Chivalry Reborn

Chapter 15:

A New Study

Oh my god, I think my legs are gonna break down from underneath me! This is the thought that dragged on in my head, as the rest of my body itched to do something. Freaking ANYTHING aside from standing here while Rarity walked around me doing all sorts of tasks. This ranged from taking my measurements, clipping fabrics, shaping them, putting trims and small patterns into it, sewing them, and CONSTANTLY looking at me and my features, through those yellow-framed glasses of hers. It was driving me up the wall just standing there, while she moved all around me.

“Rarity…?” I asked in the kindest way I could muster.

“Yes, darling?” She answered, snipping a piece of white leather along my leg to copy the shape.

“Can I please move a little?”

“Oh no, you can’t!” She shook her head quickly. “Please do bear with it for a tad bit longer, I’m almost finished.”

Though I was indeed excited to be getting something outfitted for me exclusively for me, I was getting tired of just standing in one position. My eyes shift toward the clock. 8:55A.M. I could feel my eye twitch a little after reading that. I’ve been in here for over an hour, just standing here. I’m normally a pretty patient guy, but this is just ridiculous. I puffed a small bit of air, just accepting it.

“Rarity,” I called out to the working tailor once more. I may as well try and get something more useful to me while I’m like this. “Do you think you could make me a glove to cover my hand for when I applebuck?”

“You want to make you a what?” Rarity stopped, shifting her focus away from her sewing of the last few pieces of the pant’s leg onto me. “What’s a glove?”

“What do you me-“ I stopped myself mid-sentence.

Oh right, talking horses. No such thing as gloves when you have hooves. My mind caught on quickly to unicorn’s confusion.

I immediately switched my sentence around. “You see, on Earth, we normally have an article of clothing that went over our hands, called gloves. Unlike your shoes which normally goes on all four of your feet, we only have two for an outfit, and the optional use of these gloves.”

“Ahhh,” Rarity nodded, genuinely intrigued.

I keep speaking politely. Chances are she’ll be more inclined to do so if I ask properly. “What I’m asking from you is this: considering your skill with clothing, do you think you could make me a set of these gloves to protect my hands from further harm from applebucking?”

She smiled at me, eyes glistening from the challenge of making a new design. “That is quite the interesting proposal, Winston. I will accept this request.” She stated, looking at me as though I just called her out in a showdown.

“Great to hear.” I smiled back at her, as she finished up her pants, thus, finishing her outfit.

“There!” She proudly hung the new shirt and pair of pants onto a hook, hanging it up against the window frame for me to see. “What do you think, Winston? Gorgeous, isn’t it?”

On the hanger was a light black pair of dress pants, well pressed, with similarly shaded belt wrapped around it’s waist. It had a small yellow trim, and the buckle was a glossy gray. The white dress shirt had a small outline of a star on the right side of its collar. The entire outfit looked very thin, but quite durable. It was an unusual combination of colors, but still pretty cool looking.

“I like it,” I finally concluded, nodding in approval. “Nothing less from a growing superstar clothes designer, right?”

“Why, of course!” Rarity boasted with a chuckle. She smiled, turning around into a different. “Now that we have your basic attire is finished, we can start a plan for new projects.”

“Interesting,” I answered, stretching my limbs slowly. My entire body creaked and popped back to life, thanking the powers that be they didn’t just lock up in that standing position.

The diva called from the other room. “Please do come, darling. We can sit for this part.”

Walking into the kitchen, I could see that most of the area was a mixture of purple and blue. With a counter on the side opposite of the door. The table, which Rarity was neatly setting up, was on the right. She placed two teacups on saucers below them on two sides of the table, adding a small stack of napkins in front of the vase. She then got a pen out and place it right next to a stack of papers on her side of the table.

Rarity turned, walking towards the stove, pulling out a tea kettle from the pantry as well as a box of Black Velvet tea packets. Rarity then placed the box on the table in front of me, putting the kettle over a small roaring flame. She turned her head towards me smiling sweetly.

“Would you like some tea?” She asked politely.

I walked towards the table, sitting on the small, but definitely sturdy stool, chuckling. “Yes, please.” I accepted her offer of a beverage. “We’ll be here for a little while. I’ve been thinking of a few things…”

“Then please. Do tell.” She answered, waiting for the  kettle to let out a whistle.

