CRISIS: Equestria - Divergence, Book 3

by GanonFLCL

Chapter Six: Revelation

Gray would be a liar if she said that she was never nervous about anything, because there had been quite a few times over the years when she'd felt just a little anxious. All of those things involved Flathoof, of course; there was just something about taking the plunge and diving into a relationship with him that had made her nervous at every big step.

Asking him out on a date had been nerve-wracking; asking him on a second date had been nerve-wracking; kissing him for the first time had been terrifying. It took her more than a year to drum up the courage to move to Hope's Point so she could be with him again; her gut had been turning the entire flight here when she'd decided to take the next step in their relationship.

She was glad that he'd been the one to propose, because she'd been stressing out over doing it herself for weeks.

Most other things didn't rattle her, though. When love wasn't involved, she had nerves of steel; she wouldn't so much as flinch if she had to stare down the barrel of a gun. Today was no exception… mostly.

A part of her was just a little nervous, but that wasn't because she had to do what she had to do, no. It was because she was doing it herself, alone, when it was supposed to be her and Havoc sharing this experience; it was because there were more ponies involved than she'd originally accounted for.

She'd invited a number of ponies over to her home at the embassy that morning, all of whom were currently seated in the drawing room chatting amongst themselves over snacks and coffee. Gray wasn't used to being a host, but Flathoof was and so he took that responsibility off her hooves so that she could mentally prepare herself for what was coming. Blackburn and Lockwood had originally been the only guests on her list, though Blackburn was the important one in this case.

Now, though, Fluttershy and Rarity were also present. Circumstances made it so that the only logical decision was to rip off the bandage and tell them too. They deserved to know, more than anypony in fact. Gray wished that Havoc were here to help her with this—she was never good with speeches—but she knew that Havoc was already taking care of the same thing right this moment on her end of the world.

Gray took a deep breath, adjusted her shirt so that it was straight and neat, then stepped out of the hallway and into the common room to greet her guests.

Lockwood and Blackburn sat together on one sofa, both dressed more casually than usual but still looking as regal as ever. Fluttershy and Rarity sat together on another, the former dressed in the same blouse and skirt that she'd been wearing when she arrived, the latter wearing a new blouse and skirt underneath a somewhat small coffee-colored jacket. Flathoof sat alone on another sofa waiting for Gray, dressed in his usual casual clothes.

As Gray took her seat, she thought it best if she just got right into it, and said as much: "Hey, everypony. So, you're probably wondering why I called you all here, and I figure that I might as well just get right to it. I was supposed to be doing this with Havoc." She gestured at Fluttershy and Rarity. "And you two weren't originally a part of the plan. But hey, here we are, right?"

Blackburn raised her eyebrow at that. "Original intention was just for me and Lockwood. Private conversation, Havoc involved… hmm. Likely something your sister Dawn would not approve of."

"Oh no, she wouldn't like it at all if she found out we were doing this, especially not now that we've got Fluttershy and Rarity here too." Gray rubbed the back of her neck. "I spoke with Havoc earlier today when we decided to just get this over with. She's telling Rainbow and Pinkie herself. Twilight and Applejack are gonna have to find out later, after the sandstorm and everything, but we knew we couldn't wait."

"Why not?" Fluttershy asked.

"The main reason is that at some point, somepony's gonna slip and you guys are gonna find out anyway, and we think it's best to just come right out and tell you. If I had money on it I'd say Velvet's been practically dying to tell Pinkie about it since you all got here, but she's probably scared of what Dawn'll do if she does. Havoc though? She doesn't care what Dawn thinks anymore."

"This sounds serious, dear," Rarity said, setting down her cup of coffee. "Well, do go on. We're listening."

Gray took another breath. "Okay, so… when you two," she said as she gestured at Fluttershy and Rarity, "arrived in our world seven years ago, our dad saw an opportunity to use you guys to distract Nihila so that he could kill her, and he used me and my sisters to help you do the distracting, then convince you to help with the killing. That was his big plan, and as we all know, it worked… more or less.

"But our dad knew that by yourselves you'd never serve as a real distraction to Nihila. She wanted to use you guys to fight a war with Harmonia or something, and Dad made her think that would work but that he needed agents to manipulate you into position so that she could… I dunno, mind control you. That much you know already."

"And we don't care that you first made friends with us for that reason," Fluttershy said firmly. "You're still our friends, no matter what."

Gray allowed herself to smile slightly. "Thanks, Shy. But… there's more to it than that." She took another breath. "Damn this is hard. See… we didn't even exist before our dad put his plan into effect."

Fluttershy and Rarity shared a look, and even Blackburn looked confused. "What does that mean, dear?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like: my sisters and I didn't exist before you guys showed up. Our dad used your genetic material to make us." Gray tapped her hooves together. "We're… clones. Of you."

Fluttershy and Rarity looked positively stunned and speechless; Fluttershy even dropped her coffee cup to the floor, but luckily it was empty.

It was Blackburn who reacted first, eyes wide with surprise. "New Pandemonium has genetic cloning technology?"

Gray smirked. "I figured that would be your first concern. Yeah, uh… we do. It's not publicly available or anything, and it's been pretty much kept under wraps and mostly out of use for the last seven years. My sisters and I are the last ponies made with that technology, but we're not the only ones. I mean, obviously it had to be tested first. But it works. Obviously."

"Obviously." Blackburn glanced between Lockwood and Flathoof, who were still sipping calmly from their coffees as they intently listened to the story. "You two knew. When? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I've known about it since a few weeks after our wedding," Lockwood said, setting down his coffee and taking Blackburn's hoof in his. "Curaçao told me and said that if she and I were to have a functional working relationship, we had to be honest with one another. She didn't mean it as a jab because I kept you from her, she understood that, but I think that was a catalyst."

"Gray told me while we were still just dating up north," said Flathoof, patting Gray's leg gently. "She wanted me to know in case it made me feel… uncomfortable. Dating her, I mean, when she's not like other ponies." With a smile, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "It didn't bother me. I was just glad she told me."

"Keeping secrets like this just leads to ponies getting hurt," Gray said, giving Blackburn a terse nod. "Whether Dawn was keeping information from you on purpose or somepony was keeping it from her, some stupid secret led to you and your family getting hurt and to Briarthorn getting killed. Havoc and I decided that enough was enough. No more big secrets."

