Captain Rose Quartz of the Osprey, as a rule, didn’t appreciate her airship being ambushed and overrun by sky-pirates in any circumstances. But as she was forced out of her cabin at cutlass-point and marched up to the main deck, she acknowledged the nice day that shone down on proceedings. Past her ship’s envelope, the sun was high and bright, the sky a brilliant blue, and the hulking forms of great white clouds made mountainscapes in the expanse.
“Forward, now,” said the pirate by her, urging her forward with a polite jab to the side. “Captain Sparkle wants a chat.” That name rang a faint bell for Rose, but she had trouble placing its source. Regardless, she grudgingly obliged after spitting at his hooves for form’s sake.
As she trotted forward over the deck’s timbers, she took stock of the damage and her crew. The latter had been corralled together down by the bow, and to her vast relief, looked largely unhurt, with only a few bruises where the boarding parties had crimped the enthusiasm of a few would-be defenders.
Pirates marauded hither and thither, a mix of hard, sinewy-looking stallions and mares, earth ponies and unicorns and pegasi. Those that weren’t menacing and leering at the corralled crew with cutlasses and flintlocks moved with purpose about the ship, helping themselves to fallen trinkets and delving into and re-emerging from the ship’s hold and cabins with chests and crates in tow. They’d open them, inspect the contents, and as this went on, a few would canter over to a unicorn mare by the ship’s starboard railing. She stood with her back turned to Rose, and seemed to be watching the clouds while absently twirling a musketoon with her magic. They’d whisper in her ear, she’d nod, and a purple-and-green dragon whelp that perched on her wither would make a note on a clipboard.
“Captain Sparkle!” barked the pirate by Rose as he led her closer to the unicorn. “Found their own captain belowdecks. Want the usual details from her?”
Captain Sparkle turned, and Rose Quartz met bright purple eyes set in a light mulberry face, fleeting distractedness in them fading away rapidly in favour of sharp calculation. The mare was garbed from withers to hooves in a long justaucorps that fell back over her haunch. It and the broad tricorn on her head were made from the same dark brown, sturdy, and practical-looking material. The only nod to embellishment was a long white feather that had been set in the tricorn at an angle that might have been calculated to achieve maximum jauntiness. Set with scientific precision, even.
“Captain Quartz, I presume?” said Captain Sparkle, setting down the musketoon, and Rose was surprised by the abashed smile that flickered on her features.
“Correct,” Rose replied stiffly. “Your advantage is plain. I surrender on behalf of the Osprey, and ask that my crew not be hurt.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” said Captain Sparkle. “Just a few bruises and hurt feelings so far, and no more if everything goes smoothly. The drills I’ve been running with my crew have really been improving efficiency.” Her eyes lit up. “Once we dropped out of cloud-cover, we were able to entirely subdue your vessel in three minutes and twelve seconds. That’s a whole ten-percent drop from the last time we took a similarly-sized ship, and, well, not to brag, but that’s —”
As she spoke, Rose’s eyes lifted to the airship which had been tethered alongside the Osprey with ropes and grappling hooks, and to which a few pegasus pirates were already heaving crates of plundered cargo. It was a sleek-looking vessel, all smooth lines and neatly-trimmed ropes and suspension. Its envelope was the purple of the dusk sky, its cannon-lined gondola was painted black. Along its side, Rose, with a jolt of recognition, saw the name Shooting Star.
“I’ve heard of you,” she blurted, cutting Captain Sparkle off mid-flow in her tangent about the new idea she’d had for stealing some harpoon guns and rigging them launch the grappling hooks in future. “Twilight Sparkle of the Shooting Star? You’ve left a trail of empty holds and frustrated shipping investors from New Canterlot to Griffleheim!”
Captain Sparkle beamed. “Oh? Well, I’m glad news of my successful work precedes me. Really, it all comes down to good, thorough planning. Information-gathering, devising a plan of action, making a checklist, checking that off with reference to another checklist, making sure my crew know what’s meant to happen inside and out, the odd bit of stabbing to fix anything that goes awry … simple as that, really. Though I’ll admit the holds aren’t left entirely empty in most cases. Space aboard the Shooting Star isn’t as great as I’d like — I tried optimising our holding space, but the crew threatened to mutiny unless I put the toilets back — so we just skim off the more valuable goods.”
“I … I didn’t think these skies were your usual haunt. Why are you here?”
Captain Sparkle coughed. “Well, the prospects and pickings here are good. And also...” Her countenance darkened and her cheeks flushed as she turned her gaze back upon the clouds. “An enemy has been reassigned here. Somepony who I’d pursue across the world, into the Unsounded East and the Shadowmere itself if need be. I will find her.”
At this point, the dragon whelp on her wither nudged the side of her head with the clipboard in his grasp, and said, “Twi? Pillaging first, your beautiful and maddening nemesis later.”
Captain Sparkle froze, coughed, and smiled an embarrassed smile at Rose as she made eye contact again. “Ahem. Anyway, I shan’t keep you. Just as much of your cargo as the Shooting Star can carry and a few questions before I’ll be on my way. Ready, Spike?”
“You ought to know that the Principality’s been taking pains to secure this region of airspace,” said Rose coldly, as the dragon whelp expectantly set pencil to clipboard. “It’s the main route to Perytonia. There’s cloudforts and aerial garrisons and regular patrols all over the expanse, noting who comes and goes and making sure all ships are furnished with dragonfire-imbued paper to call for help if they need it. If you keep this up, a royal mare-of-war will be on you like a hunting hawk.”
“I’m counting on it,” replied Captain Sparkle. “And I’m aware of the rest. Now, as for my questions ...”
“Ask.”
“What’s your cargo?”
“Carpets, silverware, tea, and official and personal communiques.”
“Destination?”
“Orto, in Perytonia.”
“Never been there myself, but I’d love to visit some day.” Captain Sparkle looked thoughtful as the little dragon scribbled. “Which cloudfort did you call at most recently, and what’s its position relative to us?”
“Fort Featherfall. Six leagues nor’east by north.”
Captain Sparkle glanced at the dragon whelp, who lifted a sheet of paper on the clipboard and scribbled a point on something underneath. “When you left, what was its aerial garrison?”
Rose drew a breath. “One tethered mare-of-war. Under the command of —”
“Cap’n!” a stallion at the stern bellowed, and both captains available whirled round to him before Rose realised he was one of Sparkle’s crew. “Ship ahoy! It’s her’s!”
Captain Sparkle’s eyes blazed. “What?” she breathed, before abruptly galloping away from Rose. Rose’s own eyes lifted skywards, past the Osprey’s envelope to the edge of one of the great white clouds. Out from around, there came a great airfrigate, its lines long and powerful. Its envelope, she recognised with glee, was banded with the sky-blue-and-silver of the Principality Aerial Fleet. The gondola under the envelope was trimmed and decorated, a silver alicorn rearing at the prow as its figurehead. The long mouths of cannons swept out from its decks, over the flowing, silvery type of the ship’s name. The Cutting Retort.
And at the bow, standing proud and upright, she sighted the ship’s captain. Another unicorn mare whose purple mane billowed artfully in the high breeze, sporting an immaculately-styled blue jacket over a pearly white hide. A black bicorne perched atop her head, a roc’s-worth of lavender feathers cascading out from its back.
Rose breathed out with relief, and while Captain Sparkle seemed distracted, she spat out a chewed strip of dragonfire paper over the ship’s side that she’d been keeping pressed into the side of her mouth. It had only needed a little tear to be made to send the alert off, and she’d done that as soon as her cabin door had been kicked in. It was an impressively swift response time from the Fleet, though.
She turned back to Captain Sparkle, hoping she’d been distracted for all of that.
