My Little Dynasty: Kung Fu is Magic

by Goombasa

Chapter 4: Blue Bloods

Twilight took stock of what she had been given. Two large bags had been packed and were waiting for her when she had arrived back at the palace, as well as a change of clothes to make her look more like a commoner. She had briefly considered packing at least one nice outfit before starting out on her journey, but thought better of it. Better to be thought of as just a commoner than to be pinpointed as Celestia's student, she reasoned. The tunic she'd been provided with was comfortable enough, though it felt a little large to her. It was also quite plain and unassuming, but at least it was clean and crisp, like it had been woven fresh that morning.
Apart from clothing, there was a bedroll with each pack, an emergency supply of money, as well as enough food to last them for about two weeks, if it were rationed carefully. The water was in similar supply. Twilight worried that it would be a lot to carry, but her studies under the Empress had left her with more than enough muscle to handle it. And if it did end up straining her to much, she could always just use her magic to levitate it. Her magic was even stronger than her muscles after all. She was also gratified to find a special bag from the Empress near the back of her pack that held enough crushed jasmine leaves for about three cups of tea. With it was a note that read, “For whenever you feel homesick.”
She gave a light smile and made sure to reinsert it carefully back where she had found it, hiking the bag up and over her shoulder. “There. Do I look like a drifter now, Spike?” she asked with a small smile, facing her familiar and doing a small spin for him.
“Actually, you look more like a priestess in training,” he noted, rifling through the other bag, obviously hoping to sneak a snack before they got under way. She pulled the bag from his grip in her magical aura, pulling it towards her with a light glare. He blushed and gave a shrug, walking over to her and sliding up her side, coming to rest on her shoulder once again.
She smiled and gave his head a small pat. “Hmmm, well, that might be a bad cover story if I have to give an explanation for why we're out wandering.” She pat the lovely white tunic. “Think I'd be a convincing priestess?”
“You're certainly anal enough to be one,” the dragon quipped, earning himself another glare.
Before Twilight could begin a massive scolding, however, she saw three figures approaching from down at the bottom of the stairs. Captain Fleetfoot and Rainbow Dash she recognized, but the little orange filly with them was new to her. She smiled a little bit and nodded as Fleetfoot gave a soft bow in her direction. “Fleetfoot, as I said with Commander Spitfire, there is no need for us to stand on ceremony, especially now. I'm eager to get underway.” In truth, she wished that they could have been on their way much sooner. She'd been given this task early this morning and now it was past afternoon tea. She had been so busy arranging her affairs and whatnot, she had not even had a chance to go over her lunchtime exercises, and she would have preferred to already be on the road. That could have at least been used as a viable excuse. She forced her worries from her mind and offered a pack to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow blinked and took it, lifting it up and down in her hand a bit. “Supplies?”
She nodded. “Everything we'll need for at least the first leg of our journey. Hopefully by then we'll have an idea of where our search is headed.”
“Um, okay...” The mare said, scratching her head. “Whatever you say, boss.” She shouldered the pack, adjusting it so that it would fit more snugly against her. She turned to the filly with them. “Okay, Scootaloo, this is where we gotta split. You go with Fleetfoot, and behave for the commander, okay? It was real nice of her to agree to take care of you, ya know.”
“I do know,” she said, hugging the older mare tightly before she turned to Twilight, who blinked as she saw that the little filly was glaring at her. “You better take care of Rainbow Dash,” she stated, point a finger at her. “Or else.”
Twilight blinked a little bit and Fleetfoot hastily pulled her back, offering a quick apology to her. She shook her head. “I promise you, young lady, Rainbow will be just fine, and I'll see that she gets back here in one piece.”
Rainbow smiled. “I'll do the same for you then. Least I could do after all.”
“Well, the least you could do would be nothing, but then that would mean you'd be in in a dungeon right now, wouldn't it?” the dragon on her shoulder commented with a snide smirk.
Rainbow glared at him. “You keep this up and the next words you speak will be muffled by your own tail,” she warned.
The dragon responded by sticking his tongue out at her, eliciting a growl.
Twilight held up her hands to try and calm them. “That's enough,” she stated, as calmly as she could. “We don't have time to waste on petty squabbles.” She looked to fleetfoot. “A carriage should be along any moment to take us to the city limits, correct?”
Fleetfoot nodded. “Aye, I believe so, though I do have to question why you feel the need to leave Canterlot to begin your search for... whatever it is you're looking for.”
Twilight shook her head. “If what I'm looking for could easily be found within the city limits, I would like to think that the Empress would have already found them.” She gave a respectful nod. “I thank you for your help, captain. Be well, and Empress bless.
“And you as well,” Fleetfoot answered back. “Should you have need of us again, Lady Sparkle, you know that our door is always open to you.” She looked to Rainbow Dash. “And as for you,” she stated, her tone hardening slightly. “You'd best keep to your word to keep Lady Sparkle safe. And take care of yourself. I'll not be one to deliver bad news to the commander, do you understand me?”
Rainbow groaned. “I get it, I get it.” She sighed a little bit. “Geeze, I'm sick of hearing the same thing over and over.” She rubbed her ear. “Just get going.” She looked down at Scootaloo. “And keep Scoots safe.”
“Don't worry, she'll be plenty safe,” she promised, taking the filly's hand in her's gently. “I swear to you.” She smiled. “And you of all ponies should know what a Wonderbolt's promise is worth.”
Rainbow nodded, snapping the same salute she had given to Commander Spitfire. “It's akin to them putting their heart in your hands. If I can't trust that, I don't know what I could.” She smiled.
She chuckled and returned the gesture. Much to her amusement, Scootaloo did the same next to her. Twilight watched this with a hand over her lips, trying to hide the amused smile on her face. It was just too adorable for words.
With some reluctance, Fleetfoot and Scootaloo left them, just as the carriage pulled up at the feet of the palace stairs. Rainbow looked towards Twilight. “Our ride?”
“Yes,” she answered, and began to walk down towards it. “Rainbow, if I may ask, what was your connection to the Wonderbolts? I know that they said you weren't one when I sort of blew your cover, but...”
Rainbow shrugged and waved away the rest of her statement. “My mom was one,” she answered. “and I've tried out for them a lot.”
“And you never made it?” the dragon asked, raising a brow. His tone wasn't teasing or taunting, it was genuine curiosity.
Still, she took a little offense to the question. “Well hey, I figure if I keep trying, I'm bound to get in at some point, right? Just gotta keep brushing up on my skills to make sure I don't get rusty.” She spread her wings and gave them a proud flap. “Someday, I'll show that it's not just bragging when I call myself the fastest flyer in all of Equestria.”
“Well, that might be a little bit of a stretch,” Twilight said. “I mean, according to some of the public records I've seen available in the Canterlot archives, some of those flight records are pretty impressive.”
