//------------------------------// // Bishop's Tea // Story: Dusk's Dangerous Game // by Airstream //------------------------------// The sun rose over Canterlot, just as it had every day since the city rose to its mountain heights all those centuries ago. Light swept down from the mountain, crashing over the tallest towers like a massive wave before trickling down to pool in the streets below, running in rivulets down alleys and side roads and forming great lakes of warmth in the town squares. The great city stirred, returned to life as the night was pushed back and curfews were lifted. It was going to be a special day. The Winter Gala was tomorrow, and nearly everypony in the city was eagerly anticipating the event. Shops began cooking and baking at a rapid pace, in order to accommodate the influx of ponies that would be attending. Similarly was the best craftsmanship of each jeweler, clothier, and haberdasher displayed, in the hopes of attracting a patron who would be willing to sponsor good work. Indeed, some ponies had already received generous amounts of money, as several prominent nobles had already arrived in the city proper. Among those nobles, hidden in plain sight, lived Sweetie Belle, Night Light, Scootaloo, and Glimmer. Sweetie Belle’s coat had lost its creamy tones, and was now a shade of pale gold. Her mane fell in graceful midnight waves to near her hooves, and she had bound it into a simple braid, excellent for traveling. Her once-recognizable voice had been altered to become pleasantly bland, a voice that would escape memory entirely. Night Light hadn’t needed much work. His hair was once more a beautiful black, and his feathers now fairly shone with silver. Scootaloo’s signature orange and purple had been replaced with green and rosy pink, her short-cropped mane lengthened to the tops of her shoulders. She and Glimmer were both back at the safehouse. They had arrived the day previous, and immediately headed for the building, a small inn near the opposite edge of the city. The experience had been an unnerving one. Sweetie Belle had returned to Canterlot, a place she once called home. Each street used to be familiar, in its own strange way. Every building provided a sense of solid peace, of unmoving protection and obdurate might that promised shelter and safety for those living within the mountain city’s great walls. Now, Sweetie Belle saw the other side of that might. The buildings loomed over her, guards patrolled in force, and she could clearly see what measures had been implemented in order to capture her and those she traveled with. Sweetie Belle didn’t feel protected anymore. Quite to the contrary, she felt like every Guard, every checkpoint, every poster put up for Twilight Sparkle’s arrest was in fact placed there specifically for her. She began to breathe a bit more heavily, almost losing her composure. “Are you alright, dear?” Night Light asked, his tone concerned. They were posing as a newlywed couple from Manehatten, a Mister Silver Sparks and his wife, Rose Sparks. “Rose? Do you need to sit down for a moment?” Sweetie Belle snapped back to reality. “What?” Night Light looked at her intently. “I said, do you need to sit down?” Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, I think I’m fine. It’s just a bit…overwhelming.” The Pegasus nudged her in the direction of a small café. “Come on. We’ll get you a drink and let you calm down.” Despite Sweetie Belle’s protestations, she soon found herself seated at a table, waiting on Night Light to return with some sort of drink. Idly, she looked around, taking in the view of the street, and forcing herself to calm down. She silently reminded herself that the odds of anypony recognizing her were one in a hundred thousand, and even if somepony she knew was nearby, she was wearing a disguise. There was no way anypony knew who she was. Not a snowball’s chance in the sun. Thus reassured, she turned to the café once more, seeing Night Light returning to the table, a tray clutched in his hooves. On it were two small coffees, with a pitcher of cream and a small bowl of sugar. More unusual was the inclusion of a bowl of what looked like cocoa powder. “It’s a drink that my parents made whenever they needed to unwind.” Night Light explained, spooning in and stirring a healthy spoonful of the stuff. He added cream and handed it to her. “Drink up. It will do you some good.” Sweetie Belle sipped at her drink, feeling the warm liquid flow down her throat and coil in her stomach. She recoiled a bit at the strong taste of coffee. It was a relatively new addition to Equestria’s cuisine, brought by the Zebra tribes and an instant hit. It was much stronger than her usual tea, but it definitely filled her with energy and the chocolate and cream did go some way to helping her reestablish herself. “It’s good. Thank you.” she said, as Night Light added a single spoon of