The Bond

Chapter 22

Bedside Manners

Compared to my friend’s phobia, something both Alex and Mike shared, the darkness didn’t scare me. I don’t know why, but it feels comforting to be in midst of never ending blackness. Peace, where no sounds but your own exist. Lonely, true, but I had always been that kind of a person to not be afraid of that.

But it didn’t make me feel good. Never has and never will.

Heh, not that it does really matter. In the end, we all will travel into the darkness alone.

If I could have grinned, I’d have done so as I recalled some of expressions people had given to me because of my ‘dark’ love.

Usually they’d ask about my dreams.

My answer had always been the same; I see none.

Yet here I was; in the zone of my mind.

The pain was gone.

My body was gone.

But my mind wasn't.

No, please don’t let it-

Then;

*Creek*

*Thump*

something heavy moved. Or rather opened, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned thus far, and that’s every creek marks a door opening, If it’s a high pitched, the door is a small and rather new.

This one was a low one.

Strange laws of physics... I must be learning from Pinkie Pie, I thought as I listened to same sound of door moving, followed by steps, Solid ones, not ones of clopping that hooves generated. Odd, they even echoed around when I listened to it closely enough..

Then they stopped and a low sigh rang out.

“Hmph, here again sleeping.” the new voice spoke out, and unmistakably female. But what I heard sounded not like anything I had ever heard before. It sounded rather raspy and loud, that gave it a powerful, commanding, feeling but nevertheless

But nevertheless very irritating.

Next I felt how I was poked with something pointed before feeling warm breath strike against my face. Followed by what sounded like a grimace.

“Come on Nucleus. Wake up!”

So my eyes opened. But not by my will. You could say I was a mere observer, unable to affect anything that was going to occur other than mind my own thoughts. Like my mind was disconnected from my joints. Yet I still could see and feel the soft piece of paper underneath my head. As my head rose, of course without my control, I got an image of some form of scroll, full of scriptures and passages, laying open on top of a purple carpet. Many silver stars, or that's what I believed them to be, shone on the dark surface. Nevertheless they all vanished away as my head tilted over to the left and...

A dark blue claw waved as the scaled being took a step back and covered it’s nostril “Jeesh, you smell like a rotten quartz!”

To be honest, it was really a shock to see a dark blue baby dragon standing on two legs and it’s arms crossed. And moreover, how similar resembles it bore to Spike in all bodily aspects but that the scales were deep blue except for the light blue stomach. Just as i started to wonder if all baby dragons looked the same, I was proven wrong. Even if it looked awfully similar to the purple drake, this one was had more slender aspects and, for example, the dark back spikes were... well, spiky looking. Narrowed and raggy, they formed something resembling a long hair down to tip of the short tail.

Lastly there was the eyelashes and that confirmed my assumption.

It was a female baby dragon.

“Sheesh, when was the last time you took a bath?!” she cried.

I felt how an yawn overtook me “Morning Sapphire, is it already a morning?” my mouth spoke on its own before a smile. A little bit creepy, if you ask me.

The dragon rolled her magenta eyes “You might want to know, that you missed the Change of Day,” she then reached down to pick up the open scroll and placed it over to the nearby desk. Otherwise as I got a decent look of the room, it looked as if a bedroom and a study had been combined into one. Kind of room Twilight would no doubt enjoy having.

But my smirk had vanished.

“Oh nononononono...” I mumbled and shot up to all fours, confirming I was still a pony, Then I ran over to the dragon Sapphire and, another surprise, threw her over to my back with a magic

The same colour of teal as with... mine.

Odd. Now that I think about it further, my tone also sounds familiar. Must be coincidence, or that I’m merely dreaming again. I swear, in this world you always have dreams when you sleep!

“Woah, hey watch it man. There’s only one me!” Sapphire retorted but I had already looked away to the end of the room.

Infact, just then I noticed I was wearing an outfit. An odd one; deep purple robe that had golden threads on edges of the smooth fabric up to to some form of neckband, that must’ve kept the thing together, and down to knees of my four hooves.

Hooves that suddenly shot off to a gallop, clops filling and echoing from the stone from up to bottom.

“Nucl-”

“Master will murder me!” my mouth howled in avail. The sensation of magic, something I faintly recalled to be some form of sense for the unicorns, filled my mind like pouring water as I saw the teal glow form over the wooden door. My speed stayed the same, even as the door stayed closed. But as I was about a hoof length away, it opened outwards with a weak squeal.

