Rupture
I was pacing, moving back and forth between my room and the living room, or at least, that was the impression I would be giving to another that looked at my behavior. The truth was slightly different. Calx was sitting on the couch, one scientific article spread on his lap while he pretended to study.
That alone was worrisome. Not so much him pretending to study, but the fact that he felt the need to sit still and do nothing set off some alarm bells in my head. Even more considering that I knew the responsibility fell sorely with me and me alone.
In truth, every time I was about to reach the room Calx was occupying, my mind went to war with itself. He was doing precisely what I thought he needed to do, which was thinking about the consequences of his reactions to ponies he didn’t like. It was important, dreadfully important, and a sly voice in the opposite camp kept whispering that I wasn’t setting any example for this.
Well, this isn’t quite true anymore. He did see me apologize to Filthy Rich, and he saw him apologize to me.
Still, even if I had been trying to set off a better example, I couldn’t go down that road with him. If he didn’t make the right conclusions himself, then his beliefs may waver later. It’s always easier to follow a thought you’ve had yourself, rather than one others tell you to have.
My heart squeezed, as images of my mistakes came back. Amongst them, I remembered at least one emotion from those times, flippancy. I’d been convinced in my younger years that I knew better… or, more recently, that I hadn’t forgotten.
I should give him time to think about it by himself, enough that he can take considerations…
But the strongest voice shouted, above all others, above those ‘reasonable’ voices, that important or not, Calx was still just a confused foal.
Oh screw it!
Springing into action, I snapped my head around, wincing when my hooves came down with a loud stomp. For a second, I froze, worried I had startled my little brother who was probably thinking pretty hard about difficult stuff. Slowly, I breathed in and out, trying to chase out the hints of frantic worry still in my mind.
It didn’t work very well, but at least I wasn’t going to barge in like a bull. There was that, at least. Still, the second I stepped in the living room, Calx turned around, obviously aware of the rucus I’d just made.
“Sam?” He tilted his head, frowning.
Slipping on a neutral face, I decided not to ponder on the meaning of that frown and walked up to him. Careful not to push him, I sat down on our couch.
“Let’s talk, okay? Just you and me, with nopony else around.”
“’Kay…” He said, looking down.
Feeling my throat constrict, I forced myself to silence the cries of guilt rising in my mind. “Have you decided what you wanted to do?”
“N-not really…” He hung his head lower, his mouth twisted in a weird angry pout. “I don’t know. It’s just really not fun to think about!”
“So, are you going to see your friends?”
Tapping on our couch with one hoof, Calx didn’t seem very eager to answer.
“W-why should I do that?” This time his voice shook, and he imperceptibly scooted closer to me. Yet, even like this, there was a hint of defiance in his tone. “Everypony’s going to die anyway, right?”
Knew it…
“So you don’t want to bother with friends if you know they might die, is that it?” I asked, not expecting him to react. He didn’t.
His gaze seemed locked in a staring contest with our floor. Our blank floor with no motifs whatsoever. He was almost glaring at it, with the intent to make it combust spontaneously.
Time to clear things up a bit for you. “Why did you always want to play and have fun if we had to stop anyway?”
His eyes widened instantly, and the twitches around them indicated how badly he was struggling not to blink repeatedly. Opening his mouth, he tried but failed to articulate any thought. “Huuuuh…”
“Why eat if we’re only going to get hungry later?” I poked his stomach, then moved my hoof up to his forehead. His gaze followed my movement, incomprehension glittering in his eyes. “Why wake up if we’re only going to need sleep a few hours afterward? Why live at all, if there is an end to the journey?”
“B-but… you said they will all die! It’s not going to matter!”
“Sometimes, lil’ brother, the goal is the journey itself. Everything is fleeting.” Without warning, I expanded my wing completely, and closed it on him. After his yelp, that little bundle of brattiness crashed into my ribs, though not hard enough to really register as painful. Perhaps reflexively, his legs shot around my chest, and he hugged me for all it was worth.
Wordlessly, I stroked his head with the tip of my wings, letting him bury his head against my sides and have the world disappear for a few minutes.
Normally, I would have felt a pang of regret at breaking away before he was ready, but I was prepared for it this time. I knew what I was doing.
“See? That hug didn’t last longer than a few seconds, didn’t mean I didn’t hug you or that I don’t love you lots and lots,” I grinned as I said that, ruffling his mane.
“Laaaaaaaame!” He whined, pushing me away farther, pretending the last few minutes hadn’t happened.
“Don’t say that, Calx. It’s true.” I rolled my eyes, flicking his nose with one feather. “Things don’t have to last forever to be important. Even if it ends, it doesn’t make anything less precious…”
Despite his annoyance, the life was obviously returning to his eyes. Twitches on his body indicated that he was probably already fighting his usual bounciness. Oh yes, soon, he’d be back to his usual self, hopeful with a little bit more restraint and thoughts. He just needed a little bit of a push before it might happen.
“And THIS is why alicorns learn those lessons together, lil’ bro.”
Standing up, I gave him a grin that he should recognize all too easily. It was the same I used whenever I played up the big brother awesomeness. And with the same efficiencity as a school recess bell, it made a light of anticipation flash in his eyes.
“Come on.” I extended a hoof to him, urging him to join me. “I’ll show you that no matter the grim, the dark and the scary, there is still some light above us.”
For a second, he squirmed, a little hesitant, but with his typical eagerness, he jumped down the couch and ran up to me.
The instant he made contact, I willed us elsewhere.
We stumbled together, in the middle of a grassy field just outside Fillydelphia. Wind could travel pretty fast. I was fairly certain he hadn’t had the time to really grasp what I had done.
“What the…?” He muttered, glancing around without a clue of where we were.
“Oh little brother…” I grinned, letting my tone grow more musical. “Time to show you what even the blind can see.”
His face scrunched up at that, and he gave a grunt.
“Feel the wind brushing your fur.” I leaned in to nuzzle him, but he dodged, rolling his eyes. For a second, the urge to grab him and inflict on him the worst display of total affection ever felt sweet, but this wasn’t the time.
“Feel the ground rolling beneath your hooves.” I started trotting, pressing my legs just a little longer than needed against the earth in every step.
He didn’t seem very convinced, which called for stronger arguments. And better visuals.
“And see the world in-between.” With a leap, I dove into a patch of wheat.
For a few seconds, my sight was filled only with their golden stems, but, following a surprised yelp, dark blue soon mimicked my actions and came into view. Pretending to be unaffected by the plants, I just continued our little escapade in this sea of wheat, feeling Calx’s breath just behind me.
I could tell he was a little uncertain about this, he could not very well see. At most, the sky was a great canvas overhead, but down on earth… not so much.
“No matter what, there’s always something. It’s not pointless. It’s not endless.” We trotted past the limits of the field, with just a step outside the growing wheat and into the fresh grass. Calx snorted when he realized what I had said at that moment. For that, I kicked up a little dirt from that edge. “From beginning to end, there is something in-between.”
Scrubbing his mane furiously, he stopped. But, while he was standing still, his body shook with a shiver, a ripple that I saw spread into the earth below. Gently, he pushed against a patch of grass, with a look of intensity certainly belonging to an alicorn.
Crouching down, he gave the few blades another look, then glanced up to me, as if drawing a comparison.
