Chapter 7: Wrapping Up
"But are you sure this isn't going to cause problems for you?" asked Flaxseed nervously, looking at Rarity over the cup of tea that rested on the table.
"Oh I might expect a slight slowdown on my Manehattan orders, darling," said Rarity dismissively, "But Camellia doesn't have nearly as much clout in that area as she thinks she does."
"But isn't she a successful actor?" asked Flaxseed, still feeling more than a little uncertain.
"She has experienced some success, yes," replied Rarity, "However, that success has largely been limited to supporting roles on a few major productions. She might, if she applied herself, be labeled an Up-And-Comer. But that's a far cry from the runaway success of true stardom, otherwise her visit to my Boutique would have probably been accompanied by a small swarm of paparazzi.
"But, in reality, everything I've read about her work in the theater reviews indicate that she's a middling-level performer who relies more on her talent than she does on actual effort. There are ponies in her field that are just as talented as she is and who truly invest themselves in their work. In all honesty, I probably did her a favor by forcing her to take that money back?"
"How so?" asked Flaxseed, tilting his head.
"She's invested a great deal of her money into an expensive apartment, fine dining, and expensive dresses from well-known designers," answered Rarity, "I'm careful about who I do business with, so I make sure to know certain particulars, such as whether or not they can really afford my work." There was a little more to it than that, but Rarity didn't feel the need to go into detail. For example, she was more than happy to put a great deal of work into a dress that was supposed to be cheap for a starving actress who was working her tail off and needed just such a dress to make a good impression on a prospective employer. She was less-inclined to go above and beyond what was paid for for the sake of a shallow mare who wanted to throw money that she shouldn't away on a dress for the sake of impressing her friends or to make herself look more important than she really was.
"Anyway, she's a mare who spends rather frivolously on needless luxuries that she ultimately won't be able to afford. She's the type of actress who's in the business, not because she genuinely loves her art, but because she craves what it brings her; money, fame, and recognition." Rarity shook her head. "I'm afraid that she won't get far with that attitude, especially if she doesn't have the motivation to apply herself. The damage she could do is limited."
Rarity met Flaxseed's eyes again. "But none of that really matters. Camellia could be the greatest actress in Equestrian history with enough accolades to fill the Royal Palace. None of that would have mattered after the way she treated you."
Flaxseed's cheeks turned bright red. "Th-thank you," he said, shyly looking away for a moment.
"Well it sounds like things turned out alright," commented Arkenstone as he drifted sedately past the table, a tray of tea balanced on his rump, "I must admit, at least some good seemed to have come from that mare's visit, if Sweetie Belle's scream earlier was any indicator.
"I noticed she isn't here," Rarity observed, looking around the shop. Indeed, there was no sign of the white filly moving amongst the tables. The other Crusaders could be seen attending to their duties. The only other absent one was Rumble.
"I went ahead and gave her and Rumble the day off," replied Arkenstone with a slight shrug, "I figured I wouldn't have her for long anyway. Once Pinkie Pie gets her hooves on the filly, I suspect that Sweetie will be tied up for the rest of the day."
"Quite possibly literally," agreed Rarity with a tired sigh. Pinkie would undoubtedly be ecstatic to plan the cutcenera of the last of the original three cutie mark crusaders. Now Rumble and Dawn were the only ones left who had yet to gain their cutie marks. Surprisingly, neither of them seemed to be overly bothered by that. Rumble was fairly certain what he wanted to do with his future anyway, so it was entirely possible that his cutie mark would simply come in due course. Dawn, having only recently started spending time with foals his own age, had little concern for the normal attitudes foals regarded cutie marks with.
Speaking of Dawn, he too passed the table as he went back and forth amongst the different groups of customers with their orders. His eyes met Flaxseed's frequently and Dawn always passed on a wordless nod of encouragement. It was doing wonders for the gold-colored stallion's nerves and Flaxseed was starting to relax once again.
"So," said Rarity, "What would you like to do after we're done here?"
"Well..." said Flaxseed, running a nervous hoof along his mane, "Maybe we could just take a walk around town, visit some other friends of yours...we could even go out to dinner at that one restaurant you keep telling me about."
For a second, Rarity had to fight to keep herself from gaping at the stallion. Flaxseed had been amenable to taking walks around Ponyville before. He'd even been okay to going to the occasional restaurant, so long as it wasn't too crowded and he could get a seat in the corner where he could keep an eye on the rest of the room and prevent anypony from sneaking up behind him. But this was the first time he had suggested those activities of his own volition.
Rarity had been certain that, after the previous day, the only thing Flaxseed would want to do was return to the Boutique. After what he'd been through, Rarity had been mentally preparing herself to walk Flaxseed back across the ground they'd already covered before. Instead, here he was showcasing an uncharacteristically adventurous spirit and readily suggesting something that he was normally quite uncomfortable with.
