Heartstrings and Bronze Gearsby Optimistic PessimistChaptersMid-Summers DayIn the Office of the Royal EngineerThe Genius that is AldousWhat do you Mean?Behind the Castle WallsNopeMid-Summers Day"It was far too soon for her to go." Aldous Heartstrings, renowned mechanical genius, stood in front of a small crowd. His coat was a glittering shade of bronze and his eyes the deep gold of the sun. He wore a single monocle on his right eye, and he was dressed in black, despite it being the middle of summer. No one wore black in the middle of the summer, but he had more then good reason to. His daughter had passed away. Lyra Heartstrings, his daughter, was a joyful unicorn, gifted with music and laughter. Aldous loved her dearly, unlike any father loved a child. His wife died giving birth, so Lyra never knew her. Eileena , a unicorn like Aldous, was a lovely mare. Loving and more caring then any mare Aldous had ever seen. He was so happy when they had Lyra, but losing her had nearly killed Aldous. Lyra Heartstrings neither asked nor seemed to notice that her mother was never there. Maybe it was Aldous who kept it from her, or maybe she simply was to happy with her life to be upset about it. Aldous, being the brilliant machine maker he was, had made all sorts of toys for Lyra. She was happy with the toy cars and rolling balls that spewed steam from their metal frame work. But Lyra was more interested in Aldous's music boxes. He made few of the musical things. But what few he made, Lyra had treasured. Aldous knew that Lyra was musically inclined when she began to sing with the voice of an angel. Her voice could make the greatest singers in all of Equestria envious. Aldous thought, what better gift for an angel then a harp? So for Lyra's sixth birthday, he made her a harp. A beautiful brass harp, which echoed like the royal chambers. Lyra was entranced, and with near perfect ease, mastered it. From that point on, Lyra had on her flank, the image of a lyre. Aldous was happy, for Lyra was happy. But, being the Royal engineer, he was only with his daughter for so long. Lyra knew he had a job, but she could not help but begin to feel alone. Despite Lyra begin surrounded by wonderful friends, nothing can ever truly replace family. Lyra missed her father, as Aldous missed his daughter. One day, Aldous came home after three days of work to find her daughter lying in her bed, burning with fever. When the Doctor came by, Lyra was already half gone. The diagnosis a minute late. Fever of Depression. Fatal to most unicorns. And now Lyra was gone. Aldous could do nothing as he stood by his daughters coffin. He could only sit and cry, maybe. And then he'd have to leave her. "It was far too soon for her to go. She was a brilliant sunbeam in the midst of a thunder storm, defying the darkness and fear that came with it. Joy, in the middle of sorrow. Assurance, in times of stress. Love, when I needed comfort. She has stood by me, even when I couldn't do the same." Aldous paused. He sighed as a tear came to his eye. "Now I look back and see, if only I were there for a second longer, she might still be with me. We will miss you, Lyra Heartstrings. I will miss you, and my world will be as cold as the bronze I weld in my works." ~~~~ Aldous opened the front door to his abode. It was quiet, nearing the edge of disturbing. Aldous hung his coat on the oak wood coat hanger. The door shined a bronze gold and shut behind him. He walked slowly up the steps to his workshop. With a push of a button, the room lit up to reveal an expanse cluttered with papers and models. Aldous picked his steps carefully around blueprints and tools. He turned around a stack of papers and sat at his desk. He looked around when a small envelope caught his eye. He lifted it with his magic. It was addressed to him. He opened it and read the parchment inside. Dad, I know you might not see this, with you being so busy and all. I just wanted to let you that your daughter misses you. You spend so much time away from home sometimes I wonder if you had died sometimes. Like Mom. Please, if you ever see this, leave a letter on my desk. You remember where it is, right? Aldous sat there for a while. Tears welled in his eyes as he came to realize what he had already known. He had killed his own daughter. Aldous let the paper fall and began to sob. He was blessed and cursed with his wealth of knowledge. Everything he could ever want, he had. Except that which he wanted most. A family. Aldous slowly walked back through the mess he called his workplace. He ignored the crunch of metal and the rips of paper. He could always remake them. Down the steps he went, and through the kitchen he went. A half eaten sandwich laid upon the table. Aldous turned away and focused at his destination. His daughters room. It was as if he had walked into the workplace of the Princess herself. Everything was as orderly as it could be. Everything was where it was supposed to be. If only he had the organizing skill of his daughter. The harp he had made her sat in a corner, the color worn with use. Aldous walked up to it. He plucked a string and listened to it as it resonated. Aldous turned to Lyras' desk. It was completely organized. Right down to which angle the pen laid down. Aldous was proud of her perfectionism. She was the only one he saw who could accomplish such perfection. He recognized a small bronze box on her desk. It sat perfectly in the center, in the clear space. Slowly, Aldous pressed a small button on the top. He waited as gears could be heard clinking and hissing. Slowly, a soft song played throughout the room. Aldous listened as the music began to drown out the clinking. It was Lyras' favorite. The one he had made her. His head fell onto her desk as he realized he would never see her again. He sobbed his heart out. He felt... No... He was as lonely as his daughter was. Perhaps even more so. In the Office of the Royal EngineerAldous walked slowly up to his workplace in Canterlot. He looked around the hallway. The royal purple hung from drapes spread across the ceiling. Stained glass windows depicted the famous Elements of Harmony as they defeated the greatest foes Equestria had ever known. He sighed as he turned the corner. He looked to the left to see a door. Emblazoned on the front was a pair of meshed bronze gears surrounded by mechanical wings. His insignia, which he designed himself. Slowly, he opened the door. He was ashamed to admit it, but his workplace in Canterlot was just as cluttered, if not even more cluttered than his workplace at his abode. He had taken advantage of the height of the room. The heights that his stacks of parchment reached rivaled the size of the stained glass windows outside. But, thankfully, he had an assistant that came in once a week. He always looked forward to it. She wasn't the most experienced in her field, but she was definitely one of the better ones. Today was one of those days. He smiled as a purple unicorn poked her head around a stack of paper. "Aldous, I know you're the Royal Engineer and all. But honestly, your organizing skills could use a little help." Aldous sighed. "I understand that, Twilight Sparkle, and that is why I appreciate every single one of your visits." Aldous watched the room light up with purple magic. Twilight Sparkle quickly scanned through all the papers, organizing them by type and date. "I'm going to leave the blueprints immediately to the right of your desk. The concept art to the right. They should be coupled by date and idea." Twilight sighed as she began to uncover various wooden models under the paper. "Aldous, I highly recommend getting a drawer or some type or organizing tool. This is getting to be a hassle." Aldous chuckled when the last slip of paper slid into place. "Twilight. I'm the Royal Engineer! Do you really believe I