Chapter 2 : Self Warnings
“Changeling Magic has been detected. Priority 002”
Twilight Sparkle’s eyes snapped open. Her wards were finely tuned to intrude into her thoughts, even rousing her from sleep if needed. Her fear and anxiety evaporated.
With a crack of arcane magic she teleported from under the blankets of her bed, consuming them in purple flame. She stood tall and regal in the center of her room, her wings and legs spread wide to steady herself.
Fizzlepop burst through the door alert and prepared for combat, her hooves pawing the floor in anticipation. She had been dormant standing guard outside of Twilight's room, ready and waiting to perform her duty at a moment's notice.
Arcane energy flowed around the princess in the form of bright purple motes of light swirling around her, as a magenta aura lit her horn. The motes around her body began growing larger and brighter, pulsing with energy. Pools of white brilliance cast a mystical glow from her eyes, bathing her chambers in soft light.
“My wards were tripped.” she spoke aloud, her voice carrying a strange weight, reverberating around the chamber. “Changelings, in the throne room. Seventeen seconds until teleport.”
Fizzle nodded and was about to move close to Twilight's side when a purple spell ring began to draw itself onto the floor.
“Stand back for a moment.” The alicorn's words were gentle but firm and Fizzle found herself moving away before she could think twice.
Fizzle watched in awe as magic radiated from Twilight's horn, the air around the Princess growing charged and heavy. She felt strange excitement deep in her chest and the core of the stump on her forehead began to itch as she saw Twilight coursing with power. Power that the transformed unicorn was unconsciously controlling with ease. Twilight’s small body surged and an unseen wind began to billow her mane and tail upward.
Brilliant purple lines traced three concentric arcane circles around her, the first filled with runes, the second with swirling lines connecting to more runes held in the third.
The excitement overpowered Fizzle's trepidation. Watching Twilight turn herself into a conduit for such power brought a rare genuine smile to her muzzle. This is what it truly means to be a unicorn. This is what I’m missing.
The power brought forth from her horn coursed through Twilight's body flowing along mystical lines from the top of her horn to the tip of each hoof, feeding the teleport spell-frame formed beneath her and her captain.
The Arcane lines traced a perfect circular pattern along the floor drawing around the Element of Magic and outward in six separate lines. Equidistant and perfectly spaced if measured to the smallest fraction of a degree, They traveled a short distance and drew six more smaller circles spread around the conduit that was Twilight.
The Princess reared up on her hind legs in a fluid motion, her tail dropping to compensate for the change in her center of gravity. Fizzle gasped, not only was Twilight still powering the teleportation spell but now she was doing it with only two contact points anchored to the frame, wisps of smoke rose from her legs and thighs, the mana channeling through her legs would have burned a lesser unicorn's clean off!
Fizzle's eyes widened in awe. The Element of Magic wasn’t finished.
The purple princess clapped her hooves together and a small multicolor spell ring formed around her left wrist. Twilight looked at the ring, muttering to herself, the ring rotated back and forth several times.
Fizzles smiled broadened, recognizing the spell. She would forever be unable to match the power coursing through Twilight's spell-frame so something like teleportation would remain a dream for her until the day she died. Not that she didn’t try it, at Twilight's insistence, but she just didn’t have enough horn left to move that much mana and succeed at something so complex. Not without causing permanent damage.
Twilight's second spell, the one centered on her left foreleg, was more Fizzle's speed.
Most unicorns had the strength to maintain at least one astral pocket indefinitely. They were simple dimensional gateways that could be anchored almost anywhere and it took very little mana to establish one. A small bit to stabilize the gateway and simple exponential progression to maintain the size.
Twilight had spent months with Fizze helping her to learn and understand the principles and equations that controlled the pocket dimensions. She was adamant that Fizzle was more than capable of the skill. Her horn had been damaged but it was still able to convert the needed mana, Fizzle's fireworks spell proved that.
Arcane mathematics had never been Fizzle's strength but Twilight was not only a gifted mage but a gifted teacher as well. Thanks to her Princess, Fizzle had a small astral pocket hidden snuggly in her left armpit. It was very small, large enough to hold only a single golden bit but she was deeply proud of it.
