//------------------------------// // A Night to Remember // Story: Deception on the Darkest Night // by _Medicshy //------------------------------// It was a good twenty minutes before the first ponies went below the Darkest Night's deck, the culprits being Greenback and Diamond Wishes, their whispers and giggles finally silencing as they went off to make the old stallion happy. The next pony to leave was Prince Blueblood, bored of the sight of Canterlot at sunset retreating below and having nothing to watch now that Wishes was gone. Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis left a short time later as Canterlot faded into the clouds and twilight faded into dusk. Two ponies remained on the stern of the ship, however, watching the rolling clouds beneath them as the moon began to rise, its gentle glow turning the sky into a silver ocean through which they sailed. Only the constant chill of the high-altitude air and the occasional pegasus flying by to check the rigging on the balloon above broke the illusion for Ink Well and Rose, who kept each other company like they hadn't been able to do in so long. Had either of them thought about it, they probably would have found it funny that the only two still out under the moon's glow were the ones who'd flown quite a bit before, one on his own wings and the other on a gossamer spell, but that was the last thing on their minds. Though neither had said it, they had both traveled back to that night when she had first flown, the night of their first date, the night they both knew had drawn them together. They relived it now, Rose's head on Ink Well's shoulder, his head resting on hers, his wing around her back as he pointed out the little moonbows where the eddies of the ship kicked up a bit of frost. They could have stayed like that forever, the world forgotten apart from the warmth of each other. Unfortunately it was not to be, as their bubble was popped by the entrance of a white unicorn, the one Ink Well had guessed was the ship's steward. “Excuse me, Master Well, but dinner and this evening's entertainment are about to begin. We humbly ask that you join the others in the dining room.” Both of them turned around when they were addressed, feeling the moment they were sharing fade and get left behind the airship. “Thank you, but please, don't give me any title or anything. Ink Well's fine, Mr...?” The steward nodded. “My apologies, Ink Well. I will remember in the future. My name is Silver Bell, though you may refer to me as the Steward, if that is most convenient.” Silver Bell gestured off to the side. “If you would kindly follow me, I will show you to your table.” He set off before either Rose or Ink Well could say anything, but kept a pace they could easily follow as he strode across the dark wood deck and to the door to lower decks, holding it until both of them had entered. The interior of the ship was surprisingly bright considering the night sky motif the exterior sported. The silver trimming and deep blue panels flowed in from outside, running along the lower half of the wall, while the upper took on a light cream paint, with clouds in the design. It made the hall feel surprisingly airy without being excessively decadent or stylized. Tasteful paintings hung along the walls, with silver sconces providing a gentle, even lighting throughout. It was all practical, yet with an air of sophistication and style only a princess’s ship could have. As Ink Well and Rose admired the interior, Silver Bell continued to lead them down two flights of stairs, stopping at a set of double doors with crescent-moon windows through which the dimmed interior could be seen. “I am sorry, it appears that the show may have started without you, so I ask that your remain quiet as I take you to your chair.” He opened the doors quietly, something unnecessary as the drum roll playing inside drowned out all noise, running under a mare's voice just as she began talking. “Feast your eyes on the most astounding, most sensational, most mystifying show you have ever seen. Prepare for feats no mortal could comprehend, that have even the unicorns at Canterlot University mesmerized.” Silver Bell led the couple to a table with Prince Blueblood, who completely ignored them coming, his eyes set on the swirling spotlights on the stage. “Watch and be amazed by the one, the only, the Great and Powerful Trixie!” There was a puff of swirling silver blue smoke, from which appeared a blue mare with a silver mane in a magician's hat and cape, purple with stars covering both, a large diamond holding the cape to her chest. Rose smacked a hoof to her face, drawing a raised eyebrow from Ink Well. “Oh no... not her.” Ink Well leaned in close, so as not to disturb the prince ogling the showmare. “Who is that?” Rose looked at him curiously. “You weren't there for that? She came to Ponyville a few years ago boasting about how great at magic she was, then got the whole place destroyed by an Ursa Minor before she was scared away by Twilight Sparkle. She messed up my shop, was completely full of herself, and didn’t even pay for the damages. If I'd never seen her again it would have been too soon.” Ink Well looked over at the stage, where Trixie was starting her act. “Now, for Trixie's first act, please observe this simple deck of cards.” With accompanying fireworks and music, Trixie's magic enveloped the cards, conveying them across the stage to show that, in fact, it was a standard deck of cards. Then, with a flourish, the cards began to act like a ribbon, racing around her and whipping through the air with more flair than a gymnast before condensing above her and exploding out, an even amount flying to all four tables. The cards landed perfectly on each, spelling out 'Trixie,' each one having turned into a queen, her face for the picture and her cutie mark for the suit. Blueblood, Diamond Wishes, Greenback, Fleur, and Fancy Pants all began to applaud, the first three raucously, the last two politely, while the other five in the room remained silent in varying states of disbelief. Well, that wasn't entirely true: the male guard of the Gryphon ambassador looked eager to applaud, but his position held him back. Still, the rest looked unimpressed, a fact you'd hardly notice from the bowing being done on stage. “Thank you, thank you! Yes, Trixie is amazing, and the show has not even begun!” She began to set up her next trick, but Ink Well was zoned out, examining the card in front of him. It was a fairly simple illusion holding the picture there and, ever since his run with The Doctor and the gift of a piece of psychic paper he'd received afterward, he'd found himself able to recognize illusions a lot faster. Probably some side effect of using the paper, he really didn’t know, but it definitely hurt the impact of the show. All of the light and smoke, all of the flash and glitz Trixie put into her act... it was all meaningless, not real magic, just a very good illusion... One