Chapters "...the die is cast." Was the last thing I heard before my sight was blocked by a bright purple light.
I awoke as a cold breeze passed over me, biting into my skin. I tried to move but something felt... off. I opened my eyes, I was met by darkness, not complete darkness. I could clearly see around me but everything was cast in deep shadows of the night. I sighed deeply, part relief and part frustration. I already had an inkling of where I was.
I was lying on a carpet that looked worn and bleached, even in the poor light of night the age and neglect was clearly visible in the old fabric. The old and damaged tapestries and worn paint covered cracked stone walls and ceilings. Sections had long since caved in on itself and had left the castles innards open to natures whims. I soon discovered why the air felt so cold.
Snow covered part of the room I were in. It seemed I had been spared from its cold touch as I laid tucked in a corner away from the opened and caved in wall on the other side.
I could not help feeling a shiver down my spine, it was not from the freezing temperature, the place felt abandoned. No surprise there. This was the old abandoned castle of the royal pony sisters. At least I hoped it was, otherwise I would be terribly lost.
Another cold wind drew across me sending a real shiver through me. I could not stay there rested against the cold wall, nor the floor, though the carpet helped to keep the cold from me a little but it sure would not be enough, not for long anyway. I had to move somewhere warmer before I got too cold.
I rolled onto my back, noting how uncomfortable it was, specifically around my shoulders. I took the chance to rub my eyes. A combination of cold dry air and drowsiness blurred my vision in tears. I halted mid action when my arm hit my nose, it was not painful but it sure was bewildering. My nose were not that long? I opened my eyes to see why. I noticed my arm over a decimeter away... covered in orange fur. I blinked a few times studying this phenomena for a few seconds.
I withdrew my arm back to study the new stubby end that had once been a hand and was now a hoof.
I were a bit divided in how to feel. I had dreamed of this, very often in a positive way, and had prepared myself for the possibility. Though it helped little, that had been mere thoughts, this... this was real. I did not panic but I felt shock set in. I had forced myself to calm down as I felt my limbs tremble. I remembered the uncomfortable feeling behind my shoulders.
I slowly craned my neck to see down the sides of my chest. I was met with more orange fur and, I gulped, feathers. I moved a trembling hoof forward and stroked my new appendage. I could oddly feel the feathers through my hoof and... wing. I guess one could say it felt like touching my hair but... different.
So I was a pegasus? Well I had always dreamt of flying. Tough I had preferred to be a unicorn, had fantasized about the ability to use magic most of my life too. But you could not have everything in your life I suppose.
I sighed and put my head down to rest, keeping it lifted had put to much of a strain on my neck.
This complicated things. I was unsure if I could even walk. But that was beside the point, I needed to move or risk freezing to death, something I really did not want to happen.
It took me only a few tries to roll myself on my stomach, and another few moments to orient my new limbs under me and brazed my fore hooves against the ground.
"Come on, you can do this." I tried to pump myself up, I still felt exhausted from whatever 'The Guy' did to send me here. Dozens of theories played in my head on why, though I believed it was the transformation in itself that was the fault.
I took a deep breath and pushed myself up, forelegs shaking and straining under the stress, into a sitting position, my wings hanging limply at my sides. I let the air in my lungs go in a deep sigh. This was really going to be hard.
I took the chance to take a better look around the room, though It would be better to call it a hall. It was huge. If it where not for the moonlight coming in through the large hole in the ceiling at the far end I would not have been able to see the end. What caught my eyes was the raised dais at the far end, or more specifically the tapestries above it. One was in different shades of dark blue depicting the night sky, the other in bright yellows depicting golden landscapes with a sun shining high above. Both where weather-beaten and tattered as large chunks was missing. The thrones shared the unnatural destruction of most of the room had. It was however not a mystery for me, i already knew what had happened to the room long before nature even had a chance to bite into it. Probably no one had been in the room since Luna became Nightmare Moon.
I became curious about the thrones, how many people can say they had the opportunity to sit in an actual throne? Not many I reckoned. The problem was getting over there. I looked down at my new hooves then back to the thrones. Well nothing like the present, right?
I rose to my hooves, slowly and carefully, It was weird to... stand on all fours but I was sure it would come to me in time. The first step was the hardest I had ever done in my life. My head nearly connected with floor when I lost my balance, only saved by the wall close to me. Yup, it was going to take a little while to get the hang of it.
Slowly but surely I made my way towards the thrones, keeping a steady shoulder against the wall helped a lot. I had given up trying to lift my wings and simply let them scrape limply against the floor. Soon i stood before the short but albeit intimidating staircase leading up to Celestia's throne. I looked at the snow covered stairs, then at my hooves which was standing in the thin layer of powdered snow. The snow was cold to be sure but it was a dull shill compared to the wind, at least it did not seem like I would have any need for shoes to keep my hooves warm if I would take a stroll in the winter. At least it did not feel as cold as my bare feet would have as a human.
I returned my gaze to the snow covered staircase. It was going to be hard climbing up, especially since I only made it to the foot of the stairs with the help of an entire wall... I was not going to have that luxury anymore as the stairs lacked any kind of railings at all.
I looked behind me towards the other end of the hall where the only exit I had seen was. I knew I really should have been walking towards that instead of the thrones. It would have probably been warmer in the castle's hidden study room. I shrugged, at least I think I did the equine version of a shrug anyway, I had already wasted time and effort making it this far and I could probably afford to spend some more.
I placed a tentative right hoof on the first step, soon followed by the left, I wiggled my back hooves closer to ascend another step up. I repeated the slow motion upwards until I had to stop halfway up. I was sweating and I felt overall uncomfortable. Having fur and sweat was not a good thing in my opinion I discovered.
I saw something in my peripheral vision followed by a sharp clack of stone. I looked towards the sound and saw a large pebble stick up through the snow. I looked up towards the hole above me in concern. I did not want the roof to finally collapse when I was standing under it. I did not see anything other than faded colours of a once richly painted ceiling, some cracks and the moon shining brightly through the hole. I shook my head and returned to walking up the stairs.
It was then I slipped.
My hoof had barely touched the step when my left hoof slid away from under me, my right hoof did similar and followed his brother's example, forcing me into a foreleg split. My head painfully connected with the stone steps and everything went white in pain. It felt like someone had split my skull in two and twisted a limb or two just to be sure. I bit down on my tongue and growled in pain.
"hnngh, damn it!" I shouted and rolled over on my right side as it hurt less, right foreleg clamped tightly to my left foreleg. I definitely regretted my choice by now.
I barely noticed the moon being shadowed. I looked up and saw three shadows dive towards me and before I knew it they landed, hard, on me.
I barely had time seeing white and a gleam of gold before three pairs of hooves roughly pinned me painfully to the stairs. Two hooveswas pressed up against the back of my head and chin forcing me to look away. A weight pressed down my wings and a second pair of hooves pinned my injured left leg against my body. My hind legs could only fruitlessly spasm under a third pair of hooves.
I let a deep guttural growl out of my throat as I hissed in pain, and act that resulted in my aggressors too put more weight on me.
I could not see any of them after they pinned me down but what I saw could only mean one thing. I had been attacked by royal guard ponies.
I could hear the old door at the end of the hall way creak open and a harsh and carrying voice rang through the hold hall.
"Good job colts, quick and easy just as I ordered!" more than one pair of hooves entered into the old hall. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest even though I tried my best to calm my nerves but I still could not get rid of the sense of foreboding.
"Tender, Sky, get me some restraints. Her highness wants this pony in her quarters pronto." the... commander... barked. I could only raise my eyebrow at the choice of words. I could feel and hear the guard holding down my head quietly snicker behind me.
"Quiet Gullible, i will not tolerate such thoughts!" the commander barked again, this time I could sense some hostility in his voice.
My head still pulsed in spikes of pain and I still felt dizzy from hitting my head. It was hard to focus on anything for more than mere seconds at a time. I got only more disoriented by the second and barely noticed someone doing something near my forehead before everything went black.
"To conclude my report; the Royal Bank has managed to stabilize the Bit inflation to one dot two percent." Celestia observed the report while Clockwork examined his paper sheet to make sure he had not missed anything important. He simply nodded, seemingly satisfied so far and sat down.
"Hm, that is lower than we expected Councillor." Celestia said peering down at the financial report in front of her.
"Well, it was all we could manage. Prench investors have withdrawn support from the silk trades which threw our calculations out the window your Majesty." Miss Hearsay added of to the side.
Celestia pursed her lips, grumbling over the news. The silk trade was the biggest source of income they had and she did not like the implication this would have... a lot of her ponies was going to lose their jobs over this. She leaned back in her seat as she magicked the financial report file to the side; the empty spot was quickly filled with another thicker file from Spin Talk, her adviser of public relations.
Celestia leered at the grinning face of Spin Talk. She had suspicions about her motives as a councillor as Spin Talk seemed to try and do anything to beak her calm facade. It was not the first time that council meetings turned into scandals in local magazine tabloids. That grin just rubbed her the wrong way. Too bad she actually could not do anything about it otherwise she would spend the next ten years battling gossips and rumours about her supposed tyrannical rule
So she could only sigh inwardly and try and control the rumours that did get out into the public.
"Now your majesty, please take note of page nineteen, section A." Spin Talk began but before she could begin her report a loud clang rang through the council chamber.
Everyone in the room looked towards the main doors were the Guards pony that had produced the sound. It was a two century old design that somepony had come up with, she did not remember the name of said pony but it mattered little. It was a small metal plate set into the floor. That when struck produced a sharp clang. It was meant to be used to silence the, at the time, loud councillors when they got out of hoof.
The chamber doors were opened to let the Captain of the guards in.
Celestia sat up straight and tried her best to school her features. She had been waiting for the terrible news, ever since she sensed the powerful magical surge at the old castle.
"Captain?" She asked finally asked after a few moments of silence.
The purple clad earth pony bowed his head deeply to the floor.
"We have brought him to your quarters as instructed, my Princess."
'Him?' the words took her completely by surprise. All heads turned inquisitively towards her, more than a few with raised eyebrows. She let a few profanities fly in her head. She had nothing against the old Captain but he never did develop a sense of forethought. This was going to be on every newspaper not even by days end, she just knew it. It was one of the few things she did not like with her position, she had no privacy and no matter how innocent something appeared somepony somewhere was always going to twist her words or spread undue rumours.
She put on a friendly smile.
"Thank you captain," Celestia turned to Spin Talk,” I am sorry but I must leave, I think you all can manage without me for a while." She rose to leave.
"Oh no worries, Princess, have a good time." The mare sported a shit eating grin which infuriated Celestia.
If there where somepony she would not regret turning to mush, it would have been Spin Talk, just in that moment. She had barely left the council chamber before she heard a chorus of whispering voices behind her flare up in gossip.
She glared at the Captain who sheepishly walked one step behind her and avoided her gaze. She would have fired the fool if he was not slated to retire already in the coming month. She was not angry enough to give the old stallion a black mark in his perfect service record only weeks from retirement but she was going to give him a stern talking too later for what he had done.
She rounded the last corner to her personal study, idly taking note of the pair of guards flanking the door leading in to it. As she closed they stepped aside and bowed their heads to the ground. She took a moment to recover her breath from the fast canter. She had let her condition slip over the centuries.
She activated her magic and opened the door as she walked in.
She was brought up short, stunned by the sight before her.
"Guards, leave us." she commanded.
I awoke groggily, my head pulsing in pain. I could hear the spark of a fire close by and I could feel warmth surround me. I opened my eyes, blurry with sleep, so I raised an arm to rub them clear but was stopped even before I began by something around my wrist. Confused I looked down and found them sealed in cuffs and not the nice ones either. I blinked a few times confused at what I saw before I remembered what had happened.
I had been attacked and restrained by guard ponies, not the most pleasant first day in Equestria but at least I weren't freezing anymore.
'By the way... where am I?' I looked around taking in the tall book filled shelves and the myriad of different and soft looking pillows lying around me. I was lying in the middle of the room completely tided up... on a rug... in the only spot without a soft pillow to lie on. I sneered a silent insult to the guards responsible. I felt more than a little mistreated. Especially since I still felt slight pain from where they had pressed their hooves, particularly on my chin. It hurt slightly when I made grimaces.
Behind me stood two unicorn guards, flanking the only door out, who stared stoically at me.
I suddenly saw the door handle flare up in a pale blue shimmer, the grey unicorn guards stepped away and to the side, letting the door swing open freely.
I was stunned by the otherworldly sight. Celestia herself walked in through the door. I did not know what it really was that inspired awe in me; it might have been the sheer size of her, her flowing multi-coloured hair or something else entirely. I could not remember much except that I felt incredibly small in her presence.
She stared at me for a split second before she glanced towards each of the guards in the room.
"Guards, leave us."
Her tone left no arguments and all but one purple armoured guard disappeared out through the portal. Celestia glanced down at the white earth pony that wore Shining Armour's ... armour.
"You too, Shimmer Shield." her voice took a slightly more irritated tone. Shimmer Shield bowed his head before he turned and left.
"Just making sure, your highness." he said and I recognized that gruff voice. It was the same from that guard that commanded my capture.
The door closed and I was now alone with the princess. I do not think I liked the look she gave me as she circled around me. Her eyes scrutinizing and her posture sharp. She was clearly upset as she studied me.
"Who are you?" The question took me by surprise by how angry it sounded. She continued to circle around me giving me a suspicious look.
"I... um..." I did not know what to say. Should I tell her the whole story? I had not planned on being interrogated so soon... or at all for that matter. Celestia did not take kindly to my hesitation.
"Tell me, now." She stopped in front of me glaring sideways and down at me, head held high and a frown clearly plastered across her face.
"I-I don't think you'd believe me even if I told you." I said looking away; it was hard looking her in the eyes.
She snorted and walked away to lay down on a specifically arranged assortment of pillows that looked very much like a divan, close to the fireplace. She fixed her eyes on me again when she had made herself comfortable.
"Go on." she challenged.
"Oh... how do I explain this?" I tapped one of my bound hooves against the carpeted floor in frustration. "Well... I am, not, from this world." All response my words garnered was a raised eyebrow from the diarch who remained silent and waiting for me to continue.
"And... um..." I fell into an awkward silence, I were not good at talking at all. I often stuttered and lost words when I was put in the limelight in a conversation.
I laid there trying to look everywhere but at the princess. I felt incredibly uncomfortable being under her gaze as she just laid there silent and staring with a none too pleased expression.
"You have still not told me who you are." her expression softened and a small smile graced her lips but something told me it was only a facade and nothing more.
"I... can you be more, specific?" I asked. At least some of the pressure I felt earlier was subdued now when she wasn't actively glaring.
