The Elemental Bounty Hunter
Prologue: A Child is Found
The Moon hangs over Equestria; its silver glow shines on the sleeping ponies beneath it. One pony is awake. That pony is the Princess of Equestria, Princess Celestia. She sits on the edge of her bed, sliding her hooves into her royal slippers and using magic to set her crown on her head. Then, the Princess walks out onto the balcony outside her bedroom. She looks up at the Moon, precisely at the outline of a mare. The ponies of Equestria know it as the Mare in the Moon, which is just a simple legend. However, Princess Celestia knew it as her sister, Luna, whom she banished there close to one thousand years ago. She sighs as the memory comes to her. It feels like it was yesterday.
"Good morning, dear sister," Celestia whispers sadly.
Her horn glows with a bright, yellow aura. Then, the Moon slowly falls from the sky, with the sun taking its place. Its bright rays fill the land with light. Princess Celestia returns inside to start her long walk to the Royal Dining Hall for breakfast. That is the start of her routine for the past seven millennia.
To the average citizen of Equestria, having dozens of servants at your call, over a million guards ready to give their lives for you, and living in a castle in the capital city would be a dream come true. To Celestia, this is every day, and it's not all that exciting. Doing the same thing for seven thousand years takes its toll. It makes the beauty of Canterlot and the importance of her job as a princess seem mundane. Celestia hopes to find spontaneity that would bring excitement and new experiences into her otherwise routine life. She yearns for opportunities to break away from the rigid structure of her duties, such as engaging more with her subjects in unexpected ways, exploring different parts of Equestria, or experiencing adventures that would allow her to feel more connected to the world around her.
When Celestia arrives at the dining hall, a pair of Royal Guards, the most elite soldiers of the Equestrian Army, open the door for her. She sits at the head of the large mahogany table at the center of the large room. A few moments later, a pegasus stallion wearing a pressed suit approaches her.
"Good morning, Your Highness," the stallion greets.
"Good morning, Silver Platter. How are you this morning?" Princess Celestia replies, smiling sweetly.
"Just dandy, ma'am. What would you like for breakfast?"
Celestia pauses as she thinks.
"I believe I will have strawberry and banana pancakes today with a glass of milk."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Silver Platter bows before he returns to the kitchen. Princess Celestia sighs and looks out the window. It's been a few days since Celestia had a chance to stretch her massive wings. She spends her days sitting on her throne for several hours, holding court for her subjects. She would instead be flying over Canterlot. The wind in her face is liberating. However, these days have been so busy with day court and the upcoming preparations for the Grand Galloping Gala, which is still four months away.
A few moments later, Silver Platter returns to the dining hall with a tray on his hoof. He sets the plate in front of Princess Celestia. She looks down at the plate for a few moments, zoning out.
"Your Highness?" Silver Platter asks.
Princess Celestia doesn't respond.
"Princess Celestia," he says again.
This time, she reacts. She looks over at the waiter.
"Is everything okay?" he asks.
"Yes, everything is fine. Forgive me; it was a long night."
"There is no need to apologize. I understand. I'll let you eat your breakfast in peace."
"Thank you, Silver Platter."
He bows once more before returning to the kitchen. Princess Celestia uses her magic to pick up a fork and begin eating. She zones out, thinking about the day ahead. Unfortunately, there isn't much to look forward to. She sighs.
Princess Celestia finishes her breakfast and leaves the dining hall. From there, she makes her way to the throne room. Two Royal Guards salute her as Celestia approaches the large doors. She returns the salute.
"Good morning, Your Highness!" the guards say in unison.
"Good morning," Celestia replies.
The guard on the left opens the door, and Celestia walks through. The throne room is empty, aside from three more Royal Guards. Two are at the base of her throne, and the last one is standing next to it. Her hooves hitting the ground echo off the walls as she approaches the throne. All three guards salute the Princess.
"Good morning, Princess Celestia," the guard, a male unicorn beside the throne, says.
"Good morning, Sergeant Glass Jar. How are you this morning?" Princess Celestia asks.
"I'm doing fine, ma'am. How about you?"
"About the same. What is on the agenda today?"
Sergeant Glass Jar looks down at his clipboard.
"It's pretty light today. There are not as many nobles today as this past week."
"Okay then," Princess Celestia says to herself.
She looks at the clock just above the door. It reads 7:50 am. Ten more minutes before day court begins. Princess Celestia closes her eyes to rest a little. It feels like she just closed her eyes when the clock chimes eight times. She sighs.
"Send in the first subject," Celestia orders.
The sergeant's horn ignites as he sends the order to the guards on the other side. The door opens.
"Steel Stallion and Altidiya Revoltsova of Stalliongrad!" one of the guards shouts.
On the outside, Princess Celestia doesn't react. On the inside, she is shocked. Steel Stallion is a noblepony of Stalliongrad and the party leader of the Equestrian Communist Pony's Party. Altidiya is his aide and protogé.
Communism is a relatively new economic and governmental ideology in Equestria. Over 100 years ago, Caramel Marks, a scholar from Cloudsdale, wrote An Equestrian's Communist Manifesto. However, his writings were essentially unnoticed until Steel Stallion rose to nobility. He is one of the few who speaks out against the monarchy. Many in Stalliongrad began supporting him. Even guards in the Equestrian Army from Stalliongrad began wearing the symbol of Equestrian Communism, the hammer and horseshoe, when off-duty. Since establishing the ECPP seven years ago, Steel Stallion has refused to receive correspondence or even meet with Princess Celestia. He didn't even visit Canterlot in protest of the monarchy.
"Good morning," Princess Celestia says with a smile.
"Your Highness," Steel Stallion replies, his voice coarse and low.
"Altidiya, it's good to see you again."
She doesn't say anything.
Altidiya was a student in the Canterlot Royal Academy, the most competitive and highest-ranked boarding school in Equestria. She was at the top of her class, and everypony liked her. However, she left to study under Steel Stallion. She was the highest in her class before she began reading the teachings of Caramel Marks.
