The plan was Applejack's. How could it have not been hers? Twilight tried to flatter herself with the thought that she too might have had the guts to come up with something almost as audacious, if the stars happened to align just right, but she wasn't so sure she'd dare enact it as well. The role Applejack herself had to play was especially dangerous.
Though, in truth, it was less of a plan and more of an idea.
"What if something goes wrong?"
Applejack rolled her eyes. "If something goes wrong, then get the heck out of there, and don't forget to take me with you! I'm counting on you to keep your head on your shoulders and break off the whole shebang if necessary."
They were almost at the gates of Everfree City now. Applejack had insisted that they not approach the city from the Trottingham road, so they'd circled around to the eastern gate. It was a safety measure supposed to make the Apple Underground harder to find, if something indeed went wrong.
"What if word about this gets out to the general public though? Won't that be really bad for the resistance?"
"Ehhh. According to the Queen's propaganda machine, they've captured or killed me a dozen times over. Ponies don't know what to believe anymore. It just makes our work easier."
All the traveling Twilight had done over the last week or so had been the hardest workout she'd ever had. Her muscles had settled into a steady numb ache that made it difficult to fall asleep whenever they stopped to rest. Applejack, on her part, didn't look much worse for wear, even though she'd been practically dragging Twilight along for the last stretch of road. Apparently, Applejack simply did not get tired.
"I'm still not sure how exactly I'm supposed to act."
"How would I know? I haven't exactly had occasion to sit down for tea and crumpets with her, you know. Just act bossy and things will work out."
Nopony was in sight. Applejack dropped her saddlebags in the sand, took a final swig of water from her canteen and shared it with Twilight as well. Twilight used her magic to clean herself up from the sweat and dust of travel. It was important that she looked proper, respectable, authoritative. She had to be careful with her flank; one of Applejack's rebels had painted it over. In place of her star and sparkles was now a star casting a shadow – Daylight Sparkle's cutie mark.
Meanwhile, Spike was still practicing his angry face.
"How are we supposed to get out of there again?"
"Secret passage."
"What?"
"Yup. Secret passage. There's a perfectly good one going from the city out to the open desert. I know what you're thinking, but I don't have a clue where it is. We'll have to find Rarity for that."
They were as ready as they would ever be.
"Are you really sure about this?"
"Hey, I'd be glad to skip this part if you don't mind just zapping us inside with your magic."
"I already told you, no sensible unicorn would teleport into an unfamiliar environment! Many famous wizards like Bumblebee and Star Wobble the Mustachioed have written about the dreadful consequences this can have!"
"I get it, I get it! Now would you get on with it?"
Twilight took a deep breath and set about casting a spell of conjuration. She created a bundle of rope as thin as spider-silk and wrapped it around Applejack, tightly binding her legs and snout. Applejack closed her eyes and let herself go limp. Twilight caught her and lifted her up in the air with her telekinesis. She then headed for the guardhouse at the gate in long, casual steps, dragging her new old friend along with her.
Twilight felt like she was walking off the frying pan and into the fire. She also felt this was rather silly. No metaphor was adequate to describe her anxiety. Surely there was no way this deception would actually work? She wanted to close her eyes; her natural instinct was to turn around and gallop away. The closer she got to guards, the more certain she felt that they would see right through her, and so every step wound her up tighter. She felt like she had hooves of clay.
Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the guards did not see through her. The earth pony soldiers immediately fell on their knees and bowed down all the way to the ground. The black and blue unicorn mare in charge – whom Twilight recognized as an agent of the Secret Police based on Applejack's descriptions – got away with just lowering her head. All of them thought they knew exactly who she was.
"Lady Commander Sparkle!" exclaimed the black and blue mare, "We didn't expect you back so soon!"
If Daylight Sparkle had happened to return to Everfree City ahead of them, then their plan might have ended in failure before it could even begin, but Twilight couldn't bring herself to feel much relief. This was still a huge gamble. Twilight came to a halt directly before the gate, Spike close to her side. The dragon was grimacing and glaring daggers at each of the guards in turn. That, as well as the low-pitched grumbly noise he was making, was his idea of being evil, but the guards didn't even seem to notice him. All of their attention was focused on Twilight, which only made her more nervous.
In lieu of saying anything, she floated her "captive" closer. There were gasps of surprise, and the black and blue mare's eyes widened when she recognized Applejack.
"Is that- is that who I think it is?"
"Um, yes?"
"Oh, this is big! It's just the coup you needed, isn't it, milady? The Queen will be so pleased with you! My congratulations!" Without pausing, and without turning to look at them, she gave the earth pony guards an order. "Leave us!"
Twilight licked her lips and watched the soldiers shuffle away into the guardhouse. She didn't see why they couldn't go in there themselves if there was a need for a private conversation. It would have been nice to get out of the heat.
"What's going on?" she asked hesitantly.
The black and blue mare swooped forward and stood very close to Twilight, almost nose to nose. She looked very serious.
"Milady, may I ask where the rest of your party is?"
Twilight swallowed. "Ah, yes! My party! They're still out there, hard at work with hunting down the rest of those scoundrels! As for me, I felt I had to bring in the catch right away."
"Was Growing Violet with you?"
Twilight's mind was racing. It did several laps in the eternity it took her to open her mouth.
"That's a definite possibility!"
"Then it was lucky that you came back alone. I have some disturbing news for you. Our sources close to the Prime Minister have found out that Growing Violet is his mole!" She paused expectantly.
"Oh... dear," pressed out Twilight, who had no earthly idea what they were even talking about, "What a shame."
"I think Gelding's time is finally up. His influence is waning and all his trump cards depleted. I had heard that the old fool was trying to capture Applejack himself to regain Her Majesty's favor."
"Well, that was certainly... foolish of him. Muahaha!"
One of the black and blue mare's eyebrows was slowly making its way up over her forehead.