have time for that?" Twilight shook her head. "No, but it would definitely help." Aldous smiled. "Here, Twilight. One hundred bits. Get as much as you think I need." Hesitantly, Twilight took the heavy bag and left. Aldous looked around the now neatly organized room. He used his magic to lift his latest project off the far reached of the blueprint pile. Aldous smiled as he looked it over. Many of his inventions were already available for public use. But no pony could use them. They were simply far too expensive. For this problem, he had devised a mold, something to make smelting much quicker. He looked at the sample model and frowned. It was a mold for a small figurine. One of his simpler metal works. It was a small unicorn, prancing in the fields, happy as could be. Aldous turned away as he felt tears come to his eyes. He dropped the mold and print aside and pulled down the next concept. It was a small cube, with a speaker and a small light display. The blueprint read 'A friend indeed.' It was supposed to be a small contraption designed to respond in a friendly manner. Aldous sighed again. He looked around the floor at his other models. He suddenly realized they were the result of his loneliness thinking. Aldous was grateful that the doors were closed. The guards out roaming the halls could not hear him as he quietly began to sob. "Aldous?" The engineer suddenly looked up. Twilight Sparkle had suddenly appeared in the room. She had with her several boxes for organizing and a noticeably lighter bag. Aldous sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. "Thank you, Twilight. Help me sort this out, will you?" Twilight nodded. Aldous slowly sorted through the stacks of paper, putting the models and parchments together for Twilight to store. As they worked, Twilight couldn't help but to notice Aldous was getting lost in his thoughts. After a while, he was just handing papers to Twilight. When she looked over, Aldous was staring silently at the model mold he had made. Twilight stopped. "What is that you're holding, Aldous?" The engineer turned around. "It's an idea of mine. A mold to better and more efficiently make things." Twilight took the mold for herself. She examined it. "It looks rather... simple." Aldous smiled. "That's because that mold is for something simple." Aldous walked through a partially cleaned mess over to his table. He picked something up and handed it to Twilight. It was a statue of a small unicorn. Pure bronze, shining with care and attention. Twilight examined it. None of Aldous more remarkable experiments were kept in such a perfect condition. Twilight Sparkle suddenly heard music. She turned to find Aldous holding up a small box. It was a little bigger than his hoof, roughly the size of the statue Twilight was holding. Aldous watched it intently as the cover lifted off and a small figurine ascended into view. It was a statue of a small green unicorn, poised in a graceful dance. Twilight recognized the figure as Lyra Heartstrings. She had attended her funeral just the other day. Twilight stood there, listening to the music box with Aldous. Twilight could hear him quietly crying to himself. Silently, Twilight lifted the papers at his hooves away as tears fell onto the marble floor. She set the bronze statue down onto the floor and walked over to the crying stallion. Aldous did not appear to notice as she put his hoof around him. "I don't know how you feel Aldous. I can only imagine." She knew Lyra as a friend, not as a daughter. She felt pain too, but in her heart she knew it could not compare to how Aldous was feeling. Twilight picked up a handkerchief and wiped Aldous' eyes. "I was crushed when my wife died." Aldous sniffed as he stood unmoving, his gaze never leaving the spinning statue of his daughter. "Eileena was the perfect wife. Loving, kind, generous. I had never known joy like her." Aldous shuddered and closed his eyes. "Lyra was an angel from the heavens. Her voice, her character, her mind. She was perfect." Twilight wiped another tear. "And now she's gone. If only I'd been there for her..." "If only for a minute longer... Maybe even a second... I would still have her..." Suddenly a knock was heard upon the door. Aldous and Twilight turned to see a gray pegasus mare with crossed eyes. "Oh, uh... Sorry. Am I interrupting anything?" Aldous wiped his eyes on his sleeve and took a deep breath. "No, not at all Ditzy. Please, come in." The pegasus walked in and trip over a small stack of papers. "Oops." The Pegasus got up and took a small parchment from her bag. She held it onto the floor and began to read. Mr. Heartstrings, We are aware that you are currently working on a faster mode of transport. Something called a 'bullet train?' We would be grateful if you would take an advantage of an old train system between Manehatten and Las Pegasus. The current engine can hardly carry its passengers, and it still runs on coal. If your new train is successful, we will pay you half of the money earned on its' maiden voyage. The sooner the better. There is absolutely no telling when that old train will crash. With all respect, The Train Drivers of Manehatten Ditzy picked up the letter and gave it to Aldous. "Where are you're plans for this train?" Adlous took the letter and set it onto his desk. "Don't worry about it Ditzy. I'll get it done soon enough." Aldous smiled warmly at the mailmare as she turned to leave. Ditzy stopped just before she left. "What's that?" Ditzy pointed to Aldous' model for the 'Friend Indeed.' Aldous looked down. "Ditzy, that's my model for a 'friend indeed.' Why do you ask?" Ditzy picked it up and hugged it. "Because it's absolutely adorable! Can I keep it?" Aldous was surprised for a moment. "Um... sure? You can have it Ditzy." She gasped. "Thanks, Aldous sir!" Ditzy scooped it up and left, cuddling the small cube. Aldous chuckled. "I'm not sure whether she's aware that it's not even a finished product." But that got him thinking. What if...? The Genius that is AldousAldous opened the door to his less than humble abode. He quickly dropped his bags and rushed up the stairs to his workplace. With a flourish, a desk was revealed under piles of plans and ideas. Adlous lifted a pencil and a paper up from his cabinet. Quickly, his horn lit up with a golden bronze as his pencil flew across paper. He worked quickly, for he knew an idea must be caught on paper before it can fly away like a passing butterfly. A few minutes passed, and the paper was filled. With a sigh of satisfaction, he sat back and looked back to his work. It wasn't anything as fancy as a blueprint of a model, but it was a concept. It was a start. ~~~~ Aldous looked up to the a great building in front of him. It was large and long, glistening with the shine of brass. Aldous always came here whenever he had an idea he was comfortable with. He had taken a liking to the place. The singing steam pipes and the clinking gears always lifted his spirits. He opened the door and took a step in. A brown unicorn turned her head. "Oh! Hello Aldous. Here with another invention?" Aldous chuckled. "I still find it hard you can hear the bell on your door, Epona." Epona just shrugged. "I'm used to it. So! What d'ya need?" Aldous pulled out the plans he had put together the night before and showed it to her. Epona looked the plans over and narrowed her eyes. "Wow." Epona chuckled. "You're pushing me, Aldous. I've never seen anything like this from you. I've never seen anything like this period. You do realize I'm still working on your train engine and body?" Aldous nodded. "Yes, I am aware of that. By the way, how is that project going?" Epona smiled and shook her head. "Follow me." Epona led Aldous past the assembly lines of countless products. Aldous looked over to see a statue of the legendary Commander Hurricane of