//------------------------------// // Manehattan // Story: Little Choices // by Skijarama //------------------------------// Rarity was… excited. Her delighted squeals had died down maybe a minute ago, but she was still swooning and crooning and ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing.’ Manehattan had become visible maybe ten minutes ago and, as they drew closer, Rarity’s untold jubilation grew by several orders of magnitude per second. Frankly, Rainbow Dash was getting a little sick of the fashionista’s crowing. They were on a serious mission here! She shot the pearly unicorn a sour look. “Rarity, we know you’re excited to be in Manehattan, but can you please contain your excitement for now? Please? I can’t hear myself think.” she asked in a deadpan. Rarity swiftly covered her mouth with her hooves and shrunk away from the view out her window, a blush coming to her cheeks. “Oh… ahem, pardon me. Was all of that out loud?” Applejack’s own expression dried up. “...ya kiddin?” Rarity’s blush deepened significantly. “Well, It is a very lovely looking city,” Fluttershy said quietly from Rarity’s side, leaning past her to peer at the enormous skyscrapers that were looming closer and closer as the train sped along. “But, um, it’s also really, really big…” “The biggest!” Pinkie Pie chimed in, cartwheeling down the aisle until she was right next to Fluttershy. “I mean, just LOOK at that! Just one of those tall buildings could house an entire city block’s worth of ponies from Canterlot! Think of the parties they must throw there! They’d be PACKED!” Twilight chuckled slightly. “No doubt. But there’s something I think we should go over before we’re at the station,” she said, drawing everypony’s attention. She got up and cleared her throat. “Ahem. As you all remember, we are coming here to ensure that Starlight Glimmer doesn’t have any plans to go back in time. Now, as things rest, we have her address and could very easily just walk in and ask her about this, but that wouldn’t go over very well if she has no plans or knowledge of time travel.” “Not to mention that bringing it up out of nowhere may spark an interest in her if none exists already,” Rarity pointed out, the gravity of the situation briefly overwriting her giddy freakout over being in Manehattan. “We’ll need to handle this with tact, care, and subtlety.” “Thank you, Rarity. Now, as it is, we’ve already done our best to mitigate any disturbances to the area with Rainbow’s Disguised mane- good thinking, by the way,” Twilight continued before smiling at Rainbow, who beamed at the praise. “But we don’t want to cause any disturbances after our arrival by being too upfront about what we’re doing or why.” “So we need a cover story?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow. “That’s what I was thinking. We’ll also need a cover name for Rainbow Dash until we leave.” Twilight nodded along before turning to her cyan friend. Rainbow blinked and tapped a hoof to her chin, racking her brain for ideas. “Uh… code name… I didn’t think of that.” “What about Party Pop?” Pinkie suggested with a grin. “Your new mane color is so bright and you’re so fast! Like a surprise party waiting to be sprung on an unsuspecting birthday pony! Rainbow shook her head. “Uh, no. If we needed a nickname for you, I’d say go for it, but we’re looking for a name for me. And, no offense, Party Pop sounds too much like the start of Party Pooper. And it’s just not awesome enough.” “Purple Apple?” Applejack suggested with a shrug. “...It’s the best ah got.” Rainbow snorted. “AJ, I like you and all, but I’m not an apple. I don’t wanna pretend we’re relatives or something while we’re here.” Applejack conceded the point with a shrug. Rarity chimed in with “Oh! I’ve got it! Empyrean Firmament! You-” “PASS,” Rainbow said quickly before looking around at everypony else. “Something that’s easier to pronounce, eh?” Fluttershy shifted forward a bit. “Um… your mane is kind of a lilac color right now, so… maybe Lilac could be in there somewhere?” she offered timidly before looking away. “I mean, if that’s okay, that is. You don’t have to if you don’t like it.” Rainbow leaned back a bit, puffing out a breath and making one of the longest of her bangs waver a bit. “Maybe… Twilight, what do you got?” Twilight gave a warm grin. “Rainbow, you’re able to make almost anything you do have some style and flare to it when you really want to. So…” she leaned forward. “How about Lilac Bolt?” Rainbow’s eyes widened for a few seconds before a cocky grin spread across her face. “Heh… I like it. Lilac Bolt it is, then.” Applejack smiled as well and gave a nod. “Ah like it, too. Suits ya, RD,” she then chuckled and winked. “Or, ah guess it’s ‘Lilac Bolt’ fer now, huh?” Rainbow smirked, rather liking her new nickname (even if it was only because of the bolt part.) and leaned back in her seat. “Not as inspired as I think you deserve, but we are undercover,” Rarity pouted slightly before clearing her throat and shifting her attention back to Twilight. “Now, what about our cover story? I doubt we’re all changing our names, are we?” “I doubt it. We toppled Nightmare Moon and Discord, yes, but in all fairness, those events were pretty contained to the Ponyville and Canterlot areas. We’re household names there, but in a big and always-busy city like Manehattan? I imagine we’re not as well known. But we do still need some kind of cover story. Something mundane and believable.” Pinkie Pie began tapping her chin with an exaggerated hum. “Well… we could say that we’re here doing early birthday shopping for Rainbow Dash if anypony asks.” Twilight blinked, then looked over at Rainbow with a small smile. “That actually works pretty well, I think.” “Er, how come?” Rainbow inquired, sitting up a bit. Her freshly dyed mane briefly swayed a bit from the movement, allowing her