"Is... everything all right, milady?"
She was still an agent of the Secret Police, and she wasn't stupid. Twilight felt a subtle touch of magic breezing over her. She was being scanned. There was no disguise to reveal, but relying on the sheer outlandishness of the truth was no way to go. Twilight had to be much, much more convincing. She had to be a bad guy.
"What do you think you're doing, huh?" she barked, "Of course I'm all right, I'm Daylight Sparkle!"
The black and blue mare's eyes widened. In fact, she looked a little bit hurt. She bent her neck quickly enough, however.
"It's standard procedure, milady. Please forgive me."
In her submission, Twilight saw something like an opportunity. She tried to grin viciously while also trying to stay distant and aloof, resulting in an expression that expressed approximately nothing.
"Is there... anything else you'd like to bring to my attention, Agent?"
"Well, the monthly report from the Board of Education has arrived. You might also be interested to know that Agent Striker's left for the Dragon Swamp to deal with that pegasus thief. The only urgent matter is the captives we picked off from the streets during the curfew. We've held off from interrogating them yet, just as you ordered."
Twilight chose her next words carefully. She wanted no doubt or uncertainty in her voice now.
"Have any of the prisoners been identified as rebels yet?"
"No, milady. As I said, they haven't been processed yet."
Twilight couldn't help but glance over at the floating Applejack, unsure of whether this was a good thing or not. By the time they had left Trottingham, Big Macintosh had still not returned. Although news that he'd been captured would have been unpleasant to hear, anything indicating that he was still alive was welcome at this point.
"All right then!" said Twilight, "I'll go on ahead and take this pony to be... processed."
The black and blue mare nodded and smiled. "I look forward to the execution."
She called back the guards and told them to open the gate, even though Twilight was certain that either one of them could have opened it quicker and more easily with their magic. It seemed that ordering earth ponies to do things was an ingrained habit.
The black and blue mare bid Twilight farewell as she was about to enter the tunnel, but she chose not to answer. She walked forward stiffly, not daring to look behind her until she heard the gate slam shut. They were by themselves, and the tunnel was shrouded in semi-darkness, which was probably as good a cover as they were going to get. Twilight lowered Applejack to the ground and released her from her bonds.
"Could this pony have been any more rude?" grumbled Spike, "It's like I was invisible or something."
"You might as well been," said Applejack, standing up and doing stretches to get her circulation going, "That's how most unicorns are. Cows, deer, buffalo, zebras, even dragons – none of them are considered real people. Even their most valuable allies are nothing more than weapons to them. Ah, cripes, you better stop me now before I get worked up over this!"
"Well, you two are certainly very casual about things!" huffed Twilight.
Spike shrugged. "What? I thought everything worked out pretty well!"
Twilight was about to get sarcastic when she realized that he was probably right. Espionage was certainly not her forte, but somehow, she'd managed to muddle her way through the situation and get them inside. This was the end of her role for now; Applejack meant for them to make their way through the city covertly. They were only going deeper into the lion's den – but the hardest part, at least, was over. They'd taken a huge step closer to Rarity, and there was something else to look forward to as well.
After all, Princess Celestia was somewhere in the city.
The semicircle of sunlight up ahead burned bright, and Twilight was surprised at how difficult it was to force herself to move ahead, back underneath the clear sky. She would never have thought that she could be so averse to being out in the sun. Yet, once she stepped through the inner gate, shoulders slumped and head lowered, she found that the temperature wasn't as bad as she'd been expecting.
"Well," said Spike, "This is pretty nice. Or maybe I've just gotten used to medium fried."
"Glint said it wouldn't be as hot here," recalled Twilight, "I wonder if there's some sort of enchantment around the city, perhaps a shield spell? The sunlight is still just as bright, so there doesn't seem to be any luminal filtration. Perhaps the Queen can just manipulate temperature at will?"
"Don't know, don't care," said Applejack with a shrug, "I'd rather be in the heat, myself."
The tunnel led to a small plaza where several streets intersected. The open view immediately made Twilight uncomfortable. Fortunately, while there were ponies out and about, none of them was close enough to recognize her or Applejack. The city gate wasn't seeing a lot of activity, and the blinding sunlight actually worked to their advantage at a distance.
Twilight cleared her throat. "All right then," she said, "the first thing we should- hey, wait!"
Applejack had already stomped off ahead of her. She did stop for the briefest of moment's when she heard Twilight's voice, to look over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow and call out.
"Come on now! Time's a-wasting."
"O-okay!"
Ignoring the creaking and groaning of her bones, Twilight cantered after Applejack. They headed left alongside the wall. Once they reached the nearest buildings, they casually changed course and slipped into the alleyways, out of everypony's sight.
Sneaking through the city was not difficult. The only thing Twilight had to do was stay close behind Applejack as she navigated the streets. Applejack always knew how to evade the ponies they came across, where to speed up and where to turn around. More than once, they had to rush across busy streets and time their movements just right so that nopony noticed them. They had to take careful steps so their hooves wouldn't make too much noise on the pavement.
They wandered around for what seemed like – what must have been – hours. Everfree was enormous, and getting around it by hoof was a real hassle. As routes went, theirs wasn't exactly the most direct. It seemed to Twilight that they were doubling back more often than going forward. Whenever they spotted soldiers patrolling or standing guard near crowds, easily recognizable by their golden armor, they usually had to make a big circle. Occasionally, they did have chances for breaks, when they had to stay back and hide away somewhere, but Twilight simply didn't have the strength to keep going for long, especially with Spike on her back.
Applejack noticed her panting, of course.
"Hang in there, partner," she said, "It'll only be a short while."
But it wasn't just a short while.
At least that meant they had time to see the sights.
