-Neighbors-
The loud bangs at the front door could be heard from Canterlot to Yakyakistan. Newly fused wood creaked from strain, and old stones threatened to crumble as Twilight's barrage of hooves thundered against the innocent front door.
"You know she means to take you out this time." Sif said, circling her bed before laying down for a nap. She opened an eye and looked over at Skyfall who was lounging on a bed next to her. Sky was completely covered head to hoof in hard, wooden armor and sipping a cup of tea.
"She can try it." Sky grabbed another book. "These are only two days late and I doubt ponies are clamoring over each other to read..." He flipped the book over to examine the title more closely. "’The History of the Great Equestrian Ages’, by Glory Scrolls."
"Well, you have to leave eventually." Sif mumbled as the soft embrace of sleep began to wrap itself around her.
"Oh, and why is that, fluffy butt?" Sky ruffled Sif's fur in jest, but before he could withdraw he got a face full of the gray fuzz.
"You have to. I need you to get a few things from the list on the fridge. You need to replace that decrepit teapot as well." Sif stated. “And spending the past two days in my den is starting to make you look like a basement cat.”
Skyfall hissed at Sif. "How could you say that about Ms. Teapot?" He picked up his cracked, leaking pot.
Sif rolled over onto her back and kicked the pot out his hooves and into the wall, shattering it.
"You broke my teapot!" exclaimed Sky.
Sif stretched her large paws into the air. "There's only room for one bitch in your life. Me."
Sky opened his mouth to comment, but was cut off by another tail strike to the face.
"I meant that in a scientific sense, hot stuff." Sif hummed, having found the perfect sleeping position. "You should get the items on the list before she has evidence you're actually here."
Without another word, Skyfall resigned to obey and walked up the basement stairs stopping at the very top. Sky reverted back into his spirit form so he could get a better idea of what was going on outside. "Let's see what we can see."
A rush of light filled his vision and before long he saw Twilight, along with three other ponies, milling about on his front stoop. Twilight had the most indignant look on her face, obviously annoyed at being ignored, while a pink mare was bouncing around the perimeter, looking in every window she came across. After watching the pink mare for a minute, Skies remembered that his house had a reputation for being haunted, so having fun wasn’t out of the question.
The trees on the property swayed and cracked in a nonexistent breeze, making all four mares freeze, a fearful look evident in their eyes.
"Maybe I shouldn't scare them..." Skies mused, releasing the trees from his control.
"W...Well, Twilight, maybe you're being too forceful. A lady should always approach a door with poise." The white unicorn was going to try her luck with the door, and from the sound of it, she was confident it was going to work.
"Well then, Rarity, why don't you try?" Twilight said a matter-of-factly.
“There's a second name to put on my restraining order: Rarity.” For three days, an assortment of ponies had come to the estate to greet their new neighbor. Some ponies only got as far as the front post that marked his property. Skies appreciated the gesture, but retirement was supposed to be somewhat peaceful.
There was one mare that Sky could not identify and had yet to meet. She sat right behind Twilight looking frightened. Her cherry blossom mane was long and curled. With her head turned to the side, her mane rested over her face, hiding it from view.
"Right, time to move. I just have to pick out a good area to appear." Skies searched the nearby forest and found a deserted tree with a tree house in it. "Puuurfect."
One problem came to Skies as he donned his disguise again. He looked around and remembered, the list is on the fridge which can be seen from a window.
Oh Come on! Sky thought when he placed his hoof on the frame seeking a distraction. Maybe if I...
Skyfall found a family of squirrels living in a tree. When he spoke to them they quickly bowed and agreed to help. The squirrels jumped from the tree and started to run around Twilight and the other ponies, gaining their attention. "Time for me to move."
Crossing the distance in two strides, Skyfall snatched the list and leapt into the wall. About a minute later he showed up a few miles away, emerging from the trunk of the tree house.
