Part Two: Flickering Flames Become the Bonfire that Rewrites History
Chapter 24
Interdepartmental Memos between Sir Steadfast Word and Lady Speculum Shine, High Inquisitors
Hey Specs-
I need access to the file of one Oak Chips. He was arrested a few months ago, I think. A friend of mine is doing me a favor, and she asked me about him. I promised her I’d look into it.
Steadfast
Steadfast-
You have no idea what you’re asking for. You’re going to have to disappoint your friend, there’s no way this could get out. At all. Are you familiar with the Jabbernote document? The secret journal that Knights Vigilant read just after taking their oaths? I’ll copy the relevant passage to you, but the here’s the summary. Whatever Sir Jabbernote is talking about, your ‘Oak Chips’ was one of those things. What Jabbernote calls a ‘face stealer’. And whatever it was, it escaped. There’s no way I can justify letting this get out of our control. Sorry. You’ll have to come up with some other favor for your friend.
Specs
Dear Specs-
Thanks for the heads up, but don’t worry about it. My friend, Lady Emberglow of the Radiant, has been declared missing in action during combat against heretics during the Manehatten mission. Looks like I won’t need that file at all.
Steadfast
Excerpt from the ‘Jabbernote Document’, holy secret of the Knights Vigilant
We lost seven Knights trying to take Sunset Shimmer. The mare was a demon, fighting off a dozen Knights at a time. I’m amazed I even survived. At first I was worried she was something else. Some sort of horrific creature taking pony form, hiding among us. Once we had her under control, and her horn subdued by those artifacts the Mystics provided for us, we did every test we could, every spell, every investigation, to make sure she was a pony. Sir Microview even looked at the structure of her blood. When we arrived in New Canterlot City, we were absolutely sure we had the pony Sunset Shimmer in our custody, ready for execution. Our magic alone should have revealed an imposter using illusion magic, or a creature that could change its shape. It revealed nothing more than an angry, bitter unicorn mare.
I was tasked, alongside four of my brothers, to bring Sunset Shimmer to the place of her execution. Her cell was secure; the spell I placed on the door had not been broken. There was no window. Nopony had entered the cell, or exited the cell. Yet when I opened the door to retrieve the prisoner, something was wrong. It wasn’t the same pony. I cast the spell again, designed to reveal illusion magic. Nothing. I cast the spell that would reveal a shapeshifted creature. That’s when the prisoner changed. It wasn’t Sunset Shimmer any longer. It was something else.
The creature was insectoid in nature, though still shaped conventionally like a pony, with a long muzzle and four hooves. Rather than skin or fur, it was covered in a carapace, brightly colored red and black. It’s eyes lacked pupils, appearing almost like the compound eyes of an insect. It had a horn, though it was curved and forked, not like a unicorn’s. It laughed at us when we entered.
“I win, ponies. Sunset lives,” it said, then lunged at me. It’s carapace in the back split wide to reveal thin, delicate wings like a dragonfly’s. I’m afraid to say that we were unable to take the creature alive. It fought to the death, and we were forced to destroy it. I have no idea how it got into that cell, or how Sunset got out. But the Mystic can never know, at least not until I’m dead. My failure won’t matter; the Mystics can’t torture a corpse.
We still needed somepony to publicly execute, but that was a simple matter. A dumb back alley prostitute, drugged and fitted with the right illusion, provided the frothing crowd with all the scapegoat they needed for the beheading. I found out later there was a loose end, a foal, but the Mystics would never notice one more earth pony foal’s corpse in the piles of de-horned unicorns they mass buried after our victory in Manehatten. No great loss.
Whatever ‘face stealer’ replaced Sunset Shimmer, we have to be vigilant for. I scoured the records, the secret versions of the Saint’s histories, everything we had from that time period. There was nothing I could find. History was far too clean of references to creatures that could steal a pony’s form with magic. I suspect something infiltrated our numbers with the express intent of scrubbing these things from history. Ponies will call me paranoid for that, but this has been my obsession in the decades following the execution of ‘Sunset Shimmer’. I find no evidence that there are any remaining, but we have to watch for these things. Someday, they’ll decide to come back.
1112 AF, Ruins of Manehatten
Rarity and Heartwing watched Emberglow fly away, wearing Rarity’s brand new blanket-turned-dress creation. Not one of her better pieces, to be sure, but she had the excuse of working under pressure with nearly no materials. Even genius required decent materials.
“Will she be okay?” she worried, her eyes tracing after the strange mare. Rarity didn’t even have the beginnings of a handle on the whole situation herself, but she felt quite sorry for Emberglow. The poor girl was clearly going through a difficult time.
“Normally I’d say no,” Heartwing replied. The two of them rode in the back of the pegasus drawn chariot. Heartwing’s coltfriend, Terminus, flew nearby, prepared to guard the bus from any attacks or danger. “The Diarchy’s inquisitors are quite perceptive and persistent. Our new friend is flying into a veritable lion’s den.”
“But there's something different about Emberglow?” Rarity prompted.
“There’s something special about that mare. I feel the stirrings of destiny about her,” he said. Rarity gave a sharp snort of laughter. “What?”
“That sounds so bizarre, coming in your voice. The Discord I know never would have said anything about the 'stirrings of destiny',” Rarity said, eyeing him uncomfortably. It was disconcerting, she realized, to be having such a serious discussion with a pony using Discord’s voice. It was a voice more suited to the lightning-fast flashes of absurd costume changes and gratingly out of place prop summoning than the thoughtful, serious unicorn who stood in front of her.
“Would it sound better if I say I think she has a role to play in all this?” he waved a hoof vaguely, and Rarity pursed her lips. “The Tree said we should start our search for new Element Bearers right in that cave. So unless there was a fourth pony hidden where I couldn’t see…” he trailed off.
“You think Miss Emberglow may be one?” Rarity asked. Heartwing shrugged.
“I don’t know her well enough to say,” Heartwing said carefully. Rarity sensed an evasion.
“Oh?” she shot back casually. “Surely you have some idea. You spent quite some time with her in that cave, didn’t you?”
“Some idea? Perhaps. Or perhaps not,” Heartwing hemmed, his mouth curled with scepticism. There was a little bit of hesitation in his voice.
