Mare in the Mirrorby pagegasustoburnChaptersChapter 1: Nothing So Fragile As Male PrideChapter 2: How Embarrissing!Chapter 3: Convenient TruthChapter 1: Nothing So Fragile As Male Pride"Your majesties it is simply unfair!" shouted Prince Blueblood. Celestia's wings flared open and her eyes began to take on a dangerous glint. She started to speak but was distracted by the sight of Luna launching herself from her throne. Blueblood shrank under the oppressive force that was Luna. In a panic his eyes darted about looking for some way to escape but he was fully enveloped by the princess wings. Slowly he looked up and saw the choleric glare of the Princess of the Night. His pupils drew back to pin pricks, his legs felt as though they were made of jelly. "SILENCE YOU FOALISH MORTAL! WE HAVE PASSED JUDGMENT!" shouted Luna in the Royal Canterlot Voice as she drew closer to the stallion. Who now looked more like a colt who had just been caught stealing from a cookie jar. "Princess Luna?" said a shaky voice of to her right. Luna slowly turned to see the pony who had dared speak. Standing there was a teary eyed mare who was being gingerly held by a stallion who sullen look betrayed his own broken heart. "This had to be done," thought Luna. However, the look in those ponies eyes was enough to quench the fire that was tearing at her soul. Luna sighed and then returned to her seat. "Blueblood! Your derogatory treatment of the common pony is inexcusable," said Celestia. "Not to mention how you treat mares as if they are your play things," added Luna. "So as we said before you will be removed of your title. Your hereditary rites to the throne of Unicornia are here by revoked and your generous holdings will be auctioned off. The proceeds will be donated to various charities throughout Equestria. You are banished from Canterlot under pain of death. Accommodations out of the city will be handled in due haste." Continued the Solar Goddess. Blue Blood couldn't even look them in the face. He couldn't even summon the courage to look his parents in the face. He just stood there eyes on the floor. It was when he felt a strange sensation that he look up at the sisters. And then he wished he hadn't. The throne room filled with light that rivaled the sun. It didn't just bore into his eyes, it bored into his very soul. It ended just a quickly as it had started. All he could see was spots. A few moments latter his vision cleared but he already had a good idea what had happened. He heard his mother let out a gasp. "My baby!" she sobbed. He looked up to see that Celestia had levitated a mirror in front of him so that he could see his new form. He was a little shorter and his coat was now a pastel brown: his once long glorious blond mane was now short, curly and periwinkle. The only thing that remained was the light blue of his eyes. "Blueblood from this day own you can never speak your name or else you shall remain the way you are today." said Celestia. Blueblood nodded before he realized the implications of what the princess had said. "It almost sounded as if there was a way to redeem himself," he thought, a slight smile formed on his face. "The spell will only end when a mare loves you for who you...." "Wait!" interrupted Luna. Celestia turned a curious eye to her mischievous sister. "Yes Luna?" "Do you not see the flaw in that line of reasoning dear sister" Celestia shook her head no, "Enlighten me." "All our dear nephew would have to do is string some poor filly along and get her to fall in love with him and the spell would end before he could learn his lesson. I propose a slight alteration to you spell." said Luna smiling. The room again filled with the aura of powerful magic but this time all the light seemed to be drained and darkness was allowed free reign. The darkness lasted longer than Blueblood could handled and he let out a terrified yell. Hearing a mare-ish scream Blueblood heart pumped even faster. It wasn't until light entered the throne room did he truly understand terror. The mare-ish scream didn't come from his mother, any of the mare guards or even the princess. The un-stallion-esk scream had come from him. He couldn't. No he wouldn't allow himself to look into the mirror because he couldn't accept what he knew to be truth. "Oh my..." muttered Celestia. "Bwahaha" Luna couldn't contain herself as she fell from her throne on to the floor laughing hysterically. The sound of anypony laughing at his expense was the..Very...Worse...Thing. Fear and pride aside he had to see himself. His eyes shot forward to the mirror and met the gaze of the mare in the mirror. "Wha... oh... no... it.. I." was all Blueblood could say before he passed out. He stirred a while later. His entire body ached and a cold sweat had dampened his coat. Raising up he felt weak and tired. "Had it all been a dream?" he thought. "I am sorry my little pony but this, I am afraid is for the best." Spoke Luna softly. "It can't be true. I don't deserve this," yammered Blueblood as he turned to the princess. Shaking her head Luna face started to flush. "You deserve to be better than you are. Many of your ancestors were great and noble ponies. Centuries of plush living have slowly allowed your once proud line to become nothing more than a placeholder compared to the nobility of your forbears. You are not completely to blame. My sister tells me that you were once a sweet and generous colt but, the perversions of your family have made you into a monster who gets what ever you please. This lesson is as much theirs as yours." she stopped to allow her message to sink in. "I AM A NOBLE! Heir to the throne of Unicornia. I will not be treated with disrespect!" replied Blueblood. "You are so foalish," retorted Luna as she levitated a small hand mirror over to Blueblood, laying in gingerly on the bed beside him. Blueblood scooped up the mirror and then threw it as hard as he could onto the floor. The resulting "Crack!" reverberated off the walls of his room. Luna was tired of trying to reason with the displeased stallion. "The rules of your banishments are as follows: One you cannot return to Canterlot until the spell is broken, two if you tell anypony your real name you will retain the form you now possess until the day you die, and lastly, three the spell can not be lifted until a mare loves you for who you really are. Is that understood?" added Luna stately. Crushed Blueblood sank back into his bed and buried his head into his pillow and started to sob. He didn't care if Luna saw him or not. He simply didn't care about anything. He woke up slowly. The smell of mildew was faint on the air and it was something he didn't like. He sulked out of the bed and gazed around the room. It was a studio apartment with pale yellow walls. It had one grimy looking bay window with a small dining table adjacent to it. He glanced out the window to see the busy streets below. It took him a moment to figure out where he was. There were so many places that looked just like this all over the cites of Equestria. He spotted a street sign that read "Carnation Street". The wheels started to turn in his head and it dawned on him where he was, Hoofdale, also known as Tarterustown. Tarterustown was the poorest community in Manehatten. "A place of vile scum and dirty, smelly, ingrates," he thought. Sighing he looked around the apartment. It had all the amenities: a refrigerator, stove, microwave, dining table, couch, bed, sink, night stand, alarm clock, and it even had a small book shelf complete with a few books. Not that he knew how to use the stove or the microwave but the were there. "Cooking is a servants job," He huffed. He strolled over to the refrigerator and opened it. It held all sorts of food and beverages. There was enough in the fridge and in the pantry that was beside it for a week, two weeks if he stretched it. In one corner was a small closet. It was the closet door that really scared him because it had a full length mirror attached to it. Cautiously he approached the mirror. Standing on the other side of the mirror was the same pastel brown unicorn with the same curly unkempt periwinkle mane and tail. "Couldn't they have made me a pretty mare," he said as he stomped the floor beneath him. Turning away from his own reflection he felt tears slide down his cheeks. He busted into uncontrollable sobs and would have continued that way had he not been startled by a rough sounding bump from below. "HEY! KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE! SOMEPONIES