//------------------------------// // Talks // Story: Perspective // by Orpheon //------------------------------// To say that the atmosphere at the table was a bit tense was to say that there were probably at least twenty gallons of water in the ocean. Spike glanced from face to face as he sipped the broth from his stew, having long since fished out all the vegetables and begun the laborious process of coaxing the smaller bits into the liquid remaining in the bowl, the better to wash it into his gullet. Normally he wouldn't do it with Twilight paying attention (she was certain he would make a mess), but she seemed fairly well occupied staring silently at her bowl and occasionally taking dainty bites of the mixture within with her spoon. Sunset fared little better, though to her credit she was at least eating. Celestia was by contrast apparently very hungry and heaved a contented sigh as she finished off her portion, smiling appreciatively at the young dragon. He grinned a reply and went to take her bowl. “Spike, would you take mine, too?” Sunset asked, pushing her dish away. Spike obliged her and went to take Twilight's, who didn't protest. He frowned as he saw how little she'd actually eaten, but she always got this way when Celestia visited for any reason. She'd probably look for snacks later once she'd had a chance to decompress. He rolled his eyes as he made for the kitchen; his surrogate elder sister was really smart but she missed the point with startling regularity. As the double-door closed behind him, Celestia cleared her throat with the gentle-but-unmistakable authority of a ruler and called her former students' attentions to her. “Now then. I think it pertinent that we address the little incident upstairs like the grown mares and scholars we are before it festers into something uncomfortable for all of us.” Twilight and Sunset respectively blanched and flushed as she continued. “With the benefit of hindsight, I'll be forthright. Are you two in a romantic relationship?” Sunset responded first: “NO! No, we're not, we--” Twilight tried to answer simultaneously: “We're friends! Good friends! We--” “I mean not that Twilight's not great, but we--” “Sunset's really sweet, but we aren't a couple or anything!” “Twilight was just trying to clean me up because I was dirty. I MEAN COVERED IN MUD--” “Our relationship is great! PLATONIC! Platonic relationship, I mean!” Celestia raised a hoof as the pair babbled over each other. She wasn't quite prepared to try to decode the verbal stumbling, so once they fell silent, she closed her eyes and nodded. “Alright then. I believe I understand.” She smiled at the pair, who both sighed in relief and gave her near identical weak smiles in return. The symmetry was uncanny...but she was able to keep the off-putting feeling from reaching her face by long practice. The diarch's smile turned impish as she finished, “...but next time, do remember that there's a young dragon in the castle. Lock your doors.” A dull thump answered her quip. The alicorn frowned, looking between the younger mares. Sunset seemed to have planted her face on the table (which must have hurt terribly given that it was stone), steam seemingly coming from her ears. Twilight was covering her face with her hooves, muttering something about clean thoughts. Celestia was completely unable to prevent her right eyebrow from escaping her iron control and rising of its own accord. A long-suffering sigh escaped the Solar Princess. “...well, to business, then.” The younger ponies straightened up, dignity mostly recovered as they listened intently. Celestia continued, her voice clear and didactic as she went. “The cleanup efforts around Ponyville are off to a good start; the storm was sudden and comparatively brief, so despite not being prepared for something on that scale the overall amount of property damage is surprisingly small. More worrisome are the multiple cases of sickness and injury from various causes ranging from lightning strikes to falling debris.” She paused a moment, considering. “Yet more concerning is the storm itself. It was less a thunderstorm and more a hurricane, which while natural phenomena have never been seen this far into the heartland of Equestria.” The Princess's horn pulsed with mana as she conjured an image of a map, overlaying it on the table before her two former students. Sunset was immediately consumed with picking out details that had changed since her departure. Appleloosa had grown from a single building to several; Baltimare seemed to have extended further down the coast than she recalled...and the Crystal Empire, of course, now occupied the formerly bare wasteland to the northern of Equestria proper. Her examination was cut short as Celestia spoke again. “The castle has multiple reports in the last week of unusual events.” Several small red dots appeared on the map. “Not just storms, but the earth rumbling, plant life abruptly surging outward and overtaking open land, floods independent of rainfall in high elevations, wild animals suddenly attacking ponies where previously they dared not tread, and in one case,” She pointed with a gold-shod hoof at a blip in the desert between Appleloosa and Dodge Junction, “What