Sapphire Shores Family Issues
Rarity
"Ooh, I better get moving before Sapphire gets here!" I dash as I start my cleaning. *Knock knock* "I hope that's not her." "It's Sapphire, here." "Come in, Ms. Shores." "Hi, Rarity, good to—what?! What the hay are you supporting?!" "Whatever do you mean? Oh! I didn't think you would be offended by my necklace." "Forgive my outburst; it just reminded me of something unpleasant in my life." "What is it?" "I'd rather not talk about it now." "My apologies, ma'am. So any ideas for a new song you want to say?" "Well, I was thinking about taking a stroll around town and the forest." "Oh, no problem; my friends can give you a stroll while I get several of your dresses ready." "Thanks, sugar."
Sweetie Belle
I walk into the town square as Pinkie Pie prepares to bring the pop star in. "Sapphire, how's the tour coming along? My sister is a big fan of yours." "I know, and it's going quite well, dear, though I saw something on her that upset me." Really, what was it?" "It wasn't too big a deal, except it reminded me of a family issue I have." "Lemme guess: something to do with your sister?" "Well, yes. Me and one of my sisters got into a pretty heavy rivalry, but that's for another time." "Remember the dolphin design for your dress in that gig?" "Yeah, loved it." "I helped her out with that." "Oh, really? Good to know."
Pinkie Pie
I bring Gummy along in my little day as a tour guide featuring Sapphire Shores. Boy, am I glad her and Sweetie getting along in our walk. "So how's our humble town working for your ideas?" "Going good, I think I have some inspiration for a new song." "Ooh, I'd love to hear it, and then I can play it for my next party." "Gummy, no! We don't bite famous pony's tails." "It's no big deal, I mean it's not like he's not hurting anypony." Sweetie asks me, "Does Gummy normally chew on tails?" "He usually chews on my balloons or streamers, but not manes or tails." "Well then, I guess Rarity's probably gonna have a fit if he gets into her workroom." "Oh, pshaw! It shouldn't that much of a biggie, I mean what harm could he possibly do?" I'm taking him to Rare's place after this.
Rarity
What is it about my necklace that Sapphire didn't like, and why didn't she like one of my dresses? I better think of a design quick. *Knock, knock, knock* Eek! "Coming, dear." "Don't worry, Rares, I'm just here to drop my Gummy off." Oh Celestia, I hope he's not going to mess up my clothes. Well, he's worth a shot, I mean, he's not going to give Opal too much trouble, is he? "I got it!" I make the final touches on one of my designs to be. "Hey Rarity, you working on yer dresses again?" "Yes I am, and for a diva, no less." "Well, ah wish you the best of luck with yer work."
Applebloom
I was on my laptop when I get a text from Scootaloo. "U gotta come to the forest. Sweetie got sumpony." "Allrite, b there soon." "Hey Mac, I'll be out for a bit." "Eeyup, just message me when yer heading home."
A few minutes later, "What the hay? How did you get a pop star to tour this area?" "Well, she was talking with my sister and she ended up walking with me and Pinkie here." "What's yer sis up to now?" "Take a wild guess." "Yeah, ah was thinking that." "Where are mah manners? Sapphire, there's a town in the forest." "I didn't know this forest had a town." "Yeah, it is well hidden, but a good number of ponies live here." "Well, here we are. Show her around, Pinkie!"
Sapphire
Well I thought the forest was going to be super scary like ponies say, but I'm pleasantly surprised at the town here. A familiar yellow pegasus shows me a garden in town. "Um, I may not have been in this town a lot despite living by the forest, but um, there's a great koi pond you should check out. If you don't mind, that is." "Thank you kindly, I'll be sure to find a song for here." The white filly's bouncing as she walks with me in such an idyllic town. After looking around in the gardens, "Hey girls, wanna check out the soba shop me and mah family like?" "Why not? After all, it'll probably be terrific with you three fillies." "Ooh, I would love to tag along too." Pinkie sure has a way with excitement.
Fluttershy
The tour of a famous pop star makes me wonder why I hardly visited this town despite living by the Forest. Maybe all the creatures in it scared me and the ponies in my friends' town a little too much to check out the town inside. The Apple family doesn't seem as scared of it since they live right by it. "Hey Flutters, come help me in setting up them lanterns at the trees." "Um, ok, which trees should I hang them on? "Start with the tree over yonder. Don't worry about the birds, since you won't be hurting them with that." "Know where mah sis is, by any chance?" "Oh, she's in the Everfree Forest with her friends and Sapphire Shores." "Oh, ah better come git them." "Normally, I'd run for them, but they're in the town." "Oh yeah, ah forgot they have a town.""Anypony else with them?" "I think Pinkie's with them." "Knowing her, ah don' think she's run into trouble."
