//------------------------------// // Volume 1: Eruditio - Chapter 6 - High Flying // Story: Legacy: The End of Harmony // by Ficta_Scriptor //------------------------------// Legacy volume 1: Eruditio Chapter 6 – High Flying “Afternoon!” Rosa chirped, flinging open the door just as Sparks reached the porch. “Yeah, good afternoon to you too.” The two ponies traded cheery expressions. Sparks was wearing a lightweight woven black jacket with a golden badge pinned to the front. After all the fuss she had made about not wearing anything special she felt a slight tinge of regret in front of the well-dressed stallion. “I like what you’ve done with your mane; that bow looks good on you.” Rosa instinctively brushed a hoof through her hair and through where the bow was hinged. “Thanks… Apparently it’s been passed down through the family for several generations.” “Well isn’t that something...” Sparks said, inspecting the bow. “So… What’s today’s big surprise?” “I can’t tell you that just yet,” Sparks replied with a sly grin. “All I can say is that we have a train to catch, and don’t worry, I’m paying.” “A train? Where are we going?” Rosa asked, her interest piqued. “Canterlot, but that’s all I can give away right now,” Sparks said with a wink. “Canterlot? Wow!” Rosa exclaimed, her eyes brightening. For some reason, the idea of visiting some far away land didn’t feel all that daunting. There was something about Sparks that told her she’d be taken care of. “OK, now I’m really curious about what’s going on.” Sparks chuckled. “Well you won’t have to wonder for too much longer, but we’ll have to make a move. The train leaves in about forty minutes.” “See you later, Mum! Bye!” Rosa called over her shoulder, not really caring if her mother heard her or not. She turned back to her companion. “At least, I assume I’m back later, right?” Sparks blushed slightly at her words. “Well, yes. Of course you’re coming back tonight—” “I didn’t mean that!” Rosa blurted, feeling her cheeks grow hot. “I just... oh never mind. Let’s just get going.” Rosa closed the door sharply and strode forward quickly as if in an attempt to outrun the awkward situations that followed her every step. Then just as she was about to make off down the street, she stopped and turned back, looking flustered. “Which way is it?” Sparks dipped his head, a smirk across his face. He trotted slowly up to her and pointed a hoof in almost the complete opposite direction to where she’d been walking. Feeling another wave of embarrassment wash over her, Rosa draped her mane over the left side of her face to conceal Sparks from her view. “OK, you lead the way,” she muttered. His face scrunched up in mirth, Sparks took his place beside her and led on. He started out slowly, acting in politeness for the young mare but soon sped up to match her lengthy strides and fast-paced walk. Rosa kept herself quiet, trying not to instigate another uncomfortable moment. “You... don’t know the way to the train station?” Sparks asked quietly, offering a weak smile. Rosa kept her head down, a little ashamed of her own answer. “Well, I haven’t really gone travelling, so I haven’t needed to know where it is.” “Um, OK...” They walked in silence for a minute more, passing by a patch of farmland where several earth ponies were collecting potatoes and tossing them into large brown sacks. A young colt was struggling, a potato slipping from his hooves and over his head, leading him into a spin as he tried to catch it. Sparks chortled and drew the pony’s attention to him. The colt blushed at first, then swiftly tossed the potato into his sack with a back leg. He peered over the fence where Rosa and Sparks were and waved exuberantly. Sparks waved first, ushering Rosa to follow suit. She looked over at the cheeky yellow pony and was brightened up by the picture of beautiful innocence before her. Grinning, she raised a leg of her own and waved gingerly. The colt clapped his hooves together excitedly and turned back to his work, the surrounding ponies — likely members of his family — beckoning him over. The ice broken, Rosa and Sparks exchanged glances as the heavy atmosphere was slowly lifted. “So... you’ve never been to Canterlot? This will be even more of an exciting day out for you.” “Well we’ll see about that won’t we...” Rosa said slyly. “I’m certainly looking forward to seeing if everything they say is true. I just hope I don’t look too common for all the fancy folk.” “I shouldn’t think that was even possible,” scoffed Sparks. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. Also, Canterlot isn’t quite as snooty as some ponies make it out to be.” “Well that’s a relief.” “Hey, you don’t need to worry at all.” “Easier said than done I’m afraid,” Rosa said with a smirk. