Ch 4: What's not to trust?
PONYVILLE DAY SPA
The ambient music of the spa rippled out through the dozen or so speakers placed to maximize sound saturation.
Fluttershy lay across a cushioned lounge chair, swaddled in a soft white robe with furry pink trim, and her hair bundled in a matching towel. She was reading a magazine contentedly, when the chime alert of the front door went off, and she looked up to see Rarity enter, wearing her typical broad-brimmed sun hat.
Humming to herself merrily, Rarity place her hat on one of several hooks that lined the wall. With a glow about her, Rarity saw where Fluttershy sat and went to join her.
“The usual please.” she announced to Aloe and Lotus Blossom, the earth pony mares who ran the spa.
Fluttershy watched her fiend go behind the folding wall to done her personalized robe that she was afforded for being such a regular customer. “Oh my, you seem cheerful today.” she said to Rarity as she got dressed.
“Well, it’s just such a lovely day dear.” Rarity purred, trotting her be-robed self over to join her friend. “I just feel like today is going to be a great day!” She continued to sing to herself just under her voice as Aloe placed her hooves into a foam rack to be serviced.
Fluttershy tried to glance back down at her reading material, but something still bugged her, there was definitely something different with Rarity. As the unicorn laid back and allowed the attendant to do her work, Fluttershy examined her friend’s face closely, trying to figure out what it could be. “Did you get another celebrity client?”
“Not recently, no.”
“Are you on the verge of a new seasonal line-up?”
“That’s still a few weeks away.”
“Are you… going for another trip to Manehattan?”
“Not until Spring.” Rarity finally faced her friend with an amused expression, “Fluttershy really, there’s nothing off with me.”
Fluttershy felt stymied, but still the itch persisted. She racked her brain for a reason Rarity could be so bright. Then a perfect fit popped into her head. She covered her mouth with a hoof as she attempted to stifle the excitement.
“Did you meet a new stallion!?”
At this, Rarity finally blushed, doing all she could not to burst out. “Maybe.”
Fluttershy gasped at the indirect admission, nearly toppling over as she leaned her body onto Rarity’s chair. “How did you meet him?”
Rarity bit her lip, unable to contain herself. “Well, he just sort of, showed-up at my door.”
“Oh my…” Fluttershy muttered, reverting to her timid posture.
“Apparently Sweetie Belle and her friends were being chased by some Timberwolves,”
“Oh no!” Fluttershy cried, shrinking into her seat.
“He intervened, and escorted them safely home.”
“Really?”
“Or so Sweetie Belle tells me, I’ll have to talk to ApplaJack and find out what she saw. But I’m sure she’ll confirm everything.”
Rarity imagined Wanderlust poised between the girls and the snarling wooden beasts. Romanticized in her mind’s eye he was daring, stout of chest, his mane flapping in the wind, an indomitable gleam in his sparkling eyes.
“Rarity?”
With the fillies cowering behind him, he parried the advance of a
Timberwolf with a shot of magic, blowing its upper body apart.
“um, Rarity?”
Engaged with the other two wolves, he reared-up and defiantly smashed a hoof into the maw of one, stabbing his magically charged horn into the breast of the other…
“Rarity!”
Rarity turned her face back towards her friend, “Oh! I’m sorry dear, I’m afraid I was daydreaming.”
This raised Fluttershy’s eyebrows, “gee Rarity, I haven’t seen you crushing on somepony like this since Trenderhoof.”
“Oh, he’s nothing like Trenderhoof at all.” Rarity waved her hoof in the air to dismiss the comparison.
“Really? What’s he like? Is he rich like Prince Blueblood?”
Rarity found herself stuck for an answer, realizing that she had gleamed very little information from him so far. In fact, she knew nothing except that was a skilled cook and mysterious. “Well… his name is Wanderlust… he’s very well traveled, doesn’t seem to want for money… and ah…is looking to move into town.”
