Tinker, Tailor, Pony, Spy

by Blade Star

Chapter 2

Tempest slept fitfully that night, as she had for many nights before. In all honesty, she couldn’t really recall the last time she had slept peacefully. Life as a soldier had made her used to sleeping when she could, seldom getting eight straight hours. And even when sleep did come, it was seldom peaceful. While she had pretty much forsaken her pony nature, that didn’t stop it from affecting her. The memories of things she had seen, the things she had done, and what had happened to her had taken their toll over the years. She would never admit it to anypony, but Tempest knew that she had a problem. Ponies would call it post traumatic stress disorder. It came and went with time. Some days, she would be fine, raring to go. Others would find her using all her energy just to keep her terror under wraps. It was also the cause of her current woes, as her dreams, more often than not, were formed of disturbing nightmares; flashbacks intermingled with even more unsettling scenarios.

As she tossed and turned in her comfortable bed, Tempest found herself reliving one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. She had just leapt into the air, taking the full impact of an obsidian orb hurled by her former employer after he betrayed her. She saved Twilight and her friends from the fate she was about to endure. She knew what those orbs could do to a creature, and she was acutely aware of the drop far below. But in those few seconds, there had been no other way to save her new friends and try and undo the damage she had already done.

Besides, the Storm King had just told her that there was no way he could repair her horn, even if he had been serious about it. What else did she have to live for? This whole invasion was so she could restore herself and regain full control of her magic. She had cared not a jot for these ponies, or whatever that deranged ape wanted. If that was not possible, then what was the point of going on?

The gas hit her and she instantly felt her muscles tense. The obsidian crystals began to form as she continued to soar through the air. She was dead and she knew it. But so was he, for she saw the same crystals forming on her old master, and she saw the look of anger and fear on his face.

At least she’d take that lying coward with her.

She felt cold as the crystal encased her. Her breath caught in her throat and, despite her best efforts, she began to feel panic. She couldn’t breathe, and in a few moments, she was going to die. She didn’t want to die, but it was too late now. Why had she lunged at him? Why hadn’t she blasted him to knock him backwards? That was a better solution surely? Or maybe she should have pushed Twilight out of the way. At least then she might have a hope of surviving.

But now she didn’t. As she soared through the air, there was nothing she could do. She wanted to scream, but the crystal was already around her mouth, encasing her throat from the inside. Then she felt the pull of gravity. She was falling. She was going to die. Any moment now, she’d fall and be smashed into a million pieces on the hard ground below. All of a sudden, the damage to her horn seemed so trivial, so meaningless. But again, she realised, it was all too late, and now she was going to die.

Or at least she thought that would happen. Becoming lucid for a moment, she remembered how Twilight had saved her, using the staff containing her and her fellow alicorns’ magic to pull her back from the brink. She wasn’t going to die! She was going to live! She waited to feel the pull of the magic checking her fall.

But it never came. She looked through frozen eyes as the Storm King stared back at her. She wished she could turn her head to see what was going on. She was definitely falling now, as was he. The balcony fell away upwards, although in her petrified state, Tempest felt no wind. Again she tried to scream, tried to move, and futilely thrash her legs to try and stop her ever accelerating descent. But it was no use, her limbs, her mouth, even her eyes were frozen in place, staring that fool in the eyes. To her amazement, her fellow statue then spoke.

“Did you really think they’d forgive you?” he asked. “This is what you deserve, Tempest. Accept your fate.”

Her frozen body now began to pivot as air resistance tossed her around, giving her a full view of the ground rushing up to meet her. She wished she could at least shut her eyes. But instead she was forced to watch as it surged up to meet her.

She braced herself for the inevitable impact, vaguely wondering when it would feel like to shatter into a thousand pieces. Would it even kill her? Or would she just be entering a whole new world of suffering that would make her ruined horn seem like a minor injury. A moment before she and the ground met though, she found herself picked up in magic, but not the magic she was expecting.

“I’ve got you!” a reassuring voice called over the wind. Tempest was conscious of a shadow passing above her and a moment later, her descent slowed and stopped, before transitioning into forward flight. A few moments later she was placed on the ground with the utmost care.