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I kind of have a knack for making a fool of myself.” Sparks stifled a laugh and forced a more serious expression. “Without flaws there is no beauty, only blandness. Perfection is overrated if you ask me.” “Thanks... I think?” Rosa replied, raising her eyebrows. “I did mean that as a compliment!” Sparks clarified, his voice rising in pitch. “No, I realise that. If anypony called me perfect I’d know they were lying anyway. If anything, I should be thanking you for your honesty.” “Well so long as you’re not offended either way.” Rosa flashed an amused glance back at him, flattered at his never-ending attempts to make her feel respected and admired. Unlike a lot of attention she’d had from colts and stallions this was anything but creepy or juvenile. In fact, she realised her own obsession with Nico was probably a lot weirder. At least Sparks’ feelings fell into the realms of reality. “So what kinds of things are you into, Rosa? I mean, in terms of hobbies and things.” Rosa was snapped out of her daydream of Nico walking by her side instead. “Oh, um... Well I guess I like reading a lot, though you’ve probably already guessed that.” “Yeah, I think I realised that. So...” Sparks started. Don’t ask me what else I like doing because I won’t have an answer, thought Rosa in that fraction of a second. “So... what kinds of books do you like?” “Oh, yeah, of course!” gasped Rosa a little too excitedly. “I’m kind of into crime stories and also a few horror novels,” she said, deliberately underplaying her love for horror. “Wow, that’s kind of a surprise! I didn’t take you for a crime buff.” “I guess I enjoy trying to decipher mysteries. I usually fail, but… It’s still fun.” “I see. So you’re not into all that girly romance stuff?” Rosa cocked her head and smirked. “No, I can’t say that I am. I guess that’s partly because... well...” she trailed off. “Go on,” said Sparks with a curious look on his face. Rosa sighed, knowing that she couldn’t think of an appropriate lie. “It’s because I don’t really want to read about fictional characters having relationships when I’ve not been in one myself. Now that I’ve said that, cue awkward moment number fifty-seven, courtesy of yours truly.” “I don’t think that’s weird,” declared Sparks, unfazed by her comment. “I could see why you wouldn’t want that. If anything, I think you should be proud not to have had relationships. I know that must sound strange considering that we’re, um... out on a date, but I really do think so.” Rosa blushed. “Thanks Sparks, but you’re right. It does sound strange saying it considering the circumstances.” “Oh, who cares?” Sparks quipped, grinning coltishly. Rosa smiled back, realising that she had an opportune moment to ask a question of her own. “Now, without trying to intrude too much, have you ever been with anypony before?” Sparks became flustered in an instant. “Well, no. This is the first date I’ve ever been on.” “Oh, sorry to have brought it up! I mean, just because you’d brought that up and I just wondered, that’s all.” In truth, the fact that he was in the same boat made her feel at ease. Somepony with a long list of ex-filly-friends would undoubtedly compare her to past experiences, which would be worrying. Plus, she imagined that ponies who had already been in relationships would have some kind of expectation regarding how quickly a relationship should progress and... “That’s OK, Rosa, I don’t really mind. It’s a new experience for us both, so let’s try and enjoy it.” Startled out of her train of thought, Rosa simply smiled and nodded in response. This wasn’t so much a date for her, but more of a trial she had to pass. For all she knew her feelings for Nico could be replaced by feelings for Sparks. She had had dreams in the past of marrying Nico and greeting ponies as ‘Mrs Demus’, revelling at the prospect of spending her life with her beloved friend only to be awoken and face the much less appealing reality of her life. Perhaps things would change from here on out. The two of them walked past several housing estates and rows of cottages that Rosa was familiar with, before Sparks led her through a trodden path beside a large field dotted with daffodils and poppies. Rosa was never sure exactly what was legal to eat out in the countryside. She knew that in the village district it was forbidden to eat any of the plants or grass that was owned by anypony, and this included those found in parks and communal gardens. She had heard of a few cases where some troublesome colts and fillies had torn away at patches of grass in some areas only to later be found puking themselves silly. This was thanks to some kind of supplement added to the soil. Supposedly the new rules were brought in after settlers moved to Ponyville many years ago and promptly ruined vast rows of hedges and flowerbeds that were owned by the state. Before that it was simply out of politeness and respect, but after settlers were able to