XXVIII April
Fresh
April 1: On my morning stroll I saw a pony trot by with a full basket of spring flowers, jams, bread and treats. It's Spring Foal's Day, so maybe she was on her way to give them to a friend who's expecting. I don't know any expectant mares this year.
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A Tale Of Two Climates
April 2: It was about time I visited Zecora. In Ponyville spring is in full swing, but you don't know what to expect in the Everfree Forest. I packed two cloaks, a white one and grey one, just in case. Then I went to the market to find something fresh to take to Zecora. Everything green is still in short supply. I found some alfalfa sprouts, some fresh cut timothy grass greens and some dandelion greens. That was a bit disappointing so I bought a lemon poppy seed bread, some apple butter and four different cupcakes. Then I made my way to the Everfree Forest.
Sure enough, it looks like it snowed recently in the forest. I stepped out of the bright sunshine and warm spring smells of the Ponyville meadow and into the gloomy moldering smell of the Everfree. I put on the white cloak, but I left it open. The air was warm and even with most of my winter coat molted, I felt hot in the cloak. The heat was causing the snow to sublime in higher elevations in the forest and a temperature inversion was driving that moisture laden air down to where I was walking, making fog. The clouds of the Everfree move on their own. I don't think I'll ever get used to that.
With the fog on my path, I could only see a little ways in any direction. That was not at all reassuring. The forest was so quiet, like a deathly silence broken only by the snow crunching under my hooves. I tried to walk stealthily. I felt like some dire creature would surely hear me coming long before I could see them. At least my white cloak made me harder to see in the fog.
Eventually I found Zecora's house, and to my relief, she was home. Zecora is already looking all shiny and new in her summer coat. She never gets as fluffy as us ponies in the winter, but she does grow a winter undercoat. I told her about Rarity's felting project and my doubts at being useful in advancing Starlight Glimmer's studies any further. Zecora is a good listener.
I headed back home a few hours later. The fog had dissipated and it even looked like the sun might peek through the gloom. I think I could hear the chirp of an early spring peeker. They usually chirp at night. They're mostly harmless creatures with big eyes. Back in Ponyville at last, I took off my camouflage cloak. I wonder if Rarity could make Zecora a Hearth's Warming doll? I think I'll ask her, before she runs out of raw material.
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Coat Changeover
April 3: The winter shed is over! To celebrate, Rarity reserved a time slot for the seven of us at the spa. First off, before entering the spa proper, we were vigorously brushed to get the last of the old coat out of our hair. The spa ponies are relieved the molt is over. It's always a chore to try and keep everything, the sauna, the mud baths, the hot tub especially, clear of molted hair. It doesn't help that the spa is especially popular during the itchy winter molt period.
After getting brushed and declared fit to proceed, we went into the sauna to sweat and chat. Rarity has completed two dozen felted pony dolls already. She's mailed ten to Manehattan, ten to Canterlot, and she has four on display in her Ponyville boutique. I asked her if she could make a felted Hearth's Warming doll for Zecora. She said that pony hair in black or white is hard to find, especially black pony hair, but that can be fixed with a little dye. Fluttershy is keen to go to the Biome Management Conference next week with Amethyst Star. The excursion for this year's conference is to see cloud hopper colonies by balloon. Now that everypegasus's wing feathers have grown in, Rainbow Dash will be heading off to Spring Training with the Wonderbolts bright and early tomorrow. Starlight Glimmer is considering visiting Sunburst for a few days to discuss some advanced magic spells.
After the sauna, we split up into smaller groups. Rarity hit the mud, Dash went for an aromatic oil massage and feather waxing, I soaked in the hot tub with Pinkie and Applejack, and Fluttershy and Starlight tried the seaweed wrap. We met in the lobby and stepped out together into bright sunshine. We concluded our coat changeover celebration by going to Sugar Cube Corner for fresh baked cookies.
