SteelEagle

The two mares untangled themselves, their embarrassed blushes evidence that both of them could live with. Or die with, based on how awkward everything felt. Rainbow's wings were splayed out and unmoving as she looked at and felt every inch of Twilight's body as they disentangled. She didn't know what to think except that something needed to change because of all the things that RD handled poorly, awkwardness was probably the thing she handled very worst of all. Still, she made sure that she wasn't hurt- yep. She seemed good, physically at least. Same with Twi. She was very good physically, Rainbow knew that. "Haha, yeah, I'm fine. You don't get to be a Wonderbolt without taking your hits now and then. Are you doing okay? I wouldn't want to be held responsible for a state crime just yet. Too young for exile," Rainbow joked as she made sure the pair were fine off and safe.

Rainbow's eyes couldn't help but look at the cave. She never really liked being in enclosed places like that. not to any sort of pathological level, but pegasi preferred the open skies. That, and darkness. Not the biggest fan. Though as the cold wind started to whip around and the sun started to dip, it did look more appealing than the alternative. "Well, I guess we can stop here for the night. Better than being out here in the elements," Rainbow laughed as she started hovering towards the dark, dreary cave. 

Rarity felt a white hot flush of embarrassment come over her. Not for herself, really, but for Applejack. Clearly their little play tools had somehow had a more averse effect than she had planned. And in front of the others, to boot! Oh, Applejack, you silly mare. Rarity herself felt relatively unscathed and nonplused about the whole ordeal, she even found it more than a little amusing, but it was clear as day that Applejack could not handle it. And if she could not- well, Rarity was nothing else if not a creature of boundless empathy for all of Equestria's creatures, as beautiful and misbegotten as this one was. And so she, too, felt a wave of awkwardness climb through her as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. Luckily, Applejack at least provided a starting point.

"Y-Yes, oh yes. Yes we are. Applejack is preparing to compete in the...Fet Loch games!" She said with great excitement. "Yes, yes. The Fet Loch games and they have a fierce, umm, a very fierce...seeking challenge. Yes! A seeking challenge. And we are...training, she is training I mean I don't why I said we ahaha, she is training for it. And we shouldn't really be surprised, I mean, Rainbow Dash some of your training methods are also unusual. Must you always be stretching in the rain, hmm?" Rarity offered a completely bullhockey shot in the dark. "Anyway, yes, the Fet Loch games. Isn't that right girl- err, Applejack? Yes, isn't it?" She said, nearly unintentionally cooing before realizing and stiffening herself back up.

"Annnnnnnyway, I believe we must...depart...yes, because I still have a most *dreadful* hangover. Goodbye, dear friends, and just remember- training! For the Fet Loch games!" She added once more, as if trying to convince the very sky itself. That, and she needed to get out before the fabric pony got too upset.

"Hehehe, welll make sure to keep'm that way lil' missy," Applejack said in a playfully stern tone as she continued offloading the seed bags. When she was done she took a step back and admired the land and her daughter, and the future of both. Today would be a special day, and it was important that Twilioght was here for it. Ambrosia could do things that most of her family line could not and while she had been told by others to ignore and continue the traditions as normal, she knew for a fact that to do so would disrespect everything that made Ambrosia who she was. So today's family tradition would have to change, and it would open up a new chapter in a very long book with all the unique and wondrous factors that made Ambrosia so special to Applejack.

Applejack pointed at a patch of dirt that had been pre-dug to the right size and depth. "Today's yer seedlin' day, Amby," Applejack said excitedly. Every Apple planted a new tree when they were Amby's age, the day of a change of season closest to their birthday. They got to pick the type of tree and therefore the type of apple they  would create, and it would be their tree. Nopony could harvest it but them, nopiny could tend to it but them. You'd plant a new one for every major life event- a cutie mark, becoming an adult, getting married, foals, retirement, the works. AJ had a few more- apparently saving the world a few times qualified!

For most of the family it was a special earth pony tradition, where the love and affection they felt for kin and home spread into the very earth beneath them. Ambrosia was different, and as such Applejack wanted to make sure Twilight was on hoof so she could help with the magical portion of it all. "So, what sorta apple tree n' apple do ya wanna have for yer very own?" She asked as she bent down to be closer to her daughter.

The viciousness of the storm only grew, though the ship did well by ducking below it and towards the ground. They were still naked and barren against the many indignities of the storm at this location but they could withstand all but the extremes of it, rather than the assured destruction that would assured by trying to stay in the air. Still, down here it was also easier to see the potential harm that the storm could do, the ravaging of the land and the trembling ponyfolk that called it home all but guaranteed. It was a most terrible thought, one that the crew did well to bury for the time being as they strenuously worked to keep the vessel in flight despite the growing alarm that was evolving in the hearts of everycreature aboard the vessel.