rather full of itself, if the choice of image was any guess. And the way she kept announcing herself by name... Ink Well leaned in towards Rose, brushing the cards into a pile near Blueblood as he did. “I can see how she got on your nerves.” Rose just nodded slowly, sighing and looking across the room. “At least I'm not the only one, though you'd hardly tell in this group.” Not a moment later Blueblood began whistling and cheering as Trixie detached herself from the chains holding her to the ceiling, the kitten strapped to the knife-filled wheel mewling cutely as it was taken offstage. Rose looked at the Prince with her nose wrinkled in disgust before adjusting her dress and leaning on the table. “I wonder what’s on the menu...” As if he'd sensed her curiosity, Silver Bell appeared behind Ink Well and Rose, a menu floating between them with his magic. “Our choices this evening are a Caesar Salad served with your choice of dressing, a rose petal pesto with fresh cut basil and pine nuts, or a bouillabaisse with a fresh baked garlic bread bowl. Here is a wine list, a drink list, and I will return momentarily for your order.” He left, circling the room and giving the others his prepared routine as the show continued, making sure to ask them in lulls in the activity. By the time he returned to Rose and Ink Well they had decided on getting the pesto and the bouillabaisse respectively, as well as the suggested wines. Neither of them were known for drinking, but with dinner, especially in a setting like this, it really wasn't a question. The show continued on, the couple taking a passing interest in it, but more often looking around the room than at the magician on stage. Fancy Pants and Fleur had ended up sharing a table with Greenback and Diamond, and while all of them kept their attention on the show, Fleur and her husband seemed only to be doing so politely because this was a social occasion and it was the thing to do. This didn't stop the other two from pointing out things between kisses they thought they were stealing sneakily, but at least it kept the whole table occupied. Blueblood, realizing that his table didn't seem to be appreciating the show, at least kept his cheering and leering to ponies other than Rose. He whistled at Trixie, and Diamond Wishes, at an engineer that had hurried through the back of the room, at the gryphoness guard again, and almost had done so at the Steward before realizing the pony holding the drinks was the wrong gender for his attention. It was so loud and so obnoxious that, completely unconsciously on the part of Ink Well and Rose, their wine glasses had been refilled twice before the bread rolls had even come out. The final table, which was quite large and richly decorated, held the ambassador and his two guards. This was obviously supposed to be the Princess's table, but since she was unable to come, the gryphons had free reign. The ambassador watched the show with interest, not loud like the others, but studying, analyzing, while the guards didn't seem particularly impressed with the flashy magic. That wasn't to say Trixie wasn't putting on a fantastic show, just that they were so intent on looking tough that nothing was going to rouse much from them. Rose's cheeks were flushed the same color as her mane by the time dinner came out, causing her to sit quietly, smile, and stare intently as she tried to work a fork designed for a unicorn with her hooves. Ink Well, unable to contain his giggling at Blueblood's catcalls and slowly egging the prince on, took a wavy look at the stew in front of him before coming to the conclusion that he should eat it. It was superb, precisely what would be expected from a royal chef, even to the point that he almost forgot the fish inherent in the dish. Still, it was delicious and didn't seem to disagree with him, even if he had been the only pony in the room to order it. Not the only person, mind. A quick glance over at the gryphon's table showed that they had all ordered the bouillabaisse as well, savoring it like a fine wine. Well, the ambassador was. The guards were eating it and trying not to look impressed. Trixie's show began to run a little flat as the Steward came around to offer desert, but with one final trick and a blast of fireworks she was gone, pulling one final round of applause from the room. Many sad to see her go and some sad she hadn't left sooner. Dessert held a Gryphon rum cake for Rose and Ink Well, again something that seemed to be avoided by the ponies in the room, but not the gryphons. Ink Well, in his wine-fogged head, felt like he should feel proud or something, but he mostly felt that the cake was a lot tastier than he expected. As the desserts began to dwindle from everypony's plate, Ink Well looked over at Rose, who was currently sipping her drink quietly, her cheeks maintaining their glowing, rosy hue. It was really adorable. Unable to help himself, he leaned over, kissing Rose gently on the cheek. “Are you alright? You've been awfully quiet tonight.” He giggled to himself as he went back to sitting up straight, overshooting it on his first try. Rose swayed after trying to lean into the kiss, her drink returning to the table as her mind simply couldn't do two things at once. “I'm fine. I just haven't had this much fun in a long while.” She hiccupped, then giggled, looking at her husband shyly, a slightly wicked grin on her face. “Who knew bad table mates made good entertainment?” In unison both of them looked over at the third member of the table, whose attentions were solely drawn to the gryphoness guard, his other attempts for the night going unnoticed once Fleur had shifted her seat to look away from him and Diamond Wishes had fallen into nigh-endless giggling at the constant whispers from Greenback. As Ink Well watched, he got an extremely mean idea in his head, which caused him to lean forward, patting the prince conspiratorially on the back. “Hey, colt, I think she likes you.” The prince responded absentmindedly, not noticing either the slightly fuzzy speech pattern or the mocking tone of voice. “Do you really think so? She had seemed so gruff, but there is something undeniably exotic about her.” Ink Well blew air dismissively through his lips. “Nah, she's just a guard. She's supposed to look mean. She's really into you.” Prince Blueblood looked at him and Rose, obviously excited by the prospect, but still a little wary. “Are you sure?” “Go for it! Now's your big chance,” Ink Well said encouragingly while Rose, completely in on the act, nodded and waved a hoof for him to hurry up. Prince Blueblood looked at the rosy cheeked couple and nodded, looking extremely confident suddenly. “Of course! Who could ever say no to a prince?” He got up from the table, causing Ink Well and Rose to high-hoof and do their very best to hold in their laughter. A moment later the Prince could be heard at the other table. “Hello fair maiden, what brings you upon this fine vessel?” The