A Mountain of Affection
Chapter 8
A Mountain of Affection
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME? (Y/N)
Sunset glanced at Twilight. "I guess now we’ll see if our programming skills are any good, won't we?"
Twilight held out one hoof, and pressed down on the keyboard.
Y
>> PLEASE SELECT THE GAME YOU WISH TO PLAY
Sunset took over the typing, her hooves flying over the keys.
GLOBAL THERMONUCLEAR WAR
>> ERR: "GLOBAL THERMONUCLEAR WAR" NOT FOUND. PLEASE RE-ENTER THE NAME OF A VALID PROGRAMME
"Global Thermonuclear War?" Twilight asked, looking askance at Sunset. "What's that?"
"A pop culture reference," Sunset replied briskly. "I was just messing around. Now for one we did actually programme in."
CHESS
>> ACCESSING
>> LOADING
>> HOW MANY PLAYERS? (1/2)
Twilight pressed the 1 key, since the whole point of this test was to see how well the programme they had designed performed against a pony opponent.
With a few bleeps and bloops the screen transitioned into the image of a red and black chessboard as seen from a forty-five degree angle. A few more bleeping noises and pieces appeared upon the board. The computer played white, because one of the things that Sunset remembered about computer's in the other world was they always gamed the system (or, to put it more simply, cheated like crazy) and she had wanted to recreate that as far as possible.
The computer opened with it's king pawn. The selection of the piece was accompanied by a heavy boww sound, while the actual movement of the pawn occassioned a beep-boop.
"We might want to disable the noises, I can see that getting annoying after a while," Sunset remarked.
"Maybe, but I think it's important that ponies have some way of knowing that something has happened," Twilight said. "Some of them might have trouble seeing the screen."
Sunset made a noise of non-committal. They weren't yet able to get the resolution or the colour pallette of the arcade game she'd patterned the VDU after, which meant that everything was cast in dark and muted colours. That was why the squares on the board were black and red, and the 'white' pieces actually a deep crimson: the colour white was beyond the system's capabilities at the moment.
It was their turn, so Sunset began to type. The interface was a little cumbersome at the moment, and consisted of typing in the square on which sat the piece you wanted to move, then typing in the square you wanted to move that piece too. Sunset opened with her own king pawn, moving it too spaces forward.
"Move the princess," Twilight urged.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because 'If the princess does not lead, why should anypony follow her' is not a valid strategy," Sunset snapped as the computer move it's princess knight. "I'm setting up a Macedonian Defence, it always confuses rookie players." She began to arrange her pawns in a series of arrows pointing forwards, with each pawn diagonally behind the one in front. If any of her pawns were taken, then the taking piece would itself be taken by one of the pawns behind. The only weakpoints were at the back of the arrow, with the pawns she hadn't moved from their starting positions, but they were covered by her wizards.
Twilight shook her head. "Setting up your pawns to get taken in the hope you can take some enemy pieces? That's a mistake."
"Why?"
"Because you'll just end up trading pawns for pawns and you won't get any further ahead than you are now," Twilight said loudly. "Here, let me take over."
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because I know what I'm doing!"
"What you're doing is about to lose the game."
"I am not, just wait and see..."
Together they managed to bicker their way to a total rout, their strategy changing as often as every turn depending on which one of them had their hooves on the keyboard.
>> CHECKMATE. YOU LOSE.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AGAIN (Y/N)
Sunset glowered at the computer. "Did you programme it to be this smug or was that me?"
Twilight raised one eyebrow sceptically, as if she couldn't believe Sunset was asking.
"Yeah, it does seem more like me, doesn't it?" Sunset muttered.
"Well, on the bright side, we've established that our programme can beat two players who can't agree on how to play," Twilight offered.
"Right, that's what's really important here: the programme works," Sunset declared. "Winning doesn’t matter. Losing just sucks, is all." She pressed the N key, returning the computer to the starting menu. "We'll have to find a way to make it easier to select what you want than having to cycle through a list of Yes or No questions until it asks you if you want to do what you want to do." It wasn't a huge deal at the moment, because after a couple of days the only programmes they had were a clutch of simple games, a word processor and - their most complex programme yet, and still only half-finished - a teaching programme which Sunset had called Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day when Twilight wasn't looking. Twilight had retaliated by programming it so that if your test scores were sufficiently low you got a graphic of Sunset being laughed at by all the kids in magic kindergarten.
"I'm sure we'll come up with something eventually," Twilight looked at the clock on the wall. "But I have to go now, I'm meeting my friends for lunch."
"Oh. Okay," Sunset felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought of Twilight leaving and briefly wondered where that had come from before forcefully shoving it aside. "Well, have fun. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure. I mean, you could come with me if you wanted. I'm sure everypony would be happy to see you," Twilight said, smiling invitingly.
Sunset felt temptation springing from the same source as her previous jealousy, but mastered it in turn before she said, "Nah, I'll just get in the way. You go, and have a good time."
"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. "I didn't think you had any other plans."
"I'll be fine," Sunset said, more sharply than she had intended. She softened her tone. "I'll be fine, really. Have fun with your friends. I'll see you around."
