The Mysterious Mare Do Well #2: The Truth of the Matter
Act III: "So It Begins"
***
I continued working with my friends for the following weeks, getting stronger and faster and improving my new skills. I had yet to have made my choice but each day I felt I was getting closer and closer. All it took was a gentle nudge, or maybe a ham hoofed shove in the right direction to get my mind made up.
Here's how it happened...
***
The training was hard but rewarding. Over the last three weeks Amber Lights had subjected herself to hours of physical and mental training. She was stronger now, faster and more agile. She was becoming more and more skilled a healer thanks to Fluttershy and she was able to readily sense the use of magic nearby after exhaustive training with Twilight Sparkle.
She was on her way back into town from a morning workout with AJ and Dash, for strength and agility respectively when she sensed a light pressure beside her. Knowing what was coming, she shut her eyes and a bright flash shown red through her eyelids.
"Morning Twilight," She said, opening her eyes to see the Lavender Unicorn smiling at her.
"You're getting good at that," Said Twilight Sparkle, taking a leisurely pace beside Amber. "Pretty soon you'll be able to do more than just sense the magic."
"That's assuming the pegasus really did know what he was yammering about and didn't just get lucky," Amber deadpanned, having had this conversation several times over with the bookworm. "So what brings you to my neck of the woods so early Twi?"
"Pinkie Pie says she's got a big announcement and wants us all to meet her at Sugar Cube Corner," Twilight said. "She seemed more excited than usual about this one so it's gotta be something big."
"That, or she found a bit under the counter," Amber joked getting a laugh from Twilight.
"I try to give her more credit than that, cause when she's right, it's in a big way."
"You don't say?" Amber said, thinking back to stories she'd been told about the party pony's 'Pinkie Sense' and various other hard to swallow tales. "Well, I'll be there. RD and AJ are back in the training fields. Last I saw, I think Dash was about to bludgeon Applejack with a log."
"Hah, sounds about right. Okay, I'll see you there. She says to meet up around lunch."
"Lunch, got it."
With that, Twilight's horn flared, and Amber sensed the light pressure as she dropped out of the world and teleported to wherever AJ and Dash were brawling. Amber smiled and continued on her way. Since she started staying in Ponyville, her spirits had lifted considerably. Aside from the occasional bouts of depression, she was a new pony. She had made several more friends in town, doing odd jobs and helping around the market. Everypony called her Amber but most assumed it was short for Ambrosia. No pony made the connection between their Amber and the Amber from the paper weeks before and that suited her just fine.
Now though, none of her new acquaintances were out and about. The sun was still low in the sky and the town had yet to fully awaken. She decided she would stop in Sugar Cube Corner for some breakfast. The craving for a cinnamon roll had struck when Twilight mentioned meeting up there later.
Inside was just as it had always been. Mrs. Cake was tending the counter and gave a cheery hello when she saw Amber come in. From the kitchen drifted the aroma of baking sweets and the last few lines of an all too familiar song.
"Cupcakes! So sweet and tasty! Cupcakes! Don't be too hasty! Cupcakes! Cupcakes Cupcakes, CUPCAKES!" On the last word, the double doors leading into the kitchen were flung open and through them trotted Pinkie Pie laden with several trays covered with the delicious treats. Many of which were piled impossibly on her head.
"Oh! Hi Amber!" Pinkie chirped in her bubbly voice. "You're a bit early aren't you? Nopony's gonna be here for, like, hours!"
"I'm not here for the announcement," Amber replied with an indulgent smile. "I'm here for some of those delicious cinnamon rolls."
"Oh, I've got a batch nearly done now! You wait right here while I go get them frosted!" Pinkie then bounced away, pausing to deposit the cupcakes on a large rack behind the counter.
Pinkie reappeared moments later and slid the tray of freshly glazed cinnamon rolls into the display on the counter. She hopped over to the register and rang up two.
"Six bits," she said cheerily. Amber dropped the coins on the counter and passed the pastries across which amber took gratefully.
"Thanks Pinkie, I'm famished."
"You're welcome!" Pinkie said, smiling her manic smile. Suddenly she let loose another of her enormous gasps. "I just thought of something super slenderrific! You wanna come help me with my deliveries?"
"Uh, sure," Amber said as she bit into one of her rolls. "When do we leave?"
"Just let me get all the boxes and we'll be on our way!" With that, pinkie was off again, her bouncy gait taking her back into the kitchen. Amber ate her Cinnamon Rolls, relishing the sweet sharp taste as she waited. It was a few moments before Pinkie Pie returned, laden with several pink boxes of various shapes and sizes. She stayed in the kitchen doorway and motioned for Amber to follow her through. The kitchen was tidy and neat, which was surprising considering the pony that worked there.
