//------------------------------// // Sweet innocent fillies. // Story: I am my own OC // by KittyrinnAiko //------------------------------// “Alright Scoots...” Spitfire prompted.“Come on, we have to go.” “Moonie, watch for hostiles,” I whispered as we exited the train onto the platform, followed by an extra shadow slipping away. Cadance and I flank Sunset as we form up on the platform. There are a dozen guards around us. Gate Captain Morgan and Lieutenant Mouse are leading the way followed by Prince, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Rarity, and Lofty, while our Ponyville escorts have placed themselves between us and the staff bringing the luggage. As for Spitfire, she has joined a pegasi patrol who will undoubtedly be doing sweeps along our route. “Remember, sweet innocent fillies,” I whisper to Sunset. “Sweet innocent fillies. Heads down.” Sunset and Cadance gave me an odd look. “You know, she might be on to something,” Cadance said with a smirk. “No smirking.” I chastised quietly. “Sweet and innocent.” I pressed into Sunset like I was looking for comfort from her. Meanwhile, my hooves were doing the nervous I don’t want to be here dance. Never once did I stop with all four hooves on the platform. Always, at least one hoof to push. “Scootaloo, stay close. This would be a really bad time to wander off.” “Don’t have to tell me twice,” Scootaloo replied taking a glance back at Spitfire to make sure she was still there. “What are you doing with your hooves?” “Same thing I was doing in the orchard, combined with that three-point landing I did the day we first met,” I offered. “I’m sending out taps, listening to the echoes, and making sure I can’t be caught flat-hooved.” “Just don’t do anything rash,” Prince Blueblood cautioned. “If you break from the group the guards will be forced to split their efforts.” “Understood,” I replied as we began to move. As our little parade made our way through the station Sunset, Scootaloo, Sweetie, and I made quite the picture of frightened fillies. Not that we weren’t just a little bit apprehensive. For Sunset, going through that mirror had been the double slap on the face she so desperately needed what with suddenly finding herself digressed in age. Knowing some pony wished harm on her for her foolishness and was going to such lengths was adding insult to injury. We passed from public view when we went down a service corridor and out to a waiting double-deck omnibus. Guards were waiting outside and several unicorns were on top of the omnibus. We were directed into the lower compartment and told to keep our heads down if directed to while all around us guards were projecting a shield barrier. Our luggage was loaded in after us, Lofty checked to make sure it was all there, and then added one more item that none of us recognized. Later on, we’d find out it was Spitfire’s flight pack. Soon as we were ready, four stout earth ponies started pulling the omnibus. I let out a long sigh. This wasn’t how I expected my return to Canterlot to go, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to affect flight camp. I also would have rather gone by tram-like before. At this rate, I would have preferred a chariot pulled by pegasi strait from Ponyville. As it was we had to go back and forth through each and every switchback, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was all a deliberate show. Let every pony in Canterlot see the frightened fillies. Then again, perhaps the guard force was giving any wood be assassin the opportunity… Mustn’t think that. Not that I don't have my very own shadow looking after me. And we just turned down a dead-end street in a blind alley. Before us was a massive stone face. We weren’t stopping though, and as we drew near, the wall shimmered revealing a grand archway to my eyes that was being hidden behind an illusion. “What are we doing here?” Sunset asked. Now there was real fear in her voice. “Wait for it,” I said softly, and a moment later the lead team passed right into the wall, followed by the backup, and then our omnibus. Before us was a grand promenade cutting right into the rock which spoke of times long forgotten when the mountain had been mined for its crystal. “They are taking us into the heart of the mountain, how is this any better?” Sunset asked as we passed through a pair of massive doors that were shut tight behind us with several massive beams being placed across the doors. Philomena swooped in a moment later, her iridescent plumage illuminating the cavern, and landed on Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset calmed down a bit as Philomena snuggled up to her. “Phil seems to think we are fine.” I offer as we continue down the long passage that spoke of a grand past the present ponies couldn't even dream of. We finally came to a stop at the base of a grand staircase. “Your highness's, Lady Lofty, Lord Blueblood, you’ll need to...” Morgan began but stopped as he looked out into the shadows not lit by the few lanterns lighting the grand hall. “Moonie?” I ask as I look out into the darkness. There is definitely something there. I see a dim glow of magic. What I see coming out of the darkness is a tall black horse in armor that spoke of wars from long ago and could easily be Nightmare Moon returned, and she’s got a pony in her magic. “Moonie?” I get up, exit the omnibus, and begin to walk towards her. “Princess?” Lofty cautioned. “Nova, no!” Luna called as she scampered out of the bus to stop me from going any further. The next thing I know, she’s blocked my path, and yet she’s shaking like a leaf. “It’s Moonie. I think she’s in some kind of defense mode,” I explain as I press into Luna’s side. “Moonie?” “He fainted.” Moonie offered as she slid what looked like a guard over to Lt Mouse. She then deposited a rather nice-looking crossbow that was most decidedly not standard issue. “You’ve been compromised. There were assassins all along the route.” She paused a moment and hung her head. “Forgive me. My mandate to keep you safe overrode my mercy protocol.” “What does she mean by that?” Captain Morgan asked. I stepped around Luna, went over to Moonie, reached up, and gave my black beauty a hug. “I’m guessing it means she left a trail of bodies.” “Oh sweet Celestia,” Morgan said softly. “Mommy.” Blueblood whimpered about the same time. “St-st-still.” He managed to stutter out. “That anyone would stoop so low as to actually hire assassins.” “A lot of ponies really don’t like me,” Sunset said softly. “And I guess that’s my own fault. - If they’ll just give me a chance?” “I fear there is more to it than that.” I offered. “Large numbers