Everfree City was a far cry from Trottingham's squalor. Everything in it was neat and orderly and pretty as well. The architecture was a curious mix of modern and classical, simple and grandiose, pragmatic and ornamental – but all of it was built on a scale that Twilight had never seen before. Many of Manehattan's skyscrapers might have been taller, but none of them covered as much ground. Ponies didn't build structures this big in Twilight's Equestria. There were other oddities as well: some buildings didn't even seem to be constructed of brick or slabs, but carved like statues. Everything in the city – absolutely everything – was built of the same white rock, and the streets were paved with the same material. All the white gave the whole city an eerie radiance, as if Twilight had stepped into some kind of strange hyper-reality. As beautiful as it all looked, the brightness also highlighted the imperfections. Every little crack in the pavement and pile of bird droppings stood out.
Occasionally, Twilight caught glimpses of the Royal Palace at the heart of the city from between the other buildings. What she saw was white domes like giant hills of marble. The palace was flat and wide rather than tall and compact, and did not at all seem like the residence of an evil overlord. Twilight had imagines something completely different, some sort of dark and gloomy tower, with spikes extending skyward and firepits and skull-faced gargoyles. The reality was something she could actually picture Celestia living in, and that in itself made her much more uncomfortable than the ominous heraldry featuring her Princess's cutie mark. It wasn't just the palace either...
Eventually, the three found themselves in a residential district in the southern side of town, facing an apartment complex. The building was twenty floors high and shaped almost exactly like a cube. Twilight had never seen a more boring-looking place in her life. Even the white of its walls looked a bit duller than that of surrounding buildings, almost slightly grayish.
"Rarity lives here?" asked Twilight.
"Naah. One of our safehouses is in this building. I just wanted to check by here before heading to Rarity's. It'll only be a minute, and you can have a rest here."
Twilight frowned. "You could have mentioned that, you know."
They poked their heads through one of the doorways into a cramped corridor that slowly lit up with daylight as they stepped inside and then fell into darkness when they closed it behind themselves. Weak electric lights flickered on as they headed further inside. Applejack led them into a small elevator that creaked and groaned as it brought them up to the thirteenth floor. They exited into another corridor and passed by a dozen apartment doors packed very close together and Twilight had to wonder what the point of this detour was.
The hideout itself was decidedly unimpressive. Twilight couldn't see a thing until Applejack opened a sunshade on the tiny window and let in some light. The apartment consisted of a single room with a small kitchen corner and a bed that slid out of a wall. There was a couch, and Twilight didn't waste any time in throwing herself on it with a colossal sigh. It was old, sunk-in and uncomfortable, but it felt good to get off her hooves for a bit. Spike rolled off her and started examining a map of the city hanging on the wall.
Twilight was vaguely aware of Applejack starting to ruffle through some papers on a drawer.
"Rats," said Applejack quietly.
"Where?" asked Twilight, "Er, I mean, what's wrong?"
"I was hoping Big Mac had been through here and left a message or something. He's been off the grid for way too long now."
Seeing Applejack hunched up in the half-darkness made Twilight sit up straight. For a moment, she even thought Applejack might have been crying, but when the earth pony looked up at her, she could see that her eyes were dry and clear, just a little bit tired.
Twilight truly wished she could have said more than merely the expected.
"I'm sure he's okay."
It felt like a platitude, but Applejack seemed to take some comfort in the words.
"Yeah. My big brother won't easy to get rid of, let me tell you that! He's actually been captured by the Secret Police once before. Damn fool has a martyr complex, always puts himself in danger for the sake of everypony else. It was... pretty bad for him, but he persevered where a lot of others might have cracked. Somehow, we managed to get him out, I just... I just don't know whether we could pull off the same miracle twice, if they've taken him again."
"We won't have to," said Twilight with a slight smile, "We'll just pull off a whole new miracle by defeating Queen Celestia and then freeing all the prisoners."
Applejack didn't say anything to that, but Twilight could see that she was imagining it.
"Speaking of which," said Spike, "Have you got any stationary, Applejack? We have a letter to write."
"Oh!" exclaimed Twilight, "Right!"
Applejack wordlessly opened a shelf, stuffed some parchment, a pot of ink and a quill into her mouth and gave them to Spike, who handed them on to Twilight with a sour expression after sitting down next to her. He took pride in his role as royal scribe, but Twilight couldn't exactly dictate what she was about to write. She dipped her quill in ink with her horn and tried to ignore Applejack staring at her.
Dear Princess Celestia, she wrote. Her usual nomenclature was more important than ever right now. With two Celestias, who could tell what might happen if her wording was inexact?
Applejack and I have reached Everfree City and will be heading to find Rarity soon. Where could we meet up? Please respond as quickly as you can.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
"Sooo what are you writing?" asked Applejack.
Twilight hurriedly rolled up the parchment and thrust it into Spike's lap. The dragon sent it off with a flash of his flame, but not before giving Twilight a long glare probably meant to make her feel guilty. He didn't approve of keeping the truth from Applejack.
"I just told her we'd reached the city," said Twilight, "and asked where she could meet us."
"You didn't tell her about this hideout, did you?"
"Of course not!"
"Uh huh. So who exactly is this friend anyway? Another student of that Princess of yours?"
Twilight opened her mouth and then closed it again. She didn't really know what to say. Celestia had mentioned in her letter that she was traveling incognito, but they had never worked out a proper story. She didn't know what she'd have done if Spike hadn't come to the rescue.
"She's Twilight's aunt," he said, "and she's a really nice pony. Just wait, you'll definitely like her once you meet her! On top of that, she's super-talented with magic, way better than Twilight!"
"Oh thanks a lot, Spike!" muttered Twilight, even though he was, of course, right.
"I see," said Applejack curtly before turning back to her desk. Spike had just about enough time to look at Twilight and shrug before she turned around again. "You know, I don't think I caught her name?"
Twilight cleared her throat. "A-actually, isn't it about time you told me a little more about Rarity? How did you two meet?"