Pinkie led the way through the kitchen and into the back alley. The cellar doors nearby were ajar and the excitable earth pony set the boxes she was carrying down. Flinging the doors open she leaped in. There was a clatter, the sound of a squeaking axle and then the strangest contraption Amber had ever laid eyes on emerged, being guided by Pinkie Pie.
It was tall, stylized like a candy cane but had something akin to fan blades on the top and pedals beneath a seat meant for a pony. Amber looked at it incredulously as Pinkie Pie loaded the boxes onto a rack attached to the back. The pedals appeared to be attached to the blades but she couldn't fathom as to why.
"Pinkie Pie, what the hay is this thing?" Amber hazarded.
"It's my Pinkie Copter," she said, as if this explained everything.
"That's nice... But what is it?"
"Oh, It's a flying machine! I made it myself!" Pinkie strapped the boxes down and hopped into the seat. It was large enough for two. "Well? Don't just stand there silly filly! Hop on!"
"Are you sure this is safe?" Amber said, her trepidation rising as she considered the unlikely contraption before her. Pinkie just smiled and nodded vigorously.
"Come on! Or I'm gonna leave without you!" Before she could react, Pinkie had yanked her onto the seat behind her and began pumping the pedals. The blades above their heads began to turn slowly at first but gaining speed until their downward force overcame the combined weight of the contraption, passengers and cargo.
Amber wouldn't have believed it if she weren't there herself. They were flying! Two Earth Ponies, not a Unicorn or Pegasus in sight and they were flying. Suspecting magic to be involved, Amber had employed her 'second sight' as she called it to try and detect a spell on the flying machine, but none presented itself.
The next several hours were some of the most exciting, terrifying and wonderful of Amber's life. They flew all over Ponyville, dropping off the deliveries and garnering stares as they lifted off into the sky. Pinkie was laughing and whooping riotously most of the way and Amber occasionally found herself laughing too. She was almost sad to see the Pink Earth pony put the flying machine away but decided not to press her luck with gravity. Knowing her luck it was now angry with her and had a potted plant somewhere aimed at her head. Although, she mused, the Pinkie Sense would probably warn her of such a thing if it were an issue.
“I'd say that was a successful maiden voyage! Wouldn't you?” Pinkie said as she led the way back into Sugar Cube Corner.
“Wait... Did you say, 'Maiden Voyage'?” Amber asked, looking slightly mortified at what had just transpired under her nose. “As in, first ever flight?”
“Well yeah!” The pink baker pony chirped happily. Amber could only face-hoof in response.
She bid her excitable friend good day, and assured her she would be there with the rest at lunch to hear her big announcement. As she left, Pinkie loaded her down with a few snacks as thanks for helping out.
As Amber wandered around town munching her sweets, she noticed many of the ponies were acting very peculiar. It was as if they were just waiting for the other hoof to fall, so to speak. As far as she knew, there was nothing special about that day in particular. They must know something she didn't.
The day carried on like this and Amber's natural curiosity began to eat at her. What could it be? Her mind sorted through everything she knew about that day. All she knew for certain was that the new moon was to be that night. 'Luna's resting days' as the week following the full waning of the moon had come to be called. But what about the new moon could have Ponyville so nervous?
The sun rose high in the air, nearing its peak as Amber aimlessly wandered the town proper. The atmosphere was so tense it was a wonder anypony was willing to leave their homes. When noon finally rolled around, Amber gave a silent prayer of thanks to Celestia for the distraction from the dread feeling. Minutes later, she found her way into Sugar Cube Corner.
Inside the bakery, the atmosphere took a decided turn for the cheery, much to Amber's relief. Already gathered around and chatting happily were the rest of the girls, with the notable exception of a certain chromatically maned pegasus. They all paused and motioned her over as she came in.
“Glad to see you're on time dear,” Rarity said, idly primping her mane in what was obviously a nervous habit. “Punctuality is key you know, not that some ponies seem to care.” the way she spoke the words left no doubt as to the source of her ire. Rainbow dash had at that very moment, lazily strolled in.
“Rainbow!” Pinkie Pie shouted, hopping to her hooves and rushing the unsuspecting but woefully unsurprised pegasus and engulfing her in a hug. “You're here! OHMIGOSH We can get started! I'm just so super excited to tell you all what great news I just got!”
“Well, I'm here now, so what is it?” Rainbow said, disentangling herself from her excitable friend and taking her seat at the table. Rarity shot her a somewhat annoyed look but said nothing more on the topic.
Pinkie's excitement was nearly palpable as she bounced in place. “Well, you all know about the winter ball coming up, right?” When everypony present nodded their affirmation, she continued. “And you know how it's the first official celebration in honor of Luna besides Nightmare Night?” Again, those gathered nodded. “Well... Guess who was just chosen to be the Winter Solstice Hostess!?” Before anypony could even think to guess, Pinkie shouted the answer in rapturous glee. “ME!!! Princess Luna herself asked me if I could host the Winter Solstice Ball, and after rearranging my schedule a bit to make room, I accepted!”