"Hey, Cheerilee, think you can come help us with setting our stalls?" "Well, I could always help out a family helping to found our town." "Thanks, did you hear about the star going around town?" "Actually, I did hear the girls were going into the forest with her. Are they safe?" "Yeah, Fluttershy there told me Pinkie's going with them." "Well, that's good to know."
Sweetie Belle
The soba shop feels strangely like some place I went before with Rarity and my parents. A few salads, a plate of gyōza, and five cups of water come our way as we sit in our tables ten minutes in with our menus in hoof. "Do you know what you want, girls?" Pinkie asks. "I'm thinking the tempura soba, what about you guys?" "I'll go for the kake soba", I hear Applebloom call. "I think I'll have the sōki bowl." I say to Sapphire. "I guess I'll have the mori basket." Scootaloo tugs at Pinkie. "You know what? I'll order the tsukimi soba and some sake since this is a nice place." Sapphire says decisively. "Hey Applebloom, what's this shop called?" "This is Arahame Soba. Why, Sweetie, you wanna bring yer sis over one of these days?" "Well, we'll see after this round."
Sapphire
"So tell us, why did you want to tour the town?" Scootaloo asks me. "Well, I wanted a place to escape the heat of fame, as well as to have Rarity make a few dresses for me.""Hey Sapphire, ah heard you're none too fond of rubies, can you tell us why?" "It's kind of a long story, so prepare to listen closely."
"You know how when Rarity made the ruby and sapphire outfit for me, I didn't like it?" "No, you never told us that." The fillies say in unison. "Well, as I told Sweetie earlier, rubies remind me of a horrid part of my life, one involving me and one of my sisters. It all started in high school, before that, we were best friends, kind of like between you and your sister, Applebloom." "Like me and Applejack?" "Yes, and also a little like you and Rarity, Sweetie. Anyway, Even though that sister and me got along very well before then, we got into petty fights, but my other sister could usually stop them, even when they got serious. As she's the older sister, she knew how to help us with many issues, including family ones, thus we were very close as family." "So why do you and your sister not see each other now?" Scootaloo asks. "I'm getting to that. But as I was saying, one that she couldn't solve is the one from high school I mentioned with Sweetie earlier. It all started from a rivalry that we gotten into. The rivalry started when we got into opposite teams, and whoever can bring in the most students in and represent our halls. We used our art to help bring more of them into our team. In fact, here's a picture of one of my paintings back in high school." I bring my phone picture of it. "You were a painter back then?" "Yes I was. The dolphin in my piece was painted to the finest detail in the background. My sister, I believe is still a painter. So we both brought in a lot of ponies, but that rivalry went home with us. Unfortunately, it was never resolved, even after the contest was over." "Hey girls, ah think our bowls are coming." "Oh really? Hey they are." Sweetie says. "My sister, the one who wasn't in that rivalry can probably tell you more about the conflict. For now, let's eat."
Cheerilee
Here I am helping out one of my student's families and the one whose brother I've dated, no less. Just as I finish helping the stalls, I move onto the trees and help Fluttershy decorate.
I wave out, "Hey, Flutters, nice show that day." "Um, thanks. Applejack told you about her brother on stage?" "Yes she did, plus I thought was something off about him after I woke up." "Yeah, I was scared shitless after the curtains got pulled off." "A real shame, 'cause you were great out there. Sometimes, I wish I could relive being on stage, like I was back in grade school." "You were in a play as a filly?" "Yeah, I never told you about it? As hard as it is to believe, Rarity made that costume for me back then." "Do you still have it?" "I think so." "Um, I forgot to ask you, how is your orientation, if you don't mind me asking?" "Not as great as they could've been. I know the festival's coming up, but some of the students could at least try to contain their excitement before the year starts." "I know what that's like. I had to foalsit the three fillies a few times. In the end, though, they were little angels."
Pinkie Pie
Well, Applebloom picked one tip-top restaurant in this hidden town. "Hey Sapphire, how's the moon bowl?" "This one will make for a nice meal for the holidays." Hey, Scoots, how's your mori?" "Unlike you guys, I haven't had much exposure to Neighponese food, but this one's actually pretty tasty, especially with that water." "You mean the soba-yu?" "Yeah." "Nice choice, Applebloom, and consider showing this stop around when you next go with other ponies, Sapphire." "I will definitely remember this place when I visit the town and forest again." I wonder how Gummy's doing with Rarity.
