A Year in Equestria

by Blade Star

Chapter 2 - February

By February, the snow on the ground had thinned out considerably. While there was still plenty to be found, it was now more akin to a light dusting of an inch or so in most places, except when a snow storm came through, courtesy of the Weather Patrol. The weather was slowly beginning to turn milder, but it was still biting cold, and I was more than glad for the wood fire and stove we had to keep ourselves warm. We were fortunate in that we had an effectively infinite supply of fuel.

You see, every year after the harvest, we go through the trees, seeing which are producing the best crop, and which are beginning to tail off as they get older. Eventually, older trees stop giving enough fruit to make it economically viable to keep them, when another could be planted in its place. And so these trees are cut down in the tail end of autumn, in addition to any throughout the year that have shown signs of disease or have suffered a serious injury. The upshot of that, is that we have more than enough firewood to go around each year, to the point that it can make a nice tidy side business of selling the surplus. While the Apples may be famous for their namesake, they had more than just one source of income, as any good farmer should.

And it was this particular revenue stream that I was currently working on, along with Big Mac. The two of us had spent the morning chopping up firewood for sale in town. The year before, we’d cut down twenty or so trees. After felling them, we’d cut them into manageable pieces using a two hooved saw, stripped off most of the branches with hand saws and hauled them back to the barn. With that done, Mac and I had used wedges and sledge hammers to break the trees apart into bits small enough to load onto a wagon. And from there, they’d been left to dry out in the barn. Wet wood, that is to say, freshly cut timber, is difficult to burn, makes a hell of a lot of smoke, and is generally bad for the environment compared to letting it dry out over time. Dried wood burns cleaner and more efficiently. Having been left in the barn most of the winter, the few remains of these trees were now ready to be chopped into firewood, as plenty had before them earlier in the winter. Mac did the harder work, splitting the logs apart and so forth with a maul and several wedges, while I used a smaller axe to cut it all into firewood.

I actually found this one of the more enjoyable activities on the farm. The steady repetition brings a pleasant calmness to the work. It’s good exercise too, either for my magic or physically. I suppose you could say it connects us a bit back to nature. The steady rhythm of chopping mirrors the tempos of nature around us.

Swinging the axe again, I connected with the log. I was using a large tree stump as my chopping block. With a large flat surface, it was well suited to the task. And if you did happen to miss the mark, hitting the stump wouldn’t hurt too much. Mac had assembled a large pile of logs near to me. They were fairly small as it was, but they were still a bit too big to fit into a fireplace without smothering the flames. So I chopped each one in half. These would then sell nicely as kindling.

It was also pretty nice to be indoors for a change. Unsurprisingly, most farm work takes place in the outdoors. And while I’d been smart enough to grab a warm butternut coloured jacket this time in addition to my scarf, I still didn’t exactly enjoy being out in the cold. The barn, while not toasty, still got plenty of heat from the attached farmhouse. It had also helped drying out the lumber over the last couple months.

As I swung the axe down and again cut one of the logs into two neat halves, I called out to Big Mac, who was still busy working away on one of the trees with the much larger maul as well as a saw to cut away any remaining branches. These could be sold as sticks and lighter kindling.

“How we doin’, Mac?” I called out, catching his attention. The red stallion looked up from his own work. The barn was getting pretty full of neatly cut logs now, and we were running out of room to work.

“Well,” he said, pausing for a moment to wipe some sweat from his forehead. “I reckon if we keep these two and cut them into firewood for ourselves, we can sell what we’ve already done in town.”

While it was nice to sell the surplus, we did all much prefer having enough wood to keep our own fires burning through the winter, so you had to be careful how much you sold versus how much was kept. Having said that though, there was still a fair bit in reserve at the moment, and the remaining lumber we had to chop ought to give more than enough firewood to keep us going until spring. Big Mac continued.

“Ya mind takin’ the wagon into town if I help ya load up?” he asked.

As the largest and strongest pony on the farm, Mac was the natural choice for hauling the farm’s large four wheeled wagon, particularly with a heavy load. Still, I’ve come a long way since I got here, and was more than capable of pulling it if needed. I certainly doubt I could do as Mac was doing now, and make mincemeat of the remaining lumber. Plus it would be nice to go into Ponyville anyway; I had a few things I wanted to do.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” I replied, setting down the axe and letting the handle rest against the tree stump. “I’ll go get myself harnessed up and bring the wagon around. Then we can get it loaded together.”

---

We have several carts and wagons on the farm. Most are fairly small two wheelers designed to haul apples back to either the various storage barns that are dotted about the place, or back to the barn proper. Some of the smaller ones can even be connected up in a train-like fashion to save time. But we also have a few larger wagons too. In addition to the one that doubles as our market stall, there’s also the large four wheeler, which is pretty much the equivalent of a small truck in pony terms. It’s used for hauling large amounts of produce, such as the zap apple jam when it’s taken over to Barnyard Bargains, as well as for when the Apples have to travel anywhere, such as when they had their little adventure about Pinkie Pie possibly being an Apple. Mac and me repaired the ruined axle after that incident, and now it’s in fairly regular use.

Heading around the side of the barn, I found the wagon standing where we’d left it a couple weeks before. It’s designed for only one pony to pull it, usually this is Big Mac. But it’s perfectly possible for a less powerful pony to manage it as well. I gave the whole thing a quick check over to make sure the axles, wheels, brakes and steering were all in good order. Satisfied with that, I hooked myself into the harness.

It’s times like these that I’m grateful for my magic. Hooking yourself into a harness like this is hard enough to do to a horse with hands, I honestly have no idea how Mac manages on his own. Particularly getting the straps on around his barrel. You do that wrong and you’ll chafe where you really don’t want to chafe. Adjusting the harness to fit my smaller frame, I soon had myself all set up. After giving everything one more check, I strained forward and soon enough had the wagon moving. It was a short journey back around the farm house to the open barn door where Mac was waiting. I carefully backed the wagon up, before again unlatching myself and heading back to help with the loading. Mac briefly got up on his hind legs to undo the two clasps on the back that held the back closed.

“Okay, let’s get to work,” I said, powering up my horn.

The two of us made short work of the loading. Mac was quite able to move more than a few logs at a time by hoof, while I could do the same with my magic, floating them through the air, encased in a dark blue aura. The two of us used a fairly simple system. I jumped up into the bed, while Mac threw logs up to me, with me catching them in my magic. We packed them as tight as we could so that they didn’t shift about during the fairly short journey to Ponyville, and to get as many in one trip as possible. We’d certainly be keeping a few fires burning for the next month or so. I steadily moved further along the wagon bed until the whole thing was full of neatly cut logs and kindling. Were I still human, I’d be a bit hesitant about trying to move it all. But with four hooves to call on, I wasn’t too worried. Once I got going, it would be easy enough. The route to Ponyville was pretty much level anyway.

