For the Want of a Nail

by NueGirl

First published 24th of September, 2023

Harmony is not so easily disrupted by a single missed event, it will attempt to right itself. The same faces have different destinies.

“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, a messenger lost. For want of a messenger, the message was lost. For want of a message, the battle was lost. For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.”

“All for want of a horseshoe’s nail."

Like many other timelines, the Sonic Rainboom fails to occur. But, Harmony is tenacious. Even without what seems to be a key event, it will have it's bearers. Just perhaps taking a long, winding shortcut around to reach them.

An alternate timeline story inspired by A Minor Variation by notMurphy where the Mane 6 have their elements shuffled. Different events lead to different ponies, so OC tag is here because of how wildly different these Mane 6 ended up.

Cover made by Me.

1. The Horseshoe Lost

FOR…

Rainbow Dash was neck and neck with her competitors, blazing through hoop after hoop, adrenaline coursing through her. The rush of wind was exhilarating. Pulling a hairpin turn that sent Dum-bell barrelling into a cloud pillar, she let out a devil-may-care whoop in triumph.

But something felt off.

“One of those dummies must have knocked my shoe loose! Jerks!”

As Dash spared a glance behind her to check her hoof, she felt her heart drop seeing a blur of yellow and pink careen towards the ground. Her brain could barely keep up as she whipped around, Fluttershy must have gotten knocked off at the start of the race and-

“No! No time to think, just act!”

Pumping her wings as fast as she could manage, the filly dived faster and faster to try and catch her friend. Annoyance spiked through her but was quickly swept up by fear.

“C’mon! I can make it! I have to make it-”

Rainbow collided with a ‘thump’ as she threw her wings out, straining to pull up from the ground. Her vision was suddenly engulfed by green, and then very rapidly after that, black.

~~~

“... She had reached terminal velocity- It’s a miracle the injuries weren’t worse than torn wing muscles and only one cracked rib,” Was the first thing Rainbow Dash heard when coming to.

She tuned out the rest of what was being said and forced her eyes open. To one side she saw a nurse mare talking with her flight instructor, Rainbow Blaze, about the injuries. To the other side were the other colts from the race. They had their smirks wiped off their faces at least and Rainbow Dash felt a bitter smile at that. The expression quickly died when she noticed the concerned face of the friend she threw herself to grab. One of the colts- Rainbow couldn’t tell which with her vision swimming- opened his mouth to presumably make a pithy comment. But, Fluttershy whipped her head around and it died on his lips.

“-ash. Rainbow Dash, can you hear me?” The nurse tapped her clipboard jolting the filly back to the present.

“U-uh yeah…”

“That was some crash you survived kid…” The nurse continued. “Really it's a miracle either of you are still breathing.”

The nurse glanced between Rainbow and Fluttershy drawing the former’s attention back to her friend, guilt eating away at her.

Rainbow Blaze cleared his throat, “Right- now look, I'll get this out of the way first-”

“I don't care about whatever punishment I have for the race, I don't care!” Rainbow Dash shouted through tears. “I- If I had- if my shoe- and I wouldn't have noticed- I could have let- Fluttershy- she-”

Rainbow Dash’s stammered cries were cut off by her vision suddenly being filled with pink, neither of the adults reacting to the cream filly quick enough to say anything.

“Rainbow… You saved me, I thought I was going to… crash very badly. But you dove after me and- and well, you saved me," Fluttershy said without letting go.

Rainbow Blaze cleared his throat once again, drawing all the foals' attention, “What I was going to say is, you aren't going to be punished for this, Rainbow. I feel like this is enough of a lesson for why you don’t fly unsupervised races. Don’t worry about keeping up with flight classes, we’ll have somepony bring your work to you, and when you get back on the field-”

Rainbow Blaze didn’t finish his thought as Rainbow Dash bolted up in her cot. She thought back to the annoyance she felt at seeing Fluttershy, her closest friend, falling to her death. The shame wrapped around her like a cold towel.

“No!” Wincing slightly, Rainbow was pushed back down by the nurse who gave her an unamused glare. “N-no! I- I’m not- I hate racing!”

The words shocked everypony in the room that knew the filly, but before any of them could say anything Rainbow Dash plowed on.

“I hate it! I- I thought things that- and I could have- It’s better if I never fly again!”

Her thoughts were a mess as she tried to hold back tears once again. The nurse urged Rainbow to breathe with a gentle hoof on her chest.

“I don’t know about ‘never’, but for the next 4 months, you’ll have your wish Miss Dash.”

~~***~~

…THE…

“Thank you again for findin’ our Rarity…” Hondo Belle thanked the kind mare couple as a dirty and tired Rarity dragged herself inside. “Magical surges always were stronger on our side of the family.”

“No problem at all, we couldn’t just leave some poor filly alone in the wilderness after all,” the cyan-maned pegasus said, her wife talking animatedly with Mrs. Bell. Rarity couldn’t muster the energy for dramatics as she tuned out the conversation and slunk to her room. Her future in fashion was absolutely in the gutters after her complete and utter failure to produce adequate costumes for the play.

“Oh… It’s probably going on right now isn’t it?” The filly thought to herself as she curled up in bed and floated her rudimentary designs for dresses off her desk and into a waste bin. “Of course not with anything I designed… Fashion has failed me… And what am I to do now?”

~~***~~

…WANT…

Meanwhile, in Canterlot another unicorn filly was having the worst day of her life.

Twilight sat on her bed sniffling. Crumpled on her vanity was the paper that sealed her fate, the bold red “REJECTED” taunted her. She wanted to grab it, toss it out the window, but she couldn’t. The letter was like a dampener on her magic, even the simplest levitation seemed beyond her. So she buried her face in her pillow again.

“Twilight?” A familiar voice called out muffled by the door, “I heard the news from Shiny... Can I come in?”

Twilight wanted to shout out no, muster anything, but she couldn’t. After an agonizing minute of silence, the voice took the lack of answer as grounds to step in. Cadence pushed open the door and saw the normally tidy filly’s room a mess. Books were scattered around, magical notes haphazardly shoved in a trash can, and a filly with a tear-streaked coat holding on to a stitched doll like a life preserver. Wordlessly, the pink teenage foalsitter trotted to Twilight’s side and sat on the edge, an apologetic look on her face. Feeling the shift, the purple filly glanced up and threw herself into Cadence, wailing starting in earnest again. Cadence said nothing as her horn softly glowed and she wrapped the filly in her wings. The soft humming of a playground nursery rhyme accompanied Twilight’s slow hiccuping breaths as she melted into the embrace of her foalsitter. She had enough of trying to be a big filly, look where that got her…

~~***~~

…OF…

Your tail Twitches. You look to the sky, a blanket of gray.

Far, far away the blanket lifts.

But not here. Not in this place. Not in this time. Mother always said not to linger on such fancies, it distracted from honest work. But today, as you feel a twinge run down your spine, Equestria just flinched. From what-

A clunking rock knocked Pinkamena back to the present and, like the surface of a pond with a stone thrown to the depths, her thoughts scattered. However, even as the young filly bowed her head back down to her work, the sense of… Failure persisted.

~~~

“Father.” The pink filly approached the elder, “May I voice my thoughts?”

Igneous Rock Pie replied softly, “Of course. Come child, what troubles your mind?”

“Father… Have you… Ever felt dissatisfied with your lot?”

“The Earth provides, dear Pinkamena. I have lived through hardships, yes, but never have I felt dissatisfied.”

“Then… Unhappiness?”

“Nay. What brings you these troubles? Is it quarrels with your sisters?”

“No!”

The pink filly composed herself. “N-no father… I-I haven’t voiced…anything of this to them in honesty…”

Igneous Pie was a stern stallion, but he was not emotionally blind. He knew his daughters, all of them thick as thieves.

“I am the first you are voicing these thoughts to whom?”

The pink filly nodded.

“Then… It must be of import if even your sisteren do not know.”

“Father… There is a weariness in mine bones working the fields.”

“Weariness? Is it sickness?”

“No father, not… not a physical weariness. It is-” The pink filly trailed off.

“Speak child, if you wish to voice thoughts then do so. What troubles you so?” The words were stern but worry etched the Father's face.

“It is a spiritual weariness Father. I tire of rocks, I tire of… Of this life!”

For a moment both father and daughter stood silent and alone in the south field. Both were trying to read the other’s expression. Then finally, the father spoke.

“I shall speak with your mother on the matter… Go, fetch your sisteren and wash up… Dinner is soon.”

The pink filly turned and trotted away while the father sighed. This was perhaps beyond him.

~~***~~

…A…

An orange filly stared out at the concrete jungle, head resting on the window sill.

“Cock a doodle doo…” she mimicked weakly and with a sigh she turned away from the window. “An’ here I thought the air would clear my mind… Answers don't come barrelin’ across the horizon…”

“Jacqueline?” Her uncle popped his head into her room, “You're up early, and why is the window open?”

“Oh, uh nothin’ Uncle Orange. Nothin’ a’tall…”

“Jacqueline, I know how hard it is to… Cover an accent but, Manehatten is… A town of image.”

Her uncle’s frank honesty stung but she pursed her lips and nodded. Even though it wasn't what she imagined, it was still her choice to leave the farm. She couldn't just let down Auntie and Uncle Orange, or go back home to Granny and Mac for no reason. Just… there had to be somewhere she fit.

“Ah'm-” Jackie coughed and tried her best to put on the Manehattenite inflection, “I’m sorry about the dinner last night… I didn't want to embarrass ya- you and Auntie like that…”

“This voice makes me feel like a fool but…”

“Oh don't worry about that Jacqueline. I was quite the same as you when I first came to the city,” her uncle said as he knelt down to Jackie’s level.

“Really? But- but you seem like a natural.”

“Oh yes, I seem that way now, but it took quite a while for me to… Take to the city.”

“Then… How’d you do it?”

“Well… Don't tell your auntie now or she’ll get frightfully upset.” Uncle Orange leaned down to Jackie with a conspiratorial whisper and a wink. “This part of my life doesn't play well with her… Upper crust sensibility.”

“Ah promise.” The filly nodded with wide eyes.

“Alright, now…Before I met your Auntie, I did a lot of what’s called ‘slumming’...”

~~**~~

…Nail

The cream-colored filly softly knocked on the hospital door before she pushed it open.

“Rainbow Dash? I have today’s work.”

“Oh hey Flutters, just set it on the desk.” Rainbow Dash seemed occupied, surprisingly, by the fat blue book she had propped up with an extra pillow.

“Wow, Rainbow… I think this is the first time I’ve seen you willingly read something,” Fluttershy said, raising an eyebrow and trying her hardest not to giggle at the sight.

“C'mon Flutters you know I’m more- or, I was more of an action mare.” Fluttershy flinched slightly at Rainbow Dash’s self-correction but the blue filly continued. “I didn’t like sitting down and reading when I could be… Y’know, doing something.”

“I’m not doing much of anything else in this bed, right? Haha,” Rainbow let out a dry laugh.

“Right, but I don’t… Recognize that book? It doesn’t look like one of our flight school ones,” Fluttershy said, pointing a hoof.

“And it looks… Really advanced,” she added to herself in her mind.

“Oh right,” Rainbow pulled the book up for Fluttershy to read the title, ‘Big Book of Aeronautics: Fundamentals of Flight Mechanics’ in bold gold, “I begged my dad to get me this like a year ago, part of my ‘training to be a Wonderbolt’- hah-, but I… Always said I’d read it some other time ‘cus it was long and boring. Well, what better time than now huh?”

“I mean… That looks really above what we’re learning about.”

“Yeah, that's what all the docs who have come in have said… But when have I turned down a challenge?” A ghost of Dash's cocky attitude would return before the blue filly quickly tamped her smile down with a cough.

Fluttershy was skeptical but didn't want to question her friend as she cantered to the desk by Dash. Before she dropped the papers, she noticed a flier on the desk.

“Huh? What’s this… Wintermoor Rescue Fliers Camp?”

Dash glanced over and grimaced, “Oh… I think Rainbow Blaze dropped that off when I made my quitting Flight Camp official. Something about… Alternative opportunities or something. But I’m- I’m not interested.”

“Really? I mean Rainbow Dash you can't seriously derail your life for something that was my fau-”

The blue filly’s eyes went wide as she sat up, “D-Don’t say that! Shy how could you even- How could you say that?! I-if anything it was my fault for having you up front there.”

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and continued, “Look Shy… I know it looks like I’m not putting thought into this… But- Since that race, I have been thinking- a lot actually- about… Well, what I want to be, and- and that race kinda showed me… I didn’t want to be that.”

For a minute both fillies were dead silent, Fluttershy stared at her friend as Dash chewed on her words, “But maybe you could make better use of that invitation.”

Despite the gravity of Dash’s tone, Fluttershy couldn’t help herself as she openly laughed, “Rainbow… I’m an awful flier.”

“No, I’m being serious Shy! I know you got it in you, it's just… You can't really practice and get up to speed with all the jerks around the school y’know?

Fluttershy said nothing as she looked away.

“A-and… I’m not exactly going to- y'know, be there in your corner- Look, what I'm saying is maybe you could make better use of the change than I could. Maybe- maybe the fresh faces could help?”

“E-everypony would still laugh at me…” Fluttershy curled inward more.

“Screw them! Shy, it'll be a- a fresh start for both of us. Just… Consider it for me, ok?”

The blue filly pushed the flier into her friend’s hooves.

“And- If I can sit through this,” Rainbow Dash propped up her book again, “starting over with a clean slate will be a snap for you!”

Fluttershy mulled over her friend’s offer. Glancing down at the Rescue Fliers Camp flier, the photos did make it look like the fillies here weren't like the bullies that started this whole mess.

“O-ok… I’ll try. Just so long as you do too Dash.”

The blue filly grinned and nodded, “It’s a deal then!”

Author's Notes:

Hello! I'm Nue, while this isn't my first time writing fic, it is the first time for MLP. Like it said in the description this story concept was inspired by another fic but I hope that I can do it justice and have this be another take on the shuffled elements idea. Anyway, the plan is to release the "How this Mane 6 got their Cutiemarks" chapters all at once. It might take a while but the next drop of this story should have quite a bit for you readers to sink your teeth into.

Thanks for giving this fic and relatively new writer a chance!

2. For the Want of Loyalty

“Mom… Dad… There's something I want to talk to you two about…”

Fluttershy had the pamphlet for the Rescue Fliers Camp tucked under her wing behind her.

“Oh! Of course dear, what would you like to talk about?” Rockcress Breeze asked her daughter.

“Well, with Rainbow… Dropping out, I thought it would be a good idea to- to change things too…”

~~~

Fluttershy stood in front of the gates to the camp, the grounds set up around where Cloudsdale moored during the winter, hence the name.

“Ok take a deep breath… I can do this… I can do this,” Fluttershy thought to herself as she steeled herself.

Taking that deep breath, she’d stepped forward- and immediately tripped.

Fluttershy chided herself and braced for the thump of clouds but it never came. Opening her eyes and turning around she’d be face-to-face with a navy blue mare with a shock of white hair.

She spoke with a noticeable Trotstonian accent, “Hiya! Bad luck to be trippin’ on the first day, isn’t it?”

The navy blue filly set Fluttershy down on the cloud and trotted next to her.

“O-oh, uh… I s-suppose it would be… Uhm, t-thank you,” Fluttershy stuttered out

She had an airy laugh, kinda like Rainbow, “Welcome! I’m Night Glider, one of the second-years. I assume you're a new first-year considerin’ I haven't seen ya around before?”

“O-oh yeah… I’m Fluttershy- Uh,” She cleared her throat with a laugh, “appropriate name huh?”

“Yeah, I’d say.” Night Glider responded frankly, but there wasn't any derision in her words. “So, what brings you to Wint’moor then?”

The two walked through the gates, pegasi ponies flying and laughing through the air.

“Oh. Well- I came from Cloudsdale Flight… A friend actually recommended me to, uh, here,” Fluttershy hid behind her bangs.

“Ah, Cloudsdale Flight… Y’know I’ve heard stories, it true it’s full of showboats?” Night Glider asked with an easy smile.

This was new… Somepony who wasn’t Rainbow Dash she was comfortable around. Despite her nerves, she found herself giggling.

“Yeah, not- not too far off actually.”

“Damn, way to throw them under the bus pegasister!”

“O-oh… I didn't mean-”

Fluttershy started to apologize but Night Glider cut her off.

“Relax, relax. I’m just foolin’ around! No need to defend yourself if you have friends there.”

“A-actually… Not anymore.”

“Oh. They wash out?”

“No, just… An accident happened.”

“Ah, sorry to hear.”

The two walked in silence for a bit, Fluttershy chiding herself for making things awkward so soon after meeting.

Night Glider spoke up again, “So where ya headin’ then?”

Fluttershy pulled out the letter she got from the camp, “Oh uh… I’m assigned to… The 33rd Trainer Squad. I hope they're nice…”

“No kiddin’? That’s mine actually, glad to have you!”

“O-oh! Thank you…”

“C’mon, I’ll show you to the bunks!”

