//------------------------------// // 6. A Change of Scenery // Story: A Decade Lost // by Neonz //------------------------------// “…on now… …up… …Wake up… Miss? Miss?” “W-wha…” Twilight groaned and became aware that she was slumped on cold, hard pavement. She dizzily looked up into the unfamiliar face of a powder blue unicorn mare adored with an over-zealous hat and a frown. The mare gave an irritated sigh. “Well, it’s about time! I was about to flag for paramedics. Come on now, up you get!” She had a Canterlot accent. Twilight’s ears twitched. “C-Canterlot?” Twilight asked as the mare pulled her to her hooves, where she swayed but did not go down again. “Am I in Canterlot?” The blue mare scoffed. “Of course, child. Where else were you expecting to be?” Twilight was barely listening, her head swiveling to take in more of the city. Familiar beautiful multi-storied buildings surrounded the wide streets, though the castle towers that loomed over top made them seem tiny in comparison. Unlike Ponyville, Canterlot was as busy as ever, and the sun shone without a cloud in the sky. A few ponies gave her curious looks as they passed, but the majority seemed too focused on their destination to pay her any mind. “Gracious, I know teleportation spells can be difficult, but honestly, where were you coming from? The other side of town? Practice small-scale first, or you’ll end up hurting somepony, hmm?” the blue mare chided. Twilight gave a small grin. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for stopping.” The mare turned to leave. “Oh, not a problem, dear. If you’re all right, I best be on my way. I’m late for a mane appointment!” As the blue mare trotted off down the busy streets, Twilight smiled giddily. She’d done it. She’d actually done it! She felt as though she’d been run over by a royal carriage after staying up for three nights straight, sure, but a teleportation spell of this magnitude was unheard of being performed by a simple unicorn. Twilight now set her sights on Canterlot Castle. If there was anypony that would be able to help her out, it would be her mentor, Princess Celestia. Twilight took a few wobbly steps forward before settling into a more normal pace. She’d be able to rest at the castle. Twilight walked down the streets while looking curiously at the shops her hometown had to offer. A few of them she recognized, but the majority she had never heard of. It was actually a familiar name that caused her to stop and stare in disbelief: “Carousel Boutique”. Twilight went to it automatically, her mind filled with a mix of surprise and joy. There was always the possibility that it wasn’t the same Carousel Boutique she was familiar with, but her anxiety to find Rarity pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she walked in. The interior was absolutely enormous. In the center, what appeared to be an actual carousel was slowly making a constant rotation. The plastic mannequin horses attached to it displayed glittery designs that Twilight was now certain must have come from gem-loving Rarity. Aside from that display, there were also several dozen designs displayed in glass cases that were placed in such a way that they made the room look even larger than it already was. Several ponies, mostly comprising of the Canterlot elite based on their exquisite clothing choices, were chatting with each other and watching the mannequins spin with interest. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chique, unique, and magnifique!” The voice didn’t belong to Rarity, but Twilight was still disappointed when she turned and found a young pink unicorn mare smiling at her instead of her white-coated friend. “Is there anything I can help you with today, ma’am?” “Oh, hello.” Twilight smiled and walked to her. “Do you know where I can find Rarity?” The pink mare looked startled for a moment before giggling. “Oh, Mrs. Rarity doesn’t come here very often. She works from home. Do you have a business inquiry?” “Oh… no, I’m actually a friend of hers who’s, uh, visiting from out of town…” It sounded far more plausible than her time-travelling fiasco. “I don’t know her address, though.” “Hmm…” The pink mare thought for a few moments, seeming stumped by the predicament. