Black Canvas

by WritingSpirit

One Day To The Ball: A Grave Revelation

"A ball?!"

"Uh-huh," Rainbow sheepishly answered all five of her friends, their voices chattering happily through the vintage phone; one which took her almost half an hour to figure out how to operate it. She actually planned to send them a letter about it, though the last thing she needs is for the postpony to heave a sack up to the mansion's doorstep.

"It's gonna be held in the ballroom here. Ponies from Fillydelphia are coming as well. Cloudchaser said she, Flitter and Thunderlane would be there too!"

"Why, Ah'll be!" Applejack's smug voice rang through the speakers.

"Ya sure know how to plan a jolly good time!"

"Well, I can't take all of the credit."

The cyan mare turned to Taciturn, who was busy painting yet again, this time drawing a hummingbird landing on a small daffodil. She had no idea where he had even saw a hummingbird in these rural parts, eventually sticking its origins to the conjuration of his imagination.

"Tassee showed me the small flyer about it," she continued, smiling when the colt gave her a meek wave.

"He told he wanted to go, so I thought why not? Maybe make up for lost time on Hearts and Hooves Day."

"Well, he certainly has a flair for gatherings such as this," came Rarity's reply.

"Have you figured out your choice of attire yet?"

"Not exactly."

Rainbow was always uncertain when it comes to getting the perfect apparel for occasions such as this; usually the esteemed fashion designer on the other end of the phone would take care of that. She sometimes felt that Taciturn was luckier to be a colt, judging by how their tuxedos and suits all look the same.

"We're gonna go shopping later to get some. I might need a little advice, though."

"Well, just wear what's appropriate for a ball. A white dress, perhaps? Like the one I made for you for Taciturn's debut of his gallery last year?"

"Dashie?" Taciturn called her suddenly, beckoning her over.

"Hold on a minute, guys."

With a sigh, Rainbow trotted to the bleached colt's side, eager to know whatever business he called him for. It was usually rare for him to ask for her help these days during his painting sessions, since he would usually prepare all the palette and paints by himself.

"What is it that you-"

Her voice was cut off once she saw what he was holding. Instead of the paintbrush that he usually held, there was, much to her horror, the key she obtained from the nursery! The cyan pegasus just stared at his curious expression, her gut tightening and twisting as he observed it delicately.

"Tassee!" she hissed, reaching out of her hoof.

"Give it to me! You shouldn't be looking at things such as that!"

"Are you alright there, Rainbow?" Twilight's voice rang in, no doubt having heard of her shocked voice.

Of course, Taciturn reluctantly handed her the key, though he did so with a whimper of displeasure, to which the cyan mare responded with a small frown. She watched as the blanched colt slumped back to his painting, his wings beating sluggishly as if in protest.

"Y-Yeah," she stammered her answer, her gaze still glued to the colt. "Just a slight problem, that's all."

She knew she shouldn't have left the key unattended like that, especially when around the likes of an inquisitive pony such as him. Plus, the last thing she wants him to remember is something as gruesome as that. If he ever imported its design into his paintings... she could really use a memory spell from Twilight to erase the sight of it.

"Anyways, about the dress, I might need your opinions from it, Rarity. Something around my style, y'know?"

"Well, I could certainly help you out on your selection, but I'm not... exactly in Fillydelphia, to begin with. I'm afraid it's all up to you now."

That's right, Rainbow's hoof met her face. What were you thinking? It's ridiculous, a pony being in two places at once! The next thing you know, all the pigs on Applejack's farm sprout wings and win all three medals in the next Equestrian Games. She shuddered at the thought of it; it would be a first-class horror story right there!

"Well, um... I'm sure you can make the right choice..." Fluttershy piped, snapping her out from her swine-filled thoughts.

"I'm sure Tassee wouldn't mind. He just wants you to be there next to him, right?"

"I guess..." the cyan mare replied, glancing at Taciturn, the colt already finishing his painting.

"Which reminds me... how did the date with Big Mac go, Flutters?

"Superdy-duperdy AWESOME!!!" came, instead, Pinkie's screech.

