SteelEagle

Twilight nodded. No doubt Applejack had put a premium on the safety of her child, and doubly so when it came to knives. You had to be careful. That and scissors. "And she would be right. Most knives are very dangerous, especially when you are just learning how to use them. But this knife is different," she said as she brought it up in her magic and started showing all angles of it. As she did, it seemed to shimmer and dim and glow as her magic moved over it, looking increasingly ethereal. "It is called a Shades Knife, named for Hollow Shades, where it was made. In other places it is simply called a training knife. The key is that it can't hurt you or I. It is enchanted- if it gets to close to a living creature, it starts to liquify. See?" She said as she started to move it closer to one of her outstretched hooves. She then pushed it towards the hoof and as the blade made contact it started to liquify. She continued the motion going through the hoof and the blade moved along in rivulets like rainwater along her, trailing the hilt until it reached the end. Then it came back together and after a short, tiny bright shimmer it solidified again. "Still, I wouldn't want you to use it unless someone is there to monitor it. Luckily, I'm here to monitor it," she said with a smile before placing the apple and the knife next to the filly. It was an important activity. The small manipulations involved of slicing and carving an apple helped a unicorn learn how to be mindful and accurate with object manipulation. Easy enough to get something done, but something she could always work to improve on. "I'm sure your mom will be okay. If you want to, anyway."

Twilight hadn't expected anything short of the enthusiastic response she had been given and worked to set everything up. She enjoyed taking personal time with all of the ponies of this great land and she would not be lying if she said that went double for those that were close to her. And that would track with Ambrosia, one of the most special little fillies born to special parents, and somepony who Twilight would be happy to see grow and mature over the years. But for now, in this moment, apples and picnic food. Gooey butter cake, vegetarian muffulettas, pasta salad with spring vegetables, grapes, apples, and Prench onion flatbread made for a nice spread along with the odds and ends. Several small plates were scattered around the two as Twilight considered just how much she should feed the little filly. Magical usage could take a great deal out of a developing filly but there was a real danger in trying to eat too much too quickly afterwards. The physical hunger pains a unicorn felt were often considered 'false readings' sent by an untrained unicorn's mind as it tried to understand the energy depletion it felt. It was hard to satisfy the conditions it set forth, which meant many young unicorns spent their post-training periods rolling around with stomach aches as their body tried to digest far too much food too quickly. She'd have to monitor, but mostly she'd have to eat! As Twilight started taking the cake apart, setting up the muffulettas on plates, and dolling out some pasta salad, she levitated an apple and a magical, shimmering dinner knife to the filly. "Here, Ambrosia. Take the knife and try to cut the Apple into nice slices. Hold both in your magic and give it a go, okay?" Twilight asked as she monitored with a smile.

With her job done, Applejack waved and hovered away and back towards the castle. She had plenty of work to do and not enough time to do it as far as she was concerned. Hopefully those two would get the job done right and fast because as far as one pegasus mare was concerned, this whole situation was as close as it could get to a true disaster as it could possibly get. Rarity, for his part, as just happy to get going. He nodded towards his crew who went to their stations and in due time the vessel was on the move. With that, he paid what attention he could to the ice Storm from another universe. Timeline. Dimension? Reality? Rarity didn't know. Rarity didn't much care, either. If it meant everycreature got settled in their proper place by the end of this then he didn't care as much about the journey there. Well, that was a lie. A spicy, exciting adventure would suit him just fine. He looked at Ice Storm and smiled wearily. "Well, that is very hard to say for certain. Like many of your- well, her- ilk, it is hard to pin down her position at any given time. If we could?" Rarity laughed a jaunty laugh as he led Ice Storm below deck. "We could save a lot of trouble that way. I'd rather not deal with any sky pirates or ice-based revolutionaries on our way to the old regent, thank you very much!" He finished. It was breezy below deck with only three rooms. Rarity's quarters were small but at least private. The main hall- well, it had a more official title but Rarity rather preferred the term main hall and it was his vessel, no matter how small- took up the majority of the space while the small crew quarters allowed the crew someplace to lay their weary head whenever they weren't responding to his flights of fancy. "It should take us a few days. Don't worry about supplies, we'll be more than capable of keeping you well-fed and rested. Would you care for a drink?"

