//------------------------------// // Every Action has Consequences. // Story: How to punch a prince and be hailed as a hero. // by Light Heart101 //------------------------------// Book gave a soft yawn as he was making his way towards Celestia’s office. Since he had to wait until today before he could start working again, (And since his armor was in Ponyville) he had his last night of rest. He admittedly enjoyed his time to rest after such a taxing time for him, but he wanted to be back on the field. It was his addiction. It was his thrilling endeavor to keep his people safe. Sure, it was tiring and not very rewarding financially, but he was dedicated to his work. He got to handle the worst of the worst on his own, with no distractions to get in his way. Well, then there was his day job of being Ponyville’s general officer, but every pony has a hobby. All he had to do now was chat with Celestia for a bit, and then it was back to work. As Book neared the throne room, he saw Twilight walking out, looking like she had finally calmed down from the other night. Book was rather curious that she didn’t shoot daggers at him as usual. She seemed more worried about him this time, looking at him with pity and concern. It was rather unsettling to him. He didn’t believe that Blueblood attacking his brother would be enough to get Twilight to reconsider her position on the Shadow Knight. Regardless, he had a meeting to go to, and then it was straight back to work. As he walked into the throne room, he saw Celestia and Luna waiting for him. Celestia looked more solemn than normal, and Luna looked nervous for some odd reason. Book decided to keep his nose out of it, but he did want to know the status of his brother. “Your highnesses. If I may inquire before we get down to business, how is Light doing?” Luna cleared her throat as she tried to correct Book’s line of questioning, something she hadn’t done before. “Um, shouldn’t you look into Fluttershy’s condition too?” “No real reason to. She was slapped in the face and is constantly checked on by her friends. She has also grown a bigger spine lately. Light had a minor chest wound but has a harder time reacting to such situations. It’s his mental state I want to know about.” Book explained calmly. Celestia sighed as she spoke softly. “Your brother is recovering well. He’ll have stitches for a while, but he’ll be fine after a while. As for his mental state, I managed to calm him down with a written “apology” from Blueblood and allow him to see my rough draft of the noble’s rules of conduct. He’ll be pacified enough to not require another restraining order.” Celestia said as she shuddered at the memory of Light’s father charging at Neighsay, but that’s a different story. “Anyways, I think we need to talk about you for a while.” “Well, I already sent my report to Luna with the free time I had,” Book said with a small shrug. “What else is there to talk about?” Celestia took a deep breath as she knew that Book wasn’t going to like hearing this. “I was talking more about your mental state.” Book raised an eyebrow at her skepticism. “Say what now?!?” Luna winced at Book’s rude response. “Um… please relax Book. I’m sure this can all be settled without much trouble…” “Luna, please. This is more important than the Shadow Knight right now.” Celestia said sternly. Book cleared his throat, simply to get the mare's attention. “Excuse me, I doubt that this is more important than the security of Ponyville or the safety of the ponies in our nation,” Book said, looking rather ticked at Celestia downplaying his night job. “Book, stand down. Right now I have full reason to be concerned for you, and a large part of it could be pointed at our poor management of Equestria’s security. I’ve always trusted Twilight and her friends to keep Ponyville safe, and you were always able to handle the more legal parts of protecting your city.” Celestia said before getting out Book’s folder. “But now I am afraid that your extra duties have taken an extra toll on your mental state.” “What are you talking about? My mind hasn’t been sharper!” Book exclaimed. “I have taken down more crooks and wannabe crime lords in my time as the Shadow Knight than the entire royal guard did in a decade!!” “As impressive as five crime lords are in a year, let the other feats you have done in that time, I still have reason to be concerned,” Celestia said as she got out Book’s last medical report. “You’ve been working all of the time, and rarely get any full rest. You have been taking no days off, no vacations, and the longest time you have not been working in the last year is when you broke a bone six months ago, and you still patrolled in a wheelchair.” “Hey, I’m the only guard in Equestria! I don’t get the luxury of having days off. Even if I did have teammates, I wouldn’t be able to trust them with the security of Equestria!” Book said sternly. Celestia looked concerned at Book’s cold attitude as she tried to keep her calm demeanor. “I see… and how long have you had these trust issues?” Luna gave a nervous chuckle as she pointed at a page in Book’s file. “He already had it on his record from his training.” “So? I don’t work well with others! Not all of us can be Twilight!” Book said as he still looked infuriated at the princesses judging his work. “I still get the hard job done!” “At what cost to you?” Celestia asked. “You’ve become cold and unfeeling. You’re angry and unsympathetic, and I’m not just going off of Twilight’s account. This incident with Blueblood has made me see that you are possibly under too much pressure.” “HE HAD NO RIGHT TO STRIKE ME!!!” Book yelled at