//------------------------------// // chapter 3: The Chase // Story: The Duchess' Son // by Dark Moon //------------------------------// A/N OK the reason why the chapter took so long is because I wrote it not too long ago and lost it ALL! So it took me a while to get my frustrations out to want to do it again. Then I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do with the story, which made me rewrite in some places. Also the asterisks represent a lapse in time or change of perspective. Well here ya go.   Chapter 3   Princess Celestia awoke from her sleep. Being woken up by nothing more then her own body; which was a regular occurrence. She rose from her bed without the slightest sine of grogginess. She had always been an early bird and loved her mornings. Her sister on the other hand was a bit of a night owl, which made sense if you think about it; her being the goddess of the moon.   Walking from her bed she went to prepare herself for the day. After her shower and brushing of herself and mane she went to the balcony to perform her godly duties. She watched as she focused her magic to raise the sun. She smiled at her work as she saw the light on the horizon. The sun only really needed the first kick in the morning from her magic to get it soring across the sky. It would pull small amounts of magic as it sored but it was barely noticeable through the day. Maybe the moon drains LuLu during the night and that’s why she slept in during the mornings. She pondered this for a while and sighed as she realized that she needed to start the day. Although she loved her mornings she sometimes dreaded the work that followed afterwards. Not that she didn’t love serving her little ponies, it was just that it gets tiring having to deal with all the politics and petty problems brought to her. Now that Luna was back to her old self it was a great relief to her because not only did she get her sister back but she now could get away from time to time to keep herself from becoming Trolestia as some of the ponies started to call that part of her. She wouldn’t doubt that at some point she went a little nutty. But that was mostly over with… mostly.   * * * *     Celestia was in her throne room with the most unpleasant look of boredom and frustration on her face from the annoying adviser that had talked for hours on end. She knew he always meant well but he always seemed to micromanage EVERYTHING.   “What of the poor in the city? How are we going to deal with them?”   “My sister and I have not yet found a solution to the problem and will address it later.”   Honestly he was really pushing her to send him to the moon for being such an annoyance. Just then (as if Luna was trying to save her) a magical smoke came in through the window, swirled circles in front of her forming a rolled up parchment that landed at her feet.   “I apologize but I have some business to take care of. You are dismissed.”   He reluctantly bowed and left her presence. She lifted her postal savor to reed its contents. It was a letter from her good friend Vinara however the note was a little more then troubling as she read the news of her friend and her son, as well as her son’s discovery. She realized that she also hadn’t told Luna of the arrangement either. “Well well well. Looks like things are gong to get interesting round here.” She said with a creepy smile as she thought of all the fun she could have. She started singing a song that would come to mind whenever she felt the way she did.   * * * *     It had been hours sense I had left my home in Phillydelphia. Now I'm approaching the main city as the afternoon sun is shining down on the kingdom’s mane city. I had actually gotten' really bored so I was entertaining the idea of just flying there myself and leaving the carriage in the dust. Hmmmmm well I guess I could find some fun in this. I started to flap my wings slightly to lessen the weight so it wasn't that noticeable and increased the flapping slowly until I had lifted off the open carriage altogether. I giggled in my head as I thought of the situation. I slowly and casually flew up next to the pegasus on the left side. When I was flying along side him I looked to the right and with the most casual voice I could I said "hay, nice day for flying."   The pegasus looked to his left and smiled while nodding saying "yep."   He returned looking forward but it took a few seconds for him to figure out whom it was he was talking to. His jaw dropped and he did a double take to see me wink and take off at high speeds leaving them in the dust while trying to keep up. I didn't even look back. I arrived there in no time at all, laughing to myself the whole way. I thought to myself well guess I should make an appearance as I flew off to the castle. When I arrived I noticed the two guards at the entrance gate and flew down to meet them. They looked straight ahead with no expression on their faces.   "Hello"   "..."   "Um I'm here to see the princess. She is supposed to know where ill be staying."   "..."   What is wrong with these guys? I thought as i waved a hoof in there faces. I had no idea what to do so I shrugged with my wings and then spread them. Before the guards could make any movement I flapped down kicking up dust as I flew straight up and over the gate and was in the courtyard. After a few seconds of walking down the courtyard to the castle the gate opened to show the two guards chasing me down. Yelling inaudible things.   "UH OH!"   