Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 4: Alicorn

by Jeweled Pen

Avatar Shorty 5: A new beginning

Blueblood took a deep breath as his front right hoof tapped the ground. Across from him, another unicorn, one still having a horn, stood. Both were dressed in dark blue armor, the regalia of the Water Nation. His horn was long since gone and deep scars still coated the older unicorn's body, though he peered at the other unicorn with eyes filled with confidence.

The other pony made the first strike, horn lunging forward as water shot out from the jars stationed around the small arena. There was a light cheer from the sidelines as the other soldiers watched, stomping their hooves as the water surged out in a long whip at the dehorned unicorn.

Blueblood lunged forward, ducking low and under the whip as it tried to adjust for his movements. Within a moment he was on the bender. The water bender's horn glowed and more water rose up as he tried to step back, but it was already too late. His hooves shot out, three quick shots to the chest and then one, much gentler, strike to the side of the head.

The water bender toppled over with a groan, his chest plate sporting three new dents and his head spinning from the powerful ringing. The water toppled to the ground and a hushed silence fell over the crowd, followed a moment later by a new cheer. A few unicorns walked over and slowly helped the stunned bender to his hooves. “See, we warned you. He wasn't called Righteous Knight for nothing.”

Blueblood felt his cheeks burn red and he gave a little shake of his head. “Now, there's no need to bring up such old stories. That title is long buried, like the others,” he said with a light chuckle. He turned and walked off with a slight limp. His front hooves ached terribly, though he tried to ignore it.

He could barely believe it. He was getting old. A few more years and he wouldn't even be able to take on the rookies anymore. Heck, in a few years he might not even be able to dent the armor anymore. Fire bending style was fast and brutal, there was no doubt he was a master. But without the bending to go with it, there was only so much he could do with it against armored opponents who could bend as well. He wouldn't be able to take them down in one quick flurry anymore and he did not want to imagine what would happen then.

He glanced back at his flank and sighed at the bit of weight he was putting on. Maybe it was time he just tucked it in. He wasn't old, but he definitely wasn't young anymore. It didn't help that his body had been through enough during the war that even his prime had been filled with aches and pains. Sometimes he wondered if he had suffered the most during the conflicts.

Then he thought about all those ponies who'd lost their lives, their families, one in particular who had lost her bending and was fairing even worse than himself last he saw, not to mention the ones who he was directly responsible for. He found his pains were all the more tolerable with that thought. Maybe he could help and aid them a few more years. He walked through the city of Canterlot, occasionally getting glances and bows from the ponies working. He soon made his way to the docks and stared out over the ocean, letting out a soft sigh of contentment as he felt the ocean breeze sway over him.

He could barely believe he was here, in the capital of the nation he'd once seen as the greatest enemy to him and his people. He had been such a foal. Ruled by pride and hate. His hoof went up to the bump that had once been his horn and he shook his head. He had been a horrible, awful pony. But that was all in the past. Now there was peace. And in peace, new life could--

“King Blueblood!” a voice called out, making him stiffen.

“Yes?” he asked, glancing back. The pegasus wasn't even in her armor or holding any weapons. All the mare had brought of her uniform was her helmet. “Aren't you out of uniform, soldier?”

“No time! It's the queen! She's gone into labor!” the mare said, turning to point towards the castle. She barely had time to turn back as the blur of white stallion raced past, sending her spinning.

Old scars and wounds ached as Blueblood raced through the city, but he didn't care. He dove and wove around the many ponies. Fortunately, most knew better than to block his way. He practically skidded across the stones as he made it through the large gateway that kept the castle secure.

And he did go through it. Fire bender style was still in his control and he'd be bucked if he was going to be stopped by a big metal doorway, no matter how 'impenetrable' they said it was. He raced through the castle, looking around frantically before he finally made it to the royal chambers. “Am I too late?” he asked, his eyes wide with fear.