It was a common trait for dragons to smile with their teeth barred. Unconscious social construct to display dominance. His closed smile told her that she was well-used to Equestrian social constructs, and at the very least would be making a concerted effort to remain as non-threatening as possible. She took her seat and poured him some tea before pouring herself one. "It is not an issue at all, Ridge. There is always some matter that comes up- I apologize for taking so long to respond to your request," she said as she poured in her obsidian sugar and allowed her tea to settle. She understood that she could never fully satisfy her own desire to make sure every request was met in a timely manner since her list of responsibilities only ever grew. Didn't change how she felt, in any case. "Hmm...assume I do not know, Ridge. I'd rather much hear your perception of these events, as they concern you," she responded as she settled herself in. "Oh, would you like anything to eat?" She asked almost out of hoof as she wondered what his perception would be. She knew a great deal about that region but had not done much to pry into the events of the city herself. The only creature she knew well who had a direct interest, or should have, was Gallus, but he seemed less than pleased whenever the subject came up. As such, while she kept abreast of events and believed she knew what was being discussed, she was far more interested in what it was that Ridge himself would direct the conversation towards.

Twilight wrote down what Ambrosia said, though she wasn't sure there was much to really take from it just yet. The fact that there was a tingle from the point of her skeletal structure that a wing would have been linked to was interesting. Not wholly unusual; unicorn children to at least one pegasi parent could experience such tingles early in life. A pony's body was thrumming with magic and seeking means of expression, the magic would take some time to learn that the structure that it was adapted from was no longer valid. Those tingles would go away in time. Twilight wrote it down anyway and also watched Ambrosia as she fine-tuned her writing. Once you got the beam write and learned the basics of manipulating it, a unicorn would find that writing using her magic would be much easier than doing it by hoof. It was something she found impressive about earth ponies and pegasi alike; something that was so incredibly easy over time for a unicorn had to worked at by others diligently. Perseverance was a treasure all on its own. Twilight waited a few more seconds as she allowed Ambrosia to work on her spell a little bit more while Twilight finished scribbling something in her notebook before putting it away. She then folded her front hooves under her and levitated over the gift basket, placing it in between them. "Are you hungry at all, Ambrosia?" Twilight said as she opened up the basket some, allowing an apple to to be levitated up and in between them. "I know I am. Being a Princess is hard work and you've been a good filly all day, first with your mom and now here. Do you want to have a little picnic, just the two of us?" She asked as she brought out some plates and tea cups, silverware and some books.

Apple Bloom was about to say that she needed to relax and maybe show some affection sooner rather than later, because otherwise she was going to freak out with her calves and be one of those obnoxious moms who hovered around her kids all day long, but she allowed the thought to die before words could form. She didn't want Tempest to die, did she? "I mean, 'course ya can stay. Ah mean if Applejack allowed you in ain't like Ah could say no. She owns tha property now full-up," Apple Bloom started before her thoughts grew darker, sadder. She wasn't here when Applejack got injured, but she sure as hay could see it wasn't the same Applejack as before. "Not gonna lie Tempest, Ah don't think Applejack could be whoopin' much of anythin' at tha moment, let alone you," she chuckled nervously before trying to wipe the topic from her mind. She continued to drink the water and then dip her hooves in it. Seemed like her four hooves were on fire lately and some nice, cool water helped soothe her. You couldn't do that with a cup, hence the bowl, and best to do it now before her hooves got all grimy with the day. She watched Tempest lap hers up and allowed her mind to wander. "So, a caribou? Ah reckon that makes a bit of sense for ya. Didn't think you somepony who'd go for a nice office colt or somesuch. 'Course Ah didn't expect y'all to shack up with some caribou warrior, but love finds a way," she said, drawing out the word love to allow the hidden meanings to be laid bare. "They should be pretty big. Ah think caribou can get a mite bigger than most stallions, so hopefully y'all can handle 'em. What's tha father like?" Apple Bloom asked as she finished with her water. She dried off her hooves and worked her flank off to pick up a basket, her pregnancy nearly scraping the floor. She then pulled a bandana from a coat rack near the door and started tying it around her mane, a nice substitute for her bow. As she did this, she tried to understand why a mare would need a costume like that. Of course, it didn't take that long for Apple Bloom to put two plus two together. "Oh...wait, y'all were dressed up like a caribou- one of Masquerade's costumes?" Apple Bloom shivered, "they give me the creeps, but Ah guess yer testimonial means they work super good. That'll help me sleep easier, haha. Ah'll not tell anypony. Won't be tha first thing, nor tha last, so locked up and sealed it'll be. Wanna help me with some apple buckin'?"

