Thin gossamer strands of steam swirled upward from the rich amber liquid in Rarity’s teacup. The fragrant liquid tempted Rarity to put aside her reading glasses and the account book, but she resisted. Lines of red trailed down each page of the ledger and induced furrows across her brow. She’d hoped managing her boutique would prepare her for the challenges of a full-fledged club. Complications seemed to dwell around every corner.
With a long sigh, Rarity dropped the red-tipped quill into the inkpot (of the correct color). This month was no better than the previous, nor the month before that. If there was a positive trend, Rarity couldn’t see it. She pondered the option of reducing employee wages, but she knew Pinkie would never allow it. If she searched herself, she knew she couldn’t possibly do it, either. The exuberance and energy of its entertainers distinguished P-Three in the club-saturated market of Las Pegasus. To lose that would only hasten the doom looming over their establishment.
Considering the challenges facing her now, she wondered how Applejack managed to keep an entire farm afloat and still remain so supportive of everypony. At the very start, she had quietly confided in Applejack with her difficulties of managing such a large operation while minding all the small details, but it seemed Applejack had serious problems of her own. If only she could speak to somepony who recently arrived from Appleloosa, she could find out more. Surely, if anything serious happened involving the Apple family, just about any pony in small town would hear about it.
Once again, the little details slipped by her as she stared at the dwindling steam from her cooling tea. She was to meet both Twilight and Rainbow for brunch shortly, so perhaps they would have news of Applejack from their travels. She pressed the buzzer at her desk and waited patiently for her diligent porter-pony.
A few moments later, Prancy pushed open the door to her office. He put a hoof against the doorknob and panted breathlessly. “You wanted to see me, ma’am?”
She smiled kindly and waited a few moments for him to catch his breath before she started giving him instructions. “Yes, thank you for coming so quickly. I’d like you to check up on Twilight and Rainbow. We’re scheduled to have brunch. If you could arrange for the kitchen to send everything to the rooftop garden, that would be splendid.” She was about to send him off before she recalled one last little detail buried in the back of her mind. “And if I recall, Twilight is fond of coffee. Be sure to arrange for some.”
“I’ll get on it right away, Miss Rarity.” Prancy tipped his hat and sped out of the room.
Rarity shook her head with a smile at his sudden departure. The young colt was so jumpy when she first offered him a job. It seemed a lot of that energy had transferred into eagerness. She made a note to commend him later. She put her glasses away and safely tucked the account book in her desk drawer behind lock and key. Rising elegantly to her hooves from her chair, she started on her way to the rooftop. The long-forgotten tea rippled in the cup with the closing of the door.
* * *
Pinkie sat perfectly still, like a rock, upon the stone bench on the rooftop. Today was a gray day, and she could scarcely feel the warmth of the sun. But that was okay. Gray days happened, especially after maydays of distress in the night. She wiped her hoof across her eyes and sniffled. She’d have to apologize to Rarity. She’d have to apologize to Twilight, to Dashie, to everypony. So she sat and waited.
The measured hoof-falls upon the steps warned her of a pony’s approach. Her ears flicked upwards as she watched the door with keen interest. The tip of a white horn and a lock of purple hair. Pinkie trembled and opened her mouth. Nothing issued forth as her voice deserted her. Her courage followed soon after that. Her hooves locked in place and her tail drooped down to the ground. Rarity looked so tired.
“Oh. Pinkie, what are you doing up here?”
The surprise was audible and completely expected. The lack of annoyance seemed less out of place. Pinkie sought out her tongue and prepared her mind for an apology of epic proportions. An apology with enough words to rival even the greatest philosophical discussions on cherries and their application in sweetened desserts. She opened her mouth, but no fountain of words came. Instead, liquid spouted from her eyes and washed down her cheeks.
“Pinkie! What’s the matter?”
Once again, the warm hooves of her friend wrapped around her. She found her tongue between sobs and apologized. “I...I’m sorry.”
A slight pause, but Rarity seemed to recover quickly. “Hush, it’s alright, dear. We all have our rough days.”
The hooves stroked over Pinkie’s mane and patted her back. She choked back another sob and apologized again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have scared you, I shouldn’t have run off.”
More words came but they became nonsensical. She babbled her reasons, her feelings, why green tasted better than blue, how the sugar was bitter, and bitter was suddenly sweet. Somehow, through it all, Rarity held her, let her babble, let her be senseless, until there was nothing left to be senseless about. Pinkie slowly detached herself from the matted white hair of Rarity’s coat and wiped her eyes.
Her tears spent and some of her guilt laid to rest, Pinkie’s day seemed just a little bit brighter. She joined hooves with Rarity and pulled her friend into a hug which might have crushed bones. Luckily, the yelp of surprise reminded her to lessen the strength of her embrace. When they finally parted, Pinkie’s grin had triumphantly returned to her face. “Wow, Rarity, thanks for being a super duper friend! I haven’t felt this good in a long time! Sorry about making you all wet, though.”
Rarity strained forth a smile and brushed the wet spot with her hoof idly. “Oh, think nothing of it, Pinkie. We all need a good cry from time to time. I myself know this quite well...” Her thoughts turned to the crumbling status of their finances as she trailed off.
Pinkie seemed to pick up on the subtle shift in tone immediately. “Rarity? What’s got you down?”
She expertly deflected her friend’s concern with a charming smile and shook her head. “I just have a few things on my mind. You mustn't worry about my trivial little problems.” Noticing Pinkie wasn’t quite convinced, she placed a reassuring hoof upon the shoulder of her friend and gently directed her toward the door. “Come now, Pinkie, there will be plenty of time to chat about my little issues later. We have guests! Twilight and Rainbow will be joining me for brunch, and surely you’d want to prepare a proper greeting.”