"Okay then," Twilight said, a bright smile lighting up her face. "See you later, Sunset." She turned and walked out the door, closing it gently behind her.
Sunset was left alone in the living room, scowling at nothing. What was the matter with her? She'd used to like being alone, now she was becoming this pathetic blob who couldn't stand it when Twilight Sparkle left? She had more self-respect than that - more self-reliance.
"I can get by on my own," Sunset declared to the empty air. "I don't need Twilight, or anyone."
She thought about continuing her work, but she kind of did need Twilight for that so that was out. And then there was...
Sunset looked around. There really wasn't very much to do. Sunset harrumphed in annoyance.
"I really need a job or something."
Everypony else had already arrived at the picnic spot; the blanket spread out upon the grass and the hamper unpacked onto the blanket.
"Ooh, it looks delicious," Pinkie said. "Can we start yet?"
"It wouldn't be very polite to start without Twilight," said Fluttershy. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."
"I wonder where she is, anyway?" Rainbow Dash wondered.
"Oh, she's probably with Sunset," Rarity replied airily. "It must be a terrible wrench for her to tear herself away."
"Why's that?" Rainbow asked.
Rarity looked shocked that she would need to ask. "Why isn't it obvious, darling? Can't you see there's something between them?"
Rainbow blinked, hovering up into the air to hang a few feet above the ground, her forehooves crossed. "No. They're just friends."
"Oh really?" Rarity said, her tone indicating she didn't believe that. "What about all the time they spend together?"
"Ain't they just working on some fancy doodad?" Applejack said. "It ain't like they go for a romantic walk every day."
"Perhaps not, but they do spend an awful lot of time together."
"Twilight spends an awful lot of time with all of us, it doesn't mean that there's anything going on," Rainbow insisted. "If you asked Twilight she wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about."
"Well, of course not dear, I never said that it was conscious on their part. But from the outside it's plain to see that there is something between them. Haven't you noticed how tempestuous they were, how close they are now? There's more than friendship there, or the potential to be. And, as Twilight's friends, it's our duty to bring that potential out and make it flower."
Silence greeted this pronouncement. "Uh, come again?" Applejack said.
Rarity giggled, clapping her hooves together eagerly. "We shall bring Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer into a mountain of affection."
"Um, Rarity, are you so sure that's a good idea," Fluttershy said, making it clear by her tone that she did not.
"Yeah, I mean, it isn't like it's any of our business who Twilight likes," Rainbow sounded incredibly sceptical.
"Well I think it's a brilliant idea," Pinkie Pie yelled, bouncing up and down. "Playing fixer-upper is so much fun, I can't wait to do it again."
"Again?" Rainbow said. "When have you done this before?"
Pinkie chuckled. "I knew a mare once whose husband was being very inattentive to her. She was really sad because he just wasn't giving her the thoughtful affection he used to. But with my help, she came up with a plan. She hired a stallion to make her husband jealous, flirting with her and kissing her, all where her husband could see them. It worked, and so, the mare knew that he really did love her after all. That's when she told him the whole story: how she'd only done it to make him realise that he'd been neglecting her. And the husband was so happy when he found out he was jealous that he gave the other fellow a lot of money for making him jealous. Then he took his wife in his hooves, and kissed her, then they went out and got married all over again."
"Uh huh," Applejack murmured sceptically. "And when exactly did all this happen?"
"This was when I was living in Manehattan's Upper East side selling greetings cards," Pinkie replied happily.
"You never...you made that whole thing up, didn't you?" Rainbow demanded.
"You can't say for su-ure,"said Pinkie in a sing-song voice.
"True or not, I think it's a wonderful idea, Pinkie Pie," Rarity declared. "If we make them jealous, Twilight and Sunset will have to realise the extent of their feelings for one another."
"Ah don't know, Rarity," Applejack said. "This sounds mighty like the time Apple Bloom and her friends tried to set up Big Macintosh with Miss Cheerilee. That didn't end too well."
"I'm hardly suggesting that we drug the pair of them," Rarity said. "I simply want to help their relationship along as best we can."
"I'm not kissing Twilight, or Sunset," Rainbow said quickly.
"Obviously we wouldn't do any of that ourselves," Rarity explained patiently. "No, what we do is - oh, Twilight, dear!"
Twilight trotted through the meadow to join them, sitting down at once corner of the picnic blanket. "Sorry I'm late, you guys. I didn't leave Sunset's early enough."
"Oh, that's quite all right, darling." Rarity's expression was triumphant. "How are things between you two?"
"Fine, really. The work is going about as well as it could, I think," Twilight frowned. "It's really weird though. Sunset got pretty snippy when I told her I was leaving. I asked her if she wanted to come, but she didn't. I don't get it."
Rarity chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you'll figure out eventually."
As they all began to eat, Applejack said, "So, Twi, explain again what it is you two are building in that house of hers?"
"It's called a computer," Twilight said. "They have them in the other world, beyond the mirror. They're...machines that think."
Applejack's eyebrows rose. "No offence, but that don't sound too good. I don't reckon I'd like the plough telling me I wasn't working it right, or that it didn't want to work today."