Twilight's schedule was always turbulent. There were the many day to day affairs that took up her time and effort and slowly but surely ate away at her time, but there were so many more tasks ahead of her. Canterlot was the center of Equestria's political universe, and very arguably the world's. Meetings with diplomats and calls for her to mediate disputes ranging from the squabbles between small farming settlements to border disputes between disparate caribou clans in the now 'peaceful' Whitescar called upon her talents in fields that she was only now starting to devote herself to. And as her schedule ticked over to yet another meeting, she did have to admit it was more interesting than most. She was to meet with a dragon named Ridge, the CEO of a major mining concern operating from Griffonstone. The fact it was a younger dragon doing it was was very exciting. Dragon business owners, let alone dragons operating in civilized society, were nearly unheard of. Well, if one considered Griffonstone civilized society. Griffonstone had seen better days, many indeed in its long and glorious history but it had seen worse. There was an uneasy sense that the city was looking forward. To what? Hard to say. Twilight had her suspicions but that didn't mean that she wasn't excited to see how it all came together. Of course, she wasn't sure how much she could trust the plans of a mine owner, but that was the reason she had decided to hold this meeting. It was a city outside of her borders but she had an interest in the peace and prosperity of all creatures. "Welcome, Ridge I am pleased to meet you finally. Would you like something to drink?" Twilight said as she got off of her throne to meet him on the throne room floor. Set up for them was a small table- well, as small as one could be for a dragon and a Princess-

"You did do that, and it will be the first of many. For now, try to use that spell a few more times, see if you can feel the way your horn is directing the magic within you," Twilight replied as she looked at the fading letters. Indeed, they would fade fast at first. The beam a little filly could send off was in no way capable of leaving a lasting aetheric impact unless it decided to convert the matter at destination, but that would be another type of beam entirely. You normally didn't see that outside of foals who were having magical tantrums...coming in the form of semi-violent explosions! While Ambrosia did her best to work on her magical letters, Twilight studied her aetheric flow. Like most fillies it would no doubt be only barely functioning. As she used her magic more and in more directed ways that would change, especially with her ring. Magic would become easier to cast and infinitely easier to manipulate. Twilight settles herself in, looking at the magic around her with an even, pleased smile. "Have you been working alongside Applejack more often lately, Ambrosia? When you do help her out, do you ever feel a tingle in your tail or your hooves? One that doesn't seem natural?" She asked as she opened a book and set herself up comfortably next to the filly. It would take time to fully understand all the ways in which a unicorn born to parents of the two different species would interact in the magical fields. A unicorn born magically to parents of the same gender and different species was not entirely unheard of, mind you, but each creature was unique in their own way and the rarity of the conditions intrigued Twilight to no end.

She smiled. "Oh, I think both of y'all like where we're goin' next, sweetheart," Applejack said as she beamed down at her daughter and leaned in. "Gonna go to the toy store! Get in the cart and be good, alright?" She said before nuzzling and standing back up. She knew better than most that two little ponies in a toy store was a recipe for trouble. She knew better than to pretend she wasn't gonna be buying something for them, but she still had to prepare High Bar's birthday party and only a few days to do it. Besides, they had been good. She turned back to the playground just in time to see Zap Apple get pumped by a tetherball, and engaged mom mode as she started galloping towards him. Topaz was a little let down when Zap Apple dodged the ball instead of it knocking him on his stupid blank stank flank. Play or get lost, loser. Buuuut karma, or something worse, was on his side. The ball came back around and knocked him in the head. 1-0, Topaz. "Head in the clouds, Apples?" Topaz asked mockingly before he looked up and saw his large orange mom galloping towards them. Topaz took the initiative and held the tetherball still while looking concerned. "Zap Apple, are you okay?" He asked as he spoke louder, looking like a concerned little colt as Applejack approached. Applejack reached Zap Apple and bent down, checking his head. Zap Apple was a rough and tumble colt and she had no doubt that he would be okay but her maternal instincts were too strong. She parted his mane and looked for any bruising. "Are you okay, Zappy? How many hooves am I holding up? Spell your name," she said as wanted to make sure he was fine. Topaz could barely hide his smirk. Zappy...?

Apple Bloom was not intimidated or concerned about the way that Tempest conducted herself. She had spent long enough around the mare to get used to it, and to know how to react. For example, she ducked out of the way of the horn blast and when it was passed her popped back into position without any loss of curiosity or positivity. "Correction. You could have, but I'm way too fast," she winked as she pulled back to give Tempest her space. If there was one thing a pregnant mare needed it was her space. Well, that was probably not in the top fifty but it fit the moment and that was enough for her. She also didn't give much mind to the cursing. If her Granny was still around she was sure there would be a bar of soap coming in from any direction at any second, but that wasn't happening. Didn't mean she had much of mind to follow it, however. She didn't much like a bunch of cursing with or without the ever present threat of an elderly lecture. Not that Tempest was that far off. "Well, Ah guess we're two peas in a pod, right? You'll be fine here. Ah'm assumin' ya didn't just sneak yer way in, got Applejack's approval?" She asked as she made her way into the kitchen with great energy and median speed. She didn't do high speed anymore. Low speed, hig drag was the way to go. "Ah wouldn't go ahead and drink coffee. It won't be good for 'em and it'll make you feel all jittery," she said as she dug out of the fridge some nice chilled water. She poured herself a bowl and drank some, but also swam her hoof around in it. "Helps me cool off. So, what happened with you? Last time Ah saw you, we were takin' yer ship back ta Equestria and y'all was headin' off ta tha North. Meet a nice Stalliongrad stallion?" She said, waggling her brows and ignoring her own story.

