The Gates of Equestria

by SapphireRose87

Chapter Fifteen

Melody gasped when she heard what Fancy said as he walked away. She didn't realize that Aether was standing behind her until he said something. "Uh, Melody what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Melody spun around and told Aether what she heard. Aether's jaw dropped. "Are you sure Fancy would do that? That's not like him!"

"I don't know," said Melody as calmly as she could, "but that's exactly what I heard!"

"Okay, I believe you," said Aether, "the question is what are we going to do about it? And more importantly is there anything we can do about it? If we tell Head Guardian Sapphire that we just overheard somepony say it, it would just be our word against his! Not to mention that just because he says he's going to do something doesn't necessarily mean he'll actually do anything. I know Fancy, he would never betray his friends like that!"

Melody raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? Because Fancy hasn't been acting like himself lately."

"Well.. maybe he's trying to step out of his shell a little bit?" Aether suggested, with his hoof on his chin. "You know when somepony wants to make a change in themselves it's kind of hard to do." He paused when he remembered what happened earlier in training. "Although, his Windigo did seem terrified of him...." He shook his head. "No. Just because an animal is afraid of you doesn't mean you're evil."

Melody sighed. "Okay fine, so what do we do now?"

"Well I say just keep an eye on him for now. We should also have a back up plan in case he does double cross us." Aether said.

Melody nodded. "Okay what do you have in mind?"

Aether tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, I just named my Windigo Silme. If Fancy double crosses us, we should have a catchphrase like, Silme wants a carrot. That way we know something's up."

"Okay," said Melody, "that's nice and all but that still doesn't answer the question of what do we do if Fancy double crosses us."

"Yeah, sorry.. I’m thinking that's going to take some more planning, but I think the catchphrase is a good start." Aether said.

"Great," said Melody, "should I tell Head Guardian Sapphire about this or not?"

Aether shook his head again. "No, well.. Not yet at least, we’d need more hard evidence that something is off. As it stands, if we do say something then it's just our word against his."

"Alright then." Melody said. "I'm just going to keep an eye on him so to speak."

Aether chuckled at this because Melody's blind so she won't be able to see what Fancy is doing. Melody rolled her eyes. "Ha ha! I get it. I can't see exactly what Fancy is doing because I'm blind."

"I shouldn’t laugh, I just think that phrase is funny coming from you that's all, not trying to make fun or anything." Aether said. "Anyway, we should probably get back to our Gates before Master Shi starts telling us to get a move on."

Melody nodded and as she went back home she felt unnerved by the fact that Fancy would consider betraying his fellow Guardians.

* * *

It came time for Prince Purple and Sapphire's date. Sapphire was led to the restaurant where Prince Purple was by Princess Twilight. Sapphire gasped when she saw who her date was and had half a mind to turn around and back out of it. But Sapphire didn't want to automatically turn the guy down just because he's a Guardian on the reserve team. Besides, it's not like she could promote the guy because of playing favorites or anything like that. That's because appointing a pony to Guard the Gates just doesn't work that way.

Sapphire turned to Princess Twilight, "Seriously Princess! I'm surprised at you trying to set me up with a coworker! You know how I feel about stuff like that!"

"Oh come on Sapphire," Princess Twilight whined, "just because the guy's on the reserve team doesn't mean you can't get to know him."

"Honestly Princess," said Sapphire, "think of how that will look if I wind up dating the guy. And if he does get promoted to Guardian ponies will think it's because I'm dating the guy when the Guardian community knows for a fact that promoting a Guardian doesn't work that way. But even so, if the guy did get promoted that's what the Guardian community will suspect." She continued, "And another thing I'm 3,100 years old Princess! Do you really think it's a good idea for me to settle down only to see my loved one pass?"

Princess Twilight gasped and her jaw dropped to the ground when she heard Sapphire's age. "So that's why you don't want to celebrate your birthday anymore?"

Sapphire nodded. "Yup! And trust me, you're not the only princess that's tried setting me up on a date before. Princess Cadance and Princess Celestia did the same thing. But okay fine, remember one date and one date only! If I don't like the guy then back off in meddling in my love life. Got it?"

Princess Twilight nodded. "Got it, I won't do this anymore."

"Promise me you won't do it anymore Princess." Sapphire said.

"Okay I promise!" Princess Twilight said. "Don't worry if I make a promise I'm keeping it! I learned that lesson from Pinkie Pie."

After Princess Twilight left Sapphire went to sit down at the table where Prince Purple was.

"So," said Sapphire, "you're my secret admirer huh?"

