//------------------------------// // Antique // Story: The Ash of Fallen Stars // by Wings of Black Glass //------------------------------// I cough as the smoke billows out from the oven and fills my lungs. My heart sinks as I pull the tray out and find nothing but blackened lumps on the baking sheet. “Wow, those are some great very overly burned and toasty lumps of what used to be dough. Not so great at being cookies, though.” Pinkie Pie takes the tray full of badly burned cookies from me and tips it up to empty it into the trashcan. Stubbornly, my cookies stick to the sheet even when overturned entirely. Pinkie shrugs and flings the tray into the corner, where it lands on a pile of similar failed attempts. “I seem to have no skill for baking.” “I’ve seen bad cooking before, but that’s just… unnatural.” She smiles anyway, toothily. “Wanna try again?” Somehow her upbeat attitude never seems to waver, despite my repeated failures. “Maybe I should stop using all your supplies and move onto something I’m actually qualified at.” My eyes sweep over the mess I’ve made in Sugarcube Corner’s kitchen, the counter is covered in used mixing bowls and spilled flour. “I’ll leave the baking to the baker while I clean this up.” “Okey-dokey.” Pinkie shrugs again and immediately pulls out a new mixing bowl, Leaving me to haul all the used ones to the sink. I’ve barely begun before the bell at the front door rings. “Ooh, customer!” She’s disappeared before I can even turn my head to look. From the front, I overhear the pony asking for a custom cake and Pinkie’s excited exclamations and suggestions regarding it. I don’t quite understand her excitement, but then again… I glance again at the rock hard lumps still adhering to the baking trays. Something clatters behind me, and I look back to see Pinkie digging through the pots and pans underneath the counter, her tail twitching as she digs herself further into the cabinet. “Nope… not that one… Ah-ha! Wait, no… where did I put that?” I roll my eyes and return to my cleaning. I’ve made only a little more progress before the first mixing bowl bounces off my head as she starts to fling them over her back. I have to dodge two more as I turn around to complain. “Pinkie, do try and remember I’m over- Whoa!” The long knife with a serrated edge flips through the space my head was in and embeds into the wall, quivering slightly. “Whoops! What was that doing in there?” She giggles despite the near-miss. “Ah, there it is!” She emerges from her expedition with an old cake pan held triumphantly. It’s a little dusty and dented from years of use. “Why were you looking for that ancient thing?” I’ve seen half a dozen with the same shape and size here, one even nearly hit me in the face a moment ago. “You’ve got to use a special pan for a special cake!” She pushes me aside for a moment to clean off the old cookware. “Special? It’s an antique.” “It’s been in my family longer than I have! It was my grandmother’s.” For just a moment, the pink pony almost seems contemplative, cradling the pan as a parent would a child. “We didn’t use it much on the rock farm, so I took it with me when I moved out.” “Why exactly does that matter?” “Don’t you have anything you treasure from your family?” I pause in my cleaning to shoot her an irritated glare. “Oooh, right. Sorry.” She busies herself with making her cake and drops the subject. She isn’t exactly silent, humming and singing to herself, but she makes some effort not to bother me. Washing dishes isn’t exactly mentally intensive, and I find myself thinking about what she said. I don’t have much in the way of family history, even apart from my past being lost in the first place. I suppose that’s why I don’t really understand her attachment to the old cake pan. Then I remember the mask and the blue bowl we recovered from my burned-out home. If they mean nothing to me, why did I keep them? I have no answer. The wooden floor creaks slightly where Equinox puts his weight on it as he cleans the dust off the old mirror. His own reflection becomes clear as he wipes it down, that of an aged dark grey unicorn, nearly black, wearing an old wool beret to hide the balding of his almost white mane. He ignores the reflection, moving on to the next object on the shelf as he cleans the antiquities. Beneath the soft thuds of his hoofsteps, something groans like straining wood. “Hello?” Was that a customer? He looks down the aisles between the various shelves and wardrobes and vanities. Nopony is there. He comes to the conclusion he was imagining it and returns to his cleaning. A few moments later and he hears it again. He glances down in the direction he thought he heard it, towards the back of his little antiquities shop. “My hearing must be getting even worse.” With a sigh, he goes back to the front of his shop to wait for a real customer. His shop