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Fashion Felt
April 4: Rarity's Carousel Boutique was open for business once again so I dropped in to see her felted pony dolls. She's gone all out this year. There were only four on display, but they were intricately coiffed and wearing miniature versions of Rarity's fashion dresses, right down to the gemstones. They were also quite expensive. Rarity heard me come in. She told me that she plans on making more dolls than last year, but that it's going to take a lot longer since each one is going to have a tailor-made dress. There also the fact that now that the spring molt is over, she can't spend all day on making felt ponies. Right then she was working on the tricky problem of felting black and white pony hair together into zebra stripes while trying to get something that looks like Zecora's coat pattern. For that, she's borrowed Pinkie's Surprise Picnic Party Scrapbook, it has a few pictures of Zecora in it from when she was at the surprise party we sprang on Pinkie. The Zecora felt figure won't be wearing a dress, it is to be strictly a Hearth's Warming doll.
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Sorting Books
April 5: Starlight Glimmer left this afternoon for the Crystal Empire just before we got a light spring rain. She's off to spend a few days discussing magic synergy with Sunburst. Spike and I have the castle to ourselves. Time to do some reshelving!
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Mares Of The World
April 6: Fluttershy and Amethyst Star have finished writing and tabulating their part in the pan-Equestria hibernation and migration survey for the annual Biome Management Conference in Baltimare. As usual, Fluttershy is torn between the thrill of being with so many ponies that share her gift with animals and the horror of being lost in such a huge noisy crowd of so many ponies.
Rarity is out of town for a few days to trot the fashion districts of Canterlot and Manehattan to see what's hot and what's not.
I've sorted stacks Fantastic Critters through Principles of Dendrology. I should lend that last one to Fluttershy.
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Z is for Zephyrs: The Art and Ergonomics of Breeze Management
April 7: I've finished sorting all the books in my personal library. Twenty thousand is a lot of books to sort. I pulled quite a few books while I was at it and now I have a table full of books to read.
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Spike The Multi Talented
April 8: Fluttershy and Amethyst Star are leaving tomorrow afternoon for the annual Biome Management Conference in Baltimare. It's a full two day conference with registration starting the night before and activities bright and early on the first day. They don't want to miss the morning talks.
Fluttershy has recruited Spike to take care of her menagerie while she's away. Today Spike was at Fluttershy's cottage getting up to speed on all the things he will have to do. That will include Dash's tortoise, Tank, but just for a short while. Rainbow Dash is due to return from Wonderbolts Spring Training in a couple of days.
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Dream Castle
April 9: Starlight Glimmer got back this evening from researching spell synergies with Sunburst. She seemed to be pretty tired. She pretty much knocked on my reading room door, announced that she was back, and went to her room. A while later, Spike got back from Fluttershy's cottage. He said that her critters are demanding. He's managing, but he's not staying with them overnight. Spike needs his sleep. So everypony is sleeping, except Owlowiscious. I bet Starlight Glimmer will tell me what she and Sunburst cooked up tomorrow.
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Friendship Task At Last!
April 10: I have to rush off for a bit! The Map Table activated and I have been summoned to the Wonderbolt Academy training field, along with Rainbow Dash. Dash has gone to drop off her saddle bags, get a bite of lunch and drop in at Fluttershy's cottage to make sure Spike has all he needs to take care of Tank while she's gone. I'm leaving the castle in the care of Starlight Glimmer and Spike while I'm away. Dash should be back at any moment now.
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April 11 to 13: No posts. Come on Twily, let's go flying! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
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Team Work
April 14: I'm back from the Wonderbolt Academy. It took all week but we found the Friendship task and solved it. It was pretty tricky, it involved two ponies; we were juggling a fragile inflated ego on one hoof, and a delicate underdeveloped ego on the other. It was like we were surgically separating two conjoined ponies and then putting them back together again as a team. It was perhaps made easier in that they didn't fully realize that they were conjoined. That gave us the chance to work on them as individuals before teaching them to work as a pair.
I came back to find Spike looking very tired and to find that Sunset Shimmer had mirror-hopped over from the Canterlot High world. She had just about run out of pages in the communication journal Princess Celestia had given her and I had written her to tell her I had a new one for her. So she dropped into the library room while Starlight Glimmer was there and the two of them hit it off. Starlight Glimmer followed Sunset Shimmer back to the Canterlot High 'verse, probably to see this place for herself, or perhaps she's curious about the rapid increase in magical incidents that have been occurring in this magic-free pocket universe. I see Sunset left me another vague message about that. Well, I hope she has fun! Another successful friendship for Starlight!
