//------------------------------// // Chapter 45: Everything that glitters... // Story: Era of Harmony // by Gambling_Sam //------------------------------// *Nicholas POV/the next day* I awoke with a yawn as I attempted to get up, but found myself at the center of a four filly pony pile. Silverspoon and Sweetiebelle were on my sides with my arms wrapped around them while Applebloom and Diamond Tiara were on top of me, laying on my chest. I noticed my left hand was on Appleblooms back while my right was on Diamonds head with two fingers laying on her left ear. I looked over to the new float that seemed to shine in the sunlight. We had spent HOURS making it and it seemed our hard work had laid off. And no, we did NOT make another pumpkin float. Diamond did have a point there, pumpkins are not a good looking product. Instead, I had vouched for us to make a golden apple instead (Applebloom seemed extra giddy about that, for obvious reasons.) As I sighed, feeling content with the new float, I felt Silverspoon stir a bit. "Oh, 12K..." She mumbled as she rolled out from my arm and into a hay bale. She woke up a second after that and looked around until she saw me. "Oh...hey Nicholas." She said with a yawn before motioning to the pile on me. "Need any help?" I shool my head and smiled. "Nah, lets see if my shades work." I said as I used my now free hand to grab my shades from my pocket and slip them on. Now how should I wake these girls up?" I thought as an idea popped into my mind. I reached over and rubbed my hands together quickly, building static between them as Silverspoon, noticing what was about to happen, watched with amusement. With my hands charged, I booped each of the three sleeping girls on their muzzles. ZAP!!! All three of them were sent into three seperate parts of the room. Applebloom landed near the left wall, Sweetiebelle flew into the floats open door, and Diamond went into the rafters. I couldn't help but laugh as the three slowly recovered from the scare. "That's not funny!" Sweetiebelle called from inside the float, though she sounded alright. "Yeah, why did ya have tah go and do that?" Applebloom said as Diamond decided to body slam me from above, causing me to hit the ground with an audible oof. "At least do it to the others instead of me next time." She said as she nuzzled my cheek. I got up, putting Diamond next to me, and turned to the float. "Well, girls. Shall we go and show this town our creation or what?" I said, receiving a bunch of excited "YEAHS!" in return. **************** Raiden POV/ the night before. **************** I was dragged into the room by a overly eager Twilight with Luna and Spike close behind. "Ooo! I'm so excited!" Twilight said as she brought over a checklist and started writing on it. "So first, we need to find out just how much you can do in comparison to other dragons." She said as I flexed my wings. "Well, I can fly pretty well due to Luna training me all day." I said Luna pecked me on the cheek and sighed warmly, leaning her head on my shoulders. "Well, you do have wings, but it's still impressive you managed to get flying down so easily." She stated as she checked a box off and looked to me. "Are you able to breathe fire?" She asked me as I shrugged. "Never tried without my life in danger, though now I feel silly for not doing so." I said as Twilight levitated a rock in the air the size of a basketball. I looked to Spike and pointed to the rock. "Yo, how do I spit fire?" I askes him as he grinned big and walked up next to me. "Well, you first have to take a deep breath." He does so comically as I follow suit, feeling an odd buildup in my lungs as I did so. "You feeling that tension in your gut?" He asked me as I nodded. "Now relwase it towards your target!" He said as I exhaled strongly. From my mouth came a white and yellow flame that completely melted the rock, it's molten remains caught and vaporized in a blue aura by Luna before it could damage the library floor. I looked to Spike and put my fist out. "Thanks, little man. That was amazing!" Spike blushed lightly at the compliment but fist-bumped me all the same. "No problem, dude. Anything to help a fellow dragon." I turned to Luna and Twilight, the latter look like she was vibrating with how much she was shaking. "Splendid performance, love!" Luna exclaimed as she walked up and smooched me right on the lips. She pulled away as Twilight let out a gasp. "Wait...the marefriend you said was a secret...It was Luna!?!" She exclaimed as I sighed and Luna looked to her sheepishly, nodded. "Indeed, Twilight Sparkle. We have found ourselves quite