Chapter 35 - With Distractions
Saturday, December 10, 2016
I was fidgeting nervously while I leaned on the statue in front of Canterlot High waiting for Twilight to arrive. Sunset was at work for the afternoon leaving me to greet her alone. There was a light misty rain falling from the sky making the whole scene a bit dreary. I had a large umbrella over my head and a jacket draped over my arm. The umbrella almost wasn't worth the trouble; it wasn’t doing much to keep the drifting moisture off me. Spark was trying to distract me from my worries while we waited.
Just relax Silver, she’s our friend.
Things are different though!
You still need to calm down.
Easy for you to say, Spark!
Yeah. That doesn’t make me wrong.
But I have no idea how to handle this without Sunset!
It’ll be fine. Honestly, you’ve already worried about this too much.
Why do I feel like I forgot something then Spark?
Chill. We’ve felt like that for days now. Totally unrelated!
Come on, really? What if it was something important?
If it’s important it’ll come to us.
How can you be so calm about this?
Hey, I’ve been digging through our memories looking for the solution. I’m doing my best!
Fair enough but what about-
Why don’t you open your eyes and greet Twilight instead of freaking out?
What?
I suddenly realized I had closed my eyes at some point while talking to Spark. I opened them and smiled when I saw Twilight. She was standing there in her summer skirt and blouse, rubbing her arms to try and keep warm. I hurried over to put the umbrella over her head. I quickly unfolded the jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Hey Twilight, I’ve got your winter clothes in the car,” I said, gesturing vaguely at the parking lot. “Just use my coat for now; you'll have an easier time changing at the Sweet Shoppe.”
“Thanks, Silver,” She replied quietly. We began walking towards the car in silence. I certainly had no idea how to start and I wasn’t sure if she felt the same or what was going on. I broke the silence once we were inside the warm car.
“How are you doing, Twilight?”
“Exhausted,” Twilight responded after a brief pause. “I've been working on the Cloudsdale incident since I last saw you. The investigation is probably going to take months. I'm just glad I only have to present Ponyville’s witness accounts. I don’t envy the nobles who are in charge.
I winced, as I started the car up. “I can't imagine how much work that would be. Are there any suspects?”
She looked up at the cloudy sky. “Not officially, no. I have one suspicion but no concrete evidence to back it up. I can't afford to make guesses or throw accusations in my position. Is Sunset meeting us at the Sweet Shoppe?”
I pulled out on the road to make the short trip to Cake's shop. “She’ll text us later once she’s finished work. It's just the two of us for the next few hours.”
“Oh . . . Ok then.”
I glanced over at her, surprised by the flat tone of her voice. She was hunched over a bit as she looked out the window. It was hard for me to tell if she was just trying to stay warm or if there was something bothering her. I quickly decided it was something I would sort out once she was warmed up. We pulled up in front of the Sweet Shoppe before I had much time to fret about her reaction. I handed Twilight the bag with her warm clothing and she went into the washroom to get changed. The cafe was empty given it was mid-afternoon on a miserable Saturday. Pinkie was working at the front counter and gave us a big smile.
“Hi Silvy! Hi Twilight!” she said playfully. “Got a hot date?”
“More like a cold date with this weather,” I replied, rubbing my hands to warm them up. “At least it's not snowing.”
She gasped in horror and looked out the window. “You shouldn't tempt Murphy! Look what you've done!”
I felt a burst of horror, spun around and stared at the unchanged, miserable misty day.
“Gotcha!” she laughed when I turned back. “I'm surprised you feel for that Silvy!”
I laughed. “You got me Pinkie. Although, given I was nuked by a record breaking two feet of snow in fifteen seconds a couple days ago, an unexpected change in the weather wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.”
“Actually, there's a chance it'll start snowing soon, so I was half hoping for a bit of luck! Here you go,” Pinkie said, still laughing while she pushed a tray with two drinks and steaming cinnamon buns out on to the counter.
I eyed the whipped cream topped mugs that had flakes of something sprinkled on as my brain tried to catch up. “What are these? I don't remember ordering anything. Please tell me I'm not losing my mind.”
Pinkie giggled. “These are fresh out of the oven! I wanted to make sure they'd be ready when you arrived. Sunset is at work so of course you only needed two! These are a special new drink Twilight inspired me to create after her first visit, so no charge as the first official testers!”
“But- but -but how did you know we were even coming today?!” I spluttered.
Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “Just a hunch. Now go grab a seat and you two let me know how your drinks are.”
I raised my eyebrow at Pinkie Pie and finally just shrugged and smiled before taking the tray. I settled it down at the group’s usual table at the couch in the corner just as Twilight walked out of the bathroom. She looked quite fetching in her blue jeans and sweater. I did my best not to stare but her outfit somehow accentuated her figure in a terribly distracting manner. She sat down at the other end of the couch, lifted up her drink and sniffed it suspiciously.
