Steam Punk - Inspired fanfic from Roleplay

by Frolda

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Comedy, Adventure, Alternate Universe
Length: 6260

Inspired fanfic from Roleplay at bronies.cz

In Equestria is lack of fuel called Izrite. Princess Celestia send an expedition to Cervidas, where is Izrite almost everywhere.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-24 20:58:45 UTC

Chapter 1 - How aristocrats have fun

Chapter 1 – How aristocrats have fun

     Outside was raining again. Drops with a little sound were landing on the windows of Canterlot castle and were flowing down. It wasn´t a storm. It was a little rain. There weren´t even any lightnings and it wasn´t so dark. I took down my gloves interlaced with gold and laces and then I took silvered porcelain cup with hot tea. I scented it with my nostriles and instinctively blowed to the cup.

I walked on a velvet carpet, which stmoothed nicely my hooves I placed a cup of tea on dessert saucer and sat on a couch. My guest should came in every minute..

     Before he came, a Princess Celestia showed herself. When she saw me, she immidietly smiled. I came to her with my aristocratic walk and bowed in front of her. She said me to stand normally

„You don´t have to be so formal, when there isn't anybody, dear Lord..“

     Yes, it´s true. I am a Lord. Full name is Lord Frolda val Hallen. I belong to the elite of Canterlot youth and I have one of the best pedigree in the whole Equestria. This might be the reason why I stand in front of the opportunity, which literally called, when I will take it under my protective hooves. Nevertheless, I can be as wise and effective as I want, but without help of the others I can't succeed in this important matter. That´s why my important guest is coming. I mean, Princes Celestia´s important guest.

      Princess Celestia sat near me. I gave her another cup of tea and we and we were waiting.. Stove tried to defeat February winter, which was everywhere, and tea nicely heated our hooves and bodies. I mean, in my hooves. Princess Celestia´s hooves were in gloves and cup has been moved by her magic.

„Have you invited your sister, too?“

„Yes, of course. She should come in a few minutes,“ she smiled and looked outside trough a window.

     Our guest, captain Strong Hoof, came first. He belonged to a famous pedigree of cider makers, Apple family. Experienced factory owners, who counts quality instead of quantity. It makes lot of customers very happy. Strong Hoof came in front of Princess Celestia and bowed. He didn't notice me. Yet. I was looking at him and waiting. If we will have to cooperate in the future, I have to know more information about him. Princess Celestia welcomed him. When he asked, who will  be the leader of the expedition, she pointed at her hoof at me. Strong Hoof looked at me with suspicion on his face. Maybe my age inserted doubts into his head. I am about 4 years younger than him.

„Him?“ he asked suspiciously.

„Do you have any doubts, young man?“ I asked him.

      Word young man made him a bit angry. He found enough arrogance and said:

„I am about ten years older than you!“

„You aren´t. In fact, you are only about three years, seven months, twenty two days and sixty seven minutes older.“

     Strong Hoof was more and more agressive. His face colour was angry red, but before Princess he didn´t make anything.

„You must be very experienced and informated.“

I gave him a actered smile. I hate, when somebody underestimate me, but due to my age, it´s not rare.

„More than you think. As you had realized, I am the leader of the incomming expedition. What did you know from her Majesty?“ I pointe dat Princess Celestia.

„Almost everything. Where, when and what I have to move with my airship. That´s my work.“

     I got up from the couch, came to the window and looked out. Without looking at Strong Hoof, I continued speaking.

„Cervidas isn´t a Night Star,“ I named one of the most famous shopping streets in Canterlot. „You cannot go there and buy what do you want. It´s almost a wasteland. If we forgot something there, we will miss it. We cannot came back.“

„You don´t say,“ said captain fed up.

      Princess Celestia was watching us and was drinking a tea. She wanted to laugh and in fact, she wanted to lie on the floor and laugh like a young filly, but she couldn't. I came to him.

„It looks, that you don´t realize, dear captain, that I will be the pony, who commands you. Not the Princess, just me. So I don´t care if you want or not, but you will obey my orders.“

     Strong Hoof didn´t answer. He disjoined Princess Celestia, who let him leave, and he dissapeared.

I sat on the couch again and I drank the tea..

