Chapter 5: A Foe, Unearned
Chapter 5:
A Foe, Unearned
They were joined at their late breakfast by a brother and grandmother of Jackie's that Twilight Sparkle was deeply unsurprised to learn of.
The brother was named Michael or simply Mike, and was (of course) a strapping young man who was tall, brawny, and laconic by nature. He mostly but not entirely relied on 'Eyup,' 'Nope,' and 'Mayhap' in speaking to Twilight - until Jackie told him of her role in saving the youngest member of their clan. Then he immediately became much more animated and free with his vocabulary, starting with the words "You've done something that takes a lot more courage than I ask of most, and thank you for it."
The eldest Calvados was (naturally) a spry old woman the family referred to as 'Grandmere Ferrier.' She had a penchant for ribald jokes accompanied with her own cackling laughter that her grandchildren grimaced and bore (Twilight actually thought her anecdote about 'playing Firetruck' was pretty funny). She served them excellent homemade cider and strawberry-rhubarb-and-of-course-apple preserves which they ate with buttered drop biscuits, (and never mind that they were also having Twilight's pies). Then she smoked loose-leaf tobacco from a corncob pipe; it had such a pleasant aroma of toast and dark cherries that Twilight at last understood the appeal of smoking (before that day she had only smelled cigarettes that smelled of tar and burnt newspaper).
Every last bite of their unorthodox breakfast was delicious, if a bit heavy in the stomach.
Fleur proposed a nap, and Twilight very much wanted to join her. But Twilight had things she needed to do and stories she needed to tell, so she bid Applebloom's reflection in Fleur a good morning's rest to make up for her sleepless and terrified night.
After a moment's consideration, she said to Fleur - sotto voce - "Luna guide you and protect you as you dream." Fleur nodded at the solemnity of Twilight's wish, if not its meaning.
Unfortunately, Jackie heard her. Her only response was a remarkably eloquent eyebrow raise; Twilight responded with an awkward smile and an open-armed shrug.
"Why don't ah show you to your room, so you can set your bags down," Jackie said; and it was not a request. "Gonna guess that your dog is housebroken."
"You don't need to worry about Spike," Twilight said in response. "Sure. Sure. Let's talk. I owe you that much, at the very least."
~~~~
They moved to what Jackie had called 'the study,' an attic alcove full of books - save for the bed and small desk. Mike had brought up a little basket-bed for Spike; the dragon-turned-poodle quite happily rolled around in it before sitting at attention.
Twilight was eerily reminded of the Golden Oaks Library bedroom. When Jackie asked her what she thought, she told her that it was perfect.
And then she sat down on the bed, and Jackie sat down on a stool that had been a cider barrel in a past life.
And Twilight told Jackie her story.
She did not tell Applejack's reflection everything, but what she omitted from her story - mostly regarding her true species and race - she told her that she could not talk about. It was what any Applejack from any world deserved, even if she was named Jackie Lynn Calvados - and the only way to secure the trust of any Bearer of Honesty.
That she was a will-worker without access to her usual abilities, she told Jackie; she spoke of her newly royal status as the Princess of Friendship back home (which earned of look of massive incredulity, mixed with... an odd twist of Jackie's mouth); she spoke of a thief in the night with hair the mixed red and gold of a shimmering sunset (Jackie winced at that), and of the artifact she stole.
She even told her that she was from another world, and half of her True Name, and that she knew where her reflection in this world was - but that she should not tell Jackie, as this would put the true Lucia in danger. And this was the truth, although it was also true that she thought at this point that her own story stretched credulity.
"This - this must sound like an elaborate fantasy," Twilight said at the end of her story. She placed her hands on the soft, periwinkle blue quilted blanket of the guest bed. "Like a child's story or the comfortable delusions of someone with a broken mind."
"That it does, 'Twilight,'" Jackie said, sighing. "Not a very believable lie."
Twilight's face fell.
"Not a very believable lie," Jackie repeated as she fished in her pockets. "A believable lie is one that hangs together - self-sufficient, do ya ken; rehearsed and smooth. A tale with all the splinters and holes shaved out of it, like a sandpapered fence. "
Jackie found what she was looking for, and revealed it - with no flourishes, simply placing it on a plain red bedside table under the illumination of an old-style electric lamp with a maroon shade, tinted pink from the white light of the florescent bulb.
It was a plain brooch, a gleaming orichalcum mounting for a faceted crimson jewel of some material very much like amber, save for its color. A single stem of moonsilver and a single leaf of jadeite turned the heart shape of the amber into an apple.
"The Element of Honesty," Twilight breathed. "This world's Element of Honesty."
"Close enough," Jackie told her. "Your story ain't a very believable lie, Yer Highness. But it is a believable rambling, true story of someone in over her head - magic, monsters, and all. And that pretty lil' bauble is half of the reason why I think so."
