(Ruby’s and Garnet’s House)

The two Argonians started liking Ponyville despite it’s cringeworthy name. When they became Equestrian Citizens and bought land for their house and their soon-to-start businesses, the townsfolk came by and lent a hoof or four in helping build the places. With all the help, all three buildings were done in less than a week.

Their house had a Nordic Manor construction to it, but the roofing had the local magic straw thatched roof placed on. Their respective businesses adopted the local building construction, which included the industrial grade space enchantment (they’re bigger on the inside).

Ruby was to open a mead brewery/bar, using her mead brewing skills from her youth. Her role (outside of training the employees) would be that of an owner, with minimal controls to day-to-day operations. Garnet would open an alchemy shop/potion brewing business as well. Thankfully, the townsfolk directed her to Zecora in the Everfree Woods (renamed due to it the trees being thinned out from Tirek’s rampage). With the zebra’s help and her own alchemical knowledge, they managed a good business deal to work with each other. Zecora would move into the office to live and run the shop and potion brewers, while Garnet would own the business and would experiment with the alchemical ingredients native to Equis.

Ruby and Garnet were dressed in their best clothing, Nord styled noble clothing, and were ready for their first official days at work. Ruby’s brewery and bar, [brewery/bar], was across the street from Sugar Cube Corner, providing an equal share of competition and business. Those hungry at the bar can go to the bakery for a treat and vice versa for thirst. Garnet’s shop, ‘The Philosopher's Stone', was at equal distances between the Ponyville Hospital and the local joke shop, providing potions and harmless poisons for healing and pranking alike.

“So, Ruby?” Garnet asked, getting her sister’s attention while they were finishing their respective breakfasts. “How were the new employees and their attempts at mead making?”

[“It’s mead brewing, and they did pretty good for their brews.” Ruby answered, adjusting her shirt and coat portion of her clothes. “I especially liked the strawberry mead that one mare made...I think her name was Strawberry Shortcake or something like that. What about you and the potion shop? Aside from the-”]

“DON’T!” Garnet shouted, interrupting her sister. “BRING! THAT UP! EVER! AGAIN!”

(Flashback: Several Days Prior)

“Ugh...why does my back feel like it’s both rigid as wood and limp as fabric at the same time?” Garnet asked herself as she was waking up. She never liked waking up on certain days, as her madness from Sheogorath would cause her mild hallucinations at times. Looking at the mirror, she saw herself looking like her own version of Discord.

She had six legs, half were Dwarven Spider, the other half were Mudcrab. Her arms were troll and giant (properly sized for her body). Her body was the ‘spine’ of an ice wraith wrapped in Wispmother Wrappings. Her tail was Khajiit, and she had chaurus antenna on top of her unaltered head. “I’m gonna have to get some Wabbajack to fix my mind...after I eat.” She then scuttled into the kitchen area and prepared her morning tinctures and her sister’s coffee. She started drinking her drink and munching on an apple.

When she finished her glass and placed her drink in the kitchen sink, she looked around and noticed that Ruby wasn’t there yet. Scuttling up to her room to get dressed, she heard some odd sound of rubber being rubbed coming from Ruby’s room. She moved to the door and upon unlatching the door, it swung open, smacking Garnet on the nose.

Upon recovery, she saw that the doorway was filled with a bloated Ruby, her head slightly bigger and puffed up. Acting on ‘instinct’, Garnet snapped her fingers and suddenly, both her and Ruby were outside. Looking upon the whole of Ruby, she saw that while she was puffed up almost as big as the Castle’s great hall, her clothing somehow fit in such a way that she wasn’t indecent.

[“Garnet?” Ruby asked in an aggressively squeaky voice. “If that is you, I hope you have an answer for this.”]

“Did you mess around with the Wabbajack?” She asked, conjuring the cane/staff in her mismatched hands.

[“No, but if it means anything, I made and ate a salad with some of those blue leaves that were in the kitchen yesterday.” She answered.]