"It's been a while since you've been to Canterlot," Princess Celestia says.
"Let's dispense with the pleasantries, Princess; we have something to discuss."
Princess Celestia could almost feel Sergeant Glass Jar's blood pressure rise. He doesn't put up with disrespect towards Celestia. She hears the blade of the sergeant's sword sliding against its sheath as he slowly draws it. Princess Celestia shoots him a look that stops him.
"Okay, Noblepony Stallion. You have the floor," she says.
"Thank you. I demand that you cancel the Grand Galloping Gala," he announces.
Nopony speaks. Celestia cocks an eyebrow. She knew that Steel Stallion was bold, but this took the cake, metaphorically speaking, although Celestia could use a slice right about now.
"Why should I cancel the Grand Galloping Gala?" Celestia asks.
"It's wasteful. The previous Gala cost 1,750,000 bits. The year before that, the bill was 1,860,000 bits. The year prior, the bill was 1,980,000 bits. You and the nobility have wasted 6,200,000 bits in the past three years. You could have reallocated those bits to education, infrastructure, and the economy, yet you waste it on a fruitless party."
"Donations from the other nobles, ticket sales, and I fund the Gala. I set it up so that we would use very little of everyponies tax to help fund the Gala. As a noblepony yourself, you should know this. I understand your perspective, and we are doing our best to help reindustrialize the Severnaya region and other regions without raising everyponies' taxes."
"What you should be doing is reallocating the property owned by the bourgeoisie. No one pony should have that much property or money while others suffer."
"Many nobles and business owners earned their property through hard work or earned the money to buy it. Are there corrupt business owners? Yes, there are, but I won't confiscate property that ponies have rightfully earned."
"Filthy royal! You only care about maintaining-"
The doors to the throne room burst open. A squad of Solar Guards, a sergeant leading, gallop in. They all have distressed looks on their faces.
"Princess Celestia, there's an emergency that requires your immediate attention!" the sergeant shouts as he salutes.
"Excuse me, guard. I was in the middle of-"
"Shut up, commie. Nopony wants to hear what you have to say. Princess, please, come with us."
"What's the emergency, Sergeant." Princess Celestia asks as she stands up.
"It's a creature. One of the citizens said it was a monster of some kind. We have it cornered at spearpoint in the alley on Kosmos Street."
"Okay, let's go. My apologies, Noblepony Stallion, but I have to look into this. Sergeant Glass Jar, close day court until I return."
"Yes, ma'am."
Princess Celestia follows the squad out of the castle and into the city. Many of the citizens turn their heads in surprise as they see their Princess run past them with a squad of Solar Guards. Seeing their princess in this much of a hurry is a rare sight to behold in the capital city.
At the alleyway, there is a large crowd. Ten Solar Guards and five Royal Guards are blocking the alleyway with spears aimed forward. Standing behind them is a Royal Guard lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant Pill Box. There is a concerned look on her face. She sees Princess Celestia and immediately salutes her. She returns the salute.
"1st Lieutenant Box, has there been a change in the situation?" Celestia asks.
"No, ma'am, there hasn't," she responds.
"Have you seen what this 'monster' looks like?"
"No, ma'am, I haven't. One of the citizens who spotted it this morning said it walks on two legs and has red skin. They said it was wandering the streets. A few ponies cornered it in the alley until the guards got here."
"That doesn't sound like any creature I have heard of, and, believe me, I've seen many."
"I agree."
"I'm going to see this creature for myself."
That statement takes 1st Lieutenant Pill Box aback. Princess Celestia steps forward to walk between the line of guards.
"Your Highness, with all due respect, are you sure that's a good idea? Like I said, we don't know what that thing is. Tartarus, we don't even know if it's friendly," Pill Box warns.
"Duly noted, 1st Lieutenant, but you needn't worry. I can defend myself just fine. Guards, step aside," Celestia responds with a smile.
The row of guards divides, and Princess Celestia steps through. In the alley, there are several large wooden boxes and crates. It's very dark and smells like a musty room in an abandoned factory. She slowly walks forward, her hoofsteps ringing off the walls. Her eyes dart back and forth while silently recalling her hoof-to-hoof combat skills. She spots a set of eyes watching her from behind a crate at the back of the alley. As soon as Celestia notices this, the "creature" retreats behind the crate.
"Hello? I'm not going to hurt you. Please, come out so I can see you," Princess Celestia says.
There is no response. Celestia backs up a few hoofsteps to ensure her promise. This time, there is a response. The "creature" sticks his head out even more. It reveals its face this time. Its skin isn't red like reported; instead, it has a pale, cream-colored face with brown hair. Its eyes are blue.
"It's okay. I promise I won't hurt you. Please come out," Princess Celestia says again, using her motherly voice.
She sits down on the concrete. As expected, the "creature" comes out from behind the crate. It wears a red shirt and khaki shorts. On its feet are black shoes. Due to its size and features, this "creature" is a male child. Fear fills its eyes. Who could blame it? A mob of ponies chased it into an alleyway, and armed soldiers trapped it there. There is a twinge of righteous anger at the back of her mind, but she forces it down to deal with later.
The child quakes in fear as it inches closer to Celestia. He stops about five feet away and sits down. He pokes at the cracks in the concrete with his fingers. The two sit in silence for a few minutes. Celestia watches him closely, not out of caution but out of curiosity. She's never seen a species like this one before.
"Thank you, child. My name is Princess Celestia. I'm the ruler of this country, which is called Equestria. What's your name?" Celestia asks.
The boy doesn't say anything. Instead, he dips his finger into a water puddle left by the previous day's rainstorm and writes his name. M.A.T.T.H.I.A.S is what he spells out, but upside down. Celestia has never seen a name like that one. She isn't even sure how to pronounce it. She cocks her head to the side.
"Muh-they-us?" she pronounces.
The boy shakes his head no.