Applejack pursed her lips. It took her a while to answer.
"I'm not so sure she'd want me to tell you the exact details, but okay. I reckon I've known her for about a year by now. I've only talked to her face to face a few times though. The first time I met her was out in the open desert. She'd contacted me to set up the meet herself, so right off the bat, I was pretty darn suspicious. We've got to be careful about who to trust if we're going to survive, right? Once I actually saw her though, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that she was for real. Girl looked absolutely ridiculous out there with her oversized parasol and dainty little boots. She seemed to think there was too much sand out in the desert. There was no way she had any real experience with stuff like that. So I had her pegged as a pampered noble who'd never left the comfort of her home – and I wasn't wrong, not really. That just made her reasons for seeking out even more surprising though.
"Basically, she offered us a... business arrangement. Business is what Rarity's all about. Her special talent's finding precious gems and she's pretty savvy, so she's made a fortune in the mining industry. She's turned her family into one of the richest noble houses in Equestria. Quite a few of her mines are right here in and around Everfree, actually. So anyway, she offered to do something for us if we did something for her. It was a heck of a deal, so I agreed. Everything worked out real well, so we just sort of never stopped working together. The Apple Underground gets resources, funds and intelligence at a bargain."
If Twilight was listening with interest, then Spike was completely enraptured. He cut Twilight off before she could say anything herself.
"I heard one of your ponies call her something in Trottingham," he said.
Applejack chuckled. "What, the Lady of Liberty?"
"That was it!"
"Yup, she has her own fancy nickname and everything. Though I guess you could say she deserves it. Rarity... isn't like most other unicorns. Even before our agreement, she lived a dangerous life. She's been running an underground railroad to get oppressed ponies out of Everfree City for I don't know how many years. If somepony ends up on the Secret Police's hit list, or even if they're just sick of the life here but aren't allowed to move away, she can get them out to relative safety and freedom. Many of the ponies she rescues end up joining the Apple Underground. Saving lives's the kind of thing that makes you real popular, so as you can imagine, she has something of a reputation with earth ponies."
"Do you like her?" asked Twilight.
Applejack seemed taken aback by the question.
"Sure I like her! Well, I appreciate what she's done for us. You've no idea how grateful I am about her support. Plus, I'm real glad that unicorns like her are joining our cause, you know? Listen, I don't dislike her, okay?" She shook her head and refocused on Twilight. "Don't get the wrong idea, it's not like we're friends or anything. Circumstances being what they are, we don't get to hang around and chat much, and at the end of the day, we're just not very similar."
"Well, you know, Applejack, friendship isn't limited by anything like race or upbringing or taste. Ponies can be friends with all sorts of other ponies, including those that are very-"
There was a knock on the door.
Applejack was up on her hooves in a flash. When Spike opened his mouth to say something, she shushed him. For a moment, they all stood frozen in place. Who would have chanced to visit them, and how did they know to come at just the right time? Had they been discovered somehow? Surely, the authorities wouldn't knock if they came in force...
They didn't have a whole lot of options. Applejack warily made her way over to the door and opened it. Twilight held her breath and then promptly released it when she caught sight of a young unicorn mare about her own age, with airy light pink curls and a white coat. Twilight thought there was something terribly familiar about her, especially the serene expression and measured gaze. When the mare looked at Twilight and smiled, she realized it – and almost gasped out the stranger's identity right then and there. She couldn't, however, keep herself from pushing past Applejack and pressing herself close to her mentor. Celestia returned the nuzzle.
"Twilight Sparkle!" she said. Even her voice sounded different, less mature, more appropriate for her delicate frame.
"Hello, um, auntie! It's so good to see you!"
Celestia didn't miss a beat. "You don't know how worried I've been for you, my dear niece!"
Twilight detached herself from Celestia and looked her up and down once more. Hugging her felt strange when she wasn't towering over Twilight and didn't have a flowing mane to brush against her head and neck. In hindsight, it should have been obvious that it would be within the Princess's power to hide herself by magic even amongst other unicorns.
"I don't understand though. How did you find us?"
"A spell, Twilight. It seemed like the simplest option to me. There are ways to trace a dragon's flame-mail. You must remind me to teach one of them to you once we return home."
Twilight nodded eagerly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Applejack looking on with a scowl.
"Well, go on then, come inside!" said Applejack, "Two unicorns in a tenement like this is going to look mighty suspicious! So will a pony looking too happy, come to think of it."
Twilight hopped inside ahead of Celestia, probably unable to stop grinning even if she wanted to. The room seemed to brighten as the Princess entered, though that might well have just been Twilight's imagination. Celestia greeted Spike with a pat to his head.
"Ahem," said Spike, pointing a hand towards the Princess, "Applejack, this is..."
"Twinkle," supplied Celestia. She also properly stood to face Applejack, smiling a relaxed smile. "I've heard a lot about you in the short while I've been here, Applejack. You are at the head of something heroic and admirable. I have a great deal of respect for everything you've done for your fellow ponies, and for Equestria."
She then did something Twilight would never have expected: bent her forelegs in an unpracticed but heartfelt half-bow. Even though Applejack's face bloomed in a blush, she made a noise that was half-neigh and half-harrumph.
"Begging your pardon, Miss Twinkle, but I haven't done a single thing 'for Equestria' in my whole entire life. It's Equestria I'm fighting against."
This seemed to catch Celestia off guard, but she quickly returned to smiling.
"Of course. My perspective must seem odd to you, but I consider Queen Celestia the real enemy of Equestria."
"Uh huh. Well, I hope nopony followed you to this place. It'd be a shame if one of our safehouses was compromised..."
"Oh, you don't have to worry. I can be very inconspicuous when I want to."
Twilight plopped down back next to Spike on the couch.
"May I ask what you've been doing the last few days, auntie?"