Skyfall smiled as he sat. It wasn't the first time he had walls that acted like a tree and allowed him to pass through. It proved to be invaluable in every place that he lived. Sky remembered that his wife laughed at his paranoia when she found out that he had replaced all the walls with living wood. She poked fun at him, sarcastically stating that if he didn't cover up the fireplace, a fat red monster would shimmy down and snatch him up. Her warning was an obvious shot at Sky’s reindeer-like appearance. Remembering the dead caused Skyfall a lot of mental anguish and even made his wound ache. Even if it happened almost fifteen hundred years ago, it still hurt.
"Right, the list." Skyfall hastily changed the topic in an attempt to rid himself of the plaguing memories of his wife and child that were racing through his mind.
The list had a bunch of random ingredients, as well as some groceries. Sif's grotesque writing caused Skyfall to groan. He squinted and rotated the note countless times to decipher what she wrote before shoving it into his saddle. "Curse that dog."
"Okay, I only need to buy powdered prisma crystal. I can get the rest from the Everfree though." Skyfall said. "I guess she's getting close to finishing her potion."
Prisma Crystal. Sky ran the name through his mind again to cement his goal. "Shouldn't be too hard."
"I can't believe him! I've tried to welcome him to Ponyville for three days. Three days!" Twilight seethed to Rarity.
"Well maybe he is in town?" Rarity said.
"For three days?" Twilight shot a wry look at Rarity before Applejack met up with them in front of Sweet Apple Acres.
"What are ya girls talkin ‘bout?"
"Oh, that new stallion has been ignoring Twilight all week and she's getting super bummed out that her welcome wagons are getting flats which is super not cool!" Pinkie spurted out.
"Right... anypony else wanna give that a try?" Applejack questioned.
Fluttershy trotted up next to Applejack. "The new stallion hasn't answered his door the past few times Twilight has gone to talk to him. He seems very shy."
"Reclusive is more like it. It is not healthy for a gentlecolt to stay secluded like this." Rarity said.
Applejack cut in before Twilight could whip around and gripe more about Skyfall. “And how is he a gentlecolt? Ya haven’t met him nither!”
Rarity harrumphed. “Any stallion who lives in a lavish place like that is obviously a refined gentlecolt. You haven’t gone to see it have you?”
“Nope.” Applejack sternly stated. “And ah ain't goin’ to neither. Y’all are encroachin on his privacy.”
Fluttershy rose her hoof to interject. “Maybe he’s just really shy. I was shy when I first moved here.”
“Ah don’t think he’s shy. He’s just retired." Applejack said.
"How? He's like the same age as my brother!" Twilight ran her hoof over the bridge of her muzzle. "When I find this stallion, he's going to get a piece of my mind."
"And your hoof!" Pinkie said.
Twilight looked at Applejack who was trying to hold in a bout of laughter. "Applejack, how did you know he was retired? Did you talk to him?"
"Hm? Oh, ah… no, Big Macintosh talked to him. He said this Skyfall feller seems real nice." Applejack said.
"So he talks to Big Mac?" Twilight asked.
"Just in passin’. Mr. Skyfall went into Ponyville a few days ago and bought a lot of stuff to put in that house of his." Applejack explained. "Big Mac and him talked for a bit when he ordered a whole mess of apples."
"What'd they talk about?" Twilight asked.
"The weather." Applejack cringed at Twilight's flailing reaction. "He should be ordering more today from the market though, shoulda run out by now."
Twilight smiled victoriously. "To the market!"
Twilight reared up to gallop, but was stopped by a demure cough. Fluttershy rose into the air slowly. “U…Um Twilight? I’m sorry but I have to go and feed Angel.” She didn’t wait for a reply before starting to fly towards her cottage.
Everypony knew that she was terrified of meeting new ponies and Mr. Skyfall was no exception. Rarity and Applejack understood and didn’t question Fluttershy’s decision.
Pinkie Pie’s hair deflated slightly. “I’m afraid I can’t go with you either, Twilight. I have to take over for the Cakes today, since this week starts their vacation to the Bree-Hamas.”
“Hey guys, what are you doing?” A familiar voice piped up as she flew in.
Twilight smiled devilishly. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, in the mood to pull one of your pranks?”
A large head slammed down onto Big Mac's stand, scaring the filly hidden beneath. Big Mac recognized his customer by his olive drab scarf. "What's wrong there, Mr. Skyfall?"