~~~

Fluttershy stood in line up with the other foals in her squad, all blank flanks like her.

“Alright, settle down everypony. And don’t worry about standing at attention, just a loose circle,” an adult pegasus said as she came into view of the foals.

She had cyan hair and a magenta coat, medical cross cutie mark clear on her side.

“So my little ponies, I’ll be your instructor, my name is Ms. Tenderhoof.” She took a breath. “Now, some of you are here to learn how to rescue ponies.”

Beside Fluttershy, a short slate gray pony stood a little straighter.

Ms. Tenderhoof continued, “This camp was your first choice for some of you… But it would be remiss of me to think that’s why all of you are here. Some of you have washed out of Cloudsdale’s programs-”

It was blunt but true. Fluttershy wanted to disappear as she hid behind her bangs, but she realized that some of the others seemed to share her sentiment.

“-and there’s no shame in that. I’m a washout myself actually.”

That revelation got everypony’s attention as they looked back up at Tenderhoof.

“This is not a remedial camp, this is a flight camp the same as any other. Some of you may go on to take part in the weather teams, and some of you may continue to work in flight rescue. No matter where your paths take you, know this. The most important thing I can impress on all of you…”

Tenderhoof pointed a hoof around the room, “Is that you are a squad. You may not understand what that means now, but you will.”

Tenderhoof paused, “Now with that out of the way, let's do some introductions. Names and why you’re here, who’s first?”

Tenderhoof looked around the room and Fluttershy averted her eyes. Mercifully the slate gray pony next to her stood, she was… Even shorter than her actually.

“I’ll go first! My name is Paperweight! I came here because I wanted to help ponies like my father in Canterlot!”

“Like dear old pops?” Night Glider asked.

Paperweight nodded, “Yep! He’s in the EUP, but I want to be more… Hooves-on in helping ponies.”

“That’s why lots of us do this kid, what about you then?” Tenderhoof looked to Night Glider.

“Oh me? Haha well- I’m Night Glider, some of yous know me, wish I had a good reason like that but… Nah I was a washout too. ”

Fluttershy looked over at Night Glider in surprise, she was a washout? She didn't carry herself like one.

“Couldn't keep up with the intensity.” The navy blue filly continued. “But hey! I can keep up here, yeah?”

“That’s the idea,” Tenderhoof nodded and looked at a yellow filly.

She scoffed and stood up, “I’m Sunshower… Same here, I'm a washout too… Me and my friend Open Skies- we were both recommended here by our teacher…”

The filly looked across the way to the other first-year foal next to Fluttershy, a blue colt who looked similarly downtrodden. Fluttershy swallowed but before she could open her mouth a mint green foal threw a leg around Sunshower, much to the latter's chagrin.

“Hey, cheer up! Like Night over there said, no reason you can’t still learn a thing or two here! I’m Leaf Whistle, I’m here to help ponies too!”

Before Tenderhoof could say anything, Leaf Whistle looked at Fluttershy and flashed a grin, “So… What about you?”

“U-uh… My name is Fluttershy… I- I’m here because- Uh-”

She was floundering and with all the eyes on her, she wanted to run. Shrinking in, the cream-colored pegasus hid behind her bangs…

“Oh this was a mistake, I shouldn't have come here…” She thought to herself. “I can’t do this! I-”

Her thoughts were cut off by a gentle touch to her shoulder.

“Hey, you don’t have to tell if you don’t want to alright?” It was Night Glider.

“She’s only just met me and- she’s so nice…” Fluttershy thought as she took a deep breath.

“N-no, no I can tell. I… It’s alright.” Fluttershy stood up and faced the small crowd. “Uh, my name is Fluttershy and… I’m here to make up for something I did to a friend of mine.”

Tenderhoof only nodded, “Glad to meet all of you, and I hope you all get to know each other well. So! How about we get down to business then? Everypony get ready for a quick lap around, get our blood pumping.”

The magenta pegasus stood up and beat her wings as she waved a hoof to the open hangar door.

~~~ Two Weeks Later ~~~

“C'mon! Hustle! I know you all have a bit more to give!” Ms. Tenderhoof shouted from the front of the formation.

Fluttershy’s wings were burning but, despite it all, she felt a grin spread across her face. Dash was right about the new faces, nopony here looked down on her for lagging behind, and she was even starting to tire out some of the others.

Ms. Tenderhoof brought the group down, the soft cloud an appreciated relief to the tired foals.

“Great work team! Let's take 10 then get to strength training, at this rate, you’ll be ready for scenario training by the end of the week,” the instructor said before the foals trotted off to grab water.

“This is a lot more demanding than Cloudsdale Flight’s usual…” Sunshower muttered as Open Skies tossed her a water bottle.

“Well, we’re not Cloudsdale!” Leaf Whistle flashed a grin as they took a swig of their water. “Whoever can’t cut flying the fastest, Cloudsdale forgets about.”

Sunshower scoffed, “Preachin’ to the choir bud… Hey Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy, somehow not jumping in surprise, looked back, “Eep! Uh yeah?”

Sunshower didn’t comment on the reaction as she instead asked, “How much Endurance flight did you do at CF?”

“O-oh uh… Well, I never really- I was never really part of those exercises…”

“Wait really?! You’ve been outpacing me an’ Open on the 5k flights… Well, almost every time!”

Fluttershy whipped her head up with incredulity, had she heard that right?

Open Skies picked up what Sunshower was asking, “And you say you didn't train up before this?”

“Uh, w-well no I never- I never got to that… They- the instructors I mean, never put me past basic flight training,” Fluttershy answered blinking in confusion.

“Dang Fluttershy… You're gonna be lapping all of us without breaking a sweat soon,” Open Skies said with clear admiration in his voice.

Fluttershy could only stare blankly as she tried to process what her wingmates said. She was a pony they were looking up to?!

Before she could say anything to convince the squad she wasn't anypony special, Ms. Tenderhoof called out about break being over and to gather around for swooping dives.

~~~

“And it’s weird! I’m- I’m not the dead weight that can't fly anymore… In fact, some of the others seem to think I'm some- some kind of prodigy!” Fluttershy giggled nervously as she put a hoof on her head. “I uh- I don't know Dash… It just feels weird… Like I don't deserve it.”

Dash looked up from the drawing she was scribbling on the back of one of her worksheets, “Don't say that Flutters! You just… Aren't used to the praise yet, just shows that Wintermoor sees the potential that I did!”

“Maybe… Maybe you're right, Dash. What‘s that you're drawing anyway?”

“Oh this? Ah it's nothing… Just- it’s nothing special,” Dash said as she folded the paper and half and tossed it on the bedside table with her wing.

~~~ 3 Weeks Later ~~~

One of the colts Fluttershy’s squad was working with landed awkwardly and twisted his hoof.

“Damn, that was a fall!” Leaf Whistle said in a loud whisper.

Open Skies and Paperweight giggled while Night Glider tried to shush the two, “Cut it out you two… I should probab-”

What Night Glider was cut off by the sudden gust from Fluttershy taking off as the yellow pony flew down to the colt cradling their leg.

Like second nature, Fluttershy put a hoof on the colt’s shoulders and helped pull him onto his haunches. Then mustering confidence that even she wasn't expecting, she said, “Hey, just keep talking. What's your name?”

“Cobalt Blaze,” the colt replied shakily.

“That's a nice name,” Fluttershy said as she gave an easy smile, the same one she saw on Night Glider so often, “Hey look up at me, don’t look at your hoof. You’ll be ok.”

The colt winced but looked up, “Yeah- yeah…”

A soft thump caught the two’s attention as both turned to see Ms. Tenderhoof land next to them.

“...A little bit of space Fluttershy?” Tenderhoof said in a soft but firm tone.

“Ah! I uh- right, sorry…” She responded as she backed off and hid behind her bangs.

As her teacher asked the colt what had happened and checked him over, Fluttershy couldn’t help but kick herself mentally for jumping in heedlessly. Her spiral stopped when Tenderhoof’s clear voice called out to her.

“-Fluttershy! You help me bring Cobalt Blaze here to the camp clinic. Both of you understand that?”

Fluttershy heard Night Glider call back behind her, “Yes Ma’am!”

There was evidently more to what Ms. Tenderhoof had said that Fluttershy didn’t hear while she was kicking herself, “Oh- Uh… R-right!”

Shaking herself back to the present, Fluttershy looped herself under the colt’s good side as the three took off for the camp doctor.

~~~

With the colt getting patched up, Fluttershy and Tenderhoof stepped out of the clinic, the young filly lagging behind.

“I uh- I need to apologize before we go back Ms. Tenderhoof…” Fluttershy said softly.

The teacher looked back in confusion, “Apologize? What for?”

“For jumping in recklessly… I- I should have waited for you instead of uh- instead of trying to- What I'm saying is I'm sorry for getting in your way…”

“Getting in- Oh, oh I see what’s happened.”

“You- you see… What?”

“Fluttershy, you don't know first aid procedure yet, correct?”

“N-no Ms. Tenderhoof… You were going to teach us… Tomorrow?”

“Yes, it's in the schedule but that's not what I wanted to focus on. You didn’t know, which is why I needed to ask for space.”

“Ah so I was in the way…

“No, not at all Fluttershy… Actually, you showed the potential of a real flight rescue pony today.”

“I- I did?!”

“No doubt, tell me Fluttershy. When Cobalt Blaze crashed, what was your first thought?”

“I Uh- My first thought was to see if he was ok?”

“But you didn’t only think, did you? You sprung into action, you made an effort to fly down and see if a colt you didn't know was badly hurt.”

“I- I mean I was just doing what anypony should do…”

“Not everypony would, some freeze up. But in the heat of the moment, you remembered what I already taught you. You did everything right in calming him down before I landed.”

Fluttershy paused. Wait, she had done everything by the book.

“And it looks like you just realized that now,” Tenderhoof said with a knowing smile.

“I- uh,” Fluttershy responded intelligently.

“C’mon then let's head back, I'm sure Night Glider can't keep everypony on track for much longer.”

Ms. Tenderhoof lifted off for the training field leaving no room for Fluttershy to argue

~~~

“And she said I was- I was kind of a natural rescue pony!” Fluttershy said incredulously, “I mean… You know I’m the biggest scaredy cat out there!”

Dash glanced up from her book at Fluttershy with an odd look on her face.

“No… Don’t say it,” Fluttershy raised a hoof in anticipation knowing exactly what was about to come out of her friend’s mouth.

With a cheeky grin Dash said, “Oh? It’s almost like I knew you had it in you.”

Fluttershy nickered with annoyance, “I’m being serious Dash! I shouldn’t- I’m not a pony who should get to be admired! I’ll probably- I don’t know- mess up when somepony really needs me!”

“Flutters, take a second to breathe alright? And besides, it’s only been- what a month? Month and a half. You’ll be fine, you're all learning right? You just… Had a head start!”

“I don't know. It's just- being called a natural just- It doesn't sit right.”

“Hey from the stories you've told me you're starting off stronger than I did so it's not wrong.”

Fluttershy sighed in annoyance but didn't want to continue arguing, “Fine, fine… What’s that book you’ve been reading by the way? I've seen you with it every time I’ve visited this week.”

Dash looked down like she just remembered she was holding it and shoved it under her pillow, “Oh! Nothing, nothing… Just some- boring story that a nurse dropped off. Dashing Dart or- something-”

It was Fluttershy’s turn for a knowing smirk as Dash continued to try and feign disinterest.

~~~ 5 Months Later ~~~

“Congratulations Trainees! You have made some great strides these last few months, and for some of you, the potential for training command next year,” Ms. Tenderhoof said to the amassed squad.

Paperweight and Night Glider both stood proudly at the front of the line with Fluttershy smiling softly.

“Now, something special due to the outstanding performance of the squad, one of the full-time weather and rescue teams has permitted a short sortie to the nearby Everfree Forest.”

Murmurs of nervousness floated from the squad, Fluttershy in particular went pale as a sheet on hearing where they were going.

“Don’t worry everypony, the team surveyed the area in advance and they’ll keep it clear of beasties,” Ms. Tenderhoof reassured the group. “However this will be a live exercise. You all know the drill, keep chatter to a minimum. This evening we will be using the group call sign Kodiak, now a quick check before we dust off everypony.”

“Kodiak One check,” Night Glider said with gusto.

Paperweight echoed, “Kodiak Two ready!”

“Kodiak Three, check-check,” Leaf Whistle responded.

“Kodiak Four and Five check,” Open Skies said for himself, and Sunshower.

Fluttershy took one last deep breath and finished the call, “Kodiak Six check… We- Kodiak team is ready!”

~~~

Far from the cadets taking off, deep in the Everfree, an Ursa Minor slept soundly until a flittering spark of strange magic, chaotic magic, landed on the cub’s nose. Its eyes flew open and it growled with displeasure at the disturbance. The cub didn’t know what disturbed its slumber, but it growled as it stalked out of its cave looking to find anything to blame for its rude awakening.

~~~

Ms. Tenderhoof had slowly descended to just above tree level, looking around quickly before giving the signal to land on one of the few paths deeper into the Everfree.

“Everypony accounted for?” She asked to the response of quick nods from the foals, “Alright good. Now stay together. While the Everfree is dangerous, you will all have to be somewhat familiar as many of our rescue calls do come from here.”

Ms. Tenderhoof continued her lesson as the group walked, occasionally pointing out landmarks or particularly dangerous flora, the foals listening intently with most of the messing around tamped down by the atmosphere of the Everfree.

“And this cliff is marked on most maps as ‘Tumble Ridge’ and I won’t get too much into the history but-” Ms. Tenderhoof was interrupted by a stomp and deep rumble as everypony turned to look at the tree line. Spooked birds flew from the trees as the stomps grew closer. Open Skies and Sunshower pulled each other close, Night Glider choked down a gulp of fear, Paperweight took a stuttering step away from the trees, and even Leaf Whistle was stunned into silence. As for Fluttershy, well, she was completely frozen in fear.

The stomping grew louder and louder before a coat of stars emerged from the tree line, a coat of stars with angry eyes.

“That’s an Ursa Minor… Everypony stay very still and quiet… And we will back away slowly,” Ms. Tenderhoof took a deep breath and gestured to the foals to back up the way they came. Terrified, they all heeded her warning, the Ursa Minor stared down the ponies but wasn’t attacking… Until Night Glider misplaced her hoof and knocked a rock down the ridge.

A beat of silence as the clicking of rocks slowly grew into a crescendo of sound. One that was only matched by the Ursa Minor roaring with rage as it swiped at the closest pony to it: Ms. Tenderhoof.

The teacher was thrown like a ragdoll, a wicked slash across her body as she fell limply in front of the foals groaning in pain. That finally sent them into a panic.

Open Skies and Sunshower screamed, Night Glider whipped her head around frantically, Paperweight rushed to Ms. Tenderhoof’s side and tried futilely to push her up, and Leaf Whistle blubbered with panic. In the midst of all this noise, Fluttershy remained frozen.

“Just like the race.” A voice in her head jeered.

“You froze then too. And how did that end?”

Time felt like it slowed to a crawl, Fluttershy seeing everything in horrifying clarity as the voice in her head continued to mock her.

“Poor, poor Fluttershy. Too scared to fly!”

The Ursa Minor roared and Fluttershy felt like burying her head in her hooves.

“So is this how you’ll live Fluttershy? Too scared to ever help anypony? What did Ms. Tenderhoof ever see in you? What did Rainbow Dash ever see in you?”

Something in Fluttershy snapped, “No… No! Not again!”

Gritting her teeth, Fluttershy forced her hooves to move as she shouted to the rest of her squad, codenames be damned, “Night Glider! Leaf! Help Paperweight get Ms. Tenderhoof up! Sunshower and Skies! Fly ahead and find help!”

Spreading her wings, she didn’t leave any room for argument as she made it clear what she was going to do. Her front legs shook like leaves in the wind but she tamped down her fear.

“GO!” was her final shout before the rest of the squad lept out of their stunned state and into action.

Fluttershy beat her wings and lifted off, getting right in the Ursa Minor’s muzzle, “Hey Big and Twinkly! Eyes over here!”

The Ursa Minor roared at the new loudest thing in its vision as it swiped for Fluttershy, but she was giving everything she got as she pumped her wings and flew past the cub’s head. The latter growled as it turned to chase her back into the trees.

