The search for Rarity concentrated on Manehattan. With no surname and little to go on, this would be the hardest challenge yet. The unfortunate word ‘prissy’ had stuck, and some of the agents having been briefed on her characteristics had christened her the PWU (Prissy White Unicorn), but none would dare utter this in the presence of Princess Luna.
Most searches focused on the types of activities that somepony would do if they were not very practical and a little vain, but nothing turned up. The unicorn who had first tracked down AJ recalled their train journey together and racked his brains for something that may give another clue to her whereabouts. She had said something about a younger sister, hadn’t she? Revelation dawning, it suddenly crossed his mind that the younger sister may not be old enough yet to serve The Cause, so could be free to indulge herself while her sister worked. What was it she had said? – she was good at singing!
He rifled through lists of local businesses and looked up Stage Schools in the Manehattan area; it had to be worth a try. Pulling together a list of those that remained open, he grabbed a well-worn map and marked red ink rings around the locations of the theatres and set off to find not Rarity, but Sweetie Belle.
The day had dawned wet, the weather less predictable than it had once been because so many weather ponies had been drafted into front line airborne attack units. At every theatre he entered, he lingered to stay out of the rain a little longer, following up on any strand of information that came his way.
The stage schools still in business were run on a voluntary basis by retired actors and performers who were unable to contribute to The Cause in any other way, so provided unpaid foalcare for parents too busy to look after their foals while they worked. The only entry requirement was that the fillies and colts had to display both a stage talent and the will to succeed.
In one theatre that had clearly once been grand but was now starting to tarnish with benign neglect, he had been waiting around to avoid going back into the rain when he had struck up conversation with an old crooner. During the course of the retired performer’s reminiscences, he mentioned that in a recent competition, a young filly similar to the description had performed an astonishingly competent solo. Some rummaging around later and the veteran singer dug out the leaflet that had advertised the event, but it was sadly scarce on detail; one thing catching his eye was the date – almost a year ago.
Returning to his map, he drew concentric rings around the theatre he was at and noted that there was only nearby that he hadn’t yet visited. With his sense of expectancy rising, he paused only to check his bearings, then left the theatre with renewed enthusiasm barely cognisant of the rain falling on him; he had a lead!
A few blocks away his energy had depleted and his awareness of the bitter sting of the rain had returned, but it couldn’t be helped; the net was closing and he knew it.
He shook himself as he ascended the marble steps into the next theatre, another faded masterpiece honouring performers of bygone generations. It smelled a little musty with lack of use, the large audiences it had been built to welcome having faded into the mists of time. An elderly unicorn peered at her visitor kindly over horn rimmed spectacles on a chain around her neck.
“How may I help you, Sir?” she enquired, her disarming politeness overwhelming him momentarily.
“Thank you Ma’am” he started “I have been sent to enquire after a talented young filly, a singer by the name of Sweetie Belle. Have you heard of her by any chance?”
She looked at him and a smile broke out over her face. He didn’t know what was coming, but he hoped, no he prayed that it would be good.
“What is your interest?” she asked and he sensed a matronly protectiveness kicking in. He withdrew the Royal Warrant and handed it to her in his magic. She read it and he took it back, placing it carefully back in its protective envelope.
The elderly mare turned and beckoned him with a coquettish wink that belied her years. She set off up some elegantly carpeted stairs that led to the back of a large auditorium, silently pushing the doors open and standing to one side holding the door for him to enter. He edged forward, anticipation rising within him and looked down onto the stage hardly daring to believe what he may see.
A performance was underway and a small audience was being treated to a song and dance number with half a dozen fillies and colts dancing a complex piece of synchronised choreography behind a filly who was belting out a catchy song with supreme self-confidence. She had a white coat, and although her mane was obscured by her costume, her tail was pink and purple!
“Good, isn’t she” whispered the elderly mare.
“You have no idea” he replied in a similarly hushed tone.
The two of them watched the rest of the performance together in respectful silence, both taking a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in a precious moment of shared pleasure.
As the performance came to an end, the small audience applauded loudly and the two spectators at the back joined in. As the well-deserved applause died down, he turned to the mare:
“Was her sister here to see the performance?”
“Rarity?” she enquired.
His heart skipped a beat.
“Yes.” He could say no more as realisation rose up from inside him and strangled any further interaction between his brain and his mouth.