“Oh-my-gosh-really? I need a confetti launcher now, and I know just the place to find one!” Pinkie bounded forward toward the door, prompting Rarity to breathe out a slow breath of relief. Pinkie suddenly spun around. “Rarity! Promise me you’ll tell me about your little problems. You’ve been so super-duper helpful, so I want to help too!”
Taken aback, Rarity could only nod in silent agreement. This seemed to satisfy her friend and the pink blur disappeared through the doorway and down the stairwell. This time, Rarity checked herself and waited for the possible sudden return of Pinkie, but after a few minutes, she finally relaxed her tense shoulders.
Without Pinkie distracting her, her mind wandered back to her “little issues” which had plagued her for months. The club was successful, and the dresses she showcased in the club sold well. But the red lines in the ledger book reminded her every day her years of savings were slowly being depleted. It just wasn’t enough. They needed outside investment if they were to survive. She raised her hoof to the wet patch on her coat and idly wicked the moisture away. She would have to meet with an investment firm. They couldn’t afford to go it alone any longer.
* * *
Ethereal clouds of mist churned around Luna as she strode purposefully into the darkness. She reached into the void and gently touched the other presence in the distance. Years of experience guided her through unspoken motions until the haze parted. Crossing the threshold, she stepped into the stadium.
The plushness of the clouds, the crispness of the air, and the brightness of the sunshine—beautiful, vivid memories. Luna spread her wings and flew through the air to join the pegasus hovering idly on one side of the stadium. Below her, dozens of pegasi flew in coordinated formations across the clear blue sky. “It’s a beautiful dream, captain.”
Spitfire, unaware of Luna’s presence until now, nearly fell out of the sky when Luna spoke. She caught herself partway and recovered immediately. Throwing up a smart salute, she turned her attention away from the recruits which fizzled out of existence. “Princess, this is a surprise.”
Luna smiled and pulled forth a tuft of cloud for both of them to rest upon before landing upon the conjured surface. “Please, calm yourself. I admit, I usually do not seek to make my presence known in the dreamscape. But given the necessity of security, I feel better knowing this is between only you and I.” Noticing Spitfire made no move to relax, Luna waved her hoof toward the piece of cloud before her. “Join me, please.”
Spitfire’s wingbeats slowed until she landed upon the cloud with nary a sound. Folding her wings at her back, she fought back the sense of unease as a tangling mesh of spider-silk-like light weaved its way around them. Slowly, the enclosed area dimmed until the interior resembled dusk far more than high noon. She looked to Luna curiously, hoping for an explanation, but she knew it wouldn’t be wise to ask directly.
In the low gloom of twilight, Luna seemed to relax considerably, but her eyes lost none of their sharpness. Sensing Spitfire’s apprehension, Luna smiled and gazed upward at the moonlit tendrils which encased them. “Even though the world of dreams beckons to my command, my power is not as such that I may keep Celestia from listening. She cares for Twilight a great deal, perhaps more than is wise given what is at stake. I fear she may play too many pieces out of love, and in an effort to shield her student...” Luna sighed softly and shook her head. “None of us are free from guilt, but she seems to dwell on it far more than she should.”
Her expression hardened as the last of the sunbeams disappeared from within their protective shell, leaving nothing but the pale moonlight. They were now hidden from the sun. “As such, I advise great discretion in your surveillance. It seems the United Equestrian Bank, a royally designated bank, is deeply intertwined with recent events. They seem particularly interested in the development of emerging technologies and well-established ones such as airships. The loss of a SonicCraft will not escape their notice, even with royal intervention.”
“Do you have a recommended course of action, Princess?”
“Nay. Until we see movement, we cannot act without overplaying our hoof and giving up our position. Have you established a base of operations in Las Pegasus?”
Spitfire nodded and cleared her throat. “We kept low-profile surveillance of Las Pegasus Central and monitored Twilight and Rainbow arriving last night. We’ve taken up residence in a small hotel across the plaza from P-Three.” Realizing Luna had no context, she quickly clarified herself. “It’s a club run by Rarity and Pinkie Pie.”
“Generosity and Laughter.”
“Erm, yes. Though I imagine they’re just familiar faces in an unfamiliar city. I’ve assigned Soarin’ to watch Rainbow. I’ll keep an eye on Twilight.”
“Excellent. I will monitor their movements via the credit chip from Canterlot. Twilight is as diligent as ever. Aside from an odd train expense, she hasn’t made any additional purchases.”
“Princess, if the United Equestrian Bank is possibly suspect, can you trust the credit chip?”
Luna paused and stared at Spitfire, who matched her gaze and stared back. After a long standoff, Luna smiled and nodded. “Yes, while all transactions do go through the bank, this chip is special. It is duplicated to the royal archives. I hate to monitor Twilight, but I think she’d understand given the circumstances.”
With a simple flick of her horn, the shimmering mantle surrounding them started to fade. The cloudy stadium and bright sunny sky filled their world once more. “Spitfire, be careful.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Spitfire saluted.
Luna smiled and started to fade from the dreamscape, “If all goes well...this dream may be realized again one day.”
Spitfire woke up.
* * *
A polite but firm knocking at her door pulled Twilight from her slumber. She tried to rise to her hooves but collapsed back down onto the bed and into the warm embrace of Rainbow’s forelegs. Unable to extricate herself, she craned her head and called out to the door. “Yes?”
“Madam Rarity would like to inform you brunch will be ready shortly on the roof.”
“Oh...thanks. I’ll head up as soon as I’m ready,” Twilight responded groggily and put her head back down on the pillow. She debated sleeping in just a little more. It wouldn’t hurt to savor Rainbow’s very close presence at her side, but she decided against it. She and Rainbow had promised to meet Rarity for brunch. And as comfortable as Rainbow’s hooves were, it was important to keep her promises.
