After having unanimously agreed to tour the grounds, Constance happily lead the trio of friends outside to await Scyphos who was tasked with finding and persuading the remaining three to join them. Along the way, Constance gave Rarity a sly wink and a silently mouthed “We’ll talk later” when she tried to question him. While this tactic annoyed Rarity to no end, she decided to let it go. For now.
As they exited the mansion by the way of a rear foyer, Rarity was, once again, amazed by the sheer beauty and scope of what she saw. Contrary to what she had believed, it had never stopped raining, rather the rain had ceased falling over the house and grounds to, instead, encircle the estate. That particular sight held held her attention as Constance lead them all to a stone courtyard.
“Here we are!” He said happily, motioning for them to sit at a stone table at the courtyards center. “The perfect place to wait for the others.” Applejack was the first to sit, followed closely by Constance and Rarity. Fluttershy wandered over to gaze at the lush hedge wall surrounding them.
“Ten bits says Twilight won't come.” Applejack stated. She glanced around the small stone table at Rarity and Constance to see if there would be any takers.
“I'll take that bet.” Said Constance, holding out his right hoof to be bumped by Applejack. “Scyphos can be very convincing.”
“Well Twilight can be awful stubborn.” She retorted. “Rarity, Fluttershy you in?”
Rarity absently raised her hoof in affirmation all while sneaking furtive glances at Constance. “You gotta pick one Rarity.” Added Applejack.
“Hm? Oh...uh.” Rarity quickly stammered out, looking around in mild confusion. “What are we betting on.”
Constance chuckled. “Whether or not Twilight will leave the library.” Groaned Applejack with a look of exasperation towards Rarity. “Honestly, where you at Sugarcube? Cause it sure ain't here.”
Constance caught Rarity’s eye and smiled, causing her to blush. “Some place pleasant.” She turned to Applejack. “Ten bits on Twilight showing up.”
“Now that's more like it.” Applejack said happily. “Alright Fluttershy what's your...” She trailed off and began to look around. “Where's Fluttershy?”
Rarity’s eyes widened as she to began to look around. “Why, she was just here!” She turned to Constance who had retained his smile. “Constance?”
Without a word, Constance casually pointed upward at the same time a happy squeal floated down to them. Turning their eyes upwards, both Rarity and Applejack were struck dumb in amazement at what they saw.
Fluttershy had her hooves wrapped around the muzzle of a deer that had stuck its head over the hedge wall. Not just any deer, this particular deer was several stories tall and had strange markings all over its body that slowly pulsed with magic.
“What in tarnation!” Exclaimed Applejack, nearly falling from her seat after leaning too far back. Rarity managed to keep her seat, even going so far as to look down at Constance before turning her eyes upwards yet again.
Constance chuckled at the display. “That.” He said, addressing Applejack while keeping his hoof pointed at the towering animal is a ‘Magnos Cervorum’. His eye twinkled slightly. “Or if you would prefer, a really big deer.”
Fluttershy continued to hug and stroke the deer’s muzzle during this exchange. The deer affectionately nuzzled the happy pegasus. “Oh who's a good giant deer?” Asked Fluttershy, rubbing the deer’s head furiously. The deer made a happy sound. “You are! Yes you are!”
“I call that one Clementine.” Constance called up to Fluttershy. This caused both Rarity and Applejack to look at him in amazement.
“That one? You means there's more of them?” asked Applejack.
Constance nodded. “Oh yes, a whole herd in fact.”
Applejack looked up again. “An you call it Clementine because…?”
Constance shrugged. “It sounded like a deer name.”
‘Clementine’ pulled out of Fluttershy embraced and extended a surprisingly long tongue to lick her face. Due to its size, Fluttershy's entire front ended up licked.
“Oh my goodness!” She squealed, tightly hugging Clementines muzzle again.
“Incredible!”
Everypony, excluding Fluttershy, turned to see Scyphos, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and a extremely excited Twilight carrying several books and quills.
Without delay Rarity pointed to Applejack and uttered a very unladylike “Hah”.
“Ooh are we having a pointing contest!?” Inquired Pinkie Pie as she bounded over to join them. Before anypony could object, Pinkie Pie shoved her hoof into Applejacks face with a loud “Hah”. She then rolled underneath the table where unrestrained giggling could be hear. With a shrug, Rainbow Dash casually hovered overhead while Twilight rushed to join Fluttershy and Clementine.
“Actually that was the end of a little bet the three of us had going.” Informed Constance, leaning underneath the table so Pinkie could hear him. He resurfaced with a smug grin. “Isn't that right Miss Apple?”
