I. Night on the Town
I. Night on the Town
Rarity hadn’t planned on dining alone tonight. It was a night for celebrating achievements and toasting the future, and no mare—certainly no mare such as herself—should have to suffer the ignominy of dining alone on a night like that. Yet here she found herself, wearing a gorgeous ice blue evening dress of her own design and her favorite pearl necklace, musing over what to do about her inexcusably inconsiderate boyfriend, and hoping against hope that her last-minute emergency invitation panned out.
Even if she didn't feel very celebratory, Rarity supposed that she ought to at least make an effort to pay attention to the scene unfolding around her: it was opening night at Cobblestone Restaurant in Ponyville, and she was both the restaurant’s interior decorator, and one of its principal investors.
As she watched Ponyville’s most prominent ponies stream into the restaurant and out of the frigid winter evening outside, Rarity found herself taking less-than-dainty sips from her snifter of apple brandy. So far, everything was playing out exactly as envisioned: the restaurant’s servers and staff were smartly groomed and dapper in the jackets she had designed; the luxurious imported fabrics she had selected for the decor contrasted in a pleasing way with the rough-hewn, distressed hardwood of the tables and benches; and blazing fires crackled invitingly in the capacious dining room’s three massive stone fireplaces. The restaurant looked perfect, save an almost-imperceptibly crooked napkin here or there. Irrespective of all that appeared well and good, though, it simply didn't feel right to be all alone tonight, to witness whether the venture into which she had poured her heart—and not a small amount of personal and monetary capital—would succeed or fail.
It was not that Rarity expected that she, or any of the other investors for that matter, would see a profit right away. In fact, the revenue from tonight’s tickets, which had been sold weeks ago to a carefully targeted clientele, had already been earmarked for local charities to help disadvantaged ponies find some peace and security over the holidays. Tonight’s success would be determined by something far more important than bits: it would be measured in word of mouth. A bevy of very important ponies would be dining in Cobblestone that evening, among them politicians, erstwhile country squires, the wealthy and those ponies who aspired to be considered so, journalists, professional critics, and friends of the above. Collectively, they were the tastemakers of Ponyville, and it fell to them to pass judgment idly, blithely, on the very life or death of Cobblestone in the days before its debut to the general public next week.
She knew she ought to feel fairly confident. Yesterday’s rehearsal had gone well, with the few diners in attendance—investors, friends, and employees—praising both chef Apple Cobbler’s cuisine and Rarity's own design decisions. The working staff had been efficient and prepared to answer the questions they were asked. Still, in this moment, sitting alone with her brandy, Rarity could not shake the feeling that somehow, something was going to go awry.
“Hey boss lady, you look a little troubled. Another glass?”
Rarity startled and looked up at the magenta earth pony mare standing over her, wearing a smart gray jacket and a jovial smile, and expertly using one forehoof to balance a gleaming silver tray. A bottle of brandy, which Rarity recognized as a fine and very expensive X.O. from an ancient distillery in the heart of Appleachia, rested on the tray.
Berry Punch was the finest spirits-steward in a hundred leagues, and a good friend besides, and Rarity was keenly aware how lucky she had been to nab her for a half-baked venture financed by a group of ponies without any experience in the restaurant industry. It was a stroke of good fortune that she was fast friends with the chef.
Now, Berry Punch stood stock still, expectantly, and her gaze flicked between the bottle and the snifter Rarity was still absent-mindedly levitating in front of her. With a second start, Rarity looked down and realized her glass was empty.
“Oh dear,” she muttered, involuntarily assuming a guilty, sheepish expression. “I had every intention of pacing myself, Berry. Really, I did.”
“Something’s really eating you up, seems to me, but I bet whatever it is will lay off once you've got a few more drinks in you, and you don't taste as sweet. In the meantime, you can always talk to me, for all that’s worth.”
For a fleeting moment, Rarity considered confiding in the other mare about her stallion troubles, but hesitated. It wasn't that she feared a lack of discretion on Berry’s part; rather, there was a dining room filled with thirsty ponies who required a spirits-steward’s attention, and it would not do for Rarity to monopolize it.
“It’s just that I’m so anxious for tonight to be a success. You know, I truly believe that this restaurant could turn Ponyville into an honest-to-goodness destination. It would be such a marvelous development for the whole town, don’t you think?”
“Oh, that all? Well, I’m not sure we’re going to be giving Manehattan or Los Pegasus a run for their money, but I know this place can really be something special,” Berry Punch replied, smiling again. “That’s why I’m here, and why we’ve got a genius like Apple Cobbler back there running the kitchen, and why half the farmers in the area agreed to plant patches of all the fancy fruits and veggies we need, and why you and Mr. Rich and the Cakes put up so many bits in the first place. But anyhow, how about that second glass? It’s on the house.” Berry winked.
“Anything I eat or drink here is on the house, Berry,” Rarity replied grumpily. “I am the house. In fact, I distinctly remember ordering a case of the particular vintage you have there for myself, which I donated to this endeavor. But yes, I do believe I’ll have just one more little pour.”
The earth pony mare nodded, then gripped the bottle of brandy in her teeth and poured a healthy measure into Rarity’s glass without spilling a drop. She then expertly replaced the bottle on the tray she still balanced. Rarity thanked Berry, and then allowed her to return to her vital mission of keeping the evening’s guests well-lubricated.
Amber liquid swirled in the glass as Rarity moved it in gentle circles with her magic. She could smell its aroma of apples and earth and the promise of a solid bite on her tongue. Blueblood would love this old vintage, she knew. He would have been able to wax poetic about it, and would have been interested in learning all about the old distillery and the ponies who ran it, and would have contemplated designing his own brandy still—steam-powered no doubt.
She had been thinking of him when she ordered a case of it, and she certainly had been when she gave it to the restaurant, instead of keeping it for the two of them to share. In a flash, it seemed, the two of them had gone from seeing each other at every opportunity to hardly getting together at all. Rarity was mindful to keep the drink a safe distance from her lips, lest she down it in one go, as she continued to observe the guests arriving.
In trotted Ponyville’s mayor, along with the strapping young stallion who served as her assistant and ubiquitous companion. After the mayor came a trio of mares with fiery red, curly manes: the venerable judge Fair Shake, her bubbly daughter Shimmy, and her excitable granddaughter. Next followed the ever-glamorous pegasus Silverspeed and a small cadre of equally stylish girlfriends. Silverspeed doubtless was still delighting in sharing the news of her recent promotion to the captaincy of Ponyville’s popular and widely-respected weather patrol with anypony who would listen. Her looks and gregariousness would unavoidably steal some attention from Cobblestone itself tonight, but Rarity took some satisfaction in the fact that the lithe young pegasus was resplendent in a bold yellow dress of Rarity’s own creation. She allowed herself one small sip of brandy to savor the minor victory, and found it just as delightful as she had supposed it would be.
A few minutes later, after a trio of city aldermares, several farm owners, and a gaggle of businessponies, doctors, and lawyers had passed through the front doors, the appearance of the next pony to enter Cobblestone caused Rarity to jump up from her seat in surprised elation. Her invitation had been received after all, and standing right there at the reception table was the invitee! Rarity rapidly trotted over to the entrance, hastily acknowledging a half-dozen greetings on the way in her rush to meet the new arrival.
“Fluttershy!” Rarity exclaimed, then shooed away an attendant who was struggling to remove her friend’s winter coat by slowly guiding Fluttershy’s wings through corresponding slits in the heavy fabric. “Do let me get that.”
A bright blue light flared from Rarity’s horn, and a half-second later the coat vanished from Fluttershy’s shoulders and reappeared on a nearby rack. An instant after that, Rarity had thrown her forelegs around the other mare and was squeezing her tightly.
“Hello Rarity,” Fluttershy managed, once she had been released. Her soft voice was barely audible over the drone of conversation in the restaurant. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s better than good; it’s wonderful!” Rarity replied. “You must have received my invitation! I’m just so glad you could make it on such short notice. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were here for the rehearsal last night, of course, but it’s simply marvelous to have a friend here for the real event.”
“I’m glad I could make it too. I—”
“Oh, and I just love your coat: the layered capelet look is so on-trend right now, and you wear it so well. Though I was under the impression that pegasi did not get cold, even in weather as inclement as this.”
“Well, you know I’ve never been very good at being a pegasus,” Fluttershy said, appearing chagrined. “If it’s okay with you I—”
“Then again, I do feel that this winter has been particularly cold for some reason, and I know I’m not the only one. I actually overheard somepony at the spa joking about a second Great Blizzard, but I for one have not heard the ‘dread howling of the windigos’ here in Ponyville yet. Ha ha. Whatever the case may be, you look stunning as always, and I’m absolutely delighted that—”
“Rarity,” Fluttershy interrupted, her voice still soft but her tone affirmative enough to force a pause. “Can we get something to eat, maybe?”