Darting between the trunks trying to put as much distance between her squad and the cub, Fluttershy pulled a dangerous balancing act. Far enough from the Ursa that she wouldn’t suffer the same injuries as her teacher while at the same time keeping the cub's attention. Vines and branches clipped and struck her, but she gritted her teeth and kept flying until she found herself blocked by a part of the forest too dense to fly through. She had flown herself into a corner and the only way back out was through the Ursa Minor. She was still scared, terrified even, but something else burned within her heart as she pumped her wings and turned to face the Ursa.

“No more running.”

The Ursa caught up to Fluttershy and roared but she held firm, tensed like a spring.

The Ursa Minor lunged at the cream pony and she reciprocated, dashing past the beast’s muzzle and into a tree. Instead of crashing she sprung off the trunk like a diving board, her momentum hurtling her past the beast and into another tree.

The Ursa Minor was menacing, but Fluttershy had speed on her side as she pinballed off the trees of the forest. The beast roared and swatted at the blur, but it kept slicing through air.

The Ursa roared, disoriented and frustrated. Fluttershy’s kicks splintered bark as she edged out just a tiny bit more speed, her dashes almost seemed to drag the very air along with her as a halo of white surrounded her.

The Ursa’s last swipe was its undoing as it stumbled forward, dazed and disoriented, the beast slumped forward and gave a low growl from its new headache. Fluttershy slammed into a tree and instead of pinballing off, grappled onto a branch and caught her breath, relief flooded through her body seeing the exhausted Ursa.

She slowly flew through the branches of the tree until she was above the canopy, before flying back to find her squad.

“Hey kid, wait!” A voice behind Fluttershy shouted out, “Hey! Were you with the Trainer Squad?”

Fluttershy turned to see a stallion with a red vest, connecting the dots she realized this must have been one of the supervisor rescue ponies.

“My teacher got injured! I bought time for my squad but-” Fluttershy started but was cut off.

“Yeah, we found them earlier when a local apothecary hut contacted us about an injured pony brought in by a bunch of foals. They said one of theirs bought them time for them to run, I assume that’s you?”

“Yes, Flu- Kodiak Six,” Fluttershy sighed with relief hearing that her friends and teacher made it out safely, completely missing the flash of light at her side.

“Well, let’s get you back with them kid… And congrats on getting your cutie mark.”

“Huh?” Fluttershy looked down to see three stars emblazoned on her flank, “Huh…”

~~~

Fluttershy and the rest of her team stood at the foot of Ms. Tenderhoof’s bed as she addressed them.

“Fluttershy.” Ms. Tenderhoof looked like a mummy so heavily wrapped in bandages. “The rest of your squad filled me in. That was incredibly dangerous what you did… But also, incredibly brave. You acted heroically in the face of fear and saved not only my life but the lives of your squad.”

She took a breath, “This is normally reserved for 3rd year students but this is an extraordinary circumstance. Fluttershy.”

The cream filly stood straighter.

“You are hereby given the official callsign Dauntless.” Ms. Tenderhoof said with formality, before she shifted back to the teacher’s tone Fluttershy had grown used to over the last few months, “Congratulations Fluttershy, I hope that I’ll be able to watch your progress. Besides, you got one rescue under your belt now.”

The rest of her squad clapped her on the back and congratulated her on both her cutie mark and the honor of a callsign, and despite it all Fluttershy grinned with abandon.

Author's Notes:

Hey readers! So I know I said in the first chapter I would be doing a bulk drop for chapters but I said that so that I could give the impression of weekly uploads. I really quickly realized I didn't want to set and keep up with that expectation as I am also in college so, yeah chapters will come when they come I suppose.

Anyway, back on the topic of the story, the next member of this "Nail Six" I'll be tackling is Pinkamena! Hm... Gotta be a way to shorten that

3. For the Want of Kindness

Dinner at the Pie House was usually a quiet affair with little speaking. Not tonight, however, as Igneous Pie cleared his throat.

The family matriarch looked up from her bowl of salt lick soup, “Yes Igneous?”

The father stood, “About Pinkamena.”

“I see.” The Matriarch’s face soured. Clearly this wasn’t the first time the issue was broached, “And what of our daughter then? What incident didst thou wish to share?”

“No sense in bucking about the boulder. Pinkamena has expressed… Dissatisfaction with the farm.”

“Dissatisfaction?” Cloudy Quartz said, “Dissatisfaction with honest work?”

Pinkamena cringed and hid behind her bangs. Her father meant well perhaps, but he had also put her in the path of her mother’s wrath.

“No mother,” she meekly responded, “that is not what was intended...”

“Then pray tell, what didst thou intend?”

“I-”

“Yes, spit it out.”

“Dear,” Igneous spoke again, “I hath spoken with her on the subject. Twas not an issue of discipline, twas an issue of the nature of the work.”

“And what is wrong with the nature of the work?” Cloudy’s voice rose an octave. “We are Earth Ponies! To work the rocks and ground is what the Sun and Lands intended!”

Igneous shook his head, “Perhaps our path is not for our Pinkamena… She is much too bright for this work… Perhaps mine old friend, the healer Lady Poppy Seeds, couldst take her as an apprentice?”

Cloudy Quartz sighed, “Fine... Perhaps Pinkamena is not fit for our work then. She will pack tonight and leave on the morrow.”

The matriarch of the family stood from her seat. Her soup, and the argument, finished. While the sisters of the Pie Family sat stunned at this revelation.

~~~

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Limestone Pie cried as she barged into Pinkamena’s room.

“About what?” Pinkamena replied bluntly as she dropped a rock into her luggage.

“You know damn well about what! About leaving us!” Maudlin and Marble trotted in behind Limestone as she continued to grill Pinkamena.

“Look, things happened fast alright?” the pink filly responded as she slammed her luggage shut. “I was going to tell you Lime… Honest. But I just- I wasn’t expecting Father to say anything tonight.”

Limestone stewed with the unintended betrayal by her sister as she stormed off. Maudlin and Marble gave sympathetic shrugs but clearly felt some of the same sentiment. Pinkamena could only sigh as she flopped backward onto her bed, preparing for whatever awaited her tomorrow.

~~~

Her father was the only one to accompany her on the train ride, his old friend apparently living far, far away from the fields of the Pie Household. She saw the land steadily grow greener and lusher before her father gently nudged her side; they had made it to their stop.

“Now arriving at Ponyville!” the ticket master at the front of the cart bellowed as Igneous collected his daughter’s luggage.

The two made their way onto the platform and were greeted by a red-coated unicorn with a twin medical cross cutie mark. She looked… younger than Pinkamena was expecting, but her eyes betrayed age beyond her body.

Well-worn smile lines on her muzzle, the mare greeted the pair, “Igneous! Glad to see you again, old friend. Is this one of your little ones?”

The elder Pie responded, “Greetings Lady Poppy Seeds, and a pleasure as always. Yes, this is the one I told thee about, mine Young Pinkamena.”

The pink filly in question hid behind her father. For all she was craving a life outside the farm, this was still her first time away from it. Everything seemed so… loud.

The healer mare seemed to pick up on the filly’s trepidation as she spoke gently and leaned down to the pink filly’s level, “Hello Young Pinkamena. Your father has told me a great deal even just through one letter. He says you are quite the eager learner.”

The pink filly nodded as her father rolled her luggage to her side.

“Well, I may not look it, but I am quite the old mare…” Lady Poppy Seeds said with a warm chuckle, “Just that much more to teach you dear.”

A train whistle blew from the other track and the Elder Pie turned to take his leave.

“Make good my dear Pinkamena,” said Igneous as he waved goodbye to his daughter, crossing to the other rail.

~~~

“This is your room,” Lady Poppy led Pinkamena upstairs to a comely alcove overlooking the clinic, “I hope it isn't too small for you Pinkamena.”

“Oh, no it's perfectly fine Lady Poppy Seeds,” Pinkamena responded.

“Haha, your old man told you to call me that? Please don't be so formal dear, you make me sound old! You may call me Poppy, Ms. Poppy if you must insist.”

“Wait… Father said you were a healer?”

“Oh yes, I have a doctorate, but working at Ponyville General… Ah, a story for another time dearie! A growing filly like you needs her rest, we can start your apprenticeship in the morning,” the mare turned and softly shut the shutter to the room, leaving the filly to stew in her thoughts.

“So… This is life outside the farm.”

Pinkamena flopped onto her new bed.

“I wonder how Limestone is doing… I hope Maudlin won’t miss me too much… Marble…”

The pink filly shut her eyes and drifted off to the embrace of the dark, thoughts of her family swirling as she did.

~~~ 2 Weeks Later ~~~

Pinkamena was inventorying the shelves when the patient arrived. An orange maned earth mare came through the door with a herding dog puppy in the crook of a leg.

“Nur- Oh! Sorry dear, do you know where Nurse Poppy Seeds is?” The mare asked gently.

Pinkamena turned from the shelf slowly, “Uh… In town right now, did you need-?”

“Oh, you must be the apprentice! And, no, not for me dear- Winona here got in a tangle with some garden snakes again…”

“Oh, well, that is quite easy to treat,” Pinkamena pushed her mane out of her face as she grabbed a small baggie of leaves and a clean rag.

“Whisperleaf should reduce the swelling,” the pink filly said as she ran the rag under the sink before trotting over to the orange mare. “May I?”

“Oh of course dear, you seem to know your way around,” she said with a motherly chuckle before setting the dog down on an open table.

Pinkamena cleaned the bite wound but when she tried to get Winona to eat the whisperleaf, the dog scrunched its muzzle and backed away.

“Come now… It’s good for you…” the pink filly growled under her breath, which only made the dog back away more.

Pinkamena’s struggles were cut off by a familiar voice from the front door, “Hello Pinkamena did you- Oh, Pear Butter! What a pleasant surprise, Winona again?”

The orange mare that Pinkamena now had a name for responded, “Nurse Poppy Seeds, good to see you too! Your apprentice here got the jump on that, actually.”

Ms. Poppy grabbed a jar of peanut butter and scooped out a spoonful before trotting next to her apprentice.

“Here dearie… Allow me,” the Nurse said before gently pushing down Pinkamena’s hoof.

The filly watched as she rolled the Whisperleaf into the peanut butter and gently coaxed the puppy into taking its medicine. Winona only took some convincing before happily lapping up the spoon of peanut butter. After the exchanging of bits, Pear Butter bid the two goodbye before trotting back down the road.

“... I did not know you treated animals as well,” Pinkamena said before dusting herself off.

“I do many things for the town young Pinkamena.” The Apothecary vaguely replied. “Nice work by the way.”

“Oh no I- I mean I couldn’t even give that dog its medicine…”

“Ah, but you remembered the correct treatment! Look at you, 2 weeks in and you already have basic first aid down!”

“But- But I wasn't able to finish…”

“Yes, you didn’t.” Ms. Poppy Seeds said simply before ushering the filly back inside the clinic. “But to be frank, it’s your bedside manner that’s the issue, not your skills. You can be blunt dear, though I suppose I can’t blame you considering where you are from.”

“Ah… I will try my best in the future then La- Ms. Poppy Seeds.”

“Don’t worry dearie, it’ll come with time.”

~~~

Your dreams were strange as always.

Hundreds of smokey mirrors of yourself pushed rocks in circles around the farmhouse with no rhyme or reason. An accusing statue of Mother whispered in your own voice.

“Run along home sister.”

Pinkamena woke up in a cold sweat, before easing slowly back into sleep.

~~~ 3 Weeks Later ~~~

“Ms. Poppy Seeds,” Pinkamena asked the older mare, “Why are- Why are we going into the Everfree Forest.”

“To visit an old friend like your father Dearie,” Ms. Poppy answered as the two walked down the path off the side of the cottage further into the forest.

“But- The Everfree is dangerous.”

“Oh yes, wild and chaotic… But also the growing ground for so many of the herbs and roots we need at the Apothecary dearie. You don’t suppose ‘Poison Joke Extract’ came from Pleasant Fields hm?”

“I- I suppose not… Is this a chance for me to learn how to find things like that?” The pink filly’s eyes lit up at the prospect of learning more about the trade.

Ms. Poppy chuckled warmly, “I admire your enthusiasm dearie, but you were right about the Everfree being dangerous… No place for a filly to trifle with. Perhaps when you come of age Zecora will teach you.”

“Zecora? Is that the name of the pony we’re meeting? It sounds… Strange.”

The unicorn laughed again, “You’re half right dearie. You’ll see in a moment, we’ve arrived.”

Pinkamena looked ahead to the small hut built into a gnarled tree that her teacher had brought her to, she felt uneasy but froze when a cloaked figure trotted out of the strange building.

“Poppy Seeds, it is a pleasure to speak once more. Please come in, through my open door,” the figure spoke in a strange lilting manner.

“Zecora, nice to see you in one piece!” The mare unhitched her cart and greeted her friend warmly. “Oh right, this is the new apprentice I mentioned in my letter.”

“Ah, the new charge I have heard so much about? Tell me… What is your name, little sprout?” The figure pulled down her hood to reveal a striped visage.

“Woah you have- Uh I mean!” The filly stumbled over her words. “I meant to say, my name is Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

Zecora raised an eyebrow, “It is rude to stare, young child. I admit my appearance may seem strange as I come from the far off wild.”

The pink filly bashfully turned her head down, “Apologies! No offense meant Lady Zecora…”

“Lady Zecora… What a welcome change to the status quo!” The mare snorted. “Your apprentice has more brains than you, all those years ago!”

“Yes, yes… Keep telling the story of how I screamed in terror at your welcome mask,” Ms. Poppy Seeds rolled her eyes, but said the retort with clear fondness, “Miss Zecora here is a Zebra dearie. She’s from somewhere very far away from here, further than you dearie.”

“Ah… Apologies again for my reaction Lady Zecora…”

The zebra responded with an easy smile, “No harm done young one, I know you meant no true animosity. Only simple foalish curiosity.”

She turned back towards her hut, “Well, let us not delay any more. Come in, and see what I have in store.”

The trio went inside and a few hours later, Ms. Poppy Seeds left with a month's supply of herbs and Pinkamena left with some new reading; Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super.

~~~

Your dreams are strange as always.

Silhouettes. You and everyone else in the train car were all shadows. The car eerily silent, with even the trundling wheels absent. You look out the window to see fields and fields of rocks.

You stood up, the aisle empty as you wandered the train. Familiar figures in shadow watched from the seats, eyes glowing a ghostly blue.

Your Father.

Limestone.

Lady Poppy Seeds.

You made your way to the front of the train, five figures turned away from you. Recognition tickled the back of your mind, but you couldn’t connect the shapes to anypony you knew.

One of them turned around, a unicorn.

Her eyes glowed a brilliant white, and flooded the car with blinding light. Shapes and colors thrown in your face as you are blown away from the train.

Pinkamena jolted awake, rubbing her eyes like somepony shoved a lantern in front of her face. A stabbing pain in the back of her head as she groggily fell back asleep.

~~~ … ~~~

Pinkamena threw herself into her learning, her time spent bouncing between Zecora’s hut to learn brewing medicines and Lady Poppy Seed’s Clinic to apply her healing.

Occasionally, Ms. Poppy Seeds sent Mena into town to perform an errand or two, but the summer months blurred on.

~~~

“Mena dearie, could you get some disinfectant?” Ms. Poppy Seeds said as she calmed down Winona, the pup having gotten into another scrape.

“Yes, Ms. Poppy Seeds.” The pink filly dashed around the clinic before returning to her teacher with a blue bottle. Her brain caught up to the statement as she hoofed it over. “Wait, Mena?”

“Well Pinkamena is quite the mouthful dearie. Besides, the other option of ‘Pinkie’ unfortunately doesn’t convey the proper respect does it?”

The pink filly thought for a moment as she rolled a whisperleaf into a spoon of peanut butter, “I… Suppose so.”

~~~

“Watch closely Young Pinkamena. Herbology is today’s arena,” Zecora said as she brought Mena to her herb pantry.

“This is a powerful pain reliever, Poppy Straw, however one must be careful as it is addictive if prescribed raw.” Zecora brought out a jar of dried Poppy pods. “It calms the body and mind, but could easily lead to one becoming hollowed out and blind.”

Mena nodded along as Zecora continued her lesson, pulling out a jar of powdered Zaproot.

~~~

Soon enough, Mena had become a local peripheral sight to Ponyville. Sometimes accompanied by the town’s old healer, sometimes on her own, but the pink filly had carved a place for herself in the town.

~~~ … ~~~

“Mena dearie, could you come down here for a moment?” the unicorn mare called from the clinic room.

“Right away Ms. Poppy Seeds,” Mena said as she shut her newest herbology book from Zecora shut. The filly trotted down as her mentor threw on a coat.

“Mena there’s something I’ve been putting off for far too long. I’ll be at Ponyville General for a few hours, you think you can handle closing up tonight?”

The filly nodded as Ms. Poppy Seeds turned and took her leave, “Thank you dearie.”

Mena waved her teacher off before turning to tidy up, “Maybe an hour of cleanup and I have the night to myself… What an easy night.”

