Truth-telling Lies

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Written by: Oneimare

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“Hi,” Twilight greeted Rainbow without looking as the pegasus finally landed.

“Sorry, Twi, haven’t noticed you at first, hehe,” she lied, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head; a faint blush lit up her cheeks and her ears somewhat drooped as she averted her eyes in the fear of them betraying her.

Twilight tore her gaze from the distant view of Ponyville to look through Rainbow; anxiety darkened her beautiful violet eyes and the timid smile on her friend’s lips withered. Before Rainbow had a chance to open her mouth, the unicorn hastily explained, “The Princess is visiting the Golden Oaks and wants all of us present.”

With a dry crack of magic, she disappeared in a purple flash.

Despite Twilight’s abrupt departure leaving an uneasy impression, Rainbow couldn’t help but imagine as she speeded over the thatched roofs—all sorts of incredible adventures to have, vile villains to defeat, ancient artefacts to recover…

Her daydream popped like a soap bubble when she touched the ground in the shadow of the dendritic mighty oak—her eyes instantly fell on the chariot poorly hidden under the boughs laden with buds yet to unfurl. A half a dozen Royal Guards had stood sentinels to the gilded carriage, their stoic visages barely concealing utter boredom—their task amounted to protecting demi-goddess and thwarting the excessive curiosity of passersby.

Doesn’t look like a dire sort of emergency—if it’s an emergency at all.

Pushing the door open, Rainbow found herself in an exceedingly rare situation—she came last. A wide variety of expressions met her entrance: unease, weariness, slight annoyance, not slight annoyance and confusion. The last pervaded almost every muzzle, serving as a foundation for other emotions, regardless of whether it belonged to a unicorn, a pegasus, an earth pony or even an alicorn—either of them.

And like a virulent disease, it had spread through Rainbow’s features as her gaze flittered betwixt the sapped of any life smile practically sliding off of Princess Celestia’s lips and Princess Luna’s mask cracking as something boiled beneath.

Rainbow’s pause at the door started to gain an awkward quality, so, mumbling an apology, she hurried to take place amongst her friends—save for Twilight; the most faithful of students all but clung to Celestia’s leg—and the alicorn did seem like she might need someone to offer her a shoulder.

Her horn still bore a scar where Chrysalis’ attack struck and it was impossible to say if she had recovered or the exhaustion of dealing with the fallout had picked up the torch.

The Princess of the Sun cleared her throat and took a shuddering breath; though it failed to inject her with energy, her hoarse quiet voice nevertheless carried motherly love and soft warmth.

“My dear little ponies,” she began, “I have the most peculiar news to bring to you.”

Whilst Celestia all but radiated tranquillity despite her dimmed state, her sister utterly failed to even mimic that—it was as if a spot of darkness thickened by the white shoulder. That sourness managed to be somewhat vague as the twitches contorting Luna’s features never succeeded to twist it into any telling expression.

The Princess of the Moon stared into space, her icy glower intent on boring a hole at a random spot on the wall; her coat spasmed as if a swarm of gnats pestered the triarch. However, as Rainbow’s indecorous goggling went on, the alicorn fixed her with a glare and she almost cringed from the bitterness brimming in Luna’s cyan eyes.

I won’t be surprised if she turns into Nightmare Moon the next moment.

A cough—one of many—belonging to Celestia returned Rainbow’s attention to the Sun sovereign and as her murmuring voice filled the room once more, the pegasus realised she had overindulged in looking at Luna and letting her imagination roam free.

“...So we decided that those changeling defectors should be given a chance. And what would be a more perfect place for them to settle in than Ponyville?”

The circles under her eyes ruined her smile by bestowing upon it a horrendously forced quality; nor did it help that nobody else smiled—her sister’s face even finally shattered into a grimace at the word ‘we’. At least, unlike the others, Luna didn’t look like she witnessed Celestia grow a second horn.

The first floor of the library turned into a tomb so silent, the hollowed branches creaked in the breeze like the earth itself was splitting apart—and for Rainbow it felt so.

I should say ‘no’, she thought but something rendered her tongue stone.

Rainbow’s gaze dashed betwixt the pale faces of her friends, seeking the answer.

Disgust ruined Rarity’s perfect image, yet underneath her scrunched forehead gears shifted as her rational side pulled the bridle of the unicorn’s emotions—voicing a protest might cost her a chance of becoming renowned as an incredibly charitable designer involved in a grand royal project; flicking her ears back upright—only partially succeeding in that, though—she prepared to listen to what came next.

The horror left only freckles on Applejack’s muzzle, but the longer Rainbow stared into the round emerald eyes, the more she understood—the idea of opposing a Princess terrified that earth pony much more than the prospect of facing the insect-like equines once more.

As much as Pinkie expressed distress, she caused it—somberness left no room for levity, changing her into a different mare so drastically, as if she, herself, had become a changeling. Yet, that thoughtfulness promised no mutiny—resignation borne of wisdom that had no right belonging to a pony laughing that often had also bereaved her of words.

And Fluttershy seemed to be just busy pouring everything she had in herself into an effort of not fainting; that trial might have even started before Celestia had spoken and Rainbow wondered if the pegasus had heard even a single word.

It has to be me.

She then dared to glance at the last pony that could offer her a solution to her conundrum and it all became clear as day. At the same time, Celestia, craftily ignorant or completely blind, announced without missing a beat, “I charge you with overseeing their accommodations, Twilight Sparkle. Over the years you’ve shown your organisation ability. Combined with your progress in studying friendship, I have no doubt—you shall succeed.”

Although her soot-speckled horn didn’t light up, the Sun raised—the mare by her side beamed. The pure bliss and proudness radiating from her eyes disintegrated any traces of shock and horror that had marred it since the first part of Celestia’s speech had begun to sink in; and coming all the way back to the fateful wedding, those expressions had easily shadowed that of her friends, even combined.

I must.

Before she got lost in Twilight’s smile, drowning in those beautiful violet eyes, Rainbow felt something inside her break—but it was too late, anyway.

Celestia’s glazed by fatigue magenta gaze swiftly slid over the room. Behind her, Luna towered, pawing the floor, her mouth opened and brow furrowed; her eyes fell on Twilight, still drunk on her mentor’s attention.

By the time the sisters looked at each other, nothing portended a confrontation betwixt them. And so, shedding soothing benevolence with every blink and breath, the alabaster alicorn addressed the five mares that struggled with accepting the consequences of their silent sacrifice.

“Though I put that task on Twilight’s shoulders only, I know she won’t carry its weight alone—for her strength lies in you. Thank you for being her friends.”