Author's Note
Warning. Chapter contains extensive and excessive head cannons about pony politics and world building. As well the elusive fantasy of good government education.
Education
Apple Bloom the Mischievous Good Natured Witch
Apple Bloom sighed and held her head in her hooves. Her gut clenched and her mind raced. Before her sat a three pieces of paper held bound together in the top left corner with a staple. Written across the top was the words ‘name: date: class:’ stacked on top of each other. Her own hoof writing filling in the respective fields. Atop of all of that was what bore a hole threw her with a drill bit made of anxiety. A read bold font capital letter in a circle. F
This was the third test she’d failed this month and already knew the chewing waiting for her at home. In her head she practiced all the things she would say to her big sister. Her bottom eyelids welled with and dampened. She’d been studying as best she could, none of the material about how the equestrian government worked made any sense to her. Every time it was explained to her it only confused her more. The topics would involve terms in dead languages and nothing about it was intuitive. She kept herself silent as drops of salt water saturated the page. She failed and all she could think about was how angry her sister would be.
Across from her a certain stunted Pegasus sat. The Green C+ on her test poring joy into her soul. She turned with a beaming smile to her left to share the good news only for the smile to fly off her face.
“A-apple bloom?” She said quietly. reaching over with a hoof she continued, “are you ok?”
The crying cream colored filly shook her head. “Scoots… I failed again… Apple Jacks gunna kill me.”
“Hey it’s ok there’s always next time right?” Scootaloos stammered trying to find the right words to say that would comfort her friend.
“Scoots there’s not gunna be a next time… I’m gunna be held back a year and Apple Jacks gunna lock the tree house and take away all my privileges and and… I don’t know what I’m gunna do!” Bloom was about to keep rambling when an orange hoof was pushed to her muzzle.
“Bloom that’s quitter talk” scootaloo protested. “You know better than anyone not use quitter talk”
The earth pony tried to speak but there was still the hoof keeping her lips held shut.
“Are you going to say something negative about yourself?” The Pegasus inquired.
Shaking her head no in response she found the hoof retracted. “I just don’t know what I’m gunna tell apple jack, I’m scared she’s gunna yell at me.”
“Bloom your sister is like the second kindest and most understanding pony I know, she’s not gunna yell at you she’s gunna come up with some cheesy old timely saying and tell you to work harder.” She retorted
Sighing bloom regained some of her composure. “You’re right scoots, thank you…” she lowered her head. Again finding the invasive orange hoofs on her head, this time lifting her snout rather than keep it closed.
“Keep your chin up girl. You can’t fly high by looking down.” The flightless Pegasus proudly quoted.
Bloom rolled her orange yellow eyes and let s soft smile exist on her face. “Thank you scoots I needed your cheesiness”
“Happy to be of service!” She exclaimed with a proud tone.
______________________________________
The much feared scolding Scootaloo had assured her would not happen, did indeed happen. All be it with much less yelling than she had anticipated. She somehow found the calm and understanding but firm tone her sister had used hurt far worse. She sat in her room alone letting her pillow soak her tears after the worst dinner of her life.
She didn’t know how long she cried for but her face hadn’t left pillow in over an hour. A soft knock at the door lifted her head from the wet imprint she had made. With a creek the door opened slowly letting the yellow light from the hallway spill into the dark moonlit room interrupted by the shadow of a pony peering in
“Hey Bloom are you still awake sugar cube?” Came the voice from the door
“No go away” came the shaky tear ridden filly
“Bloom listen” Apple Jack continued into the room closing the door behind her. “I know I was hard on you earlier but I need you to know it’s cuz I care about you” she said taking a seat at the end of the bed.
“I knooooooooooow” Bloom groaned returning her head to the pillow.
Putting a hoof on her sisters back she tried to comfort the young teen. “That’s why I think you should spend some time with Miss Twilight”
“Why so she can confuse me even more and I can flunk out?” She protested.
“No sugar cube because she’s an amazingly patient teacher and I know she can help you”
“Are you sure?”
“I trust Twilight with anything sugar cube, especially my own family.”
“If you say so…” she said not convinced.
“I want you to go Princess Twilights castle tomorrow instead of school and just give her a shot, can you do that for me?” Apple jack said trying to sound hopeful.