“Oh no,” Rarity paused immediately, temporarily frozen with embarrassment. “I suppose I’m so on edge about the opening that I lapsed into mindless prattling. Please, forgive me. Let’s get back to my table and get the dinner service started. You must be half-starved from following Rainbow Dash around all day, or trying to in any case.”
Fluttershy’s expression brightened. “That sounds nice.” As Rarity returned to her seat at her corner table, Fluttershy tiredly slouched into her own. “This place is beautiful,” she said, looking appreciatively around the dining room.
“Thank you most sincerely,” Rarity replied, managing a small smile. “I just hope it’s all worth it, and that Cobblestone really takes off. Apple Cobbler is a fantastic chef, and she truly deserves it.”
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about her. I know you worked hard on this place too, so you don’t have to be modest with me,” Fluttershy observed with a smile.
At that moment, Berry Punch approached the table again, alongside a stallion waiter in a jacket and jeweled white bow tie.
“Welcome to Cobblestone,” said Berry Punch, winking at Fluttershy as the waiter poured two glasses of ice water from a crystal pitcher. “You look like you could use something strong to drink, and you’ll need to get started if you aim to catch up to this one.” Berry indicated Rarity with a hoof.
“Oh,” Fluttershy hesitated, glancing at Rarity.
“Order anything you like, darling,” Rarity said. “Tonight is my treat.”
“Maybe … do you have something warm and … sweet?” Fluttershy asked nervously.
“We have a delicious mulled wine,” Berry replied. “It’s usually paired with dessert, but I think it might be just the thing on a cold night like this to get the blood flowing in those wings again.”
“Thanks. That sounds nice,” Fluttershy replied. “Are you taking dinner orders too? I don’t seem to have a menu here.”
“Tonight’s a special dinner, so everything is chef’s choice,” Berry replied. “No menu. As a matter of fact, I think the first bite is on its way out to you now. I’ll go get your drink and be back in a flash.”
Even as Berry departed, a pair of stallions approached the table and ceremoniously placed before the diners two oversized ceramic spoons with large rings for handles, to allow non-unicorns to lift them. A white cube rested in the bowl of each spoon, swimming in a small, bright green pool of sauce.
“An amuse-bouche for you ladies, from the chef,” one of the waiters announced. “This is aniseed-infused braised turnip in a puree of sweet arrowleaf clover.”
The second stallion eagerly chimed in. “Chef Apple Cobbler only uses seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, all from within ten leagues of Ponyville.”
“The first course will be out shortly,” the first waiter added. “Enjoy.” Both waiters then swiftly departed.
“Just one spoonful of food?” Fluttershy observed, frowning. “Oh, but it smells delicious,” she hastily added.
“An amuse-bouche is just a taste, meant to awaken the palate before the meal begins,” Rarity explained, suppressing a giggle. “Don’t worry. I promise you there will be plenty of delicious food to eat.” She raised her spoon and closed her eyes to better focus on the distinct licorice aroma of anise, the earthiness of the turnip, and the sweet fragrance of clover. She took the spoonful of food in her mouth, and found it even more delightful than it smelled. The warm braised turnip practically melted on her tongue, melding with the rich pureed clover into a salty-sweet symphony of tastes and textures. This was only the first bite—if the rest of the meal was anything like this, Rarity could not help but feel that Cobblestone’s success was assured.
“Oh, wow,” Fluttershy said, her big turquoise eyes wide open. “That was incredible.”
“Mm, yes. The chef is already exceeding her stellar reputation,” Rarity replied, her thoughts still lingering on the single, perfect bite.
“I guess you enjoyed that,” Berry Punch observed as she set down a steaming hot, wide-rimmed ceramic cup of fragrant mulled wine in front of Fluttershy. “I’ll check back soon, but in the meantime please don’t hesitate to flag me down if you need anything.”
Once alone with her friend, Rarity suddenly found herself unsure as to where to direct the conversation. If she was to be honest with herself, she hadn’t expected Fluttershy to be able to take a break from her busy schedule and join her for dinner on such short notice. It did not seem altogether seemly to gripe about her boyfriend in lieu of reconnecting with one of her dearest friends, one who obviously had a difficult day of her own.
“I feel a lot better already,” Fluttershy said, breaking Rarity out of her reverie.
“That’s excellent to hear. You looked a bit exhausted when you first arrived,” Rarity ventured. “Gorgeous as always, to be sure, but exhausted.”
“Oh, exhausted is such a very strong word. I was—”
“More than slightly enervated,” Rarity suggested with a grin. “A tad worn down? A bit bleary-eyed? Or even plumb tuckered, as Applejack might say.”
“Oh fine, I was totally tired out,” Fluttershy admitted between sips of warm spiced wine.
“So what does Rainbow Dash have you doing now that has left you in such a state?”
In response to Rarity’s question, Fluttershy averted her gaze and muttered something so quietly that her words were unintelligible.
“Hm, that certainly sounds bad, but I think I need a little more to go on. You can tell me, of all ponies, about it. Rainbow is my friend too, and I know how she can be. Plus, I can keep a secret.”
Fluttershy looked uncertain, yet eager to speak. “Promise?”
“Pinkie promise,” Rarity proclaimed evenly. She assumed a grim expression as she touched a hoof to her heart, flapped her forelegs, and mimed poking herself in the eye. It was an extraordinarily solemn oath.
Fluttershy nodded, then took a long swig of mulled wine before launching into speech.
“Oh, well, I guess I can tell you. It’s just—it’s just become too much to bear! I knew Rainbow Dash was going to hate everything about working at a desk, but she decided she just had to do it.”
“I think we all knew that was not going to go well,” Rarity replied, nodding. “Even Rainbow must have known, on some level, or she wouldn’t have taken you up on your offer to be her part-time assistant in the first place.”
“Oh no, I was going to offer to help, but she asked me first.”
“No! For Rainbow Dash to ask for assistance, she must truly have been in desperate straits.”
“I think she knew it was going to be bad, but she felt she had to make up the time she had been away, avoiding her family and the company. I don’t think she knew how bad it was going to be.”
“So it’s not going well, then.”
“It’s not going at all!” Fluttershy paused as the first course arrived and was set before the two mares: creamy celeriac soup with crispy apple straws.
“Whatever do you mean? And by the way, this soup is to die for.”
“It’s the best soup I’ve ever had,” Fluttershy agreed, setting her bowl back down on the table. “There’s just so much flavor!”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Oh, but we were talking about Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy sighed. “She’s my oldest friend, Rarity, but right now I’m just so mad at her that I could … well, I don’t even know what I could do! Probably something!”
“Why? What did she do?” Rarity asked, narrowing her eyes. Fluttershy was no longer as timid and retiring as she had once been, but sometimes it still fell to Rarity and the others to defend her interests. Ironically, that duty often fell to Rainbow Dash herself.
“It’s more what she didn’t do, and isn’t doing,” Fluttershy continued. “Rainbow Dash gets so frustrated with her work she just flies around her office in circles, complaining, while I do her job for her. Every day is the same. Eventually, when she can’t stand it anymore, she just disappears. I don’t know for sure where she’s going, but I heard a rumor that she and Gilda are making plans for some kind of joint pony-griffon aerobatics team. She won’t talk about it with me.”
“That’s terrible. How could Rainbow Dash be so inconsiderate?”
“I know she feels guilty. She’s miserable there.”
“Still! Her sense of loyalty may obligate her to her family, but it’s not like Rainbow Dash to forget to be loyal to her friends. She’s taking advantage of you instead.”
Fluttershy stared into her empty soup bowl. “I know. It’s all I can manage to do Rainbow’s job for her and still handle my own responsibilities as an animal caretaker. It’s bad enough being just about the only pegasus in the guild and being distrusted for that, but if any of the senior crittermasters find out I’m spending so much time in Cloudsdale and shirking my duties to the animals to do it, I could forfeit my license. Then I’d lose my lease on the cottage! What would happen to all the poor creatures that depend on me? Oh, Rarity, it would just be the worst possible thing!” Fluttershy pouted visibly, then took another long drink of mulled wine.
“It is completely unfair for Rainbow to put you in such an awkward position,” Rarity responded. “I shall explain to her in no uncertain terms that what she is doing is wrong, and that she will simply have to pony up and do her job. Nopony forced her to resign from the weather patrol and join her family’s business. She gathered her own cloud and now she must lie on it, so to speak.”
“You can’t!” Fluttershy entreated, extending her forelegs plaintively toward Rarity. “Please. I need to deal with this myself. I'm the pony who offered to help her, and then let her get away with having me do all the work. Now I need to stand up for myself. I can do it. After today, I have to do it.”
