Rarity waved goodbye to Smolder and Wingston at the entrance of Stich Rose Shay before returning to the counter where Stitch was still reeling from her first sale.
"I can't believe some pony bought something that I made! It was even the King!" Stitch squealed with excitement covering her face with her hooves.
Rarity smiled at Stitch's excitement. Having known the feeling of making a pony's first sale, it must have been all that much more meaningful to a Flame Pony who never thought they would have such a chance. Before Rarity could congratulate Stitch on her first sale, Rose appeared from the backroom holding several bundles of cloth.
"Stitch, I need your help sketching out the patterns for the King's outfit." Rose stated rather pleadingly.
"Coming." Stitch replied following Rose into the back.
"It appears that I've almost become a fifth wheel in all this." Rarity remarked jokingly.
In only a few days her seamstresses had become so confident in their own abilities that they nearly made enough clothing to open the shop two days into her lessons. Granted most of the clothing was basic black, while only a hoof full of items were different colored, but the quality of the work was at a level that Rarity was proud of. When the orders arrived from Argo Fleece to supply the Castle with elegant cloaks, suits, saddles and royal garb for the Coronation of Smolder; Rarity could not imagine even coming close to filling such a request in so short of time. Although, Stitch, Rose, and Crow all seemed more than willing, if not excited, to have this opportunity and went straight to work.
With the Coronation only being two days away, Rarity and her seamstresses had finished more than seventy-five percent of the order. All that was remaining was the King's outfit and several more cloaks to be made for the distinguished guests.
Stepping into the backroom to lend a hoof once more, Rarity came face to face with Crow in the door way carrying an arm full of Royal commissioned cloaks.
"Terribly sorry, dear." Rarity said stepping to the side to let Crow pass.
"It's… o-o-o-okay." Crow stammered with a weak smile.
Crow moved passed her to bundle up the cloaks, stack them with others, and log it into the book on how many they still had left to do. Rarity stepped inside the backroom to see Stitch sketching patterns into several pieces of cloth while Rose began to layer the mock up.
"Have any ideas for the King's outfit yet?" Rarity asked curiously using her horn to magically lift some pins to Rose.
"Crow just finished his design for the King's outfiy, Stitch is sketching out the pieces we'll need, and I'm just slapping together another cloak until she's done." Rose replied taking a few pins with her teeth and stabbing them into the cloth to hold it in place.
"May I see what he's come up with?" Rarity asked excitedly.
"He said he wanted it to be a surprise. He only gave us the patterns and measurements." Stitch said holding up a stone slab.
"I do love surprises, I'm sure it will be magnificent. Crow really does have a gift for this." Rarity said magically pulling some flame resistant string from the spool and threading it through a needle.
"Where is Crow?" Rose asked curiously looking around the back room.
"Not to worry, he's out front bundling up a stack of cloaks." Rarity said using her magic to begin sewing pieces of fabric together on the mock up.
"He better get his flank back in here on the double." Rose mumbled looking rather testy.
It wasn't very apparent to the untrained pony but Rarity could see Rose stealing glances at the door waiting for Crow to come back. It was already made clear to her that Rose saw Crow as her special somepony but it was still unclear on how Crow felt.
There wasn't much need for Rarity to try and get the two ponies together because Rose and Crow were almost always together as it was. It was becoming clear that these two ponies would continue to let their feelings be buried deep down unless something or some pony were to put things in motion.
"Stitch dear, could you come help me with something?" Rarity asked non-suspiciously.
"Okay." Stitch replied sliding off her stone seat.
Rarity escorted Stitch into the front of the store where Crow stood stacking up the cloaks onto the table.
"I-I-I-Is ev-v-very th-th-thing alright?" Crow asked curiously noticing them leaving the back room.
"Fine darling, fine. I just wanted Stitch to help me… with a stuck door upstairs is all." Rarity stated waving her hoof at him not to bother.
Rarity steered Stitch towards the staircase away from Crow who was returning to the back room. Together they climbed the stairs, stopping at the landing where Stitch looked very confused.