Captain Sparkle seemed very distracted. “Alright, everypony!” she snarled, scooping up her musketoon again and gesticulating wildly with it. The pirates on the Osprey’s deck rallied, dropping whatever they’d seized and drawing their own weapons. “Prepare for battle! Standard rules of engagement! Captain Rarity’s mine! Anypony who gets in the way gets a comprehensive and close-up understanding of the term ‘keelhaul’! To your positions! Don’t embarrass me!”
As she spoke, the Cutting Retort swept round past the cloud and towards the Shooting Star and Osprey, cutting a course that kept its gondola several metres above their own envelopes. Rose tracked its progress avidly, until a brief moan from Captain Sparkle caught her attention. “She always does this. She always arrives when I’m nowhere near ready to receive her. Er, am I presentable?”
Rose’s head turned as if it was being dragged. She met Captain Sparkle’s worried gaze. Lilac magic tugged the dark brown tricorne off her head and twiddled it anxiously. “What?” Rose managed.
The little dragon whelp shook his head ruefully.
“I shouldn’t have worn this,” Captain Sparkle groaned, looking down at the tricorne. “I should have worn that bicorne I stole from her as a trophy after our first-ever duel was interrupted by that erupting volcano. The white one, with the dark blue trim. I hug it at night and think hateful thoughts. Why am I not wearing it?”
“What?”
“Captain Quartz, we’re dealing with my nemesis! Please don’t just say ‘What’!” Captain Sparkle caught herself and breathed steadily. “No. No, I’m going to be poised. I shall be poised and cool and aloof as we meet again and I put an end to her. This time for real. Is my mane alright? There’s nothing in my teeth, is there?”
“...No?” said Rose.
“Right.” Captain Sparkle steadied her breathing. Again. “Right. Okay. I’ll make do. Er, Spike, could you …?”
“Go somewhere where I won’t get in the way of any bladework, yada yada.” The dragon whelp hopped off her wither and moved towards the ship’s railing, stopping only to roll his eyes in Captain Sparkle’s direction. “Like always, you’re being silly.”
“You’re being silly!” she snapped back. Spike snorted and withdrew. Captain Sparkle and Rose turned their attention back up to the sky, where the Cutting Retort was flying past and just over the Osprey. Uniformed and armoured aerines lined its sides, brandishing their own muskets and naval cutlasses. At its prow, Captain Rarity had drawn a long, straight rapier whose blade shone alive in the light. It hovered up in her magical grasp, and she carefully gripped it between her teeth. And then, after briefly assuming the poise and stance of a diver before the plunge, she leapt off the Cutting Retort’s side.
Captain Sparkle yelped and Rose boggled, but before anypony could move, Rose saw one of the many ropes that made up the rigging running up and over the Osprey’s envelope snap free in a single tug of blue magic. It whirled out towards Captain Rarity as she descended, and she caught it smoothly in the crook of a foreleg, cutting her descent short. She kicked her hindlegs, and the motion and momentum swung her round to one of the struts connecting the deck and the envelope. The rope caught, twirled her smoothly in a complete circle, and she sprang clear to alight on the deck just in front of Captain Sparkle and Rose.
Captain Rarity released her bite on the blade, swept it up and flourished it in her magic, and bobbed a brief bow before straightening her posture and smiling at Captain Sparkle. “La.”
Rose boggled once more for good measure, and glanced round at Captain Sparkle. All the other pirates, she noticed, were watching from a distance but were allowing them a wide and wary berth. Captain Sparkle’s flushed face writhed in the manner of somepony looking for a good response. Eventually, she settled for drawing free her own battered, sturdy-looking cutlass alongside her musketoon, pointing both at Captain Rarity, and stammering out, “You!”
“Me,” replied Captain Rarity. “Did you like my little display there, Twilight Sparkle?” Her teeth gleamed in a dashing smile. “I thought you ought to see one more impressive thing in your life ere this last tête-à-tête of ours. Ere I put a sword through that black heart of yours, once and for all.”
“I … I’ll sword your heart! I, er ...” Captain Sparkle waggled her cutlass in the air, and then eventually decided on, “I told you you’d see me again, you cur!”
“And I recall counselling you on much the same thing, darling. No reassignment, no conflicting duty, no span of miles or all the perils of the high skies would ever keep you safe from me. Lo and behold, they haven’t.”
“Excuse me,” Rose interjected, in the vain hope that some route would still lead from this to a place of relative sanity. “Glad you could make it, captain. Captain Rarity, I take it?”
Captain Rarity blinked and looked uncertainly at Rose, as if only now realising she was there. “What? I … oh, yes, indeed. Captain Rarity of the good ship Cutting Retort. Here at your service, and ready to defend you and your crew with every bit of the élan ponies deserve to witness. Though I’m afraid I can’t claim to be the help you summoned, captain. I never received any message. This was a separate hunt of mine.”
“A separate hunt?”
“Indeed. The Admiralty insisted that I relocate from the Griffleheim Main to aid aerial endeavours over here, but I took the scenic route along the way. Searching for this one.” Captain Rarity gestured with the rapier at Captain Sparkle, and the gleaming length trembled with barely-contained wrath. “I have the distinct impression she was avoiding me!”
“I was not avoiding you!” Captain Sparkle snapped, her voice cracking. “I intercepted your relocation orders! I came here ahead of time, and I thought you’d be punctual. Instead, you kept me waiting!”
“How on earth was I to know you were here?” said Captain Rarity, her blade listing and her tone’s indignation falling away in favour of sad flatness. “There wasn’t any word about your whereabouts, there wasn’t any sign my orders had been tampered with, there was just ... nothing. I thought you’d gone into hiding, or been defeated by somepony else, or ...”
She gulped, and choked out, “Or that you’d ceased being my nemesis altogether.”
“Never. Do you hear me? Never.” Captain Sparkle stepped closer to the sniffling unicorn. Captain Rarity lifted her head, and a look of gratified surprise glowed from her features as Captain Sparkle spoke. “Every day, I curse the fate that assigned a villain like you to be my nemesis. I couldn’t have asked for somepony I loathe more, or who so utterly galls my soul. When I was waiting here all this time, I kept that picture of you on the wall of my cabin, and I cursed it every night before bed, and in bed, I dreamed happy dreams of your downfall at my hooves. You’ll always be my nemesis, up until the point I slay you.”
Captain Rarity seemed utterly lost for words, and when she didn’t speak for a long moment, it was Captain Sparkle’s turn to cast her gaze down and to the side. “And after this … am I still yours?”
A white hoof extended and gently lifted Captain Sparkle’s chin up, to where she and Captain Rarity met one another’s gazes once more. “Till your inevitable and well-deserved demise, you wretched affront to all that is decent and good,” Captain Rarity said softly. “And till then, you and none other.”
For a long moment, they held their positions, and the high sky winds murmured all about. Then Captain Sparkle cleared her throat. “Er, shall we attend to business, then?”
“Oh, of course.” Captain Rarity stepped back, and breathed out and swished her rapier through various wards. For her part, Captain Sparkle readied her cutlass and musketoon.
“I’ll, er.” Rose looked from one to the other. “I’ll just stand out of the way, then, shall I?” No answer came, and so she stood out of the way. And no sooner had she done so, than battle erupted.
Captain Sparkle tore forwards, both musketoon and cutlass thrusting forwards at Captain Rarity. But the white unicorn was ready and swept aside, her blade a silver ghost in the air that slashed up from under the musketoon’s barrel and forced it into the air just as Captain Sparkle tried to jam it forwards. There came the deafening crack of the musketoon firing at this close a distance, two paired snarls, and then the scream of steel on steel as the unicorns crossed blades at blinding speed.