“I’ll give it a try.” Bloom said still dejected.
“Good. Try and get some rest sugar cube.”
“Good night sis.” the younger sister said.
“Good night sis” the elder replied as she made for the door.
_______________________________________________
To Apple Blooms credit she had been inside the old tree house many times but she had never been inside the castle that now took its place. The large building was imposing on the young teen, looming over her as she approached early in the morning. The cool morning air leaving a thin layer of dew on the cold mineral surface making it even more shiny and imposing on the local area around it.
She approached the gates where stern looking guards with boredom in their eyes paid her no mind as she walked nervously into the open entrance. Inside the Crystal floor emitted a strange magic she could feel under her hooves as she trod. Inside the grand hall was an empty thrown flanked on either side by 3 seats, all of witch looked rarely used.
Along the walls were stained glass windows depicting the scenes she had grown up seeing. The defeat of nightmare moon, the wedding at canterlot, the battle with Tirek and many other stories. As she walked up to the elevated thrones she turned to one of the doors just by the steps. Walking into a long hallway with many room Apple Bloom immediately felt lost.
Twilight Sparkle glanced up at the coo coo clock on the wall, one of the only surviving Artifacts of the treehouse, seeing it click to 5 past 8 she knew exactly what was happening. Knowing her expected guest was likely lost and searching threw each door Twilight closed her book and rose from her seat. Going to seal out her guest at the pace of a casual stroll, using the magic in the floor to guide her to a lost sunshine colored filly.
Apple bloom slowly getting more and more lost in the giant castle was relived to hear hoof falls on the hard floor behind her. As she swiveled around her eyes fell upon the warm smile of a friendly purple alicorn.
“Princess Twilight!” The young filly chirped and dropped her head into a bow. The bow on her head flopping over her face as she did so.
“Oh There’s no need to be so formal Apple Bloom” the purple pony princess said with a soft laugh.
“But you’re a princess arent I supposed to be all fancy?” Inquired the filly as she raised her head and reset the bow.
“With any of the other Princesses yes. But with me no, I’m all about friendships I don’t want to be lording over my subjects I want to be friends with them.” Twilight offered with a smile.
“Oooohhh, is that why ponies like you more than the other princesses?” Bloom asked bluntly.
“Well… I wouldn’t say they like me more I think the ponies around here just see me more and like that I’m a familiar face” the princess deflected.
“Then why do we never see the other princesses?” The curious foal quizzed.
“Well that’s what your here to learning isn’t it? All about Equestrian government and how all that works?” Twilight said starting to walk the promising pupil to the purple pony princess palace library.
“Yessum, it is indeed.” Bloom nodded. “Government makes no sense to me and the more I learn the more dumb I feel” she admitted.
“Don’t feel dumb bloom.” Twilight said with cheery encouragement. “You’re plenty smart you’ve just not had any one on one”
“I dunno Miss Twilight I’m pretty dim witted at times”
“Oh stop it with this line of negative thinking, you’re way smarter than you give yourself credit for.” Twilight was a little concerned about how little the filly thought of herself but didn’t let it show.
“But my sister says to be honest” she whined.
“Then honestly think highly of yourself, cuz if you don’t who will?” Twilight said with confidence.
“i guess you’re right Miss Twilight” she sighed taking the point.
“And you don’t have to call me ‘miss’ or ‘princess’ every time either” she said leading her to the library.
“But… that’s what I’m supposed to do to be polite ain’t it?” She tilted her head in confusion as the pair entered the library.
“Well you’re not wrong it’s just, getting called princess is still a wild concept to me and being called miss just makes me feel old” deflected Twilight.
“Huh? But you are the princess of magic and friendship and Ponyvile and butt whoopings, how’s that not make much sense to you?” The curious little filly said as she took in the sights of the book filled room. The room seemed square with high ceiling. Rows upon rows of books some of witch looked ancient. The receptionist at the desk who looked strangely like twilight with a cream colored completion, a red mane in a bun and glasses. She seemed lost in a book with two ponies kissing on the cover paying them no mind. Scarily like twilight.
“Well to me personally, aside from the wings and learning how to fly, I don’t really feel like much has changed aside from how ponies look at me now, it’s why I hate using the throne room. Government isn’t a job I ever thought I’d be in but here we are.” Unfurled her wings to make a point. “It’s my face on the 10 bit coin. Still tho, I don’t dislike it. I’m just not one for so many formalities. Especially considering I know you and you’re my student now.”