WORK THE NIGHTSHIFT LADY, AND I NEED SOME SLEEP!" shouted a voice from below. Anger started to boil over Blueblood and he yelled, "DON"T YOU KNOW I AM Pri....", he cut himself of midsentence. Paranoid eyes darted around the room waiting for his Aunties' wrath to descend upon him but, none came. Letting out a sigh of relief he returned to the mirror. So what if he wasn't a beautiful mare he wasn't exactly ugly. If he had met a mare that looked just like he did now he knew he wouldn't even waste his time trying to bed her. A mare like he was now was beneath him in every way. Guilt started to weight him down which him very irritated. "Why am I feeling this way..." he muttered slightly unsure of himself. He looked over to the kitchen area and then stretched out feeling with his magic but he felt nothing. Magic wasn't something he usually failed but he couldn't do a damn thing. "Argh" "Why must this be so difficult. I am a unicorn for Celestia's sake." he dropped his head in defeat. It took him a few tries but he managed to open the cupboard with his hooves and secured a drinking glass. He sat in to the counter and the fetched the OJ from the fridge and then unsteadily poured a glass. More of the OJ end up on the counter than in the glass but he didn't give up until he filled the glass to the brim. A few moments of searching he found a drawer with some dish towels and he cleaned up the mess he had made and then he took a swig of the OJ. After finishing his glass he retired to the couch. It smelt rather unpleasant and was likely older than himself he thought. It occurred to him for the first time that he really was a mare. He lifted up his leg and pined at his loss. "I am a cock-less nitwit," he spat angrily. His anger subsided and he lifted his leg again and began to explore. Although it was very different in appearances the sensations were very familiar and the softness of it was rather nice. He started to feel a little warm and started to feel like he had cotton mouth. Quickly he felt his face become flushed and he felt a tingly feeling down there. He pulled his hoof back in disgust and began to feel ashamed. "I am not in the mood for.. mas... I don't even want to say the word." he huffed as he laid back down. Slowly he tenseness he felt fell away and was replaced by anguish. Sobbing again he let his mind wonder but he couldn't let go of the here and now. Bluebood was never a pony who felt sorry for himself he only felt pity for others but as he laid there he never felt so alone and so distant. Everything he was, simply wasn't anymore. His identity nothing more than a brief moment that passed with time. "How can I ever feel at home in my own skin? How can I ever love myself much less love somepony else? How can some mare or filly ever love me for who I am when I don't know who I am anymore?" he whispered silently to himself. Author's Note I haven't written to many Fan-Fictions and I would greatly appreciate anyone with a critical eye when it comes to grammar and any words that sound the same but are not the same as well as words that look as though they have been transposed. Thank you in advanced. I'm looking for an editor is pretty much what I'm getting at. Chapter 2: How Embarrissing!"How ironic," he thought looking up at the couch from his place on the floor. "I must have slid off the couch sometimes in the night." he added feeling how tense and stiff he felt. He rose unsteadily on to his feet. "Is it not enough that I am forced to be something so below my station that I have fell to the point of sleeping on the floor like some dirty, filthy, rabble." he grumbled. The first rays of sunlight danced through the window and caressed his form. Pouring another glass of OJ, this time making a much smaller mess. It made him felt somewhat better than the day before. After he downed the glass he felt a sudden urgency. Making his way to the bathroom he encountered a situation he hadn't really thought of, how to take a wiz. Normally it was a point and shoot affair but with his new equipment he new that wasn't going to work. He didn't want to sit down as he knew was typical. He couldn't, his pride wouldn't allow it. But, as the urgency became even more urgent he succumbed. It was odd going about his unusual business in this way but at the very least he wasn't on the moon. He chuckled at that thought. He finished up and flushed watching the whirlpool as it formed. Yep, he knew then that his life had literally went down the shitter. Feeling dirty and smelling more rank than he would like, he decided to take a shower. The warmth of the water was soothing and oddly liberating. His father always scolded him when the subject of how much he adored being clean and pampered was brought up. Blueblood could never understand his father's and many other stallions aversion to frou frou. Perhaps it was vain but he liked being clean, getting a pedicure or manicure, and spending time at the spa. He like how he looked in a tailored suit or in well polished armor. Gossiping with attractive masseuses and talented hair dresses was one of his favorite things to do on his almost daily escapades. Although he found many of those mares and even a few stallions were up to his standards he would never stoop so low as to treat them as he would one of his conquest. Learning a long time ago the dangers of mixing business with pleasure. The water had a profound affect on his demeanor as he left the bathroom behind with a noticeable bounce in his step. Looking in the mirror he almost fell into hysterics at how he, Prince Blueblood looked. A rather dull looking mare with a disheveled looking turban wrapped around her head. His tail was even more curly than his mane, it looked more like a bramble bush than an actual tail. The absurdity of the situation was more than he could handle and he fell into a fit of giggles on the floor. Feeling his stomach rumble he jumped to his feet and went to fetch some food. Of all the things that were in the cupboard or the fridge nothing quick seemed appetizing so he pulled down the box of oats and attempted the impossible, cooking. Grabbing a pan he filled it with a rough guess about the amount of water and oats; he then sat it on the stove. Picking up the box of oat's he turned it over and read the directions. "So... Medium/Heat and stir until it reaches the desired thickness ," he read. "Sound's easy enough" he said in a cheery tone. A few moments latter he had a big bowl of steaming hot oatmeal. Grabbing a spoon he headed for the table. "Yuck!" he spat. "This taste absolutely horrid." He marched back to the kitchen and dumped the contents into the trash. "I will start again and this time I know I can do this right." exclaimed Blueblood. Four attempts latter," What am I doing wrong! This can't possible be that hard if those idiot cooks can fix good oats, why can't I." he almost shouted in agitation. Referring back to the instructions, " Add sugar and fruit to taste," Blushing and feeling like a moron, he searched for some sugar. With the added sugar the oatmeal was at the very least sustenance. The next chore after eating was cleaning and that wouldn't be fun. Not having any luck with magic he decided to hoof wash everything which ended with him breaking on of his bowls. He slumped back on the couch and felling a little tired he began to hear other tenants begin to stir. Blueblood could barely make out the voices of stallions, mares, colts, and fillies. He hadn't dared venture out on his own yet, he still felt very venerable. The towel turban had spent enough time on his head so he unwrapped his hair and waltzed over to the mirror. Know that his hair was a curly maelstrom he already wore a cringe. It was far worse than he realized and even after spending countless minutes struggling not only with burden of using a his hooves to hold a comb but also taming his unruly hair, he gave up. Blueblood's tail proved to be the same. "So I can't use my real name, so what do I go by." he thought. Remembering how earlier he referred to his hair as a bramble he had found an adequate name but it wasn't a whole name it needed something else some it need some pizzazz. Tapping his hoof to his chin it came to him like a flash of lightening, it was embarrassing but it fit his situation vey well. "My name for now will be, Bramble Shambles," he said victoriously followed by hoof-pump. With that out of the way he grabbed his brush off of his night