Servant of the Queen

By the end of the school week, Silver Rose’s class had basically done all they needed to do for the Eastern Fair. They had even created a few types of brochures to educate others on how Eastern culture was different from Canterlotian culture. It was quite fun, and Mr Fowl had been pleased with what they had come up with.

This Saturday, she wasn’t out with Home Run, which made her a little disappointed, but that disappointment was washed away, because she was here at Canvas Splash’s art exhibition her mother had thrown together.

All the way out in Manehattan, Ebony Wings had hired a work crew to arrange and display all the art that Canvas had picked out before. And now, Silver and Canvas were here, dressed in some more formal-looking clothes, waiting for the doors to open to the gallery.

“I’m so excited, Silver!” Canvas squeed. “Look at all these people lining up out here.”

“Yeah,” Silver said, looking around. There were several celebrities that she recognized from TV, as well as a group of people in suits who, according to the little badges on their jackets, were from the Art Lover’s Association. There were also a smattering of other minorly famous people as well as others who just wanted to see what this new exhibit was about. The atmosphere smelled of all manner of emotions, and Silver couldn’t for the life of her keep up with them all.

Silver was dressed in a long sleeved grey shirt today, along with her black skirt, while Canvas had on a pink shirt and a maroon vest over a bright yellow skirt. It was a little painful for the eyes, but Silver didn’t quite mind. Canvas was her best friend, after all.

“Well, young Canvas, it’s your big day,” Ebony Wings’ voice came from behind them. She wore a flowing green dress and had on a small black jacket. “The exhibition will open in ten minutes, and I’ve brought along some very special people for you to see it with.”

With a sweep of her hand, Ebony stepped aside to reveal both of Canvas’s parents, who pounced on their daughter with overflowing joy.

“Ma precieuse fille.” Her mother squeezed her cheeks and gave her a big hug. “I’m so proud of you, having an exhibition to showcase all your wonderful art.”

“I’m glad others will get to see the talent you have, dear.” Her father gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Your mother’s right. We’re so very proud of you, Canvas.”

“People’s eyes will be opened to what you can do,” her mother said. “Um, they shall see past what they don’t understand about you and see what you can actually do.”

“Oh, okay.” Canvas smiled. “I was going to ask.”

“Ms Wings, we cannot thank you enough for your willingness to put this together.” Canvas’ father shook Silver’s mother’s hand. “It’s always been Canvas’ dream to hold an exhibition for her work.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble, really,” Ebony said in a tone that she probably thought was humble. “As an artist myself, I wanted to help out my daughter’s friend, since we both share an affinity for art.”

“Speaking of your daughter,” Canvas piped up. “Is Moonglade coming today? I don’t see her here.”

“Moonglade is out with her boyfriend today,” Ebony said, looking at Silver down her nose with an expression that made her look as if she had bitten into a lemon. “Saturdays are her usual days out with him. Yes. Who am I to stop love, right?” The sour face intensified before being replaced with her classic movie star smile. “I’ll leave you four here; I’ve got to open the exhibition.”

Canvas’s parents watched her go, then went back to fawning over their daughter. Silver stood to the side, trying to avoid any cameras.

“She really doesn’t like you dating that boy,” Ivory’s voice said from behind Silver Rose. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her break character like that in public before.”

The younger of the changeling sisters was dressed in a crisp black suit, minus the bowtie or tie.

“She can’t expect Home Run to treat her like royalty. And not everyone has the status and power she basks in. Though, it’s not as if she hasn’t dated her fair share of people. They just tend to end up deceased once she’s done with them.”

“Dating is a relatively new word, sweetie.” Ivory put a hand on her shoulder. “If you’re talking about dating, she’s only done it once. With your father. But you’re right. Look where he ended up.”

“Thank you all for coming today,” Ebony Wings announced from the front of the gallery. There was a microphone in front of her face and she was looking out at the crowd as if each one of them was an old friend. “I greatly appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy lives to come to this exhibition. The artwork you are about to see is done by a relative newcomer to the art world, but I’m sure you will agree, her work is already making waves. Please, enjoy the exhibition, with art done by Canvas Splash from Canterlot!”

There was a great outpouring of cheering and clapping as two members of the staff pulled open the doors. The crowd began to trickle inside, chattering and murmuring in anticipation. Among them were Canvas and her parents, who looked absolutely tickled pink.