Her saviour landed in front of her, giving her a chance to see who it was. She instantly recognised the pony, a dark blue alicorn, with a cutie mark of a crescent moon. It was Princess Luna. The alicorn once again activated her magic and a moment later, Tempest found her ability to breathe, move, and blink restored as the obsidian shattered around her. Looking around in surprise, she felt again a sense of lucidity, recognising that these events, of the past, made no sense.

“What...how...”she muttered, bewildered.

“At your ease, Tempest,” Luna said calmly. “You were having a nightmare. I intervened to dispel it.” Tempest looked at her in surprise.

“A nightmare? You mean, this is all a dream?” Luna nodded.

“It is surely the most logical explanation, is it not?” she said with a smile. “You survived this. You know that our mutual friend, Twilight Sparkle, saved you from such an end.” Tempest now found herself fully lucid.

“But how are you here? And how did you even save me?” Tempest asked curiously.

“It is my duty as Princess of the Night,” Luna explained. “Once the moon is raised, I keep watch over the dreams of ponies, guarding them against nightmares.”

“I’m surprised you helped me though,” Tempest remarked. Now it was Luna’s turn to be confused.

“How so?” she asked.

“I’d have thought after what I put you through, you’d just leave me to it. After all, I’d probably wake up when I hit the ground anyway.”

“You wound me, dear Tempest,” Luna said, a little hurt. “I would never abandon a pony to a nightmare. And, having experienced such a fall as you did now, I can safely say I would not wish the experience on anypony.”

Tempest grimaced as she remembered how she had petrified Luna mid air, nearly killing her when she landed on the marble floor. It was more by luck than judgement that she had survived.

“Besides,” Luna continued, now coming to stand alongside Tempest, with the unicorn being only slightly shorter than her. “I would say that you have punished yourself far more than I or my sister could have. This is your dream after all; a creation of your subconscious mind. You still feel guilty for what happened.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Tempest asked.

“After my return to grace,” Luna said plainly, “I all but tortured myself with a creature called the Tantabus, forcing myself to experience the same nightmare over and over to ensure I would never fall to darkness again.”

The frankness and blunt nature of the admission caught Tempest off guard.

“Do not think that you are the only pony out there with demons, Tempest,” she went on. “It took me a great deal of time to rebuild my life and regain the trust of ponies.”

“You had all the time in the world though,” Tempest countered, walking away to examine the smashed remains of the Storm King. “You had a home, a job waiting for you. And I know for a fact that plenty of ponies were happy to see you as soon as you returned. Look at me; I’ve got no job, no prospects, and every time I try to reach out, ponies just slap me down.”

Luna was silent for a moment, letting Tempest vent. A few moments later, she spoke again.

“While I do not compare my circumstances to yours,” she said carefully. “I cannot help but think we had the same initial problem. Ponies fear that which they do not understand. When I attended Nightmare Night in Ponyville, after a somewhat rocky start, I was able to show ponies that I was not the insane mad mare that sought eternal night time. You must do that same.”

“I already did,” Tempest said, now beginning to grow frustrated again. “I made friends with these three little fillies, their schoolmates, even their teacher. And just as things started to look up for me, this crazy mare made everypony panic and turn on me. I don’t have the advantages of that crown on your head, princess.”

“Then permit me to use it to aid you,” Luna answered jovially, seemingly disregarding the jab. “In a couple weeks time it is my birthday. Dear Sister lays on a lavish celebration for me all night long. Many an influential pony attends. And were you to join them, and make a good impression, I am sure that the dear old Canterlot rumour mill will soon spread the word that you are a good pony, deserving of a second chance.”

Tempest, though recognising the kindness Luna was showing her, couldn’t help but chuckle a little.

“Me, at some high class party?” she said. “I’d clear the place out in seconds. If nothing else, I don’t even have anything to wear. Unless you want the pony who turned all your guests into slaves showing up to your party in full armour.” Luna too chuckled at that and smiled.

