Chapter 16
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Morning After
Pinkie felt a gentle warmth settle on her face. Her eyes were closed and she wore a pleasant, peaceful smile. Comfy, crisp sheets covered her cocoon-like form. She sighed out contently. With a stretch of her limbs and a turn, she was ready to face the day.
“Good morning.”
Pinkie leapt out of Twilight’s bed and bounced off the wall. When she had opened her eyes, Fluttershy was standing right beside the bed, watching her doze with sincere interest.
“Oh, s-sorry Pinkie, didn’t mean to scare you. You just looked so comfortable.”
Pinkie flew through the air in the shape of a pink ball and right down the stairs, tumbling down them until she shot out of the opening at the bottom and collided with Spike and the many books he was carrying. An explosion of books ensued.
“Oof – P-Pinkie, what the hay?!” Spike cried, rubbing his head and looking around at the new mess. Pinkie’s head was spinning and her eyes vibrated like egg yolks on a hot skillet.
“Sssssssorry Sssssssspike…” she managed. It wasn’t long before a concerned Fluttershy raced down the stairs, looking as if she had harmed a single hair on a fly’s head.
“Pinkie, I’m so so so sorry!” Fluttershy was nearly in tears. All around her her animal friends came close to comfort her. Pinkie regained her senses and stood up.
“It’s okay, Fluttershy! It’s not your fault, it’s mine! I should never go into Defensive Ball Form indoors!” Spike grunted off to the side as he picked up his books.
“Oh?” he began, sarcastically, “And why would that be…”
Fluttershy accepted that it wasn’t the end of the world after several reassurances from Pinkie and after some of her animal friends shared in her sniffling. She went back upstairs to gather the sheets of Twilight’s bed and pack them with her things. Spike was organizing newly arrived books into their proper spots in the library as Pinkie spoke to him with her usual pep.
“Did you sleep well, Spikinator?”
The purple dragon walked with a jump in his step.
“Like a baby,” he said with gusto. Pinkie snickered.
“You don’t say!”
Spike continued.
“I feel super refreshed and ready to keep this library operational all day long, all by myself! Especially since it’s so organized and clean thanks to Fluttershy and her animals.”
“Don’t forget Bushwhacker,” Fluttershy added, coming back down the stairs with one full saddlebag, “He did a lot to help, too. That’s why I’m going to go watch him train this afternoon with the animals. He says it really helps motivate him when animal friends cheer for him, and well…” Fluttershy blushed. “I suppose, umm, my cheering could help too, umm, maybe just a bit…”
Pinkie cocked her head.
“Wait, Spike… if you’re going to be here all day, who will help me dig up the dirt on Maelstrom?”
Spike shuffled some books around on a shelf and half-turned to Pinkie. “S-sorry, Pinkie. Duty calls.” He lit up suddenly. “Oh, but, I’ll keep my ears open in case somepony mentions something!”
“What’s going on with Maelstrom?” asked a confused Fluttershy. Pinkie opened her mouth to reply, but Spike stepped forward instead.
“Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense went off around Maelstrom and now we all think he’s going to do something bad, so Pinkie’s going to find out more about him and see what’s going on.”
“Ohhh, umm, I see.” Fluttershy kicked the floor with her front hoof and her ears folded down.
“But, well, I was talking to Bushwhacker yesterday and he only said the nicest things about Maelstrom. How inspirational he is, and helpful. That sounds really unbelievable…”
Pinkie and Spike looked at each other.
“What was that, Fluttershy?”
The yellow pegasus responded a bit louder, “I said it sounds unbelievable…”
Pinkie was picking at her ears as if they were full of something and Spike raised his claws out and at shoulder height. “We still can’t hear you.”
Fluttershy took a step back and hid behind her mane. “Oh, umm, it’s nothing. Oh, well…” She looked at her animal friends, who all gave her a stern look. She turned back to her pony and dragon friends and inhaled before speaking loud and clear.
“I said I really don’t think Maelstrom could be up to anything bad at all and honestly I think that sounds kind of ridiculous.” Two sets of eyes blinked back at her. Fluttershy cleared her throat with a scarlet blush. “Umm, if you don’t mind me saying so, of course.” Pinkie frowned but maintained her composure.
“All I'm going to say is, once I find out what’s going on, nopony will doubt my tail again!”
Fluttershy’s animals surrounded her and began to make noises at her. She nodded.
“Anyway, umm, we’re going to get going now. I have to stop at Sugar Cube Corner first to get a treat for Angel for watching everyone at home while I was gone.”
As if snapped out of a trance, Pinkie burst into the air. She gasped, loud and shrill.
“Cheese and crackers! Sugar Cube Corner! The Cakes are probably wondering where I am!” Pinkie shot out the front door, leaving a trail of pink smoke in her wake, as well as two stunned friends. Fluttershy turned to Spike.
“Will we see you tomorrow at the first race, Spike?”
The purple dragon was gathering scrolls and pens.
“Of course! I know Twilight, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn’t mind if I closed up the library for just one day, but anyway, I don’t think anypony will be in town tomorrow when there’s gonna be a super awesome flying race going on in Canterlot!”
