//------------------------------//
// Chapter Twenty-Two: Rehearsal 
// Story: CRISIS: Equestria - Divergence, Book 3 
// by GanonFLCL 
//------------------------------//

The Whale of the Skies landed in Newhaven in the early evening, roughly around when most ponies would be eating dinner. Though it had taken a few hours to get here, the nature of time zones meant that they'd actually arrived not too long after they'd left. Because it was still summer here in the south, the sun was still up, just barely hitting the horizon and giving the sky a beautiful, vibrant orange glow far different from the ominous orange of the north.

True enough to what she'd been hearing so far, apart from the technological marvels that made up the airport, Newhaven and the south in general reminded Twilight of home. The grass was green, and there actually was grass; the sky was visible, with not just the sun and clouds but the barest hint of stars just starting to emerge; there were beautiful blue waters down in the ocean below by a white, sandy beach; and oh, the smells. Twilight felt assured that the southern ponies would fit right at home in her Equestria when this was all said and done.

After the airship docked and everypony disembarked with their luggage and made their way out of the airport—the northern natives who had never been here looked like they'd just walked into some alien world—plans started getting made and put underway almost immediately. Staff from the House Sky estate had arrived and were already attending to everypony, collecting luggage and setting them into carriages and chariots for the group to take wherever they might want to go.

Lord Skycatcher addressed the collective first. "Welcome, everypony, ta Newhaven," he said with a proud flourish of his hooves. "My pride 'n' joy. My home. As the Lord o' Newhaven an' head o' House Sky, I offer to y'all my hospitality, so make yerselves at home. If'n ya need somepony ta show y'all 'round, I can assign stewards to ya, but feel free ta explore.

"There's gonna be a small banquet at my estate, an' e'rypony here is invited ta join o' course, but just a fair warnin', this here's a proper lords 'n' ladies-type banquet and there's gonna be a lotta politics gettin talked about, so if that ain't yer speed, by all means, check out what the town's got ta offer."

It came as little surprise to Twilight that the other southern delegates were going to the banquet—except Sir Zircon, oddly—nor that Blackburn and her family would be attending, same with Gray Skies and Rosewater, though not the rest of her family who had other plans. What actually surprised Twilight was that Rarity wanted to go along as well.

"Why would you find it surprising, dear?" Rarity replied when Twilight voiced her confusion; Zyra, meanwhile, helped her onto one of the carriages, looking less and less like a simple friend every day and more like a personal butler. "If anypony should want to attend a fancy banquet dinner at the personal estate of a noble lord, it's me."

"I mean, when you put it that way…" Twilight muttered, rubbing her chin in thought. "It just seemed so… automatic. Your acceptance of the offer, I mean. You looked like you were ready to attend even before you were invited."

Rarity laughed and dismissed the thought with her hoof. "Oh, Twilight dear, as if there were ever a doubt that Lord Skycatcher would be so hospitable. My friend Zyra has told me all about these southerners and their customs. For him not to invite all of us would be seen as rude. Though I imagine that he'd have invited us all anyway, as he seems a classy fellow."

"Aha… yeah, alright, I guess that makes sense. Well, have a good time, Rarity. I hope you don't get bored by all the political talk," Twilight chuckled. "I know I find politics boring sometimes myself. Not exactly the best quality for the Princess of Equestria to have, but then Celestia always had the same issue."

"Indeed. And you have fun with whatever it is you're planning too, darling."

As the carriages left for the lord's estate, those remaining started discussing their own plans, though Twilight noticed that some of them had already left to go off and get started; they'd apparently already discussed their plans on the Whale to save time. 

Flathoof, Rosewater, Crossfire, and Pattycake went off into town, taking Applejack along with them, and Sir Zircon followed along. Again, odd that he wasn't attending the banquet, but then Twilight figured he and Flathoof were working together to train Applejack, so maybe they were planning on getting some training in? This seemed like a good place for it, as there was actually healthy earth around for Applejack to practice her powers effectively.

Lorekeeper Gilderoy had practically vanished as soon as the congregation left the port, and Twilight knew it was so that he could head off to a particular spot in town that Hourglass, who went with him, said was the best spot to see the Elysian Islands from. The three youngsters—Sunspire, Serendipity, and Green Guard—went after them once they'd realized the old bird had gone missing, after asking permission of course.

Which left Twilight here with Winter, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Pinkie.

"So, what're we gonna do about some grub?" Rainbow asked, rubbing her stomach. "I'm starvin'. Yo, Winter, you know this place, right? Any good spots to eat?"

"Oh yeah, plenty of places if you're lookin' to get your grub on," Winter said with a nod. "I'm interested in tryin' out this one place near the center of town, Legume's Legumes. Family-owned joint, specializes in legume-based foods, eh?"

"The heck's a 'legume'?"

"Beans and peas, Rainbow," Twilight clarified with a smile. "Though that's kind of an oversimplification. Legumes include alfalfa, clover, beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soybeans, peanuts, and even tamarind. I imagine they're only serving the edible stuff."

Rainbow blinked. "Geez, Twi, I always knew you were like a walking encyclopedia but that was pretty dang specific." She shook her head and turned back towards Winter. "So you want us to head to this bean restaurant? Is it any good?"

"I think Crossfire's mentioned it once or twice over the years," Winter replied. "He says it's the best place to eat in town, no question. Seein' as this is his hometown, I'd imagine he knows a thing or two about it."

"Alright, sounds good to me," Rainbow said.

"Me too!" Pinkie agreed, bouncing up and giving her hooves a wiggle. "And remember, kids, beans aren't just tasty, they're healthy too! There's even a song about it! I learned it when I was just a little twinkie Pinkie. Very educational. Mmhhm."

"Ooh, an educational song? How does it go?" Twilight asked, genuinely curious.

Pinkie cleared her throat and took a breath. "Ahem.
♫Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel.
So let's have beans with every meal!♫"

Rainbow snickered into her hoof, as did Winter. Fluttershy was too, though she was trying to hide it behind her wing. Pinkie just seemed to be waiting for Twilight's response, which at the moment was just to blink and stare at her pink friend in mild disbelief.

Twilight turned to Winter. "So, a restaurant that serves legumes exclusively, you say?"

"Yup," Winter responded after regaining her composure. "I've only ever been once before, years ago. I remember likin' the lentil soup, I think."

"Um… is there any way we could get our food to go?" Fluttershy tepidly asked, scuffing her hoof in the dirt.

"Yeah, they offer that. Why?"

"Well, I was hoping… I mean, since we're here in the south and all, and there are animals around, I was hoping to have a chance to see them and interact with some, if I could. But I also want to spend time with all of you, so… I was thinking maybe we could have a picnic?"

Twilight gave Fluttershy a bright smile. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Fluttershy. A little picnic in the park, like we used to do back in Ponyville. Oh, it's been years since I've been able to sit down for a nice picnic with friends, you have no idea."

"Yeah, a picnic sounds good, actually," Rainbow agreed.

"Pic-nic! Pic-nic! Pic-nic!" Pinkie cheered, pumping her hooves in the air. "It's a really funny word, when you think about it."

Now that they had all agreed on Fluttershy's picnic idea, the group headed to the restaurant and placed all of their orders to go, which was easy enough to do since he staff there was really friendly. They even gave them a disposable picnic basket and tablecloth. And yes, they did all indeed have accents that resembled Applejack's, a point that had been made many, many times. Twilight could understand why everypony commented on it; it was inescapable.