“What did you order?”
“I have no idea,” I replied. “If I said this is a Pinkie Pie special, would that be sufficient explanation?”
Twilight let out an amusingly equine snort and rolled her eyes. We both took a sip of our drink. It was a hot chocolate drink, but it was much thicker than normal. I really wasn’t sure what to make of it initially but it tasted fairly nice. For her part, Twilight gasped in surprise and looked over at Pinkie who was leaning over the counter watching us expectantly.
“How did you get this recipe?” Twilight asked.
“It’s my own creation that I've been working on since your first visit,” Pinkie replied almost shaking with excitement. “This is the version that finally tasted good enough to serve. Do you like it?”
“Just like that; the parallels between the two worlds are amazing,” She said in wonder. “Oatmeal hot chocolate is a common drink in Equestria but this is exactly like the one I get at Sugarcube Corner . . . thank you, this is exactly what I needed to warm myself up today, Pinkie.”
Pinkie turned to me and I had to give her an honest answer. “It’s interesting. It's not something I'd drink regularly but it's nice and heavy. It would be quite nice for working outside in the cold.”
“Great!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully. “Well don’t let me disturb your little date anymore! Have fun!”
Pinkie then skipped back off into the kitchen. Twilight glanced at me with a worried expression on her face and then took another sip of her drink. It was clear something was bothering her and it was making me nervous. I was just thinking about how to ask about what was bothering her but my attention was drawn by the front door opening. I glanced over and felt a spike of anxiety when I spotted Adagio there. She shook off her umbrella outside before glancing around the store. When she spotted the two of us, an almost predatory smile appeared on her face. She grabbed a chair and swung it around to sit at the table across from where we were seated.
“What do have we here?” she asked with an edge of menace in her voice. “If I still had my amulet, there would be an incredible feast in my future.”
“I-I don't know what you're talking about,” I stuttered, taken aback by her vicious tone. “What do you want Adagio?”
“You’re quite bad at this,” Adagio continued, ignoring my question. “I spent a thousand years observing the nuances of human interaction while looking for negative energy to absorb. You'll have to be way more subtle to get away with cheating on Shimmer while I'm around. I read you like a book when princess here showed up the other day. Considering your cultural obsession with monogamy, you humans are terrible at following through.”
I was at a loss for words at that moment and I was struggling to figure out a response. More importantly, I was resisting the urge to vent some of my lingering irritation at the Sirens. Fortunately, Twilight stepped in before I could string an angry response together.
“Sorry to disappoint you but this was actually Sunset's idea in the first place,” Twilight said firmly. “We're trying out an Equestrian trio and I'd appreciate it if you would keep that to yourself Adagio Dazzle. If you don’t believe me, ask Sunset next time you see her.”
Adagio’s eyes widened at Twilight’s words and her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of us before settling on Twilight. “Seriously? How did I miss . . .”
She trailed off as she stared at Twilight who looked away nervously. Adagio’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, I see! Well then, you’d better figure out your true feelings before your precious trio fails before it even begins, Princess.”
Her tone had gone from menacing to patronizing in the blink of an eye. However, Twilight’s reaction was worrying. She almost seemed to collapse in on herself and she looked horrified when she glanced over at me. I glared at Adagio.
“I don't appreciate your tone here, Adagio Dazzle,” I growled at her. “Why are you here anyhow?”
Adagio raised her hands defensively. “I suppose I need to learn to choose my words more carefully," she said, her voice not at all apologetic. "Old habits die hard and all that jazz. Your dear princess here needs to face the truth of her situation and deal with it. Perhaps I could have worded this differently but here we are. For my part, I just want to ask the Princess a couple questions . . . and I hope I haven't just annihilated any chance of that.”
I crossed my arms and glared at her. “Seriously!? You have a lot of nerve after what you -“
I was cut off when Twilight put her hand firmly on my shoulder. Her purple eyes were only slightly damp, from the storm of emotions lurking inside. In spite of that, her expression was calm, almost regal as she looked at me. “It’s ok. I can answer a few questions for her.”
“It’s your call Twilight,” I said while trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. “Looks like you’ve got your chance, Adagio.”
Adagio rolled her eyes but nodded and looked at Twilight. “Right. So you’re the latest Equestrian Princess? How many are there and how does government even work now?”
Twilight nodded. “There are three others besides me: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna co-rule Equestria in addition to managing the Sun and Moon. The third one is my sister in law, Princess Cadance. She's the Princess of Love and rules the Crystal Empire with my brother. For my part, I am the Princess of Friendship. My friends and I work to maintain harmony and happiness throughout Equestria and beyond if necessary.”
Her expression was unreadable as she watched Twilight, though she rolled her eyes at the Princess of Friendship title. “I’m glad the Crystal Empire came back; I heard it was quite a sight back in the day,” she murmured to herself. “So, assuming I trust you, that actually was Princess Luna with you on Thursday? What happened to her and how did she come back?”