Whoever this new guy was, Fluttershy thought, Rarity sure was smitten with him. Unusual for her, since she typically went for the rich and famous kinds. If it was true that he was brave enough to face Timberwolves, then he was indeed a different breed than the previous targets of Rarity’s affections.
“Oh, he sounds…um, nice.” Fluttershy put together, politely as she could.
“I know it’s all very sudden Fluttershy, and he’s not ostentatiously wealthy or illustrious., but there’s just something so enchanting about him.”
Something in Fluttershy stirred, a feeling of unease. This strange pony was getting Rarity wrapped around his hoof in no time, and moving into town? Fluttershy was known for being wary, but she hadn’t even met this stallion yet and already he was worrying her. Then again, maybe she should trust in her friend’s judgment, after all, Fluttershy spent her time with animals, what did she know about romance?
“Well Rarity, if he’s ok by you, then I’m sure he’s great.”
Rarity accepted her friends approval, though now confronted by the objectively hasty tempo of her attraction, she found herself considering just how much she should trust this nomad. What was he really in Ponyville for?
SWEET APPLE ACRES
As Wanderlust moseyed along the road, fields of apple trees on either side, he enjoyed the peaceful day, thinking to himself. So far his expedition was going far better than expected, it was as if fate wanted him to meet the six. What could the chances be? Rescuing the little sister of the bearer of Generosity, leading to the home of the bearer of Honesty, a chance encounter with Laughter and Loyalty? He hadn’t been in the town a full day, and all that remained were Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle, the latter of which would be the tough one.
Everything he had heard about the newly minted princess was impressive. She had risen from the relative obscurity, to being Celestia’s personal student, to becoming princess, one of only four Alicorns to ever exist. And despite being young herself, she is reputed to be the most naturally magically gifted pony since Starswirl the Bearded. Getting to know her would be crucial, but difficult. Surely, he thought to himself, the daily schedule of a princess must be a busy one.
But if the current rate was any indication, and if not, the proximity to her close friends would sooner than later give him the opportunity to meet her. Until then, he could enjoy the pleasantness this small town offered.
So this is the good life in Equestria… no wonder these ponies are so, innocent.
He chuckled to himself, and skipped, feeling happy about the situation. For some reason, he found his thoughts turning back to Rarity, and they way she teased him with her tail earlier. Wanderlust had courted more than his fair share of mares in his life, but this one, she was something else.
He stopped here he stood, and thought back to the moment at breakfast when Sweetie Belle had come down, when for an instant he got an image of what having a family of his own might be like.
But the sound of a pony exerting himself roused his attention, and he trotted over to the wooden split-rail fence that lined the side of the road. Off a ways into the orchid, Big Mac was taking a break as he hauled another cartload of apples among the trees. Never one to shy away from worthy labor, Wanderlust surmounted the fence and trotted over to the Apple stallion.
“Good morning Big Mac! Fine day for a harvest ey?”
“E’yup.” came the typical reply as he wiped a hoof across his brow. The cartload of apples he was yoked to was piled high with the product, several hundred pounds by Wanderlust’s estimation.
“Need a hoof with anything?”
Big Mac puffed his chest slightly at the offer, “E’nope.” Wanderlust glanced about, still seeing dozens of trees unpicked.
“Are the rest of these trees due to be picked?”
“E’yup.”
“Mind if I get a get a head start on the next haul?”
Big Mac put a hoof to his chin and thought for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. “E’nope.”
“excellent, I’ll gather a load and meet you at the barn. Sound good?”
“E’yup.”
Big Mac put his muscle back to work and set off hauling the cart back to the farm. Wanderlust watched him leave, an impish gleam in his eye. When the red stallion was out of sight, Wanderlust turned to the trees, his horn alight with magic. Focusing on the fruit-laden boughs he smirked, “This’ll be good for a laugh.” he mused.
A white shockwave pulsed out from his horn directed into the tree-tops, and shook the section of the orchid.