As Winter said, the establishment served exclusively legume-based dishes as well as hometown favorites for beverages. Twilight went with Winter's recommendation and ordered the lentil soup and a strawberry lemonade to drink. Winter ordered the same, though she requested that her lemonade be spiked. Twilight didn't pay much attention to what the others were ordering, though she did hear Pinkie start singing that song again… and getting a laugh out of the cashier.

The group then found a nice, quiet spot outside in a nearby park, though Twilight hesitated to call it a park since the entire town looked green like this. It just happened to be a wide open area with no houses or businesses near enough to bother anypony. The sun was setting completely by the time they'd set things up, and the cool summer night breeze was just… perfect.

As the group sat and ate and chatted, Fluttershy looked about for animals, as she'd said she wanted to. She didn't need to work hard at it, either, as with this much food present, the picnic attracted the attention of critters that were up at this hour, or at least a specific critter: a raccoon. And, true to form, Fluttershy wasted no time whatsoever in trying to make friends with the fuzzy creature.

"Hello, little friend," the pegasus cooed as she slowly approached, offering a piece of her bread roll to it. "I won't hurt you, I promise. My name's Fluttershy. I'm a friendly pony. Do you want something to eat?"

The raccoon lifted itself up to sniff the bread, then grabbed the morsel in its little paws and started eating right then and there without hesitation.

Twilight was surprised at how little time that had taken. Not that she doubted that Fluttershy could do it, of course, but Twilight just figured that since this was a wild animal that probably didn't interact much with ponies, Fluttershy might have needed some time to convince it that she wasn't a threat. Instead, it happened almost immediately, as if the raccoon was inherently trusting of Fluttershy and had known her its whole life.

Same with a few field mice that approached. And a possum. And an owl, who incidentally completely ignored the mice while it perched itself right on Fluttershy's head. Fluttershy looked right at home like this, actually: surrounded by animals that were utterly calm around her. No, friendly around her. If there had happened to be a cottage built into a tree somewhere nearby, Twilight would swear that they were all back at home.

And there was just this pleasant smile on Fluttershy's face, a look of utter contentment and satisfaction, of bliss; Twilight hadn't seen Fluttershy this happy in quite a long time. It was nice.


*****


Hourglass knew just where the best spot in all of Newhaven was to see the famous Elysian Islands, and as promised, she led Gilderoy straight there as soon as they'd all left the Newhaven airport. It was a long walk, and if she had asked Gilderoy to do this about a month or so ago she'd have felt awfully guilty, but the old bird was able to move and function just fine these days. Gadget really was a technomagic wizard, it seemed.

There was a hill on the northwest side of town that overlooked the ocean, but was high enough that none of the hills and trees got in the way of anyone sightseeing. She could point out the islands easily enough to the Lorekeeper, which from here were little more than some rather small dots, but unless one walked for another two hours through the western forest this was the best he was going to get.

The islands weren't in the ocean, mind you, but in the sky, a mile or so above the ocean surface as far as Hourglass could tell—she'd never been—and still several miles away from here. Luckily the sun had only just started setting, so they were still visible in the blueish-orange glow of twilight; once the sun was over the horizon, the islands would be impossible to see again until morning.

But this was good enough for Gilderoy, who Hourglass had almost forgotten had a telescopic lens in his mechanical eye. "Ahh, my ancestral home," he sighed, a light smile on his beak. "Even from so far away this is still the closest that I have ever been to the Elysian Islands in all my life. As nonsensical as it sounds, I can feel them calling to me, calling me back home as though it's were I belong."

"That doesn't sound nonsensical at all," Hourglass said, stepping alongside him. "I wish we had time to go visit it now. I've always wondered what the place was like up-close."

"Alas, we must wait until our return visit when we can take the time to make such plans." Gilderoy stroked his beard gently in contemplation. "I wonder how many of the islands' systems still work. Obviously the suspension engines are fully operational even after all this time, but there are other things that might be useful to our cause if they still function."

"Really? Like what?"

He chuckled. "Oh, if only I knew the specifics. I was not privy to all of the information and technomagic inventions stored there, but my people were known to have quite an inventive streak. One of the classified projects might have some purpose that could be of benefit to us. Who knows?"

Hourglass heard hoofsteps behind her, and looked to see that Sunspire had followed along, and that he had brought his friends Serendipity and Green Guard along with him. The latter two looked like they were almost jockeying for the position closest to Sunspire without him noticing, which was… quite strange indeed. Having never had many friends herself, at least many that she could clearly remember, she wasn't sure what to make of their behavior.

"Oh, hey Sunsy," Hourglass greeted with a grin. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, we just came along because we wanted to see where you two were going," Sunspire replied with a grin of his own. "I overheard you talking about the Elysian Islands? Were you two planning on a trip?"

"Oh, no, we weren't. Not yet, anyway. It's too late in the day to go now, and we leave early in the morning for Utopia. There's just no time."

"Regrettable though that might be, just seeing the islands from here swells my heart with joy," Gilderoy said.

"I read about it a lot back home," Sunspire said with a nod. "There's not a lot of information on the place, however, at least not that I could find. The southern ponies either aren't all that interested, or they're just not putting down the information into written form so that it can be transcribed into a datapad."

"Sunspire's the smartest colt in the class," Serendipity said, grinning and putting her hoof on Sunspire's shoulder. "He knows more than anypony else about anything because of how much he reads. Except maybe Miss Dawn, of course, but she's an adult."

Hourglass kept herself from countering that example with Twilight Sparkle, who not only seemed as smart or not smarter than Golden Dawn, but was far less pompous about it.

Green grunted and set his hoof on Sunspire's other shoulder. "And he's so smart that even he knows that going to the islands in person would let him learn a lot more than any book. Don't you, Sunspire?"

Sunspire blinked, looking between the two, then nodded. "I mean, yes, of course empirical evidence would serve as a better instructional tool, but reading does help with qualifying the evidence you discover in many cases. So… you're both right?"

The younger filly and the tall colt just glared at one another with Sunspire locked in the middle, apparently either not noticing what they were doing, or perhaps just not caring. Or worse, not understanding. Because Hourglass sure didn't understand what was going on, and she hoped that Sunspire was smarter than she was; he was very smart for a colt his age, after all.

"Well, you guys know another thing that's just as good as reading and seeing for yourself?" Hourglass asked, hoping to get the attention of all three younger ponies. It seemed to work, because they all looked her way so that she could gesture to Gilderoy. "Hearing about it from an expert."

Gilderoy smirked and tilted his head. "Hmm hmm hmm, yes, an academic lecture does often serve as an excellent means of obtaining new information. I don't know if I would call myself an 'expert' on the islands, but I certainly would know more than any books the ponies might have written about them."

Sunspire hustled over and sat in front of the Lorekeeper, wide-eyed wonder all over his face. "I'd love to hear what you know about the islands, Lorekeeper. You're not only a gryphon, but you're more intelligent and well-read than me or anyone else I know, even Miss Dawn! Nobody could possibly know more than you."

Serendipity sat right next to Sunspire. "Me too! I wanna hear! These islands sound interesting."

"Me three!" said Green as he sat on Sunspire's other side.

Hourglass chuckled, shook her head, and sat down as well, just as Gilderoy was clearing his throat and getting ready to start his "lecture". She was actually kind of glad that Sunspire had shown up to give her an excuse to ask Gilderoy to tell her some stories about the mysterious islands, not just because she wanted to know, but because she liked having Sunspire around. He was the little brother she'd never had and never knew she wanted.


*****


Applejack followed Flathoof along with the rest of the little group that they'd collected, which were all, for all intents and purposes, part of the same family. 

