Passing Judgment
Chapter 20: Passing Judgment
"So...what is the plan...exactly?" asked Perlin as he stood with Elderflower.
The two of them were currently seated in a private booth in one of Canterlot's elite restaurants. Granted, it was neither the most extravagant restaurant in the city, nor had they booked the nicest room. Elderflower was only a Baron after all. However, Elderflower liked the food in this place just fine; liked it more, in fact, than some of the higher tier establishments that could be found in the city. It helped that the owner was tight lipped, perhaps out of accommodation for Elderflower's generous patronage. As such, the Baron was not overly concerned that anypony who worked here would leak word to the Guard that Elderflower was in the company of a wanted criminal.
"The plan is to wait," said Elderflower calmly, "The Royal Warrant selection is a much too obvious time to act. All of my current rivals will try much more heavy-hoofed approaches to the affair and will likely end up overextending themselves."
"And if one of them actually succeeds?" asked Perlin.
"Succeeds in what...precisely?" retorted Elderflower, "Most of them seem to think that backing Applejack and Rarity's competitors is a means of securing victory. At most, that will simply maintain the status-quo, but it won't gain them any additional leverage over Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps one or two of them might actively try to assist Dame Sparkle's friends in obtaining their Royal Warrants, but I wouldn't put any stock in them actually succeeding."
"I admittedly doubt they would have much luck with that," agreed Perlin, "In that case, what is it exactly that you intend to do?"
"At this point, I intend to stay out of it, for the most part," said Elderflower, dabbing lightly at his lips with a napkin, "After approaching Twilight Sparkle so brazenly after Hearth's Warming, practically everypony is expecting some sort of move from me."
"Especially after you returned without anything to show from your little expedition to Ponyville," noted Perlin wryly, his barb drawing an angry twitch from Elderflower's eyebrow.
"There is...that...to consider as well," said Elderflower through gritted teeth as he was clearly biting down on an angry remark, "But I don't need to prove anything to my peers or my superiors. They don't understand the greater issues at stake yet. Besides, it will be much more to my benefit if Rarity and Applejack obtain their Warrants and do so fairly."
"Because it proves your philosophy," ventured Perlin.
Elderflower smiled and nodded. "Exactly. Applejack, the earth pony farmer from the country town of Ponyville...if she obtains the Royal Warrant in the agricultural products division, she can be held up as a sterling example of the pinnacle of what earth ponies are capable of, should they apply themselves to their proper field. Likewise, Rarity, a designer of high fashion, one who would set the trends for the elite of the nation, is a unicorn. In many ways, they will serve as excellent examples to the nation as we move forward."
Perlin bit back an annoyed sigh. He had to admit that it was his fault for bringing the topic up in the first place. However, that didn't mean he enjoyed hearing the Baron's lecture every. single. time anything remotely related to his ideals came into the conversation. It was an obsession bordering on fanaticism, something Perlin found more annoying than anything else.
"So...what are you planning then?" he asked.
Elderflower smiled. It was a chilly expression that seemed to lower the ambient temperature of the room. "Simply put, I expect for Rarity and Applejack to obtain the Royal Warrants without too much struggle. However, what is important is what comes after that. Both of them shall attract a powerful new customer base for their respective products. With that customer base and with their confidence that they will no longer be under the threat of constant attempts at manipulation, their guards will drop."
"And what will that do for you then?" asked Perlin.
"Nothing too special," said Elderflower, "Just a minor disaster."
"A disaster, you say," said Perlin, "Do your new mercenaries have something to do with that?"
"They are an insurance policy for a...different plan," said Elderflower, "I don't expect to need their, admittedly blunt, skill-set unless every other means at my disposal has failed me. You could say they are a tool for the truly desperate."
"In other words, the fact that you've gone through the trouble of obtaining them ahead of time seems to suggest that you anticipate the possibility of you being truly desperate in the future being quite strong," mused Perlin.
That drew a sigh from his employer. "Yes...but that is ultimately more for safety's sake than anything else. The allies we've acquired recently have been making similar acquisitions; hiring mercenaries, both domestic and foreign; increasing the ranks of their mares at arms; looking into new forms of battle magic...If our hooves are truly forced..."
"You really think that a coup would succeed, much less allow you to maintain your power for any length of time?" asked Perlin with a raised eyebrow.
"If a simple coup is what we were planning," said Elderflower, "But the truth is that our ultimate goal in that case will be a mission of acquisition. We are aiming to seize something important that we can then use to truly bring about the era that we seek. I would much prefer to bring about a more stable, subtle change that will allow us to maintain the Princesses' rule, but the others are a bit more eager to challenge them directly."
"So you are using your current schemes to attempt to waylay that plan," said Perlin.
Elderflower nodded. "It would be for the best if we could reestablish control of the nation while leaving its governmental infrastructure intact. That would simplify matters considerably."
"I see..." said Perlin, silently wondering to himself just what kind of disaster Baron Elderflower had in mind.
Dawn relaxed, taking a deep breath before letting it out as he allowed his mind to empty of thoughts. The feeling of his body grew distant, his senses fading from his awareness. Then...slowly, his awareness itself began to fade. It was a state not dissimilar from simple unconsciousness. In this state, he could scarcely feel anything from his body. Coherent thought was impossible.