attracted to the man...Dragon that stands beside us." She said as I placed an arm around her and stroked her mane with my claws, carefully as to not hurt her ny accident. Twilight looked between us for a second before she turned away and walked upstairs with her ears pressed to her head and head low. Luna turned to me with a slightly worried look. "Thou should go talk to her." She said as I nodded and walked up the stairs, finding her laying on her bed with her facing the window. She sighed quietly. "I never had a chance, huh." She said weakly as I flinched at the sad tone her voice was in. I sighed and sat down next to her, causing her to look to me. "Twilight...It's not that simple." I said as she frowned. "Of course it is! You love Luna, and not me. And I just have to live with that..." She said as she started to tear up slightly as I looked down at the ground. "To be honest, Twi." I started, taking a deep breath. "I'm not so sure what to feel anymore. I do like you, but I'm not so sure how much I like you or if I want to even start a herd at all." I said as Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes. "Could I try though? Could you give me a chance to change your mind?" She asked me. I thought it over as I heard hoofsteps coming up the stairs. Do I wish to date her? Or even try to do so? I guess I could give her a shot, but what would happen between us if she doesn't end up dating me? Would she be angry with me? I was pulled from my thoughts as Luna walked in. "Hey, love." I said as I stood up. "Twilight wants a chance to prove that she can be a part of what we have." I said as Luna looked to Twilight with an slightly cold stare. "Thou wishes to make a herd from us, yes?" She said as Twilight nodded slowly. "Princess, all I ask for is a chance. I don't wish to take him from you or force you two to herd if you don't want to." She said as Luna and I looked at each other and nodded. I cleared my throat, getting Twilight tp turn to me. "Very well. You have one chance. Luna can set up the parameters of that chance since this decision will affect her as much as I." Luna nodded, agreeing with the decision. "Meanwhile, I am going to go sleep. Today has been a looooong day!" I said as I walked out, allowing Luna to talk to Twilight in peace. *************** Ronin POV/present day *************** "C'mon, Ronin! We need to hurry if we are gonna get good spots!" I was currently being lead through the crowd by Redheart in an attempt to try and get good viewing spots for the parade that was soon to start. However, there were a TON of ponies out today, so the chances of us getting through the crowd was slim. Redheart, realizing this, huffed and turned to me. "Ugh! Now what do we do? If we don't get to the front, we wont be able to see Pinkie Pies float!" Oh yeah, the party queen had her own float. And of all the vegetables, she chose lettuce. LETTUCE! And it was real too, considering that after I had returned from my talk with Babs she had me glue the stiff together with that goop Chrysalis uses for drone making... Wait a sec...that's it! I had never tried connecting to the hive mind on my own before, but it couldn't hurt to try though. Yello? Anyone home? Is this thing on? I called out in my mind. But nobody came. Oh well, time for plan B-AGH! I bent over as I felt a rush of voices enter my head. It sounded like there were a million worker bees buzzing my mind! "Ronin? what's wrong?" Redheart asked me as I looked to her. "Ah! Just...connected to the hive mind...Got to shut it off somehow..." I said with several winces of pain as I shoot out one loud thought. SILENCE!!! The buzzing stopped, and I felt a mixture of regret and fear from the hive. Crap, now they're scared. Listen. I beagn, not sure how to address the hive. I'm not really sure how this works, but I need the foir changelings that helped on the farm to report to my location immediately. I heard four voices acknowledge the request and fade from the murmers in my mind. Now...how do I shut this off? Like that, the voices were gone. I guess its a wordplay thing then with the words on and off. I turned to a very worried Redheart and smiled, giving her a scratch behind the ears. "I'm alright now... I haven't done that without assistance before. On that note, where was Melfesia? She would've definitely said something during that encounter, but I didn't even feel her presence in the mind. I put those thoughts aside as the four changelings dropped down in front of me and Redheart. Larxene saluted. "Ready for action, Ronin Sir!" the other three stood at attention, but seemed slightly distracted