„You appeared like you were born to be the leader,“ she exploded with laugh. I looked at her with half closed eye. It was a face which showed something like: Do you think it´s true? I don´t.“

„It ´s almost normal, that everypony looks at me.as unexperienced young filly, but I finished enough expeditions, so I shall have some reliability.

     She came to me, cleaned my face with her wings and tingled my nostriles.

„For somepony, you will be always that filly. I remember you like the young obedient filly, who firstly visited Canterlot palace with his father.“

„It was my first visit. I firtsly saw you, auntie.“

     Everybody has some secrets. Somebody steals cider from a kitchen and others have the ruler of Equestria asa godmother. I get used to call her auntie. She was glad, I was glad, just everypony was glad.

     Princess Luna entered the room. She was wearing dark dress like it was made from the night dark and jacket from the same materiál. Her black and blue skin was covered by some snowflakes. Probably night is comming.

„Welcome to Canterlot palace, Princess,“ I said.

„Thank you, lord.“

     I took off her jacket and hang it on a golden rack near the doors.

„How was your journey?“

     Princess  smiled at this polite question.

„Cold,“ I didn´t expeceted, that she will jump next to me an that she will touch my nostril with her cold hoof. It was colder than the best Canterlot icecream, so I jumped back.

„Auntie,“ I acted that she hurted me.

     Princess Luna wasn´t my godmother like her sister, but I get used to adress her auntie, but of course only in privacy. Teasing of me belonged to their most entertaining aktivity. They were unbelievable playful.

„Greetings, young sister,“ said Celestia, who hugged Luna.

„Greetings to you to, big sister.“

      Celestia smiled.

„I begged you, not to call me big sister.“

     Luna licked nostril of Celestia.

„You old witch,“ she said it as a joke.

„You…“

     I smiled a bit, but that was a big mistake. They looked and me and  smiled devilish. Oh, damn. Something is preparing on me. I made some steps back, but before I managed to escape, I was caught. Celestia holded my front hooves, Luna my back hooves and their wings  took down my jacket and they managed to touch my skin. I cried with laugh and begged for help. Somepony heared me. Captain Strong Hoof disturbed us. He stayed at the doors and looked at us with fear. His face was red with embarrasment and he want to disappear. Princess Celestia called him back. Both sisters let me go. I took my clothes back.

    „You can see, that even aristocrates can have a lots of fun.“ I said to Strong Hoof.

Both sisters made a brohoof and laughed at me.

„I, … just… wanted to … apologize,“ said captain.

    Finally I managed to make my appearance a bit better. I offered him a brohoof and said:

„It´s in order, i get used of it, that everypony behaved at me as to young filly.“

    I looked at Luna and Celestia, who waved with their hooves to me. Altough the rooms of Canterlot palace were huge, they heard every word.

„It´s a habit in my family, when we appologize, to drink something. Do you understand me?“

„Wine?“

„Cider, apple cider.“

     I took some accesories and waved with my hoof at Luna and Celestia, then I told captain:

„We can drink outside, her eis neither wine so cider.“

    We walked through long coridor. Everywhere were gold, silver or another accesories, lots of pictures and beautiful silk. Strong Hoof was discomposed. He was young and ambitious and from a farm. He didn´t get used to a city, or he has a fear from authorities.

„How long you are in Canterlot?“

    Captain didn´t like this question. It took a while, before he answered me.

„Ten years.“

„Do you like this city?“

    He looked at me.

„I am here only for work and one big love, to which belongs my heart.“

„I presuppose, when you say, that this love is only one, that it is your job?

    He agreed. We came to the enter gate. It´s night already. We both greeted with guard and moved to the Canterlot streets, which were under us, shining to the night with lamps and alluring for a bottle of something tasty.

Chapter 2 - How officers have fun

Chapter 2 – How officers have fun

     We went to some street, about which I have never heard ever before. Smoke from pipes, immigrants from places far away and the smell of alcohol, lights from the street lights and a noise of fun. It looks that captain Strong Hoof, certainly have been here more than once. He greeted with many ponies, bartenders, wenches, citizens and I think I saw some young officers from the Academy.

„I think, you are not here the first time, are you?“ I asked him.

     He gave me a smile.

„We can say that I know some ways how to spend free time.“

     I was looking around, like a filly in sweet-shop, and I was thinking, if I want to be here or not.