Pre-Equestria. Aldous smiled as he thought about his wondrous inventions such as the shovel, which proved to be a very versatile tool. Epona turned the corner and opened the door. Aldous followed her out of the factory and towards the mountainside. He could see a small, short train track winding around and through the mountain side. Epona walked up to the platform near the train and pulled a few levers. Aldous smiled as he heard the hissing of a train come around the mountain. Epona came back with a few papers as the sleek bronze train pulled up to the makeshift station. She held up the papers to the train. "You like it? I tried to fit the engine into the train design. Turns out I can't do it without having the engine occupying the entire first car. It might not run as many ponies as you want." Aldous looked at the papers Epona was holding. They were his, so he could tell what he wanted where. He stroked his chin for a moment. Epona had definitely made changes to it. They were minor, but often times the minor things can make the biggest difference. Aldous pointed a scratched out pipe. "Did you include this?" Epona looked over. "No, I didn't. It would've made the engine too bulky for even the first car." Aldous looked back over everything else. "And you included everything attached to it?" Epona nodded. "Yeah, why?" Aldous chuckled. "That pipe was for the cooling device. I designed it so that it wouldn't melt half way to its destination." Epona took the plans and looked it over again. "OOoohhhh! That's what it was for! WOW." Epona trotted back to the engine and opened a panel in the side of the frame. "That's probably why the engineer was complaining about a burning hot floor." With a small grunt of effort, the engine detached itself from the train and was placed on a nearby cart. Epona sighed. "Now I'm gonna have to rework the engine. Not to mention remake the entire train frame." She began to push it back to the factory. "Ho boy." Aldous watched as Epona pushed the engine back into the factory. He took one final look at the sleek train body before catching up with her. "So tell me, approximately how fast can it go at optimum speed? It's fast, I know, but exactly how fast?" Epona pushed the engine into a large room. "It can go roughly ninety mph running horizontally, eighty mph going up hill, and a hundred downhill. Turning corners are a bit dangerous, so we can either slow the train down on a turn or angle the tracks." Aldous nodded. "And when factoring the weight of passengers...?" Epona attached a bit of pipe to a small container within the engine. "Factoring a standard capacity of ten cars, it can go seventy five mph horizontally, sixty five uphill, and ninety downhill. For the safety of the passengers of course." "Enough to go to Ponyville and back in a few minutes." Epona nodded. "A neighborhoods worth in roughly ten minutes." Aldous sighed. "What's wrong, Aldous? Did you want it to go faster?" He waved his hoof. "No, that's not it." Epona looked at the plans for the train. "If it's not the train, then..." Epona suddenly took out the plans he had given her earlier. "Oh... my..." Epona ran her hoof along the edge of the design. "It looks just like..." She paused and looked over to Aldous. "Your daughter." Epona simply watched as Aldous took the plans away from her and sat down. Aldous looked over the plans, running his hoof along the projected face of the robot. He sighed. Epona looked over his shoulder. "You know, it looks simple to me. I'm guessing I can get it done within a week or so." Aldous looked up to Epona and smiled. "If only it were so easy to heal a broken heart." He stood up and cleared his throat. "Please, this a secret. I want the finished product delivered to my study. You know where it is, yes?" Epona nodded. "Oh, and please Epona, take your time. It may look simple, but its supposed to incorporate something that's not mechanical." Epona looked through the plans again. The pages after the first were more detailed. "I'll be right on it, Aldous! Right after the train." Aldous smiled. "Thank you, Epona. Now if you'll excuse me," He walked to the door. "I have some royal duties to attend to." Epona waved. "Don't worry! I'll be done with it quick as a flash!" Aldous chuckled as the door closed behind him. Epona took a second look through the plans. She held them up as she levitated paper and pencil to her. As she looked through the plans, the pencil scribbled down foot notes and small diagrams. "Wow. Um...I..." She had already understood the plans through and through. But it looked as if the robot was not designed to operate on its' own. It was designed to be operated. "But all the controls are in that tiny little place. What little thing could fit in there and control the machine?" What do you Mean?"Not in Ponyville EITHER?" Prince Blueblood is normally very controlled, but to be honest with you, he is a bit spoiled. Just a little bit. The Royal Guards had come back from their visit to Ponyville. And again they were not able to find a suitable mare for him. Either the guards had really high standards or the mares of Equestria were really rotten. "Are the mares really that bad?" The Royal Guard was shifting his eyes back and forth. It is kind of difficult to keep your posture when your job is on the line. "Two-thirds of Equestrias' population is female. You mean to tell me out of all those mares not one of them are worthy?" The Guard was sweating under his armor. "Well... Your majesty..." The guard started. "It's not so much they are not worthy..." BlueBlood glared. "It's more that they are not worthy enough." The Prince stopped. "What do you mean by that?" The Royal Guard didn't respond. BlueBlood sighed. "Give me your personal opinion. I promise I will not tell the commander." That seemed to loosen the tension. "A mare, above all, needs to be loyal and trustworthy." The Prince rolled his eyes. "I've heard this speech before. Did you find anyone like that?" The guard simply shrugged. "Those are Elements of Harmony. So by default there were two candidates." The Prince just kept on glaring. "and who were they?" "They went by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the Element of Honesty and Loyalty, respectively." Prince Blueblood gave a disappointed look. "And what,exactly was wrong with them?" "Well, Rainbow Dash is a Pegasus. She seems incapable of staying still and by the looks of it, could not appreciate a life like yours, what with the important tasks that are given to you." The Prince nodded. "Yes that would make sense..." "And the other one, Applejack, works on a farm for her own business. Not only does she participate in the physical labour of harvesting apples, she seems to enjoy things that are considered uncouth by Canterlot standards." "For example...?" "Manually creating jam by repeatedly tramping on it." The Prince grimaced. "Don't her clothes get stained like that?". The guard raised an eyebrow. "The ponies in Ponyville don't normally wear clothes." The Prince grimaced again. "Oh, right. Well, at least you tried." Prince Blueblood cleared his throat. "Where is the next visit?" "In about a week or so, the Princess will travel to Manehatten. I'm sure you've heard of it." The Prince nodded. Many of his finest tailors were trained in Manehatten. He could also never escape their gossip. "The ponies there are very polite and fancy. But they can act a little spoiled. Especially the mares." The Prince laughed. "If I were anyone else, I'd call myself spoiled!" He leaned in close. "Seriously though, please try to get someone this time. The anticipation is killing me." The Royal guard nodded and walked away. Behind the Castle WallsWhat had gone wrong? Prince Blueblood, A pure white unicorn with blonde mane and blue eyes paced back and forth in his royal chamber. He had much room to pace