Maidens Day

Chapters

Prologue
Sky
Earth
Apart
Together
Epilogue: Sun

Prologue

“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” the guard announced, as Twilight stepped into Celestia’s throne room. Twilight smiled and gave a small bow, as Celestia now stood and matched with one of her own.

“Twilight, it’s wonderful to see you.” Celestia said with a smile. “What brings you to Canterlot today?”

“Um, I made an appointment,” Twilight pointed out. “I had a question to ask you.”

“By all means. Go ahead.” Celestia studied Twilight, slightly worried.

“You know how I’ve always wanted to learn about Maidens Day? Since I first heard about it when I was a foal?” Twilight asked with an eager smile starting to form on on her face.

Celestia relaxed, nodding. “I do remember that, yes. It bothered you so much that there was something other ponies could know that you couldn’t.”

Twilight blushed, but it couldn’t remove the smile from her face. “Yes, well... um, as an alicorn, I’m technically part pegasus, and part earth pony...”

Celestia smiled indulgently at Twilight, but said nothing. Twilight was hoping that the princess would answer before she had to ask, but after a few seconds of silence Twilight’s patience gave up.

“Can I go to the Maidens Day festivals now? Can I please?” she blurted out, her eyes sparkling with the hope of being allowed to learn something previously forbidden. “Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and Applejack and Pinkie Pie are all going, and they’d explain things to me, and I’d never tell another pony. I promise!”

Princess Celestia chuckled. “Yes, Twilight. The earth ponies and pegasi allow the princesses to attend as they wish. You will not be participating, of course, that is a role reserved for the true earth ponies and pegasi.”

“Of course!” Twilight nodded happily. “Just being allowed to observe would be the chance of a lifetime. I have so many questions, the books are all so vague.”

“How much do you know?” Celestia asked suspiciously.

“Nothing!” Twilight said quickly, then she added, “I mean, only what’s in history books that anypony could find. All that I know is that it’s a fertility ritual, and was historically an act of unity between the tribes, but when you took over the duty of raising the sun the unicorns decided not to participate.”

Celestia raised her eyebrows in amusement. “Well, this will be enlightening. Just remember, Twilight, magic can take many forms. This is an ancient ritual, and it’s changed very little in thousands of years. Keep an open mind, and I’m sure you’ll learn quite a lot.”

Twilight grinned. “So, it’s like primitive magic? Oh wow, I can’t wait to see it! What do they use to channel the magic? Is there chanting? Or fire? I read that fire used to be used in the raising of the sun, and I’ve always wanted to see fire channel magic-”

Celestia held up a hoof. “Twilight, you’ll see the ritual soon enough.”

“Thank you, Princess! I’m sure I’ll have lots to talk to you about afterwards!”

“I’m sure you will,” Princess Celestia said, suppressing a smirk. “Farewell until then, Twilight.”

“Yes, until then. I have to go tell the girls!” Twilight flapped into the air and flew quickly out the door.

Once Celestia was sure she was gone, the princess allowed herself a chuckle. She glanced over to see the pegasus guard raising an eyebrow. As soon as he noticed her looking, his face dropped to the typical flat expression required for his job.

“Did you have a question?” Celestia asked gently.

His eyebrow went up again. “Don’t you think you should have warned her about the ritual? I don’t think unicorns know this stuff still happens.”

“And deny her friends the look on her face when she realizes? Besides, the earth ponies and pegasi are the ones who truly understand the ritual. I’m sure all of you can explain it better than I.”

Sky

Rainbow Dash flew towards the location of the Maidens Day celebration, with Twilight and Fluttershy lagging slightly behind. This year it was in an unpopulated area a few hours north of Ponyville. It was a beautiful day, the pegasi in charge of the surrounding areas did a great job; the sky was clear, except for some carefully placed clouds for resting in spots that provided a picturesque view. As they neared the site, those views were of gently sloping hills covered in wild grass, with the occasional patch of forest between.

Of course, Rainbow Dash had no use for those clouds; picturesque was not at the top of her priority list. Winning was never far from the top of that list, and from the time they’d left Ponyville, Dash meant business. She’d tried not to fly too fast, so that Fluttershy and Twilight could keep up, but any suggestion that this might be a good time for a rest was met with an incredulous look, then promptly ignored. Getting to the Cloud Temple in time to sign up was priority number one right now.

Finally, the temple came into view. It was a massive building of clouds, with rainbow falls streaming down the front like columns. Dash knew that it took dozens of pegasi to haul it from Cloudsdale to wherever the ritual was held each year. As they got closer, Dash could see that the skies around it were swarming with pegasi who planned on attending or entering the competition.

Dash veered off to the left, well before the temple, and landed on a cloud.

“We’re stopping?” Twilight asked, shocked.

“Gotta catch my breath for a few minutes. I can’t go in there worn out,” Dash said, not really out of breath, but carefully stretching her wings. She had to be in top shape, and she had to have her head together.

Twilight and Fluttershy looked at each other and sat down with a shrug. Fluttershy admired the scenery below, and Twilight just grinned at the temple.

“I’m so excited, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to learn about this!” Twilight happily informed her friends for the tenth time since she’d gotten permission from Princess Celestia.

“It’s cool you could come.” Dash grinned. “I always need more ponies to cheer me on.”

“Cheer you on in what? Can you tell me what’s going to happen?” Twilight asked eagerly.

Dash smirked. “First, there’s this competition I have to win... a race, some combat, and some weather stuff. Then, I’ll give you the inside scoop on being Cloud Maiden.” Dash struck a cool pose she’d been working on for when she went up to get her crown.

“What’s a Cloud Maiden?”

Dash raised an eyebrow, still in her cool pose. “Maidens Day, Twilight. Think about it for a second.”

“The Cloud Maiden is the pegasus in the ritual, later. The Flower Maiden is the earth pony.” Fluttershy explained. “It’s a very big honor to be Cloud Maiden, you have to be the best pegasus mare available.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “So one of you could be the Cloud Maiden, and perform the ritual?”

“Oh, no. Not me.” Fluttershy shrunk back behind her mane.

“Fluttershy is just here to cheer me on,” Dash explained, with a comforting smile to Fluttershy. “She doesn’t wanna be Cloud Maiden.”

“Why not, if it’s such an honor?” Twilight asked Fluttershy.

“Um... because of the ritual,” Fluttershy whispered.

“What sort of ritual is it? How is the magic channeled?”

Rainbow Dash gave a snorting laugh. “You don’t know any of it?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I was a unicorn.”

Fluttershy and Dash exchanged glances. Dash knew that Twilight shouldn’t know about this, but she was used to Twilight knowing about everything. And explaining this to somepony who didn’t know was going to be weird. And, she had to admit, kind of funny.

“Oh... my...” Fluttershy searched for words.

Dash giggled. “Okay, well, this is a fertility thing. So what is fertility all about?”

“Making things grow?” Twilight guessed.

“Well, um, in a way it’s about that.” Fluttershy said gently. “But it’s also about, well--”

“Sex.” Dash smirked. “Which is what the Maidens are there for.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of reddish purple. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before squeaking, “Sex?! You mean, like, intercourse?”

“Yup.” Dash giggled at Twilight’s expression as she spoke, “The Cloud Maiden and the Flower Maiden go into the ritual space and rut like bunnies, and it makes the earth ready for plants and stuff to grow. So, if you’re Cloud Maiden, you’ve gotta be ready to go muzzle to tail with whoever the earth ponies pick.”

“And I don’t really want to do that...” Fluttershy added. “Not that it isn’t a huge honor.”

“A huge honor? That’s disgusting! I mean, I know it’s old and powerful and can channel magic, but we’re talking bodily fluids here!” Twilight said, staring wide eyed at Fluttershy, before turning to Dash. “Wait, you’re going to try to be Cloud Maiden?”

“Of course!” Dash swelled up with pride at just the thought of it. “Being the Cloud Maiden of the pegasi is like being Princess for a day! Plus, all the other pegasi know you won a year. You get to brag that you were a Cloud Maiden for the rest of your life!”

“So, you’re willing to have sex with a strange pony for that?”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Not me, Twilight. The Cloud Maiden. While you’re the Cloud Maiden it doesn’t really count. It’s magic.”

“Um, how does it not--” Twilight started, but she was interrupted by the sound of a horn from the temple.

“Gotta go! Gotta get signed up!” Dash shouted, already flying towards the cloud building. “Watch for me in the contest!”

As Dash darted towards the building, she shook her head at Twilight’s questions. Being Cloud Maiden was totally not the same as having sex with a strange pony. While Dash had done many awesome things in her life, she’d never had sex that literally lit up the sky with lightning and made flowers grow and bloom, though she liked to think she came close once or twice. But that’s what the Cloud Maiden did, what she would be doing tonight if she won this.

Inside the temple was a huge hall, filled with pegasi flying in every direction. Dash scanned the room and found the sign-up table, with a crowd of a couple dozen other girls around it. Flying over and hovering in line, she took a moment to check out the competition.

The pony in front of her, she recognized immediately. Fleetfoot. Dash had known that some of the Wonderbolts would be competing; a lot of them had their turns already, but there were a few who hadn’t made it yet. Still, having one standing in front of her, waiting to get a number just like Dash was, drove it home that this was not going to be a fly in the park.

The line moved forward, but Dash didn’t notice until the pony behind her bumped into her. She blushed and flew forward quickly. “Uh, sorry.”

“I thought they were looking for ponies who could fly,” the pony behind her sneered.

Dash grit her teeth and looked away, pretending she didn’t hear. Then she heard Fleetfoot say, “Are you a moron?”

Dash’s eyes went wide in shock, and she started to blush harder as she quickly turned to figure out what she’d done to offend a Wonderbolt. She just saw Fleetfoot raising an eyebrow at the pony behind Dash.

“What? She’s not even awake!”

“You better hope she stays that way." Fleetfoot motioned to Dash. "This is Rainbow Dash. The sonic rainboom filly? She’s got more magic in her than the rest of us here combined.”

Dash grinned. A Wonderbolt knew who she was! And thought she should be here!

“Still not as fast as me, though,” Fleetfoot finished, turning back around. The brown mare behind Dash was still glaring at her, but there was a considering look to it now.

Dash had to admit that Fleetfoot was right. The race was, for once in her life, not going to be her strongest point. Besides Fleetfoot, Dash could see Lightning Dust towards the front of the line. There were faster ponies in Equestria than Rainbow Dash, and several of them were competing to be Cloud Maiden.

The fight cube was a toss up. Dash knew she might not look like much, especially compared to some of the mares she could see in the crowd, but none of them had taken on a changeling army and very nearly just about won. It would come down to who was in there with her. She really hoped it wasn’t Lightning Dust; that was a pony who would totally fight dirty.

But even Fleetfoot thought Dash had a chance, and that came down to the weather event. Weather control was pegasus magic. Pegasi didn’t talk about magic much, it was usually just a talent. Some ponies could clear a cloud in one kick, some of them took three. But every now and then a pegasus came along who had real magic. It was rare, not even once a generation; there was a reason the sonic rainboom was legendary.

Once Dash got up to the desk, registration was a breeze. She just had to give them her name, and sign a paper saying that she understood all of the responsibilities of being the Cloud Maiden. With a quick scrawl, she was offered a number and sent to the arena attached to the back of the temple.

Pegasi filled the stands that surrounded the racetrack, and in the center of that floated the cloud columns of the empty fighting cube. Above the arena, clouds were being carefully positioned for the weather contest. But right next to the arena entrance the crowd of competitors gathered on a cloud platform. Dash landed there and stretched her wings, keeping her eye on the other mares warming up as they kept an eye on her.

After a couple of minutes, a whistle blew, and Dash looked up. A pale blue mare with an aqua mane was standing in front of the group with a clipboard. The gathered ponies stopped their exercises and turned their attention to her.

“Alright, listen up. This isn’t just another game, girls. You’re competing to be the Cloud Maiden, the very symbol of pegasus excellence. Do not forget this,” the blue pony said. “So first, you fly to the rainbow pool over there. You dip your wing tips in for the Cloud Maiden, and your forehooves in for the Flower Maiden, and then we want to see you do your best for both of them! We have judges at each event, watching not only your skill and scores, but your ambition, sportsmareship, and tactics. They want to see each of you compete like a true pegasus. Got it?”

“Yes ma’am!” Rainbow Dash answered, along with every other pegasus there.

“Great. We’ll be forming you into groups by numbers. First group...” The pony listed off a hoof full of numbers, and those ponies went to the rainbow pool, decorated themselves, and continued to their first event. Dash was in the second group called, twenty ponies including her and Lightning Dust.

Dash flew to the cloud with the liquid rainbow and squeezed between other ponies to dip her hooves in.

“This stuff is gross,” one mare complained, dipping only the tip of her hooves in.

Dash put both hooves fully in the pool, then leaned to either side to dip her wing tips. “I like rainbow. I’ve got a fountain at home.”

“You would.” A different pony rolled her eyes.

“Awesome recognizes awesome, girls,” Dash said with a grin as she shook her wings and hooves dry, then flew off to her first event.

***

About an hour later, Rainbow Dash had completed the race and the fighting cube, and flew to the stands to find Twilight and Fluttershy before her turn at the weather course.

She found them in one of the box seats. In the next box over was a family with a colt and filly who were constantly shoving each other, treating their seats as their own personal fighting cube. Dash caught the filly as she was shoved out of the box, giving the kid a chance to catch the air with her wings. “Remember: keep moving. Always keep moving,” Dash offered, as the filly shot back into the box towards her brother.

Dash landed next to her friends with a grin. “Hey, guys. How did I look?”

“Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked quickly. “I saw that pony hit you in the face in the fighting cube, and, um, Twilight said I shouldn’t fly out there to you. But that’s not allowed, a pony could really get hurt.”

Dash frowned. “That totally was cheating! Everypony knows head, hair and wings are off limits. I was kicking flank, too! I’d just cleared out two other ponies with one move--” she flew into the sky and gave a sharp kick with her front and rear legs at the same time. “--when I felt something slam into my face!” Dash tossed herself backwards and landed on the cloud floor of the box. “I turned back, and there was Lightning Dust, smirking at me. It was so hard not to jump back in and show her who she was dealing with.”

Her pout turned to a smile. “But I’m fine, and the judges saw it. Besides, Lightning Dust got all worn out there, so I pulled off that wicked move at the race.”

“I saw that!” Twilight said with a smile. “You had me worried, you were behind her the whole race...”

“Strategy, Twi!” Dash grinned, thumping the floor with a hoof. “Pegasi aren’t just amazing athletes and tough warriors, we’re also brilliant strategizers.”

“Strategists,” Twilight said with a smirk.

“Whatever. I knew Lightning Dust was gonna cheat again, she was probably gonna try to bump me off track if we were fighting for first.” Dash flew into the air, then back and forth in front of the box to demonstrate the speed that would have kept her in first place. “So I fell behind the whole race and she couldn’t run into me.” Dash slowed with a pained expression on her face. “Do you guys know how hard it is to let somepony fly ahead of you in a race?”

“Um...” Fluttershy said, blinking. Twilight just rolled her eyes.

“Well, it’s really hard,” Dash informed them. “But I did it, and I used that pacing thing you taught me, Twilight. So Lightning Dust wore herself out, and when we rounded the turn to the finish... BAM!” Dash shot into the air and did a spin, tossing up her forelegs. “Rainbow Dash in first place! Like it should be.” She slowly returned to the cloud as Fluttershy and Twilight both grinned.

“You were amazing,” Twilight assured her.

“I could have done better without her help, but I think the judges saw how I handled it.” Dash gave a little shrug and grinned. “She won’t be laughing when I’m Cloud Maiden.”

“So, the judging is a big part of this?” Twilight asked.

“Oh yes.” Fluttershy nodded. “This isn’t only a physical competition. It’s about being a pegasus.”

Twilight eyed the field, set up for the difficult athletic events. “Does that mean that a pegasus like Fluttershy would have a chance? One who isn’t as good at flying?”

Fluttershy blushed deeply, and looked down. “Um...”

“No,” Dash said bluntly. She gave a concerned glance to Fluttershy, then said plainly to Twilight, “Look, the pegasi send the very best pegasus they can find, not the best pony. A good pegasus is tough, competitive, smart, honorable, and a really great flyer. I know lots of great ponies who aren’t all of those things.”

