//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Royal Pain // Story: Return of the Ancient Mage // by Zoshe //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle sat at the breakfast table holding her aching head. Whatever had happened at the "Welcome to Ponyville" party that Pinkie had thrown last night left her feeling sore and dehydrated this morning. That coupled with the "special reading" Whisper had subjected her to when she woke this morning left a burning sensation that rose through her cheeks just thinking about it. They cuddled. That's all they did. That's what she was going to keep telling herself and Tartarus be damned if she was going to believe anything else. "Oh lighten up Twilight," said Rainbow Dash as she swiped another pancake from the stack. "It's not all that bad." Twilight smacked her forehead against the table, causing the dishes to rattle. "You're not the one who doesn't remember last night." "Well I did offer to fill you in on what actually happened," Rainbow poked at her shoulder, making her jump. "No!" She shouted in frustration. "A thousand times. No!" "I hear shouting again," Spike said sternly as he came out of the kitchen wearing a chef's hat and apron and carrying another stack of pancakes. "That means you're not eating Twilight." Twilight's face turned beet red at the way she heard that, her wings involuntarily flaring up and earning a snicker from Rainbow. "He means pancakes, egghead," Rainbow chortled with tears in her eyes. "Now eat up girl! You were supposed to come flying today." "Am I gonna having to force feed you like I did that one time you got an A minus?" Spike looked concerned. "Hmnnn. I thought we agreed never to talk about that again," groaned Twilight as she finally levitated over some breakfast and begrudgingly began to eat. "Something smells good," came Random's voice as he walked in. Twilight stopped chewing for a moment as she looked up at the unicorn. She had forgotten for a moment that someone else was living there. "Good morning Random," she greeted after swallowing her mouthful of food. "Morning Twilight," said Random as he sat down at the table. "You don't mind if I join you for breakfast, do you?" "Go right ahead," Twilight said with a smile. "Spike makes the best pancakes." "Does he now," a green light sparked from his horn as he levitated some of the pancakes to a plate. "Crazy party last night. How much does anypony remember?" "I dunno Twilight," Rainbow said with a smirk while resting her head on her hooves. "How much do you remember?" "I don't wanna talk about it," Twilight said as she moodily stuffed a whole pancake in her mouth and chewed loudly. "Whisper got you too, huh?" Random asked casually as he cut into his meal. "I'm not gonna ask. If it's anything like she pulled on me this morning, then it probably isn't good breakfast talk." "Oh?" Said Rainbow, changing her focus to the stallion. "Who did you wake up next to?" Random paused for a moment before locating and pouring himself a glass of water. He took a slow, deliberate drink before calmly saying, "not telling." "It was Cloud Kicker," said the prismatic pegasus enthusiastically. "I bet you anything it was Cloud Kicker. It wouldn't be the first time she's jumped on the new guy." "So Twilight," said Random, ignoring the curious equine. "Plans for today?" "Well," thought Twilight, glad they were finally changing the conversation. "Rainbow is suppose to help me with flying lessons today, I haven't quite gotten used to these things yet." She gave her larger than normal wings a few experimental flaps, but her wings only moved awkwardly and out of sync of each other. "After that I was hoping to explore more of what's downstairs if you don't mind." "Go right ahead. Besides," he said. "It's really up to Whisper where anypony can go in here." "What do you mean by that?" Twilight asked, but before she could get an answer, they heard a knock at the door. Twilight turned her attention to the sound, "Who could that be at this hour?" She got up from the table with a yawn and made her way over to the door. When she opened the door, a red carpet and blaring fanfare came rolling through the open door, and standing in the doorway was likely the most well dressed and well groomed stallion in all of Equestria. His pure white coat and perfectly styled blonde mane blowing in the nonexistent wind while his smile showed off his perfect teeth. Prince Blueblood stood there proudly, his haughty expression and regal demeanor practically screamed his self-importance to the world around him. Twilight looked nervously at the tall unicorn stallion that had just appeared. "Prince Blueblood..." She said with a fallen lilt to her voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "At last I have found you, Princess Twilight Sparkle," he spoke the words like it was a well rehearsed speech. "I was so distraught when you vanished from the palace. I thought to myself, what could possibly make such a refined and regal lady scorn the elegance and dignity of the castle of Canterlot. Now I see you are driven by your love of literature." He waved to the surrounding shelves before offering a hoof to Twilight, "return with me, princess and I shall see to it that you have a library so grand that it puts this hovel to shame." Random and Rainbow were watching this exchange from around the corner. "I feel like I'm watching the world's worst marriage proposal." Random mentioned to Rainbow. Rainbow made an annoyed groan, "I can't believe that loser