"Matt-high-us?"
Celestia sighs. She tries every possible pronunciation in her head.
"It's Matthias," the boy whispers.
"Oh, thank you for helping me. I'm sorry for saying your name wrong. It's just I've never seen a name like that before," Princess Celestia says.
"It's okay. No one at school but Miss Pascal can say my name right."
"Is Miss Pascal your teacher?"
Matthias nods.
"She sounds smart. Listen, I wanted to say I'm sorry," Celestia says.
Matthias looks up at Celestia. There isn't fear in his eyes anymore. He looks curious.
"For what?" he asks.
"My...people. They've never seen your species before, and they were scared of you, but that doesn't mean that they should have scared you. I apologize for their actions," Celestia apologizes.
"It's okay. I forgive you."
"Thank you. That means a lot. May I ask you something, Matthias?"
He nods.
"Do you like castles?" she asks.
Again, he nods.
"I live in that big one that you probably saw this morning. It's safer than this smelly alley, and I can get you something to eat. You must be hungry," Celestia continues.
"I am hungry. Mommy didn't have time to make breakfast."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Tell you what, if you can come with me, I can have my cooks make whatever you want."
"I like pancakes with chocolate chips with chocolate syrup."
"Really? I love chocolate."
For the first time, Matthias smiles. The two stand up.
"Princess, can I ride on your back to the castle?" Matthias asks.
"Yes, you can," Celestia replies sweetly.
To not frighten him with magic, Celestia lowers herself down so Matthias can easily slide himself on her back. He's heavier than she anticipated. Matthias gently holds on to her mane so he doesn't fall off. Celestia walks out of the alleyway with a smile on her face. The guards backed away with looks of shock on their faces. The "thing" on their princess' back wasn't a red-skinned monster but a small child. 1st Lieutenant Pill Box is furious at the ponies for lying to her about what they saw. She clenches his teeth as he shoots daggers at the crowd behind him.
Princess Celestia stops and turns to the crowd. Instead of the friendly, motherly smile she usually shares with her subjects, she has a stern look on her face.
"I'm incredibly disappointed in all of you! You frightened a lost child into a corner! Not only that, you had guards keep him in that alley with spears pointed at him! What you did isn't what Equestria represents! You should know better!" Celestia shouts.
Many of the ponies flatten their ears. There are a few muttered apologies, but Celestia knows that won't undo the damage done. In addition to that, she knows that the upper class doesn't mean it. If Matthias had been wandering around near Ponyville, the ponies would have helped him. All Celestia can do now is help Matthias feel better.
She takes Matthias back to the castle. He's amazed at the size of the castle. Instead of being intimidated by the guards, Matthias thought they were amazing, especially when they saluted Celestia. She takes him to the Royal Dining Hall, where she has the chefs make some pancakes for both of them.
Celestia takes him to the infirmary after the meal. She wants to know if Matthias is in good health and what he is. At first, he was a little resistant because he said he was afraid of doctors, specifically vaccines. A fear of needles is common among foals. She comforts Matthias by telling him that it's a check-up to see if he's healthy. This news perks him up a little since the appointment didn't involve shots.
The castle doctor, Doctor Cotton Patch, examines him. Since Matthias refuses to answer any of her questions, she can't get any substantial answers. All she could do was take his vitals and examine him physically.
Princess Celestia sits outside of the infirmary, reading over a few reports. Then, the doctor walks out with a clipboard in the hoof. She appears puzzled.
"Is everything okay, doctor?" Princess Celestia asks.
"I don't know if I'm honest with you. Matthais's heart rate is 100 BPM. His blood pressure is 108 over 71. I thought I was going to have to give him a dose of Acetylcholine, but I had to calm myself. We ponies have an average heart rate of 25 BPM. If I'm not mistaken, yours would be about 30. His physical attributes are similar to those of a chimpanzee, but his facial features are less rounded. I'd have to call a zoologist to get a better opinion. What's astonishing is that he speaks Ponish."
"Is there anything else?"
"All my other questions, he won't answer. His...language is definitely colorful."
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
"He...used a swear word."
Celestia's brow furrows. What child would know a swear word?
"What word did he use?" she asks.
"Uh. Um. I don't think I should say it, with all due respect," Dr. Patch responds sheepishly.
"That's okay. Could you write it down?"
Dr. Patch pulls out a pen from her lab coat pocket with her mouth and writes the word down on the physical examination sheet. Then, she hands the clipboard to Celestia. She uses her magic to bring it closer to her face. Matthias used the word "horse." Celestia had heard it before many times. Even her father, King Kosmos, had used it.
"Who did he call a prostitute?" Celestia questions as she gives the clipboard back.
"Well...you. The context is that Matthias asked for you, calling you the 'pretty, white horse.' I told him it wasn't a nice word, but he insisted that it was what they called our species. I'm not sure if I should believe him or not. Since he requested to speak with you, I figured you could ask him the questions that I have about him since he seems to trust you."
"I'll do my best to be of assistance."
The two walk into the infirmary. Matthias is sitting on one of the beds. He's kicking his feet while fiddling with a pop sickle stick. He sees Princess Celestia and smiles.
"How are you feeling, Matthias?" she asks.
"I'm good."
"I have a couple of questions for you, if that's okay."
Matthias nods.
"See, in this world, we don't have your species here. I want to know what you are."
"I'm a human."
"Do you know how to spell that?"
"Ummm...h. O. O. M. I. N."
Dr. Patch taps Princess Celestia on the shoulder. She has a puzzled look on her face.
"I don't think that's how you'd spell that," she whispers.
"Hm. Keep it for now," Celestia responds. "Okay, Matthias. That's interesting. How did you end up walking around the streets?"
"I was in the car with Mommy. She was taking me to school, but we were late because her alarm didn't wake her up. She was driving super fast to get me to school before the tardy bell. Then, I heard Mommy yell before everything went black. Then, I woke up on the ground," Matthias responds.
