From the Ashes

Applejack sat in the shade next to Rarity as Selene and Lyra did their daily duet. Today's song was about an unicorn named Starswirl the Bearded. Twilight nearly shattered a few eardrums when she squealed with glee, realizing who the song was about. Startswirl the Bearded was one of her heroes, the normal one at least.

Normal for Twilight that was.

"They're good," Rarity remarked off hand as Applejack just grunted. The duo finished their song, and the crowd around Selene and Lyra broke into a roaring applause calling for an encore as per usual. But the rule was one song at noon otherwise the flow of business would be severely disrupted. And Ponyville could use all the business it could get.

"I don't trust her," Applejack told Rarity as she watched Twilight chat with Selene and Lyra, an excited spark in her eyes. A spark which hadn't been there since she moved to Ponyville three years ago. "Somethin is off about her."

"Darling, stop being such a stubborn mule," Rarity chided the farmer. "She is different because she has simply been living a different lifestyle then the rest of us. Remember when you lived in Manehatten for a year? Despite your best efforts, you could never fit in, could you? It's the same deal with Miss Selene."

"No it ain't," Applejack insisted, frustrated that the fashion diva simply couldn't see. Just the way she talked sent warning bells off in her head. She always had a knack for knowing when a pony was lying, and Selene was lying with every word she spoke.

The funny thing was she was lying by using the truth. Applejack couldn't make heads or tails of it. And it infuriated her to no end.

"Well, what basis do you have to suspect her then?" Rarity shot back. Applejack opened her mouth, before closing it again. She couldn't explain what she felt to Rarity because she couldn't understand it herself.

The biggest suspicious thing she could accuse Selene at the moment of was that she never took of her cloak. Apparently according to Twilight, she never took it off even when she slept. That was just weird.

But Twilight explained that Selene had been sleeping in the wild under harsh weather conditions and needed the cloak to keep warm and dry. Nopony could break habits like that so easily. Especially when it came to survival.

It was a valid argument, and Applejack was forced to accept it.

But it made Applejack feel a bit better that Rarity was upset about the cloak too, although it was for different reasons. She lamented it was a crime against fashion, and actually got down on the ground and begged Selene to allow her to make a different one. Selene, however, gave her an apologetic smile and told her that the cloak had sentimental value to her, and she couldn't just replace it. And Applejack could understand that too.

"You can't think of a thing, can you?" Rarity accused.

"It's a feelin'," Applejack grumbled, refusing to let the subject drop.

"You cannot prosecute ponies on a feeling," Rarity said exasperated, the rising frustration evident in her voice. It was the same voice she used on Sweetie Belle when she was doing her utmost trying not to strangle her younger sister for messing things up.

"Dragons do it all the time," Applejack muttered darkly.

"You aren't a dragon, now are you?" Rarity snapped, standing up. "Now listen here Applejack; if you are going to accuse a pony, at least have some proof. Innocent until proven guilty. No need to lower ourselves to the level of ruffians."

With a tail swish, Rarity walked away, no doubt to leave Applejack to think about what she had told her. That and to make sure her boutique was still standing; she had left Sweetie Belle alone unsupervised.

"Proof huh," Applejack muttered as she stood up. That shouldn't be too hard. There had to be somewhere where Selene slipped up. Contradicted herself maybe.

Applejack was looking out for the safety of Ponyville. And she was positive Selene was a threat to that safety.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Applejack couldn't find a single thing to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that would warrant her distrust of Selene. This pony was good, Applejack was loathe to admit. Most liars slipped up somewhere, but Selene hadn't.

She had been watching her all day, and the unicorn's most suspicious behavior was running away when the Cutie Mark Crusaders had started to harass her on how she got her cutie mark (or if she even had one). But that was a normal reaction for any pony in Ponyville. Her younger sister and her friends were a bit much to handle a lot of the time.

But it opened an excellent opportunity for Applejack to talk to Selene.

She found her at the local cafe, happily munching on some hay fries.

"Hello Selene, mind if I join ya?" Applejack asked pleasantly. Selene looked at Applejack, and Applejack noticed her eyes were intense as always. Selene always reminded her of Twilight in that regard. As if they were staring at something far in the distance.

"Please pull up a chair Miss Applejack," Selene said, gesturing towards the chair across from her. Applejack eased into the chair, giving the bard a grin.

"You can call me Applejack, Selene," Applejack told her. "I'm not one fer fancy talk."

