Chapter 4- Tree's a Crowd
“Um, Twilight, do you have a moment?” The sweet, springtime serenade that was the voice of a lemon yellow Pegasus pony chirped like a songbird into the still air of Headmare Twilight Sparkle’s office.
Fluttershy trained her gaze upon the face of her friend, carefully taking in the details of the alicorn Princess’ features through wide and beautiful blue eyes that would make the fiercest dragons drop their guard.
With her temporarily misplaced itinerary clasped tightly beneath a perfectly preened wing, thanks to the assistance of Starlight Glimmer, Twilight felt that she could breathe just a little bit easier, even though she was already late in getting to her class. Her chest heaved as she drew a steady breath into her lungs, counted to ten, and then released the breath in a quiet sigh. “Of course, Fluttershy!” she smiled. “What can I do for you?”
“Someone’s here to see you.” she answered quickly, preferring not to beat around the bush when she could sense that Twilight’s time was precious. Straightening her posture from her slightly crouched position that expressed submission, the golden mare took a measured baby step into the room. Practically following on the animal caretaker’s hooves was a pristine white mare with an impeccably groomed coat and mane tied into a sleek and professional bun.
“Good day, Princess Sparkle.” Celestia’s most trusted aide, Raven Inkwell spoke in a respectful tone. As if automatically, she prostrated herself before the elected official who held office as the Princess of Friendship, by Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia’s choosing. “I hope my unscheduled visit isn’t a hindrance to your busy schedule, but I was sent on behalf of Princess Celestia to assist you in your preparations regarding the Unity Conference.”
Extending a hoof, the lavender pony Princess nodded in understanding. “Please,” she urged, always feeling uncomfortable when ponies put her unnecessarily onto a pedestal and addressed her in flowery formality. “You can just call me Twilight.” she insisted, hoping that the Canterlot bred equine would take the hint. She flashed her teeth in a wide smile that spoke volumes of her discomfort. “I appreciate your visit-” Her eyes immediately darted to the day planner that sat atop her desk to see if she had somehow missed where she had scribbled what she had assumed to be a scheduled appointment later in the week that would warrant an impromptu arrival today, but there was no evidence of such a reminder anywhere on the open and organized pages. “It’s quite the surprise.” she admitted, beginning to frantically restructure her thoughts and mentally reorganize what plans she had set for the day.
“Tell ya what,” Starlight hummed, as she invoked a spell without much thought. Sparks of her signature turquoise magic spiraled around her horn and manifested into a constant aura, allowing her to encase the documents from the Princess’ person and levitate them into the air just above Twilight’s head. “Why don’t you let me take over your classes and you can be free to accommodate your guest?” she suggested, though her actions gave Twilight no say in the matter. “I can handle it.” she added with an air of confidence, hoping to reassure her before even a single word in protest had been spoken.
From behind sleek, black frames, Raven’s chocolate brown eyes glanced to the unicorn, studying her intently, as if she were an enigma to be solved. Having been born and bred in the hierarchical society of the Unicorn race, and groomed as a mere lowly servant to the nobles, she couldn’t begin to fathom just how absurdly out of place this upstart unicorn was being in the presence of the Princess. To so brazenly speak out of turn and also procure an item from them without permission was inconceivable! But even so, she kept her mouth shut and tongue bridled, as she had been trained to. Far be it for her to express thought in the presence of a pony who held higher rank without it being granted to her. Ever so slightly, her eyes widened as she threw a glance back to Twilight. Surely, since her family was that of the upper echelon within the capital, only granted to the family after Celestia had hoof-picked Twilight to be her personally trained pupil, she couldn’t have been ignorant of the hierarchical requirements and etiquette set in place by hundreds of years of established tradition. She had to be aware of the blatant act of disrespect that the lesser-ranked pony had just unjustifiably committed in her presence! Raven’s lips twitched, as if she wanted to speak her mind, but the thought quickly passed. She had to remind herself that this wasn’t Canterlot- it was Ponyville, and what had been long since established and understood within the proud and prestigious capital city simply did not apply within the rural and humble hub of the converged Unicorn, Pegasi and Earth pony races. More importantly, she noted, Twilight had always strove to follow in her mentor’s hoofsteps, to imitate the beloved guardian of the sun in every way; and that meant extending mercy and forgiveness at every opportunity. Idly, Raven wondered what it must’ve been like for the young mare to perpetually remain in the shadow of the sun. Was it warm and welcoming, or cold and lonely, as it had been for Celestia’s younger sibling, Luna? Seeing as how such thoughts would prove of no benefit to the situation at hoof, she quickly shifted her train of thought back on the appropriate track.
