II Rarity
Rarity sipped on a cup of wine as she listened to Fleur de Lys describe her views on the latest Canterlot fashion. While she normally would have been fascinated, her mind was occupied with other concerns. Princess Celestia's funeral was scheduled for tonight, and she was both saddened and worried about Twilight. The sun had risen in the morning, to the relief and dismay of the few ponies predicting the return of Nightmare Moon. Hopefully that would let the ponies of Canterlot know Luna was not to be feared.
Fancy Pants had invited the fashionista to lunch at his Canterlot mansion with himself, his wife, and another noble mare Rarity knew as Floribunda. They were outside on the balcony, overlooking the high-class part of town. The four sat on luxurious chairs overlaid in rich fabric, surrounding a lavish white table. They had just finished eating a tasty daffodil salad with a touch of strawberry and were now sipping on a fine red wine.
The meal was a nice occasion to reconnect with an old friend, as well as get an idea of the political situation in Canterlot. Regardless of the circumstances, Rarity could always appreciate the particular charms of high society.
Fleur de Lys was now expressing her excitement over a new line of hats Prim Headline had just released. Rarity politely nodded as Fancy Pants' wife casually mentioned her plans to purchase one. Truth be told, she was too distracted to worry about it.
Floribunda was the first to interrupt small talk and bring up the topic of politics. "So, Rarity, my dear? I heard you are part of Princess Twilight's entourage. One of her advisors, yes?"
"You could say that." the fashionista replied to the vermilion-coated mare, adjusting her mane as a light breeze casually blew some of her hair over her face. "Twilight and I have been close since before she became a princess, and I continue to help her, along with our other friends. The six of us have been on countless adventures together, and have come to rely on each other a great deal."
"Ah yes, I did notice some of your companions," the older mare replied slight disdain in her tone. "They certainly seemed the country type. I'm sure they're quite the item on those adventures of yours..."
It was Fancy Pants who replied and saved Rarity the trouble of defending her friends. "Well, I dare say those ponies are all quite charming in a rustic sort of way. The pink one, Pinkie Pie is it? She has quite a way with children. I think you'd like her."
Rarity took Fancy's invitation. "Why yes, Pinkie is very good with children. I must say my little sister, Sweetie Belle is very fond of her. I know she seems a bit childish at times, but she is absolutely great at finding that one thing that will make a pony happy. She even asked me to teach her about high society after Twilight became a princess."
Fancy Pants glanced at Floribunda before finally asking Rarity the question she had been expecting all afternoon. "So, if I understood Princess Twilight correctly, she means for you and your friends to form the new Royal Council, yes?"
The fashionista had already prepared her answer. Some of her friends would be quick to dismiss the nobility, but Rarity knew things were not that simple. Some of these nobles played roles essential to a functioning society. Floribunda, for example, made sure the school system ran smoothly. Not everypony agreed with her ideas, but they could not deny that she had helped a lot of talented teachers find work, while making sure the ones in place actually cared about the young ponies in their care.
Rarity smiled warmly. "Well, you have to understand that Twilight is the princess of friendship. Everything she’s accomplished, she did with the five of us. We will always do our best to help her rule. Please do not mistake her intentions though; the princess has no plan to strip the existing nobility of its influence."
"Oh?" Floribunda asked. "I have no doubt that you mean what you say, Rarity, but how can you make promises for the rest of your friends? We are not ignorant of your adventures, and we do know what kind of ponies your friends are. Applejack and Rainbow Dash in particular worry me as being disruptive. As for Pinkie Pie, while you claim she's great with kids, I still get shivers when I remember her antics at the Grand Galloping Gala a few years ago."
Rarity had to admit, she did worry about what some of her friends were capable of. She cared about them deeply and trusted them entirely, but she also knew that Rainbow Dash and Applejack had particular tendencies of being crude and brash. As Floribunda had just mentioned, they did not understand Canterlot culture like she did. The nobility would look down on them, and they would look down on the nobility in return.
On the other hoof, those same friends did help her with regard to her own closed-mindedness. She had gained appreciation for each of her friend's passions, even if they weren't her own. She decided to take the same route with the nobility. It's what Twilight would do.
"My friends might seem strange to some of you at first, I admit, but they can bring a lot of positive things to Canterlot. For instance, how many ponies on the royal council have actually been on a farm before? I suspect none, yet still we expect the council to manage Equestria's agricultural policies. My good friend Applejack maintains her own apple orchard, and I believe that her help and expertise will prove invaluable. As another example, think of the council's reputation: many ponies outside of Canterlot mistrust the political class. I can't think of anypony better qualified then Pinkie Pie to reconnect us with the common ponies of Equestria."
While Floribunda avoided her gaze as she took a sip of wine, Rarity’s words had clearly reached Fancy Pants and his wife, who smiled as they held each other's hooves. The stallion turned towards the vermilion unicorn, "If Rarity's friends are willing to give it their all for Equestria, I don't see why we can’t do the same for them. A bit of change never hurt anypony, and I believe Princess Twilight will not want to disrupt the existing institutions. As Rarity says, she will be there to help both sides work together."
Fleur turned towards the fashionista. "Well, I certainly look forward to meeting them. We should invite Rarity's friends for supper soon, Fancy."
Fleur's husband smiled and nodded, to Rarity's relief. "That would be a splendid idea, my dear. I propose a toast — to Her Highness Princess Celestia, whom we will never forget, and also to Princess Twilight Sparkle! May she and her friends help build an even stronger Equestria!" He raised his glass with his magic.
Rarity was happy to join in the toast, and Fleur seemed equally cheerful. Floribunda, hesitated a moment, but she did raise her glass and took a small sip of wine. Rarity thought about asking what it would take to convince her, but decided against it. Better to let Twilight's actions speak for themselves. Beside, there would be plenty of time to cultivate trust in the coming months.
The table fell quiet after the toast, and Rarity found her attention drawn to the activity in the sky. The pegasi were busy moving clouds over the city. Rain had been planned for later in the week, but Twilight had suggested they move it to today — the day of the funeral. In early Equestria, before there were princesses, it was a tradition for the pegasi to schedule rain during important funerals. It was a symbolic gesture, representing the sky crying alongside the ponies below. Rainbow Dash decided to handle the responsibility herself. Rarity could see her pegasus friend coordinating weather ponies from a small cloud on the city outskirts.
The funeral could be the perfect occasion to set their differences aside. For one evening, the fashionista hoped they could just be honest with each other as equals, and grieve for their leader and mentor whom they had all loved without intrigue or suspicion.
Rarity spent a good part of the afternoon visiting various Canterlot boutiques. She mostly stuck to window shopping, but did buy a hat she found to her liking. She was tempted to stop by her favorite coffee shop, but she saw the weather pegasi were almost ready to begin the rainfall and decided against it. Better to not ruin her mane.
Once back at the castle and on the way to her own quarters, she came across Fluttershy leaving Twilight's. The timid pegasus waved at her with a concerned expression on her face. "Oh, Rarity, I'm glad to see you."
The unicorn smiled at her friend. "Hello, Fluttershy, is everything alright? You look a bit pale."
"Oh, I'm a bit nervous about the reception but it's not about me," Fluttershy softly replied. "It's Twilight! They want her to raise the moon tonight! Oh, I'm so worried about her! She says she can't do it. I really wanted to help her but I don't know how!"
"Well, I'm sure there is something we can do," the unicorn replied. "Come on, let's go see her."
The two of them walked to Celestia's former quarters. The door was closed, but they could hear their friend having one of her familiar bouts of panic. Under different circumstances, Rarity might have brushed it off as Twilight being Twilight; it was common for the alicorn to flip out over little things. This time though, she really was under tremendous pressure.
Rarity ignored the two guards at the doors and opened them herself with her magic. She vaguely heard Fluttershy apologize to the two pegasi as she stormed in. An older unicorn with a short white goatee, balding mane, and a light green coat was currently being yelled at by a disheveled Twilight.