"As you wish," she humoured me, "What is your name?"
Again I was caught a bit off-guard by the question.
"My name's Boris Nozhivo."
Yet again Celestia raised an eyebrow.
"Then Boris, please explain why my guards found you in my old castle."
'Oh, this is a hard one...'
"I don't know... why, specifically, I was transported there of all places. I did not have much of a choice..." I said again looking away as Celestia's mask slipped and her eyes grew dangerously sharp.
"What do you mean with 'no choice'?"
"Exactly what I said, the Organization never gave me a choice where to appear!" I responded a bit hotly, my eyes widened as I realized I almost shouted at Celestia. I closed my eyes as I took a deep calming breath, "though I never did specify it in my wish did I?" I whispered to myself.
"Wish... and what has this... 'Organization' to do with you being in my castle, which I might add, is forbidden territory?"
I recoiled when I realized I'd been overheard.
"I... well, I don't know much about them." I explained a bit unsure how to proceed. I knew very well about the multi-verse gambling organization named... well, the Organization. They picked creatures up from different universes and put them wherever they wished to go... only catch was that my life was now a live reality show, which bored multi-verse billionaires now put down humongous bets on my life... frankly it sounded to ridiculous in my head. This is why I was reluctant to say anything. "They just came out of nowhere and offered to take me to... wherever I wanted and... I first thought I were being part of an elaborate joke, but the more I asked to more I were convinced... So I thought, why not. I wrote down I wanted to go to Equestria and as soon as I signed the contract I woke up in that castle!"
She mulled over my words. I could only shift uncomfortably in my bindings. The more time passed the more I wanted them off. It did not help that my headache did not want to yield, that and a slowly creeping hunger was doing wonders on my temper. Something I clearly noticed started to affect me.
"You said you were from another world, didn't you?" I nodded to her question, "And that you were transported to my castle, due to making a wish to this Organization, correct?" I nodded again, "You will have to excuse me if I find it hard to believe Mr. Nochee-wo."
I sighed; I expected she would... hell even I would not believe my own words if I had not lived through them first hand.
"But I am curious about you." I perked up as she continued to speak. "It is not every day one meets somepony like you..."
I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion, wondering what she meant by that.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play coy with me. How do you not... know..." she looked curiously at me, even going so far as to tilt her head to the side,"... no..."
She rose from her seat/bed and started to circle me again.
"What colour is your mane?" she suddenly asked.
"Um..." I was caught off guard again by the change in subject; I actually did not know what my mane colour was so I checked by looking at my tail, "grey."
She narrowed her eyes as she continued to observe me. It was grating on my nerves as she only stopped circling me to either speak or to listen.
"How long is your horn?"
"I have no horn," I admonished, "I'm a pegasus."
For some reason Celestia smirked, "Really?" she levitated a mirror over from one of her walls, "I think you are wrong."
I stared curiously at my reflection, or more notably at the horn sticking out of my head. 'How did I miss that !?' I closed my mouth when I saw it hanging open in the mirror. I glanced upwards towards where it should be, I noticed the orange tip enter my field of vision... barely. I actually could not blame myself for not seeing it... heck I could barely see it now that I tried.
Then it dawned on me. I had both wings and a horn!
"I...I..." I was at loss for words.
"Can you now be honest with me Mr. Nochee-wo?" Celestia asked.
"I have!" I could not stop my voice from being loud.
"Do not try to fool me, I have had a spell on you the entire time. There is something you are not telling me." she resumed her walk. Her mane flowing in a non-existing breeze.
My eyes widened in shock at the revelation.
"I-" I tried to begin but I was cut-off by Celestia.
"You are no pony, are you?" she asked, irritation was creeping into her voice. I could feel the hostility directed at me.
“No.” I admitted and yet again found myself staring a hole into the floor.
She again stopped in front of me so that I was staring at her gold clad hooves.
“Then tell me,” I saw the same blue shimmer congregate bellow under my chin and my head was forced to look up; into her eyes, “what are you?”
“I… I am a human.” I don’t know how but it felt like I was confessing to murder, and it scared me.
Celestia held my head in her magical grip, staring into my eyes, for a few short moments before she released my head and again went to her divan. She did not so much as look at me as she started to pull books seemingly at random from bookcases around the room. Setting the first to arrive on a bookstand the rest started to circle her, all open.
She was reading… reading! I was shocked by the complete reverse in her behaviour. One moment she had been interrogating me harder than I have ever experienced and now she did nothing to acknowledge I was even in her presence!
Well… it did leave me to collect myself and without much else to do I watched Celestia… study? It was the best I could guess with that concentrated look she wore. She was tearing through page after page almost as fast as… I don’t know how she could read them, the pages flicked almost as fast as the paper had time to settle? Which was pretty damn fast considering that it looked like she turned a page for each second even the books flying around her, one book at a time mind you, but it was still impressive how she were able to divide her attention to such a degree.
“Hue-ma-n…” I heard her say, it looked like she was tasting the word as she continued to read or whatever she were doing
“You won’t find anything in your books Celestia.” It was time to deliver everything. I had no chance at all to blend in anymore. It would be hard to hide amongst the ponies looking like an Alicorn.
She glanced at me but went back to her… work? “How do you know my name if you claim to be from another world, Mr. hue-man.” She asked me swiveling an ear towards me.
“Because of the multiverse.” I simply stated.
“Multiverse?” She looked away from her books and levitated them away, into a pile.
“It’s just a theory… or, fact.” The shadowed g-man who sent me here more or less explained it to me, “There are some in my world that… thinks, or have toyed with the idea that fiction is based on other worlds. That there is some kind of connection between worlds that certain people can access.”
“I am… not sure I follow.” Celestia said giving me a skeptical look.
“In my world, your world has been adapted into fiction, entertainment.”
Her lips pursed as she mulled over my explanation.
“If I, believe you.” Celestia said carefully, “How can you prove it?”
That was a good question… how do I prove it… hmm… I wished I knew ‘when’ this was. Oh, I can start with that.
“What time is it?” I asked.
Celestia blinked a few times looking perplexed at the question and she glanced outside.
“Roughly one hour to noon, why?” I winced; I should have realized how she would have interpreted it.
“No, I meant the year. Has Nightmare moon freed herself yet?” I tried again, this time being blunter.
The reaction was not what I expected. I had expected an angry outburst or some kind of denial. Hell I expected the answer more than the reaction I got. It was only a bare moment but I could see it. It looked like I had struck her as she recoiled from my question. For the first time it was she who looked away.
“No…” she said softly, almost sad, “But what is so important about Nightmare Moon?”
“Your student is going to succeed in unlocking the elements of harmony and release your sister from the Nightmare.”
At my words she sprung to her hooves her horn flaring in a flash of bright blue. Then she simply relaxed with a sigh as she collapsed in her seat again. I was starting to fear she was bipolar… otherwise I must have struck closer to home than she probably liked.
“H-how?” I could guess what she wanted from me and I gave her a similar answer.
“Multiverse.”
She snorted, her lips twisting into a sneer.
“It is the same reason I know about Discord in the garden.” Her ears flattened against her head as she stared at me in shock, It was actually fun watching her reactions. Even though I was bound and near immobile I could feel how my words held power over her, “Not to mention Tirek the magic stealer.”
Celestia’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks.
“H-how, no one but me knows about him!”
I could not help but smirk as I said; “Multiverse.”
“Enough!” she shouted at me and she tiredly let he head fall onto her seats armrest. “I have heard enough.
“Why did you come here?”
“Because I wanted too…” I answered lamely.
Celestia studied me for a few more moments before her horn lit up again. Immediately the hoof-cuffs fell off, my wings fell from my sides as the rope thingy that held them flat against my sides slid off, and lastly a single small ring fell and bounced of my nose/mouth bridge and onto the floor. I looked confused at the ring at first before I remembered the horn and thought of the single and only reason why it would have possibly been put there. I then looked up and at Celestia.
“Welcome to Equestria, hue-man Noshee-wo. My guards will escort you to your room and feel free to explore the palace. I will deal with you later.” She dismissed.
Seconds later I was herded out on unsteady legs by notably shorter guards. They looked more than a little uncomfortable.
Author's Note
Fashionably late as always. Shower me in praise and bask in the glory that is me!
(on a more serious note)
After I got - none too gently - escorted to my new residence, a richly decorated bed room, only few doors down the hallway from the study room I had my impromptu interrogation. The armoured ponies had herded me into the room and shut the door behind me and… well, left alone.
Except for the bed and a finely decorated vanity tucked into one of the corners of the far wall, just beside the window to give the pony a nice view while they… spruced up. The walls were lined with clashing paintings, some portraits of different creatures and ponies while some depicted landscapes. The walls were in a soft green and what appeared to be golden grapevines were painted on it.
I limped my way up to the wall to take a closer look, my shoulder still hurt a lot each time I put my weight on it. It did not look too impressive by a quick glance but from close up it was obvious that it all was hand painted… I suppose hoof or magic would be a more proper term now that I think about it...
I looked around taking in the sheer quality of the stuff around me. I was more than sure that everything in this room was irreplaceable and probably worth more than I could with good conscience ever spend in my entire life… I think, at least it be worth a lot of pocket change back home…
That fact was intimidating. It was like being in a museum. The unspoken but very much enforced ‘don’t touch the stuff’ rule rang loudly in my mind. What would the ponies do if I by accident damaged something in here? A slap on the wrist was probably not what I would receive.
I did my best to dispel my unease and walked up to the row of windows. I peered outside. The view was stunning; I could see out over a large garden, I guessed… it all was covered in a deep cover of snow, filled with statues. One of the statues I recognized immediately; Discord. He was the most… lifelike statue I had ever seen as it appeared he had been sealed just at the climax of a musical number. Knowing the world I was in it was not that farfetched to imagine. It did however show that the princesses was not below attacking while your guard was down… something to keep in mind for the future. Beyond the gardens white walls I could see rolling hills and mountains far, far below and away from my position, only small bundles of trees and snowy bumps was dispersed along the steppe. One lonely river snaked through the landscape into a forest I could barely see in the distance. The fact it was not iced over spoke of how rapid the current must have been.
Up in the sky and far away I could see clouds. Clouds that rained rainbows, it was a stunning sight. It could be nothing else but Cloudsdale.
I sat down. To think and wait; I had no doubt I would not be left alone for long.
“Your Highness is this wise?” said Shimmer Shield to his princess, who by all account looked tired, no, she looked exhausted. More so than he had ever seen in his entire tour as captain of the Royal Guard, and It did not sit well with him, not at all.
He watched her sigh deeply, her age truly showing for the first time in years. It was, in a way, touching how she let her guard down completely when only he was in her presence. It, if anything, showed how much trust she put in him. To let the mask she wore around others fall, even in only his presence was rare but he cherished those moments when it happened.
“No, I do not know if he speaks the truth yet and until I do he is not going to be anywhere without supervision.” She said and locked eyes with Shimmer, “Don’t disappoint me Captain or I will show you exactly how displeased I am with you right now.”
Shimmer swallowed hard but otherwise remained in the trademarked Guard stoicism. “Understood, pri-“ He never got to finish the sentence as the door to the study flew open and hit the wall with a loud bang, followed by a voice that he was all too familiar with.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Duke Blueblood shouted through the portal, “Aunt Celestia, please tell me the rumours are not true!”
Shimmer sadly noted how Celestia’s mask was again, placed over her features as she turned to greet her nephew.
“What has gotten you so distraught nephew?” She smiled kindly, if Shimmer Shield hadn’t known better he would have known anything was wrong with her. There were a reason why ponies saw her as invincible; she never let ponies see her weak.
Blueblood searched the room with his eyes. Shimmer saw him take a few discreet sniffs of the air before the young stallion’s mood changed from clear desperation to simmering anger.
“Oh, Auntie, I don’t know who would spread such lies about you but I will find out whom and ruin her!”
The young prince-apparent turned and left the same swift way as he had come. Shimmer turned to look at Celestia again but quickly looked away. That glare she was directed at him was more than enough to be reminded of how much trouble he was in.
“I-I will take my leave.” He bowed to her, making sure to avoid eye-contact.
“See that you do.” Came her scathing reply, Shimmer barely kept his hooves from going full sprint out of the room. He had never heard her that angry before and he was not going to stay and test her patience; There were just some things in life that was simply not worth knowing.
Hours passed, slowly, and, painfully so. In the end my patience ran out; there were only so long you could look at the same walls and the same view. It mattered little that it was a nice view and no doubt when spring came along it would look stunning, but, right now, white snow sort of made everything blend together. So it was a no brainer to attempt and leave the small confines of my bedroom, and so I did.
I struggled a second with the door handle and then I left. I was actually surprised about the two grey unicorn guards flanking my door, they did nothing more than join up behind me as I passed. The act was so seamless that, if I had not paid attention, I would have never noticed. They kept close to me but still far enough away that they were outside my kicking range. Made sense.
It would seem that my guess about Celestia’s hospitality was merely a formality was right. I was for all intents and purposes a prisoner with very loose shackles, but shackles none the less. At least it seemed I was allowed to move about and not confined to my ‘room’.
My walk went slowly, my shoulder still painfully reminding me about my… accident. But that did not damper my excitement as I explored unhindered. I took my time and I stopped often to inspect tapestries, stained glass art, vases, heck even the carpet was worthy of a closer look. Thanks to my slow gait it was pretty easy to walk even if I had a bit of a problem to keep my movement flow, at least it kept me from making any further advances towards the ground. It might start to get the wrong idea.
I was however surprised over the low amount of ponies I met along the way. I only saw four which only one passed by me. I could see that the stallion must not have been part of the staff, he wore a… tux? Over a tan coat and had a short subdued-blue mane. He held his head high and walked with such self-importance that he did not even bother to look where he was going.
I watched him walk towards me; it almost looked like he was skipping as he bobbed slightly up and down. Must have been in quite the happy mood. The stallion was on a direct collision course with me.
With a devious smile I got an idea, I raised my own head in imitation of what I imagined would strike quite the regal pose and simply waited for the stallion to crash into me. Steeling my hind legs I prepared.
I threw a quick glance at my two guards, both looked unsure of what to do as their eyes quickly shifted between me and the approaching stallion. It was as if they tried to consider if they should step up and stop the collision from happening, but to leave their posts meant go closer to me, something they had been adamantly avoiding this whole trip.
I could not blame them, if my treatment so far was to tell they thought I was dangerous and that seemed to warrant being cautious around me. They looked more and more distressed the closer the stallion came.
Ignoring them I watched the stallion unknowingly disappear under my chin.