Past the stone frame and against the colour of green... wha-

“Ugh!” air escaped my lungs on the impact and I took few steps back from the sudden blow, rubbing my muzzle with a low whine. Something I’d be utterly ashamed of letting out... not that it mattered here. It wasn’t me speaking, after all.

No matter, as a loud laughter filled in and drowned my voices away. My silver hoof, as I saw, fell down and opened view of the now open door.

“So, the sleepy-head has finally awakened?” the unicorn by the door laughed out loud and the voice of cooing and bright hit my ears. But I still could pick a hint of sarcasm out of it. Just like in case of Sapphire, this voice too was strikingly female.

Yet still, her appearance caught my attention; moss green coat with shady spots over on the backside and on tip of each hoof. Falling over the lemon green eyes was a neatly cut light lavender mane, curving down to back like a cloak that left her neck in shadows. It was, and I know this sounds odd, but like if Rarity’s and Twilight’s mane styles would have been thrown in a blender. Navy blue streaks added in, both to the fancy mane and, strangely enough, on the bit shorter tail than I had seen on other mares.

I grimaced... for some unknown reason “Oh, morning to you too.” I spat out the words. Her laughter died down, ending in a tiny cough but the mare still kept smiling despite how coldly I had greeted her.

“If I was in your hooves, I’d drop that look.” She pointed out in a friendly tone and I sighed, my look turning away from her.

“Let me guess, Master wants to see me, doesn’t he?” I silently muttered.

Even though I didn’t see her, I could swear she was smiling “Yes, actually he was the one who sent me to wake you up but I should’ve guessed your assistant would get to you first,” I grimaced yet again before looking back to see her wink “However, there’s somepony else waiting for you to come. It actually includes you too, Sapphire.”

“Oh please let it be a jewel trader, oh please let it be a jewel trader...” the voice on my back mumbled over and over again.

Both of mine and the mare’s eyes simultaneously rolled “Don’t be offended, my dear friend, but may I remind that you eat gems daily.” I said in almost sarcastic tone, yet it felt more like a teasing.

“Pff, please,” I heard her snort and then felt how the little dragon lent herself on top of my head “Beautiful dragon, such as me, needs top quality gems to maintain her looks. Just think about it, Union and Empire visitors always have their eyes locked on me.” She explained in a tone that reminded me about a certain marshmallow fashionista.

“Or that might be because they’re used to seeing your kind, preferably, from a fixed distance.” I commented whilst looking up and to see the baby dragon spurr her tongue.

But a cough rang out and both of us almost simultaneously to stare at the green mare “So if you have finished your little chit-chat, we should really make our way to the throne room.

A knack hit against the back of my throat.

Throne room?

“The.. t-throne room?”

She looked at me for a while and then sighed in a defeat. Whomever I was replied with a smirk. I honestly didn’t find myself liking this guy, even if I was technically him. Well, okay, I can be sarcastic one in a while, but only if I knew the opposite end wouldn’t mind it.

Then the unicorn turned over and I saw her Cutie Mark.

It was strange. What I could grasp that it was a four leaf clover with some kind of aura surrounding it. Most likely magical kind, seeing that she was an unicorn and I faintly remembered reading that unicorn’s mark tells about their magical capabilities.

So... she’s lucky?

But before I got to further think about its meaning, she shook her head and slowly trotted outside of the room, disappearing around the corner and leaving me all alone. Or at least alone on a civil level, as I soon felt something hit the back of my head and I winced.

“Well come on, Nucleus. It has to be important.”

Thankfully my mouth stayed quiet except for a tiny breath and I followed after the mare. But as I neared the stony doorframe, I recalled something.

Something I maybe should have noted earlier.

Did she just call me Nucleus?

* * * * *

“Uhh...” the sore mouth let out a silent whisper, very raspy in tone. It was followed by a tongue that gave a quick lick on the dry lips before a groan, a lot louder one than the previous one, emerged.

“Mother of fuck...”

Alto Stratus was awake, and he wasn’t feeling the slightest fine. Even before he got to his eyes, he knew it was going to be something bad. For starters, he didn’t feel anything below his waist. Simple as that. Other than that, he felt like an absolute crap, unable to move none of limbs without feeling some form of pain. At least that’s how much he could gander from his condition on the first seconds he laid there.