sugar to his own, stirring it gently. He smiled affectionately. “Of course. Are you feeling better?” Sweetie Belle opened her mouth. She was going to say that yes, she did feel better. She was going to thank him for the coffee and understanding, and to suggest that they return to the safehouse after they finished here. However, the unicorn that had just entered the café caused something entirely different to come out of her mouth. “Oh, buck.” Rarity was standing in the shop door, morning light gleaming off of her newly brushed coat. How could she have forgotten? Every Gala or dance she went to, Rarity went out the morning before for a preliminary grooming and cleaning before she was actually groomed and cleaned for the event itself. And when she did, she often stopped for a bit of tea and quiet conversation with a “nopony” off of the street. It was one of her last indulgences before the event itself, and she kept it quite secret, as the only pony she had confessed to was Sweetie Belle. Night Light, ever the veteran, remained calm. And with a glance from him, Sweetie did her best to remain normal as well. She looked around the restaurant. With any luck, perhaps she would take a different seat. Her heart sank as she realized that most every table was full, except for theirs. And it had one very inviting seat left near the aisle she was currently walking down. And sure enough, the Element of Generosity stopped in front of the table. “I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but would it be alright if I were to sit with you and share your company? I’ve just gotten done with some errands and I’m looking for a bit of relaxation, as it were.” Sweetie Belle took the lead. Unbidden, one of Chrysalis’s lessons leapt to the forefront of her mind. It would be rude to refuse, especially such a public figure as her sister. It would also arouse suspicion, though a small amount. But with the amount of secrecy they were currently practicing, that suspicion was not something they could afford. So, there was one refuge remaining to them, and that was in audacity. “Of course you can, Ms. Rarity. Might I say, I am one of the biggest fans of your work. Truly, your designs are inspired.” Rarity smiled gratefully, sitting at the table with a sigh of relief. “Thank you very much. I’ve been running around the city all morning and skipped breakfast to get everything done.” She nodded at a nearby server, who swiftly disappeared. Apparently she was something of a regular here. “This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down in ages. But that’s me. What are you doing here? Been out and about?” Night Light nodded. “We’re actually visiting the city from Manehatten. I was lucky enough to get two tickets to the Winter Gala this year, and we wanted to get in ahead of the crowds. We just arrived last night.” Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I will of course be attending this year. Perhaps you’d like to sit with me at the table? I could arrange for you two to meet the Princess herself. From the looks of you two, you’ve just been recently married, unless I’ve missed my guess entirely.” Sweetie Belle managed a bashful smile. “That’s right. Just married two months ago. The tickets were a gift at the wedding. We managed to scrape together bits for outfits and train tickets, and we’re staying with relatives here.” Night Light picked up the thread of the conversation. “We’re incredibly lucky to get these, and so we’re determined to make the best of our best night since the wedding night. Isn’t that right, Rose?” The Element of Generosity chuckled. “Well, I hope you’ll forgive my rudeness. I’ve not even properly introduced myself. As you know, my name is Rarity, and I design dresses for a living. Though that’s gotten a bit difficult as of late, what with the current conflict and such. What are your names?” Night Light placed a hoof around Sweetie Belle’s shoulders. “My name is Silver Sparks, and this is Rose Sparks, formerly of the Garden family. We both work in an art gallery downtown.” “I imagine that’s where you two met, then?” They had not anticipated the need to talk about their job, so the duo began to lie with the professionalism and poise they had been trained to use. Sweetie Belle nodded. “We met by a statue by Neighoff, one of his Classically inspired pieces.” Night Light knew the statue. “Rhapsody in Flight. It’s still one of our favorite pieces in the whole gallery. We realized that we both spent entirely too much of our shifts in the room where it was, and we got to talking. We clicked right away, and not just about topics like art, either. I was amazed. She’s the perfect mare for me.” Sweetie Belle giggled. “I’m still impressed that he can sit through the whole of Clyde-Dale’s Les Opries and enjoy the whole thing! And he can cook Quilinese like nothing I’ve ever tasted. It’s excellent.” Night Light leaned