"...so in a few hours you come up with this half-flanked formula and you just hope that your blatant ignorance of Starswirl's ninth law of matrix stabilization won't just blow up the entire moon?! Let alone the difficulty of getting fifteen unicorns to harmonize their magical connection without proper training! Speaking of fifteen, where did you even get that number? Did you pull it out of a hat expecting a rabbit?"
The older unicorn took a deep, controlled breath. "I can assure you, Your Highness, the greatest minds in Canterlot have done the necessary calculations. I will leave our findings here with you. Should you need my help, I'll be at the academy. I sincerely hope you reconsider."
He bowed and made his exit, taking the time to nod at Rarity and Fluttershy on his way out. A pile of documents, probably making up the spell in question, was left on a small coffee table. The two pegasi guards closed the door as he left, prompting Fluttershy to get out of the doorway and enter the room. She let out a quiet "eek!" as the door hit her on the rump.
While Twilight was fuming, Rarity decided to break the silence. "Oh dear, are you alright? Fluttershy told me about what's going on. Is there anything I can do to help?"
The alicorn lost what remained of her composure as she collapsed on a chair. "Oh Rarity! That was Professor Starflare. He and the nobles want me to raise the moon tonight! I told him that Luna had proven her loyalty, but he insisted that, 'As princess it is your duty to raise the sun and moon.'” She repeated Professor Starflare’s words in a deep, mocking tone. "Blueblood was here before, and even he insisted that the raising of the sun and moon be my responsibility. Apparently it’s my duty as Princess of Equestria, and it’s written in Equestria's constitution! I don't think I can do it! They came up with this idea of having fifteen unicorns feed me power, but I don't think it'll be enough! It's the moon we're talking about! You know, that huge thing floating in the sky? And let's not forget about the sun — it's even heavier!"
Rarity gritted her teeth. That royal pain of a prince was taking advantage of her friend! "Why that stuck up... ahem," the fashionista stopped a moment to regain her composure. "Well, I'm sure if anypony can do it, you can. You've always been wonderful at magic. Beside, didn't you say that you might have to do it anyway? I remember you ordering this very research yesterday."
The Princess sighed heavily. "I think I might have spoken too soon. Raising the sun or moon isn't just a matter of being an alicorn. It was directly linked to the princesses' cutie marks! In the same way that my magic couldn't create a work of beauty as elegant as yours can, or even create a shield as strong as my brother's, I wouldn’t be able to move the moon because it's Luna's destiny!"
"Didn't the ancient unicorns raise the sun and moon?" Fluttershy asked tentatively. "It's what the Hearth’s Warming Eve tale says."
"Yes Fluttershy, but that's just a story." the alicorn argued. "We don't know how they did it, how many unicorns were needed, or even if the story is true. For all we know, it's just a myth and some other alicorn raised the sun before Celestia!"
"But you did it before." the fashionista argued. "During that whole Tirek debacle, didn't you raise the sun while you controlled the other princesses' magic?"
Twilight sighed. "I did, but I could barely manage it. I also had direct access to all of Celestia, Luna, and Cadance's power on top of my own! Their power was already in tune with the sun and moon – I just borrowed it for a time."
Rarity decided to take another approach. She sat next to her friend. "Twilight, tell me of the unicorn who was just in here. Professor Starflare you said? You must know him."
"Oh, he was one of my teachers at Celestia's school for gifted unicorns," Twilight immediately replied. "He's always been a great magician, and one of Celestia's top magical advisors. A bit absent minded at times, but I'd still say he was a good teacher."
Rarity tried to hide her smile; her friend could be quite predictable sometimes. "And would you say this teacher was fair? Did he give you appropriate challenges as a filly?"
"Yes, he was a good teacher. I mean, his exams were always hard but never anything I couldn't grasp." The alicorn’s eyes then darted toward her friend, realization flashing on her face. "I see what you're getting at, Rarity. But while I always trusted him in the past, this is different — we're talking about magic that might not even be possible!"
Fluttershy moved towards Twilight. "I know it has to be scary, but it's not something you'll have to go through alone. Do you remember when you helped me find the courage to help create the tornado to bring water to Cloudsdale? I was so scared, but both you and Dashie convinced me to be brave! I'm sure Professor Starflare worked really hard on this."
Rarity could see they were getting through to their friend; she simply needed a little nudge. "I don't know much about magic, Twilight, but this Professor Starflare certainly seems like he does. Even if it doesn't work, Princess Luna will still raise the moon from her hiding place. You'll have some of the greatest minds in Equestria helping you out on this!"
Twilight looked at her hooves for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "You're right girls, I should give it a try. I can't hide from my responsibilities."
Both Rarity and Fluttershy cheered at their friend's response, but while the fashionista believed in Twilight, she couldn't help but worry about Blueblood. The only reason Rarity could think of for the prince to rush her friend into raising the moon was because he wanted her to fail. While Rarity did not believe the prince could be responsible for what happened to Celestia, she did know him to be an opportunist who would take advantage of anything to further his own goals. An attempt at seizing power would not surprise the unicorn. She vowed to be more vigilant. Court intrigues were one of her areas of expertise, after all, and she would do all she could to protect her friend.
Rarity shook off the usual disorientation that Twilight's teleportation often gave her. "Is this the only way to reach the professor's office?" she asked as she adjusted her mane using the small mirror she always carried with her.
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "We could have taken the stairs, but it's simpler to use teleport circles." She pointed at a series of runes underneath their hooves.
"Teleport circles?" Fluttershy asked as she scratched her head.
"It helps unicorns direct teleportation," Twilight explained. "It's usually discouraged to teleport directly inside a professor's office, so most of them keep a small teleportation area such as this one just outside. Spells have been placed to better direct teleporting unicorns to these circles. There are many in the tower."
Rarity nodded and looked around her. There was a door directly in front of them. On its left side was a painting of Princess Celestia. The wall portion on the right side was bare except for a lonely nail, suggesting another portrait used to hang there. Twilight frowned as she looked at the empty space.
Fluttershy stepped toward the nail. "Oh, I assume that's where they used to hang-"
"Princess Luna's portrait, yes," Twilight irritably completed. "They certainly wasted no time in removing it."
Rarity kept herself from commenting. They had said all they had to regarding Luna. The unicorn hoped the Princess of the Night would return and explain her actions; it would be better for everypony that way.
Twilight opened the door with her magic and walked in, followed by Fluttershy and Rarity. The professor's room was very practical in its decor. A single wooden bookcase occupied one of the corners, next to a table onto which some equipment that Rarity did not recognize was stored. The walls were left bare, outside of the usual elegant patterns found in most Canterlot buildings. The professor himself sat behind a small desk on a cushion. A number of these ornate cushions were placed around the room, offering visiting ponies the chance to sit comfortably.
"I'll do it, professor!" Twilight loudly announced before the old unicorn could say a word. "I'm sure your research is fine, I'm just a bit nervous is all."
Professor Starflare removed the small reading glasses he was wearing. "Don't worry about it, Princess; I'm simply happy you've reconsidered" He got up and slowly walked toward the group.
Twilight smiled awkwardly. "Alright, Professor, how do we begin?"
"Simple," Starflare replied. "You will need fifteen unicorns to help power the spell. Anypony would do, as they only need to allow you to drain their magic. They simply need a horn, and the ability to manage basic levitation and natural magic."
"So I could assist Twilight? I would be honored to help!" Rarity beamed. "It's not going to hurt, is it?" she added as an afterthought.
Twilight smiled at her friend. "No, magic draining is relatively painless, although you might have a harder time using your own magic for an hour or two after. As for your offer to help, of course I accept, Rarity! You're the first one I thought about."
The professor nodded at the both of them. "Some of the nobles offered to help as well. I'm sure you already know that Prince Blueblood would take offense to not being included. I will, of course, offer my own services as well. Every other academy unicorn would also be honored to participate, I'm sure. I've prepared a list of ponies who’ve already asked to be part of the ritual."
