The Broken One

I stared at the smoking husk of Fluttershy’s home and felt like garbage. I felt worse than garbage. Over and over in my mind I heard Fluttershy’s agonized cries of pain when they discovered Harry’s charred remains. She had clung to Dash as if her life depended on it. I could only stand numbly by as the brokenhearted mare sobbed her heart out.

Random embers still smoldered despite the localized rainstorm. I thought back to those few hellish minutes and realized that rainstorms weren’t enough. I pointed my finger at an ember as a small jet of water soaked it down. I turned and looked around at the gathered ponies. There were several unicorns among the crowd.

“Excuse me, sir”, I called to the closest unicorn as I strode toward him purposefully.

“Yes, your highness”, he bowed.

“You’re a unicorn”, I stated. “Do you know a spell to conjure water?”

“No, your Highness”, he uttered in shame.

“Does anypony here know a spell to conjure water”, I called loudly.

“I do, your Highness”, a tan unicorn with a bucket Cutie Mark answered but began shaking slightly as I stood in front of him.

“You can conjure water”, I asked with a deadly calm, “yet you did nothing to help the kindest pony in Equestria?”

“I-it never occurred to me, y-your Highness”, he stammered in fear. His pupils shrank as I unfurled my wings and bared my fangs.

I turned and stalked away but strode back up to the unicorn. I drew back to slap him but stopped myself. I took a few deep breaths and called for parchment and a quill. When I received the items I scribbled out a note to mom asking her to pop by as soon as possible. I sent it on its way and grabbed a handful of ear as the pony unicorn tried to sneak off.

“Let go”, he begged but behaved exactly as Cindra had when I squeezed his ear.

“Stay here”, I growled and let him go. I took a few steps away and waited for a response from my mother.

Before long she appeared in front of me and I couldn’t help but laugh. She asked what I was laughing at and I swiped cake frosting from her muzzle. I gave her a hug and asked to speak to her in private. She nodded and followed me to town hall.

“What happened to Fluttershy’s cottage”, she asked. “More importantly, what happened to you?!”

“She burned it down cooking and I got a bit crispy going in after Harry”, I replied with a sad smile that quickly faded. “She lost Harry.”

“That adorable bear”, she gasped with teary eyes. “I was so fond of that sweetheart.”

“I liked the fuzz face, too”, I sighed. “That’s kinda why I asked for you. Sorry about interrupting your lunch.”

“It’s fine, dear”, she smiled.

“Mom, whose jurisdiction is Ponyville under”, I asked.

“Originally it was under Everfree jurisdiction”, she said slowly. “Now that there is royal blood on the throne I would assume that it was again under Everfree jurisdiction and not Canterlot jurisdiction.”

“Good”, I said heatedly as I stormed back out of town hall to find the mayor. As soon as I tracked her down I asked her to call a town meeting as soon as she could. I should have been more specific because an hour later I stood on a stage facing the entire town with fresh blood still trickling from cuts and scrapes. I approached the microphone and the town went silent.

“Good afternoon, citizens”, I began calmly. “I’m sure all of you know me, but if not then allow me to introduce myself. “I am Prince Jackson of Everfree Forest. Just a few hours ago a dear friend of mine and an Element of Harmony lost her home and a gentle giant that was a friend of hers in an accidental fire.”

Gasps echoed around the crowd and I pulled the microphone from the stand. I began to pace around the stage to look everypony in the eye.

“This fire wasn’t easy to extinguish with rainclouds”, I sighed. “I ask for volunteers to learn the necessary magic to fight house fires. Keep in mind that should you volunteer, you may be called upon day or night to fight fires.”

“I volunteer”, the tan unicorn from earlier shouted as he stepped forward.

“Oh, no you don’t”, I said. “You’re helping me teach.”

One by one more unicorns volunteered. Before long almost every unicorn in attendance had stepped forward to volunteer. I nodded and asked Twilight to make a list of every volunteer.

“I’ll do it”, she sighed tiredly. “Why me though?”

“Because you love lists”, I replied with my best attempt at a smile.

I turned and walked off the stage, grunting lightly as I stepped down the steps. I rolled my shoulders and felt and caught a familiar scent half a second before a pair of hooves wrapped around my neck and I felt a light nip on my shoulder.

“Hello, dearie”, I sighed tiredly. “Would you mind waiting until I get healed up?”

“I don’t mind at all”, she smiled as she dropped to her hooves beside me. “So what got you this time?”

“Exploding stove”, I grunted.

“Master, there you are”, Cindra sighed in relief as she flittered over to me and landed by my free hand which I rested on her head. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are looking for you. They’re waiting at the library.”

“To the library”, I said as I smiled at my fiancé and stroked her cheek.

We made our way to the library taking our sweet time. This was mostly due to a limp I developed, but that’s beside the point. I pushed the door open and ushered the mares in before myself. As soon as I crossed the threshold the lecturing began. The usual threats were there but a new threat was issued. She threatened to pull a page from my book.

