//------------------------------// // In Seach For Equinity (Grammarly Check) // Story: A Heart Warming Eve Carol // by Lighting Ace //------------------------------// "For the last time, Aunt Celestia, my answer is no!" A furious Blueblood march into his room shaking off the excess snow in his back while putting away a scarf and top hat from his neck and head respectively "I already accepted the fact that you and Aunt Luna had that nonsensical tradition of throwing a party to everyone in Equestria no matter their social class or background to basically invite them to steal us blind. But now you also expect me to mingle with them too?! Oh no, I draw the line there" He tells with an accusing hoof at her. "But you used to love this party" Celestia remained calm and tried to appeal to his better version before looking at his fireplace and levitating a picture of her and him as a little colt, with her lifting him up into the air while he was halfway done eating a candy cane. "Don't you remember how much fun we used to have back then? You didn't have any problem going play with other children, and even playing a prank or two, you even loved some of the candies and treats they always shared with you. You never once cared where they came from. Don't you want to experience that joy again? You could even show your aunt Luna the ropes, she is still adapting to this kind of social event and could really use your help" She pleaded showing him the picture. "What is the matter auntie? Your star pet is too busy that day? Or is this more of a pity favor?" He looks at her with malice, as she gasps in horror. "Blueblood I thought we were clear, I never was, or am I intended to replace you," She says offended. "Did you? Then answer me this, where did I fit in on your grand plan once she takes over the throne, huh? What did you envision for me? Did you even think of me once?" She only remains quiet and looks down "Yeah, that is what I thought" "I had faith you will achieve autonomy by now!" Celestia talks starting to get angry "Blueblood I can't just keep holding your hoof and trace your actions all your life!" "I know, you are too busy holding Twilight's" "Twilight achievements and decisions were all her own and no one else's! Something you are still too afraid to try for the looks of things'' "Oh I'm not afraid of taking decisions of my own as well auntie, you left me no choice after you choose her over me." He sniffs once and clears a tear from his eyes before starting to walk away "Now if you excuse me, some of us have work to do!" Blueblood mentions with a glare before heading to his desk and start working on a pile of papers Celestia hadn't noticed before. Curiously she levitated one page and inspected the content. "These are rejection forms I haven't signed yet" "Any royal can sigh and it will be valid and you always keep them piling up until the last day" Blueblood starts to work without looking. "I know this guy's auntie, and trust me, it better get this over quickly before they pester you for another year for a…pool landscape? By the stars, some ponies are just weird this time of the year" He mentions relaxing a little bit "You…you want to help me ease my workload?" Celestia is surprised and slightly touched by his actions. "What? You don't trust me with this either? Because I swear auntie if you take this from me too I…" Before he could finish Celestia surprised him with a kiss on his forehead "I knew there was a heart in you" She whispered please by his actions. "Whatever" He just grumbles and goes back to work as she nods. "Just think about it ok? I know what happened but if you could just give it another chance I…I miss you there" Celestia tells in pity making him stop. "I will think about it" Blueblood finally relent making her smile as she leaves "I only ask for one try nephew, just one and you will see how much fun it can really be" She pleads one last time before leaving the photo next to him as she closes the door behind her. The prince stopped working and looked at the picture as well "I miss it too auntie" He confessed to himself that no one is working before his gaze hardened and resumed working "But I promised myself never to repeat that mistake. Never again." With a sigh, the prince decided to go back to his work and let it absorb his attention as time flew by without him noticing until a grumble on his guts announced to him of his impending hunger as well as how the sun had already set and it was now night time. Not only that but some laughter in the distance made him aware of what he was dreading since this morning. A 'before' party was in progress, meaning the elements were in the castle and among them Twilight Sparkle, the last pony he ever wanted to see right now. Just ignore everything, get your soup, and get back. There is no way you will stumble into her. The prince convinces himself as the hunger finally made him abandon his job and venture outside his room in search of the kitchen in what he hopes will only be a couple of minutes. Unfortunately, destiny