Chapter 5
Something was wrong.
Though Dash still had her eyes closed and her entire body was still half asleep, her mind was alert. She didn’t know what woke her up or why, but there was something there, nagging at her. The only problem was, she couldn’t remember what. As she lay there in the dark with Fluttershy curled up beside her for warmth, all she could hear was the howling wind.
She sat up with a groan, shivering as the cold air wormed its way into her jacket. Immediately zipping it up, Dash glanced around the tunnel, even as her bleary eyes threatened to close every couple of seconds. Still, her instincts were screaming that something was wrong, and only an idiot ignored their instincts. Plus, it’s not like these tunnels were some great secret. Everything was silent, not a whisper was heard except for the wind, but that wasn’t anything unusual, so what wa-
The snoring. Where was the bloody snoring? Fluttershy was asleep, Spike was nowhere to be seen, and the horned freak was missing as well. Dash quickly checked her saddlepack, as well as Fluttershy’s, but nothing was missing and a quick sniff and lick of their remaining food didn’t turn up anything strange. Either they hadn’t gotten around to poisoning the food yet, or they were currently cooking it up.
A quick glance at their half of the cave revealed their equipment was still there, and Dash slipped over and began looking through it. There were a couple of vials, a very detailed map of safe places to stay at night, which Dash quickly copied, as well as two books.
Once everything was back in the bag, Dash paused, looking up and down the corridor. It was possible they had gone further into the cave system despite how dangerous it was, but if they had, she most likely would be able to hear them. Then again, considering she was talking about those two, it wasn’t really that much of a stretch by any means. Still, wandering off into the cave system alone was probably the dumbest thing any pegasus could do, though she was certain that a dirt pony could come up with something dumber somehow.
Walking as quietly as can be, Dash began sneaking towards the entrance, eyes constantly darting around in an attempt to spot the unicorn before she was noticed. As she turned the corner, two silhouettes stood by the entrance and Dash slipped back. When nothing happened, she cautiously poked her head out and watched as they sat there, the unicorn lightly stroking the dragon’s back as though he was some sort of pet.
As Dash crept closer, she could just make out words being spoken, but it was too hard to hear above the storm outside. Making sure she stayed within the shadows, she soon found herself hiding behind a boulder, ears straining to make out what was being said.
“-ink about them?” asked Spike.
“The yellow one seems alright, but the other one? Definitely not,” said Twilight. “What I really want to know is what they’re doing out here at all, by all accounts they’re the last ones to be on such a dangerous mission.”
“Perhaps they’re running away.”
“Everypony who’s out here is running away. Saying that is like saying the snow is white.”
“They deserve the chance.”
“I’ve given them plenty of chances, the answer is still no.”
Silence descended as the two kept watch in silence.
“What do you think Pinkie is up to?” asked Spike, finally breaking the silence.
“Knowing her? Something silly.”
“It’s for morale you know.”
“I know that, doesn’t mean I have to approve of it,” snapped the unicorn. After a moment her entire body seemed to sag and she whispered something too soft for Dash to hear. Whatever it was though, it caused Spike to nuzzle Twilight lightly, a gesture she happily returned.
“Where to next?” asked Spike.
“We keep going north-east, seeing which towns we can get into as we go, until we hit the border. From there we can get back to base relatively safely.”
“And the others?”
“Can do whatever they want. It’s no secret Rainbow Dash hates both of us.” For some reason Twilight laughed at that. Whatever Spike said in response though was lost in the rumble of thunder, but it caused Twilight to laugh even harder, though there seemed to be an almost bitter aftertaste to it.
Once more, Spike said something too soft to be heard and Twilight's laughter suddenly cut off with a sigh. After a couple seconds of her just tapping her hoof, she finally said, "Why do you hate the pegasus so much anyways?"
"Rainbow Dash?"
"Yeah."
For once he was actually silent as he was forced to think, probably for the first time in his life.
"I don't hate her, but she's..."
"Everything 'great' about the pegasi?" supplied Twilight and Dash puffed out her chest.
"Yeah." There was a pause. "Actually, that's exactly it and that rubs me the wrong way."
Dash opened her mouth to say something, only to snap it shut when she remembered that she was meant to be silent. There was a reason why she sent others on scouting missions and sure, spying sounds so much fun, but the thought of sitting in a single spot for hours on end was enough to make her roll over and die. Even now, her legs were screaming at her to stand up and run around in circles or something. It didn't matter what, but she just needed to move, to get that blood pumping and heart pounding. Despite all that, she bit her lip in an attempt to ignore that instinct as she leaned in further in an attempt to hear their words better.
"Kind of hard to not be that way when that's how you were raised," said Spike.
"I'm not that way." Silence. "Alright, don't you dare say it, I know that was a stupid thing to say."
"Very stupid."
"Oh shut up." Twilight shoved the drake off her shoulder. "You might as well go and wake the others and tell them about the storm. If you don't, that pegasus will probably throw a tantrum and think we've secretly poisoned her food or something."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm go-"
Whatever else was said was lost as Dash scrambled back to camp, quickly shoving herself next to Fluttershy and closing her eyes. A couple seconds later, the sound of flapping could be heard followed by Spike landing somewhere to the right.