As she reluctantly untangled herself from bed, Prancy’s knocking started again—this time on the door to Rainbow’s room.
“Ms. Dash? Are you awake yet?” The voice of the porter pony sounded through the wall, he knocked again on Rainbow’s door.
Twilight glanced at the wall between Rainbow’s room and her own and then back down to Rainbow. She bit her lip and started to blush. This would be difficult to explain. She tip-hoofed her way to the door to her room and cracked it open. “Hey Prancy, Rainbow’s a pretty deep sleeper. I’ll get her up for you.”
The porter pony turned and smiled brightly. “Oh! Good morning. Ms. Sparkle! You’re looking...uh...very...” His eyes flicked to the mare’s messy mane. “Well, thank you. I’ll head up and inform Ms. Rarity you two are on your way.” He tipped his hat before rushing down the hall back to the elevator.
Twilight giggled quietly to herself and closed the door. She’d be the first to admit her bed-mane desperately needed a brush every morning. But first, she had a pegasus in her bed to resolve. She turned her attention back to Rainbow who had managed to wake up and was now staring blankly at her. “Good morning Dashie, you feeling alright?”
“Mmhm...kinda groggy, though.”
“You and me both. Let’s get cleaned up and head up to the roof. Rarity’s waiting for us.”
“Nnng...let’s just go back to sleep.”
Twilight almost agreed, but then they would definitely miss brunch with Rarity—and Twilight definitely didn’t like missing appointments. Smiling to herself, she tried a more encouraging route for Rainbow: “I bet Rarity has lots of delicious food waiting for us.”
Rainbow’s stomach growled in response. “Arg... fine...”
After a few long minutes and a very slow start, Twilight and Rainbow made their way out of the room and into the hall. Twilight had brushed her mane and was looking far more presentable. Rainbow opted to splash a little water on her face and let her mane rest where it was. In short, everything was just as it should be. The trip to the top was uneventful, and thankfully Prancy asked no questions when they called the elevator.
When they arrived, Twilight found the rooftop was far less appealing than she initially imagined. The skies reminded her much more of Ponyville than Appleloosa—like a TV tuned to a dead channel. More discomforting was the stillness of the air. In Ponyville, she would experience a breeze from time to time. Here, walled in by tall buildings, the wind had little room to go.
Rarity waved to them from a table set up near the sparse foliage of the garden. Twilight started walking toward her friend, but halted when she noticed a rather strained smile on Rarity’s face. She nudged Rainbow in the side and whispered, “Do you think something is wrong? Rarity looks really tense.”
Rainbow glanced to the left and then the right. Smiling ever so slightly, she nodded and continued forward. “Don’t worry about it, Twi. I’m sure Rarity is just little apprehensive about how much of a blast this brunch is going to be.”
Twilight nodded and followed Rainbow while humming to herself. Well, that’s an odd way of putting it, why would Dashie—oh no...
She yelped as a literal blast of confetti sprayed into her face. The colorful streamers rained down from the sky all over her mane as Pinkie bounded out from out of the bushes and pulled her into a rib-crushing hug. She squirmed and fought for air as the party pony hugged harder, refusing to let go.
Rainbow, meanwhile, was laughing uproariously on the ground. The tears of mirth speckled at her eyes as she kicked her hooves up in the air in convulsions. “Ha ha...Pinkie, you sure are good at waking ponies up. You woulda gotten me, but I saw the tip of your tail peeking out of the bushes.”
Pinkie released Twilight and grabbed Rainbow in a hug. “Oh, silly Dashie! I wasn’t trying to surprise you, I was trying to surprise Twilight! If I wanted to surprise you, I would have planted a sign on your back when I hugged you.” She reached back a little more and peeled off a sign from Rainbow’s back. “Oh wait! I did! It says: ‘Welcome to Las Pegasus, Dashie!’” Pinkie giggle-snorted and released Rainbow as well.
Rarity cleared her throat, having composed herself and gestured to the seats at the table. “Indeed! Welcome to Las Pegasus, you two. If you’d all like to take a seat we can have some brunch. I imagine you two have a lot of questions, and Pinkie might have something to share as well.” She shot a knowing glance to Pinkie.
The three unseated ponies exchanged quick looks with one another and quietly took their seats at the table. Twilight idly picked the confetti off of her body and silence reigned supreme.
The awkwardness was broken by Rainbow, who spotted a particularly fluffy stack of pancakes placed on the center of the table. “Oh, wow! Pancakes!” she exclaimed happily and set out acquiring herself a suitable stack to sate her significant hunger. Pinkie seemed eager to follow suit and grabbed the other half of the stack of pancakes leaving nothing but crumbs on the plate. Rarity and Twilight stared at each other with a faint smile.
“So... Rarity... “ Twilight began, her eyes darting between Rainbow and Pinkie as the two furiously conducted an impromptu pancake eating contest.
“Yes, Twilight?”
“How are things in Las Pegasus?”
“Oh! Splendid. Yes, quite splendid. My dresses are the talk of the town! And Pinkie, her parties always have such great attendance.”
“That’s great, Rarity.”
The conversation tapered off once more into an awkward silence.
“So, what were you all freaked out about last night?” Rainbow inquired, her mouth full of pancakes and syrup dripping off the side of her muzzle.
“That? It was nothing, really.” Rarity tried to smile, but Pinkie had stopped eating.
“Rarity...” Pinkie sighed and looked down. Idly, she started prodding at her remaining pancake with a fork until it was filled with holes. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head back up so her eyes were no longer hidden. “It’s okay, Rarity. I can tell them.”
“Tell us what?” Twilight asked quietly, her voice laced with concern.
