a single loop around Canterlot, as she pointed out sights and particular things about the city. Then, she brought the chariot in for a landing, as the Royal Guards snapped to attention.
Waiting in the landing area was Polished Brass, the castellan of Canterlot Castle, and Kibutz, the pony in charge of all the schedules. They both bowed as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna left the chariot, and waited patiently.
“Polished Brass,” she said to the Earth pony, “these three foals are my guests-Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Is the West Tower available for them?”
“Yes, your Highness,” Polished Brass replied, pulling notes out of his saddle bag. That Princess Celestia was asking for a whole tower for three foals surprised him slightly, but he was too well trained to show it. “The West Tower is almost entirely empty, I think we can put them all up on the fourth floor.”
“The West Tower?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Isn’t that the Sunset Tower?”
“You know your history, Sweetie Belle,” Polished Brass smiled. “Yes, rebuilt in 870 ANM, and again only a year ago. It has all the modern conveniences and is a very secure tower. The fourth floor is a full suite of eight rooms, each has their own bathroom, and there is a landing platform for pegasus there as well. The kitchen on the third floor is fully modern, and the staff there can prepare just about anything if you give them enough warning.”
What he didn’t say was that the only way in or out of the tower was two sets of doors in the ground floor, easily defendable by the occupants of the tower. Also, historically, the West Tower was a tower for visiting dignitaries and foreign rulers-and the furthest away from the main keep.
And the Princesses.
“Princess Celestia,” Kibutz said, “yesterday’s disruption put all of our schedules off! I’m trying to re-arrange the Day Court schedule, but…”
“Kibutz,” Princess Luna said, with a smile that showed far too many teeth. “If you would be so kind as to put the worst complainers on the schedule for Night Court, I think I might be able to accommodate them.”
Kibutz shivered for a second. The last time that happened, the only thing that kept Prince Blueblood from a quick trip to the executioner for High Treason was that he tripped on the carpet in the Night Court’s chamber. “Ah, but Princess Luna, did you not say that your digestion was affected by the last time we did this?” Kibutz replied, recovering quickly.
“Yes, but I am feeling an urge to do battle,” Princess Luna chuckled. “I did not get the chance to do so when we went to Ponyville.”
“Luna, that is highly unfair to our subjects,” Princess Celestia shook her head. “Revise the schedule so that Court begins after lunch, Kibutz. But, if Prince Blueblood is anywhere on the schedule, he goes to Night Court for the rest of the week.”
“Ah, yes, Your Highness,” Kibutz nodded and pulled out his checklists.
“And, arrange for tutors for our guests. I also know that Sweetie Belle has some small talent in singing,” Princess Celestia continued.
“Hey!” Sweetie Belle said, trying not to be embarrassed.
“And, that Apple Bloom is a knowledgeable mechanic. Is Steam Heart here?”
“Ah, yes he is, Your Highness,” Kibutz said.
“See if he would like an assistant while he is here,” Princess Celestia replied and looked at Apple Bloom. “Steam Heart is one of the best ponies that I have ever met in dealing with steam power. He got his Cutie Mark from developing several new techniques in steam locomotive and marine power, and he is working on further improvements.”
“I will ask immediately, Your Highness,” Kibutz made notes on his note pad.
“And,” Celestia looked at Scootaloo, “Scootaloo here has finally come into her wings and will need to fully exercise and practice them. There should be guest quarters for Rainbow Dash when she comes to help train.”
“I will make sure that there is guest space in the West Tower for her as well,” Polished Brass noted. “With your permission, Your Highness?”
“Granted, Polished Brass,” Princess Celestia nodded. Polished Brass departed swiftly and Princess Celestia kept walking into the palace, tailed by Princess Luna, the foals, two guards, and Kibutz. “Anything that requires immediate attention?”
“Ah, yes, a Crown Investigator is requesting information from the sealed stacks,” Kibutz asked. “As that particular stack was flagged with a Royal seal, you need to authorize it.”
Princess Celestia took the scroll and read it quickly. “Granted. Make sure DCS Banks gets his information immediately,” she said, finding the Royal seal and stamping the document.
“There are a few ponies asking about your plans for this year’s Summer Sun Celebration, mostly location,” Kibutz said. “It’s critical because Cloudsdale and Trottingham are both requesting that we reassess the choice of New Harmony for the Celebration.”