Skyfall grumbled a string of muffled words.
"What's that? Ah can't hear ya." Big Mac asked.
Skyfall sighed and lifted his head slowly. "Sorry Big Mac. I've been running around all day looking for an alchemical ingredient. I was told by one shop that it's fairly common everywhere but here in Ponyville."
"Ah'm sorry to hear that. How many apples?" Big Mac asked before turning to his cart to fulfill an impending order.
"A quarter bushel of Galas, please." Sky said before resuming his complaining. "I tried to make an order to get the ingredient, but having a local resource would be better for me."
"Well, I don't know much about that science stuff. I only know a little to take care of the farm." Big Mac said before pointing down. "Applebloom, on the other hoof, is tryin’ to be one of those fancy potion makers."
"Ah'm here-oof" Applebloom tried hopping up onto the counter but needed her brother’s assistance, making her blush after almost falling. "Ah'm here. What are ya talkin about?"
"Mr. Skyfall here needs help finding something." Big Mac said.
"Whatchya need?" Applebloom asked, all too eager to help.
Skyfall's body seized from a sudden, scathing headache that radiated through his entire body. Sky’s muscles started to curl his body inward before releasing. He massaged his head with both hooves and looked around. All the ponies in the market saw it happen and murmured at the obviously painful display.
"Y...Ya okay there Skyfall?" Big Mac asked.
Skyfall wasn't okay, a figure caught his attention far off in the tree line. Some stallion stood in the shadows wearing a lumpy cloak. He swayed a little until a wind kicked up revealing his hooves, which were each a different color. His green eyes darted back and forth, scanning the crowd, until he gave up and turned away. The worst part in all of this was when Sky made a realization. Why can't I sense him?
"Um, Mr. Skyfall? You there?" Big Mac asked once more before looking in the direction Sky was looking. "What do ya see?"
"Uh, timberwolf. That's all." Sky lied, causing Big Mac to raise an eyebrow.
Applebloom tugged on Skyfall’s scarf. "Do ya need help?"
"Oh. Yes. Where might I find powdered prisma crystal?" Sky said.
"Oh! Ah have some." Applebloom cried. She leapt down from the counter and grabbed a backpack before trotting around the stand to meet him. The backpack was filled with papers and small sacks. She pulled out a small blue one and showed Skyfall the contents. "This?"
"Y...Yes! How do you have this?" Sky asked with astonishment.
Big Mac smiled. "Applebloom is takin’ lessons in potion making. That is her private stock of ingredients."
"Do ya want it?" Applebloom asked.
After a brief moment Skyfall sighed. "I can't take this."
"Why not? Is it not big enough? Take all of it!" Applebloom ordered, but Big Mac smiled at Skyfall with an all too knowing grin.
"I can't take your only sack of prisma powder. I need to pay you for it... or something." Skyfall said and reached for some bits to pay Applebloom.
"Ah don't want yer bits." Applebloom stuck her nose in the air. "Ya can pay me in another way."
"Huh?" Sky tilted his head to the side.
"I want ya to treat the Crusaders to dinner!" Applebloom shoved her hoof in Skyfall's face.
Skyfall grabbed her small hoof. Applebloom’s hoof was several times smaller than his, making it a comical sight. Skyfall smiled and said. "Any request within reason."
Applebloom cheered and trotted off to school, leaving a laughing Big Mac.
"She’s getting more powder today, isn’t she?” Skyfall asked.
"Eeyup!" Big Mac said, proud that his little sister was becoming a sly business pony. "Her class is taking a field trip to her mentor’s hut in the Everfree."
“Isn’t that unsafe with all the Timberwolves?”
“Nope. Zecora enchanted the path to make it safer so she could visit easier.”
Skyfall still thought it was a bad idea for ponies to go near his forest with those things still there, but it wasn’t his job to watch Ponyville. He walked away from Big Mac’s stand and lamented. I was outdone by a foal. I'm never going to hear the end of this.
"So, ya were avoiding the Princess?" Big Mac asked suddenly, still within earshot of Skyfall.
"Yeah. Wait, how'd you know?" Skyfall did a double take.