"You should've seen them! They were like, ooh~! So kee-yute!! First, they had a small picnic, then the birds start singing and he starts singing along with them-- did you hear his voice! Oh, of course you didn't! You're in Fillydelphia after all, unless his voice is that loud! Then there's the best part, and everypony knows what happens then!"

And with that, all of her friends (except Fluttershy, of course) said it aloud in unison:

"The kiss!!"

"They kissed?" she gasped out in disbelief.

"As in lip-to-lip, under an apple tree in the middle of a field below a glowing sunset kind of kiss?"

"Sure betcha, RD!" Applejack declared.

"Came back to the house, both of them. Ya shud've seen their faces! Heck, Fluttershy was redder than Ol' Macintosh himself!"

"R-Really...?" Fluttershy squeaked suddenly, with the remaining five friends laughing in response.

Rainbow sighed, settling herself on one of the chairs and wiping the small tears off her eyes. She never imagined Fluttershy, of all ponies, to actually go out on a date and already share their first kiss! Maybe the butter-colored mare still has some guts left in her after all...

"So is it official? Are you guys really together?"

"No doubt about it," Rarity answered instead.

"I mean, just look at the two! They look so adorable together~!"

"Oh, but it was nothing really..."

The conversation lasted for another ten minutes (at least, she thought it did; she lost track of time soon after) before one-by-one, each of her friends said their respective goodbyes with a click signaling their departure, leaving only her and Twilight remaining. Taciturn had already dozed off on the bed, his completed hummingbird painting standing on the easel and facing the warm sun outside.

"Gotta go shopping for dresses soon," the cyan mare said.

"So um... Twilight! Do you, you know... find something about that key I gave you?"

"W-well, it certainly was... crude, and I don't mean your drawing skills."

Both mares chuckled quietly, before the unicorn continued:

"Judging from the dimensions, it's designed to unlock some sort of gate with a spring-bolt mechanism or something. Those kind of locks are slightly old, and you won't find them around here these days. Plus, the er... design, gives me a feeling that it should belong in someplace creepy, like a cemetery or graveyard. Slightly strange, if you think about it. Got any leads?"

"I have a hunch..." Rainbow said, grinning at her friend's answer.

"Thanks, Twi. That helped me quite a bunch, to be honest!"

"No problem! Tell me if you need anymore help!"

With a click sounding off the scholarly mare's exit, Rainbow glanced at the key in her hoof, her smile widening at the thought. Now there's a perfect place to try her key, though she had to do it sometime later, when there would be nopony around. Pushing those thoughts aside, she turned to the matter of importance at hoof.

Taciturn was still sleeping, cuddling tightly on one of the red, plushy pillows. He wore a small, peaceful smile, which stirred once Rainbow shook his body lightly, muttering:

"Hey, buddy. Time to wake up!'

In a minute, the colt sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes groggily as he stared back the pony that woke him from his slumber, whimpering softly. Despite only being a short nap, his mane was standing all over the place, with a few strands drooping to the front of his forehead, the sight making Rainbow chuckle.

"Gotta get yourself ready, Tassee," she said happily, her smile widening.

"We gotta do some Hearts and Hooves shopping!"

---

"That'll be seventy bits, please."

Rainbow Dash crinkled her snout at the cashier's words, her gaze glued at the tuxedo laid out on top of the counter in front of her. Reaching behind, she let out an inaudible mutter, sliding the said amount onto the desk. Taciturn just blankly stared at the biased exchange taking place, his hoof wiggling impatiently.

Seventy bits, the price echoed in her head yet again. Now where had she heard that before...?

"Thank you for coming."

"No problem at all," she replied nonchalantly, directing her sights to the door.

The couple stepped out as soon as she got the suit, accompanied by the ring of the shop's golden bell. Stretching her hooves, Rainbow glanced about the pavements, trying to find for what would be the perfect shop to get a dress.