"I've done little else but study. I've explored the city and the culture of tyranny that built it, I've read up on the histories and politics of this world, I've talked to ponies to find out about this land and its leaders. In other words, I've been preparing for our attack. I have a few ideas of my own, but I applaud your initiative in seeking out the Elements of Harmony. The Elements could very well make the crucial difference in this war. It is wonderful to know that you have the moral fortitude to stand up for this world on your own. You do me proud."
Twilight raised an eyebrow at that. Not only had she never expected to hear dear, sweet Princess Celestia speak of waging war, it was surprising that she would say that the Elements of Harmony could "make the difference." As far as Twilight knew, they were the only way to save this world. What other method could there be for bloodlessly deposing Daymare Sun?
"You haven't heard anything about, er, your sister? Or Brainy Bright?"
"I'm afraid not. But don't worry, we will find them eventually – or perhaps they will find us."
They had gone over all the important bits in their brief letters, but there was a lot more Twilight would have liked to talk to the Princess about. Applejack's presence made that impossible.
She couldn't keep this a secret forever. She wasn't going to! This was just not the right time. Applejack was a reasonable pony, but she hated the Queen as much as anyone. If Twilight had been in her horseshoes, she would most definitely have been put off by knowing about the Princess being there. Celestia herself thought hiding her identity was a good idea for the time being as well.
"This is all well and good," said Spike, "but isn't it about time we go and find Rarity yet?"
He was looking at Twilight, but it was Applejack who answered.
"If you guys feel up to it, we can head off now."
"As a matter of fact, I had the occasion to scout out Lady Rarity's estate a while earlier," said Celestia, "I can take us there right away."
"That would be great, P- auntie!" exclaimed Twilight, "I really wasn't looking forward to another long walk!"
"Wait, what?" asked Applejack.
Celestia's horn had already started emitting a golden glow. In a moment, the glow had grown to encompass the whole room. When it abated, Twilight was surprised to find herself surrounded by greenery.
"Oh my!"
"What in tarnation?"
Celestia's technique was expectedly superb. Twilight didn't feel a trace of disorientation or physical pain from the jump.
"This is Lady Rarity's greenhouse garden," said Celestia, "She keeps it open to the public, unlike other nobles. We can get inside her manor from here."
"I- I didn't give you permission to do that!" grumbled Applejack.
"Oh? I'm sorry." She never lost her calm smile, not even when she bowed her head as a gesture of reconciliation. "We should move before somepony comes."
It wasn't as hot and humid as it would have been in a proper greenhouse. This place was more like indoor park. The plants there weren't exotic flowers or vegetables; most of them were ordinary trees and bushes Twilight could easily come across stepping out of her house in Ponyville. There were also ragged patches of grass, and it was clear that the plants there weren't watered as well as they should have been. Yet, this little oasis was considered the height of luxury. It smelled of nature and life, and Twilight wished she could spend a bit more time there.
They could see Rarity's home through the trees. The greenhouse was built directly into its side. The building was impressive enough, but not much different from any of the other mansions Twilight had spotted in the city.
Celestia confidently led them to a large set of double doors that could have passed for the front entrance of a lesser noble's abode.
"Shall I open it?" she asked, but didn't wait for a reply.
She raised a hoof and softly stomped it against the door. The lock clicked and the doorway opened. Twilight thought entering this way would leave a terrible impression, but followed the others inside anyway.
Just the entrance hall was as grand and beautiful as almost any room in Canterlot's royal palace. A vast staircase leading forward and then splitting in two filled much of the room. It was almost as light inside as outside. The floor was reflective, and the walls glittered. Everything that wasn't white was toned in shades of purple – those were still Rarity's colors, it seemed. A humongous crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Could two places be any more different than this mansion and the apartment building they'd all just come from?
"Would you like some refreshments?" asked a raspy voice from behind them.
Twilight whirled around and found... a diamond dog, wearing a tux. In his hands, he held a silver serving tray with several glasses of clear, pure water in them. His beady little eyes were fixed right on her, and his mouth was twisted into something quite like a snarl.
Spike scooted between Twilight and the dog, spreading his arms in a defensive posture, but Applejack in turn took up position before him.
"Hold on now!" she told the dog, "It's me! You do recognize me, don't you?"
"Of course. You're the rebel, Applejack, whom I have never met before. What are you doing here, outlaw?"
Applejack glanced back at Twilight. "It's okay, everything is fine and dandy. This isn't Daylight Sparkle. She's just wearing a disguise, so you can put away that knife."
Twilight hadn't even noticed that the dog was holding a knife in one of his hands, hidden underneath the tray. After a moment, he slipped it into a scabbard inside his vest. Applejack gave him an appreciative nod.
"We've come to see Rarity," she said, "Is she here?"
"Milady is home. Whom should I announce?"
"Yeah, you can just skip that part. Just tell us where your boss is and we'll go to her."
"Lady Rarity is in the third floor office. I believe you know the way, ponies."
They made their way upstairs in hurried steps. Being familiar with the area, it was Applejack leading the charge, while Celestia was content to stay in the back. Twilight barely had time to notice the opulent furnishings in the rush. Once they got to the office, she pushed ahead in her excitement and stormed through the door. Perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to do...
Lady Rarity was there, seated behind an ancient-looking wooden desk with stacks of documents in front of her. She had a much fuller figure than the pony Twilight knew, but she looked no less beautiful. Her mane was still elegantly coiffed in the familiar style, but she used slightly different shades of color in her make-up. Her white coat had a healthy shine to it, and she was wearing horn-rimmed glasses as she worked. Unlike Applejack, her cutie mark was the same: three finely-cut diamonds.
Rarity's jaw dropped when she looked up and saw who'd busted in. Spike victoriously called her name. That was when Twilight realized how this must have looked like: a captured Applejack giving up her accomplice to the Commander of the Secret Police.