“What do you mean, ‘after today?’ Did something happen?” Rarity raised a curious eyebrow.
Fluttershy nodded sheepishly. “Rainbow Dash disappeared again, and left me with a stack of thirty subcontractors’ bids to review on a new apartment project in Upper Cloudsdale, all of which expire tomorrow if they aren’t approved. What was I going to do with those? I know I’d already taken on more responsibility than I should have, but really, I look after animals for a living. I just couldn’t do it anymore—I just couldn’t! I would've had to stay the night in Cloudsdale and leave the animals to fend for themselves, and I would've missed our dinner!”
“So this time, you left,” Rarity concluded.
“I did. Just like that. I opened the office window and flew the coop,” Fluttershy confirmed, staring into her greatly-diminished wine, her pale yellow cheeks flushed. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to Rainbow if she doesn’t handle those bids.”
“Rainbow Dash is our dear friend, and it pains me to say this, but it sounds to me like she is going to receive her just deserts for taking advantage of you. And good for you for not letting it go on any longer.”
“I just wish I hadn’t let it get to this point,” Fluttershy said, then turned to look across the dining room at the table where Silverspeed and her friends were giggling into their wine glasses. “Now she doesn’t even have her old job to go back to.”
“I doubt very much you could have convinced her not to take on a role at her family’s company, once she set her mind to it.”
“I know. But I wish she could have recognized that she was biting off more than she could chew, and at least asked for a different job. Something without a desk.”
“Skyworks is a construction company, so perhaps demolition crew chief would have suited her,” Rarity said, tittering before catching herself. “My apologies; this is no joking matter.”
“No, that would have been better,” Fluttershy agreed, managing a smile.
The arrival of the next course, a beautiful wine-poached pear stuffed with salty local cheese, drizzled with a tangy balsamic reduction and nestled on a bed of winter greens, precipitated a pause in the conversation while plates were being cleared and replaced. Berry Punch also arrived to provide Fluttershy with a second cup of wine and to castigate Rarity light-heartedly for being so slow with her own brandy.
Fluttershy frowned once the friends were alone again. “If it’s alright with you, maybe we can talk about something else. I don’t want to keep worrying about Rainbow Dash instead of enjoying this beautiful meal and your company.”
“Of course,” Rarity replied between bites.
“Well, how are things at the boutique?”
“Oh, marvelous, really. I can’t complain. Business is up, and I’ve landed some big new clients in Canterlot. In fact, I am thinking of opening up a second storefront in the capital so that I can interact directly with my customers there on a regular basis. I’ve always wanted to be able to market unique, personally-tailored designs to capital society types, rather than continuing to sell wholesale lots of basic dresses to the more established shops, and blindly trusting them to promote my work.”
“Wow, that sounds really great, Rarity! Plus, if you are visiting Canterlot more often, you’ll get to spend more time with Blueblood.” Fluttershy winked.
Rarity cringed involuntarily and swallowed her last bite of pear before she could choke on it. “Er, yes, I suppose.”
Fluttershy’s mouth formed a startled “o.” “I’m so sorry—did I say something wrong?”
“No, no. It’s alright. It’s not you. It’s Blueblood,” Rarity supposed there was no avoiding the subject now that it had been broached. “He canceled his last two trips to see me here, and now we haven’t been together in nearly five weeks. We write often, and he claims nothing is wrong, but I don’t know whether to believe him. It’s becoming clear to me that his reasons for refusing to visit me in Ponyville are fabrications.”
“How can you know that for sure? Are you going to go meet him in Canterlot to talk about it?”
“No, I am not,” Rarity replied haughtily. “It is a point of pride now. He cannot expect me to keep abandoning my work and my friends to visit him when he refuses to step hoof in Ponyville, especially on a flimsy pretext that he would not even attempt to explain. Important work? I know something about important work, and I still managed to make time to visit him when it was my turn.”
“You invited Blueblood to join you for dinner tonight, but he declined,” Fluttershy guessed, surprising Rarity with her perceptiveness. Fluttershy shrugged. “It explains why I only received the invitation two nights ago. You never send invitations on less than a week’s notice.”
Rarity felt her face flush. “It’s true, but please don’t feel slighted. I had planned to have you for dinner as soon as possible in any case, even if tonight was originally supposed to be a romantic occasion.”
“Oh no, I’m not upset at all. I’m just sorry for you that Blueblood couldn’t make it.”
Rarity was glad her friend was not offended at being a backup dinner date, though she should have expected as much from somepony as kind and forgiving as Fluttershy. She offered an appreciative smile. “I'm sorry as well. I’m so proud of what we have accomplished here.” She gestured encompassingly. “Cobblestone represents Ponyville’s potential—our good food, good taste, and good spirits—literally and figuratively. The restaurant may have been Apple Cobbler’s dream first and foremost, but we investors all threw ourselves at the project. I designed the space, the Cakes created the dessert menu and helped set up the kitchen, and Mr. Rich took care of all the permits, and set up the formal business side of things. I wanted desperately for Blueblood to see it tonight.”
“He’ll visit soon. I’m sure of it.”
Rarity snorted derisively. “I am afraid it doesn’t bode well for Cobblestone’s ability to attract the snobs from Canterlot down the mountain to our little town if I cannot even convince my snob of a boyfriend to come visit me on opening night. If he could just see all of the things that have changed in Ponyville: the newly paved cobblestone roads, the landscaped parks, and the new Museum of Natural Magic with all the exhibits from the Everfree Forest that will open soon. It seems like there is finally a here, here.”
Rarity raised her brandy, swirled it around one more time, watched it slide down the sides of her snifter, and finally took a drink, enjoying the tickle of the alcohol in her throat.
“You helped make all of those things possible,” Fluttershy observed. “You kept at the town council, and I know you gave a lot of money.”
“I was just one voice clamoring in the ears of the the council of alderponies about ways to improve Ponyville. The mayor supported my ideas, and others in the community did too. In any case, I suppose it still wasn’t enough.”
“How can you say that? You’ve made a big difference!”
“Perhaps there are fewer pigs wandering loose in the middle of Mane Street these days, and perhaps we have the promise of cultural events beyond the annual autumn hoedown to look forward to, but Ponyville will always be Ponyville, and apparently that is not good enough for some ponies.” Rarity sighed. “I was born here. I grew up with the farmers, the fieldworkers, and our quaint little shops. Certainly I aspired to a different kind of life, but I still love my hometown for what it is. I love our stubborn traditions, our rolling hills, and our green fields that burst with dazzling flowers in the spring. I know I have always claimed to be a Canterlot pony at heart, but I’ve since come to realize that my heart has room enough for both places. In fact it needs them both.”
“So part of the reason for all your work was to get Blueblood to feel the same way.”
Rarity nodded glumly. “As you can see, I have no fruit to show for my labor.”
“Oh Rarity, that’s not true. You have this beautiful restaurant, and you’ve made the town a better place for everypony. I’m sorry, though. I didn’t know how much it meant to you for Blueblood to want to spend time here. He's always seemed so ... Canterlotty.”
In one long drink, Rarity drained her remaining brandy and set the glass down on the table so hard she wondered at the fact it did not break. “I simply cannot understand his stubbornness! It may not be Canterlot, but Ponyville can be classy and fabulous and delightful in its own way, and so can I!”
“Everypony who knows you, knows you are all of those things, and a pony who is beautiful on the inside too,” Fluttershy said softly. “Blueblood knows. I’ve seen you together enough to know that he really cares about you, whether he likes visiting Ponyville or not.” She shrugged. “Maybe he just likes living up on the mountain. I know that Rainbow Dash can’t sleep if she feels she’s too close to sea level.”
“Blueblood isn’t a pegasus!” Rarity huffed. “As it turns out, he’s merely a selfish stallion, just like any other.”
Another forced interruption came in the form of the main course: wide ribbons of hoof-made pappardelle were piled in the center of a large, but shallow bowl, and were swamped by an unctuous, earthy, dark brown sauce dotted liberally with forest mushrooms. As Rarity had by now come to expect, the dish was delicious, but it needed a potable accompaniment. She had Berry pour her a third glass of brandy.
“Whatever his reason for not visiting,.you’ve been together for almost a year, and you’ve been telling me for months how good it’s been,” Fluttershy pointed out. “How could it possibly change so suddenly? I’m sure it hasn’t.”
“That’s just it,” Rarity lamented. “Everything has been wonderful. We complement each other in ways I could never even have guessed. Despite all of that, though, the fundamentals remain unchanged: Blueblood lives in Canterlot, and has no intention of leaving. I live in Ponyville, and I have come to realize how happy I am here with my friends and family. If he thinks I am simply going to pull up stakes and relocate, well, I assure you that is not going to happen. I am not a kept mare, and I will not be treated as one.”