~~~

Sunshower’s mind raced. Fluttershy had trusted her and Open to find someplace that could take Ms. Tenderhoof, her squad was counting on her to find someplace to take Ms. Tenderhoof. Then she saw it, a little cottage on the edge of the forest with its lights on.

“Open! Bring Night Glider this way, I got someplace!”

The filly landed and only a few moments later the rest of her panicked squad joined her on the dirt path leading to the cottage. The foals had tried their best to wrap their teacher with their vests but the red gash was starting to bleed through.

Sunshower fiercely hammered the door, “C’mon, c’mon! Please! Please open up!”

~~~

Mena grumbled as she trotted to the door, “Yes? We’re closing so if-”

Her pre-rehearsed speech died on her lips as a panicked filly slammed into her, “Oh thank Celestia! Do you have a phone in there?! Our teacher, she-”

Mena’s blood ran cold seeing the gravely injured Pegasus being held up by three other foals, “Get her inside. Get her inside now!”

Mena turned and scrambled to roll out one of the gurneys, “Get her on!”

“Our teacher- she- the Ursa- It,” One blubbered out.

“You- you can’t be older than we are!” Another of the foals, the mint green one, said.

Another shouted, “Who are you?!”

The uproar of the panicked foals made her thoughts swim and she couldn’t focus. The winds from the chill night air seeped through the open door as Mena froze up.

“I- Dammit! I need to think! I can’t focus… I can’t do this!” Mena thought as she braced herself on a table when, suddenly, something in her mind clicked into place and the world seemed to slow.

… Click!

“No, you can do this. You took to this like a fish to water, you just need to breathe. Calm down.”

“Who- What is this?”

"No time! Dying patient on your watch sister, and this little trip to your braincase only bought you moments! What are you going to do?”

"Major laceration to the chest, that much is obvious… One of the foals mentioned ‘Ursa’, an Ursa Minor attack?”

… Click!

“You need to take control of the situation now if you want even the slightest chance to treat your patient. Calm down these panicking children.”

“Everypony quiet!” Mena shouted. “Yes, most likely I am the same age as you but we don't have time for this! Your teacher, I can help her but I need to know exactly what happened!”

There must have been something in her tone, or the focus in her eyes, but the sheer authority calmed down the panicking pegasi.

The navy blue one stepped forward, “We- we were in a training exercise, we’re from Wint’moor. The Ursa Minor came out of nowhere and… Well, our teacher was flung pretty hard from it. I- I don’t know how bad it is.”

Mena’s tone softened as she turned to diagnose, “Well… you certainly know your first aid and kept her from bleeding out…”

… Click!

“These ponies did a pretty good job of staunching bleeding, it’s partly why the pegasus is still kicking.”

“Your patient winces when you touch her side, a good sign she’s still lucid. Swelling in her wing joint and hip, indication of dislocation? Contusions on the thigh corroborated the story.”

“You’re getting a pretty good picture of the extent of the injuries now, and it’s not a pretty one. You can only stabilize her, but she’ll need proper treatment if there’s any chance of recovery…”

“-Ponyville General Hospital. Built 8 years prior and commissioned by Mayor Mare-”

“... As much as you hate to admit, it is most likely in your patient’s best interest to be treated at Ponyville General.”

“I’ll send one of them off with a message.”

“Which one of you is the fastest?” Mena asked. Two raised their hooves.

“Fine, you!” She pointed to a short gray filly, “Get to Ponyville General and tell them to send a wagon! If you happen to run into somepony named Ms. Poppy Seeds, bring her back!”

She nodded and bolted out the door, while Mena was already on her hooves again.

“Ok, treatment… treatment…”

… Click!

“-Poppy Straw, from which Distilled Poppy Extract can be made. A useful ‘wild remedy’ counterpart to commercial morphine-”

"Painkillers. Additional bandages must be applied, although initial first aid was done well, blood soaking through is not good. You need to apply pressure soon."

Mena raced around the clinic in a rush and worked like a machine, a blur of pink carefully dosing painkillers, wrapping fresh bandages, and staunching bleeding. Mena was so focused she didn’t notice the flash of light on her flank, there was only the thought of making sure her patient would live.

The wagon from Ponyville General arrived with her mentor which was what finally caused Mena to stop. Paramedic ponies came to take the injured instructor and the pink filly slumped down into an open chair as the pegasi foals were ushered outside.

“Wait- Wait!” Mena called out through her exhaustion, “Injury report- Table by door…”

Sure enough, though messy, the compiled cursory injury report was found as a baffled nurse pony took the slip of paper and followed his coworker into the medical wagon. Ms. Poppy Seeds saw the wagon off before coming back inside to check on Pinkamena.

“Mena dearie… I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have been thrown in the deep end like that.”

The filly slurred her words, “Dn’matter… Saved a life… Just like you taught me Lady Poppy Seeds…”

The unicorn smiled sadly, as she wrapped the pink filly up in a blanket and carried her up to her room setting her down gently to bed. Celebrations for the new cutie mark could wait, Young Pinkamena more than earned her rest.

~~~

Your dreams are strange as always.

You stood in the middle of town, luggage by your side as starlight flowed like water between the buildings.

Deep in your chest you knew what you were seeing, the Spirit of Ponyville.

But, you’re suddenly ripped away, this is not for you.

Not Yet.

But you know not what the town wants from you.

You’re blown to the Apothecary, but now the cottage lay in the middle of the rock fields. The smoky mirrors of yourself trudging trenches into the ground.

“What are you looking for, sister?”

Pinkamena tossed and turned in her sleep. But eventually found rest in the dark.

~~~

Mena blinked the sleep from her eyes as she stretched and got up. Strangely her tail twitched but she chalked it up to it still being asleep.

Groggily she made her way downstairs to be greeted by her mentor with a towering stack of pancakes.

Ms. Poppy Seeds smiled broadly and ushered her apprentice to the dining table, “Congratulations dearie!”

“... This seems a bit much just for treating my first patient,” Mena said with a raised eyebrow.

The unicorn only chuckled as she pointed to Mena’s flank, the filly following as her eyes went wide realizing that she had a cutie mark. Twin medical crosses just like her mentor but a bright white sash of gauze tied the two together.

“Oh,” Mena replied simply before her face morphed into a small smile.

Ms. Poppy Seeds snapped a photo of the pink filly to capture the rare smile from her student, “While I wish that we could celebrate longer dearie, we do have something else to do today… A bit different from usual.”

Mena tilted her head in confusion, “What do you mean Ms. Poppy Seeds?”

“Tell me dearie. Have you ever visited Canterlot?”

Author's Notes:

Hey hey all! 2 down, 4 to go!

With what I have planned in later chapters, Mena is probably gonna be one of my favorite to write in the NailSix and it was why inspiration hit me a bit harder this chapter. Also why the writing cycle was so fast for this chapter, but don't get used to this :P

That being said I wasn't able to fit too much of the fun stuff since this is very much an "in-between" snapshot of the character that I wasn't able to show to her fullest yet. Just because she got her cutie mark doesn't mean she doesn't have more space to grow

In any case, next up is Rarity!

4. For the Want of Magic

For the last few months, Rarity had been devastated that her life’s passion up to that point was in shreds. Most days she retreated into her room and almost entirely refused to leave, her parents were obviously worried but didn’t know how to handle it.

But, one day, Rarity came down to breakfast to find her parents had packed bags and hopeful smiles.

“What… Mom? Dad? Traveling again already?” Rarity asked glumly as she slumped into her seat at the eating table.

“Well not just us Rarity, we have a little bit of a surprise for you.” Her mother said as she slid a plate of toast in front of her. “Eat up hon, we have to catch the noon train!”

“Noon train? Wait… We? As in- me too?”

“That’s right, we’re going to Canterlot for the weekend!”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, even though her fashion dreams were in the gutter, visiting Canterlot was a dream come true— the sights, the refinement, the majesty, everything about the capital. Rarity could hardly contain her excitement.

“Oh… Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The filly jumped up and gave both her parents a hug. She floated her toast into her mouth and rushed off to her room to pack her bag.

~~~

The train ride was uneventful but Rarity bounced in her seat the whole ride.

“Now Arriving: Canterlot Station!” the conductor said as the train pulled in.

The crowd at the station was massive but Rarity was so caught up in the sights of everything that she didn’t notice the pink filly in front of her until both tumbled into each other, Rarity accidently smashing a bottle open as she tripped.

“Oh gosh… I’m so sorry!” Rarity said as she helped the other filly up.

She responded with a strangely dated accent, “All is well, no harm done… Thank you for helping me up but I must go.”

The filly gave a quick bow to the confused Rarity before galloping into the throng and catching up with a red unicorn. Looking down at the smashed vial, the label was soaked through but she could make out ‘Silk-eaf Extract Mag-al Ac-ler-t’.

“Huh… weird,” Rarity thought to herself as she caught up to her parents but something felt off.

Like that day with the rock, Rarity felt magic flow into her horn without her control. She screwed her eyes shut but her magic was already weaving its way free. Around the station, gems of all kinds floated away from their owners accompanied by cries of surprise and indignation. Meanwhile, Rarity had braced herself on a column as the gems started floating around her.

Her parents made their way out of the train and tried to get their daughter’s attention to ease her out of her magical surge, but with no luck. The rapidly growing sphere of gemstones finally caught the notice of the guards and a particularly brave private leaped into action, charging into the storm of jewels.

“Hey! Hey kid!” The guard said, shaking Rarity to get her attention. “I’m here to help, what’s your name?”

Rarity winced but replied through gritted teeth, “R- Rarity… My name is Rarity.”

“Rarity, alright. I need you to breathe, can you do that for me?”

The white filly nodded as she sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth. It seemed to make things worse as the whirlwind of gems grew larger again, but the guard lit his horn as well as a rose light surrounded the two. Rarity’s breathing steadied as the whirlwind calmed down before dispersing, jewelry clattering to the ground around the duo.

Before Rarity could give thanks to the young guard that saved her, her parents galloped up and scooped Rarity up in their forelegs.

“Oh thank you sir!” her mother said between smothering Rarity.

The guard responded with a chuckle, “Just doing my job Ma’am, I got a baby sister myself so I recognized a surge when I saw it.”

Rarity looked down in embarrassment as more guards and huffy socialites gathered around to respectively question her and collect their belongings. After clearing up none of the magic was intentional, most ponies cleared off, except one. A green maned unicorn who picked up his inadvertently purloined cravat but turned to address the young filly.

“Your name, young lady. Rarity, was it?” He said with the gentle tone of a teacher.

“Oh! Yes, yes it is good sir,” Rarity forced out looking up at the older gentlepony, “Uh… Sorry about… Whatever it was I pulled off of you.”

“Oh it’s quite alright young lady... I noticed, however, that was quite a lot of magic you were slinging around, if quite out-of-control.”

The stallion reached into his saddlebag and floated out a brochure for Rarity’s parents, “Allow me to cut to the chase, my name is Wiser Wits and I’m a professor at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. The display of magic from your daughter is, pardon the pun, a rarity and would do well with cultivation. Which is why, with your permission, I would like to sponsor your daughter for a spot at CSGU.”

The sudden revelation was too much for Rarity to handle as she promptly fainted onto her luggage.

~~~

Dear Diary,

Oh I just had the most wonderful day! Well… apart from my magic acting up again but it led to something good this time! It got me noticed! Eeeeeeeee! Ok, I should probably explain what that means, a professor at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns only the most prestigious school in Canterlot, maybe even the Kingdom! Anyway! Professor Wits is his name and he’s so nice! He said that he would sponsor me when the next entrance exam rolls around! (Mother and Father were happy to hear that he would be covering expenses)

He also said that I have the most potential he’s seen in a filly in all his years! I have a real shot at finally being a Canterlot Pony!

~~~ 6 Months Before the Entrance Exam ~~~

Rarity found herself at Canterlot Library, snout buried in some book about Thaumaturgical Basics, and barely understanding any of it. She had tried asking for help from passing ponies but almost all of them barely acknowledged her presence, those that did were maybe worse.

“What are you doing here?”

“Learn to speak properly, bumpkin.”

“I think everything in these halls is too advanced for you, country girl.”

Rarity sighed as she set the book down and stared at the ceiling, Canterlot wasn’t at all like she imagined. The scraping of a chair shook Rarity back to the present. She tilted her head to see a teal pony pushing over a seat next to her.

“Hey, you seem a bit out of your depth,” she said frankly.

“... I really am, I think.” Rarity responded.

“Maybe I could help,” the teal mare said brightly, “I mean I’m not the top of my class or anything but, I’m passing at least!”

Rarity was skeptical at the random filly’s help and tried her best to put on a front of control, “And… Why should I trust you? Considering the absolutely horrid manners of the rest of the ponies I’ve had the displeasure of meeting today.”

The teal pony laughed, “Oh don’t worry I’m not like the jerks that are everywhere here, but I guess I didn’t introduce myself.”

She put out a hoof for Rarity to shake, “Lyra Heartstrings! From Ponyville too actually.”

Rarity shook the mare’s hoof but froze when she mentioned Ponyville, “Wait, how did you know?!”

“Aside from the rest of the library treating you like dirt on their hooves?” Lyra said, “Well, rumors travel fast, and I heard about something happening at the train station yesterday about some filly from Ponyville having a surge. That was you wasn’t it?”

“Uh… Yeah, that’s about right… You were nice enough to give me your name, mine's Rarity Belle.”

“Nice to meet ya’ then Rarity!” Lyra said, smiling again as she took a seat next to her.

“Nice to meet you too, but you mentioned class?”

“Oh, yeah I’m a first year at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”

“Wait really?! I’m studying for the next entrance exam!”

“Oh! I should have guessed with all these prep books! I remember most of these but… What’s with these books on history?”

“Oh, well back home at least history was one of the few subjects I enjoyed and it helped with—” Rarity cut herself off, the wound from her failed fashion attempts still raw, “... With a hobby. I just thought it’d give me something to stand out with.”

“Oh that’s cool!” Lyra said, “And yeah, definitely. A friend of mine, Moondancer, is a real genius at everything and that’s kinda how she got in!”

Rarity simply nodded as she floated the book back in front of her, now that she had somepony to look through it with her.

“I mean… It's the spell construction that's tripping me up the most right now,” Rarity said as she floated over her answer sheet.

“Ooh, yeah memorizing those formulas is tough,” Lyra said, flipping through the Thaumaturgy book Rarity had.

“Here! Section three! Actually this is what I'm learning about now,” Lyra said with a giggle.

“Oh thank you!” Rarity said as she checked through her notes, “You're a lifesaver Lyra.”

“Hey no problem, us Ponyville gals have to stick together right?”

For the first time all day, Rarity smiled and giggled along with Lyra until a librarian came to shush the two.

~~~

Dear Diary,

Ok well things didn’t go how I expected but, well I think I found a friend! Maybe.

I should explain what I mean… Canterlot ponies are so mean! None of them are like the courteous ponies in the stories! All day, they’ve just been complete (pardon my prench, diary) wankers! But… I suppose that’s how real life is. I mean, not that I haven’t found good ponies here! This page would be covered in tear stains if that were the case. Eventually a nice pony actually came to help me as I was, frankly, stumbling my way through textbooks. Her name was Lyra Heartstrings, and actually she was from Ponyville too. Told me her mother is of minor nobility and pulled some strings to get her an audience at CSGU as well, just with the difference of a few months. So she knows what I’m going through with my studying and offered to help me! We’re supposed to meet tomorrow at the park, I don’t know if this means we’re friends yet but… A lady can hope I suppose.

~~~ The Next Day ~~~

“Rarity! Over here!” Lyra called out from the picnic blanket she sat on, her other friends craning their heads to see who she was calling to.

Rarity trotted over, saddlebags heavy with study books, as Lyra threw a hoof around the bashful filly, “Glad you made it! Let me introduce you to the girls.”

“Minuette was the most excited to meet you,” Lyra pointed to another spiky haired pony who eagerly waved to Rarity.

“Nice to meet you!” Minuette said.

“Over there is Lemon Heart, she's got four left hooves sometimes but she's the nicest pony I know,” the aptly yellow coated mare looked up from her sandwich with a smile.

Another white coated filly sidled up to Rarity, “I'll introduce myself before Miss Chatterbox over here says something embarrassing about me. I’m Twinkleshine, a pleasure to meet you luv.”

“Hey! I was gonna give a good impression of you!” Lyra said, “And over there, with her muzzle in a book, is Moondancer!”