Apple Bloom wasn't as confident as others were in the safety of anycreature, in the sky or the ground. They were flying low enough that through the portholes she could see the ponies below. And was that a Diamond Dog? Huh. It took all types, she figured. So much running. Luckily, despite the terrible, awful rain, the tornados that were starting to touch down were doing so far out of town and didn't appear to be heading towards it. Which was good. Good. Yeah, she wasn't scared. She was brave. Even if the situation continued to get worse, she'd breath right and focus on what she could do. She'd get through this, even if she could swear she saw the tornados start to turn...

Twilight nodded solemnly, trying her best not to crack at how absolutely adorable that tone of voice was. "No, not even one. Well.." she played at thinking about it before turning her head around, "maybe once in a while, but then they probably can't eat anything but well seasoned grass for weeks. Blcch!" Twilight blanched playfully. Okay, maybe she was overplaying it a bit but it was fun. And truthfully, she didn't think it healthy for the very young fillies to look at models as...well, role models. Not because there was anything wrong with what they were doing, but the beauty standards of the industry were so outrageous that if you grew up thinking that was the ideal, you would likely grow up thinking you were lesser for failing to reach it. It was a recipe for disaster. If she wanted to be a model of course she would have everypony's support- just better she come to that conclusion later, and not use it as a basis for how she viewed herself.

They made their way to the field, one of the few open places in the orchard. In a few moments, Applejack would show up as well. She was pulling a cart with some difficulty- she wasn't recovered fully from her many injuries, but she had come a long way a lot faster, and that was evident by the cart packed full of seeds she had brought with her. The mare and cart came to a stop nearby. "How's tha trainin' goin' today, you two? Ah'm not gonna find mahself havin' ta clean up any magical goop or gack down thar, am I miss Princess?" Applejack asked Twilight in a playfully stern manner.

Twilight acted offended. "I'll have you know we unicorns are a very clean species. Is that not so, Ambrosia Apple?" Twilight asked in a faux haughty manner, exaggerated for effect while Applejack started to remove the different seed bags from the cart.

Rarity didn't know what this 'Nightmare' was. It seemed like it was being used as a verb, like it was a thing to be done. But Rarity had heard a lot of crazy things over the past few years and had long ago stopped trying to make sense of the worlds that he could not truly ever know. All he could do is provide his own perspective, as limited as it was.
"Yes, well, it isn't as if Luna is *gone*. She is just...almost always in the dreamworld, to soothe the nightmares many of us have had since the event," Rarity sat back and sighed. "I understand going mad with affection as much as the next stallion, but I do think becoming a terrorist because your wife is caught up in her work seems like a dramatic overstep. But what do I know, my ex-wives would probably claim I drove them batty!" He said with a hearty, if somewhat hollow, laugh. "We will get you what you need. It should be no problem. As for food, we eat at 9 AM, 2 PM, and 7 PM. You are free to join us when and how you will," Rarity said as he got up.
"I do have a ship to captain. Please, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to get me. My office is always open for beautiful mares," he said with a wink before trotting off for duty.

(OOC- Feel free to develop anything you want for the next few days. We can always play that!)

It was a few days of easy travel that followed. The ship was not large nor especially fast but it was smooth and cut across the sky with ready authority. Rarity allowed his confidence to grow that they would indeed avoid any trouble, and they passed other ships without incident. This would remain the case until they were deep into Germaney, mere hours away from the Sun's Residence. It was cloudy- the pegasi still kept up their work despite the events and a small storm was being pulled together many miles away, affecting the cloud pattern. It helped obscure what was happening to some extent.

Rarity was walking the deck nearly alone, with only a scant few crew on the deck. This was the final period of adjustment. Soon they would be finished with everything but the easiest flying, and only need to prepare to offload Ice Storm at the town's landing. It was for all intents and purposes not as dramatic as he had been worried that it could have been. Maybe this Ice Storm would help Celestia and help Twilight. He wasn't certain. His job was just to get her this far. To say he had his doubts would be an understatement, and he was pleased to see them quashed.

It was then that the snow started to fall from a clear, clear sky...

Twilight was pleased with the work he had done so far. She had so commonly seen creatures come to her with ideas not fully tested, thoughts not fully formed. He knew what he had, knew the backstory, knew the dilemma, and knew how to appeal to her for aid. Ice Storm had been sent to the area around Griffonstone as part of a deal Twilight had made with the Aquelian government: Bases for Bases. New Equestrian bases near Griffonstone and Eagg Water Bay, griffon bases near Corralwood Cove and Seaddle. She was happy to hear that Ice Storm was doing that job well, even if the additional duties she had taken upon herself were not fully adored.

This Emperor fellow was a bunch of hot air and had been since his time in Beakbreak City, though his turn to banditry was a bit much. As was his attempt to get some of the tribesponnies of the Basin on his side. The So-Called Tenochtitlan Emperor was nothing of the sort, but if the goods being offered were enough to get some gullible tribes to send their warriors to aid the bandit lord it could prove a problem.

