“I do believe everything is in order, Mr. Gray Calx.”
At long last, trust in the process paid off. It was done and over with. Officialised. Inked in records. Ready to be housed in a cozy little corner of the Canterlot archives. As soon as the royal scribe was done notarizing the form, the name change was now in effect and fully legal in the eyes of the Crown.
Gray Calx couldn’t help but exhale in catharsis.
It had been a rough couple of days, but seeing that stamp of approval just had to make him smile ever so slightly. He was still boiling on the inside, mind you, but being the proud owner of a new name was the first of the many small victories he would allow himself to enjoy. Leaving the pony once known as Sunstone behind was the event horizon from which there was no turning back. The past was to stay the past, and there was no point in ever looking back to it. Sunstone might’ve brooded a lot, but Gray Calx only had his eyes on the future.
He had been ruminating on what was going to be his next move. After isolating himself for two days or so, tickets were bought, appointments were taken, a notice of resignation was issued, and a lot of packing was done. After waking up early this morning, with saddlebags carrying everything that needed to be carried, it was a trip straight to the castle.
Angry.
Gray Calx was angry. He had been nothing but angry ever since his mother unrolled that forsaken scroll. He thought himself capable of taking punches, especially after the whole Manehattan debacle, but in reality, he wasn’t as resilient as he built himself to be.
His sister, his inspiring, remarkable, capable, hard-working, rousing sister, decisively not having had her fill with her impressive reputation, apparently took the liberty to go above and beyond. Bad enough that she had made an absurd number of friends not even a single day after emigrating to Ponyville, but as it turns out, she and her new ragtag gang felt the need to thwart a villain with unfathomable ease as a team bonding exercise. Saving Equestria so that everypony could live happily ever after, so said the scroll.
Had it stopped there, Gray Calx would’ve simply drowned his sorrows with a few gallons of liquor. Probably buck a couple of trees in his backyard to vent his frustration. But no. Twilight Sparkle, his little baby sister, had ALSO been crowned with one of the most honorific titles of all time.
She became what was known as an “Element bearer,” acting as the official wielder of an all-powerful artifact; some kind of golden tiara with which she could channel an ungodly amount of magic. Said magic could purify some of the most disharmonious corruption in Equestria. It was mind-blowingly overpowered, really.
According to the letter, Twilight was the bearer of the Element of Magic, which was once believed to be lost and unrecoverable and yaddi yadda. Which made her, what, a superhero, or something?
His sister was a superhero.
And now, the whole of Equestria would know her name, chanting it in unison whenever she and her heterogenous crew of philanthropists would save the day. She was going to be a superstar enjoying an inconceivable amount of fame.
Gray Calx couldn’t believe it. Of all ponies in the world to fit that role, why did it have to be her!? She was a scholar! A bookworm! A social outcast! These types of ponies stayed indoor and preferred to enjoy the quietness of a good library! She was already an academic prodigy; how in the world did a pony of her notoriety manage to pull that one off? Being brains AND brawns? Making friends? Becoming an Element bearer? Kicking the flank of the evil alter-ego of princess Celestia’s sister? An alicorn at that too!?
How was she doing it? How did she keep doing it?
She had it all, and he still had nothing. The scales couldn’t have been more tipped in her favor.
Just reminding himself of his sister’s rise to celebrity reaffirmed Gray Calx’s position. He had made the right call. He wouldn’t tolerate living in a cramped bedroom anymore, moping and cursing at the world. He no longer wanted to hear her name, only to become explosive to anyone around him. It was too much to bear. There was no making sense of a life as the brother, one that had bungled his whole career, of a pony who not only represented the very essence of harmony in Equestria, but who also had princess Celestia’s very name as a contact on her resume.
Gray Calx was fed up with this nonsense. He needed to disappear. Leave as far away as his remaining bits would allow him to travel. Put as much distance between him and his sister as he possibly could, leaving her sphere of influence for good. All in the hopes of never hearing the mere mention of her name EVER again. Hey, he wanted to find a new place to live, right? Might as well use this pivotal point in his life to claim a new spot as his own. A spot where the news of Twilight’s countless exploits would have trouble reaching.
And Gray Calx knew just the place to defect to.
A small mountainside village far and deep into the Undiscovered West. He had learned about it when he was still working at the Equestrian Geological Association in Manehattan. Near the end of his time over there, there was a lot of office gossip about a brand-new railroad being connected to this hamlet. There were prospects of contacting an independent mining company over there to form a partnership with the EGA before their private competitors could put their greedy hooves on them. Sadly, discussions fell through when the project was deemed a bit too unprofitable, mainly due to the distance.
They called that place Outer Grove.
It was far, relatively unknown, dirt cheap, and full of unextracted minerals. And best of all: Gray Calx was dead sure that his sister didn’t know about that place at all. This was perfect!
The only thing that would explain his departure to the few ponies who still somehow foolishly cared about his whereabouts was a note he hastily wrote right before leaving, the one he left on the work desk of his bedroom. Whether they understood, let alone cared about his decision, at this point, Gray Calx couldn’t care less. What was done was done.
“Mr. Calx, are you okay?” asked the scribe behind his silver desk.
...
He coughed at the nonresponse. “Ahem. Mr. Calx?”
“... Who, me? Oh!” He slapped a hoof on his forehead. “S-sorry about that! I was thinking about, uh, stuff, and I’m still not used to... well, you know…”
The chestnut unicorn scribe chuckled. “Oh, I do! We don’t have many name changes here in Equestria, but the few of them I’ve notarized, they pretty much all went the same way.”
“Heh. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it,” Gray Calx said, rubbing his neck. “Well, I appreciate what you’ve done for me today. It was worth every bit, lemme tell you. So you have yourself a wonderful day.”
The two of them respectfully nodded at each other, and with that, Gray Calx readjusted his saddlebags and made his way to the big golden double doors of this hall.
Weird place to do some bureaucratic stuff, he thought. It was his first time ever going inside of the castle, and Gray Calx would’ve sincerely preferred for it to have stayed that way. He didn’t like being closed in by these wealthy walls. Somehow, he didn’t feel at ease being in such a grand place, like he didn’t belong or something.
Not to mention, he had been a teensy bit lost at first. Thankfully, he had been redirected to the right place, but now, the goal was to find his way back without bothering another guard. Again, strange that he had to go this far into the castle only to sign a couple of papers.
And in such a luxurious room too. Having worked with number crunchers in Manehattan, he expected a small and modest office, a typewriter, and a file cabinet. Nothing more, nothing less. But as with the rest of Canterlot, of course, everything had to be encrusted with jewels and plated with gold. Ooh la la.
Still, he could’ve almost sworn that this had the allure of a throne room. Bizarre, right? Getting a name change in a large, prestigious, and empty throne room. That’s a fever dream if he’s ever had one. The red carpeted platform elevated in the back, the large stained-glass windows, the almost mirror-like reflective floor, the columns, the murals... It was all so regal.
Bah. Ridiculous. What did he know about castles, really? The procedure was probably a standard one. He had done what he set out to do. Now was not the time to rock the boat and dwell on-
“Oh, excuse me my little pony, but do you happen to be Sunstone, by any chance?”
He wasn’t even three steps away from the desk when a soft female voice begged his pardon from behind. And it didn’t sound at all like the scribe he just chatted with.
“Yeah no, this is Gray Calx. Sunstone left; I’m afraid you’ve just missed him,” he replied dismissively, a bit annoyed at having been recognized by someone.
Wait.
Recognized by someone?
Gray Calx turned around to shed some light on this little mystery, and...
“My apologies, I wasn’t aware. I will now refer to you by your proper name, Gray Calx,” said... said…
Said princess Celestia.
Her. In the flesh.