"Hmm. Appreciate the honesty." Blackburn nodded and went back to sipping her coffee. "Cloning process was modified, of course. You and your sisters, no resemblance physically to your 'source' material. Hmm. Apart from eyes."

"Our dad modified us during the process, yeah," Gray said, tapping her hooves together. "It was more than just not making us look like our… 'originals', though. He wanted us to have complimentary personalities but not to be exactly the same. He even filled our heads with fake memories to help us feel more 'real', as contradictory as that sounds."

"That's why you were having trouble remembering things sometimes…" Fluttershy peeped, eyes wide. "Oh, Gray… I can't believe your father would do that to you."

Gray waved that thought off with a hoof. "Hey, there's no worries there, not anymore. It took some time coming to terms with it all, but it's turned out pretty okay for us, I think. Dad doesn't have to apologize to us; if he didn't do what he did, we wouldn't even exist. I wouldn't have made a really good friend in you, or found love in Flathoof, or have a beautiful filly of my own in Rosewater."

"So, you and your sisters are… modified copies of us?" Rarity asked, gesturing between herself and Fluttershy. "I suppose that makes sense, now that I give it some thought. I always felt this… bond with Insipid, like I'd known her for far longer than I really did. She was like a little sister to me, but one old enough to share a different experience with. And her eyes, oh, it was like looking into a mirror."

Rarity then tilted her head, looking into Gray's eyes as she did so. "But your eyes don't resemble Fluttershy's at all, darling. In fact… hmm, they look more like Rainbow Dash's."

"That's because I'm Rainbow's clone," Gray said with a shrug.

"Your father didn't assign you to Rainbow though. He assigned—" Rarity's eyes widened, and she looked between Fluttershy and Gray in shock. "No, that's— That can't be true. Can it?"

Gray smirked and nodded. "Yeah, it's weird, right? Havoc was cloned from Fluttershy."

Fluttershy scratched her head. "But… but she's nothing like me at all."

"Yeah, she said the same thing when we found out. Dad said it was because he had to work harder to make her 'different' from you because Nihila was watching. That's why she's so different from you… and why Curaçao's so different from Applejack."

Rarity set her coffee cup down firmly. "You're telling me that Curaçao, that lovely mare with the keen fashion sense, the classy demeanor, the elegant stature and poise, that Curaçao… was cloned from our Applejack?"

"Yup."

"And this entire story isn't a joke?"

"Nope."

Rarity shook her head. "Well, if your father made adjustments to her in order to make her different from Applejack, he certainly succeeded." She tapped her chin. "Now that you mention it though… yes, their eyes are the same. Say what you want about Applejack's less desirable traits, she certainly does clean up well, and she has the most lovely green eyes."

"I've gotta say, you guys are taking this in stride pretty well," Lockwood quipped with a little grin. "If somepony—my clone, in this case—told me that I'd been cloned, I'd be having a major existential freakout. Like what if I was the clone, and they were the original?"

"I don't think they have that specific problem here, buddy," Flathoof grunted.

Fluttershy and Rarity shared a look, then shrugged. "Darling, after years of adventures where we're from, I'll be honest… finding out that I have a clone is actually rather tame," Rarity said. "It certainly isn't much stranger than finding out the bride at a wedding turned out to be a shapeshifting tyrant out to take over Equestria by stealing love from the groom."

"Or finding the Mirror Pool and having to deal with a hundred Pinkie Pies running around," Fluttershy continued with a little grin. "So we've already got some experience dealing with clones, I guess. Though none of those other Pinkies were quite as unique as Red Velvet."

"Oh, and not to mention when Twilight was testing that spell that accidentally switched our cutie marks," Rarity laughed, patting Fluttershy's hoof. "You would think that changing our cutie marks—our talents—would just adjust how we go about our lives and nothing more. I had my mark originally switched with Rainbow Dash's, you see."

"So you started making 'cool' clothes?" suggested Gray.

"You'd think that would be the logical conclusion, right? On the contrary, I started doing her job, that is, weather manipulation, but I took my fashion experience with me and tried making clouds with lovely patterns."

"Illogical series of events," Blackburn muttered, scratching her cheek. "Cutie Mark dictates talent, drive, passion, not career."

"Right? Just because Pinkie had Applejack's cutie mark for a time shouldn't mean that she suddenly wants to work on her farm."

"Wouldn't she want to start incorporating apples into her parties or jokes or something?" Gray asked, tilting her head; this conversion had suddenly gone on a weird tangent, but she was glad that her friends weren't disturbed by the revelation. How weird was their world that they seriously weren't bothered by this?

"Would be logical scenario," Blackburn agreed.

Rarity shook her head. "And yet that's not how that situation went at all. Even when we continued changing marks while Twilight tried to fix it, we just completely upended our entire lives as if our cutie marks determined everything about us, and yet for some reason we kept our charming personalities."

"It turns out that I'm not very good with stand-up comedy…" Fluttershy muttered sheepishly.

"So, no, finding out that I have a clone—a real clone with her own personality, her own life—doesn't particularly faze me," Rarity said with a shrug. "All it does is give some context as to why Insipid and I got on so well so quickly. Who cares why it happened? I wouldn't give up my friendship with her for the world."

"She'll be glad to hear that," Gray said with a tiny smile. "Wow, this went smoother than I thought it was gonna go."

"Um, if it's alright, how did you handle finding out about this?" Fluttershy asked. "From what you've told us, it sounds like you didn't know about it at first. When did you find out?"

Gray leaned back and let out a breath. "We found out right after you guys left. Like an hour-ish later, basically, 'cause Dad said he needed to tell us before he left to be a god and stuff. It hit us pretty hard at first; I was angry about it because I figured that my whole life up 'til that point had been just a big ol' lie. That Dad had only made us as tools.

"But as I thought about it, I realized… I still had an entire life ahead of me to do with what I wanted. I still had a family, even if my sisters aren't mine by blood. I still had a friend in you, Shy, even though I knew you were a world apart." Gray set her hoof on Flathoof's. "And I still had somepony who I cared about and wanted to get to know more. So yeah, minor existential crisis at first, but I got over it."

"Did you all handle it so well?"