In this state, there was the Art and nothing else.
Dawn's body went slowly into motion. His wings folding and extending, his steps moving fluidly from one stance to the next. Feathers agitated the air beneath his wings, creating a faint buzz that built until crackling sparks began to leap from one feather to the next, forming a chain between his extended primaries until it lashed out in a bolt with but a flick of his wing, striking a distant target with a thunderous boom. The power circulated around and through his body, never stopping, never slowing. He didn't try to contain it or force it to conform to a particular path. Rather, he instead guided its movement by providing it with a path. By forming a closed circle with it, he could essentially keep it in place indefinitely and even build its power to make the next release all the more devastating.
A nimbus of blue-white electrical energy began to swirl about Dawn's ebony body. Directed by his wings, it swirled in circular patterns while he danced in the center of the strange calm of his self-created storm. All the while, without thinking, his body slipped from one movement to the next, one form to the next, never stopping, repeating endlessly.
Scootaloo watched from a safe distance, carefully peeking out from behind a nearby boulder, just in case Dawn's control faltered. Watching him made her eyes water a little as she strained to keep her focus on her coltfriend and teacher. At times, his form was indistinct, blurred by the constant arcs of lightning that surrounded him. At times, it seemed difficult to figure out where the colt ended and where the lightning began. Dawn's body seemed to blur, fade, and morph, at times becoming one with the swirling energy around him.
That energy was changing too. With each repetition, the arcs became less harsh and wild. Instead of jumping from one feather to the next or arcing outwards before jumping back in, they instead seemed to bleed together into a sort of haze that collected in the air around Dawn, moving in much the same way that the wind he usually controlled moved for him. It was as though he was taking the lightning and turning it into something else.
Licking her lips, Scootaloo swallowed hard when she realized the truth of Dawn's movements. He wasn't thinking about them at all. Rather, the countless hours upon days upon years of endless repetitions had embedded the forms into the fabric of Dawn's body, until their movements were no different for the colt than breathing. Going through the forms did not require conscious input on his part, which was why he was capable of doing this now. Enviously, Scootaloo hoped that, someday, she could obtain that same level of mastery for herself.
Finally, Dawn slowly came to a stop. The haze of energy that surrounded him seemed to disperse into the air with a faint buzz. His wings lowered slightly before he folded them back in. His eyes opened and blinked a few times, looking dazed and distant, as though he had trouble recalling his awareness back to the present.
Seeing that it was safe to approach, Scootaloo crept out from behind her cover and approached the colt. As she got closer, she could see that the intense practice session had taken its toll. Dawn's mane was matted down with sweat and his coat was similarly damp.
"Wow," she said as she came up to him, "Does this mean you're a master now?"
"I don't think so," said Dawn simply, "It still takes too much work to enter into the proper state of mind. Until I can do it immediately and without any need for preparation, I can't really call it true mastery."
"But it's getting close," said Scootaloo, "That was amazing. What was that thing you did with the lightning?"
"That..." Dawn lifted out one of his wings and inspected it. Scootaloo was impressed to note that it wasn't the slightest bit scorched. But, then again, it had been a while since Dawn had accidentally burnt one of his feathers while practicing with lightning. "That was...trying something Arkenstone suggested to me."
"What's that?" asked Scootaloo.
"Well..."
"So...what exactly does it mean to be a master?" asked Dawn as he looked across the table at Arkenstone.
The beige stallion shrugged with a chuckle. "Some say true mastery is understanding that you are never truly a master, but always a student." Feeling Dawn's deadpan glare, Arkenstone grinned. "Ultimately, mastery is a study in contradictions. In certain circles, it is referred to as the Void, Nothingness, and other such names."
"The erasure of the Self?" asked Dawn.
"Not so much an erasure as a gestalt," said Arkenstone, "It is difficult to describe using words because much of it seems quite contradictory when using crude language.
"However, suffice to say it is the complete absorption of the Self; thoughts, emotions, sensation...They are at once at the forefront and yet nonexistent. You do not think, yet you move as though you've thought a hundred moves ahead. The world itself seems to grow distant, and yet you become one with its nature."
"How does one reach that state?' asked Dawn.
"You've touched upon it yourself," Arkenstone pointed out, "Especially recently. You first approached it when you discovered how to wield lightning. You came further during your recent battles, particularly against Willow and those griffon mercenaries. What lies ahead is a more complete immersion. You've only managed it briefly or managed to prolong it for a particular purpose. Only when you reach that state, irrespective of your situation and aims, will you be able to truly claim to have obtained mastery."
"Is there a way for me to get closer?" asked Dawn.
"Practice," said Arkenstone, getting a clear "I knew that already" glare from Dawn. "In truth, the best way to approach it would be to continue working with your forms. The great strength of the Gale King, of all the Three Pillars is that the foundations, the basics you first learned, are the key to reaching the art's pinnacle. All the fancy tricks you can perform with your Art are mere window dressings in a sense. The true way to mastering it lies in that constant drive to polish that which you already have learned."
