9. In The Light Of The Sun
09. In The Light Of The Sun
Twilight stared at the half-sorted shelves of her library and sighed. Books lay strewn across the floor, or stacked neatly at the foot of various shelves, waiting for her to return them to their homes. A cup of coffee stood on the table near her hip, barely warm, and forgotten long ago as Twilight had carefully disassembled her collection, book by book, and laid it on the floor. She could hear Spike padding around somewhere in the background, likely laden with the results of yet more of her efforts, carrying out his work without complaint or rancour.
It wasn't fair to ask so much of him, she realised. Of course, a lot of things weren't fair. The fact that she couldn't work out why she had started this reorganisation in the first place was a very good and very immediate example of that particular truth. That morning she had begun with gusto, tearing books from their shelves, dusting, cleaning and even finding time to mark a few for repair or replacement. Now, just a few hours later, she was reduced to listlessly pulling books from their piles and re-arranging them into others.
Her mind strayed to the empty bed in the room she now shared with Luna. Its well-made sheets and perfect presentation made it look as if it hadn't even been slept in, but Twilight knew better. They had both gone to bed at the same time, both bearing steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and Twilight had fallen asleep in the middle of a sluggish debate on the merits of the new Dale-Kiger reflecting telescope some time around midnight. Despite that late hour Luna had apparently been gone before the sunrise, if Spike were to be believed at least, and long before Twilight had awoken.
That didn't seem fair either.
Her magic reached for another pile of books of its own accord, swinging them into a spiral in the air so she could examine the covers. At least, that was the idea. Instead she found herself staring at the wall as each book slid across her sight, unheeded until she noticed the same book had passed by three times in fairly rapid succession. Sighing, she let the books gather into a halo over her head and turned to look for her coffee, only to find it missing.
"Spike, have you seen—"
The dragon popped a hand up from behind a pile of books and silently pointed at the space over Twilight's head. She looked up, only to find her mug lurking between The Net of Shallots and She Borrowed Books Without Asking.
"Thanks, Spike." Twilight sheepishly lowered the coffee to her lips. Of course it was cold when she took a sip. She put the coffee to one side and returned to organising her books.
Without knowing what she had intended, however, there didn't seem to be much point to the chore. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Twilight settled the books into a neat pile on the table and turned to contemplate the library again. For a moment she was silent, listening to the quiet creak and groan of her home as it shifted in a gentle breeze. Luna was out there, enjoying the days that Twilight had almost ritually shunned for large portions of her life as she set herself to study.
What did fair mean, then, when the Princess of the night herself ignored one of its most avid observers? Twilight reluctantly turned from the shelves and sought out her poor and overworked assistant.
"Spike, take the day off. I'm going for a walk."
"Oh, but—" she heard as she turned to the door. The rattle of Spike's claws ceased as he paused to consider her orders. "Oh."
Obviously Spike was confused by the flurry of activity and its equally abrupt halt, she reasoned as she stepped out into the bright morning sun. Perhaps it would do him good to take a break.
The town was quiet as Twilight made her way along its grassy streets. She had no particular destination in mind, but was instead content to let her body lead itself while her mind wandered across the memories of the last few days. Her mind kept turning back to the night before, a night that would have been perfect if not for Luna's bizarre infatuation with Applejack. Fortunately the warmth of the sunlight on her back was just enough to keep Twilight from too much brooding.
Before long she found herself at the market, weaving between knots and strings of ponies as they shuttled back and forth between the stalls. To her left stood a large stall in front of a tent from which blew the scent of exotic spices and foods alien to her senses, and for a brief moment Twilight considered paying a visit. But only a brief moment; she had no idea what the stall sold and there was no guarantee she'd like whatever she bought there.
She pressed on, drawn toward the vague centre of the market, where the crowd was tightest and the hawkers loudest. Before she could take more than a few dozen steps, Twilight heard a familiar voice ringing clear over the hubbub, and turned to see Rarity waving at her from the foot of a haberdashery stand.
"Twilight, you've been all but invisible the last few days," she called out as Twilight made her way through the crowd to the stand.
"I've been busy, I guess?"
With a nod, Rarity turned briefly to finish whatever haggling she had begun, exchanging a stingy pile of bits for an extensive selection of tassels and buttons and frilly things that Twilight couldn't quite identify. With the transaction completed she let out a petite sigh, before drawing Twilight to one side, well away from the cart and its owner.
"My, yes, I expect you've had a lot of late nights and long mornings curled up in bed," Rarity sighed. "If only you knew how I envy the life you lead, Twilight. Daughters of nobility turning up to visit on a whim, the Princess herself at your beck and call..."
"Rarity, that's really not—"
"Of course it isn't, darling, I was just having a little fun!" Rarity poked Twilight in the ribs and giggled, but her mirth faded when Twilight didn't join in. A frown tweaked at her brow as she regarded Twilight's sullen pout, and she turned to fuss with her saddlebags for a moment. "Well I was just about finished here, and frankly I'm famished. How about you and I take a light brunch?"