He levitated a rather long list towards Twilight. Rarity immediately took it with her magic. "I know you're busy, Twilight dear. Why don't you let me have a look at it? I’m already close with the nobility, and can limit the damage as far as offending ponies who get left out."
Twilight nodded with a slight frown. "I'm not going to get away with refusing those nobles altogether, am I?"
Rarity shook her head. "You really should get to know them, Twilight. I know they haven't given you the best impression in the past, but you will need them in order to rule efficiently. It's just something for you to think about." She noticed Professor Starflare let out a sigh of relief.
The alicorn nodded at her friend. "I guess you're right, Rarity. Either way, I leave this list in your capable hooves."
The three ponies left through the teleport enhancer the same way they came in. The fashionista took a first look at the list as they trotted to the exit, almost bumping into a small filly in the process. She should be able to make a good enough selection, and still find the time to fix everypony's hair before the funeral.
As she promised herself, Rarity lined up all of her friends so she could prim them up for the funeral. The castle had a luxurious dressing room with large mirrors, chairs, and plenty of room for the dresses plus all the tools of her trade.
She went for relatively simple designs for most of her friends. She had been pressed for time and had to work in a moving train, after all. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both seemed to appreciate the practicality of their garments, and Pinkie Pie seemed to love the tiny top hat that accompanied her ensemble.
Twilight's dress was the one Rarity was the proudest of. She had enchanted some black fabric with embroideries of Twilight's cutie mark, using crushed diamond powder to give it a subtle shine. The light was curiously reflected on a skirt made from the same fabric. The cut was slightly curved and complimented the large gem she placed on the alicorn's chest. The dress had short sleeves covering the princess' front hooves, a bit of the diamond dust used there as well to create intricate but subtle patterns reminiscent of the night sky.
The fashionista was in the middle of giving Fluttershy's mane a shampoo when Spike opened the door, rushing in. "You'll never guess who's here!" the baby dragon said.
Princess Cadance and her husband Shining Armor walked into the room. They both smiled warmly, but the bags under their eyes betrayed how tired they both must have been from their trip.
"Twily!" Shining Armor exclaimed, "I'm so sorry about what happened, we came as fast as we could!"
Both Shining Armor and Cadance rushed to Twilight's side, the three of them sharing a long hug. Rarity watched the scene from a distance, allowing Twilight to share her family moment.
A few tears trickled down Twilight's cheeks. "I'm so happy both of you are here. It means a lot to me. So much happened in the last two days, I don't even know what to do!"
"You remember when the Crystal Empire returned?", Cadance gently said, "Celestia needed somepony to help restore it to its former glory and placed the burden on my shoulders. Had I been alone, I would have never been able to defend it against Sombra. But I wasn't. Just like you aren't." Cadance looked around, gesturing towards Rarity and the others. "You'll always have me to help you whenever you need it. I know what you have to do seems especially hard while having to deal with the loss of Celestia on top of it. I'll be happy to give you any advice you need."
Shining Armor chimed in. "You can always count on me too, little sister."
"I know, and thanks." the purple alicorn replied as she dried her tears.
The ponies moved in closer and joined Twilight in greeting the couple. Upon receiving a pleading look from the pegasus, Rarity wrapped Fluttershy's mane in a towel, allowing her to join the group. The fashionista herself followed closely behind.
"I'm glad the two of you could make it." Applejack announced. "Twilight here needs all the support she can get." The earth pony patted her friend on the back.
The ponies all took a moment to enjoy each other's company. Cadance hugged each of them in turn, complimenting Rarity on her dresses once she got to her. "Very impressive designs as always, Rarity. I think I might place an order for a new dress before I return to the Empire."
The fashionista nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."
Cadance chuckled a bit. "No need for titles, Rarity." She turned toward Twilight. "So I heard you'll be attempting to raise the moon tonight?"
Twilight gulped. Rarity knew her friend was still nervous at the prospect. "Yes, I'll be drawing power from fifteen unicorns; hopefully it'll be enough. I was wondering if the two of you would be interested in being part of that group?"
Shining Armor was the one to reply. "I would be honored. As for Cadance, it could cause complications due to the treaty. The Crystal Assembly made sure to remind us both of it before we left. I can get away with some things, but it's harder for my wife."
Twilight nodded. "I understand. I'll be happy to have you there, BBBFF."
Pinkie Pie butted in between Cadance and Twilight. "Hold on a second! This isn't right, why can't Cadance help Twilight? Friends are supposed to help each other!"
The two princesses fell silent at once, sharing a concerned look. Rarity tried to explain. "Pinkie, I don't suppose you've heard of the Crystal Treaty?"
Pinkie Pie stared at her with a blank look. "The what now?"
"Let me explain," the fashionista began. "Princess Cadance can fill in anything I might miss. After the Equestria Games, ponies from all over the nation started traveling to the Empire. Many decided to stay and open businesses. Since the Empire had been gone for a thousand years, its market opportunities there were ripe to say the least. This seemed great at first, but some of the crystal ponies started seeing problems. You see, the Empire has a unique culture. They have their own food, their own fashion, their own literature, all of which was in danger of being lost to our own Equestrian ways. Essentially, the empire had to rebuild itself."
Princess Cadance continued after a nod from Rarity. "Groups of crystal ponies started demanding that Equestrian ponies be thrown out. There were public protests, and I was even asked to step down. Princess Celestia traveled to the empire when she heard the news. We both feared that the empire would crumble without an alicorn ruler. We may call it the Crystal Empire, but it's really one city — a city that's been isolated for a long time and needs protection from the many dangers of this world. Simply put, my magic was necessary to protect the Crystal Heart and the city itself.
"With Celestia by my side, we sat down with the community leaders and came to an agreement. I would continue to rule, but would have to answer to an elected group of crystal ponies. Celestia would also agree to stay out of the Empire's politics. One pony could not be part of both governments, as Equestria and the Crystal Empire would now be considered separate nations. An alliance treaty was signed the same day, so if the Empire ever needed Equestria's help against an outside force, it could be offered. Ever since then, I've given up any claim to power in Canterlot.
Rarity completed the explanation for a still confused Pinkie Pie. "If Princess Cadance were to rule by Twilight's side, she would have to abandon the Crystal Empire. This could spell disaster for the crystal ponies. The Empire needs alicorn magic to survive its harsh winters."
"Well, I think it's a dumb treaty," the pink pony replied with a sullen look. "Pieces of paper shouldn't keep friends from helping each other."
Twilight sighed and smiled weakly at her friend. "I wish things were always that simple, Pinkie. Politics can be a game of compromises, and sometimes nopony's really happy with the result."
Spike also frowned. "I'm with you, Pinkie. Still, you can give Twilight advice, right Princess Cadance?"
The pink alicorn nodded. "Of course Spike. And I will visit as often as I can. I just can't do anything official or leave my own subjects for too long."
Applejack stepped forward and smiled tentatively. "We'll have plenty of time to go over the political mumbo-jumbo after the funeral," she offered. "For now, let's just take things easy. How's life in the Crystal Empire these days? I heard the folks there have been experimenting with some new crystal apple sauce."
The funeral was as grand an affair as Rarity expected. As soon as she entered the room, the fashionista payed her respects to the fallen ruler. She smiled at the various gifts and mementos visiting ponies had left. Celestia looked peaceful in her coffin, surrounded by flower arrangements. Even as her eyes were closed and her mane unmoving, Rarity could almost feel her warm smile. Wherever she now was, the unicorn hoped the princess was looking back at her subjects with pride.
As Rarity moved away from the casket, she gave Celestia one last lingering glance, allowing other ponies to say their goodbyes. Twilight had decreed that the event be open to the public, allowing anypony to come in and give their farewells.
The room had been decorated with large banners marked with Princess Celestia's cutie mark. They complimented the stained glass windows depicting important events in Equestria's history, most of them involving the late princess.