It seems everypony picked this day as 'Pick-Your-Attire-For-The-Ball' day, seeing how dozens of them were swarming through the avenue. Through every flapping door, there would ponies heading in, and the ones exiting wore the happiest of grins on their faces, their shopping bags clattering among each other as they swung it about flamboyantly. The cyan mare herself couldn't help but chuckle; it was like Hearth's Warming all over again.

"Now, to get my dress..."

Taciturn was anticipating this moment, as if to see her wearing a dress would be the spectacle of the year. Of course, she found it a little strange to wear the dress herself, but she wouldn't mind if it was as cool as the one she wore to the Grand Galloping Gala. Then again, not anypony possessed Rarity's flair.

She had glanced around the shops before when she was buying dinner, and she wasn't entirely sure of the designs displayed at the shopfront's windows. They all looked like they were born from the same roll of fabric, yet no doubt these ponies would be 'swindled' by all these staggering prices.

"Dashie," Taciturn called her suddenly, tugging at her hoof. Rainbow wheeled her attention back, settling their sights onto the shop in front of them.

Unlike many of the other boutiques (which were built into the apartments), this one was standing in the middle of the town like some lost island, what with its curvy roofs and round windows. To be honest, it looked like some sort of pagoda or pavilion instead of the boutique, and she would think of it as such if not for the large, shirt-shaped sign welcoming them in, the squiggly words saying:

Dove's Delightful Designs

Dove......

The word was familiar; a bell tolling in the distance. Reluctantly, Rainbow stepped past its flapping doors, stopping when she saw the space around her. The walls and ceiling were contorted like some jester's playground, with parts of it bulging out and others squirming in, forming some sort of unsteady, contorted wave.

There were suits and dresses everywhere, all worn by mannequins standing patiently in whatever fashionable poses that Rarity could pull off. Unlike most shops in the avenue, they were all different and, much to her amazement, original, as if she was in some branch of Carousel Boutique itself!

"Hello, miss," came a scrawny voice, both of them turning towards the counter.

Leaning against a cupboard, with a measuring tape hanging sultrily from her waist, was a pale yellow unicorn, her mane a golden orange. She was wearing red work glasses (similar to Rarity) and visibly chewing gum (which Rarity would never do) as she eyed the two customers from where she stood, her hooves crossed in a skimpy, crass fashion. Despite her behavior, her lips curled up into one of the most welcoming smiles she had ever seen in Fillydelphia, her hospitality made evident by her declaration:

"You need anything, miss? Any costumes or dresses, search the racks! Can't find what you need, then order it! Guaranteed completion in one day, and that's a be-darned promise!"

The short introduction just left Rainbow completely baffled, the cyan pegasus beginning to stutter:

"Um... hey, uh..."

"Seems you both are new here!" the unicorn exclaimed.

"Name's Willow Wisp! Welcome to the mighty fine city of FIllydelphia, home of the Equestrian Liberty Bell! You both a couple?"

"Uh, yeah! Yeah, like pfftt, of course we are!"

Rainbow let out a small sheepish chuckle, which faltered into an awkward silence at the mare's baffled expression. Does she think I'm crazy, her thoughts raced through. Oh, please don't make this her first impression of me! You're Rainbow Dash, elite flyer, not Rainbow Dash, elite psychopath!

"Well... Willow, is it? I'm here to check out a dress, like you said! It seems like a great shop you have here!"

"Not bad, ain't it," Willow replied with a chuckle.

"Came from the original owner of this place. Handed the keys to me when she was gone. You might have seen her name outside, didn'tcha? Dove? As in Dove Featherheart?"

That's when it clicked. The pieces placed itself together, completing the cipher of gears in her head.

Dove Featherheart. The seamstress in the newspaper clipping! The one that (brutally) murdered three stallions in one night! She was the one that the doctors said was unstable, and the same mare that Valente Bleach and the commissioner back then had a small negotiation about!

"Heard about her," Rainbow said, trying to hide her excitement.

"It's quite sad, knowing what happened to her."

"Well, you can't really blame her for that," the other mare answered.