~~~~
Jackie wasn't willing to tell her story, but she at least had the courtesy to say as much.
"What they did to me, what they did to each other - hurts to think about, much less talk about," she said. "Maybe someday, but not today. Not ta you, Twi - and nothin' personal. It's just..."
"It's alright," Twilight said. Being told that it was too soon was enough of a clue, anyway. "But you really need to get back in the habit of calling me Lucy or Lucia."
Jackie winced, as if the thought caused the twisting pain of a sprained ankle.
"I know. You're the bearer of Honesty. But for now - I'm living Lucia's life for her. So I can save her from... what happened to her," Twilight explained.
Jackie sighed. "Jus' so long as I don't have to like it. Lucy."
Twilight chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not in the habit of asking people to do anything I wouldn't. I don't like it either."
Jackie considered this for a second. Then she looked up at Twilight and stuck out her hand.
Twilight nodded and took it, squeezing tight.
"This is bigger'n both of us, you know."
"Oh, believe me, Jackie. I do."
~~~~
A moonrise and a sunset later, Twilight looked up at a great white concrete arch. It belonged to an edifice that resembled nothing so much as a fortress town in steel and stone, sparsely decorated with carvings of books, scrolls, torches, and an array of the great men and women of this reflected world. Carvings in the letters of Twilight's native tongue and script declared its name: John F. Kennedy Academy.
"Welcome to our student Camelot." Mike clapped Twilight on the back with no small amount of either affection or force; his voice had dripped sarcasm. "Let's get inside n' get ya settled before the Knights o' the Lunch Table git us for bein' tardy."
Twilight shuddered and followed Mike, Fluer and Jackie inside. She really, really was not looking forward to being
tardy
treated like a high school student again; once was bad enough..
Soon Fleur raised her head, beamed, waved, and took off down a side corridor. Twilight arched her head over and saw two others. One was a deeply tan child wearing some kind of beautiful violet and silver dress with a cowl, with wavy hair and immaculate makeup; the other freckled, beaming, and with short chestnut-colored hair, in the style of short-sleeved shirt that was ubiquitous in this world, and standing on some curious, nearly vertical vehicle.
They went off together - Fleur and the hooded girl walking arm in arm, and the chestnut-haired one by some kind of control rod for her ride.
"I'm guessing that's Scooter," Twilight thought out loud. "What's the last one's name, the one in the hood?"
"No one of any great consequence," Jackie snarled.
"Her name's Shireen, and you are being an obstinate mule," Michael replied - not unkindly.
"Was she involved in... the drama... too?" Twilight knew that it was a rhetorical question, and that the answer would be no (which Jackie expressed with a glare); she was more focused on the girl's name.
Whatever language 'Shireen' was from, Twilight didn't know it; but her first guesses were going to be either 'Sweet' or perhaps 'Bell.' She had to look it up later - if not at the formidable school library than at the even more formidable Ponyville (California) library.
"So where's my first stop?" Twilight asked.
~~~~
Jackie was not willing to help Twilight bullshit through 'transferring' to Kennedy; this was too much for this world's Applejack and Honesty-bearer to bear. Big Mike, on the other hand, was; and had said that he was adept with 'cuttin' through miles of red tape.'
It was easier than she thought, given that the school administrators were expecting her and that it was the beginning of the Fall semester. The woman in charge of records expressed concern for 'Lucia's' late entry into the school, given that she was apparently supposed to be present as a 'freshwoman' three years prior.
Coming up with a convincing story about how Twilight spent the intervening years was easier for her than she liked; she described going to a different school abroad (VERY abroad, she thought to herself) and the loss of the transcripts.
Fortunately, given that she could pay for her tuition in cash, they didn't ask that many questions. The exchange rate for gold bits had turned out quite favorable (to say the least) and Lucia had been able to set up a bank account the previous day with very little trouble.
The hard part was coming up with a class schedule. Advanced mathematics was not going to be much of a problem, and advanced biology very little of one, but 'physical education' and 'American' history were mandatory courses that Twilight had reason to look forward to with dread. She would actually need to study if she wanted to blend in.
I should just find the crown, take it, and run for the portal, Twilight groused to herself. But that's not going to be a viable strategy until the next full moon, at least - and I'll need magic to get through, which seems to be in short supply.
If this was truly so, then why had Spike been able to breathe fire? Where had the Nightmare come from? And there was the fact that the Lady of Laughter's strikes were accompanied by swirling pink winds.
Pinkie Pie wasn't a spellcaster per se, not as a Unicorn would study it, but to discount the existence of magic here was a dangerous trap.
"That should have you set," the woman said, handing her back a school schedule. "Please give my regards to your brother, by the way; he's welcome to come to Homecoming as an alumni."