Rarity moved to the back of the room, where most of the nobility and visiting dignitaries talked amongst themselves. Twilight had decided to follow Pinkie Pie's advice and mingle with the common ponies, accepting their sympathies and reassuring them that she would be as wise a ruler as they deserved. Applejack had joined them, probably relishing the opportunity to spend time with common ponies rather than the Canterlot elite. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy disappeared, Rarity did not know where to. The fashionista could not help but notice that none of the Wonderbolts were present; no doubt this disappointed the blue pegasus.
As for Spike, he stayed with Rarity. The baby dragon remained quiet and reserved. It took Rarity a moment to realize that this was probably the first time he was confronted by death. Unlike the rest of them, Spike's only family had been Twilight and Celestia. By dragon standards, he was still considered a baby. The situation could not be easy for him.
"I'm extremely sorry for your loss," a voice said. Rarity turned around to see a griffon wearing a long black jacket complete with a black shirt and top hat. His equestrian was flawless, showing only the slightest hint of the peculiar accent commonly found in griffon high society.
Rarity did not forget her courtesies. "Thank you very much, sir. I do not believe I have had the pleasure?"
"Antoine, griffon ambassador to Equestria. Rest assured, the entire kingdom of Griffingard weeps with your great nation, from Featherreach to High Roost. If you need anything, I am at your service, Lady Rarity. Perhaps I could offer young Spike a rare gemstone from the Talon Mountains? I hear dragons are quite fond of them."
Rarity smiled and nodded as Antoine produced a small, orange gem from his pocket and gave it to the salivating baby dragon. "Much obliged, Ambassador Antoine," Rarity politely replied. "I'm afraid these events have been hard on all of us, especially young Spike here. He grew up at the castle with Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight, back when she was an apprentice at the School For Gifted Unicorns. I am curious though, you've heard of us before?"
"Of course, all of griffon high society knows of your group's exploits," Antoine replied enthusiastically. "I dare say, you and your friends are becoming legends. My own daughter back in High Roost keeps asking me if you ever plan on designing dresses for griffons."
Regardless of the setting, Rarity could not help but be flattered. "Well, this is certainly something I will keep in mind. I have designed outfits for Spike here in the past, so unique physiologies are no stranger to me. I'm sure I can manage something for griffons."
"Splendid, splendid, let me know if you ever do. I can connect you with some of our own fashion legends in Featherreach." The griffon ambassador at least sounded genuine in his flattery.
Rarity smiled warmly as Antoine continued. "I'm certain we will see each other in the coming months. I understand Princess Twilight Sparkle values your council highly. The rest of your friends seem just as charming."
"Well, I'm definitely glad you feel this way," the fashionista acquiesced. "I have to admit, this is giving me a good feeling regarding relations with the Griffingard. I'm sure my friends are looking forward to knowing you as well."
Rarity gently ruffled the green scales on top of Spike's head as the baby dragon nibbled on his gemstone. Her conversation with the griffon ambassador made her feel better about the whole thing. No doubt he would have a favor to ask later; Rarity knew he had been in the middle of important trade negotiations with Princess Celestia. Still, she would welcome any show of respect for her friends.
Prince Blueblood moved toward them and interjected himself into the conversation, making Rarity swallow a gulp. "Ambassador Antoine, Lady Rarity, today is a sad day for all of Equestria."
"Prince Blueblood, my condolences on your loss," Rarity offered politely. Her dislike for the stallion would not keep her from acting properly. Blueblood was Celestia's closest living relative outside of Princess Luna after all.
Antoine mirrored the gesture. "Yes, I, and the entire Griffon Kingdom, are deeply sorry."
Spike stared suspiciously at Blueblood, forgetting his manners. The fashionista gave the baby dragon a subtle, "tsst", alongside a stern look.
"So, Rarity, I have been told we will both be helping our new Princess in raising the moon tonight," the prince soberly said "I must say, it will prove to be quite an interesting experience."
The fashionista nodded, uncertain where the prince was going with this. "Twilight told me the experience would be simple and painless for us. She'll be the one doing the heavy lifting, so to speak."
"Well, this will help greatly, as the council still needs to approve of Twilight Sparkle as the new ruler. Raising the sun and moon would prove her worth without a doubt." The casual way in which the prince announced this shocked Rarity. The council did have to approve of Twilight's ascension to the throne, but it was merely a formality. Surely everypony knows that Celestia intended for Twilight to succeed her. Could they really refuse her the throne based on this ritual?
Luckily for the fashionista, Antoine came to her rescue before she lost her composure. "Oh, I have no doubt our Princess Twilight will succeed. Even if the spell were to fail, I understand Princess Luna still performs her duty in exile. You can be assured that Griffingard will recognize Her Highness regardless of tonight's outcome."
Blueblood glared at the ambassador for a moment but then calmly nodded. "Tonight will certainly prove to be interesting. We will see each other soon, I'm sure." As the prince slightly bowed his head and walked away, Rarity could not help but notice he had completely ignored Spike.
As Blueblood left, Rarity saw Twilight moving toward the coffin, attended by Rainbow Dash and Applejack. The farm pony patted the alicorn on the back. Rarity gulped, realizing that it was time.
She stepped forward and joined her friends, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Spike doing the same. The seven of them gathered together in front of the coffin, sharing a long moment of silence. This would be the last time they could see Celestia's face, and Rarity could not think of anypony she would rather share these strong emotions with then her friends.
Twilight used her familiar attention grabbing spell. She amplified her voice, as she did every time she had to give a speech. Rarity noticed the pain in Twilight's eyes, the hint of fear in her voice, which she hid so well. "Ponies of Equestria and beyond — friends, today is a sad day for all of us. Princess Celestia did more for Equestria than anypony can ever know. She's outlived most of us, and she dedicated her long life to bettering the lives of other ponies everywhere.”
"History teaches us about King Sombra's rebellion, about Tirek's attempt against Equestria, about countless threats that could have easily turned into war. We know the three tribes did not always get along, and that it took years for old rivalries to disappear. We all remember how Discord used to terrorize us. Celestia had a strong and gentle hoof in protecting ponies during all of these events. She would do anything in her power to protect her subjects. She saw good where nopony else could see it, and founded a nation based on friendship and harmony. It is our duty to keep this nation alive in her name."
The princess took a deep breath and smiled longingly. "Ever since I was a little filly, Celestia had been my mentor and my friend. She taught me everything I know about magic, and then convinced me to learn the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship! I see many ponies in the room who could share similar stories.”
"The truth is, Princess Celestia is irreplaceable. While I can never hope to be the paragon she was, I swear to you all that I will rule Equestria in the way she intended. She taught us all how to be better ponies, and now, it's time for all of Equestria to apply those lessons. I will never forget Princess Celestia, and I swear I will never forget her lessons."
Twilight cried softly. Rarity found herself doing the same. Spike hugged the unicorn’s leg as hard as his small arms would allow and Rarity gently nuzzled him. Even Prince Blueblood shed a few tears. After a moment of silence, the Princess of Friendship touched her mentor's face one last time before slowly closing the casket with her magic.
A group of unicorn guards levitated the coffin together. Twilight started the procession through the large hallway that lead to the gardens. Twilight, Rarity and their friends walked toward the Princess of the Sun's final resting place. The fashionista allowed Spike to ride on her back, the baby dragon obviously too heartbroken to walk.
A large group of citizens was waiting outside in the gardens. Despite the customary rain, many of Equestria's citizens wanted to give their beloved ruler a final farewell. Ponies from all corners of Equestria were in attendance. Rarity even saw a few crystal ponies, as well as donkeys, zebras, and even a family of minotaurs.
Rainwater blended with tears as Rarity stepped outside. For once, she did not care that her mane was getting wet. She looked at her friends. Fluttershy was openly crying, one of Rainbow Dash's wings around her. Even the brash pegasus couldn't hold back some tears of her own. Pinkie Pie's mane had lost some of its usual puffiness. The pink pony walked up to Twilight and gave her a long hug. Rarity’s attention then turned to a straight-faced Applejack. The earth pony's expression softened as she invited the unicorn into an emotional hug that they shared with Spike.
