Ever since the spectrum lights had increased in such a dramatic fashion, the town of Ponyville was a little hectic. Especially since they saw the guards grab Scootaloo in an emergency fashion and rush her back to the castle, which was a red flag in itself. Now it was up to the Princess of Nature to calm her people. As well as inform Celestia.
The Princess opened the door to her bedroom and walked down the stairs, letting her guard follow her as she made her way to the last place she wanted to go. She turned a right and walked down the hall, focused and afraid at the same time as she stopped at the barracks.
Opening the doors, she walked in, letting the guards...stand guard outside while she grabbed some things. Looking at the door with her cutie mark on it, she sighed and shook her head, twisted the handle and walked in.
Her armor sat on the far wall staring back at her while the princess approached it carefully, afraid that something might happen at that moment. Considering what's going on, anything could.
She grabbed the band beside the sword, put it around her waist and tightened it before grabbing the sword itself and placing it in the scabbard that was on the band. She took the armor from off the board and left the room, bringing it with her.
The door was closed behind her before leaving the barracks and making her way back to the room where Sweetie Drops was just bringing in Scootaloo, who saw her at that exact moment.
"Mom!" She yelled, jumping off the agent's shoulder and scampered to her mother as fast as her little legs could carry her.
She jumped and latched herself onto her mother's neck, holding on so tight it was starting to hurt. "You can't go! You can't go! It hasn't even been my birthday yet! You can't go!!"
Rainbow sighed before she slowly walked up the steps to her bedroom where Fluttershy was waiting for her, laying down on the bed. The Princess closed the door behind her, setting the armor on the wall and walked over, climbing onto the bed and settling down next to her with Scootaloo still attached to her.
She reached up and plucked her off, setting her on her back on the bed, sadness reaching her heart as she stared in her daughter's hopeless magenta eyes.
"Scoots? Remember when I said I love you?" The orange filly nodded, tears still coming down her face. "Good. Then understand why I'm doing this. I have to because I love you. And because I wanna do more of this in the future."
She leaned down and blew raspberries into her daughter's stomach, making her start laughing and flailing her hooves around, the laughter bringing a smile to Fluttershy's face as they played.
Eventually, after awhile, she stopped and allowed her to catch her breath, staring at her mother before Rainbow leaned in and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I'm fighting for you, Scootaloo. You, your mother, and Equestria. But mostly for you. I want my daughter to finally live a normal life where no evil can interrupt it. She can go crusading all she wants......to a certain extent."
The filly groaned.
"However...in order to get to point 'C' from point 'A', we have to get through the 'B'. Which in this case would stand for the stupid bi-"
"Rainbow...." Fluttershy warned, making the Princess sigh.
"Which in this case would stand for the bucking crazy alicorn, aunt, and great aunt. She wants the power but I can't let her get it. So I have to fight to keep it. Don't be sad, Scoots. It'll be okay."
Scootaloo turned over and faced her mother in concern before Rainbow pulled her into a hug, letting her bask in her warmth. Fluttershy got up from her spot and crawled over, getting in on the motherly bonding.
The filly let silent tears drip into her mom's coat before eventually letting go and backing away.
"I have to go see grandma, okay? I'll be back in a little bit." Scootaloo nodded in Fluttershy's embrace before Rainbow teleported away from the castle, leaving the two alone.
They sat in silence while Scootaloo stared at the suit of armor on the wall opposite of her, the glare of the sun bouncing off of it.
"I don't like this," Scootaloo whimpered, catching Fluttershy's attention. "I don't like this at all."
"Neither do I, Scootaloo," the older mare said, nuzzling the top of the child's head. "Neither do I."
Celestia sighed after dismissing another pony, a noble, asking for more land. They were becoming so annoying with the same old questions. She watched them walk out of the room, groaning in defeat from the Princess' rejection.
"Uggghhh," Celestia groaned quietly, letting her drop and shake her head. "What is it with these ponies?"
A set of footsteps caught her attention, making her glance up to see three ponies in suits. Definitely in the law. Great. "How may I help you?"
"Princess Celestia, we have reason to believe you are part of a large conspiracy revolving around Princess Dash," the pony leading the group said loudly. "As per law, you are required to inform the populace of the conspiracy."