Pulling up to the barn house, Big Mac was relieved to finally have the burdensome load off his shoulders. The pulley-lift in the barn was going to be a far easier method of moving the apples into the cellar storage. Fixed atop a platform was a wide edged metal basin into which he could dump the fruit, and lower it down to the storage room for further sorting. He knew that even with the stranger’s help, there was still a whole days worth of work to be done.
“So where do they all go?”
Surprised, Big Mac turned to see Wanderlust approaching, curiously looking about for any given sign of where the apples were meant to go. But behind him was what set Mac’s brain on stun. Trailing behind Wanderlust was a cloud of apples, and not just a bushel or two. Big Mac gawked at what must have been at least three times his own haul, what he guessed close to two tons. Wanderlust trotted over, suspending the mass as easily as Big Mac had seen other unicorns handle a flowerpot. “Are they to go in the barn?”
Big Mac could only stare at the thousands of apples floating through the air as if no lighter than bubbles. “E…..yup”.
“Tarnation Wanderlust!”
AppleJack stared in wonder at the sight, “I don’t reckon ‘ah ever seen apples hauled like that before.”
“Oh this?” Wanderlust feigned, pointing a hoof to the assembly of apples swirling above his head, “Well I didn’t want to gather too many; I don’t know how much storage space you’ve available.”
“Well shoot, I think you’ve got enough to fill the whole cellar!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, was this too much?” asking her this was a small test, to see if she would tell the truth instead of being polite.
“Well I reckon you got just enough to get us an early start on cider season! Rainbow Dash is gonna barrel-roll when she hears that!”
Test, inconclusive. Wanderlust thought to himself, smiling in any case. “Come on in the barn,” Applejack enjoined, heading inside, “I’ll show ya where to plunk those suckers down.”
“Vunderbar!” the unicorn exclaimed as he followed her in. Big Mac looked back to his own cartload, suddenly self-conscious of the labor he’d have to expend to bring in his own comparatively small cargo, and hung his head. He threw his weight forward, and felt the cart begin to move. Unexpectedly, he then felt the cart get lighter. Still moving, he looked back to see the rear wheels covered in Wanderlust’s magical aura.
Ahead of him, Wanderlust glanced back to meet Big Mac’s obliged expression, and the two entered the barn.
With the unicorn’s help the sorting and storage went quicker than usual, and with hours of work done in minutes, the three settled down for a leisurely luncheon. They sat around a picnic blanket spread out on the grass, various items of food and drink laid out for the sampling. Big Mac lay with his head down across his legs in the shade of a tree, breathing softly as he napped
Wanderlust look a bite of an apple, savoring the sweet juice before swallowing. “I’m certainly convinced that the name ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ is well deserved.”
“Mighty kind ’a ya Wanderlust,” replied the lounging Applejack, as she let the sun bake her stomach. “almost as kind as riskin’ yer hide to save them fillies last night.”
Wanderlust waved the comment away, “It was the only thing to do, I’m happy to have done it.”
“Still, it ain’t every pony in this town would run headlong inta danger like that. Applebloom says you came in like a stallion possessed, smashed them twigly pups in one blow.”
“Based on my encounters with the Smiling Eastern Timberwolf, I knew that one swift strike would scatter them. Hardly the most jeopardy I’ve ever been in.”
“Reckon so, way you gave that big girl a belly buster.” she said laughingly.
“That one was new to me,” Wanderlust admitted, “had to think on my hooves for that one. Speaking of which, Applebloom said that the timberwolves actually chased them into the forest. This is odd behavior for their type of predator in my experience.”
“That is right strange behavior. Something musta got ‘em desperate, ‘cause we ain’t made it easy on ‘em to venture onta the farm.”
“I thought much the same.” taking another bite of apple, Wanderlust pondered what it could mean, what kind of rival predators could be forcing them out. “What kind of predators do you think could be strong enough to displace them?”
“Don’t rightly know,” a disappointed AppleJack said, “There’s so many strange critters in them woods.”