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to visit the customer service desk. I don’t think I can help you.” She pointed in the direction of a long desk that was made of glass and encrusted with actual diamonds. Twilight nodded. “Thank you.” She approached the desk, where a yellow unicorn with a bright-blue updo was chatting fervently on the phone. A nametag identified her as “Sunset Polish”. “No, I’m sorry sir, but we don’t make exceptions. We are a designer clothing company, not a custom jewellery factory.” Sunset rolled her eyes and gestured for Twilight to wait a moment. “Uh huh. Uh huh. No, sir, but I would be happy to direct you to Jeweller Sophisticates, it’s right across the…” She sighed. “Yes, sir I… Okay, I’m going to have to put you on hold for a moment. I have customers to attend to.” Twilight could faintly make out an angry stallion before she clicked the phone off. “Yes, how can I help you?” Sunset asked, the irritation still prevalent in her tone. Twilight forced a smile. “Yes, I’m looking to get in contact with Rarity? She’s a friend of mine.” Sunset looked her up and down and then laughed. “You’re not the first who’s tried that story.” Twilight wasn’t sure what she meant. “I’m not?” The yellow mare shook her head. “Who wouldn’t want to be friends with one of the biggest celebrities in Canterlot? However, dear, I am not authorized to give out personal information, especially not to somepony who’s just wandered in off the streets!” Twilight’s ears flattened. “O-oh… I honestly didn’t realize. I really am a friend, I knew her back from Ponyville - ” “Unless you want to talk business, in which case you have thirty seconds to explain which modelling agency you’re coming from, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Sunset explained with a hard look. Twilight hesitated. “Can’t you give me a phone number, anything?” Sunset picked up the phone again and placed a forehoof over it. “Sorry hun, like I said, I can’t give out information like that.” She cleared her throat and removed her forehoof. “Yes, hello sir, thank you for waiting…” Discouraged, Twilight turned to leave. She was almost at the exit when a pink hoof tapped her shoulder and stopped her from moving. “U-um, ma’am, if you have a minute…” The mare who had first greeted her snuck a few anxious looks around before leaning in close to Twilight’s ear and speaking in a low voice. “I want to help you, but the only thing I can really say is… Go to The Moonlit Tavern tonight.” “The Moonlit Tavern?” Twilight repeated quietly for conformation. The pink mare nodded. “I think you’ll find somepony who can help you,” she whispered before another customer walked in. She immediately perked up. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique!” Twilight exited, relieved to have at least found a lead. The sun was already starting to set, but she still had time to pay Princess Celestia a visit before she ventured into the nightlife. Now that Twilight thought about it, it was likely that the princess would be able to give her Rarity’s address and save a trip to The Moonlit Tavern altogether. There were two pegasus guards stationed outside of the castle entrance, but this was nothing new. Twilight didn’t recognize them. She gave them a smile and moved to walk onward, but they extended their wings and prevented her from entering. Twilight’s smile faltered. “My name’s Twilight Sparkle,” she introduced, though the guards were staring stoically ahead. “Uh, I know it’s been a while, but I’m Princess Celestia’s personal protégée, and I’d really appreciate it if you'd let me into the castle.” “We cannot let you pass.” Neither of the guards moved, but the one on the left spoke. “Not without formal consent of a royal party member.” Twilight pawed at the ground, frustrated by this delay. “I wish to speak to your captain, then.” “Dusk Sword is unavailable.” “No, I mean…” Twilight paused, suddenly realizing she hadn’t been misunderstood. “What happened to Shining Armor?!” Both of the guards’ eyes finally shifted to focus on Twilight. “You know Shining?” This time the one on the right was the one who spoke. “Yes, he’s my brother,” Twilight explained. “Can you send him down here, please?” “I’m afraid that’s impossible,” the guard on the left said, emotionless. “He moved to the Crystal Empire several years ago.” Right. Cadance was the princess of the Crystal Empire. It would make sense that Shining Armor would move to be with her. She realized that not knowing the whereabouts of her acclaimed brother was making her look very suspicious, so she decided on another tactic. “Okay, well, how about Javelin Tosser? Fireshield?” The two guards didn’t respond to those names like they had with Shining. Twilight groaned. She was on a first-name basis with half of the royal guard, and she wracked her brain to come up with more names. “Uh, Star Crosser? Sacred Light? …Oh come on… Pigeon Feather? Night Striker?!” It didn’t seem to be any good. She was only receiving blank looks. “If you would like, I can request a form to be filed for a meeting with the princesses, though I make no guarantees,” one of the guards said. Twilight perked up. “How long will that