I didn´t realize anything, I just let everything to be free. It would be extremely in polite, if I will refuse an offered apologize, even tough it was something like this. By the way, I think that a pony shall try everything.

„Maybe, I am not educated in everything, but let me know you that I learn extremely fast,“ I said.

„Don´t worry, my-lord. When we end at tomorrow morning, you will have an experience, which you will never forget.“

    Well, I cannot say that this was polite. But I didn´t care. I don´t want to interrupt this atmosphere around. I started to like it.

„Where are we going now?

     Strong Hoof stopped me. We are at our target. He showed me some poster and theatrically said:

„This is, my-lord, Jindy James´s Inn. He´s the best seller of apple cider, of course from our family, and he´s the toughest stallion I ever know. Three times he won Steel Hoof Equestrian Championship. That´s our target, sir. This inn.“

     He opened the door and we stepped in. My nostrils were hit by high number of smells, cider, apple sauce, tee and some fruit liquor. Jindy James waved at captain with his hoof. Strong Hoof knocked my shoulder and showed me to go with him. Perhaps he wants to introduce us.

„Strong Hoof, what do you have with yourself? Can your aristocratic friend drink something stronger, than their awfull tea?“

     He brohoofed his friend. He offered me one too, but I brohoofed him only with my gloves. As an every aristocrat, I have to keep my ways. One of my most important habits is my dressing style and my clothes. My clothes are part of my soul. I do really like them and apart from some special clothes, I have all like those, which I am wearing now.

„This aristocrat is my now commander, so I thought we can know each other.“

      Jindy James was looking at me with identifying face.

„This weakling can hardly drink his tea, let alone something more tasty. You shouldn´t have taking him here.“

      I became a bit upset.

„What do you mean, something more tasty?“

      Jindy James was now much personal.

„If you are a really bad boy, you can drink a bottle of this apple whiskey. It stronger than a stallion in the middle of the applebuck season. But for a weakling such as you, it´s too strong.“

      I clapped with my hoof to the floor.

„Here I am.“

      String Hoof stopped laughing.

„Give him a half, he cannot drink it all.“

     I clapped again.

„I said, I want the whole bottle.“

     Jindy James gave met he whole bottle of apple whiskey and said without emotion:

„Her majesty will pay first.“

     That insulted me, but I did it. I paid before drinking. I took the bottle and watched first a bit. Interesting. It has a bit odd colour, but it is shining with energy and power of many strong apple trees. Well, let´s go Frolda. You have been prepairing for this during your university studies. I drank, it had very burning taste and first I didn´t want to swallow it. After several seconds I managed to do it. I drank a few drops of this liquid, but Strong Hoof battered the bottle and I couldn´t drink more.

„Enough,“ he said. „You will be drunk.“

„You, … yhou gchave tchere a magickh?“ I tried to speak.

     Jindy James was watching me. When I was changing my colour to blue, then to green. But finally he smiled. I felt down on the floor and I breath hardly. Still my stomach was under my control. Jindy James gave me alcohol-free cider and said:

„I have to change my mind. You are not a weakling, you are a really tough stallion. This is on me.“

     I waved with my head as a sign of thanks and drank this cold liquid. It was very useful for my burned mouth. Strong Hoof took me on his back and while I was still drinking he took me over te whole room to the corner and put me onto some couch. After several seconds I realized that we aren´t here alone. Near us were two a little clothed mares. They hadn´t tons of make-up on their faces and they looked healthly. They were the only wenches in this Inn. My officer friend knew them very well.

„Mylord, this is Scarlet Joan and here is Scarlet Jessi. They are sisters and my two very good friends.“

     Scarlet Joan sat near me, she had a long red mane and different glass and golden accesories. Her dress were blue and made as a copy of aristocratic dress for the middle class. Her eyes were beautiful blue and filled with magic and depths. Scarlet Jessi had blond mane and her eyes were green and shallow. Her dress were green and they looked similar like those on her sister.

„Are you really Lord?“ asked me Jessi.

     I smiled at her.

„Yes.“

     I watched my surroundings and I tried to orient and behave like others. I saw, how Strong Hoof hugged with one hoof Scarlet Jessi and he fondled her mane with his chin. He must be experienced in this. I looked at Joan, who took me more like a younger brother than as an equivalent partner. She rested on my hip and I huged her. That was all I can imagine. It was a bit different from my normal life and behaviour. I didn´t know what I can and what I cannot do.