“Unless Princess Twilight Sparkle can figure out how to make the ‘solid cloud’ formula cheaper and more permanent, Cloudsdale is out. And, Trottingham does not have enough facilities to handle the Summer Sun Celebration,” Princess Celestia sighed. “Sadly, New Harmony is our compromise choice for now. I will deal with the bruised egos later, Kibutz. Anything else?”
“‘Solid clouds,’ Princess Celestia?” Apple Bloom asked, curious.
“There is a potion that allows non-pegasus to walk on clouds, but it only lasts for a short time and cannot be consumed too often. Princess Twilight Sparkle has an idea that maybe we can apply the potion to the clouds, and make them solid enough for ponies to walk on,” Princess Celestia replied. “So far, she has gotten it to work, but the clouds break down much more quickly than normal, which means that it is entirely possible for somepony to walk on a “solid” cloud and fall right through.”
“Could ah take a look at the notes, too?” Apple Bloom asked. “I’m a bit of a chemist, too.”
“I will see that they are made available,” Princess Celestia nodded.
A unicorn female in a maid’s outfit came up to the Princesses and bowed. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, may I escort your guests to the West Tower,” she asked.
“Certainly. They do not have much luggage, but they may need some things.” Princess Celestia turned to look at the three foals. “This is Shining Button,” she said, pointing out the unicorn maid. “If you need anything at all-within reason, please!-she will help you to find it.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, right?” She trotted beside the three and started to lead them down to the town. “I heard you’re sister is Rarity, Sweetie Belle...I saw her Grand Galloping Gala dresses and I’m so impressed…”
As the three foals retreated out of hearing, Princess Celestia took a deep breath and looked at Kibutz. “What do we know about the list?”
“Considering the foal’s age, there were about twenty ponies involved in the project, mostly monitoring and planning,” Kibutz replied.
“The list?” Princess Luna asked.
“About one hundred years before you came back, I began to plan for the return of Nightmare Moon. I had been tracking and watching the genealogies of ponies that lived near and around Ponyville. That way, I could find and nudge the ponies that would be the best for the Elements of Harmony,” Princess Celestia replied. “All of them were descendents of ponies that had done great and beautiful things that had resonated with the Elements in the past. And, when I did the list…”
“You sorted by species,” Princess Luna finished. “Pray tell, did You think of including any thestrals on Your list? Or Crystal ponies?” Princess Luna’s tone was withering in this instance.
“All of the thestral candidates were gone by this time,” Princess Celestia sighed. “Not even in the low probability categories. There were no pure-blooded Crystal ponies anywhere in the kingdom until about a year ago when the Crystal Kingdom returned. And, to be quite honest, I was surprised when we discovered that Twilight Sparkle was the potential Element of Magic! She was not even on the list, and she was not a resident of Ponyville. I honestly expected a pony from town that was one of my students to be the Element of Magic.”
Princess Luna sighed. “‘Heisenburro makes fools of us all,’” she quoted the standard textbook on divination magic. “Who was the student You thought was going to be the Element from Ponyville?”
“Lyra Heartstrings, I believe-absolutely amazing telekinesis control, very good at improvisational magic,” Princess Celestia replied. “So, they chose the top three. But, they missed the pegasus...I know that Rarity and Applejack were the top members of the list, and if they did not know there were six elements, the Order may have thought they only needed one pony from each species.”
“Who was the top pegasus candidate?” Princess Luna asked.
“A racer by the name of Comet Tail,” Princess Celestia replied. “Rainbow Dash was low on the list, and Fluttershy was another surprise candidate. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand…”
“Probably snuck onto the list on her own,” Princess Luna smiled. “Do we know where the twenty other ponies are?”
“I am having the Guard find them, if they are not working for us anymore. In addition, we ran down the name of Midnight Bloom,” Kibutz said, flipping through his notes. “She was at the University of Canterlot until about six years ago, when she just vanished. Nopony knew what happened to her, or why she was gone. Her apartment had been cleared out prior, she said she was moving somewhere else...but, there was no sign of her afterwards.”
“What did Midnight Bloom do at the University?” Princess Celestia asked.
