The Biggest Little Pony, Act 3

After the last commercial break comes the grand finale! So you might want to make sure you've read the earlier parts before reading this: the Intro, Act 1, and Act 2.

Now, on with the show!

     "...so I asked the Princess if I could stay, and she said 

yes!"  Twilight Sparkle clapped her front hoofs.  "It's been the 

most fun I've ever had, being here in Ponyville, meeting so many 

ponies, and just, well, just getting out and living, I guess!"

     The unicorn's enthusiasm was catching, and Belle found 

herself thinking about the town as she'd seen it an hour or so 

ago on the way from her little house to the library, about all 

the things she'd missed by concentrating so hard on her training 

the past couple years.  "Yeah," she said with a sigh.  "I 

haven't done much living lately either."

     Twilight patted her hoof, her little purple one only half 

the size of Belle's big brown one.  "Would you like another 

peanut butter and oatmeal sandwich?  Spike will be happy to--"

     "Oh, my gosh; oh, my gosh; oh, my gosh!" someone shouted 

outside, and through the front door streaked Rainbow Dash, her 

multi-colored tail streaming behind her.  "Twilight!  I saw him!  

I was out helping the cloud crews get ready for today's storm, 

and there he was, riding the downdrafts like they were zephyrs!  

And it looks like he's coming here!  Here!"

     Belle's abs felt as shaky as they did after a long workout, 

but Twilight just nodded.  "Captain Destrier, you mean?"

     "Yeah!"  Dash spun in place, books scattering beneath her, 

landed in the space she'd just cleared, and said, "Hey, Belle," 

before focusing back on Twilight.  "You know the Wonderbolts 

offered him a spot on their team, and he turned them down--

turned them down!--so he could join Princess Celestia's guard??  

When he came and talked to us at flight school, he--"  Her eyes 

narrowed.  "Hey!  How did you know it was him??"

     "I invited him."  Twilight crossed her front hoofs demurely 

on the table.  "Belle's thinking of joining the guard, you see."

     Dash turned to blink at her, but instead of laughing as 

Belle half expected her to, the blue pegasus grinned.  "Oh, wow!  

Belle, that'd be so great!  I mean, anyone tries anything around 

the Princess, you'd be all--"  She sprang into the air, cocked 

her front legs back, glared at an imagined intruder.  "'You 

gotta get through me first, punk!'  And then you'd, like, just 

tap him in the chest and--  Wham!"  Dash flipped head over 

fetlocks and slammed into one of the library's bookcases, books 

raining down and knocking her to the floor.  "Whoa!"

     Belle jumped up, steadied the case before it could topple.  

"Unless he doesn't want me or I don't qualify or--"

     "Are you nuts??"  Dash burst from the pile of books.  

"They'd hafta be crazy not to take you!"

     A delicate clearing of throat made Belle look over at 

Twilight.  "Maybe we can get some of this mess cleaned up?" she 

asked.  "Before the captain decides we're crazy?"

     So Belle piled the books into alphabetical stacks while 

Dash swooped some up to stuff them into the cases and the glow 

of Twilight's horn lifted others more carefully into place.  And 

in less time than Belle would've thought, they'd cleared the 

whole floor, Dash slapping the last book into an empty spot just 

as Spike came in.  "Hey, Twilight!  Des is here!"

     Dash landed beside Belle, little whispers of "Oh, my gosh!" 

bubbling up from her, and Twilight stepped to her other side.  

"Show him in, Spike," the little unicorn said.

     Belle swallowed, and into the room strode an amber pegasus 

stallion, his flowing orange mane and tail almost glowing.  Two 

cavalry sabers crossed on his flanks, and his silver and white 

vest bore Princess Celestia's crest surrounded by intricate 

curlicues of golden filigree.  "Miss Sparkle," he said, his 

voice somehow making Belle think of hot Earl Grey tea.  "The 

Princess sends her fondest regards.  And is that Rainbow Dash?"