Applejack groaned and removed her hat. She reached inside and removed a hooful of bits and tossed some to Rarity and the rest to Constance who easily caught them with a wing. He then tossed his share to Scyphos who likewise caught them with a wing. “Good work Scyphos.” He called.
“Pleased to serve sir.” Responded Scyphos with a bow.
“You guys bet to see if Twilight would come outside?” Asked Rainbow Dash to which Applejack responded with a nod. “Yeah thought so.” She landed beside Applejack and gently patted her re-hatted head. “Don't be sad, Jackie. I would have lost money too.”
“I ain't sad!” Applejack said, swatting Rainbow's hoof away. “A’hm more surprised than anything.” She looked to Scyphos. “How'd you go about convincing Twilight anyways?”
Scyphos retained his rigid posture as he answered. “It was really quite simple. He allowed himself a small grin. “I sold the experience.”
There was a faint pop as Twilight materialized beside the table in a flash of purple light. “This is astonishing! Based on my preliminary examinations that deer’s entire physiology has been completely altered by wild magic to a degree unseen anywhere else in Equestria, including the Everfree forest!”
“I see your point.” Said Applejack dryly.
“All it takes to convince me is cake!” Pinkie Pie interjected happily as she suddenly appear from inside the hedge wall. “Oh, or cookies! Cookies work too!”
“I'll be sure to remember that.” Said Constance, smiling broadly. “In any case, now that we’re all here, shall we begin the tour?”
Fluttershy fluttered down to seat herself at the table after waving good bye to Clementine who had become fed up with Twilight's incessant prodding. “Yes, please.”
Constance smiled broadly. “Then away we go!”
…..
“Ready!”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash cast each other a smug glance as they bent their knees.
“Steady!”
Hooves slowly ground circles into the earth in anticipation.
“Go!” Yelled Pinkie Pie.
The two rocketed forward with enough speed to spin Pinkie Pie like a top. Luckily Scyphos was referring and was on hoof to halt her spinning.
Constance smiled as he leaned closer to Rarity. “Are those two always this competitive?” The pair sat in a small stone tower with a lovely view of the surrounding area, having lost Twilight and Fluttershy during the tour when the group stumbled upon more giant, magical animals.
Rarity answered with a smile of her own. “Pretty much, yes.”
“And they're racing because…?”
“Because they cannot stand the thought of being tied with one another.” Answered Rarity. She followed the race track, which had been helpfully marked out by Pinkie Pie using streamers, and saw that the two racers were already at the halfway point. “This happens more often than one would expect. You see, during the trip here, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were engaged in a lengthy staring contest.” She paused as the racers crossed the finish line in a hail of confetti. By Rarity’s eye they had crossed together. “Well, capital example.”
Constance looked perplexed. “Wait they were tied in a staring contest so they decided to have a race in order to break the tie?” He gestured out towards the track. “And they're still tied?!”
Rarity responded with a laugh. “Indeed.” Her smile fell as her eyes focused on something below them. “Best cover your ears, darling.”
“WAIT MISS PIE!” Shouted Scyphos.
“What?” Asked Constance in a confused tone even as Rarity placed large cotton balls in her ears as well as his.
A large, pink ball launched itself into the air with a loud pop, before detonating and covering them, as well as the surrounding area, in several feet of streamers.
Rarity dug herself out with her magic then proceeded to do the same for Constance. “So sorry, Constance.” Said Rarity once she disposed of the cotton balls in their ears. “I was sure Twilight told her not to bring that.”
Constance’s eye was opened wide. “What in Equestria was that?!”
“Hm?” Responded Rarity, still picking streamers out of her hair. “Oh.” She indicated the place Pinkie and Scyphos were still buried. “That was one of Pinkie’s ‘Party Poppers’.” She finished, utilizing air quotes for emphasis. Mad laughter could be heard from down below as Pinkie surfaced, dragging a disheveled Scyphos out with her.
“I'm sorry, sir! I tried to stop her!”
“No worries, Scyphos!” Called Constance.
“Oh dear!” Exclaimed Rarity, concern evident in her voice. “Scyphos doesn't look well.”
Constance dislodged more streamers from his mane with a shake of his head then looked to his butler. “He's likely wondering how he's going to clean this up before lunch.”
“Why we’ll help him, of course!” Said Rarity with a flip of her hair. She stood up and leaned her the towers railing. “Pinkie Pie.” She called. “Go get the others so we can help Scyphos clean up this mess.”
“Don't worry!” Shouted back Pinkie Pie. “All my streamers are soluble!”
Rarity blinked twice. “I-” A loud crack of thunder interrupted her.
“Problem solved, I'd say.” Said Constance with a shrug. “Scyphos!” He called. “Round everypony up before the rain hits again.”
“Of course, sir!” Called back Scyphos just as the wall of rain began to move back in.