//------------------------------// // Chapter XXXI: Bubble // Story: Nocturnal Mayhem // by Silvak //------------------------------// "So, your name is Shining Armor, then why is your armor not all that shiny?" "...Are you naturally this antagonizing?" Shining asked with an annoyed look on his face. After the meeting, the two sisters shuffled me off to my private suite, while assigning my usual guards to the front, probably more for keeping me in than keeping others out. Luna told me that they would be questioning the prisoners, and when I offered my services to get some answers, she said that they weren't going to let me turn it into an interrogation. Guess even when there was attempted foalnapping, Luna wasn't the type of pony to draw upon more forceful measures to get answers. Or her sister told her not to use them, which I think is the more likely cause. Celestia really needs to learn to be less of a pansy. "Hey, I never made the claim that I was a nice pony. So are you up to date with my past?" I asked as I lounged on the couch, bouncing a ball off the top of my foreleg out of idle boredom. "As Captain of the Royal Guard, I would naturally be informed of your nature," Shining answered. "Ah, good, then that would save some time on answering questions you would have after spending enough time with me. Now, why would my mother and aunt think it would be a good idea for you to be the one to keep me contained?" I replied as I bounced the ball off my hoof, sending it towards Shining's face, who promptly used his magic to stop it. Scowling at me, Shining said, "I'm not keeping you contained, I'm he—" "Do I look stupid to you? I may not be a genius, but I'm certainly not an idiot," I interjected, causing Shining to let out a sigh of frustration as he took off his helmet so he could rub the spot between his eyes with a hoof. "I feel your pain," Sunset said while having her face buried in the book she was reading. After a moment of silence as Shining was trying to rub what may be a potential headache away, I hopped off the couch as I declared, "Whelp, I'm bored. Time to see how my mother is doing with the intruders." However, before I could get two steps towards the door, Shining decided to step in front of me, as he replied, "Oh no you're not. You're staying here like your mother wanted you too." Looking up at him, I raised an eyebrow as I asked, "And how do you plan to keep me from getting out?" "Like this," Shining said as he lit his horn up, causing a pink barrier to appear around me. Turning my head around, I could see that it completely surrounding me, causing me to give him a deadpanned look as I said, "Really? You think you could keep me in a bubble?" Placing my hoof against the barrier, I started to apply pressure against it, causing Shining to show some visible strain on his face as he said something, only for me to see his lips moving but no sound coming out. "Wait, did you just mute me‽ You're going to regret that!" "So can you do it?" "Well, I can, but she's going to get me back for it," Sunset stated as she watched Nebula starting to pound on the bubble shield around her, a look of fury on her face. "I think making the shield sound-proof is only going to make her angrier." "I can tell, she hits like a bull. Just cast the spell before she breaks through," Shining pleaded as sweat started to appear on his face. "Fine fine, but you owe me one," Sunset replied as her own lit up, engulfing Nebula in a blue aura briefly, causing her to blink before she was suddenly tugged into the center of the sphere, which led to Nebula flailing her limbs around as she tried to strike the bubble, only for her limbs to fail to reach it by a few mere inches. With a look of relief on his face, Shining ran a leg over his forehead as he said, "Ah, thanks for that. I can't believe that a filly could ever get that strong. May Celestia have mercy on those that become this filly's enemies." "Well, I'm really curious to see how intelligent she is. Sometimes she displays moments of ingenuity, but other times she acts like a complete fool. For instance, she's not trying her wings yet, even if it won't work in the first place," Sunset stated as she watched Nebula swinging her forelegs at the bubble while she tried to lean forward as far as she can. "Maybe she has a short fuse, I should mention to Princess Luna that she should get her some anger management," Shining commented before seeing Nebula starting to flap her wings. "Ah, now she's doing the flying thing you mention." "Heh, this is starting to become amusing to watch. It might almost make whatever she does to me later on worth it," Sunset said as she tapped the bubble, causing Nebula to glare at her. "To think, a pony that could be more powerful than the princesses is just lounging about, I even heard that she's richer than any of the noble families," Shining stated before frowning when Nebula looked at him while dragging a hoof across her throat. "Tell me about it, if she is as strong as she claims, she could take over the world," Sunset replied, only to get a flat stare from Shining that prompted her to say, "What?" "...Don't give her any ideas," Shining finally declared. "As long as she's weakened, we might have a chance to rehabilitate her to be a better pony before she regains her full po—" THUMP. Rearing their heads up, both ponies glanced at the sphere to see Nebula's body pressed up against the side, looking like she somehow crashed into the bubble before she was suddenly yanked back to the center where she flailed about in anger once more. "Okay... what just happened?" Shining asked as he rubbed his head with a hoof. "I think she tried using her flashstep