"Some of us did better than others. Red and Insipid handled it extremely well, Havoc was just angry at first because she didn't get why she was a clone of Fluttershy, Curaçao's pretty much unflappable—"

"You're telling me she handled finding out she was a clone better than she found out that I was marrying the queen of Hope’s Point?" Lockwood asked with a big grin.

Gray chuckled and shrugged. "Yup! I think that goes to show just how much of a loop you threw her for. That and I think she already suspected something was up with us, but she never thought for a second that 'Thunderbolt' was really Queen Blackburn. I think you basically served her up some humble pie."

Blackburn leaned back in her seat with an impossibly smug grin. "Amusing. Understand the feeling. Curaçao is a kindred soul."

"And Dawn?" asked Rarity.

Gray shrugged again, her smile fading. "Upset at first, but after that, who knows? Dawn barely talks to us about private matters, or at all really, unless it's business-related. Curaçao talks to her more than the rest of us combined, and that includes Velvet who talks to her regularly enough.

"All of us have little pieces of all of you still in us, y'know? With me and Rainbow, it's our sheer cool factor," Gray continued, scuffing her chest. "For Rarity and Insipid, it's their love for clothes and beauty; for Applejack and Curaçao, their focus on family and hard work; for Pinkie and Red, their easygoing, fun-loving attitudes; Havoc and Shy, heh, how much they like cute things, like foals and bunnies."

Blackburn smirked. "Ah, yes. Always cooed around Bluebolt when she was very young. Found it endearing. Hard exterior, mushy insides."

Fluttershy smiled wide. "Aww, that sounds adorable. I guess we really do have something in common."

"As for Dawn and Twilight, well, it's their smarts obviously. Twilight always struck me as somepony who was thorough and wanted to do things right; Dawn doesn't want to do things right, she wants to do them perfectly, but by her standards. It's just gotten worse, I think. She actively keeps things from us if she thinks we might screw it all up."

"Hmm, ramifications of revelation could explain her attitude," Blackburn suggested, taking a pointed sip of her coffee.

"What, you think she's been acting like this for all these years because she can't come to terms with how we were born?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only a theory. Potential inferiority complex, brought on by existential dread. Knowledge of origins leads to philosophical questions, metaphysical in nature, no easy answers." Blackburn took a sharp breath. "Could lead to psychological trauma. Only a theory."

"Huh… I never thought of it that way. She's always been kind of a brat, but it only got worse after we found out where we came from. That's… hmm. I don't know how to deal with that. On one hoof, I guess I want to help if she's going through some trauma or something, but on the other, what if you're wrong and she's just a bitch, plain and simple?"

Blackburn shrugged, but said nothing more.

Gray paused a moment, then shook her head and returned her attention to Fluttershy and Rarity. "So, uh… yeah. Now you know the truth. Don't be mad at our dad for doing what he did, though. I know it's pretty messed up, but—"

"Darling, if your father hadn't done what he did, we'd have never met you and your sisters and made such good friends," Rarity said with a smile. "Is what he did wrong? Yes, absolutely; he took our… material, or whatever it is, and used it without our consent. Deplorable, despicable, and downright disgusting. But sometimes you have to look for the silver lining, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're glad to have you and your sisters in our lives."

"I wouldn't change a thing," Fluttershy said.

"Thanks, guys. That means a lot to me, to us." Gray let out a breath. "If you guys handled this so well, I'm sure Rainbow and Pinkie will too."

*****

The next day, Fluttershy arrived back at Gray's house—which was also the New Pandemonium City Embassy—to meet with her friend for lunch. The guards at the gate let her in without any issues, only a brief identification check just as part of the procedure, but Fluttershy could tell that they weren't particularly fussed about it. Her face was instantly recognizable to them by this point; they even greeted her by name when she arrived.

She'd walked all this way from the royal palace herself, by the way, and was proud to have done it. It had been a little nerve-wracking for the first few minutes since the city was still so strange and new to her, and to be honest she hadn't memorized the route yet, but true to Gray's word, this city felt so safe and friendly that there hadn't been any problems. She just asked for directions from a helpful-looking member of the city's militia—who in times of peace like this served as police—and was able to continue on her way without a hassle.

She was greeted at the door by the embassy's caretaker, Highbrow. He was an older unicorn stallion with a dark brown coat and a black mane that he kept cropped very short, and he sported a matching goatee and mustache. Truthfully, he was essentially a butler, and he dressed the part in a black tailcoat suit and white button-up shirt with a matching bow tie.

"Good afternoon, Miss Fluttershy," Highbrow greeted with a polite bow. "Your timing is impeccable. May I take your jacket?" he offered. He had the most lovely Trottingham accent… though she supposed in this world it would be from someplace different.

Fluttershy nodded. "Oh yes, thank you," she said as she allowed him to remove the jacket that she was wearing over her blouse; it had been Rarity's idea in keeping with the city's current fashion trends, and Fluttershy didn't mind it at all since it kept her warm when walking about.

Highbrow hung the jacket delicately in the coat closet near the door, then gestured politely towards the hallways ahead. "If you'll follow me, Miss Fluttershy, the drawing room is just this way."

She nodded and followed behind him, still feeling so strange doing so. Hope's Point was, at least to her, not terribly different from Canterlot, the aesthetic and technology notwithstanding, so it stood that there were wealthy and well-to-do ponies here just as there were back home and that their homes were well-furnished and well-staffed. It made sense for the royal palace to have such a staff, definitely.

But that wasn't what was strange.

It was strange that Gray was one of these sorts of ponies, in a manner of speaking. The same Gray that Fluttershy remembered being anti-establishment, anti-fashion, and maybe just a tad anti-social, well, she was in a position of power now and seemed to enjoy the perks of it all. Fluttershy wondered how exactly this had all come to pass, and intended on finding out; there was only so much time in the day and so many other things to catch up on that she hadn't asked about the ambassador job yet.

The embassy's drawing room was elegant yet simple, small and cozy with enough room for maybe fifteen ponies to have a pleasant little get-together. Fluttershy inwardly laughed at the idea that Gray lived in a place that was so fancy that it had a drawing room; Rarity had often mentioned how she wished that she had the money to live someplace that had a drawing room, amongst other amenities. It would take years yet to afford something like that in Canterlot or Manehattan.

