Canterlot Market Square
September 3, 11:58 AM
The first signs of autumn had come early this year.
Technically, it was still summer. The leaves were still green, the sun didn’t set until what one would consider “evening,” the days were still warm and pleasant…
But even so, there was a slight tingle in the air today—a wisp of chill that was just enough to make a pony shiver if it touched them the right way.
I suppose I should make use of the good weather while it persists.
Cubic found herself staring at a courtyard full of tables, most of which were occupied by ponies who had also decided to take advantage of the nice weather before several days of rain were scheduled the following week by the head honchos up at the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. She wasn’t surprised, of course. It was the lunch hour, which meant that the vendors and diners nearby would be drawing the attention of ponies looking to get a quick bite to eat.
She adjusted the lone saddlebag against her side. A nice salad, an original copy of “The Foundations of Magic,” some fresh air...all I need is a quiet place where I can study.
She eyed the bustling square for several moments. It was crowded, but it wasn’t tremendously noisy. On the plus side, her experience had taught her that if you were eating and reading by yourself, most ponies would leave you alone.
Which was exactly what she wanted.
She slowly worked her way through the crowds, squeezing through tight lanes and around preoccupied bystanders until she spotted an empty table on the outskirts of the courtyard. It was rather out-of-the-way in relation to the vendor stands, which probably explained why nopony was sitting there. She quickly hustled over to the table and tossed her bag onto it to claim it as her own. Hearing no groans and seeing no disappointed ponies, she smiled and sat down. She pulled her salad and book out of the bag, permitting a self-congratulatory smile to rise to her lips. Mission accomplished.
A few flips of the pages, and she found herself at her last stopping point: chapter five, on the evidence of racial-specific magic within the realm of Equestria. It was a fascinating read, especially to a scholar of Cubic’s caliber. Her thirst for knowledge when it came to understanding both the nature and the execution of magic spells was insatiable. She was the Sentinels’ living archive of information on all things magic-related. It was her passion and her specialty. She relished it.
“Excuse me, is this seat saved?”
For a moment, Cubic contemplated ignoring the question. Maybe if she acted as though she hadn’t heard it, the pony would go away. Or maybe it wasn’t even a question for her. Perhaps she had simply overheard a question aimed at somepony else.
She sighed and mentally chastised herself. What kind of thinking was that? Some “Sentinel of Harmony” she’d be with that attitude. Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes from the tome and looked at the source of the question.
And found herself staring in shock at the one of the last ponies she’d expected to see.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but could I sit here? My boyfriend couldn’t make it, and it’s always nicer to be with somepony, even if we don’t know each other,” explained a white unicorn mare with a bright green mane and tail. A lunch tray hovered in front of her, suspended by her magic as she looked expectantly at the pony seated at the table.
For a few seconds, Cubic forgot how to speak. She had often heard Blitz talk about his girlfriend, this mysterious “Lily Pond,” but she had never had the opportunity to meet her. She had often wondered what she was like, especially if she could be in love with somepony like Blitz. And now, quite unexpectedly, the two of them sat face-to-face, and Cubic felt like she had swallowed her tongue.
Lily’s bright expression dimmed a bit. “Oh…did you want to be alone?” she asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Cubic replied in her typically crisply enunciated speech. “I was not expecting anypony, but I’d be delighted to have you join me, Miss Pond.”
Lily looked startled for a moment, but she took her seat and set her tray before her. A curious look (that reminded Cubic of Blitz) flashed across her face. “Well, I guess maybe we’re not as unfamiliar with each other as I thought,” she said. “Have we met before?”
“No,” Cubic answered, closing her book and training her eyes on the mare, “but I’ve heard plenty about you. It’s an honor to meet you and see you in good health.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly as she stared at the mysterious mare who somehow knew so much about her. “You’re…part of the Alicorn Guard, aren’t you?”
Cubic smiled as she heard Lily’s question. “Former member of the Alicorn Guard,” she corrected. “The Alicorn Guard does not exist any longer. Or at least, not by that name.”
