//------------------------------// // Gathering the Watch // Story: The Eventide Watch // by Sun Dial //------------------------------// Dust was bored as their small tour guide lead them around the castle. She couldn’t believe that a creature of such legendary power and strength could be so pathetic. Whoever thought a firebreathing, magic impervious species with a penchant for hoarding everything in sight could produce such a lame offspring as the one in front of her. “And here we have the kitchen. Meals will be prepared by yours truly, provided you can keep snacking to a minimum,” Spike told the three pegasi following him. “Library is on the right, where you’ll be able to find Twilight most of the time.” Could Dash have offered her a more boring job? Sure, Dash saved her and paid a debt she now owed her back, but she never believed Dash would offer her such a dull job.  At least the pay was more than it should have been. Play bouncer for the pretty princess for three months and she’ll have her debt paid and enough to get back into the derby races on her own.   The three pegasi followed Spike up the stairs.  “Continuing up the stairs, you’ll find the observatory. Here on the second floor, the bathroom will be on your first right.” Nice place to piss at least. Dust had never taken a dump in a shiny crystal bowl before. “And that room is yours, Dust,” Spike said, pointing. Dust pushed the door opening to a room dazzling in light as the sun shone through the rear window. “Nice digs.” she commented at the crystal lined bed, dresser and just about everything. “Is that?” she questioned going over to the mattress in the bed. “It’s a dust cloud.” Twilight spoke, walking through the door as Soarin bowed. “Dash and Soarin put their heads together to create it. I trust it’s to your liking?” “It… it’s fine,” Dust said. Dust clouds were expensive and not in high demand. A bed made of them would have been worth a pretty penny. “So what’s with the gift? Doesn’t exactly seem like something you give somepony that’s not gonna stick around, Captain.” “Soarin’s idea. He wanted to work with some advanced weather techniques. I just helped with the cloud construction,” Dash admitted. “As much as I’d love to talk about cloud construction, Thunderlane and the twins are downstairs,” Twilight said.  “Oh, yeah, “ Dash said. “I forgot I asked them to meet me here.” Dash took an easy glide over to the stairs. Dust petted her dust bed a couple times before following the entourage downstairs. As she arrived, she instantly picked out the two twins, leaving the other to be... “Name’s Thunderlane,” the stallion pegasus said, holding his hoof out to her. “I know. You’re one of recruits that couldn’t fly at the academy. Ponyville must be really hurting if you’re on the weather team,” Dust replied, shaking his hoof. “And you’re the mare who needed to prove she had the biggest dick.” “How’s your marefriend? I’m sure that cloud you buck every night is feeling lonely right now.” Twilight wanted to throw up a little. “Eww…” Twilight blurted. “That’s not actually a thing, is it?” Everypony suddenly grew an inexplicable interest in crystal architecture.  “Dibs on giving the seagull and the hawk lesson to our princess there,” Dust said. “Nope. That’s Celestia’s job,” Dash teased. “Nobody else would be able to use big enough words for her to understand. “I’m already regretting this,” Twilight said. “Lightning Dust, I see you already know Thunderlane. This is Cloudchaser and Flitter. They’ll be helping out with the weather around here. With the induction of the Eventide Watch, Ponyville skies will be classified as a level three security area. These three are our weather team. They’ll handle most of the weather duties, but we’ll be responsible for organizing and helping out when we get a chance. Everypony will be required ten hours of weather duty a week,” Dash continued. “The level three security protocols require that the castle have a clear sky for at least a hundred feet, with authorized enchanted clouds allowed within a five hundred foot radius. I’ll be putting together those. They will be enchanted with several different spells, the most prominent being an intrusion spell,” Soarin explained. “Tomorrow, I’ll need everyone to imprint their signatures on all the classified clouds.” “Thunderlane. You’re in charge of the Everfree line now. Yes, that includes Sweet Apple Acres,” Dash said. Thunderlane raised his hoof, “Yes, Applejack will inform me if she’s getting extra rain or if you’re shirking your duties for a roll in the hay.  