“I’m sure it isn’t like that. Maybe he has a legitimate excuse for not being able to leave Canterlot,” Fluttershy suggested.
“Legitimate reason? Like what, work? He designs airships for a living. All he needs are a desk, some drafting paper, a slide rule, and a few pencils. He could just as easily work from Ponyville as his office in Canterlot.”
“Um, maybe he’s working on a secret project, and needs to keep everything confidential?”
“Of course,” Rarity said with more than a trace of bitterness. “I’m sure that he’s gone from designing air yachts and racing ships for the idle rich to developing some top secret invention upon which the fate of the entire nation rests, which he cannot disclose to me on account of its classified nature. I trust that you will forgive me if I that scenario implausible.:
Fluttershy shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I never go looking for danger or adventures or giant monsters or fire-breathing dragons or magical spirits of disharmony and chaos.” Her voice reached a crescendo before she had to pause for a breath, then she continued much more quietly. “They just seem to, um, find me. I really wish they would cut it out. Anyway, you know even better than I do how seemingly ordinary ponies can get caught up in these sorts of things.”
“I won’t deny that,” Rarity replied. She certainly had been subjected to greater peril than any fashion designer had right to expect, and alarmingly frequently at that. “But really, I think the much more likely explanation is that Blueblood is gradually reverting to the inconsiderate cad he used to be. It is absurd that he cannot even muster up the willpower required to take a short train ride to see me here. As much as it pains me to even entertain the possibility, perhaps he never really changed. The longer this goes on, the more—”
Cobblestone’s front door banged against the wall as it was violently thrown open, causing everypony inside to turn toward whatever it was that had interrupted their meals. Rarity had an excellent vantage point to monitor the entrance, and she immediately recognized the pony who quite literally flew through the open doorway and into the restaurant. Of course, there was no great difficulty in recognizing a pony as distinctive as Rainbow Dash. The sky blue pegasus mare with the rainbow-streaked mane and tail now hovered high overhead in the center of the dining room, her chest heaving from exertion and taut muscles visible beneath her coat as she scanned the crowd. A second later, she caught Rarity’s eye and rocketed toward her, the rush of air from her passing extinguishing candles throughout the dining room.
“Fluttershy! Thank Celestia I found you!” Rainbow Dash shouted, clearly heedless of both decorum and the fact that all eyes were upon her. “I dashed all the way here from Cloudsdale at top speed after I found out you left!”
Fluttershy did not reply immediately, but sat frozen in her seat, looking terribly uncomfortable with being in the center of the attention Rainbow Dash had drawn. Rarity was mortified that Cobblestone’s peaceful ambiance, so carefully cultivated, had been shattered.
“For the love of Celestia, Rainbow Dash, keep your hooves on the ground inside this restaurant and stop shouting like you are on weather patrol inside a thunderstorm,” Rarity grumbled. “Fluttershy and I are in the middle of enjoying a pleasant, peaceful meal.”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked blankly at Rarity for a moment, before finally seeming to register the unicorn’s words. Rainbow Dash gently settled down onto the polished wood floor of the restaurant and spoke at a conversational volume. “Oh, right. Hi Rarity. I saw your dinner invitation on my desk and guessed Fluttershy had gone to see you, especially after I found the note saying ‘I quit! Gone home to Ponyville,’ and below that ‘I’m so sorry!’ written a half dozen times.”
“What are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy finally spoke up, her cheeks ruddy from ire and wine. “Rarity’s right. We were enjoying a peaceful dinner until you flew in here.”
“I know, I know,” Rainbow Dash began, “I just had to find you right away, to tell you I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Fluttershy! So, so, so sorry! I know why you left. I would've left a long time ago if somepony treated me the way I’ve been treating you.”
“Um. Well,” Fluttershy began, pausing to collect herself. “Well, you should be sorry. You let me do all your work for weeks.”
“I know, but I just, I don’t know, it was all so hard for me,” Rainbow Dash said, an agitated look on her face and her wings twitching nervously. “You doing the work made it easy for me to keep fooling myself into believing that I fit in at Skyworks, and that I was doing the right thing by helping my family.”
“Fluttershy,” Rarity began, “I gave you my Pinkie Promise not to speak with another pony about anything you told me, so I cannot chastise Rainbow unless I have your permission.”
“Oh, um, since we’re all here talking about this, I suppose you can go ahead and chastise her.”
“My thanks.” Rarity turned to Rainbow Dash. “Listen to yourself, Rainbow. It was ‘hard’ for you? You are trying to justify taking advantage of Fluttershy’s infinite kindness, but there is no excuse for leaving her alone every day while you were off looping-the-loop.”
“I know!” Rainbow exclaimed testily. “I’m not trying to make excuses! I’ve been a terrible friend, and all I can do is beg you to forgive me, Fluttershy. I asked you to help me because I needed moral support, and I ended up just being a big jerk to you. Can you ever forgive me? I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”
Fluttershy kept silent, and narrowed her gaze at the plaintive pegasus before her. For a moment, Rarity wondered if her friend was going to level her dreaded stare, the one that could cow the most fearsome beast, at Rainbow Dash. Finally, though, Fluttershy relented and offered a small smile. “Of course I forgive you. We’ve been friends almost our whole lives, and anyway, I shouldn't have been such a pushover. Again."
“It wasn't your fault,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Don’t blame yourself for what I did.”
“I know it wasn't my fault,” Fluttershy replied. “And I know how you can help make it up to me.”
“Oh, right, sure! I’ll do anything.”
“Help me with the animals for the next week. I haven’t been giving them the attention they deserve because I’ve been spending so much time in Cloudsdale, and there’s a lot to do. It may be winter, but not every critter hibernates, you know.”
“I’ll do it!”
“You can start tonight, then. Angel will let you into the cottage.”
“Yes ma’am!” Rainbow Dash gave an earnest salute with her right foreleg.
“Good. And you should apologize to Rarity for making a scene in the middle of her restaurant on opening night."
“Oh,” Rainbow Dash blinked. She looked around the room at all the ponies pretending not to stare, and then at Rarity. “Oh right. Hehe, whoops. Guess I should have opted for a less dramatic entrance. Sorry Rarity.”
Rarity could not suppress a sigh quite so effectively as she had the eye roll. “It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. I’m proud of you for realizing that you were taking advantage of Fluttershy, and being so willing to make it right. You’re a good friend.”
“Thanks!” Rainbow Dash said brightly.
“I would like to know what truly possessed you to take an office position at Skyworks in the first place,” Rarity went on. “You must have suspected going in that it was a terrible match for you.”
Instantly, Rainbow Dash appeared crestfallen. “I know it has to look like that, but I really believed I could do it. I thought I needed a change from my old routine, and that this job would help me learn the kind of discipline I'd need if I ever wanted to make it as a Wonderbolt.” She paused for a moment, as if to gather herself, before finally continuing. “I feel like I barely know who I am anymore, or what I’m supposed to do. Working at a desk was a total loss. I quit my job with the weather service because I felt guilty for leaving my family in the lurch for all those years, but even if I hadn't left, I don’t know how much longer I could have spent busting clouds and scheduling rain showers week after week. My heart wasn't in that job lately, either. Even doing tricks and showing off hasn’t been as much fun as it used to be. Sometimes Gilda and I will race each other, higher and higher until it’s so cold our feathers are covered in ice crystals and we can’t even breathe, and that’s when I finally feel alive—like myself again.”
“That sounds serious,” Rarity said, frowning.
“I just need to go somewhere—anywhere,” Rainbow Dash declareds. “I need an adventure, like the ones we all used to have! It's like an itch that I just can't scratch, and nothing I do makes it go away.”
“It’s scarcely been a year since we were on the verge of war with the griffons, and a madmare was prepared to overthrow the Princesses,” Rarity said. “I've rather enjoyed the respite.”
“I hope it lasts forever,” Fluttershy added.
“Well not me!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “I need to get out there and eat my wild oats while I’m still young and awesome!”
“I’m sure you’ll still be awesome when you’re old,” Fluttershy said.
“But I’ll be old!” Rainbow Dash reared back and threw her forelegs in the air in a gesture of helplessness.
“Have you considered speaking to your cousins about taking on a different role at the company?” Rarity asked. “Skyworks is engaged in cloud construction all over Equestria, I believe, so perhaps you could find something involving travel and exploration, rather than shuffling paperwork.”
Rainbow Dash paused. “Huh. That’s not a bad idea, Rarity. I already talked to Chroma about the bids I didn’t finish, and it was like she wasn’t even surprised I didn’t do them! She actually suggested we talk about a ‘new role’ for me, so maybe we can talk about something like that! Action! Adventure! That’s what Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash is all about.”