“How full is the world ahead, Calx? It’s close enough to you, isn’t it?”
He seemed transfixed, looking ahead to the lush verdure, wings flickering against his fur. “It’s… it’s…”
The words weren’t coming to him yet, but he was certainly getting it.
“Feel the wind brushing your fur, feel the earth rolling beneath your hooves.” I laughed softly at the look of realization dawning on his face. “Can you see?”
The inside of my chest was burning with pride. My little brother was growing up, just a little.
“Sometimes, what matters the most is the journey!” I straightened, showing the fields behind us with one hoof. And with a flick of my tail, I caught his attention again. And with a burst of wind, I made him bounce just ahead of me.
I knew he’d have yelled, if not for the sudden sight I had brought him to.
Before us was the buzzing city of Fillydelphia itself, streets darkened by representatives of multiple species.
Muscles in my shoulder blades flexed, spreading my wings wide. Under Calx’s widening gaze, I gave them a tentative try, a single flap. At that, his jaw drop. Of course it would, I never flew anywhere physically.
“Take off, little brother.” With a powerful beat of our wings, we did, even if my own flight wasn’t quite as steady as his. It did not show in my singing anyway. Plus, my own nature made it a fairly easy task to stabilize my gliding. “The world awaits, and with it so many ponies just waiting to meet you!”
The land started scrolling past us, green swiftly changing shades and tones, sometimes jumping into brown or grey. We were truly flying, high enough that every breath required me to swallow back my nausea, but that was not going to stop me.
“See the fields beneath you.” Diving, we dodged a few masses of white and pale grey. At that, my tone grew playful. “See the clouds flying with you?”
“Do you not see? There are so many things for you to enjoy here!”
By then, he was smiling, relishing in the thrill of flight he’d always loved.
Right as I was about to sing the next verse however, I caught a familiar form in the corner of my eye and I grinned at this bout of possible luck. Flapping my wings harder, I made a turn, to the puzzlement of the colt who chose to loop after me. But not long afterward, I heard his gasp of excitement.
Now in front of us, there was a gray mare flying, somewhat erratically it was true, but with a bubbly joy that could only be an expression of her cutie mark.
Bright golden eyes that lit with recognition followed our flight. Ditzy would have flapped her wing to get closer, except she did not get the chance. Almost barreling into her, Calx enlaced her into a hug.
Her confusion lasted no longer than a second, after which she returned his hug with all the affection a mother could have. A quick nuzzle, a stroke of his head, and they separated, both smiling widely.
I could not hold in a laugh when she took a muffin out of her saddlebag and placed it in his hooves.
“Was it pointless to give her a hug, just now?” I whispered for his ears alone, while waving away at the blonde mare who was doing the same.
“N-no…” The corner of his lips started to inch upwards, and his flight grew more stable. “She was happy about it. Plus, I got a kickass muffin out of it!”
My grin widened. “Now you’re getting it.”
“There is light! The Sun and the stars shine bright!”
“There is light! It’s the others! It’s the passing life!”
“We’re here together; I’m with you, little brother!”
“If it ends, remember. If it lasts, cherish it forever!”
“Everything’s precious,” I finally said, landing just next to a pond and its quacking little ducklings. Hey, not a bad finish.
A second later, Calx flew down to my sides, grinning.
“Everything’s precious, lil’ brother.” I repeated one last time, giving him a quick nuzzle that he didn’t refuse for once. “That’s why we have to cherish as much as we can… and help where we can. That’s what alicorns do.”
--
The door to the Carousel Boutique opened violently, producing a loud noise even as a lavender mare ran through its frame.
“RARITY! You have to help me!”
Her attention previously entirely focused on a drawing table upon which rested a new plan, the white unicorn jumped, letting out a yelp while her magic wavered.
“My goodness, Twilight, don’t startle me like that!” She turned, quickly putting her creation on the nearby work table before it was damaged. “I almost dropped my new ensemble!”
The alicorn came to an halt almost immediately, blushing from horn to hooves. The corners of her lips curling down with unease, she looked down, ears drooping. “I-I… sorry, Rarity.”
The image of her friend’s apologizing in that way put her last traces of annoyance to rest, instead leaving her to take a good look at Twilight’s form and silent language. For such a startling cry and the vibes of urgency pouring out of her, there had to be a great problem. “Is it a mundane emergency or do we need to save the world again?”
“Both.” The poor alicorn’s shoulders slumped.
For a second, Rarity was nonplussed.
“Both?” She repeated, before it clicked and her frown disappeared completely. “Ah, what issue is it this time that we must stop from becoming a disaster?”
The following answer was almost too quiet for her to hear it.
“A stallion…”
Luckily, Rarity’s hearing was acute and not a syllable was lost on her. Twilight truly couldn’t have gotten her undivided attention faster if she had tried.
Instantly, Rarity’s work was forgotten in favor of this predictable and oh so delectable development. Her horn glowing blue, she grabbed Twilight’s hoof and dragged her to her kitchen, where she sat her down on a splendid hoof-sown cushion.
“Oh my, my, my, why didn’t you tell me right away?!” Rarity rambled, running around the room, looking into drawers and taking out her emergency gossiping supplies. “Tea? I still have some of my imported brand from Bitaly, would you like some?”
“O-oh, yes…” Twilight answered, a little overwhelmed by her friend’s reaction.
In a matter of a few minutes of rambling and small talk about weather and the Cakes’ newest pastry and Blossomforth’s – would you believe it? Why I never suspected it! – new marefriend, they were all set. Both mares were sitting down comfortably, with a cup of hot tea and some light crackers at their disposals.
“Perfect,” Rarity praised after giving her preparations a final look over. “Now you can tell me everything about him.”
A few things simultaneously dawned on the still silent alicorn, the very first of which was that her coltfriend’s presence in town was meant to be kept secret as long as possible. Of course, there was a fake identity for her to draw upon and weave a little story. That would be fine if her friends were not likely to make the connection if she had suddenly fallen in love with a stallion.
She… hadn’t exactly displayed much interest in them before. With a little luck, a good story could have been elaborated, but not with resident gossip hen Rarity in front of her.
The lack of speaking on her part ended up making the unicorn raise a delicate eyebrow at her.
“Well, darling, we are going to have to start somewhere…” For a few seconds, she paused, giving her lavender friend a piercing look. “Do I know him?”
“O-oh, I don’t think so…” Twilight diverted her eyes, feeling her cheeks heating up. “You might have met him a few times, but I doubt you ever spoke to him.”
“I see,” Rarity whispered, hiding a smile with a sip from her teacup. “What do you think of his horn?”
For a moment, Twilight staggered, a few dozen ideas flashing before her eyes, as to the very real impossibility of mindreading, and had to remind herself of several physical tells used by more social ponies. Right now, she did not doubt that she was like an open book. “W-what does that have to do with anything?!”
“Well I need to gauge your sentiment for him before I can help you.” A posh fan floated up from the top of a wardrobe and opened itself in front of Rarity’s face, before she continued with a tone of finality. “So, tell me.”
Resigning herself to this standard interrogation, Twilight sighed before allowing herself a timid and pensive smile. This was a safe question, ‘Cloud Circle’ was supposed to be a unicorn anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to remember Ventus leaning toward her, to imagine their horn touching; even if a tingling sensation reached the base of her forehead.
