[Three Weeks Later]
BANG BANG BANG
I wake up to a violent pounding at my door.
"What the hell?" I say tiredly sitting up, "It's barely sunrise, who the fuck is trying to knock my door down this early?" I say getting out of bed.
It feels like I just woke up from the the dead, but I had enough energy to get up quick. The more the pounding continues, more and more I get irritated. Every step it felt like it was getting worse. I get to the door, and fling it open.
"WHAT!!!" I yell, causing whoever was at the door to jump back. I calm down a little bit to where I can see who was banging on the door. Silver Star.
"Ugh Silver, why are you trying to tear my door down today?" I ask holding the bridge of my nose.
"The Princess is requesting your presence urgently sir."
I sigh. Why me today? "Okaayyy...well, can I get dressed first?" Silver squints his eyes looking over me. We've known each other for a while, and I can tell he was contemplating on losing his job. "I-I'll be really quick I promise." I say with a sigh, trying to convince him. He sighs, didn't take much to convince.
"I'll give you one minute." Quickly I close the door in his face. Thank god I slept in sweats. I was able to toss on a long sleeve shirt, and storm out the door.
I'll apologize later Silver.
I burst into the throne room, dying from all the running I did. With all the workouts I've been doing with the guards, I have gotten better endurance and cardio; but still not enough to keep me from having a heart attack.
"You....wanted.....to see me...Princess?" I manage trying to regain my breath.
"Adrian, why are you out of breath?" She asks tilting her head. I get most of my breath back so I can speak properly.
"Silver gave me a minute to get ready, plus you said urgently so I ran all the way here so I wouldn't waste time." I explain, still having some trouble regaining control of my breathing.
"Oh Silver," she sighed putting a hoof to her face, "well I did want to talk to you about something Important." She stands and starts to walk towards me, and immediately I can tell something was wrong.
"What is it Princess?" I ask after taking one final deep breath regaining the lost oxygen.
"Well, I wanted your opinion on something." She's nervous...I've been around her a lot to know when she's nervous.
"Ok, I'm listening." She motions for me to follow her. We walk into her chambers and she closes the door. And like always, when she wants my advice....she freaks out!
"Oh I'm so nervous!"
Caaaallllled it. She scurries back and forth around her bedroom, like a rat trying to find some kind of food. "I don't know what to do? I can't make a decision! I feel like I'm hyperventilating am I hyperventilating?" She says not taking a single breath.
"PRINCESS!" I yelled, making her stop and look at me with wide eyes. "Take deep breaths and tell me what's happening." I say to her calmly.
She takes a few deep breaths and speaks. "Ok, so you know my appearance in Manehattan today?"
"That I do." She takes another deep breath. Wow she's really nervous about his. "I have to make a speech at a ceremony there....and I'm really nervous about messing up."
The ruler of Equestria for over a millennium....is nervous about messing up. "Celestia, we've gone over this a million times already." I say a tired chuckle leaving my mouth.
"Well....four times at the most." She tries to make her case with a smile, but I return it with a straight face.
"Celestia..." I give her a serious look, and her ears flop.
"I know," she says sighing heavily. "Deep breaths, keep the energy, and stay positive."
"Good." I've practically told her to do this plenty of times before in the past when she goes to ceremonies or meetings. She would always come back and tell me how well she did afterwards, so it must be working.
"Is that all you need?" I ask, as I'm lugging my tired body to the door. "Oh Yes, Adrian thank you." She waves to me as I walk out.
-
I watch Celestia's chariot make its way back to the castle from my room. Not even a second later I hear the sound of hooves quickly running down the hall. A sound of magic invaded my ears. A part of me prepares for what's going to happen, but it always happens gets me every time.
"ADRIAN!" I fall from my seat, my body stiffening with fear, like a baby goat. I quickly regain control of my body and groan in pain.
"Glad to heat the speech went well." I groan rubbing my aching shoulder from the fall.
"It was amazing! I got such a great ovation afterwards, it made me feel so....relieved!" I laugh, and give her a pat on the head.
"That's great Celestia! I knew you would do a good job." She sighs happily. It's always a great feeling helping the Princess, it's a feeling I never get used to. Usually I'm the one asking her for help, not the other way around
"Well I'm off to the throne room, if you need me just knock." I nod to her, and she walks out. I look outside my window, the day was still young. It had to be around 4pm. Thinking of something to do, I start to pace around my room.
Maybe I could try to get back to....Ponyville, or whatever it's called.
Why I that was the first thought to enter my head, I still will never know; but it beats just sitting around here or just roaming the halls for the rest of the day. In that exact moment, I slip on my shoes and swiftly head out my room.
I slip out the window from the dungeon, and make my way to the trail.
-
Well this place sure is busy.
