You are standing at attention, your neck is ramrod straight, and your ears are perked up and focused.
You are Soft Sweeps.
And finally… finally, you are being given a mission.
well, she has enthusiasm! Good!
She says that, and you immediately feel a cold breeze blow inside the room.
There is no breeze, of course. You just imagined it. Still, you definitely felt a cold breeze just now. The kind that, for some reason, seems to pierce through your fur, and your coat, and is able to reach all the way into your heart. To the point that the excitement you were feeling flickers, like a candle's fire against a strong wind.
You are not scared. Of course you are not scared. Why would you be scared? Mrs. Velvet is asking for your help, so you can't be scared. You can't screw this up!
Even though it relates to her younger brother. Who is a noble. And a Lord. Even though she is asking your help with something like that, you can't say no to her. You have to be brave. For her! For Mrs. Velvet! Even though she is asking your help in regard to a noble, who can ask you to do anything he wants, and who can and WILL ruin your lifeifyouevenDAREtothinkaboutnot-
Come on Soft, we're not asking you to murder a noble!
We'd use a ritual for that if we had to!
"I'm glad you asked. I would like you to focus on two things in particular. One is their…" she trails off for a moment, as if trying to figure out another way to say a word that starts with emp and possibly rhymes with loyer.
heh.
You understand what she is asking you to do. Or at least you hope that you do, and you are resolute not to fail her.
So, you push down your nervousness, and you hold back the other questions you have boiling in your mind. Such as why she isn't asking Ponpon to do this kind of thing. After all, you already know the answer to that.
Ponpon would probably have been able to do this a lot better than you, but Mrs. Velvet trusts you. And she wants to be able to trust you more. She clearly does.
Which means this is a test.
And if you want to help Mrs. Velvet more in the future, if you want her to trust you with even more important things, than you cannot fail her!
well... she's not wrong. If she does well here it WOULD definitely prove we can trust her with harder stuff... Actually while she was part of the family lore lessons we still don't know her lores... Maybe with the next lesson... we're super-close to forge 4, so basically we only need heart 4 then...
Wait, now that you think about it, you have no idea of what you are supposed to do next.
They never covered spy lessons in school!
Should you just walk up to somepony and talk to them? Should you just stop the first maid you are not familiar with, and start asking her about this and that?
You don't even finish that thought before you realize how much of a bad idea it is. After all, all the servants in the Velvet estate are very busy most of the time. So, you wouldn't just be awkwardly trying to start a conversation with a pony you never met before, you would also probably be getting in the way of their work.
But still, maids gossip all the time, don't they? At least, that is what Tip Top tells you. You spend most of the time caring for the fillies, so you don't really know. However, it seems to be common knowledge that maids talk, which means in turn that they somehow find the time to talk.
well, this is low stakes enough she can afford to make mistakes at least.
Still, you will not be deterred! You shake off your hesitation, and you push away the thoughts of asking for help. From Tip Top, or from anypony else. Mrs. Velvet asked you to do this, and so you shall!
hey, we're all for delegation if you can trust the guy you delegate too!
"What did you do?!"
A voice comes from behind you, and you immediately jump up in surprise. An undignified yelp escaping your lips.
"Ack-!"
You turn around, only to see the shocked, worried, and maybe even angry expression of your friend Tip Top. Or rather, you think she is still your friend? You hope she still is? You have definitely never seen Tip this angry before, and that scares you!
...did Soft Sweeps say something she shouldn't have? I don't think Tip Top is simply jealous or angry about her
talking to one of the "new" servants...
But the mare never does that. Instead, her expression… changes. Her initial scowl turning into confusion, then doubt, until it finally settles on some kind of understanding.
"Wait, wait… Hold on, Soft, let me think for a moment…" she says, raising a hoof as she closes her eyes.
and maybe please be a bit more specific with what you're asking? Poor Soft Sweeps always thinks of the
worst when you're vague!
"Wait, wait, waaaait... oh… oh damn," the mare finally says, mostly to herself, as if she just realized something. But she finally opens her eyes, and her expression is less angry than before as she speaks to you. "Okay Soft, I think I understand what is going on. But answer me very carefully. Did you speak to anypony today? Anypony besides, I don't know, Ponpon, the fillies, or some of our friends?"
...What did Soft even
say that she shouldn't have?!
"Soft Sweeps, are you telling me you tried to barter? That YOU, tried to BARTER?!"
...I think there's some cultural miscommunication here. Kinda like the thing about the
Maid in Yellow book
"Soft, we are maids. Don't you listen to the stuff I tell you?" she begins to say. "We are maids. We trade in gossip and information. What we know is just as important as where we work. And I don't mean this in a silly, mare-talk way. This sort of stuff can actually cost us our jobs. It can even affect the family we serve!"