Prince Purple nodded. "Uh, yes that would be me."

Okay then let's this date at least isn't boring like the date I went on with Prince Blueblood. Sapphire thought. Hopefully the guy will be able to talk about something other than himself.

"So uh, Ms. Sapphire," said Prince Purple awkwardly, "how was your day today?"

"It was fine," said Sapphire, "how was yours?"

"Mine was fine too." Prince Purple replied.

Before Prince Purple could say anything else, Prince Blueblood came bursting into the restaurant and stormed right up to the table where Sapphire and Prince Purple were.

Prince Blueblood got right up in Prince Purple's face and snarled, "You good sir need to leave now! Sapphire's mine and I don't like-"

"Excuse me?" Sapphire roared. "Exactly what do you think you're doing Prince Blueblood?"

"I am righting a wrong here!" Prince Blueblood snapped.

"And what wrong might that be?" Sapphire snapped, narrowing her eyes at him.

"You are my bride to be and you're already cheating on me!" Prince Blueblood replied.

"If I recall correctly the last time you proposed marriage I said no," hissed Sapphire, "and on top of that, I threw three sofas at you! WE AREN'T TOGETHER! SO I'M NOT CHEATING ON YOU!"

Prince Blueblood shrank back in terror. "But I have your engagement ring!"

"Yeah," snarled Sapphire, "and I didn't take it! I threw THREE, yes count them that is if you can count, THREE sofas at you! I think if that isn't a clear no for an answer I don't know what is!"

Prince Blueblood got over his terror because he started scowling at Sapphire. "Alright then, fine! I'm giving you an ultimatum!"

Sapphire glared daggers at Prince Blueblood and if looks could kill he would've dropped dead right on the spot. "And what ultimatum might that be?"

"It's me or him!" Prince Blueblood said, pointing a hoof at Prince Purple.

Prince Blueblood's ultimatum that he had no right to give Sapphire pissed off Prince Purple. Sapphire stepped towards Prince Blueblood getting ready to tear him a new one when Prince Purple stepped in front of her blocking her from Prince Blueblood.

Prince Purple got right up in Prince Blueblood's face, "Excuse me but I think the lady said no! And you have no right to be giving her any ultimatum's because you aren't dating her and you certainly aren't getting married to her!"

Sapphire's horn lit up and she gripped both Prince Purple's and Prince Blueblood's tails in her magic so she could keep them from coming to blows at the restaurant by separating them.

Sapphire let out an irritated sigh, "Listen to me dear Prince Blueblood! If I'm going to choose anypony, I choose myself! I'm not going to marry you so get lost and don't bother me again! You're lucky I don't have any rights to the furniture in here or I would throw every single table in here at you!"

Sapphire didn't realize it but before she could finish lecturing Prince Blueblood about not marrying him, Prince Purple had asked for a Guard to come over to the table.

"Ms?" The Guard said. "Is this pony bothering you?"

Sapphire turned to the guard and smiled. "Oh yeah, he's bothering me alright!"

The Guard gripped Prince Blueblood in his magic and escorted him out the door. After Prince Blueblood was escorted away, Sapphire and Prince Purple sat down at the table to continue their date.

"Sorry about Prince Blueblood, Prince Purple," Sapphire said.

"Oh don't worry about it," said Prince Purple, "that guy's an arrogant prick who doesn't know how to take no for an answer. I mean who does that guy think he is? Does he really think you're going to marry him when you said no and threw three sofas at him?"

Sapphire rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Nevermind him, let's talk about something else."

Prince Purple nodded. So they spent the rest of the date just making small talk. Even though the date went well, Sapphire still had her reservations about dating anyone. So once she and Prince Purple got outside the restaurant, Sapphire pulled him off to the side.

"Listen Prince Purple," Sapphire started.

"Oh boy what this is about." Prince Purple said.

"Huh?" said Sapphire.

"When a mare starts a conversation with the word 'listen' after a date," replied Prince Purple, "that means they're rejecting a romantic relationship with you."

Sapphire nodded. "But it's not a total rejection."

Prince Purple tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Well just because we're not going to date," said Sapphire, "doesn't mean we can't be friends at least."

Prince Purple nodded. "Okay, I can deal with that. But I still have a crush on you either way."

Sapphire laughed. "Yeah I know. Remember, friends but no romantic relationship."

"Got it." Prince Purple agreed.

With that, Prince Purple and Sapphire parted ways.

* * *

Melody paced back and forth in her house at the East Gate. She still felt unnerved that her fellow Guardian Fancy Mark might betray them and go to work for the enemy. Normally when Melody was this upset she would work on a song or two. But today she couldn't focus on anything because she felt so unnerved by this.