As he tried to swear further, he finally felt just how dried up his throat was. The only thing that came out was a gargle and even that ended with Alto starting to fiercely, yet painfully, cough

“Please stay still.” he heard a gentle voice spoke out.

Wha-?, the pegasus though in a panic but then something touched his lips. Something cold and hard, but in a blink of eye his mouth was filled with a pure, clean water. The stallion eagerly drank it, but was only able to grab couple of gulps until he felt the glass leave his lips. It was also the first moment when he cracked open his eyes and got his first blurry visions of the surroundings. Or rather the large white thing over him, which he

Alto coughed again, although this time to clear his throat “Oh man... *cough* Hell it hurts... Hey, more water, please? ”

But he instead heard a faint laughter, but it sounded way too off to him. It was too... harmonic, that was word that popped up on Alto’s mind. Awkward, considering he usually thought of the total opposite. So he blinked and on each stroke his vision sharpened to see better the form.

A form that of a huge pony with massive wings and horn that put Nuc’s to shame. Those with a prestigious, nearly blinding, white coat and mane that waved colours of rainbow, although not like with the crazy cyan mare.

“How are you feeling, Alto Stratus?” Princess Celestia asked in her usual calm tone while placing the empty glass by the table, next to a water jug. The pegasus tried to raise his hoof, but it was no use. As he looked down at his lower body and he... well...

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!”

All of his four hooves were plastered up and therefore immobilized on the spot. And they weren’t alone; Alto saw how bandages also covered most of his body, and the parts that weren’t he saw bright red scars that looked ominous against his blue coat. However when he tried to get up, Celestia used her hood to push him back down.

“Hey, what are you-”

But the dark blue pegasus shut up when his eyes met with Celestia’s. There was just something in them that made him stop struggling and fall back on the bed. To make it worse, the alicorn shot to him a stern look that made him want to go sit on the corner and suffer from shame.

“I must ask you to stay down as the doctor requested. Your body is still in a terrible shape,” Celestia spoke to him but as soon as the stallion suffered from a new coughing strike, she smiled and used her golden magic to fill the glass “If anything, you should be thankful you’re even that well off.”

The pegasus snorted to her statement “Oh and I’m fine? Just look at me, I’ve must have broken every freaking bone in my body!” Alto retorted back and stared as Celestia levitated the drink to him.

Yet Celestia smiled as she watched him savour the precious fluid until she turned around, facing a door on the opposite wall to the bed. However Alto was too focused at his water to even notice her absence or even to give a better look at his surroundings.

That was prior to hearing a sound on his left.

Ugh, cannot a man have a drink in-

He turned to look over to its source, and his first reaction was to spit out his water.

Just a small gap away from him, laying on a separate metal bed like he, was an another pony in pretty much similar state as him; all bandaged up and such. On the other hand, this one had the head completely encased, there wasn’t even a string of mane visible, except for a small hole on front by the mouth and two sockets upper of them.

From which two blaring emerald eyes stared at him and Alto saw first glimpse of the maroon coat.

“...Maero?”

The large earth pony blinked and Alto let out a long drawn whistle.

“Damn man, you look horrible!”

Maero could only rolled his eyes.

However at the same moment, the white alicorn had made her way to the room door and even had opened it to reveal one of her personal pegasus guards. The pure white stallion, wearing a full set of golden armor, stood on a fixed stance in front of her and presented a piece of scrap paper. Celestia grabbed it with her magic and went on reading it through.

As she finished, she sighed “I see... sent message to Canterlot and have them bring somepony experienced with this subject. Code Yellow, take a royal chariot with you.”

She then paused and added “It’s absolutely vital that the doctor comes as fast as possible. Am I understood?” The guard nodded and closed the door. Celestia heard how then hasty clops started to fade away, so she smiled whilst using her magic to cause the note to disappear in a tiny flash.

Over at the beds, the two stallions had by now both turned back to look at her. Or at least Alto had, seeing that he was able to at least move his head around unlike Maero.

“Umm, so if we are here,” Alto started out as he watched Celestia slowly walk back at them “Then where’s Nuc’?”

Celestia stopped in front of them.