“There,” Mac said, as he closed the back up again and double checked the latches. “That ought to do it, Bones.” I prepared to hitch myself up again.

“Ya sure you’re gonna be okay finishin’ up on your own, Mac?” I asked. There was still a fair bit to do after all. Mac however, shook his head.

“It’s fine,” he replied. “It ain’t like I’m tryin’ to do the whole harvest by myself.”

We both chuckled at that. He still loves to tease Applejack over that, and every time it gets right under her skin. I prepared to head off.

“I’ll be as quick as I can,” I said. “But do ya mind if I stop in town a while? I was thinkin’ of goin’ to return a couple books to Twilight.”

“Sure. I’ll be fine,” he reassured me.

And so, with that, I set off.

---

I took it slow and steady as I pulled out of the farmyard. The snow had thinned out, but the cold temperatures meant ice was more than a possibility, and this thing didn’t exactly have ABS. So I stayed at a fairly steady walk, making sure to keep the wagon balanced between constantly having to pull to keep it moving, and having to hold myself back to stop it running away with me. Getting it going was a little bit of work, but once the wagon was moving, it wasn’t all that different from just going for a walk, apart from the two spars either side of me and the feeling of the large wagon right at my back.

Leaving the farmyard, I set off along the road to Ponyville. It would be a fair drive yet, but it would take me through the beautiful apple orchards, across the rolling countryside, and finally over to the small little town that we all called home.

Ponyville, along with Sweet Apple Acres, is nestled right in the middle of a deep, but wide valley. To the south, it opens out as you hit the Everfree, while to the north is the towering Canterhorn mountain, and the glittering spires of Canterlot, Equestria’s capital city and home of the Royal Pony Sisters. This means you get beautiful rolling hills for a backdrop, but a nice open plain to haul a wagon across. In that sense, I suppose it was a little bit like California, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Before too long, I reached the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Passing under a little wooden arch and passing the last white fence that marked the boundary, I soon saw Ponyville ahead of me.

The town is built in a wonderfully quaint quasi German or Swiss style. Small timber framed houses with thatched roofs make up a large proportion of the buildings in town. In the centre stands the town hall, where Mayor Mare’s office is, as well as all the other local government stuff. Beyond that is Sugarcube Corner, the town bakery and home to the Cake family, as well as Pinkie Pie. Crossing over the river that runs through town and heading a little further towards the outskirts, you’ll find Carousel Boutique the first store in Rarity’s little fashion empire, now complemented by Canterlot Boutique in the capital and Rarity 4 U in Manehattan. The largest structure though is Princess Twilight’s castle, which also doubles as the town library following the destruction of Golden Oaks Library a few years ago at the hands of that imbecile Tirek. It still makes me a little sad to walk by the now empty plot of land. Finally, just outside town, but still visible within the vista, is the newest addition, the School of Friendship.

All in all, it’s quite a sight to see. Some ponies, at least some in Canterlot, write the place off as a backwater. But it’s a great little place with some great ponies living in it. Towns like this seldom exist back on Earth; places where everypony knows everypony else. Of course, you do occasionally get that wonderful small town drama. Everypony knows whose credit is good and whose wife isn’t, but nowhere, not even Equestria, is perfect. If it was, it would be rather boring.

Heading down the hill, I kept careful control of the heavy load behind me. I felt the wagon want to accelerate as gravity pushed us down the hill, and I had to dig in with my hooves a little bit to keep us under control. Luckily, it wasn’t long before the ground levelled out again.

As I reached the town’s outskirts, I mentally mapped out the route I’d need to take. I was taking the wagon to the main square, where the town market was held. In a world where supermarkets are still an up and coming thing, particularly out here in rural Equestria, markets like this one were where you bought pretty much everything in terms of produce from farms. The stall I was looking for though, belonged to Burnt Oak.

Burnt Oak is a comparatively recent addition to the town, having moved back here a few years before we arrived. He’s well known now and a respected old stallion. Many moons ago, he and Bright Mac, that’s Applejack’s late father, and the pony who originally owned that hat of hers, were close friends and got up to all sorts of hell raising together. In fact it was partly Burnt Oak’s actions that caused Bright Mac and Pear Butter to meet and fall in love. He certainly did his best to fan the flames. But while his friend found true love, he ultimately left Ponyville for some time to seek out adventure on the frontier. He roamed all over the place, from Dodge Junction, to the then fledgling Appleloosa, and even out into the Badlands. This was back when there was still quite a bit of bad blood between ponies and the buffalo tribes, and Burnt Oak distinguished himself in the several brief conflicts between the two peoples. I suppose in that sense, you could call him an Indian fighter in human terms.

But of course, in contrast to the sad ending to westward expansion back in the Americas, in Equestria, the push southward eventually gave rise to peace, as neither the ponies nor the buffalo saw any point in conflict, and ponies were far more willing to talk to their buffalo counterparts. That, and ponies didn’t have the wonderful delusion that wandering around committing genocide and calling it God’s will somehow made them great, but that’s a conversation for another day. The upshot was that the two sides came to an understanding, just as the three tribes had centuries before. They now happily co-exist, with the rights of the independent Buffalo Nations guaranteed for all of time. And again, unlike certain people, ponies understand that ‘all of time’ does not add the caveat ‘unless you find gold or oil’.

So Burnt Oak, now getting a little older, settled down. For a time, he was in law enforcement back in Dodge Junction. But after he retired, he returned to his old home town, and reconnected with the family of his late friend. He now owns a modest business buying up lumber and selling firewood. In a place like Ponyville, where the autumn and winter can be very cold, he has quite a nice little business.

I had the pleasure of meeting him some time ago. As something of a history buff, and someone keen to learn all I can about Equestrian history, I found the old stallion’s stories of life on the frontier fascinating. And in turn, he loved to spin yarns about the old days. While places like Appleloosa may still seem like they’re stuck in 1885, believe you me, the way Burnt Oak tells it, they’ve come a long way. He kind of reminds of the late Shelby Foote, one of the foremost historians on the American Civil War, with perhaps a bit of Wyatt Earp or Wild Bill thrown in there too.

For the moment though, I still had a fair way to go before I could set about getting all this lumber sold off to him. First I had to get the wagon through Ponyville and over to the marketplace. And before I got there, I found myself running into one of my favourite denizens of Ponyville.

I first became aware that I wasn’t alone when I heard the familiar sound of a pegasus in flight. For whatever reason, a gliding pegasus tends to make a whooshing sound, reminiscent of a jet engine. And in Ponyville, you learn to look up when you hear that. It was a good thing I did too, as I barely had time to duck as it was.

“Lookout!” a voice called.