in, and Sweetie Belle knew exactly what would have to happen next. To sell it, another kiss was needed. A good one, one to not just maintain the illusion, but to ensure that Rarity believed them a couple without the shadow of a doubt. So, she closed her eyes and leaned in. They met in a kiss, and Sweetie Belle’s mind thrummed with panic and fear, and something that felt oddly like pleasure before going blank entirely. It lasted for only a moment, but that kiss was an eternity contained, one perfect space of time filled with all the potential that could ever be between two ponies. They pulled away slowly, still looking at one another. Butterflies rolled in her stomach, and Sweetie Belle realized that Night Light’s beautiful blue eyes saw her in a whole new light, as a fellow spirit and somepony who could love and be loved in return. And so too did he appear to her. It was at that moment that Sweetie Belle’s nervousness melted away, and she turned to face her sister, reluctantly breaking eye contact with the Pegasus. “I’m really lucky to have found him.” Rarity’s voice was soft and low. “I can see that you care for each other deeply. Last time I saw somepony look at another like that was at one of my best friends’ weddings. You two go well together, that much is clear. And I’d consider it an honor if you two would sit by my husband and I at the Gala this year. The seating roster hasn’t been finalized, so I could easily have it arranged.” Night Light gave an imperceptible nod. Sweetie Belle caught it out of the corner of her eye. “We’d be delighted to, Miss Rarity.” Her sister smiled. “Please, it’s simply Rarity. And I’m glad to hear it.” She broke off as her meal arrived, a simple croissant and a cup of black tea with sugar and cream. She sipped at it carefully, and Sweetie Belle caught a slight wrinkling of distaste around the corners of her mouth. “Too much cream?” Sweetie asked. Rarity looked at her strangely. “Yes, actually. That’s odd, most ponies would assume that it had too much sugar.” Night Light looked on as Sweetie Belle corrected herself with grace. “No. Too much sugar can be rectified with more tea, but cream tends to flood everything. I can’t stand that.” Rarity laughed a little. “Indeed. You share the same taste in tea as my sister.” “Really?” Sweetie Belle inquired innocently. “I’ve heard her radio broadcasts. She’s brilliant. Although I’ve not heard from her in a while.” The alabaster unicorn sitting across from her nodded sadly. “I’m afraid Sweetie Belle has taken a leave of absence from her job because of personal reasons. I tried to follow her to Trottingham, because I heard that she had fallen in with some…disreputable ponies, but to no avail. She managed to elude me.” “That’s awful! Did she have any reason to avoid you?” Sweetie Belle asked. Rarity shook her head. “No. I simply wished to talk to her. That mare’s always been a bit headstrong. It’s a quality I admire in her, actually. But if she wants to do something, then come fire or flood she will do it. Of course, it leads her into trouble more often than not, and I try to help her out of it. I’m happy to, it’s my job as a big sister, but I’m afraid this time that she might be in more trouble than even I could get her out of.” Sweetie Belle’s curiosity was piqued. “Did you ever consider that she might resent that? As the youngest in my family, I always felt like I had to prove that I could do things on my own, without help. And I know my family loves me, but sometimes their ‘help’ feels like they’re coddling me a bit.” Rarity blinked. “Actually, that never occurred to me. I suppose I always looked at it as lending a helping hoof to provide Sweetie Belle with opportunities to be successful. That’s all I ever really wanted for her. It would explain some of her behavior, however.” “Like what?” Night Light asked. “The earliest example I can think of after she finished with school was when she was applying for a reporting job at Canterlot Broadcasting. I discreetly pulled a few strings, and managed to get her an interview. From there, it was only a matter of time before her natural talents managed to win her that spot. But I think she always knew what I had done, and she might have resented that. After that, she became more and more distant. We used to make frequent trips back and forth from Manehatten to Canterlot, did you know? But she became busier and busier, and after a while so did I. Right before she left for Trottingham, I tried one more time to visit her. I was going to try and reconnect with her.” Sweetie Belle couldn’t believe exactly what she was hearing. Did Rarity really mean what she was saying? Knowing the risk, she probed a bit further. “Was that when she left for Trottingham?” Rarity nodded. “She left that night, actually. I can’t help but wonder if she was already planning to leave, or if my call was what convinced her to leave.” Sweetie