“There’s something you need to know about Sir Nucleus.”

The stallions with each other shared a common curious look.

* * * * *

Is it really true?

One of the many question that dominated the thoughts of Princess Luna. One of many, that moon goddess sought to get answers to when the chance would arise; let it be her dear sister with her memories one of them.

Them.

Just how much had changed due to them.

The alicorn tried to clear her head.

No, it doesn’t matter now, Luna reasoned with herself. A flawed attempt, but she did grasp a sense of peace. Something she very much needed on the spot. For what it was worth, even a minute of calmness on this otherwise wrecked day would-

“Are you alright, ma’am?” the alicorn returned back to reality and looked to her left. The speaker was a dark grey mare wearing with an indigo mane and violaceous armor of Luna’s personal bodyguard unit. the Twilight Guard. The pony was one of the many bad winged pegasi that served underneath her command.

Luna, whose emotions were hidden behind a serious face, shook her head “Yes, lietnantent, We are. But We thank thee for thy concern.” she lied to the guard before returning to look forward. To other side of the glass panel, that mirrored both hers and the guard’s images.

The mare saluted “Very well, ma’am. Just wanted to check on your wellbeing and to inform that Her Royal Highness Celestia has summoned the royal physician to treat on the patient,” the guard too looked through the panel “Does your highness have a word to say before the request is sent out?”

But the princess stayed quiet.

“Ma’am? Your response?”

The window opened a clear view inside a quite large room, filled with nothing else but a single bed alongside with some hospital equipment Luna didn’t recognize. Odd size was due to the room was actually an operating room, as the hospital staff had deemed it was too risky to try and move the critical patient.

The unicorn named Nucleus. The stallion laid on the clean bed , surrounded by machines that kept an eye on his condition and made it sure it wouldn’t get any worse. But even though of this, first look on the stallion would fool you; the stallion’s only visible wounds were minor cuts and slightly bleeding scars, yet it was visibly nothing too bad. Luna gave her respects for the hospital staff’s achievement, although the alicorn knew it was pretty much ineffective.

For Nucleus’s wounds were in his mind.

Should I really know who you three are, like my sister?

“Ma’am-”

The dark alicorn bore into a faint laughter.

“M-ma’am?” the guard staggered as she watched her commander try and stifle out the laughter.

Luna smiled “We have nothing to add. Thou art dismissed.” the lieutenant's saluted sharply and headed off to give the green light for the royal pegasus messenger. However she still heard the faint laughter of her commander’s for the whole way through until she made it out of the hallway.

* * * * *

“...You’ve gotta be kidding me, right?”

Celestia, now sitting on a chair she had teleported for her comfort, shook her head to Alto “I speak nothing but the solemn truth. Why would I do otherwise?”

“Oh, I don’t know, perhaps to get couple of free laughs?” the pegasus snorted abruptly “Why else would you tell me that one of my bestest friends is on some kind of dibbly.-wibbly, magical wabby coma?!”

“The proper term is Unicorn Slumber, my dear friend.” Celestia cut in but got a cold look back from the pegasus in question.

“Pff, it doesn’t matter. So then how about you refresh me on how he then got into it? Huh, can you say something on that?!”

The alicorn glanced over to the other bed in order to see whatever Maero was like, But the maroon earth pony seemed to be on his own world, his pair of green eyes locked on the ceiling and otherwise gave no indication but that of the raspy breathing.

“It’s an universal fact that unicorns produce raw magic inside their bodies, which they then can refine into what we call spells and other methods of conjuration,” for a given example, Celestia raised her hoof up and a dim ball of light lit up out of nowhere “Most of the times the spells unicorns use on daily basis only use a fraction of the magic reserves in their bodies.”

The ball of light then vanished, like it had never existed before.

“But if that supply of magic was to run out, it can have serious outcomes.” Her look was serious, as she focused at Alto “Bluntly put, your friend exceeded his already short limits and his body couldn’t handle it.”

The pegasus was a quiet for a moment, as he tried  to make sense out of the situation. There he was, suddenly back inside the hospital but on even crappier condition than last time and this time with the goddess ruler of the ponies explaining to him something he didn’t really give a crap about.

Well, except for one question;

“So... will he come out fine or...” he started out, but didn’t get to finish before Celestia nodded.