As radiant and as beautiful as she had always been portrayed. For the first time in 28 years, Gray Calx not only found himself standing in the same room as Equestria’s ruler, but also, engaging in a conversation with her. He had never even seen her before, save for pictures in books and newspapers.
They weren’t lying when they said that the princess’ mane was mesmerizing, stunningly undulating in the ambient air in a show of pastel and glitter, like a never-ending aurora. Her horn was another impressive set piece, something that left Gray Calx completely awestruck. And her height! He was used to be the tall one, but here, he felt positively dwarfed.
He couldn’t help himself but remain silent. For some reason, his brow was furrowed, as if he was trying to puzzle out what was happening. His lack of reaction made the princess softly chuckle, like she caught him red hoofed or something. She used this quiet time to dismiss the scribe with a silent movement of the head, and the latter complied, immediately disappearing through a service archway in the back.
Gray Calx swallowed dryly. Now was not the time to make a vow of silence.
“Uh... yeah, don’t sweat it. You can call me Sunstone if you’d prefer. I’m not used to the change anyway.”
Then, he widened his eyes. What the HAY was he doing!? Addressing royalty as if they were equal? What kind of impolite etiquette was that?
“B-but where are my manners!” he backpedaled, offering a distinguished bow, his forehead a few centimeters off the ground. “I send you my most sincere and warmest salutations, princess of the sun.”
“Why thank you, my little pony. This is very much appreciated. I would also like to return greetings of my own, Sunstone,” she said, choosing his former name after all. “However, you need not be so servile. I have on good authority that a student of mine has blood ties with you, and seeing as this is nothing more than a casual meeting, we can take a more relaxed approach if it puts you more at ease,” she smiled.
Gray Calx considered the offer for a moment. Only three sentences in, and he could tell that she was practically oozing with wisdom, being well-spoken, caring, and benevolent. However,
“Um... if it’s the same with you, princess, I’d like to stay formal.”
The one and only stock phrase, making its triumphant return.
Princess Celestia nodded, understanding. “If this is how you wish to proceed, then it shall be so.”
She took a couple of shy steps forward, approaching him ever so slightly. Gray Calx, meanwhile, backed away slowly, ogling the door behind him. His only realistic way out of this place. It was good practice to spot the emergency exits, just in case things got too heated.
“You’ll have to excuse me for jumping directly into it, but do you have a few minutes or so to spare, Sunstone? There are a couple of subjects I’d like to personally address with you, and I would love to understand your perspective on them. Is now a good time?”
While she tried her best to stay as polite and as approachable as she could, Gray Calx couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He didn’t understand why he felt so tense. Was it because she was an indestructible alicorn? Because she was at the top of the royalty chain and he was low level scum? Because she had the home field advantage in this castle? Because she was the one who personally picked his sister and put her on a path to success? Because she was not at all how he pictured her in his cynical mind?
Or was it because, for some reason, it felt like she had set up this encounter?
“A-actually, uh, I was just about to leave. Heh. Gotta go catch a train, so I really oughta skedaddle if I don’t wanna miss it. You know how it is. Sooooooo... yeah. Ta ta~!” Gray Calx mumbled incoherently.
He didn’t wait for a response and started walking toward the doors. Suddenly, a gold aura encompassed the handles on both sides, and the doors closed themselves shut. Not abrasively or anything, just with a muffled thud. But surprising enough to make him freeze in place, turn his head around, and blink incredulously at the princess.
“... Please?” she insisted, with a guilty smile. “Just five minutes?”
“Well, when you put it that way, your highness, how can I say no?” he said.
No, seriously, how can I say no!? sarcastically added his brain.
The princess, relieved to have won him over (albeit a bit forcefully), sat on her haunches to reduce the height discrepancy between the two of them. Talking at eye level was a good social norm, after all.
“Thank you, and I do apologize for putting your tight schedule in jeopardy; I’ll try to be as brief as I can. But knowing you had an appointment booked for today, I simply could not miss the opportunity to finally meet you for the first time. I have been looking for this moment for quite a while now, you know.”
Gray Calx cocked an eyebrow. “Wait a minute. You knew I was going to make a detour to the castle today? How?”
“Believe it or not, but a lot of paperwork tends to end up on my desk,” she said, again, without an ounce of malice.
Obliviously, she took this with a comedic approach, and yet, Gray Calx’s sense of doubt kept growing. Time to put it all on the line. Nothing like a good ‘j’accuse!’
“Did you... did you lure me to you?” he asked point blank.
The princess playfully laughed at the idea, shaking her head all the while. “I did no such thing, Sunstone. After all, it was you who took an appointment with one of my public servants. I did, however, pull a few strings to ensure that you and I could at least be allowed to have a private moment where we could calmly converse without outside interference. Oh! Speaking of which, tea?”
The princess conjured a teapot out of thin air, ready to be served. There were even two little porcelain cups on saucers floating by its side.
“Um, I appreciate the offer, but no thanks, princess.”
One of the cups vanished in a magical poof, while the other was already in the process of being filled up with a jasmine tea that, Gray Calx had to admit, permeated a delicious flowery aroma. When princess Celestia floated the cup to her lips, savouring the flavors with her eyes closed, Gray Calx decided to double down on his suspicions.
“So, n-not that I want to sound accusatory or anything, but would I be venturing a wrong guess if I claimed that you relocated my rendezvous to be held further inside of the castle? Possibly closer to where you usually operate?”
“Very perceptive, my little pony. You are as observant as your sister led me to believe. That is indeed what I have done – with no ill intents, I assure you.”
Gray Calx found that completely otherworldly. What was so interesting about him that warranted such special treatment? Wasn’t princess Celestia an incredibly busy pony? Why would she ever bother herself with a nopony like him? He needed clarifications.
“But... why? Why go through all that trouble only to talk with me? S-shouldn’t there be a day court being held here at this time of the day, or something?”
“Normally, you’d be correct. There would be a lineup of ponies where you stand. However, these are some unpreceded times, and the day court is adjourned for the next few days while we are in... a readjustment phase.”
“Readjustment phase? What do you mean by that? If uh, I’m not speaking out of line.”
“Familial affairs, mostly. The majority of which caters to princess Luna, my dearest sister, given her recent return to Equestria.”
Oh.
Yeah, that oughta do it.
“She has been reinstated as a ruler, and this new diarchy is subverting a lot of the structures we have in place in our current governance. However, and more importantly, this downtime isn’t just about parliamentary reorganization... I am also to be here for Luna on a personal level. I want nothing more than to help her adapt to her new environment, and I cannot in good faith handle the day court with her well-being clouding my judgement. I want what’s best for both my sister and for my little ponies.”
Amidst everything happening lately, Gray Calx sort of forgot about the princess’ recent reunion with her long-lost sister. The two of them had a lot of catching up to do after a thousand years of being apart. That was one heck of a reason to put her court on hiatus.
“For what it’s worth, princess, I’m sorry about all of this. I cannot imagine what this felt like.”
“Actually, this is sort of why I wanted to talk with you, Sunstone. As far as I understand, you may very well be on your way to share the pain that I’ve been through, and this isn’t something that I would wish on anypony.”
Ah. There it was. The meat of it all. Gray Calx was beginning to understand where this was going, and he didn’t relish the idea of hearing an essay explaining what he was doing was “wrong” and “immoral.” For once, he’d like to be in the pilot seat and take control of his life however he wanted to. And he was so close to achieving that too! To think that the princess herself would be the last obstacle he encountered...
“... Whatever do you mean, princess?” he asked, squinting ever so slightly.
The princess took another sip, preparing to fully lay on the table the core of her enquiries.