The two mares on guard shared a look, before turning to him. “Err, sire, it's only been about twenty minutes. She'll be in labor a good while longer. Hours even.”

The adrenaline pumping through his body slowly began to die and his cheeks turned red. Pains slowly began to reawaken, making him groan. “Oh... I thought... errr...”

“First time being a father?”

He gave a sheepish nod.

The guard nodded and walked forward, patting him on the back. “Good luck. She probably won't kill you.” The second guard then pushed the door open, revealing the chamber.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside, the aches and pains through his body slowly fading away once again as he looked over the room. Yes, he had suffered during the war, but he would never argue that he hadn't received so much more. Far more than he ever deserved. He smiled at his beautiful wife, now the ruler of the Water Nation and one of the strongest mares he'd ever met. She laid on her back, the covers over her as healing unicorns stood by. He moved forward and gave her sweaty face a soft nuzzle, closing his eyes. “I love you...”

“I'm going to kill you for this,” she said with a groan.

“I probably deserve it.”

------

Blueblood sighed contently as he laid in the bed besides his wife, one hoof wrapped around her shoulder. His other hoof was splayed over her, wrapped protectively around a little bundle the exhausted mare held tightly in her hooves. Even asleep, the ruler refused to let the bundle go.

The stallion glanced down and smiled at the little blue unicorn. So tiny, weak and precious. One day the little foal would grow up to rule the nation. A pony of both the Water Nation and the Fire Tribes. A pony that would hopefully be able to keep the gap that had built between the two countries over the last hundred years from returning. He didn't imagine it would be easy. After all, there were many ponies who found the union between him and Rarity to be an abomination, something that needed to be destroyed. Sweetie had even kept an eye out for assassination attempts, though as far as he knew there had been none yet.

But now it didn't matter. It didn't matter that almost a decade ago the two of them would have been mortal enemies. That there had been a war, that Discord had come. It didn't matter that he had been a wicked, evil pony who only cared about himself. It didn't even matter that that pink terror that Rarity called a friend had kicked him... in many places that were unpleasant.

All that matter was that, here and now, the two of them were together. That they had a beautiful baby foal and they would do everything to make sure that peace lasted for the next hundred years. Hopefully, forever.

Comments

[eric-emanwu]

Ah. A time skip. Cool.

So, we skip ahead 10 years. 10 years of nation building and personal growth. And now our attention turns to the new king of the water nation: Blueblood. Seems Rarity held to her promise, and Sweetie was right in her assumptions. They were headed towards marriage. Thanks to his alternate form of bending, he's still able to put the new water benders to shame during break ins. The only trouble was that there was still strain on his body. Sure, he could use the technique to effect, just like Avatar Twilight did with Lightning Dust, but it's not the same without the FIRE! And Blueblood knows that the strain on his body is starting to get to him.

And, miracle of miracles, their first foal too. Rarity getting to know the joys of labor pains firsthand. Gritting her teeth at having her King put her through this pain. But, like so many great things, on the other side of pain? Unbridled joy. Joy at the small bundle of joy who one day shall be the next queen of the nation. And even more interestingly, with 2 different potential bendings. Heck, it could become the first ever fire bender to be leader of the water nation. Which...raised a few eyebrows among old purists. But, the world's changing. Not only is this foal mixed race, but safe in the arms of her parents, and protected by her aunt sweetie. Nobody's hurting the new Rare Blood on her watch. Hmm, I wonder if Luna and Celestia will drop in to see the kid. Not every day you get to see a grand foal or grand nephew.

Well, "And the days danced by, and seasons flew, and the heroes were doing exactly what they were meant to do." Time ticks forward. How long until Avatar Twilight has night fall?

[GMZ_Casper]

It seems Blueblood have successfully turned his life around into something better. And he got a newborn foal and a loving wife to boot. That is a nice development after so many pains and sufferings he had to endured.

C&C:
After all, there were many ponies who found the union between he and Rarity to be an abomination...
> Replace ‘he’ with ‘him’.