There was a pause before what Pinkie had said registered in everypony's mind. Once it had, they all began clamoring to congratulate the pink party pony on her new royal appointment.
“Oh, wow! This is really exciting!” Twilight said, as everypony began to calm down. “Hopefully this won't be a repeat of the Gala scandal.” she shivered slightly along with the other five. Amber had heard whispers of the Gala ever since the papers had run the day after. Some called it the most entertainment ever had at the Gala while others deemed it a travesty and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the pony or ponies responsible. Granted, those 'others' were effectively, Blueblood and nopony else...
“Don't you worry about a thing! Pinkie Pie is on the case. Oh yeah! I just remembered. There's a theme. This year is 'Moonlight Masquerade' so everypony needs to get their costume ready by this weekend. It's gonna be great!”
“Can't wait,” Applejack exclaimed. “Ah'm gonna have ta find me a costume though...”
“Same here,” Said Rainbow Dash. “I could go as a Shadowbolt. What do you guys think?”
“Well, you girls talk about your costumes,” Pinkie said. “I'm gonna go get our lunch!” and with a quick little hop, she was out the door and into the kitchen.
“Rainbow, darling. It's a Masquerade Ball, not a Costume Party,” Rarity chided, as she ushered the chromatic pegasus away to explain the finer points of courtly attire, much to said pegasus' chagrin.
The conversation continued for some time, and about a half hour in, Pinkie returned with a trio of fully laden trays covered in sandwiches and beverages aplenty. While they ate, a commotion was brewing outside. Ponies were running towards the town square one after another. Before too long, one such pony burst into the store startling the gathered mares.
“Come quick!” Shouted the panicked stallion. “It's the Pink Lady! She's back again!”
“The Pink who?” Amber asked, but she received no answer as the six mares stood and made for the door. Quickly, she followed suit. The found themselves at the back of a swelling crowd of ponies all gathered around the fountain at the center of town. As the seven mares made their way towards the front, Amber became separated and quickly lost sight of them.
"Who is the Pink Lady?" Amber mumbled to herself, looking fully perplexed. A mint colored unicorn answered, startling her slightly.
"She's a master thief. Every new Moon, she announces her arrival and within the next week, four things go missing. The first three are supposedly clues that point to something incredibly rare or well guarded that gets stolen on the seventh day. It's always pretty high profile too."
"And no pony's managed to catch her?"
"No pony's ever seen her," The unicorn replied. "She could be anypony. Maybe not even a mare. Maybe not even a pony!"
"I guess that would make it tough. How long's this been going on?"
"I'd say a good three years."
"Woah... three years, and one theft every new moon?"
"Well not every new moon. But enough to put everypony on edge wen one rolls around, to be sure." The Unicorn was nodding as she spoke. "So around the New moon, if you've got anything that might be rare and valuable, keep it safe. I hide my Lyre every time. It's a one of a kind antique."
"Thanks, uhh..."
"My name's Lyra!"
"Yeah, Lyra, thinks."
Amber moved forward to inspect the scene more closely but was cut off as a whole flight of royal guards came swooping down on the crowd.
"BY ORDER OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCESS CELESTIA OF EQUESTIRA, PLEASE VACATE THE AREA."
Amber nearly fell to her rump at the volume of the voice. Pushing against the rush of ponies, Amber caught sight of the fountain. The water was bubblegum pink and on the figure of Princess Celestia was a pink party mask.
“PLEASE MOVE ALONG MA'AM!” a guard all but shouted. Amber felt the light pressure of a spell at work. It was obviously augmenting the voices of the guards.
“Yes sir,” she said. “Just curious is all.”
As Amber made her to leave, she spied all six of her friends gathered around what was unmistakably Princess Celestia and Luna. The seemed to be in heated discussion. Abruptly it ended with nods from everypony present. Amber was about to turn and leave but she caught Twilight's eye. The purple mare motioned her over.
“I guess I'll be going with the Princesses today up to Canterlot,” She said as Amber approached. “They want my help securing the festivities.”
“Alright, Well have fun. And I guess I'll see you at the party?”
“You bet. Oh! There are some papers in the Library you may want to take a look at. They ought to help you out,” said Twilight. She then turned and bid farewell to the others before she and the Princesses winked out of existence. The power behind the spell felt less like a pressure and more like a weight applied to her back. Alicorn Magic.
With the commotion effectively put down, Amber's curiosity somewhat abated and very little left for her to do today, she decided now as as good a time as any to ask that all important question.
“Well,” she said, catching Rarity's attention. “Now what?”
“Now? Now we prepare for the Ball!” Rarity exclaimed, a wide grin spread across her face.