seemed to be an up-swell of magma in a place with no recorded history of vulcanism.” She paused again, glancing at her juniors. “This has all been in in the space of eight days.” Twilight frowned as she considered the map. “Eight days? And this many different events? How did this not pop up in national newspapers yet?” “The majority of them were not in populated areas. Because they represented no danger they were catalogued as something to be studied, not responded to.” Celestia replied. “Notice anything about the phenomena?” Sunset tapped her chin thoughtfully. They seemed to have little rhyme or reason in actual happenings; wildly varying forces happening almost concurrently with each other. Few of them had anything in common with one another. Except-- “They're all natural disasters.” The unicorn noted, her analytic mind processing the details. “In what order did they happen?” Celestia blinked and dismissed the dots on her projection, reapplying them in the order her reports were dated. Twilight made a small 'oh!' of understanding as she watched the pattern of blips creep up toward Ponyville. The little red icons seemed to cluster as they went, a rough line forming as they trailed from the southeastern sector of the map. Twilight spoke, “Well, they seem to be following a path. If I had to guess, it has something to do with the leylines.” The Solar Princess nodded, pleased with both of them. She was unable to prevent herself from indulging her natural inclination as a teacher, adding, “Full marks, both of you. Now, given what we already knew, and what you two learned tonight, we're that much closer to understanding the problem.” She drew herself up, dismissing the projection as she continued, “Word from my eyes afield has these events trailing further south and east, past the Endless Marshes and into the lands beyond. Normally I would sent somepony to investigate, but as the area is largely unmapped and known only by rumor I'm reluctant to dispatch a pony that might not return.” Sunset felt a nameless dread form in the pit of her stomach as the Princess turned to Twilight, a significant expression passing between them. “I may call upon your acumen as a scholar soon, Twilight Sparkle. As a friend, I would welcome your aid in determining how best to address these events. In the meantime, we'll observe and hope that these are one-time phenomena, and try to prepare towns situated near leylines for potential trouble.” Celestia then turned to Sunset, smiling. “Of course, your input would be most welcome, too, if it comes to that.” She stood, stepping away from the cushion that had acted as a seat for the pony far too large for any of the thrones around her. “On that note, I'm afraid I've tarried too long. Luna will be cross with me if I...what's the phrase? Leave her hanging?” She chuckled. Celestia moved around the table to nuzzle Twilight affectionately before meeting Sunset on the other side. She paused, a genuine smile on her features as she gazed at Sunset. The unicorn bowed respectfully in return, but made a small gasp as the larger pony pulled her into a hug with her forelegs and wings, enveloping the amber mare in soft warmth. “Welcome home, Sunset.” “Thank you, Princess.” Sunset responded, her voice quiet as she tried not to suffocate in her mentor's embrace (maybe an exaggeration, but Celestia did give very firm hugs). The elder alicorn released the smaller mare and stood straight. “We'll have our moment to talk. I promise.” She had a tired smile as she finished, “I'll send a letter as soon as I have a free moment.” The unicorn nodded, giving her mentor a bracing smile. “Gentlestallions, we're leaving. Have a good night, girls. I'll say hello to Luna for you...and Twilight?” The lavender alicorn perked up, surprised to be called upon specifically. “Don't forget to write your old nag of a teacher once in a while. It gets terribly dull at the castle sometimes.” With that she left, a serene smile on her face as the double doors closed behind her, guards on each side. Sunset Shimmer sighed. Twilight glanced at her, concerned. “Something wrong?” “...we didn't get a chance to really speak to each other.” “Do I know how that is...” Twilight nodded understandingly, patting her guest with a hoof. “She'll make time for you; you'll see.” “Yeah...” “In the meantime, it's been a long day and we've done a lot, so maybe it's time to turn in. I'll go find Spike and we can--” Twilight was interrupted by the sound of a young voice clearing its throat. “Ahem...I hope you aren't planning on leaving that mess in Sunset's bathroom for ME to clean up.” Spike stated from the kitchen double-doors, his voice even, though it looked like it took effort for him to not visibly bristle at the pair of ponies. Twilight started and glanced guiltily at Sunset, who gave her host a sidelong expression that clearly said 'this is your fight, not mine'. “W-well, honestly it had slipped my mind...” Spike waved a hand authoritatively. “Nuh-uh. You don't get to leave this disaster behind in the name of science this time, Twilight. I'm not cleaning that up; you two made that mess fighting or whatever you were doing, so you fix it. I'm going to bed.” He turned to leave the hall, stopping