Black Painted White
The training room was filled with the sounds of combat. It was day twenty one of Sweetie Belle’s training, and she was at last able to hold her own against her teammates, with the notable exception of Mahtaram. She had discovered a propensity for knifework, as well as being unusually hard to pin down in most situations. Currently, she was engaged with Glimmer, who was circling around her at the edge of the map, a simple wooden staff in each hoof, meant to represent their metal counterparts, which were stacked neatly by the training dummies in one corner. Sweetie Belle had found that there was no better way to take the measure of somepony than to fight them. So much was revealed there, from the way they thought to their general fitness, and much more. Taking Glimmer as an example, Sweetie Belle knew that the Changeling disdained direct confrontation, simply as part of her nature. The Changeling preferred to wait in ambush, to strike when her opponent was unprepared. Her twin metal staves could easily kill a pony without leaving a mark, and so she would be able to theoretically kill silently and without detection, allowing her to take her victim’s place. She was a classic predator, waiting for the opportune moment to strike before doing so with brutal efficiency.
Sweetie Belle was an entirely different pony. There was some part of her that had decided that the best way to defeat an opponent was to get close, so close that there was no other choice but to accept the blow when it came. And so they began the dance, with Sweetie Belle attempting to get close as Glimmer attempted to push her away, vanishing into her blind spots with unnerving competence.
Sweetie Belle’s practice blade, made of weighted wood, missed the Changeling’s hide by inches as she ducked a return blow from the staves. She had a plan in mind, but she would need the Changeling to believe that she had the advantage before it could be implemented. So, she allowed Glimmer to dance partly into one of her blind spots, sagging as if exhausted by her exertions. The Changeling, seeing a weakness, exploited it. One stave swung in front of her, cutting her off, while the second whistled toward her skull in what would have been a painful rap on the head if Sweetie Belle had not moved forward regardless of the obstacle in front of her, twirling to catch it on her ribcage as she lined up and threw the knife she held directly at Glimmer. The dull blade bounced off of her sternum, but had the blade been metal, it would have sunk deep and stayed there, a surely fatal blow. Glimmer, realizing the extent of her imaginary injuries, dropped her staves with a smile.
Birchwood and Scootaloo applauded at this, and Mahtaram allowed a brief smile to cross her normally expressionless face before returning to cleaning her crossbow, checking the wood for cracks and chips that could prove deadly to her accuracy later on. Sweetie Belle shook hooves tiredly with the Changeling before stepping out of the ring to grab a quick drink. She had fought each one of her teammates at least once today, as she had every day, and most of them were in agreement as to how she was improving rapidly. The only one that she had not yet fought was Night Light, and that was because he was apparently off on business. He had been released from care last week, and had stopped by briefly to meet the team he was working with before he had been sent off to be debriefed by Grapevine, the Head of Intelligence for Twilight Sparkle’s forces.
She watched halfheartedly as Scootaloo and Birchwood squared off against each other, shouting encouragement that she paid no attention to as her mind began to turn over the various facets of the plan. It seemed simple enough, but she knew better at this point. Going to Trottingham had seemed simple, and so too had that meeting by the fountain. Chrysalis had told her that if something seemed simple, that was because somepony, somewhere, was taking advantage of somepony else. And if the situation seemed to benefit you, then the odds were good it was you that was being taken advantage of. So she asked herself what exactly made her uneasy, and found that she knew the answer already. It was Twilight Sparkle. She was smart, smarter than all of them, and Sweetie Belle had seen that Twilight was unafraid to use that intelligence to further the ends of the Ever Free. She had been told what was apparently happening to the Element, but she had the feeling that Twilight was playing another game entirely, one that she knew nothing about. Of course, there was nothing to prove her suspicions, simply a feeling. But truth was being concealed from her, and so she chafed at her lack of knowledge.