evade the law lots of ponies were soon in on the act, and the regulations had to be changed. For one thing, a free for all on vegetation would certainly ruin many potential businesses and cripple the already dwindling economy. As Rosa peered out, the landscape became less and less recognisable, eventually becoming almost alien, despite the fact that they hadn’t even left Ponyville. “We’re almost there, Rosa. To be honest we’re here quicker than I thought we would be, so we might have to wait at the station a while.” “Well apparently I’m a fast walker, so you can blame me for that!” Rosa chuckled. “I had noticed. I guess you’re a natural athlete like your father.” “Athlete? Me? I just don’t like dawdling. I don’t know whether that’s a sign of impatience, but I sometimes find that walking slowly is almost more tiring than walking quickly. If I’m walking with somepony who’s just shuffling along at a snail’s pace I get frustrated!” “Well you’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” “I don’t try and pretend to be normal. That would be too difficult, anyway.” Rosa smiled knowingly. Sparks threw back an amused glance as they made their way around a street corner, the train station coming into full view. The main building in front of them had an old-style slatted roof with bold red shingles and a bricked wall with various oranges, browns and other earthy colours. There were large windows along the front wall a wooden revolving door at the entrance. A few ponies were stood around chatting to friends and family, some with saddlebags and satchels from their recent journey. The two of them sauntered inside. The floor was a stone marble with chequered black and white tiles that was a little dizzying to stare at. To the left was a ticket master doling out tickets to a small queue of ponies and to the right was a set of stairs with signs for ‘Platform 2’ and ‘Toilets’. In front of them was a food vendor and a pathway that led to an outer section. “I’ve already got our tickets so we can just head on out,” Sparks declared. “Did you want something to eat first?” He gestured towards the vendor, stood with an array of muffins, cakes and fresh smelling vegetable pasties. There was also a line of bottles arranged like a rainbow, with orange, apple, pineapple, blackberry juices. “Um, maybe something to drink?” Rosa suggested, unclipping the clasp on her money pouch. “Oh no, you don’t need to worry about that!” said Sparks, waving his hoof. “I can get you anything you want.” “Sparks, you’ve paid for the tickets and presumably whatever it is we’re doing in Canterlot. It wouldn’t be right for me to just sit back and let you pay for everything.” “Oh, but it wouldn’t be right if I did that. I wouldn’t want to—” Rosa rolled her eyes and swiftly interrupted him, but kept her voice calm. “Sparks, I can buy myself a drink. I know you’re trying to be polite but I feel guilty enough having you pay for everything else as it is.” This was partly true, but mainly Rosa didn’t want to start acting like the fabled ‘gold-diggers’ that would drip a stallion’s wallet dry and giggle stupidly as they continued to fawn over them. She’d met a few mares who gave that same vibe and she certainly didn’t want to become like them. “Thank you very much for the offer, Sparks. I know you mean well, but please, I would rather buy something myself.” Before the stallion could interject again Rosa walked up to the cheery purple unicorn mare stood at the counter. “What can I get ya, sweetheart?” the older mare asked with a silky smooth country accent. “Just some pineapple juice... and whatever he’s having.” Rosa replied, gesturing over her shoulder at Sparks. “Oh, I don’t want anything! I’m fine!” he spluttered. Rosa could swear that he was deliberately lying just so she wouldn’t have to pay, but she didn’t press the issue any further. She thought of how her mother would be advising her to ‘let the young stallion pay’ and laughed internally. “Well, just the one juice then please!” “That’ll be two bits!” Rosa paid for her drink, wrenched the top off the bottle with her teeth and knocked back half a bottle-full. The juice was slightly warm, but was refreshing enough. She twisted the lid back on and shuffled back to Sparks with the bottle held in her mouth. “I can get that, not to worry,” said Sparks, and gently lifted the bottle away with a pearly white tendril of magic. Rosa frowned. “I wish I could do that,” she mumbled. Sparks’ face turned sheepish. “Would you rather I didn’t use magic?” “No, it’s fine. It’s like saying I shouldn’t walk about if there’s somepony who’s disabled.” “I guess that’s one way of looking at it.” As they made their way outside they saw a brightly coloured train pull up onto the opposite platform, the carriages painted with hot pink, deep red and pastel green. Ponies of all description poured out of the carriage