"Well then Applejack," Selene said with a smile as she levitated some hay fries up to her mouth, nibbling on them as she studied the farmer. "How may I help you today?"

"Well, first off I'd like to apologize fer ma sister and her friends," Applejack started off. "They've been itchin' to get their cutie marks as soon as possible, and they've been causin' mischief while doing so. They come off a tad strong, but they are really good ponies at heart."

Selene chuckled as she shook her head.

"It is quite alright Applejack," Selene said as she ate another hay fry. "There is no need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing for running off on them like that." Applejack chuckled and shook her head. Even if she wasn't the most trustworthy pony, at least she had manners. Nor did she give off the impression of being a sleezeball.

"Nah," she said with a grin. "That's actually a normal reaction fer folks around here. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." This elicited an eyebrow raise from Selene, and she placed the hay fry she had been levitating back down on the plate.

"What would you like to talk to me about?"

"I don't trust ya." No need to beat around the bush. Selene looked taken aback for a moment before she started to laugh, much to Applejack's befuddlement. After a minute of laughing, she was able to calm down to actually talk.

"I'm glad," Selene said, a smile on her face. Applejack was expecting a lot of things, but this wasn't one of them.

"Yer glad?" Applejack asked in astonishment. "What in tarnation makes you so glad about not being trusted?" Selene scratched her head a bit with her hoof, pausing a moment before answering.

"It's the best way for survival," she said finally. "If you know how to watch your back, you won't be stabbed there. Especially in this day and age; you don't know which one of your neighbors will turn you in to the dragons."

Applejack is surprised by Selene's answer. But it makes sense in a way. Especially coming from a pony of Selene's background. Selene no doubt has had to be constantly looking over her shoulder. According to Twilight, this is the longest Selene has stayed in one place in a long while.

Plus, now that she thought about it, ponies who traveled were the most paranoid ponies. She knew when her and Rarity traveled to Canterlot they were always looking behind them, just waiting for something to attack them from behind. Even while in Canterlot, they were always suspicious of the citizens.

"I guess that makes sense," Applejack admitted finally. "But if that's the case, why ain't you more paranoid?" Selene chuckled a bit.

"Who says I'm not paranoid?," Selene asked her with a grin that seemed to be hiding some sort of inside joke. "I live in fear every day. I'm just better at coping with it then other ponies I suppose."

"Well, ya don't need to be afraid here," Applejack told her forcefully. "Ponyville ain't like the big cities; we don't have dragons here breathing down our back. So, stop being so darn elusive and be fully honest fer once!"

Selene look downcast at Applejack's words, and she shook her head slightly.

"I'm afraid I cannot comply with that wish," Selene told her, a regretful look on her face. "I have my reasons. However, if I may be so selfish to beg you to believe this one thing; I mean no harm to anypony."

Applejack frowned a bit. She was telling the truth. As usual. But as usual, there was something behind it. It wasn't malicious, but it still made her worry.

"I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt," Applejack told Selene finally. The bard nodded once and smiled.

"That is more than fair." Applejack slid out of the chair.

"I'll still be keeping ma eye on you though," Applejack warned. Selene once again smiled gently.

"I know."

"Have a good day Selene."

"You as well Applejack."

As she walked away, she ran into Rarity. The fashion diva fell into step with her as Applejack walked back towards her farm. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Rarity decided to speak up.

"I saw you talking to her," Rarity informed her. Applejack just grunted. "What were you talking about?"

"I told her I didn't trust her, and she said she was glad," Applejack said simply as Rarity arched an eyebrow, silently asking the farmer to continue. "We got a talking to trust and survival. I told her there is nothing to worry about here in Ponyville, and she should open up. She said she couldn't do that, but asked me to believe her that she means nopony no harm."

"Makes sense," Rarity told her, a small smile forming on her lips as she looked forward. After a moment's pause she continued. "I honestly think she is like Twilight." Applejack looked at Rarity, confused by the sudden topic change.

"Well, yeah both are book worms," Applejack said slowly. "But I don't know what that has to do with what we were talking 'bout." Rarity sighed and shook her head dramatically.

"Not that darling," Rarity told her in a voice one might take when addressing a very small child. "I mean both have stuff to hide, but they may be hiding it because they are simply trying to protect those around them. Of course this is all just a theory."

Applejack hummed a bit, thinking on Rarity's words. She didn't think of that scenario, and it made sense she supposed. It would explain away Selene's odd behaviors very nicely.

But what was so big a secret that Selene had to hide that if it ever got out every other pony would have their life in danger?