at the stairs and turning back, making an 'I'm watching you' motion with his fingers. “If I wake up and find that bathroom's still trashed, I ain't making breakfast. You'll have to do it...ON YOUR OWN!” He finished dramatically, cackling theatrically as he ascended the stairs. The pair remained stationary, Twilight groaning with exasperation. Sunset turned to the lavender mage, her voice bracing. “That sucks, Twi. I'm gonna go get some shuteye myself; you were right when you said we'd had a long day. Night!” She was prevented from leaving by an insistent tug on her tail, sweat forming on her brow. “Ooooh no. You were as much a part of that as I was, you're gonna help me clean it up!” Twilight stamped her hoof to hammer the point home, but given that she wasn't terribly strong it ended up seeming more like an indignant filly than anything. Sunset was unable to restrain a chortle. “Wh—STOP LAUGHING! I'm serious! What are we gonna do without breakfast? It's the most important meal of the day!” Sunset laughed as she turned to go again, responding, “Well, good thing I'm proficient in a kitchen! Guess I'll have to cook for one tomorrow morning~!” she finished in a singsong voice, cantering away. “Sunset, no! Come on! That's not fair!” Twilight whined as she chased her guest. -------------- Wednesday found Sunset at Rarity's boutique, per her promise (that she'd been voluntold for), seated on a fairly comfortable chair in the dining room behind the storefront proper. Across from her the owner/proprietor sat, in the midst of recounting a tale the fire-maned unicorn was having serious trouble believing. “...you? You, of all ponies?” “Yes, dear. It was...well, it was an eye-opening experience.” Rarity slowly stirred her tea with a spoon, her face pensive. “Sunset Shimmer, I must confess something. When Twilight first went through that mirror, and came back with the story of an equal and opposite who had taken a different road than her, I vilified you in my mind. How terrible a pony must you have been! How ungrateful, rude and entitled you had to be!” She paused. “...even when Twilight insisted you had simply had a bad turn.” Rarity looked up, a smile on her face. “She didn't want to think you were all bad. She reasoned that no student of Celestia could be.” Sunset's heart warmed, even through the sour condemnation of a past Rarity even as she continued, “But ultimately, you would be an enemy in my mind.” Her teaspoon stirred more, soft tinkling of silver on china accompanying her as she spoke. “...and then, I had the worst day of my life.” Rarity looked up, the cheer in her eyes gone. “When the Nightmare took me, it preyed on my fears and anxieties. It promised me freedom from worry about the expectations of others, the need for validation, for friendship. The bitterness of feeling ignored, of being unappreciated.” She stopped again, looking down at her tea, now lukewarm. “I was turned against my friends. I lead an army of shadows and malice against my home, against the Princesses, against even poor, dear Spike.” She chuckled at the last. “That boy...so steadfast. I don't warrant that kind of loyalty. “In any case, darling...I'm sure the others want to think that I was possessed and not in control of myself, and in a way, that's true. But not entirely. I lashed out, demanded devotion and adoration from everyone. It was still Rarity, but a Rarity twisted and devoid of limits or remorse.” She looked at Sunset significantly, who shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “It was intoxicating, the freedom. The ability to do and say anything I wanted, the power. The others found a way to bring me back to myself, but...the experience stayed with me. Celestia knows that I'm not perfect..but after all that, I finally started to seriously examine myself, and what it was that I wanted.” Rarity sipped her tea and pulled a face once she realized how cold it was. She pushed it aside and continued, “...but you know how that is, I imagine.” The alabaster seamstress leaned on one hoof as she spoke. “I don't miss that power. I don't even know what I would do with it; I'm a dressmaker, not a queen or conqueror. But I do miss that liberation sometimes. It's exhausting some days, you know? All the social graces, the cues...especially in business. Reading between lines and saying the right words is the difference between putting food on the table or going hungry.” She smiled as she finished, “I wouldn't have it any other way...but I do feel I could use a break once in a while.” Rarity levitated the teapot to the stove and set water to heating once more before turning back to Sunset. “But enough about me, darling! How have things been for you in the last few days? Adjusting well to Ponyville, I hope?” Sunset hesitated, not sure where to begin. “Well...I mean, putting side Sunday's bizarre events, it's been pretty okay. Twilight's been accommodating...maybe too accommodating. The archives did turn out to be the mess she implied they'd be and more, but that's not really a difficult problem to solve, just onerous. I don't know that I'm really earning my keep. Pinkie and Dash are still...uh, keeping their distance. The townsfolk are nice enough, even if they keep