“I saw you guys last night. You and Dashie were out in the audience, but you guys didn’t look that happy at all. So, I ran away. I’m really sorry.” Pinkie sniffled and rubbed her eyes. “Then, I thought maybe I could have a little treat to feel better. So...I ate a whole tube of cake frosting. My body likes sugar, but that might’ve been too much. Rarity found me in my room, all cake-frosting-ed out.”
“Pinkie,” Twilight reached out with her hoof and placed it on her friend’s shoulder, “it’s okay. Dashie and I aren’t unhappy or mad. We were just a little confused. Right, Dashie?”
Rainbow nodded vigorously in support. “Oh, yeah! The dance you were doing was pretty cool, a little crazy, but hey, that’s what makes you fun, Pinkie.”
“So, you guys are still my friends? What about the cake frosting?”
“Of course we’re still your friends!” Rainbow exclaimed loudly, almost as if the suggestion was an affront to everything she stood for. “We’re always going to be friends. No matter what happens.”
Twilight nodded in agreement, “Dashie’s right. Even though I’m here on official business, I’m far happier to be with my friends again.”
Pinkie’s lower lip quivered and she smiled weakly at Rainbow. “But what about the—”
Rainbow planted both of her forehooves on the table and stood up on her rear legs. “Pinkie. We all screw up sometimes. I don’t know the details, and I don’t know how long you’ve been doing it. But...” Rainbow paused and looked at Twilight. They shared a small smile which spoke volumes to each other. “I do know I’ve screwed up myself tons of times in the past and you guys have always stuck by me. There’s no way in Tartarus I’m ditching our friendship.”
The gears seemed to turn in Pinkie’s head as she processed Rainbow’s heartfelt support. As everything slowly dawned upon her, the smile upon her face grew wider and wider until she was nearly bursting at the seams with cheer. In an instant, the atmosphere of the entire rooftop changed. Pinkie laughed heartily and infectiously. Soon all of them were laughing, the awkward silence long forgotten.
Brunch continued on a much lighter note. Rarity explained the workings of P-Three, their usual clients, and how their employees used the club as a sort of staging point for parties big and small. Most of their bits came from the stage performance each night and the sale of Rarity’s dresses. The hoofbands indicated the quality of rooms available to each client for private parties.
A lull in the conversation provided Rarity with an opportunity to ask about Applejack. Twilight explained the situation in Appleloosa and the trouble they encountered with Fixer. This came at a huge shock for Rarity, but she was relieved to hear everything resolved positively. Rainbow’s tale snapped Twilight back to her goals and her reasons for arriving in the city in the first place. The result was a long lecture on climate and Twilight’s hypothesis on shifting weather patterns due to the prodigious use of coal. By the end of the lecture, Rainbow lay languishing over the edge of the table, her eyes glazed over in boredom.
“And that’s why I intend to hire out an airship and take measurements on the climate of the surrounding area,” Twilight finished with gusto and took a sip of her orange juice.
Rarity put forth her most engaging smile and nodded. “That sounds marvelous, Twilight. I would love to join you, but I have a pressing engagement this afternoon with a business pony.” She glanced over to Pinkie and Rainbow. “Rainbow, will you be joining Twilight on these surveys?”
Rainbow, still half dazed from the long lecture, snapped back to attention. “Huh, what?”
“Rainbow, darling, are you quite alright? You seem a touch distracted. Are Twilight’s interests not to your liking?” Rarity leaned toward Rainbow and teased out the last few words in a cooing fashion. She smiled at the slightest blush tingeing at the center of Rainbow’s cheeks.
“Of—of course not!” Rainbow responded and looked away. “I’d love to go with Twilight. In fact, I’d be happy to go right now!” Rainbow rose to her hooves and looked toward the exit nervously. “Ready to go, Twilight?”
Twilight blinked and looked up from her mostly finished plate of toast and fruit. “Sure, Dashie. Just let me get a few things from my room and we’ll be off.”
“Great! I’ll see you in your room.” Rainbow scampered out of her seat and half-galloped across the rooftop before disappearing into view.
“Huh...that was kind of abrupt,” Twilight mused, but thought nothing more of it. She turned to Rarity and smiled. “Thank you for brunch. I’m so glad we had some time to catch up. Perhaps we can do this again sometime.”
“That sounds lovely, Twilight! I hope you and Rainbow have a good time. She seems very excited to get some time alone with you, hmm?”
“Whatever do you mean, Rarity?”
“Oh, nothing in particular. Go on, now. I don’t want to delay your work any longer.” Rarity waved Twilight off with a smile. Once she was alone with Pinkie, she turned to her companion and chuckled. “Well, I see Rainbow is as predictable as ever. I’m glad they’ve reconnected after all these years.”
Pinkie nodded vigorously. “Yeppers! Dashie’s super into Twilight. D’ya think Twilight knows?”
“I think so, or at least she’s considered the possibility.” Rarity sighed wistfully and finished off the tea in her cup. “Only time will tell, I suppose. Back to work for now! I’ll see you in the evening, Pinkie.”
“Have fun, Rarity!” Pinkie waved her friend off cheerily and set about finishing off the rest of the baked goods remaining from the brunch. Things were looking up, and everything was tasting sweeter already. Maybe she wouldn’t need any more frosting.
* * *
Succulent candied fruits layered with honey on top of heavy cream and pastries sat on a plate, untouched. Half-a-dozen ponies sat around a table engaged in hushed conversation with one another. The subdued atmosphere only touched upon the general malaise which occupied each of their minds: something was wrong.
A chair creaked as a unicorn stood up and all eyes turned to the source. He cleared his throat and stroked his hoof over over his slicked-back mane. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve called this meeting today. As many of you have suspected, it isn’t good news.”
A murmur of concern swept through the room.