“To answer your question, I’d like to formulate one of my own. Ever since I took your sister under my wing, not once have I seen you present for any of her graduation ceremonies, award showcases where she performed greatly, or even as a guest for the invitations I have forwarded to you and your family. May I ask why that is?”
“I’ve been busy,” he replied without hesitation.
“Yes, your sister has said as much to justify your absences,” she said, not entirely convinced.
“Tough to get by in Canterlot,” Gray Calx shrugged with a tinge of sarcasm.
He didn’t have the courage to bring up the topic of classism directly to the princess. That would open up a whole new debate and boy did he not have the time for that. That train to Outer Grove wouldn’t wait for him if he showed up late. And he had to depart today, especially since his goodbye letter might’ve been discovered by now. Delaying the unavoidable was not to be tolerated.
“Sunstone... Do you know how I’ve come to learn of you?” resumed princess Celestia.
Gray Calx had an inkling, but he preferred to remain silent.
“Simply put, Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student, has had a lot to say about her older brother. The one I’ve never had the pleasure to meet. As far as I could tell, she truly holds you in high regard. We’ve discussed your case many times, and she’s been nothing but highly defensive of your interests, claiming that not only were you an incredibly talented pony, but also a major source of inspiration for her.”
“Funny, your niece Cadance said something similar to me a decade or so ago.”
“But,” she continued, “whenever she praised you, I’ve always perceived undertones of melancholy in her voice. She could never admit it, but I’ve lived long enough to tell that something was off with my dearest student. From what I’ve gathered over the years of teaching her, your sister has been saddened that no matter how hard she tried to bond with the pony she idolized, she constantly felt rejected by him. Which, in turn, led her to believe that she needed to try harder to earn his respect. And yet, despite everything she did to get his attention, it was never sufficient; she would never be good enough to make him proud of her.”
Gray Calx swallowed these words like someone threw a brick at him.
“I do not mean to pry, but this brings me to my main point: Sunstone, is there a feud going on between the two of you?” concluded princess Celestia. “Perhaps some kind of sibling rivalry that ignited years ago and spiraled out of control?”
...
“It’s... It’s complicated, princess,” said Gray Calx, looking down at his front hooves.
What has gotten him so fed up to begin with? He had many, many reasons to feel resentful, yet somehow, he had trouble articulating any of them. It’s as if, when it came time to finally explain his existential dread, he couldn’t do it properly, effectively blanching on the spot. Has he gotten so far deep into the rabbit hole that he forgot what had made him upset in the first place?
No, of course not! That was preposterous! He was a logical and fact-based pony; he didn’t act irrationally on the basis of strong emotions alone. He would not have simmered in a snowball of repressed feelings and bided his time for 28 long years in the failing case.
Another sip of tea defied the newfound quietness. Gray Calx had to say something to the princess. But what? He could’ve retold his whole life story from the very beginning. Or explained how sucky it was to feel lesser than nothing. Or argued that constantly being juxtaposed to two extraordinary ponies he had to coexist with for the larger part of his life had totally killed his drive.
Instead, all he managed to do was formulate one very simple question.
“... Why her?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Why her? Why Twilight?” he said, his fragile emotive state starting to crack at the seams. “Of all ponies, why did you pick my sister specifically to be your protégé? It could’ve been anypony! What was so… fascinating about her that made her fit for that role? What did you see in her? I don’t... I don’t get it...”
He finally looked back up, but the princess didn’t feel like interrupting. If Gray Calx had something to say, now was the time, and she was fully intent on letting him steer that ship.
“It’s just, it put her on such an incredible path. Everything good in her life cascaded from that one decision, and it has made me feel miserable ever since. I mean, if it weren’t for that, she would never have become an Element bearer.”
“And never have saved my sister,” clarified a stoic Celestia.
Gray Calx bit his lip. This conversation was becoming dangerous. “Maybe somepony else would have risen to the occasion. Maybe somepony who too deserved a chance at success in life for a change.”
“Somepony like you, perhaps?”
Gray Calx simply stared at her, now taking his turn to remain voiceless.
“Sunstone, is it possible that you may be a little bit envious of your sister?” asked the princess.
Well, was he?
Was he envious of Twilight Sparkle?
“How could I not!?” he finally admitted. “I mean, I don’t want to yank the carpet from under her; her victories are not without merit, but how is that supposed to make me feel? I had to work every single day of my life to obtain something semi-decent, and I’m still living a below-average life, with a crappy job, broken dreams, and a ton of debt to tie it all in. Meanwhile, she’s Equestria’s next big thing, surrounded by friends, and has you to personally watch her back. She’s happy and I’m not, so of COURSE I’m jealous!!”
Gray Calx was riled up, which was a stark contrast with the princess who had remained calm the entire time. Perhaps he should’ve accepted some of that soothing tea after all.
“You know,” resumed the princess, as poised as ever, “my own sister felt the same way about me a long time ago. Seeing that you are echoing her bottled-up sentiments is... difficult to digest. I don’t believe I need to give you a reminder as to what happened next.”
He tche’d. “Okay, well, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m not about to go full villain mode and seek revenge or anything; that’s just plain stupid and a waste of everyone’s time. Absolutely asinine! ... N-no disrespect meant to princess Luna, of course! No, really, I just want to go someplace far away, someplace where I’ll be free to do my own thing. Someplace where Twilight and the rest of my family won’t constantly remind me how bloody useless I am!”
The two of them just stared at each other, with the built-up tension slowly deflating. Gray Calx, for a moment, forgot who he was talking to. His cautious and prudent stance from before had all but vanished. It was concerning to realize how little it took to get him going.
“Thank you, Sunstone,” the princess said, her candid expression never leaving her face. “Thank you for giving me your side of the story. I believe I have a better understanding of the situation, thanks to your input.”
“You’re... thanking me? What for? For losing my cool and raising my tone at you? You of all ponies!? How many protocols did I just infringe, by your estimate? Enough to send me to jail?”
She laughed at the amusing, if a little straightforward pleasantry. “You won’t need to worry about these sorts of things, trust me. And of course I’m thanking you! As crazy as it may sound, insightful conversations like these have become a rarity in my life. Nothing like a heated debate with clashing viewpoints to keep your mind healthy and active. And while I haven’t known you for very long, you have given me sufficient material to see you as a particularly sharp, astute, and intelligent pony.”
Wowzah, flattery much? smirked a silent Gray Calx.
“That being said, I too would like to say my piece. Will you give me the privilege?”
And now she’s asking for my permission? What kind of game is she playing? pondered his brain.
“With great pleasure, princess,” his mouth instead replied.
She nodded, dematerializing her cup after emptying it.
“I truly mean no offense, but it is my opinion that you may be a little bit misguided. Your overachieving and independent nature is commendable, my little pony. Working hard and having a strong desire for success are virtues everypony should strive for. But ultimately, this is not what makes a pony, a pony. True happiness comes from within, not with prestige.
“Your family, while certainly very proud of your goal-oriented attitude, doesn’t display unconditional love because of what’s written on your diploma or because of your desire to prove yourself to them; rather they enjoy your company through a strong sense of kinship they naturally share with you. I cannot stress how important and how powerful these ties are. These are the ponies who have your best interests at heart, upholding them without ever asking anything in return. It’s a testament to having each other’s back when the world turns sour.
“Sunstone, you are not useless. Nor are you a burden on your family. You are a unique, wonderful asset who renders everypony around you incredibly proud. Twilight loves you; she couldn’t love you more if she tried. The same applies for captain Shining Armor, Spike, and both of your parents. They always have, and always will. No matter how you choose to dictate your life.”
Gray Calx’s heart jumped when an unexpected noise from behind reverberated in the echoey throne room. A quick turn of the head, and he noticed that the exit doors were opened once more, with the golden glow surrounding them waning away.