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Pink Hearts of Courage
April 15: While I was off at Wonderbolt Academy, Rarity finished Zecora's doll and the Advisory Council of Equestria has decided to award the Equestrian Pink Heart of Courage to Starlight, Trixie, Thorax and Discord, in light of their outstanding achievement and distinguished service to Equestria in their rescue of our Princesses from the clutches of Queen Chrysalis. This morning I received a scroll from Princess Celestia and she would like the ceremony to take place at the Friendship Castle. This is a great honor! I wrote back to Celestia to confirm and to see when she and Princess Luna would be available, and I got down to writing letters to Thorax, Trixie, Discord, Mayor Mare, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor to see when would be the best date for everypony. I proposed a date at least six days from now to give everypony time to get ready and to give Starlight Glimmer time to get back from visiting the Canterlot High world. I also tasked Fluttershy with contacting Discord, just in case the mail pony has difficulty delivering Discord's mail. I'll get Pinkie to coordinate with Starlight with sending out invitations, just as soon as she gets back and we can establish a date. Even with the relative difference in time flow between here and Star Swirl's mirror-verse, I don't expect it to be much longer.
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Against The Clock
April 16: Princess Celestia wrote back to say that the day I chose will be fine for her and Princess Luna. I'm still waiting for Starlight Glimmer to get back. I'm also waiting for letters back from the Crystal Empire and Thorax. They aren't equipped with dragon-breath post! I did send them by pony-express post. Mayor Mare says she will clear time for the ceremony and if need be, she can reschedule. It's five days now. I hope that will give everypony time to make arrangements to come. There are so many unknowns to try and factor in. Somepony could be too sick to come, or the zap apples could ripen the day of the ceremony, or there could be a Wonderbolt emergency calling Dash away.
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Off To The Races
April 17: Lots of mail today, most of it RSVP's for the ceremony. Fluttershy confirmed for Discord, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor will be there, I got a yes from Thorax and this afternoon Trixie replied in person. I offered her a room in the castle, but she still prefers her wagon. Thorax's letter was written on a scroll of rough, grayish paper with faint, random zigzags running through it. Curious.
Starlight got back late last night, and now with the date fixed, Pinkie and Starlight have been sending out invitations left and right! I hope everypony fits into the hall I have planned. Pinkie is in charge of the party and decorations. I think I should get Starlight a surprise gift for the occasion.
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Call Of The Wild
April 18: Applejack popped in this morning to tell me that timber wolves were heard howling before the dawn in the wood out by the Apple family farm. Ergo, zap apple season has begun. Applejack says not to worry, she'll find time to come to the award ceremony and party. Then she went back to help set up the heavy wooden tubs they'll be using in the mad rush to harvest the zap apples. That will happen in five days. On the day of the ceremony the zap apple trees will be in bloom. At that point, they will only be requiring water, which Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh should be able to handle while Applejack attends the ceremony.
I am stumped as to what to get Starlight Glimmer... a book about friendship? A monogrammed hairbrush? A Hearth's Warming doll?
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Friendship Mirror
April 19: I have an idea for a gift! Instead of a book that she's already read, or a Hearth's Warming doll that might just remind her of the frivolous aspect of Hearth's Warming, I'm going to get her something useful! That isn't a book. I'll get her a mirror like the one I have over the bookcase by the window in my room. It's great, I stuck several pictures of my friends in the gap where the mirror meets the frame on mine, and I'll do the same for hers. That way she'll be reminded of her friendships each time she looks in the mirror! It's perfect! There's a store in Ponyville with several sizes in stock. I picked one out, but I just have to check that it will fit above her dresser. Somehow I'll have to get into her room to measure that space while she's out. Pinkie gave me several pictures I can use and the store is open early tomorrow. I just need that measure.