stand and started to awkwardly brush his coat. It was still early morning when he finished. So, he did what he did every morning work out. He completed the works squats, push ups, sit-ups, lunges, and an assortment of plank exercises. The only thing left was jogging. After several attempts at jogging in place and doing laps around the apartments it just wasn't enough. Eyeing the door he sat down and shook his head no. "If I go out there it will just as if I strolled up to the princesses and said 'I like who I am now please don't ever change me back'," he told himself. He would never give them the satisfaction. So he went back to the bathroom for his post-work out shower. The entire book collection was nothing but a slap in his face as they includes such titles as, "Fillies Guide to Making Friends, How to Treat Her Right, Articles of Honor and Morality, His Brain vs. Her Brain Fundamentals in Gender Studies, and Unbridled Heat." There were two books that did have some redeeming qualities if only because they were things he thought he needed to know and they were, "Young Mare's Guide to Hygiene and Modest Mare's Voyage of Self-Pleasure,". The later more than likely a gag. Since Luna's return things had been unsettling at best. The royal court had to deal with the Mad Mare's antics which included everything from self loathing to tasteless pranks. In a way he liked it. It was a pleasant interlude from the stoic visage that was Princess Celestia. There were rumors of Celestia's fun side but he had never seen it but, he had heard a giggling Twilight in his youth. Blueblood was always jealous of Twilight. She was a commoner, she never had to worry about image or what it meant to be a noble. In her short time at the capital he noticed a change come over his aunt and he hated Twilight for it. After getting comfortable on the musty smelling couch he opened, "Young Mare's Guide to Hygiene," and started to read. Minuets turned into hours and soon he had to abandon the book due to creeping stiffness that now plagued his limbs. Looking back at the door he felt himself slowly gravitate towards it. Slowly he opened the door and took his first steps into a new world. It started with a proud strut but with each step he took he shed his practiced grace and before he reached the stairs he was practically running, no he was skipping. Throwing open the lobby doors he found himself looking a dangerous world of red bricks and cement skin. The air reeked. It smelt more like a farm than a city minus the fresh air and earthy aroma. He held his hoof to his mouth suppressing a gag. The ponies all looked dishearten and had hard faces. Feeling a familiar itch on his back he was reminded that this was the infamous Tarterustown. A town known for it's high crime rate and oppressive police force. "Why on earth would my aunties send me here. I know that perhaps I need to learn a lesson but this could just as much be a death sentence," he thought as he walked further from his apartment. He stopped dead in his tracks and wearing a look of shock. "Had he just agreed with the Princesses about needing to learn a lesson, that's absurd," he thought. "Momma, Momma" shouted a filly from a cross the street. Blueblood glanced toward the pair. He noticed the filly pointing his way. Hearing the mare shush her daughter he started to walk away when he heard the filly ask her mother an question. "Momma why does that grown up not have her cutie mark?" asked the filly innocently. He jerked around and glanced at his flank and just as the filly had said, he was a blank flank. How had he missed that. Falling on his rump he started to fidget and suddenly realized how violated he really was: he was a mare, no he was a poor mare, no even worse than that he was a poor blank flank mare. Finding the strength to look back over to where the filly and her mother were walking she spotted the fillies mother who mouthed a silent. "I'm so sorry." He need a drink and a strong one at that. After checking out several of the local businesses he finally found one that was a bar and its name was "Teasie's Plush Pony Paradise". Chapter 3: Convenient Truth"I envy you sister," said Celestia as she gave Luna a sincere smile. With a yawn Luna sat down beside her sister. The sun hung low in the western sky its golden rays were slowly giving way to the pinks and purples of late evening-it's last act a beautiful overture for the quiet magnificence that was Luna's moon. In the waning light, Celesita's coat seemed to dim as if its very illustriousness beauty was tied to the cycle of the sun. Luna's coat was undergoing a similar transformation. In the day her dark coat was flat in color but as day gave way to night its depth was magnified and it took on the vastness of the night sky. Giving Celestia curt nod Luna's eye fell down and too the left, "I'm not sure what you mean Tia." A alabaster wing slowly wrapped around the small Luna's back and started to pull her closer to its owner. Initially she resisted, but the warmth of it was too much. Giving in she was pulled tightly to her sisters side, eliciting a fiery blush from the dark-blue alicorn. Luna looked up to Celestia wearing a shy smile. "Although my light shines on the actions of the ponies of Equestria there are many things that I cannot see. I do my best to help them. I can only react to what I see and what they tell me. You on the other hoof, see all that I see and more. Their dreams, there hopes, the fantasies all lay bare before you. I envy that." said Celestia. Luna taking a deep breath pulled away from her sister and walked away. Cocking her head Celestia watched as the sylph-like pony walk to the edge of the balcony and sat down. Luna wore a mask of defeat, her eyes were closed, her ears lay down, and her features seemed strained, as her head sunk low. "What's wrong Lu Lu?" asked Celestia with a look of concern on her face. "Tia you always put me on a pedestal. Even when I was descending into the darkness of Nightmare Moon you refused to admit that I had a problem; until it was too late. You assume that just because I could see into the minds of others that it was an asset. Well it's not. There are so many things that should be kept a secret between the soul and the mind. What I see isn't always beautiful or enlightening." divulged Luna as she sunk lower. Celestia bit her lip and then raised a hoof to scratch the back of her head. What she had meant as a complement had taken a turn for the worse and she didn't know how to her line of thought back on track. "Luna? I'm... I'm sorry." muttered Celestia. Slack-jawed Luna looked over to her sister. Celestia didn't look a stoic, sagely ruler she looked like a mare who still had so much to learn. This was the sister she remembered the one who was far from perfect, one who almost lavished in her childishness. "Tia?" asked Luna innocently. "Yes Lu Lu?" quickly replied Celestia. "You are such a featherbrain sometimes." giggled Luna trying to break the tense situation she had inadvertently created. Celestia deadpanned, and turned her head away from Luna and let out a loud, huff. Luna let Celestia fume for a few moments. The issue with Blueblood had held her most of her attention for ransom for far to long and she had to get it off her chest. "Why did you conspire with me in the Blueblood affair?" asked Luna as she trotted over to her sister. Celestia's face still held a slight scowl when she met Luna's incoming form. Laughing to herself Celestia hadn't been around her sister enough yet to become accustomed to Luna's hot and cold nature again, and it was a bit aggravating. Uncertainty was an enduring part of Luna's personality. It was why in bygone ages sealing Discord away was so difficult because Celestia knew how much the two had in common. Her thoughts were brought to a close as Luna plopped down beside her. "Blueblood was as much a slave to his station and family expectations as he was enamored by its perks. He needed a break from the bureaucracy of the House of Nobles and his meddling mother." said Celestia in a matter-a-fact tone. "How thoughtful of you Tia, I'm sure you don't any ulterior motives," coyly replied Luna. Celestia stiffened, "So what if I do have an ulterior motive. This is for his own good," She thought. "Tia please tell me, I don't want to wiggle around in that head of yours after it hits the pillows." threatened Luna, her wings stretched to the full length and height. "I have made many mistakes in past