There was Flathoof, of course, and then there was Pattycake, his younger sister, who still looked just like Applejack in every way except her body shape; where Applejack was nothing but raw muscle, Pattycake was just a little pudgy, and a little shorter as well. Pattycake had brought her husband Crossfire along as well since he was off-duty as Lockwood's bodyguard for the night.

Applejack naturally wasn't related to the family by blood or by marriage, nor was she related by adoption as Lockwood was, at least not officially. Flathoof's parents, Shortcake and Stouthoof, who reminded Applejack of her own mother and father respectively, pretty much treated Applejack like a daughter; she was an honorary family member as far as anypony was concerned, and that was that.

This left Zircon as the odd pony—rather, the odd zebra out, as he wasn't related to anypony in any way apart from being a friend. He wasn't attending the banquet at the lord's estate with all the other delegates, which was an odd thing considering why he'd originally come to the summit.

"My presence hath no purpose at the banquet dinner," he'd said when Applejack had asked why he wasn't going. "Ambassador Zultan hath grown more comfortable around ponies as of late and he hath the desire to practice without mine assistance. 'Tis obvious that he hath a new 'mentor' in Lady Silverluck."

"Well shucks, you're more than welcome ta come along with us if that's what ya want," Applejack had replied with a smile. "T'ain't right ta let ya wander 'round when ya got friends ta hang out with."

"Ah, then I must offer thanks to thee for this invitation, Applejack. Thou hath done me an honor." He'd then nodded politely to the others. "And to all of thee as well, if thou art unperturbed by my intrusion."

"It's no trouble at all," Flathoof replied. "Just as long as you don't mind meeting more of my admittedly large family."

"Nay, 'tis no bother to me, Captain. In Zeb'ra'den, the possession of a large family is a desirable trait amongst the common folk, and the nobility doth keep detailed records of extended clans over generations. Knowing who is who when arranging marriages is of utmost importance; 'tis how things are done."

"A large family sure does sound nice," Pattycake said, looking squarely at her husband, who looked a little nervous all of a sudden. "You got any brothers or sisters yourself, Sir Zircon?"

"Aye, two sisters: an elder, Lady Zora, and a younger, Lady Zestra. As firstborn, Zora had her pick of a mate and she didst choose a minor lord, Zarbon, whose family hath served our kingdom's military for many years. Zestra hath only recently become old enough to be courted, and I wouldst not be surprised if Zora hath already begun making arrangements."

Flathoof tilted his head. "Wait, if your family is nobility, doesn't that make you a lord?"

"Aye, I was born Lord Zircon, but when I became a Knight of the Order I didst giveth up my titles and claims." Zircon thumped his chest once with his hoof. "'Tis my calling to serve the Order and defend our kingdom from any who might threaten it. Only shouldst I ever be promoted to Lord Commander wouldst I regain any noble standing."

"The Order o' the Black Flame's been well-respected even in pony lands fer generations," Crossfire noted with a nod. "Ta be a part o' that, well, it sure must be an honor."

"Though my sister Zora doth not see it that way at times," Zircon chuckled. "Oh, she didst not appreciate my decision. Our family is related to His Majesty—he is our father's eldest brother—and she hath it in her mind that we shouldst all be prepared to taketh the throne should the worst happen."

Crossfire blinked. "Wait, yer daddy's the king's brother?"

"Youngest brother, aye, which hath no meaningful bearing on anything."

"But don't that put you in line fer the throne, technically?"

"Aye but hs Majesty already hath sired heirs, and even if he didst not, my father wouldst still only be fifth in line behind three more brothers and a sister, and Zora wouldst come before me. 'Tis a… what is the northern expression, 'dream of pipes'?"

"Close enough," Flathoof chuckled. "I'm happy I won't ever have to worry about anything like that. Queen Blackburn is much too cautious to let the succession be that easy to mess up. Heh. King Flathoof. Sounds stupid."

"You said it, sugarcube," Applejack said with a wide grin.

The group arrived at a large house on the south side of town, and Flathoof gave the door a little knock. The door was in turn answered by an older mare, who like everypony else in the town wasn't wearing any actual clothes, just a pair of glasses in her case. Applejack found it excessively odd that these southern ponies walked around nude—normal, as far as she was concerned—but nopony here from the north seemed to be bothered by it. What was with that?

"Can I help you?" the old mare asked, her voice quiet and sweet.

Flathoof nodded. "I hope so, ma'am. We're looking for Shorthoof? We're his family. He should be expecting us."

"Mmhhm, I'll let him know you're here. Just a moment." She then turned and shouted back into the house like a bullhorn: "Shorthoof! Yer family's here! C'mon, no lollygaggin'!" She then turned back to the group and said, her voice soft and quiet again: "He'll be right down."

The group only waited a few moments before Shorthoof did indeed come right down from the stairs at the back of the room, accompanied by a teenage unicorn filly. 

Shorthoof himself had grown up quite a bit into a strapping young teenage colt, definitely the same age as Apple Bloom was, and Applejack used that comparison in particular because he and Bloom could've been twins; their coats, manes, and eyes were identical in color. Shorthoof was just ironically tall, given his name.

What made Applejack do a double-take though was the unicorn filly, who looked to be about the same age as Shorthoof. Though there were some slight differences—her colors were slightly darker—this teenage filly could have very well been Flurry Heart all grown up, only without the wings. If Flurry grew up to look anything like this filly, Shining Armor was going to have to put one of his famous shields around her to keep the colts away.

"Big bro!" Shorthoof exclaimed, clearing the remaining distance between the stairs and the door in less than a second. "Glad you could make it! When you sent word you were comin' I wasn't expectin' you to get here so soon."

Applejack could hear just the slight twang of the Newhaven accent in his voice, but not as strongly as, say, Crossfire's. Or hers.

"Plans changed and we got moving a lot quicker than we thought we would," Flathoof said with a smile, grabbing his brother and throwing his hoof around the teen's shoulder. "Shoot, did you have another growth spurt? I only just saw you in the spring and you weren't this tall."

"You say that every year, Flathoof. It's getting old."

"Oh ho ho, am I annoying you?" Flathoof nudged Pattycake slightly. "Listen to him, Pattycake. He's talking just like a regular teenager now. Next thing you know he's gonna get all broody and lock himself in his room to listen to music about not fitting in."

"Thank goodness Mom and Dad aren't here," Pattycake chuckled. "They'd have a field day with you, squirt."

"Hey sis, glad to see you too. And you too, Crossfire," Shorthoof said with a nod to the tall stallion.

"Mmhmm," Crossfire said with a nod in return. "Good ta see ya."

Shorthoof then broke out of his brother's half-hug as the teen filly came over, who Shorthoof then immediately half-hugged and gave a big smile to. "So, uh, since you guys are here, I wanted to introduce you to my fillyfriend, Crystal Heart."

The filly gave a smile and wave. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you." She, too, had only a slight Newhaven twang, stronger than Shorthoof's but still nowhere near Crossfire's. Or Applejack's.

Pattycake gasped loudly. "Holy moley, little bro, this is your fillyfriend? Oh my stars, girl, you are gorgeous."

Crystal blushed and looked at the floor. "Um, thank you."

"No really, you're really pretty. Why in the heck are you dating my brother? Did he bribe you? Is it blackmail?"

"Patty!" Shorthoof hissed through clenched teeth. "What the hay?!"

"I mean, really, you're easily like a nine or ten, but Shorty here could barely qualify as a four."

"Patty!"

"And I know it's not because of his money or anything, and definitely not because of his sense of humor. Shorty's not rich and his jokes are lousy." Pattycake gasped again, her grin turning mischievous. "Ohhh, or is it because he's, ahem, not as short as his name suggests?"

