John Sampson's Story

Fred finally got tired of inspecting ‘Little Fred’ and we got to work. I was striding along with the harrow while Big Mac went back for the mares and the seed. They got four good rows in before dinner time. I stopped by the storage barn and changed bodies. Fun fact: dirt doesn’t make the change with me.

We had just got into some serious eating when Granny pounced, “Where did you get that sword?”

“It was a gift.”

She’s not satisfied, “Who gave it to you?”

“You’ve obviously looked at it. Whose sigil is on it?”

She’s narrowing in, “That’s a royal sword. Only a member of the Royal Herd should carry it.”

“You are absolutely right.” AJ and Swift are both giggling now.

And not going to give up, “So a member of the Royal Herd gave that to you?”

“Of course. The member whose sigil is on it gave it to me. Did you look at the scabbard?”

“Yes. It’s got the entire Royal Herd on it. Obviously property of a Royal.”

“You are half right this time. It is property of a Royal but four members of the Royal herd are not on it.”

“The only member of the Royal Herd missing is Shining Armor. Is it his?”

“It’s too big for Shining and obviously made for somepony with hands. And the other three members of the Royal Herd just joined. The sword is a welcome gift.”

Granny was wound tight enough I’m getting worried about her so I ended the game.

“We joined the Royal Herd, Granny. I’m a Prince of the Realm and AJ and Swift are Duchesses. I’m not sure what that makes you but you’re noble now.”

It took Apple Bloom about three quarters of a second to pick that up, “OH BOY! I’m a Princess!”

I hated to kill that party, but, “I’m sorry Bloom honey but you’re not old enough and you have a lot of studying to do first. Twilight Sparkle is the newest Princess and she has to study so much she lives in a library.”

Didn’t slow her much at all, “I can do that. I can’t wait to tell Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.”

Granny is grinning again. I guess she forgives me for the tease.

We got nearly two hundred acres of carrots and two hundred and forty acres of corn planted. AJ knows the Pegasus in charge of the local weather so she arranged for some rain on those fields and we had a day off. That made it time to work on my second project. I was becoming very comfortable in my horse body but I really needed a pony body too. Not being able to talk was annoying me.

Swift and AJ had gone shopping with a long list provided by Granny. Now that we had farm, Guard, and Royal accounts to draw on we could afford a few luxuries. I wanted some ‘exotic’ foods like smoked salmon.

I picked a shady spot in the orchard and got comfortable. I had made a copy of my inner horse and called him my inner pony but had never used him. I studied my inner human carefully and picked out the larynx parts I wanted and copied them. I made a place for them in my pony body and pasted them in. A little adjustment was needed but it looked workable. I moved into that body and tried to recite the alphabet.

“ay, ee, ee, ee, ee, fa, ga”

Something wasn’t going just right. After twenty minute of frustration I figured it out. My voice was coming out of my nose. When I closed my nose, my lips wouldn’t cooperate. Generally, the equine tongue and pharynx weren’t adaptable enough either. I need a pony. In fact, I need a pony face with all the internal parts included. Now all I have to figure out is how to get one.

Fred gave me this pattern so I assume he could give me another one, if he had a different pattern. Big Mac is the only other pony he talks to so it would have to Big Mac, If he could do it and If Big Mac agreed. Or I could talk a Unicorn or an Alicorn into it. The first problem with that is all of the Alicorns are mares and I’d rather not look and sound like a mare. So I need a fairly strong Unicorn stallion. That leaves Shining or Steel. I have unfinished business with Shining.

We got another nearly four hundred acres planted next two weeks. That is what I like about ponies. If a thing needs doing, it gets done. Eight hundred acres would make for respectable harvest. So we were on our way back to Canterlot with a stop at the weather office to get those fields watered.

AJ’s friend is in. She’s a young Pegasus mare named Rainbow Dash. I was standing in front of the office with Swift when AJ came out with her.

“So this is the big stud that makes you squeal?”

I just smiled.

Rainbow continued, “He’s big enough. What else is he good for?”

AJ’s smiled, “He pulls a team of four plow by himself.”

Rainbow guffawed, “The Prince pulls a plow? Too bad he can’t fight.”

I smiled, “I’ve been looking for a Pegasus sparing partner. You’re a little small but I’d let you try out.”

Wings out and the whole display, “Do you really think you could keep up with me, pretty colt?”

“Rainbow, I would do everything I could to not hurt you.”

AJ is laughing now, “Rainbow, he beat shining Armor in an all day match. He’s serious about not hurting you.”

That lit Rainbow’s fuse, “If you’re afraid to fight me just enter the Ironpony. I’ll beat you there.”

“Sorry, I’m more likely to be judging. And I didn’t beat Shining. Steel stopped the match.”

Rainbow was ready for that, “Yeah, I bet he was afraid Shining was going to hurt you.”

Swift answered, “No, he was afraid they were going to hurt the Castle.”

AJ nodded. Rainbow looked startled, “Now I’m impressed. Just let me know when your ready for that match.”

“Got a mat handy? Or some grass?”

“Sorry, dude. I’m on duty right now.”

I turned to AJ, “Want to wait for the night train?”

AJ ‘thought about it’ for a minute, then, “No, Granny is expecting me.”

So I turned back to Rainbow, “Any time you want, just show up at the Castle. We’ll make time for you. If you want to make it interesting, bring some friends, at least twenty.”

We left Rainbow sputtering.

AJ saw us to the train then headed back to worry about weeds and bugs.

Spike comes bouncing out of the kitchen to greet us as we walk in, “Hi, Dad!”

I had claimed Spike as juvenile relative with the Guard to get him an ID and some local male role models. He needed some as the lone juvenile male in a world of ultra powerful mares. So there it was, right on the ID, sire: Major John Sampson. Swift is tickled to no end to be aunt to a dragon.

“Hello, Spike. All you have to do to earn my undying love is not serve apples. Twilight upstairs?”

Spike looks thoughtful, “John, if you don’t like apples, why did you band into the biggest apple farm in the land? Twilight is in her library.”

“First, I love AJ, her farm is incidental. Second, I like apples, just not multiple dishes with every meal every day. I’m going to check in with her.”

Twilight was deep in thought with books and notes spread across two tables. When she saw me she bounced up and came over to lean against me and rub cheeks. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against me and she wrapped her wings around me tightening the embrace. Oh my, this is worth weeks away to come home to.

After a long minute we broke the embrace and stepped back.

“What’s this about you adopted Spike?”

“That was one of those fortunate accidents. I got him a Guard ID by claiming him as a juvenile relative. I figured it would make some things easier for him and get him exposed to some male role models. The clerk filling out the form could only find one stallion in his herd not related to his dam, you, so I had to be his sire. He seems to have taken it and run with it.”

“Well, I’m proud of you even if you didn’t ask. A lot of stallions will not accept a foal not related by blood. You even bypass species.”

“Look at yourself, Twilight. That greeting you just put on me would have driven you to a panic attack a few months ago. Swift was right. The foal is gone and a beautiful confident mare has taken her place. That’s what the lack of a good male role model did to you. Now imagine a full grown dragon with a messed up head. How could I not help a friend out of a situation like that?”

“You have a number of messages. Celestia wants to see you informally. Steel wants to know when you get back. The armorers have something for you. The doctor wants to examine your inner pony. And I want you in my bed.”

Vacation was nice, while it lasted.