Rose Lucklessby cxzyzxChaptersPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 2.5 (Optional Clopscene)Chapter 3Chapter 4PrologueRose Fragmented whorls spiraled: from the smallest observable point to an eagle’s eye view of the arrangement, the fractal design maintained itself. Red and white intertwined themselves inextricably together, repeating the same complex pattern over and again; flowers within flowers within flowers. A rose is a rose is a rose thought Roseluck, as she nitpicked flaws that only she could spot on her latest floral arrangement. It was by far the largest order she had thus received, and from a shocking and prestigious source at that. The subtly off-white pony had been requested to form a large display for the opening ceremony of the Grand Galloping Gala and she had exhausted nearly her entire supply of red and whites. For two months she had been clipping and trimming, arranging and relocating, shifting and rotating stems and petals until she was satisfied. To her, it was unbelievable that Royalty from Canterlot would purchase the small town services of a flower vendor from Ponyville. Yet, the day after tomorrow was the big day and she was nearly finished. Inhale, exhale... Steady now. Holding her forehoof aloft, she felt it tremble in anticipation for the biggest event of her life. It still felt surreal, unbelievable. She trotted out from her recently erected workbarn towards her small shop, in order to read the commission letter once more. As she stepped outside, Luna's moon hung huge and yellow in the night banner, providing enough light to make out individual blades of grass beneath her hooves. She silently thanked the goddess of night, one of the great protectors of the realm that she claimed as her home. Rose offered more silent thanks to the Apple family, falling into a memory of the day she had received a letter bearing the Celestial seal. The register slid open with a chime and Roseluck morosely eyed the few bits that remained to her name. Winter had been tough and her blue snow lilies hadn't sold well at all. Now, most of that stock was wilting and dying, as well as the fact that half of her springtime seedlings had been destroyed. A hole in the roof had let snow in, melting over a crateful of preserved seeds, causing an attempted early germination. When the doorbell rang and the gray mailmare delivered a letter bearing the Royal crest, Rose didn't know it immediately, but her lifeline was delivered. She peered at the order and saw the sheer scale of it— yet relief was not what coursed through her body. The payoff opportunity was magnificent, it would sustain her for two or three years, but she hadn't the supplies or workspace to make something on such a grand scale. For the rest of that day, she had moped around the town, ignoring halloos from other ponies, paying no attention to where she was walking. It had taken the Element of Honesty to get her to spill the beans on her mood. The flower pony would have been stuck in such a state for who knows how long, were it not for Applejack's stubborn refusal to let somepony so obviously depressed walk past her. After a lengthy attempt to draw out a reluctant Roseluck, the cowpony discovered the dilemma. Within a week, Rose had found her dwindling food supply stocked to the brim with apples. Not only that, but a large workspace had been thrown up on Sweet Apple Acres in her honor, so that she could work on a grand design that would never have fit in her small shop. Snapping out of her trance, the red maned pony realized that she had already reached her residence. The door swung open at her touch, gliding on smooth hinges.. Clip-clop, clip-clop Her steps thudded on the narrow stairway, trailing her as she clambered from the display room to her private quarters. The decor was modest: bare floorboards scuffed from long use, a few paintings of different breeds of flowers, a simple bed of stuffed hay covered with a pleated quilt, and a small, worn dresser from her foalhood days. She slid open the top drawer and peered at a sketch she had drawn. It was of a mare- a unicorn to be specific. Though it was just a simple charcoal picture, her mind filled in the colors: The purple and pink mane tousled attractively against the lighter lavender coat, the bright eyes sparkling like the namesake of the pony who bore them. The paper fluttered back into its compartment and it slammed as Rose hung her head dejectedly. She was almost certain that her feelings would come to nothing. Twilight Sparkle was an amazing and beautiful mare, but she was certainly not one to have feelings for females. Wouldn't someone as open with her sexuality, as good of friends with the unicorn as Rainbow Dash have snagged such a gem by now? Being a lesbian in Equestria was acceptable, and almost normal, but Rose was still conflicted in her feelings about it. Her parents had certainly made their opinion known to her as she had grown up. "Roseluck! Someday we want a grandfoal, and you're our only hope for that, as we can't have any more children ourselves. I hope we aren't disappointed" They hadn't overtly disapproved of the alternate lifestyle, but the implications were there. She lay on the bed, feeling the rough cushioning poke her through the sheets, itching against her skin as it brushed past her fur. She had never been able to replace the cheap mattress, but it had never registered as extremely important. Twilight was still on the surface of her mind but also deeper within her, the thought of the other pony was physically affecting her body. She could feel the longing beneath her tail yet when she touched a hoof down there, she sighed in disappointment, Too tired to satiate her desire, she was also too indifferent to the moment, too depressed to bother. Sleep closed in slowly, as the pony struggled to empty her mind. Chapter 1Twilight Sparkle The five of them blocked her path, looming large and screaming obscenities. They taunted her with her greatest fears, her most sensitive moments, as if they could peer into her soul. Well, in a manner of speaking, they could. The smallest one, though it stood four times as high as an alicorn and weighed probably ten, lunged towards her with its arm outstretched. There were strange tensile limbs attached to the end of the gargantuan's hoof which clearly made the gripping of objects much more efficient. Opening and closing that thing (apparently it was called a hand) it was trying to grasp at her; perhaps it wanted to squeeze the life out of her or hurl her down the terrible gaping maw that passed for its mouth, slashing across that crooked face. She dodged aside with a quick hop. A glow appeared around her horn and its arm as she used her magic to pull the thing forward in the direction that it had lurched. Though it was huge and heavy, it stood on only two legs, causing it to have less than impeccable balance. With the combined force of her magic and its own momentum, the thing toppled forward, crashing to the ground, bursting into a thousand shards. So, they're made of stone! The unicorn grinned at her first success, delighted that she had guessed the weakness of the thing. The dust from the impact settled and she saw that two more of the original five were lurching towards her, taller and heavier than the first. However, they had seen their comrade fall, so the same trick probably would not work again. Brutish though they might look, assuming that they were incapable of adapting was a certain death sentence. They came at her from two directions, attempting to flank their small opponent. These ones were noticeably quicker than the first despite their size, and soon they were upon her, though she hadn't yet figured out how to fight the pair. Focusing, she teleported backwards to gain a few more moments to ponder. The stone monsters paused as they tried to track her movement but the sudden disappearance of their target did not fool them for long. Fixing on her once more, they came from opposite directions again. This time, she was ready. She knew that she couldn't face them head on— these were beasts of brute strength, whose only tool was force. In a contest of raw power, they would almost certainly win, so she planned a similar stunt as with the first. Surrounding herself in an aura of purple magic, Twilight slowly rose into the air until she was at their eye level. Showing no discernible reaction to a now-flying pony, the two closed in, outstretching their fingers, rushing to catch their foe. Her stomach lurched as she plummeted at the last second and an explosion of dust and stone erupted above her as her enemies missed their target and clawed each others heads off. Hopping a few feet away, she watched them topple and gave a small shout of glee at her further success. That was when she didn't realize where the final two were— larger, stronger, and presumably faster than their predecessors. A rush of air warned her of attack from above, but she didn't have time for more than a quick glance upwards, when the mighty hand slammed down atop her. The only thing she could do was tighten her eyes and brace for the impact. "Arghh!" She screamed. DING DING DING DING A bell chimed loudly, announcing the conclusion of the session. Twilight Sparkle cracked an eyelid and saw that the hand had landed- fingers pointed downwards, stuck in the ground, and holding the palm above her head- a roof and bars, forming a jail cell of sorts. At the top of her lungs, she shouted, "SHINING ARMOR, THAT'S NOT FAIR!" With a burst of magic, the head of the Canterlot Guard appeared in front of her, laughing at her reaction. "Well done Twiley," he said earnestly, "three out of five on your first try! Most of the Guard only make it that far against the Golems after years of training and multiple failures! You're a natural, sis." Her eyes unfocused, slightly crossing as she fumed, "How do you propose that I'm supposed to help protect Canterlot at the Gala if I can't even pass a training run? Let me do it again!" At his sister's outburst, Shining Armor just threw his head back and laughed, guffaws echoing around the Ponyville countryside. "Sis, you just obliterated three of our advanced training dummies and they take awhile to put back together, even with a professional team in Canterlot. Just be patient. Even if you aren't the top combat pony around, your presence during the ball adds plenty. Besides, your duty lies in escorting that flower pony who Celestia personally commissioned. Bad guys probably aren't going to target an art display, after all- and we aren't expecting any trouble." Twilight squeezed out of the enclosing hand and turned to study the Golem which had defeated her. It was a behemoth of a thing, kneeling down as if in respect, though it could have just crushed her to a pulp. The skin was rough, with deep grooves in the clay like the topography of some great canyon, a network of dried riverbeds. Shining Armor swelled with pride as he watched his little sister. His mind’s eye raced past the memory of her birth, her foalhood days of innocent obliviousness, playing with Cadance in the Canterlot parks. He couldn't believe what a mare she had grown into, full of talent and wisdom, though she hardly knew it, or at least acknowledged it. And now she was tearing apart some of the most dangerous training tools that he had under his command, better at adapting and fighting than at least 80% of the current trainees in Canterlot, who had been preparing for such action their whole lives, rather than being buried nose deep in textbooks. Well, she was part of the family, after all. Twilight noticed the contemplative look on his face and her own softened, frustration at defeat leaving her mind. "So when are you heading back?" "Well, just about now, I think," He smiled down at his sister, "I only came out to brief you on your assignment and only stayed this long because you insisted on seeing how tough you are. Which, I might add, is pretty tough. Remember, Celestia is coming by later to check on the display, so you should be with— what's her name when that happens. See you tomorrow!" The purple pony smiled farewell at her brother and he vanished with a sparkling flash. So... The unicorn started trotting back towards Ponyville, contemplating how the next day would turn out. I do hope that this isn't as uptight as last year's Gala... I won't have the girls to liven things up, and I don't think it would be good to end in 'catastrophe' like last time. Oh! I still need to pick up my and Rose’s dresses... Maybe I should surprise her with them? That should do, I think. The purple unicorn trotted in the direction of Ponyville, towards a boutique shaped as a carousel. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Rarity A creamy yellow, almost buttery in color, dominated the design which lay before her. Around the neck sat a deep pink ribbon, just enough to frame the face and shoulders of a smallish lavender unicorn: sufficiently bold yet not overbearing or too flamboyant. Of course, Flamboyance was certainly not the muse for this dress, appreciated though she was in other places. For the most part, it was just that simple yellowish color— no elaborate stitchings, no supplemental lace or frill. Just a plain, longish dress with some excellent hemwork. She knew from that past that such a style fit her bookish friend perfectly, yet a sigh of lament escaped her that she could not bedeck the attire with gems and luxury. Perhaps for next year’s Gala, or some event between now and then, Rarity could truly go all out on a masterpiece of modern fashion. At least she could have solace with Roseluck’s dress. A hovering needle sank slowly to the tabletop as the light around Rarity’s horn started to fade. A glance to the corner of the room had distracted her from finishing the final stitches of Twilight’s outfit as she admired her own work, another artful dress, to clothe the Gala’s featured artist. This one at least comes close to looking luxurious. Even just a mannequin looked splendid in the costume. Almost a wedding dress, the white robe came equipped with a mesh-like veil, dripping with rubies like tears of blood. Ruffles flared from the end of the piece, elongating the outfit and creating a short train when worn; elegant with it's trail but not overly long as to stumble a pony. Several hoof taps resonated off the wooden door to her home, interrupting her reverie and startling her back into the moment. "Just a minute!" The white unicorn hollered in balanced tones, her sophisticated lilt lending an air of importance to her words, a justified need for patience. She moved from her inspiration room towards the front door, maintaining an elegant poise despite the lack of an audience. After swinging open the door, Rarity exclaimed, "Why hello Twilight! How are you?" "Well I'm pretty good, thanks for asking! I was stopping by to ask about the dresses for tomorrow." "Yes well, do come in." The two unicorns entered into Rarity's living room, seating themselves across a small table from each other. A few hours later, two unmarked packages could be seen floating along behind Twilight as she trotted happily out of Carousel Boutique and Ponyville Square. Chapter 2Rose Whistling loudly, a kettle of lilac and daisy tea announced itself ready for consumption. Rose stepped from her salesroom into the small kitchenette to stop the screeching. The room could barely be called that— closet might, perhaps, be more appropriate. Besides a sink and a stove, there was only one small cabinet, three open-air shelves, and just barely enough room to turn around. She gripped the handle of the teapot in her mouth and carried it back out front, setting it on the checkout counter and sighing in relief as she poured a cup for herself and took the first sip. The warmth seeped through her innards, spreading a glow of comfort around the limbs of the pony. Another few minutes, then I'll go apply the finishing touches... She cast her gaze around the storefront, examining what she had made for herself. Ordinarily it was far more cluttered, with all sorts of odds and ends. Currently though, it was mostly empty, with only a few bouquets set up for display—mainly the strong surviving snow lilies, which hadn't yet wilted. Other than that, her seed buckets were empty and gathering dust. Ordinarily they were brimming and needed to be constantly filled, for ponies loved to munch on seedlings; far fewer actually planted them. Now they stood vacant, loaning a look of disrepair to her shop that was apparent, for she had spent very little time in it lately. Her gaze wandered back to the teapot, and for a moment, she had a feeling for which she could find no sufficient words. She could only describe it as an experience with 'bizarre'- there was literally no more sufficient way to put it. It came on as she realized how wonderful it was, to be born into a society full of useful techniques, simple things like having a handle on a hot kettle, weaving, just about EVERYTHING that she or anypony knew. To think, how strong of a will must have possessed the first ponies, utilizing trial and error until some for of order emerged. She imagined being of the first generation, appearing out of nowhere into sheer existence, without knowledge of how anything worked. To have a reaction like that at something so banal! Mundane turned bizarre turned insane and then back to mundane. The thought lingered with her but the impact did not, for which she was grateful. A mind in permanent connection with such a strange state probably wouldn't last for long. She put her mug down and trotted out the door, making sure the sign said "closed" and locking it behind her. The morning air tasted wonderful and was exactly what she needed, still moist from the nighttime with dew hanging on the grass. Now she had passed the sign for Sweet Apple Acres and her workbarn was in sight. Over the rolling hills of the beautiful farm, she thought she could hear the faint thuds of the Apple family already at work. She smiled at the thought of them, for they were some of the kindest, hardest working, and most generous ponies in all of Equestria. Roseluck was certainly in their debt. The Apple's too, had been shocked at the scope of the commission, so it had taken a little while to figure out exactly how to solve the problem of limited work-space. The barn part was simple enough, but Rose wouldn't have been able to get a good look at what she was creating, only small portions of it at a time. After they sat around being stumped for an hour or so, the filly of the family had come home from school, and upon hearing the dilemma, had immediately drawn up a schematic for a folding roof. Within a few more hours, Applejack and Macintosh had it built and working perfectly. She also marveled at their ingenuity, though in this case, specifically Applebloom's. This way, Rose could give her flowers their needed exposure to the elements as well as view her design from afar (they had also provided a tall set of stairs for her to climb). The pale pony opened her roof and climbed her stairs, looking down at the almost complete design. It was huge—filling a work-space nearly 10 times as large as the floor of her own shop. And she was proud. From afar it resembled the top of one large pink rose, each petal's curve perfectly conformed to the others, yet each petal was made of hundreds of individual roses, alternating red and white. She descended the ladder and entered the work-space in order to perform the feat which was her special talent—that which made her flowers superior to most others. It was intensely private, for it manifested in such a way that earth ponies were thought incapable of. She closed her eyes, focusing on the cluster nearest her and sent all her thoughts towards them, feeling the power channel through her hooves into the ground, through the earth and up the stems, cascading into the petals. Everything felt right. She cracked an eyelid to sneak a peek at her results and was rewarded with a sparkling sight. While her previous applications of power had preserved the flowers and allowed them to bloom lusciously and deeper in color than ordinary, she had never tried quite what she was doing now. It worked with spectacular success, causing the patch she had modified to glitter in the sunlight in such a way to make even a pony like Rarity jealous. A shadow loomed over her head and a voice rang out, "Why it looks magnificent. I knew I made the right choice in hiring you for this." Shocked out of her reverie, Rose looked up to see the regal form of Celestia descending, her sun mimicking a halo of fiery gold behind her. She dropped to a knee before her liege, murmuring her surprise. "Rise, my little pony, and tell me. What was it that you were just doing, to make that patch sparkle so?" Rose was nearly too stunned to speak, a visit from the princess herself? She barely got the words out, stammering, "T-that was my special talent, Princess. As an earth pony, I have an innate connection with life that thrives from the soil. S-somehow, for me, it manifests in such a way... that it is similar to unicorn magic." Celestia’s face was twisted thoughtfully, but she did not comment. "I-is something wrong Princess, that you needed to come here yourself?" Snapping out of thought, the goddess of the sun replied calmly, "Why, no. I merely wanted to check on how you were progressing. Oh—and Twilight Sparkle shall be escorting you to Canterlot"- Butterflies erupted in Rose's stomach -"she has your ticket with her. Honestly, I am surprised she is not here, as she was going to let me know if she was comfortable with the situation thus far. It is of no import though, she has everything necessary and is perfectly capable of handling herself. When you see her, do tell her to send a letter confirming the schedule tomorrow, could you?” “And I shall say again, it truly looks splendid. I do look forward to the Gala. See you tomorrow!" With that casual farewell, Rose watched her liege take wing. This was the first time she had met her in person instead of just seeing her from afar, and she felt the aura of greatness recede as the white alicorn faded to a fleck in the distance. Over the course of the day, Celestia’s luminescent orb peaked it’s arc and descended steadily until Roseluck realized that she had nothing left to do. Her project was as complete as she could ever hope for and staying up all night perfecting details that would remain unseen was pointless. That night, though she didn't consciously choose so, Roseluck's dreams featured more than just Twilight Sparkle. Chapter 2.5 (Optional Clopscene)A warm haze surrounded them, a fog of sorts, causing the world to be restricted to only the three ponies. Rose was in metaphorical heaven, curled on the left of the purple unicorn of her fancy, who was snuggling against Celestia as well. The elegant alicorn's long neck was draped comfortingly over her two sleeping subjects, protectively, blissfully. There was no specific reason for them being there, it was simply where they wished to be. Though the mist enveloped them, blocking everything foreign and limiting the world to only each other, Celestia's radiating sun watched them. A gentle breeze tugged at their fur and caught Celestia's luxuriant mane, blowing wisps of the shimmering hair into Twilight Sparkle's face, tickling her awake. The unicorn opened her eyes and smiled dreamily at her princess, not offended in the least. She began to hum an old tune from her foalhood years as she dragged her hooves affectionately through Roseluck's mane, causing the other pony to stir gently into the scene. The flower pony's eyes were half lidded with sleepiness but her exhaustion slowly faded into happiness as she became aware of the feeling. Rose loved the sensation of Twilight playing with her hair, as if it belonged to her, running her lovely hooves through an equally lovely mane. It was an act of possession which they were both glad to experience. Unconscious, Rose's body started turning, shifting position from gathering heat. She mumbled in her sleep as she shoved her blankets away, removing the stifling covers. Twilight pushed Rose's mane back, giving her clear access to nibble on her ear, breathing hot air and low murmurs of affection as she nipped gently, moving down the side of Rose's face, to the neck and then her throat. Celestia watched her student administer attention to her other subject, proud at the displayed affection. Twilight was no expert at lovemaking, but perhaps her studies had been of objective value for this endeavor. Soon, the two ponies were fully kissing, Rose now being awake to participate. A blush crept into Celestia's cheeks as she felt the stirrings of lust inside her, the sight of the two smaller ponies bringing to life repressed desires. She felt her lower lips starting to swell, sending a surge of carnal desire through her. The other two ponies had risen to their hooves and were simply enjoying each others’ caress. Twilight's flank was facing her, tail swishing back and forth with pleasure, flashing her privates temptingly into view for a half second before swooping back to cover them, repeatedly. Eventually it was too much and Celestia nudged the tail aside with her muzzle, applying a savory lick over the purple pony's hot sex. For Rose, it was as if she had left her body and could see herself. She watched as the whole scene played out before her. Celestia in the back, nuzzling at Twilight's love hole, the fur around her muzzle darkened with the wetness, her hooves reaching below to grasp at the unicorn's sensitive teats, eliciting moans of unabated pleasure. Rose, watching Twilight, fondled her own nether region as she kissed the unicorn, feeling the purple pony whimper into her mouth as their tongues lashed against each other. She delighted in the sensually warm cave as they each tasted the insides of the other. The orgasm took Twilight violently, sending spasms strong enough to separate her and Rose, leaving a strand of saliva to stretch between them before breaking. Celestia remained attached to her slit, sucking every drop of liquid that she could out of her prized student. She moved with the unicorn's body as it shook, prodding inwards as Twilight convulsed away, doubling the power of the sensation. The purple pony finally collapsed with radiant pleasure and Celestia smiled, her mouth full of the unicorn's essence. She leaned forward towards Rose and kissed her fully, swapping most of the juice into the earth pony's mouth and letting her taste the sweet nectar of their lover. Without any physical stimulation, Rose nearly climaxed then, from the mere thought of the situation. Knowing Rose's affections, Celestia let the fluid drain into the other pony's mouth before licking her lips and nuzzling into the flower pony's neck, to better hear the gulp of Twilight's fluid down Rose's throat. She relished in it, connecting with her