"I'd figured as much," said Dawn, "After all, the forms are the same, regardless of which of the wind techniques I use them for."
Arkenstone's smile widened. "In those words lies a deeper truth," he said, "Think about it...why would the forms be the same regardless of your chosen technique?"
"Simplicity," said Dawn, "The simplest way to learn a technique is through a slight variation on a way you already know."
"Let me put it another way," said Arkenstone, "What does it say about those techniques that they can be learned through the same five forms?"
"That they..." Dawn frowned, his brow furrowing. "...are...the same...?"
"Exactly," said Arkenstone, sounding more than a little pleased, "Whether it is through the projection of the air, its formation into a blade, or the generation and manipulation of lightning, the truth of those three root techniques of the Gale King is not merely that they stem from the same basic movements but rather, at a fundamental level, the divisions between them do not truly exist. Once you truly understand that, there will not be three separate techniques, but one single technique that can be wielded in a thousand different ways. True mastery of the Gale King will emerge when your separate techniques become one and the same.”
"One and the same...?" said Dawn, canting his head and perking his ears in confusion.
"To put it in a more simple parlance, try to do everything at once," said Arkenstone with an enigmatic smile, "In any case, my best advice is for you to continue doing what you already have. You are making excellent progress. At times, it may seem slow, painfully slow. But you must simply continue to push forward as you always have. Remember, if you try to rush it, you will only end up undoing all the hard work that you've done up to this point."
Dawn bowed his head in acknowledgment of Arkenstone's words.
"That doesn't make a lot of sense," said Scootaloo.
"Not to me either," said Dawn, "Arkenstone has never not given me sound advice. But that is a matter for another time. Right now...are you ready to continue?"
"Yeah," said Scootaloo. Taking a second, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and relax her body, "Let's do this."
Dawn smiled at her. "Then let us resume your rapid-movement training. Take the stance and begin."
"Phew..." Applejack took a moment to swipe her arm across her forehead. The heat from the stoves and ovens was really starting to get to her. While Sweet Apple Acres marketed baked goods as well as fresh produce, Applejack didn't have the kind of experience in the kitchen that her friend Pinkie Pie did. Using the Apple Family homestead's kitchen was a far cry from working the kitchen of a more professional establishment and minding multiple ovens and stoves at the same time. She counted herself an excellent baker, second only to her grandmother in that respect. However, when it came to producing baked goods in bulk...
Applejack counted herself lucky that this wasn't anything resembling a formal cooking competition. After all, she wasn't a chef or a restaurant owner. She was an apple farmer. Thus, the goal of the competition wasn't to show her skills as a chef and produce dishes to wow the judges. Rather, it was to produce a range of products that would best showcase the advantages of her produce. She, like the other competitors had been given time to make the preparations they needed, a generous allotment of about three hours. While it was perfectly acceptable to use pre-made products, provided it could be proven that their main ingredients had been produced on the competitor's farm, some things worked best if they were made fresh.
A piping-hot apple pie landed on the table. A short bit later, Applejack's own version of her grandmother's famous apple cake came to rest next to it, followed by apple tarts, apple bread, apple muffins (a staple, now that Ditzy was a member of the household), apple cupcakes (courtesy of Pinkie Pie), and even a bowl of applesauce. That last item was made using a combination of regular apples and wintersilk apples that Applejack had spent the winter season refining. The spices had come courtesy of Arkenstone, who had happily allowed Applejack access to the stocks his teahouse used in order to experiment with her recipes. He had even offered to help set her up with the spice dealers who worked out of Saddle Arabia and supplied him with his ingredients. Normally not one for charity, Applejack was quite happy she'd accepted the generosity of Twilight's coltfriend. She needed every edge she could get in this competition.
Also on display were bushels of some of Sweet Apple Acres' best cultivars, including the wintersilk apples. Applejack wished she'd had some zap apples to work with, but all of those had been used at the conclusion of the last Zap Apple Season. She did have a couple jars of her farm's signature zap apple jam, which had been made by Apple Bloom. Finally, there were some of Applejack's bestselling products, including Sweet Apple Acres' cider, both hard and not, as well as her namesake liquor and, finally, her brand new wintersilk cider and wintersilk applejack, both of which were made from a blend of different apples to help offset the incredible sweetness of the wintersilk apples. Like the applesauce, Applejack had spent the better part of the winter season refining those recipes, using an ecstatic Rainbow Dash as her taste tester.
Finally, there was a bottle of her secret weapon. Every year, apples from over a hundred different varieties, all grown on Sweet Apple Acres, were pressed into a cider and then distilled before being put into a barrel to age. The resulting drink was often aged for two years or longer. The contents, known as calvados, were bottled and sold to several upscale restaurants across the country. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh had always handled the particulars of that specific facet of the family business. For this occasion, Granny Smith had tapped one of the family's oldest barrels, furnishing Applejack with a bottle of calvados that had been aged for twenty years.
With the last of her finished works sliding into place, Applejack took a second to relax herself after the tension of working so hard and so quickly. This was a much different task from applebucking, especially considering the number of factors she had to pay attention to and the precise timing to ensure nothing was burned or over/undercooked. Fortunately, she'd spent the days leading up to the competition working with her grandmother, who had much more practice in the kitchen and especially in the art of preparing multiple dishes. Thanks to that, Applejack was able to bring her A-game.