“Your middle name is Ger—”
“No it isn’t!” Rainbow Dash shouted, covering Fluttershy’s mouth with a forehoof..
“Anyway, yes!” Rarity broke in enthusiastically. “I’m sure there’s some exciting, adventuresome opportunity waiting for you.” Perhaps she was conveying false hope, but she supposed it was possible that a paying position could be found—or created—that would suit Rainbow’s talents and proclivities.
“This time I think I’ll pass on being your assistant, if it’s alright with you,” Fluttershy added.
“Yeah, that’s for the best,” Rainbow Dash said sheepishly. “I really am sorry, Shy.”
“I know.”
“And,” Rarity began,“I know that—and I trust you will forgive me for saying this—as lovely as it has been to see you, Rainbow, you are in no way fit to be in this restaurant. Your mane is a mess, your coat is completely disheveled, and you smell as though you flew here straight from Cloudsdale. Which you did.”
“Oh yeah, no offense taken. I definitely smell pretty terrible,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “Okay then, I’ll just head on over to your place, Fluttershy, and see what I can do to start helping out.”
Without another word, Rainbow Dash took to the air and zoomed through the restaurant, blowing out the candles that had only just been relit and causing the chandeliers to sway ponderously.
In the wake of the departing pegasus, Rarity attempted to appraise the state of Cobblestone’s clientele. Mercifully, they did not seem overly disturbed. Perhaps the ponies of Ponyville had become accustomed to Rainbow Dash appearing unexpectedly. At least she had used a door this time. The number of times Rarity had needed to patch the roof at the boutique attested to the fact that such was not always the case.
“I was pretty assertive there, wasn’t I?” Fluttershy asked, beaming, and obviously tickled as pink as her long mane and tail. “Well, I mean, after being trampled on for weeks. But still, tonight I showed Rainbow Dash that Fluttershy means business.”
“Yes, you asserted yourself very well,” Rarity assured her friend. “And I’m certain that having Rainbow helping you will ease the burden of catching up on your caretaker duties.”
“I’ll make sure Rainbow Dash does the feedings, and cleans up after the animals, and gives them their medicine, and reads them stories, and … oh my.” Fluttershy’s turquoise eyes snapped open wide. “Did I just make Rainbow Dash responsible for nurturing small creatures? And she’s on her way to my cottage right now? What have I done? What have I done?”
“Hm, well, yes, I suppose you did,” Rarity said with a concerned frown. “You know, you’d better get going if you want to get there before she has the badgers attempting a ski jump over Ghastly Gorge.”
“Oh no! You don’t think … I—I’ve got to go!” Fluttershy jumped out of her seat. She was already halfway to the door when she called back to Rarity. “I’m so sorry for leaving early! It was great to see you! Thank you so much for this amazing dinner!”
“Lovely to see you as well, darling! Think nothing of it.”
Just like that, Rarity was dining alone. As the servers cleared away the plates and utensils from the main course, she found her thoughts turning to Blueblood once more. It occurred to her that perhaps she did not need Blueblood, or any stallion right now.
In their strange way, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy cared deeply for one another, and each provided what the other could not. Twilight Sparkle seemed happiest when buried stifle deep in her research, keeping Spike busy just trying to make sure she ate and slept. She seemed to have no need for more intimate companionship. Pinkie Pie, too, was by all accounts not looking to settle down. Dear Applejack had Buckaroo now, but that had come about rather abruptly and under unusual circumstances, and Rarity had no doubt that Applejack would be just as strong and self-assured if she were still single.
They were all such close friends, and they all had each other. Did she, out of all of them, need to be in a romantic relationship simply in order to feel complete? No, she surely did not.
Rarity certainly did not need Blueblood for his money. She was a successful entrepreneur, and her dresses, gowns, and accessories had been featured in every major fashion magazine from Fillydelphia to Hoofington, and from Baltimare Harbor to the shores of Los Pegasus. As much of her wealth as she gave away, she continued to make it all back and more with each season and line more successful than the last. She was a self-made mare, and she needed nopony but herself and her friends. Nopony else at all.
“Will Mademoiselle be returning to the table?”
Rarity blinked and looked up to see a server balancing a silver tray that held two large oval ramekins. Dessert, of course.
“No…” Rarity paused, then sighed again and waved a foreleg dismissively. “You know what, just leave both desserts on the table, if you please.”
“Of course.”
Rarity was left with two large portions of caramel and bourbon-infused hazelnut bread pudding, and a single silver spoon. Silently, she dared anypony else to judge her.
Halfway through the first pudding, another server—no, this was the doorpony—approached the table wearing an apologetic expression.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Rarity. There is a mare at the check-in table who claims she desperately needs to meet with you right away. She says she’s come a long way and absolutely must speak with you this moment. She doesn’t have a dinner ticket, so I asked her to leave and see you during your regular business hours at the Carousel Boutique, but she refuses to go. I hate to trouble you with this, but I don’t want to cause a scene with so many other diners still here.”
Rarity released her telekinesis and let her spoon drop to the table, then squeezed her eyes shut and massaged her right temple with a forehoof. Fluttershy was right: trouble seemed to have a way of finding its way to her and her friends at the most inopportune times. What could this strange mare want with her, and why now?
“You did the right thing, Sorghum,” Rarity replied tiredly. “There is certainly no need to summon the gendarmes over something like this. If she is presentable enough, show her to my table and I’ll speak with her here. Otherwise, I’ll come with you.”
“Uh, she looks fine, I think. I’ll bring her here right away,” the young stallion replied.
A few moments later, he reappeared with a young mare. Or rather, her body was slim and almost girlish, with four slender legs protruding from her cloak, but Rarity immediately noticed that the mare’s careworn face belied her apparent youth, and she saw a certain bagginess in the mare’s golden eyes that indicated a serious lack of sleep. Even with cosmetics, the only cure for dark circles like those was plenty of beauty rest.
The mare’s coat was periwinkle, and her long, flowing mane and tail were the lightest shade of pink that could still be readily identified as such upon first glance. She wore a tall, soft, conical hat with the peak pulled to one side, and a voluminous cloak, both silver and constructed of the finest silk Rarity had ever seen.
With those garments covering her body and the top of her head, Rarity could not guess whether the mare was an earth pony, a pegasus, or a unicorn. In any case, all she truly cared about was determining why the mare had seen fit to barge into Cobblestone looking for her.
“Hello,” Rarity began. “Won’t you join me?” She indicated the chair Fluttershy had vacated with a foreleg.
“Ah, hello,” the mare replied. Her tone was uncertain, but her voice was gentle and mellifluous. She certainly did not look or sound like she meant any harm. Still, Rarity was glad that Sorghum was observing from his position by the entrance, no doubt ready to intervene if necessary. The strange mare stood dumbly, staring at the chair in seeming confusion for a moment, before finally, tentatively, settling down in it.
“I suppose you were told at the door that tonight’s dinner is only for guests who were invited to purchase a ticket in advance, and did so,” Rarity said coolly.
“Oh, yes. The stallion, he mentioned that,” the mare replied.
Rarity now noticed that she spoke with a trace of an accent. She could tell this mare was not from one of the core cities or the surrounding rural districts. She also did not sound like she was she from the southern reaches, nor the north central plains where Rarity’s parents had grown up. In fact, her accent was altogether unplaceable.
“I won’t eat,” the mare continued. “But, water?” She inclined her head toward Rarity’s water goblet. “May I?”
“Of course. While I obtain the attention of a server, I would greatly appreciate it if you would tell me who you are and why you’ve come looking for me in such indecorous fashion,” Rarity gestured to a server as the mysterious mare spoke.
“Who? My name.” The mare hesitated for a moment, and raised a foreleg to her throat. “It’s Coral.” After another short pause, she repeated the assertion, as if to assure herself of its veracity. “My name is Coral.”
Coral was a thing that was found in the ocean, Rarity knew. She had seen it used in decorative objects in some of the shops in Gallopoli, and once or twice in some Canterlot curiosity shop or other. It was not a name that gave a clue as to what tribe of pony the mare belonged, such as a blatantly earth pony name like Posey might, or an egregiously unicorn-sounding name like, well, Twilight Sparkle. Coral’s cloak had a high collar that covered her most of her neck, but her motion had drawn Rarity’s attention to a necklace that was almost, but not quite, hidden from view.
“I must say, Miss Coral, that is a beautiful Gallopitan pearl you’re wearing,” Rarity said. “Some time ago, I lost one of which I was quite fond. Fortunately, the townsponies of Gallopoli were kind enough to send me another.” She touched her own pearl necklace, specifically the large pink pearl in the center of the strand.
