Interlude: I Take Inspired Action To Keep My Creative Spark Alive
There are nine words that every pony in Equestria fears. They are words that have heralded nearly every great catastrophe that has ravaged the land, and some Equestrian leaders have actually tried to ban them from being spoken in public. They have been known to cause grown mares to faint, and the bravest of stallions to break down and cry. Alicorns have been known to turn pale at the merest whisper of these nine dreaded words. And yet, before the time of troubles began, they were words that were heard every other day in villages all across the kingdom.
"This is sure to get us our cutie marks!"
I never thought I'd miss the sound of those words, but it has been more than a year since I've heard them. In fact, it has likely been a year since any young group of colts or fillies have uttered that phrase. The death of our hope for the future has put an end to such things. The youth of Equestria currently have far greater concerns than finding out what their purpose in life is. Just staying alive these days is a trial. A year ago, I dreaded hearing those nine words, but now, I'd gladly rip the marks off of my own flanks and nail them to the wall to be able to hear them one more time.
My name is Petite Madeleine, and I am not a baker. Oh no, if you were to call me something as crass as that, I would take it as an insult. No, I am a pâtissière, a professional pastry chef... and I am, as some of my less refined comrades would put it, about as useful as a glass hammer. I've been able to do exactly two things to aid my fellow mares since I've joined the one hundred and eight: Bake bread and provide a drop of blood for the ritual needed to revive King Sombra. That's all, and I am sorry to admit that I'm not very good at baking bread with just the most basic of ingredients. I was a chef who cooked for the princesses themselves. Celestia herself complimented me upon my cakes, Luna once smiled while smelling the aroma of my financiers, and even Discord paused his shenanigans to try a bite of my gaufre. I have cooked for princesses, kings, and queens, and have crafted delights the likes of which most common ponies can only dream of. However, in order to work my culinary magic, I need a fully stocked kitchen, something that is woefully short supply these days. I can bake basic bread, but since it's not my specialty, my own contributions pale in comparison to that of those among our number who specialize in baking peasant bread.
Without a kitchen, I'm more or less just a pretty face. With a golden coat, pink mane and tail, and blue eyes, there were any number of stallions who would have pursued me. Now? Now I had nothing to offer except a drop of my own blood for what, at the time, I had thought an insane undertaking. I'd joined in, hoping that I'd find some sort of use along the way. Instead, the only thing I'd accomplished was baking bland bread...
A sort of slow despair had been creeping into my heart since the loss of the princesses. However, as the others examined the exhausted King Sombra, I began to feel hope once again.
"Are you sure he'll be alright?" Ladyhawke asked, concerned.
"His heartbeat is strong, he's breathing deeply and regularly, and he's not injured, at least as far as I can tell," Sparkling Sunset stated, raising her head from the sleeping king's chest. "He's exhausted, and with good reason, but he'll be fine after he's gotten some sleep, I think."
The archon, that faceless... thing that seemed to be the guardian of Sanctuary, said, "There are a number of sleeping areas that can be provided for his recovery. I will lead you to them."
I surprised myself by announcing, "And while you do that, I'll begin preparations for the celebration."
Lady and Sunset looked at me with matching looks of confusion, and asked, "What?"
"For the last year," I explained, "We've all suffered through hardships, watched our world get turned upside, and have been powerless to do anything about it. However, today, we've succeeded in our goal, the revival of King Sombra. We've secured Sanctuary, the fortress from which we will begin retaking our homeland. We've witnessed the defeat of a fiend, something that, before today, we would have all believed impossible. We've even seen Diretusk's army flee in fear. For the first time since the princesses fell, we have something worth celebrating. If there was ever a time to throw a party, it's now."
The two ponies paused, thoughtful.