Shouts and clashes rang out from the rest of the Osprey, as the crew of the Cutting Retort construed the duel as their invitation to get stuck into proceedings. Aerines varyingly swung across on ropes, flew, and teleported into the ranks of the crew of the Shooting Star. Muskets and flintlock pistols barked, cutlasses flew and clashed, hooves swung into what was sometimes their intended target. The Osprey’s crew huddled where they’d been corralled, though a couple of more enterprising crewmembers took the opportunity to sidle out and kick pirates in the back of the head.
Rose tore her gaze away and looked back to the ferocious combat unfolding between Captains Sparkle and Rarity. The former lashed out with both her cutlass and the stock of her musketoon, tearing at her nemesis from either direction at once with unrelenting and dizzying speed. Captain Rarity’s own blade blurred in impeccable form as it caught the blows and turned them aside and, between blows, thrust forth and sought to glide around Captain’s Sparkle’s guard. Their hoofwork was rapid, their positions constantly shifting as they circled and sidestepped, their anticipation of one another’s actions uncannily accurate.
“Your form, as ever, is in dire need of work, Twilight Sparkle!” Captain Rarity panted during one exchange.
“Why improve it? Why waste good form on you?”
“Ooh, you’ve been trying to improve your repartee! Trying, but still falling short of my desired standards.” Captain Rarity stepped back with a ragged pant, and donned a teasing expression as she tapped the flat of her blade thoughtfully against her chin. “I bet if I had some other nemesis — Captain Lulamoon, say — I’d be furnished with vastly better repar—”
“Be quiet! You take that back!” Captain Sparkle stormed forward in a sudden onslaught of violence, her cutlass and musketoon all but invisible to the eye, and forcing Captain Rarity to backstep hastily as she warded off the blows. She regained her bearing and lunged forward, but lilac light flashed and she found herself thrusting through empty air. Captain Rarity wheeled swiftly as Captain Sparkle teleported right behind her, cutlass already raised.
But before she could bring it down, the bulky form of an earth pony aerine quickly loomed at Captain Sparkle’s side, and before she could react, they spun nimbly on their forehooves and bucked her across the deck. Her musketoon and cutlass clattered free as she sprackled insensate over the timbers. Captain Rarity turned on her rescuer, eyes wide and pupils narrowed to pinpricks.
“Got her, captain!” chirped the aerine, seemingly oblivious to the rising hiss coming from the unicorn’s gullet. “Let’s get her bundled onto the Cutting Retort and hauled off to Fort Featherfall. Unless you’d sooner mete out royal justice, here and now —”
He got no further, as at that point, the hiss released itself as a bestial snarl and Captain Rarity lashed out with the flat of her blade, forcing him to cower and cover himself with his forehooves. “No! Get away! Mine!”
“Aagh! Captain —!”
He protested to little avail, and Rose watched him be harried off across the deck to the tune of “Mineminemineminemine!”, punctuated with smacks from the rapier. As he fled, Captain Sparkle groaned and feebly twitched her legs, and the dragon whelp, Spike, came hurrying up to help her to her hooves. “Call it a day?” he urged softly.
“No,” groaned Captain Sparkle, and blinked blearily in the direction of Captain Rarity. “Haven’t finished slaying her, yet.”
As she spoke, Captain Rarity finished watching the aerine scurry away to somewhere less dangerous than by his captain, and she turned back on Captain Sparkle with a look of dismay. “Twilight! Are you alright? That other pony didn’t hurt you too much before I got to, did he?”
“Barely,” wheezed Captain Sparkle. Her magic groped blindly about the deck for her cutlass. “Just got to … just got to find my thing. Then I’ll be able to resume sending you to the Hereafter in pieces —”
Rose glimpsed a motion from off the ship’s side, and the same thing caught the attentions of Captains Sparkle and Rarity. They all turned to behold.
And there was Rose’s help.
A great mare-of-war of the Principality Aerial Fleet came at them from the north, the same one she’d seen tethered to the aerodock at Fort Featherfall. The size of its blue-and-silver envelope could have swallowed up any of the other airships, and several rows of cannons ran along the sides of its great iron-clad gondola. Regal, it declared itself, and a magically-amplified voice rang out from the helm at its back. “This is Commodore Dreadless of the Regal! Osprey, hold fast! Cutting Retort, maintain your efforts! Twilight Sparkle and all crew of the Shooting Star, prepare to either offer your surrender or to meet your Creator!”
“Oh, no,” groaned Captain Sparkle, sagging as she regarded the Regal. She gave Captain Rarity a morose look. “After all this time apart, I hoped this could just be the pair of us.”
“As did I, my nemesis, as did I. First that uncouth aerine, and now this.” Captain Rarity set her gaze on the Regal. A steely light then shone in her eyes, and her jaw clenched. “But it shall be just the pair of us, come what may. As I’ll let any upstart commodore intrude on a personal matter like this.” She swept her head from side to side, and then, in a voice that outdid thunder, roared, “Crewponies! Back to the Cutting Retort!”
Fighting ceased, and even those groaning on the deck hushed. One of her crew dropped the pirate they currently had in a headlock. “Captain?”
“Must I repeat myself? Everypony, back to the ship! A new foe presents itself, who would muscle in on our rightful prize! Back to the ship, prepare the guns, and brace for action! That is, yet more action.”
“Same for all crewponies of the Shooting Star,” rasped Captain Sparkle, tottering upright. She’d found her cutlass and leaned on it, with Spike propping her up on her other side. “Back to the ship. Prepare the guns and the alchemical charges. Come on, all speed!”
Most of the pirates and fleet ponies on the Osprey’s deck sighed and gathered themselves with varying degrees of enthusiasm, slinging their groaning and gurgling comrades over their backs where necessary. Only one young-looking naval pony boggled briefly, looking from Captain Rarity to the Regal, to Captain Rarity, then to the Regal, before finally deciding on Captain Rarity as the subject of bogglement. “But cap’n,” she spluttered, “that’s one of ours.”
“Just you come with me, lass.” An older crewmare draped a foreleg over her wither and pulled her away. “And listen carefully to everything I have to say on how best to get a quiet life during your service.”
As the crews drew back to their stations on their original ships, Captains Sparkle and Rarity stopped briefly to look into each other’s eyes. Captain Sparkle broke the hush first, and breathed, “I hate you.”
“I know,” replied Captain Rarity.
And with that, and with parting looks that all but ignited the air between them, they both turned, and were off. The Osprey bobbed in the air as whole crews of ponies departed it at a time, quite forgotten.
Rose breathed out, and watched as the Shooting Star and the Cutting Retort received their crews and detached from the Osprey, both captains reappearing at their helms and barking orders. Engines roared, and both airships turned on the Regal, and then flew in unison at it, cannons readying. “This is not how either of you are supposed to react!” came the peevish bellow of Commodore Dreadless.
Rose stared after them. Then she blinked. Then she cuffed herself across the cheek, and blinked again.
“Cap’n Quartz?” Rose turned and saw her first mate, Periwinkle, come cantering up towards her as her bewildered crew milled about the suddenly-empty deck. “What in the actual rut was all tha—?”
“You know when you’re in a situation with other ponies, Periwinkle?” Rose said, as there came the distant thunder of cannons. “And you get that feeling that you’re a bit surplus to requirements?”
“Something of the sort, cap’n. Why?”
“Because I’m sure as Tartarus feeling that now. Let’s leave them to it.” She sighed and started in the direction of the Osprey’s helm. “Come on. What’s left of our carpets aren’t going to deliver themselves.”
