//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Friends Unknown // Story: Mother and Child // by AlicornPriest //------------------------------// Chapter 9 – Friends Unknown Hey, my name is Lyra! This is my first post, so go easy on me. Does anypony know where I can order My Little Human merchandise online? It'll have to ship up to High Canterlot, so no Dark Paradise stores, please! ~LHeart21514x2 >using IRL name lol, newb. Go back 2 ponychat, humie mule. ~hxmaster4105 Please excuse hxmaster's shameful display. Some of us here do have some decency. In any case, welcome to webmeet! I'm sure you'll love it here. I own a few My Little Human coats myself, and I can tell you, ordering from Sharp Dress in Everfree City is perhaps the best choice. Although, I've been known to dabble in making my own clothes from time to time. (Xavier for best human!) ~triskelion181 You don't wanna go w/ Sharp Dress. He lets his cryzzes run amok in his shop. No, better sp who keeps better care of his slaves. I'd say Bracer's in High Canterlot is more your style. ~JSet213 Well! Some of us prefer our humie products to be cruelty-free, thank you very much! Crystal ponies may be inferior to unicorns, but they are ponies too, are they not? ~triskelion181 Yeah, like Alice Jenkins always says, “It's not the outside that matters, but the inside.” She's totally best human, too. (Not that I don't love Xavier, triskelion.) ~LHeart21514x2 Cryzz-loving humies should kill themselves. ~hxmaster4105 ~ssw.webmeet.ec/fanstuff/mlh/merch/02019 After Sunfall finished telling her story, they made their way out to the front door of the tower. Pitch Perfect was standing nearby a group of pegasus crystal ponies, two of which were standing over the captured guards. Pinkie looked concerned. “We’re gonna have to let them go eventually... right?” Pitch Perfect frowned. “If we do, there’s nothing stopping them from telling Sombra who all was in it. They’ll bring punishment down on us for sure.” “What if we make them Pinkie Promise they won’t say anything?” Pinkie asked hopefully. Pitch Perfect gave her a dour look. “I doubt that’ll make them go against Sombra. These are trained guards, not five-year-olds.” “Okay, but...” Pinkie wracked her brain, trying to think of an alternative. “What if we moved everypony out of here to somewhere else?” Pitch Perfect only shook her head. “The only reason we live here is because we have nowhere else to go. You can’t possibly find room enough for everypony.” “But...” Pinkie started walking back and forth anxiously. “I’m sure they understand, right? You just needed to get the food you were due. And it’s not like you’ve been rough to them! Why can’t they just play nice?” She fell to the ground and started sniffling, tears in her eyes. Pitch Perfect and the other crystal ponies looked away, clearly uncomfortable. Sunfall looked down at Pinkie and pulled her to the side. “C’mon, Pinkie. This isn’t helping.” She slowly got up again, wiping away the tears. “I’m sorry, I just... don’t know what to do. I don’t want you to hurt them, but if you let them go, they’ll just hurt all of you. And it’s... just not fair.” “No, it’s not.” Pitch Perfect put a hoof over Pinkie’s shoulder. “But we have to make do with the situation we have.” She took a second glance at Sunfall. “You’ve picked up a friend, looks like.” “Oh! How rude of me.” Pinkie waved at Sunfall. “Pitch Perfect, this is Sunfall. We’re friends; we go waaayyy back. Sunfall, this is Pitch Perfect. We just met, but she’s really nice, and she has a bunch of really cute kids.” Pitch Perfect looked at Sunfall for a few moments, then her eyes suddenly went wide. “Is she the crying filly from the top of Sombra’s tower?!” “How did you--” “Rumors. Whispers. Sometimes, if it was quiet, you could just barely hear her. But the guards have been indiscriminate in getting rid of anyone who so much as breathes a word about her. If you’ve rescued her...” Pitch Perfect blanched. “Sombra will be looking for her. Maybe we should leave, on the chance he thinks we were implicated.” Pinkie quivered in fear. “Oh, no! I’m... I’m sorry. I just...” Pitch Perfect sighed. “I know. You just wanted to save her. And looking at her, I can’t help but think you did the right thing.” She looked at Sunfall sadly. “The poor filly looks like she’s done a stint in Tartarus. Might have been pretty close up there, actually.” One of Pitch Perfect’s children came up and tugged at her apron. Pinkie couldn’t quite remember which one she was. “Momma, momma! Is she gonna stay with us?” “I don’t know. That’s