princess on this level, feeling their muzzles pushed greedily together as they tasted Twilight Sparkle at her best, sharing the intoxicating musk as though it were crucial to sustaining life. Rose lay on her back as her tail began accruing the damp runoff from her stimulated areas. The sheets were on the floor now and she was whimpering, though still unconscious. Running her hooves around her body, she was encapsulated in her alternate reality. Though Twilight came spectacularly, Rose didn't want to leave her alone. The unicorn had collapsed onto her side, so Rose nudged her onto her back, hooves hung crookedly aloft to expose a soft belly. She dove at the opening between Twilight's legs, focusing mainly on the mound beneath her hood. Twilight moaned loudly as Rose lapped her tongue around the already-overstimulated area, panting heavily, for the lavender beauty had not yet recovered from the earlier orgasm. Though Celestia had done a great favor by giving to Rose Twilight Sparkle's juices, there was nothing comparable to being inside the source herself. Directly from the reservoir, it had an extra tang that hadn't existed after the swap from Celestia's mouth. Not to say that Celestia's gift had been poor-quality; Rose would have no issue spending an entire day to memorize her sweet Princess' taste, exploring the inside of her liege's mouth, the two of them pressed muzzle to muzzle. Twilight moaned, "Tia," between rasping breaths: she could not forget her duty to the Princess and beckoned her over weakly with a hoof. Celestia smiled at the display of loyalty and affection and proceeded to sit on the unicorn's face. She rubbed her lower lips, grinding, smearing her delicate scent across Twilight's face, before feeling the student's hooves grip her flank on either side, moving her genitalia on top of the probing tongue. Celestia gasped as Twilight's rough pink surface slid across her marehood, the texture eliciting dampness from mostly dry nethers. She felt a swipe across her nubbin and an involuntary spasm of pleasure took her, forcing her plot further onto Twilight's face. The purple mare was on fire between her hindquarters, the sensation of Rose's beautiful muzzle jolting spikes of temporary paralysis through her spine. She flicked her tongue at the mound beneath her princess' legs and witnessed the royal petals veritably gasp in delight, folds smashing harder across Twilight, involuntarily sliding clear wetness down Twilight's face until she felt a new sensation—one she hadn't ever before. Celestia's lower lips were still playing around Twilight’s smile but a warm circle had accidentally wrapped around her horn, catching on the point. She could feel it constricting the hard member atop her head, pulsating with gentle waves of warmth. The first contact had been a mistake, shocking them both with the sudden penetration, with intense sensitivity on both sides. After a moment’s pause, the gripping circle pushed further down the horn, sliding slowly, slickening its path. Rose, feeling unrelated clenching and unclenching of Twilight's inner muscles to her own work below, peeked up from the arch of Twi's legs to see what was occurring with the other two ponies She wished she could capture the moment which she observed— perhaps she would attempt to redraw it later. Twilight lay on her back, her neck craned upwards, head tilted high, face contorted in utter ecstasy. Celestia, facing Rose, had her forehooves near the midsection of the unicorn beneath her. She was crouched, her haunches bent as her plot hovered over the purple mare's head. Well, not really hovered. They were connected by Twilight's horn and Celestia's anus. The alicorn was also in obvious bliss, her marehood streaming onto the fur of Twilight's face, greasier fluid flowing from the puckered upper hole, down the horn and matting Twilight's mane. Rose tried to commit the scene to memory as Twilight Sparkle and Celestia both cried out, muscles and limbs convulsing. The purple unicorn slid out of Celestia with a squelching pop, leaving the horn glistening and wet. She couldn't resist. Rose stepped over Twilight, examining the hard protrusion from her head. The earth pony saw the horn shining in the light, juices sparkling, yet there were a few darker spots as well. Unbelievably, she felt her own lips part, her tongue lolling out in wondrous expectation as she neared the sticky horn. The smell wafted into her nostrils, dark, dank, and succulent. It touched her tongue first, but soon she was sucking greedily, leaving her own moisture, slurping the mixture into her own mouth and savoring the illicit popsicle. Twilight whimpered meekly beneath Rose as her magic rod was assaulted by the earth pony’s mouth. The tongue snaked, wrapping around and lapping at her gnarled shaft. A ray of sunlight slashed across Rose’s face and she opened her eyes involuntarily, spotting the old wood of the ceiling above her, the rising orb outside her window. That morning of the Gala, she lay on her back shivering, haunches soaked, mattress sodden, cursing that dreams were merely dreams. Chapter 3Rose The emotions of sadness dissipated as she thought I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Rose couldn't shake the crooked grin off her face. Radiant sunlight streamed through naked windows, proclaiming a start to her big day. I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Her mind shouted joyously, spurring her out of bed to prepare for the day. As she sprung out, the cool air caught her fur and she noticed her soaked haunches, the large spot of wetness on her mattress. A blush crept to her cheeks as she thought, I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Setting the brush down, Roseluck examined her image. An important distinction from self? Red streaked with pink, her mane was finally drying from the bath. She gave her reflection a wink and shook her head as she left the room, tossing her hair into a windblown fashion. In her own quarters, she spied a notebook lying on her bedside table. Where did I leave off? There was a habit she had managed to ingrain in herself, after realizing how sporadic her sleeping could be. She would come to full consciousness, in some part of the store, or some other odd place where she had no recollection of going, yet she would find her head full of thoughts, metaphorical voices which would not quiet. So she had trained herself to take down notes when she could, as she never remembered everything coherently. Written in her own hoof, yet the contents unknown to her, the notebook boldly declared the imminence of it's knowledge. It said: Some things to be observed— — Her coat was like polished marble — Each product in my life was doubtless handled by or related to countless individuals. This cannot be stressed enough — Everypony has the same opinion of their own take on life, no matter the conclusion of their worldview — The graveyards are filled with ponies who thought themselves necessary She blinked as she consumed the text. A bit morbid, perhaps, but not overtly untrue. She wondered at the source of the half-awake ramblings. "Ah well," she said to nopony in particular, "there are more important issues at hand." Like meeting up with Twilight Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle At Sweet Apple Acres, a purple unicorn pondered her objective. She was responsible for the transportation, by train, of a delicate display that was larger than any train car she had ever seen. Various possible methods flickered through her agile mind, natural sharpness combined with years of training in order to quicken the neural impulses. She could try teleporting the flower arrangement, but the idea of sustaining the exact form of such a complex array, over the physical distance between Ponyville and Canterlot, was a daunting one. Perhaps it would be possible in short bursts of distance, with plenty of rest in between, but that would hardly save time or effort if they could figure out a method with the train. Some part of her brain clicked and Twilight remembered a night when Celestia had told her tale from an Age ago, when Discord had wreaked havoc for the first time... ... "The night was black, Twilight Sparkle, when Discord first realized his cantankerous potential." The purple filly's eyes were wide with fascination as she listened to her princess' tale, ears perked to catch every whispered word. "Ah, things were different then. Equestria was newly born and had never heard the call of Discord, never conceived of chaos. Perhaps that is why Discord came to being. Perhaps things were a little too perfect. But that is arcane speculation, best saved for another day"... Twilight remembered herself as a filly, eager to learn everything, even meager speculation about once-in-a-universe phenomena, such as the startling permanent appearance of chaos, manifest. She and Celestia had never gone back to that subject, though... ... "At first he was just another pony, a stranger wandering into Canterlot. The form he takes now is his true one, though that is not how he originally appeared to us. Well, back then there was no modern Equestria, and Canterlot was a rough little village on a mountain. The Everfree forest covered the entire country we cherish today! But again, I digress." Filly Twilight didn't mind. She just sat admiring the goddess, her teacher, absorbing every syllable. "He came to us, pretending to be peaceful, and was allowed to enter. But as soon as he got in, things started happening. A random cobblestone on the main road would suddenly take on all the properties of quicksand, or a torch would cast shadow instead of light, or the local critters might grow wild and angry. At first we thought it was some outside enchantment, something foreign, something come-enchanting from out of the great woods." "Princess?" The filly queried. "Yes?" "Why didn't you just stop it? You're Celestia!" The alicorn paused at the emphasis on her name, then mildly said, "I was not always as I am now." "But..." Twilight saw the look on Celestia's face and let the question drop, understanding that this was all she would get on the subject. "Eventually a unicorn, by the name of Sparkles Bright, cast a bubble enclosure spell around the village. Nothing could enter or exit—be it pony magic or matter or mere energy. We became a closed community... ... The story went on for some time, Twilight remembered, and rather like a detective novel, at that. Celestia, Sparkles Bright, and a few others lead the inquisition and unmasking of Discord, who promptly left a chaos shaped hole in the bubble dome, only to be captured and set in stone several generations later. But that was besides the point. She had remembered the shape of the spell she wanted and was certain of her ability to reverse engineer it. At least, to similar specifications. It wouldn't need to be on quite the same scale. I really should have done this earlier than the day of the Gala. She winced at the guilty thought but demurred, telling herself that everything would be fine as long as she were on time. For the next part of her plan, she would need to draft somepony good at construction... Why, the Apple family, of course. Twilight was sure that the royal coffers would be able to reimburse them generously, patching whatever toll it might take on their expenses, should they leave the farm untended for a morning. She raced from Rose's workbarn towards the farmhouse proper, and rapped at the front door with a hoof. "Feel free to step in," came a familiar twang from inside the shelter, "and don't forget to wipe your hooves!" Inside, she could hear the sound of dishes being done in the kitchen. She didn't forget to wipe her hooves. "Applejack?" She called, making her way towards the bustling sounds. "Yeah, come on in Twiligh'. You had any breakfast yet?" Applejack was alone in the kitchen, cleaning the morning's mess. "I'm fine, thanks. Look, I was actually hoping you could do me a favor... Rather, could I employ your services?" "Oh, I dunno.... Today's supposed to be the day we clear the West Acres, before all the apples fall and split, or rot." "Oh," Twilight looked dissapointed, "there would be sufficient reimbursement for your time and your loss of product." She put on a hopeful face. Applejack gave a hearty laugh, "Well in that case, I can't hardly say no! Whaddya need?" As Twilight gave the details, AJ's brow furrowed, pondering the easiest way to achieve her objective. "Well, those are some mighty wide dimensions but it shouldn't be too hard." "Great! So I'll see you at the station later?" "You bet. Now get on, you got your own work to do." A grateful smile flashed from unicorn to earth pony, before Twilight dashed off to her library. It was 10:30 AM when she arrived, and the train was bound to leave by 1, so she had two and a half hours with which to invent (or re-invent, depending on perspective) a fully functional bubble-shield, capable of protecting the delicate flower display from the speed of the moving train, the wind that would whistle through, tearing petals off their hosts, the roughness of the natural elements. In the basement was her workshop, and she kept it dimly lit by candle. For some reason, the dull light allowed her to think better, make connections that she wouldn't ordinarily spot in her mind. It was as if the aura of mysticism actually helped her magic. Enough dilly-dallying. Time for work. She formed the image of the spell in her mind, concentrating