“Oh... I see.” Twilight glanced between her friends awkwardly. “Well, Dash, I think you’re a great pegasus. I’m sure the judges will see that.”

“I’m probably towards the middle of the pack now...” Dash admitted, happy for the change of subject. “Even if they saw Lightning Dust cheating, my times in the cube and the race weren’t awesome. But I’ve got the weather course to really wow them.”

“Can you do that?” Twilight asked.

“Of course she can do that!” Fluttershy smiled at Rainbow Dash with earnest pride.

Dash grinned. “I’ve got a good chance.”

“Rainbow, you have better than a good chance,” Fluttershy said, flying to her friend to wrap a foreleg around her. “You’re the best weather pony in Equestria.”

“I know. I just have to do something special here.” She bit her lip, trying to think of just the right trick.

“A sonic rainboom?” suggested Fluttershy.

Dash shook her head. “Nah, that’d be way too showy here. It would look like I thought that was the only reason they should pick me. I’ll have to take a look at the course, and work with what they give me... actually, I’d better get back there now.”

“Good luck!” Twilight offered.

“We’ll be watching!” added Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash took off. On her way past the box where the filly and colt were playing, she saw the little filly give her brother a good buck to the chest, sending him toppling over the edge where he quickly caught the air with his wings. Dash grinned and gave a salute to the girl. “That’s how ya’ do it!”

The filly saluted back, and Dash made her way to the weather course.

She waited on a platform at the beginning of the course as the other contestants in her group gathered. Lightning Dust was frowning and glaring at Dash, but there wasn’t much she could do to mess up this event. They would be running the weather course one at a time, so Dash only had to focus on herself.

Rainbow Dash got her first good look at the course and smiled. Clear thirty clouds; five of them were rain clouds, so they’d have to be emptied first. A thunderhead slalom... nice touch. And lastly, paint a rainbow. She could do this in her sleep. But sleeping wasn’t going to make her Cloud Maiden, and this course needed a little improvement. Just to make things interesting.

They formed a line, and Dash watched the mares in front of her take their turns. Some of them were talented, no question. A few just made her smack her face with her hoof-- there was never a reason for a crooked rainbow. That was just sloppy. Of course it was one of the mares who thought rainbow was gross.

Dash watched Lightning Dust closely. She ran the whole course fast and clean-- she cleared the sky quickly, stacking her rainclouds to empty them all at once. She made it easily through the thunderheads, then she painted a perfect rainbow in the sky. If Dash had a pony who could do that on her weather team at home, she would have been happy, but this wasn’t the Ponyville weather patrol.

On her turn, Dash stepped up to the beginning of the course. She had a plan, she knew what she wanted to do. Now it was just up to her and the clouds.

The whistle blew and Dash was in the clear air surrounded by clouds. She shot between the fluffy clouds, darting from one to another and dispatching each one into a puff of vapor with a single kick. Then she quickly corralled the gray rainclouds and wrapped them together into one giant cloud, giving a few hops to empty the contents and turn it clean and white. She didn’t clear this cloud, though. Rainbow Dash had other plans.

Pushing the massive cloud in front of her, she flew towards the thunderheads; each horizontal column was dark gray and sizzling with lightning. Carefully steering her cargo, she wove over and under each pole as quickly as she could manage. Halfway through, her bunch of cloud floated a little higher than she planned and came within inches of scraping one. Dash’s eyes went wide as she gave it a quick tug, narrowly avoiding the chain lightning reaction that would have fried her, without losing her momentum.

She came out of the gray clouds flying fast, and set her bunch of white clouds in the center of the clear patch of sky, grinning. Now it was time to show them something they hadn’t seen before.

First she flew in tight circles around the cloud, poking and guiding the cloud into shape as she went. If she was going to be perfectly honest, even she wasn’t sure how she did this, but the clouds always seemed to get it. When she finished, she flew down and grabbed a brush full of rainbow, quickly putting the finishing detail of rainbow fountains on her scale cloud-sculpture of Cloudsdale, before painting a rainbow over it in a perfect arc.

She turned to the judges, who were just staring at her with their eyebrows raised. Worry hit her for a second; she hoped they weren’t going to be mad that she was showing off. But they wanted to see what she could do with weather, and they wanted the very best. They didn’t tell her she couldn’t run the course with a cloud in hoof, or build a cloud sculpture. So she just smiled at the judges, gave them a salute, and flew back to the contestants. Rainbow Dash had shown them her best, and now she just had to wait.

***

A little while later the contestants had been dismissed, the judges were talking, and Rainbow Dash found Twilight and Fluttershy sitting on a cloud platform in the main hall of the temple. Most of the pegasi were gathered here, some on platforms and some hovering in the center. Everypony knew it wouldn’t be long now.

“Found you!” Dash said as she landed. “What’s up?”

Fluttershy grinned, “You were wonderful! We saw everything.”

“I never realized you were so good with weather!” Twilight said with a smile. “I mean, I knew you could do all of that, but it seemed like the other ponies had a lot more trouble with it.”

“I told you I was the best weather pony in Equestria. It’s not my fault you didn’t believe me,” Dash said with a smirk.

“Well, I believe you now. So, are you happy with how everything went?” Twilight asked.

Dash nodded. “I am. I gave them my best. And if I’m not the best pegasus they saw today, I’ll give them my best again next year, and every year until they make me Cloud Maiden.”

Twilight’s face lit up. “I hope you do get to be Cloud Maiden! The ritual is fascinating! Fluttershy explained the, um, effects of the magic conducted--”

“The what now?” Dash asked.

“The things that happen during the sex,” Twilight explained.

“Oh, right.” Dash nodded. “The storm and the trees and all that.”

“Right. That’s very powerful magic. I was telling her that I think I’m understanding the purpose of all of this. It’s like the Summer Sun Celebration,” Twilight said, as if that explained things.

Dash was still confused. “I’ve seen the Summer Sun Celebration, Twilight. There’s no sex in the Summer Sun Celebration.”

“No, because Princess Celestia channels magic through her horn.” Twilight made her own horn glow to illustrate. “Earth ponies and pegasi channel magic through their bodies. But their magic is just as important as unicorn magic to keep the world healthy. So, what the ritual does is allow that magic to be reinforced, both in the minds of the ponies, and by magnifying it and renewing it in the earth and sky.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. So?”

“So... it’s exciting!” Twilight ruffled her wings. “For the night of the ritual, the Cloud Maiden and the Flower Maiden are the pegasus and earth pony equivalents of Princess Celestia, at least in her role of raising the sun. They have power that matches hers, while the ritual is going on, and in their own ways they’re just as important to Equestria.”

Dash’s brain finally processed what Twilight was trying to say. As it became clear, her eyes went wide. “What?!”

“They do?” Fluttershy asked, her eyes matching Dash’s.

Twilight seemed taken aback by the reactions. “Um, yeah. I mean, I can count on two hooves the number of ponies who could channel magic like that, and they raise the sun and the moon. Pegasi and earth ponies just can’t channel the magic through horns, so they use their bodies to affect the world.”

Dash just stared. “I never thought of it like that... so if I’m Cloud Maiden...?”

“You’ll be one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria for the evening. The power to control all of Equestria’s weather will be inside of you, and the Flower Maiden will be drawing it out. Of course, from what Fluttershy said it seems like the ritual boundaries contain the actual effects, but the magic will spread over the world.”

“Wow.” Dash blinked, letting the idea settle in. She’d known the ritual was magic, and there were some neat things like the storm. But the idea of that much magic being inside of her, and released from her, was hard to imagine.

“And, of course, it would be up to you to draw the magic out of the Flower Maiden.” Twilight added.

“Like, princess-level magic?”

“Uh-huh! Wouldn’t that be exciting? I mean, the magic part, not the way you go about doing that. That’s still a little gross.”

“Yeah,” Dash said absently. She was busy trying to imagine why it was a good idea to have her muzzle buried in a strange pony who was unleashing literally earth-shattering magic. What if they messed up? Could they destroy Equestria just because Dash nibbled something too hard?

On the other hoof, she knew from the past that not being good enough was bad. It lead to years with not enough rain, or crops that didn’t grow well. Farmers complained, and the pegasi couldn’t do much for them. Then food prices went up and nopony was happy. There were stories about the times when the Cloud Maiden and the Flower Maiden couldn’t make anything happen at all, and the droughts ruined the land. The last time that happened, the amount of blame and hoofpointing was said to have opened the door for the windigos...

Twilight was still talking, oblivious to Dash’s reaction. “I wonder if Applejack and Pinkie Pie know about this? I can’t wait to tell them! Or to see the--”

The horn sounded, silencing the huge crowd.

“What’s happening?” Twilight whispered.

“They’ve decided,” Fluttershy whispered back, smiling.

Dash just bit her lip as the Equestrian anthem was played by a group of royal guards with horns and drums. The crowd parted, giving a wide berth as a processional of important pegasi flew to a platform in the center of the temple. Spitfire was there, both in her role as captain of the Wonderbolts and as the previous year’s Cloud Maiden. The mayor of Cloudsdale was in the group as well, and a hooffull of royal guards, and some important looking ponies who were probably higher-ups at the weather factory.

They stood on the platform in an orderly row and waited for the anthem to finish. When the last note sounded, silence fell over the crowded temple, and Spitfire flew up a few feet into the air, and hovered over the gathered dignitaries as she pulled out a scroll and read:

“Fillies and gentlecolts, we have chosen the Cloud Maiden.

“Long ago, the position of Cloud Maiden began as a duty. A duty pegasi took on gladly, to restore magic to our tribe and to the sky we call home, and to aid the other tribes in bringing magic to themselves and the land. Each year, ponies join together in a sacred ritual that reaches back to the first herds that ran and flew, long before the great nation of Equestria was founded. Being a Cloud Maiden remains the highest calling a pegasus mare can answer.

“Over time, as the tribes grew apart, the position of Cloud Maiden became even more important; she became a symbol of the pegasi, showing the other tribes the power and beauty of our ponies. She would display to all ponies the excellence we each strive for in courage, honor, and skill. To this day, the pony chosen as Cloud Maiden is our representative, an honor we only bestow on a mare who has proven her fitness before us all.

“This year’s Cloud Maiden will join a noble lineage. It should come as no surprise that many of our most honored heroes have worn this crown. Brilliant commanders, fearless explorers, and record-breaking athletes have all claimed the title of Cloud Maiden. I consider it the highest honor I have achieved in my life, and I hope the next Cloud Maiden holds it in as high regard, even as she strives for her place in the sky. If a pony was content with a single achievement, she wouldn’t be a Cloud Maiden.

“To all of those who tried, we salute you. The position of Cloud Maiden is not just a prize, it is a responsibility. The Cloud Maiden is all pegasi, her magic is our magic, and her performance in the ritual reflects our dedication to our role in the world; as stewards of the weather, as allies of other ponies, and as ponies with an unmatched history of excellence in every endeavor we undertake. To compete for this position shows the willingness of our current generation to strive for the same glory our ancestors achieved, and I’m proud to say that the number and quality of contestants was impressive.

“When Equestria calls on the pegasi, we hold nothing back. From our contestants we’ve selected the best possible mare to do our part in insuring the bounty and beauty of Equestria this year. The fruitfulness of our nation rests on her wings, so we’ve ensured that they are strong. The comfort of ponies everywhere depends on her magic, so we’ve ensured that it’s abundant. We have no doubt that she will bring honor to the pegasi, and fertility to the world. So it gives us great pride to recognize Rainbow Dash as our Cloud Maiden.”

Dash blinked. She won. She was the Cloud Maiden.

Fluttershy hugged her tight and squealed.

Twilight was grinning and saying stuff.

Rainbow Dash reminded herself that she’d won. She knew how it felt to win, she loved that feeling, but she wasn’t feeling it now.

Fluttershy let go of her and gave her a gentle push towards the center of the hall. “You need to go accept the crown!”

Dash nodded, in a dream. There was a crown. A crown she’d won. She flew to the center of the hall, barely aware that she was moving. When she got there, next to Spitfire, a pony came up with a crown shaped like a circle of lightning bolts, laying on a cloud pillow. It looked really... pointy. Like it would hurt. She wasn’t sure she wanted it on her head.

Nopony asked her, though. Spitfire took it off of the cloud and put it on Dash’s head, where it felt strange and itchy.

“Good luck,” Spitfire said with a curt nod.

“Thank you. I-- I’ll make everypony proud.” Dash said, trying to give a confident smile. She guessed that it worked, because Spitfire gave a small smile back. Dash held the smile on her face as she turned to the crowd. The sounds of the cheers echoed through the temple like thunder, and Dash did her best not to whimper.

As the cheering continued, two of the armored pegasi guards from the royal palace flew up beside her. They both gave something between a nod and a bow, and one spoke loudly over the crowd. “We’re here to take you to your room, when you’re ready.”

Dash just stared at the crowd, the smile painted on her face.

“Ma’am?”

Dash looked at him and blinked. “Oh, um, right. Let’s go.” Dash found where Fluttershy and Twilight were standing, and gave a quick motion for them to follow her. The guards took off and lead them to a room at the top of the temple. Fluttershy and Twilight landed a few seconds after Dash and the guards, causing the white pegasi to raise their eyebrows.

“They’re helping me get ready. Gotta look hot tonight, ya’ know? Heh.” Dash said with a false cheer that the guards seemed to accept, or not question at least. They opened the door for the three mares, then closed it behind them as soon as all three were inside.

The room wasn’t lavish-- not like Canterlot Castle or the Carousel Boutique-- but it was large, sunny, and comfortable. There were two couches for resting or sleeping, a table full of what must have been imported produce to eat, and a sunken tub with shelves of soaps, brushes, and perfumes. Everything a pony might need to spend a relaxing day preparing for a date that the fate of Equestria was riding on.

Twilight grinned. “You must be so excited...”

“Uh... yeah! Totally! But, not as excited as the Flower Maiden should be.” Dash grinned fairly convincingly for her friends.

“I didn’t mean about that part,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I meant about the magic.”

Dash felt the worry well up inside of her. The magic was the part that Dash specifically did not want to think about, and clearly this was showing on her face.

“Are... you okay?” Twilight asked, seeming slightly confused.

Dash took a deep breath, then tried to smile again. “Twilight, I’m totally okay. I’m the Cloud Maiden, why wouldn’t I be okay? I won, and I’ve got a pointy sharp crown thingy. It’s awesome, right?”

Twilight nodded. “It’s very exciting. But you don’t seem okay.”

“I’m okay! I just need to take this thing off. It itches.” Dash said, reaching up to the crown and pulling it off. Everything felt slightly better with the crown off. “Anyway, I’m gonna do the ritual tonight. But that’s hours away. For now I just need to relax. I’m gonna need all of my awesomeness if I’m gonna make this thing work.”

“Has it ever not worked? What would happen if it doesn’t?” Twilight asked.

“Um... usually it’s just that the Flower Maiden and the Cloud Maiden don’t... get along.” Fluttershy explained, blushing. “Then it’s just a bad year for the farmers. Applejack will be very upset.”

Dash hadn’t thought about Applejack. Applejack who was a farmer, whose job depended on the ritual. They’d watched the ritual together last year, once it started and the pegasi were allowed to land. Fluttershy and Pinkie had been there too, but AJ was really into the whole thing, pointing out all the signs that things were going well and she was going to have an awesome year.

Dash swallowed hard. Not only was Equestria counting on Dash, one of her best friends was counting on her, and would be watching for all the signs the Cloud Maiden was messing up.

Fluttershy just went on, “But if things go really badly, it causes droughts, or famine, or plagues, or-- but, that hardly ever happens.”

“Of course not!” Twilight said happily. “It’s been decades since there’s been a problem like that in Equestria.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like I’m gonna let everypony in Equestria down,” Dash said, trying to sound casual. “I mean, what sort of pony would I be if I got chosen as Cloud Maiden, and I couldn’t follow through?”

Fluttershy smiled, and put a hoof on her shoulder. “We know, Rainbow. Everypony knows they can count on you. That’s why they chose you.”

“Right. I mean, I’m Rainbow Dash! There’s nothing I can’t handle. This is gonna be a breeze, the Flower Maiden probably won’t even be able to handle me.”

“Well, I should go and see what the earth ponies are doing,” Twilight suggested.

“Tell the Flower Maiden she’s in for a treat! I’ll be so good there’ll be plants growing in the Appleloosan desert!”