The group stared at the freshly dug hole where the coffin would rest. A place of honor was chosen in the center of the statue garden, surrounded by Equestria's fallen heroes and legends. Rarity broke down in tears as she realized she truly would never see Princess Celestia again. Every single letter she ever wrote to the princess reeled through her mind. She could only imagine how Twilight felt; her friend had been far closer to the princess than most.
The coffin was slowly lowered into the ground by the unicorn guards. The ponies looked down at their hooves in silence, the steady sound of the rain the only thing to be heard.
After another few minutes of silence, Twilight walked forward. She nodded at Rarity, letting her know that it was time; as Princess Celestia went down into the earth, so would the sun set. It seemed only proper for both events to occur at once.
The fashionista allowed Spike to get off her back and took her position in front of Twilight, the other unicorns joining her. They were arranged in two rows. Blueblood and the rest of the council made sure to be in the front row, Fancy Pants with his wife next to him. Three ponyvillians, Minuette, Lyra Heartstring and Galrion, stood in the back with Twilight's parents and Shining Armor. Three academy unicorns also joined them: Moondancer, Sapphire Blitz, and Professor Starflare himself. Rarity herself walked to the direct front of the group after Twilight motioned for her to do so.
The alicorn took a long breath. "Tonight, the sun sets with the Princess who had raised it for millenniums. The ponies here before you have volunteered to help me raise the moon. Whatever happens, life in Equestria must go on." Twilight gave her parents and brother a weak smile as her horn began to glow.
Rarity activated her own magic, allowing her friend to tap into it. The feeling was somewhat reminiscent of using the elements of harmony, but colder, without the usual emotional warmth. She could feel her magic being gently drained, fueling Twilight's spell. It was a connection that inspired trust — the familiar touch of a close friend. Rarity made herself think of past events. Even if this had nothing to do with the elements of harmony, it still felt right for her to focus on her generosity and how it had helped her friends in the past.
The fashionista was losing herself in the experience when she started to feel the magical drain becoming more invasive. She soon realized that she had closed her eyes, and forced herself to open them. Twilight was struggling with the spell, her veins looking as though they were about to burst as she ground her teeth. The sky was a darker blue, but with no sign of the moon. Twilight tried giving it one last burst of effort, draining magic from Rarity and the other unicorns much faster.
It had been a mistake. Rarity could not immediately make out what had just happened. An explosion originating from her horn forced her backward and threw her to the ground. She was left disoriented and could not hear what was going on. Had the backlash made her deaf? Her vision was blurry, and the rain on her coat felt strange. And the smell! It smelled like something was burning! Was it her horn? Oh my stars! My horn is on fire!
Rarity touched the tip of her horn with her hoof. It was burning hot. She heard a muffled scream from behind her so she turned around. The unicorns all found themselves with singed horns, some bent over in pain. Blueblood and Floribunda were in a state of panic and were shouting. Fleur de Lys cried as she held her forehead, Fancy Pants tightly hugging her. Moondancer was unconscious, and to Rarity's horror, Sapphire Blitz lost her entire horn to the explosion.
Worst of all was Lyra's friend, Galrion. His body was as still as a stone. After one look at him, Minuette screamed in panic. Rarity only had to turn her head to see the horror for herself; part of his face had blown apart under the explosion. The deadly wound left him unrecognizable, his body unmoving. The heat from his own horn had cauterized the wound, creating a stench of burnt flesh.
Realization struck Rarity. She quickly turned her head around to see Twilight staring at the scene with a blank look on her face. The princess looked from one pony to the other, her eyes lost in confusion and panic.
Hysteria broke within the crowd. Rarity heard countless screams of terror as guards were flying everywhere. One pony screamed, "Impostor! Twilight Sparkle is no true princess!" Rainbow Dash flew into the crowd, the fashionista unable to determine why. Rarity tried to move towards Twilight but her own hooves would not allow her to stand.
She heard Twilight speak in a weak voice. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I never meant to...." The alicorn flew away, crying. Rarity raised her hoof weakly towards her friend but was only able to watch as the princess hurried from the scene in shame.
As her vision began to fade, the last thing Rarity saw before losing consciousness was the moon rising.
Rarity woke up startled in a dark room. There was a bit of light in a corner, though her eyes were having difficulty adapting. Probably a candle. She tried levitating it, only to receive a jolt of pain in her horn.
"Oh, you're awake. Doctor Shimmerheart said you shouldn't use your magic for a few days." Rarity turned around slowly and pushed away her bedsheets to see the silhouette of a familiar pegasus. She gave her eyes a moment to adjust, allowing her to make out Fluttershy's face.
After a few seconds, the unicorn found the strength to talk. "Wha... What happened?"
"Oh, Rarity, it was horrible! The spell failed and everything got confused. The crowd started running away, ponies trampling other ponies. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash tried helping the guards in calming everypony down. Some of the ponies said horrible things about Twilight. I think she got scared. She flew away to her quarters and locked herself inside. Nopony has managed to get in!"
The fashionista moved the covers away. She slowly got out of bed as her pegasus friend protested, gently pushing her back in bed. "Please Rarity! The doctor said you need to rest."
"I will have none of it. Twilight is alone, scared, and I want to be there for her. She would do the same for any of us if our positions were reversed." Rarity's argument obviously convinced Fluttershy, as the pegasus helped her out of bed.
Fluttershy turned on the light, allowing both ponies to see. Rarity took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. Her horn was bandaged and her mane was in terrible condition. Some of her hair had been singed by the spark that had injured her. Her fake eyelashes were absent and her face had been washed, all traces of her makeup gone.
Rarity walked slowly, relying on Fluttershy's help. She was still weak from the ordeal, a lot of her magic having been drained all at once. The unicorn counted herself lucky — at least she still had her horn. From what she had seen, consequences could have been far more dire. Hopefully her magic would come back naturally.
While her own quarters weren't too far from Twilight's, her weakened state made it feel like they were a world away. She could see her other friends next to the great double doors that lead to Celestia's former quarters, now occupied by Twilight. Spike was banging on the doors with both of his claws, crying and begging for them to be opened. "Open up, please, open the door!"
It was clearly late at night. Applejack and Rainbow Dash slept on the carpet next to the huge double doors. As usual, two guards stood in front of the entrance. One of them seemed to be arguing with Pinkie Pie, pointing at the two sleeping ponies with his hoof. "...Obviously tired. We'll wake you should anything happen," the guard said with irritation in his voice. Their arguing stopped when they noticed Rarity and Fluttershy approaching.
The fashionista forced herself to make the last few steps by herself. "Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy told me what happened. Is Twilight still locked up in there?"
"Yes, and these meanie guards want us to go back to our rooms." Pinkie explained with her ears perked down. "I told them that Twilight is our friend, and that we'll spend all night in front of this door if we have to."
Rarity saw the look of exasperation on the guards' faces. They both had pouches under their eyes, one glaring at her friends. She turned to the friendlier-looking of the two. "And what about you? Has anything been done to enter the room?"
"Of course, Milady," he replied, a touch of concern in his voice. "The door is magically sealed. There's no way in. The same goes for the balcony door. Princess Twilight screamed a few times right after she locked herself in, insisting to be left alone. I think... I think she's asleep now. She's been silent for hours."
Spike was still clawing at the door. "Come out Twilight, please come out!" Rarity held him with her hoof, interrupting his tantrum and allowing him to cry on her shoulder.
"Spike's been like this ever since Twilight locked herself in," Pinkie explained. "We all tried to convince her to come out. It's not her fault, right Rarity? We all know Twilight did her best. Why won't she let us come to her?" The usually cheerful pony pleaded as she held the fashionista in a strong grip.
"I think we should let her rest," Rarity firmly stated. Spike, still holding tightly to her chest, looked up to her. "I can't even begin to imagine what Twilight is going through. Let's allow her time to sleep. I'm sure we'll be able to get through to her tomorrow."
Pinkie lowered her head. "You're right, but somepony needs to be there when she comes out. You should take Spike though, I think he needs a good friend. I've been trying to cheer him up but not even cupcakes will do the trick!"