“You don’t like her?” Rarity guessed.
“That’s not it.” Heartwing shook his head. “I just don’t know where she stands. What she’s loyal to, now that her faith has been shaken. I don’t know her, and knowing I might have to rely on her for something as big as wielding an Element of Harmony makes me nervous.”
“I… suppose so.” Rarity could certainly see where he was coming from — it was difficult to trust a pony on the enemy’s side, no matter how good she seemed. Still… “She’ll come around. She has a good heart, that one. It’s just a little confused at the moment, the poor dear.”
“I hope so,” Heartwing said doubtfully. “You can never really tell, truthfully. Some ponies turn to us after losing their faith, while others — well.” He paused, shaking his head. “Anyway, no point speculating about it now. At the very least, we have a bearer of Generosity on our side.” He smiled slightly at her.
She didn’t respond for a long moment. Heartwing’s comment hit upon something that had been weighing on her mind since he had told her about what had happened in her absence, and now it gnawed at her with an insistent dread upon her heart.
“Actually,” she said, finally, stutteringly, “That was something — I mean, do you really think that I — after all this time, that is — do you really think that the Element will still... “ she trailed off. The Element of Generosity didn’t define her, not really. But it had played such a huge part of her life. The idea that it might no longer be hers to bear was unsettling.
Heartwing gazed at her, then sighed softly, before letting his gaze drift away. “...let’s worry about that when we come to it.” The evasion wasn’t subtle. Rarity glanced at him sharply, but he refused to meet her eyes. There was something inscrutable in his own look, something distant and worried. His lips were pursed tightly. It was as blatant as a closed door. With nothing better to do, she followed his gaze, looking out over the ruins bathed in moonlight.
The silence around them was deafening, now that the sounds of conversation had faded. An awful stillness hung in the air, so much unlike the busy city the place had once been. A memory stirred, of Twilight describing an alternate timeline of grey skies and empty deserts and cold, lifeless wind.
“It’s so…dead,” Rarity whispered. She remembered the city when it had produced enough electric light to outshine the moon and stars. She imagined she could hear the bustling of ponies going about their business, the laughter of friends and customers alike in her shop...
She felt herself teetering on the edge of a deep, dark pit as her throat clenched with the beginnings of a sob. Gone. It was all gone. They were all gone. The thousands of ponies who had lived here, worked here, shopped and played and loved here. She felt herself trembling, and wrapped her hooves around herself against the cold of the wind blowing past them.
“Are you okay?” Heartwing asked solicitously. “I could—”
“I’m fine,” Rarity said reflexively. “Just, it’s a little cold out here isn’t it?”
Heartwing was looking at her with obvious concern in his eyes, but she turned away, staring defiantly out into the ruins. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath. Not now. She couldn't deal all with this now.
She shoved it all deep. Whatever was happening, she could handle it. She was strong. She was Rarity! She’d owned and managed three boutiques at once, all while saving the world multiple times and more-or-less raising her sister. She could handle a little shake-up in her circumstances. As long as she buried it away deep enough.
“You know, Rarity,” he began, slowly, like he was considering every word, “you seem like you’re taking all this very well.”
“Why thank you, Discord—”
“Heartwing.”
“—Heartwing,” she said primly. “But a proper lady is always unflappable.”
“Yes, unflappable indeed,” he mused. “A little bit too unflappable, in fact.” His tone was casual, almost offhanded, but his sharp eyes betrayed a glint of understanding. “Are you sure you—”
“I’m fine!” Rarity snapped back, before biting her tongue.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
She turned with a deep breath and a winning smile on Heartwing, which he returned with a worried frown. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be short with you. I’ll manage.”
“Rarity, I’m worried about you,” he said abruptly. Rarity frowned, surprised at the sudden frankness in his tone. “You’re not acting like yourself.”
“Whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity asked him.
“Well,” he began, “you’re not whining about how dirty you are, you haven’t yet complained about a lack of access to fine dining, your mane and tail are a mess and you haven’t said a word. You’re not lamenting the lack of a bath or a mirror.” Rarity flinched with every addition to the list.
“W-well, all of that may be true, b-but…”
“Rarity, wait, please. I’m worried about you, really,” Heartwing said again. His tone was more serious than she’d ever heard before. It was odd and alien to hear that voice so solemn, and it made her pause and really consider what he was saying. “I know it’s going to take time, but for now, I think it might be best if you sleep.”
“Sleep? Here?” Rarity asked incredulously.
“I’ll cast a spell on you that will put you to sleep,” Heartwing explained.
“But darling, I just slept. For nearly a thousand years, if what you say is true.”
“Your brain needs time to catch up to this. I’d really like it if you took some time to rest.” Heartwing smiled humorlessly. “I won’t be convinced you’re back to your old self until I hear at least one decent hissy fit about the state of your mane.”
“Are you suggesting a lady can’t change? Mature? Grow beyond her bad habits?” Rarity asked archly. Heartwing simply raised an eyebrow and looked at her silently, his expression blank with disbelief. They held their little staring contest for a few pregnant seconds before Rarity blushed and dipped her head. “Very well. Cast your spell.”
Rarity knew he was right. She wasn’t feeling herself. Oh, she’d cried before, sobbed her eyes out when she'd seen the absolute ruin that was Manehatten. But overall, she just felt a bit… numb.
Heartwing’s horn lit with a gentle yellow light, and Rarity felt the magic slip over her. It was like a liquid blanket, covering her in softness from nose to tail. She felt her eyelids and ears droop instantly, and Heartwing caught her in gentle hooves and lowered her to the floor of the chariot.
“Rest well, Rarity,” Heartwing whispered as Rarity slipped off into slumber. “We’ll talk more in a few hours.”
Though perhaps restful, Rarity’s sleep was not dreamless. Some part of her mind had expected some sort of nightmare. Instead she dreamt of a pleasant afternoon at a classic Canterlot café, sipping tea with Princess Celestia. The Princess kept trying to say something, but every time she opened her mouth she would be interrupted by the sound of a bell. It was both rather frustrating and oddly relaxing at the same time, especially when a pony-sized Opalescence pranced up to bus their empty teacups.