Still, she had no intention of disagreeing with this wonderful development. "It's a date then," she said cheerfully.
It only took three seconds for the two of them to realize what Rarity just said. Their cheeks flushed simultaneously.
Behind her, Rarity was unable to see Arkenstone's smile widen approvingly.
"I'm not sure I fully understand what changed?" admitted Dawn as he and Arkenstone watched Rarity
"It can be difficult to explain," said Arkenstone, "But what Flaxseed went through was something of a less violent version of what you experienced from Red River and Storm Front."
That made Dawn blink.
Arkenstone continued. "If a broken bone is not treated, it can still heal. But it might heal crookedly and the limb will be hampered. To fix it, the bone sometimes must be re-broken so that it can be set properly. Only then can it truly be healed.
"When that mare first betrayed Flaxseed, she broke his spirit. With no one to turn to but himself, Flaxseed's spirit healed crookedly and he was hampered by the result. Encountering her again yesterday broke it again. But this time, because Rarity and Sweetie Belle were there, Flaxseed's spirit received a proper treatment and he has now begun to heal properly."
"I don't follow..." said Dawn, glancing up at Arkenstone.
"When Flaxseed first came to Ponyville, he clung to the Boutique and to Rarity because they represented safety and comfort to his heart and mind. Because he had finally found that anchor, that stable, fixed point, he clung to it all the harder, which kept him from venturing away from it. When Camellia arrived yesterday, that safe place no longer seemed so safe and Flaxseed was no longer certain he would be secure with Rarity and her sister. That sense of safety and security was shattered. However, when Rarity chose to chase Camellia away and stayed true to Flaxseed, he realized that he could still depend on her, that he could truly trust in her and that his faith would be rewarded. Once you make a leap of faith like that, stepping out for a walk in the park seems like...well...a walk in the park."
"Oh..." mused Dawn, beginning to understand what Arkenstone was getting at.
"A bone, once properly set and healed," continued Arkenstone, "is stronger than it was before it was broken. Likewise, I think that Flaxseed's own spirit will emerge from this much stronger than it ever was before. In a rather unintended way, Camellia's arrival here served as a sort of karmic compensation for her original misdeeds. She departed, humiliated by the pony who was supposed to be providing her a prestigious service and she ended up inadvertently pushing Flaxseed further along the path of recovery."
Dawn found himself smirking. "When you put it like that, I suppose we have this mare to indirectly thank for Sweetie Belle's cutie mark."
That got a laugh out of Arkenstone. "Yes. That too."
"This is so amazing!" gasped Sweetie as she stared around Sugarcube Corner, which had been decked out in purple, pink, and white ribbons that seemed to cling to every available surface. Hanging across the ceiling in the middle of the room was a banner proudly displaying her new cutie mark. It had taken nearly a week for Pinkie to set up the party. The main reason for that had been because they needed the extra time to hear back from Sweetie's parents after Rarity had sent them a letter telling them about Sweetie's new cutie mark. Unfortunately, the traveling couple had ventured too far abroad to be able to return within a reasonable timeframe and had urged Sweetie to go ahead with her cutecenera without them. Sweetie hadn't exactly been all that surprised by the response, given that she'd hardly seen her parents in the past year, having spent more time as a resident of Rarity's home than theirs. But she supposed it was only polite to let them know.
"I'm happy for you," said Rumble, wrapping his wing around her as they made their way across the floor, heading for one of the many party games set out for their enjoyment.
Sweetie couldn't quite suppress her giggle. "You've been saying that several times a day."
"It's because I am," protested Rumble. His mouth snapped shut when Sweetie quickly turned and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"I know," she whispered before leaning her head against his, "Thank you."
Sweetie had been surprised to find that she had some very special guests at her cutecenera. Upon hearing about her cutie mark, Vinyl Scratch had immediately insisted upon being in charge of the music, bringing her full set of equipment into the bakery and setting up a miniature concert that had the whole building jumping (literally, if the way the floor kept bucking beneath Sweetie's hooves was any indication).
Even Flaxseed was there, showing surprising fortitude by willingly coming to a place that was crowded with ponies, even though he remained near the walls and refused to venture out into the room. Rarity mostly stayed with him, keeping him company and keeping him calm. Fortunately, he had yet to suffer any breakdowns. Even as Sweetie looked, she saw Flaxseed actually holding what seemed to be an animated conversation with the Mayor of all ponies.
"Well now," commented a familiar voice from behind Sweetie, "It seems you finally found your audience."
Jumping out from under Rumble's wing, Sweetie spun about to see Octavia standing there with a smile on her face.
"Ms. Octavia!" squealed Sweetie, "What are you doing here?"
Octavia raised an amused eyebrow. "Well, I must admit that I was quite surprised to receive an invitation to your cutecenera. I have no idea how your pink friend got my address or how she was even aware that we were acquainted."