"They don't think think," Twilight explained. "Their logic only follows pre-designed pathways, pathways created by their makers, but within those pathways they can operate at speed far in excess of a pony mind, and carrying out many more calculations at once. At its most basic, a computer is a way of doing a lot of sums very quickly, but then you use those sums to...drive the engine of creation."
"Sounds kind of nerdy, if you ask me," Rainbow remarked.
"Oh, it is definitely that," Twilight said with a laugh. "But if you're into that sort of thing its a lot of fun, building a whole world out of equations. I admit I was a bit sceptical at first about the idea, but I think that at the level Sunset and I are at now, we can enjoy the benefits while keeping the harmful and unhelpful stuff at bay. I just wish that it was as easy to understand Sunset as it is to understand the math."
Rarity chuckled again.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked.
"You do not want to go there," Rainbow Dash said.
The rest of the picnic passed pleasantly, but without incident. It was only as they the six ponies were packing up that Spike appeared, running furiously across the grass waving a letter over his head. He was panting furiously by the time he reached them, bending double and leaning on his knees.
"You...need...to...read...this...now," Spike gasped.
Twilight took the letter within the grasp of her magic, levitating it over to her and opening it.
My dearest Twilight,
I am afraid I have been very remiss. I should almost certainly have discussed this with you earlier, but I was not sure how to brooch the subject and, hoping that this discussion would not be necessary, I allowed the matter to lie.
Unfortunately, my fears have come to pass.
You are a princess now, Twilight, and this has made you a public figure both in Equestria and abroad. It has also, with Cadance happily wed to Shining Armour, made you the most eligible mare in Equestria. Anypony who could win your hoof in marriage would achieve an extraordinary coup in status terms alone. I am not the only pony who has noticed this, and there are reports of suitors on thier way from Gryphonia, Zebrica and Cervidas. However, none of them will be here for some time, and while they make their way to you, Prince Blueblood has announced his intention to travel to Ponyville and woo you before anypony else can. He seems to rate his chances of success more highly than I do.
I wish to make this clear, Twilight: I have no intention of forcing you to marry against your will. Crown or no, you are a wonderful young mare and I would see you happy with somepony who sees more of you than your royal title. However, I do ask that you make no rash judgements: recieve these suitors courteously, evaluate them upon thier merits and then reject them politely and without malice.
Blueblood will arrive tomorrow at noon, his departure being delayed by his insistence on borrowing the railway director's personal carriage and a having a special train prepared for his journey. I hope this gives you enough warning.
Your devoted friend,
Princess Celestia.
Twilight put down the letter on the ground. Her eyes were wide, her whole body trembled. Her coat had paled a little.
"What's the matter, sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "You look as though you've heard a banshee calling."
"Princess Celestia says that, now that I'm a princess, everypony wants to marry me!" Twilight cried. "There are griffons and zebras and deer coming to...to court me!"
Everypony gasped.
"And Prince Blueblood arrives tomorrow for the exact same reason!" Twilight yelled.
Everypony gasped again, except for Rarity who made a noise of deep disgust as if a spider had just started crawling up her leg.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Twilight said, her voice rising with panic as her words flew faster and faster out of her mouth. "I might have to move to Canterlot. I might have to move to Zebrica! I might-"
"Calm down, Twilight," Applejack urged, twisting her head a little to read the discarded letter for herself. "Princess Celestia says you don't have to do anything you don't want to, except be nice to 'em."
"Then there's nothing to worry about," Rainbow said. "Just tell them you're not interested and send them packing."
"But what if they won't take no for an answer?" Twilight asked.
"Then I'll send them packing," Rainbow proclaimed confidently. "Relax, Twilight, you're getting worked up about nothing."
"Except that the really mean and stuck up prince is still coming to Ponyville tomorrow! That might be something to get worked up about." Pinkie said excitedly
"Pinkie!"
"What?"
"No, Pinkie's right, I do have to prepare for Blueblood's arrival," Twilight said. "Princess Celestia said to be nice to him, after all. Unfortunately." She sighed. "I suppose I ought to dress up for him. Rarity, I don't suppose you have anything suitable for me to wear?"
"At this short notice?" Rarity smiled. "I'm sure I'll manage darling, an artiste always does. But do you want something to attract him or repulse him?"
Twilight laughed.
"That's the spirit, partner, you'll get through this," Applejack said.
"We won't let anypony take you away," Fluttershy added. "Um, unless you want them too."
"Which you really might once you meet some of them," Pinkie declared. "I remember this one time, when I was living in Vanhoover selling balloons-"
"Okay, I am certain you never lived in Vanhoover, Pinkie," Rainbow said.
"Maybe not, but I could have."
Sunset slammed, no, no, laid her forehooves forcefully down onto the table. She did not slam them down. Just like she didn't yell, she just...raised her voice and adopted a forceful tone to say, "You're getting married? To Prince Blueblood?"
Twilight's tone, by contrast, was one of patience. "No. I told you, Blueblood is coming to ask me to marry him."
"Don't play semantics with me."
"I'm not playing anything, I'm telling you the truth," Twilight insisted.