up to Pinkie.” She looked up and gave Pinkie yet another difficult decision. “Since we’re going to be leaving anyway, she could come along with us... if you like. Her coat isn’t as crystalline as ours, but she’ll still blend in. We’ll take care of her. Give her a family. Would you like that, Sunfall?” Sunfall slumped down, every part of her visibly giving up in one motion. “I don’t care. Whatever Pinkie decides, I’ll do.” Now Pinkie was totally stuck. She knew Pitch Perfect would make Sunfall happy. But what if she needed Sunfall later? Did Starswirl want to see Sunfall again, now that Pinkie had freed her? But if she did that, it would mean bringing Sunfall into danger, and put her at greater risk of being recaptured by Sombra. But then again, no matter where Sunfall went, Sombra would likely still be looking, so maybe it would be better if-- “Pinkie, what do you think?” “...No, thank you. I want Sunfall to come with me.” The words felt almost... alien on her tongue. Almost immediately, she began to regret her decision, but... the die was cast. She’d have to move forward with her choice. Pitch Perfect, it seemed, took it in stride. “That’s fair. I know you’ll do a good job of protecting her.” Then she told the filly standing next to her, “Go and get your siblings. We’re gonna pack up and go before Sombra sends his guards at us,” and walked away. “Oh, right, the guards!” Pinkie looked at the two bound guards next to them. “What are you going to do with them?” The pegasus standing to the left shrugged. “Probably just hold onto them for now. If we stay, maybe we can soften them up a little. If we leave, Sombra can let them out.” “I... guess that works.” She thought that was still kinda mean to the guards, but it was a far shake away from “kill them.” She sighed and gave Sunfall a wave. “Let’s go.” “Where are we going?” Sunfall asked. “High Canterlot. It’s up on a mountain, just like where Canterlot is in my timeline. There’s someone I have to talk to if I want to make this all better.” “How are we gonna get there?” she asked next. Pinkie stopped. She hadn’t really considered that. "We can't take the trains," Pinkie said. "Sombra knows who I am, and he knows you're gone. He could have the trains stopped before we make it there. We'll have to go on hoof." "Okay." Sunfall was nothing but complacent, but it was a horrid, lifeless quiet. There was little in her in common with the filly Pinkie had met so long ago. Pinkie had to remind herself that Sunfall was actually many thousands of years old, trapped in her filly form by grief and an inability to achieve her goals. She should have been Celestia, and instead she was... this. A tortured, defeated child. There would plenty of time to think about that later. Pinkie turned and looked to the north, where, if she looked really close, she could see a white mountain top peeking out of the gloom, and an elaborate city perched on its side. That level of architecture and engineering could only be the work of skilled unicorns. That was High Canterlot for sure. Pinkie started walking, and Sunfall followed quietly behind. *** It was a long, hard trek through the mountainous regions of Dark Paradise, but eventually the death and smoke began to clear, and they found themselves at the edge of Canterlot Mountain. There was a beautiful stairway carved up one edge leading up to the city-state of High Canterlot, and a constant flow of ponies climbing up it. Pinkie readjusted her horn, took Sunfall by the hoof, and slipped in with the rest of them. They must have come in after the border check, if there was such a thing, because they encountered no guards or police ponies as they went up to the city proper. Upon entering through the gate, Pinkie's first reaction was that it was... just like Canterlot. Unicorns of all shapes and sizes wandered about on their daily tasks, most dressed up in stuffy, puffed-up suits and coats. Was there slightly more of an air of pretentiousness? A more elaborate architectural style in the buildings? Pinkie couldn't say; that wasn't exactly her forte. What she did find was the missing pegasi and earth ponies made it feel much less joyful and harmonious than her Canterlot had been. That part reminded her all to well of Noble Blood's castle, all those years ago. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, she finally asked one of the local ponies where Starswirl's student lived. They didn't recognize who Pinkie was talking about, but they did suggest checking the Arcana district, where all the big wizards and magical researchers lived. Following their advice, she and Sunfall found themselves in a small corner of the city. The houses were pretty plain--Pinkie imagined magical researchers weren't exactly big into decorating and lawncare. However, as they got closer, they found a house that was vastly different from the others. The paint looked freshly applied, the trim was stunning, and the hedges and lawn were immaculately kept. Something told Pinkie that this was the kind of place Starswirl's student would want to live in... whoever that was. She knocked and hoped her story wouldn't seem too strange. A stallion opened the door. He was broad-chested, with a white coat and a wavy golden mane. He seemed... not put out, but perhaps a bit inconvenienced to have strangers at his door. "Can I help you?" he asked. "Ah, you're the one who owns this house?" Pinkie asked in return. "Indeed. Gilt Edge, at your service." He gave a small bow and continued, "Again, can I help you?" "Oh, right! My name's Pinkie Pie, and this is Sunfall. We were sent from Everfree City to ask for your help." "Oh, how marvelous! Come in, come in. We can discuss specifics in a moment." He ushered them in to the front parlor, then magicked up three sets of teacups and placed them on the table. When Sunfall reached for one, he scooted it away from her, saying, "I'm afraid you're confused. This is for my fillyfriend. She's in the shower, but she'll be with us shortly." Turning to Pinkie Pie, he asked, "Do you train your servants to be so grabby?" "Here, Sunfall. You can have mine." At Gilt Edge's look, she shrugged. "What? She really likes tea." Gilt Edge laughed. "You're just like my fillyfriend. You're far too nice to the help for your own good." "I think of them as ponies, just like you or me," Pinkie replied. "Debatable. In any case," he said, leaning forward, "you wanted my services. Now, I usually charge thirty-five bits per piece, plus extra if you want gold filigree on it, but I'm doing a sale on statuettes--" "What are you talking about?" Pinkie asked. "I'm a sculptor," Gilt Edge said. "The finest in High Canterlot, ask anypony." "No, no, we're looking for Starswirl's student who can make me a time travel spell!" "Ohhh!" Gilt Edge laughed. "You're here for her, then. She doesn't get as many requests as I do, so I simply assumed..." He leaned back in his seat and called out, "Honey, there's a visitor here for you!" "I know, darling. I heard you talking." The other pony's finely accented voice came from around the corner. When she walked around to look at them, both she and Pinkie gasped. "I... I know you," she said. "Rarity..." Pinkie Pie said under her breath at the same time. "I'm confused," said Gilt Edge. "If you know each other, why did you think I was her?" Rarity struggled with an answer. "It's not that I know you, exactly, but you seem so... familiar to me." "She said she's from Everfree City," Gilt Edge said. "Perhaps you know her from there?" "There's probably a crystal pony who looks a lot like me there," Pinkie said. "Maybe that's who you're thinking of." Rarity shook her head. "I know Pinkie Pie, and you are not her." She walked over quickly to Pinkie Pie, then, before Pinkie could react, she knocked the horn off Pinkie's head. "Star Swirl's work. I'd recognize it anywhere. No, you are Pinkie Pie, only from another universe, and I know you." Gilt Edge looked shocked. "So she's... But she's not... and you... Can somepony explain to me what the hay's going on here?!" "I think I can try..." Pinkie stepped forward and laid a kind hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "You're right on all counts, Rarity. I'm Pinkie Pie from another timeline, where none of this--" she gestured out to the rest of the house, and by extension High Canterlot "--ever happened. In that timeline, we are best friends, and we protect the world together. I don't know how or why, but somehow, you resonate with that friendship. It's like... we're already friends!" Pinkie beamed at this realization. Rarity returned Pinkie's gesture, then pulled Pinkie into a hug. When she spoke, her voice carried a dazzled joy to it. "Yes, Pinkie Pie. We are certainly friends. But you must tell me everything." *** They sat there for a while as Pinkie shared everything she could think of about the Equestria timeline. Rarity listened with rapt attention, while Sunfall and Gilt Edge tried to follow along. When Pinkie described her Rarity's pony-napping at the hands of the Diamond Dogs, this Rarity gasped and worried, then cheered at the solution. When Pinkie described