"Alright, I do believe we're out of ear shot. Now, how are we going to get Rose and Crow together?" Rarity whispered to Stitch.
"Is that why we're here?" Stitch asked curiously.
"Have you not seen them together? They are simply the most adorable couple I have ever laid eyes on!" Rarity remarked with a glisten in her eyes.
"I guess. You've only been here a couple of days." Stitch agreed slowly; not looking as sure as Rarity was.
"Whenever Crow leaves the room I have found Rose eagerly awaiting his return." Rarity explained.
"That's because Crow is our lead designer, whenever he leaves it almost puts production to a halt." Stitch replied.
"No, darling, you're just too young to see it yet. Its love I tell you, an aching heart desperately wanting to pour out its feelings to a special somepony but fear decides against it." Rarity said dramatically placing her hoof to her brow.
"I don't think Rose is afraid of anything." Stitch commented.
"I agree, but she is refusing to let her true feelings for Crow come out and we need to do something." Rarity said defiantly.
"Do you have any idea what Rose will do to us if we tell Crow she likes him? I like my teeth where they are, thanks." Stitch replied starting to make for the stairs.
"No! Stitch, we won't speak a word of it to Crow. It is not our place, but if we bring them to a place where they could speak honest and open maybe she'll do it herself." Rarity explained to her.
"What?" Stitch asked looking confused.
"We have them go to the Coronation, Crow could make Rose a beautiful dress that reflects his feelings for her and they'll share a dance with one another before she confesses her feelings for him." Rarity declared with her eyes glistening once more at the thought.
"Blegh." Stitch replied sticking out her tongue.
"So how are we supposed to get Crow to make Rose a dress and then get Rose to where it?" Stitch asked, making it sound like an impossible task.
"I will tell them both that they are to attend the party to help spread the word of Flame Pony clothing to potential buyers or clients. It will be under the guise of work but in reality it will be a clever trap to get them there together." Rarity explained.
"How long have you been thinking about this?" Stitch asked curiously.
"Since I found out that Rose liked Crow, it has been a splinter of curiosity in my mind ever since." Rarity replied.
"I didn't think this is what you meant by needing my help." Stitch confessed.
"Why yes, why else would we be here?" Rarity asked curiously.
"I thought you wanted me to unlock this door." Stitch replied looking at the locked stone door behind her.
"Can you really?" Rarity asked sounding surprised.
"Sure, it's just a matter of finding the loose stone." Stitch replied placing her hoof on the stone door frame.
Rarity watched Stitch slide her hoof up and down the sides of the door until there was a sudden sound of scraping rock and the door sliding open.
"I would have never have guessed that would be the way to opening this door." Rarity said with much wonder looking at the simple yet effective design of the door.
Together they opened the door further to glance inside the locked room. Amazingly, the room seemed almost untouched by time. A granite slab in the corner of the room, a single window facing the opposing wall next door, there was a vanity mirror, and a stone dresser pushed up against the wall.
"It's a girl's room!" Stitch squealed with her eyes lighting up.
Stitch quickly rushed over to the vanity mirror and began to rummage through the stone drawers for anything of interest while Rarity found herself quite content at the choice in décor. It wasn't much to look at but for such a small room with little to no sun it seemed quite charming.
"Whoever used to live here didn't leave anything behind." Stitch said disappointingly closing the last empty drawer.
"I wouldn't expect them to leave anything they couldn't very well carry down the stairs with ease." Rarity remarked looking at the rock hard bed.
"Was there anything in the dresser?" Stitch asked curiously rushing over to it.
"Anything in there might be years old darling, it must have layers of dust and soot all over it." Rarity remarked looking at the grime covered mirror.
"Look Rarity! Hats!" Stitch shouted pulling out some rather pristine looking hats.
Surprisingly, Rarity was quite impressed on the craftsmanship. It showed signs of wear but it was in remarkable condition. The material was very similar to the one Rarity had put together but it seemed to have a thicker thread count which gave Rarity some new ideas.