years. Mistakes that now haunt my waking and sleeping dreams. I allowed the nobility too much control and the common pony has suffered for it," said Celestia, her wings drooping low. Luna hated seeing her sister look so, exposed. "Nopony is perfect," said Luna softly as she wrapped a wing around her sister. Celestia didn't move she just sat there her face down cast and her eyes glued to the floor. "Luna you are only saying that because you haven't seen the depth of my transgressions. I remembered the arguments you and I had back before our separation. You would tell me that power shouldn't rest in the hooves of a few. You tried to tell me that democracy and diplomacy were the way to peace. I stuck to what I knew and what I knew was those with power should keep it. They maintained power because they took the reins and took responsibility. You wanted to put Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie in charge of their respective clans because they would look out for the interest of everypony and not just themselves. I couldn't bring myself to allow hundreds of years of tradition to die and so I never allowed them to prove that you were right. Your descent into the darkness was my fault. The sole reason that they shunned you was because of tradition. They could believe that each and every one of them had a say in the way of the world. They couldn't abandon their lieges, so the abandoned you. When you lost the love of the ponies you lost your love of them. I am so...so sorry sister. I should have been the one to be banished too the moon," cried Celestia as her tears cascaded down her face. "Listen Tia, I don't blame you for what happened to me. I became so lost in my ideals that I forgot who I was. When I offered liberty to the ponies of Equestria and they denied it, it hurt me deeply. I needed to give that gift to them even if it was in spite of you. They rejected my idea's because they wanted someone else to lead them. They were afraid to take responsibility of their own actions. In my anger I decided that if they wanted to be lorded over I would be that queen. If they wanted to be controlled I would utterly rule them like no pony before them. I wanted not only their loyalty and freedom. I wanted them to look to me for permission to breath. And I was wrong for that," added Luna. Celestia shot her sister a thin smile which Luna gladly returned. Luna's again wanted to break the gloomy atmosphere so she pulled back her wing gently brushing her sister's side with her primaries. Celestia tried to suppress a giggle but couldn't. Pushing Celestia over Luna continued her tickle assault. "ah ha ha ha bwha ha ha ha," snorted Celestia. Luna's alternated between hoof and primary doing her best to keep her sister off guard. This went on for several minuets only ending after both of them had laughed until their sides hurt. Her eyes were still red and puffy but Luna felt much better seeing that her sister was smiling. Silence ruled the air as they enjoyed the warmth of each other. It ended all to soon for Luna as Celestia rolled away and sat up. Celestia glanced down at the lounging alicorn. "The truth is I do have an ulterior motive and I'm ashamed to admit it." sighed Celestia. "I want to usher in a new era for Equestria. I don't want to be a princess anymore and I would very much like to end this archaic way of life. I see now what you saw then, that my little ponies can rule themselves. I want leaders who are only leaders because they are capable. I want ponies who other look to for guidance and are elected by the majority of Equestria. However, my plans have been foiled by Blueblood and his mother Diamond Mint at every turn. Both of them are very influential members of the House of Nobles. Although their goal seems to be the same they have different ways of going about it. Blueblood treats the House of Commons to his charismatic ways whilst his mother Diamond undermines their power. Blueblood is a dangerous adversary because the Nobles look to him as a leader. The House of Commons are much greedier, they only support him because of his campaigns that have led to across the board wage increases for all government workers. It is for this same reason that our own Solar Guard and Night Guard are fiercely loyal to him." "Hold on, wage control has away been the duty of the Master of the Treasury. So why is Blue Blood spearheading wage reform instead of the treasurer?" asked Luna "Well, he is the Master of the Treasury," answered Celestia. "The Master of the Treasury has traditionally been a job for a member of the House of Commons. What chain of events led Blueblood to break this tradition?" asked Luna. "Blueblood was close friends with the previous treasurer. When Quick Count contracted a still as yet unexplained illness and died, Blueblood was heart broken. It wasn't long before another member of the house of commons took the position but, she held the position for three weeks before she went missing. After that no pony dared to take the position out of fear that they might also meet a mysterious end. Blueblood was deeply angered at the cowardice of the House of Commons so he took the position out of loyalty to his friend. He even sends the pay that he receives for the job to Quick's widow and children." she answered. "Were you afraid he would lead an insurrection? asked Luna. Celestia laughed at Luna question, " Blueblood isn't that bold. But, every time a town or city comes seeking our approval for a local democratic government Blueblood fights it at every turn. Since he has become a senior member of the House of Nobles; the only one town out of the two hundred and fifty six that has made that proposition has been granted local democratic control and that town was Applaloosa. And after the parasprite invasion of Fillydelphia he pushed for martial law in the city and he got just that. To this day it is governed by a House of Nobles appointed governor. There only a handful of Nobles who have fought as hard as he for greater royal power." "So he feels as you felt, that might equals right," Interjected Luna. "Yes," replied Celestia whose face had taken on a red glow. "The house of Nobles saw Blueblood as powerful reminder of the past and they adored him for it. However it was tradition that kept Blueblood at odds with himself. His outer passion fought bitterly with is inner passion and the pressure was to much for him to bear. Slowly he realized that the very tradition that he fought so bitterly for was the same tradition that kept him from being who he really was. He had started drinking to alleviate the loss he felt after Quick Count's death. It only became worse with time as the pressures of leadership crushed what was left of his soul. He stopped attending court. He drowned his pain in alcohol, replacing his need for intimacy and comforting with meaningless sex. Blueblood has always been a pleasure seeker. And during his mourning he became much worse. He treated all of his lovers nicely but he would never allow himself to really love them. He has been responsible for so much heartache. You don't know how many times I have had an angered father or mother or brother or sister barge in on my day court in a fit of rage because Blueblood would not marry the mare he bedded. It's not that he didn't care because I know his heart and I know that it was because he couldn't care, not yet. It got so bad that those of us who cared for him had him committed to a rehabilitation center. Even after that he still wasn't quite ready to face the world. The following months Blueblood spent his time locked in his room. When he finally returned to court he was met with welcoming arms but the pressures were too great. It took him some time but sadly he slipped back into his old ways and restarted his own self torturous cycle." said Celestia with a notable strain in her voice. "So in the end he was his own worst enemy. I can relate to that that." said Luna. Celesta gave her a weak smile, "Yeah, I think we both can,". "When you told me of his dreams. I knew we had to do something. So when you told me that you had thought of a way to get him away from the court so he could have some time to find himself. I wanted nothing more than to help him, even if it put me in a bad light." added Celestia. "Two ponies with one stone, eh?" said Luna. Celestia scrunched up her nose at the old griffon idiom, she hated the phrase because she could still remember when griffon's would in war time drop stones on ponies. "Yeah, two ponies with one stone." mimed Celestia.