take?” “Considering the backup, probably about two to three weeks if your meeting is short.” Twilight made an annoyed noise. “That’s not soon enough! I need to see Princess Celestia right now!” “Princess Celestia is on errand in the Crystal Empire and won’t be back for several days.” “Several… days?” Twilight gaped. Since when did Princess Celestia leave the castle for that long? Twilight couldn’t remember being apart from her for more than a day when she was a filly. “Okay, well, Princess Luna, then!” “We will put in a request. Have a good day, Ms. Sparkle.” Twilight groaned and turned away from the guards. The sun had vanished in the time she had spent arguing with them, and Twilight could faintly see Luna raising the moon on her balcony. Twilight had half a mind to send out a magical flare, but didn’t want to risk alarming the royal guard. Her most immediate concern now was her own well-being. She hadn’t eaten since morning, and her stomach was starting to ache with hunger. The exhaustion from her teleportation spell had died down somewhat, though she would not object to an early night. And now, as she stood in the middle of the darkened streets of Canterlot, she realized how alone she was. She didn’t have the energy to teleport all the way back to Fluttershy’s cottage, so if she couldn’t find Rarity… Twilight wandered the streets of Canterlot, keeping her head uncertainly low as she looked around for the tavern. It was around the time of night that the more extroverted ponies flocked to the bars in hopes of having a good time that they likely wouldn’t remember. Twilight held a hoof out to stop one such pony. “E-excuse me, could you tell me where - ” The mare giggled and ignored her before staggering in the opposite direction. Twilight gave a frustrated sigh. She walked for another block when the sound of a familiar, if more mature than she remembered, singing voice flowed through the night air. Twilight immediately whirled around and realized she’d nearly walked past the bar. It had its name on the side of the building, but it was obscured by the amount of ponies walking by: The Moonlit Tavern. Twilight pushed her way past the crowds and through the door. Twilight looked toward a small stage where the pianist and singer were slightly elevated above the floor, and her jaw dropped. It was Sweetie Belle, but the tiny filly she remembered had grown into a gorgeous young mare who easily rivaled Rarity in beauty. Her perfectly curled pink and purple mane and tail hovered mere inches above the floor, and her stunning green eyes surveyed the crowd with a seductive gaze. Easily her most beautiful feature was her voice. Twilight remembered her being talented, but she’d clearly had lessons since then. She hit the high notes with ease, her vocal squeaks far behind her. However, the biggest change, in Twilight’s opinion, was the image that now rested on her flank - a pink heart overlapped with two black beamed eighth notes. “Soft summer rain, our last goodbye, you held me close, said not to cry...” Twilight listened in awe. There were a few other ponies either watching or singing along with smiles on their faces, but the majority were ignoring her, drinking and talking loudly to their friends. “Ponies tell me I made a mistake, not worth the pain, not the heartache, Soft summer rain, and though I have tried, I’ll never forget the tears that I…” Sweetie Belle broke off suddenly, her eyes widening as her gaze landed on Twilight. The stallion sitting at the piano gave her a concerned look. Sweetie noticed and quickly grabbed the microphone. “Uh… who wants to see some solo piano?” she shouted, which received mixed reviews from the drunken crowd. Twilight noted that she had acquired a slight Canterlot accent. “C’mon everyone! He takes requests! Give it up for my good friend, Mr. Jazz Hooves!” Twilight watched as the unicorn at the piano gave a humorously dramatic bow before assaulting his instrument with a sheer passion that finally drove the crowd into wild cheers. “Excuse me?” Twilight turned and was surprised to find Sweetie Belle standing directly in front of her. “Do I know you from somewhere?” Her face was scrunched up as if she was thinking hard. Twilight frowned. “Sweetie Belle, it’s me, Twilight!” Sweetie Belle gave her a blank look for a few seconds, then she gasped. “Oh my goodness, it is you!” She beamed widely for a few moments before obtaining a look of utter confusion. “Um… aren’t you supposed to be dead?” “I messed up a spell. Sent myself ten years into the future.” “Oh…” Sweetie Belle watched her with wide eyes, as if fearing Twilight might accidentally explode. “Does Rarity know?” Twilight shook her head. “Can you take me to her?” Sweetie Belle’s ears