     "You know my name??"  Dash's wings were vibrating so fast, 

Belle could barely see them.

     "Of course."  Captain Destrier smiled.  "You should stop by 

the Citadel sometime to discuss Sonic Rainbooms with us."

     "Oh!  My!  Gosh!"

     The captain winked, and his eyes shifted upward to meet 

Belle's gaze.  "Then this must be Barbelle."

     "Yes, sir," Belle said, overwhelmingly relieved when the 

words came out in the smooth contralto she wanted to use, not at 

all as jagged and nervous as she felt.

     "Excellent!"  He stepped back, looked her up and down with 

a gaze so sharp, Belle thought she could feel it combing over 

her hide.  "A strong infantry's the backbone of any effective 

military force, and I can certainly see how you'd be a valuable 

addition to the Princess's Guard.  So if Twilight Sparkle's 

vouching for you, then I'll be happy to recommend you."

     "Told you!"  Dash elbowed Belle in the ribs.

     Captain Destrier reached around to one of his vest pockets, 

pulled out some folded papers, set them on the table beside 

Belle's sandwich plate.  "Sergeant Gunny's in charge of earth 

pony recruits, so if you'll just sign here, we can get started 

back to Canterlot and introduce you to your--"

     "Uhhh..."  Belle had to stop and clear her throat.  "And, 

yeah, I'm really grateful, Twilight--"  She glanced sideways at 

the unicorn's startled face.  "--that you've taken so much 

trouble to help me, but, well, sitting here thinking, I just 

can't--"  She squared her shoulders, faced Captain Destrier.  

"What is it you really do in the Princess's Guard?"

     The captain blinked.  "We guard the Princess, of course."

     "But from what?"  Belle gestured with a front hoof.  "I 

mean, who'd be crazy enough to attack the most magical being in 

the universe?  Or are there armies somewhere who want to invade 

Equestria?"  She took a breath and looked at Twilight Sparkle 

again.  "You asked me yesterday what I did, and I realized that, 

well, I didn't really do anything.  So I have to ask, Captain."  

She looked down at him.  "What is it you do?"

     The amber pegasus looked back, his gaze steady.  "We stand 

in readiness should our Princess ever require our services."

     "And has she?"

     "She has not."  Captain Destrier puffed out his chest.  

"And I fervently hope she never will."

     "Then thank you for coming all this way, captain."  Her 

nervousness evaporated and left her just feeling tired.  "But 

I've been standing around waiting my whole life, and I...I wanna 

find something to do now."

     Silence filled the library for a moment, then thunder 

rumbled faintly over Belle's ears.  "The storm!" Rainbow Dash 

cried; leaping into the air again, she whooshed out the door.  

"See you guys later!"

     "Yes."  Captain Destrier ruffled his wings.  "I suppose I'd 

best be getting back to the palace."  He touched a hoof to the 

papers on the table and looked at Belle.  "Shall I leave these?  

In case you change your mind?"

     She felt guilty for shaking her head, but shake her head 

she did.  The captain just nodded, tucked the papers back into 

his vest, and gave Twilight a bow.  "It was lovely seeing you 

again, Miss Sparkle."  He turned to the doorway.  "And you as 

well, Spike."

     The little dragon was standing by the door with his arms 

folded, his frown pointing at Belle, but he perked up and smiled 

at Captain Destrier.  "You just miss beating me at cribbage."

     "It's your claws I miss."  The captain shook his head.  

"Moving those pegs with your teeth is almost more trouble than 

the game's worth."  Unfurling his wings, he glided outside, 

another roll of thunder rustling Belle's ears.

     Another stretch of silence, then, Belle keeping her eyes on 

her sandwich plate.  "I'm sorry I got you in trouble, Twilight."

     A sigh across the table.  "It's nothing like that, Belle.  