gryphoness's voice was tough and low, no nonsense and completely insulted it was being talked to. “What do you think?” Ink Well peeked over, having to try very hard to stop his wings from springing out in excitement as he saw the prince sit down next to the gryphoness guard, pulling chuckles from the other guard and another analyzing look from the ambassador. Without a hint of backing down Prince Blueblood kept talking, his voice dripping with sleaze. “Well, I'm sure your employer wouldn't mind allowing a night off. Have you ever slept in a royal bed? It's an experience you'll never forget.” The resulting tension could be cut with a knife, and only the giggling from Ink Well and Rose brought any levity to the room as all eyes fell on the gryphoness. Her hackles raised and a sound somewhere between a roar and a screech built up in the back of her throat as she spread her wings, showing the blades there and shooting even sharper daggers with her eyes. “You royal dweeb, what did you just say to me?” She started to stand, looking for all the world like she was about to descend violently on the Prince, whose pupils shrank as he began to shiver and cower before the predatory rage before him. However, before anything could happen, a cough sounded at the front of the room, amplified by the microphone on the stage. “Excuse me everyone,” the Steward said, his voice completely calm despite the bloodbath that was about to begin. “We regret to inform you that, for your safety and for a few final checks on the workings of the ship, we are going to have to ask you all to go to your cabins for the evening. Starting tomorrow you shall have free roam of the passenger sections of the Darkest Night at all hours, but until then if you could each go to your own rooms, it would be greatly appreciated. If you do not know where they are, please follow me.” As Silver Bell stepped off of the stage, the gryphoness's attention returned to the Prince, the fire returning to her eyes as she brought up a claw to strike him. Before she could, however, the ambassador's claw rested on her shoulder, a few words being spoken in his native tongue. After a tense second, the guard backed down, folding her wings and returning her claw to the floor as the party made their way after the Steward. Before she left, though, she growled at Prince Blueblood, an undeniable threat behind the noise. Prince Blueblood stood there, frozen, as the others passed by him, Rose and Ink Well still giggling to each other despite the dangerous situation, a little too far gone to care what happened to the annoying sovereign. Eventually he was able to steady himself, following the others as everyone made their way up a level to the cabins. From the stairs a single hall extended, four doors on either side, one at the far end, and one directly behind. The steward guided each of the groups into their cabin as they came; Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis in the close right, Blueblood in the far right, the gryphons in the close left, Greenback and Diamond Wishes in the far left, and, since the large room they were near was reserved for the Princess herself, Rose and Ink Well held the room at the end of the hall. Everyone thanked the steward as he led them to their rooms, though he left before witnessing Ink Well and Rose lean on each other and stumble down the hall to the door at the end. Their cabin was fancy, Ink Well was sure, but the first thing that he noticed was that he was incredibly hot, so as soon as he got the door closed behind him he peeled off his tuxedo coat, with much fumbling around the buttons with his wings. By the time he got it and the shirt beneath it off, he turned to find Rose in a similar state, her beautiful ivy dress pooled around her hooves as she unlaced the ribbons on her shoes and stepped onto the carpeting. Her cheeks were a little red, almost matching the lighter pink in her mane, but it looked like a well-applied blush on her, making Ink Well smile just at the sight. Unfortunately, Rose didn't seem to share the sentiment as she walked across the room. “It's very hot in here, isn't it?” she mumbled as she threw open the doors to what seemed to be a balcony and was silenced by the rush of chill air. Ink Well followed after her, the cool rush of air just enough to stop his stumbling as he made his way to her side, brushing up against her as he did. When she didn't react, he looked out at the sight, and suddenly he understood why. The two of them stood on a small balcony beneath the bow of the airship, built so exquisitely that it wasn't even visible when he'd looked at it at the dock. But now, under the front of the hull as it soared through the clouds, he couldn't be happier it existed. Beneath them, sprawling out like a fluorescent spider web, with lights stabbing into the air in every color, was a city he instantly recognized. He had flown there many times a few years ago, sometimes during the day, sometimes in the stunning night, and it had always been alive and always been beautiful. It was Manehattan, the city that never slept, the Big Apple itself, shining like a beacon when seen from the ground, but from the air it was a light show that outdid any firework, with an intricacy in the glittering lights of all those ponies below that put snowflakes to shame. Ink Well felt a shiver from Rose, the nighttime air freezing so high up, and extended a wing subconsciously over her, pulling her into a hug as they both looked down at the sight. It was the one thing he'd wished he'd been able to show her between the rehearsals and the mess with the Doctor. The one sight that could rival that moonlit night over Ponyville. “I always wanted to show you this, but I never got around to it...” Rose leaned against him, her warm cheek pressed against his chest. “It's beautiful... And to think we almost missed it.” Ink Well smirked, kissing his wife tenderly on the top of her head. “Manehattan has a lot of charm, the lights glitter quite well, but there is but one beauty here, and I'm under her spell.” It took only a moment for Rose's head to look up at him, a matching smirk on her face. He shurgged, looking at her innocently. “I only do the couplets because you like them, and I only said it because it's true.” Rose shook her head knowingly, then leaned forward, letting their lips touch as she showed her appreciation. After much too short a time for both of them she pulled back, her ivy eyes locked on his emerald ones. “I'll admit, I do love it. But that doesn't make it any less cheesy.” She nuzzled against him as she returned to looking at the lights below, settling comfortably in his embrace. Ink Well's wing began to rub her back as he did his best not to disturb her. “Cheesy or not, you deserve no less. You don't get nearly enough credit for what you do and not enough time to relax as you should.” He looked at her again, her face caught in both the silver glow of the moon and the warm light