Chapter 1: Nothing So Fragile As Male Pride"Your majesties it is simply unfair!" shouted Prince Blueblood. Celestia's wings flared open and her eyes began to take on a dangerous glint. She started to speak but was distracted by the sight of Luna launching herself from her throne. Blueblood shrank under the oppressive force that was Luna. In a panic his eyes darted about looking for some way to escape but he was fully enveloped by the princess wings. Slowly he looked up and saw the choleric glare of the Princess of the Night. His pupils drew back to pin pricks, his legs felt as though they were made of jelly. "SILENCE YOU FOALISH MORTAL! WE HAVE PASSED JUDGMENT!" shouted Luna in the Royal Canterlot Voice as she drew closer to the stallion. Who now looked more like a colt who had just been caught stealing from a cookie jar. "Princess Luna?" said a shaky voice of to her right. Luna slowly turned to see the pony who had dared speak. Standing there was a teary eyed mare who was being gingerly held by a stallion who sullen look betrayed his own broken heart. "This had to be done," thought Luna. However, the look in those ponies eyes was enough to quench the fire that was tearing at her soul. Luna sighed and then returned to her seat. "Blueblood! Your derogatory treatment of the common pony is inexcusable," said Celestia. "Not to mention how you treat mares as if they are your play things," added Luna. "So as we said before you will be removed of your title. Your hereditary rites to the throne of Unicornia are here by revoked and your generous holdings will be auctioned off. The proceeds will be donated to various charities throughout Equestria. You are banished from Canterlot under pain of death. Accommodations out of the city will be handled in due haste." Continued the Solar Goddess. Blue Blood couldn't even look them in the face. He couldn't even summon the courage to look his parents in the face. He just stood there eyes on the floor. It was when he felt a strange sensation that he look up at the sisters. And then he wished he hadn't. The throne room filled with light that rivaled the sun. It didn't just bore into his eyes, it bored into his very soul. It ended just a quickly as it had started. All he could see was spots. A few moments latter his vision cleared but he already had a good idea what had happened. He heard his mother let out a gasp. "My baby!" she sobbed. He looked up to see that Celestia had levitated a mirror in front of him so that he could see his new form. He was a little shorter and his coat was now a pastel brown: his once long glorious blond mane was now short, curly and periwinkle. The only thing that remained was the light blue of his eyes. "Blueblood from this day own you can never speak your name or else you shall remain the way you are today." said Celestia. Blueblood nodded before he realized the implications of what the princess had said. "It almost sounded as if there was a way to redeem himself," he thought, a slight smile formed on his face. "The spell will only end when a mare loves you for who you...." "Wait!" interrupted Luna. Celestia turned a curious eye to her mischievous sister. "Yes Luna?" "Do you not see the flaw in that line of reasoning dear sister" Celestia shook her head no, "Enlighten me." "All our dear nephew would have to do is string some poor filly along and get her to fall in love with him and the spell would end before he could learn his lesson. I propose a slight alteration to you spell." said Luna smiling. The room again filled with the aura of powerful magic but this time all the light seemed to be drained and darkness was allowed free reign. The darkness lasted longer than Blueblood could handled and he let out a terrified yell. Hearing a mare-ish scream Blueblood heart pumped even faster. It wasn't until light entered the throne room did he truly understand terror. The mare-ish scream didn't come from his mother, any of the mare guards or even the princess. The un-stallion-esk scream had come from him. He couldn't. No he wouldn't allow himself to look into the mirror because he couldn't accept what he knew to be truth. "Oh my..." muttered Celestia. "Bwahaha" Luna couldn't contain herself as she fell from her throne on to the floor laughing hysterically. The sound of anypony laughing at his expense was the..Very...Worse...Thing. Fear and pride aside he had to see himself. His eyes shot forward to the mirror and met the gaze of the mare in the mirror. "Wha... oh... no... it.. I." was all Blueblood could say before he passed out. He stirred a while later. His entire body ached and a cold sweat had dampened his coat. Raising up he felt weak and tired. "Had it all been a dream?" he thought. "I am sorry my little pony but this, I am afraid is for the best." Spoke Luna softly. "It can't be true. I don't deserve this," yammered Blueblood as he turned to the princess. Shaking her head Luna face started to flush. "You deserve to be better than you are. Many of your ancestors were great and noble ponies. Centuries of plush living have slowly allowed your once proud line to become nothing more than a placeholder compared to the nobility of your forbears. You are not completely to blame. My sister tells me that you were once a sweet and generous colt but, the perversions of your family have made you into a monster who gets what ever you please. This lesson is as much theirs as yours." she stopped to allow her message to sink in. "I AM A NOBLE! Heir to the throne of Unicornia. I will not be treated with disrespect!" replied Blueblood. "You are so foalish," retorted Luna as she levitated a small hand mirror over to Blueblood, laying in gingerly on the bed beside him. Blueblood scooped up the mirror and then threw it as hard as he could onto the floor. The resulting "Crack!" reverberated off the walls of his room. Luna was tired of trying to reason with the displeased stallion. "The rules of your banishments are as follows: One you cannot return to Canterlot until the spell is broken, two if you tell anypony your real name you will retain the form you now possess until the day you die, and lastly, three the spell can not be lifted until a mare loves you for who you really are. Is that understood?" added Luna stately. Crushed Blueblood sank back into his bed and buried his head into his pillow and started to sob. He didn't care if Luna saw him or not. He simply didn't care about anything. He woke up slowly. The smell of mildew was faint on the air and it was something he didn't like. He sulked out of the bed and gazed around the room. It was a studio apartment with pale yellow walls. It had one grimy looking bay window with a small dining table adjacent to it. He glanced out the window to see the busy streets below. It took him a moment to figure out where he was. There were so many places that looked just like this all over the cites of Equestria. He spotted a street sign that read "Carnation Street". The wheels started to turn in his head and it dawned on him where he was, Hoofdale, also known as Tarterustown. Tarterustown was the poorest community in Manehatten. "A place of vile scum and dirty, smelly, ingrates," he thought. Sighing he looked around the apartment. It had all the amenities: a refrigerator, stove, microwave, dining table, couch, bed, sink, night stand, alarm clock, and it even had a small book shelf complete with a few books. Not that he knew how to use the stove or the microwave but the were there. "Cooking is a servants job," He huffed. He strolled over to the refrigerator and opened it. It held all sorts of food and beverages. There was enough in the fridge and in the pantry that was beside it for a week, two weeks if he stretched it. In one corner was a small closet. It was the closet door that really scared him because it had a full length mirror attached to it. Cautiously he approached the mirror. Standing on the other side of the mirror was the same pastel brown unicorn with the same curly unkempt periwinkle mane and tail. "Couldn't they have made me a pretty mare," he said as he stomped the floor beneath him. Turning away from his own reflection he felt tears slide down his cheeks. He busted into uncontrollable sobs and would have continued that way had he not been startled by a rough sounding bump from below. "HEY! KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE! SOMEPONIES WORK THE NIGHTSHIFT LADY, AND I