Applejack endeavored at that very moment to never be hugged by Tempest ever again unless it was two hooves, because her one-legged hug was as comforting as a cactus. Still, it caught her off-guard enough that all she could do was lean into it, her own hooves too weary to really get into it. "Yer welcome. Jus' don't eat too many condiments, they'll do a number on you," she allowed that to settle a second before adding more. "Trust me. The temptation'll be there," she said as she started walking out the door. In just a few moments it would be closed and she would start the slow walk back home. Tempest would be left alone the rest of the night. Apple Bloom was curled up in her bed, sleeping smoothly and silently- she was a mare who was taking to pregnancy well. And so the night would pass peaceably, and Tempest would be allowed to get her rest- HOURS LATER "Howdy Tempest!" Bellowed the young mare as she bent over Tempest. Apple Bloom woke up first and was more than a little shocked to have found her former captain in the carrot house. She had a lot of questions and more than a little energy to back it up. She was also very, very pregnant, and was halfway to falling over in Tempest herself. "Can't say Ah expected ta see you in these here parts! What brings ya here?"

Twilight could never resist a temporary knowledge drip, as unwanted as it was. "A cantrip in modern parlance is a spell that is second nature and requires nothing more than your desire, once mastered. Like levitation," she said happily before realizing that Ambrosia probably was too young to understand parlance, among other things. It made her laugh, "don't worry about it. You're doing great," she said as she cast a protection spell over the area sneakily, the thinnest coat of purple over her surroundings that melted like a light breeze. "Here, let me show you a beam," Twilight said as her horn lit up and she sought a two-toned purple beam into the opposite wall. She kept the beam up as she spoke. "It has many uses. What it is, however, is a concentrated magical manifestation of your will. When your beam makes contact with the point you have chosen, your magic then surrounds and penetrates the area with auric energy. Your magic can then do a wide variety of things depending on what spells you want to cast," she said as she stopped the beam. Where it had landed she had created an animated picture of Zap Apple and Ambrosia playing with a ball in a field. After about twenty seconds it would start to fade. While Ambrosia watched it, or hopefully was, Twilight magically inspected Ambrosia's ring to ensure it was working well for the next part. She then pointed at another point on the wall. "See where I am pointing. Imagine writing your name on that wall. What it looks like, the strokes as you're writing it, the flow. Now activate your horn and imagine you are making it happen, and then try to project that magic- like you're throwing it with your mind. And make it pretty," she said, hoping it would work easily enough. As she activated her magic the ring would help gently guide her subconsciously in the creation of a beam. Otherwise, she'd have to read about it like Twilight had and talk about something Ambrosia wouldn't want to do!

Twilight smiled, allowing her warmth to set the filly at ease. "You're doing very well, Ambrosia. Don't ever give up. Every magical journey is unique and none of them are easy. And these stones are part of it," she said as she gave the filly a gentle hug with her wing. "I'm sure you have seen your mothers training and working out, right? They do that to build their muscles and body. You are doing the same, but with your magic," she said positively before leaning in to get face level with Ambrosia while staring at the stones. "Try to imagine the feel of a heavy stone in your hoof. Now imagine how it feels to raise it up, and holding it above your head. That is what you're doing with the training stones, really. No different, except when you're holding it aloft you're using your horn instead of your hoof. You'll build up to it!" She ended upbeat, giving the filly her space. "It may take you a while but you'll find that once you can start to do it, you'll make great progress. Anywho, that is the more...physically taxing part of the training. You don't have to do it the whole time." While Ambrosia did that, Twilight brought out some books. Books! "What we can start to do when you want to give it a try is casting a focused spell. Has anypony told you the difference between a focused cast and a light cast, or perhaps you know it as a cantrip?" Twilight asked. She wouldn't launch into a lecture about them just yet. A light cast or cantrip was a magical ability that was second nature and didn't call upon a lot of a pony's magic except in rare, extreme circumstances. Basic unicorn levitation, a pegasi's most basic weather control abilities- native magic that became second nature. A focused spell was a variable expression of a pony's magic- or, as it was commonly known, a spell. "The focused cast I will teach you is one of the more fun ones. How would you like to learn how to use a beam? Some ponies think of beams as dangerous, but it covers a lot of ground- including art and other pretty things!"