Wanderlust stared in the direction of the Everfree, where he could see its border just past a few rolling hills. As he mulled the possibilities, he took another bite of the apple, and was reminded of some of the exotic fruit he’d had. “Have you ever had a Turkish apple? They’re smaller than these, but remarkably juicy, with a honeyed aftertaste.”
“Can’t says ‘ah have.”
“Well, say what you want about Turkeys being ill-tempered, and they are, they can grow some mouthwatering fruits.”
“just wait ‘till ya try some Sweet Apple Cider, folks line up over the hill for a mug.”
Wanderlust’s eyebrows raised at the thought of indulging in a pint of the amber brew, it has been a while since I had a warm tankard.
The serenity of the lunch was interrupted by a multicolored whirlwind, as Rainbow Dash swooped down among a dust cloud.
“Hey Applejack, have you seen Pin-” she paused mid-sentence, struck by the presence of a strange grey stallion. AppleJack took the initiative, an introduced him. “Rainbow Dash, this here’s Wanderlust, he saved Applebloom and her friends from a pack ‘a timberwolves last night.”
“Happy to meet ya Wanderlust, takes a lot of stamina to outrun timberwolves.”
“Oh I didn’t outrun them,” he said with a cocksure tone “I broke them and blew them up” deliberately leaving out the part about mind-control.
“What? How?” Dash questioned incredulously.
“’ah ain’t never seen nothin’ like it Rainbow,” Applejack began; “That big ‘ole timberwolf had Wanderlust in ‘er gullet, then out comes this feller in a mess of fire and kindling’. Blew that critter inta more bits than Filthy Rich could count.”
Wanderlust enjoyed being able to brag for a bit, but he was mindful not to let it go too far. “I’ve stared down the maw of more than a few wily beasts before, so a few hard light constructs and a fire spell was all it took. A walk in the park really.”
Though she’d hate to show it, Rainbow Dash was impressed by his bravado. His poise gave no hint of insincerity, and she couldn’t deny he had the look of somepony who could handle himself. Still, her competitiveness began itching at her. “So, you think your pretty hot stuff huh? Care to go hoof-to-hoof against Ponyville’s resident Iron-Pony sometime?”
The challenge intrigued him, and the bearer of Loyalty seemed to be up to par with the others so far. This one would be fun, he decided.
He used his magic to pluck an apple from the basket on the blanket, and suspended it before him; “A gauntlet of games eh? Sounds like fun.” He tossed the apple in the air, at a trajectory that caused the apple to fall in the Pegasus’ direction.
Rainbow Dash tracked the apple, and prepared to catch it, but she never got the chance. A hoof reached out beside her and caught the fruit nimbly. She looked to her side, and recoiled to see Wanderlust sitting right next to her. How he had managed to get so close so fast without a sound she had no idea, but her own swagger took a knee as she stared at him wide-eyed. “HUH?!”
“But I’m afraid I’ve got a bit more exploring to do today. Another time perhaps.” He tilted his head to Applejack, who was equally stunned, “Thank you for the lunch AppleJack, but I’ve got a few more stops to make before I join Rarity for dinner.”
If the slight-of-hoof trick surprised them, they were floored by his announcement.
“Oh I’m sorry,” Wanderlust began apologetically, “Rarity put me up in her spare room last night, so I made her breakfast this morning, and she’s offered dinner in return,”
AppleJack’s face remained, while Rainbow covered her mouth with both fore-hooves.
“Enjoy the rest of your day ladies, I’ll be seeing you around.”
Satisfied by how the encounter had gone, Wanderlust couldn’t help but smirk as he left the mares gob-smacked.
Rainbow Dash waited until he was out of earshot, before turning to AppleJack with exasperation. “He’s staying at Rarity’s house! Where’s this guy even from?”
“ahhhhh… don’t think he mentioned exactly.”
Rainbow massaged her chin, “There’s something really strange about that pony.”
“the feelin’s mutual, but he seems like one of the good guys.”
The avatar of Loyalty peered with narrowed gaze to where Wanderlust had left. But an older thought came to the fore of her mind, “Oh yeah, I was gonna ask ya, have you seen Pinky Pie anywhere? She put elastic bands on my wings during my mid-morning nap, and I gotta get her back!”