My vision was briefly filled with a dark blue as a pegasus shot overhead. The pony in question luckily missed the wagon behind me and quickly gained altitude again. Climbing steeply, she banked around before landing smoothly right alongside me.

This was Lizzie, my little sister. Like me, she’s a pony, although a pegasus instead of a unicorn. And unlike me, when we first got here she was human, just like my parents. I’ve been a pony ever since we wound up in Equestria. She, in contrast, was turned into a pony by Discord.

Allegedly, this was the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony trying to do a good deed. Lizzie had been living with Fluttershy for a few months by this point, having moved in with her not long after we arrived. Given her human nature, she was somewhat limited compared to her flying friend when it came to taking care of animals. Plus, the world wasn’t exactly built to accommodate humans. She made one passing remark to Discord about wishing she could fly like Fluttershy so she could be of more help, although she wasn't too keen on being like me and ending up with four hooves. I might add that he was the one who started that conversation, so I’ve never been entirely certain whether or not his motivation was entirely altruistic. Discord all too often does things because he's curious about what will happen at best, and bored at worst.

The following morning, she woke up as she is now, including a cutie mark of her own. That always perplexed me if I'm honest. I've got one, sure, and it does reflect my skill with defensive magic, but Lizzie's was tilted toward her flying ability, which she couldn't have had as a human. Now, I know that Twilight says that nothing can force a cutie mark to appear before it should, but it still puzzles me how she got it. And while Apple Bloom and her friends have helped Lizzie somewhat, how she got that mark is still a mystery. I, in contrast, while not originally a unicorn, possessed the necessary skills to excel at magic as I now do, so I 'earned' my cutie mark in that sense.

After no small amount of confusion, and me considering the idea of seeing if Discord could survive without a frontal lobe (which he probably can knowing my luck), it was decided that she would stay like this for a week; mainly because Discord put a lockout on the spell so that not even he could undo it. Or so he claimed, again, this is Discord we're talking about. Dad was cheesed off something terrible, so was Mum, never mind Twilight, for the way Discord had just snapped his talons like that, and in my Dad's case, it put a real strain on their budding friendship, which would almost be shattered following the incident with Tirek.

But since Discord either wouldn't or couldn't change her back, she decided to at least see what it was like being a pony. So she spent a week as a pegasus, adjusting to her new body, learning to fly, and so on. At the end of that week, she had a choice to make, and ultimately decided to have Discord extend the spell to make it permanent, albeit with a way to turn back if needed. Ever since, she’s been a valued member of the Weather Patrol under Rainbow Dash. To this day though, I do wonder just what motivated Equestria’s most inscrutable former villain to do what he did. A part of me even wonders if there was something else at play, to the point that I even checked to see if Discord was using his magic to mess with her head. After all, she’d shown no interest in such things before becoming a pegasus, being quite happy to simply help Fluttershy out with her animal friends.

However, while it did then, and still does, make me more than a little distrustful of the draconequus, I can't for the life of me figure out why he would mess with her like that. And while I’ve never will be able to fully trust Discord, I don’t think he ever did have malign intentions in doing what he did. It might have been wrong, true, but he wasn't trying to hurt her. In his own peculiar, twisted way, I think he was trying to help Lizzie out. It’s just that...well, everything Discord does often comes with strings attached. That and, six months later, he stabbed us all in the back and briefly sided with a magic sucking roid monkey. Putting that last jab at the draconequus to one side, I turned to my little sister.

“Lizzie!” I said with some surprise. “What in Equestria was all that about? You okay?”

I might have tormented her in my younger years, but just like Big Mac, I try my best to look out for my little sister. And her dropping out of the sky and nearly crashing right into me had me worried.

“Sorry, Bones,” she said, briefly readjusting her wings. “I was just trying out this new trick Rainbow showed me. Didn’t work out quite right.” I rolled my eyes at the mention of Equestria’s most humble hero. That sounded like something she’d do, all right.

“You know Mom and Dad don’t like you doin’ those crazy stunts,” I replied. “You could have really hurt yourself.” Lizzie chose to ignore my valid concerns for her safety, as she so often does.

“Oh come on,” she said. “Crashing is a part of flying. I could say the same about you getting hurt working with all that farm equipment.”

“I don’t go out looking for trouble though. C’mon, Sis. Y’all are on the Weather Patrol. You’re supposed to be a professional flyer, not some crazy stunt devil. What are you doin’ this far out anyway, aside from pullin’ crazy stunts?” Lizzie gestured to a few clouds in the sky.

“Dash asked me to move a few of these rain clouds back north for a while. She’s worried with the cold they might try and turn to snow, and we’ve got enough of that at the moment.”

“Yeah, ain’t that the truth,” I agreed, becoming more aware of the cold in my hooves.

“What about you?” Lizzie went on, brushing her chestnut coloured mane back behind her ear. “What’s with the wagon?”

“Firewood,” I explained. “Mac and I have been workin’ all mornin’, so he asked me to see if I can sell this all to Burnt Oak in town. You want some for you and Fluttershy? Family discount.” Lizzie shook her head.

“No thanks, Bones,” she politely declined. “I’ve got to get back to work now. Those clouds aren’t going to clear themselves. See you round.”

With that, she took a literal flying leap, opened her wings, and took off into the sky again, quickly going up to at least a hundred feet. I just hoped that she’d be a bit more careful next time. She might be an alumnus of Wonderbolt Academy, but that didn’t make her Spitfire when it came to flying. Still, it was nice to see her again. These days, I don’t see her too much, and normally, she has that lovesick coltfriend of hers, Dewdrop, all but attached at the hip.

As she all but disappeared from my sight, I set off again on the road to Ponyville. I still had a bit of a ways to go, but it wasn’t really all that far now. By the top of the hour, I should be at Burnt Oak’s shop to offload all of this and make a nice, tidy profit.

---

Arriving in Ponyville, I carefully made my way through the town to the market square, passing a large statue of Princess Celestia, which stood in a large fountain in the square not too far away. As is often the case in small towns, I ran into a few ponies I knew; friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends. To be honest, it sometimes gets a little tiring to keep track of all the relationships. Luckily, while I may value friendship, I have also developed the fine art of extracting myself from conversations gracefully and without causing offence. The large wagon filled with firewood certainly helped on that front.

Arriving in the market square, I found it fairly busy. All the local farmers have stalls here, including ourselves. The venerable Granny Smith was minding the store today. We each take it in turns running the stall at the market. I’m down to do it next week I believe. I waved to her as she contentedly haggled away with Time Turner, who owns the local clock repair shop. He’s also the local Time Lord, complete with a stolen time machine, but you didn’t hear that from me.

Burnt Oak’s stall was a little further down the way, although his shop took up a fair bit of real estate, with firewood piled high all around. Although I did notice that he seemed to be running a little low. Like I said, he and I have become fairly good friends since meeting each other, and his sharp eyes quickly picked me out of the modest crowd as I made my way towards him with my cargo in tow.