"You know, there are more subtle ways to eavesdrop," he said casually. "And considering we both dislike you, that was a really bad way to get into our good graces."
"Who says I want to get into your good graces?" snapped Dash as she opened her eyes.
"Just saying your sneaking sucks is all." He shrugged.
"Then how come that unicorn didn't hear me?"
"That unicorn has a name you know," he said. "And you forget, I'm a dragon, I hunt for my food."
"Yeah right, they probably die of laughter when they see you." Dash stood up and stretched out her legs, walking around the room to get rid of that annoying voice in the back of her head. "As if you could hunt anything."
The two stared at each other silently before Spike finally sighed and looked away, allowing Dash to give herself a pat on the back.
"I'm starting to think Twilight is right," he whispered.
"What's that?" Dash was suddenly in front of that stupid dragon. "What is she right about?"
"You. You're just... such a pegasus an-"
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"Oh real funny. You want to know what I'm tired of? You telling me to use her fucking name when she doesn't even use mine! I'll give her my respect, but only after she earned it, and not a second earlier," growled Dash before muttering under her breath, "As if a unicorn could ever earn it to begin with."
"You see? That's exactly what I'm talking about!" said Spike, causing Dash to swear under her breath. "She saved you from dying out there, and that deserves respect."
"And I bet she was oh-so-willing to do that," spat Dash.
"Tha-That's not the point. The point is that she still saved your worthless flank, and at the very least, you should actually thank her for it."
"Whatever." Dash shoved past, sending the small drake tumbling through the air. "You want me to talk to her? Fine, I'll fucking talk to her!"
Each hoofbeat echoed through the cave as Dash stomped her way towards the entrance, a low rumbling in the back of her throat as she muttered curses under her breath in an attempt to not burst out screaming. By the time she reached the entrance, her wings here trembling with rage and her glare could have set snow on fire.
"You're up," said Twilight without even bothering to turn around.
"Yes, I'm up, and I have a bloody name you know," snarled Dash.
There was a pause before Twilight sighed and turned around. "What did Spike say this time? I swear that drake is purposefully trying to make my life worse than Tartarus."
Dash's one good wing flared open, preventing the unicorn from going anywhere. "Spike wants us to talk, so guess what? We're going to talk."
"Oh, is that so?" Twilight cocked an eyebrow before she turned around and sat down. "Very well, what must we talk about?"
"Apparently I need to 'thank you' for saving me, but we both know you didn't want to, and that Fluttershy did most of the work," said Dash.
"You would be correct, but it had nothing to do with you being a pegasus." She gestured at the white expanse before them. "Any second lost is a second closer to death out there, and for all I knew, you could have been attacked by a manticore or something. It was less than ideal for me to take that risk."
That caused Dash to blink in surprise. "So you don't want me to... you know..."
"What would the point be? I did not save you, as you so logically pointed out. If anything, you should be thanking Spike for forcing my hoof."
"Good, well that jerk isn't getting one anyways," said Dash as she turned to walk away.
"Wait." Dash stopped, but didn't bother looking backwards. "Why are you two out here anyways?"
"That's none of your business.”
"True, but I am more curious as to where you are going. Life out here is not easy, and unless you've got a plan, you're as good as dead."
"What's that to you?"
"I may dislike you, but Spike seems to like Fluttershy and it would make life more pleasant if she didn’t end up dying needlessly."
"You say that as though I'd willing put her in danger," hissed Dash.
"You're bringing her out here aren't you?"
"Less danger than what she'd be if she had stayed behind."
"Ah..." The unicorn nodded as though it understood. "Regardless, I suggest you tone down the aggression for her sake."
"You don't get to 'suggest' anything, and what the fuck is that last part supposed to mean anyways!? It's not like we'll be travelling together once this storm passes," said Dash, their backs still facing each other.
"Are you really willing to put her life on the line?" she whispered. "Think about it, one wrong more and she's dead. Neither of you have any experience living out here, and I can assure you, things will go wrong."
"Tha-That's not the point!" yelled Dash as she finally turned around to face the unicorn.
"Isn't it?" replied Twilight with a small smile.
Rainbow Dash immediately looked away, unable to meet Twilight's eyes. As much as she wanted to argue, even she knew it was pointless and that no one would be convinced either way. The only reason she was there, the only reason why she wasn't safe and sound back at base was because of Fluttershy. If it wasn't for Fluttershy, everything would be fine and safe and normal. If Fluttershy died then what would the point be?
If her friend died, Dash would never be able to forgive herself, no matter what happened. It didn't matter if it was a freak snow storm or a dragon descending from the sky—if something happened to Fluttershy, Dash would blame herself for it. After all, she promised to always protect Fluttershy, and Rainbow Bucking Dash never broke a promise.
"Let's face it, we hate each other, but Spike's going to be a massive jerk about it, and if Fluttershy ever manages to grow a spine, she'll probably insist on it as well considering how much they enjoy each other's company." Her frown darkened. " I don't like it any more than you do."