“Your head is in the sky, Sweetie Belle.” a low voice intoned, causing her to jump. Sweetie Belle turned over her shoulder, seeing that Mahtaram had used her remarkable stealth to sneak up on her. Again. The Gryphon held a cup of water in one claw, but she paid it no mind, eyes watching each movement of the fight in front of her. “You are uneasy, and something is bothering you.”
Sweetie Belle had once asked the Gryphon how she knew what she did, to which Mahtaram had smiled and informed her that she needed only to look to her own body and have sharp eyes to perceive her thoughts. She had never gotten used to the fact that Mahtaram was able to read her mood by using her own body language. She had even challenged her to read her mood as she shifted her body postures like Chrysalis had taught her, forcing herself to feel happy, angry, and worried while her body threw signals in the exact opposite direction. The golden gaze of the Gryphon had peeled her apart like an onion. So she knew it would be no use lying to the avian after her curiosity had been piqued.
“I’m having doubts that Twilight Sparkle is telling us the entire truth about this mission. There’s something else at work here, something bigger than this. She’s working another angle, laying out another plan. I know her well, at least I did, and I can tell you that she never had just one project going, never just one focus. That’s how she knows as much as she does. And it bothers me to not know the truth, the whole truth. I can’t put my trust in Twilight Sparkle until I know what she has planned, beginning to end.”
The Gryphon growled deep in her throat, an alarming sound that was actually a mark of approval or respect towards a peer. She shifted closer, and if she were not a Gryphon, Sweetie Belle suspected that she might have laid a friendly wing over her. That gesture implied ownership in Gryphon culture, however, and so the wing remained where it was. “Tell me, Sweetie Belle, what do you know of the Oligarchy?”
Sweetie Belle knew very little about the Oligarchy. “It’s ruled by five Kings, each of which maintains a tribe of separate Gryphons. They are divided into caste systems, ranging from farmers to merchants to soldiers and others. Its primary territory consists of the mountains, deserts, and highlands to the south until it reaches the Sea of Ahbi. Though your territory has shrunk consistently since the Celestial Wars and the beginning of the Solar Era, the Oligarchy was once the primary economic and military power past the river that runs from Canterlot past the Regia.”
Mahtaram growled again. “Good. Though you do not know much, what you do know is untainted with bias. Commendable. I ask you this because I wish you to understand why I place my trust in Hanoomeh Sparkle.
My entire life was one of hardship. Though I am technically a Shahzaneh, a Princess in your tongue, we of the noble caste take our duties to our subjects much more seriously than your nobles do. I grew up with nothing, helping in the fields we work and the fishing boats we maintain. My family abandoned me for a decade to wander in Ashtar Sharestan, living as a beggar in service to others. I nearly died of starvation, and it was only from a sense of duty that others kept me alive. When my rite of passage was over, I was welcomed warmly into my father’s house, and I began to learn the ways of the Court.
We are a proud race, Sweetie Belle. The Kingdoms do not often mingle, not because of animosity, but because we value self-reliance and closeness of community over almost all else. It is for the continued benefit of the Kingdoms that the Oligarchy was formed. The Court is a dangerous place for young Gryphons like I was because it is very easy to give offense, sometimes fatal offense. So, to keep the peace, we are instructed in etiquette, known as Ta’Rof in our tongue. It covers a great many things, from mannerisms to proper greetings to the giving of gifts. But what it teaches you, above all, is to avoid offense. How to avoid offending others, and how to avoid showing that you are offended. From a very early age, hardly more than half-grown hatchlings, we are taught how to lie, and well.”
“Sounds complicated.” Sweetie Belle said, as Birchwood picked up Scootaloo bodily and slammed her into the mat.