"Um..." ventured Rumble, "That's just Pinkie. She tends to know things."
"I see..." said Octavia, her smile wavering slightly. Still, she didn't appear to be too worried. "You must be Sweetie Belle's coltfriend then."
"Yes," said the colt, "My name's Rumble. It's nice to meet you."
Octavia giggled. "So polite. It seems you've found yourself quite the catch Sweetie Belle."
"That's right," agreed Sweetie, grinning from ear to ear before she turned and planted another kiss on Rumble's cheek.
"I know you've probably been asked this a hundred times tonight," said Octavia as she fell into step next to the pair of foals, "But could you share the story of how you got your mark with me? I am quite eager to know how it turned out."
Sweetie nodded eagerly. She had been asked about the nature of her cutie mark several times already that night. But it was a story she hadn't gotten tired to telling yet, particularly because she was so proud of how she'd gotten it. Octavia led them towards a small group of cushions situated against one wall where ponies could relax and converse, giving them a place where she was able to hear Sweetie's story in its entirety.
Her expression grew stern when she heard about Camellia and just what the mare had put Flaxseed through. Still, she couldn't help but smile proudly when she learned how Sweetie had used her gift for music to ease Flaxseed's troubled mind and soul and given him a chance to heal.
"I must admit," she said when Sweetie finished, "You do indeed have a remarkable calling. It sounds like I was right to send you to Vinyl."
"You can say that again," said Vinyl Scratch, seemingly summoned by Octavia's comment, "How's it hanging Octy?"
Octavia chuckled. "I'm doing quite well, thank you very much. How about you, Vinyl? I'm glad to see you working in a respectable establishment for once."
Vinyl belted out a loud laugh that echoed over the tones of her own music, which continued to pound rhythmically through the room. "Yeah, this is a step up from the places I usually work," she admitted, "And to think that it's because I volunteered to do it for free."
"Oh!" gasped Sweetie, "I didn't realize...! I didn't mean to impose on you like that!"
"Relax kiddo," said Vinyl, running a hoof over Sweetie's mane, moving gently to avoid mussing it, "This was my idea. Celestia knows, you're certainly worth it."
"Quite true," agreed Octavia, "I trust you've already heard how Sweetie got her mark."
"Yep," replied Vinyl, "It's a good thing that Camellia mare split or I would have introduced her to my Bass Cannon."
"Your what...?"
"Don't worry about it," said Vinyl quickly, "The only downside to this is that that mare won't get what she deserves."
"Oh I think otherwise," said Octavia, an edge of malice in her voice, "I have played in the pit at a fair few Bridleway productions myself, so I have some contacts in that area. I'll make sure that word gets out about Ms. Camellia's appalling behavior. I suspect she'll have a hard time finding roles in the future."
"Good to hear," said Vinyl, a slight growl in her voice, "That mare may not have gotten her dress, but she deserves a little more than that for what she put that poor guy through."
Octavia nodded in agreement. The two of them then realized that Sweetie and Rumble were watching them with a little bit of awe and fear as they listened to the two adult mares casually discuss ruining the career of another mare, even if said mare totally deserved it.
Realizing that the foals were a bit intimidated by the conversation, Vinyl shook her head vigorously before looking again at Sweetie. Reaching up with her hoof, Vinyl tilted her trademark purple-tinted sunglasses up to rest at the base of her horn. How they hung so securely there, nopony could rightly say. Vinyl's glasses were a trademark of hers, though she actually needed them during the shows in order to protect her eyes from the strobing lights that often accompanied her music. She'd once admitted to Sweetie Belle that, if she hadn't worn them, she would've gone blind years ago.
"Sorry the conversation got a little gnarly there," said Vinyl in an apologetic tone, "I actually wanted to talk to ya so I could give you your present."
Sweetie blushed and her eyes lit up. "A present! You didn't have to."
Vinyl chuckled. "Yeah, but I wanted to. It's been a while since I've had such a blast with a student. Most of those kids are just looking for me to teach them how to be DJ-Pon3 2.0 so that they can go off and start their own flashy careers in the music biz." She sighed and shook her head. "Most of 'em don't make it very far 'cause they don't try to do anything more than imitate what I've already done."
"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," commented Octavia wryly.
"Or the laziest alternative to originality," countered Vinyl, "Anyway, I wanted to give you this, kiddo." Her horn sparked and she teleported in a large manilla envelope, which she set on the cushion in front of Sweetie.
"What's this?" asked Sweetie, looking at the envelope curiously.
"Its application information for the Academy of Arts and Sciences," explained Vinyl with a grin, "That's the forms and everything you need to submit the application. You're getting close to the end of your elementary years and you're gonna be looking at trade schools soon, right?"
Sweetie nodded.
