“Well, it was a good match, right, Shining?” Bowen looked to his friend with a smile.
“Yes…of course… or at least it would be if you hadn’t kicked that ball clear to the moon!” Shining Armor said in a jealously silly tone.
“Hey! I was trying to kick it with effort! And in the end, our team won!” Bowen said, while hugging Shining’s neck.
“Hehehehe, you’re right, buddy, but I guess it’s easy to win a hoofball match when a player in your team is a human that was almost towards the sportsmanship of anypony that’s over his age,” Shining praised him, while Bowen replied with a giggle.
“Thanks, but those defenders on the other team were really scary,” Bowen said, until Shining then laughed. “As long as you have me and other ponies that care for you, nothing bad will ever happen. That I promise you.” Bowen nodded, until they stopped when finally reached the castle’s entrance.
“Bye, Shining. Thanks for hanging out with me today, and can you tell your family that I said hi?” Bowen said.
“Sure thing, kiddo. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Shining replied, leaving for home.
Bowen then entered the castle. It was late afternoon and he was tired after all the day that he had, except he wasn’t really hungry because he already ate lunch with Shining Armor and other ponies in the park, but in a reserved private area. They played hide and seek, horseshoe throwing, went on the playground including the swings, and of course had their hoofball match at the high school stadium, so Bowen had spent half the day outside of the castle.
“I hope that Mommy won’t get angry for this,” Bowen said when he was already inside the castle, then he remembered that nightmare from earlier.
“I have tell her about the nightmare… maybe she might know something,” Bowen said, as he started to look for his mother. First, he went to the throne room, but it was empty.
Bowen knew his mother very well. At this time of the day, there could be only three places where she can be: the throne room, her bedroom and the meeting hall where she always was meeting with leaders of other countries in Equestria, important ponies or delegates in general.
“Let’s see… Oh! Maybe she’s in her bedroom reading her books!” Bowen then moved on to Celestia’s bedroom, but instead of her there, there were two royal guards standing near the bedroom’s doors.
“Excuse me! Do you know where my Mommy is?” Bowen asked being friendly.
“Her highness is in the meeting hall, Prince Bowen, but you shouldn’t interfere with her right now because she is in an important meeting and she gave orders of not to be disturbed until the meeting ends,” One of the guards replied in a serious and direct tone.
“Oh… well… ok thanks.” After hearing that, and understanding their orders from the princess, Bowen then walked to the meeting hall. He didn’t care about what the guard said, it was very important for him to tell her about his nightmare, so that she could try to do something that might make him feel better and fully calmed and relaxed.
Bowen finally reached the meeting hall’s door, but there were two guards in front of it holding spears and looking completely concentrated on their watching.
“Umm, excuse me, could you, if you don’t mind, let me enter the meeting room?” Bowen asked, smiling and in a soft shy tone.
“We’re sorry, young sir, but there is an important meeting inside and we are not allowed to let anypony to get in,” One of the guards said with confidence to the human kid, who was getting curious about all this “important meeting” thing.
“But I need to tell something to my Mommy! And it’s important too!” Bowen said while doing puppy dog eyes. The guard sighed and replied.
“You can wait here until your mother ends her meeting, but you can’t enter.”
“Well…. ok” Bowen sighed in defeat and stayed there with the two guards. He then looked up to the one that talked, until the kid smiled and then spoke.
“Can… Can I ask you something?” Bowen said to the guard.
“Well umm… yes, of course you can, sir,” the guard responded while feeling slightly confused.
“Why are nearly all the royal guards white with a blue mane and tail or brown with a white mane and tail? And there are mares in different colors? I just don’t understand how you show up in different colors,” Bowen asked.
“Well… I…umm….we….you know sir, the truth is that…” Before the guard could answer, the door opened revealing a few delegates from other cities in Equestria.
The mares wore dresses or fancy shirts and scarves, and had necklaces, neck chokers and earrings, and also many fancy hats. The stallions had sweaters, fancy shirts and vests, or just wore lawsuits with or without any hats on their heads.
Bowen was looking at them with fear as he stood behind a guard. One mare suddenly looked at Bowen with confusion as she then spoke, “What is that?”
“It appears to be a child,” a stallion said.
Then another figure appeared behind the others. This time, it was Celestia who looked to her son with a motherly smile.
“Oh! Hello, Bowen. I haven’t see you at all in the day,” she said.
“Hi, Mommy. I was looking for you to tell you… something” Bowen said with a shy tone to his mother.
“Well, I just had finished my meeting, so we can talk now, sweetie,” The delegates looked at Celestia with curious interest.