flattened. “I’m kinda working right now. Jazzy might kill me if I skip out on him again.” She perked up, and smiled over at Twilight. “You were listening to me, right?” Twilight nodded and smiled warmly. “You have a beautiful voice.” “Aw, thanks…” Sweetie Belle blushed. “Yeah, I guess it made sense that it took us longer to earn our cutie marks. My special talent isn’t just singing: it’s singing love songs.” She shifted slightly, showing off the heart and eighth notes that comprised her cutie mark. “Love isn’t something you know much about until you’re older, right? That’s why it took so long. And Scoots had to learn to fly and Apple Bloom had to… well, realize that sometimes the path you’re set on isn’t always the one you’re supposed to end up on…” She scratched her head, her own words seeming to confuse her. “Huh. That would make a good lyric.” Twilight nodded absently and looked around anxiously. For it being so early in the night, there were a lot of ponies gathered around the bar. “Sweetie Belle, listen, I - ” “Heyyy Sweets!” A brown unicorn stallion barged in between them and wrapped a forehoof around Sweetie’s shoulders. “I gotcha somethin’…” He winked and floated a martini glass with some sort of pink liquid to her, and Sweetie accepted it with her magic. “Aww, well aren’t you just adorable!” Sweetie Belle fluttered her eyes and moved her head close to his. The stallion tipped his face downward to meet hers, and grinned. “You’ll stick around to watch me sing some more, hmm?” she purred in a seductive tone that Twilight was shocked would come out of the little filly. No, wait. Not a filly. She already knew that Rarity was eight years older than Sweetie Belle, which technically meant Sweetie was now two years older than Twilight. “Wouldn’t miss it for nothin’. You drink that, and I’ll getcha something stronger,” the stallion promised huskily. Sweetie Belle closed the gap between them, and a few patrons sent out wolf whistles as their lips connected. It didn’t last long, and Sweetie separated and rolled her eyes as the stallion staggered back to the bar. “Ugh, it’s way too early for this,” she commented and sipped at the martini. “Hm. Raspberry.” Twilight looked pointedly at the brown stallion. “Is that your coltfriend…?” Sweetie Belle looked confused for a moment, then she giggled. “I have no idea who that was…” She glanced around, and moved in closer to Twilight before speaking in a hushed tone. “They pay me way more if I flirt with the customers. I don’t have to do anything too crazy, just gotta watch my drink and make sure I’m not too smashed by the end of it to sing.” She sighed and moved back. “Speaking of which, I really should get back up there…” Sweetie turned to look at the stage, where the crowd was starting to lose interest in the pianist. “Wait, Sweetie Belle,” Twilight called, causing the other unicorn to turn around curiously. “I feel terrible asking, but I… I kind of don’t have anywhere to stay tonight, and I don’t have any money… or food…” Her stomach growled, and she internally scolded herself for the reminder. Sweetie Belle looked shocked. “Oh my gosh, are you serious?” Twilight nodded, feeling increasingly pathetic. “I was planning on staying with the princesses, but the guards wouldn’t let me in. Do you think you could direct me to Rarity’s house?” “Rarity?” Sweetie Belle thought for a few seconds. “Well, she’s probably already put the kids to bed, and she has to work in the morning… and I know she’d be really happy to see you! But I don’t want to give her entire family a heart attack.” Sweetie Belle smiled. “You can come stay with me and Jazzy tonight, okay? We share a flat not too far from here. I’ll tell Jazz and I’m sure he’ll let me off early. And hold on a sec, I’ll get you something to eat. The food’s okay here, don’t worry.” Twilight let out a long breath, relief flooding through her. “Thank you so much.” “No problem!” Sweetie Belle trotted over to the bar and leaned in close to the male bartender, one hoof supporting her head, and she smiled as she spoke to him. Twilight couldn’t make it out, but the bartender nodded and disappeared out the back. Sweetie Belle hopped away and winked at Twilight before gesturing her over to the bar. “He’s got you covered.” Twilight smiled gratefully and took a seat well away from the crowd. “Thank you, Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie Belle had already climbed back onto the stage, and the pianist ceased his solo act, looking very relieved that his singer had joined him. “Alright everypony!” Sweetie Belle called into the mic, earning cheers from the crowd. Her eyes connected with Twilight, and she grinned. “This song’s dedicated to an old friend of mine…”