I winced as the stallion impacted my front with enough force to lift my hooves just slightly off the ground, jarring my right side a little. I heard a squawk as the stallion bounced back down on his rump and even though I had prepared myself for it I was forced to take a step back to keep my balance. Re composing myself I resumed my royal impersonation, I really hoped it was impressive enough for what I planned. I tilted my head slightly to the side to look down at the stallion, a disapproving scowl set on my lips.
“Watch your…” was all the stallion managed before his words died in his throat in a whimper. A terrible strangled noise that almost made me break my noble act. His eyes wide and all manner of pompous air left him as he took in my visage, my ‘honour’ guard probably helped sell my impersonation.
The stallion silently stammered as he struggled to find the words that had left him. The shrunken pupils screamed of panic. It was clear he did not recognise me and he was probably scrambling to find the correct response to my presence, who knew how I would react to a faux pass? It was damn hard keep a straight face.
“I-I am sorry, your majesty!” he exclaimed suddenly and fell deeply into what I translated into a deep bow before he, with the subtlety grace of a boulder, hurried passed me. I tracked him as he, to the best of his ability, tried to act unruffled by the sudden shock to his system.
When I was sure the stallion had made it far enough away to be out of earshot I let my charade break. The strangled laugh that ensued shook my whole body as I doubled over myself, how I remained standing was a mystery but I did not mind. My amusement must have spread, my guards did a good job hiding smiles, their lips could not fully fall into their normal stoic expressions and their eyes, I don’t really know how to explain it but I think I saw them glimmer in my own amusement.
That was a good sign.
Sadly the rest of my walk was uneventful, pretty, but uneventful. Everything was so… so… fancy that it all simply melted together as nothing really stood out, bland in other words. Everything was so over the top as nothing mediocre or even awful met my eye, only exquisite and marvellous masterpiece after masterpiece.
I returned to my room with the help of my guards who murmured directions behind my back… behind? Meh.
I climbed up on my bed and made myself comfortable; it took me a while to find a position that was comfortable. None really was as it all felt kind off, but I managed to splay myself out on my stomach rather comfily.
“I am sorry Silver Coin, but could you repeat that?” the one and only Blueblood asked the shaken tan stallion in front of him. He subtly attached his magical grip to the small rope that would summon any royal guard within the castle to his aid. The Stallion did not look like he was to his full senses, and about what he spouted sounded like pure fantasies conjured by one or more illegal drug.
“A-an, an A-alicorn!” Silver Coin shouted as he gripped the small glass of wine between his hooves. He had been sipping through half a bottle before the hysterical Earth pony finally calmed down enough to speak coherently.
Blueblood nursed his tender head, he was already tired, and searching for that damned gossip monger was harder than he thought.
“I am sure you are just imagining things.” He dismissed, he really wanted to track down that mare who had besmirched his aunt’s good name with slander and punish whoever was involved in this debacle. It was not only a smirch on his aunt's but also his name and that if anything was not allowed to happen.
“Blueblood, I know what I saw, I-I walked straight into him!” Now that was just madness, if there was any such thing as an Alicorn stallion then he of all ponies would know about it.
“Uh-huh, anyone else that can back your words?” Blueblood sighed, he was really regretting uncorking that bottle now, he should have just kicked his friend out… or called the guards immediately… then at least he would have had the excuse of Silver Coin being out of his mind and not just delusional.
“He had an honour guard, for Celestia’s sake Blueblood,” the stallion was visibly shaking as he cradled the bowl closer to him, “oh, I’m so dead! You should have seen him; it felt like I had walked into the Princess herself! T-those eyes glared at me, ME! No one would be so stupid to do that and you know it!”
Now the stallion was acting like his old self, Blueblood perked up.
“Guards you say? So you had witnesses?”
“Yes!” Silver coin shouted, breaking a note too high for Blueblood’s liking.
“Why did you not say so from the very beginning, you dolt?” This changed everything, now he could ask around the guards to validate Silver Coin’s words. But that worried him… why did he not know of this stallion, why did not everypony know?
“You said you met this stallion on the way here?”
Silver Coin nodded relieved that his words had finally taken hold in the young prince. He took another sip of his beverage to calm his nerves more. It caused the initial panic to fade but a feeling that he had screwed up royally still lingered
“Describe him to me.” Blueblood ordered his companion.
“He was tall, as tall as celesta herself; he was simply towering over me. Orange coat, with grey hair, almost silver. I… Blueblood, you must believe me. He was an Alicorn.”
“You are sure you just did not confuse him with a Pegacorn?”
“Yes, Blueblood,” Silver Coin hissed as he scowled something fierce, “I know the difference, did you not listen? He was tall enough to be compared towards Celestia!”
“I hope for your sake he is,” Blueblood murmured to himself, just loudly enough to be heard, ”but now, onto the other matter I asked you about.”
“Oh, yeah,” Silver Coin threw himself onto the new hook Blueblood had given him to change the subject, “I heard the rumour originated from the council meeting. I could not pinpoint the source but all says a guard came to collect her, saying she had a guest waiting for her… you don’t think…”
“I hope not.” Blueblood’s expression soured as if he tasted an especially sour lemon. It was too great a coincidence; he could only hope the rumour did not have more in common than that.
Author's Note
Boom, bam! *echo* *echo* *echo*
Here you folks have another chapter to enjoy.
A knock on my door woke me with a start. I stared around the room bleary eyed, and for just a second confused as I saw unfamiliar colours, but I soon remembered where I was. I blinked away the blur caused by my sleep.
My mind still slogging through my muddled brain I looked out the window to determine the time, the rooms lack of a proper clock was a pain as I had to rely on the sky and shadows to even get a clue. I was surprised at how low the sun was crawling and it was low enough to cast the clouds with a deep orange glow.
Again there was a knock at my door. I must have made quite the dumb sight as I stared at the door, it was clear my mind was still in it start up mode as I struggled to understand the meaning behind the knock.
Yet another time there was a knock. The pony that was knocking was clearly growing frustrated with my lack of response as this time it was both longer and harder. Finally I got to my senses and rolled of my bed, or rather attempted. Having a pony body, with wings and a long horn jutting out of your head made the action a painful and embarrassingly a failed attempt. My wing bent uncomfortably under my back and made a series of pops and cracks as the poor joints was subjugated to my weight and odd angles. When I felt this new and unwelcome feeling of my new limb I instinctively contracted muscles I have never had before, and by the gods did it hurt as my wing set into a tight cramp. Panic set in as I at this stage already knew what was going to happen, it was like watching a car crash in slow-motion as my body, carried by its own momentum, continued the roll. My shoulder burned, burned like it had ever done before as I could only imagine how the muscles and tendons were torn apart.
I yelped and I desperately tried to twist myself of my appendage, this only resulted in my horn snagging on the beds cover and with another painful pull to my neck fell with me of the bed. The fine silks bunched over my head.
I laid there, hissed and whimpered as I assessed the damage to myself.
Before I even had time to check the door slammed open and I heard the distinct clop of shoed hooves as the ponies outside made their quick entry. Although muffled a little by the cloth on my head I could hear the worried shouts of the stallions, ‘what happened’ and ‘are you alright?’ came from the three mouths.
Before I had the chance to properly form an answer the cloth was yanked of my head, it was encased in the slight green tint of one of my ‘honorary’ guards, I recognized him from before. In fact I recognized his partner too even though all three ponies shared the same colour scheme their faces was different, as well as their eyes.
The new unicorn guard’s horn lit up in an orange aura and I myself was yanked of the ground roughly, it was not the unkind kind of rough, it felt like a panic induced lift-up a parent would do to inspect their child for injuries. And much to that happened, I felt small pokes all over my body as soon as my hooves met solid ground again. Most did nothing but tickle and irritate but as soon as he hit a spot that made me wince the stallion focused more pokes in that area. My shoulder became the primary target for the assault but soon he found my wing, which provoked a yelp out of me as he extended the limb to its fullest. The mix feeling of pain and a faint tickling sensation made me squirm.
I bit my lip as I endured the ministration as he bent my wing in all manners of ways. All I could do was lock my eyes on his face, I wanted to curse and shout at him to stop but the concentrated face me made as he studied my wing for injuries and my face for any reaction I might give. It was the knowledge that he was just making sure I was alright that made me endure it.
With a final glance at me he gave a small grunt of satisfaction, as far as he was concerned I was alright and he let go of my wing. I jerkily retrieved the limb to the best of my ability and folded the wing at my side. I felt the small muscles at my shoulder burn in the familiarly uncomfortable way that a strained muscled did when it was being used.
“Thanks.” I mumbled as I inspected my own body, trying out what hurt and what did not. My neck hurt a little at certain angles but nothing else hurt, except my already hurt shoulder and wing. I grimaced at how ruffled my wing looked, misaligned and ruffled feathers stuck out at odd angles. I was quickly struck with horror as I realized how much trouble my wings were going to give me. It was probably going to be a pain in keeping them nice and prim looking.
“Don’t mention it,” the guard said to me as he gave me an unsure onceover. It was not hard to know why. It was easy to explain, I was an Alicorn. It was easy to assume that he had not believed whatever he had heard about me, but now he was faced with the truth and it would probably be overwhelming. There was only two, three if you counted Luna, Alicorns in existence that pony kind knew about and I would not be surprised how many legends and myths surrounded the… tribe?
But as soon as he was done, it had taken a mere second, he became stoic as his comrades. The guard persona was probably an incredible crutch to lean on. “Princess Celestia has asked for you presence,” he continued and turned to lead me wherever Celestia was, “follow me.” He confirmed my thoughts.
My two door guards formed up at my sides, the usual distance away, as I went past them out of my room.
I did my best to keep on beat with the third guard but it was clear I was still too inexperienced with my four-legged body to even have a chance. He noticed almost immediately that I started to lag behind and I noticed the small glint of irritation in his eye when I looked behind himself and at me.
No doubt he thought I was deliberately making myself tardy, my old driving mantra made it easier to ignore the look. I was personally not in any hurry and I would go however fast I wanted because fuck everyone else… however that mostly applied to situation where people thought obeying the speed limit was to slow and simply wanted to speed past me instead, a little pet peeve that would have driven me up the walls long ago if I had not learnt to ignore the idiots.
I raised an eyebrow when I was lead straight past Celestia’s study.
“Um, am I not supposed to meet Celestia?” I asked out loud as I turned my head from the door to look at my guide.
“Yes.” Came the simple answer. It did not satiate my curiosity.
“Then where are you leading me?”
The guard pony glanced back at me before he returned his face forward.
“Her Majesty is having dinner and she seeks your company.”
I looked at the back of the armoured pony’s head and pursed my lips in thought. Of all the different scenes I had of our eventual second ‘date’… having it over a dinner table had actually never occurred to me. She had not appeared that friendly with me earlier today. It seemed so easy that it would simply ruin the meal not only for me but for her as well.
I tilted my head into a shrug. She knew what she was doing or else I was overestimating the perks of immortality, being easily over a thousand years old should have thought her one or two things about these kinds of things.
Soon we came upon something I had been dreading, stairs. I tried to be nonchalant as I quickly studied my guides gait as he made the first steps down the marbled steps. I hesitated for a second before I took my first dreaded step. Already I felt how odd this was. I don’t know how many has tried to walk down the stairs head first but I can tell you it scared me shitless. I knew that one misstep or a stumble that I was currently prone to do would lead me into a potential lethal head first dive down onto the marble
Dredging up the courage to lift the next hoof needed for the next step I felt my left foreleg knee give out under me.
The stone filled my vision as I closed with speed. All I could do was sucker in a breath of air and brace for what was to come. But to my relief I felt myself jerk to a halt as I landed in the aura of my honour guards magic. This time it was blue so I had to guess it was my second honour guard this time. Glancing to my left I saw the unicorn that had a slightly stockier muzzle compared to Green, I decided at that time to dub these guards depending on whatever colour I could to distinguish them apart, had used, predictably, his magic to stop my fall in its track.
“Thanks.” I said to him. All the response I garnered was a simple and court nod before both Blue and Green started down the stairs, me hovering on a blue glittering bed of magic. A smidge of concern managed to slip through Orange’s stoicism. He was the first ‘expressive’ guard I had yet to meet I guessed he was quite new as he did not seem to have the same control over his facial features that my two honour guards had. Probably why it was them and not someone, for example, like Orange that stood guard over me.
When we reached flat ground again I was set down on my hooves. My cheeks heated a little at being manhandled in this way, my only saving grace was that I really needed the help that kept it from radiating for the world to see. I could only hope that my fur and coat did not change colour, it would make my life so much harder if it did.
The first thing I noticed was the increased activity, all of a sudden my eyes met thee surprised and shocked looks of a handful of ponies. Many of them carrying lidded food trays and wore what I could only describe as servants clothes. Most had some kind of frilly headdress but some actually had small maid costumes and suits. I probably stared equally fished eyed back at them but I shook myself out of my shock quickly and immediately assumed the same ‘noble’ pose I used against the snot-nosed pony from before.
My back straightened and leaned forward so that my forelegs were straight and my hind legs angled slightly backwards. Head held high at a slight incline, neck straight, it shared the same angle of my hind legs. At least I thought and hoped I struck an impressive and authoritative pose as I tried to act as like the noble I wasn’t.
I tried to ignore the stares that followed me as I leisurely followed the slow trot of Orange. It was easy to notice how much the difference in height really did, except the obvious; I only had to do two steps for every three of my guards. It was a very small observation but it somehow felt like an important piece of information. And thus I filed it away for later.
Fortunately it took only a moment to reach our destination and I was let in through the door.
Celestia felt a slew of different emotions when the door to the small private dining room opened to let her ‘guest’ inside. The guard she had sent, Grass Cut, entered in a quick trot and gave a quick but no less respectful bow, and then he came in. She could feel a flash of anger when she caught the all too familiar poise she would expect herself and even some of her ponies to employ.
What was his purpose here? What was he trying to gain by this charade? Was he even aware of what he was doing… of course must be, just hours before he had not even hinted at this kind of behaviour and upbringing. Ponies did not simply gain this kind of air about them from nothing; it took practice, long hours before a mirror and more than a little knowledge to perform.
But what really made her coat bristle was the knowledge that this stallion, this… this Hue-man must have lied to her. It took all she had to give to not order him chained.
She, if anypony, knew just how much power resided within an Alicorn. She knew she had taken a risk with him when she had lifted his shackles, and now she was struck with a gnawing worry that she might for the first time judged wrong.
But as soon as he had entered Boris’ authoritative stance simply vanished as if it had been nothing but a mirage, an illusion.