"On what grounds?" She asked suspiciously.
"On the grounds of a photograph that was found in the old Everfree Castle," the pony on the right said, watching Princess Celestia's reaction. She squinted at him in confusion, trying to understand what photograph they were talking about.
"What photo do you speak of?"
The pony on the left reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag, containing a photograph that Celestia recognized immediately. Her horn lit up drastically, grabbing the photograph and drawing it towards her.
"WHO FOUND THIS PHOTOGRAPH?!" She bellowed, making them all cower back a little bit.
"P-Prince Blueblood, your-"
"WHERE IS HE?! HE WILL DOOM US ALL!!"
"He-he's out in the hallway..." Celestia jumped off the throne and walked briskly towards the door, making the lawmakers look at each other before following after her.
She slammed the doors open, startling the other ponies out there waiting for her audience who started muttering at the heat of anger coming off of her, her eyes darting this way and that, trying to find the source of the frustration and problems that were coming towards her and her daughter. "PRINCE BLUEBLOOD, SHOW YOURSELF AT ONCE!!!"
The ponies behind her backed away slowly as the pony in question walked in, his head held high and a smile on his muzzle, gloating. "Yes, Aunty Celestia? I hope you have a good-OOF!" Celestia bucked him into the wall behind him, causing him to crash into a statue that was setup.
"Do you realize what you have done?" She asked in mock calmness, slowly stalking towards him as if he were prey. "Do you realize the magnitude of what is truly going on here?"
"Well, besides the fact that you just bucked me into a statue, I suspect there's a little bit of information that you're keeping from the public of Equestria."
"WRONG!!" She yelled, getting into his face and blowing his mane back. The heat in the building got noticeably hotter, catching the attention of Luna and Rainbow Dash, who just arrived in the throne room. "I am keeping Equestria safe from an inevitable threat, long enough that we may be ready to face it. But you, YOU.....wanted to feed your curiosity so much for your own personal gain and respect among the society of Equestria. Well guess what? If Spectrum sees this photograph, it will take less than an hour for her to find the mare that will defeat her and the future will be replaced with something far worse."
"What are you talking about?" He demanded, getting up and dusting off his coat. "Who is Spectrum? Was she that Alicorn me and my guards were running away from while we were at the castle?"
"What?! She's awake?!"
"Yes, Celestia." The princess turned around to see Rainbow walking over briskly in alert, her sword on her waist. "Less than an hour ago.....the sign took over the skies of Ponyville. She's fully awake." Celestia gasped and turned around again to face Blueblood.
"You will tell me the events that happened while you were in that castle, and you will tell me NOW! Do I make myself clear?!"
"Y-Y-Yes!" He stuttered, letting her grab him in her magic and carry him back into the throne room.
"Court is cancelled for the day! Everyone return home and stay with your families! Guard, go fetch my sister."
"Already here," Luna said, sitting on her throne in the room. Once Rainbow Dash, Celestia, and Blueblood were all in the room, the guard closed the door, leaving them to talk.
The angered Princess of the Sun dropped the haughty unicorn down onto the red carpet in the room with a grunt before he looked back up at the three upset Princesses.
"Talk." The prince sighed before he began his tale.
"After I did my research at the Library of Magic in downtown Canterlot, I grabbed five of my guards and quickly rushed towards the Everfree Castle...."
"We've arrived, my lord," one of the guards said as the chariot tilted and came to a smooth landing in front of the destroyed structure. The prince walked out and looked up at the destroyed structure that was giving off a noticeable pulse of magic. The six guards around him sensed the same thing, making them uneasy.
"Your highness.......I do not think it would be wise-"
"We're going in," he scolded. "No backing out. My aunt is hiding something and I need to know what it is. Now come on." He began trotting up to the ruins, determination on his face to investigate the building and learn the truth. The guards reluctantly followed behind him, hooves quivering in fear of the large amount of magical energy reaching them.
Along the way, they all spotted the plant life.....which was moving on its own, making them all go faster. They also spotted skeletons along the way, evidently impaled by the plants growing there. How was that even possible?