first on the physical manifestation which would appear should she succeed in this endeavor. The bubbles from a bath that she brought forth were too weak, ready to burst at any pressure, so she thought then of a snow globe. The form in her mind complied but she realized that glass wouldn't do, for it would suffocate whatever lay within... Combining the two images, she managed to find the ideal membrane which she was seeking. The structural integrity and toughness of the snow globe remained, combined with the flexability and permeability of a soap bubble. Convenient,she realized, for that had automatically solved the oxygen problem. An hour had passed since she had started unifying the two types of barriers and she realized she was making good time. One last modification... The image of a desert appeared before her mind's eye, sun beating upon the grainy sand dunes. She inserted her bubble-glass, letting the hot rays dry off the soft exterior, hardening her spell. She let it age there for a year, speeding up the metaphysical time with another spell. That should do. Slowly, she came out of her trance-like state, bringing with her the new spell that she had toiled on. A glance at her mental clock warned her that she had 30 minutes to spare. Testing time. Twilight trotted back upstairs to the outdoors, casting the charm around the library. Standing inside it, she noticed that the external world was hazy, as if she were surrounded by fogged glass. The hardening must have reduced the translucency, but no matter. So long as it holds. And it's a good thing this spell doesn't need to be magic-resilient. She summoned a damp cloud, ordered it to unleash it's contents over the dome. The water trickled down the sides, not penetrating. Where the rivulets ran, the bubble became clear again, see-through, though it fogged up as soon as it dried. Next, Twilight hurled a heavy wind at it and though she felt her energy deplete at the magic, no breeze was felt inside. Success. She nullified the barrier around her home, teleported to the train station, and peeked at the sky. A heavy storm was due over the vicinity of Ponyville, so it was a good thing her tests had prevailed. There was Applejack, standing next to the back of the Ponyville Express, an empty traincar beside her with a huge, newly constructed flatbed. AJ had torn the roof and walls off, adding a huge amount of timber to the floor for length and width. "Oh Applejack, thank you so much! It looks perfect." "Not a problem Twi, though I hope I get to see what I just made transportation space for?" "Of course! Wait a moment." With a flash, the unicorn was gone, only to reappear a moment later. AJ turned to the traincar and a low, slow, whistle escaped from between her teeth. "I haven't seen that since it was half the size! And I didn't know what it'd look like finished. That Roseluck sure has outdone herself." Another low whistle, and then Applejack bid her friend farewell, heading back home. Not moments after Twilight cast her new spell around the car, the first droplets of the approaching storm fell. Five minutes to departure. Twilight trotted out towards the main concourse, looking for Rose. Yes! There she was, standing alone and looking forlorn, but brightening immensely upon spotting Twilight. Then they were face-to-face. Twilight Sparkle looked at her companion, smiling. "Shall we?" Chapter 4Rose Rain exploded as it crashed against the earth, throwing particles of water up to create a mist, of sorts. Rose looked skywards to the clouds as she walked through the downpour, noting the dark tumbles of water logged fluff. She could hear the impact of falling water but at first couldn't feel it, until raindrops finally pushed fur down onto the skin of her face. The droplets roared as they pounded the earth. A bright, eerie pink illuminated all of creation, a jagged bolt slashing through the sky domain. A delay, and then the expected rumble rent apart Rose's thoughts, rolling so strongly that even the ground trembled beneath her hooves. She and Twilight hustled to the train, the clop of their steps trailing them until they reached a private car. As they entered, Rose said, "No wonder the weather was thought to be the work of gods, before the Pegasi learned to control it." Twilight looked at her cabin-mate, surprised at the esoteric statement. Deciding to play along the conversation, to act as devil's advocate, Twilight Sparkle said, "Who's to say? That was reality, for them. Thousands lived while that was true, that the gods made weather. Everything is relative." Roseluck bit the bait, "That's completely contrary to the very idea of 'reality'! The whole point is that there is an objective universe beyond any one of us." "Yet," Twilight responded, "wouldn't you agree that for something as different from us as, let's say, a bat! Yeah. Wouldn't a bat's reality be completely different? We can't even conceive of what maneuvering via sound waves might truly be like. A totally different perception." "But that's it! That's all it is, a different perception!" Rose surprised herself at the enthusiasm escaping her vocal chords, "Whether or not they have an entirely different sensory apparatus with which they operate within this realm, like the rest of us, they are here and bound by the same laws. I am not saying that we're currently experiencing the 'truest' reality that there is, merely that one exists beyond our own minds, a universe in which all parties operate." "But Rose! How could you say something called objective reality exists if the universe is constantly in flux? You can state that one-hundred years ago, Appleoosa wasn't real. Certainly, if you went to the indigenous population of that area back then and told them that they lived on an Equestrian frontier town full of ponies, they would laugh and call you crazy." "Well, objective doesn't mean unchanging. You're looking at two separate paradigms, two differing dichotomies." The two ponies had been hunching forward as the conversation picked up, leaning closer as if physical proximity influenced the transmission of ideas. Catching herself, Twilight leaned back, apparently satisfied with the answers. "It at least sounds well thought out," she laughed. They both understood that it was not a condescending thing to say, rather, a compliment, despite the way that it came out. Twilight had merely been probing. She had already known the answer to her own questions, when her line of inquiry would collapse. Rose blushed as she snapped back to the situation at hand and away from the murky depths of philosophy. She had just experienced a more sincere discussion with Twilight Sparkle, the mare of her heart, than anypony in recent memory. Were there a sound to describe the feeling that coursed through her body, it would have been the 'yay' of a Fluttershy. A thing took hold of Twilight, some impulsive emotion, and she spoke, feeling a chilliness in her upper spine, below the neck. Her voice was soft, pleading as she said, "Rose. When I look around at the world, the universe, I feel like some tiny speck of dust. And I see all these other tiny specks floating around, whirling chaotically. But when I address my fellow specks, they respond to me as if they're enormous planets, or clods of dirt to put any speck of dust to shame," she giggled at her own silly metaphor, "but with you it's like we're two specks regarding each other for what they really are, not what they are in their own heads." With a smile Rose whispered, "Objective reality," but it was a silly quip and Twilight continued past it. "I don't know why I feel this way, but I really want to spend more time with you. It's fun and it feels right. Friends?" Rose's heart sped at this pronouncement. Was this the moment to lay it all out? One side of her asserted, No, It's too early! She won't know what to think! Another, however, was clamoring as well, louder, If you don't do anything now, when she's in such a state of mind, you'll never have a better chance! Make your move! She stayed paralyzed until her cautious side won out, and said, "I enjoy the presence of your company as well, Twilight. It's not many ponies who would be willing, or even able to talk about this stuff. Friends." Twilight smiled at the returned sentiment, happy to let that particular issue drop for the moment. She knew there were more feelings to figure out, but she was willing to let them wait. After awhile, the rain pattered to a halt and they passed the rest of the train ride in conversation about simpler topics, or in their own thoughts. All in all it was a bonding experience in which they were both happy to share. After the train arrived, Twilight had quickly transferred Rose's display to the palace via magic, then teleported back to the Canterlot station to accompany Rose. When Twilight had discovered that it was Roseluck's first time to the capitol, the unicorn insisted on taking her new friend to the center of the city. Veritably soaked in the glow of thriving ponity, the market square swarmed with industry abound, productive and wholesome determination as the motive power, the driving force; to thrive and see others thrive was the fundamental principle holding it all together. It was a free place open to all. No restrictions existed on the exchanging goods. Required was merely that all parties involved were satisfied with the transfer of wares. Golden bits flashed from hoof to hoof, traded for a vase of fine ceramic glazed in deep red with a gold leafing, or a basket of assorted fruits—apples and grapes, oranges and tomatoes. Or else ponies were simply browsing, exclaiming at good deals or surprising discoveries, or else exotic foreign objects brought into Canterlot by weary hoof. Bright banners hung lazily in the enclosed city, the occasional draft of countryside air allowing them to fill their original purpose, to billow brightly, advertising some particular shop or ware. Roseluck couldn't imagine the patronage one might receive from a stall in this district, for it was immense beyond reckoning as compared to her Ponyville experience. The number of prospective clients wandering the Canterlot streets in one hour were probably a greater number than she would see in a whole business day of Ponyville, even with the excellent location she rented. While Rose drifted in her own machinations and the general stream of ponies, Twilight Sparkle had vanished from her shoulder. Rose craned her neck left and right, trying to spot a familiar mane or horn, but the blur of motion from so many colored equines, as well as the steadily increasing feeling of anxiety fought for control of her senses. She felt herself being tugged downstream, as if the crowd were merely a river—a blind current with no sense of purpose—and couldn't help being distracted and slightly amused by the notion, despite her predicament. Fighting the crowd, forcing her will against the conscious and unconscious wills which obstructed her, Rose managed to squeeze into a side ally, dark, between two buildings. Here, the sight was far different than the bright celebration a few feet behind her. Piles of rubbish lay strewn across dirty cobbles, speckled with equine and rat waste, poured out of windows with buckets. Amid a heap of rotting fruit, there was a homeless pony who decayed with the rest of the filth, tumbled down in a drunken haze, a half-awake stupor. Flankwards were joyous cries and bright colors, happy spirits and voluntary interaction. Before her was putrid decay, waste and horror. It was as if the city were infected and had no idea, as if she could see the internal structure crumbling, poison in the veins, before any outside dysfunction was apparent. The hobo pony stirred at the clopping of her hooves, turning his mangy head towards her. His mane was matted with unknown dirt, knotting awkwardly around his ears.They were penetrating eyes which observed her, a sharp blue, though milky, as if their owner were blind. Yet that was the most catching part of him, the only aspect of his state which aroused any notion of strength. His lips were split, the fur of his face patched, the area around his muzzle a mess. He grinned a wide, cracked-tooth grin, yellow and rank, before addressing her. In solemn tones, the dirty, wasting pony hissed at the youthful and vibrant one, "The last free place, a desolate waste. It's the only place I'll always go. The crust is a mile and a half thick there. ... I do not wish to be polished." He turned and stumbled off, disappearing around a corner. Rose ogled after him. A bright flash dazzled the walls around her, source overhead, and Twilight Sparkle dropped out of the sky, landing smoothly on her hooves. She cast her gaze about and wrinkled her nostrils at the sight of the disgusting, filth-ridden alley. What in Celestia's name are you doing here Rose? It's a good thing that Starswirl the Bearded fancied a flower vendor at one point during the second era, else I wouldn't have been able to find you, 'the flower vendor I know best'. Anyways, lets get out of here, there's a schedule we need to keep." Despite the abruptness of the unicorn, despite it being just an inane comment, Rose felt her heart swell at the phrase, 'the flower vendor I know best'. It was absolutely silly, perhaps a bit pathetic, but she couldn't do anything about it. The magic gathered around Rose, compressing her person down until she was a mere point of reality, less than a speck. Then, she was in another place entirely, Twilight still at her side, as they exploded into mass and existence.