"At least we agree on something then," said Dash with a nod. "Fine, we travel together for now, but we are not allies and we are not friends. If a dragon decides to eat you, I ain't saving you."
"Wish I could say the same thing, but I have no doubt Spike would force me to," muttered Twilight.
“Please, I’ve been in far more dangerous situations, I can handle myself just fine. Anything is better than being saved by a horned freak, even death.”
“Maybe your pride and arrogance is important for you, but to me, all that matters is ending this bloody weather."
"Keep dreaming."
"It's not. It can't be, I can feel it." Dash snorted, but Twilight's eyes narrowed. "No, I literally mean it, I can feel something magical in the storm and if there's a magical element to it, there must be a way to dispel it and once it's gone there'll be less of a reason for everypony to fight each other."
"If it was that simple, why haven't the unicorns done it yet?" asked Dash.
"How am I supposed to know? Does it look like I'm welcome to waltz into some meeting and hear all the forbidden details?" Twilight blew a lock of mane out of her eyes. "And I need to get my mane cut."
"Whatever." Out the corner of her eye, Dash watched as the unicorn fiddled with her hair, trying to keep it back. "So what you're saying is that if you dispel the magic, the storm will go away? But why would that stop everypeg- everypony from fighting?"
"Because we fight over resources!" Twilight flopped back. "Mainly food and firewood, but if it stopped snowing, we could grow food properly and trees would grow again and animals would come out and..." A sigh. "And I want to see the sun. Don't you? The sun and moon and stars and sky. I want to see it all."
"Typical," muttered Dash.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Hey! So you're allowed to say I'm a typical pegasus, but I'm not allowed to call you a typical unicorn? You're arrogant, think you know what's best, antisocial, loves useless things like books-"
"They're not useless!"
"-and you've got your head so far up your flank that all you can see are the roses," finished Dash. "Like I said, unicorn."
"Still better than being a stereotypical pegasus," she snapped back. "Hard headed, never thinks ahead, believes in dying in the most 'awesome' manner possible rather than living, constantly got their heads in the clouds, and are so stupid they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a book and a rock!"
"Hey, pegasi are not dirt ponies."
"Earth ponies are not stupid," said Twilight.
"Coulda fooled me."
Twilight snorted in amusement. "Your racism knows no bounds."
"Whatever." Dash stood up and stretched out her limbs. "We should be getting back anyways."
"Good idea, otherwise they might think we've killed each other."
"Don't tempt me, I'm still undecided on that one," said Dash over her shoulder.
"I'd like to see you try," smirked Twilight.
"Oh, is that a challenge." Dash cracked her neck as she began circling Twilight. "I've been looking for an excuse to beat you up. Doubt it'll be a challenge, but it'll certainly be a good warm up."
"A warm up indeed. I doubt a five second fight will actually count as exercise." The two circled around each other slowly. "At least you aren't crossing your legs, otherwise I'd have to downgrade you from ‘warm up’ to ‘what not to do’."
"That insult was horrible, but you're right, this will last less than five seconds, and at the end, I will be the one still standing."
Twilight merely smirked as she suddenly lunged, her hooves lashing out with three quick strikes. Blocking each one, Dash slipped into the unicorn’s guard and just missed the hook punch as Twilight twisted out of the way. Just a second slower and that unicorn would have had a broken rib, and that would mean no more annoying smirk. Faster than Dash thought possible, the unicorn swung around, forcing her to skip back as the horn missed her eye. The two separated and regarded each other silently as they went back to circling.
“That was horrible,” said Dash, “you over-extended on the last hit.”
“Your blow was too high and would have missed the kidney completely, which would have allowed me to counter and kill you,” replied Twilight.
“Please, my aim was perfect, you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about, just like a typical unicorn.” After all, why go for the kidney when a strong enough blow to the ribs could break a couple of bones, make breathing difficult and hopefully puncture a lung?
“And just like a pegasus, you’re too hard-headed to admit you’ve made a mistake until it kills you.”
“Of course, I leave you two alone for a minute and you’re already trying to kill each other,” sighed Spike as he glided into view.
“Um…” Fluttershy peaked out from around the corner. “Are they finished yet?”
“For now,” said Twilight.
Dash nodded in agreement. “We’re so finishing this later.”
“Great, now we’ve got two foals to look after,” sighed Spike yet again. “Why are we travelling together again?”
“Who said we’re travelling together,” snapped Dash. “We just happen to be travelling in the same direction.”
“W-We are?” asked Fluttershy causing Dash to groan and facehoof. “O-Oh! Of course we are.”
“Yes, we are,” said Dash, “but we are not friends, we are not companions, and if you do anything stupid we won’t come and save you.”
“Bu-“
“No buts,” growled Dash. “They’re still unicorns and I still don’t trust them. Plus, it’s not like they’ll come after us if we wind up in trouble.”
“It’s true,” said Twilight with a shrug. “Our mission is more important than risking our lives for others.”
“Twilight,” growled Spike.
“No Spike, this detour has cost us enough time as is, we are not losing any more.” The unicorn glared at the two pegasi. “Keep up or fall behind.”