I have received an impressive pile of letters from ponies confirming that they will be here tomorrow for the ceremony. Pinkie snapped them up and galloped off with them. She has folder for everypony in her party planner room. I guess she going to file them each away and plan the ceremony party in light of who and how many ponies are coming. I suspect that there will be ponies that will get here before their reply RSVP's get through the mail system.
Spike let me know that the zap apple trees now have leaves.
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A New Chapter
April 20: The award ceremony was this afternoon. After all the guests arrived, I gave a short speech outlining the amazing achievement of these four, of how they saved Equestria, freed the Princesses, and opened the Changelings to a world of new possibilities, all while becoming fast friends. Then Princess Celestia and Princess Luna bestowed on each an Equestrian Pink Heart of Courage, which is a medal of honor that is suspended from a ribbon and worn like a necklace. Then there was a reception and party where all the invitees could mingle.
During the reception, Discord pestered me as he often does, with a dilemma. The dilemma being, what lies ahead for Starlight Glimmer. I was going to continue with her lessons (Friendship is such a broad topic, we could go on for years!) but Discord is right, Starlight has proven that she no longer needs to be led to water. Of course Discord, just to make me sweat like a horse, suggested I come up with a "master plan" for Starlight that would somehow snowball into launching her into some impressive career or other. As if I had Celestia-level Pinkie sense. I don't. But, eventually, Starlight Glimmer needs to find her own way, and the way that she and her friends rescued us from Queen Chrysalis' clutches demonstrates that she's able. So, I got the attention of the assembled guests at the reception and I declared her graduated.
I was resigned to the fact that Starlight Glimmer would leave. There are so many great libraries to visit, interesting places to go to in Equestria, other things to do than stay in a mostly empty castle in a small town. But to my surprise, Starlight has decided she wants to stay here!
I gave her the mirror to put over her dresser. I'm so happy that she's staying.
Trixie is also staying here for a while. Starlight tells me that Trixie wants to learn magic. I would have thought that Trixie's specialty was magic, so I'm surprised that she needs help. But, what are friends for, if it isn't to help each other? It will be interesting to watch this develop.
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Down Pour
April 21: At sundown I was on my balcony, my Double Bridle night and day refractor telescope pointed out to the sky above Sweet Apple Acres, fresh quills, scrolls and ink on a table at my side. A fresh pot of Zecora's chocolate peppermint tea too. It's day four of the zap apple season and I was not going to miss the shooting stars!
Earlier today I picked up the Hearth's Warming doll that Rarity had made for Zecora, packed it along with some fur-leaf tea Starlight Glimmer had bought for me last time she was in the Crystal Empire, and trotted off into the Everfree Forest. There I ran right into a downpour.
About this time last year I stumbled into one of the Everfree's psychotropic spring rains, a light drizzle that had me feeling a little too carefree for my own good in an environment teeming with dangers. This time the rain did not give me euphoria. Instead, this downpour was a real downer. I was soon berating myself for not bringing an umbrella (into a forest!), then I became sad that my mane was wet and droopy, I was sure that the puddles were ruining my hooves and I was going to end up lame. What a terrible excuse of an academic. I slowed down to sulk, but there were spring peekers everywhere. Watching me, judging me, making comments on my worth in their bell-like chirps. That drove me forward until I fairly stumbled into Zecora cottage. I nearly turned tail but before I could bolt, Zecora opened her door and called me in. She parked me in front of the hearth where I stood like a sad wet mop, staring at the flames and dripping. Eventually Zecora got me to drink something hot and zingy and my mind crawled back to the land of the living. Then I noticed the lingering stench of skunk cabbage.
So I didn't stay long. Over some more of that hot sharp tea, I shared some Ponyville gossip and news with Zecora. I gave her the fur-leaf tea and the doll, both kept perfectly dry by my saddle bags. Zecora put the miniature Zecora doll up on a shelf to watch over her, a little bit of pony culture to keep her company. Then, chewing on peppermint sticks to ward off whatever mood the Everfree weather might throw at me, I left Zecora and walked back home through the rising mists and the occasional chirp of a spring peeker.
In the dusk that followed Princess Celestia's sun to bed, the shooting stars streaked over Sweet Apple Acres. Right on schedule.