"I'm really not hungry," Twilight said, only to be contradicted a moment later by her gurgling stomach. She pursed her lips and raised her snout just a little, but couldn't hide from Rarity's penetrating gaze.
Despite her continued protests, Rarity ushered Twilight down the street and away from the market. The smile she wore was broad and bright, and just a little worrying in its intensity. "Whether you're hungry or not, Twilight, I insist that you accompany me. I shall pay for your tea, and you shall bring me up to date with the latest goings on between yourself and your delightful guest who, I must add, has been severely remiss in fulfilling her promise to visit my boutique."
"I expect she's been busy as well," Twilight muttered. Rarity's response was a muted 'hmm', which rapidly segued into a cheerful melody, timed to her steps.
Fortunately the café Rarity had chosen was close enough that Twilight's silence didn't become uncomfortable. Just a short distance from the market, the café stood on one of the main roads through town and saw a constant stream of ponies passing by its gaily decorated frontage.
As soon as the pair arrived they were ushered into a prime outdoor seat – a sign, Rarity remarked, that the proprietor thought at least one of them was worth showing off to the passing crowds – and by the time Twilight had made herself comfortable a waiter was cantering toward them with a steaming pot of tea.
As the cups were set down, Rarity cleared her throat and smiled at the waiter. "My friend here shall not be dining today, but I believe I shall have the Crocus and Petunia salad. And leave the pot."
Rarity waited as the waiter nodded and trotted away, then turned her attention to the tea. Though she poured their drinks with absolute precision, her attention was entirely on Twilight.
"I must say, darling, you seem a little out of sorts."
"I'm fine."
"Of course," Rarity replied, as she spooned a generous serving of honey into her tea, and followed with a dash of lemon. She held the jug out to Twilight. "Honey? Or would you prefer milk?"
Twilight shook her head. "I'm not in much of a mood for tea."
"Twilight Sparkle not in the mood for tea?" Rarity released the tea utensils from her magic – gently, lest they spill – and turned her full attention to Twilight. Something about the way her eyeliner was applied gave extra force to her gaze, and after a moment Twilight had little choice but to look away. "Are you ill, dear?"
"It's nothing!"
Twilight sought out the honey pot and tipped a generous amount into her cup, before shooting Rarity a grin. Rarity's gaze only seemed to grow more penetrating, but then she pursed her lips and looked away with a slight shake of her head. Free of the gaze, Twilight took a brief sip of her tea, only to grimace at the sickly-sweet taste of too much honey.
Rarity, in contrast, let out a ptite sigh once she had tasted her own tea. She set the cup down in order to stir in a little more lemon.
"You know, I rather enjoyed our picnic the other day. We see each other so often, but we seldom seem to have time to just be together. Such friendship as ours surely can stand the test of absence and time, but nevertheless, I feel we are missing out." A confused expression passed across Raritys' face. She blinked, and looked about at the milling crowd, before turning to Twilight again. "What I mean to say is, it would be nice if the other girls were here with us. Sharing tea with your friends is so refined, don't you think?"
"I'd prefer it if Luna were here," Twlight muttered.
"Luna?"
Twilight felt her stomach dive into a pit somewhere between her ankles. She very slowly closed her eyes, then just as slowly opened them again. "Um... well, you see—"
"Ah... I believe I may have discerned a portion of what troubles you, Twilight."
"Y-you have?"
"Of course! It's so obvious when I think about it."
Twilight's ears rolled back. She bit her lip. "It—it is?"
"Well, yes! A mysterious never-before-mentioned friend turns up out of nowhere and promptly sets up a huge telescope on your balcony. The pair of you sequester yourselves away from the world for days at a time, spending your nights side by side as you study the stars together; you the gifted amateur with a keen interest, she the wise and all-knowing master of a sky with which she is intimately familiar, learning about one another as much as you learn about your common interest..."
With a hoof pressed against her chest, Rarity let out a wistful sigh. She smiled and returned to her tea, taking a long moment to inhale the steam flowing from within her cup. "And then, disaster! You fall out over some minor detail. Inconsolable at the loss of communion with a pony you hold so dear, you find you can't stand to remain within the confines of your home, and that's how I come to find you moping around the market at a time of day when you're normally either buried in a book or re-organising your library."
"How perceptive," Twilight deadpanned.
"But of course! I confess it is a matter of some pride that I am able to discern the troubles of other ponies. It is amazing how often a few well-placed words can turn a potential client into a regular customer." Rarity took a sip of her tea. "Given that you wished for Princess Luna herself to put in an appearance, it seemed most likely that you and Sable have had something of a disagreement over a matter of astronomical arcana that an outsider such as myself might consider trivial, but which to your minds is of supreme importance."
"Actually she's decided to go and work for Applejack."
Rarity's teacup tattled against its saucer as her magic briefly flared and failed her. She tilted her head. "Well I can see how that would be the cause of some friction too, I suppose."