by the ponies who were giving them some odd looks. "Alright, Redheart and I need to be at the front of that crowd." I said, pointing to the crowd facing some of the already approaching floats. "Could you four assist us in this please?" Axel and Roxas nodded, while Zexion just yawned. Larxene turned to the three. "You heard them, boys! Let's move these commeners out of the way of the king and Queen number three!" The four of them immediately transformed into what looked like giant dogs. "What the hell?" I said as Redheart sighed and face-hoofed. "They just turned into diamond dogs to scare the populace out of the way." She said before turning to me. "Queen number three?" I chuckled and started to follow the crew as they literally caused a ripple in the crowd that let us through. Whatever those things are, they must be well known if they get THAT kind of reaction. "Your the third member of the herd, so i guess the hive sees you as a third queen." It was at that moment I realized two things: One, The drones viewed Redheart as a queen, so that means PINKIE was viewed as a queen. And for some reason, Pinkie Pie being in charge of a species of shape-shifting bug things scares me. And two, when I was in the hive mind, there were waaaay more voices in my head than four. That means Chrysalis has a lot more drones made now. Oh well, its not like I was going to be invading any countries anytime soon. We made it to the front just as the cursed lettuce float was coming by. Redheart and I waved to Pinkie as she was driving. "Hey party queen!" I yelled out, causing Pinkie to look to me and smile. "Heya Ronin! Isn't this fun! Even Chrysalis is participating!" She said, pointing behind her to... No...stinking....way! Attached to the lettuce float by rope was a tomato float with Chrysalis sitting on top with a mini tomato suit on. The changelings, who had transformed back to their normal forms, were now struggling not to laugh at their queens current predicament. I, on the other hand, had no such self-control. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I exclaimed loudly as I fell over on one knee, my arm on Redhearts back for support. "Hey, Chrysi! What did she promise you for you to do that?" I yelled to her. Chrysalis was not amused. "She helped my son with him and that winged chicken scootaloos float, and stop laughing! It's not funny!" She exclaimed as Redheart bursted out laughing at that, leaving us both a giggling mess on the ground. "What's so funny, partner?" I heard a southern voice call out. I looked up and saw Applejack and Rainbow dash looking at me, the forner had a smile and the latter had a frown. "Chrysalis is in a tomato outfit, and I think thats hilarious." I pointed them to said queen, which resulted in Rainbow busting a gut while AJ just chuckled. "Who made that for her?" Rainbow said between laughs. I shrugged and turned to AJ. "So, there's something I need to tell ya about Babs..." I started, but AJ cut me off. "Ah know already. The little varmint came and told me everything. I'm just glad ya managed tah stop the whole situation before somepony did something they'd regret." I chuckled. "Like what, rig a float to crash or something?" We laughed at that as Redheart recovered from her own fit of laughter, leaning against me affectionately as I rubbed her ears. AJ noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "Ah thought ya were dating Chrysalis?" "I am, but I'm also herding with Pinkie and Redheart right now as well." I said as both Applejack and Rainbow Dash reared back in suprise. "Wait a second, your the guy Pinkie kept talking about while we were pranking ponies last week?" Rainbow asked me as I nodded. "Yeah, what did she say?" I asked as Rainbow shrugged. "She kept going on and on about finding somepony who was didn't care if she acted like herself while around him. She never said she was herding though!" She exclaimed as I narrowed my eyes. "You got a problem with that?" I said, growling the last part a bit. Realizing her mistake, Rainbow shook her head. "No No No! Of course not, I just didn't expect her to be that kind of pony." Rainbow said as AJ sighed. "Sugercube, when are ya ever gonna learn tah not dig yerself into a hole ya can't escape from?" She said before turning to me. "Well, ah for one didn't think ya'd be the herdin type." I shrugged and lowered my hand to massage Redhearts neck, eliciting a moan of pleasure from said mare. "Yeah, I didnt either until I tried." I said I heard techno music coming from behind me. Must be Nicholas We all turned to the float that was currently going by and had our