For the next two hours or so, I told Rarity about fashion on Earth, as she took notes of details she could use for later projects.  Told her every fashion style from different times and cultures that I could recall. 1980s, 1950s, urban, punk, casual, formal, you name it. Rarity was listening intently, writing notes almost constantly and asking me questions regarding the details of the clothes us humans wore over the course of time.

We also discussed on my glove request. She told me of how her father used to work hard all the time when he was a younger, so her mother made specially made shoes and clothes for him so he wouldn’t strain or hurt himself as badly. He apparently worked at a woodcraft shop, chopping pieces of lumber into shapes of all kinds, and sometimes helped a neighboring business that dealt with steel. Rarity’s mother then decided to make him a special vest shortly after they met. This vest was specially made to withstand extreme heat, and absorb shock from blunt force.

She said that they still have a large amount of the material used to make that vest were stored in the back, and that she was certain they wouldn’t mind if she used some. They were always away on either business or vacation, apparently; leaving Rarity with her sister a good amount of the time.

We came to the agreement that she would make a single glove to be tested for me as a prototype. If it works out well, she will make me a second, making a complete set. After that, she said she had other orders she had to fill out first, so I decided to leave.

“Thank you again for the wonderful conversation!” She called out from her front door. “You can pick up your glove tomorrow before you go to Sweet Apple Acres; I promise it will be finished by then!”

I simply wave behind me, chuckling at her enthusiasm to try something new. As I heard Rarity’s door close behind me, I thought about what to do next. It’s about 11 in the morning still, so I have plenty of time to kill. Applebucking would be the first thing I’d turn to, considering I’m pretty much broke here. I glance down at my wrapped hands, a slight throb coming from my fist at the memory. Nope. Not gonna happen.

I could just head right over to Fluttershy’s like Rarity suggested. She’s the one who tends to the animals in the forest behind the park, right? But wouldn’t that mean I’ll have to sit around like I just got done doing? Yeah, on second thought, I’ll pass on that.

“Hmm….” I thought deeply about what to do today, making my way through the crowd back towards the park. That’s when it hit me. I haven’t really looked into that bag I got when came here. Maybe there are some more hints about what’s going on, or possibly some more details on the Flares. Hell, maybe some info on what this “crisis” Equestria is supposed to be having soon.

With my decision made, I began running back towards my home.

Setting foot into my house, I closed the door behind me, locking the door and making sure my front window curtains were shut. I then strode through the living room into my bedroom. On the chair right in front of my working desk, laid the bag that fell out of the sky shortly after I did. I must have just tossed it there when I came home in a dazed heap last night.

I quickly opened the bag, checking if everything that was inside it yesterday was still there. I accounted for each item as I saw them: Dagger, multiple old scrolls, Celestia’s letter to me, and some metal rods. Yep, everything was in here. I closed the flap of the bag, carrying it back into the living room.

I pulled out a chair from the dining table, and plopped down, dropping the bag in front of me. I flip the bag back open, pulling out one of the slightly torn messages. Though, I could tell it’s been through hell and back, it seemed to be the newest. I lightly adjusted my glasses, before slowly removing the seal of the scroll and opened it. Peering into the scroll it read:

Nothing.

“….What’s the deal?” I muttered to myself, staring at the blank piece of paper I was holding. I turned it, flipped it, and tilted it in all kinds of directions. Still no message.

“Great….It was a prank, then?” I growled in irritation. I finally took the time to read these, and I get nothing when I sit down to find out more of this damned situation.

“Just a way to screw with me…” I took off my glasses, and rubbed my forehead. I could enjoy a good prank or too, but this was just a way to piss me off. I thought I was going to discover something about myself, but no. It was just some joke from a douche of a horse…

I looked back at the scroll, intent on trying to glare at it until it bursted into flames. This damned letter was supposed to give me answers. But I can’t exactly if those letters aren’t even there, now can I?

…Wait. Aren’t they right there?

I stopped, looking at the scroll properly again. The words are right there, plain as day. But I’m certain I saw nothing when I first looked at it!  How in the hell did I miss a full letter of words!?

I quickly turned back around for my glasses, slipping them back over my eyes. I looked back at the scroll to confirm the letters.

Nothing again.

WHAT THE HELL!? How is this happenin- ….wait a second. My logic cut off my panicking to test a theory that popped into my mind.