“Yes, that would be rather awkward,” she agreed. “But I’m sure that, were you to arrive in less threatening attire, you might create quite a stir in the more positive sense. And as ponies say, if one goes down well in Canterlot, they will go down well anywhere. To that end, I can recommend a good tailor here in Canterlot. Seek out old Elusive’s shop in the Old Quarter. I think you and he will get along famously, given how most ponies don’t trust him any more than they trust you.”

“Why is that?” Tempest asked. Luna smiled knowingly.

“Oh, there’s this old nonsense rumour going around that before his current profession, he was some sort of spy,” she said innocently. “Ponies do business with him, but little else. Perhaps you two outcasts can help each other.”

Tempest was about to press Luna on her sudden turn toward the bizarre, when the world around her seemed to shift out of focus.

“Ah, our time grows short,” Luna commented, ruffling her wings for a moment. “Take heed of what I’ve said Tempest. Go see Elusive and attend my little soiree in two weeks time. Leave Equestria if you must, but let friendship try one last time before you do.”

With that, Luna took flight, disappearing into the rapidly expanding void of white that was engulfing the world around Tempest. Canterlot, the Storm King, even the sky above eventually faded out. For a brief moment, Tempest’s world was all a white void. Then everything went black.

---

Tempest woke up in her own bed with a start. To her surprise, she found herself remembering the dream with near perfect clarity. It had certainly been a strange creation of her dreaming mind. She couldn’t help but find it odd that her mind would choose Princess Luna as a sounding board. It was a mad idea too; Tempest attending a birthday party, and one for a high born member of royalty at that.

Chuckling to herself, she enjoyed those few brief moments after waking, before the realities of the waking world reassert themselves. For a few fleeting moments, she forgot she was without a situation, struggling to make any friends, and considering abandoning her homeland for a second time. Of course, when these memories reappeared, her previous mirth soon faded. Getting out of bed, she saw that the clock had just gone six. Spike would no doubt be downstairs making breakfast .
She admired Spike, she reflected to herself as she trotted down the crystal corridors. A seemingly innocent little child, barely able to produce flame, had cut a swath through her forces when he and his friends returned to liberate Canterlot. Tempest had been careful to counter the effects of magic with the armour issued to her troops, but she had never thought to consider something so simple as fire. He had been extraordinarily brave for such a young hatchling.

Coming to the dining room, she found that Twilight and Starlight weren’t up yet. Spike however, was indeed busy working on breakfast, judging by the smell coming from the nearby kitchen. If she could do nothing else, Tempest mused to herself, she could at least help him out and be of some use. Heading in, she found him perched atop a chair so that he could reach the stove. He was also, rather comically, wearing a light pink apron.

“Morning, Spike,” she called out. The little dragon promptly jumped nearly a foot in the air. Tempest cringed at her ability to inadvertently frighten.

“Oh, hey there, Tempest,” Spike said after recovering himself and turning around.

“Need a hoof with breakfast?” she offered.

“Sure,” Spike replied.

The pair set to work in earnest. If there was one thing Tempest did appreciate in this new life of hers, it was the vastly improved cooking. As they worked, she told Spike about her strange dream.

“I mean, I don’t even know why my mind picked one of the princesses. It’s just so weird how clear everything was.” To her surprise though, Spike didn’t seem as baffled as her.

“That wasn’t a dream, Tempest,” he explained. “Well, I mean it was. But Princess Luna actually does protect ponies’ dreams every night. That really was her. And her birthday really is in two weeks.”

The revelation threw Tempest for a loop. If Luna was serious in her invitation, then she was offering another way of re-establishing herself. More to the point, while Tempest knew the princesses didn’t exercise the same autocratic power as the Storm King, she figured it probably wasn’t a good idea to snub the invitation. She also remembered her suggestion about seeking out this tailor; Elusive. Perhaps he might be able to offer her some guidance.

In any case, it was an avenue worth pursuing. After all, it got her out of the castle and away from Ponyville, which would probably be for the best, at least until the fallout from yesterday’s incident had blown over.