Twilight had three pockets, that Fizzle knew of. One in her mane hidden right behind her horn where she kept parchment and several odd writing devices. A second behind her right ear where she kept notes and papers that she had meticulously memorized. Fizzle had to wonder; If they were memorized why would Twilight carry them?. And a third hidden in the frog of her right hoof. It was the only one of the three that had a lock on it. As anypony with sufficient mana could open an unlocked pocket if they knew where to find it.
Fizzle watched, entrapped, as Twilight undid the lock. What would Twilight need that she would have taken the time to seal away?
A shining mote of light escaped from between Twilights clasped hooves as the lock released. Her left hoof grabbed the end of a wooden staff and pulled as her right hoof pulled away. She reached the end of her span and still the staff protruded from the end of her hoof. The astral pocket shone bright as the purple unicorn grasped the staff close to the mouth of the portal, once again pulling. After a few more hooflenghts the head of the staff came free of the pocket.
The staff forked near the end and in the cradle of the two branches sat an enormous tapered blue crystal. The Staff of Sarcanes.
Fizzlepops smile fell.
Although she was not responsible for the Storm King's possession of the staff she still felt responsible for its use against The four princesses, Twilight especially.
There was however no time to think more about it.
A flash of purple light momentarily blinded the dark captain. When her eyes cleared she was standing in the center of what appeared to be a large recreation room. Several couches, and a few pool tables were spread around the room along with several white coated ponies in golden armor.
The Canterlot Barracks.
The looks on the guards' faces quickly turned from confusion to high alert.
“Princess Twilight!” came exclaimed calls and murmured words for all around the room.
Twilight's voice was strained as she spoke. “I need four of you, your best, to prepare for combat.”
With only a few looks between themselves to see who was available and which of them were armed, four guards stepped forward. Fizzlepop let an impressed look creep to her face, not enough to smile but very close.
With a surge of her horn the Element of Magic anchored the teleport frame she had been carrying to the floor. Still on her hind legs with her tail dropped and the Staff of Sarcanes in her grasp acting as a counter balance she walked to one of the empty circles luminated on the floor. Each step seemed heavy for her and Fizzle could see mana coursing through the crystal in the staff.
“Pick a circle. Facing in.” she said. “Changeling Magic was used during Day Court. Celestia could be in danger.”
The four guards and Fizzle complied, each taking a circle and facing each other across the empty center of the frame. Horns were lit, weapons were drawn.
“We’ll be placed in the throne room on the Celestial insignia.” Voice still strained, Twilight drew in another deep breath. “On my stars, Celestia will be behind me, in … fifteen seconds”
Fizzle marveled at the feat of strength. Twilight had devised and started to charge a multi-passenger teleport frame and anchored it to herself, mostly with only two contact points feeding it. That was in addition to unlocking a dimensional pocket of moderate size, casting a multi user teleport spell WHILE being the anchor point for the six pony Teleport spell frame. Then, to top it all off, transfering the anchor of the spell frame to the floor.
The Purple Princess drew in another deep breath and a second corona bust into life over her horn. A pained groan escaped her lips as magical energy filled her. The guards in the circle and around the barracks watched in awe as the energy changed her. She had to reposition her grasp on the staff as her physical form added a few inches to her height, her legs thickened slightly and her wings grew wider, mimicking Celestia's own broad shape. More glorious than that was her horn, it swelled a bit at the base then stretched out becoming longer, the second corona faded back into nothingness as the larger horn was able to channel the necessary mana.
The guards not in the circle filled out of the barracks and galloped to the throne room. A flash of purple light and the faint sound of tinkling bells filled the common room as they left.
******
Rarity decided she didn’t like it. Every Time she visited the castle her left eye twitched. Everytime she even walked by, her brow furrowed in disgust. The castle wasn’t ugly, not by any means. It was made of crystal, one of her favorite things. She loved the way it caught the light. The way it glittered. The strange idea that something that was made of such mundane things, in the right configuration could dazzle and captivate could be desirable made her smile. It was right, it was...beautiful.
Rarity sighed. It was just wrong. She decided she still didn’t like it.
It was a beautiful crystal castle set off to the side of a beautiful rustic farming community. If you were to look at them separately they were perfect. Ponyville had its own charm and its own aesthetic. And that, Rarity supposed is what made the crystal castle so gaudy.
