Tales of a Brighton Phoenix

by The Stainmore Phoenix

2

Morning was climbing through the windows of our well furnished bedroom. Wait? Well furnished bedroom? I rubbed my eyes and looked. Indeed, it was a well furnished bedroom. The Alicorn was tucked under my bat like wing...wait a minute.

I found a mirror and stared for ten solid minutes without blinking. I definitely looked like a thestral. Bright blue eyes, ice blue mane and tail, and a...horn on my head? What? A horn? How the hell?

“Okay, who did what?” I asked.

“Bro?”

I turned to see the Alicorn.

“Not to be rude, but who are you?”

“You don't recognize me?” she quizzed.

“Skylar?” I asked.

“Yep, except as Skyla,” she said.

“Don't you think that you being Skyla is a little convenient?” I asked.

“I do, but I want to know who brought us here,” she said.

After we stretched out, wings included, I pushed the door open and looked at a stone faced pegasus wearing gold and purple sheet metals so thin, I could have sneezed and it would have collapsed.

“Come with me,” he growled.

Skyla said nothing. I looked to see she wasn't moving. I walked to stand beside her. The guard turned after going some twenty feet down the hall.

“Come on,” he snapped. “You two are needed now.”

Me and Skyla said nothing and shut the door. Sitting in a couple of chairs, we looked at each other and tried to reason out why we were all here and as ponies.

“Okay, so who would bring us here in the first place?” I asked.

“Let's see-Discord, then he could have minions do his bidding by giving all unicorns and alicorns chaos magic; Starlight Glimmer, so she could have us bring new ponies to her village; Tirek, so we could work for him rounding up ponies so he can harvest their magic; Nightmare Moon, then that way she'd have her own personal guards and we can usher in Eternal Night; King Sombra, so he can keep the Crystal Empire enslaved. I would say The Sirens, but they don't have plans to take over Equestria,” Skyla said. “It's a one will get you ten bet that Starlight brought us. After all there are changelings in our group and she'd great advantage of using them to subdue larger ponies such as a princess and then she could easily remove their Cutie Mark.”

“So your saying this is one of those many universes, where she was never defeated and now she runs Canterlot and is holding the Princess of the Sun hostage?” I asked.

“That's sizing it up nicely,” she said.

I was going to say something but a loud knocking interrupted us. Skyla bid enter. The door swung open to reveal a white unicorn with a phalto blue mane and a light pink Alicorn with a cream and dark pink mane.

“Yes?” I quizzed, looking up at them?

“Why didn't you come in Staff Sergeant Ice Boulder summoned you?” the unicorn asked, sharp.

“Shiny, don't be uptight,” the Alicorn said. “They probably didn't come because they were busy talking about something silly.”

“Shiny” grunted. The Alicorn chuckled and looked at us.

“Did you two refuse to come with the Staff Sergeant because of his foul manner?” she asked us.

“No,” said Skyla. “We decided to not come and reason out why we were summoned here. The best bet is that, and if it is a lie, do not hold it against us, is that you she pointed to the Alicorn are Starlight Glimmer in a transformation spell and are holding Celestia against her will.”

That got the Alicorn to actually laugh.

“Not at all,” she said. “I'm Princess Cadence and the Colt next to me is Captain Shining Armor, my soon to be husband.”

Skyla and I felt silly. Shining was not exactly happy Skyla made the claim and wanted to voice his displeasure but Cadence raised a hoof.

“Shiny, they had a legitimate reason to think such a think such a thing,” she said. “They thought that an enemy was bringing them here to aide her in keeping Equestria under her rule and they wouldn't do such a thing. You know, the others we found with them said the same thing and they're talking with Celestia and Nebula about their theory.”

Shining Armor grunted again. I felt like being an ass.

“What, you want me to voice my theory about you instead, sir?” I asked.

“And what would that be?” he snorted.

“That you're actually King Sombra,” I said. “Let's look at how you stand-like someone who has power and is not afraid to use it to abuse the ones under you. Your cold glare, your constant snarling and growling. Do you think I'm willing to trust you at this moment? You stand there, ready to denounce all theories we have as just mere “Child's Fancy Dreams” and trying to deny the physical proof to the contrary.”

At that, he chuckled.

“Okay, I can see why Cadence let you have that theory. In a sense, it makes sense. It was the only logical conclusion you could have had at the moment of confusion,” he said.

After sorting everything out, Skyla looked up.

“So who really summoned me, my brother and our friends?” she asked.

“That would be me,” Cadence said. “I thought you all deserved a better life. Also, I thought you and your sister would benefit from a...functional family.”

Skyla and I blinked before she asked, “This means what?”