“Yes,” Coral replied, assuming a faraway look. “The magic pearls, they are very beautiful—very special. Sometimes we must part with them, and that is sad, very sad.” She blinked and looked back at Rarity. “You and I, we are lucky to have ours now.”
The server arrived with water, and at Coral’s request he left her with a filled glass and a full pitcher besides. The periwinkle mare quickly drank her first glass, and then poured another. Rarity noticed that she used the hoof handle to the lift the pitcher, and decided that Coral was probably not a unicorn.
“You must be parched,” Rarity observed. “Sorghum said you claimed to have traveled quite some distance, and I note you have a very interesting accent.”
“Yes, parched. I came a long way. I traveled here directly from, ah, my home is not far from Gallopoli.”
“That is as far as anypony could live from Ponyville, and still be in Equestria,” Rarity noted. “Do go on and tell me what urgent business has brought you here.”
“Yes. I am sorry for the interruption, but I needed to find you, to …” Coral paused. “To hire you. I am here on behalf of a client, an important client.”
“So this is business? You do know that I keep regular hours at my shop.”
“It is … I would prefer to speak about it privately.” Coral said quietly.
“If you wanted to speak about it privately, you would have visited me at my boutique,” Rarity said crossly. “Out with it, please.”
“It is …” Coral looked searchingly at Rarity. “It is an order … for many dresses. We need to speak about it. In fact, we must speak at once, but we must be alone.”
“Dresses?” Rarity repeated. “Really? Am I truly to understand that you are here to speak about dresses? Make no mistake, Miss Coral, I am nearly always happy to discuss fashion, but this is neither the time nor the place. My shop is open promptly at ten tomorrow morning, and I will be very happy to speak with you about your order then. You will also have the opportunity to explain why you so rudely bullied your way into Cobblestone tonight to speak to me about something so mundane as an order for dresses!” Rarity’s volume increased in equal measure to her indignation as she spoke.
“It is urgent. That, I promise you. You must believe me that this is important, vitally important. I have gold to pay, a lot of gold, and an advance, if only we can speak tonight.”
“Gold bits?” Rarity asked, silently cursing herself for allowing a note of interest to creep into her tone. A true solid gold bit—an auroreus—was worth a thousand copper bits. She raised her brandy to her lips in an attempt to play off her momentary lapse.
“Gold bars, they are,” Coral said. “Solid gold.”
“Bars of gold,” Rarity muttered, blinking rapidly. “You don’t say?” The closest she had come to anything like a bar of solid gold was in a dragon’s hoard she had once had the pleasure of examining, and the dragon had certainly not permitted her to leave with anything of value. The very idea of using such a thing to pay for dresses was a bit mind-boggling. “I suppose that I could permit you to tell me a little more about your client, and this order.”
“Yes, for certain. As I said, it is an order for dresses, beautiful dresses of the sort that you create.”
“Yes, I understood that much, but what sort of dresses?" Rarity prompted. "How many? What fabric? What styles? Are they for mare or fillies, or both? I assume they will require only the most luxurious materials, and of course, many of the rarest gems.”
Coral fidgeted in her seat, her eyes darting nervously left and right. “They are … beautiful dresses, like you are wearing. With a collar and a hem, ribbons and lace. Made of … cloth. I can describe them in much more detail, if we can go quickly to your shop.” As soon as she stopped speaking, she raised her water goblet and quickly drained it again. “We can discuss a price, a good price there.”
Rarity stared at the other mare for a long moment, incredulous. “Ribbons and lace? Cloth? Is that your best description? Do you know anything about fashion or clothing design at all?” Rarity asked, visions of gold bars giving way to suspicion. “Is this some sort of prank? Did Pinkie Pie send you in here? Please tell her that I am not amused.”
“No, I promise,” Coral pleaded. Suddenly, Rarity noticed a faint glow emanating from behind the young mare’s collar. Coral caught Rarity’s gaze, and touched her foreleg to her throat again before sitting bolt upright and muttering what sounded like a curse, though Rarity did not recognize the word. “Ah, I must leave now. We will speak again.”
“I still do not see what was supposed to be funny. You tell PInkie that we shall have words about this.”
Coral suddenly leaned forward and touched Rarity with foreleg, and the latter noticed that the former’s coat was as fine and soft as a foal’s, much less coarse even than her own carefully groomed hair. Rarity shrank back from the unexpected contact.
“I do not joke,” Coral began, “Before I leave, please tell me, please let me know, have you seen anypony watching you?”
“What do you mean?” Rarity asked, surprised.
“Stallions with evil intentions. I know they are near, not far now.” Coral leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Can you not sense the darkness in their thoughts?”
“Well, I am certainly having my own dark thoughts in this moment!” Rarity exclaimed, pulling away even as she felt her heart racing. “Leave, Coral, as you promised, and do not bother visiting me in my shop. Whatever this nonsense was, it was most unamusing.”
Rarity was uncomfortable, not merely because of the increasingly creepy pony seated across from her, but because she had in fact noticed two strange stallions in the market that morning, scruffy sorts who kept their eyes on her as she moved from stall to stall. Such boorish lechery was absolutely verboten in Ponyville, and she had almost notified the authorities before she determined to merely leave the market square and continue about her day. Now she wished she had said something.
The glow from Coral’s collar was brighter now. She hurriedly downed another glass of water, then got out of her chair and onto all fours. “Be careful, and keep watch for the bird,” she said, glancing furtively left and right. “Beware the red-throated bird. It brings danger, danger and death.” With that, Coral turned and galloped headlong, awkwardly and unsteadily, to the front entrance. She raced past Sorghum, flung open the door and disappeared into the night. As Coral fled, Rarity thought she noticed feathers beneath the young mare’s cloak. A pegasus, then.
Rarity sat staring without focus in the wake of the odd pony’s abrupt departure. Despite her best attempts to remain calm, she could not help but hear Coral’s admonition repeating in her mind, imploring her to look out for stallions with evil intentions and some sort of red bird. She tried to remember the ponies in the marketplace, and could not stop her imagination from conjuring terrible thoughts of what they might have intended for her. Of course, it was almost certainly nothing, and Coral was almost certainly stark raving mad. Then again, not just anypony could get their hooves on fine silk like that, nor one of the treasured pink pearls from Gallopoli.
Rarity rested her head on a forehoof propped up on the table. It wasn’t fair, not really. After Stratusburg—after Windlass—she had earned the right to live free of fear, and peril, and dark magic, and ponies who wanted to kill her. It could not be happening again. There was no truth to the so-called prophecy recounted by Blueblood’s cruel mother. Once again, she found herself upset with him for not being here. Not that she could not take care of herself in a sticky situation, but she did not look forward to spending tonight alone.
She sighed, drained her third glass of brandy, and glumly commenced shoveling bread pudding into her mouth, silently lamenting that it had grown cold while Coral wasted her time, and that she lacked the motivation to ask the servers to have it warmed. Before this night was over, she might need to order a third dessert a stronger drink. Tomorrow she could speak with Rainbow Dash and ask her to keep a lookout for anything suspicious in town, and then spend the rest of the day at the spa. Rainbow, at least, would appreciate the thrill of potential danger. They would both feel better.
Suddenly, Rarity felt her heart clench, and she instantly straightened up in her seat as a brilliant incandescence flared into being in the center of the dining room. The blinding light was simultaneously accompanied by startled cries from all corners of the restaurant, along with the sounds of shattering glass and clattering silverware. When the light faded, Rarity was staring in shock at none other than Princess Luna, Warden of the Night and co-ruler of Equestria. A second ago, Rarity had thought that no further interruptions to Cobblestone’s opening night dinner could surprise her. Not so.
Princess Luna stood head and shoulders taller than anypony besides her regal sister, and without Princess Celestia for comparison, the midnight blue alicorn’s grand presence dominated the dining room. After the initial clamor, a hushed silence fell over the space. Uncomfortable seconds passed before Luna finally spoke.
“Hark!” Princess Luna’s imperious voice quite literally rattled the timbers holding up Cobblestone’s roof and shook the restaurant down to its stone foundation. “Fear not, villagers, it is merely thy Princess Luna!”
Luna turned her head left and right to look around the restaurant, apparently observing the disarray and damage her arrival had precipitated. “Aha!” she exclaimed. “I see I have arrived in time for the ritual smashing of the glasses!” As Rarity cringed, the Princess lifted an empty and unbroken water goblet with her telekinesis and dashed it against the floor. “Huzzah!”
Shards of glass tinkled as the fell to the floor, but otherwise nopony dared make a sound, apparently transfixed by Luna and uncertain as to how to react. After having been imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years, some quirks were to be expected from Luna, but ponies seemed to have a difficult time pointing out and correcting her anachronisms. Finally, Rarity noticed one stallion lifting a hoof and moving toward his own wine glass, apparently prepared to push it off the edge of his table in imitation of the Princess. She decided that somepony needed to nip this incipient insanity in the bud. Thankfully, three glasses of apple brandy had given her the courage to do it.