Celestia, now being only a few inches away from Celestia. “And what’s making you better than him right now?” Celestia asked, now giving him the same concerned look that Twilight gave him. Book was almost ready to object to her, but then he remembered what Blueblood said when he attacked Light and Fluttershy. “They had no right to try to make such requests to me!” Blueblood was so prideful and arrogant that he forgot how to respect other ponies. It even got to the point where he lashed out in violence. It was then that Book realized what he was doing. He was yelling in the face of Princess Celestia, the pony who he swore to serve. It was against all teachings about honoring her that he was taught. As for the violence, he already lashed out and was seen as a hero for it. All it took was two thick heads to ram into each other for the stronger one to be seen, but neither one of them was the smarter one. Book backed away from Celestia, seeing Luna’s scared expression as her champion was seemingly unhinged. This was a stark contrast to when he first asked to put on this mask. He took a deep breath as he bowed to Celestia, trying to put that humility back on. “I… I’m sorry for my outburst, your highness.” Celestia let out a deep breath as she set her paperwork aside. “It’s okay Book. I know how dedicated and passionate you are about your duty, but you need to be willing to take care of yourself on a mental level. I don’t want you going further than my misguided nephew has. For this reason, I am currently ordering that you take at least a month of your vacation time. Said vacation can only be interrupted by a serious issue that requires your expertise.” Book’s eyes widened when she sentenced him to a vacation. He was starting to get stare-crazy in a VIP room, and now he had to go a whole month without working. “A… whole month?!?” Book asked in shock, trying to keep his cool about this. “B… but… what about the city?” “I know a few ponies there who can cover your duties for a while until I can find a few ponies who can help you out in the day shift so you aren’t working seven days a week. I also want you to eventually meet a phycologist. I promise that he will keep anything you say to his secret.” Celestia assured him as she petted his back gently. “Book, I know that you put so much pressure on yourself so you can keep your people safe, but if you fall, who will stand in your place?” Book looked baffled as he was now being forced to hold back and leave his nation unguarded. “B… but what do I do without…” Celestia gave a small smile as she tried to comfort Book. “Talk to some of the ponies you keep protecting. Make friends. Have some fun. Light told me that you have a family reunion that you keep missing in a few days. Go there and meet up with your relatives. Of course, you can keep your body in shape, but I implore you not to spend this time cooped up in your basement. Live a little, and try to relax.” Book wanted to try to appeal to her, but he knew that she was only looking out for him. He felt like this was the worst way of doing so, but he had to remember that he isn’t somepony like Blueblood, corruptible by pride. He had to show her that he was capable of stepping back and being humble. “I… I understand your highness. Thank you.” “I know you aren’t thanking me right now, but I hope you will one day,” Celestia said before saluting Book. “If we have a serious need for the Shadow Knight, Luna will contact you. Until then, you will be taking time off as ordered. Dismissed.” The princesses watched silently as Book saluted them back, and then slowly walked out of the room. He looked conflicted at being reprimanded like this. He didn’t want to leave his duties for this long, but there were still consequences for his actions, and he had to pay the price. Luna looked crushed as she watched the hero she helped form was being disciplined like this. This was her champion, her way of showing her sister that she can be trusted with Equestria’s security. Now it felt like she was failing not only her nation but Book and Celestia as well. Luna’s voice was shaky as she tried to speak. “C… Celestia… I… I didn’t know that he’d…” Celestia turned to her sister before she could finish, showing Luna that she didn’t like having to punish Book any more than Luna. “I understand. If it wasn’t for Blueblood’s actions and Twilight’s concern, I probably would have let Book slide, but we can’t have lawless vigilantes. He needs to be held to standards just like Blueblood should have been. Maybe this can be a pivotal moment for Book to become a better hero, but right now he needs to be judged and looked over from a mental standpoint.” “But his record was clean, and I even had him write me a record about his development that led to him being a hero.” Luna tried to explain. “And you think he told you everything?” Celestia asked. “Don’t you think he would have hidden details about his past from you?” Luna wanted to argue with Celestia about Book’s trustworthiness, but then she remembered something about Book that she never understood. Why didn’t he trust ponies to have his back? It was something that puzzled her to this day. “So… did… Did I make a mistake in Book?” She asked, looking concerned that her sister’s trust in her judgment may be lost. “I don’t think so. He’s dedicated, but he may have some mental problems that will need addressing.” Celestia explained as she got out some paperwork. “I want us to go over his whole file, not just his summary. I also want to ask Spike if he knows more about this fallout between Book and Twilight. I want to know more about Equestria’s hero.” Luna looked