“You have an important choice to make, Sunstone. I won’t interfere with whatever may come next. Likewise, I promise that I will keep this encounter between the two of us a secret. If only because it is not my place to force life lessons on you; only you can figure them out at your own pace. And so, whether you decide to jump in that train or to stay in Canterlot rests on your shoulders alone. I can only implore you to choose wisely, my little pony.”
Gray Calx understood where the princess’ concerns came from. After all, she just reunited with her sister, and he was about to lose his. This parallel didn’t go over anypony’s head. However, there were a lot more variables at play here. It went beyond simply being isolated far away from those he grew up with, be it in the Undiscovered West, or on the moon.
From her perspective, she saw an irate little pony who was putting himself on a Nightmare Moon-esque journey to villainy. From his perspective, he saw an opportunity to have a better chance at life and to find true happiness.
But who was right?
“I... I have only one life to live, princess. And it won’t last a thousand years,” he finally said, ashamed, backing away through the doorway. “I have... I have to make it count.”
Sunstone really would have wanted more time to think about it. Unfortunately for him, Gray Calx already bought a one-way ticket out of there.
What is the root cause of that friendship problem?
Such was the question that lived rent free in Twilight Sparkle’s head ever since she woke up to seize the day. Luckily, it hadn’t been enough of a hindrance to keep her awake all night; quite the contrary, in fact. As she quickly found out when she stretched herself out of bed early this morning, she had slept like an angel. She didn’t realize it the evening before, but that suite where she dozed off was not too shabby! The bed was plush, the walls were properly soundproofed, and the water pressure in the adjacent bathroom exceeded her expectations. Quite the revitalizing morning indeed!
Sweet Pint, her appointed hostess, wanting to make up for the unsatisfactory state of her inn/bar yesterday evening, was already in the process of sweeping the floor when the princess emerged from the second floor. But the cherry on the sundae was the bountiful breakfast the barmare had already prepared for her. A real cornucopia of fruits and pastries. She did substitute her breakfast stout with a glass of freshly pressed orange juice, though. It was, all in all, a very charitable gesture, and the princess offered Sweet Pint her compliments. Though the brassy earth pony would’ve denied it, Twilight could’ve sworn she saw a blush.
It’s between two bites of her cantaloupe that the princess began to think about how she’d approach this unresolved friendship problem. Somehow, she had the growing suspicion that this one, not unlike her cantaloupe, was going to be a juicy one. Indubitably, investigating was going to be in order.
And investigating she did. She took off to the sky around 9 AM, right after passing by that decorated column that still made something itch in the back of her mind. Those three ponies and that one sphere were practically taunting her by this point.
The first place she snooped around was the big clearing she spotted yesterday evening. More than ever did she believe that this was the inception of yesterday’s disaster. She even found the proof she needed. Everything checked out with the books she read about Outer Grove’s dangerous fauna, and how easily disturbed it could be. The fine balance between ponies and Ursas had been disrespected. Could this have been related to the friendship problem somehow? It was her best (and only) lead thus far.
A trip to the mayor’s office to relay her findings, and she found out that a gathering in the plaza an hour or two later had been organized. Mayor De La Tour even insisted for the princess to join him on stage, saying that it would be “a good PR stunt after the Ursa incident.” She agreed on the spot; these ponies deserved to know that the Crown hadn’t forgotten about them. Not only would she be in a good position to hear the townsfolk’s suggestions and/or concerns, but also, having them crowded in one place would make it easier for her to spot those who had an ongoing conflict between them. A friendship conflict, dare she say.
Which brought us to now. Here on this wide linear podium, surrounded by hundreds of ponies, stood the princess, accompanied by her two bodyguards, Sterling Plume and Hasty Flail. The mayor, still dressed as unfashionably as ever, was a little ahead, a megaphone in his hoof. He had done an excellent job upping the morale of his town. He may have been on the older side of things, and his periodic coughs were a little distracting, but the princess could totally see that this stallion displayed an immense amount of care to his citizens.
“... And furthermore, my dear Outer Grovians, it is with infinite relief that I bring you the best news of all: No casualties arose from yesterday’s events!” the mayor proudly declared.
Hooves stomping and acclaims filled up the valley from every direction. Twilight couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear; this was news to her as well. What an immense weight off her shoulders knowing that the worst had been avoided!
“Indeed,” so continued the motivating speech, “our patrolling teams combed the town clean through the entire night, and in conjunction with our devout block captains who took a thorough headcount this morning, our census of ponies is 100% accounted for, meaning, we all made it through this disaster alive and well. A true miracle, if I do say so myself!”
Face away from his voice-enhancing apparatus, the good mayor fell into another coughing tantrum. Twilight hoped that he wasn’t overworking himself. Like the captain of a vessel, his passion and strive to reassure those who looked up to him for guidance was exemplary, but he wasn’t exactly a young stallion anymore. Yet, despite her concerns, after clearing his throat, the mayor went back in full force.
“As for the town itself, the repairs have already begun and are concentrated on the areas that currently need it most.”
He took a couple of frail steps forward, a hoof panning in front of his face. He raised his chin, a glint of hope sparkling in his gray irises.
“Look around you, my little ponies. Our wonderful historical plaza has been trashed beyond recognition. The clocktower, once proudly overlooking this crossroad where flea markets and street performers proliferated, now casts a gloomy shadow over debris and demolished infrastructures.
“Luckily, we have dedicated teams on the case, and they told me with great assurance that Outer Grove would be back on its hooves within two weeks at most. You, my dearest citizens, are of course invited to pitch in with some volunteer work of your own to accelerate that deadline. For those interested, a list depicting various tasks has been pegged on what’s left of the public bulletin board.”
This went on for a while. Explanations following more explanations. Solutions for every single inquiry coming from the attentive audience. Everything on the basis of bringing some peace of mind to the local population. Mayor De La Tour wanted nothing more than to explore every nook and cranny of today’s meticulous planning. No stones were left unturned, no questions were left unanswered. A complete and refined Q and A, Twilight had to admit.
Then came the time for the special thanks part of the convocation. A yellow doctor she half recognized who went by the name of Dr. Stethorsecope was the first on the list of many. Apparently, so confirmed the mayor, he had been hard at work tending to the wounds of the many victims who required his medical assistance. The crowd turned to him and applause arose again in his honor, which, for some reason, made him giggle like a maniac. Bizarre tic, the princess thought, but oh well.
Sweet Pint was also highly praised for her role in hiding a myriad of ponies in the basement of her establishment, though she had to be excused for not being here at the moment. Twilight knew for a fact that the busy mare couldn’t delay her cleaning any longer, so she sort of understood why she took a rain check.
The two royal guards were mentioned next. They inched forward, bowing to another wave of cheers. Twilight was immensely grateful for their presence as well. Without them, she most likely would’ve failed at repelling the Ursas. It truly was a team effort.
“But perhaps most of all,” segued the mayor, “our flawless survival rate was not and could not have been achieved without external help. For those who didn’t have the pleasure of witnessing it themselves yesterday evening, a guardian has been sent to us and has played a critical role in forcing the enemy away. It arrived in the form of our majestic and fearless ruler; ladies and gentlecolts, I want you all to give your warmest welcome to our strongest line of defense, the heroic beast tamer, the one and only: Princess Twilight Sparkle!”
If the princess thought that the enticed crowd was loud before, now, they were giving their 110. Many decibels worshiping her name, the exact same way they had yesterday evening.
To think that for a moment, she had the nagging feeling that they would scoff at her presence, hurt by the fact that they have been left in the shadows for so long. But now, it was clear that her worries were for naught. These ponies weren’t angry; they were thrilled to have her here. Once again, her all-too-familiar Twilightisms made her play a bunch of scenarios in that overthinking head of hers for no good reason.