I stood still and let her fuss at me for a while as she healed me. After that was done my mother levitated a scroll to me. I grabbed it out of the air and opened it.

Prince Jackson,

I hope this letter finds you well. I must first begin by offering my sincerest apologies. I took a sample of your blood from the bandages used by the doctors and did a few tests on the samples. I have a few discoveries I must discuss with you at your earliest convenience. I await your arrival at the academy.

Lightning Hoof

“I’m gonna kill him”, I growled. “I said no samples.”

Shadow took the letter and read it herself, gasping aloud. I laid a hand on both of my mares’ backs and poofed the three of us to the gates of the academy. I led the way into the academy and nodded to the bowing secretary. I asked for Lightning Hoof and she gave us directions.

We navigated the hallway, ducking the occasional note that flitted from office to office. I knocked on the door this time and waited for an answer before I poked my head inside. When I made sure it was safe I motioned the two to follow me in. We stood in front of the aged unicorn and he glanced up from his paperwork.

“Ah, Prince Jackson”, his thin voice whispered. “So glad you could make it!”

“I told the doctors no blood samples”, I said evenly.

“I am not a doctor”, he chuckled as he stood from his chair.

He made his way to a filing cabinet and searched for the file he needed. His magic lifted it from the cabinet and he brought it to the table. He turned his gaze to my two companions and flicked them to me.

“I’m just gonna tell them everything you say”, I scoffed.

“Very well”, he said with a bow. “I found out some interesting things about your blood.”

“Such as?”

“Unless I’m mistaken your fiancé is pregnant”, he asked, smiling when I nodded. “Would you like to know why?”

“Please do tell me”, I replied.

“As you may know”, he began, “your blood is essentially liquid magic. This is quite an interesting thing by itself, but what’s more interesting is what that magic is doing to your body.”

“Shadow, Cindra and I shared a look before asking what he meant. He smiled again and said not to worry.

“If magic is changing my body I’m damn sight gonna worry”, I said heatedly. “What changes are we talking about?”

“For one, your cells regenerate at an astronomical rate”, he said excitedly. “For another, your cells have a structure I’ve never seen before. Their shape can be manipulated almost instantly by magic.”

“So you’re saying I have super healing and I can turn my body into anything”, I asked in disbelief.

“Well yes, actually.”

“Wow”, I muttered.

“As for procreation”, he grinned, “your reproductive system is very unique. I consulted with Doctor Adryl and your genetic code adapted to and fertilized almost every single species of egg we injected it into.”

“Almost every species”, I asked. “Which species didn’t take?”

In response he turned his gaze to Cindra. She blinked a few times before she realized what he meant. She asked if he was sure and when he nodded the cute little bug pony started cheering about no maternity leave for her or missed work.

“Prince Jackson”, the unicorn whispered, “are you intimate with both of them?”

“That’s for me to know and you to fantasize about”, I grinned.

We discussed my blood for a few more minutes before we took our leave. We headed out the same way we came in and soon found ourselves outside the gates of the academy. I sniffed the air and licked my lips.

“Let’s get some grub”, I grinned and led the way to the nearest restaurant.

We entered the squeaky clean establishment and took a booth near the back of the restaurant. The waitress rushed up to us and bowed her head before taking our orders. The cute mare seemed a little put off when I asked for a steak but overlooked it as I ordered fried potato slices and mead.

“Hey Cindra, are you familiar with the Everfree”, I asked after our drinks arrived.

“Castle no, forest yes”, she replied as she sipped her own mug of mead. “You’re drinking water Shadow?”

The pregnant pony looked at her stomach then back at Cindra.

“Oh, right”, Cindra chuckled. “I’m sorry, I kinda forgot because you aren’t showing yet.”

“Cindra, focus”, I said as I snapped my fingers.

“Right, Everfree”, she said. “What do you want to know?”

“Do you know what foalflower looks like?”

“Ooh, I sure do”, she grinned. “Want me to go get some after we’re done eating?”

“Just lead me to it”, I said. “You’re not going in there alone.”

Our food arrived and the three of us dug right in. the steak was tender but kind of bland. The potato slices were just the right crispiness and saltiness. I spotted what looked like rough cut fries on Cindra’s plate and I snagged one. Before she could protest I popped it into my mouth and chewed it up. There was a sweetness that I couldn’t place as well as an earthy undertone. I swallowed the morsel and licked my lips.

“Uh, master”, Cindra began.

“Hey, I’m trying to help you keep that girlish figure”, I smiled as I leaned closer to speak quietly.

“Jackson, you just ate hay”, Shadow said incredulously.

“Tastes pretty good”, I admitted as I snagged another.

“There he is”, a familiar voice said from the front of the restaurant.

I hung my head and groaned as I turned to the voice. Standing just inside the front doors I saw two guards flanking Shining Armor.

“Prince Jackson”, Shining called as he approached, causing every head to turn in my direction. “Princess Celestia requests your presence in the throne room. Now.”

“Well, fuck.”