Garnet facepalmed. “That was Poison Joke. At least I now know why I look like this, why you look like that, and where the leaves went after I placed them there and didn’t pay attention.” She said. She then summoned some boneponies and levitated Ruby onto their bony backs. “Now let’s get Zecora so she can better explain the plant, it’s effects, and what can be done to fix and prevent this.”

(Flashback End)

[“Craziest Day Ever.” They both simultaneously said.]

Garnet then cleared her throat. “Aside from that incident, things have been going smoothly. The ponies there aren’t used to making potions, but under the supervision of Zecora and I, they have learned well enough.” She said.

[“Good, good.” Ruby commented. “It seems like we’re on track with our businesses.”]

“You’ll see no argument from me.” Garnet said while checking her work satchel. “Now, I’m off to my business’ official opening.”

[“Too bad I can’t come.” Ruby said.]

“I understand, and I can’t come to yours, so I’m sure you understand.” Garnet responded.

[“Actually, I don’t.” Ruby jokingly answered and then ran out the door before Garnet could respond.]

“Goodness.” Garnet sighed, shaking her head and using one of the keys to lock the door to the house. “I can’t hate her. She’s my sister.”

(The Next Day)

Intense knocking on the door stirred Ruby from her dream of sweetroll gluttony. As she shook away her wake up grogginess, the knocking intensified further, almost sounding desperate. Getting off her bed and throwing on an oversized robe, she went to the front door and answered it, revealing Spike.

["Oh, hey Spike.” Ruby said in a tired voice. “What brings you here this early in the morning?”]

“It’s only 5 am.” Spike said with a deadpan tone.

“And that’s 2 hours too early!” Garnet shouted from within the house, giving Spike a slight scare. “Assuming we managed to get a good night’s sleep and we’re not running on adventure fumes.”

“Did she hear me speaking from the back of the house?” Spike asked, clearly frightened.

[“She has an odd ability that allows her to sleep deeply, but still be mostly aware of her surroundings.” Ruby answered. “Unless she’s drunk when she starts sleeping.”]

“Gotcha...anyway, about me coming here this early, I’m worried about Twilight.” Spike said, going from scared to completely terrified. [Ruby saw this and quickly got him inside. She set him down on a chair, served him [a drink] and let him continue.] “So, to give you a little understanding of why I’m here, you need to know how often Twilight and her friends get into.” Spike then went on to tell Ruby (and to a lesser extent, Garnet) of Twilight and her friends’ escapades.

After a few hours of Spike telling them of the escapades, Garnet jumped in. “Is there a point to these stories?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry for going on and on with the details.” He apologized. “The main point that I was trying to get to was that most of those adventures they went on lasted less than a day. They left yesterday for a new adventure and haven’t returned. While there is a chance for delays or complications, with the ratio of day-long to longer adventures, I think I have reason to worry.”

[Ruby smiled and nodded a bit before turning to Garnet with slight confusion. “While I understood most of that, I didn’t understand the last sentence.” She said, giving Garnet a question without actually asking.]

“He was saying it’s more common for their adventures to last a day or less. Any longer and he gets worried.” Garnet answered.

[“Ah, got it.” Ruby said in understanding. “Do you know where they went?”]

“You still have the travel map that Celestia gave you?” Spike asked. Ruby nodded, pulling it out and handing it to him. “From what I remember...here.” Spike pointed to a small section between an arid grassland and an unstable mountain area. The spot where his claw touched the map was then marked with a black equal sign.

“Well, our quest, Unequal Equality has begun.” Garnet said. Ruby and Spike gave her a funny look, causing her to look back in confusion. “What?”

[“Garnet, why do you do that?” Ruby asked as she stood up to get her armor.]

“Ruby, you know I just do it. Why do you question it?” She shot back as she went to get her armor as well, leaving Spike on the couch to stew in his combined confusion and worry.

Author's Note

enjoy