She tilted her head slightly back. The thatched roofs of Ponyville disappeared from her view and the castle stood alone in the morning light. Much better. Rarity sighed, her heart raced just as it always did when she saw something beautiful, something perfect.
“Ah don’t much care fer it.” drawled an upbeat voice.
Rarity nodded. She nuzzled her friend along the cheek as the farmer walked up to her. “It certainly takes a critical eye to appreciate it, AppleJack.”
Applejack spat on the ground. “Critical nothing! It’s an eyesore.”
The fashionista scowled and looked at her friend.
Time had been kind to Applejack. Her brilliant orange coat had remained the same shade as the day Rarity had met her. Her winter coat was starting to come in which meant that AJ had not been to the spa since fall started. It was hard to tell at first but Rarity knew what to look for. She let her eyes wander back to Applejack's face and sure enough the dapples on her cheeks were nearly gone, the overgrowth of orange fur overpowering them.
A small smile washed over Rarity's face, followed by a sigh she hopped wasn’t too noticeable. So many years had passed. Where had all that time gone? And why did Applejack still look so young?
Her body was still stout and full. Years of farm work had kept her strong and her muscles well defined. She had grown thicker in her legs and barrel but anypony mistaking it for winter fat was in for a surprise.
If Twilight hadn’t become an alicorn AJ would certainly have been the largest of their small group.
“Ya look nice Rarity.” AJs smile was genuine and wide. A comment like that in Canterlot or Manehatten would have had Rarity examining it to determine if it was backdhoofed in any way. But with Applejack there was no fear of double speak, the Element of Honesty always said exactly what she meant.
“Much better’n this castle.” Applejack shrugged off the saddlebags she was carrying and leaned her head down. She stretched out her forelegs and a mighty crack sounded along her back. “Must say, sure is nice ta have ya back. Stayin’ long?”
There was a time when Applejack's colliocul vocabulary would have irked Rarity. Her ears did threaten to betray her by flapping shut. But try as she might, it just felt too good to hear the apple farmers' voice.
“As long as I am able, dear.” Rarity smiled. “Winter will be here soon so I need to start thinking about the new spring line.”
Applejack nodded, her blond ponytail bobbed in the early morning light. “Ah’m sure it’ll be perfect Rares.”
“I was sorry to hear about Granny Smith.”
Applejacks smile never flattered, “Tough old apple. Every tree comes down at some point.” She leaned over and nuzzled the Unicorn's cheek with her own once more. “She’d appreciate it if ya went an said ‘Hi’.”
There was no malice or rebuke in Applejack's words. Rarity nodded. “Certainly, I plan too.”
“Good morning everypony!” Pinkie Pie’s normal greeting was somewhat muted, instead of appearing from nowhere and smothering her closest friends in full body hugs she settled for trotting up to the castle steps with the biggest smile she could offer. Which was still nearly half the size of the large delivery cart she was hitched too. “Sugar Cube Corner'' displayed proudly on either side.
Applejack threw a foreleg around the baker. “Good mornin’ Pinkie.”
The pink pony seemed to melt into the embrace. “Hi AppleJack. It’s so good to see you!”
This was certainly a surprise. “Pinkie dear.” Rarity began. “Are you well?” She thought she could see tears in the baker's eyes.
Pinkie sniffed. “I’m just super happy to see you both.”
Rarity found herself pulled into the embrace. Pinkine sniffed again and buried her muzzle deep into Rarity’s mane. The smell of cotton candy and baked bread filled Rarity's nose as Pinkie's mane engulfed her in turn. Pinkie's voice whispered in her ear. “You’re safe. You’re here.”
Applejack unhitched herself from Pinkie's cart with a puzzled expression but seeing her friends brought her smile back to her face. “Good to see you too Sugarcube.” Pinkie was back at her side in an instant. The party pony breathed another sigh of relief.
The apple farmer put her hoof around her friend again. She patted the back of the pink mare a couple times for reassurance. “Now, anypony care to tell me what we’re doing at the castle so early fer?”
The residents of ponyville had begun to congregate. The sun was officially up so that meant the morning market was winding down. Time to get ready for the breakfast crowd. The tempting scent of roses wafted across Rarity’s nose. She almost called out to Rose, the eldest flower sister, for one but the promise of baked goods made by Pinkie reminded her to be patient.
“If Fluttershy called for a meeting I’m certain it is important.” Rarity said. “You know she would never ‘bother’ anypony if she didn’t have too.”