doors, some greeting family and friends and others hurriedly making their way over the bridge with suitcases and bags. A loud whistle was blown and the train slowly chugged its way to the left and sped off into the distance. “You ever been on a train before?” Sparks asked as the sound of the distant locomotive fell to just a murmur. “I don’t think so. I might have when I was really young, but I certainly can’t remember it. Weird, I know.” “Don’t worry about it, some ponies just haven’t done things that other ponies have, it’s no big deal.” Summer Sun would have some sort of comment to make there, Rosa thought as they sat down on a wooden bench. At the other end sat a disgruntled looking stallion dressed all in black, with metal earrings resembling wind chimes. He turned towards her and Rosa quickly brought her gaze back to the train tracks, feeling a little intimidated. “Nice weather we’re having,” whispered Sparks in a vain attempt at small talk. “Yeah, it really is nice out.” “I wish the pegasi could just leave it like this all the time, but then I guess that wouldn’t be so great in the long run, huh?” “I’ve thought the same thing before,” Rosa said with a chuckle. “I have a friend who works as a weather controller and I’ve joked about it with her a few times.” “That sounds interesting!” Sparks exclaimed. “I don’t really know many pegasi that work on the weather and I’ve always wondered about it. Uh... I mean, it’d be great to meet your friends some time. Maybe it would make things more comfortable for you if we hung out as a group.” Rosa’s heart leapt inside her chest as she envisaged Sparks and Nico meeting face to face, Nico shaking him by the hoof and thinking nothing of the affair, leaving her alone with Sparks and forever erasing any possibility of romance. They’d become ‘bros’ as time passed, joking about their supposed ‘activities’ and life going on normally for everypony but her. But what if Sparks became enraged by Nico’s presence and stopped her from seeing him again? The possibilities ran through Rosa’s mind at break-neck pace. “Yeah, that’d be good,” Rosa replied dryly. Sparks eyed her nervously and turned to his own hooves, gently knocking them together in thought. Rosa knew it would be better to say something now like ‘I’d like to meet your friends too,’ or ‘It’d be great for us to hang out with everypony,’ or something, but she couldn’t bring herself to that. They spent the next few minutes in mutual silence, the hoof beats of commuters and announcements from personnel being the only things to pass their ears. Sparks was the first to break the peace. “Hey, cheer up. It’s no fun seeing you look glum.” “Sorry I’m, uh... I’m just thinking about things is all.” “Oh, OK.” Sparks breathed in deeply then exhaled, stretching out his legs. “Anything you want to talk about?” Rosa smiled weakly and shook her head gently from side to side. “That’s OK, I wouldn’t want to impose or anything. I mean, I don’t like it when everypony constantly heckles me so I wouldn’t want to do that myself.” “Thanks,” Rosa said approvingly, meeting Sparks’ gaze once more. She was reminded how easily he was able to cut through a bad atmosphere. He seemed strangely knowledgeable and wise, even if at a first glance he could be mistaken for a brainless meat-head. Come to think of it, the two of them both shared similarities in that their appearances were deceiving, giving off certain impressions that were far from the truth. He’s like me, she thought, now staring out across the platform as rows of ponies trotted across the bridge. She considered her own feelings for a moment, whether she felt any kind of spark, (a pun that Rosa acknowledged with silent mirth) and whether she should be listening to hear head or her heart. She hated to admit it, but she would have preferred Sparks as a friend and Nico as a lover. But would the situation have been the same? Would she have just developed feelings for Sparks instead, just because he’d be unattainable? She felt guilty for spending so much of her time thinking about Nico when she was here with somepony else, somepony who really did like her, and yet she could only seem to look at him objectively. Her thoughts were broken by the sound of several commuters standing to attention and looking out into the distance as a train began its way towards them. “This is our train!” Sparks announced. They hopped to their hooves as Sparks readied two tickets from his jacket pocket, floating them in front of him with wisps of white magic alongside Rosa’s bottle of juice. “I can take that if you want,” she piped up, taking the bottle from his telekinetic grasp. It was a strange sensation, feeling his magic unravel like twine across her mouth. Rosa didn’t know many unicorns and so was unfamiliar with what magic even was, even if she did crave their abilities. She gasped a little as it flowed