NEED SOME SLEEP!" shouted a voice from below. Anger started to boil over Blueblood and he yelled, "DON"T YOU KNOW I AM Pri....", he cut himself of midsentence. Paranoid eyes darted around the room waiting for his Aunties' wrath to descend upon him but, none came. Letting out a sigh of relief he returned to the mirror. So what if he wasn't a beautiful mare he wasn't exactly ugly. If he had met a mare that looked just like he did now he knew he wouldn't even waste his time trying to bed her. A mare like he was now was beneath him in every way. Guilt started to weight him down which him very irritated. "Why am I feeling this way..." he muttered slightly unsure of himself. He looked over to the kitchen area and then stretched out feeling with his magic but he felt nothing. Magic wasn't something he usually failed but he couldn't do a damn thing. "Argh" "Why must this be so difficult. I am a unicorn for Celestia's sake." he dropped his head in defeat. It took him a few tries but he managed to open the cupboard with his hooves and secured a drinking glass. He sat in to the counter and the fetched the OJ from the fridge and then unsteadily poured a glass. More of the OJ end up on the counter than in the glass but he didn't give up until he filled the glass to the brim. A few moments of searching he found a drawer with some dish towels and he cleaned up the mess he had made and then he took a swig of the OJ. After finishing his glass he retired to the couch. It smelt rather unpleasant and was likely older than himself he thought. It occurred to him for the first time that he really was a mare. He lifted up his leg and pined at his loss. "I am a cock-less nitwit," he spat angrily. His anger subsided and he lifted his leg again and began to explore. Although it was very different in appearances the sensations were very familiar and the softness of it was rather nice. He started to feel a little warm and started to feel like he had cotton mouth. Quickly he felt his face become flushed and he felt a tingly feeling down there. He pulled his hoof back in disgust and began to feel ashamed. "I am not in the mood for.. mas... I don't even want to say the word." he huffed as he laid back down. Slowly he tenseness he felt fell away and was replaced by anguish. Sobbing again he let his mind wonder but he couldn't let go of the here and now. Bluebood was never a pony who felt sorry for himself he only felt pity for others but as he laid there he never felt so alone and so distant. Everything he was, simply wasn't anymore. His identity nothing more than a brief moment that passed with time. "How can I ever feel at home in my own skin? How can I ever love myself much less love somepony else? How can some mare or filly ever love me for who I am when I don't know who I am anymore?" he whispered silently to himself. Author's Note I haven't written to many Fan-Fictions and I would greatly appreciate anyone with a critical eye when it comes to grammar and any words that sound the same but are not the same as well as words that look as though they have been transposed. Thank you in advanced. I'm looking for an editor is pretty much what I'm getting at.
Chapter 2: How Embarrissing!"How ironic," he thought looking up at the couch from his place on the floor. "I must have slid off the couch sometimes in the night." he added feeling how tense and stiff he felt. He rose unsteadily on to his feet. "Is it not enough that I am forced to be something so below my station that I have fell to the point of sleeping on the floor like some dirty, filthy, rabble." he grumbled. The first rays of sunlight danced through the window and caressed his form. Pouring another glass of OJ, this time making a much smaller mess. It made him felt somewhat better than the day before. After he downed the glass he felt a sudden urgency. Making his way to the bathroom he encountered a situation he hadn't really thought of, how to take a wiz. Normally it was a point and shoot affair but with his new equipment he new that wasn't going to work. He didn't want to sit down as he knew was typical. He couldn't, his pride wouldn't allow it. But, as the urgency became even more urgent he succumbed. It was odd going about his unusual business in this way but at the very least he wasn't on the moon. He chuckled at that thought. He finished up and flushed watching the whirlpool as it formed. Yep, he knew then that his life had literally went down the shitter. Feeling dirty and smelling more rank than he would like, he decided to take a shower. The warmth of the water was soothing and oddly liberating. His father always scolded him when the subject of how much he adored being clean and pampered was brought up. Blueblood could never understand his father's and many other stallions aversion to frou frou. Perhaps it was vain but he liked being clean, getting a pedicure or manicure, and spending time at the spa. He like how he looked in a tailored suit or in well polished armor. Gossiping with attractive masseuses and talented hair dresses was one of his favorite things to do on his almost daily escapades. Although he found many of those mares and even a few stallions were up to his standards he would never stoop so low as to treat them as he would one of his conquest. Learning a long time ago the dangers of mixing business with pleasure. The water had a profound affect on his demeanor as he left the bathroom behind with a noticeable bounce in his step. Looking in the mirror he almost fell into hysterics at how he, Prince Blueblood looked. A rather dull looking mare with a disheveled looking turban wrapped around her head. His tail was even more curly than his mane, it looked more like a bramble bush than an actual tail. The absurdity of the situation was more than he could handle and he fell into a fit of giggles on the floor. Feeling his stomach rumble he jumped to his feet and went to fetch some food. Of all the things that were in the cupboard or the fridge nothing quick seemed appetizing so he pulled down the box of oats and attempted the impossible, cooking. Grabbing a pan he filled it with a rough guess about the amount of water and oats; he then sat it on the stove. Picking up the box of oat's he turned it over and read the directions. "So... Medium/Heat and stir until it reaches the desired thickness ," he read. "Sound's easy enough" he said in a cheery tone. A few moments latter he had a big bowl of steaming hot oatmeal. Grabbing a spoon he headed for the table. "Yuck!" he spat. "This taste absolutely horrid." He marched back to the kitchen and dumped the contents into the trash. "I will start again and this time I know I can do this right." exclaimed Blueblood. Four attempts latter," What am I doing wrong! This can't possible be that hard if those idiot cooks can fix good oats, why can't I." he almost shouted in agitation. Referring back to the instructions, " Add sugar and fruit to taste," Blushing and feeling like a moron, he searched for some sugar. With the added sugar the oatmeal was at the very least sustenance. The next chore after eating was cleaning and that wouldn't be fun. Not having any luck with magic he decided to hoof wash everything which ended with him breaking on of his bowls. He slumped back on the couch and felling a little tired he began to hear other tenants begin to stir. Blueblood could barely make out the voices of stallions, mares, colts, and fillies. He hadn't dared venture out on his own yet, he still felt very venerable. The towel turban had spent enough time on his head so he unwrapped his hair and waltzed over to the mirror. Know that his hair was a curly maelstrom he already wore a cringe. It was far worse than he realized and even after spending countless minutes struggling not only with burden of using a his hooves to hold a comb but also taming his unruly hair, he gave up. Blueblood's tail proved to be the same. "So I can't use my real name, so what do I go by." he thought. Remembering how earlier he referred to his hair as a bramble he had found an adequate name but it wasn't a whole name it needed something else some it need some pizzazz. Tapping his hoof to his chin it came to him like a flash of lightening, it was embarrassing but it fit his situation vey well. "My name for now will be, Bramble Shambles," he said victoriously followed by hoof-pump. With that out of the way he grabbed his brush off of his night stand and started to awkwardly brush his coat. It was still early