//------------------------------// // Lofty's adventure, part one. // Story: I am my own OC // by KittyrinnAiko //------------------------------// And now let's set the clock back to the day before. For Lofty, seeing Nightmare Moon twice in one day was nerve-wracking, to say the least. Even knowing it was just a projection and that the real Night Mare had been defeated. Nova fainting was scary and having Princess Celestia hire her on the spot as a Nanny over a cup of tea had created for quite the morning. How many ponies could say they’d had tea with Princess Celestia? How many ponies were the legal guardians of Princess Celestia’s actual niece? Lofty couldn't help but smile as she trotted up to the front gates on her way out. Of course, Princess Celestia had hired her, it was the fastest way to circumnavigate the fact that Lofty was Nova’s legal guardian. She’d been given a pass that hung from her neck that would get her in the castle, along with a pass for the trams and the train. “Thank you for taking such good care of us.” Lofty offered as she approached the guards. “I see you’ve been given a pass that places you in a fairly privileged position.” The gate captain observed. “Does that mean we were right?” They knew that Princess Celestia had canceled the morning session of court but little more. “I thought there was a good possibility she might be the real thing. As in an actual alicorn.” Lofty offered with a big smile. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think she’d be an actual relative of the Princess. And we’re not just talking a hanger-on claiming to be a relative, but an actual princess from the old times. At least now I know why she was so allusive in explaining who she was. She was certainly in no hurry to announce herself, and probably would have been perfectly happy to get her scholarship and return to Ponyville. Neither one of us even knew any pony was looking for her.” “You don’t say? Wow.” The captain replied with a big smile. “Anyway, the morning has proven taxing on her, and she’s taking a nap now. Afraid she’d been rather apprehensive about how that first meeting was going to go, and the stress kind of got to her.” Lofty offered. “And I’ll be back for lunch and then again in the morning. Princess Celestia has asked me to be her Nanny. Though I imagine that was the quickest way to get around the fact that I’m presently one of the filly’s legal guardians.” “Well, that’s clever.” He replied. “Ya, I figured it out as I was approaching the gate,” Lofty replied and had to laugh. “Not that I’m complaining. - And now I should probably go inform her other guardian.” “Ya, you go do that.” He offered with a big smile. “Here’s hoping they don’t have a heart attack when they find out.” “Oh don’t I know it.” Lofty replied, and couldn't help but laugh as she continued out the gate. “Wonder what it’s like to have a billion-bit filly on your hooves and not even know it?” One of the other guards commented as they watched her go. “You think she really didn’t know?” asked another. “Judging by this morning, not a clue. That and I get the feeling that filly only came here because she hit a roadblock in meeting her educational needs. After all, false alicorns are typically only proficient in one area. And there are precious few of them so I doubt the issue of one needing training in both flying and magic ever came up.” “I doubt the full impact has hit Ms Lofty yet.” The captain commented. Lofty continued on to the tram station and found herself being redirected to the ‘fast’ lane to get on the tram. On entering the travel agency that Holiday worked in Lofty was nearly bowled over by the ponies eager to sell her a vacation package. “I’m sorry, I’m just here to see Miss Holiday.” Lofty offered while feeling a bit overwhelmed. “Miss Holiday, how is it you never told us you were working with a VIP from the inner Royal Court of the castle?” Called a bulky sky blue unicorn with a mane the color of silver. “Hang on, what?” Holiday’s voice could be heard back in her office. “Mr Rightdeal, I don’t know anyone from the palace?” “Yes you do, we are her guardians.” Lofty called. “Lofty?” Holiday called and ventured out a moment later. “Why are you wearing an Inner Royal Court pass? OK, who’d you steal that from?” “Our little Nova is the real deal.” Lofty announced. “She’s what?” Holiday asked. “The real what?” “She’s Princess Celestia’s niece, and she’s over a thousand years old.” Lofty announced. “Say what? The What? Nova? A thousand what?” Holiday seemed to be broken. “Let's see, where to Start… Nova is an Alicorn Princess, Princess Cadenza is her cousin, and they both go way back to the days of the Crystal Empire which was apparently a real place. Though I doubt any pony outside of a select few even know that.” “You didn’t sign her over did you?” Holiday asked. “Actually no. Princess Celestia never even asked for anything