//------------------------------// // Unicorns of Canterlot // Story: All Is Calm // by Cranberry Muffin //------------------------------// It was cold and snowy, the kind of weather that Gingerbread usually avoided; the kind that left her wanting to stay home, in her warm, cozy kitchen, freshly baked cookies cooling on the counter, a mug of steaming hot cocoa warming her hooves and tummy alike. Instead, she was standing just beyond the gates of Canterlot, where the city’s Tree of Light stood in all its majesty, waiting to be decorated and lit. She hadn’t been expecting an outdoor expedition when Cupcake had suggested she accompany her to the meeting with Razzle Dazzle. Knowing her sister as well as she did, Gingerbread had anticipated a morning tea or brunch or some such hoity-toity frivolity where very little work would be discussed. She loved Cupcake, but the older mare had always had her heart set on being part of the upper class and having nice things and this opportunity was certainly another rung on the climb up the social ladder. And that assumption was why Gingerbread was shivering in only the matched hat and scarf set her friend Cherry Pie had given her last Hearth’s Warming, while her sister and the elegant Razzle Dazzle were much more appropriately bundled against the winter weather. “Galaxy will be coming by that morning to decorate the tree and make sure all of the lights are secured properly before it’s lit later in the evening,” Razzle Dazzle was saying, “She’s shown me her plans for this year’s decorations, which are, as usual, quite beautiful. Your tables will already be set in place when you arrive to start laying out the refreshments. The Tree Lighting Ceremony is open to anypony who wishes to come and I always anticipate a large, large crowd. I know you will be certain to prepare enough goodies for any number of ponies.” “Oh, of course.” Cupcake nodded eagerly, “We’ve been quite busy with the baking and decorating. I’m certain we’ll have more than enough of everything.” “Excellent.” Gingerbread was watching the two of them, not really having anything to say. She was a kind of quiet mare to begin with and this was Cupcake’s project in the end, so she let her sister do all the talking. She was listening to the conversation, in case anypony wanted her input, but mostly, she was just observing Razzle Dazzle. Gusty did not keep any pictures of her parents on display in their house. Gingerbread had only once seen a glimpse of a hidden snapshot of her special somepony as a foal, wrapped in a gold and orange blanket and nestled securely in her parents’ forelegs, both of them beaming with pride. It was an old photograph, and a little crumpled, and didn’t very well show what her mother and father looked like. And given Gusty’s somewhat unremarkable looks, Gingerbread had been vastly unprepared for the slender, elegant unicorn that was her mother. Razzle Dazzle was tall and lithe, her every movement graceful. She carried herself well, without putting on an air of superiority, and her aquamarine eyes were kind. She had a flowing, shiny mane, long enough to still trail along her shoulders, even half pulled up with a mother of pearl hairclip. She was wearing a fur-lined cape, fastened around her shoulders with a satin ribbon tied in a perfect bow, the luxurious fabric somehow doing little to conceal the fact that she was model-thin and quite beautiful. Gingerbread completely understood why Gusty didn’t feel all that comfortable around her mother. She could see some similarities between them, however. Razzle Dazzle’s mane and tail were predominantly the cranberry-ish color that streaked through Gusty’s teal hair, highlighted with little swirls of lighter pink. They had the same pristinely white coats, though Razzle Dazzle’s fur looked softer and sleeker than Gusty’s -- Probably the result of a much more thorough daily grooming routine. Gusty had her mother’s smile, though she wasn’t as quick to use it, and they both had a similar sway to their hips when they walked. But beyond those few small likenesses to their looks, Gusty and Razzle Dazzle were complete opposites. The elder unicorn was polite and refined where Gusty was impatient, brash and somewhat rude. Razzle Dazzle was brimming with confidence and self-assurance, while her daughter had numerous self-esteem issues. And Razzle Dazzle seemed to enjoy whimsy and frivolity and Gusty hated those sorts of things. She watched as the other two mares continued to talk, taking in their body language as well as listening to the discussion about the list of refreshments Cupcake was in the process of completing. Gingerbread thought her appearance at this meeting was a waste of time that could have been spent in the kitchen -especially with how much they still had to do- but had agreed to come mostly because she was so incredibly curious about Gusty’s mother. Attending had certainly proved not to be a waste of time. - “You’re not very much at all like your sister.” Gingerbread looked up from the steaming cup of herbal tea she was enjoying, meeting Razzle Dazzle’s gaze across the table. They were seated at a corner table in an elegant bistro, where the trio had gone for brunch after leaving the undecorated tree. Gingerbread had never been to a restaurant so fancy before and it was somewhat