Collaboration

by FerociousCreation

Dome Ceiling

The rise of a kingdom told in stories is much different when you are a part of the construction of that empire. It is a fascinating perspective indeed. Every time I am hired by anypony for my services, be it a simple coat of paint, to the tedious task of painting the ceilings of Canterlot Castle, my strokes would be left for many generations to come.

My work was heavily sought by many of the ponyfolk who heavily invested in their homes and demanded meticulous designs within their establishments. Not to mention, my lovely wife-to-be, who was a sculptor beyond the levels of mastery, also assisted in spreading my name throughout Canterlot. Everywhere she went, my name left her lips.

She was a sweet mare. But she was absent from her home most of the time. As work was very demanding for us both, White Pillar and I had very little time for one another. But that did not mean we weren’t in love. The moment we managed to place down our tools of art, Pillar and I would engulf each other with a love that would make any changeling salivate.

I knew that every time I dabbed my brush into different paints, there was a chance that conflicting colors would taint the hues of an already perfect color. Caution was my middle name, conveniently placed in between Back and Drop. But even masters are far from perfection and have a tendency to make errors. Some errors could be nothing more than getting a single drip of marble white on the floor. And some errors would leave a nasty smear across a freshly painted portrait, distorting what was supposed to be a lovely beauty for all to see.

This is my smear.

***

Every time there was a knock upon my door, I would immediately answer its call. It may be a confounded solicitor attempting to sell me their services or products, while the pony at the door might be in need of my skills. I only disliked solicitors because they always sounded so convincing. The moment you allowed one word from their tongue to enter your ear, they had begun their reign of victory.

A hoof knocked at my door, almost causing me to flinch and ruin a typical bowl of fruit painting. I prayed by the grace of young Princess Celestia that she sent somepony who would indeed need me. When I was greeted by guard clad in gilded armor, I wondered if my prayer was actually heard.

“Good morning,” the guard spoke. “Are you the painter by the name of Backdrop?”

“I am, sir,” I said. I gestured my hoof into my dwelling to direct his eye to my setup propped up in the center of my studio. The pegasus, however, did not adjust himself to any movement. His stare was firm on me.

“You are being requested to Canterlot Castle for your services by the young Princess Luna.”

I knew my name had made its way across the kingdom, and there were several times where I was brought to the castle to add a few details to a hoofful of pillars. But being requested by the regal sister herself was not expected. “Th-the Princess Luna?”

“Yes.” I had little time to collect myself as the guard began instructing me. “You are to arrive at Princess Luna’s estate by the fourteenth hour. She will be present, so I advise that you do not keep her waiting.”

I fumbled my composure, “She… she will be-”

“Yes.” The guard sighed out his nostrils, a sign his patience was thinning. He pushed a scroll into my chest. “Show this when you enter the castle grounds. You will need it to approach Princess Luna’s estate.”

“Yes, sir.” I grabbed the scroll with my wing and tucked it into my feathers.

The guard only nodded once and muttered a, “Farewell,” before he marched down the street. I closed my door quietly as if to not wake up the rats in the walls. All at once, the severity of the princess’ request smashed into me.

My subconscious awakened with vigor, ready to instruct me with positive advice. Indeed, I was very joyful to learn that Princess Luna had chosen me to work for her. There was also the lingering dread that the princess who raises the very moon requested my craft! My predicament was a pro and a con. I wanted to arrive with confidence and give Princess Luna the best I could provide. I also did not want to disappoint her with less-than-perfect work.

With a few hours at my disposal, I chose to return to my simple painting to mull over what I might need to paint for the regal sister. I could only pray to her sister that all would go well.

***

I lugged my wagon through the castle hallway as I looked back at my small cargo. I chose various paints ranging from Princess Luna’s natural pallet in hopes to predict her choice of colors. Ponies who have hired me before had a tendency to use similar colors based on their fur and mane.
A door with a symbol of the moon was flanked by two guards clad in velvet-purple armor. Both were mares. Their eyes were equally as sharp as their horns. The colors of their furs and manes reminded me of the fiery sunsets fading into twilight. Perhaps they were twins.

“Name, please!” the right unicorn demanded.

“B-Backdrop,” I said. The gravity of her voice forced me to halt too quickly, and I felt the paints slosh around in their buckets.

The left unicorn knocked twice, paused, and gave much harder pound on the door. A blue aura swallowed the door, and it crept open. “Come inside, please,” Luna spoke. Her voice captured my nerves, preventing any movement.

But the guards did not approve of my faltering. “She summoned you inside,” the right unicorn grumbled. My body was levitated off the ground by the left guard. I couldn’t grab my wagon in time as I drifted into the room against my will. When I was freed from the spell, the wagon was pushed into my rump. I turned around to scowl at the guards’ assertion, but one of the mares combatted my stare with one of their own, and she quickly became the victor.

“Do not treat my guest in such a manner, Nova!” Luna scolded. “The same goes to you, Vega! I know where you stand!”