"Rarity!" Stitch shouted in fright.
Something had caught fire within the stone dresser. Rarity reacted quickly using the flame resistant hat to smother the fire with using her magic and standing a safe distance away. There wasn't much in terms of smoke, if any at all, as the fire died away. Rarity and Stitch peered inside the drawer to see what had started the fire.
"It appears to be… parchment." Rarity mumbled carefully removing some severely burned pieces of parchment from the drawer.
"I didn't know it was in there." Stitch said sounding very ashamed.
"It wasn't your fault dear; it seems rather odd and almost inconceivable for a Flame Pony to even have parchment. Let alone in a drawer." Rarity replied looking at the burned mess.
"What do you think it was?" Stitch asked curiously.
Rarity held up the burnt parchment with her magic, gently blowing away the burnt pieces and squinting to read it. After a few moments Rarity felt confident enough to read it aloud.
…again. I don't know why he insists on so many hats, I had to spend all afternoon making another… he chokes on it. Dad says that he's one of our best customers but if you ask me that pony can go… I guess it isn't fair. The pony has been meeting with potential suitors these past few weeks…
"That's all that I am able to read, I'm afraid the damage was much too severe." Rarity said sadly.
"Maybe there's more?" Stitch asked hopefully opening another stone drawer.
Upon opening the drawer, Stitch and Rarity were surprised to see several stacks of parchment all tied up with twine resting comfortably in the drawer. It was all stationary, everything from quills to ink bottles were inside.
"Apparently the pony that was lived here kept a journal or pen pony of some kind." Rarity said looking rather fascinated by it.
"How would a Flame Pony be able to write with that kind of stuff anyways?" Stitch asked looking confused.
Rarity simply lifted the quill and parchment with her magic, Stitch looked very impressed at Rarity's detective skills.
"It's apparent that the pony here was a unicorn, and probably liked her privacy. What better way to ensure no Flame Pony reads your writing then having it burn up on contact." Rarity stated.
"Well whatever she wrote, she must have taken it with her because all that's left is blank parchment." Stitch said looking disappointingly at the stationary.
"We have more pressing matters to attend to anyway." Rarity said placing the burned piece of parchment on the dresser and returning to the stairs case with Stitch in tow.
Upon leaving the room, Rarity closed the stone door behind her with the stone block sliding back out locking the door once more. Within the room, the block lock slid forward revealing a small compartment where several pieces of written parchment had been hidden.
Twilight Sparkle and Alex Papyrus had made great strides with making out much of the dungeons and tunnels beneath Castle Char. Cataloging several recovered relics, engravings, and lots of old Flame Pony junk. Broken chariots, broken granite slabs, broken stone chests, broken tables, broken statues and the list just kept getting longer. Every so often Twilight or Alex would find themselves coming back to the etching they had found their first day down here. Nothing else came close to being as mysterious or as fascinating to them, but even after three days of exploring neither pony had found even a hint or a clue as to what it was trying to depict.
Within the three days, Alex had placed several purposeful torches throughout the dungeons halls. Every torch placed on the right side of the wall to mark the path deeper into the dungeon, which would in turn meant that if the torches were on your left would lead you back out. Twilight was very impressed by Alex's ingenuity, while also being grateful for having more light within the dark halls and not having to ask Alex to follow her around all day as her personal light source. Today, however, Twilight was fixated on the etching. Staring at it without blinking, hoping to see something she had missed before or perhaps view it in a way she had not thought of.
"Any progress yet, Ms. Sparkle?" Alex asked curiously strolling up to her carrying a few blank stone tablets under his arm.
"No." Twilight said with a sigh, hanging her head in defeat.
"Don't be discouraged, Ms. Sparkle, you have made great leaps in our own history these last few days." Alex insisted with a rather positive attitude.
"Yeah, I discovered that Flame Ponies would throw away all their unwanted junk in these tunnels." Twilight said sounding somewhat bitter.