Mahtaram must have been in a good mood that day, because her mouth twitched once more. “Indeed.” she said, before draining her glass of water. “Not only do we know how to lie, so does every other Gryphon at the court. Indeed, many of the other castes practice the tradition as well. So in a conversation, we may lie to another Gryphon, who knows that we are lying, but feels that it would be rude to point it out. So they in turn will lie to you, although you know that they are offended and believe you are lying, which would call for you to be offended, so you must act like you are offended at their implication you are lying and are attempting to hide it, even though you both know that you are lying. Both parties can, in fact, lie for the entirety of a conversation and walk away as if they had never suspected the other party of telling a falsehood.”
Sweetie Belle turned to look at her teammate. “I apologize if this seems rude, but that is the single most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.”
Mahtaram’s feathers stood on end in shock before she realized that Sweetie Belle was poking fun at her. “It is important that we know this. To insult the honor of a Gryphon openly is to potentially invite death. Ta’Rof helps us avoid this. By keeping the air clouded with feigned compliments and politeness, we are always left wondering if a perceived slight was meant or not, thus preventing unnecessary bloodshed. It would be too direct.”
“But what does this have to do with me?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Sweetie Belle, I have learned that total honesty can lead only to disaster, regardless of what you have been taught. All sentient things lie on occasion. Nothing is meant by it, that is simply how things go. Twilight Sparkle has not been entirely truthful with anyone here, Pony, Gryphon, Changeling, or otherwise. But I can tell that she cares for us all, and wants us to succeed. She aches for peace, and each time she orders a life to be taken it causes her great pain. Had she her way, your Lady would simply live alone, in peace. But she chooses to defend us all, and so we must do the same for her. Of course Twilight Sparkle is lying to you. But that is no reason for you not to trust her.”
It was at this point that the doors to the training room were cracked open. A messenger strode through, and was intercepted by Glimmer. She murmured thanks as he walked away, before turning to her teammates.
“Twilight Sparkle wishes to speak to us all.” she said calmly. “We are discussing the final plan.”
The study they were using was in the old Astronomy tower, a drafty old place that was rarely used, and scheduled for repair by Pegasi crews come spring. However, one room in the Tower had been refurbished, the walls sealed tightly and the room clear of dust and debris. It consisted of a simple bookshelf, one small table, and a few chairs. There was no distinguishing mark on the door, no window from which light could escape, and no air vent from which conversations could be overheard. In short, it was the perfect place to discuss things which nopony had business knowing.
“Firstly, I’d like to commend you all on your progress here.” Twilight Sparkle said, looking at each of them in turn. “You are coming together as a team and determining your roles nicely. I apologize for keeping Night Light away from you all, but your week in Manehatten should allow for your team to mesh again without too much trouble. Next, we will be going over some of the finer details of the plan, including your route to Manehatten. I’ve just received the final piece of our puzzle, and you are finding it out at the same time as I am.”
She laid a small scroll on the table, sealed with Celestia’s signature official business insignia, a golden sunburst. Breaking the seal and unfurling the scroll, she read over its contents. “Greetings and felicitations from Her Solar Majesty, Princess Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria. You are receiving this scroll because of your confirmed attendance at this year’s Winter Gala, as always held in honor of my sister, Her Serene Majesty Princess Luna Aetheria ex Equestria. Though her continued poor health keeps her bedridden, she has expressed her desire to continue her traditional dance, held as per usual on the Winter Solstice of this year. This missive has been sent to inform you of the theme and dress for this year, which is…” Twilight trailed off. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
Mahtaram, sitting by Twilight Sparkle and able to see the next words with little difficulty, continued. “A chess motif, while the dress shall be traditional bridle and tack. An exotic style of dress inspired by the Quilin, bridle and tack dress focuses on highlighting the beauty of the physical form, drawing attention to what is not being worn while being tasteful enough to appreciate what is being worn…” She made a face. “That’s unusual.”
