BaronEngel
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Concerns
🕑 Added 2024-11-21 01:34:29 +0000 UTCLuna paced back and forth in front of Applejack in my Equestria dreamscape. The earth pony and the alicorn had retired to AJ's bedroom. The palomino pony was lying on her bed and was nervously watching the Princess as she trotted around in the relatively small space. As the Co-Ruler of Equestria paced she spoke.
"Applejack. Understand I am not angry with you or Applebloom. However, I am confused and a very alarmed at your mention of Ladon. Link Especially since your little sister has only limited, recent exposure to the Dream Realm, and you yourself Applejack are very much a rank amateur in these matters.
Applejack's face scrunched up as she nodded her head. "Alright, but besides being a big, glowing, floating serpent being, that apparently grows the most amazin' apples and makes an incredible drink who r' they?" Link
Luna's pacing came to a halt and looked at the mare. "Ladon is one of the most ancient and powerful beings in the Dream Realm. They reside in a dream shard that is completely cut off from the rest of the Dream Realm. The only way you can access it is by partaking in the fruits of Ladon's labors. Their drink. Rumor has it that their dream shard is a tiny sliver of the Dream Realm from the beginning of time."
The Prussian Blue alicorn raised an eyebrow as she looked the farm pony. "So, I assume you imbibed in the fruits of Ladon's labors?"
AJ's freckles turned slightly pink as looked down at the bed and worried the comforter as she replied. "Well, um yeah. I had a glass, or two, or three." AJ looked up to find Luna staring at her with a startled expression. "But they were just really itty bitty glasses!" She added quickly and then started worrying the comforter on her bed again. "His Majesty was also alarmed when he got wind of how much I'd had."
Luna got a quizzical look on her face as she stared at AJ. "And where did you partake of the fruits of Ladon's labors?"
"Oh um, it was this roadhouse type place called Bombastic Bombay's Barbecue! Link It's a loud and raucous place but the folks there alright! Have ya been there yer Highness?"
The alicorn shook her head. "No I have not. Although I need to address that in the near future. So who was so generous to offer you three glasses of this rare, exotic, and miraculous beverage?"
Applejack had to think for a moment. "It was this horny toad fellow named Rex. He's the bartender at the place. Apparently his Majesty has known him fer years. I think they've got a sumthin or rivalry goin' on between them!" Link
Luna's eye's suddenly narrowed. "Actually another thought has just occurred to me. Applejack, were you a pony when you partook of his gift?"
The mare started fidgeting on the bed. "Well, um, ya see, I was. No."
The alicorn smiled. "We'll come back to that subject in the future. So you were at the bar and this Rex just so happened to have a bottle of Ladon's gift on the shelf?"
AJ nodded her head. "Yep! It had a good-sized bottle with a label on it that said. Ladon Farms Special Reserve Applejack. It looked spendy, but oowee! It was good stuff! So yer Highness. Have ya tried it befer?"
Luna nodded her head. "Yes. Many, many years ago. Applejack please understand what an amazing gift has been bestowed upon you. Ladon's Gift is a unique and exceptional thing to enjoy. Most inhabitants of the Dream Realm will never see a bottle of it, or be able to afford even the tiniest of sips if the chance was to present itself! You are very lucky pony to have had the opportunity you've been granted."
"Uh, when ya say this stuff is expensive, how expensive r' we talkin'?"
Luna sat down on her haunches and stared up at the ceiling. "Hmm. It's difficult to translate value in economic terms across planes, but if I was apply a monetary value to it I would say...." The alicorn glanced out the window at the nighttime sky. "I imagine for a glass of it you could easily buy the Sweet Apple Acres farmstead, everything in the various buildings, and the land and water rights they're on."
Applejack closed her eyes and nodded her head. "Well now. That's good ta know what it's–" Suddenly the mare froze and the color slowly bled from her face as her eyes snapped open. "Wait! R' ya telling me I chugged enough of that stuff ta buy the equivalent of 3 Sweet Apple Acres!"
Luna smiled and leaned forward toward the mare. "Now do you understand why I am so intrigued by this Bombastic Bombay's Barbecue establishment! Wars have been waged in dream shards to try and acquire a single small bottle of it. It has been shared by the most prominent and important of individuals to celebrate the union of kingdoms and the signing of treaties between shards. Many powerful, magically inclined individuals would pay handsomely for a chance to consume a tiny amount of it. For it is a potent magical amplifer. It's just a hunch of mine, but I bet almost every customers there that night was unaware of just how valuable that bottle was sitting on that shelf."
The alicorn lowered her head and gently nuzzled the earth pony. "So yes that's why the King became so agitated at you drinking it. He knows the price of it and how potent of a magical component it is, and what you experienced is something many powerful magic users strive their entire life to achieve. To meet Ladon himself."
The alicorn looked out the window at the growing evening sky. "Yes I need to visit this place, but now I should check in on my student."
Applebloom's condition had improved since the morning. Her fever was more or less gone, but she still felt completely drained. She was sitting up in bed munching on a sandwich when Princess of the Moon came walking in. The filly started to get out of bed to bow to her but alicorn stopped her.
"Stay in your bed Little Bloom. You need not rise for my entrance in your current condition. I simply wish to check on you, and find out if you can tell me a bit about what happened last night?"
The filly set the dish with the sandwich aside and flopped her head back onto a pillow. The buttercream yellow filly stared up at the ceiling for a moment before speaking. "I don't remember all of it. Just bits of it here and there. I seem ta remember my double was there again. I think...they gave sumthin ta drink Link and suddenly there was this big snake thing there! It said some stuff ta me that I can't recall now. Then, then it gave me..."
Luna face quickly went through a quick series of emotions before settling on a neutral one. "What did it give you?"
Applebloom sat up in bed and stared at her front hooves for moment. "It was ah, um, an apple. It gave me an apple. It said it was a gift fer me, and it told me ta eat it. It was the most amazing thing I've ever tasted. Then I remember nuthin else." Link
The filly looked back at her princess and teacher. For just an instant she thought she caught a look of horror in the princess's eyes, but then it was gone. She smiled at the filly.
"Well I hope you're well enough for your astronomy lesson this Saturday?"
The filly started perk up but suddenly closed her eyes and groaned. "Fiddlesticks! That's this weekend ain't it?"
Luna tilted her head slightly. "Is this problem?"
Applebloom sighed. "Wweeelll. I had planned the summer CMC sleepover this weekend. We're gonna make Stone Mane an official member of the CMC!"
The alicorn arched an eyebrow. "Will you need any witnesses for this most august of ceremonies, and do you believe your fellow CMC would permit me to attend? We can do the astronomy lesson afterwards."
This actually got a smile from Applebloom. "Princess Luna. The CMC would be honored ta have ya at r' little git tagether this weekend!"
To be continued.
Comments
Chris Teet
Also glad AB Seems to be getting better, and well-played on Luna's part combining their lesson with the CMC's induction ceremony.
Baron Engel
Eeyup!
Chris Teet
And thus will we see the arrival of Lunabat.
Menthewarp
now that i know how old and powerful Ladon might be, and have enough hints of what kinds of power he has, i strongly suspect Ladon is old enough to have acquired (a singular instance of) The Jewel Of All Desiring. https://afarandasunlessland.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wtf.pdf