* * * * *
Rarity woke with a shiver as a cold breeze tickled her fur, wondering if perhaps she’d left her window open. Or perhaps it was another of Rainbow Dash’s ill-conceived pranks. She ought to give the pegasus a piece of her mind. Maybe…
A second inhale brought the scent of sea air, which confused her for a second. Ponyville wasn’t anywhere near an ocean. How could she be…?
Oh. Rarity opened her eyes with a jolt. She was still in the chariot, though the sun was up. Heartwing still sat next to her in the chariot, his gaze fixed somewhere in front of her. She sat up, expecting the groggy sensation of waking after a long rest. Instead, she felt rested, if rather famished.
“You’re awake. Good. We’re almost home,” Heartwing said. She glanced at the two creatures pulling the chariot. At some point while she’d been asleep, the two pegasus drivers had switched out and were flying alongside the chariot to rest. Now the vehicle was being pulled by the stallion named Terminus, and a griffon in polished silver armor, of all things. “You’ve met Terminus,” Heartwing said. “The griffon is Cobalt. He’s my second in command, and a good friend.”
“Good morning, Lady Rarity,” the griffon in question called back. Rarity was impressed at the politeness in his greeting, considering that he was currently driving their chariot. “I hope you are well rested.”
“Despite the accommodations, yes,” Rarity said. “But I don’t suppose we have anything for breakfast?”
“We’ll be home within a half hour,” Heartwing said. “There will be food.”
“Now I don’t want to come off as too particular, Heartwing,” Rarity began hesitantly. “But what kind of food?”
Heartwing laughed. “Now I know you’re feeling better,” he said. “Don’t worry. Our fare is simple, but we have some amazing cooks. And before you ask, we have baths, combs and brushes to your heart’s content, and definitely shampoo.”
“Lovely,” Rarity said with a blush. She had been about to ask. “So where is home?”
“Don’t you recognize where we are?” Heartwing teased. Rarity nervously looked out over the edge of the chariot. Ever since certain incidents involving conjured wings that didn’t bear remembering or thinking about, Rarity had been a bit hesitant about heights.
“Sorry, I didn’t take much time to look,” she said back at him, a bit of perturbed heat in her voice. They were on a coastline somewhere. To their right was a rocky beach, and to the left was a vast ocean. The beach did look familiar; the shape of it had changed significantly, but she recognised the sharply pointed mountain jutting out of the shoreline. She stared at the familiar landmark approaching. “Mount Aris? That’s where you live? What about the hippogriffs?”
“While I was stone, and things started to get really bad with the Diarchy, the hippogriff queen decided to take a page out of Novo’s book. She used the pearl to transform them all into seaponies again. They’ve relocated to an ocean grotto on the other side of the Zebrican continent. When I started my little rebellion, I asked permission to turn their abandoned city into my headquarters. They had no use for it, so they agreed. I still exchange letters with the current hippogriff queen on occasion. They are isolated, but at peace.” There was a heartbreaking sort of longing in his voice that caught Rarity’s attention.
“Heartwing.” She laid a hoof on his shoulder. “What is it?”
He sighed. “Tell me something, Rarity. When you had to go off with your friends for the umpteenth time, carrying the Elements of Harmony into another impossible battle that you were all totally unequipped to handle with the weight of the whole world on your shoulders, did you ever want to give up and go take a nap? Like a really long one?”
“Every time, darling,” she breathed. “But it didn’t matter. Why?”
“I’ve been at war for centuries now, Rarity. I’m not sure I remember what peace feels like.” The far off look in his face carried the weight of years. Years, Rarity realized, that she’d been asleep for.
“I’ve missed so much,” she whispered out loud, so softly she was sure the passing wind would steal away the words before Heartwing could hear. His sympathetic look, however, told her otherwise.
“I’ll answer all the questions you have, tell you everything you want to know. But please be patient,” Heartwing said. “It’s going to take time to come to terms with everything that has changed. And… as soon as we get back, I won’t be able to help you right away. I have some business I have to attend to.”
“You’re talking about the list, aren’t you, sir?” Terminus Flash asked from the front of the chariot. His voice was disapproving. “Sir, you don’t have to…”
“No. It’s my responsibility.”
“But sir, I’m sure you’d like to spend some time with your friend. Just this once I could…
“No, Terminus!” Heartwing barked, sounding annoyed. “I’m not having this argument with you again. I’ll handle the list. Would you give Miss Rarity the grand tour?”
“What is this list?” Rarity asked. Everypony went silent.
“The casualty list," Terminus finally said. "Our esteemed leader thinks it’s his personal responsibility to inform the family of everypony killed in battle.”
“Because it is,” Heartwing insisted. Terminus flicked his tail angrily, but didn’t argue further.
“...s-so,” Rarity stammered. “There’s a tour?” It wasn’t the most graceful of subject changes, but it was the best she could come up with under pressure.
“Terminus is the best at helping ponies who are dealing with the emotional trauma of losing their faith,” Heartwing explained. “Part of that process is spending the first few days helping the pony get acclimated to our way of life. We call it ‘the tour’. He’ll be your main point of contact for whatever you need over the next few weeks.”
“And then what?” Rarity asked.
“That’s the first piece of advice I have for new ponies,” Terminus called back over the rushing wind. “Sometimes it’s too much to think about the future. Sometimes we need to just take one day at a time. Sometimes just one hour, or one minute.”
It was good advice, but rather difficult for a pony that had always looked far into the future, to her future plans, her future goals, and her future designs. Did this world even have room for a fashion designer? She shuddered at the thought.
After a while more, the chariot finally reached Mount Aris. The ruins of the city looked much like they had when Rarity and her friends had first arrived. It was abandoned and broken. She remembered what it had been like when the hippogriffs had moved back to the surface. Mount Aris had been a joy to behold, full of creatures just rediscovering their own lives after years under water.
“I thought you said you lived here,” Rarity said. Heartwing just grinned as the chariot dipped towards the ruins of the hippogriff city. “Unless…” Once again she thought back to her first visit here with her friends, how the ruins had concealed the true entrance to the seapony city.