Twilight nodded, not surprised since Sunset and I had filled her in on their odd denial. “Yes, she returned from the moon recently as Nightmare Moon. My friends and I used the Elements of Harmony to cleanse the evil entity that possessed her. Princess Luna was banished because she wanted to bring about eternal night because she was jealous of the attention her sister was getting.”
“Jealousy,” Adagio echoed in a flat voice, glancing over at me. “Fine, so maybe you were telling the truth, Silver. Fine, one last question and I'll let you two get back to your date. What became of Hipacelion City and the Sea Ponies?”
Twilight looked away. “If it wasn’t for the occasional sighting by sailors, the Sea Ponies would be considered myths. I haven’t heard of that city before. Where is it?”
“Hipacelion was built on the Canterhorn River where it flows into the South Luna Ocean.”
“The only city in that region is Los Pegasus,” Twilight replied after a moment of thought. “It is about twenty miles south of the river on the coast but it’s a tourist destination. Vanhoover is the only port on that coast now. There used to be some barge traffic on the Canterhorn River but the railway is far more efficient.”
Adagio stared off into space, her face completely devoid of emotion. Suddenly, she stood up and walked away without a word.
“Adagio!” Twilight exclaimed, jumping unsteadily to her feet. “I can try to find out what happened to the Sea Ponies! Please don’t give up hope.”
Adagio spun around and stared at Twilight. Her eyes had hardened. “You won't like what you find out if you go digging.”
“How bad could it be?” Twilight asked.
Adagio stared at her with an incredulous expression on her face. “Seriously? You just told me the city I grew up in is gone without a trace. It can be much worse child.”
She drifted off and let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
“You really have no idea,” Adagio said, shaking her head. “I know history is supposed to be written by the victors but this is disgusting."
“But can't you just tell me what's been lost?”
“You won’t believe me,” she called out as she walked towards the door. “I’m your enemy and you’re obviously Celestia’s mare through and through.”
“Wait!” Twilight jumped up to her feet and hurried over to Adagio before she could leave. “You’re right, I was Princess Celestia’s student for years and yes, I have a great deal of respect for her. However, I am a scholar first and foremost so I will find out the truth one way or another. When I do, would you be willing to tell us your story?”
Adagio looked quite surprised by Twilight. A small smirk appeared on her face. “You surprise me, Princess. You’d listen to an enemy who tried to kill you? Even if the truth is less than flattering to your mentor?”
“Why do you insist on seeing this as black and white?” Twilight asked. “You’re not our enemy; at least not anymore I hope. Somepony once said there are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth. I might not like what you’ll have to say but I will listen with an open mind.”
“Well, how can I say no to a request like that,” Adagio replied in a bemused tone. Her voice hardened quickly. “I wonder if you will be this enthusiastic once you begin to discover the truth. Goodbye for now Princess."
To her credit, Twilight didn’t push for more information even though I could tell she wanted to. She waved at Adagio and came back to sit on the couch. Her hand was shaking a bit as she drained her mug of hot chocolate. Finally, Twilight set her mug down on the table and looked at me, her eyes filled with worry.
“We need to talk about us, don’t we?” she said quietly.
“Only if you want,” I said gently. “Don’t let Adagio's thoughtless behavior push you into something you’re not ready to talk about. There’s no rush.”
Twilight shook her head and sighed. “No, she’s right. This has to be dealt with. The truth is I just don’t know if I have real feelings for either of you. I mean I have a crush on you so there’s that but I’m just not sure if there’s more than just a good friendship with Sunset.”
She looked distraught so I put my hand on hers comfortingly. “You don’t have to be sure yet. You will figure it out.”
“That doesn’t make sense! Cadance always said I would just know if it was the right pony but I’m just not sure about any of this!”
“Sounds like you’re on the right track then!” Pinkie interjected from behind the counter.
I felt Twilight jump under my hand. “Gah! Pinkie? What?” I stuttered.
Twilight looked confused. “What do you mean we’re on the right track? I don’t feel a spark!”
“Exactly!” Pinkie said with an innocent smile on her face. “It’s just like my Granny Pie told me!”
Pinkie looked up at the ceiling as if recalling a distant memory and began imitating the voice of an elderly lady.
“Pinkamena, there’s no such thing as love at first sight! Anyone who tells you otherwise is confusing love with lust. Lust can occasionally be right but it’s far more likely to be wrong. Don’t waste your time looking for that magical moment between strangers they describe in storybooks. Date interesting people who share some interests and see what happens. You don’t need to be in love to start a relationship; if it's meant to be your love will grow over time. When it blooms, your doubts will be erased.”