And she needed it. As much as she would have liked to think she had this competition all trussed up, she had to admit that she was facing some pretty stiff competition. There was a Manehattan company that owned several farms abroad that furnished the royal kitchens with a variety of fruits and vegetables that simply couldn't be grown in Equestria. There was the owner of a plantation in the Polyneighsian Islands that grew a variety of tropical fruits. From a small seaside town Applejack had never heard of, was the owner of a rather successful kelp farm. Also, there were the purveyors of carrots, cabbages, and alfalfa (which, contrary to certain rumors, the Princesses actually enjoyed quite a bit). The majority of them, Applejack had noted, were much bigger, from a financial standpoint, than her country orchard. Many of them had entire teams of hired hooves working the fields all year round to ensure a variety of crops made it to the market each season. Out of all of them, only a couple, like Applejack herself, actually still sold their produce at local markets. Pretty much all of them were better-funded than her, most of them having hired professional chefs to do any cooking that was required.
"I see that you're ready."
"Huh?" Looking up, Applejack blinked in surprise as she regarded the pony who stood across the table from her. A spindly-looking unicorn was smiling politely across the table at her. His coat was an orangish-brown color, over which he wore a dark-green sweater. His mane and tail were a pale-yellow with a streak of white running through them. Brilliant-purple eyes looked out at her from behind the tinted lenses of his glasses.
"Are ya one 'o the judges then?" asked Applejack, eyeing the stranger warily. He wasn't the first pony to approach her since the competition began. Many of the other competitors, feeling free to leave the actual work to their hired professionals, had wandered throughout the convention hall that had been booked for the event, scoping out the competition, exchanging friendly greetings and polite jabs with one another. More than a few of them had passed by Applejack's stall, happy to either compliment her on her work ethic or subtly tease her for having to do all the work herself (while subtly trying to disrupt her rhythm and undermine her efforts). Applejack had tuned them out, having been too busy moving from one task to the next to answer them.
"That would be correct," said the stallion, still smiling, "The name's Trenderhoof, travel writer extraordinaire! You've probably heard of me or read one of my articles." He gave Applejack a winning grin, the light reflecting off his polished teeth so perfectly that Applejack could have sworn that she heard a faint ping at the same time.
"Ah can't say Ah have," said Applejack, her words prompting the smile to fall like a rock from the stallion's face, "Ah don't read too many magazines and the like," she said, "The best Ah do is the mornin' paper. Sorry."
Trenderhoof coughed delicately. "It's perfectly alright," he conceded, "I understand that you might be a bit too busy for such things. I will be one of the judges for this competition. I've tried the fare at numerous restaurants across Equestria and beyond it. I've even eaten some things that just about any normal Equestrian would balk at."
"Like what?" asked Applejack, raising an eyebrow.
"Such as batter-fried grub worms and grilled spider-kabobs, for just a couple of examples," said Trenderhoof, chuckling at the brief look of revulsion that washed across Applejack's face, "I can't say they were the best things I've ever eaten, but they do have a unique flavor that has a charm all its own...if you can get your mind past the package that it comes in."
"Ah'll...take yer word fer it," said Applejack, her face taking on a slightly greenish cast.
"Sorry," said Trenderhoof, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Suffice to say, I have a great deal of experience when it comes to judging foods, their ingredients, and the ponies that cook them."
"That's good to hear," said Applejack, "So are ya gonna start judgin' right now."
"I'd love to," said Trenderhoof, already selecting an apple for himself. Because this wasn't a competition between chefs, the time-limit given was more for the purposes of keeping the competition to a manageable time. Competitors were free to submit their work for judgment when they were ready.
Trenderhoof started with the apples directly, tasting a few different varieties to get an idea of the range of flavors that Sweet Apple Acres offered. After that, he began trying tastes of the different foods Applejack had prepared with them to see just how well the apples could be used. His every expression was suitably impressed and it was clear that he was enjoying himself greatly. Finally, he finished his judgment by trying samples of Applejack's ciders and other drinks. He was especially impressed by the family calvados.
"Excellent," said Trenderhoof, levitating up a notepad and using a quill to write on it, "Your apples are clearly of the highest quality. I'd estimate that your farm has been established for five, maybe six generations, given the degree of flavor. These are from last year's harvests, correct?"
"That's right," said Applejack, genuinely impressed by the fact that the writer was able to discern so much from just tasting her fare.
"As I thought," said Trenderhoof, "The fact that they still taste so fresh is a testament to the level of your farm's Cultivation. In some ways, it's an advantage to have a smaller establishment that has been in one family for several generations as opposed to larger operations that might be worked by ponies from multiple lines, many of whom are temporary hires."
"That so?" said Applejack, a little surprised, "Ah thought that earth pony magic was the same wherever ya went?"
"A common misconception, even among earth ponies," said Trenderhoof, "While every earth pony working in a given area can contribute to the Cultivation, the fact is that earth ponies from the same family will have magic that is complementary to one another, which amplifies the effect, while land that is worked by ponies who, individually, don't invest a great deal of time, typically on the order of years, will have their individual magics, which won't mesh as well and thus weaken the overall effect. Cultivation will still occur, of course, but its effects won't be as pronounced as they are on family farms."