“Queen Novo was brilliant. Why not use her ideas?” Heartwing said. “Only I don’t have the magic to bring everypony underwater, so I settled for the next best thing.” The chariot landed next to a largely intact stone building, covered with vines.
“Contrail? Cirrus Fall?” Heartwing addressed the two soldiers. “If you two are still up for some flying, I’d like you to fly our backtrail and hook up with the rest, make sure they have no problems flying in.” The two soldiers saluted and flew off. Heartwing turned to the others. “Let’s get this chariot under cover.”
Rarity and Heartwing dismounted, and helped Cobalt and Terminus out of their harnesses. The stallions pushed the chariot into the building, through an opening hidden by the vines. Then the three ponies and griffon stopped in front of the entrance, with Heartwing leading the group.
“Now, presenting to you all, the most wondrous, most elegant, most shining-errific city of all, Angel’s Rest!” Heartwing ducked in with a smirk, the others following close behind.
The building was empty except for rubble. The vast empty space made the sound of their hooves on the rock echo throughout the building. Heartwing stepped in grandly, a prance in his step.
“Welcome to the grand entry hall! Please take note of the fine tapestry work, the luxury carpeting, and especially the gaggle of finely dressed party guests.” With each declaration, Heartwing motioned dramatically with his hoof.
“There’s nothing here,” Rarity said flatly. Heartwing smirked at her, but Terminus nudged him hard in the ribs.
“Don’t tease her,” Terminus said, as he picked through the rubble to find a cleverly hidden recess underneath a large, flat rock. With his hoof, he pressed firmly down on the stone. From the floor came a grinding of mechanical gears, and the floor slipped away to reveal a wide spiral staircase heading down. “C’mon, Rarity. Let me give you the grand tour of Angel’s Rest.”
She followed Terminus down the spiral staircase with Cobalt and Heartwing close behind. Rarity had to admit she was curious; just what sort of a community had Heartwing built in a cave under Mount Aris?
Finally they reached the bottom of the stairs, which ended in a small room that had a single metal door across from the bottom of the staircase. There was a row of small holes along the ceiling of the room, and a tiny sliding panel in the door. Terminus stepped up and knocked on the door. The panel slid open, and Rarity could see a pair of eyes on the other side. The eyes took in everypony that was in the room, pausing for a moment on Rarity before Heartwing nodded. Then the panel closed, and the door slid open.
“Welcome home, sir,” the pony on the other side, a unicorn mare, said as Heartwing ushered them through the door. “The rest are coming?” The guardroom was larger than the room at the foot of the stairs, and there were more than just the unicorn mare at the door. Several other ponies, dressed in dark clothing, stood at attention as Heartwing and the others entered.
“At ease, ponies,” Heartwing said to the guards, before answering the mare’s question. “We took a chariot back. The airship will be a few hours yet.”
“Do you… I mean, uh, how is…” the mare stuttered nervously, blushing and looking away.
“Which one are you worried about?” Heartwing asked compassionately.
“My fillyfriend. Miss Ginger Spice,” the door guard admitted in a whisper.
“Ginger Spice was fine when we left,” Cobalt supplied. The griffon patted the guard mare with one wing. “A few cuts and bruises, nothing more. I’m sure she’ll respond quite well to some close attention from a personal, loving nursemaid.” The door guard went crimson at the suggestion, and Rarity giggled. It seemed like even in this nightmare world, life and love went on as normal.
Rarity followed the others out of the guardroom and into a colossal cavern. It was larger by far than any underground space she’d ever seen. Massive pillars of limestone held up a tall ceiling. Among the pillars was a hodgepodge of structures, some built out of stone, others wood, with even more made of canvas and tent poles. Above them all was a giant crystal hanging from the ceiling, glowing bright with sunlight and illuminating the entire cave. The door from the guardroom exited into a bluff high above the rest of the city, giving Rarity a good vantage point to see the entire city.
The shape of the city was exactly like something Discord would have designed. The entire thing was a chaotic spiders web of streets, twisting this way and that throughout the buildings with no logic. Dead ends abounded, as did oddly shaped intersections, sometimes with six or seven roads all running together haphazardly.
While Rarity was usually a mare who appreciated symmetry, there was an odd sort of beauty to it all. Almost as if there was a sense to the nonsense, an underlying delightful whimsy to the design.
“This truly is your place, isn’t it?” she whispered to Heartwing, who nodded proudly. Her eyes continued to drift over the city, this time noticing the colorful rainbow of ponies moving about.
Even from her vantage point, Rarity could see ponies and other creatures going about their business. Ponies were smiling and laughing, greeting each other with waves and warm hugs. And it wasn’t only ponies; other creatures mixed in as well, looking as much a part of the city as the ponies. The atmosphere of the city was welcoming and warm, and Rarity thought it odd; she’d been expecting some sort of military fort, full of desperate, warlike ponies. What she got instead was… harmony. The three pony tribes, living together, much like they had in Ponyville.
Of course, she couldn’t help but notice the fashion. Many ponies wore nothing, much like during Rarity’s time. But even more ponies were dressed. Most clothing was utilitarian, with undyed linens and drab colors. There was potential, though. Rarity did quite like the look of the military style uniforms that soldier ponies wore. Perhaps her grand debut should be military inspired, maybe with brass buttons and epaulets? Perhaps some high leg boots? It was worth an entire notebook of drawings. She lost herself in her fantasies for a few minutes, almost forgetting where she was and what was happening.
“This is Angel’s Rest,” Terminus explained. “It may not be the most modern of cities, but I love it.” He gestured with one hoof to a long ramp descending from the bluff. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll guide you through the process we have for newcomers.”
“Process?” Rarity asked curiously. Terminus shook a hoof dismissively.
“Nothing strenuous. We give all newcomers a medical checkup to see to their physical health, and then an assessment by one of our Knights regarding your combat skills. Most ponies who make their way here wish to join in the fight, so we need to see where they’ll best fit in. Afterwards, we’ll see to a place for you to stay temporarily.”
“Temporarily?” Rarity asked.
“For the first few weeks of a pony’s stay in Angel’s Rest, we try to have them live close by somepony who can help them in case they need emotional support. Most ponies who come here have experienced trauma,” Terminus explained.