Pinkie nodded vigorously and Applejack merely chuckled.
“Come on AJ, help me set up?” Pinkie had walked to the side of the front stairs of the castle where a narrow service ramp was cleverly hidden. The apple farmer nodded absently and began to help push Pinkie's cart.
Rather than do nothing Rarity firmly grabbed hold of the cart with her magic and gave a solid heave. It wasn’t really hard work, just three friends helping because they could, to pass the time. To be together.
Rarity missed this. Manehatten was her jungle, her adventure. When she wanted to feel challenged with her skills put to the test, that’s where she went. Yet when all that was done, when she needed a recharge or just a break. She knew she could always come here. Ponyville. Home.
The three friends entered the Castle of Friendship and made their way to the map room. The throne room only being used when Twilight was holding court.
“Durn draft makes it too cold here.” AJ complained. “Warm the halls a bit will ya!” she yelled into the empty chamber.
Rarity was about to ask when Twilight had decided to staff the castle. And, incidentally, why she hadn’t been consulted. Instead her ears perked as a strange rumbling noise began at the top of the castle and wound its way down to the entranceway. The foyer and hallways brightened and warmed noticeably as natural sunlight began to shine down from the ceiling.
“Thank ya kindly!” The orange farmer called out.
Still staring at the ceiling, Rarity flicked her ear in annoyance.
The orange pony chuckled. “Castle is pretty friendly if’n you ask nice like.”
“What happened?” The fashionista asked.
AJ shrugged. “I don’t rightly know how it works fer the heatin’, but the castle walls turn all clear like. From the top all the way down to the room you’re in. Brings the sunlight all the way down. Purrty fancy.”
Rarity nodded. “Quite amazing. Why didn’t the castle do that earlier? Did Twilight find a set of instructions?”
AJ beamed with pride. “Nope! She put a spell on the castle herself. Spent weeks ‘searchin an fretten’. Ain’t much Twi can’t do when she got time ta do it.”
The three friends pushed the large double doors to the map room open. The mystical friendship map, a gift from the tree of harmony, sat in the center. A small magical overview of the entire world was projected from the stone surface. Rarity half expected to see a pair of cutie marks floating over the map. An indication that harmony itself detected a problem that needed to be solved.
As the double doors to the map room opened, the three friends stopped for there were indeed two cutie marks over the Friendship map. The familiar magic wand and magical swirl of Trixie Lulamoon, and the eight pointed starburst and mystic swoosh of Starlight Gliimer. And, more importantly, the two mares themselves.
Starlight was lying on her back in the center of the map, her forelegs wrapped around Trixies neck, her eyes were closed tightly and she was panting slightly. Trixie had the lower lobe of Starlights left ear in her mouth. A fit of giggles escaped the performer as cute little mewling sounds escaped Starlights lips.
The three friends were caught completely off guard, not a word escaping their lips. Rarity’s white cheeks flushed bright red, the brazenness of this little liaison embarrassing her. Applejack made a mental note of what Trixie was doing. Now she’d have something nice to give Rainbow when she returned from her assignment.
Pinkine gasped, her head tilting to the side, “The ponies in Baltimare are going to need some serious therapy.”
The gasp that escaped Starlight was NOT Trixies fault.
A flash of light and explosion of multicolored smoke startled the trio. Pinkie pie reared up on her hind legs, her forelegs flailing madly.
AppleJack had taken a more active approach. She had jumped in front of her friends. Placing herself between them and the pillar of smoke. Spinning in midair she cocked her hind legs preparing to place anything that might threaten any of them into low orbit.
The suddenness of the move shocked Rarity and she found herself backing off a step. Her hoof rose to her chest. Her breathing quickened.
As the smoke cleared a familiar pony clad in purple wizards garb stood up tall on the map. The stage magician, none too subtly, climbed from off the table and stood in front of it. She raised her hooves high.
“Ta-da!” she said.
“Trixie! Glimmy Glam!!!” Pinkie yelled happily, forgetting her earlier fear. She would have leaped over to the ponies except for being hitched to a party wagon.
Starlight's eyes were wide, her pupils darting between the three friends. She squeaked and her hooves jumped to her mouth. Her blush took nearly to the tips of her pink ears. She was making stangeled protesting noises, but they were unable to get around her hooves as she began nervously chewing on them.