“Biology, more specifically she was a professor of magical genetic modification. She developed one of the spells used by mares to have foals with other mares, one of the ‘official’ versions that gives a random chance of having a colt,” Kibutz replied. “You did also request that we do genetic tests on the three foals, and I have two technicians from the CSI lab here to do the tests.”
Princess Celestia took out from where she kept things a set of eleven numbered vials. In each vial was a number of hairs. “The ones with letters on them are the ones that are to be tested, the ones with numbers are their potential parents,” she said.
“Who are the potential parents?” Kibutz took the vials and slipped them into his saddle bag.
“Let us keep the information between ourselves right now,” Princess Luna replied. “If necessary, Princess Twilight Sparkle has a copy of the list.” Here, she sighed. “I do not want to do what might be necessary, Celestia.”
“We will not, if we can avoid it,” Princess Celestia replied.
The West Tower was huge. Even larger than any of the places they had lived before. Sweetie Belle and Shining Button were exchanging stories of dresses and fashion. Apparently, there were a number of tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala and other events that went on a lottery system to those that worked in the Castle-every pony got one ticket, and high performance results gained additional tickets. Shining Button had been doing everything she could to get as many tickets so she could go to the Grand Galloping Gala.
“I’m really wanting to open up a high-end boutique in Canterlot in a few years,” Shining Button said. “And, I’ve seen your sister’s work-once I get some real clients, ponies that’ll show up on the front pages of fashion magazines and society papers, I was going to see if Rarity wanted to be a partner in my shop.”
“Have you done any dresses or such?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Oh yes,” Shining Button blushed. “Duchess Twopenny wore one of my dresses to several of the major parties before last year’s Grand Galloping Gala. The only reason she didn’t wear mine to the Gala itself was that she had promised Coco Rarrel to wear one of her dresses. Mostly, a lot of the smaller nobility likes my work-more modern, easier to dance in.”
“The blue and green dress, sweetheart neckline with pearls?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Rarity was upset for a week because she hadn’t thought of it. And, that is very high praise, Shining Button. When I get a chance, I’m writing her a letter-you two should be working together now.”
“Ah, ah...thank you, miss!” Shining Button blushed like a storm.
“You’re welcome,” and the four of them got on a brass cage elevator that was set into one of the walls of the tower.
“There are stairs, of course,” Shining Button said, pointing out the stairs through the elevator cage. “But, the elevators make it so much easier.”
When they reached the fourth floor, the bell went “ding!” and the doors opened up, to reveal a circular hallway with a set of eight doors surrounding it. “Any room you want, except for Scootaloo-room five and six have landing platforms for pegasui, and Princess Luna left something for you in room six,” Shining Button said, leading the foals out of the elevator.
The foals trotted over to the rooms-Apple Bloom choosing room two, Sweetie Bellle choosing room eight, and Scootaloo opening up room six with her hoof.
It was a pretty large room-dresser, closet, a bed that looked only slightly less comfortable than a good cloud, a door that had to lead to the bathroom...and there were boxes on the bed. “What the?” Scootaloo asked, trotting over to the bed.
“Shadowbolt Bitty Babies," she said, reading off the top of the boxes. “Star Call, Echo Storm, Radiant Bliss...these are all of the first series of Shadowbolt Bitty Babies!” Scootaloo said with a shout. “And, the playsets!”
She turned over one of the boxes. “Made in 903 AD, these are original Shadowbolt Bitty Babies,” she gushed, and saw the note on the bed, addressed to her.
Scootaloo opened it up. Inside the letter read-
Dear Scootaloo,
It turns out that I had bought three sets of everything of the first series of Shadowbolt Bitty Babies when they came out. My sister is right, I am just a big foal at heart when the right toys are around.
This set is yours-play with them, collect them for your grandchildren, put them up to admire them-the choice is yours.
May you always find the dawn and the moon,
Princess Luna
Scootaloo sat on the bed, and was somewhat shocked. “She...she gave me toys that go up for auction at six figure bids…,” she whispered. “To play with…”
Scootaloo took them and carefully put them up on the nightstand shelf. “I’ll...have to think about this. But…,” and here she broke out in a smile, “so very cool!”
“Once again, from the top,” the Earth pony, Meera said, in the practice hall at Canterlot Castle. She waved her folding fan around, in time with the musical exercise that she was using.
