Battle Ready: The Rising of Sin

by D101 Reviews

Chapter Three

It was early morning, the day after Battle had taken up his new position of Ponyville temporary librarian. Battle himself was slumped in the chair behind the librarian's desk, a stack of Daring Doo novels sitting in front of him, Daring Doo and the Sapphire Stone sitting loosely in his fingers. There was no sound other than that of Battle's shallow breathing as he slept and the rustling of the leaves on the library's branches. Battle gave a gentle snort in his sleep and his eyes screwed up gently, as if he were dreaming of something unpleasant.

The door to the library was pushed open suddenly and a unicorn walked in, with a bight white coat and glowing complexion. Her magenta mane and tail was curled into a series of elegant curls. She wore a pair of glasses - plastic with orange rims - over her brilliant blue eyes. She was also dressed in all white as well, save for the black shirt she had donned beneath her white designer jacket. Her white jeans already fit perfectly, the blue faux-leather belt nothing more than an accessory with its jewel encrusted horse-shoe buckle. On her cheek was a trinity of blue gemstones. An obscure Cutie-Mark to be sure.

The sound of the library door opening didn't disturb Battle from his sleep. He merely snorted once more before slumping deeper into his chair. The book he had loosely held onto fell from his grasp and dropped to the floor. The mare looked to the source of the noise and raised an eyebrow, before slowly approaching the desk.

"Um, excuse me?" she said, trying to raise her voice and not wake Battle at the same time. The result was some sort of raised whisper. In any case it did little to awaken the still sleeping Battle. The mare idled in the middle of the library for a few moments before she walked straight up to the desk and cleared her throat. "Hello?"

Battle continued to sleep. The mare scowled and crossed her arms in front of his chest. "Excuse me?"

The loud, crisp raised voice jolted Battle not only from his sleep but also from his chair. He lurched forward, stumbling on the book he had dropped and planted his face straight onto the desk in front of him.

"Secure the barricade," he mumbled sleepily.

"My goodness are you alright?" the unicorn asked, rushing to Battle's side.

"Timeizit?" Battle slurred, pushing himself off the desk and back into his chair, rubbing his nose. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized the tip of his horn was throbbing too. He'd probably left a mark in the desk.

"Last time I checked it was roughly half past eight," the mare said as she hovered over Battle's shoulder, looking concerned.

"Eh?" Battle scratched his mane. "It was ten when I last looked though..."

"Half eight in the morning darling," she corrected him.

"Oooh," Battle sighed, nodding slowly. "That explains a lot."

"Clearly," the mare said. She looked at the books on the desk. "Late night reading was it?"

"Passin' the time," Battle replied. "First time I've read 'em to be honest."

"Goodness. How could you not have read these novels before now?" she asked.

"You know everyone I've spoken to about that has said the exact same thing," Battle smiled. He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ugh don't tell me I left the front door unlocked last night?"

"I'm afraid you did. Otherwise you and I wouldn't currently be having this conversation."

"Well that's a wonderful start to a new job isn't it?" he chuckled bitterly. He shook his head before getting to his feet. "So sorry, where are my manner's? Battle Ready at you service."

"Rarity," she replied, taking the hand he offered and gently shaking it. "I assume that you'll be serving as Ponyville's temporary librarian until Twilight returns from her exploits in Zebrika?"

"You would assume correct," Battle said. "Are you a friend of Twilight's then?"

"Darling you would be hard pressed to find someone in Ponyville who isn't friends with Twilight," Rarity tittered.

"Well given that she's a Princess I should've expected that," Battle admitted.

"Oh she was popular before she became a Princess," Rarity corrected.

Battle nodded before clapping his hands suddenly: "Right! Sorry, were you looking for a particular book?"

Rarity nodded. "Yes. One of my clients has requested a series of dresses for a wedding. Sixteen dresses to be exact."

"Ah," Battle said, not understanding where this was going.

"Weddings are a wonderful don't you think? Two ponies committing themselves to each other in an eternal dance of love affection and-"

"I assume the fact that making wedding dressed contributes a significant sum to your income isn't affecting your opinion," Battle smiled.

"Oh hush you!" Rarity replied playfully. "Everything at the Carousel Boutique is excellent value for money. Anyway, the dresses she has commissioned warrant a, what she says: 'Exotic theme'."

"Exotic how?" Battle asked.

"Well that's exactly what I said and she replied: 'Something remote. Something with influence from somewhere far away. From somewhere with a rich history and beautiful culture.'