“Um... I’ll let you tell her that tonight.” Twilight walked over to the large open balcony. “See you later!”

Dash watched Twilight flying off, her own wings itching with envy. She wanted to go out and fly around. She wanted to be at the ritual site right now, where she could see teams of pegasi setting up ornate cloud patterns over the hilltop. She didn’t want to think about what she was supposed to do on the hilltop. She wanted to think of a way to get out of it.

While she was undoubtedly awesome, Rainbow Dash decided that the pegasi had chosen the wrong Cloud Maiden. The Cloud Maiden should be somepony... gentle. Earth ponies liked things that were gentle. And somepony who knew a lot about the ground would be good. And there were a lot of yellow things on the ground...

Fluttershy squirmed in the appraising look that Dash had been giving her the last few moments. “Rainbow?”

Dash snatched up the crown and plopped it on Fluttershy’s head. “You have to do this for me!”

“I-- I don’t want to be the Cloud Maiden!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Neither do I!” Dash answered frantically.

“But, you entered the competition...” Fluttershy pointed out, taking the crown off her head.

“I didn’t know! I didn’t know I was supposed to be some super magical princess for a night, I thought I just had to have sex with the Flower Maiden and make the grass grow!”

“Um, that is what you have to do.”

“But-- what if I mess it up?” Dash tried to explain. “What if I’m the worst Maiden ever, and I barely put any magic in the world, or put too much magic in the world, and ponies hate me?”

“Nopony will hate you.” Fluttershy said softly.

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Fluttershy, have you ever met a pegasus? The ones out there?”

Fluttershy hesitated, then said, “Yes...”

“They will hate me. You won’t hate me, our friends won’t hate me, even if I let AJ down and she loses the farm. But those pegasi out there will hate me. They’ll spit my name. It’ll be a new word for idiot, ‘why is that dumb pony such a Rainbow Dash?’”

Dash started to shake, and looked imploringly at Fluttershy. “I can’t do this. There’s no way I can do this.”

“They all saw you get chosen.” Fluttershy said trying to hide behind her hair. “If the Cloud Maiden doesn’t show up tonight, they’ll all... um...”

“Hate me,” Dash finished, her ears drooping. That was that, really. If she failed, they’d hate her. If she tried to quit, they’d hate her. The only possible way out of this was to go through that ritual and do a decent job. Which was just what she was sure she couldn’t do.

Earth

Maidens Day was one of Applejack’s favorite days of the year. The meadow where the earth ponies set up was full of activity; a small fair with treats, crafts, and entertainers. Most ponies who came brought a wagon of goods to sell, but often they weren’t the typical market stock. It was too early in the spring for most produce, but the farm ponies had carts of seeds and young sprouts, ready for planting, or baby chickens and pigs. The craftsponies showed off new tools and carts that shone temptingly in the sunlight. All around ponies were preparing for a new year of productivity, bartering and selling hybrids of crops, discussing breeding plans for livestock, showing off new recipes or prototypes of their work.

Applejack loved it all, of course. But even ponies not as interested in the agricultural aspects were having fun. Musicians played for the bits ponies would toss, and families and friends who had spread over Equestria met and shared news. At one blanket, Applejack saw Pinkie Pie with her family, holding up all three sides of a cheerful conversation with her quiet sisters. At another, Cheerilee was having a friendly conversation with a pale blue pony with a chalkboard for a cutie mark.

And in the center of it all the giant rosebush that drew them to the field was filling up with colorful ribbons. They danced and twisted in the breeze like rainbow leaves on the empty stems, a nod to the sacred union they played a part in. Applejack’s ribbon hadn’t been tied yet, she had been busy all morning, but it was tucked in her hat-- an orange ribbon with her name and cutie mark carefully painted on it in red. It looked much better than last year’s, thanks to some help from Apple Bloom, who was nearly as good with a paintbrush as a unicorn would be.

Her little sister had been thrilled to help, rambling on about how Applejack would be sure to be the Flower Maiden this year, and about how the little filly was going to be a Flower Maiden herself when she grew up. They both knew that it would be years before Apple Bloom was old enough to tie her ribbon. Apple Bloom was too young to even watch the ritual, though she seemed to have a vague idea of what happened there. Right now, Apple Bloom was only concerned with running around between the stalls with other foals, then finding Granny or Mac or Applejack to beg for bits to buy candy or muffins.

But even so, it wasn’t an uncommon dream for a filly. Applejack had to admit she’d always dreamed of it herself, even more so once she was old enough to see what went on. There was something about the mare who wore the rose crown; she was never gussied up or wearing any more than the flowers on her head, but somehow even the plainest mare seemed special as the Flower Maiden. She wasn’t a baker or a schoolteacher or a farmer; she was nature itself, beautiful and strong. And then she walked into the circle, and another pony did things to her that made trees grow and flowers bloom...

Applejack blushed, and focused on some really interesting bean sprouts displayed at one of the carts. Suddenly, a murmur went through the gathered ponies like a cold wind. Applejack looked up and saw the pegasi starting to build their cloud patterns over the ritual space, but what caused the commotion was something unexpected; a pony flying toward the meadow. For a moment her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide like everypony around her, until she saw a pink blur speed by on the ground.

“Twilight! Twilight, over here!” Pinkie called, and Applejack relaxed.

With a grin Applejack called across the meadow, “Don’t y’all worry, it ain’t a pegasus. It’s just Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Ponies nodded and went about their business as Applejack trotted over to Pinkie, and Twilight landed in front of them.

“Hi guys! The pegasi picked their Cloud Maiden--”

“SHHH!” Pinkie cut her off, clamping a hoof over her mouth.

After a brief struggle, Twilight pushed her away. “What?”

“We aren’t supposed to know anything, silly!” Pinkie explained. “I mean, we see them getting ready so we know they picked her, but we can’t know who it is, or how they pick her, or anything they do, or don’t do, or dew drop, or don’t drop or--”

Twilight cut her off with a smile, “I wasn’t going to tell you anything. I know it’s secret.”

“We trust ya’ Twi. Looks like everythin’s right on track today, so we oughta be gettin’ started soon here. Pinkie, you tied your ribbon yet?”

“Nope! But I’m all ready!” Pinkie retrieved a pink ribbon from somewhere in her mane. Hers didn’t look as neat as Applejack’s ribbon, but it screamed ‘Pinkie Pie’. Her name had several exclamation points after it.

“Me too. Let’s go show Twilight the bush.” Applejack said, starting towards the rosebush. “So, did Dash and Fluttershy explain the ritual? You got any questions, sugarcube?”

“Um, yes... and in thinking about it I found some very interesting things!” Twilight answered, her eyes shining with newly acquired knowledge. “Did you know that this ritual channels some very powerful magic?”

“As a matter of fact, I noticed somethin’ like that, bein’ as it makes the crops grow,” Applejack said with a smirk.

“Well, yes, but it does that by making the Flower Maiden and the Cloud Maiden the channels for all of the earth pony and pegasus magic in Equestria. They’re comparable in power to Princess Celestia, during the ritual.”

“Wow! Does that mean they get wings and a horn?” Pinkie asked, eyes wide.

“You know they don’t. Somepony woulda mentioned that,” Applejack pointed out. “But that does make sense. It’s important work, believe me. Crops all over Equestria are dependin’ on this, along with all the ponies who grow ‘em. Can’t say I ever thought about how much magic that’d take, but somepony like Princess Celestia seems ‘bout right.”

Twilight nodded. “So, are either of you going to try to be Flower Maiden?”

“Both of us are, silly! That’s what we’re doing now!”

“Yup. It’s important. If a gal thinks she can handle it, it’s her duty to step up.” Applejack smiled, blushing a little. “Besides, I hear it ain’t a bad way to spend an evenin’.”

Twilight giggled. “Heh, I know somepony who would agree--” Twilight cut herself off quickly. “Er, um, so how do the earth ponies pick the Flower Maiden?”

“That’s what we’re showin’ ya’ now.” Applejack smiled, and lead the way to the ribbon-covered rosebush. “Here it is.” She motioned with her hoof.

“Wow.” Twilight gazed up at it. Applejack grinned proudly, she’d always thought it was impressive, but seeing the reaction of a pony who didn’t grow up with it confirmed that this was a special symbol the earth ponies put together every year.

“Isn’t it neat?” Pinkie bounced a little. “Those are the ribbons of all of the mares who want to be Flower Maiden!”

Twilight was still looking at the rosebush as she asked, “So you guys will tie your ribbons there... then what happens?”

“Well, all the ribbons got a name on ‘em, and they all get tied to a different branch,” Applejack explained. “Once everypony’s is on there, we use earth pony magic to make the bush grow and blossom. The ribbon tied to the branch of the first blossom has the name of the Flower Maiden.”

Twilight blinked and looked at Applejack. “That’s it? You let a rosebush pick who gets nearly supreme magical power? Isn’t it kind of an important thing to pick by chance?”

Pinkie grinned. “It’s not chance, silly. It’s magic! And it’s the same magic that’s going to come to her in the ritual later, so of course it knows who it wants to come to!”

“But what if it picks wrong?” Twilight pressed on. “Channeling magic that way might take endurance, what if it picks a pony who’s weak?”

Applejack shrugged. “Well, that’s the thing. Ya’ never can tell, right? You ain’t one’a the fastest ponies in Ponyville, but ya’ still came in fifth in the race. Anypony who ties her ribbon knows what it’s about, and she’s gonna have somethin’ she thinks she can bring to the ritual. Who are we to figure if she’s right, when the magic can figure well enough?”

“Yup!” Pinkie nodded. “Some ponies are strong and can last a long time, and some ponies have strong magic, so the ritual works better, and some ponies might be really really good with their tongues, and you can ask the Cloud Maiden about that one.” Pinkie winked, which made Twilight blush and shift uncomfortably.

“I ain’t sure Twilight’s all the way comfortable with the, er, details of the ritual, Pinkie,” Applejack suggested. “Let’s just get our ribbons tied before they call everypony around.”

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie said. She gave the bush a considering look, before grabbing a branch in her hooves.

As Pinkie tied her ribbon, Applejack pulled up a stepladder next to the bush, and selected an upper stem. She pulled it down towards her and used her mouth to tie her orange ribbon around it. After admiring her work, she climbed back down the ladder and smiled at Twilight.

“There we go. Now we just gotta wait, it shouldn’t be long now. Let’s go have a look around.” Applejack suggested, with a nod to where the carts and blankets were set up.

“Sure! It looks like a lot of fun.” Twilight grinned, and the three friends made their way to the rest of the ponies.

They spent some time shopping and talking about the way earth ponies celebrated the day. They ran into friends from Ponyville, enjoyed some tasty treats, and introduced the young princess to Pinkie’s family. It was a whirlwind tour; in what seemed like no time at all they heard the call to circle the rosebush.

Twilight stood back, as Applejack and Pinkie took their places. Everypony joined the circle, old mares and stallions, fillies and little colts, and of course every grown-up mare who had her ribbon tied to the bush.

Being last year’s Flower Maiden, Cheerilee took her place in the center of the circle. “Hello, ladies and gentlecolts! It seems we have a fine crop of ribbons this year, and I know there are a lot of excited mares out there to go along with them!”

There were cheers and hoof stomping.

“Now, before we get started picking which one, you all have one last chance. Any of you girls who don’t think you’re ready to be Flower Maiden can take down your ribbon. We all know the job requirements, and nopony will blame you if you’re not sure you’re right for it. It certainly isn’t for everypony! There’s a lot depending on this ritual, and everypony here just wants this to be a success, for the sake of our friends and family and neighbors of all types of ponies.”

They all waited for a moment, and a green mare timidly stepped forward. She was blushing and looked apologetically at the other ponies gathered while quickly untying her ribbon from a branch, then hurrying back to the crowd. Applejack just offered her a sympathetic smile, which matched the reactions around her.

“Don’t be embarrassed! Maybe you’ll be ready next year.” Cheerilee gave the pony a kind smile. “Anypony else?”

No other mares moved a hoof.

“Okay then, let’s get started! Good luck, everypony!” Cheerilee stepped back into the circle of ponies around the bush, and a few at a time the gathered earth ponies closed their eyes in concentration.

Applejack smiled as Pinkie squinted her eyes shut, her hooves pushing the ground as if she had to physically force the magic out of her. A lot of the foals were doing the same, and a few other ponies with weaker magic, who weren’t used to using it on growing things. Whatever magic Pinkie had, it wasn’t easy for her to send it to the bush.

As for Applejack, she simply felt the earth beneath her hooves. She felt the living magic in it, and added the magic from her own heart, feeling the powerful surge and directing it to the bush. She didn’t even need to close her eyes, she did this nearly every day.

The bush seemed to turn a faint green beneath the rainbow of ribbons decorating it, as tiny buds of leaves appeared, poking out and unfurling. This part was a special treat, they rarely gave one plant this much magic on the farm, and feeling it spring to life was a tiny wonder, like touching the hoof of a baby foal.

After a few moments, the color of the bush deepend to the dark green of a healthy plant, as the leaves grew larger and stronger, filling in the spaces between branches. Rosebuds formed at the ends of stems, and a feeling of anticipation built in Applejack, as her mind and magic both willed one to open.

The magic buzzed through the earth, not only Applejack’s, but the combined magic of the earth ponies present. Applejack felt it under her hooves, her own magic joining the flow towards the roots of the giant rosebush that hovered on the edge of blooming. Here and there on the plant, a petal slipped loose of its bud, barely noticeable among the ribbons.

“A bloom!” somepony shouted.

Applejack stopped, scanning the bush frantically. Pinkie opened her eyes, and everypony crowded forward a little. Foals hopped on the backs of their parents or siblings to get a look, and Cheerilee walked up and examined the plant.

The bloom was high on the bush. It was hard to make out the color of the ribbon attached, but she felt Pinkie wrap a leg around her and give her a squeeze. It was near where she’d tied her orange ribbon.

A stallion pulled over the ladder and Cheerilee climbed up to the flower. Somepony offered her a pair of clippers, which she used to snip off the bloom, catching it easily in her mouth. Applejack’s eyes went wide as it became clear that the ribbon attached was orange. She scanned the crowd, trying to guess how many other orange mares there were who might have hung ribbons.

“Let’s see here. This year’s Flower Maiden is... Applejack!” Cheerilee grinned, and her eyes scanned the crowd.

The crowd cheered. Apple Bloom was jumping up and down on Mac’s back, shouting “That’s my sister! My sister’s the Flower Maiden!”

Applejack was frozen. This was a dream come true. Pinkie gave her a shove, and she stumbled forward, then blushed. Regaining her footing she walked over to Cheerilee, a grin spreading over her face.

Cheerilee pulled her into a hug. “Congratulations!”

When Cheerilee released her and smiled at her, all Applejack could do was beam back. After a few seconds Cheerilee whispered, “Applejack. Your hat.”

“Oh! Uh, yeah, I--” Applejack took her hat off, and Pinkie was at her side in a second. The pink pony grabbed the hat and stuck it on her own head, grinning at Applejack.

“I’ll be AJ today, while you be the Flower Maiden.”

A hundred ways that could be trouble crossed Applejack’s mind, but they were all pushed aside when she felt something slide past her ear and rest there in her mane. The crowd cheered again, and Applejack reached up and felt the soft petals of the rose in her hair. She held her head high and smiled for the crowd.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, the Flower Maiden! Wish her luck!” Cheerilee called.

Applejack couldn’t stop smiling, even as she was nearly bowled over by Apple Bloom.

“You’re the Flower Maiden! Do ya’ feel different? Are ya’ excited?”

“I’m-- kinda overwhelmed just now. How ‘bout we head back to the blanket?” Applejack suggested.

“Okay!” Apple Bloom agreed happily. She turned to the crowd of ponies and shouted, “Make way for the Flower Maiden, y’all!”

Applejack blushed, but the ponies happily parted and she, Pinkie, and Apple Bloom walked through the crowd and back to the blanket the Apple family had set up. Once Applejack was clear of the crowd, Apple Bloom caught sight of a crowd of foals gathering to decorate the ritual space with bushels of flowers that were loaded on a cart.

“Go on now,” Applejack said with a nod.

“I’ll see ya’ later! Don’t do nothin’ amazin’ til I get back!” Apple Bloom called over her shoulder, already running to join the other foals.

Twilight was waiting there with a strange look on her face, as if she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or panic. “Um, congratulations, AJ!”

“Thanks! You okay?”