„You have a very nice coat, my-lord,“ she said to me.

„Velvet,“ I said.

    She started to unbutton me, I mean, she tried it. I changed my position and I took of my hoof from the sleeve. I covered her with it. She pleasantly purred under me and I fondled her. I looked at Strong Hoof, who signalized me that I am good. Well, it was quite natural. He caught Jessi´s hoof, signalized something to Jindy James and they ran above. Jindy James came to me and he gave me a little key with number 13. I caught Joan´s hoof and we went to that room. It was a little room with mirror, tub, big bed and a stove. While I was locking the doors, she lied on the bed.

„Go here next to me,“ she said with seductively

      I lied next to her. She fondled me on my face. Coat was near the bed and it was colder and colder. She fondled me on my neck and she unbuttoned first button than second and then I stopped her. She looked at me.

„You don´t like it?“ she asked sadly.

      I sighed.

„I am romantic gentleman. I can never be like Strong Hoof. I apologize.“

      She stopped fondling me. She was disappointed. But I continued.

„If you will just talk with me, fondle me and maybe we can a bit kiss each other, I will give you a double of your price.“

     Her interest was back again. Maybe she liked me more than just as a customer, but maybe like a real pony. She fondled me again. We talked about our lives and about Strong Hoof. Sometimes we kissed each other, sometimes we kissed more than a couple of minutes. In the room next to us started somepony to make some love noises. I recognized the pony, who it was. Strong Hoof and Scarlet Jessi. It was funny and when I told it to Joan, she started to laugh. Last thing I remember is that I said:

„Well, in the room twelve, they aren´t bored. That captain is a really strong stallion.“

It sounded a bit odd, but I was drunk, with a mare and in beautiful apathy.

Chapter 3 - How others have fun

Please read author´s note first.

Please forgive me my grammar. I am trying my best.

Chapter 3 – How others have fun

     A very honored scientist Crystal Clear, stallion with fur grey as an ash, darker grey mane, scorched clothes and with mechanical back right hoof, has just finished his last experiment, which has been planned for this week. Preparation took him almost 126 hours of his time, which was hiss all week time without sleep. He wasn´t doing anything other and he almost didn ´t eat. He didn ´t have a time for it. His mechanical clock struck the midnight. He knew he has to hurry. He took a test-tube with dark red liquid and with the words: „A color is not important.“ He poured it on a prepared alloy. That alloy started to bubble and Crystal Clear noted everything to his notebook. That alloy stopped to bubble, but then it changed its mind and there was its another action with a lot of power. Not only the kettle, where that alloy was, started to bubble but it looks, that everything around including that kettle, started melting. The kettle melted and the table and floor under it too. Crystal Clear lived in a small house in the border part of Canterlot. He rented only the second floor and under him, there lived another ponies. He ran down, still was noting everything and he looked, if someone hadn´t been injured. Fortunately, nopony has been injured. But it destroyed the bet and that alloy stopped after several metres in the rocks under the house. When he finished the noting, he judged the experiment as unsuccessful and he called his house lady and builder. He explained what happened and he started preparing another experiment for next week. His house lady commented everything:

„If he makes another experiment, I will loose my house soon.“

      Crystal Clear looked at her. He didn´t understand how she can say something like that.

„Madam, I am sure that with this experiment I will become a part of scientific history. I will certainly notice you as my assistant.

     House lady looked at him. She didn´t trust his words.

„But who will pay me for the repair of my house?“ she asked.

     Scientist looked bravely. He had sings of pleasure in his face.

„Just don´t worry, madam. I will handle it.“

      Incidentally, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were taking a night walk through the Canterlot. Celestia should sleep. But because of the fact, she´s in the palace alone, except the watch, she decided to go for a walk with her sister. Celestia doesn´t like to sleep alone. When she saw a destroyed house, which looked like after a bomb detonation, her face was covered with fear.

„What had happened here?“

     Everybody except Crystal Clear bowed. The scientist has still observed his unsuccessful result. Without noticing the Princess, he spoke.

„Sulfuric and hydrochloric acid combined together and almost a week heated, with the ratio three to one. I hoped that I will get an alloy called Aqua Regia, but I just get…“

„…an alloy, which melted the kettle and destroyed the floor,“ completed his words Princess Celestia. Crystal Clear looked at the somepony who completed his sentence and he said: „Yes, you are absolutely right.“ Then he realized that it was Princess Celestia and he bowed too.