Rarity nodded at Pinkie before turning towards the young dragon. "How about you sleep in my room tonight, Spikey-poo? We'll be up tomorrow when Twilight comes out. As her friends we should be well-rested for her."
The baby dragon slowly nodded. He tried to climb on her back but she faltered, still weak from the accident. Fluttershy took notice and placed Spike on her own back. She walked Rarity to her room, carrying the still weeping dragon.
The fashionista found a large enough basket in her room and placed one of her pillows inside, topped by a spare blanket. Spike managed to whisper "Good night Rarity" before he immediately fell asleep.
Fluttershy gave the sleeping baby dragon a smile. She then turned toward Rarity "I'm sure Twilight will let us in tomorrow. Thanks for doing this for Spike by the way, the poor dear really needs his rest. The rest of our friends should get to bed too, but I don't think we could ever convince Pinkie Pie."
Rarity was too tired to say much. For all her brave talk, she had been through a lot, and never should have left her bed. She nodded to her friend as she snuggled into the covers. "I'm sure everything will work out in the end."
As she closed her eyes, the unicorn knew things would not be that simple. Prince Blueblood would no doubt use the incident to try and obtain power. Many ponies would lose faith in Twilight, and the alicorn would take all the blame upon herself. Difficult times were ahead but for now, all Rarity could think about was sleep.
The rays of the morning sun woke Rarity. She quietly thanked Princess Celestia for raising the sun before remembering the harsh new reality. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the fashionista wondered where Luna was as she performed her royal duty. Would she ever return to Canterlot?
The previous evening's events started rushing through Rarity's head as she slowly came to her senses. She remembered the attempt at raising the moon, the dead pony, the crowd panicking, her own injury, Twilight hiding in her room, and Spike sleeping in hers.
Rarity began to get out of bed, eager to help her alicorn friend, but her body quickly reminded her of her injury with a jolt of pain, forcing her to slow down. Once she rose, she observed her face in the round, ornate mirror that was attached to the dresser in her room. As she slowly walked towards it, she took notice of her bandaged horn and remembered what happened the last time she tried to use magic. Doing her makeup might take a bit longer than usual.
She desperately tried to pretty herself up using only her hooves. It certainly made the whole process more daunting. Still, Rarity stuck to it. Regardless of the situation, she was in Canterlot and had to look like a proper lady. Especially after the accident, the fashionista suspected she would have to use all her charm if she were to help Twilight.
It took just shy of an hour for Rarity to find herself presentable. Luckily, she had woken with the dawn, having gone to sleep very early due to the accident. She felt strong enough to walk on her own; magical surges usually healed quickly in unicorns. She kept a brisk pace, not quite ready for anything too strenuous yet. At least she didn't need Fluttershy's help to walk anymore.
The first thing she saw as she made her way towards Twilight's quarters was Professor Starflare, his horn surrounded by a golden hue that matched his eyes. The professor seemed to have been lucky enough to get out of the accident with his magic intact. Rainbow Dash stood next to him, all of Rarity's other friends seemingly absent. No doubt the guards had lost patience and insisted they return to their rooms. Two pegasi guards stood next to the entrance leading to the room, the doors still glowing in Twilight's purple magical aura.
The blue pegasus waved at Rarity. "Oh, good morning Rare. Twilight still hasn't come out and the professor here is trying to magic his way through." Rainbow said, her head held low. Bags under her eyes revealed her lack of sleep. "Applejack and Pinkie Pie went to their rooms. The guards said we couldn't sleep on the floor and I told them I'd stay up and wake them if anything happened."
Rarity placed a comforting hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It's for the best. Twilight will need us all in top shape. You might want to get some rest too. Sleep deprivation isn't doing your complexion any favors."
Rainbow frowned. "I'll go to bed after the professor is done. Hopefully he can break through that spell."
Starflare turned towards Rarity as his horn stopped glowing. "I'm certainly not trying to 'break through'. This is a simple analysis spell. To try and break something I'm not familiar with would be foolish and dangerous."
"As foolish as making Twilight do that stupid Moon raising spell?" Rainbow Dash barked, taking a firm step in his direction. "I know that was your idea. Strange how all those ponies got injured and you get out of it with your precious little horn intact!"
The older unicorn stood his ground and calmly met the pegasus's gaze. "I understand your frustration. The spell's failure was as much a surprise to me as to everypony else. As for why I wasn't affected, I am a trained mage and I managed to cast a protective spell at the last minute. Sadly, I did not have the time to protect anypony else." To his credit, his voice sounded sincere.
"Rainbow, that was uncalled for," Rarity severely admonished as she walked between the two ponies. "This poor stallion is simply trying to help." She turned toward the professor. "Anything useful you've learned about the spell?"
"Quite a bit, actually," Starflare explained. "The entire room is protected by a self-maintaining protective bubble. It's definitely alicorn magic, and might prove extremely difficult to break. Perhaps only another alicorn could do it."
"Cadance was here last night. She tried, but couldn't get through," Rainbow replied in a flat tone.
"Oh, well in that case we better find a weakness," the professor replied. "One thing I did determine is that the spell can be easily broken from the inside. Anypony inside the room would simply have to open these doors and it would dispel the bubble. Princess Twilight probably added this safeguard herself. On top of that, a second spell has been cast, one that drowns out sound. We can't hear anything from inside this room and anyone inside can't hear what goes on outside."
Both Rarity and Rainbow gasped. The pegasus immediately grabbed the professor. "You mean Twilight shut us off, just like that? I can't believe she would do that!"
"I agree with Rainbow," Rarity said, gently pulling the pegasus away from Starflare. "While I can understand Twilight wanting to be alone, all of this seems very unlike her."
Professor Starflare took a deep breath and stroked his goatee. He finally replied in a low voice, "I have a good idea what she's going through. I've seen it before. We unicorn mages try to present magic as something safe and useful, but there is a danger involved. Twilight Sparkle is not the first to accidentally kill somepony through a botched spell. Unicorns who go through that often isolate themselves as she did. Some abandon magic altogether.”
"Your friend has incredible willpower," he continued. "In time, I do believe she'll get better, but what she did was very traumatic. Once we manage to get in there, she'll need all of our support. I know both of you are close friends of the princess. I suggest you be there for her."
Rarity looked down; she had not considered this. The fashionista could not even begin to imagine how she would react if she accidentally killed somepony. Rainbow seemed to be going through the same thought process as she sported a similar expression. Both of them kept quiet as the professor resumed his spell.
They waited in silence for a few minutes. The professor moved around a bit as he worked his magic, sometimes muttering incomprehensible sounds under his breath. Rarity heard Rainbow Dash sigh. She couldn't blame her friend for feeling down. The pegasus was usually a mare of action and having to wait was probably torture for her.
The professor eventually reacted more audibly. "Oh, this is curious..." His horn glowed with more intensity as Rarity raised her head. "Yes, I'm positive! The bubble is weakening and I’ve detected an opening — it should be located on the balcony. It's a hole just big enough for a pony to get through."
Rarity didn't even have time to contemplate what the professor said as a multicolored blur left the hallway. Rarity got up, impatiently waiting for Rainbow Dash to return with more information. The professor turned around confused, scratching his head.
It only took a moment for the double doors to slam open, a distressed-looking Rainbow Dash on the other side. The room was in a complete state of disarray. Tables had been flipped, scorch marks marred the once luxurious mattress, and a large mirror lay broken on the floor.
Worst of all, Twilight was nowhere to be seen. A smashed window lead to the balcony. Could it be possible the princess fled? If that was the case, how come nopony reported seeing her? Hiding in the clouds was probably easy during the night, especially with a silence spell, however the Twilight Sparkle Rarity knew would never abandon her responsibilities like that.
Rarity took a deep breath and started looking around, analyzing every piece of furniture, though not seeing anything relevant. Rainbow Dash was visibly just as concerned, flying around, looking everywhere until she eventually flew out the window. Rarity yelled at her to wait to no avail. The professor walked in, calmly scanning the room with his horn glowing. His eyes betrayed worry as they frantically swiped the room.
