Shifting Sands

by Sphinx_Herald

Chapter 1

“Thanks for the help you two,” Rarity says looking at the material on the shelf before her. Twilight smiles at the white unicorn, she takes a moment to be sure of her magical grip on the numerous materials she’s carrying.

“Anything for you Rarity,” Spike says from Twilight’s back. He stares dreamily at Rarity.

“It’s no problem, I understand that this is an important order,” Twilight says.

“Important doesn’t even begin to describe it. The Canterlot ensemble wants me, me, to tailor some clothes for their next show. This is the biggest moment of my career, which is why I must have the best materials,” Rarity says. She levitates a length of white silk off the shelf, that looks much like her own coat. With a smile she passes it over to Twilight.

“Why wouldn’t they, everypony knows you’re the best designer in Equestria!” Spike exclaims.

“Thanks Spike, but I can’t even begin to compare to some of the tailors in Canterlot.”

“That’s because you’re so much better than them!” Twilight chuckles at the baby dragon’s enthusiasm.

“Thank you, Spike, you always know what to say.” Rarity trots further down the aisle casting glances at either side until something catches her eye. Black fabric floats off the shelf and over to Twilight, who takes it in her magic before Rarity lets go. They head back to the front counter where Rarity finds several spools of thread to buy as well.

“That’ll be seventy-five bits,” says the cashier, a dark blue unicorn with a light pink mane. Rarity nods and levitates the bits out of her saddlebag. The cashier quickly puts the fabrics into several bags. “Have a nice day.”

Rarity and Twilight grab a few bags each, Spike jumps off Twilight’s back and grabs a bag as well. Together they head out the door and toward the Carousel Boutique. Once outside Twilight’s eyes immediately flash toward the large crystal tree towering out of the middle of Ponyville. The trunk is made out of blue crystals. The branches of the ‘tree’ hold a castle made of purple crystal. A balcony juts out the front. “Still not quite used to that,” Twilight mumbles.

“Hm, oh, your castle? I must admit, it is still quite strange to wake up and see that every day, but it’s starting to grow on me. It also looks absolutely fabulous against the countryside,” Rarity says. Twilight takes her eyes off the castle to look at her friend.

“It’s nice, but kinda big. It’s just really lonely with just me and Spike in there.”

“Yeah, it’s just so creepy. A place that big with no one in there,” Spike mumbles. He sees Rarity looking at him and blushes. “Well, that’s what Twilight tells me, I don’t find it scary.”

“Oh, well, at least you have your little Spikey-Wikey to look after you than,” Rarity coos, she smiles at her. Twilight returns the smile and they resume walking to the boutique.

“Yeah, at least I have him, but it’s still pretty lonely.” She moves to the side of the road to let a group of foals run by. Whispering reaches her ears as the group walks past, on occasion they look over their shoulder at her.

“Hm, I guess not everypony is meant for that type of life,” Rarity says with a shrug. They turn onto another road. Soon they arrive at the boutique, a blue aura surrounds the door and it swings open. Rarity trots in without breaking her stride, she is quickly followed by Twilight. The white unicorn places the bags on the ground. “You can put those down anywhere, I think I can handle it from here.”

“Sure.” The bags float to a corner of the room and are slowly lowered to the ground. “Is there anything else you need help with?”

“Oh, no, not right now, you’ve helped plenty. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your own royal duties. Anyways, I have my little Spikey-Wikey to help me,” Rarity coos. Twilight looks over at the dragon who is standing beside Rarity in a daze.

“Alright then, good luck with the project, Spike I expect you back home for supper.”

“Remind me when this is done that we have to go to the spa together, my treat.” Twilight nods and goes out the door. She looks back over at her castle. With a few flaps of her wings she is flying toward it. Ponies walk through the streets below pulling carts or looking at market stalls. A few ponies she can make out, but the majority seem like blurs against the background. Pegasi fly past pushing a couple of clouds with them. There’s going to be a storm I guess.

“Hey! Twilight!” someone shouts, quickly bringing her attention to the ground under her. Below her in the middle of the street is a tan brown stallion, his mane a mess of darker shades of brown and black. He is waving his forelegs frantically still trying to get her attention.