Even then however her powers were limited. Griffonstone was not an Equestrian city- it was Aquelian and the griffon government's seeming disinterest in its well being did not translate into her having the official power to do as she pleased there. The Tenochtitlan 'Emperor' was another story. The vast majority of goods and trade that the area had came from Equestria and could not be replaced by anything of the sort from Griffonstone. 

"I see. First off, you have my congratulations. You have certainly accomplished a lot and I believe you will have a bright future in the region. There is plenty of work to be done and plenty of local griffons who would be willing to work, and you seem like somedragon with a good sense of how to run it all. If you wanted my encouragement, you have that," she starts as her eyes closed, lost in thought for a few moments. "And something will need to be done about the Tenochtitlan. I can inform Tenochtitlan tribes that the flow of goods will stop if they continue to work with this bandit lord."

She sighed.
"However, as for Norton Breakbeak, I may not have the power you think I do. Griffonstone is part of another nation, and they full well know what is happening there. They simply do not care, but their lack of empathy does not translate into political power for me to enforce my will in their borders. Therefore, beyond officially notifying the Aquelian government that this Norton Breakbeak is considered a bandit in Equestria and is involved in the illegal transfer of goods and interference with approved trade, i cannot directly do anything," she finishes before allowing her mood to brighten.

"That does not mean I do not have resources available, however. I have a griffon who knows the city well. He can very likely help your operations in and around the city, both in terms of securing passage of goods and discovering likely smuggling routes that this Breakbeak is using. He also should have some...connections," she said, giving the dragon the information on Gallus. Indeed, the student didn't care at all about griffonstone but he wasn't bold enough to resist a request- or a demand- of the pony who had given him his future. "I can also give you more indirect resources and aid, both to help you through these troubles and to help you build this city into something grand."

Ambrosia was really trying to impress her- or well, just wanting to show off for herself. It was hard not to use magic on everything and anything once you learned what you could do, but even the most eager student could only go so far before their body failed them. Twilight noticed the struggle but did not comment on it. "Very good, Ambrosia. Just make sure to still use your hooves for it once in a while or Applejack will go crazy," she said, doing her best googly eyes and a giggle before continuing. She thought about it for a while and considered that it was more possible than not that Applejack would indeed go crazy if her daughter never picked up an apple again. Yep, the loony bin for the Applemare.

The walk continued along the paths as the filly told Twilight her dream. It made sense. Few ponies had a love of dresses and fashion that could rival rarity and nopony who could claim it could likewise claim to match her undeniable talent and skill. And Ambrosia? Well, she certainly qualified for the former, at least as far a fillies her age went. Twilight had to stifle a giggle. A little unicorn filly who wants dresses and to be a model for Rarity. If Applejack wasn't careful, rumors would spread! Though to be honest, they already did...jokingly.

"Oh? That does seem like a lot of fun. Though they have very restrictive diets. No candy for a model!" She said as she rounded a bend and started leading Ambrosia into a field.

She checked her son for any unusual bumps and bruises. She checked him again She moved his mane around, she checked his eyes, you would swear she had heard that he had been dropped off of a mountain. It was all too much for Topaz, who slowly but surely melted away with 'Zappers' and 'Zappy' being useful pieces of information for later. Applejack for her part was soon content with the fact that there was nothing too wrong. "I think so," she replied to Ambrosia as she picked him up. Well, mostly fine. The question he asked made her question her abilities though. Despite all of the physical evidence being, fine, he sure did ask a weird question.

She cocked her eyebrow. "Uhh, no. Yer a pegasus," she made sure his wing feathers were all in place. "Though if ya were a zebra, Rainbow'd have a lot of questions for me, Ah'm sure. You'd still be the most handsome zebra ever, though," she laughed before making sure he was going to be fine as she transported him like a precious little foal to the cart. She nodded for Ambrosia to head into the cart before she hitched herself to it. "Who wants ta have some real lunch?" She asked, trying to move on from this horrifying, terrible, no-good injury. They'd had some snacks, but growing ponies needed real meals! 

Muziki was delighted at hearing she was going to win a prize! Wow, her! A winner! She didn't think she would be a winner when she walked into the shop, but now she was a winner! What did she win? Were there prizes for being the mostest politest customer? What did the Equestrians give as prizes? She hoped it was delicious candies or a song and dance or maybe even a popcorn. She didn't know why they called it popcorn. Did the popcorns grow in popcorn fields? She did not know. But she knew it tasted good with the butter! And maybe she could get some today. Why, if she got a prize today she would be a very happy filly and she would have to tell everycreature about her excellent fortunes!

And then, as she contemplated this, she seemingly won her prize. Her delicious prize, the candy corn! For free! For her, the winner!
"Mimi ndiye mshindi! Muziki mshindi!" She said excitedly, beaming and jumping up and down in excitement as she took the candied corn. She'd have to share it with her momma and poppa later, so they could also win with her by having their tastes exploded with the joy of candied corn. She didn't know where they grew the candied corn but it had to have been a magicalplace full of joy because of how it made her feel. It made her feel special, like a winner, because she had won the candy corn!