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Manehattan Project
April 22: I walked over to Sweet Apple Acres to see the zap apples. They won't be ripe for at least two days. Right now they're grey and not very appealing.
I'd read about a fun activity to do with friends in Manehatten that I think we'd all enjoy, so I proposed this Manehattan getaway to Applejack, as something fun to do before the summer arrives and everypony gets really busy. She said she'd be all for it after zap apple season. Then I went around to see how my other friends felt about a friendship retreat trip and everypony is keen to go! So I've written to reserve a spot for the six of us in five days.
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Careful Harvest
April 23: It was zap apple harvest day! After an early breakfast, I was joined by Spike and Starlight Glimmer on the balcony to watch the morning sky above Sweet Apple Acres. We got there in time to see a thunderstorm collect above the trees all by itself, dissipate and leave a brilliant rainbow that reflected down on the zap apple trees. That was the zap apple ripening chain-reaction. I love chain reactions! Time to lend the Apple family a hoof.
When the three of us arrived, Applejack, Big McIntosh and Apple Bloom were hard at work. Spike teamed up with Apple Bloom and made a short apple-tossing brigade from the pickers to the apple tubs. I picked apples from the higher branches while the others concentrated on the fruit they could reach. I'm still getting better at flying, but it's hard not to brush up against the branches. I got a few shocks. So did Starlight Glimmer. Only Spike was spared.
Picking apples by hoof is slow and tiring, and after one too many jolts, my muscles were getting twitchy. By lunch time Pinkie and Fluttershy had arrived and Spike was still going strong. Starlight Glimmer and I were ready to call it quits, so we bid good luck to the relief team, picked up a small basket of two dozen zap apples for later and left Spike to continue on until he was ready to leave. We went home to get some rest. I skipped lunch and I took a long nap.
I was pretty tired, I was up half the night watching the meteors racing across the starry skies last night, right up until the wee hours. My twitching wings woke me up mid afternoon, so I went down to the kitchen. Spike was back so we ate together and shared a zap apple for dessert. He said the harvest was going well and that Rainbow Dash and Rarity arrived shortly after we left, but Rarity didn't last long. Picking apples off of electric trees isn't really her forte.
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Creature Comforts
April 24: I woke up sore and tired this morning. Between the star gazing at all hours and those brushes against the zap apple trees that sent me careening wildly to the ground, I think I over did it. That afternoon nap yesterday was not enough. So I went back to sleep for a few hours. When I finally got up, I was still sore and feeling a bit weak from not eating breakfast on time. A plain breakfast of first cut hay and beet pulp soup helped stoke my metabolic fires but I was still sore. For that, a massage usually helps. I collected Spike and Starlight Glimmer, who brought Trixie, and the four of us walked into the spa. I got a deep tissue massage, a long fragrant soak in the hot tub and finally a good brushing and spritzing with peppermint and lavender. I felt so mellow after that. Or as Spike called it, mellow smellow. Spike the beat poet. He beat it before I could beat him.
I found Spike waiting for me in the spa lobby. He was looking content and I could feel him radiating heat from a good ways away. He'd curled up on the hot rocks in the sauna until he was hot enough to leave smoking claw prints on wood. After he cooled down a bit, he got a massage. The masseuse had to pile three towels on him to keep from getting burned.
Starlight Glimmer and Trixie had already left and gone to Sugarcube Corner. They'd settled for the sauna followed by a seaweed wrap and a pulsating pressure shower. I should try that some time. We found the two of them still at Sugarcube Corner sharing a sundae and giggling about something. Fast friends.
There were a few other couples at tables at Sugarcube Corner, and come to think of it, at the spa too. I realized that it's Hearts and Hooves day today. A trip to the spa makes for a good bonding experience, I've noted that in my reference book on Friendship (The Magic of Friendship, a Reference Manual, chapter on Building Friendships, Pair Bonding section, sub section Mate Selection and Vetting).
Well, I feel much better.