She approached the edge of the podium. The mayor hoofed over the megaphone to the princess, but she politely declined. Instead, she preferred to use a spell she taught herself shortly after Luna made her first visit to Ponyville after her return. Voice enhancing cantrips were quite handy indeed. Casting it in a jiffy, it made a little amoeba of purple throb around her neck. Her vocal cords were ready to be heard.
“Thank you everypony, thank you very much,” she said with a booming tone. “This warm reception is very much appreciated! It’s just... It’s so much to take!” she sheepishly admitted. “But I really am happy to be here. I just wish it was under happier circumstances, h-heh!”
A tide of chuckles emerged from the crowd. Twilight smiled and carried on.
“Hopefully though, today marks the first of the many visits I’ll be making here. I solemnly take the engagement of making it happen! No longer will you wonder where your princesses are, and Equestria will not turn a deaf ear to your demands anymore: The silent treatment stops today!”
And there they went again, whistling and raising hooves in the air, completely enthralled by her rousing speech. The Mayor even nodded, quite satisfied to see that the princess had their back in these trying times. Hope was in the air; she could practically smell it.
“Just like your brilliant Mayor,” the princess went on, “I too would like to forward a few appreciative notes. That’s right: It would be brutally dishonest to say that I worked alone when those Ursa Minors were sent packing. Sterling Plume and Hasty Flail have had my back the entire time, and I owe them immensely for their loyalty. Oh! And also, before I forget: Shoutout to the bellmaster who rang the clocktower. Whoever that pony was, they saved me a lot of time, and if it weren’t for them, things could’ve been much worse.”
“That would be me!”
Ponies turned their heads around. Behind them, a stallion well in his 50’s approached the scene. He was wearing a big white hat, a brown vintage vest, and sported a well-groomed orange mustache. A typical stallion of the land, immediately figured the princess.
Splicing through the crowd with a determined demeanor, he arrived at the base of the stage with his head angled up.
“Mr. Gold, your highness, that’s my name,” he said, bowing. “Town prospector and forepony in charge of the mining and logging industry. I’m the one who rang that bell and put the town on high alert.”
Twilight jolted with surprise. “Oh! Well, um, in that case let me-”
“But,” he raised a hoof, “I didn’t do it alone!”
She decided to stay silent, eager to know where this was going. Mr. Gold’s attention, meanwhile, switched to the old pony under that ridiculous top hat.
“Mayor De La Tour, I’m sorry, but ye forgot to mention someone on that congratulating list o’ yours, eh?”
“Oh? I do apologize if that truly is the case,” the mayor said in his metallic cone. “Who would I be missing, my boy?”
“Why, Gray Calx, of course! Remember? The stallion we all drank in the name of two lil’ nights ago? He did a mighty lot, and I think he deserves proper credit for his role. After all, he’s the one who spotted the two Ursas before anypony did. He even went and hurt himself helpin’ me warn the town about it.”
“Oh, oh, heheheheeee! And he also wanted to save the ponies who were totally lost during the attack,” added the town doctor. “Calx pitched the idea of helping them find shelter while the rest of us were ready to hide and do nothing about it!”
“He saved the life of my daughter,” now followed a... well-fed mare with a small pony pouting on her back. “If it weren’t for him, I... I don’t know what would’ve happened to my sweet lil’ baby,” she nuzzled her, the emotions starting to strangle her again.
The princess rubbed her jaw, pensive. There was that name again! ‘Gray Calx.’ The one etched on that banderole back at the Two Arches. The one that she just couldn’t place back no matter how hard she tried.
Who exactly was that mysterious fellow?
Well, if this round of devotion was any indication, he sure seemed revered around these parts. A local hero, perhaps? It was great to see that, even so far away from the capital, some ponies rose to the call, ready to serve and protect. Not for the glory, but because it was the right thing to do.
Ponies like this Gray Calx guy sure made her job easier. It was amazing to know she had unknown allies she could trust. Well, maybe not ‘unknown’ for much longer: She was interested in meeting the chap and letting him know that the Crown was proud to have protectors of his caliber keeping Equestria out of trouble.
As she thought about this, the mayor, meanwhile, fumbled a bit, learning of Calx’s exploits at the same time the princess did.
“W-why um, of course! I totally was going to mention him next and absolutely did not forget to jot down his name on my list.” He awkwardly cleared his throat, “Gray Calx, where are you, my friend? You too deserve a round of applause, I reckon!”
Ponies started to stomp their hooves for the nth time, but the movement faded away rapidly. They hesitantly looked around in all directions, unsure where they should even aim their praise. It soon became clear that nopony who identified as Gray Calx wanted to take the spotlight.
“You’re all wasting your time. He’s not here...” grumbled the orange filly on the big mare from earlier.
Her mom, alongside the rest of the town, twisted their neck and looked at her. “W-what? Honey Dream, sweetie, what are you-”
“He’s not here! He’s not here, okay!?” she barked, visibly angered, right after jumping off her mother’s back. “I looked for him but couldn’t find him!”
The mother, a bit embarrassed, tried to calm her down. “H-Honey, please, not now... N-not in the middle of-”
“No! Mom, he promised! He promised he’d see me again! But I haven’t seen him since we split up yesterday, after I... After I...” She shook her head, trying to flick the bad memories away. “He promised he would see me later, he said he would, but he didn’t!” She lowered her head, heartbroken. “He didn’t...”
Before tears came to her eyes, the large mare embraced her gently, rubbing a hoof on her back.
“It’s okay my sweet lil’ Honey, shhhh...” she murmured in a reassuring tone, trying to defuse her worries. “I’m sure he’s ok. Nothing bad happened to uncle Calx. He’s a tough pony.”
Mayor De La Tour, feeling nothing but empathy for this sorrowful filly, took back control of the situation. “Well, worry not, little Honey Dream. And you too, Mrs. Skybrush. If it makes you feel any better, his block captains have registered his presence at his dwelling this morning, and so, even though he doesn’t appear to be with us today, I can at least certify that he is indeed very much still breathing.”
Honey Dream lifted her quivering chin, her lower lip pursed with two sad eyeballs peering in his direction.
“W-well... Then it’s even worse! That means he lied! Why would uncle Calxie lie to me!? He would never break a promise he made to me, I know he wouldn’t...!”
It’s at this moment that Twilight Sparkle had a stroke of genius. A pony not living up to a promise they made to a friend? One of them being MIA and the other feeling cheated?
Huzzah! Now THAT, that had ‘friendship problem’ written all over! The princess finally had something to work with. She knew this public meeting would pay off, she just knew it, haha!
Sompeony subtly elbowed her.
“Pssst, princess?” quietly said Sterling Plume. “You really shouldn’t be smiling at something like this. Bad image.”
The princess didn’t even realize how hard she was grinning. Her goofy expression disappeared in a moment’s notice, with eyes terror stricken and a hoof in front of her mouth. It was just a misunderstanding! S-she wasn’t enjoying the sufferings of that filly, no! It was just- She didn’t mean to- Gah! What a stupid gaffe!
“O-Oh! Hum...! Heh, I...” she yammered, her voice still magically boosted.
She slapped her head, trying to scramble her thoughts back in place. Now was not the time to mess up her first public performance in Outer Grove. She was hungry for friendship problems and a hook was delicately dangling in front of her. She was not going to let go of it!
“Don’t worry my little pony,” she eventually said to the bummed down filly, a hoof pumping her chest. “I’ll personally go see him after this seance and try to shed some light on the situation.”
“NO!”
“You can’t!”
Today was a day of interruptions, wasn’t it? Ponies in the crowd were starting to feel rather fatigued from rubbernecking left and right, constantly on the lookout for the next attendee who gave themselves the right of speech. Twilight, on the other hoof, was a bit taken aback by how disorganized this whole thing was starting to feel. She still had important talking points she needed to bring up, and at this rate, she was going to be on this stage until tomorrow morning.