Vinyl's grin widened. "That's why I figured you might like this. Amongst other things, there are quite a few classes and seminars at the school that could help you refine your skills, especially if you're planning on doing what I think you're planning on doing."
"What do you mean?" asked Sweetie.
"From the sound of things, it seems that the field you'd be most interested in is musical therapy," explained Octavia, gently rubbing Sweetie's back with her hoof, "There's been a great deal of research into using music for the purposes of promoting the healthy development in the body and mind. In other words, studying there could help you learn to help ponies like Flaxseed and many more besides."
Sweetie looked back down at the envelope, her expression pensive. "That would be wonderful," she said. However, her low tone suggested that something about the offer was troubling her.
Vinyl didn't seem to notice as she pressed on. "But that's not really my gift. You could get that information easily. That packet also contains a letter of recommendation from yours truly, personally recommending you for admission." She elbowed Octavia in the side. "I was actually planning on asking Octavia to write one too. With the two of us, you'd be eligible for a full scholarship. It's pretty convenient that she got invited to this shindig, huh?"
"Yes," agreed Octavia, raising an eyebrow and glancing at Rumble, "It is rather convenient."
Rumble merely grinned sheepishly and offered a shrug. "Pinkie Pie..." he said by way of explanation.
Octavia's eyebrow rose a little higher, but she wisely decided not to question things any further. With a sigh, she turned back to Sweetie and Vinyl. "In any case, I would certainly be happy to lend my support," she said, giving Sweetie an encouraging smile, "I think you could go quite far."
"Th-thank you," said Sweetie, "Excuse me...I need to step out for a moment."
With a speed that shocked the two mares, Sweetie quickly bolted for the door, letting it swing shut behind her. Vinyl and Octavia shared a confused glance. "What did we do wrong?" asked Octavia.
"I don't think it was anything you said or did," said Rumble as he picked up the packet and tucked it under his wing, "But I think Sweetie's a little leery of the idea of leaving Ponyville."
"I guess that makes sense," admitted Vinyl, "I probably should'a thought about that before springing this on her. It's a pretty big step after all."
"It'll be okay," said Rumble, "I'll talk to her. Thank you both." He followed Sweetie's path to the door as the two mares watched him go.
"My," observed Octavia with an approving smirk, "He's certainly a fine gentlecolt. You don't find colts that polite and observant just anywhere."
"No kidding," agreed Vinyl with a laugh, "I'd say he's a keeper."
Vinyl's gaze drifted sidelong to Octavia. "So...I hear you might've landed yourself a prince."
Octavia let out a faint giggle. "Not a prince, actually," she said with a smirk, "a duke. To be honest, I think I much prefer him to any prince."
"So..." said Vinyl, flashing a smirk of her own, "You'd better start sharing those juicy details..."
Sweetie sniffed and rubbed furiously at her eyes, trying her hardest to wipe her tears away, barely conscious of the cold seeping into her coat from the outside air. She was mortified that she was acting like this during her cutecenera. This was supposed to be a happy occasion and here she was, blubbering away like an infant. After Vinyl and Octavia had both been so generous to her, she'd repaid their kindness by running away and crying because of her own selfishness.
But... she thought, I don't want to leave Ponyville.
She was barely conscious of Rumble's arrival until she felt his wing wrap around her back and pull her up against his side. He didn't say anything as Sweetie leaned against him, but simply held her as she sniffled into his shoulder. He'd done much the same on occasions where her anxiety over not having a cutie mark had gotten the better of her.
I don't want to leave Rumble either, she thought.
Gradually, her tears subsided and silence descended on them. "Rumble," she said.
"Yeah?"
"Should I..." Sweetie swallowed. "Should I go to the Academy?"
"Yeah," said Rumble without missing a beat.
"But..." Sweetie took a second to get her voice back under control, "But I'd have to leave Ponyville. I'd have to leave you."
"That's true," admitted Rumble as he turned so that he could rest his hooves on Sweetie's shoulders, "But it's not forever and it doesn't mean the end of anything between us. You know that."
"But...what if we start growing too far apart?" asked Sweetie, "It happens all the time. Ponies move away from each other and they start growing apart and-"
"Sweetie!" snapped Rumble, the sharp tone of his voice yanking the filly out of her panicked downward spiral. His eyes peered deeply into hers until he was absolutely sure he had her attention. "Look," he said, "You're right that those things don't always work out. But that's up to us. We can make it work if we really put some effort into it. There's something more important at stake here." He opened the wing opposite the one he'd been holding her with, showing Sweetie Vinyl's packet.
"When you helped Flaxseed the other night, you learned something important about what you wanted to do with your talents and your life. I'm not exactly keen on the whole long-distance relationship thing either, but this is your future we're talking about." He leaned in and planted a kiss on Sweetie's lips, letting it linger for several seconds before pulling away. "What kind of coltfriend would I be if I held you back just because I didn't like the idea of you going to school out of town?"