Rather than catching sight of Raven’s solemn stare, Twilight gave her full attention to Starlight, addressing her with an appreciative smile and level tone. “Thanks, Starlight. I trust my class will be in good hooves with you handling it.” she affirmed; actually pouring out a lavish amount of commendation upon the transgressor, rather than prompt and strict reprimand. It was only then that she allowed her gaze to turn to the silent and statuesque aide that had been sent by Celestia. “So,” she chirped in an unusually high tone that deviated from her normal range when in the casual presence of friends. “Where would you like to begin?”
Raven patiently waited until the unicorn and the yellow pegasus that had remained quietly at the threshold of the door, as if having expertly masking her very presence while intently observing the conversation found their way out. An eyebrow arched as the aide studied the Princess and contemplated what options that lay available to her. “Perhaps,” she mulled, unable to fathom the reality of being granted permission to take the reigns in deciding a Princess’ schedule. Though she much rather it had been a dream, the brown-maned mare was hyper aware of her situation being all too real. “We can begin with an explanation of the menu that I presume the pink pony was put in charge of being your head chef is preparing for the creatures who will be in attendance, tonight. Pancakes, while impressive the quantity that she has available, is a most intriguing entree.”
Pancakes?! She was certain that she had confirmed that Pinkie had made restaurant reservations for the leaders of Equestria’s ally nations after the briefing at the school! Twilight shrugged a shoulder as she stifled an amused chuckle. Though knowing Pinkie as a close friend for many years, she had still yet to even remotely grasp the playful patissiere’s behavior and mindset. How much more difficult, she figured, would it be for those in the Canterlot class of unicorns who had the privilege of being privy to rules, structures, and explained sciences about every iota of their magical world that stemmed from the greatest and prestigious scholars like Starswirl, to have it all amount to nothing in the face of Pinkie Pie’s own logic and masterful manipulation of their perceived reality? “Eh.” was the only answer that Twilight could give. Her mind drew back to the time when she had attempted to study the oddball equine and her unexplained quirks that Pinkie herself had aptly named as “Pinkie sense” through the sciences that she had been raised upon, in hopes of getting answers and explain the enigmatic equine, but to no avail. She had since accepted the belief that it was just Pinkie being Pinkie, and that was all there was to it.
“I think the dinner for tonight is covered. But since you’re here,” she hummed, hoping to change the subject matter. The last thing she needed was an even bigger headache than what she had woken up with this morning, and would much rather avoid having to recall. Twilight’s mind raced to conjure up some aspect of the Parent Professor Meet and Greet that needed assistance in being organized. She had been planning this event for weeks and had asked for the assistance of her friends long in advance, to ensure that everything from A to Z would run like clockwork. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had been assigned the task of personally notifying and gathering the group of creatures, Pinkie was tasked with feeding them, and Fluttershy would be handling the music for the event, as she had for the meeting of Ponyville’s Summer Sun Celebration, when the town had been chosen to host it. Much as Rarity had despaired of not being able to handle the decorations, she had just stepped hoof in Neighpon on the day that she had been notified, and left her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, in charge. There really wasn’t anything for Raven to assist with, especially on the day of. Why would Celestia be sending her over now, or even at all?
Raven’s lips twitched, stretching into a smile as she could practically see the gears turning in Twilight’s mind.
“What’s so funny?” The purple alicorn inquired, her train of thought coming to a screeching halt. Her muzzle wrinkled slightly in confusion as she observed the smile that painted Raven Inkwell’s face.
Now that her bait had been taken, and a question was raised by the royal that allowed her permission to share her thoughts, Raven expertly and immediately took stock of the items around Twilight’s office to lead the conversation in her favor. “Oh! I was just admiring that beautiful rose there on your desk.” she hummed in appreciation. A hoof pushed her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose, before she walked past Twilight to take a leisurely sniff at the fragrant flower.
Twilight’s ears perked up and she too found herself smiling. “That’s actually my mother’s favorite flower.” she admitted, sheepishly. “I don’t get to see her in Canterlot much with all of….this.” Her hoof swung out, gesturing to her office space and the castle of friendship that could be seen from outside her window. “So I keep it on my desk as a reminder of her, and as a reminder for me so that I never allow myself to let her down.” she confessed. A light twinge of pink burned at her cheeks and painted the fur at her face a slight rosy hue. With Starlight Glimmer handling her morning classes, Twilight realized that her schedule, at least until the afternoon, was wide open! “Would you like a tour of the gardens where these grow?”
“I’d love to.”