I think to myself, peering from behind a building. My heart is racing, as I'm literally moving among the shadows. I go from building to building, narrowly missing the sight of some ponies. I come to a library? A big oak tree...library. Well out of every other building in Ponyville, this one is definitely.....unique. I continue staring at the building when I see the door swing open. I see I a purple unicorn walk out, books being held by her magic.
She looks.....familiar.
I stare at her, almost like I'm studying a lion on a safari. Why did she look....oh shit I'm still outside. Realizing I maybe found any second now, I quickly rush inside the open library door.
I close the door, and take a deep breath.
Ok maybe not the best idea, maybe now I can-Woah
My thoughts are interrupted by the sight of the library. Some decorations around, nothing too flashy, but a statue in the center. It almost made it feel....cozy. But one thing I can definitely say for certain...it's a lot bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
"Ugh why does she make so many check list for nonsense?" I hear an unfamiliar voice talk to himself. The sound of footsteps starting to come down the stairs follow not long after.
Alright, now is a good time to panic.
I look around frantically for a place to hide. There's no where to hide, but I catch a closet door slightly open. Without any hesitation, I rush into the closet and crack the door. Not enough to where whoever it was can see me, but enough to where I can see outside. Once I was able to breathe a breath of relief, a small purple dragon starts to make his way into my view, looking at a long piece of paper.
"Ugh, this list literally makes no sense!" he tosses the list which lands near the closet. It sudden action makes me jump, which made me hit a broom almost causing it to fall. I was able to snatch the broom before it made any noise, but what did make a noise was my foot that kicked the wall slightly trying to catch it.
Okaaaay, hopefully he didn't hear-shit...
I looked up to a sight that made my stomach drop...he was staring at the closet. He tilts his head to the side, as he starts walking towards the door. It feels like time is moving in slow motion with every step he took. The closer he got, the more and more my heart started racing. I closed my eyes, waiting for the door to swing open.
Welp, this is how I die.
"Spike! Can you help me out really quick?" A voice speaks, as a door closes. Looks like who ever I saw leave is back.
"Sure thing Twilight." He gave the door one last glance before running off. I release the breath I've been holding. I'm surprised I haven't lost consciousness with how hard I was holding it.
Ok, now I have to figure out a way to get out without being seen....oh boy.
This was not going to be easy.
I feel like I'm basically living in this closet now with how long I've been here. I feel my feet start to go numb, and my eyes slowly start to close. "Wait a minute...what time is it?" I crack the door some more to search for a clock. I see one hanging above the front door...3pm. I've been standing here for 2 hours.
Yep, I've over stayed my welcome.
I look around the room one last time. "Alright no one's in sight, time to go." Without a second thought, I swiftly make my way out the front door and close it behind me. Don't want to be anymore suspicious then I already am. I scale the tree house, to where no one can see me. I look around to make sure I wasn't spotted.
"Now all I have to do is get bac-" I turn to see a purple unicorn a foot in front of me, staring at me with her jaw on the ground. I instantly begin...to panic. "Uhhhh....Hi there."
What are you doing goofy??? RUN!!!
Before she could answer, I instantly take off running. "Wait!" I hear her call out behind me, but all I was thinking about was getting out of here, and not getting my ass kicked or even worse possibly killed. Suddenly a flash of light appeared to my right. I looked over to her running beside me.
What the hell? She teleported??
Why was that the first thought that came to mind. I've seen Celestia and Cadence teleport plenty of times, why did this surprise me now. Probably because I didn't expect her to teleport next to me. Tossing my original plan out the window completely (as if I hadn't done so already), I channel my inner track star and I put as much distance between me and the unicorn as possible.
I don't seem to see her anymore, so I take the opportunity to catch my breath. I stop with my hands on my knees, my lungs burning feeling like I just ran a marathon. My thoughts were jumbled so much from running, that I wasn't able to think of where I was going to go. With one final breath, I straighten up to regain my train of thought. I take a few more breaths before I look around at where I was at. And I realized....I just ran to the middle of town, and everyone is staring at me.
Wow...this couldn't have gone any worse than it already is.
"EVERYPONY RUUUUNNNN!!" They all run in different directions. If I were to make a run for it now, it would've been hard to do so. But an opening had just came into view. The forest. I remember the trail I always walked on whenever I snuck out of the castle. I make a hard move for the forest, which didn't help my case as a monster to everyone. As I get closer I start to slow down. I can finally start to relax.
"NOW GIRLS!!" Instantly I felt a rope wrap across my ankles taking me down. A gust of wind made the dust starts to blind my vision. But before I knew it, I was tied up. And then before I can even get a thought in, I was floating up in the air.
"Caught you, you ruffian" Everything happened in what felt like one second, that I couldn't even see what had happened. I was lowered to the ground, dizzy from what ever just happened. I shake my head and look up at my attacker. Standing in front of me were six ponies. A white unicorn with a purple mane, A cyan pegasus with a multi colored mane, a pink earth pony bouncing with a smile, a yellow pegasus, an orange earth pony with a cowboy hat, and finally the same purple unicorn I ran into on my escape.