Rarity
Two outfits down, one to go. I better check on Opal and Gummy. "Opal, you get down from this shelf right now! Gummy, are you eating Opal's favorite yarn ball again?" Great, just when I'm about to start on the last dress, Opal and Pinkie's alligator are at it again. I lift Opal up, "Meeooooooow!" as she flails around. "In the cage you go, until I finish with my dress anyway." Now to get it started.
Fluttershy
Well I knew Cheerilee was going to find out that I was behind the scene those days, but I never thought we'd be setting up together. If she had any stage fright, she must have overcome it quickly. "Hey Cheerilee, you finished putting the lights on?" "Almost, just have a few left, and then I'll catch up with you." "Um, Applejack, how are your setups coming?" "Well, they're goin' fine and dandy. Are yours good and finished?" "Yes, I'm just waiting for Cheerilee to finish with her piece." "Hey Mac, how are the animals? Are they cleaned and fed?" "Eeyup. We just need to make a few adjustments 'fore we get started."
Now, to get our apparel ready. "Finished." with a hoof stretched out at me. "Oh, you're done with the lights?" "I sure am, hey do you wanna come by the cherry trees with me?" "Um, okay, after you, uh, Cheerilee."
"It's nice out here, isn't it?" "Yeah it is, especially with the festival coming up soon." "Hi, Fluttershy and Cheerilee, how's today?" Sweetie asks us. "Oh, it was good. Girls, did you like your trip to the Everfree Forest?" Cheerilee suspiciously asks. "We sure did, and Sapphire really is a nice mare, though we never thought she had family problems outside her work." "Oh, maybe this isn't something to talk about publicly." "It's all right, we heard a bit of what happened with her and one of her sisters." Sweetie Belle says. "Why don't we talk more about this tomorrow?" Cheerilee uncomfortably shifts. "Ok, if that's what ya need." Applebloom agrees. Sometimes, I worry for these fillies, but then again, that's pretty normal. "Hey girls, the sun's going down, do you want to help me with mah towels?" "No thanks, I'll be getting out in a few." Scootaloo declines. "Big Mac, I'm here." "Come help with the mats."
The Next Day
Cheerilee
My coffee's ready, now, for my baked goods. *Knock knock!* "Who is it?" "It's us." Sweetie replies. "Come in, girls. So what did you want to do here?" "We wanted to talk more about what happened with Sapphire Shores and one of her sisters." "Oh. I see you remembered what I said yesterday. Do you girls want to sit down for wienerbrød and sliced cheese? I just baked a fresh batch of them." "What's a wienerbroed?" questions Applebloom. As I bring out a plate of them, "Danishes? Don't mind if I do." "We heard a little about her issue yesterday." "Oh yeah?" "Yeah, they were in an unresolved rivalry in high school. Do you what happened since then?" "Well, I do know that Ruby Caverns is still a painter, and if I remember correctly, she lives among the changelings." "She lives…. in the Changeling Kingdom?" Applebloom trembles. "Has she turned into a changeling?" "No, I don't think so, why?" "We were wondering whether she might be okay in such a place." "Are you planning to go there sometime?" "Uh, yeah we are, I mean we're not babies you know." Scootaloo interjects." "Okay, but be careful." "We don't want a repeat of our visit to there." "Yeah, exactly, in fact, I implore you to ask an adult or two to go with you girls." I worry about Scootaloo sometimes.
Rarity
Somehow, I knew Sweetie was going to get into Sapphire's business. "How did you find out about Sapphire and her problem with one of my gem outfits?" "She told me and my friends about it and we learned of her unresolved family issues." Sweetie says to me. "Oh yeah, she did say something about a rivalry when she came back for my dresses." "You know how one of her sisters is still a painter and she lives in the Changeling Kingdom?" "What? You mean she lives among these filthy creatures?" "I guess so, Rarity." "Why are you talking about the changelings and Sapphire's sister?" "Well, I wanted to see if she's okay." "And risk being hurt by them? NO, absolutely not!" "But Rarity, we want to help her resolve these problems." "Look Sweetie, I know you want to help Sapphire, but this is simply too dangerous. Besides, this is only a week before school and you need to get ready for it." "Aww, I wanted to go with my friends there, we promise to stay safe." "I'll tell you what, Sweetie: we'll go to the obon festival in an hour, and then we'll talk about that trip tomorrow night with the others for next week. Does that sound ok?" "Ok, Rarity, deal." "Well then, you better get ready."