PrologueRose Fragmented whorls spiraled: from the smallest observable point to an eagle’s eye view of the arrangement, the fractal design maintained itself. Red and white intertwined themselves inextricably together, repeating the same complex pattern over and again; flowers within flowers within flowers. A rose is a rose is a rose thought Roseluck, as she nitpicked flaws that only she could spot on her latest floral arrangement. It was by far the largest order she had thus received, and from a shocking and prestigious source at that. The subtly off-white pony had been requested to form a large display for the opening ceremony of the Grand Galloping Gala and she had exhausted nearly her entire supply of red and whites. For two months she had been clipping and trimming, arranging and relocating, shifting and rotating stems and petals until she was satisfied. To her, it was unbelievable that Royalty from Canterlot would purchase the small town services of a flower vendor from Ponyville. Yet, the day after tomorrow was the big day and she was nearly finished. Inhale, exhale... Steady now. Holding her forehoof aloft, she felt it tremble in anticipation for the biggest event of her life. It still felt surreal, unbelievable. She trotted out from her recently erected workbarn towards her small shop, in order to read the commission letter once more. As she stepped outside, Luna's moon hung huge and yellow in the night banner, providing enough light to make out individual blades of grass beneath her hooves. She silently thanked the goddess of night, one of the great protectors of the realm that she claimed as her home. Rose offered more silent thanks to the Apple family, falling into a memory of the day she had received a letter bearing the Celestial seal. The register slid open with a chime and Roseluck morosely eyed the few bits that remained to her name. Winter had been tough and her blue snow lilies hadn't sold well at all. Now, most of that stock was wilting and dying, as well as the fact that half of her springtime seedlings had been destroyed. A hole in the roof had let snow in, melting over a crateful of preserved seeds, causing an attempted early germination. When the doorbell rang and the gray mailmare delivered a letter bearing the Royal crest, Rose didn't know it immediately, but her lifeline was delivered. She peered at the order and saw the sheer scale of it— yet relief was not what coursed through her body. The payoff opportunity was magnificent, it would sustain her for two or three years, but she hadn't the supplies or workspace to make something on such a grand scale. For the rest of that day, she had moped around the town, ignoring halloos from other ponies, paying no attention to where she was walking. It had taken the Element of Honesty to get her to spill the beans on her mood. The flower pony would have been stuck in such a state for who knows how long, were it not for Applejack's stubborn refusal to let somepony so obviously depressed walk past her. After a lengthy attempt to draw out a reluctant Roseluck, the cowpony discovered the dilemma. Within a week, Rose had found her dwindling food supply stocked to the brim with apples. Not only that, but a large workspace had been thrown up on Sweet Apple Acres in her honor, so that she could work on a grand design that would never have fit in her small shop. Snapping out of her trance, the red maned pony realized that she had already reached her residence. The door swung open at her touch, gliding on smooth hinges.. Clip-clop, clip-clop Her steps thudded on the narrow stairway, trailing her as she clambered from the display room to her private quarters. The decor was modest: bare floorboards scuffed from long use, a few paintings of different breeds of flowers, a simple bed of stuffed hay covered with a pleated quilt, and a small, worn dresser from her foalhood days. She slid open the top drawer and peered at a sketch she had drawn. It was of a mare- a unicorn to be specific. Though it was just a simple charcoal picture, her mind filled in the colors: The purple and pink mane tousled attractively against the lighter lavender coat, the bright eyes sparkling like the namesake of the pony who bore them. The paper fluttered back into its compartment and it slammed as Rose hung her head dejectedly. She was almost certain that her feelings would come to nothing. Twilight Sparkle was an amazing and beautiful mare, but she was certainly not one to have feelings for females. Wouldn't someone as open with her sexuality, as good of friends with the unicorn as Rainbow Dash have snagged such a gem by now? Being a lesbian in Equestria was acceptable, and almost normal, but Rose was still conflicted in her feelings about it. Her parents had certainly made their opinion known to her as she had grown up. "Roseluck! Someday we want a grandfoal, and you're our only hope for that, as we can't have any more children ourselves. I hope we aren't disappointed" They hadn't overtly disapproved of the alternate lifestyle, but the implications were there. She lay on the bed, feeling the rough cushioning poke her through the sheets, itching against her skin as it brushed past her fur. She had never been able to replace the cheap mattress, but it had never registered as extremely important. Twilight was still on the surface of her mind but also deeper within her, the thought of the other pony was physically affecting her body. She could feel the longing beneath her tail yet when she touched a hoof down there, she sighed in disappointment, Too tired to satiate her desire, she was also too indifferent to the moment, too depressed to bother. Sleep closed in slowly, as the pony struggled to empty her mind.
Chapter 1Twilight Sparkle The five of them blocked her path, looming large and screaming obscenities. They taunted her with her greatest fears, her most sensitive moments, as if they could peer into her soul. Well, in a manner of speaking, they could. The smallest one, though it stood four times as high as an alicorn and weighed probably ten, lunged towards her with its arm outstretched. There were strange tensile limbs attached to the end of the gargantuan's hoof which clearly made the gripping of objects much more efficient. Opening and closing that thing (apparently it was called a hand) it was trying to grasp at her; perhaps it wanted to squeeze the life out of her or hurl her down the terrible gaping maw that passed for its mouth, slashing across that crooked face. She dodged aside with a quick hop. A glow appeared around her horn and its arm as she used her magic to pull the thing forward in the direction that it had lurched. Though it was huge and heavy, it stood on only two legs, causing it to have less than impeccable balance. With the combined force of her magic and its own momentum, the thing toppled forward, crashing to the ground, bursting into a thousand shards. So, they're made of stone! The unicorn grinned at her first success, delighted that she had guessed the weakness of the thing. The dust from the impact settled and she saw that two more of the original five were lurching towards her, taller and heavier than the first. However, they had seen their comrade fall, so the same trick probably would not work again. Brutish though they might look, assuming that they were incapable of adapting was a certain death sentence. They came at her from two directions, attempting to flank their small opponent. These ones were noticeably quicker than the first despite their size, and soon they were upon her, though she hadn't yet figured out how to fight the pair. Focusing, she teleported backwards to gain a few more moments to ponder. The stone monsters paused as they tried to track her movement but the sudden disappearance of their target did not fool them for long. Fixing on her once more, they came from opposite directions again. This time, she was ready. She knew that she couldn't face them head on— these were beasts of brute strength, whose only tool was force. In a contest of raw power, they would almost certainly win, so she planned a similar stunt as with the first. Surrounding herself in an aura of purple magic, Twilight slowly rose into the air until she was at their eye level. Showing no discernible reaction to a now-flying pony, the two closed in, outstretching their fingers, rushing to catch their foe. Her stomach lurched as she plummeted at the last second and an explosion of dust and stone erupted above her as her enemies missed their target and clawed each others heads off. Hopping a few feet away, she watched them topple and gave a small shout of glee at her further success. That was when she didn't realize where the final two were— larger, stronger, and presumably faster than their predecessors. A rush of air warned her of attack from above, but she didn't have time for more than a quick glance upwards, when the mighty hand slammed down atop her. The only thing she could do was tighten her eyes and brace for the impact. "Arghh!" She screamed. DING DING DING DING A bell chimed loudly, announcing the conclusion of the session. Twilight Sparkle cracked an eyelid and saw that the hand had landed- fingers pointed downwards, stuck in the ground, and holding the palm above her head- a roof and bars, forming a jail cell of sorts. At the top of her lungs, she shouted, "SHINING ARMOR, THAT'S NOT FAIR!" With a burst of magic, the head of the Canterlot Guard appeared in front of her, laughing at her reaction. "Well done Twiley," he said earnestly, "three out of five on your first try! Most of the Guard only make it that far against the Golems after years of training and multiple failures! You're a natural, sis." Her eyes unfocused, slightly crossing as she fumed, "How do you propose that I'm supposed to help protect Canterlot at the Gala if I can't even pass a training run? Let me do it again!" At his sister's outburst, Shining Armor just threw his head back and laughed, guffaws echoing around the Ponyville countryside. "Sis, you just obliterated three of our advanced training dummies and they take awhile to put back together, even with a professional team in Canterlot. Just be patient. Even if you aren't the top combat pony around, your presence during the ball adds plenty. Besides, your duty lies in escorting that flower pony who Celestia personally commissioned. Bad guys probably aren't going to target an art display, after all- and we aren't expecting any trouble." Twilight squeezed out of the enclosing hand and turned to study the Golem which had defeated her. It was a behemoth of a thing, kneeling down as if in respect, though it could have just crushed her to a pulp. The skin was rough, with deep grooves in the clay like the topography of some great canyon, a network of dried riverbeds. Shining Armor swelled with pride as he watched his little sister. His mind’s eye raced past the memory of her birth, her foalhood days of innocent obliviousness, playing with Cadance in the Canterlot parks. He couldn't believe what a mare she had grown into, full of talent and wisdom, though she hardly knew it, or at least acknowledged it. And now she was tearing apart some of the most dangerous training tools that he had under his command, better at adapting and fighting than at least 80% of the current trainees in Canterlot, who had been preparing for such action their whole lives, rather than being buried nose deep in textbooks. Well, she was part of the family, after all. Twilight noticed the contemplative look on his face and her own softened, frustration at defeat leaving her mind. "So when are you heading back?" "Well, just about now, I think," He smiled down at his sister, "I only came out to brief you on your assignment and only stayed this long because you insisted on seeing how tough you are. Which, I might add, is pretty tough. Remember, Celestia is coming by later to check on the display, so you should be with— what's her name when that happens. See you tomorrow!" The purple pony smiled farewell at her brother and he vanished with a sparkling flash. So... The unicorn started trotting back towards Ponyville, contemplating how the next day would turn out. I do hope that this isn't as uptight as last year's Gala... I won't have the girls to liven things up, and I don't think it would be good to end in 'catastrophe' like last time. Oh! I still need to pick up my and Rose’s dresses... Maybe I should surprise her with them? That should do, I think. The purple unicorn trotted in the direction of Ponyville, towards a boutique shaped as a carousel. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Rarity A creamy yellow, almost buttery in color, dominated the design which lay before her. Around the neck sat a deep pink ribbon, just enough to frame the face and shoulders of a smallish lavender unicorn: sufficiently bold yet not overbearing or too flamboyant. Of course, Flamboyance was certainly not the muse for this dress, appreciated though she was in other places. For the most part, it was just that simple yellowish color— no elaborate stitchings, no supplemental lace or frill. Just a plain, longish dress with some excellent hemwork. She knew from that past that such a style fit her bookish friend perfectly, yet a sigh of lament escaped her that she could not bedeck the attire with gems and luxury. Perhaps for next year’s Gala, or some event between now and then, Rarity could truly go all out on a masterpiece of modern fashion. At least she could have solace with Roseluck’s dress. A hovering needle sank slowly to the tabletop as the light around Rarity’s horn started to fade. A glance to the corner of the room had distracted her from finishing the final stitches of Twilight’s outfit as she admired her own work, another artful dress, to clothe the Gala’s featured artist. This one at least comes close to looking luxurious. Even just a mannequin looked splendid in the costume. Almost a wedding dress, the white robe came equipped with a mesh-like veil, dripping with rubies like tears of blood. Ruffles flared from the end of the piece, elongating the outfit and creating a short train when worn; elegant with it's trail but not overly long as to stumble a pony. Several hoof taps resonated off the wooden door to her home, interrupting her reverie and startling her back into the moment. "Just a minute!" The white unicorn hollered in balanced tones, her sophisticated lilt lending an air of importance to her words, a justified need for patience. She moved from her inspiration room towards the front door, maintaining an elegant poise despite the lack of an audience. After swinging open the door, Rarity exclaimed, "Why hello Twilight! How are you?" "Well I'm pretty good, thanks for asking! I was stopping by to ask about the dresses for tomorrow." "Yes well, do come in." The two unicorns entered into Rarity's living room, seating themselves across a small table from each other. A few hours later, two unmarked packages could be seen floating along behind Twilight as she trotted happily out of Carousel Boutique and Ponyville Square.