unnerving that casual dining in Canterlot was on par with fine dining in Ponyville. She’d felt out of place and somewhat uncomfortable surrounded by wealthy ponies who spoke mostly of things she didn’t really understand –especially after Cupcake had spotted an acquaintance and politely excused herself from their company- but the fine china teacup full of spearmint tea sitting before her had done a lot to soothe her nerves. “Yes,” She agreed softly, “Cupcake and I are quite different.” She offered the older mare a small smile, settling comfortably in her seat. Here was a topic she could discuss without feeling too out of her depth. Razzle Dazzle easily returned the smile, levitating her espresso up to her lips and taking a dainty sip. “She has told me a lot about you,” she said, “Cupcake does love to talk, doesn’t she?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued, an amused expression flitting across her face. “I understand you live in Ponyville.” “It’s our hometown.” Gingerbread explained, pausing for a moment to pour herself another cup of tea, still delighting in the little teapot the server had left on the table for her personal enjoyment. She’d never been to a restaurant that offered personal teapots to all their diners before. “Mom and Dad still live there, too, and one of our cousins owns a very successful candy shop.” The unicorn looked at her for a moment, a small frown spreading across her face, eyes darkening beneath thick lashes. Then she smiled again, gaze sweeping somewhere across the room and resting on the distant form of Cupcake chatting with her friend. “My daughter lives in Ponyville.” Something about her voice carried an underlying sense of distress; as if this were an incredibly painful topic to discuss, “Perhaps you know her?” At the question, Gingerbread’s heart began to pound. Gusty had asked them not to mention her to her mother, but…She wasn’t a very good liar. How was she supposed to pretend she didn’t know Gusty when she had been living with and loving her for three years? “I…might.” She replied awkwardly, uncertain what to say. A part of her wanted to hear Razzle Dazzle talk about Gusty without knowing that Gingerbread was living with her daughter; without knowing that the baker loved Gusty fiercely. Another part wanted to reassure the older mare that Gusty was indeed loved and looked after. And a smaller part wanted desperately to keep her word and not talk about her partner at all. “She’s…” Razzle Dazzle began, hesitating and unsure of herself for only the first time in the entire morning. She was quiet again for a moment, turning back to once again meet the gaze of the earth pony sitting across from her, eyes shimmering, this time with tears. “Her name is Gusty.” Gingerbread was well aware of the fact that Gusty had never once gone to visit her parents in the time that had passed since she moved away from Canterlot. She also know that her partner had always discouraged them from coming to Ponyville. And there, looking at the mother of the mare she loved, who was obviously hurting and hungry for information about her daughter…Gingerbread felt like her heart was breaking just a little. “I love her so much!” She blurted out before she could stop herself, the part that wanted to assure Razzle Dazzle winning out over the other two. Then, realizing what she’d said, she clapped her front hooves over her mouth, eyes wide. She hadn’t meant to say that; Gusty –for whatever reason- wasn’t ready to face her mother yet and Gingerbread had blown it. There was a long silence in which Razzle Dazzle just stared at her, her own almond-shaped eyes going wide, mouth falling open, all without drawing attention to herself like most ponies Gingerbread knew would have done. Even in her surprise, she still managed to somehow look elegant. “You…?” Razzle Dazzle blinked, long lashes sweeping across her cheeks, “You’re the special somepony Rarity wrote to me about?” Again, Gingerbread was momentarily at a loss for words. The unicorn’s face had gone blank and she had no way of knowing how she may have felt about the revelation. A slight curl of fear blossomed in her stomach; would this be disappointing to Razzle Dazzle? Gingerbread was a simple mare, who worked hard and lived comfortably, but she was nothing like the ponies Razzle Dazzle must have known there in Canterlot. “I am.” She confirmed, trying to stop her voice from quavering and keep it steady, though she was uncertain what turn things were about to take. “I met her not long after she first came to Ponyville. We’ve been seeing each other for almost four years and living together for three…” Another pregnant pause followed, during which Cupcake returned, yammering about the unicorn she had been chatting with at the other table. She seemed oblivious to the awkwardness that had fallen over her companions as she settled heavily back into her seat, a bright smile played across her face. Gingerbread frowned, looking away and at her teacup. She could feel Razzle Dazzle’s eyes still upon her, but now was certainly not the time to continue a discussion about Gusty, as desperately as she wanted to both gain the other mare’s support and let her know that Gusty was indeed cared for and –for the most part- happy. As they parted ways a short time later, however, any fear she had of