Rarity took a moment to appreciate the swirling tapestry of color before her as the pages of the book warped and faded from parchment brown to black to nothing as tongues of verdant fire lapped at its edges. Perhaps she would design a new fashion based on this spectacle once she got out of here.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door bursting open as the last of the makeshift barricade she had erected in front of it gave way, revealing a small squad of mercenaries. They were clad in full body armor, the undulating sheets of quicksilver mithril plating gleaming in the dim lamplight as they hid the network of wires and tubes that channeled the various biological, cybernetic, and magical enhancement into their wearers.
Each one of them held a glowing pulse rifle, and from the bright purple lights on their tips, they had all been set to maximum power. Above the guards, a small swarm of drones spread out to cover the perimeter of the small storage room Rarity had held herself up in, the silent, metallic insects searching for any surprises she might have set up.
For most people, this would've been considered severe overkill, and a waste of valuable resources.
Rarity was not most people.
"Right on time!" She smiled as she spoke, her eyes locked onto the scrying crystal of the largest drone. "You always did have a knack with punctuality." She released her grip on the hilt of her conjured blade, allowing it to clatter to the floor before it dematerialized.
A robotic, filtered voice spoke from the drone in perfect monotone. "Resistance is futile. Comply or lethal force will be employed."
"Don't worry, darling." Rarity raised her hands, palms open and facing the drone. "I know when I've been outmatched. Do tell your goons to be careful with my ensemble when they take me into custody, please. This dress is hand-stitched and took hours of work to create."
There was a moment of silence before the lead mercenary walked towards Rarity. With the helmet and opaque visor covering their face, Rarity was unable to ascertain their emotional state, but their hand looked steady as they extended it towards her, a glowing orb in resting on the palm of the exoskeleton.
With a polite curtsy, Rarity took the proffered hand. A moment later, the world disappeared in a flash of white light, blinding her for several seconds before her eyes adjusted.
When her sight returned, Rarity found herself standing in a large boardroom. A long table designed to sit several dozen sat in the center of the room, plush velvet chairs surrounding it. One wall was composed entirely of glass provided a breathtaking view of Canterlot, the skyline glowing with artificial light against the night sky.
"A very wise man once said that those who burn books will one day burn people."
A chill coursed down Rarity's spine as she turned towards the woman who had spoken. "Burning people is more your cup of tea, if I recall." She fought to keep her tone calm despite the knowledge that she'd been teleported right into the lion's den. And the lion looked very, very hungry.
"I must say, when I got the news that someone had broken into Jet Set Enterprise's headquarters, I didn't expect you girls to be the ones behind the heist." Twilight Sparkle's lips curled upwards as she strode over towards her captive audience. "I'll admit, losing Star Swirl's Grimoire right when we were about the finalize its purchase is an unfortunate setback.
"You have no idea how it pained me to watch as you burned it to ashes." A small twitch in her right eye was the only indication of Twilight's anger. "Still, better to lose it entirely than to see it in the clutches of Equinox Labs. And capturing you, my dear, has turned this development form a zero-sum outcome to a resounding victory for Zenitech and myself."
"I am quite the catch, if I say so myself." Rarity refused to let herself be cowed, meeting Twilight's vicious gaze with her own. "But we live in modern, civilized times. It's going to take much more than simply kidnapping me and bringing me to your lair to win me over. A lady needs to be courted."
"Of course." Twilight snapped her fingers, and a door on the other side of the room opened. "Leave us," she said, turning to the mercenaries that had brought Rarity in. Without a word, they walked out of the room, leaving Rarity alone with Twilight.
Oddly enough, the absence of the heavily-armed guards only served to heighten Rarity's fear.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to shoo away your attack dogs?" Rarity said, summoning every ounce of bravado she didn't have. "Anything might happen without them to protect you."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're going to threaten me?"
"I've been practicing since our last rendezvous," Rarity replied. "You won't find me such easy prey this time."
"Be that as it may, we both know that no matter how much your skill has improved, your power still pales in comparison to mine." Twilight raised her hand, and a soft purple light surrounded it. "I could crush you like an insect if I wanted."
"But you don't want to do that, or I wouldn't be here." Rarity conjured a small dagger in her right hand, an instinctive reaction to the arcane might that Twilight held in her own hands.
"Clever as always." Twilight smiled, showing far too many teeth for Rarity's liking. "You're much more valuable to me alive than dead. As part of Sunset's inner circle, you have all the knowledge I need to bring Equinox Labs to its knees."
Rarity shrugged. "I'm just a simple fashion designer. It's true I have the ear of many of the crème de la crème of the city, but that hardly makes me privy to their darkest secrets."
Twilight rolled her eyes in response. "Please, don't insult my intelligence. I know all about your less-legal activities. And I will learn everything I need from you. After all, I said you were valuable to me alive — whole and sane is a separate, less mission-critical consideration." Rarity froze stock still as Twilight raised a hand to cup her chin, her breath frozen in her lungs. "But it would be a shame to ruin such a pretty face. Especially when there's so much more you could offer me."
"I'm flattered, dear." Rarity's breathing was shallow, her words nearly gasped out as her composure faltered. "But I'm afraid you're just not my type."
"I think you're wrong about that." Twilight pulled back from Rarity, much to her relief. "That's why I was so happy when you were separated from the rest of your friends. I've wanted to talk to you for a while now."
"Most people would have just made an appointment with my assistant."
"I'm not most people." Twilight dispelled the glow around her hand as she sat down on one of the chairs, her posture looking deceptively relaxed. "And neither are you. I've watched you over the years, seen your rise from nothing to one of the Canterlot Elite."
Twilight gestured towards one of the chairs, and Rarity sat down, but kept her body tensed and ready for any surprises.
"I've seen your hand in the currents of this city, how you've made and broken those who thought themselves much more powerful than you with a well-timed lunch meeting or angel investment." Twilight smirked. "And I know that you've been the one stymying my acquisition attempts of Pants Industries, among others. You've fought me to a standstill in the political sphere, a feat that's no one else has accomplished."
"I had help from my friends," Rarity said with a flippant wave of her hand.
Twilight snorted. "Please, none of the others bar Sunset could command even a tenth of the influence you hold over the movers and shakers in this city. Even Rainbow Dash's status as a Wonderbolt would only grant her admittance into a few choice events at best. It's time you rid yourself of those shackles, to move beyond what was holding you back. You could be so much greater if you allowed yourself to be."
"Like you?"
"Like me." Twilight leaned forward, her piercing gaze boring into Rarity's heart. "Have you ever thought about what we could achieve together?"
"The same things I've managed to do with Sunset, I would imagine," Rarity couldn't help but reply. "And without needing to compromise my morals, which is a distinct advantage over a partnership with you."
"I'm disappointed." Twilight shook her head condescendingly. "I thought someone as worldly as yourself wouldn't be that naive. It's not as if you haven't destroyed the lives of some perfectly upstanding individuals in our battle for this city."
"I've made mistakes, it's true," Rarity said quietly. "But I regretted every single one of them, and Sunset and I worked hard to make sure we learned from those mistakes. We didn't just dismiss them as collateral damage."
"Sunset and you." Twilight let out a dark chuckled. "That's rich. As if she somehow saw you as an equal and not another tool to use in her fight against me."
"Really." Rarity gave Twilight a flat look. "Is that really your plan of attack? Do you think a simple conversation can break the faith I have in my friends?"
"Maybe not, but I hope I can at least convince you that I'm not some evil madwoman trying to destroy this city." Twilight stood up and walked towards the window. "Come over here."
Rarity rose up from her own seat and headed over towards Twilight. "Tell me what you think I see," Twilight commanded.
Rarity glanced out the window. "Canterlot," she replied simply.
"Come on, Rarity." Twilight gestured out towards the city skyline once again. "Let's not play such childish games."