like that. Princess Celestia did ask me to let Nova stay with her for the time being, and made me a Royal Nanny. There is also an issue with her mother having lost her memories of Nova.” “Wow,” Rightdeal said softly. “Mother?” “Princess Luna is her mother. I imagine there’ll be a press release sooner or later. Oh, and we’ve been invited to lunch with Princess Celestia.” Lofty added. “We have?!” Rightdeal exclaimed excitedly. “Um, no, sorry, just Holiday and myself.” Lofty offered apologetically. Rightdeal deflated, and then laughed. “Well of course not all of us, that would be silly.” “But I can’t go to lunch with the princess. I’m not dressed for lunch with the Princess!” “Well then go buy yourself a new outfit. In fact, take the rest of the day off. Take all the time off you want.” Rightdeal offered. “But I couldn't.” Holiday protested. “Of course you can, and when you are getting that new outfit don’t forget to mention who you are and where you work.” Rightdeal pressed. “He’s got you there,” Lofty said with a smile. “It’s not just an opportunity to meet the Princess, it’s an opportunity to create a buzz around your company name.” “Right you are,” Rightdeal replied. “Also if it ever got out that you had an invite to see Princess Celestia, and people thought you couldn't go because you had to work… oh no that would never do. You are going whether you want to or not.” “Well, since you put it that way.” Holiday replied and found herself being whisked out of the agency a moment later. Holiday and Lofty found their way to the fashion district where they found something decent they could afford and hurried to Canterlot castle. “Ah, your back.” The guard at the gate said on their approach. “Princess Celestia had invited the two of us to lunch.” Lofty offered. “Ms Raven should have all the details.” “Ah, Ms Lofty.” The gate captain offered coming out from the guard shack. OK, it was anything but a shack, that’s just what they are called. “Ms Raven had two invites dropped off for you.” “Thank you,” Lofty said as she accepted the invites. The invites stated that the luncheon was in the main part of the castle where the keep was located. Luncheon? Now Lofty was nervous. Meeting with Princess Celestia informally was one thing, but a formal luncheon was moving a bit fast for her tastes. Lofty and Holiday walked the lanes between the buildings, up the narrow road to the keep, through the ninety-degree passage through two gates, and on into the large bailey. Never once getting anything more than a cursory look-see before being told they may continue. Though there was an audible ping each time. At the doors to the keep there was a number of nobles and well to do who were slowly making their way in. Lofty and Holiday filed in behind them. The ponies ahead of them looked them over and then ignored them. “Ah, Ms Lofty, good you could make it,” offered the butler at the door. The well to do cast another glance. “Come to get a scholarship for a lost filly, suddenly find myself invited to lunch by Princess Celestia.” Lofty offered with an awkward smile. “Princess Celestia has been known to do that,” the butler offered, and then in a conspiratorial whisper added, “..it keeps the gentry on their guard.” “Ms Lofty, so good you were able to make it back,” Cadence called as she made her way through the gathering. At the moment it was hors d'oeuvres in the hall. “Princess Cadance.” Lofty said on greeting her. Ponies around them began whispering and were further dismayed when the two hugged like they’d been old friends. “Princess Cadenza.” Holiday said with a polite curtsy. “Call me Cadance.” Cadance offered and then gave Holiday a hug. “So how’s Nova?” Lofty asked. “Still out like a light.” Cadance offered. “Oh my, what happened?” Holiday asked. “Our little friend from this morning. The tall dark one.” Lofty explained. “The spell was draining magic from Nova.” “Oh, dear.” Holiday said in response. “Not to worry, Princess Celestia corrected that little issue, and shrunk the simulation down to the size of a plush toy.” Cadance offered. “I could take you up to see her if you’d like.” “That’s quite alright. I don’t want to wake her if she’s sleeping.” Lofty offered. “Are you sure?” Cadance asked. “That’s alright. Perhaps after lunch.” Holiday offered. “Besides, she can get kind of nippy when she’s overtired.” “Nippy… that’s good to know. Being she’s in my bed.” Cadance said sounding hesitant. “Don’t let her worry you, she only did that once.” Lofty countered. “If she’s being stubborn about waking up a little roast fish will get a reaction every time.” “Ah, I’ve seen her mother do that.” Offered a voice from a mare they hadn’t met yet. “Pardon?” Lofty asked as she sought out the voice. The pony was a Gray in a night watch uniform, an officer. How could she… “Ah, you must be Commander Mouse?” “In the horse flesh. Feel free to call me Alice.” “Hi, I’m