//------------------------------// // Chapter: 11 Pax // Story: Black as Sin // by BearstarSeraph //------------------------------// Chapter 11: Pax “HE DID WHAT?!” the girls shouted. Twilight turned pale, but had the presence of mind to teleport a trash basket in front of her. Which was quickly filled. Bulla was shaking like a maraca, “Is that a really bad ouchie?” The group was in a debriefing room in the critical care wing of the army hospital, still well within the guard section of the palace. The army doctor, a gray unicorn in green scrubs with a white shield emblazoned with a red cross, nodded, “Normally very much so. But Princess Cadence was there. Love is the most powerful of healing magics. Her immediate care has given him a much better chance of normality.” Twilight took her head out of the basket. “He broke his own horn off?!” she said groggily, “Why would he break his own horn?! That doesn’t make any sense?!” “Twilight,” Fluttershy scolded, putting her wing over Bulla’s back. She pulled her in close. “Why don’t we take the youngin’ out for some treats,” Applejack said, “Notin’ we can do here but get in the way.” “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. She tapped Fluttershy’s wing so Bulla could feel it through the feathers. “Come on kid, let’s go grab some grub.” Fluttershy looked under her wing and smiled softly, “Let’s let your daddy rest. We can go have another tea party like you did this morning. Would you like that?” Bulla nodded, sniffling. “Ok then,” she said sweetly, “Let’s get going.” “Oh! Oh! I know exactly where we can go!” Pinkie Pie said, running out the door. The four exited, with Bulla remaining tucked under Fluttershy’s wing. After the door closed, the doctor hung his head and let out a held breath. “Oh no…” Twilight took her head back out of the basket, “Why did you sigh like that? Why did you make that sound?” The doctor went to speak when the door opened. “Princess Luna,” the doctor bowed. “How’s Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. “Was the princess injured?” the doctor looked between Twilight and Luna wide-eyed. “No,” Luna said curtly, “All is well.” “What is Prince Vegeta’s condition?” she said in her normal voice, “Also, is Princess Cadence still with Prince Vegeta? If not, can you tell me her location Doctor… umm?” “Captain Spearchucker, your Majesty,” he bows, “Neurosurgeon. Come with me.” The trio exited through a second door into another hallway. They walked through the unadorned hallway and entered the fifth door on the right. Luna and Twilight both put their right hooves to their mouths. Vegeta was on a ventilator. The dark alicorn was once again on his left side, the tube from surgery still down his throat. Cadence is next to the bed near the ventilator, the tip of her horn almost touching his. Her blue glow was mostly focused on the head. Other than that, Vegeta was wrapped like a mummy like before. But as they trot closer to the bed they see it was actually a cast. His eyes are also blindfolded. “The ventilator is just a precaution,” Captain Spearchucker said walking next to Cadence, “Other than rebreaking his previous ribs, he has added three more to the equation. He also had pneumothorax on the right side…” Luna glanced at Twilight. “Collapsed lung,” she whispered. “… Normally that would be his most serious injury. But then there is the broken horn. I believe the manacle gave him the leverage to break the horn at such a low point. He exposed the pulp but the merlin nerve did not sever at that point. But broke along the tertiary branching higher in the matrix, meaning the nerves have the capacity to heal and reconnect, but any permanent damage cannot be judged until physical therapy. Which considering his element, I doubt will be ordered anytime soon.” Luna lowered her head, pointing her horn at Vegeta. “How long until his sedation wears off?” Twilight asked. “You have him in a coma? Or is that from the injury?” Luna said, lifting her head. “Originally from the injury, but we’ve been able to gain control of his neural pathways. It will still be a few hours to avoid brain swelling. Even with the princess’s magic, procedure is procedure.” “Are you going to be alright, Cadence?” Twilight asked, concerned. “I’ll be fine,” Cadence smiled, “This isn’t an entire empire.” “If you want more detail on his other injuries, you will need to talk with Captain Hawkeye,” Captain Spearchucker says, “Anything outside the brain and I’m dead.” Luna looked at all the monitors and