"I know it doesn't affect how we feel and stuff, but this is trippy..." said Spike, stationed in front of the mirror of the train's bathroom. He waved a clawed hand in front of his reflection, which in return echoed a cream colored foal's hoof. His image showed nothing of scales of purple or spikes of green, but instead a cherubic face of a generic foal who's mother had maybe gone overboard with the sweets. His buttery yellow forelock drooped shaggily over his eyes, but at the same time only framed his face to accentuate his adorableness even more.
"I know Spike," said Twilight, straightening the foal carrier on her back, "and I feel really bad about putting you into this type of awkward situation-"
"Don't you lie to me Twi," he said, glaring at Twilight as she hovered a baby bonnet from her travel bag. She stifled a giggle as she fixated it onto his head and tugged at the drawstring.
"Ok, so this is more amusing than I had planned: sue me." Spike continued wearing his face of utter disgust as his eyes stayed glued to his cutsie-wutsie appearance in the mirror.
"Why do I even have to dress up!?" said Spike, finally retaliating and ripping the blue bonnet off his head and throwing it to the ground. Twilight frowned and levitated it back up, dusted it off with a hoof, and then sat it down next to Spike on the side of the sink. "If you're putting a disguise filter on us, why can't you just factor some clothes into the design? And don't give me any of that 'it takes a lot of magic' miss alicorn princess."
The train hit a rather rough patch of rails, sending the cabin jostling for a moment, but the dragon and pony in the bathroom regained their footing rather quickly. "The filter can only alter our skin. Everyone around us will see our faked skin, but the clothes aren't included in their perception of the filter. So we have to suck it up and play dress up if you want this to work, Spike. Or, we can try to fight off the crowds as they swarm over us for autographs and such and then get whisked away to the castle where Shining Armor and Cadance will try and inform Celestia of our whereabouts. You want that?" asked Twilight, leaning in to Spike.
The purple dragon scratched the back of his head. "Um, I guess not," he said, silently sliding the fake mustache he had brought in case of a photo opt back into his bag. "While we're on that subject though, what did you tell Celestia that convinced her to let you leave the castle for the day?" asked Spike.
"Spike, I'm princess of Equestria; I don't need to ask Celestia if I can go to the Crystal Empire." Right then the train screeched to a halt, jostling the pair into the bathroom sink corner and making them lose their balance. A hiss of steam could be heard as the engine rested and the doors swung open. Twilight, donned in her disguise only visible by others, levitated the equally disguised Spike into her foal carrier and trails their bags behind her out of the bathroom. Exiting and turning right, she caught a faint glimpse of the huge line that had apparently formed while she was creating their disguises. Strutting some fake confidence, Twilight exited the train with her bags and Spike, but much to her horror, was greeted by guards patrolling the entire empire. Flyers everywhere were apparently calling for the nationwide search of the missing Princess Twilight Sparkle.
"You were saying?" said Spike, crossing his arms.
"Ok, so maybe I should have told her I was going somewhere," said Twilight nervously.
"You're an idiot."
"Shut up."
"What are you going to do? The entire nation is going to start freaking out!" exclaimed Spike. A brown stallion standing adjacent to Twilight looked over at her quizzically.
"Did your foal just say a full sentence?"
"Um...no! Of course not! That was, um, me! Yes, me! It's a problem you know. Whats a problem? This is? Doesn't seem like it. Hahahahahaha!" cackled Twilight crazily until the stallion, now terrified, cantered away.
"Nice one," said Spike with an eye roll. "But seriously, you have to fix this, now."
"Ok, ok, let me think of something..." said Twilight, rubbing her temples with her hooves.