"Oh, um... how old are you?"
"This many."
Matthias holds up six fingers. Celestia doesn't react, but internally, she is shocked that a young child has been alone for so long. She sighs before thinking of another question.
"I noticed you have fingers instead of hooves. Are you related to monkeys?
"I...don't know. I think so, but I don't know."
"That's okay. It's okay not to know something. That's why we do something called research. We search for answers so that we can know about things. Does that make sense?"
Matthias nods in response.
"Princess Celestia? Can you take me to school? Mommy will be mad if I'm not in school," he asks.
"Matthias... I can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't know how it happened by whatever happened when you took you from your world and put you here."
Matthias looks confused. Celestia sighs and hangs her head. She hates to be blunt with a little boy, but there isn't an excellent way to explain his situation.
"You can't go to school. You can't go home. When everything went black, something took you from your home and put you here. I'm so sorry."
"I...I want my mommy," Matthias whimpers.
Tears fall from his eyes, and he begins to cry. Celestia feels his fear and sadness. She cannot say anything to make him feel better; all she can do is hug him. She sits on the bed next to him and wraps her wing around him. Matthias wraps his arms around her torso. He sobs for several minutes. Celestia regrets saying anything to him, but it had to be said. No child deserves to be in a situation like this at that age. She looks up at Dr. Patch and mouths an order for her to leave. The doctor bows her head and backs out of the door.
After about half an hour, Matthias calms down to where he is just sniffling. Celestia gives him a tissue box to wipe away his tears and his runny nose. She gets curious about something. Her horn ignites, and she casts a spell. The spell is to scan for the aura, the life force that every living being has, even plants. Aura is the basic foundation of magic and its usage. While Matthias was crying, Celestia felt something inside of him. This feeling piqued her curiosity. When the scan finished, she felt something that felt like a burning fire, and its fuel was his grief. Due to the presence of the aura, Matthias could use magic if somepony trains him. However, it wouldn't be magic like what unicorns and alicorns can use. The magic would likely be elemental magic.
Non-ponies can use this kind of magic. Its powerful abilities make them perfect soldiers. However, she didn't want Matthias to grow up like that. He should grow up wanting to help rather than use his abilities to kill. Most of all, to be able to control it. She had seen ponies who didn't train to use their magic. It had disastrous results.
"Matthias," Celestia says.
He looks up at her.
"Do you want to see something cool?"
He nods.
Celestia ignites her horn, and the aura around it glows a bright yellow. Matthias's eyes grow wide from amazement, and the tears disappear. She levitates one of the beds in the infirmary to the ceiling. Then, Celestia sets it back down.
"Many creatures in this world can use magic. I believe you can, too, if you learn how," she explains.
"Can you teach me?" Matthias asks.
"I can try. I can't use the magic you probably use, but I'll do my best."
"Thank you."
Matthias hugs her tightly. Celestia nuzzles the little boy. It had been fifty years since she had taken a student. Taking a student would be a nice change of pace for now.
Celestia closed the court for the day. In its place, she shows Matthias the rest of the castle, including its many gardens and extensive library. She has Matthias's favorite meal made for dinner, which is steak bites, mashed potatoes, and apple slices. Celestia had to call one of the thestral cooks in the Lunar Guard to cook the meal. During dinner, Celestia has the maids clean up a spare room so Matthias can have a place to stay.
When they finish dinner, the two go to the room. Matthias is surprised at the size of ....well...everything. His eyes widened as he took in the space. The high ceilings loomed above, adorned with delicate patterns that danced in the light of the late afternoon sun streaming through the large windows. He walked further in, taking note of the plush bed with soft linens that invited him to sink into its comfort. His fingers brushed over the quilted covers, feeling the luxurious texture beneath his touch. The bathroom is no exception. The bathtub is big enough to hold Celestia. The floor is white marble with yellow trim. The floor mat and towels are blue.
After exploring the room some more, Princess Celestia asks Matthias to take a bath. She asks him to put his dirty clothes on the floor outside the door so she can have them cleaned. Initially, she expects a little resistance, but Matthias complies. Whoever his parents are, they taught him well.
After a few minutes, Matthias drops his clothes outside the bathroom's closed door. Celestia picks up the clothes to take to the laundry room on the same floor. Before she leaves, something catches her eye. The tag on his T-shirt has something written on it. It's Matthias's first and last name. His last name is Cartwright. It's an odd name. Unlike pony names, which are objects or adjectives, this name seems to have meaning. What "Matthias" means is beyond Celestia.
The clothes get cleaned and dried before Matthias finishes bathing. Celestia sets the clean clothes outside of the door for when Matthias finishes. Eventually, he finishes and gets dressed for bed. Princess Celestia takes Matthias to the window that faces the sun, which is slowly descending.
"One of my duties as a princess is to lower the sun and Moon. I do it all with my magic," Celestia explains.
"Really?" Matthias asks.
"Yes. Watch."
Once again, Princess Celestia ignites her horn. She lowers the sun beneath the horizon. Within moments, the Moon rises to its rightful place in the sky. As usual, the outline of the Mare in the Moon is there. Princess Celestia sighs.
Good evening, dear sister, Celestia thinks to herself.
"Wow! That's cool!" Matthias exclaims.
"Now, off to bed. You and I have a long day tomorrow, so you need all the rest you can get!"
"Okay."
Matthias crawls into the large bed. Princess Celestia tucks him in and turns off the light. She almost walks out the door, but Matthias calls out to her. She turns around.
"Yes?" she asks.
"Can you tell me a story or sing me a song?" Matthias requests as he yawns.
"Sure, I can. Let me think of one."
Princess Celestia sits down next to the bed as she thinks. Then, one that her mother, Queen Galaxia, sang to her thousands of years ago comes to mind.
Stretch out, little darling. Easy in your bed
Forget all your worries. Rest your weary head.
For come morning time, when we rise as one. To dawn's light, greeted by the sun. I'll drape you in sunlight and a warm embrace.
