Boundary Point

Twilight wore her traveling cloak as she meandered through the narrow marketplace. An assembly of neat shops flanked both ways as the dim alleyway outlets displayed knick knacks from across Equus and beyond. One showed several large chess boards with delicately carved crystal figures on both sides. One blue and orange colored board had the brand of Celestia acting as the Princess and Luna’s Cutie mark the steward. Another shop displayed winter wear with the tag, ‘magic free’ hanging on the side, while another was a simple smoking shop for mares looking to take their habit to the next level. Twilight double checked her hood, ensuring that it covered most of her head, and quickly lifted the back of her cloak to ensure her mulberry rump was covered. Finally, closing her eyes, she breathed in for a few moments before beginning again:

🎵Fyoî, Fyoî, rêt-khe dhung lech chu, ba khê mu hu môtsam?

Fyoî, Fyoî, ta-khe tur chup ôhce...🎵

Her nasally voice rang throughout the market, but not one soul turned to look at her. Her ears swiveled in her hood trying to ascertain if the correct response had been given and in what direction. But a special kind of silence answered back. The chatter of shoppers and merchants quickly swallowed up the emptiness of the bazaar. Twilight snorted as she looked at a giant clock hanging off the side of a store and turned around to leave the marketplace, her ears folded towards either side, forcing the hood to droop. The daytime sun hit hard as she walked into a fairway, pelting her with an unwelcome warmth. A left and a right later, she saw the signs pointing to the train station and began to follow them with a rehearsed absent mindedness built from years of following the same path every day.

Finally reaching the lane where her job was located, she froze at the sound of clattering chains and grunts. Instinctually stomping the ground with her left hoof, Twilight looked up to see a team of nine Earth mares were working as one. They were hauling a monstrous concrete cylinder held down by metallic fetters atop an immense iron cart as they crossed her path. She looked up to see two Pegasi circled the wagon, keeping an eye out for anything that might hinder the team of mare’s progress, when the front of the bunch shouted, “Are you mares or are you mice?” The brown Earth Pony at the lead of the hitch cried as the creaking of the wagon wheels screeched throughout the towpath. Soon the lead sounded off again and began to sing,

🎶“This could be our final day!”

“This could be our final day!”

“So lets all go to Paddton Way!”

“So lets all go to Paddton Way!”

“Where the Stallions all wait!”

“Where the Stallions all wait!”

“And there we’ll ask if they can play!”

“And there we’ll ask if they can play!”

“But once the game is finally done!”

“But once the game is finally done!”

“We’ll go ask another one!”🎶

Twilight groaned at the song as she could feel her tail jittering from the ground being shaken as the package slowly moved past her. Looking up she saw the words written in green chalk: ‘Storm Drain C-384 99 Bridal Corner Ave’. She took a step back as she instinctually began preparations to cast a spell. She shook her head and wrinkled her nose as the slight purple aura that telegraphed that her horn was about to activate simmered down. Soon, she watched as the haul was cleared from her path and she returned on her way back to work.

Giving a quick glance to Ferdinand’s, she approached the bookshop with aged, regal green paint covering the window ridging. Passing through the front door, the chime of a bell and dark academia brown greeted her. With nothing but books for the eye to see, she continued her trek to find the single exception: her tiny station and register at the back of the store where she would perform her charge when not cleaning or stocking the books.

“How was your lunch break, Dusk?” a teal unicorn stallion approached Dusk from the right. His cutie mark: An envelope, was slightly modified with obvious red flank paint to have a seal at the bottom of the flap. It had a regal crescent moon that also took advantage of its artificial nature: if you looked at it from a slightly different angle, you could see it was painted atop his rump, giving it a waxy pop out effect.

“Hey Walnut, yeah it was,” Twilight, now Dusk took a moment to verbally strain before continuing, “Great,” she said, giving a weak smile towards her coworker. “No problems with the store, I assume?”

“Well, I had a few customers drop by, though one of them was a pony who asked for some kind of human book, something about golem’s travels or something,” Walnut shook his head, “I told them to check out ‘The Brothers Fox’ at the other end of town. I really do get tired of being asked for that stuff.”

“Well you’re just going to have to bear it,” Dusk said as the light glow of magic pulled back her hood, “Peppermint says it would be bad for business if we put up a sign that says we don’t stock human literature,” Leaving the rest of the robe on, she quickly double checked to ensure her mark was properly concealed before approaching the register.

“I know, I know it’s just that I really don’t like disappointing them,” Walnut sighed as he followed Dusk to her station. “And there was that one time when that one human came in and asked for some novels by Myers Krokton and the King of Steves or some such nonsense. Why do human names have to be so weird? Anyways, I was just glad when they got the hint that they needed to go somewhere else.”

“Any buyers while I was out?” Dusk climbed up on her dark brown wooden stool. Her eyes immediately started to sweep her post, taking stock that every pencil, every inventory check, every sales slip was in its proper place, like all things should be.