“Lore?” she asks coming down to land. She knows the stallion from around town, he used to stop at the library fairly often. He’s also one of the many ponies who offered her books to help fill the library in her new castle.

“Hey, good morning,” Lore says.

“It’s two in the afternoon.”

“Well, it’s too bad time’s relative, ain’t it? Anyways, whacha up to, busy saving the world again?”

“I was just heading home, I was going to work on some reports for the Princess.”

“Fantastic, I was just heading down that way to have a chat with you,” Lore says starting off toward the castle.

“Don’t suppose it has anything to do with Nova?” Twilight asks as she follows along, keeping to the ground this time.

“No. I was wondering if you wanted to join me on a trip.”

“A trip?”

“Yeah! Well… kinda… Tell me, what do you know about the Golden Sea?"

“It’s a desert near Saddle Arabia, isn’t it? One of the driest places in the world, and it’s home to the sphinxes.”

“Good, now how would you like go to an excavation down there?”

“An excavation?”

“Yeah, it’s being funded by the Trottingham Museum. And since my father’s a curator he managed to pull a few strings to get me onto the ship that’ll be bring some supplies to the site. Well anyways, I figured since you’re a scholar you would love a chance to go to the excavation site of ancient ruins. The tomb of King Trot I believe. There’s probably not going to be any five-star hotels for a princess to stay at but it should still be fun.”

A wide smile stretches across her face, but it lasts for only a few moments before it’s gone. “I would love to go, but I have other things to do. I have reports to write up, studying to tend to.”

Lore chuckles. “Funny, I don’t think there’s anything more important to the princess of friendship than maintaining relations with her friends and I do believe that I am your friend. Besides, sphinxes aren’t known for their hospitality, maybe you could make a new friend.”

“Well, uh… I guess you have a point,” she says with a sighs. Well, I guess I could do some studying while I’m over there.

“Imagine, you can be one of a few who gets to meet them and learn about their culture, government, writing. You can help thousands of ponies learn about this reclusive civilization. You might even become friends with one.”

Twilight smiles at the idea. “I guess I could go. It certainly sounds like it will be quite the learning experience. But what about the rest of the girls?”

“I think they’re all busy, Rainbow should be at that Wonderbolts tryouts thing. I heard about Rarity’s commision. I checked in with Applejack, she’s going to visit relatives in Manehattan. I found a note at Fluttershy’s saying that she went to the Wonderbolts thing to cheer on Dash. And I think Pinkie went to visit her family on the farm.”

“Oh…”

“Come on now, you’ll be able to tell them all about it when you come back. Besides, you’ve been through quite a bit with that whole Tirek thing, you deserve a break.”

“I suppose you’re right.” After a moment of silence Twilight sighs. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“Cool, pack your things we’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

Her smile drops slightly. That soon? “Wait, tomorrow?”

Lore gives a sheepish smile and scratches the back of his neck. “I’m not the greatest at planning.”

“How long is the trip going to be?”

“A week, give or take a day.”

“Well, I can’t just leave for a week without telling everypony.”

“Use a megaphone,” Lore says with a chuckle, Though Twilight seems to miss the joke.

“That won’t work, I have to tell my friends. They’d be worried if I’m gone for a week and they don’t know where. And what about Spike?”

“Well, I did say we leave tomorrow. You still have all of today to tell your friends and write letters to the ones who are away. If you need more time we’ll just leave later in the day. As for Spike… he can come if he wants to.”

“I don’t think he’d want to come, he’s helping Rarity with her latest commision. And I know I can leave him alone for a day or two, but I’m not so sure about a week.”

“Can’t he stay with Rarity?”

“I guess that could work, I’ll have to ask her first though. But, until I know I can’t go.”

“That’s fine, I just wanted to see if you wanted to come. Well, uh, I’ll be at my place, how about when you know whether or not you can come, you come tell me?”

“Sure,” Twilight says with a smile.