disapproval was assuaged when Razzle Dazzle offered her a hoof, eyes once again sparkling. “I’m very pleased to have met you, Gingerbread.” She said sincerely, a soft smile dancing across her face. Gingerbread returned the smile, relief washing over her. Unless Razzle Dazzle was a very good actor, it seemed she genuinely meant what she said, which indicated that she accepted of her only child’s choice in partners. And with the way Gusty always spoke of her mother, Gingerbread had been worried; she certainly didn’t live up to any high society standards. “It was nice to meet you, too.” As their hooves brushed together, Razzle Dazzle leaned in, lyrical voice soft and low near Gingerbread’s ear. “Give her a hug for me, please.” She whispered, the smile becoming slightly sad, tone wistful. “I will.” Gingerbread nodded in acknowledgement, before trotting off after her sister. - Across town, Gusty was actually beginning to loosen up and relax a bit; Fizzy had always had that effect on her. She was so lively and upbeat that it was impossible even for Gusty to remain grumpy in her presence. Fizzy was halfway through her demonstration of how she added the bubbles to her drinks. Lemon Meringue was utterly fascinated, and though it was Fizzy’s special talent and not many ponies had the ability to work their magic in the way she did, she had offered the filly a plastic tumbler full of ruby red cranberry brew, encouraging her to try making bubbles in the flat drink. Lemon wrapped the pastel yellow glow of her magic around the cup, eyes squeezed shut as she concentrated, trying as hard as she could to succeed. Gusty shot Fizzy a glance, silently asking her why she was encouraging the poor filly in a completely doomed endeavor. The other unicorn just shrugged, her slightly goofy smile crossing her face as she mouthed the words ‘it’s fun.’ “Fizzy!” Lofty’s voice suddenly drifted in from somewhere in the front, excited and bubbly, “I’m back!” And then the pegasus herself came bursting through the door, practically tripping over her gangly limbs, almost empty saddlebags bouncing against her flanks, the bits tucked securely inside jangling with her every movement. She stopped short when she spotted Lemon Meringue propped on a stool, a chef’s hat perched on her head, eyes still screwed shut, little horn pointed at the tumbler. Fizzy, clad in her favorite polka dotted apron, stood on her hind legs beside the filly, forelegs resting on the counter as she instructed the filly in the proper way to carbonate a beverage. Gusty was loitering in a corner, keeping an eye on both her friend and her charge, but she spared Lofty a glance. “…Hey.” A huge grin split Lofty’s face and she pranced fully into the room, wings fluttering with delight. “You came! I didn’t think you would!” She squealed, skittering to a stop beside Gusty, “This. Is. AWESOME!” Her voice pitched high with her excitement, startling Lemon, who jumped on her stool, her unpredictable youthful magic surging and sending the cup toppling off the table in a waterfall of sticky red. Lemon squawked as she was hit with a splatter of the cranberry juice, turning a furious, childish glare in Lofty’s direction. “Excuse me!” She spluttered, flailing indignantly and nearly falling from the stool, “Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something very important?” Fizzy caught the filly before she could fall, trying not to laugh at her serious tone. Lemon was entirely too adorable, especially because she sounded so prissy and annoyed and Lofty was blinking big doe eyes at her, utterly confused. The teal unicorn steadied Lemon on her seat, making sure the pint-sized filly had regained her center of gravity before trotting off to fetch a dishrag from a drawer. “I’m…sorry?” Lofty frowned, giving the little unicorn a funny look, brow creased, “I didn’t know I’d be interrupting anything.” “Well you did.” Lemon turned up her nose, sulking at her magic lesson being disrupted. “Lemon…” Gusty rolled her eyes, tone warning. It was one thing for the filly to be a brat around her mother; the older unicorn didn’t give a hay about that. It was another thing completely for her to treat her friend so rudely, especially considering they were guests in Lofty’s home. Fizzy pranced back by Lofty, the dishrag and a bucket of warm, sudsy water wrapped in the pale pink glow of her magic as she carried them over to clean up the mess. She paused a second to give the pegasus pony a cheery smile and welcome home nuzzle, flicking her tail playfully under Lofty’s nose. Then she set the bucket down near the puddle on the floor, giving Lemon a magical jab. “Hey,” she chirped, “who wants to help clean up? ‘Cause I know tons of other ways to make bubbles!” Lemon gave Lofty one last Look and the young mare stuck out her tongue in return, trotting over to the table to empty her saddlebags and tally up the bits she had collected running deliveries for Fizzy. Gusty rolled her eyes again as Lemon hopped from the stool, snatching up the rag and swiping furiously at the puddle on the floor, all the while complaining about how Mother never made her clean up messes that weren’t her fault. She had been feeling better, but as she watched the spoiled filly cleaning, Gusty was reminded yet again of just why she’d wanted to leave Canterlot in the first place.