“Ha! You try and keep up,” said Dash. “Ain’t no pegasus faster than me.”
“Good thing I’m not a pegasus then,” smirked Twilight. “Plus, I seem to recall you being out like a light last night.”
“Do I look like I’m sore though? I’m as fit as ever and I will totally kick your flank.” This time, Dash was the one smirking. “Even if I was half dead, I would still win.”
"Willing to put a bet on tha-"
"Break it up you two," said Spike as he hovered between the two. "As amusing as this is, we all know it'll only end with one of you dead, and I'm sure we'd like everypony to stay alive."
"Maybe you would," muttered Dash with a glare at the unicorn.
"At any rate," said Spike, his irritation barely hidden, "we should be getting a move on. The storm doesn't seem as though it's going to stop any time soon and we need to keep going."
"Through the tunnels then?"
"Through the tunnels."
Dash merely blinked at the two. "You two are fucking insane, you know that right?" A huge grin suddenly appeared. "Fuck it! Through the tunnels we go!"
"I-Is that a good idea? I mean, that is, it's so dark and tight and scary and, well, what if there's a cave in or we run into diamond dogs?" asked Fluttershy, causing Dash to gulp.
"Y-Yeah. I'm all for insane plans, but isn't that a bit too crazy?" said the chromatic pegasus.
A grin slowly made its way across Twilight's face. "Oh, is the poor wittle pegasus scared of the dark?"
"Y-Yes?"
"No!"
The two pegasi stared at each other.
"Well, looks like you'll be staying behind then." Twilight began walking down the tunnel. "Come on Spike, we've lost enough time, and you heard them, they're merely travelling in the same direction as us, not with us."
"Shut up!" yelled Dash at Twilight's mocking tone. "Come on Fluttershy, let's show these two why the pegasi are currently kicking everypony's flanks."
"Okay..." Fluttershy obediently followed behind Dash as she shoved past the unicorn.
Within seconds everything was packed and slung over their backs and Dash walking down the small tunnel with Fluttershy right behind her. The ceiling was nice and high, the walls weren't too close, and there weren't any forks. All was going well until Dash suddenly found herself in a chamber with three tunnels before them.
There was no doubt one of them would lead in the right direction, but Dash had no idea which one, and she was not about to admit that. The worst part was, Spike was standing there with that annoying smile of his, just waiting for her to make a choice and then mock her. Stupid drake, always talking about treating the unicorn right then turning aroundand pulling crap like this, well the joke was on him.
Dash began surveying the place, looking for anything that looked out of place or could be some secret clue. After all, they must have marked out the route so they could follow it easily without fear of getting lost, the mere thought of the possibility was enough to make her shudder. Taking a deep breath, Dash began going over every single last detail from the rocks to the scratches on the walls to the moss that was growing everywhere.
Actually… Dash narrowed her eyes as she began going over the moss on the rocks. Sure, there wasn’t anything that out of place, but something just felt off about the tunnel on the left. There was just this subtle difference, as though th- Of course! It looked as though a couple of the stones had been moved or turned causing the moss to look off. It was a small thing, a subtle thing that would have been overlooked at a first glance, but to a pegasus as skilled and awesome as she was? All it took was a single glance to work out the solution. It was so typical of a unicorn to think something so obvious would fool anypegasi.
With confidence radiating out of her every pore, Dash took a single step towards the tunnel before freezing as she caught sight of the dragon’s self-satisfied grin. Was he just playing mind-games with her now, or was he legitimately happy? Had Dash made a mistake somewhere along the line and had not noticed? That was impossible and a second quick survey confirmed her original conclusion, but still that grin bugged her. It was a mind game, it had to be a mind game, he was just trying to get inside her head and mess her up.
Another step, but this time it was far more hesitant than before.
“We’re wasting too much time,” growled Twilight as she walked down the corridor opposite the one Dash had selected.
Of course, it made so much sense now. It’s not like they would make it so easy to follow and figure out, there would obviously be some sort of trick behind it all. Considering it was a unicorn who made the markings, it should be been the most obvious thing in the world since they could never win in a straight up fight. Without their trickery and deceit, there was no way they could have lasted as long as they had going up against the pegasi.
Another three forks, and by the time they reached the fourth one, Dash was rolling her eyes at how simple the trick was. If she had been given five minutes she could have figured it out without any difficulties. Eventually though, they came to a wide open cavern with a completely black pit underneath them and no bridge in sight. A glance to the left and right showed no ledges to walk along and there weren’t any real hoofholds for climbing. That left one and only one option open, jumping to the other side.
“No flying,” whispered Fluttershy even as she glanced over the ledge.
“Yeah, yeah.” Dash brushed it off with a hoof as she backed up, her hooves digging into the stone. “As if I need to fly to make it over this.”
Twilight suddenly burst past, leaping over the gap and landing with a roll on the other side, with Spike gliding along behind her. Without even waiting for them to get out of the way, Dash leapt out, easily sailing past their heads and skidding to a stop on the other side just before the wall.
"And that's how you do it," said the pegasus with a grin. "Come on 'Shy."