I looked back down at the blank scroll, and then slowly started to move my hand toward my glasses. I gripped the golden frame lightly, slipping them off once more. As the glasses moved out of my eyesight, the words reappeared back onto the scroll.

Special ink? I mentally started to reason out the circumstances. But if that’s the case, why does it matter if I wear my glasses or not? Could it be some kind minor refraction of light in the lens?  I examined my glasses, thoroughly. Can’t be, that’s too complicated for this situation. Still…

I thought for a little while, before memories of last night's chat with Princess Luna came into mind. Could this be part of that whole “Enlightened Eyesight” thing..? I could only speculate about the reason why, but one thing was clear: This is only meant for people like me to read. Could be worse though. I can read just fine with or without my glasses. They’re mainly on me all the time because I can’t see from a distance. Not to mention I like how they look on me.

I shifted in my seat, letting my eyes adjust to the handwriting on the paper. I blinked, starting to read it.

Dear Shadow Flare,

If you are able to read this message, then you must indeed be the Flare destined to be the first to return to the land of Equestria. This message has been written and enchanted with a special. This was to ensure that no pony would be able to see what lies within these scrolls

We are a secret organization called SWAP: Spanned Worlds Alliance Platoon. Our main objective is to secure the boundaries of the worlds that are connected, including Earth and Equestria. The organization was created by the leader of the Flares, Julius Flare, as well as the surviving members of the Flare lineage 1000 years ago.

As we are certain you have taken notice of already, the bound between Earth and Equestria is quite fragile. It has been weakening ever since the start of the era of the Great Crusades, about the same time as Celestia and Luna’s rise to power after their own great war. Though we are not certain of how or why it began, there have been times in history where inhabitants of the two worlds have crossed over into the other.

Julius foretold you’re appearance in Equestria the night after he escaped from assassination, and has therefore made these several scrolls for only your eyes. He did this to assist you to the best of his ability for whatever challenges you come across. Please take the time to read each one in the order in which he wrote them to learn what lies inside properly. One of our members will find a way to contact you in due time.

May you shine through the darkness, young Flare.

-The CEO of SWAP

I slowly looked away from the message, shaking my head slowly. My eyes felt….weird from reading that message. It didn’t hurt, or anything, but it felt strange. Like I shouldn’t be seeing these words at all.

I slowly turned to the side, letting myself reflect on what I’ve just read. So Julius indeed made it to Earth, and then made this organization called SWAP….Not only that they’re the ones who sent this bag. How the bag got HERE though, is still a mystery. Not to mention how the house was levitating before it landed.

I grabbed the next scroll out of the bag, curiosity now piqued. Who cares about the order of how their read; I’ll learn it all one way or another, so who cares. Putting my finger against the seal, I slowly started to peel it of-

ZAP

“GYAAA!” I yanked my hand away from the seal, shaking my hand roughly to rid of the sudden pain coming from scroll.

What the hell was that!? A trap!? My mind raced from the shock I had just received, staring at the rolled piece of paper.  I shifted my gaze toward the top of the scroll, turning it slightly to reveal a number 7 near the top.

…Maybe it really is better I just followed the directions. I didn’t feel like getting a second serving of electricity coursing through me. I placed the scroll back into the bag, shifting for a new one. I glanced at the numbers at the top of each one.

5…3…4…Here it is, 1!

I pulled out the first scroll of the set, sitting back upright. I hesitate a moment, fearing another zap, before carefully unsealing the scroll.

…Nothing. Good. I breathe a breath of relief, starting to examine what was in side.

It was a set of instructions, titled The Way of Body Transformation. I blinked. Is this that technique Luna mentioned all Flares had? I read on to find out for myself.

To find the animal within yourself, and make it your alternate form, you must perform three tasks.

1. Find the form within your soul

2. Believe in your other self

3. Release

This was all it said, and at the bottom It had a diagram of how the rods connected to one another. It seemed like it was suppose to make a staff of some kind.

I shift in my seat again, confused. Believe in yourself? Release? What the hell does is that supposed to mean? I close the scroll, still slightly confused. I suppose I could give it a shot thou-

Bam, Bam, Bam

“Hey! I know you’re in there!” A loud, and clearly irritated voice barked on the other side of my front door. It was that blasted pegasus Rainbow Dash again. What does she want THIS time?

It’s always at the interesting parts…I groaned, walking over to answer and see what she was getting all huffy about this time around.