I'm just..."  Her voice trailing off made Belle look up, sadness 

the only thing she saw in Twilight Sparkle's eyes.  "I'm sorry I 

couldn't help you find whatever it is you're looking for."

     Belle forced a smile.  "Well, at least you got me started 

looking."  She got to her hoofs and started for the door, Spike 

still there with his arms crossed.  "Thanks for the sandwiches, 

Spike.  They were great."

     Thunder again, louder and closer, and Spike nodded.  

"Better hurry home, or you'll get caught in the storm."

     Belle squeezed through the door and stepped out into the 

town square, clouds filling the sky, a scent of rain on the 

wind.  The first drops spattering her back, she picked up her 

pace across the town square, her eyes fixed on the little side 

street that led out to her house, and tried not to think about 

what she'd just done.  The captain of the palace guard had flown 

all the way from Canterlot, and she'd told him--

     The crack of wood splitting from an alley to Belle's right, 

the snap of rope breaking, the thump of something heavy falling.  

"Tar and feather those pegasi!" a voice as rough as sandpaper 

shouted, making Belle's ears fold.  "A thunderstorm on the day I 

make quayside??  How dare they!"

     A crow cawed, and the sound turned into words: "They sent 

you the weather report same as always, Sal."

     "Belay that, Bosun!" the first voice said.  "Help me here!"

     Trotting through the drizzle to the alley's mouth, Belle 

peered in to see the back of a blue-gray earth pony, her white 

mane and tail flecked with gray, a compass rose on her flanks, 

the north point at the top not exactly straight up and down.  

Beside her slumped a cart with only one wheel, the other lying 

splintered off to the side among scattered packages, one corner 

of the tarp over the cart's contents flapping in the wind.  Five 

or six crows sat huddled on top, and the largest crow was 

wearing a bright red stocking cap.

     He was looking straight at Belle, too.  He clicked his beak 

several times, then said, "Got us a boarding party, Sal."

     The blue-gray pony spun, and Belle could see wrinkles 

around her wide eyes: she was older than Belle, maybe even older 

than Belle's parents...  

     Belle smiled and tried to look non-threatening.  "Hi!  I'm 

Belle!  Need some help?"

     The crow cocked his head.  "Only one bell?  Early in the 

watch, then."

     "Quiet, Bosun."  The older pony looked Belle up and down 

same as everyone did.  "My dear, you're the answer to a maiden's 

prayer."  She bowed.  "Salmagundi W. Binnacle at your service, 

captain of Her Majesty's ship The Pride of the West."  

     "It's just a barge," the big crow muttered.

     "Didn't I tell you--??" Captain Binnacle started to yell, 

but she stopped, took a breath, swept her hoof back to gesture 

as the crows, looking more dejected than before as the rain fell 

faster and heavier.  "This is my stalwart crew, and while 

they're experts aboard ship, when aground, they tend to be less 

useful than your average bits of broken crockery."  She touched 

her chin.  "You, on the other hoof, appear to be a strapping, 

healthy lass, and offering help, I believe I heard you say?"

     "Sure."  Belle stepped over to the side of the cart, took 

the broken axle in the crook of her right front leg, and tested 

the weight before hefting it, raising it till the sides of the 

cart were straight up-and-down again.  "Can your crows pick up 

the packages?"

     "Can and will!"  The captain tapped a hoof.  "Flap lively, 

lads and lasses, and we'll be out of this blasted squall!"

     The crows erupted from the cart, Belle wincing at the water 

spraying from their wings; the alley echoed with their caws, the 

birds swooping all the bundles up and dropping them into the 

cart, Bosun standing with the tarp's broken rope in his beak to 

hold the cover open.  And as quick as Dash and Twilight had been 

with the books, this seemed even quicker to Belle, the packages 

gone from the cobblestones and the crows landing on the now 

bulging tarp.  "All set, Sal," Bosun said, dropping the rope.