"Well, yes, that is true. Although you have also discovered several volumes of Flame Pony poetry, for what it's worth. As well as several tomes of Flame Pony ledgers dating as far back as the time of Lord Smoke; I say that is an incredible find." Alex said encouragingly.
"Thanks, but I feel like the answer is just staring us in the face and we just can't see it." Twilight said with a small smile glancing back at the etching.
"I'm sure it will reveal its purpose in time to you, Ms. Sparkle." Alex said looking at the etching himself.
"I told you, you don't have to call me Ms. Sparkle. Twilight is fine." Twilight said her mood slowly improving.
"Sorry, I was raised to be formal with any pony Ms- uh… I mean Twilight." Alex said catching himself.
"What have you got there?" Twilight asked looking at the blank slabs of rock under his arm.
"Basic inventory check, I will be cataloging everything down here and rechecking it afterwards." Alex explained.
"Do you want some help with that?" Twilight offered with a smile.
"I would be most appreciative, Twilight, I would assume it's at least better than staring into the void all day." Alex said reaching under his arm to give her some of the blank slates.
Twilight took the stone tablet from Alex, the slate stared back up at her and the wheels in Twilight's head began to turn.
"Alex?" Twilight asked still looking at the blank slate.
"Yes, Twilight?" Alex replied looking up at her.
"What do you call it when a pony is free from restrictions or commitment?" Twilight asked, as if expecting a response.
"Restrictions or… I'm not sure what you're asking me, Twilight." Alex said looking puzzled.
"It's what this is. A blank slate." Twilight explained showing him the stone tablet.
"Oh… so?" Alex asked still unsure what Twilight was getting at.
"It's what you are trying to do with the Mad King, you want a blank slate." Twilight said as the excitement in her voice began to increase.
"It's understandable, Twilight. We want to put this whole ugly mess behind us." Alex explained feeling like he was going to have to defend his position on the paintings once more.
"But that's just it, Alex! This wall was the blank slate!" Twilight exclaimed rushing over to the etching.
"I'm sorry Twilight, I'm just not following." Alex said looking very disappointed in himself.
"Pretend that this slate was a decree by the Mad King." Twilight said holding up her blank slate.
"Alright." Alex said.
Twilight immediately dropped it as it broke into several smaller pieces.
"Uh…" Alex said looking at the small pieces of rock on the floor.
Alex suddenly felt the remaining slates of rock be pulled from under his arm. Twilight put a few paces between them, holding the remaining slates over her head and smiling at him.
"Twilight…" Alex said slowly; suddenly realizing what she planning.
"Now pretend that these slates are all that's left referring to the Mad King." Twilight said dropping the slates.
Alex made a dive for the slates, but it was too late. The slates broke into smaller stones as Alex looked very annoyed getting back to his hooves.
"Alright, you broke all my slates." Alex said narrowing his eyes at Twilight.
"You said it yourself, Alex, no mention of the Mad King; at all. Flame Ponies want to forget the Mad King, but what if you had just one slate left that mentioned him?" Twilight asked revealing a hidden clean slate from behind her flank.
"Twilight! Don't you dare." Alex said warningly holding out his hoof to her.
"Let's say that I want to destroy this slate, but you're the pony who won't stand for it. You want there to be some mention of the Mad King, to make sure that future Flame Ponies know what happened. What would you do?" Twilight asked holding the slate out to Alex.
"I'd be sure to hide it from you." Alex said taking the slate quickly from her.
"Exactly! That's what this etching is, Alex!" Twilight said excitedly tapping her hoof against it.
Alex's face started to change from annoyance to sudden realization. His mouth slowly becoming a gape at the point Twilight was trying to make. Looking at Twilight with his awestruck face, Twilight returned it with a smile of excitement.
"We've been searching for days for anything that would mention or hint at what this could be, but haven't found anything. Nothing, and that's because everything about what happened in this etching was destroyed." Twilight explained.
"They wanted us to forget; whatever it was they didn't want any pony to know." Alex said quietly finding a whole new wonder to this etching.