Gray and Flathoof were already present, seated together on a couch near a central coffee table that was already laden with assorted foods and drinks. This was where Fluttershy could actually believe that Gray was really Gray and hadn't actually changed, because despite the layout of the room and the atmosphere, the food and drink offerings were amusingly simple:

A bowl of chips with a side of dip—two flavors of each, even; a plate of veggies; a plate of simple bite-sized sandwiches; and for drinks, water, three different flavors of soda in standard-sized cans, and a large plastic bottle of ginger ale. This was less a lunch than it was a snack bar one would encounter at a viewing party for a playoff game in pretty much any sport.

"Hey, Shy, just in time!" Gray said with a smile and a wave. "Come on, pull up a seat. Always glad to have ya."

Fluttershy smiled and nodded, then took a seat on the couch opposite the couple. "Thanks for having me over," she said. "Sorry that it was so sudden, but I know that Rarity's busy with some things and will probably just have lunch with Lockwood or something. Not that I mind, of course. It's good getting to spend time with all of you again."

"And like we said, you're always welcome here whenever you want," Flathoof said with a nod of his own. "If you want to stick around until the kids are home from school, we're fine with that too."

"That sounds lovely, thank you."

Highbrow stepped over to the table and eyed the fare with a look of disapproval. "Ah, I see that we have brought out the fine dining for this engagement. Madam, would you like me to perhaps obtain some cheese puffs to accompany this smorgasbord? Or perhaps some pizza rolls?"

Gray shook her head. "Nah, I think we've got all we need here. Oh! Actually, I forgot the ranch dressing to go with the veggies. Could you bring a bottle from the fridge?"

"Of course, Madam. Would you prefer that I bring a dipping bowl as well, or do you plan on guzzling it straight from the bottle?"

"A bowl is fine. Thanks, Highbrow."

"Of course, Madam." He then bowed briefly and trotted off.

Fluttershy blinked and watched him go, then turned back to Gray; she and Flathoof had started serving themselves some snacks, so Fluttershy followed suit. "You're sure you're okay with him being so… condescending?"

Gray smirked and brushed that thought away. "Who, Highbrow? Nah, he's cool. He's got proper butler training from working up north in the high-class areas, so me and Flathoof don't exactly mesh with what he's used to. You'd think I'd be bothered by it, but I'll be straight with you: I enjoy his honesty."

"And he's great with the kids," said Flathoof. "By which I mean he keeps his opinions to himself but takes care of them just like he does for us. Besides, we don't always, ah… 'sink' back down to our 'low-class' roots. We try to balance stuff like this out with things that he actually likes and approves of. It's fun. We hosted a dinner party a couple of weeks ago, actually. First time I've ever done anything like that."

"Oh yeah, that was fun. Felt kind of weird 'cause it was basically like any old party with all our friends and some other guests, but like… we did it all fancy and stuff? Highbrow helped walk us through all the steps, like what food to serve, how to handle hors d'oeuvres… what an hors d'oeuvre even is, and how to dress."

"And I'd say I look pretty snappy in a tux," Flathoof said with a grin, nose in the air. "When it fits, at least."

"I'll drink to that," Gray said as she took a drink of soda.

Fluttershy tilted her head, barely suppressing a grin. "I'd have never thought you'd ever give something like that a try. It certainly does sound like a lot of fun. The only dinner parties I've ever been to are hosted by Rarity's friends in Canterlot, and I don't know many of those ponies too well. Well, outside of the few who recognize me from my old modeling work."

"It was just something new we thought we'd take a shot at," Gray said with a shrug. "We probably won't do anything like that again for a while."

"A shame, really," said Highbrow, who had just returned with the bottle of ranch dressing and a small dipping bowl that he had already filled. "I am of the opinion that your guests rather enjoyed themselves and would not be opposed to further engagements of such a nature in the near future."

"Meh. I think they have just as much fun when we have regular parties and get-togethers too."

"Yes, well, those tend to still possess some level of class to them compared to… whatever this is. Will that be all, Madam?"

"Yeah, thanks Highbrow."

He bowed again, then took his leave.

Gray clapped her hooves together. "So! I know that you didn't call to come over here just to hear about our social lives, boring as those are most of the time. What's up? Something bugging you?"

"Not exactly bugging me, no," Fluttershy admitted; there was no use trying to deny she'd wanted to talk to Gray for a specific reason. "It's more that I have some follow-up questions that I hadn't really considered until I had time to think about them, otherwise I would have asked them yesterday."

"Ah. This is about the whole 'clone' thing. You're sure you and Rarity are still cool with it?"

"Yes, we are. The more I think about it, actually, the more it makes sense." Fluttershy grinned and gestured at Gray's face. "Your eyes. They look exactly like Rainbow Dash's, like you said. I thought about it, and I think that might just be why I was able to trust you so quickly."

"You mean that it wasn't because of my winning personality?" Gray quipped.

Fluttershy giggled into her hoof. "That was part of it, sure, but the eyes helped. I've known Rainbow a long time, longer than I've known any of my other friends. She and I weren't exactly close in middle school or high school, but she was… a good friend to me." She gestured at Gray's face again. "I saw her eyes on your face, and when I looked into them I saw somepony who I know and trust looking back… so that helped put me at ease, I think."

"Huh… well, that's an interesting way to look at it. Y'know apart from me and my sisters with one another, I don't think anypony's ever really brought it up before, our eyes I mean. You'd have to be taking a good look at both sets to really notice the similarities. Maybe that's part of why Havoc and Dash clicked so quickly; Dash saw a bit of you in Havoc."

"It's kind of sweet, when you put it like that," Flathoof said with a grin. "Like making friends all over again."

"And nopony else has noticed the similarities?" Fluttershy asked.

Gray shook her head. "Not that I— Well… hmm. Actually, that's not true." She nudged Flathoof. "Didn't your brother say Insipid and Rarity have the same eyes?"

"Yeah, I think he mentioned that once. That was a long time ago though, I'm surprised you remember it. I hadn't even thought of it 'til you reminded me."

Fluttershy tilted her head. "Are Insipid and Lockwood close?"

"Not as much lately, no," Gray said. "But before he made the big move south with the family, he and Insipid spent a little bit of time together, sure. I think he was introducing her to some other contacts he knew so that all the pressure wasn't on those designer pals of hers. It must've worked 'cause she's super successful."