“This is….your son, princess?” another mare asked inquisitively. Celestia nodded silently and replied.
“Of course, his name is Bowen. Bowen Mockingjay. The Young Prince of Equestria.”
“But…. it’s not a pony,” said another stallion.
“He’s a human,” Celestia said, with a wise and soft tone.
“Interesting….” the first mare looked to Bowen and lowered her head until her nose was near of the kid’s face. Bowen looked at her nervously, until the other delegates were suddenly shocked at how cute he was.
“Little human, you…. are pretty adorable for somepony as young as you,” the mare giggled with a kind tone and rubbed Bowen’s golden ash blonde hair with a hoof. The human kid then nervously blushed, until Celestia levitated her child up and held him on her hoof as he then scooted himself against her chest and placed his hands on her neck.
“I’m sorry, everypony. But I assure you that once my son reaches his 10th birthday, I will be happy to explain everything, so for now, could you keep this a secret?” she said.
They all replied with many agreeable comments, and then took their leave.
“Guards, thank you for watching my son,” Celestia said.
“It was a pleasure, your majesty,” one guard replied, as the other nodded.
Bowen looked up to Celestia, who noticed something rare on her son’s face.
“You look sad, dear. Is something wrong?” Celestia put her hoof gently underneath Bowen’s chin.
“I… I wanted to tell you something..” Bowen looked directly to his mother’s beautiful magenta eyes.
“Don’t worry, Bowen. You can tell me any kind of problem you got. I’m your mother and it’s my responsibility to take care of you,” Celestia smiled and rubbed carelessly Bowen’s hair with her hoof.
“C-Can we go to your bedroom… a-a-an-and t-t-talk about it?” Bowen asked.
“Of course. Here, climb on,” Celestia replied, lowering herself down to let her son climb onto her back, and then she got back up and began her way to her bedroom.
Celestia and Bowen then walked through every hall inside the castle as she started down the corridors into her bedroom, until she looked back at her son looking concerned about him.
“Bowen, do you want to tell me what happened today, dear?” she asked.
“I… I don’t w-want to r-right now,” Bowen sobbed as he rubbed his arms.
“Bowen, it’s alright. I’m here now,” Celestia said, sitting with her son on her pillow. “You can always talk to me whenever something bad happens to you, dear.”
“Well, earlier today, while I was reading a book, I had a nightmare while I was napping,” Bowen said.
“Oh, sweetie…” Celestia said, while looking at the fear in her son’s eyes.
She then took a blanket for him and then wrapped it around his small form before placing her hooves back onto her child, “Now, calm down and tell me what happened in your nightmare.”
Bowen then calmed himself down and started explaining in a calmer tone, “In my nightmare, I saw a village attacked by human soldiers that almost looked like our guards, but one of them I saw looked like an emperor riding a pony. After he encountered me in the forest, he attacked me, but then I fell into a wormhole and then heard Nightmare Moon’s cackling and then got swallowed by… by a… a dragon.”
“I see…” Celestia said while rubbing his shoulder with her hoof. “So, what else happened today?”
“I played hoofball with Shining Armor today, but after we got back, I thought about asking you if you knew something about the person in my nightmare,” Bowen replied.
“Is that why you wanted to see me, sweetie?” Celestia asked. “Uh-huh,” Bowen answered, as Celestia kept rubbing his back and then lifted his head up to give him a tender kiss on the forehead.
“Well, I don’t have the answers for you, but I will find something,” Celestia said.
“But, mommy, I….”
“Bowen, I promise you everything is now in good hooves, so don’t worry about it,” Celestia said, as Bowen nodded feeling embarrassed, until she stroked his back. “Now, why don’t we have a nice dinner, and maybe give you a quick bath and have a nice cuddle before bed?” Bowen nodded in reply and went to the dining hall for dinner.
After a plate full of steamed vegetables and pasta for Bowen and a nice salad for Celestia, she then took Bowen back to her bedroom and entered the bathroom to give her son a quick bath.
She then opened the door and entered the bathroom and closed it behind her. Celestia then set him down by the bathtub and then comforted him with a warm hug against her chest until she used her magic and turned the water faucet on. She then reached a hoof into the tub to check the water temperature, making sure it was warm enough for the little child to bathe in, and then nodded to herself that it was just right. She then let the water run until it was at a safer height for Bowen to get washed up enough.
While holding her wing over the small child on her right hoof, she opened one of the cabinets, levitating a towel, a soft bristled brush, a bottle of liquid body soap, and a bottle of shampoo, and then placed the items on the sink so she wouldn’t lose sight of them. She then looked down at Bowen feeling nervous about his nightmare today as he laid his head against her chest and clinging to her neck, and she rubbed his back some more with her wing for comfort.