"Fine." This time, Rarity studied the view before her more closely. "I'd say that you saw a city on a path to greatness. You'd probably point out the stream of flying cars passing just beneath us, those tacky holo-billboards that we've all been forced to use for advertising, or the weather drones clearing out the clouds after today's showers. All created by Zenitech, of course.
"Or maybe you'd want to mention the hospital on Meadowbrook Lane over there, using Zenitech's products to cure everything from the common cold to leukemia. Or the power plant on the edge of town using magic to supply clean energy to the region."
She refrained from pointing out the signal hub tower in the center of the city, which provided wireless telecommunications coverage to everyone within several hundred miles, or the small greenhouse on next to the park, where genetically modified crops produced more yield than a typical acre of farmland would have twenty years ago. There was no need to antagonize Twilight further by bringing up her rival's achievements.
"Well, you'd be wrong," Twilight said. "I see a city that's suffering, one that's crying out in need, in pain, begging for someone to save it."
"And I thought we weren't playing games," Rarity muttered.
Twilight ignored her comment. "I see a city where crime rates increase every day, despite all the advancements in technology used in law enforcement. A city with neighborhoods where life expectancies are measured in fights survived and even the gangs step lightly — I assume you know all about those, of course, given your nighttime exploits."
Rarity chose not to comment on that as Twilight continued speaking, pointing a finger towards the remnants of the burnt-out building. "That used to be a restaurant, until the owners failed to pay the protection racket that had set up in that part of the city, and one of Equinox's Fireball Spells ended up somehow detonating in the kitchen.
"And look over there." This time, Twilight brought Rarity's attention towards a drab, gray building, where a long line people waited outside in a line of dots that looked as small as ants from the top of the skyscraper. "Even after midnight, there are those lining up for their daily rations of nutrition pellets. The rich continue to grow fat as the poor become more desperate."
"As you said, I'm not exactly blind to the city's suffering. Suffering that you have had a hand in since you founded Zenitch," Rarity remarked. "Just because we can't find any evidence to convict you with, does not mean that you aren't funding many of the gangs who've taken over much of the city. And just how many of those people lining up for handouts lost their livelihoods to Zenitech's scorched earth policy for business dealings?"
"It's true, things have not gone as planned," Twilight admitted, "but only because of the sacrifices I've had to make in my fight against Equinox. Sunset thinks she can sit back and play the wise mentor, trusting that the people will make the right choices in how to use her inventions, with little more than a few encouraging words to guide them. You know better.
"I know about the work you've done on the streets and in the shadows. You care about the people of this city. You're not content to let history take its course." Twilight's smile was almost warm as she turned to face Rarity. Almost. "Neither am I. I'm proposing a partnership. We can work together to save this city and bring it into a new age of prosperity.
"Without Equinox to stop us, we'd easily be able to take over the city. All of the megacorps would have to bow to us. Even if they brought their personal armies to bear, we'd have the power to win a direct fight."
"Well, you would have the power to decimate an army. I'm afraid my own magic is, as you said, lacking."
"That won't be a problem." Twilight walked over towards one of the wooden panels on the wall and pressed her hand against it. A sliding panel opened up, revealing a small safe. "I'm willing to offer a signing bonus if you agree to ally yourself with me," she said as she opened the safe.
Rarity let out a soft gasp as she beheld the familiar necklace that rested within. "Is that…?"
Twilight nodded. "I won't apologize for taking it from you. All's fair in love and war, and whatnot. But I'm willing to give you back the geode as a token of our newfound partnership.
"I know power itself doesn't interest you, but with your generous heart and keen mind, I don't doubt that you'll be able to use this to help better the city and provide aid to those in need."
Rarity's mouth felt dry as she stared at the jewel that had once given her abilities beyond imagination. "What's the catch?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"There isn't one," Twilight replied. "I'm putting all my cards on the table. Give me the information I need to take down Sunset and her cronies, and stand with me as we build an empire that will stand the test of time. You don't even after to go after Equinox yourself — just refuse to interfere when I act on your intel. In return, I can give you the power you need to fulfill your destiny."
"I—" Rarity hesitated, her eyes drawn to the necklace. "They're my friends."
"Are they? Has Sunset ever done something that she wasn't already going to do without your input? Do the others even appreciate what you've given up, what you've given of yourself to them? Or are they just using you for your connections and money and influence, the social climber who made it to the top and can be exploited because she's a shallow, weak-willed socialite?"
Twilight looked Rarity dead in the eye. "Face it, your friends stopped being such a long time ago. It's time to move on and make something of yourself."
For the longest time, neither woman spoke. Then, Rarity bowed her head, though the fire didn't leave her voice. "If it comes to pass that I discover you truly do not care for Canterlot, I will destroy you."
Twilight didn't even flinch at the deadly promise. "So be it. Now, do you want to take the geode for a test drive?"
"With pleasure." Rarity sauntered up to the safe, and with shaking hands, grabbed hold of the necklace. As she made contact with the artifact, she felt power begin to flow through her, and calling upon years of muscle memory, she drew all the of the magic within the stone and channeled it into the physical world.
A blade of pure force flew towards Twilight's heart, tearing the air apart with blinding speed.
Less than a millisecond later, it disintegrated into nothing as it struck an invisible barrier.
Twilight shook her head with a soft "tsk." Her hand glowed with energy as Rarity suddenly found herself flying across the room and being pinned against the wall.
"I'm disappointed in you, Rarity," she said, her words cold as ice. "For a moment, I thought we had a real connection. Good thing I put a dampening spell on the geode before I gave it to you."
"Oh, and here I thought you were going to trust me," Rarity gasped out, struggling to recover her wits from this sudden turnaround.
"'Trust but verify' is an adage I've taken to heart," Twilight replied. "Such a shame, too. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this the hard way."
Rarity felt the bonds holding her grow tighter, invisible cords digging painfully into her skin. Twilight slowly walked towards her. "You're still going to give me all the intel I need, even if I have to rip it out of your screaming mind. And then, once I've reduced your psyche to ashes, I'm going to rebuild it in my image, and then I'll be able to have dominion over two geodes."
"Do your worst, Midnight," Rarity spat, glaring at the woman before her. A slight tingling flowed across her skin, the telltale sign of a spell being cast on her.
"Oh, I shall. And don't think that nickname has any effect on me." Twilight smiled. "I've long since made peace with the fact that she and I were always one and same. There is no Midnight without Twilight, and no Twilight without Midnight."
"You mean you lost the battle against her in your mind," Rarity replied. "The Twilight I knew would never torture her friend for her own ends, no matter what she believed." The tingling intensified, and it took Rarity a moment to realize that it wasn't coming from any spell Twilight had cast.
"The Twilight you knew was a fool!" Twilight's eyes flashed purple as she snarled. "A weak-willed coward who was nothing until she embraced her darker side. And now, you're going to witness what that strength that was given to her can accomplish."
Rarity smiled as comforting warmth washed over her. "Actually, I won't. You see, I've been stalling for time by indulging your little monologues. I knew I never had a real chance to defeat you, even after you gave me the geode. I just needed to buy a few minutes."
Twilight scoffed. "This building is the most heavily secured location in the country. The number of magical, technological, and human safeguards I've put into place would stop an army from getting even a single soldier into this room. I'm going to call your bluff on your ridiculously pathetic excuse to intimidate me."
"Ah, but the point was never to get anyone in." Rarity felt the spell within her approach completion as she spoke. "When you were watching the video feed, did you notice that the fire I used to burn Star Swirl's Grimoire was green? I didn't destroy the book, I simply sent it to someone who could use its contents with far more proficiency than moi."
There were only seconds left. Rarity could feel it, speeding up her speech to ensure she got all her gloating in. "One of the spells is for the remote teleportation of a willing target. And I think Sunset just figured out how to cast it."