„I am terrible sorry, her majesty. I didn´t know.“

      Princess Celestia ordered him to stand.

„Nothing happened, professor. On the contrary, I am delighted with your interest. Come to my palace tomorrow.  I want to have a talk with you.“

      Crystal Clear bowed again.

„I will be very pleased.“

      Celestia continued with her sister and she told her some happy and interesting story. The scientist didn´t know what to think about it. In the end he realized that this opportunity cannot happen twice. He walked to his room, he put a carpet on that hole and he sat at his table, where he started to write a list of things, which he should take with him.

***

     Screw Hammerhead and Helm Wane were spending time together in a machine-room of the Aurora airship. Helm was a navigator and Screw was a mechanic. This airship is commanded by the captain Strong Hoof, who is now with the lord at Jindy James´s Inn. This is also the airship, which will fly to the undiscovered lands, filled with supplies and other ponies.

     Helm delightfully sighed. Screw just founded one of her sensitive places on her tummy. He waved her fur and he started to irritate her with his hoof. He moved with his head a bit up and he licked her neck.

     Screw was a unicorn. His body was tough and strong, he had a brown fur and prickly red hair. He also had sideburns and beard, but they weren´t long. Helm has a mechanical wings, which were thanks to an accident permanent. They both get used to that handicap and although Helm is a bit shy of it, in the eyes of her lover is she still that beautiful pony. Helm has a sandy mane, white fur and mechanical ear-ring. Helm and Screw have their Cutie Mark about their job. Screw has a wrench between two gears and Helm has a rolled map and helm. That mare had also one another handicap Her eyes had a different color. One was blue like a sky and the second was green like a fresh grass.

     Unicorn continued and with his tongue he licked her nose. Helm moved him on his back and he moved a little down, which Screw generously presumed. First, she has just played with his proud, but then she started to use him. After several minutes it wasn´t enough for the strong unicorn and he wanted to please her too.

     He moved her on the couch. He prisoned her under his belly and he started his work. At the beginning he was slow, then he raised his frequency. When Helm felt, that Screw is exhausted, he moved him under her and she took the initiative. After the work was finished, she lied near him and she purred. They lied together and they hugged and kissed. A stove heated the part of the machine-room where two ponies proved their love and nopony disturbed that peaceful atmosphere.

     Machine-room was big. There was several steam engines, but they weren´t lighted. Airship was in the harbor, so there wasn´t any need of their work. Whole machine-room was dark and cold, but onyl that one place was warm and light.

***

     Lieren hid in a dark place of some street in the trade part of the city. In this part of Canterlot was busy only during the day, when experienced traders were telling that only their homemade goods is the best and the cheapest. Lieren was in exile. She came from Ib´xian. A place of her birth and a place, where she had been trained as a hunter and a servant of her Emperor. She was one of the best archers in her state. Her Cutie Mark is a golden arrow. Golden means that something is the best. She has a black fur, white mane and a brown hood.

     She opened her diary very carefully and she started writing. She wasn´t a unicorn, so she had to write with her mouth. She learned how to write many signs of Ib´xian´s alphabet. Her diary was the most precious thing in her possession and she was determined to fight with anypony, who wants to steal or damage it.

„Who is there?!“ shouted a watch. Canterlot white stallion in golden armor, spear and also a pistol. „Vagrancy is not allowed!“

     Lieren hid her diary and she took a bow. She smeared her hood with ink and she berated. Stallion took his spear.

„Stop!“

     Huntreness climbed on copper gutter and she jumped on the roof. Before the soldier could do something, she ran away. She has been jumping over roofs than, after several hundred metres, when she was sure that she is not followed, she hide nearby some chimneys. She continued with writing. She was a bit sad that the ink smeared another page too, but in the end she was glad that she didn´t break her last feather. She smiled a bit too.

24th September 1883 Ib´xian era

I finally got into the famous Equestria. I don´t think it is odd. It´s strange. Their technology is different from  ours. They have a machines, called steam engines. That technology is not known in Ib´xian. But I don´t care about it.