She gestured with her eyes towards one of the adult unicorns filtering along the rows of seats to the exit. He stammered over an expression of thanks that was at best incoherent, and made his way quickly to intercept her. As he cut through the auditorium, the elderly mare’s eyes sparkled and she gave a knowing smile.
He caught up with the white unicorn who was wearing utilitarian purple overalls and a purple bow in her mane and spoke in a reverent tone:
“Would you be Miss Rarity?” he enquired, his heart in his throat.
“Why yes” she replied “How can I help you? Only please make it quick because I should be back at work sewing overalls.”
He withdrew his Royal Warrant again and passed it to her in his magic. She read it and gasped:
“Surely there must be some mistake. I am a humble factory worker; it’s my sister who has the talent.”
“There is no mistake” he replied taking back the warrant “You are required as a matter of utmost urgency to report to Princess Luna at the Royal Castle in Canterlot. Your employer will be informed and all your affairs put straight. This really is of the utmost importance.”
“Canterlot, you say” she commented “I used to dream of going to Canterlot to meet Royalty.”
“Well, it’s happened” he confirmed “Please come with me.”
“I must bring Sweetie Belle” Rarity said.
“I expect we can catch her in the dressing room if we hurry.”
The two unicorns made their way backstage and Rarity went in to congratulate her sister on her performance.
“Thanks big sis” said Sweetie Belle “But I kinda wasn’t expecting to see you till tonight. Don’t you have to be back at the factory?”
“No, we’re going to Canterlot instead” said Rarity.
“What, really?” she squeaked in excitement.
“Yes, your sister’s right” he said “You two are both going by personal invitation from the Princess.”
Sweetie Belle’s green eyes grew wide with anticipation, then she broke into an impromptu burst of song.
Having checked in with the search organisers to tell them he had located the last pony required by the Princesses, the party of unicorns embarked on the next train to Canterlot.
“You know, it’s funny” said the agent looking at the white mare, still in her purple overalls “I was on a train a week or so back with a delightful earth pony named Applejack who told me about you.”
“Nothing bad I hope” Rarity quipped “Hmmm, Applejack, Applejack – oh yes, I remember. Years ago.”
“I think she regretted not having been more closely acquainted with you when you knew each other back then” he replied.
“That was all before the return of the Crystal Empire and that wretched King Sombra” she pouted “Celestia only knows where we could have been otherwise.”
“Quite so” he responded enigmatically. He felt guilty that he had been the one to add the PWU tag into the description of this kind and hardworking mare. She behaved like a conscientious mother figure, who selflessly gave her little sister everything she could ask for, whilst working hard in a clothes factory, doing everything she could for The Cause. The more he engaged in conversation with her, the more he felt drawn to her loving and generous nature; secretly hoping that the journey would last longer than it needed to.
Word had reached the Royal Castle that the final bearer had been found and Luna waited anxiously for her to arrive, the wait paralysing in its intensity. She was the last piece in the jigsaw, and if the news from her sister was to be believed, possibly the last chance for Equestria.
A contingent of pegasi from the Royal Guard had flown to intercept the train carrying Rarity from Manehattan and had shadowed its progress from above; Luna had not wanted to take any chances at this late stage. Further guards had gone to the station and provided an escort for the unicorns to the Royal Castle. Once the agent had made the formal introductions and Rarity recovered from her knees turning to jelly, he retired to allow his Princess to proceed with the urgent matter in hand. This was not the only VIP arrival scheduled for today.
Sweetie Belle pranced with excitement at being shown around the castle and was introduced to some of the Court’s colts and fillies as a distraction, while Rarity was led away to a room containing five other young mares. When she entered, she saw a cyan coloured pegasus rolling around, crying with laughter and banging her forehoof on a table as a pink earth pony continued her impressions of famous Wonderbolts, while on the other side of the room three other ponies were still sorting out where they fitted in. All conversations stopped and everypony rose at the same as soon as Luna walked in, although Twilight had to be given a gentle kick as she was immersed in a book.
The newest arrival was briefly introduced to the group, but then all present suddenly became aware that instead of leaving them alone to socialise, this time Princess Luna was staying with them. Heady expectancy drifted in the air as they all realised that the reason they had been summoned was about to be explained.
The six young mares all remained standing out of respect while Luna eyed them from the front like a school teacher, the sheer dominance of her regality demanding their attention.
“Prithee takest thine seats together at the front” she requested and they all complied, moving as one into a compact group as requested.