Sweetie Belle fought back a blush. Bridle and tack! At a royal event? What could have inspired Celestia to allow such a taboo set to be worn at an official function? The sensual association with bridle and tack dated back to ancient times, back when Celestia and Luna had first started their nation. That gear was worn by personal attendants to the Princesses themselves, who had been rumored in old stories to engage in some fairly lewd acts with their most faithful of servants, such debauchery as to become the stuff of legends. The so-called clothing had fallen out of style with the establishment of the old Capitol and the advent of real clothing, worn only at formal events. Several hundred years later, ponies had been most perturbed to find that the then newly discovered Quilin wore such dress as part of their daily garb. And she would have to wear it in public. She felt her face flush as she realized Scootaloo was speaking.
“…expect me to wear that? In front of Canterlot upper crust? What in Tartarus is Celestia playing at?” the Pegasus said, her voice boiling with ill-contained scorn and humiliation, her wings buzzing furiously.
Twilight and Mahtaram were apparently the only two not flustered, and it was Twilight who was assuaging Scootaloo’s doubts. “It’s a fairly clever move on Celestia’s part to ensure that nopony is able to smuggle in weapons. Where would you be able to hide them? The good news is that we are just a bit smarter than she is this time. Though you’ll be wearing…that…most of your tools will be disguised as accessories, and your weapons will be smuggled into the castle ahead of time.”
Sweetie Belle raised a hoof. “What exactly do you mean, tools?”
Twilight smiled at her, laying a wooden box on the table. “Please, see for yourself.” she said, and unclasped the container, displaying its contents for all to see.
There was a gasp from the table. The box was filled with precious stones and jewels, beautiful chains of silver and gold, and mane clasps in jade, turquoise, and onyx. Sweetie Belle saw a set of chopsticks used to hold a bun laying in one corner, and a hoof ring that glimmered with a single ruby in another. Each piece was labeled with a name and arranged in groups. Sweetie was pleased to see that the beautiful ebony chopsticks were for her, as well as a shimmering necklace of diamonds and a set of jet black earrings.
“There are dossiers concerning the properties of your accessories in your rooms, and you should look over each of them. Your, ah, gear…will be delivered to you in Manehatten, after you have left here to receive measurements. Obviously the contents of this box are not what they seem. For example, Sweetie Belle’s earrings will, with a small spark of properly applied magic, put most latent magic systems right to sleep, as well as confusing and obfuscating the wards placed around Luna’s cell. The chopsticks are far stronger than they look, ideal for stabbing, and they can be broken apart to access a length of garrote wire. The diamonds explode. Quite violently, actually.”
The assembled ponies eyed the items with new respect. Twilight continued. “Now, we were originally going to have you go through Trottingham to get to Manehatten, but in light of recent events, we no longer believe that to be a viable option. So, you’ll be going along a longer route. We have a small airship that will drop you in Red Rock Junction, and from there you’ll be taking an express train north to Manehatten. Most every train from Northern to Southern Equestria passes through Red Rock, so you can lose yourselves in the crowd and make your way back to a friendly city like Hoofington or Los Pegasus if you need to disappear.”
“Should we be expecting problems, Lady Twilight?” Birchwood asked.
Twilight laughed. “No, we don’t expect any problems from Red Rock. Things should be relatively easy there.”
The Captain of Garrison for Red Rock Junction, a Regular by the name of Stalwart Spear, was reviewing the record of the pony standing in front of his desk. She had recently been assigned to the 418th Infantry Division, commonly known as the Rough Riders. Though she did not have much of a record as an enlisted pony, her commanding officers had spoken very highly of her in training, and she had demonstrated remarkable ability in her aptitude tests. Though she had only arrived two months ago, she had already come to the attention of several of her superiors, and it was apparent to the experienced officer that she would go far in the Regulars. She could probably make it in the Guard if she tried. Which made her perfect for this assignment.
“Legionaria Applebloom, you may stand at ease.” he said, casting an appraising eye over her. Her uniform was freshly pressed and immaculate, though he knew for a fact that she had just come in from a patrol out in the desert. He could smell the sand on her. “Do you know why I called you in here?”