giving me weird looks.” “Weird looks, dear?” Rarity interrupted, confused. “Yeah...it's kinda hard to put my hoof on. Like they expect me to disappear if they look away. Or maybe like they expect me to explode or something? Not being rude, just...wary.” Sunset frowned, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I'm not sure why.” “O-oh, well...ah, we might have something to do with that, darling.” Rarity admitted, a sheepish smile on her face. “With Twilight being a Princess now, many of the townsfolk seemed to have gotten it into their heads that her friends were minor royalty or something. It took a fair amount of effort to convince them otherwise. She wrestles with that title every day...but also, the Elements of Harmony seem to attract trouble. Why, it seems we can't go a month without some new issue cropping up.” She was interrupted by the tea kettle's insistent whistle. Rarity chuckled as she retrieved it, finishing, “It's all very disconcerting for the average citizen, even as eclectic as our townsfolk are. It seems strange unicorns are always heralds of something momentous, between Twilight, Trixie, you--” “I'm sorry, did you say Trixie? Trixie Lulamoon?” Sunset interjected, brow furrowed in annoyance. “Er—yes? Her full name is Lulamoon? Do you know her?” “I know her other. She's...uh...well, she's a handful. Very proud. Very loud. Annoying.” Sunset finished, not sure what else to say. “She'd honestly have given me a run for my money during my bad days if she'd grown a spine.” “Yes, well...that does sound like her on this side. Is yours a stage magician? Sleight of hoof and all that?” The amber unicorn nodded. “Yep, that's basically her primary hobby. That and talking about how great she is.” “How odd...” “Yeah...” Rarity cleared her throat and continued, “Change of subject, then. How was speaking to the Princess, if you don't mind me asking? As I understand, you were also her personal student once.” Sunset hesitated, closing her eyes. How to sum up their interactions? Their reunion had been a joyful one, but there was still a lingering sense of unfinished business in Sunset's mind. A distant, sour part of her remarked that Celestia probably knew that and was deflecting her deliberately, but she quashed that voice. There hadn't been time; it wasn't sentimentality telling her that, but one way or another there were things she needed to say to the alicorn. Still... “Rarity, how can I...what words do you use for that?” Sunset began, her tone exhausted. “Uh...hm. Alright, try to imagine that you parted with your mother on bad terms. Very bad terms.” At the stunned expression Rarity gave her, she continued, “Now consider even after you've had second thoughts about that parting, and want to make up, you can't. Because you're afraid. You're terrified your mother won't want you anymore, that she'll have permanently disowned you and banished you from your home. And that you DESERVE it.” Sunset saw tears starting to form in Rarity's eyes, but pressed on. “And then after all that anger and uncertainty, you come back and she holds you like she's afraid you'll vanish again, cries for you. Welcomes you back, you, the prideful filly who never for a second really understood what she had, as though you had never fought at all.” Sunset blinked, feeling moisture at the corners of her own eyes. “That's...that's what it was like. I don't know any other way to put it.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof, inhaling as Rarity hiccuped in her chair, barely suppressing sobs. Sunset fell silent for a moment, allowing her host to collect herself (or perhaps so that SHE could do the same). “There's more I need to say to her. Things I want to get off my chest. But it was...well, it was.” she finished lamely, not sure what else she could say. “Sunset, dear, that's...the sweetest and saddest thing I've ever heard at once! I...I..” the alabaster unicorn took a moment to blow her nose loudly into her her hanky and promptly summoned another (from where Sunset wasn't sure) to wipe her eyes of the running mascara that now trailed down her cheeks. “O-oh my goodness, where are my manners? Just give me one moment to...to wash up, darling.” With that, Rarity paced to the bathroom door slowly, faint sniffles heralding her departure. The amber unicorn was once again left with her thoughts. She found this was not a situation she at all was keen on. Instead, she peered around the kitchen, looking for details, anything to distract her. The icebox seemed to have faint hoof-shaped indentations in the side; either someone was kicking it or trying to climb it. A small set of hooves, if she wasn't mistaken. Sunset rose from her seat to examine the prints more closely, now engrossed in her little mystery. She found herself smiling, despite the wave of tired exhaustion that had hit her. She remembered doing something similar when she'd just been a little filly, exploring the castle kitchens. Princess Celestia had been so cross with her, but the head chef had just laughed it off. What was his name again...? She found she couldn't recall. Another thing she'd forgotten during her stay on the other side. Sunset frowned, wracking her mind. She had got along so well