She was an immigrant from Saddle Arabia, having come to Equestria when she was very young. She had escaped from an arranged marriage with a colt that was nearly three times her age and mostly prefered young, virginal foals. She had somehow managed to find herself on the border of Equestria after trekking across several thousand miles.
Her Cutie Mark, a middle C and high A note, was from her skill as an opera soprano. She had literally sung for her supper in more than one circumstance, and her first performance at the Royal Faustia Opera Hall was to a standing ovation for her role in Faustia and Caramel.
Princess Celestia had become friends with the nut-brown mare, and on several occasions Meera had been a good companion when Princess Celestia needed it. So, when Princess Celestia had asked-asked!-her if she could teach a student, privately, she immediately came over with all the materials she needed.
Sweetie Belle took a long, deep breath, and began the vocal exercise again. Meera wasn’t disappointed, mind you-she suspected that Sweetie Belle was probably going to be a mezzo-soprano, which wasn’t too much of a sin in the modern opera. But, at her age, she clearly should have more training for this talent. “Where did you start your studies?” Meera asked after Sweetie Belle finished this round of exercises.
“I, well, I grabbed one of those ‘teach yourself how to sing’ records from our local library,” she said, blushing a bit. “I was nervous, I don’t think I’m really that good...ow!”
Meera swatted her head with her fan. “Sweetie Belle, I will not allow you to have any false modesty or ego of your skill. True, you are a mezzo-soprano, but you have a superb range for one. If we were to be on stage, there are many roles that your voice can handle. It is merely unskilled, and we will learn that skill, here. Let us take this vocal exercise-one of my favorite pieces, Amneris in Aida. Once upon a time, I was able to perform it superbly, but now I am a bit too rich for the role.” Here, she smiled. “With the music, following the notation.”
Meera put the needle on the record in the record player, and waited as it reached the point where Sweetie Belle started to sing again. The rich sounds of the seductress Amneris came as she sang, and Meera listened with rapt pleasure at knowing that Sweetie Belle had nailed the vocals.
As Sweetie Belle neared the end, her flanks started to glow softly, and Meera watched in joy as her Cutie Mark came in. The glow ended with a pink heart linked through with a bridging gap symbol, three small and three large stars surrounding the heart.
Sweetie Belle looked at Meera and said, “Um, what…” Then, she saw herself in the mirror and looked at her new Cutie Mark, her jaw dropping. “Wow...that, that is beautiful,” Sweetie Belle said.
“You have a voice for music, Sweetie Belle,” Meera replied with a smile. “All the Cutie Mark says is that you have that talent. And, it is a beautiful talent. Shall we do something a bit more modern?”
Meera found a new record, and put it on. The musical portion of Building A Mystery began. Sweetie Belle smiled, and found the place in the music where she should have started.
“Three quarters wrench,” Steam Heart said, his legs sticking out of the engine box.
“Three quarters wrench,” Apple Bloom replied and handed it to him with her hooves.
The annoyance that she was back to hooves and mouth was easily overshadowed by the fact that she was working with Steam Heart, probably one of the most famous inventors in Equestria. He was one of a few ponies that went after the “white dragon”-steam power. And, he had invented half a dozen different devices to make steam engines even more efficient and powerful.
It used to be that on some of the Ponyville-to-Appleacha routes, they actually had to have ponies help tow the train across some sections, as it wasn’t powerful enough to climb some hills. Last year, the CSW (Canterlot Steam Works)-1002 engine, a powerful 4-4-0 engine could do the work of two older CSW-907 4-2-0 engine at once, went into service. They didn’t need ponies to haul the train over the worst portion of the hills.
And, Steam Heart was the reason why.
Around steam, he was an obsessive-compulsive that made Twilight Sparkle look sloppy in comparison. He spent the first two days yelling at Apple Bloom, when she nearly burned herself a few times on portions of the steam engine he was working on. She did understand why-Steam Heart had fought the White Dragon and knew the only way to truly fight it was to be methodical and thorough.
His newest idea was a new fuel for engines-using a petroleum distillate called kerosene instead of wood or coal. This, however, dictated a modification to the engine boiler and how the fuel was used to heat the water.
“Three-eights gripley,” Steam Heart asked.