in. His chamber was the size of an living space. Royal purple curtains were draped over his bed, and carpets bought from the most professional artists laid about the room. A single column carved with beautifully placed designs was placed in the center of the expanse. Prince Blueblood was occupied. It was about something that happened about two days ago. The Grand Galloping Gala. Well, it wasn't the Gala itself... It was who he met during the Gala. You see, he had met a charming young mare by the name of Rarity. She was by far, the best dressed out of all the mares at the Gala. He saw her while she was flustering back in the Royal Gardens. She seemed really nervous about meeting him. Who wouldn't be nervous around royalty? But to be honest, he was also a bit nervous. Only the slightest bit, mind you. He had wondered what kind of impression he would leave on her. He looked back, and suddenly the rich and entitled look didn't quite leave such a good image on her. Prince Blueblood remembered her screaming at him. "You, sir, are the most uncharming prince I have ever met! Seems like the only thing royal about you is that you are a royal pain!" He thought back to his stupid response, and he shook his head. "Uh, stay back! I just had myself groomed!" And then he remembered he would not get a mare upset again. "Afraid to get dirty?!" And that was when all hay broke loose. Rarity was either ignorant of his pleas or unable to reason in her rage, but she decided to get cake all over the Prince. He accidentally, I repeat, accidentally, fell over onto a golden statue. Which of course, somepony tried to be a hero and ended up breaking it into five pieces. To make it worse, a crazed pegasus barged into the ballroom with something like a battle cry. "You're, going to LOVE ME!" The Prince had been able to escape from the chaos that unfolded in the ballroom. He had dubbed it officially his worst night ever. But still, things could have went better with that mare. If only that pink one hadn't launched the cake into their direction... No. With the way he was acting, he'd be surprised if he ever saw her again. Prince Blueblood walked over and laid down on his bed. He was still single. His royal life and duties had prevented from meeting any beautiful, respectable mares. Even with all the luxuries of wealth, he was still missing a love life, which, in his eyes, was pretty pathetic. He suddenly felt very lonely. Yes, he definitely needed a mare in his life, even if it cost him some of his luxuries. He called out for a royal guard. A golden armored pegasus flew down to his chamber. "You called, your highness?" Prince Blueblood nodded. "I need to make a request." The guard remained, his face unmoved. "A request, your highness?" The Prince glared at the guard. "What are you trying to imply?" The guards' face twitched. "Nothing, your highness. Continue." The Prince cleared his throat. "I am aware that the Princess makes frequent trips outside of the castle. I am also aware that some of you pegasus guards accompany her in case of any sudden attack, am I correct?" The guard nodded. "Well, my request is simple. I'm sure you're already doing it behind that poker face of yours." "All I ask is that whenever you leave the castle, you must, along with your job of guarding the princess, to seek out a young and respectable mare. If you should meet such a mare, present them with an opportunity to meet me. If they should say no, then leave them be." The guard listened intently. "However, should the mare say yes, you must bring them to me by any means necessary. I don't care how you bring them here. So long as the mare is comfortable and happy on her way. You remember what I just said, right?" The guard nodded. The Prince rubbed his chin. "Prove to me that you heard me." The guard spoke quickly. "Your highness has told me to seek out a suitable mare for you whilst guarding the Princess. If I should meet such a mare, I must grant them a chance to meet your highness. If the mare should decline, I will leave them be. If the mare should accept, I must retrieve her in the most efficient and comfortable way possible, back to you." Prince Blueblood smiled. "Precisely. You guards amaze me sometimes. But before you leave..." The guard hadn't even moved yet. The Prince made a mental note to compliment their trainer. "The Princess must never know of this. Should she find out, I will personally organize a week in the dungeon for you." The guard nodded. The Prince smiled. "You may leave. Relay the message to your colleagues." The guard nodded and flew down the hall. The Prince smiled contently. Considering how often the Princess went out, he was bound to find a mare walking into his room soon. In fact, he distinctly remembered that the Princess was making a small visit to Las Pegasus the day after. He had heard rumors that the mares there settle for anypony. "I need only wait." The Prince smiled as he took off his collar and laid on his bed to get some welcome sleep. NopePrince Blueblood sat there waiting for the return of the Princess. He was worried that he had already missed it, seeing as how he was so busy with his Royal Duties. He looked out the window and sighed in relief. Unless there was a special occasion, the Princess would usually come back to Canterlot to lower the sun. The sound of blaring horns caught his attention. "Ah! There's the Princess!" Prince Blueblood sat and waited when, just as he predicted, the Princess came in. "Hello, Blueblood? How has my favorite nephew been?" Blueblood chuckled. "I'm your only nephew. But, I'm fine, the same old Royal Duties." The Princess smiled as she turned to leave. "Well, I have to leave. I'm a little late for the sunset, and I always loved the sunset." Prince Blueblood sighed as she left. "Your highness?" The Prince turned back to the door. He raised an eyebrow at the guard. "And you are...?" The guard didn't make any expression. "The same guard from yesterday, your highness." The Prince laughed. "I'm sorry! It's just that you guards all look exactly the same! It's like you're all twins or something!" The guard didn't respond and waited for the Prince to calm down. "I'm sorry, it's just... " The Prince cleared his throat. "Now, addressing the task I gave you?" The guard shook his head. "I was unable to find a suitable mare for you." The Prince tensed. "You were...unable... to find a suitable mare?" He got off the bed. "Well, why not?" The guard retained his steel face despite obvious frustration on the royalty's' face. "The mares there were too, well..." The Prince scowled. "Well what?" The Guard looked to the floor and sighed. He looked back up. "The mares there were too willing. The only mares I've seen were in relationships for money, not for love." The Prince was confused. "What was the Princess doing there?" The guard looked down the hallway. "I'm not entirely sure. She simply said to wait outside the owners room." The Prince looked down to the floor and sighed. "Well, at least you have a good eye." The Prince could have sworn he saw a smile flutter across the guards' face. "Now, onto the next visit. Do you know where Celestia's going next?" The guard nodded. "She's visiting her student in Ponyville. The home of the Elements of Harmony." The Prince nodded. He'd heard of the place before, but he had never been there. "Tell me, what are the ponies like there?" "They're a well mannered bunch. Kind, caring, and respectful. The population is small, so everypony knows each other by name. Although, the strangest things happen there." The Prince smiled. "Yes, that ought to be a desirable place. And when are you all going?" The guard looked back down the hall. "The trip is assigned for next week. The Princess is doing a casual get together with the Elements of Harmony. We will probably have plenty opportunity to search." "Excellent! Make sure you find me a mare!" The guard nodded and flew back down the hall.
