//------------------------------// // The King Bows, The Princess Apologizes // Story: Cronus is King // by fanficlover 1 //------------------------------// Ch 22 The train ride to Canterlot was uneventful to say the least. The worst thing to happen was a small stop at one of the other stops with leading to one of the occupies to get off and not know they were at the wrong stop before yelling for the train to stop (Luckily they were near the front before it actually got moving). After that, nothing else really happened, just Ed staring at me while everyone else was simply trying not to stare at him themselves. Exiting the train, I gave a quick stretch to get the kinks out before looking around at the lavishly ornate buildings that dotted the streets and the prim and proper looking ponies that walked the street  or rode in pony drawn carriages. It was somewhat overwhelming but I simply ignored it and focused back on my group. The girls had followed my lead and did a couple quick stretches and Ed did the complete opposite by scrunching downwards and breathing deeply. “Uh, Ed, are you alright?” “Never, urp, better Cronus. Just a little motion sickness.” I was surprised to hear that the guy had apparently a bad case of motion sickness. From what he said back at Ponyville, he seemed to have been fine. “I just get sick on long rides. Short ones like the the distance from Ponyville to Griffonstone, i’m fine with.” Ed was back standing straight once again but it was somewhat sluggish. Giving the guy time to feel better, I took the lead but made sure to keep the pace slow. Twilight had said that we were going to to see the princesses, that meant that we were heading straight for the castle that stuck up into the air like a misshapen water tower, something I couldn’t possibly lose sight of and get lost from. I just had to make sure I kept heading straight. (20 minute later) “And we’re lost” “What?” said everyone else in panic. “Sorry, I thought it would be simple just to head to the palace but I didn’t think the streets would be a literal maze of dead ends and stuff.” Twilight seemed to sigh at this. “This should be my fault then. I knew that the town was built like this in case of invaders breaching the walls to the city. I should have said something sooner.” I quickly made to dismiss her blame. “Hey i’m the one who decided to just start walking around without knowing where I was going. I’m the one who should be apologizing not you.” Twilight seemed like she was about to argue but Rainbow dash was quick to intervene. “Hey no worries guys. Me and Fluttershy can just fly up and get some directions to lead the way.” Everyone agreed that it would be the best plan to go with and watched as the two flew off into the sky and find out where in Canterlot were we exactly. A few minutes later and the duo made to land. “Nothing to worry about guys. We’re just a few streets off from the main road, just follow me and we’ll be at the castle in no time.” That was good because the part of the city we were in was somewhat shady looking (or as shady as you can get when the entire town is bright white). We were just about to exit the street I had unfortunately lead us to before I was suddenly I was taken over by a strange feeling like I shouldn’t leave just yet. Like something was missing and I needed to find it before I went. Giving a quick look around, I saw no differences from before save for one of the older looking shops having a customer leave. “Peril Advent’s shop for the strange and curious. Weird name but  I guess there could be weirder for a curio shop.” Ignoring the feeling, I followed after the rest who hadn’t noticed my short pause before catching with no one being the wiser. Eventually, with the help of Fluttershy’s corrections to Rainbow Dash’s bad direction skills (Strange that a flyer would be bad with directions), we finally made it back to the main street which allowed Twilight to lead us the rest of the way to the castle’s front doors. Giving a few quick nocks, and a simple security check by the castle guards, we were on our way to the throne room that was supposed to be holding Celestia at the moment. Like before, I felt the need to stop but instead of saying I needed to stay it felt more like it was trying to push me in a certain direction but I had no idea what it meant. Not wanting to cause any trouble in the “person who decide if I needed to be turned into stone or not’s” home, I ignored it as well and kept up. Finally after all the crap of fist fighting a griffon, destroying a living disease monster, and standing toe - to - hoof (at least I would like to think so) against a living embodiment of anger and hate, I was now standing at the final door to the royalty that would stop the shenanigans once and for all. Standing there though, I couldn’t help but hesitate, the sheer thought of all the running and short adventure I had been having ending so soon left me feeling at little hollow, like I had just watched my favorite show all the way through and I had nothing to to now since there would be nothing else like it and I couldn’t simply repeat it as it just wouldn’t be the same as the first time. Once again though, I ignored my feelings and knocked three times on the heavy looking doors. Thump. Thump. Thump. After the third knock, the door opened. Slowly but surely, the insides of the room became clear to see. The room, much like everything else in the city, was pristine white save for the splashes of color from the tinted windows and a surprisingly large, black, scorch mark on the side of the room. At the end, in all their royal glory and not their hunter crazed looks that I remembered them by, were the sisters Luna and Celestia. Seeing them, I wouldn’t deny that I felt like bolting then and there but a firm hoof laying on my shoulder from one of the girls (I don’t know because I was to scared to turn my head and look) eased me enough to not let that happen. Tap. Tap. Tap. My shoes slapped against the floor, leaving shorts echoes that only seemed to drive home the point just how serious the situation I was in as I walked up to the royal pair. Not sure what to do now that I was standing before them without my armor, I decided to go for the safe route and kneeled. Screw pride or personal preference of government, I was going to kneel and hopefully get enough good points from doing so, so as to not piss off the two all powerful alicorns that could apparently lift celestial bodies with ease just by using their magic. Hearing the sound of shifting weight from some kind of cushion, I looked up slightly to see that the two princesses were now standing before me and looking down on my form but I couldn’t tell what their faces were saying as I didn’t want to look up and offend them somehow. “Cronus.” I tensed as my name was spoken by the one known as Celestia. “When you first arrived in our world. You were but a simple human who had just been taken from your home while also given power beyond you must have thought was possible. When you met us, you did not find our comfort and welcoming embrace but rather our rage and refusal to change.” I gained a small sense of hope. Admitting faults like this only meant one thing but I needed to listen just to make sure. “That refusal though, has been brought to light between us after  a long meaningful discussion and we feel that it is only right that we apologize for our actions.” I looked up enough to see their faces now and saw that both Luna and Celestia had their eyes closed and their heads bowed somewhat. Seeing this, I got to my feet as they opened their eyes to look into my own with looks of some form of commitment of some sort. “We have both wronged you and there is nothing we can say to make you forgive us but we implore for it anyways so that we may start anew. Not as enemies of a time long forgotten but rather as friends.” I didn’t know what to say so I stuck with an old classic. “Sure, why not?” The princesses seemed to smile but it was stopped as a quick cough from behind reminded me of who else was there. Turning around, I saw that it was Ed who had gained our attention after our little moment. Seeming to have our undivided attention now, he took a step forward. “This is all well and good, really it is, but can I go home now?” I looked back to the princesses and saw them frowning. Those frowns did not fill me with confidence for what they were about to say next.