Harbinger

by Composer99

Cucumbers and Courts

Dawn broke over Equestria.

Luna stood on a balcony in one of the high towers of the palace in Canterlot, watching the rising sun.

She smiled, contented with her sister’s work. Her smile faded as she contemplated the previous night, then stood watchfully for a few minutes more, as if surveying the lands below, before heading inside.

The chambers atop this tower comprised Luna’s personal suite. She walked through the spacious bedchamber and into an adjoining study.

There, she set herself down at a desk, and took paper and quill up in her magic.

Dearest Sister,

I trust that you are well attending to the affairs of the Crystal Empire during Cadance and Shining Armor’s absence.

I must inform you that this past night, I felt uneasy. There is a darkness that has taken root in Equestria. I can feel it in the realm of dreams, which suggests it can be found in one of our little ponies. As of yet, however, I cannot pinpoint its source.

I shall continue my investigations and let you know forthwith.

Yours,

L

She rolled up and sealed the letter, then trotted into an antechamber where she waited patiently.

Before long, a seneschal arrived, accompanied by a pony delivering a light breakfast. Always somewhat of a night owl, Luna and the palace staff had agreed upon a routine during Celestia’s absence: she would rise early to deal with pressing matters in the morning before resting, then she would holding court and deal with other Crown business in the afternoon.

“Your Highness,” the seneschal, a red dun earth pony with beige mane and tail, and a cutie mark of a partly-rolled scroll with writing, said with a bow.

“Ink Blot,” Luna said in acknowledgement. “Have you anything requiring my immediate attention this morning?”

“In a manner of speaking, Your Highness,” Ink Blot replied. “As you are, doubtless, aware, there is a mayoral assembly here in Canterlot today. The mayor of Fillydelphia wishes to speak with you. She doesn’t arrive until mid-morning: what requires your attention at present is not meeting with her as such, but rather whether to agree to see her today, and if so, at what time during court.”

“And why should such a decision require my attention?”

“Begging your pardon, your Highness, I was not clear: her letter, which I have here for your perusal, advised there were some two million bits worth of public works contracts at risk of significant delay. She was rather circumspect about the matter - I believe she does not wish to reveal what is concerning her until she speaks with you.”

Ink Blot took a scroll from saddlebags the porter was wearing. Luna levitated and unrolled the scroll in her magic. She read the letter, one of her eyebrows arching as she finished.

“Curious. Very well. See to it that her appointment is first this afternoon. I am willing to see her while dining, if need be. A private audience, if you will, given her request for discretion.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” replied Ink Blot.

The porter set down the tray of food.

“Ah, Ink Blot, before you leave,” said Luna, “I have here a letter for my sister. Please send it via priority pegasus courier. I should like for her to receive this message today, if at all possible.”

“But of course, Your Highness. Anything else?”

“No, thank you.”

“Very well. I am but a bell ring away should you find your meal is not to your satisfaction. Dine well, Your Highness.”

---

“Ahhhhh… this is the life. Thanks for inviting me along for your spa time with Applejack, Rarity,” said Spike. He was reclining in one of the long lounge chairs at the Ponyville spa, cucumbers in his eyes.

“Think nothing of it, darling. I knew you had the afternoon off, and haven’t been out in a while.”

“Eeyup, it’s a pleasure,” added Applejack. She and Rarity were ensconced on massage tables, clad in bathrobes and sporting similar facial treatments.

“It sure beats hanging around the castle, at least over the last couple of days,” Spike muttered.

“Really?” Rarity asked politely. “How so?”

“I dunno,” Spike said with a sigh. “It’s Twilight. She’s been acting kind of funny the last couple of days. Maybe longer? I’m not sure. All I know is, there’s a pile of unopened mail on her desk, and a pile of letters and paperwork she hasn’t finished.”

“Really? Twilight Sparkle, neglecting paperwork? I never thought I’d see the day,” Rarity exclaimed dramatically.

“For once, Rarity’s bang on with the melodrama,” said Applejack wryly. “Is Twilight not feelin’ well?”

“That’s not all. She was supposed to be going to Manehattan today to join her family. But just about all she’s been talking about since yesterday morning has been working with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. You both probably know all about that.”

“Eeyup,” Applejack acknowledged. “Didn’t think she was lettin’ other stuff slide because of it, though. That don’t sound like Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well, any time I try to bring up anything else, she brushes it off, saying she’ll sort it out after this astronomical thingamajig coming up tomorrow night. Which is just about the only other thing she’s been talking about recently.”

“I can’t say I’ve heard of much of this business with the Crusaders,” Rarity admitted, “although Sweetie Belle did stop by on her way home last evening to tell me how excited she was to be re-starting Twilight Time today. I was delighted for her, as you might well imagine, but I didn’t think much about it otherwise.”