"Ah see..." said Applejack, surprised that a unicorn like this fellow would know so much about earth pony magic, even more than she did in fact. Likely, it was a consequence of his wide-ranging travels and meeting with a great number of ponies and non-ponies that had given him such an impressive range of knowledge. She wondered if Twilight or Arkenstone knew half as much about this particular detail of earth pony magic.
In the meantime, Trenderhoof was moving on in his assessment. "Clearly, your skills as a baker are first-class and your work definitely showcases the flavor of your apples, rather than covering them up with other ingredients. Your apple pie was divine, of course, but I was rather taken with the muffins myself."
"Thanks," said Applejack with a slight giggle, "Ah've gotten a lot 'o practice in makin' 'em lately." After all, it was Ditzy's favorite breakfast food. On top of that, they were nice and portable, which meant that Apple Bloom and Dinky could take some to school with them.
"Next, your beverages," said Trenderhoof, "Your family's cider is unquestionably some of the best that I've ever had the opportunity to drink. I'm especially impressed that you went for a blend of cultivars to produce a rather robust flavor. A great many cider-makers try to emphasize a particular flavor, usually sweetness, too much and neglect some of the options different apples bring to the table. Your liquors are all top-class and I could see them being sold in some of the finest bars across Equestria. Finally, your calvados..." Trenderhoof coughed delicately. "...I haven't tasted anything like it in all of my travels. I've had many fine brandies, but yours is definitely one of the best."
"Thanks," said Applejack, smiling warmly. From the sound of things, this was going very well. Granted, Trenderhoof was only one of the judges, but he was clearly enjoying her work a great deal.
"Finally," said Trenderhoof, "There are your two more...unique products. You have the zap apples and the wintersilk apples, which, if I understand correctly, are grown on your farm and nowhere else."
"That's right," said Applejack, "Our zap apple jam is what led to Ponyville's foundin' back in the day..." She laid out the story of how Granny Smith had discovered that particular strain of apple.
"Yes...I've heard of your family's signature zap apple jam," said Trenderhoof, "I must say that it doesn't disappoint. Then there are your wintersilk apples, which I understand you've only just started growing recently."
"That's right," said Applejack.
"It must be difficult managing two such magical strains of apple," observed the stallion.
"Not so much," said Applejack, "Them zap apples only have their season once a year. The wintersilks are easier, 'cause they ain't as fussy. But they grow durin' the dead 'o winter, so it's no picnic. But at least we don't have to worry 'bout tryin' to grow both at the same time."
Trenderhoof nodded, making more notes before putting his notebook and quill away. "I am very impressed with your products, Miss Applejack. I simply must acknowledge the skill of the mare who managed to do such an excellent job."
Applejack nodded, blushing faintly at his praise. If she wasn't mistaken, she might have heard something of a flirtatious tone in Trenderhoof's voice. She didn't really expect anything to come of it. Hopefully he was too professional to try and proposition her while the competition was ongoing. Besides, he didn't seem like her type and, more importantly, she had a special somepony that suited her just fine already.
Saying farewell, Trenderhoof went off to continue the judgment elsewhere as Applejack braced herself for the next pony to come by and assess the literal fruits of her labors.
"Let's see..." said Rarity, her magic gently tugging at a hem to make sure it was properly in place, "There! Perfect!" Looking up at the clock, she noticed that there were only a few more minutes for her and Coco to finish their preparations. They had six models to work with. Two from each tribe to best demonstrate the designer's ability to accommodate different body types and color-sets. Right off the bat, Rarity noticed that she had an advantage. Given that the field of fashion was typically unicorn-dominated, a great many of her competitors had shown up mostly focusing on dresses for unicorns, which had resulted in more than a few pegasi hitting the stage with dresses that covered up their wings and earth ponies strutting out wearing garments that didn't suit them or show off their natural attributes at all. The consequences had left her rivals neatly hamstrung, despite the fact that many of them had the resources to acquire expensive foreign fabrics and exotic extras.
There were a few others who were more on the ball, but Rarity was willing to bet that her secret weapon would definitely give her the advantage.
Checking to make sure that Coco was suitably distracted by the fittings she was performing, Rarity turned to the two models who most concerned her at the moment, the two earth ponies. Rarity wanted to be absolutely sure that they were looking their best. It was a bit tricky, mostly because her own inner perfectionist wanted desperately to modify the dresses to give them a bit more flair. However, Rarity steadfastly refused to touch the designs, save to make sure they were fitted properly, partly because both dresses were already excellent, if a bit understated for her tastes, but mostly because those dresses weren't hers.