“Yes, he’ll come out of it eventually. Although the condition itself is very rare, thankfully the Unicorn Slumberis  well known and number of different treatments have been developed to hasten the recovery.” said the glamorous alicorn before giving a hopeful look at the closed door “Now, I think there’s some ponies who’d like to meet you.”

With that said, the door enveloped in her magical glow and the lock swiftly opened. Alto too turned to stare at the open doorway, while Maero was still locked at staring upwards, his face shield underneath the wrappings. But it was no more than a second, until-

*Boom*

“Wohoo, awesome job guys, really awesome that SEE, get it, it’s a joke? Anyways, where was I, uh, at explaining why were having a duperly sweet surprise party-ups, now I spoiled out the fun! Oh well, it’s not like you neither the readers will remember it because the writer’s a reeeeally lazy, little bit like Spike whenever he’s not--”

“Pinkie!” cried the united chorus of Twilight and Rainbow at their pink friend, resting on top of her trusty canon. She shot them a wide grin and laughter before quickly bucking the canon out of the room, just as Twilight bowed to her mentor alongside with her pegasus friend.

“I’m sorry, Princess. Rainbow and I tried to keep her calm but-”

The alicorn laughed as she swiped some of the confetti off her forehead “It doesn’t matter. Besides, dear Pinkie Pie does make a good point; this does indeed call for celebration.” Celestia nodded towards the smiling pink pony “But for now I beg you to not to do that again, for sake of everypony’s ears.”

“Yeah, I agree.” muttered Alto from under the colorful paper scraps “Now could someone get these things off me?!”

“Uhh, somepony woke on wrong side of the bed,” Pinkie Pie hopped by Alto’s bed and trashed the confetti off to a conventionally near bin, which Alto swore he had not seen a moment ago “Well, that’s if you could really move. How else would you end up on the wrong side if you’re not even able to lift a hoof. Silly me!”

The stallion rolled his eyes and turned to look at the other two mares, standing next to his bed “Uhh, so how come you three are here? Did... sorry, Celestia, call you here or what?”

“Well actually-” Twilight started out, but before she got further, Rainbow shot up between her and the bed.

“Alright, so who did this to you guys?”

“Uhhh,what?” Alto managed to mutter before the cyan pegasus was up on her back legs and started to punch the air.

“Just say who it was, and I’ll swear it he or she or whatever won’t even see me charging and giving them some sweet justice!” she performed a set of punching moves until flying back to the laying stallion, giving him a confident grin “I mean, not that it makes you less cooler or anything, even if you got your sorry flanks kicked by somepony.”

“...Look, I don’t know what you’ve smoked, but last time I checked my head-”

A pause.

“Alto, you all right? the cyan pegasus asked.

But Rainbow’s question went to deaf ears. The dark blue pegasus continued to stare forward, as his yellow eyes shrunk to a small dots. His coat started to get a bit pale around the cheeks and tiny bits of shivering were visible, as each of the ponies noticed.

“Hey, what is it?” Rainbow tried to talk with him while Celestia stood up from her stool, aware that something wasn’t right with the pegasus. And there definitely wasn’t, as it looked like all blood had run down from his face.

“Stand aside.” the alicorn ordered and the cyan pegasus flew away, her spot replaced by Celestia “Alto Stratus, it is vital that you answer truthfully. Do you understand me?”

“I-I... I d-don’t...” the shaken Alto tried to talk, but his mouth failed to follow, making him stutter uncontrollably. In following of this discovery, the alicorn leaned closer towards the stallion’s head.

“Alto Stratus; are you afraid?” Celestia whispered in his ear.

He winced, and it was more than enough for Celestia, who then proceeded to hug him “Shh, it’s alright,” as she pushed away, she let her long, white horn touch the dark blue forehead and it glew in ominous manner “Now sleep, my dear friend.”

And like on a cue, the pegasus fell asleep; his eyelids fell down and overall calmness over took over. Celestia withdrew away from him, and was met with clueless looks from her personal student and her friends.

“Princess-”

“I’m sorry Twilight, but it would be wise not to talk quite just yet,” Celestia then turned over, facing the second bed in the room and it’s everso quite resident. However as the alicorn noticed, his eyes were no longer locked onto the ceiling and instead gazed into hers. It was a look she couldn’t read, outside of the fact just how... markless it was. It was like the stallion didn’t even try to hide the fact he couldn’t have cared less for what was going on.

