• Member Since 30th Jan, 2012
  • offline last seen 2 hours ago

Tumbleweed


A guy. A guy who writes stories. Stories about ponies. (And sometimes robots).

T

Rarity d'Aubigny, master swordswoman (as well as the Princess' most trusted servant), is sent on a mission of great importance, only to be waylaid along the way! When wounded in an ambush, she's taken in by a humble peasant family ... but will she be able to recover in time before her enemies find her and finish her off?


Swashbuckling AU schenanigans here. Because that's a thing, right?

Chapters (4)
Comments ( 30 )

I don't see a Twilight tag (Mono's disappointed in you. Severely disappointed.) nor a Rainbow or Sunset one, so I'm curious on just who will the romantic target be. Colour me intrigued.

Edit: did you post the first half of so in a blog last year? I could swear I've seen it before... It could be just the humongous amount of fanfiction I've read though, things do tend to mix.

Interesting beginning. Don't see a lot of swashbuckling on fimfic. I'll wait and see where this is going.

Ooh, Rarity as Julie d'Aubigny? Sign me up for this ride!

So do the Apples (or "Pommes" ) speak with a thick Occitan accent? :pinkiesmile:

Okay, some good action so far. gee, I wonder who she's gonna romance here. :p

I see we're hitting the ground running. Unlike Rarity. Definitely looking forward to seeing where you go with this.

Why isn't there a crossover tag?

Ah, so Sunset is still a manipulative bitch in this timeline :flutterrage:

10114555
I'm an unrepentant Bacon Horse fan, so I'd like to say "we don't know that yet", but it does seem likely.

Or maybe Tumbleweed's going to pull a fast one and surprise us all. I'd like to see that.

Isolate her targets from the truth, carve out her own little desmesne, and exploit them for all they're worth. Yup, typical Sunset. And it's a much more robust plan in an age without electronic communication shrinking the world. This should get quite interesting.

Well, looks like this is Sunset before any reformation. Just remember, Tumbleweed. Everything Sunset did in the first movie, she did willingly.

Damn the Sunset hate is reaaaaallllll, relaxxx.

You know what? I'm not even mad that this is an in universe fanfic. This was short, sweet and fun.

This was really different and awesome! I'd love to hear more of the dashing Rarity d'Aubigny and her travels!
It actually reminds me of an old Western TV show, Tales of Wells-Fargo. The hero was sent all sort of odd places to investigate various happenings, and he usually got wounded while fighting four outlaws at once... (It was my father's favorite show.)

Personally, I love the romantic 1700s setting more! I'm mentally writing fanfiction of your fanfiction.
Please don't copyright-strike my brain.

“Rarity, did you really have to make me the bad guy?”

OBVIOUSLY darling, how else would she make up for making out with you? :raritystarry:

Huh. I really thought this would be longer.

Still neat though.

“Rarity, did you really have to make me the bad guy?”

Hey, that part's fair. You should be mad she made you some lame provincial noble committing what amounts to embezzlement of tax revenue instead of an evil sorceress or at least a scheming contender for the throne!

lol, neat ending. And yes, Sunset. She did.

"But you make such a fantastic antagonist! The princess's fallen student, now sowing dissent and plotting her revenge. It just oozes drama!"
"Meanwhile, you get to look fancy and play me for a fool."
"Well, the Spring Fling might have influenced my creative decisions just a touch."
"The one you insisted you forgave me for the last three times I tried to apologize?"
"My mind has long since forgiven you, darling. My heart, well..."
"And then there's the whole 'Applejack stripping you bare and tending to your wounds' thing."
"Oh, very well. I'll change the name of the valley's lady if Applejack never hears of this. Deal?"
"Deal."
"You know, it's this sort of behavior that makes you such an enticing villain."
"I can live with that."

In all seriousness, outstanding work with this one. Looking forward to anything else you do in this universe.

Her sigh was audible.

“Rarity, did you really have to make me the bad guy?”

Well, that is easy to fix... Now Sunset have the right to write a story with the heroine based on herself, and the villain based on Rarity! :pinkiehappy::rainbowlaugh::raritydespair:
(Maybe one where Sunset is a detective, and Rarity a Carmen-Sandiego-like Thief?)

Well, that was fun. The final twist was a little unexpected, but, y'know, still fun. Kudos.

Awesome stuff! Will there be any chance that a sequel or continuation of some kind would happen? This was just too much fun.

Keeping me busy, aren't we? Yep, another review.

Loved it and would really love to see more

I'm really liking this so far, it's been awhile since I've seen an adventure story and this is delivering

The leader of the bandits (or at least the one who had been doing the talking) leveled his gun and fired. Or at least, he tried to, as his pull of the trigger resulted in an empty metallic click, and nothing more. Frustrated, he threw the useless pistol to the ground, and his two comrades followed suit. Three swords snaked from their scabbards.