“Yes,” Twilight answered slowly. “I mean, of course I am! I mean, you’re okay with doing the ritual, right? Whoever the Cloud Maiden happens to be?”

“Yup!” Applejack grinned. She glanced, to make sure Apple Bloom was out of earshot. “To tell the truth, I’m kinda excited ‘bout it.”

“Really?” Twilight pressed. “But you, um, don’t know who it is...”

“I know, I know. I ain’t gettin’ my hopes up too high,” Applejack blushed, realizing that might be the tiniest bit untrue. She couldn’t keep herself from dreaming of a graceful Cloud Maiden coming to her in the moonlight, the crash of thunder around them and the magic of the earth running through her body. She wasn’t the kind of mare to forget what this was really about, though, and she made up her mind to keep herself from getting carried away.

“We need to make your crown!” Pinkie announced, as Cheerilee brought over a basket of rosebuds. “Wanna help, Twilight?”

“I dunno if that’s a good idea.” Applejack smirked and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “Rarity showed me that bird’s nest from your first Winter Wrap-Up.”

“Heh, yeah. I think I’ll just watch you guys, if you don’t mind,” Twilight agreed.

“Congratulations again, Applejack!” Cheerilee said, setting the basket on the blanket.

“Well thank ya’. I just hope I do as good a job as you did.” Applejack and Pinkie sat down next to the basket, and Applejack motioned for Twilight and Cheerilee to join them.

“Cheerilee has been Flower Maiden?” Twilight asked.

“Last year.” Cheerilee answered, as Pinkie took some rosebuds on long stems, and started weaving them together.

“And she gave us a good year, too,” Applejack added.

“Oh, I was happy to help. And I hope you’ll be that happy to help, tonight!” Cheerilee smirked a little and gave Applejack a nudge.

“I reckon I do too.” Applejack blushed, then looked away quickly. “But I’m sure I’ll be fine, even if it ain’t all fun and games.”

“You’re supposed to make it all fun and games, silly!” Pinkie said, letting a rose stem fall from her mouth. “Well, fun and really dirty games like ‘hide the tongue in the pegasus.’ It won’t take her long to find it, but she’ll really like the prize.”

Applejack and Cheerilee laughed, and Twilight snickered despite her blush.

“What’re you silly fillies goin’ on ‘bout?” Granny Smith creaked over. She was smiling proudly at Applejack, and plopped down on the blanket with a distinct lack of grace.

“They’re just givin’ me tips on bein’ Flower Maiden, Granny.”

“Here’s the trick to it, youngun. I know ya’ want a really good harvest, so what ya’ do is just give that buncha ponyfeathers the best ride ya’ can. She’ll give it back just as good, she ain’t gonna let an earth pony show ‘er up.” Granny winked. “Worked well ‘nough back in my day, at least.”

“Does every earth pony get a chance to be Flower Maiden?” Twilight asked quickly, probably trying to avoid hearing more tips from Granny Smith.

“No.” Cheerilee shook her head sadly. “We give somepony else a chance every year, but there are always a lot of ribbons on the tree. I was the first Flower Maiden from Ponyville since Mrs. Cake, ten years ago.”

“So it’s extra special that Applejack got picked this year!” Pinkie added as Cheerilee picked up another rosebud and wove it into the crown in front of them.

“Maybe you’ll get it next year, Pinkie. Then it’d be even more extra special.” Applejack smiled.

“I’ll just tie my ribbon and let the magic figure it out.” Pinkie grinned. “But I really hope you got a good Cloud Maiden!”

“I’ll deal with the pony they send me, just like Cheerilee and all the girls before.” Applejack noticed Twilight blushing, and realized that what was a mystery for her was a secret Twilight was trying to keep. A secret Applejack wanted her to keep, despite a burning desire to know. It was part of the ritual, part of the dream to meet her pony as the Cloud Maiden, not as just another pegasus from some normal place.

Applejack decided to change the course of the conversation. “What was your Cloud Maiden like, Cheerilee?”

Cheerilee smiled, blushing lightly. “The one I got, well... I’m not sure she’d ever even been with a mare. That could’ve been a problem, but she was open to instruction, at least.”

Applejack’s eyebrows went up. “I hope mine knows what to do with herself. I mean, I ain’t a filly, but I ain’t sure I’ll be in a state of mind to be givin’ somepony lessons tonight.”

Twilight spoke up again, “That reminds me... why is the ritual between two mares? Fluttershy wasn’t sure. But it would seem that, for a fertility ritual, a stallion and a mare would make more sense.”

“You know how the ancient ponies lived in herds, right?” Cheerilee answered. “If the mares in the herd were as in love with each other as they were with the stallion, that was good for the herd. They thought it made the whole herd more fertile. So since the ritual is to make the earth fertile, the Maidens are like the mares in a herd.”

“But in a herd, that was just because the family unit worked better and everypony was satisfied-- there wasn’t really anything about that that made ponies more fertile,” Twilight pointed out.

“Ponies believe what ponies believe, Twilight,” Applejack shrugged. “Nopony was gettin’ all sciency when they set up a magic ritual. They did what they knew worked.”

“Pfft. Who’re we to say they didn’t know what all they were doin’?” Granny said with a stern look at the younger ponies. “When the tribes were fightin’ like spoiled foals, sendin’ a stallion from one tribe and a mare from another woulda been askin’ for trouble. Least two mares made it so’s there weren’t no bad blood or younguns thrown in the mix. Back then it was unicorns too, so if the mares from the tribes could love each other for a night, that was likely to make the right sort of world for things to grow in.”

“Besides,” Pinkie added, “if you want to show the sky and ground how to get good and wet, two mares can do it twice as well!”

Applejack chuckled. “That’s another way of lookin’ at it.”

“Um... why did the unicorns leave the ritual?” Twilight asked.

Cheerilee offered a sympathetic smile. “We don’t really know, actually. The Sun Maiden-- that’s what she was called-- stopped being part of the ritual when Princess Celestia started raising the sun. One year she showed up instead. She didn’t join in, she just offered a kiss to the two Maidens, and that was enough for their part.”

“That makes sense,” Twilight said with just a hint of disappointment. “I think the Summer Sun Celebration took its place in magical significance for unicorns. It’s a shame, though. It seems like a really special thing for pegasi and earth ponies to share.”

“Well, we kinda depend on each other the most, these days,” Applejack pointed out. “Pegasi sure ain’t raisin’ any crops up there on the clouds, and earth ponies ain’t raisin’ ‘em on the ground if we don’t get the weather we need. And, of course, everypony needs Princess Celestia, too.”

“I know, I understand. I think I’ll ask Princess Celestia later, I’d love to know what happened.”

“She’d know what happened if anypony does,” Cheerilee agreed.

“The crown is finished!” Pinkie announced, holding up the circlet of rosebuds. “We just need your rose, Applejack.”

“Wait ‘til Apple Bloom gets back. She’ll wanna see me put it on.” Applejack smiled. She could hardly wait to add her blooming rose to the crown and place it on her head. Twilight had said that the Flower Maiden had the magic of a princess, but the rose crown suited Applejack far more than something made of gold and jewels. It was a symbol of her power, her magic; the magic of nature and growing things.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Twilight. “Where did Apple Bloom go, anyway? She was so excited, then she just ran off.”

“The foals are decorating the ritual space!” Pinkie explained with a grin. “They get to throw flowers and seeds everywhere, so it smells nice and look pretty and there are things that will grow when the magic comes through it.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that kind of weird? I mean, should the foals even know about this?”

Granny gave a snort. “And why wouldn’t they? They’ll be grown ponies soon enough, might as well tell ‘em as they get old ‘nough to understand. The littlest youngun’s just think it’s a party, with some pretty filly gettin’ a flower crown. Then they get older, and they get more of the picture, so when they’re old ‘nough to tie a ribbon they know it’s just a part of the world turnin’.”

Cheerilee nodded and smiled. “Look at it this way, Twilight. When you found out, you thought it was a little strange, didn’t you?”

“Well... yes,” Twilight admitted.

“Apple Bloom and the other fillies here will never think it’s strange. It’s what we do. Apple Bloom knows that I was Flower Maiden last year, she might even know what that means, but even though she’s just a foal she understands that it was an honor and didn’t blink at seeing me in class the next day.”

“And she was really proud of Applejack, and Applejack doesn’t have to try to lie to her to cover it up,” Pinkie pointed out.

Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, that probably wouldn’t work too well.”

“Well, it certainly makes the day feel friendly and festive.” Twilight looked around at the event, then she smiled. “I’ve had so much fun here, and I’ve learned a lot.”

“Glad we could help ya’ Twi.” Applejack said. She looked around herself, proud of the earth ponies for coming together and making the festival a success and feeling slightly responsible for it all. She reminded herself that she had very little to do with it, her part came later, but that just made her smile. She, alone, had the chance to do her part for Maidens Day at the center of it all, where everypony would know this was her day.

Pinkie spoke up, “Yeah, that sounds like a perfect day for you! And Applejack is gonna have a perfect night, and I love it when my friends are happy!”

“I dunno if it’s gonna be perfect.” Applejack blushed.

“You’ll do a good job of it,” Granny just said with a nod. “You’re a strong pony, you’ll give us all a good harvest.”

Applejack smiled. “I will Granny. Whatever happens y’all can count on that.”

That was the long and short of it, Applejack reminded herself. This day wasn’t about making a pony special, it wasn’t about some dream in the ritual. It was about making sure the crops grew for all Equestria. The Flower Maiden could have been any of the mares who tied their ribbons, there was no excuse for Applejack to puff up over it.

“Applejack! Applejack!” Apple Bloom’s voice rang out, and seconds later she was trotting up to the blanket. “I made sure the clearin’s all ready for ya’. There’s tons of flowers, and seeds you can make grow! And when ya’ look up, the pegasi got the clouds all swirly like I never seen before!”

“Well now, that sure does sound nice,” Applejack said. “I really appreciate it, sugarcube. Now, ya’ wanna help me put my bloom on my crown?”

Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. “Yeah! Of course I do!”

Applejack and the other grown ponies chuckled. “Okay, but you gotta be real careful.”

Applejack lowered her head, and Apple Bloom carefully took the rose in her mouth. Pinkie held out the crown in her hoof, and Apple Bloom wove the stem of the blossom around the stems of the rosebuds that made up the rest of the circlet. When she finished, Pinkie let her take the whole crown and place it gently on Applejack’s head. Then Apple Bloom took a step back and gave a considering look.

“How’s it look?” Applejack asked.

“One more thing...” Apple Bloom darted forward and pulled the ribbon holding Applejack’s mane, letting it free from it’s ponytail so it fell loose over her shoulders.

“You’re the Flower Maiden for real now! You look so pretty, sis!” Apple Bloom cheered.

“You do look lovely. I’m amazed it took so long for you to have a turn, it really suits you,” Cheerilee added.

Applejack blushed and undid her tail ribbon. “Thank ya’, but it ain’t that much difference.”

“You’re right, it’s not! But that just means that you always look almost like a Flower Maiden, and you’ll be the best Flower Maiden ever.” Pinkie grinned and gave Applejack a nuzzle.

“You really do look impressive, AJ,” Twilight said, honestly.

“It’s just some roses on my head,” Applejack pointed out.

“I know, but it looks noble.” Twilight smiled. “I mean, if I tried to imagine an earth pony princess, well, she would look like you do now.”

“Really?” Applejack just beamed, still blushing. Normally she would have felt strange without her stetson, and with her mane and tail untied, but this felt right. She was as nature made her, with nothing but the crown made from the magic of growing things, and her friends and family could see how special she was.

Twilight nodded, then blushed. “The Cloud Maiden will be impressed.”

The thought made Applejack’s heart soar. She couldn’t keep from grinning at thoughts of the Cloud Maiden struck dumb from seeing her there, a living symbol of the glory of the earth. The fantasy stopped as she chastised herself. She knew if her head got any bigger it was going to float off, and that wasn’t how she had to do this. This was about everypony else, not about Applejack playing at being magic. She had to distract herself.

“Well, shoot... I reckon I oughta go mingle some.” Applejack stood up and cast a glance at the other ponies, the ones she was doing this for. “There’s a lotta ponies that probably wanna say hey, and wish me luck.”

“I should go check on the pegasi.” Twilight said, standing as well and spreading her wings. “I wouldn’t want to miss anything there.”

Pinkie threw a foreleg around Twilight before the princess could take off. “Will you be at the bonfire tonight? Or are you going to stay with the pegasi until the ritual? The bonfire is super fun, there’s dancing and you get to watch the pegasi put on a lightning show, but the pegasi probably have super fun too!”

“I’ll come down here for the bonfire...” Twilight agreed, moving Pinkie’s leg off her. “I’m a little bit nervous about being in the clouds during a lightning show.”

“We’ll seeya then, Twi.” Applejack smiled and waved as Twilight took off.

“See you later!” Twilight waved back, and flew up towards the clouds.

“Pinkie, Cheerilee, y’all wanna walk with me?” Applejack asked, turning back to the ponies on the blanket.

“You go ahead, I have a few ponies I want to talk to.” Cheerilee said, glancing around until she spotted the pony she was looking for. “I’ll see you girls at the bonfire!”

“What ‘bout you, Pinkie?”

Pinkie grinned and flipped Applejack’s hat on her head, then hopped on Applejack’s back and wrapped her forelegs around her neck. “I”m sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple!”

Applejack struggled for breath and tried to pry Pinkie off. “Er, that there’s just an expression, sugarcube. You don’t gotta stick quite that close.”

“Okay!” Pinkie said, and she hopped off, “Let’s go!”

The two friends happily trotted into the crowd. All around ponies smiled at Applejack, waved to her, and stepped aside to let them pass.

“Best of luck, Flower Maiden!” an older red pony called her as she walked by.

She smiled and nodded. “Thank ya’ kindly!”

“Wanna go look at the jams? I thought I should bring Mrs. Cake something yummy, and jam is yummy and she could make it into something even yummier like cookies or pastries.”

“Sounds fine.” Applejack said as a light brown stallion with a plow for a cutie mark walked up to her.

“‘Scuse me, Miss Flower Maiden?”

“Just Applejack. What can I do for ya’?” Applejack said.

“I was wonderin’ if you could give some magic to my seedlings there? For luck, ya’ know.” He nodded to a wagon nearby.

Applejack chuckled. It was an old mare’s tale that the Flower Maiden’s magic would attract the ritual magic, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt anything. “Why sure. Pinkie, ya’ mind waitin’ a sec?”

Pinkie shook her head, and Applejack walked over to the tray of small plants. She touched the earth, and tiny leaves trembled as her magic flowed from her hooves into the plants.

“Thank ya’, Applejack. And good luck tonight!” the stallion said with a grin.

“No trouble at all!” Applejack said, and she rejoined Pinkie.

“That was nice of you.” Pinkie smiled, and lead the way to the stand where a pony was selling dozens of kinds of jams.

“Nah, I mean, it’s my job today. I’m doin’ this for all the ponies here, right?” Applejack’s smile wavered as she glanced around.

“Um... yup!” Pinkie agreed happily.

“Darn tootin’.” Applejack nodded. “It’s got nothin’ to do with me.”

“Oh, except that you’re the Flower Maiden and you get to have really great sex with the Cloud Maiden and feel all the earth pony magic in Equestria inside of you! That has a little to do with you,” Pinkie pointed out.

“Yeah, I reckon it does.” Applejack blushed. Then she sighed, and looked at Pinkie. After several seconds hesitation, she said, “I’m just... a mite worried, is all.”

Pinkie’s eyes went wide. “Oh no! What is it? Is there a thorn sticking you? Do you have a feather allergy? Did a version of you come from the future and now we have to try to stop some awful thing from happening and cause it to happen that way?”

“Uh, no.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “I’m just lookin’ forward to this.”

Pinkie gasped in horror. Then she stopped, and wrinkled her brow. “Um, that’s a good thing.”

“I know. But what I mean is, this is important. It’s for all the farms and critters and ponies in Equestria. It’s a job, and I’m gonna do it right. But that ain’t what I’m thinkin’ ‘bout. So, what if I’m too much focused on me likin’ it, and it ain’t as good as I think it oughta be? I could let everypony down that way.” Applejack frowned and shook her head. “I shouldn’t be lettin’ my thinkin’ get so messy.”