Sunset, who had been staring down at her hooves, looked up at Twilight. "People do not just turn up at the doors of other people and say 'Hey, wanna get married?' You date, you go out, maybe move in together, then you pop the question. Nopony just proposed out of thin air."
"Apparently they do when you're a princess," Twilight said wearily. "Just like they apparently ask despite having no idea whether you'll say yes or not, or even having any reason to expect you will say yes."
"Oh, well that's just awesome," Sunset snapped. "I mean it makes no sense but, you know, whatever."
"Are you accusing me of lying to you?" Twilight demanded. "Because if you are then I'd rather you just came right out and said it!"
"You really expect me to believe that you're going to refuse?" Sunset said. "Prince Blueblood and everypony else. The four corners of the world are beating a path to your door and you're going to send them all away empty hoofed? Come on, don't treat me like an idiot."
"I don't need to, you're doing a pretty good job of acting like an idiot all by yourself," Twilight replied. "You honestly think that I want this? That I enjoy being...what was that woman's name, from the other world, that play...what was it, what was it...Helen, that's it, Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships-"
"And burnt the topless towers of Ilium, yes, I took the same class, for longer," Sunset snapped. "You must be very proud to see your stock rise so high in the world."
Twilight gasped. "You honestly...I thought you understood me better than that! Do you really think that this the kind of person that I want to be? Somepony's trophy wife, a puppet, valued only as a possession like...like art! In fact I'm even worse off than that because none of these presumptive jerks are even looking at my face! All they see is a crown."
Sunset gritted her teeth. All she could feel inside was a swirling, tempestuous mass of envy, fear and anger. Envy of all those noble ponies and foreign dignitaries who would soon be flocking around Twilight, filling her social circle, leaving no room for a forlorn former villain playing with circuits in a one-storey house. Fear that Twilight would leave, anger that she would lie to her like this, act like this wasn't something she wanted.
Because after all, who wouldn't want this much attention, to be the centre of the greatest drama in the land?
Who wouldn't want to leave a mare like Sunset Shimmer behind?
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you just hate this," she growled. "You know, I appreciate honesty, too. Come on, you really expect me to buy that this is a trial for you? That you aren't itching to blow this town? To blow me?"
"You're not the only pony who lives here you know, my friends live here," Twilight shouted. "I don't get it, why are you getting upset about this? What do you have to be mad about in this situation?"
"I," Sunset stopped, her jaw tightening. She knew what she felt, but she could not find the words to say it. The words that did come to mind were not strong enough to force their way past her pride. "You know what, you should go. I'm sure you have to get ready for your date. Go, and...just go."
Twilight shook her head. "I really don't get you," she murmured. And then she left. It was too her credit that she didn't slam the door on her way out.
"You don't get me?" Sunset murmured. "You're not the only one." She looked around at the walls of her living room, walls which now seemed small and close, a tightening space, suffocating Sunset. She roared with anger, kicking the table with her hind leg. "Aargh!"
As his train puffed into Ponyville, His Royal Highness Prince Blueblood polished off the last of an excellent lunch in the director's personal carriage and dabbed delicately at his mouth with a lemon-scented napkin.
"Ah, yes, the world is about to change for me, I can feel it," he declared. "Nopony will dismiss me as irrelevant once I marry the newest princess in Equestria. I shall be an important, neigh, crucial figure in the affairs of Equestria. Not to mention, Auntie might finally stop asking me what I plan to do with my life."
"Quite so, Your Highness," said Buttoned Up, one of the small entourage of flunkies the prince had brought with him to render him fit to meet his bride. He was a brown coated unicorn, and his cutie mark was a sponge. "But there will be losses to be endured: you shall no longer be in consideration for City Life's Most Eligible Bachelor award."
"Indeed, Button, I'm well aware that I shall be required to make sacrifices upon the altar of married life," Blueblood murmured. "It will be a sore trial, but I daresay, I shall manage." After all, he had only been ranked second most eligible bachelor last year. And he would still have his other awards to console him. "And with a wife upon my hoof, this wife in particular, I shall be feted in a whole new way."
"Quite so, Highness, but first you must win the lady," Buttoned Up reminded him. "Have you given thought to what you will say?"
"I shall say little, and let my unmatched good looks do the talking," Blueblood said.
"A sagacious decision, my prince. And...if you should encounter That Mare?"
Blueblood's face spasmed with distaste at the thought of having to deal with That Mare. He cleared his throat. "I shall explain, delicately of course, that she was tipsy and offensive that evening, forcing her attentions on me, and it was only due to my impeccable manners that I neither humiliated her in public nor took advantage of the situation."
"An unimpeachable tale, Your Highness. I fear we have very, nearly arrived."
Blueblood stamped his hoof and his attendants lined up ready to attend to his final needs: a last dab of manespray in his luxuriant mane, a touch of scent upon his neck, one last gulp of mouthwash - and spit - a breath-freshening mint.