“Exactly a month ago, one of our most prestigious airships exploded and disintegrated over the southern plains of Canterlot. As expected, our investments in the SonicCraft line suffered tremendous losses on the stock market. If we continue to lose investor confidence, our entire business unit will be in jeopardy. We need to fix this. Now.”
This declaration seemed to agitate all the ponies present.
“Surely, our product can’t be at fault.”
“All records indicate the airship was operating at perfect efficiency.”
“I suspect foul play. It’s an attempt to discredit us!”
“What does the Panel have to say? Surely they have some royal insight if the guard is conducting the investigation.”
The standing pony raised his hooves and motioned for silence. The room calmed and he continued. “At this point, information is incredibly scarce. The Panel was officially dissolved today. The Minister of Development announced an early retirement. Our list of contacts has dwindled to almost nothing.”
All of the ponies sat back in their seats in a stunned silence. However, the only pegasus in the room quietly raised his hoof.
“Yes, commissioner?”
The pegasus smiled smugly and slid a copy of the Appleloosa Times to the center of the table toward the President of the United Equestrian Bank. “Does this pony look familiar, president?”
“Remotely. She’s one of the ponies you asked us to sponsor in the Wonderbolts some years back, right?”
The commissioner crossed his hooves and leaned back comfortably in his seat. “An excellent memory, president. Indeed, this is Ms. Rainbow Dash, one of the most talented Wonderbolts I’ve had the pleasure of signing. More importantly, do you see anything peculiar about her?”
“No—wait...what’s that on her back?”
“Another excellent question. I’m sure your agents in Canterlot collected some information from the guard on the rescue of two ponies from an airship crash? And the reported Sonic Rainboom, which only Ms. Rainbow Dash can perform, in Appleloosa. Did you ever correlate those times?”
“No. Your point?”
“Simply put, I believe Ms. Rainbow Dash flew faster than a SonicCraft. In fact, she might have been present when it exploded. In addition, I think the strange attachment on her wings is what allowed her to fly so fast.”
“That’s impossible! No pegasus can fly that fast! Their wings would be torn from their sockets!” one of the unicorns exclaimed from the other end of the table.
“Yet, she was present in both Appleloosa and the crash site shortly thereafter,” the commissioner continued. “It’s a simple matter of mathematics. Unless you mean to imply the recording mechanisms of the SonicCrafts to be faulty and an incorrect time was reported...”
“She could’ve arrived after! There’s nothing to indicate she arrived precisely when the SonicCraft destroyed itself.”
“Then how did Ms. Twilight Sparkle survive? Witnesses report her entering the airship. Surely you don’t mean to imply a unicorn simply waltzed through the safety features of your SonicCrafts, escaped a mass of burning debris, and floated down to the ground safely in the midst of a magical implosion felt for miles?”
“I’ve had just enough of you insulting my company! Silverhoof and I built this company from the ground up focusing on the best technology Equestria had to offer! I won’t let you sully his prized invention—”
“Which he stole,” the commissioner interrupted with a smug smile.
“...How dare you! I will vote to have you removed from this board if you continue to—”
“Enough!” The president shouted and slammed his hoof down on the table. “I will not have this board meeting turn into a shouting match. Obviously, Mr. Vice has an interesting theory. If Ms. Rainbow Dash does have access to technology which could trivialize our investments, we need to acquire it.”
“What is our course of action then, president?”
“Information gathering. I have a meeting with Ms. Rarity this evening to coordinate investment in P-Three. I will ask her then about her friends. Mr. Vice, I believe Rainbow Dash is here in the city. Try to contact her and learn what you can about the attachments on her wings. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
* * *
Twilight turned her head skyward just in time to catch a glimpse of an airship disappearing into the dense cloud cover. She had lost count of the number and variety of aircraft she spotted on the way to the Aerodrome. The majority of the air traffic in Ponyville consisted of industrial freighters carrying materials. Las Pegasus seemed to be the exact opposite. The rumble of steam engines usually revealed a moderately sized craft complete with passenger decks built beneath the lighter-than-air aerostat.
When she looked for Rainbow to point it out, she found the pony in question was quite a ways in front of her. Not wanting to be left behind, she broke into a swift trot and playfully poked Rainbow’s from behind as she caught up. “Rainbow! Why are you going so fast?”
Rainbow yelped and fluttered her wings. “No reason really, Twi...I mean, Twilight. I’m just excited to see Scootaloo again. I really want to work things out with her.”
Twilight tilted her head and peered at Rainbow intently. When her friend wouldn’t look her in the eye, she leaned in a little closer. “Rainbow,” she teased out slowly, “what’s on your mind? Is it Rarity?”
“What? No!” Rainbow paused and sighed. “Well, not exactly. It’s just, when she implied...you know. I just thought...” Her hooves gestured in indiscriminate patterns which explained little and only made her nervousness more apparent.
A comforting hoof wrapped over her neck and a cheek nuzzled into her own shortly thereafter. “It’s okay, Dashie.” The words came softly. Just loud enough so only she could hear. “I’m really glad you’re here. I think Rarity just likes to see ponies flustered on her account.”
The hoof released her and everything seemed so much colder all of a sudden. She turned and smiled at Twilight, a small thankful smile which said more than a simple “thank you” could accomplish. When Twilight smiled back, she felt just a little better. She’d been close to Twilight this whole time. Rarity was right, but there was nothing wrong about it.
A fortuitous, out-of-place breeze swept through the streets (unusual for Las Pegasus) and sent Twilight into shivers. An opportunity like this was just too good to pass up for Rainbow. She fluffed her wings once more and slowly extended the left one. The pinon tips trailed across Twilight’s back before the downy underside blanketed the pony at her side. “It’s been a lot colder these days, hasn’t it, Twilight?”
