In the middle of the bustling town of Ponyville on a windy Sunday afternoon, Twilight Sparkle, Number one student of Princess Celestia, trotted over to the Ponyville bank, her hooves echoing softly on the marble floor. The bank walls were adorned with glass windows, allowing the sun to filter into the spacious room, creating a sense of paradise as the feeble autumn leaves gracefully floated in the air. Some unlucky leaves collided with the glass window, creating a small knocking sound, while fortunate ones managed to carry on flowing through Ponyville.
Twilight let out a gentle sigh. It was tax day, the day when every pony lost their marbles a tiny bit out of panic. She couldn't lie to herself. Even though she should feel a sense of uneasiness building up inside her, for some reason she wasn’t the slightest bit afraid. The cozy interior made her feel safe, a bit too safe.
Wanting to get the tax payment out of the way, she approached the counter, where an all-too-familiar face smiled widely at her sudden appearance. “Hey, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, waving at her friend. “Are you here to pay your taxes?”
Twilight's eyes widened; she wasn’t expecting to be greeted by Pinkie Pie, of all ponies. “Pinkie Pie? What are you doing at Sparkle Trust and Savings? Shouldn’t you be working at Sugar Cube Corner?”
Pinkie Pie grinned as she placed her front hooves on the counter. “Oh yeah, about that, it turns out that Sugar Cube Corner is going to be closed for the next couple of days, so I’m going to be working here until it reopens. Bummer, right?”
“Oh, that’s unexpected,” Twilight said. using her magic to place the bag full of bits that rested on her back onto the counter. “Did something terrible happen to Sugar Cube Corner? Why has it been closed for the next couple of days?”
“Twilight, it's nothing too serious,” Pinkie replied. “Mrs. and Mr. Cake are just making some small renovations to the shop, that’s all!”
“Okay, Pinkie, I believe you,” Twilight replied, her voice laced with uncertainty. “But anyway, back to taxes, all my bits and documents are stored inside that massive bag.” Twilight pointed her hoof towards it.
Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly, her pink cotton candy hair bouncing around like crazy as she dug through the bag, pulling out stacks of neatly organised paperwork and counting the bits. Miraculously, after a while of rummaging, she straightened up, her hair a mess but a smile on her face.
“It looks like everything is in order, Twilight! You have successfully managed to pay your taxes; congratulations!” Pinkie exclaimed, continuing to read Twilight’s documents.
Twilight let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the fear of not paying her taxes no longer loomed above her.
“However, Twilight, I need to tell you something really important,” Pinkie said in a serious tone, placing Twilight’s documents on the counter. “There is a new tax system that the higher-ups have told me about.”
Twilight's ears perked up at the mention of a new tax system; she let out a sigh, knowing that the world of Ponyville was constantly evolving, so she shouldn’t be completely surprised to hear something new being added to the tax list.
Intrigued by Pinkie’s comment, she leaned towards the counter. “A new tax system? What is this all about, Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie Pie readjusted her glasses. Twilight swore Pinkie wasn't wearing glasses when she walked into the bank, but she couldn't lie to herself that the glasses did make her friend look cute.
“Well, you see, Twilight,” Pinkie began. “It turns out the use of magic in Ponyville is getting out of control, and I'm a master of letting things get out of control! So, I noticed this happening a mile away.”
“What are you talking about, Pinkie?”
“You see, Twilight, many unicorns nowadays use magic constantly, and there has been a certain uproar from Earth and Pegasus ponies about the unfairness of unicorns having an advantage over them. They feel like they have to work twice as hard to accomplish the simplest tasks, while unicorns can effortlessly accomplish anything with a flick of their horns.”
Pinkie's words made her heart sink. She never knew that Earth and even pegasus ponies felt that way. She thought her magic was simply used for the greater good, for helping her friends. But the more she thought about Pinkie's words, the more Twilight realised that her magic might have inadvertently contributed to the feeling of inequality among different kinds of ponies. She couldn't shake the guilt that slowly settled in her stomach, knowing that her actions as a unicorn could have made other ponies feel inferior.
Not being able to look her friend in the eye, she turned away from Pinkie and scanned around her surroundings. Her eyes fixed on a singular earth pony around Apple Bloom's age, trying to grab a balloon that was out of her reach. Twilight let out a sigh of relief and walked over to the child, grateful for not having to continue the awkward conversation with her friend.
“Hey there, little one. It looks like you need some help,” Twilight said, using her magic to pull down the balloon with ease. “Here you go. Just remember to be more careful with balloons, alright?”
The little pony quickly grabbed the balloon and fidgeted around with it, she looked up Twilight in awe. “That was so cool! Like, how did you do that?”
Twilight chuckled “Well, you see, I’m a unicorn, and unicorns have powers to do all sorts of things.”
The young pony continued to stare at her in utter amazement “Really? Wow, that sounds amazing! I wish I was a unicorn just like you.”
Twilight felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She thought for a moment, thinking of the right words to say to the young child. “You know, magic is special. Every pony has their own talents and skills that set them apart from the rest of the pack. That’s what cutie marks are for. But listen, even though you don’t have magic, it doesn’t make you any less special.”