across her lips, feeling for one moment as if Sparks was somehow using his magic to ‘touch’ her. “Oh sorry, did I not let go soon enough?” Rosa placed the bottle down. “No, it’s fine. I’m just not used to magic.” The train’s brakes screeched before it came to a halt. After a few seconds the carriage doors opened and a sea of ponies disembarked, hurrying out towards the exit. Rosa and Sparks paused as a group of bolshie mares pushed their way through the crowds to reach the doors first, a few obscenities being uttered by neighbouring ponies. As they finally made their way inside Sparks glanced down the aisle and pointed out two empty seats. The train was tightly packed; barely any seats were left and the luggage area was a mountain of bags and suitcases that was still receiving additions from passengers. They quickly claimed the seats, Sparks offering up the one next to the window by extending a hoof. Rosa happily obliged and sat down, tilting her head back in an effort to relax. It was surprisingly comfortable, with more than enough legroom. “You’re not going to fall asleep at this time of day are you?” Sparks chortled. Rosa smiled and shook her head, but the more she thought of it the more sleep seemed appealing. She refused to believe that you could get by with only six hours sleep a night and still be completely fine, although perhaps it was just one of those things that differed among different ponies. As the last of the passengers came onto the train a whistle was sounded and the carriage doors closed. The train began to chug along, numerous colts and fillies waving wildly at each other through the windows. It picked up speed, bolting out of the station and through a tunnel. Upon exiting the other end Rosa was greeted by a view of a vast forest that looked both intimidating and enticing. Her hooves pressed against the glass, she watched as the enormous forest passed her by in a matter of seconds, rolling hills and multi-coloured fields stretching out from the horizon. She could see a large windmill spinning in the distance and what could have been either a pegasus or a large bird circling it. “You’re enjoying yourself I see,” Sparks noted, laying back into his seat. “I just love the view,” replied Rosa, spotting what looked like a camp site in the middle of a wood. “I’ve rarely been outside Ponyville so it’s weird seeing an unfamiliar landscape.” “I sure hope your highlight of the day isn’t the train journey,” said Sparks in a mock groan. “Though actually, it could make things a lot cheaper. I could just send you on a return journey to Manehattan and back and call it a date.” Rosa laughed and rolled her eyes. “I’m not quite sure why I’ve not been on a train before. I feel like I’m a little foal having never done such trivial things.” Sparks simply smiled, supposedly not wanting to comment. As the journey went on Rosa tore herself away from the window and began looking aimlessly up and down the carriage for a while. After growing tired of that she stared at Sparks’ reflection in the window as he gazed onwards looking relaxed, occasionally glancing in her direction. A sudden realisation swept over her and she turned to face him. “I feel like I’m just forgetting something you’ve already told me, but I can’t recall it. What’s your last name?” Sparks paused and brought a hoof to his face with a pensive expression. “Now that you mention it I don’t think I have told you. Never mind, I guess it’s good that you realised sooner rather than later. My last name is Fly.” Rosa recoiled unintentionally at this. “That’s a bit strange considering you’re a unicorn, not a pegasus.” “Well my Dad is from a long line of pure-breed pegasi, so it hasn’t been strange until I came along and ruined it. Still, as far as names go it could have been worse.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” “Oh, and don’t forget my middle name either.” “Your middle name? What is it?” “Will.” After an hour and a half’s journey the train came to a halt in the Canterlot train station. Rather than the solitary shack and outdoor platforms of Ponyville they pulled up into what looked like a palace. Much of the outer wall and ceiling was made from tinted glass that helped filter out the sunlight. Chandeliers hung from chains above each of the platforms, accompanied by ornate lamp posts, the light from which bounced across the multi-coloured marble flooring. Banners were spread out across the walls reading ‘Welcome to Canterlot’ and ‘The home of her majesty The Princess’ among other things. It was a far cry from Ponyville. As Rosa and Sparks disembarked they could see another train on the opposite side of the hall chuffing its way to its destination. The sound of the bustling ponies was almost deafening; a cacophony of hollers and hooves against stone amidst loudspeaker announcements that were almost unintelligible. For Rosa, it