“Mornin’, Bones,” he called out. I waved back at him as I pulled up and unhitched myself from the wagon.

“Hey, Burnt Oak. Don’t suppose y’all are in the market for a bit more firewood?” I asked, gesturing to the wagon behind me. The old stallion laughed.

“Always,” he replied. “Especially when it comes from good quality apple trees.” He trotted over to join me.

Burnt Oak was a stallion that I’d say was in his mid fifties. His coat was a darkish brown, a few shades lighter than cocoa, while his mane and tail had long ago turned silver, as had the modest moustache he sported. Atop his head, he wore a light tan stetson, that was almost verging on khaki. It was worn and had clearly seen a lot of use, but unlike mine or Applejack’s the brim at the front hadn’t been partially cut away. In a sense, it looked more like the classic gambler hat, further reinforcing his link to the frontier. Around his neck, tied in a simple knot was a light blue neckerchief. His cutie mark meanwhile was his namesake, being a burnt branch of an oak tree. Walking around to the back of the wagon and unhooking the latch, he took a look at the neatly chopped up firewood with gleam of interest in his light blue eyes.

“Sweet Celestia, Bones!” he said in surprise. “There must be the better part of a cord here.”

“That’s about right,” I replied. “Mac and I spent the last day or so choppin’ trees into firewood. We’ve kept a fair bit for ourselves just in case the weather team decides to stretch this winter out. But we figured y’all might be interested in buyin’ up the surplus. With the way the weather’s been these past months, I reckon your services are in pretty high demand.”

“Y’all reckon right,” Burnt Oak replied with a smile. “And this little lot would help me get through the week without any trouble.” That sounded promising.

“So you’re interested?” I said. Burnt Oak nodded.

“Indeed I am,” he replied. “So how about you and me talk business?”

---

And so we did. With the cold weather set to continue at least until the end of the month, there was plenty of demand. And while Burnt Oak liked to make a bit as much as the next pony, as his own supply began to run low, he was starting to have to hike up his prices more than he was comfortable with. So our firewood provided a nice reprieve that let him reduce prices back down to a level where he still made a decent profit, but the stock was affordable for all customers.

With a deal worked out and a price agreed on, it was just a simple matter of settling up,which we'd do once Burnt Oak had unloaded everything. Apart from that, our business was more or less concluded.

“Alright,” I said, as I finished hooking up my saddlebags. “I think we’re just about done here. Do you want me to help you with unloadin’?” Burnt Oak shook his head.

“Nah, I’m good, Bones,” he replied. “I might not be as young as I once was, but that don’t mean I’ve lost my earth pony strength.” With that, he hopped onto the wagon and started unloading the firewood, tying it all into stacks for sale.

“Fair enough,” I said as he got to work. “I’ve got a few things to do in Ponyville as it is, so I’ll leave ya to get all this unpacked and stop by in a bit to pick up the wagon.”

And with that, I left the old stallion to it. I had a couple other things I needed to do in town right about now. Chief among which was to return a couple of books that I’d borrowed from Twilight. As both the pony who taught me pretty much everything I know about magic, and as the owner of Ponyville’s local library/castle, I often borrow texts from her for my own pet projects, although that is now partially supplemented by the library at the School of Friendship. A week ago, I’d borrowed her copy of ‘Treatise Upon the Darker Magicks’; a text written originally back in the days of Old Equestria, before the princesses came to power. My own interest in developing counter spells to various spells typically used by the bad guys made it an ideal reference book, considering it was effectively a how to book on using dark magic. As a result, it was restricted, and I could only borrow it with the alicorn’s permission. Despite its malign roots though, it had so far helped me create a viable way to counter changeling hypnosis spells, in case Chrysalis should ever come calling, as well as a way of countering magic siphoning.

Of course, this didn’t make me any use on the rare occasions Equestria and/or the entire world was in jeopardy. At the end of the day, I’m still just a unicorn, and don’t hold a candle to a lot of the major bad guys. While I might have found a way to counter the hypnosis spell that I could actually use against Chrysalis herself, my counter to the siphon spell worked only in theory. I was nowhere near powerful enough to use it to overpower Tirek at his full strength. Still, if it could give me, or somepony else a fighting chance, I’d take it. And there’s always the matter of knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

But enough about my mediocre research, back to Twilight Sparkle, the first pony I ‘met’ back when I first tuned into the show many years ago. I have to be honest, I identified with her a lot at the time, and still do even now. We’re both eggheads as Rainbow would say. We both find magic absolutely fascinating. And, when things go south, we both can have something of a mental breakdown at times. After we got here, the young alicorn took me under her wing and helped me learn about using magic in my new unicorn body. I quickly latched onto the subject and before too long went from simply learning the basics to even considering applying to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

Since then, we’ve always done our best to keep in touch with one another, and I make a point of trying to get to see her and Spike whenever I can.

Twilight’s castle, a sort of gift, I suppose you could call it, from the ancient Tree of Harmony, dominates Ponyville’s skyline. A huge crystalline structure, very much resembling the tree that created it, it has a balcony overlooking the town and in the centre, it is emblazoned with the symbol for the Element of Magic, which is also Twilight’s cutie mark. Trotting up to the front steps, I rapped on the double doors with a hoof. Despite my, and her older brother’s objections, particularly after the whole ponynapping incident, Twilight continues to maintain something of an open door policy, given how her home also serves as the town library. Plus, given its size, it isn’t like you’re going to interrupt Twilight in the middle of something.

Heading inside, my hooves clinked ever so slightly on the crystal floor. The whole place was either clear or sapphire crystal from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. My Dad often jokes how the place must be a right bugger to heat. The main hall is where the cutie map is. This enigmatic device, surrounded by a total of seven chairs, including one for Spike, has a sort of Camelot round table vibe to it. At the moment, it was just a large round, crystal table. But when needed, it summoned up a map of Equestria and the surrounding region, including the Crystal Empire, the Griffon Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, and even the lands as far south as the Storm Territories and the Hippogriff Kingdom. Whenever a friendship problem arose, the map would activate and summon the required ponies. It would display an image of their cutie marks at the place they needed to go to solve the problem, and their marks would glow when the quest was completed.

I’ve tried, with little success, to get the map to say ‘Another settlement needs your help. I’ll mark it on your map’ when it fires up for a laugh. The problems do seem to come in a steady stream, although it has been fairly quiet of late.

Beyond that was the large hall that has been used for everything from Hearth’s Warming Eve celebrations, to birthday parties, and even the odd wedding reception. This too was empty for the moment, although straining my ears, which are far more sensitive than my human ones were, I picked up Twilight and Spike’s voice not too far away. Well, if she isn’t in her office at the School of Friendship, there’s only one place Twilight will be in her off hours, and that’s her library.