“Maero, am I wrong to think you too don’t remember how you obtained your wounds? Blink if you agree.”

A lazy blink. She took notice that the stallion’s reaction was far off from that of Alto’s.

Celestia closed her eyes “As I suspected... do you mind if I cast on you the same sleeping spell? It’ll grant you a goodnight’s sleep and you’ll be awake by tomorrow morning.”

Maero didn’t say anything, or rather let out any kind of voice, but neither didn’t object it. Therefore the alicorn touched him with her horn and the same kind of sparkles as earlier took over the earth pony’s rugged body.

After she was sure he was asleep, the princess turned to look back at Twilight and her two friends “Twilight, do you trust me?” without hesitation the lavender unicorn nodded “Then I must ask you and the other Elements not to speak about our discovery with neither Alto nor Maero.”

“Huh, how come?” asked Rainbow and Celestia let out a long sigh.

“I’ve got my reason, but Twilight, what do you know about illusion magic?”

The unicorn in question cocked her eyebrow “Umm, well it’s a type of magic that can create false images or otherwise, mind my term, screw up minds which it’s cast upon. It’s mostly harmless stuff, used by many stage actors and such to enchant their acts for couple of laughs, but for example if the caster isn't careful, well... damage can be dealt.”

“Good example would be your ‘Want it need it’ -spell.” replied Celestia and smiled as two dots of crimson appeared on her students face “But yes, that’s the core of illusion magic; affecting others minds.”

“Yeah, but what does it have to do with this?” Rainbow again spoke up but was met with a hiss of disapproval from her unicorn friend. Still, the white alicorn shook her head.

“It sadly looks likes both Alto and Maero, perhaps even Nucleus, have been affected by it; specifically the parts of their attacker.”

“Attacker?” Twilight said as she turned away from, somewhat frustrated, Rainbow “Princess, do you know something about this?”

“My dear student,” the alicorn paused for a moment “I’d like to answer, but I’ve only got a theory. Albeit a shaky one, but nevertheless the closest I’ve managed to form.”

“Then please tell us!” Twilight retorted, but instantly fell back “T-that is of course if you want to.” the ashamed unicorn muttered quietly to her mentor, who was looking over her shoulder, back at the two beds.

“It’s alright and I think you deserve to know about my ideas too” she couldn’t keep herself from smiling, as she saw and heard how Alto snored out very loud. “Do you three remember what my dear sister spoke to you about near week ago?” all three of them nodded, even though it went unnoticed by Celestia.

“Well, let’s just say there might have been some truth behind her words.” With that her head dropped and a wheeze escaped between her lips “It’s more than likely that we’ve got a minion of Nightmare Moon on loose.”

* * * * *

Just what is this place?

It’s was legitimately my sole thought, as mine body kept on trotting down the hallways. For once, everywhere I looked, I saw nothing but crude stone brick walls with an occasional coloured banners that at least offered some kind of change. Second, it was mostly... unfinished looking? Or that’s what I at least assumed when we passed by a group of earth ponies, combination of both mares and stallions with dirty aprons, who used their magic to carry with them masonry tools.

If I would have been able to rub my chin, I’d have done so.

Hmm... well, perhaps inside some kind of fortress? Then again I really haven’t seen any guards or so around, not to mention the decorations I’ve seen thus far. What about a manor? No, that doesn’t seem likely either, as I’ve been walking around for like an eternity and-

My thoughts were abruptly cut, as I felt a weight leave my back. My head turned to see that the dragon Sapphire was not standing besides me. She fondled her back spikes with her claw, like she was nervous about something.

“Hmm, what is it?” I asked whilst continuing my walking. I heard how the dragon too followed after me, her smaller legs needing to run to keep it up with me.

“I just... look Nuc’, I’ll be honest with you; I don’t like the sound of this. Like at all.”

“Then you’re not alone,” my eyes averted back to her “there’s definitely something odd going on. But for now, let’s just focus on the matter at hoof.”

“...Well, at least it looks like the work around the castle is finally finished. If anything, those earth ponies sure know how to craft stone and build with it.”

Castle? Now that actually does make sense. Okay, so I’m in a castle, but just in what castle?