She snorted. “Well no one's been there to record my awesomeness,” she stated, crossing her arms. “Maybe during this trip I'll get a chance to show you exactly what I'm capable of.”
Twilight took in a deep breath, trying to play off the other's bragging. “Yes, well, chances are good that if you have to, it won't be to show off.”
Rainbow's smirk dissipated quickly when she saw the darkening expression of her new traveling companion. “Hey, Twilight...”
“LADY Twilight,” the dragon said with a smirk, holding his head up with a bit of pride. “Don't forget who you're talking to after all.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Spike, enough. Stop being so rude. Besides, she won't be able to call me lady anything before long. Once we're outside the city limits, I'm just going to be like every other mare out there, got it?”
“Yep, a mare with a dragon on her shoulder,” Rainbow mused with a an amused huff. “Anyway, what I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted,” she shot a poignant glare at the little dragon, who glared back, forked tongue darting out of his mouth, “I wanted to know... what exactly are we doing out here?”
The lavender mare looked away for a moment. “Well, I suppose that if you're going to be involved, you should at least know the details.”
“Uh, duh,” Rainbow said, crossing her arms. “You know, for the Empress' personal student, you sure don't catch the obvious very well, do you?”
Twilight rolled her eyes, deciding to ignore the comment. “Well... get comfortable. It's going to be a bit of a tale.”
Rainbow shrugged and looked around the incredibly cozy interior of the royal carriage. “I'm not going anywhere,” she said, crossing her legs and smiling. “Fire away.”
Twilight nodded. “Well, okay then.” she sighed. “How much do you know about the Four Black Stars?

Trixie reached up to her neck, adjusting the heavy metal collar that hung around her. Several links of thin chain trailed down the front of it, in a sort of leash. While it wasn't attached to anything, she'd found quite soon that the collar itself was enchanted with barrier spell that gave her quite a nasty shock if got near any open exits from this place. This, of course, included windows, so she'd been quite eager to avoid them as much as doors in this place she had been brought to.
Where had she been brought to? She wished she knew. All she could make out was it was somewhere deep in the wastes, in an old, rapidly deteriorating castle. Every wing of the castle seemed to have been designed by a different architect. Well, she used the title in the loosest possible terms. Madmen would have been a more accurate descriptor for whoever was crazy enough to make this funhouse. But that was not what put her off most about this place. It wasn't even her situation as a slave to four demons. Rather, it was the fact that she hadn't seen the sun once since they had arrived. She was certain that the sun should have risen some time ago, but it had never happened. They weren't in a cave or anything. She could get close enough to the windows to at least observe that the outside was a wide open space, and the sky above was affixed with a beautiful array of stars and constellations. But no sun. At all.
She'd seen Sunset only twice since she'd been here, and both times she had been in no better state than when she had seen her back in the cavern after Discord had... done something to her. She shivered a little as she considered the fact that it could have been her on the receiving end of his touch if she hadn't been 'spared' by Chrysalis' need to eat.
Eating... it was the only saving grace of her situation. The four were not so heartless as to let her go without food, and in fact the meals they had provided her thus far had been quite palatable. Almost as good as what she had eaten at the palace even. But then she remembered, this was not a display of kindness. It was merely a way of ensuring that their new toy remained as fit as possible.
The hallways were drab and unfurnished, but at least they weren't infested with things that went bump in the night. Trixie was allowed to wander them as she pleased, with the knowledge that, at any moment, she could be summoned by her captors, for whatever purpose. So far, her 'purpose' seemed to be as a supply of constant food for the emotion eater of their happy little family. She had tried to tell herself she was getting used to it, that being sucked dry of her feelings, basically having her chi removed, was something that wouldn't be too terribly bad after the first few times.
But it was just as bad the tenth time as it was the first.
At first, it had just been fear. She'd sapped it straight out of her, and she'd been left writhing and cold on the floor, only to recover in a few hours and have the process repeated once the insectoid's hunger began to take hold again. But then, she had been managing to suppress her fear, especially now that, for the foreseeable future, she didn't have to worry about death. They didn't seem to want to hurt her either, at least nothing more than a little smack now and then when they thought she was moving too slow, but nothing that had left more than a light sting. But when her new masters had seen that her fear was dissipating, they had turned to other methods. Chrysalis had begun to talk to her.
And Trixie had been foolish enough to talk back.
Talks of her exploits, her life, her shows. She had not realized what was happening until it was too late. The memories brought with them feelings, and feelings were exactly what Chrysalis had wanted. And she took them. Forcibly. Trixie had tried since then to stop herself. Remain silent during the conversations, for example. But all that had to be done was for a few specific words to come up. All she needed was one trigger and she couldn't stop herself from feeling something. Fear, sadness, anger, happiness.
And then she'd become a meal.
Escape seemed to be impossible at the moment. Trixie was not one to give up so easily. There was a way out of here... she just had to bide her time and wait for the perfect moment. That was an important part of being a magician after all. You had to wait until the very perfect moment, when you had the audience's full attention before you revealed the trick and dazzled them with your sleight of hand.
So she would wait. She would wait, she would find a way to restore Sunset, and she would get them both out of here. Heck, if she could escape from these demons, it would make one heck of a story to tell. Might even be worth a meal or two at a tavern if she could add some impressive flourishes to it.
She felt a tingling in her spine. Her vision started to blur and the world around her began to melt away. She stood stark still, recognizing it as a teleportation spell. She groaned. Was it feeding time again already? It seemed like she'd been sucked on a dozen times today already! She closed her eyes to keep herself from feeling dizzy. This kind of teleportation was slow and terribly nauseating. She would have preferred the instantaneous type, even though it would have been more stressful than the caster. Of course, the odds of the demons actually wasting any more of their precious energy on her was slim to none, and she wouldn't have put any odds on slim.
“Lady Chrysalis,” she said, attempting to keep her voice even and sound as polite as possible, “is it feeding time already? I would have thought the sadness at the memory of my parents' death would keep you satiated for quite a long time.”
“I know not of what you speak, little mare,” came a voice that was decidedly not Chrysalis. It was deep, and gruff and growling, and held an air of dangerous sensuality that was countered by the fear-inducing rumble within. “But I would love to hear that story some time.”
She shuddered and opened her eyes. She was in some sort of black throne room, covered in darkness and shadow, despite the large hovering bottles of brightly glowing fireflies jumbling around in their prisons. Upon the throne sat Sombra.
Trixie gulped loudly, her body quavering. She'd grown used to Chrysalis' presence. She was tangible. She could be seen, touched, understood, for the most part. But Sombra? Every time she looked at him, all she saw was a wisp, a hazy representation of a unicorn. His face was clear enough, as was his blood red horn. His armor moved and clanked, giving a representation of his body, though beyond that, all she saw was a cloud of darkness floating about him. It contorted and floated outward, sliding like it had a mind of its own. “L-Lord Sombra,” she said slowly, sliding backwards a step.