AppleJack chuckled and used her hat to fan her face, “Naw, I ain’t seen Pinky all day. But if’n I do, I’ll tell her that ‘yer gunnin’ for her.”
“You do that.” Rainbow said, before jetting off into the sky. AppleJack watched as her friends trail vanished in the clouds, and set her hat back over her face for a little shuteye.
CANTERLOT
Hustling through the lavish halls of the capital castle, Flash Sentry adjusted his armor, doing his best to do so as he checked room after room for Princess Twilight. He had slept fitfully all morning, his qualms about the mission not settling well with him.
Is she in here? Flash ducked his head into a vacant conference room, as long and lofty as any other in the castle. not here either.
He thought that she might be occupied in her Canterlot quarters, but going there would be too conspicuous, he had to pick his moment. The library was where he checked first, but no such luck. The ballroom, no, the garden, no, the throne hall, no.
If she was as interested in this bit about some place called ‘Thule’ and a prince with an odd name as Celestia was worried she was, he wasn’t sure he could stop her. Twilight was renown for being resourceful, and combined with her royal privileges to access sections of the castle off limits even to him, if she wanted to investigate something, there was little to get in her way.
Flash glanced down another hallway, just as absent the purple princess as all others so far. ow, I’ve gotta find her! Princess Celestia is counting on me!
None of his training as a guardstallion had prepared him for a mission like this. True, none of his training had prepared him for the likes of Chrysalis or Tirek either, but this was cloak and dagger stuff, not soldering.
“Morning Flash.”
As Flash Sentry looked into another room, Spike walked past him.
“Morning Spike.”
It took a moment to register, but eventually Flash’s eyes shot open and he put himself in front of Spike.
“Spike! Thank Celestia you came by!”
Spike recoiled at the urgent tone in Flash’s voice; “What’s up? Is there something wrong?”
Realizing his mistake, Flash tried to recover by relaxing his manner; “Wrong? No, nothing’s wrong. I was just ah, wondering if you knew where Princess Twilight was?” he shot Spike a casual smile, attempting to hide the nervousness.
Spike responded by giving Flash a suspicious glare, “I do, but why do you wanna know?” he asked, crossing his arms.
Flash knew he wasn’t the most capable liar, so he swallowed his pride and decided to come out with the truth. Well, some of it anyway. “Spike, I’ll level with ya, I’ve been crushing on the Princess for a while now, and I just wanted a chance to talk to her before she heads back home.”
Spike regarded him coolly, as if debating the veracity of his plea. But after a moment his expression softened, “Yeah, I know. I’m pretty sure everybody knows really. Tell you what, let’s just say that you might find her reading in the western veranda.”
Flash bowed at Spike’s feet, inwardly more grateful than that for the tip. “Thank you Spike, I own you big time little guy!”
Without wasting another second Flash took off, his wings propelling him through the halls, leaving Spike behind; “It’s about time that guy made a move.”
Out on the deck of the western veranda, as some ponies lounged in the cool afternoon air, and others talked with friends, Twilight Sparkle sat in a large cushion, a book open before her. She sighed as she turned another page, the expression on her face betraying the painful boredom she suffered.
Why won’t Celestia let me learn about Thule? she wondered, her pupils moving over the text of the book out of reflex, Why does it feel like she’s hiding something from me? It’s so not like her. It was the utter shock her mentor had shown that kept playing itself over in Twilight’s mind, the look somepony might have if they saw a ghost. And why would the memory be especially difficult for Luna? What’s she got to do with it all? Question piled on question, feeding a self-perpetuating cycle of mystery.
She wanted to abide Celestia’s counsel to leave the matter alone until she could explain things in full, but her intuition was clawing at her to study what had been hidden away for a thousand years.
Twilight exhaled, closing the book she was unable to focus on. She gazed over the railing to the city streets below, where the activity of Equestria’s denizens carried on like always. Maybe I could sneak into the room tonight, for just a little bit… she thought.
