Records of Equestria: Elements of Power

by Gearcrow

Part I - Int. I - When Once Again I Hold You Near

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“You look amazing.”

- Rarity

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Birds of Paradise cried out above the pearly harbors of Monacolt. The sun danced across the rippling waves from a cloudless sky as the wind carried the salt and pleasure of the sea up across the green coastal hills. On an open marble balcony, wide enough to house twenty ponies at once, Rarity lounged beneath a wide arbor covered in early summer grape vines. The wind played with her mane and her wide-brimmed sun hat, but it was a gentle play filled with warm kisses and endless leisure.

The balcony was attached to a splendid summer palace which had once belonged to Duchess Diamond Waves. She’d gifted it to Celestia upon her passing, who’d granted it to Twilight Sparkle for use as a summer home, and since it had once belonged to a duchess, Twilight had figured it might as well do so again. Rarity loved it, and she hardly cared that it was a hand-me-down several times over or that she seldom had time to come visit.

Yes, it was small for a palace–really just a large manor house–but it sat high on the hills facing the sea, and Rarity thought the view was breathtaking. Monacolt itself was clearly visible from her elevated perch–though it nestled a mile or so north on the coast–and this particular balcony granted an uninterrupted view of the bluest sea Rarity had ever seen, dotted with tiny boats and larger ships strung with flags of every color. Down below on the beach, ponies picnicked and ran laughing through the waves.

How perfect, how luxurious, how absolutely dreadful! Rarity was lying on an intricate three piece chaise lounge with a golden floral pattern and cream colored cushions, and she’d worn her best and flimsiest sun dress, a short breezy thing made of lilac cotton. She was a vision of coastal beauty, a stunning summer temptress, yet the object of her desire had decided not to join her, instead informing her via letter that she was terribly busy with some meeting or other in Canterlot and had been forced to delay her visit.

It was unfortunate, Twilight had written, but she was sure Rarity would understand. After all, Rarity and Twilight saw each other all the time, and she couldn’t very well put off the Queen of Thrace just to come watch the ocean with a friend. A friend. Apparently, Twilight’s parents were going to be at Canterlot Castle for the day as well, attending all the official functions with their daughter, and lonely and jealous as Rarity was, she couldn’t very well begrudge Twilight the opportunity to spend some time with them.

Rarity sighed and rested her shaded face on her hooves. A friend. Not for the first time did Rarity wonder if Twilight knew. She must know… right? Rarity had never been particularly subtle. But then again, maybe that was the problem? She wasn’t subtle with anypony, and she was such a flirt­–no point denying it–that she wasn’t sure how anypony was supposed to know when she was being serious. And it wasn’t like she’d actually said anything to Twilight. How could she?

Twilight was so… so Twilight! So tall, and regal, and bright, and so very fascinating. All these years later, Rarity still wasn’t sure she really understood her. Half the time, Twilight bore the weight of the nation on her shoulders with a truly intimidating level of poise and wisdom, radiating strength and serenity. But sometimes, she’d come completely undone at the seams, sent careening into a neurotic spiral of self-doubt over the slightest and most bizarre trivialities. Only, they weren’t trivialities to Twilight, and so–though it had caught her off guard at first–they’d stopped being trivialities to Rarity as well.

More than being intimidating though, Twilight was a princess. Rarity chuckled. Twilight was actually an empress. It was a farce to pretend anything else, but for some reason, they all did. Twilight was a princess, and as she’d demonstrated with her letter, she had far more important things to worry about than one silly unicorn’s apparently unrequited feelings.

Rarity lifted a bell from a table beside her and shook it softly then waited. When the gentle chime failed to materialize a retainer, she shook it a little harder. Still, nopony came to her aid. Rarity only kept a hoofful of staff at the manor, empty as it stood most of the year, but somepony should have been close enough to attend her when she called.

Well now. She’d have to have a chat with Varnished Tea who ran the place in her absence. He was a distinguished old pegasus whom Rarity had the utmost respect for. He was the very image of stern rigidity, but Rarity found he always erred on the side of propriety and appreciated this about him greatly. That harsh exterior did a poor job of hiding a heart of gold.

For good measure, she shook the bell a third time. This time the chime warbled loudly, rending the air temporarily with images of wilted flowers and rotting flesh. Then everything was still once more. Rarity shrugged her shoulders. Oh well, she’d just have to track somepony down. After all, she needed some music to accompany her pining melancholy mood. Varnished Tea only played the violin–much too stuffy for such a bright day–but if she wasn’t mistaken, Miss. Frond, the manor’s chef, owned a guitar she didn’t know how to play. Maybe Rarity could take it for a spin herself.

She trotted into the manor, trying her best to keep a light step. No sense in letting anypony else know of her troubles. She stopped in the hallway and frowned. Varnished Tea was lying on the floor, decaying slowly. The smell was horrendous, and he looked as if he might have been rotting there for weeks. That didn’t seem right? Rarity had only arrived yesterday, and the pegasus had been very much alive then. Why hadn’t anypony else told Rarity he’d died? She’d need to find a new caretaker for the manor. Wait! Wait, this isn’t­–

The world blinked.

Awfully rude of him to just lie there though. She shook her head and continued towards the kitchen. Frond would surely lend her the guitar, and Rarity was increasingly feeling a very strong need to play something… something nice. There was a song she’d played–or maybe would play–in the Sparkles’ living room, and it seemed right for the moment. Had somepony been crying then?

The world blinked.

Frond had been as dead as Varnished Tea, but at least she’d been decent enough to leave her quarters unlocked. Rarity had brought the guitar back out to the balcony, but sitting there now, watching the sun make its slow arc towards the horizon, she couldn’t remember the tune.

Somepony had taught it to her, but she couldn’t remember who. Maybe Cozy Glow? No. Applejack? Somepony else was going to teach Rarity the song, and Rarity would play it, and Twilight would smile and thank Rarity, and then Rarity would cry. Like a proper mare, she’d be decent and wait until later that night when nopony could see her.

The world blinked, and something smelled off. Was Frond brining something in the kitchen? No, wait, Frond was dead. Wait!

She strummed the guitar. Yes, she remembered the song she would learn. That was good. She felt silly for forgetting something like that. She leaned back in her chaise lounge and began to play, humming to herself that awful horrible tune. She smiled at the sky as it turned to twilight, not really sure why her cheeks were wet and her eyes stung. She played to the purples and the oranges that hung above her, and when the stars appeared, she played to them as well. She really did love this manor.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

PLEASE tell me Entropy's defeat is incredibly humiliating.

[Peppermint Snow]

Intriguing read, excited to see were it goes next. Keep up the good work!

[new55]

The new chapters were good. Goodluck with the next one.