“Surprise,” he chuckled, raising himself off of the throne. “Forgive me, I know you were so looking forward to seeing Chrysalis again, but she is indisposed at the moment.” He smirked. “In the meantime, I thought I would spend some time with her plaything.”
She shuddered. “I-I am honored,” she squeaked softly. “But um, why not Sunset Shimmer? I-I am sure she could offer you something more than I could.”
“Perhaps she could, but Discord is hogging her to himself.” He snapped his fingers and the dark cloud before him contorted into something resembling a mirror. He scowled as it cleared enough to show the draconiquus clapping his hands and laughing as the grey and listless mare next to him stood on her forehooves, balancing there.
“Now dance!” he ordered.
Sunset danced for him.
“Kick yourself!”
She reared her foot back and managed to kick herself in the flank.
“Bark like a dog!”
“Arf! Arf!” was the response.
He snapped his fingers and a large bowl of brown powder appeared before her. “Eat some cinnamon!”
Sunset took the comically oversized spoon provided and took a huge mouthful of the powder, only to immediately spit it back out and collapse in a heap nearby, hugging her stomach and coughing, almost retching. Discord reared back on the comically tiny throne he had made for himself, throwing up his mismatched arms as he laughed in childish glee at her pain.
Trixie shuddered and looked away for a second. “Why is she acting like that?”
“You mean aside from the fact that Discord could squash her just as easily as I could?” the dark lord asked, descending the small stairs before him, and moving towards her. She didn't have to look to know he was drawing closer. She could feel the cold, dark power radiating off of him and getting stronger as he got closer. “Discord's power of chaos has the ability to take one and make them the opposite of their true selves.” He chuckled. “So the fiery spirit of Sunset was replaced by an obedient, soft-spoken, monotonous doormat.”
Trixie felt a massive hand rest upon her shoulder. The freezing metal of his black gauntlet brushed against her neck. It was barely a touch, just a soft brush against the edge of her fur, but it was enough to make her entire body seize up, as though frozen. Her fur prickled, her pupils became pinpricks. She couldn't even shiver now. The only think she could feel moving on her body was her heart, and it was beating so fast, she feared it would wear itself out before long. The fear she'd first felt when she had seen them, or even when she had been feasted upon by Chrysalis did not denote the kind of fear that she had felt merely at the touch of his massive unicorn.
“It is a shame,” he whispered to her. “She was far more interesting as herself, but as she is now, she is fun only to Discord, and is only useful to us as a source of information.” His finger slid down over her chin and she couldn't stop a whimper from escaping her mouth. “But you, I'm afraid... you are merely a court magician. Anything you could tell us, she could tell us in much greater detail. This means that your only real use is as a food supply for Chrysalis, as far as I can see, and we are in preparations to move out into the world once again. This means that your usefulness is almost at an end.” He stroked her mane. It was gentle, soft, and cold... and it made her cry in fear and sadness. Not from his words. Just from his touch. That terrible, gentle touch.
“I can help you,” he said, his voice dropping to a low hiss. She hesitated to call it a whisper. “I can keep you safe. All you have to do,” he chuckled, “is give yourself to me. If you do so, I promise, no harm will ever come to you, so long as you do everything that I ask.” She felt the dark cloud that swirled around him stroking along her arms and legs. “All you have to do... is just say yes.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, finally breaking herself free of his grip and stumbling forward, breathing heavily. “No... no please, leave me alone,” she whimpered, no longer concerned with being polite. She just wanted to get away from him.
He frowned, standing up again, looking down at her as she panted and whimpered. “Are you certain that is your answer?” he asked, tapping his fingers together. “After all, I can give you anything that you want. All you have to do is give yourself to me, and you won't have to worry about anything ever again.” A green glow came to his eyes and Trixie cowered under her. “You could be a queen. A queen of the new regime.”
Trixie wanted power. She wanted respect. She knew that she deserved it. But she also knew that it was not something that could be given without being earned. Trying to force some strength into her voice, she shook her head. “I refuse. I have my pride,” she stated, drawing herself back up to a respectable height. “I will not 'give' myself to you, as you call it.”
He raised a brow and gave a soft shrug, drawing away from her, arms crossed. “Very well then. But let it be known that my offer will stand... for a while at least.” He grinned. “Besides, you will come to me eventually. After all,” his eyes glowed again. “Death can do quite a bit to change a mare's mind.”
Trixie whimpered again. She'd won a small victory, to be sure, defying him, but she knew that what he said was the truth. What use would they have for her when they moved out into the world and could find more ponies to serve their purposes?
The poor magician used all her remaining strength to swallow the whimper that came to her as she considered the thought.
The door to the throne room was thrust open before she could wallow in depression any further. Nightmare moon stood there, arms crossed. Her own aura, a gentler darkness than Sombra's pitch black cloud, pushed away at the darkness, covering the entranceway in something resembling the night sky, soft and dark, but beautiful to behold. Sombra glared at her, returning to his throne. “It seems that you still haven't mastered the art of knocking, even after all these centuries.”
“Never mind your quips. I've been trying to find that mare for a while now.” She pointed to Trixie, who shrank back as attention was placed back upon her shoulders. Normally, she reveled in being the center of attention, but right now she wished she was anything but.
Sombra raised a brow. “YOU need her?” he asked, chuckling. “Whatever for?”
“I have a task for her,” the mare stated, brushing a finger over her recently preened wing. “I had assumed she was with Chrysalis again, but I happened to feel something other than your black aura in here. I figured you would have a visitor.”
“Indeed I did.” He smiled. “How is Chrysalis coming along?”
“She's finished laying. A good sized clutch. It should only be a few days.”
“Excellent. Then perhaps Discord can cease his constant pranking and get some new playthings. You know how dangerous he is when he's bored.”
She rolled her eyes. “Indeed I do.” She sighed and pointed to Trixie again. “You, come with me.”
Trixie winced and nodded, shuffling forward and bowing her head in fearful respect, her reserve of strength gone. Sombra laughed as she stepped outside the door. “I do ope that you aren't going to be using her to warm your bed, dear Nightmare. She is, unfortunately, far too cold for that.”
Nightmare just snorted and closed the door behind her, none too gently, which made the mare jump. “Come,” she ordered, turning down the hall and walking at a brisk pace, Trixie dashing to keep up with her.
Trixie wasn't sure how long they walked, nor if the path back would be the same as the path they had taken. While she'd been allowed to walk the halls with impunity, the magician had noticed and distinct laugh of stability in the castle's layout. Hallways seemed to shift and contort with no rhyme or reason, and no matter what, there was no way for her to tell if what she was walking down was a path she had already been on, or something totally new. Her initial reaction to it as something of a funhouse was becoming more and more true the longer she tried to make sense of it.