In the following silence, while Rarity attempted to regain her composure and restore order to her place setting, Twilight raised her own cup. She stared at her reflection in the tea's dark surface, noting the first hints of dark rings around her eyes. Lack of sleep. The cup settled down again as she released her grip on it.
"It's just not fair, you know? She came here to spend time with me! She's too important to be working on some dirty f—" Twilight stuffed her hooves in her mouth and squeaked. Her eyes sought out Rarity, who regarded Twilight in return with a cool smile.
"Important, darling?" Twilight nodded. Rarity drew her hoof around the rim of her cup and pursed her lips. "To you?"
Again Twilight nodded, but then forced the gesture to become a shake instead. She placed her hooves squarely on the table and took a calming breath. "She's important to a lot of ponies. The work she does is vital for all of Equestria."
"Cataloging stars?"
"Well, it—she does more than that! But that's not the point! She... I thought..." Twilight lowered her head. She could feel a little wet spot at the corner of her eye, but if she rubbed it away she knew it would only get bigger.
Out of nowhere she felt a hoof touch her shoulder; when she looked up, Rarity was smiling at her again, and holding out a hanky with her magic. Twilight took the gift and gingerly dabbed her eyes.
"Well now," said Rarity. "Is it fair to say that you have certain expectations about this visit that are not being entirely satisfied?"
"I suppose." Twilight sniffled and blew her nose, though she didn't really need to. She let the hanky drop on the table. "When she contacted me, it seemed like she wanted to spend time with just me. I've admired her work for some time and I've wanted to... to renew our friendship, I guess? I think I was the first friend she's had since—well, she's been lonely a lot. But now she keeps interrupting our time together with Applejack and it's just not fair."
"You've said that twice, now, dear. Is it fair to want her all to yourself?"
The first answer that came to Twilight's mind wasn't anything she wanted to repeat, especially not to one of her friends. She let it wither at the back of her mind. She opened her mouth to speak, but Rarity held up a hoof for silence.
"You're right, it wasn't fair of me to say that either," Rarity continued. She smiled as she tugged her hanky away to some hidden corner of her bags, before leaning forward across the table to pat Twilight's hoof. "It seems to me that this entire episode was brought about by a certain lack of full and frank communication. Perhaps if you raised your concerns with Applejack, the three of you might be able to come to some sort of compromise?"
"Talk... to Applejack?"
"Of course! I am certain she would not wish to come between you and your friend. After all..." Rarity picked up her tea and took a delicate sip. "Is it not this magic of friendship that brought us together in the first place? Surely you want Sable to share in that? And I would question whether it's entirely fair to resent the fact that Applejack has become a friend to Sable too."
"But she's my friend! Not..." Twilight's voice faded away beneath Rarity's gaze. It was an entirely normal gaze, friendly and reassuring, but behind the façade there lay a cold, steely glint. With a sigh Twilight let her head fall forward until her horn bounced on the table.
"Quite so. Would you like some more tea, dear?"
"I think I've had enough," Twilight sighed.
"That's quite understandable. It is a rather potent blend."
As Twilight lifted herself from her seat, Rarity lifted the teapot and poured herself a fresh cup. She smiled as she set it down and took an appreciative sniff at her drink.
"We must do this again some time, Twilight," she said as she raised the cup. Twilight paused, frowned and then nodded before turning away.
With no particular direction to draw her, Twilight was soon lost among the crowd. Ponies pressed toward her left and right, drawing her forward in a slow, steady current that soon became impossible to fight. Before long the crowd had pulled her to its centre, and to the functional centre of the market, an area that moved around with the most popular stalls. After a few more steps, Twilight found herself hemmed up against an immovable barrier.
"Howdy!"
Twilight looked up. With a start she recognised Applejack's cart, but the pony herself was absent. In Applejack's place sat a mare Twilight had never seen before, though her identity was easily discerned from the swaddle of bandages that almost entirely covered the cutie mark on her left hip. The edge of what looked like a cookie peeked out of the bandages, like the setting sun behind a misty horizon.
"Excuse me, are you Ginger?"
"Sure am!" The mare leaned forward, wincing briefly as she moved her injured leg, and peered at Twilight. "And you're Twilight Sparkle ain'tcha? After some apples, hun?"
"Um..." Twilight blinked and looked around. "In a manner of speaking, I suppose."
Ginger's attention turned briefly from Twilight as she packed a large bag of fruit for another customer. "Well that manner of speakin' better be mighty quick and simple, missy, 'cause I have a whole mess of customers here an' I don't want no trouble from Miss Applejack if y'all figure what I mean."
"Oh. Sorry, I—" Twilight moved closer to the cart to avoid a surge of ponies at her back. "Actually I was looking for Applejack."
"Back at the farm," was Ginger's curt reply. She picked at a pile of golden delicious, tossing a few into a bag, before picking up one more and taking a huge bite. "Showin' that other friend of yours 'round so she can act like she's some sort of farm pony. I mean, no offence to y'all, hun, but you unicorns ain't exactly built for farm work. Pretty little thing like that ain't got no place on a farm, 'specially when you figure how she'll be tearing around with that horn of hers. That's just beggin' for trouble if ya ask me, an' I should know 'bout trouble too!"