“That makes sense I guess.” Bloom rubbed her chin with a fret lock reflectingly. Still looking around her new location seeing a Forebodingly lit section in the back corner with iron bars sectioning it off. A plane text sign on the cage door reading ‘Forbidden Knowledge: Restricted access.’ And smaller font below it saying ‘refer to reception desk for inquiries’. The filly shook her head pushing it out of her mind deciding to be a more attentive listener to the Princess who was talking personal time to help her.
“So then why do ponies make such a big deal out of paying so much respect to the princesses if they themselves don’t like it?” She asked with a tilted head.
“Welll…” Twilight paused tactfully, “what are some things you can think of that distinguish Celestia and Luna from any other pony?” Twilight approached the table she got up from earlier. The same table many National and friendship based emergencies had been resolved on. Not the famed map table, that was in a room not accessible to the public but still one where key research about delicate situations had been done. All though it was indeed adorned with a map of the world under its glass surface and the chairs made to look like the thrones of friendship.
“They move the sun and moon don’t they? I don’t think anyone else can do that… actually didn’t Star-Swirl the bearded do it once?” Answered Bloom.
“Yes that’s one thing and yes Star Swirl did move the moon once, it took him out of commissions for quite some time… but think about, what makes the Royal Sisters special?” Twilight pressed feeling that Bloom was on the cusp of understanding. Taking her seat and she motioned for Apple Bloom to join her. Teaching brought her great pride and joy tho she rarely got to substitute for Miss Cheerilee any more, she still found time when she could to tutor any one in her library who seemed stumped.
“Well they move the sun and moon and they gots enough magic to do it every day… they also live forever don’t they?” She remarked as she got in the chair opposite twilight. Ironically it was the chair adorned with her older sisters cutie mark.
“There you go!” Twilight beamed. “Alicorns have a lot more magic and live theoretically forever. As such we have both the power and authority to rule with”
“I thought you said you didn’t like ruling with power?” Bloom tilted her head again.
“None of us like ruling with power, we try our hardest to rule by consent and respect of the ponies under us, but… I hate this but, we do have the power to back up our rule.” Twilight paused looking at blooms mildly horrified facial expression. “In the ancient days, Faust Blessed her daughters Celestia and Luna with control of the sun and moon and the powers needed to do so, other ponies looked at the young fillies as gods among ponies. It became natural law that they also ruled over them. This is the time period we call ancient equestria. They ruled solely threw consent of the governed.” Pausing when she noticed bloom getting a glossy look to her face, “This didn’t last however. Can you tell me what happened for them to need to change this?”
“Well… if I’m remembering history class right… I wanna say the tribal wars? When the earth ponies and unicorns and Pegasi stopped being friends and started killin eachother after a really harsh winter?” She said not entirely sure of her answer.
“Bloom your correct. Seriously how come you’re struggling so much with this you’re getting it!” She praised. “So when the tribal wars broke out ponies stopped listening to the princesses, so the princesses left the moon raised and the sun lowered and began using thier powerful magic to combat those responsible for inciting violence, and with the instigators out of the way and the wendigos setting in the ponies came together again.”
“So that’s when jail became a thing?” Asked bloom.
“That’s when jail became a thing” answered Twilight.
“Ok but then how come ponies kept being mean to the Zebras? I mean they’re basically just earth ponies with a different language right? Why was everyone so mean to Zecora even a few years ago?”
“Bloom… that’s a hard question and I think you know the answer too, as I recall you basically solved that one all by yourself didn’t you?” Inquired twilight.
“Well yeah… but why were ponies so mean to her in the first place? Like I get she’s different and uses magic and talks different, but why’s that make ponies afraid?” She asked tilting her head again, the emotional investment clear in her tone.
“You already know most of it Apple Bloom, ponies fear what’s different and unknown, the fact zebras can use magic with out horns scares a lot of nobles in Canterlot who rarely see anyone who isn’t a Unicorn.” She said not proudly. “Infact until I discovered the magic of friendship 8 years ago they doubted that Pegasi flew with magic and made weather with magic, they thought only unicorns had magic.