So she followed the elder demon, through every winding corridor and twisted doorway, staying as close as she dared to the sky-like mane, that seemed to flick towards her in a beckoning manner every few steps. Trixie never dared to get within reach of it.
Soon enough, they were walking up a large spiral staircase. Up and up and up they traveled, and Trixie had to wonder just how high this staircase went. Was it a tower? A gateway to the heavens? No, how would a demon get anywhere near the heavens? But at the rate they were going, it did seem as though they were going to be up above the clouds by the time they reached the top. Trixie could feel her legs starting to get more than a little sore after the repeated motion of pulling herself up step by step.
Eventually, she saw the literal light at the end of the tunnel, the pulse of gentle stars hovering in the sky, letting through a tiny sliver of light in the otherwise dark and dismal tower. Nightmare Moon hopped her way up the last few stairs, stopping for a moment to bask in the starlight. She almost seemed, Trixie thought, to be happy in that moment. But it soon passed and her stoic frown returned, her cold eyes turning back on the mare, who backed up a step. She almost went backwards, but caught herself. She did not want to stumble all the way down the spiral only to have to climb her way back up again. “Well?” the demon grunted. “Let's not waste time. Come on.” She stepped outside, her mane flicking towards Trixie again.
The magician took a glance back down the way she had came, wondering if her odds would have been better if she had just stayed downstairs and waited for Chrysalis to come and feed on her again. Then again, going back down towards where Sombra was didn't seem that appealing either. So she went up and out through the door, taking a moment to adjust her eyes to the brought starlight outside.
What she saw astounded her.
Up above her, a shroud of night sky remained. Behind it, Trixie could clearly see the sun, but its warm rays were kept at bay by a shielding of stars, flowing all along the sky, decorated in elaborate patterns and dotting the world above her, shining so brightly that it felt almost like a clear and crisp summer's evening. The first time since she had been abducted... no, the first time since she had been cast from the Empress' court... Trixie felt herself relaxing. Truly relaxing, like she didn't have a care in the world. So relaxed, in fact, that she decided it was a good idea to ask a stupid question. “You made this?” she asked.
If Nightmare Moon was perturbed by a question with such an obvious answer, she did not let it show. In fact, she did not even look towards the mare. Instead, her eyes remained upon the sky, and her horn glowed with a gentle blue aura, matching the the deep blue of her mane. The stars above began to shift and contort, swirling about in gentle synchronic patterns, bobbing and weaving as though they were swimming through the air. “Yes,” she answered. “I am the artist of the night. My magic is my brush, and the sky my canvas. I do not wish for the sun to lower so that I might have it back, and so I decided to make my own, here. While it is a pale imitation of the entirety of the true sky, it at least allows me a chance to practice a craft that I have not worked for many, many years.”
Her tone was not commanding nor confrontational. It wasn't sinister, demonic, or boisterous. It was merely the words of a frustrated pony doing something that they enjoyed. Trixie drew a little closer. “It's a beautiful sight,” she commented, off-handedly.
“If only others would agree with you,” she said after a moment. She grunted and allowed the stars to rest where they lay. “But I did not bring you up here so that you might admire my work, marvelous as it is.” A hint of ego entered into her voice and she raised her chin up proudly. “I brought you here for a bit of peace and quiet while we talk. My dear companions might be capable demons in their own right, but they have no respect for serious conversation.”
Trixie wasn't sure how to respond, so she merely gave a soft nod.
Nightmare continued, with a broad wave of her hand. “Soon enough, Equestria will be looking upon the majesty of my night, just as it should have been all those years ago. But before that, some obstacles must be removed.” She looked towards Trixie who winced under the gaze. “You, magician, are going to help me in that regard.”
Trixie blinked, gulping and rubbing her hands together. “Um, forgive me, but I'm afraid that I don't know what help I would be to you, your magnificence.” She bowed her head, attempting to look as humble and lowly as possible without devolving into groveling. “I am merely a magician, after all. My magic is not strong, suited more to parlor tricks and sleight of hand than anything you are capable of. Even Sunset Shimmer, being taught by the Empress herself, would be a better choice.”
“It is for that reason you are perfect for this task.” She waved her hand and, to Trixie's amazement, several stars began to descend towards them, glowing brighter before they shrank and swirled, traveling around Nightmare Moon's hand by some sort of unknown pull. “You and Sunset shall help us secure our power. I and my compatriots are finishing our preparations. We must maneuver smartly, of course.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “No doubt the Empress is already well aware of our return.” She looked back at the curious mare, frowning. “But that is besides the point. You are to go out into the world and find something for us.”
“Um... what did you have in mind?”
“Six particular ponies.” The stars around her hands contorted into something resembling a constellation of herself and then from the black night of her mane, a physical shape took form, brightening into a soft lavender cover, though the stars remained fixed in their positions. It was a cape. A long and flowing cape. Soon, a hat formed much the same way, bearing stars straight from the night. “These six are far more of a threat to our plans than the Empress could ever be.”
Frowning, Trixie tilted her head, wondering what the significance of these six could be? Could they really be more power than the Empress herself? Trixie didn't want to consider the possibility that such a thing were possible, but before now, she wouldn't have thought it possible to see an old mare's tale standing right in front of her. “I suppose I'm not given a choice in the matter?” she asked, tentatively.
For the first time since they had come up here, Nightmare Moon's frown turned into an outright scowl. “Oh, you are free to refuse, but...” she raised her hand and Trixie felt the metal collar around her neck beginning to shrink and tighten. She gasped and clawed at it, but was unable to get her fingers around it before it tightened enough to start constricting her throat. “If you do refuse, then we really won't have much of a use for you, and trust me, it would be a kindness if I just took the short road and killed you now rather than allowed Sombra to use you as he plans.”
Trixie whimpered, writhing as she struggled to breath. “I... understand...” she gasped out.
Nightmare lowered her hand and the collar returned to its normal dimensions. Trixie coughed and gasped, taking in several deep breaths. “Good, so long as we understand one another.” She held out the cape and hat to Trixie. “These were forged with the power of my stellar magic. Essentially, they are a part of me. You will venture out into the world in search of these six ponies. The hat and cape will act as a beacon should you come near one of them.” She clenched her fists. “I will never forget how their magic felt. So different from anything else. So...” she couldn't seem to find a word to describe it, and so abandoned her train of thought. “The point is, you will know if you are drawing close to your targets. Sunset Shimmer shall accompany you as well.”
“Sunset? Will she be...”
“I've spoken to Discord. While he's been very reluctant to hand over his plaything, he knows the importance of this task, and has pretty much pulled all useful knowledge from her mind anyway. She'll work far better for us as an outside agent. As will you.”
