//------------------------------// // 8. What did you expect in Opera? A happy ending? // Story: Chasing Eternity. // by the frank //------------------------------// Rarity stepped out of the shower, very aware of her with mane. Usually showering calmed her down, but not today. It had it’s perks. The strength of course. And she found at least some pleasure in thretherning sneaky. The fact that she was young and beautiful again (So she was vain. Sue her.) And the red eyes went well with her hair. But overall she hated being a vampire. She had tried her best to keep her blood lust at bay but she knew that it couldn't last. Last time… she shook her head. No thinking about last time. She had to get this to work with Twilight. She had to. This was the endgame. "I have to tell her." Rarity removed the towel and began to comb her mane. Her plan, that she had been so proud of, began to crumble. It is said that vampires, when not fed in a while, suffer from a decline in brain capacity. They don't lose the ability to talk but their minds become primitive and childlike. And coming straight from her coffin… yes. The plan had been childish. She realized that now. But what should she do? At least she was with Twilight, but would that help? Even if she told her all… What would she say? And then there was Sunset. Once, Sunset had been a great friend, and well... Had she been alive and herself, they probably would be still, but Sunset was something Twilight wasn't. She was suspicious and she never bought a simple explanation. She was also the protector of Equestria, Celestias heir, and she wouldn't hold back if she found out the truth. Would Sunset see a friend or a vampire? She wasn’t sure, she could hope… but… And besides, Twilight hadn't recognised her. Not for a second did she think that Rarity was back. Would Sunset? No. Sunset was as rational as Twilight. Rarity realized she had been combing her mane for 20 minutes. She froze in place and stared at herself in the mirror. What was she to do. It had taken longer than expected for Sneaky to find the items in question and she was preparing herself mentally for a severe scolding as she returned to the living room. There was indeed the mistress, but not agitated or angry or… anything. She was standing completely still, looking at herself in the mirror with a blank face and a brush held in her magic. Her mane was impeccably brushed and the make-up was as always discreet yet sensational, so she was at least not dead, but it looked like she was frozen in place . And time, at least it seemed to be like that. Sneaky looked at the mistress, then at her watch, and then at the mistress again. “Mistress? Mistress are you…” she took a step forward and reached out. “Are you okay?” Before her hoof har connected with the mistress, she spun round and glared at sneaky with that wild look on her face Sneaky remembered from that night. But it was brief, and soon she looked normal again. Although annoyed, but not exactly for the reason Sneaky expected her to be. “What. Is it. Thrall?” “I… um… Well.. I was… it took some… Are you not supposed to be on the way to the opera…mistress?” The mistress did a snap with her hair, sending a nonchalant wave through her mane. “Maybe, maybe not. A LADY is never tardy. She is just fashionably late.” “...Okay, mistress.” “Was there anything ELSE?” “No, mistress, but I just thought…” Rarity was suddenly in Sneaky's face. “You are not in my service to THINK, thrall. I know what I am doing and I know what I need to do. This night is important! Everything needs to be perfect. Is that clear?” “um… “ “Oh, you’re hopeless. Get me a cup of coffee and leave me alone. And I don’t care about stains on my teeth!” “I didn’t…” “NOW.” “Okay, mistress. But you did ask for a dress and a necklace. You still want it?” “Oh. Um… Yes! Yes of course! Thank you. BUT! I still want that coffee. HOT.” Sneaky swung around and left. Rarity caught a hint of her thrall rolling her eyes. Sneaky was an interesting mix of a loyal servant and a complete arse, and under normal circumstances she would never even have talked to her. But… half of it was a facade, but it was not to hard to act like a big scary predator for Sneaky. And for a thrall, she was awfully loose-tongued. And she usually had a point with what she said. Rarity was supposed to be on her way. But… She couldn't leave just yet! No, she had to get dressed! Of course! That would be at least 15 minutes! And then she needed that cup of coffee to calm her nerves. Ten more minutes! And then a last minute check of her make-up! It would mean at least 30 minutes before she could leave. Yes… just 30 minutes… wasn’t there anything else she needed to do… You’re pathetic. Rarity felt her heart go black. THAT was a voice she hadn’t heard in centuries…”I thought you were gone.” The rumours of my death are highly exaggerated. So, are you going to give me what I want or not? “I will… Just…just be patient.” I’ve been patient enough I think. 