of Manehattan, and yet neither warmed it as much as herself. She wasn't a model like Fleur, or primped and preened like Diamond Wishes, but, as he caught a glimpse of the ink pot earring she wore, matching both his cutiemark and the earring he had of hers, he knew she would always be the most beautiful mare in his life. Because she was his and he was hers. Smiling a little deeper at that thought, he realized she'd caught him staring, and he just spoke what was on his mind. “You looked ravishing tonight, Rosy. Even better than you did at the opening.” Rose opened her mouth to speak, about to brush aside his compliment, but he didn't let her, meeting the words at her lips and silencing them with another kiss, deep and caring. And when he was sure she got the message that he wouldn't let her put herself down again, he pulled away, placing his forehead against hers. “I love you Rose. I always will.” Rose snuggled against him, throwing her hooves around his neck in a hug. “I love you too, Inky.” However, as she came back, her eyes were half-lidded, looking at him invitingly... hungrily. “Hmm... you said I look ravishing this evening?” “Yeah...” Ink Well said weakly, his slightly fuzzy mind very much appreciating where this was going as he kicked the doors outside shut behind him. Rose continued to lead him back towards the bed, stopping when her rear hoof bumped against it and she sat on its edge. “Well, Mr. Writer, I don't think your description was enough. You told me about a lovely little picture...” Her hooves tightened around his neck, her warm, wine-scented breath washing over him as she whispered in his ear. “Now make me feel it.” Ink Well's eyes widened, only opening further when she pulled him forward onto the bed, the chill, the glow of Manehattan, and the silvery moon outside were all forgotten, as was the stifling heat inside the room. After all, he thought to himself as the airship continued on its way, he'd promised her a relaxing vacation. And he never breaks his promises. Bright sunlight speared into the bedroom the next morning, rousing the sleeping lovers from their bed and bringing pained moans from both of them. A pair of matching headaches had them both squinting at the light, Rose the one to actually get up and close the curtains while Ink Well just shielded his eyes with a wing and held his head with his hoof. “Remind me not to drink like that again, could you? No matter how nice the night was, the morning's not to be trifled with.” Rose opened the balcony door to let some of the heat and smell from the room, but as the memory of last night hit her, she turned around, smiling sheepishly, a blush on her cheeks. “You don't think anypony else... minded, do you?” Ink Well looked at her for a moment, his throbbing head taking a moment to realize what the question was. “What? No. Are you kidding? With the way Wishes had her tongue down Greenback's throat as they went into their room, I suspect we weren't even the only ones.” Rose didn't seem as calmed by his explanation as he'd hoped she'd be. “But it's the Princess's private yacht! What if she finds out? And it's supposed to be a diplomatic voyage! If the others heard us...” Ink Well got up, walking over to Rose and wrapping her in a comforting hug. “Rose, this is a pleasure cruise and a vacation, remember that. You're here to relax and enjoy yourself, and that's all that you did. If anything, the damage was done when we egged the prince into hitting on that gryphoness.” “Oh, don't remind me,” groaned Rose, though an unmistakable smile began to form on her face. “Watching that pompous ass get shot down was entirely worth it.” “Agreed. And since the Princess did ask me to play diplomat for a little while, I'll try to smooth things over with them tonight.” He hugged her again. “But don't worry about a thing, alright? We're just going to enjoy the trip like everypony else.” When he was done, he got up, moving across the dark blue carpeting to the closet that contained their trunk. “Now come on, there's probably breakfast already waiting.” He turned around, donning his battered brown fedora as he did. Rose rolled her eyes as she walked towards the trunk, her dress and his coat from the previous evening both hung over her foreleg. “You're going to go out in that thing? Really?” She hung up both pieces of clothing in the closet before reaching into the trunk herself, looking for something. Ink Well stood behind her, looking slightly annoyed. “Yes, I am. Fedoras are cool, and after the first night it's not about looking good, even though I do look good in this hat, it's about being comfortable, right? That's why we only brought the one fancy outfit for a four day cruise.” A sigh escaped the trunk as Rose pulled her head out, running a brush through her mane and tail. “Yes, we're supposed to be comfortable, but we can still look presentable. That old hat's seen better days.” With her hair brushed back to perfection, she dropped the brush back into the trunk and continued looking for whatever she'd been searching for initially. While she busied herself in the trunk, Ink Well took off his hat, frowning as he examined it. Sure, it looked a little beat up, but it wasn't actually shabby or torn. And considering it was in his bag when the Weather Factory collapsed, meaning it was buried under Luna-know's how much rubble after falling a few thousand feet to the ground, he thought it looked just fine. In fact, arguably, he looked worse than the hat did. Between the discoloration around his hooves from the fire during the Equirer incident, the scar in his side from his encounter with Viper, and the large scar in his chest from his time with the Doctor, he figured the hat looked far better than he did. “I'm a little worse for wear myself. You don't ask me to cover that up.” There was a pause in the rummaging through the trunk, then Rose pulled herself out of it, looking at him sadly, but with a small smile on her face. “Because I love you exactly as you are, scars and all.” As she spoke, she placed a flower behind her ear: the crystal rose, the only one of its kind, brought from the future and used to propose to her. Even with the curtains drawn, the crystal caught the light in the room, the inside of the clear petals full of dancing rainbows. The sight of his gift to her being worn made Ink Well smile. Then, after a moment of consideration, he took the hat off of his head and offered it to her. “If you've got a better idea, I guess I'll defer to your judgment.” Rose took the hat hesitantly, hearing the disappointment in his voice despite his smile. And what a smile it was... one that had brought her through many years of hardships big and small, and none of them as bad as his. She didn't have a scar on her body and worried even now that he'd have less on his if she'd been there just a little more. She thought for a moment, peeking into the trunk at the top hat she'd stashed to the side from his other outfit. He'd