Shorthoof, race redder than his big brother's coat, snapped and put his hooves over his sister's mouth. "Patty! Sheesh!"

Crossfire managed to interject before his wife embarrassed Shorthoof to death, pulling Patty over to him in a half-hug. "Say, did you say yer name's 'Crystal Heart'?" he asked, looking at the red-faced filly. "Ain't that the name o' Shining Steel's lil' filly?"

Crystal nodded. "Oh, um, yeah, Shining Steel's my dad. Do you know… oh! I know you! You're… Crossfire, aren't you? We met once when I was a little filly, a long, long time ago. Oh, and I was a flower filly at the royal weddin', remember?"

"Yessir, that's me, an' yeah, I 'member meetin' ya all them years ago. Shoot, you was just a lil' thing back then." He looked at Shorthoof and grinned wide, like his wife.  "Speakin' o' the weddin', I seem ta recollect that Shorthoof here was the ring bearer."

Shorthoof nodded. "That's right. That was where we first met. It was kind of a surprise to come down here a few years later and meet her again."

Pattycake giggled. "Awww, isn't that a romantic little story?" She leaned into Crossfire and sighed. "That's when I think I got my hubby here to finally notice me. Isn't that right?"

"Sure as shootin'." Crossfire smiled and turned back to Crystal. "Weren't expectin' ta see ya while we was here, Crystal. Her Majesty's in a hurry wit' this here trip we're all on so she wasn't plannin' on a visit wit' yer daddy 'til we came back through before headin' home. So, uh, sorry 'bout that."

"Yeah, we heard you guys were just passin' through," Crystal replied, tilting her head, "but Dad doesn't quite get what all the fuss is about. Her Majesty doesn't usually make such, um… bombastic visits. Everypony in town knows she's here with some other lords and ladies of the south. It's the most action that's been around here in years."

"An' 'taint my place ta tell ya what's goin' on, neither. But you'll all find out in due time, yessir, that I can promise."

"Say, big bro," Shorthoof said, getting Flathoof's attention. "You said in your letter that you had a surprise for me?"

"Eyyup, that's right," Flathoof chuckled. He then stepped aside and gestured for Pattycake and Crossfire to do the same, as they'd strategically placed themselves such that Shorthoof wouldn't see past them. "Ta da!"

Shorthoof's eyes widened when he saw Applejack, and he rushed forward to greet her with a big smile and sparkles in his eyes. "Applejack! Holy moley, I haven't seen you in…  forever!" He paused, then moved in and gave her a big, big hug; he was quite nearly her height, so this surprised her. "It's so good to see you again. I missed you."

Applejack tenderly returned the hug, and heck if it didn't feel just like hugging her sister back home. "Aww, shucks, sugarcube, you're gonna make me cry talkin' like that. It's real good ta see you too."

"Where the heck have you been all these years? I thought for sure when I moved down here that I'd see you eventually. I mean, you were from here, from Newhaven. Seemed weird to me not to see you."

"Ahh, well, that's a bit of a complicated lil' situation there. We'll talk about it o'er dinner, yeah? Speakin' o' which, yer new fillyfriend gonna join us?" Applejack nudged Shorthoof in the side gently. "Good catch, by the way," she whispered with a wink. "She's real purdy."

"Th-thanks," Shorthoof said, blushing and scratching his cheek. "And yeah, she was gonna join us. We were just waitin' for you guys to get here before we headed out. Legume's Legumes is the best place in town, but I don't need to tell you that."

Applejack nodded. "Nope, sure don't. Good choice, sugarcube," she said, playing along for the time being. 

Crossfire had clued her in a bunch of stuff she should know since she was supposedly from Newhaven, and the way he put it, everypony in the town knew that Legume's Legumes was pretty much the best eatery around. Not that the crowd there would give that away—there was always ample seating—but that's just how it had been for some six or seven generations. And you didn't even need a reservation!

She figured that they'd just missed Twilight's group dropping by, or at the very least Pinkie, since one of the clerks was talking about a funny song about beans that sounded just like something Pinkie would sing to get a laugh. And it was funny.

It was nice getting a chance to catch up with not-so-little-anymore Shorthoof again after all these years. He definitely reminded Applejack a lot of Apple Bloom in a lot of ways, only he'd apparently been a lot more confident in himself than she'd been when they were younger.

Bloom had taken years to finally earn her cutie mark alongside her two best friends, but Shorthoof had figured his special talent out relatively quickly: agriculture; his cutie mark was a sprouting seed. Just seeing the southern continent once six years ago, when his family was only here for maybe an hour on a stopover before their move to Hope's Point, had apparently been enough to realize that he wanted to be involved with plants and greenery.

"As soon as the family finished movin' and I started gettin' back to schoolin', I knew that all of that tech stuff wasn't for me anymore," Shorthoof said while stirring his soup. "So once I was old enough, I asked Mom and Dad to send me down here to Newhaven, to the boardin' school they've got here. That house you picked me up at is the boardin' house; it's where I live."

"You really live here all by yerself?" Applejack asked, her attention more on him than on her alfalfa sprout sandwich.

"No, there're other students in the boardin' house too. Most of them are from the north like me! I've made a couple of friends here and there, but I think most of 'em don't plan on stayin' in Newhaven after they finish schoolin'. There's lots o' fertile farmland out there just waitin' to be claimed, after all."

"How 'bout you, Crystal? You go to school wit' Shorthoof? You don't sound like you're from 'round here originally."

Crystal shook her head and finished sipping her lemonade. "No, we don't go to school together. I'm studyin' at the House Sky estate to learn southern laws and such, 'cause my special talent's in negotiation skills."

Applejack blinked. "Seems, uh… practical. Ya mean ya wanna be like a… a lawyer or somethin'?"

"Somethin' like that, yes, though that's the northern catch-all term for the occupation. Down here there're different names for different types. I'm studyin' to be a barrister, which means I'm the one actually doin' the talkin' in court."

"Huh. Neat. So where are you from originally then?"

"I was born in Hope's Point. My dad, Shining Steel, was King Flashfire's bodyguard until the king passed away. We moved here after that. Dad said it was because the new king wouldn't like us."

"Flashfire was Blackburn's grandfather," Flathoof noted. "And his son, Stormchaser, was the new king." He leaned over and whispered, "What I heard is that Flashfire once ordered Steel to slap the shit outta Stormchaser for mouthing off at him. Steel didn't even hesitate, damn near broke Storm's jaw."

"Yeah, guess that'd be a good reason ta wanna leave when the old king passed," Applejack whispered back, now just a little curious what that situation must've been like. Blackburn's family sounded crazy at times.

The conversation then turned to who Applejack really was and where she was from, though they avoided the topic of this world coming to an end and everyone needing to move. Blackburn would be going over that later with Crystal's father apparently and the adults had all agreed it was probably best not to force the young filly to keep that a secret.

Shorthoof let out a breath and shook his head. "So when you said you weren't from around here, you really meant you weren't from around here, huh?"

"Yup. 'Tweren't no lie, that's fer sure," Applejack chuckled. "I wish I could've told ya 'bout it before, but we was s'posed ta be keepin' it quiet 'n' such, an' that meant even after I left. So if it makes ya feel any better, yer parents 'n' sister 'n' other brother didn't find out until a lil' bit ago when I showed up in Hope's Point."

"It makes me feel a little better, yeah. That's a pretty big secret to have to keep, so I guess I can't be too mad at my brother for not telling me."

Flathoof chuckled. "It wasn't an easy secret to keep by a long shot, especially when you moved down here for boarding school. Mom figured you were only doing it to try and be like Applejack; Dad thought you were doing it to pick up fillies."