In response, Nova changed her aggressive expression and replaced it with fear. A weak “mmhmm” whimpered around the door frame’s corner, and I saw Vega’s tail curl around her legs like a shamed dog. Despite the fact that the shouting was not directed at me, the authority with which Princess Luna spoke with stilled me.

“Forgive us, Princess,” Nova began, “but your guest-”

“My guest is twenty minutes prior to the time he was requested to arrive! I do not approve of your actions!” There was nothing for Nova to refute. I was glad to know Princess Luna didn’t allow her guards to treat me like a ruffian. “Now stand outside, unless you and your sister wish to be replaced!”

Nova fled without taking a passing glance at me. The door hinges didn’t squeal when she closed the door to leave me alone with the princess.

“I apologize for their rude behavior,” Luna said. “Nova and Vega take their task of protecting me to a degree I do not approve of.”

At last, I was able to face Princess Luna without any interruptions by hasty guards. Her features were much more breathtaking at such a close proximity. A light-purple coat which complimented her light-blue mane captured a memory I would never forget. The combination of wings, a horn, and crown proclaimed her title as princess without words. She was not as tall as her sister, and I felt it was safe to assume she was the same height as White Pillar. Yet, despite her earlier yelling, Princess Luna held fast with a blissful smile.

“Good afternoon, Princess Luna,” I bowed. “It is an honor to have you request my services.”

“And thank you for being early. Or as Starswirl the Bearded likes to say, ‘Thank you for being on time.’” The compliment made me flush. The young princess giggled, causing my heart to beat in my throat.

“How may I be of service?” I asked.

Princess Luna raised her hoof to the ceiling. I followed to where she pointed and saw a tall ceiling shaped like a dome. “I wish for you to paint this drab colored roof into a beautiful replica of the Ponhenge Constellation.”

My eyes widened. “Are you assigning me an epic project?”

“I… am?” Princess Luna answered.

It had always been a dream of mine to be assigned a project that would involve many weeks, if not years of labor to accomplish. I wondered if she wanted me to paint the figures that outlined the stars. “How do you wish for my task to be dealt with?”

A book from across the dwelling sped over to the princess.“Your references will be in this book.” Luna fanned through the pages and revealed the constellation. “Make the painting look exactly like the pages the book is portraying.”

The two pages disappointed me. The paper was in that aged yellow color books obtain as time rots at their existence. And the ink of the images and text were a simple black. The only impressive visuals were the calligraphy, the descriptions of every consolation in a beautiful twist of lines and curls.

“Exactly as it appears?” I repeated. It pained me to make Princess Luna repeat herself. Rulers have been known to dislike such notions and were swift to scold.

But the mare was not angered with me. “That is correct,” Luna nodded. “I am granting you two weeks to complete my request. Do me well, and I shall follow up with another job instantly.”

At once, my brain accomplished the task Luna had provided in an instant and more. I envisioned the constellation completed while imagining the future projects she might provide. Even White Pillar was in my mind as she normally was. Pillar had an exquisite bust of the princess before her. So many possibilities were available. All I had to do was complete Princess Luna’s first assignment.

“I shall get to work at once,” I said.

“Excellent!” Luna beamed. It brought me great pride to witness Luna’s joy directed at me. I looked back at my wagon, and my happiness evaporated. There were no yellows among the paints. I could have at least predicted to paint a few stars the princess. But that thought evaded me until the moment I noticed my unintentional error.

“I shall be returning to my studies,” Luna said without notice of my internal mood. “And while I study, I shall also be present as you work from now until you finish my task. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Nova and Vega are also at your disposal. If you need to go obtain more paints, have one of them accompany you. Also, having a guard at your side will prevent you from flashing the letter I sent you.”

“I certainly had to do that as I came to your room, Princess. The guards certainly care about your safety.”

“And I am glad for their services. But it is not me who makes them behave so aggressively.”

I rose a brow, “Oh? Is it your sister?”

“Certainly not!” Luna shook her head. “Celestia is far too kind to command a pegasus knight to force out information from anypony via interrogation. No, it is Starswirl the Bearded.”

“I can understand his motivations without an explanation,” I said. “You and your sister do a great deal with ruling Canterlot. It is a great surprise that the two of you possess such intelligent wisdom and-”

“You can save your praises, Mr. Backdrop,” Luna interjected. “I receive the same compliments day after day by ponies who use uplifting words.”

“A-as you wish, princess,” I bowed.

“Not to say I do not appreciate your compliments!” Luna expressed concern for me, which was not expected. “It is nice to receive kindness from a stallion like yourself.” Her comment made me blush. “But you can simply save yourself the trouble of an exaggerated compliment by telling me you are proud of what I do, and that will be enough.”

“Yes, Princess Luna.”

“And one last thing, Mr. Backdrop.” The regal sister approached me with confident steps. I almost personally complimented Luna at how she walked, but I was quick to reject the thought; she was not willing to listen to constant praise every passing second. She slightly looked up at me with great happiness. “Thank you for accepting my offer. The grapevine has told me many great things about your works.”

“And thank you for your benevolence, great Princess Luna. It brings me nothing but intense joy that you-”

“You’re doing exactly what I do not wish for you to do,” Luna grinned.