“W-well… it’s nice… a-and long…” She said breathily, flushing.
Rarity could not hold in a giggle, which sounded entirely too close to a schoolfilly’s for the aspiring lady. Their relative privacy however helped mitigated the impact of the action, as she continued her questioning smoothly.
“I see. And his wings?” She asked, taking a bite out of a delicious cracker.
“T-they’re warm… and I like it when he embraces me wi-” The poor alicorn froze, realizing her mistake a second too late, and shot a panicked glance to her friend.
Rarity raised her cup to her lips serenely, unflappable. If she was in any way surprised, she did not show it.
“My, I didn’t know Prince Ventus was here,” she said, the corner of her lips twitching upward to form a smile. “You would think an alicorn stallion would be the talk of the town by now.”
Twilight’s face was the very image of horror.
She wished the ground would open up and swallow her, preferably crushing her to death painfully. Anything! Anything at all to escape the embarrassment she had just put herself into!
… Until a gentle pressure on her shoulder made her pause. She almost tensed, as her eyes moved forward to see the smiling face of her friend. The touch was soft, and spoke of a certainty experienced all too well for years now.
“Now, now, Twilight,” Rarity whispered, running her hoof in a smooth circle on her friend’s back. “There isn’t a thing for you to be ashamed of. Your feelings for each other are a beautiful thing you should cherish with all your heart.”
As gently as she could, she tried to get her friend to let go, but the shame didn’t seem to leave her so easily.
For a moment, the smile faltered, Rarity’s enthusiasm lost. “I apologize for this little indulgence. You know how hopelessly romantic I can be…”
Twilight’s only response was a slow nod, looking down again.
“I am truly happy for you, dear.”
“I… I know you never wanted to put me in a hard situation, it’s just…” She sighed, her voice becoming hoarse. “It was supposed to be a secret…”
“Don’t worry, darling.” Rarity nodded, a confident look on her face. “My lips are sealed. I would not dream of interfering.”
For a second, Twilight allowed herself a brief respite with the knowledge that her coltfriend’s situation would be kept secret. Then, her eyebrows lowered into an uncertain frown.
“H-how did you guess? Did I really give it away that easily?”
“Well…” Rarity’s voice trailed off, as she looked away, gears turning in her head. “I had my doubts the second you mentioned a stallion, really. Your hesitation to speak about him simply confirmed my suspicions.”
“S-so, you needed previous insider information to deduce anything,” Twilight whispered, her voice growing stronger as she drew her conclusions, to the point she looked up with eyes full of hope. “Am I correct?”
Well, there simply was no reasonable way Rarity could ever deny her friend when she was in that state. It was rather helped by the fact that, yes, as much as it pained the gossip in her to admit, she might not have guessed without at least the passing notion that Twilight harbored an attraction to the alicorn prince. The fact that many ponies were aware of that fact could be silenced for now. “Yes, yes you are.”
In a slump, the accumulated tension in the overreacting librarian’s muscles deserted her, leaving her to drop down against the table with pure relief. It might be silly, but a part of her feared how her… her coltfriend would react to his secret getting out. Even more if it had been the result of her negligence.
Patiently, Rarity waited for her friend to feel stronger before saying anything.
“Now, since we established that I will not betray your trust and that I steadily support you in your feelings, perhaps we could get to the issue at hooves.” A delicate eyebrow rose over her right eye, the sole betrayer of the curiosity still devouring her. “What is the reason you barged in my boutique like Sweetie Belle and her little friends?”
“He asked me for a date.”
“Oh. My. Word!” Rarity’s tea cup hovered between her lips and the table, frozen on the spot while its owner’s mind was suddenly overwhelmed by wild fantasies. “Where?” She asked with a rather unladylike rough accent.
“The library.”
One could have heard the precise moment the romance had been brutally slaughtered. The fashionista’s mental lyrical odes to true love were silenced with the force of that simple statement, and everything came crashing down for her with a loud record scratch.
Truly, she didn’t mean to give Twilight such an incredulous look – the poor dear certainly did not need judgmental reactions –, but a library!? For a first date?! Oh no, that would not do, that would not do at all!
Seeing Rarity’s expression, Twilight realized she had seconds to explain the situation before being dragged into a crusade for a more romantic setting. “We figured that somepony would find out his secret if I suddenly appeared with a new stallion in my life out of nowhere…”
And once more her dramatic inclinations crashed hard with a good dose of reality.
“Ah, yes, I suppose I can attest to that…” Rarity bit her lips, hit by a small amount of shame at the thought of her own reactions.
Silence followed her words, an unusual awkwardness passing between the two best friends.
“Well, Twilight, let us not lose time.” The fashionista took over again, speaking with confidence and bravado. “We shall give you a grand makeover.”
“I don’t think the other patrons would overlook me wearing a gala dress…” Twilight objected, even if her eyes did linger over a few models. Biting her lips, she felt a pinch in her heart at the sight a mirror offered of her own image. She wasn’t ready for a date! How her resolve wavered, thinking about appearing tardy and unprepared for a date with Ventus. “A-and… there is no time for you to make it all from scratch.”
But Rarity brushed off her concerns with a wave of her hoof. “Oh, I will simply make a few adjustments to some of my finest work. Do not worry, my dear. It shall not take too long, and it will be as good an occasion as any for us to discuss your strategy.”
Hearing this, Twilight held back a sigh of relief, her mind reminding her of the worries remaining unaddressed. However, no sooner had the thought crossed her mind that Rarity felt the need to elaborate.
“Oh, and for the other visitors of the library, I’m sure you can find an excuse easily. Mention something about practicing decorum for a foreign affair, or even just testing a new dress before an official function. Why, if it were me, Twilight…”
During a few instants, the fashionista’s voice remained inaudible, as she had already disappeared behind a curtain to find the right dress. Swiftly, her shadow moved alongside the mannequins until she stopped next to one. A moment later, she came back, levitating behind her the one article of clothing she knew was the right choice for Twilight’s date. The confirmation came a second later, when the alicorn’s eyes fell on the dress.
With her usual chatter, Rarity guided her oh so lost friend to her fitting room, slipping in as many advices as she could think of about dating. Chances were very little of that talk would be remembered, but, then again, Twilight Sparkle had always had an uncanny ability to retain information. However, as the task grew more delicate, especially with what was at stake here, Rarity’s voice slowly lost strength, until only the ethereal sound of magic moving needles could fill the silence.
This, more than the rest, gave Twilight time to put her thoughts in retrospective.
For some reason, she found herself opening her feelings to Rarity, without prodding or encouragement. Parts of her, the more scientific ones, wanted to rationalize, to compare and contrast her feelings with somepony else. Even if it only made her more embarrassed, her mouth seemed to possess a mind of its own, and words started to spill out.
“T-the first time I felt different… was on the day we met. Just after he had scolded Calx, y-you remember that, right?”
Quickly, Rarity nodded, forcing herself not to frown. It certainly was tremendously easy for her to think of arguments between siblings and she did not particularly like those memories herself…
“Well, when I saw him, looking so pained by his own actions…” Twilight’s hoof hesitated over her chest, then toward an invisible pony in front of her. “There was a part of me that told me I had to help him. And I tried to make him feel better, comparing some of my own experience with Spike and his own, and… and he looked at me, truly at me, for the very first time, with eyes that spoke of gratitude. Already, I think there was something.”
