Apropos of the Sinners

by SpitFlame

Part I – Chapter VI – Strained Love

Misty Gem was currently staying in the busiest part of Ponyville, near the town square, in the house belonging to the widow of a merchant, to whom she paid a hefty rent. The house was large, three-stories, and extremely attractive.

Ah, my bad! I already went over this, didn't I? I really do apologize for being so muddleheaded; I guess such things can be common, where us narrators can get easily distracted and fall into the most muddleheaded of moods.

That said, it's impossible to do without details entirely.

The owner, an old mare, lived a relatively secluded life there with her niece, who was also quite an elderly spinster. Both of them were close to Misty's family, both of whom pleased her relative, the merchant, who was openly Misty's patron. At the start they kept a keen eye on her, but this soon proved to be unnecessary (and even quite out of style, considering how much they were getting paid), and in the end the widow rarely ever met Misty and finally stopped bothering her altogether. True, their families went way back, and not all sunshine and rainbows, but since then much water had flown under the bridge.

All the same, the biography of this mare was only slightly and inconsistently known in Ponyville; nor had anything been learned more recently, even at a time when a great many ponies began to be interested in her "beauty." There had been many rumours of her past, no thanks to the limelight she'd received, though we'll get to the real story soon enough.

"You're a sharp lady," Misty's father would tell her, giving her about eighty thousand bits. "You'll make a path for yourself; but know this, that apart from your yearly allowance, as usual, you'll get no more from me before I pass away, and I will leave you with only a very small fraction of my will." But Misty heartily accepted this decision, and in good time she quadrupled her earnings through trade and the stock market compared to what she was owed.

In the house she had two servants, one a very old cook, from her parents' household, and the other the cook's granddaughter, a pert young mare, about nineteen years old, Misty's maid.

When Airglow arrived she heard the noise of hoof-steps, and the rustle of curtains. Did they hear me from the front yard? she thought. It seemed strange that her arrival could—let alone would—cause much of a stir. Her embarrassment before Misty Gem was due entirely to externalities.

She knocked using the big brass ring. In almost no time the maid opened for her, and she let Airglow inside at once, evidently expecting her presence. She was shown in the drawing room: it was exceptionally well lit, which was a good thing since dusk was settling in. There was much furniture: a little glass table with a flowered vase amid two couches and two chairs, a portiere in the back, a fluffy carpet, and a stool near the high window.

Misty was lying down on her big, clumsy couch with its mahogany back, hard and upholstered. Underneath her front hooves was a white pillow. She was very beautiful in Airglow's estimation, with a somewhat pale face, with pursed lips and hot eyes. Her countenance resembled some impatience, lying as if in anguish. When Airglow came in she jumped from the couch and, smiling merrily, embraced Airglow in a quick hug. Airglow was taken aback by such impromptu actions.

"You must be Airglow," said Misty, earnestly gesturing for Airglow to sit down. "I know. Nova described you to me."

"H-hi, Ms. Gem," replied Airglow at once, willing all secondary thoughts from her mind that had nothing to do with the moment. "I have your package."

"I get that you have to approach me formally, but it's no big deal. You can relax. And please, address me by my first name." Misty smiled in a strangely awkward way, affectionately holding out her hoof to Airglow. "Here, lemme take this off you"— Using her magic she levitated a book wrapped in bubble wrap from Airglow's saddlebag and placed it on a stool on the other end of the room. "But, it isn't just that... That's not why I wanted to talk to you."

She spoke excitedly, almost nervously, as weird as it was for any pony to be nervous in front of Airglow. But something about her face, her gestures and voice, evoked genuine empathy and trust. Airglow allowed herself to loosen her shoulders a tad.

"I wanted very much to speak with you, today of all days," Misty continued.

"Alright then, you set the terms. What did you have in mind?"

"Did you know I'm the daughter of a colonel? He was actually born in Ponyville, went up the ranks, and settled in Canterlot."