Fluttershy smiled and her ears perked up.
“Oh great! We can all cheer on Rainbow Dash together.” A deer nudged Fluttershy’s side and a few other animals protested. The bear pointed to his growling stomach and protested.
“Okay, okay, let’s go guys.” Fluttershy led her animals outside. “Bye Spike!” she called out as she left. Spike returned the gesture. He continued his hunt for supplies as the first library customer of the day came knocking.
* * *
Two ponies, one shuffling like a zombie and the other hip-hopping with gusto, made their way to Canterlot’s Royal Courtyard. The morning sun lit the way. Butterflies fluttered about, birds sang in the sky, passersby were engaged in the day’s early chores, and Rarity felt like dying right then and there.
“That was the best sisters night ever!” Sweetie Belle cheered beside her. Rarity’s ear closed downward in reaction.
“Oooo, not so loud, Sweetie Belle…” Rarity whined, eyelids feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds. Her makeup, her hair, everything was perfect, except for the horrid bags hanging down on her face. Behind the duo were another two ponies, VeeVee and Velmeera, who were accompanied by the magical creature Arnold, pulling the fashion wagon.
“She looks… worse than you… in the morning,” Velmeera deadpanned to her sister. VeeVee chuckled.
“Oh shtop, you little Komikerin you.”
As they made their way, Rarity started to notice a trend. On the corners of the streets, where there would usually be a Canterlot guard to guide ponies, was a stallion encased in thick, emerald armor.
One of Maelstrom’s guards? she thought.
Eventually the group reached the spot where they had been yesterday. The crowds were not out in full force just yet. Applejack and her wagon, however, were raring to go.
“Well howdy Rarity, Sweetie,” Applejack cried, “And… others.” She looked up, up to the giant, black creature pulling the fashion wagon. She could never get used to Arnold, or even VeeVee and her sister for that matter, but nonetheless was happy to see Rarity in less-than-stellar form.
“Shoot, rough night?” Applejack said, stifling a chuckle. Rarity yawned loudly and waved away her dejecter.
“I’m just fine” – another yawn – “darling.”
Sweetie Belle jumped up and down in front of Applejack as the others set up the fashion shop a few metres opposite.
“We were up most of the night doing sister things! It was the best!”
Applejack tussled Sweetie’s mane.
“That sounds awesome, sport! Good on you to be keeping your sister company like that!” Applejack openly chuckled and looked at Rarity, who glared back at her with a dangerous fire.
“Big McIntosh already came by while you folks were sleeping away. Restocked all my missing apple goods.” Applejack shot Rarity a smug sidelong look. “Course us country ponies are used to being up early and getting a start on things. Early bird catches the worm and all that.” Rarity shook her head to get rid of the double images when she noticed a distinct lack of a hairy, inebriated pegasus. A dastardly grin formed on Rarity’s face.
“I had almost forgotten that your friend Boozebeard decided to ditch you to train for the races.”
She started to lean too far in one direction as her body started to fall asleep, but Sweetie was there to prop her back up. Applejack looked vulnerable. Rarity continued.
“We’ll just see which one of us” – Rarity half-yawned before she stopped herself with a throat clearing – “wins the day in sales, now that I and VeeVee are here.”
Applejack was dealing with a customer and thinking over the words of Rarity.
She’s got a point… course, Boozebeard did say he’d be back later today. Still, it’s a lot of time to be without my sponsor. At least Rarity’s worst for ware, though.
- - -
Several hours passed. Rarity was half-lidded and glazed, staring blankly at a finely-dressed mare. All Rarity wanted to do was sleep. The mare was raving about a particular ebony piece, a long dress gilded and sequined. VeeVee came to the rescue and started talking to the mare instead. Sweetie poked Rarity with her hoof.
“Sis, you sure you’re okay to keep going? You could take a nap, or…”
“SweetieI’mFine!” Rarity blurted, looking around. “Say, how about being the best little sister ever and finding me some coffee, hmm?” Sweetie looked uneasy, but did start off in the opposite direction in search for some caffeine. From across the way, a whistle entered Rarity’s ears. It didn’t make her move at first, not until a second whistle rang through the air. Rarity turned in the direction of the high-pitched noise.
“Hey, Rarity!” It was Applejack. “Ah’ve got a question for ya.”
Rarity rolled her tired eyes.
“Oh, is this another joke, or something?”
“No, this time ah’m serious.” Applejack came right up to Rarity and whispered in her ear, all the customers behind waiting impatiently. “You notice all of the new guards this morning? They look like Maelstrom’s stallions, don’t they?”
Rarity erased the scowl on her face and looked plainly at her friend. “Well actually, yes, I did notice that. Odd, isn’t it?”
Applejack nodded. “Nopony has any clue why. Ah’ve been asking all morning. It’s the strangest thing.” Customers began to get grouchy on both sides and call out to the shopkeepers.
“Well, anyway,” Applejack said as she went back to her wagon, “You let me know if you find out, alright?” Rarity nodded. A concern entered her mind and she looked over at VeeVee, who was schmoozing with a group of Canterlot elite.
I wonder if VeeVee would know anything about why Maelstrom’s guards are all over Canterlot now…