Holiday,” Holiday offered while holding up a hoof. “Lofty, we are Nova’s guardians, at least for the time being.” “It’s good to meet you.” Alice offered, giving each a hoof bump. “And you knew her mother?” Holiday asked not having fully connected that Princess Luna who’d been freed from Nightmare Moon was in fact Nova’s mother. She was just a little confused given what Lofty had told her. “I’m to understand Lt Mouse, pardon, Commander Mouse, is here under similar circumstances as Nova.” Cadance offered. “Ya, I’m like a thousand-year-old Lieutenant and I’m not even an alicorn.” Alice offered with a smirk on her face. "Being bumped up to Commander and put in charge of the Night Guards came as quite a shock." “Oh, alright.” Holiday replied. “Lofty told me a little about what had happened.” “Ladies, it’s not often we get such pretty faces at these soirees.” Offered a dashing young unicorn stallion with white fur and a blue mane and tail. “My name’s Fancy Pants.” He turned and gestured towards a tall white unicorn with a pink mane and tail who looked like she could be a model and probably was. She was otherwise engaged in talking to some older mares. “That’s my date, I’ll introduce you to her later if we get the chance. I’m an entrepreneur and philanthropist. - So tell me, what is it you do?” “I, um, I’m in travels.” Holiday offered sheepishly. Sure it was an opportunity to get some name recognition for the agency she worked at, but she just couldn't do it. “I’m the nanny to a young alicorn,” Lofty offered with a smirk. “And I make quilts.” “Splendid. I’d love to see some of your quilts, do you sell them?” “I kind of mostly just give them away to friends and family.” Lofty offered her normal smile back. “I do put one up for sale now and then at a local shop in Ponyville where we live. Every little bit helps. We’re not exactly what you’d think of as wealthy.” “You’re not going to ask about the young alicorn?” Holiday asked. Why is he interested in quilts of all things she pondered? “Well I can see that Princess Cadance knows Ms Lofty, so I’m going to assume she’s not spinning a yarn so to speak, and I thought I’d get to know the pony who has been given such a rare position of responsibility.” “Oh.” Holiday replied. “Her name’s Nova. She just sort of dropped into my lap so to speak.” Lofty supplied. “I foal sit, and when Miss Nova came wandering into town I was there and available.” Just then a chime rang and a servant announced that lunch was served. “Well, I’ll let you get to lunch.” Alice offered. “Not coming into lunch?” Lofty asked. “Oh no. I work nights. If I don’t get a little more sleep the night guards will hate me more than they already do.” Alice offered. “I’ll give them a bit of a break tonight. I’m going to check in on Nova later. She’ll probably be starving when she wakes up. - Good afternoon.” “Good afternoon then. I might see you in the morning then.” Lofty replied, and then followed Fancy Pants into the dining room. “Does that mean she came down just to meet us?” Holiday asked as she followed along. “Sure looks that way.” Lofty replied. “I noticed her teeth were similar to Nova’s teeth. I wonder if that is common to nocturnal ponies?” “I wouldn't know, we only know the one. I’ve often wondered why pegasi don’t have more specialized teeth in the first place? You know, for catching fish?” “Maybe we simply lost those teeth as being no longer necessary.” Lofty offered as they went to find their seats. “That or a recessive trait, that and ponies are a really mixed bag these days.” Princess Celestia had also joined the gathering shortly before going in and made sure to migrate over to Lofty. “Lofty, I’m so glad you were able to make it on such short notice,” Celestia said in greeting. “And this must be Ms Holiday?” “Yes, Princess.” Lofty offered while making a polite curtsy. “She’s my special some-pony.” “Well good for you.” Celestia offered. “Princess Celestia, are you going to take Nova away from us? I, that is we, have kind of grown fond of her. Despite her little quirks.” Holiday asked while making a rather nervous attempt at a curtsy. “I actually think it’ll be a good idea if you remain her guardians.” Celestia offered. “I’ll look after her while she’s here learning how to control her magic, and she can go back to you for breaks, or just whenever things get to be too much for her. How does that sound?” “I’d like that very much.” Holiday offered. “And we’ll also get you a pass so you can come up and visit while your here.” Celestia offered. “Now, let us all find our seats.” “Princess, does this mean you’ve taken on a new student?” One of the nobles asked momentarily after sitting down. “In a way, I have,” Celestia confirmed. “Oh, I was so hoping my grand filly would be your next,” offered an old mare. “I’m sure she’s a very capable filly.” Celestia offered as ponies began to eat. “But I have exciting news. These two young mares