Rarity turned back toward the guards, only to notice one of them had left, no doubt to report the situation back to his superiors. "I'm going to wake my friends up and let them know what happened. Do not let anypony disturb this room."
The entire morning had been a chaotic mess. Word had quickly gotten around that Princess Twilight was gone. Many nobles called her a coward and demanded Blueblood be crowned. Another group of ponies requested that Princess Cadance abandon the Crystal Empire to assume the Equestrian throne. A small band of Twilight Sparkle loyalists declared anypony speaking against her to be a traitor. There were even ponies who called for the return of Princess Luna, some going as far as deeming the accident a punishment for betraying the Princess of the Night.
Once Rarity's friends woke up, they quickly organized themselves. Applejack immediately took the lead, giving them all assignments the way Twilight usually did. She and Rainbow Dash would go to town and try to find information about where their friend might have gone, while Fluttershy was to ask the various animals in the gardens if they had seen or heard anything. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were left with damage control, trying to convince the various nobles that Twilight did not abandon them.
Rarity's efforts culminated in a council meeting — one that she and her friends were allowed to attend. Around midday, she sat at a table alongside her pony friends, Spike, Prince Blueblood, Councilor Kibitz, Fancy Pants, Floribunda, and Captain Silvermane. Both Kibitz and Blueblood had their horns bandaged, probably suffering from the same injury as the fashionista. The tip of Fancy Pants’ horn had been lightly singed, while Floribunda had the fortune of being left unaffected.
Professor Starflare was noticeably absent. The fashionista had insisted he be there, but Kibitz protested that the magic academy had no political power; it was an institution of learning, and not a branch of the government.
The Prince was the first one to speak. "Welcome all. I know the last few days have been difficult for everypony, however, let us not mince words. The so called ‘Princess’ Twilight is gone. She failed in raising the moon, murdered a pony, de-horned another, and rather than own up to her actions, she fled like a scared filly. I, for one, do not see her as capable of leading our great nation."
Rarity and her friends all got up to their hooves at once, even the normally timid Fluttershy. Applejack spoke up before anypony else could. "Listen here you overstuffed fussbucket. I won't have nopony talking about Twilight like that, Prince or no Prince! We don't know what happened, but I can promise you that Twi ain't no traitor, and she ain't no scaredy pony!"
Rarity and her friends all nodded in unison at Applejack's declaration. While the fashionista might have normally approached the subject with a bit more tact, Blueblood deserved the blunt honesty.
Fancy Pants politely nodded. "While her tone leaves much to be desired, the lady Applejack does raise a point. I daresay, we know very little of what really happened. Perhaps we should listen to Captain Silvermane's report first and then decide on a plan of action? And at the very least we should focus our efforts on finding Princess Twilight."
Rarity smiled at her old Canterlot friend, silently thanking him as the Captain coughed lightly before addressing the group. "We know very little. Professor Starflare took a group of skilled unicorns and went through the room. Powerful magic was used, and identifying anything of specific usefulness inside the room proved to be impossible."
"The state of the room suggests two possibilities," she continued. "Either Twilight Sparkle destroyed the furniture herself in anger, or she fought with somepony else inside the room. Some of the scorch marks are definitely reminiscent of magical fire." The captain then turned towards Rarity. "Is Princess Twilight prone to violence?"
The fashionista's voice shuttered a bit, surprised at being addressed directly by the hardened guard captain. "N...No, she's not a violent pony. She's prone to late-night pacing, but never to the behavior you’re describing. Twilight would never hurt a fly, and she would certainly never destroy her own room with magic that way."
Floribunda raised an eyebrow. "Could it be Princess Luna?" she asked. "I was told only another alicorn could break through alicorn magic. She's already suspected of being a traitor, maybe she attacked Twilight during the night?"
Just as Blueblood raised a hoof, probably to voice his approval, Rainbow Dash flew up. "Not a chance! Luna is a friend, and definitely no traitor!" she yelled loudly. "I don't care what anypony says! Somepony else attacked Twilight, and I'm not gonna sit here and do nothing. We need to go find her!"
Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike all voiced their agreement although Rarity was probably the only one who heard the yellow pegasus. Applejack sported a mysterious frown on her face. As for the fashionista, she opted to remain silent. She had to hear more.
Blueblood glared at Rainbow before speaking up. "I could not agree more. The six of you are obviously more suited to this kind of rescue mission than the business of ruling a kingdom. I know Princess Celestia often relied on your little group for important missions, so I see no reason not to do the same. I charge all of you with finding Princess Twilight and bringing her back."
Both Rarity and Applejack shared a look. The fashionista could tell her friend had come to the same realization. Rarity allowed Applejack to speak. "And who the hay left you in charge? I'm certainly not letting you take over Equestria just like that."
Blueblood did not get a chance to reply before Kibitz raised his hoof. "Well, the laws of succession are quite clear, yes. In the absence of an alicorn ruler, the highest ranking noble is to serve as regent. Prince Blueblood will rule over Equestria until such a time as a princess properly takes the throne. If no princess is deemed suitable, this council has the authority to crown him ruling Prince of Equestria."
This silenced the ponies in the room. Blueblood sported a smug look of satisfaction and Floribunda sighed deeply. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike all stared at the Prince with daggers in their eyes while Fluttershy hid behind her mane. Captain Silvermane was as unreadable as usual. Finally, Fancy Pants looked to Rarity, raising an eyebrow and tipping his head slightly.
The fashionista knew what she had to do. The council could not be left in Blueblood's hooves alone. Rarity had promised Twilight she would help her rule the kingdom, and now was the time to hold up to that promise. She got up slowly. "Very well, I do agree that my friends should find Twilight. There is a good chance she left for Ponyville. If not, she will have been taken far away from Canterlot. The academy's unicorns would have easily been able to locate her otherwise." She took a deep breath.
"I, however, will stay here." she continued. "Princess Twilight often voiced her desire to have us rule alongside her. At least one of her friends should sit on this council, and I believe this friend should be me. I already know all of you, and I'm sure Fancy Pants can vouch for my political acumen. This council needs to rule over Equestria, and a former bearer of the Elements of Harmony could go a long way in making sure it has the common ponies' support."
"Preposterous," Blueblood scoffed.
Pinkie stood up and gasped loudly. "Rarity, no! We have to stick together"
"We have to find Twilight, not waste time in Canterlot!" Rainbow added, prompting everyone in the room to argue over one another.
Applejack sent an ear piercing whistle into the hubub by placing her hoof between her teeth, silencing the room. "I agree with Rarity. She can handle the politics and fancy-shmancy stuff while we go find our friend." The rest of their friends remained silent, looking down. Now it would be up to the council.
Fancy Pants did not wait for an invitation to speak. "Rarity's addition to the council could only help us in these difficult times, so I will support her appointment. I believe we should take it to a vote."
Blueblood glared at the blue-maned stallion. "You would have Rarity appointed to my council? I suppose I can allow this vote; let us see how everypony feels about it." The Prince then turned toward the fashionista. "Your place isn't here, Rarity, so I vote against. For all your talk, you're still a Ponyville filly, not suited for Canterlot politics."
Rarity used all her self control not to sigh at the prince's tone. Not that his attitude was in any way surprising. She also knew Fancy Pants would be her ally, and she hoped her luncheon with Floribunda had won her the older mare's support. Kibitz and Captain Silvermane were the wild cards.
Councilor Kibitz tapped his hoof to his chin for a moment. Rarity could not help but look around the room nervously as her fate was being decided. Sweat rolled down her neck as the councilor made his announcement.
"Very well, Your Highness," he bowed his head at Blueblood, another show of support for the prince. "Since we do not know how Twilight Sparkle left, I cannot support Rarity's admission to this council. After all, she could very well have abandoned her subjects."
The fashionista barely had time to digest her disappointment as Floribunda coughed lightly. "A 'yes' for me. Rarity is a charming pony with good ideas. I would welcome her to the council with open hooves."
