Color smiled across the table. "Glad you could make it."
Grey Beard nodded softly. "Anything for a fan." He smiled gently in return. "You ever consider joining the guard? It has a lot to offer."
Color waved a hoof gently. "I'm more of an artist... Actually, that's what I called you for."
"Hm?" He raised a shaggy brow, seeming curious. "You running out of inspiration?"
"No, quite the opposite." His horn glowed as he drew the painting free of its covering, holding it up on the table. "You're very inspiring, Sir."
Grey Beard was suddenly on his hooves. "That's me! Wait... Yes... You painted me? That's... flattering." He was starting to blush, glancing around. "You're too kind to an old servicestallion. This must have taken you forever..." He reached out a hoof for it, casually touching it head on in a manner no pony really should to a painting. "You have a real talent!"
Color dared to have hope. "I'd be honored if you had it. Consider it a thank you for allowing me to chat with you in the first place." He gestured a hoof grandly at it. "You deserve it."
"Oh, my great-grand nephew," he mumbled, focusing on one of the smaller ponies in the picture. "Good boy... Oh, and there's Captain Steel Gaze, tough one that stallion... This is lovely! It's... like a... I'm no good at this, but this is. This is good."
"You like it?"
"I would never have asked you to make it." He crossed his arms. "But you already did... It's very nice. I know exactly where it should be." His horn glowed, gently hefting the painting, though it fell a moment later. "That's heavier than it looks."
It wasn't that heavy, but Grey Beard was an old pony. Color couldn't feel angry about it. He carefully lifted it back up. "I'll carry it to where you want it."
"Just wait here." He began walking away. "I'll be right back."
Color waited patiently, sipping from his glass of fruity refreshment. He had expected Grey Beard to come back with perhaps a cart or something.
What he got was three guards. They casually lifted the painting up, though it surely only needed one of them to do so, it was held in all their magics at once. Grey Beard nodded appreciatively. "To the castle." And off they went together, leaving Color behind, blinking softly.
To the castle?
Libel was on the phone. "Bottom, look, I have an idea. Listen to it, and tell me what might work, and what might not."
"Go ahead." She sounded a little tired.
"Did I catch you at a bad time?"
"No, no... It's just, this whole thing. Go ahead, please."
Libel nodded lightly into the phone. "Right. If the choice is move or be fired, we resign. I don't want to go to Baltimare."
"Me neither," spoke Bottom quietly. "But what will we do then? Libel... I'm not from rich ponies. I don't have a lot of savings."
"That's not the problem. You're working for me now, you will then, if you want to continue the position."
"Thank you." The statement was too quiet for Libel's comfort.
"So, the idea; I write. You know, books, actual books. I write them, you help market and distribute them, and we both make money." She tapped a hoof lightly. "Tell me how that sounds."
"It sounds like you've been listening to Color."
She smirked wryly at the phone. "You're just as sharp as ever, but that isn't a real answer. Tell me how it can work, or may not. Tell me it's a good or bad idea."
"You should have him do the covers."
Libel lifted an ear at that. "Not a bad idea."
"What kind of book? You don't strike me as the fanciful fantasy writer."
"It doesn't have to be fantasy..."
"Alright, non-fiction." A paper shuffled in the background. "What would the topic be? Historical, modern?"
"The struggle of a mare with urinary incontinence."
There was silence.
"Bottom, still there?"
"Yes... That... is a very brave idea, Libel."
"I picked it up from some bad influences around me. I'm not the only one in the world, but it's something nopony talks about. Getting information out there for these people would... be good, and we'd have an obvious audience, right?"
"Don't make it just about mares," cautioned Bottom. "It isn't as if stallions don't suffer too."
"I don't have experience with that... But I should get some." Libel sat up with a growing smile. "I'll have to research, something we're both not strangers to."
"Precisely so, Miss Word." She wasn't whispering anymore. "This book isn't likely to become something everypony will have on their coffee table... but it could make a real difference for the ones that need it. Will it produce the funds we desire... I couldn't be certain... But if you're serious?"
"I am."
"Then I'll start looking into it." More papers shuffled. "When... are you putting in your notice?"
"Tomorrow." Libel heaved a soft sigh. "Two weeks, standard. If he fires me after that, that makes him look petty. I'll be sure to send it certified and notarized. I don--"
"--He likely won't try anything, but no harm being thorough. If he wants you to go, he'll be happy that you're going without trouble. I'll turn in mine tomorrow too then, I suppose..."
Libel frowned a little. "Look, however this turns out... I'll beg my mother before I let you go a day unpaid, and we have a cushion before that even becomes something to consider."
"I believe you. It'll... Libel?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't want to work for you."
Libel sat up, fur going on end. "What?!"
"I want to work with you. Make me a partner or I'll find somewhere else to take my talent."
Libel drew the phone away to peer at it skeptically a moment. "You are playing hardball suddenly, Miss Line."
