Title: Princesses - Chapter 2 Author: EvidentPseudonym Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/JNgJ6B7U First Edit: Tuesday 20th of August 2013 02:18:49 PM CDT Last Edit: Tuesday 20th of August 2013 02:18:49 PM CDT Dear Princess Celestia:   Today I learned about the importance of proper civil planning. Rainbow Dash tried to petition me for a new stadium to perform in, but she had no idea how she was going to pay for it. Applejack wanted to expand her farm into the same area, and she had the plans and details all worked out - but as Rainbow Dash pointed out, that was just going to benefit the Apple family, while her performance arena would let other ponies get up and showcase their talents too.   It was a hard decision, but I think I came up with a compromise that I think satisfied both of them. Applejack could expand into the original area, but she'd have to pay extra taxes for the first three years on the extra profits - and I'd earmark that money to pay for a new performance arena built near the original spot, so that everypony would have a way to show off their talents.   I hope to hear your thoughts on how I handled this matter soon.   Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle   ----------------   Dear Princess Celestia:   Today I learned about the importance of keeping some wiggle room in my schedule. Before this I could get away with simply putting something off for a few hours - unless it was an assignment from you, of course - but lately there's simply been too much that needs to be done to risk throwing everything off by breaking from the schedule for anything but an emergency.   Today Fluttershy needed my help organizing another bunny roundup - but while she, Applejack and I all were doing that, Rainbow Dash stopped by needing some signatures on some of her weather plans. While Rainbow is a dear friend, she's not very good at doing things like signing up on the schedule sheet beforehand, or showing up on time when she does - so I tried to give her some time. Unfortunately, this just made the rest of the bunny round-up take longer, and that threw off the rest of my day! It was nearly midnight by the time I got to my last appointment, and that was before I could find time to eat anything!   From now on, I'm instructing Spike to leave an hour a day set aside as 'wiggle room', so that this doesn't happen again!   Your faithful student, TWilight Sparkle   ----------------   Dear Princess Celestia:   Today I learned how important choosing the right pony for the right job is. As you're probably aware, I've been working hard lately to set up a proper court here in Ponyville - which means that I need all kinds of roles filled.   Rainbow Dash leapt at the chance to be Commander of the Guard - while she still hopes to be part of the Wonderbolts someday, she knows how important it is that I have someone I can trust to oversee the guards. After last week's griffin incident, I've asked her to step up recruitment.   Unfortunately, I had no real place in the court structure for Rarity or Pinkie Pie. While Applejack also didn't have a place in it, she has her farm to run and has no particular ambitions that take her from it. However, Rarity in  particular has always wanted to break into high society, and Pinkie Pie just wants to be close to me - which is flattering, but rather distracting when I have actual government business to attend to.   At first, I tried to find places for them - Pinkie as the court jester, and Rarity as my seneschal. While I do love my friends, it was a complete disaster. Pinkie's pranks and jokes, while funny, were almost always at the worst possible time for it, and Rarity was surprisingly bad at arranging any aspect of the castle for anything but pure aesthetics. She even tried to suggest that we only put the guards on patrol outside the castle - as if  anything that made it in would be defeated by window drapes, of all things!   In the end, I had to face the fact that while they are still my friends, there's just no room in my court for them on a permanent basis - and tell them that. Pinkie took it well enough, but I'm worried that I really hurt Rarity's feelings. I'll go visit her tomorrow, and try to explain it better; I still think she makes beautiful clothes, I just have a different set of priorities for my day-to-day castle arrangements.   Please write back soon!   Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle   ----------------   Dear Princess Celestia:   Today, I'm not writing to you about a lesson I learned. I've learned a lot, about both rulership and friendship, but I'm writing today because I'm worried. I've sent you a lot of letters lately, and if that's been bothering you, I'd be happy to slow the pace down a bit - but you haven't replied to any of them, and nopony I've spoken to from Canterlot has seen you at all.   I don't want to intrude on you, and I certainly don't want to be a burden - but I do care about you, Princess, so please at least drop me a note to let me know that you're all right?   Your faithful (and worried!) student, Twilight Sparkle