Piece by Piece

by Eltirions

Chapter 5: City Trip

9 December 1008

‘’Auntie?”

Rarity was shaken away from her introspection by Flurry’s voice. ‘’Yes, darling?’’

There was snow in the filly’s hair, but she didn’t seem to care. ‘’You said yesterday that you were going to take me somewhere today.’’

Did I?

Rarity backtracked her memories, and remembered that she had said that. ‘’Well, you’ll have to wait and see, darling. We’ll go in an hour or so, alright?’’

Flurry nodded. ‘’Okay. Thanks.’’

Great thinking, Rarity. Now I have to figure out somewhere to go.

Let’s see… it can’t be too far from the palace, obviously. Maybe-

Something very cold hit her face.

With a yelp Rarity dove to the ground, immediately raising her forehoof to her face. Of course a snowball would hit her while she was distracted.

‘’Are you alright, auntie?’’ Flurry asked her.

‘’Just fine, darling. I was distracted,’’ Rarity admitted with a rueful smile. ‘’How about we show your friends who can throw the best snowballs?’’

‘’Yeah!’’ Flurry cheered. ‘’We’ll show them!’’

And while we do that, I can get back to thinking.

Rarity rose from the ground and threw another snowball, timed just right with Flurry and Star Glitter’s snowball. Two of the three were hits, but Rarity was already busy with gathering snow for the second volley.

How about… the Princesses’ Plaza? Would she like that?

Well, too bad if she doesn’t.

There went the second volley, followed quickly by the third. The flowers and benches their opponents were hiding behind were positively coated in snow.

‘’We surrender!’’ A colt’s voice - and thus, coming from Swift Hoof - said.

‘’No we don’t!’’ a filly’s voice immediately said.

‘’I agree with Swift,’’ another filly said. Rarity guessed that the objector was Moon Tower, while the agreer was Jewel Heart.

‘’Are they going to argue?’’ Star Glitter wondered.

‘’Probably,’’ Rarity noted absently. ‘’Oh well. It appears we’ve won this battle, then. I think this calls for a celebration, no?’’

Hot chocolate would do, with some cookies to go along with it. And then, it was off to the Princesses’ Plaza.

‘’What kind of celebration?’’ Flurry asked, tilting her head in a curious - and very cute - way.

‘’The kind with all of your friends, hot chocolate, and biscuits,’’ Rarity supplied.

‘’Yay!’’

|-x-X-x-|

9 December 1008

Sweetie sat down in her cabin with a very double feeling.

On one hoof, she was glad to have finally made the choice to go to Rarity in the Crystal Empire. They hadn’t parted on very good terms, after all, and after half a year of silence, Sweetie wanted to try and make amends.

On the other hoof, she felt like she was betraying her convictions. Equestria had been conquered by a power-hungry tyrant, and Rarity’s first instinct once she was free had been to retain their friendship? Sweetie really couldn’t understand it; she’d told Rarity as much.

In hindsight, shouted at for the entire evening before storming off to her room and packing her stuff in a fit of rage is probably a better description.

She wasn’t taking much with her: a scarf for in the north, money, some food that ought to last her until Ponyville, and the letter Rarity had wroten her, as well as a letter from their parents to Rarity.

Someone opened the door. ‘’Good afternoon, Miss Belle.’’

Didn’t I book a private cabin? And how does he know my name? ‘’Good afternoon, sir. Is there something I can help you with?’’

‘’In fact there is, Miss Belle. Do you mind if I sit down?’’

Yes. ‘’Of course not.’’

‘’Thank you.’’ The unicorn casually sat himself down opposite her, closing the door with his grey magic as he did so. ‘’I should introduce myself first. My name is Twinkle Flower, and I am an agent of the Imperial Investigative Service.’’

Immediately, Sweetie prepared herself to escape. Teleporting from the train was out of the question: she had only a rough idea where exactly she was, and would probably end up impaling herself on a tree branch. Obviously, any other attempt to escape would have to go by the stallion, and Sweetie doubted he’d just allow her to leave.

‘’What do you want?’’ she asked.

‘’It is not what I want, but the Empress, in this case,’’ Twinkle corrected her. ‘’Her original plan was to invite you over to Manehattan, but I have been informed that has changed.’’ He leaned forward. ‘’The Empress is going to be in Crystal City for Hearthswarming Eve, just like you will be.’’

‘’How do you know that?’’ Sweetie demanded to know. Had they been spying on her? She pushed back her other questions for later. It was doubtful Twinkle would be able or willing to answer them, anyway.

‘’Well, one of the first tasks undertaken by the IIS was the protection of the Elements of Harmony and their family. Obviously, you are included in that description as well,’’ Twinkle explained. ‘’Just like myself and a few others were assigned to watch over you and your parents, others are doing the same for Princess Twilight or Lady Applejack.’’

‘’And what, everything I do gets told to Nightmare Moon?’’