“I’ll have to leave you in Cobalt and Termie’s hooves now,” Heartwing said, his voice somber. “I have some ponies to see.” Rarity felt out of her depth, but the urge to comfort a friend was too strong. She rested a hoof on Heartwing’s shoulder.
“Good luck, darling,” she said softly. He nodded his thanks, then stepped away down the ramp. Rarity watched him go with a sense of helplessness; she should be going with her friend, helping him through this. Instead, she followed Terminus and Cobalt towards the three story brick building labeled ‘hospital’.
There was a middle aged unicorn mare behind the counter with blue and white paint fur, dressed in a nurse’s uniform. She lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree when she laid eyes on Cobalt.
“You’re back! You’re safe!” she gushed, rushing around the counter before pulling up short, something dark and worried crossing over her expression. “Is…”
“Hey, Pastel. She’s fine, she’s coming with the rest of the soldiers later,” Cobalt said softly, wrapping his arms around the mare in a tight embrace. “We just came back first with Sir Heartwing. Have a new arrival who needs a checkup.”
“Oh!” Pastel the nurse glanced at Rarity. For a moment, her eyes widened in recognition and she gaped, swallowing loudly. She blinked a few times, then gulped and shook her head.
“Professionalism,” Rarity heard her whisper, and Rarity hid an amused smirk behind a hoof. “Well, come on back to the examination room, miss…”
“Rarity,” she introduced herself with an outstretched hoof. The nurse blinked a few times, then shook her hoof nervously.
“Miss Rarity. Really?” the nurse whispered. Rarity nodded, and the nurse, slightly pale, cleared her throat. “Of course. I’m Pastel Paint. Come this way, we’ll do a quick checkup.”
“Of course.” She followed the nurse back to a small exam room, noting with some amusement that hospitals hadn’t changed much in the last few hundred years.
“I’m going to assume that something rather complicated, and frankly insane, is going on,” the nurse began shakily as she hovered a clipboard out in front of her. “But I’ve learned to just accept the insanity that goes on here sometimes. So if you don’t want to tell me about it, that’s fine. We’ll just get the exam done.”
“I’d be happy to fill you in, Miss Paint,” Rarity smiled at her. “But you could get the whole story from your handsome griffon friend.”
Paint smiled fondly. “My husband, Cobalt. Wonderful griffon. You’re right, I’ll just ask him later.” She cleared her throat again. “Sorry. Up on the exam bed, please. Don’t worry, this will be a simple physical to make sure you don’t need any more care. Some ponies come to us in the worst of shape, and it’s my job to assess if they have ongoing physical or emotional needs that we need to follow up on.”
The exam was just as promised, easy and quick. Pastel Paint was professional and efficient, though she did keep pausing every few moments to stare at her. Rarity found the scrutiny a bit disconcerting, but at least the mare was trying not to be too in awe of her.
“All done. Clean bill of health. Unless there’s anything you’re concerned about?”
“Nothing I can think of,” Rarity said brightly, but Paint’s eyes narrowed.
“Everypony talks to somepony after moving here. Terminus handles most of the counselling. I don’t know your circumstances, but we’ll do our best to make your transition as smooth as possible. Everypony needs help, R-rarity.” She only stumbled a little on the name.
“I’ll talk to him. I promise.” Rarity was a bit annoyed to be treated so gently, but part of her understood.
Paint led her back to the waiting room, where Cobalt and Terminus both waited patiently.
“I’ll take her to the placement office,” Terminus offered, patting Cobalt with a hoof. “You sneak in some time with your wife. Celestia knows the boss is going to keep you busy in the next few days.”
“I think you might be correct,” Cobalt said gravely, eyeing Rarity. It made her feel uncomfortable to be the subject of those sharp eyes. He glanced away when Paint nudged him.
“C’mon. I’ve got a lunch break. I want to hear all about your mission.” Paint pulled him away, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, and he waved at Rarity and Terminus.
“Enjoy the rest of your tour, miss Rarity.”
* * * * *
Rarity and Terminus left the hospital and headed towards their next stop, someplace Terminus had called the ‘placement office’. There were creatures filling the streets, and Rarity marveled at the sheer variety. There were ponies, of course, with unicorns being the most numerous. But among the ponies were griffons, zebras, and even minotaurs. Once Rarity glanced overhead and thought she saw a hippogriff flying past. It reminded her of her days teaching at the school of friendship; not just because of the melange of creatures, but because of the cheerful, friendly air about the entire city.
“We have a new mare running the placement office,” Terminus warned as they weaved through the crowds. “She’s… eccentric, but enthusiastic. Just be patient with her, please?” Rarity arched an eyebrow, but Terminus refused to explain further.
The placement office was a stone building with a painted wooden roof, and a placard next to the door that proclaimed its purpose. As the two ponies approached, Rarity could hear shouting from the inside. There was no real hostility to the voices, only a single female voice complaining to a patient male one.
“But I don’t wanna!” the female voice whined. “It’s demeaning!
“Do you prefer the alternative?” the male voice replied. “You heard what the doctor said. You’re supposed to stay in the chair.”
“Is that why you came to visit me at work? To make sure I behave myself?”
“Yes, my heart. And because it’s my turn. If I weren’t here, Windy would be. Remember, Doc Plasma told you to rest as much as possible. That means staying off your hooves, and in the chair.”
“We should probably go interrupt that,” Terminus said to Rarity. He pushed the door open, and called out. “Bubblegum? We have a new pony for assessment!”
The room was a comfortable looking office, with several sitting pillows. Behind the desk was an obviously pregnant earth pony mare wearing yellow robes and sitting in a wheelchair. Next to the chair was a handsome griffon male, his claw resting affectionately on her hoof.
“New pony!” cheered the earth pony, who pulled the wheelchair closer to the table to assemble some paperwork on her desk. The griffon helped, pushing an inkwell and quill into the mare’s hooves and shifting some extra papers out of her way.
“Good morning, Bubblegum. Today’s new pony is a bit of a special case,” Terminus said, and the mare looked up at Rarity, her eyes narrowing in concentration.
“There’s something familiar about you,” Bubblegum asked. “Have I seen you somewhere before?”