her Rarity kissing Celestia's hooves, this Rarity waggled her eyebrows at Sunfall, who blushed and turned away. When Pinkie described her Rarity's attempts to woo Trenderhoof, this Rarity laughed and laughed, while Gilt Edge tried to look appropriately jealous. Here, Rarity commented, "So your Rarity is still single, I take it?" "Yup, but I'm sure she'll keep looking! Maybe she'll find our Gilt Edge, and you'll be dating the same pony in two timelines!" Rarity fell to coughing, and Gilt Edge looked over to her, confused. "Yes well, I'm sure it's possible. Why don't I tell you about my life while we're here, hmm?" "Yeah! I can't wait!" They got up and left Sunfall and Gilt Edge in the parlor. "I was born in Everfree City, as you know," Rarity began. "My parents and my sister still live there, and I visit on occasion." "How is Sweetie Belle?" Pinkie asked. "Still looking for her Cutie Mark, and she doesn't have Apple Bloom or Scootaloo to help her. I'll have to tell her about your Sweetie Belle's adventures next time I visit. They might help her find her way." "Maybe!" Though, Pinkie thought to herself, Sweetie probably wouldn't believe as quickly as Rarity had. "In any case, I was apprenticed under Star Swirl for a while, and that's when I got my cutie mark." Pinkie hadn't noticed, but Rarity's cutie mark was subtly different here than in Equestria. It was still three diamonds, but they were connected by a swirl of magic in a complicated shape Pinkie didn't recognize. Rarity noticed Pinkie thinking and said, "The triskelion. My cutie mark represents my talent for making magical jewelry, but that's not my only talent. I picked up transfiguration remarkably quickly, and I'm one of the few ponies in the Triumvirate with a natural talent for time magic. I also dabble in quilting and clothes-making, like your Rarity. Would you like to see my studio?" "Would I!" They passed through the kitchen and the dining room before finally entering the studio. It was a huge room, split in two by the materials on each side. On one side lay various chisels, blocks of marble, and sketchbooks, all carefully organized for best access. On the other side was what could only be described as controlled chaos: an explosion of gems, fabric, and pony-forms littered the desk, drawers, and floor. On one form was a red dress in mid-production; it looked remarkably similar to the one she had worn to the Grand Galloping Gala. However, it lacked the restraint the other Rarity had used, and it appeared to be made of such expensive material that it came off as tacky in its excess. "I see you've noticed the dress. What do you think?" Rarity asked. "It's... nice," Pinkie tried. Rarity frowned. "You don't like it. Well, no matter. Simply tell me what your Rarity would do, and I shall do that instead!" "It's not that easy, Rarity," Pinkie replied. "Besides, you should make it how you want to make it!" "But I want to make it like her! How else can I make it?" "However reflects your life, which is way different than my Rarity's. Like all that time magic stuff." Pinkie decided that the best way to get off the subject of comparing one Rarity to another was to get back to the task at hand. "I came to visit you because Starswirl said you could create a spell to get me back home." "Well, it's an interesting conundrum," Rarity said. "The only way to get back to your timeline is to realign the events which happened in the past so that they point towards your future, rather than this one. Have you figured out what caused the rift?" "I think so," Pinkie replied. "Starswirl used a spell on Sunfall's sister to become immortal. She died, Starswirl and Noble Blood became immortal, and everything went wonky because of that." "Very well. Then what you'll need to do is go back, prevent that event from happening, and the timeline will realign itself. Now. A spell that will send you back, not so difficult. A spell that will send you back and allow you to change events, significantly more challenging. Also, how long do you think you will need, between going back and making the necessary change?" "I... don't know." Pinkie shrugged. "If you were to send me back to the same point in time... maybe a few hours?" "Okay, the max I can do is six before things get exponentially more difficult." Rarity moved over and began pushing things off of her desk. She unrolled a sheet of blueprint paper and began sketching a design. "Now, if we make a gemstone necklace with some sapphires and rubies, we'll have everything we need. The rubies will provide the energy to