What on earth is that pony thinking? I mean seriously? Why? Just why? Melody kept thinking to herself. She just about jumped out of her skin when there was a knock on the door.

She opened it and was relieved when recognized Apple Bloom's voice, "Hey Melody, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong?" Melody asked.

"You look upset about something and-" Apple Bloom paused. "Well maybe I should correct myself on that because there's no music sheets hung up around the house!"

At this point, Melody was torn, should she tell Apple Bloom what information she just found out? Or should she just keep it to herself and maintain her not showing any emotions around anypony?

Melody took a deep breath and let it out. "Actually there is something bothering me. I haven't hung any music sheets up because I can't concentrate on anything today."

Apple Bloom gasped. "What? I'm surprised! That never happens!"

Apple Bloom walked over to the kitchen and Melody followed her.

"Okay, what's going on?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well," said Melody, "you're not going to believe this but I overheard a fellow Guardian named Fancy Mark that guards the West Gate talking to himself about possibly betraying us and going to work for the enemy Phantasia!"

Apple Bloom gasped surprised by this information. It took a moment for her to compose herself. "So what or are you going to do anything about it?"

Melody shook her head and sighed. "I don't know. Seeing that it was just words, I don't really have anything to go by! I can't go to Head Guardian Sapphire and say well Fancy Mark said this, so should we discipline him? It would be my word against his! Who knows? Fancy Mark can come back and say no he wasn't planning on doing that and then I look like a big jerk!"

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement. "Oh yeah I totally agree with you because you would never accuse somepony of doing something that they didn't do or haven't done yet. I say you and your other Guardians just keep an eye on the guy and if he does go over to the dark side so to speak then you can accuse him of something. Until there's not much you can do about it."

"Yeah I guess you're right," said Melody, "it's just unnerving that a fellow Guardian would betray their teammates and Equestria!"

"I agree with that also," said Apple Bloom, "and I say whoever betrays Equestria is a big traitor and needs to be stopped! Anyway, I just came by to check on you since Applejack can't come visit you because of you being on house arrest. I still can't believe Pinkie Pie put everypony in danger by visiting every single Gate! She needs to start learning how to take things seriously for once in her life."

"Yeah I know," said Melody, "I hope we get off being on house arrest soon. I also heard the Head Guardian Sapphire has been really stressed out lately. And Princess Twilight keeps setting Head Guardian Sapphire up on random dates that she doesn't want to go on. I wonder, there is something interesting that I've noticed about Head Guardian Sapphire's cutie mark."

Apple Bloom tilted her head in curiosity. "What?"

"Remember that book you got me from the library The Gates of Equestria?" Melody asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" Apple Bloom replied.

"Well about the sixth chapter in, the book mentioned something about a pony that would live as long as Alicorn or longer because they had been blessed with the gift of immortality." Melody said. "The chapter said that this pony possesses the power of something called Gate Crystals. It continued to say that this pony hasn't been seen in over three centuries ever since the fall of the Nintis Empire. And that this pony is also a Princess from the Nintis Empire."

"Okay." Apple Bloom said. "What does this have to do with Head Guardian Sapphire?"

"I'm getting to that Apple Bloom," said Melody, "the book said that this pony's cutie mark resembles that of a famous flower that was known throughout all of the Nintis Empire called The Legendary Sapphire Rose! The flower is a red rose and when it's in bloom a sapphire gem is found in the middle of it. Head Guardian Sapphire's cutie mark looks a lot like the flower that was mentioned in the book! Which would make sense because Elder Dazzleflash did say she was over a thousand years old!"

"I see," said Apple Bloom, "so you think maybe Head Guardian Sapphire is a Princess from the Nintis Empire blessed with immortality?"

Melody nodded. "It's plausible but I'm not going to poking around in somepony's private life just because I'm curious about them. That's rude! Besides, I'm pretty sure she doesn't want anyone to know about that just yet."

"Alright then, do you feel better telling what was bothering you?" Apple Bloom asked.

"You know something," said Melody, "actually do feel better. But don't go thinking this means I'm going to start showing emotions around ponies! This event just unnerved me. It's not everyday when you find out that your comrade is considering the idea of betraying everyone!"

Then Melody's stomach growled. She had been so worked up over the thought of being betrayed by her teammate that she didn't really want to eat anything until now. She looked at Apple Bloom. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Sure!" Apple Bloom replied.

With that, Melody went to gather the things she needed and proceeded to cook a meal for her and Apple Bloom.