look so good in it... In one smooth motion she placed the fedora back on his head, tapping it lightly to set it in place. Then, after looking at him for a moment, she smiled. “Nope, I think you're right. You look great in that hat, and the others will just have to appreciate that.” Seeing his face light up wiped away any doubt she had in her decision as she closed the trunk and walked to his side. “Ready to go?” “After you, dear.” Ink Well held open the door, letting Rose walk out into the hall and start the social part of their day. Breakfast was a much less formal affair than dinner, with a buffet table set up for whenever the guests awoke. The setup was still fancy, almost all of it food of a higher quality than Rose or Ink Well had ever really had, but without the show or the set tables, the whole affair was much lower key. The couple decided to sit with Fleur and Fancy Pants, watching the other guests trickle in slowly and maintaining a pleasant, if subdued, conversation. However, as Greenback and his wife walked into the room, Fancy's tone got a touch quieter. “I say, did you hear the racket those two were making last night? One could hardly imagine them willing to be that uncouth on a voyage sponsored by our lesser princess.” While Ink Well's face scrunched up in annoyance at the sentiment Fancy showed to their host, Rose's face was carefully flat, a slight hint of red at her cheeks. “You don't say...” she said, seemingly dead focused on the grapefruit crepe before her. “Oh, my, yes. The young mare was quite vocal, even down the hall.” Fancy Pants took out his monocle, cleaning it off with a soft cloth held in his magic while Fleur simply nodded in disappointed agreement. “One could hardly imagine a pony being so rude, and on the first night no less. Calling out. moaning, demanding to be ravished and simply... are you alright?” Fancy replaced his monocle as Rose and Ink Well coughed in unison, the first wiping her eye with her napkin while the second placed down his glass of juice, holding a wing to his mouth to keep it in. Both also seemed to be avoiding eye contact with each other. “Will you be alright? Should I get the Steward?” Ink Well was the first to recover, the pink on his cheeks fading away as he put his wing down. “No need, we are just fine. I just don't recall hearing anything of the sort last night, though I suppose we were rather tired, weren't we Rosy?” Rose nodded, still looking away from the table as she wiped her face. Fleur looked at her with a raised eyebrow, while Fancy gave a slight smirk. Covering for her, Ink Well leaned in, his voice low. “Let's be honest, you'd be a bit tired too if you'd been forced to share a table with the Prince.” Fancy sat up slightly straighter, his smirk becoming his pleasant, if slightly condescending, smile. “Ah, yes, quite the young lad, Blueblood. He looked rather crestfallen when I saw him earlier. I think he overheard the banker and was rather jealous.” He looked across the room, where the unicorn in question was sitting forlornly at his table, a very fancy crescent roll in front of him. “It's hard for one to be disappointed at the immortality of our rulers with heirs of his caliber out and about.” Fleur's slightly confused look shifted from Rose to Fancy Pants, her face showing a tinge of anger she wasn't going to let out at the table. Ink Well watched, not particularly wanting to respond to that comment as he looked over at Blueblood. However, by the time he looked, the Prince was much happier, his face positively perky as he looked across the room. Ink Well followed his eyes to the object of his attention: a pegasus mare walking through the back of the hall, the staff uniform on. Ink Well recognized her as the one who almost ran into him at the hangar, and was unsurprised to see her shuffled off by the Steward as he watched. He was also, to his own chagrin, unsurprised to watch Prince Blueblood quickly finish his food and head off after her. Even Princess Luna is ashamed of him... I think we can go past pleasantries here. Gossip is practically an upper-class pastime. “Yes, well, somepony has to continue on the royal bloodline, right? Though if he could do it a bit less avidly...” By this point Rose had recovered, and with how little Ink Well wished to badmouth the rich and powerful, the topic was soon changed and the food finished pleasantly. After breakfast Ink Well and Rose went up to the deck of the ship, wondering what exactly there was to do. As it turned out, not much. The deck had shuffleboard, which looked to be about as boring a game as Ink Well had ever seen, if the expressions of those playing could be used to judge. Or, rather, the fact that Wishes and Greenback were paying absolutely no attention to the board, much more content to whisper sweet nothings to each other, to the everlasting annoyance of Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants, who were making a much better showing. Apart from that, inside the ship, there was a study with a substantial library, a chess set, and a full bar in the corner. And that was it, a veritable wasteland of things to do. And, since neither Rose nor Ink Well were drinkers, the two of them sat at the chess table, idly moving pieces as they thought about their situation. “So, how is it that ponies stand cruises?” Ink Well asked as he took a pawn with his knight. He was playing black. It was polite to let the lady go first. Rose moved her queen, removing Ink Well's poorly protected knight from the board. “I don't know... I thought there would be more to do, or more to talk about, but Fancy Pants and Fleur are the only two ponies I'd like to actually be associated with, no matter how powerful the others are, and... well, Fancy Pants was a bit rude earlier, wasn't he?” Ink Well snorted, moving a pawn forward. “'Our lesser princess'... It's statements like that that are why Luna held this voyage, and she was called away from it by her sister. If I were still writing articles the culture of our higher class would be all over the place by now.” He leaned back in his chair, adjusting his hat. “I'm glad we kept him up last night...” Rose coughed politely as she moved her knight, taking the offered pawn. “Check. And, please, if we could not mention that to anypony...” She placed an elbow on the table, leaning her cheek on a hoof as she played with the dead pieces with her other hoof. “Still, without the Princess here it's just a very long time locked in an enclosed space with ponies we don't like. Though I suppose avoiding them could make for an interesting sport.” Ink Well took the knight with a bishop, frowning. “I hate the rich. Canterlot snobs can be even worse than the worst thieves and killers anywhere else. There's a reason the city has the reputation it does. I mean, really, look at all the pale unicorns flouncing about in the lap of luxury while everypony else toils away… They even had a magic show for their entertainment. Avoiding them