"Some pony didn't want what happened to disappear forever, so that pony came down here in the dungeons and made an etching of what had happened." Twilight explained slowly drawing her hoof down the scrapes of the etching.
"Something like this would have been decreed by the King, all mention of it would have had to be destroyed without question. It would have been treason if the pony that did this was caught." Alex mumbled.
"What could have happened to the Flame Ponies all those years ago? To have them destroy any mention of it?" Twilight asked curiously.
Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Alex halfway down the corridor. Twilight took off after him, unsure of where he was going.
"Alex? Is everything alright?" Twilight called after him.
"No, it is not." Alex replied striding in a brisk pace through the dungeons.
"What's the matter?" Twilight asked sounding concerned.
"I've been an arrogant and pompous pony. Overlooking one of the most basic understandings of history." Alex said aloud sounding very angry with himself.
"I don't understand." Twilight replied following him through the corridors.
Twilight followed Alex all the way back to an all too familiar stone door with an 'x' upon it. Wiping his hoof upon the 'x', Alex pushed the stone block that opened the door once more to reveal the boxes of hats and the many paintings of the young Prince Scorch.
"Ponies who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I'm sure the pony who carved that etching knew this as well. I can't call myself a Historian, or even an Archeologist, if I knowingly omit our own history." Alex said turning to Twilight.
"What are you going to do?" Twilight asked.
"If you're willing to help me… I would like to present this to King Smolder and eventually have it displayed in the castle one day for every pony to see." Alex said putting his personal feelings aside.
"I'd be glad to." Twilight replied looking very pleased with Alex's decision.
"I'll need to get more stone tablets first." Alex said with a small chuckle looking down at the one he had left.
"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Twilight said apologetically.
"It is quite alright. I have to admit, your methods are slightly unorthodox at times, but you truly are brilliant." Alex replied.
"Thank you, Alex." Twilight said.
"No, Ms. Sparkle, thank you for being the brightest thing down here." Alex said warmly.
Alex left Twilight at the door, making for the staircase to the Main Hall, leaving Twilight feeling very flattered by his comment. More to the point, she was very happy that Alex had changed his mind about the hats and paintings. Having known Flame Pony pride to be a very stubborn thing, it made Alex's choice that much more impressive.
Twilight and Alex spent the next hour cataloging every hat and every caricature within the room. Then it was just a matter of moving the portraits without burning them, which would be handled by pegasi Royal Guard ponies that could magically lift them out of the room. The hats were flame resistant so the Royal Guard ponies had an easier time moving them, and trying on a few hats along the way.
"The portraits and hats will be moved to the Throne Room for now, we will present them to the King later today and I hope that you will be there as well." Alex said to Twilight watching the last of the hats be carried out of the room.
"I wouldn't miss it." Twilight replied looking very pleased.
"I suppose we should finish cataloging the rest of the dungeon then." Alex said with a sigh.
"After you." Twilight said gesturing down the corridor.
Twilight and Alex made their way back down the corridor, the torches on their right, leading them deeper into the dungeon. Eventually the light from the torches further down had died out, it was normal for a torch to burn out but they usually started back at the beginning. Alex simply relit the torches while making their way through the corridor but nearly choked on his fire when Twilight let out a high pitched scream.
"What is it? What?" Alex demanded looking around frantically.
"The etching! It's gone!" Twilight cried.
The wall that had once bore the strange etching had been smashed. Hundreds of broken bits of rock littered the floor leaving nothing of the etching intact.
"No, no, no, no, no, no." Alex mumbled to himself in horror.
Alex quickly rushed over to the edge of the broken stones on the floor. Unsure of how to handle this. He carefully picked up a piece rock and another trying to find a mark of an etching on any of them.
"What could have done this?" Alex asked sounding very distraught.
"A pony." Twilight replied pointing to the hoof prints left in the disturbed remains of the wall.
"I… I don't understand… why would any pony do this?" Alex asked looking at Twilight.
"I'm not sure, but I'm glad I had the presence of mind to make a rubbing of it for our records." Twilight said sounding relieved.