“Two, somepony bought the newest Daring Do, and this old Pegasus who bought a recipe book for dragons. Though I have no clue why’d she want that,” Walnut said as he magically handed Dusk the buy log. “Any luck with the heartsong yet?”

Dusk froze, not even bothering to properly catch the log with her magic as her head slowly swiveled towards Walnut, her teeth gritting, with violet eyes bearing down on him as the book hit the floor, “How in the–”

“I might not be as academically inclined as you are, nor as business savvy as Peppermint is, but I have seen you glancing at the Canterbury Chronicles,” Walnut shot a smile at his coworker.

“That means nothing,” Dusk stuttered, her ears shot back while breaking eye contact so that she could see where the buy log had hit the floor, “I just happened to find the poetry very soothing, that’s –”

“And Ancient Pony Love Songs,” Walnut gave a coy eye at Dusk, “I caught you reading that a few days ago while the store was dead.”

Dusk kept glancing over at Walnut, then finally looked away, levitating the buy log. Each time she was trying to form words, her muzzle kept clapping shut despite her magic not flinching once as the record of sales was gently placed next to the register.

“Nothing to be embarrassed about my dear,” Walnut gave her a wink as he slowly encircled the station.

“You’re not going to try and talk me out of it?” Dusk bit her lower lip.

“Why would I? I am just interested in seeing if you happen to find your companion. Very rare, very rare indeed,” Walnut tilted his head while continuing to circle Dusk, “Some ponies go their entire lives singing their hearts out but no pony ever responds,” Walnut closed his eyes and nodded, “But I have a feeling that you might do it. And just being able to witness it? Quite the tale to tell…”

“I’m not sure if you’re mocking me or you’re being sincere,” Dusk narrowed her eyes as they locked onto her coworker.

“Oh I’m not mocking. You already know the stories, the Tragedy of Loretrenza, the Fall of the Eleventh House, and of course -“

“The Bakery Mare, and the Dragon of Cloudsdale, and the Lunar Concert, yes I know. I know the responsibility I will be indebted to. Anyways, I’ve already started singing yesterday,” Dusk snorted as she finally opened the log and began to examine its contents.

“Oh? Already started have we?” Walnut playfully sniped, “Tell me, what do you plan on doing if you find out they’re terminally ill? Or perhaps they’re already in a herd? What if they’re too old? Or too young?”

“What are you getting at?” Dusk broke her focus from the log and glared once again at Walnut.

“Oh… Nothing,” Walnut rolled his head as he returned a tilted stare, “It’s said that a lover found by heartsong can only end in fortune or tragedy, with no room for both.”

Dusk simply glared at Walnut as he held fast to his countenance. The soft pattering of moving bodies reverberated in the bookshop as the two ponies stared each other down. The scent of both fresh and old pages made themselves known as one of the display lights in the far corner flickered.

“If you’re saying that I’m going to ruin their life, I’ve made the proper preparations,” Dusk finally uttered, turning away to focus on her station.

“Oh? Do tell.”

Dusk grimaced as she took a breath, “I’ve been saving up for the last eight months in case they’re in dire financial straits. Or if they’re ill,” Dusk looked away, “But I made my decision on the matter.”

“So you’ll adhere to the oath?” Walnut’s face suddenly shifted from trollish joy to the seriousness of death. His eyes suddenly seemed hollow as his pupils almost swallowed the mare up on reflection.

“I wouldn’t have already started singing if I didn’t,” Dusk answered, looking away from her deftly organized station.

“You know there are better ways, right? If it’s loneliness you’re trying to deal with, there’s an entire city that you can talk to,” Walnut grimaced as he nodded up and down, “If it’s about starting a herd, why not look at the classifieds?”

“Have you seen how creepy the classifieds are?” Dusk retorted.

“Have you not considered how creepy it is to use heartsong to sink your horn into someone’s life?” Walnut raised an eye, the coy features wiped from his face.

“It’s not creepy!” Dusk stamped, nearly echoing across the store, “It’s romantic, it’s finally coming into port after a long odyssey of garbage. It’s knowing that the chains of fate have finally led you home,” Dusk cried out, “It’s how my brother met his w-,” Dusk paused and shook her head, “Lead mare, and if it worked for him I’m willing to bet bits to barley that it will work out for me too.”

“Oh, you are serious,” Walnut reached out and touched dusk’s front hoof, “I’m sorry. You know I had to try. Though chances are you’ll probably never meet them. For all the stories of known heartsong–”

“There are hundreds of instances more when someone sang, and no pony responded,” Dusk gazed down on the ground.

“And if you never hear a response, think of it as being a particular kind of lucky,” Walnut smiled. “So be honest, do you think you’ll actually find them?”