He was dressed in his second best suit - he didn't want to ruin the best by dragging out to this provincial place, once they were married Twilight Sparkle would be staying in Canterlot with him - with a freshly cut rose in his buttonhole. Blueblood examined himself in the mirror, satisfied he looked every inch the dashing, handsome prince. Indeed, what mare in Equestria could resist him? Would not the mere sight of him sweep this bookish and unworldly country mouse off her hooves?
"Once I have wed the princess, I shall be raised to a new state of position, prestige and glory," he proclaimed. "And I promise, you will all share in my good fortune."
"But of course, Your Highness." Buttoned Up smiled. "To share is why we serve."
Rarity frowned. She tilted her head, putting one hoof to her lips. "I never thought I would say this, but I've rather worried that I've done my work too well."
Twilight and her friends waited on the platform of Ponyville station for Prince Blueblood's train. For the occassion, Rarity had designed a gown of shimmering silver, with a white bustle lying over the skirt. The puffed sleeves, which rose up almost to Twilight's chin, were also white. The design was simple - there had been time for Rarity to add a great many adornments or frills to the gown - but elegant, and both bodice and skirt were covered all over with miniature diamonds, making the whole affair sparkle like starlight. Twilight's crown sat perched upon her head.
"You do look rather wonderful," Fluttershy murmured.
"Yeah, Rarity, we don't want him to actually want to marry Twilight," Rainbow snapped.
"I know that, I know better than anypony what he is, if you'll recall," Rarity responded. "I'm terribly sorry, darling, once I start to work I'm afraid I'm incapable of doing less than my best."
"It's okay, Rarity," Twilight said reassuringly. "If he hasn't been put off by the fact that he doesn't even know me, I doubt that anything about my appearance could dissuade him."
"It's not too late for me to have an accident with a cloud, dump some water on you, Twilight," Rainbow offered. "Or I could have the accident and drop a loud of water on him."
Twilight chuckled. "As fun to watch as that would be, Princess Celestia did ask me to be polite."
The train whistled as it rounded the corner and began to pull into the station.
Twilight took a deep breath. "And now, I think you should all go. I don't want to seem like I need a half-dozen escorts to protect me."
"Are you sure?" Applejack. "You could say we were your...what did mah aunt Orange call it...chaperones."
"I'll be fine, honestly. I'm calmed down now, and I've no intention of going anywhere." Twilight smiled reassuringly. "I'll come and find you when it's over."
"If you say so, sugarcube," Applejack said, and she led the others away into town somewhere.
Twilight watched the train approach, and did the calming excercise that Cadence had taught her. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps Rarity would turn out to have been exaggerating. Perhaps he would take rejection well.
Oh, who was she kidding, this was going to be an endurance test of gruelling proportions.
The train came to a stop, the carriage resting so that it's door was directly opposite Twilight. The car door slid open and Prince Blueblood emerged, sparkling in his good looks.
"Well met, my love," he said, in a tone that was probably supposed to be suave but which sounded oily to Twilight's ears. "How now?"
"How now in love when we've just met?" Twilight replied.
Blueblood froze, apparently unsure of how to respond. He said nothing, flashing her a smile instead.
Twilight didn't react.
Blueblood seemed to hesitate, before his smile broadened further and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Twilight still didn't react.
A drop of sweat rolled down Blueblood's face. He flicked his mane back, his horn glowing slightly as the amount of sparkle hovering around him seem to quadruple and the movement of his mane appeared to enter slow motion.
Twilight gave him a look that suggested she couldn't quite believe he was serious. "Are you okay?"
Blueblood looked momentarily crestfallen, but rallied to proclaim, "I'm better than fine, now that I'm with you, darling."
Twilight laughed nervously. "Well, okay then. That's good to hear. Um, uh, so, do you want to go somewhere."
"Indeed. Let us take a promenade around this quaint little town. It'll be an opportunity for you to say goodbye."
There was nothing that Twilight could have said in reply to that that wouldn't have involved yelling, so she took another deep calming breath, made no reply, and allowed Prince Blueblood to lead the way.
Sunset Shimmer was not spying on Twilight. Absolutely not. The very idea was unthinkable. She had just happened to be standing around in a position to observe, and as she took a stroll around Ponyville she happened to continuously be in a position to observe. Casually. Disinterestedly. She just glanced over now and then to make sure Twilight was okay. Sunset was doing her a favour really, that prince looked like a real slimeball.
As for why she was crouched out of sight, peeking unobtrusively around the corner...she was just staying in the shade, that's all.
"Hiya, Sunset! What'cha doing?"
Sunset gave a strangled cry and nearly leapt out of her concealment. Pinkie Pie stood right behind her, an eager smile on her face. Behind her stood the rest of Twilight's friends, looking a bit more shamefaced.
Sunset coughed with embarassment. "Well, um, I was, uh, you see-"
"Are you watching Twilight?" Pinkie asked.
Sunset's ears burned as she bowed her head and admitted, "Yes."
"What a coincidence! That's what we're doing too!" Pinkie yelled happily. "Now we can all do it together!"
"Quiet, Pinkie," Rarity hissed. "Or they'll hear us."
"Oh, right. Shhh!"