Ginger patted her hip as she laughed at her own joke, though the laughter soon turned to a grimacing wince and a hiss of pain. She grit her teeth and placed both hooves on the cart.
"So did you want some apples or not?"
"Oh. No, I guess not." Twilight backed away as best she could and tried to maneuver through the dense crowd. She looked over her shoulder at Ginger and nodded. "Thanks."
"Ain't a problem, sugar! Hey if y'all are headin' up that way, tell that girl this ain't no nobels obligay hobby farm y'hear? Ain't right, takin' up harvest time like that when there's work to be done!"
Before Twilight could frame a reply, Ginger had returned her attention to the crowd and their demands. The ponies around Twilight jostled and bounced her away from the cart, until she was deposited rather roughly at its edge. Serendipity might have put her on the road to Sweet Apple Acres; instead Twilight found herself right outside the door of Bon Bon's Bon Bons. Despite the temptation to enter and satisfy her sweet tooth – and Celestia knew she probably deserved something sweet about now – Twilight forced herself to turn aside.
The crowd was packed between the market stalls like so many books in a crate. It took her almost fifteen minutes to wind around the edge, but eventually Twilight had her hooves on the road out of town. With just the sound of the wind and the sun on her back, Twilight was free to move without other ponies forcing her toward unwanted encounters. By the time she passed the last house on the road, she could feel the aching tension brought on by her short visit to Rarity winding slowly out of her limbs.
After an hour or a very slow stroll, Sweet Apple Acres loomed in the distance. Twilight paused at the gate, ignoring the obvious new dimple in one post as she looked up at her friend's home. The farmhouse and the main buildings of Sweet Apple Acres commanded a considerable view over the whole of Ponyville, standing proud on the crest of a hill, high above the town. Apart from Canterlot, it was the only artificial landmark visible from every part of town, and a constant reminder that, while the Princesses might rule Equestria as a whole, Ponyville most certainly belonged to the Apples. It was a wonder she'd never noticed it before.
Twilight took a breath and shook her head as she jogged up the path toward the farm. She could hear the distant yells and calls of Applejack's workers, but when she reached the yard it was deserted. A rank of tables had been set up, and the air was filled with the smell of baking that enticed Twilight toward Applejack's home. She stomped up onto the deck and peered in through an open door to the kitchen, then knocked on the frame.
"Hello?"
The dim interior of the house echoed her voice back, but little else. Twilight took a further step and looked around. The kitchen was deserted – even the rocking chair that was Granny Smith's usual haunt in the corner was abandoned. Twilight moved past the grand old oak table dominating the room and over to the oven, forgetting her quest to find Luna for the moment as she followed the scent of simmering apples. The air above the enormous oven shimmered in a haze of heat and steam, and the sideboard surrounding the ancient hob were loaded down with stacked and towel-covered trays of apple-stuffed pastries.
Her stomach rumbled. After her aborted tea with Rarity and the long walk to the farm, Twilight's breakfast was a distant memory. The enticement of such a huge weight of food was enough set Twilight's mouth watering; she quickly swallowed and bit her lip to stave off the less than savoury thoughts of what she could do to such innocent pastries. Assuring herself that she would only take a peek, Twilight gingerly nosed aside the nearest towel and inhaled deeply.
A metallic clunk echoed around the kitchen. Twilight froze, unable to pull her muzzle away, and then she realised she had her mouth wide open and her teeth just hovering over the crust of a deliciously warm fritter.
"How many times a gotta tell y'all to keep yer varmint snouts outta—oh!" Twilight turned at the sound of shaky hoofsteps and found Granny Smith on the far side of the room, caught between an angry glare and a welcoming smile. "Twilight Sparkle, well I'll be monkey's mare! Y'all done did s'prise me! I thought you was one o' them rascally young things tryin' to sneak theirself a mess of fixins ahead o' the rest. What're y'all doin' out this aways?"
"I was—" Twilight stepped aside as Granny Smith came hobbling around the table, and took the opportunity to tug the towel back into place over its precious feast. "Um, looking for Applejack."
"Applejack, heh!" Granny Smith eyed Twilight and cackled as she slid past to poke at the strained towel. "Y'all cain't hide a goshdurn thing from ol' Granny Smith, y'hear? Applejack might be why y'all came up here, but y'all can't help stay for the grub! Might as well help yoself, t'ain't like that crowd'll miss one. Oh don't look so guilty, hon, I was sneakin' food when y'all weren't even an itch in your pappa's—well, less said 'bout that the better I reckon," she concluded with a sly grin. "Go on, sit yourself down."
"Oh, um, thank you," Twilight replied as the elderly Apple slid one of the pastries onto a plate and dropped it on the table. As Twilight sat, Granny Smith returned to pottering about the kitchen, then set about heaving at the enormous pan she'd dropped, in an effort to return it to a hook high up the wall.