The sound of stitching needles stopped for a moment, not that Twilight would notice. Albeit her heart was already swooning at the small story of romance unfolding in front of her, Rarity forced herself to feel a bit of skepticism. It wasn’t impossible for her friend to have experience attraction and possibly more from such a short meeting, but not that likely either. It didn’t seem to be Twilight’s style. Why, there hadn’t been any stallion in her life before, nor had she expressed interest at some of her own tales of relationships.
As if to confirm her thoughts, Twilight went on. “It was the first time I felt anything different with him from my relation with any other stallion. Yet… it wasn’t anything strong… something of a nagging thought at the back of my mind, just like the sensation of having an important task set out and being forced to constantly delay it with changes in your schedule.”
Her eyes still focused on a knot that refused to obey her touch, Rarity nonetheless nodded, half of her mind on the task at hooves.
“After that, we met a few times in the castle, and he mentioned he needed to go home.”
All to her rambling, Twilight missed the expression of pure shock that passed over Rarity’s traits.
“At that time, I felt truly dismayed.” Subconsciously, she punctuated her word with a weak stomp. “I-it was denying me knowledge of things I had been curious about, but there was also a tiny part of me disappointed because he wanted to leave…”
“W-well, obviously, he didn’t follow through with that course of action, darling,” Rarity said, her voice suddenly unsteady, praying that it didn’t betray her.
“Y-yes, you’re right. He stayed.” Her wings fluttered, once, before settling down in unison with Twilight’s smile. “After that, well… I had my first chance to know him. We just played a game with his brother and Pinkie: a water balloon fight.”
“That must have been quite the sight.”
Remembering the event, a giggle escaped Twilight’s lips. “I actually nailed him in the face.”
“Oh?” Rarity gave her a amused look. “And how does he look with a wet mane?”
The coloring of her face was more than enough of an answer, Rarity felt, even if Twilight pointedly ignored her question and continued. “It was good fun; it really helped me relax and see a more playful side of him.”
She only heard a thoughtful humming for an answer, seconds before she flinched when the fabric around her hips tightened.
Golden flanks flashed in her mind. Greenish blue eyes stared at her form, looked at her with a burning desire, with a forceful need. It made her heart faster, which she knew should have been fear, yet…
“And a more passionate side of him…” She could almost feel his touch over her shoulder, trailing on her fur toward her wings. Her face grew more heated than ever before. “A-and a more compassionate one…”
The smell of ink, fresh ink mixed with the sulfur and minerals of a dragon’s breath.
Words of kindness, of concern toward her fears, echoing so easily to her ears.
“He sympathized with…” She could almost hear his voice tell her, again.
Have you talked to your friends about what you told me? It would most likely be highly beneficial to your state of mind to rely on somepony close to you as a source of strength in your times of need.
“With a problem I had…”
“A problem, Twilight?” Rarity repeated, feigning surprise. “You never told us.”
The slightly tilted tone didn’t register in Twilight’s mind, not with the internal conflict she felt. “I-it’s nothing. I already figured it out.”
“Alright,” the fashionista replied smoothly, levitating a ribbon and holding it next to a shade of color on her dress. Making her choice, she picked the newest addition to the dress. “Well then, when did you concretely start confessing your feelings for each other?”
“A-at the party in Canterlot, h-he took me aside. He wanted to talk.”
There was a pause, an hesitation of sort danced in Twilight’s eyes, as if there was something else she refused to tell, which was all forgotten with her next words.
“He… he kissed me, told me how much he needed me.”
Rarity let out a high pitched noise, muffled by her hoof suddenly clamping down on her mouth, but her eyes still sparkled.
“It was…” She paused again, trying to sort through the many feelings flashing in rapid succession in her brain. “A little sudden. I wasn’t sure yet.”
The white unicorn deflated a bit, her cheeks growing pink with embarrassment at letting her imagination get the better of her. She had been present when the prince had spoken to Twilight before their departure to Ponyville. That certainly hadn’t been very romantic.
A purple hoof brought Rarity out of her thoughts. “He did apologize for making me uncomfortable afterward, I promise. Then, he listened to me… he helped me think some things through... It was only when we met again that… that I…”
Her mouth abruptly closed, blushing again. Squirming in place, she refused to say more, looking away.
“There, all done!” Rarity declared, viciously crushing the awkward silence between them. “Look at the result, darling, and tell me what you think!”
Following the instructions, Twilight turned her head to gaze at her reflection.
The dress was very flattering on her figure, enhancing it to a point she felt her heart grow lighter. There was a sense of confidence building up in her guts, unusual for a simple librarian – now princess, she reminded herself –, about her charms. Entranced, she twisted around slowly, lifting one hoof in the air to see the way the fabric danced over her, the way the light reflected on each gem, the way it made her seem… beautiful.
Inwardly, Rarity beamed. Bubbles of joy seemed to pop in her chest, as the satisfaction on her friend’s face was precisely the one she wanted for each and every single one of her customers. It was an expression of confidence, of self-esteem renewed and inner beauty revealed.
It was the very reason she had chosen this career.
“Oh thank you, Rarity!” Twilight turned to her, grabbing her hoof and shaking it. “I-I just feel like I can do this!”
“Of course you can.” The words came out easily, and her smile grew on her white lips. But, Celestia forgives her, the urge to tease was simply too strong to overcome. “Say, Twilight, did you tell him about that spot behind your ears already?”
“O-oh please, tell me you’re not still going on about th-” She cut herself, her face locked in mortification suddenly growing much paler, twitches running through her facial muscles. “Stop! He can hear you!”
“What?” Rarity repeated, not processing the words quite yet…
“He’s the alicorn of wind! Sounds travel through air! Through him! He can hear everything everypony says!”
If it had been possible for Rarity’s ivory white face to pale, it would have. Drastically. “E-everything?!”
“EVERYTHING IN TOWN, AND BEYOND THAT!”
Finally, the idea made its way into her brain, hitting her with such force it left her dizzy.
“H-how long has he been in town?” She asked with a frail, quiet voice.
“It… it has been a few days,” Twilight answered, growing puzzled.
But her incomprehension quickly turned into concern when she noticed the change operated in her friend’s body language.
Rarity’s eyes suddenly seemed distant, glassy, as memories came back to her of what had happened during the last few days. All of it. Slowly, her cheeks took on a reddish color to the point her whole face was radiating heat, while her body seemed to stiffen more and more. Until...
The white unicorn fainted and, ironically, did not land on her fainting couch.
“RARITY!”
--
Crimson ripples spread with every impact of the stallion’s dark hooves. They reached into nothingness, before the lights of stars beyond, uncannily similar to waves of blood. The alicorn took no notice to it, moving with intent he did not understand fully. There was an impulse going through him, born of an instinct a being like him should not possess, born of emotions rather than reason.
The touch of Pandora reached all and spared none.
Magnus Vis missed his sons.
It weighted down his steps, in subtle ways that the seasoned eye would be hard pressed to catch. His trot was slower, heavier. The focus of his eyes seemed distant, yet his mind wasn’t focused on his duties.
He was the Alicorn of Strength, therefore, he did understand something other alicorns couldn’t. Emotions weren’t inherently a weakness. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have any himself. He chose not that they were strengths, they were part of him and always were. It hadn’t been a choice, simply a fact.