A few minutes later, their time was up. Rarity and Coco watched from off to the side as the announcer called Rarity's name. All things considered, the tone of the affair was a bit more subdued than most fashion shows Rarity attended, partly due to an overwhelming absence of the press. Photographers from a few noteworthy newspapers were present. However, the majority of the audience, which would have normally included any number of reporters and photographers, representing everything from high-end magazines to supermarket tabloids, had been replaced by the ponies who were most heavily vested in seeing the talents on display. There were high-ranking socialites of every stripe, from Canterlot nobles to wealthy business magnates from Manehattan and Trottingham. Here and there, she spotted notable directors and costumers from Bridleway, as well as major stars, many of whom were looking for the pony whose work they most looked forward to acquiring.(1)
"And now...hailing from the town of Ponyville, which rests just a short distance away from our fair city, comes the works of the proprietor of Carousel Boutique, Miss Rarity!" called the announcer in his usual enthusiastic tone. Coming up to stand next to him, Rarity proceeded to provide commentary, explaining the attributes of each model's dress as she took the stage.
As a consequence, there was much less ambient noise as the models took the stage. The pegasi came first. Rarity had looked to her friends, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, for inspiration when it came to designing this particular pair of dresses. The first mare, a pegasus with a coat of a lovely robin's egg-blue and a dark pink mane strutted out, the folds of her skirt, a drifting white number composed of light fabric that was slightly transparent, spreading out behind her like a second pair of wings, which perfectly complemented the ones she already had. The mare had been surprised to find that she needed to preen her feathers back into shape after spending the last three runs with her wings tightly enclosed by ill-fitting dresses designed by other competitors. However, the preening done, those wings were now spread proudly as the mare showed them off to the spectators with a great deal of enthusiasm. The second pegasus was a dark, rose-red, which nicely contrasted with the pale blue of the silky dress that clung to her shapely body, seeming to flow like water in her wake as she sailed along the runway.
Already, Rarity could see the stirrings of interest in the judges' eyes as they watched the show. They'd already seen so many missteps today that seeing somepony actually showcasing a range of products for ponies of all three tribes was a genuine breath of fresh air. However, Rarity had decided to save the knockout punch for last.
Next were the unicorns. With these dresses, Rarity had gone for the gusto when it came to embellishment. The mare currently stepping out on the runway was decked out in a white lace miniskirt that barely came past her haunches with clear gemstone fragments woven into the fabric, glittering fantastically in the light. It was one of Rarity's more risqué designs. Behind her came came another unicorn, this one decked out in a more conservative dress of dark ruffles, using different designs to change both the texture and shading of the skirt in subtle ways.
On all four of these dresses, Rarity had exercised her greatest skills, utilizing everything she had developed whilst designing her friends' dresses for the Winter Gala. She happily regaled the judges and the audience with how each dress not only sported its own unique look, but a texture, sound, and scent all its own that brought its wearer's beauty to to the forefront in nearly all of the viewer's senses. Prim Hemline, one of the three main judges, was leaning across her desk, staring in fascination at Rarity's work.
Unable to keep the grin off her face, Rarity chortled as the first of the two unicorns reached the end of the runway. As the mare came to a stop, her magic pulsed and the dressed suddenly morphed, its entire design and form shifting. Now she was clad in a shimmering ballgown, suitable for the Grand Galloping Gala. The transformation drew startled gasps from the audience and the judges. Hoity Toity was actually taken so severely by surprise that he pushed sharply backward from his seat and ended up on his back.
As Rarity explained the attributes of her new shimmersilk, the second unicorn model arrived at the end of the runway. Likewise, her magic flared and the ruffled, subtly-shaded dress suddenly seemed to burst into a feathery ensemble in a riot of carefully coordinated colors.
In both cases, Rarity had designed the dresses to highlight the extent to which her shimmersilk's transformative capabilities could alter the dress. As such, she had mostly gone for contrast when coming up with the alternate forms for each dress. However, that was only scratching the surface of what her new fabric was capable of.
The display had completely shocked the audience into silence as they stared in awe at the two unicorn mares making their way back towards backstage. Steeling herself, Rarity forced herself to keep from breaking into an exuberant, Pinkie Pie-style grin, as the final pair of models took the stage.
"Now then," she said, "I've regaled you about the qualities of my work. However, for the final two pieces I am displaying, I believe that it is best to let them speak for themselves. Ladies! If you please..."
Rarity got a certain sense of satisfaction as she heard Coco's gasp of surprise from offstage as the first of the two earth pony models came trotting out. The first mare was a lovely shade of yellow with a light-blue mane. Rarity had decked her out in a surprisingly simple-looking affair. However, it suited the mare quite perfectly. The lime-green bodice gave way to a pale-pink skirt composed of three smooth, overlapping sections that draped across and down her backside like the petals of a flower. It was a good bit more understated than Rarity's usual work, which was fine, given that it wasn't Rarity's.
The second mare was a light, silvery gray in color. Rather than bright, vibrant colors, she was decked out in a rather simple dress with dark greens and browns, with a faint frosting of silver embroidery along the hem. For Rarity, it called to mind the image of a pine tree shedding the last vestiges of melting snow during the onset of spring. Once again, it was simple, understated, and obviously not Rarity's work.
From her position, Rarity could see Coco Pommel just barely leaning in slightly from offstage. Coco was clearly mortified, her hooves pressed to her mouth as the two earth pony models made their way proudly up and down the stage to a silent reception. Glancing at the audience, Rarity could see that their reaction was one of confusion. The judges, the stars, and industry figureheads could clearly see these dresses and understood immediately that they were not Rarity's work.