Twilight nodded and drifted a little closer to Rainbow. “Yeah, it sure has. Maybe the seasons are shifting a little because of us ponies. I hope I’ll figure more out after these surveys around Las Pegasus.”
They started walking once more toward the Aerodrome. Twilight hummed quietly to herself as she tucked herself under the warm wing around her. After several minutes, her humming stopped and she giggled. “This is really nice—”
“That’s a relief, when you didn’t say anything I thought you were stunned into a shocked silence.”
“If you let me finish, I was going to say it’s more than just nice. It’s practical, too. You aren’t trotting off ahead of me. We’re side by side.” She wanted to mention the metaphorical connection the wing meant to her, but she kept it to herself. She was happy and warm, and that was enough.
She didn’t even bother craning her head up at every sound the rest of the way to the Aerodrome. The wealth of technology around her just wasn’t quite as interesting as the way the feathers on her back shifted with each step. For such a simple action, the wing over her back seemed endlessly more riveting than the city around her. She even risked closing her eyes for a brief moment, letting the gentle flow of the feathers upon her back guide her.
Eventually, the thickening crowds of ponies coming in and out of the nearby air-transport station forced Rainbow to draw her wing back. The white-polished and lacquered walls of the Aerodrome jutting above the skyline fit perfectly with the ostentatious style of the city. No less than a dozen aerobridges extended in a circular fashion from the passenger platform. Beneath the platform, six reinforced aerobridges extended further for heavy cargo ships.
The entire structure consisted of a central beam supported by a tripod which joined about two-thirds of the way up. Four passenger elevators with glass carriages opening to the outside graced the side of the circular central beam. A pair of massive freight elevators within the central beam handled the cargo in and out of the Aerodrome.
“Wow,” Twilight remarked dryly. “It looks a lot more impressive in the daytime. At night, it was just a mass of beacons and searchlights.”
“I guess so, but there’s no freedom. It’s just lines of ships waiting to dock and lines of ships waiting to depart. Sometimes you just want to spread your wings and go.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for, actually. I want to check with Mr. Highwind from yesterday. Maybe he has some ideas on how we might get an airship for my environmental survey.”
“Great, this will give me a chance to talk to Scootaloo. I’m feeling confident that I’ll be able to work something out with her. Y’know...show her that I do care about her.”
“Oh.” Twilight smiled coyly as she led Rainbow into the Aerodrome. “What makes you say that?”
“Because...because you believe in me,” Rainbow muttered quietly and looked away.
“I do! And I always will.” Twilight smiled brightly and trotted forward toward the ticket counter.
Rainbow smiled and followed after.
* * *
“You want to do what?” Highwind exclaimed to a flustered looking Twilight. “I know you have bits, but this is a commercial port. The Aerodrome doesn’t just keep ships laying around for joyrides.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do? What about ponies who want to charter a private flight somewhere?” Twilight pleaded. When the ticketing counter had informed her there were no ships available to hire, she sought out Highwind (as planned) to see if the elder pony had any suggestions.
“I’m sorry, it just isn’t done. We barely have enough docks as it is. You’re not going to find many airships which don’t rely on a docking system,” Highwind responded and shook his head.
“Oh,” Twilight sighed and looked to Rainbow for guidance.
Rainbow frowned and draped a forehoof over Twilight’s shoulders. “You mean to tell me there isn’t a single airship in this whole city for Twilight to do her research with? Twilight loves her research, and this is important to her. Isn’t there anything you can do?”
Highwind sighed and gestured them closer. “Alright, listen up. Maybe I’m being old and sentimental, call it what you like. But...I do have a craft that might be able to serve your purposes.”
“Really?” Twilight smiled hopefully. “I can pay if that’s a problem.”
“Pay? Ha, that’s hardly the problem at all.” Highwind laughed heartily. “Yo, Scootaloo! Get down here.”
“Coming!” Scootaloo piped up from above the rafters. A few seconds later, she popped down next to Highwind and eyed up Twilight and Rainbow. “Oh, hey Rainbow. I didn’t expect to see you again. I figured you would disappear again.”
“Come now, Scootaloo. Don’t get your feathers all ruffled. These two ponies just hired themselves a pilot for some scientific survey flights.”
“I don’t see what it has to do with me,” Scootaloo complained.
“You’re the pilot! You’ve been beggin’ me for months to let you fly solo for your pilot’s training. I’m confident in your abilities. Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you handle Missy.” Highwind patted Scootaloo on the back and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “The only problem is, these two fine ponies don’t exactly have an aircraft. So, I’ll loan you the Breezy. Take good care of her.”
“Breezy? But you said you’d never fly her again because...” Scootaloo’s voice dropped and she eyed up Twilight before turning back to Highwind. “It’s because of Twilight, isn’t it? She—”
“Scootaloo, just take them to Breezy and fly them where they need to go. I’ll handle the rest of your work here in the Aerodrome.”
“Alright, then. Thanks, Mr. Highwind. I won’t let you down.” She trotted down the stairs away from the maintenance area.
“Keep an eye on her, you two,” Highwind said. “She’s spirited and talented, but she still needs to learn a thing or two.” Twilight smiled and grasped one of Mr. Highwind’s forehooves. “Thank you so much! You’re a wonderful stallion.”
Mr. Highwind blushed several different colors and ruffled Twilight’s mane with his hoof when she finally let go. “You’re very welcome. Good luck with your research and come back safely.”
Twilight nodded and bounded down the stairs after Scootaloo. “C’mon, Rainbow! Let’s not keep Scootaloo waiting.”
Rainbow turned to follow, but paused on the steps down. She turned to look at Highwind. “Hey, thanks.”
“You can thank me by keeping an eye on them.”