She got ahold of herself after a few moments, trying to remember just what treats she had come in here for. She put the candy corn with a hungry lick of her lips in her open tiny cloth saddlebag and re-arranged her hat just a tiny bit so it didn't fall off. She then pulled out her small bits bag. it had once been a bigger bits bag, but as her saddlebag could tell from the various chotschkies in it, Las Pegasus businessponies had found a good mark in Muziki. She turned to the shop-mare with a trusting smile. "I'm Muziki. I'm here with momma and poppa doing a performance at one of your casinos! This city is very bright," she said with a giggle. "I want good treats, and umm, I have this much!" She said, revealing her last twelve bits.

Hygiene was always a complicated subject, especially when it concerned developing fillies and colts, as well as the myriad differences inherent in the various pony species. 'Wingpits' were known more academically speaking as the auxiliary joint, and it could indeed produce a foul smell after exertion. It was easy enough to control and manage as various small feathers could be preened to reduce any lingering odors. And baths. Spells too! Actually, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed there were too many methods of dealing with something so simple. Almost as if younger ponies cared a tremendous amount about...appearances...

She had to stifle her laugh as they breached the surface and started walking along the beautiful country trails of Sweet Apple Acres. It was often pleasant enough to visit the orchard just for the sweet sounds and smells of the Apple family at work. Tree bucking in the distance, the flap of wedded wings and the hearty laugh of loves well shared. A microcosm of the joy that friendship could bring, all of it enriched by the wonder and beauty of nature, and the cherished history that seemed driven on every blade of grass. "So Ambrosia, have you given any thought as to what you want to do when you grow up?" She said as she idly picked an apple off the dirt and dropped it in a basket with her magic.
 

That was certainly interesting. Twilight was certain that the way everypony developed was unique in their own way and she knew for a fact beyond any doubt that ponies learned and used magically different. Indeed, this reminded her of how Rainbow Dash excelled when it came to learning. Her mind picked up environmental, background information in an amazingly efficient and aggressive manner that she could not do anywhere near as well consciously. Perhaps there as a similarity there? It wouldn't be a shock if her magic worked better unconsciously. That was how Earth Pony magi worked best, after all, and despite being a unicorn her blood ran as Apple as any other.

Still, it was fantastic progress. Twilight got up, stretching her legs and wings. "I'm proud of you! You're doing great," she said as she moved on from the falling rock. "I bet your family is excited for you. Have you teleported your brother into a lake yet?" She said, laughing as if remembering a wonderful memory. Which she was. "Well, I wouldn't do that. Unless he stinks. Does he stink?" She asked playfully before her horn lit up and the cellar door opened. "Do you want to go for a walk? It is a very nice day out there, isn't it?"

Gallus walked alongside Silverstream, his wing jutted out semi-protectively. It was a reflexive Griffon move done subconsciously when you were feeling protective of another. Usually protective of a potential mate. It was done to show all the griffons around that the griff next to you was being protected by you, and that you two were mates. That was the biological, perhaps even social cause behind it. That was what Twilight had said, before she started going into the exact causes behind it. She seemed excited. He had seemed excited to sneak out of her lecture. Meanwhile, Yona had just said that griffon liked sea-griffon a lot, and that seemed to be pretty accurate too. And many less words.

And very true. He liked Silverstream and to his young griffon heart, feeling ablaze for the first time in his life as he walked next to her, it felt like a lot. It had been some time since their vacation to her home island...home ocean...homeland? That had proven to be quite the trip. Quite the memory. Quite the...experience. And after how it all ended, after what they had said to one another, he knew it was one he would never forget. Just like the cute hippogriff who was alongside him, he was sure it would never be forgot. Of course, the world didn't stop just because teenagers got their first crushes now, did it?

School demanded their time and attention, and as they gathered up new experiences their responsibilities their stress grew. With the mid terms finished it was a good time to get some stress relief. He wasn't sure he would necessarily trust Professor Rarity with stress relief as she seemed high-strung, but maybe that made her an expert on how to live with your heart in your throat at all times. And so they were on their way to the spa for a session at the sauna. "Think they call it a 'sesh on the sun', or is that too...Coaltifornia?" He pondered, his half-jutted wing whisping by Silver with every step.  

It was easy to see that Ambrosia had worked very hard on maintaining what she could do. Once a young unicorn realized what they were capable of, it was easy enough to have them maintain a steady work ethic for some time. Early on, magic education came with easily identifiable benefits. You learned the basics quickly and saw immediate results in a variety of fields. The imagination could scarcely keep up with the reality for some time. Eventually there was a decided downturn in the ready results and most unicorns started moving onto other, more important daily tasks as magic became a part of their normal instead of a delightful intruder upon it.