"And those were her exact words were they?" Battle asked, a questioning eyebrow raised.

"I may have read between the lines a little bit," Rarity admitted. "Still I have a job to do. After I had my consultation with the bride, I decided the best thing to do was to come here post haste and find a few books on foreign culture. Any suggestions?"

Battle stroked his chin. "This is technically my second day so I'm not as familiar with these books as the Princess may have been," he said slowly. "But I may be able to find a few interesting choices."

"Oh the more interesting the better," Rarity exclaimed.

Battle smiled slightly and walked over to the shelves. He had taken the liberty to attempt to familiarise himself with the rather order of the books before he put his feet up to read the previous night. At least he understood where all the sections were, though he was certain he would have to rearrange everything into an easier to find format. He had a few vague ideas of what might help Rarity, but with the obscure suggestions she had given him, he didn't have very much to go on. Still he had a job to do and he was obligated if anything else to do it.

The title of a book leapt out at him: 'The Ancient Myths of Equestria.' Battle blinked, before smiling and pulling it from its niche in the shelf. Scanning the next shelf up Battle also removed, 'Griffinstan: A History' and 'The Complete Germaney Encyclopedia.' He stacked the three books on top of one another before bringing them over to Rarity.

"I think these three will do nicely to start off with," Battle grunted, placing the three - thick - tomes onto Twilight's desk, before setting each of them out in front of Rarity. She peered at each of them, thought not too closely, as though afraid of catching something from the dust that clung to them. She then pointed at the first book Battle had chosen.

"What made you pick this one? This is a book about Equestria is it not?"

Battle smiled: "You said somewhere remote. Far away, yet with a rich culture? Well I can think of fewer cultures more beautiful than Equestria's and as for remote and far away, is their anywhere any more remote than the ancient past?"

Rarity paused, stunned. "That is perhaps the most wonderful idea I have ever heard!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining at the thought. "Oh these books are all brilliant choices but you are right of course. And a book of myths as well it's so exciting!"

"I take it you're pleased?"

"Very much so darling... Although..."

"Yes?" Battle said, curious as to what Rarity might have a complaint about.

"These books are awfully heavy you know?" She emphasised her point by picking up the smallest, The Complete Germaney Encycloedia, only to drop it onto the table again after her arms began shaking from the strain. "You see?"

It took all of Battle's not inconsiderable willpower not to drop his face into the palm of his hand. As a result he simply blinked several times over. After this moment passed he sighed and shook his head.

"As a gentlecolt and a scholar," he said, "I'll carry your books for you." He waited a moment before adding under his breath, "Your highness."

"Excellent," Rarity chirped, seeming to have not heard Battle's slight. "It's not far from here. Honestly. You'll be back to your reading in no time flat."

"I hope so," Battle replied, picking up the three books, following Rarity as she left the library.

---

'Not far from here she says. Back to reading in no time she says,' Battle thought in frustration as they finally reached the Carousel Boutique. He decided to remain silent as he set the books down on the counter for Rarity.

"Thank you darling," Rarity said smiling with genuine gratitude. "Now thanks to you I can get started on my research."

"Glad I could be of assistance," Battle said, with as much grace as he could manage.

When Rarity turned to look at him Battle, assumed he might have offended her. Instead she merely tilted her head slightly and narrowed her eyes. Her bottom lip protruded as if she were pouting and she rested her chin on one dainty finger. Battle felt rather uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze. It felt roughly like he was being x-rayed, a feeling and a look he was accustomed to receiving from only a handful of ponies.

"Is there something the matter?" he asked uncertainly.

"Hmmm?" She seemed to come out of a heavy revere. "Oh I apologise I was just thinking... your clothes?"

"Eh?" Battle looked down at himself. He had to admit he did feel slightly underdressed in the boutique, but then that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He knew his black jeans may have frayed a little at the hems but whose didn't these days? And truthfully his dark grey button-up had originally had a longer sleeve for his right arm but he had covered that up pretty well by tearing the left sleeve to match. Admittedly his boots were a tad dusty but he felt that gave them their particular character, though everyone else claimed that it just made him look untidy. "Is there something wrong with the way I dress?"

"Nononono no!" Rarity exclaimed. "No I rather like it. A sort of casual rogue. Not damaged but a little... a little rough around the edges."

"I'll try and take that as a compliment," Battle muttered. Rarity ignored him. She was instead rummaging around behind the counter, eventually emerging with paper and pencil.