Yet another wave of dread runs through you, as you hear her say that. The old, trained concern of having your job threatened being enhanced by the newer, much more powerful fear that you just did something that might affect Mrs. Velvet or the fillies.
"It doesn't make any difference if it's any old gossip or story. But when it's important? We literally trade, barter for that kind of stuff. And you, Soft, should realize that you aren't a small deal. You aren't a small deal at all! You're the fillies' nanny. You are invited to eat with the Lady's family on every single meal. And apparently, you just did a barter without having any idea of what you were doing. It was as good as extortion, Soft, and the whispers I heard say that you basically flooded the market with information about the Lady's family."
...uh
This is basically the equivalent of something selling a pile of shiny rocks, or a jar of sand, without knowing they're respectively diamonds or gold dust.
As long as the family isn't hurt, this is all in all inconsequential (except for that one maid we talked to that basically won the lottery)... but I get why Tip Top was angry.
"I wish I could say it wasn't, Soft. But the point is that I don't know. I really don't. It will be a few days before we can get a feeling of what is being talked, and how ponies might react. Maybe they didn't really get anything out of you? Maybe she's just leveraging the fact she was seen talking to you? I don't know, Soft. I really don't know. I only hear the rumors."
She heard them really quickly too. As they say, the Speed of Gossip is second only to the Speed of Light.
"And for Celestia's sake, Sweeps. Next time you need something, just ask me. I'm your friend."
You see, Soft?
delegation! What are friends for if not to use them for Confidant actions?!
Mrs. Velvet has given you an important task just a bit over twenty-four hours ago. And in the span of a day, you not only managed to fail at it, but you failed so spectacularly that it might even impact her.
Come on, you don't yet KNOW if you failed it!
Specifically, you hear the sound of a pony crying. The low, hiccupping sobs of a pony who tried to stop herself from crying, but who gave up after a while.
You also immediately realize it is indeed a her. And your mind runs a short, urgent checklist as that new information hits you.
Uh. I thought it might have been Pride for a moment.
I imagine the wolf was attracted to the
agony?
Is this going to be the maid she talked to?
But the mare only answers by shutting her eyes, stifling down a sniff.
And your tongue pricks you.
You said it wrong.
Not a hard day.
It's something you are familiar with.
"Did… did they give you a hard time at work today?"
The mare half-opens her eyes as you say that. Her expression even more sad than before, but also confused now. You struck a chord inside of her.
Better.
She doesn't answer with words. But still, she tells you everything you need to know.
A short, hesitant nod. Because she doesn't trust you.
A bit more strength on her forelegs as she hugs herself. Because she feels alone.
A short, particularly timed sniff. Because the memories are still fresh.
Your legs move underneath you. Four more steps, and you are standing right next to her. Bend your hindlegs, and you are sitting by her side.
She doesn't react.
But she doesn't push you away.
deja vu. this sounds a bit like what I think was mentioned happening with Pon Pon and Soft Sweeps when she first became a maid...
Just look at the Wolf and how he spreads misery!
"A-and… and do you know how they call me?" she says, not waiting for you to answer. "They call me Can-trip. Because I tripped and let that glass fall down. Once! And then? Then it got worse! Because I was assigned to his son!"
oh? Pride's personal maid? Such luck!
Also pretty close to Soft's situation, with her being assigned to the daughter, and then to the daughter's daughters.
"And why would a clumsy, stupid maid be assigned to his son? She has a cutie mark for magic, not for being a maid! She didn't even train for the job. She came here straight out of the school for gifted unicorns. So why?! Oh, but the answer is obvious, isn't it? Why would he assign a pretty, magically-competent, unicorn to be the personal maid of his own unicorn son?!"
She stamps a hoof against the floor, cracking a rooftile.
An angry scar that tonight happened on the skin of the world.
...
oh.
well, it's hardly unexpected for NOBLE families... but I doubt Pride even realized it, and the maid probably didn't dare to try and go the obvious route. Unless they pushed her to do it...
Or maybe that wasn't the actual reason, BUT that's how all the other servants saw it. Gossip can be a dreadful thing.
"Of course, it's all lies. I thought the same, at the very beginning. But he never even touched me. And of course he wouldn't. He's the kindest, most gentle pony I ever met, even if he tries to hide it. Certainly the kindest I ever worked for…"
She says that, and her expression becomes a lot less pained. A rush of better memories reaching her, pushing her further and further out of the pit she was in.
"But still, it's… this job, this life… it is not for me… But I don't have anything else, ever since the whole world went hind-up… b-but the other maids… everypony is so mean, and they always keep saying those horrible things and…"
very nice to hear that Pride IS actually as good as we hoped he was. Even with the father we share.
...
we really need to find out about that trauma...