Terminus scoffed. “Were you really a Knight?” he asked, laughing.
“Of course I was a Knight,” she stuck her tongue out at Terminus. “I still am, technically, even though the boss man has me benched.” She scowled at her chair. “Literally.”
“My heart, you are very pregnant,” the griffon sighed. “The doctor has already told you it is a high risk pregnancy, and you need to take things as easy as possible.”
“My husbands are taking turns foalsitting me,” Bubblegum deadpanned. “I’d complain, but I’m the mare that gets to spend all the time with a sexy pony and a sexy griffon.” She nuzzled said griffon, then turned her questioning gaze back on Rarity. “Sorry about all the mushy stuff. It’s the pregnancy hormones. They make me weird. Weirder. What’s your name, new pony? I’m Bubblegum.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Bubblegum,” Rarity said. “My name is Rarity.”
“Right. Pull the other one,” Bubblegum snorted. “What’s your name really, new girl? Because I gotta be honest with you, using a fake name like that…” she trailed off when Rarity lifted the hem of her skirt with a smirk, showing off her three-diamond cutie mark. “Huh. Galileo? Did the doctor say hallucinations were a side effect of pregnancy?”
“He did not,” the griffon replied, looking intently at Rarity’s cutie mark before she lowered her skirt.
“Huh,” Bubblegum said again. “Okay then. There’s a story here?” she glanced at Terminus. Briefly, Terminus told Bubblegum about Heartwing finding Rarity trapped in a stasis spell, inside a cave in Manehatten. Heartwing must have shared the whole story with him while Rarity was sleeping. A few minutes in, the griffon, Galileo, sat down on the cushions, inviting Rarity and Terminus to do the same.
“So, my assessment sounds like more of a formality at this point,” Bubblegum concluded when Terminus reached the end of his story. Her voice sounded off balance, and she was twitching oddly. “I mean, we all know the kind of stuff Saint Rarity got up to back in the day. It’s not like a bucking legendary hero needs to be assessed, right?” She sounded hysterical. Rarity thought she might understand what Bubblegum was going through; Heartwing had said she was a religious figure to these people. It made sense that some ponies might have trouble with meeting her.
“May I?” Rarity asked gently, placing a hoof on Terminus’. He nodded. “Calm down, dear. You’re in no condition to work yourself into a frenzy over something as silly as me. Just do your ‘assessment’, like you would for anypony, and if you like, when we have some time, I’d be happy to tell you some of the real stories behind me and my friends’ exploits.”
“Um, yeah. That could be fun,” Bubblegum said, breathing heavily. “Okay, uh, assessment then. Um, first question. What kind of combat experience do you have? I mean, military service or training, that sort of thing.”
“Well, my friends and I did fight against an army of changelings, once,” Rarity replied. “I stood with them against a rampaging chaos god, an enraged centaur, a pony of shadows, an angry nightmare given physical form, and a hundred other threats. I don’t know if any of that counts for your paperwork, though.” Everypony was staring at her. Bubblegum’s eyes darted back and forth between the page and Rarity, before gulping.
“I’ll put down ‘combat experience, but no formal training',” she stuttered, and Rarity blushed. She hadn’t meant to cause a reaction.
“The rampaging chaos god. Was that…” Terminus whispered, unwilling to finish the sentence out loud. Rarity nodded, and Terminus gulped. “He won’t talk about that time. There’s a lot of guilt.”
“Okay,” Bubblegum said, recovering herself a little. “Next is your cutie mark and your profession. I don’t really need to ask about your cutie mark, everypony knows that.” She giggled nervously. “How about profession? What did you do for work before you found us?”
“I am a fashion designer, and a good one,” Rarity said confidently. “As soon as I get a hoof on the pulse of haute couture here, I’ll be back in the saddle, as it were.”
“That’s… way different than what it says in the Book of the Saints,” Bubblegum said as she scribbled down some more notes on the form. “I mean, the boss stallion told us it was pretty much all lies, but it’s still weird to hear.” She looked up from her form. “I wanna hear what it was really like. Life, before the Diarchy. The big guy doesn’t talk about it much.” Terminus was nodding.
“It would be my pleasure, darling,” Rarity said. Bubblegum visibly relaxed, and the rest of the interview proceeded without too much more complications. Inwardly, Rarity wondered about the whole process. Rarity understood the need, but where did she fit in? The Tree had given them a mission, but Heartwing had not said what their next step was. Obviously she wasn’t supposed to just absorb into the rest of the rebels that lived here in Angel’s Rest.
The interview concluded, and Rarity and Terminus bid goodbye to Bubblegum and Galileo. Rarity even offered to design Bubblegum new cushions for her chair that would be both comfortable and stylish. She was already visualizing the designs in her head.
“Where are you taking me next?” Rarity asked Terminus as they left the building. “I’ve been holding it in, but I think I’d really like a bath next. I think I very well might burst if I can’t do at least a little primping.”
“Very well. The guest house is this way,” Terminus motioned with one hoof, and Rarity followed him towards a cluster of buildings that looked like houses. On the way, there were several ponies that smiled and waved, exchanging friendly greetings with Terminus and even waves and words of welcome with Rarity, the obvious new pony. Rarity was glad her cutie mark was covered by her clothing; she wasn’t sure she wanted too much celebrity attention just yet. Or at least, not celebrity attention she hadn’t earned.
“Miss Rarity? Is everything okay?” Terminus’ voice suddenly broke through her distraction. She realized she’d frozen in place.
“Yes, I’m just a bit overwhelmed,” she confessed. “I think there may have been something to what Heartwing said earlier, about me not feeling myself. I’m still having trouble coming to terms with everything that has happened recently.”
“One step at a time, Rarity,” Terminus suggested. “For right now, I want you to think about a bath. Think about how good the warm water is going to feel on your fur, how the shampoo feels in your mane. Think about the scents and the soothing sounds. Focus on just how amazing your mane is going to look, how shiny your coat will be. Let each minute come one at a time.” Her hooves began moving again, propelled by the absolutely divine images the stallion was creating in her head. Rarity was practically quivering with exhaustion and anticipation when they finally reached their destination.