And so, that morning over breakfast, Tempest related to Twilight what had happened. The alicorn was deeply encouraging and in favour of the idea. However, when it came to this Elusive, she was more hesitant.

“I don’t see why you should have to go to see him,” she said, sounding uneasy. “Rarity’s shop is right here in town, and I’m sure she could make you a great dress for Luna’s celebration. Plus the guy always gave me the creeps.”

“You met him?” Tempest asked. Twilight nodded.

“My dad used to go to him to have suits made and maintained,” she explained. “He always seemed nice enough, but something about him always made me feel uneasy. He was one of the few ponies who tried to fight off the changelings during my brother’s wedding. That’s what started the rumours I think. I’m sure they’re just nonsense though. After all, Equestria doesn’t have any spies.”

“Of course not,” Tempest agreed, suppressing a smile.

“Still, I must confess I never really liked him much. To be honest, he sort of reminds me of Discord. On the other hoof though, he does good work, and I suppose that, as the Princess of Friendship, I shouldn’t be encouraging ponies to shun anypony just because they’re a little different.”

Twilight’s description of this pony only piqued Tempest’s interest further. He certainly sounded different to any other pony she’d met. What puzzled her though was Twilight’s vague reasons for disliking him. Further explanation suggested he was a perfectly polite, well mannered stallion, with quite the gift when it came to his profession. And yet at the same time, ponies all over found him ever so slightly unsettling. For Tempest’s part, she could understand why some ponies feared her. Truth be told, there was a small part of her that relished that. But Elusive seemed only to be plagued with unsubstantiated rumours, whose origins nopony was quite sure of. He didn’t seem threatening in the slightest. All in all, she was curious and looking forward to meeting him.

After breakfast, Tempest packed a few things, including a modest stack of bits loaned to her from Twilight, and set out for the train station. She would be in Canterlot for a few days at least. Elusive’s bespoke work took time, particularly as he would also need Tempest’s measurements. Tempest wasn’t too sure about being back in the city again, but Twilight assured her she would do fine, having booked her a place at a modest hotel not too far from Elusive’s store.

Climbing aboard the overly bright and pink, heart covered train, Tempest found herself again feeling many sets of eyes watching her. She reflected that that problem was hardly going to go away as she set off for the city that she had once held captive.

---

The train journey took around an hour, and it was easily one of the least comfortable moments for Tempest. She was used to the feeling of eyes on her, the whispers and muttered curses, and even the occasional feeling that somepony might be planning to repay her for what she had done. But most of the time, she had the option of walking away, and moving on. Not here though. She was stuck in a tube with perhaps twenty other ponies, many returning to their homes in Canterlot. She could feel the hate in the air.

She did her best to keep her mind busy and tried not to dwell on her fellow passengers. Starlight, who Tempest had confided to once about her occasional nightmares, had taught Tempest a few meditation techniques, and she sought to employ these now. Closing her eyes, she tried to slow her breathing and focus on it above all else. Unfortunately, having only been practising for a few weeks, her focus wasn’t as good as Starlight’s. She’d only counted a few breaths when her sensitive ears picked up the first unkind remark.

“I can’t believe they let her on here.”

“Maybe the princesses have ordered her back.”

“Maybe they’ll finally throw her in jail.”

“Probably the safest place for her.”

“Still, I don’t see why she should be riding up here with everypony else, and without even a guard escort.”

“Would you want to escort that insane savage?”

Tempest closed her eyes again and tried to block out the noise, instead attempting to focus on the more positive aspects of her new life. After all, not everypony treated her with such contempt. While she still felt uneasy about it, there were a few ponies, and one dragon, she considered friends.

“I still don’t understand why Princess Twilight even saved her.” The voices broke through again.

“Yeah, I mean, the way the poor thing’s crippled with that smashed horn...it might have been the kindest thing to do.”

Tempest felt her teeth grinding as she vainly tried to focus

“And that’s forgetting how screwed up her mind must be from living with those beasts all those years. Talk about being raised by wolves.”

Now Tempest felt her jagged horn beginning to spark slightly. While she viewed herself as a disciplined soldier, even a disciplined soldier has their limits, and she was fast reaching hers. Then came the last straw.