Sunny hadn't heard much about this Miss Oaklee before but she seemed like a good mare. How could she not be, if she helped make sure that Izzy remained as great as she was? Sunny also wondered how her parents reacted to the events. How did they react when Izzy found her note from when they were fillies? She was lucky it reached her. Anypony else and it may not have worked, as fate had it. Sunny would never quit, but the repeated blows she had suffered had certainly sullied the dream enough that she didn't know how much longer it was worth trying in Maretime Bay. As importantly, tree carving. This was interesting. Sunny was guilty of assuming that a unicorn's horn was simply sharp enough to pierce a tree, but she guessed that was silly. Otherwise they wouldn't really have much of a forest left. It did speak to something that other ponies hadn't really given Izzy credit for- her smarts. A lot of ponies looked at her as silly but a little dim, but it wasn't true- even as she showed her unicorn grace as she tore through her pizza. She was a smart mare. She knew a lot more than ponies gave her credit for- and her creativity was off the charts. You had to be smart to have that going for you. For now, she would just ignore the fact that Izzy bullrushed the topic. "Does tree carving hurt at all when you're doing it right?" Sunny asked as she leaned back in her chair, nearly tipping over as she balanced on two of it's legs. "I would think it still does. Can you do it multiple times in a row or do you have be selective due to damage?" She pondered out loud before turning back to the real topic at hoof. "Miss Oaklee...she sounds like a great mare. You learned unicycling from her? Or did she help you improve it?" She asked, hoping to give her friend the time and space needed to reflect on a mare who had meant so much to her.

Of course he liked it when she kissed him. Who wouldn't? She may have been the best kisser of all time. Not that she had much experience with it but she felt pretty comfortable that anypony who was ever kissed her would go ahead and agree with that assessment. Especially dorks from Manehattan. "Well, I can't blame you. Too bad for you that, like, you won't get another mare to compare with," she winked and giggled, ready to start some more when he ABSOLUTELY WHAT Was he breaking up a relationship that had kinda begun about an hour ago? Under what star was that legit?! Not any she was aware of! Total hookey! What had happened? "But- wha- what did I-?" She blubbered in shock, her eyes watering because BETRAYAL HURT. He had asked her up her, they kissed, then he DRUGGED HER, verbally BERATED HER to get her DREAM INFO, then dumped her! Was this a game? Did he totally invite her just to screw with her dreams and use them for his own evil gain!? "Was it something I said? Totally unfair!" Probably not. But she felt like it was possible. More importantly she felt embarrassed and angry. He was her first! She was his first! She didn't understand what the Tartarus was with him. She got up in a huff, magically grabbing anything she had brought and stuffing it into her mane with fury born of sadness and embarrassment. "F-fine, if that's, like, what you want. Yeah, I think I'll go. " she said before wheeling around angrily, pointing a hoof at him. "But you started it! You said you, like, like like'd me, and I said so too, and all of this is on you. All I wanted to do was help you, and now look! Totally grody, dude. You're totally grody," she shook her head, then turned around and started stomping her way to the door. "But before I do..." She said as she reached for the door, taking a big sniff and turning her head halfway to him. "...Professor Rarity, right, when she says the customer is right, she isn't literally saying you do what they say like some punk pushover. Generosity, real generosity, is about seeing what the pony, like, needs and working to give it to them out of the goodness of your heart," she said, her head bent only enough so he knew she was talking to him. "And how you do that totally reveals you for who you are. A diamond in the rough and all that. When the world wants to make you coarse, you can remain smooth. Like a diamond, or like the moon. See you later, Remington," she snapped her hooves in a sassy fashion, opened the door, and walked into the roommate.

"It looks very nice on you, Ambrosia. Though I don't know if its more because of the ring or just how cute you are," Twilight said with a wide smile. A unicorn's ring was a very special part of her young life and Twilight was happy that Ambrosia was pleased. "Tell me, what sort of magic do you find most interesting?" Twilight asked, interested in seeing what direction Ambrosia saw her magic going. A filly's first dreams were often times not where they would go, but helped inform a lot of what she should try. As Twilight spoke with Ambrosia she brought out three stone balls, dropping them gently on the ground though they still made a thud when she did so. "These are training stones. Heavy and dense, something we commonly used in the School of Magic. When you are ready, try to pick one up," Twilight said, keeping her expectations small. After all, the stones were coated in a magically inert material. A unicorn would have difficulty getting a firm magical grip on it, and then the weight of it would take some time to calibrate. It was an important step in the process. Magical strengthening was a necessary first step, followed by trying out some skills. Spells! Oh, the beauty and fun of a pony's first real spell craft.