‘’Far from it,’’ Twinkle said. ‘’Only important things. Like you leaving Hoof City for Crystal City.’’ He tilted his head. ‘’Now she wishes to speak with you there.’’

She can want anything, it doesn’t mean I’ll listen. ‘’And if I don’t want to do that?’’

‘’Her majesty,’’ Twinkle stressed the title, ‘’has insisted. I am to make you sure you get north in one piece, using every means the Imperial Investigative Service has at its disposal.’’

‘’So you’re forcing me?’’

‘’Well…’’ Twinkle gave her a slight smirk. ‘’Call it a hard suggestion.’’

Sweetie held his gaze for a moment, then let herself sink back into the chair and looked out the window. ‘’Fine.’’

I’ll play along. For now.

‘’And besides,’’ Twinkle continued, ‘’you are not in possession of many options, if you do not want to live in the Lunar Empire. You could always try Stalliongrad, but aside from that most of your options lie outside Equus. Hippogriffia, Aquileia, the Riverlands nations…’’

‘’Hmph.’’

‘’And really, what even is your problem with the Empress?’’

‘’None of your business,’’ Sweetie shot him down. ‘’So shut up.’’

|-x-X-x-|

9 December 1008

In hindsight, she should have eased the other foals into the palace a little more. They were so awed, they almost didn’t touch the chocolate and biscuits the staff had prepared for them.

Seeing their awed looks was worth it though.

Of course, Rainbow decided that this was the best moment to wander back into the room.

‘’Not tired enough to sleep longer,’’ she declared.

Of course you’re not.

With a gesture of her hoof, one of the staff pulled out another chair and set it down next to Rarity’s.

‘’Chocolate?’’ Rarity offered Rainbow as the pegasus sat down in it.

‘’Sure.’’ Rainbow took one of the mugs and drank from it, then pretended her tongue wasn’t on fire.

‘’Some water perhaps, darling?’’ Rarity suggested with a little smirk.

‘’I’m-’’ Rainbow coughed. ‘’Fine. I’m fine!’’

Rarity shrugged. ‘’If you say so.’’

‘’Auntie?’’ Flurry asked as she looked up from her mug. ‘’Can my friends come with us to where we are going?’’

If they had gone out of the city, Rarity would have said no. Taking the foals with them to the Princesses Plaza, however, was alright, because it was in the city.

‘’They can, Flurry,’’ she nodded. ‘’If they want to, of course,’’ she added, turning to look at the other foals. ‘’No one’s going to force you, darlings.’’

‘’I beg your pardon, Governess Belle, but where do you intend to go?’’ Jewel requested to know.

‘’I’m afraid that’s a surprise, darling.’’ Rarity gave her a kind smile. ‘’But we’re not going to leave the city.’’

Jewel considered that, then nodded. ‘’Very well, Governess Belle. I don’t mind coming along.’’

‘’I’m free,’’ Star Glitter and Swift Hoof said at roughly the same time.

‘’As am I,’’ Moon Tower added.

‘’Well then!’’ Rarity put her mug down and clapped her hooves together. ‘’Once we are finished, we can leave.’’

‘’Great,’’ Rainbow remarked.

Rarity turned her head to look at her. ‘’You want to come too?’’ Then she leaned in and whispered into Rainbow’s ear, ‘’We’re going to Princesses Plaza. Lots of shops.’’

Rainbow’s face scrunched up in disappointment, but she nodded regardless. ‘’I’m going to be staying here for a long time. Might as well see the premises.’’

Rarity nodded, and then a thought came to her. ‘’What about your home?’’

Rainbow waved her hoof dismissively. ‘’Everything I want to keep will arrive with the Empress’ train. The rest I gave to Scoots.’’

‘’Including the house?’’

When Rainbow nodded, Rarity smiled brilliantly, then leaned in and gave Rainbow a quick peck on the cheek. ‘’That is very generous of you, darling,’’ she complimented.

‘’Hehe, yeah…’’ Rainbow was blushing. So was Rarity. Fuck.

‘’A-anyway,’’ Rarity quickly went on, ‘’I’m finished with my chocolate. How’s everyone else?’’

‘’Done!’’ Flurry called out. ‘’Jewel and Star and Moon are too!’’

Rainbow looked at the mug for a second, then downed it all in one go. ‘’That’s hot,’’ she breathed out a few seconds later. ‘’Done.’’

‘’So am I!’’ And Swift Hoof put his mug down with all the others on the table. ‘’Can we go now, my lady?’’

‘’That we can,’’ Rarity confirmed as she stood up. ‘’Everyone follow me, please.’’

On the way to the gates, she called over two of the guards, both thestral stallions. ‘’We are going into the city,’’ she told them while Rainbow kept the foals distracted. ‘’Would you two be so kind as to escort us?’’

‘’Of course, my lady,’’ one of the stallions said. ‘’It would be our honour.’’