In any case, this time around, it was two blue ponies with carefully combed blond manes who decided to interject – one of which, curiously enough, had wings. An oddity in the crowd, making him and the mare next to him stand out that much more.
“Um... excuse me? I can’t?” repeated Twilight.
“That’s right, your highness, y-you can’t!” fidgeted the winged one.
The other one took a step forward with a pretence of confidence. “Because! He’s not at, um... home? Right! He’s not at home! S-so it’s a futile endeavour.” She nudged her husband. “Isn’t it so, deary?”
“Yup, exactly! Haven’t seen our neighbor at all no matter how hard we looked, s-so you shouldn’t bother yourself trying.”
“That’s right!”
“That’s right!”
They both tried to keep an honest smile, but their sweaty foreheads were telling a whole different story. The mayor, of course, could see right through them and their inconsistencies.
“Aheh. Mr. and Mrs. Blueberry. At the risk of going against your words, you both have gone on record this morning saying that you personally verified the presence of the 25 ponies in your neighbourhood – Gray Calx included. So which story holds true? Have you perhaps entered falsified information?”
They both looked at each other nervously. Their little charade had been debunked on the spot. Totally busted in front of a hundred witnesses.
“Okay, yes, yes, he was home alright!”
“But he totally wasn’t working on a surprise for you, your highness!”
“My juicy lil’ berry is, as always, correct! He was literally busy doing anything other than preparing a surprise for his beloved princess. So don’t go ahead and think that he was doing that!”
“And uh, y-you should probably not go there; you could be distracting him from his non-surprise-making activity! Whatever that activity is, deary!”
...
…
“Well, that went rather well, wouldn’t you agree, my juicy lil’ berry?”
“Oh my, yes! We played our cards magnificently.”
“Soooo... Seeing as we did everything right, let’s make like hay and bail, yes?”
“I concur, my schweet tender berry!”
Cut to them making their escape, leaving a cloud of dust matching their silhouette where they just stood. Everypony was rightfully confused, looking at each other and shrugging. Even the mayor didn’t really know what to do with… whatever that was. If the Berries tried to be cunning, not only did they put on an abysmal performance, but also, nopony truly understood what they even tried to keep under the drapes.
“Oooookay?” is all the princess could find to say after this circus show. “I suggest that we table this and move on to the next topic, yes?”
Everypony in front of the stage nodded. Good. Playing the ignorance card was the best and possibly only solution in the face of the inexplicable.
“So,” tried the princess once again, “there is something... rather concerning that I have discovered, and it wouldn’t be right to keep it for myself any longer. Because I think... I think I might’ve found the source of Saturday’s attack!”
Everypony gasped. Oooh sweet revelation! Twilight held no punches; she exposed everything about the clearing she explored this morning. How it had been sacked. Every piece of equipment over there had been squished to a thin paste, and the stored lumber had been shredded to uselessness. She saw giant paw prints and claw marks only a creature the size of an Ursa could’ve produced, surprise surprise. This particular area was in such shambles compared to the bordering forest that pegging it as the Ursas’ motivation to go on a vendetta made complete sense.
“B-but wait a minute! That place, isn’t that... isn’t that logging site 2B?” the mayor stressfully wondered. “I-it was supposed to be the construction site where my team wanted to erect a new college, b-but... Mr. Gold, didn’t you swear that the logging activities wouldn’t cause any issues?”
The pony in question, who hadn’t left the base of the stage, recoiled with offense. Was he being accused of something? What was this, a public trial with the princess as his personal prosecutor?
“I did, and I didna go back on my word!” Mr. Gold countered. “This ain’t my first rodeo with Ursa Minors – you of all ponies should know this, Mr. Mayor! I’ve been in this town far too long for my own good, being the oldest foal from one of the first family of pioneers who colonized this place. You and I have seen giant bear attacks before, we’ve been through ‘em together! So believe me when I say I’m well aware that they ain’t to be tampered with!
“Look, the forestall zoning around Outer Grove holds no secrets from me. Never has. I know where those wild beasts’ hunting grounds are by the tip of my hooves. It IS my special talent after all, eh? So I ain’t lyin’ when I said I triple checked the boundaries for the cutting area I’ve carefully marked.”
He then singled out two other earth ponies, these ones, wearing construction helmets. They jumped a bit, unsuspecting that it was going to be their turn to hog all of the attention.
“Because you have only fallen trees within the limits I gave you, isn’t that right, Seesaw Log and Leafy Humus?”
One of them waved a nonchalant hoof. “Pffff, duh?? Who do you think we are? We’re professionals, after all!”
“Yeah, we’re super-duper pro at this!” followed the other forest worker.
“We cleared the job in like, what, half a day? Easy peasy!”
“That’s why, after we finished everything, we decided to cut even more with the rest of our Friday!!”
...
“You did WHAT.”
The prospector’s eyes were just about to fall out of their sockets. Ponies around him receded a bit, forming a distant circle. The green pony was vibrating like he was on the verge of erupting, and no way did they want to be caught in the crossfire.
“Humus’ right!” reprised the lankier one of the two. “We had so much spare time and a ton of leftover energy that we decided to keep cutting to save time for Monday. Smart, huh?”
“Yeah! So now, we have even more logs, and more free space for the college! Aren’t you proud? You always tell us to take the initiative, so we did, mmh hmm!”
“No need to thank us!”
That was it. The straw that broke the camel’s back. Mr. Gold, infuriated, threw his ten-gallon hat on the floor, revealing a completely bald pony. He stomped on his poor innocent hat, coming real close to burying it in the plaza. Still marginally better than using Leafy or Log’s faces, Twilight mused.
“Gosh darnit! Ye GIBLET HEADS! What have I told you about overextending? What have I told you about deviating from my plans? What have I told you about going over my head!?”
Today, the town prospector was neither gold or green: He was completely red. Enough to render the juiciest tomato jealous. Twilight could’ve sworn she saw steam coming out of his ears.
The lumber ponies recoiled, gulping in fear. Seems like it wasn’t going as well as they thought it would.
“B-b-but we thought... Y-y-you said... It’s all Log’s fault! He’s the smart one! I never know what I’m doing!” blurted out Leafy Humus.
“W-what? No way! You’re the one who said they felt like bucking a million trees! I-I was just following your lead!” his ditzy companion countered.
Mr. Gold stomped hard enough to cause an earthquake. “I don’t give an ounce of a dung who did what, I don’t want to hear it, eh!? Yer both equally responsible for this! I told y’all a million gazillion times about NEVER bypassing security measures! What will it take, eh? A town in ruins, perhaps!?”
He kept approaching them menacingly, berating them all the while. The only proper response they found was to back away from their superior who was awfully close to chewing them up.
“Now y’all listen to me and listen well: You two ‘geniuses’ are going to get your butts over to the bulletin board, and you’re going to tend to every. Single. Task! Everything written there, that’s on you, and you alone! I don’t want to see either of you so much as taking a break before that list is fully crossed out! We’ll be at it all night if we must, ya hear me!?”
“Y-yes boss...!” they both stuttered.
They turned to wherever the board was, and yelped in surprise when Mr.Gold used his forehead to push them both, their back hooves sliding forward on their own. They exchanged a worried look, tossing the blame between them like two immature foals.
“... Your fault.”
“Not as much as yours.”
“Yes, well! It’s your fault times infinity!”
“Oh! You! It’s... It’s your fault times infinity... plus one!”
“Your fault times infinity plus two, nener nener!”
“Your fault infinity plus... um, plus... plus... uuuuhh...”
“Plus three?”
“Yeah! Plus THREE!”
Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at their childlike behavior. They reminded her so much of Snips and Snails. Well-meaning, but a bit lethal with their carelessness. Just like the two young unicorns, these lumberponies pulled something eerily similar, what with bringing an enraged Ursa Minor into an urban area. Well, two Ursas in their case, and it’s not like they did it deliberately. But still! These four probably shared the same brain cell.
In the end, this wound up being the last in a long series of disruptions, much to Twilight’s relief. The seminar concluded a few hours later, and the rest of the diminishing crowd dispersed in a blur thereafter.
Twilight vowed to find Gray Calx, and the last thing she wanted was to toss another broken promise in Honey Dream’s face. Unsurprisingly, her first stop was the most logical one: His private residence. This, despite the Blueberries’ poorly executed con. What was with those two charlatans anyway? A bad omen, or a fluke? She sincerely hoped there wasn’t something nefarious at play here.
She rapidly found the house in question, following Skybrush’s descriptions of it. What a nice mare, by the way. Helpful, approachable, and very much on top of her social game. The two of them briefly chatted after the conference, and she learned a little bit about her. General store clerk, and talented painter on the side. Single mother of one, and appreciated by pretty much everyone in town. She and “uncle Calxie” had been best buds for a long time, sharing their love of nature during their after-work hours, among other things.
Skybrush tried not to show it, but Twilight knew she too had worries of her own about her missing companion. Just like her daughter, she also expected him to be present at the public gathering, and became understandably concerned when she realized that he was a no-show. More fuel for the friendship problem, so it seemed!
So, the house.
Almost a 1:1 match with the info she had received. It was made of wood, was cylindrical, had a few rounded windows scattered throughout, had a quaint little balcony high up on the second floor, had many twirling branches extruding in all directions, and... and...
“It looks exactly like the Golden Oak library!” gasped the princess.
It was a bit smaller of course, but give it a plump hat of leaves, and this would’ve made for a perfect ‘spot the difference’ exercise.
Oh, the memories! She and Spike spent their first years in Ponyville in that cozy library, where she adapted to her new life and learned a lot about herself in the process. It was a peaceful sanctuary she loved to call ‘home.’ A sanctum of tranquility she could retreat to when things got too crazy. And in Ponyville, you better believe that it happened more often than not!
Twilight couldn’t help but feel slightly nostalgic about what she had lost. Yes, at the end of the day, it was only material, and material could be replaced. Nopony died; that’s what was important. Regardless, she held her time in her former household dearly, and it was a darned shame that it ended up as a scorched pile of charcoal. How peculiar that it took a trip all the way to the edge of Equestria to reopen old wounds like this.
Ah, but now was not the time to agonize over her own little quibbles! After all, Gray Calx wouldn’t wait to shake hooves forever.
She knocked on the door and waited a minute.
Then she waited another.
She knocked again. Two more minutes of waiting.
Another set of knocks, more desperate this time.
More minutes passing by.
“Hello? Anypony in there?” she asked to the silent house.
...
“Mr. Calx? Gray Calx? Is this your house?” she tried to ask again, this time, her face to the floor, peering at the gap under the door.
...
Well whoop-de-doo, of course it couldn’t have been a hole-in-one. Too easy, right? If Gray Calx truly lived there, he was either absent, or socially adverse. That last hypothesis seemed rather improbable, considering the many things his friends had to say about him. Saving a foal and acting heroic didn’t really go hoof-in-hoof with being shy. Um, save for Fluttershy; she could be excused.
Twilight Sparkle grumbled to herself. She should have seen this possibility coming. And now, she’ll have to aimlessly chase him around town, that is, if he was even still in this town. She had no idea what he even looked like too! So now, it was even more of a crapshoot. Why didn’t she just ask Honey Dream and Skybrush to describe him real quick in case this particular situation arose? It wasn’t like her to not account for pitfalls such as this one. She should’ve made a list! Lists are good, lists are love, lists are life savers!
No matter. Just a small hiccup in this game of hide and seek. She’ll find him one way or another.
And she knew exactly where to look next.
“What can I tell you about Gray Calx, that’s uh, that’s what you’re asking me?” Sweet Pint parroted behind the laminated counter.
“Mmmh hmm!” excitingly nodded the princess, forelegs crossed on said laminated counter.
It was incredible to see the Two Arches back on its hooves this quickly. What was a battlefield of a party’s aftermath coupled with the dirtiness of a temporary bunker space was now a respectable establishment, ready to get a bunch of clients all tipsy and happy. It was spotless and barely recognizable. Not a spec of mud desecrating the floor. Impeccable job indeed!
The first few patrons started to give life to the tavern, ever since it reopened a few minutes ago. Most of them were workers who had done their best to shape the town back into its former image. A hard day of sawing and hammering, that’ll leave you rusty and thirsty for sure. Nothing like a cold pale ale to rejuvenate a brain that demanded to be numbed just a little bit.
The princess, of course, came for a different reason altogether. She didn’t return to the pub to get her rocks off. When Sweet Pint tossed a draft her way ‘on the house,’ Twilight had to refuse once again. She contented herself with a simple glass of water. She still had tasks to attend to, and drinking on the job was far from being professional.
No, rather, she decided to go back here primarily because she recalled Calx’s name being displayed in big bold letters on the ceiling. Given that, interviewing Sweet Pint seemed like a proper follow up.
“Erf, what’s there to say about Gray dude, really?” Sweet Pint shrugged, polishing a glass with a towel. “He’s kind of a troublemaker, ain’t he? Stubborn little thing who never listens, hrmmphh! Oh! And he should get a better manecut too. I keep telling him that, but it’s like he lives with his head in the sand!”
“Soooo... I’m guessing you don’t really like him?” asked the princess, a bit disappointed.
“What!?” yelped the barmare, genuinely taken aback. “Says who? Is that what you think I...? Naw, naw, I tolerate the guy alright. Him and I wouldn’t have lived together for a while if I hated his guts.”
Living together? These two had history then? Personal history?
Oh! Was she hinting at romance? She totally was, wasn’t she? G-g-g-gossip time! Twilight didn’t come here to explore the intricate world of past dates and ex coltfriends, but really now, when was the last time she had that kind of girl talk? Rarity had been quiet on that front recently, and although Twilight would rather be tortured than to admit it, she sort of missed all the romantic rumors the fashionista loved to share with her. Hey, if anything, this would help her figure out Calx’s character, right? So there was uh, a scientific reason to probe for those spicy experiences, oh yes there was, yep yep! Don’t let anyone else convince you otherwise!
“Ooooh, I see! So what happened then? Did you kick him out? Or did he leave on his own? Was it because he did something bad? Are you two still seeing each other, or did you go your separate ways? Was it awkward when you tossed him that party?” she ran her mouth exactly like Pinkie Pie.
Sweet Pint stopped rubbing her glass and looked up from it, a blank stare covering her pink expressionless face. “I... I don’t follow?”
“Well, from what I’m getting, you two used to be lovers, right?”
The barmare remained completely immobile, her mouth as horizontal as it could be. Uh oh. Now the princess was starting to become hesitant.
“Am... Am I not reading the room right?” she asked, her voice but a whisper.
Everypony currently present in the Two Arches could’ve heard a bit drop. It was nauseatingly silent.
It stayed that way for a bit, until Sweet Pint exploded in a tirade of laughs. Her head was buried in a foreleg, and the other one was banging on the counter, effectively knocking over the glass she worked so hard to clean. She was completely in stitches, even snorting as she was trying and failing to catch her breath. That sure attracted some unwanted attention from the surrounding drinkers, and Twilight, darting her look left and right, sank her head into her neck, her cheeks reddened from embarrassment. Thankfully, the moment passed (sort of), and the barmare rose from her laughing position, eyes wet from amusement.
