Celestia's castle truly impressed Bo, the elegant arched hallways and attention to detail forced him to stare in awe and wonder how something so impressive could be built by anyone that didn't have hands. The walk towards the throne room was silent, there wasn't anyone there with even the slightest clue about what to expect. The silence actually began to bother Bo, it felt like everyone was afraid of him, he knew he didn't belong but he just wanted someone to say it and show they weren't afraid. The walk continued, the hallway seemed more and more endless with each second until Bo couldn't take it any more, he wanted to know what everyone was thinking. Bo cleared his mind with the exception of one thought to himself, 'focus, focus and their thoughts will be yours. Ajatustenlukija.' He remained silent the whole time, the effects of the Psyykkinen Maaginen type rune caused his eyes to become jet black. Soon every thought in the long hallway flooded into his mind, a little more focus and he'd be able to read individual minds.
They passed a guard in shining steel armor, 'that's him? I could take him on, probably.' Another walks by, this one in the most immaculate and elegantly designed gold armor, 'hmph, a lot of big talk for it to just be a human. Sure you don't see one, well ever, but it's nothing my boys can't handle.' Bo continued his walk, reading a few thoughts along the way, most of them were similar to the first, some were more fearful, and some more hateful.
Finally the end was in sight, Princess Luna was by the door and Bo decided to give it a shot. She was a little harder to read but even her magic couldn't keep Bo out of her thoughts, no that wasn't right, perhaps she let him in. Luna saw something special in Bo, something nopony else had seen yet, she saw valor, love, even a desire to protect someone he loved from the humans. Luna couldn't tell who but she knew she could trust Bo, she controlled her thoughts and let Bo hear what she wanted him to hear. 'So this is what has Celestia pacing back and forth. I guess he looks dangerous, like a kitten. He does look strong though, and kind of good looking if I do say so. He can't be as bad as Celestia thinks, not with a heart like that. Wait, is he staring....AT ME!?' Bo killed his connection, he hadn't realized how long he was reading Luna's mind. He looked around, trying to hide his obvious reaction to her thought. Yet somehow his eyes fell on her again, her azure eyes glistening in the afternoon light, it was such a captivating sight Bo couldn't help but just stare. He simply nodded as he walked by her, just to let her know he acknowledged her presence. Out of the corner of his eye he notice she lowered her head a bit, allowing her flowing navy blue mane cover her face as she suppressed a giggle. It was weird, but Bo couldn't help thinking she might like him, Applejack saw this too, and to be honest it made her a little jealous that he gave her so much attention, she just met him but Applejack knew she was falling in love.
Luna stayed outside with everypony else, the only person needed inside was Bo. He kept walking until he felt the door slam into it's frame with a crashing sound, nearly making Bo deaf. Celestia stood there, glaring at Bo, finally she spoke.
"Why are you here" A simple question, one Bo had expected.
"Well, you see, it's...uhmm..." the words just couldn't come out, Bo was nervous, Celestia was on top of everything and he knew it, what if he said the wrong thing.
"Well, I don't have all day." The frustration was slipping into her voice, she didn't want to deal with Bo, now or ever.
"Look, this all just a misunderstanding, and believe me, if I could be here under any other circumstance I would be but..."
"But what?!" Celestia's anger got the best of her, and she cut him off, the tension was emanating from her so strongly it was making Bo more nervous. "What are you doing in Equestria?"
"Okay, just let me explain. My name is Bo, I'm a Drake from Earth, and as it appears you want me to be here as much as I want to be here. I know exactly what happened here, and I never wanted to see it."
Celestia knew what he was refering to, but she had to keep pressing, she needed to know if Bo could be broken. "What is it you didn't want to see?"
Bo was surprised by this question, he expected Celestia to know at least this much. "I didn't want to see the land that my brother ravaged. Every night before I went to bed he look at me and say the exact same thing, 'Bo, one day you're going to be a warrior one day, and look at me, it isn't that bad.' Then he would tell me that story about how he came here and destroyed everything, leaving only one survivor. How did he put it 'a young, stupid alicorn bitch.' I hated hearing it everytime."
"It was your brother that did that!" Celestia was outraged by this, she had somewhere to direct all of the built up rage and fear from so many years ago. "Your brother did that to us, then told you like it was some children's story."
"Yeah," a bit of shame creeped into his voice, "and although I hated that story, it still made me proud to be his little brother. He raised me, and he was literally all I had when it came to family. Once I got a little older I realized what it was he had actually done, he said he killed everything to avenge the deaths of our parents, then I realized that all he did was destroy families here. That's when I started to distance myself from him."
Celestia heard what she wanted to hear, it was time to finish the ordeal. "So then, you're a killer."
The accusation rung out loud in the room, Bo had heard that before, and it stung his pride to hear it again. "No, I'm not a killer," a sigh of regret, as he started, it even continued into the rest of his sentence, "at least, not anymore. It was a dark time in my past and I regret every moment of it. I don't like to talk about it, I will tell you that I killed soldiers until that day. That's it, just soldiers who were getting paid to kill me. I'm not like my brother, I'm not a blood thirsty asshole.
Celestia thought for a moment, as far as she could tell Bo had been sincere, she believed his story, but perhaps one day he would tell her about that dark time he didn't speak of. "I'm going to be honest with you Bo, I don't like you because of what your brother did. But I can't have you arrested for doing nothing. I'm assigning Twilight as your personal guide, you have a question you ask her. You will stay out of trouble and out of my hair or relations between us will just get worse. Now get out."