“Forgive me!” I stiffened. “It’s just… Telling an artist like myself not to use colorful words is a challenge in and of itself.”

The princess laughed aloud, her voice shaking the foundations I stood on. “At least your ‘colorful words’ make me smile. Perhaps if you can limit yourself, I will permit such comments.”

While I tried to maintain a manner of professionalism, it was difficult to not be amused by Luna’s behavior. I could see a pony with unique behaviors under that crown she bore. Regardless of my moods, I knew there was a task to be done.

***

Elongating an image is never an easy chore, especially when it had to be placed on a wide ceiling. To prevent any lollygagging and to keep up with Luna’s time restraint, I chose the most neutral yellow I could find on the constellation’s old pages and painted the ceiling in that shade. I also fanned the paint with my wings to accelerate the project’s process.

“Might I ask a question about your technique?” Princess Luna said from below. A book levitated beside her splayed open as she glanced up at me. “Just promise not to give me a sophisticated response.”

I flew down to Luna, laughing as I descended. “I apologize in advance if I compliment you in the process.”

A few giggles escaped the mare. “Maintain your upkeep on amusing me, and you may.”

“Then ask your magnificent question.” It was very odd for me to behave casually with the princess. Even as I teased her like I have done with White Pillar, it was something I never thought would ever exist.

Luna looked up at the yellow paint. “I have always wondered how artists create such wonderful pieces. Might you address what you are doing currently?”

“Ah!” I walked over to the book that sat on a rounded plush chair and pointed to it. “As you have mentioned before, I am aiming for an exact replication of the constellation. The pages have that old yellow age onto it, not to mention some stains litter the image. What I am doing first is placing one layer of yellow as a backdrop, and then add additional layers on top of it to mimic the rot of an aged page.”

“Interesting,” Luna said. “I see you apply your name to your own work.”

“A backdrop is nothing more than a background,” I replied. “It’s a technique all painters apply.”

“I assumed a painting was only done in sections.”

“Then I must painfully admit that you are wrong, Princess,” I frowned, though it was exaggerated.

“Better to be corrected than continue to be ignorant.” Luna looked to the window and gasped, “Oh my goodness!”

“What is it, my princess?” I asked.

The door to Luna’s room flung open and in came Nova and Vega. Their horns hissed with electricity, and the sisters directed their attention to me. The alicorn did not hesitate to command the guards. “Stand down, you two! No threatening matters are present!” Nova and Vega halted their lethal powers but retained their bitter stares.

Princess Luna briskly approached the balcony doors and opened them with haste. She looked back at me with a smile. “Would you like to see me raise the moon?”

“I- are-”

“Is that a yes?” I nodded and walked over to the princess. I stood in the doorway, but Luna did not allow me to stand from afar. “Come.” When I came to her side, she closed her eyes, and her horn began to glow. Beams of light faded beyond the horizon as the stratosphere began to fade from orange to violet.

Luna opened her eyes and pointed her horn up into the air. The moon rose a lot faster than I had noticed when I was standing beside the princess. “It's beautiful,” I said. “Thank you for granting me the honor to witness your powers.”

“You’re welcome.”

When the chorus of crickets started their individual chirping, Luna asked me, “Does the moon remind you of anypony or anything?”

My lips naturally responded, “White Pillar, my fiance.”

“Really? How sweet!” Luna placed her forehooves on the balcony ledge. “I’ve always dreamed of being with a romantic stallion who always thinks of me.”

“Umm… Princess Luna?”

The mare looked back at me. “Yes?”

“I am flattered with your openness with me, but might I ask why?”

“O-oh!” The princess flushed and looked away from me. “Apologies. I don’t know what came over me.”

“No! No need to apologize! I was just curious.”

“I umm…” She looked behind me, and I followed her sight. Nova stood tenaciously at the balcony entrance, but she was greeted with two doors closing before her muzzle. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Of course,” I answered automatically, while I was taken aback by her sudden trust in me.

“I wish… for you to be my friend.” Luna’s ears retreated as if I shamed her.

“All of Canterlot’s subjects are your friends, Princess,” I said. “It is natural.”

“I disagree.” The regal sister looked up at the moon. “While I am glad to have my sister and Starswirl as a family, there are no ponies who talk to me like a normal pony. When we were inside and talked about painting, it felt… normal. No talk about how wonderful I am. Just painting and sharing a few humorous statements. And I enjoyed it.

“I’m no longer a filly, and I am no longer a teenager. I am an adult now. But I am a pony who doesn’t have anypony treat me like the common folk. Ever since I acquired my wings, I was no longer normal. I have only two ponies who are closest to me. Other than them, I have no friends. And I am lonely.”

“Princess,” I muttered while flanking her side. “It breaks my heart to hear this.”

Luna smiled at me, “But I know you will keep me company during the time you paint. I can see it in your eyes.”

As a citizen of Canterlot, I knew it was my sole duty to aid my princess. “I will be more than happy to be your friend.”

“Thank you,” Luna smiled. “And keep this in mind: our friendship isn’t a part of your task. It is to be enjoyed.”