"That'll do it," Granny muttered as the pan slid home. She grinned at Twilight and hobbled to the other side of the table. "Anyhow, since you were askin', Applejack ain't around. I figure right now she's prob'ly up in the east orchard markin' trees with that, uh, unicorn friend of yours. What's her name? Sunsetter? Starlight?"
"Sable," Twilight supplied, before giving in to her hunger and tucking into her fritter.
"That's the girl! Sure is a cute little thing, even if she is kinda tubby!" Granny Smith cackled again and slapped a hoof on the table, oblivious to Twilight's fright at the sound. "Young Jackie's been mooning over little miss pretty princess from the moment she clapped eyes on her, alus standin' around with her an' takin' time out of her work to show her around the place. If I didn't know better I'd swear she was sweet on the poor filly! Why she even laid into ol' Spritzer about somethin' between 'em, though mind you me that mare could use a dressin' down now and then, not likin' ma cooking, can you believe it? You need a drink or somethin' missy?"
Despite her choking fit, which Granny Smith hadn't noticed for a full half minute, Twilight managed a fairly comprehensive answer with nothing more than a few feeble gestures and a shake of her head. She forced the errant pastry down, coughed again to clear her throat, and tried to smile.
"Went down the wrong way, huh," Granny Smith said. She eyeballed Twilight, which was a disturbing sight at the best of times, but then laughed and turned away. "Tween you and Jackie and this here Sable we got a reg'lar ol' thing goin' on, ain't we? I reckon you youngins relax a little, stop worryin' so much! All y'all like to keel over from the stress if ya keep it up. Speakin' of relaxed..."
While Twilight finished her fritter, she watched Granny Smith amble around the kitchen and slide into an ancient rocking chair, mumbling to herself the entire time. Granny eyed Twilight again, then settled into the chair with a crackle of aged joints and a loud, shuddering sigh.
"That's the ticket. Now you can stick around some if you want, honey, but I figure on gettin' some shut-eye afore that ol' swarm of locusts gets back for their lunch." Granny's chair began to rock, almost of its own accord, and its occupant hummed to herself as she continued speaking. "I ain't one to complain 'bout that, though. Does an old heart proud to see 'em dig in like they ain't never done ate before. They could say thanks once in a while even so, but I suppose the fact they eat it without hollerin' is thanks enough.
"You git along now," she added, before her head rocked forward and her eyes closed. A moment later, Granny Smith began to snore, and the chair soon rocked to a halt. Twilight watched the elderly pony sleep for a few moments, before stealing from the kitchen and out onto the porch.
From her prior experience helping Applejack, Twilight had a fairly good idea of the general layout of the Acres. The orchards were vast, encompassing an area almost twice the size of Ponyville itself and it would take a healthy pony a good few hours to traverse them. Healthy or not – and Twilight had to confess that her regular morning cupcake was starting to add up to a fairly definite muffin – it would take some time on hoof to reach whatever part of the orchard Luna and Applejack were lurking in.
Fortunately she had other options. Twilight walked until she was just at the edge of the trees, then stopped and looked up at the sky to confirm her bearings. Lengthy equations of distance and mass and time tumbled through her mind as she concentrated on the location she wanted to reach. A light flared in her horn, and then over her eyes, and she stepped.
As her vision cleared, Twilight could hear the rippling echo of a quiet crack bouncing between the trees. The orchard was deserted, though many of the trees bore various combinations of thick charcoal lines on their trunks. Of Applejack and Luna there was no sign.
Twilight sighed. The sound of her teleportation spell would have brought at least one of the pair to investigate if they were there, which meant either she'd misjudged her exit or the two mares had moved to some other part of the orchard. She wandered the trees for a few minutes before giving up her perfunctory search, then set herself to focusing on the return journey.
Again she brought to mind those arcane equations as her magic flooded into her horn. In truth the structure and form she had memorised were little more than a means of focusing her mind on the spell. Over short distances she could blink without even a thought, but long distance teleportation was a skill that her mother had once described as more akin to wishing than the more scientific spellcraft of summoning or levitation.
The thought had barely concluded when a pebble leaped from the ground at Twilight's hooves and bounced off her horn. Twilight yelped as the impact sent a sharp knife of pain through her sensitised horn and into her forehead. It took a moment for the pain to recede as she dropped her magic. Rubbing her forehead and wincing against the last remnants of the pain, Twilight looked around until she found the offending stone floating a few inches from the ground. Curiosity overrode her quest for the moment as she lifted the stone for closer scrutiny.
A remnant of magic lurked beneath the stone's surface, glowing a deep, rich blue in Twilight's sight. It was tainted by the same dark emptiness she had seen within Luna's magic before. When she had Luna to herself again, Twilight vowed she would needle out an explanation for that strange thread of unmagic, but until then she had other things to do. She dispelled the last of Luna's remnant power from the stone and let it drop to the ground, inert and empty. Now, at least, she knew Luna had definitely been here.