“Sir, I have no idea. Have I done something to earn reprimand, sir?” she asked.
“Nothing of that sort, Legionaria. You have been distinguishing yourself among your peers. Your sergeants and officers have very good things to say about you, and you have been recommended for a special posting, a rather short one.” he replied, making eye contact with her. “Now, I want you to know that this recommendation does not only come from me, or any part of your chain of command below me. This comes from Canterlot. Which, funnily enough, is where you will be posted if you accept this assignment. And by accept, I mean to say that I will be giving an offer to refuse this assignment, which you will ignore. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” she said, straightening a little.
“Good. You have been selected as a candidate for a temporarily formed group under the direct command of Princess Celestia herself. This is a full regiment comprised of ponies from all over Equestria, and has been given the tentative title of ‘Equestrian Guard’. You will be reassigned to this unit for a grand total of one month before it is decided whether or not the group is disbanded. You will be representing the Rough Riders, as well as acting as a representative of the town of Ponyville. As such, you will comport yourself with poise and decorum when required, and exercise the same competence you have over these past months. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Applebloom replied.
Stalwart Spear opened the file, ready to sign off on the paperwork. “Now, because I must ask. Do you wish to not be included in this regiment?”
The answer was crisp and concise. “No, sir.”
A signature was scratched, a stamp applied. The folder was closed. “Very well, Legionaria. You leave tomorrow at 0650 hours from Platform Six. The troop transport train. Dismissed!”
Applebloom pivoted smartly, clicking her hooves together, and took measured paces to the door. It closed behind her, and the office of the Garrison Captain was silent once more.
Twilight smiled fondly as the door to the meeting room closed. It looked as if every member of the group would perform admirably. She made a mental note to personally check their escape craft before it was sent out the next day. Sensing a magical disturbance at her door, she gently applied telekinesis to the thick oaken slab, swinging it open. “Come!” she called.
Radiant Zenith strode in, fresh from the forest. “Well, I have good news and bad news.” she said, closing the door behind her. “Which would you like first?”
“Give me the bad first.” Twilight said, packing the jewels away and rolling up the scroll.
“Very well. The bad news is that I will not be able to Break the spell Celestia has applied to Honesty as easily as I did to Kindness and Laughter. Not without risking her discovery of the whole thing. Which would bode ill for our plans.”
“And the good?”
“I think I know how I can bring Rarity into the fold. At that point, it’s four Wielders to one Bearer. And all you need then is to tip the Wielders to your cause.”
Twilight was lost in thought. It had been two weeks since her onetime friends had reconvened in Zecora’s hut, and Fluttershy had Broken her Element, allowing the true power of Kindness to flow unchecked for the first time in a millennium. She could no longer be called a Bearer of an Element. Instead, the timid little Pegasus was a Wielder of the Power of Kindness, a Champion of Harmony. Gradually, she was tipping the scales in her favor. But Pinkie Pie was too flighty, and Fluttershy was, well…Fluttershy. Neither would want to fight. But Applejack and Rarity could be warriors, if needed.
“Very well, how would you bring Rarity into the Ever Free?”
“Simple. Use her sister.” Radiant Zenith said.
“And how do you propose I do that?” Twilight asked.
“I think you know that already. It’s the social event of the season. If the Bearer was not there, it would be social suicide. At this point, it would be an ideal time for Sweetie Belle to make a move on Rarity.”
Twilight shook her head. “No way. That mare knows more than I’m comfortable with already. If she found out what I was doing to ponies she knew, how I was threatening and manipulating them, then she would turn on me. And neither of us can afford that.”
Radiant Zenith smiled. “I think we can make it work. I would have to assemble the Council, call a meeting with a few important ponies. She wants truth, Twilight Sparkle. We can give her the whole truth. But here, in the Regia, we control exactly how that truth is presented. Believe you me, with the right pressure, Sweetie Belle will bring us her sister. And she will be happy to do so.”