As we share the daylight, this new day to face
Yesterday’s a dream. Tomorrow is a vision
But to me, it would seem today is your decision
Rest now, little darling. Blissful in your bed
Forget all your worries. Rest your weary head.
Slumber, little darling. Safely in your bed.
Forget all your worries. Rest your weary head.
Do not dwell on blunders or mistakes made before
For they produced a wonder, for the one I adore.
I'll drape you in sunlight and a warm embrace.
As we share the daylight, this new day to face
Yesterday’s a dream. Tomorrow is a vision
But to me, it would seem today is your decision
Sleep tight, little darling. Soundly in your bed.
Forget all your worries. Rest your weary head.
When Celestia finishes, Matthias is sound asleep. His chest rises and falls gently. Celestia pulls up the sheets a little more, careful not to wake up the sleeping boy. She stands up and leaves the room. She closes the door gently and walks towards her chambers.
Today's events were unexpected, for sure. They certainly brought the spontaneity that Celestia had long craved for many moons. Little did she know that the boy sleeping in that bed would become something far more significant than she could dream of him being.
Author's Note
Hello, everyone. I've been thinking about this story since last year. It was a bare-bones idea that needed some reworking before I even went into writing. This is more of a test chapter to see how well it's received. I'd love to hear your comments about this chapter. I hope to write more chapters in the future. Thank you so much for reading this chapter of my second story on this site.
The video below shows the lullaby that Celestia sings to Matthias. I changed a line or two to make the scene make sense.
https://youtu.be/LLvonXeh3bk?feature=shared (Lullaby time stamp is at 23:40)
The original author of the lullaby is Void Whisper. Please support her! Here's the link to her page:
The Elemental Bounty Hunter
It's been over two years since Matthias Cartwright arrived in Equestria. He is now eight years old. He adjusted well to the complexity of pony culture. He certainly got used to the lavish lifestyle of living in the castle with Princess Celestia. Of course, the biggest challenge he had to face was learning to use magic. There was a lot of frustration for both Celestia and Matthias. However, they made a lot of progress in a short amount of time. The teaching involved both classroom instruction and hooves-on...or hands-on instruction. First, Celestia had Matthias tested to see if he was even capable of using aura. Very few non-ponies are capable of even doing so. Those who can use their aura will train to become mages. As Celestia soon found out, Matthias was capable.
One of the very first things that Matthias learned about elemental magic is that there are five distinct natures—fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. Certain species are more adept at using one style more than others. For example, penguins and hippogryphs are more adept at using water magic than griffins, who are more adept at using wind magic. Some can learn to use other types to broaden their abilities. However, some mages are capable of using all five types. They were almost always soldiers because of their powerful abilities. Many were capable of killing even the most powerful unicorns.
Celestia trained Matthias to manipulate his aura by imagining the aura collecting in his hands and then imagining the change in nature. It took a lot of concentration, which was difficult with a hyperactive child. She used concentration exercises, which helped him a lot. After a few months, Princess Celestia found out he could use water and wind magic. It was scarce for a child that young to use two types, but the hardest for Matthias to control was the wind. When he expressed frustration, the magic was more powerful. He destroyed a wall with a blast of wind magic, and it nearly killed a Solar Guard. Princess Celestia was terrified and decided to spend more time helping Matthias control his emotions. Outside of class hours, specifically on the weekends, he trained for hours on end to improve his magic.
Aside from his magic studies, Matthias learned the basic education subjects that all children had to learn, like reading, writing, and math. Of course, he had to learn about Equestrian history, which was his least favorite subject. The numerous dates and events were boring to him. His favorite subject was learning about magic and practicing his own.
Over the next two years, Matthias became proficient in using magic. He could water plants by just outstretching his hands or cool some of the guards off by sending a gentle breeze in their direction. Matthias even learned to dry himself off after a shower using his wind magic. Celestia was glad that he was learning on his own and getting better by the day. However, this is all she could do. He had to send him to school because he had learned enough to make it through. She applied for him to go to the Canterlot Royal Elementary Academy, the most prestigious boarding school in Equestria.
Potential students had to take an entry exam even to be considered by the admissions committee to enter. Princess Celestia hid her identity by having a young noble in Canterlot named Fancy Pants sponsor Matthias so he could have a fair chance at entering. Of course, he passed the entrance exam with flying colors. His scores in math, Ponish, magic, and reading were high, whereas his history portion was about average. Within a week, the admissions committee accepted Matthais, and his first day of school was in five months. As a reward, Celestia gave Matthias a few months off from his studies, but he was to practice his magic daily. He mostly kept to himself during this time and his head down. He mostly spent that time either in one of the many courtyards or the library studying his magic.
At one point, the castle was abuzz about something, but Matthias didn't think it was his business, so he just went about his day. He did hear about whispers of another princess coming to the castle. The news piqued his curiosity. He hadn't heard of another princess before. In fact, the only other princess mentioned in the history books was Princess Luna, Princess Celestia's sister, who disappeared many centuries ago.
A couple of days after these whispers began, Matthias did some investigating of his own. There were certain places he couldn't go in the castle without explicit permission from Princess Celestia herself. The West Wing of the Castle was one such place. That didn't stop him from snooping around. Due to his small size, slipping into small spaces, hiding from Solar or Royal Guards, and slipping behind closing doors became a skill he got good at.
One day, he got curious. He had heard that Princess Celestia was in one of her private gardens in the West Wing. So, he decided to see what she was up to. When he arrived, he found Princess Celestia talking with another pony, more specifically, a filly. Her body color was light pink, with pale yellow, pink, and purple mane. Was this the princess that the castle staff were talking about? What really confused Matthias is that she had wings and a horn. This little filly was an alicorn. His eyes widened. This sight was shocking to him.