Chapter 2Rose Whistling loudly, a kettle of lilac and daisy tea announced itself ready for consumption. Rose stepped from her salesroom into the small kitchenette to stop the screeching. The room could barely be called that— closet might, perhaps, be more appropriate. Besides a sink and a stove, there was only one small cabinet, three open-air shelves, and just barely enough room to turn around. She gripped the handle of the teapot in her mouth and carried it back out front, setting it on the checkout counter and sighing in relief as she poured a cup for herself and took the first sip. The warmth seeped through her innards, spreading a glow of comfort around the limbs of the pony. Another few minutes, then I'll go apply the finishing touches... She cast her gaze around the storefront, examining what she had made for herself. Ordinarily it was far more cluttered, with all sorts of odds and ends. Currently though, it was mostly empty, with only a few bouquets set up for display—mainly the strong surviving snow lilies, which hadn't yet wilted. Other than that, her seed buckets were empty and gathering dust. Ordinarily they were brimming and needed to be constantly filled, for ponies loved to munch on seedlings; far fewer actually planted them. Now they stood vacant, loaning a look of disrepair to her shop that was apparent, for she had spent very little time in it lately. Her gaze wandered back to the teapot, and for a moment, she had a feeling for which she could find no sufficient words. She could only describe it as an experience with 'bizarre'- there was literally no more sufficient way to put it. It came on as she realized how wonderful it was, to be born into a society full of useful techniques, simple things like having a handle on a hot kettle, weaving, just about EVERYTHING that she or anypony knew. To think, how strong of a will must have possessed the first ponies, utilizing trial and error until some for of order emerged. She imagined being of the first generation, appearing out of nowhere into sheer existence, without knowledge of how anything worked. To have a reaction like that at something so banal! Mundane turned bizarre turned insane and then back to mundane. The thought lingered with her but the impact did not, for which she was grateful. A mind in permanent connection with such a strange state probably wouldn't last for long. She put her mug down and trotted out the door, making sure the sign said "closed" and locking it behind her. The morning air tasted wonderful and was exactly what she needed, still moist from the nighttime with dew hanging on the grass. Now she had passed the sign for Sweet Apple Acres and her workbarn was in sight. Over the rolling hills of the beautiful farm, she thought she could hear the faint thuds of the Apple family already at work. She smiled at the thought of them, for they were some of the kindest, hardest working, and most generous ponies in all of Equestria. Roseluck was certainly in their debt. The Apple's too, had been shocked at the scope of the commission, so it had taken a little while to figure out exactly how to solve the problem of limited work-space. The barn part was simple enough, but Rose wouldn't have been able to get a good look at what she was creating, only small portions of it at a time. After they sat around being stumped for an hour or so, the filly of the family had come home from school, and upon hearing the dilemma, had immediately drawn up a schematic for a folding roof. Within a few more hours, Applejack and Macintosh had it built and working perfectly. She also marveled at their ingenuity, though in this case, specifically Applebloom's. This way, Rose could give her flowers their needed exposure to the elements as well as view her design from afar (they had also provided a tall set of stairs for her to climb). The pale pony opened her roof and climbed her stairs, looking down at the almost complete design. It was huge—filling a work-space nearly 10 times as large as the floor of her own shop. And she was proud. From afar it resembled the top of one large pink rose, each petal's curve perfectly conformed to the others, yet each petal was made of hundreds of individual roses, alternating red and white. She descended the ladder and entered the work-space in order to perform the feat which was her special talent—that which made her flowers superior to most others. It was intensely private, for it manifested in such a way that earth ponies were thought incapable of. She closed her eyes, focusing on the cluster nearest her and sent all her thoughts towards them, feeling the power channel through her hooves into the ground, through the earth and up the stems, cascading into the petals. Everything felt right. She cracked an eyelid to sneak a peek at her results and was rewarded with a sparkling sight. While her previous applications of power had preserved the flowers and allowed them to bloom lusciously and deeper in color than ordinary, she had never tried quite what she was doing now. It worked with spectacular success, causing the patch she had modified to glitter in the sunlight in such a way to make even a pony like Rarity jealous. A shadow loomed over her head and a voice rang out, "Why it looks magnificent. I knew I made the right choice in hiring you for this." Shocked out of her reverie, Rose looked up to see the regal form of Celestia descending, her sun mimicking a halo of fiery gold behind her. She dropped to a knee before her liege, murmuring her surprise. "Rise, my little pony, and tell me. What was it that you were just doing, to make that patch sparkle so?" Rose was nearly too stunned to speak, a visit from the princess herself? She barely got the words out, stammering, "T-that was my special talent, Princess. As an earth pony, I have an innate connection with life that thrives from the soil. S-somehow, for me, it manifests in such a way... that it is similar to unicorn magic." Celestia’s face was twisted thoughtfully, but she did not comment. "I-is something wrong Princess, that you needed to come here yourself?" Snapping out of thought, the goddess of the sun replied calmly, "Why, no. I merely wanted to check on how you were progressing. Oh—and Twilight Sparkle shall be escorting you to Canterlot"- Butterflies erupted in Rose's stomach -"she has your ticket with her. Honestly, I am surprised she is not here, as she was going to let me know if she was comfortable with the situation thus far. It is of no import though, she has everything necessary and is perfectly capable of handling herself. When you see her, do tell her to send a letter confirming the schedule tomorrow, could you?” “And I shall say again, it truly looks splendid. I do look forward to the Gala. See you tomorrow!" With that casual farewell, Rose watched her liege take wing. This was the first time she had met her in person instead of just seeing her from afar, and she felt the aura of greatness recede as the white alicorn faded to a fleck in the distance. Over the course of the day, Celestia’s luminescent orb peaked it’s arc and descended steadily until Roseluck realized that she had nothing left to do. Her project was as complete as she could ever hope for and staying up all night perfecting details that would remain unseen was pointless. That night, though she didn't consciously choose so, Roseluck's dreams featured more than just Twilight Sparkle.
Chapter 2.5 (Optional Clopscene)A warm haze surrounded them, a fog of sorts, causing the world to be restricted to only the three ponies. Rose was in metaphorical heaven, curled on the left of the purple unicorn of her fancy, who was snuggling against Celestia as well. The elegant alicorn's long neck was draped comfortingly over her two sleeping subjects, protectively, blissfully. There was no specific reason for them being there, it was simply where they wished to be. Though the mist enveloped them, blocking everything foreign and limiting the world to only each other, Celestia's radiating sun watched them. A gentle breeze tugged at their fur and caught Celestia's luxuriant mane, blowing wisps of the shimmering hair into Twilight Sparkle's face, tickling her awake. The unicorn opened her eyes and smiled dreamily at her princess, not offended in the least. She began to hum an old tune from her foalhood years as she dragged her hooves affectionately through Roseluck's mane, causing the other pony to stir gently into the scene. The flower pony's eyes were half lidded with sleepiness but her exhaustion slowly faded into happiness as she became aware of the feeling. Rose loved the sensation of Twilight playing with her hair, as if it belonged to her, running her lovely hooves through an equally lovely mane. It was an act of possession which they were both glad to experience. Unconscious, Rose's body started turning, shifting position from gathering heat. She mumbled in her sleep as she shoved her blankets away, removing the stifling covers. Twilight pushed Rose's mane back, giving her clear access to nibble on her ear, breathing hot air and low murmurs of affection as she nipped gently, moving down the side of Rose's face, to the neck and then her throat. Celestia watched her student administer attention to her other subject, proud at the displayed affection. Twilight was no expert at lovemaking, but perhaps her studies had been of objective value for this endeavor. Soon, the two ponies were fully kissing, Rose now being awake to participate. A blush crept into Celestia's cheeks as she felt the stirrings of lust inside her, the sight of the two smaller ponies bringing to life repressed desires. She felt her lower lips starting to swell, sending a surge of carnal desire through her. The other two ponies had risen to their hooves and were simply enjoying each others’ caress. Twilight's flank was facing her, tail swishing back and forth with pleasure, flashing her privates temptingly into view for a half second before swooping back to cover them, repeatedly. Eventually it was too much and Celestia nudged the tail aside with her muzzle, applying a savory lick over the purple pony's hot sex. For Rose, it was as if she had left her body and could see herself. She watched as the whole scene played out before her. Celestia in the back, nuzzling at Twilight's love hole, the fur around her muzzle darkened with the wetness, her hooves reaching below to grasp at the unicorn's sensitive teats, eliciting moans of unabated pleasure. Rose, watching Twilight, fondled her own nether region as she kissed the unicorn, feeling the purple pony whimper into her mouth as their tongues lashed against each other. She delighted in the sensually warm cave as they each tasted the insides of the other. The orgasm took Twilight violently, sending spasms strong enough to separate her and Rose, leaving a strand of saliva to stretch between them before breaking. Celestia remained attached to her slit, sucking every drop of liquid that she could out of her prized student. She moved with the unicorn's body as it shook, prodding inwards as Twilight convulsed away, doubling the power of the sensation. The purple pony finally collapsed with radiant pleasure and Celestia smiled, her mouth full of the unicorn's essence. She leaned forward towards Rose and kissed her fully, swapping most of the juice into the earth pony's mouth and letting her taste the sweet nectar of their lover. Without any physical stimulation, Rose nearly climaxed then, from the mere thought of the situation. Knowing Rose's affections, Celestia let the fluid drain into the other pony's mouth before licking her lips and nuzzling into the flower pony's neck, to better hear the gulp of Twilight's fluid down Rose's throat. She relished in it, connecting with her princess on this level, feeling their muzzles pushed