“Three-eights gripley,” Apple Bloom replied.
A series of banging noises from inside the engine assembly. “Damn,” Steam Heart said, and scooted out from inside the fuel box. Covered in grease, his horn having several nicks in it from working in close quarters, Steam Heart sighed, and rolled onto his back in front of the engine. “Yea, that bolt is stuck,” he said. “We’ll probably have to go in later with a breaker bar. I put some penetrating oil on it, maybe that’ll loosen it up.”
“That bad?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yep,” Steam Heart replied. “Rust is what you get when you do a lot of hot water in places, even with the new steel alloys.” He sighed and rolled back onto his hooves. “But, I’m really optimistic about the whole kerosene thing. Probably double the range of an engine, and it’s not as dirty or as grimy as coal. With that, we can see locomotive power really take off-and for marine applications, as well.”
The two of them sat in the workshop, in companionable silence. “Gotten a letter from your sister yet,” Steam Heart asked.
“No, sent two, worried about that,” Apple Bloom replied sadly. “But, I was thinking and I had an idea.”
“Oh?” Steam Heart asked.
“Yea, it was when you were talking about the danger of high-pressure steam and such,” Apple Bloom said. He had one great demonstration where he stuck a full-sized log between two clamps and turned on a mid-pressure steam line. The steam vaporized the log where it hit, and Steam Heart pointed out that ponies were softer and squishier than logs. “I was thinking-you ever seen one of those aerometer thingies they use to measure wind speed?”
“Sure,” he said.
“What if we built one that instead of measuring wind speed, we blew it with high-pressure steam, made it spin really fast and attached to a drive shaft. Wouldn’t we get some power out of it?” Apple Bloom asked curiously.
“Hm…,” he said, thoughtful. “It might not be too efficient at low speeds...but…”
He got up and immediately started to make sketches at his drafting table. “We might need to use multiple blades on the fan, but it might work…,” and he stopped for a second, setting down his pencil with telekinesis. “This...this might actually be something pretty darned awesome. Have to build a serious casing to hold the fan blades, but that wouldn’t be too hard…”
He stopped, and looked at Apple Bloom, “You realized, if this works, you might just be a very rich pony. High-speed shafts are very useful in quite a few applications.”
“Shucks, as long as I’ve got enough money to keep Sweet Apple Acres in the black, I’m a happy pony,” Apple Bloom smiled. “So, how soon can we get to building the casing?”
Which was why, two weeks and one (small) explosion later, the Apple/Heart Steam Turbine Casing Mark II was sitting in the middle of the workshop. They had built it so that it was relatively easy to take apart and install drive shafts with more fan blades. “If we ever get to application,” Steam Heart said, “we’ll have to install reduction gearing of some kind. But, for now, we can test RPMs and such.”
The newest blade they had in the Casing was a twenty-four blade turbine, and Steam Heart was already seeing some of the potential forms that the turbine blades could be built into. Apple Bloom was just happy to have it work. “Everything tightened down?” Steam Heart asked.
“Made sure of it twice,” Apple Bloom replied.
“Fuel flow good for the boiler?” Steam Heart asked, looking over his own check list.
“Yep.”
“Henway?” Steam Heart smiled from behind his clipboard.
“What a henway?” Apple Bloom asked, catching what he had said.
“Oh, about four to five pounds,” Steam Heart smiled as Apple Bloom groaned. She knew that Steam Heart would pun at the drop of a hat and she found a piece of scrap paper to throw at him.
“Silly,” Apple Bloom grunted, and the two of them got to the test control area-walled off from the steam engine room, with thick walls, cables to control the engine, instruments to read, and periscopes to look at everything that was going on. “Ready on my end.”
“Ready here,” Steam Heart said and began to add fuel to the burners under the water tank. Pressure began to build up in the water tank, and he looked happily at the gauges. “We’re nearly up to working pressure,” he said. “Ready to open the steam valves?”
“Ready, ready, open at ten percent,” she said, and watched with joy as the turbine shaft RPM counter began to go up. “Turbine is nearing 500 RPM.” They had learned from the Mark I that trying to add power too fast to the turbine when it had stopped was a very bad thing, and resulted in explosions. “And, we’re at 515 RPM.”