"But...are we sure that this is what's best?" asked Sweetie, her voice still uncertain.
"I think so," said Rumble, "It's not like this is the first time either. Remember when you comforted me after Scootaloo turned me down?"
Sweetie nodded.
"And then there was that time after Willow came to town...you know...when I told you girls about my...accident..." Rumble blushed and averted his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sweetie nod again.
"That's how I know," he said, turning to look at her again, "You don't like seeing other ponies hurting and you want to help them. That's what your music is for. You told me about what Octavia said about your audience. The ponies like Flaxseed, the ones who are hurting, your music is for them." He smiled and lifted his free wing to brush a tear out from under Sweetie's eye. "Don't let me keep that all to myself."
Sweetie sniffed one last time before she leaned in and tucked herself up against Rumble's chest, nuzzling in under his chin as his wing joined his arms in wrapping around her. "Thanks," she whispered.
Rumble tilted his head to plant a kiss at the base of her horn. "You're welcome," he said, "Let's go back to the party. It's cold out here."
The two foals went back inside and Sweetie was able to enjoy the remainder of her cutecenera, even agreeing to take both Vinyl and Octavia's recommendations for the Academy, though she hadn't yet stated whether or not she would apply. Still, she enjoyed herself, happy that her days as a blank flank were now behind her.
"So why is there so much emphasis on not using unicorn magic for the Winter Wrap-Up?" mused Dawn as he and Arkenstone prowled through Whitetail Woods.
Arkenstone paused, his nose sniffing before he oriented on a tree. Once there, he carefully planted a small flag, marking to position of an animal burrow nestled between the roots.
"Part of the reason is the Cultivation," explained Arkenstone, "Winter Wrap-Up is about more than just clearing the snow. When we wrap up winter, we are also laying the magical foundation for the year's growth. The act of plowing away the snow, followed by plowing the fields, followed by the planting, lays the magic of the participating earth ponies down into the earth, coaxing it back to life, sparking the first steps of growth within the newly planted seeds so that they will grow healthy and bountiful. More than a community event, Winter Wrap-Up is actually a large-scale ritual of earth pony magic. A unicorn's magic can interfere with the process and alter the results, in a manner similar to how inserting something as small as a single decimal point into an equation can drastically alter the result. Earth pony rituals aren't nearly so complicated or precise, but the overall principle is the same."
"Even for little things like bird's nests?" asked Dawn.
Arkenstone shrugged. "It's hard to say where a unicorn's might cause interference. I doubt the birds would refuse to return to those nests if they were made with the assistance of magic, but that isn't a certainty and even a small disruption could ultimately lead to dramatic results. At some point, I think ponies just gave up trying to figure out the ifs and whens of how a unicorn's magic might hinder the coming of the season and passed a general moratorium for simplicity's sake. However, because very few ponies, even earth ponies, have a formal understanding of how earth pony magic works, magical reasoning was simplified into tradition and now, many ponies hold to that tradition 'because that's the way it's always been done.
"I'm certain that, with time and study, Twilight or somepony like her could probably figure what tasks would be safe for a unicorn to use their magic on. However, between the countless ways unicorns use their magic and how those ways might interact with different aspects of the whole ritual, it would be a long a tedious process to figure things out; to say nothing of the fact that the face of unicorn magic is always growing and changing. New spells and magics are born all the time and each one would have to be examined. It comes across as a job that's far too large to bother with, especially for an event that only occurs once a year."
"And yet we pegasi are allowed to use our magic," Dawn noted.
"And pegasi always have," answered Arkenstone, "Before towns like Ponyville had a large enough pegasus population to host their own weather team, pegasi were simply called in from the nearest cloud city to to clear away the cloud cover. Pegasi have always been a part of Winter Wrap-Up since the earliest times. Besides, their magic involves the sky, which doesn't interfere with what the earth ponies are doing down below."
"I see..." mused Dawn, already in the process of marking out another burrow.
Even for a wildlife manager as dedicated and knowledgable about her charges as Fluttershy, keeping track of every den and burrow used by the hibernating creatures was a task that would outstrip what she could accomplish alone. Thus, she had simplified things. The hibernating animals were assigned zones where they could pick out locations of their choosing to settle down for the season. That way, ponies knew where to look when waking the animals up for spring.
However, even within those zones, there were any number of places where the animals could secret themselves. That was where spotters like Dawn and Arkenstone came in, tracking down said burrows and den, marking them out for the rest of the Animal Team to come by with the bells and wake the animals up. It was normally a tedious, drawn-out task. However, between Dawn's wind-sense allowing him to pick up the changes in airflow created by the burrows and Arkenstone's sense of smell, which homed in on the sleeping critters, the task was going by far more quickly. Dawn and Arkenstone had already gone through three zones in the time it had taken the rest of the Animal Team to manage one.