They did not alter his diligence. They did not stop him.
But the pain never wavered and his fear only grew with the passage of time.
He stopped, seemingly without reason. A sense of nostalgia swirled around his heart, as a sound he yearned for almost rang to his ears. Lowering his gaze to the eternal fields below, he sat down slowly.
The breaking had started near this point. It was a fact he knew, a fact shared by all alicorns of this realm. How could they not know of this? How could they not realize the fissure that had started to run through their very home?
Its location, however, was unknown to all but the Elders. And him now, he supposed.
His eyes lingered to his right, into a perfectly normal spot. He could see the stars, the stray bodies of rock, of air, of ice. He could see them as he always did before, but he could look no further to his right.
His body refused. Twitches and cramps would befall his muscles, his jaw would clench harder and a shaking would curse his limbs; no amount of determination would change the end result. For all he would will it, the rift could not be seen by an alicorn of his rank.
Realizing the futility of his attempts, Magnus averted his gaze. With some effort, it would become possible to ignore the lingering sensation at the edge of his field of vision. Here, in this place, it seemed both the easiest and the hardest of tasks. Beyond the physical impossibility, the rift remained the closest thing he had to a direct link to his lost sons. It had come into being at their hooves, after all.
This truth still boggled his mind. He could not understand, neither the reason nor the impulse that had pushed them to this extremity. Calx had always been an overly energetic colt, but for him to decide on a whim to borrow one of his own artifacts and use it to travel to another dimension… it didn’t make sense!
As for Ventus, the actions of his eldest child drove a knife through his heart. Why, in the name of Order, had he chosen to go look for him in the mortal realm by himself? What had motivated him to go alone, without even informing them of his decision? Why not inform the rest of the alicorns as to the location of his younger brother so they could rapidly retrieve him with minimal consequences to the mortal realms?
Had he not trusted them with that knowledge?
As the idea made its way into his brain, an encroaching cold crawled over his skin. It seemed so strange that his son would not place faith in the work of other alicorns. He himself found it difficult to wrap his mind around it. Yet…
The fear that Calx had acted in punishable ways might have sufficed, if such thoughts had come to his mind. In Ventus, the fear of retribution would have been stronger than in most other alicorns. Unfortunately, his predecessor had left too deep a mark into their subconscious. The First of the Fallen, they had dubbed him, as the ineffaceable proof that not even in the fourth age, their kinds could escape failure.
He remembered, and slowly, the possibility calcified into a fact in Magnus’ mind, as another memory resurfaced. That of his son’s reaction to the condition of their returns.
The bitter accusing roar seemed to reverberate, as a thousand times denial of their bonds. “YOU’RE NOT MY FATHER!”
He flinched, closing his eyes with a heavy heart. Pain radiated as if from an invisible wound, while the father fought his own tears.
To his surprise, a hoof fell on his shoulder. A green hoof that summoned images of wild beasts and roars of anger.
Dominus Ferus, an old friend. An unspoken law of nature had bound strength with wilderness, in a question of survival if not living, but perhaps it was them that had brought its birth in the first place.
Magnus felt his eyebrow raise in suspicion. Their presences near the rift was not forbidden. Rather, it would be perceived as unusual, for this place should not have gathered their attention in any case. Yet both alicorns had found their ways here. It made Magnus curious, to say the least.
Uncertainty rolled off in waves from his friend. There was incomprehension in the green alicorn’s movements as he struggled to see – but never succeeded – the rift left by the departures of the two brothers. Still, he did not relent. There was a purpose he should have been fulfilling by coming here, yet he did not know of it.
A strange sensation visited Magnus, as his gaze fell on Dominus’ expression. A pit had carved itself in his throat, contracting the muscles of his neck almost painfully. Neither could relax, even in the presence of one another.
Things were still to come.
And Justice awaited its moment furiously.
--
Twilight had left the Carousel Boutique more than half an hour ago.
Every word was still fresh in Rarity’s mind. Every little detail, every twitch and smile, had been committed to her memories. And she found herself pacing around her bedroom.
At first, she had sent off her friend, with a few good words of advice, and the promise to be ready to answer any last-minute questions she might have left. She would even make a small trip to the library just to make sure everything was fine before any date could take place.
“Ah, Twilight’s first date…” Rarity whispered longingly. “I do hope everything will be perfect.”
Slowly however, a thought had grown stronger in her mind, an idea of sort, that had her gaze wandering toward a locked drawer in her bedside table.
Without even opening it, she still could see its content. All of it had been consigned to memory.
They were letters, words a previous lover that had captured her heart had left her, a few lyrical flights that had made her soar with happiness. Oh yes, just thinking back on them, on the prose that declared the beauty of her figure, that whispered the colors of a blazing passion for every inch of her, that said the most precious thing, just thinking on them made her heart soar.
They all said “I love you.”, and, for a second, Rarity let her precious memories carry her.
Being loved was the most delightful of sensations. Was it so surprising then that she sought ‘the one’? That she wanted her friends to share that happiness just as well?
In an abrupt whiplash, her mind went back to the ground, to Twilight and her current situation. Things could be much worse for her, she knew.
And, as it so happened, her thoughts led her to a certain tabloid.
Of course, they had made a promise not to read them anymore. The lies they had tried to pass as facts were disgusting, ridiculous even for a sensationalist.
But, just like Rainbow Dash, she knew how important the words spread about one pony were for their continued careers. When it came to royalty, to the very figures of Equestria, then it became truly crucial.
She had made it a duty for herself to follow the words spread about Twilight, if only to keep them one step ahead of any embarrassing situation. The fact that it gave her things to gossip was a secondary but pleasant bonus.
This precise article however, albeit finishing with a truly ridiculous conclusion, had brought forth some interesting ideas. For starters, an union between Prince Ventus and her friend would essentially link her to Celestia and Luna by blood. What she had always suspected of being a childhood dream for Twilight would thus come to pass. A fortunate coincidence, no more.
But this was only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
For all its coverage by the journalists and paparazzi alike, very few ponies had reacted in outrage at the news. After all, a princess pursuing a prince only seemed rather appropriate, did it not? Even under the scrutiny of the Canterlot populace, and the rest of Equestria, the couple was at most a source of harmless gossip.
Luckily, Twilight’s ascension had been recent enough. She had yet to be courted by ponies with political alliances in mind. Or if any had made plans like that before, then they had been too patient and cautious.
There was no doubt the Princesses would have allowed her to love the stallion her heart desired, as they had approved of Cadence’s union, but any pressure had been removed before it even started. There would be no outrage, barely more whispers than necessary, if she did give in to her feelings for the prince as opposed to her loving a peasant.
With her new responsibilities stressing her as much as they did – which they had all noticed rather quickly –, Twilight might have felt much more uncomfortable if she had had the impression most ponies disapproved of her love life. She might have come to imagine her mentor would disapprove, simply because so many others did; or that she would have caused her troubles with some public outrage.
Twilight might have… placed her feelings below her perceived duties.
And with Ventus, there was no need for such worries. She was free of these apprehensions, free to give in and love.
Even death could not become a shadow over their happiness. Though she was still unsure if her friend had been ‘gifted’ with immortality… It remained a darker point of contention amongst themselves and the verdict was out on this one. At the very least, Ventus seemed to be.