"I'll..." Twilight took a deep breath and tried to think of how to deflect this question. "If I see him I'll let him know, but with his police work -"
The administrator chuckled, and Twilight deflated in relief. "Police work. Yes, that fits Escutio to a T."
Twilight also laughed; for Escutio was Imperial for 'shield,' and a fitting name for Shining Armor's reflection. "He seems to enjoy it, though I worry about it grinding him down," Twilight lied.
And with that, Twilight had enrolled.
~~~~
Twilight groaned, hitting her head against her textbook. Of course her first period class was going to be American History. And of course the first question that she had been volunteered for by 'Miss Joy Lee Gardner' (a woman who's red hair in ringlets had more than a passing resemblance to the mane of a grammar school teacher that Twilight could name) was 'who was John F. Kennedy and why would we name this school after him?'
Twilight had been too moonsent lucky up till then for her first class to be literally anything else.
She had begun to read her textbook, of course; it was a book, and for a lesson besides. But she had also begun at the beginning, with the early colonial history (fascinating, but difficult to absorb given how sunblasted dry the author of her textbook was.) Whoever John F. Kennedy was, he was generations removed from the Conquistadors, the Pilgrims, and the Iroquois.
"I'm sorry, Missus Gardener," Twilight said, her voice low and hollow. For Twilight to admit ignorance was sheer torture. "We didn't focus as much on American history where I was schooled (true, Twilight thought, but incredibly dishonest), so I'm very behind. I have no idea."
"Were they too fo-cused on raising goats instead?" a voice from the back stage-whispered,
Miss Gardner smiled, but this didn't reach her eyes. "Speaking of focus, perhaps you would focus more on your studies - rather than on harassing new students - in detention. Miss Corona."
Twilight's heart nearly stopped. No no no no NO! her mind sang. Do you even realize how big a target you've painted on my back?! Indeed, 'Miss Sterling' and two of her confederates – one boy and one girl - were glaring at Twilight. The girl, a brunette with silver jewelery far past the point of ostentation, whispered what Twilight knew were suggestions for her later petty vengeance.
This shit was old the LAST time I was in grammar school, Twilight thought. No wonder it took a cosmic threat to get me out of my shell.
She had enough courage to laugh at that thought, at least.
A hand went up next to Twilight's – Jackie's. She was here to help – not even as planned, but by coincidence. “Yes, Jacqueline,” Miss Gardener called.
“President of the U~nited States, miss,” Jackie said. “Our second finest as Grandma would have it, after Truman.” As Jackie spoke, Twilight immediately started to take notes; Lee Gardner saw this and smiled. “Among other things, he backed the Civil Rights Movement - ” this she rendered as civil raihtz - “and is most of the reason we aren't speakin' in a radioactive crater courtesy of Cuba. Shame how he went out,” she sighed.
Twilight murmured, then automatically asked: “And how did he die?”
Jackie wouldn't answer. Twilight looked up and saw that half of the class was looking at her with total incredulity, and some of these with horror. The rest were either confused or disinterested.
“I – I'm sorry. I really don't know,” she said. Bends of the Light, I hate this!
“He was assassinated,” Gardener murmured.
“A rare honor, even for Presidents,” said a boy with curly red hair. “S'like Carlin said, start talkin' about love and peace and BANG! Right in the head!” Half the class laughed – Jackie not among them.
Lee Gardner frowned and put a checkmark next to a name on the board. “Strike one, Ross. There are some things you don't joke about.”
Twilight shivered.
Stats
Page generated in 0.036 seconds
Total duration
738 users online
734,672 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Yay! Watch my happy dance!
EqG had to compress it's story in three days. I don't know if I just missed it or not, but this is the first time I realized this story was actually to take a full month - I can be remarkably dense sometimes. While I admit concern that the story may drag for taking too long, the extra time also means a better chance to really craft a story and explore the characters. I look forward to seeing how you take advantage of this.
Hee hee. From this, and a few other word choices through out the meal, I'm getting the sense that Twilight is starting to approach the mirror-verse qualities of this world with a bit of humor. It's still a serious situation, but it seems that she can appreciate that it's getting a tad ridiculous (from her perspective).
I'll admit, I wasn't expecting Jackie to come forward as being the Lady of Honesty so soon. But I also can't fault you for that either - that's just her character. Twilight was fully honest to her, so Jackie repays with honesty in return. I like how, even though Twilight couldn't tell Jackie the full story, she was still honest about it. Jackie is fully aware that there a parts of the story Twilight can't tell her, so even if she doesn't know everything she knows Twilight isn't trying to lie by omission.