Pinkie took a deep breath and smiled at Twilight. “So you see it’s good that you’re not sure Twilight! It means you’re being honest with yourself. Just relax and have fun with Sunny and Silvy.”
“That's an interesting perspective, Pinkie,” I replied.
They're pretty words at least.
Silver, she's basically telling you to not worry! Same as me.
Pinkie just giggled and went back to her work while Twilight looked at me nervously. “Are we really going to take relationship advice from Pinkie?”
I shrugged. “Advice is free, but it's our choice how to act on it. Why don’t we head to my place before there are any more -”
Before I could finish, the front door of the shop slammed open. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo came dashing through the door. They looked around the room and when they spotted me and Twilight, their eyes widened with surprise.
“Silver!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “I can't believe we forgot about him!”
The three Crusaders hurried over and the three of them started talking one after the other.
“We hate to bother you," Sweetie Belle began.
“But you’re our last hope!” Applebloom continued.
"Hi there Twilight!" Scootaloo added.
“-interruptions,” I finished wearily. “What’s going on you three?”
Twilight smiled at the three Crusaders. They just exchanged glances with one another and looked at me with pleading eyes.
“Well ya see, we wanna go see a movie tonight,” Applebloom said.
“But none of our families can take us,” Sweetie Belle continued. “They’re all busy with other stuff.”
Scootaloo gave me a pleading look. “Rarity said we could go if someone can drive us home after. You’re the only person we know who has a car who hasn’t turned us down yet.”
I glanced over at Twilight who was fighting a grin. She nodded so I pulled out my phone and quickly tapped out a message.
3:45 PM: Hey Sunset, did you have any plans set in stone for this evening?
“What movie did you want to see?” I asked curiously while I waited for Sunset’s reply.
“Doctor Strange,” Scootaloo replied. “Who are you talking to?”
“Sunset,” I said. “We are meeting up with her when she finishes work but I don't know if she had anything planned beyond that.”
3:46 PM: Nothing particularly special. Dinner and maybe reading some of your family book with Twilight. Why do you ask?
3:47 PM: I’ve got the Crusaders here begging us to take them to see Doctor Strange. Assuming Twilight is interested as well do you feel up for taking them?
“What is it about,” Twilight asked. “It doesn’t sound familiar.”
I glanced over at Twilight while doing my best to shake off the feeling like our date had been hijacked. I didn't want to make a fuss since Twilight wanted to keep this secret. “It’s a movie about a magic-wielding superhero. It’s technically part of a massive series of films but I’ve heard it stands along nicely. You want to go?”
“Assuming Sunset didn’t have something in mind, sure,” Twilight said. “I enjoyed the movie we watched at our last sleepover.”
3:48 PM: Sounds good to me. The book isn’t going anywhere. Should I still meet you at your place when I'm done? I'll be about an hour.
I tapped out at quick response and looked over at the Crusaders. The expressions of hope on their faces were almost comical.
“Looks like you three are in luck,” I said. “Sunset will meet up with us at my place in an hour.”
“Seriously?” Applebloom cheered with her friends. “Thank you so much!"
While the three Crusaders celebrated I gave Twilight a wry smile. “Is it just me or are we always pushing conversations off until later?”
Twilight smiled back. “I suppose that will have to change soon but I guess we'll have to wait. I really need to talk to Sunset anyhow. So do you have any idea how to entertain these three for the next hour?”
I shrugged and thought for a moment. “Well since we’ll be meeting Sunset, I can show you and the Crusaders my forge if you’re interested.”
“Yes!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “That sounds awesome! Maybe we can find out if we have a talent in metal work!”
I smiled at the thought but the gasp of horror next to me wiped that smile away almost instantly. Twilight’s eyes had gone wide with fear.
“Be careful,” she whispered. “It took Ponyville’s blacksmith a week to rebuild after their counterpart's visit looking for their metalworking cutie marks.”
I looked at the three innocent young girls who were walking to the door talking about the possibilities and felt a spark of worry. “Oh. Oh dear.”
It had been a scramble for me to get the secret projects hidden away before showing the four of them around. Once they were out of sight, I also managed to dissuade the human Crusaders from experimenting in my forge since we only had a short time before Sunset arrived. Granted, I did have to promise to give them some lessons and demonstrations in the future but they swore up and down that they’d pay attention and not play with molten metal unsupervised. Twilight was very interested in the metals I was using and she was shocked to discover how much aluminum I had stored. Apparently, it was an extremely rare metal in Equestria, almost as rare as gold was here on Earth. Applebloom took issue with that revelation.
“Ah don't get how you'd have so much more gold than here,” Applebloom muttered. “I had to do a report on gold minin' last year and it's a right toxic mess to get a few ounces.”
Twilight laughed. “We don't actually have to smelt it. Wyrms do the hard work as part of their natural lifestyle.”
“Worms?” Scootaloo said in surprise. Your gardeners must be badass if you have worms that eat metal.”
