Cutie Mark Crusaders Royale Chapter Sixteen

Separate Vocations

For Pureblood and Vito, getting their Cutie Marks was just the beginning. Before they knew it, Lars had offered to provide Vito with a teaching course, further refining his tutorial talents, and Sonny had offered to help Pureblood further hone his culinary skills. Of course, taking them up on those offers meant staying in Bitaly for an extended period of time. The twins felt it was a small price to pay.

"Isn't it great?" Vito smiled. "As good as we already are, with our great-uncles' help, we'll be even better!"

"That's the plan, at least." Pureblood declared. "And it'll all be happening in a week's time. I can't wait!"

"I can't believe you guys are really going." Miracle sighed.

"Yeah, it's bad enough you got your Cutie Marks before us." Hurricane huffed.

"It's not a contest, Hurri." Miracle admonished. "Being Crusaders together really was fun. And now, you're both leaving... We'll miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too." Pureblood smiled. "And all the fun we have together."

"I'll even miss Hurricane's wackiness." Vito admitted. "It'll be weird, not getting confused on a regular basis."

"Thanks, guys." Miracle smiled.

"Aw, get in here!" Hurricane pulled the others into a tight group hug, using both her legs and her wings.

"Can't... breathe..." Pureblood gasped.

"I know!" Hurricane smiled. "I'm breathless with excitement too!"

The next day, Vito was walking through School of the Gifted Unicorns with Glinda (who was using her Glenda guise).

"You're really leaving?" Glinda sighed.

"It won't be forever." Vito declared. "It'll just be for a couple of months, so I can really hone my newfound teaching skills."

"I'm gonna miss you, you know." Glinda nuzzled her head under her chin.

"And I'll miss you." Vito retorted, lovingly stroking her mane. "What say we go to Blazin' Blues for smoothies after school? My treat, from now until the day I leave."

"You don't have to do that." Glinda smiled.

"I know." Vito nodded. "But I want to."

As they continued walking through the corridors, they bumped into a very familiar (yet unexpected) face.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was- Great-uncle Lars?" Vito gasped.

"Oh, hi, kiddo." Lars smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Vito asked.

"Well, believe or not, I'm your new professor of metamorphosis!" Lars smiled.

"You are?" Vito gasped. "But professor Droner-"

"Just retired." Lars smirked. "After suddenly coming in to a large sum of money he won from a lottery." He finished with a quiet "wink-wink."

"I see." Vito said quietly.

"You know what this means?" Lars asked. "It means you won't have to go Bitaly for me to teach you. Lyra and me are moving into a new house that'll be practically round the corner!"

"Wow, that's great!" Vito cheered.

"It sure is." Glinda beamed. "Means I won't be separated from my coltfriend anytime soon."

"Oh, so you're Glinda?" Lars smiled. "V's told me a lot about you, but this is the first time we've met face-to-face. One of your faces, at least..."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Napoleon." Glinda smiled.

"Call me Lars." Lars chuckled. "We're practically family, after all, what with all the sweet talk V's been making about you."

"Oh, really?" Glinda nuzzled Vito again. "Good to know."

"We'd... better get to class." Vito blushed. "Don't want to be late."

"Of course not." Lars smiled. "Just because we're family doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you."

Vito and Glinda hurried to class.

"You're still treating me to smoothies after school, right?" Glinda asked.

"I sure am." Vito grinned. "Think of it as a celebration."

"Gladly." Glinda pecked him on the cheek, prompting another blush.

Back at the castle, Vito informed the others of the news.

"...So, I won't need to go to Bitaly after all!" He smiled. "Isn't that great?"

"Unbelievable." Miracle chuckled.

"What's unbelievable is how he got that job so easily." Caboose pouted as he passed by. "I had to come up with a whole backstory to become a Royal Guard!"

"Let it go, dad." Hurricane sighed. "Never bothered me anyway..."

"Wait." Pureblood froze. "You may not be going to Bitaly, but I still am."

"Ah, jeez, I didn't think of that." Vito frowned. "We've never been apart for that long before."

"We've barely spent more than a day away from each other." Pureblood added. "But a couple of months..."

"Ooh, dramatic plot shift!" Hurricane gasped.

"Not helping, Hurri." Miracle rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to go, you know." Vito told Pureblood. "I'm sure there are ponies right here in Canterlot who can teach you how to be a chef."

"But would they be willing?" Pureblood asked. "Besides, great-uncle Sonny's the best there is."

"Fine, then." Vito huffed. "Go. Abandon me!"

"Hey, don't make it like I'm the bad guy here!" Pureblood yelled.

"I'm just trying to help, you jerk!" Vito growled.

"You're the jerk!" Pureblood shot back.

"No, you!" Vito spat.

