Prince of Princes:

I had trotted all the way from Rarity's Carousel Boutique in central Ponyville, to Apple Jack at her Sweet Apple Acres at the edge of the Everfree forest. Going there gave me a few minutes extra, considering what I had intended to ask her about.

She wouldn't protest, about the party as such. Our new castle require a Party, after all. Just as I didn't expect her to have a problem in preparing the treats we all knew her for. Some Ponies love the apple treats she was famous for. The one question is, how she was to react on inviting Discord.

In the end, I found her, wondering amongst the trees, fairly close to the forest. She was assessing the harvest, checking how the trees were doing. Yet, this did not distract her more than to allow her to notice me before I stepped up before her.

“Hi, Twilight. Nice to see you!” she responded as she noticed me closing in on her.

“Hi, Apple Jack. Can't complain. How about you?” I responded.

“Ah am doing fine. Ah am just checking on the trees. Seems to be a surprisingly good harvest this year, unless something changes in the last minute!” she explained.

“That is good to hear, I'm doing well too, being Princess and all that. Things always change around here, hopefully to the better though. I had a party in mind, since we haven't had one in our castle yet. It had to be an official one, all the important Ponies has to be there, which takes me to the point. I guess he has been a good friend as of late, the one thing is, he had to be a Prince to be on the party list!” I pondered fairly straight to the point, stopping just short of the one detail.

“Ah take it Pinkie Pie is already on the planning of your party. That is after all her department, her special talent and joy. Since you asked, I would have to prepare a fair load of apple treats. I could easily fix that. The main question would be, if I can have the harvest before the party, with freshly picked apples, or last seasons old apples. I may not like most of the important Ponies, though I guess I have a bright memory of a Soarin of the Wonderbolts. I take it he would be on the list, if nothing but the entertainment?” she suggested.

“They would be part of our entertainment, for sure. Then I can count on you, preparing your treats for out party? I would prefer to see the fresh apples, maybe we could wait a few days for the harvest!” I continued.

“You sure can count on me, you know that. Ah reckon it may be interesting to see their faces, when they see your Prince arriving here. Ah guess that would be enough fun to have the party all on its own!” she put forth.

“Thanks, I appreciate your help. I suspect he will enjoy the show, the party and the gesture. Just as I expect him to enjoy his new castle, then he can poke them in their faces with the situation. He sure helped us enough in the latest crisis. I expect Pinkie Pie to have a blast, both planning and partaking. Guess I will enjoy seeing her smile too!” I pondered, with some glee.

“He sure came through in the end. Ah love her smile, jokes and pranks as much as the next pony too!” she pointed out.

I had followed Apple Jack along as she continued her work, her eyes never missing a single detail, even while I was talking, interjecting questions or answering hers. It is a joy, seeing her in action. Her honesty never really challenged. She certainly is a friend I enjoy to have with me.

Tree by tree, she examined and ticked off on a mental note. I may not see her ticking of, but it is obvious that she was still continuing the work she was doing, when I approached her.

“We're close to harvest, here, ah reckon!” she then told Big Mac, as he came past, on his way from one chore to another, merely taking time to stop long enough to hear her statement.

I saw him trot further on his way for a minute or two, before I turn by eyes back to Apple Jack, only to realise she had passed several trees by the time I was back to her.

“Since you have it well in hoof, I'll just leave you to it, while I check the next step of the plan!” I pointed out.

“Ah am looking forwards to see how this works out, you use to get things planned well!” she merely stated as I left the farm in a slow gallop.

I had managed to plan a few things in my time here in Ponyville, they commonly went off well too, I had to acknowledge.

Talking to Apple Jack early would be a good idea, considering she lives closest to where his castle was to be, she lives after all on the rim of the forest in which it was to be raised. The next Pony would have to be Flutter Shy. In part due to her living in a forest as well, even if it wasn't the Everfree. The next reason is that she is the Pony closest to him. She reformed him, just as she made him her friend, before any of the rest of us thought it was even possible.

Galloping along the path to the village, then all the way through and following the path to her cottage, where she still lives, taking care of all the critters. For some reason, I did not bump into a single Pony on my way to her.

Going to the other side of the village takes time even for me, granted I did not merely teleport there. Even if I could have, I wasn't in that much of a hurry. Besides, I mostly eel the Ponies still need to have a glimpse of me, from time to time. Considering their needs, I had even slowed down to a breezing slow trot, while I was within the borders of Ponyville proper, where I was seen by fellow Ponyville Ponies. Thinking back at it, slowing down helped me keeping from reaching exhaustion as well.

I need to be alert while in the forest, even if it isn't the perilous challenge as the Everfree is. A mere root could still give me a good injury to remember it by, I had no interest in exploring that path right now, or ever. I still did reach her cottage in good time, well before dusk. At closer consideration, she wasn't even in yet, or close to the cottage as I stop before her door.

All I could see is the calm forest she had helped making it into, guiding the critters wisely and kindly. No point in worrying, knowing she would be back soon enough, leaving me a moment to ponder what I had in mind to ask her. What I was about to ask her for. The minutes I need, since going here had distracted me just enough for me, not to finish the question.