"I learn from the best," she retorted, a smile evident in her tone. "I'll give you a day or two to consider. Let's succeed, together."
"I'll call you back..." She set the phone down gently and shook her head slowly.
"Who was that?" Color was coming down the stairs from above.
"Just... Bottom." Libel slipped to her hooves, still shaking her head. "So... I'm going to do it."
"It?"
"I'm going to write a book."
Color's expression brightened rapidly. "Oh! Great! Will it be a sequel? I really want to know what happens next."
Libel held up a hoof. "Non-fiction, regarding a medical condition I'm far too familiar with, but with a scope widened for all ponies."
"Oh." He tilted his head a little. "That sounds good too. A different good, but good. I'm proud of you."
She stuck out her tongue at him. "Thanks, Dad, for the vote of confidence."
He ran a hoof up and down the other foreleg. "Oh, um..." All the retorts that came to mind felt terrible. "I'm here to help."
"I know... Thank you." She trotted up to him and kissed his nose. "You'll have to make the cover. Speaking of that..." She glanced to where the painting had stood for so long. "Did she love it, or worship it? Tell me she cried when you showed it to her."
Color took an unsure step back. "She... was moved, deeply..."
"I hear a but coming in there..."
"She... wanted me to burn it."
Libel blinked silently a moment. "Are we talking about the same princess here? Celestia does not typically order the destruction of art! That is... basically the opposite of her. Are you sure it wasn't a changeling?"
"I changed her mind," he gusted out, shrinking a little. "I ended up giving it to the soldier instead... He really liked it."
Libel brightly smiled. "Fantastic, but wait, were you paid? She didn't try to--"
"--No! No, she was quite firm in my being paid, and maybe being approached for happier pictures." He smiled a little. "Happy endings, really, in the end. It was just... kind of shocking."
"I could imagine!" She threw up a hoof. "Having Celestia casually tell me to burn a book I just wrote?! I'd be beside myself... Good on you for not making a fool of yourself, and double credit for even changing her mind while you were at it."
Color quickly decided to not mention crying at her hooves... "A happy ending. Are you going to take your time with the book? You spend so much time at the newspaper, I don't want you going full at the book and leaving no time for yourself." Unbidden, the image of an aged Libel came to his mind, with the burning fire in her eyes of a life busily spent. He shook the image free vigorously.
Libel did not see any such images, waving off Color's objections. "I think I'm done with the newspaper... I'm a Word, I should be making some words, not just foalsitting everypony else's."
Color bounced in place suddenly. "You're doing it?! That's great! You're gonna be great! I can't wait to start collecting your books."
Libel smiled at that. "Don't be silly, Color. I'll have a copy of my books, and you live with me." She tapped him on the nose gently. "I do appreciate the thought."
"It's not just a thought." He nuzzled past her hoof and touched noses with her. "I want to be a support, and buying your books is just step one. I'll read them and give feedback. You already do the same with my paintings. We're partners."
"Partners..." She frowned a little, thinking back to Bottom's words. They were clearly not a couple, and yet... "Color, I'm going to ask you an adult question."
Color tilted his head. "That's rare for you. You usually assume you're better at adulting than I am."
"Humor me." She inclined her head. "I never worked for myself before. I always had a boss. My mother, that jerk at the newspaper... Always someone. So, now, I could be my own boss, but someone wants to be a boss too, with me. What do I do?"
Color lifted a brow at that. "Oh, well, okay, are they someone you know? I mean, you'd want someone who understands what you're doing. Maybe a fellow in the same field of work?" He lifted his shoulders lightly. "Then do you trust them? If they're a partner, they could mess things up, or save your rump. Which do you see them doing?"
Libel considered Bottom in her mind's eye. "I can't see them messing anything up on purpose, and they usually work to avoid doing it on accident either." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Well... alright, since we're being open here, Bottom wants to be my partner."
"That's nice"
Libel blinked softly. "That's... nice? So you're alright with me and her... being partners?"
It was time. With great pride he gently booped her for a change. "A business partner is not a romantic partner. She has a boyfriend she's very happy with, and so do you. In fact, you should avoid looking at her rump, that's unprofessional."
"I never!" she squeaked, knowing she had at least a few times... "Well, alright then, just... making sure." She coughed softly into a hoof. "So, when are you going to see Luna?"
"Luna? Oh right!" He clopped a hoof to his face. "I did promise to see her after I finished the Celestia project."
"She does not appreciate ponies that fib, so you better get yourself to the castle." She leaned forward. "If you beleive the fortune teller, maybe you should bring Day."
"Who told you that?" He hiked a brow at Libel.
Libel waved outside. "Day, actually. Did he lie?"
"No, just... didn't expect you to know." He put a hoof behind his head. "Day doesn't have a 'I am a professional' suit, or much of any suit at all..."
"So fix that." Libel rolled her eyes softly. "I know you have the funds. Speaking of that, when Celestia sends the full amount, tell me. We'll get those bits safely secured away and working for you."