was an assault on the senses. She’d seen busy marketplaces and the like, but this was far beyond anything she’d witnessed. Passers-by barged past the two of them, knocking them as they attempted to meander through the crowds as quickly as possible. Sparks loyally paced along next to her, occasionally raising a hoof to prise through groups of travellers, though not forcefully. Most ponies would think twice before getting in the way of such a large, muscular stallion and obediently stepped aside after catching sight of him. If there was one thing that struck a chord with Rosa’s base instincts, (as much as she hated to admit it) his way of acting very convincingly as a bodyguard was almost enticing. “Looks like we came in rush hour,” Sparks called out, doing his best to overcome the intense noise without full on shouting in Rosa’s face. He paused and looked over at the surrounding tunnels. “We need to go out through there,” he said, pointing in the direction of one of the pathways. “That’ll take us to the central sector. From there we can get to the main foyer and then out of this place.” They made their way through the tunnel, equine traffic moving along slower than Rosa wished given her apparent ‘Strider’ walking status. Politeness seemed to be thrown out of the window as ponies barged through the crowds. Despite the sheer volume of travellers Rosa could make out a few paintings of the Canterlot Palace and one of Princess Luna surrounded by a mosaic of brightly coloured pebbles that lined the tunnel walls. Breaking through into central sector the two of them were greeted by an enormous hall with chandeliers much like before, but what stood out were stone statues of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna at the centre. Rosa had always been an admirer of Princess Luna, partly because of the age-old tale of how she had become a fearsome menace known as Nightmare Moon, only to become a respected ruler whom anypony could trust. She wasn’t sure just how much of the stories were true, but regardless, the grand tale was a testament to the comforting idea that anypony was capable of doing good deeds, that forgiveness could help bring everypony closer together and great things could come of it. The two ponies shuffled out past the ticket vendors, billboards, shops and food counters. They passed through a set of automatic doors, something Rosa had not actually encountered, though she had heard of them before. They were powered by a magical field that opened up the doors when ponies stepped on rubber mats embedded in the ground, though they seemed redundant in such a place given that they were almost permanently open. As they stepped outside the sun shone brightly in the sky, basking them both in a warm glow. The light reflected off the cream-coloured, ornate buildings that stood before them. The roads were of polished grey cobbles, the lampposts curled into wondrous shapes and the houses were a mix of white and cream marble, some with mahogany balconies jutting from the outside. The city itself stretched itself out into the horizon, curving its way into a large mountain and around the mountainside. At what point did the train get to such an altitude? Rosa wasn’t sure, but didn’t quite care given the awe-inspiring sight before her. She stood, dumbstruck, surrounding ponies looking at her awkwardly and pushing past as she stay stock-still. “Rosa, we need to get moving,” Sparks said, trying to hurry her along. “It’s just so beautiful,” she exclaimed. “I’d seen pictures of Canterlot and read things about it, but actually being here...” Sparks eyed her curiously as she continued to gaze out into the distance, then placed a hoof on her shoulder and smiled. “I’m glad you’re loving it here, I really am, but we do need to get a move on.” Without waiting for a reply he charged off, his expression becoming more serious than usual. Rosa followed doggedly, catching up to his stride quickly. “Where are we going?” “You’ll find out soon enough,” Sparks said slyly, picking up the pace. Sparks took her along a winding road, past a row of houses that were practically mansions. Everything here looked fit for royalty. The one alarming thing that stuck out to her was the lack of grass, or any kind of vegetation. There were a few blossoming trees that lined the roads and flowers hanging from baskets outside the houses, but the rolling hills, meadows and vast fields of Ponyville were strictly absent. She found this somewhat troubling, which surprised her given how little she had thought she cared about it all when she was back home. Nearly every citizen Rosa walked past was wearing a posh looking suit or dress, including the young foals. Top hats, gold necklaces, diamond bracelets and glittering earrings could be seen all around. While Sparks wasn’t dressed anywhere near as immaculately as the masses that surrounded