“Wyrms with a 'y'!” Twilight corrected. “They're massive reptilian creatures, believed to be distantly related to dragons. They burrow through stone deep in the earth like it was soil and eat the richest mineral deposits. For some reason, they don't digest metals like copper, silver, and gold. Thanks to their natural tunnels and their habit of migrating from the depths up to the surface occasionally, those metals are common and easy to find in Equestria.”
“That's interesting,” I said quietly. “I'd swear those three metals have common traits but I can't remember.”
“You're right, they're all in the same column of the periodic table,” Applebloom replied. “We're studying it in science class this week. Don't look at me like that Twilight! There's nothing wrong with me likin' chemistry.”
“Sorry, it's just a bit of deja vu,” Twilight replied, blinking the surprise off her face. “Your counterpart is a fairly competent potion maker which is similar to chemistry in some ways. Pardon my ignorance, but what is this periodic table.”
“Oooh! Ah' know the answer to this one too!” Applebloom replied in an excited voice, scrunching up her brow in thought. “It's a visual summary of all the elements that groups them by several characteristics including repeating chemical properties. Like Lithium and Sodium both exploding in water!”
I couldn't keep the surprise off my face as I stared at Applebloom. It was so easy to overlook just how intelligent Applejack and her siblings were because of their accents. Honestly, I was beginning to think their accents were more of a family tradition than anything. Twilight's expression was bouncing between burning curiosity and an oddly proud expression. She looked like she had a million questions for Applebloom but before she could ask them a shout came from outside.
“Hey! Where are you guys!” Sunset's voice echoed through the partly open door.
“We're in my workshop Sunset!” I shouted. “We’ll be right out!”
“I'll meet you in the house when you’re done!” She called back.
We only took a few more minutes to wrap up the tour and lock up my workshop. I lead them to the front door and we went inside to find Sunset. The Crusaders ran over and claimed spots on the couch while I looked for Sunset.
“Sunset, where are you?” I called out.
“Here,” she replied walking down the stairs with a nervous grin on her face.
My breath caught in my throat at the sight and I heard a slight intake of breath from Twilight. Gone was the worn out biker jacket and her usual outfit. Instead, she was wearing a teal blouse with a transparent fringe around the bottom. It had been tailored to hug her figure in a flattering way. A cropped leather jacket with orange chevrons on the upper arms was sitting on her shoulders. Blue, tight fitting slacks hugged the curves of her legs, ending in a pair of high-heeled boots that matched the jacket.
“So . . . do you like it?” Sunset asked nervously.
I nodded, speechless while Twilight answered.
“You look amazing Sunset,” Twilight said. “I think this look suits your personality far better than your old clothes.”
Sunset blushed and looked at the floor, “Thanks.”
“Wow, I didn’t think you could look even more incredible,” I finally murmured, while continuing to take in every detail of her new outfit. Eventually, my eyes settled on her smiling face and I gently put my hand on her cheek.
“Don’t ever stop proving me wrong,” I said, before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the lips.
“Eww! Mushy stuff,” Scootaloo said in disgust.
Come on, they’re so cute!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.
Sunset looked over my shoulder at the Crusaders on the couch with a small smirk on her face. “Sorry Scootaloo, but it’s just something you’ll have to deal with. I guess we can dial it back a bit though.”
I turned back to look at Twilight. She was sort of watching us with a wistful expression while her ears and cheeks were burning red. Even though she was staring right at us, she didn't seem to register that our attention was now on her. I opened my mouth to call her name but Sunset motioned for me to be quiet. Sunset walked slowly over and booed Twilight gently on the nose with her finger. Twilight’s eyes crossed and then widened when she realized Sunset was right in front of her.
“You ok there Princess?” Sunset asked playfully leaning in.
“I-I-I . . . Yes,” she answered nervously while backing up. “So! What’s the plan?”
“Dinner and a movie, right Crusaders?” I said, trying to boost the mood.
“RIGHT!” The three girls shouted in unison, causing all three of us to wince.
Sweet Luna we need to talk this out.
I have no idea what Twilight is going to need.
Spark, I seriously hope we haven't screwed this up already.
It'll be fine Silver
Hope you're right but I didn't have anything I could say to help.
With the Crusaders along for the ride, dinner and the movie wound up being a fairly amusing affair. Unfortunately, it didn’t leave the three of us time to talk about more private things. The movie was fantastic but the Crusaders were practically vibrating with excitement. Twilight had clung to me a bit during the film, overwhelmed by the size and volume of the movie at times. She seemed to enjoy it though and was enthusiastic about seeing more movies in the future.
The conversation in the car on the way home became a bit surreal. The Crusaders were full of questions for Twilight and Sunset about whether or not ‘real’ magic was at all similar to what we had seen in the movie. The fact that we could even talk about magic being real was a bit mind boggling. As we pulled up in front of Rarity’s place she was explaining why she couldn’t just open a portal on a whim.
