Truth-telling Lies

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Written by: Oneimare

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Loyalty

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An absentminded flap of her wings corrected Rainbow’s position in the sky, nudging her back to the up-current high above Ponyville. For once, she didn’t soar with an intent to break a speed record or sound barrier—she had another goal in mind, much more mundane but no less important.

Her rosy eyes meticulously studied the clouds, taking in their size, form and position—or she would like them to, because the tiny figures milling below the fluffy ceiling kept yanking her attention away from her task.

Shadows that belonged to a no pony skittered around the town; when they didn’t, the alienation zones gave away the ‘newcomers’.

Ponyville had lived on, of course, but, somehow, that blackness of chitin as if had greyed out every colour a bit, had put tiny weights on everybody’s lip corners and had mixed silence into the cocktail of noises that composed the background music for the quaint rustic town.

Rarity’s words—all of them—still rang in Rainbow’s mind with its unjust and almost outright hostile message. And whilst the pegasus had got used to ignoring most of it, one part refused to abandon her thoughts.

“Since they arrived in Ponyville, they haven’t harmed a single pony, haven’t done anything to deserve fear or mistrust.”

She didn’t lie, but…

Just like during the roll call, the changelings breathed deception—those who phlegmatically wandered Ponyville’s streets played the role of decoys and were on the lookout, ready to warn their brethren of Twilight’s curiosity seeking to learn about how her charges fared or went on with their assignments.

Their real work—real life—began with sunset.

Many times Rainbow had observed how the swarm, barely distinguishable in the darkness, divided into parts. Some sneaked into the tangle of malignant brambles marking the Everfree’s domain; some hurried to sell what was brought from there the last night; and the rest… those made sure their kith had their proverbial bellies full in exchange for making the night less lonely for many a Ponyville’s resident.

And in the morning the spectacle resumed.

They had harmed none, indeed, and aside from the pantomime under the Sun, the changelings sometimes incited anything but fear.

Mistrust, though?

Once I understood their goals and their way, they’re neither deeper nor shallower than a pony. But…

Rainbow’s chest heaved with a tremendous sigh.

But, but, but, but, but.

Not for once Rainbow thought that Ponyville had actually gained something from housing those fugitives and the defectors hadn’t got what they needed either—all that secrecy tainted every ‘harmless’ exchange of goods or services; and, obviously, Twilight wrote some of her rules for a good reason.

There was nothing wrong with the changelings but the way they fit into society the best. The only vacant niche for them that also utilised their nature to the fullest often overlapped with a lot of things falling under the category of criminal activities; at very best—of questionable morality.

Does that make me a tribalist?

But if I were to support something that doesn’t make anyone happy, what would that make me?

There must be a way to make it work, but I’m too dumb to see it; and those who can see it… I don’t let them.

Scowling at nobody in particular, Rainbow careened in hope that checking on the clouds drifting at the desolated outskirts of the town would clear her mind of all that philosophy. However, the sight of celestial wool knitting itself to cast shadows on Carrot Top’s fields brought her no joy; and not because she deeply cared for that mare’s harvest.

Another pegasus shared the sky with Rainbow.

A slender form darted from one floating mountain of vapour to another, fast as an arrow; seeking privacy, in a similar fashion she pierced the dirty-white mass to emerge on the other side with the torn cotton trailing behind and her dark feathers glistening with the life-blood of the peaceful clouds.

With one of her eyebrows raised, Rainbow followed the zigzagging journey of that frantic mare, who, despite casting her glance around every time she left the cloud cover, still failed to take notice of a rainbow-maned pegasus hovering above her; to her defence—far above.

Rainbow’s first thought was obvious, but that strange pony didn’t fit into the cast of actors, unless the swarm had come with some new role for the grand theatre they had made of Ponyville. But even Teleta, with all her naivety, could do a better job in being inconspicuous; again, unless the dark pegasus had a goal to look like the worst changeling possible.

Any other day investigating that anomaly would have been a thrill, but as Rainbow dived to intercept the actual newcomer to the town, only a dull sense of duty guided her wings.

As the mare burst out of the wreathing moisture, she instantly collided with Rainbow who expected her to appear there; she also expected her to be more careful, all things considered. Thrashing like she forgot how to use her wings, the mysterious pony nearly dragged Rainbow into a dive—a fall, likely—but, drumming her wings, the cyan pegasus managed to carry them both to the nearest flat cloud.

“A thousand thanks,” the mare huffed, smoothing her deep purple mane.

Don’t tell me… Rainbow squinted at her, as something in her tone rang a bell; her entire demeanour gave a very distinct and familiar impression.

“No sweat,” she heartily chuckled, waving her hoof. Using her feathers to flick off a tuft of cloud clinging to the mare’s nearly charcoal coat, Rainbow smiled, radiating pure nonchalance. “I haven’t seen you before. Are you visiting Ponyville?”

“Why, yes. We decided—”

The mare clamped her jaws shut, covering her lips with her hooves for a good measure, but it was too late. Rainbow quirked her eyebrow whilst the rest of her face followed, forming the opposite of an impressed expression.