They all poked their heads around the wall, the ground-bound ponies jostling for space while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hovered above the rest. They saw Twilight and Blueblood walking down the main street, ponies stopping to stare at them as they went by.
"I was thinking that fame could be the theme for our wedding," Blueblood drawled. "Gold and platinum would be the primary colours, gold trim on the wedding dress, platinum decorations, golden flowers. And of course, our guest would reflect the theme as well: only the most well-known and stylish members of Canterlot society would be invited, very exclusive. I have contacts in the music industry that could get us the very best performers for the reception, and I know the owners of some excellent restaurants who would be happy to cater. Truly, it will be the social event of the season. The paparazzi will have a field day and anypony who is not invited will be in despair. Doesn't that sound marvellous?"
"Their wedding?" Sunset hissed. "Did he ask her while I wasn't listening?"
"I don't see an engagement ring on her horn," Rarity murmured. "But then, that would be sadly typical of him."
"Our wedding?" Twilight asked. "You haven't even asked me to marry you yet."
"He hasn't even asked her?" Sunset said. "What a tool!"
"I do detest that stallion," Rarity remarked sadly.
Blueblood looked affronted. "Isn't it obvious? Why else would I come out to this crude, provincial backwater except to take your hoof in marriage?"
"I hate that guy," Applejack snorted.
"That doesn't mean you can just take it for granted," Twilight replied, raising her voice a little. "That's like buying a lot of Hearth's Warming presents and then saying that means you don't have to give them out."
Blueblood frowned. "Do you want me to give you a present, my dear?"
"No, I don't want you to buy me a present, I want you to not take me for granted," Twilight shouted. "And my name is Twilight Sparkle!"
Blueblood cringed before her, adopting a wounded tone. "Please, Twilight Sparkle, if I've offended you I'm so sorry. Surely you can see the advantages a marriage between us would bring?" He recovered his usual self-assurance. "I am, after all, one of the most famous stallions in Canterlot. City Life's Most Eligible Bachelor three years running, declared Equestria's Most Stylish Stallion by Mode magazine five years running. For six years running I was voted winner of the Most Charming Smile award by the readers of Mare's Weekly. And, of course, you are not without a few accomplishments of your own."
Rarity gasped. "Why, the nerve of him! To talk to Twilight Sparkle in that way!"
"A marriage would allow us to combinue our glamour and share our glories," Blueblood went on.
"Hmm, Twilight gets to be associated with a guy whose won a few awards in glossy magazines, you get to be associated with a hero who saved Equestria and defeated me," Sunset said. "Yeah, Twilight's really lucking out with this deal."
"And of course, through me you would gain entry into the very highest tiers of Canterlot society," Blueblood went on.
"She's already got that, you pompous ass," Sunset spat. "She's Princess Celestia's favourite, you can't get higher than that."
"And be able to associate yourself with the very best people," Blueblood finally finished his sales pitch.
Twilight's posture was regal and her tone was prim as she replied, "Personally, I am of the opinion that the very best people in all of Equestria are to be found here."
"Yeah, you tell him, Twilight," Rainbow said. "I hate that guy."
Blueblood laughed. "You only say that because you don't understand what you're saying. One week in Canterlot will cure you of all such delusions."
"Trust me, I understand exactly what I'm saying," Twilight said. She sighed. "Could we please talk about something else. Something besides you?"
Blueblood hesitated. "I'm having trouble thinking..."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Perhaps you should consider moving here. It might do you good to get away from Canterlot and everypony fawning on you."
"Oh, now you sound like Aunt Celestia," Blueblood groused. "You simply don't understand that if one isn't the centre of attention then life simply isn't worth living."
"I can't stand any more of this," Rarity declared. "Girls, I'm going in!"
"Wait, Rarity!" Applejack hissed, but it was too late. Rarity strode out of cover and marched brazenly up to the couple.
"Twilight! Fancy running into you like this," Rarity said with false cheer. "Oh, do forgive me, I had no idea you were with a- why, Prince Blueblood, I had no idea you were in Ponyville."
Blueblood's eyes were wide with fright, he had gone stiff as a board.
Rarity's smile was wicked. "You must remember me, Your Highness, we met at the Grand Galloping Gala, if you recall. You left quite an impression on me."
Blueblood cleared his throat. "As did you, madam."
"Oh, really?"
Blueblood smiled slyly. "Indeed. When we met you had clearly been partying hard already, swaying on your hooves and slurring your speech. You threw yourself upon me in a manner most undignified, embarrassed yourself completely by your conduct and forced your attentions on me. It was only the fact that I am a perfect gentlecolt that prevented me taking advantage of the situation."
Rarity gasped with a mixture of shock and fury. "Well I never! Of all the barefaced lies I have ever heard that is by far the most audacious! You know perfectly well what happened that night!"
"And so do I," Twilight declared. "And I am afraid I could never marry a stallion who was dishonest on top of being self-absorbed and snobbish. I am sorry, Prince Blueblood, but I am afraid you have wasted your journey here. I have no intention of accepting the proposal you did not make."