jaws drop at the sight. *********** Nicholas POV *********** We had managed to get our float to the parade just in the nick of time. As we climbed in though, Diamond was lagging behind a bit. Applebloom noticed first. "C'mon Diamond! We haven't got all day!" Diamond Tiara frowned at the float. "I just think the float needs a little more to it before we join the parade." She said as Silverspoon tilted her head as she stood at the doorway. "Like what? I doubt it needs more golden glitter." She said, slightly glaring at Sweetiebelle, who hid a glitter filled bucket behind her with a sheepish smile. I snapped my fingers, an idea forming in my mind. I turned to Applebloom and pointed at the top of the float. "Bloom, you set up a flat surface on top, right?" I asked her as she nodded. "Of course ah did! We needed it to be flat to support the outer walls foundation." She said as I nodded and turned to the other three. "Alright, you four girls can go inside and operate the float." I said as I slipped inside to grab my 12/case (yup, I'm calling it that now.) "I will stay outside and keep the crowd pleased." Diamond and Sweetiebelle got big smiles on their faces while Applebloom face-hoofed at the smug smile on my own. Silverspoon, however, looked confused. "What are you going to do?" She asked as I turned and adjusted my shades to where they sat above my forehead but still on my head. "Simple, I'm going bring down the house." I said as I climbed up the apple float, easier to do thanks to the strap Fluttershy put on the briefcase so I didnt have to carry it, and got on top of the apple. "Alright, I'm in position!" I said as I set up my music set. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, ROLL OUT!" Everyone got inside and the float joined the parade just as I transformed into 12K. However, the tranformation didn't stop at me. A warm red light spread over the entire float. "Whoa...what the?" I said as the glow disappeared, leaving the float with a golden glow. Wait...golden? I leaned down and tapped the float and, sure enough, it's real gold. "Nicholas! The float is made of gold!" Sweetiebelle called up to me. "I know! It's awesome!" I yell back, remembering a similar situation happening while we repaired the float. *************** The day before *************** We had made good progress in fixing the float (Diamond insisted we do something otherr than an pumpkin, so we decided to do an apple). However, after we finished, we looked apon the red float with hesitation. "Ok, I'm going to be completely honest." I said as I looked at the slightly worn down float. "This doesn't look so good." Diamond huffed. "There is no way I am riding in that thing." Silverspoon nodded in agreement while Sweetiebelle rolled her eyes. Applebloom, however, seemed optimistic. "C'mon, y'all. It doesn't look so bad. We just need tah make it stick out some more." Sweetiebelle turned to me. "Nick, I've seen you enhance Ronin's blade before. Do you think your magic might be able to enhance the float?" I frowned and shrugged. "I have no clue how my magic works. Whenever I did that, it was always a spur of the moment thing, and besides, it's not like I can snap my fingers and PRESTO! golden glitter would appear on the thing." To drive the point home, I snapped my fingers at the float, sure nothing would happen. So imagine my suprise when the float flashed red for a second before the thing gained a coat of golden glitter. My, and the girls, jaws dropped. "wooow!" Applebloom said as Silverspoon looked to me. "How did you do that?" She asked as I shrugged. "Literally no idea." I said as Diamond came up and propped herself on her back legs to nuzzle me on the cheek. "Because he's amazing, that's how." She said while I felt my face heat up, but felt a smile grow on my face. Sweetiebelle looked to the float, which Applebloom was now inside and pretty much having a suger rush level of glee, and frowned. "You used magic to make something from nothing, and you've also altered things at will with just a snap of your fingers before." She said, looking like she was trying to remember something. Silverspoon tilted her head and adjusted her glasses. "But didn't Ms.Cherilee tell us that magic can only affect something that is already there?" Sweetiebelles eyes went wide. "Most do, but there's one type of magic that doesn't follow any rules." She suddenly gulped and looked to me. "Nicholas...your magical abilities...I think they come from a chaos mana pool." I raised an eyebrow. "A chaos what now?" I asked as Sweetiebelle giggled lightly. "A mana pool is where unicorns draw their magic