"That and I think Rarity asked him to keep an eye on her," Flathoof added. "I don't know why she'd need him to do anything like that, but it was nice of him to do it regardless. Heh. As much as I'm glad that you two ended up down here in Hope's Point, I'm sure Insipid would've loved it if you'd have ended up up north again. Or just Rarity, at least."

"Oh yeah, she's been bugging me for updates on Rarity constantly," Gray chuckled. She turned back to Fluttershy. "So yeah, I guess if my eyes helped you bond with me sooner or easier or whatever, that's a pretty neat thought. I figure that's what happened with all of you in one way or another."

"Mmhm," Fluttershy agreed. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about, actually. I wanted to ask, um… why did you decide to reveal that information when you did? I know that you told us your reasoning and I believe it, I do, but… I can't help but get the feeling there's more to it than just keeping us in the loop, so to speak. You said something about Dawn not liking the idea?"

"Oh, yeah. No, she wouldn't be happy if she knew that Havoc and I were planning that, so we did it without asking her for permission." Gray shrugged and shook her head. "I'm sure Havoc probably roped Velvet into joining her to tell Rainbow and Pinkie, and knowing her she also would’ve kept Curaçao in the loop. I know Curie wouldn't mind; she told Lockwood, after all, and Dawn would argue that he doesn't have business knowing either."

"She'd probably argue that I don't have business knowing," Flathoof grunted.

"She'd disapprove of you telling your husband where you come from?" Fluttershy asked, confused and curious.

"Probably, yeah," Gray huffed. "Dawn's very much the sort that believes in a 'need-to-know' basis about everything. If she sees no practical or beneficial reason to share information, she just plain doesn't do it." With a sneer, she added, "A couple of weeks ago, somepony attacked Velvet. I'm gonna get the whole story from her in person after the sandstorm clears, but yeah, that happened."

"Oh dear. Is she alright? I mean, she looked okay when we looked in on her, but—"

"Physically, yeah, she's fine. Emotionally, no… I don't think so. Her son Caramel got hurt during the attack. That's a long story in and of itself." Gray shook her head. "I didn't find out about it until Havoc told me a week later, when she was down here getting fixed up after… well, that's another long story. Lockwood should be the one to share that, or Havoc herself. Lots of messy business over the past few weeks.

"Anyway, Havoc told me what happened and she was surprised that Dawn didn't. Dawn wants everything to go through her unless it's private stuff, so when she found out what happened it should've been her responsibility to share it with me. But she didn't. She didn't think it was important to share since I don't live there anymore and it didn't involve me."

"But… but Velvet's your sister! I would want to know if something awful happened to my brother, no matter what our relationship might be like."

"Well, a shame that Dawn isn't more like you then, I guess." Gray clapped her hooves together. "That's why Havoc and I did this on our own. If Dawn doesn't want to share something, then we'll just take it into our own hooves to do what Dawn won't. We're both sick and tired of being treated like this.

"I think Blackburn's right. I think that Dawn's insecure about what we are and where we came from. I think that she's afraid that if somepony found out she's 'just' a clone of Twilight, it might hurt her somehow. Like maybe it would damage her political career because ponies distrust her over it, or maybe they're disgusted by it or even afraid of her. That's all that matters to her in the end: her work."

"And she doesn't even want you to tell the ponies you know and love? The ponies you trust?"

"No, she doesn't. She doesn't think the rest of us deserve the right to share it. Curaçao risked her entire working relationship with Dawn to let Lockwood know about it. If Dawn were to ever find out about that—"

"She'd be stupid to cut ties with Curaçao," Flathoof interjected.

"Yeah, but Dawn might do something stupid if she's angry enough."

"For what it's worth, Gray… I think you're a responsible, trustworthy mare," Fluttershy said, reaching over the table a little to take Gray's hoof in hers. "I'm happy that you shared this secret with me, more than you can imagine. You're my friend, and I'm happy that you trust me enough to tell me.

"And I'd be happy to tell Dawn that, too, if you want. Not that you told me any of this, but that I think you deserve respect, respect that she's not showing you." Fluttershy put her other hoof on Gray's too. "I just want you to be happy. And I know that the way Dawn treats you doesn't make you happy."

Gray smiled, her face a little red. "Thanks, Shy. That means a lot to me. You're a really good friend. I'm glad to have you back, even if it's only for a little while."

Fluttershy returned the smile. "Me too."

*****

Rarity took mental note of the atmosphere of this little restaurant that Lockwood and Blackburn had invited her to for lunch, trying to get a feel for whether or not she was overdressed or underdressed.

Everything seemed classy on a surface level, and her keen eye for detail told her that all of the gold and gems used for the décor was legitimate. The wait staff were dressed in a professional manner with suits and even bowties, including the mares. The tables were covered with white tablecloths. There was even a fountain and a waterfall display near the far wall. The only way the atmosphere could be better was if they had a view of the sea, but the sandstorm would put the kibosh on that regardless.

Then there was the menu. The wine list was hard to judge because she didn't know anything about the regions of this world, but the prices looked about right. The food offerings were of Romantique origin, and this particular restaurant was apparently famous for its soup offerings; the chestnut soup sounded divine, so Rarity had ordered that. She allowed Lockwood to order the wine since he seemed to know it best between the three of them.

Yes, this was a fine establishment, more than suitable for the lovely teal dress—satin, since that seemed to be the direction the trends were taking—she'd worn under her jacket, so she had no qualms with the fact that she'd left her jacket at the door. That had been the first sign of class, by the way; only the finest of establishments offered to take your coat at the door. Or had a doorpony, for that matter.

They sat in a private booth in the corner that gave them a lovely view of most of the restaurant, especially the fountain and waterfall, but also allowed Gadget to have plenty of room to stand or sit if she wished whilst she did her duty and stood guard over her charges. Apparently she and Crossfire "split" duties when the royal couple were together, but were both on duty when they were apart; Crossfire was off spending time with his wife, Pattycake, and Rarity was positive that that was Flathoof and Lockwood's younger sister's name.

Small world.

Rarity couldn't imagine anypony trying anything against the King and Queen, at any rate, but such was tradition she supposed. Even the booth itself was considered the "royal" booth, and every restaurant in the city had one by law, apparently, if only to allow the royal family privacy and comfort wherever they went.

"I must say, I'm quite impressed with your choice for our lunch venue, Lockwood," Rarity noted as their waiter served them glasses of ice-cold water in chilled glasses. "I never took you for the sort to enjoy such a high-class establishment. No offense, of course."