I ran in a panic toward the castle for what I thought would be safety but more guards where there to bar the way. After seeing that I took to the air. Fortunately they where just unicorns and earth ponies so following was an impossibility for them. They ran off to get some Pegasei to give chase but I wont give them the chance. I flew to what I saw was an arching bridge from one tower to the main part of the castle and landed on it hoping that the throne room was near by. I entered what I think is the main hallway part of the castle. I followed the carpeting for a while looking from room to room searching for some pony who knew me, then I saw some pony running in the distance. I squinted my vision to try and focus on the small movement. When they got closer I noticed it was the two guards from before. “What are the bucking odds?” i said to no pony in particular as I turned tail and ran in the opposite direction to get away. The guards kept yelling at me to stop but I didn't want to get thrown into a dungeon just to wait for a meeting with Celestia that may take days if not weeks with her busy schedule. I figured I could get outside and fly around until I could spot the princess from a window and get this whole mess straitened out. However when I reached the archway leading outside I saw two pegasei blocking my path. With quick thinking I had an idea and increase my speed. I quickly closed the gap and the guards prepared themselves for a fight. Just as I had gotten to them I charged the spell that I planed to use, and teleported past them on the archway I had landed on earlier. Turning with satisfaction I saw the confused looks of the ponies. When they noticed me I saluted and flew off the archway with pegasei in tow. I knew that I could out fly them so I had no problem having them follow me. I searched windows instead of doorways for Celestia Luna or any pony that might recognize me for who I was. (Which by the way was a very few number the names of which are not even relevant to the story) the pegasei chasing me where having a hard time keeping up and seemed really winded after all my flying around the castle. In fact more pegasus ponies noticed our chase and decided to join in.   * * * *   It’s getting increasingly difficult to focus on searching for the princess's with HALF of the bucking castle staff chasing me down. I had impressed even myself with one move in particular. I was flying low along a circling wall side when I noticed pagasei where flying along the opposite side blocking me in. there was a sturdy earth pony getting ready to tackle me up ahead; a wall going straight up and out from the circling wall. Right before I got to the earth pony I flapped my wings as heard as I could to change my trajectory then started back springing up the wall alternating flaps to keep altitude and when reaching the top did a few front flips over the edge and opened my wings to keep flying. Most of the ponies stopped chasing me just to see the spectacle with mouths agape.   There starting to learn though and I'm running out of ideas. Then finally I spot a white and gallant figure in the throne room (by the way I had no idea where the throne room was beforehand and I only noticed it because of the, ah... throne.) I quickly teleported my way into the room to see the princess holding a note and speaking with... you’ve GOT to be kidding me! Why are those guards there! “Oh hello Lightning. We where just talking about your arrival.” replied Celestia with a grin.   “Princess please tell these ponies that I'm supposed to be here!” I said with urgency   “You are? Why didn't you tell us this before you entered the castle grounds!” one of the ponies replied with a glare.   “I DID you didn't respond so I entered anyway! What else was I to do?!” all the facial expressions in the room changed. Each pony changed from one expression to another: the guards was frustration to nerves blushes, mine was exasperated to confused, and Celestias was a smile to a furrowed brow and an annoyed look.   “Where you two sleeping with your eyes open again!”   * * * *   Firelight was just starting to wake up from what he thought was his last moments.The only thing he remembered was being on Lightning’s back when everything went black. He noticed that he couldn’t move a single muscle. The only part of his body that had free motion was his head. He looked around blinking his eyes to remove the blurriness from them to try and get a better look. After an agonizing wait for clear vision he was able to make out the hospital room he was in. The white cold glow of the magic lights shone on his body and he looked down to see it covered in a full body cast. As if called by his panic a nurse walked in defusing it. “why good morning Mr. Light. Its good to see you awake. My name is Hyppa Derma Ill be your nurse today. I would prefer you call me Derma though all my friends do.”   He was speechless for a moment as she walked over to do her job but he eventually found his tongue. “How did I get here?”   The nurse gave fire a deadpanned look “Lightning Moon brought you here. It was the least he could do considering what he did to you.”   “Uh… what do you mean by that?” He sat there completely bewildered at her statement yah technically Lightning moon WAS the cause of the accident but he was trying to save Lighting from a fall that could have killed him. The way she said it, it was like he purposefully harmed me.   The nurse now looked concerned at my confused statement and left. She wasn't gone for long and when she came back she held a newspaper which she hoofed him. What he read was completely appalling to him. The nurse smiled thinking that he was thinking of the repercussions of what the newspaper would cause and knew that she could calm him. Before Firelight could retort how this newspaper was full of horse apples she said “don’t worry about him he apparently disappeared after he left you here. You wil-”   “HE’S NOT AT HOME?” he said with frustration, shock, and worry completely ignoring whatever else she was going to say “WHERE IS HE?”   The nurses concern grew at his panicked outburst “don’t worry he’s probably long gone by now. He was probably ashamed of what he did”   Her reassurances did the opposite affect intended as fire started to try and escape his confining casts “LET ME OUT I NEED TO FIND HIM!” he yelled out while squirming in his full body cast. The nurse only called for the doctor. More hospital staff ran in to hold him down as a unicorn doctor came in levitating a needle. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING I NEED To seeee lighhhttt….” He didn’t event notice the sting of the needle in his neck as his world went black again. A/N all right yay for new chapters sorry it took so long again. also I changed some problems in the first chapter. Lightning told the doctors and nurses what happened before he brought fire in. Whether or not they believe him though will be revealed in later chapters. Shout out to Moon_Fire for editing help. Non gay love for all you guys!