"No, I didn't know that."

She was struck, at last, by the imperiousness, proud ease, and self-confidence of the mare—something which likely could not be exaggerated.

"It's something Nova would tell you."

"Misty, wait"— Airglow suddenly turned crimson, eyes downcast —"if this is about what he did... I'm sorry. Just—"

"Why ever are you apologizing?" asked Misty, peering directly into her face with the friendliest of smiles. "Oh, Nova's told me so much about you; he talks about you very enthusiastically and with respect. You'll be happy to hear—maybe not tranquilly happy—that some ponies always remain the same, they don't yield to fate."

Airglow looked up. "What do you mean by that, Misty?"

"Well, first of all, do you know the entire story?"

"Bits and pieces of it, I guess."

"That won't do, sister. You know, we should really call each other sisters. We're practically related."

"Oh, I can definitely see that!" said Airglow at once, and her eyes lit up.

It was with more amazement that she felt now, at the first glance at Misty Gem as she ran into her, that she had perhaps been utterly mistaken. This time her face was beaming with spontaneous good-natured kindliness, and direct warm-hearted sincerity. The "pride and haughtiness," which had struck Airglow so much before, was only betrayed now in a frank, generous energy and a sort of bright, strong faith in herself.

Airglow realized at the first glance, at the first word, that all the tragedy of Misty's position in relation to the stallion she loved so dearly was no secret to her; that she perhaps already knew everything, positively everything. And yet, in spite of that, there was such brightness in her face, such faith in the future. Airglow felt at once that she had gravely wronged her in her thoughts. She was conquered and captivated immediately. Besides all this, she noticed at her first words that she was in great excitement, an excitement perhaps quite exceptional and almost approaching ecstasy.

Airglow's lips twitched with the signs of a happy smile, happy to see Misty in such a mood.

"Maybe you could tell me everything," she said with decision. "There's two sides to every coin, right?"

"Help me now, sister. I'll tell you everything, and then you tell me what's right and wrong. Nova's not altogether lost; I can still save him."

"Right, right!" said Airglow warmly. "I believe that."

"First and foremost: what went down," Misty began to speak at length. "It was a wild night, sister. Although"— her face dropped a bit, recalling the memory more clearly —"maybe 'wild' is just my imagination. My parents were shareholders—I specifically deal in trading bonds. When my mother passed away everything was left to my father. I'm sorry if this seems unnecessary, Airglow, but this is how I met my best friend. He was young, a brand new investor, met my father not soon after the funeral. We immediately took a liking to each other. Oh, it was all very platonic, mind you. I don't think my father liked this friend very much, owing to some silly feud between his family and mine. Hindsight can make things seem so silly.

"Anyway, a year later and horror struck. This friend of mine lost everything, down the gutter. Not a bit to his name. Even worse, he was deep in debt, as high as ten thousand bits. You could say we all overestimated his ability in financial management. His family disowned him. I wanted to help, but I was just barely a young mare at the time, I hadn't much to me, either. My father was tight-hoofed about his spending, refused to step in. That's when Nova came, saw me, saw how I wanted to help my friend but couldn't. He donated to me a full ten thousand bits, no strings attached, simply out of the generosity of his heart. I was... so happy, Airglow. Finally somepony—anypony—arrived unheeded at my doorstep. Well, not long after and we became engaged." She leaned on one side and the couch and heaved a heavy sigh.

"But in hindsight that decision was a fit of passion," she went on. "About a month ago I had another problem. Not a big one, so big that it couldn't be solved. This time things were different, my sister. My grandmother was in the hospital, all the way in Baltimare. She had this thing called brittle bone disease—it means your bones are like glass; they break very easily. One of her ribs snapped and poked her heart, and she was rushed to the medics immediately. She needed surgery—badly. The price was high, but I'm rich, don't forget. So I gave Nova a case filled with ten thousand bits. I asked him for a favour, to travel to Baltimare and pay for my grandmother's expenses.