Twilight's words caused the young pony's eyes to widen, and she felt a sense of warmth build up inside with her reassurance.
Twilight was trapped in her thoughts, her mind plagued with negativity. She hated to admit it, but she was considering the higher-ups' point about banning, or at least reducing, the use of magic. However, her mind quickly bounced to another question: why? Why, after so many years of Ponyvile's existence, are people now complaining about magic? Was the general public afraid to share their views, or was it something entirely different? She honestly didn’t know, and that’s the part that scared her the most.
As Twilight pondered her thoughts, she felt a gentle hoof rub against her back, immediately snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned around to see Pinkie Pie beside her, a concerned look filling her face.
“Twilight, are you okay?” Pinkie asked in a concerned tone.
Twilight forced a smile, trying to hide her inner turmoil. “Oh, I'm doing fine; it's just...” She tried to find the right words to say, but her thoughts were interrupted when she realised a certain pony was missing. “Wait a minute, where did the little pony go? I swear she was just standing right in front of me. Right?”
Pinkie Pie let out a small chuckle. “When you spaced out, you seemed to scare her a little bit, so I told her to leave the bank while I sorted you out.”
Twilight sighed in relief, grateful for her friend's support. “Thanks, Pinkie Pie; I appreciate it a lot.”
“That’s what friends are for. Plus, I can tell what’s bothering you. It’s the new tax system, isn't it? I think it’s a load of baloney! Punishing alicorns for using the magic they were born with is just straight-up unfair.”
Twilight nodded, agreeing with her friend's opinion. “Yeah, I agree with you completely, but I guess I'll have to deal with it. It's truly going to make me reconsider what really needs the use of magic and what doesn’t,” Twilight quietly said. She turned away from Pinkie Pie and slowly began to trot away from the bank.
Pinkie's eyes widened. “Twilight!” she called. “Where are you going?”
“I'm going to see Applejack,” she said, not bothering to turn around. “She's probably the best pony I know to talk to in situations like this.”
As Twilight trotted away, Pinkie watched on with concern. Even though she wasn’t a unicorn, she could see the pressure and worry that plagued her friend's mind. It was a sad sight, and she wished she could just leave what she was doing now and head to Applejack's farm with her friend. But she knew she had her own responsibilities, working at the godforsaken bank. Besides, she knew that at times like these, Twilight preferred to be alone, or at least with someone who could fully grasp the situation she was in.
Twilight existed the bank, the automatic door making a shun sound, closing them off from each other, pinkie narrowed her eyes, trying to get better luck with her unicorn friends, but as quick as the automatic door shut, twilight was already one with the wind.
Pinkie let out a sigh, rubbing her hooves against the ground, trying to think of some happy thoughts to distract herself, but her daydreaming was interrupted as quickly as it began, when a new pony entered the place, and she felt a sense of panic building up inside of her. She ran and jumped over the counter, flashing the bemused pony her trademark smile. But behind her facade, her thoughts loomed back to Twilight and the challenge she was facing.
* * *
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle trotted over to Sweet Apple Acres, the wind tousled around her mane, her mind consumed by the weight of Pinkie’s words, the tax system, and the implications for magic users like herself.
As she approached the familiar sight of the apple orchard, Twilight could not help but feel a sense of calmness wash over her. The small mountains and sturdy trees reminded her of the simplicity of life.
Spotting Applejack on a nearby hill, the farm pony used the force from her kick to knock down the apples from a tall tree. She quickened her pace, her hooves kicking up small dirt clouds in the process. With each step, her heartbeat increased, and her mind filled with anticipation and worry, wondering how this was all going to play out.
“Applejack!” Twilight called out, slowly but surely making her way up the hill. “How has your day been?”
Applejack's eyes widened with excitement. She stopped what she was doing, placing the bucket full of apples on the ground, and hugged her friend.
“Howdy, Twilight! What brings ya here to Sweet Apple Acres today?”
A small smile appeared on Twilight's face, and she returned the hug. “Oh, nothing much, Applejack, just wanting to know what my favourite pony is doing,” Twilight said with her eyes closed.
Applejack's eye twitched at Twilight's words. Even though her friend's eyes were closed, she could tell that Twilight was hiding something, and the way she said "favourite pony" didn’t seem right to her. It was like she was trying to butter her up, but why, though?
"Twilight, dear, are you sure I’m your favourite pony?” Applejack asked, her tone accusatory. “You know you're supposed to keep stuff like that a secret.”
“Oh, did I say that? It must have been a slip of the tongue,” Twilight said awkwardly. She lightly tapped the ground, embarrassed by what she had said. “Uhm, so, are you in the middle of harvesting these apples? They look delicious!”
Applejack narrowed her eyes at Twilight, clearly not buying her attempt to change the subject, but she decided to let it slide, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand.
“Yep, I’ve just finished apple harvesting for the day,” she replied, her voice hinting at a tinge of suspense. “But enough about that; I reckon we have enough time to talk about something interesting. So, Twilight, what’s on your mind?”
Twilight hesitated at first, unsure how to broach the topic of the tax system to Applejack. She knew Applejack had a no-nonsense attitude and didn’t like to beat around the bush; she could read ponies' minds like a book.