Lore gives a her a quick little bow, nothing of the formal bow that most would give to a princess. “Well, in that case, until next time.” He smiles to her once again and starts off in another direction, probably toward his house. She briefly tilts her head back and looks up at the sky, grey clouds dot the sky letting only a few rays of sunshine through.

Wanting to avoid the rain clouds Twilight opts to walk over to Rarity’s rather than fly over. She must have been talking with him for a good hour if the pegasi have moved this many clouds since she went inside. Quite a few ponies still walk along the road, even with the clouds overhead.

Her eyes drift upwards once more as a few more pegasi put another cloud in place. Guess there really is going to be a storm. Wonder if Lore knows? She pushes the thought to the back of her mind, replacing it with wonders of what she’ll find and learn. The possibility of learning about the sphinxes or even becoming friends with one too great to pass. The more she thinks about it the more excited she is for the trip, though it’s still dulled by the fact her friends won’t be there.

After a few minutes of walking the boutique comes into view. She can spot a few objects moving around inside. Looks like Rarity’s busy, I hope she has time to talk. Trotting up to the door she gives it a quick knock, a second later a blue aura surrounds the door and it swings open.

“Oh, hello Twilight.” Rarity stands at the door giving her a slightly confused look. “I thought you’d be able to spend at least more than an hour away from Spike.”

“What? Oh, it’s not that. Actually, I did want to talk to you about him.”

“What?!” she hears Spike shout from one of the back rooms.

“But, I just ran out of amethysts and we were going to find some more. I guess I could do it myself but all that digging and pulling.”

“Actually, Lore invited me on a trip to the Golden Sea. It’s going to be a week long trip and I was wondering if he could stay with you while I’m gone.” Twilight thinks she hears a gasp coming from somewhere inside the house.

“Oh… that’s rather… sudden, but I would love to look after him while you’re away. It’ll give me some time to spend with the sweetheart. When is the trip, by the way?”

“Tomorrow, Lore’s not too good with giving ponies much forewarning.”

“Well, that’s fine, he can continue to help me with my commission.”

Twilight hugs her friend with a little squee, “Oh, thank you, Rarity. I promise I’ll bring you back something.” She lets go of her Rarity, giving her a smile.

“No need, dear. I should be the one thanking you for letting me spend a little more time with him.”

They hear footsteps running from the back room. Spike comes skidding around a corner and tackles Twilight in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Don’t thank me yet, I’ll need your help for a few minutes.”

Twilight stands in front Lore’s house, it stands larger than the other houses around it. It’s wooden planks are dulled and worn, but still seem very sturdy. The roof is made of shingles rather than being thatched like most of the other buildings in Ponyville. And it seems older than most other houses in Ponyville.

She can hear music playing on just the other side of the door. Not the same kind of music she generally hears in Ponyville or Canterlot, something a bit more exotic. She gives the door a few knocks and waits for the door to open. Shuffling can be heard from the other side. Soon the door opens revealing a smiling Lore.

“Good morning,” he greets. Looking behind him Twilight spots a few bags lying in the middle of his cluttered living room.

“You know it’s still afternoon, right?”

Lore blinks a few times then shrugs, “Still morning to me.”

“I talked with Rarity, she said she could look after Spike.”

“Does that mean you’re coming?” he asks. Twilight can clearly see the anticipation in his eyes. She nods her head. “Yes!” he shouts with a bit of a hoofpump. “I promise you won’t regret this, you’ll have the time of your life. There’ll be sand, mummies, tombs, well really only one tomb but you get the idea, if we’re lucky there might even be a curse.”

Twilight chuckles at his enthusiasm, then a crack of thunder causes her to jump. She looks up at the darkening sky. “Guess I should go home and pack before I get soaked.”

“Alright, also meet me at the train station tomorrow morning.” She gives a quick nod as the first few drops begin to fall.

Author's Note:

Finally a story involving sphinxes! I've had this story on the back-burner for a while now. However, now that I've put Crimson Mare to the side for the time being, I finally have time to work on this one. I don't have too many chapters written up for it at the moment, but I plan to solve that quick enough. Anyways, as usual any spelling corrections are welcome. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Until next time,
-Sphinx