Pinkines laughter continued and Applejack smiled broadly. “Ah hope y’all don’t do that here often.”
Hooves still stuffed into her mouth Starlight nodded vigorously. She seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly changed her mind, shaking her head side to side instead.
Still unable to speak, Starlight crawled forward falling off the edge of the map when her hooves failed to leave her mouth to catch herself. The purple unicorn gasped as the bulk of her weight crashed down to the floor, most of it being absorbed by her knee. The purple pony hissed in a breath of air her hooves finally leaving her mouth to cradle the injured appendage against her chest.
Starlight wasn’t what most ponies envisioned when they thought of what the protege of the Princess of Friendship would be. She had taken to making friends easily enough. Twilight was an excellent teacher when it came to that process. Starlight just had some personal baggage that came with being somepony who had nearly destroyed the world. Baggage that Twilight did her best to help carry.
Starlight was earnest in her desire for reform and to be allowed to interact with the citizens of Equestria, but the poor dear had a personality not unlike rough sandpaper. Useful and even helpful on occasion, but very abrasive. There were certainly no fence sitters where it came to Starlight, Rarity included. The Element of Generosity knew that Starlight was trying her best and that her particular faults mirrored Twilight's own, if in the extreme.
Rarity couldn’t quite put her hoof on what made Starlight special, or what compelled her to be patient with a mare who had once stripped her of her taste and refinement but she wasn’t the type of mare to hold that kind of grudge. Not really.
It had taken her considerable time to extend the same courtesy to Trixie. Considerable for Rarity, at any rate. Trixie hadn’t been paticurly malicious that she recalled. A bit more directed and vindictive, but certainly not malicious.
Whatever Trixies faults showmanship was not listed among them. With Another explosion of smoke and a fanfare of trumpets she sauntered around the map table drawing attention away from Starlight.
“Tis I, the great and powerful Trrrrrrixie!” She bellowed, rolling the r in her name with an annoying number of extra syllables. “Princess Twilight! What a pleasure for you to have the best entertainer in the greater, southern half of Ponyville in your home!”
A third burst of sound and light and the performer appeared in front of the trio. Only hesitation kept Applejack's legs from bucking the unicorn back where she came from.
“Twi ain’t here. Hasn’t been fer a few days.” The earth pony reported.
Trixie visibly deflated. “That mare is never where Trixie needs her to be.” The baby blue unicorn stomped back around the Friendship Map muttering under her breath. Her hoof clops echoing her frustration. Her eyes softened when she got back to Starlight's side, “Have fun in your meeting, do not keep Trixie waiting.” She leaned over and kissed the older mare several times helping her to her hooves. “Trixie will miss you.”
Starlight's blush had nothing to do with the kisses.
Trixies horn lit and a fourth flash of light and plume of smoke erupted all around her. The large door of the map room opened and closed quickly as she slipped through it. The remaining mares in the room politely took no notice.
The three elements of harmony turned their eyes on Starlight.
Twilight's apprentice withered under the gaze. She had spent most of her life feeling unwanted in an orphanage, how she wished then for attention. She had once confessed her undying love to her foalhood friend Sunburst, who promptly rejected her, how she longed for companionship. She had once made a fool of herself by forcing reconciliation between Twilight's very own mentor and her sister, the very rulers of a land she had hoped to one day overthrow, she wanted Twilights approval! And now she had been caught making out with her marefriend in Twilight's own throne.
How she wished to be back in that orphanage now, to be alone and ignored once again.
Thankfully Rarity could see how uncomfortable the situation had made the gathered mares.
“Let’s set everything up, shall we?” She placed an arm around Pinkie Pie.
Starlight caught her eye and Rarity saw the enormity of gratitude displayed there. Rarity wasn’t surprised. Starlight was a gifted mage and a fine student, in her opinion. When it came to social graces however her growth had been severely stunted. Rarity smiled a bit at the thought of a pony such as Twilight Sparkle, who had her own challenges where societal norms were concerned, had taken it upon herself to help Starlight find a better way. Just one of the many wonderful things about Twilight.
The Four worked in silence. Setting up a small serving table and allowing themselves to just be around one another. Pinkie unboxed and arranged the fruit pastries and drinks with practiced care as her friends brought the boxes to her.