followed her to Ponyville. We thought he'd have given up by now. Also, what's a hovel?" Random fought down a snort, "he basically called her home trash. Did he seriously think that speech would work? This is like really bad theater." "Hey you!" Rainbow shouted angrily as she marched up to the prince. "What's it gonna take for you to take a hint that she's not interested?" "Rainbow Dash," Twilight turned and shook her head at her friend. "I don't think you need to..." "I see that one of your maidservants is on hoof," Blueblood shooed Rainbow away. "Very good. Once she has packed your bags, we can be on our way." "Weren't you listening, bub?!" Rainbow Dash got up in his face looking like she was one step away from throwing hooves. "I say, Princess," Blueblood made a look of disgust at Rainbow. "Why do you tolerate such insolence from your staff?" Twilight snarled at the arrogant prince, "Rainbow Dash is my friend. You apologize to her right now." "I will do no such thing, surely you can find better friends than her," Prince Blueblood said as he continued to stick his hoof in his mouth. "Friends who are influential and friends who are powerful, and who , exactly, are you?" "I'm Rainbow Dash!" She shouted at him while proudly puffing out her chest. "The fastest, coolest, and most loyal pegasus around, and one of Twilight's closest friends." "Hmmm..." He mused aloud. "So you're nopony important." "I can't keep watching this," Random sounded annoyed as marched right up to the intruder. "Prince Blueblood was it? First off, how are you a prince? You know what, nevermind, scratch that. I don't really care. I think you need to leave." "What makes you think that you can speak to me in that fashion?!" Blueblood turned a haughty glare on the newcomer as he looked down at him. "What makes you think a stallion like you has any chance with one like her?" "First off," Random said as his irritation grew. "I'm not interested in courting her. Secondly, how have you not figured out by now that not only is she not interested in you, but that insulting her friends is going to do anything other than just make her mad? You're not exactly the brightest pony around, are you?" "Kick his flank!" Cheered a tiny voice from somewhere in the room. "You're not helping!" He called out behind him. "You would not dare lay a hoof on me, anyway," said Blueblood examined his own immaculate hoof. "I have enough power and influence that I could bury you if you tried." "Call his bluff!" Came the small voice again. "Why do you want to see me beat up a foal so badly?!" Random shouted again to the hiding Whisper. "Did you just call me a foal?!" Blueblood marched up to Random until he was standing a head over the grey stallion. "Yes, I did." Random narrowed his eyes and lit his horn. A green glow appeared around Blueblood as he was lifted into the air. "What are you doing?!" Shouted the prince as he tried to use his own magic, it fizzled out faster than he could light it up. "Release me you ruffian." "I think some time out is in order," said Random as the magic surrounding Blueblood disappeared into a puff of smoke. The fate of the prince unknown as they heard something hit the ground. Twilight and Rainbow stared in shock as they saw the aftermath of what just happened. "What... What did you just do?" Twilight asked nervously. "Relax," said Random as he retrieved something from within the cloud. "It'll wear off, and hopefully give him some time to reflect on his own actions." Floating in Random's magic was Prince Blueblood, except he was now much smaller than before and quite a bit younger. "What did you just do to me?!" He shouted down at him in a much higher voice than before. Twilight stared dumbstruck as she processed what just happened. "An age spell?" She finally realized. "Hmmm?" Random looked over to Twilight like he wasn't expecting a question. "Yeah, it is. Why? It's not that hard." "But age spells can only be performed by the highest level unicorns." Twilight looked at Random with a measure of apprehension. He just performed an incredibly difficult spell and acted like it was nothing? "Maybe now the rest of us can get on with our day," he said as he walked out of the library and up to a carriage accompanied by two armored pegasus. "Is this yours?" He floated the young colt over to them. "My lord!?" They shouted out in unison as they saw what he was holding. "What happened to you?!" "What do you think happened?!" The colt turned a teary glare on his oppressor. "Wait until my auntie Celestia hears about this!" "And you get to tell her exactly what led up to this," Random lectured as he lazily tossed the wayward prince into the carriage. "It'll wear off in a day or so. Then you can go back to being your miserable self. Hopefully you'll be a bit wiser than before." Young Blueblood just stood in complete shock. Nobody looked down on him like this and nobody dared to talk to him like this. Did this pony really not know who he was?! "What are you waiting for?!" He finally shouted to his guards. "Get me back to Canterlot!" With a whinny, the two stallions galloped into the air, flapping their wings madly as they pulled the carriage in the direction of Canterlot. Random looked back towards the door and saw the two girls standing there with their mouths agape. He might've have overdone it a bit. "I think I'm going for a walk," he decided aloud and before trotting off into the town. Twilight and Rainbow were left standing there, stunned and wondering what had just happened.