"C-Coming." Fluttershy glanced over the side once more before gulping and leaping over with a strong push her wings, making it without so much as a hitch, though her hind hooves did slip on the edge.
Instead of continuing down the tunnel as expected, Twilight dropped off the ledge onto a smaller platform below before leaping out of sight. Dash immediately followed, not even bothering to think about what she was doing as she jumped blindly. Landing on the small ledge, she immediately followed Twilight across the pillars that jutted out of the pit and over to the other side. With their flanks to the wall , they began inching along, taking care to not slip and plummet to their death.
More than once, the ledge crumbled beneath their hooves, causing Dash to slip and Fluttershy to come in and help brace her. On those rare occasions, not even Spike had something snarky to say, and when Twilight slipped, Dash merely grinned to herself, but kept silent. In the back of her mind, there was a constant tally of how many times they had each slipped, and while they were roughly even, there was no doubt in her mind that the unicorn was totally cheating by using magic.
Reaching the end of the ledge, Dash watched as the unicorn expertly swung herself down and began making her slow way down the cliff face. After a watching for a second to get a rough idea of how it was done, Dash quickly followed. It was beyond awkward and it strained muscles Dash didn't even know existed, but she found herself quickly getting a feel for the motions and which hoofholds were safe and which ones weren't. Soon the ledge above was swallowed by the darkness as they continued their descent, using Spike's flames for light. It was impossible to tell how long they descended or how far down they went; all Dash knew was that she had to keep up with the unicorn.
By the time they finally reached solid ground, Dash collapsed within seconds while she drew in deep, shuddering breaths. Beside her, Twilight didn't fare much better as she lay sprawled out on the ground with her jacket unzipped.
"I hate that climb," panted Twilight.
"You're telling me," said Dash as she stretched out her legs. "Where the fuck are we?"
"Look behind you."
"Behind me?" Dash rolled over onto her stomach and looked up. "Oh. Shit."
Off in the centre of the cavern was a pure white castle floating in mid-air, stretching higher than Dash could see. The gap was such that it would have been impossible to jump across, and even flying it would have taken a couple of minutes. Between that and the ledge than ran the whole way around the cavern were six metal chains, each one wide enough for ten ponies to walk side by side along. Below it was more darkness.
"We've tried getting in more than once, but no matter how long we walk along the chain or Spike flies, we never get closer. Once we spent a whole day just walking to no avail," said Twilight, a longing in her eyes. "I just know the solution to everything is in there, but we can't get in."
"So why bring us here? Aren't you afraid we'll bring some pegasi back and figure everything out?" asked Dash.
"Impossible. I doubt anypony could ever figure out how to get in," sighed Twilight.
"Um... What about those statues?" asked Fluttershy, "The ones by the door."
"Alicorns," said Twilight. "Wings of a pegasus, horn of a unicorn and the constitution of an earth pony. It's the only clue I've got and I've scoured almost every part of this forsaken land looking for the answer."
"Nothing?" said Fluttershy.
"Nothing I'm willing to share," replied the unicorn.
Dash opened her mouth, but Spike immediately cut in, "We should grab something to eat then keep going, it's about lunch time anyways."
"Alright." Twilight reached bag and immediately guzzled down her foul liquid while Dash and Fluttershy had a quick snack of mouldy bread. "Ready?"
Dash merely nodded and Twilight immediately began walking along the ledge. Taking the first tunnel, they began a slow upward climb, and though Dash's legs complained, she pushed on with grim determination. She would not lose to a unicorn, she would never lose to a unicorn. As long Twilight was walking, Dash would continue to push on. Unicorns were weak, filthy things. To lose to them was to be lesser than the. On her pride as a pegasus, Dash forced herself onwards.
Rarity's eyes flicked to the left than right before slowly scanning the crowd before her. All it took was a glance to figure out just exactly what was going on here and why she had been summoned to appear before the court.
There was Trixie, deliberately wearing clothes that showed off her scars, as well as a shoulder pad full of scratches, to remind everypony of who she was to garner support. There was Fancy Pants and Fleur, wearing their finely crafted clothes designed to be both stylish and practical as Fleur fluttered her eyelashes and strutted around in an attempt to get customers.
Even General Shining Armor was present, his hard gaze constantly roving over those present as he somehow silently moved around despite the heavy armour he had on. Stressed or on edge? It was impossible to tell with his neutral expression and his controlled body language. Reading him was like reading a blank slate.
All those present had two things in common, they were either high ranking military, or they were involved in fashion. Add in the recent rumours, and the reason for the gathering was blatantly obvious, so much so that Rarity found herself standing in a small corner of the room while everypony else was busily wondering what was going on in hushed whispers.
"I see you've already figured it out," said a voice to her right.
Light blue coat, silvery mane, and yellow eyes.
"General Laureate," bowed Rarity, "it is an honour."
"You didn't answer the question," he said flatly.
"I would never presume to know, but I have some ideas," said Rarity. "Military personnel and those involved in clothing. Two things that have much in common despite what some may believe, which leads me assume there will either be an increase in demand or some new fabric you wish us to use. However, neither of those explains the large number of military present. Perhaps our fabric was somehow leaked to the enemy? A possibility, but if so, I imagine it would be a more covert operation. Thus, the only plausible explanation is the rumour in the clothing industry about a certain rare fabric that the military managed to get their hooves on recently."