Applebloom
Well, it was a lot of work, but it's a nice festival. "Hey sis, why don' you come see the taiko players with me?" "What's over with them?" "Pinkie and Big Mac are singing on stage." "Our brother sings?" "Didn't ah tell you about it before?" "No, ah don't think ah've heard him." "Well, prepared to be surprised."
"(My life in the spirit realm begins here, but my parents have sent me there long ago…)" "Hi, Applebloom. You watching your brother sing?" "Sweetie Belle, you're looking nice today." "Thanks. Rarity's taking me here for fun." "So did Rarity accept your request to go to the kingdom?" "No." "Me neither." "Uh-uh." "Scootaloo, were you brought here too?" "Nah, I just walked here. But I haven't found anypony to bring us along either." Well, it looks like we just might make the journey alone after all.
Rarity
"A nice festival you hosted here, isn't it?" "Wasn't me, Rarity; it was the Neighponese we live so near who's really got it all. Ah just helped set this party up." "I knew there was a reason we put him in the Ponytones." "(…how did I find my calling without a guide? How I wonder on the mysteries of the nature behind the woods…)" "Don't feel so left out, Fluttershy. You're in it too and could use a way to let your feelings loose, besides, you look beautiful on stage." "Um, thanks Rarity." As applause waves in, me, Fluttershy, and Applejack go for fried aki. Well, it's a good thing Applejack lives so close to these ponies.
Scootaloo
Here I am in some festival and still no pony to take us. "Well, looks like somebody needs me to take them to the home of our former enemies." "Twilight, I thought you'd be in royal duty by now." "I am, but Spike is right, I do need to get out every now and then, duties or not." "Hey, guys, you should really try these dangos." Spike raises the plate. "Don't mind if we do." I say as I grab a skewer. "Come on, grab one, girls." "Mmm, these ponies really know to rustle up some good cakes." "I'll say, but have you found anybody to tag along with?" "Say, I overheard you girls talking about someone's sister living in the Changeling Kingdom. Maybe I can help you with that little adventure." "I know it's dangerous, but—what? You mean you'll go with us to help out the issue with Sapphire and her sister?" "Yeah, I'll help you with that. So when are you girls planning to go for the trip?" "Oh, thinking about next week." "I'll have to talk with the others about it." Well, that might work.
Applejack
Well, I never thought the others would want to come to this shindig, what with us being so scared to go in the forest I live by. "Hey Rainbow, you enjoying the view out there?" "Oh yeah, totally! I just thought this was gonna be lame, and I saw you guys there." "Well isn't that fine and dandy. Come on down and join us." I shout with a swig of pride. Well, I better check on the others.
"Hey Big Mac, shall we pay our respects to our parents like most of these folks here?" "Eeyup, let's head to their graves for a spell." "Hey, sis, let's go to our parents' graves." "Aww, coming Applejack, I'll see you guys in a bit." "All right, we'll message you on where we are if we move."
Spike
If there's one thing I like more than the festivals I've been to so far, it would be this food. "Hey girls, how did the Changeling Kingdom come out to be a topic earlier?" "Well, my sister doesn't want to take us there because of what happened to us the last time." "Yeah I expected that to happen. I just hope that meeting Twi's talking about will go well." Well, I better see more of that festival. "There you are, my Spikey-wikey, let's get you to the origami section." "Aw thanks, Rarity, but I'm fine here." "Ooh, this stallion should be a keeper." Yup, I saw that coming.
The next evening
Twilight
In Twilight's castle, *All talking at once* "Calm down, everyone, I know this is serious, but we need to take turns here. Applejack, you go first." "As much as ah commend the three of them wanting to help a star with her family issues, ah jus' don' know about them going somewhere as dangerous as the Changeling Kingdom." "Fair enough, Rarity, you next." "I would to take my them along for this, but I just can't bear the thought of the girls getting hurt again, especially my sister, from these icky creatures." "That was understandable, but moving on, Fluttershy, your move." "Oh, the girls have been kidnapped the last time, and I just can't live with myself if something happened to them, like getting sick, injured, or even dead." "Pinkie, go and say something." "I believe it'll be quite a fun place to go, despite that little incident. I say we should give it a shot." "All right, it's your cue, Rainbow." "Come on, they survived the last time, and I don't think they'll die out there, so I say we should let them get through it. Besides, they're pretty tough for fillies their age." "So, anyone in favor of letting them go on, say aye." Rainbow, Caramel, and Pinkie, "Aye!" "Anyone opposed, say nay." Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy, Nay!" My response, "I say they should go, but they need an adult or two to go with them. Anyone want to go next week?"