doesn’t get much traffic, but he can’t hide away in the back doing repairs and leave the front completely unattended for more than a few minutes. While he waits, he opens his morning paper at the front desk. Not much has been happening as of late, which is its own good news. So little is newsworthy that the publication of the journal of the Princess of Friendship makes second-page news. Apparently, it’s a top seller already. The day passes lazily, although a few curious ponies come in and look around, none purchase anything of note. That’s not terribly unusual. Few bother to care about the old things, leaving them to fade and decay away. Without his employee here to watch the shop, he has to close while he goes for lunch. An annoyance, but today is slow, so he doesn’t expect it to have much impact on his sales. He delays at the café once he’s finished his small meal, pushing his beret out of the way so he can enjoy the sunlight. “Having a slow day today?” The cream-colored Unicorn waitress usually tries to at least say hello. She seems more cheerful than usual, good for her. “At my age, every day is slow.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” She doesn’t linger, taking his empty plate and heading away. Equinox shakes his head slowly, a little jealous of her energy. Then he heads back to his shop, pausing out front and looking up at the hoof-painted sign. Astral Antiquities and Restorations. How many years has it been since he opened this little store? He can barely even remember them all. Too many. Sometime later, having finished the paper and as much dusting as he can manage without abandoning the front, he hears that groan again. Now he knows he’s not making it up, and he heads back to find the culprit with a frown. “I can hear you back there.” If he was hoping to startle somepony hiding, he does not. Past several large wardrobes, he hears the sound one more time, longer and lower and closer. It was down near the bottom of this old cabinet, which is leaning forward ever so slightly. With some effort, straining against old knees, he gets down low and looks underneath the antique. There’s nothing down there, what’s making that noise? He is still struggling to get back up when wood snaps and the cabinet’s leg breaks off. Equinox has just enough time to look up to see it toppling over towards him. His magic is old, but he can still push back against it. But he can’t brace on anything, he was still only halfway to standing. His old magic shield struggles to hold the cabinet back. The press is more than his old body can push against, and he slips to the floor, the cabinet settling down on top of him. At least he was able to slow the cabinet’s fall, it still takes all he has to just keep it from crushing him. He can’t even pull in enough breath to shout for help, not that anyone could hear him. The front windows are out of sight, nopony knows he needs help. He’s trapped. His strength won’t last long, and then he’ll be well and utterly pinned under the old wood. An old body like his won’t live long with that much weight on it. What an ignominious way to go, crushed beneath a Somnambulan cabinet. For just an instant, he considers letting the inevitable take him. “Hello? Is everything alright?” Or perhaps not. He can’t call out, but from beneath his beret he can see a purple Unicorn wearing a black coat entering the store. The younger pony looks around briefly, then spots him and hurries over. With appalling ease, the youngster hauls the cabinet off Equinox’s body. “Here, let me get you up. Are you alright?” The Unicorn helps him to his feet, still holding the cabinet in the air. “I think so.” Equinox coughs and readjusts his beret. Feeling his strength fade, he sits down at the end of the aisle. “Thank you.” The Unicorn in the black coat nods and inspects the cabinet, still floating above them. He twists it about in the air pretty much effortlessly, getting a good look at the broken leg. “That old wood nearly cost you your life. You are fortunate I found you when I did.” Then the younger one sets the cabinet down on its side, where it can’t fall on anypony else. “I am aware. Just good luck you happened to come in right then.” “I thought I heard something fall over as I was walking by.” “Not come to buy anything? I’ll take good luck over none, even if it’s not great.” Equinox eyes the now broken cabinet, lamenting the effort it’s going to take to get it into the back where he can repair the leg. “Do you require additional assistance?” “If you’re offering, I suppose I could use the help getting it back to storage.” With only a simple nod, the Unicorn in the black coat lifts the cabinet in his neon-blue aura. Equinox decides not to go under it and heads down a different aisle. Each step pains him now that the adrenaline is starting to fade. Judging from the ache, he’s probably got