“Well, shall we go on in?” Ivory pushed Silver gently in her back.

The interior of the gallery was tastefully lit with white mood lighting, and there was a purple carpet underfoot. Various serving staff walked about, offering champagne to the art viewers. Canvas stood there with her parents, looking ever so pleased at how things had turned out.

“There’s so many people looking at my art,” Canvas told Silver in hushed tones. “I wonder what they all think?”

“I think they like them.” Silver gave Canvas’ hand a squeeze. “You’re really talented, Canvas. It’s just that people don’t realize it.”

Silver inhaled and tasted the atmosphere. A lot of adoration, similar to love, was being directed towards the artwork. The people from the Art Lover’s Association were excitedly pointing and fawning over the front section of the exhibit, while the celebrities strolled around the gallery with champagne in hand, approvingly viewing everything.

It made her glad that her mom had allowed this to happen. Perhaps she wasn’t all that selfish, after all. It was a good exposure for Canvas. She might be weird, yes, but she was highly talented in what she did, and she was her best friend. Silver felt a little warm inside, knowing that her friend was happy. It was nice, to have friends.

“You know, I was twice your age when I had my first exhibition,” Canvas’s mother was saying. “It wasn’t all my work either. It was a class exhibit. But this, this is all you. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Yeah, this is cool.” Canvas grinned.

Silver Rose idly shuffled over to the nearest exhibited painting, which was of a busy street at night. The painting was rather dark in tone, but accented by the bright whites and yellows of the streetlights. A lone girl stood in the middle of the street, clutching a teddy bear in one hand.

“What’s this one mean again?” Silver pointed at it. “It’s really nice.”

“Oh, yes.” Canvas bounced over. “This one’s called A Silent Desolation. It speaks about how vast and incredible the world could be, but there’s nothing nice about it if you have no one to share it with. It’s lonely to be alone.”

“Wow. I… didn’t know you could get metaphoric, Canvas. Uh, no offense.”

“Art’s different. It lets you express yourself. Seeing as I’m not very good with that, I suppose it shows more in my work.”

“Makes sense.” Silver walked to the next one, which was a painting of the giant plant monster from the Friendship Games. “Cool. What would this one mean?”

“Oh, that?” Canvas chuckled. “This one’s just a giant plant monster. I thought it looked cool, so I painted it.”

“Oh.”

“I like it,” a cheerful voice said from behind them. “It reminds me of when a friend of mine tried capturing magic but then it all went out of control and she turned into a flying monster!”

Silver Rose stiffened. I know that voice…

She sniffed, smelling something like cake frosting before turning around. She kept a pleasantly surprised expression on her face as her eyes beheld a pink girl with curly, poofy hair, and another whose name she would not forget, ever since that duel at the Friendship Games.

“Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie!” Silver exclaimed, taking a step backwards. “Wh-What a surprise.”

“Not much of a surprise!” Pinkie smiled widely. “Sunset’s a painter herself, so she wanted to come! So I thought sure, I’ll accompany her. So you painted all this?” Pinkie was suddenly beside Canvas. “It’s all really nice! You have a talent for painting! Did you know you have a talent?”

“Umm… yeah, I mean, I know I have it,” Canvas answered the bubbly girl. “Nobody here’s supposed to know I did it, though. Secret secret.”

“Oooh, okay then!” Pinkie said in a stage whisper. “I have no idea who painted these, nope.”

Canvas edged closer to Silver. “She forgot who painted these already? And I thought I had a bad memory.”

Sunset Shimmer had her phone up and was taking a picture of the painting. “Whoever did these is really good,” she said with a small smile to Canvas. “No idea who it is, though.”

Canvas’ eyes widened and she raised an eyebrow to Silver as if to ask, ‘are they looney?’

Sunset lowered her phone and nodded at the painting. “I like the technique used here. It’s like an old seventeenth century old master’s but done with modern tools. Very innovative.”

“Is that so?” Silver said blandly. “Well, if it’s here, mother must think it’s worth showing. Ha ha.”

“Yeah. Too bad Rarity couldn’t make it today. She’d love the chance to be this close to Ebony Wings.”

Oh yeah. Home Run has friends who are crazy over my mother…

“Umm… that’s… too bad. I guess.”

“Maybe we can get Rarity and Rainbow autographs!” Pinkie suggested. “Come on, Sunshim! Let’s go find Ebony Wings!”