“I guess she hasn’t been completely disorganised,” Spike said after a pause. “Starlight met up with Zecora yesterday, said she’d been given a warning about something menacing in the Everfree Forest. Twilight decided to check it out this morning.”

“That sounds positively dreadful. Was she going all on her own?”

“Yeah, but she said she would be fine – alicorn magic and all that.”

“I dunno. The Everfree’s no place for ponies on their own, alicorns or no,” Applejack said. “Still, Twi’s probably gonna be all right.”

“I daresay she could use some time here at the spa,” ventured Rarity. “Perhaps she’s feeling burned out? A day of relaxation might be just the thing to get her back on track.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Spike said thoughtfully.

“Boy howdy, if you want a good reason to need a day of relaxation,” Applejack said, “let me tell you about gettin’ Apple family taxes done yesterday…”

---

“Well, I for one feel fit as a fiddle after that. I’m mighty glad we figured out how I was wastin’ so much time on farm work,” Applejack said as they left the Spa.

“You’re telling me,” Rarity said. “It’s been a delight to have regular afternoons at the spa with you, dar-.”

“Applejack, Spike, Rarity!” Starlight Glimmer exclaimed as she trotted up. She panted, and her coat had a light sheen of sweat.

“You’re looking a mite winded there,” Applejack said. “Everything all right?”

“I’ve been looking all over town for Twilight. Have you seen her?”

“She didn’t stop by the spa, I’m sorry to say,” Rarity answered. “I’d have invited her to stay if she had.”

“Is she not back from the Forest?” Spike asked, his voice rising in pitch and volume.

“I don’t think so.”

“Was she supposed to be back by now?” Rarity asked with a hint of concern.

“She was expecting to be,” Starlight said, glancing towards the clock tower. “She’s hosting the Cutie Mark Crusaders this evening. Something’s come up back at the castle that she needs to see. It’s the Cutie Map.”

“That sounds like trouble for all of us,” said Applejack.

“I was planning on fitting in a fitting before supper, but for official friendship business, I’m sure it can wait,” Rarity said.

“I’ll be sorry to dump my chores on Big Mac and Apple Bloom, but nothin’ doin’.”

Spike hopped from one foot to the other. “I hope Twilight’s all right.”

“I’ll find Rainbow Dash and she and I can go look for her,” Starlight volunteered.

“After I see my client to reschedule the fitting, I’ll retrieve Pinkie Pie.”

“An’ I’ll go get Fluttershy after I’ve stopped back home.”

The three ponies dashed off.

Spike stood in front of the spa, twiddling his claws nervously. Then he sighed. He started trudging dispiritedly down the road, kicking at a small stone lying on the ground.

“I guess I should just go back to the castle.”

---

“Your Highness, presenting Madam Rocky Balloon, mayor of Fillydelphia,” Ink Blot announced.

Does that pony ever sleep? Or eat? Luna wondered. The seneschal always seemed to be close enough to come when called, any time of day or night. She was starting to worry about Ink Blot.

A thickset mare stepped forward and bowed.

“Rise, good mayor,” Luna said formally. “We were told you wished to speak with us about a delay in allocating considerable funds for public works.”

“That’s right, yer Highness,” Rocky Balloon replied. “We’d sent in the funding plan for final authorisation by a Princess – when ye’re talkin’ millions o’ bits, gotta have a Princess sign off on it, see. Once we got it back, we were gonna discuss it in the Public Works Committee and then in the whole city council. But we ain – I mean, haven’t got it back with a signature yet.”

“I see. Is the funding plan overdue for return?”

Rocky hummed nervously before scratching her head. “Well, technic’ly, there’s no 'overdue' for a Princess. But we were expectin’ to get the papers back at least a week ago, before I came to Canterlot, and the committee was goin’ to meet while I was away, so everypony had a chance to review any royal comments or alterations. Now we prob’ly have to push everything back. It’ll be a big mess for the planning team in Public Works, and for all the contractors who’ll want to bid on the projects.”

“I see.” Luna racked her brain. She had to admit that she was not always the best at keeping up with the paperwork that crossed her desk. But she couldn’t recall receiving anything from Fillydelphia – could she?

“In the event that I am responsible for the delay, let me please offer my humble apologies,” Luna said, getting up from her throne with the intent of bowing herself.

“Oh, no, your Highness, ‘t’weren’t you what’s holding things up.”

“I am relieved to hear that.”

“It’s Princess Twilight, see.”

Luna frowned. “Surely you could bring this matter up with Princess Twilight herself, could you not?” she asked, with a touch of asperity in her voice.

Mayor Rocky flattened.