morning when he finished. So, he did what he did every morning work out. He completed the works squats, push ups, sit-ups, lunges, and an assortment of plank exercises. The only thing left was jogging. After several attempts at jogging in place and doing laps around the apartments it just wasn't enough. Eyeing the door he sat down and shook his head no. "If I go out there it will just as if I strolled up to the princesses and said 'I like who I am now please don't ever change me back'," he told himself. He would never give them the satisfaction. So he went back to the bathroom for his post-work out shower. The entire book collection was nothing but a slap in his face as they includes such titles as, "Fillies Guide to Making Friends, How to Treat Her Right, Articles of Honor and Morality, His Brain vs. Her Brain Fundamentals in Gender Studies, and Unbridled Heat." There were two books that did have some redeeming qualities if only because they were things he thought he needed to know and they were, "Young Mare's Guide to Hygiene and Modest Mare's Voyage of Self-Pleasure,". The later more than likely a gag. Since Luna's return things had been unsettling at best. The royal court had to deal with the Mad Mare's antics which included everything from self loathing to tasteless pranks. In a way he liked it. It was a pleasant interlude from the stoic visage that was Princess Celestia. There were rumors of Celestia's fun side but he had never seen it but, he had heard a giggling Twilight in his youth. Blueblood was always jealous of Twilight. She was a commoner, she never had to worry about image or what it meant to be a noble. In her short time at the capital he noticed a change come over his aunt and he hated Twilight for it. After getting comfortable on the musty smelling couch he opened, "Young Mare's Guide to Hygiene," and started to read. Minuets turned into hours and soon he had to abandon the book due to creeping stiffness that now plagued his limbs. Looking back at the door he felt himself slowly gravitate towards it. Slowly he opened the door and took his first steps into a new world. It started with a proud strut but with each step he took he shed his practiced grace and before he reached the stairs he was practically running, no he was skipping. Throwing open the lobby doors he found himself looking a dangerous world of red bricks and cement skin. The air reeked. It smelt more like a farm than a city minus the fresh air and earthy aroma. He held his hoof to his mouth suppressing a gag. The ponies all looked dishearten and had hard faces. Feeling a familiar itch on his back he was reminded that this was the infamous Tarterustown. A town known for it's high crime rate and oppressive police force. "Why on earth would my aunties send me here. I know that perhaps I need to learn a lesson but this could just as much be a death sentence," he thought as he walked further from his apartment. He stopped dead in his tracks and wearing a look of shock. "Had he just agreed with the Princesses about needing to learn a lesson, that's absurd," he thought. "Momma, Momma" shouted a filly from a cross the street. Blueblood glanced toward the pair. He noticed the filly pointing his way. Hearing the mare shush her daughter he started to walk away when he heard the filly ask her mother an question. "Momma why does that grown up not have her cutie mark?" asked the filly innocently. He jerked around and glanced at his flank and just as the filly had said, he was a blank flank. How had he missed that. Falling on his rump he started to fidget and suddenly realized how violated he really was: he was a mare, no he was a poor mare, no even worse than that he was a poor blank flank mare. Finding the strength to look back over to where the filly and her mother were walking she spotted the fillies mother who mouthed a silent. "I'm so sorry." He need a drink and a strong one at that. After checking out several of the local businesses he finally found one that was a bar and its name was "Teasie's Plush Pony Paradise".
Chapter 3: Convenient Truth"I envy you sister," said Celestia as she gave Luna a sincere smile. With a yawn Luna sat down beside her sister. The sun hung low in the western sky its golden rays were slowly giving way to the pinks and purples of late evening-it's last act a beautiful overture for the quiet magnificence that was Luna's moon. In the waning light, Celesita's coat seemed to dim as if its very illustriousness beauty was tied to the cycle of the sun. Luna's coat was undergoing a similar transformation. In the day her dark coat was flat in color but as day gave way to night its depth was magnified and it took on the vastness of the night sky. Giving Celestia curt nod Luna's eye fell down and too the left, "I'm not sure what you mean Tia." A alabaster wing slowly wrapped around the small Luna's back and started to pull her closer to its owner. Initially she resisted, but the warmth of it was too much. Giving in she was pulled tightly to her sisters side, eliciting a fiery blush from the dark-blue alicorn. Luna looked up to Celestia wearing a shy smile. "Although my light shines on the actions of the ponies of Equestria there are many things that I cannot see. I do my best to help them. I can only react to what I see and what they tell me. You on the other hoof, see all that I see and more. Their dreams, there hopes, the fantasies all lay bare before you. I envy that." said Celestia. Luna taking a deep breath pulled away from her sister and walked away. Cocking her head Celestia watched as the sylph-like pony walk to the edge of the balcony and sat down. Luna wore a mask of defeat, her eyes were closed, her ears lay down, and her features seemed strained, as her head sunk low. "What's wrong Lu Lu?" asked Celestia with a look of concern on her face. "Tia you always put me on a pedestal. Even when I was descending into the darkness of Nightmare Moon you refused to admit that I had a problem; until it was too late. You assume that just because I could see into the minds of others that it was an asset. Well it's not. There are so many things that should be kept a secret between the soul and the mind. What I see isn't always beautiful or enlightening." divulged Luna as she sunk lower. Celestia bit her lip and then raised a hoof to scratch the back of her head. What she had meant as a complement had taken a turn for the worse and she didn't know how to her line of thought back on track. "Luna? I'm... I'm sorry." muttered Celestia. Slack-jawed Luna looked over to her sister. Celestia didn't look a stoic, sagely ruler she looked like a mare who still had so much to learn. This was the sister she remembered the one who was far from perfect, one who almost lavished in her childishness. "Tia?" asked Luna innocently. "Yes Lu Lu?" quickly replied Celestia. "You are such a featherbrain sometimes." giggled Luna trying to break the tense situation she had inadvertently created. Celestia deadpanned, and turned her head away from Luna and let out a loud, huff. Luna let Celestia fume for a few moments. The issue with Blueblood had held her most of her attention for ransom for far to long and she had to get it off her chest. "Why did you conspire with me in the Blueblood affair?" asked Luna as she trotted over to her sister. Celestia's face still held a slight scowl when she met Luna's incoming form. Laughing to herself Celestia hadn't been around her sister enough yet to become accustomed to Luna's hot and cold nature again, and it was a bit aggravating. Uncertainty was an enduring part of Luna's personality. It was why in bygone ages sealing Discord away was so difficult because Celestia knew how much the two had in common. Her thoughts were brought to a close as Luna plopped down beside her. "Blueblood was as much a slave to his station and family expectations as he was enamored by its perks. He needed a break from the bureaucracy of the House of Nobles and his meddling mother." said Celestia in a matter-a-fact tone. "How thoughtful of you Tia, I'm sure you don't any ulterior motives," coyly replied Luna. Celestia stiffened, "So what if I do have an ulterior motive. This is for his own good," She thought. "Tia please tell me, I don't want to wiggle around in that head of yours after it hits the pillows." threatened Luna, her wings stretched to the full length and height. "I have made many mistakes in past years. Mistakes that now haunt my waking and sleeping dreams. I allowed the