“Well, Applejack, you see,” Twilight said quietly, her voice slowly trailing off, trying to find the right words to say.
As she tried to tell Applejack the truth, Applejack placed a hoof in Twilight's mouth, stopping her in her tracks.
“I reckon I know what’s bothering ya,” Applejack said, her expression softening. “The new tax system is bothering ya, isn’t it?”
Twilight slowly nodded. “Yeah, it is. Pinkie told me all about it when I was at the bank earlier,” Twilight said. “I never knew that my magic was causing other ponies to feel so worthless and inferior. I... feel awful.”
Applejack shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Don’t say that, Twi. Don’t blame yourself for this,” Applejack said. “To be honest, sugar cube, I ain't too happy about this new system myself. It seems mighty unfair; punishing unicorns for the abilities that they were given at birth is wrong on so many levels.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course. Why do you not believe me?
“Yes, of course I do. It's just that.” Twilight looked down at the ground, trying to articulate the appropriate words to say. “Picture this, Applejack: for your entire life, you have been working at Sweet Apple Acres, am I correct?”
Applejack nodded, a nostalgic smile spreading across her face. “Of course, Twi. I’ve been working here since I was a youngster.”
“Okay, the reason why I asked you this is because you remember that time when you almost overworked yourself to death?”
“Of course, how could I ever forget that day? I reckon I kicked at least one thousand of those darn forsaken trees before I took a well-deserved break and allowed you ponies to help me out. Why do you ask?”
“Well, think about it, Applejack,” Twilight continued, her voice gaining momentum as she spoke. “You work tirelessly, using your strength and determination to harvest these apples, day in and day out. Then imagine if I just strolled into Sweet Apple Acres and used my magic to pluck those apples out of the trees in less than a minute, making all of your work seem insignificant. How would you feel?”
“I-I don’t know, Twilight. I haven't ever thought about it like that. I reckon I would feel frustrated, especially after I spent hours of my day harvesting apples, which you could do in a matter of seconds.”
“Exactly, Applejack. I-”
“However, Sugarcube, I reckon it ain't you having the ability to use magic; it's how you use it,” Applejack interrupted, her voice soft. “Listen, Twi. You use your magic to protect Ponyville and make it a better place, and I wholeheartedly thank you for that. I can never take that away from you, just like how my cutie mark symbolizes me working on Sweet Apple Acres, gathering fresh apples from trees and giving them to the townsfolk.
"sometimes I wish I could just, with a flip of my mane, pluck all the apples out of trees and relax for the rest of the day, but where's the fun in that? Sweet Apple Acres is about hard work and determination, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. The same goes for your magic, Twilight. It's a part of who you are, especially when your cutie mark and element is magic."
Twilight stood there for a moment, processing her friend's words. “Wow, I don’t know what to say, Applejack... Thank you"
“Applejack chuckled. "Ah, shucks, Twilight, you're making me blush."
Twilight laughed. “Sorry about that, Applejack, but seriously, thank you. I really needed to hear that, especially coming from you. I feel better already!” she exclaimed, letting out a loud cheer. “But what about the rest of Ponyville? What about the earth ponies and pegasi who feel like they have a disadvantage because of unicorns like me?” Twilight asked, a tinge of concern in her voice.
“Ah, Twi, ya know as well as I do that Ponyville is a diverse community, filled with many types of ponies, each with their own unique traits,” Applejack said. “However, yours truly has a plan—a plan that will put your worries to rest.”
Applejack's words lit a sparkle of hope in Twilight's heart. She leaned closer, eager to hear Applejack's plan to address the tax system and the personal issues many ponies were facing at the moment.
Applejack took a deep breath, her eyes filled with determination. "Listen here, Twilight; the plan your friend has thought of is simple and effective. What we're going to do is gather all the ponies—Earth, Pegasus, and unicorns—together and have a good ol' fashioned town meeting."
"Town meeting? Are you sure this is a good idea, Applejack?"
"Trust me, Twilight, gathering ponies of all different types together is the best and quickest solution there is for a problem like this. I reckon we should air out our concerns and try to come up with a solution for every pony," Applejack explained. "We'll allow every pony to voice their concerns about the tax system and their feelings about magic in general. Then we'll put our minds together and try to come up with a solution that will make Ponyvile a more fair and friendlier place for every pony."
Twilight looked at Applejack, completely stunned by her plan.
"That sounds like a great idea, Applejack! But how are we going to convince every pony to attend this meeting?"
"Don't worry about your pretty little head, Twi. Applejack has everything under control. I've got some tricks up my sleeves to convince the townsfolk to attend, so just let me do all the work."
With their plan set in stone, the duo of Twilight and Applejack left Sweet Apple Acres and began their quest to restore harmony in Ponyville.
Author's Note
After rewatching Applebuck Season and watching the scene of Twilight plucking out all the apples with ease, it made me question how overpowered unicorns are. This story takes place around season 1 and explores the differences between unicorns and earth ponies.
Feel free to offer any advice on how I can improve my story, or just spot spelling and punctuation errors.