ability. Seems like it can't pass through solid barriers," Sunset observed. "Well, then we need to make certain that she can't learn how to teleport for the time being, or we won't be able to contain her anymore," Shining replied as he watched Nebula now swinging her limbs around at random. "I wonder how long before she finally tires out." "No idea, this is honestly something that interests me... want to place some bets on the time?" Sunset asked with a smirk, only for it to fade when she saw that Shining had a serious expression on his face. "I'm the captain of the Royal Guard, Sunset. I need to set up a good example for the troops," Shining stated as he looked to the side. Sighing, Sunset stated, "Figures you would be as upti—" before she was interrupted by a bag of bits floating before her face. "Fifty bits she quits before two hours have passed, but keep this bet as a secret between the two of us," Shining declared with a smirk. Blinking at the stallion, Sunset then returned the smirk with one of her own as she said, "You're on." "Three hours... and she's still going. Does she ever tire out?" "Apparently not, she's not even sweating," Sunset replied as she watched Nebula spinning about as she continued to flail her limbs, as she tossed a bag of bits up and down through the air every so often. "And you would think she would use one of her weapons she can summon to get out of it," Shining stated while lying down on the couch, still frowning at the fact that he lost the bet. "Not likely, I saw her use of one of them, and their destructive capability is too risky to use if they end up easily piercing your barrier. Thankfully, even with the temper she has, she's bright enough to know not to try them," Sunset explained, just before the door open, to reveal the royal sisters as they stepped inside. "Nebula my daughter, it is ti—what is going here?" Luna asked as she saw the state her daughter was in, who promptly stop her flailing when she saw her mother coming into the room. Standing in attention, Shining answered, "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna! I'm simply restraining Princess Nebula when she made the attempt to leave her quarters, as you have ordered." Smiling at the sight, Celestia strode over to bubble, saying, "It seems like you have done a job well done, Captain. Though, is this barrier sound-proof as well?" as she tapped the sphere, while Nebula crossed her arms over her chest while silently mumbling to herself. "He did, which was a great idea when Nebula started shouting at the top of her lungs for ten minutes straight," Sunset replied as she put her winnings on a nearby nightstand. "Hmm... you're daughter is certainly a feisty and rebellious filly, Luna. It's such a shame that we can't rely on normal discipline techniques to get her to behave," Celestia stated with a frown before sitting down on the ground as Luna walked over to her. "There may be a way to get her to learn still, dear sister. For I have yet entered her dreams, but perhaps I shall rectify that mistake the next time she decides to slumber," Luna declared. "Princess Luna, excuse me for my interruption, but did the intruders revealed any information?" Shining asked as he placed his helmet back on his head. "One of them have, but mostly out of fear of threats that my daughter have made against them," Luna answered with a frown. "While it did achieve results for us, I cannot condone such behavior from my daughter." "As much as I agree with you Luna, we have to keep in mind of her past as another lifeform, as well as the fact that she is an adult in a filly's body. There is no straightforward way to approach this situation, hence it might be a complicated matter to deal with," Celestia commented as she eyed Nebula, who simply had cocked at eyebrow at them. "Therapy or anger management won't work if she can bribe anypony that she meets," Sunset stated. "Though, there may be a way to get through to her..." Sunset continued, causing the two sisters to look upon her. "And what, pray tell, is this method you possess?" Luna asked. "Well, let's just say that Nebula may have an attraction with her latest 'fusion project', so to speak," Sunset answered. Rubbing her chin at the news, Celestia replied, "Well, Rarity was hired to teach her etiquette, so if Gala does have her attention, so could be a positive influence that can actually get through her." "Perhaps we should employ the services of Cadance in this matter? As mush as I abhorred the idea of manipulating my daughter, I do agree that we need to take some sort of action to rein her in," Luna added in, only for Shining to go wide-eyed for a moment before he shook his head as he stepped forward. "Not the best idea, Princess Luna," Shining stated, only for Sunset to cock an eyebrow on him. "And why not? She's the Princess of Love. How could she not b—she has dirt on her, doesn't she?" Sunset replied, causing all three mares to stare at Shining, who started to sweat from all the attention. "Well, you see... um—" Shining started to say until Celestia held up a hoof. "No need to explain yourself, I think I may have an idea about the situation," Celestia said, causing Shining to blush as she turned her head towards Luna. "For the time being, we will employ what we have at our disposal. I will send a letter to Twilight to pass a message along to Gala so she can have time to prepare for her next meeting with Nebula." "Aye, and I will confront my daughter in her dreams during the day," Luna responded. "While her physical body may possess power, I am undefeated in the realm of sleep. Hopefully, by the next moonrise, Nebula will have seen the error of her ways."