“You wonder what her parents must think. I mean, can you imagine going on knowing you raised that?”

Tempest was moments from angrily rounding on the offending party and blasting them to kingdom come, and hang the consequences. Luckily for her, she was brought out of her rage by the feel of the train’s brakes coming on, while the shrill whistle of the engine drowned out any further comments.

“Canterlot Station! All change, please, all change!” cried the conductor as he walked along the aisle.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Tempest hurried out onto the station platform. The station was bustling with ponies and, much to her relief, most were too busy going about their own affairs to pay her any mind. Despite her above average height and intimidating presence, Tempest still felt herself becoming lost in the crowd. It was a massive relief after the stressful journey up here.

Still, she reflected as she walked out of the ticket hall and onto the main thoroughfare, it was strange to be back in this city again. After all, the last time she had visited, it had been as a conqueror. And now, here she was, looking for a tailor. There was a somewhat surreal irony there somewhere.

Tempest chose not to try and hail a cab. The small dog carts that rattled up and down the roads, while no doubt offering a speedy way to her destination, would probably not be too willing to stop for her. She had no desire to stand on the side of the street, trying to hail cabs that, having seen her, would gladly pass by on the other side. Just another little benefit that came with being widely hated.

Fortunately, the Old Quarter wasn’t too far from the station. Canterlot had begun life as a mining settlement, though Tempest had no idea what possessed its unicorn founders to go prospecting on the side of a mountain. Surely it must have cost more to build the precarious settlement than any return from mining the crystals in the large caverns beneath the castle. In any case, the railway station had naturally been one of the first buildings constructed, allowing the ore to be shipped down to the heartlands, and the city had consequently grown up around it. The Old Quarter then, was but a stone’s throw away; a veritable rabbit warren of narrow passages and alleyways in sharp contrast to the broad and open paved streets the city was known for.

Of course, this did make finding the store she was looking for more than a little troublesome. Shops here weren’t the sort of places tourists went. They were well kept secrets known to locals able to navigate the maze of alleys. Whereas places like Manehattan were built on a grid, there was no easy way to navigate here, even with maps.

It wasn’t as if Tempest could ask for directions either. Canterlot ponies weren’t known for their hospitality as it was, but none of them were about to help the mare who had invaded their home and kept them as prisoners, or worse. So, with little information to go on, except Luna’s advice that the shop was somewhere in this area, Tempest began to search. And in a couple of hours, she got lucky.

The store wasn’t much to look at, in fact, she almost missed it, her eye having been caught by a small bakery next door. It was off by itself, down a narrow, arched passageway, separated from its neighbours. Sitting at right angles, so the frontage faced into the alley, with nothing opposite it made it even more tricky to spot. The only sign, handing just above the door, was a modest thing too, outclassed by other stores nearby. It was a simple carved wooden sign, painted a deep red with gold, cursive lettering, which read ‘Elusive’s of Canterlot. Est. 957 CR. Fittings and Alterations’. Tempest doubted there was more than one tailor named Elusive in the city. Canterlot was large, to be sure, but not that big, with only a few thousand inhabitants. She was just about to cross the square and head over, when the door opened and somepony stepped out into the street.

He was a unicorn stallion, not quite middle aged, but certainly older than Tempest was. His coat was white and his modestly cut purple mane made Tempest think of Twilight’s friend Rarity. In fact, if you put the two next to each other, you could be forgiven for seeing a familial resemblance, to say nothing of the fact that they shared the same trade. He wore a modest waistcoat with black buttons that was deep red on the front, and black on the back. Both materials looked moderately expensive to Tempest’s untrained eye. She was just contemplating going over to try and introduce herself, when she saw him fish a large brass key out of his pocket and lock the shop door behind him.

Tempest was puzzled at that. It was getting near to lunchtime, sure, but it was a bit early to be closing up just yet. Still, it seemed to be what he was doing as he checked the lock. Tempest, cursing her poor timing, was about to head back the way she had come and go check into the hotel Twilight had graciously set up for her, when she noticed something odd.