The spread had nearly been completed when the sound of the main doors being opened reached them.
Pinkine’s ear turned towards the noise and she looked puzzled. She pulled a cupcake seemingly at random from the table, it was strangely frosted in gray and sprinkled with golden candy crumbs. She scrutinized it for a few moments and gave it a tentative lick. Her muzzle scrunched and her eyes watered immediately. “They are way too early.”
A muffled voice could be heard steadily growing louder as it moved from the main entrance to the map room. It was certainly too loud and excited to belong to Fluttershy. It wasn’t long before the door swung open and with a bow and a flourish the God of Chaos, Discord, with his best smile and best manors gestured forward and allowed Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness entrance to the map room.
If Rarity didn’t know better she would have thought that Fluttershy had grown ten years younger since the last time she had seen her. Her manestyle had changed from the usual heart frame she was well known for, it had been gathered and bundled higher than normal and allowed to fall in layers down her neck and over her shoulders. It was still brilliant pink, not a single strand of white or gray to be found. It was gorgeous.
Rarity had never been jealous in her life but she certainly envied her fiend. She considered Fluttershy one of if not the most beautiful pegasus in all of Equestria. She had to admit that a lot of that beauty was a result of the subtle changes that her friend had endured over the years. The once nearly homebound pegasus had grown confident and bold and now her homebound tendencies were more of a conscious choice and not a forced necessity.
That confidence worked wonders for Flutershy. She did not flaunt herself as some ponies did, but she certainly stood out in a crowd now, instead of deftly trying to hide in the shadows that the crowds themselves formed, her shoulders no longer hunched instinctively and her head was held at a normal height, she even would answer the occasional casual hello with one of her own. Couple that with her demure smile and nature and it was no wonder that the Element of Kindness was as popular as ever with the tabloids. Thankfully She insisted on Rarity managing that side of her life.
Designing for Fluttershy was so challenging yet so rewarding. The yellow pegasus was tall and lean even compared to other members of her tribe, with wide, full wings built for soaring like Princess Celestia and Twilight. Her proportions were slightly off, her legs longer than average, and more slender near her hoof, her neck just a tad too long. It made it particularly rewarding to design garments for her that accented her hind legs, and thighs…and hips…
Rarity had caught herself staring more than once.
Fluttershy's pink mane was pulled back today, allowing her bright eyes and bright smile to wash over her friends. “Good morning everypony.” she said in a clear confident tone. Amongst her dearest friends there was no fear or anxiety, she knew there were no judgments here.
They each echoed her greeting.
Hugs were exchanged all around, as the four friends pushed through the awkwardness left by Starlight and her paramore.
Discord made his way to the map table, he was educated in friendship enough to realize there was some tension left in the room but not enough to realize that Starlight was slowly slinking away because she was the cause. His foot falls were audibly uneven his horse hoof clopling loudly while dragon talons clicked and scraped across the crystal floor
“Are you hiding?” the mismatched God asked.
Starlight sighed. “Not well enough it seems.” Her eyes widened in surprise as the Draconequus swept his lion-like paw back in the direction of the bearers and the map table. Offering to usher her back into the conversation.
“Thank you.” She could still fill the hot blush on her cheeks. She hated this. There were always so many uncomfortable moments around every pony. Deep down Starlight knew she would have to make up for the pain she had caused, and the damage she had almost caused. She just wished it was easier.
Trixie had helped with that. A warm smile crept to her face as she thought about the traveling performer. Starlight had thought that a relationship of this nature was years away. If it ever happened at all. Trixies affections were intense and focused, Starlight wasn't opposed to that but it was quite a surprise when it happened.
If she had known that relationships were as easy as the proformer made them she might have tried sooner. The most friction in their relationship seemed to come from Trixies history with Twilight. Anytime the performer and the Princess were in the same room the tension spiked, neither one of them could seem to breach the topic. Despite Starlight's reassurances that no one held it against her, Trixie would still stiffen and bristle when the princess was around.
“Are you ready for this?” Starlight asked the Spirit of Chaos. As they walked to the map. She searched his face for any sign that this morning's meeting was causing him discomfort or distress. “Any pony would be nervous. No pony would blame you.”
Discord appeared to be in good spirits. He waved his paw and the stack of papers that had been following him floated over to the map table and sorted themselves among the empty places.