The house that Terminus stopped in front of was unassuming. It was two stories tall, constructed of wood, and painted eggshell white. There was a flower garden in front, and a small lawn. A small side wing extended off the east side of the house, an addition that looked almost like an afterthought.
“This is Heartwing and my house,” Terminus said. “We finished the guest addition a few months back, so that new ponies can live near a friendly face while they transition into a new life here. Come on in.” He opened the door for her.
Rarity remembered, once, that Fluttershy had told her a story about having tea at Discord’s home. While perhaps this modern home still followed the laws of physics, a single glance at the mish-mash of décor on the walls and furniture told her which of the two stallions had had a dominant role in picking the decorations. Nothing matched, there was no theme, no logic, and no consistency. The couch cushions were mismatched, and the throw pillows clashed. The wall hangings varied wildly in color and style.
“I know,” Terminus said ruefully when he saw her horrified expression. “It was my idea, really. On one of his darker days, I rearranged the house like this so he could feel like more of his old self. He thought it was funny.” There was a fond, affectionate look in his eyes. “We keep it because it makes him feel at home, even if it hurts my eyes.” Rarity giggled along with him. “This way.”
The house was modest, but the two stallions had clearly splurged on the bathroom. There was a huge mirror hanging over a porcelain sink, and the tub was huge. Fresh towels, warm and fluffy, hung from a bar on the wall. Terminus turned on the faucets for hot water and the tub began to fill.
“Take your time. We do have some mane and fur care products in the cupboard under the sink. Take whatever you want. I’ll find some clothes for you if you want, unless you’d prefer nothing.”
“I thought Heartwing said there was a nudity taboo?” Rarity asked, though she had seen some unclad ponies on the way to the house.
“That’s out in the Diarchy. Here not so much. Unicorns here obviously weren’t raised in the Diarchy, so many don’t go clad. Many of the others who came here later choose to go without clothing as protest. Still, some ponies just aren’t comfortable being nude all the time. Honestly, it’s your choice, and nopony will judge you whatever you pick.”
“Hmm,” Rarity considered. “I think I’d best go without, then. At least until I can design something suitable myself. Thank you, Terminus.”
“I have a quick errand to run, and then I’ll be right back if you need anything,” Terminus said. “Remember, if you start to feel overwhelmed, just focus on the present; take each day one minute at a time.” He closed the door behind him, leaving her in solitude.
Rarity held it together long enough to fill the huge tub with hot water. As soon as she slipped out of her makeshift dress and into the soothing tub, the tears began to flow. This was no dramatic outburst, designed at least in part to elicit sympathy from her audience, but silent, shuddering sobs, drawn from deep inside her.
She felt a keen sense of loss. The tub reminded her of her many spa trips with Fluttershy, her best friend, now dead and buried a thousand years. The warmth reminded her of cozy nights, curled up next to a fireplace with a book in Twilight’s castle library. A thousand little things in this simple bathroom reminded her of all her friends, and she shed a thousand tears into the hot water. She had no idea how long she sat there in the water, weeping, although the water had grown tepid.
Eventually a knock on the door, and a concerned voice calling her name, startled her awake. With an embarrassed blush, she realized she’d drifted off.
“Just a moment, Terminus,” she called out, remembering mournfully that in her time crying in the tub she hadn’t even taken a second to pamper herself. She ducked under the water and thoroughly wet her hair. With her magic, she gently opened the cupboard underneath the sink. From the tub she could see a basic array of mane care products. She picked a vanilla hibiscus shampoo and mourned that she wouldn’t have enough time to do this properly. A rush job with shampoo was a travesty, but a necessary one if she didn’t want to be rude to her host. “Can you let me know where I can find a mane brush?”
“Second drawer, to the right of the mirror,” came Terminus’ voice from the other side of the door.
“Thank you, darling,” Rarity said. He really was a dear. Maybe after the bath she’d have a chance to sit down and hear about how such a kind stallion like him ended up with a rascal like Discord. Although, this new ‘Heartwing’ persona did seem to genuinely be different from the former draconequus.
The quickly cooling water temperature made finishing her bath an urgent priority. Rarity used her magic to quickly shampoo her mane and tail, scrubbing and rinsing as quickly as she could. She was shivering when she finally stepped out of the tub, and she wrapped herself in the warm fluffy heaven of the towel.
After a completely reasonable amount of time brushing out her mane and tail, she finally felt herself again, at least physically. She stepped out of the bathroom and trotted down the oddly decorated hallway into the equally discordant living area. Terminus was sitting on the couch, curled up with a blanket and a book. He had removed his armor, and was wearing a simple green housecoat. He looked up when she entered, and gestured to a bowl sitting on the living room table. It was full of ice cream.
“Oh dear. This future seemed so bleak, I was worried for a moment that maybe ice cream had gone away, too,” Rarity half-joked, and Terminus laughed, setting his book aside.
“Heartwing suggested chocolate ice cream. He said it was your favorite.”
“I’m rather flattered that he remembered,” Rarity said. “There was a time when I truly believed he didn’t care about anypony but Fluttershy.” A stab of pain crossed Terminus’ face at the mention of her old friend. It was understandable; few ponies liked to be reminded of their lover’s former flames.
“We have a few hours while Heartwing deals with business,” Terminus said. “Why don’t you take some time to ask some questions?”
There were a thousand questions Rarity wanted to ask. Questions about the world, questions about her friends, questions about Heartwing and his community. Rarity blurted out the one that came first in her mind.
“What happened to Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked desperately. “I’m sure she’s long…” she cringed, then forced the word out, “…dead, but I need to know if she was happy.”
“I don’t know much about what happened to the ponies of the past,” Terminus said with a soft smile. “You’ll have to ask Heartwing to get more details. But he did hang on to this.” He held up the book he’d been reading, and set it down in front of Rarity. “I had a feeling you’d be asking about her.”
“What is this?” Rarity asked, glancing at the title. Chaos and Harmony: A Study on the Convergence of Magic and Song. She read the author’s name; it was written by Sweetie Belle, with co-authors listed as Princess Twilight Sparkle and Discord. She took a bite of her ice cream and hummed with pleasure. It was clearly hoofmade.