“We—I—can’t believe it took me but four words to reveal Ourselves,” the Princess in disguise groaned; smacking her forehead with a hoof, she shook her head.

“You mean, ‘myself’?” Rainbow deadpanned, wondering if she should have added ‘your majesty’; teasing an alicorn was also something she might want to reconsider.

Though Luna grimaced, she lamented only her failure, grumbling, “We used to be better at this—We swear on Our crown.”

“But why the secrecy, Your Majesty?” Suddenly the late summer gentle breeze snaked into Rainbow’s fur with all the frigidity of winter’s teeth and she all but stammered, “Is… something wrong?”

Luna gave Rainbow a thoughtful look; her eye colour remained unchanged, imbuing it with an uncomfortably penetrating quality. She then confided, albeit reluctantly, “It’s not an official visit and hopefully unnecessary one. As this project passed to Us, We thought of witnessing the results with Our very eyes.”

“Is Princess Celestia alright?”

A question that came the instant the Princess explained herself as if cast a ray of the Sun on Luna’s face; though the joy of hearing ponies caring about her sister was short-lived as the shadow of worry robbed her face of smile. Seeing it being reflected on Rainbow’s muzzle tenfold, she hurried to inform her, “She hasn’t been herself since the attack, but she’s better now.”

“She seemed alright at the wedding.”

Fighting against a grimace threatening to screw her features again, Luna trotted to the edge of the cloud; slowly, as if afraid her hooves would find no purchase on the soft surface. She cast her gaze across the Whitetail Woods till it fixed the bemisted spires of Canterlot.

“Something we have in common—making a great impression of being alright… till it’s too late,” she admitted, her expression distant and ears pointing back; the discontent that failed to claim her face got into her words. “Wherefore We forbade her from any work till her full recovery.”

Luna is in charge now.

Rainbow’s skin twitched as the frosty touch of dread reached under it. At the same time, the sensation of being watched burned the back of her head; she turned to find nothing, only the clear sky—but she needn’t eyes to see the shadow of a cyan pegasus sadly gazing at her and mouthing, “It’s our chance; maybe, the only.”

“Did…” Rainbow had suddenly found her throat dry; hoping melancholy had a strong enough hold on alicorn to render her deaf to that, she tried again, “Did you come because you doubt Twilight can succeed?”

A rich purple mane whipped and a pair of moon-sized eyes stared at Rainbow.

“Of course not!” Luna exclaimed, her voice laden with what sounded mostly like hurt.

However, as Rainbow flinched back, so did the alicorn; a shadow reclaimed her face and she nickered, “But it is no wonder you have thought that.”

Taking a seat at the edge of the cloud where she stood, Luna motioned with her head for Rainbow to join; the pegasus obliged with a certain degree of reluctance—uncertain if she were to receive admonishment or to become privy to another of the Night Sovereign’s secrets.

A heavy sigh subtly betrayed the latter.

“We will be honest—We were almost mad at Our sister,” Luna quietly began, stealing a glance at Rainbow to gauge her reaction; to her chagrin, the pegasus expressed deliberate stoicism. “But We wouldn’t have dared to steal a chance from Twilight and, in the end, We’ve got Our opportunity to prove Ourselves.” Her plumage fluffed out at the same time as a blush of guilt crept on her cheeks; however, the brief brooding silence led to her eyes lit up with determination even if tinged with tiredness—of a contented sort, though. “It’s just that now, when the dust has settled, We are not as busy anymore and curiosity got the better of Us.”

With that she cast an expectant look at Rainbow; who still tried to mimic stone—she wished to become one, so it would give her an excuse to leave that conversation by falling through a cloud.

Am I going to lie right in the face of a Princess? Or am I going to ruin everything for Twilight?

Despite having to all but physically expel the words out of her throat, they seared her mouth, leaving a foul taste, “We all want to see Twilight happy.”

Staring forward stalwartly didn’t help her escape the long look from those piercing eyes of Luna. She sees right through me; she knows.

But the alicorn’s voice betrayed nothing of that when she lightheartedly asked, “We shall take it as everything is going smoothly.”

Rainbow thought she would have to put her hoof in her mouth to get out that simple, “Yes.”

Luna’s eyes bore into her like two chips of ice. Scrap turning into stone—Rainbow had to fight the urge to stand up, trot over the wispy edge and not open her wings till she touched the earth.

And she almost did that when the alicorn spoke, her refined voice bearing sickening warmth, “Thank you for sparing Us the embarrassment of showing the changelings Our atrophied skill as We snooped around the town trying to figure out that Ourselves.”

But she knows!

“We are very embarrassed to ask that of you, but would you keep Our visit clandestine?” Luna shifted, fluffing up her feathers anew. “We can easily imagine that others—Twilight especially—may come to the same conclusion as you.”

“No problem,” Rainbow squeezed out of herself; to her surprise and disgust with less effort than she expected.
“Thank you, Rainbow Dash. You’re a such loyal friend.”