wires, “How safe is it for you to leave his side, Captain? We need to talk to Princess Cadence alone.” Captain Spearchucker also turned to the monitors. “We have been checking on him every ten minutes. The nurses every five. But he has proven completely stable,” he turned to the clock, “I will tell the nurses to delay their next round. That will give you eight minutes before we must check him again.” After going over Vegeta one more time, the doctor left the room. “So how is Princess Celestia?” Cadence asked. “A nervous wreck,” Luna said, visibly worried, “We’ve never seen her like this before. She’s just hiding under her blanket sobbing into her pillow. It’s been hours and we hasth not gotten a word from her.” She hung her head, “We hasth seen her cry before, but she hasth never not gazed upon us nor kept secret the reasons for her tears.” She looks back up at Cadence, “What happened down there?” Twilight saw Vegeta’s ear flick forward towards Cadence, but writes it off as random. Cadence sighed, “Well… Princess Celestia… When we first arrived at his cell… I never saw her panic like that before. Vegeta had overcome all the anti-magic devices and armor of the guards. She was just pacing back and forth mumbling. Then she spun around… It was like she was glaring down Queen Crystalis… She ordered to always expect the worse and act accordingly.” Luna gasped, “She sanctioned the death of the prince?” Twilight saw Vegeta’s whole body twitch. She glanced at the monitors, but wrote it off as an unusual coincidence. “It’s not like he’s Pinkie Pie,” she thought, watching the unmoved lines. “That does not explain our dear sister’s behavior,” Luna said after a long pause. She looked at Vegeta, “And we both hasth seen many broken horns, and the cause of many. Why…” “Prince Vegeta snapped his own horn off,” Cadence cut Luna off. Luna grimaced, “He did what?! “Cadence, what happened?” Twilight asked, her voice quivering. “Well…” Cadence and Celestia came to another dead end. Celestia sighed frustrated, “Augh! We have searched these halls long enough to do it twice over. Where could he be?” “Hello, Sunshine,” came a sarcastic voice. Celestia spun around, “You!” She lit up her horn. “Princess Celestia, wai…” Cadence said. But Celestia fired her golden beam. The cloaked pony dodged, but the magic became caught in the crystal tiles and ricocheted about the hall until Celestia and Cadence needed to duck as it impacted the stone wall behind them. The cloaked figure stood from crouching on the floor. “So… that’s what these crystals are for.” “Prince Veget…” “Quiet Princess Cadence,” Celestia ordered. She lit up her horn again, “Do you really think luring us into a dead end corridor will give you an advantage?” Celestia’s horn brightened further, “I can guarantee you have underestimated your opponent.” The cloaked pony backed up. “Now hold it right there, Princess… I’m…” “And you have overestimated your own position. Your one weakness is as clear as day.” Prince Vegeta lowered his head and took a charging position. “What have you done to my daughter?! I told you before, I will not tolerate any harm to her!” “His daughter?” Cadence thought, “Is this what it’s…” Celestia’s horn prepared to fire. “Celestia! Wait!” Cadence shouted. Celestia let loose a blinding flash. Cadence barely had time to cover her eyes. When she uncovered them, Vegeta was a heap on the floor with Celestia standing over him with a self-satisfied look on her face. “What did you do?!” “Anti-enchantment spell,” she said, “With his injuries, the only reason he was not immobile was the anti-pain spells in his wrappings.” She turned around and walked back to Cadence, “Go find the guards. It will take a lot of work to re-enchant these cells and I…” “Hold it right there, Sunshine.” Celestia turned around and saw Vegeta coming to his hooves. A black mist began to form around him. “I said— Where is my AHHHHH!” Vegeta whinnied in pain as black magic erupted from his horn and began to encircle him. Soon he was not visible and the ball began to lift in the air. Celestia’s eyes widened in fear and she began to scramble backwards. “No. No no no no no.” She slammed her rear into the wall. After several panicked breaths she steeled herself and lit up her horn. Suddenly the screams stopped and the magic evaporated. Vegeta’s body slammed into the floor so hard it bounced twice. The horncuff rolled towards them on the floor. Then something partially came out of it on the last few rolls. Cadence looked up at Vegeta. Blood