"But he squandered it in a tavern on the way there. He met another mare, set up a whole feast. Ever since then he gave me this letter." She levitated, from a cupboard, a folded piece of paper, filled from top to bottom with tiny writing. Two of the corners were folded and crumbled, and a third was stained with what appeared to be coffee. Misty placed it down on the table. "I won't read it to you, but the gist is that he 'bows to me.' That's what he said, 'I bow to you. May you never see me again.'

"I read the newspaper about the tavern he stayed at. He clearly spent most of the money I gave him, if not the whole thing. Well," she concluded, "I see that look on your face, sister. What's the matter?"

"He... he cheated on you?" said Airglow, and suddenly broke off. Vague thoughts were going around in her mind—scattered, indistinct. She didn't know what to make of these new facts presented to her.

"Oh, sister, there's so much more to it! He's crushed by it. Nova said, in the letter, that he had lost his honour and that nothing matters anymore. I've known it for a long time now; I telegraphed to Baltimare to make sure, and heard long ago that the money had not arrived. He hadn't sent the money, but I said nothing. Last week I learnt that he was still in need of money. My only object in all this was that he should know to whom to turn, and who was his true friend. No, he won't recognize that I'm his truest friend; he won't know me, and looks on me merely as a reminder of his disgrace. I've been tormented all week, trying to think how to prevent him from being ashamed to face me because he spent that ten thousand. Let him feel ashamed of himself, let him be ashamed before everypony. But why doesn't he understand how much I'm willing to save him, just like he saved my best friend once? Why, why doesn't he know me? How come he acts like he no longer recognizes me? Let him forget me as his betrothed. He's not just a dishonour in my eyes. Why don't I deserve his friendship?"

She spoke these words in tears. Hot, hot tears gushed from her eyes, ruining her mascara.

"I have to tell you," began Airglow, her voice trembling and eyes wet, too, "that I'm looking for Nova today, to talk to him, just talk. A-and I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out, Misty. He may do something he'll regret again."

"Come now, my sister," Misty chuckled in a weak voice, in order to brighten the mood, "you act like his passion is uncontrollable, that he'll even marry that other mare he met in Baltimare."

"You never know," said Airglow mournfully, looking down.

"Be a bit more optimistic, sister," Misty laughed strangely again. "You want to find Nova, don't you? I asked about him, too, though that was yesterday. That night he was in Ponyville's only inn, in the outskirts of town by the river."

"The inn?" exclaimed Airglow. "Shoot, I missed him then. I was there yesterday, though not at night."

"Who knows, check there again. It's pretty dark right now—you see there? That's why we need candles. In the off-chance you bump into Nova, be a sweetheart and tell him what I told you just now."

"Of course, Misty! What kind of pony would I be if I didn't?"

"That's the spirit, sister." Misty grinned, and her teeth shined like perfect rows of white pearls. "Goodness, I really don't want to keep you here too long."

"Thank you so much!" said Airglow, a ray of newfound hope entering into her heart. "I promise everything will be fine in the end."

"Save him for me, Airglow," she heard Misty call out to her. "For me, for you, and for your family. Wait, one last thing, and I promise it'll be quick!"

Airglow stopped short and stared curiously at Misty.

The unicorn levitated towards her a piece of gold paper with black letters. Closer inspection revealed this to be a train ticket.

"I want you to have that," said Misty, as Airglow stored it in her saddlebag. "It's a ticket to a luxury transcontinental train, the Flying Rift Express, first class, made for two ponies. The train is coming to Fillydelphia for the first time next month. I'd go but, you know, the trade business never lets you sleep. I thought you'd like to travel and take somepony with you. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

"Thank you so much, Misty," replied Airglow, quite in shock at such a gift.

"Great. If by next month you change your mind you can give it back. That's all; please don't let me hold you here. Goodbye, sister!"

Comments

[F1utt3rShI]

I do hope that Airglows talk with Nova goes well.