Heading down the hall, I soon found my way along the familiar route. The one thing this place seems to have inherited from the old Golden Oaks library is the trans-dimensional engineering that the old tree used to have. Like a TARDIS, it’s bigger on the inside, at least based on your view from outside, although in the case of the Golden Oaks library, it was much more obvious. Opening the door with my magic, I peered inside and spotted Twilight, surrounded by what I can only describe as a book fort. Dozens of books were stacked almost as high as Princess Celestia is tall, and in the middle of all these towers, was Twilight, busily working away.

“Hey, Twilight,” I called out, making her briefly start in surprise, and causing Spike, who was contentedly napping, to wake with a start.

Luckily, the both of them recovered quickly enough upon seeing me, none the worse for wear. Twilight set a bookmark in the book she was reading and trotted over to say hello, with Spike following at her heels.

“Hey, Blade Star,” she said in that friendly tone of hers. “What brings you here?”

Twilight is one of the few ponies that doesn’t call me Bones by default. She always was a little bit more formal than most ponies. Then again, now she’s a princess, I suppose it comes with the territory. Opening up my saddlebags, I levitated out the book I was wanting to return.

“I was in town and figured I ought to drop this off,” I explained. “And I wanted to thank you again for lettin’ me borrow it. The pony who wrote it might not have been right in the head, but it sure helped me with my own research. I just find it strange how little research has been done before now in countering dark magic.”

Twilight’s magenta aura now replaced my own and she took it from me and passed it off to Spike, who promptly went to put it back in its proper place in the restricted section. I honestly sometimes wonder to myself just how long Twilight would last without Spike, considering how much he does to keep the place running. You could say the same with Starlight. Without Spike, I’m fairly certain those two mares would be living off cold baked beans within a week.

“I guess a lot of ponies just find the idea of studying, and getting that close to dark magic, unsettling.”

“Sort of a ‘stare too long into the abyss, and the abyss stares back into you’ eh?” I offered. She nodded.

“Exactly. Still, from what I’ve heard, you’ve made a few interesting discoveries these past few months while you’ve been helping out at the school. I was actually working on the revised syllabus for the new year when you came in.”

“You’re making changes?” I asked curiously. Twilight’s school had set the gold standard as far as most ponies were concerned, and that included the EEA under the now much more accepting Chancellor Neighsay.

“Not to the lesson plans,” she explained. “I’m trying to improve some of the student counselling services. I want to try and help stop another...well...you know.” I let out a soft sigh.

“You’re talking about Cozy Glow, right?” I asked. Twilight nodded as she continued to look over the notes she had floating around her.

“Twilight, you can’t go beating yourself up like this,” Spike said as he came back. “You did nothing wrong, and gave Cozy plenty of chances. She chose her path and she’s paying for it.”

I’ll be honest, none of us saw Cozy for what she was, me included. I thought she was a bit saccharine, and showed signs of mental instability. But I never thought for a moment she was capable of what she did. Twilight however, as both headmare and Princess of Friendship, still largely blames herself for Cozy’s fall, even though, in hindsight, that fall was complete before she even set foot in the school. Still, at least the rational part of Twilight could see that.

“I know you’re right, Spike,” she said, shaking her head. “I still just wish I could have done something to help her.” I shrugged my shoulders, unsure of what to say. But I wanted to help my friend.

“You are many things, Twilight Sparkle. But you aren’t God. There’s some ponies that are just beyond reformation. Look at Tirek or Chrysalis. They’re rare enough, but they do exist. And Cozy is one of them. She saw, and understood, what friendship was. But she chose to twist it for her own gain. Her fate is entirely down to her; nopony else.”

Twilight fell silent for a moment, reflecting on what I’d said. I meant it too. As much as it saddens me, not every bad guy can be Discord or Starlight. They can’t all be brought around. Some are just so messed up in the head, so devoid of morals, or so entrenched in their positions, so gripped by hate and anger, that there is simply no way back.

Then again, you could have once said the same thing about a certain princess who I greatly admire. Still, my simple visit to drop off a book seemed to have devolved into a conversation about ethics and morality. I tried to ease things towards safer, or at least happier, topics.

Or at least, that’s what I would have done, had we not been joined by some decidedly unwelcome company. Like I said before, Twilight keeps something of an open door policy in her castle, filling in that image of the people’s princess. This visitor however, didn’t particularly feel the need to use such pedestrian antiquities such as doors, he much preferred just teleporting wherever he damn well pleased.

The sudden pop and flash and the teleport caught Twilight, Spike and I by surprise, particularly as it happened in one of the nearby chairs. The upside though was that there was only one being who had the magical ability to pull off such a feat.

“Discord!” Twilight cried out in surprise. “What did I say about just teleporting into my home without asking? And get out of my chair” She sounded a bit like Celestia, or an irritated mother who’s chastising her child for the hundredth time.

Discord however, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, paid her no mind. Reformed or not, morality and him remain distant cousins at best. Although in my experience, there’s very rarely any malice in his actions, he just doesn’t always...what’s the word...think. That’s the only explanation I can come up with for his various antics past, present and future. He didn’t intrude into Twilight’s home to cause trouble, he was probably just bored or something. And believe it or not, with Discord, that qualifies as progress.

“Oh really, Twilight,” he said in a tone of false hurt. “Are my little visits to my local library really that disruptive?” Twilight scowled. Just like with her former mentor, Discord knows how to get under her skin.

“They are when you bring all my books to life and turn them into mutant birds,” she replied crossly. Discord chuckled.

“Oh yes, that was fun wasn’t it?”

Before the bristling Twilight could reply, or simply blast him in the head with her magic, Spike stepped in. I have a more or less okay relationship with the draconequus, since he’s close friends with my dad, to the point that I’d argue he’s one of only a small handful of ponies that he considers a friend, apart from Fluttershy. He tends to be a bit less...Discord...to me, to avoid ticking off the old man. And when he’s not causing trouble, Equestria’s answer to Q can be quite the interesting character to talk to, if you’ll excuse the pun. But with Spike, as a fellow O&O player, the two have something of a closer bond.

“I’m not sure Fluttershy would see it that way, Discord,” he said sternly.

Fluttershy is the only surefire way I’ve found of getting Discord to listen to me. He values his friendship with her, and will do all sorts to protect that friendship. And as the pony who helped him reform, he uses her as a sort of guide to friendship. Remember, he doesn’t do most of what he does out of spite or malice, it’s more a case of him having powers not too far short of a god, and not having any sense of morality, or any sense at all, until a few years ago. Conversely, he’ll also rip you limb from limb and turn you inside out if you even consider the idea of doing harm to her. Still, she seems to have helped him turn a corner, particularly after the incident with Tirek. As mad as it might sound, I do more or less trust him these days. But back to my original point, Spike’s comment certainly seemed to rein him in a bit.