Princess Celestia was teaching her how to use magic. The little pony showed frustration as she struggled to lift a small ball in the air. Matthias felt sorry for her because he knew what it felt like to struggle with magic. He watched this little pony and Celestia for a straight hour before deciding to leave. He snuck out the way he came. However, this time, there was a snag in his plan.
"HEY!! What are you doing back here?!" a pony shouted.
Matthias stopped in his tracks and gritted his teeth. He turned around. A pegasus stallion Royal Guard approached him.
"I'm looking for Princess Celestia," Matthias replied.
"Interesting. Then, why are you walking away from where the Princess is?"
Matthias sighed. There wasn't a way to talk himself out of this problem. The Royal Guard led him back to the garden.
"Princess Celestia!" the guard shouted.
Celestia turned around. She spotted Matthias standing behind the guard as they walked up to her.
"Is there a problem, Private?" Celestia asked.
"I caught Matthias snooping around again," he replied.
Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow as she looked at Matthias. He didn't look ashamed at all; instead, he seemed more annoyed that the guard captured him. Then, she turned her attention to the pony behind her, who looked intrigued by Matthias.
He was bound to find out at some point, she thinks to herself, "Matthias, what have I told you about being where you aren't supposed to be?"
Matthias didn't answer, and he didn't need to. He knew what he did was wrong.
"We've talked about this. I can't let this go without consequences. I will talk to you later about that. For now, I believe introductions are in order. Matthias, please meet Mi Amore Cadenza."
"Mi Amora-what now?" Matthias said, confused.
"You...you can call me Cadance."
"Oh, that's easier. I'm Matthias, Princess Celestia's student. Nice to meet you."
He walks over to Cadance and sticks out his hand. She looks at his hand, confused, then at Princess Celestia, who smiles warmly.
"Put your hoof in his hand. It's okay," Celestia said.
Cadance put her hoof in Matthias's hand. Her heart skipped a beat when his fingers closed around her hoof. His hand was warm, and his grip was firm. He gently shakes it before letting go. He slips his hands back into his pockets.
"I didn't think there was another princess still around," Matthias said, looking Cadance up and down.
"I'm new," she replied.
"Makes sense. There's only one of me around here."
"What are you exactly? I've never seen one of you before."
"I'm a human. I came from another world."
Cadance's eyes widened. A species from another dimension was mindboggling to her.
"Is he serious, Princess Celestia?" she asked.
"He is. How he arrived here is still unknown to me. I've researched countless hours over the past two years, and nothing can explain it."
"I thought you knew everything," Cadance asked.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but I, unfortunately, do not. Now, if you will excuse me, I'll let you get better acquainted. Run along, you two," Princess Celestia said warmly.
Cadance and Matthias walked to the doors leading away from the West Wing. The Royal Guard opens the door for them before allowing them through. The two walked in awkward silence. Matthias was nervous because he'd never met a princess his age. He didn't know whether to call her Cadance, Princess Cadance, or Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. He didn't even know how to start a conversation with her, much less how to talk to her. Cadance was having the same issue. This human was very different from the creatures she had read about in her books. The only creatures that could stand on two hooves or, in this case, feet are minotaurs and dragons. Not only that, this boy was a student of Princess Celestia's. Very few ponies have that honor. Could he use magic like her? Maybe he could teach her when Princess Celestia wasn't available.
"So, w-what does she t-teach you?" Cadance asked quietly.
"Princess Celestia? She teaches me how to use my magic," Matthias responded.
"You can use magic?"
"Yep. Watch."
Matthias took his left hand out of his pocket. A small ball of wind began to form. The young princess was amazed at the sight. The sound of gushing winds filled her ears. After a few seconds, Matthias closed his fist, causing the ball of wind to dissipate. Cadance felt a slight breeze brush against her face. The sound stopped, as well.
"Woah! That is so cool. What kind of magic is that?" Cadance asked.
"It's wind magic. I can use water magic, too," Mattias responded.
He outstretched his hand and created a ball of water. Now, it sounded like a stream in the middle of the woods. Matthias quickly closed his fist again. This time, a few droplets of water landed on Cadance's face.
"That is the coolest thing I've seen," Cadance said with the biggest smile.
"Thanks," Matthias replied as he slid his hand back into his pocket.
"How do you study spells?"
"I read grimoires."
"What's that?"
"It's a book of spells. C'mon, I'll show you."
Matthias led Cadance to the library where he was studying. He had been in the back, next to a window that looked out over one of the gardens. There was a small table with books strewn all over it. Next to one of the open books was a small pile of notebook paper. Matthias sat down in front of the book. He motioned for Cadance to sit next to him. He scooted his chair closer to her so she could see.
"Take a look," he said.
Cadance felt like she was reading Minotauran. None of what she was reading was making sense to her. Then again, she only had alicorn magic for about a month.
"How do you learn magic from this?" she asked, pushing the back to Matthias.
"It kinda tells you how to control your aura, how to turn into an element of nature, and then what to do with it. Watch," Matthias replied.
He performed the same ball of water spell again, but slower this time, so Cadance could really see how the process worked. She was very amazed at how this process worked. It was very different from what she was learning from Princess Celestia. This manifestation of magic was different. Cadance tries it herself, but the only thing that happens is that her horn spurts out a few sparks of magic.
"I don't think that's going to work," he laughed.
"Why?"
"You can only use pony magic. Not even Princess Celestia can use element magic."
"Who can use elemental magic?"
"Pretty much everypony else except ponies."
"That stinks."
"Hey, you are an alicorn. You are a lot stronger than me already. There a bunch of spells you can learn that I can't."
Cadance thought about what her new friend had said. That was true. Just her being an alicorn, her magic potential was much higher than most unicorns her age.
"So, where are you going to school?" Matthias asked as he turned the ball of water into thin air.
"I think Canterlot Royal Elementry Academy," Cadance replied.
"No way. I'm going there, too. Maybe we'll have classes together!"
"That would be fun. You seem cool."
"Thanks. So do you."