Steam Heart made a note of the time and the speed, and said, “Take it up to twenty-five percent.”
Apple Bloom spun the wheel a bit more, and watched as the valve to the steam boiler opened up to twenty-five percent. The turbine was spinning even faster, and the RPM counter went up even higher. “We are at...1020 RPM,” Apple Bloom said, looking at her set of dials. “So far, we’re in the green over here.”
Steam Heart made another note, and looked at his set of dials. “Thirty percent steam,” he ordered.
Apple Bloom turned the wheel a bit more, and waited a second. “1510 RPM,” she said, we’re steady at thirty percent.”
“Great!” Steam Heart smiled. “Next, we’ll…”
He never finished that sentence.
The later reconstruction of the accident worked out like this-
First, the kerosene they were using was especially rich. So, at the fuel settings they thought were the right ones, they were getting nearly twice as much energy out of the burning kerosene.
Second, the pressure gauge and thermometer had both suffered from water corrosion and were slow and inaccurate in responding.
And, third, the emergency pressure relief valve (another Steam Heart creation) was sticky, and it hesitated for just long enough for the overheated boiler to explode.
Steam Heart was a careful and thorough research pony. He cut no corners and took no chances. Which was why he and Apple Bloom were alive after the explosion. Like all steam research workshops, it was built with thick stone walls, and a very thin ceiling (to ensure that any blown-up research ponies had as quick a route to Heaven as possible), and the blast wasted it’s energy on exploding into the open air. The debris-mostly light wood and roof shingles, didn’t fall very far and nopony was hurt in the explosion or the aftermath.
Princess Celestia looked out the window and sighed.
“That, DCS Banks, is what happens when you are silly enough to allow foals to play with steam,” Princess Celestia said with a sigh. “We’ll have to rebuild the workshop. Again.”
Steam Heart shook his head and instantly regretted it. When the room stopped doing a samba in eight dimensions, he found the fuel cut-off valve and closed it, and then closed the emergency valve that led directly from the fuel tank to the boiler. After he secured that, checked to make sure that he was okay, and nothing else was going to blow up, he trotted over to where Apple Bloom was and started to pull debris off of her.
“Are you all right?” Steam Heart half-yelled, his ears still ringing from the blast.
“I’m fine,” Apple Bloom said, her head shaking with the ringing sound of the explosion as well. “Did we get the last RPM reading from the engine?”
It hurt to laugh-hell, it hurt to do anything-but Steam Heart had to laugh at this. “Yea, 1510 RPM at thirty percent, but I think that number might be a bit off…,” he giggled, and used his telekinesis to clean off what other debris had fallen on Apple Bloom. He then gasped. “Okay, I’m glad you’re all right, and clearly you have a talent for this kind of thing.”
Apple Bloom followed his eyes and gasped as she saw that she had a Cutie Mark. It was a crossed hammer and wrench, and, with joy in her eyes, she knew that she was an Apple.
The head of the hammer was made from a Kingston Black Apple.
“So, how has it been,” Rainbow Dash asked.
For the past three weeks and change, Rainbow Dash flew in every Tuesday, spent Tuesday through Friday at Canterlot, and then came back to Cloudsdale to handle weather duties. Scootaloo was happy, and getting into good shape was part of it.
Scootaloo had the opposite problem of most pegasui-great leg muscles, not-so-good wing muscles. Her disguise as a “wingless runt” meant that she hadn’t had much chance to work out the larger muscles. Oh, she was pretty good in a lot of ways-Rainbow Dash knew that Scootaloo was probably as agile and her equal as a sprinter. But, she didn’t have the sheer power and endurance that another pegasus of her age would have had.
So, wing lifts, barrel rolls, elevator pushes, a dozen and one other exercises that left Scootaloo sore and tired four days a week. But, it did let her do two things.
First, she was actually flying. In public! Where every pony could see it. She had to stay within the boundaries of Canterlot, but that was still a lot of airspace to cover.
Second, she was flying with Rainbow Dash. Her hero for years, even before she was an Element of Harmony. And, Rainbow Dash was training her! What more could a pony ask for?
“Pretty good, but I’d have to say I’m envious,” Scootaloo replied. “I mean, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both got their Cutie Marks. And, I’m still a blank flank.”