She doesn’t have to tell me for me to know if you were slacking. Her poker face is worse than Twilight’s OCD.” Thunderlane put his hoof down. “Any other questions? None? Okay, good.” The group began to disperse when Twilight spoke up. “Wait… seagulls and hawks? That must be a reference to the more dominant mating styles of pegasi. How old is that story? Does it date back to pre-equestrian times? …I wonder if it has any influence from the mating rituals of the other tribes or if the pegasi courtship rituals are similar to those of Commander Hurricane’s time.” “Surprisingly, some of the most well known rituals are actually earth pony influenced, including the famous sky dance...” Soarin said, leaping into a conversation about the mating rituals of the ancient pegasi and some philosophy stuff that Dust quickly tuned out. Dust leaned over to Rainbow Dash. “Did she just make sex boring…. and did your coltfriend just get turned on by it?” “I’m trying to ignore that.” Soarin sat on top of the water, a feat made possible by a small layer of cloud combined with the water’s tension and his currently very small body mass. (Or at least as reality was concerned, his actual body mass didn’t change. Merely the water’s perception of his body mass). Magic flowed steadily from his wings and frogs as he layered another cloud he had been working on with a proximity enchantment.   The enchantment danced through the cloud, little bits of reality being sown into its white fluffiness. He weaved together a reality where the clouds provided protection, peace of mind and way to protect those he cared for. This was his realm, years of books and studying allowed for such complex masteries as the fluffy whiteness in front of him. Soarin loved flying, more than most pegasi. It allowed a freedom from life, a way to escape your problems.  For all the power flying gave magic released an even greater freedom. Magic allowed you to change reality, turn problems into solution, enemies into friends and danger into protection. Flying allowed you to run away from your problems, magic let you turn your problems into answers. An amalgamation of the two had become Soarins life, and he couldn’t be happier. It was so peaceful, just him, this small pond of water and his magic. Gently, he wrapped the cloud in a stasis spell, before lowering it into the water, pushing it under as the final rays of the sun began to fall. He smiled at his hoofwork, but it was time to go. He had a long flight back to Cloudsdale. It was short flight to the castle to tell Dash goodbye. A quick search found her in the library speaking with Twilight. “So I just need to set the book up there? That’s it?” Dash confirmed with Twilight. “Yeah. I’ve already calibrated it for a week. The time distortion between the two worlds increases the reality restitution factor on an exponential scale.” Twilight said. “I’ll need to recalibrate it if you wait any longer than that.” The statement completely went over Dash’s head. “Have you come up with a simplified equation for the system?” Soarin asked, staring at the machine that would take Dash to the human world. “I could probably put one together so you don’t have to do that many calculations each time Shimmer wants to visit her home. “I’ve been attempting to create one, but there’s a few too many unknowns.  I’ve been able to narrow down the equation to three lines.” Twilight said. She was going to say something about Equestria being Sunset’s homeworld, but held back. “Before you two go into egghead land again, what did the princess say about our armor?” Dash asked Twilight. “She said she’d handle it. Something about forging the armor in the heart of a star with nothing but  raw magic to bend the elements to her will as she unleashes the fury a thousand suns.  Rarity will be coming over tomorrow to get your sizes.” “Sounds awesome.” Dash said. “Actually, I should probably head out too. Long trip back to Cloudsdale and everything. I’ll be back by seven for training, Dash.” Soarin said. Twilight shot Dash a disapproving glare. “You didn’t tell him?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. No need to fly home Soarin. You’re staying at my place.” Dash said. “Excuse us one moment.” Twilight apologized to Soarin, dragging Dash by her ear with her magic. “You didn’t ask him!?” Twilight yelled at Dash as soon as she got behind the nearest bookshelf. “It just slipped my mind. I’ve kind of got a lot on it, you know?” Dash said. “What’s the big deal anyways?” “What’s the big deal? What’s the BIG DEAL?!” Twilight’s mane began to fray. “What if he thinks you're pushing him too fast? What if he thinks you're just using this as an opportunity to get him to bed you? What if he’s not comfortable sleeping with you? What if he’s TOO comfortable sleeping with you?! You can’t just blow such an important detail off like this!” Twilight lectured. “Uhh… Twilight?” Soarin poked his head around the corner, “I uh… well. I’ll just get a room at the motel if you need me here that badly.” Dash brushed Twilight off. “I’m not gonna force you to spend your bits, Soarin. Just stay at my place. It’s gonna be the cheapest way if we’re going to hold the extra rooms for foreign dignitaries. Nor is it worth the coin to keep you in a motel. You’re stuck with me, buddy.” Soarin opened and closed his mouth a few times. “Okay?” he said uncertainly.  “I’ll… ummm. I’ll see you there?” He said quickly moving out the door. “What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing!? Now he thinks you invited him over just because it was convenient!” Twilight exasperated. “Wha…?” Dash said confused. “Dash, why did you invite Soarin over to your place?  Because it was the best option for him to live there? Are you even listening to yourself?” “Look, Twilight. That’s exactly the reason. I haven’t exactly had time lately to listen to myself. If I’m not training with the Wonderbolts, I’m getting caught up on all the rules and regulations I have to follow for this thrice damned job, or I’m going to another meeting with the other guards, or I’m practicing all that magic crap that a foal can figure out, but I can’t seem to. Spike’s had more letters for me in a day then you’ve gotten in the past month. So no, I didn’t listen to myself. It was an easy, convenient solution and a problem that could be solved before I jumped to the next thrice damned issue I have to deal with. “The only thing keeping me sane have been the nights where I get to just lay down and let Soarin work his magic over me. His endless support willing to come by and fly me home like I’m some little filly when I can barely move my wings or think is probably the only reason I’m still in on this stupid idea! So yeah. I didn’t think it would be an issue when I have everything else in Equus on my shoulders right now!” Dash shouted. Twilight was taken back, as Dash breathed heavily. “I’m sorry Twilight. You’re right. I should have asked him. I can’t just drop things on ponies. Happy?” she said, lingering rage in her voice. “It’s not about whether or not I’m happy, Dash. Is this the kind of relationship with Soarin you want?” Twilight asked. “I don’t know, and I don’t really have time to think about it right now,” Dash said. “And if you’ll excuse me, I have things to take care of.” Dash didn’t quite slam the window as she flew out with burning speed to take out some anger. She had so much riding on her right now that she didn’t need Twilight of all ponies to tell her how to deal with her love life. She arrived at the Ponyville Weather Team Headquarters faster than expected. She moved into her office, a small thing which had notes, bulletins and paper scattered everywhere. She looked at it all, feeling overwhelmed.  She pulled her notecards off the shelf and began to lap the room as she went over them. “Code Cattle Call. Incoming blitz attack. Immediate reaction, civilians are to hide,  local garrisons are to assemble in groups of five? Six?” Dash looked at the back of her card. “Twenty-five? Oh, right.” “Code Crowd Control. Rioting at high security locations with potential danger to high profile targets. Put garrisons to riot prevention tactics while a small trusted tactical squad moves the targets to safe location.”  Dash checked the back of the card, smiling as she got all the information right. “Lets see. Ponies classified as high profile targets?” Dash wracked her brain, unconsciously picking up the pace as she tried to remember a name. “Uhh… Raven? Kibitz for sure…. Spitfire?  Oh, yeah. Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack.”  She wracked her brain for more, but couldn’t come up with them. She groaned in defeat and flipped the card over and seeing about thirty more ponies classified as high profile. A large amount of them being government officials in Canterlot, Cloudsdale and Manehatten. She spent the next half hour, pouring over the names, pictures and profiles of all the ponies on the list. She eventually threw down the papers in disgust, matching face with name of but a mouthful of ponies. She put the papers back on the shelf before picking up her mail for the day.  Her wings keeping her in the air. She ripped opened a letter from Star Whistle, general of the guard’s Cloudsdale branches. Dear Captain Rainbow Dash, The results for the Psychological Compatibility tests have come back and are enclosed. I can’t say that I’m impressed with your choices. Officer Dust shows no capability in being able to participate in a squad and I had a long and deep conversation with Spitfire about Soarin’s latest scores on the Wonderbolt Performance Test.  I highly recommend that you reconsider your choice of squadmates for protecting her Highness, The Spellweaver, Twilight Sparkle. Nor do I agree with your choice to not reveal who you have chosen for your Magic Support, despite Princess Celestia’s acceptance of your decision.   All eyes are on you right now, Captain Dash.  