Mid-Summers Day"It was far too soon for her to go." Aldous Heartstrings, renowned mechanical genius, stood in front of a small crowd. His coat was a glittering shade of bronze and his eyes the deep gold of the sun. He wore a single monocle on his right eye, and he was dressed in black, despite it being the middle of summer. No one wore black in the middle of the summer, but he had more then good reason to. His daughter had passed away. Lyra Heartstrings, his daughter, was a joyful unicorn, gifted with music and laughter. Aldous loved her dearly, unlike any father loved a child. His wife died giving birth, so Lyra never knew her. Eileena , a unicorn like Aldous, was a lovely mare. Loving and more caring then any mare Aldous had ever seen. He was so happy when they had Lyra, but losing her had nearly killed Aldous. Lyra Heartstrings neither asked nor seemed to notice that her mother was never there. Maybe it was Aldous who kept it from her, or maybe she simply was to happy with her life to be upset about it. Aldous, being the brilliant machine maker he was, had made all sorts of toys for Lyra. She was happy with the toy cars and rolling balls that spewed steam from their metal frame work. But Lyra was more interested in Aldous's music boxes. He made few of the musical things. But what few he made, Lyra had treasured. Aldous knew that Lyra was musically inclined when she began to sing with the voice of an angel. Her voice could make the greatest singers in all of Equestria envious. Aldous thought, what better gift for an angel then a harp? So for Lyra's sixth birthday, he made her a harp. A beautiful brass harp, which echoed like the royal chambers. Lyra was entranced, and with near perfect ease, mastered it. From that point on, Lyra had on her flank, the image of a lyre. Aldous was happy, for Lyra was happy. But, being the Royal engineer, he was only with his daughter for so long. Lyra knew he had a job, but she could not help but begin to feel alone. Despite Lyra begin surrounded by wonderful friends, nothing can ever truly replace family. Lyra missed her father, as Aldous missed his daughter. One day, Aldous came home after three days of work to find her daughter lying in her bed, burning with fever. When the Doctor came by, Lyra was already half gone. The diagnosis a minute late. Fever of Depression. Fatal to most unicorns. And now Lyra was gone. Aldous could do nothing as he stood by his daughters coffin. He could only sit and cry, maybe. And then he'd have to leave her. "It was far too soon for her to go. She was a brilliant sunbeam in the midst of a thunder storm, defying the darkness and fear that came with it. Joy, in the middle of sorrow. Assurance, in times of stress. Love, when I needed comfort. She has stood by me, even when I couldn't do the same." Aldous paused. He sighed as a tear came to his eye. "Now I look back and see, if only I were there for a second longer, she might still be with me. We will miss you, Lyra Heartstrings. I will miss you, and my world will be as cold as the bronze I weld in my works." ~~~~ Aldous opened the front door to his abode. It was quiet, nearing the edge of disturbing. Aldous hung his coat on the oak wood coat hanger. The door shined a bronze gold and shut behind him. He walked slowly up the steps to his workshop. With a push of a button, the room lit up to reveal an expanse cluttered with papers and models. Aldous picked his steps carefully around blueprints and tools. He turned around a stack of papers and sat at his desk. He looked around when a small envelope caught his eye. He lifted it with his magic. It was addressed to him. He opened it and read the parchment inside. Dad, I know you might not see this, with you being so busy and all. I just wanted to let you that your daughter misses you. You spend so much time away from home sometimes I wonder if you had died sometimes. Like Mom. Please, if you ever see this, leave a letter on my desk. You remember where it is, right? Aldous sat there for a while. Tears welled in his eyes as he came to realize what he had already known. He had killed his own daughter. Aldous let the paper fall and began to sob. He was blessed and cursed with his wealth of knowledge. Everything he could ever want, he had. Except that which he wanted most. A family. Aldous slowly walked back through the mess he called his workplace. He ignored the crunch of metal and the rips of paper. He could always remake them. Down the steps he went, and through the kitchen he went. A half eaten sandwich laid upon the table. Aldous turned away and focused at his destination. His daughters room. It was as if he had walked into the workplace of the Princess herself. Everything was as orderly as it could be. Everything was where it was supposed to be. If only he had the organizing skill of his daughter. The harp he had made her sat in a corner, the color worn with use. Aldous walked up to it. He plucked a string and listened to it as it resonated. Aldous turned to Lyras' desk. It was completely organized. Right down to which angle the pen laid down. Aldous was proud of her perfectionism. She was the only one he saw who could accomplish such perfection. He recognized a small bronze box on her desk. It sat perfectly in the center, in the clear space. Slowly, Aldous pressed a small button on the top. He waited as gears could be heard clinking and hissing. Slowly, a soft song played throughout the room. Aldous listened as the music began to drown out the clinking. It was Lyras' favorite. The one he had made her. His head fell onto her desk as he realized he would never see her again. He sobbed his heart out. He felt... No... He was as lonely as his daughter was. Perhaps even more so.
In the Office of the Royal EngineerAldous walked slowly up to his workplace in Canterlot. He looked around the hallway. The royal purple hung from drapes spread across the ceiling. Stained glass windows depicted the famous Elements of Harmony as they defeated the greatest foes Equestria had ever known. He sighed as he turned the corner. He looked to the left to see a door. Emblazoned on the front was a pair of meshed bronze gears surrounded by mechanical wings. His insignia, which he designed himself. Slowly, he opened the door. He was ashamed to admit it, but his workplace in Canterlot was just as cluttered, if not even more cluttered than his workplace at his abode. He had taken advantage of the height of the room. The heights that his stacks of parchment reached rivaled the size of the stained glass windows outside. But, thankfully, he had an assistant that came in once a week. He always looked forward to it. She wasn't the most experienced in her field, but she was definitely one of the better ones. Today was one of those days. He smiled as a purple unicorn poked her head around a stack of paper. "Aldous, I know you're the Royal Engineer and all. But honestly, your organizing skills could use a little help." Aldous sighed. "I understand that, Twilight Sparkle, and that is why I appreciate every single one of your visits." Aldous watched the room light up with purple magic. Twilight Sparkle quickly scanned through all the papers, organizing them by type and date. "I'm going to leave the blueprints immediately to the right of your desk. The concept art to the right. They should be coupled by date and idea." Twilight sighed as she began to uncover various wooden models under the paper. "Aldous, I highly recommend getting a drawer or some type or organizing tool. This is getting to be a hassle." Aldous chuckled when the last slip of paper slid into place. "Twilight. I'm the Royal Engineer! Do you really believe I have time for that?" Twilight shook her head. "No, but it would definitely help." Aldous