"What?" Blueblood shrieked, stamping his hoof on the ground like a petulant child. "No! No, this is wrong, this is not how it's supposed to go. I am the prince, the prince! I'm the darling of Canterlot, the most eligible bachelor, everypony is supposed to look at me! Every mare should want to be my wife! Everypony should care what I think! But now there's Princess Cadence, and now you! Do you know that I was only ranked second most eligible bachelor this year? Do you know why? Because City Life said that 'as princesses proliferate, Celestia's distant cousin Prince Blueblood becomes an increasingly irrelevant and lightweight figure."
"But you can make them love me again, respect me again. Please, I need to be loved, I deserve to be loved!"
"Perhaps you do," Twilight replied, not without some sympathy. "But I do not love you."
That evening, in the library, Twilight changed out of her gown and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Prince Blueblood had returned to Canterlot. Unfortunately, all that meant for Twilight was that her trials were only just beginning. Zebras, griffons, more ponies too she had no doubt. She sat down at her desk, levitated up a quill, and began to write a letter to her sister-in-law. Hopefully Cadence would have some advice for her on how to deal with this situation.
There was a knock on the door. Twilight set her quill down, wondering who it was. She walked down stairs and opened the door, to find a shamefaced looking Sunset Shimmer standing outside.
"Can I come in?" Sunset asked meekly.
Twilight scowled, but nodded. "Sure." She turned away, walking over to the table, before fixing Sunset with a stern glare.
Sunset closed the door and stood silent for a moment, kicking her hooves on the floor. "I wanted to apologise... for this morning."
"I see."
"I shouldn't have acted like I did."
"No," Twilight agreed, coolly. "You shouldn't have."
Sunset closed her eyes and hung her head, her lips moving soundless for a moment before she looked up and said, "I don't always know how to...I don't like...Sometimes I can't...I don't know how to say what I'm feeling all the time. I don't like to say what I'm feeling always. Sometimes, I think it would be easier not feeling at all."
"Don't say that," Twilight said emphatically. "Don't ever. That way lies...you'd be a monster."
Sunset chuckled. "Been there, done that already." She was silent for a moment. "The point is, I didn't express myself very well this morning. I was angry and afraid and I took that out on you and it was wrong and I shouldn't have done it but...I thought that you were leaving me. And I didn't want that, because I...really like...hanging out...with you. I mean, who else is going to put up with me, right? I'm selfish and self-centred and I'm not that different from Prince Blueblood really, but you don't seem to care about any of that. I don't...I can't...without you, I...I don't want you to go because..." Sunset glared at Twilight angrily. "Do you have any idea how hard this is for me? Throw me a bone, I'm dying out here!"
Twilight smiled. "Okay then, first of all: your apology is accepted. Second: you needn't worry, I don't plan on leaving here with any of these suitors. And third: you are nothing like Prince Blueblood. So don't worry about that either. Now, the girls and I are going out to dinner, do you want to join us?"
"Are you sure?" Sunset asked. "They won't mind?"
"Of course not, it'll be fine," Twilight said. "But only if you want to."
"Okay, great," Sunset said. "Let's go."
Twilight grinned. "One more thing before we go, and I'm going to tell the girls this too: I know you meant well, but I didn't need the six of you following me around and spying on me."
"Got it. Won't happen again."
And so the two of them left the library, side-by-side.
Stats
Page generated in 0.022 seconds
Total duration
883 users online
568,917 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Ahem. I beg to disagree.
4006726
Yes, I can see why you would... Except that it's actually always Q1 who goes first, at least once you get the Guren Mk II
You succeeded in making me pity Blueblood in this thanks to his parting cry of: "I deserve to be loved!" Poor shallow, inadequate creature; how can you not pity him?
Once again, we see Sunset projecting her own insecurities and desires on the world. She wouldn't hesitate to marry into fame and wealth so why should anypony else hesitate to do so? We also see her pride at work in the chess game. She probably would have adapted her strategy if she had not been so determined to prove Twilight is wrong!
Sunset's MST3K-style commentary on Blueblood's attempt at courting was hilarious. It is perhaps the most piteous part of his nature that he genuinely had no idea why he should not spend the entire time talking about himself. It is also clear that he literally had never even thought of what he should do if Twilight wasn't so enraptured by his good looks and so desirous of receiving a small portion of his fame that she jumped at the chance to be his bed-warmer. In so many ways, he's a child still; maybe that's why Celestia allowed him to try this - to try to expose to him just how ridiculous is his behaviour.
This is a fascinating character study and not just of the two main characters. You've put a lot of work in the backing cast and it makes the story worth reading.
4006752
I've never followed my own advice well.
Yeah right. They are totally going to spy on Twilight at all times. That's a given.
I can see a bit of a complication here. Since the suitors that are coming are trying to get wealth, prestige, and nobility, wouldn't it seem that Sunset is trying to gain all that by dating Twilight, especially with her past?
Oh, it'll happen again.
4006758
Frankly, I would have prefered to see him a bit less than a punch clock idiot. Maybe a bit subtler and manipulative antagonist, forcing Sunset and the Five to work together in putting him down.
Poor Blueblood needs a hug. And some therapy maybe, cause that mentality can't be healthy for him.