Your choices affect the image of the army as a whole. Narcissism and nepotism are not a good way to start a new section of the Guard. Captain Armor, Captain Wall and myself all have candidates that would be much better suited for Eventide Watch. Fly Straight Foal, Star Whistle Dash flipped to the psychological results for Soarin and Dust, and sighed. While both of them could potentially work with Dash, (big emphasis on potentially), according to the results, the two shouldn’t be able to stand being in the same room with each other. Dash was glad that she wasn’t subjecting Sunset to this test. They’d probably kick her out of the position for suggesting a one time demon pony for protecting Twilight. Dust had several red flags all over her. A gambling addiction, tendency to act without thinking, and being an adrenaline junkie. Small ties with the mafia made a nice cherry on top.  There was a couple of notes about that if she could convince Dust that protecting Twilight was her dream, she’d be an excellent guard. Also a note that if she were to discharge Dust, the Wonderbolts have a position to fill.  Dash smiled, recognizing her mentor’s hoof writing. Soarin was quite a different story, there was praise for everything he was, High Archmage of Cloudsdale, favored Wonderbolt, an ability to study and create wards.  Several magic degrees and knowledge of some very powerful spells, he was highly recommended for filling the position of Magic Support. Experience with working with other ponies and combat experience was a plus. They proceed to go on to say all the reasons he would be a horrible squad member. Not attentive, focuses too much on small details that don’t matter and socially awkward. Not things you want on either a guard or the representative of her highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dash stashed the papers away, pulling off a note concerning a change in the weather plans for the coronation day. A quick glance at the calendar confirmed that she had told the Weather Department to not plan for a downpour that day. They didn’t listen, scheduled a rainstorm and now were requiring clear skies. Too bad they’re still going to deliver the thunderclouds that day.  Dash sat down at the calendar that planned out everypony’s hours. She grimaced. They were low on salary funds, which meant no overtime could be paid. If she wanted the full team to help handle the clouds when they arrived, she needed to be on weather duty by herself for three days straight. She wrote down the times, reprinted the schedules and put them up around the small weather building. A small flame dropped a scroll onto her desk.         I have some free time tomorrow at noon. I have set it aside to provide some more training for you. Arrive promptly at 12:00. Lunch will be provided.         -Celestia - Dash was happy for the brevity of the letter, marking down on her calendar the appointment and headed out as the moon rose into the sky. She was on weather duty tonight. She pushed towards Fluttershy’s, clearing out any clouds she found on the way. Fluttershy’s house was a quick cloud clear and stern warning to the Everfree clouds that she wasn’t in the mood for their pranks right now. The clouds thoroughly cowed (she hoped), she moved towards Sweet Apple Acres.  It took about a half hour to round up enough clouds to stitch a blanket around Sweet Apple Acres. Finished, she finally headed home. Soarin heard her land outside as he was doing the dishes. He had already made himself a bed on her couch, cleaned up the house and took care of Tank. He looked over at her as she closed the door, looking absolutely exhausted. “Holding up?” “Hmm? Oh, hi Soarin.” Dash paused, opening her mouth. She should apologize to Soarin. Explain that she wasn’t blowing him off, that she was just busy.  You know, so busy that she couldn’t even take a spare minute to ask him if he’d like to stay with her. “You okay… Dashie?” he asked, hesitating as if asking if he could call her a pet name. “What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Totally cool, you know. I...uhh...  just have some more studying I need to get to,” she said. “I’ll, uh… be in my study… to you know… study.” Soarin frowned before going back to the dishes, unsure of what to do. Dash sat at the desk, snagging a lantern that Soarin had already pre-filled with fireflies. She pulled out her textbook and notes and began the long struggle through the magical theories concerning the difference between unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony enchantments.  Her paper filled with numbers as she attempted to use the equations she learned to find the most optimal weave for an earth pony enchantment and several other similar problems. To her relief, all thoughts of her conundrum with Soarin floated away as her head filled with numbers.          She felt a comforting hoof on her shoulder after about forty minutes of working, a tray of food and a hot mug of mint tea placed on the table.  Soarin’s amazing frogs wormed away the tension she held in the back of her shoulders and she sighed contently. Soarin, gave her a light kiss on the cheek, before leaving the room. Dash took a bite of the daisy sandwich, and let the tea flow down her throat.  