Shorthoof's cheeks reddened. "Th-that's not it at all! What the hay is Dad talkin' about? I was twelve!"

"Which is about the age when little colts like you start noticing cute fillies like Crystal here," said Pattycake with a wink, which made Crystal's face redden too.

"Patty!"

"Relax, kiddo," Flathoof said with a wide grin. "We all know you did it because you actually had a crush on Applejack."

Shorthoof was so red that his face could be in the dictionary to describe the color; he was desperately trying to avoid Applejack's eyes. "Flathoof!"

Applejack had to pretend to be surprised; Flathoof had already told her all about that little detail. She was flattered, really.

After dinner was over, Flathoof took Shorthoof back to his boarding house and Crossfire and Pattycake offered to escort Crystal back to her parents' house, leaving Applejack with Zircon for the moment. 

She paused a moment, then cleared her throat. "So, uh… now that I think about it, I never really asked ya much 'bout what exactly it is ya do fer a livin'. You're a knight an' all, but what's that mean?"

Zircon smiled. "As a Knight of the Black Flame, 'tis my duty, as it is with all of my comrades, to serve as a shield to the realm, in whatever capacity that might entail.

"Six months out of the year I doth spend abroad in point lands, two of which art in Utopia where I provideth aid to the ambassador. Otherwise I am a traveling representative of my people.

"The rest of year is spent in zebra lands, whereupon I seeketh out the smaller settlements outside of Zeb'ra'den proper and provideth them with whatever services that might so require the presence of a knight."

"Like what?"

"Mayhap their community is plagued by monstrous creatures of the wilds, such as a frostwolf. Mayhap they hath the need of a mediator in a dispute, for we knights art acquainted with zebra law." He shrugged. "'Tis more likely than not that they hath no need of my service."

Applejack scratched her head. "Shucks, and ya do this all year? Ya don't ever take a break or nothin'?"

"Aye, I stay in Zeb'ra'den to celebrate the Winter Solstice with my family, but otherwise I spendeth more time 'on the road', as the ponies say, than elsewhere."

"Huh. Sounds like hard work. I don't travel much 'cept fer special deliveries, but I know what it's like ta be away from home like that. Don't that get lonely?"

"Aye, at times."

"And ya don't, uh, got a special fillyfriend at home waitin' fer ya?"

He tilted his head. "'Fillyfriend'?"

She cleared her throat. What did Granny call it again? "I mean, ya ain't got some zebra mare back home that you're courtin' or whatnot?"

"Ah, no, I do not, much to the consternation of mine elder sister," he replied. "But that is not a topic worth discussing, lest I speak ill of my kin."

"Fair 'nough."

It was late enough now that the sun had finally set and the two moons of this Equestria began rising above the horizon. The sight of it was enough to make Applejack double-take for a moment, then start to wonder how confusing it would get once everyone eventually moved to her world, where there was just the one moon. Thankfully without a mare in it anymore.

Or worse, what if one of these moons decided to come along for the move? Princess Luna would probably have a panic attack trying to figure that out.

"Shucks, if that ain't a sight," she said, glancing up at the stars. It was so strange to see such a different sky than the one she was used to, and it had been hard enough getting used to the orange glow of the north. "Sure are a lotta stars up there. More'n what I'm used ta seein' back home, I tell ya what."

Zircon nodded, walking alongside her as they made their way to the House Sky estate. "If this sight doth impress thee, Applejack, then thou shalt be quite enthralled by the night sky o'er Zeb'ra'den. The moons' light doth shine off of our white snows like a beacon, and thou canst see e'ry star in the sky as clear as 'twere in front of thine eyes."

"Heh, you sure do make it sound purdy, Mister Thou, an' I'm sure it is. Still, even if it were the purdiest sight I'd ever done seen before, it wouldn't hold a candle ta home."

"Aye, 'twould be fair to admit that 'tis a bias I doth possess to boasteth so openly of the wonders of my home. Still, I hath found that e'ry location hath its own beauty, if thou knowest where to look." He gestured out towards the ocean in the distance. "Here in Newhaven, thou canst see the sea. Look upon it and how the moons' light hath been doubled so."

Applejack stepped alongside him at the top of the small hill they were crossing over, which did indeed offer a decent view of the ocean. She'd seen the ocean before, enough times to know that she didn't see what all the fuss was about, but then she'd never gotten to see it looking quite so entrancing. The moons' light did indeed seem doubled, as there were two in the sky, two in the water, and twice as many stars to boot.

She whistled in appreciation. "Yup, that there's quite a sight if there ever was one. I ain't never seen anythin' like it before."

"Neither have I. 'Tis the first time I hath ever walked through Newhaven at night," Zircon said with a smile towards her. "And to think, 'tis only because I didst decide to come with thee that I hath seen such splendor. Thank thee, Applejack, for sharing this sight with me."

"Well shoot, 'tain't no thang," she chuckled, feeling her cheeks get a little hot. "I figure since this is my first time down here in the south I'm gonna see a lotta things fer the first time. But hey, knowing that I get ta share yer first time seein' this witcha, that tickles me pink. 'Tain't often I get ta share that kind o' stuff wit' anyone."

He smirked. "Aye. And 'tis a good feeling to share such a thing with a friend."

She nodded. "Sure is." She then tilted her head back towards the road. "C'mon, ain't no sense in standin' up here gawkin' all night, even if it is purdy. It's gettin' late an' we've got a road ahead of us tomorrow."

"Indeed."

They then continued off towards the estate, though there was a little thought in the back of Applejack's mind that she would've rather stayed here with Zircon just a while longer.


*****


Golden Dawn arrived home at Pandora Tower shortly after what would be considered an appropriate lunchtime for most ponies, mostly because she had spent much of that acceptable lunch period ensuring that she hadn't left anything behind in Hope's Point and that she hadn't forgotten to address anything with Gray and Havoc.

She didn't even unpack immediately after her return, as she would usually have done, instead just setting her suitcase down and making her way down the hall towards her office. She adjusted her glasses and straightened out her dress suit, then gave the door a couple of gentle knocks in a simple rhythm.

"Enter!" called her own voice from the other side.

Dawn opened the door to see herself working at her desk with the typical sort of disdainful expression that Dawn knew she was known to wear when her work was disturbed. Her other self was in a professional dress suit of her own, albeit a different color and with a different trim; Dawn was positive that she owned no such suit, but that was irrelevant as if she liked it she could always have her own made by the tower's tailor, Rosegold Satin.

The other Dawn's expression immediately changed from disdain to surprise. "Sacré bleu! Dawn? Que fais-tu ici?" Dawn had never actively spoken Romantique before, so hearing it come out in her own voice like that was rather amusing. "Ah… what are you doing here? I thought you were going south with the delegation?"

"I decided upon an alternative course of action," Dawn—actual Dawn—said, stepping into the room and sitting across from her other self. "Namely that Ambassador Gray Skies would serve as an admirable representative to the south in my stead. She is more aware of southern customs than I and also possesses a greater camaraderie with many members of the traveling party."

Fake Dawn blinked a few times. "Pardon? Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit? Répète ça."

Real Dawn cleared her throat. "Ahem?"

"Oh. Je suis désolé." Fake Dawn's form dissolved into that of Curaçao; the dress suit didn't change, though, which meant that it was real clothes her sister was wearing, not the shapeshifting suit. "Did you just say that you assigned Gray to go along with the southern delegation? Instead of you?"

Dawn smiled. "Indeed I did. Do you not approve?'