Twilight was very excited to see just how Ambrosia would come to use magic in her daily life on a farm that so often seemed to work tirelessly on the merits of the old Earth pony ways. It was less a clash of cultures than it was an integration of ideals and skills, not that she expected much drama to come from it. Perhaps when she had first come to know Applejack this would have proven a decisively interesting question but as it stood Twilight understood better than many that very little would come between Applejack and seeing Ambrosia happy and successful, regardless of what that meant. "It sounds like it. Have you been reading your books?" Twilight said as she looked at the rock, which Ambrosia had not yet put down.

Interesting! Well, in the ways a rock could be interesting. Did she know she still had it up? Perhaps she had spent so much magical energy that the relatively small drain required to keep a light spell such as this going was not being noticed. Very exciting if she was already able to treat levitation like a light cast- that would be signs of rapid progress on the basics. Of course, there were problems as well- magical leaking could drain her if she was using magic unawares at this age. "Amby, it seems you have started to really improve your levitation!" She said, gesturing to the rock. And hopefully not setting herself up to be rocked in the face by it.

Sunny took time to flatten the fake wings so she could show off her hoof-work, with each fake feather drawn in such a way as to try and make the whole look better than the parts. At this distance and once exposed, much easier to see the flaws in her work. "These ones are fake. The ones I sprout without meaning too are brighter and less...physical, I guess? Hard to put my hoof on it. Impossible, actually, heh," she asked as she unfurled the fake ones once more. "At least these ones I can have on demand! More reliable that way, right?" She asked as she watched Egret start to freak out about the town's lack of bars. Come to think of it, she didn't know of too many bars in Bridlewood- more of a tea and cube place it felt like. Only the Heights had a real 'bar scene' in Equestria. "It's true. I mean we have breweries and places like that but I don't think I've seen too many ponies asking for an active bar scene. I also haven't looked- its always possible there is some hole in the wall. But I guess that means your place should be a hit, right?"

She pondered the likely business success awaiting Egret while Allegro begged some time to get his costume ready. She was excited to see that, but found herself having to talk about the sea. "Oh, there are shipwrecks. Too many. The seas here can take a wild turn and do so quickly. My mom studied it for years. Still, at least we don't have a lot of shipwrecks due to fog or ponies missing the docks for the rocks," she replied as she allowed herself to look anywhere other than where Allegro was supposed to come out from. And when she did, she did a double-take!

That looked...almost real! He looked like a real monster!
"Oh wow!" Sunny said as she trotted over to investigate him further. "You look great! You're gonna knock everypony dead tomorrow! Where'd you get that?"

Pathfinder was more than a little happy to see that the married cult couple cutely carried on their shared fiction together. It was important to all successful unions, even those clearly made to further the aims of an evil cult that used music to brainwash their enemies (Pathfinder knew she was safe! Her brain worked differently since the three hundred and eighty hospital visits!). All relationships had myths and stories to tell, laid out not in print but in looks and smiles, thoughts, feelings, and the small chuckles that escaped their lips. It was super cute! Almost as cute as the little filly that Pathfinder couldn't help but make funny faces at after she got the adventurer's attention by calling her a clown. "Aww, you all just such a cute little cult family! I could eat you all up- gobble gobble!- but not in the literal pony-eating way, like the tatzelwurm. In the friendly way, like the sazzlewurm," she said as she pulled the parents in for a nice wing hug before letting them go. For now.

She was about to leave when Ice Storm showed up! Yaaaaaay Ice Storm. She liked Ice Storm. Ice Storm was a lot of fun at parties and at adventures and at adventuring parties! Sometimes she forgot that she was in a pretty safe role and acted a twinge too seriously, but that was a fault shared by many in their field. And so she made sure to wing hug the EPIC Agent and more. "Good to see ya too, Big Ice! I thought I might bump or fly or knock into you while I was in town. Or below town, like really really below town. How's the redacted redacted comin' along?" She winked as she flapped her wings. "I'm doing good. I even have that rope, by the way. Not even enchanted! Scrubs. You get captured and tortured and they don't even put their all into it? A waste of my time, that was. Still got something of theirs, anyway," she winked. "Oh! And I got soooo much candy! Look at this candy!" She shoved the bag in Storm's direction. "Sooo much. I'm gonna sugar crash like nopony's business after I wreck some cultist plan in a few minutes. You should really really check it all out, totally good deals here. And less cult activity than I thought! Still some, but less. Score!" She said excitedly before switching out her pith helmet for a pith helmet with a spike on it. "Anyway, I gotta go, gotta fly, gotta do the deed," she said as she waved enthusiastically at all the great ponies of the shop before launching herself out of the window.

**************************
 

Muziki watched the very fast pegasus booming out of the shop with the same curious amusement that she held for pretty much everything for the half-cloud city she found herself in. She still didn't know enough about the Equestria and the pony-folks who lived there to know why some clouds were okay to step on and others were not, but she trusted the Equestrians well enough to just ask their older souls the question when needed. It was a good thing she was so trusting in a city she had never been in before because otherwise she would be in a lot of trouble!