Also this maid needs help, yeah. Someone to talk to is probably a decent first step, and hey, Soft has status and influence, even if she doesn't use it much. She COULD probably change things for the better, at least a bit. Or, you know, tell Velvet or Pon Pon maybe.
"No no no, it's fine. Actually, I'd appreciate having a pony call me by my name in a nice way… like a friend? Wait, shoot, I never even asked. What about you? What is your name?"
"Oh, I'm Soft Sweeps!"
Her eyes go wide in surprise when you tell her that, and you kick yourself for forgetting Tip Top's advice so quickly.
that moment you realize you basically confided in the most important (or at least second most important) maid in this mansion, which might or might not be acknowledged as being treated as near-family by the boss-lady...
As the days went by, Tip Top eventually told you that nothing really came out of the rumors about you. And thank Celestia for that! You apparently didn't say anything important, and the initial hub-dub of gossip just came from the fact you were seen talking to somepony else.
Still, you learned your lesson. You definitely learned your lesson.
And much more importantly, you think you made a new friend! Although you… you will make sure to run that through Tip Top, and maybe Ponpon. Still, this is exciting!
Soft Sweeps has made a new friend. Cantrip has been added as one of Soft Sweep's followers(?).
Velvet Covers has gained relevant information on one of Velvet Pride's most important servants.
funny, she doesn't even realize this is pretty valuable information for us. Even just the info that "Pride's personal maid thinks he's a really gentle colt" would be worth a lot to us, when we were somewhat scared about how much of our father got passed to him.
"So… I mean, please don't take this the wrong way. But why did he assign you to his son? You aren't… I-I mean, you don't have the cutie mark of a maid. You said it yourself. So why…"
She answered you with a small smile. Maybe the first she gave you that entire night. And then, she lit up her horn.
Her face contorted with effort, and the wind began to blow around you. Stronger and stronger, until there was sweat forming on her brow.
That is, until the world exploded around you. And the two of you landed on the soft ground, in the middle of a plantation patch, with a soft thud. Ruining the lives of a few unfortunate batches of produce under your hinds.
"Because…" she said, between heaves of effort and straing, "safety…" she gasped out the word.
But you, on the other hoof, almost hugged her in excitement.
"That. Was. Awesome!" you blurt out.
"Wazzit really…?" but the mare seems too dazed to even answer you properly.
Still, that was the most amazing thing you had ever seen an unicorn do! The most amazing magic you ever participated in!
oh, so for emergency teleports? That's actually a very good reason.
also, hey, she might make for a decent tutor in magic too.
well, I've liked this update more than I expected, especially when my mind is more on the Wedding than Pride.
Hmm. Soft made a new friend, that's nice. And she's an escape route. Which is nice to know, if extra passengers doesn't strain her more than one apparently does. And even ignoring how she could be useful for us, it does speak neatly to what Hills thinks his son will need. Namely, that he might need to run away.
eh, every noble heir needs a bodyguard. That's hardly surprising and does not necessarily imply she's a precaution towards Velvet.
It's interesting seeing the way the Wolf subtly influences Soft Sweeps.
she's really turning the Wolf's affinity for pain for the best.
There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.
"Why hello there, Mareinette. It has been such a long time. How have you been?"
"[Lantern]!"
Correction, there is a monster hanging on to the Velvet estate.
I didn't expect them to be friendly with each other... but than again, the Ligeians are involved in ascensions to Namehood (and possibly Hourhood), at least sometime...
also correction, we have plenty of monsters, depending on your definition!
"Is that so? I see, I see… Well, I am glad to hear that. I wish you could enter the Plains, to visit me, but it is what it is."
"[Grail]?"
"Oh, don't give me that look. You know how much I dislike your home. And besides, you now why I need to stay where I stay!"
interesting. so both of them can't leave their mansus locations... or at least Baldomare can't leave. Maybe Mareinette just didn't want to leave before, and now she's in the Wake so she can't visit the Mansus again, or at least not easily...
But still, despite her size, and despite her proximity to the windows of certain rooms, the Grail-thing really is not doing anything wrong right now. Quite the opposite.
After all, if not like this, then how else could she have a conversation with one of the estate's guests? How else would she be able to catch up with an old friend?
...well, she's keeping to the letter of our agreement to not come inside, I suppose...
"Still, you realize she will be furious if she hears you have been skirting her no-entry rule by doing this, right?"
Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack.
"We'll see who is laughing when I'm the one to tell her."
"[Forge]?"
"Really…? Well, in that case we have a deal."
ok, now I'm curious how she just bribed Baldomare...
There is a monster living in the Velvet estate. And nopony knows that.
There is a maid working in the Velvet estate. And everypony heard of her.
...
oh no...
is this what would have happened if we gave the "mission" to her?