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A Ponyville Delicacy
April 25: Applejack dropped by earlier today with seven jars of zap apple jam for us. She didn't stay long since she was on her way to Fluttershy's cottage to give her a few jars of the jam as well. Spike baked up a small batch of biscuits for lunch and we spread zap apple jam on those while they were still hot. Granny Smith hasn't lost her touch, it's still the best jam ever.
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Zap Harvest Brunch
April 26: Pinkie and Applejack invited all of us over for a down home zap apple brunch in the barn today, so I rounded up Spike and Starlight Glimmer and we trotted down to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack and Big McIntosh had already brought down enough straw from the loft to make tables and seats for everypony and Pinkie had festooned the place with enough balloons, banners and streamers to make it look more like a celebration than a brunch. Except we had a record player instead of a DJ. There were tablecloths on the bales, and on that, baskets of zap apples, zap apple jam and plates. While we took it all in, Apple Bloom and Pinkie came in through the door carrying fresh baked bread and a big serving bowl of spring grass and dandelion salad. Then Apple Bloom dashed back out and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walked in with mint tea and fresh biscuits. They put that down on the table and came over to join us. Finally Big McIntosh came in with a tray of cups, Apple Bloom was back with a pitcher of water, and Rarity arrived, flanked by Applejack and Granny Smith. It was time to eat!
Pinkie put "brunch music" on the record player (it sounded like the Pasture Symphony by Beathooven) and we all found a place to sit and fill our plates.
After lunch we helped clean up the dishes and hoist the bales back into the loft, then the Apple family went back to making jam, Apple Bloom ran back to class and Starlight and I headed on back to the castle.
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Great Escape
April 27: We met up at the train station this morning, all hot to trot for this friendship retreat I'd booked for us. We were off to have fun, fun fun!
Spike, Starlight Glimmer and Trixie had the castle to themselves for the day. They saw us off as we boarded the train and Starlight Glimmer thoughtfully gave us a bag of salty pretzels before the train left. So the first thing we looked for when we arrived was a water fountain. Then, following the directions that Manehattan Escapes had sent me, we checked in and got locked into our room! It was loads of fun solving all the puzzles that eventually gave us the key to the door. We would have cracked it faster but we stalled before turning the key. We missed beating the record for that room by a few seconds. Rainbow Dash was a little disappointed by that, but it wasn't like we were going to win an award. Maybe we'll go back some day and try another of their locked rooms.
It was a fun challenge that called on each of us in one way or another, like Fluttershy's delicate precision, Rarity's eye for jewels and Rainbow Dash's speed. But it wasn't what everypony imagined a "retreat" to be. I think Rarity expected something called "Manehattan Escapes" to be more like a resort hotel.
It was still early when we disembarked back in Ponyville and Rarity suggested we go to spa. We all agreed that going to the spa was a good idea and a great way to end a fun day. So after telling Starlight that we were back and going to the spa, we followed Rarity to her favorite retreat. Ponyville held together while we were gone and I couldn't help noting that the castle was neither on fire nor in ruins. Well, maybe the spa ponies looked a little lost, Aloe saying something about missing a massage table they'd don't remember having. Otherwise, same old peaceful Ponyville.
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Spring Rain
April 28: It was really warm out today, almost summer-like, with blue skies and bright sunshine and only a light breeze. I decided that it was too nice to stay indoors in our cold rock castle when I could take my reading outside. I set up a parasol on the bigger balcony in such a way that I could soak up the sunshine with my hind quarters while soaking up literature in the shade with my eyes. Starlight Glimmer and Trixie joined me on the balcony, each with their own reading material. I saw that Starlight was having Trixie read The Art of Invisibility Spells. From the grumbling and the number of times that she whispered questions to Starlight, I gather that Trixie was finding that book a slow wallow.
By late morning Cloudsdale drifted in over Ponyville's fields and several squads of weather ponies arrived, pulling in flotillas of rain clouds. While they set up, we collected our books and brought them inside. I went back out to watch the weather ponies at work. The cloud layer was just a bit lower than the top spire of the castle, so I had a good view as the pegasi knitted the clouds together. Then, as I watched, there was a wave of rain that started at one end of the cloud bank and ran all the way to the other end. On top of the clouds and out of sight, pegasi galloped and bounded across the fluffy stratocumulus field they had made, triggering the clouds to release a light spring rain. It was still very warm and it really felt good to stand there in the rain with my head down, feeling the warm water run in rivulets down my neck, back and sides.