Rainbow narrowed her eyes and fluffed her wings. “Mr. Highwind, just who are you? Why do you have your own airships?”
“Just a very old stallion with a love of flying. Get going, you don’t want to leave Ms. Twilight all alone.”
“I’d never do that.”
“I’d hope so.”
“Rainbow! Where are you? Let’s get going!” Twilight called up from below.
“I’ll see you soon, Mr. Highwind.” Rainbow got the last word before trotting down the remainder of the steps to join Twilight and Scootaloo. “So, where are we going?”
“Breezy is kept outside of the city a ways, so we’re in for a walk,” Scootaloo responded plainly. “Just follow me.”
* * *
Scootaloo wasn’t joking about the walk. They initially followed the major avenues of the city, heading south until they turned onto a smaller street. It led to a smaller dirt path which wound its way through buildings and alleys until they were outside of the tall city core. It felt like they wandered away from paradise and into what appeared to be a slum of buildings constructed out of sheet metal.
By the time they arrived, Rainbow’s hooves were sore from all the walking. Their destination wasn’t much to look at: the building looked liked an upturned ship hull constructed of a bluish-silvery metal. Dozens of scrap piles were piled all around the central building. Rainbow wasn’t sure if there was a single air-worthy craft in all the junk piles.
Breezy turned out to be the only thing remotely flyable on the whole property. It was a small airship with a rigid aerostat and a single aged engine near the rear which powered a propeller. Scootaloo opened the door and slipped into the pilot’s seat. Rainbow and Twilight followed, finding themselves a little cramped in the small craft.
Setting up in the rear of the passenger basket, Twilight opened up her saddlebags and procured a number of instruments used for measuring air temperature, wind speed, and humidity. With little warning, the airship rose up into the air and before long, they were about a hundred feet off the ground.
Rainbow watched Twilight for a moment, busying herself with various science implements, before she realized she had no idea what was going on. Feeling rather bored, she made her way to the front of the craft and looked over the side of the basket at the ground below. “So, a pilot, huh? That’s pretty cool.”
Scootaloo kept her eyes straight ahead and adjusted the ship’s wheel just a touch to the right. “Thanks. Where do you want me to fly you guys?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Twi? Where are we going?”
“Huh?” Twilight looked up with three different objects floating in the air. “Oh, where. Um, if you could fly out from the city and do a few loops around. I want to measure the air temperature around the city.”
“No problem, we probably only have enough fuel for one time around though.”
“That’s fine, it’s a good start for me. I might want to take a few additional flights in that case.”
“Sure. I’ll steer us south of the city for now and do a loop around.” Scootaloo flicked the wheel casually with her hoof and relaxed against her seat. Occasionally, she glanced at the sparse instrument panel at the front, making adjustments to the trajectory of the craft as necessary.
Rainbow fidgeted on her hooves and looked over the edge of the craft again. “Hey, Scootaloo...”
“Yeah?”
“Being a pilot is pretty cool, but what about just flying on your own?”
“I can fly on my own. I’m not some helpless filly,” Scootaloo responded sharply. “And in case you haven’t noticed, most ponies don’t fly on their own anymore. Everything in the air is mechanical now.”
Rainbow sighed and looked at Scootaloo, who kept her eyes locked on the instruments. “I know that, but it feels different. I bet you’re a fantastic flyer, and I’m sure you could have—”
“Don’t patronize me, Rainbow.I don’t need your sympathy either,” Scootaloo interrupted. “Besides, what chance do I have now that even the Wonderbolts, Equestria’s greatest fliers, are out of commission?”
“I...I don’t know.”
“Exactly. You don’t know! Everything changed after you left. I didn’t want it to, but it did anyways. I thought I finally had a pony who I could lean against, so I wouldn’t have to fend for myself all the time. But no, you took off and became a Wonderbolt.” Scootaloo squeezed her eyes shut tightly and looked away. “I was happy for you. You totally deserved it. But what about me? I know it’s selfish, but I just wanted somepony to be there for me.”
“Scootaloo...”
“I thought you said you were going to take me under your wing! Help me become a great flier! Be my big sister. Instead, all I got was a letter every once in awhile. And even those stopped. I thought you abandoned me, that I somehow wasn’t good enough for you anymore. You were a big-shot Wonderbolt, why would you care about me after my first flight?”
Rainbow was at a loss for words. She looked back toward the rear of the aircraft and found Twilight standing right behind her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Twilight shook her head and smiled. She reached forward and gently gripped Rainbow’s wing within her hooves and gestured toward Scootaloo. Suddenly, Rainbow understood.
Carefully, Rainbow freed her wing from Twilight’s grasp and slid it over Scootaloo. Letting the soft downy underside settle once more on another pony. Scootaloo’s shaking body froze and her stressed gasps of air faded.
“W-what are you doing?” Scootaloo asked quietly.
“Taking you under my wing. Again.” Rainbow let that final word linger and she smiled at Twilight. Twilight wiped her eyes with her hoof and trotted back toward the rear of the craft, a smile upon her face.
“Why?”
“Because I promised I would, and that hasn’t changed. Even if everything else has changed, this hasn’t.” Before Scootaloo could object further, she pulled the younger pegasus closer with her wing. “And listen, I’m really sorry I missed your cutie mark party. I didn’t want to. I never wanted to be away from you, Twi, and all my friends.”
She reached out and placed a hoof on the carved wooden ship’s wheel in front of Scootaloo. “But maybe this counts for a little? This is your first solo flight piloting one of these, right? I’m glad to be here for it. You’re a great pilot. It’s one thing to learn to fly, it’s another to fly beautifully on instinct. You have both.”
Scootaloo blushed and pushed against the wing, but it didn’t give way. Instead, it wrapped around her tighter and held her fast. She sniffled and adjusted the trajectory of the airship. “You better mean it this time, Rainbow. You can only ditch me so many times before I get sick of it.”