One did not get to be centuries old and still look like that without being immortal.
For a moment, Rarity waved a paper fan in front of her, trying to get rid of the heat spreading in her chest. Why did royals have to all be so attractive? Even that… that un-princely Blueblood?! Curse him for his muscles, his ocean blue sapphires orbs of sight, his oh so grand mane of flowing gold, akin to the most majestic harvest, topped by that snow-ivory fur of a thousand shade of white! Curse him!
Her overactive imagination had treacherously burned his most charming smile in her mind, forced her to remember time and times again how dreamy he was. She didn’t fall for him for nothing…
Albeit it hadn’t been for the best reasons either, she thought with a grimace.
Her eyes darted to another envelope, resting upon her bedside table, but not with her love letters. That one… had been quite recent.
She let out a sigh bigger than the ones before, full of nostalgia for a time before the Gala, when it had been easier and less painful to lose herself in her delusions of fairytale love. Nowadays, she understood just how much of it was wishful thinking bordering cruel naivety.
Though… perhaps Prince Blueblood wasn’t as un-princely as she had thought… but he was still a royal pain in her neck, twisting her fantasies and most beautiful dreams into uncouth nightmares! Still, it didn’t do well to hold grudges… It wasn’t lady-like.
Shaking her head, Rarity forced herself back on topic. It wasn’t about her love life, it was about Twilight’s. Where was she going on with this again? Oh! Yes, immortality…
Her heart fell in her chest. That aspect of her friend’s life remained blurry, as if a veil of blissful ignorance had been given to them. She herself could not find it in her to ask just yet. At the very least… Ventus’ immortality was not put in question. Even his young brother was nearly thrice her own age!
I-in any case… Twilight would be spared this pain…
Strangely, the idea caused her more unease than sadness. In her mind, she felt two gears line up with an uncanny precision.
There hadn’t even been uncertainty, if she had understood clearly. By herself, perhaps her friend would have been too shy to dare initiate any kind of relationship. However, Ventus had cleared that ordeal himself, coming to her, expressing his desire for her. It might have been off-putting in the very beginning for a shier pony like Twilight, but when the idea had started to make its way in her brain, clearly the passion had become flattering.
Every single obstacle seemed to add up, only to be rendered meaningless one after the other.
Ventus made for such a convenient lover, did he not? Status, physique, wealth, immortality… Yet, there was still one thing that she could not place back in harmony with the rest. It had been a few words, possibly some that Twilight had already forgotten in her excitement and fear.
“Because he wanted to leave…”
This detail… this one sentence haunted her. Why would he willingly court Twilight if he intended to leave?
…Was he planning to ask her to follow him? No, that could not work either, she was both a princess and the bearer of an Element of Harmony… Unless he had chosen to stay himself, what could he…?
She was not able to decide.
Her eyes trailing back to the locked drawer, Rarity picked the key in a nearby vase and delicately opened it. With an air of nostalgia passing over her traits, she lifted a pure white envelope whose seal was long since broken. There was no need for her to take out the message within; she could recite it by heart.
Rarity sighed again, but of sadness this time.
Every relationship was bound to hit problems sooner or later, and sometimes, it did not survive them. The most beautiful dreams could be ruined all too quickly. She would know.
What will you do then, Twilight? The images of her friend’s shyly hopeful smile wouldn’t leave her. How will you act once things are not so easy? What will you do if this good luck runs to an end? How will you feel?
She might need to speak with the others about this.
But, as she remembered what had been revealed to her about the stallion earlier, heat crept on her cheeks, bringing a blush to her face. Ah, I’ll be writing to them. But first, she added, glancing at the clock on the wall, I should pay Twilight a visit as promised.
Turning the sign on the door to ‘CLOSED’, Rarity left, thoughts filling her head. It wasn’t a long walk to the library, but she could hopefully sort things out before she arrived. That darling Twilight would certainly need as much support as she could get and if she arrived a tad too late to be useful, she could always save face and pretend to have come to see Spike. The poor dear had seemed a little down the last time she had gotten to see him, and he certainly deserved happiness as much as anypony else.
About halfway there however, an unpredicted turn of event made her plans unravel. At the intersection between the main street and the road toward the market, a loud cry of blazing bravado made her head snap to her left. And she witnessed an intriguing sight.
She had never seen that orange unicorn before, though there was an air of familiarity about him.
A part of her was reminded of Fluttershy, in the way he carried himself as soon as he noticed another pony in the vicinity, with a hint of fear, a stumble to his steps, or even the twitch of his tail. It appeared obvious that this new stallion was painfully shy.
Apparently sheepish, he was giving off nervous smiles to the passerby that frowned at the aerial tricks and general ruckus caused by the orange blur overhead.
Her eyes fell on the young colt flying around, who happened to fit the description her little sister had given her of the new student in class. Feather… Feather something, the name escaped her at the moment. Still, there was no doubt that those two were closely related. It was rather obvious.
The direction they were following was the same as hers. Most likely a coincidence, she decided. Most likely. After all, it did not mean they would be going to the library, right? But, as she quickly realized, their steps were going to overlap in less than a minute.
Finally tearing his eyes off an older mare that seemed very disapproving toward the colt’s antics, the orange stallion finally faced forward and stopped. Briefly, his eyebrows shot upward, disappearing beneath a blonde fringe.
“Miss Rarity! What a pleasant surprise!” He exclaimed, hints of uncertainty tainting the seemingly jovial greeting.
“Oh.” She blinked in mild surprise. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I recognize you.”
“Cloud Circle,” he offered sheepishly. “And this is my brother Feather Dust. We’re new in Ponyville, but we have heard about the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”
Before she could even help herself, she had already gauged the stranger. A new stallion in town… not bad looking… going to the library near the end of the afternoon… and with a little brother…
Her mind decided right there of the obvious identity of those two ponies.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.” She gave him her most beautiful smile. “Even if I am still surprised you managed to identify me on a first meeting.”
“I’ve… ah… how to say…” A glint of unidentified nature seemed to flicker in his gaze, although she could have sworn the stallion seemed amused. “… heard a lot about you.”
Her whole body came to an halt immediately, while her ears twitched. Eyes wide, she stared at this ‘Cloud Circle’, his voice ringing in her memory on how he had put emphasis on “heard” of all words.
The second he smiled, Rarity understood. Oh yes, she understood all too well. He was no prince charming, he was EVIL INCARNATE!
The orange unicorn leaned forward, his innocent smile suddenly turning sinister. “I must say… That sounded like a lot of leather, Miss Rarity.”
In an instant, her hoof flew upward, flicking away at his horn while she jumped away. Gritting her teeth, she sent nervous glances everywhere, thinking that this had to be a nightmare. An even worse one then that time she dreamt Sweetie Belle had sold pictures of her old designs to Photo Finish.
“I deserved that one,” Cloud Circle whispered, blinking and shaking away the remainders of his sudden headache.
“Yes, you did!” Rarity vigorously agreed, which only seemed to amuse that evil creature of darkness and suffering.
Not about to let herself be underestimated by that stallion, she focused on her horn for a fleeting moment, then on a group of daisies that suddenly found themselves flying through the air. She was almost pleased at the confusion in his gaze, at his interrogative stare that showed he did not expect her retaliation. Wasting no time, she jumped, intent on shutting down that mouth that threatened her reputation, namely by stuffing it full with flowers.