“Well if zebras can use magic, can earth ponies?” Came the next logical question.
“There have been a few documented cases of earth ponies being able to use zebra magic… unfortunately it’s almost all forbidden as we don’t know where zebras get their magic from.” Twilight states plainly. “What we do know is that with out earth ponies around, plant life begins to die and there’s something about earth pony hooves we don’t yet fully understand. There’s magic there we just don’t know what is.
“Why not just ask Zecora then?” Another great question Twilight thought.
“Oh I have, and the answers she provided perturbed me enough that I’m not going to be arguing for the over turn of a centuries old law before parliament, it’s not malicious magic by any means but it’s not innocent enough for me to reasonably be able to convince parliament.”
“What do you mean into not innocent enough? It’s just magic ain’t it? And don’t all ponies have at least some friendship magic in them? And you’re a princess can you just change the law? Why do you have to go threw parliament? Why do we have a parliament? What is a parliament? How many times can I say parliament before it stops sounding like a word?” The filly spouted off with genuine curiosity, a pinch of annoyance and a throat for answers.
Twilights eyes lit up, here was her pupil who just 30 minutes ago felt hopeless about ever passing a government class asking all the right questions. And even providing a example she could use to teach with. She smiled with a proud smile.
“Bloom you’re absolutely on the right track here,” she decided to teach rather than praise to not loose the train of thought on this railroad of learning. “So remember how I said way back when Luna and Celestia were the only two ponies with any power?”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Yessum I do.”
“Well that only lasted for about 1000 years before civil unrest started to rise. And when Nightmare Moon began appearing in ponies dreams long before Luna succumbed to Nightmare Moon, ponies demanded that the sisters power be limited. The sisters agreed given that while they are immortal powerful alicorns, at the end of the day they are just ponies with way more experience than those around them and can make mistakes. Are you still with me?”
Bloom nodded in fascination.
“So after about a year or so the sisters created a parliament appointing the heads of the noble houses to serve as representatives…” Twilight was interrupted.
“Why use those pompous rich people? I thought we voted on that stuff?” Interjected Bloom.
“See the way equestria used to work was instead of each town having a mayor they had a lord or lady who’d pass on the title and responsibility to their kids, then by an election of lords or the sisters appointment there would be a count above them who ruled the county, above them was a duke who then sometimes an archduke, and the dukes and arch dukes usually lived in Canterlot even if they were responsible for certain areas far away and ruled form afar, occasionally some would be granted the title of Princess or Prince all of which we’re almost always unicorns.
“Much like princess Cadence or Princess Platinum or prince blue blood… or even my big brother Prince Shinning Armor… ugh it’s odd calling him prince anyway. Typically tho the title Prince or Princess was reserved only for the Head of the Nobel family. And above them was the Royal sisters. And at all levels the Royal sisters had absolute say.”
Apple Bloom nodded along actually learning this time. “So then how did normal every day ponies get a say in what happened?”
“Excellent question!” Twilight chimed with a smile. “If they were wealthy families like say The Apple Family, who had large control of an industry or had vast amounts of influence threw one way or another had ways of getting what they wanted. Usually threw something I’m sure Granny Smith has probably told you along the lines of,”
She paused mid sentence. Bending her back at an odd angle and pushing her bottom jaw forward. Lifting her front leg shakily and miming a cane. Folding her wings over her head like a bonnet she spoke in the voice of the aforementioned ancient mare. “that good for nothin prince raised taxes again I guess this years a rough year with only enough money left over to buy what we need” pausing to let her pupil get the laughs out of her system. As well as return to her normal posture and raven-esc voice.
“That’s uncanny Twilight” apple bloom said with a smile once her laughter died down. “How are you so good at that?”
“I’ve known you and your family for what 8 years now? It just comes with time” Twilight said also stifling a giggle.
“So how’s this get back to why I can’t learn zebra magic and parliament?” Asked the sharp witted yet as of em yet uneducated filly.
“We’re getting there I promise just stick with me it will all make sense I swear.” Affirmed the knowledgeable Princess.
She continued her lesson with “When ponies wanted change they would write to their local nobility and the lord would either deal with it or pass it up the chain. But this system had A lot of flaws. It was easy for corruption to take hold and nepotism ruled the day.” She was interrupted again.