“If it’s not as good as you think it should be, you should make it as good as you think it should be. You need to like it, that’s your job today, but you’re not going to be able to like it if you’re too worried about how much you’re going to like it.” Pinkie smiled and wrapped a leg around Applejack, and said kindly, “You need to relax.”

“I know.” Applejack gave Pinkie a worried smile. “I’m gettin’ myself all worked up right now. Maybe it’ll go perfect. And if it don’t, I’ll think of somethin’.”

“Good!” Pinkie grinned. “Right now, I’m thinking of something, and it starts with yummy and ends with food!”

Applejack chuckled. “Okay, let’s go get some grub.” She headed towards where several of the food stalls had grouped together, Pinkie walking beside her and chattering the whole way.

Along the way a little filly grinned and called, “Good luck, Miss Flower Maiden!”

“Thank ya’, sugarcube,” Applejack answered, as she wondered how much she would need it.

Apart

Rainbow Dash lay on one of the couches in her room in the Cloud Temple, staring at the ceiling. “How long until my life is over?”

“The ritual is in about six hours,” Fluttershy answered gently. “Aren’t you going to have some dinner?”

Dash sighed. “I might as well, since nopony will ever have food again after this.”

Fluttershy landed next to her, and set a plate of fruit and vegetables on Dash’s stomach. “Look, I made you a smiley face with grapes and a melon slice,” Fluttershy pointed out in her best talking-to-Angel-Bunny voice.

Dash picked up the melon slice and turned it upside-down into a frown, then started munching the lettuce Fluttershy had used for a mane.

Fluttershy frowned and sighed. “I wish Pinkie Pie was here.”

“Hey girls! How’s it going?” Twilight’s voice came from the open balcony. Fluttershy smiled, probably glad to have somepony there who wasn’t predicting the imminent destruction of Equestria with each breath.

“Um... fine. Things are just fine.” Fluttershy said with a worried glance to Rainbow Dash. “How were things below? Did the earth ponies pick a Flower Maiden?”

Twilight’s smile grew a little too wide, and her eyes twitched nervously back and forth. “Heh, well... um, yes, they did!”

Dash’s ears perked up. Twilight knew who the Flower Maiden was. If she would tell Dash, maybe the three of them could make a plan and it wouldn’t be all up to Dash to figure out what to do. After all, Twilight knew about magic, and Fluttershy knew about ponies feelings and stuff, and Dash knew about sex.

“So, uh, who’d they pick?” Dash said casually, hoping Twilight would let it slip.

“Don’t tell her!” Fluttershy squeaked urgently, then she turned to admonish Dash. “You know you’re not supposed to know.”

“Guys, I have to know!” Dash looked between them frantically. “If I know, I can figure out something that’ll impress her, and maybe keep everypony in Equestria from starving!”

Fluttershy patted Dash’s shoulder. “You’re going to do fine. Now eat your dinner.”

“Just tell me she’s hot,” Dash begged Twilight. “No, don’t! Tell me she’s not hot. She’ll be harder to impress if she’s hot. But, what if she’s not hot and she can’t do anything for me? Okay, on a scale of one to ten, is she a 7.3? I need a 7.3, Twilight!”

Twilight blushed, looking confused and panicked at the question, but Fluttershy spoke up before she answered. “Not a word, Twilight. Rainbow is supposed to meet the mare in the ritual.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, with a grateful glance at Fluttershy. “Sorry, Dash.”

“Pleeeease tell me.” Dash fell to her knees in front of Twilight. “This is my only hope! If you don’t tell me, my life is ruined!”

“You’ll do fine.” Fluttershy sighed and nudged Rainbow Dash back to the couch.

“So, you guys have been in here all day?” Twilight asked.

“Yes... it’s supposed to be calm and relaxing for her.” Fluttershy said, rolling her eyes a little. “And it also keeps her safe. Pegasi can be... competitive, and a long time ago ponies would challenge the Cloud Maiden to try to take the crown for themselves.”

Dash’s eyes lit up again, but this time Fluttershy noticed and cut her off with a stare. Dash blushed and looked away.

Twilight gave Dash a sympathetic smile. “Dash, is there anything I can get for you? A book or a game or something?”

“No.”

“I’ve offered a dozen times.” Fluttershy shook her head. “She’s just too nervous.”

Twilight walked over next to Dash. “It’ll be okay, really. I can’t tell you about the Flower Maiden, but I can tell you that there’s no chance that you’ll let anypony down tonight.”

Rainbow Dash glanced at Twilight out of the corner of her eye, and Twilight smiled.

“I promise, Dash.”

“Okay,” Dash agreed and tried to relax with a deep breath. It didn’t work very well, but she had to trust Twilight; Twilight had to know something or she wouldn’t have promised like that. Maybe it was some earth pony secret, or maybe the Flower Maiden had been wishing for a pony just like Dash. Neither of those seemed likely, but Twilight wasn’t about to tell.

The ponies were quiet for a few moments, until Twilight spoke up softly, “How long have you wanted to be Cloud Maiden, Dash?”

“I don’t know.” Dash sighed. “I mean, since I knew it was a contest I could win. Then I found out what they did in the ritual around the same time that started to seem like fun, so that part was cool too.”

“So you’ve been waiting for this for most of your life?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah. I just didn’t figure it out before.” Dash shook her head, thinking of how many Cloud Maidens she’d heard announced, how many speeches she heard like the one with her name at the end. “I didn’t listen.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What didn’t you listen to?”

“I thought it was just a contest, and you win the contest, and the crown and the ritual are the prize, but it’s just another contest. And it’s... impossible to win.”

Twilight got a strange, worried look on her face. “Please don’t think of it as a contest.”

“It is a contest.” Dash insisted. “It’s me against the Cloud Maiden. I have to prove I’m as good as the Cloud Maiden, and you heard Spitfire, the Cloud Maiden is all the pegasi, all of our magic. Really, she’s more than that, she’s the whole idea of pegasi. I have to prove to everypony that I can be as good as anypony ever thought a pegasus could be. And if I fail, I don’t just lose a crown. Ponies will get hurt, Twilight.

“I don’t know how to do this.” Dash finished, quietly. She thought that telling other ponies your problems was supposed to help, but she just felt worse than she had before.

“Other ponies have done it, Dash. Normal, ordinary ponies,” Twilight pointed out.

“And you’ll be the Cloud Maiden,” Fluttershy added in a soft, firm voice. “When you step into the ritual, you’ll have the magic to be that pegasus.”

“What if I don’t?” Dash snapped.

“Hey, Fluttershy...” Twilight leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Fluttershy looked slightly surprised. “You could, um, ask the guards.”

“Ask the guards what?” Dash looked suspiciously between the two of them.

“Give me just a minute,” Twilight said with a smile, flying up and towards the door of the room. She stepped outside, and Dash just watched to door, confused.

After a few minutes, Twilight returned with an even bigger smile on her face. She flew over to the open balcony, and paused, waiting. “Come on, Dash. You too, Fluttershy.”

Dash looked to Fluttershy, who smiled and nodded at her, following Twilight. Dash flew after her, and noticed her pick up the lightning crown. The three headed out the window.

It was a breath of fresh air for Dash. As large and airy as the room was, it felt stifling compared to the wind in her mane and the sun on her back. Dash did a few lazy flips, before falling in behind Twilight. The flight ended far too quickly, as Twilight just landed on the roof of the temple. At least there was still a light breeze blowing. She could feel it in her mane.

“Uh, what are we doing on the roof?” Dash asked, raising an eyebrow at Twilight.

“You needed some fresh air.” Twilight smiled. “Now put on your crown.”

Dash eyed the crown Fluttershy was holding. She knew that the only problem with it was that it itched a little, and she could probably adjust it so it wasn’t uncomfortable at all, but it looked like a torture device to her. “Do I have to?”

“Yup.” Twilight nodded.

Dash sighed and took the thing from Fluttershy. She set it on her rainbow mane, and looked impatiently at Twilight. “There. What is this abo-- what?”

Twilight and Fluttershy were both smiling at her, with pride shining in their eyes.

“Oh Rainbow, you look so strong!”

“You look like a princess, Dash. Like you should be leading the pegasi.” Twilight grinned as she seemed to remember something. “The magic knows who it wants to work through...”

Dash spread her wings, and flapped into the air. Just being in the sky was calming her nerves, and Fluttershy and Twilight’s reassurances seemed more believable here. Her magic, the magic of the sky, had never let her down before. She smiled a little, starting to trust it again, for the first time since she put the crown on.

“Hey,” a new voice called.

The three of them looked over to see Lightning Dust standing about twenty feet away. Fluttershy stepped in front of Rainbow Dash, and Twilight’s horn started to glow. Dash just stared at her rival in shock.

If Lightning Dust challenged her for the crown, she could let Lightning Dust take it. Dash would be a laughing stock, but the ritual would be out of her hooves. Nopony would get hurt because of her.

But that wouldn’t be fair to the pegasi, or the judges of the contest. And if Lightning Dust didn’t complete the ritual, it would be Dash’s failure just as much as if she’d messed up. Even if nopony else blamed her, she would blame herself.

“Stay back, girls.” Dash ordered. She kept her eyes locked on Lightning Dust, but her expression turned to determination. “You can’t have the crown.”

Lightning Dust tried to stare her down, but Dash didn’t blink. She didn’t narrow her eyes, or prepare for a fight. She just tried to show the confidence of a champion; of a pony who wasn’t interested in a battle she knew she was going to win.

“I-- I wasn’t going to challenge for it. Really,” Lightning Dust said. “I mean, I can always try again next year. Nopony would care as much if I didn’t win it in the arena. I just saw you down here, and I wanted to say... you look like the Cloud Maiden.”

Dash kept her stare fixed on Lightning Dust for a moment. Then she smiled a little, and nodded. “Thanks.”

“Good luck. Make everypony proud.”

‘I will,” Dash said, almost feeling the certainty she put into the words. “Wanna come have dinner with us?”

“Nah, the party’s gonna start soon.” Lightning Dust rose into the air. “I’ll seeya later!” She flew towards the edge of the roof, then down out of sight.

Twilight and Fluttershy both grinned at Dash.

“Come on, Cloud Maiden. Let’s go get some dinner.”

***

A little while later the three were sitting in the room in the Cloud Temple, finishing dinner. Dash kept her crown on this time. It didn’t feel as itchy anymore, and when she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror she realized that she did look awesome. She decided on a basic plan for the ritual; land, say some respectful stuff to the Flower Maiden, kiss her, have sex. As long as she could be awesome and do those things, the ritual would go fine.

Outside of the temple, the sun was going down, and a loud, low horn sounded, followed by a low roll of drums.

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

“The party’s starting,” Dash said, taking a bite of another apple, which made Twilight smirk for some reason.

Fluttershy flew to the balcony and looked down. “The earth ponies’ bonfires are lit already. The lightning show will be starting soon.”

“Are you going to our party, or the bonfires?” Dash asked.

“I told Pinkie I’d go to the bonfires.” Twilight blushed. “I’m a little scared of being up here during a lightning show.”

“Twilight, this is pegasi showing off,” Dash pointed out, rolling her eyes. “That show is so controlled you could use a bolt to light a candle.”

“But don’t worry, you can see it from the ground. I’m sure it’s very nice,” Fluttershy added.

“Besides, are you guys even going to the party?” Twilight asked, glancing out at the sky where pegasi were descending to the cloud platform below.

“We’ll watch from the balcony. I can’t go, and Fluttershy won’t go alone.”

Fluttershy smiled. “I’d rather be here anyway.”

“Well, Applejack and Pinkie will both be at the bonfires--” Twilight cut off, then finished hesitantly, “um, was I allowed to say that?”

Dash shrugged. “I guess. I mean, we figured the earth ponies go to their party.”

“So, um, why is everything a secret?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I can kind of see why it’s secret from unicorns, it does seem kind of weird, but why is everything so separate between you guys and the earth ponies?”

“It’s just how things are.” Dash gave another shrug.

“I don’t think there would be any harm in changing it,” Twilight offered. “I could tell you guys about the earth ponies’ day, there’s nothing weird or crazy about it.”

“Yes... but is there any harm in us not knowing?” Fluttershy asked.

Dash considered the idea. “I don’t care about not knowing about the earth ponies, but I don’t think I’d want them to know about our contests. It’s kind of special, I guess. Usually, stuff is open to everypony, even the stuff in Cloudsdale, as long as they can get up there. But this is only for pegasi. I mean, it’s rough, don’t get me wrong. But it’s... us.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I could never compete, and I do think the competition is too rough, especially the fighting cube, but I can’t imagine the pegasi without it. If the other kinds of ponies knew and watched, it would seem worse, because it wouldn’t be about being a pegasus anymore.”

“I think I understand that.” Twilight nodded. “As long as it’s just you guys who do it, it’s kind of your traditions, for better or worse. But if other ponies watched they might be judging the pegasi, and thinking they’re weird or silly.”

“Something like that,” Fluttershy said. “So, it’s only fair that we don’t know about the earth ponies celebration.”

“Okay, well, I guess I should get going. It’s starting to get dark,” Twilight pointed out.

Dash could see the stars appearing in the sky outside as the sun sank below the horizon, but the last orange rays were clinging to the clouds by the ritual space. It made them seem to glow, and sent a shiver up her spine.

“It’s not that late yet,” Dash said, trying to shrug off the tension growing in muscles.

“I think the show will be starting soon,” Fluttershy pointed out. “Twilight should go to the bonfires.”

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “I’ll see you during the ritual, Fluttershy?”

“Oh yes, I’ll be watching with you and Pinkie and Applejack.”

“Heh...” Twilight gave a nervous smile. “Yeah, well, good luck, Cloud Maiden!”

“Yeah,” Dash answered distantly.

“You’ll do fine,” Twilight comforted her.

“I know.” Dash nodded. “I mean, I’m the Cloud Maiden, right?”

“Right,” Twilight agreed.

“I’m the Cloud Maiden,” Dash repeated, mostly to herself.

Twilight gave a wave. “See you girls later!”

Dash watched Twilight take off, and followed her form as she flew down through the clouds towards the orange dots of the bonfires below.

I’m the Cloud Maiden. The phrase ran through her head. She knew it was true, she had felt it earlier.

Hadn’t she? She had felt sure that she needed to be the Cloud Maiden. Sure that she was supposed to wear the crown. But... she hadn’t felt the magic she’d need. When did that happen? When she entered the ritual space? When she saw the Flower Maiden? What if it just didn’t come? Without that magic, she wasn’t the Cloud Maiden, she was just Rainbow Dash. And Rainbow Dash couldn’t do anything that would make all the plants in Equestria grow.

For now, she had to take it on faith; she was going to be the Cloud Maiden, tonight, when it counted. She just had to believe in herself, and convince the Flower Maiden to believe in her.

She looked out at the ritual space as the last of the sun’s light dimmed and the glow reflected on the clouds dulled to shadowy moonlight. I’m the Cloud Maiden. Please believe that.

The sky lit up as an arc of lightning flashed between two clouds. Rainbow Dash jumped, but it was followed by another, then two at the same time. She rolled her eyes at herself and smiled a little. “Fluttershy! The lightning show is starting, hurry up!”

***

Applejack gave a final bow to her last partner, and trotted happily off the dance floor laid out between the bonfires. The first round of dancing was over, it had stopped so everypony could watch the lightning show that was just starting. That would be the last of it for her this evening, nopony would ask her to dance after the lightning show, so she would be rested up tonight. She was grateful, she’d danced to every one of the first round of songs, and she had to admit to being a little out of breath as she sat down on the Apple family blanket next to Macintosh and Apple Bloom.

Everypony was watching the lightning show, the wild bolts shooting from cloud to cloud with loud cracks of thunder, four and five at a time in different directions. It flashed in patterns, and sometimes they’d light up a cloud to reveal a cloud sculpture, or set off some small firework on a cloud. Apple Bloom was amazed, oohing and aaahing as the pegasi showed off their tricks.

Looking up at the sky, Applejack couldn’t help thinking of the lightning later. It would be closer, right inside the circle with her, coming from the magic the Cloud Maiden would release as the Flower Maiden drew it out. Applejack grinned, the idea seemed so reckless, a pony would have to be in the heat of passion to try to bring that kind of magic through another pony, to ignore the thunder and lightning and rain, and be focused on pleasing a lover who was the sky herself. She could hardly wait.