"She's right," a voice said by my side, startling me. I looked over to see Acorn, the forester, who had somehow walked up beside me without making a noise. I'd make a comment about needing to put a bell on her, but that's been tried: She once, during our journey, had temporarily donned a jester's costume outfitted with over one hundred little jingling bells, and had proven to as stealthy with it on as she was normally. She can be so stealthy that I'd almost swear she wasn't Equine...
"Morale is important," Acorn continued, bluntly. "If we don't celebrate a victory like the one we've had today, then it loses its meaning. It's been a long, hard road, and we need to let everypony know, no, feel how important today was. A party is exactly what we need. Besides, even with this fortress up and running, it'll take a few days to get anywhere. I can't imagine anything better we could do with that time."
Sunset tapped a hoof against her chin, then nodded, and said, "Alright. I'll leave it to you to get it all done. How long will you need?"
"I'll need a few things to make a proper feast," I admitted, "and the rest of the day, and perhaps most of tomorrow, to get a proper spread prepared. Plus, our king needs time to finish his recovery. So, tomorrow evening, I think." I looked over at the Archon, and asked, "You said that there were food stores available?"
The archon nodded, and said, "After the King of Fools has been seen to, I will be free to bring you everything you will require, and I can also guide you to the kitchens."
Grinning, I said, "Good, thank you." I turned towards the assembled mares, I added, "And anypony who can cook, or just wants to feel useful, feel free to lend a hoof." Looking over at the fillies, I added, "And I'm sure there will be plenty for you little ones to do, as well."
The Archon nodded, and left, leading the other ponies bearing King Sombra away, leaving only myself and the cooking crew. When the archon returned, she led myself, and the other mares and fillies, to the kitchens. As we walked, I heard one filly whisper to one of the others nine words. Nine terrible, horrible, wonderful, beautiful little words.
"This is sure to get us our cutie marks!"
Perhaps our hope for the future is not as dead as I thought it was...
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INTERLUDE UP!!!
You are french. Hon hon!
https://youtu.be/BZstUJQ2QLg?t=4m47s
Great chapter.
why did you have to bring up pasties?
I'm hungry damm it!
Somebody has been reading this manga recently. http://m.mangafox.me/manga/nanoha_yougashiten_no_ii_shigoto
Hmm... Interesting...
And so the Crusaider Spirit is show to have no bounds to pony, time, or space!! THE FUTURE IS TREE SAP!!!! Also, even money on Sombra getting a mech-suit down the line. ANY TAKERS!?!?1
Great work, loved the highlight of how one's own talents in a bad situation can effect a pony. Well done!
So glad I have Krispy Kremes in the next room right now.
A nice little chapter. Good job.
I imagine Acorn's gonna get a nice bit of a meal from the party...
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My money is on Sombra looking at the feast when he wakes up and lamenting the lack of pizza.
I laughed at the mention of putting a bell on Acorn ... was that meant to be an "Affliction of the Heart" reference? Still, I'd say a celebration is more than due right now.
"to be as stealthy with it on..."
Also, that's impressive.
Something doesn't feel quite right there. Maybe it should end with "and added," or be "Turning towards the assembled mares I added,"
Sombra has sharp teeth, but does that mean he can eat meat or are they just for astethetic purposes? I wonder if he would feel a bit underwhelmed after appraising all the food to find that it's lacking meat?
5985648 All equines can digest meat, their digestive systems can do everything ours can, and seeing as they're primarily herbivores they have adapted to breaking down cellulose and other plant materials into proteins that other animals obtain by eating meat (Something we can't do). This does not however mean that equines and other herbivores won't eat meat if it's available, there is a growing body of research on the topic of herbivores eating meat and practising predation if you are interested in the topic.
This is more of a short interlude than a chapter, might've been better to fuse this with the next chapter.
5985760
Sorry, this was supposed to be an Interlude, but I failed to mark it as such. My bad.