And that's how the princess and the boy became fast friends. Over the next few months, they grew closer and closer. They read together and practiced their magic together. Matthias read up more on how to use unicorn magic in order to help Cadance. Her skills improved as time for the first day of school drew near. One of the things that Cadance had to learn was princess etiquette. She had to learn how to walk, talk, and hold herself differently than everypony else. She hated this part because it was annoying and boring, and she'd instead learn magic and spend time with Mattias.
Of course, the two had a lot of fun, too. They roamed the castle's many gardens, seeing the countless animals that resided there. Cadance was more fond of all of the squirrels, while Matthias enjoyed the rabbits. Princess Celestia even let them play at a playground near the castle under the supervision of some of the Royal Guards. Many would walk by to get a look at the small alicorn and human playing together as if there was no difference between them. Many nobles disapproved of this, thinking that Cadance should act like a princess and not spend time at a playground. Of course, Princess Celestia had to remind them that she was still, in fact, a foal and had every right to act like it. As the two grew close, they chose nicknames for each other. Matthias called Cadance "Candy," and she called him "Matty."
Eventually, the first day of school rolled around. Matthias was unhappy that he had to wear a uniform. It was a blue polo shirt with a maroon vest, along with blue slacks. The vest bore the school's emblem. Cadance only had to wear a shirt and vest. The tardy rang at 8:00 a.m., so Princess Celestia made sure that both Matthias and Cadance were on their way to school by 7:30 a.m.
Matthias carried a backpack that Fancy Pants had somepony make for him on his back, while Cadance had typical saddlebags. As usual, Mattias walked with his hands in his pockets.
"Hey, Matty, are you nervous?" Cadance asked.
"Kinda. What about you?" Matthias replied.
"I'm so nervous. I've never been to a school like this before."
"Don't worry about it. I think you'll be fine since you are a pony."
"Uhhh...ahem."
Matthias looked down as Cadance pointed to her horn.
"So? Ponies will have to respect you since you are a princess. Besides, you are nice enough to wear all of the foals will like you," he said as he shrugged.
"I hope you are right," Cadance sighed.
A few minutes later, the two arrived at the school. Many of the children were already heading inside. The giant clock on the front of the building read 7:50 a.m. Matthias walked forward, and Cadance froze. He turned around with a concerned look on his face.
"Are you coming?" he asked.
Cadance seemed terrified.
"Do I need to carry you inside?" Matthias said teasingly.
"N-no. I need a sec," Cadance replied as a blush appeared on her face.
"We have ten minutes before we are late. Princess Celestia will be mad if that happens. You'll be perfectly fine. We are in the same class, so I'll be right there with you."
Cadance closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her beating heart. The thought of Matthias being there with her is comforting. She opened her eyes and smiled.
"Let's go," Cadance said.
The two walked into the school. Almost immediately, they began receiving stares from the other students. The once noisy hallway went silent aside for some hushed whispers. Matthias didn't falter from his "gung-ho" attitude. He marched down the hallway like he belonged there, like he owned the place. Cadance had a different reaction. She hung her head with her ears flattened against her head. She looked like a scared stray dog rather than a princess.
The two walked to their class, specifically Prickly Pear's class. Cadance took a seat in the middle of the class, and of course, Matthias sat next to her. He pulled out a notebook and a pencil. Then, Matthias pulled out one of his grimoires. He started reading. The class starts to fill up with students. A few minutes later, the bell rang, and the teacher walked in.
"Settle down, students, and let's get started," she said.
The students quiet down.
Prickly Pear appeared to be much younger than most teachers at a prestigious academy. She had a pink body and a green mane. A set of glasses rests on her muzzle, and she wears the typical educator's uniform for Canterlot Royal Academy: a maroon polo shirt and a blue vest. Her mane is a long braid that rests on the left side of her body.
"Good morning, students. My name is Ms. Prickly Pear. Instead of taking attendance tediously, we'll take attendance when I call your name, and you'll tell me something interesting about yourself. Up first is...Astral Haze," she announced.
A pegasus stallion with a blue body and white mane stands up.
It isn't long before Prickly Pear gets to Cadance. She shakily stood up and opened her mouth to speak. Everyone staring at her caused her to freeze. She tried speaking, but nothing came out of her mouth. It didn't help that some foals started whispering, and some giggles arose. Cadance looked over at Mattias. He gave her a gentle smile and a nod. He mouthed, "You got this." Cadance took a deep breath, letting her nerves settle before speaking.
"I go by C-cadance instead of Mi A-amore Cadenza. I guess an interesting fact about m-me is that...that I'm a...princess, and my aunt is Princess Celestia," she announced.
Cadance extends her wings a little and uses her magic to pick up her saddlebags to prove she is an alicorn.
There are a lot of whispers now. Prickly Pear looks down at her clipboard to see if Cadance is lying or not. She, in fact, wasn't. Her cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink as embarrassment floods her body.
"My apologies, Your Highness. I should have let you go first," Prickly Pear said nervously.
"It's okay, Ms. Pear. I'm just a princess-in-training. Princess Celestia is helping me," Candace replied.
"P-p-p-p-Princess Celestia?!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh. Well. Let's continue with introductions."
She continued through the list until she got Matthias. She looked at him more closely as she called his name. He looked like a more upright ape with a lot less hair. After many years of study, she had never seen anything like him before, even during the mythical creatures that she studied in her spare time.
"Hi, everyone. I guess an interesting thing about me is that I'm an elemental magic mage-in-training under Princess Celestia," Matthias said.
"Y-y-y-you, as well?" Prickly Pear asked as her eyes widened.
Matthias nodded.
Prickly Pear was astonished. Two children, one of whom is an actual princess, were students of Princess Celestia's. She couldn't tell if this was a practical joke or a test by the administration since this was her first year teaching. One of them isn't even a pony. Eventually, she continued going through attendance. Everypony was present. Then, she goes through a summary of her life before starting the first subject: math. There were a few groans, which ended with a sharp look from Prickly Pear.