She leaned her head down to gently nuzzle at the top of his head, and then looked down at him, “Are you ready to get into the tub, sweetheart?” She then gave him a warm smile, until Bowen nodded in reply. He then unwrapped his arms from around her neck, feeling her lift her wing over him so he wouldn’t shiver, and then she closed her eyes so he can get unchanged. After he took is dirty and mud stained clothes off, he then spoke up, “Mommy, I’m ready.”
Celestia nodded and then carefully levitated her son into the bathtub and opened her eyes. “Is it how you like it, sweetie? Nice and warm?” Bowen nodded, “Yes, Mommy. It is very warm and it feels nice.” A small smile crept across his face.
“That’s good, dear. Now let’s get your mane washed first, shall we?” Celestia asked, until she let out a soft giggle as she magically levitated a small pitcher over to the tub, scooping some of the water into it. “Okay, Bowen, just close your eyes for a little bit,” she spoke with a motherly tone as Bowen nodded, closing his eyes. She gave a blushing smile, while very gently pouring the water over his hair so that she wouldn’t startle him.
He let out a cute little giggle as he felt the warm water wash over his hair, causing Celestia to giggle herself. She then applied some shampoo to the top of his scalp and very carefully placed her hooves on top his head. “Okay, sweetheart. Time for scrubbing bubbles.”
She smiled warmly as she carefully started to knead the shampoo into his hair, while he was feeling a few tangles against her hooves. The poor child looked like he was having a hard time. She then gently rubbed the sides of his scalp in a circular motion, making sure every bit of his hair was covered with the shampoo.
“Okay, Bowen, time to rinse.” She gently rubbed the side of his arm with a hoof.
Celestia levitated the pitcher into the tub to scoop some water again. She then placed her hoof tenderly on the child’s head, and as she slowly poured the water over his hair, she used her hoof to rub at his head to help rinse out the shampoo more efficiently. After completely rinsing Bowen’s hair, Celestia levitated a dry rag over to him so he can wipe his face.
She then scooped some more into the pitcher, slowly pouring it over his small form. Bowen let out a little giggle as the water washed over him, and Celestia smiled brightly as she levitated the sponge into the tub to get it wet. She applied some of the liquid soap to the sponge and started to carefully use the sponge to lather the soap over the small child.
He giggled softly as he was being scrubbed. Celestia smiled warmly at his timid calmness as he was being washed. After a few minutes of scrubbing him gently, Celestia filled the pitcher with water, pouring it carefully over the little boy, rinsing him off once again. After she got done rinsing all the soap off, she looked down at him “Are you ready to get dried off, sweetheart?”
He looked up at her with a light smile, nodding. “Yes, Mommy.”
Celestia then nodded, and while closing her eyes, she levitated him out of the tub carefully, placing him on the floor while dripping and soaking wet. She then levitated the towel over with her magic, gently wrapping it around him like a bundle. She reached up with a hoof to smoothen his hair out, giving him a warm smile. “Do you feel better now, Bowen, after getting a bath?” She then laid a wing over him.
Bowen looked up at her with a soft smile, nodding. “Yes, Mommy, it felt nice and comfortable. Thank you.” He then walked up to his mother, giving her a hug around her foreleg.
She hugged him close to her with her wing, leaning her head down, and nuzzled the top of his head. “You don’t need to thank me, dear. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and that it was comfortable enough for you.” She stroked his back with her wing, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead, and then she lifted him up with her hoof and held him against her chest while walking him to his bedroom, and then placed him on the floor in front of her and behind the door. “Now, go put on your pajamas, go get your blanket and your plushies, and meet me by the fireplace. It’s time for our social quality cuddles, and I’ll even leave a plate full of cookies just for you,” Celestia said.
“Yes, Mommy,” Bowen said, as he saw Celestia leave him to change into his pajamas.
It was nearly 10 after 9 in the evening as Celestia plopped herself onto the floor where her giant pillow sat and a warm fire was lit and burning in the fireplace.
Suddenly, Bowen, with his footsie pajamas and carrying his blanket, and both his cat plushie and teddy bear, came back into the bedroom where Celestia waited for him with a smile.
Bowen walked towards his mother and crouched himself, snugged close to her chest to get comfortable and ready for his evening cuddling. Celestia then wrapped her forehooves around him while he had his cookies, and felt Celestia rub his back with one of her hooves.