With that, the two of them were gone, melding into the crowd around them.

“Well… That was strange.” Canvas eventually broke the odd silence. “And people think I’m weird?”

“Funny old world, isn’t it?” Silver replied.

A pair of people from the Art Lover’s Association walked by, chatting animatedly about a painting of a heart-shaped moon that had been hanging up on the other side of the gallery. Not too far away, a man that Silver recognized from TV was standing back from an ink sketch, a hand to his chin as he contemplated it.

“People really like your stuff.”

“Yeah! It’s cool! But I really enjoy how no one knows that it’s me.” Canvas snickered to herself. “This is fun! We should do it more, Silver.”

Silver took in a breath to reply, but then she tasted something that didn’t fit in this happy gathering. It was a thread of suspicion, and it tasted as though someone had left a pinch of salt in her pudding. And more alarmingly, it was directed at her. A short distance away, Ivory Wings subtly frosted over, communicating that she had smelled it too.

Focus, Silver. Don’t panic and act like you haven’t noticed anything.

She didn’t know where it was coming from, but the only people she knew to have any suspicion against her was Sunset and her friends. But why would they suddenly be suspicious now? They weren’t just a few minutes ago.

Silver slowly backed away, leaving Canvas to marvel at all the people in the gallery. She flicked her tongue out, following the thread of suspicion, all the way across the space, to where there were a gathering of people. She could see the top of her mother’s head in the crowd. As the fans parted, she could see Pinkie Pie with a notebook and marker, trying to get Ebony Wings’ attention. Sunset stood a little further away, wearing a somewhat shrewd and suspicious look on her face.

Well, that’s not good.

Silver tried to casually walk over to where her aunt was standing, whistling to make it look like she was just strolling about.

Pretending to look at a picture on the wall, Silver whispered to Ivory, “Aunt Ivory, there’s something wrong with Sunset Shimmer.”

“I noticed,” Ivory replied, also staring at the painting and leaning to the side as if examining it closely. “She suspects something.”

“But we aren’t doing anything wrong, are we?” Silver asked while pointing to the painting. “I mean, this is a public place.”

“Sunset Shimmer is involved in the, ah, plan to fix the siren gems. Maybe she suspects us because we live with them?” Ivory whispered. “I am quite sure that I let nothing slip. Perhaps it is her intuition that is telling her that something is wrong. She did inherit Emerald’s skills, after all.”

“Uh-huh…” Silver always got a little lost when her aunt started mentioning people whom she had not met. “So what should we do?”

Ivory exhaled through her nose. “We can’t do anything here without attracting undue attention. Just act natural and we can leave when your mother is done with whatever she is doing.”

“Oh. I thought we’d get to spend more time with Canvas.” Silver looked disappointed.

Down the hall, Ebony Wings was signing Pinkie Pie’s notepad. She did not seem to notice the smell of suspicion that was coming from Sunset Shimmer, but Silver Rose knew her mother too well to think that she was ignorant of it.

Eventually the crowd around Ebony Wings thinned and the actress was able to saunter over to where Ivory Wings and Silver Rose were standing.

“I think this has been rather successful, don’t you?” Silver’s mother said to the other two members of her family.

“Definitely,” Silver agreed. “Mother, there’s something up with Sunset Shimmer. She seems suspicious of us.”

Ebony Wings picked up a glass of champagne from a nearby server and sipped it. “I know. And I also know your aunt wants us to leave, but I can’t do that. This exhibition is arranged by me, so I have to stay until the day is over. You can leave if you like, though.”

Silver glanced at her aunt, who stared back with a crooked expression on her face.

“Sunset can’t prove anything, right?” she whispered to her aunt. Ivory shook her head. “Then I’m staying. I want to hang out with Canvas and share in her happiness. Besides, there’s a lot of good emotions here to eat.”

“Spoken like a true member of my family,” Ebony Wings smiled. “Very well. Enjoy yourself; I’m off to sign more autographs.”

Silver watched her mother sashay away into the crowd, but she tasted something from her that she didn’t usually smell. Pride, but directed not at herself but at Silver.

“Did… did I just make mother proud of me?” she asked. A smile broke out on her face, and she rushed off to find Canvas Splash.

Never mind Sunset Shimmer, Silver thought, skipping along. I just made mother proud of me!