Everything about the lightning seemed dangerous to Applejack, the jagged bolts, the blinding flashes, the earth shaking booms of the thunder that came with them, but she knew it was carefully controlled with pegasus magic. And up in those clouds with that lightning was a girl who would take hold of all of that dangerous magic, and give Applejack the chance to set it free. And Applejack would have all of the power of the earth inside of her, the force of life that flowed through all the plants gathered in one pony, waiting for release.

The display in the sky seemed to hypnotize her, letting dreams play in her head of a world where she, dependable old Applejack, was a powerful goddess, meeting a beautiful pegasus consort, both of them filled with raw desire to the point where the rest of Equestria would be forgotten. No friends, no family, no farm, just two forces of nature overwhelming each other with their magic. Manes and tails wild as the storm ripped around them, the magic of the earth flowing through her body into the ground with each wave of--

“Wasn’t that amazin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

Applejack blinked, and a blush rose quickly to her cheeks. “Oh, uh, yeah! Sure was!” The lightning show had ended without her noticing, and ponies were rising to their hooves, the dancing was starting again, and families with foals were starting to pack up to leave.

“Come ‘long, half-pint.” Granny said, standing and stretching with the rest of the ponies.

“Applejack, please, can’t I stay for the ritual?”

“You just ain’t old enough, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said calmly.

“But I know you’re gonna have s--” Apple Bloom was cut off as Mac covered her mouth.

Applejack smirked. “When I get home, we’re gonna have a talk ‘bout who told ya’ bout that. But for now, even if ya’ know, you’re too young to watch. Maybe next year.”

“But--”

“Nope,” Big Mac said firmly.

“Alright.” Apple Bloom looked down, ears drooping.

“Come on, lil’ sis.” Mac lowered his body to let Apple Bloom climb on his back. She scampered on, still pouting a little. But Mac just smiled at AJ. “Good luck. Give us a good crop.”

“Yeah, do a good job, AJ!” Apple Bloom, said, a grin replacing her pout.

“You betcha.” Applejack gave a smile and a wave as her family headed for home, sure that the ritual was in capable hooves this year.

As soon as they were out of sight, Applejack sat back down on the blanket and sighed. It wasn’t working. No matter how she tried to focus on the job at hoof, those thoughts crept into her mind. Then she realized it and felt guilty all over again.

She glanced up at the dance floor, and saw Twilight and Pinkie headed towards her around the edges of the ponies taking their places before the music started.

“Hi Applejack,” Twilight said as they walked up. “How are you feeling?”

Applejack managed a smile. “Right as rain, and ready as I’m gonna get. As long as I can keep myself on track, this oughta be a cinch.”

“Keep yourself on track?” Twilight asked.

“Ya’ know, stay focused. Not let myself get to thinkin’ about the Cloud Maiden, and how amazin’ she’s gonna look, and how great it’s gonna be, and how unbelievable it’s all gonna feel and...” Applejack blinked, her friends were staring at her. “Er, I guess keepin’ on track is gettin’ to be a problem.”

“You know what you need? A distraction!” Pinkie said, grinning. “Um...” She looked around, then pointed a hoof. “Hey! Look over there!”

Applejack just raised her eyebrow.

“Okay, different distraction...” Pinkie put a hoof to her chin, deep in thought.

Twilight just shifted uncomfortably and gave a nervous smile. “Applejack, I know you want this to be, well, magical, but maybe you should think of what Cheerilee said earlier. The Cloud Maiden might need your help to make it magical.”

Applejack’s face fell slightly. “I know. And... I’ll do all I can, in that case. I’m a dependable pony, everypony can count on me.”

“If that happens you’ll still have lots of fun!” Pinkie pointed out. “There’s nothing you like more than helping other ponies.”

“Yup. Everypony knows that.” Applejack said with a half-hearted smile. She shook her head. “I’m actin’ like a big foal about this.”

“You’re not acting like a foal...” Twilight said, putting a wing around Applejack. “You’re just excited. I understand, it’s really exciting, not many ponies will ever get to do something like this.”

Applejack bit her lip. “It’s... special, right?”

“Of course it is!” Pinkie insisted.

“… and I’m a good Flower Maiden,” Applejack assured herself.

“I can’t think of anypony better, AJ,” Twilight said with a warm smile.

“Well, then... at least I got that.” Applejack gave a wan smile. “At least my friends can see it, even if the Cloud Maiden don’t notice.”

Pinkie grinned and nuzzled AJ. “Applejack, all of your friends always think you’re special!”

“Well... of course y’all do!” Applejack blushed. “I didn’t mean that. It’s just... well... never mind.”

“You can talk about it,” Twilight suggested.

Applejack sighed. “I wanna feel really special, Twilight. For just bein’ me, for bein’ the Flower Maiden. I know everypony appreciates all I do for the farm and the town and my friends. But I guess I’ve just been hopin’ that tonight the Cloud Maiden’ll see me without all that, and she’ll think I’m an amazing pony without knowin’ anything ‘bout me, but that I’m the Flower Maiden.”

Applejack hesitantly looked up and saw Twilight’s worried face. She went on quickly, “Never mind! Never you mind that. That’s all foolish talk, a pony oughta be judged on what she does, not who she is or how much magic she’s got! Bein’ good to other ponies and doin’ this ritual right, that’s all that matters...”

“Applejack, everypony can see you’re special! You’re the Flower Maiden!” Pinkie grinned. “If the Cloud Maiden can’t see that, she probably landed on her head a few too many times.”

Twilight was suddenly seized by a coughing fit.

“You okay?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, yes! Ahem. Just fine.” Twilight blushed, and thought carefully before she went on. “Um... AJ, I can’t tell you about the Cloud Maiden, but I can tell you that she will know you’re special, without you having to say or do a thing.”

“You really think so, Twi?” Applejack asked, hopefully.

“Absolutely.” Twilight nodded. “But that doesn’t mean things will go perfectly...”

“I know. Things don’t always work out like you hope.” Applejack said. Then she added, almost shyly, “But, can a pony really keep from hopin’?”

“Hope for the best, plan for a party; that’s what I always say!” Pinkie bounced a few times. “That way, if things go wrong and the best doesn’t happen, you can still have a party.”

“Actually, that’s pretty smart, Pinkie,” Twilight giggled. “It’s okay to think about things going perfectly, but have a back up plan that’s still a lot of fun. Having fun is kind of your job tonight, AJ.”

Applejack chuckled. “That’s true enough. So I guess I oughta be ready to make her feel special, and help her out if she needs it, and I’m sure we can get friendly enough to make each other feel good.”

“Speaking of parties, there’s one happening now and I’m not dancing, you guys!” Pinkie pointed out, with a grin that said she was about to correct this.

“You go on and have some fun, Pinkie.” Applejack smiled. “You too, Twilight.”

“I’d rather stay here, if that’s okay with you. I’ve done a lot of flying today, I think I’d rather just watch.”

“Okie-dokie! I’ll be back, Applejack! Tonight, Twilight!” Pinkie gave a wave as she hopped off towards the crowded dance floor.

After she left, Applejack’s face fell a little. She and Twilight sat down on the blanket and watched the dancing in silence. Everypony was having fun, and where one or two weren’t they were introduced to a pink blur pulling them into a throng of dancing ponies.

Applejack looked down and shook her head. “Ya’ know, Pinkie’s a good pony.”

“You don’t want her to be Flower Maiden, do you?” Twilight asked, sounding worried.

Applejack looked up, confused. “Uh, Twilight, I’m Flower Maiden. The rosebush picked me. We can’t just switch or somethin’.”

“Okay.” Twilight gave a relieved smile. “Well then, what makes you say that? I mean, I agree, of course. It was just kind of out of nowhere.”

“Just look at her out there, makin’ sure everypony’s dancin’ and enjoyin’ themselves...” Applejack motioned to the dance floor. “That’s what bein’ an earth pony is about, Twilight. It’s about everypony else. Bein’ a good daughter, a good sister, a good friend, a good citizen... it’s all ‘bout makin’ sure the other ponies in your life are taken care of. Ya’ know, earth ponies don’t really feel like they can count on unicorns and pegasi? Not that me and Pinkie don’t count on you girls, just that every earth pony was raised to put everypony else first, and pegasi and unicorns sometimes don’t.”

Applejack paused, then sighed and looked into the distance. “It’s hard. Ya’ know, sometimes I’m jealous of Dash and Rarity.They’re great friends, but then they get to step out into that spotlight and not worry ‘bout everypony else. It’s just them there, bein’ all special.”

“That’s what you want tonight,” Twilight said quietly, looking into the same darkness past the bonfires.

“It ain’t what I’m supposed to want tonight,” Applejack said, the frustration clear in her voice. “But it is. Just one night to shine, Twilight... even if it’s just for the Cloud Maiden.”

“You know, AJ, sometimes I forget that you’re an earth pony,” Twilight looked at Applejack. “And sometimes I forget that Rainbow Dash is a pegasus, and that Rarity is a unicorn. You’re all just my friends, and those things seem like little physical differences, like coat colors or mane styles. I forget that those things are part of how we see the world, that we’re coming from different places even if they bring us to the same conclusions.”

Twilight smiled as Applejack looked to her. The young princess went on, “I’m glad I came today, it’s all so clear here. The earth pony festival feels like Ponyville, but... more. It’s obvious that Ponyville is an earth pony town, even if there are pegasi and unicorns and an alicorn living there. I’ll never say another word about Winter Wrap-Up, doing it the earth pony way is just right for Ponyville.

“The pegasi are so different. And, I can imagine what a unicorn camp would look like, with huge magical tents carefully arranged, and everypony discussing ideas about magic and art and literature, trying to show off their talents without looking like they’re showing off... They’re all fun and special, I feel so lucky to understand all three.”

Applejack smiled. “I’m right proud to be an earth pony, but I’ll never say that pegasi and unicorns ain’t every bit as special in their own ways.”

Twilight glanced to the dance floor. “The earth pony community makes you special, AJ, I can see some of the best parts of you come from that. I think that maybe some of the best parts of me come from growing up as a unicorn. But they can also mess us up; they’re ideals to live up to, but we’re just ponies.”

“Livin’ up to things is what good ponies try to do,” Applejack pointed out. “You gotta have a way of knowin’ what’s right.”

“But knowing that you can’t always live up to it keeps you from going crazy.” Twilight gave Applejack a nuzzle. “You’re not just an earth pony, you know. You’re a pony living in Equestria, so you can see there are other ways of being a pony that are just as good. You don’t have to feel bad for wanting to be more individualistic, you know that Rainbow Dash and Rarity are good ponies, and they’ve never tried to be good earth ponies.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Uh, that’s cause they ain’t earth ponies, Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head. “It’s not that simple. What about the Cake twins?”

“Huh?” Now Applejack was definitely not following.

“Well, they have earth pony parents, but everypony is going to expect them to act like a unicorn and a pegasus,” Twilight explained. “How will they think they should act?”

“I dunno.” Applejack gave a shrug, then considered it. “I mean, that’s kinda a weird situation. Most ponies have one parent or the other like them, to show ‘em how to be.”

“Well, even those of us who learned from our parents still live and work together. So even if you’re an earth pony, through and through, you also have friends who are pegasi and unicorns and you pick up things from them. Trying to live up to the earth pony ideal is probably hard to start with, and when you see pegasi or unicorns able to have something you want, that’s going to make you jealous and guilty.” Twilight regarded Applejack with a sad smile. “That’s where you are, right? You feel bad for wanting something that isn’t bad if pegasi or unicorns want it, but it’s wrong for earth ponies.”

“I guess that’s right,” Applejack said.

“I won’t say that’s silly, because it’s not.” Twilight sighed. “It’s really hard. If you go into this like it’s a job you’re doing for other ponies, you’re not being true to yourself. But if you go into it and try to make yourself special, and something goes wrong, you’ll feel like you didn’t do your best as an earth pony. That’s a difficult choice.”

Applejack thought about that. She thought about walking up to that hilltop ready to get the job done, with the same good natured cheer she used for bucking apples or helping out around town. But as she tried to picture it, bits of dream floated in; the moonlight on her pale blonde hair, the shadow of wings, the passion in the eyes of another pony on seeing her for the first time. She shook her head, and whispered to Twilight, “I dunno if it is a choice. I can’t stop thinkin’ about it. As much as I wanna be an earth pony, as proud as I am of the earth pony way... I’m Applejack first, ya’ know? And maybe Applejack ain’t the best earth pony there is.”

“I know, AJ. But you’re one of the best ponies there is. And the Cloud Maiden...” Twilight looked up to the clouds, worried. “Well, I know that no matter what happens, you guys will work something out.”

Applejack bit her lip in excitement and couldn’t keep a small smile off her face. “I hope so.”

Together

Rainbow Dash watched from the balcony as the moon climbed higher in the sky. Below on the clouds, the wild pegasus party was in full swing. Farther below, and in the distance, she could see the bonfires of the earth ponies still lit. And just beyond that, the clouds set in a swirled pattern were illuminated by the moonlight, marking the site of the ritual.

The loud horn cut through the still night. It made her flap straight up, even though she’d been expecting it any minute. It was the cue for the Maidens to enter the ritual space.

It was her cue.

She glanced nervously at Fluttershy, who smiled, her eyes shining, and straightened Dash’s crown. “Good luck. You’ll be perfect.”

Dash smiled uncertainly. “Thanks. I guess it’s time.” She hovered there, making no move towards the ritual space.

“Um, yes. Yes it is.” Fluttershy looked between Rainbow Dash and the clouds in the distance.

“So I should, uh...” Dash swallowed and motioned to the clouds.

“Yes.” Fluttershy nodded.

“Okay,” Dash said. She turned to face the ritual site, then glanced back at Fluttershy. “Well, here goes...”

Dash took off, soaring through the night sky. Once again, the feeling of wind in her feathers calmed her nerves. Below, the party had paused to watch the Cloud Maiden leave, and a cheer went through the crowd. Emboldened by the flight and the support of other ponies, she did a quick loop before flying in earnest towards the ritual.

The whole flight only took a few seconds before she landed on a cloud in the middle of the pattern. She glanced over the edge at the hilltop, scanning for a sign of the Flower Maiden. The scene was almost eerie, the ritual space was silent and still, but there was a feeling of lying in wait. The clouds in the moonlight cast a shadow on the ground, the swirling pattern that the pegasi had built. It seemed designed to move, for the clouds to twist in a kaleidoscope of moonlight. On the ground, Rainbow Dash could make out the scattered flower petals and seeds, and even she could tell they were itching to grow. Only the magic of the ritual would make the clouds move and the plants take root, so the whole hilltop seemed eager for the arrival of the Maidens.

Dash rolled over on her back and breathed deeply. She was the Cloud Maiden. She was in the ritual space. She should be feeling that magic any minute now. She wondered if the magic felt like the trembling that she couldn’t stop in her body, and the cold sweat she was feeling on her forehead...

Scrunching her face, she tried to stop that. The Cloud Maiden of the pegasi didn’t get nervous! She was all the pegasi, and pegasi were never scared, always ready, capable of conquering any task, no matter what. Sure, maybe a few mere ponies here and there couldn’t live up to that, but the pegasi chose Rainbow Dash because they thought she could. They thought she could be the Cloud Maiden, so the magic had to come to her and make her stop acting like some loser pony.

After several moments of this line of thought, she heard something; hoofbeats climbing the hill. Peeking over the edge of the cloud again, she saw a pony coming through the shadows. Dash could make out a long, flowing mane that glinted gold in the moonlight, and a sturdy, muscled body with a proud posture. Something gripped Dash’s heart but she couldn’t tell if it was excitement or terror. The Flower Maiden was perfect, and that left the Cloud Maiden a trembling wreck.

Below, Applejack stopped in the center of the ritual space, her heart pounding in her chest. The edges of the cloud pattern above were glowing in the moonlight, and from beneath her hooves came the sweet scent of flowers and herbs. She smiled, realizing this was just for her and her lover, no other pony would see this view. Only the two of them were special enough for both tribes to build them a perfect spot to join together.

Applejack felt as though time was standing still for her; no pegasus would ever appear, and she would stand there in anticipation forever. But the glow of the bonfires danced in the distance, and a warm breeze drifted over the hill top, catching her loose mane and tale. All of this indicated that the world was still in motion, every second drawing her lover closer to her.