Rarity gave him a nod. ‘’Thank you, sirs.’’

‘’Just doing our job, ma’am,’’ the other stallion said.

With that done, they left the Palace behind, and made their way to the Princesses Plaza.

The Princesses Plaza had been the second place a market had been constructed, before Sombra’s and the Empire’s subsequent disappearance and then return. It was a large rectangular plaza, with a statue of Princesses Celestia and Luna in the centre. The plaque on the statue read: “Let all who see know of the friendship between the Principality of Everfree and the Crystal Empire.’’

It had been a nice statue, but Rarity had only seen it once, during the Crystal Fair of 1007, just a few months before the civil war began, when she’d taken a one-week break from campaigning with Luna and her team. It had been destroyed, either by Sombra or in the battle for the city, and the broken remnants had long since been removed. Now only the base and the beginnings of the legs remained.

A shame, but it’ll be months before we can invest money into things like this.

Flurry, evidently, had never been to the Plaza, which made sense, because the thing was on the southern end of the city, quite a long distance from the central city and the Palace. Of the other foals, only Jewel Heart and Swift Hoof looked like they recognized the place.

‘’This is the Princesses Plaza,’’ Rarity explained as they entered the Plaza. Flurry was walking on her left, Rainbow was hovering on her right, the foals were behind them, and the guards at both ends of the group. ‘’It was built to be a market.’’ She gestured at a few of the stalls that still stood; it seemed both them and their owners had survived the war intact. ‘’There,’’ she pointed at the bust, ‘’used to be a statue of the Princesses, back when they were the Princesses of the Everfree Kingdom, over a thousand years ago.’’

‘’What happened to it?’’ Flurry asked as she looked at the destroyed statue.

‘’It was destroyed in the war,’’ Rarity decided to reply after a few seconds. ‘’There hasn’t been enough money or ponypower to repair it yet.’’

‘’Aww…’’ Flurry pouted.

Rarity patted the filly’s head. ‘’It’ll be repaired, don’t worry.’’

It occured to her that she'd told Flurry she would get some pictures of her parents to her, and turned to Rainbow. ‘’Rainbow,’’ she asked softly, ‘’do you have any pictures of Flurry’s parents?’’

Rainbow glanced at the filly. ‘’Sure,’’ she replied just as softly, ‘’I can take a look.’’

‘’Thank you.’’

‘’No problem, Rares.’’

The moment was broken when Star Glitter cleared her throat. ‘’Miss Rarity, can we go and see the shops?’’

‘’Of course, darling,’’ Rarity turned to Star Glitter and smiled, ‘’but I must insist one of these fine gentlecolts accompany you, for your own safety.’’

Star Glitter looked up at one of the guards, who gave her a reassuring smile. ‘’Okay,’’ she said cheerfully. ‘’Will you come with me and Swift, mister? We want to see what those shops over there have.’’

‘’Of course, my lady,’’ the guard replied respectfully and if he was just a little amused, Rarity wouldn’t begrudge him that.

With a nod of confirmation from her, the guard left with the two foals, heading towards the western end of the Plaza, where the most stalls and shops were located at the moment.

Rarity looked down at Flurry. ‘’What do you want to do?’’ she inquired.

‘’I dunno,’’ Flurry replied. ‘’Can we just stay for a while? There’s a bench over there.’’

There was indeed, and Rarity didn’t mind that in the slightest. ‘’Of course,’’ she agreed. ‘’And what do you want to do?’’ she asked the remaining two fillies.

Moon Tower shrugged. ‘’Don’t really care, ma’am.’’

‘’Well, I wouldn’t want to impose, but…’’ Jewel Heart trailed off, and it was obvious what she really wanted.

‘’Well, then why don’t we retire to the bench and simply rest?’’ Rarity suggested.

‘’I’m gonna go for a fly-’’ Rainbow stopped as Rarity turned the full force of her glare on her.

‘’You’ll do no such thing,’’ she declared. ‘’You’ve flown quite enough for today, I think. So you’ll stay on the ground, with me.’’

Rainbow didn’t look too happy about that, as expected, but not as expected was that she listened. Either she really is still tired, or there’s something else…

Probably the tiredness.

Rarity didn’t want to consider the most likely alternative.

Author's Note:

And now this story won't leave me alone again. Terrific.

Anyway, I'm going on holiday from coming Friday untill the 25th, so don't expect any updates (on this or on the Crystal Story) or any new stories in that time.

Comments

[shining paladin]

awesome chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter

[truenorth14]

Dang I wish I found this earlier!

Great Story and I look forward to more chapters.

[The Great Scribbly One]

Not much happening in this chapter in of itself, but setting some good-looking stuff up for certain!

[Victor07]

‘’Hehe, yeah…’’ Rainbow was blushing. So was Rarity. Fuck.

Looks like somepone is falling in looove