Rarity sunk out of her chair with a gasp and disappeared behind her desk. When she popped up again, her horn was glowing and she's pulled out a spiked mace from somewhere.
"Come on then!" she shrieked from behind the table, waving the mace around with her telekinesis, "Have at thee!"
"Whoa, nelly!" exclaimed Applejack, "Settle down, this is not what it looks like! There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, believe it or not!"
"I'm not Daylight Sparkle!" called out Twilight, "I'm not Daylight Sparkle!"
She was frantically rubbing off her fake cutie mark, revealing her own star and sparkles.
Rarity looked around between them, uncomprehending. Gradually, she relaxed and lowered her weapon. Applejack breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ahem," said Rarity.
Looking vaguely embarrassed all the while, she set down the mace on a shelf and returned to her seat as if nothing at all had happened.
"Applejack, what is the meaning of this?"
"I'm just the escort here," said Applejack, "This pony's the one with the story to tell."
"Hello!" said Twilight, "I guess I should start by introducing us. See, this here's Spike-"
"Hi, I'm Spike!" burst out Spike, wearing the goofiest possible grin and waving.
"Settle down, I just told her that! Anyway, that over there is Twinkle, and I'm Twilight Sparkle. This is all kind of complicated, so I'll just be direct. We're travelers from another dimension brought into this world by an accident, and we've come to enlist you and Applejack on a mission to defeat Queen Celestia."
Rarity laughed. It started off as an inelegant chortle and then evolved into a hearty, sonorous full laughter. She spent quite a while at it.
"Er, Rarity?" said Applejack once she stopped, "We're being completely and utterly serious here."
"Oh," said Rarity, looking completely and utterly lost. That didn't stop her from smiling politely. "Gosh, where are my manners? Please, do sit down, all of you."
Twilight and Applejack took their seats on cushy armchairs in front of Rarity's desk. Spike remained standing, while Celestia hung back for some reason, choosing instead to sit down on the floor close to the door. Rarity steepled her hooves and stared at them in silence. Her brow was furrowed. Eventually, she spoke up.
"All right, darling. I can buy the part about you being from another dimension. It's either that or you're an identical twin of Daylight Sparkle – or something! That part is implausible, but believable. But goodness gracious, how do you expect me to believe that you're going to defeat the Queen, just like that? Applejack, you know how I feel about that: it can't be done."
"It can be done," said Applejack.
"I don't want to sound mean, but recent events would suggest otherwise," deadpanned Rarity, "Then again, you never got close enough to try, did you?"
"There is a weapon that could do it," said Twilight.
She explained briefly about the Elements of Harmony, their little group of friends in her own world and everything that needed to be done. As Rarity listened, her expression shifted from bewilderment to worry to uncertainty – uncertainty not just about whether it could be done, but perhaps also about whether it couldn't be done.
"This is the longest of long shots, you do realize?"
"It's not nearly as hopeless as it looks!" said Twilight, glancing back at Princess Celestia, "With you, we already have half the gang together. If you think about it, the odds of either of you even existing in this world despite centuries of differences between the timelines are infinitesimal. We will find the others as well, and once we have the Elements, taking care of Daymare Sun will be a piece of cake!"
"And what about her armies?" asked Rarity, "Her hidden fortresses? The fanatics who'd be willing to die for her? Will they all just disappear with her? I can't help but think your view of this all is a little simplistic."
"If that's true, then you're over-thinking it," said Applejack, "You've worked hard to make a better world, and a world without Celestia will undoubtedly be a better place. I know you think she's untouchable, but that's exactly the kind of hopelessness she'd tried to breed into pony-folk so we'd never have the guts to try anything. Rarity, I think it's time for you to take direct action for once."
"Ahh, hmm, but do I necessarily have to come along with you to? Applejack, you know I'm willing to stand by your side, but I am not going to be much use in the field."
"Yes," said Twilight immediately, "It's absolutely vital that you come with us."
Rarity groaned at length, but ultimately put up her hooves in defeat, a weak smile on her face.
"Very well then. I'll come with you and see where this journey takes us. Maybe it'll even prove to be an interesting experience before the Queen kills us all. Do you mean for us to go off right now?"
"We should leave as soon as you can get your affairs in order, yes," said Applejack, "but there's no rush. There's actually something I want to ask you. Has Big Macintosh been through here lately, Rarity? Have you heard anything about him?"
Rarity frowned. "I'm afraid not, Applejack. Sonnette and Cloud Kicker did come by here and used my secret passage to escape the city, but I haven't seen any trace of Big Macintosh. Is he...?"
"We don't know."
"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Hmm, can I ask you something as well?" asked Twilight.
"Certainly – Twilight, was it?"
"What do you think of the fashion industry?"
"Why, I have nothing but respect for the artistry involved in making fine clothes."
"You've never... thought to try it out yourself?"
Rarity laughed. "Darling, where ever would I find the time for that?"
"What about painting? Writing? Composing music?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Sculpting? Interior decorating? Interpretative dance?"
"Neigh, if you'll pardon the pun."
Twilight could only gape. The idea of a Rarity that wasn't an artist was, frankly, strange and unfathomable to her. True, Rarity had always been something of a business-pony as well, and she did well for herself in that regard because of her natural cleverness, but certain questionable business practices kept her from truly excelling financially. She would never be the richest pony in Ponyville while she still gave her friends and neighbors free samples and discarded nearly finished designs due to flaws only she could see.
"So how did all this start? How did you become the Lady of Liberty?"
Rarity stood up and firmly pressed her forehooves on her desk. There was an almost visible glitter in her eyes.
"Why, I have known ever since I was a little filly that I had no greater purpose in this world than to do good! My heart has always bled for the weak and downtrodden; I've only ever waited for the chance to do my part in resisting the Queen's regime! Being the Lady of Liberty is my destiny!"
