• Published 31st Mar 2012
  • 21,165 Views, 633 Comments

Stone Cold - M_D_Quill



Pulled into a strange world, meeting fantasy creatures, and stuck in stone. Isn't life grand...

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Chapter 16

The great doors to the throne room opened and a large white stallion strode in. To prevent looking at any of the plebeians who would be begging his aunt for some pointless favor, he walked with his nose pointed up at the ceiling. As he passed the second chandelier, which was roughly half way through the room, Blueblood realized that court was strangely quiet today. He carefully opened one of his eyes and peered around. The throne room was empty. Blessedly devoid of any of the common rabble that frequently filled it at this time of day.

With a sigh of relief, the Prince lowered his head and looked straight ahead. As he expected, his aunt was sitting just in front of the throne. Though, strangely, the captain of the guard was sitting at the foot of the steps leading up to the throne and speaking to Auntie Celesita.

Even though the position the guard held was very respectable, he was still a commoner. Well, maybe he was not that low, but a minor noble really isn’t all that much better.

Using his superior position as prince, Blueblood strode past the guard and sat in front of him. He cleared his throat, interrupting any conversation that the two might have been having. It was probably not important, since only the upper nobles were allowed to handle any of the really important issues in the kingdom.

“Auntie, where are the servants?” Blueblood asked with a huff. “This morning I had to wake and dress myself today. I would have fired those lazy mares, but I cannot find the headmistress.”

A forced smile crossed her face. The guard must have been trying on her patience before he arrived. Blueblood felt a burst of joy when he realized he came at an opportune time to cheer her up or his Auntie might have been in a poor mood again.

“Many of the servants have been sent home for the next few days, my dear nephew,” the Princess said. “I sent a notification out to all residence in the castle a few weeks ago.”

Blueblood let out an irritated sniff. “Then the messenger must be punished as well,” he huffed, “I did not receive any notification of this... change.”

“Is that so?” Auntie asked with a sly smile.

“Indeed!” The prince stomped a hoof on the ground enhance his point. He watched as the princesses smile grew slightly wider. She must have thought up some sort of fitting punishment for the lazy plebeians. They were graced to be given to job to take care of the castle and the noble ponies living in there, and all they try and do is find ways to get out of work. The laziness of ponies nowadays was astounding! If they were serving in the castle a hundred years ago, they would have been whipped in the town square. Well, that was if they were caught being lazy when the princess was away on a diplomatic mission, at least.

“I will see that everything is fixed in due time, my dear nephew,” Celestia said. “Unfortunately, I have dire needs that need attending to that cannot be put off.”

Blueblood nodded his head in agreement. With so much riffraff running about the castle, work for all nobility had nearly doubled. All the extra security needed so commoners won’t get their noses into things they shouldn’t. It was a right pain in the flank.

Sadly, as much as it pained Blueblood, the Princess received the worst of the workload. Especially since she took in that minor noble mare as her prized student. But, as it always was with the Princess, taking in the student was a great boon to the castle. Her power and intelligence was a great resource that many of the of the nobles were anxious to put to use. At least it will be properly used when she came back from her abroad studies.

With a proper nod, Blueblood excused himself from his Auntie and made his way to the entrance of the throne room. He paused in front of the doors and waited... and waited. A full minute passed before he coughed loud enough for the cough to echo through the hall. Both Celestia ceased speaking again and stared at him.

“Guard, these doors won’t open themselves.”

The Captain had the nerve to roll his eyes before his horn began to glow. When the doors finished opening, Blueblood smiled and left the two to their chat. He had some important business to attend to in his study. He only hoped that his wine was there before he arrived or yet another of the common servants will have to be punished, and he really didn’t want to have to triple his current workload filling out all those documents to have them all punished. Writing that much might tire out his horn, after all.

x.X.x

“Tell me why you put up with him again?” Shining Armor asked the Princess.

Celestia chuckled. “Don’t be like that, Shining. He is not all bad you know.”

The Captain sighed and shifted his armor slightly. “If only we had somepony else who was as good at doing surveying as he is...”

“Not to mention as easy to play tricks on.”

Shining blinked and turned to stare at the giggling Princess. “What do you mean tricks?”

Laughter was barely being suppressed by the alicorn. “Have you read your sisters report on not judging a pony before you get to know them?”

The guard sat puzzled at the Princesses question. “Of course I have. What does that have to do with -” Shining’s eyes widened when he realized what the Princess might be planning. “You didn’t... please tell me you didn’t.”

Celestia’s mirth slowly changed into embarrassment. “Only a couple leaves of it. Not enough for anything too drastic to occur. Maybe.”

“Princess! I just informed you that the spirit of chaos might have finally awoken, and you are playing pranks?”

The embarrassed smile disappeared, replaced by something grimly serious. “Shining Armor, we are inviting, as Twilight put it, a ‘cured’ Discord into the castle. No matter what form he might have taken, Discord is still extremely powerful and needs to be handled with care.

“A small prank that causes mild chaos won’t upset any of the harmony in this castle, but it should calm Discord down enough that he won’t go out of his way to make ‘fun’. We need him to be comfortable, at least until we know for sure he is reformed or not.” She stood up and walked over to the side of the throne. “I have already sent Spike a letter to gather the other elements of harmony and bring them up here. If anything goes wrong we need them to imprison him again.”

The captain just gaped at the Princess. Is she seriously asking to bring his sister back, after all it took to finally get her away from the creature?

“But -”

“Captain, what is more important. The safety of nation, or the feelings of a concerned brother?”