I really just got jumped. Hilarious.
"Now then, you're going to tell us who you are, and what you're doing here." The cyan pony screamed getting inches in front of my face. I don't speak.
"Intimidating it won't do ya any good Rainbow." The orange pony said pulling her friend down from the air. I'm still genuinely confused on what happened. I tune out what ever they're saying to think of a way out. I didn't want to talk, I just wanted to get back. The purple unicorn, I assume to be Twilight, walks up to me with a stern look on her face.
"Who are you? And why are you here?" I don't say a word. She continues to talk, but I don't pay any attention. But one thought does come to mind.
Twilight...Now I know why she looked familiar. She was the little filly I saw when I met Celestia and Cadence.
My arms were getting really uncomfortable from being tied behind my back, so I adjust my arms slightly, and notice...the knot is loose. Guess that's one thing ponies can't do with hoofs. I shimmy my arms free from the ropes hold, and quickly spring to my feet and duck into the forest. I hear them running after me, but I feel like I have pretty good distance. After running for another few minutes, I see the path I take from the castle. I pause to see if they were anywhere close behind me. I don't see them, but I can still hear them running in the distance. I take a smooth right and hustle my way back.
I slip through the window to the cell, and stop just to take a breather. If I didn't already I definitely just ran a marathon. I slide down the wall, and I start to think. What am I going to say to Celestia? Why am I worried about this so much?
I stop overthinking and regain most of my confidence. "Well the situation is already bad enough, I just have to face the music." I stand to my feet, and start quickly making my way to the throne room.
I open the door, to see Celestia sitting there as usual, going through paper work. She sees me and a bright smile goes across her face. "Ah, Adrian. Is there something you need?" I take a deep breath and approach her.
"Princess can I talk to you...alone?" She's confused, but she waves off her worker to leave the room.
"What is it Adrian?" I take another deep breath before explaining the situation. She listens, nodding her head.
"So now I'm in some big trouble Celi." She gets up and walk towards me. My mind flinches at what she might say, but I hold strong.
"Well, not how I would've made an appearance," Is she....laughing about this? "But it won't be long before they get here," She's...not mad. I'm surprised, but also confused. She walks back to her throne and sits, motioning me to her. "Stand behind the throne, I have an old friend I want you to meet." She gives me a reassuring smile, as I walk behind the giant chair. Overall, I feel really shocked that she is so calm about this. Yea, this wasn't the first time, I was spotted outside the castle; and every single time she would scold me about leaving.
"Why-"
"It's okay, to not have a plan Adrian." She says with a wink. What I told her out on the balcony is coming right back to me.
"Cheeky mare." I think to myself as I move behind the seat.
I hear a bang at the throne doors, followed by multiple hoof steps. I shot up straight almost feeling my heart jump out of my throat. The fast moving steps finally stop and I hold my breath.
"PRINCESS!!! There's a situation we need your help with!" A voice yells. "There's this....creature that was spotted in Ponyville, we thought we had him captured, but he escaped, and now we don't know where it is..."
"Well....that certainly is an alarming situation." Celestia stands from her throne and walks towards the girls.
"How can you be so CALM about this?!?!? He could be a threat to everypony!" Twilight yells wide eyed at her teachers calm demeanor.
"Because there's someone I'd like you to meet." She walks forward slightly leaving the others dumbfounded and confused. "You can come out now." she yelled, cueing me to come out from hiding.
I take a quick deep breath. This is the first time in my life I've been this nervous about anything. I slowly take a few steps out behind the throne. The others gasp. I try to avert my gaze, but it's immediately met by Celestia, giving me her warm and bright smile I'm used to seeing. Her smile helps me regain some of my nerves. She motions me to come forward, and without any hesitation I started walking.
I stop just a few feet in front of Celestia. I try to give a smile, but what shows up is a very nervous smile. "Twilight, you remember Adrian, right?" I wave looking around at everyone. Their shocked looks make my smile vanish, and in its place is returned with anxiety. "Hey, Twilight" I say with a noticeable shake in my voice. They were still staring in shock dead into my soul.
"A-Adrian?" Twilight finally says breaking the deafening silence in the room. She slowly walks towards me as I give her a smile, thankful that she remembers some part of me.
"That's me," I say kneeling down to look at her, "It's good to see you again." Tears start forming in Twilight's eyes. Finally she rushes towards me with an embrace. I don't really know why she hugged me, we haven't had many interactions after we first met; but I returned her hug, thankful that she at least didn't try to kill me earlier. I stand up and glance at Celestia, who notices the obvious confusion among the rest of the group.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable to discuss this." Celestia said opening the doors leading us out. I know they all had a lot of questions, and from the way things are looking now...this is going to be a very long day.