“Um… Princess?”
Her posture stiffened at the sound of her title, and searching, found a familiar face smiling nervously at her. She was unable to react at first, her melancholy fighting against being overcome by the foalish feelings that emerged whenever she spoke to Flash Sentry. Though it had been her interaction with the alternate version of him that had led to her liking him, the chemistry between them seemed to transcend dimensions. And despite herself, she couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across her face.
“Oh, hello Flash,”
She had wanted to approach him before, but every time she came to Canterlot she was always busy with one demanding situation or another. Plus there was the added difficulty of breaking the ice, it wasn’t like she could tell him that she had gotten all googly-eyed at his human counterpart. But perhaps this was just the thing to get her mind off away from ideas of conspiracy and secrecy.
“good to see you. Can I help you with something?”
The Pegasus guard faltered for an answer, “I ah, I was actually wondering if you could spare a few minutes for a walk in the garden?”
Twilight appeared genuinely stunned by the offer, not only by the boldness of a guard asking a princess out for courting, but because it was precisely what she was hoping for. Part of her wanted to jump up and down like a filly, but a more mature part of her decided to take advantage of her position. Her face softened as she employed what tricks she understood a mare might use to charm a stallion, throwing her hair back to open her expression.
“Why Flash Sentry, I’d love to be escorted by one of Canterlot’s finest soldiers.”
Hearing this, Flash felt the weight of a thousand pounds drop off his shoulders. Not only was he going to get the time with the princess he had wanted for years, but she seemed to be just as interested as he was. Maybe Celestia giving him this mission wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
Twilight rose from her cushion, put her book into a saddle bag, and placed herself next to Flash. “Lead on brave Sir.”
Flash Sentry blushed as he felt the warmth of her body beside his. He didn’t exactly think the experience of being this close to an alicorn would be especially supernatural. But Twilight Sparkle simply emanated power, and he guessed that was what came with being such a powerhouse of magical energy. He felt his own nerves excite just by proximity to the vitality she radiated.
Twilight had read about flirting and courtship a few times, but here in the moment, she found herself reflecting on instances in which she saw Rarity use her wiles on males. The thought occurred to her that this might be an example of reflexive instinct, relying on her feminine intuition rather than academic knowledge. She filed the notion away in her mind for later study.
The two strolled out of the veranda, not speaking but simply enjoying each other’s presence on the warm sunny day.
Watching them exit the area from a window high above the castle grounds, a lone figure looked on. Celestia’s mind told her that this was the smart thing to do, making sure that her protégé didn’t develop a colored version of events. But at the same time her heart ached, asking Twilight to stifle her interest felt repugnant, and now using someone who cared for her to inform on her activities. Nothing about this felt right, and Celestia hated herself for having to justify actions that would normally be out of the question.
Am I too blinded by my shame to trust in Twilight’s judgment? Am I doing nothing more than repeating my mistake? Is Æclypse leaning forward through the centuries to whisper in my ear, remind me that I am not guiltless? that I let my mistrust guide me down the wrong path before? Was he right about me?
Celestia turned away from the window, suddenly feeling unworthy of the Sun’s light. Walking through the ornate and famous halls of the castle, she thought back to a conversation long since past. One that had haunted her for a thousand years.
In her mind she was transported to a throne hall lit by braziers, the musty smell of the ancient masonry combined with the aroma of the bark incense. The moonlight spilled through the stained glass windows onto plaster busts of past kings and queens who watched over the court bequeathed to posterity. These served to accent the room, constructed of large stone blocks, and decorated with tapestry. And the hall that usually hosted grand feasts and dispensations of royal justice was tonight dominated by the impassioned dispute of leaders of state.
The argument has been raging for over an hour, but still neither side would give. Prince Æclypse stood before the throne he would one day assume, impassive and undaunted as he stared down the dais to the ruler of all Equestria, who glared back at him with equal determination. Much had gone unsaid between them, neither desiring to make the issue about petty personal squabbles, but the phantom hung between them nonetheless.