And with his the disappearance of his act she felt herself noticeably relax, her body had pulled itself taught, ready to spring into action at the perceived threat. She was shocked over how quick she had been to jump to such devastating conclusions. His presence had been playing havoc with her ever since earlier that morning. She recognized stress when she felt it. She was not thinking clearly. She was focusing too much on what ifs and wild suggestions instead of taking in the now and reacting to it.
She took a long deep breath and let herself relax a bit further; she made a note to book a masseuse for tomorrow.
Celestia rid herself of her previous train of thought and instead focused her attention on Boris again. He looked incredibly unkempt, his mane was hanging in thick tangles of silver grey hair made blank with grease, she suspected none of it came from any beauty products. She shivered at the thought. What had before been a faint mark of an up and coming bruise had now darkened a large swatch of his right side face. It looked almost blue. His tail suffered the same fate as his mane did. The limp was easy to notice even though he made a convincing act, most of his barrel was even darker shade than the one on his face. It did not evade her that he must be in pain.
For some reason his right wing was looking extra rough and it hung slightly lower than his left. The contrast was almost like night and day, both wings was unkempt and was in serious need of grooming… in fact all him was in need of it, but the right wing simply looked damaged, feathers misaligned and crooked. She winced; it would take hours if not weeks to fix if her guess was right. Some of those feathers looked damaged beyond repair.
His coat was dusty and dull and needed more than a long soak and a rigorous scrubbing could ever fix.
The more she looked at him the less dangerous he appeared; his appearance did not inspire fear or awe. Still she was reminded about that he still managed to act as if he belonged, as if he… was her. She bit down on the inside of her lip. She could not decide what to do, her instincts told her to get rid of him but a part of her still believed he could be innocent… not many could hold up against her scrutiny. He had not lied but he still had withheld something, it was this lack of honesty that made her so worried and so quick to assume the worst.
As soon as I passed the threshold to the small dining room I felt relief flood through me, it was one thing to meet one or two ponies at a time and another to wade through a whole corridor full of them… alright that was an exaggeration, I admitted to myself, but it sure as hell did not feel any different. I knew I would be turning heads but damn. The few he had dared to glance at had looked awestruck, slack yaws and wide eyes followed my every move. The sheer weight of that many ponies giving me such attention had made my stage fright rear its ugly head.
I let a sigh escape me and I sagged, dropping my posture.
Orange bowed suddenly before quickly stepping to my left. It brought my attention back to my surroundings. The first and most eye-catching thing in the room was Celestia herself; her flowing ethereal multi-coloured mane did make her standout immensely. She was sitting at a low table, the table reached just about her forelegs’ knees. To be honest the table was quite plain, I expected more considering everything else I had seen thus far. It was a simple piece of brown and oil treated wood, and exemplary piece of oil treated wood and I would not be surprised if it was mahogany or some other kind of expensive wood, I sadly did not know enough about… wood, that I could tell the difference, all I could think was ‘it is definitely not pine.
The table looked much like the rest of the small room. It lacked much of any decorations at all, only a few drapes by the windows and a few paintings of landscapes was the only thing that really stood out. The floor, while clean and smooth, was simply wooden, the walls was also made of carved wood to just about my height, the rest of the wall was trowelled and painted in a soft greenish-yellow that curved up into three parallel domes in the roof. Small chandeliers hung from the woodworks.
The candles were lit even though it was still not dark enough for them to be of much use.
I heard a small ‘pissht’ from my side, it was Orange. He pointedly looked at me before he mimicked a bow before throwing his head towards Celestia. I snorted derisively but complied, it couldn’t hurt to show a little respect. I bowed my head, I was far from sure footed enough to attempt to kneel or lower myself to the floor, I had had too many painful accidents as it was, and I did not want to embarrass myself further.
I saw Celestia smile and return my bow, though it looked more like a deeper and longer nod, enough to recognize my efforts but nothing more.
Orange clearly wasn’t satisfied with my performance, judging by his disapproving frown. But before he had a chance to berate me Celestia finally spoke.
“That will be all, Private Grass Cut,” Oh, so that was his name, “you can leave now.” What name was Grass Cut? For a guard I expected something more in line with more shield or sword in it. It seemed so, so… gentle.
Orange, or rather Grass Cut, opened his mouth to object but hesitated and finally inclined his head,
“Yes, your highness.” He said and then left.
My two honour guards had taken up position outside the door instead of following me in, they disappeared behind the door when it closed shut behind Orange.
Again I was left alone in the presence of Celestia. I was not going to enjoy this dinner, I suspected; why else would she clear the room of any prying ears if she was not intent on discussing something she did not want others to hear.
“Nice of you to join me, Mr. Boris.” Celestia said to me, a small smile plastered on her face. I had no pretences that it was anything other than a façade, a nice and friendly front to make me comfortable. It seemed like a stretch that she somehow would have done a one-eighty in her opinion of me.
“Not that I had much of a choice,” I mumbled. Celestia’s ears swung my way. Damn those ears were sensitive.
“No,” she admitted with a simple little word, “please take a seat.”
She motioned with a hoof towards a cushion on her left side; the seat was the closest to her. I hesitated for a second before I swallowed my worries and went up and took it.
We sat there in silence. Celestia had opted to simple study me in the awkward silence. I did not have the courage to meet her gaze as my eyes wandered the room, studied the small grains in the woodworks, though I stole a glance or two when my eyes roamed past her. Her hair was captivating as it billowed and flowed. I did have a theory on why it was like that, she was channelling magic. When Twilight had absorbed all other princesses’ magic her hair got the same glittering and flowing characteristics when she had at times performed magic. The connection made sense if you thought about it. She was constantly at all times moving both the sun and the moon, consciously or not, and that power manifested as a mesmerizing ethereal hair.
Celestia cleared her throat, my eyes snapped away from her hair to meet her eyes. Her face one of amusement but… I could not shake the feeling she was more irritated than amused, why I could not tell. It was a bit redundant to say that I felt incredibly uncomfortable. Luckily Celestia decided to break the silence.
“Do you know how much trouble you have caused me?” She said to me, her smile slipped away.
The small action shook me more than I cared to admit. I decided quickly I preferred the smiling fake Celestia over this new Celestia. Her face while neutral did not hide the sheer anger I saw flash in her eyes.
“I-I…” I clamped down on my mouth. I did not know what I had done to warrant that kind of response.
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
“I am sorry, I should not blame you for the foolishness of my own subjects.” She breathed out. Her anger bled away only to be replaced by exhaustion. Her eyes drooped as her whole body seemed to collapse in on itself.
I sat stock still as I took in the scene. I was honestly more scared in this moment than I can rightfully say I have ever been. Here I had someone that could squash me into paste with a thought in an emotionally unstable state. It really worried how quickly her moods shifted.
“I, um,” I cleared my throat, “what happened?” I asked. I hoped talking would distract her enough to drag the conversation out of the awkward silence that was encroaching.
Celestia returned her eyes towards me, her usual smile returned and he righted herself properly again.
“A young mare named Spin Talk has decided to make my life difficult,” She explained to me, a small frown graced her lips, “she has a bad habit in spreading misinformation whenever she can.”
“Okay?” I asked, prompting for more information. Celestia glared at me a second before she decided to continue.
“Captain Shimmer Shield disturbed the council meeting I held earlier today… he told me of your arrival,” Celestia’s frown devolved into a hateful scowl, “but Spin Talk decided it was the perfect opportunity to insinuate an intimate relation with you.” Celestia gave a snort in frustration, “And like vultures my ponies ate up her words and now the whole palace and soon Canterlot and the rest of Equestria will think I have a lover!” Her words grew more heated the more she spoke, I was starting to regret asking at this point. “You will have to excuse me that I am a bit short with you, but if you had not appeared I would not be experiencing this embarrassment.”
I had the decency to blush and turn away to stare down at table. Her words explained the looks I had received out in the hall, and by the gods, what had I done! My act of callous arrogance and nobelism must have done nothing but stoke the fire with gasoline!
“I-I’m sorry.” I managed to squeeze out an apology.
“Don’t be, you are not responsible.” She dismissed my apology. “Now before it becomes time to lower the sun we should eat.”
Her horn flashed and a small bell rung.
“Anything you would like?” She asked a moment later with a raised eyebrow.
“Some fruit,” I answered, “and a bit of bread.” I added a second after.
Author's Note
Well... that was surprisingly easy... I am not completely happy with this chapter but I can't dwell and get stuck only because I lack the vocabulary and some writing tricks.
Hope you enjoyed it and please give me a comment with feedback, thoughts or gushing heaps of praise... your choice...
It took a bit of work but I managed to at least feed myself, which was promising, but the amused sounds that escaped Celestia each time I fumbled around with a piece of apple or pear did not give me much confidence. But none the less I managed to use my two hooves to bring each piece of food to my mouth to either bite chew off a piece of it.
Compare to my plate of simple fruits and the small loaf of bread, Celestia was eating something akin to a salad. I looked at her fork with a bit of envy before I stuffed the remaining piece of bread I had into my mouth and slowly chewed, wetting up the hard and slightly ductile crust before I could cleanly bite it off.
We ate in relative silence.
Celestia had looked curiously at me when I started to teach myself how to eat, in fact I probably looked like an overgrown baby... that would explain why she found it so amusing...
”What happens now?” I said after I swallowed, the question had burned in the back of my mind the entire time. I knew I would have to throw out any plans I had previously had, I had already broken the main goal of fitting in. The crux was that I was a prisoner, trapped in the palace, and if I had any guess I would not be released anytime soon.
”We talk,” She said as she continued to study me, she seemed to like to do that, ”when it is time I will lower the sun and then we will talk some more.”
“Hey, what about others, wouldn’t it just validate the rumours if we are seen together?” I asked and looked up at her.
Her mood soured notably.
“It will not matter,” she growled, “the newspapers are probably already printing tomorrows headline. Sneaking about will do nothing but worsen the situation.”
“Heh, you are hoping it will blow over on its own?”
“Yes, I hope if I do not raise too much fuss over all this my ponies will come to realize how groundless they are.”
Celestia looked out the windows before she rose from her seat.
“It’s time to lower the sun, come with me.”
“How were you injured?” Celestia asked as we made our way towards her study, the same pair, Blue and Green, was following us. Anypony that we met, there were only a few this late in the evening, cleared the way by standing close against the walls.
It had been… fascinating; watching her channel enough magic to lift herself of the ground was intriguing. But except for that nothing really happened that was noteworthy, it was odd, I give you, seeing the sun hurry down past the horizon and for the moon to quickly take its place in the sky.
“I-I slipped,” I mumbled, it had been a nasty fall, and remembering only made me uncomfortable. I spied Celestia give me a pitying look in my peripheral.
“Glad it was not one of my guards.” She then said after a few seconds of silence.
“Sure didn’t help any.” I growled, say what you will about hooves but they were anything but soft. I still felt a bit sore at the spots where those Pegasi had jabbed their little hooves.
She responded with a noncommittal, hmm. It appeared she did not have anything to add against that. I saw her give me a questioning look again but she returned to look ahead when she decided to speak again.
“I am wondering, why do you pose?”
Pose!? I had not even realized I had. I had without thinking started walking like… well like I had done in front of everypony in the halls, it seemed it was easy to adopt the snobbish stance.
“Oh, I-I… sorry,” I apologized, I let myself relax my neck into a slouch. I frowned, I did not like slouching, it was bad for your back and neck. So I straightened my neck again but I refused the temptation to tip my chin up. The stance was simply too comfortable and my body naturally fell into it it seemed.
I caught her smile at my action.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, “It’s just… comfortable I guess.” My words felt lame as they left my mouth. I might have done a social taboo for all I knew, a faux pass so to speak. Maybe it was a crime to appear or make an impression that you were rich or a noble… though I very much doubted it I could not deny the possibility.
“I see.” Her noncommittal response threw me for a loop. How was I supposed to know if I’m doing something okay if she doesn’t give me anything to work with?
The stairs was less of a hurdle this time around; the stairs were not that scary going up instead of the other way around. Only my shoulder complained a little.
The last segment of the trip was made in silence; Celestia only spoke again to tell Blue and Green to stand guard outside the door as she led me into her study, like they needed to be told. Maybe it was a little quirk of hers, maybe, or maybe it was a precaution… not all her guards might be as disciplined like they were?
“Please take a seat.” Celestia beaconed with a hoof towards one of her many pillows, the one she pointed at however seemed to have been set aside from the rest as it sat alone in the middle of the room just a few paces away from her own divan.
I took the offered seat and she laid down on her own. I was starting to come to like these pillows, they sure as hell made sitting way more comfortable.
“I have thought a lot about you and what I am going to do with you,” She began,” I have decided to give you a chance to prove to me, that you are not a danger to either me, or any of my ponies.”
“But I-“ Celestia cut me off with a raised hoof and a stern look.
“I will be honest Mr. Noche-wo, I do not trust you nor do I believe your story, but neither have you done anything, even though my ponies have caused you pain, and that is all that is staying my hooves.
“I hope I can trust that you can keep this to yourself, and that you handle this… rumour, with discretion.”
And here it came, the conditions for my stay. I had expected something like this, though I had come to believe it would come in a less… blunt way, she had given me enough hints that she was trying to be subtle. A thought that was shattered with this proclamation.
“Do I have your promise?” she asked after watching my face for a reaction.
“Yes,” I said feeling a lump grow in my chest, my freedom of movement was a small price to pay especially considering my position in all this after all, “I promise.” I added after making sure my voice was stable enough.
Celestia bowed her head, as if she recognised how much it actually affected me.
Celestia was still awake staring out into the night. It had been hours since Boris had been dismissed. She had spent time to simply talk with the stallion, to gauge his personality, his abilities… his knowledge.
She had been partially successful.
He had been guarded in his responses, he had carried himself exactly like any other upper-class pony, and to what she could gather he did it on reflex. When she pointed it out he had immediately stopped but still held himself high, something that could only be done by being taught and not something you could just teach yourself. But then he also had the hoof coordination of a toddler.
It had been such a ridiculous sight she still found herself smile at the memory.
His claim to not be a pony did make sense if she added all the facts, he had yet to show any magic use, he handled his wings in such a horrible fashion. The mere fact that he had yet to ask for help in regard to his injuries was also worrying. It did not sit well with her; she did not want to believe that he told the truth.
She sighed, what was the point of worrying now? The days to come would tell the truth to her. She made a point to ask for a report from her guards, they must have gleaned more than she had.
“Spin Talk.” Blueblood hissed in anger. He stared at his own reflection in his private vanity, noting how his facial muscles contracted into an ugly sneer. Of course it was that commoner’s fault, what was he to expect from that filth. He cursed that inflection was not enough to base a crime on. The mare was smart, smart enough to avoid being thrown in the dungeons for a few months… that would be enough to wipe that smug grin off of her face.
