Chapter 10 – How to train your… Lasso?
As I walk into the Golden Oaks library, I spot Twilight off In a corner, reading as usual. Spike is relaxing in a corner, picking lint out from between his toes. I walk over to the writing desk and grab a quill and a sheaf of parchment. I've never actually written with a quill before. It made me feel like I was in Harry Potter, as I wrote out a letter to the princess, explaining the predicament with the bed quote. After placing the quote sheet in the letter and rolling it up, I start looking for a ribbon or something to tie it.
"Uh, Spike, how do I seal the letter? I don't see any ribbons or wax or anything."
" Oh, is that the letter for the Princess you said you'd need to send? Watch this."
Taking the letter from me, he walks over to Twilight, still engrossed in her book, and just taps it on her horn. There's a small glimmer from it for a split second, and the letter is instantly sealed and ready to send.
"She's written so many letters, it's frankly just second nature to her. After that, all I need to do is…" he walks a bit further away, before burping a small green flame onto the letter, which causes it to turn to sparkle and smoke, and fly out the window, "this. Now it's sent to the Princess. I'll let you know as soon as she sends a reply."
"Thanks, Spike. That's a big help."
Upon finishing what I needed to do for the day, and it being a bit later than 9:30, I decided to try to sleep until morning. I went up into the loft where the beds were and lay down in my 'bed' which was still a couple of blankets and a pillow on the floor. I closed my mind, and tried to still my thoughts. Try as I might though, many images flashed through my mind. The ponies, here in town, my friends and family left behind in my original world. Are they looking for me? Am I missing? Has anyone even noticed at all? What lies ahead in my future? Will I be able to shoulder everything until I can go back? Will I be able to go back at all?
Some time later, I hear Spike and Twilight come up and head to bed as well, a short nightly exchange between them. I steadied my breathing, and lay still, feigning sleep, until all sounds cease, and I'm sure they are in bed and I'm no longer in their thoughts. Eventually, I finally drift off to sleep.
A Cackle of laughter and a flash of a red, scarred eye and brown coat of fur flash through my mind, breaking my sleep and causing my eyes to snap open. Looking up, I see that Twilight and Spike are still asleep. It's fairly early, I think. I head down to the main living section, and walk over to a bookshelf, and grab 'Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Statue' and sit down and start reading. Might as well kill some time until the others are awake.
CONK. I'm jolted back to consciousness as my head hits the desk I've been reading at. The book floating away under a purple glow.
"Huh, what? Did I fall asleep?" I ask looking around to Twilight who is putting the book back on the shelf.
"Apparently so. Also, you drool when you sleep." Twilight says, bluntly.
I wipe my lip of the drool, and sheepishly apologize for drooling on her prized Daring Do book. Checking the time, its about 8:30 am. Jeez. It was just like 6:00 when I sat down. Talk about your power naps.
After everyone is fed and ready to head out, Twilight and I head out towards the end of town that features Sweet Apple Acres.
"So, Twilight, any ideas on how to tame this thing?"
"I have some theories, but Applejack will have the most experience with this. Fluttershy might be able to help too, having experience living closest to the forest, so we'll will have to see what they say." She replies.
"Solid train of thought, though I don't have a lot of experience with such things myself." I say, as we crest a small hill, the familiar farmhouse and barn become visible on the next hill, the orchards of trees spreading out behind it for quite a distance.
"Well, Howdy, Twi. Hiya Fawkes. Glad y'all could make it. This here vine has been a right thorn in mah flank all yesterday. Hoo, boy it's a lively one." Applejack greets us as we meet up with her. Fluttershy and Rarity have already arrived. Pinkie is again minding Sugar Cube Corner for the cakes, and won't be able to come.
"Yooo!" we hear a shout coming from above us, towards town, and we look to see Rainbow Dash flying calmly towards us. " Sorry to keep you waiting. I got a little caught up in my morning practice. Totally lost track of time, hehe.
Twilight clears her throat, and begins to speak
" Thank you all for coming. The goal of our gather here today…" Twilight starts.
"Is to train this here lasso, to replace the one Rarity used in the forest to save our hides. Yah don't need to make a speech about it, Twi." Applejack cuts her off, clearly eager to get started.
" ahem. Right. Sorry everypony." Twilight clears her throat and continues sheepishly. "I suggest we first take down ideas from those of you who have experience taming wild animals or plants, or working in or near the Everfree forest." She motions to Applejack and Fluttershy as she says that.
"Well, when the Cows in town get a good spook, they can get a little… uh, stampedey. Mah preferred course 'a action is to team up with Winona, and wrangle them back until the calm down, but…I don't know how ta wrangle my own wrangler…" Applejack explains. The other seem confused, but if memory serves me right, she will get a chance to show off that very thing in a few days. Episode 4 opened with her saving the town from a stampede of cows, didn't it?
"What about you, Fluttershy?"
"Uhm, me? You want my help? I don't have an experience with plants. I'm more of a…animal pony." Fluttershy says dismissively "I don't think I can help much…"
"Well, let's start with the basics I guess? Have you tried using it on stationary targets yet, like hay bales or barrels?" I asked, looking quizzically in Applejack's direction.
"Not yet I haven't, but if no one's got any better ideas, I guess it's a good place to start." Applejack replies, looking towards the rest of the group in case anyone has any ideas. Taking the silence as a no, she continues, "well, I guess that's that. I'll go get some barrels. Mind coming with me to help, Fawkes?"