“Do not even think about it!” Rarity screeched, jumping up from her seat and galloping into the center of the room even as she magically moved the wine glass back a safe distance from the edge. She then remembered to turn to Princess Luna and bow respectfully, if hastily, kneeling on bent forelegs and feeling lightheaded as she did so.
“Ah, and now I greet the Bearer of the Element of Generosity,” Luna declared, causing Rarity to blush.
“Your Highness. It is my great honor and pleasure. However, I am afraid the, er, ritual smashing is already over. May I ask, on what occasion do you grace us with your presence this evening?”
“Of course you may ask. I have come here for you, Rarity unicorn!”
Rarity’s mouth fell open in shock. Her head was swimming, but there was no mistaking Princess Luna's statement. Then, to her great surprise, she began to laugh, a chuckle at first, then a full guffaw. It was not at all the ladylike thing to do, and completely inappropriate in front of the Princess of the Night, but how else could she react to such absurdity? First Rainbow had burst upon the scene for a dash of drama, then Coral had come with her flimsy story about a dress order and gold bars, not to mention those disturbing references to vague threats and ominous avian portents. And now Princess Luna herself had come for her, down from the moon, or that ruined old castle in the Everfree Forest, or wherever the rarely-seen nocturnal royal kept her quarters.
At this point, Rarity would scarcely have been surprised if a band of minotaurs smashed through a wall in order to demand she take their measurements, or if that histrionic purple river serpent from was found lurking in a soup tureen, waiting to chat with her about his fabulous new manestyle. She only felt badly for poor Apple Cobbler, the staff, and the other investors, that her mere presence had attracted so much trouble on opening night. At this point, though, with the Princess of the Night occupying the center of the dining room, her starlit mane billowing in a nonexistent breeze, there really wasn’t anything to be done about it.
Finally, she remembered to speak when spoken to by royalty.
“I am most humbled and honored, Your Highness, and I am, as always, at your service.”
Luna nodded curtly, and then addressed the room again. “Citizens! Accept your Princess’ apologies for interrupting such a sumptuous and delightfully redolent feast. I assure you that my business with the lady is most urgent!” The alicorn turned to Rarity. “We shall adjourn to your abode forthwith!”
At least if she were no longer in the restaurant, Rarity would be less likely to be the cause of any further disruptions, and she would get out of having to spend the rest of the evening apologizing for the chaos that had already occurred. “Of course, Your Highness," she said. "Before we go, might I have just one moment to settle a few things here?”
Luna nodded, and Rarity hurried over to Berry Punch, who stood observing the scene with a bemused expression. “Tell Apple Cobbler I am sorry,” she whispered to the magenta mare. “This is my fault, and frankly, I have no idea what to tell our dinner guests at this point. Perhaps if you offer them all a glass of the good brandy at no charge it will placate their concerns somewhat. Of course, I will reimburse the restaurant personally, and for the damage as well.”
“Placate them?” Berry Punch repeated, giving Rarity a playful tap on the shoulder with a forehoof. “Are you kidding me? Boss lady, you might have missed it, but opening night at Cobblestone just got crashed by a Princess of Equestria. The ponies in here, they’re in awe right now, and they’re thinking this is now officially the place to be seen by royalty. I promise you we’re going to be turning down reservation requests for months!”
Rarity started, instantly realizing that Berry was correct: nothing drew crowds to a new establishment like the hope, however fleeting, of a chance to experience the company of the elite and famous—or at least a chance to be in close proximity to them—and no ponies were more elite and famous than the Princesses of Equestria.
“In that case, tell them it is an open bar until they care to go home,” Rarity said in parting. “And then put it on my tab.” She turned back to Luna, nodded to indicate her readiness, and both mares vanished in a flash of magic.
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Yay!
Huzzah! Well I know what I'm reading this Friday. I have been looking forward to this story for awhile now.
Oh man it hit while I was commenting on the blog post!
Screw sleep!
Finally! I have been waiting for this forever!
It's here! It's finally here! Now to read
yey I wake up, check my Internetz and what do I get?! Ponydora Prancypants epic story continuation! Thank you god for small favorers.
Will read it ASAP.
On the side note that picture is beautifully made but ... well that smile of hers is .... disturbing. That Rarity is so judgmental and full of herself. When I look at this picture I can’t shake that feeling that she’s thinking that she’s sooo much better than everypony else ... and I’m about to be conned. Ofc. it’s just my humble opinion and I’m probably wrong.
<note to self> Stop staring at the picture and go read the awesome story… work can wait. If it would be important work they wouldn’t give it to you any way.
:) Seaponies!
I trust that you will forgive me if I that scenario implausible.:
Missing find and a rogue :
“I still do not see what was supposed to be funny. You tell PInkie that we shall have words about this.”
Pinkie is not to my knowledge a private eye.
Aside from that, awesome. Fluttershy and Rainbow were perfect, as was our reluctant heroine, but I'm not entirely sure Coral is a pony at all.
Love that Luna. Rarity snapping at that innocent stallion was probably the best moment in this chapter: in my head it played out as if it was in the actual show.
Also, feature boxed already. Congrats?
Huzzah!
Assertive Fluttershy, realistic Rainbow Dash, hilariously awkward Luna, and...
*sigh* Berry punch. You know, in my story, a murder mystery, Berry is the first to die. Now, every time I see her on screen or read of her in another story, I feel so bad. I'm sorry, Berry!
Also, doth mine eyes perceive Sea Ponies?
At any rate, Ponydora, this is a great start to what is sure to be, just like Alicorn, one hell of a ride. Brava!
Also, just received my Hardcover copy of Alicorn! I lurves it!
Huzzah!
Ger? Gertrude, perhaps? Not as awesome as 'Danger', that's for certain.
Being an Element of Harmony apparently means never having a calm evening, huh. Well, I suppose you'd get that in any group of close friends that has Rainbow Dash as a member.
Looks like a pretty good opening night after all.
1902399
th01.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/f/2012/268/d/b/rainbow_dash__gir__by_ashia2cute-d5fw07m.png
Any comments on Rarity and the Princess of the Moon sounding a little similar?
Also, amused to see that Rarity still likes her spirits.
And so the Saga continues and with a great start non the less.
"Hmm, what's this? So, Blueblood has reverted to his old jerkish self? Or maybe he's actually in some sort of trouble? Is that what this is going to be about?
"
(Oh, Luna, you and your melodramatic, old-fashioned ways! I love you.)
"Mm, I wish I could make a reservation to the Cobblestone for a fancy dinner and some mulled wine..."
"Uh oh, this business with Rainbow Dash is not sounding good at all. Sounding doubleplusungood in fact."
"Wait, what? Who's this creepy, crazy mare and what does she really want with Rarity? The plot is thickening at an alarming rate already..."
*Suddenly, Luna!*
" ...
...wait, do we know it really is Luna? I have a bad feeling about this..."
Another amazing chapter. You certainly have a talent for creative writing, especially when it comes to pacing the story. Can't wait to read more!
And the next adventure begins, i can only wonder where your words will take me. I am looking ever so forward to it.
Oh yay :3
I think I had a heart attack
Marvelous start of the second part of the story. Your work reminds me that descriptive narration is really enjoyable when done right.
One word:
YES!
Wait, Fancy Pants is going to be in this? Now there is a pony that can pull off gentleman adventurer.
Blueblood can pull off a kind of rakish skypirate lord thing when he gets a bit scruffy but he's not quite a gentleman.
...the fathomless depths beneath tormented seas...
Yes. We need more sub stories.
First I would like to say that, as always, I enjoyed reading your story very much.
The characterization in your story is brilliant. After “The Flight of the Alicorn” I’m not surprised in that department, as I know you truly mastered Rarity character. As always I have to praise thou for your skill as it is truly impressive.
You manage to stick very closely to the canon of the show in the process of creating something new. This is also the reason so many people like your stories. You give us show quality characters in new and interesting situations.
Something many writers miss to accomplish. 
I very much like how you expose Fluttershy in your story.
Writers often have no idea how to characterize her well enough and leave her outside the action and don’t bother to add her complex character in the plot. 
I know I did on many occasion expressed my admiration for your work in terms of characterization but I consider this very important part of reason why your stories are really worth reading.
There were many unanswered questions at the end of your last story and I’m very happy to see you have not forgotten about them and the second part directs us back at them, from the start. I have in mind the mystery of the Gallopitan pearls.
I have just one question.
Time line. I understand that your story takes place now somewhere at the end of second season but did the events of Canterlot Wedding or Crystal Empire unfold, or are we yet to await them?