Scootaloo, much to her excitement, had been tapped to join the Weather Team in clearing away the cloud cover. They were primarily waiting for Twilight's signal, which would come once the animals were in the clear. Another group of the Weather Team, containing Rumble, were already on their way to guide the migrating birds back north.
Sweetie Belle was joining her sister on the nest-building detail. Sweetie wasn't feeling particularly enthusiastic about the task, but was eager to work alongside Rarity in preparing the nests that would serve as homes for the newly arriving birds.
Apple Bloom was helping with the Planting Team, first by ensuring that all of the equipment was in good working order. Then she would also be pulling a plow and planting seeds alongside her elder siblings.
Spike, naturally, was working alongside Twilight, helping to manage her lists and keep her organization...organized. His was probably the most demanding job as he was constantly having the shuffle priorities to keep up with the changing circumstances of Winter Wrap-Up. Though Twilight was in charge of making the decisions, it was Spike who helped keep track of what those decisions were and what decisions still needed to be made.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the event was Flaxseed, who had stepped forward and volunteered to help with Twilight's organizing, keeping a detailed ledger of equipment and materials to track what they had, what was being used, and what was left over. He was mostly sequestered away in Town Hall, being somewhat hesitant to step out into the open during the flurry of activity that was going on. Still, he was participating and that was what mattered.
From Dawn's perspective, things were going smoothly. By all accounts, all the tasks were proceeding according to, or even ahead of, schedule. He suspected that, rather than coming on time, spring might be a little early this year. A smile spread across the colt's face as he realized that this was the first time in a long time that he was truly eager to greet it.
In Canterlot, the sun was already shining brilliantly in the sky. The clouds had been clear and green sprouted forth from the countless gardens around the castle. The yearly ritual to transform the city from its winter form to its spring form had barely taken half a day. Already, ponies were enjoying being able to walk about without coats or boots. Naturally, amongst the unicorns that made up most of the city's population, a great many derisive remarks had been made about the poor, unfortunate earth ponies in the towns lower down, who had to work throughout the day, and often the night as well, to bring about the change in the season.
From where he sat, Elderflower, Baron of Dream Valley, could see the clouds still hovering over the lands down below, like a fluffy blanket that seemed to stretch out for miles closer to the mountain's base. In its own way, it was every bit as beautiful as the sweeping vistas of snow-covered valleys during the clear days of winter or the rolling green fields of the spring and summer. Elderflower enjoyed being able to relax under these circumstances. It allowed him to appreciate how hard the ponies below Canterlot were toiling. They did so, not merely because they were some lesser breed, but because it was in their nature. They were fulfilling the role that had been lain down for them since time immemorial. In the earth pony towns, ponies, irrespective of what foolishly whimsical path they might follow, came together to recognize the purpose of their kind and fulfill their duty to the land.
It was a day for ponies to be reminded of their place.
"You're certainly enjoying your leisure," observed the Baron's visitor as he came into the sitting room, "I always find you impressively composed for a pony with so much on his plate."
"Of course I am," replied Elderflower, not bothering to turn his head to regard the other pony, "A stallion in my position must always maintain his composure as much as possible. It is our responsibility to not show weakness before the masses." Given his position, Elderflower's visitor didn't really deserve any more consideration than he was already being given by being allowed onto the Baron's estate in the first place. That he'd walked in and started talking without the slightest pretense of acknowledgment for Elderflower's rank was another slight that the Baron had gracefully chosen to overlook.
That was especially true, considering that the other pony should have been much more useful in his given role. He was in a position to know and hear a great deal of the information that passed amongst the highest levels of the Royal Palace. Yet, most of what he passed on was information that Elderflower could have easily learned through his own intelligence sources. And yet, every once in a while, the stallion managed to bring forth a little pearl of knowledge that convinced Elderflower that he could be useful for a little while longer.
"I admire your dedication to maintaining your image," remarked the other stallion, casually planting himself on a cushion next to Elderflower, maintaining a polite distance.
"Maintaining appearances is an important duty, no matter how shallow it may seem," said Elderflower with a sigh, "Commoners often dismiss it as little more than vanity. They talk about how action is more important than appearance. They'll say that a pony's looks are secondary to what she actually does. But the truth of the matter is that they are all too often swayed by appearances. They look up at those who lead them and evaluate said leaders according to such minor appearances. If ponies applying for a job have equivocal qualifications, it's only natural that the one who presents herself better will get the position.
"Ponies look to us nobility and expect certain things of us because of our rank. We are to be immaculate in our appearance, dignified in our bearing, and we must express our superiority as naturally as breathing. We are infallible paragons of equinity."
Elderflower's guest raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose that maintaining appearances is even more important amongst your peers."
Elderflower snorted derisively. "Of course. Just as with any game that pits you against canny opponents, losing your composure reveals your weaknesses and gives your next move away. As a baron, I am too low in the noble hierarchy to depend on my rank for protection."