"Clever." He sounded almost bored as he watched the room. "What's your opinion of Captain Trixie?"
Rarity kept her breathing even as she glanced up at Laureate through her eyelashes. From all appearances, it seemed like an idle question—he didn't look down at her or shift his posture, but then again, he was a general.
"It is no secret that there is little love between Captain Trixie and I."
"Your opinion citizen."
"She seems overzealous in her training and attacks," replied Rarity slowly, making sure to think over every word that was being spoken, "and the circumstances surrounding her rise in the ranks is... odd to say the least. However, she does seem to be effective at what she does if the news is to be believed, as well as her personal... stories."
"You shouldn't always believe in rumors," he said. "Though on the topic of , I wonder if you have heard the latest one."
"I don’t believe I have, sir."
"It involves your parentage."
"Let me guess, my father was an earth pony," sighed Rarity with a dramatic flick of her mane. "It was a favorite of ponies when they were five, and I had rather hoped the public would be mature enough and smart enough to ignore such frivolous accusations."
"Of course," he said. "Merely illustrating how one shouldn't believe everything they hear."
"A lesson I shall have to take to heart," replied Rarity smoothly before looking at General Laureate out the corner of her eye, "General Shining Armor seems to have filled the vacant spot rather nicely from what I've heard."
"Yes. Yes he has," replied Laureate evenly, and it would have fooled her if his tapping hoof didn't skip a beat when he replied. The question now turned to what it was about the newest general that gave him such pause. Dissent amongst the ranks? Feeling threatened by the younger stallion? From the way others talked about Shining Armor, it was clear they would all happily mate with him even if that meant sharing or herding . Sometimes Rarity simply lost all faith in her gender.
"It has been a pleasure Lady Rarity," bowed Laureate.
"The pleasure was all mine, it was an honor to have been graced with your presence." Rarity returned the bow.
As he wandered off, she let out a sigh of relief, but stopped her body from sagging as the weight lifted. To do so was to alert anypony who had been watching about the amount of stress she had been under during that little chat. After another calming breath, Rarity walked over to the refreshments and took a small sip of water before slipping back to her spot by the wall. From the way the others gave her sidelong glances, and the subtle way they purposefully stood so that their backs were to her, it was clear that they were jealous over what had happened. A couple even tried to approach her, but a simple lack of eye contact and subtle shift of her body made it clear their advances were unwanted.
"If I may have your attention please." The room fell silent. "Thank you. For those who do not know, I am General Shining Armor, and you have all been gathered here for a specific purpose. If you have pressing engagements, family to look after, or similar demands for your time, leave now."
That set of murmurs in the crowd and Rarity had to fight the urge to slam her face into the wall. If he wanted to send out rumors of something big going on, he just found out the most effective way of doing so.
When nopony turned to leave, he continued, "Very well. Lock the doors and seal the room."
The room immediately began buzzing in anticipating and nervousness. More than one unicorn looked ready to bolt right then and there, almost as though they actually thought they were in trouble for whatever crime they had committed.
"I do not know how long you will be locked in this room, and frankly, I do not care." Shining Armor walked along the stage, his voice easily cutting through the babbling. "You are some of the best and brightest minds in the clothing and military, and together you will create a new fabric to be incorporated into our uniforms. One that is lighter, more durable, and stronger than anything we have seen thus far. No doubt you have heard about the pegasus outfit we managed to acquire, but what you do not know is that it is the fabric worn by the Wonderbolts themselves, and that shall be the basis for our garment. Work in groups or work alone, it matters not, but none of you will leave this room until this is done. Dismissed."
A brilliant flash of light blinded Rarity, and by the time her vision had returned, Shining Armor was nowhere in sight. While the rest of the ponies milled around and whispered amongst themselves, Rarity walked up to the nearest guard and immediately grabbed a scrap of cloth before retreating to her spot. It was smoother than silk and when she stretched it, it easily changed shape before snapping back to its original form. Even when held up against the light and pulled, it was impossible to see through and it was completely waterproof. In fact, when she poured her cup of water on it, it seemed to soak it up, but not get any heavier or feel cold to her touch. If anything, it seemed to stay perfectly constant.
"Rarity." Somehow, Trixie managed to turn that greeting into an insult.
"What do you want?"
"This is a joint effort."
"There are others for you to work with."
"The others are a gaggle of idiots. As much as Trixie hates you and would love for you to work the fields, at least she won't end up committing suicide from being near you for more than five seconds."
"Congratulations, that was the most backhoof compliment I have ever gotten in my life, and I live with a mute earth pony who can out-snark most unicorns."
"Thank you." Trixie sat down and examined the fabric for herself. "Your findings thus far? Assuming you've actually made any progress."
"I was about the analyze the fabrics and see if I can identify what was used. There is little doubt this is a mix of materials, though I am having difficulty imagining what was used to come up with such unique properties." Rarity's horn lit up and blue sparks danced along the cloth, and every so often, an individual thread pulsed with magic before dying down again.