"Not at all" I shout in her direction, as she'd already started headed towards the barn, and I start jogging to catch up with her.
As we get to the barn, Applejack pulls open the doors and pulls a wagon out of the barn.
"Help me load this up with some of those there empty barrels, while I grab some hay bales from the back. Might even get Twi to spruce them up with some of her magic to make them float or move or what not."
We get to work, piling up about 10 empty barrels and eight or so hay bales. They're a bit smaller than in my world, so nothing I can't handle, but probably a bit more than I am used to lifting.
Having filled the cart with its load, Applejack gets under the yoke and pulls, while I guide from the rear of the wagon. We head back out to the group.
"Took you guys long enough, I was getting super bored." A cocky voice says from above us.
"We were barely gone 10 minutes, Dash. Besides. Didn't see you offering to help" I responded with a wink
Another 5 minutes or so later, and we were set up. It went a lot faster with Twilight's magic, and with two ponies who can fly and make sure things look right.
"All right Applejack," Twilight says, having pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill, and is positioned to record the results as she sees them, "Whenever you're ready, try using the vine lasso ass you would a regular one.
"You got it Twi! I'm ready anytime."
She jumps up on her hind legs, pulling the Vine Lasso from under her hat. She swings it around with her mouth, and flings it towards a barrel set up upon a hay bale. It flies a few feet, and then as if blown by a gust of wind, swings around towards Applejack. She jumps out of the way, causing the vine to lurch in the direction of the leap. Coiling the vine in her hands, she looks towards the rest of the party, as Twilight furiously scribbles down notes.
"Well, that could have went better." Applejack states morosely.
"Don't sound so down, AJ, that was just a control test." I say, "we just wanted to see how the subject reacted under default and controlled parameters. This will mark a benchmark we can compared further experiments with." I finish.
"Wow Fawkes, I didn't expect you to be the science type." Twilight says, looking up at me from her parchment, "you do this kind of thing often?
"Not really. I used to be in science fairs and stuff as a kid, but never won anything. I know a lot of the basics. That's all.
"If you're done talkin' about all that science stuff, what's next?" Applejack asked impatiently.
"Next, we start variable testing!" Twilight half screams in excitement, but noticing the puzzled looks on nearly everyone's faces, she explains "that means adding or taking away variables or different situations to the control, to attempt to get a reaction."
She walks over to Fluttershy, and whispers in her ear.
"Oh, uhm…okay. If you insist"
Fluttershy walks over to the lasso, still coiled on Applejack's front leg, and pets it cautiously.
"Uhm, nice…vine lasso. If you do what my friend Applejack here wants, we will give you water….and fertilizer, and whatever you need, Mr. Nice Vine." Fluttershy tries to sound charismatic and convincing, but it just kind of comes out as strained acting.
"Um, thank you Fluttershy. Now Applejack, if you'd like to try again?" Twilight says, motioning towards the barrel from the control test.
"All right then, if you insist." Applejack says, with a note of uncertainty. She again swings the vine lasso, and tries to throw it towards the barrel. Again, it swerves off course, but, instead of turning back towards Applejack, it flies toward Fluttershy, who drops to her knees as she covers herself with her wings.
She peeks out to see what happened, she sees the lasso, surrounded by a purple glow, as Twilight had caught it using her magic.
"Darn it. This thing is completely bunk!" Applejack shouts. "I'm startin' to think this here was a whole waste of time."
"Don't say that, Applejack" Fluttershy says meekly, "even the most rowdy of animal can be trained with enough effort and the right incentive. We just need to figure out what it wants."
"What IT wants? What it wants, is to throttle us all" Rainbow Dash says, angrily. As she does, the lasso seems to resist Twilight's spell still holding it, and shifts a few inches toward Dash.
"Hang on. I got an idea." I saw, looking up towards Applejack as she starts to coil the lasso again, as Twilight starts releasing the spell holding it. "In my world, there is a theory that some animals can read the feelings, and intents of people around them. Kinda like reading thoughts, but not quite. For example, a cat or dog who knows that the person attempting to train it is afraid of, or dislikes that type of animal, they usually wont listen to them. Maybe if you accept that this lasso, and whatever its made out of, and accept that it's a friend, or even a partner, it might be more willing to do what you ask."
" Uh, sure…but, how do I do that?" Applejack asked.
"I'm not too sure myself, but you have to try trusting in it. Relax, and tell yourself deep in your heart that this lasso can be a valuable partner. Envision what you want it to do for you, and use those feelings when you go to throw it. It might take a while to really connect, but I think that's the best way to get through to it."
"All right, if you say so" Applejack says, tentatively.
She closes her eyes for a moment, and holds the lasso to her chest. It starts to squirm around her, but seems to stop after a moment, and goes limp, like normal rope. She opens her eyes, rears back and casts the lasso. It flies forward and hits the target, which she then pulls back towards her, it landing beside her with a dull thunk.
Cheers erupt from around her, as the ponies moves in to give her a hug.
"Well, rack my hat, whod've though that'd work?" Applejack states, "And here, I was a mite unsure that'd work at all."
"Well, you have to keep at it. Work to build that trust every day. It might even help to give it a name. It may be just a vine lasso, but it's a living creature too." I say, giving her a hoof shake (handshake? Handhoofshake?)
Once everyone was finished chatting about the events of the day, it was time to break off for the day. It was getting into the later afternoon so Twilight and I decided to head back to the Golden Oak for the day. We say our goodbyes as we head back towards town.