Yet she wasn't here now. Without any idea of where her friends had gone, Twilight was at something of a loss. She looked up at the sky her eyes casually tracing the path of a few stray clouds between the trees. The sun was high, closing on noon... of course! Not even Luna would miss her lunch without good reason. It was likely the pair had only just left, which meant that Twilight would be able to catch them if she hurried. Twilight glanced around until she found the path back to the farmhouse and set off at a quick trot.
As she walked, Twilight found herself drawn to the marks she had seen when she arrived. Not all the trees were marked. Most that were bore a single diagonal line across the trunk, which she assumed meant they were ready for harvest. A few were numbered, apparently making the position of a particular row of trees, and a few others bore a thick black cross.
Twilight paused at one such tree and peered up into its branches. The fruit looked well enough to her untrained eyes She considered pulling an apple down to taste, but decided against it. Applejack wouldn't mind, but it still felt too much like stealing. Before she moved on, Twilight turned her attention to the cross again. It bore the same faint traces of magic that had impregnated the stone.
Without warning a shrill yell echoed through the orchard, startling Twilight enough that she frantically teleported a dozen steps to her right. The sheer power of her magic scorched the grass around her as she landed, surrounding her with a choking cloud of ash and smoke that took a moment to clear. By the time she had finished coughing, and found the presence of mind to step out of the cloud, Twilight could hear the sound of more ponies hollering in the distance. She jogged between the trees toward the sound, slowing a little as she reached the edge of a broad clearing of hard-packed earth adjoined to several well-used cart tracks. Empty wicker baskets were stacked neatly between apple-laden wagons and stout wooden sheds.
Most of the yard was deserted, but at the far end Twilight could see a group of ponies gathered around the familiar glow of active magic. There could be few sources of such magic. Though she wasn't sure why, Twilight crept around the edge of the yard, skulking from tree to tree until she had a clear view of the crowd. They were gathered closed to a broad-reaching, ancient tree, in a loose circle with Luna at their centre, all yelling and calling to one another as Luna circled and danced among them. Her magic held an eclectic assortment of objects, ranging from single apples and small tools to a towing harness and an entire basket laden with fruit.
Luna pranced around the circle with her head held high, carrying the load with almost belligerent ease. No distinct voices carried to Twilight's hiding place, but she could see Luna goading and challenging the ponies around her, daring them to add more to her burden.
As Twilight watched, a trio of ponies to one side closed in on a stallion. Catching him unaware, the three mares hoisted the stallion into the air and tossed him at Luna, prompting another round of cat-calls and cheering as the poor stallion found himself suspended, upside down and flailing, in Luna's magic. With a grin she set the stallion down on the ground at her back, before resuming her challenge to the others. Another basket was tossed, a rock and then a hat, each joining the arcane dance about Luna's head, and all the while she seemed to be speaking.
No. She was singing. Faint gusts carried snatches of Luna's voice toward Twilight, lilting back and forth across an unfamiliar melody. Now her movements, that had been fractious and without reason, resolved into a dance that followed a rhythm by turns sensual and fiery, and above all unrestrained.
A chill gripped Twilight's heart. On Nightmare Night, Luna had found freedom of a sort in her harlequin act, though everyone had known her as Princess all the same. Now, beneath the bright daylight, she was unknown, and her freedom was absolute. And of all ponies, it had been Applejack that brought Luna to it, by doing nothing more than giving her a little attention. Heat and cold battled in Twilight's chest as she watched Luna dance, and tried to still her racing heart. She bit down on her lip before it could begin to quiver, and turned to walk away.
A flash caught her eye. Twilight's head snapped around to focus on the glinting edge of a bright steel blade as another pony hefted an axe almost as long as he was tall. He leaned over to his companion. Whatever conversation they had must have encouraged him, for without any fanfare he raised the axe above his head and swung.
The teleport spell erupted from Twilight's horn before the thought of using it became conscious. It was rushed, overpowered, and her magic was already strained from her instinctive use a few minutes earlier. Twilight erupted in a blaze of arcane light close to the circle, screeching an incoherent warning to whoever would listen.
A wave of sound and light thundered across the crowd. The stallion faltered, and the axe swung awkwardly from his grip at the same time as Luna turned toward the noise. Twilight could only watch as the axe flew a deceptively serene arc straight toward Luna's head. The Princess's ear twitched, and in a single moment her magic withdrew, releasing everything she had held. Eyes blazing, Luna coiled her power into a single, whip-like tendril that lashed out at the axe, deflecting it from its path. The head clipped past her ear, and then then with a loud crack the axe rocketed away.
The old tree shuddered as the axe head buried itself deep in its twisted bark. There was a brief silence, and then the shouts of panic and crunch of debris as everything Luna had held aloft came crashing down all at once. Despite their loud protests the workers were used to things dropping from a great height, and most stood their ground or drew back only a few steps. Among them, Twilight could only cower on the floor until the horror had passed.
Luna stood at the centre of the maelstrom, watching with a frown as a final few apples bounced at her hooves. Her gaze snapped to Twilight and she took a step, but then paused and frowned again. Her hoof reached to her ear; it came away streaked with blood, the sight of which seemed to hold Luna's attention so completely that she didn't notice when Twilight managed to crawl to her side.