nobility too much control and the common pony has suffered for it," said Celestia, her wings drooping low. Luna hated seeing her sister look so, exposed. "Nopony is perfect," said Luna softly as she wrapped a wing around her sister. Celestia didn't move she just sat there her face down cast and her eyes glued to the floor. "Luna you are only saying that because you haven't seen the depth of my transgressions. I remembered the arguments you and I had back before our separation. You would tell me that power shouldn't rest in the hooves of a few. You tried to tell me that democracy and diplomacy were the way to peace. I stuck to what I knew and what I knew was those with power should keep it. They maintained power because they took the reins and took responsibility. You wanted to put Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie in charge of their respective clans because they would look out for the interest of everypony and not just themselves. I couldn't bring myself to allow hundreds of years of tradition to die and so I never allowed them to prove that you were right. Your descent into the darkness was my fault. The sole reason that they shunned you was because of tradition. They could believe that each and every one of them had a say in the way of the world. They couldn't abandon their lieges, so the abandoned you. When you lost the love of the ponies you lost your love of them. I am so...so sorry sister. I should have been the one to be banished too the moon," cried Celestia as her tears cascaded down her face. "Listen Tia, I don't blame you for what happened to me. I became so lost in my ideals that I forgot who I was. When I offered liberty to the ponies of Equestria and they denied it, it hurt me deeply. I needed to give that gift to them even if it was in spite of you. They rejected my idea's because they wanted someone else to lead them. They were afraid to take responsibility of their own actions. In my anger I decided that if they wanted to be lorded over I would be that queen. If they wanted to be controlled I would utterly rule them like no pony before them. I wanted not only their loyalty and freedom. I wanted them to look to me for permission to breath. And I was wrong for that," added Luna. Celestia shot her sister a thin smile which Luna gladly returned. Luna's again wanted to break the gloomy atmosphere so she pulled back her wing gently brushing her sister's side with her primaries. Celestia tried to suppress a giggle but couldn't. Pushing Celestia over Luna continued her tickle assault. "ah ha ha ha bwha ha ha ha," snorted Celestia. Luna's alternated between hoof and primary doing her best to keep her sister off guard. This went on for several minuets only ending after both of them had laughed until their sides hurt. Her eyes were still red and puffy but Luna felt much better seeing that her sister was smiling. Silence ruled the air as they enjoyed the warmth of each other. It ended all to soon for Luna as Celestia rolled away and sat up. Celestia glanced down at the lounging alicorn. "The truth is I do have an ulterior motive and I'm ashamed to admit it." sighed Celestia. "I want to usher in a new era for Equestria. I don't want to be a princess anymore and I would very much like to end this archaic way of life. I see now what you saw then, that my little ponies can rule themselves. I want leaders who are only leaders because they are capable. I want ponies who other look to for guidance and are elected by the majority of Equestria. However, my plans have been foiled by Blueblood and his mother Diamond Mint at every turn. Both of them are very influential members of the House of Nobles. Although their goal seems to be the same they have different ways of going about it. Blueblood treats the House of Commons to his charismatic ways whilst his mother Diamond undermines their power. Blueblood is a dangerous adversary because the Nobles look to him as a leader. The House of Commons are much greedier, they only support him because of his campaigns that have led to across the board wage increases for all government workers. It is for this same reason that our own Solar Guard and Night Guard are fiercely loyal to him." "Hold on, wage control has away been the duty of the Master of the Treasury. So why is Blue Blood spearheading wage reform instead of the treasurer?" asked Luna "Well, he is the Master of the Treasury," answered Celestia. "The Master of the Treasury has traditionally been a job for a member of the House of Commons. What chain of events led Blueblood to break this tradition?" asked Luna. "Blueblood was close friends with the previous treasurer. When Quick Count contracted a still as yet unexplained illness and died, Blueblood was heart broken. It wasn't long before another member of the house of commons took the position but, she held the position for three weeks before she went missing. After that no pony dared to take the position out of fear that they might also meet a mysterious end. Blueblood was deeply angered at the cowardice of the House of Commons so he took the position out of loyalty to his friend. He even sends the pay that he receives for the job to Quick's widow and children." she answered. "Were you afraid he would lead an insurrection? asked Luna. Celestia laughed at Luna question, " Blueblood isn't that bold. But, every time a town or city comes seeking our approval for a local democratic government Blueblood fights it at every turn. Since he has become a senior member of the House of Nobles; the only one town out of the two hundred and fifty six that has made that proposition has been granted local democratic control and that town was Applaloosa. And after the parasprite invasion of Fillydelphia he pushed for martial law in the city and he got just that. To this day it is governed by a House of Nobles appointed governor. There only a handful of Nobles who have fought as hard as he for greater royal power." "So he feels as you felt, that might equals right," Interjected Luna. "Yes," replied Celestia whose face had taken on a red glow. "The house of Nobles saw Blueblood as powerful reminder of the past and they adored him for it. However it was tradition that kept Blueblood at odds with himself. His outer passion fought bitterly with is inner passion and the pressure was to much for him to bear. Slowly he realized that the very tradition that he fought so bitterly for was the same tradition that kept him from being who he really was. He had started drinking to alleviate the loss he felt after Quick Count's death. It only became worse with time as the pressures of leadership crushed what was left of his soul. He stopped attending court. He drowned his pain in alcohol, replacing his need for intimacy and comforting with meaningless sex. Blueblood has always been a pleasure seeker. And during his mourning he became much worse. He treated all of his lovers nicely but he would never allow himself to really love them. He has been responsible for so much heartache. You don't know how many times I have had an angered father or mother or brother or sister barge in on my day court in a fit of rage because Blueblood would not marry the mare he bedded. It's not that he didn't care because I know his heart and I know that it was because he couldn't care, not yet. It got so bad that those of us who cared for him had him committed to a rehabilitation center. Even after that he still wasn't quite ready to face the world. The following months Blueblood spent his time locked in his room. When he finally returned to court he was met with welcoming arms but the pressures were too great. It took him some time but sadly he slipped back into his old ways and restarted his own self torturous cycle." said Celestia with a notable strain in her voice. "So in the end he was his own worst enemy. I can relate to that that." said Luna. Celesta gave her a weak smile, "Yeah, I think we both can,". "When you told me of his dreams. I knew we had to do something. So when you told me that you had thought of a way to get him away from the court so he could have some time to find himself. I wanted nothing more than to help him, even if it put me in a bad light." added Celestia. "Two ponies with one stone, eh?" said Luna. Celestia scrunched up her nose at the old griffon idiom, she hated the phrase because she could still remember when griffon's would in war time drop stones on ponies. "Yeah, two ponies with one stone." mimed Celestia.