"Back up north, no, but that's because I couldn't afford it," he replied with a smile as he took a drink. "Even if I could, though, this wouldn't have been an everyday thing. I'm of the opinion that a pony should have variety in their diet and should sample everything they possibly can."

"My my, how worldly of you," she tittered in response. "I tend to agree. There's a time and place for less high-flung fare every now and then. I didn't have much opportunity for high-class meals when living in Ponyville, but I'll never forget those roots. I've been known to indulge in a plate of hay fries when the mood strikes me."

"Ooh, there's this great hay fries joint on the other side of the dining quarter that I'd love to take you to if you're ever interested. Though fair warning now, I think it's only so good because their secret ingredient is salt. Lots of salt."

"Aha. Well, that sounds lovely, we'll have to do that sometime." She turned to Blackburn. "How about you, Your Majes— Blackburn. Sorry. I am trying to get used to it. I don't know as many queens as I do princesses, and despite appearances it's not exactly the same."

"Quite alright, no harm done," Blackburn said, also sipping on her water.

Rarity had to admire the way the other mare carried herself; there was just something about her that radiated strength, willpower, charisma. Her Cutie Mark, a black crown wreathed in blue fire, indicated that her talent was surely for leadership, and it was hard to deny it. Rarity had only known her a few days and yet she was willing to hang on every word.

And that was despite the mare's… odd manner of speaking.

"Suggested establishment for lunch today," Blackburn said with a nod. "Lockwood offered choices, selected this one. Your home, 'Canterlot', description resembles southern capital, Utopia. Unsure if truly comparable, selected anyway, might provide sense of familiarity."

"I'd very much like to visit this 'Utopia' if the entire city can be compared to this," Rarity mused, tapping her chin. "Canterlot is lovely and has many fine establishments, but it always pays to keep one's eyes open for new opportunities."

"Hmm, indeed. Enjoying your stay?" With a smile, Blackburn added, "Know you are; question just formality. Still want answer."

"Yes, well, I think it does go without saying that I've been enjoying myself fairly well considering the circumstances of our visit." Rarity shook her head. "If Fluttershy and I are to remain here in your care until that dreadful sandstorm clears, then I’m glad that it’s in such good company and in such a delightful environment."

"We just want to make sure that you two are safe and secure," Lockwood said with a nod. "No repeats of your last trip here, no sir. No filth-ridden alleyways, no threats of incarceration, no tiny apartments, no pollution. And no stairs."

Rarity playfully slapped Lockwood's hoof. "Ha! True enough, darling. I don't mind a few stairs every now and again, but eighty-plus stairs every single day, up and down? Well, it may have done wonders for the shape of my derriere but goodness was I ever exhausted every night when I came back home."

"It certainly did," Lockwood said with a grin. After a brief pause. "Exhaust you, I mean. You told me about every time we spoke, and I had to tell you that no, the city's building codes didn't allow us to install an elevator, especially not a private one."

"Have adapted to our city's fashion," Blackburn interjected before Rarity could think too much about the comment. "How does it compare to home?"

Rarity smiled. "Ah, well, I'll be honest in saying that I'm still getting used to it. The colors aren't as extravagant as Canterlot's or Manehattan's typical fare, but I can appreciate a desire for practicality. Since it would seem that I'll be here for a while, I planned on giving a go at making something for myself soon, rather than relying on your generosity to provide me with some variety."

"Stars know we need some variety around here," quipped Gadget from nearby.

"Beg pardon?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Miss Rarity, Her Majesty isn't the most fashion-forward mare in the city. She owns four copies of that same jacket, just in different lengths depending on how cold it is."

"Hmm, true," Blackburn admitted with a shrug. "Never considered fashion important. Jackets are practical, useful."

"You at least attempt to accessorize, though," Rarity noted. "That scarf of yours is lovely. I haven't seen you without it."

The queen held the end of the scarf in her hoof, looking at it with a solemn frown. "A memento. From my mother, gift from her mother. Always wear it; plan to give to Bluebolt when she's older, continue tradition."

Rarity understood immediately and gave the queen a respectful nod. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother. She gave you a lovely gift."

"Hmm."

"So, ah… Miss Gadget, you are interested in fashion, I take it?" Rarity asked to get as far away from the uncomfortable topic as possible; besides being in poor taste at a lunch meeting such as this, it would be tacky to dwell on it in any case unless in private, perhaps even in private.

"Yeah, kind of. I know I always wear this get-up here when I'm on duty," Gadget said, gesturing at her coveralls. "But I definitely don't when I'm not on duty. A girl can't wear this out on a date."

"No, they most certainly can not."

"So yeah, it might be nice having somepony around that I can talk to about that kind of stuff every now and then, even if it's just while you're here. Most of the mares Her Majesty spends time with are just like her. Like, have you seen Chief Storm? She wears that body armor of hers everywhere. I bet she wears it to sleep and in the shower and everything."

"Practical, advantageous in the event of an attack," Blackburn said while sipping from her water. "Pays to be prepared."

"Yeah yeah yeah, but there are limits to that kind of thing. I doubt anypony'd try to attack her in the shower, so she doesn't need to wear it there. I'd pity any perv that tried anything anyway."

"A shame, too," Rarity said, leaning back in her seat slightly. "She has a lovely figure. A proper blouse would show off her musculature, particularly in her chest and abdomen. She is certainly one of the most athletic unicorns I've ever met, mare or stallion."

Blackburn shook her head. "Likely would refuse, also shows off abdominal scarring."

"Ah… I see. Hmm." Rarity nodded, more to herself than anypony else. "Well, I've been known to work greater miracles. I'm sure that if I were to make an effort, I might find something appropriate to do with those, whatever she wants to do. Even a tough-as-nails mare like her deserves to feel beautiful once in a while."

"Hmm. She might appreciate that." Blackburn then leaned back and gestured at herself. "Question: if asked, what would you recommend for me?"

"For you?"

"Yes. Curious."

Rarity tapped her chin and eyed the other mare's figure briefly, for that was all she really needed. She'd prefer if they were standing up rather than seated, but she'd seen the mare standing and walking already, so that wasn't an issue. The queen had an attractive blend of muscle tone and shapeliness that drew one's eyes in easily. Yes, it was obvious why Lockwood had been drawn to her, at least physically.