"That was unexpected," she murmured, finally tearing her gaze from the blood to look at Twilight. She wiped her hoof on the patchy grass below the tree before moving a few steps forward.
"I'm s-sorry," Twilight whispered. "Celestia forgive me, I—"
"Twilight..."
Luna put a hoof on Twilight's back, encouraging her to stand. She looked back at the axe, then at the crowd around them. The workers milled about them in silence, watching Luna with wary eyes. Occasionally one or the other would look at the axe, buried so deep in the tree that its head was all but hidden. Luna, too, looked briefly at the axe, frowning as she did. She turned from it just as Applejack came storming up from the far side of the yard.
"Fair Applejack, we—"
"What in the almighty name of Celestia is goin' on here!" Applejack reared on her hind legs as she halted by the pair; the earth fairly shook as her forehooves came down against it, and it seemed as if her eyes burned when she fixed them on Twilight and Luna in turn, ending on the bright red nick in Luna's ear. "Is that blood?"
"T'is but a scratch!" Luna replied. She tapped her ear and smiled broadly, but Applejack's anger seemed only to deepen at the reply. "There was no harm, Applejack. It was merely an accident."
Very slowly, Applejack turned to look the axe. After a moment, with her jaw clenched tight, she returned her gaze to Luna. "That ain't no 'mere accident', missy. That there," she continued, pointing a shaking hoof at the tree, "is the reason we don't let magic anywhere near this place! After this mornin' I thought you'd know better than this! What if it had taken off your head?"
"Applejack—" Luna began, but Applejack cut her off with another stomp of her hoof.
"I don't want to hear it!" She shifted her attention to Twilight, who still hadn't quite got her jitter s under control. "And you! What in every circle of tartarus were you thinkin', zapping your way into a crowd like that?"
"She was only trying to—"
"I said save it!" Applejack closed her eyes and turned from Luna. "I ain't interested. Far as I'm concerned y'all are so deep in it—and whoever tossed that thing too! Why I oughta tan his hide, throwin' tools around like they were toys! Didn't any of you idiots learn a damn thing from Ginger? Own up! Which one of y'all threw that thing?"
Nearby workers flinched under Applejack's angry glare, but none dared speak. Fuming and swearing under her breath, Applejack marched up to a stallion a good head taller than her and pushed her face right up against his.
"Consarnit somepony is gonna tell me right now or I will have every single one of you on half pay!"
"Applejack..." Luna bowed her head as she took a step toward the irate farmer. Her ears were twisting back and forth, and even her eyes seemed unable to remain still as she spoke. "I asked for the axe to be thrown. No other should bear the burden of your anger for what I did."
"But—" Applejack pressed a hoof to her forehead. "Sable, why?"
"It was..." Luna frowned, but smiled at the same time. At first she looked to Twilight as she spoke, but her gaze soon returned to Applejack. "It was for fun. I wished to share in the camaraderie of your workers, and while I have not their rough and bawdy wit, nor knowledge of their folk music, yet I have my skill and talent as a mage. It appears I may have let myself be carried away by their mirth."
"Like that axe would have carried away your head," Twilight cut in. Her limbs still shivered as she marched to Luna's side, but she held her head high and ignored the roiling heat in her gut as she pushed forward. "I don't care if Sable wants to spend all her time h-hobby-farming! The work she does is vital for all the ponies in Equestria. What if she gets injured? Or killed? You're too important to spend your time in a place like this!"
"Hey now just a doggone minute there—"
"Twilight, that is enough! I am in no such danger here."
Applejack's mouth turned down and she looked away to the edge of the yard. Sable moved to her side. When she got no response, she placed a gentle hoof on Applejack's shoulder and leaned toward her ear.
"Please, Applejack, I did not wish for this outcome. If there is any penance to pay, I will do so, but please let me continue this work." In the face of Applejack's continued silence, Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head, before backing away a step. She took a breath. "I truly have enjoyed our time together."
"Hobby farmin'..."
Applejack's ears twitched. She lowered her head, and took a breath of her own, before slowly turning to look at Luna. Behind her another, older pony sidled across the dusty yard, watching the trio from beneath the shade of her straw-brown mane.
"This ain't meant to be some fancy picnic, Sable, and I ain't one to tolerate my workers takin' stupid risks with their equipment. Maybe you don't realise, but y'all nearly got yourself killed just now." Applejack shook her head and looked over her shoulder at the approaching pony. When she looked to Luna again, the fire of her anger had departed, leaving only resignation in Applejack's eyes. "You leave my farm, get yourself to a hospital, and don't come back here until you're ready to be a real farmer, y'hear me?"
The other pony reached Applejack's side just as Twilight recognised her as the cousin Spritzer she had met a few days prior. The older mare was watching Luna with narrow eyes, and Luna seemed oddly fixated in return. Then both mares abruptly looked away from one another. Luna gave Applejack a curt nod and wheeled away.