     "Smartly done!"  Captain Binnacle bent down and somehow 

tied the broken ends of the rope together with her teeth.  

"Extra rations of honeysuckle once we're back aboard."  She 

tapped the side of the cart.  "Now, then, Belle, if you'd be so 

kind, we're navigating over to Miss Rarity's."  The captain 

slipped into the cart's harness, and with the rain becoming a 

downpour, Belle trotted with the whole crew out of the alley 

across the deserted town square toward the dressmaker's shop, a 

place Belle had never actually entered.

     Bosun flew ahead, knocked his beak against the door, and it 

sprang open, light and heat flooding out around the white 

unicorn that Belle had met at one of Applejack's picnics.  "Sal!  

Thank goodness!"  Rarity pushed the door further open.  "Come 

in, all of you, out of this beastly weather!"  The crows 

squawked happily and dashed inside.  "I've cocoa and towels just 

inside the kitchen!" Rarity called after them.

     "Much obliged, Miss Rarity," the captain said.  "You're too 

kind to the blighters."

     "Oh, nonsense!  I've just been so worried!  It's not like 

you to be late, Sal, and--"  She stopped, her eyes going wide as 

Belle met her gaze.  "Oh!  It's Barbelle, isn't it?"

     Belle nodded, and Captain Binnacle gave the cart a slight 

tug.  "Perhaps, Belle, we could join the others inside?"

     "Oh!  Right!"  Belle stepped forward, and between the two 

of them, they got the dripping cart through the doorway and into 

Rarity's front hall.  "Sorry about the mess," she muttered.

     "Pish tosh!"  Rarity tossed her mane.  "It's nothing a bit 

of mopping won't fix."

     "Aye."  Captain Binnacle slipped from the harness.  "Hold 

the cart steady there, Belle, and I'll be back in a jiff with 

some towels for you."

     She clattered away down the hall, and Rarity began undoing 

the ropes holding the canvas over the cart.  "It's always a joy 

when Sal gets to town!  I don't knew where she finds such 

wonderful material, but none of my other suppliers can even come 

close!"  Pulling a package from the cart, she touched her horn 

to it, and it split open to reveal rolls of ribbon: crimson and 

indigo and deep forest green.  "At design school, all my 

professors raved about her, and when she accepted me as a 

client, well, I--"

     "Was that Sal??" a familiar voice shouted behind her, and 

Belle looked back to see Pinkie Pie burst through the doorway, 

rain scattering from her like startled birds from a tree.  "Does 

she have my--??"  The little earth pony leaped into the cart, 

Belle bracing against the sudden extra weight, then she popped 

back out, a large package hanging around her neck.  "Rainbow 

jimmies for the donuts!"  Pinkie's whole body seemed to smile.  

"Sal's are the only ones that actually taste like rainbows!"  

She jumped from the cart and raced to the door.  "You can bring 

the rest by the bakery after the storm, Belle, and tell Sal 

we've got her money and our next order ready!  Bye!"

     Belle blinked at the brief Pinkie-shaped hole in the 

curtain of rain outside, then she turned back to see Rarity, her 

horn glowing, directing the rolls of ribbon drift through the 

air to settle in cubbyholes above her workbench.  "But hauling 

that barge of hers up and down the rivers of Equestria at her 

age!"  Rarity shook her head and smiled up at Belle.  "I can't 

tell you how glad I am to see Sal's taken on an assistant!"

     "Assistant?"  A warm shiver ran down Belle's back.  "Yeah."  

She returned Rarity's smile.  "I'm glad about it, too."

     A scuffling in the hallway, Captain Binnacle with a stack 

of towels on her back.  "I wasn't sure how many it'd take for a 

great lump like you, Belle, so I--"  She stopped, her eyes 

narrowing.  "And just what are you two grinning about?"

There might be more adventures of Belle and her new friends, but I've got a Pinkie Pie story in mind next for the Story Swap over at Equestria Daily!