150 years in that prison. And when I finally manage to escape… then I get 300 years stuck with YOU. I should have known you were useless for me. “Watch your language! Who is the one without a body? Who is the one stuck inside someone elses mind? Maybe I will refuse? Maybe I won’t let you hurt Twilight? Maybe I will just END myself and you will be gone. That is quite a few maybe’s. But very few certainties. You have no idea what you are doing… puny mortal. “Last time I checked I was a vampire.” You don’t have eternal life… you are just not dead. Besides, who did just threaten me with ‘ending herself’? You really think you could manage? “I have been dead once. I can be dead again.” Vampires very rarely get resurrected you know… Perhaps it was more in play than you think. Rarity Gasped. “It was you!” Indeed. I kept you alive. Waiting for someone stupid enough to come around. It was a dull wait but… Here we are. And now you are going to do what I order you. “No! No… I will not… I will not let you take Twilight.” I won’t. You will do it for me. “NO!” Oh yes. You know what will happen. The blood moon is this weekend. You know what happened last time… “I didn’t get to Twilight the last time!” No. you got caught before you got the chance. But that won’t happen this time. “NO IT WON’T!” “Mistress? Who are you talking to?” “SNEAKY? WHAT IN THE WORLD?” “...You wanted coffee, mistress.” “Oh. Oh yes! Yes! Coffee! Coffee… Thank you.” She took the cup in her magic and emptied it in one go. The bitter taste at least got her mind on other things. Like how to get out of this mess. She thought she could do it. Just get Twilight to like her again, reveal herself to her and then… Twilight would help her. Twilight would get her out of this mess. Twilight with all her magic would be able to save her. She just had to…explain something that was on Sombra-level of creepy and crazy. Nothing more. “Thank you, thrall. That is all.” “It’s not all.” “I’ll be the judge of that, thank you!” “Um… Not this time, mistress. We have a visitor…” “We don’t get visitors. No one knows where we live.” “I suppose this one knows a few tricks, mistress.” Rarity followed Sneaky out in the hall. She sighed. “I swear, you people from the press are as tiresome as always! I am going to have to get a new dress after I am done with TWILIGHT!” “Hi Rareza! I wanted to… see if you are okay.” It really was her Twilight, standing in full regalia, right in her discreet hall. Rarity’s mind raced. “You look splendid! I… I am sorry that I didn’t wait for you but… I have been looking forward to seeing you all day and…” Finally Rarity got control of her maw again. “Oh, but Twilight… You look like a million bits yourself. But this old thing? Naw… just a little something.” Something passed over Twilight's eyes, but she smiled at Rarity. “Thanks. So, are you…” “How did you find where I live?” “Sorry?” Rarity's question had been sharper than she intended and she bit her lip when she saw Twilight’s reaction. “Sorry, I was just… surprised. I haven’t told you where I live and I… It’s just… It’s just …surprising.” “Oh, I have my tricks…” Twilight gave a sly smile. “Just like you. Now, would you mind join me to the opera? The first act is to begin when we arrive and I don’t want the audience to wait.” “Oh! Oh but of course! I am just finished, I am so sorry I was a bit late. The carriage is just outside?” Twilight smiled. “Why would we need a carriage?” And in a flash they were gone and reappearing in the foyer of the opera house. The crowd was instantly around them, and a fat director in a very ill-suited tail-coat welcomed them. Twilight, for once, took care of the pleasantries, albeit in her way. Rarity mentally hoofpalmed a few times, but she could only smile. Usually she was the one doing the talking, giving everyone a smile or a good quote or even the hint of a scandalous pose… but not today. She had too much on her mind. That thing had returned. And it had in the crudest of ways reminded her about how she had been stalling. Yes, stalling. Her original plan to woo Twilight had been prolonged. Because it had been too nice, too good to…just be with her. It was like in the old days. She had missed iot more than she could imagine. She had been tardy. And now she had to act fast. Because not only did that thing return, making her situation even more dire than she thought. Twilight had found where she lived. And if Twilight could find her… Then Sunset could find her as well. And Sunset wouldn’t care about who she was. She would only care about what she was. And why shouldn’t she? She was the princess of morning, defender of Equestria against all evil. And right now… Rarity was part of that evil. No, Sunset mustn't find her out! Not before Twilight… Then I suggest you deal with this briskly. Before they find you out. Rarity did not answer. Instead she followed Twilight into their booth. Don Neighovanny did only wait for a princess. And perhaps some opera would calm her nerves. *** Canterlot Castle. Sunset was in her quarters, trying her best not to be impatient. Twilight had left for the opera more than an hour ago. Sunset should be in bed, but she sat at her desk still. She couldn’t sleep and there was only so much coffee one could have in a day, not when she was expecting news. And as on a cue, her secretary arrived, a slight piece of dust in his mane. He had indeed dug deep in the archives. He also carried a whole trunk of papers with him, and he put them down on the floor with a loud poof. “Your highness.” “Good evening Blueprint. Coffee?” Just because she didn’t want any, didn’t mean she would be a bad hostess. “Why, yes, your highness. It’s