suggest that no one was actually hired either. It’s more like a bounty was put out and every two-bit mercenary looking to make a rep for themselves came crawling out of the wood-works. “True, it really looks like ruining her character, and hoping she loses the good graces of Aunt Celestia just wasn’t enough for someone.” Prince Blueblood added. “Moonie, is our path from here clear?” I asked. “I’ll make sure.” She said and vanished as though made of shadows. “That’s a mighty dangerous toy you’ve got there.” Prince offered, sounding relieved. “We should hurry.” Lt Mouse offered, we gathered ourselves up, our captive loaded up with the luggage, and began our ascent on the stairs. “We’d used a number of enchantments on the carriage in hopes that anyone wishing to impede us would think we were just a busload of tourists. I never thought any pony would go so far.” “They didn’t have this kind of thing going on in your time?” Captain Morgan asked. “Political, yes.” Lt Mouse offered. “Actual open attempts at assassination were rare. Threats or rumors of threats on any member of the nobility could ruin an entire family, and time in Tartarus was often swift to those found guilty.” She gathered her thoughts for a moment. “Princess Celestia was rather naive back then. Luna had been too, forgive me, Princess.” No harm taken, and I wasn’t as well insulated and soon became all too aware of what ponies would do to each other," Princess Luna offered. “Downside is that I went from innocent filly to a liability to those scheming low life.” “So tell me, Prince Blueblood, what’s your family’s take on all this?” I asked. “I...” Prince began but seemed reluctant. “Let's just say it has something to do with why my parents were willing to let me use the parlor car.” “Get into our good graces and maybe the young Prince might have a better chance at a Princess, is that it?” I teas. “Well it’s not like it was my idea!” Prince objected. Now Alice was laughing, and Rarity who’d been caught up in all this had a peculiar gleam in her eye. Granted that she as likely had the wrong end of the stick. “What? What?” Sunset pleaded. “Tell me?!” “Sunset, you are presently in the company of Equestria’s most sought after fillies, yourself not excluded, in more ways than one that is. In that we can count out the top nobles in that they’d as likely rather see you wed than dead,” Cadance offered. She’d a smirk on her face, and by the looks on the faces of some of our other escorts, they’d a good idea what it was too. After all, politically motivated marriages weren’t exactly a thing of the past. “And what’s that supposed to mean!?” Sunset protested. “What’s the oldest way in the book to gain alliances and political favor?” I ask. “To crush our enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of their mares?” Sunset asked. And once again I’m reminded that hooves hurt when they hit my face. “Not that one.” “What other...” Sunset said as the wheels in her head spun, and the gears meshed. I could almost hear the sound of mechanical dials on an analog slot machine dropping locks into place to display all sevens, or in this case all lemons. “No! Buck no! No, no, no! Not going to happen! No times infinity! Cadance can marry him.” Cadance and I both said no at the same time. Cadance looked at me and grinned. “They don’t really do that anymore do they?” I ask. I’m not about to say ‘it’s not like that’ because then it would be. “I mean as in arranged marriages.” I was not too surprised when no one really knew the answer. Nor was it a huge surprise when we found a welcome party waiting at our exit. All out cold thanks to Moonie. Fortunately, we were also close enough to our destination that we were able to call for more guards. “Moonie, I think you can stand down now,” I said softly as we entered the Keep of Canterlot castle. A few minutes later Celestia herself came to greet us and embraced Sunset, followed by Luna, Cadance, and myself. “Your Royal Highness.” Offered the Captain of the guard with a bow momentarily after entering Princess Celestia’s private office. Ms Lofty and the fillies had retired to Cadance’s chambers. “The individual from the cavern has been quite talkative, and a number of arrests have been made.” “And the presence of assassins as was suggested in Lt Mouse’s report?” Celestia asked. “About a dozen individuals have been found. Every last one at the top of the most wanted list.” He offered. “Regardless of what was reported, they all appear to have either shot each other or suffered bizarre accidents. No pony is dead, but no pony is in any shape to misbehave for the foreseeable future. We found one in a dumpster, and when he came too he kept going on about a shadow pony.” “Which tells me that I hadn’t pulled the teeth of Nova’s toy after all,” Celestia said in a sort of quiet resignation. “Although, I suppose in this case that’s not such a bad thing.” “Ma’am?” “There is definitely a little bit of the Nightmare in Nova’s Moonie,” Luna offered. “Summary execution is not our way, but there was a time when it was necessary to maintain the stability of Equestria. I want the creature, be they pony or other, who is responsible for this outrage,” Celestia requested in a quiet tone that hinted of seething anger threatening to break through to the surface at any moment. “Ma’am.” “And Captain...” Celestia hesitated a moment. “Something you need to take to heart and believe me when I tell you that I am not immortal. Yes, I’m well over a thousand years old, but I won’t live forever. Cadance and Nova aren’t the ponies to replace me. Yes, they are alicorns, but the reason they took such a great risk to bring me and Sunset back wasn’t so much for my sake, but for the sake of Equestria. Nova has been paying attention to her studies and understood that no matter how strong she gets neither she nor Cadance can replace me. They don’t have an affinity for it. That leaves Sunset shimmer as she is presently the only pony with both the aptitude and the required affinity that we are presently aware of. Despite the issues we’ve had with her she is Equestria’s future. “After Discord upset the balance and it became necessary for unicorns to raise and lower the sun and moon to maintain the cycle of day and night and the tides, it required dozens of the strongest unicorns to do it, and it would leave them drained. It wasn’t easy for me because I’m an alicorn, it was because I’ve got a solar affinity. Something that is fairly rare. And even rarer that such a pony has the potential to replace me. Those who would place their own petty ambition over the welfare of others have no place in our society.”