Her parents had been asked to perform some traditional Unyasi songs and dances for one of the smaller casinos as part of a cultural showcase. It paid well enough and more importantly got the family a few days in a new city! Going from the smaller villages and savannas of Unyasi to Manehattan, Ponyville, and Las Pegasus was a lot to take in! Muziki was up to the challenge and tried to learn as best she could from every place she visited or lived. What was she trying to learn in Las Pegasus? Hard to say. There was too much to do and while her parents met with the casino owner to hash out some details, she was given some bits and some directions from casino workers on places to visit.

She had spent a lot of bits on what could gracefully be called tourist trap tchotchkies. A small bag of little souvenirs clanked and clacked on her flank as her eyes looked around for something else to do. There was a lot to do. In fact she was on her way to some sort of puppet show when she saw a candy shop! It was then she realized that she needed candy. Yep, she needed that. More than puppets, at least for now.
So she trotted in place, reversed, found the line, and then sat down on her haunches politely waiting for the line to move with her. Every time it moved, she would get up and move and then sit right back down politely. She held her bits bag with the string in her mouth and when she was the first in line she took a few moments before she reached up and knocked on the door, putting her bits bag on the ground. She opened the door gently. "May I, umm, may I enter here, please?" The filly asked excitedly, the loose green fabric and blue bardic hat tipping in before her.

Twilight watched Ambrosia work herself hard once more, more than a little surprised even now about how far she was willing to push. She was by no small measure a departure from the normal Apple family values when it came to snout to ground work, but that didn't translate to magic it seemed. More than happy was this little filly to explore all that she could and comitt herself to training long past the point of comfort. Well, to some extent. She still didn't show any great desire to study the way Twilight had hoped, but that would come with time. Little fillies tended to adapt to that slowly. Beyond that, she had other elements to analyze.

Ambrosia was not going to become a magical powerhouse, that much was clear. While preliminary data was just that, it was rare for some of the fundamentals to be wrong and they told Twilight that the young Apple was possessed of somewhat below average magical power. Not anything that would really come back to harm her, of course. Fact was that unlike a pegasus whose flight capabilities could develop clear strengths and weaknesses that would be felt in day to day life, most unicorns rarely needed to use magic anywhere near their maximum. What she did show was a great aptitude at maintaining her levels. While certainly some of that was aided by her ring, it was an excellent sign for her future.

"That was very good, Ambrosia," Twilight said as she sketched some more in her notebook while sipping some tea. "You can relax. You're working ver hard! How do you feel?"

Sunny was very happy, very excited, very happycited to see that somepony else knew about Princess Luna and the myth of the Nightmare Moon, flapping her made-up wings with unintended excitement very briefly. The overwhelming majority of ponies didn't know about Luna, let alone the Nightmare. Ancient Equestria was still more myth than history to the majority of ponies. Twilight Sparkle herself and her friends were the majority of the events that remained. Those around them, even Celestia and Luna, were ethereal even now. If you asked a thousand ponies you would be lucky to find three who could name either of them, let alone the Nightmare. "Well, if a little old granny I don't think she'd think I'd be the Nightmare. Just evil Sunny. Maybe some bad smoothies," Sunny thought, "I'm not a brewery, though, so sadly I don't think I can help you Egret. But I'm sure i can see around for you," she offered Egret while the quartet commiserated finally.

Jazz seemed to indicate that she had not joined in the singing at least at first, which intrigued Sunny to no end. Allegro's unique ability? He was a unique stallion already. What other tricks did he have up his fetlocks and behind the ears? "Oh, a unique ability? You'll have to show us more later, Allegro," Sunny smiled as she considered his actual mission for the day more. He needed a bell- a real bell, real ocean. She wasn't sure why it was needed now when day would be easier, but who was she to judge the timing of other creatures? Plus, the beach could use some haunting melodies this year. The Spooky Season needed ambience! "Good thing we have the proper ambience, then. Somepony needs to do it," she winked. "We'll see about that bell. Or a bell, at least," she said as she went to go sit on a rock, stretching out her legs.

Speaking of Jazz, Sunny nodded. It was all true. She hung around Mane Melody often enough that she was somewhat sure that Jazz knew nearly as much as Pipp about what was happening with Sunny on any given day. It didn't hurt that she was easy to get along with! "A stroll along a spooky beach on a spooky night who heard spooky melodies and needed to investigate it? Geez Jazz, are you trying to become a character in one of those cheesy horror films?" She asked in mock horror, hooves to mouth to mask her impishness. "Well, I guess I'm no better. I was preparing to loom menacingly over the beach, I guess," she shrugged her shoulders before gazing out over the water. "And the water, too. Can you menace the ocean? Maybe the fish..."

