It was the morning after the party, Fizzlepop groaned as the light of the sun lit up the wall. She opened her eyes only to frown as she saw the sun was only half-way up in the sky and more importantly was shaking violently.

Fizzlepop got off her bed and slowly snuck of the room as Spike slept. She then burst into a run flying down the corridor, she kicked open a door with a sun and moon symbol on it to see Princess Celestia gritting her teeth as the sun refused to budge. Celestia collapsed the sun almost falling out of the sky only to be caught in Fizzlepop’s purple aura. Fizzlepop growled “Princess why didn’t you tell me that you were struggling in your duties?!”

Celestia cried out “Because it’s my domain, my special talent tells me that I am supposed to raise the sun everyday. To have to admit that I am failing the one thing that makes me special is too much!”

Fizzlepop smiled wrapping her hooves around her mentor “I‘m sorry Princess but I promise I will help you through this you have been working so hard for centuries but I will support you for as long as I live.” Fizzlepop smiled “How about we get you some cake to cheer you up.”

Just as the pair trotted out Storm Blade rushed over “Princess we have a huge problem.”

Fizzlepop frowned “What is the issue?!”

Storm Blade frowned “A huge black dragon has been spotted outside Manehatten.”

Fizzlepop shouted “Brother, the plan should be obvious get as many guards down there to stall the dragon while we evacuate the city. Who knows how many ponies could be hurt in the time you galloped over here.” Fizzlepop turned to Celestia “No you are going to eat some cake and relax.”

Storm Blade galloped away, he arrived in the guard barracks, he shouted “We are heading out to Manehatten immediately, get the copters ready!” The guards scrambled into to their gear together and flew towards Manehatten only to see the large bipedal black dragon as tall as the largest buildings in Manehatten in the nearby fields only to see a gold and white blur attacking the dragon, the dragon belched a huge spout of fire only fir the lone guard to leap out of way before running up the creature.

The guards landed only for the lone unicorn guard to shout “Back off, this is between me and him, so unless you wish to die I suggest you back off!” He ran up the dragon’s leg only to jump onto the dragon’s claw as it tried to smite him, he pulled his sword out gripping it in mouth as he stabbed it into the dragon’s then running up tearing through the dragon’s flesh before black flipping onto the dragon’s jaw before running up and tearing into the dragon’s eye.

The dragon roared belching fire as it grabbed the throwing him into the ground, he grimaced as he bounced towards his fellow guards. He pulled himself of the ground with a grimace his sword laying on the ground in front of him “Urghh that’s going to hurt in the morning, ah well time to end this.”

Storm Blade scowled “Get back here, you’ll die!”

The guard shook his head “It’s our duty to protect the lives, all of Manehatten will be destroyed and thousands of ponies will be homeless, besides compared to the endless battles in the Badlands this is nothing.” He rushed forward picking up his sword the dragon bleeding and angry began to swing it’s claws violently at him leaping onto one of the dragon claws he galloped up it‘s arm.

He then leapt at it’s neck tearing into with his blade, the dragon roared a blood began to well out of it’s neck coating the stallion’s armour in red. He leapt off the dragon as it collapsed to the ground in a bloody heap, the guard saluted to the shocked guards “Captain, threat has been eliminated and the city is safe. With your leave I will meet you in Canterlot.”

Storm Blade shook off his shock “Nonsense you are returning with us, the threat is gone, we are retuning to Canterlot.”

The guard sighed as he was dragged onto one of the chariots by several other guards, when they returned to the castle he had a quick shower to clean himself and his armour to meet with Princess Celestia. Celestia was sitting in her chair with Fizzlepop discussing national affairs when Storm Blade barged in with the stallion guard.

Celestia frowned “Storm Blade why did you barge in with this guard.”

Storm Blade saluted “Princess this guard slain the dragon by himself, all of the guards witnessed it. He said he was returning from the Badlands.”

The guard frowned “Forgive me Princess I was just returning to see my father, he is very sick.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow “It takes quite a pony to slay a dragon, I request you take your helmet off my little pony.”

He removed his helmet the illusion dissipating revealing a pale white stallion with scar across one eye it’s pupil a milky white colour, his mane a dirty blond colour. Fizzlepop looked closely before her eyes widened “Prince Blueblood, what happened to you?!”

Blueblood bowed “I have returned a changed stallion Auntie, still I’m afraid I must attend to my father.”

Celestia raised a hoof “I’m coming with you, he is part of my family as well and as such I must visit him if he is indeed unwell.”

Blueblood turned to Fizzlepop “Can you forgive me for my past indiscretions against you and your friends.”

Fizzlepop shrugged “Your actions today have proved the stallion you were is dead and buried there is nothing to forgive.”

Blueblood bowed in thanks before leaving with Princess Celestia leaving the two siblings in the room. Fizzlepop shrugged “Tell me about your life, find a mare yet?” Her brother blushed as she giggled.

Celestia and Blueblood left the castle, Celestia smiled “You know when I sent you of I was worried you would not change, I’m glad you proved me wrong.”

Blueblood frowned “When you get into battle, you have adapt or die something that is I learned very quickly. Changelings are certainly strong, I’d congratulate them on their strength if they weren’t too busy trying to kill me.”

Celestia frowned “The Badlands has always been dangerous and Changelings true danger comes from their cunning, they can easily impersonate anypony they wish even an Alicorn.”

The pair arrived at the Platinum Estate which had barely changed since Celestia’s last visit. Blueblood knocked on the door and a grey pony with a white mane and wine glass cutie mark opened the door. Blueblood smiled as he gave the butler a light hug “Wine Service, I’ve missed you.”

The butler stepped back “Thank you sir, it’s been a honour.”

Blueblood shook his head “You’re a friend of the house of Platinum, call me Blueblood.”

Wine Service bowed “Very well Blueblood I’ll escort you to your father’s room.” The two guest were escorted through dining hall and into the gaudy golden upstairs hallways walls covered in paintings of Blueblood’s ancestors.

They arrived in front of a Golden Door, Princess Celestia and Blueblood entered to see Charter lying in his bed, Charter coughed slightly “I’m sorry son for sending you out there but I believe you needed to change.”

Blueblood shook his head “I should be thanking you father I am now the stallion I always should have been.”

Princess Celestia smiled “I’m proud of him.”

Charter smiled “As am I, I believe your ready to take my place as the head of the house of Platinum.”

Blueblood shook his head “I’m not ready for the responsibility, father.”

Charter smiled as he ran a hoof through his grey mane “I’m not the strapping young colt I used to be, the very fact that you said that told me your ready. I’m old and tired, I can’t keep up with being the head of the house any more, I have quite a few years left in me but I want you to take charge of our house guaranteeing that there is a strong wise and most importantly young stallion to lead it into the future.”

Blueblood bowed “Thank you father, I will not disappoint.”

Charter chuckled “I just hope you can find a pretty mare in the future.”

Blueblood sighed “Maybe but certainly not in Canterlot, I swear even before my time away everypony wanted my hoof because I was the Prince.”

Charter chuckled “There had to a few mares in the guard to be sure.”

Blueblood deadpanned “I was a little too focused on living to focus on that,” he shook his head “I must return to the castle and start re-decorating my room, I need to get some rest before I join the guards in their training tomorrow morning.”

Charter blinked “Are you sure that’s my son?”

Celestia smiled “Yes just the fact he has grown up.”

Author's Note

I did kinda foreshadow the First part of this chapter