"That must be why you wore such an impressive poker face when you came back from your trip to Ponyville empty-hooved."
Elderflower's nostrils flared the tiniest bit, but he refused to dignify the other pony's words with a response. Besides, even though he had not succeeded in swaying Twilight Sparkle to his cause, Elderflower had gained important insight into the way her mind worked. He now only needed to figure the best way to take advantage of the knowledge he'd gained.
Instead, Elderflower decided to guide the conversation in a more productive direction. "Since you are here, I presume that you have some relevant information for me."
The other pony nodded. "Yes. I thought you might find this interesting. The Parliament is preparing to discuss the qualifications for the Royal Warrant and the selection processes for the applicants. I already have a list of both, which is likely to make it through as-is at this juncture. As you might expect, Dame Rarity and Dame Applejack both qualify as applicants. So now it is merely a matter of successfully making the grade through the selection process."
Elderflower's eyes narrowed. "Is that all you've brought me?" he asked. Once again, his inside source had brought him information that he would have easily found through his normal channels.
"There's more," replied the other pony with a slight smirk, "Are you planning on allowing those two to obtain the Royal Warrants for their respective businesses?"
“While I’m sure it would be quite convenient if they were prevented from obtaining the Royal Warrant, I see no profit in intervening,” Elderflower pointed out, “After all, the entire reason I removed Viscount Eventide from the picture was to stop him from trying to manipulate Twilight Sparkle through her friends and loved ones. That is highly liable to be…counterproductive in the long run.”
“And yet, some are trying,” noted the other pony.
Elderflower heaved a disappointed sigh. “Whilst I have taken the lead position in this little venture, I can’t restrain my allies nearly as well as I would like. I am frequently reminded that, as a baron, I rank below many of them in terms of nobility. At least a couple of my more…well-funded allies are backing rival claimants to the Royal Warrant, assured that both Rarity and Applejack have no hope of outmaneuvering an opponent with greater resources.”
“That seems foolish,” noted Elderflower’s visitor.
“Of course it is,” conceded Elderflower, “As it has been said, necessity is the mother of invention. If anything, the fact that they are more financially limited than the competition is likely to drive them to making innovations that will turn the issue of resources on its head.”
The other pony nodded. “I’m impressed by your willingness to look beyond the obsession that most nobles have with their bit-purses. I suppose the information I have will confirm your opinion.”
This made Elderflower’s eyes narrow. “And what information is that?”
The visitor smirked. "Recently, Applejack has succeeded in domestically cultivating a new variety of apple, one of magical nature, similar to that of the zap apples her family already grow, with Twilight Sparkle’s assistance, I might add. From the sound of things, it's sure to make a profound impact once they reveal it to the world at large. In fact, I suspect she is planning on using to secure her win during the selection process.
"As for Rarity...she, also with the help of none other than Twilight Sparkle, has apparently invented a new fabric that will likely reshape the fashion industry. I daresay that nopony else in the running has anything remotely like it."
So it’s exactly as I figured, mused Elderflower. It wasn’t that big a surprise. For all that his allies had harped upon how great an advantage their money would afford Rarity and Applejack’s competitors, they overlooked the fact that Rarity and Applejack had some powerful connections of their own. That Twilight Sparkle’s influence would give them such an enormous advantage over the competition was only a sign of how important it was to have her cooperation.
Interfering with the selection process to obtain the Royal Warrant was a risky proposition. Since everything was being hammered out by the ponies in Parliament, the interference of the nobility in such an event would likely be construed as an unauthorized intervention by the Noble Court outside of the bounds of their authority. However…Elderflower wondered if, perhaps there was a way to still swing this to his advantage. Yes, he had disdained the notion of using Twilight’s friends to secure her cooperation. But that was generally through the lens of using Twilight’s concern for their wellbeing as a means of coercion. Perhaps there was another angle to exploit…
But first, thought Elderflower, I need more information. Applejack’s farm is out of my reach at the moment, so finding out about those new apples of hers is out. But Rarity… A smile slowly spread across his face. Yes, in Rarity’s case, I have somepony already in place. I love it when a plan comes together. I’m sure that, with Coco Pommel’s help, I can obtain all kinds of useful information.
“You seem to be thinking of something amusing,” noted the other pony.
“My apologies,” said Elderflower, “I was just thinking that, perhaps it is time for me to send Perlin Bluestreak on a little errand for me. He has been getting a little stir crazy, since I’ve had so little for him to do lately.”
The visitor chuckled. "Ah yes. How is he working out for you?"
Elderflower's eyes narrowed. "He is the most disagreeable pony I've ever had serving me. But he's useful nonetheless. I suppose I should be grateful to you for recommending him."