“It means you and your brother are going to be me and Shining Armor's adopted son and daughter,” Cadence said.

Skyla and I blinked again before staring at each other in straight confusion. Why them? If any one of the royalty should do this stunt, it'd be Luna or even Celestia. After we got our minds squared away, I asked about Nebula.

“She's Luna and Celestia's mother, while Astronomous is their father,” Cadence said.

“Wait a tick? They have parents?” I asked. “That's something new.”

Cadence giggled, “I take it you know nothing much about our land.”

“You can say that again,” I said. “I know nothing of the residents of this land. In the Television based around you guys, they wasted so much backstory, leaving it to fans to interpret and theorize. Unlike Thomas the Tank Engine, where the writers waste no time in giving the characters a proper backstory. I know it's a rude thing, but it's the truth.”

“Something I appreciate,” Cadence said.

Soon me and Skyla were walking happily alongside Cadence and Shining Armor, talking about our roles as their soon to be children, which explained why we were Alicorns, although it made less sense. Logic states that it would have made more sense to wait until they were married, then brought us over and while the others were adults, me and Skylar be a filly and foal and grow up naturally.

However, it was their choice and this is the road they took. Without getting too involved in the many worlds interpretation, there is a world out there where me and my friends are the children of an already married Shining Armor and Cadence and another one where we're the children of Cadence and Chrysalis and so on down the line. At least those realities are only possibilities and not the reality that we were brought into.

Cadence, who was a lot more inquisitive, asked questions to get to know us and listened. Shining, who was so militaristic, literally went out of his way to actually salute the Alabaster Alicorn and the Dark blackish green one.

“Queen Nebula, Princess Celestia,” he said.

They returned the salute. Cadence smiled and bowed, as did Skyla. I stood, registering things before bowing. That got a wry chuckle out of the two sitting Alicorns.

“You don't have to bow if you don't feel it right,” the Dark Blackish green Alicorn said. “And as per manners, I am Queen Nebula, mother to Princess Celestia, at my left and Luna, who is away.”

“Pleasure's all mine,” I said.

That earned me a glare from Shining Armor.

“Address them as your highness,” he hissed.

I was about to say something when the Alabaster Alicorn interrupted.

“Let him speak freely,” she said. “It's certainly interesting.”

That got Cadence to chuckle.

“He is,” she said.

Skyla looked at Celestia and Nebula.

“Mind me asking an idiot question?” she asked.

“Not at all,” Nebula said.

“Why have all our friends been brought over if Cadence wanted me and my brother as her children?” Skyla asked.

“Simple, your friends are to have a job here with me,” Nebula said. “But that doesn't mean you can't be with them.”

Okay, I need to address this now-It's only chapter 2 and already, me and Skyla are son and Daughter to a soon to be married Cadence and Shining Armor; My friends are to be working under the Royalty in Canterlot and to top it off, we're being thrown in way over our heads. Where the hell is the moderation in this?

Okay, time to breathe and think things through. Is there any positives in this situation? Yes, we actually get a chance to do something many dreamed of, but at the same time, it paints targets on us. If I had the chance, I'd trade this to work in a colliery. I love getting dirty. That does lead me to this question-Can it work out?

The answer is yes. Just take everything in stride. If a situation arises, handle it as best as you can. Learn your lessons and move on to the next fiasco. Also, don't be afraid to ask a few questions should you need help. Now that I have that in mind, I will leave you and head back to this little scenario unfolding before your very eyes.

Cadence looked around.

“Certainly an interesting group you have,” she said. “Such diversity, yet you manage to tolerate each other. How do you do that?”

“We tolerate each other because we've known each other and aren't afraid to tell the truth,” one of the Changelings said.

I took a good look. Compared to the other three Changelings, that particular Changeling was taller, more muscular and wore what looked like ancient Roman armor. It was also worth note that the Changeling was a she.

“Ah, and you are?” Shining Armor asked.

“Western Brass,” she said. “And here with me is Tintin, Somerset, Dorset, Arson Wall, Sapphire Mine, Quiet Whispers, Cumulus Clock, Short Circuit, Winter Diagnostic, Patriot, Scarblade, Bladed Star, Chickpea, Silhouette, Arachnus, Titanius Pit, Dream Weaver, Arctic Blast, Blau Mynydd, Gleaming Krystals and Rust Patch.”

Cadence chuckled at the introduction. It sounded like a role call in a class room more than a formal introduction.

“It is an honor to meet you all,” she said.

Shining Armor saluted, only to be told not to be such a stickler by Nebula. I decided to keep myself out of the little chucklefest. Once finished, I looked around. Nebula smiled warmly.

“We do have a plan for you until we get your jobs sorted,” she said.