At around 11:30 a.m., the class dismissed for lunch and recess. Behind the school, there was a large playground. A few trees stood around the area. Cadance sat on a bench under an oak tree and ate a peanut butter sandwich. Matthias sat with her, eating the same thing.
"What do you think of our teacher?" Matthias asked.
"She seems nice. She makes learning really easy. I thought everything would be harder since we are going to a rich pony school," Cadance replied.
"Me, too. Only four and a half hours to go, and we can go back to the castle."
"I can't wait."
Cadance finished the rest of her sandwich and got up to throw her trash away. On her way back to the bench, five ponies walked up to her. The "leader" of the group is a unicorn stallion with a golden body and a white mane. He looked to be the same age as her, but she hadn't seen him in Prickly Pear's class.
"So, you must be the new pony I've been hearing about," the stallion said with a sly smile.
"Yep, that's me. I'm Cadance," Cadance replied nervously.
"I'm Dapper Hooves. Nice to meet you. So, where are you from?"
"I moved to Canterlot a few months ago from a small town called Yoketown."
Dapper Hooves and his "entourage" nearly sputter in laughter.
"Yoketown? Where's that at?" Dapper asked, trying to contain his laughter.
"Close t-to Vanhoover," Cadance replied.
"So, a backwater, country hick. I was born and raised in Canterlot. My father is a noblepony. You know this school is only for the elite and smartest, right?"
"I guess so, but I took the entrance exam and passed like everypony else. I made a 97."
Dapper's smile fades. He made a 95. How could a lowly unicorn from a no-name town like this mare make a higher grade than him?
"Are you from a noble family?"
"N-no. I was an orphan and got adopted."
"You aren't even a noble? Hahaha, this is too funny. Listen here, filly. You don't belong here just because you passed the entrance exam. You should leave while you still can so you don't make our school look bad in front of everypony else."
Cadance's ears flatten against her head, and she sinks a little. She never faced a bully like this before. Even in Yoketown, the foals liked her since she was one of the sweetest ponies around. Cadance thought that ponies in Canterlot would be nicer, but she was horribly wrong. Dapper Hooves and his friends continue poking fun and laughing at her. No one of the teachers was around even to hear what was going on. However, Matthias heard everything, and he was furious. He set his sandwich aside and marched over to them.
"HEY! LEAVE HER ALONE!" he yelled.
Dapper Hooves, his friends, and Cadance looked over at him. Even a few nearby foals turned to see who was shouting. Matthias walked to stand between the group of foals and Cadance.
"And who are you? Or what are you? Some kinda freak?" Dapper laughed.
"I'm Matthias Cartwright, and I am a human. By the way, I made the same grade as Cadance. You gotta problem with it?" he growled.
"Well, I always heard that monkeys travel in troops. Maybe Cadance is a monkey, too. Look, guys, a couple of monkeys."
"HEY! You can make fun of me all you want. I know I'm a freak, but leave Cadance alone. You should be bowing to her."
"Oh, yeah? Why's that, monkey?"
"She's a princess! If you don't believe me, ask Princess Celestia."
Matthias stepped out of the way so Dapper and his friends could see for themselves. Cadance weakly smiled as she flared her wings a little.
"What are you, then? Her monkey bodyguard?" he laughed.
"So what if I am? Gotta problem with it?"
Dapper didn't expect Matthias to ignore his insults completely. It was like he was wearing mental armor, which made him angrier.
"As Princess Cadance's bodyguard, I'm telling you to back off," Matthias growled.
"Or what?" Dapper replied.
Matthias smirked. He made a finger gun with his left hand and created a tiny ball of water at the tip of his fingers. He pointed it at the nearby oak tree.
"Water Magic: Finger Water Gun," Matthias said.
He lowered his thumb down like the hammer on a pistol. The small ball of water hit the tree with a loud crack and created a softball-sized hole through the center. Everypony around, watching the incident, looked on in horror. Cadance was shocked at the pure strength of the move. Dapper and his friends slowly started walking backward.
"C'mon, guys. Let's get away from the princess and her freak bodyguard," he said.
Matthias sighed as he lowered his hand and turned around.
"Sorry about that, Candy. I won't actually kill him. I just needed to scare him off," he apologized.
"It's okay. Thank you for saving me. Maybe I could use a bodyguard," Cadance replied.
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Matthias gave a silly bow, which got Cadance to laugh.
About fifteen minutes later, recess ended, and everypony returned to their classes.
Eventually, the bell rang for classes to end for the day. Cadance and Matthias picked up their bags and began making their way back to the castle. When they walked out of the building, they saw Dapper Hooves and his friends standing at the bottom of the steps. Matthias moved in front of Cadance as a guard would. He made a finger gun to scare the bullies. They promptly bow to Cadance, who blushes slightly. Some of the parents noticed this and were confused until they saw Cadance's physiology. Some of them bow, as well. To play along, she tries walking like Princess Celestia would but rather clumsily. When the two get far enough away from the school, they burst into laughter. The whole acting bit was hilarious to them. They had no business doing any of that, but it was fun nonetheless.
When they reached the castle gates, they saw Princess Celestia standing there. Her face was covered in her usual warm, motherly smile.
"Good afternoon, you two. How was your first day of school?" she asked.
The two looked at each other.
"You know, Princess Celestia. It wasn't bad at all," Matthias responded with a smile.
"Well, good, you'll have to tell me all about it at dinner. For now, change out of your school clothes, go to the West Wing courtyard, and practice your magic."
"Yes, Princess Celestia," Cadance and Matthias replied.
The two children walk past Princess Celestia and into the castle.
Author's Note
I had a difficult time coming up with a title name. However, I figured a twist on "The Princess and the Frog" would make sense. It's a corny title, but hey, it fits.
This took longer to write than expected because I was working on another chapter for I Am Anonymous and was lacking motivation. Now, I'm back in the game! Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts! Until next time, Anonymous out!