On one of them, she arrived during a thunderstorm. A lone mare, poor and humble, yet bewitchingly beautiful, who all but begged to be allowed inside. And for all that her looks and charisma would have let her cross any door, she still insisted on working to earn her stay. Almost as if it was her calling, or as if her arrival had been destined to occur.
And on the other version, some ponies claim she arrived on a bright and sunny day. Floating down from the air while holding on to a magical umbrella. Carried by the winds as much as by her beauty and grace. Claiming she was there to fill a vacancy nopony was aware of. Presenting a flier, talking about a job description, nopony remembered writing.
no Mareinette,
you don't get to do a Mary Poppins entrance! It's not allowed!
I decide to believe it was the first one, or neither of them.
"My fair lady, I cannot possibly accept your service. Nay, I will not. As a servant of the Velvet household, as the steward of the young Lord… as a stallion in love. I simply cannot allow you to toil as a maid, no matter how much you insist."
"[Grail]!"
"Alas, I am convinced."
She IS quite convincing...
And from that day onwards, the Velvet estate knew true happiness.
heh
They talked about how she seemed so much larger than everypony else. But of course, they meant it in the sense of her being "larger than life". Of course.
but of course! What else could they ever mean?
They spoke about how she wore her maid uniform so elegantly. To the point that everypony swore that, if she were to donate her dress away, there would be enough cloth there to dress four separate mares. Figuratively speaking, naturally.
They chatted and wondered about her boundless enthusiasm and effortless grace.
And yet, despite all the adoration aimed at her, nopony can really remember her name. Or rather, everypony remembers her name, but nopony can quite agree on what it was.
Some insist she called herself Mare Poppins. Others swore she presented herself as Neigh McPhee.
...come on, really?!
I'll never be able to watch Mary Poppins the same way... I never watched Nanny McPhee though, so at least you can't ruin my memories of THAT!
She would sing, and all the servants in the estate, no matter how far, would join in with her.
Why, despite the passage of time, everypony still remembers the words of her songs!
...I'm now wondering if Harmony copied Heartsongs from Heart and Grail, just like it copied Cutie Marks from Brands...
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Cute little foals all tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Savant adepts who write rituals in doodles
Windows on Churches where things can be seen
These are a few of my favorite things
Grail-red dreams from the time of Division
Fading into legend and superstition
Vague mentions of an Era filled with kings
These are a few of my favorite things
When the Snake bites
When the Edge stings
When I feel Thirst
I simply remember my favorite things
you should have added a link to the song I think. (EDIT: nevermind, ther was a link at the end
)I never watched that movie either... Maybe I'll watch it later.
also damn it Mareinette, the song was mostly fine except for THAT one line!
According to the calendars, she stayed with them for only five days. But in their minds, she would live on for five decades. And in their hearts? Ah, in their hearts she would live on forever and ever. A ray of light, piercing through the clouds of darkness. A reminder that there is still magic out there, somewhere. And that ponies, real flesh and blood ponies, still exist that embody it.
Still, after she toasted a glass with everypony once, and had a heart-to-heart conversation with everypony twice, she finally bid her adieu. And for all that the Velvet estate felt less without her, without that most graceful of guests and masterful of maids, they were still thankful for her.
After all, it is better to love and lose than to never love at all. Or at least that is what they tell themselves, when her absence strikes them most dearly.
...yeah, probably better we didn't go for her, really.
Still, one day later when Lady Velvet herself returned, she suddenly seemed to know everything about everypony. Every last dark secret, of every last servant, despite the fact they only ever told those secrets to one, unshakably trustworthy soul.
So, given how everypony is absolutely sure that she would never betray them, nopony really knows how Lady Velvet learned all those secrets.
It remains a mystery for the ages.
...ok, now I'm kinda regretting not taking her... That sounds pretty useful...
Available votes/results:
-Silky Stream and Selene: A secret mission to spy on the newcomers! But alas, the two agents were busted by nopony less than uncle Pride himself. (Gain a better "in" with Pride, due to familiarity)
-Soft Sweeps: A pair of (self-declared) "incompetent" maids bond over their mutually familiar hardships. A new friendship is born! (Gain information on Cantrip)
-Ponpon: A game of chess, between two old hoofs. The board is the estate's timetable, the pieces are the maids and servants. Rivalry is born, but so is a deep sense of respect. (Gain information on Subtle Glare)
-Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires: The Velvet estate is taught the meaning of joy. (Gain perfect knowledge on all servants, including Cantrip, Subtle Glare, and ???.
Velvet Pride immediately becomes a Confidante. Velvet Hills barges into your house, crying, begging for your forgiveness. Immediately gain fillyfied Áine as your daughter.)
come on, Bird, you should put this in the main threadmarks
...I'm going to suspect there's a tiny bit of hyperbole on the Mareinette option though