“Whats nepotism?” Apple bloom asked with her head in the now signature curious tilt.
“Nepotism, noun. The practice among those with power or influence of favoring family or friends especially by giving them jobs” twilight recited verbatim with a smile. The smile faded a little when she saw the confusion on Apple Blooms face.“It means that if you, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all needed something I only had one of then I’m giving it to you cuz I like you more, even if some one else need it more. Does that make sense?”
“Ok yeah I think I get it.” she said eager to get back to the lesson.
“Sooooo, let’s say I’m just your average pony I’m not an alicorn princess or daughter of a noble family or a Canterlot unicorn or even part of a powerful family like you. I’m not anything I work for a living and make almost no money at all, I’m an old timey peasant who mostly grows my own food on land owned by some one else. If I want it legalized for earth ponies to learn zebra magic and I write a letter to my lord asking for it, they can just say no and never get back to me. But if I’m Canterlot born nobility And I have a lot of money and influence and I ask my friend the princess of the Crystal empire if she can legalize zebra magic, then it’s probably going to happen.” She paused making sure her student was still nodding along.
“Or alternatively if I’m The noble born, ‘Beloved alicorn Twilight Sparkle of Ponyvile, Princess of magic and friendship’ I can just legalize what ever the heck I want on a whim with out consulting anypony.” She said with fake smugness.
“So you can just do that?” apple bloom interrupted with her head once again tilted. “And is that your actual title?”
“In modern day Equestria no I cannot. And yes that is my ‘full legal title’” she said with air quotes and posh tone. “But sweet Celestia don’t ever call me that please, just Twilight Sparkle works or Twilight or even Twi. If you have to address me by title just ‘Princess Twilight’ will work” she said with embarrassment visible in her face.
“Princess Twilight? Why do you have such an aversion to being a princess?” Asked the school filly sensing the discomfort of the adult twice her age in charge of running a country.
“Well I don’t, I actually love my position and my job, solving problems, caring about ponies teaching foals and adults alike” she said gesturing a hoof to her student. “It’s just I don’t like the snobby connotation royal titles carry, if you ask me I’m just a college student with a government job but my face is on the money.” She said said putting a hoof on the back of her neck. “We are getting side tracked young mare.”
“Indeed we are!” Cheered said young mare.
“Onwards in other words. So you get the point right?” The question was acknowledged with a nod. “the old way of doing things was riddled with problems and eventually it led to civil unrest and the occupation of the Two Sisters castle here in Ponyvile,” twilight paused seeing another question rise in the student. She loved that Apple Bloom was interested but the constant interruption was waining on her. She then remembered how much she annoyed Princess Celestia as a foal and shirked her annoyance.
“There’s a second castle in ponyvile?”
“Yes but it’s currently in ruins in the Everfree forest. Right about here.” Pointing to an area of the map in the middle of the Forrest at the edge of Ponyvile. Twilight deliberately neglected mention the damage she and her friends caused to the historical sight 8 years ago when battling Nightmare Moon.
“So did the riots you’re talking about destroy it?”
“They did some damage, broke some windows stole a few ancient artifacts, tore a tapestry that detailed the life of Faust before Equestria and birth of the Royal Sisters causing it to forever be lost to time, I’ll never not be mad about that by the way. Among other things they stormed the castle and threatened Princess Luna with hoof taring and feather plucking and burned down the house of a noble but most of that was repaired aside from the tapestry and the house. Anyway!” Pausing for a breath before continuing. “They had Princess Luna in a tough spot. At the time she had fallen out of favor as every new moon instead of the comforting and caring Princess Luna bringing sweet dreams and comfort to sleeping ponies it was instead dread and terror filled nightmares from Nightmare Moon.
“So there Luna is right? Confronted all by herself by her subjects that she thinks of as her own children, her own Royal Guard detachment turning against her even. She knows the ponies can’t actually kill her but she refuses to hurt her subjects. So she holds court with the masses. She stood on the floor rather than sit in a thrown summoned her sister and they heard the voices of the people and spent 2 months constantly negotiating and reworking the way the government work. Establishing parliament!” Twilight said enthusiastically. Bloom looking on unenthused but thoughtfully.
“So now we get into the good stuff that’s actually relevant today. They established the houses of commons and lords.” Twilight continued after showing her student the official crests of the two houses in a book.