"Okay, calm down, you two." Miracle stepped between them. "Let's not get carried away."

"Maybe not having you around won't be so bad after all." Vito huffed.

"And being away from you might actually be a treat." Pureblood snarled.

"Do we have to trick you guys into the maze again?" Hurricane asked.

"Come on, guys." Miracle urged. "Do you really want to be angry at each other when you split up?"

"...No, I guess not." Vito sighed.

"Me neither." Pureblood agreed.

"Good." Miracle smiled. "Now, let's go to dinner."

"Good idea." Hurricane grinned. "I'm starved!"

Vito and Pureblood ate their dinner in silence. Though their anger had abated, their apprehension at being parted lingered. For the rest of the week, they were quiet and doleful, neither one wanting to bring up the sensitive subject, for fear of another disagreement.

The night before Pureblood was set to leave, they sat up in their beds, unable to sleep.

"Hey, V?" Pureblood asked. "You awake?"

"Yeah." Vito replied. "Can't sleep."

"Me neither." Pureblood agreed. "I can't stop worrying about tomorrow."

"So what else is new?" Vito snarked.

"I mean it." Pureblood sighed. "Once I go to Bitaly with great-uncle Sonny, I'll be sleeping alone, nopony sharing the room with me."

"Me too." Vito frowned. "What's your point?"

"It's just... we've always been together, our whole lives." Pureblood declared. "We may be different, but we're still twins. I can't imagine life without you, V."

"I know what you're getting at." Vito nodded. "But it is a pretty big opportunity you've got here. You should go."

"Really?" Pureblood smiled. "You mean that?"

"Sure I do." Vito grinned. "You're my brother. I want you to be the best you can be... even if I'm not there to see it."

"Thanks, V." Pureblood beamed.

"We may not always get along, but we'll always be brothers." Vito declared. "No amount of distance between us can change that."

"You're right." Pureblood nodded. "I'm gonna do it. I'll be the best chef ever!"

"You sure will, bro." Vito chuckled.

The brothers found it much easier to get to sleep after that.

The next morning, after breakfast, the familiar Bitalian carriage descended on the castle. Vito and Pureblood stepped into the courtyard, their parents, Miracle and Hurricane ready to see Pureblood off.

"You hold down the fort while I'm gone, V." Pureblood smiled.

"Sure will." Vito nodded. "And you be the best chef around, bro."

"Be good, son." Dusty hugged Pureblood.

"And do your best." Blueblood smiled.

"Have fun, Pureblood." Miracle declared.

"Bring me back a souvenir!" Hurricane urged.

"...You go to Bitaly all the time." Pureblood pointed out.

"So?" Hurricane shrugged.

As Sonny disembarked from the carriage and headed towards them, Pureblood took a deep breath, and stepped forward to meet him.

"Okay, I'm ready to go." He declared.

"Come on, then." Sonny smiled. "We'll have a lot to talk about when we get to where we're going."

Pureblood climbed into the carriage, and they took off. They had only been flying for a brief time when they landed again, beside a medium-sized building on the edge of Canterlot.

"What's going on?" Pureblood asked. "I thought we were going to Bitaly."

"Yeah... about that." Sonny smiled. "There's been a change of plan."

"A change?" Pureblood asked.

"Yep." Sonny nodded. "You see, when Lars told me and the others that he was going to take a sabbatical to teach in Canterlot, it gave me a bright idea of my own. Instead of teaching you up at the manor in Bitaly, I decided to take a break from being a mafia pony and bought a restaurant here. So I figured it'd be best for everypony if I could teach you right here, closer to your home, your friends and your family."

"Seriously?" Pureblood gasped. "No joke?"

"No joke." Sonny nodded.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Pureblood beamed.

"No prob." Sonny chuckled. "Now, let's get started on your first lesson."

"With pleasure." Pureblood grinned.

After spending most of the day under Sonny's tutelage, Pureblood returned to the castle.

"Hey, guys." He smiled at all the surprised faces. "I'm back."

"Pureblood?" Miracle gasped. "But I thought..."

"Are you a ghost?" Hurricane asked. "Or Pureblood's evil twin? Or a ghost of his evil twin? That's even worse!"

"Nope." Pureblood chuckled. "Great-uncle Sonny's opened a restaurant right here in Canterlot. I won't have to go to Bitaly to learn after all."

"Oh, wonderful!" Dusty smiled.

"It's good to have you back, son." Blueblood declared.

"Did you hear that, V?" Pureblood turned to the still-stunned Vito. "I'm staying here!"

"YES!"" Vito rushed over and tackled his brother with a bear hug. A moment later, he let go, sheepish. "Uh... I'm glad you're staying, bro."

"So am I, V." Pureblood chuckled. "Things just wouldn't be the same without you."

"Right back at ya, PB." Vito smiled.