The bespeckled filly jerked up at her name being said and gave a nervous wave that Rarity was half tempted to mirror.

“And uh… Yeah, looks like she’s still not here…” Lyra mumbled under her breath before she perked back up, “So I guess that’s everypony!”

Rarity looked around at the group with a small smile before gingerly taking a seat near the edge of the blanket and trying her best to sound refined, “It’s uh- It’s very much a pleasure to meet you all as well.”

Twinkleshine gave a sisterly chuckle, “Oh don’t worry too much about tone with us luv, we aren’t exactly upper crust here.”

Nods of assent all around as Lyra threw a hoof around Rarity, “Besides, we need to get you into CSGU, eh?”

“What do you mean by that?” Moondancer asked, looking up from her book again.

Rarity floated a textbook out of her saddlebag and answered, “Well… Lyra here found me studying at Canterlot Library… For the next entrance exam at CSGU.”

That got the group’s attention as Rarity fidgeted under their stares, before the group erupted into excited gushing.

“-Oh! We could have a study group!-”

“-I have some prep books you could have-”

“-Oh I always wanted an underclasspony to mentor!-”

Rarity scooched back from the ponies swarming her before somepony clearing their throat got all their attention, as Moondancer set down her book.

“Let’s not swarm the poor girl now,” she calmly addressed everypony, “it seems pretty clear we’re all ready to help… So Rarity, where do you want to start?”

“Oh- uh well… I’ve been having trouble with memorizing some of the spell constructions.”

Moondancer cracked a small smile, “Let’s hop to it then.”

~~~

Dear Diary,

Today was fun! Met Lyra’s friends, well I guess my friends now too! I can’t believe I’m actually looking forward to studying… Then again my alternative is sitting sadly alone in the library with passive aggressive stares from everypony that passes me by, soooooooo.

Suppose this is the better alternative, wouldn’t you say?

~~~ 3 Months before the Entrance Exam ~~~

Rarity didn’t know why she let her friends convince her coming to this party was a good idea.

“C’moooooon Rarity! You can’t just lock yourself in the library until the Entrance Exam, you gotta relax! Even Moondancer took breaks when she was studying!”

“I resent that but, Lyra’s unfortunately correct… Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen you anywhere other than here, the park, and your dorm. Besides, studies have shown that letting the mind rest helps stimulate information retention.”

“Uh… Translate from nerd, luv?”

Moondancer sighed from Twinkleshine butting in, “It means that she’ll remember things better if she gives herself a break. Look, you can stand right with me and we can leave after an hour, alright?”

And Moondancer kept her promise… For the first few minutes before she got dragged off by a band of classmates, which left Rarity unfortunately trapped at the Cute-ceañera of a pony she didn’t even know, kicking her hooves in the corner of a fancy garden.

“I should have just stayed home with Lemon Heart…” Rarity thought glumly as she stared out at the crowd.

As an uneducated, country filly on top of not having a cutie mark, really, it was a surprise the jeering didn’t start sooner.

“Oh, you must be that commoner that’s looking to get into CSGU!” A rich colt said as he sauntered up with this posse, at least they had the decency to be upfront about their prejudice.

Rarity scowled and buried her head in a book she slipped into her saddlebag when none of her friends were looking.

“I bet she doesn’t even know how to speak the proper tongue without butchering it with contractions!”

“She’s a blank flank too,” a filly said as she sauntered behind Rarity, “I bet her cutie mark is going to be a rake or some other menial task… She might be my gardener in a few years!”

That brought mean spirited laughter to all her tormentors as Rarity blushed from the embarrassment and tried to slip away but they had surrounded her.

One of the unicorns of the group ripped the book out of her grasp as he tauntingly held it above her, “Hey! Give that back, you cur!”

Rarity felt her magic threatening to surge but she tamped down her frustration and bit her tongue but, the ponies around her were definitely making it difficult to stay calm.

“Oh she does speak after all!” The unicorn held the book up to read the title, “A History of Canterlot... Hah! As if a commoner like you could ever hope to understand the histories of our most noble houses!”

The unicorn flippantly threw the book over his shoulder with a condescending look to Rarity. She saw the book soar across the room before it was caught in… A familiar yellow aura.

“Blueblood,” Lyra said tersely as she followed the arc of the thrown book to the crowd surrounding Rarity.

“Ah, the other commoner! I suppose you all know each other with how inbr-” Blueblood was cut off by Lyra.

“Yes, thank you for stringing together utterly horrid sentences, you oaf,” Lyra ignored Blueblood and stomped her way past, only to be blocked by the rest of the crowd.

“Oh… the half-breed is here to ruin our fun?”

“Not just her luv,” Twinkleshine sauntered. “You’re the mare of the hour, Jade Timepiece… Frankly, atrocious behavior of a host and I’m regretting accepting this invitation if this is how you treat one of my friends.”

The green pony was thrown into shock at the accusation, which let Minuette and Moondancer push their way through the crowd and grab Rarity. The gang now together, they formed a circle around their friend.

“I think we’ll be taking our leave,” Minuette said as she glared at anypony that tried to stop the group from leaving the garden.

In the cool Canterlot streets, Rarity let out a sigh of relief, “Thank you girls… Really, truely, thoroughly, thank you…”

“No need luv,” Twinkleshine said, “really if anything we should be apologizing to you for dragging you out here…”

“No, no! You were right… I’ve been working myself to the bone and I needed a break… Just a poor choice of how to do it, huh?”

Rarity’s light barb made laughter bubble up from her friends, genuine laughter unlike the venomous jeering from the party.

Lyra spoke up, “Well day’s still young… Y’know I heard there was a new donut place, maybe we could check it out?”

The gang excitedly bantered as Lyra took the head of the group to lead the girls along, and Rarity eased back into quiet contentment as she cracked a small smile.

~~~

Dear Diary,

Oh I just have the best of friends, well I say that but this started as one of the worst of days but I digress. So my friends, how I adore them but in this specific instance they irritated me to no end, dragged me out to join them for a Cute-ceañera but well… We’re all blank flanks as of now and things… Went badly the second I got separated from them to say the least.

(Honestly, I don’t think my trust in Canterlot will ever recover. Perhaps that’s a good thing though)

Anyway, frankly embarrassing story cut short, my friends came to save me from the absolute wankers that accosted me for both my status as common folk and as a blank flank. Needless to say, my friends all burned a lot of bridges today… All in my defense… Honestly, I can’t thank them enough.

I’m writing this entry in this donut place that Lyra learned about and, to be honest? Their Trotston Creme Pies are to die for an

lyra dragging me away now, finish lat

~~~ Day of the Entrance Exam ~~~

Even with all her studying, Rarity still felt like the time sped by so quickly. But, with the preparation of her new friends, she did feel confident. Her parents had procured another set of tickets to come see their daughter’s examination (Rarity would deny running up and embracing them both for a solid five minutes).

Her friends were there also, cheering her on and wishing good luck as they walked with the Belles to the examination hall. But, finally, the hour of the examination was at hoof as she was ushered to a seat in one of the massive lecture halls and the written exam started.

Rarity cracked a smile as she tore through the pages, questions easily coming to her like water. Even spell construction didn’t give her an issue! She grinned as she read the open response section about the history of Starswirl the Bearded’s Crystal Mirror and dove into her writing. She ran out of space but nopony said that she was limited to one page, so she asked a couple of foals around her for their blank pages. It earned her a few strange looks but she ignored them and pressed on.

“Time!” The pony proctor called out, “Everypony, quills down and I will come to collect your responses.”

“Drat! I had more to say…” Rarity thought as she straightened her exam and handed it to the proctor.

~~~

As the foals were separated and ushered to their practical exams, Rarity felt the creep of anxiety fall over her like a heavy blanket as everypony was left to stew while the proctors looked over their exams. Finally, it was her turn as she was called into the test room.

“Ok just relax… I can't let my magic get the better of me…” Rarity thought as she took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Inside was a set of proctors sitting on a table facing the entrance, windows flanking the door let light shine clearly upon the dragon egg set in the center of the room on a wooden cart.

“Hello Miss Belle.” the center pony said. “My name is Seacoast Breeze. My colleagues and I will be overseeing this test today, nod if you follow so far.”

Rarity did so while swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Good, as you can see in front of you there is a dragon egg. Your task is to attempt to hatch the egg within the allotted time of 1 hour. Nod if you understand.”

Rarity blanched at that. One hour? To hatch a dragon egg?! Her friends said that their practicals were performing their known spells, what was this?!

Rarity numbly nodded as the assembled proctors in front of her all raised their quills, “Your time begins now. Good luck Miss Belle.”

Rarity trotted up to get a good look at the egg, at one point it might have looked purple, but the shell looked rusted somehow, the shell a deep red with streaks of darker magenta. When Rarity put a hoof to it it felt warm, like a bowl of hot soup. Screwing her eyes she dug into her memory for something, anything, on dragons.

A rough memory of Moondancer reading something aloud bubbled up, “Dragon mothers in the wild keep their eggs in bonfires. Their fire breath both keeps the egg warm and lets the parent’s magical signature be imprinted on the baby dragon before birth…”

Rarity took a breath and let magic flow into her horn, feeling it envelop the egg, hoping a connection would spark but nothing seemed to be happening.

“Urgh! What is this? How am I- Why would they even- Do they want me to fail? Is this something I’m meant to fail at for some kind of lesson?!” Rarity’s thoughts churned as the proctors kept staring with unreadable expressions, but that only added fuel to the fire in the filly, “Oh that’s absolutely what’s happening! I can’t believe this!”

Rarity’s feelings mixed with her scattered thoughts and for some reason, her mind wandered back to the same frustration she felt that day when a magic surge brought her into the middle of nowhere for a rock.

Letting out a cry of frustration, she let her control slip for a moment and felt her magic surge through her horn as the egg lifted clear off the ground… with the cart it was on dragged with it.

Her frustration was very rapidly replaced with panic as she realized she was surging again as the proctors bolted out of their seats.

“No! Everytime this happens something goes wrong! I can’t let it this time…” Rarity steeled herself as she focused as hard as she could.

Rarity’s thoughts slipped past her lips unbidden, “I can control it this time! I- I can!”

And as she pulled the reins on her emotions, so too did she pull the reins on her magic as the thaumic force calmed down from a raging storm, to a focused gale. Her magic still tightly gripped on the dragon egg, she saw as cracks began to form. Splitting down from the top of the egg down as the shell fell away to reveal a rust red baby dragon, still wrapped in Rarity’s magic as she gently set it down on the cart.

Panting from the exertion, Rarity turned to look at the proctors who all wore the same look of complete surprise.

“Well?” Rarity called out, “I did it!”

“R- right.” The head proctor said as she composed herself. “Congratulations Miss Belle… You have done something that has not been accomplished by… Any aspirant in nearly 50 years.”

“50 Years?!” Rarity called out in astonishment before the implications of that statement caught up and her anger returned, “Wait, so I was meant to fail!”

“Allow me to finish Miss Belle.” The proctor said, her expression softening, “Yes… The Dragon Egg test is one meant for applicants to fail… Particularly excelling applicants. Your physical exam is… One of the highest scores since the last applicant we gave the Dragon Egg test to.”

Rarity started wondering where this was going.

“It’s a… test of character so to speak, how one reacts to failure. The last applicant failed that test. However, you succeeding is an… Entirely different test passed Miss Belle. Honestly, I can say for certain… Welcome to CSGU.”

Rarity’s face split into a wide grin as she squealed with excitement and started prancing in place.

“Oh… One more thing, Miss Belle.” Seacoast called to get the filly’s attention.

Rarity stopped in her celebration, cleared her throat and listened intently.

“Well, one more congratulation in order really since it seems you hadn’t noticed in your excitement, perhaps you would like to look at your side, dear.”

Rarity followed the proctor’s vision as she looked to her flank and saw a shooting star of blue on her flank, as her excitement peaked once again and she let out a whoop of joy that woke up the baby dragon.

~~~

Hondo and Cookie Belle were of course, proud of their daughter for both getting into such a prestigious school and getting her cutie mark in one day, but they stepped aside so that she could spend the night with the friends that helped her get here (Well,they chaperoned the group going to Pony Joe’s to celebrate at least).

“To Rarity, for doing the impossible!” Lyra said as she raised a donut in toast

“Well not impossible,” Moondancer said as she smiled over her own bite of donut.

“Just let me hype up our friend Moonie,” Lyra said with a pout as Rarity giggled at her antics.

Beside her in a basket was the dragon baby she hatched, soundly asleep.

“So, what you thinking of naming it luv?” Twinkleshine said as she nudged Rarity’s side.

“It’s not an it!” Rarity said defensively, “He’s a wonderful baby dragon… But also I haven’t the slightest clue.”

“What about Spike?” Minuette said, “Y’know cus the… Spikes.”

“Eh, bit too on the nose don’t you think?”

“Sumseff?” Lyra said through a mouthful of donut.

“Sunset doesn’t have the right ring either…”

“Perihelion?” Moondancer supplied as everypony but Rarity gave her a look of confusion, “What? It can be shortened to Peri… That’s cute…”

“Well, yeah I like it too but… Actually, I think I got one.”

Rarity picked up the baby dragon with her magic as the rest of her friends waited to hear her name.

“I think I’ll call you Jasper… Since you look like the gem.”

The baby dragon yawned in seeming agreement as the girls all cooed at the adorable reaction.

Rarity knew that this was only the start of things to come, but she felt like she could take on all of it.

Author's Notes:

So heeeeeeeey everypony. Been busy with college with miderms and such and uh-

My looming 100 Hours on Darktide after getting it the day after I published Mena's Chapter

Other things (What can I say, killin' 'eretics is fun).

Needless to say, even without college stress and... other hobbies, this chapter was a bit tough for me. Despite Rarity technically being the Main Character in this timeline, I found myself in actually a kinda similar situation to Fluttershy's chapter where I was a bit lost on how to take her but now I think I got her set for the right path!

Welp, that's 3 down, 3 to go! Next up is Twilight! This one I'm gonna have some fun with

5. For the Want of Honesty

“—and I charged through the gem storm! I mean, my commanding officer gave me an earful for that stunt but I saved that filly! Last I heard, she got scooped up by a CSGU Professor.”

Twilight didn’t mean to eavesdrop on her brother’s conversation with Cadence but in fairness, neither noticed the sound of the small filly creeping down the stairs for water. She felt her chest tighten as she listened, echoes of ‘Failure’ repeating in her mind. She slumped down the wall she was leaning on and choked back tears.

“It’s been 6 months… Why am I not over this yet?!” she berated herself as she ran back to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Study books still littered her desk, untouched for over half a year. Invitations from her friends (Could she even call them that if she never so much as talked to them outside of studying?) stuffed in the wastebasket. Maybe it was Twilight hearing about some random filly succeeding where she failed that finally made something snap, something that said ‘I don’t want to chase shadows for the rest of my life’.

Twilight finally cleared off her desk of CSGU prep books and pulled out a pamphlet that BBBFF had given to her a few weeks back, one of his old choices for leaving Canterlot before he signed up with the guard.

~~~ 1 Week Later ~~~

Twilight knew that it was easier to ask her father about what she wanted to do. Easier, not easy.

“Hey dad?” Twilight pushed open the door to her father’s study, it was cluttered as always but Night Light looked up from his star charts.

“Oh! Yes, Twilight?” her father asked as the filly took a deep breath.

“So… I’ve been doing some thinking… About what I can do after being… Rejected and all.”

Her father frowned but it wasn’t directed at her. “What did you have in mind Twilight?”

“Well… I don’t think I could handle the guard like BBBFF… But maybe I could handle this?”

Twilight hoofed over the pamphlet, The Equestrian Conservation Association.

“I did my research and I think I would do well at the Trotston Archives Branch,” Twilight said as her father flipped through the pamphlet.

“I don’t really know… I mean it’s not Manehattan, but Trotston is still a big city. Let’s go ask your mother.” Night Light stood.

Twilight’s stomach dropped like a sack of rocks in a lake. Her mother would never agree to this.

~~~

“No, absolutely not Trotston,” Twilight Velvet said, “It’s much too far for a filly to go on her own to.”

“But mom-!” Twilight tried to argue.

“No buts!”

“Dear,” Night Light said, “I agree with you that the city is too much for Twilight, but I looked through myself and found a better option.”

Her father handed back the pamphlet with his option circled in blue, Ponyville.

“She’ll be set up with a sponsor family and it’s a quiet little town, no trouble to be had,” Night Light explained as he and Twilight Velvet looked over a different information packet. “Cataloging the cultivars of local farms… Botany is a bit of a leap for you but, I’m sure you’ll do great at it Twilight! It’s quite an exciting opportunity!”