them Rosa felt herself sticking out like a sore hoof ever so much more. She felt decidedly naked. Of course, most ponies in Ponyville didn’t wear clothes, but here she felt bare — uncovered. She wasn’t sure if it was just paranoia but she had a nagging feeling of being watched — being judged. For the first in a very long time she berated herself for not taking her mother’s advice. Just as that thought crossed her mind she spotted an elderly stallion stare at her as she walked past, his jaw dropped and his brow furrowed as if he was looking at some kind of strange creature, and was racking his brains to think of its name. Blushing, Rosa huddled closer to Sparks for protection. “So what do you think?” he asked. “Great place isn’t it? I used to love coming here when I was younger. Even during the great depression things always seemed brighter here.” “It’s an amazing city,” Rosa beamed. “I do feel a bit out of place though. An old country bumpkin like me.” Sparks chuckled. “There’s no need to think like that. I’m aware of the stereotypes, but ponies here aren’t that bad.” Rosa considered telling him about the old stallion staring curiously at her, but held herself back and simply murmured in fake agreement. The roads here were much narrower than those in Ponyville. Despite the much needed wider pathways given such a high population density they couldn’t have been much more than five metres in width. It made her feel a little claustrophobic being packed on to these tiny paths with little room to move. Heavens knew what would happen if a foal became lost here. While Ponyville had certainly grown in size over the years, gaining many settlers from other provinces and the co-called ‘foal-boom’ that occurred around forty years ago, Canterlot made Ponyville look like a mere spec of land in comparison, and the population difference had to be insurmountable. There were no homely market stalls or young foals playing catch, no comforting hum of insects buzzing around, and if ever there were chirps and squawks of birds they had to have been drowned out by the drone of hoof-steps and chatter. Rosa’s first impressions of the city had effectively been shattered in a matter of minutes. While the city itself was undoubtedly beautiful, awe-inspiring and was an architectural marvel in more ways than one, the bustling and oppressive noise gave her a headache. Whatever it was that Sparks had planned, she hoped that it would be enough to take her mind off it all. “I can’t believe you’ve never been here before,” said Sparks, his voice just audible enough over the surrounding racket. “I could’ve sworn your father mentioned something about this place.” “Well whatever it was it was probably before I was born,” Rosa dismissed nonchalantly, not really caring where her parents could have gone in the past. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Hey, you should see this place during Winter Moon celebration. This place lights up like you wouldn’t believe.” “Yes, I guess that would be nice,” Rosa said, trying to underplay her general dislike of the place. “Hey, didn’t there used to be a Summer Sun celebration? I mean, in the olden days.” “Yeah, I think you’re right.” “Well I guess that explains where Summer got her name from.” “That yellow pony from the restaurant? Her name’s Summer Sun?” Sparks asked. Rosa nodded, thinking how her friend’s name had to be more than just a coincidence. Whatever, she’d just ask her another time. They took a route down a slightly less populated path and into a town square, (or at least, what could have been many of thousands of town squares for all Rosa was concerned) peppered with silver coated paving slabs with hoof prints of famous ponies etched into them. Before them was a gigantic peach-coloured building bearing the words ‘Royal Canterlot Auditorium’ written in gold along a large, blood-red silk banner. Posters and billboards jutted out from the side, advertising various theatrical performances and a magic show by the great ‘Hoofdini’, supposedly showing ‘amazing feats that your eyes will not believe’. Given that magic was pretty commonplace Rosa wasn’t sure how such a statement could hold any truth. “We’re here to see a magic show?” she asked curiously. “Well... something almost as good, and yet even better!” Sparks exclaimed melodramatically, causing Rosa to smirk at his poor joke. “I won’t bother asking again because I have this inkling you’ll say, ‘it’s a surprise’ again.” They trotted up the semicircle of primrose steps that led up to the entrance. An access ramp for disabled ponies was also present, something that Rosa found rather alien. They pressed on through the doors and into a lush foyer, a red carpet with a swirling gold pattern running through it. The wallpaper was gold and had a leaf pattern, with red wisps flowing throughout, possibly to represent air currents. Whoever