"Caribou?" Applejack pondered that bit for a second. She didn't know why anypony would venture north of their own free will but if anypony did do that for any purpose whatsoever, it would be Tempest. That was a mare who embraced her poor decisions and intentions with the eagerness of a first love and seemingly detested the idea of her own self-worth. It wasn't that big a shock then that she would find herself up north- or even attracted to those *fine fellows*. "I'd like to say that comes as a shock, but Ah know how you warrior types get attracted ta warrior types. An' caribou are a heck of a warrior people, ain't they?" she said as started to get up, grimacing briefly before getting up. "That and alcohol will make a mare do anything, Ah suppose. Ain't gonna judge you a bit on that, but ain't reindeer only flyin'?" She asked, her eyes furrowed in thought. She'd only heard of reindeer pulling the longships in the sky, but it didn't take much for her to realize it was probably just her own lack of knowledge being betrayed. Pinkie said she ran into some magical versions in the far north, and if there were fliers and there were magic users she reckoned it made sense for there to be other types too. "Ah dunno. Maybe Ah'm just bein' ignorant. Ah only know one tried ta kill me once, so Ah should just shut my mouth on it." She walked her way to the door and opened it. "Come, Ah'll take ya ta tha carrot house." Wasn't a very long walk, though it felt like it and took about ten times as long as it normally would for her. The carrot house was just to the left of the main barn on teh raised hill, with its own gate and everything. Around it were fields of fruit and veggies, mostly carrots, being grown. "Used ta be sublet by tha Carrot family. On tha snout, Ah know," she said as she started up teh ramp. In time she made it to the unlocked front door, opening it into the dimly lit house. "Three floors. Lil' entrance room and then on this floor ya have a big room that works as a kitchen, dining room, livin' room. Downstairs is tha storage room. Big, yer gonna like that. Top floor is tha bedroom. Apple Bloom should be asleep," Applejack said as she she kept her ears perked up. "Ah guess being pregnant with...diamond dogs, Ah suppose...is pretty tirin' for her," Applejack said as she kept the door open, despite a growing and gnawing pain, until Tempest entered. "Rest up and relax. You ain't in any danger and you don't have cause ta fret no more. See ya in the morn', sugarcube."

Applejack never considered herself the smartest of mares. She wasn't a dummy but she knew for a fact that there were plenty of others who spent a lot of time on things that she didn't. She just did her job as best she could and went about life with an eagerness and stubbornness that she hoped counted for something special. But she sure did know her Equestrian history, and the fact that this mare seemed confused about something made the gears start to turn in her head. Applejack knew that Twilight was having a bunch of issues and multiple timelines and realities, and so it didn't take long for her to piece it together. "Oh," Applejack said plaintively, "oh, Ah see. You're not our world's Ice Storm, Ah reckon," she said with a nod. Okay, no big deal. "Well, Ah can't say Ah know some of what ya said. Ain't heard of a star 'cept for the one in tha sky. An' what's this about a Council of Friendship? Only thing Ah reckon is close ta that woulda been the Equal Species Council a few years back, same with talk of other nations an' such. Ah think tha only critters that aren't in Equestria anymore are tha dragonfolk, but they don't seem too keen on bein' part of the Queendom. As for what she is gonna try an' remake..." Applejack said as the doors opened. Canterlot was a city in the clouds, the various districts supported by magically created clouds, and the majority of the populace being pegasi with a smattering of unicorns. As they went forward, Ice Storm could see below them- nothing but an intense blue light. And above them- the natural light of the sun. "We used ta have some solid ground 'neath us. And Earth ponies, too. Then one day everythin' started ta fall apart, fall in ta something. Twi moved fast enough so everypony was saved but..." Applejack hovered off the cloud and shrugged her shoulders. "Ain't ideal, can tell you that for free. An' that light just gets brighter every time she tries to fix it." "Helllo there!" A ship floated on by. Small but nimble and crewed by four, Rarity at the head. Despite being a stallion, he was still ravishing and beautiful. "Applejack, my sweet, is this a good time to tell you that I have restocked and repaired this fine vessel once again in record time? A record that was hard to beat, if I say so myself!" He said, brimming with confidence and a fine and fancy naval hat. Applejack rolled her eyes. "Good job doin'...yer job, Ah suppose. In any case, Ice Storm- not ours, by the way- needs ta get ta Germaney. Hoofenheim- err, Castle Sonne?" Applejack offered a question, hoping to get a bite. Rarity pondered it for a moment. "Hmm. I might have an idea on where to look. Who are we looking for?" "Regent Celestia. She has somethin' ta do with whatever is makin' tha Queen all manner of nutty." Rarity nodded. "I see then!" She said as the ship sidled up to the cloud and dropped a ramp. "Well, feel free to board, Ice Storm. You do look the part of our own Ice Storm, by the way. Smashing!" Applejack looked away, smiling through her embarrassment. "As for who ya can trust, that's up ta you, Ah suppose. Nopony knows that Twi has her goose cooked at the moment, so keep that part quiet."