The light rain cooled the air, but the ground below was still warm from the morning sun. That created updrafts of warm air, some of which followed the castle walls and flowed onto the balcony. The air currents brought with them the delicious smells of spring. Fresh green growth, small spring flowers and catkins, the wet embrace of mist, and the rich odor of loam. I closed my eyes and drank in the moment. I think spring is my favorite time of year.
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Two Axis Alignment
April 29: The map table looks like it may have shifted slightly. Maybe somepony tried pushing on it, just to see if it could be moved.
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The Eating of Greens Is A Special Treat
April 30: Those showers we had a few days ago has spurred the plants into a burst of fresh growth. Spike went to the market today and came back with his basket piled high with dandelion, trout lily, cattail and alfalfa. Lunch was a real treat!
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Heh, I remember that video...and now that you made me remember it, I won't get the song outta my head for days!
I see Sunset and Starlight are both being vague about their near-magical catastrophe together. Still, good that Twilight knows she has somepony that Sunset can rely on if she is unavailable.
Sweetie Belle lost a bet with Apple Bloom and had to do her chores for the day.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom accidentally ran through a patch of poison joke, and have temporarily switched bodies.
For once.
More like Spike the best poet! Take that Garble!
You know Twilight has her head in a good book when she doesn't notice that Pinkie decked out the entire town in oversized heart-shaped balloons, streamers, banners, and the like.
Rarity finally got tired of Sweetie's horrible attempts at cooking, and sent her to live with the Apples until it improves. Apple Bloom is filling in as her little sister in the meantime.
As it turns out, slavery is actually legal in Equestria, and Rarity has sold her little sister to the Apples as a live-in maid.
The Apple family has actually been rogue changelings all along, but Apple Bloom tried to transform into Sweetie Belle just for fun and got stuck in her form for awhile.
Sweetie had agreed to take Bloom's place whilst Bloom was serving detention.
Twilight: Say Spike, wanna try your newly enhanced fire-spells? I set up some targets inside the mane hall.
Spike: Inside the mane hall?! What if I miss? Wouldn't the castle burn down?
Twilight: ...Nah, it'll be fine.
\\\
Twilight: Hey, Spike! Check out this new joke book we got in!
Spike: Twilight! You know my fire gets super-heated when I laugh too hard! What were you thinking? I could burn down the castle by mistake!
Twilight: ...Oh no, how horrible. I forgot all about your super-hot humor fire-breath that might burn down this abomination of a castle.
Spike: Wait, what was that you said?
///
Twilight: Hey, Starlight! Wanna try out these awesome level eleven demolition spells I just happened to read up on? Bet you can't make a more powerful earthquake than me!
Starlight: Twilight, Sunburst told me that crystaline structures are very susceptible to those types of spells! We could end up damaging the castle by accident if we took it too far!
Twilight: Not to worry, I just so happened to check our magical insurance policy, and we're covered! Sure, the reimbursement wouldn't cover the cost to grow a new castle from crystal, so we'd probably have to go for something cheaper...like say, oak-wood, instead, but it would be worth it just to see how powerful of a spell we can do, right? Riggghhhttt?
You know you're good writer when the reader can literally smell what you're describing.
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Hee hee hee! Ear worms, the gift that keeps on giving.
Could be true! Let me check... Oh road apples! Hasbro fired Apple Bloom after contract negotiations went sour and shoe-horned Sweetie Belle into her stead! OK, I gotta go work some magic... Rarity must be fit to be tied. At least Sweetie is pulling in two salaries in the meantime.
Dive for cover everypony! Twilight is walking while reading again!
That might not be so hot should Fluttershy find she needs help with a hydra census in Froggy Bottom Bog.
Teacups!
OK, time to release Apple Bloom from the Hasbro dungeon.
Ugh, names. They're hard, yo!
Apple Bloom thanks you! (She wonders why her family never noticed. Is Claire Corlett just that good?)