"Now while I make an effort to bring fine and formal clothes to ponies far and wide, I must admit that you pull off this... ragged look with elegance, and I have so been meaning to broaden my demographic to the average gentlecolt of Equestria."

"And you think my clothes are going to carry an entire line?" Battle asked, unsure.

"Oh no not by themselves," Rarity replied. "But I think I have enough creativity from your clothes to make a series of them. Something rough, tough and mean looking. Oh!"

"What?"

"I just had an idea for what I can call my newest line: 'Rough, Tough and Had Enough'! Oh it's sheer brilliance Rarity, pure unadulterated genius!"

She sat down at the counter and began making rapid sketches with the pencil, her horn glowing with a pale blue aura and lifting a pair of orange glasses onto her muzzle. Her mouth was stretched into a wide smile and she hummed a little tune as she worked. Battle scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Um, shouldn't you concentrate on the wedding dresses?" he asked.

"Oh don't worry darling the wedding's three months away," she replied, waving his concerns aside. "I can easily design a new line and start creating sixteen dresses so long as I don't have any-"

There was a colossal bang from somewhere upstairs.

"-Trouble," Rarity sighed with reignation.

"What the heck was that?" Battle muttered, looking up at the ceiling.

Rarity gave an over exaggerated sigh and flopped lazily down on the counter. "That would be my sister."

As she said it, the door close to the back of the boutique bust open. Battle's eyes flicked over to the door and saw a young mare a few inches shorter than Rarity. She had a pearly white coat similar to Rarity's, and though her mane was curly like Rarity's it was magenta and lilac in colour and her eyes were a faded green in colour. She wore a pair of yellow jeans, a striped white and pink shirt under a rose coloured jacket, which was tucked under her bubblegum pink belt. Her Cutie Mark was that of a pink heart surround by what appeared to be stars. It took Battle a moment to realise the heart was shaped like a quarter note, as a pink stem rose from the right side. The young mare also had a satchel slung across one shoulder.

"Rarity, I'm going to Applebloom's!" she cried. She blinked when Rarity didn't reply until she spotted her slumped on the counter. "Oh there you are. I'm off to Applebloom's sis. Don't wait up."

"Take care Sweetie Belle," Rarity called from her slumped position.

Sweetie Belle beamed happily and almost seemed to bounce until she passed Battle. She stopped, turned and looked up at him, tilting her head slightly. Battle had to resist the urge to do the same. Something about the young mare before him seemed vaguely familiar. Like there was something at the back of his head knawing for attention.

Sweetie looked at him for a full thirty seconds before her eyes widened in shock and horror. She gave a small squeak of alarm and dashed out of the boutique, slamming the door behind her. Battle watched her go, if anything, even more confused then when he first saw her. Rarity seemed equally confused, sitting up from where she slumped.

"How very peculiar," she commented. "I don't think Sweetie's ever acted in such a way."

"She hasn't?" Battle asked.

"No. She almost seemed scared of you."

Inside Battle chuckled mirthlessly. 'For good reason probably.'

Author's Note:

Sorry forgot to grovel to the awesome people who favorited since the Prologue in Chapter One.

Anyway, thanks to:
Whitewolf_Stormrunner
imeandus
Liger43
TheOverlord
NJH12
Dynamic Dragon
wharghod
Augerum
Onetwentyeight
acrlight nlr
Alucard1243
Dragonborne Fox
SpIRITofRANDOM
Crazymannequin
Gundamdragon
Fireblaze
TheSlyWolf565
Bungus
Cr2d
leppari
SharpeShot
Gambit Wild
Darklink

Also I may have put a bit of referential foreshadowing for another fiction I'm currently writing... because that narrows it down

Comments

[Moongaze14]

I'm glad that this story updated again. I'm a huge fan of the Battle Ready series and I hope to see the next chapter soon.

[Darklink]

Yup, lookin' good so far.

[D101 Reviews]

4133479 My series has a fan?

[sharpeshot]

Looking good. Looking forward to more.

[sharpeshot]

Looking good. Looking forward to more.

[TheUnknownWarrior]

'Not far from here she says. Back to reading in no time she says,'

DAT joke do

[Ephedianroyalty]

Interesting... im going to assume that the serialized version of the CMC’s cutie marks (which are awesome, if i might add) were not out at the time you wrote this?

[D101 Reviews]

9046386
They were not nope. A lot of this exists in a kind of nebulous time where certain events post season four have happened and some haven't. Such as Twilight having her castle but the library also not being a burnt down ruin.