Before the dust of her departure could settle, Twilight rolled a final awkward glance at Applejack and turned to gallop after the princess. She reached Luna just as they passed beneath the shade of the trees, where both ponies slowed to a gentle trot.
They walked in silence for a little while, with Luna staring straight ahead, looking neither left nor right. Eventually Twilight could take no more; she bounced a few steps to keep her head level with Luna's and looked down at her friend's face. The dried tracks of tears cut through Luna's coat, but her jaw was set tight.
"Luna..."
Luna's lips pressed briefly together. She bowed her head and halted on the track. "It is well, Twilight. We shall return to the library, but I first must seek medical attention."
"This wasn't what I wanted. I thought she would just... I thought..." Twilight shook her head and swallowed. She pressed herself close to Luna's side, shoulder to shoulder, and let her head rest across Luna's withers. "I suppose I didn't think. I'm sorry. I didn't want her to send you away like that."
"Perhaps it was inevitable. As you said, I do not truly belong to this place. Though I embody the earth, I am not of the earth. If this flesh is cut it may bleed, but I shall not succumb to any mortal wound. She could not know that I do not fear what she may fear. I am beyond her ken." Luna snorted and shook her head. "And I fear she is beyond mine."
"But it wasn't fair," Twilight muttered, ignoring the tight feeling in her gut as she spoke those words.
"Much in life does not appear fair, Twilight, even to one who would be a god." A tight smile stretched at Luna's lips. She looked toward Twilight for a moment before fixing her gaze on the road ahead. "In time, Twilight, you will discover that it is the lot of those that stand apart from the herd to eventually be cast out of it. For now, let us put it to our backsides, and let we two ravens return to our roost."
Luna looked over her shoulder to smile at Twilight, then shrugged from beneath Twilight's resting head and resumed her trot down the road.
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I had totally forgotten I had this fic in my favorites, but heck, I'm happy to see a new chapter.
Missed something.
But glad to see an update even if it isn't but the stark truth. I do hope Sable gets it in her head to go back to Applejack. Or even, the other way around.
....So much bitterness, resentment and hate.
Oh, Twilight, jeez.. Forgetting you have other friends who you've been ignoring and insulting one of their professions? Jealolusy, jealousy, jealousy!
I'm really not happy with Twilight or Luna right now ... their jealousy and pride is really making them unattractive. Here's hoping they talk about things, though.
Twilight is , in a certain way, a little too pampered, Rarity had the right idea I when she said she had the Princess at her beck and call and has pretty much gotten used to it.
I don't see Twilight as having any romantic interest in Luna at all, but she looks up to her and desperately wants to have the same relationship with her that she has with Celestia, and the fact that she's not succeeding at it by being who she always is makes her doubt herself and her own worthiness as a student/friend of the princess, while being kindda oblivious of what it is that Luna really wants.
One of the reasons I like this story so much is because there are two different types of relationships clashing against each other in a very clever way rather than being just yet another love triangle, at least if my interpretation is correct.
I doubt it's the end, as both Luna and AJ are too strong headed to let it be over like that, so here I'm hoping to see more of this story whenever it comes.
Thanks for the update!
Ooooh it's amazing to see you update this little gem again! Thanks!
Poor Luna; it's almost certain that she doesn't know it, but she's at the apex of a love triangle and at the epicentre of a social revolution that has been slowly rolling down the hill since the three tribes united after the first Hearth's Warming Eve.
4004752 If my timings are right this is prrrrobably the half-way point. Probably. I've never been very good at estimating how long a story needs to go.
Poor Twilight.
I think you meant "her regular morning" there.
Wish we could have seen what Luna was singing. Her dancing sounds like it would have been a wonder to watch.
Welp, this story is awesome. Hope to see somewhat regular updates in the future!
I will say one thing, though. I really hate Twilight in this fic. I get what's happening with her, and many comments have already explained why she's acting the way she is, but knowing why someone is a colossal idiot doesn't make them any less stupid. And I gotta say, Twilight in this fic is so stupid that it hurts. Like, it physically hurts my head just to read each and every act of sheer dumbassery that Twilight commits. It's actually impressive.
Other than that, though, I'm really loving it! Can't wait for more!
This story is so fucking beautiful.
I see what you did there...
In any case, several intriguing developments here. Kudos to Rarity for making Twilight take a look at herself. If only the corners of the love triangle were so thoughtful...
Eagerly looking forward to more.
4024192 Yes, yes, I was rather pleased with that one.
4018305
4008926 It's funny, I seem to have this habit of writing at least one protagonist in a story as a bit of a dickish idiot. Unfortunately it was Twilight's turn this time.
Don't worry, she gets over it.
Twilight
Poor Twi. Hopefully all 3 will sort things out soon. Cant wait for the next chapter
Luna, seriously, you took the risk because YOU knew you couldn't be killed... but never thought about how regular ponies who didn't know it was you in disguise would see it.
And that just proves how mentally immature you really are.
Well, that and the ass-backward way you're going about this infatuation you seem intent upon.
Ah, such children, these ponies. How easily I shall conquer them! >:}