Twilight's eyes widened in realization as Rarity allowed all the magic building up within her to be released. "This has been a wonderful conversation, darling, but I'm afraid I don't have time to stay and chat anymore. Ta ta for now, Twilight, and do take care of yourself. I can't have my mortal enemy look like she's constantly being overworked now, can I?"
The last thing she saw was a look a shocked anger on Twilight's face, and then everything dissolved into darkness.
"Rarity! Rarity, can you hear me?"
"Sunset?" Rarity struggled to focus her mind on the voice as her vision slowly returned to her, revealing a flame-haired woman standing in some kind command center surrounded by screens flashing out statistics, statuses, and feeds. Her memories returned a moment later. "I take it the plan worked, then?"
"Pretty sure sending me a spellbook and the page number for the teleportation spell is less a plan and more praying for a miracle." Sunset smirked. "Lucky for you, I'm good at miracles."
"And so modest too," Rarity remarked dryly as she staggered over to one of the chairs in the room and collapsed gratefully onto it.
"Are you okay?" Sunset rushed over towards Rarity, concern clearly showing on her expression. "Did Twilight do anything to you?"
Rarity waved off her concern. "I'm perfectly peachy, dear. Just a spot of exhaustion from the thrill of the battle wearing out. A nice cup of teas and I'll be right as rain again."
"If you say so." Sunset frowned. "I was really worried for you, you know. Please don't do something like that and make me save you. One of these days your luck is going to run out."
"It wasn't exactly planned, dear," Rarity replied. "Besides, it worked out much better this way." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her geode. "I had the opportunity to accessorize myself during my little tête-à-tête. What do you think?" she asked as she held it out for Sunset to examine.
"Wow, you're good," Sunset said, eyes widening. "Only you could get yourself captured and come back with the second-most powerful artifact in Zenitech's vault."
"Admittedly, there was a fair bit of luck involved in retrieving it, but I'd like to think I put on an admirable performance for Miss Sparkle."
"I'm sure you did." Sunset paused, looking uncertain. "Did Twilight tell you anything else that might be useful? You don't have to answer if you're not up to it, but if there's anything we can act on that's time-sensitive it'd be good to know."
"Nothing urgent, no, though I'll be sure to give you a full debrief once I've recovered my wits." Now it was Rarity's turn to hesitate. "Sunset, do you ever wonder if what we're doing is enough?"
Sunset chuckled darkly. "Nope. I know what we're doing isn't enough. But it's all we can do."
"About that. Twilight and I had a conversation during my captivity." Rarity held up a hand to forestall any comment from Sunset. "And before you say it, she wasn't just trying to get into my head. I think she truly believed what she was saying, and I think there's some merit to her more, ah, direct methods of operation."
"You think so?" Sunset shrugged. "I guess I can see that. You wanna talk about it later?"
"I would, yes," Rarity said.
"Alright." Sunset stood. "If you don't need me, I'm going to get the Grimoire to a safe place."
"Of course. Until we meet again, dear," Rarity tipped her head slightly at Sunset.
"See you later." As she headed out of the room, Sunset turned around to face Rarity. "I'm glad you're safe. I don't know what I'd do without you." Before Rarity could answer, she left the room.
"I don't know what I'd do without you either, Sunset," Rarity whispered to the empty room. "And I don't ever intend on finding out."
Feeling her energy returning, Rarity stood up and exited the control center. The war between Equinox and Zenitech wasn't going to end without her, and Rarity was going to make sure that her friends came out on top, no matter what lengths she had to go to.
W1 Mortal Enemies - Same day? Same Day! by Sam Rose (AU, Comedy, Random)
Today was the day! The day everything went perfectly!
“Dresses, check! Fabrics, check! Designer is tres magnfique?” Rarity stopped to look at herself in the mirror, flicking her head to let her tresses and curls frame her face before fluttering her eyelashes. Her face seemed to sparkle in the light, before she chuckled at herself. “Double check! Everything is ready for my grand entrance!”
Her floating quill checked off the last tallies on her checklist before being placed down. With a quick flick of her magic large sheets lifted into the air that came down and covered several large racks of designer dresses, all of which had been designed specifically for this day.
She had booked the venue months ago and had been looking forward to this day for all that time! She was going to show her creations to the world, in front of thousands of Equestrian citizens and nobles! They would be amazed, in awe, and counting down the days till they could own these magnificent pieces for themselves! Rarity had truly outdone herself this time.
Grabbing hold of her covered racks in her magic, she ushered them out the door, on her way to her venue.
“Look out world! Here comes Rarity!” Nothing was going to stop her momentum now!
Today was the day! The day everything went perfectly!
“Speech notes, check! Presentation materials, check! Dressed for the occasion?” Twilight looked herself over in the mirror, noting her robes, sash, and hat made her look very educated. “Check!”
Her floating checklist had been triple checked and she set it down on top of her pile of books and presentation materials. With a quick flick of her magic a large sheet flew through the air and quickly covered her materials. It seemed that everything was ready for her grand day!
She had booked the venue months ago and had been looking forward to this day for all this time! She was going to present her research and findings to the world, in front of thousands of Equestrian citizens and nobles!
“Today will be a red letter day.” Twilight smirked happily as she grabbed hold of her materials in her magic and ushered them out the door. She was on her way to the venue, and nothing was going to stop her momentum!
Rarity looked up at the magnificent grand hall as she stood outside, basking in its majestic glory. Soon she would be set up inside and ponies would be flocking from miles to view her goods. A whole arena dedicated just to her!
“Isn't it amazing?” A voice spoke up from behind Rarity, breaking her from her reverie. She turned and saw a lavender unicorn walking up to her, a smile on her face though being followed by a pile of something covered in sheets.
“It truly is grand.” Rarity said, pushing the thought aside as she turned back. “Thousands of ponies congregate on these sacred halls every day, from far and wide, to view the spectacles and performances that ponies put on display!”
“Not to mention revealing the latest in research and magical technology!” Twilight giggled. “It's a grand wander of the ages, a hall of dedicated to enlightening the masses! I couldn't be prouder of pony society.”
“Quite.” Rarity giggled in return, turning to the cute mare next to her. “My name is Rarity, what's yours?”
“Twilight Sparkle! Are you here to listen to the exciting lecture today?” Twilight asked curiously, a hopeful smile on her face.
“Something like that.” Rarity smiled with a flick of her mane, batting her eyelashes. “Though I think it's more accurate to say I'm here to present an exciting lecture to the masses~”
“You... You are?” Twilight asked hesitantly, not sure she'd heard the mare right.
“Mhmm~!” Rarity hummed as she turned to her presentation hidden by sheets, extending her hoof out to it. “Rarity's Unique and Chic fashion for the world to see! Today is my grand debut for the world!”
“Heh, there must be some kind of misunderstanding.” Twilight said carefully, not wanting to upset the mare. “You see, today is my day to present. I've been researching Aetherial Chemical Reactions for months now and my findings will change the way we craft portable spells forever, and today is my day to show everyone my research.”
Rarity was quiet, her brow furrowing.
“Are you sure you're not quite mistaken? I've got the paper work right here that explicitly says its my turn to use these facilities today.” With a flick of her horn a piece of paper appeared from under Rarity's sheets and hovered over to Twilight. A very familiar piece of paper revealed itself to Twilight, showing that it indeed said that Rarity was to perform at the hall this day.
Without a word Twilight magicked her own paper over to Rarity, who could clearly say that Twilight's had been assigned to that very same day.
“...Oh...” Rarity murmured, chewing on her lip at the sudden awkwardness.
“I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this.” Twilight said, putting her paper and smiling at Rarity. “Let's go inside and speak with the director and I'm sure we can work this all out?”