Speaking of Jackie, I like how she specifically points out that Twilights story doesn't make a believable lie - a lie being something carefully crafted and polished until it's something easy for the listener to swallow and accept fully - and this being part of the reason why she's willing to accept it as a truth. Truth is stranger than fiction after all.
Mike is delightfully sarcastic. 'Knights o' the Lunch Table', hee hee.
Always appreciate a piece of well placed lamp shading.
As embarrassing as Fleurs assumption was for Jackie, this might be a case where the assumption that Twilight actually IS an Ethiopian exchange student would have worked in her favor. No one would have thought it odd she wasn't familiar with American history, in fact it would have been stranger if she was. Unfortunately for Twilight, Lucia was already expected and her elder brother well known and remembered, so that convenient cover story wasn't going to fly. Like Twilight wryly observed earlier, her luck has been too good until now to last.
And Mirror-Sweetie Belle has a Farsi name? Meaning she and Rarity are Middle Eastern?
I highly approve of this.
My only real critique is that I feel like Spike has been forgotten about in this chapter. Aside from a quick mention that he's getting a basket bed and an assurance he's housebroken, Spike has no presence here. I can accept that he wasn't ready to let Jackie know he could talk and understand her - that's his decision and I'd understand Twilight wanting to respect that - but I would have thought he'd have an opinion about Twilight enrolling in the school and him being separated from her. I get that he can't go to the school with her, but he's already demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility and loyalty to Twilight. He volunteered to go to a strange unknown world so he could look out for her, so how does he feel about being seperated from her for 8-9 hours per day? Did he protest? Did Twilight forbid him from following her? Is Spike satisfied that Jackie is looking out for Twilight and is occupying himself with other matters in the meanwhile? I just don't know.
So yeah, it's a little jarring that Spike has been such a great support for Twilight, and in this chapter he's almost invisible.
Still enjoyed it though.
Well, that's all I got. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab some popcorn and wait for the next chapter.
...
...
...
*munch munch munch*
"“I – I'm sorry. I really don't know,” she said. Bends of the Light, I hate this!
“He was the only President in our history to have been assassinated,” Gardener murmured. "
You forgot Lincoln.
""Welcome to our student Camelot.""
This makes no sense whatsoever.
I think you meant ""Welcome our student to Camelot.""
Just my opinion, but it would have been better if you made Spike a well built young teen guy... well built, studly..... yummy.:)
4862308
Re: Assasination: D'OH! You are entirely correct. This is what I get for rushing this without a prereader. Fixing it as soon as I'm done here.
Re: "Welcome | to | our student Camelot:" I can't see anything wrong with this sentence.
Re: Spike The Dog and Twi The Human: The story is young and Twilight knows that polymorphic magic works in the reflected world.
4870723 wrote : "Re: "Welcome | to | our student Camelot:" I can't see anything wrong with this sentence."
Then you are obviously not a native English speaker or an American because that makes no sense whatsoever to me and is confusing.
4871214 That may or may not be true, but either way it's not advice or a way to fix it.
I mean, come on. "Welcome our student to Camelot" doesn't make sense when Twilight is being welcomed to 'our student Camelot.' As opposed to our knightly Camelot. Or our little Camelot. (I never wondered what Knighthood could mean~.)
What a great and so perfect take on human Granny Smith. The corncob pipe? Oh yeah.
Regarding Spike, are we talking standard poodle or miniature? Mainly I ask because my mother has a standard and they are surprisingly big, which doesn't quite match with dog Spike from EQG. On the other hand, we're clearly taking a different path (at least in the small details [and some of the large]) as the movie, and big standard poodle Spike is an amusing mental image.
Speaking of large different details.
Oye, AJ, if you're going to hate Rarity, don't spread it unearned to her sister. Not that Rarity probably earned it either, but AJ doesn't know that yet.
Thank you, Mac.
Ouch, now that's an unfortunate very first question on her very first day. Twilight needs to find some convenient overview of history (probably both world and American) to skim over as quickly as she can. Unless you've been living under a rock there are things you really should just know.
5473177 My intention was that Spike was morphed into a toy poodle to preserve scale.
Pinkie's reflection was wearing the Element of Laughter two chapters ago, but this is where that becomes CLEAR. They serve as REDACTED UNTIL CHAPTER 7 for the REDACTED. So yes, a key difference.
It probably should be a golden apple to match the canon, and because I identify AJ as White-aspected and Fluttershy as Green, unlike FoME. Well, as Bant and Naya, respectively: they're both White/Green.
Mac has the unenviable job of keeping Honesty honest. I'm also foreshadowing things about him this chapter, but that particular mantelpiece blunderbuss hasn't been fired yet.
Just started a re-read.
And now I know who Ross is. Surprisingly crass joke, considering.
I am so impressed by this world that resembles our own, yet has subtle ties to Equestria.