Venus Transcendent

'Add water, stir mixture until it's a batter, then bake.'

Seamus sighed at the instructions, making pancakes wasn't his forte. He was glad to be back in Fluttershy's house, away from the palace and among normal, non-murderous ponies. He was adjusting well, Twilight was his official tutor, Rarity made his clothes and he lived more or less with the pegasus who was cooking his meals. Fluttershy was very kind to him, she always knew when he had a problem or if he was having a moment, even though she regularly talked him into baking. He wasn't the best cook, and setting the small cottage on fire wasn't his intention.

Although he was getting used to the life of a common pony, some things about being an alicorn still hounded the poor colt. He couldn't go out in public without ponies wanting autographs, a hoof-shake or a chance to meet the one and only Venus Alicorn. After a long while he'd decided it wasn't worth the attention he got, and shopping with Rarity had to be stopped. Some ponies where even hostile towards him; there were whispers he was to replace Luna as co-ruler of Equestria.

Of course these were untrue, he was only seven, and he hadn't the foggiest idea how to run a country. Somepony had once tried to hurt him by tripping the prince out onto the street, actively displaying her dislike for a third (and male) alicorn. Seamus didn't mind all of the attention or the controversy he caused, as long as it didn't affect his friends. For the most part he was in good standings with the locals due to the popularity of the Elements of Harmony, which he was in close contact with. Pinkie was his baker and friend, Twilight was his teacher and Fluttershy was his lodger.

"Seamus, you're, um, adding too much water." Fluttershy interrupted his thoughts.

"Sorry!" The klutz took the bowl out from under the water, turning the sink off.

He poured the batter onto the pan and waited for the dough to rise while Fluttershy cleared off the counters. Seamus had been distracted recently, but the pegasus knew that it was best not to ask him. He was still coming to terms with being a prince. Although he wouldn't admit it, the thought of him leading a whole country (or even a portion of one) scared him. Luna was glad to help him, but he'd rejected her offer to try and lead a normal life. He might be an alicorn, but he wanted to see how a typical, non-traumatized colt lived.

The dough was risen and the plate ready, so he levitated the fluffy batter patties over to the table. Fluttershy sat there, eager to see how he'd done this time. He'd made pancakes before, this was actually his sixth time. The first he'd set the house on fire and Rainbow had to make an emergency visit. He'd burnt the dough to pure carbon on the second attempt. All those after had been varying degrees of failure and triumph, but this time he was confident in his skill.

The pegasus took a bite, savoring the rich taste of maple syrup. Fluttershy nodded and swallowed, smiling. "That was delicious. "

The maroon alicorn ate dinner and went to his room, as was custom. Of course Seamus was supposed to go to bed, but he'd decided long ago he wouldn't be falling asleep until about midnight. His abode was decorated with drawings, sketches and other such artistic apparatus. The only problem he had with leading a life like this was that it was, without a doubt, the most boring, uneventful, dreadfully dull slog through time he'd ever had the displeasure of enduring. This life, compared to his younger years, bored him to no end. He didn't want to insult the pony that had taken him into her home, but her lifestyle didn't impress him.

Every day he practiced the mental will to not dwell on the past, but it made it so much easier to focus on the future or present of they weren't both so gods-awful boring. So ever so often he did think about the past, of the ponies he'd saw die and the trials he'd endured just getting to where he was. He was only seven and yet he'd been through more than any elder could boast about. Luna had tried to torture him, twice, Celestia had wiped his memory, he'd had his horn sawed off, his genitals mutilated a fair number of times, his best friend and lover had been killed in front of him, his most hated enemy had turned his new friend Rainbow Dash into a bloodsucking freak after he'd tortured her, and at long last he'd been raped a few times.

There wasn't anything to be said about this besides that burying his memories had been a blessing, but the residual effects of the trauma were still there. He wouldn't go out at night and looking up at the sky reminded him of his lost love. Luna was eternally sorry to him for what she'd done in her haste and lust for power, Celestia had done him a favor by erasing his memory to a degree, something he had mixed emotions about, but this just made the life he led now so bland and tasteless that he wanted to go back sometimes.

He spread his fluffy, jet black down wings, the ones that he enjoyed along with his crimson horn. He didn't talk like an Equestrian, his voice carried a lilt, almost like he was singing. His wings had been plucked, so they were still covered in a silky fluff, the same down most pegasus and birds have when they are young. For the moment he couldn't fly, and magic was difficult. He knew it was all part of recovering, his rehabilitation, but it still frustrated Seamus.

The colt wasn't imposing, he was about the size of Apple Bloom without the sturdy muscle. His legs were long and thin while his face and muzzle resembled a mare. He walked hunched, his head bowed and black mane over one amethyst eye. He always looked frightened, scared of something. Maybe it was his small stature or the way he tiptoed when he walked, but he just looked fragile, delicate. Even though he looked like that, he'd grown a thick hide from all his abuse, and he wasn't one to take an insult.

His title was 'The Venus Alicorn' due to his Cutie Mark. It was the astrological symbol for the goddess of love, just like Luna had a picture of the moon and Celestia the sun, he too had a place in the night sky, even if it was less noticeable. When he felt he could; about once a month, he raised Venus into the Sky across from Luna's moon. His might not be the biggest, or even the brightest, but he was still capable, and it gave him a warm pride for his work.

Although he wanted to stay up late and finish his drawings, Seamus couldn't keep his eyes open much longer. Sitting on his bed and thinking was a good way to make yourself drowsy. He looked at the lamp and turned it out with his magic, flopping down on his pillow. Tomorrow would be a good day; it was his first day of school with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.