smiled. "Here, Twilight. One hundred bits. Get as much as you think I need." Hesitantly, Twilight took the heavy bag and left. Aldous looked around the now neatly organized room. He used his magic to lift his latest project off the far reached of the blueprint pile. Aldous smiled as he looked it over. Many of his inventions were already available for public use. But no pony could use them. They were simply far too expensive. For this problem, he had devised a mold, something to make smelting much quicker. He looked at the sample model and frowned. It was a mold for a small figurine. One of his simpler metal works. It was a small unicorn, prancing in the fields, happy as could be. Aldous turned away as he felt tears come to his eyes. He dropped the mold and print aside and pulled down the next concept. It was a small cube, with a speaker and a small light display. The blueprint read 'A friend indeed.' It was supposed to be a small contraption designed to respond in a friendly manner. Aldous sighed again. He looked around the floor at his other models. He suddenly realized they were the result of his loneliness thinking. Aldous was grateful that the doors were closed. The guards out roaming the halls could not hear him as he quietly began to sob. "Aldous?" The engineer suddenly looked up. Twilight Sparkle had suddenly appeared in the room. She had with her several boxes for organizing and a noticeably lighter bag. Aldous sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. "Thank you, Twilight. Help me sort this out, will you?" Twilight nodded. Aldous slowly sorted through the stacks of paper, putting the models and parchments together for Twilight to store. As they worked, Twilight couldn't help but to notice Aldous was getting lost in his thoughts. After a while, he was just handing papers to Twilight. When she looked over, Aldous was staring silently at the model mold he had made. Twilight stopped. "What is that you're holding, Aldous?" The engineer turned around. "It's an idea of mine. A mold to better and more efficiently make things." Twilight took the mold for herself. She examined it. "It looks rather... simple." Aldous smiled. "That's because that mold is for something simple." Aldous walked through a partially cleaned mess over to his table. He picked something up and handed it to Twilight. It was a statue of a small unicorn. Pure bronze, shining with care and attention. Twilight examined it. None of Aldous more remarkable experiments were kept in such a perfect condition. Twilight Sparkle suddenly heard music. She turned to find Aldous holding up a small box. It was a little bigger than his hoof, roughly the size of the statue Twilight was holding. Aldous watched it intently as the cover lifted off and a small figurine ascended into view. It was a statue of a small green unicorn, poised in a graceful dance. Twilight recognized the figure as Lyra Heartstrings. She had attended her funeral just the other day. Twilight stood there, listening to the music box with Aldous. Twilight could hear him quietly crying to himself. Silently, Twilight lifted the papers at his hooves away as tears fell onto the marble floor. She set the bronze statue down onto the floor and walked over to the crying stallion. Aldous did not appear to notice as she put his hoof around him. "I don't know how you feel Aldous. I can only imagine." She knew Lyra as a friend, not as a daughter. She felt pain too, but in her heart she knew it could not compare to how Aldous was feeling. Twilight picked up a handkerchief and wiped Aldous' eyes. "I was crushed when my wife died." Aldous sniffed as he stood unmoving, his gaze never leaving the spinning statue of his daughter. "Eileena was the perfect wife. Loving, kind, generous. I had never known joy like her." Aldous shuddered and closed his eyes. "Lyra was an angel from the heavens. Her voice, her character, her mind. She was perfect." Twilight wiped another tear. "And now she's gone. If only I'd been there for her..." "If only for a minute longer... Maybe even a second... I would still have her..." Suddenly a knock was heard upon the door. Aldous and Twilight turned to see a gray pegasus mare with crossed eyes. "Oh, uh... Sorry. Am I interrupting anything?" Aldous wiped his eyes on his sleeve and took a deep breath. "No, not at all Ditzy. Please, come in." The pegasus walked in and trip over a small stack of papers. "Oops." The Pegasus got up and took a small parchment from her bag. She held it onto the floor and began to read. Mr. Heartstrings, We are aware that you are currently working on a faster mode of transport. Something called a 'bullet train?' We would be grateful if you would take an advantage of an old train system between Manehatten and Las Pegasus. The current engine can hardly carry its passengers, and it still runs on coal. If your new train is successful, we will pay you half of the money earned on its' maiden voyage. The sooner the better. There is absolutely no telling when that old train will crash. With all respect, The Train Drivers of Manehatten Ditzy picked up the letter and gave it to Aldous. "Where are you're plans for this train?" Adlous took the letter and set it onto his desk. "Don't worry about it Ditzy. I'll get it done soon enough." Aldous smiled warmly at the mailmare as she turned to leave. Ditzy stopped just before she left. "What's that?" Ditzy pointed to Aldous' model for the 'Friend Indeed.' Aldous looked down. "Ditzy, that's my model for a 'friend indeed.' Why do you ask?" Ditzy picked it up and hugged it. "Because it's absolutely adorable! Can I keep it?" Aldous was surprised for a moment. "Um... sure? You can have it Ditzy." She gasped. "Thanks, Aldous sir!" Ditzy scooped it up and left, cuddling the small cube. Aldous chuckled. "I'm not sure whether she's aware that it's not even a finished product." But that got him thinking. What if...?
The Genius that is AldousAldous opened the door to his less than humble abode. He quickly dropped his bags and rushed up the stairs to his workplace. With a flourish, a desk was revealed under piles of plans and ideas. Adlous lifted a pencil and a paper up from his cabinet. Quickly, his horn lit up with a golden bronze as his pencil flew across paper. He worked quickly, for he knew an idea must be caught on paper before it can fly away like a passing butterfly. A few minutes passed, and the paper was filled. With a sigh of satisfaction, he sat back and looked back to his work. It wasn't anything as fancy as a blueprint of a model, but it was a concept. It was a start. ~~~~ Aldous looked up to the a great building in front of him. It was large and long, glistening with the shine of brass. Aldous always came here whenever he had an idea he was comfortable with. He had taken a liking to the place. The singing steam pipes and the clinking gears always lifted his spirits. He opened the door and took a step in. A brown unicorn turned her head. "Oh! Hello Aldous. Here with another invention?" Aldous chuckled. "I still find it hard you can hear the bell on your door, Epona." Epona just shrugged. "I'm used to it. So! What d'ya need?" Aldous pulled out the plans he had put together the night before and showed it to her. Epona looked the plans over and narrowed her eyes. "Wow." Epona chuckled. "You're pushing me, Aldous. I've never seen anything like this from you. I've never seen anything like this period. You do realize I'm still working on your train engine and body?" Aldous nodded. "Yes, I am aware of that. By the way, how is that project going?" Epona smiled and shook her head. "Follow me." Epona led Aldous past the assembly lines of countless products. Aldous looked over to see a statue of the legendary Commander Hurricane of Pre-Equestria. Aldous smiled as he thought about his wondrous inventions such as the shovel, which