Taken aback, Cloud Circle jumped, pupils shrunken for a fraction of a second. Swiftly however, his eyes returned to normal, and he proceeded to chew on the flowers thoughtfully before swallowing them in a single gulp.
“Not bad at all, Miss Rarity.” He nodded appreciatively, his shy behavior almost gone by that point. “Though I have to wonder if it really is allowed to eat flowers off the library’s lawn. And if the earth on your legs is really that fashionable.”
The fashionista’s mouth dropped open in horror, her whole body shaken by a frightful shiver. But, to the surprise and interest of the ‘unicorn’ in front of her, Rarity’s shaking came to a rapid end. Standing her ground, eyes leaving her dirty coat, she locked her gaze with his, a glint of steel showing.
“You heard us.”
“Not in its entirety,” he admitted slowly, as if ashamed of what had happened. “Mostly the beginning. Afterward, I tried not to. It seemed very private.”
Taking a deep breath, Rarity thought back on her friend, and found the most constant fact about her friend’s visit to be her smile. Thus, she turned around, whispering the only thing left for her to say. “Be kind to her.”
He gave her the most confused look, before he let out a chuckle. “I don’t intend anything else.”
And she left, with a strange sentiment wavering in her chest.
It had been a… disconcerting meeting, to say the least. No majesty, no grand air, nothing from the prince except simplicity, yet she could not help think that the soft laughter he had produced was probably the most gentle sound to ever grace her ears. For a fleeting second, her heart squeezed with the regret that she had never had even a chance with him before they left, but already she squashed it and sent a mental encouragement to a doubtlessly fretting Twilight.
And, Celestia’s perfect coiffure, may the future be kind to them both.
--
I was still chuckling when we entered the library. And so was Calx.
The library itself was not changed in the slightest. Except, maybe, for the vibes of restlessness I could feel in the air. Albeit I knew it was in part my fault, I was still under the impression there was something else to it. For starters, I could not see Twilight anywhere.
Or anypony else for that matter.
Good.
“Hello?” I called loudly, contradicting the entire point of a library.
I fully expected a reprimand from Twilight for that, but was sorely disappointed. S-she was here, right?
“I met Rarity at your door!” This should at least serve to summon up Spike…
…Nothing.
Now this was getting curious…
“She left quickly, for reasons I cannot possibly fathom,” I went on, with a casual tone, trotting between the shelves with Calx in tow.
Well, the good point was that he didn’t seem really disturbed. He kept glancing around, with an honestly different look of appreciation on his face. It almost seemed as if he was trying to guess the age or the value of the books surrounding him.
“I didn’t even hear what she was so embarrassed about. And to be honest, if I had, I would have focused my attention elsewhere.” I was surprised at my own sincere annoyance, implying at least some expectations in others... The rest of my sentence disappeared in a bitter whisper. “I don’t make it a game to spy on innocent people.”
My resentment, however, took a secondary place in my mind as soon as I caught a flash of purple magic, followed by the uneven rhythm of somepony’s breathing.
“What a coincidence…” Twilight’s voice reached our ears, albeit it felt… different. It was sweeter for a lack of better word, a little forced though, what’s with the hint of uncertainty piercing through. “I also saw Rarity today.”
I barely had time to ponder her words, the meaning of which I already knew – or, more accurately, I thought I knew –, before I first caught a glimpse of her hoof around a bookshelf. Then, just as I was moving forward, Twilight stepped out into the open.
My knees almost buckled.
Holy b-buck… My brain started to suffer from a lack of blood, due to diverting flows and other such biological responses. She saw Rarity alright!
But it was Calx that put my thoughts into words. Unfortunately, with his usual lack of tact…
“Bow-chika-wow-wow,” the brat hummed mockingly.
There was only one appropriate for that: a wrathful noogie.
“AAAAAAAAAAH!” He soon shouted, squirming and thrashing in my grip. “LET ME GO! UNCLE! UNCLE!”
Now, if I wasn’t in front of my marefriend and this wasn’t a library, I might have let him scream a little bit more. However, since these circumstances were currently relevant, my grip on him loosened and he escaped with a kick.
“Come on, go see Spike.” I gave him a push, that may or may not have been a little rough. “You had this, and I quote, awesome idea you wanted to share with him.”
“And leaving you alone with Twilight?”
The look I gave him was enough to send him running. A wise call on his part.
“SPIIIIIIIKE!” He shouted, his tone a mixture of fear and excitement, while he ran up the stairs at an impressive speed.
We followed his progression with our eyes, just in case.
“Colts,” I said sheepishly, hoping that she hadn’t been too embarrassed by his behavior. I knew I was.
To my surprise, however, Twilight did not nod with understanding at my statement. Instead, her gaze trailed off after Calx longer, her eyebrows lowering ever so slightly. If anything, she seemed pensive.
Thankfully, that moment of uncertainty passed, and she became conscious of my presence once more.
“Soooo…” She stretched her wings a little, and twisted around. When she was certain I had gotten a good, long look at her clothing, Twilight finally turned back to me with both hope and apprehension. “H-how do you like my dress?”
With just that, the warmth came back with a vengeance. My vision had judged useful to zoom in on every single one of her more flattering attribute, dancing from her face, to her lips, to her curled mane and the waves of the fabric that cascaded into her back, all the way to her flanks.
“Y-you look stunning, Twilight. It’s really fitting you, you’re incredibly beautiful, and I-” And I would have said a lot more, if not for the sound of the door to the library creaking open.
Instantly, I disappeared in a gust of wind, only to materialize in front of a row of books. Light silver threads formed the delicate writing of their titles on their spines, against the darker colors of their covers. The work put on them was clearly artistic, and the vibes exuding from some of the volumes had me thinking I had ended up in the ancient books section. It could have been interesting were this not opening now.
Behind me, hoofsteps filled the empty space between Twilight and the entrance.
“My, Princess Twilight, what a beautiful dress.” A female voice I didn’t recognize rang to my ears, alongside a slight noise of fur against fabric. “Is it for a formal occasion?”
“Huh… y-yes, it is.”
“Well, you’ll be the belle of the ball then.”
Yup, I found myself nodding along. Definitely going to impress with that kind of clothing, Twilight.
The rest of that polite exchange was soon drowned out by the fresh recollection of my marefriend’s incredibly flattering outfit. The image was almost intoxicating, and it sent shivers down my spine just thinking about it.
It required a great deal more patience than I would have expected, to pretend not to be here simply to spend time with Twilight but instead browse through the shelves.
Needless to say, the moment the door closed, we were already facing each other. Except, with that interruption, we had lost the flow of our exchanges, however little we had it. It made me unexpectedly nervous, even more so with the stronger than usual attraction I felt for her, enough to ponder the right way to start things again, potentially with the least awkwardness possible on Twilight’s part.
However, as it turned out, I didn’t really need to think about it so hard.
“S-so, you spoke to Rarity?” She asked, valiantly trying to get the conversation going again.
“Yes, we didn’t exchange much…” I replied, with a fake neutrality. Taking a few steps closer, I then continued with a mixture of impishness and curiosity. “Though I have been hearing about a certain spot behind your ears…”
There you go, Twilight! Blushing and looking all cute like that again.