bruises all across his side. “Where do you want this?” In the backroom of the shop, there isn’t a lot of room to set the cabinet down. Between not having the chance to get much restoration work done and having too many new acquisitions, the workspace is packed nearly to the brim. What space isn’t filled with furniture needing repairs is dominated by his tools, table saws, lathes, and stacks upon stacks of wood and lumber of a hundred varieties. “Just… set it down back there by that vanity.” Wood thunks as Equinox’s savior sets the antique down, having to shove a few smaller items to the side to make room. Now he sighs as he surveys all the work that needs to be done, but he can worry about that later. “So, who do I owe my thanks to?” “I go by Stardust these days.” The younger Unicorn fixes his eyes on the older. “Are you sure you’re alright?” “I’ve taken worse than this.” Equinox huffs but winces when he tries to take a deep breath. “Not recently, mind you.” “I know that pain, I’ve cracked ribs myself recently.” Stardust blinks a few times and then frowns inexplicably. Equinox pays it no mind, concentrating on his own breathing as he walks back to the front desk. “You should really go home and take it easy for a few days.” “Bah. I can’t do that. My shop needs me.” Then he glances around again at his empty business. Frankly, the idea has merit. If his employee were here, he’d do it without a second thought. “What’s worse, one or two days of rest or a week laid out in the hospital?” “I told you already, I’m not that fragile!” Although when he stomps the floor hard to make his point, pain shoots across his side, and he almost falls over. Stardust catches him with magic, holding only hard enough to be sure he doesn’t hit the floor. Equinox meets Stardust’s eyes somewhat reluctantly, reading a knowing expression on the younger face. “Alright, I get it. Maybe you’re right.” “I’ll make sure you get home.” “I don’t need an escort, you can bug off.” Equinox waves him off dismissively. “Go ahead and stop me.” Stardust meets Equinox’s gaze with an equal degree of stubbornness. “Don’t you have important stuff to do or something?” “I really don’t.” “You don’t give up, do you?” Equinox huffs. The younger pony says nothing, his face impassive as if he were deep in thought. “If that’s the only way to get rid of you, so be it.” Equinox grumbles as he goes about the business of closing down the shop. He intentionally drags it out, hoping the younger Unicorn would just give it up and leave in annoyance. But no, this Stardust character refuses to be annoyed away. In some ways, that might be admirable. “Alright, let’s go.” At least Stardust has the decency not to carry him as they make their way. Equinox’s home is further up the mountainside, and it isn’t long before the climb starts to wear at his endurance. But this climb is a familiar one, and the old Unicorn refuses to allow his walk home to overcome him. Still, by the time he reaches the gate, he’s almost wheezing for breath past the pain. “Bah, I’m going to be sore tomorrow.” He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he’s grateful Stardust did actually help him home. “You live here?” Stardust looks up at the old mansion with some disdain. Equinox’s home is an ancient one, tucked up in the hillside where an arc of the cliff face creates a hollow which can’t really be seen from Canterlot proper. Along one face of the cliff is a tall but relatively thin, stone and log house with a sharply angled roof and whose fourth and fifth floors are dominated by a circular glass window. A few boarded-up windows on the cliff’s side indicate a greater depth to the building than is immediately evident. Across the yard, where the arc of stone terminates, is a shorter, wider, two-story structure of similar design. They’ve seen many better years. Both buildings show their age, paint is worn off or flaking, windows missing slats on their shutters, and the great circular window is badly cracked. In the yard between the two buildings is a granite plinth that once held a statue, but is now only a weathered stone block in an unruly garden. “All my life.” Despite the ache and the drain from the climb, Equinox still lets his pride slip out. “I think it even predates the Princess’s castle.” “And here I thought your shop was full of antiques.” Despite his earlier antagonistic attitude towards Stardust, Equinox can’t help but briefly laugh. “Well, you may as well come on in. I owe you a drink, at least.” “That’s not necessary.” Stardust stops by the gate, probably assuming his task here is done. “I disagree. Now, get your rear inside and share a scotch with me.” Still, the younger Unicorn hesitates. “Don’t make me find a stick to whack you with.” “Alright, alright.” Equinox spots his guest rolling his eyes, but decides to ignore it as he heads up the steps to the taller of