Rainbow chuckled and reached out to ruffle Scootaloo’s spikey mane. “You know I mean it. And I know no matter what happens, you’re not going to abandon me either. I’m way too awesome. Ow!”
Scootaloo giggled as she playfully punched Rainbow on the shoulder again. “Stupid Rainbow Dash, do you know how worked up I was last night?”
“Hey! So was I! If it wasn’t for Twi, I don’t think I’d been able to say all those things I just did. But I’m glad I did. You’re a great filly, and a great pony, Scootaloo. I’m glad to have you back in my life.”
* * *
“Mademoiselle, do you have reservations with us tonight?” The maître d' graced Rarity with just enough of a smile that the corner of his lips upturned.
“Indeed I do. Under Rarity, if you please.” Rarity smiled back with an equal amount of respect and allowed one of the ponies from the coat-room to take her shawl.
“Ah, yes. Madame Rarity, it’s a pleasure to have you back. Your table is arranged. I will take you to it straight away. I believe your associate has already arrived.” Rarity nodded her thanks and followed the pony toward the rear of the restaurant next to the grand piano. The other pony present at her table pulled out her chair for her, and she gracefully settled into the plush cushions expertly set into the carved seat.
“Miss Rarity! So lovely to see you. I attend your club frequently, but I rarely have a chance to meet you face-to-face.” Her appointment for the evening smiled irritably at the waiter for filling Rarity’s wine glass with a rich sanguine liquid. He waved the waiter off without even looking back.
Rarity bit her lip but said nothing. Picking up the wine glass in her magic, she tipped the crystal glass to her lips and sipped daintily.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of getting us a bottle of the finest they have here. I understand your fondness for this restaurant, but perhaps in the future we might consider a few nicer places.”
“But of course, Mr. Regent, you gallantly allowed me to chose for tonight. It’s only proper we consider your preferences next time.” Rarity set the wine glass down and looked around on the table for a glass of water—missing. She glanced to the side, and found no waiters present to ask for a glass of water either. Swallowing slowly, she composed herself and smiled. This wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle.
“So, Miss Rarity, any particular reason for calling on me? You’ve deflected my advances expertly in the past. I was beginning to think you weren’t interested.”
Rarity giggled and adjusted her mane ever so slightly with her hoof. “You misunderstand, Mr. Regent. I was simply far too busy to be appropriately attentive to your advances. However, P-Three doesn’t keep me quite as busy these days...”
“Oh? I imagine your friend, Pampie—”
“Pinkie...”
“Right, Pinkie, is handling things right now?”
“Oh yes, she’s a great help when she isn’t performing. It provides me the opportunity to pursue a few other prospects outside of work.”
“So, is this a strictly a personal affair tonight?”
Rarity coughed nervously and took another sip of her wine. “Well, not completely personal. I am interested in hearing your perspectives on a little issue I’ve come upon while running P-Three.”
The stallion leaned forward and regarded her with a predatory smile. “I’d love to impart some of my experience with you. You don’t become the president of the largest bank in Equestria without learning a few things.”
This was the game, and Rarity was excellent at playing it. She extended her hoof across the table, just close enough that his eyes darted to it. “Perhaps you’d like to hear more about it—over dinner, perhaps?” The ruse worked, and Rarity smiled inwardly as her companion of the evening flagged down a waiter. She took the opportunity to inquire for a glass of water, which was delivered promptly.
Her thirst sated, she smiled graciously and drew her hoof back from across the table. “I must thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I imagine you are quite a busy stallion, given your influence and responsibilities.” She fluttered her lashes and put forth the look of an adoring and intrigued mare.
“Very astute of you, Ms. Rarity!” Regent chuckled and enjoyed a long draught of his wine. “In fact, there’s something you can help me with as well. Perhaps we can work out a little arrangement for our mutual benefit.”
Rarity was glad for the wine now. This was proceeding along incredibly boring. She’d press the matter and he’d play it coy. Eventually, the more salacious intentions of her companion would be brought to light. She’d nimbly dodge the clumsy advances and obtain just a little support for the opportunity of a second try.
She played her part and nodded eagerly to his words. The food arrived and she daintily picked at the selection while carefully cataloguing his words. Most of it was typical: offers of “support,” compliments on her “maturity,” and interest in her friends. This caught Rarity off guard, she set down the wine glass. “Pardon me, did you say Twilight Sparkle?”
“Yes, I’m very interested in meeting your friends, especially Twilight Sparkle. She seems to have some interests which align with mine, and I’d love to have an opportunity speak with her. If you could arrange such a meeting, I’m sure I could make it worth your while.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes—or she almost did, but that would have given away the game. Instead, she smiled and finished off the rest of the wine in her glass. “I might be able to arrange a meeting. Nothing too formal, though. Twilight isn’t particularly fond of formalities.”
He waved his hoof casually at her and nodded. “Of course, anything you like. I’d just like the opportunity to talk to her. You’re welcome to join us as well.”
She flung a series of inward curses at herself. Leaving Twilight alone with this sly gentlepony could result in any number of undesirable results. She retrieved her napkin from her lap and set it upon the table cloth, an unspoken finality to the end of the meal. “She’ll most likely ask me to escort her, since she would be unfamiliar with the city. I’ll be in touch.”
Offering her hoof, she forced out a smile as he kissed it. “Have a pleasant night, Mr. Regent. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Oh, and if you wouldn’t mind sending me the details of our arrangement, I’d be most grateful.”
On the way back to P-Three, Rarity pondered the challenges which lay before her. She was certain Twilight would gladly help given the situation. But she was wary of the true intent of this particular stallion. As always, complications seemed to lurk around every corner.