Trixie shivered. “I see...” She looked over the cape, fitting it over her shoulders. It fit well, even with the collar still around her throat. She put the hat on and was surprised to find that it sat well over her mane. She smiled a bit. It felt.. somehow, right on her.
“You wear it well,” Nightmare mused after a moment. “Now, these items will act as more than just a beacon. I will be using them to keep my eyes on you two as well. They will also find their way back to you, should you ever... misplace them.” She gave her a penetrating stare. “But I'm sure you won't ever misplace them, now will you?”
She shook her head quickly. “No ma'am!” she promised. “I swear, they will be by my side at all times.”
“Excellent. I think you might find other uses for them as well, though that remains to be seen.” She snapped her fingers. “Now go and rest. We'll be sending you and Shimmer out in a few hours, and I'll not have excuses such as you being tired or hungry.”
“Of course, ma'am.” Trixie began to shuffle back towards the stairs, but stopped, looking up at the sky. “Actually... Nightmare Moon?”
“She gave a soft growl, stopping her hand in mid wave, the stars ceasing their movements along with it. “This had better be important.”
“I was just wondering, if it would be all right with you... if I may stay here and watch you work until I am required to leave.”
Nightmare's eyes turned towards her, her brow raised in an inquisitive manner. “You... wish to stay here?” Trixie nodded. “To watch me work?” Another nod.
The demon didn't seem to know how to respond at first. “I see. Hmmm...” She finally gave a soft shrug. “I suppose so. But you will remain silent,” she ordered. “And no distractions of any kind.”
“Of course not!” she said with a nod, lowering herself down onto her knees and craning her head upwards, smiling a little bit.
She was so transfixed on the sky above her, she didn't see the wide smile on the demon's face, as she went back to work on her practice sky, making the stars dance, twice as beautifully as before.

“Stitch by stitch, stitching it together...”
Rarity's lyrical voice drifted all over the room as she drew her needle and thread through the fabric in front of her on the table, several other small tools gripped in her magic hovering around her. Her tail swayed back and forth under the bright white dress with purple trim she was wearing at the time. A hand flew back to her mane, pushing it over her shoulder as she tried to put the finishing touches n the seam.
“Piece by piece, snip by snip, croup, dock, haunch, shoulders, hip, bolt by bolt, never stressed, and that's the art of the dress!”
She blinked and her voice trailed off quickly as she heard the front door. She coughed and adjusted her mane, setting down her things and walking back through the large curtain that separated her work room from the front of the shop. “Welcome to Blue Blood's Carousel Boutique,” she greeted with a small smile. “Where every outfit is chic, unique, and magnifique! What can I help you with today?”
“Howdy!” came the reply. Rarity almost winced in surprise at the sudden rustic accent that hit her. “Sorry to bother y'all, but Ah just rolled into town an' was wonderin' if y'all could tell me where I could get a place ta stay?”
Rarity zeroed in on the sound of the voice, looking beyond her counter and past the few racks of premade dresses and sample patterns, spotting a ratty, old hat covering a blond mane, attached to an orange pony in a tattered and muddy tunic wandering around. Screwing on a polite smile, she leaned forward. “Erm, I would be happy to assist you, miss...”
“Applejack,” she answered. “Ah'm from Sweet Apple Acres, bout a day's walk from here.”
Rarity blinked. “A day's... walk? You mean, you walked here?”
Applejack frowned. “Well, yeah. How else would I get around?”
“Er, well, I would have thought that a carriage or a wagon would have been a better option. It can't have been a quick trip from your farm all the way here.”
“Yeah, it was a bit of a trip fer mah feet, but I'm just fine,” She smiled. “Y'all got a right purdy setup here too.”
“Well thank you.” She tapped her chin. “Hmmm... you have a... very interesting accent, dear.”
“Well thank yah kindly, ma'am.” She nodded and tilted her hat. “Anyway, sorry to be a bit of a bother, but ah really need a place to stay tonight. Ah got a real long trip ahead of me, miss...”
“Rarity,” she answered.
“Mah pleasure,” she said with a small smile. “So, think yah could tell me where I could find a good place fer a nap?”
Rarity frowned. “Well, I'm afraid there aren't that many places available here in town. You see, we're mostly just a tiny transfer village. Most of what we do is based around farms along the outskirts, like yours.”
“Ah'm well aware of that, missy, but it don't rightly answer my question.”
Rarity rolled her eyes. “I'm merely saying, if you're looking for an inn of some kind, I'm afraid that there isn't anything like that here.”
“Nothin'?” she asked with a frown.
“I'm afraid not. Most people don't stop here for the night, so we don't have a need for it.”
“Ah see...” she sighed, setting her pack down for a moment. “Well that puts a damper on mah plans, that's fer sure. Ain't smart travelin' at night.”
Rarity's detailed eye traveled up and down the mare with odd curiosity. Beneath the ratty, old tunic and unkempt mane was a very muscled mare, looking far stronger than any mare Rarity had known before. Of course, most of the mares that Rarity knew were seamstresses, chefs, or mothers. But it wasn't the obvious muscle that made her so interested. It was her eyes. Those soft, round eyes. Around here, everyone kept themselves as guarded as possible, only showing what was behind their eyes to their closest friends and family members. But this mare... she walked around with her heart on her sleeve. One glance told Rarity everything she needed to know about her. She could see everything that was going on behind those eyes.
Unfortunately, she didn't see much going on behind there at the moment.
“I am quite sorry, but I'm afraid I need to ask you to leave if you aren't going to make a purchase,” she stated. “My husband will be in before long and he doesn't take kindly to loiterers.”
Applejack sighed and shouldered her pack again. “Right, right. Sorry to waste yer time, ma'am. Thank you for yer help.”
“I do wish I could do more for you.”
Applejack frowned and started for the door before pausing and looking down at her shoes. They were her work boots, thick and heavy and powerful. They were very practical for farm work, but not so much for long, tough travels. “Actually... mah family did give me a bit of money fer essentials Ah couldn't get on the farm.” She walked over and slid her boots off of her feet. Rarity scrunched up her nose as the scent of well traveled soles reached her nostrils. She did her best to ignore the stench, backing away a step. “Ah was wonderin' if yah could get me some footwear that's good fer walkin'?
Rarity coughed a bit, waving her hand back and forth in an attempt to disperse the scent. “Oh, of course we do.” She gave a slight smile, clearing her throat. “If you'll just tell me your size, I'll fetch some for you.”
Applejack thought about it for a moment, tapping her chin and scratching her head, just under her hat before lifting up one muscled leg and setting her heel down on the top of the counter, flexing her toes. “Shucks, Ah don't know much about mah size. Ah just always wore whatever was comfy.”