from. Although all beings have one, unicorns use it the most." She said, before frowning. "But almost nopony is born with a chaos mana pool." Applebloom, finally leaving the float, walked over. "Maybe you can ask Twilight about it after the parade. She knows everything about the unicorn stuff anyway." Diamond, who had been under the control of my massaging hand on her head, broke free of my hold over her and groaned. "Can we talk about this later? I want to show off our new float!" We sighed collectively and laughed at Diamonds enthusiam before noticing it was dark out. We each laid across from each other on seperate haybales to sleep until the next day. ***************** Nicholas POV/end of flashback ***************** I looked around, noticing the crowds, and began to play. My music started blasting off the sides of the float, gaining cheers from the viewers and even from some of the other floats. "Helloooooo, ponyville!" I vocalized. "My name is 12K, and I am glad to be a part of this towns beautiful festival! So just stand back, let your ears swoon to the sound of my wubs, and enjoy the sights of our fellow floatsponies!" More cheers as I heard a squeal from below. I leaned over and saw Silverspoon looking straight at me. "12K?! YOUR HERE?! HOW?" She managed to yell out over the music and crowds. I winked at her and posed while switching the bass boost on. "Your friend Nicholas managed to book me for today. Said to be on the lookout for my number one fan, which I'm guessing is you?" I said as her face went from gray to tomato red in a second. I laughed warmly and returned to my music as Silverspoon was pulled back into the float by a slightly irratated Diamond (I'll have to give her extra cuddles later) before she could fall out of the float. I looked around before spotting Celestia, a smaller pony who looked like he was in a tux, and about ten guards walking towards a section of the crowd. I looked to that section and saw...Ronin? Wonder what that's about. I thought with a frown. Ronin was hanging out with Pinkie and that Nurse pony from before while cheering alongside Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Ronins eyes meet mine and I saw something in them I haven't seen in years... happiness. Real happiness. Motivated by the sight, I grinned big and turned up the volume to the max and jammed out. You know, even with all the weird dreams and that Dadiolus guy that was coming after me, this world hasn't been so bad. I have a girlfriend (fillyfriend), several actual friends who care about me. A mom who won't hurt me, and a not so bad school (who woulda thought school could actually be a good thing?) I sighed happily. Nothing could make this day go south. That was, until a purple beam knocked our float into the air. ************ Raiden POV ************ After yesterdays...weirdness, Luna thought it would be a good idea for us to go to the parade that the town was hosting. So that's why I found myself with spike on my shoulders so he could see the floats better. "WHOOOA! Look at the one! Pinkie Pies float is made of real lettuce!" He said as Twilight sighed. "C'mon Spike, there's no way thats true. Lettuce isn't strong enough to hold a float together for a long period of time anywa-" She cut herself off as Pinkie went and took a bite out of her float. Twilight sighed and face-hoofed while Luna giggled and nuzzled my cheek. "If thou was in the parade, what would you have made?" She asked me as I answered without hesitation. "An eggplant float." Twilight, Luna, and Spike all looked at me with looks of confusion. "What?! But they are so ugly looking!" Spike said as Luna nodded. "Tis a truly odd vegatable to choose, Ronin." Twilight, however seemed thoughtful about the idea. "Eggplants are a strong food variety. Their foundation strength could make for a good float." She said as I chuckled lightly. "Eh, I just think they taste good and dang! looks like Nick went all out!" I exclaimed as they looked and saw Nicholas jamming on a golden (and I mean REAL gold) apple. "Nicholas?" Spike asked. "That's 12K, Raiden. Nicholas looks nothing like him!" He said as I groaned and turned to Twilight. "Hey, we are kinda in the back of the group, but could you teleport us to the front?" I said as she nodded. "No problem." She said as she charged her horn to cast the spell... Just as some hooded pony went by and bumped into her, causing the magic buildup to become a beam of magic that shot out and... BOOM! Send the Apple float, and all those in it, into the air. The crowd immediately pulls a panic and run scenario to avoid the soon to fall float and