Rarity's spirits went up as she silently congratulated herself; her gamble seemed to be working as far as the vermilion mare was concerned.
So two in favor, two against. All eyes turned towards the guard captain. As the last member of the council, Silvermane had the deciding vote. She kept her usual neutral face as she simply announced, "I approve the motion."
Rarity let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding. So Captain Silvermane was on her side after all. She slowly looked around the room. She would get to know these council ponies very well over the next few weeks. The fashionista was hopeful her friends would find Twilight soon. If they did not however, she would be here, doing her best to hold the kingdom together.
It was still cloudy outside when Rarity walked her friends to the train station. She still felt a bit weak, but she also knew she might not get a chance to talk to them for a while. A few pegasi could be seen slowly moving clouds out of the way, although they seemed to be in no hurry to do so. Most of the shops were closed, the common ponies still in shock from the last few days' chain of events. Discarded newspapers, half-eaten flowers, and other pieces of trash littered the normally pristine Canterlot streets. The royal council would have to bring life back to the city before this depressing sight became the norm.
The train to the Crystal Empire was set to leave a few moments before the one going to Ponyville. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor walked to the train station alongside Rarity and her friends. While they all wanted to enjoy each other's company, most attempts at small talk failed, everypony obviously too concerned with the important tasks before them.
Rarity recalled that the couple had spent the morning with Twilight's family, trying to comfort them. Each of Rarity's friends had had the same discussion with their own families at some point. Their friendship lead them to an often dangerous life, and family members could be left worrying. In Twilight's case, their fears had proven justified.
Princess Cadance broke the silence. "I'm really sorry I can't do anything more. Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to obey that treaty. Still, if we hear of anything from the Crystal Empire you'll be the first to know."
Pinkie Pie surprised Rarity by jumping right in front of the pink alicorn. "Well, it's a stupid treaty! Rarity could use your help and you could use your fancy alicorn magic to help us find Twilight! Friends don't let treaties come between friends!"
"I want to help Twily more than anything!" Shining replied, placing a hoof on Pinkie's back. "Cadance is right though; we can't betray the Empire. I know my wife will try any spell she knows to contact Twilight. Trust me, Pinkie, she's my little sister and anything I can do to help, I will." Shining then turned towards Rarity. "I know what you're attempting won't be easy for you. Blueblood... He will make your life a nightmare. But if anypony can keep him from destroying Celestia's Equestria, I know it's you, Rarity."
Rarity raised her hoof. "Don't worry about me, I can handle things here. Just promise me, all of you. Promise me you'll bring Twilight back safely!"
All of her friends nodded, Fluttershy speaking first. "Oh, we will, Rarity. I'm sure we'll all be back together, soon."
Rarity knew her decision to stay was not an easy pill to swallow for her friends. Spike in particular insisted he stay with her. As much as Rarity welcomed his friendship, she wouldn't have the time to take care of him. She also feared his mouth could get them both in trouble; Spike had a tendency to speak his mind very openly. Pinkie Pie promised to take care of him, and the baby dragon would be safer with the pink pony.
As they arrived at the train station, boarding began for the Crystal Empire. A crystal pony herald announced Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor as they approached their own private car.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Applejack said, failing to hide the worry in her voice. Spike ran toward Cadance, giving her a hug.
The Princess of Love gently patted the baby dragon on the head with her hoof. "Good luck to all of you, from both of us," she said, Shining Armor nodding in agreement. "I worry about Equestria, but with Rarity on the council and the rest of you looking for Twilight, the nation is in good hooves."
A few more pleasantries were exchanged and the train left for the northern Crystal Empire. The train to Ponyville began boarding immediately after.
"Well, hopefully we will all see each other soon," Rarity told her friends. Her eyes watered a bit as she heard the conductor call for final boarding. "Find Twilight, I know you can do it. Wherever she is, she'll want to find us too. I'll be here, keeping Blueblood in check."
The five ponies and baby dragon joined together in a group hug. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie openly wept while Applejack and Rainbow Dash tried to show strong faces. Spike broke down and cried. "I'll miss you, Rarity!" he exclaimed. The baby dragon kept holding on; it took Pinkie Pie to gently comfort him and convince him to leave on the train with the rest of them.
Rarity watched her friends board their car. She stayed on the platform, watching the train leave as the ponies she cared for so dearly waved through the windows. Even after they were gone, she remained there for some time, contemplating the coming challenges. The fashionista had dreamt all her life of making it big in Canterlot, though now that she finally had, she could not find any happiness.
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Perhaps the formula was tampered with. I think that Blueblood knew that this would be what made or broke Twilight's legitimacy to rule and this was the ample time to strike. He walked out of this without any real damage but he still suffered to keep up the illusion that he didn't know what the ultimate outcome was.
Twilight leaving? No, I think Luna did snatch her up but to get her out of harms way instead. Luna knows whats happening around Canterlot, the actual ploys in play. She kidnapped Twilight to protect her from the obvious storm that coming.
5431030
haha, I'm really loving those theories. Of course, you'll have to wait and see.
5431735
Am I a least in the ball park?
This is as good as Shadows of the Sun which was published a long time ago. It's been a while since I've read a good pony whodunit.
Um, well, there was this one time...
img1.derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/9/3/89395__safe_twilight+sparkle_animated_floppy+ears_angry_gritted+teeth_glare_rage_rapidash_feeling+pinkie+keen.gif
5431030
Call me crazy, but I don't think he did it. It'd just be too obvious. It's like he's walking around with a giant billboard over his head saying Hey, I'm the villain, look at me I'm baddy bad MacEvil!
No. I'm expecting to see him being incredibly, maybe disgustingly opportunistic, but not behind the entire plot.
5432633
True it does seem obvious to the reader but think about the setting. What does everyone but the mane 6 see Blueblood as nothing more than a spoiled brat? Sometimes the obvious answer is the answer. I do think that he does have a helping hand in this, whether or not he's the puppet master behind this or just one of the ponies involved with the real mastermind.
5432596
Thank you very much, very glad you're enjoying.
5432633
5433315
Blueblood's definitely up to something, the following chapters should start answering questions. Without getting into spoilers, I can promise you guys that there's more going on then what it seems.
Reading you guys debate the story is an awesome motivator to write btw, thanks, haha.
5433469
You writing a story that doesn't give away the entire plot and make you think.
I'm actually having fun debating with someone like Derpsby. At least he or she is engaging about their ideas and theories.
5433575
It's definitely what I'm going for. None of the characters will have the full picture and I definitely want to keep you guys guessing the entire way, answers bringing more questions and all that fun stuff.
http://nekotigerfire.deviantart.com/art/A-Dream-of-Sunny-Days-Prologue-Cover-503306175 well this may be a slow start but hopefully ya like it ^^' need to read the new chapter :3 probably won't start on pages if anything till after new years.
5436499
Thanks! I can't tell you how awesome it feels to see the first fanart I inspired.
I truly love this story. It's the kind of fanfic I can get behind. I cannot wait for the next chapter!
5440705
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. The next chapter is currently being edited, it should be out soonish.
I admit it, I cried through the funeral portion of the chapter. The feels... Good work. Why do I have the feeling a certian Dragonequs might have a claw in this mess?
The political intrigue grows ... along with some historical backdrop. This all points to a very interesting tale later down the line. I really like what you've done with this. The eulogy was pretty damn touching as well. It struck the right tone and nerve, and the foreshadowing of disaster was nicely laced.
Since you brought up trimming on Skype, I'm a bit torn with this chapter. I think there are spots where the wheel turns a rotation too long, in my opinion, but I do not think you should do anything here... as this early chapter is still establishing the base rules of your universe.
Well that escalated quickly.
I sense a civil war on the horizon.
Hmmm...I don't think you're giving Pinkie Pie enough credit, Rarity...
...I think there's a lot more to that mare than meets the eye
.
Sounds like Dr McKay from Stargate Atlantis
ZZZZzzz....