Gazing up at the clouds, Applejack heard the soft flap of a pair of wings, then saw the lithe figure of a pegasus drift down in a beam of moonlight between the clouds, a few feet in front of her. At first silhouetted, she quickly came into focus as she neared. Applejack’s heart seemed to stop, and her eyes went wide as first mane and tail, then face and cutie mark became recognizable, even familiar.

Rainbow Dash landed in front of her, the golden crown of the Cloud Maiden on her head, her eyes squeezed shut. She took a deep breath, then said, “Hi-I’m-the-Cloud-Maiden-you-look-pretty-let’s-get-start-” Dash finally opened her eyes, looking into the shocked face of her Flower Maiden. “YOU?!”

Applejack just stared in confusion. There was a small part of her that wanted nothing more than to laugh at Dash’s pathetic display. But a much louder thought roared through her mind: Rainbow Dash was NOT her Cloud Maiden! Her Cloud Maiden was supposed to see her as a special pony. She was not supposed to give some speech she’d memorized then look like she just met a changeling. This wasn’t right, and it wasn’t fair.

Applejack felt tears stinging her eyes, and wished for her stetson to pull over her face. Instead she fought back the tears and fixed her mouth in a stoney line. “Me.”

“But you’re not-- I’m not supposed to be-- how can I--” Dash grappled for something to say as everything fell apart. She did not have the power to restore magic to Equestria. Applejack would see that Dash was a fraud. Her ears drooped, the charade was over, she was a failure.

Both ponies looked away from each other.

Applejack looked towards the bonfires of the earth ponies, her friends and neighbors counting on her complete the ritual, to make love to Rainbow Dash so that the plants would grow. She sighed, feeling a weight on the job that she hadn’t felt or imagined since her rose had bloomed.

Rainbow Dash’s gaze fell in the direction of the cloud temple, where her life as a pegasus had ended. She would be fired from the weather patrol, she could never set hoof in Cloudsdale again, and Pinkie Pie had a better chance of becoming a Wonderbolt. Her only hope was that maybe she and AJ could eek out some tiny bit of magic, enough that ponies didn’t starve at least.

After too long, Applejack sighed and said, “Well, I reckon we gotta do this.”

“Yeah.” Dash cringed, entirely missing the hurt in AJ’s eyes.

“Where do ya’ want me to start?”

Dash let out a huff of a sigh. “I dunno. We should kiss, I guess?”

Applejack nodded and stepped forward with determination. She planted her lips on Dash’s in a dry, motionless kiss. After a few seconds they both shifted, lips parting to see if their tongues could supply whatever ingredient was missing, but the strange invasions ended in an uncomfortable battle when neither could work out whose tongue was supposed to be where.

The whole time, both were glancing around the ritual space, looking for some clue that magic was actually present. The only movement remained a warm breeze, and neither felt anything inside of them that could be remotely called magic.

Finally, Dash pulled away and put her face in her hoof. “This isn’t gonna work!”

“That ain’t an option,” Applejack said, frowning.

“It’s the only option! I’m not the Cloud Maiden, AJ, and you’re not the Flow--”

“Shut up!” Applejack roared. She glared at Dash, then looked away quickly to hide the angry tears.

“Look, you don’t have to yell at me! I’m just trying to tell you why it can’t work. Twilight says we’re supposed to be, like, princesses or something. I thought that would happen when we got here, but it didn’t, we’re just a pegasus and an earth pony.” Dash said, as Applejack stomped across the top of the hill and sat down, facing away from the camp and the temple.

Dash would have been content to let Applejack stew, it wasn’t like anything was going to happen, were it not for the obvious sob that the earth pony couldn’t hold back. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, a friend crying was something Rainbow Dash couldn’t let pass.

“AJ, I’m sorry. I know this is more to you than something we’ve gotta prove. You’ve gotta do this for your family and the other farmers. We’ll think of something, I promise.”

This was only answered with more sobs, as Dash carefully approached. She sat down next to Applejack, not sure what else to do to comfort her friend. Finally, she settled on wrapping a wing around the earth pony while glancing in the other direction so that AJ didn’t think she felt sorry for her.

“I hate myself,” Applejack said softly between sobs.

“I totally understand,” Dash said, sighing. “I mean, I’m supposed to be the Cloud Maiden, the best pegasus in Equestria. They all thought I could do that, and I failed. The Cloud Maiden doesn’t fail. Pegasi don’t fail. I’m not even a pegasus right now. I’m nothing.”

Applejack scrunched her face to try to stop the tears. “Well, I reckon I’m nothin’ too. I sure ain’t an earth pony. I can’t believe I’m such a fool, the Flower Maiden oughta be doin’ this for her family and friends and everypony in Equestria. No wonder it didn’t work, if I ain’t even earth pony enough to do that.”

They sat united in silence and self-pity for a while, before Dash said, “So, if you weren’t doing this for your family or Equestria, why are you doing it?”

“I wanted to be the Flower Maiden.” Applejack closed her eyes and slumped a little. “I wanted to be special and magic, and have somepony see me that way. I sound like a starry-eyed filly, don’t I?”

Dash smirked, but managed to suppress a giggle. “A little. Wow, I never woulda thought it. Everything you do is so boring and important, I never thought there was a little diva in you trying to get out.”

“Don’t matter now, I reckon. I learned my lesson, I’m givin’ those dreams up for good. Good ol’ dependable Applejack is here to stay,” Applejack said flatly.

Dash shook her head. “You’re crazy. Everypony should try to shine as bright as they can. That’s how awesome things happen.”

“Yeah, awesome things like this.”

Looking to Applejack, Dash’s ears drooped and her face fell. “AJ, this isn’t because you don’t shine. You totally shine, when I saw you walking up I thought you were the perfect Flower Maiden. This is my fault, I’m not the Cloud Maiden. I don’t feel the magic I’m supposed to feel. I’m a failure...” Dash bit her lip, and smiled a little. “I’m a failure as a pegasus. But know what? I’m not gonna let you down.”

Dash took Applejack’s hoof and flew up, pulling AJ to her hooves. “Come on. Even if I can’t do the ritual, I can make you feel special. We can pretend I’m the Cloud Maiden, and maybe we’ll get something out of this.” Dash grinned and lead Applejack to the center of the ritual space.

“Okay, I reckon I can give it another go,” Applejack said, smiling at Dash’s enthusiasm. She leaned in to try another kiss, but Dash stopped her lips gently with a hoof.

“No,” Dash said, sliding her hoof to Applejack’s cheek. She took a deep breath, smelling the roses from Applejack’s crown, and really looking at her friend’s strong farmpony body with the soft golden mane flowing over the muscles of her shoulders. “First, I’ve gotta tell you that you’re totally special, and strong, and pretty, and you always take care of everypony. You’re everything an earth pony should be. You’re, like, the perfect Flower Maiden. I can feel the magic coming off you. You belong here.”

Applejack beamed, and felt something in her heart start to glow. She looked at Dash the way she should have seen her the first time, all that boundless drive and energy packed into one little pony, the lightning crown on her head seeming to show it shooting out of her. “You belong here with me, Dash. I dunno ‘bout the magic, but anypony can see you’re the best the pegasi have to offer, and you got all the crowns and medals to prove it. If you ain’t cut out to be a Cloud Maiden, I can’t think of a pony who is.”

Leaning forward, Applejack completed the kiss she’d attempted. As their lips met softly, the warm wind picked up and both ponies felt a surge of powerful magic pulse through them; a warm dizzying feeling that seemed to turn the hilltop into an extension of their bodies. Applejack could feel the scattered seeds throb with the desire to grow as Dash gently probed her mouth with her tongue. As the Flower Maiden yielded her mouth to Rainbow Dash, a shaky excitement flared the Cloud Maiden’s wings and set the clouds in motion, swirling above them in spirals.

As they parted reluctantly both ponies gasped for breath, eyes wide and glancing around, taking in the effects of the simple kiss. Excited smiles formed on their faces.

“AJ... the magic... ” Dash’s eyes were shining, looking up at the clouds she was moving without laying a hoof on them, with barely a thought.

“I’m feelin’ it too, Dash.” Applejack grinned, pawing the ground and feeling every blade of grass, every unopened seed for miles.

Dash looked at Applejack and opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. She just stood there staring with her mouth hanging open. She was vaguely aware, from Flight School classes, that lightning traveled as fast and hard as it could towards some kind of ground. She’d never imagined what the lightning was feeling, but now she didn’t have to. “AJ?”

“I know, Dash,” Applejack said. Then she looked up casually, and her eyes went wide because she really knew. She knew why tree roots would move earth and crack stone to get to water. “Uh... wow.”

They dove for each other at the same time, Applejack catching Dash’s jawbone in a biting kiss as strong wind started to snap around them, whipping their manes and tails like flags. Dash gave a desperate moan as Applejack traveled down her throat with firm kisses, giving another love bite when she reached Dash’s collarbone.

“What is this?” Dash gasped, feeling every press of AJ’s lips shoot through her body.

“Magic... ritual... nature... dunno... can’t talk while I’m kissin’.” Applejack muttered as she nuzzled and kissed over Dash’s body to her wings. Her mouth gently bit at the base of one, gnawing it lightly.

Dash groaned as a roll of thunder shook the sky. “Uunh! More, AJ! More everything, please!”

Applejack’s mouth released the wing and nuzzled behind it, licking the base firmly before planting kisses along Dash’s side, across her flank to her cutie mark. “There’s a storm comin’, Dash.” Applejack said with a smirk, eyeing the clouds in the sky as she traced the edges of the cloud on Dash’s flank with her tongue.

Another low rumble of thunder shook the sky as Dash’s whole body trembled in anticipation. “Yes,” Dash panted. “Yesyesyesyes...”

“I know that storm’s gonna give me just what I need...” her tongue flicked sharply down the blue stripe in Dash’s lightning bolt, sending a teasing wave of pleasure to Dash’s core. “But I know the longer I can hold off, the stronger and wilder this’s gonna be.”

Applejack’s tongue flicked down the yellow stripe, drawing a whimper from Dash as the wind picked speed, whipping around the two ponies. The air against Dash’s wings almost made it feel like she was flying, and she knew that glorious feeling was somehow connected to the magic Applejack was pulling out of her in that slow, teasing way. The Flower Maiden was playing her body, playing her magic, playing the whole sky like a virtuoso. Whatever she was doing, Dash only wanted more.

Dash felt Applejack’s warm breath on her flank. “I want this storm wild, Dash. I know you’re gonna give me wild. That’s why we’re here, the two of us. We ain’t scared to make it rough.” The lick that followed wasn’t a flicker, it was slow and hard, tracing down the red stripe, then up and around the outline of Dash’s cutie mark. Thunder rolled, and the clouds above had turned black, ready to release a torrent any second.

Rainbow Dash held her breath as Applejack nuzzled around the curve of her flank. The wind died down, a pressure built in the air around them, the sky was silent and it felt like the whole world was waiting for the unleashing of Dash’s passion.

Applejack carefully nudged Dash’s tail to the side, finding the gleaming marehood beneath it like the storm clouds above; swollen, wet, and more than ready. She ached to drink from it more each second, but she knew that just her breath and the wind touching it had to be making the Cloud Maiden crazy.

After what Rainbow Dash could only count as entirely too many seconds of nearly painful anticipation, Applejack plunged her tongue into the bottom of the slit, running it roughly up the length as Dash threw her head back and screamed in pleasure. Lightning bolts crashed to the ground all around them, a blinding demonstration of exactly what Dash was feeling.

The electricity in the air put Applejack’s coat on end and sent a light charge through her body. Far from unpleasant, the pulse just added to the mounting pressure of her own desire, driving her towards Dash’s soaked sex in hopes of earning more. Her tongue dove in, searching out spots that changed the tone and pitch of the Cloud Maiden’s cries.

The sky opened up in a deluge of rain, instantly soaking both ponies, but they were entirely too focused on Dash’s pleasure to care. As rainwater mixed with the delicious taste of Dash’s juices, Applejack firmly ran her tongue over the slick nub again and again, earning desperate grunts from Dash and a loud peal of thunder that seemed to actually come from within the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash screamed her incoherent song of pleasure into the storm. It was the storm. She was the storm, every jolt to her body from Applejack’s attention forced thunder, lightning, and rain from the sky, and forced raw magic from Dash’s body. A shift of sensation from her clit to the desperately twitching confines, where Applejack plunged her tongue and massaged the opening with her lips, caused a crash through Dash’s body that cleared her mind and her vision, leaving her with only an incoherent cyclone of thoughts and the thick smell of ozone in the air.

The shock from the lightning bolts only feet away seemed to dart straight to Applejack’s own marehood, a promise of things to come. For now the delicious hole, from which her tongue was releasing some of the most powerful magic of Equestria, remained her focus. Her tongue pressed into the tight opening, lapping at it, searching for new displays of magic to unleash.

Finally she found one, her tongue hit a place inside of Dash that caused a shout of pleasure like she’d never heard from a pony. The already strong winds began driving the rain within the ritual circle with a force that Applejack was sure would have blown her away, but the magic in the Flower Maiden reached deep within the earth. Rooted there, standing firm against Dash’s storm, she drove into the spot with determination.

Pleasure was all Rainbow Dash felt. A swirling force of unstoppable pleasure wracking her body and mind, pumping out of her into the world. Thunder, lightning, wind and rain weren’t even capable of expressing it, but the closest she could come was to drive all of them with all her power. Lightning flashed and crashed around the two, bolt after bolt, and the massive cracks of thunder made the sounds that Dash was incapable of making superfluous anyway. The hurricane-force winds swirled buckets of rain as something even more powerful built inside of the pegasus at the center.

At last, a wild surge shook her body, pulsing out into the sky, breaking through the storm, through the bounds of the ritual, reaching the far corners of the world with the magic of the sky and weather. Dash stood frozen in ecstasy as it poured from her, her mind somehow touching every air current and cloud in the world before rebelling and fading to black.

The ritual space suddenly went still as Rainbow Dash’s legs gave out, and she fell to the wet ground. Applejack blinked, then rushed to Dash’s side. The Cloud Maiden was still breathing, and nuzzling her face produced a whimper.

“Dash?” Applejack whispered. “Sugarcube, you okay?”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes slowly. She smiled, and said with a voice even scratchier than normal, “That. Was. Awesome.”

“Not bad, for a pony who ain’t really the Cloud Maiden.” Applejack smirked.

“I’m the Cloud Maiden, AJ! Did you see that? The hurricane and the lightning...” Dash was grinning, and at the mention of the lightning she noticed Applejack blush and squirm. “You liked the lightning.”

“I reckon I could feel that,” Applejack answered, smiling hopefully. She was as soaked as the ground in the ritual space, her loose mane clinging to her body.

The sight brought back Dash’s energy, as well as reminding her that she hadn’t been alone in that whirlwind. She got to her hooves and nuzzled Applejack. “I’m glad you liked it. It was because of you. It was all because of you, the things you did to me, ohmigosh...”

“It was nothin’.” Applejack grinned and straightened her rose crown.

“No way. I came so hard I supplied magic to Equestria, and you’re the pony who did that to me. That’s amazing, AJ.” Dash smiled softly.

“Well, I reckon you get a turn now.” Applejack pointed out.

“Oh yeah, I do. And I can’t wait...” Dash eyed the gleaming wet muscles of the Flower Maiden. “But, I’m gonna wait. Come here.”

Dash sat back down on the ground, and motioned for Applejack to sit next to her. AJ looked confused, but joined Dash.

“Lay back, and look up at the sky,” Dash said, pointing at the swirling cloud patterns. They both laid back, and Dash wrapped a foreleg around Applejack as the clouds seemed to come to life. They danced in circles, spiraling one way, then the other. A space cleared in the center, then bits of cloud floated into it and arranged themselves into a shape.

Applejack gasped, then laughed. “It’s an apple! Rainbow Dash, are you usin’ the most powerful pegasus magic in Equestria to put on a puppet show for me?”

“Maybe?” Dash said with an innocent grin. The clouds in the center broke apart again, and reformed themselves into the shape of a pony. After a few seconds it became more detailed, with a flowing mane and a crown of flowers, and three freckles on her cheek.

Applejack blushed. “What’re ya’ doin’ that for?”

“It’s the Flower Maiden.” Dash smiled, looking into Applejack’s eyes. “One of the most special ponies in Equestria tonight. She deserves to be honored.”

“Thanks.” Applejack grinned and nuzzled Dash’s cheek. “I feel honored.”