She plopped back down on her armchair and chuckled.
"Is that what you expected me to say? Well, actually, the truth is a bit more prosaic than that. You could say I stumbled into it by chance. There was a time when I didn't much care for anypony, let alone the plights of my inferiors. I was too rich to worry about such things! Then one day, one of my servants was accused of treason and I happened to know for a fact that she was innocent. She pleaded with me to help, so I got her out of the city and helped her set up a false identity. She told one of her relatives what I'd done for her, and then she came to me and told me about her coltfriend, who'd been blacklisted from working in the city for incurring the wrath of a noble. I helped him as well. Even though I strictly told them not to mention my involvement to anypony, ponies kept coming to me for assistance. I couldn't very well say no, could I? Every one of them told me their stories, and bit by bit, I became more aware of the injustices of this world. It became rather difficult to just stand by and do nothing."
"So that's why you made a deal with the Apple Underground?"
"Aheh... You could say that."
"I have to say, I admire you. I'm sure not many unicorns would have done the same thing in your stead – risking everything for a good cause even though your lives are privileged, I mean."
Rarity's smile right then looked rather painted on. "Privilege is rather relative, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Unicorns do form most of the upper strata of pony society, that is true, but we do pay a certain price for those privileges. We have no more freedom than earth ponies or pegasi, and in some respects, we have even less. I'm referring to the education system in particular. Earth ponies and pegasi get their lessons about what their 'proper place' is, but the schooling of unicorns is much more dogmatic. And that's not nearly the worst of it. You see, when a young unicorn earns his or her cutie mark, they are examined by the State. If they show the promise of great magical power, a prodigious mind or a valuable special talent, they are drafted and assigned to the Secret Police, the Officer Corps or perhaps a special division of the Army, where they undergo special training. I don't mean to mince words on this matter – they are forcibly removed from their homes and brainwashed." Her smile, bitter as it was, twisted into a frown. "When a colt or filly is selected to join the Secret Police, you can be the richest, most influential pony in Equestria, but you still won't be able to get them back. So yes, I'm afraid our privileges are quite useless in some regards."
"I'm... sorry to hear that," said Twilight.
She brushed her tail back and forth with her forehooves, unsure of whether to say anything more. Rarity did not sound as if she was merely voicing her righteous indignation. She sounded genuinely pained.
"Did they take Sweetie Belle?" asked Twilight quietly.
"Sweetie Belle?" repeated Rarity with a note of confusion in her voice.
"Your sister? You... do have a sister, don't you?"
Rarity shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have any siblings, Twilight, brothers or sisters. And no, I don't mean that figuratively. I'm an only child."
"But then..."
"Be that as it may, don't think I only help the Underground with my wealth. I like to think I'm quite useful to them otherwise as well. Have you heard about the prison break they pulled off? It's the only recorded escape from the Secret Police's panopticon in Equestrian history. Well, I was the one who planned it – yes, me, none other! Did you know that?"
"I didn't," said Twilight slowly, "I thought Applejack was behind that, actually."
"That's just the cover story," said Applejack, "We can't exactly tell ponies the truth, can we?"
"Yes, luckily, I'm not a glory hound like Applejack here."
Applejack rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. "Hardy har, Rarity."
"So wait, Rarity's operation was the one that got out your brother, Applejack?"
"Told you I felt grateful for her."
Twilight still didn't know what Rarity got out of their deal, but everything else came together nicely. Diamond dogs and the Lady of Liberty, an underground railroad and a fortune in mining...
"You use your company's mineshafts for the smuggling, right?"
"That's exactly right. Considering my role in Everfree City's economy, me and my associates can get away with doing just about anything down below. By constantly digging and re-digging the secret tunnels in different locations, the chance of our little operation being discovered is remote indeed. It's lucky for me this area is so rich in precious gems."
Twilight sat back, quietly impressed. This sort of cunning was something she might have expected from Rarity. Not only that, she was still the giving soul Twilight knew. Helping all those ponies was very generous of her, wasn't it? All things considered, it was amazing how familiar she seemed! Applejack and Rarity were both everything Twilight could have hoped for. She was confident the others wouldn't disappoint her either.
She had to believe that she herself was the only weak link – the only bad seed – among her friends in this universe.
"So yeah," said Applejack, "Let's get down to business, why don't we? The three ponies we still need to find are... what were their names again?"
"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie," said Twilight, "Do you know any of them, Rarity?"
"I've never heard of the other two, but yes, I am familiar with Rainbow Dash."
Twilight felt a stab of elation. Everything was going perfectly.
"Well?" she asked insistently.
Rarity fidgeted around in her seat. "Very well, I'll tell you about her, but I do hope you realize this matter requires your strictest confidence. For you see, Rainbow Dash is none other than the Blue Bolt!"
Applejack whistled. "You mean this Rainbow Dash pony is the Blue Bolt? Galloping galoshes, I sure didn't expect that."
Twilight looked around between each of her companions. "I don't understand. Who's the Blue Bolt?"
"She's a thief," said Applejack.
"A most amusing thief," added Rarity, "Though actually, the State has officially classified her as a terrorist now."
"She operates all over Equestria, but Everfree City's her favorite hunting ground. She always goes after nobles, the richer the better, and the police force has failed to catch her for years now. They say she's the fastest flier in Equestria. The catch is that she gives away everything she steals to poor earth ponies or anypony else that needs it."
"Oh, you mean like the tale of Robin Hoof?"
"Yeah, exactly. She's even robbed government bureaus and granaries to distribute food to the needy. Sometimes, she gives supplies directly to the to the Apple Underground, though I've never met her personally. She's nothing less than a folk hero."
"Sort of like me," said Rarity with a sly smile, "but with less style and more hooves-on action. The brawn to my brain, if you will."
"Where could we find her?" asked Twilight.
"Her homebase, if you could call it that, is in the Dragon Swamp."