Sweetie Belle
I knew our plan was going to stir up something, but not like this. "Sorry, it was me who mentioned the details in the Changeling Kingdom." I hear Cheerilee confess. Of all the places to meet, our teacher enters the castle to talk about the trip. "Unbelievable! Are any other ponies besides our sisters and their friends in this too?" "Ah dunno, but this doesn't look good."
Pinkie Pie
Boy, it sure is buzzing here today. Out of the blue, "I must have miscalculated and brought in the clouds for the changelings." "Okay then, moving on. Derpy, be careful next time." Rainbow Dash answers. I loooove meetings, but not quite like this. "So when is our next big adventure?" I jump with joy. "Yeah, I wanna kick some flank." "I don't know, Rainbow Dash, but one of us should volunteer to go with them." "Ooh, I'll go, I'll go!" "Pinkie's going, anyone else?" "As much as I would hate to deal with these beasts, I think I'd better take them." Rarity, taking the fillies along with me in such a trip? Well, that's new.
Applebloom
We may have played an awful lot this weekend, but school starts tomorrow. "Did you guys enjoy the festival? I know I did." "You bet I did." "Yes I did, but there's sure a lot of talking going on there." "Yeah, but they'll probably talk about it with us soon." We say our goodbyes and head home.
This Thursday
Big Mac
Well, this is going ta be tough to talk ta Applebloom about. She walks home from school just as I finish pulling the apple carts. "Hey sis, ah wanna talk ta you about a little something." "Is this about the trip with my friends this weekend?" "Eeyup. Come with me."
"Is all that talk of you and your friends going to the Changeling Kingdom true?" "Well, yes, but it's for something we wanna help with. Who told you about it?" "Applejack was saying all of that. Are you really sure you want ta be doing this after what happened last time with you lot?" "Yes ah'm sure." "All right, but know that it is a dangerous place, so stay with the adults taking you, ok?" "Ah will, ah promise." "If you don't listen the adults in this trip, so help me, ah will put the whooping on y'all." "Got it." "Good, now go and git your work done." Well, that was easier than I thought, now to get to my book.
Applejack
"So you talked ta Applebloom about the cautions for this trip?" "Eeyup. Ah told her what happens if she doesn't listen." "Good, we want her to stay safe." "So what's this ah hear about Applebloom going to the Changeling Kingdom?" "Don' you worry, Granny, she's going with her friends accompanied by some adults." "Well that's good, last thing we want is for them ta go rebellious an' get eaten."
The Next Afternoon
Rarity
"Sweetie, it's time for dinner, but you better hurry we don't want to miss the train." "Coming, can I bring my friends with me?" "Why, of course, you did want to go to there, didn't you?" "Well, yes." I made some gravlax, havarti, and rye bread for dinner, and I hope that will get us nice and full for the trip.
Well that didn't go as well as I had hoped, I mean it was a little odd, to say the least. Scootaloo loved it, though.
Sweetie Belle
"Rarity! Hurry up in there!" "Just a moment, I'm applying my mascara here. Can't have my eye shadow going naked during the visit." "But we're gonna miss the train, we need to get going." I swear, sometimes Rarity takes foreeever to get ready for a trip to a train ride. "Are you ready to go, Sweetie?" "Yes, but Applebloom, as always, Rarity's taking an eternity with her makeup." "Yeah, ah expected that from her." "Are you excited to go to the Kingdom?" "Ah sure am, Sweetie, I bet Scoots is at the train station now." Scoots really does like to wait alone.
Scootaloo
"U waiting the train station?" "Yea, I'm w/ Pinkie, wat's taking u guys so long?" "My sister's doing her makeup." "Thought so" I knew Rarity would do this, and when she's taking us along for all this. "All aboard for Manhattan!" Well, looks like our train will be here soon.
Rarity
Well, looks like I finished. "I'm done." "Finally, I thought we would never catch the train." "Oh, did we miss it already?" "I don't know, but we better get to the station quick."
Scootaloo
The train should be here in about 2 minutes, I hope they're gonna be here soon. Well, Cutie Mark Crusaders, gamers. "Huff, huff, we're here." "Finally, I thought you would never finish up." "We're not late for the train, are we?" Applebloom worries. "No, but anyone bring a game along?" Pinkie glows. Its times like these that a game would be good.
A little less than a minute later, the train screeches in, "Well, what're you waiting for? Let's go!" Rarity calls us.