She had gotten away with way to much because of her silver tongue.
Worse was that the guards had ignored his questions about the ‘guest’. None would say a word, not even a simple yes, no, or even a maybe. He knew they were keeping quiet about something. ‘Celestia must be hiding something .’
“Gah!” he screamed in sheer frustration. What was he to do!? He could not get an answer from the guards, and he could not get a suitable revenge on Spin Talk for the damage she had caused.
He slumped against the vanity, cheek resting on the smooth surface, and he looked out into the dark outside his window wallowing in self-pity.
As he sat there a brilliant thought struck his mind. All he needed to do was to replace that disgrace. Yes, that was a plan he could work with. If he could find a suitable replacement his aunt would throw that distasteful Mare out the window quicker than she would be able to ask ‘what!?’
With a smile back on his face he slipped under the covers of his bed. He would need a long nice sleep in preparation for tomorrow.
Author's Note
Here you go.
I awoke the next morning but I remained under the warm covers.
I was at a loss for what to do, compared to earth I had no job that forced me up in the morning and I was not hungry either. I had no excuse that could force my fussy mind to drag me up and away from the comfort.
I sighed and stared aimlessly out the window. The conversation I had with Celestia played in my mind, and it was putting a dampener on my mood now that it was confirmed I was imprisoned. Even if it was in a very loose term… not many people had a cell that was as large as a palace with a personal luxury suite. I could be worse off . I reasoned.
With a yawn I let my eyes slid close again and tried to find more rest for a few more hours.
There I laid, not really asleep though not truly awake either. I barely took note how the shadows in the room moved, but soon I had the sun glare in my eyes. time to get up, I heaved a sigh and sat up.
My cover slipped of my back and exposed me to the slight chill that persisted in the room. I could not help the shiver that ran through me. I felt all the small hairs on my body stand up and… fluff. I gave my slack wings a little look over, noting how ruffled and bent the feathers looked.
How the hell am I supposed to fix this ? I asked myself and lifted one of my wings up for a better and closer look. I was no stranger to haircare but how was someone supposed to… unruffle feathers? Was there combs for it or did one do it with one’s mouth? I let another sigh pass through my nose and dropped the limb. It was a problem for another time.
Slowly and with as much grace I could manage I stumbled of my bed. I was happy to note how little my shoulder hurt compared to yesterday, I still felt twangs of pain spike through the joint but at least it felt like I could move it now. A good sign, it meant I was healing, and maybe it wasn’t as hurt as I thought.
Letting the tips of my wings scrape along the ground I made my way towards the small vanity. On my way I looked out the window. In the garden outside I saw ponies, clad scarfs and hats shuffling paths in the pony deep snow. A few Pegasi was dusting away snow from the statues. I stopped for a second to observe them work. It was so surreal to actually be here.
I brought a hoof up to my face. I studied it for a moment. Yeah… surreal . I discarded the feeling of nausea and walked the rest of the distance to the vanity.
I stared at my pony reflection; silver-grey eyes’ met what I could only assume to be my own silver-grey eyes. It was a wonder how one could look even more ruffled and dirty after a night of bed rest. My grey hair was in an even worse state of disarray and stuck out at odd angles. My… my fur looked even more in need of a thorough brushing. I did not comment on the state of my wings. I could still see the slight discolouration of bruises through the fur on my jaw and cheek, not to mention the bags under my eyes.
It was interesting how easy it was to tell the state of my body. Almost like on the cartoon, though less pronounced , I noted.
I turned my gaze away from my visage and down at the vanity’s drawers. time to have a look . I sat down and fumbled around with the drawers. It wasn’t a hard task to open them, instead of a knob or a handle they had small dug out in them that took advantage of the hooves natural shape… so a more or less a reverse handle of sorts. It took me a few seconds to get a grip with my digit.
There wasn’t much within the drawers, only a few sets of combs and brushes. I picked out three brushes that were… well horse brushes. Long, wide and rough, meant to cover as much surface area as possible. Then there were more normal brushes, if there is such a thing as a normal brush. They looked more or less like I had spied from the cartoon, a wide round hoof sized brush with fine and soft strands that felt heavenly against my snout. A fine-tuned instrument meant to care for well cared hair, a vanity item if I ever saw one. The others combs were… well combs, ranging from wide toothed to fine toothed ones. It was clear to me that they must have been used with magic as there were no good grip on those, it would simply be too awkward to use otherwise.
I sighed again. Seemed I had to live with my unruly hair for a little while longer. I settled to at least straighten my fur.
Carefully I extracted one of the more rough brushes out of its drawer and slipped it on my right hoof. I studied the brush a bit closer, or more precisely the hoof band that kept the brush somewhat attached to my hoof.
To my touch it felt loose, as if it would slip off if I so much as did anything with it… very much like an ill fitted slipper.
Okay… how do I do this ? I wondered as I stared apprehensible at the tool. The idea to brush myself with the brush felt strange and weird, and where was I supposed to start? After a moment’s hesitation I reluctantly brought it to my left shoulder and started brushing. The straws dug through my fur and prickled my skin every time I awkwardly and clumsily brought the brush back for another go. The brush snagged a few times and slipped of my hoof with a booming clatter. At least it felt like it was booming in the quiet room and I felt myself blush in embarrassment as I was sure whoever stood outside my room could hear me. Even more embarrassing was discovering that I could see my own cheeks bloom red… or redder in this case, on my own reflection.
After a few tries I got the hang of it and as my furs straitened and unknotted itself the brush stopped snagging at every turn, making it easier and a lot smoother.
I was slowly starting to enjoy both the feeling and the action of the brushing. I briefly wondered if I truly was that bored. With each brush a small cloud of dust left my fur, making my fur look less matted and the colour more pronounced. The task was probably enjoyable because I could see what each take of the brush I did. I liked the result.
I gave up after a few minutes of doing this. My fur was straighter and cleaner than it was before, but I simply did not have the patience. I dropped the brush back into the drawer. Not finding anything else of immediate interest within it I pushed the box back in, closing it.
My stomach had developed a ripe hunger. Looking at the door I steeled myself.
Time to test the waters . I thought and went to open it.
Using my newly acquired hoof skills I conquered the insignificant hurdle of the wooden barricade. I slowly coaxed the door open a peered outside.
I spotted, as I had already come to expect, two unicorn guards flanking my door. Both swivelled their eyes to look at me. I recognized one of them as Green from the day before, the other one was entirely new to me.
“Where can I find breakfast?” I asked with a smidge of trepidation. My fears however went unanswered when Green gestured with his head down the hall.
“This way.” He simply said, too my relief, and started to trot down the hall the way he had pointed.
The new guard took up a leisurely pace behind me as I followed Green down the hall. Green was mindfully keeping pace with my own comparatively slow and clumsy walk. I still had problems judging the length of my forelegs as they were far longer than my human form had been.
It took me awhile to scale down the stairs, but again my guards helped me. But I think I saw the new one smirk in amusement at my ability... or lack thereof…
Surprisingly we did not walk into anyone on our little trip and soon I was led through a set of double door and into what I could only call a mess hall. A dozen or so eight seated and round tables were spread out through the room.
A mare was tending to a food counter on my right, she was holding a cleaning cloth which she was using to great effect on removing a stain set onto the wood. The counter itself was empty only an empty food rack was left; even the water that would have kept the food warm was drained.
The mare looked up from her work and towards us. Even at this distance I saw the curious look in her eyes as she arced an eyebrow. She did however quickly shake away her expression and settled into a smile.
“Hello!” she greeted with a wave of her hoof, “You guys are a bit too late for lunch, just packed it up.”
“Make an exception.” Green ordered flatly.
The mare’s smile wavered at the no nonsense tone of Green’s.
“I guess…” The mare gave me one more look before she pushed of the counter, “give me a moment and I will have something fixed.”
Green walked up to a table and in passing made and obvious and deliberately clear wave of his hoof pointing at a small pillow seat, all without seemingly breaking the rhythm of his gait.
“Sit.”
I did as I was told. The seat was nothing more than a plank with a bit of padding, far different seat than Celestia’s own personal collection.
Green took a seat on the opposite side, slightly to the right, and took of his helmet which he placed on the floor beside him. The new guy… Brown, I named him, sat down with less decorum. The helm almost bounced as it hit the floor.
“Finally!” Brown exclaimed, “Thought you’d never leave.”
Green lifted a disapproving lip towards his partner. “Lower your voice.”
“Come on, Big Coin, you are as hungry as I am,” Brown continued, his voice lowered into a more conversational tone. It was nice getting proper names for these ponies. When Coin did not deign him with an answer he turned his attention towards me instead, “You took your sweet time, I thought I was going to go crazy waiting for you to get your ass into gear!”
Feeling a bit out of the loop I responded the only way I thought appropriate, “What?”
I watched as Brown’s face fell at my words.
“Got told to babysit you with Coin here this morning, I skipped breakfast because I hoped I could grab something later,” he groaned and laid his head down flat on the table, “now I’m starving because you decided to add ten more extra hours to your beauty sleep.”
I could only stare baffled at the stallion. I was not sure if I should’ve sighed in exasperation over his stupidity or ignore the fool. Who was stupid enough to willingly skip breakfast… especially when one was employed as a guard in the royal palace? Either he was too stupid or too darn optimistic. Though I did feel a bit bad that my lazing around had been inconvenient, but I did not for one second regret it. It was going to teaching the youngster a valuable lesson: to not take anything for granted.
I took a page from Coin’s book and ignored Brown.
Brown blew a raspberry but wisely shut up.
Only a moment later the mare came back. Balancing a tray on her back she sidled up to the table and sent it skidding onto it.
“There yah go boys,” the beige coloured mare said with a nod, her face carrying a pleased expression, ”eat up!”
She eyes lingered on me a second before she quickly walked away in a trot and disappeared out of sight behind the counter.
Coin levitated the bowls and placed one down in front of me. Root mash ? I wondered as I peered at the content of the bowl. I gave it a sniff and yes, I could smell the distinct odour of potatoes, carrots, and swede (rutabaga). I glanced up at my two companions. Both had already started to dig in, Coin using a spoon he held in his magic, while Brown in sheer contrast was foregoing spoon and dignity and was face first in the bowl.
Looking longingly at my own spoon I sighed and brought the bowl up to my face, the table was way too low to comfortably eat like Brown.
With the bowl clamped between my hooves I started to eat.
For Vladimir 'Prince' Blueblood the day started like any other. He woke, gave no more than one small yawn before he started the long arduous journey to the palace baths, however not before straightening his mane before the mirror. He had a reputation to uphold after all. His thoughts were however preoccupied with his current problem; he had to find somepony to replace the thrice damned Spin Talk, but who?
His bath was over and done before he even had the chance to enjoy it as his thoughts mulled over all the possibilities, drafting up all the names of ponies he knew, comparing them and ultimately denied them as they did not hold a candle to Spin Talk’s web of contacts and informants. She had her hooves in every mainstream media, from newspapers to fashion magazines, gossip tabloids to actual book prints. With a turn of a hoof she could spread any word throughout the realm in an instant.
He scowled all the way back to his wardrobe, he slipped on a modest cream-coloured tux and carefully tied a sky-blue scarf around his neck which he tucked into the front of the jacket. He left with rapt tact, pausing briefly to enjoy his well-groomed profile in his mirror.
No! No pony he knew personally would do. He needed somepony fresh but undisputedly Spin Talk’s better, somepony ponies listened to and trusted without a doubt, somepony who would and could weather the smear campaign Spin Talk would undoubtedly launch.
Again he lamented that he could not simply have made away with her like in the olden days. Days when the name Blueblood actually meant something.
Reaching his office he made a beeline for the third shelf, fourteenth row, file number five, labelled simply: Talents .
He dusted the old heirloom from his father’s mother’s father’s great-granddad. A collection of names and contacts for the express purpose to help the newest generation of Bluebloods in their time of need.
Author's Note
Hope you enjoyed. Finally I feel the story is picking up a bit of speed...
“Hello, Mr. Nochee-wo,” I was greeted as I once again entered Celestia’s study, by the princess herself, “How are you feeling today?”
Celestia once again laid relaxed on her, I decided, favourite pillow divan. I had been summoned by one of her guards only moments after suffering through lunch. Not that the food was bad, but Browns continues snickers and jokes at my expense had made it down right unpleasant. The fact that I, a seemingly adult unicorn hybrid couldn’t use his horn, was apparently the funniest thing in his mind. Big Coin was, if a bit stoic, nice company, and thankfully when lunch was done and over had reined the idiot in.
“A bit sore, but fine.” I responded with a smile, feeling spirited now that my shoulder only twinged, “Yourself?”
“I am good, thank you for asking.” Celestia returned the smile, though it did not quite reach her eyes, I felt. “Keeping good to your promise?”
“Yeah, barely seen a soul,” Mostly true. I added in an afterthought. It was of course impossible to not be seen, and the cafeteria lady had not been my fault, and I hadn’t even exchanged as much as a word with her. Otherwise it must have been a quiet time of the day as I had not met or seen another pony on my way up.
I saw her nod slightly to my answer. She beaconed a hoof towards one of her pillows, “Please take a seat.”
I made my awkward way over to one and with the grace bestowed upon me sat my bum down on it. And then shifted a bit to get my tail out of the way as it got stuck and sent a most curiously uncomfortable feeling I had yet to experience, close to how my wings felt odd, it was going to be hard getting used to all of these extra limbs. It was weird having one as it felt like it was more in the way than doing any good, though I suppose I would have looked weird without one… so maybe it did some good.
There we sat in silence looking at each other in what was becoming fast growing custom. I, unsure of what to say or ask, waited for her to instigate conversation, and she calmly waited, content to let the silence lumber between us. I was absently wondering if that was some kind of habit she must have picked up through her life, something that probably was not that far from the truth. No one lived for a thousandth and plus years without picking up a few habits, bad as well as good. It did not take a genius to understand that she did not find my presence enjoyable, yesterday a clear show of just how much. Yet here I was. Was it her good nature that kept me unshackled or was she playing at something? Was I an unknown, better kept close ‘til she knew more? Or was I overthinking it all?
I shook my head slowly, an amused grin sneaking its way onto my lips.
“Something you find funny?” my eyes leapt up from the ground in a jerk and at the source of the question. Celestia still laying there, comfortable as ever, one of her brows raised curiously.
“No, not really.” I shifted my weight slightly from my injured shoulder to relieve some pressure from it.