“Sorry Sweetie but traveling to other worlds and even teleporting isn’t nearly as easy as it looks in that movie,” Twilight said. “Travelling back and forth between worlds requires a fixed portal and teleportation is quite dangerous if not done carefully. I do wish I had access to a place like that mirror realm. It would be safer than testing spells in the real world.”
“That’s why the training rooms are enchanted stone,” Sunset said with a chuckle. “I managed to leave a couple of the rooms closed for renovations during school. Good times.”
“Same here,” Twilight replied, smiling at the shared experience.
I looked over my shoulder at the three Crusaders. “Here we are. Are you all staying here with Rarity tonight?”
“Eeyup,” Applebloom replied in a passable imitation of her brother. “Thank’s fer takin us to the movie ya’ll.”
The three Crusaders hopped out of the van and dashed over to the front door of Carousel Boutique. A moment later they were out of sight and inside.
“So what do you two want to do now?” Sunset asked.
I looked over at Twilight and got the van rolling before I answered. “After today’s insanity, I’m thinking we should drive back to my house, turn off our phones and lock the doors before another random interruption crops up.”
“Yes, please hurry,” Twilight said in an amused voice. “You’ve already tempted fate by even mentioning the interruptions!”
“Seriously?” Sunset chuckled. “It would have to be a heck of a coincidence for something to happen now.”
Then her phone rang. I could see her in the rearview mirror staring at it with a suspicious expression on her face. She sighed and answered the phone.
"Hello Rarity . . . Oh, good I'm glad to hear it . . . No, it was no problem . . . Yes, it's Princess Twilight visiting . . . I'll let her know but it depends on her schedule back in Equestria. . . Yes, I'm sure she'll attend if she can . . . Ok, we'll see you on Monday . . . You too. Bye."
“Ok fine, the world just made its point,” Sunset said in a defeated voice while she shut off her phone. “Telephones off and locked doors sounds great. Rarity just wanted to thank us for taking the Crusaders off her hands for the evening. She just reminded me there are two upcoming events that you have a standing invitation to attend Twilight. The Apple family hosts a big gathering on the 26th of December for all their friends. Also, we're having a slumber party for Applejack's birthday on Thursday this week."
"I'll try, but I"m not sure how frequently I can get away," Twilight replied. "I'm lucky I could come for two days."
For the rest of the short drive back to my house we talked about the movie and magic. Twilight and Sunset both informed me that while most of it was wildly imaginative and unrealistic, there were some broad strokes of truth. Books existed that were dangerous to read untrained. There were numerous ancient artifacts of incredible power. Will and imagination were the key difference between a novice and a master magic user. Other worlds were out there even if they were nearly impossible to access.
When we arrive at my house we pulled straight into the garage and closed it. The three of us rushed inside, locked the doors and turned off the lights. We only left my land on the off handed chance there was an emergency call. Sunset sat on the couch but Twilight had elected to sit down in my recliner instead. Sunset gave Twilight a worried look as I sat down next to her.
“You ok there Twilight?" Sunset asked. "You know you can sit with us right?"
“I'd better not, we've been putting this talk off long enough,” Twilight replied nervously. “I don’t want to overstep if this goes poorly. Sunset . . . ugh, I have no idea how to phrase this now.”
Sunset gazed over at Twilight and sighed sadly. “You're actually not sure how you feel about me and you're worried that's going to mess this up or drive me off or something. It's been bothering you ever since you decided to try this, hasn't it?”
Twilight gasped, her purple eyes widening with horror. “You know! How?!”
Sunset didn't break eye contact with Twilight. “You don't think I'm just as worried? By all rights, you should be first mare. I mean, you're a Princess and I'm just . . . well not much.”
“That's not true, and you know it,” Twilight replied emphatically. “Please don't use my title to put yourself down. That's the worst part about having this crown.”
“Oh Celestia, I'm sorry,” Sunset murmured, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. “Twilight, I didn't mean to imply . . . you were just so sad.”
“You asked me to be second mare out of pity?” Twilight asked sharply.
Sunset put her hands over her face and groaned. “NO! Absolutely not! Why am I so bad at explaining this?”
“I'm sorry,” Twilight murmured. “Maybe if it would help if you explained why you even want me as your second.”
Sunset sat silently with her hands over her face while we watched her expectantly. After a minute, Sunset lifted her head and looked straight at Twilight. “Twilight, I asked you to be my second because we have a lot in common, like our time as Celestia's student, our magical skill and our fondness for this big lug here. You went out of your way to make sure I could go back to Equestria before you even knew I was your friend. I just thought . . . well hoped there might be room to see if there's something more. I shouldn't have pushed when I asked but you seemed so despondent and isolated . . . I just wanted to see you feeling happy.”