might be for the best, really.” Rose replaced the bishop with another knight. “Check. But you can't think like that, Ink Well. That's very unpolitical talk, and weren't you the one our Princess called on to play diplomat in her absence? You were probably invited to be a friend, but instead you get to be her confidant. You should be proud, even if the work is a little difficult.” Ink Well's king moved, hiding behind a pawn and locked firmly into its castle. “I suppose you're right, but they're all so unpleasant. If one of them had Rarity's class, then they might be worth the time, but the only pony close is Fleur. And I would talk to the gryphons, but they've been aloof the whole time. Have you seen any of them today? Maybe I'll get lucky and be bailed out this evening when Luna gets back from her trip.” Rose shook her head. “I wouldn't count on it, Inky. And unpleasant or not, you're going to have to deal with them. Just try to make nice. Engage the gryphons. Convince the others to give Princess Luna the chance she deserves. I'll do my best to help you out, but ultimately the job falls to you.” After looking at the board intently, she picked up her queen, taking the pawn sitting in front of the king. “Checkmate.” Ink Well looked at the board for a few moments, seeing all of his missteps along the way, and just shrugged. “I'll do my best, but I think you've already proven you're better at this sort of thing than I am. And you've just proven that you're more clever.” Rose smiled playfully. “Well, we always knew that, didn't we, dear?” When she saw the annoyed look on his face she rolled her eyes. “Oh, lighten up. You never give yourself enough credit, and this is no exception. Just give it a shot.” She smiled at him again as he sat there, fore hooves folded over his scarred chest and battered hat sitting on his head. And yet, despite that, she'd never think of him as anything but handsome... it was almost strange how that worked. “Take it from me. You've got charm, a certain charisma most ponies would envy. All you have to do is use it.” As she talked, she placed the pieces back in starting position on the board, gesturing to them once they were set. “Another game?” Ink Well shook his head. “No. I'm good. I can only lose so much.” He sighed, then stood up from the chair, walking over to Rose's side and giving her a peck on the cheek. “I'll find you a little later. I have some gryphons to chat with.” Rose smiled, waving him off as he left. “Good luck!” With that she got up herself, moving to the library to find a good way to pass the time. After a very short search, a book caught her eye. Of Wings and Horn was pulled from the shelf, a small smile on her face as she settled into a comfortable chair to reread her past. Despite Ink Well's best efforts, the gryphon ambassador and his guard remained an elusive bunch throughout the day, which was quite the accomplishment considering the size of the Darkest Night. While impressive, it was by no means large. There were cruise ships, both sea and air, much bigger than this yacht. Since he couldn't seem to find the gryphons, he instead spent his time admiring the ship. It really was amazing how a few tons of wood and rope could be lifted by just the balloon above them. Sure, it was massive, but sitting beneath it and considering the ship, the white orb hanging above it seemed so very, very small. Slightly curious about the balloon's design, he flew up to it, only to hear a voice call out to him as he reached towards it with a hoof. “Don't touch the canvas!” He stopped his hoof immediately, looking for the source of the voice on the deck below, only to hear it continue from a little to his side. “It's very fragile with all the tension on it, and any roughness on your hoof might cause a small leak. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but it could eventually become a problem.” A sky blue pegasus mare floated beside him, yellow mane tucked under the dull grey uniform of the engineers. She had a few items attached to her belt, but her yellow eyes were running over the canvas, making sure he hadn't damaged anything. After a moment, Ink Well realized that he knew this mare: she'd almost run into him in the hangar, and the Prince had followed her around earlier that day. After a moment, he extended a friendly hoof. “Sorry about the scare, didn't mean to worry you, just wondering about the ship. The name's Ink Well, and you are?” The mare began to offer her hoof, then stopped, looking at Ink Well suspiciously. “Silver Bell told me not to introduce myself to the guests, and he's already yelled at me twice for being in their way...” Ink Well's smile faded slightly. “Well, I was asking for your name to be friendly, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't lump me in with the the others. I am but a humble writer. I'm just interested in how the ship works and hoping Blueblood didn't try anything too bad with you.” The look of annoyance on her face said it all. “He was on me like a dog! I had to loop around through the staff-only maintenance tunnels just to get away from him, though I contemplated hopping out a window before then.” She took a rag off of her belt, wiping it on what looked to be an oil bottle before spreading the liquid onto the ropes that held the balloon in place. “He kept talking about how amazing he was, obviously aimed at me, but acting like he was having a conversation with the air, then waiting around for a complement. I... I don't know how a stallion can be like that.” Satisfied with her work, she moved to the next rope and repeated the process. “And I have no idea how he's prince.” Ink Well followed her as she applied lubrication to the lines, not sure of it's purpose, but glad to see the machine he was riding was so well tended. “Yeah, well, I had to sit with him at dinner last night. It was the first night I've gotten drunk in years. He hollered at the magic show, and Trixie herself, like somepony much 'beneath his station.' Really, I don't think princes are at all like you read in books.” The engineer sighed, finishing up her oiling of the rigging. “Shame. Still, now that I know how he is, I can avoid him in the future. And thanks for the talk. I don't usually get to chat while working. Ink Well, right?” “Yes, a pleasure, Ms...?” Ink Well extended a hoof again. Taking the hoof and shaking it, she smiled at him. “Morning Dew. Now, since I know some of the others might have a heart attack if they see you up here, you should probably go back onto the deck. Nice meeting you!” She flew off and down the exterior of the ship, off to check some other part for maintenance, presumably. “You too!” Ink Well called after her before making his way back to the deck. Not particularly wanting to talk to the ponies there, he went back into the library, waiting for a more opportune time to actually start his diplomatic role. Ink Well's chance came that evening as dinner was called, Rose and him showing