“But, they’re still your friends, right?” Rainbow Dash asked, curiously.
“We’re still the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Scootaloo noted, catching a particular thermal nearby. “Now, we’re all crusading to help other ponies find their Cutie Marks and what is good for them in life. I mean, you got to feel sorry for Dev Mark, whatever his Cutie Mark means appears to be a one-way ticket to a serious case of CMFIS in the near future.”
“So, you’re trying to help?” Rainbow Dash found the thermal as well, and got additional altitude to join up with Scootaloo.
“Hell yes! I mean, how can you find what you’re good at when you’re Cutie Mark is two abstract math shapes, you’re flunking algebra, and you're not even an unicorn? I feel sorry for him, and I remember how crazy I got when I thought things were going wrong,” Scootaloo replied. “So, we’re all helping as much as we can.”
“Always knew you were awesome, and I’m glad you keep confirming it,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“So, how’s Ponyville?” Scootaloo asked.
“Doing good, got most of the damage patched up. Everypony’s out of the hospital, and things are good. Pinkie Pie already has your “welcome back” party planned, and Fluttershy is getting things ready for a full songbird orchestra when you all get back.”
“How’s Applejack?” Scootaloo asked carefully.
Rainbow Dash was quiet for a minute, but she said, “She’s...still not taking this well. I mean, her and Big Mac, half the time they’re acting like school foals in love, the other half they’re scared they’ll hurt each other. And, any time the conversation comes onto Apple Bloom...she really starts to lose it. Rarity has had to slap her down a few times, I mean, she’s pretty much waiting for Sweetie Belle to come home.”
“What about you?” Scootaloo asked, flying close.
“Still stand by what I said that night, kid,” she replied. “You’re occasionally crazy and do things that no sensible foal should do, but I gotta hand it to you three, you’re great foals.”
Scootaloo smiled, and carefully shook her head to get the tears out of them. “Thanks, I’m glad and...what’s that?!?”
Rainbow Dash’s head turned to follow, and she saw it.
A young foal, probably no older than two or three years old, had fallen into one of the large and swift rivers that served Canterlot. How the foal had gotten into the water, didn’t matter.
What mattered was that the river was leading directly to one of the largest waterfalls that came from Canterlot.
And, the moment she noticed that, Rainbow Dash noticed that Scootaloo was gone.
Oh, this is a very, very bad idea…, Scootaloo thought, as she dove towards the river.
First of all, she might not be able to take back off again.
Second, the edge of the waterfall was really bucking close to where she was going to land.
And, third-Princess Celestia might count her falling over the waterfall as a violation of her parole, which meant that Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom would be in trouble. Hey, she thought, speaking to her friends, we might have a problem.
What is going...oh, Sweetie Belle replied. Can we get to you in time?
Not unless you teleport, Scootaloo said, sadly. Or fly, and either way, you might be breaking parole. Just as I’m about to in...two minutes…
What do you mean...oh, my, Apple Bloom noticed where Scootaloo was. Don’t think that Princess Celestia will call trying to save a foal a violation of your parole.
Well, Scootaloo said, with a tinge of sarcasm as her hooves entered the water, we’re about to find out.
She landed at the water at a speed just below that would break bones, having braked at the last instant to keep from killing herself (if such a thing was possible). The splash was pretty spectacular, and under water she swam hard for the foal, taking him up in her front legs. “I’ve got you!” Scootaloo said, and held onto the squirmy, wet, scared foal as she tried to get her wings above the water.
And, there wasn’t going to be enough time. She could feel the undertow of the water, pulling her in and under, and decided, well, if I’m going to be punished for breaking my word, it’ll be for saving somepony else.
As she fell, she clutched the foal close to her breastbone, folded her wings over them both, and released the body change magic. She could feel her horn glow with power, and she wrapped herself in the most powerful magical barrier that she could generate.
Then, she hit the rocks and water under the waterfall.
A few moments later, Scootaloo and the foal had come up to the side of the river near the waterfall. The foal was making “awesome!” sounds, and had clearly wet his diaper.
Scootaloo had remembered to restore her body change magic as she dragged herself onto shore, clutching the foal in one leg. The Guards waiting there carefully took the foal from Scootaloo’s grasp, and headed off for the hospital and his parents.