that have joined us have reunited me with my very own niece. The very student of whom we were talking about just now. A young alicorn who had been caught up in the fight between myself and nightmare moon.” “Nightmare Moon? Princess, there’s a rumor...” “Just a rumor, I’m sure.” Celestia offered. “A colt attempted to confiscate a medallion worn by my charge on the train this morning, and in so doing set off a rather alarming anti-theft spell.” Lofty offered. Celestia’s expression was unreadable, but Lofty decided to forge on. She simply did not like the idea that ponies might get the wrong end of the stick if she could set them right. “Just a harmless illusion. I imagine it’ll be a blast on Nightmare Night.” “Is that what happened?” Asked another mare. She was a pearl white unicorn mare with a violet-colored mane. “Lady Glory Rose, I’m the colt’s mother.” “Oh, I’m so terribly sorry to hear that.” Lofty offered in condolence. Glory cast a glare her way. “Yes, and then that same spell was set off here in the palace.” Prince Blueblood announced. “A most distasteful experience.” “I’m so sorry, Prince Blueblood, I’m afraid that was my fault.” Celestia offered with a smile. “I’m afraid you’d walked in on a meeting right about the time I set the thing off by accident.” Celestia had a wistful look on her face. It’d been a while since she’d been pranked by her sister. In fact, in the short time since Luna’s return, there’d not been one single prank attempt.“But not to worry, I’ve taken measures to render it a little less scary.” Celestia could only wonder what her sister was going to think of the new size. And for that matter, she was curious as to why the spell had been draining magic directly from Nova instead of using the ambient magic that was readily available? Had her sister done that intentionally, and if so why? Was it to keep Nova’s magic at a manageable level as Nova had suggested? “Could this young alicorn be the rumored black and white pony you were looking for?” Fancy Pants asked. “She is indeed,” Celestia replied with a smile. “After so many years her father’s name has escaped me though I seem to recall a rather dashing young stallion who was white with a silver mane and a great prince in his lands. I shall have to do some research to see if I might find some record of him. “And now you all get to know before any pony else.” Celestia offered with a big smile. “A new alicorn in addition to the return of your sister. What will she be the princess of?” Asked one of the old biddies. “She is a dear friend of mine from way back when I was very little. I’d nearly forgotten her.” Cadance offered. “She’s a bit different as I’m sure you’ll see when you get to meet her. As to what she will be the princess of, I haven't really pinned down my role yet.” “And she’s helped to confirm my suspicions concerning Princess Cadenza.” Celestia offered. “I now know Cadance’s full story, so to speak. Her mother had been the princess of the Crystal Empire prior to the coup de’etat orchestrated by the pony now remembered in history and legend as King Sombra. I believe that she was attempting to escape the empire and was at the periphery of the spell he cast that caused the city to vanish. Sombra was obsessed with power, and it was his own obsession that led to his downfall.” That last could easily have been a caution to those gathered. Princess Celestia told them that long ago alicorns weren’t such a rare thing. It was the birth of an alicorn that was rare and near impossible to recognize them as such until they’d come into their maturity. Short of some event that would bring out their full potential early on that maturity seldom happened during the life of the parent. Granted that the full truth was Celestia really didn’t know how a new alicorn was created. Nor was she going to tell them that what she’d just said was speculation on her part mixed with a little white lie. But if she could get these stuck up nobles to cherish their disabled foals via a little white lie then so be it. Unintentional consequences be damned. This bit of news drifted to talk of false alicorns and how many families considered such foals an embarrassment. “We all thought Nova was a false alicorn.” Lofty offered. “I can only wonder where she’d be now if we had treated her like an embarrassment?” “Hear hear.” Fancy Pants offered with a big smile on his face. From there the conversation over lunch drifted to small talk, and when lunch had finished Lofty and Holiday went upstairs to check in on Nova. She was still fast asleep and likely wouldn't have woken up to the sound of elephants rampaging through the room. Holiday went back to her place of work to regale them of her adventure, and Lofty took the train home to Ponyville. It proved to be a very lonely ride indeed. Not that first class wasn’t worth it, she just hadn’t seriously thought Nova might not be coming back with her.