up in their formal attire once more, though today he wore the top hat too. As they scanned the room, both couldn't help but notice that everypony had changed into new outfits, leaving the two of them to feel slightly silly in their one nice one. Still, with the lights dimmed and another performance from Trixie on the docket for this evening, they hoped nopony would notice. As the Steward started to show them to their seats, once more with Blueblood, Ink Well decided to take a more direct approach. The gryphons he was supposed to be talking to had not shown up once on or below deck, leaving Ink Well to assume they'd stayed in their room. Now that they were out and about he wasn't going to let them continue to nest away from everyone else, stealthily slipping from the Steward and making his way over to the table. As he approached, he saw the ambassador appraising him, a subtle motion with his claw standing down the guards. “Good evening,” Ink Well said. “Would you mind if my wife and I join you for dinner tonight?” The ambassador's beak spread into a friendly smile. “Not at all. If you don't mind the company of my guard, I would not mind yours in the least.” He offered them seats with a sweep of his claw, which the couple graciously took. Ink Well offered his hoof politely to shake. “Thank you very kindly. My name is Ink Well, and this is my wife, Rose.” Ink Well felt the claw close around his hoof, and just for a moment a memory much deeper than his own appeared. Instinct of a time when a claw like that was death took hold, spiking his adrenaline and calling for him to pull his hoof away, but he fought it back, looking into the predator's face as his hoof was gently shaken. “A pleasure to meet you both. I am Silverbeak Earhart, ambassador for the Gryphon Kingdom. These are my guards, Gilda and Steelwing.” Ink Well nodded politely to the guards, who each nodded back, knowing as well as he that this was no time to be rude. There was a silent gasp as Rose saw the gryphoness guarding the ambassador, only recognizing the pink feathers that ringed the eyes of the gryphon that had caused trouble in Ponyville when her name was mentioned. Granted, it hadn't been much trouble to Rose herself, but she'd bumped the perfume stand, broke two bottles, and left without paying. Still, this was hardly the time to bring up old grudges, so Rose backed down, though Ink Well could feel the tension in her system. The tension only grew as the ambassador leaned forward, sighing and talking rather candidly. “Did you know that the custom in gryphon lands for ambassadors is for the host country's members to introduce themselves first? I seem to recall this being the case in Equestria as well, but the only ones who seem to have remembered this custom are you and your Princess of the Night.” The way he looked at the two of them was intelligent and dangerous, analyzing them both for much more than just what they wore. Within the silver mask of feathers lay the eyes of a predator, which had an unsettling effect on its prey. Ink Well immediately noticed how loaded the statement was, realizing about a million ways to disarm it and a million more to avoid it. But just because he saw them didn't mean he liked them. Ever since he'd stopped working for the Equirer he'd had a personal rule of truth in all things, and this was no exception. “You cast an imposing visage on the other guests, Ambassador, and have not been completely social yourself. And, if you will allow me to say so, even the most open minded of Canterlot's elite is well known for sticking with their own. Princess Luna, on the other hoof, has had much interaction with your country after the incident and is much more aware of your customs.” The ambassador nodded, his eyes momentarily going to the stage as Trixie began her. They soon returned to Ink Well. “Ah, yes, the ‘incident.’ Quite a lot of ugly business there. A lot of ponies wish to move on, and there is even talk of building a new Weather Factory. Some might interpret this worse than others.” Ink Well kept his face calm, knowing he was representing not just himself, but Luna as well. He was only glad he'd kept up on current events in his retirement from journalism. “The new factory has received funding after a young colt brought some very interesting ideas to the right ponies. Of course, due to the stigma of the old factory, it shall be under close supervision and public checks, as per Princess Luna's orders. When the story of the atrocities within the Weather Factory went public, it did so in a way that could not be forgotten, and neither princess wishes to repeat the past.” He leveled himself coolly, meeting Silverbeak's gaze straight on. “Of course, it will take international communication to make sure history isn't cyclic.” Silverbeak nodded appreciatively. “Of course. To know the past, to some, is to know the future, but to those with the greatest aspirations, the past only foretells the present, leaving the future to be written.” He stopped speaking as the Steward arrived with a menu, quickly ordering for himself and his guard. Ink Well and Rose took a little longer to decide, but they ended up ordering the same. As the Steward left to place their orders, Ink Well smirked, looking over at the gryphon. “Ah, to be forward thinking…” He waited a moment, realizing all sorts of possibilities he’d already messed up. Oh well. It was time to go for broke. “I’m really not a diplomat, but I did have something of a more serious nature to talk to you about, if you have a moment.” Silverbeak’s amused smile faded, his face suddenly very serious. “Of course you are not a diplomat. You spent all of the last dinner getting hammered and part of the night getting nailed.” Both guards sniggered as Rose choked on her water at the blunt words, eyes bulging out in realization that they were caught. Ignoring her, the ambassador kept speaking. “Really, all we need is a Ruler and a tray of screwdrivers and the whole toolbox would be on display.” Ink Well, who had been patting his wife on the back to help her recover, started to defend himself, but a chuckling Silverbeak held up a claw, signalling he had more to say. “However, knowing who you are and what you have done for my people and my country, a bit of lost sleep is a small price to pay to know you are happy. And you weren’t the only couple indulging. For all her flash, she is surprisingly quiet…” He let a furtive glance slip towards Diamond Wishes, then let his gaze fall on Ink Well once more, his smile returning, but not so aloof. “You are Ink Well, a savior among the gryphons you saved from the factory and well respected in our lands, but do not try to be a diplomat. It does not suit you. What was your real reason for sitting here? You wish to speak on Princess Luna’s behalf, correct?” He’d been read like a book, and that threw Ink Well off, considering he was normally on Silverbeak’s side of the situation, but he wouldn’t let it stop him from