"She seems a might angry." Big Mac pointed towards the approaching group of mares who were barreling toward the market. "And she has meh sister Applejack, the fastest land pony I've ever met. Ya might wanna skedaddle."
"And so I must." Now all I need is to get to the forest. Skyfall nodded. Being a full head bigger than the biggest pony in Ponyville made escape infinitely harder for Skyfall, who couldn’t blend in.
Twilight noticed Skyfall walking away from the stand. "Oh no you don't! You’re mine!"
Skyfall heard Twilight's yell, so he did the only thing a stallion could do in that situation: Ignore her and run the second he was around a corner to get away.
Twilight, along with her friends, began galloping faster the second Skyfall broke their line of sight. Their hoof beats on the ground shook the roots, giving Skyfall a slight indication of where they were.
Skyfall exited the alley the second the three mares passed, Twilight spouting crazy punishments as she ran. Sky remembered Spike's warning upon checking the books out.
"In seven days you must return them or Twilight will be at your house on the eighth day at sunrise."
"How can she be that mad? I've dodged her for three days." Sky stopped in his tracks. "Wait. Doesn't Twilight's possy have six mares?
Before he could think, he was tackled by a mare with a rainbow mane. Skyfall lay there in the center of a growing crowd, knowing exactly what was happening. It was a trap set up by Twilight, one that he would make backfire.
The mare started to groan and cringe, pretending her wing was hurt. The flash mob prevented Skyfall's five pursuers to get any closer, giving Skyfall time.
Game on Princess. Now what's your name, prismatic pony? Sky questioned. The crowd was all too generous to give an answer to Skyfall in the form of insults.
"Oh, Rainbow's so faking it!"
"Ugh, what happened to that featherbrain now?"
"I bet she's trying to scare this guy."
"What's going on? Did someone clock Dash yet?"
Skyfall sat there, giving a small nervous laugh as he held Rainbow Dash in his hooves. She put her fetlock over her eyes and began her act.
"Oh, woe is me, this accident has left me with a crippling injury. " She took this time to flap one of her wings at random intervals. "I'll never be able to fly again... Whatever shall I do?" Asking no one in particular. "I'll have to go hungry and homeless."
"Fake mourning!" A small pink filly with a tiara shouted.
Rainbow tried harder by flailing but was interrupted by a hoof placed against her cheek. The stallion who was giving a nervous laugh before was now dead serious and stared right into her eyes. Her thoughts were ground to a halt until the stallion spoke "No, Dash, I shall take responsibility for this travesty and nurture you back to health. I have scoured the earth all of my life for you Dash! Honestly, you don't remember me?! You know... from that masquerade in the griffon kingdoms... all those years ago? I have devoted my life to finding you! My fortune, my castle, my nobility! Gone. So that I may end this like it started on that fateful night, with one longing kiss.” The last part was but a whisper making the shocked pony’s blue coat turn deep purple. The crowd around them watched with intent silence, hanging on every word. Everyone was waiting for the final, climactic kiss, but instead, he turned to the crowd and said. "Oh look! It’s Princess Celestia wearing a sundress!"
Everyone bowed to the ground in respect, allowing Skyfall to sprint away from the crowd and into the forest.
Rainbow sat on the ground, still blushing from the close encounter. She was still confused. What was he saying? Was he about to kiss me? Should I have kissed him to ruin his attempt to out-prank me? Should I run now? So many questions flitted through her head at once.
"You okay there pardner?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash stood up violently. "No! He embarrassed me!"
"Darling, you did try and embarrass him first." Rarity added. "And Twilight I'm surprised at you! Telling Rainbow Dash to stall him so you could give him a tongue lashing."
Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but Rainbow rocketed off into the air towards Skyfall's estate. True to Rainbow Dash's reputation, she was at his front gate in ten seconds flat.
Skyfall exited a tree a few hundred feet from his front gate and immediately he saw Rainbow waiting for him, seething. Uh-oh.
Rainbow sighed heavier and heavier every second it took for Skyfall to reach her. She couldn't make eye contact so she opted to scowl at the weathered plaque on a pillar that read 'De Cerulean'.