Chapter 4 - Secretary

Chapter 4 – Secretary

     I threw away a third bad written scroll and I tried again to write a letter to my parents with my decorative type. I was sitting on a chair, my brow was bandaged by a wet headscarf and my body has been shaking.  I couldn´t write a note, which was acceptably written. My attempts were this morning similar to writing style of young fillies in a kindergarten.

     I had returned to palace today in the morning hours. My pocket money for this month was left at the Inn, but I didn´t care. It was a long time since I felt something similar to alcohol intoxication and a company of an attractive mare. Early this day I didn´t know that it will have some consequences and I certainly didn´t know that I will have to change my daily lifestyle, which I had for many years. I surrendered the fourth unsuccessful attempt, I picked up thrown papers and I put them into the bin and then I called for a secretary of my aunt, Princess Celestia, and I lied on a couch.

„Oh, my lord, you look terrible,“ she said when she came. „I will bring you a tea immediately.“

     I tried to talk:

„No, please, come back.“

    She obeyed a bit unwillingly.

„This is not an illness. I just drunk too much.“

    She squeaked. She put a hoof in front of her mouth. She felt sorry for her mistake.

„I will bring you a garlic soup. That´s the best cure for it.“

    Before I could stop her, she left. Oh dear. I stayed in my room and I waited for what will happen next. I tried to enjoy the silence and harmony. I was in the furthermost tower in the Canterlot palace, so there was almost no sound of the city outside.

     It took ten minutes before she came. A bowl of soup was flying upon her head, lifted with magic. She was a unicorn. In her mouth she was holding a spoon. She moved me and make me sit like a little filly and she fed me. I was very embarrassed and my face was getting red.

„Are you sick, my lord?“

     I shook my head negatively.

„No, I am just a bit embarrassed.“

     She smiled.

„I hope I didn´t struck you off,“ she asked carefully.

    Now I smiled at her. Well, I tried to smile.

„Don´t worry. I…just…well…we can say that…I get just not used to have…a company of… a mare,“ I tried to explain.

    She smiled again.

„But I cannot do it in another way,“ she tried to apologize.

„I know. I am just saying that I get not used to it.“

    She was feeding me with soup and I was swallowing it. I watched her a bit more than before. She was really beautiful. Her red mane, her blue eyes, her clean white fur. Her cute face and also her beautiful body. She was as young as me, maybe a little bit younger.

„Well, my lord. If you won´t open your mouth, I cannot put a soup into you, the soup will be cold and I will have to heat it again.“

     I realized that she was holding a spoon with soup. I wanted to apologize, but I just managed to say: „Sor…“ and then I had a warm soup in my mouth and I coughed. I stopped her with my hoof and I tried to make me good.

„That was my fault, don´t apologize to me,“ I said.

     I have eaten the soup. I felt better. I moved on a couch and I offered her to lie at it too. She accepted and waited, what will happen next. I just had the feeling that I have to talk with her. I asked her for her name, job and how long is she a secretary.

„I am Lillian. I work for Princess Celestia for several months and I live in a house with my grandmother. My parents are unfortunately far away.“

„Dead?“ I said the first thing which I thought off.

„Oh, I hope not. My dad is working as a railwayman in Manehattan. It´s a lack of stallions so my mothers work there too.“

      I put a hoof in front of my mouth.

„I didn´t want to…“

      She looked down with her eyes.

„That´s okay. It happens.“

      Why I have to be such an idiot?

„They must be proud that they have such a daughter like you,“ I said immediately. It worked. She smiled. I manage to make her smile. Thanks to my words, not just because of me.

„That´s nice from you.“

„What if we use one´s Christian name?“

     Her face became red.

„I agree.“

     She diffidently offered me her hoof. She wasn´t looking to my eyes, she was just peeking at me.

I waited.

„I will do you something, what almost nopony had ever done.“

     She stopped smiling. Her face became neutral. Her neck has grown a bit because she moved a bit higher. I put off my gloves. First and then the second. I am wearing them almost all time. Just in a sleep or in some unexpectable occasions. I touched her with my hooves. Then we both moved the second and we touched with the second hoof. My eyes were looking into her eyes, and her were looking into mine. It took a while than we realized it. We were looking into our souls. We were certain that we are judged to be together. That it is the meaning of our lives.