completing his goal. With little hesitance, he started to make his case. “The Princess asked me to make sure you stay around after the cruise so that she may talk to you. Knowing her, it is completely against her wishes that she was taken from the trip, and, especially after the factory, she has strived to make ties with the Gryphon Kingdom to ensure that something like that doesn’t happen again.” His speech on her behalf done, he let his posture slip a little, getting more comfortable to speak for himself. “On top of that, she is a strong, caring friend and, I believe, could be an amazing and influential leader if given the opportunity. The problem right now is that everypony in Equestria still views her as Nightmare Moon trying to usurp the throne, and not as a diarch of the land with equal power to her sister. With your support backing her and your testimony of how she personally ran everything after the fall of the Weather Factory, it would be a wonderful boost.” He held up his hoof, much like the gryphon had moments before, making sure his next point would be heard. “I don’t ask you to do so on faith alone, or even to take my word for it. Talk to her when this trip is done, get to know her yourself, and determine if it’s best for your country to back her or not. I am but the messenger, it is ultimately on her merits that the deal is actually made.” Ink Well sat calmly after that, though internally his heart was pounding at the thought that he might have said something wrong or offensive to the ambassador and hurt Luna’s chances. Ink Well glanced over at Rose, who squeezed his hoof for support, in a similar worried state as him. After what seemed like an eternity waiting for the response, Silverbeak smiled, drawing a relieved sigh from both ponies at the table. “A fine messenger she has chosen, and that speaks wonders to her character. I shall do as you ask, Ink Well, and speak with her when this is all over. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, of course.” “Of course. Thank you very much, Ambassador Earhart.” Ink Well smiled, nodding his head in understanding and appreciation as he stood to leave the gryphon to his meal. He assumed after the talk of business that the gryphon wouldn’t feel too keen to have him grovelling around pushing Luna’s merits. He assumed wrong. “Please, Silverbeak will do at the table, and do not feel you have to leave now that the business is done. Stay, let us talk. This is a pleasure cruise, after all.” With a friendly claw he gestured to the seats Ink Well and Rose had just vacated, asking them to sit back down: an invitation they didn’t refuse. Food arrived fairly soon after, and all three members of the table talked, laughed, and for the most part ignored the show. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. Rose and her husband stood on the deck of the Darkest Night once dinner was over, letting the moon wash over them and reflect off of the ocean far below. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, and, since most of the guests were going to sleep, only ghost lights kept the ship from utter darkness. In their dim glow it would have been a crime not to gaze at the stars, or to not see the way the balloon caught the moon’s glow, almost becoming a captured sister to the celestial body. As beautiful as the sight was, the chill air was biting, sending a shiver through Rose as she leaned against the railing. Ink Well immediately moved a step closer, his warm wing closing over her as his feathers insulated him against the cold. “Would you like to go inside? It’s getting a bit late.” Rose shook her head, a lock of her mane falling over her eye as she did. “Not quite yet.” She looked up from beneath the balloon as the moon moved towards it, becoming one larger sphere in the sky above. She moved a hoof to get rid of the strands in front of her face, but stopped it as Ink Well took care of the task, smiling gently at her as he did. She smiled back, leaning against him as she continued to look up at the moon, something truly magical about the sight. It held them both in awe until, slowly, it passed behind the balloon and both of their faces fell into shadow. With the absence of moonlight the spell was broken, two souls caught in the silver glow becoming a couple shivering in the cold. “Alright, now we can go in.” Ink Well led the way, keeping his wing over Rose’s shoulder to keep her warm, the feathers resting gently on her fur. It was little things like that that she had grown to appreciate… and she’d almost forgotten what it felt like. This trip was definitely the right idea. The two moved slowly through the ship’s lower decks, keeping quiet so as not to disturb the other guests when they got down to the cabins. Suddenly their room at the far end of the hall seemed miles away, but, as they began to creep towards it, a sound caught their ears. It was muffled squawking from within the gryphon’s chambers, along with the sounds of movement. It could barely be heard through the panelling, but it was definitely there, and curiosity got the better of Ink Well as he went closer to the sound. Rose followed behind, wanting to go to her room, an explanation already in her mind. “They gave us privacy last night, give them theirs tonight.” Ink Well raised an eyebrow at her, placing an ear to the door. “All three of them? Silverbeak didn’t seem the sort, and the other two would find a more quiet spot than their boss’s room, surely.” “Well, you don’t know. It could be a-” What Rose thought it could be never was heard as a shriek came from beyond the door with three indisputable parts: it was avian, it was horrified, and it was in pain. That was enough for Ink Well to act, trying the doorknob to find it locked. He knocked on the door with a hoof, calling out. “Silverbeak! Are you alright? What’s going on in there?” Another terrified shriek was heard, this one fading as it went, slowly overrun by a duo of voices calling for help. Ink Well slammed his shoulder against the door, trying to shove it open, but doing little more than proving it had a solid frame. After a few more tries, Rose tapped him on the other shoulder. “Get out of the way.” With one swift motion she turned, using all of her natural strength as an earth pony to buck the door hard with her hind legs. It gave way beneath her strength, swinging open and letting Ink Well rush in as Rose regained her balance. By the time she turned, Ink Well was on the other side of the room, looking out the window, while Silverbeak and Gilda were by the bed, the ambassador behind his guard, whose sword was drawn. He was the one calling for help, along with a call that now echoed into the hallway. “Assassin!” In the middle of the room lay Steelwing, groaning in pain as a puddle of blood formed slowly beneath him. Rose took one look at him, then immediately ran for the nurse, no instruction needed as she made her way past the wall of confused unicorns exiting their rooms.