Lily nodded. “Right. The ‘Sentinels of Harmony.’ It has a nice ring to it. So, which one of his teammates am I speaking with? Let me guess…Keeper?”
Cubic chuckled and took a bite of her salad before answering. “Sky’s certainly keeping you well-appraised of things, isn’t he? But no, I’m not Keeper, though I suspect you’d probably like to meet her at some point. After all, she’s a big reason you’re here right now, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Lily said, looking contemplative. Keeper had been the one to save Lily’s life after her tragic accident in the spring. Keeper never took full credit for it, but without her, Lily would almost certainly have died. Cubic had always wondered why the Keeper had never introduced herself to Lily. The question had always puzzled her, but she once again put it off to the side. It wasn’t her place.
“But I guess I should have known you weren’t Keeper,” Lily continued, brightening up again. “She’s a unicorn, and you’re an earth pony. It’s tough to keep all these names straight without having met all of you.”
“Fair point,” Cubic conceded, taking another bite of her salad. Truth be told, as much as she wanted to bury herself in that book, she was becoming caught up in the conversation with Lily. She was just…so engaging. Something about her just drew you in. It’s no wonder Blitz is head over hooves in love with her. She’s cute, charming, and she’s got a little sass. I wonder if she had that before she met Blitz?
“So, which one are you? I’ll be guessing all day if you don’t come out and tell me,” Lily prodded.
“Sky knows me as Cubic, just like I know him as Blitz,” she answered. “But you don’t have to call me that. My real name is Calculette, though I’ll answer to either.”
“Blitz, hm?” Lily echoed, tapping her hoof on the table. “Did he pick that name, or was it given to him?”
“It was given to him, as I recall,” Cubic answered, “though there have been rumors that he may have had a hoof in that.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Lily snorted. “At any rate, it’s nice to meet you, Calculette. Think I’ll stick with that one. I’ll leave the formerly-super-secret codenames to the professionals.”
“As you wish,” Cubic replied with a smile. “So tell me, Miss Pond, what has your boyfriend so busy that he cannot devote any time to you?”
“Oh, please, call me Lily,” the unicorn replied. “And Sky stays pretty busy. You probably know about that better than I do. I think he was down in the Everfree Forest yesterday. He had to report to Princess Celestia about something, but he was hoping to make it here before too long.”
Cubic leaned in for another bite of salad, but kept her gaze locked on Lily. “Do you ever worry about Sky? How much time he spends fighting for Equestria? He’s become a bit of a combat specialist within our ranks.”
“I’m certainly tempted to at times,” the unicorn conceded. “But then I remember what he always tells me: ‘Don’t think of it as fighting. Think of it as just some aggressive negotiations.’ And it may sound strange, but it really does help. He’s not trying to pick a fight; he’s just trying to make Equestria a better place for everyone.”
Something clicked in Cubic’s head at the mention of the word “negotiations.” The gears in her brain slowly began to turn as she stared at the white mare before her. “Well, I certainly hope he makes it here. Sky takes far too much pleasure in his innocent teasing of his friends and teammates…I wonder how he’d respond if the tables were turned on him?” Cubic wondered aloud.
“He’d probably shrug it off and say something like, ‘I had it coming, anyway.’ He likes to poke fun at himself,” Lily explained. Her gaze drifted off, and Cubic could tell that Lily’s thoughts had become caught up in pleasant memories. “It’s something he’s really become very mature about. He used to get really angry whenever somepony brought up a fault or weakness, but now he just smiles and agrees. It’s not that he ignores it; he just understands it’s not a mean-spirited criticism, but it’s an opportunity for him to grow. And he loves a good challenge.”
“It’s a good trait for him to have,” Cubic commented, “seeing as how he’s confronted with major challenges so often.”
“I kinda think he likes the attention,” Lily added with a wink.
“I’m sure he does,” Cubic said, not missing a beat. “But what about you, Lily? What do you do around here?”