had designed this place certainly had something for red and gold, though it was eye-catching enough to understand why. Stood at a brass-edged desk was a gloomy looking unicorn mare with her violet mane tied back in a bun. She was lazily looking through various slips of paper looking suspiciously like she was just pretending to work. There were no customers present, though a family was milling about looking at paintings on the wall of different performers, the youngest colt racing around shouting ‘woo woo’ while pretending to be a train. Sparks walked casually up to the desk and waved a hoof to get the mare’s attention. She looked dozily up from her paperwork and removed a pair of glasses, not making even the slightest effort to smile. Whatever reasons ponies came here for, customer service was not on the list. “Welcome to the Royal Canterlot Auditorium. How can I be of service?” she droned, as if reading from a script. “I was hoping to get two tickets for Foal Gallagher’s high flying birds.” The mare raised an eyebrow. “You were hoping?” “I mean, I’d like to buy two tickets for Foal Gallagher’s high flying birds,” Sparks corrected uneasily, obviously confused as to why she would even need to question his wording. Rosa racked her brains. Had she ever heard of this ‘Foal Gallagher’? Was he a singer or something? And what about these ‘high flying birds’? Perhaps being such a shut-in had made her lose touch with celebrity culture. “OK, that’ll be a hundred and eighty bits,” the mare announced as Sparks pulled some notes from his jacket pocket. Rosa’s jaw dropped as she watched him hand over the money. A hundred and eighty bits! She hadn’t seen so much money be passed so casually. Was Sparks rich? Don’t let that entice you! Rosa shouted in her head as she found herself instinctively impressed. Just because he’s wealthy doesn’t mean you should like him! How stereotypical would that be? Get a hold of yourself! “Thanks!” Sparks said enthusiastically as he floated over two brightly coloured tickets, then noticed Rosa’s expression. “What’s up?” “A hundred and eighty bits!” she exclaimed. “Sparks, you’re spoiling me.” Sparks scratched the back of his neck. “Come on, it’s nothing too much. Besides, it’s our first date and I do want to make the best impression.” Rosa smiled, once again flattered by his actions, even if she hated herself for it. “Anyway,” Sparks began. “I can tell you’re happy now that you know what the surprise is.” Rosa looked to the floor and shuffled a hoof looking flustered. “Actually... I don’t even know who Foal Gallagher is.” The mare at the desk behind them scoffed loud enough for the two of them to hear. She began to chuckle behind a wad of papers. Rosa grew annoyed and stomped a few steps towards her. “Well it’s nice to see misery guts here finally smile, I guess!” she rasped angrily. The mare dropped the papers from her face and grew a furious-looking expression. The family behind them looked around with raised eyebrows. Sparks stood at the wayside with a nervous look of his face, about to break the two ponies up. The mare squinted, and stared into Rosa’s eyes without blinking. “Touché...” she muttered, and watched cautiously as Rosa backed away, gazing back at her in a similar fashion. She paced around the corner, out of sight, and exhaled. “What was that?” Rosa asked aloud, looking up towards Sparks. She couldn’t tell if he found her little outburst funny, embarrassing or disrespectful. His face was contorted into what could have been a smile, but it certainly didn’t look natural. “Well it was certainly... something...” he muttered. Rosa leant her head back against the wall and breathed deeply. “I’m sorry I got like that. I don’t know what came over me.” She shook her head, wondering if she could ever go a single day without embarrassing herself. “I don’t even know why I got so angry.” “It’s alright. She shouldn’t have laughed at you like that. Not everypony can know everything.” Sparks put a hoof on her shoulder to try and comfort her. Surprisingly for the pair of them, it worked. Rosa looked up and smiled warmly at the pale-coated stallion, suddenly reminded at this moment that they were on a date. Of course she was always aware of this, but for a while she’d only really been viewing him as a guide taking her on a journey. Thinking of this fact made her blush, though not for the reason Sparks would have assumed. “See, all better!” he exclaimed, winking cheerily. “And you know what this means?” “What?” asked Rosa, furrowing her brow. “It means it’s still going to be a surprise!” Rosa rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Next time, no surprises.” “So there’s going to be a next time?” Sparks chimed, raising his eyebrows and grinning. “I’m quoting you on that!” Rosa shook her head in dismay, trying to hold back the laughter. “We’ll see, Sparks. We’ll see...”