Twilight knew her father was softening the blow, but she still looked at the brochure like it was a moldy piece of cheese. She’d never even heard of Ponyville before but, looking at her parents, it seemed that they had made the choice for her…

~~~ 2 Weeks Later ~~~

After Twilight’s parents dropped her off at the station, with promises of sending letters, the purple filly sat staring out the window of the train with her luggage beside her. She thought she should have been feeling sad at this moment, watching Canterlot shrink away as the train trundled on.

But, she wasn’t.

She wasn’t happy by any stretch but, she felt an odd relief in leaving everything behind. Twilight spent the entire ride trying to untangle her conflicted feelings, so deep in thought that she almost missed the announcement for the Ponyville stop. Not that she did sort anything out.

Twilight’s walk to where she would be staying for the foreseeable future, one ‘Sweet Apple Acres’, was uneventful. The town was small enough that even she couldn’t get lost. Walking up the dirt path to the farm she was greeted by three ponies— an orange coated mare, a large red colt, and an aged green mare— who all had welcoming smiles on their faces. Twilight noticed a barking puppy bounding around the trio as she approached.

“Howdy!” The orange mare greeted, “You must be the cons’vation pony we were told ‘bout! Have t’say tho, you’re a mite younger than I was expectin’ sugarcube.”

Twilight didn’t really know how to respond to the older mare, so she merely fidgeted with her luggage.

“Oh where are my manners… I haven’t introduced us! My name is Buttercup, the old mare over there is my mother-in-law Granny Smith, and this here is my pride and joy Big Mac. Oh, and this energetic little scamp is Winona,” Mrs. Buttercup introduced the present family members.

Twilight glanced up through her bangs. “I’m… My name is Twilight Sparkle and… Yes, I am here with the Equestrian Conservation Association, but simply as… a junior member…”

Mrs. Buttercup gave the filly a soft smile. “Twilight Sparkle, that’s a lovely name, sugarcube. I have another foal about your age but she’s… Away from home.”

A strange look passed over the mare’s face for only a moment before her easy going smile returned, “How about we show you to your room Miss Sparkle?”

~~~

Her room was rustic by every stretch of the word, but she would be tempted to say it was cozy. It was already the late afternoon by the time Twilight had arrived so she wasn’t able to start any work until tomorrow; what that entailed, she didn’t really know.

She tried doing some of the unpacking with her magic but gave up halfway through, her books and saddlebags in a state half flung out of her luggage and half shoved into a pile in the corner of the room.

“A problem for tomorrow me,” Twilight thought.

Though she didn’t want it, sleep came readily to her. She had an exhausting day and she had the sneaking premonition things wouldn’t get easier.

~~~ The Next Day ~~~

It would turn out that ‘Cultivar Cataloging’ was just a fancy way of saying ‘Harvest Record Keeping’, as Twilight spent most of the day following around Big Mac with a clipboard while he showed her around the orchards. Twilight wanted to be annoyed, but the work kept her occupied at least.

Plus the sunlight was nice, and she quickly found out Big Mac wasn’t a big talker, so she didn’t need to fill in the silence with chit chat.

~~~

Twilight was hoping to sit inside and read up more on botany, but the elderly matriarch of the family had sent her out with Big Mac again to help with chores around the farm. “If’n yous done with that book keepin’ y'all might as well git tomorrow’s crop ready for the town.”

Twilight huffed at being used as an extra set of hooves around the farm, but she supposed it was only fair for being in their home and getting food from them. Big Mac held back a snicker when he saw Twilight already winded from only bringing two bushels worth of apples to the barn, which earned a glare from the unicorn. She was the opposite of an athletic pony in Canterlot! This was grueling, exhausting work that she in no way had the body to handle!

So why in Celestia’s Everloving Mane did it make her feel so happy?!

“Heat must be making me delirious…” Twilight thought as she brought the last bushels of apples to the barn.

~~~ A Few Days Later ~~~

Twilight being pressed to help with farm chores became a regular occurrence; visiting ponies from the town sometimes asking if the filly was a new farmhoof.

“Something like that,” was Twilight’s go-to answer, usually too exhausted to explain her actual role at the farm. She ended her days sore and worn out, but despite herself oddly fulfilled. Especially after whatever dinner she had with the Apples; the food was always delicious and filling.

Twilight laid down, staring at the ceiling, wondering how her life had come to this. But more pressingly why she didn’t feel… bad about it.

~~~

Dear Cadence and Shining,

Hi you two, sorry it took so long to get this letter done. Been really busy with all the sudden responsibilities thrust upon me. Made it really hard to sit down and write (Well, that and my hoofwriting probably isn’t up to snuff).

Things are going fine at the farm. I haven’t been crushed by a falling tree yet but with how much I’ve been working, I definitely feel like that.

I mean, I guess I do have a related question, one that's more up BBBFF’s alley being in the guard and all. Is exercise supposed to make you feel better? It’s weird, I’ve been doing a lot of physical work but I’ve been feeling happier than ever? I thought it was just the sunlight but now I’m not sure.

Anyway, please write back soon. I'd love to hear from you two, the return address should be right. Miss you and love you lots.

Your Little Sister,
Twilight

***

Dear Twilight,

Hi Twily! And it’s alright, me and Cady have both been busy around Canterlot anyway, we miss you lots too.

Glad to hear you’re doing good at that farm you got sent to! To be honest, I was a bit scared considering… Well, you don’t need me to tell you how you are with exercise. But it seems I should’ve had more faith in you! And yeah, I got a little bit of that too, the drills are grueling but… There’s some satisfaction in powering through.

Heya little spark! Your favorite foalsitter here and glad you’re doing well for yourself there! I knew you had it in you! And don’t forget, we’re here for you. Just say the word and I can pull some strings to be over in a flash!

We’re looking forward to when you write next!

Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever,
Shining

~~~ A Few Weeks Later ~~~

Twilight had gotten used to the new routine she had found herself in, switching between bookkeeping on off days and tagging along with the quiet Big Mac to complete chores around the farm. Didn’t mean she wasn’t as restless as a hound off its leash.

“Looks like this fall’s apples are growing nicely… Oh looks like I’ll find out whatever ‘Zap Apple Harvest’ means and why it’s so far away from any of the other big harvests.”

“Eeyup,” came the simple reply Twilight had grown accustomed to from the red colt.

“Maybe I should read up… I think there was a library in town?” Twilight continued to idly talk to herself as the two foals walked through the orchard. “I wonder who could take me though… I wouldn’t want to intrude…”

“... Ah could go with ya’ Sparkles.” came the quiet, but rumbling, reply as Twilight jerked her head around, “What? Did ah say somethin’ strange?”

“No- no I- It’s just that I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you say more than ‘Eeyup’ or ‘Eenope’... Just- Surprised you did was all.”

“Oh, and why the surprise? Thinkin’ ah was too slow to keep up with what you’re sayin’?” Mac asked with a furrowed brow.

“No!” Twilight quickly said, “No, not in the slightest! Actually… I thought I made a bad impression and you just didn’t want to talk to a bookworm like me…”

“Oh… Sorry ah came across like that, Sparkles… You just seemed like me.”

“Like you… How?”

“The quiet type… Figured ‘cus you seemed comfortable ‘nuff without talkin’ none.”

“Oh… Well you aren’t wrong,” Twilight said with a giggle before her expression fell, “I wasn’t much of a… social filly back in Canterlot…”

Big Mac didn’t say anything but nodded understandingly. “But… I suppose things have been nice here, it’s relaxing even with the chores.”

“Eeyup, honest work keeps your head on straight is what my Mah always says,” Big Mac returned the smile as the two continued to walk to the barn.

“Hah… Guess so.”

~~~ … ~~~

Twilight silently fidgeted at the edge of the kitchen, for as comfortable as she had gotten around Big Mac, the rest of the Apples were still a bit much. She was happy to be lending a hoof and being useful, but with Big Mac across the farm helping applebuck, it was just her and Mrs. Buttercup in the farmhouse.

“Sugarcube, can you mix in the vanilla bean for the next batch? Ah have my hooves full with blending this one,” Mrs. Buttercup said as she scooped steaming apples into a crank grinder.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something but couldn’t get the words out so, she simply nodded and pushed over a step stool so she could reach the counter.

The orange mare chuckled softly, “Y’know Ah see why you and my boy get along like houses on fire now.”

“He uh… He said something similar a few days ago…” Twilight whispered as she bit down on a spoon and started mixing.

Mrs. Buttercup paused a moment before she turned to start grinding the apples into paste, “Ah noticed this from the day y’came here but never had the chance to ask you sugarcube, why d’you never seem to use magic for anythin’? Sorry if Ah’m prying a tad.”

“O-oh uh… I- If you were- It’s just uh- It’s a recent development…” Twilight stuttered out as she continued to mix the bowl of sugar and spice, “Something just… Happened and now I have this- this hangup with my magic and I can’t really… Use it anymore… It’s hard to explain, Mrs. Buttercup.”

The mare gave a motherly smile and paused from her task to run a hoof through Twilight’s hair, “Perfectly fine sugarcube, y’don’t need to explain more than y’want to just t’satisfy this old mare’s curiosity.”

Twilight froze at the touch. It was sudden but… not unwelcome, it reminded her of Cadence a little. The filly opened her mouth to say a thank you but no words came out, instead choosing to gratefully nod. She was a little tempted to hug the older mare but it felt a bit too intimate for her, not like she was more than a sponsor foal living under the family’s roof.

“Anyway, now tha’ your done with mixin’, Ah’ll help you get this into the next batch,” Mrs. Buttercup said with a warm smile as she took the bowl from the filly’s grasp and pulled the lid off one of the pots on the stove.

~~~ … ~~~

Twilight couldn’t sleep.

The magic within her thrummed with energy, buzzing like an angry beehive itching to be released. Back in Canterlot she would have simply levitated a book or two and walked around her room, perhaps even getting something done. But now…

Twilight sighed as she shoved off her sheets and quietly got out of bed, the moon shining through the window as she fumbled with lighting a lantern.

Taking the handle by her mouth, Twilight creeped out the door into the silent house and made her way down the stairs. She’d done this before without waking anypony and she was expecting this night to be the same, which is why she was surprised to see a familiar herding puppy sitting right in front of the back door.

Bringing up a hoof to mime shushing, she tried to get Winona to scootch out of the way to no avail.

“You restless too then… girl?” Twilight sighed as Winona barked in affirmation.

“Shh! Don’t wake everypony up… Please?” she yell-whispered to the puppy before Winona tilted her head expectantly.

“You want to come with me on my walk don’t you?” Twilight guessed as the puppy turned to paw at the door.

Twilight sighed and supposed that the herding dog wouldn’t be the worst companion for a walk through the orchards in the middle of the night.

The moon shone brightly overhead, a cool breeze blew through the orchard, and the air was silent save the quiet chirping of crickets in the grass.

It was the very picture of a pleasant night, but Twilight couldn’t bring herself to enjoy the atmosphere as she trotted between the trees and Winona bounded beside her. She smiled at the puppy’s antics but her mind wandered further than her legs as her thoughts churned.

“What a pathetic letdown of a unicorn I am… I can’t even perform a simple levitation spell anymore…”

“One failure and… That’s it.”

“Maybe it was for the best… Maybe I’m not even fit to be a unicorn, much less a gifted one.”

Twilight tripped on a root but didn’t get up and instead laid beside the tree that she stumbled over. The filly braced herself on the tree but began to quietly sob as her inner demons continued to lash at her thoughts.

Suddenly, she was brought back to the present by an odd wetness on her cheeks that wasn’t her tears. Looking up with a sniffle she saw the herding pup trying to get her attention before pushing herself to the filly's side.

“... Smart little doggy aren’t you?” Twilight said as she felt herself calming down.

Winona simply barked in affirmation which coaxed a hiccuping laugh from the filly.

The two stayed sitting underneath the tree until Twilight had calmed down and the two made their way back to the farmhouse, the buzzing in her mind abated. A subtle glow unnoticed by the pair illuminated the tree Twilight sat under, the apple blossoms on the tree bloomed much earlier than they should.

~~~ A Few Weeks Later ~~~

Twilight balanced Winona on her back as she and Mrs. Buttercup galloped down a dirt path to where the mare told her there was an apothecary.

“Mrs. Buttercup!” Twilight had shouted as she burst through the door, “I was out with Winona but she- and there was a snake and- she’s hurt!”

Twilight shook herself out of the panic of a few minutes ago as she tried to keep up with Mrs. Buttercup.

“Don’t worry too much sugarcube,” she said when they made it to the cottage at the end of the path, “this ain’t Winona’s first scrap, sun’s sake not her last neither. Nurse Poppy Seeds’ll set ‘er right as rain.”

Mrs. Buttercup knocked on the cottage door to be greeted by a red coated mare with a nurse’s cap. “Oh hello Pe- Mrs. Buttercup, Winona again?”

“Yep, tussle with one’a the garden snakes again.”

“Aah, well bring her in and I’ll have her sorted… You the new farmhoof?” The nurse said as she took Winona from Twilight.

“In a sense I suppose,” Twilight said as she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh well aren’t you something,” the nurse mare said, “you know I have an apprentice about your age… Why don’t you two chat while I fix up Winona here?”

Twilight took a seat in the waiting area and found a pink filly reading in one of the seats, who looked up as the older mares trotted off to take care of the snakebitten puppy.

“H- Hello…” Twilight said cautiously.

“Greetings,” the pink filly said in a strange, old-fashioned accent. “I assume you are from Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Yeah I- uhm, Yeah I am…”

“I was not aware the Apples had unicorns in their clan.”

“Oh! Oh- no, no not like that!” Twilight waved her hooves in front of her. “I’m not- I’m not family I just… Live there…”

The pink filly’s lips quivered, like she was laughing at a joke only she knew about. “I didn't mean to insinuate as such if you were so uncomfortable with the idea.”

“No! It’s not that either, it’s just- I mean the Apples are nice but- No, I’m not family.” And in her head she added a quiet, “Unfortunately.”

The pink filly set her book down as she looked up at Twilight. “Pardon my rudeness in not introducing mineself sooner, I am Pinkamena Diane Pie of House Pie. You may call me Mena, most ponies in town do.”

“Uh, Twilight Sparkle…”

“Well met then Twilight.” The pink filly smiled as she put out a hoof to shake which the purple filly took hesitantly.

As she did, Twilight spied the book that Mena was reading. “Plants of the Everfree?”

“Oh yes, a… different mentor of mine gave it to me for reading. Do you have a scholarly interest in the study as well?”

“Oh! Uh, yeah actually… I mean it’s kind of why I’m at Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight said with a giggle as she eased into familiar academic conversation. “I came to record the farm’s cultivars but, after the Zap Apple harvest I grew curious about the ecological symbiosis with the nearby Everfree. Although… I couldn’t find many books at the Ponyville Library on the subject, shame that.”

A glint of interest flashed across Mena's eyes. “I have some reading that might be what you’re looking for.”

“Oh that’d be wonderful! Remains to be seen if I’d be able to get through though, early fall harvest is coming up so I think it’ll be all hooves on deck.”

The two older mares looked on at the filly’s excitedly sharing interests with each other with a smile, both happy their young one had found a friend their age.

~~~

Dear Shining and Cadence,

Congrats on the castle posting BBBFF! Must be an honor to be working so closely with the Princess’s personal guard, but guess you would be wondering what I’m up to. No, I don’t like Big Mac like that! He’s like… A second big brother, you’re obviously still first BBBFF but, it’s nice being around them, y’know?

My magic is still blocked and it’s not for lack of trying either. At least me being here at Sweet Apple Acres means that I’m not exactly pressed to do magic, I can get along just fine with my hooves.

I think the early fall harvest is soon, I’m told it’s looking to be a big crop this year! It’s surreal to think I’ve already been here half a year, time sure has gone by fast!

Hope you and Cadence are doing well!

Your Little Sister,
Twilight

***

Dear Twilight,

Well, really the posting just seems like extra work right now, but I can talk with Cady during my shifts now which is nice! Very cute picture of Winona you sent. I'm a bit jealous since Mom and Dad would never agree to a pet in the house, but I’m glad you’re doing well for yourself at the farm.

Sorry to hear about the magical block sis, I’d ask Cady to write a bit since she might have better advice than me but she’s been busy unfortunately. Mom and Dad are doing well and are glad to hear you are too (don’t worry, it’s only the letters you said I could show them. The rest I’m keeping at my barracks). Stay safe and good luck with whatever harvest season entails!

Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever,
Shining

~~~ A Few Days Later ~~~

Just like Twilight guessed, it was all hooves on deck as the Apple Family moved into harvest season. The purple filly desperately wanted to help but after one— admittedly spirited— attempt by Twilight to buck a tree yielded no results, she was relegated to apple hauling duty.