greedily together as they tasted Twilight Sparkle at her best, sharing the intoxicating musk as though it were crucial to sustaining life. Rose lay on her back as her tail began accruing the damp runoff from her stimulated areas. The sheets were on the floor now and she was whimpering, though still unconscious. Running her hooves around her body, she was encapsulated in her alternate reality. Though Twilight came spectacularly, Rose didn't want to leave her alone. The unicorn had collapsed onto her side, so Rose nudged her onto her back, hooves hung crookedly aloft to expose a soft belly. She dove at the opening between Twilight's legs, focusing mainly on the mound beneath her hood. Twilight moaned loudly as Rose lapped her tongue around the already-overstimulated area, panting heavily, for the lavender beauty had not yet recovered from the earlier orgasm. Though Celestia had done a great favor by giving to Rose Twilight Sparkle's juices, there was nothing comparable to being inside the source herself. Directly from the reservoir, it had an extra tang that hadn't existed after the swap from Celestia's mouth. Not to say that Celestia's gift had been poor-quality; Rose would have no issue spending an entire day to memorize her sweet Princess' taste, exploring the inside of her liege's mouth, the two of them pressed muzzle to muzzle. Twilight moaned, "Tia," between rasping breaths: she could not forget her duty to the Princess and beckoned her over weakly with a hoof. Celestia smiled at the display of loyalty and affection and proceeded to sit on the unicorn's face. She rubbed her lower lips, grinding, smearing her delicate scent across Twilight's face, before feeling the student's hooves grip her flank on either side, moving her genitalia on top of the probing tongue. Celestia gasped as Twilight's rough pink surface slid across her marehood, the texture eliciting dampness from mostly dry nethers. She felt a swipe across her nubbin and an involuntary spasm of pleasure took her, forcing her plot further onto Twilight's face. The purple mare was on fire between her hindquarters, the sensation of Rose's beautiful muzzle jolting spikes of temporary paralysis through her spine. She flicked her tongue at the mound beneath her princess' legs and witnessed the royal petals veritably gasp in delight, folds smashing harder across Twilight, involuntarily sliding clear wetness down Twilight's face until she felt a new sensation—one she hadn't ever before. Celestia's lower lips were still playing around Twilight’s smile but a warm circle had accidentally wrapped around her horn, catching on the point. She could feel it constricting the hard member atop her head, pulsating with gentle waves of warmth. The first contact had been a mistake, shocking them both with the sudden penetration, with intense sensitivity on both sides. After a moment’s pause, the gripping circle pushed further down the horn, sliding slowly, slickening its path. Rose, feeling unrelated clenching and unclenching of Twilight's inner muscles to her own work below, peeked up from the arch of Twi's legs to see what was occurring with the other two ponies She wished she could capture the moment which she observed— perhaps she would attempt to redraw it later. Twilight lay on her back, her neck craned upwards, head tilted high, face contorted in utter ecstasy. Celestia, facing Rose, had her forehooves near the midsection of the unicorn beneath her. She was crouched, her haunches bent as her plot hovered over the purple mare's head. Well, not really hovered. They were connected by Twilight's horn and Celestia's anus. The alicorn was also in obvious bliss, her marehood streaming onto the fur of Twilight's face, greasier fluid flowing from the puckered upper hole, down the horn and matting Twilight's mane. Rose tried to commit the scene to memory as Twilight Sparkle and Celestia both cried out, muscles and limbs convulsing. The purple unicorn slid out of Celestia with a squelching pop, leaving the horn glistening and wet. She couldn't resist. Rose stepped over Twilight, examining the hard protrusion from her head. The earth pony saw the horn shining in the light, juices sparkling, yet there were a few darker spots as well. Unbelievably, she felt her own lips part, her tongue lolling out in wondrous expectation as she neared the sticky horn. The smell wafted into her nostrils, dark, dank, and succulent. It touched her tongue first, but soon she was sucking greedily, leaving her own moisture, slurping the mixture into her own mouth and savoring the illicit popsicle. Twilight whimpered meekly beneath Rose as her magic rod was assaulted by the earth pony’s mouth. The tongue snaked, wrapping around and lapping at her gnarled shaft. A ray of sunlight slashed across Rose’s face and she opened her eyes involuntarily, spotting the old wood of the ceiling above her, the rising orb outside her window. That morning of the Gala, she lay on her back shivering, haunches soaked, mattress sodden, cursing that dreams were merely dreams.
Chapter 3Rose The emotions of sadness dissipated as she thought I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Rose couldn't shake the crooked grin off her face. Radiant sunlight streamed through naked windows, proclaiming a start to her big day. I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Her mind shouted joyously, spurring her out of bed to prepare for the day. As she sprung out, the cool air caught her fur and she noticed her soaked haunches, the large spot of wetness on her mattress. A blush crept to her cheeks as she thought, I'm going to the Gala with Twilight! Setting the brush down, Roseluck examined her image. An important distinction from self? Red streaked with pink, her mane was finally drying from the bath. She gave her reflection a wink and shook her head as she left the room, tossing her hair into a windblown fashion. In her own quarters, she spied a notebook lying on her bedside table. Where did I leave off? There was a habit she had managed to ingrain in herself, after realizing how sporadic her sleeping could be. She would come to full consciousness, in some part of the store, or some other odd place where she had no recollection of going, yet she would find her head full of thoughts, metaphorical voices which would not quiet. So she had trained herself to take down notes when she could, as she never remembered everything coherently. Written in her own hoof, yet the contents unknown to her, the notebook boldly declared the imminence of it's knowledge. It said: Some things to be observed— — Her coat was like polished marble — Each product in my life was doubtless handled by or related to countless individuals. This cannot be stressed enough — Everypony has the same opinion of their own take on life, no matter the conclusion of their worldview — The graveyards are filled with ponies who thought themselves necessary She blinked as she consumed the text. A bit morbid, perhaps, but not overtly untrue. She wondered at the source of the half-awake ramblings. "Ah well," she said to nopony in particular, "there are more important issues at hand." Like meeting up with Twilight Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle At Sweet Apple Acres, a purple unicorn pondered her objective. She was responsible for the transportation, by train, of a delicate display that was larger than any train car she had ever seen. Various possible methods flickered through her agile mind, natural sharpness combined with years of training in order to quicken the neural impulses. She could try teleporting the flower arrangement, but the idea of sustaining the exact form of such a complex array, over the physical distance between Ponyville and Canterlot, was a daunting one. Perhaps it would be possible in short bursts of distance, with plenty of rest in between, but that would hardly save time or effort if they could figure out a method with the train. Some part of her brain clicked and Twilight remembered a night when Celestia had told her tale from an Age ago, when Discord had wreaked havoc for the first time... ... "The night was black, Twilight Sparkle, when Discord first realized his cantankerous potential." The purple filly's eyes were wide with fascination as she listened to her princess' tale, ears perked to catch every whispered word. "Ah, things were different then. Equestria was newly born and had never heard the call of Discord, never conceived of chaos. Perhaps that is why Discord came to being. Perhaps things were a little too perfect. But that is arcane speculation, best saved for another day"... Twilight remembered herself as a filly, eager to learn everything, even meager speculation about once-in-a-universe phenomena, such as the startling permanent appearance of chaos, manifest. She and Celestia had never gone back to that subject, though... ... "At first he was just another pony, a stranger wandering into Canterlot. The form he takes now is his true one, though that is not how he originally appeared to us. Well, back then there was no modern Equestria, and Canterlot was a rough little village on a mountain. The Everfree forest covered the entire country we cherish today! But again, I digress." Filly Twilight didn't mind. She just sat admiring the goddess, her teacher, absorbing every syllable. "He came to us, pretending to be peaceful, and was allowed to enter. But as soon as he got in, things started happening. A random cobblestone on the main road would suddenly take on all the properties of quicksand, or a torch would cast shadow instead of light, or the local critters might grow wild and angry. At first we thought it was some outside enchantment, something foreign, something come-enchanting from out of the great woods." "Princess?" The filly queried. "Yes?" "Why didn't you just stop it? You're Celestia!" The alicorn paused at the emphasis on her name, then mildly said, "I was not always as I am now." "But..." Twilight saw the look on Celestia's face and let the question drop, understanding that this was all she would get on the subject. "Eventually a unicorn, by the name of Sparkles Bright, cast a bubble enclosure spell around the village. Nothing could enter or exit—be it pony magic or matter or mere energy. We became a closed community... ... The story went on for some time, Twilight remembered, and rather like a detective novel, at that. Celestia, Sparkles Bright, and a few others lead the inquisition and unmasking of Discord, who promptly left a chaos shaped hole in the bubble dome, only to be captured and set in stone several generations later. But that was besides the point. She had remembered the shape of the spell she wanted and was certain of her ability to reverse engineer it. At least, to similar specifications. It wouldn't need to be on quite the same scale. I really should have done this earlier than the day of the Gala. She winced at the guilty thought but demurred, telling herself that everything would be fine as long as she were on time. For the next part of her plan, she would need to draft somepony good at construction... Why, the Apple family, of course. Twilight was sure that the royal coffers would be able to reimburse them generously, patching whatever toll it might take on their expenses, should they leave the farm untended for a morning. She raced from Rose's workbarn towards the farmhouse proper, and rapped at the front door with a hoof. "Feel free to step in," came a familiar twang from inside the shelter, "and don't forget to wipe your hooves!" Inside, she could hear the sound of dishes being done in the kitchen. She didn't forget to wipe her hooves. "Applejack?" She called, making her way towards the bustling sounds. "Yeah, come on in Twiligh'. You had any breakfast yet?" Applejack was alone in the kitchen, cleaning the morning's mess. "I'm fine, thanks. Look, I was actually hoping you could do me a favor... Rather, could I employ your services?" "Oh, I dunno.... Today's supposed to be the day we clear the West Acres, before all the apples fall and split, or rot." "Oh," Twilight looked dissapointed, "there would be sufficient reimbursement for your time and your loss of product." She put on a hopeful face. Applejack gave a hearty laugh, "Well in that case, I can't hardly say no! Whaddya need?" As Twilight gave the details, AJ's brow furrowed, pondering the easiest way to achieve her objective. "Well, those are some mighty wide dimensions but it shouldn't be too hard." "Great! So I'll see you at the station later?" "You bet. Now get on, you got your own work to do." A grateful smile flashed from unicorn to earth pony, before Twilight dashed off to her library. It was 10:30 AM when she arrived, and the train was bound to leave by 1, so she had two and a half hours with which to invent (or re-invent, depending on perspective) a fully functional bubble-shield, capable of protecting the delicate flower display from the speed of the moving train, the wind that would whistle through, tearing petals off their hosts, the roughness of the natural elements. In the basement was her workshop, and she kept it dimly lit by candle. For some reason, the dull light allowed her to think better, make connections that she wouldn't ordinarily spot in her mind. It was as if the aura of mysticism actually helped her magic. Enough dilly-dallying. Time for work. She formed the image of the spell in her mind, concentrating first on the physical manifestation which would appear should she