with that stallion, even during her worst times. How could she have-- “Are you Sundown Shine?” A high-pitched, almost screeching voice sounded to her left, causing the mare to yelp in alarm and spring away, narrowly missing slamming into a counter. The words came from a small, rounded unicorn filly with a curled, two-tone mane and bright green eyes, who tilted her head quizzically as Sunset placed a hoof on her heart to calm herself down. “Holy Celestia, kid. Don't sneak up on a pony like that!” The filly tilted her head the other way, confusion still on her face. Sunset was reminded of a puppy who hadn't quite understood the command it just heard. “I didn't sneak up on you.” “You sure? Could've fooled me...Sweetie Belle, I take it?” “Yeah! I'm--” “Rarity's little sister. I know.” Sunset cut her off. The filly gaped. “How did you know that? Are you side-kick? Miss Cherrilee said that it was a really hard magic to do. OOH! What am I thinking right now?!” The diminutive unicorn screwed up her face, nose scrunching adorably as she tried to think as loudly as she was able. Sunset almost hated to disabuse her of the notion she was telepathic. Almost. “You're thinking raisins. Also, I'm not a psychic.” Sunset's expression was flat as Sweetie Belle gaped at her in shock. “BUT I WAS THINKING RAISINS! You've gotta be--” “Lucky guess, kiddo. Anyway, what're you doing here so early? I thought children had school until four-ish.” “Miss Cherrilee let us out early!” the filly chirped. “Of course she did. Ah...your sister should be—oh, there she is.” Rarity announced herself with a friendly if mildly strained greeting for her younger sister as she returned. “Sweetie Belle! What a...pleasant surprise. I take it you were released early, because if you weren't then I'm afraid I'll have to send you straight to your room.” At her sibling's emphatic nod, she finished, “Very well then. I'm afraid I'm otherwise occupied right now with my friend, Sunset. You seem to have already introduced yourself, so run along for now, darling. We can talk tonight; I promise.” Sweetie groaned the melodramatic groan of a child scorned, responding, “But that won't be for HOURS!” “No buts, young lady. Go on, now.” The unicorn spoke with a maternal tone, her eyes sparkling as she watched her sister go for the door. When the filly looked back, her face one of worry, Rarity smiled and winked. Sweetie Belle broke into a winning smile and scurried out the door, laughing as she went. Sunset observed the interaction, initially warmed by the familial bond...but frowning as an ugly sort of envy clenched in her heart. Seemed like envy was just a basic aspect of her, she mused bitterly. Still, it wouldn't do to bring that to Rarity. “She seems nice.” “Oh, Sweetie Belle is...well, very sweet-natured. Enthusiastic, kind, and friendly perhaps to a fault...though a bit naive.” Rarity paused. “That's not a bad thing. But as you can see, she can be a bit much to handle all at once.” “Yeah, I see what you mean.” Sunset responded, head on a hoof in thought. “Growing up in the castle, I didn't really have much in the way of siblings...I mean, unless you counted Cadenza, but all I remember about her is being incredibly angry that she existed.” Rarity's quizzical expression prompted her to answer, “It's a bit of a story. I'll tell you another time. Speaking of time, is that clock correct?” Rarity nodded and glanced at the clock on her wall as she did. What she saw was apparently not what she wanted to see, because she jumped in her seat like she'd been stung. “Oh good heavens! It's already three o'clock, oh no!” She sprang from her chair with agility Sunset could honestly say she hadn't expected from the dressmaker, who's mouth was set in a thin line with wide eyes as Rarity scrambled through the door to the storefront. Sunset opted to follow, mildly concerned. Rarity raced to and fro, a feather duster whipping through the air in her magic even as she simultaneously tidied numerous smaller messes (if they could be called that). “Uh, Rarity? You need any help? What's wrong?” “Oh! How terribly rude of me.” The unicorn spun about, her worry clear in her face. “I'm afraid that I have an appointment in just a few minutes with the editor of a fashion-oriented publication to preview my winter line. We spent so much time talking that it slipped my mind.” She ducked past Sunset as she polished a minuscule mote of dust from the face of one of her windows. “I am quite sorry, darling, but can we pick this up another time? Say, Thursday next week? Fluttershy and I have a spa day then; you could come along! It would be a nice, relaxing way to spend the day.” “Er, that sounds great, but your winter line? It's barely halfway through May. How could you already have a winter line?” Rarity tutted, fretting taking a backseat to self-assurance as she responded, “Fashion is done some time in advance, darling. A large part of selling our works is learning to read trends long before they become apparent to the untrained eye...but I'm wasting time! Have a good afternoon, Sunset! Give my regards to Twilight and Spike!” And abruptly Sunset Shimmer found herself outside Carousel Boutique, door slammed behind her. “...well alright then.”