“The commons being made up of regular every day ponies who elected mayors of towns like Mayor Mare. The mayors then appoint ponies to be thier town’s representative in parliament but they have to be approved by and remember this number, 72% of the population of the town. Why 72? No one knows that was just the agreed upon number. Each town gets one appointee and then they also elect some one else unrelated to the mayors input. Each municipality gets 2 representatives in the House of Commons. Simple enough right?” She paused looking at Apple Bloom making sure she understood the material she actually needs to learn to pass a test. With Twilights lesson having finally gotten to important things she looked at her student. To her joy the young Apple Bloom of Ponyvile nodded. She continued.
“Now we get into the complicated stuff, the House, of Lords. Each municipality had preexisting nobility, the lower rung of the noble later the lords themselves elected one pony among them for every house within that town. So a town like ponyvile with three noble houses Platinum, Melody and technically,” A slight grumble came from her as she spoke. “Discord is his own noble house because Celestia recognizes ‘Lord of Chaos’ as an actual title.”
The southern voice of her student interrupted her once more. “So that whole deal about silver spoon being descended from Princess Platinum is real? And she’s actually noble?”
“Yes. And you know how she used to use her status to put you down, that’s kinda what used to happen all those years ago and why parliament was formed.” Twilight pointed out.
“I always thought she was lying” said apple bloom mostly to herself.
“Anyways, so the lower rung elects one of them to go represent them, currently I believe that it’s actually Silver Spoons mom that’s in the House of Lords for Ponyvile along with Lady Octavia Melody, and well Discord technically but he never shows up for sessions as he said and I quote ‘politics are too chaotic for me my dear’” she paraphrased imitating his tone of voice.
“But he’s…”
“I know”
“And he…”
“Yep”
“That doesn’t make any sense!”
“Have you met Discord?”
“I guess you’re right…”
“Yeah anyway.” Twilight continued sighing, “discord aside, the lower noble houses generally reflects the size of the population they represent. It’s not a perfect system cuz Manehatten has A lot of ponies but only about 10 representatives in the lower lords… anyway. So then above them you remember the dukes and archdukes?”
“Yessum I do.” Bloom Asserted.
“They represent larger regions, so for example Ponyvile and Cloudsdale get lumped into one region as the center of Cloudsdale is actually right above us. Forgive me I don’t actually remember who’s the duke of the planes… I think it might actually be Captain Spitfire but don’t quote me on that, regardless.
“The Duke or Dutches has three official roles. Again this is important to remember, the duke acts as an additional voice for the greater region, effectively giving Ponyvile four votes. They resolve disputes between their principalities. And their votes counts twice if there’s a tie within the House of Lords.” Twilight paused to sip water, her throat dry from the lengthy lesson.
“So then what to princess and princess do that aren’t The Sisters?” Bloom again tilting her head asked during the pause.
“Excellent question.” Twilight chirped setting her glass down. “So for all ponies with the title prince or princess, at least one has to be present for parliament to be in session, and in cases of an absolute tie they are the deciding vote. For non alicorn Princesses and Princes they are more or less free agents they get one vote in the house and don’t belong to any one particular region. The thought behind it is because they are noble with out representing a specific part of Equestria they vote for the country as a whole.”
“So I noticed you said ‘non alicorn princesses’ why’s that distinction there?” Asked bloom fixing her bow after the rampant head tilting had caused it to come loose.
“Well remember how I said the very reason Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are in charge in the first place?” She gestured with a hoof for apple bloom to answer.
“Because they live forever and do super important things and are super powerful?”
“Correct!” She said with a proud tone. “So given the experience and power the 4 of us Alicorns wield, not counting Flurry Heart because she’s still a baby, is more than most ponies can truly realize. All four of us hold a unique special power that we can enact laws with out parliament if there was ever a need. We’re also the only ones who can declare war and we don’t even need to consult the other 3 to do it. And we are the figure heads, it’s our faces on the money, tho why Princess Celestia is on the 1 Bit coin on and im on the 10 I couldn’t tell you. I’m serious they didn’t consult me I found out threw a letter containing the first one they minted.” Twilight caught herself mid ramble.