Her expression held for a few more seconds, her eyes roaming up and down my body, causing no small self-conscious thoughts. Thoughts that my presence maybe wasn’t entirely pure in essence, I shifted again, minute, and barely enough for even me to call it movement.
“You look in need of a bath,” she lightly stated, I could not help but cringe. Do I really look that bad ? “You really need to get your wings looked after,” she gave me a pointed look as she again looked me in the eyes.
She rose to her hooves with practiced ease and stepped up to me. Head held high and looked down at me, quite the imposing stature.
“You have been shown the baths yet?”
“No,” I said weakly, doing my best to fight the urge to cower.
“Follow me.” She said, with just a hint of a smile on her lips.
Vladimir, joined by an escort of two guards, made his way down into Canterlot town, and down a rather dingy court, well, dingy by his standards. He stopped at the last house, just before the mouth of the cul-de-sac. As his file had described he now stood in front of a small house he could only describe as a shack. Only thing that gave away that it was inhabited was the lack of snow on the raised stone steps before the door.
Vladimir chanced a glance down at his hooves, and promptly made a disgusted face the muddy snow slush had stained not only his cornet band but the cuffs of his ivory white suit.
“What are you waiting for,” he demanded of one of his guards, “knock on the door.” he made an over exaggerated pointing motion with his head towards the door.
The guard leapt into action and quickly knocked firmly on the wooden boards. Vladimir feared for a second the door would give in, he was not in mind to have to pay for having it replaced.
He was close to mind having the guard risk knocking on the door again, but before he had the time to give the order, the door creaked open just a smidge. A suspicious eye could be seen in the crack, studying them for a second before the pony opened it fully.
“Ah, Blueblood! Come in, come in.” a wizened old stallion called, and waved him in.
He hesitated for a bare second before he made his way inside, kicking the dirt off of his hooves on the doorframe. He was more impressed with the inside of the building than he was of its outside, the walls lined with books and files, every spare space was filled with art, fine cloths, and he even spied a collection of old wine bottles tucked just to the side of a desk that had seen its share of use. In short words, he wouldn’t even want to be associated with the place. But he supposed if he got what he wanted out of the visit it would be worth the potential backlash this meeting would bring.
The door slammed shut behind him, and he heard what must have been one of his guards hiss in pain as the door had probably made his muzzle an inch shorter. He couldn’t help the smirk that snaked its way onto his lips. A small remnant, a bad habit so to speak, from his days in the guard, he had picked up a bit of morbid amusement from others misfortunes.
“It has been ages since I saw you last, you were a mere little tyke running around your fathers legs last time, I remember.” The elder pony said, tapping his temple with a vry little smile playing on the elder’s face as he trotted his way past Vlademir.
“I would imagine.” Blueblood said as he made to follow the surprisingly energetic pony. He did not remember.
“Please, please take a seat,” he beaconed towards a sofa, once upon a time it probably was pristine, and expensive, a proper place to treat guests to, but now it was worn and well sat-in. He none to happily sat down on it, at least it was comfy. “Want anything to drink, tea, or maybe coffee?”
“No, I am fine, thank you.” He raised a hoof to empathise his point.
“Fine, fine,” the energetic elder said as he took his place on another sofa, even more worn with use, opposite Blueblood, “it has been a while since I had a Blueblood under my roof, so, what can old Scry do for you?”
Right down to business .
“I need you to find somepony, somepony to replace the current Councillor of Public relation.”
“Ah, nasty one that one is. Knew you would come by when I heard,” Scry said with a knowing grin, “I will see what I can find. You know my standing rates? Good.” he said when Vladimir nodded. “Is that all?”
“Ye-, no,” Blueblood stopped himself, there was one more thing he wanted to know, “There is one more. I want to know who this pony is, the one the rumours are all about.”
Scry stopped himself from answering immediately, for once he was caught unprepared, he had not even considered investigating the topic of the rumours, usually ponies came to him to find out the source of the rumours, not the truths behind them, maybe for once he would not play a pivotal role in a hush campaign, or even revenge ploy. Before it was just business, now he was interested himself, there actually was a stallion mixed in it all, who would have known.
“I will see what I can find.”
“Here we are.” Celestia jovially spoke, opening a set of double doors.
The smells that bombarded me clued me in to where the portal led. The air almost misting as the warm, and highly moisturized air, intermingled with the one outside. Smells of bath salts and other perfumed substances made its way into my nose.
Celestia barely paused as she guided me inside.
The bath was more cramped than I imagined it would be. Consider who it was made for, it was practically Spartan. If one could consider three smaller pools with lavish mosaics, wall paintings that would put most church walls to great shame, and what appeared to be staff working in it.
Speaking of which there was three. One pink and two white mares, there were a little colour difference in the two white mares, one was more off-blue, the other off-green. The pink mare had an auburn coloured mane and tail, while the two white ones shared the same brown-red colour. Sisters maybe ?
“Sweet Mane.” Celestia spoke to the pink one.
“Yes, your Majesty?” She responded giving a bow, a much more reserved act compared to… well anyone I’d seen so far. It was practically no more than an elaborate nod.
“Spruce him up.” Was her simple command, and she turned to leave. I caught her eye, arcing a questioning brow towards her. She did not bother to reply and the doors swung quietly closed behind me. The question caught in my throat.
I heard one of the ponies left in the room whisper quietly, just outside of my hearing range.
Turning back to the bath staff I found them staring, the two white sisters’ heads close to one another, the off-green one froze mid word when my attention was directed towards them.
“The rumours are true then?” asked the pink one, Sweet Mane was it? She seemed older compared to the other two. Her coat colour dulled, and had more than a few white strands mixed into her darker coloured mane and tail. She easily looked and carried herself like a matron, while the two younger seemed almost vibrant in both colour and energy.
My eyes instantly snapped onto the mares own.
“Wha- no, no they aren’t!” I quickly replied, a bit too quick.
“No?” Sweet Mane asked, her tone drifted into a sigh, “Could have fooled me, goodness knows she needs it.”
“Need what?” I could not help to ask.
“Companionship,” she simply replied. Her words did not come to as much of a surprise. She was an old horse, a very old one. Immortality was in a way a horrible curse, watching the world change, watching the faces of friends and family be exchanged and replaced by a younger generation many times over. To have the only constant be… you. I could see what she saw in me. Something new and something that gave a promise, and a hope to ease the pains and the barriers erected and built over a millennia. Sweet Mane’s words were meant without innuendo. A interpretation the younger ones did not fully share if their conspiratorial smiles and badly concealed and bubbly expressions was to go by.
“Girls, stop dawdling and get to work,” Sweet Mane ordered, “go on, get the rough-bin!”
Their mind shaken from their fantasies they scurried off through a side door.
“Rough bin?”
“What? You think I will let you into the pool in your sorry state, then you are sourly mistaken mister.” She eyed me for the first time with an expression drawn half way into a disgusted scowl. An expression I was surprised to see… then again this was Canterlot. The place was full of snobs and other high ranking members of society, some of it must rub off on even the most down to earth of ponies, it only made sense. Then again, even though I brushed myself I still must smell, my hair was unruly and I was covered in nasty bruises. I must not have been the prettiest of sights.
I soon came to know the ‘Rough-bin’; an old weathered wooden bowl usually used for cleaning rugs, but at times ponies, such as in my case. Without prompt I was rudely dumped into the bowl of barely above lukewarm water and scrubbed none too gently. My hair and tail was roughly combed, knots plied with practiced hooves, and scissors. My wings got preened; feathers removed, some cut, and brushed into place. All the while getting sneering comments, poking both fun, and reprimanding me for the ill care I had given them. Most vocal was the greener sister, having a pair of wings of her own.
My all smarted after the rough treatment I had been given by the heavy duty brush, its bristles hard and stiff left nothing but acing skin and what I hoped was my coat. A lot of small orange hairs floated on the surface on the dirty brown-grey water of the tub together with tussles of long grey strands.
After getting another bowl of water dumped over my head I was urged out of the tub, and got lathered in strong scented soap. My hair and tail got a particularly frothy treatment before I got pushed into the smallest of the pools. The water was much warmer than the tub’s. At once the mares was at me again, scrubbing and rinsing me with considerably softer brushes and scrapes.
It wasn’t until later while I was idly sitting there, getting my mane and tail fine combed, that I realized the scene. I was wondering why it never occurred to me before that moment. I was sitting there, getting pampered by what must be two very flattering young mares that would probably have many young stallions hot and bothered, and an older matron that was probably far from bad looking herself. It got me wondering, a few stray thoughts really, as to why? I had gotten a new body, that had, for a lack of better words, an inbuilt motor functions. It was the only way I could explain at just how easy it was for me to move all my limbs, I had two extra attached to my back, and even though it was a struggle to make them move as I wanted I still could. And if it was true why shouldn’t I have gotten the rest of the instincts too?
Except for a few words exchanged between the working mares and a few hurt squawks from me when they went a bit too rough over my bruises, the whole ordeal was done in silence. I wasn’t supposed to talk, and the mares were content to work their magic.
“There you go, Mister,” Sweet Mane said all smiles, as she pushed me in front of a full wall length mirror, “Looking like a proper stallion of your stature.”
I barely recognized myself; the sprawling bed of hair that earlier would have put Einstein to shame now laid smooth along my neck. The barely tamed chaos that had been my coat not laid orderly, the light giving it a slight sheen. What remained of my bruises was now well hidden, still visible but now you had to actually look to notice them. My wings was however the biggest difference, no longer did they look like a puffy and broken mess like before, they actually looked like wings! Awkwardly I stretched one of my wings out, a bit self-conscious over just how… foalish my control over them was. It felt embarrassing having an audience, I could see a glimpse of the two sisters watching me with interest.
It was obvious even to my eyes how extensive the restoration had been, again nothing that would be obvious at first glance.
I couldn’t help but to straighten my form at the sight, a smile gracing involuntarily at my lips as I took in for the first time what others had seen. It brought a silent laugh as I remembered the Stallion I had literary bumped into,
“Thank you.” I softly spoke to the pink mare standing a respectful distance to my side.
“Off you go then.” Sweet Mane urged, her smile widened in satisfaction at the sincere words. “You got better places to be than here.”
I could only nod, there was no point staying watching them clean up the soapy mess my… cleaning, had caused.
The doors handles lit up in a green and brown aura respectively. Curious to note my guards had remained unchanged, their shift must have been extended. They must have heard Sweet Mane, it spoke loads for their training and discipline that they timed opening the double-doors with my approach.
I did not spare them much more than a glance to confirm that yes, both of them where Big Coin and Brown.
Author's Note
Here yah go.
Celestia watched over her student, Twilight, while she where pouring her young mind over her newest task. A very advanced piece of mathematics, a formula for direct applications for thaumaturgy, in other words how to calculate the necessary power to alter reality to your will… she of course didn’t expect Twilight to solve it, or even apply it, she just wanted her to learn the theory behind it. It would be practical later on, both in her regular classes and in their private session.
Nochee-wo’s words rung in her head.
[i}’Your student is going to succeed…’ She looked at the small filly in front of her, flipping through books, jotting down notes on whatever scrap of paper she still had left. Taking down notes on articles, names of books, and page numbers for future reference. Was the stallion right, had she finally found the one? It was a question she had always asked quietly to herself. Had she made the right choice to drop Sunset, a promising and talented filly, but was too… prideful. She hadn’t laid down bonds with her classmates, and she wore the title of ‘Celestia’s personal student’ like a badge, as if she was somehow better than her peers… She was talented, powerful even, and had a passion for learning, she was still young, it could have been a phase that she could’ve ground out of her with the years to come.
But then from nowhere, this purple little pony had done the impossible, she had hatched a dragon’s egg, and in the relapse of the out of control spell had grown the little baby dragon into a giant, even amongst dragon kind.
She had dropped Sunset without hesitation, she had abandoned a little filly for another, she couldn’t teach both, she did not have the time, neither with the duties of her position, and the careful guidance she needed to employ to nurture forth a new bearer for the element of magic… splitting that time up in two was too time consuming.
Twilight was an intelligent child, but she was far too focused on her studies. She didn’t talk much in our outside of classes with other fillies outside of the class topic. She didn’t play with others as much as she would have liked her to do.
Was he right, or was he playing with her fears? The spells she had had on him had told her no, he was not lying, but even if he was right, who was to tell if it was going to be? It was so long ago she had her prophetic dream, she simply could not remember what had been said, what colours the element bearers were, she only remembered the date with enough clarity to know when. She could only hope she was fulfilling her part in bringing her sister back, and one single step could ruin it all.
Eight years… eight more years…
It was amazing how much a bit of soap, and water did for one’s own ego. I also saw the effect it had on everyone else. Many of the ponies I passed actually bowed, some more hesitant than others. But like the tan snob from yesterday, my likeness to Celestia, intimidated them into respect.
I never imagined simply walking around through empty corridors, only occasionally passing another pony, would be so entertaining. While I held no love for art, it was interesting to study the different artworks and the occasional nice view out a window. At least it helped pass the time.
I absently wondered where Celestia had gone off to. Was she tending to her duties to the crown, or was she relaxing somewhere? Heck she could be doing both for all I knew!
Rounding another corner I was brought to a stop. In front of me two large double doors stood wide open. Inside rows upon rows of roof high bookcases, stacked with innumerable books, was visible.
Hesitating only for a moment, I walked in. The doors was wide open after all. This must be some sort of library, or archive. The library was circular, with an aisle running around the wall supporting two stacked galleries. Oblong passages were inset into the walls. Every wall was covered with filled bookcases, scrolls as well as hard covered books was stacked and crammed into whatever space the archivist could find. I could see an alcove or two dotting the far wall. No space was wasted as the aisles between the bookcases was narrow, just wide enough for me to move freely, if barely.
A small desk sat against the wall next to the wall. A blue unicorn, with yellow blonde mane sat comfortably behind it, a book resting against his stomach as he read a particularly big book that I could not help but call a tome. His glasses riding low on his muzzle.
The pony gave a sudden startle when I entered, the tome falling out of his hooves, caught at the last second by the unicorn’s magic. Stunned to actually get a visitor. Then he saw me , and his face contorted into the most hilarious twist of incredulity and shock.
I couldn’t help the snort that wrenched out of my throat and promptly went on my way to explore the room.
“What in Celestia’s name…” Happy Hoof murmured as he watched the orange pony disappear amongst the shelves.
“Our new guest, haven’t you heard?” Happy gave yet another startle when the Guard made himself known. The guards bigger and older partner followed the even taller pony behind the shelves.
“What?!” He knew he was isolated in his little corner of the palace, but to have missed… THIS!