As the last two models disappeared behind the stage, Rarity stood and waited, wondering just how the question would be asked. While it wasn't always done, the judges did sometimes ask the competitor questions before she left the stage if there was something they were curious about or interested in. It was usually a good sign, because it meant that something had piqued the judges' interest.
"A moment please, Miss Rarity," said Prim Hemline, raising her hoof, "I believe that we have some questions to ask you about those last two dresses."
"I would certainly say so," said Rarity, stepping down from her place on the stage to stand in front of the judges.
"I'd like to start by saying that I'm very impressed with your work," said Prim, looking at Rarity sternly, "Save for those last two."
"Was their quality lacking?" asked Rarity.
"Not as such," said Prim, "They were excellent, especially given the theme of this overall competition. I would be very pleased to see somepony who is capable of designing excellent dresses for ponies of all types. However, those last two ensembles were clearly not your work."
"That is true," said Rarity, beaming, "Would you like to meet the actual designer of those dresses?"
"I most certainly would," said Hoity Toity, lifting his shades slightly to look carefully at Rarity.
"Of course," said Rarity before turning to look over her shoulder. "Coco, dear! Come out please."
There was something of an uncomfortable pause before Coco made her way out from backstage, step by shaky step. Slowly, moving so delicately that it seemed she was afraid she would shatter her own body if she moved too hard, Coco made her way down off the stage to stand next to Rarity, who didn't hesitate to rest a gentle, reassuring hoof across Coco's withers.
"This is Coco Pommel," said Rarity, "Just recently, I took her on as my apprentice. Well...she is my apprentice in name, but she already has a great deal of experience working professionally, even if her skills haven't been officially recognized. At this stage, finishing her apprenticeship is largely a formality. To that end, I wanted to give her the opportunity to express her own creativity and try her hoof at designing her own dresses. Of the ones that she created, I picked those that I thought worked best to bring to the show today."
In the silence that followed Rarity's explanation, one could have heard a pin drop. Finally, Prim Hemline coughed slightly before seeming to find the words to speak. "Well...I for one found Miss Pommel's designs to be excellent. I assume you were going with a spring theme."
Shocked to actually be addressed as though she were actually in the room, it took Coco a moment to register that Prim was speaking to her. "A-ah! Yes! I-I was inspired by Ponyville's Winter Wrap Up. I th-thought that would make an excellent theme for the d-dresses."
"I must say that your work was indeed inspired," said Hoity, throwing his own two bits in, "I must agree with Miss Rarity that your work is most certainly at a professional level. That said, while I enjoyed your willingness to employ more subtlety and understatement than most designers, I noticed a certain hesitance to experiment with a little more variations in your design that could have helped those dresses realize their full potential."
Even though Hoity had been slightly critical of her dresses, Coco was too stunned by what was happening to care. In her own mind, she was an apprentice first and last. By all rights, she was lucky to have even been allowed to accompany Rarity backstage. And yet, here she was, her work being critiqued by professionals in the fashion industry as though she were a full professional herself.
"While I do agree with Hoity Toity's assessment," said Prim, "I do admire your boldness to utilize such simplicity in your designs. It is a rare and unconventional move in this day and age and you use it well." The normally stern and unflinching judge actually smiled fondly at Coco. "I suspect that, with a little more practice, you will definitely find your voice as an artist. I believe you will go far, Miss Pommel."
"As do I," agreed Hoity..
"Do you have any more questions for her or me?" asked Rarity, trying her hardest to keep from sounding smug.
"No...I believe we are finished for now," said Prim after a quick consultation with her fellow judges, "You may go."
"Thank you very much," said Rarity as she carefully led Coco backstage once more.
There was nothing more to say or do. The die had been cast and all that was left was to see whether or not her gamble had paid off.
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HURRY UP AND WILT ALREADY STUPID ELDERFLOWER! GODS ABOVE KNOW THAT YOUR BRAIN HAS ROTTED ALREADY!
THE LOGIC! IT'S BEING STRETCHED! SOMEBODY(PONY) CALL THE POLICE! THE LOGIC IS GOING TO BREAK FROM THE STRETCHING!
That is still a coup. Wow... Just how out of touch are you with reality? Like the Messiah Complex is rising above levels UNHEARD of before. Like somebody get him some antipsychotic drugs.
A disaster is still a disaster and karma is a real bitch to people/ponies who create said disasters.
So don't be abitching when she comes for you.
So basically the Three Pillars are the ultimate hacks Deus Ex Machina technique that just stems from control.
IT TAKES SO MUCH SKILL!
SWIFT STRIDE IS SEXY AS HELL!
And explosions are sexy.
SO TWICE AS SEXY!
So does Swift find those warheads and use them? I hope he did, it would be even more better if he can actually sneak each of them inside those temples and blow them all to Hell! That would make my day and feel more relief from all of this Hubris.
I'd say both Rarity and AJ have this in the bag. Even in you assume there are other competitors with an equal level of skill (there probably are), they both have a trump card in the Shimmersilk fabric and the Wintersilk and Zap apples.