Well Read nodded. Not unexpected. Most fillies didn't have much to talk about with him. Colts did sometimes. They seemed more naturally inquisitive at this age. He wasn't sure if that would hold up under study but it certainly fit what he often saw and heard in class. Fillies were more invested in the here and now, the what and when, while colts seemed preoccupied with the how and why. He liked it all. A nice balance for anypony to grow from, both as students and teacher, and as fillies, colts, and stallion. He was already working on her seating arrangement. Had to make sure everything started off perfect, even if it wouldn't last past the first five minutes. "Well Ambrosia, I will be very excited to have you in my class. If you ever have any questions or concerns or just need to talk, I'm there for all my students and friends," he said with a beaming smile before recentering himself towards Applejack. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you about all the back to school sales in town, though I'd avoid Barnyard Bargains for a bit. Heard they're a bit on the low side at the moment," he said before there was a knock at the door. "Ahh, that must be the next one. It has been a pleasure to see you again Applejack, and to meet you Ambrosia! I'll see you both again real soon. Toodles and poodles!" He said with an energetic wave of his hoof. Applejack picked Ambrosia up and on her back. "See ya later teach," she said as she trotted out the door, massaging her way past a rotund stallion and his cherub-portended colt. "Alright Amby, time ta pick your brother up. Ah think both of ya will like where we go next!"

The tingle a unicorn felt was the loci- more commonly just called magical nerve endings- in their horn trying to transmit a spell and reflecting the world's response back, but doing so in a haphazard manner. The flow of magic was interrupted as the majority of loci not having been activated yet, which caused the magic to filter around trying to find a working one. As a unicorn trained, her horn's loci would start to activate in greater amounts while those that were active would start to strengthen their connections. As an adult it became as easy as trotting from place to place, but just as learning to walk could take some time, learning to use your horn could be equally frustrating. "That tingle is your very own, very unique magic. You may cast the same spells as others and your aura may be colored the same sometimes, but your magic is as unique to you as your laugh or your smile. It is special, just like you," Twilight said gently as she studied Ambrosia. It was easy work but she was taking to it well. "Now, continue to illuminate your horn, even if it starts to become straining," Twilight continued as she levitated a small box in front of the filly. She would then gently open it. "Now open your eyes, but continue to focus on illuminating your horn. Do you know what this is, Ambrosia?" Twilight asked as she revealed the first gift- a ring made just for Ambrosia's horn, forged from brilliant material and with the cutie marks of her family woven throughout. A unicorn horn ring was one of the most important tools of an early unicorn's magical training. It worked by doing two important tasks. The first was by magically working on the loci nearest to currently active loci, helping magical energy flow. This would improve a unicorn's basic ability to use their magic but most importantly would help them work on strengthening the loci. The second was by capping the total magical flow available in the horn. That would prevent a unicorn from having a magical outburst as was common for foals and young ponies who were learning how to use their magic. Importantly, Twilight gave it but did not put it on Ambrosia's horn herself. It was an important tool but one that a pony needed to want to use. Because of how personal a unicorn's magical flow was it was considered impolite to force it, doubly so when it wasn't even your own family!

Applejack found her hoofing after a few seconds, her brain a jumbled mess of memories that seemed to conflict with one another. She had been going to get groceries for the castle because it was a pile of chaos at the moment and next thing she knew she was being sent flying- into a giant, big, floofy fox-thing. It was a gorgeous animal but Applejack didn't know if she could really appreciate it for what it was at the moment, on account of having done a number on it when she was flying like an ill-mannered pegasus. "Sorry 'bout, uhh, that introduction. Not very properlike, was it?" She asked with a tired smile before losing it as she looked back through the doors. She then bent down and gave the fox her book back. "Here's yer book, sorry about that again. Anywho, Ah'm Applejack an'- wait, what do Ah remember?" She asked quizzically. She checked her hat and her noggin to make sure there weren't new bumps on it. Well, bumps aside from what could be expected after having slammed into a pillar, after all. "Uhh, should Ah remember anything in particular? Ah remember runnin' out of ingredients and headin' out ta get more, returnin', and then getting blasted. Why, should Ah rememeber something? Wouldn't be a shock if Ah had forgotten something..."