any other beams of magic. "NICHOLAS!" I yell, dropping Spike off my head and spreading out my wings. I turned to Luna. "Babe, Nicks friends are probably inside that, teleport in and get them out!" I say quickly as she nods and vanishes while I take to the skys to catch my falling brother. *************** Ronin POV *************** BOOM! My eyes widen as Nicks float gets sent into the air by some purple blast, I was about to go after Nicholas when I saw Raiden catch him midair. Oh thank goodness! I think as I see a blue flash happen twice in the float before Luna appears nearby with Nicks four friends clinging to her. "THE FLOAT!" I hear somepony yell out as I notice the apple float is starting to return down to earth... Where its about to land on a potato float that Tak and Scootaloo are running. "NOOO!" I yell as I teleport right on the float, landing in the center, in looking up at the falling apple. "Man, this is going to hurt." I say as crack my neck and prepare myself to attempt to catch the apple float as it quickly speeds towards me from the sky. Right before impact though, it's caught in a golden light and safely placed on the ground nearby. I sigh in relief as Tak and Scootaloo jump out of the float. "What the heck was that?" Scootaloo exclaimed as everyone came over to the float I jumped off the float and found my two brothers, who were already in a hug, and picked them up in a stronger one. "Man! I'm glad your ok, Nick!" I said as I heard Raiden grunt in pain and Nicholas, who had transformed back to his normal form, hugging us both tightly. I let go of the hug and looked around. "Now, who wants to take the blame for that magic beam, huh?" I said, ready to smash someones face in. I heard what sounded like heels behind me and turned to see Celestia, though she had some white pony with her. "Well, I guess your the one who caught the float then. Thanks, Princess." I said, but she flinched at the praise. "Ronin, I-" She was cut off as the pony she was with, an earth pony with fancy hair/mustache and wearing a tux stepped forward. "So your Ronin?" He said with a veeeery snotty tone as he looked me up and down before shriveling up his face in moderate disgust. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, and who are you?" He glared at me. "My name is prince Lunaris Bueblood, and you are under arrest for the murder of several members of the royal guards!" He said as I found myself surrounded by about ten guards with spears. Redheart ran up to interfere, but I raised a hand to stop them as I faced Celestia, who had a look of regret on her face. "Well princess, I guess the whole soldier thing ain't happening, huh." I spat as I let them lead me to a carriage that had bars on it. I could've ran for it, but one look at the girls and my brothers defused that idea. ************** Raiden POV ************** I watched the whole thing unfold with shock. I had been there when Ronin had fought the guard, and he HAD killed some. But why was he only NOW getting in trouble for it? And so soon before the meeting Celestia told us about? Redheart, the nurse who had looked after Ronin, looked mad. "Why is Ronin being arrested?!" She all but scrramed at Celestia, whos sighed. "During the fight with the changelings, Ronin attacked and killed several ponies." She said as Nicholad turned to her. "But he's saved y'alls butts a bunch since then! I thought he was cleared of all that craziness." He said as Applejack turned on the princess as well. "Yeah! Ronin's been a great help since he got here!" She said as Celestia frowned and stomped her hoof. "Do you think I wish for him to be arrested?" She snapped before sighing. "I tried to clear his name by blaming it on Dadiolus. But my nephew caught wind of the situation and, with the help of the families of those killed, set up an entire case against him." She said as Applejack frowned. "So there's nothing we can do?" She asked as Luna walked up and stood next to Celestia. "To clear his name, nay. But we might be able keep the death penalty off him if we were to participate in the trial." She said as we all were taken back. Death penalty? No..... I turned to the girls before noticing we were missing a pony. "Uh...where's Twilight?" I asked as I realized she was missing. Luna sighed. "She retreated to her home after the events earlier. We think she blames herself for them. I groaned and Face-palmed. "All right. I'll go get her, anyone who wishes to go help witht the trial meet us at the train station tonight." I said as I ran towards the library. We can't lose Ronin now! Not after things just started looking up!