There was a beat of silence from Twilight. And then, “Very well. Call the Council to order. If you say we can make it work, then we will make it work.”
Radiant Zenith bowed her head. “Lady. It shall be done.”
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Interesting. Griffin´ society is conducted by traditional Japan´ rules of courtesy. Then again, it´s undertandable from a species with such natural aggressiveness to adopt a code which avoid direct conflic situations as much as possible.
Nice James Bond touch in the equipment for the Everfree Team.
And I cannot help but wonder... is Celestia intentionally putting Applebloom in the way of Sweetie and Scoots? My guess is...yes.
...
1881789 Of course she is. She is, above all things, a manipulator, and knows both Sweetie and Scootaloo are on the enemy side. So why not use the third, their best friend, as a rolled up newspaper to smack them in the nose? Then of course throw her away, probably by killing her and blaming it on Twilight, to get Honesty, Applejack, to hate Twilight like Rainbow does, gaining another pawn, weakening Twilight, and killing more ponies. Win for her.
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/27182733.jpg
1882081
I don't recall figuring out why Rainbow had any special dislike, or is that because Scootaloo is with the Everfree?
Anybody else feel like Twilight has crossed the line or is dangerously close to doing so? I kinda think Twilight is broken (the way she's been doing things, I have to wonder if they could even wield the elements together even if they wanted to) and I can't decide if Radiant Zenith is on the side of good or if she is just playing Twilight to get herself power or to get back at Celesta...
1883660 It was revealed a few chapters back when Sweetie Belle was escaping. Rainbow had a... boyfriend? husband?... She had a lover, and during the beginning, the first few fights, he died while on Celestia's side fighting against twilight. Let me go find it.
There, chapter 18: Moves Ahead.
1883660
We don´t know about Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo present vision of each other, or Scoot´s backstory about how she joined the Everfree, yet.
My guess is Scoots is somewhat trying to uphold the ideals she once perceived from old Rainbow Dash, and is disgusted about her once idol has become; while Dash considers Scoots merely another traitor to Equestria to crush.
great chapter!
im glad that twi went with the choice of telling sweetie as much as possible rather than having her find out herself, that could be devastating, it would also scream 'predictable cliche'
1881789
Gryphic society is based heavily on pre-revolutionary Iran, and the cultures and customs thereof. The language they speak is actually Persian Farsi, and though I have embellished some parts of it, Ta'Rof is a very real part of Iranian culture. The Gryphons, being Persian in origin, fit the bill for this culture very well, in my opinion.
1889181
I do so abhor the predictable. And I am glad you liked it!
1889871
Thanks. I´m ashamed about my lack of knowledge regarding foreign cultures, or even the fact I didn´t even bothered in google "Ta'Rof" and search for the answer myself
.
1889871
I thought the names sounded Arabic. It's an interesting divergence seeing as most fics portray the Gryphons as Germanic in nature.
poor twi, she wants so little and is forced to do so much
Oh no... The Ever Free are going to have to fight Applebloom...
WOW................I really am kinda anxious to see if it is Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle than ends up having to fight Applebloom
Die fucking Applebloom die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1889871 hmmm now i have more stuff to learn about
Find it ironic how bridle and tack is considered sensual when they all walk around naked all the time, and they acknowledged this in the series. It could be considered slave attire , a physical slave. Either way i eexpect sweetie belle to pull all the mares.
All lies are made in secret, but not all secrets are kept as lies.
Honesty... Deceit... I've always found a careful mixture of the two to be the most reliable. It's amazing how close you can skate to the truth without actually revealing it.
I see Celestia still has some Trollestia inside of her.
1883747
In Lines and Webs, we first met Rainbow's significant other, and it was a mare, as per usual. I think the name was Stormchaser.
Well, I can think of a couple places...
6241591
Eww, and ow.
Did I say eww?
Yes, but I will say it again...
Eww, dude.