“Oh, I work over at the jewelry shop,” Lily said, eyes brightening. “Now that it’s been rebuilt, we’re working to restock all the shelves. Poor Facet Dreams—she’s the manager of the store—she’s had a hard few months, trying to get everything back in order. She keeps telling me what a wonder it is that nopony died in the incident.”
“Not that you would know anything about that,” Cubic replied with a knowing smile.
Lily snorted softly and took another bite of her lunch. “Nothing at all,” she said wryly.
Cubic inclined her head to one side in mild amusement. She decided to alter the course of the conversation. “I wonder…have you ever considered anything else as a career?”
“Anything else?” Lily asked. “Well…I don’t suppose I have. My dad is a goldsmith and my mom is a gem dealer, so I just grew up exposed to that. I helped both of them out in their shop during my foalhood, so it’s something I’ve become proficient in.” She narrowed her eyes and returned Cubic’s scrutinizing stare. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”
“I have heard that your magic is quite extraordinary,” Cubic said, a coy grin spreading across her face as her thoughts coalesced. “You can calm the emotions of others, correct?”
“I…yes, that’s right,” Lily confirmed, looking a little concerned.
“And I seem to remember hearing from Sky of several instances where that magic was very useful…life-saving, even.”
Lily blushed. “He always makes it sound more dramatic than it really was. My magic helped quell the windigoes back in Polarmino, and I used it to break the Chimera’s spell aura in the windigo colony…maybe a few other times, too,” she recalled, twirling a baby carrot in the air with her magic. “As usual, Sky did most of the work. I was just there to help in whatever way I could.”
“Don’t discredit your contribution to those victories,” Cubic replied. “Sky may have done most of the heavy lifting, but a focused mind and a steady spirit are vitally important to any task. Your ability to calm an anxious spirit is far more valuable than perhaps you’ve come to understand.”
“Where are you going with this?”
Cubic resealed her empty salad tray, stuffing it and her book into her saddlebag. “It is not something I can offer you myself,” she said. “But if you’re interested or would like to hear more, meet me in the palace antechamber at four o’clock. We can explain everything then.”
Lily arched an eyebrow. “‘We’?”
Cubic rose to her hooves and threw her burden across her back. “See you at four, then?”
The unicorn mare sighed and smiled in resignation. “I guess you will.”
They waved to each other, and Cubic quickly darted from the courtyard. It’s too perfect. She’s exactly who we need for the job. I just hope she’s willing to do it.
She sprinted along the cobblestone streets, nimbly evading other ponies out during the lunch hour. Each corner she turned only added to her excitement. The anticipation was like discovering a brand new spell. It was a rush that just got better and better—it was intoxicating.
Finally, feeling slightly out-of-breath, she came to a stop before the palace gates. And just within, Princesses Celestia and Luna stood on the dais, holding what appeared to be (unusually) civil conversation with another of her teammates, Rimshot.
She approached slowly, trying to steady her breathing. As she came within earshot, Celestia acknowledged her with a nod of her head. “Hello, Cubic,” she said in her typically courteous manner.
Rimshot flashed his familiar goofy smile. “Whoa, Cubic’s outside!” he gasped. “With all that time you spend in the library, I thought you might have been allergic to sunshine. Or addicted to the smell of books.”
She rolled her eyes, but gave little other evidence that she had heard her comrade’s teasing. “Solace, Mystic, I have a request for you.”
Luna caught Cubic’s gaze with curious eyes. “What kind of request?”
Rimshot’s eyes darted back and forth between the mares for a moment, then he merely shrugged. “I guess I’ll see myself out,” he said, turning back toward the palace.
“Perhaps it is more of a suggestion than a request,” she corrected. “I have a pony that I think you should meet with.”
“About what?” Celestia pressed.
Cubic smiled knowingly. “About a particular job opportunity.”
Celestia and Luna exchanged quick glances, then turned back to the mare with eager faces.
“You have our attention.”