proved to be a very versatile tool. Epona turned the corner and opened the door. Aldous followed her out of the factory and towards the mountainside. He could see a small, short train track winding around and through the mountain side. Epona walked up to the platform near the train and pulled a few levers. Aldous smiled as he heard the hissing of a train come around the mountain. Epona came back with a few papers as the sleek bronze train pulled up to the makeshift station. She held up the papers to the train. "You like it? I tried to fit the engine into the train design. Turns out I can't do it without having the engine occupying the entire first car. It might not run as many ponies as you want." Aldous looked at the papers Epona was holding. They were his, so he could tell what he wanted where. He stroked his chin for a moment. Epona had definitely made changes to it. They were minor, but often times the minor things can make the biggest difference. Aldous pointed a scratched out pipe. "Did you include this?" Epona looked over. "No, I didn't. It would've made the engine too bulky for even the first car." Aldous looked back over everything else. "And you included everything attached to it?" Epona nodded. "Yeah, why?" Aldous chuckled. "That pipe was for the cooling device. I designed it so that it wouldn't melt half way to its destination." Epona took the plans and looked it over again. "OOoohhhh! That's what it was for! WOW." Epona trotted back to the engine and opened a panel in the side of the frame. "That's probably why the engineer was complaining about a burning hot floor." With a small grunt of effort, the engine detached itself from the train and was placed on a nearby cart. Epona sighed. "Now I'm gonna have to rework the engine. Not to mention remake the entire train frame." She began to push it back to the factory. "Ho boy." Aldous watched as Epona pushed the engine back into the factory. He took one final look at the sleek train body before catching up with her. "So tell me, approximately how fast can it go at optimum speed? It's fast, I know, but exactly how fast?" Epona pushed the engine into a large room. "It can go roughly ninety mph running horizontally, eighty mph going up hill, and a hundred downhill. Turning corners are a bit dangerous, so we can either slow the train down on a turn or angle the tracks." Aldous nodded. "And when factoring the weight of passengers...?" Epona attached a bit of pipe to a small container within the engine. "Factoring a standard capacity of ten cars, it can go seventy five mph horizontally, sixty five uphill, and ninety downhill. For the safety of the passengers of course." "Enough to go to Ponyville and back in a few minutes." Epona nodded. "A neighborhoods worth in roughly ten minutes." Aldous sighed. "What's wrong, Aldous? Did you want it to go faster?" He waved his hoof. "No, that's not it." Epona looked at the plans for the train. "If it's not the train, then..." Epona suddenly took out the plans he had given her earlier. "Oh... my..." Epona ran her hoof along the edge of the design. "It looks just like..." She paused and looked over to Aldous. "Your daughter." Epona simply watched as Aldous took the plans away from her and sat down. Aldous looked over the plans, running his hoof along the projected face of the robot. He sighed. Epona looked over his shoulder. "You know, it looks simple to me. I'm guessing I can get it done within a week or so." Aldous looked up to Epona and smiled. "If only it were so easy to heal a broken heart." He stood up and cleared his throat. "Please, this a secret. I want the finished product delivered to my study. You know where it is, yes?" Epona nodded. "Oh, and please Epona, take your time. It may look simple, but its supposed to incorporate something that's not mechanical." Epona looked through the plans again. The pages after the first were more detailed. "I'll be right on it, Aldous! Right after the train." Aldous smiled. "Thank you, Epona. Now if you'll excuse me," He walked to the door. "I have some royal duties to attend to." Epona waved. "Don't worry! I'll be done with it quick as a flash!" Aldous chuckled as the door closed behind him. Epona took a second look through the plans. She held them up as she levitated paper and pencil to her. As she looked through the plans, the pencil scribbled down foot notes and small diagrams. "Wow. Um...I..." She had already understood the plans through and through. But it looked as if the robot was not designed to operate on its' own. It was designed to be operated. "But all the controls are in that tiny little place. What little thing could fit in there and control the machine?"
What do you Mean?"Not in Ponyville EITHER?" Prince Blueblood is normally very controlled, but to be honest with you, he is a bit spoiled. Just a little bit. The Royal Guards had come back from their visit to Ponyville. And again they were not able to find a suitable mare for him. Either the guards had really high standards or the mares of Equestria were really rotten. "Are the mares really that bad?" The Royal Guard was shifting his eyes back and forth. It is kind of difficult to keep your posture when your job is on the line. "Two-thirds of Equestrias' population is female. You mean to tell me out of all those mares not one of them are worthy?" The Guard was sweating under his armor. "Well... Your majesty..." The guard started. "It's not so much they are not worthy..." BlueBlood glared. "It's more that they are not worthy enough." The Prince stopped. "What do you mean by that?" The Royal Guard didn't respond. BlueBlood sighed. "Give me your personal opinion. I promise I will not tell the commander." That seemed to loosen the tension. "A mare, above all, needs to be loyal and trustworthy." The Prince rolled his eyes. "I've heard this speech before. Did you find anyone like that?" The guard simply shrugged. "Those are Elements of Harmony. So by default there were two candidates." The Prince just kept on glaring. "and who were they?" "They went by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the Element of Honesty and Loyalty, respectively." Prince Blueblood gave a disappointed look. "And what,exactly was wrong with them?" "Well, Rainbow Dash is a Pegasus. She seems incapable of staying still and by the looks of it, could not appreciate a life like yours, what with the important tasks that are given to you." The Prince nodded. "Yes that would make sense..." "And the other one, Applejack, works on a farm for her own business. Not only does she participate in the physical labour of harvesting apples, she seems to enjoy things that are considered uncouth by Canterlot standards." "For example...?" "Manually creating jam by repeatedly tramping on it." The Prince grimaced. "Don't her clothes get stained like that?". The guard raised an eyebrow. "The ponies in Ponyville don't normally wear clothes." The Prince grimaced again. "Oh, right. Well, at least you tried." Prince Blueblood cleared his throat. "Where is the next visit?" "In about a week or so, the Princess will travel to Manehatten. I'm sure you've heard of it." The Prince nodded. Many of his finest tailors were trained in Manehatten. He could also never escape their gossip. "The ponies there are very polite and fancy. But they can act a little spoiled. Especially the mares." The Prince laughed. "If I were anyone else, I'd call myself spoiled!" He leaned in close. "Seriously though, please try to get someone this time. The anticipation is killing me." The Royal guard nodded and walked away.