Instead of simply heading wherever he was intending to go, this unicorn paused as he came to the end of the small alley in which his shop stood. He took a careful look around. Something in his inspecting gaze made Tempest reflexively retreat back into the shadows. Apparently not spotting her, and satisfied with what he had, the stallion then began to head across the square diagonally to Tempest. He continued to keep his head on a swivel though. Not noticeably mind. To the untrained eye, there was nothing amiss. But Tempest, with her experience, could tell that he was looking for something, or someone, around him, and trying not to be seen doing it. More importantly, as he turned, Tempest clocked a medium sized manilla folder held against the side of his barrel. As he came to the edge of the square, he paused, took another look around and then headed off. Perplexed at this odd behaviour, and having little else to do, Tempest chose to follow.

---

While Tempest was trained as a soldier, to command her troops in battle on the front lines, that didn’t mean she knew nothing when it came to the more finesse world of stealth. After all, there were plenty of situations where a lone fighter could achieve what an entire battalion of shock troops could not. She was well practised in the art of tailing somepony without being noticed.

Being careful to keep a fair distance behind Elusive, so as not to obviously appear to be following him, but staying close enough to see each turn he made, Tempest followed him through the narrow streets. It had been some time since she’d used these skills, and she had to admit that she was a touch out of practice. Still, she had little trouble following the tailor.

At least at first.

It wasn’t until Tempest realised that they were circling an area of the city that she caught on that something was up. She’d been careful to stay out of Elusive’s sight lines and stay a fair distance behind him. She had to be more careful than most of course, owing to her unusual size and height making her stand out somewhat amongst the crowd. Elusive gave no hint that he was aware of her presence, but they had definitely been to this part of the town before. So, to be safe, she dropped back further. She figured he had most likely just lost his bearings for a moment. After all, he had stopped into various shops along the way as it was.

After giving him a few moments, she picked up the tail again and the pair continued on. They began to emerge onto one of the main thoroughfares. From her knowledge of the city, Tempest knew that they were heading toward the castle, where most of the government offices and foreign embassies were to be found. She wondered what was in the folder he was carrying. If what Luna had said was true, perhaps he was making some sort of drop; walk into one of the embassies and drop off whatever it was he was carrying. Bold to do it in the open, Tempest mused.

It was this musing that proved to be her downfall. She let her mind wander for a moment, taking her focus off of Elusive. Passing by several shops with large display windows, the crowd was reflected in the glass panes. As Elusive passed by them, he glanced over at the reflection. His pace faltered for a moment and he soon pivoted around, staring straight at Tempest. She was only able to avoid being out and out spotted by ducking behind a parked cart. Regardless though, he’d made her, much to Tempest’s consternation.

She waited where she was for a moment, trying to appear to just be idly loitering so as to not draw suspicion. With any luck, Elusive might just think he was seeing things and move on. After all, she’d been quick on her hooves and out of sight before he could turn around and get a good look at her. Carefully peering around the cart, she expected to find him still in the same spot, or making for the street corner.

To her amazement though, when she did take a look, he was nowhere to be found. The crowd in the street bustled along, but there was no white unicorn anywhere. He couldn’t have gotten that far without breaking into a gallop, which would surely have drawn the notice and comments of other ponies. And there was nowhere else he could have gone. The street was just shops on either side. Perplexed, Tempest was just about to try circling the block to try and find him, when she was startled by a voice close at hoof.

“Were you perhaps looking for me, my dear?”

The voice was something of a high falsetto, with a marked Canterlot accent to it. It somehow managed to sound utterly non-threatening, and somehow had a hint of menace to it at the same time. Letting out a startled gasp, Tempest spun around to find none other than Elusive standing directly behind her. The expression on his face, most clearly in his large blue eyes, was one of genuine curiosity, and his tone was far from accusatory. Tempest blinked twice before recovering herself.

“Where the hay did you come from?!” she exclaimed. After all, she could see no way he could have slipped around her. More to the point, what kind of tailor knows how to use counter-surveillance techniques?