“Your sister’s Ph.D. dissertation,” Terminus said. “A bit of an academic curiosity at this point. Heartwing told me at one time, the magic of harmony was so strong throughout this land that sometimes, when it intersected oddly with the magic of chaos, ponies would spontaneously break into song and dance routines out of nowhere. No planning, no rehearsal, no discernable source of music.” His voice was full of wonder and longing. “I would have loved to have seen it.”
“I experienced it myself,” Rarity admitted. “Honestly, it was something all ponies took for granted. You’re saying my sister studied it?”
“Enough to write a book and get her doctorate in Magical Theory, apparently,” Terminus said. “What did…” he began, then paused, shaking his head. “No. My questions can wait. I’m here to answer yours.”
“You say you don’t know much about what happened to my friends?” Rarity asked carefully.
“I know they all died, centuries ago. Even the Princess Twilight, even though she was an alicorn. Heartwing doesn’t like to speak of them much, especially Fluttershy. I know he loved her dearly; everything he does is for her memory.” Terminus’ voice sank, his ears drooping back. He glanced at Rarity, and shook his head. “Sorry. I try not to get maudlin when I talk about her, but it’s hard.”
“You… feel like you’re competing with a memory?” Rarity guessed, and Terminus nodded.
“Hard to compete with somepony so perfect, so divine, that she still inspires your immortal coltfriend hundreds of years later,” Terminus said bitterly, and sniffed. “I can’t even hate her. She’s too perfect.”
“She was just a pony, like you or me,” Rarity said softly.
“No. Now she’s a legend. Just like the rest of you,” Terminus said. “I… I’m sorry. I’m getting away from your questions again.”
“Think nothing of it, Terminus,” Rarity said, taking another bite of the absolutely sumptuous ice cream. They continued to talk, and Terminus continued to answer questions, though Rarity carefully kept her questions to generalities. Her ice cream was long gone when Terminus offered to get them both some coffee or hot chocolate. Before he could get up, however, the door swung open to reveal an exhausted looking Heartwing, ears and tail slumping.
“Hey, guys,” Heartwing said. He sounded defeated. “The Yeast brothers are delivering a pizza. I assume you haven’t eaten yet.”
“Just chocolate ice cream,” Rarity said. Something fatty and indulgent, dripping with melty cheese, sounded perfect right now. “How are you?” Terminus stood up and embraced Heartwing, their hooves slipping around each other in a loving embrace.
“Tired. Hungry. Did Terminus talk your ear off yet?” Heartwing asked.
“He was a perfect gentlestallion,” Rarity said. “You’ve done well for yourself.” Both stallions blushed, and Rarity smiled. “Now come sit down, Heartwing. You look like you need to get off your hooves.”
Heartwing made only a token protest as Rarity and Terminus maneuvered him onto the couch. Terminus snuggled up to his stallion, and Rarity couldn’t help but coo at how cute the two of them were together. They were affectionate and sweet, and Rarity felt a twinge of jealousy. She wanted what they had.
“So, I’m sure you asked Terminus Flash all sorts of questions,” Heartwing said. “Do you have any for me?”
“Of course I do, Heartwing,” Rarity said. One question, really, that had stuck in her mind since waking up on the chariot earlier. “What do I do now?” Heartwing opened his mouth to answer, but Rarity spoke before he could. “Do you expect me to join in your rebellion? Your war? I don’t know if you remember, darling, but I’m not much of a military type. I barely even know what’s happening. Or do I somehow try to pick up where I left off? Build a new shop, start making dresses and selling them to the denizens of your cave city? I’m just not sure how I fit in right now. And then there’s the mission the Tree of Harmony set for us.” She realized she was rather worked up, and paused. Heartwing watched her patiently, waiting to make sure she was done. Then he spoke.
“Rarity, you are your own mare. If you want to fight at our side, I would be honored. But not everypony in Angel’s Rest is a warrior. We have an entire community here; the Diarchy makes outcasts of all sorts, not just fighting ponies. I’ve made sure there’s a home for anypony who needs one here.” He sounded sad, or perhaps resigned. “And of course we’re going to find you a shop. That last bit…” He paused thoughtfully. “I can’t help but feel like Emberglow is an essential part of all this. Maybe even one of the Elements. I’ve sent word to my agents in New Canterlot City. They’ll keep an eye on her. Until she gets back, I think you should relax, design dresses, eat ice cream, and do your best to come to terms with all of this. Don’t worry. We’ll be there to help every step of the way.”
The guest room was almost lifelessly bland compared to the living room, and Rarity nearly stomped her hoof with indignation when Terminus showed it to her.
“Yeah, it’s boring,” he said with a laugh. “I think I used up all my creative inspiration making our house a home for Heartwing. I welcome any notes you might have.”
“I’ll get some to you,” Rarity declared wryly. The walls were painted eggshell white, the bedspread and linens were beige, and there was a still life of a fruit bowl on the wall. There was even a lace doily on the bedside table. Rarity felt ill. “Very soon.”
“It’s meant to be calming,” Terminus said with a roll of his eyes. Rarity shook her head.
“I assure you, darling, it is most distressing,” she said, though she smiled to take any sting out of her words. “I am most grateful, though. Though the color scheme may be ghastly, the bed looks perfectly comfortable and warm.”
“Well then, dear lady,” Terminus said with mock formality. “I shall leave you to your palace for the evening, and bid you good night.”
“And you as well, good sir,” Rarity giggled, before returning to a more normal voice. “Honestly, I think your own dear prince might need a little extra cuddling tonight. Today can’t have been easy on him.”
“It never is,” Terminus said solemnly as he slipped out of the guest bedroom. Rarity turned out the light and slipped into the bed. A disaster of design it may be, but it was comfortable and warm. After the day she’d had, it wasn’t long before she slipped into sleep.
Sleep, however, was not restful. The nightmares lasted all night. Over and over, one after another, she watched her friends trot up to her, smile sadly, and then turn to dust. She tried to reach out to each one, screaming desperately as one after another they faded away. The last to appear then fade was her little Spike, his eyes full of the same dazed sort of longing he often wore in her presence.
Rarity woke up far too early in the morning, soaked in sweat and tears.