Celestia, made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with Bo. Her tone was extremely authoritive, and he no intent to defy her, but he was curious, and had to ask, "Why is it you hate me, what my brother did was unacceptable but I'm not him."
Celestia stopped, she looked over her shoulder and glared at Bo, he still didn't get it, time to really crush his spirit. "Because I'm the alicorn bitch."
Bo cringed at hearing this, he couldn't believe what he had just heard, he lowered his head and stepped out into the long corridor and stood silently, not even looking up when Luna walked close by and dropped a scroll close by his feet. She made it obvious it was for him. When she was gone he leaned down to pick it up. He turned to ask about it but the door closed before he could say anything.
"I think she dropped in on purpose, she didn't even write it until you went in. "Twilight stepped closer as she said this. "So what did the princess say?"
"She told me to stay out of trouble and see you if I had any questions." He kept quiet, he met the survivor his brother always joked about. It looked like he had something in common with Celestia, they both decidedly hated his brother. But he still felt like shit, and he told himself he deserved it for being so proud of his brother when he was younger.
"Are you sure that's it? We heard a lot of yelling coming from in there." Fluttershy kept her voice down, she was starting to realize that she too was falling in love with Bo, but she was far too shy to tell him that, seeing in the helpless state he had been in was somehow what did it for her, she wanted to be there to help him if he ever ended up there again.
"Well, she decidedly hates me, all because of what my brother did to her all those years ago." Bo dropped his head in shame. "And to think I was so proud of him when I was young."
Everypony's jaw dropped, except for Rainbow Dash, "well, you don't have to tell us everything, I'm sure you'll have plenty of time." Dash felt the need to chime in after seeing how Fluttershy looked at Bo, the cyan pegasus had perfect view of Applejack's lustful gaze earlier as well, she was even able to sneak a glance at Luna's letter before she rolled it up, concealing it's message until Bo decided to read them. She didn't want to miss her chance to win him over.
"Oh will all of you step back a little bit, you're going to smother him if you get any closer." Even Rarity felt a need to get her case in, but she really did feel like Bo needed his space, it had been a little stressful for everyone. "I think we should just all go home and get some sleep, I'm tired I know that."
Home, what a nice thought, what Bo wouldn't give to be at home right now, but going home meant facing all of the humans just hoping he had died. He winced almost as if the thought had put him in physical pain, he reached towards his neck where his Triskelion and Mjölner pendants hung freely, it was the only comfort he had. He encountered something while reaching, something warm and soft, it was Rarity's scarf, he hadn't realized he was still wearing it. He took it off and returned it at that point, thanking Rarity for her kindness. "So, are there many trees there, it's no ski resort but I've slept in worse."
"A tree?" Applejack saw her chance, she was the only pony with any room for Bo to sleep in for the night. "Tha's unacceptable, Ah got some extra room in the barn ya can sleep in."
It comforted Bo to hear Applejack speak, it somehow reminded him of home. "I appreciate it, really I do but no. I've nothing I can offer in return." Bo's honor got the best of him, a warm barn with a roof sounded much better than a tree limb, but it was someone else's space and he couldn't take it up with out some form of compensation.
"Ah think we can work something out, Ah could always use some help on the farm, Ah guess if you help me with the work Ah would consider us even for giving ya a place to stay and meals." Applejack gave a sincere look towards Bo, she wanted to know what he thought.
"Well, I don't know anything about working on a farm, but if you need the sheer strength it'll be right up my alley." Bo reached up and ran his fingers fingers through his hair, making an effort to show off his upper arm strength. He still didn't understand why Applejack was being so kind, he was a stranger yet she was still willing to give him a place to sleep at night. It wasn't something that happened very often on Earth.
"Then it's settled, you'll stay with me over at Sweet Apple Acres 'til we can find ya a place o' yer own.
Her voice was kind and sweet, he still couldn't place a finger on why her voice made him feel so good. "Thank you, I hope I can be more than enough help."
Everything fell silent, Twilight began to walk out of the castle and towards the train station, everypony followed without saying a word. Bo silently removed the string holding Luna's note neatly rolled up and began to read it.
My sister does not trust your intentions, but I see a side of you that she cannot. I don't think
you're as bad as she want's everypony to believe. Someday we will speak in alone to each
other, but for now we should keep this a secret.
The Princess of the Night,
~Luna~
Luna, Bo said the name in his mind over and over, he could smell something since opening the scroll, he thought it might be useful to cast another rune to increase his sense of smell and find out what is was. He concentrated again, then said the word in his mind, 'Verikoira'. Instantly smells burst up around him of all things, the bathroom just down the hall, the guards sweating in their armor, but most of all, the sweet smell of Luna's perfume still clinging and emanating from the letter he held in his hands. Bo knew what it was he felt around all of these ponies, but he couldn't believe it, it was love, and that wasn't something to feel as long as Serena was alive.
"He what?!" The words came out angry, why shouldn't they, Bo was banished as another way to kill him, but he survived. "You said the cold would freeze him solid if he landed right."
"And it would have sir, except for the fact that he was rescued before he could die. I merely came to ask what to do next." The man stood there waiting, licking the front of his blood stained teeth.
"Send her in, if she can bring him back willing to fight we'll forget about all the other possible repurcussions and give him back his title as commander. If he refuses, well, we can always make another." An evil laugh bellowed from the mans lungs, shaking some of the equipment in the room.
"Yes sir!" As he walked away a cruel smile formed on his face, visible under his dark hood just like his blood red eyes which looked to be as big as the moon itself. "I hope you heard that, we're coming for you brother." The man laughed as he walked into the shadows to prepare the scout, it was time to see who was really stronger.