“Princess...” The guard was speechless. Of course the kingdom had to be defended. But the attachment Twilight started to develop for the creature was too dangerous to continue to grow. What would happen if Twilight decided to not turn Discord back to stone?

A hoof rested on Shining’s shoulder. He looked up into the concerned eyes violet eyes. “I know you are worried, but have faith in Twilight. She has always persevered when we have needed help. I am confident she will do so again.”

Shining sighed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

With a bow, Shining stood up and left the Princess alone in the throne room, doubts still swirling around in his mind.

x.X.x

The Princess of the night watched as her sister’s captain left. Quietly, she crept out of the shadow of a hidden door behind the throne and made her way up to the white alicorn.

When Celestia noticed her sister approaching, she smiled and moved to meet her. They met with a quick nuzzle and sat down.

“Anything new last night, sister?” The regal white alicorn asked.

Luna sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tia. Twas the same as the past few weeks. Glimpses and fragments of strange structures and bipedal creatures. As well as a view of the garden and constant chills coursing through oneself.” Luna gazed in the direction she knew the hospital was located in. “If the creature is Discord or not, I have been unable to discern.

“The creatures with the structures could be the world before the Windigo’s destroyed the old continent. We both learned that many a species disappeared during those dark cold years. The garden is obvious, Twas him reliving his imprisonment.”

Celestia sighed as well, “I thought so.”

“It also remains very difficult to get into his dreams and stay in them. As stated, I only was able to catch glimpses due to being kicked out many times. Though, a few times I believe he noticed me entering. I caught him staring at me as I watched him.”

Celestia bend down in thought. “Maybe he was purposefully kicking you out to guard his latest plan to take over?”

“Or maybe thou is being a tad paranoid.” Luna flicked Celestia’s nose with the tip of her wing. “I believe Twilight’s reports. I have seen neigh hide nor hair of any mischievous thoughts in his dreams. Only one desperately searching for something lost, though I have been unable to discern what that may be.”

A small smile appeared on the white alicorn’s face. “That is encouraging, Lulu. But it is always best to be safe than sorry. The safety of all the ponies in Equestria are relying on that.”

“I’ve never doubted you on that, Tia. Now come, lunch will be served shortly and we do not wish to be... tardy.”

Celestia glared at her younger sister. “You have been sifting through the friendship reports again, have you?”

“I know not what you speak of, Tia,” Luna chuckled as she started back to the secret door.

x.X.x

The guard glared at the large piece of scrap metal that conveniently found it’s way into the hallway. It sat near the far wall with a short trail of splintered wood leading to a funny looking large door. And by funny, he meant the new hole in the center of it.

“Come on, Mr. Talking Pony, do something,” the creature, whatever it was, whined. It holding a long pole through the hole and constantly prodding the poor guard in the side.

Poke...

Poke...

Poke...

“Coooome ooooon!” it cried.

Breathing in and out, using every bit of self control he had, the guard resisted the need to flinch away from the pole as it poked and prodded his unprotected flank. Unfortunately, the guard was unable to cease the recently acquired twitch that infected his eye.

“Hey!” the creature called. “Hey! Listen!”

He glared at the metal object again. Ever since it decided to evacuate the room, the creature had tried ceaselessly to get his attention. The shouting, crying, whining... the poking, prodding, and calling. It just wouldn’t stop.

“Hey! Listen!”

He blinked and flicked his ears, trying to clear out the poison that the creature was trying to feed him. This was just like in training, when the sergeants would get into their faces and tried to force them to break position. Well, monster, I’m not going to lose to you! I won’t lose.

“Listen! Hey, hey! Listen”

You won’t break me. I’m one of the best. I’m a guard in the royal army, under the command of the greatest captain in all of Equestria. Do your worst, monster, I’m invincible to your powers.

“Hey! Listen!”

I’m... immune. I will hold out... I... I...

“Hey!”

“What!?!” the guard shouted, turning to glare at the creature.

The creature blinked at him for a second before putting on a thoughtful expression. “Um... I don’t know. I’m bored.” A wide grin appeared on his face. “Oh! Oh! Do a trick!”

The guard refused to reply to the idiotic comment and grumbled as he went back to his post, a few steps further away from the door so the infuriating pole wouldn’t poke him again.

“Hey! Don’t ignore me!” the creature cried out.

After a few minutes of whining and pleading, the creature grew quiet. The guard spared a glance at the broken door to see the hole was empty. he breathed a sigh of relief and faced straight ahead with a smile.

Until something tinked against his helmet. Looking down he noticed a small... marble?

*tink*

The creature was standing by the door again, holding a handful of tiny crystals. The guard quickly bucked back, hitting the door causing it to vibrate. The creature cried out in alarm as the door shook his hand and loosening his grip on his ammo. A large pile of marbles fell on the floor with a clatter, scattering around in all directions.

Grumbling, the creatures left the hole again. The guard could only hope for good.

Suddenly the world began to shake and a loud clang sounded. The guard saw a few stars flying around his head and watched as a second large clump of metal rolled off his head and fell with a bang on the floor. As he moved his hooves to regain his balance, he stepped on some small round crystals. He struggled to regain his footing but his hoofs kept slipping and sliding until he landed with a loud crash on tip of the large chunk of metal.

The guard let out a pained and furious shout. He turned and tried his best to give the creature one of the legendary stares that could cower a dragon.

It smiled. “Tag! You’re it!” it said with a laugh.

The crashing sound of a shattering door could be heard through the hospital, along with the battle cry of a crazed guard.