"Princess Luna must've been nuts," Prince Blueblood commented.
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa, hold on!" Luna yelled, holding up her hoof and stopping his story. "You thought I killed those guards?"
"Yeah!" He replied, looking at her confusedly. "You were the one who attacked-"
"Enough, continue with the story!" Rainbow yelled, making him snarl and start again.
"I don't think this was Princess Luna, your highness," one of the guards said as they walked into the destroyed castle and stopped, looking around. "She only has control of the stars, the moon, and the night, not over the plant life. That would be Princess Dash's control."
"So Princess Dash probably killed those guards!" Blueblood yelled. Suddenly the rainbow magic got even stronger, blowing past the group like a wave. "What in Equestria is that?" The prince activated his magic, tracking the source of the energy before following it.
"I do not think-'
"Shut up and follow!" Blueblood interrupted the guard before continuing. The royals guards all looked at each other before reluctantly obeying his command, following down the hall to a different area of the ruins. After awhile they turned down a hallway with a sign that read, "Birth and Delivery", making the prince raise an eyebrow.
"Why would there be a birth unit in the castle? That makes no sense," Blueblood muttered. "Might need to check that out." He approached one of the rooms that had a door slightly opened, pushing it wider and stepping inside. He lit his horn making the area brighter to get a better view of it, revealing that It was a birth unit alright. There were water basins, tools and other things for a mare when they gave birth. "Interesting." He started to turn around until something in the corner caught his attention. A pillow with....Celstia's cutie mark? Pillows are only used in the delivery room for the mother. So why would Celestia have her pillow in the delivery room? Unless.....SHE WAS THE ONE WHO GAVE BIRTH!
"After I realized that Celestia gave birth, I searched all over the room for a clue when-"
"so....you deliberately went behind our backs," Celestia interrupted slowly, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead with a hoof in stress. "After we told you not to, TWICE, and discovered the secret that will save all Equestria from a threat....that could kill or enslave us all?"
"Let him continue, we must know what happened next," Luna said, motioning with her hoof to Blueblood.
"R-right," he stammered, already seeing where this was going and not liking it at all. "While we were searching, one of the guards found something within your birth pillow."
"There's something in here, sir!" Prince Blueblood turned around and walked over, looking expectantly at the guard.
"Rip it open."
"Sir, this is-"
"I said, RIP IT OPEN!" The guard sighed and grabbed an arrow from his side. He poked it in the pillow and yanked it to the side, revealing the fluffing and......a slither of paper.
Blueblood took it out with his magic, and flipped it over, revealing a photograph. That told everything. "Oh......my......aunty."
"Then you went and ripped open an antique pillow, created by the Equestrian society that was meant to give birth to a Princess of Equestria, DO YOU KNOW....you know what?" Celestia held a hoof out to him. "Continue, I already know what I am going to do with you."
Prince Blueblood sighed in defeat before continuing like she asked. "After we found the photograph, we heard a yell down the hallway, along with a forced entry before heavy hoofsteps were walking towards our room. After awhile, it revealed itself to be an evil looking alicorn that was black and mismatched."
"My Celestia how you have fallen," a female voice in the hallway said while tree roots began to grow underneath the hooves of the guards, catching their attention. They instantly began swiping at them, cutting them before loud hoofsteps caught their attention. Loud and slow. They all froze and watched as a black glow began to come past their room, making the guards bring out their weapons.
"Celestia.....you have something that belongs to me...." The being said as they got closer and closer to the door. "And I would like to have it, please." The guards all got quiet as the creature walked past. It was an alicorn with a black coat and a rainbow colored mane with fangs hanging from her mouth, as well as a jagged horn. Like a changeling. Each step she took caused a tremble in the ground where she stepped, as well as it to crack. Her left wing was blue while the right one was red. Her left eye was red while the left was blue. There was just magic pouring off of her, making the fur of the ponies she hasn't spotted rise on end.
"Oh my god," Blueblood whispered as she walked past. "Who...who is that?"
The guard in the front slowly shook his head. "I don't know....but it can't be good. We have to get out of here. But she's headed towards the entrance."
"Then what do we do?" Another asked, his magic holding onto his sword. "Rush her?"