seemed to have other plans for him because just when the kitchen was in reach the source of his bad mood stepped outside of it with a soda at hoof and looked directly at him, freezing both ponies in place, as an awkward silence filled the room. "Ah…eh hi?" Twilight tried to make small conversation as she wanted to search for a way to break the tension, as Blueblood only keep staring at her emotionless "Thief" He replied with half a nod, teasing Twilight as he resumed his march inside the kitchen where he tried to look for all the ingredients for his meals as quickly as possible. With a sigh, Twilight managed to recover and look at him again "Blueblood this is getting ridiculous, it made sense when we were kids but this temper tantrum of yours has gone far too long. Don't you think it's time to just let it go?" "Oh I don't know, would you let it go if I have taken your mother from you for the last 20 years!?" He half yells in rage stopping making his meal. "I didn't steal anything! Princess Celestia always has you in her heart. Even when you became such a melodramatic brat!" She counters equally angry. "Oh, that is rich coming from the mare with the wings and the title" He rolled his eyes sarcastically before taking his bowl of soup. "My aunt and I were happy before you came along, the second you became her student I turned invisible, do you have any idea how does that feels? To compete with the 'prodigy' with the 'hero' with the princess of Equestria?" He spat the last part full of venom. She gasps, getting angrier. "You are blaming me for saving Equestria? Especially since all you do since I have known you, is sit around and expect everyone to just love you just because of your title and nothing more. Maybe the princess would put more attention in you if you were nicer to others and don't use ponies as doormats'' "You don't know anything about me! In fact, I'm assuming that kind of claim must have come from that incident with that strange friend of yours with purple mane, right? Tell me Sparkles, you would prefer I just had let her treat me like a trophy?" "Excuse me?" Twilight asks taking aback by that "You tell me, aren't you too supposedly friends? Or better yet, answer me this, what was her intention exactly? How was she planning to get to know me better once we met? Or she merely thought that I would simply swoop her hooves right away? That I will be unable to take my eyes off her, the second I see her? Or did she simply expect me to propose after meeting her for exactly one hour?" "Ah well…she mentions a dance…and maybe some mingling, she didn't say propose right away I…Rarity would never have considered you a trophy!" "So you don't deny it then?" He chuckled and shook his head "Is this actually your best counter? A basically: 'No, she isn't? That is the best you can do? By all the stars the nobles will eat you alive!" He smirks as he marches away "Well maybe that could be for the better, watching you crash and burn might be some poetic justice for stealing my family, my home, and my life. You deserve way worse but I will take what I can get. Now if you excuse me, my dinner is getting cold" Before she could have anything else to reply he was already about to exit the kitchen when some astral blue changes sealed the entrance blocking his advance. "Really Sparkles? You are that petty as to resort to magic just to have the last word?" Blueblood turned to look at her but she only shook her head and trembled as she slowly backed away. "That is not me, that is not me!" She tells while slowly hiding as the sounds of chains moving catch the prince attention as he sees what Twilight saw and start to back away too the moment he saw the silhouetted of a pony with a series of chains wrapped all over his body starting to fade throw the door while moaning in sorrow, before crashing into the floor with a wet thump as his body break and shatters like glass. A hideous smell of putrid flesh soon bath the entire room and both royals had to cover their nose and close their eyes in an attempt to block as much of the horrible smell until it all just simple banish like it was never there, and peeking up from their hiding place saw that everything was back to normal. "In the name of my aunt, what just happened? Sparkle if this is your doing I swear..." "I told you it wasn´t me! I…I don't know what that was but magic definitely wasn't involved" "Oh good another of your crazy adventures then" He grumbles as he resumes his exit "I better getaway before you drag me alooooone!" Without looking a ghost chain grabbed around his lower left hoof and yanked him back dragging him into the floor until he was suspended in the air. "Blueblood!" Twilight tries to help but another chance grabs her right-wing and does the same as she ends up back to back with him, as the ghost reappears in front of the two. "Blue…Blood" He gargles as his body reforms until they see the face of Blueblood on the ghost, surprising both as he lets them go and he points a cracking hoof at his counterpart. "You must