The Son of infinity

by Krystl_Fae

Chapter 10: OUTSIDE

“HE’S WHAT!?”

Twilight had to brace herself against Spike’s shouting.

“So, you’re telling me that I just went for cookies and biscuits with THE PRINCE OF EQUESTRIA?!”

“He’s not a prince, yet. He still doesn’t know about Celestia’s title-“

“WHY DOES THAT MATTER!? He’s still Celestia’s SON! That alone makes him 100 times more prince than anyone else in Equestria!!”

Twilight sighed. This is going to be a long night…

Blueblood inhaled deeply.

“So what you’re telling me is: that brat I- oof!”

“His name is Andromeda. I suggest you use it, brother, lest you incur Celestia’s wrath in place of my own.”

Blueblood rubbed the spot on his muzzle where Cadance had slapped him.

“That… Andromeda…” Blueblood said Andromeda’s name as if it were an affront to his ‘nobility’, though managed to get away without another slap from his sister, “…is now the adopted son of princess Celestia.”

“That is correct.”

“Well that’s DREADFUL! I can only imagine what kind of spell he must have her under… that barbaric, pitiful excuse for a-“

*THWACK*

Blueblood was sent flying across the room, only to end up landing on his bed to the dismay of an agitated Cadance. She rolled up the sleeves of her nightgown and began walking across the room to her brother.

This is going to be a long night…

As the weeks passed, life began to fall into a rhythm for Andromeda. He’d awaken as the sun rose in the east, sit down for breakfast with his mother, prepare for the day’s lessons and attend classes on weekdays, or sit down and either study or read on weekends while Celestia looked over the numerous documents that would be waiting in piles upon her desk each and every morning without fail.

After that, Celestia would often have to attend other matters in town, or in other parts of the building; a building which Andromeda was beginning to see as something that was more than just his and Celestia’s home. Ponies would move around the place, accomplishing various tasks, and many would come and go every day like clockwork. He was beginning to suspect it was closer to a small one-building city rather than just a home for Celestia, and now himself. The fact the only building in Canterlot this big was the castle also tipped him off to his current residence’s location.

Throughout his day, Cadance or Spike and Twilight would show up on occasion and interact with him. They’d hang out at his home (he still felt weird calling it “his home” instead of “Celestia’s home”), the gardens, or somewhere else around the castle grounds. Of an evening, he would go over any homework Celestia had assigned him, the mare herself by his side most nights to help him with anything he didn’t understand- not that there was much of that- then dinner and off to bed for the cycle to restart itself all over again.

Spike had been…fun(?) to hang out with. Andromeda had never had a friend before, and Spike felt like a good place to start. He’d also seen Blueblood around the castle once or twice in passing. Whenever “the Blue Menace,” as Spike called him, noticed Andromeda, he’d scowl and walk away swiftly; nothing like their first encounter.

Perhaps life has finally dealt Andromeda the cards he needed to succeed.

Life had certainly not dealt Celestia the cards she needed to succeed in her endeavour.

“Are you absolutely certain about this captain? This is not a matter that can be taken lightly; and I do not blame you for what has happened…”

“I am certain, your majesty. I swore that if I could not find any substantial information on… Andromeda; that I would resign, and I plan on doing just that. I have failed you, princess. Forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive, Shimmer. You did your best, that’s all anypony can ask of you.”

“And yet my best was not good enough. Perhaps it is time I let someone more capable than myself take the lead.”

Twilight’s ears drooped as she stood beside the now ex-captain of the guard. The two of them had been working together since nearly the start of the year at Celestia's request, and yet they found nothing about Andromeda’s origins. It truly was as Cadance had described it in her diary: “…it’s as if he’s fallen out of the sky…”

The two in the room with Twilight turn to look at her. They felt bad that she had to exhaust herself so much for seemingly no results.

Celestia thought to herself for a moment. “Captain, if you truly wish to go through with this, we will need to make preparations to hand the position over to somepony else. A successor will also have to be chosen to be the pony to take over your current post.”

“I already have someone in mind, Princess.”

Celestia nodded, hiding her glum expression behind a mask. Shimmer Shield was one of the best royal guards to serve Equestria, to see her leave now was hard, though Celestia had done this time and time again before, she could do it again now.

“Twilight,” the mare in question looked up to Celestia; “I think it’s time for Andromeda to get out and see Canterlot proper. He has stayed in the castle so far, but it might be good for him to explore, and enjoy what Canterlot has to offer. Take Spike with you, he has grown fond of the young drake. I, of course, will not be able to come with you- the reactions to my presence would not be beneficial to Andromeda.” Twilight nodded. “Try to avoid as much mentioning of Cadance and myself as you can, though it will likely be unavoidable at some point.”

“Understood, princess.”

Celestia nodded, and the two visitors left her alone in the throne room.

I woke up to find mum already awake and about.

“Come on Andromeda, time to get up.”

She nuzzled my face and gave me a peck on the forehead.

“Five more minutes?”

“Come on, Andromeda, you know that I have to head to work early today.”

I groaned a little before rolling to the edge of the bed and positioning myself so that I landed on my hooves when I fell off the edge. Celestia made the sheets with magic as we walked out into the main living space and sat down for breakfast.

“So, Andromeda. Today I was thinking you might get out of the castle a little bit. I’ve asked for Twilight and Spike to accompany you; Cadance is free to go with you as well if you want her to; if you think you can manage it. I am asking you to leave your comfort zone, and would not think any less of you if you decide that this is too much for you right now.”