Stopping a few feet from Rainbow Dash, Skyfall stared at her and made things worse by opening his mouth. "What's wrong? Did I forget our anniversary again?"
Rainbow squinted at Skyfall angrily.
Oh boy here it comes... Skyfall could feel that Twilight and her two friends were on their way through the forest, but they weren't fast enough.
"Who do you think you are!" Rainbow roared.
"Why are you so upset, Ms. Dash?" Skyfall asked, uninterested in Rainbow's anger.
"Y...You, you were trying to humiliate me... you featherbag!" The mare cocked back and hoofed him right in the face.
Skyfall didn't harden his skin or brace for impact, he let Rainbow take revenge. Skyfall looked up at her, a now much calmer mare. "Humiliate you? You tried to prank and embarrass me so you could hold me there long enough to have Twilight catch me."
Rainbow's eyes shot open.
"Oh, you thought I didn't know? You and Twilight planned to humiliate me." Skyfall turned his head toward his house. "You have a good day, Ms. Dash."
"Wait!" Twilight yelled as she ran up. "We saw what happened and it was an accident, don't be mad at Rainbow Dash!"
Skyfall stopped walking to hear what the Princess had to say, he had a feeling it would be entertaining.
"Sometimes Rainbow crashes, it was just an accident that you were standing there." Twilight smiled nervously.
Rainbow waved her hooves and shook her head trying to get Twilight to stop.
"Oh, so Rainbow crashed into me by accident and thought her wing was hurt?" Skyfall asked.
"Yes." Twilight smiled.
"So you didn't have a plan to embarrass me?" Sky looked directly at Twilight.
"N...no." Twilight was put off by Skyfall's burning golden eyes.
"But you did have a plan." Skyfall stated.
Twilight went to respond, but was cut off.
"That wasn't a question." Skyfall turned and walked away slowly.
"He's got ya dead to rights there, Twilight." Applejack said.
Rainbow bit her lip as Skyfall passed, his eyes bearing down on her. "I'm sorry, didn't know you would get so mad."
"You are not forgiven." Skyfall said calmly, trying to drive home a point.
Rainbow huffed angrily and rocketed off to a cloud house in the distance.
Skyfall left, leaving the group of mares in silence. They shifted around uncomfortably. Twilight wasn’t used to angering ponies and did not fully grasp what was going on.
“Wait! You still owe me overdue books!” Twilight shouted at the shrinking form of Skyfall.
“Er, Twilight? Ah think he ain’t in the mood.” Applejack put a hoof on Twilight’s whither. “Try something else.”
Rarity cut in. “But not today, sweetie.”
Rarity pulled a head scarf from her wardrobe in the void, and fastened it around her head. “Applejack and I are going to chat with the gentlecolt.”
“No ah ain’t!” Applejack shouted in horror.
“Oh stop being a scaredy-cat, Applejack. We’re just going to try and smooth over the boo-boo that Twilight and Rainbow caused.” Rarity cooed.
“But…” Applejack tried to come up with an excuse, but the element of honesty lived up to her reputation and failed to force one. “Fine.”
Rarity smiled and waved her hoof, dismissing Twilight. “Twilight, you should go and see how Rainbow is doing. I am sure she is breaking… something.”
Twilight felt horrible, she had lied about doing something horrible and was caught. Twilight raised her hoof to try and defend what she did, but dropped it. She watched Rarity walking towards Skyfall’s house, a reluctant Applejack in tow, and considered following. No that would make it worse. Sighing, she instead turned around and began her trip home.
“Why do ah have to go?” Applejack muttered under her breath. “You know how ah feel about this place.”
“Oh puh-lease, Applejack, those are just stories and rumors.” Rarity stopped and held out a hoof. “Just look at this place. Before, it was dead grass and a dirty old house, now look at it. The house looks simply divine.”
“Ah think it’s too big fer one stallion.” Applejack said.
“You’re too critical Applejack.” Rarity had heard about Skyfall through her customers. Skyfall had not really interacted with Ponyville aside from the very few ponies he did business with, so naturally he became the talk of the town, much like Cranky Doodle Donkey before him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Rarity?” Applejack asked. “He did look pretty upset when he walked off.”