“I've never been nervous in my life.” he said. “I’m sure it wouldn’t agree with me.”
“It’s a big step.” Starlight told her friend. “I’m happy for you.”
A small smile curved the draconequus lips. “I’m happy for Flutershy.”
“Are YOU happy?” the unicorn asked her eyebrow raised.
Discord raised his own in response. “I’m not…NOT happy.” He glanced at the element barreres. “It’s what Fluttershy wants.”
Starlight put a hoof on Discords leg “Is it what YOU want? It’s best to be honest in situations like this Discord.”
“It’s best ta be honest in EVERY situation, sugarcube.” Applejack said, stepping into the conversation. “Now come on an get some grub and let's get seated, Daylight's burning.”
“Grubs?” Discord asked.
“Thank you for all coming today, it’s so good to see you all again and I’m very happy to share my happiness with you…my sisters. Starlight?”
Starlight nodded, a quill and inkwell were pulled from her bags and she began writing.
The quiet pegasus stood from her chair, she blushed fiercely but spoke in a confident, if a bit quiet voice. She spoke words she had wanted to say for so long, words that most mares had longed to speak. Words rehearsed in the quiet moments of everyday life. Or to oneself in the bathroom mirror. Words of love and longing, words of binding and trust.
“I, Fluttershy Posy, first daughter, have asked Discord to be my stallion.” Discord stood and took Flutershys wing in his paw. “I wish to share my happiness.” The pair briefly looked at one another and shared a deep smile.
“In turn I offer a place in my herd to my dearest friends, offered without expectation, declined without malice. From now until such time as we must part by death or by deed. May Celestia bless my house.” Fluttershy's words had never been bolder or more clear.
“And Luna, my home.” The gathered mares echoed the expected response.
Rarity’s horn lit and she pulled a small blue gem stone from her saddle bags. It was cut to perfectly match one of the gems in her cutie mark. She was practically vibrating, longing to prance and cheer for her friend but refined enough to make sure she followed the appropriate protocol for the situation. “I,” she giggled “Rarity Bell, first daughter, am not speaking or spoken for. I am not opposed to joining your fine herd, I will hear you.
Protocol was no such concern for Pinkie Pie. She jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around Fluttershy and Discord. “I’m so happy for you! I had no idea!” Her face fell. “Now I owe Gummy my Allowance.” She blinked several times, her blue eyes filling with tears. “I, Pinkamena Diane Pie, third daughter are unattached. I will hear you.” She reached into her mane and pulled what appeared to be a brightly frosted sugar cookie from her mane. It was shaped like a balloon and frosted bright pink.
AppleJack smiled when Pinkie was finished. Her hat was upturned in her hoof, she had reached inside and pulled a small hoof carved Apple, much like her cutie mark, hanging from a simple bit of twine. She had carved it from a fallen branch of the Apple side of the Apple/Pear tree that was hidden away in a secret grove that only the three living apple siblings knew of. It swung back and forth in her mouth.
“I, Applejack Apple, first daughter, am in love with another an I’d have to talk to her first.”
Fluttershy chuckled and revealed the ring from her bag. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that AJ.”
Applejack's green eyes had caught sight of the ring that Fouttershy was holding. She had seen it and her heart had broken. Right down the middle. It split open and the greatest pain that Applejack ever knew flooded into her chest. Far greater than the day that she learned her mom and dad were never returning to their farm.
Fluttershy head a marriage ring in her teeth. A simple iron ring a little larger than a key ring. It would soon be placed above Fluttershy and Discord's hearth. On it one of her bright yellow primary feathers hung.
Discord was smiling and holding up a claw that had been clipped from his lion paw. It would be placed on the ring, next to the feather, to signify their coming wedding.
Applejack had initially been over the moon with joy for Fluttershy. Discord was odd but the pair seemed to love each other. As much as Discord was capable of love. And far be it for one such as Applejack to deny that any two beings who loved one another shouldn't be allowed to join themselves together..
No, her heart had broken because on the ring, on the other side of Fluttershy’s feather hung another primary feather. This one bright blue. Bright blue and perfect. It was the most beautiful blue that Applejack had ever laid eyes on. It was Rainbows.
Rainbow Dash, her Rainbow Dash was already married.
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That was a good chapter goodluck with the next one.