"Any ideas?" said Trixie.
"I can identify all of the materials except one, something any of the other groups could have told you." Rarity looked up from her work. "So if you were hoping I'd solve this first, good luck. I suggest you find another group to carry you."
"Please, the others do not realize the majesty that is the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Fireworks exploded in all directions , illuminating their little corner of the room and drawing the attention of everypony around.
"Really? You're still doing that?" Rarity sighed and rubbed her temples.
"How else will every unicorn know about Trixie's magnificence?" The small upward curve of her lips was enough for Rarity to know the arrogant mare wasn't serious. "So the fabrics identified are?"
Rarity put down the fabric and looked Trixie straight in the eye, "You started the rumor about my parentage."
The unicorn didn't even flinch at the accusation. "I did no such thing. Any unicorn with eyes could figure it out on their own when the facts are placed before them so blatantly."
"Rumors like those get ponies killed."
"Unicorns. They getunicorns killed." Trixie's predatory grin sent shivers down Rarity's spine. "This is what Trixie is talking about, if you wish to keep your secret hidden, you need to be less blatant about your bias."
Rarity clenched her teeth and just managed to hiss out, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't." Trixie leaned in and whispered, "And just for the record, you aren't the only one who can read body language."
"Shut. Up."
"Tell me, why do you think no unicorn has actively sought you out yet? You are an upcoming name, and yet here you are, working along with the most despised mare in the military." The chuckle echoed in Rarity's mind. "Rumors are powerful things, and they can destroy a mare. Something you've had plenty of experience with, if I recall correctly."
"I told you, that was an accident, it just slipped out," growled Rarity.
"And this just so happened to slip out as well." Trixie looked at the white unicorn with large, watery eyes. "Trixie is just sooooo sorry."
"I have a baby sister," said Rarity. "That doesn't work on me."
"It wasn't supposed to," replied Trixie. "Now, can we please get back to the task on hoof?"
"Fine," snapped Rarity. "But if anything happens to Sweetie or mother, I shall personal-"
"Personally what? You cannot defeat Trixie in combat and she outclasses you in magic. What will you do? Dress her up in frilly pink lace? Don't be so stupid, you cannot win so you might as well give up now. Trixie has won and you have lost."
"This is not a game!"
"Everything is a game. Life is a game. Those who win survive and those who lose die, it's as simple as that." Trixie levitated the scrap of cloth. "Now, can we get back on topic? Unlike you, Trixie would prefer it if there were more winners than losers in this little world of ours."
A growl rumbled in the back of Rarity's throat. "Just so you know, I have contacts and I have friends. If necessary, I can call of them and I can crush you without a second thought. You may dominate the battlefield out there, but in here, you're in my world. If any harm befalls my family, I will destroy you."
"See?" Trixie leaned back with a self-satisfied smirk on her face. "Isn't it so much easier to not pretend we're actually friends?"
"You were the one who tossed it away."
"And you were the one who destroyed it."
Silence reigned as the two stared at each other, neither backing down.
After a long minute, Rarity took the fabric and began examining it once more. "Back to business then?" she said pleasantly.
"Back to business.”
“You know what I find truly amusing? The fact that we’ve apparently been playing for the last six years and I only found out about it now.” Rarity glanced up from her work in time to see Trixie stiffen. “One must wonder about your skills, and whether or not you’re... competent.”
“Focus on your work,” snapped Trixie.
“Oh, you mean like how this thread here is made of wool? And would you look at that, it matches your coat so beautifully too.” All it took was a bit of magic for the entire thing to burn.
Trixie’s eyes narrowed.
“What’s the matter, tongue tied by the web your spun for yourself?” The fabric was unravelled and woven into an exact replica of Trixie’s goddess mark. “I bet it feels so snug and tight around you. Or maybe your inexperience has left it too tight in spots, choking you and preventing movement. Such is the fate of novices.”
“If you must know, Trixie’s garment is very comfortable and fits her snuggly. In fact, it keeps her warm at night while others are left out in the cold, completely exposed to the elements.”
“Did you have a hoof in their clothes as well? I seem to recall you wanting to be a seamstress or model when you were younger, perhaps it was you who sold them their clothes.”
“And Trixie seems to recall a certain white mare wishing to be a hero on the battlefield, slipping behind enemy lines to sabotage their plans. So let Trixie ask you this, done any crusading recently?”
“Please, working these fabrics is enough of a battle to last me a lifetime.”
“And the battlefield is not as glamorous as it sounds,” replied Trixie and Rarity’s ears perked up. A subtle nod from Trixie was all the fashionista needed.
“I would have thought you’d enjoy it immensely considering your disposition towards theatrics and your wish to be remembered.”
“Sometimes allies desert when they are most needed, and enemies jump out of bushes in the middle of the night. Nowhere is safe, and no unicorn can be trusted. In the end, anything to bring about victory is justified.” The two shared a glance. “For example, Trixie mourns her recently lost commander, but that does not mean it has weakened us. He had grown sympathetic towards the earth ponies, and that became a liability.”