Æclypse scowled down to the alicorn; the cord of his patience finally having frayed to the snapping point.
“You rule from your shining palace on the mountain, grandstanding for all those doe-eyed peasants who live in Canterlot’s shadow. You might be able to adwell them, but you do not fool me! You pass yourself off as a beacon of wisdom and light, but I see through your manufactured nimbus Celestia. I see you for the calculating autocrat you really are.”
“Your words are as false as they are cruel Æclypse!” The accusation stung her deeply, as everything she had done thus far was to liberate ponies from terror and oppression. To be indicted as some scheming despot was something that offended her so profoundly, it focused her vision to a point. “I have come here to ask thee for your aid, that thee might do what is right and help to liberate the Crystal Empire from the evil thy own brother has enslaved it into. Yet thee treat me as some conniving villain! As if I have come to shroud thy land betwixt misery and torment! I had thought much better of thee, hoped as much, but it appears that I was severely mistaken!”
The fire of the braziers reflected in their eyes as neither flinched, neither wanting to show an ounce of surrender. But inwardly both were maelstroms of emotion. Celestia felt her legs burning to shake with rage and indignation, the undeserved disrespect merely the salt in the wound of his refusal to join the just cause. How he could be so stubborn, so prideful, so infuriatingly resistant to doing the right thing, made her nearly cry with anger.
Within Æclypse a different tempest was racking his soul, not derived from the present confrontation, but rather what he knew the consequences of it would be. He felt a great pit of sadness collapse in his heart, that he should be faced with such an anguishing decision, one that he would never remember without tears. Why she had such hatred for him, such mistrust, he simply couldn’t understand. And why she couldn’t accept how abhorrent it was for him to raise the banner of war against blood kin, confirmed to him that the hostility between them stemmed from more than just ßombra’s mad venture, it was a personal antipathy.
His eyes pained to be let loose to sob, to lament the bright and prosperous future he had dreamed of, that was now beyond rescue. But his role as Participate demanded he swallow his grief and remain stoic in the presence of the alicorn, weakness in the face of such power would be an unforgivable dishonor. Celestia likewise stiffened her posture, if she was going to rule Equestria, she had to be able to depend on her regional administrators. But this was no mere governor she was dealing with, she knew perfectly well that Æclypse was one step away from being crowned king, an event she secretly feared to pass.
Finally, the Thulian prince broke the silence; “Not more so than I, it seems.” His voice strained. “I will weep, for the future we have slain this night.”
Celestia opened her eyes to find herself alone in the cavernous halls of Canterlot castle, staring down a hall of antique armors, tapestries, and portraits. The resurgent memory left her unable to move for a moment, reflecting on the pain she saw in his face when he spoke those words. What kind of future did he envision? she wondered, realizing that she had never really considered the possibility. Was my suspicion unwarranted? Did I deprive Equestria of a greater history?
She sighed, deciding that what was done was done, the past remained immutable. But there could be some restoration. Perhaps Twilight’s discovery was a sign for her to do for Thule what she did for the Crystal Empire. Granted her hoof had been forced on that matter when the city re-materialized. For a moment she wondered if Cadence had any idea about her territory’s former neighbor.
It was time to face-up to this part of her past she resolved, time to put this ghost to rest once and for all. She would tell Twilight what she wanted to know. Just, not quite yet. She needed a day or two to prepare herself for how she might lay things out. Twilight deserved the truth, the right truth.
The Canterlot Royal Gardens bloomed with every color of the spectrum, drinking in the life giving rays of the sun. Butterflies and garden insects of all varieties fluttered and buzzed through the flowers, the park flourishing with life.
Flash Sentry and Twilight Sparkle sauntered along the pathway between bushes of exotic fauna, donated not just from the corners of Equestria, but from foreign lands as far as Saddle Arabia and the savannahs of the Zebra tribes.
“So tell me Flash, how did you wind up in the royal guard? The settled life of a shopkeeper not exciting enough for you?”