"Dove was a mighty nice pony, even by Fillydelphian standards! Some call her the kindest mare of the eastern coast, and some even said she would never hurt a fly. My mother was a filly back then: became her personal assistant and always happily helping her out in her orders and such. She told me Dove was just the sweetest angel... still can't believe about that incident all those years ago..."

"Not a lot of ponies talked about it," Rainbow said, trying to drag the conversation along.

"Was it really that horrible?"

"As well as unexpected, yes! She was the last pony that my mother swore would never hurt a fly! Never was clear on what happened that night, with the fire and all, but she changed, and boy did she change a lot."

Willow stretched her hooves a little, before continuing:

"Had to call that fellow living up the hill to settle her. Became the old mare she was once the coot was done with him. Judge sentenced her to three years of prison, was released, and been working here ever since until she got into that accident, to which she gave the reins to my mother, then her to me."

"Accident?" the cyan mare asked.

"What kind of accident?"

"Not sure, really! Was something about her son pushing out the window. Landed fair and square with a sharp pole through her chest."

Willow stopped briefly once she saw Rainbow's eyes widened in shock and disgust, chuckling coldly in response.

"Could never understand it myself. Just plain bizarre, if you ask me. We Fillydelphians ain't keen on talking about it, especially when it involves blood and such. Anyways, you are here for...?"

"Oh, right!"

With a cough, Rainbow handed her the pamphlet for tomorrow's ball, to which the yellow mare blinked in surprise at it.

"You know what this is, right? I just need something... cool yet ball-ish... something perfect for the occasion. I know it sounds a little late, but can you help me make one? The other shops don't really... well..."

"I understand! You need something cool! I always liked the idea of mixing elegance and coolness together!" Willow exclaimed, her eyes glinting with ambition.

"Come back tomorrow and pick it up! I'll have it done by then!"

"Thanks!" Rainbow replied cheerfully, for the dress and for the new information on this Dove pony. She whistled at Taciturn, snapping his attention from him blankly observing the suits on display, before the two pegasi left through the flapping doors and back into the street.

Now there's something more to work on. Dove Featherheart was placed in jail for three years, and got out back again with surprisingly enough money to rebuilt her boutique and resume her business. Along the way, she got married to somepony and - she shuddered - was killed by her son at some point of her life. Cruel life.

However, her thoughts soon turned back to the problem with the key. Twilight had just gave her the best bet, and she couldn't help but wonder at whatever secrets of Valente Bleach she might find next.

"You're next," she whispered, with Taciturn turning in slight curiosity at her words, baffled at her coy grin. He soon brushed it off, however, not knowing of the plan brewing in her head.

"Tonight."

---

"Must be somewhere here..."

Rainbow Dash wouldn't be surprised if she woke up late tomorrow. She take that back, she wouldn't be surprised if she didn't wake up at all! Her yearn for sleep was only outmatched by her excitement for the answer, which grew larger and larger as she stepped deeper through the grass in the dense mist.

She was in the graveyard, with only the light of her lamp and Luna's moon to guide her through the obscurity of moisture and humidity. Silhouettes of tombstones filled every acre of the valley in the black night, though she was only interested in the shadow of one.

And there it was right now.

In the distance, emerging from the mist, was the crypt, standing large and tall among its lesser stone companions around it. Its entrance was like a gaping mouth, protected only by the grated rails shooting up to the surface, preventing any unwanted intruder out. Rainbow, however, had made a few observations when they were inside, and there was one mistake that the builders of the crypt had forgotten to take into account.

With a flap of her wings, her heart thumping a beat and her teeth biting onto the lamp, she hovered into the air, perching on the roof of the crypt where she started to smile. Cut into its stone roof to let light in, be it from sun or moon, was an oculus; a circular opening leading into its dark confines, unaware of the intruder that soon swooped inside without care.

Her hooves softly touching the ground, Rainbow glanced around, the dim light of the moon shining into its claustrophobic interior. Holding her breath, she raised the lamp, the fire within flickering lightly in the dark as she took her first step down the mossy, stone stairs.