Rarity and Applejack arrived at the stoop before Rarity could respond. “I am not so sure now.”
“Well it’s too late to back out now.” Applejack said.
“What? No it’s not we haven’t…” Rarity was cut off by Applejack ringing the doorbell.
“Now it is.” Applejack smiled.
Skyfall shut his front door with a firm kick. “SIF!”
The echo of his voice and the silent response told Skyfall that Sif had left, presumably to take care of business. Sky walked into the kitchen to find another horribly written note.
-Gone to get the stuff you didn’t.-
“Figures.” Skyfall scoffed. She just wanted to see if I would get them, knowing they were easily found.
Before Sky could get upset at Sif’s prank, he heard the whistling of a tea kettle. Sky, having been known to enjoy the smaller things in life, wore a small smile on his face. “That sweetheart.”
Skyfall had an incredible knack for making tea; he prepared it with green tea leaves that were grown in partial shade. Sky gave it a slightly sweet taste by adding a small dollop of honey from Royal Bees. Sky sat down with his tea. “Finally.”
Before Sky could take a sip of his tea, the doorbell rang, echoing through the house. What is that awful noise?
Skyfall tried to raise the tea to his lips before another bell rang through the house. Of course there’s somepony here. Why wouldn’t there be? I was about to enjoy me time. Another bell chimed, indicating that the ringers were not going away. “On my way.”
Stopping at his front door, Skyfall put his hoof against the wooden frame of the door to see who it was, desperately hoping that it wasn’t Twilight. Rarity and Applebloom’s sister? I wonder what they want.
Skyfall grabbed the ornate door handles and opened the double doors just as Applejack raised her hoof to knock once more. “How may I help you?”
“Took ya long enough.” Applejack scowled, annoyed that she had rang the bell so much without a response.
“I forgot what the doorbell sounded like. I’ve become too used to ponies banging on my door.” Skyfall said, returning Applejack’s scowl.
“Oh dear.” Rarity said and stepped in front of Applejack, trying to quell the developing hostility. Rarity held her hoof out to Skyfall. “Good afternoon, Sir Skyfall. My name is Rarity. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
I wouldn’t call this a pleasure. And what’s with her hoof? Do stallions still kiss a mare’s hoof upon meeting them? Skyfall gently grabbed Rarity’s hoof and laid a delicate kiss on it. I hope this doesn’t get awkward.
Rarity chirped with happiness. “See, Applejack, I told you he was a gentlecolt.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah, let’s just get this over with.”
I really hope Sif doesn’t come home while they’re here. “Would you two like to come inside for some tea?”
Rarity smiled triumphantly, she wanted an excuse to see the house for the longest time and now she had one.
Applejack followed behind an excited Rarity at a slow, cautious pace.
“Oh my! Sir Skyfall, this place is gorgeous.” Rarity said the second she set hoof inside. The foyer’s ceiling traveled up to the second floor, allowing for an elegant staircase.
“It’s okay.” Skyfall said. Unknown to either of the ponies that he was now playing host to, he had lived in many places that made the De Cerulean Estate look like a shack in a swamp.
Rarity’s mouth dropped at Skyfall’s flippant remark, making Applejack giggle.
Skyfall walked up the staircase sluggishly. “You two are welcome to have tea in the front room.”
Rarity wore a face of confusion when she followed Skyfall into his front room. “Sir Skyfall why…”
“Skyfall.” Sky corrected.
“Huh?” Rarity stuttered out after being interrupted.
“You do not have to call me Sir or Mister. Just Skyfall will be fine. You may also call me Fall or Sky. I’m not picky.” Skyfall sat and started preparing two extra cups of tea.
“R…Right M…Skyfall.” Rarity said, nearly repeating the title. She was unsure if he was angry or not; his monotonous tone dissuaded her from starting a conversation.
As he poured their tea, Skyfall noticed that he was somewhat curt with Rarity, and hadn’t even acknowledged Applebloom’s sister. “I apologize from my shortness. I just don’t like formal titles when they aren’t necessary.”