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4055550 You, good sir, have quite the timing.
4038784 Well, what makes you think that? After all, if there are implications at all humans becoming alicorns through that spell, there are just as many with only the Millers becoming alicorns.
Still, I'm interested in your reasons.
Okay, I think I would have to agree with lovestruck Sam being more adorable, if it weren't for the fact that I'm still pretty paranoid about the situation that led up to this moment. Actually to be honest I do agree.
Anyway, I kinda like the implication in Magnus' part that Sam and Tom may have always been alicorns in the first place but they went to the human world first, so I felt sorry for him a bit more than before. Still I feel like the effect of this world has finished it's work on them by making them forget what was important, even though this is supposed to be a day of relaxation for them, so they wouldn't worry about problems in the first place. I just can't stop worrying about them about the issues that's going to come after Sam in his peaceful moments, especially with that Justice guy is going to do. I really hope that Justice isn't really a Knight Templar when he does arrive, otherwise it's not really justice, just punishment. By the way, did Sajm ever explain to Twilight that he can be selective in what he hears and has some control over it? I thought he did
Hummm. Sam and Tom are developing an interesting problem. Sam especially has begun to consider them both immortal... he's forgetting that this is not their world to begin with. I don't yet trust the implication that they've merely taken a place already reserved for them in FiM's cosmology.
And Rarity has shown us an another facet fo this conundrum: Sam-as-Ventus' existence is almost too perfect a fit for Twilight's needs in matters of love, and their romance was a surpisingly quick thing. Very little foreshadowing. As if he was written to be her perfect love interest... like a Stu.
Hehe love is in the air.
4056556 to some degree ya, but i doubt it will be all sunshine and roses. There will be bumps or ditches in the road, though I think it will be up to Twilight to actually fight to keep Sam/ Ventus by her side as a mate in the end to make it a happy ending. Wouldn't be fair if he had to go through all the trials and tribulations without her trying to fight for it equally.
4058289
Oh yes, there will be bumps in the road. Nothing's quite as at first it seems in this fic.
4058405 Ya I just hope he can overcome all the tribulations and finally get some happiness in the end. He's already been through so much ;~;
*to
*seal
Either
*he had not expected
Or
*he did not expect
...
Don't get me wrong. I still enjoy reading this. I just have this uncanny need to correct the grammar in an otherwise flawless message.
If I had to comment about some aspect that someone else hasn't pointed out yet...
What's that special thing that Tom/Calx is going to show Spike?
4056556
... like a Stu-d?
4055917 Not sure where you're picking up implications that Ventus and Calx went to the human world at all...
If I were to be 100% honest and 50% troll, I would tell you that this situation you saw is more or less what his life would be like without him being so hellbent on finding a way home. This is pretty much what it would be like, if Sam did throw away his human life and embrace his new nature.
I don't know, however, if I should feel proud that I made you so paranoid or sorry. Probably both. Oh and, if it might help you see what's coming...
Justice is justice.4056556 See, there's something interesting about your statement. You talk as if they aren't immortals, which they actually are. Doesn't matter if they weren't before, now they are.
It's not necessarily that he's forgetting what world they belong to. It can be, just as well, that he is planning for some things in the long run. It's not that he wants to take some aspects of alicorn life into consideration, but he's thinking that, if he fails at bringing them back... Well, at least, they'll be a little bit more prepared.
As for Rarity's speculations, well, I won't say too much about that, except that I love you guys picking up the discussion in the comments.
4057666
Pretty much.
4058289 To be fair, most of Sam's fights and problems so far did not actually relate to his interest in her. Still, let's see if we can vouch for some equality here.
4060670 That is mighty kind of you.
Glad to see you liked it.
4060750 I'm not sure why you seem to feel bad for helping me correct mistakes I overlooked. I would much rather you tell me than not!
As for what Tom wanted to tell Spike... eh... you'll see. You'll see.
4061378 Holy crap... someone finally made that joke! YES! I love you.
4061498
Hah, you are most welcome good sire!
I may not be Pinkie Pie but I will try my hardest.
[Complexity intensifies]
But seriously, this was a really good chapter. It helped connect heaps of plot points in really sutble ways.
Next chapter on earth, perhaps?
Man, 30 chapters and nothing happened. Too much for me. I'm out
4065284 Eh, sorry to disappoint then.
Though, if you don't mind, what exactly did you expect to happen?
4061498
Without looking back at the chapter and getting it from memory. Magnus mentioned mortal worlds in his thoughts implying that they went to other words besides Equestria. While I do remember that Sam made up a lie about their "nicknames" and that could be what Magnus was referring too instead of Sam's real world.
The reason I'm paranoid is that Sam made so little progress in trying to find a way home, and instead of getting closer to going home while he's in Canterlot, he's been drifting further and further apart from his home that he can hardly remember what his real parents' faces are like and to make matters worse there's two horrible things happening in Equestria, something has erased Zecora and there's windogoes about. But it whatever magic is affecting Sam seems to be affecting everyone and making them forget about this important stuff and focus on Sam and his romance and social problems. While it's great that Celestia is on the job now, and both she and Sam are aware that something is trying to take over his body, it's that the lack of progress or clues to getting him and Tom to their real home is aggravating me to no end and now I don't remember how many days Sam and Tom has been in Ponyville and after that encounter with Zecora's hut it seems awfully weird to keep focusing on other social problems. But then again, Twilight hasn't gotten any real clues yet, except for something about Sam. Here's hoping they discuss this after Twilight and Sam get over the usual romantic awkwardness.
4065618 humm... oh! There was a part of this chapter I had to cut, and now that I think about it, it was precisely the one part that explained one of your complaints aka current focus.
Right now, in the basement of the library, there are a few tests running. They take a certain number of hours for the process to be completed. With the 'date', she simply started them early, instead of using the whole night to complete them.
Don't worry, there will be another shift soon.
We couldn't quite generate a tune to go with Ventus's little song there...?
Rarity.... Zomg!
Other than that, it's fun.
Keep going! ;)
4065326
Don't worry about it. Just not my thing. I'd have like, the truth spell change him back into a petite pegasus or something just to be completely inexplicable. Crazy stuff like that.
4066143 The song is intentionally strange, don't worry. Sam is jumping around between subjects a bit too fast for him to really sing well.
And... I have to ask, are you saying that Rarity wasn't fun? What is that zomg for?
4067811 I really don't know any more, comes with trying to make sensible comments at 3 in the morning... ;p
4065671
So basically that was the gist of how much work is done about Sam's and Zecora's problems. I guess it was kind of hard to write that up without breaking the theme/feel of this chapter, I suppose that's the reason you ended up cutting it. Besides it being very small progress, you couldn't write it because it'll interrupt the flow or something else right?
4070506 More or less. I was trying to work it out in the next chapter. It will probably work much better there.
4070519
Well if the focus is going to change back on Sam's quest of going home (or at least a clue) it probably will.
"I whispered for his eats alone, while waving away at the blonde mare who was doing the same." I think you mean ears here.
I normally do not comment on a chapter till I am up to date on the hole story, but I think every one in the world should read at lest the first 1/2 of this chapter.
the wisdom in that part just makes you stop and think truly amassing.
exultant work WiseFireCracker
Harts Fire
emergency gossiping supplies.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr I hate gossip!!
😡