It wasn't that long before she reached the opening; the same one that she had visited two or, considering how late it was, three days before. She stopped to glance around the eerie rotunda of iron gates, the plaques gleaming dimly. Slipping out her key, the mare stepped forward into the center, clenching her hooves with determination and letting out a giggle; Fidus is so going to have her head for this!

"Now which one of you had lost its creepy partner?"

No sooner than that did Rainbow stepped forward to the first gate before her, sticking the key into its lock and trying her best to give it a turn. The key merely jiggled and rattled, the tumblers within refusing to accept its morbid design, leaving only one frustrated pegasus.

"Try, try again," she muttered. Some motivational speech that was, she scowled at herself.

Without hesitation, she tried it on the second gate, to no avail. She tried it on the third gate, but the key was too stubborn to fit in. The fourth gate proved the same result: the lock didn't even gave it a chance to turn!

One by one, Rainbow used it without success on all the gates of the first level, her expression turning more frazzled with each try. There was one gate where she nearly snapped the key off into its lock, and another where she rattled the gates with a howl, as if wanting to break the gates part.

"This... better... be it!" she panted.

Holding her breath, Rainbow slotted the key into the lock, her satisfaction guaranteed when it ran all the way in. Slowly but surely, she gave it a small turn, drops of sweat crawling down her face as she did so, before there came a triumphant, relieving click.

"Yes!" she cheered, nearly wanting to hop on the spot as the gate swung open with a screech from its rusted spine. Without hesitation, the mare stepped into the room, raising the lantern to see what fully awaits her.

Like all the other rooms (she assumed), there was a granite coffin next to the wall, similar to where prison beds would be bolted in jail cells. Rainbow gulped nervously at the sight, hoping she wouldn't offend the probably-vengeful spirit of the pony that laid in there.

Her sight soon turned to a small, antique box standing on top of it. It was draped under a blanket of lace, hiding its flowery lid and golden latch that was revealed only when the cyan pegasus brushed the blanket aside. Her hoof carefully slipped the latch to the side, resulting in a small click as the lid was set free, bending backwards like a clam to reveal, much to her amazement, the treasure that it was hiding.

It was a medallion, made from the finest, shiniest crystal that glittered even in the dimness of her lamp. Its shape was molded perfectly into the form of a monarch butterfly, its wings gleaming a bright amber with its black outlines dotted with priceless diamonds, spreading out from the amethyst of its body in divine brilliance.

Rainbow's jaw dropped, her eyes glittering at the sight much like how Daring Do would to the treasures she find. Was the key hidden there for somepony like her to find this? This marvelously fine piece of a creation worth more than the gemstones in the world? More importantly, who did this belong to? The pony who was buried here?

Curiosity struck her like a hammer, the cyan pegasus flapping her wings as she raced towards the iron door built to protect the grave. She remembered each gate bore a stone plaque that consists of the pony's name, and she couldn't help but let her giddy eagerness run to her head as she raised the lamp towards the gate.

Her excitement grew into that of disbelief once she saw the name carved delicately into the stone, so much that she nearly dropped the medallion she was holding in her hoof. All the words in the world were dragged out of her mouth, leaving her alone to stammer:

"It... it c-couldn't be...!"

Comments

[RadBunny]

DAT CLIFFHANGER!

[Rainbow Song]

ooooh cliff hanger

[Shaleclaw]

Exciting chapter! This only keeps getting better and better!

Who could the mystery grave possibly belong to? Dove Featherheart? The suspense is killing me!
Guess I'll have to wait a bit to find out.

[Stellar starry night]

I love this story and writer, keep going!

[SilverShimmer]

"You're next," she whispered, with Taciturn turning in slight curiosity at her words, baffled at her coy grin. He soon brushed it off, however, not knowing of the plan brewing in her head.
"Tonight."

That creeped me out...A lot.....

And dat cliffhanger! Even though I can just go to the next chapter. STILL

[DashieDorbs]

Cliff hangers strike again

[CharThePegasus]

Ahh! Kill me now! Rainbow if I were you I'd already be dead! Those pictures killed me in chapter IDK