The last thing Scootaloo remembered was saying, “Banana figs and fruity nut bread…,” as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted dead away.
“Well, as escape attempts go,” Princess Celestia said, “this one was certainly...unique.”
She had brought all three of them before her and Princess Luna, as well as Rainbow Dash, to discuss what had happened.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself,” Princess Celestia asked.
“Yea,” Scootaloo said, “If you call this an attempt to break parole, I’m gonna rebel, right here and now!”
She was still battered and bruised from the fal, and clearly hadn’t wasted any magic on unnecessary healing. “The foal was going to die and I was the only pony that could be there to save him. How is he doing?”
“Very well,” Princess Celestia replied. “You did save his life, so I suppose I do owe you a little gratitude.”
“Buck your gratitude,” Scootaloo said, rolling up fully onto her hooves, not flinching. “Call it whatever you want, but I’d have done the same thing yesterday and today and tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday and…”
Scootaloo stopped, and realized that everypony was looking at her.
No, they were looking at her flanks, as they glowed so very brightly, even in the audience chamber of Canterlot castle. The glow continued...and, when it ended, Scootaloo gasped as she realized that she had her Cutie Mark.
Even Princess Celestia paused, and looked at Scootaloo’s new Cutie Mark. “Well, Mother does have a sense of humor,” Princess Luna noted.
“Yes, she does,” Princess Celestia replied. Scootaloo’s Cutie Mark was of wings-long, white, and feathery, with a golden halo surrounding them about half-way up the wings.
Princess Celestia coughed slightly, and smiled, “If I was half as much a fool to claim that you broke parole, Scootaloo, you would be justified in your rebellion. And, I have news. Rainbow Dash, if you could stay the night?”
“Why, Your Highness,” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I sent a letter to your friends an hour before this meeting,” Princess Celestia replied.
“I have come to a decision and I will tell you all, tomorrow.”
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I don't get scootaloos cutie mark....
3995141 Guardian angel.
This was a beautiful chapter. Nice character development for the CMC. I particularly enjoyed Scootaloo's story, and resulting cutie mark.
I also enjoyed the discussion with the Princesses at the beginning of the chapter, particularly the side comments about the agreement going in both directions ("you will be fully within your rights to defend yourself, and escape"), and the general way in which the Princesses are interacting with the CMC reasonably as they would with mature adults.
3995161 That was one of the things that I have cast in stone when I wrote this story.
Everypony might hold the Idiot Ball at some point, but only Pinkie Pie juggles with them.
I couldn't see the Princesses acting any other way with the CMC than reasonably.
3995170
Thank you for that. The alternative is a rather painful trope that plagues far too many CMC stories.
3995141
3995157
I am enjoying it. But you should correct some of the terminology that Apple Bloom uses. Any business that is “in the red” is losing money (although not necessarily financially unstable; important difference). Black is positive revenue, red is negative.
Unless “in the red” means “covered in delicious, red apples."
I like the interaction with the princesses. I love the CMC getting their cutie marks, now Pinkie has three more reasons to throw a party. I half expect her to appear out of some small space she couldn't possibly be in and throw a CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING YOUR CUTIE MARK party for the Crusaders. Scootaloo saving the little colt was by far my favorite, it's so her! Plus, I just read a fic where Scootaloo saved a little filly and both rescues make me feel all warm and fuzzy.
What does 'CMFIS' mean? I guess CM means Cutie Mark, but what's FIS?
Scootaloo is always awesome when she's let out in her element and gets to be an action mare.
How much background do you have in actual mechanics? I ask because I'm a learned hand in steam-powered industry, and some of the stuff I read in Apple Bloom's segment made me cringe. Part of that can be attributed to the ponies apparently still being in the Victorian age for steam power (ASME requires a safety factor of 3.5 for boilers, meaning the maximum pressure a steel alloy of x thickness can bear in lab testing is divided by 3.5 in actual boilers. In other words, if a boiler was rated at 10 MPa, then in the lab it could go up to 35MPa before it would be guaranteed to fail under stress) and thus not having the many safety measures we've fashioned over the last century and change.
I was thinking early on 'ooooh, sounds like Apple Bloom invented the steam turbine', but I think how you're envisioning a 24-blade turbine is pretty far off from how a 24-blade turbine would actually operate.