Twilight took up the task, at least happy she was being somewhat useful, but was still disappointed at failing again. And to top it all off her horn was buzzing like an angry wasp nest, her magic itching to be released again.

Wiping her forehead with a hoof, Twilight dumped another two bushels off at the barn and pulled a clipboard from her saddlebags. Big Mac was a fine bucker, but inexperienced becoming the main harvester a mere year ago. Even with his mother’s help… The two wouldn’t be able to make it through the entire orchard before the fruit would start to rot on the branches.

Twilight snorted and stomped her hooves in frustration. She knew she wasn’t an earth pony and couldn’t do things like the Apples, but she felt so useless not being able to help with a problem she could see coming!

In her exasperation, she kicked a nearby tree with a back hoof. She wasn’t really trying to applebuck but simply needed something to kick, so she was understandably surprised when she suddenly felt an apple hit her.

Looking up in shock as she rubbed the back of her head she wondered how in Celestia’s name had she done that? Then she realized, the buzzing in her head was just a little bit, almost unnoticeably, quieter.

Glancing down at her forehooves she realized that she somehow channeled her magic, not through her horn, but her hooves. Grinning, she realized it was simply a question of figuring out how to do it again. But her enthusiasm dimmed when she didn’t know exactly how to go about that.

Thinking back to earlier in the day, she tried to think of what she could do differently this time, when the voice of Mrs. Buttercup echoed in her head,

“Applebuckin’ ain’t only ‘bout the strength behind your kicks sugarcube, it’s about feelin’ the tree through y’hooves… A mite hard to explain but it’s like the ‘voice’ of the tree.”

“Voice huh?” Twilight mumbled to herself as she trotted up to the tree.

Laying a hoof on the bark, Twilight shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly she heard something echo deep inside her, she felt a smile creep to her face as she felt a connection spark.

Turning around, Twilight bucked the tree with all her might. Like a shower of rain, apples fell down around her.

Twilight whooped with joy as she pranced around, she did something right! She could help ponies! Unnoticed by the filly in her excitement was a flash of light under her saddlebags.

Twilight collected herself when she realized she forgot to set baskets for the apples. Flushed with embarrassment, she quickly collected the scattered fruit to bring to the barn before galloping off to the other side of the farm to show the Apples what she could do.

~~~

“Well! Looks like we made good progress today, even better with Twilight’s help.” Mrs. Buttercup’s words made the filly beam with pride.

Twilight shed her saddlebags in a corner before noticing the star marks on her flank that weren’t there at the start of the day. She squealed in excitement which caught the attention of the Apples in the kitchen, who galloped into the living room to see what the commotion was about.

Ironically enough, it was Big Mac who spoke first, “I’ll be…. Congrats Sparkles.”

“Congratulations sugarcube,” Mrs. Buttercup said, “Ah was savin’ this for celebratin’ a year of you bein’ with us but Ah think it’d be better now.”

The mare reached into her own saddlebag and pulled out an apple patterned bandana before handing it to Twilight. The filly could tell it was hoofmade as she felt the seams,

“I- I don’t know what to say…” Twilight began

“Think of it as a proper welcomin’ gift sugarcube,” Mrs. Buttercup said with a warm smile, but Twilight could tell she was holding herself back from more.

Twilight felt herself tear up again as she gave the mare a hug, “Thank you Mrs. Buttercup… Really, thank you everypony for welcoming me into your home.”

Mrs. Buttercup froze for a moment, before hugging the little filly back, “No problem at all sugarcube, no problem at all.”

The rest of the apples piled in for a group hug as Twilight felt the biggest smile she ever had spread across her face.

~~~

Dear Sugarcube,

We miss you down here in Ponyville but from what I’ve heard you’re doing well in the big city. Had a big harvest this fall but, the new bookkeeper we got can pull her weight as a farmfilly too. It really is a sight, especially since she’s a unicorn.

Brother Orange has told me you’ve been slipping away from the house, or apartment was his words. You should stick close, I don’t want you getting in trouble in the city but I know you’ve always had an adventurous spirit. I just hope the Oranges can keep an eye on you.

As always, you’re welcome to come back home if you need Sugarcube. Nopony’ll make you feel unwanted, you’re still my daughter. I love you, and stay safe.

Mom

***

Pear Butter quietly dropped off the Manehatten bound letter at the post office before trotting back to the farm. The apples wouldn’t buck themselves after all.

Author's Notes:

And that's 4 out of 6!

Two elements and Two Ponies to go! Some radical changes coming up next as more than any of the others ('Cept maybe Mena), I'll be basically taking out the core of these two and asking, "Ok, now what are they like?"

Pretty happy with how this chapter turned out, Twi is the one I am most excited to show at the start of the show timeskip.

Anyway, next up is Applejack! Though I suppose sans-Apple. What to call her now?

6. For the Want of Laughter

Jackie jerked her head up as she heard the cell door roll open.

A police pony stepped in with a clipboard in the crook of his hoof, “Jacqueline Apple, the fine’s been paid and your guardian is here to pick you up.”

The orange filly grimaced and stood, not looking forward to the earful she’d no doubt get for her latest stunt.

“Jacqueline.” Her uncle stood in the station lobby, stoic faced. “We are going to have a talk.”

Jackie pinned her ears behind her head, thinking back to how she got into this mess.

~~~ A Few Months Earlier ~~~

The orange filly weaved her way through the throng of ponies, this must have been what she was destined for. Not the socialite parties of her aunt—certainly not the quiet orchards of the farm—it was in the bustling crowds she felt the most at home. The feeling of adventure and freedom was unmatched.

Jackie daydreaming was interrupted by her stomach growling as she realized she’d skipped breakfast today. The filly wasn’t worried, knowing she’d find someplace to bum a meal somewhere in the city. She smiled as she was proved right, finding a hole-in-the-wall diner she hadn’t been to before and wouldn’t recognize her face.

She trotted in and nicked a menu from the front pedestal, pulling the newsboy cap that used to belong to her uncle down to block her face. Jackie thought she was in the clear and smiled when she felt a heavy hoof on her shoulder.

Jackie turned to see a scowling waitress had stopped her, “Looking for your party kid?”

Before she could muster an excuse, a smarmy voice spoke up, “Ah, there you are friend! We’ve been waiting for you to show up!”

The waitress snorted, but let go of her. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Jackie smiled and stiffly trotted over to where the voice came from. She was greeted by smiling twins, the only way she could tell the two candy cane maned foals apart was the barest whiskers of a mustache on one of their lips. And it looked a bit drawn on.

“Almost wondered if you got lost!” the whiskered one said.

Jackie whipped her head around to see if any of the staff were close enough to overhear before answering the twins, “Alright you two can cut the act now… Who are you and why’d you bail me out like that?”

“The Flim—” the barefaced one started.

“—and Flam brothers at your service,” the whiskered one finished as the both of them gave a mock bow, “and you looked lost, we couldn’t have just left you to be accosted by the staff for no reason!”

Jackie was still suspicious, but she was also still hungry.

She smiled, deciding to play along as she grabbed a menu from one of the twins, “Well, let’s figure out who’s stiffing who out of the bill after we get food then, hm? I’m starvin’...”

The brothers froze as she hid a smirk behind the menu, “Looks like I hit the nail on the head. I’m no fool y’know, I recognize a setup when I see one.”

“You cottoned on quick,” Flim said with a hint of admiration.

Flam shrugged, “We saw an easy mark to be fair.”

Jackie snorted, slipping into her Manehattenite accent, “I shall choose not to be insulted by that.”

“Ohoh she chooses to not be insulted,” Flim said with a chuckle.

“Would m’lady be looking to order something for her refined palate?” Flam said, putting on a faux fancy accent.

Jackie rolled her eyes, “More looking too see how much stuff they’ll let me shovel on my hay hash, I get enough of fancy shmancy taster dishes when my aunt throws a salon or whatever.”

The twins seemed stunned into silence, thrown off by the several verbal curveballs Jackie had just thrown the two back to back.

Jackie pulled down her menu to cock an eyebrow and a smug grin at the pair, “Was I an ‘easy mark’ because you thought I was some prissy rich filly that didn’t know her way around the city? If it’s any consolation, you were a bit right on the second thing.”

“... You’re just rubbing it in at this point,” Flim said with a grin as Flam burst out laughing at the absurdity.

Jackie couldn’t help herself as she joined in with the laughter, “Name’s Jackie by the way. Jackie… Orange.”

Neither of the twins commented on the pause in her name, which Jackie was grateful for. Despite having just met, the three eased into a comfortable back and forth as if they had been friends for years.

Also coming to the understanding none of them would be paying the bill.

~~~ 2 Months Earlier ~~~

“You break the lock yet?” Jackie whispered as she glanced over at Flim keeping the watchpony to the junkyard occupied.

“Working on it, considering I’m the one of us that knows how to lockpick I’d suggest—” Flam said as he fiddled with the padlock.

Jackie growled as her patience ran out and she bucked the gate open, “There! Now let's go and get those parts you wanted.”

“I almost had it,” Flam grumbled as he slung his saddlebag over his back again.

~~~ 2 Weeks Earlier ~~~

“Look kid, you can’t have a carriage parked ‘ere, you’re blocking traffic,” the officer said as he pulled out a ticketbook.

“C’mon… Hurry up and get packed you two,” Jackie thought to herself as she glanced back at the wagon.

She cleared her throat and put on her best upper crust accent, “I’m sorry do you not know who I am?”

The officer jerked back like he’d been bucked in the jaw, before he squinted at the filly trying to either connect her face to somepony important or just dumbfounded by her sheer gall. All that mattered to Jackie was that the moment of confusion was just long enough for her to start backing away.

“... I shall see you,” Jackie paused and dropped the accent, “Never!”

Jackie deftly hooked herself up to the cart with the twins’ help, quicker than the meter maid could react. The three laughed as the officer gave chase, as they knew that they’d get away scott free.

~~~ The Day Before ~~~

“Thank you kindly miss! And I do hope you enjoy that little taste of Manehatten!” Jackie said as she handed off the forged saddlebag to the unsuspecting tourist.

Clink!

Jackie grinned as the clatter of bits into her hoofs chimed.

“This is going way better than I expected,” Jackie whispered to Flim.

The brother grinned conspiratorially back at her, “Well it was your bright idea of getting these gift shop uniforms.”

“Oh please, the hardest part was the hat and the rest could be stitched up from any gray jacket,” Jackie said with a grin.

Seeing another customer walk up to the trio, Jackie put on her customer service smile again, “And what are you interested in ma’am?”

“I’m interested in seeing some license for this enterprise,” the mare said in a no-nonsense tone.

The trio froze.

“While you look affiliated with the Stable Island Ferry company, you three look way too young to be hawkers, so tell me. Who are you?”

The three looked at each other, they knew this would happen eventually, that their luck would run out. The twins looked genuinely nervous as the two fiddled with the cuffs of their jackets. Jackie tried to read their expressions to see what the plan was, when she suddenly was face down on the pier, bowled over by the brothers as they both ran off.

Jackie sat frozen in disbelief, not resisting as cuffs were thrown over her hooves and she was ushered to a squad carriage. She was completely blindsided by the betrayal, hanging her head the whole ride to the station and trying to piece together what had happened. A small part of her mind wandered to her first meeting with the twins, wondering maybe if they had been right about her not knowing the city as well as she thought.

~~~ Present ~~~

Jackie felt her uncle bore holes into her as the two sat in silence in the carriage.

“So care to explain?” Her uncle said.

“How I got caught, or?” Jackie said, looking at the passing buildings.

“Don’t get smart with me Jacqueline, you know very well what I mean.” Her uncle said harshly before he sighed and massaged his brow with a hoof; anger bleeding away. “I’m disappointed Jacqueline… You know better than to get tangled up with… Ruffians like this.”

“Well I didn’t know!” Jackie said, her accent slipping as her temper flared. “Those two jackasses said it was just a simple gig selling saddlebags to dumb tourists! I didn’t know they’d up’n run the second the fuzz came askin’ questions!”

“Please save the excuses dear niece… Believe me when I say that I am equally ashamed of myself for not being able to properly teach you the right way to go about your wandering.” Jackie shut her mouth with a click as Uncle Orange continued. “You may think you have everything figured out, but you’re still a filly. Less… Scrupulous ponies will take advantage of what you don’t know. What matters is learning from this, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Uncle Orange…”

“Glad you still know when to listen at the very least…” Her uncle said with a sigh, “You may have gotten off the hook with me but there’s still your Auntie you need to talk to.”

Jacqueline’s eyes went wide. “Wait Uncle Orange please! You have to talk to her down!”

“Oh no, you were the one that got arrested. She almost had a heart attack when she heard the news!”

“But—”

“Oh, looks like we’ve arrived. Let’s go greet her,” Uncle Orange said as he stepped off the carriage. Jackie gulped with fear as she followed her uncle out.

~~~ 2 Weeks Later ~~~

Jackie idly blew a strand of hair from her face as she stared out the window. Auntie Orange gave her an earful of course but, as far as her Auntie knew, this was the first time Jackie had done something like this. Being stuck inside the apartment was a slap on the wrist compared to the alternative at least.

She turned to the letter on her desk, her mother’s hoofwriting stared back. It had apparently been delivered the day she got arrested, but she couldn’t bring herself to open the thing while she had been stuck inside.

So it sat there taunting her the whole week.

She finally worked the courage to bite the wax seal open but froze as she pulled it out of the envelope. Her hooves trembled, what was she waiting for?

It was just her mother’s hoofwriting, she had seen it a thousand times before. Why was it filling her with such dread now? Biting her tongue, she ripped the letter out from the envelope like the bandage off an old scrape.

“Dear sugarcube…” Jackie began to read, her mother’s voice echoing in her head. “We miss you… Big harvest… Bookkeeper?”

Jackie stumbled over that, “Granny’s way too stubborn to ever hire a- Was it Mac? Did he use one of my ideas?”

She furrowed her brows and continued to read, “Uncle Orange has been saying you’ve… Been slipping away.”

Jackie gulped with embarrassment.

“Adventurous… As always—”

Jackie froze as she read over the end of the letter again.

“As always, you’re welcome to come back home if you need Sugarcube. Nopony’ll make you feel unwanted, you’re still my daughter. I love you, and stay safe.”

Jackie slumped into her chair, the last sentence taking the wind out of her. Conflicting emotions churned in her mind as she stared out the window.

“Maybe reading this was a mistake…” She thought as her stomach tied itself in knots.

~~~ The Next Day ~~~

Jackie trudged around the block, the fire and excitement of the city gone. Her mother’s offer echoing in her voice in Jackie’s mind. No matter what her mother said, it wouldn’t be a ‘welcome’ home. If she went back to Sweet Apple Acres now, her whole time in the city would have been for nothing. Everything the family had done to get her here would have been for nothing. She would be—

She shook her head clear, no thinking like that. As she waited for the light to change, she noticed something leaning against a dumpster. An old, beaten guitar case. Any other day she wouldn’t have paid it attention but, right now she felt an odd fascination as she trotted up to it.

She dragged it away from the garbage before popping open the clasps to have a look. Jackie was pleasantly surprised to find the guitar perfectly usable, just some small scratches and dings.

A bout of homesickness flashed through Jackie’s mind as the thought of her mom plucking the strings of her guitar on a quiet night came to the front of her mind.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jackie quickly tossed the case onto her back and continued her walk to the apartment, set on what she wanted to do.

~~~

Jackie sat on the front steps of the building as she tuned up her new guitar. The strings felt a bit crusty but she could always buy new ones later.

Giving the guitar a strum she’d start humming the love song her mom sang when she was younger, her hooves stumbled around the chords until muscle memory kicked in and she smiled with satisfaction.

“Still got it,” Jackie thought to herself as she lost herself in her playing.

Clink!

Jackie looked up to see that somepony had tossed a bit into the open case. She’d seen buskers before when she was running around the city, so Jackie quickly put two and two together that somepony thought she was one. She shrugged to herself and went back to practicing, bits were bits after all so she couldn’t complain.

By the time Jackie found herself tired of playing, she was 3 bits richer and had a smile on her face for the first time in… Well she didn’t know how long now.

“Maybe I should play more than one song though,” Jackie thought, giggling to herself as she packed up her guitar and slung it over her shoulder.

~~~ … ~~~

“For a fool's gold, a beggar's bargain”

“It's too much time, space to get lost in”

“It's one for the road, two if you can let it go-”

Jackie smiled and tipped her newsboy cap to the stranger that dropped a bit before getting back to the country blues song she sang.

~~~

Ding!

The bell rang as Jackie pushed the door to the music shop open, a teal pony glanced up at the noise and she set down the magazine she was reading.

“Oh, welcome,” she said as Jackie fiddled with her saddlebag.