"Haha, well, cults are known for brazeninity! And Cazook is pretty brazen, all things considered. No big deal though,  they're villains and villains lose, right?" She giggled excitedly before her eyes sparkling when the candymaker candymare candied up her history. "Oooh, an ancient family reciple handed down from generation to generation like the lost tomes of deliciousness, tempered by experience and training. I like it lots and lots!" She nodded, lots and lots. She started reaching into her saddlebag for the bits needed for the purchase.

She pulled out a used smoke bomb- "No,"- a torch, rope, and a singed tourniquet- "Nope!"- a half-dozen bloody arrowheads -"Not useful here!" - a glowing ceremonial dagger and two crystal eyes that snapped open to look around- "I didn't mean to bring you,"- a dented pith helmet and a clutch of explosives- "Not yet,"- seventy-five pages of an erotic self-insert fanfiction with Daring Do - "Not finished!"- and finally some bits. A number of bits more than was needed, but she wasn't sure which as she splayed it all on the counter. "There we are!" She said happily as she swept all the other items off into her saddlebag. After she did so she then tossed all the treats into the bag, too.

As she readied to leave, however, she had to address the musical pegasus in the room- due to the lack of elephants, primarily. "Awwww, thats super cute! Wait, your wedding bands, when they are linked together do you unlock a door or does something explode or do you gain super powers or do you see through each other's eyes or do you learn the secret code words or do you see the past or do you see the future or do you exchange the lies for truth or do you switch bodies or do you switch minds or do you gain access to the hidden vaults or is like a cult thing?"

Applejack responded quickly to the vulgarity allowance. "Yeah, but yer not an Apple. No offense, but we expect a bit of higher conduct outta our youngins, and her little sailor mouth has gotten a bit out of hand for show. Talks mostly normal when she is here but out in town its like she is showing it off," she snorted, "plus, yer a real adult. She went off once on her own and look what happened. Still too dang impulsive to be makin' all these heady decisions and actin' like she's some grizzled adventurer," she sighed. "Ah know Ah'm bein' unfair. Still can't help the way Ah feel, though," Applejack said as she walked slowly, all four of her legs walking in what could only be called a constrained rhythm with small steps inside the frame of her base. And even that seemed a tall order for her, as her chest heaved with effort from time to time as she fought down any further visible sign of distress.
The farm itself was abuzz with activity. The family were all out and about doing their duty, but a few extra cracks against trees and voices could be heard. Farmhooves that had been hired to pick up the slack- something more to eat at Applejack. It was a comfort that it took eight farmhooves to pick up her slack, but it was a cold one.

"So, here's tha rub," she said as she approached a copse of trees that were untouched. Buckets were situated next to all of them and a cart sat in the middle, arched towards a road. "By Doctor's Orders, Ah'm not supposed ta be doin' much of anythin'. Ain't listening like Ah should, but nonetheless Ah know what Ah sure as rain could use help with," she said as she found a place to sit and did so, wincing briefly before making herself comfortable, "yer gonna be buckin' an' collectin' apples. Buck 'em off tha tree, collect them in buckets, and then fill tha cart with buckets an' take them back ta tha barn next ta tha house. It's a light harvest so yer gonna be doin' this only a few times 'till Ah'll be needin' yer help with something else, but Ah reckon this'll take you a while," she said as she tried to make herself more uncomfortable. "when you buck, start conservative and then ramp up until you're gettin' it good. Ah'll be here with ya for a while. Better here than anywhere else, right?"

Twilight felt a little chagrined, having not even remembered the door in her excitement to get back to the time-tested value of education with a new student. As if to punish her cosmically, Applejack had entered and was one very proud mother. If she knew the vulgarity that was currently written on her walls in magical runes that would take time and dedication to remove then that outrageously large smile would vanish. More than that though, Twilight doubted that Ambrosia would even pause in reflection. She likely didn't know many vulgar words if any and would be proud nonetheless. It was more to save Applejack from embarrassment when Twilight decided to not fully reveal the contents of the message. "Very close to it, actually," Twilight laughed, not being too dishonest, "with a few small differences. Still, very impressive work! Something to be proud of, for sure," Twilight said as she started examining the words.

"Princess!" Came a voice from outside the room, followed by armored steps heading down. That door. That door was still open.
"Ah really should have closed that," Applejack whispered to her daughter playfully. "What was I, raised in a barn?"
"Your Majesty," the unicorn stallion guard said as he bowed, coming back up a moment later. "You are needed in- why does the wall have a obs-" he started before a magical piece of tape appeared over his mouth.
"I'm needed?" Twilight asked quickly, to get his mind on task and everyone's attention off of hints of wrongdoing, her eyes piercing him briefly until he got the message. The tape vanished.
He nodded and whispered to her. After a few moments, Twilight's eyes bugged out before a small frown formed. "Oh really? That's...interesting. I'll have to see this," she turned back to Ambrosia, abolishing the frown and replacing it with a smile.
"I'm sorry, but it appears as though I must go. Princess work never ends! Make sure to keep on practicing what I taught you and reading the book. I'll be back to train with you some more, okay?" She said as she magically ruffled the filly's mane. "Goodbye for now, Ambrosia! Applejack, I'll see you soon," Twilight said before she magically reorganized the room to be set for the filly and trotted up the stairs and away...for now.