Once out among the flora of the school’s gardens, though they paled in comparison to her private gardens that the mystical Tree of Harmony had decided to bestow to her on the grounds of her instant castle, Twilight allowed herself a moment to stand in a particularly cozy sunbeam and stretch. Her royal purple wings flexed, being stretched to their full span. Startled by the lack of warning, Raven, who had been flanking the Princess, had to take a half step back to avoid being smacked square in the face with the preened appendage. Twilight’s neck craned, back arching and hooves splayed out in what resembled a yoga pose. Several soft popping sounds arose from her stiff joints, which came as a result of lack of exercise, due in part to being holed up in either her library or in the school of friendship, having to teach young pony and creature minds. Heaven knew the last time the Tree of Harmony’s map called her on a friendship mission.
Raven’s hoof pawed the grass idly as she waited, allowing the royal as much time as needed to unceremoniously splay herself this way and that. She attempted to imagine the regal Princess of the Sun, who she more often aided, performing such a display in anything but her royal private chambers, but even then, such a fantasy could not be conjured to mind.
“Ooh.” Twilight practically purred, as she stretched in a particular way that elongated her spine, and rolled her shoulders. “It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve been outdoors.” she took in hearty lungfuls of chlorophyll-filled air that was teeming with life among the blooms, and seemed to make her very cells stir with borrowed vitality! After a fitful night’s sleep, she certainly wouldn’t complain. “I hope you don’t mind if we go for a trot.” she smirked, picking up her hooves and prancing in place.
Raven mirrored the expression. This Princess was indeed, the unorthodox one, she noted, the longer she remained in her presence. It was refreshing, to say the least. She couldn’t count how many hours of her time had been invested into flanking the elder royals at the pace of a foal’s first shaky steps. “I don’t mind at all.” she spoke, accepting the challenge.
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Spike’s claws twitched as they pressed into clods of damp soil that clung persistently to the soles of his scaly feet. His nostrils flared as the air hung thick with ancient auras of magic so dense that he could taste it upon his tongue. He could hear the hollow and horrible howls of the resident Timberwolves that marked out their territory and threatened any curious creature who dare get too close to the Livewood. Further, still, if he strained just enough, he could just barely make out the sounds of what seemed to be frenzied drumming, and he momentarily had to wonder what in Equestria the forest’s resident zebra was up to. The drumming, however, was all too quickly overpowered by rumbling thunder that announced its presence like clashing cymbals. Overhead, a crackling bolt of lightning pierced the sky like a javelin, lightning up the spooky forest as if it were the middle of the day, and redirecting his focus. Spike didn’t even flinch, though he could feel the powerful energy surging through the air and sizzling at his scales. A brilliant gaze that rivaled that of the purest emeralds focused on the towering structure that stood illuminated in an instant through the murky darkness before him; impressive, immovable- the Tree of Harmony.
“Ok, you got me here,” the dragon frowned, as if he was being inconvenienced. “Now tell me what you want.” he demanded, though before the great tree, he knew he was in of no position to be making them and adopting such a tone. Even so, he had been dragged through the forest with no explanation whatsoever, and he had to fight the urge to bare his glistening white fangs in feral agitation and dragon dominance.
From atop the highest branch of the twisted tree, a pair of black pearls gazed down at the diminutive dragon, merely watching and waiting. A sleek, black raven studied the scaled specimen, its head turning sideways for a moment before righting itself, as if it couldn’t decide on what it wanted to do. Instead, it soon lost interest in the reptile and stared solemnly out into the distance.
“Oh, come on!” Spike growled, wanting to rake his claws over his face and childishly stomp his foot into the ground, if only to let off some of the bubbling vexation that was brewing within his belly like one of Zecora’s mysterious cauldron concoctions. “Work with me here, will you?”
“Darling,” the sweet and familiar siren song that Spike knew anywhere beckoned from behind him. “Who are you talking to?” she innocently inquired.
The disgruntled drake turned on his heel, ready to give Rarity an answer, but the words died upon his tongue before they could even be uttered. Rather than coming face to face with the pristine white unicorn who he had developed a crush on, he found himself taken aback by the sight of her with himself standing right beside her!
“I was….what?” he babbled, his mind failing to process what was going on. How could there be two of him?!
Rarity ‘tsk’’ed, clicking her tongue and advanced a few paces toward him. “Twilight, dear, you’ve been muttering to yourself for some time now.” she explained, her lovely face now looking concerned, yet compassionate.
“What?!” Spike yelped, glancing down as a sickening wave of panic began to overtake him. His familiar purple claws had morphed into stubby lavender hooves! His heart plunged deep into the pit of his stomach as he could hear the frantic yelp that had been ripped out of his mouth was not that of his own, rather, a higher-pitched, girlier one that he had heard many times before when Twilight was in the midst of panic mode. Or, rather and more appropriately, some repressed sarcastic side of him laughed dryly, himself. His hooves gripped tightly at strands of plum and streaked magenta mane and pulled until tears were brought to the corners of his eyes. “Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!”