Rarity shrank away from the foot, attempting not to visibly recoil at the scent. “I see, yes. Please, put your foot down.” Applejack shrugged and pulled it down as Rarity turned away. “Let me just go in the back and see what I can find.”
Applejack nodded in thanks and rarity excused herself back to her workroom, which also served as a sort of storage area for excess clothing that she couldn't display. It was a hassle, but her husband had refused to dump any of his precious resources into the shop, so she couldn't expand, and was rapidly running out of storage space for her things. Well, at least he let her keep enough of the proceeds to keep the shop open. She'd promised her parents back in Canterlot that she would not give up on this place, even after things started to go badly, and she had fought him every step of the way to ensure that she could keep this shop, even after her husband had dismissed it as a massive waste of bits.
That wasn't true though! She made money... some money. Enough that she could have at least lived on her own if she'd wanted. Well, she did want to, but that was beside the point. What was she looking for again? Oh, right, shoes.
After a few moments of hunting, shifting around large bolts of fabric, a few racks of thread, and her emergency needle supply, she finally came across her store of shoes. “Ah, here we go,” she mumbled. “Now, she said she needed something that was good for long travel... um... hmm... oh, sandals are definitely in right now! Oh, but I don't have any built for long trips. Hmmm...” she finally sighed. “I guess I'll have to settle on some of my less fabulous work for this.” She pushed several, more regal looking pairs out of the way and reached deep into the pile, pulling out a pair of plain, hard shoes, some of the first she had made in her new shop. They'd been sitting down there for probably a year or so now, just waiting to be plucked by the right customer. They were made quickly, and with limited resources. They were tough, plain, and not at all meant for anyone who wanted to look good.
“Perfect!” she stated happily.
As she turned away from the pile of shoes, she heard the door open, the bell up above it ringing quite loudly as the door was pulled open and then slammed quite hard. Before she could move to the front and offer her usual greeting, her ears were assaulted by the familiar, posh mannerisms of the pony she called her 'husband.' Ugh. “Rarity!” she heard him shout, his voice reaching for power though it came out as a coltish whine. “Where are you, dear Rarity? I need to talk to you!” There was a light pause. “Ugh, and who are you?”
“Howdy! The name's Applejack. Pleasure ta meetcha, partner!” came the cheerful reply of her customer.
Rarity could perfectly picture her husband's reaction to the sweaty, shoddily dressed, dirty farm pony. He'd be cringing back away from her, his brows raised and a distasteful sneer on his face. And then she heard his response, and she could almost guess it word for word. “Ugh, I see... Well, perhaps you have the wrong shop, the farmer's market is down at the other end of the town.”
“Naw, I'm just passin' through, sir. Just needed some new shoes. Miss Rarity said she'd get me some.”
“Yes... of course.” He snorted. “Well please, put your own shoes back on, you're starting to stink up my store.”
Rarity decided it would be a good time for her step back out before her husband drove off another potential customer. “Funny,” she said, with a small smirk. “With the amount of time you spend in here, no one would guess it was yours, my little dandelion.”
He scowled and turned on his wife. “Whatever,” he said. Rarity let her eyes travel over him, as they had over Applejack before. He was well groomed and dressed as fancily as possible... in a suit she had made with intent to sell, which had been commandeered for his own purposes. That purpose, of course, was to look as good as possible. Never before had she felt that someone was so unworthy to wear what she had made. “Anyway, I don't have time to argue with commoners like Applesauce here.”
“Erm, Applejack, sir,” she corrected him.
“Don't interrupt!” he snarled, glaring at her, making the pony recoil a little bit in surprise. “This is serious, Rarity, dear.” He leaned forward. “Somepony broke in last night and took a good bagful of my personal savings.”
“Only a bag?” Rarity asked. “Then what is the big deal? Did your mother and father cut you off from your allowance or something.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don't appreciate your tone, dear.”
“You don't appreciate a lot of things nowadays, my minnow,” she countered, setting the shoes on the counter. “I know for a fact that losing a single bag of bits is nothing to you.”
“Nothing? Nothing, it's the principal of the thing!” he stated, slamming his palm on the table. Rarity didn't seem phased by his outburst. “Someone in this little hovel is a thief, and I'm going to find out who.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” Rarity asked. “Everyone in this town hates you, basically.”
“You hush up!” he ordered, pointing at her. “Your smart mouth is starting to get on my nerves.”
“And your whining is always getting on mine,” she countered.
Applejack shifted uncomfortably beside the two arguing ponies. “Er, about those shoes...”
“Fine then, if I can't find out who did it, then I'll just increase security!”
“How do you plan on doing that? No soldiers are coming down this way anymore, and I doubt your parents would be nice enough to send some of their personal guard all the way out here when someone is stealing your pocket change.”
“Then I'll hire mercenaries!”
“What mercenaries? No one but farmer caravans and confused day trippers come through here! Besides, who would be foalish enough to volunteer to work for you?”
“Ah'll do it.”
Both of them blinked and turned their attention tot he young mare standing nearby, toying with her hat and adjusting her long, blond mane. “You?” they said simultaneously.
She shrugged. “Well, Ah don't rightly care fer thieves, and back on the farm we've been havin' some trouble with brigands ourselves. Ah think Ah could handle guard duty fer a night if I have to.”
The stallion let a lazy eye wander over again, obviously with distaste, though Rarity's careful eye caught his gaze lingering on her... assets. “You can fight?”
“Yessir. Ah'm right handy in a brawl.”
“I see...” He gave a light sneer before sighing. “I suppose you'll want a hefty payment for your sevices?”
“Not at all, Mr...”
“Blue Blood,” he answered. “LORD Blue Blood.”
“Right, right,” she nodded, giving a slight bow. “All Ah want in return fer mah services is a cozy place ta sleep and a hot meal in mah gullet.”
Blue Blood still didn't seem too keen on it, but the alleviation of actually having to pay for something seemed to loosen him up. “Very well then,” he stated. “My mansion rests at the center of the village. I'm sure my lovely little sunflower,” he jabbed a thumb at Rarity, “would be happy to show you there after she's closed up her little shack for the day.”
Rarity shot an icy glare at him. If looks could kill, the stallion would have been on the ground right then and there. “I'll certainly see to it, my little piranha fish,” she stated.
“Good. Now I've wasted enough time here, so I'll be off.” He paused and looked to his wife. “Any sales today?” he asked, a bemused smile coming to his face.
Rarity's pretty face contorted into an ugly scowl. “None, save for these shoes,” she answered.
He chuckled. “Oh.” He nodded and turned away, a coy smile on his face, walking out with a happy little whistle.
Rarity felt herself bubbling over with rage. She thought dozens of insults she could have hurled at him, though it would have done little good, even if he were still in the boutique. So she just scowled and glared at the door, wishing that her husband would just burst into flames on the other side.