"My recommendations would depend on the context of the occasion you're dressing for, of course," Rarity said thoughtfully. "For simplicity's sake, let us say for the current venue and company. This would be considered 'casual elegant', so a more formal dress would be appropriate, but not too fancy. And for color… black. Always black. It goes with your coat and your eyes. White is nice, but black is better."

"Wow, all that in fifteen seconds?" Lockwood whistled. He nudged Blackburn gently. "See? Fashion savant."

"You flatter me, dear," Rarity tittered. "I'll admit that I've been thinking about it since I first met her. I tend to always have a thought in my head about what a mare would look best in if given the opportunity. Stallions too, of course, though I have no advice for you, not these days. You look rather dashing in white, especially in vests and shirts rather than that old raincoat of yours."

"And the fedora? I liked that old thing."

"Maybe not for everyday wear. It hides your eyes, and that's just a dreadful crime."

Blackburn nodded. "Can agree to that."

Lockwood shook his head. "Sheesh, was it really that bad?"

"Yes," both Rarity and Blackburn said in unison.

It was an… odd feeling agreeing with the queen so readily like that, and Rarity felt tremendously awkward doing it. She hoped that her comments wouldn't be interpreted the wrong way. Okay, fine, she did find Lockwood attractive, but she didn't want Blackburn thinking that she was flirting with him or anything. Because she wasn't. She'd never dream of it. Anymore, anyway.

Gadget then injected herself into the conversation again, nudging Lockwood's shoulder. "Your Majesty, I've got an incoming call for you from Secretary Virtuoso. He wants to speak with you about a business arrangement that's being made that he says you had some input on? Something about shipping?"

"Oh, that old thing? I thought we'd handled that. Hmm." Lockwood looked to the other two mares at the table with a sheepish grin. "Apologies, ladies, but I've got to take this. It shouldn't take too long, I hope."

As he was leaving—Gadget along with him since apparently she had the equipment needed for him to take the call—the waiter arrived with a bottle of red wine and three glasses.

Lockwood pointed at the bottle before he was out of sight. "And save some for me!"

"We'll try, darling!" Rarity called back with a smile.

Once Lockwood and Gadget were out of view, Blackburn gestured at the wine bottle. "Shall we?"

Rarity nodded. "Indeed we shall."

Blackburn then nodded at the waiter, who poured two glasses, leaving Lockwood's empty for the time being, before bowing and leaving the table once dismissed. Rarity gave the wine a little swirl in her glass and breathed it in, and was rather impressed with the fruity tropical scent.

And then there was the taste, and oh, Rarity knew then that she'd need to commend Lockwood on his selection; that stallion knew a fine wine. It was simpler than the more fruit-forward affairs at home, but still plenty ripe with a pleasant… was that cantaloupe? In red wine? How strange, and yet bizarrely pleasant.

A glance at Blackburn, though, told her that the other mare was not the connoisseur that she was, as the queen had already imbibed nearly a third of her glass while Rarity had only taken the barest of sips.

Blackburn seemed to notice Rarity's look, and set down her glass with a smile. "Not a wine aficionado. Prefer harder stuff, or beer when drinking light. Never cared much for wine culture, but appreciate it from outside perspective. Requires attentiveness, attention to detail, intellect, careful study." She took a breath. "Good qualities to have."

Rarity set her glass down as well after taking a second small sip, then gave a short nod. "May I let you in on a little secret?"

Blackburn nodded.

"Ever since I was a little filly, I dreamed of being part of high society. The glitz, the glamour, all of it. And part of that society involves drinking wine and champagne at parties and lunches and dinner affairs. It's not required, no, but I wanted to fit in. So, even when I was underage, I made it a point to study the aspects of such things."

At that, Blackburn's lips curled in a little grin. "Breaking rules now, allows following them later?"

"Precisely. I never drank too much, of course—I've never been drunk once in my life—but I gradually started to learn how to describe a wine, from its colors and smell to its taste and texture." Rarity smiled and touched up her mane. "It's such a small part of being a high-society mare, but every little bit helps when you're trying to belong."

Blackburn looked slightly sad, yet happy, all at once. "Resemblance… truly uncanny…"

"Hmm?"

"Father remarried after losing my mother. Did not wait long enough in my opinion, irrelevant now anyway. Stepmother, Silver Glow, nobleborn mare from southern continent. Beautiful, fashionable, classy. Like you." Blackburn shook her head. "Physical resemblance, uncanny as well. Different color manes—yours purple, hers blue—but coat color exactly the same, eye color the same."

Rarity didn't know what to make of the comparison, so she took a neutral approach for her response, which of course meant not to respond at all.

"Never liked her," Blackburn said bluntly; Rarity was glad she'd stuck to the neutral reply. "Multitude of reasons. Attempted to replace mother; tried to make me something I'm not. Worse, never got angry, never punished me, never asked father to do so; always took high road when I lashed out. Hated her for it.

"Years went by, feelings never changed, never subsided. Until she found out about Lockwood. Indirectly, never knew him, never knew his name, only suspected a relationship. Kept secret from father, from most friends, from everypony; she figured it out." Blackburn chuckled and shook her head. "Still amuses me. Wish they could've met, would've gotten along well.

"Had… heart-to-heart. Realized how behavior hurt her. Wanted to make amends. Never had the chance." Blackburn sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Murdered in NPAF attack. Long before peace talks were even dreamt of, before Lockwood returned to me. Father killed in same attack, so I took the throne. Never made amends."

There was a long pause, and Rarity took her chance to speak, "I'm… terribly sorry to hear about all of that, Blackburn. You have my condolences—"

"No need. Have come to terms, have grieved, have moved on." Blackburn shook her head. "Thought I did. Then you came. You remind me of her. Brings back memories… some bad, but some… some good." When Rarity made to speak, Blackburn held up a hoof. "Do not intend to make you uncomfortable. Just… an observation. Have been sifting out bad memories, keeping good ones."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, I think," Rarity said, nervously taking another sip of wine.

"Change of topics. Question: do you love my husband?"

Rarity very nearly choked on her wine and had to use a tremendous amount of effort not to spit it all over herself and the table. "I… beg your pardon?"

"Ah, apologies. Poor wording. Hmm… no, not poor wording, but open to misinterpretation." Blackburn cleared her throat. "Not asking if you are in love with my husband. Asking if you love him. Platonically, of course."