I felt trepidation at her request. On one hoof, it would be nice to see Canterlot again, but… something felt off, like something bad would happen if I left the safety of the castle walls. That said, there was something I wanted to get from Canterlot if I got the chance. I suppose now was a good enough time as any to retrieve it.

I nodded to Celestia and finished my mouthful of cereal before responding. “I think I can manage that.”

Celestia gave me a warm smile in response. “I’ve already taken the liberty of packing a small bag for you to take. I’ve put in a blank notebook, quill, some change if you wish to buy something, and this,” Celestia levitated a small locket with her cutie mark upon it; “If you ever have need to go somewhere… off the trail, just show the guards this and they will let you through. It also functions as a clock.” Mum opened the locket up to reveal the timepiece inside, a small signature that read “Dr Whooves” was etched onto the minute hand of the watch. “Don’t be afraid of losing it, I enchanted it so that I can recall it should it ever become lost.”

I was hesitant in asking, but it was a concern I had. “What if… something happens.”

“You will have Canterlot’s second best unicorn and a dragon by your side at all times, but if something does happen,” Mum closed the locket and hung it around my neck, placing her hoof over the top of the locket, “I will be right here with you.”

I smiled at that, but...

“…if Twilight’s second, then who’s the best unicorn in Canterlot?”

Celestia smirked, “Do you even need to ask?”

“…and now Shiny is gonna be captain of the royal guard!”

“I-I wouldn’t say that just yet, Twily. There are plenty of other candidates for the position. I might not even make it into consideration. The position is chosen by the princess herself, and I’ve hardly made any kind of impact in the guard that might be noticed.”

I feel the locket with a hoof. Spike is off getting snacks from Joe’s Donut shop while Twilight has introduced me to her brother and we’ve begun talking about everything from childhood shenanigans between the siblings to recent events. Apparently the captain of the royal guard, and therefore the entire Equestrian guard force, resigned.

“If the position is so highly sought after, then why did the last captain resign?”

Shining and Twilight look at me.

“Well that’s the thing, we don’t really know. She was still in her prime, so it wasn’t ordinary retirement… I’m not one for gossip or rumour, but…” Shining lowered his voice, “…word among the guard is that she was personally called upon for a task directly, by none other than the princess herself, and failed so badly that she was forced to abdicate of her own volition or be discharged from the guard.”

“What?! The princess would never do something like that!”

“SHH!!” Shining looked around, “That’s what I thought too, but as I said, these are only rumours.”

“And what task was it?”

Twilight paled a little.

“Apparently Shimmer Shield was sent to find information.”

“On what?”

It was at that moment that Spike returned.

“Hey, guys, I’m back!”

“OH! Spike! Good timing so what did you…”

Twilight attempted to drag the conversation away from where it was supposedly headed, but slowly cut herself off as Shining continued with answering the question nonetheless.

“Apparently; and take this information with a grain of salt, my sources on this weren’t very reliable; she was looking for somepony. Young; been missing for a decade or something. Nopony knows who they are, and the guards working with her weren’t told much about the situation, just to look for evidence that they apparently didn’t find.”

I had a sinking feeling I knew where this was going…

“Where? Maybe we could take a look, see what we can find. Who knows? Maybe it’ll help you with getting the position, Shining!”

“Black Canterlot…”

“How… how did you know that…?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“It’s me.” I look at up at them, worried; “I’m the reason she was forced out of the guard. She was looking for information about me.”

“What…?”

“It…” we all looked to Twilight, her head was lowered and her ears splayed “It’s true… Celestia requested the two of us to find out what we could about where you came from. W-we could have asked, but we didn’t want to pry into any painful memories… a-and Shimmer said that if she couldn’t find anything, she’d resign, so… she did…”

I looked down at the ground. Celestia was so concerned about me that she would do all this…? Going all the way to the princess; so far that the captain of the royal guard would resign…? “It’s not like there’s much to find out… I don’t remember anything important… just,”

“13 years.”

I nod at Twilight, “Thirteen years.”

I feel bad, I… I have to do something to make this at least a little bit better… I take the locket from around my neck. Celestia said it carried her weight around Canterlot, right?

“If… if you were attempting to become captain of the guard, do you think this would help?”

I held up the amulet, causing both Shining and Twilight to gasp.

“Where did you… how did you…. N-no, I-I couldn’t take something like that. It’s far too valuable, and it was given to you, right?”

“And now I’m giving it to you.”

“Andromeda, y-you can’t just…”

I put the locket down in front of Shining Armor.

“Twilight trusts you, so I trust you too. I’m the reason Shimmer had to leave, right? I… I want to at least do something to try and make things better.”

“Y-you’ve only known me for a few hours and you want to give me this? How do you know I’m even the right pony for the job?”

“I don’t.” I can’t. But I’ve learned that things are different. Celestia showed me things I didn’t even know were real could exist. Twilight was her personal, sole student before I came along. She trusted Twilight, and Twilight trusts her brother. I trust their judgement; it’s all I know is true at this point.

“But… I have faith. It doesn’t take a strong pony, or a smart pony, or even a powerful pony to make a positive change… it takes a pony with a good heart…”

Faith… such an odd word. It doesn’t even feel right saying it, yet, at the same time, it just… fits. I slide the locket along the ground towards Shining.

“Twilight believes in you… Shining. And I believe in you too.”