surprised that Celestia wasn’t flat out suspending or discharging Book with the way she was talking. “So… why would we set him aside for now, yet keep the Shadow Knight on the table?” “Because there may be a day when friendship isn’t enough.” A pony said from the other side of the room, gaining the attention of Celestia and Luna. “And the Shadow Knight may be the first stepping stone to the path of protecting Equestria.” “... and no strenuous exercise for the rest of the week. I also want you to check up with the doctor in Ponyville once a week to make sure that your rib heals properly. You should be better in about six weeks.” Dash rolled her eyes as she was getting a final lecture from the doctor about her recovery process. She never liked it, but she had been hurt enough times to know the basic drill. All of the resting she had to do, and the other things that she can do to help with any pain and discomfort. It was like second nature to her now. “Okay, I know the drill. May I now go to see my friends and go?” Dash asked as she started to get rather impatient. The doctor gave a soft sigh as she nodded. “Yes. Your medical paperwork will be forwarded to the Wonderbolts, and you will be allowed to go back to work. Until then, follow my instructions and listen to your doctor. Be sure to go to a hospital if anything feels wrong or if you develop any worsening symptoms.” “I know. And I’ll send you a signed poster from the Wonderbolts. Have a lovely day.” Dash said as she quickly made her way out of the room. She knew that the poor mare wanted to help her, but nopony babies Rainbow Dash. As she started making her way down the hall to meet up with her friends, she saw Twilight walking towards her with a somber look on her face. “Hi, Dash. Care to talk?” Dash looked hesitant at first, but Twilight’s didn’t seem aggressive in any way, so she shrugged. “I always have time for my friends.” Twilight looked confused as Dash looked rather relaxed about talking to her after their last encounter. “Seriously? Last time we talked you were looking at me like I was out of control, and now you just act like it never happened?” “Last time you were angry and demanding. Now you are calm and willing to talk calmly. So, what changed?” Dash asked as she looked at her friend. Twilight could only sigh as she confessed to her friend. “I realized that even when some ponies treat me rudely, I need to be the bigger pony. I also realized that Book may need more care than I realized. I couldn’t bring the hammer down on him. I may not like him, but using my anger would only make it worse.” Dash raised an eyebrow at the thought of Book needing help. “Well, I am still sorry for taking a different side this time. Next time somepony tries to pick a fight, I’ll try playing peacemaker.” “Oh, after Blueblood’s display of professionalism, I think I can understand,” Twilight said as they started walking over to where their friends were waiting. “Admit it, you wished you could have turned that jerk into a statue,” Dash whispered to her with a grin. “I would never stoop that low!” Twilight said firmly before letting out a small whisper. “But I might tell Discord.” Dash giggled at the thought. “That’s worse!” She said before they joined their friends to try and relax after this whole incident. Book was finishing packing his bags as he was trying to accept that he was stuck having to waste time for a whole month. The worst part was that he may have to put up with another guard after this. He hated the idea of a teammate holding him back and messing him up. Well, at least the Shadow Knight was still a solo show… even though he now has to wait on that too. As he was packing his bags, he heard the guards knock on the door. “Are you almost done, Lieutenant Knight?” “Yeah, I’m packing. Why do you ask?” Book asked, sounding irritated. “What is it?” “We were ordered to take Blueblood here since it’s a more securable room than his own house. We have to wait for you to finish before we can take him in.” Book sighed as he finished packing his bag. “Fair enough. I’m outta here anyway. You can bring him in now.” The guards nodded as they led Blueblood into the room. The prince looked humiliated as he brought his bags into the room. He looked offended to see Book in there, but he seemed afraid to try and flaunt his lost position. “Mr. Knight…” “Blueblood,” Book said as he grabbed his bag and allowed the prince to set his bags on the bed. Book admittedly wanted nothing more to do with the prince, but he had to know why a diplomat would go violent. “Hey, mind answering a serious question?” Blueblood looked confused by Book’s request. At first, he thought that the guard was trying to mock him, but Book looked rather serious right now. “What? Is it about Twilight? She was interested once according to her, but she has lost interest.” “No, I…” Book paused as he looked at Blueblood. “She… was interested in me?” “She said you couldn’t take a hint if she hit you over the head with it, and that you are married to your job,” Blueblood explained as he kept unpacking. “I learned it with Rarity. A mare can only take so much punishment before they start raging.” Blueblood explained somberly. “Biggest mess up in my political career.” Book had to agree that treating the element of Generosity the way he did at that party, considering what influence she has today, was a major political blunder on his part. However, he had no clue that Twilight was interested in him. He guessed that helped contribute to Twilight hating him so much. If she did have an interest in dating Book for so long, and then watch him become such a brutal pony without