succeed in this endeavor. The bubbles from a bath that she brought forth were too weak, ready to burst at any pressure, so she thought then of a snow globe. The form in her mind complied but she realized that glass wouldn't do, for it would suffocate whatever lay within... Combining the two images, she managed to find the ideal membrane which she was seeking. The structural integrity and toughness of the snow globe remained, combined with the flexability and permeability of a soap bubble. Convenient,she realized, for that had automatically solved the oxygen problem. An hour had passed since she had started unifying the two types of barriers and she realized she was making good time. One last modification... The image of a desert appeared before her mind's eye, sun beating upon the grainy sand dunes. She inserted her bubble-glass, letting the hot rays dry off the soft exterior, hardening her spell. She let it age there for a year, speeding up the metaphysical time with another spell. That should do. Slowly, she came out of her trance-like state, bringing with her the new spell that she had toiled on. A glance at her mental clock warned her that she had 30 minutes to spare. Testing time. Twilight trotted back upstairs to the outdoors, casting the charm around the library. Standing inside it, she noticed that the external world was hazy, as if she were surrounded by fogged glass. The hardening must have reduced the translucency, but no matter. So long as it holds. And it's a good thing this spell doesn't need to be magic-resilient. She summoned a damp cloud, ordered it to unleash it's contents over the dome. The water trickled down the sides, not penetrating. Where the rivulets ran, the bubble became clear again, see-through, though it fogged up as soon as it dried. Next, Twilight hurled a heavy wind at it and though she felt her energy deplete at the magic, no breeze was felt inside. Success. She nullified the barrier around her home, teleported to the train station, and peeked at the sky. A heavy storm was due over the vicinity of Ponyville, so it was a good thing her tests had prevailed. There was Applejack, standing next to the back of the Ponyville Express, an empty traincar beside her with a huge, newly constructed flatbed. AJ had torn the roof and walls off, adding a huge amount of timber to the floor for length and width. "Oh Applejack, thank you so much! It looks perfect." "Not a problem Twi, though I hope I get to see what I just made transportation space for?" "Of course! Wait a moment." With a flash, the unicorn was gone, only to reappear a moment later. AJ turned to the traincar and a low, slow, whistle escaped from between her teeth. "I haven't seen that since it was half the size! And I didn't know what it'd look like finished. That Roseluck sure has outdone herself." Another low whistle, and then Applejack bid her friend farewell, heading back home. Not moments after Twilight cast her new spell around the car, the first droplets of the approaching storm fell. Five minutes to departure. Twilight trotted out towards the main concourse, looking for Rose. Yes! There she was, standing alone and looking forlorn, but brightening immensely upon spotting Twilight. Then they were face-to-face. Twilight Sparkle looked at her companion, smiling. "Shall we?"
Chapter 4Rose Rain exploded as it crashed against the earth, throwing particles of water up to create a mist, of sorts. Rose looked skywards to the clouds as she walked through the downpour, noting the dark tumbles of water logged fluff. She could hear the impact of falling water but at first couldn't feel it, until raindrops finally pushed fur down onto the skin of her face. The droplets roared as they pounded the earth. A bright, eerie pink illuminated all of creation, a jagged bolt slashing through the sky domain. A delay, and then the expected rumble rent apart Rose's thoughts, rolling so strongly that even the ground trembled beneath her hooves. She and Twilight hustled to the train, the clop of their steps trailing them until they reached a private car. As they entered, Rose said, "No wonder the weather was thought to be the work of gods, before the Pegasi learned to control it." Twilight looked at her cabin-mate, surprised at the esoteric statement. Deciding to play along the conversation, to act as devil's advocate, Twilight Sparkle said, "Who's to say? That was reality, for them. Thousands lived while that was true, that the gods made weather. Everything is relative." Roseluck bit the bait, "That's completely contrary to the very idea of 'reality'! The whole point is that there is an objective universe beyond any one of us." "Yet," Twilight responded, "wouldn't you agree that for something as different from us as, let's say, a bat! Yeah. Wouldn't a bat's reality be completely different? We can't even conceive of what maneuvering via sound waves might truly be like. A totally different perception." "But that's it! That's all it is, a different perception!" Rose surprised herself at the enthusiasm escaping her vocal chords, "Whether or not they have an entirely different sensory apparatus with which they operate within this realm, like the rest of us, they are here and bound by the same laws. I am not saying that we're currently experiencing the 'truest' reality that there is, merely that one exists beyond our own minds, a universe in which all parties operate." "But Rose! How could you say something called objective reality exists if the universe is constantly in flux? You can state that one-hundred years ago, Appleoosa wasn't real. Certainly, if you went to the indigenous population of that area back then and told them that they lived on an Equestrian frontier town full of ponies, they would laugh and call you crazy." "Well, objective doesn't mean unchanging. You're looking at two separate paradigms, two differing dichotomies." The two ponies had been hunching forward as the conversation picked up, leaning closer as if physical proximity influenced the transmission of ideas. Catching herself, Twilight leaned back, apparently satisfied with the answers. "It at least sounds well thought out," she laughed. They both understood that it was not a condescending thing to say, rather, a compliment, despite the way that it came out. Twilight had merely been probing. She had already known the answer to her own questions, when her line of inquiry would collapse. Rose blushed as she snapped back to the situation at hand and away from the murky depths of philosophy. She had just experienced a more sincere discussion with Twilight Sparkle, the mare of her heart, than anypony in recent memory. Were there a sound to describe the feeling that coursed through her body, it would have been the 'yay' of a Fluttershy. A thing took hold of Twilight, some impulsive emotion, and she spoke, feeling a chilliness in her upper spine, below the neck. Her voice was soft, pleading as she said, "Rose. When I look around at the world, the universe, I feel like some tiny speck of dust. And I see all these other tiny specks floating around, whirling chaotically. But when I address my fellow specks, they respond to me as if they're enormous planets, or clods of dirt to put any speck of dust to shame," she giggled at her own silly metaphor, "but with you it's like we're two specks regarding each other for what they really are, not what they are in their own heads." With a smile Rose whispered, "Objective reality," but it was a silly quip and Twilight continued past it. "I don't know why I feel this way, but I really want to spend more time with you. It's fun and it feels right. Friends?" Rose's heart sped at this pronouncement. Was this the moment to lay it all out? One side of her asserted, No, It's too early! She won't know what to think! Another, however, was clamoring as well, louder, If you don't do anything now, when she's in such a state of mind, you'll never have a better chance! Make your move! She stayed paralyzed until her cautious side won out, and said, "I enjoy the presence of your company as well, Twilight. It's not many ponies who would be willing, or even able to talk about this stuff. Friends." Twilight smiled at the returned sentiment, happy to let that particular issue drop for the moment. She knew there were more feelings to figure out, but she was willing to let them wait. After awhile, the rain pattered to a halt and they passed the rest of the train ride in conversation about simpler topics, or in their own thoughts. All in all it was a bonding experience in which they were both happy to share. After the train arrived, Twilight had quickly transferred Rose's display to the palace via magic, then teleported back to the Canterlot station to accompany Rose. When Twilight had discovered that it was Roseluck's first time to the capitol, the unicorn insisted on taking her new friend to the center of the city. Veritably soaked in the glow of thriving ponity, the market square swarmed with industry abound, productive and wholesome determination as the motive power, the driving force; to thrive and see others thrive was the fundamental principle holding it all together. It was a free place open to all. No restrictions existed on the exchanging goods. Required was merely that all parties involved were satisfied with the transfer of wares. Golden bits flashed from hoof to hoof, traded for a vase of fine ceramic glazed in deep red with a gold leafing, or a basket of assorted fruits—apples and grapes, oranges and tomatoes. Or else ponies were simply browsing, exclaiming at good deals or surprising discoveries, or else exotic foreign objects brought into Canterlot by weary hoof. Bright banners hung lazily in the enclosed city, the occasional draft of countryside air allowing them to fill their original purpose, to billow brightly, advertising some particular shop or ware. Roseluck couldn't imagine the patronage one might receive from a stall in this district, for it was immense beyond reckoning as compared to her Ponyville experience. The number of prospective clients wandering the Canterlot streets in one hour were probably a greater number than she would see in a whole business day of Ponyville, even with the excellent location she rented. While Rose drifted in her own machinations and the general stream of ponies, Twilight Sparkle had vanished from her shoulder. Rose craned her neck left and right, trying to spot a familiar mane or horn, but the blur of motion from so many colored equines, as well as the steadily increasing feeling of anxiety fought for control of her senses. She felt herself being tugged downstream, as if the crowd were merely a river—a blind current with no sense of purpose—and couldn't help being distracted and slightly amused by the notion, despite her predicament. Fighting the crowd, forcing her will against the conscious and unconscious wills which obstructed her, Rose managed to squeeze into a side ally, dark, between two buildings. Here, the sight was far different than the bright celebration a few feet behind her. Piles of rubbish lay strewn across dirty cobbles, speckled with equine and rat waste, poured out of windows with buckets. Amid a heap of rotting fruit, there was a homeless pony who decayed with the rest of the filth, tumbled down in a drunken haze, a half-awake stupor. Flankwards were joyous cries and bright colors, happy spirits and voluntary interaction. Before her was putrid decay, waste and horror. It was as if the city were infected and had no idea, as if she could see the internal structure crumbling, poison in the veins, before any outside dysfunction was apparent. The hobo pony stirred at the clopping of her hooves, turning his mangy head towards her. His mane was matted with unknown dirt, knotting awkwardly around his ears.They were penetrating eyes which observed her, a sharp blue, though milky, as if their owner were blind. Yet that was the most catching part of him, the only aspect of his state which aroused any notion of strength. His lips were split, the fur of his face patched, the area around his muzzle a mess. He grinned a wide, cracked-tooth grin, yellow and rank, before addressing her. In solemn tones, the dirty, wasting pony hissed at the youthful and vibrant one, "The last free place, a desolate waste. It's the only place I'll always go. The crust is a mile and a half thick there. ... I do not wish to be polished." He turned and stumbled off, disappearing around a corner. Rose ogled after him. A bright flash dazzled the walls around her, source overhead, and Twilight Sparkle dropped out of the sky, landing smoothly on her hooves. She cast her gaze about and wrinkled her nostrils at the sight of the disgusting, filth-ridden alley. What in Celestia's name are you doing here Rose? It's a good thing that Starswirl the Bearded fancied a flower vendor at one point during the second era, else I wouldn't have been able to find you, 'the flower vendor I know best'. Anyways, lets get out of here, there's a schedule we need to keep." Despite the abruptness of the unicorn, despite it being just an inane comment, Rose felt her heart swell at the phrase, 'the flower vendor I know best'. It was absolutely silly, perhaps a bit pathetic, but she couldn't do anything about it. The magic gathered around Rose, compressing her person down until she was a mere point of reality, less than a speck. Then, she was in another place entirely, Twilight still at her side, as they exploded into mass and existence.