“Well ain't he a nice piece of work?” Applejack asked, snapping her out of her rage-filled thoughts. “Sorry fer askin', but after that, Ah gotta know, what's his deal?”
She sighed a little bit. “That's Blue Blood.” She huffed. “My husband.” She said the word with contempt. “He's from one of the lower noble families back in Canterlot.”
“Lower nobles?” Applejack asked.
Rarity tapped her chin. She wasn't really about to explain hundreds of years of noble bloodline tradition to the farm mare, they didn't have the time. “It means his bloodline isn't as pure and prestigious as some of the other families.” She snorted. “Though you wouldn't know that from the way he flaunts himself all over, like some sort of preening peacock.”
She nodded. “So, uh... how's a mare like you end up with a stallion of his... caliber?”
Rarity stifled a laugh. “That's a nice way of putting it,” she said happily. “As to how I ended up with him, I can assure you it was mostly due to my own stupidity. I am naught but the daughter of a seamstress and a chain maker.” She placed the back of her hand against her head with a dramatic flourish. “I had nothing but my passions and dreams.”
“Er, is this gonna take very long?” Applejack asked, tapping her still bare foot against the ground.
Rarity gave a huff. “Fine, fine.” She sighed. “No one has any tolerance for a dramatic performance anymore,” she lamented. “Anyway, as I said, my family was neither prestigious nor rich, but what we did, we did well, and eventually I did manage to open up a little street stall selling little things I created at home. Then the Blue Blood family came along and I suppose they were rather impressed with what I did. Their son seemed quite charming at first. He complimented me quite heavily for my skills, though I now know that he was merely complimenting himself and twisting it to sound like one to me.” She rubbed her face, embarrassed. “I was quite the fool, and was very smitten with him. The social status he offered was quite appealing as well.” She shrugged. “So, in the end, I mistook blind ambition for love and ended up marrying into his family. The only good thing to come out of it was that my parents were at least given a large pension, enough to live off of, and some of the Blue Bloods were decent enough people to them and to me, but my new husband showed his true colors soon enough.”
Applejack frowned a little. “Ah'm sorry. Don't sound too pleasant.”
“It wasn't. It still isn't. It was my own fault, of course. For a while it did allow me to expand my craft a tad.”
“Ah see,” she nodded. “But then, you an' him lived in Canterlot, right? So what're ya doin' all the way out here?”
She sighed. “Well, apparently Blue Blood isn't very well liked even within his own family. They called it a chance for him to establish his own seat of power, but really, they sent him out here specifically to get rid of him. And I, of course, being his humble wife, had to accompany him. They were at least kind enough to arrange for me to take charge of my own shop, though it doesn't do much for my business, all the way out here.”
“Ah'll bet,” the orange mare said, gently running a hand over some of the dresses hanging nearby. “Yah made all these yerself?”
She nodded. “Indeed I do.” She held her face up nice and high. “All from scratch, all designed from my own patterns, made with nothing but the best materials I could get.”
Applejack smiled gently. “Ah gotta say, ah know nothin' bout dress makin, an Ah sure has heck don't look good in anythin' like this. But ah ain't never seen anythin' this purdy before.” She set her hat atop her head. “Now, bout those shoes?”
“Oh!” she gasped. “I'm terribly sorry, I'd forgotten all about it, what with that gust of hot air blowing through here.” She nodded and pushed them forward. “These should serve your needs quite adequately.” She held one out to her.
Applejack took it, tugging at it, examining it. She banged the shoe against the table once or twice and smiled. “Solid as an apple tree trunk,” she proclaimed. “How much.”
Rarity smiled a little bit. “Five bits will be fine.”
Applejack frowned. “Only five? That seems a lil' on the cheap side, hon. Ah mean, with all the stuff yer sellin' here, these've gotta be, what, sixty? Seventy bits? At least?”
Rarity shrugged. “Well, honestly, these shoes aren't my best work.” She rubbed the back of her head. “And I can't really charge for something so old. These have been waiting for an owner for quite a long time.. So please, just five bits.”
The farm pony gave a slight shrug. “Well, all right, if yer really willin' to part with em so cheap.” She reached into her pack and pulled out a small bag of coins, counting out five of them and dropping them down onto the table in front of the pure white unicorn. “But, just between you an' me... how much would these be goin fer normally?”
Rarity smiled and looked down at them. “For you? Still five bits. An ordinary pony, down on their luck? Ten bits perhaps. For someone who could obviously afford to lose the money? Fifty.” She grinned. “For my husband, five hundred.”
Applejack blinked and snickered after a moment. Rarity began to chuckle as well, and soon the two of them were laughing uproariously, as though the thought of making Blue Blood pay that much for shoes were the greatest joke ever told.
As their laughing fit began to come to an end, the door began to open for the third time that morning. Rarity blinked, wiping the tears of laugher from her eyes. She wasn't used to so much traffic coming through her store within a single hour. Unfortunate, it wasn't a customer, but instead a good friend, carrying a large, and by the look on the light green mare's expression, incredibly heavy box. So heavy in fact that she had to use both her arms and her magical aura to keep it in off the ground. Rarity smiled. “Hello there, Lyra. Is that the new shipment of design parchment I asked for.”
“Yes... heavy... take... pleeeease!” the mare begged, groaning.
Applejack frowned and quickly walked over, tugging the box out of her hands. Rarity noticed that the mare wasn't even struggling as she hefted the box over and dropped it down onto to the counter, making the entire surface shake. Rarity blinked and, out of curiosity, attempted to lift it herself. She gasped and coughed after only a moment of attempting to lift it. “Who would have thought simple parchment could be so heavy.”
“Shucks, it don't feel any heavier to than a good sized bushel of apples,” she said with a smile.
Rarity blushed a little. “Yes, well, thank you for your assistance, Applejack.” She looked to the panting unicorn who was attempting to retie the frayed braid that kept her long mane in check. “I still have about an hour before I normally close up my store, and I have to talk with Lyra and make sure I don't need anything else ordered.”
“I pray that's the case,” the newcomer mentioned, taking one last deep breath and brushing off the front of her dark brown, slightly frayed tunic. Rarity gave a frown. It looked rather itchy. The unicorn approached the shopkeep, tapping the box. “Well, let's get it into the back with everything else.”
Rarity nodded, taking hold of one side of the box, both of them combining their magic to lift it.
Applejack frowned. “Yah sure y'all don't need some help?”
“No, I think we can manage,” Rarity said with a gentle grunt, carefully lifting it up off the counter, both of them straining at the weight. “If you do want to help, could you keep an eye on the front while I'm talking with Ms. Heartstrings.”
“Well, sure, but ah don't rightly know much bout sellin' dresses.”