“Oh, well, yes, I suppose so,” he agreed somewhat reluctantly. “But I’m not here to do that anyway.”

Well, that was a good sign.

“So why are you here, Discord?” I asked, catching his attention.

“Well, funnily enough, Bones,” he replied. “I was actually hoping to check out that book you have there.” He gestured to the book I’d returned to Twilight.

The alicorn too seemed a little surprised. Whatever else you might say about Discord, he’s a genius and knows more about magic than pretty much anypony, even the likes of Celestia or Starswirl the Bearded. It seemed odd that he’d need a reference book. Then again, I suppose we all need to brush up on our knowledge from time to time. Still, Twilight was curious.

“What do you need it for?” she asked. A fair question, since it came from the restricted section, and wasn’t available to the general public.

“Well,” Discord said, hopping down from the table at last. “I believe it touches upon a bit of early Equestrian history, as well as magic. Isn’t that right, Bones?”

“True,” I replied with a nod.

That was actually part of the reason I’d checked the book out. In addition to looking to develop counters for certain dodgy spells, I was also trying to find information on the various possible threats that might come back to haunt us in the future. Celestia knows that she left her fair share of bad guys only temporarily dealt with. And after Tirek got loose, and after encountering the Smooze, I wanted to do as much research as I could on other possible villains from other versions of My Little Pony. I’d read up on villains like Arabus, Somnambula (who ironically is a hero in this world), Grogar, and a few others. Most either didn’t exist at all, or were simply children’s fairy tales. Only a small number, Like Tirek and Scorpan, existed in more than one world. And others, like Chrysalis, the Storm King, and Sombra, only existed here. Still, it was interesting that Discord would take an interest in such things.

“Well,” he went on. “I figured that if I am to be an asset to Equestria as Celestia wants me to be, then it might help if I brushed up on the rogues gallery and their various tricks.”

It was a fair reason, except for one thing. Unless they caught him off guard, Discord’s abilities would make mincemeat out of any of them. If Discord had really pitched in during any of the previous major episodes, the changeling invasion, Sombra’s attack on the Crystal Empire, the brief Storm attack on Canterlot, or didn’t betray us when Tirek first got loose, the episodes in question would have been over in seconds. For goodness sake, he moved the sun and moon on a whim, and completely altered the very fabric of Equestria as a joke. The only time I’ve ever seen anything stump him was that BS anti-magic throne of Chrysalis’, and I’ve been tinkering with a chunk of it for months since trying to find a way around it.

This is the problem with the reformed Discord. Yes, he’s now sort of on the side of good, more or less. But that doesn’t mean he always clues you in on what he’s up to. Nor do his plans always turn out for the best. In fact, as I would later discover, his current plan almost brought about the downfall of the realm, and it was only by virtue of providence and the fact that good always triumphs over evil, that we got away with it. Still, ignorant of what he was planning at the moment, Twilight tried to prise a little more information out of him.

“Why now?” she asked. “Usually you tend to stay out of things like that, or cause them.”

Discord winced a bit at that. While he very rarely admits it, I know that he still regrets what happened with Tirek. Still, a moment later, the omnipotent jester returned.

“Exactly!” he replied, pointing with a claw for emphasis. “And it’s high time I changed that. So, if you’ll excuse me.” He snapped his talons, causing the book to appear in his lion paw a second later. “I have some studying to do. Be seeing you both. See you on Guys’ Night, Spike.”

And with that, he vanished in the same manner as he had come. As ever, leaving us with more questions than answers.

“Remind me why you released him from his stone prison again?” I said jokingly.

Whatever else I might say about Discord, Equestria would be a far more boring place without him. Still, if we could get him to pitch in from time to time, and have him help out…... Well, he may well be able to solve the next big event in a few short seconds. I mean, can you imagine the Storm King’s attack on Canterlot if Discord turned up? Those airships would have turned into marshmallow, their shields and spears to umbrellas and pool noodles, and as for that no good, honourless turncoat bitch he brought with him…

Sorry, I’m rambling, or monologuing. Twilight quickly brought me back to terra firma.

“Because Celestia told me I had to,” she replied with just as much mirth. “Still though, it’s good he’s taking an interest in helping out. Anyway, did you want to check out anything else while you’re here?”

I shook my head. I was going to have to put the brakes on my own research for now.

“No thanks, Twilight,” I said. “It ain’t long now until Winter Wrap Up, so I’ll be gettin’ ready for that. The farm’s gonna get real busy before long. Plus the school’s startin’ again soon. I take it y’all still want me to pitch in and cover lessons from time to time?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight replied. “It really helps having somepony to cover classes when any of us get called away on a friendship mission. Starlight already has enough to do with her responsibilities as school counsellor.”

I resisted the urge to shake my head in amazement at that. What exactly possessed Twilight to appoint Starlight Glimmer; you know, the pony who had her own little private cult going out in the boonies, as school counsellor, I’ll never know. She’s many things, but she’s not exactly Mariana Sirtis in a catsuit. I honestly thought at first that she might even, albeit unintentionally, be to blame for the whole mess with Cozy Glow. Still, she hasn’t caused any major problems, and she did create that most useful spell to banish Discord from a location for a day. Sadly, I’m nowhere near powerful enough to use it.

Twilight seemed to sense my internal objections to her choice of counsellor and, for what must be the hundredth time, did her best to reassure me.

“Trust me,” she said. “I know Starlight has her faults. But surely the best pony to help others is one who has learnt from her own mistakes. And her results speak for themselves.”

That was true. Plenty of students had nothing but glowing recommendations for Starlight and her counselling. And after a careful check for mind control spells (remember, she has form on that), I was inclined to take them at face value. Until one of the students went ballistic and cooked up some harebrained scheme to steal magic and take over Equestria, I wouldn’t complain.

Wait.

“No, you’re right,” I agreed with Twilight. “She is good with those kids. Anyway, I’d best be off. I’ll see you back at the school. Bye, Spike.”

With that, I picked up my saddlebags again and headed back out. I only had a couple more things to do today.

---

Heading back outside, I felt the cold air hit me with a start. The castle actually had been quite warm inside, despite the crystal walls and floors. You were certainly conscious, walking back outside that the temperature was still pretty low. Not as bad as it was back in January, but still too cold. That would be changing soon though. As I said to Twilight, on the farm, we were already preparing for Winter Wrap Up. Given how ponies manage the weather in Equestria, the seasons have to be changed manually. On the last day of winter, the final major preparations are completed and Spring begins the following day.

There was still another week or so before that. For the moment, I had a couple other matters to attend to. I hadn’t been with Twilight all that long, so I figured Burnt Oak was probably still unloading the wagon. With some time to kill, I figured it might not be a bad idea to drop in on my parents.