"Non, I approve. Gray is an excellent choice; I wish that I had suggested it. But… why? I thought that you wanted to go south to have an opportunity to speak more with Lady Silverluck?"

"I did, but I am of the opinion that Gray should have that opportunity. She would be a better representative not just of New Pandemonium City, but of our family. She fares substantially better in social interactions than I do. Not to mention that I cannot connect with Father in the south, and thus I lack the only quality that would make me the superior option."

Curaçao tilted her head. "Ah… oui, I suppose so. So then you've come home to relieve me of my duties as your impostor so that I can focus on the Redblade investigation?"

"I would not phrase it in such a way, no… hmm." Dawn paused, then nodded and smiled. "Actually, no, that is exactly how I would phrase it, but I would add an addendum: without your impostor duties, you should also have more time for yourself and your family. I understand that performing your duties as Spymaster and my duties as Shadow Associate must be stressful."

Curaçao's eyes widened and she tilted her head further. "Is this a prank?"

"Hmm?"

Curaçao shouted into the hall. "Velvet, this is all very funny. I did not know that Overseer Pedigree was so talented with robotics as well." She looked Dawn up and down and chuckled. "This decoy is very lifelike. It almost had me fooled."

"Curaçao, I am no animatronic impersonator, I assure you," Dawn replied, hurt that another of her sisters didn't believe that she could change her behavior for the better. Was she really that bad?

"Which is exactly what an animatronic impersonator would say, oui?"

Dawn steepled her hooves and spoke to her sister via their telepathic bond. "I think that this should suffice as proof?"

Curaçao blinked, then nodded. "Oui, that will do. You could not fake that… or if you could, then you're more talented than I give you credit for." She shook her head and chuckled. "So, you're saying that you want to relieve me of my duties so that I can spend some time with my family. I appreciate the thought, sister, merci. Though I must ask, what brings this on?"

"If I might keep it short, I… I hit what I believe is called 'rock bottom'. I realized that my behavior and attitude have been absolutely unacceptable, and that they have potentially irreparably damaged my relationships with friends, family, and with Father." Dawn took a breath and shook her head. "I wish to repair these relationships, starting with my sisters. Insipid is next on my list."

"I see. Hmm. That would explain why you asked Gray to travel south instead of you. She'd appreciate being given that opportunity, oui?" Curaçao leaned back in her seat—Dawn's seat, incidentally—and nodded in understanding. "Is there any way that I can help?"

Dawn shook her head again. "I do not wish for any assistance for now, Curaçao, though I appreciate the offer. I must perform this unenviable task entirely of my own accord, so that I might feel as though it was my own efforts that solved this conundrum."

"Well then, I won't get in your way." 

Curaçao rose from her seat and stepped around the table, and Dawn did the same, expecting to return to her proper seat and to start working on this new "project". She did not expect Curaçao to pull her in for a hug; Dawn, in her stunned surprise, did not react in time to return it before Curaçao broke away.

"For the record, Dawn, I do not think that our relationship is 'damaged'," Curaçao said simply. "Though I cannot say the same for your niece and sister-in-law, hmm? When you are free for lunch at some point, I am sure they would enjoy a chance to spend some time with you. Just let me know, oui?"

Dawn blinked and nodded. "Of course. Thank you, Curaçao."

"Ce n'est rien, ma sœur."

As Curaçao left the room, Dawn paused for only a moment to consider her sister's words, then turned to sit at her desk. 

Yes, it was true that she would have to improve her relationship with Shroud and Jellybean, but that could wait. 

Dawn knew she had to give her problems priority in order of severity, in a sort of reverse triage. Havoc and Gray were most damaged and so she started with them. Just thinking about Havoc again drew Dawn's attention to the scorch mark on her desk. She decided then and there that she was going to keep it for a while longer; it would remind her of what her actions had caused so that she'd never repeat the mistake.

"Insipid," she said into her telepathic connection. "This is Dawn. Are you preoccupied at the moment?"

There was no response.

Dawn took a breath and tried again; she hoped her sister wasn't ignoring her. "Insipid. This is Dawn. Are you—"

"Okay, wow, I guess I wasn't just, like, hearing things. I haven't heard from you in… wow, it's been years, Dawn. Is there something wrong?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. It is not an emergency medical situation, so there is no need to panic."

"Oh. I mean, I wasn't panicking or anything, but hey, thanks for clearing that up! But there is something wrong?"

"Correct. But I do not wish to discuss it via telepathic communication. Would you be available for dinner tonight? I believe that it would be poignant for us to converse face-to-face."

"Dinner? Tonight?"

"Correct."

"Oooh… that's a rough one, sis. I can't. I've got a little fashion show tonight. I'm actually, like, on my way to the venue right now and junk?"

Dawn felt her heart sink; after being repeatedly refused by others in recent days, she had come to realize that they didn't decline to spend time with her because they were otherwise preoccupied, but because they didn't want to spend time with her at all, period. Havoc and Gray had been upfront about it at least, hence why she'd had to deceive them to meet up, but she didn't think she'd need to do that with Insipid. Was it really that bad?

"I… I see. Very well. I suppose another time…"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is fine. Nothing to worry about. I will… simply attempt this at another time. My apologies."

"It doesn't sound fine, sis." A pause. "Tell ya what: why don't I work some magic and, like, get you an invite to the show? I'm sure they can totally squeeze a seat in for you somewhere. Cha. Then afterwards we can head out and get some late dinner together. How does that sound?"

Dawn's heart soared; it may as well have had wings. "Yes! I… I mean, yes, of course, that sounds acceptable. Which venue shall I depart for?"

"Tonight's show is at the Illusive Plaza, this really nice, cozy little showcase amphitheatre in the Arcadia District." A pause. "Oh! Dress fancy. The show starts in an hour, so you should be able to, like, get Rosiegoldie to whip something up for you. Talk to the doorpony when you get here and tell him that you're on the list."

"Very well, I will heed your advice on the matter. See you there."

"Yeah! Oooh, you're gonna have a great time!"

Dawn then dropped the call and leaned back into her seat, letting the relief wash over her for a few moments.

That had gone better than she'd expected, especially after the disheartening little hiccup in the middle there. Now all she had to do was dress "fancy", which despite Insipid's chosen, commonplace vernacular, Dawn interpreted as something entirely different from her usual professional dress suits. The last time she'd ever dressed "fancy" was at the royal wedding six years ago.

At any rate, Rosegold Satin would know what to do; there was no better tailor in all of Equestria—and yes, Dawn knew that Rarity wasn't a tailor, so nopony would take offense at the comparison.


*****


As Dawn teleported herself to a discreet location near the Illusive Plaza amphitheatre, she couldn't help but wonder if Rosegold Satin knew just what she'd managed to do. Dawn hadn't worn a cocktail dress once in her entire life—let alone a little black one—but now here she was, walking the remaining distances to her destination in an outfit that she felt dreadfully exposed in. She knew that mares actually wore these things, but how?

There was a stallion at the door, as Insipid said there would be, keeping ponies out who were trying to get in. Almost all of them were carrying cameras and trying to get a look through the doors for some reason; Dawn wracked her brain to think of what these ponies called their profession. Paparazzi? Not a Common Equish term, no. It sounded more Baroque in origin, a loan word like pretty much every classical musical term was.

She approached the doorpony, who immediately turned to her and held up a hoof to stop her from going in; the paparazzi were, to Dawn's consternation, snapping loud, flashy pictures of her for some reason. They couldn't know who she was, so they were probably just hoping she'd give them attention or something.