“Well, one of the reasons I was looking at old pony love songs was to find a song in ancient tongue so that whoever responds, they would either have to have both the knowledge of old pony and of love songs, which should be incredibly rare, or it’s the real deal.”

“Just out of curiosity, the song you picked, what’s it about?” Walnut walked around the checkout.

“It’s a simple song really,” Dusk tilted her head and looked up, “It’s a mare that shouts out a greeting, and asks if she can be felt and if her lover is ready to go. Then she asks again if her mate has received her echo, to which he replies that he has. But in a strange particular way.”

“Oh really?” Walnut chuckled, “I think you’re overthinking it.”

“I doubt it,” Dusk opened the register and started counting, “My sister innn-” Dusk stuttered for a brief moment, “My brother’s companion did something similar, only she used an ancient Griffin love song.”

Walnut raised an eye, “Oh, why was that?”

“She said that she thought it would be funny if her companion started speaking ancient Griffin and it might help break the ice,” Dusk said, laying out the various denominations of bits from order smallest to largest, “Apparently my brother and her had a laugh about it soon after, and he made her promise never to do that again.”

A bell chimed as a unicorn entered the shop. Striped in red and white, with a candy cane for a cutie mark, she immediately barked out, “The property taxes are now paid on the store, so you guys can stick around for another year,” she gave a hearty laugh as she examined her domain.

“Peppermint, were you able to convince them to lower it?” Walnut asked as he walked to the back where a small door lay, and extracted a duster from its compartment.

“Just barely. Had to convince them to keep it low because we’re just a bookshop, our turnover isn’t that high, but we provide an important service to ponies heading out of town,” Peppermint said with her head held high, “T-, Dusk. Dusk, do you have the money ready for me to take to the bank?”

“No, not yet. I just got back from lunch, as you can see,” Dusk waved a ten bit bill in the air.

“Good, good. Dusk I have a favor to ask you,” Peppermint said as she approached the register.

“Hmmm?” Dusk said as she put the bill back on the pile.

“I’m meeting with an associate editor for Biscuit of the Sea for dinner the day after tomorrow. Can I ask that you stay till closing then? I’ll let you have all day after off with pay if you cover till the store closes.”

Dusk looked up and raised an eyebrow, her eyes dancing back and forth, pressing her lips until she simply said “Yes,” as she put the last of the bits back in the register and closed it.

“Thank you,” Peppermint said as she began to inspect the store. The white mare walked down the biography aisle, and at the sight of a book leaning a little too far, straightened it and continued on.

“So, the Diet in the Capitol is sending delegates to observe the elections here, they’re worried that the elections here will be marred by the secessionists,” Walnut smiled as he turned his attention back to Dusk.

“The threshold is too high, it’s not giving us a fair shake,” Dusk shook her head, “Manehatten would be better if it returned to the fold.”

“True, but it was the same threshold they gave during the war,” Walnut responded, “The leak didn’t help matters either.”

“That wasn’t Celestia’s fault, that was purely the House of Baronesses’ doing.” Twilight scoffed.

“Regardless of where it came from, what’s done is done,” Walnut crooked his head, “What would you have done?”

Twilight paused for a moment, and looked up, “I would have drafted from Canterlot until the deficit was met. That should put everyone in their place.”

“Interesting,” Walnut nodded, “But in your efforts to balance, how would you compensate Manehatten for their forced contribution?”

Twilight blinked as she looked miles away for a few moments, “I don’t know. If its compensation they’re seeking, I’m sure that the coffers would be more the-”

“So you’re going to compensate Manehatten’s dead draftees with... bits?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It sure sounds like that’s what you meant,” Walnut snaked along the side of the register, “Imagine yourself in a herd that’s lost a daughter or two, would the purse of the princess really console you? ‘Sorry for the two daughters you lost, here’s a few hundred bits, buy yourself something nice’.”

“No, of course not,” Twilight shook her head and answered, “But what’s the alternative, try to raise the dead? Regardless, the city needs Canterlot. We’re still trading with them.”

“Of course, of course,” Walnut conceded, “But consider what the leaders here have to gain by staying? Without the Kingdom overseeing them, they can just tax the body directly and not send the Kingdom their cut.”

“Seems like to me the leaders here want it to fail,” Twilight trailed off.

“Apropos…”

“Apropos, the high passing threshold,” she turned away and muttered.

“Right, right. For them, things are going good. Why spoil it?”

“Because its the right thing to do,” Twilight shot Walnut a tired look, “Its time for Manehatten to come home.”

“Then consider the following, can we agree you and I should be,” Walnut bent over to whisper into the register pony’s ear, “Paid more?”

Twilight’s ears folded back before perking forward, and giving a conciliatory nod.

“And yet, here we are. Take my advice, learn to accept the world as it is. Not as you want it to be, Luna had to.” Walnut gave a wink as he turned around and left the purple mare by herself at her station.