Btw I’m looking forward how are you going to implement the Crystal Heart from the show into the plot of your Triskelion series.
Hooray, I've been looking forward to this! I almost missed it, though - did you not tag the blog post to "The Flight of the Alicorn", so that people following that story would be alerted?
Anyway, great opening chapter! It sets up a lot of different plots nicely. I really feel sorry for Rainbow Dash trying to work a desk job, and I'm not surprised that it didn't work out. I'm glad she made the effort, though.
If Coral isn't a sea pony, then I have no idea what she is. Between her warnings and Luna's arrival, everything is very ominous already! I also look forward to seeing just what Blueblood is up to.
\o/
That is all. For now.
And thus begins a new journey towards another printed book in the trilogy.
Oh, and adventures about Rarity.
I've been looking forward to reading this. I might go so far as to say that this is my favorite adventure story out there. If not, its close to the top
Take my like, take my favorite. This story is gonna be epic and I wanna be there for every part of it.
It begins...
i.qkme.me/35nvo7.jpg
1902787 where did you espy Fancy Pants?
Ponydora, as incredible as always, and seaponies? Whee!!! It's like christmas all over again!
Hooray! It's here!
A rather riveting start that I find unexpected. Suffice to say I'm dissappointed Blueblood starts this out as being a bit of a borish lout, but I suppose that just adds another layer of intrigue.
Your characterization is, once again, spot on. You manage to capture the Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash very well without making them cariactures. There's a good amount of subtelty and roundedness to your writing of them. Your Rarity is excellent as always.
You weave in what's happened over a year very well. I didn't expect a time-skip like that (I figured if it was a significant time-skip it would be longer), but you add a lot of interesting elements to what Rarity has been up to without making them overbearing. It is really cool seeing the places the mane 6 have been going, and I look forward to hearing perhaps more of it.
The intrigue and mystery being wove is excellent; not forcing things too deeply, but giving enough of a taste to leave the reader hungry for more. It seems to me like this story is getting off to a quicker start despite your prior warning.
An excellent and enjoyable chapter all told, despite my dissapointment of the lack of some Rariblood (which I'm sure will come). Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
Also:
Talk about your not so subtle foreshadowing.
So.. Steampunk Submarines?
Please be Steampunk Submarines, Please.
Maybe an epic 10k Steampunk Submarine battle or two...
Can the submarines also be airships that are launched by cutting the envelope away and dropping nose first in to the sea?
Can one of them be modelled on the nautilus? with big glowing eyes? maybe just a background sub that doesn't get any lines?
I think I need to have a lie down.
(sketching out brass Triskelion propeller designs in my mind, just in case)
Excited now
1903239
He's going to be one of the featured characters.
And I've already recommended this to Spacebattles, so you may see more views Ponydora.
1903365 ahh, I always forget to check character tags
glad you've got sharp eyes to notice 
Rarity-centric fic that hopefully doesn't involve her being a prissy bitch? insta faved and liked.\
EDIT: i did not notice it is in the same series as FoTA. i don't have enough thumbs!
I clicked that gold star so hard it went supernova.
Wow, Ponydora, what an opening! Not only do you give us bits and pieces of info about what has been happening to Rarity and the rest of the Mane six in the time between stories, but the way you built up the suspence over the course of this chapter (pardon the pun) was masterful. Seriously, if every writer/director/artist could use your writing as a template, there would be many more awesome movie and book sequels out there.
Glad to see Luna is still her adorable, archaic, fish-out-of-water self from season 2.
I haven't been this excited by the opening scene of a sequel since I saw The Two Towers and The Dark Knight. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Well I knew this would be waiting for me today, I did have to wait till I finished work to read it though so I was a little distracted. Lots of set up here so I am excited to see where it goes.
Okay, that anise-and-turnip dish scares me a bit, but I'll assume Apple Cobbler knows what she's doing when she's not trying to sun under a tree. Really, all of the dining details added a great backdrop to the story as exposition is offered to set up the changes since we last checked in on these characters in the Triskelion series. The Cobblestone seems like a wonderful setting with a fine selection of spirits, not to mention an interesting array of party crashers. I quite enjoyed the added comic relief of Luna's grand appearance and Rarity's resignation that she will never quite be free of crazy circumstance regardless of how stridently she tries to live a normal life.
Other touches I quite liked were the ongoing efforts to determine the pony-type of her mysterious, insistent, would-be client. Seeing Rarity check off the clues as they were offered was a nice insight into her intelligence and shows that she has a bit of a mind for intrigue, although she wasn't apparently prepared to make a Fox Mulder-sized leap that might have been necessary to grasp the right answer. I also liked the set up to Dash's need for an adventure, as it seems one is quickly brewing whether Rarity wants one or not. (I'm curious to see if Rarity is quite as content to avoid excitement as she claims, though. Certainly her relationship seems to need some new forward momentum.)
I'm also wondering what Twilight is up to, as while her name popped up it was never in reference to current events. AJ and Pinkie attended the rehearsal (and I suspect have some small involvement in the restaurant, through crops or family or dessert offerings), and Fluttershy and Dash made the opening (although only one was invited, and that one as a last-minute replacement). Admittedly, Twilight and Spike aren't exactly movers and shakers or opinion makers around Ponyville, so perhaps they were simply on the "post-opening" invite list, but you know I get curious about them easily.
All in all, an excellent jump back into the world of heroic-lead Rarity! I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
Yay!
A magnificent and intriguing beginning to what is doubtlessly going to be an amazing new part of this story!
So many thing to look forward to! What Bluebloods' deal is, Who Coral is and the dangers she talked about, and what Luna wants with Rarity! I anticipate them all!
Fluttershy being assertive was adorable, and those dishes sounded delicious!
This is gonna be great!
Also, yay featured box!
Pink pearls? Fancy concealing cape? Strange pony?
Shoo-be-doop~
And Luna Causes Excitement!
Can't wait for the story to start off for real!
Saw this on the front page, feature place, and immediately thought: Darksiders 2. I was a bit let down after my hopes went up a little. Hopes are for the weak.
Y'know, that single spoonful of turnip just so happens to be a great analogy for this chapter. A single little taste of awesomeness to prepare us for the excellence that lies ahead. ^_^
Great! I was hoping to see soon the continuation of "Flight of the Alicorn". Way to go!
In the future, are you gonna get another cover pic, with a title and all that?
I came for the Rarity, and then Fluttershy stole the show!
Seriously the whole scene between her and Rarity was very well done. Nice to see Fluttershy showing off a bit of her new assertiveness while still being true to herself.
Ha. I should've known better than to expect a quiet establishing chapter. But babbling seaponies and party-crashing Lunas are better, anyway. So,
points of interest:
- Blueblood is apparantly back to being Blueblood. I suspect that he has a legitimate reason for not leaving Canterlot; the description's mention of a
sick Princess may have something to do with it. He'd better hope so, in any case. Nopony stands Rarity up without a good excuse.
- Dash has a desk job. Something about that image is just hilarious. And hopefully she really is prepared for another adventure...
- Coral. I didn't think we'd be seeing seaponies so quickly, or that they'd be amphibious. So she was a welcome surprise. Can't wait to find out what she really needs Rarity for, and learn more about her mysterious warning.
- Rarity herself. Seems like, Blueblood troubles aside, she seems to have recovered nicely from the events of FoTA. Co-running a restaurant and considering opening a new store in Canterlot? Not too shabby at all. Too bad the Powers That Be can't just leave her alone. But that would make for a boring story. Also, nice to see her alcoholic tendancies are still present. Drunk Rarity is Best Rarity.
- Luna. Gotta love her ability to make an entrance. The question, of course, is why she made it...
So, a typically awesome start. Thumbs-upped, and now I can finally fill that unsightly hole Alicorn's departure left in my Favorites list.
...Saddle Arabians?
So much WIN in this chapter!
First off Rarity and Fluttershy
Secondly Fluttershy using Rarity's line. "...... the worst possible thing!"
And best of all The Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtrack plays nicely while reading this gem.
YAY!
new story! though i was also wondering if "the flight of the alicorn" was shipped back to you, as i haven't recieved it yet so i'm a bit afraid for it's location. I'd be happy to pay the shipping again if it came back, I just want it on my bookshelf so i can indulge whenever i want 
I LIKE THIS CHAPTER! *smashes glass on floor* ANOTHER!!!
(only, you know, Luna instead of Celestia...)
And HO SNAP SEAPONIES. Something tells me Rarity hit it right on the head re:Blueblood. Then again, maybe he's just arranging OTHER super-secret important plans. (The most perfect marriage proposal ever, anyone?)
Anyway I am JUST SO STOKED for this to have begun! I'm sure it'll be just as fantastic as FotA! 