„Lillian!“ shouted some elder mare from doors. We both moved and looked, what happens. There was some elder mare. It was possibly Lillian´s mother. She wasn´t so old, so she couldn´t be her grandmother. Next to her was standing Princess Celestia, who observed everything with a bit scared face. Lillian´s mother came to me and she was cleaning my hooves. She touched them and that made me a bit upset, so I put on my gloves. She understood it as a scolder. She begged me for forgiveness and when she saw that I didn´t say anything, she shouted at her daughter.

„How could you, this man is a Lord and you are just a daughter of a secretary.“

    What? She isn´t a secretary of my aunt but just a daughter and almost young filly?

„Your parents don´t work in Manehattan?“

     She looked at me, at Celestia and then at her mother, who was very upset. Then she begun to cry. She hid her face behind her hooves and talked:

„I…I just wanted to help you. I have seen you in the night, when you came to the palace and that you were sick. I recognized that you were drinking a bit too much, so I knew that garlic soup will help you… and…and.“

„So you turned a profit on me! I shook with you with my naked hoof as you could be my special somepony and you are just young stupid filly, who wanted to make a joke about some young stupid aristocrat!“

„That´s…that´s not true!“ she shouted and she run away. Her mother apologized to me once again and she left too. I came to my table and I hit it.

„How can somepony dare to do such things!“

      I heard a sound of hooves on my carpet. There was silence like at the cemetery. I stopped talking and I looked at her. There was auntie Celestia. She wasn´t happy. She was really upset. She bowed to me, so her eyes were just a few centimeters from mine.

„Somepony? SOMEPONY!!! You foool. You think you are something special?!! You are aristocrat! That doesn´t make from you something special!! You behave at my palace not like a guest, who you really are, but like you were an owner! You cannot behave to my employers like that! Do you understand! Just because you are my nephew, you wont behave like this!!“ she shouted. I stopped breathing. She was shouting. She was really shouting! She left my room filled with angry emotions. I sat.  In my whole life I don´t remember that Princess Celestia shouted at somebody. Never. I lied on a couch, paralyzed by this. Then I realized that I am really sorry for what I did to Lillian and it´s not caused by my aunt.

***

     Captain Strong Hoof sunk his head into the bucket of water and he fresh himself. As every morning after drinking, he was followed by headache, but he learned how to fight with it. He cleaned himself with towel and he looked at his ship. It looks that everything is clean and okay. Bridge of the ship had windows. That was one of many differences on his ship. Aurora was an airship. It has even two flying boats on her deck and two gatling machine guns. Strong heard, that some doors from under-deck opened. First came Helm than came Screw. He hit her bum with his hoof. She looked at him and then she smiled. Screw saw his captain. They brohoofed and Screw fresh himself with the water from bucket. Strong waved with his hoof to Helm and she waved too. Screw than talked:

„Good morning, Strong.“

„Good morning, Screw. It looks like you were having a good time,“ he said and pointed his hoof at Helm.

      Screw smiled cunningly. He was a friend with Strong Hoof for many years and he serves under him almost the same time. Strong didn´t say anything about his past at the court and Screw is to him forever grateful.

„I hope you had too.“

„Sure. We have a new job, a new boss and I made him a bit sick for today.“

      Screw was curious.

„Well, look at that. Just wait a bit please,“ Screw waved at Helm. She observed them and when she saw that he is waving at her, she became more concentrated. Screw signalized to her to come down to deck.  After several seconds, she was there.

„What happened?“

„Strong gives information, come and listen.“

      Helm was surprised.

„Well, okay. When we are set sailed?“

„After next six months.“

     Screw wanted to know, what happened to their new boss.

„Tell us first, what happened to our new leader.“

„He was just drunk. I took him to Jindy James.“

„Oh, now it´s clear. So, where are we flying?“

„Cervidas. Next six months we will be loading supplies, scientists, weapons and so long.“

„To Cervidas?“ squeaked Helm.

     Strong gave his hoof in front of his mouth.

„Hash, it´s top secret. Our boss is that aristocrat, who I filled with alcohol yesterday. He´s not a bad pony, but it won´t be easy. By the way, he´s a son of that aristocrat who wanted to see you hanging.“

     Screw stopped smiling.

„Val Hallen?“

„Yes, that´s him.“

     Screw became a bit upset.

„What shall we do?“ he asked.

„Well,“ said Strong. „I am sorry, but that is what I don´t know.“