“It should be fine. I don't think we'll have anyone coming in anyway, but I'd just feel better if I had someone there to keep watch.”
Applejack smiled and rested a hand on her heart. “Well then, don't fret non, Miss Rarity. Ah'll take care of it.” She shuffled her way behind the counter and leaned on it, smiling all the way.
“Thank you,” the white mare said, hefting the heavy box through the curtain, into the back room. Extending her dextrous magic outwards, she wiped away a small pile of seam rippers, scissors, threads, and fabric bolts to make room for it on the counter. The two of them set it down and groaned. “Did you really have to make it so heavy?” Rarity hissed.
Lyra jerked herself up, arching her back, making it pop several times. She stretched the same way a cat would just after it woke up. “That was Bon Bon's idea. My better half didn't want to take any chances on my being discovered.”
“Lyra, you're a delivery mare. Of course you wouldn't be discovered. Robbed, maybe, but that didn't seem to be an issue.”
“Hey, you only get robbed if you're outside the village, and I haven't gone out there since those thieves took my lyre.”
Rarity pushed a finger against her mouth. “Shhh! We do have another mare in the building, you know.”
Lyra sighed. “Fine, sorry, right. It's just a sore spot for me.” She undid the string keeping the top of the package stationary. She slid off the front and began to pull out several stacks and rolls of parchment paper. “Anyway, I can't complain much when her ideas actually do work. If it were up to me, we would have left it out on the street with a coded note for her and you could have just picked it up at your leisure.”
“Yes, because that wouldn't have looked suspicious at all,” Rarity stated, levitating a few more stacks out of the way. “And I have to ask, are you certain that doing this a second time is a good idea? Blue Blood is already suspicious and paranoid after a single sack of bits went missing.”
“Yeah, but a single sack of bits won't go far if it's divided up between the entire village. And you said yourself, his 'allowance' would more than cover what he loses, right?”
“Well, yes, but no one likes having bits taken from them, even if they can afford it.”
“Yes, but we're doing good, right?” She smiled and removed the last few stacks of papers. “And I should remind you, you had the original idea. You organized it.”
Rarity nodded. “I know. I'm not going to backpedal, I'm just trying my best to allay my own worries. If we're discovered...”
“Then your husband will throw a tantrum, oh boo-bibbly-doo,” the mare said, waving her hand and dipping down into the near empty box. “Even if he tried to bring charges against us, who would prosecute a group of sweet, innocent mares such as us when Blue Blood is the one trying to bring the charges against us?”
“Anyone who wants to line their pockets as quickly as possible.” She smiled as two very distinct weapons were pulled from the bottom of the box. Two small swords, far too short to be katana, but too long to be daggers. “Two wakizashi? I only asked for one.”
“I know. We got you two, just in case.” She offered them to Rarity. “After all, carrying extra protection is always important for emergencies and spontaneous situations.”
Rarity raised a brow at the grinning mare as she took the two swords, sliding the blades out of their sheaths for a moment, looking them over. Brand new, polished to a mirror shine, light but powerful, and amazingly sharp. “We got really lucky that we didn't have to use anything more than a blinding spell last time. I pray I won't have to use these this time either.”
Lyra nodded. “We won't have to. You've seen the kind of people that your husband employs. All thumbs, no fingers, and barely any toes.” She sighed. “To be fair, that probably means they wouldn't be very good dancers either. Oh, maybe that's why they only ever get actors to play soldiers in plays. Hmm, makes sense, since they are called plays and don't really involve a lot of realism...”
Rarity sighed and snapped her fingers several times. “Lyra, snap out of it, you're wandering again.
“Huh? Wha? Oh!” She blinked and shook her head. “Sorry. The point is, no, no one wants to hurt anybody, and chances are good you won't need em, but if we're gonna keep this up, we gotta make sure we're well protected.”
Rarity nodded. “Right, agreed.” She sighed and hid the two short blades underneath a pile of fabric scraps. “I'll come back for them tonight. We'll meet up here, just like last time.”
“Okay.” Lyra stroked her mane. “I gotta get back to the bistro. Bonny's probably back from handing out last night's spoils by now.”
Rarity nodded. “Go quick, and with my blessing, my friend.”
Lyra nodded. “Be safe. She turned and started out to the front of the story. “Bye-bye, Miss mighty mare! Nice to meetcha!” she called, as she left.
Rarity giggled and walked out as the door closed behind the minty-colored mare and looked towards a confused looking apple farmer. “What's up with her?” Applejack asked.
The unicorn shrugged and adjusted her robes. “I wish I knew. What Bonbon sees in that loopy thing, I'll never understand.”
“Whaddya mean 'loopy?'” she asked.
Rarity shrugged. “Lyra just... seems to exist off in her own little world most of the time. It's best just not to question it.”
Applejack shrugged. “Whatever you say.” She smirked. “and you weren't kiddin' about it stayin' quiet here.”
Rarity sighed. “Yes, I know...” she looked around the shop, full of dresses that she had poured her heart and soul into creating. Very few of them would be leaving these racks any time soon. The best that she could hope for would probably be a caravan coming through who would want to buy and resell them up in Canterlot. Of course, by the time they got all the way up there, the signatures would probably be altered or removed and her name would not be heard by anyone who ended up wearing them. Still... at least they were getting out there. To know that someone was wearing her art, that was something. She'd take whatever victory she could. “Well, I don't see any harm in closing up early today.” She brushed her palms together and reached underneath the counter, pulling a small key on a long string free from its hiding place behind a pitifully empty bit jar, save for the five that Applejack had handed over earlier. “Besides, you do look like you could use a good meal after a day on the road.” She looked her up and down again. “And perhaps a bath.”
“Bath?” she laughed. “Ah washed off real good afore Ah started down the road. Ah think Ah'm plenty clean, thanks.”
“Yes, but you're also sweaty,” she stated.
“An' Ah'm gonna get sweaty again when Ah continue on mah way tomorrow. Ain't much point in gettin' all clean if Ah'm just gonna get messy again right after. Ain't like I got anypony to impress right now.”
“Well, this is true,” she mused.
Applejack grinned. “Well, certainly not yer husband at least.”
Rarity blinked, and then laughed softly as she walked over to the front door, drawing the blinds on each window before she opened the door. “Well, let's be off then. And Applejack, I wanted to thank you?”
She tilted her head as she stood in the doorway. “Fer what? Fer a few bits and fer complimentin' yer dress-makin'? Ah'm just bein' a good pony is all.”
Rarity nodded softly and smiled as they walked out. She turned back to close and lock the door behind her. 'Yes,' she thought to herself. 'You are a very good and friendly pony, which is why I hope in the name of the Empress that I won't run into you when I put my plan into action tonight...' She took a deep breath. 'The sun forgive me if I'm forced to hurt you...'