"Hold on there, Miss," the doorpony said. "This is a private event. Unless you've got a press badge or—"

"I am… 'on the list', I was told to say?" Dawn repeated.

"Mmhmm. Name?"

"Golden Dawn."

The doorpony pressed his hoof to his ear—a communication device was hooked in there, obviously, and well hidden. "Yo, Jam, is there a 'Golden Dawn' on the invite list?"

Dawn didn't hear the other side's response, which meant the device was of good quality, too.

The doorpony nodded, then turned his attention back to Dawn as he opened the door. "Go on in, Miss Dawn. An usher will meet you inside."

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

As said, an usher almost immediately greeted her and metaphorically scooped her up and ushered her along into an empty seat in the second row of the showroom floor, so fast in fact that Dawn hadn't even registered what route they'd taken to get here from the door. Whoever that usher was, he'd certainly lived up to his position's name. Dawn was impressed; she didn't even see what he'd looked like.

The room was indeed quite cozy—quiet too—with only enough seats for about fifty ponies to sit around a fashion runway, all of which were occupied now that Dawn was here. She couldn't help but wonder if somepony had been kicked out of this seat to make room for her, or if the seating arrangements had been adjusted to add an extra seat. Either way, it was impressive. Insipid had made this work?

All of the ponies present were dressed "fancy", as Insipid had insisted, with the stallions in appropriate dress suits and tuxedos, and the mares in fine dresses. Nothing was too fancy, though; Dawn deduced that it would be tacky to draw attention away from the stage.

Dawn had apparently arrived just in time—Rosegold had certainly taken her time to assemble the dress—as less than thirty seconds after Dawn took her seat, the room's lighting changed to indicate that the show was starting. 

Dawn had never been to a fashion show before, so she didn't know exactly what to expect, but it certainly wasn't as much of a hullabaloo as she'd thought it would be. More of a rumpus, really, or a hurly-burly if she was being generous.

Since Dawn was really just here for Insipid's sake, she didn't pay too much attention to the goings-on, just enough to understand what was happening. A slightly older mare in a simple polka dot dress came out on stage and, without a lot of flourish at all, addressed the crowd thusly:

"Welcome everypony," she said into a microphone that Dawn couldn't see. "You folks would not believe how much of a pain it was just to get this venue for tonight. Everypony and their mother is booking slots and spots after that damned sandstorm, huh? It's a madhouse out there! I think we had to kill a guy to get this slot."

A little murmur went through the crowd; Dawn could barely hear some of the words since nopony was murmuring at her, certainly, but the gist she got was one of… approval? Acceptance? Amusement? Dawn considered this for a moment, then realized what the announcer meant:

Because of the sandstorm, every single venue in the city that was available for booking events like, say, a fashion show, would naturally be utterly booked because they couldn't be used at all for three-ish weeks. Everything from tech companies to fashion designers would want to book such venues to show off their new materials, but since they were all doing it at once—and since getting in the door early was important—it was probably, indeed, a madhouse.

"But hey, it's a cutthroat business and you've gotta do what you've gotta do when everypony's trying to get their new Spring Collections out," the announcer mare continued. "Thank you all for coming today to view the Spring Collection for Lovers' Lane. I hope everypony's comfortable, and apologies again for the intimate seating. I hope you like your neighbors and that everypony's wearing deodorant."

As the crowd chuckled, Dawn glanced sideways at her nearest neighbor, a middle-aged stallion in a crisp suit, who glanced her way and gave her a polite nod and a smile, which Dawn returned just to be polite. Whoever he was, at least he wasn't eyeing her the same way that Treasurer Vendetta did; she shuddered to think how that lecherous creep would react if he saw her in this dress.

Once the starting announcements were over, the mare stepped to the side and began reading off the descriptions of the outfits being worn by the models as they came on stage. This part was something that Dawn definitely tuned out; she was never one for fashion whatsoever, and no matter how much she wanted to improve her relationship with Insipid she just couldn't bring herself to care about what material a dress was made out of.

Insipid was the fourth mare on stage tonight, and was wearing a… dress. Dawn couldn't rightly describe much about it, really. It was a dress. It was gray. It had little sparkling things—sequins?—along the edges. It only had one shoulder strap and left most of Insipid's back exposed down to her rear. Speaking of, the dress accentuated Insipid's rear in a way that Dawn felt was potentially inappropriate.

None of that was important, though. What was important was that Dawn hadn't even seen Insipid in probably about five years or so, and as such she didn't know that her sister looked so… pretty. Really, really pretty. Her mane was the same platinum blonde that Dawn remembered, but long and flowing so that it draped around her exposed shoulder. And she looked so confident. Powerful, even; not from a physical or magical standpoint, but from a personality standpoint. 

But Insipid was only on stage for less than a minute and then she was gone.

Dawn was disappointed to say the least. According to the schedule she'd seen on her way in—hard as that was with the usher's speed—this showcase would last an hour. She was expected to sit here for an hour to see her sister, but her sister was only on stage for thirty seconds? What sort of chicanery was this?

But then Dawn noticed as the dresses continued, the first model she'd seen was back on stage in a new dress, followed by the second, the third. Then, Insipid again! In a new dress! A red one with frills! And she had a new style to her mane and new makeup and everything!

Once the cycle occurred a third time, Dawn realized what was happening, and that was when she felt that she could actually sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. She was still just here for Insipid's sake and so only really paid any attention to her, but still, it was calming to know that Insipid was not just being given the attention she deserved, but that she was appreciated.

The crowd judged each and every dress and model in utter silence; the only sounds in the room at all were the hoofsteps of the models, the announcer's voice rattling off details about the outfits, and the music being piped in through the room's speakers, a hideous "club" mix that she supposed was part of how these shows were run.

Yet Insipid, and the other models, didn't seem to express any signs of pressure from the judging looks, the scrutinizing glances, the investigative scans of each and every detail. In fact they seemed emboldened by it all, like they liked being on stage having all these ponies looking at them. Dawn couldn't imagine herself doing anything of the sort in even her worst nightmares.

And it was then that Dawn realized that Insipid had grown up. She'd matured into her own mare and accomplished something that Dawn wouldn't dare look down upon now that she understood it. Dawn had never imagined that this was what it meant to be a fashion model: pressure. A different kind of pressure than what she was accustomed to and handled every day, but that was exactly it. It was just different, not inferior.

And maybe that was just the way it had always been. She just hadn't bothered to see it.


*****


Dawn was honestly impressed by Insipid's choice for a dinner locale. This Romantique restaurant was certainly top-of-the-line in every sense of the word, and in Dawn's opinion much fancier than the similar venues she'd seen in Hope's Point. Not necessarily better—the food quality seemed dead even, at least to her palate—but fancier, sure.

That was how Dawn was going to look at the difference between the two cities now, actually. Queen Blackburn herself had made the observation and brought it to Dawn's attention: Hope's Point didn't have the sort of class divide that New Pandemonium did. In Hope's Point, the difference between the rich and poor was not very wide, and the "poor" weren't considered poor at all by New Pandemonium standards, but lower-middle class at worst.

But conversely, and with few exceptions, the rich elite in Hope's Point did not compare to the rich elite in New Pandemonium either. As such, the fanciest things in life here were utterly unobtainable by the wealthy in Hope's Point; this fancy restaurant, for example, used real gold, platinum, and diamonds in its decorations. Whether that was a good thing was open to debate, but Dawn took it as a sign that her city was where the upper class would fit right at home.

She did have to make considerations for when the world merger happened, after all. The way Twilight had once described places like Canterlot and Manehattan just begged for an exodus to her city instead.