5984891 Nnnaaah, it's not. Just checked myself.
Petite Madeleine has a great point; morale helps keep the spirit of troops up. A low morale can spell disaster for an army, since it prevents the troops from fighting with confidence. (Low morale also freezes a troop stack in the "Heroes of Might and Magic" series, but luckily, you can avoid that if you don't mix troops up too much or if you pick up enough skills or artifacts to boost your morale level.)
And now, it's time to update this list:
-Rosy Sunset- Crystal filly with a pegasus doll.
-Miss Bubbles- Rosy's pegasus doll. Has awesome powers due to blood magic.
-Ginger Ale- a filly and a lone survivor in a destroyed village.
-Acorn- a changeling who disguised herself as an earth pony with dull brown coat, a darker shade for mane and tail, both unstyled and unadorned, but with bright green eyes. Has acorn for cutie mark. Is known as a forester due to the cloak that she is wearing.
-Sweet Melody- A yellowish mare with neither wings nor horn, but with a long and flowing mane and tail, and cutie mark that depicted a g-clef surrounded by little pink hearts. Has blue eyes.
-Radiant Hope- A fluffy pony with dark purple in coloration, but with a splash of light blue where her mane would be. Has the ability to pull random objects out of its magical fur, including a violin and a pink surfboard.
-Petite Madeleine- A unicorn/pegasus/earth pony with a golden coat, pink mane and tail, and blue eyes. She is a patisserie and used to bake for the royalty before joining the 108 mares to resurrect King Sombra.
I'm going to assume that Petite is a unicorn pony based on the "baking magic", but it's possible that she's a pegasus or an earth pony as well. (Flying around and carrying stuff on the shelf, or using earth pony strength to lift heavy materials.)
5986577 Hey thanks for keeping track of the introduced chatacters, it really helps me out when I'm trying to remember who we have seen in the story thus far.
"After the King of Fools has been seen to, I will be free to bring you everything you will require, and I can also guide you to the kitchens."
*Nods Sagely* One of the greatest honors it is, to be called a Fool. Just ask Minato and Souji.
And I thought the deadliest nine words you could say to equines in Equestria were... Um... Uh- , S-Something about a glue factory and-... Damn it! Why didn't I write that joke down!? It was comedy gold!!!
Ugh, anyway, nice interlude by the way. And I can't wait to see what happens next.
5986640
You're welcome! I'm glad to hear that!
5987619
Sombra introduced himself to the archon as the King Of Fools. Technically, up until now, it has only referred to him as a fool, so using the full title is actually a step up, rather than down.
This was a sweet chapter. It brings to mind that old phrase, "You never know what you have until it's gone".
5985163 Be careful what you wish for. Oh damn it.
I hate that saying. When making a wish, you just need a bloody lawyer!
There needs to be another fic where the main six end up in this universe waaaay into the future where King Sombre is a celebrated hero. Then having them meet the Alt! Main six including a Sombre trained Twilight, who's a bit more ruthless but still a good pony/person.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
Let's see if she ever finds out how very right she was
W- wait? I...no... There needs to be more!!!
this sanctuary reminds me of the borderlands 2 sanctuary
6000215 That's what I was thinking!
Great job
So... she's a baker?
Cutie Mark Crusaders: Transcends even time itself.
6073120 She is a 'good' baker.
The archon is female-shaped? Weird, all this time I was picturing something more Starswirl the Bearded-ish, looking down on Ambrose's ignorance. Now I can't help but think of Ygritte from Game of Thrones... You know nothing, Som-Bro.
I feel hungry just reading this chapter and I just cooked and ate spaghetti and meat sauce just 2 hours ago! For anyone curious I used Rao's Homemade brand marinara sauce. Add some garlic to the sauce and it turns out tasting very close to Olive Garden marinara.
Heh, Acorn will surely be part of the Council...
Awww, the predecessors of CMCs
Sounds like my second cat...
I mean that literally, we put a bell on her to stop her from killing birds, and it did nothing!
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Isn't there some old fable about putting a bell on a cat? Reminds me of that.
The good cry
Oh dear gods