Behind the Castle WallsWhat had gone wrong? Prince Blueblood, A pure white unicorn with blonde mane and blue eyes paced back and forth in his royal chamber. He had much room to pace in. His chamber was the size of an living space. Royal purple curtains were draped over his bed, and carpets bought from the most professional artists laid about the room. A single column carved with beautifully placed designs was placed in the center of the expanse. Prince Blueblood was occupied. It was about something that happened about two days ago. The Grand Galloping Gala. Well, it wasn't the Gala itself... It was who he met during the Gala. You see, he had met a charming young mare by the name of Rarity. She was by far, the best dressed out of all the mares at the Gala. He saw her while she was flustering back in the Royal Gardens. She seemed really nervous about meeting him. Who wouldn't be nervous around royalty? But to be honest, he was also a bit nervous. Only the slightest bit, mind you. He had wondered what kind of impression he would leave on her. He looked back, and suddenly the rich and entitled look didn't quite leave such a good image on her. Prince Blueblood remembered her screaming at him. "You, sir, are the most uncharming prince I have ever met! Seems like the only thing royal about you is that you are a royal pain!" He thought back to his stupid response, and he shook his head. "Uh, stay back! I just had myself groomed!" And then he remembered he would not get a mare upset again. "Afraid to get dirty?!" And that was when all hay broke loose. Rarity was either ignorant of his pleas or unable to reason in her rage, but she decided to get cake all over the Prince. He accidentally, I repeat, accidentally, fell over onto a golden statue. Which of course, somepony tried to be a hero and ended up breaking it into five pieces. To make it worse, a crazed pegasus barged into the ballroom with something like a battle cry. "You're, going to LOVE ME!" The Prince had been able to escape from the chaos that unfolded in the ballroom. He had dubbed it officially his worst night ever. But still, things could have went better with that mare. If only that pink one hadn't launched the cake into their direction... No. With the way he was acting, he'd be surprised if he ever saw her again. Prince Blueblood walked over and laid down on his bed. He was still single. His royal life and duties had prevented from meeting any beautiful, respectable mares. Even with all the luxuries of wealth, he was still missing a love life, which, in his eyes, was pretty pathetic. He suddenly felt very lonely. Yes, he definitely needed a mare in his life, even if it cost him some of his luxuries. He called out for a royal guard. A golden armored pegasus flew down to his chamber. "You called, your highness?" Prince Blueblood nodded. "I need to make a request." The guard remained, his face unmoved. "A request, your highness?" The Prince glared at the guard. "What are you trying to imply?" The guards' face twitched. "Nothing, your highness. Continue." The Prince cleared his throat. "I am aware that the Princess makes frequent trips outside of the castle. I am also aware that some of you pegasus guards accompany her in case of any sudden attack, am I correct?" The guard nodded. "Well, my request is simple. I'm sure you're already doing it behind that poker face of yours." "All I ask is that whenever you leave the castle, you must, along with your job of guarding the princess, to seek out a young and respectable mare. If you should meet such a mare, present them with an opportunity to meet me. If they should say no, then leave them be." The guard listened intently. "However, should the mare say yes, you must bring them to me by any means necessary. I don't care how you bring them here. So long as the mare is comfortable and happy on her way. You remember what I just said, right?" The guard nodded. The Prince rubbed his chin. "Prove to me that you heard me." The guard spoke quickly. "Your highness has told me to seek out a suitable mare for you whilst guarding the Princess. If I should meet such a mare, I must grant them a chance to meet your highness. If the mare should decline, I will leave them be. If the mare should accept, I must retrieve her in the most efficient and comfortable way possible, back to you." Prince Blueblood smiled. "Precisely. You guards amaze me sometimes. But before you leave..." The guard hadn't even moved yet. The Prince made a mental note to compliment their trainer. "The Princess must never know of this. Should she find out, I will personally organize a week in the dungeon for you." The guard nodded. The Prince smiled. "You may leave. Relay the message to your colleagues." The guard nodded and flew down the hall. The Prince smiled contently. Considering how often the Princess went out, he was bound to find a mare walking into his room soon. In fact, he distinctly remembered that the Princess was making a small visit to Las Pegasus the day after. He had heard rumors that the mares there settle for anypony. "I need only wait." The Prince smiled as he took off his collar and laid on his bed to get some welcome sleep.
NopePrince Blueblood sat there waiting for the return of the Princess. He was worried that he had already missed it, seeing as how he was so busy with his Royal Duties. He looked out the window and sighed in relief. Unless there was a special occasion, the Princess would usually come back to Canterlot to lower the sun. The sound of blaring horns caught his attention. "Ah! There's the Princess!" Prince Blueblood sat and waited when, just as he predicted, the Princess came in. "Hello, Blueblood? How has my favorite nephew been?" Blueblood chuckled. "I'm your only nephew. But, I'm fine, the same old Royal Duties." The Princess smiled as she turned to leave. "Well, I have to leave. I'm a little late for the sunset, and I always loved the sunset." Prince Blueblood sighed as she left. "Your highness?" The Prince turned back to the door. He raised an eyebrow at the guard. "And you are...?" The guard didn't make any expression. "The same guard from yesterday, your highness." The Prince laughed. "I'm sorry! It's just that you guards all look exactly the same! It's like you're all twins or something!" The guard didn't respond and waited for the Prince to calm down. "I'm sorry, it's just... " The Prince cleared his throat. "Now, addressing the task I gave you?" The guard shook his head. "I was unable to find a suitable mare for you." The Prince tensed. "You were...unable... to find a suitable mare?" He got off the bed. "Well, why not?" The guard retained his steel face despite obvious frustration on the royalty's' face. "The mares there were too, well..." The Prince scowled. "Well what?" The Guard looked to the floor and sighed. He looked back up. "The mares there were too willing. The only mares I've seen were in relationships for money, not for love." The Prince was confused. "What was the Princess doing there?" The guard looked down the hallway. "I'm not entirely sure. She simply said to wait outside the owners room." The Prince looked down to the floor and sighed. "Well, at least you have a good eye." The Prince could have sworn he saw a smile flutter across the guards' face. "Now, onto the next visit. Do you know where Celestia's going next?" The guard nodded. "She's visiting her student in Ponyville. The home of the Elements of Harmony." The Prince nodded. He'd heard of the place before, but he had never been there. "Tell me, what are the ponies like there?" "They're a well mannered bunch. Kind, caring, and respectful. The population is small, so everypony knows each other by name. Although, the strangest things happen there." The Prince smiled. "Yes, that ought to be a desirable place. And when are you all going?" The guard looked back down the hall. "The trip is assigned for next week. The Princess is doing a casual get together with the Elements of Harmony. We will probably have plenty opportunity to search." "Excellent! Make sure you find me a mare!" The guard nodded and flew back down the hall.