Elusive smiled and let out a soft chuckle that made the hairs on the back of Tempest’s neck stand up.

“Oh, when you’ve lived in this city as long as I have, you get to learn all the little shortcuts,” he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “And since you seemed eager to speak to me, I thought I’d best introduce myself. To that end, I’m Elusive, a Canterlot born unicorn, and tailor by training.” Tempest was about to reply, but Elusive continued.

“And you, I believe, are Tempest Shadow. Or perhaps you prefer Fizzlepop Berrytwist?”

“How do you know that?!” Tempest snapped, bristling. The only pony she’d confided that information to was Twilight after all. Elusive however, just smiled innocently.

“Well you are quite famous around here, my dear,” he answered. “We don’t get many warlords in this part of the world. While I believe you are quite new to Canterlot, I can assure you, you are quite well known here.”

Tempest felt her teeth grinding. Dear Celestia, this pony was irritating. Still, she tried to remain cordial. After all, both Luna and Twilight agreed he was the best tailor in the city, and she would need him in order to have an outfit for Luna’s birthday celebration.

“As are you, Mr. Elusive,” she parried. “You were recommended to me by two of the princesses. I understand you are the best tailor in all of Canterlot.”

“Ah, you know of me then!” Elusive said, beaming.

“They suggested that you might be able to make an outfit for me, suitable to wear to Princess Luna’s birthday celebration.”

“I would be glad to, of course,” Elusive agreed. “I always appreciate new business.”

“I also understand,” Tempest continued, seeking to get the upper hoof in their conversation. “That you’ve had some trouble on that front.”

Now Elusive, expression turned a little sullen and he let out a sigh. Tempest could help but feel as if she was seeing an act. A well practised one, but an act nonetheless.

“Yes, business has been a little slow of late,” he admitted. “Ever since that marvellous Canterlot Boutique opened up, the market has become quite competitive.”

“I heard,” Tempest probed. “That some ponies think you are more than a simple tailor. I understand you put up quite a fight during the first changeling incursion. And your counter surveillance tactics just now are pretty impressive too.” Elusive now looked a little surprised, but still maintained a somewhat playful demeanour.

“Miss Shadow, surely you’re not intimating that I’m some sort of spy, are you?” he asked coyly.

“I’m just making an observation,” Tempest replied, now quite enjoying their parrying exchange.

“Ah, an open mind,” Elusive commended. “The essence of intellect.” He then paused to straighten out his waistcoat.

“Well,” he continued. “Since you evidently require some apparel, perhaps we should adjourn to my shop? And perhaps a little later you might join me for lunch. it’s always nice to have a little friendly conversation.”

“You’re very kind, Mr. Elusive,” Tempest said as the two set off back towards the shop.

“Oh, it’s just Elusive,” he said, looking up at her with a smile. “Just plain, simple, Elusive.”

Tempest didn’t reply, but she couldn’t help but again see that same curious look in his eyes. There was something in there that was decidedly not equine in nature. She’d never been scared of a pony in her life, and while she wasn’t scared of this one, something about him made her want to tread carefully. She likened the sensation to being close to some predator in the forest. Evil knows Evil and all that. The cold glint in his eyes certainly fitted the bill there.

Perhaps there was something to those rumours after all?

Comments

[harts fire]

O i am liking this Elusive and only a tailor sure just as Peter Gambi is a simple tailor.

[Minevera]

“Oh, it’s just Elusive,” he said, looking up at her with a smile. “Just plain, simple, Elusive.”

And we had to lead on with that classic nod to one famed plain, simple tailor on a space station somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

10868839
It's also the title to a novel by John Le Carre that was made into a movie.

Elusive is the name given to the AU version of Rarity in the story On a Cross and Arrow. IMO it's one of the best MLP R63 stories on the site.

[Wild Stallion]

“Were you perhaps looking for me, my dear?”

The voice was something of a high falsetto, with a marked Canterlot accent to it.

I suspected it before, what with the tailor whose a mistrusted spy, but this confirmed it.

This is pony Garrick isn't it?
I love it.