get you to the past, and the sapphires will help keep you there." She paused for a second, then continued insistently, "And here is the most important factor, darling. Once you put this on, you absolutely must not take it off until you return home. Do you understand me?" "Y-yes." It frightened Pinkie that Rarity had to be so serious about it. If she took it off, would it just pull her back to the present, or would some more grisly consequence occur? She was starting to wonder what she was doing, playing with time travel as much as she was about to. Perhaps realizing she was scaring Pinkie more than she'd intended, Rarity softened up a bit. "It's quite all right, dear. It won't kill you, just pull you back. Then I'd have to find some more magically-infused gemstones for you to--" Rarity slapped her forehead with a hoof. "Shoot! How could I have forgotten? I don't have any gemstones with a travel-back enchantment at the moment. And what's more, I have no idea where to find one on short notice." Reluctantly, Pinkie reached into her saddlebags and pulled out the Child, still faintly gleaming red. "This brought me forward in time, and took Princess Platinum back. But... I need it back when you're done. It's my mother's." Rarity gave a small smile. "Of course, darling. I just need to copy the enchantment in it." When she held the gem, her eyes lit up. "My, my. This is a very powerful ruby. It'll have more than enough magic to get you back home." "Thank you, Rarity," said Pinkie, finally able to relax. "No, thank you, Pinkie. I'm so glad our paths crossed ways today." Impulsively, she jumped forward and crushed Pinkie in a huge hug. Pinkie appreciated the moment for as long as she could. Even if this wasn't the same Rarity she had known for so long, it was still a quiet pleasure to have a huggy moment like this again. Even in this strange world conquered by Sombra, Noble Blood, and a reluctant Starswirl, Rarity could still be counted on to be Rarity--supportive, generous, fabulous Rarity. With Rarity in her corner, Pinkie had no doubt that she could make it back home. Suddenly, she heard a pointed cough behind her. Rarity suddenly let go and pretended to look over the blueprint again. When Pinkie turned around, she saw it was Gilt Edge, looking unamused, while Sunfall hid behind his legs. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked. "Not at all, dear," Rarity replied. "I was simply... sizing Pinkie Pie's neck up for her necklace." "I see." He nodded towards Pinkie. "Would you like me to set up the guest room? I'll put out the good sheets for miss Pinkie, here." "I'd greatly appreciate it, dear. And if you could, get the little mattress out of the attic for Sunfall here. Must give her the royal treatment, after all!" she added with a wink in Sunfall's direction. For her part, the little filly never seemed to grow accustomed to the association with Celestia, as she immediately blushed again and cowered behind Gilt Edge even more. "Very well." He gave a nod, said to Sunfall, "Let's go!" and headed off. Sunfall followed meekly behind. Now Pinkie had to ask. "So how did you meet Mr. Edge? He seems a bit... rough around the edges." "I think he's just a bit thrown about all this. I met him when I moved here from Everfree City. He shares the best traits of both the suitors you mentioned: he is tall and strong and noble like Blueblood, yet an artist and a gentlepony like Trenderhoof. I moved in with him a few months ago. He's been nothing but wonderful to me for all this time. I expect he's going to propose in a few days." "Ooh, ooh! Are you going to say yes?" "I might." "Whoo-hoo!" Pinkie cheered. "That's so exciting! I wish I could be here to throw you a 'Rarity's Getting Married!' party!" "...Aren't you, though?" Rarity pouted her lip out and gave her best puppy-dog eyes. "Your time travel necklace will probably take some time to complete. You could ask Gilt Edge when he intends to propose, and you could throw that party, just like you wanted. I'm sure he'd be okay with it." "...Oh. Yeah, we totally could!" "Now that you're here, Pinkie, I want to make the most of our time together," Rarity said. "I just wish you didn't have to leave." "Me too, but..." Pinkie looked Rarity in the face. She looked so similar to her own Rarity, but... it wasn't her, and it never could be. "I have to go home. Everypony's waiting for me." "I know. So for now, we'll take it as it goes." Rarity grinned and set her pen to the side. "For now, though, it's off to bed for the both of us. Tomorrow, we'll get started."