Dash nuzzled Applejack back, and whispered, “Not as honored as you’re gonna feel. You have no idea how much I want to do to that sexy wet body of yours right now.”

“I reckon I do,” Applejack whispered breathlessly. “And I reckon if ya’ think back a bit, you know how I’m feelin’ like a seed tryin’ to break outta its shell, all tucked in tight and just waitin’ on one more push to burst.”

Dash’s lips met Applejack’s, and the grass around the ritual space rippled. The kiss was soft and lingering, and Dash continued it as she rolled on top of Applejack. She finally broke the kiss and grinned down at the Flower Maiden. “Just one push, huh?” Dash picked up one of Applejack’s forehooves and gave it a soft kiss right in the center. “Then I guess I’m gonna have to be extra gentle ‘til I’m ready for that plant to grow.”

Applejack gasped and squirmed at the feeling of lips on one of the most magical points of her body. Earth pony hooves were normally sensitive, but tonight it sent a jolt of magic through Applejack, straight to her already damp marehood. She felt the wave of magic continue out of her, into the earth, and seeds around her that had been driven into the earth by the previous storm opened and sprouted amidst the grass.

Grinning at Applejack’s reaction, Dash swirled her tongue around the hoof, tasting the wet grass. She dropped the hoof only to pick up the other forehoof, licking a teasing spiral from the edge to the center.

“Dash... please...” Applejack pleaded; shivers ran down her spine, and the magic was now a steady trickle flowing into the earth. Grass grew higher, and the tiny seedlings pushed up over it as their roots grew deeper into the wet earth.

“You know it’s coming.” Dash teased, leaning over to cover Applejack’s collarbone with light licks that made the Flower Maiden writhe beneath her. “Your whole body knows it. The whole world knows it. The plants, the earth, they’re wet and ready.” Dash could have added the Flower Maiden to that list as her tongue traced slowly down the center of Applejack’s torso. “But I’m taking it slow this time...”

Applejack groaned, sending another shiver of growth through the plants on the hilltop. “This ain’t the time, Dash. I need it bad...”

Dash’s tail moved to flick at Applejack’s marehood. Applejack just whimpered, and Dash smirked down at her. “I know you need it. But the stronger I make that pressure in you, the more amazing it’ll be when you get that push.” The Cloud Maiden shifted down, kissing her way across the orange belly and pausing over Applejack’s nipples. “And I know that, coming from you, this is gonna be really awesome.”

Dash leaned down and flicked a nipple with her tongue, then bit it lightly, prompting a gasp from AJ. Dash’s tongue continued toying with the hard nub, as Applejack let out her breath in a low moan, and buds formed on plants around them. When she finished with the nipple, the Cloud Maiden started to kiss her way lower, towards the source of Applejack’s aching desire, before moving back up to tease the other nipple with playful strokes of her tongue.

Applejack tossed her head against the grass, unsure whether to curse or beg as the force of nature built inside of her. It was leaking slowly out of her body into the earth, but that seemed to offer no relief from the delicious, maddening pressure of her own magic.

Finally reaching Applejack’s marehood, Dash proceeded to lavish the lips to either side of her obviously damp slit with licks and nibbles. Dash smirked as she was rewarded with pleading whimpers, she knew perfectly well that this was past the point of pony endurance, and bordering on delicious torture for even a Maiden. Without warning, Dash’s tongue plunged into the wet folds, aiming directly for the Flower Maiden’s bud. She sucked it gently, firmly into her mouth and began massaging the delicate spot with her soft tongue.

Applejack cried out in ecstasy as a ring of flowers burst open in the grass around her, the blossoming of the plants rippling outward like a living rainboom. The magic seemed to throb through her into the earth like a heartbeat. She thrust her sex toward Dash’s mouth in time, and the Cloud Maiden matched it with her actions, uniting the world in the rhythm.

Rainbow Dash rocked her body with Applejack’s motions, working her tongue to send jolts with every beat. Small plants grew into vines and bushes, saplings surged toward the sky, all with the same steady pace that the Cloud Maiden was using to draw constant cries of pleasure from her lover.

Lost in that pulse, Applejack felt nothing but wave after wave of pleasure, which she fed into the living earth beneath her. But each wave seemed to add to the pressure inside of her. She quickened her motions and Rainbow Dash followed suit. More waves, more pleasure, more pressure. Growing, always growing.

Almost hypnotized by the primal throb of magic from her Flower Maiden, Dash didn’t notice the tangle of bushes and vine the ritual space was becoming until she felt something tug her tail. She glanced back to see a vine curled around it, the tendril inching closer to her own marehood with each thrust. Dash shivered at the thought, and a soft rain started to fall as the vine slowly crept down her rear and wrapped around her hind leg, the length of it resting against her slit.

She blushed and refocused on Applejack’s body, never breaking the rhythm, but speeding it up. Dash released the clit from her lips to switch to licking kisses that let her lips capture her whole sex, grinding her mouth tenderly into AJ’s most sensitive parts. With every quick, slurping movement of Dash’s tongue Applejack cried out and the vine between Dash’s legs twitched, both together spurring the Cloud Maiden to go faster in the increasingly heavy rain.

Feeling the increased speed and the attention to even more of her own erotic flower, Applejack’s cries grew to wild screams of passion. Her magic pounded into the ground, saplings grew to full trees in quick bursts, the small jungle growing around the ponies forming a shelter that seemed to be drinking up the rain as quickly as it could fall.

The frantic pace continued until Applejack’s mind lost all control. With a final shout of pleasure she thrust her sex wildly, Dash taking the cue to drink the Flower Maiden’s nectar with desperate abandon. All order was lost, there was nothing left for Applejack but magic and pleasure and life.

The Flower Maiden felt like she was falling through the earth, into the earth; she was a force pushing into the seeds and plants with all her might. Thick vines grew with snake-like motions, tangling the bushes and trees as they burst into fruit and flower. The ritual space couldn’t contain the magic, Applejack felt it travel the world, deep underground, pushing the raw essence of life into every plant and creature in Equestria and beyond. She could feel roots everywhere drinking her unending supply of magic until she faded into them, and the world went black.

Applejack’s body fell limp, like one final beat, and then the hilltop was still again. Rainbow Dash stopped the rain in the sky and fell forward on top of her. Taking a minute to look around, what was once a grassy plateau and now seemed to be a small clearing in a thick and wild forest. Applejack had grown a nest of sweet smelling honeysuckle for them to lay on, in addition to that sneaky vine wrapped around Dash’s tail which still sat in just the right place to drive Dash crazy if she tried to move.

Dash rested her head on AJ’s chest, listening to her heartbeat as Applejack stirred.

“I see what ya’ meant...” Applejack murmured hoarsely. “That was awesome.”

“I know!” Dash grinned, then spotted a tree behind AJ, “Hey, look, you came apples!”

Applejack propped up on one foreleg and turned around, and sure enough there was a full grown apple tree laden with fruit. She laughed. “Ya’ know, I think that’s the most fun I ever had farmin’...”

“Feeling special enough now?” Dash asked, smiling.

“I reckon I am.” Applejack turned back to Dash, laying back with her forelegs behind her head. “Thanks, Dash. I couldn’tve felt this good without ya’. Other ponies mighta made me feel special and magic as the Flower Maiden, but you made me feel like the Flower Maiden is really me.”

“No prob.” Dash grinned. “You’re the one who convinced me I was the Cloud Maiden, I don’t think I would have really believed anypony else. So we’re even.”

Applejack gave a happy sigh. “The magic knows who it wants to work though...”

“The magic has really good taste.” Rainbow Dash shifted just a little, and licked her lips with a smirk as a light drizzle started.

Applejack looked at the sky, then raised an eyebrow at Dash, “You’re ready to go again?”

“I’ve got some help.” Dash explained. “There’s this vine by my tail... you were getting pretty good with it, and every time I move, it-- oooh!” The vine began to grow again, pressing and twitching against her marehood. “Applejack!”

Applejack smirked. “Yeah?”

Dash smirked right back. “How about if you stop using freaky earth pony magic to molest me, and get back to using that sexy earth pony body to molest me?”

Applejack grinned and used her forelegs to pull Dash farther up her body, giving her access to the Cloud Maiden’s face for a deep kiss. The wind began to rush through the trees and vines and grasses surged back to life as the magic started to build again...

Epilogue: Sun

The sky was just barely turning from purple to deep blue before dawn as Twilight Sparkle made her way to the newly forested hilltop. The trees and brush started halfway up the hill, and grew thicker towards the top so that Twilight had to circle several times before finding an opening to land. The clouds above the hill spread in tatters, nearly a fog in the sky thanks to the wild storms that had ripped them all night.

Imagining the cause of the storms and the new growth made Twilight blush, and that only deepened when she saw Princess Celestia smiling fondly over a messy pile of ponies in a nest of honeysuckle.

As weird as the situation was, even Twilight had to smile at the scene as she neared. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both filthy, their coats and manes wild and matted with mud, grass, and other things that Twilight prefered not to think about. They lay facing each other, their rear legs entwined and Dash’s muzzle resting on Applejack’s shoulder, buried in her loose mane. Applejack’s rose crown was hanging off of one ear, while the only thing keeping Dash’s lightning crown on her head was that her mane was thoroughly tangled around it.

But both of them wore blissful smiles in their sleep, and when they shifted it was to pull the other closer, or rub their muzzles against the other pony wrapped in their legs.

“It’s a beautiful ritual, isn’t it?” Princess Celestia said, still looking at the sleeping ponies.

Twilight nodded, “Oh, yes! Even if it’s a little dirty.”

“In more ways than one.” Princess Celestia winked, turning Twilight’s face an even deeper shade of purple. The elder princess chuckled. “Come now, you’ve seen the way the earth ponies and pegasi treat that act. It’s a rather enjoyable part of a celebrated ritual; to consider it shameful seems like an insult to those ponies.”

“I didn’t mean that! It’s just... surprising.” Twilight regained her composure. “But the ritual was amazing. I’ve never felt magic like that, except for the Summer Sun Celebration. It was like all of Equestria was glowing.”

“This used to be the Summer Sun Celebration, before my reign. Or, at least, it accomplished the same thing -- restoring the magic of unicorns to the celestial bodies.” Princess Celestia smiled at Twilight, seeming to expect her next question, but waiting politely for her to ask.

“So, why did the unicorns stop taking part? Why don’t you take part now?” Twilight asked, following her cue with an expectant smile that matched Celestia’s.

Celestia frowned a little. “I said that to consider this shameful would be an insult to these ponies. Unfortunately, that is not a view that was shared by the unicorn tribe at the time. While pegasi and earth ponies celebrated their roles in restoring magic and balance to the world, the unicorns considered it uncouth to take part in such primitive magic. The Sun Maiden was never considered a noble role, but a druge sent out of necessity.”

“But the Sun Maiden would have been giving the unicorns their magic, the power they needed to raise the sun! How could they not consider that noble?” Twilight asked, incredulous.

Princess Celestia nodded to the disheveled ponies on the ground. “Would the nobles of my court consider that an honor? The scholars at my school? It’s an ancient magic, Twilight, it’s powerful, inelegant, and effective. I can’t think of words that less describe most of the unicorn nobility.”

Twilight frowned. She had to admit that she couldn’t see most unicorns she knew taking part in something like this. Rarity would probably swoon if she found out about it. Twilight liked to think that she would have volunteered, just to know what that magic felt like, but if it was something that would have made her family ashamed she knew that she might not have been that brave.

“So, they just stopped coming to the ritual?” Twilight asked.

“When I became Princess and took over the role of raising the sun, the unicorn leaders offered me the position of Sun Maiden as well. They seemed glad to be rid of it.” Celestia rolled her eyes. “I never participated in the ritual, myself. Not because it’s beneath me, but because I was afraid that my social status would make it difficult on the other ponies. The things one might do with another Maiden are not always things one might want to do with the Princess of Equestria.” She smirked, and Twilight giggled. “So, I offer the sun’s blessing the morning after, and I restore the sun’s magic at the Summer Sun Celebration.”

Twilight considered that for a few moments, remembering the magic she felt last night shooting off of the ritual space. She glanced down at her happy, contented friends, asleep in the sweet smelling flowers. Finally, she looked to Princess Celestia. “That’s ridiculous! This is a primal force of the universe here. You can’t just look down on it because they have to get a little messy and do things that are outside of normal social behavior. I think it serves the unicorns right.”

“How so?” Celestia said with a smile.

“Because every little pegasus and earth pony filly has a better chance of experiencing true, raw magic than the most powerful noble unicorn. They’ll never know what Rainbow Dash and Applejack knew last night... and that’s their loss.”

Celestia nodded, the smile still on her face. “I couldn’t agree more. I believe Cadance said the same thing, when she learned why unicorns excluded themselves from the ritual... of course, she had been a Cloud Maiden herself before she was a princess.”

Twilight’s face quickly shifted from a glow at Celestia’s approval to mild discomfort. “Ew. Cadance is my brother’s wife, Princess.”

Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow. “She wasn’t always, Twilight.”

“Yeah, thanks. Not something I wanted to know.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Anyway, isn’t it nearly time to raise the sun?”

“It is,” Celestia agreed. She turned to the east, and with a shimmering magical glow she pulled the warm light of the sun from beneath the horizon, casting the warm colors of sunrise over Equestria.

The daily miracle would never grow old to Twilight, but today it reminded her of the miracles that took place in this spot last night. She glanced down at her friends, bathed in the first light of dawn.

Princess Celestia leaned over and kissed Applejack’s lips softly. Applejack opened her eyes and blinked, confused, then the smile returned to her face as she glanced at the pegasus in her legs. Then Princess Celestia kissed Rainbow Dash, who tried to push her face deeper into Applejack’s shoulder.

Applejack whispered into Dash’s ear, “Rise and shine, sunshine.”

“Huh? Wha- oh. Oh!” Dash pulled away quickly, but when she saw Applejack’s smile she grinned and hugged her closer. “We did it!”

“We sure did,” Applejack agreed, returning the hug.

“I believe Equestria is expecting one of the finest harvests in memory,” Princess Celestia informed them, earning excited smiles from both ponies.

“That magic was incredible!” Twilight said, grinning at her friends. “I told you both you had nothing to worry about.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash glanced at each other and started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked, confused.

“Nothin’, Twilight. We had a bit of a bumpy start, but we worked it out,” Applejack said, smiling at Dash.

“Yeah, that was a wild night...” Dash agreed, trying and failing to take her eyes off of Applejack. “Uh, you’re sure it’s over?”

Applejack’s smile turned sad. “Yup. That was it. No more magic, for us at least.”

Dash thought for a second, then quickly caught Applejack’s lips in a deep kiss. Applejack’s eyes went wide, then she relaxed into the kiss.

Twilight’s eyes remained wide, even after the two broke the kiss and looked at her and Princess Celestia sheepishly.

“I, uh, just wanted to check and make sure the magic was gone,” Dash explained.

“Is it?” Princess Celestia asked, smiling.

“Nope! I mean, I think there’s some left.” Applejack said quickly, with a glance at Dash.

Dash nodded. “Yeah, we might have to use that up... it could take a while without the ritual. Days. Maybe weeks!”

“Really?” Twilight raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Yup!” Applejack said, chuckling nervously. She turned to Rainbow Dash. “We, uh, oughta go someplace else. I think we need to talk ‘bout this. Alone.”

Dash smirked and leaned towards Applejack. “Alone. I like that.” The she darted up, pulling AJ to her hooves. “Come on!” She flew around to AJ’s backside and started to push.

“‘Scuse us, princesses!” Applejack called over her shoulder. “We got some Maiden business to work out.”

“Take your time.” Princess Celestia smiled knowingly, and Applejack returned a grateful smile before taking off running with Rainbow Dash.

Twilight shook her head. “There’s no leftover magic, is there?”

“I have no idea. There’s none from the ritual, of course, but it’s not uncommon for more to bloom in the ritual than flowers.” Princess Celestia smiled at Twilight, who raised her eyebrows and watched her friends happily racing together down the hillside as Celestia went on, “Even hundreds of years ago, when it was unheard of to marry outside of one’s tribe, a romance between Maidens was smiled upon by even the staunchest traditionalists. It was considered lucky, and likely to be happy for both of them.”

Twilight smiled, “I hope so.”

Princess Celestia moved next to Twilight, and wrapped a wing around the young princess. “There are many kinds of magic. We will never understand them all.”