even listening to her protests would make any mare upset. However, he didn’t care about relations. They were a distraction to him, and would only get in the way of his duties, let alone put the poor pony at risk. It just wasn’t something worth bothering with his opinion. “Forget that. I wanted to ask about why you attacked Fluttershy and my brother.” Book asked calmly. “I am not going to fight you over it. I just want to know.” Blueblood looked irritated at the question, but he simply huffed as he puffed his chest up. “Because you people pushed me too far. I have to remain professional all day and I serve Equestria. My job isn’t easy, and then some stallion mocks me and strikes me. The funny thing is that he didn’t get punished, and was treated like a hero.” He explained before letting out a deep sigh. “I… suppose that by the time Fluttershy and Light came up to me… my anger boiled over to an… unacceptable point… and I took it out physically on Fluttershy, and out of fear I defended myself from your angry little brother when he charged me.” Book felt a mental sting in his head as he heard what Blueblood said about stressful jobs and building anger. Book’s job was physically demanding of him while Light’s description of being a prince was mind-bending, having to be able to look years ahead when making decisions. He hated to admit it, but being a prince was an actual job. Then there was the building anger and stress. Book had been putting up with the prince for a long time with his petty needs, and he finally had the chance to just be snarky and get away with it, but then there was the stress of his job. Book had to fight the worst of the worse and had to become more aggressive to be able to handle his enemies. Did he allow this aggression to control him when he punched the prince? “So… what do you feel now?” Book asked, trying to still look professional while hiding his concern. “Like a fool,” Blueblood grumbled as he sat down on the bed. “It was a boneheaded decision that cost me my position and a lot of respect. Now I get the pleasure of having to rebuild my relationship with my ticked off aunt. I’d like to blame you, but it won’t help me get my reputation back.” He said as he tossed his jacket to the side. “My head is already on a chopping block.” Book bit his lip as he started to realize how similar they were at the moment, and the worst part was that Book was the one who snapped first. They both had their unique bad attitudes, and it made Book worry about if next time he’d be on the chopping block and wouldn’t be able to rely on Luna to save him. “So… what are you planning to do?” Blueblood took a deep breath as he looked at Book. “I’ll play it smart, and will work on regaining my aunt’s trust. It may just be a matter of me keeping some more controversial opinions silent and just talk less. Hopefully, in three to six months, I’ll have my position back, and I won’t be as careless with my position in the future, even if it means having to put up with your insolent attitude.” He said, clearly trying to be more professional than before. Book looked conflicted as he heard this from the prince whom he went to blows with. Blueblood looked beaten and humbled, even though there was clearly a grudge between him and Book. Book sighed as he did something that Twilight would keep trying to lecture her on. “Okay, let’s call a truce. You don’t bother me, and I won’t bother you. Deal?” Blueblood raised an eyebrow at this. “You mean, I don’t mock or order you around, and you don’t mock or strike me back?” “It’d let us each focus on our own necks instead of going for each other.” Book explained calmly. “You are an ambassador. Tell me what’s worth more to you. Your pride, or your name?” He asked, knowing that this deal needed Book to ask himself the same thing. Blueblood looked at the fighter for a moment before holding his head up a little higher. “Well, I wouldn't mind not having to think about you, and I think we both have better things to do with our lives. So I agree that we don’t need to interact with each other unless needed.” Book nodded, not liking the thought of a truce with somepony who insulted his pride and slapped him with a towel, but Blueblood was right. They both had better things to do than push each other’s egos. As Book started walking towards the door, he felt like he had to get the last word in, just to pay him back for his little brother. Even then, he had to play fair if he wanted to keep this from boiling over again. “Hey Blueblood, how about one more insult for each other, just to have one last vent?” Book asked, trying to make it sound like a light thing. “It’s only a few last words.” Blueblood raised an eyebrow before facing Book, who was already a few feet away from the door. “Well… fine… but only one.” He said before clearing his throat. “Your most foolish decision from what I’ve heard is refusing to try and get promotions. It goes to show your complete lack of reason and goes to show why I’ll always make in a week what you make in a year.” Book winced at that. The real reason why he didn’t want to get promoted too much was because he was always fearing the idea of a pencil pusher. It was his worst nightmare to be taken off of doing real work to protect people and simply be stuck behind a desk. It was irking to hear that from the prince, but Book willingly opened himself up to this, and it was a decent roast. “Fair point… and a good hit.” Book said as he was right next to the door, having a small grin on his face. “But I am a free pony.” He said before skipping in and out of the door. “I can go in, I can go out, I can go in, I can go out…”