Applejack grunted. "That's pretty far."
"Well, we don't have to go there by hoof, do we?" Rarity's eye twitched. "Applejack, please tell me we're not going there by hoof."
A memory was dawning in Twilight's consciousness.
"Wait a minute."
She turned to Applejack and Spike.
"The guard at the gate! She mentioned a pegasus thief!" A very nasty feeling was spreading through her gut. "She said an Agent had been dispatched to the Dragon Swamp to deal with her."
"Goodness," said Rarity breathlessly.
"Oh crud, this is bad," growled Applejack, "She might just take off, fly so fast and so far that we'll never find her. And that's if she's lucky! I'm willing to bet she's never faced off against one of the Secret Police before. If they take her unawares, she could be in deadly danger."
"Twilight, do you remember the name of the Agent in question?" asked Rarity.
"It was... Striker. Yes. Agent Striker."
Rarity gasped and raised a hoof to her mouth. "Agent Striker is one of the Elite. He has a dragon."
The moment of silence that followed was almost physically painful. It was as if they had just gotten news of somepony's death. Perhaps they had.
Twilight glanced over her shoulder at Princess Celestia and found her strangely distant, lost in thought.
"We might already be too late," drawled out Applejack.
"No," said Twilight, "No! We don't know that yet!"
"Well then!" said Rarity, "It looks like we don't have a moment to lose, doesn't it?" She raised her voice and shouted "Fido!"
Another diamond dog butler – this one a particularly large specimen – lumbered through the doorway in a few seconds.
"Wake up Soarin'! Get my personal chariot underground to the tunnel-mouth! We have a rescue mission to perform!"
Fido barked an affirmative and left as quickly as he'd arrived.
"My personal chariot driver is one of the best in the business! We can make it to the Dragon Swamp within a turn by flight."
Rarity's confident smile made Twilight feel like they'd saved Rainbow Dash already. They all stood up, ready to follow Rarity down to the mines where their secret tunnel awaited them.
"He'll have to carry four of us, and a dragon," said Applejack, "That's a lot for any pegasus. Considering how much weight you've gained, you better not pack too much luggage. That means you'll have to leave home your cabinet of spare clothing."
Rarity gave an ridiculously protracted sigh. "Hilarious as ever, Applejack."
"There will only be three of you. I cannot join you."
Twilight whirled around to face Princess Celestia, who'd taken a few steps closer to the group.
"What?" asked Twilight, ears drooping, "But why?"
"I can't be there, Twilight. You know why."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Applejack, "I thought you were supposed to be some kind of master wizard. We could use some of that out there, you know! Are you a coward?"
Celestia's eyes met Applejack's. She looked regretful, but also completely unapologetic.
"Well?" said Applejack.
Twilight raised her hoof. "Please, Applejack," she said, "It's complicated, but auntie's right about this."
"She is?" wondered Spike, eyes nervously flickering to the Princess.
She was. Twilight could see the rationale. Princess Celestia could come with them, and quite possibly make short work of the dragon – but what effect would that have in the long run? Their quest to find the Elements of Harmony was as much about the ponies as the Elements. Could they really form meaningful bonds if they ended up being mere onlookers in their own adventure? Could they truly demonstrate the qualities that defined them? Somehow, Twilight did not think so. No, they had to earn their own victories by working together. Celestia had no choice but to step back and let them find their own way – just as she'd done once before, when she'd arranged the defeat of Nightmare Moon. That was also why she'd stayed in the background while Twilight had made Rarity's acquaintance. She wanted their friendship to form on their own terms.
"I will meet up with you again once you've gathered up the others," said Celestia, "There are other things I can busy myself with in the meantime." She turned to look at Rarity. "Lady Rarity, I assume you've received an invitation to Lord Chocolate Sun's ball?"
Rarity fluttered her eyelashes in surprise. "Indeed I have. Now that you mention it, I suppose I won't be able to make it, since it takes place in four turns and I doubt we'll make it back by then. Oh, well, I can still go to the second-biggest gathering of pretentious jerks when the time comes."
"I hope this doesn't sound brazen, but may I take the invitation and go in your stead?"
"I... well, I have absolutely no problem with that, but why? I would assume..."
"Let me just get this straight, missy," said Applejack, "While we're going off to try and save somepony's life, you're staying here so you visit a ball?"
Applejack's accusation only made Celestia smile. One small smile said so much and yet so little. It was a rejection, an apology and a mystery. During an instant, the facade of Twinkle broke. Celestia looked her real age.
It really was just an instant.
"While I do love formal gatherings, that is not exactly what I'm interested in. Lord Chocolate Sun is known to have a collection of antique literature and documents, is he not?"
Rarity nodded. "Yes, his library is rather famous. Not that he ever reads any of it, mind you, he's barely literate. He just enjoys the reputation it earns him."
"I would rather not risk breaking into the Royal Library, and a private collection is much more likely to contain items of interest, so this should suit my purposes just fine."
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.
"In an undertaking as momentous as ours, preparation is the key to everything. I must get to that library. Recall that we still don't know anything about the physical vessels of the Elements. I am confident that they exist, but where could they be? If there is any hint to be found about their location, I must find it. There are other things I wish to look into as well. For one, wouldn't it be grand if I found a prophecy predicting the downfall of Daymare Sun?"
"A prophecy?" repeated Applejack, voice dripping with doubt.
"I know it sounds like fantasy," said Rarity, "but there are records of genuine prophecies, I believe."
"A prophecy predicted the return of Nightmare Moon in our world," said Twilight, "You'll be looking for something similar, right?"
"Very good, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight could almost see her hidden wings unfolding.
"Trust in me as you always do. I wouldn't let you go if I didn't think you could do it. I have faith in you and all your friends. Go, find Rainbow Dash!"
Next chapter: The Forgotten Princess.