Friends and Fairy Tales

by CrackedInkWell

Chapter 6: … And a Curious Sultana.

“Then she just up and left without having any breakfast.” Applebloom told her friend, “It was like she was in a big hurry or somethin’.”

Scootaloo tilted her head, “Huh? Did she say why?”

“Nope, she looked at me funny when she woke up, almost as if she didn’t recognize me.”

“Hey girls,” the two friends looked behind them to find their unicorn friend trotting up. “You ready for school.”

“Yeah,” the orange pegasus said, “You’re a little late than usual this morning. Where you’ve been?”

“Well… let’s just say that this morning was rather… interesting.”

“How so?” Applebloom inquired.

“Big sis has been acting a little weird today,” Sweetie Belle explained. “She’s been talking funny, almost didn’t recognized me, and she’s forgotten how to cook breakfast!”

“You too?” the yellow earth pony asked, “Mah sis was like that the same way. Tell me, did she even walk funny too?”

“How’d you know?”

“AJ’s doin’ the same too, she step right out of the house, sain’ she needed air, and didn’t come back for breakfast.”

“Okay, something’s going on,” Scootaloo pointed out as they neared the schoolhouse. “But what do you guys think it is this time?”

“Hey Applebloom?” Sweetie asked, “Did your sister come home last night with an extra book?”

The filly in question quickly turned her head, “Wait, how’d you know that?”

The unicorn undid her saddlebag, and with her magic, pulled out a thick blue book that had several complex geometric designs of gold, white, turquoise and red. It had the title: “The Arabian Nights. Translated by Sir Richard F. Burton.”

“I saw it when she gave out my books when she noticed this, and I found it again this morning on her bed. She’s been insisting that she’s some queen of a place I’ve never heard of.”

Applebloom sat down for a moment to take out “The Wizard of Oz,” out of her saddlebag. “Y’all think that these books are enchanted too?”

“Maybe that’s what happened,” Scootaloo suggested, “maybe Twilight got these books mixed up or something that’s making them go crazy. Maybe by the time lunch time comes around, we ought to swing by Twilight’s place to give them back.”

“If that’s true,” Sweetie Belle added, “Do you think if anypony else got these books too?”

“Ah hope not,” Applebloom said before the school bell rang that class was about to begin. As they walked towards the building, a thought came to the filly’s head. “Sweetie, what’s yer sis doin’ now?”

“She’s still at the boutique. I encouraged her to stay there until I come back and not to go out until I get back – however, I am a bit worried.”

“Over what?” Scootaloo asked.

“She has been really curious about everything since she woke up. Like she starred at the bathroom sink and was amazed that she could turn on hot and cold water as if it was the most amazing thing she’s ever seen. I hope that she doesn’t just wander all over town, especially when she’s talking funny.”

_*_

It wasn’t the first time that the Sultana had beheld wonders that rival her stories. She had peered through spyglasses that could spot a shepherd’s boy miles away. She had viewed beasts that were brought from distant lands into the Royal Gardens, even witnessed the bight and colorful display of Chinese fireworks. Yet, Scheherazade had never dreamed that she would wake up to find herself in a town full of intelligent ponies.

Before she stepped out, she picked out a cloak as blue as night to drape over her. After she covered her mane with the hood, she pinned a blue vale that the only thing made viable was her horn and her eyes. Besides, pony or not, she didn’t feel too comfortable of exploring until she’s comfortable with what she was familiar with.

Scheherazade took the back entrance out while leaving the front was locked with a “Close” sign for the time being. The only thing she brought with her was a bag of coins in which she thought would come in handy if the need should arise. The Sultana of Persia trotted over to the sides of the boutique, sticking out her head out to the ponies that went about their day.

Gathering up the courage, she stepped into the streets and begun her exploration. All around there ponies of various shapes, colors, sizes that she never saw before. Some of them had wings in which they could fly in an instant while others used the glowing magic form their horns to manipulate things in the air.

“Rarity!” a voice called out. Scheherazade located a gray mare with a silky dark mane was waving at her. She was sitting on her hunches by a table with a few other mares. “Just the one I want to speak with; won’t you come and sit with us for a moment?”

Somehow, Scheherazade recognized her, along with the other mares at the café table, but couldn’t figure out why. Curiosity drove her to approach them as she reasoned that perhaps she could learn more about this land she’s in from them. Sitting down, the names of Octavia, Lyra and Roseluck suddenly came to mind.

“Morning Rarity,” the mare with the red mane said as she sat down, “What’s with the new clothes?”

She looked down at herself, thought for a moment for a response, “They are… experimental.”

“Considering that it’s not even that cold,” Octavia said, “It is a rather curious choice to be out and about in that.”

“Kinda reminds me of something out of Saddle Arabia if you ask me,” Lyra commented before sipping on a straw.

“Why… Yes, I hath become fascinated with their clothing and wished for me to try it myself.”

“Must be something for next season,” Roseluck shrugged.

“Since you’re here,” Octavia spoke up, “I want to ask you how close are you repairing that black dress for the premiere?”

For a moment, Scheherazade panicked. She looked over into the other memories to come up with an answer, “I am afraid that there hast been a large demand for my craft. If everything is to go right, I may have thine dress to be sewn up by two days’ time from now.”

The gray mare blinked, “Forgive me Rarity, but is it me, or are you talking a little funny?”

“Whatever doth thou meanest?”

