“Botany? What a unique field of study! It’s certainly lost its academic charm over the past few years, but maybe you can revive it!” Twilight encourages. “The castle has an extra porch area that we can convert into a greenhouse, and I know plenty of ponies in Ponyville that would be willing to provide advice along the way.”

“That sounds like we have a great environment for it, then,” you note.

Twilight nods enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to get started! Come on, let me finish showing you around the castle!”

---

By the middle of the next week, you and Twilight have performed your preliminary background research and have begun to construct an elaborate irrigation system on the castle’s back porch.

Twilight’s magic surrounds two pieces of PVC pipe and brings them together. Carefully, you fill in the gaps on the pipe with a specialized resin, joining them together. “That should do it,” you proclaim grandly. “The main hydroponics bay is set up!”

“Let’s test it out!” Twilight replies, trotting around the large central bay and past the more traditional soil-based beds on the sides of the room, newly filled with seeds. She slows as she approaches a spigot installed into the crystalline wall of the castle, which is attached to an endless, tortuous network of rubber hosing. Lighting up her horn, she opens the valve.

Immediately, you look down at the newly-constructed metal grow beds, filled with clay pellets to provide substrate for the plants. Soon, the pellets should be covered with flowing, fresh water.

Any second now!

...Any second.

You cock an eyebrow and scrunch up your muzzle as you look down at the still bone-dry clay pellets. Looking up, you cast a worried glance at Twilight. “It’s not working.”

“What? How could that be?” Twilight gasped. “I double checked the tubing circuit design! There’s no way that-”

Suddenly, a jet of water hits Twilight in the back of the head, causing her to let out a stunned shriek.

Immediately, a chorus of raspy guffaws fills the room.

Twilight shivers as the water dripping from her mane and withers continues to saturate her coat. “Rainbow Dash!” she growls.

Quickly looking around, you spy a blue pegasus on the far side of the room, completely consumed with laughter as she hovers in the air, a snipped segment of hose in her hoof. “HA!” she manages to vocalize in the midst of her uncontrollable cackling. “GOT HER!”

“How did you even get in here? And did you cut that hose!?” Twilight lets out a disdainful scoff. “Do you know how long it took us to set up the irrigation system!?”

Rainbow Dash wipes a tear from her eye and tries to calm herself down, although she still lets out a chuckle every several seconds. “Ah, cool it, Twilight! Get it, cool it? Because the water is cold!?”

Consumed by the desire to do something, you surreptitiously lean down and unscrew some hosing from a nearby junction, holding it closed with your hoof.

Twilight scowls as she continues to shiver. “Get out! We’re doing serious work!”

“Yeah, by the way, who is that?” replies Rainbow Dash. “Your new coltfriend, or something?” she mocks.

“Hey, I’m her research fellow,” you greet, releasing your hoof from the hose and dosing Rainbow Dash with a relentless stream of water.

Rainbow Dash cries out as the first water hits her, saturating her wings. Flapping harder to keep herself afloat, she spatters water all over the room as she sputters and spits at the water assaulting her from a variety of all angles. “Cut it out!” she manages to eventually vocalize. “STOP!”

“No,” you calmly reply, continuing to spray her.

Still letting out uncomfortable squeals, Rainbow Dash quickly retreats out of the porch and flies out into the open sky above Ponyville.

Twilight turns off the water supply and regards you with wide eyes and a stunned expression. “Wow. That was very impressive.”

“Thank you,” you respond, smiling at her. “Friend of yours?”

“Unfortunately,” Twilight huffs, shaking herself briefly in a vain attempt to dry her coat and feathers.

“You alright?’

“I guess I am. She’ll be back, though. You should keep an eye out.” Twilight shakes her head,

“I’m not afraid of her,” you scoff, waving a hoof dismissively. “After all, if she comes back to get me I’ll just hit her with a little water.”

A little sparkle glints in Twilight’s eye, and her horn lights up for just half a second. “Like this?”

A stream of water smacks you right in the center of your barrel, causing you to take an aggressive step backward and almost knock over a hydroponic tray.

“There we go,” she says proudly. “Now, everypony got wet.”

Blinking a few times, you smile and pick up your end of the hose, which is spewing water again. “This means war, Your Highness.”

Twilight crouches down and flares her wings as she uses her magic to bring her end of the hose to bear at you. “Bring it!” she challenges, squealing in glee soon after as the first jet of water from your attack hits her on her cutie mark.

Proceed to Chapter 12.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 26 Minutes