"O-of course. Of course that's what you meant, yes… platonically," Rarity said with a nervous smile; her heart was beating so fast she was worried it was going to burst. "I… I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Hmm, thought question was clear—"

"No no, the question is quite clear now that you've cleared it up. I just don't understand the reasoning for the question."

"Ah. Simple: there are many types of friendships. My friendship with Stellar Storm is professional, but also casual; share a drink on occasion, rarely speak on personal matters. Gadget and Crossfire, though, I love. Like sister and brother I never had. Briarthorn… I loved him as well. Platonic, close friend, like family. Complicated at times, used to date when younger, were… intimate."

Rarity blinked. "Aha… I think I understand. Well, in that case… y-yes, I do. I consider him as close a friend as I consider Fluttershy. Not quite the brother I never had, no, but… we are close. He has been an immensely good friend to me, and to my other friends. We owe him so much for helping us on our last visit to this world."

"Hmm, a fair answer," Blackburn said, tapping her chin. "Another question then: you made an advance on Lockwood during your last visit. Why?"

Rarity paled; she could feel her entire body lose its luster from the sheer shock. "Wh-what?"

"Lockwood explained situation," Blackburn said matter-of-factly; the fact that she was so… calm was rather unnerving. "Want to hear your side."

"I… he… he what? He told you?"

"Of course. We do not keep secrets." Blackburn gestured at Rarity to continue.

Rarity felt her stomach drop; this was not what she wanted to talk about right now, not ever, but there wasn't really a way for her to escape. No windows nearby, there were too many ponies that would see her fleeing, and where would she hide afterwards anyway? Blackburn could just walk down the halls at the royal palace to the room where Rarity was staying. And she could order soldiers to comb the streets for her if she tried to hide elsewhere. What was she going to—

"Please, Rarity. Just want your side. No need to be afraid," Blackburn said, still so unnervingly calm.

"I… w-well, I…" Rarity flustered a moment, then took a deep breath. "It was… it was a misunderstanding. Entirely my doing, so don't blame Lockwood for anything. He… he came to support me on the night of a big fashion show, and we were in my dressing room beforehand. He simply complimented me on my dress and how I looked, and I interpreted it as flirting."

Blackburn nodded. "Indeed. Lockwood openly complimentary, never did realize when it could be misinterpreted. Mixed signals. Odd concept from a stallion."

"Yes, well, there's that, and… I was lonely," Rarity admitted with a sigh. "Back home, there aren't very many eligible bachelors around. I hadn't had much luck in finding an ideal partner since high school, and the few who I thought would fit my standards… didn't in the end. And Lockwood was so charming and handsome and treated me like a lady, and… and I guess that I saw something that wasn't there.

"So when he said those things to me, treated me the way he did, I decided that even if I'd never seen him again, I wanted to… to feel what it was like. To be with somepony who cared about me. It was my fault, I didn't know he wasn't trying to flirt or anything of the sort. I didn't know that he had you. He stopped me before I did anything that I'd regret, and he told me… well, enough. So I dropped it."

"And you swore never to talk about it. With anypony," Blackburn said, still calm.

"Yes, that's… that's what we thought was best. I didn't want him to tell anypony out of fear that he'd ruin what he had with you. I didn't even know you yet, but I could tell that he missed you terribly."

"And you?"

"Hmm?"

"Were you afraid of what would happen to you if anypony found out?"

Rarity blinked, then shook her head. "No. Not at all. And not just because I was leaving this world soon, at the time."

"Have you told anypony then?"

Rarity closed her eyes, then nodded. "Fluttershy knows, and only her, because I trust her and love her enough to be able to share my failures with her whatever they may be. She knows about every one of my failed attempts at romance, after all. I felt it was only fair."

"Hmm, acceptable." Blackburn nodded firmly and leaned back in her seat comfortably. "Thank you for telling me."

"I… th-that's it?"

"Yes. That's it. Only wanted your side."

Rarity blinked. "Why?"

"Personal curiosity. Trust my husband implicitly, know he wouldn't lie. Question wasn't to 'catch' him. Just curiosity. Nothing more."

Rarity blinked again; she was so lost that she needed a map to find her way back to where her state of mind had been only a few minutes ago. "So you're not angry?"

"No. Why would I be? Nothing happened. You dropped issue. Anger solves nothing." Blackburn tilted her head. "Hmm, incorrect. Was angry when first learned of this. Not at you, not at Lockwood. With myself. Allowed situation to happen in the first place, didn't bring Lockwood with me years before.

"But then, can see the silver lining. Lockwood still up north, met you and your friends, became acquainted with Curaçao and her sisters. Eventually, led to peace prospects currently in the works. Might not have happened without him being there." Blackburn smiled. "Life works in mysterious ways."

"I…" Rarity shook her head. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it."

"Only way of looking at it." Blackburn's eyes drifted slightly to the side, then back to Rarity. "Lockwood and Gadget returning. Do not mention conversation to Lockwood. Not a royal order; personal request. He would not have approved, had to lure him away to ask, needed to ask questions without him present." She took a breath. "Would have influenced your answers with his presence alone."

Rarity gulped and nodded. "Very well, I won't mention this to him… or to anyone, even Fluttershy. This was a private conversation between two mares, yes?"

Blackburn smiled. "Yes."

As Lockwood got back to the table and greeted the two mares again, then started talking to Blackburn about how bizarre his phone conversation had been, Rarity found herself unable to really pay much attention to any of it. She was more focused on the beating in her chest and the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. Even as the group returned to lunch and the food arrived, she felt like she was on autopilot the entire way.

She did know one thing for certain, though: she was going to take a bottle of wine back to her room with her when lunch was over.

Comments

[RoboRed]

Well, everyone seems to have taken that news about the cloning quite well.

Highbrow is pretty funny just being him. hope to see more of him later.

Liked hearing Rarity compare Canterlot to Utopia and Hope's Point. I always like juxtaposition stuff like that. I hope that she makes an outfit for Blackburn by the end of this story.

She did know one thing for certain, though: she was going to take a bottle of wine back to her room with her when lunch was over.

Oof. Guess that combo of Blackburn's inquiries about her relationship with Lockwood, the revelation of the extent of what she already knew, and her comparison to Silver Glow all hit her really hard.