“See, you’ve done it again,” Octavia pointed out, “you’ve been using words like ‘hast,’ ‘thine,’ ‘thou’ and ‘meanest.’ Nopony talks like that Rarity, so are you?”

“Is there a Reneighsance fair coming up?” Roseluck asked.

“Why… yes, indeed,” the Sultana lied, “I am practicing their speaking mannerisms to give it an authenticity at this fair.”

“I didn’t know you go to one of those, Rarity,” Lyra commented. “I’d never take you to be the type anyway.”

“Adventure is good for the soul.”

The green unicorn shrugged, “Can’t argue with that. Now since you’re here, give us some gossip, what’s new with you?”

“Oh no, do not start with me, I wish to hear from the three of you first.”

“Alright,” Octavia said, “For starters, I’ve finally chosen the right music for the upcoming concert. At least, what I’ll be playing before we get to the newer stuff.”

“Let me guess,” Roseluck cut in, “You’re gonna play something complicated like Buch again?”

“Not really. I was thinking of doing something from Tchaicoltsky for a change. Something elegant before we get to the new piece, but other than that, I’m starting to regret Vinyl being my roommate.”

“Huh? You mean DJ-Pon3?” Lyra asked. “What’s wrong with her?”

“It’s rather annoying when she has her headphones on; it makes it difficult to know if she’s even listening at all.”

As the three of them talked on, Scheherazade listened to their conversation carefully. Mentally, she was very surprised at what she was hearing. One mare was a lead musician for a national orchestra, one said she bought a thing called “a radio” in which would allow her to listen in to conversations, plays and popular music from vast distances, while the last talked about her business of selling flowers. In the back of her mind, she wasn’t surprised to hear such everyday things from her other memories as Rarity, but Scheherazade was convinced that she was truly in a different world entirely, particularly at the level of freedom that these mares have.

“So, what about you,” Roseluck turned to her, “anything new with you?”

“I am afraid that I do not for the time being. For thy tales art more interesting then what I hath been doing for the past several days.”

Octavia chuckled, “Sorry, but I must say, your Old Equestrian speaking is very good. I would say that it rivals Princess Luna’s.”

“I’ll say,” Lyra commented, “It’s like we’re talking to a character from a Shakespearian play.”

“Pardon me, ladies,” a new voice inquired. They looked to find it was a unicorn waiter, “Here’s your bill.” As he placed it down on the table, he noticed Rarity there, “I’m sorry, are you eating here?”

“Oh, no thank you,” the Sultana rose up, “I was only speaking to my friends. I was just leaving.”

“Aww, really,” Lyra asked, “But you just got here.”

“I do apologize, but I have other things to be carrying out.”

Octavia shrugged, “Very well, but do remember to fix up that dress when you get the time. I really do want it back.”

“Surely, thou hast my word, for I do keep my promises.” With good byes being exchanged, Scheherazade continued on into this fascinating town.

_*_

Twilight’s ride to Canterlot took about a half-an-hour, but the mare still wished that the locomotive would have gone faster. She was worried about what Luna had told her from the hasty note about Celestia and Blueblood. After all, one is deemed crazy while the other is missing. No doubt that Princess Luna is probably stressed out at the moment to find her elder sister had gone insane and her nephew is gone.

She hoped that this has nothing to do with the missing enchanted books. Yet, her mind plans out many worst case scenarios that involved having no way of reversing what was done, possibly having the original ponies she knew and love being faded away, and the end of Spike’s Nachos as she knew it.

“Canterlot,” the conductor said as the train slowed to a halt, “This stop is Canterlot!”

With a dash, the young Princess flew out the passenger door and headed straight towards the palace. Several minutes later, she was at the drawbridge, completely out of breath. “I’m here… Princess… Luna… sent me…” she told the guards between breaths.

The Solar guard immediately escorted her to the Throne Room where the Princess of the Night was pacing, “Ah, Twilight Sparkle, it’s such a blessing to have you here.”

“I came as fast as I could,” Twilight said. “Didn’t your note say that Candace and Shining would be coming here soon?”

“You are the first to arrive. Still, I’m very glad you did, come, let me show you Celestia first while I explain what happen on the way.” The lilac alicorn obeyed, once in the hallways, Luna spoke, “I noticed early in the morning that my sister hasn’t raised the sun, but I also found that she was nowhere in her room as well. So after taking up the responsibility to raise it, I went looking for her. Asking everypony if they have seen her at all, in which they pointed me to her, finding her doing something very peculiar.”

“What was that?”

“She was picking up lentils from the ashes of a fireplace. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. She was covered in soot and dust, and when I went to confront her, she was very nervous around me. Not only that, but she spoke in Old Equestrian mannerisms, and she claimed to be somepony else. Yet, that too isn’t even the weirdest part of all.”

“How’s that?”

“Well, after I confronted Celestia, one of the guards informed me that Prince Blueblood had gone mad too. So I rushed over to his quarters to find him battling the other guards with a carpetbag and an umbrella. The guards there tried to prevent him from jumping out the window!”

“What!”

“But that’s not all; Blueblood got lose and did proceed to jump out. Yet, he did not fall. Instead, he was carried away by the wind. While my sister is being kept under a watchful eye, nopony knows where Blueblood has gone off to.”

Soon enough, the two Princesses stopped in front of a door to the Ball Room. “When you said that Celestia thinks she’s somepony else,” Twilight inquired, “Did she insisted that she had a different name?”

“She does,” Luna nodded, “She said that’s she is a maid called Cinderella.”