"Excuse me!" called out a very familiar voice. Twilight and Spike both swiveled around at breakneck speeds to come face to face with a white mare levitating several bags from high end boutiques. She wore a floral sundress with subtle yellow flowers patterned across it, along with diamond stud earrings and a braided headband. Her mane was curled but held back perfectly and neatly by the headband while the curls in her tail bounced freely with every stride. The bags she levitated at her side showed that she was obviously wealthy but not exorbitant, and her overly large sunglasses suggested she was somewhat well known and did not feel like being stopped on the street during her shopping day. The mare was none other than Rarity.
"Um, hello," said Twilight with a wave of her hoof.
"Hello," said Rarity, looking Twilight up and down. "I'm sorry for bothering you and your adorable foal, but I wondered if I might ask you where you got the garment you are currently wearing."
Twilight looked down at her body, and wished she could just face hoof right then and there; Twilight had foolishly made the mistake of wearing the simple dress Rarity had made her during for her birthday last year. She had chosen it quickly from her closet, seeing as it was the most casual and generic item of clothing left her closet of royal garments.
"Oh, um, a store in Canterlot, I think. I don't really remember. Life is a blur with a foal you know!" said Twilight nervously, a bead of sweat forming.
"Are you sure, and I don't mean to hassle, but its just that it looks identical to one I made for a close friend of mine, and I know the style hasn't been picked up by any other designers, at least that I know of."
Twilight struggled for a believable lie to get her out of the situation, even though she hated to lie in any case. "Actually, I was told about it by Fancy Pants who then had his friend make a replica for me because I loved the design so much."
Thats was obviously the wrong phrase to end the conversation with because Rarity's eyes shot open in delight and sparkled like Luna's stars. "Oh my! A fan! Hello, oh I must take you out for lunch so we can converse more on this! I've never met a fan before!" raved Rarity.
"Oh no, its quite all right, I just admired-"
"Shush! It shall be my treat and a way of saying 'thank you'."
"Thank you for what exactly?" asked Twilight, fooling Rarity with her disguise.
"For believing in me of course! For supporting my design and being somewhat of free advertising, if you will," beamed Rarity.
Twilight tried to do a dismissive wave of her hoof, but instead looked as if she was awkwardly swatting an imaginary fly. "Don't think anything of it, really. My son...Picklebottom-"
"What?" grumbled Spike, causing Twilight to zip his mouth closed with her magic.
"Yes my son and I were just about to head home."
"I just saw you get off the train," said Rarity cocking her head.
Spike covered his face in embarrassment for Twilight. "Um, yes, you did," stumbled Twilight. "We live here. In the Crystal Empire. Crystal Boulevard. Its a fairly new development," lied Twilight was a faux smile that made her mouth ache.
"You lucky duck!" whined Rarity. "I was told that only full blooded Crystal Ponies could live here to 'keep the tradition alive'," she said with overly dramatic quotations. "You must have some unbelievable connections! Oh please tell me who to get in contact with! I've been dying to get a little condo of my own down here for the summer time!"
Twilight searched her mind for a plausible lie, but once again fell short. "I don't know if I should say..."
"Oh of course, my apologies for prying into your personal life, it is a very bad trait I seem to have. Well, at least some good can come from my bruteness. Now I owe you lunch, as an apology. Come along, I won't take no for an answer!"
Twilight looked back at Spike who just shrugged his shoulders. Rarity's hips were already swaying in the distance as she sauntered off to the restaurant. Twilight rolled her eyes and broke into a trot to catch up with her friend.
"You know, you really remind me of one of my friends," she said as Twilight approached her side.
"Oh really?" she asked nervously.
"Yes, my friend Fluttershy, actually."
"Seriously?"
"The way you talk; so quiet and polite. Just darling!" said Rarity without taking her eyes off her path. "We'll be at The Patio in a few moments. Its such a quaint little place; I came here once with Princess Twilight herself! We are actually quite close, and we came here to eat after we defeated King Sombra. They have a leek chowder to die for!"
"That's where I recognize you from!" lied Twilight. "You're Rarity, the Element of Generosity."