Unconsciously, Rarity’s eyes darted towards where Generals Laureate and Shining Armor had previously been standing.
“There are always winners and losers, in the end, all you can do is make sure you’re not caught in the crossfire,” finished Trixie.
“While fashion is nowhere near as complicated, getting the fabrics right can be a chore. Sometimes they behave and other times they need to be roughly handled to get into the correct shape.” Once more Rarity unravelled the fabric. “For example, this blue that fits you so nicely is so hard to incorporate into outfits I’ve found. It just doesn’t seem to want to work, no matter what color I put it with, and I was wondering what you think it’d go with.”
“Anything, but white.”
“Why?”
“White is like the snow, cold and deceptive.”
“And blue is somehow better? This has faded and is no longer what it once was, it has lost its shine, its lustre. This blue is dead and cold, clinging desperately to what it once was and could have been rather than moving on.”
Trixie flicked her mane to one side, and fell silent, but after a couple of seconds, she whispered, “But blue and white do complement each other.”
“That they do,” answered Rarity slowly.
“It is a shame then that both cannot co-exist peacefully then. Think of what could be achieved if they worked together.”
“Tis a shame indeed.”
Silence descended once more, and despite all the chatter that was happening around them, Rarity felt oddly isolated and alone as she stared Trixie dead in the eyes. Neither broke eye contact even as they worked the fabric with their magic, easily passing it back and forth as they analysed the mysterious material.
In the end, it was Trixie who broke the silence, “Only one may exist in this world.”
“I’ve yet to lose the game, and I’m not about to start now,” replied Rarity.
“Is that a threat?”
“That, my dear Trixie, is what we call a promise.”
There was no fear in her eyes, no surprise, no hesitation. Instead, Trixie nodded and held out her hoof. “May the best mare win.”
Reaching out, Rarity shook hooves with her rival. “May the best mare win.”
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Sorry for the late chapter, blame Doom. Too tired to do a proper author's note, may add it tomrrow morning if I remember.
Gonna go collapse now.
2450436 I don't want to hear it, I still got it done before Friday was over. You can complain about me when actually late.
2450521 Barely.
2450521
2450527
Well, that was cheery.
Kill Trixie. that is all I have to say.
2450931 No comment, except your wrong. Of course, I'll always say that so meh.
2451015 Kill Twilight? I'll consider it, but should I horribly maim her instead?
2452487 Trixie first. then make Twilight's death worse. or you can have Trixie enslaved by the pegasi and raped continuously.
Break her in as they say.
2453086
... And you people say I'm evil.
I'm just gonna say this here, I'm not a fan of rape in dark fics because it feels the easy way of getting a "Oh damn, that's dark!" reaction without really having to work for it. The only time I'd ever do a rape or non-concensual scene is if I feel there is real emotional impact behind it that could not be achieved any other way.
Though, when you think about it, AJ does mention the breeding stocks more than one so you can draw your own conclusions from that.
2453940
Oh. Good. 'cause, you know, otherwise I'd have to do the opposite of everything you expect just to surprise everyone.
...
Damn, that means this fic is going to end up with sunshine and lollipops doesn't it?
2454245I don't expect you to do what doesn't fit or follow the cheap way out. I do expect though, that you will do an awesome story, and yes before anything else I am expecting Twilight's death. if you don't kill her then Rainbow will once this is all over and done with. also Trixie really needs some harmony slapped into her, or maybe have the adventure end all of the empires left standing by the time Twilight finally destroys the Windigos. then have one of them go for equestrian domination, While Twilight and her group Try and find a way to stop them,
or not.
2454341
Everyone expects Twilight to die. So will she die? Who knows. I certainly don't.
As for Trixie, no clue.
As for the ending, no clue.
I don't plan so... yeah. This will be interesting to say the least.
So Twilight and the pink ball of doom know each other eh? Can't wait for a chapter featuring Pinkie now
Also dang I despise mind games like what Trixie and Rarity are doing
Also when shall I expect the chapter where Twilight gets in some kind of trouble and die?
2454616
But that mind games is the best part!
The sad thing is, I don't know if "pink ball of doom" is refering to Pinkie or Pinkamina
I dunno. Ask me when I write it.
2455526
Hey, it's the truth! Just ask Doom or y1, I never really play. My 'planning' involves knowing a couple of key scenes and then going "Meh, whatever happens inbetween happens" and the ending is rarely a key scene.
2457248>>2455526 Yeah, the plan right now seems to basically be "Twilight does a thing, Applejack does a different thing. Eventually. Maybe."
2458359
It's a bit more sophisticated than that!
Maybe
2458446
See? A perfectly legit writing strategy. I wish people would stop hassling me over it when so many other people do it as well.
2454626
/ask.
Huh, I may be the only reader hoping for a relatively happy ending. Ah well.
I have a strange feeling that one of the material is either physical cloud, or the marrow of fallen unicorn's horns. I am most likely completely wrong, but eh.
2452487 If Twilight dies I will most likely put this story in my 'good, but lost interest' folder. What's a story without Twilight? Especially your awesome Twilight.