Sunset paused a moment. “Honestly, it doesn't help that you're totally cute,” she finished.
Twilight was speechless before finally squeaked out a response. "You think I'm cute?”
“Well yeah, I seriously don't understand how you were single,” Sunset replied. “We both think you're good looking, right Silver?”
I had been listening to the two of them talk without comment, hoping they would find the answer they were looking for. I wasn't prepared for the sudden attention of those gorgeous purple and aquamarine eyes.
“I-I-I thought you were gorgeous from the first time I saw you Twilight,” I said, thinking back over our brief but eventful friendship. “Plus, Spark thinks you're equally good looking, if not more so as a pony. It's honestly far less important than your personality but that doesn't make it less true.”
“Thank you,” Twilight said bashfully. She paused a moment, thinking and then continued in a more serious tone. “So where does this leave us? I mean this was nice and all but how do we get past this uncertainty.”
Something popped into my head before Sunset could answer. “You know, it occurs to me the three of us already have something important most relationships don't have at this stage.”
“What's that,” Sunset asked, glancing over at me.
I smiled at Sunset before looking into Twilight's eyes, purple orbs filled with curiosity and worry. “Twilight, am I correct in believing that the magic of harmony and friendship won't work without trust?”
Her eyes widened, I think she saw where I was going. “You're right. In fact, Discord used that against us when he first broke out of his prison. He turned the six of us against our natures and the elements wouldn't work for us until we broke his spell.”
“The Dazzlings did something similar to turn our magic into something they could steal,” Sunset added. “So what do you think that means for this relationship?”
“The three of us stood together with our friends against a deadly foe wielding a power that requires trust that normally takes years to build,” I pushed on anxiously. “I know in every way that matters that I can trust both of you with everything that matters because if I couldn't, our magic wouldn't work. I firmly believe my life, my heart, and my soul couldn't be in safer hands . . . or hooves. ”
I was flushed red when I finished and I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm my mind. My heart was pounding a mile minute.
I didn't think you had it in you Silver.
Hey now, be nice. We live in here together.
No, I'm honestly impressed you realized that. It hadn't occurred to me.
Well I had to say something. I wish I could be sure it was true for us though.
Why?
Because our magic works without harmony.
Seriously? Are you doubting this now?
. . . Yes. Did we really contribute to stopping the Sirens or did we just hum a few bars to fake it?
For Luna's sake Silver, I don't know. I think the important thing is, we intended to help.
I hope that's enough.
In spite of my best efforts, I felt a tear slip out from between my closed eyelid. It tickled its way down my cheek before a hand brushed it away. I leaned into the hand that cupped my cheek. When I opened my eyes I discovered Twilight had sat down between me and Sunset. She was sitting close with a small smile on her face and pulled me into a hug when she saw my eyes open. I looked over her shoulder at Sunset and was glad to see her smiling as well.
“That was really sweet,” Twilight said quietly. “I still have no idea what I'm doing and I'm sorry I'm not sure about my feelings. I'll try to figure them out Sunset, I promise.”
I looked at her for a second and then a small smile broke out on my face. “Hey Sunset, this remind you of anything?”
While I spoke, I winked at her and flicked my eyes down towards my legs and Twilights. Sunset looked confused for a second and then grinned mischievously. She turned and flopped down across us, laying her head in my lap with her back across Twilight’s legs. Twilight let out a surprised yelp while I pulled a blanket over the three of us, leaving only Sunset's face and one arm exposed. Sunset let out a content sigh and closed her eyes.
Twilight stared down at Sunset with a befuddled expression on her face. “What’s this about Sunset?”
Sunset blushed and cracked her eyes open a tiny bit. “The first real dream I had after you helped clear the nightmares out of my mind was the three of us here like this. Well, except I was a pony instead of human and we were watching a movie but close enough. Also, snuggling on couches is mandatory in this relationship, remember?”
Twilight glanced over at me with a shy expression. “I guess if Silver can tough it out, I suppose I can suffer through it as well. What now?”
I took a chance and wrapped my arm around Twilight while running my other hand through Sunset's hair. “We’ll take it one day at a time. We’ve got the winter ball, the gala and Christmas all ahead. Lots of chances for you to see how you feel.”
“There’s also our date tomorrow,” Sunset muttered. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going you troublemaker.”
“I’ll admit it’s a risk but I think it’ll be fine,” I said, trying to be nonchalant but I think there was a tone of worry in my voice. I was taking a big chance in playing this as a surprise and both of my girlfriends knew it.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Twilight said, leaning against my shoulder. To my surprise, she put her hand down on Sunsets. For a while, we just sat there; three friends relaxing on the couch. After a couple minutes, I yawned.
"I'm getting tired. Do you want to read a few pages of the book?"
“As fun as that sounds, I need to get some sleep,” Sunset said.