“Begging your pardon, yer Highness. We tried to reach her, really, we did. Sent her a letter. Didn’t hear back. Sent a messenger, who got to Ponyville day before yesterday. Princess Twilight wasn’t in town. The messenger left a note, but we haven’t heard back, and Princess Twilight don’t wait two days to respond to a message - leastways not until now.”

The day before yesterday? That had been when she, Twilight, and Celestia had been at the ancient ruins. Luna couldn’t recall Twilight complaining then, or anytime over the last moon or so, of having been overburdened with other work. In fact, had not exploring the ruins together been Twilight’s suggestion?

“I see. I take it you are approaching me, then, in the hopes that I can more easily reach Princess Twilight?”

“Yes, yer Highness.”

“I believe I can be of assistance, then,” Luna announced. “When court concludes, I shall send Princess Twilight a letter reminding her of Fillydelphia’s requirements. Although I cannot promise results, I can at least assure you that it will reach her almost instantly.”

Mayor Rocky almost sagged with relief. “Thank you, yer Highness.”

“If that is all, then?” Luna asked.

“That’s the whole kit and caboodle,” Mayor Rocky replied. Luna did not feel the need to announce her dismissal, simply nodding. The mayor wordlessly followed a guard out of the hall.

“Ink Blot, a moment, please, before the next petitioner,” Luna said.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“’Tis my understanding that Princess Twilight is habitually very punctual with her work. Is that not the case?”

“Most assuredly, Your Highness,” replied Ink Blot. “Until quite recently, I’ve never known the Princess to fall behind on even the most routine or unimportant correspondence.”

“‘Quite recently’? Am I correct in guessing, based on the way that you have phrased your response, that this Fillydelphia business is not unique?”

“I would have to confirm with our records ponies to be completely certain, Your Highness, but I have been led to believe that there are now several items which were issued to Princess Twilight for review or approval which are now past their suggested return dates.”

“Suggested return dates? Surely you mean deadlines?”

“If I may be so bold as to say so, Your Highness, but to elaborate further on a point hinted at by Mayor Balloon, Princesses issue deadlines: they themselves are not subject to them.

“Even so, city councils and the ministries of the Crown rely upon Your Highnesses being reasonably attendant to these not-quite-deadlines in order to properly conduct the business of governing – you have seen an illustration of what happens otherwise with this Fillydelphia matter. Excluding crises such as Tirek’s attack or the recent business with the changelings, Princess Twilight has been extremely reliable with respect to her correspondence.”

Luna sat for a moment, rubbing her jaw with a hoof.

“That will do for now,” she eventually said. “Bring in the next petitioner, if you will.”

---

“Twilight!”

“Twilight, are you there?”

Rainbow Dash flitted around, diving briefly below the canopy here and there. Starlight stayed above the treeline, holding herself in her magic and scanning every break in the foliage.

“Can you hear us, Twilight?”

Rainbow Dash flew back to Starlight, and they shared a glance.

“We’ve checked the area round Zecora’s cottage,” Rainbow Dash said. “We’ve been lucky: haven’t had any wild Everfree weather sweep through yet.”

She sighed. “It’s been almost an hour. If she hasn’t heard us or seen us, she’s not going to.”

“What do you think we should do?” Starlight asked.

“I’m going to go check around the old castle ruins,” Rainbow Dash said. She rubbed the back of her head. “If Twilight doesn’t make it back before nightfall? Huh. Guess we’ll have to come back tomorrow with a search party or something. Wait for me here, I won’t be long!”

With that, Rainbow Dash flew off in a rush for the centre of the forest.

---

It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash reached the Castle of the Two Sisters and the gorge it overlooked.

Before heading into the castle, she glanced around at the skies above the forest, and felt the wind whistling through her feathers.

“Hmph.” She frowned. The wind didn’t feel good: it portended of wild and wet weather. She didn’t have time to go into the ruins.

Rainbow turned, about to head back to Starlight, when a glint from below caught her eye.

“What the hay is that?” she asked herself, zipping lower to get a closer look.

At the entrance to the cave containing the Tree of Harmony, somepony had drawn a large circle, rimmed with symbols Rainbow Dash didn’t recognise, but which looked like they might be magical.

“Huh.”

Another gust of wind whipped through the gorge. Rainbow Dash looked up and around. Already, banks of wild Everfree clouds were building up ominously.

“Outta time,” she said to herself. She lifted off into the air and back out over the forest, bearing for Starlight and Ponyville.

For a moment, the grotto was still but for the rising winds. Then there was a purple shimmering at the entrance of the cave. A pony slowly became visible as the magic spread from horn to tail.

Holding a half-eaten apple in her hoof, Twilight Sparkle looked up with an angry glare at the sky where Rainbow Dash had been seconds ago.