She worked on her magic studies deep into the night. Rainbow Dash had only one thought. She hated humans. Not only did she not have her wings, she didn’t have any super awesome powers, nor was she that terrifying. Even as a breezy she had awesome wind magic. “Officially the lamest alternate dimension ever. Why would Sunset even be here?” She muttered, trying to find Sunset in the school Twilight said she’d be in. “Shouldn’t you be in class?” Dash spun in surprise towards the voice, a tall figure with very distinctly colored hair that could only be one pony.  “Princess…!”          “Principal actually. The other Rainbow Dash then?”  “She’s the other one.”          “Of course she is.” Principal Celestia smiled at pony version of her student. “So tell me. Why have you decided to grace our lame dimension with your presence, miss Dash?” “You heard that, huh?” Dash asked. The principal nodded, “One can hardly blame you though, living in a land of magical ponies.” “I’m looking for Sunset, you know where she’s at?” “Practicing, currently. Take a left at the end of the hall, and then your second right. Should be room 165.” “Thanks Princess… I, uh, mean, Principal.” Dash said, running down the halls. A familiar tug at her heart and vocal chords guided Dash easily to the room where Sunset Shimmer was singing. “All I wanted was respect!” Sunset rapped as Dash slid in quietly. “But I just couldn’t connect with one who said she’d give me everything I ever wanted. Imagine seeing all your dreams waved and be flaunted, right in front of your face, and now you're called a disgrace!” Dash had to admit, Sunset had a voice on her, better than Twilight’s even. “I chase her down to… AHH!” Sunset screamed finally seeing Dash. Dash smiled, “Now that’s a rocking song. Haven’t heard a heart song with that much guitar since Vinyl started singing about the difference between wub and electronic.” “Ironic,” Sunset Shimmer said, putting away her guitar. “You must be the Twilight's Rainbow.” “That obvious?” “This world doesn’t have heart songs.  Took me awhile to get used to the fact that you can have songs with lyrics that aren’t leaping from the heart.” Sunset said. “Wanna go get milkshakes? They’re delicious.” Dash found herself walking through the strange little world, noticing strange things, like the amount of motorized vehicles and how everything was built tall, as opposed to wide. The two of them had a great conversation about everything and anything till the finally arrived at Sugarcube Corner. The milkshake in front of her was delicious, and using her hands wasn’t as difficult as Twilight had claimed. “Don’t know how you stand having to control five appendages at once.” Dash remarked. Sunset laughed, “Yeah, it is pretty different. Hooves are way better.” Sunset took a quick drink of her milkshake. “So what’s the occasion? Somehow I don’t feel this is a social visit, as neat as that would be.” “I know. You’re way cooler than what Twilight described,” Dash said. “I came to offer you a job.” “A job? As in go to work eight to five and come home to video games?” “I wish I had your jobs. Nah, this is more of a get up at five in the morning for training, work all day, come home late at night to get about three hours of sleep before you get up and do it all over again.”  “Sounds fun.”  “Loads.” “You haven’t actually explained the job, and aren’t exactly inspiring me to take it,” Sunset said, waving her spoon around.  “I’m forming a squadron to be the Eventide Watch. Princess Twilight’s guard,” Dash explained.  “Sounds enticing.” Sunset said. “But I’m not quite convinced I want to join.” “Did I mention that it’s just a dimension door away? Most of the time is going to spent just listening to Twilight nerd out and you’ll get to be a pony.  Pay is stupid good, even after all the bits going to setting up a lab for you.” Dash said cooly, her smug smile met Sunset’s. “And did I mention… personal lessons from the Princess of Magic, herself?” “You've twisted my hoof, but I think I can accept such an offer,” Sunset said. The two chatted amicably for the next little bit, Dash filling Sunset in on the details. The two headed back, where Principal Celestia nodded and smiled at Sunset’s soon to be intermittent behavior in her classes. She said she’d work things out, and the two went back to Equestria. It had been a while since Shimmer had come back to Equestria. It was far from the first time since she stole the crown. She could hardly say no to tea with Twilight. She stepped out into the familiar room of Twilight's library. At the table was Twilight, pouring over a book with a blue pegasus stallion…. a very handsome pegasus stallion who was conversing with Twilight about arcane lattice structures within living and half living creatures.  A stallion who Twilight was making no romantic inclinations towards despite the proximity of their bodies.  A smart, handsome stallion. Dash materialized next to her, and Sunset let a very large smile creep up her face. “What’s up?” Dash asked. Sunset indicated her head towards Soarin. “Dibs.”