Twilight's eyes twitched as she had to fight the urge to laugh. There was something inherently awful and funny about a filly or colt unknowingly spelling something that was...somewhat coarse, lets say. It would only become a problem if you let on that it was something not to be said in polite company. "Wow! That's really good, Ambrosia. Really...good!" She said, trying to not let the smile seem to be anything more than proud. "How did you...oh, I see!" She said with a laugh, her lesson plan out and about. Must have fallen out of her saddlebag. Thank the Stars that she didn't understand it! Twilight took the book in her magic and tucked it away. "How did it feel? Do you feel any horn strain?" She asked as she got closer to the runes, wondering how to remove it without it coming across as rude to the filly.

"Howdy!" Applejack bellowed down into the room, her head poking in from the opened door. Twilight may not have been born and raised in a born like Applejack was, but only one of them had the manners to show it! Didn't that silly filly know that if you kept your doors opened that all sorts of critters could get your crops. And critters getting your crops was a sure way to get your hide tanned by your granny. "Shouldn't be leaving these doors wide open-" Applejack said as she trotted down before seeing the runic writing on the weall with a magical glow that sure as shine wasn't Twilight's! "Amby, was this you? Is this you? You did this?" She said, her smile and excitement growing. "What's it say?"

Rarity took his time listening to the story and history that this Ice Storm was giving her. Well, no world was perfect, it seemed. he counted his blessings that despite the overwhelming horror of what had happened to the ground and the changes that all of Equestria had been forced to endure that at the very least thay saw no need to stoop to needing such ruffians as thie 'STAR'. That was a bit unkind, he had to admit. There were many reasons why a pony might feel the need to react to being threatened, or feeling threatened, in such a manner and it seemed like all Ice Storms everywhere were in one way or another obsessed with security and its many forms. But for a stallion who lived in a land of near perpetual peace, it just came across odd. The wonders of many realities!

"Well, I can't say anything of the sort was ever needed here. Equestria has been at peace...forever, essentially. The Royal Guards were only implemented soon after the event. Before that, the other nations were friendly with us. I think when Celestia burned down the Changeling Hives a few millennia ago, everycreature else got the message. Doesn't much matter now- those nations fell below, as did the overwhelming majority of their citizens. I haven't seen any Yaks, and the Kirins are..." Rarity trailed off as the ship gained in altitude to avoid a sonic current that sent the ship shuddering, a few glasses smashing to the ground. Rarity took it all in stride. You got used to that.

"In any case, your other half here was starting down her path even before the event," he said as he finished his drink, idly inspecting the glass. "Not sure about your Princess Luna, but our vanished entirely into the dreamscape after the event took place. A bit dramatic, but I suppose she felt needed there. Our Ice Storm didn't take too kindly to her former lover having vanished. Not that she wasn't a bad seed before- she once accidentally froze an entire city while testing a spell. Didn't spend a day in the dungeons for it thanks to Luna, either. She is more of a...hassle than a threat, normally," Rarity finished. It wasn't untrue, really. It was hard to call Ice Storm evil. She was more so just...quarrelsome. And powerful. Powerfully quarrelsome.

"As for your other needs, I may need to make some adjustments but I believe we can keep you stocked. Anything else you need?"

The book that she would find was embossed in purple and gold lettering, called 'prospective lesson plans' with an apple on the cover. It was intended as a long-term guide for what she planned to do with Ambrosia, even if at the moment it was little more than random notes and ideas. Little of it had been given truly deep thought as she had not been able to truly spend time with Ambrosia and understand just where she was. Much of it, almost all of it, would be hard for her to understand even in a year or two. But there were a number of drawings and symbols, elements of basic magical runic language that allowed spells to be taught cross-cultures and language. Something she could mimic, if not fully understand.

Twilight was a gone for a full fifteen minutes. She had to talk about some rather important subjects- first off how cute and well behaved Ambrosi was. Perhaps the most important subject two mares could ever discuss, if Ambrosia had any input. Then it became dramatically more boring. Twilight hadn't the time lately to make small talk with her friends and as history wouyld detail she did love that small talk as her reign's demands increased. How the orchard was doing; how the marriage was going; Zap's problems and successes in school, and just when Applejack was planning to get her flank back into athletics. It was easy enough to get lost when you were talking to a friend and only a sound from the training room, muffled as it was, made Twilight's ears twitch. "I should get back to it. We'll talk soon, okay?" Twilight offered as she turned and walked back down into the training room.

"I'm back Ambrosia! Have you been enjoying the st-"