"No way.....we rush PAST her and get the heck out of here," Blueblood whispered back. "We have what we wanted."
"What YOU wanted," a guard corrected. "You dragged us in here, man."
"Quiet," Blueblood scolded. "We need to go now. Let's head out."
"We sort of.... narrowly escaped her. Somehow, she used the trees, grass, and wood to fight us."
"You RAN to her?!" Rainbow said in horror.
"No, my men ran to her and tried-"
"You put your men in danger?!" She walked briskly over to and bucked him, sending him sliding across the floor. "Are you out of your mind, that was totally NOT awesome! What kind of prince are you?!"
"Get off of me, you wannabe," he said, pushing her off his chest. "You are nothing compared to me and-"
*SHING* Rainbow drew her sword with her magic, positioning it right between Blueblood's surprised eyes.
"And what exactly have you done that I don't compare to?" She asked quietly in anger. The prince looked down at the sword before looking back at the wielder.
"Could ya....let me go, please?"
"NO!"
"Let him go, Rainbow," Celestia said calmly. The upset princess squinted at the prince before withdrawing her sword and placing it back in its scabbard, allowing Blueblood to relax.
"Did she ever see the photograph?" Luna asked.
"Well...ummmm...." He tapped his hooves together, trying to avoid their accusing gazes.
"Did...she see...the photo, Blueblood?" She repeated.
"Well, I dropped it where she might have gotten a three second look..."
The strange Alicorn turned towards the foyer of the castle, looking at the darkness that was within, making her smile proudly.
"Oh, Celestia, you must have left the bird's nest," she said calmly, not realizing the six ponies behind her. "No wonder it's so quiet. Where could you have-" She flinched and stopped suddenly from a beam of magic that hit her in the flank, making her raise an eyebrow.
She turned around and looked at the six ponies staring at her, three of them having apears, two holding crossbows, and one of them with a lit horn. Must've been the one who shot at her.
"Ugh, foolish ponies." She changed her eyes to white and lit her horn, summoning the roots to come out of the concrete below.
The guards screamed as the vines grabbed them, throwing them around the hallway while four grabbed Blueblood, hoisting him into air and bringing him towards her.
"And who are you, little pony?" She snarled, her fangs incredibly close to his face.
"I am Prince Blueblood, n-n-nephew of Princess Celestia!" He answered, shaking in fear and causing the picture to drop out his shirt and flutter to the ground.
Spectrum looked down in confusion, using her magic to pick it up and investigate. She looked at it for a few seconds before smiling evily and dropping it back.
"It seems Celestia had a daughter. Good to-AH!" Her magical grip on all the sldiers and Blueblood vanished when an arrow pierced her shoulder. The prince fell with a grunt before grabbing the photo and making a break for it with the guards, ignoring the ponies cries of pain.
"I WILL KILL YOU PONIES!!"
"So she knows. Great." Rainbow turned around and walked back towards her mother. "Have you told anyone about what you saw?"
"Umm...."
"I'll take that as a yes." She sighed and looked up at her mother. "I have to go prepare. I'll see you two later." The two came close and nuzzled their niece and daughter, ignoring Blueblood's annoyed grunts.
"You will know when the battle is on," Luna told her as they let her go. "Be ready."
Rainbow nodded before teleporting back to the castle in Ponyville, leaving them to deal with Blueblood.
"As for your punishment," Celestia said, walking towards him. "You are no longer a prince, royalty, or of a noble house. You were never a real prince to begin with anyway." She used her magic to rip three badges off his shirt, all addressing his status in society.
He gasped in horror, watching as she burned them. "Celestia! That is my right-"
"That has been stripped of you by the REAL royalty of Equestria. You have interrupted the flow of things that I have seen and have created an end result that cannot be predicted. I hope you are satisfied because you may have doomed Equestria during your little search. Get out of the castle and do not return!"
Blueblood turned and walked towards the door with his head held low, the punishment still weighing on his mind.
"And Blueblood?" He turned around, looking into Celestia's dangerous eyes. "If my daughter dies, I will watch you suffer."
He sighed and walked back out, letting the doors shut behind him, the sound resembling a prison cell. That he was held in.