Sitting across from Elderflower rested another unicorn. His coat was a dark shade of brown that clashed harshly agains the strangely off-white color of his mane and tail. His crimson eyes always seemed to glitter, even when there was no actual light source to illuminate them. However, the stallion's most prominent feature was the horn that projected out of his head. While most unicorns sported a coat of velvet over their horn that matched the natural color of their coats, this pony's horn was an unsettling off-white color, similar to that of his mane. Seeing it always made Elderflower's skin crawl. It gave him the impression that the horn was an extension of bone growing straight out of the other stallion's skull, rather than an outgrowth of alicorn, which all unicorn horns were composed of (and from which the alicorn pony type derived their name). Rather than velvet, the horn seemed to be sheathed in a substance that seemed almost crystalline. When the light hit the stallion's horn, said light seemed to shift and refract strangely, as though there was something about the pony's horn that didn't conform to the natural laws of the world.
Wight Shade was officially the majordomo to Princess Luna. Few ponies were as close to the Princesses as he. Thus, he was in a position to learn all sorts of useful information that even Elderflower's own agents were able to glean from the Palace staff. At least, that was what Elderflower had assumed the first time they had met. However, Wight Shade had proven to be of limited usefulness. Still, at least the handicapped unicorn managed to at least provide something useful every once in a while. He had even gone so far as to arrange Elderflower's meeting with the underworld mercenary, Perlin Bluestreak. Though Perlin was a willful and capricious pony, he'd proven to be an extremely useful tool to the Baron.
It is a pity, thought Elderflower as he eyed Wight's horn, that his condition prevents him from using magic. Without that, he doesn't even qualify as a unicorn. If he could use magic, I might have still had a use for him when all of this is over.
"I'm glad that I managed to be of some help to you," said Wight, "I should be getting back to the Palace, lest Luna misses my presence. I look forward to our next conversation, My Lord."
"Yes," said Elderflower, somewhat reluctantly, "Until next time..."
The door closed behind Wight and Elderflower sighed, grateful that he was able to spend the remainder of the afternoon in peace. Perlin could be called for later.
Wight made his way through the halls of Baron Elderflower's manor. He scarcely paid any mind to the tasteful decorations that made up the decor. There were a fair few paintings, here a portrait of a long-lost ancestor, there a marble bust of the Baron himself, throw in a priceless vase carved from airavata ivory and you had just about everything you could expect from a noble's mansion. Wight had to admit that Elderflower was a good bit more...restrained in his sensibilities than many of his peers. But, like all of his ilk, there was nothing he liked more than showcasing his wealth and influence, even if it was to the few that were able to make it into this part of his home.
A rattle of metal caught Wight's attention as he approached a juncture between two corridors. Looking for the source of the sound, Wight's smile widened as he spotted the pony who'd made it.
It was a young stallion, young enough that some ponies would probably still refer to him as a colt, though he was practically an adult by this point. His coat was a light cream color, dotted with flecks of grey, though most of it wasn't visible as his body was covered by a pitch-black cloak that covered him from the shoulders all the way down to his haunches. The colt's mane was a dark, grayish-blue color. He regarded Wight with a pair of yellow, hawklike eyes.
"Hello Perlin," said Wight with an easy smile, "It's been a while since we last spoke. Are things going well for you?"
The young stallion shrugged somewhat indifferently. "Eh...It's a living. Things have been a little bit boring around here lately. I can't complain too much, I guess."
Wight's smile flattened out into a slightly more neutral expression at Perlin's rather lackluster response. Granted, Perlin had never been one for excited outbursts of emotion, but he seemed particularly subdued this time.
"Is something the matter?" asked Wight, raising an eyebrow.
Perlin sighed. "I've just been given a few things to think about lately. In some sense, I suppose I never truly appreciated how much easier it was when my late father was making all my decisions for me. True, he was fashioning me into his personal killing tool, but at least I had my future mapped out for me. Thinking for myself is hard."
Wight couldn't help but laugh at that. "I suppose it is. It's quite easy to simply play the role that others lay out for you and abandon your own thoughts and feelings. Many ponies are all too happy to just 'go with the flow' as it were. At least you're making an effort."
Perlin sighed and looked away slightly. "I...I've been thinking about your offer again."
"Have you now?" asked Wight, his eyebrow climbing higher, "You gave me a rather blasé rejection when I first made it. I'm surprised that you are reconsidering it now."
"Circumstances have changed," said Perlin, "I am...reconsidering..."
"I see," said Wight, "I won't ask what changed your mind. Of course, my offer remains open to you. Please feel free to let me know once you reach a decision in the matter."
Perlin favored Wight with a smile. "Thank you."
"Now," said Wight, "If you don't mind, I am expected back at the Palace soon. I must take my leave. Good day."
Perlin bobbed his head slightly in response to Wight's words and watched as Wight made good his departure. Once again, the young stallion sank deep into thought.