actually been… a bit rough. “ “I can see that.” She poured him a cup, and put in two large lumps of sugar. Blueprint stirred the coffee and took a sip. “Ah… I needed that. Well, I did as you ordered, and searched ‘wide and far’. I must compliment you on your reference to old Equestrian lore, as that was Princess Platinum’s words to Clover the Clever when she wanted him to find her the …” Sunset smiled and nodded as Blueprint rambled. The truth was she had no idea about that, it was just that she had no idea where to send Blueprint to search. “Yes. And like Clover, did you turn out successful?” “Well… no.” “Oh,” Sunset couldn’t really hide her disappointment. This was her best idea, sure there were probably other ways. But… And what was with the trunk? “If you found nothing, what’s with the papers then?” “Ah,” Blueprint cleared his throat. “Well, this is where it gets interesting. There is nothing.” “Yes, you said that.” “Ah, but there is a difference between nothing and nothing.” She blinked. “Blueprint, I don’t think I follow…?” “When I say nothing, I mean NOTHING. Look here.” He produced a heap of papers from the trunk. “Just a few documents. Birth certificates, contracts, medical records… nothing. Do you see?” “No, not really, I mean, nopony leaves NOTHING behind, so… AH!” The realisation struck her, and she raised her head, looking in anticipation at Blueprint. Blueprint nodded. “Yes. As you said yourself, even if she wasn’t a native, she had been living in Equestria for some time. And living in Equestria, as anonymous and humble as you can, there will always be records. Even the smallest bits. Hospitals, houses, contracts, coffee shops, etc . But there is nothing. “ “That IS interesting. “ “I thought you would find it interesting, your highness.” Sunset frowned. “But this only confirms that something strange is going on. Where to go from here?” “Well, your highness. The contessa is a pony in flesh and blood, but she doesn’t exist on papers. So I decided to search for someone who does exist on paper… and I found something rather interesting….” “Yes?” Sunset's ears were at attention. “About the same time as the contessa showed up, a young mare moved here, to a house on on Carfax street. The house was sold to a Miss Tee Enntee. SHE does exists in the records. 28 years, Manehattanite, dropout from school. She.. ” Sunset sat up, interrupting Blueprint. “So that must be it! That’s her real name!” But Blueprint shook his head. “Unfortunately not as simple as that, your highness. This miss Entee is described to have chocolate brown fur and an auburn mane and tail, the tail with a slim streak of dark red. Even with magic, that is hard to cover. Coloring the mane black is one thing, but to get the fur that white is hard. There is also another thing. They have been seen together. Not a lot, but enough. This…” He produced a much fresher document from a pocket, “is a written testimony from a stallion from the royal guard. He says that he saw them, the contessa and this miss Entee together outside the castle gates some time ago. He couldn’t remember any name, but he said they wanted to see Princess Twilight.” Sunset blinked. “And he is SURE it was the contessa?” Blueprint looked away discreetly. “He said that you don’t forget a good derriere like that, your highness. Also, they both stayed on his mind for being such an odd couple.” Sunset smiled at her secretary’s discreteness, but she got serious again soon enough. “Damn.” “Damn indeed. And, there is more. The house was paid in cash. And even if it is a small accommodation, Carfax street isn’t cheap.” “That is very significant.” Sunset wasn’t fully convinced and couldn’t help using her secretary's vocabulary but he didn’ät seem to notice. “Indeed. And this Ms. Entee is interesting. Her tax records to be precise. She pays very little tax, and she runs a small shop of archeology supplies in Manehattan.” Now Sunset whistled. “That’s niched. She can’t make very much money from that.” “Indeed. And her tax matches. However, she also has an apartment on the upper east. That she paid, also in cash.” “Cash in Manehattan?” “Yes. I hardly need to tell you what an apartment costs in Manehattan nowadays. “ “THAT is fishy!” “Indeed it is. But the ‘fishiness’ doesn't end there. After finding this, I went to the Guards’ archives. Her name showed up a couple of times. Never caught for anything, but mentioned. Fencing, mostly. And there is one significant case, a middle-aged mare pressing charges against a cloth rental firm. She claimed that her daughter’s rented wedding dress was the same one that her Grandmother was buried in. Nothing could be proved, and the authorities refused to open the grave and check, but her name showed up, as the provider of the dress. And I know it’s only one case, but…” Sunsets eyes darkened. She wasn’t in favour of the tradition of wealthy ponies being buried with their belongings, but she accepted it. But she was more than aware of what kind of ponies being drawn to that... “I see where you’re going. A grave robber.” “Not unlikely, your highness.” Sunset was silent for a while, deep in thought. Blueprint was also silent, knowing how his princess enjoyed silence while she thought. “It is significant… but still… I don’t know. A grave robber, associated with this… ‘Contessa’ character? What would they have in common? Just two scoundrels meeting? But for what? It’s far-fetched” “I agree, your highness. It’s a bit of a weak hypothesis. But it is still what seems to have happened. ” Sunset gave her hoofs a stern look. “Yes… Yes if you’re right… Associating with somepony so much her opposite? That would imply the contessa isn’t a contessa…” She paused, the solution was obvious. “And if that is true, then… There could be a lot of reasons, fraud, to con ponies…” Blueprint was still silent, but quickly began to look even more uneasy. “Are you suggesting that there is a scam going on, directed at Princess Twilight?” Sunset bit her lip. ”At the moment I suggest nothing… but I want you to go deeper with this. Do NOT mention this to Parsnip. Not to anyone. At the moment, this stays between us. I dismiss you from your usual service. THIS will be your prime concern now. Tomorrow evening I want a new report on your findings, ok?” Blueprint rose, and nodded. “Very well. Let me just give you this first.” He put the large pile of paper he had brought with him on her table. “Yes, the papers. What is this?” “Your schedule for next week. Down to the very minute. Please follow it, or there will be a mess.” Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes “Yes,Dad.” *** Tail in tail, side by side, occasionally head to head, Rarity and Twilight walked together. Rarity had managed to get her nerves in check, and to actually enjoy the performance. Twilight, as usual, had fallen asleep and It had been a nice remembrance to their days together to wake her up with a giggle. (I’m pancake!) After the opera, they had taken refuge in a park. Twilight's guard had cleared out the area for the couple to be alone. Oh how Rarity had missed this… And Twilight's rambling. "I had a wonderful evening. Even if the diminuendos were a bit out of tune, the was a strength in the crescendos that made it all such a powerful experience! And… " Rarity smiled. When Twilight didn't know about a subject she went through all the books but… she had a tendency to miss the points and ramble on the technical terms. Like now. Rarity knew that Twilight had no idea the meaning of Glissando, Mezzo-soprano, Contra-alto or even Andantino and she used them all wrong. "Dear." She interrupted Twilight in the middle of 'and the pianissimo was…' The play was a dream. Especially that young stallion in the title role. That is how you play Don Neighovanny and I had a try enjoyable evening but I know that you didn't. " " That is not true! I had a great time!" "You don’t know the meaning of the words you just said. Technically yes!" She added when Twilight opened her mouth to protest, " but the context is all wrong. You don't like opera, do you?" Twilight twisted a bit uncomfortably. “Well.. um… Opera isn’t exactly… No. No I don't.” Rarity smiled. “Do not worry dear. I could tell. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” “Thanks… " "So why did you go?" "I wanted ro be with you and… I got the feeling that you would enjoy it." Rarity smiled. Typical Twilight. "I did. Immensely. I haven’t seen such a performances in cen…years. But the most important thing…" She leaned closer to Twilight, "I wanted to be with you." Twilight smiled. "Me too. I… It’s strange, but… It’s like I already know you. I feel like I can be myself around you.” if Raritys heart had been beating, it would have skipped one. She was not ready for such a revelation and she tried to hide her chock with a tease. “Oh dear! Does this mean that you are faking? Are you not princess Twilight?” Twilight giggled. “You are so funny!” “I prefer ‘amusing’ but thank you!” "Hello Amusing, I am Twilight!" They both giggled. Then they proceeded to walk a little further until they reached the small lake in the middle of the park. Now they stood there in silence. Twilight leaned her head on Rarity's mane. The gesture should have pleased her but instead it made her mind wander again. There has to be a way to do this… there has to… “There has to…” “There has to what?” “Oh! Um… There has to be a way to describe how beautiful you are that has not been said before!” Twilight blushed. “Oh please…” She looked away briefly, then she looked back with a sly look. "Someone is a real charmer tonight!" “Oh please, not! You are stunning, dear. Only an idiot would deny that. And neither of us are idiots." "But maybe I am a fool in love?" Two eyes met, a Sparkle was sent between them. Nopony said anything. Their lips met. It wasn’t the first kiss of course, but this was…special… Rarity felt Twilight put her hoof around her neck and pulled her closer. She felt how Twilight nuzzled her mane, a gesture she well remembered. Twilight trusted her. But she could also feel Twilight's heartbeats. She could almost hear the blood flooting in her veins even. And more importantly, she wasn’t looking at her. NOW. DO IT. Rarity let her fangs grow out. Just a quick bite and everything would be over. All her problems… Slowly she lowered her head so she almost scratched Twilights skin. JUST DO IT… She let her fangs shrink, then she moved her head so she could look Twilight in the eyes. The eyes she had drowned in more than once over the years. The eyes she loved. There was no way she could hurt her Twilight. No way. She had to leave. Before it was too late.