“Okay, hold still, sweetie,” she said as she opened her mouth, as she pulled his blanket and wrapped him into it, he still thought about everything that happened in his nightmare.
“Bowen, are you still upset about what happened in your nightmare?” Celestia asked while gently comforting her son with her forehooves and blanketing him with her giant wings.
“I can’t get it out of my head,” Bowen answered, “What if something bad happens to me and you might not be there to save me?”
This shocked Celestia in full surprise, “Were you really all alone in your nightmare?”
“Yes, I was,” Bowen answered, with tears going down his face. Celestia looked down at him saddened that something like that would ever happen. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him on his forehead while keeping him hugged and warm in her forehooves.
“Now, Bowen, you know you shouldn’t let anything that isn’t real but from inside your head get to you like that. Like how Blueblood treated you, because you may have been nothing to him, but you know what you are to me and your cousin Cadance, and your Auntie Luna?” she asked.
“What?” Bowen asked back.
“A sweet and handsome little prince,” she said with a smile. Bowen could now start feeling a warming trend start to develop in his heart. He knew that he had a mother that loved him, a cousin who cares for him, and an aunt he never got to meet yet, but hopefully if he’s grown up soon, so this warmed him up even though he was still feeling down and hurt over what’s been happening to him for the last couple of years.
“You’re right, Mommy,” he said.
“That’s good to hear. Now how about giving Mommy a smile?” she asked. Bowen refused. Luckily, Celestia had a solution for that because she wanted a smile, and she was going to get one from him whether he wanted to or not, so she gave a playful evil smirk, which in fact scared Bowen.
“M-M-Mommy, why a-are you looking at me like th-WHOAA!!!!” he screamed as he soon felt himself being pulled by Celestia’s aura. He now found himself locked and trapped in the grasp of his mother’s forehooves with his back snugged against her chest. He even tried to free himself, but Celestia’s grasp on him was already firmly in place and she was much stronger than he was, so there was absolutely no chance of him even thinking about trying to break free.
While Celestia still smirked down at him evilly, Bowen could soon feel her hooves starting rubbing up and down his sides and his tummy, he soon started snickering. He was very ticklish, and Celestia knew it.
Finally, Bowen could hold it in any longer, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MOOOOOMMY, ST-HAHAHAHAHAHA-OP IIIIITTT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, PLEA-HEHEHEHEHEHEHE-SEEEE ST-AHAHAHAHAHA-OOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Tickle, tickle, tickle, Bowen!” Celestia exclaimed, it went on like this for another two to three minutes until Celestia stopped, Bowen stopped to catch his breath.
“Finally,” he said, but Celestia gave yet another playful evil smile. “Oh, it’s just beginning,” she said placing a hoof on him.
“WHOA!” Bowen said, as he was now finding himself on his back with his arms curled up and his legs doing the same as well. Celestia had her forehooves wrapped around him once again, but only this time she wasn’t going to cuddle with him, but rather do something that was even more laughable for a child than ever while unbuttoned his pajamas, exposing his chest and little round belly.
“You can’t escape the wrath… of the TUMMY MONSTER!!” she said, as Bowen started giggling before Celestia took in a very, heavy, deep breath, then she lunged at his belly and blew a raspberry on it, making him laugh and scream again. One raspberry, and another and another, at least 10 to 15 times Celestia was blowing raspberries on his belly with him laughing the whole time. Finally, she stopped and let him catch his breath once again. After he had caught his breath, Bowen pounced onto her back and placed his arms on her head, he was now cheerful again.
“Don’t you worry, Mommy. I’m going to be the best prince you’ll ever see,” he said taking her crown of her head and placing it on his. Celestia looked behind her and smiled while raising an eyebrow. Because of the fact that her crown was too big for a small head of a human, or any type of colt or filly, it slipped down off his head and landed in front of his eyes. Celestia then chuckled.
“You’ve still got a ways to go, dear,” she said using her aura to take her crown off him and put it back on her head, as Bowen jumped off her back and snuggled next to her chest again. Celestia wrapped her hooves around him again and pulled him closer, before she walked him over to her bed, and then tucked him in while using her magic, “…but I know you’ll still become a great prince for Equestria one day when you turn 10.” Bowen smiled before frowning with doubt and guilt, until Celestia leaned her head down and kissed her son on the forehead, “I promise it’ll be alright. Now, get some sleep.”
Celestia then looked at him happily, closed her eyes, and started singing him a lullaby, while holding him.
(All rights go to Phil Collins and Walt Disney Records)
As soon as she finished, she opened her eyes and saw Bowen was sound asleep.
“Sweet dreams, my love,” she whispered, before falling asleep.