“There are two beds upstairs so you each have one to yourself,” I said while Sunset got herself up to her feet. “I'll sleep down here."
“Are you sure you'll be ok?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah, I'll be fine,” I chuckled. “I can fall asleep in seconds now thanks to Luna and this couch is fairly comfy. Should I see you two in our dreams?”
Sunset leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. “You know it handsome. See you soon.”
“Goodnight Silver, I'll see you soon,” Twilight said wistfully.
I brushed my hand down her arm and gave her hand a gentle squeeze that she reciprocated. I watched the two of them walk up the stairs to the bedrooms. Once they were out of sight I flopped down on the couch. It had been one heck of a day and I was ready for a nice peaceful night. Maybe I could ignore my insecurities for a bit while I slept.
I appeared in the dreamscape and felt my rage at a certain object come screaming back. Spark and I exchanged one glance before proceeding to retrieve Sunset and Twilight from their dreams. It had only taken Twilight a moment to figure out how to shift into her human form while the four of us walked towards the crate of frustration sitting there mocking me on the astral plane.
“So the short of it is, there is something going on with this crate. You remember how heavy it was when we moved it in Sunset?”
Sunset nodded. “Yeah, it was kind of absurd. Didn't Pinkie wonder about there being a treasure in it?”
“I've been trying to remember to open it every night for the past week but it's like the memory is suppressed when I'm awake. Every night I've been appearing here and wracking my mind trying to figure out how to find out what's inside. .”
“Fascinating,” Twilight muttered, examining the box. “Honestly, it sounds like a spell of some sort but most magic affects the sleeping mind exactly the same way as the waking mind.”
“That's true but there's a gap in our magical knowledge,” Sunset said thoughtfully. “Celestia never taught us how mind magic carries through into the dream realm.”
“I'm at loathe to admit this, but it's possible Princess Celestia doesn't know,” Twilight replied. “Princess Luna and her Thestral Sentinels were the only dreamwalkers I'm aware of. Celestia never even mentioned the Astral Plane during my lessons and I've never seen any books or spells related to the topic it in all my years.”
“If we're lucky, someone will be able to remember when we wake up,” Spark grumbled. “Or maybe when you're dreaming in Equestria. If you do, I'm hoping you can talk to Princess Luna.”
“Sounds like a reasonable theory,” Twilight said. “This must be terribly frustrating for you. I wonder where your family even got something that is enchanted.”
Spark and I exchanged a look. “We didn't actually think about that," I said, embarrassed by the oversight. "We were so focused on the mystery of us forgetting the crate, I didn't even consider why we have it or where it came from.”
“Maybe your book has a clue,” Sunset said. “We won't know what we're looking for if this memory thing affects us as well but we'll at least know when we fall asleep.
"Maybe," I said dubiously. "I suppose with the three- sorry Spark, four of us working on it, we might be able to compare notes. Anyhow, I don't want to spend our whole night staring at this thing. You feel up for joining our lessons tonight, Twilight?"
"Lessons!?” Twilight asked curiously. "What kind of lessons can we do in a dream? Well, other than learning from Princess Luna.
“Oh, I hope you'll enjoy this," I said, eagerly summoning the dance studio into existence around us. “I took ballroom dance lessons with my mother when she was still alive and we can re-visit the lessons. Sunset, Fluttershy and I have been working through them but I think you might enjoy them as well. It's part of our hypothesis that we can train physical abilities in our sleep. Worst case scenario, we spend the night learning to dance and it doesn't carry to the real world.”
Sunset grinned. "I think it does carry over. A waltz came on the radio last night and I tried a few of the basics. It felt . . . like recalling a long forgotten memory."
Twilight clapped her hands together with glee. "That sounds amazing. What are we waiting for?"
"Fluttershy decided she wanted to have normal dreams this weekend, so absolutely nothing," I replied, letting the memory begin to flow.
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Noooo I vant mooore
8304802 It's in the works.
I just wish I could write faster.
Hey Battlecat I've really enjoyed reading this story of yours, keep up the good work I hope to see more amazing chapters soon.
8330526 - Thank you very much, I"m glad your enjoying the story! I hope to have them done for you soon as well.
great chapter very freaking beautiful cant wait for more and to find out why they keep forgetting about that crate
8336865 - I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a fun chapter to write. The whole story has turned out to be a bit of a slow burn but I think some answers will start appearing soon.
I read four chapters. I should have stopped at two. Your angsty OC makes me genuinely cringe.
8383069 - Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the story but I appreciate you taking a moment to let me know why.
8383331
It's common courtesy to tell an author what you don't like about their story. I like that you can take simple criticism and not get bent out of shape, and that sets you apart from many others.
December? sleepover? Sunset? CMC?
this smells Anon-a-miss!
8418962 Maybe.
It certainly is the storyline most responsible for some of my writers block this summer.