Twilight handled it better than I expected though
I'm looking for a button with number 9 and it's nowhere to be found!
If I'll ever do a list of my top 10 favourite fics, this one will take high place, that's for sure.
Keep up the good work and MOAR!
Great chapter!
I liked the way you handled Blueblood and Sunset's feelings. I am guessing Rarity and the others won't have to find some guy to make Sunset jealous. The world already provided that for them!
I also liked the way Rarity 'saved' Twilight. I don't think Twilight will need help from her friends just yet.
Very interesting chapter. Though, I do feel the need to voice a couple of 'off's that I got from this.
To start, the letter from Celestia stating that Twilight has become the talk of not only Equestria, but entire other nations feels... well, don't take this the wrong way, but here's the baseball field. Now, look out the window, beyond the trees and past the horizon. You see moon? Yeah, that's how far out of left field that felt.
Again, not to be mean - and maybe it's just me - but it seems like a whole lot to swallow. I could understand all of Equestria, she did have a big, extravagant coronation after all. But three other nations of entirely different races ( save for the zebras, which is kind of borderline I guess... not sure about that one ) have all managed to simultaneously learn of the new princess, and send suitors? At best, this would only secure a single generation's worth of peace and prosperity as the newly wedded would be entirely incompatible ( again, save maybe for the zebras ). And I can't help but feeling that a certain level of pride for one's own people might at least interfere with decisions to go for at least one of those races.
Even though this is obviously the vehicle for the impending plot twist and all that, I feel like it could've been approached in a better way, which could be easier to take while remaining the curve ball I can tell it was suppose to be, and still leaving Sunset struggling with a civil war of emotions.
Secondly, the pacing of this chapter feels almost rushed. Reading through, I'm constantly thrown between what each of the characters are doing with little warning, and a couple of scene either didn't last long enough to empathize with, or in the case of Blueblood's rather short run, felt kind of one-sided.
Not to say that Blueblood should've been portrayed as this awesome stallion and everything, but his entire character was nothing but faults. He was literally nothing more than a snot-nosed prick here, and every bit of dialog was dedicated to emphasizing his self-centered heartlessness. Frankly, I would take Alicorn Amulet Trixie over him without a second thought. Maybe it's just me, but I can't stand characters that don't even have one redeeming quality. Just one thing that could make me honestly say, "Yeah, he's a douche, but at least he's _____ ..."
That's pretty much the sum of my negatives. Which are few in the face of the positives.
The interaction between Twilight and Sunset are all, so far, flawless. Perfect characterizations in my book. I especially love how Sunset is significantly more objective than Twilight is, who shows concern for all. They both still have a decent amount to learn, and could even stand to learn from each other. Just as well, neither are too accepting, and neither are too indifferent.
I love how Twilight is so blissfully unaware of Sunset's feelings.
I'm significantly surprised by the reactions of the mane 5 when the idea that Twilight and Sunset are unwittingly smitten by each other. Not in a bad way, mind you. Though, not in the best of ways either. But just at the right spot to be kind of indifferent. At the very least, I didn't much question it.
You played a good Pinkie Pie here, I really liked her dialogue. And it was great that I didn't have to know the reference to find the humor in it. Pleasantly random, if I do say so myself. ;3
I did find humor in Blueblood's approach to Rarity.
All in all, still a good chapter. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Another awesome chapter. Really loved the scenes revealing Sunset's feelings and thoughts.
Yup. He never tried to kill Twilight, for example.
Honestly, perhaps he should—maybe he'd have more sympathy then.
Well, at least Twilight reacted with some.
Obviously Sunset never played Dwarf Fortress, where the motto is "Losing is !!Fun!!"
i am glad that you don´t maked it that way, that she had to marry some of them.
I liked how that turned out, somehow even if i knew, that she would deny blueblood, i could not help myself...i had to be thrilled.
I like that chapter somehow really much, she was way to polite there.
.....i want a few more emotion icons or how they are called, maybe one for Sunset or Luna
4009497
I get what your saying about finding it annoying that a person doesn't have one redeeming quality, about Blue Blood. Hell, most stories I've seen with Blueblood in it where he is a douche (which is most), have some redeeming qualities to him. Such as being a smooth talker (politically), or being a devoted husband and father.
Why do you keep saying 'people'? I didn't think there were "humans" in equestria.
4983820 the word people refers to many persons, or sentient beings, since the pony's of equestria are sentient beings and people refers to multiple sentient beings then the word people works
actually person can directly mean in refrence to a human or an individual depending on context
i114.photobucket.com/albums/n253/John-Kramer/JigsawBilly.jpg
5759124 That should've popped up on the screen
You made a War Games reference!
SHUT UP AND TAKE MY
MONEY!!!
4009497
Same, but one different. Characterization is a little shaky.
As for me, the fourth-grade fumbling with grammar and spelling is starting to get to me. Invest in a pre-reader or at the very least actually take the time to run a spellcheck.
It's sk. Skeptical. Among many others. About one word in ten or so is misspelled, grammar is consistently absolutely fucked.
At this point I'm just barely hanging on for the eventual reveal, and to see what ideas aren't bolted down and I can make off with