the two buildings. The interior isn’t much better than the exterior. Bare walls and bare floors, not even carpets. The railings for the staircase leading up to the second floor are rough, the veneer pulled from them long ago. “Very impressive.” The sarcasm in his voice is thick enough to spread across toast. “When I was a foal, I was told it was once grand and opulent. But that was a long time ago.” Equinox leads his guest up to the second floor, where the kitchen and dining room are. Here at least his amenities are still present, and relatively modern at that. His table is probably only a little older than Stardust is. “So, what happened?” “What else? Time.” Equinox shakes his head slowly. He dips into the kitchen cabinets to retrieve two glasses and a dusty old bottle of scotch. When was the last time he had guests to share it with? Too long. He pauses just enough to be sure he’s got a good grip with his white aura before joining Stardust in the dining room. “Things break, they wear out, they get left out in the rain for years or decades or longer.” “How very pessimistic.” “Realistic, kid.” He serves up half a glass for each of them and screws the lid back on. “Pragmatic too. It’s hard to afford to keep a place like this in top shape when you’re on your own.” Stardust takes the proffered glass and eyes the drink somewhat suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you're a teetotaler?” “I try to avoid alcohol.” “Lightweight.” Equinox scoffs and sips his drink, letting the scotch warm him from the inside out. The sensation helps distract him from the ache along his side. “I know what I can do when pushed past my edges, I’d rather not erode those edges.” “Can’t be any worse than the messes I’ve made.” Stardust laughs at this, deeply and loudly. Equinox eyes him curiously, rolling the drink around in his glass. “Oh, you have no idea.” Whatever ice was holding the Unicorn back cracks, and he gulps down a mouthful. Equinox smiles inwardly, that’s way too much for a lightweight. Sure enough, Stardust coughs and sputters, nearly spilling his drink. “Kicks like a seasoned apple bucker, doesn’t it?” “Yeah, that’s about right.” He almost cracked his voice and actually scratches at his neck in a futile attempt at relief. “I’m going to guess about half the things in that antique shop are from here?” “About twenty years ago, you might’ve been right.” He sips at his scotch. “I’ve sold all that. Yeah, I was sad to see some of it go, but I didn’t need any of it. Wasn’t any point anymore.” “No point? Isn’t the entire point of antiques to keep the old things around?” “Look around, Stardust.” Equinox gestures to the sorry state of his home. “You think this place would be so hollow if I had family left? When I go, this place will just be a pile of rotting logs and cracked stone. There’s no reason to keep it full of junk just to have it all decay away. It’d be better if somepony else can make use of it.” Stardust takes another swig, more measured this time, and spends a few moments in silence. “I suppose I understand that point of view.” “Fortunately, there are still ponies out there who pay good bits for things with a sense of history to them.” He lifts his glass and sloshes the little bit of scotch about. “Enough to keep me busy, at least.” “You manage that shop all by yourself?” Was that an impressed tone in his voice? “Nope. I can’t quite pull that off anymore.” Equinox frowns. “Haven’t seen Pendragon in a few days, though.” “Who?” “My only employee. Kid had some kind of breakdown a while ago, I think. He wasn’t doing so well the last time he showed up for work.” “He’ll recover, or not.” Something in his voice sounds like familiarity. Stardust downs another third of his drink. Equinox blinks in surprise, he would’ve thought the lightweight would have learned from the last time. “Maybe… I can help?” Or maybe he was trying to work up the courage to ask something. “You’re thinking of stealing his job?” “I am currently lacking employment. You are currently lacking an employee.” Stardust shrugs. “Seems like we can solve both our problems.” Equinox thinks on this. It would be quite helpful, especially given his current health. “What about Pendragon? He’s a good kid. What am I going to do when he comes back?” “If he comes back, and if he still wants the job, he can have it.” Stardust shrugs again. “Constantly shifting employers is nothing new to me.” “It won’t pay well.” “Basic math would seem to indicate that any bits are better than none.” The Unicorn seems to think he’s clever. Equinox mulls it for a moment longer, swirling the little bit of scotch left in his drink. “Well then.” He lifts the glass higher, saluting the other pony. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Say when, boss, and I’ll be there.” Stardust clinks his glass against Equinox’s, and they both finish their scotch.