“I was wondering why your face is on coins… so wait you can just decide you don’t like the Crystal empire and friendship them off the face of the earth?” Bloom said once again tilting her head, albeit more excited this time.
“Well…” said the alleged war monger. “Any country or group that isn’t the Crystal Empire, they are part of Equestria too, but anyone else I technically could. Tying it all back to your original question, Say I really don’t like the ideas of zebras using magic I could go to war with the Sea of Grass and New Zebraland. However more than likely Princess Cadence,Luna And Celestia would stop me and any troops under my command and banish me to where ever friendship magic comes from. It’s not the tree of harmony as originally thought tho.”
“So there’s not anything official stop you from going power mad?” Bloom questioned.
“Just the good judgement of the other 3 princesses, it worked when Luna became Nightmare Moon, it can work again.” She said as if disposing of a Princesses was no big deal.
“So uhhhh back tracking to a less scary subject… why can’t I learn zebra magic?” She said in a tone that would be right at home in a cellar of aging alcoholic grape juice.
“Right,” twilight paused having given nearly her entire lesson with out answering the initial question. “Because it’s an old law from a more xenophobic time, I’m not sure when exactly but it’s in the school of magical regulatory laws. The idea is that some one some where thought it was dangerous and they banned it. Tho given nearly all zebras live outside of Equestria they kept on doing it with out care and have mastered it. Why do you think Zecora lives alone in the Everfree and everyone thought she could do all kinds of nonsensical spooky things?”
“I mean I guess it could kinda make sense but, if we know better now why don’t we change it?” Bloom asked thinking of how nice Zecora is.
“Well to change it we as a government would have to determine it’s not dangerous, which is going to be hard to do as I only know one pony who can actually do it, we’d have to show that earth ponies are indeed capable of it, which with it being illegal currently is hard to do, we’d again have to show that it’s not dangerous for earth ponies to do it, and finally we’d have to convince parliament to overturn a magical regulation. And I think the last time they did that was never. They’ve only ever added more regulations as court wizards discover more and more things about magic. So there is no precedence for it.”
“But you’re a scientist and an alicorn princess isn’t your word law? Can’t you do something about the racist old laws?” Apple blooms innocents on full display in the question.
“If I did make a Royal Decree deregulating magic I think Canterlot would want my head on a pike.” Twilight said forgetting she’s talking to an earth pony school girl who has no knowledge of how Canterlot unicorns feel about magic.
“That’s… horrible!” Blooms face showed fearful sadness at the thought of her friend and mentor being decapitated.
“I’m exaggerating of course but, that’s more a political hot topic we don’t need to get into Apple Bloom, you don’t need to worry about political views and parties for your class.”
“O-ok… so I can’t learn zebra magic?” Bloom said changing the subject.
“No Bloom, you legally cannot.” Twilight sighed hating herself for saying it. Here she was being the princess of magic and friendship telling a young pony they can’t learn magic because of their race.
“But I wanna learn it!” She protested.
“Forbidden magic is forbidden magic who am I to change that?” Said Twilight.
“You’re the Princess of Magic duh” She quipped.
“I know I am but if I did anything to actually regulate magic I think parliament would burst into flames” she sighed feeling the frustration mounting.
“Well then maybe it should.” Grumbled the teenager.
“You little anarchist” smiles the Princess of Magic. “Theres a lot of bureaucracy involved but if it were up to me I’d say go for it, some how it’s not. Cuz parliament doesn’t like having more than 2 Princesses to answer to they basically legislated me out of any political power. Heck they don’t even like having Luna back cuz she is very outspoken… sorry I’m getting really political” she stopped herself seeing a mischievous look in Apple Blooms eyes. “What are you planning?”
“Me? Oh nothing I swear!” She deflected. Staring at the forbidden section of the library.
Twilight tracked her gaze and hid a smile. She did similar things at her age and it made her feel an odd semblance of pride.
“You can’t go in there you know, you’d have to get a letter from me and give it to Moon Dancer at the desk there who’d then give you the key out from under the desk.”
“Horse apples! How’d you know what I was thinking?” Apple Bloom shrieked.
“You haven’t stopped looking at it since you got here silly.”
“Dang it am I really that obvious?” She laid her head down on the table in defeat.
“Yes, yes you are. Now on with the lesson” Twilight said picking up a text book.
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