For a second I thought she was in the clear but nope it's a sword fight now! :twilightoops:

As she stepped forward, Rarity's boot squelched deep into the mud of the road. She flailed, off balance-- and then cried out in pain as she felt the point of the bandit's sword punch through her doublet and pierce her side. By reflex, she whipped her sword in a loose backhand, slashing her assailant across the face. He fell back, swearing and clutching at his cheek-- but Rarity had no time to savor the satisfaction of her victory, as the wild, unaimed blow had thrown her off balance. She leaned precariously over the edge of the ridge-road-- until her boot finally came free with a wet 'pop!' Rarity tumbled backwards, hanging impossibly in the air before she hit the slope and started rolling. Branches cracked and broke as Rarity plunged down into the darkness.

That ain't good! :raritydespair:

“Thank you.” Rarity picked up her doublet and ran her fingers over the inside lining, searching for the hidden little pockets she'd sewn in. She found the one she was looking for, and pulled out a small, curved needle, a tiny pair of scissors, and a length of catgut. Rarity winced again as she twisted about to get a good look at her wound. She was lucky-- the wound was shallow, a grazing blow that hadn't gone through to her vitals. Rarity cleaned her needle first with the hot water, then with the brandy, then did the same to her wound. She took a slug of the apple-flavored liquor to brace herself, and then got to work.

Even with a serious injury she sure doesn't show signs of giving up. :applejackunsure:

Rarity grabbed at Applejack's wrist, but even her sword-calloused fingers couldn't dislodge the other woman's grip. Her rapier, safe in its scabbard, lay on the other side of the room-- it might as well have been leagues away. Not that she wanted to use it, either-- it was quite bad form to stab the host in most circumstances.

Well, this sure turned for the worse! :twilightoops:

Instead, Rarity groped blindly about with one hand, finally closing her fingers around the copper bowl she'd washed her needle in mere minutes before. She swung the bowl in a wild, desperate arc and hit Applejack in the side of the head. The copper bowl rung like a ceremonial gong, and Applejack let go of Rarity's neck, falling back onto her rear, stunned. Knowing an opening when she saw one, Rarity rolled out of bed and lunged for her sword, closing her hands around the hilt. She had just enough time to whip her sword out of its scabbard before the door burst open, and the rest of the peasant family burst in. The big one had a pitchfork, while the old matriarch brandished a cast iron frying pan with murderous intent. The youngest stood at the rear of the group, gawping at the tableau.

Just what she needed. :facehoof:

Surprisingly enough, Applejack did.

That's a relief. :fluttershysad:

Rarity stood to look out the window-- and sure enough, a large carriage, flanked by a half dozen riders in black livery, clattered down the road to the humble little farm. Applejack put a hand on Rarity's shoulder, leaning in to get a look for herself.

Speak of the devil! :pinkiegasp:

“Oh, but if only that were true.” Lady Sunset gave a little sigh. She waved her hand, and several of her escort riders dismounted, at which point they began to prowl around the farmyard. Rarity shrank away from the window-- though she did smile to herself as she noticed one of Lady Sunset's men had his arm in a sling, and two more of them wore fresh bandages wrapped around their faces. “You see, my scouts have warned me about a threat to our little valley. A dangerous outlaw has come for us. To rob. To murder. To pillage. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened-- the Princess is mad. Weak. The roads are unsafe, and I fear we shall see even more brigandry in the days to come. But you may rest assured that I shall do everything in my power to protect you from the dangers of the outside world.”

Just what she neede, more trouble! :twilightoops:

“Search this hovel!” Lady Sunset barked, and her guards leapt to obey. “Tear it down, brick by brick, until you find the Princess' sycophant!”

And for a second I thought they were in the clear. :facehoof:

“Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you.” Rarity said. “As honestly, I'm far more reasonable than, say, a column of Captain Armor's cuirassiers. As, well ... I wouldn't want to presume and start throwing around words like 'treason,' but from what I've seen so far, it's the sort of thing the Princess doesn't take kindly to.”

well...*

Rarity looked up-- and there was Applejack, standing behind the swordsman, hand locked around the wrist of his sword arm. The big man barely had enough time to yelp out in surprise before Applejack grabbed the back of his swordbelt with her free hand and, with a grunt, lifted him bodily over her head. She hurled the dismayed soldier at a cluster of his fellows, and the lot of them crashed to the ground, somehow managing not to impale themselves on their own swords.

https://m.

Lady Sunset's men looked at each other-- then down the road –then to the confident and well-armed woman standing in the middle of the farmyard. As one, they took the more prudent option and broke into a sloppy jog, chasing after Lady Sunset's runaway carriage. They at least had the camaraderie to take their wounded with them.

That's what I thought. :ajsmug:

“Lady Sunset is going to be mad at ... lots of people.” Rarity said. “Which is why I must go to the Capital and report back to the Princess.”

at...*

“Ah ,of course.” Rarity said, and reached into her doublet, pulling out a cloth pouch. She tossed it to the older woman, and the pouch jangled heavily when she caught it. “There's just under fifty livres in there-- should be enough to keep you taken care of on the journey.”

"Ah,*

“'cause I know you still got those stitches in your side, and I know that you can't keep up like you've been goin' forever. Nobody can.”

"Cause*

“Rarity, did you really have to make me the bad guy?”

Of course it was gonna end like this. :facehoof:
But still, a good stiry in the end. :twilightsmile:

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