“Yes, that would seem like the sensible thing to do.” Rarity said, coming to an amicable agreement with Twilight. Surely this was a simple problem to fix.
It had not been a simple problem to fix.
The office had made a mistake and accidentally book both on the same day, but the only available solution was to reschedule one of them months down the road, delaying their debuts.
The girls had not taken this well.
In their great wisdom, the girls had tried to share the stage, and this only ended in colossal disaster. Explosions from chemicals and burning dresses had filled the halls, books and flaming cloth had been hurled on both ends, and by the time the fight had subsided the hall was empty and destroyed, while the two mares sat outside, singed and tired, still seething in rage for the other.
“Twilight Sparkle, you are by far the WORST pony I have ever met in my entire life!” Rarity huffed angrily.
“The feelings mutual.” Twilight growled, levitating a piece of debris off of her head.
“Today was supposed to be my grand debut! The happiest day of my life! The day everything came up looking Rarity! And YOU had to ruin it!” Rarity growled with a huff, her voice peaking with drama. “I can't even stand to LOOK at you! From this day forth, you are my mortal enemy!”
“The feelings mutual!” Twilight growled. “If we were in the same academic field I would bury you under my work so hard the history books would have to search for a thousand years just to remember you exist!”
The two mares growled at each other, glaring desperately so that the other could feel their hate. The day had been long and tiring though, and they felt their energy draining fast. Their scowls turned into frowns as they quietly glared at each other.
“...Do you want to go make out behind the donut shop?” Twilight finally asked.
“I thought you'd NEVER ask!” Rarity huffed indignantly.
W1 Mortal Enemies - The Sins of Empire by Cynewulf (AU, Drama, Sad)
It is a chilling thing to watch someone you loved keep on moving and talking long after they’ve died.
Chilling isn’t quite the word. My vocabulary fails me when it comes to her. If it were not a matter of survival in this brave new world of ours, my composure would likewise have failed long ago. But it is a matter of survival, and so my composure holds.
Not that we see each other much.
As I stride into the complex to greet the day, I am immediately mobbed by attendants. New designs straight from one of the nameless draughtsmares, stacks of forms and reports that need to be gone over with a fine tooth comb, errata from a dozen different desperate sources that all needed my personal attention right this minute, or a dozen different tragedies would blossom.
Even before the Ultimatum that permanently dashed our hopes of a better world, I was used to this cacophony. So, before I reach my office I have signed untold parcels of Very Important Papers and sent aides in various directions.
Logistics, the magic word upon which the world spins. Logistics are more important than bravery, skill, or numbers. Logistics wins wars, and logistics keeps them from happening in the first place. I had had this argument with Applejack, when the front lines were still around Tall Tale.
When I close my door, I find that one of the cloud of importune underlings has snuck in. I can’t help but smile when I identify her.
“Coco. It’s good to see you.”
She bows slightly, and only then do I notice her saddlebags around the standard uniform. Poorly packed, as usual. Without her knowing, I fasten them closed more securely.
“You as well, my lady.”
“How goes Manehattan?”
She grimaces, and I file that look away for later. I’ll have to ask Sharp Eyes to make a few calls. For now, I keep smiling. I don’t have to inquire as to what makes her make such a face: I already know that she’ll divulge everything.
And she does. She glances around furtively, seeming suddenly nervous. I let her. She has nothing to fear from the Empress, at least not here. Every other inch of Equestria might belong to her, but my office is mine, and nothing penetrates.
“The Empress’ demands have been… They’ve been a bit unreasonable. Not impossible! I mean, I don’t mean to imply that she’s erred in anyway, it’s just--”
“She is very rarely rational,” I say flatly and examine my hoof. “Irrational, unforgiving, inflexible, and frighteningly inhumane. Celestia is many things these days. I’m not surprised to hear it. You’ll need to cook your books, my dear.”
Coco stares at me with her mouth wide open. A younger me would have felt smug about this, to have so shocked by my candor some more flighty mare. This me that I am, on this side of the chasm of Might Have Beens, can only muster a dim annoyance.
I tsk. “Don’t insult me, dear. You think I would let her worm her way into my sanctum? You’re quite secure here.” With a few sharp steps I take my seat behind the desk and swivel back and forth. “Have a seat. I have a few minutes, and young Flourite always brings enough coffee for three. He’ll be along shortly. Don’t worry, and please don’t startle him. He is a gentle soul. Tell me what she’s whined about now.”
Coco seems frozen. I wait for a few beats, and then gesture at the chair. She shakingly takes a seat, I assume prompted on by remembered instincts of obedience from when we were simply in the business of fashion.
“She… She wants more out of our factories than they can physically, um, put out. The tank production goals are just not reachable. Maybe if we had two years of peace, we could retool and expand, but she wants them met four months! I-I have the order! Let me, uh…”
She brings out a manilla folder and I gently take it from her with my magic. While she sputters, I read over them.She’s right. Honestly, she’s probably being generous. This isn’t simply a bit unreasonable. It’s insane. I lay the folder down on the desk and massage my temples.
“Idiocy,” I spit. “Everything since we first crossed into their territory has been absolute foolishness. I cannot even begin to describe the insanity of it all. Every little detail is inane nonsense piled on inane nonsense. I am so very tired, Coco. Very tired.”
She stares at me like a cornered, trapped animal. Predictable, and yet sad. This age is unkind to all of us, and Celestia has a way of turning fine ponies into cowering minions.
“It… I…”
“Do you hesitate because you are afraid?” I ask, and pretend to look back over her reports, as if the question is unimportant. Don’t look them in the eyes. It’s become one of my cardinal rules. Don’t look them in the eyes until you know they are true--if you don’t give yourself away, you’ll only scare them off. And by them I mean any soul left in this mockery of Equestria who has the gall to wonder if perhaps there should be no “front lines” at all.
“Yes,” she replies. “Yes, and I don’t know why you aren’t. She watches everything. Half of my staff is spies, Rarity.” The last bit ends in a kind of hiss, more tense than angry. “Half of my difficulties have been in making ponies whose only use is… is… tattling into something resembling competency!”
I almost look up, but she’ll see my smile. I find I like bitterness in others more these days. I like the reminder that they care.
“I want to go back to making dresses. I liked designing displays. I enjoyed the scarves and the suits and the hats and… and…”
There was a knock on the door. Fast as I could, without moving a muscle, I silenced Coco with magic--I shut her lips a bit forcefully and cleared my throat. “Yes?”
I needn’t have said anything. One of the clerks--Gentle Breeze, I think--burst into my office with a flushed face and wide eyes. “Pardon, my Lady, it’s just--she, ah… she wanted to see you and--”
She pushes by him as if he weren’t there and I understand immediately.
“Sparkle,” I say and nod slightly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
She looks at Coco, and I swear if ponies could combust others with a look alone… But perhaps she can, now. Perhaps that is the kind of pony she became when our beloved leader got her hooves on my Twilight.
“Leave us.”
Coco and the clerk both fled swiftly, and when they left the door open in their haste, Sunrise Sparkle shuts it carelessly and stands with an imperious air before my desk.
“It has been a year,” she said.
“A rather eventful year at that!” I reply with intentionally fake cheer. “Look at all we’ve managed in the last twelve months. The execution of Chrysalis was certainly nice. I think my favorite part was the capitulation of the Polar Bear communities and Yakyakistan.Isn’t it precious how they all died together, wars days apart?”
She doesn’t rise to the bait. She just stares at me.
“What do you need, Inquisitor?” I ask, settling back into tired flatness. Fine. She won’t play. There’s truly nothing left of Twilight if she can’t even be bothered. This is a doll, a toy for a mad goddess to throw about and childishly hurt others with.