Belle laid one hoof on top of her sister’s, aware of the familiarity the gesture implied. It occurred to her that this might be a good way to find out what she knew about her. “I’m sure that your sister wouldn’t have left because you tried to contact her. That’s something no loving sister would ever do, no matter how angry she was.” Rarity sniffed. “Thank you. You actually remind me of her in some ways. I’m sure you two would get along well. I just hope that I can manage to convince her to stop what she’s doing before she does something we all regret. I have it on good authority that she might be in Canterlot, even attending the Gala under a new identity.” Sweetie Belle, much to her credit, did not allow a ghost of the shock she felt at that to cross her face. “That’s wonderful! Maybe you will get the chance to speak to her, then. I’m sure that she’ll listen to reason.” Rarity met her eyes. “Do you think so, dear?” Sweetie Belle nodded. “The bond between sisters is a strong one. I think that she’ll be receptive.” Applebloom staggered under the weight of her pack. She had not slept in three days, hadn’t eaten anything except for some horrible fruit jerky in eighteen hours, and the stress was starting to take its toll. The sun in the cavern never set, meaning that even if she was able to get some sleep, it was guaranteed to be fitful and full of nightmares. There were only a few things that kept her going. Her dedication to her country, her family, and her monarch gave her the strength to carry one, even though the burden placed upon her was greater than any she had borne so far. Her vision flickered at the edges, and she shook her head with a groan. The hallucinations had started only a few days after she had arrived, and she wasn’t the only one. She saw monsters and dangerous ponies around every corner, and oftentimes she couldn’t help herself from leveling her spear and charging at them, regardless of whether they were real or not. The sun overhead began to shift, from gold to red, and Applebloom felt a rush of relief. At the end of her march, she was scheduled to have a shift in the classroom before being allowed a six hour leisure shift to clean her aetherium, eat, and sleep. Maybe this time she would be able to dream about something other than war. The armor had gone on as soon as she had arrived at the head of her enlisted command, and was easily twice as thick and heavy as the combat armor she had worn in the Regulars. Moving had been difficult, but between the exercise and the diet they were being fed, Applebloom could almost feel the muscle building under her coat to help support the weight of the metal. She could see the camp up ahead, and shifted pace into a light canter. “Halt!” the pony on guard called, he and his partner crossing their spears. “Your sign?” “The Sun Prevails.” Applebloom replied. Both came to attention. “Good evening, Chief Legionnaria. You’ve been out a while. Where were you?” Applebloom looked at the Pegasus who had spoken, a junior enlisted by the name of Windtunnel. While she didn’t make a habit of speaking to his rank, she felt good after her march. “Took an extra lap. We’re the best, which means we push ourselves whenever we get the chance. Take that lesson to heart, Legionnaire.” Windtunnel nodded. “Understood, ma’am. Welcome to camp.” Applebloom trotted past him, pack rattling with an extra eighty pounds in addition to the hundred she was wearing. Stopping, she saluted the small statue of Celestia in the center of camp as she had been instructed to do. “Highness.” she said, before continuing on to her tent. The inside was as Spartan as the ragged outside. A cot lay in one corner, actually dusty with disuse, neatly made. A trunk for her belongings rested at the foot of the bed, and a rack for her armor took up one wall. She was proud to say that even with the extra weight, she could have the entire set on, laced, and ready for battle in five minutes or less. Dropping her pack, she pulled out a strip of fruit jerky, chewing on it thoughtfully. It tasted horrible, burning and choking her, but it also filled her up and gave her energy. Finishing the strip, she began to remove her armor, checking over the roster for classes that night. She would be leading a class on “The Ever Free: A Threat to Equestria.” for one hour before engaging in the nightly prayer to Celestia along with her First Legionnaires and officers. After that, she’d be able to get about four hours of sleep, four and a half if she was lucky. She did consider herself lucky, too. She was proving herself, showing that she could take anything the world could throw at her. This was all a challenge, another way of proving that no matter the adversity she faced, she could overcome it. And she would overcome any adversity, be that training, hardship, or war. She was one of the elite. One of the few. She was one of Celestia’s chosen.