“Please allow me to introduce myself properly.” Skyfall gave both mares their tea. “I am Skyfall, your new neighbor. Rarity I’ve met.” He nodded to Rarity before turning to Applejack. “I have yet to get your name.”
“Mah name’s Applejack.” Applejack said. “I’m the owner of Sweet Apple Acres. Ah live up the road from you.”
“So you’re Applebloom and Big Mac’s sister?” Skyfall asked. He already knew, but the opportunity to make small talk was needed.
“Eeyup. They’re my kin.” Applejack said proudly and put her tea down without tasting it.
Rarity made a delighted humming sound. “This tea is splendid. Did you make this?”
“Yes. It took me…” Sky was about to tell them it took him three thousand years to get it right: The mixture, the leaf, and the additives. Sky had many recipes for tea, but he was known for his royal green tea. Sky looked at Rarity and smiled. “It took me a long time to get right.”
“Well you should feel proud. You should open a tea shop and sell this.” Rarity said and noticed Applejack’s untouched teacup. “Applejack! Why are you not drinking your tea?”
“Yall know I don’t like tea, neither does Rainbow Dash, you know, the reason why we’re here.” Applejack proclaimed, eyeing Rarity.
Rarity lamented, Applejack was right. “Skyfall, the reason we’re here is to talk to you about Twilight and Rainbow Dash.”
“I figured you were, that’s why I let you in. Mostly.” Skyfall chuckled.
“Wait, ya knew we would come to talk about this?” Applejack asked.
“No. I knew somepony would stop by. I actually thought it would have been Twilight, I’m glad to see that I was wrong though.” Skyfall said and prepared another cup of tea for Rarity.
“And why is that a good thing?” Applejack asked aggressively. “Yall got a problem with Twilight?”
“Calm down Applejack. I’m sure Skyfall didn’t mean it. Did you?” Rarity questioned hopefully.
“I did, but not the way you took it.” Skyfall calmly stated, giving Applejack a chance to calm down. “Twilight needs time to think. Using trickery to meet ponies isn’t a good thing. Hopefully she’ll understand why it was wrong and that she won’t employ something like that again.”
Applejack nodded in agreement. “Ah’ll admit it was mighty neighborly, but ya been avoiding her fer the past few days. How could she meet you if ya been cooped up in here?”
“Ah, you’ve caught me.” Skyfall laughed. Skyfall had been avoiding Twilight because of her affiliation with Celestia and Luna, but he could never tell Applejack that. “I have been avoiding her.”
“Why in Celestia’s name have you been avoiding her?” Rarity asked in disbelief.
“She rudely bangs on my door.” Sky said matter of factly.
Applejack raised an eyebrow, deciding to challenge the statement. “Does she now?”
“She does. But you know that. I'm sure you wouldn't lie about knowing?” Skyfall asked.
“Ahm the element of honesty, it’s kinda meh thing.” Applejack smiled at Skyfall and saw his facial expression drop. Twilight was right, he does look tired.
Memories of the element of honesty ran through Skyfall’s head. He secretly hoped that these ponies would stop referencing them, or that he would learn to eventually let go of all the guilt he held. Skyfall sighed long and loud. “She does bang on the door, but I avoid her because I’m reluctant to make friends.”
“Shy?” Rarity asked.
“Not really, just reluctant to make friends these days.” Sky stated quietly.
Applejack looked down at the tea that Sky had prepared for her. “Ah see why. Ponies won’t leave ya alone.”
Rarity looked around. “So, Skyfall, why is this room so barren?”
“Oh, I’m glad you asked. This is an entertainment room that I have yet to furnish. Hopefully when I get more bits I can… Applejack what are you doing?” Skyfall asked, staring blankly at Applejack.
“Ahm tryin to drink yer tea? What’s it look like ahm doin?” Applejack held the cup up to her lips, curling them back thinking it was hot.
“It’s hot Applejack, not scalding.” Rarity corrected by showing her the ladies way of sipping tea.
Applejack, on the other hoof, drank it like cider.
Rarity got over Applejack’s gross display of drinking and turned to Skyfall. “So, Skyfall, do you have any family?”