“Many things,” she says.
“Well, tell me. My personnel is at your service, and my person is as well between the hours of nine and six. I’m afraid that’s when I pack up for the day, regardless of the emergency. I’m rather frail these days, as you should know. I have a medical dispensation and everything.”
The staring is unnerving. I am not so vain as to deny it. It’s less equine and more… predatory. It reminds me of a starving griffon, that stare. She’s hunting. Before I sally forth with some disarming wit, I go over a brief checklist in my mind. The bugs in the office were wiped in the last three hours. Hyacinth, the dear, always does a sweep in the morning before anypony arrives. The runes I carved in the walls have not been tampered with, for I would have felt it immediately. My staff here is all spoken for, except for those whom I have effectively isolated and rendered harmless to myself and others. She isn’t here for my seditious statements.
But she probably does this staring to any and everyone she meets. To those whose soul is a hammer, all the cowering fearful of the world are nails.
You used to be so different, Twilight, but the meticulous attention to detail is very You.
“Why did you never write back?”
I breathe in. No more games. She’s finally going to push the issue.
“I have been remarkably busy, T… I have been remarkably, tirelessly busy. Perhaps not tirelessly. As you can no doubt see, with your astute eye for detail, I have bags under my eyes. I’ve not aged well, have I? Not how we expected. I am a busy and exhausted mare.”
“I’m busy as well. I wrote.”
Another breath.
I hate you, Sunrise. Sunrise Sparkle. What a loathesome, stupid name that is. Sunrise, as if you could wash away the crimes of a generation with names that sounded cheerful. As if the juxtaposition of such a positive, happy thing with such a miserable, soulless personage wasn’t inherently abominable. As if that were your real name.
“I will write you back,” I say, and it isn’t a lie. I had meant to answer her. Not because I care to, but because it prevents visits like this one. For every three letters she sends, I answer one. In the past, out of spite, I thought to keep it at a perfect ratio to drive her mad. But that took far too much energy, and it took far too much heart, and both are in shorter supply than rationed flour or salt.
“I hope so.” She pauses. “I used to get a letter every week. Sometimes two.”
“You used to have a different name.”
Shit. I didn’t… but I did. I meant to say that. I’ve been far, far too reckless today and everyday recently.
“I did. And you used to write.”
“I have written,” I counter.
“You have. In a way.”
“Tw--Sunrise,” I begin, but she cuts me off.
“I can hear how you say that name. You’ve always had a flair for the dramatic, Rarity. You aren’t as subtle as you think you are. You aren’t even close. You like to think of yourself as clever and witty.” She turns and examines one of my bookshelves. She moves on to the ponniquein in the corner wearing the first Mark I uniform I designed before the first war had even begun. I am still, in a very bitter way, attached to it. For all the misery that followed, I still enjoyed working on it and I’m still proud of that design.
I can’t help but wonder if she’s going to use it and me as kindling. It would suit her new modus operandi, wouldn’t it? Purgation and cleansing by fire, that’s Celestia’s new motto, is it not? Harmony through Order. Order through Strength.
“Your tongue is venomous,” she said. “You know the difference between poison and venom is easy to remember, once you know the trick? If something is venomous,” she tsked, and almost immediately my office felt warmer, “then when it bites you, you die. But if it’s poisonous, and you bite it, then you die.”
She flicks the collar of the uniform, and I tense. But she moves on to the next bookshelf.
“I suppose that makes you poisonous, then,” I say. “In that biting you these days is bound to be a pat way to acquire a swift ride down to Tartarus.”
She chuckles. Or, well, she makes an approximation of a chuckle. One must be more than a shell to laugh, I find.
“You know, Midnight Bloom thinks we should have you tried.”
If she’s expecting panic, she’ll be dissapointed. “So I’ve heard. She’s also not subtle.”
Sunrise turns and smiles brightly at me. “She is absolutely not. If I told you that I agreed with her, what would you say?”
Composure, Rarity. Composure is what makes us great. “Then I would say that my views were vindicated, and I would probably make a rather daring but foalish gesture like asking for my choice of death or for an honest duel. Something grand, because you are quite right. I simply adore the theatrical. Which is why I’m less than impressed by what is happening in front of me, and of what you do as our mutual friend’s Inquisitor. I taught you that. I taught you to walk with a sway in your hips, with a gaze of steel. I am the one who taught you to have a firm, commanding posture. I know what you’re like when you have none of that. I can see the seams.” A pause, and then I can’t help but genuinely smile. “Seams. I suppose I’m still a dressmaker after all.”
“I don’t need you to be impressed. I’m certainly not by your paltry attempts to upset me with your blasphemous attitude towards Her Holiness, Empress Daybreaker.”
I sigh. “I used to think that even the suggestion of that was ludicrous. I wish I had laughed when I had the chance. So, am I to be taken away? Is the game up?”
“No.”
I stretch and stand up. Laying both hooves on the desk in front of me and leaning forward, I speak low and fast. “I knew as much. Celestia--I refuse to call her by that idiotic name she cooked up in whatever sweltering retreat warped her mind!--knows that she cannot replace me. We both know how the game is played, and even at her most insane and unreasonable, she has enough of a mind left to know that Rarity of Ponyville cannot be replaced. It was I that made much of her victory possible, when it was still Equestria we worked for. I didn’t fight or command, but I handled something far more important.”
“Paperwork?” Sunrise asks and laughs.
I don’t laugh.
“Logistics, Sparkle. Logistics. Logistics are the sinews of war and of life equally. Logistics, the movement and management of ponies and material, is what makes the world work. I understood that when I was still running my boutiques. The difference between fortune and failure could often be a day delay on some important shipment. Supply and demand are in constant flux. In the world of fashion, one plans and makes contingencies and knows when to move, or one flounders and drowns. To take me out of my place… who would replace me? I love Coco to pieces, and she is a dear, but she couldn’t do it. Suri? Never. Braeburn, down at Ironpony? That bumpkin is a buffoon who got very lucky, and we all know it. Redmane, in Baltimare?” I laugh. “I wouldn’t trust him to wait on me at dinner, let alone manage the industry of the Empire.”
“You’re bold for somepony in the presence of an alicorn given a blank check by a goddess to kill whoever she deems worth dying.”
I sit back in my chair. “Because I’m not a fool. If you’re going to kill me, you’ll do it regardless. If you aren’t, then you aren’t. You’re warped, Twilight, but you aren’t blind. It’s me that enables this awful nightmare to an extent. Imperial Wartime Industry Commissariat. It’s my work that keeps the tanks running smoothly, dear. It’s my paperwork that makes sure that every frightened pony pulled from their life to die in Nova Griffonia at least has a uniform, some armor, and a gun that works. The way I see it, I win regardless. If I die, then the nightmare is over. If I live, then I live.”
She stares at me again.
“Why don’t you write?”
I look down at poor Coco’s reports. Tanks. Shells. Armor. Uniforms. Treads. Coffins.
“Because, Sunrise, I used to write a wonderful mare named Twilight Sparkle. She was kind and intelligent and so very curious. She was full of life and loved learning. She taught me many things, and in turn I taught her what I knew. We shared so many beautiful moments together.” I look up at her. “But she’s dead now, and I think I can be forgiven for not wanting to write mewling letters to the mare who devoured her and wears her face like a prize.”
I look back down, and pretend to read.
She doesn’t say anything for a minute, perhaps more. I suppose this is it then. This is the last day.
But it isn’t.
I hear her say, softly, “I’ll be waiting for that letter,” and then the door shuts.
“And I’ll be waiting until I find a cure for what ails you, Twilight” I say, satisfied that she isn’t listening in. “Even if it takes me until Celestia’s killed everyone besides the three of us.”