As I looked away, I also... snorted? Like there was something in her words that got whomever I was disgusted or something close to that. It left me totally confused, which might have been a bad thing since I was a bit dazzled to find out I had stopped in front of closed doors.

And then they opened up.

What in the-

The room was... no, it was not a room. Calling it a room would be the worst understatement, as it was enough wide and tall to fit more than one normal single house. Maybe even the freaking town hall. Otherwise the place was nothing but spectacular, with pure white walls and large round mosaic windows that shed light of the morning sun inside, bathing the place in various bits of breathtaking colours. It was especially magnificent looking when I saw the long columns, on each side of the hall, that stretched up to the heights of the ceiling, hidden in shadows.

Simply beautiful, I had no other words for it.

A gentle laughter then rang out “Well, somepony’s certainly liking what he’s seeing.” the voice said in a pleasant manner.

My eyes focused on the far end of the room and there I saw, sitting on a what looked awfully like a sofa, a shallow white unicorn mare with a long golden locks, styled to fall down on a curly manner. Otherwise the pony was wearing a dark violet cloak, which covered downer parts of her body, that was kept together by a purple gem on the chest. On her head rested a large silver crown with same kind of violet gems encrusted in it.

She smiled in an eerie manner, as I approached her along with Sapphire “But oh, don’t feel ashamed of thee reaction. For many of spoken the same when they’ve entered in here, to new heart of our kingdom.” the mare explained as she threw her hooves in the air and rolled on the paddings “Oh how delightful it’ll be when everypony gets to see this!”

Hang on, a kingdom?

As I stopped in front of the mare, I was not surprised when I bowed to her in a stick manner along with my dragon companion “It’s good to know your Highness is pleased with the constructions thus far,” as I got back up, I saw that on her side stood none other than the dark green unicorn with a clover as cutie mark. But there was somepony else next to her; an unicorn stallion with a white coat and long grey mane along with same toned beard that touched marble beneath him. Around her neck hung some kind of medallion, but I really couldn’t make out anything else of it.

But it wasn’t what really caught my attention. No, it was the cloak and a tall fedora kind of hat he was was wearing. They both were stitched from deep blue fabric with stars and other astronomical symbols on it. Both of the clothings had multiple jingle bells attached on the edges.

For I recognized that outfit.

No... no way...

“Ah, master.” I bowed again to the older stallion, who raised his pale hoof to me.

“So you slept out again, didn’t you?” I felt how my ears fell down, however I saw him smiling “Now tell me, what have we talked about late night studying and missing out on your responsibilities as an unicorn?”

My throat felt brutally dry all of sudden and I gulped to clear it out “W-well... it was just that... I found this very interesting spell tome with transmutation theses and-

“No, no need to go further.” the older stallion said and I fell quiet as he sighed “Nucleus, for the last time, it’s not good that you keep on doing this. It’s good that you have an active mind and want to study, but when it starts to harm your daily life, no good comes forth. For sake of my rotten beard, if it wasn’t for Sapphire, you’d have starved to death inside your room!”

Sapphire giggled innocently, however stopped as I looked  down upon her.

But then the mare laying on the sofa yawned “Look, are you two done? I’m still to explain why I’ve summoned him here and I’m soon bound to taking my royal nap.”

“Wait,” I cocked my eyebrow and pointed my hoof at the white stallion “So it wasn’t you who summoned me? But why then-”

The stallion laughed “Oh, let’s just say I too was summoned here but for a totally different reason.” he turned to stare at the green mare next to him “It’s was dear Clover here who requested I attend this so called important meeting.”

…. what? Clover?

She too smiled, however in a manner that was more unsettling than easing. Like she knew something I-no, the whomever I was should have perhaps known. But the little thoughts I had were distributed when another loud yawn from the crowned pony sounded over

“Now that you’re done, I’d like to finally have my turn on talking.” She too smiled to me, but this was more likely due to her being happy about something else “I’m happy to inform that you, Nucleus, the nephew and apprentice of the royal mage Starswirl, have been chosen on an important royal mission.”

…. this is awkwardly redundant, but WHAT?!

However when I stared at her, I saw something else.

Fog.

Fog that slowly took over everything and everyone, enclosing everything on it’s smoky depths.

Blinding fog.

Everything ceased to exists.

A/N

It took me way too long to write this, didn’t it? Also my apologies for any grammar errors; my editor's current unavaible.