listen to what I had to say, and heed my warning" "Wha…who are you?! And why are you wearing my face?!" The prince demanded with fear in his voice as he crawled back away from the specter, Twilight soon positions herself between the two with a green face doing what she can to ignore the rotting smell, as she erects a shield around the two. "This does not concern you, Princess, you are free to go if my presence produces you such discomfort," The ghost tells Twilight, stopping his moments but she remains strong. "Blueblood ask you a question, who are you? And why are you hunting him?" She charges her horn ready to attack. "Cancel your spell and show us your real face" Keeping silent the ghost at first just simply remain still until he lift his hoof and in one swipe destroy his face as if it was shattered glass showing a putrid green goo that made the smell even worse and make the royals flinch and jump back from both the scare and disgust, as well as making Twilight lose her focus and cancel her spell. Reforming his appearance the ghost speaks up once more. "There is no mask to hide my face Princess what you see is what I have become" He then looks at Blueblood and drag him forward with his chain so he can see him better "And what you will be if you don't repent" "Wha…what? You mean to tell me you are…M…Me?!" "Indeed, as true as each snowflake is unique, a thousand worlds exist for each and every thought there has been. As such I'm the worse outcome to the like of us my twin" "Wait, you are a Blueblood of another world then?" Twilight chips in interest. "Indeed, Princess one who is now doomed to walk throws out the multiverse wearing the sins I committed while alive for all of eternity," He says referring to the chains, his cracking body, and oozing goo. "Cursed to be shackled by chains into this body filled with the bile that was my own grudge and anger, as it breaks and cracks under the weight of my own pride and the futility of such, " He tells in pity looking down. Taking the opportunity the Prince tries to tippy-toe his way out of the kitchen only to see the screaming image of his counterpart in front of him making him back away in a hurry completely terrified. "Heed my warning Blueblood! These same chains of mine are forging inside your soul as well!" He declares in anger as he wraps the chains around him. Twilight tries to help but her magic and action only result in her hoof being entangled too. "Please, let me alone! Why are you telling me this?!" Blueblood pleaded, completely terrifying. "Because even though it far too late for me, there is yet time for you, an opportunity for you to change and break the cycle of doom and hate that has fallen on uncountable versions of us, to be more than just a footnote and become a pony worthy of been call a Prince," He tells sorrowful as he approaches the two "I have spoken with those that might help you realized the errors of your way and as such tonight you will be haunted by 3 ghosts whose advice might be the only thing that could be able to save you" "Wait, 3 ghosts? Like the Heart Warming ghost?!" Twilight asks, getting excited as a smile creeps on her face much to Blueblood confusion "Like the Heart Warming Tail? Is that what this is? What will this be all about? " "Indeed princess but do not be foul by childhood illusions, no this is in no way the story you grew up with. This is a version closer to the original book" He mentions with an expressionless face "Original book? What do you…?" Before she could ask the ghost screeched once more and wrapped the chains around the two "Pay attention to the ringing of a bell Prince for each ring will announce the arrival of each spirit, repent and change your ways Blueblood, look for your fellow mare and stallion. Be kind to thy neighbor, let others into your heart. Don't let this be your destiny, burn my image into your mind. This will be the only warning you will have!" He tosses the two into a chair before flying away dragging him for the ride at max speed. "This isn't how the story goes, this isn't how things are supposed to go!" Twilight yells in both fear and confusion until they both reach a nearby window where they stop with a sudden thump only to be horrified by the image in front of them. Millions of ghosts flew all over the skies of Canterlot with various weird contraptions moaning and screaming in sorrow begging to end their suffering, not only that but alongside them were versions of Blueblood and Twilight and even the main six and Princess Celestia. "Please! I'm sorry, let me help you" The ghost of Celestia plead making Blueblood scream in terror, catching the attention of all the ghosts as the chains of the royals dissipate. Before anyone could react, all the ghosts rush to them and drag him into a spectral wave until finally, they reach Blueblood room leaving everything in silence once more, and allow the royals a moment to breathe and calm their terrifying hearts, as they slowly look up at one another and utter one single sentence simultaneously. "What the h…?!"