The effort to get up, walk to the door, and come back took a lot out of Applejack. She could feel her back screaming and the tips of her legs going numb, not to mention the slight shortness of breath. She felt pathetic, and here was this strong, pregnant mare grousing about being a strong, pregnant mare. Applejack could tell the mare was pregnant long before she gave any voice to problems or mistakes or anything of the like. Hell, you could smell it on a mare, really. Or at least Applejack could. They said Earth ponies were the most fertile of the tribes and had a way of knowing the status of others. The carnal minded said it allowed them to know when others were ready. Applejack preferred to think it was so they knew to protect one another, an instinctual herd protection mechanic. Applejack also didn't know, and she didn't care. All she knew was that it was kind of annoying that Tempest was losing her mind over having twins. This was the happiest moment of a mare's life and she couldn't get over her emotional bullshit to just be happy! Gahh! Applejack wanted to light into the mare but held back and in doing so allowed herself to cool down. The pain, the lack of sleep, the stress, it was infecting her mind. She needed to relax and allow the mare to feel. Tempest was many things but somepony who could handle changes? Looked like she couldn't. And Applejack knew that few ponies could help the mare like Applejack could, for all the reasons Tempest put out there and more. She allowed Tempest to finish, settling into her couch for some relief. "Relax," she said with a smile, which was only slightly forced as her eyes sparkled in equal parts pain and joy at the news of new life. "This is great news. Yer not gonna be perfect, never, but yer gonna be the perfect mom for them two lil' fillies an' fellas," she said as she leaned back. "Tha water here is clean, stay away from tha hooch. Follow yer appetite but Ah have a soup recipe, handed down from mah Granny Smith, that'll set you right and proper for yer foals," she said as one of her eyebrows shot up. "You weren't knocked up by a Diamond Dog, were you? I sent Apple Bloom out there into tha world and she came back pregnant with twins of her own," Applejack laughed, "she has tha carrot house at tha moment. Not so sure where y'all can stay on tha farm but we'll figure somethin' out. Maybe you can room with her."

Applejack allowed Ice Storm to talk though she quickly got lost. A lot of what she was saying didn't make much sense to her but then again sense wasn't making much of itself lately with all the strange goings ons happening around these parts. She'd have to trust that Twilight was setting Ice up for success. Probably. Well, it was a hope at this point really, too much was going on for Applejack to keep track of. "Castle Sonne?" Applejack tried hard to think of it, but wasn't coming up with much. Celestia had a lot of old private residences and the Castle was one of them, she was sure. And it sounded like it was in Germaney. Then it struck her like a lightning bolt- which was peculiar since that had happened to her recently and that was odd since pegasi were supposed to be immune to that sort of hurt! "Oh! Well, Ah reckon that it's not far from Hoofenheim on tha coast. Ah think she retired there when Twi became Queen sometime back. Ain't heard anythin' strange from that way since it tha coronation, but Ah don't see how that affects anything none. Well, unless Twi wants to remake it again, but when Rares suggested that it didn't go so well. Why, does Twi think she'll help?" Applejack asked as she led Ice out of the castle and into the cloud-city of Canterlot, with no ground in sight.

She was a filly who aimed to please. Yep, she would prove to be a wonderful student and probably a huge pain in the flank someday. He always had to assume that, more right than not. Some fillies and colts tried to put their best hoof forward (Ambrosia), others wore their faults and qualities equally and blatantly (Zap Apple), but in the end they were all special and unique. And troublemakers. Every student of his had thrown temper tantrums and refused to work, and each and every one had also bounced away from school calling him the best teacher ever. He preferred the days where the second happened. "Those are fun games. I think there are other fillies in close who would love to play with you," he said, already well aware of that fact. Where you had a gaggle of fillies you would have dressup, house, and tea parties. And probably a colt or two pulled into it against his will. The cycle would never be broken. "I like tea too! A nice jasmine tea to start the day never goes poorly!" he said as he brought out his tea cup. A gift from his sister, who had it custom made with the family emblem on it. He was proud of it and his sister, so much so he didn't tell her that the emblem was reversed. "So, Ambrosia, do you have any questions for me?"