"Guilty," blushed Rarity. "But that is a conversation for," she started to whisper, "a more private area." She smiled at me and then halted her own trot, turning to a pair of glass doors that read The Patio in careful script. "Here we are," she said happily as she levitated the door open and held it open as Twilight walked in, careful not to hit Spike on the way.
Rarity called to a waiter who led Twilight and Spike to an isolated booth in the back, even bringing over a high chair to set Spike the foal in.
"Thank you," she said softly to the waiter as he set down our menus. Spike had his arms crossed in the high chair looking positively pissed, but kept his composure much to Twilight's pleasure.
It was only a few moments before the waiter returned to take orders, too soon even for Twilight to open up her menu, but Rarity seemed ready and confident. "I'll have a glass of Chardonnay and she'll have a daisy sandwich with water, and the baby will have some hay fries. Thank you kindly," Rarity concluded levitating the menus back to the waiter.
"How did you know what I would have ordered?" asked Twilight quizzically.
"Well because thats what you always order. Always so cautious really," said Rarity, looking around the restaurant absent-mindlessly.
"Excuse me?"
"And really, a sky blue Twilight? With a pink mane? Dearie if you had the ability to make yourself any color only you would chose two that would clash."
"Wha-, you mean... you know it's me?" whispered Twilight, leaning into Rarity.
Rarity responded with a chuckle. "Of course I did Twilight. I could see hearts in Spike's eyes as soon as we made I contact." Spike blushed furiously. "And I spotted you by the dress; I mean really, no designer has picked it up, and only you have it. You're also an awful liar."
"But... you acted like you'd truly never met me before!"
Rarity smiled as the waiter brought over her wine. "I'm a very good actress," she said with a wink, taking a sip. "But by all means I encourage you to keep the disguise up while in public, I really haven't seen you in quite some time without the paparazzi interrupting."
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at her friend. "How are you Rarity?"
"Oh no worse for wear. Sweetie Belle has been driving me up the wall lately getting ready for the school musical. I mean she has a fabulous voice, but I would just rather not hear it at 1 a.m. every morning," chuckled Rarity. "What about you, Miss Princess of Equestria?"
Twilight blushed at he usage of her full title. "It's stressful, for sure. It's a long story," said Twilight, leaving out the reason they were even in the Crystal Empire. "How are the girls?"
"FIne, fine. Nothing new to report. What are you doing here anyways? I know you're not here for the Lord and Neighlor sale."
"Um... it's hard to explain."
Rarity laid a hoof on Twilight's and cast her concerning gaze. "I have time."
Twilight looked around suspiciously, making sure no one was listening in on the conversation that was about to occur. "I'm doing some undercover research about a conspiracy I think may have happened at Luna's banishment a thousand years ago," admitted Twilight.
Rarity's eyes widened in utter shock at Twilight's distrust of her mentor. "Does Celestia know you're doing this?" she asked.
"No, it's Celestia that I think is behind it," said Twilight quietly.
Rarity gasped. "Oh my stars! What did she do?"
"I think... I think she killed Princess Luna."
Instead of gasping in horror, Rarity broke out in a fit of laughter. "Are you crazy Twilight? We just saw Princess Luna! She's obviously not dead!"
"Keep your voice down!" insisted Spike, waving a hoof at Rarity as she reined in her chuckles.
"Sorry, sorry. You were saying?" she said with a hoof over her muzzle.
Twilight glared at her friend, but continued. "Spike and I have found proof for reasonable doubt that our Princess Luna is not the one we have thought she was. We were actually here to search through the Crystal Empire Library's Archives to see if there's any uncensored information about her banishment. Anything in Canterlot relating to the myth has been taken by Celestia into her personal chambers. This is our only hope."
Rarity saw how concerned yet determined her friend looked, and knew better than to doubt Twilight, even when she sounded ridiculous. "I'm here to help."
Twilight smiled at her friend and the waiter as he set her food in front of her. "Then lets get started!"