The filly gave a small wave, “Hello…”

As Jackie slipped off to find the guitar strings the clerk spoke up, “You look familiar… Oh, wait, you’re that kid who’s been busking at 48 and 10th. I hear you on my way here sometimes.”

Jackie perked up, “Wait… Really?”

“I have’ta hand it t’ya. You sound pretty good for a kid your age.”

Jackie’s face lit up with a smile, “Oh well thank y’kindly! I’m actually here for some new strings, been meaning to replace ‘em for a while.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll show you where we keep them,” the clerk said as she stepped out from behind the counter, “You got an… Interesting set list for a filly your age, sounds more like the set list some drawling stallion would have.”

Jackie laughed awkwardly, “Oh well uh, yknow… Just playing songs by heart so I guess that’s what I picked up…”

“Not saying that as a dig kid, they’re good songs. Just wondering if you ever wanted to branch out to more modern stuff.”

“I… Would like to try, yeah.”

“Well after you pick out your strings, I might have some records for you to have a peek at.”

About half an hour later, Jackie strolled out with the strings she wanted and a new record for her to listen to at home.

~~~

“I still miss the pain…”

“It's never felt the same,”

“You took more than my dog when you ran off with my dog! Did’ya know that, did’ya know that?”

Jackie heard the clink of bits echo through the subway station as she gave a nod of thanks to the ponies.

~~~

“Jacqueline! Come back here, I'm not done talking to you!” Uncle Orange said as he followed the filly up the stairs.

“Well I am!” Jackie said as she turned to her room, “Like you or Auntie care about what I get up to so long as I go to your house parties and play nice!”

Jackie slammed the door but was blocked by a hoof stopping it as Uncle Orange trotted into her room, “Young lady I don’t know where this attitude has come from but I’m at the end of my rope!”

Jackie stepped back as her Uncle sat her down on the bed and he pulled up a chair with a sigh. He was still angry but clearly not at her anymore, “I just want to know where you’ve been getting your bits from. And don’t tell me your job at the docks, I’m not a fool Jacqueline, I know you quit a month ago.”

Jackie shut her mouth with a click before turning her gaze away from Uncle Orange.

“Jacqueline… I’m simply just worried about you, I don’t want some ruffian to take advantage of you again—”

“Well nopony is! I’m making the money myself. No partners, or schemes or nothin’. There, answered, you don’t need to worry,” Jackie pushed herself up but was stopped by Uncle Orange putting a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“That doesn’t answer my question and you know it… Jacqueline, be honest with me.”

“No! I won’t let you stop me again!” Jackie cried out, “I- I’ve finally found something that makes me feel like I belong here… But- You or Auntie’s gonna stop me because I’m just… Some filly who doesn’t know better in your eyes… And I don’t want to lose this…”

The two sat in silence for a beat. Jackie held back tears while her Uncle kept hold on his niece.

“Alright. I’ll make you a promise then ok?” Uncle Orange said softly, “I swear I won’t stop you with whatever it is you’re doing… I just want to make sure you’re safe while you do it.”

Jackie looked up, “You really, really swear?”

“On our family’s name,” He said solemnly.

Jackie sighed, “Ok… Ok fine, I’ve been busking around the city… The first time I didn’t mean it, I was just practicin’ in front of the apartment and someponies started throwin’ bits in. And at first I just did it for the spendin’ money but… I started liking makin’ ponies smile… I finally felt like… I found a place for m’self.”

Jackie braced herself for her uncle to say how irresponsible she was before she felt a tousle of her hair. Looking up she saw Uncle Orange beaming down on her with pride in his eyes.

“I can see this really makes you happy Jacqueline, I’m glad you’ve come into your own.”

Jackie gave her Uncle a hug, “Thank you for not taking this from me…”

“Is that why I’ve been seeing you buy so many records recently?” Uncle Orange said as he fixed Jackie’s newsboy cap.

“Oh yeah… Been learning the chords and stuff by ear,” Jackie said as she pulled away, “I mean it started as just the one but… I’ve been going back when I have the bits.”

Her Uncle chuckled as he got to his hooves again, “Well so long as you don’t mind this old stallion’s taste in music, I might have some for you to listen to.”

Jackie’s eyes lit up at the prospect of hearing some new music, “Really?”

~~~

“If ya can't contain it, when the record plays—”

“You're just my kind of misfit!”

“You're living just to let it go…”

Jackie grinned as she got into the peppy number, hearing the clatter of bits fall into her bag.

“Enjoy the show!”

~~~ … ~~~

Clink!

“Thank you!” Jackie gave a wave to the last tipper as she muffled the strings on her guitar. Most of the ponies had cleared off so she took that as a sign to finish up for the day.

“Ten… Fifteen… Twenty… Twenty-two bits,” Jackie counted in her head as she sucked in a breath. “Dammit… Still not enough for that Dawnclaw Ferdinand record I wanted to get.”

She packed up her guitar with a click of her tongue and started the walk back to the apartment.

“I really don’t want to have to ask Uncle for cash… Because no doubt Auntie would hear and I’ll get an earful about how it ain’t ‘proper’ or something.”

Jackie rolled her eyes as she passed by a bakery owned by a family friend that she frequented. The thought of some fresh pastries made her stomach growl and, against her better judgment, she turned to look through the windows.

Before she could drool over pastries she couldn’t afford something else caught her eye, a ‘Help Wanted’ sign pasted on the window. Jackie hesitated. On the one hoof, she was officially a juvenile delinquent and she hadn’t worked a legitimate job since the orchard. On the other hoof, she did know how to bake with half remembered lessons from her mother and she really wanted that record before somepony else snatched it up.

Besides, a good word from her uncle could sweep her record under the rug for a family friend.

She mulled it over for a moment before the promise of extra bits outweighed her hesitation and she pushed open the door and trotted in.

~~~ The Next Day ~~~

“I didn’t think this would be your speed Jacqueline,” Dutchess Pear said as the filly in question tied her hair back.

She gave a noncommittal hum, “Well… Normally not but, I kinda need the bits. And besides, you’re a family friend so who am I to not help?”

“A half truth, but an easy one to believe,” Jackie mused to herself.

The mare didn’t question her reasoning and chuckled, “Well you certainly are your Uncle’s niece then, reliable as rocks and sharp as a whip the both of you!”

Dutchess Pear showed Jackie how to ring up orders as the filly slipped an apron on.

“Seems straight forward enough,” Jackie said as the mare finished her explanation.

“I knew you’d catch on quick! I’ll show you to the kitchen so you can meet your fellow baker, Skylane Sprint.”

“This doesn’t seem the worst place to work, this’ll be a piece of cake,” Jackie snorted at her own pun as she followed her new boss.

~~~

“Celestia’s horn, this hairnet is itchy,” Jackie said as she fiddled with the thing.

“Well you can’t have your braids brushing the dough kid,” the golden coated mare said.

“Yes I know Ms. Pear,” Jackie said as she rolled her eyes, “I’m just saying it itches.”

“Well good to know then,” Skylane, a teenaged colt a few years older than her, said as he adjusted his baker’s cap, “damn ponce...”

“Ponce?” Jackie snorted with incredulity, “What are you from, the 60s?”

The colt growled and got up in Jackie’s face while she grinned smugly.

“Alright knock it off, I’ll be back in a few minutes with lunch, don’t kill each other or burn the kitchen down. Am I understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” both foals said before Dutchess Pear nodded.

“Maybe you two can try baking something together? You’ll get the hang of things faster that way,” the mare said before she trotted out the back door.

“Spoiled brat,” Skylane said the moment Dutchess Pear left.

Jackie stuck her tongue out at him, “Candy-flank.”

The two stalked off to different tabletops and started working on their own pastries, both set on one upping the other.

~~~

Ding!

The oven sounded as Skylane and Jackie stopped glowering at each other and trotted to their ovens with mirrored smug expressions. Both of their smiles deflated as they opened their oven doors and pulled out what they had made.

“How in Celestia’s mane did you cock up cinnamon buns?” Skylane said as he looked at the deformed swirls Jackie had made.

“Well clearly you ain’t perfect either, you overworked the puff pastry and the butter melted into the dough,” Jackie retorted as she picked up one of his deflated apple turnovers.

The two glared at each other for a beat before Jackie snorted a barely restrained snicker. Then the floodgates opened and the pair laughed at their own botched pastries. Dutchess Pear came back to the pleasant surprise of her young employees actually getting along. And at least one sellable batch of apple turnovers.

~~~ … ~~~

Jackie was mixing chocolate ganache when she heard a crash and shouts of expletives. Turning from her double boiler she saw Skylane trapped under one of the rolling racks, sheets strewn across the tile.

“Ow… Oi, Jackie can you grab the boss so you two ca—” before the colt could finish his sentence as Jackie pushed the cart off him with practiced ease.

“Why would I need to call Ms. Pear?” She asked, confused, as Skylane pulled himself out from under the cart.

“Uh,” Skylane fumbled with his words a moment, “Damn mate, you’re stronger than y’look.”

“I mean this thing’s honestly light in comparison to the carts I pulled back home,” Jackie said as she righted the roller and knelt down to help the colt pick up the trays.

“Back home?” Skylane said with a tilted head

“Oh, yeah… I don’t like talkin’ ‘bout it much ‘cus it gets me looks but, I came to the city ‘bout… A year ago I think, but I used to live down in Ponyville.”

“No shot… You? The posh city filly?”

Jackie barked out a bitter laugh, “That’s what you thought I was like? ‘Lestia I’m almost hurt by that Skylane! Auntie likes to keep it under wraps, ‘cus the rumors would hurt her but yeah, not Manehatten born and raised.”

Skylane snorted, “Alright, you’re takin’ the piss.”

“No really!” Jackie showed off her hind hooves, “From buckin’ trees back home, had one I grew and named n’ everything!”

“Huh, guess I pinned y’wrong mate.”

“I’m full a’ surprises, a regular old Jackie-in-the-box!”

Skylane snorted at her awful joke before trotting off to wash off the frosting off himself and grab a mop. Jackie smiled, like a weight off her chest had been lifted as she trotted back to finish whisking the ganache.

~~~ … ~~~

“And here’s your fritters! Come again!” Jackie said as she waved off the last customer of the morning.

She sighed and let herself relax as she trotted to the front door and hung the ‘Out for Lunch’ sign on the glass. Her smile slipped from her over-enthusiastic customer service one, to a more natural one.

“Kid,” Dutchess Pear said as she poked her head out the kitchen door, “Closed up for lunch?”

“Eyep,” She said lazily.

“Great,” the baker said with a relieved sigh, “Cinnamon rolls are almost ready, you can handle getting them cut and into the oven right?”

Jackie gave a mock salute and skipped to the kitchen, “You got it Ma’am.”

She laughed at the antics, “Attagirl.”

The filly grabbed a bench scraper and started chopping off rolls from the pastry log while singing a tune under her breath.

“Y’know, I didn’t think you’d be staying so long Jacqueline,” the mare said with a smile, “you seemed pretty hellbent on leaving after a few weeks, what happened to that?”

Jackie gave a non-committal hum, “Well, I guess this place just grew on me. Besides, I can still do what I want, not like this job is my whole life.”

“Haha! You got it figured out early kid, the rat race isn’t worth it.”

Jackie smiled as she finished setting the cinnamon rolls in a baking dish and covered them with plastic wrap. She heard the clack of the back door and saw Skylane trot in with hayburger bags.

“Celestia’s mane I’m starving, gimme gimmie gimmie!” Jackie said as she dusted her hooves off and tried to grab a bag.

“Slow down there mate,” Skylane said with a chuckle, lifting the bags out of the filly’s reach with his wings.

Jackie mock pouted but cantered off to properly wash her hooves as Skylane made his way to the dining area.

The filly wasn’t kidding about being starving as she tore through her hayburger before Skylane or Dutchess were even halfway done. There was still plenty of time until they had to reopen so Jackie decided to squeeze some practice in as she dashed off to the break room.

“What you playin’ mate?” Skylane said through a mouthful of burger as Jackie trotted back in with her guitar in hoof.

“Ah, was probably just gonna noodle for a bit,” Jackie said as she pulled up a stool, “Hope you two don’t mind me.”

“Oh, no bother, feel free kid,” Dutchess said with a wave of her hoof.

Skylane gave a wing up, so Jackie started strumming away. After running through her warm up, she found herself playing the chords to one of her street tunes anyway, as she half-hummed the lyrics under her breath.

“La-la-la-nah, nah… La-nah-nah-nah-nah-la… La-la-la-nah, nah… La-nah-nah-nah-nah-la…”

“Well I got your letter, just in time… For a rockin’ revolution! Sir Apple let me alter your mi-i-ind…”

Jackie kicked her hooves to the beat in her head as Skylane and Ms. Dutchess nodded along to her song. Jackie felt herself leaning into the performance when she hit the second chorus as she grinned and finished with a flourish.

Jackie gave a mock bow, “Thank you, thank you, you’ve been a lovely audience.”

Jackie set her guitar down when she noticed a flash of light on her flank. Whipping her head down she’d see two clubs, one red and the other orange.

“Whoa… Grats mate!” Skylane said as she trotted up to slap Jackie on the back, Ms. Pear clapping politely.

“I- I don’t understand… Why did I get my cutie mark now?” Jackie asked confused, “I mean… I’ve played my guitar before, in front of other ponies too, why today?”

“What’d you do differently today?” Skylane asked with a question of his own as he also stared at her new mark.

“I don’t know? I- I helped deliver that donut order this morning… I finally baked those croissants without burning them… Before I came to work I helped some lost filly find her mom? I don’t know, I did a lot of different things today!”

“Maybe it’s that?”

“What’d you mean?” Jackie asked as her confusion came back.

“Maybe that’s your special talent,” Skylane said, “that you’re a Jack of All Trades.”

“He has a point kid, you pick things up incredibly quickly,” Ms. Pear interjected.

“Huh,” Jackie hummed, “Y’know… I do like the ring of a Jackie of All Trades!”

Skylane groaned at Jackie’s pun as the filly laughed at her friend’s pain over her wordplay. Jackie knew deep in her heart that, no matter where she went, she’d have someplace to be.

~~~

The filly fiddled with the map in her wing’s grasp, a luggage bag clattering behind her. Trotting past a bakery, she’d pull up a chair from the outside seating and try to get her bearings, tucking her cane under her wings.

“‘Ello!” An orange filly in an apron and hairnet trotted up to greet her. “Need some help finding your way around?”

“Yeah… I'm a little lost,” the pegasus said as she laid the map down on the table in front of her, “That obvious I’m not from around here?”

“Trust me, even without your bag you’d stick out like a sore hoof, I’ve been where you are now. So! Where are you headin'?”

“Uh… Trying to find the Stablehoof Convention Center,” she said pointing to the circled part on her map.

“Well, the easiest way would be grabbing a trolley at 56th until 7th ave. Straight line when you get off, still a bit of a walk… How about something to eat first?”

The pegasus filly was about to object before a rumble in her stomach interrupted her, “I- Alright yeah, do you have blueberry muffins?”

“Indeed we do! So, who’s ordering?”

The pegasus pulled a pencil from behind her ear to mark down the directions she was just given before answering, “Rainbow Dash.”

Author's Notes:

Heyyyyy everyone I have returned from my whaling trip! Unfortunately, the white whale continues to elude me.

In all seriousness, I wasn't expecting writer's block to hit me so hard for this chapter, taking me from Fall semester finals to Spring semester finals. Who would have guessed that making it so that Jackie's cutiemark representing her being a Jack-of-All-Trades would have meant that it would difficult to create a backstory for her?

Despite it taking so long I am happy with how this chapter ended up and I hope you all enjoyed as well! (After some catch up from the previous chapters maybe. Again I am so sorry it's taken so long, I can't promise that I'll get the next chapter out sooner rather than later what with finals week and moving out of my dorm, but I can promise it won't take almost 6 months again )

Anyway, enough of talking about me, the author, let's talk about Jackie for a bit!

So, for Jackie it was kind of a question of "Taking the core traits of Applejack out because most of her core characterization is tied to Sweet Apple Acres, what's left?" and the answer was. Not a pleasant personality lol. A stubborn and quick to anger pony, who doesn't feel like she has a place in the world. I tried to convey her bouncing from place to place until I hit it over her head that, it's perfectly fine for her to be like that (Perhaps that will come up again with Rainbow Dash, wink wink). Off topic fun fact, the lyrics that Jackie sings throughout the chapter are from 3 different actual songs, someone might be able to pick up which songs lol.

Well, that's 5 out of 6 characters with their cutiemarks and paths to future elements! Time to close out with the one who, in another life, was suppose to kick everypony else off on their journeys of self-discovery. Time to loop back around to the beginning!