“Ahhh, I’m... I’m sorry about that, princess, I was just imagining-” And then she chuckled again, unable to control herself. “Sorry, sorry! It’s just, me and Gray dude, a thing? A duo? Partners in love? Smoochin’ lil’ lovebirds?”
She kissed the air a couple of times to illustrate her mockery, before promptly laughing again.
“Ummm...” simply droned Twilight, wanting this bit to stop already.
“I’m so sorry!” apologized Sweet Pint once again, before exhaling to calm herself down. “But uh, yeah, no. What I meant was, he rented a room here for about a year, so technically, we shared the same roof during that period. Sorry if I wasn’t clear, I didn’t mean to create some confusion.”
The princess facehoofed. Ugh! How many times had she scolded Spike to not jump to conclusions just the way she had? So humiliating! Shame she declined that mug of liquid courage after all.
“So, no tying the knot between the two of us,” pressed on the pink pony. “First of all, I don’t swing that way, so tough luck there. Secondly, he already had his eyes on another mare. Still does. The whole town pretty much knows it. Sometimes, I wonder if Gray dude is the only knobhead who’s blind to it. Holy smokes is that stallion oblivious at times.”
“Oh, so he does have a crush then?” brightened up the princess; maybe she’ll have that girl talk after all!
“Sh’yeah he does. Big time. He has the hots for a pony that goes by the name of Skybrush. These two scallywags are pretty much inseparable.”
“Skybrush? What a coincidence, I’ve just met her! You know, she said to me earlier that they were only friends – REALLY good friends – but I immediately suspected that there was more to it. With the way she talked about him, she made it rather obvious,” she teased, giggling in her fetlock. “Very nice gal, by the way. Been nothing but a pleasure to converse with her.”
“Neat, glad to see you know who I’m talking about. Saves me the time. And yeah, you’re right, princess. She’s a delicious piece of mare alright, mmmh~. You gotta trust me though, no matter what she said, these two are more than friends. Everypony can see it.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed, a bit desperate.
“Gray dude hasn’t made his move in, what, four years now? Mr. G and I have tried time after time to nudge him her way, but the loon can’t take a hint at all! Can you believe how dense that ignoramus is? Completely romantically illiterate. I tell you, if Skybrush wasn’t playing for the other team, I would’ve swooped in a long time ago and claimed her as my own, ha!”
The princess rubbed her neck. “Are you uh... Are you absolutely certain you like Gray Calx? You sort of keep calling him names.”
Sweet Pint seemed offended. “Huh?? Well, I- ah- Of course I’m insulting him! What better way to display your affection than taking a few jabs at each other? Showing your appreciation for another pony by telling them they stink, now THAT, that’s the pinnacle of friendship.”
In theory, Twilight would’ve loved to agree there, but in practice, she couldn’t bring herself to. She had a hard time pairing friendship and verbal abuse in the same boat. Sounded unhealthy in the long term. She should know: Was this not, after all, her main affiliation? The number one subject she taught to other ponies? The very thing that justified her crown?
Unable to find something to say, she just replied with a somewhat dishonest smile, which made Sweet Pint sag in return.
“Look, yes, okay, I like him,” she reluctantly admitted. “Gray dude may be an oaf, but he’s my oaf. And he ain’t half bad of a pony either. Responsible and always putting the needs of others above his own. He works hard, he’s a good role model for his friends, and he’s way smarter than he lets on. He’s like, uh, the intelligent link that keeps us afloat, if ya know what I mean,” she went on, before coughing dismissively. “B-but don’t tell him I said any of that! I have a reputation to uphold. Can’t have the whole town start thinking I’m all mushy and sensitive, bleh!”
Ah, now that was more like it! The princess’ theories about her target were slowly becoming more and more grounded. He truly was a good pony, and for sure she’ll be able to make him reconcile with Honey Dream. Being aware of his virtues was a big help; she’ll use that knowledge as a bargaining chip to sway him her way. This should be a ball in the park!
“I think I’d like to talk to him. Any idea where I could find him? He wasn’t home last I checked. And just like you, he wasn’t at the seminar either.”
“Doesn’t surprise me one bit. Like I said, he’s a workhorse. Perhaps a little too much for his own good. Bet ya twenty bits he’s at the quarry as we speak, digging, or doing whatever it is that he’s doing over there. If you wanna pay him a visit, then head for the train station and turn right at the last fork. Can’t really miss the place; it’s sort of next to that one big mountain towering our village.”
Ah-ha! A new lead; how exciting! She was following a trail, and at this point, it had to go somewhere. Calx’s breadcrumbs were no match for the sleuth that was princess Twilight Sparkle!
The two chatted for another ten minutes, but once Twilight’s glass became dry, she used that as an excuse to take her leave. That was good timing all things considered, since by the end of it, the Two Arches was becoming really animated, and Sweet Pint had to work double to keep everypony fully quenched.
Another miss.
There was nopony in the mining district. Dead ends after dead ends. Twilight Sparkle was about to cry uncle; Gray Calx was apparently way too skilled at being a nonexistent entity. And with the sun being threateningly close to the treetops, it was time for her to surrender. Scrounging trash cans and peeping under street benches at night whilst shouting “Gray Calx? You there?” sounded a bit mad, even by her standards. By no means did she want to deceive Honey Dream with her delays, but she had to stay realistic if she was going to solve this problem the right way.
Instead, she made a quick detour to the city hall again, seeking the mayor. She had to inform him that she was going to take a train for a quick back-and-forth to the Las Pegasus station. Her personal belongings had been stored over there after she bailed on them. A second day without a toothbrush didn’t seem very renowned for a princess like her. Moreover, yesterday, she instructed the train conductor that she’d be in touch with him at most two days after telling him to rev his train back to the Las Pegasus Station. Without a word from her yet, he was probably starting to get antsy.
But perhaps worst of all, her precious books were under nopony’s surveillance: Totally unacceptable!
Mayor De La Tour explained that, while a Sunday express was normally in town at this hour, it had been brought to his attention that the tracks had been badly damaged. Twilight confirmed this, having witnessed a sectioned portion of the rails herself. Two repairponies had been dispatched early this morning to take care of business, since being connected to Equestria was kind of a priority. Coincidentally, they told the mayor no less than fifteen minutes ago that the job had already been completed. Took them a few hours only, all thanks to some altruistic external help they received.
Regardless, it was possible that no trains had arrived yet due to that rather hefty speed bump from the day before. She was encouraged to go check the station herself nonetheless.
Before Twilight departed, she met with the two royal guards who were clustered around a desk, in the middle of writing a report. This report was to be sent straight to Canterlot, to record and describe what had occurred in Outer Grove. In it, they requested some ponytarian help. More materials, medicine, and rations to be taken directly from their disaster funds. Faust knows the ponies here needed it.
The report would also give a few insights to ensure that Ursa-related incidents would never happen ever again. To that end, they beckoned the princess for some assistance, wondering if she could write a paragraph or two about her discoveries with logging site 2B. Essentially, putting into text what she orated earlier. Twilight complied, though she really wished she had Spike with her to do the quill work.
Once their four page summary of the situation was written and double checked, Twilight Sparkle tentatively asked her two armored friends about Gray Calx. She expected nothing, and that’s exactly what she got: They had no idea who he was. Looks like a last minute clutch wouldn't save her.
And so, with nothing left keeping her there, she flew straight to the train station.
Where a lone gray and purple stallion was waiting, facing away, and dozing off on his haunches.
For some inexplicable reason, he looked mighty familiar. And even though she didn’t know where she got the feeling, she could’ve sworn he had the stature of someone incredibly resourceful.
Hey, maybe he knew a thing or two about Gray Calx?