to catch sight of it. She made an ‘o’ with her mouth as realization struck her. Applejack smirked broadly. “‘Cause we ain’t here with Rainbow Dash. Far as anypony here knows, yer back in Ponyville or Canterlot, doin’ Princessy things.” she said, gesturing vaguely back in the direction of Ponyville and Canterlot. “And we’re here with our friend, Lilac Bolt, a pony who wants to get into Rainbow’s circle of friends by getting her a birthday present.” Twilight continued with bright eyes, nudging Rainbow in the side with her elbow. Pinkie suddenly went rigid and gasped quite loudly. Everypony looked at her with swiftly mounting worry. “Wait! That means Rainbow Dash can buy herself a birthday present this year!” she exclaimed with an enormous grin. Everypony’s looks of concern or surprise shifting into looks of bewilderment and amusement. “Uh, Pinkie dear, this is only our cover story.” Rarity said slowly, rising from her seat and moving slowly towards the excitable pink ball of party pony. Pinkie slowly turned to look slyly into Rarity’s eyes, beaming like the sun itself on a very clear day. “A cover story only works if it’s believable~” she sing-songed before bouncing in place a few times, squealing like a hyperactive school filly on sugar. “Early birthday shopping for Dashie, and saving time itself from a mysterious unicorn! This is so exciting!” “What’s exciting?” Spike asked from a few seats farther ahead while lifting his head up over the edge of his seat backrest. He blinked drowsily before giving a large and very uncovered yawn. “Spike, cover your mouth!” Twilight scolded gently, frowning slightly when she got an all-too detailed look at the inside of a baby-dragon’s mouth. Pinkie cut in before that topic could go any further, shooting over to Spike and practically vibrating. “Oh, did we wake you? Sorry, Spike. But we’re almost at Manehattan and we just came up with our cover story for why we’re here and it’s just so exciting because Rainbow Dash gets to buy herself a birthday present to keep our cover story intact! Also, she’s called Lilac Bolt for the rest of this trip so don’t call her Dashie or Rainbow Dash or Rainbow or Dash or-” “PINKIE!” Spike said sharply, putting a claw to Pinkie’s lips, silencing her. “Do you remember this thing called breathing?” Pinkie nodded quickly. “Uh-huh!” “Think you can do that for a minute or five?” “Sure!” Pinkie stepped back, knowing the hint and taking it. Spike then turned his attention back to the rest of the train. “Okay, now would somepony like to repeat that to me in modern ponish and not, uh…” he looked sideways at Pinkie, who waved. “...Caffeinated gerbil-speak?” The others burst into a fit of hysterical giggles. Princess Celestia gave a well-concealed sigh as another sheet of parchment was signed and, as a result, another case dealt with for court. She looked down to her personal assistant Raven Inkwell. “Are there any other pressing petitioners still on the docket?” Raven’s horn lit up with bright brown magic, lifting a stack of parchment sheets up to her eyes. “Let’s see… nope, the rest are of minor significance. Small personal disputes and whatnot, nothing major.” she said with a cheerful smile. Celestia visibly relaxed a bit. “Well, that’s certainly a relief. Put out the notice that court is having a fifteen-minute recess. I need to recharge my mind a bit before we resume.” she commanded simply before rising from her seat and stretching a bit. “Of course, your majesty.” Raven bowed respectfully before trotting up to the large double doors separating the throne room from the hall and waiting areas beyond. She did briefly glance over her shoulder to the solar Princess with a flicker of worry in her eyes. Celestia was still tired from Discord’s joyride, of that there was no doubt. The white unicorn mare had been Celestia’s personal aide long enough to know when she wasn’t at peak capacity. The fact that the Princess called for a break in between petitions was itself a telling sign of the Princess’s exasperation and exhaustion. They were still mopping up after that mad spirit’s antics, after all, and more reports of leftover abnormalities constantly demanded her attention. Still, the notice was put out to the waiting petitioners. Some were annoyed by the delay, others were more understanding, but all were clearly unhappy that they were still to wait. Raven sighed slightly before returning to the throne room. She looked up and looked at Celestia, who was currently leaning back somewhat more leisurely, trying to work some tension out of her shoulders. “With all due respect your highness, you’re not looking up to your normal par. Perhaps we should delay the remainder of these petitions until tomorrow morning when you are better rested?” Celestia smiled softly at her assistant’s concern. “I appreciate the suggestion, Raven, but I have a duty to my little ponies. I have been through stress far greater than this and never once did I shy away from this, the most simple of my duties,” she answered before grunting when a stiff muscle came loose, letting her back relax somewhat. “Of course, your majesty… I’ve just never seen you quite so… agitated… before.” Raven said while returning to her place on the smooth floor beside the throne. Celestia hummed in amusement. “Well, you didn’t see me in the months leading up to the Summer Sun Celebration last year,” she commented before opening her eyes. Movement caught her attention, and her eyes flicked to one of the hanging banners bordering the double doors of the room, only to find nothing there. For a moment, she gazed intently at that spot before shaking her head and leaning back again. “I did not. Perhaps you could tell me about it sometime, your highness.” Raven asked hopefully. Celestia smiled that motherly smile she gave all of her beloved subjects. “Perhaps, Raven… Perhaps."