They both live in Ponyville, in a home specially built for them, designed for human habitation, and paid for by a mare who knows the annoyances that come with being significantly taller than the average pony. After it became clear that we would be stuck here for a while, Princess Celestia had made arrangements to have a vacant property here in town modified for their use. They’ve been living there together ever since.

My dad, Roger, as I said before, works for Celestia as a legal advisor in her Day Court, while my mom, Margaret, works alongside Cheerilee at Ponyville Elementary. They’re both in their early sixties now, but still very active. As I moved out to live on Sweet Apple Acres, and Lizzie did the same with Fluttershy, the two have had the place to themselves. And while I’m sure they appreciate having some time to themselves at last, I know they do miss having their kids about, even if we are both grown up and ponies now. So, whenever I have the time, I try to stop by to at least say hello. As much as it pains me to say it, I know that they won’t be around forever, and I’m dreading the day I lose one of them, just as much I do the day we lose Granny Smith.

Their house isn’t too far from the castle, just up the road from the elementary school, and across the street from Cranky and Matilda’s house. That’s the two local donkeys that also call Ponyville home. It looks like a lot of the other house in Ponyville, with a German, Austrian, or Swiss style to it. Opening the little gate, I walked up the short garden path and, standing on the stoop, knocked on the front door. A few moments later, my mom answered.

Both my parents are in their early sixties now, although most people say she looks young for her age. She certainly hasn’t settled into the little old lady stereotype just yet. She was a little taller than me now, at five foot even, with light blonde hair, which she kept short. As she was standing with a cloth in one hand and a bottle of polish in the other, I’d evidently caught her doing some cleaning.

“Hello, Bones,” she said brightly.

Unlike me, she’s kept her original accent, and still sounds like someone hailing from the Black Country in the Midlands. Not what most people think of when they think of an ‘English’ accent, although I’d argue, given the vast number of accents and dialects, that there’s no such thing. Best description, think Peaky Blinders, but tone it down a little. Dad’s is a lot less pronounced compared to hers, being a bit more neutral, which is how I used to sound. Lizzie meanwhile, well she picked up a bit of a South Wales twang after we moved out that way when she was still quite young.

Sorry, I’m rambling again.

“Hey, Mom,” I replied. “I was just in town and thought I might stop by to see you folks.” She smiled at that.

“Oh, that’s sweet of you,” she said as she stepped to one side to let me in. “Come on in. Your Dad’s up in Canterlot until five today. Apparently there’s some big hush-hush business going on up there I’m not allowed to know about. How have you been? I’ve been spending all morning tidying up the kitchen. You wouldn’t believe how expensive that Barnyard Bargains has gotten over the winter. Why, I’ve half a mind to give Filthy a right earful.”

In case it isn’t apparent, my mother talks. A lot. I just politely nodded along, not that I ever really had much of a chance to get a word in until she finished her wittering. Eventually, she had to pause for breath and I actually got a chance to answer the half dozen questions she’d put to me.

“Well, I’ve not been too bad,” I said, taking off my hat as we headed for the kitchen. “Mac and I spent most of the early mornin’ cuttin’ up firewood, just sold a load off to Burnt Oak at the market. Should get us a nice tidy sum. Though Celestia knows I’ll be glad when this frost finally thaws when Winter Wrap Up rolls around.”

“I know what you mean,” my mom said as she put the kettle on the stove. “It’s been biting cold this past week. Roger saw Lizzie a couple days ago though. She said Rainbow Dash is planning to start thawing things out soon.” I remembered my own brief meeting with my little sister.

“Yeah, I ran into her this morning on my way into town. Silly mare was trying out some stunts RD’s been showin’ her. She nearly crashed right into me.” The kettle began to whistle.

“Oh come on, you have to let her have her fun.”

“Hey, there’s fun and there’s dangerous.” Mom smiled at me for a moment.

“You know, I don’t remember you being half as worried about your little sister when we were back on Earth,” she commented. “And from what I’ve learned from my time here, nothing bad ever happens that affects the long term. Apart from the odd monster attack or another baddie trying to take over the world for the umpteenth time, Equestria is pretty safe. I mean, how many times has Rainbow come barrelling through somepony’s window and walked away without a scratch. You want milk and sugar?”

While we’d been talking, she’d poured the tea and had just fished out the teabags with a teaspoon.

“Er, just milk please,” I replied. “That is true I guess.”

“And you could say the same thing about the little extra-curricular projects that you get up to. I don’t know much about magic, but I know dark magic is something to stay away from. Yet you keep poking and prodding at it to find ways to stop it. If I remember rightly, dark magic also has a habit of making you lose your marbles. I’d say that’s a lot more dangerous than the odd victory roll every once in a while.”

Mom now joined me at the kitchen table, setting a steaming mug of tea and a couple digestive biscuits in front of me.

“Anyway,” she went on. “How’s life on the farm been? Applejack and the others still keeping on?” I nodded.

“Yeah, sure,” I replied. “We did another walk around the farm a couple weeks back. Big Mac’s been workin’ on fixin’ up the cider press while we still have the time. Apple Bloom’s been with her friends and dealin’ with cutie mark problems, and Granny’s been keepin’ us all fed and watered. At this point though, we’re all just looking forward to the spring. Winter on the farm can get pretty quiet and can make you go a mite stir crazy. That’s kinda why I agreed to haul the wagon down here when Mac asked me to. It’s nice to get a change of scenery every now and then. These days, so much of my time is spent either on the farm or at the school. How’s the elementary school anyway?”

“Oh, about the same,” Mom said. “There’s another week until the kids go back, and we’ve got a couple new students starting this year. Plus I’m due to get inspected again to keep my credentials. I’m hoping that since that Neighsay chap turned over a new leaf, the EEA won’t be quite as critical of me not being a pony.”

When my mom had first started teaching at the school, she did run into a couple problems. While she’s been a teacher almost as long as I’ve been alive, her qualifications from Earth didn’t exactly carry over into Equestria, so she had to have a few supervised lessons with inspectors before she could teach full time. It was okay more or less, but one of the three inspectors was a right jackass and seemed to have a right bee in his bonnet about her not being a pony. Luckily, the other two were more reasonable, as was Cheerilee. Still, it showed the problems that ultimately bubbled to the surface last year in the wake of the attack by the Storm King.

The two of us stayed and chatted a little while longer, catching up. Mom had a few interesting stories to relay to me from my dad. Where he can, he likes to tell us about interesting or funny cases he hears while helping out Princess Celestia in Day Court. Eventually though, it was time for me to be off. Burnt Oak would have finished unloading the wagon by now, and there was no sense leaving it there in the market. Before I went though, my mom had a request.