"You have? Twilight you are truly the most brilliant-" Alex stopped short staring wide eye at her.
"Is everything okay?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Twilight, in the interest of your safety, I recommend that you back get to the Main Hall at once." Alex muttered motioning her back towards the lit corridor.
"Why? Do you think the Flame Pony that did this is still down here?" Twilight asked quietly slowly moving towards him.
"Yes, but I know that it isn't a Flame Pony." Alex whispered back.
"How do you know?" Twilight asked sounding surprised.
"Because I'm looking at it." Alex whispered staring it the dark corridor.
Twilight slowly turned towards the dark corridor, straining her eyes before seeing a faint outline of a pony standing in the darkness looking their way.
"I'm not leaving. We can take this pony together." Twilight whispered back quickly.
"That corridor leads to the mines. You could get separated from me or worse, hurt. This pony must have gotten in through the mines and I bet it knows how to navigate the tunnels better than we do." Alex explained not taking his eyes off the pony.
"What are you going to do?" Twilight asked.
"I'm just going to stand here, maybe ask it a question or two while you run for the guards." Alex mumbled.
"Alex this could be dangerous, we should leave together and go for help." Twilight insisted.
"No, if we run it might just hide in one of the rooms we haven't explored yet. If I stay here, I can at least keep it in the mines." Alex explained.
Twilight looked very worried and concerned for Alex. Alex glanced down at Twilight for a moment and gave her a small wink.
"I'm no hero, Ms. Sparkle. If it takes off running into the mines I won't follow, but if it comes chasing after you I won't let it get one hoof passed me." Alex said with a small smile.
"Why is every Flame Colt such a dork?" Twilight asked looking very unhappy.
"We do stupid things when we're scared or nervous, but protecting a friend is never stupid." Alex replied.
Twilight begrudgingly moved around Alex, glancing back at the pony in the darkness. Lining up with the lit corridor, Twilight looked down the path of torches on her left and back at Alex who acted as the buffer between her and the mysterious pony.
"I'll be back before you know it." Twilight reassured him.
"I do hope so, Ms. Sparkle." Alex replied with a nervous smile.
Twilight took off like a shot. Racing down the corridor as fast as she could, quietly whispering to herself that Alex would be alright. Twilight was halfway down the corridor before a sudden rush of air blasted past her snuffing out all the torches down the corridor; followed by a horrifying roar that echoed throughout the dungeon.
Two of the Royal Guard pegasi ponies, that had been helping earlier with the moving of the paintings and hats, had heard distant echo of the roar come from the dungeon. Curious to know what it was they stuck their heads through the door looking down the staircase only to get a sudden blast of wind hitting them in the face. Surprised by this the Royal Guards backed away from the doorway and looked at one another confused. A sudden burst of purple magic sparked at the top of the stairs revealing Twilight out of breath, having used a teleport spell to climb the stairs in no time flat.
"Alex is in trouble!" Twilight said urgently through deep breaths.
Without another word the two Royal Guard ponies went racing down the stairs with Twilight following closely behind them. The lead guard barreled on ahead while the second guard pony quickly relit every torch down the corridors as they ran. Rounding the corner the lead guard pony spotted Alex lying on the ground, his flame lightly flickering and unconscious. Twilight and the other guard pony caught up to see the lead guard pony rolling Alex over.
"Is he going to be alright?" Twilight asked sounding extremely worried.
"He's not hurt, just passed out." The lead guard replied checking Alex over.
"Area is clear, Topaz." The second guard said aloud.
"Watch our flanks, Spinel." Topaz replied lifting Alex onto his back.
Twilight and the Royal Guard ponies rounded the corner, Spinel stood at the threshold for a moment or two to see if anything was trying to follow them; deciding it was clear Spinel quickly followed. Once more the roar Twilight had heard from earlier echoed through the dungeons, a sudden rush of air blew out most of the torches again, but not enough to reach the Royal Guards or Twilight. The pony hiding in the darkness stepped into the corridor watching the Royal Ponies flames disappear into the distance.