Insipid had changed into a cocktail dress of her own, one that was a little more revealing than Dawn's but somehow still classy. Dawn marveled at the way her sister looked, if only because she had an understanding of the typical definitions of beauty and attractiveness; yes, Insipid was beautiful, there was no denying that. Her only flaw was a slight imperfection in her teeth, but that just highlighted everything else.

Her big sister had come a long way from being just a Rarity wannabe with an unfortunate dye job and no sense of hygiene.

"You look great, by the way," Insipid said with a small grin. "I've, like, never seen you wearing a dress like that. I said 'fancy', not 'gorgeous'."

Dawn glanced down at her dress, then back to Insipid. "Your opinion is that I am attractive in this dress?"

"Psh, yeah," Insipid said, rolling her eyes like the answer was obvious. "Sis, you really oughta dress like that more often. I'm serious, you're really pretty when you put your mind to it. Cha. Why, hasn't anypony ever told you that before?"

"I have only ever had one pony ever express the opinion that I am attractive before… and frankly I wish that he had not done so." Dawn shuddered slightly. "It is an unpleasant thought."

"Really? Who was it?"

"Treasurer Vendetta of the Committee. I have made repeated attempts to keep our relationship professional and restrict it to work, but he is determined to inject a sexual component into it, despite my protests. Nothing of the sort has occurred, of course, and never will, but it disgusts me."

"Ohhh," Insipid said, setting down her wine. "Say no more, sis, I understand completely. Too well, actually."

"Hmm? Do you know the Treasurer?"

"Personally, no, but I know ponies like him. They're not all stallions, by the way, but like, that's the majority of them, and those are the ones that I've had encounters with before."

Dawn tilted her head. "I am afraid that I do not understand. Do you mean to tell me that you have encountered stallions who have expressed an unprofessional, sexual interest in you despite your unwillingness to participate in such encounters?"

"Yup."

"I… see. I am sorry, sister, if I brought up unpleasant memories," Dawn said with a frown; she'd just had to open her mouth. Was there anything that Vendetta's presence didn't ruin?

Insipid waved that thought off with her hoof. "Psh. Don't worry about me. The last guy who tried that whole 'oh yeah baby I'll make you a star' crap with me ended up in the hospital." She idly examined her hooficure, utterly nonchalant. "'Cause, y'know. Superpowers. I didn't forget that I have 'em."

Dawn tilted her head. "I would never assume that you did, though I doubt that you get much practice with them."

"Meh." Insipid then turned serious. "But! Even though nopony's gonna get away with it with me doesn't mean that they don't get away with it with other ponies, mares and stallions alike. There're lots and lots of creepy pervert jerks all over the place, y'know? And like, that's not okay. Nopony should feel pressured to do that stuff to get ahead in life."

Dawn nodded. "That is definitely something that I can agree with, yes."

"And that's why I started up a little activist movement. I dunno if you've, like, heard of it or anything, 'cause it's not really that big yet and we have to deal with a lot of bureaucratic lameness, but it's called SPLASH: Society of Ponies Lobbying Against Sexual Harassment."

"Huh. Clever."

"You like it? Came up with it myself. See, 'cause we're making a splash on the scene? Eh? Eh?" Insipid shook her head in disbelief. "Can you believe that there, like, wasn't an organization like this before now, or whatever?"

Dawn blinked, legitimately surprised. "No, actually. I was under the impression that all companies and corporations and other such groups handled their own sexual harassment issues internally."

"Oh, they do. But like, that's the problem? Major. Sleazy. They brush stuff under the rug all the time! Hush-hush cover-ups and pay-offs and whatnot, smear efforts against accusers, all sorts of bad stuff!"

Dawn felt rather alarmed; how long had this been going on? Why was it still going on? How often did this sort of thing happen? Why would a company brush it all aside? She voiced some of these concerns to Insipid.

"Well, I mean, why wouldn't they?" Insipid replied. "If certain things got made public, that'd be totally bad for business. But business isn't as important as dignity! So that's what I wanna put a stop to, y'know?"

"And this group that you have formed, it is not affiliated with any other organization? Not even the NPAF, NPPD, or CIA?"

"Nnnnope! Independently-funded, non-profit, volunteer-operated." Insipid tapped her temple. "I did my homework." A pause. "Okay, Curie helped a bit." Another pause. "A lot. I mean, duh. You know that Curie's wife was harassed by—" Another pause, her eyes widened  "Oh. Oh! Wow, small world. She got harassed by the same guy you're dealing with. What a total skeeze!"

Dawn sighed and nodded. "Yes, I am aware. But I did not know that you were forming an organization of your own to alleviate the issue."

Insipid tapped her hooves together. "Oh, we're not really, um, alleviating anything. Not in, like, any official capacity. But like, we find ponies that have been hurt by this kind of stuff, y'know, and we try to help them find legal means to fight back before their bosses keep 'em quiet; out-of-court settlements are way bigger than behind-closed-doors deals. And when we can, we also try to expose the jerks who commit this stuff!"

"That is… extremely admirable of you." A pause. "If I might be honest with you, Insipid, tonight has enlightened me to the fact that… I was desperately, horribly wrong about you."

Insipid sipped casually from her wine. "Hmm?"

"I had always considered you to be many things, sister. If I might sum them all up into a single word, I considered you to be… a waste." Dawn nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "But to be more precise, I considered your intellect to be insubstantial, your career to be a futile field with nothing to offer, and your drive and work ethic to be pathetic.

"Because of this, I never gave you the proper respect as a sister, as an individual. I have ignored you to the point that I was utterly ignorant that you had even moved out of Pandora Tower and were living your own life." Dawn sighed and shook her head. "I am a deplorable, reprehensible pony and sister, Insipid, and I can understand why you must hate me. But… I am sorry for how I have treated you."

Insipid continued to sip her wine, slowly, as was appropriate, without taking her eyes off of Dawn whatsoever. After a moment, Insipid set her glass down, smacked her lips, and gave Dawn a firm nod. "I accept your apology."

Dawn blinked. "You… you do? Just like that?"

"Of course!" Insipid chuckled. She reached her hoof across the table and set it on top of Dawn's. "You're my sister, Dawn, and I love you. I know that I didn't like the way you treated me, and I know that it made me sad that we stopped talking altogether, but I've never, ever hated you for it."

"R-really?"

"Really really. What kind of a sister would I be if you, like, poured your heart out like that and I just told you to buzz off and junk?" She shook her head. "The fact that you're, like, doing this right now tells me that you're probably trying to do this with the others too? 'Cause like, I know I wasn't the only one you didn't treat right. Right?"

Dawn nodded and sighed, knowing just how true that was. "Right. I have also been attempting to make amends with Havoc and Gray thus far, and Curaçao as well."

"Oh, psh, everypony knows you and Curie don't have to mend anything together."

"Perhaps together, no, but her wife and daughter are estranged from me, which is where I must focus my efforts." Dawn paused for a moment as a thought struck her. "Which only serves to remind me that Shroud used to work as my secretary, and as Father's. Hmm. Perhaps I can use that as a groundwork."

"Maybe, yeah. And hey, good for you if you're trying to, like, make this work with Havoc and Gray and whatever." Insipid lifted her glass to her lips. "You're gonna totally need some luck for those two."

"I imagine so, yes. So far I have attempted… 'foal steps' with them." Dawn took her own wine glass to her lips. "It is a start, I hope."

Insipid moved her glass over towards Dawn, as if to clink their glasses together. "To family?"

Dawn paused, then smiled. "To family."

And so their glasses did clink together, and they drank their wine in unison, and Dawn was happy with the thought that maybe, just maybe, all of this would work out.