“I do not know the details, but the Captain stormed into the council meeting, reporting to her about,” he nodded towards the shelf their charge had disappeared behind. ”She wasted no time to leave the meeting. It has been a lot of rumours about who he is.”
“And you don’t?” Happy asked, still trying to comprehend how he’d missed hearing about this.
“Nope not a clue.”
Happy was even more surprised after hearing that.
“No clue?”
“The Princess has taken to meeting him daily, two or three times a day. Often sharing a meal and a private chat,” the Brown eyed guard said. “His striking resemblance to the princesses, has a lot of ponies talking, some have even implied there’s something more…”
Happy’s eyes widened when he caught on to what the guard was implying.
“No, that can’t… that can’t be true.”
“I do not know, but there definitely is something going on that Celestia does not want ponies to know.” The guard smiled as he made to catch up to his charge, leaving Happy wrap his head around just what he has been told.
Books, books and more books. Not surprising at all really, libraries tended to have a lot of them. There were a few scrolls lying in bundles here and there, but otherwise, books. The chicken scratch-like letters where unfamiliar, though one or two looked like ‘N’s and ‘M’s, saw a few ‘E’s but most where just different sharp angled lines. A few, mostly scrolls, had a more flowing scripts but still undecipherable and strange… not to mention I couldn’t read cursive even in my own language.
I did not dare try and open, much less pick up, one of these texts at least with my current dexterity… or lack there off.
I looked up at my horn. Magic would have been very handy right now, unlike his wings he did not have a clue how to use it… how did you use a piece of hard keratin to summon or whatever one needed to do to bring forth magic? Not that he had tried anything more or overt than a thought or two. Would be embarrassing if he blew out one of my walls down or changed every colour in the room into neon pink by accident. Who know what disasters he could do, just the memory of what the Cake daughter could do with her semi accidental bursts of magic. And alicorn magic is in and of itself much more powerful than a foal’s. Whatever I could do would blow up in my face, or worse others.
Whatever understanding I had with Celestia would certainly be thrown out the window if I, for any reason, actually hurt someone.
Staring intently at the spine of another book, at the gold lettering. I grew a bit frustrated. Spoken language was plain old English but the alphabet was completely different. I just hoped the written rules were the same, then at least it was just about learning a new dictionary. So a dictionary, with pictures, a lot of pictures would be a good start… and an interesting book to read.
From the corner of my eye I saw Big Coin, now joined by Brown, looking at me suspiciously. Looking back at the book I could imagine the reason. It was not a particularly thick or tall book, but it was old, and compared to most books, leather bound, it had signs of wear and tear, but otherwise looked like any other book.
For all I knew I could have been studying the equestrian equivalent of a book describing the three unforgivable curses and how to use them, or an old tome describing how to dress and cook a pony…
I cranked my neck back up, trying to keep a neutral face as I continued down the aisle.
“Big Coin, is there a picture dictionary somewhere?” I asked over my shoulder.
I saw the pony look at me passively, as if he was judging my inquiry.
“Tell Tale,” was all the well-built pony said. Brown immediately left, going back towards the librarian. I guess I finally learned his name.
I spent another few minutes just wandering about, trying and failing to discern any differences, like what subjects the current aisle was about. The whole bottom floor only had plain books, and scrolls, no pictures, or details that could clue me into it. Heck, for all I knew the whole place was sorted by their alphabet, and it could be by book name or author… maybe both or neither, might be chronological if someone was dedicated… or bored enough.
Tell Tale came back, a quite large collection of thick hardcover books in tow, held in his magic. He floated them out to me as if he expected me to take them off his hooves. I only stared into the guards eyes giving it my all to give him an incredulously look.
I could feel the annoyance in his eyes twitching just a smidge from his guard persona. He lowered the tomes down on his back.
Now there was only to find a book to translate, and I knew just the thing. I remembered the first episode of the show. Why not read the old fable of the two pony princesses? That same book must have also had a few other stories I could entertain myself with.
The sun had long since set behind the horizon; the lamp in my room lit itself when the room started to darken.
Time had run past me quicker than I thought as I hoofed my way through the surprisingly detailed picture dictionary. It had taken him a fair bit of time to work his way through the first page of the ‘fable’ book. A simple authors foreword’s page. Nothing too exciting, as it said the book was a collection of myths, legends and other fairy-tale like stories, adapted for ‘modern’ times.
Probably meant they were censored for a younger audience, less heavy worded and archaic.
I could not really get more than a vague translation as the written pony language was symbolic instead of phonetic. It made sense, because of how hard it must be to write without thumbs, why write out whole phonetic sentences when two to three letter words was enough. It did however change the overall structure of the sentence structure, it was truly a ‘write with broad strokes’ thing. It was the reason why I had a problem getting an exact meaning out of what I read. A rough transcription was all I could manage.
I was currently trying to find out the title of the first tale, trying to find the right string of symbols wasn’t hard but it took a lot of time.
I was brought out of my work by a knock on my door. It was starting to become routine by now.
“Doors open!” I shouted not looking up from the dictionary, I was starting to close in on my target, I could feel it.
The door barely creaked as it opened and an unfamiliar voice spoke.
“The Princess asks of you.”
“Alright.” I sighed.
I rose to my hooves and deigned to be led down a storey into a very familiar dining room.
“I see the bath did you good.” I was greeted by Celestia, seated at the end of the large dining table. The room bathed in golden light from the numerous chandeliers and candle holders around the walls. But all I could focus on was how lonely a figure she made in the large space.
“Yes.” I nodded. It felt good to feel groomed; it had after all made wonders on my self-esteem.
I took my time walking to my seat, taking the opportunity to take a closer look at the mare. Not a hair was out of place, her posture as regal as… well regal could be. A well-practiced look that was only possible due to her age. While Sweet Mane had looked old, Celestia was practically youthful in her appearance. It was only her eyes that betrayed her, they held a depth that nothing but experience could give.
“How have your day been?” I extended the curtesy as I took my seat.
I caught the slight raise of her eyebrow, a mere second before it disappeared in a smile, almost pleased.
“It has been well,” she answered, a bit less than I had hoped for. “I hear you have made yourself busy?”
I was not surprised that she knew about my attempt at learning how to read ‘equestrian’, she seemed to keep close tabs on me.
“Yeah, pony script is a fair bit different from my own.”
“Oh, how so,” she asked, “you seem to speak it well enough?”
“My own is phonetic not symbolic.”
“Syllabary, and you are not entirely right. Written equestrian began as pictographic and with its spread it was simplified for more common and ease of use. Modern equestrian uses syllabary word structure, with a combination of phonetic runes. Each pencil stroke represents a phonetic sound.” Celestia iterated, this was not the first time she had explained this it appeared. It was reasonable expectation too, she is a teacher slash mentor to I don’t know how many ponies… Twilight at least.
“Ah. I, I see.”
Nobody could call me a studied person, a lot of technicalities went over my head. I didn’t know what Syllabary meant but I went with it. She knew what I meant and could explain it better than me, it was good enough for me. There was no need to be bogged down endless prompts to explicate.
“I wonder however, what is a hue-man,” came the next question. “You were right that I would not find any mention of them among my collection.”
“Um,” How would I explain this so she would understand?
“A minotaur is not too far from how we look…” I began but paused to think how to explain. “flat faced, very little hair except for a thick… mane on top of our head. No tail and our legs are not digitigrade but… fla-plantigrade!”
I watched the slightly curious look she got as she obviously tried to picture a human with my mishmashed description. It was hard to describe humans when… well, no animal, even apes did not look too much like us. How did you describe a human face? Our ears? Without giving a distorted image. In a world where snouts was the norm… oh yeah didn’t Tirek have a very human face?
“Our faces are flat very much like Tirek’s… minus the horns.”
She flinched at that. It was interesting how schooled her face actually was. I only caught the small minute changes in it but they were as good as wholesale reactions. Me reminding her that I knew of Tirek probably did not help considering how well she took it the first time.
“I, see.” She simply spoke, her voice not betraying what her face had.
“In my world we are related to apes.” I added.
“Related?” She raised an eyebrow at me. “How do you mean related?”
“On an evolutionary standpoint we are… cousins.”
She settled to just stare incomprehensible at me; as if I had grown a second head.
“I still do not know what you mean. What does ‘evolutionary ’ mean, and how does it make you related?”
“Um, well humans are a species of apes. We shared a common ancestor a few million years back.” I tried to explain. “But now we are so far removed that there’s very little superficial likeness’.”
Celestia seemed to try and comprehend what I had tried to say. Did ponies not know about evolution, or was equestrian simply… more biblical in its creation? Did ponies and other creatures just pop into existence one day?
“It is an interesting concept.” She mumbled out loud. “Nevermind.
“We have to discuss your future.” Celestia suddenly changed the subject.
“Okay?” I asked, quirking my own brow to enhance my questioning tone.
“Ponies as started to notice you, or more adequately, they have confirmed that the stallion behind the rumours exist,” she sighed impotently. “And that you are an alicorn has not helped quell those rumours either. I have come to the decision that you will start take a larger role in this debacle.”
I reeled back in surprise. This was a complete one-eighty from her previous attitude.
“W-What do you suppose?”
“That we will make you presentable. To get you out there and stop the rumour-mills from spinning whatever tale fits their fancy, to give them an actual pony that will ground those insidious rumours and finally remove the sensational air this has caused.” She spoke; I could feel the irate tone behind her serene façade. Whatever one could say she was not happy with the current situation.
“For two whole days now I have had very few moments of peace. Every magazine and newspaper has this rumour on the headline, and are filled with articles about our supposed relationship. And speculations on the future of Equestria, and a thousand and one other articles I would rather not go into.
“You getting out there will sooner or later show the truth to my little ponies.”
I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. What those two young mares in the bath proved her point. They jumped to the juiciest conclusion at even the slightest word that just about hinted at a more involved relationship between us two… I could not help but to chuckle, if they only knew the truth they would probably not giggle as much.
“You find this funny?” She all but bit out. Letting her calm act erode.
“No,” I said and cleared my throat.
She nodded, letting on a pleased smile.
“Then firstly, I need to teach you how to use that horn of yours…”
Author's Note
Bon apetite
“Then firstly, I need to teach you how to use that horn of yours.”
I startled. Images perpetrated my mind as my corrupted mind jumped at the subtle double entendre. Celestia lifted a questioning brow my way at my sudden reaction.
I coughed as my cheeks heated. The Innuendo seemed to have flown past Celestia, or it might simply be because what I saw as one was actually not.
“Sorry, I, um… How exactly?” I asked after my initial shock at the one sided innuendo. Certain things I shouldn’t have read… It was an interesting thought though. Was it simply a human perversion, or did ponies actually use the horn for more than just magic… That was going to be an awkward thing to find out, but damn I was curious.
“I do not know,” Celestia stated bluntly. “I have never taught a grown pony how to access her magic. Unicorn foals learn how to perform magic as it manifests within them from a young age. The skill simply is a fundamental part of a unicorn. There has never been a need to teach anypony how to access their magic.”
“Ah,” I eloquently summed up my feelings. I had never thought of that before. And really, how were you supposed to know how to? There obviously was more than just thinking involved, otherwise I would have definitely figured it out by now.
“So…” I swallowed to clear my throat, “what should I do?”
Celestia stared into my eyes and her horn lit up in a blue shimmering aura. Taken a bit back by the intense stare I shifted uncomfortably. After a moment Celestia frowned.
“You do not feel anything?” She asked, uncertain.
I thought for a second before I shook my head, equally uncertain. Not really sure what she meant, but I guessed it had something to do with whatever spell she was channelling. Something she must have been sure I would pick up on, or feel.
“Nothing, you sure?”
“Um… yes,” I nodded.
She extinguished her magic, a frown set onto her face. My magic was the obvious ‘what’ that she was trying to make me feel. Though it worried me, what she did obviously was meant to work, it probably did too. I just did not feel what she meant for me to feel.
Was my horn just for show? Was I only in the shape of an Alicorn, lacking the magic that made them so formidable and unique? I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the feathers of my wings brush against my sides. Without magic I would not even be able to fly!
“I do not understand you!”
I was snapped away from my internal thoughts at the scathing accusing tone in her voice. She had slammed her hooves down on the table and rose from her seat as if to launch herself at me, but stopped. Her weight pressed hard into the wood. Her golden shod hooves sunk deeply into the wood and with a thunderous crack splintered the table.
Ice shot through me, gripping it in fear as I flinched away from the glare she levelled against me. My ears flat against my head and ringing at the sudden assault to them.
The doors all around the room slammed open at once, dozens of armoured guards launching themselves inside, an attempt that was stopped before they even so much as took a step. Each door was engulfed in writhing cold blue flames and slammed shut with enough force to crack their frames. A cacophony of yelps and slamming metal from nearly a dozen ponies sounded as the thick oaken doors stopped them dead in mid stride. In a terrifying display of power the very stone making up the walls around the many doors into the room warped like clay and fused at the ends. The very air thrummed and distorted in an amalgam of wreathing waves of shimmering blue.
The fur on my body stood on end as the very air felt charged to the brim with static energy, a hairs breadth away from discharging.
Mutedly I could hear the muted thumps as the ponies outside tried to ram their way back inside.
The anger she had directed at me was a pittance to the snarl she was now displaying, the fact that her form was being so distorted by the magic in the air made it all the more terrifying. Her horn, no her entire body was aflame with her own magic, tinting her golden accessories pale and her multi-coloured mane and tail contorted violently. Her chest heaving.
As her attention finally returned to me, her sharp eyes soften a bit and, I would say almost sheepishly, she stepped off the remains of what had been a untarnished and expensive table. The Varnish cracked and almost boiling as it shifted with the ‘winds’ of magic that flowed through the room.
As suddenly as he magic had shown itself it vanished. The high concentration of magic power dissipating like smoke in the wind which seemed to seep out through the windows, the once smooth glass was now warped and misshapen; more than one pane had fallen out of its socket and shattered on the floor.
The silence was deafening.
I had not even realized how loudly much the magic had drowned out the ambient sounds. Distant shouts sounded through the rock and plaster that now blocked the doors.
With barely a whisper Celestia spoke.
“Ever since you have come, everything has fallen apart. My image is being torn apart, day by day. I have not gotten an hour to myself. My very guards,” she gestured absently towards one of the sealed doors, “do not trust my judgement anymore.
“Every gossip has only me and you on their tongues. My trusted servants have suddenly turned into matrons, guiding, manipulative, trying to interpose their beliefs upon me.
“All because of you and a poorly worded sentence of an old fool.”
She clenched her jaw. Chewing on her next set of words, studying me like she had ever since we first met.