Of course, we didn't see any overt noble involvement. So, we gonna see someone make a butt of themselves via hamfisted scheming next chapter?
Awesome. I admire writing that makes even the more mundane events seem just as important as the big fate-of-the-world battles. Kudos to you, good sir.
However, I caught a few SPaG errors:
peeking out
The isolation should make the error easier to spot. The correct pronoun here is who, not whom; the pronoun is the subject of its clause.
5853921 Eyup. He and the rest/most of the nobles arecuckoo for cocoa puffs. I hate to think what 'disaster' he has in mind. ....although, I think the writer made a clever move heading the audience off by saying Elderflower wouldn't be doing anything during the competition. And that was a pretty sweet gamble rarity made.
5854015
Oh god. I completely forgot about that. That... would be very excessive and hopefully not kill everyone. But it would be awesome.
bravo exultant chapter exultant work.
Harts Fire
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Do you really need to write 6 diferent comments?
Don't end your author notes like that.. ha that was a good one and dang I love how this story is going. Good job Moguera I can't wait till the next chapter.
5853921 The sad thing is, that he is still smarter then his peers.
Drop the comma
is unquestionably
issomeAh, there he is... I wonder which noble's payroll he is on?
Huh... how would that episode have gone if Red had been there I wonder...
proprietor of
theCarousel BoutiqueI wonder how long it will be until Perlin has had enough and simply cuts off Elderflower's head.
I must give Elderflower some credit - after Twilight dismissed him and Perlin failed his mission, I thought the baron would use this time to try something rash. It's a point in his favor that despite his perceived humiliation (though he gets no points for perceiving it as such in the first place) and his obvious anger that's still close to the surface, he has enough presence of a mind to exercise restraint.
Naturally, he then turns around and expresses his willingness to participate in the coup attempt if need be - proving once again that despite him having more presence of mind than most of his fellow nobles, he is still an entitled twat who is still too used to having his way, and taking it by force if otherwise doesn't work out, to contemplate not getting what he wants.
I imagine it's a mix of factors being at work here, first being the obvious culture of entitlement and self-importance prevalent among the nobles (they believe they deserve whatever they want) and second being the way Celestia has been handling them for centuries - using soft and discreet political maneuvers to slowly steal their proverbial chairs right out from under them, while ultimately still giving them special treatment, rather than ever going against them in an open fashion.
This, coupled with tho Nobles already being full of themselves, has probably nurtured something of a feeling that Celestia isn't capable of dealing with them in a direct fashion and doesn't have the means to do so (after all, for the nobles the usage of drugs, mind coercion spells and simple brute force are very viable and open options for getting what they want - someone not employing them probably looks like a weakness and ultimately the lack of ability to get away with it. Someone not doing so out of moral considerations is probably a thought they can't even comprehend, same how Elderflower couldn't understand much of Twilight's values) - hence their belief that a coup (or something close to that) can succeed.
After all, they have never really seen Celestia or Luna in battle and the Knights are but a myth - bolstered by Celestia's passive way of dealing with them (which, ironically enough, resembles Elderflower's thoughts how a gradual shift of power would be preferable as opposed to outright takeover, which is exactly what Celestia is doing) and multiplied by their entitlement and self importance, neither of which have ever been directly challenged ... yeah, I can see them thinking they can pull this off.
Though I do wonder what Elderfloer plans to "seize" that is important ... he mentioned others that are easier to challenge than the Princesses themselves, so the obvious answer would be Twilight and her friends. That would mean ... what, trying to capture Twilight/AJ/Rarity and try to force Celestia to step down (or give up some of her power to Nobles under the table) with the threat of holding half the Element bearers as eternal hostages? Families of the Bearers? Something along those lines, I'd imagine, going by Elderflower's comments.
Though ironically enough, a direct and open threat that she sees herself as able to directly respond to is the type of threat that Celestia is best equipped to deal with - they can't actually challenge her, Luna and her personal Knight retinue physically, after all. If they truly overstep their bounds and force Celestia's hoof, there might not be much of a Nobility left once the dust settles, unpleasant as the affair might be. It's their shadowy cloak&dagger games that make them a pain to deal with after all, not the physical threat they represent to Celestia's rule that make the Nobles a pain in the rear.
Either way, no matter how this goes down, I'm finding myself eagerly looking towards the future - hell, the machinations taking place in Canterlot might even have me more excited than Terra's impending arrival.
hell yeah this was good and to all that dislike the nobles encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwtji0l_OLQs0hlrRgeepKrMNZVV_PMcW3c6TGQyI9AIgxdOidtw
ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWER!!!!!!!
Swift makes big boom? Didn't he kinda do that already?
Oh my gosh. Coco Pommel is totally going to get the Warrant. That'll sure throw Elderflower for a loop!
W00T! My opinion of Rares only goes up, and Coco was adorable as all get up in this chapter ^_^.
5855392 that makes alot of sense especially since most of the nobles are idiots so i can see your point there quite clever
Rarity rocks!
D'aawww,what a nice gift to Coco!
Lulling them into complacency is a good strategy, but they'll be so high strung it will likely fail unexpectedly...