He chuckled, rather from nervousness than other. “I’m sure my dad would have preferred that. The family business is a photography shop in Fillydelphia, but I never had any interest for it. I wanted to see more in life, so I let my little brother take my place, and traveled around a bit. I spent a few years in Manehattan, Baltimare, and even spent a summer working for a yacht club down in Horseshoe Bay.”
“Wow, an adventurous life like that makes me wonder why you’d enlist in the guard. It’s such an organized, stable job after all.”
“I got tired of the lack of direction. I was here in the city looking for work, when a platoon of the guard passed me by. And I guess I was just struck by the purpose, to defend Equestria, through the darkness and the light. I enlisted that afternoon.”
Twilight though back to her encounters with his counterpart, trying to imagine him dressed in whatever uniform their soldiers wore.
“I’m curious Flash, do you play any instruments?”
At this his ears perked, and his face beamed with delight; “Why yes, yes I do.”
In the center of the garden beside the grand white marble fountain, Twilight and Flash sat on the similarly immaculately kept bench. She watched as he adjusted the strings of his lute, which she would have previously thought to be a tricky task for someone without magic, but the way his hooves nimbly manipulated the pegs impressed her.
“I’ve been working on this one for a long time, and I think I’ve got it down pat.”
He strummed the strings a few times to make sure the tuning was where he wanted, and began playing;
She couldn’t believe how good he was, to think somepony with this musical talent was spending his days marching around in body armor. Finished, Flash looked to her, awaiting either praise or criticism.
“Well? What’cha think?”
“I thought it was wonderful Flash, it must have taken you years to learn how to play like that.”
“I started back when I was living in Manehattan, I was playing on the street for bits to get by.”
Whatever forces governed the fate of ponies and humans, Twilight had to think that they were at work here. The attraction between them seemed to be inevitable.
A small bird chirping on the rim of the fountain drew their attention, it dipped it’s head into the water and began taking a bath. Absentmindedly, Twilight caught the reflection of the sun in the rippling pool, and was suddenly reminded of the time.
“Ohmygosh!” she exclaimed, jumping down from the bench.
“What is it?
“I completely lost track of time, hehe, I’ve got to get back to the library and checkout the other books on Yakyakistan. I’m going home in the morning.”
The mention of the library completely dashed all the pleasant feelings Flash was enjoying, the mission resurgent. Flash jumped from his seat, placing himself between Twilight and her path of travel. “Let me walk you!”, he asked, smiling nervously.
Immediately put off by the sudden shift in demeanor, Twilight pacified him with a quick smile as she side-stepped around him. “Another time Flash, I really do have to take care of this, and I wouldn’t want to drag you around the library.”
“Oh, alright.” Flash felt his chest tighten. Not just because he might have blown it with Twilight, but his mission centered on finding out if she was still investigating whatever this Thule place was. He cringed inwardly, Why didn’t I ask her about her studies earlier! Stupid!
But Twilight caught the disappointment in his voice, and found a way to lift his spirit as she left. “But next time I’m in Canterlot you’ll have to play for me over dinner.”
Flash’s jaw literally dropped, fortunately after Twilight had turned from him. Did a princess just invite me to dinner? His stupefied reaction waning, he shook his head clear and thought hard for a way to keep the mission alive. Finally, an idea came to him.
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The size of the chapter is fine for me, if it were longer then i would't have the time to read it
If you removed the black letters from the chapter image and inserted as notation linking to the picture and/or gave Faithy a mention, I think it work just fine :)
6715040 Sound advice from a man of science.
Hrmm, up to this point so far the 'Celestia is at fault' game rings rather hollow. Aethir is presented as sympathetic for not wanting to fight against his brother while Celestia is selfish for fearing his ascension. Yet, Celestia has a really valid point to not want to see more power go towards a pony who knowingly lets a tryant enslave a nation, despite being a self appointed defender of ponies, purely because of blood relations.
11245962
I think you have the right of it.