Ponyville must put a lot of stock in family. Sky mused and stirred his tea. He hesitated to answer, something that Rarity caught on to. “Y…Yes, but I haven’t seen them in… a long time.”
Rarity took the opportunity to switch back to talking about earlier. “That sounds just like Rainbow Dash, her parents live in Cloudsdale. Her aunt, Firefly, comes down on occasion, but when she does, Rainbow gets embarrassed from all the foal stories she tells.”
Applejack burst into laughing upon remembering one of the stories. “Ah’ll say. This one time Rainbow’s mom told us that when Rainbow was a filly she took her mom’s makeup and-”
Applejack wouldn’t finish her statement before somepony started banging on the door desperately.
Rarity rose to see who it was, but Skyfall raised a hoof. “No, I’ll get it.”
Without looking to see who it was, Skyfall could tell it was multiple ponies. They started ringing the bell and screaming for Applejack and Rarity.
Skyfall opened the door to find a two local guards and the Mayor. “Mr. Skyfall! Are Ms. Rarity and Ms. Applejack here?”
Applejack and Rarity turned the corner as soon as their names were called. Applejack waved her hoof at the Mayor. “What is it Mayor?”
“I’m sorry, but you two need to come with me immediately!” The Mayor stated with the utmost urgency.
“My goodness, for what reason?” Rarity asked.
“I…” One of the local guards stepped up when the Mayor began stuttering, looking for an answer.
Skyfall noticed their demeanor. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
“The local school foals took a field-trip into the Everfree and about fifteen minutes into the trip a pack of Timberwolves attacked, splitting the group. One group made it out, but Cheerilee and the other are still in there. I regret to inform you that…”
“Mah sister’s still in there!” Applejack went white with shock. “Do ya know where they are?”
The guard shook his head as Rarity started to tear up.
Skyfall looked on as both mares assaulted the guards with questions. “You should go if you are going to save them. They likely made a break for the place they were going.”
“He’s right. They were all going to Zecora’s. If ah know my sister, they would have started running there.” Applejack reared up and sprinted the second the words left her mouth.
Rarity turned to say something before Skyfall interrupted her. “Run.”
Rarity chased after Applejack. The Mayor and one of the guards followed soon after, while the other stayed behind with Skyfall.
“Are you going to help?” The guard asked, almost demanding that Skyfall assist. “We could use somepony your size.”
Sky smiled, he wouldn’t lie to himself. He wanted to get to the bottom of the Timberwolf problem instead of relying on Sif’s kin to do it for him. Skyfall was still in no shape to go to battle. “I might. I have to ask somepony.”
“Coward.” The guard sneered and started flying away.
Once inside, Skyfall stared at the ceiling in silence. A mural of a bright sunrise overtaking a dark sunset spanned the foyer’s dome. Sky wasn’t one for taking things as a sign or using coincidence as an excuse; to him the mural just took his mind off the situation for the briefest of seconds.
The back door flew open as a large grey wolf glided in, skidding to a stop. Sif had urgent news for Skyfall, but she sensed the somber mood in the air and held her tongue.
“I’m retired.” Sky fidgeted with his scarf and started pacing. “If I go, I’ll be exposed to the world.”
“Not to mention the Princesses will come looking for you.” Sif reminded.
“Exactly! And according to those books that Twilight started a miniature war over, I was a menace.” Skyfall stopped pacing and walked to a front window, leaning on it for support. “Plus, how can I help? I’m too old.”
“Never stopped you before, Shattered Skies.” Sif smiled.
Skyfall looked down; his Pegasus body had become one of a Spirit. Skyfall had transformed into Shattered Skies without realizing it. “Sif?”
“Yes, my lord?” Sif smiled, her hair standing up on end in excitement knowing what he was about to say.
“Ready to move?” As Skies finished his question, Sif was already out the door speeding off into the forest.
Sif howled loud and long, hearing many howls in response.
“Guess I’m helping.” Sky laughed and teleported through the trees till he found Sif, she was sprinting as fast as she could to get to her scouts. “How does it look?”
Sif heard another series of howls and started running faster. “Bad. The place they're in won't last much longer.”