Heart of Ice

Heart of Ice

Chapter Seven: A Visit from the Princess

"I was led to believe there were two princesses watching over this kingdom." Sub Zero said to the princess.

"Princess Luna must rest during the day," Celestia explained, "As she needs her strength during the night. But I believe I should be the one questioning you."

"Very well then. What do you need to know?"  Sub Zero said, trying to maintain a neutrality to his voice. He did not want to anger what could be his only chance to get home.

"Twilight explained your arrival in her letter, so I know your being here is a complete accident, but how do I know I can trust an assassin in my students home?" Celestia questioned.

"If it means anything in my favour, I am no longer part of the Lin Kuei." Sub Zero reasoned.

"Interesting. Why is that?" Celestia asked, curiously.

"I did not approve of the path the clan was treading" Sub Zero said, slightly tired of these ponies asking that question.

"What path was that exactly?" Celestia said, not satisfied with the answer.

"I was not under the impression I was being interrogated." He replied, more coldly than he had intended. This was the second time these ponies had tried to pry into his personal matters.

"If you do not wish to speak of it, that is fine by me. I simply need grounds to know I can trust you, as I have few so far." Celestia replied, equally as cold.

"Why do you need to trust me? Twilight told me that you were the one capable of sending me back to Earth-Realm. Why  not just do it and pretend my presence here never occurred?" He asked trying to lead the subject away from the Lin Kuei.

"That brings me to the true nature of my visit. I cannot send you back." She simply stated.

This news was stirred mixed feelings within Sub Zero. He would not be able to return, but did he want to? The Lin Kuei had no idea that he was here and the chances of them finding out were slim. He was safe here, as far as he was concerned. Celestia seemed to pick up on his silence and spoke up.

"I am sorry if this news saddens you, but in order for me to teleport you back to your realm, I would have to have been there myself." She said to him, genuinely apologetic.

"Then what becomes of me?" He questioned.

"While I cannot do it now, I will go back to the Canterlot archives to see if there is anything that can help. In the mean time I would have you stay with my student, under her watch. She will send me weekly reports on your behaviour and I will judge if I can trust you to roam free." Celestia told him, still maintaining a neutral tone of voice.

Sub Zero bit his lip. He was an assassin, not some child to be kept on a leash. He took a deep breath to quell his anger and thought about it. This was a delicate situation and he could not afford to act on anger. He did not need to return to Earth-Realm anytime soon, so he did not really even need Celestia's help. But if he was going to be stuck here, he would need allies. Aside from talking, pastel horses, he had no idea what this realm had in store for him, and he would rather not have to go it alone. He did however, need the ability to roam free. He was far from finished with Scorpion and he needed a way back to the Netherrealm. He decided he had to cooperate. For now.

"Very well. Where will I be staying?" He asked.

"I shall let the elements decide that, whatever suits them best to their task. I will call them back in and let them know what has been decided." She replied.

The princess left Sub Zero and made her way to the kitchen. Sub Zero felt strangely useless in this situation. This land seemed peaceful and happy in it's ways. There was probably no need what so ever for an assassin, so what would he do to earn the trust of the six ponies he had no been bound to? His thoughts were interrupted as the Celestia entered the room with Twilight and her friends in toe.

"Are you sure this is the best idea princess?" Twilight said, feeling completely out of her depth watching over her new charge.

"I am confident that you will succeed Twilight, I have the utmost faith in you." She replied to her, warmly.

Twilight took a deep breath and nodded to the princess.

"Okay princess, I'll try my best." She said, more confidently than she felt.

Celestia smiled proudly to her student and then turned to Sub Zero.

"I have told them what we have discussed. I look forward to Twilights first letter on your progress. Good luck and farewell Sub Zero." She said to him.

Sub Zero bowed slightly and the very same blinding flash of light signalled her leaving. As the princess left, Twilight trotted up to Sub Zero very unsurely.

"I guess you'll need a place to stay if me and my friends are going to watch over you." She stated the obvious, trying to make some conversation.

"That is correct. I am sorry if this imposes on any of you." He told them offhandedly.

"This is real exitin' an all, but Ah got to go back to the farm. Them apples ain't gonna buck em selves! It was nice meetin ya Mr. Sub Zero" Applejack said as she left the tree house. All the other girls politely made an their excuses and left the tree house to Twilight, Spike and the assassin.

"I take it I am not staying with any of them?" Sub Zero said as they all left.

"I think it's best if you stay in the library. I have a spare bedroom and I suppose I can... Keep an eye on you better." She said sheepishly.

"If that if for the best, then so be it. I will try not to be in your way too much, as I will try to make my stay as brief as possible." He said to her, sensing the unease about her.

"Okay, Spike can you show him to the guest room please?" Twilight asked her assistant.

"Okay Twi, right this way Mr. Sub Zero." Spike said to him.

"Just Sub Zero will do." He said to him, slightly tired of their constant formality with his code name. He followed Spike up the stairs and they walked to the furthest door in the corridor. Spike opened the door and there was a simple room with one bookshelf and a double bed that looked barely his size.

"This is it. Do you like it?" Spike asked him.

"It will suite me fine dragon, thank you." He told him, as he walked into the room. Spike followed close behind him.

"You don't have to call me dragon, you know. You can call me Spike if you like." He said to him with a smile.

"Very well then Spike. I appreciate the room you and Twilight have given me." Sub Zero thanked him again.

"Ah, it's no sweat. Give it some time and I'm sure you, Twi and the others will be best friends!" Spike assured him.

"And not yourself, Spike?" Sub Zero said, noticing Spikes name was missing from that list.

"We're already friends right? You don't seem like a bad po-human. Plus you look awesome!" Spike said to him.

Sub Zero raised his eyebrow. Why was this on so quick to trust him and even call him his friend? Not that Sub Zero needed those. He had allies he fought with, but he never considered them his friends. The only real friends he had were those in the Lin Kuei, and they were all trying to kill him now. But the innocent smile on the baby dragons face managed to bring a long missing warmth to his cold heart.

"I suppose we are Spike, I hope Twilight and the others will be as quick to trust me as you are." He said to him.

"Hey, I know what it's like to be the only one of your kind around here," He said to him reassuringly, "I gotta go, I still got chores to do. See ya Sub Zero!"  And with that, Spike left the room and Sub Zero to his thoughts.

He thought over Spikes final to words to him and saw the sense in them. It's not like he saw many other dragons walking through town after all. He glanced at a clock on the wall. it read quarter to ten, this had taken much longer than he thought. With not much else to do, he decided to turn in for the night. He took off his bracers and greaves and unstrapped the metal plates on his arm and put them on the bedside table. He settled over the covers and drifted off to sleep.