Next, there was a knock at the door and Luna’s secretary entered. A barely perceptible nod was exchanged between the two and next thing, a stream of muscular pegasi filed in, taking places behind the young mares. Rainbow Dash was in her element, identifying the respective units from which these fighters had been drawn. Then she stared in incredulity to see that a cohort of Bat Ponies was also coming in; these guys were awesome!
Once all were settled, Princess Celestia herself came in, the six mares in the front row all being stunned into silence. With a nod of approval from Luna, Celestia spoke.
“Mares and Gentlecolts, thank you for joining my Sister and me today. It is not a well-kept secret that the war with Sombra is not going well. He has developed a means of mind control and equips his army with special helmets that force the wearers to do his bidding. That means they fight without question, without fear and without rest, only stopping when they are dead. Against such opposition, even our best fighting units are hard pressed to hold ground, and making progress is all but impossible.”
“Now; a brief history lesson. A thousand years ago, King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire and enslaved the Crystal Ponies. He was a tyrannical ruler with a heart as black as night and under him the once glorious Crystal Empire was turned into a dark land, devoid of love and hope. Princess Luna and I challenged him and we prevailed, turning him to shadow and imprisoning him in the ice of the arctic north. Sadly we were not quick enough and he cast a curse on the Crystal Empire that caused it to disappear completely.”
“A few years ago it reappeared and I despatched my niece Princess Cadence and Captain of the Royal Guard Shining Armor to reclaim the territory and banish him once more, but they never returned and we must assume them to be missing in action.”
“Princess Luna and I have tried to tackle him once more with our magic, but he has now grown too strong and we cannot beat him in magical combat.”
“One last hope remains, and that is to resurrect the Elements of Harmony. These ancient and powerful stones were used by Princess Luna and myself to turn a powerful draconequus into stone, so we know their power. When they were last used, it was by me alone against an evil that had overcome my dear Sister, and as such neither of us can wield this power again.”
“Princess Luna has tapped into an alternate universe, what she believes to be the dominant timeline, in which the Elements of Harmony are wielded successfully by six young mares. Those six mares are represented in this timeline by the six of you in the front row, and Princess Luna believes that you and you alone will be able to harness the same power to defeat King Sombra. We have no other options.”
All the mares stared open-mouthed at this last statement and Fluttershy let out a muffled “Eeeep!”
“The Elements of Harmony lie within the ruins of the old Castle of The Two Sisters, deep in the Everfree Forest, and that is where we must go if we are to succeed. We believe that King Sombra has got wind that we are about to try something and he can be expected to make our lives as difficult as possible, which could include sending forces to stop us.”
“You pegasi and Bat Ponies have been chosen because you are the best and most trusted combat flyers in Equestria. We do not know what King Sombra may try to stop us, but we need to be prepared to fight in either light or darkness which is why we have called for two dozen of the best hoof picked pegasi and Bat Ponies. This mission could be dangerous; if King Sombra realises the stakes, then he will be brutal in stopping us. If anypony wants to step down, they may do so now and they will suffer no bad report or loss of status, but all those who stay must be aware of the risks they run. This mission is strictly for volunteers only.”
As expected, nopony moved.
“Princess Luna and I will need all of our alicorn power for the magic to work and as such I will lower the sun this evening but not allow it to set, and the moon will begin its ascent but go no further. This will allow Princess Luna and me to conserve our magical energy and provide an environment in which both pegasi and Bat Ponies will be effective.”
“As the sun will be low, the Royal Ophthalmologist has devised some protective optical wear to protect the sensitive eyes of the Bat Ponies.” With this, she produced a cardboard box and withdrew a pair of Ray-Bans to a murmur of approval from the Bat Ponies.
“Whoa, cool and cooler!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, although there were some unhappy murmurs among the pegasi.
“Finally, I will be in charge of the flight and Princess Luna will be in charge from when we land, including all the magical aspects. Any questions?”
A pegasus from the Royal Guard stood.
“Yes?” enquired Celestia.
“Errm, Ma’am” he started “As the sun will be low, can we have some ‘protective optical wear’ too please?”
At this, Celestia brought out another cardboard box and just smiled.
“Thank you Ma’am” he said to appreciative murmurs from the other pegasi.
“Take off in one hour. No, repeat no communication with anypony about any aspect of this mission.”
With this, they were all dismissed.
The young mares were apprehensive, especially Fluttershy who looked like she could wither on the spot. Rainbow Dash on the other hoof just responded with one word “Sweet!”