“Worst of all, is no matter how much you look like a pony, what I want to believe, you throw wrenches into my plans. You look so much like us, you act so much like us that the very moment you prove, again, and again that you are not…”
She stopped speaking again, cutting herself off.
“You do not know how much doubt you have put on me.”
Stunned into silence and far from recovered from her sudden magical outburst, I processed her words. Her finishing words threw me into a loop. My thoughts immediately jumped to Twilight. I never thought that me revealing that she would actually succeed at what Celestia was hoping she would be able to do, would actually make Celestia doubt. I had turned what I hoped to be assurance into uncertainty.
I finally understood just what my presence had done, to her most of all. I thought I had at most stirred up some commotion, not put her millennial plan in the making in jeopardy. Distracting her from her quiet and routine life, from educating Twilight, from ruling the nation… No wonder why the mares in the bath was so sure in their beliefs. She had been distracted, out of synch from her usual self, and ponies knew it was mostly because of me, and jumped to conclusions. Conclusions I could not blame them for, ‘cause for most did not know the full picture. And because of how Celestia must have behaved, most likely without realizing, have given the rumours just that extra evidence it needed to spread out of control.
She simply had drawn the final and shortest straw of her patience and calm, letting her frustration out in one big, literal, explosion whose wake had destroyed the ancient dining hall. Not even the paintings had survived unscathed.
The power of an Alicorn was terrifying, I was glad it had not been directed at me.
“I… am sorry.” I managed to say after a prolonged silence.
The heaviness in the air lifted. Celestia smiled, seeing the gesture for what it was.
“And who gave you permission for planting your farm here?” Blueblood scowled as he stared at the young stallion farmer. A Pegasus of all things too! It boggled his mind, who told this featherbrain to take up farming of all things wasn’t too bright, that was for sure… Or drunk out of her mind, as she clearly failed to spot his wings.
But his problem was not with his race, but with the unlawful farm that he had erected under his cloud home. It happened to be his, not even by one of his landowners either but actually his personal land! Now he had no problem leasing out parts of it at times but that required ponies to actually come to him first.
“I don’t see a problem, there’s no one for miles around. I’m not intruding on any ones property now am I?”
The stallion hefted his body forward, wings unfurling slightly, making his already large frame larger. If anything Vladimir had to admit farm life had been good for him.
“Are you aware that the land you so… eloquently put it, is a national wildlife park, reserved for wildlife only.” That it was so only because he had not found any better use for it, went unsaid. After all it was out in the middle of nowhere. No earthpony in their right mind would move out here, were the winter laid so thick and cold that it would freeze even the wendigoes, and ground so acidic that nothing but wild shrubbery really took to it.
“All land is owned by the crown, which I will have you know I am personally responsible for, as every Blueblood before me has, and all landowners, or in your case potential land owners has to get permission from said owner of land. Not only have you chosen to settle without permission, you have not filed tax nor submitted any farmers tithe for the Royal Reserves. One would have you fined quite the substantial sum,” He sneered down at the now visibly cowed stallion, “A sum I do not think you could pay even if we took possession of everything you owned, now both failures would lead to five years of forced civil service, possession of all land, crop, and property, and then a long term fine that would see to it you never forget just what happens to those who do not give their dues.”
He felt incredibly irritated to have to travel all across Equestria, just to berate this young idiot, older than him without doubt, he himself was barely old enough to be taken seriously at his job while the Pagasus in front of him was well into his twenties. But not knowing the law was never a good excuse. And the far worse was that the stallion was probably only going to be put under a national loan and be mildly forced to pay back a years’ worth of taxes. His aunt was far too lenient in these matters. The farmer would just get listed as an official landowner, and have the land evaluated.
He eyed the frozen mire, a whole acre of land the stallion had cleared and fenced, and by his bank statement it had already yielded profit, meagre profit but after two years of working the ground it was a damn good accomplishment, especially considering they were thirty miles north of Vanhoover. Maybe a Pagasus was just what was needed to farm in this inhospitable place. It was clear to his eyes that his race’s magic had come in handy keeping the sky clear that the snow cover was a bare pittance compared to the surrounding countryside.
He scolded the Stallion a bit more, more to satiate his own frustration at being forced all the way out there into the cold, freezing landscape.
Blueblood returned to his team of Pegasus guards, still hitched to his chariot, with promises to send a team of inspectors at first chance he got. And they took off without ado.
Ever since his father died he had carried on the Blueblood business. Ever since the first Blueblood they had held the sole responsibility to manage Equestria’s land. A daunting task that he abhorred, even if he held an awful pride in it. Very few stallions, even ponies in general, could not have taken up his duties at the tender age of fourteen and been successful at it too. He was proud to have been able to keep and manage the Blueblood name.
He muttered quiet complaints the whole way back to Vanhoover. Burrowing his snout into his second scarf to shield himself from the freezing winds. As soon as he could he leapt off the chariot, cursing loudly this time as his hooves splashed icy snow slush up his coat, he quickly bounded into his hotel.
His mood firmly fouled he shook off his scarf and flicked it at a standing valet and shook his hooves clean, paying little mind that the cold dirty slush sprayed over the valet. His yelping protests firmly ignored.
His head held high and firmly set onto his goal, the hotel’s restaurant lounge, he trotted off. A casual flick at the grand clock above the receptions desk told him it was well past two o’clock. Mere minutes before the sun would set. Not only was Vanhoover especially cold this season, but the sun set way too early for his liking, leaving the place depressingly dark. He did not understand how anypony could stand living here. It was a dreary place, the days were quiet and the nights even more so; there was nothing Vanhoover could offer that Canterlot, even Baltimare had more to offer on the entertainment side than this town.
Sitting down he waved down a waitress to serve him some pear juice, the regions speciality, pears that is. Whatever he had to say about Earthpony clans then it was where they went the economy flourished, at least if they were of a decent sort. Most clans had long since fallen apart or become but shadows of their former selves as time passed by.
He snorted derisively. What use was a reputation if you did not use it properly? Wasted effort, something Earthponies was good at, not every Earthpony of course, he knew more than a hoofful of quite upstanding citizens, even a few aristocrats on level even with his name, unusual an occurrence as it was.
“Here you go, sir,” the young mare waitress, earthpony, rose colours, not too bad on the eye, no beauty but attractive nonetheless. She put the cold beverage on his table with a smile, “One glass of pear juice and here is todays newspaper!”
Vladimir arched an eyebrow at the proffered paper. Wondering silently as to why she offered it, but he shrugged. Must be local custom, all sorts of archaic traditions lived on all over Equestria, and being well travelled he wasn’t too unaccustomed to it, but newspaper was a new one for him… or perhaps, he thought, it was because of his age. Maybe he looked old enough to appreciate them now or something along those lines?
He took the folded paper with his magic and unfolded it, making an appearance that he had expected it. The servant went away and he relaxed and took a sip of his juice. That is until his eyes slid over the headline:
Turmoil At The Royal Palace!
Followed by a picture of what he knew at a glance to be the dining room. Slowly he set his glass down. At least it had been the dining room, what he saw was barely recognizable as the whole room was destroyed, warped into disfigured shapes, even the windowsills, most of the glass was gone and what was left would barely been see-through.
What in great aunt’s name…
Stunned he leafed to the articles page and read:
Late afternoon yesterday in an unforeseen incident Princess Celestia reportedly attacked her guards when they came investigating a weird sound from her private dining room. As one anonymous guard told us:
“We’d been posted outside to guard the doors in extra numbers this evening, told to be extra careful from the captain himself. And after a while we heard something from inside and we went inside, I saw her for but a glimpse, for that was all the time we had. I saw Celestia herself her hooves on the table, and red in the face before she slammed the door in our faces.”
As can be seen in the picture to the right she did more than shut the doors. We have sources that claim that she was not alone in that room, as she was in the company of…
Stunned Blueblood lowered the article. It went on to reiterate and speculate around the damned rumour Spin Talk of all ponies had spread, rumours that would take on a whole new life now. He knew it that the mare was behind this article as well, as he could feel the tabloid style of opportunistic sensationalism oose from the very first sentence. Heck the way the guard had been quoted could be…
His eyes widened as he realized just what the article insinuated! But he had made sure the very first day hadn’t he? But then again, the palace was large, with a lot of spare rooms…
No, no! He could not afford to entertain this, the implications were terrible, frightening even, and more than a little disturbing to him.
He had to speak to Celestia, if anypony she would be able to explain all this. This was a disaster, what would ponies say now, to him?
With his thoughts occupied he ignored curious faces as he ate a quick dinner before retiring to his suite. It took him a long into the night before he found sleep.
She felt like burning up, her cheeks, her ears, no her entire head burned in her embarrassment. It had been close to a thousand years since she had lost control like that. But worst of her feelings came from having been witnessed, not only by the pony stallion behind her, but over a dozen of her guard as well, when she finally let all the weeks pent up frustration and anger loose.
Charging her horn she undid some of the damage she had done to her private dining room. She spared a look of regret towards some of the paintings on the walls. Gifts from long dead friends, and some from priced artists through the millennia. All now ruined and would never be the same even if she would have them restored.
Boris stood proud and tall behind her, a farce much like her own rigid form. Some of her anger had been mollified by his simple little apology. It had at least calmed her down enough to think clearly. At which she decided their meeting was at an end.
She had a pony she wanted to meet, and wring some answers from.
Their path cleared she pushed the doors open, one of the doors had popped out of the mortar and stone and was dragging across the floor, bunching up the carpet and wrung it to a stop. Brass armoured ponies shot to attention into a quick at ready position. Their lamelled armour scrambled nosily. They looked ready to pounce.
“Stand down,” some of her anger resurfaced. Her anger was not directed at them, she knew they were only acting upon orders, orders from Shimmer Shield. Why was it that all of her anger, frustration, and mounting irrationality was all because of him and his overbearing protectiveness. It was as if he forgot just who was the elder and without a doubt the wiser of the two. She knew without a doubt that his actions was only meant to help and protect her, but his mounting opposition to her way of handling Boris was becoming too bold. Ever since Boris arrived every old servant brave enough to speak to her had only him on their tongues. Do this do that! Think of the opportunity! Take advantage! But worse was those who took to trying to manipulate her.
Sweet Mane and Shimmer Shield was the culprits of that. Sweet Mane’s well-meaning advices sought to endear her towards Boris, to forget circumstance, duty and honour. Sweet Mane was surely not the first throughout her long life that had tried to find her a partner for either this or that, but never like this. And Shimmer Shield simply wanted to dictate what she should and should not do. And this latest betrayal of trust was her last straw.
She had placed two guards, Boris’ own assigned guards, simply as a reminder, a peak to the Alicorn that he was not and never was truly alone. A subtle reminder of his position. They were not there to protect her, she did not need the protection of her guards, but more over she wanted to project an air of trust towards Boris. An Image now ruined thanks to one stubborn fool!
“Take him to his room,” the two assigned guards jumped into action and closed formation behind Boris who at her words was already on his way away.
“You,” she pointed at a pony who startled at her attention, “bring food to his quarters. You where is Shimmer Shield?”
“In the barracks my Majesty,” the stallion answered with a hurried bow. She nodded at the guard before turning to the rest.
“The rest of you back to your duties.”
To her chagrin her tone must have slipped as the diminutive forms of her guards all but ran away. Maybe it was also thanks to her previous display that quickened their steps.
Putting it behind her she made her way down to the barracks in the lower part of the palace.
And waiting on her was none other than Shimmer Shield.
The old stallion looked uncomfortable where he stood struggling not to shift in discomfort under her stare. The fact that he was cowering before her told her exactly what he thought about what he had done. But that he still was able to stand there and confront her for his choices against her told her he was expecting her. And she knew precisely what anger filled shouts and reprimands would do. But she had one thing going for her, and that was Shimmers devotion towards her. She wanted him to hurt, and she knew precisely how.
She remained there just looking at him, letting her disappointment in him flood from her before she quietly walked away.
She paused for a moment when she heard the door swing shut. It let her know she had succeeded.
That had been… unexpected.
I sat in my room, bowl of porridge empty on the desk beside me. A dictionary and a children’s book lay open before me. The moon shining brightly outside, Nightmare Moon’s visage splayed on its surface, deep and imposing.
Celestia was a bit more affected by my presence, and all that it entailed, than she had previously led on. Sure I knew she was not happy about the rumours but she had appeared to not be that affected by it.
Thinking about everything, I could imagine just how it must feel. I had only met a few handful of ponies and only had one meaningful conversation, and it had been about me, or rather what my presence could possibly do. Do for both me and Celestia.
It gave me an idea of how lonely the princess really was. Sweet Mane did not come out to me to be someone to spout nonsense, especially to just anyone. It was obvious to me that she meant well, and she had over, probably, several years in her monarchs presence noticed certain things that not many would. I knew in my foreknowledge that Celestia was heartbroken at her actions against her sister, Luna.
Luna was probably the only pony Celestia could fully relate to and when she was gone, who else had she?
It stood to reason Celestia forged many friendships throughout her long reign, but none that would last. Immortality was a cruel in such way. You were doomed to see everything change around you, faces coming and going until everything even in memory became a blur. Surely she could not have remembered them all, and it must weight on her; as far as I understood the princess it would be a thing that would.
How many friends did she have until she simply stopped getting to know ponies in a worthwhile way? Did she even bother making friendships with normal ponies anymore? Could it be that she long ago assumed the role of observer, putting up walls and distancing herself?
It seemed to me that her good moods and friendly dispositions were for the most part facades. A mask to show, and make others around her comfortable. Ones often used to hide her real thoughts and feelings. And I just so happened to drop into her world, disturbing her daily life. Shunting it off track from her carefully laid out plans to subjugating the darkness in her sister.
How much time was left until Nightmare Moon was freed?
I took my eyes from the bright moon and returned them to the books. The tale was about an earth pony dreaming to fly. I had not actually not managed to translate even the first sentence of it, and what little I knew about it was from looking at the pictures that went with it. The pictures was in a very reminiscent style to the animation from when Twilight read it at the start of the Friendship is Magic series. Maybe it was the same book?
I sighed and closed the book. My mind was not into it; I could not concentrate on the task long enough to do the arduous task.
My mind could not release the image of the snarling princess.
I climbed up onto the bed, not bothering with the covers as I folded my legs under me. Taking a few tries before I got it right and made myself comfortable. I laid my head down staring at the moon. My mind swirling with today’s events, wondering what I could have done better. But in time sleep took me with far more ease than I feared.
Author's Note
Short but I felt it was a good cut off for the chapter.
And I think a smaller but more often realeases are prefered to larger slow releases.