“You know, it’s been ages since you and Applejack came over for dinner,” she said. “We’d love to have the two of you over some time.”

I was about to reply with a yes, when a better idea popped into my head. We’d been here a few times; both my parents got on really well with AJ. But the two had never come over to Sweet Apple Acres. It might be a little tight, but we could make room for two more at the dinner table.

“Why don’t you and Dad come over to the farm some time? I’m sure you’d love Granny Smith cookin’,” I suggested. “Plus it’ll let you spend some time with the rest of the family.”

“Alright,” Mom agreed after a moment. “I’ll see what your father says and drop by to work something out.”

“Okay then,” I said, getting up and levitating my hat back onto my head. “Thanks for the tea, Mom. See you round.”

---

Heading back into town, I made for the market and found Burnt Oak just finishing up. The firewood Mac and I had spent the morning chopping up was now all neatly unloaded and tied up ready for sale. Burnt Oak would probably be able to get by with this one last shipment for the remainder of the week, even if March remained cool. Remember, a lot of buildings in Equestria, particularly out here in the boonies, don’t have central heating, so winter isn’t the only time you need good quality firewood.

He was even starting to get a few sales out of it as he handed over a bundle to Derpy Hooves, the town’s mailmare. I had to restrain myself from chuckling a little as the grey pegasus took off into the air with the bundle ‘balanced’ on her back.

“I see you’re already making some bits then,” I said to Burnt Oak as I walked up.

“Well, that’s what happens when you’ve got good quality firewood to sell to ponies that need it,” he replied with a grin.

He briefly disappeared behind the small wooden stall, appearing a moment later with a small cloth bag. I could hear the bits jingling inside. The old frontiersman set my payment down on the counter.

“There we are, as agreed,” he said.

I’d lived in Ponyville, and known Burnt Oak, for long enough not to bother counting the exact amount. Ponies around these parts trusted each other, and I wasn’t about to bite my proverbial thumb at him by doing a count then and there. By the same token, he hadn’t checked the exact weight of the firewood I’d sold him. There’s an unspoken trust between ponies here, all kept in a delicate balance with the knowledge that you can trust your fellow pony.

Picking up the small bag, I stowed it under my hat for safe keeping. That pretty much concluded our business. Now it was time to head on home.

“Thanks, Burnt Oak,” I said kindly. “I’ll get the wagon out of the way for you. See you round!”

“See you, Bones!” Burnt Oak called back as I trotted around to the front of the wagon and hitched myself back up.

---

The trip back to Sweet Apple Acres was a lot easier, what with the wagon being significantly lighter. Although, as it was now getting into late afternoon, the temperature was starting to drop as the sun began to set. It was definitely going to freeze again tonight.

Heading back the way I’d come, I crossed the small river out of town and soon found myself crossing back onto the farm. The wind was fairly calm now, but I picked up the sound of laughter and barking on the breeze. As I came over the next rise, I caught sight of Apple Bloom playing with Winona, the Apple family’s faithful border collie. The little filly had gotten hold of a good sized stick and was playing fetch with Winona. It wouldn’t be too long before Winona would be helping us herd the sheep and cattle that were currently sheltering in the barns back out to their normal pastures, where they could safely be left to themselves.

As the wind changed, Winona stopped her excited barking and looked up as she picked me up from downwind. Apple Bloom spotted me at around the same time, and the two came running over to greet me.

“Hey, Bones,” Apple Bloom called out as Winona barked excitedly and jumped up in an effort to be friendly. “How did it go at the market? How many bits did you make?”

“Never you mind, little missy,” I replied in a slightly paternal tone. “Enough to keep Winona here out of the stewing pot for a couple days at least.”

Gently taking the stick from Winona with my magic, I gave it a good throw and sent it flying off into the wild blue yonder. The collie quickly tore off after it, leaving Apple Bloom and I to continue on our way to the farmhouse.

“You lookin’ forward to goin’ back to school in a couple weeks?” I asked her.

“I guess so,” Apple Bloom replied, clearly not meaning it. “I kinda wish the holidays would last just a little longer.”

“I know what you mean, AB,” I said with a smile. “Still, you gotta admit, it has been gettin’ kinda borin’ around here. The farm’s pretty quiet in the winter after all. And you’ll get to see all your friends again, and I know Mom and Miss Cheerilee always look forward to seein’ you.”

At that point, Winona returned, with the stick in her jaws, still raring to go. Fun fact for those who’ve never met or owned one. Collies don’t get bored or understand the concept of futility. Winona would keep playing fetch until the end of time if someone stuck around to keep throwing the stick for her.

“Oh, I am lookin’ forward to goin’ back, Bones,” she reassured me, brightening up a little. “Still, it means we’ve got less time to spend helpin’ other ponies with their cutie marks.”

I had to resist the urge to let out an audible d’aww at that. AB could be really selfless at times. She’d certainly taken her special talent to heart, as had her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“There’ll be plenty of time for that,” I said to her. “And school is just as important.”

A little while later, we got back to the farmhouse. After parking up the wagon, I stepped into the kitchen to make myself a late lunch. Apple Bloom wasn’t the only one coming to the end of the holidays. Before too long, Sweet Apple Acres would be getting very busy.

Winter Wrap Up was upon us.

Author's Note:

Proofread by Sweetolebob18.

Welcome to February. I'm going to try and keep this slice of life tone pretty much throughout the story. Despite living out in the middle of nowhere myself, I still like the idea of small town life. Special thanks to Sweetolebob18, who knows more about the logistics of firewood than you might think.

Next week, we cross into March for one of Equestria's biggest annual events.

And I know that song is in your head now.

Comments

[Vaalintine]

Still, we can argue shadowy conspiracy theories until the cows come home. The upshot is that she’s happy with her new life, just as I am. And while I’ve never been able to fully trust Discord, I don’t think he ever did have malign intentions in doing what he did. It’s just that...well, everything Discord does often comes with strings attached. That and, six months later, he stabbed us all in the back and briefly sided with a magic sucking roid monkey. Putting that last jab at the draconequus to one side, I turned to my little sister.

And just like that, my enjoyment plummets again. The idea that everything is perfect even though she was coherced into "consenting" to something she said no to disrupts the family dynamic, as well as calls into question their morals.

[Blade Star]

10512972 I've done a spot of editing on that front. Re-reading, it does seem a bit too blasé about the whole thing. Let me know what you think.

[Vaalintine]

10514280
Its not really the dialouge itself, but what it says. Mainly that everyone chose to let Discord do what he wants with Lizzie, and pretend that's okay. So whenever something points back to it, its a reminder that they all let a bad guy get away with hurting someone for no real reason, and that the one who got hurt will never recover because nobody cares. That's why I hate whenever she shows up at all, its a reminder of a problem that will never be solved.