//------------------------------// // Calm Before the Storm // Story: Rearranging Perspectives // by The Dimension Traveler //------------------------------// Rearranging Perspectives Chapter 12: Calm Before the Strom _____________________________________________ It had been two weeks since the fiasco in Manehatten. In the midterm, minor skirmishes had broken out in ten different places, including an attack on Cloudsdale. Sam and his team had also gotten deployed to New Saddle for a week to take care of a suspected third rank Sun Eater. All around, tension was rising as time ticked away. No one had seen hide or hair of Discord and the barrier was only growing weaker. Chrysalis was also disconcertingly quiet, as far as anyone knew. To anyone that could read the signs, a major confrontation appeared to be on the horizon. However, that wasn’t the only pressing issue on a certain pony princess’ mind. Nephthys was still hanging around Canterlot because Celestia wanted to oversee Nephthys’ transfer to Ponyville herself. As a result, Luna was close to tearing out her ethereal mane. Whenever Luna was in the room with her, Nephthys would make it a point to be extra good and sweet. Without fail, Luna would storm off in a huff soon after. When Luna had tried to talk to Celestia about it, she had been more or less brushed off with a wave of the hoof. Celestia just didn’t see why Luna was having issues with, in Luna’s words, ‘the little home wrecker’. Luna had also tried talking to the Elements, but they were all as oblivious as her Sister was. Therefore, Luna decided to try Sam when he had returned from New Saddle. Luna explained to the best of her ability what she was feeling and then sat quietly as Sam thought. ‘Well at least he’s taking the time to actually think about it,’ Luna grumbled mentally “I think I have an idea,” Sam said after a few minutes, “Nephthys was a part of you, thus you subconsciously still consider her as such on some level and it’s not very healthy, psychologically speaking, to hate yourself. It’s also possible, by extension, that your sisterly feelings are an extension of that. ‘Blood is thicker than water’ after all and things like that there. I also think that Nephthys shares these sisterly feelings for you, as evidenced by her drive to annoy you at every possible turn.” “If that’s true, then why does she want to annoy me? Celestia and I have never done that,” Luna remarked “Different siblings interact differently. My second cousins can barely go five minutes without starting to tease each other mercilessly. My uncles are always getting into contests of some sort or another. I guess you and Nephthys are trying to figure out how to interact and Nephthys is trying a more direct approach,” Sam answered “Why does this have to be so complicated?” Luna complained “Better it be complicated than nonexistent. After all, wasn’t it a lack of interaction between you and Celestia that ultimately spawned Nightmare Moon?” Sam pointed out “I suppose you have a point,” Luna conceded, “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” “Of course not,” Sam remarked and Luna shot him a dirty look “Thank you for your time Sam,” Luna said and then walked off ########################### The Doctor was worried. Not that he’d ever admit it. No, he must keep a strong front for Derpy’s sake. Also for Fluttershy, bless her and her self-consciousness. The source of the Doctor’s worries was the TARDIS. Two days ago, it had kicked him out and refused to let him back in, no matter how much he implored and bribed. He wasn’t sure if his imagination was playing tricks on him or not, but he could have sworn he had heard the cloister bell before being given the boot. If that was indeed the case, then the Sun Eaters were an even bigger threat than he had imagined. “Hey Doctor, want a muffin?” Derpy asked, snapping the Doctor out of his musings. “Does it have butter?” He asked and Derpy rolled her good eye. “You know too much of this stuff is going to clog your arteries,” Derpy remarked as she handed over the butter covered muffin. “Nonsense! I’m a Time Lord; a little butter can’t hurt me!” The Doctor protested before he took a big bite into the muffin as if to prove his point. “So Doctor, what’s wrong?” Derpy asked, nearly causing the Doctor to choke. “Wrong?! Whoever said anything was wrong?!” He shouted before getting over his panic. Derpy merely raised an eyebrow. “Doctor, just because I’ve got one bad eye doesn’t mean I can’t see. You’re constantly fidgeting and looking in the direction you parked the TARDIS. Rule #1 of traveling with the Doctor: The Doctor lies,” The pegasus recited. “Alright, you’ve got me. It’s these Sun Eaters. I’m worried that they’ll be able to attack in full force before we’re ready,” The Doctor admitted, “And the TARDIS has kicked me out for some reason.” “Remember the time you told me the story of how you and your friends saved the Earth when the Daleks tried to create a reality destroying weapon with it?” Derpy asked “Yes,” The Doctor answered “Well, I’m sure that if push comes to shove, your friends will show up again and help to save the day,” Derpy said with such complete confidence that the Doctor couldn’t help but believe her. Besides, their record did speak for itself. Those he called friends did have a habit of turning up just when things looked their bleakest. If no one else, Jack was sure to pop up at least once. “You know, Derpy, I think you’re right,” ######################## Rarity was soaking in a tub after a long day of training. Her troops were doing fantastically and each and every one of them was a credit to the army. However, Rarity’s thoughts were drifting elsewhere. Rarity was thinking about the day she had received her Cutie Mark, how her horn had dragged her to a rock filled with gems and seeing Dash’s Rainboom. She couldn’t help but wonder if her Cutie Mark had meant something deeper than what she had originally thought. After all, one would hardly expect one who was supposed to be naught but a simple dressmaker to be so adept at using gems in offensive and defensive spellcrafting. Her Cutie Mark was three diamonds, the hardest naturally occurring thing known to ponykind and a common spellcrafting gem. Further, those diamonds were cut into parallelograms, one of the most versatile shapes in basic spellcraft. She had found multiple gemstones in that rock, plenty of topaz, lots of rubies, many sapphires, but no diamonds. Only now that she thought about it did she find it strange that her Cutie Mark was the one well known gem that wasn’t found within the rock. “Did my Cutie Mark have a dual meaning the whole time? Was I always supposed to be a great spellcrafter, but until now neglected that side of my talent? What if this war never happened? They say ignorance is bliss, but are they right?” Rarity wondered aloud to herself. Whatever the case, one thing was certain; she would use whatever she could to protect her friends, family, and home. ####################### Trixie wondered what she had done to deserve the place she currently was at in life. She had comrades, if she was feeling brave, maybe even friends. Her CO put up with her, even when her mouth got away from her. She was learning magics she had never even dreamed of. All in all, life was good for the pale blue unicorn mare. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t deserve it. Call her an idiot, call her a masochist, call her whatever you like, Trixie felt as if she was ‘living on borrowed time’ as her favorite uncle might put it. Ever since that fiasco in Ponyville, her sense of self worth had become virtually nonexistent. Not that it was ever anything to behold to begin with. After all, what self respecting pony goes around constantly calling themselves ‘The Great and Powerful’ unless it was to convince themselves that they were actually worth a buck? Therefore, Trixie lay there, long after the rest of her comrades had fallen asleep, wondering if she was just wasting everypony’s time. Or, if there was something she could do to prove to herself that she did indeed belong in that elite group. Sleep evaded Trixie for the better part of the night. When she finally did fall asleep, she still didn’t have an answer. Little did she know that her chance was coming. She would just have to be patient.