was pouring from his forehead, and a blood-soaked gray rope laid limp across his face and on the floor. Cadence trembled, “Did he just…?” “Then Princess Celestia screamed and ran off,” Cadence finished. Twilight spun in circles, “Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.” “What is it, Princess Twilight? Do you know what troubles our sister so? We see nothing that…” Twilight stopped spinning, “You don’t know?! Wait, of course you wouldn’t know. You were inside.” “In…Inside what?” Luna asked, confused. “When I drank Zecora’s potion and saw the Tree of Harmony, I also saw you transform into Nightmare Moon! You lost control of your magic and the darkness swirled around you and lifted you into the air!” Luna gasped and took several panicked steps back. Twilight looked back at Vegeta in time to see both his ear pin back. “Wait a minute…” She trotted over next to Vegeta and studied him. “What is it?” Cadence asked. “You’re completely awake, aren’t you?!” Vegeta’s body shuttered. Then, in what almost looked like defeat, his ears drooped and his head shifted slightly. Luna walked over to the monitors. “This is part of your dream magic isn’t it?” she turned to him, “You can be awake while not triggering the monitors?” Vegeta flopped his ear once. “Was that meant as a yes? If so, flap thy ear three times,” Luna ordered. Vegeta did. Cadence gasped, “You weren’t awake during your surgery, were you?” Vegeta flicked his ear twice. “I’ll take that as a no,” Cadence said. “Do either of you know where his daughter is?” “Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack just took her to eat trying to take her mind off what Captain Spearchucker told us,” Twilight said. Vegeta released an unnoticed tension and his head sunk deeper into the pillow. His heart line also twitched before returning to normal. “We assume you heard what the captain said of your condition?” Luna asked. Vegeta flipped his ear once. “Then we ask of you to return to thy slumber,” Luna said, “It will be a few hours before you should be awakened and there is no sense for you to be awake while bounded so.” Vegeta’s face muscles twitched into what they guessed looked like a grumpy expression without the ability to see half his face. He flapped his ear once before relaxing. Luna looked at Twilight, “We will return to our sister’s side. With this new information, we should be able to comfort her better.” She left the room. “You want some company Cadence?” Twilight asked. Cadence chuckled, “No. I’ll be fine. Go help the others with the little filly.” Twilight nodded, “All right. I’ll see you in a few hours.” She walked out. Cadence took a deep breath, then refocused her magic on his head. ~~***~~ Luna returned to Celestia’s room. “I’m back, Tia,” she said walking into her bedroom. Celestia was sobbing quietly on the bed. “We just came from questioning Cadence,” she said walking over, “We know about the black vortex.” Celestia glanced at Luna before returning her blank stare to the opposite wall. “The doctors say the prince will be just fine, even the one who is responsible for his horn.” Celestia responded by putting her face in the wet pillow. Luna grabbed the pillow from Celestia. She barely protested. Luna gave her a new dry one and she buried her face in it. Luna walked around the other side of the bed and pulled the blanket off Celestia. She then climbed in bed, placed her wing over her sister, and pulled the covers over them. “All is well Tia. All is well.” ~~***~~ “Hi there, Donut Joe!” Pinkie said, bounding into the shop. The lunch rush had fizzled out, only leaving two unicorn families in the booths. One was a mother with a tiny child in a booster seat, her nursing blanket worn like a cape across her back and a gardener’s sun hat covering her head. The other was grandparents with two school-age foals. “Pinkamina Diane Pie,” he smiled walking out from around the counter, “Haven’t seen you since the contest.” The others walked in. “And I see the rest of the gang is here too.” Then he saw Bulla shuffle in with a wet face looking at the ground. “Eh oh,” he lowered his head down to Bulla’s level, “Hi there, what’s your name?” “This is Bulla,” Fluttershy patted her with her wing, “Her daddy is in the hospital and she needs some cheering up.” “Yep,” Pinkie Pie jumped, “And since we can’t take her to Sugarcube Corner, we brought her here!” “Well, I might not be as good as a Pinkie party,” he stood straight. Then he smiled, “But I’ll do my best.” He turned around, “Come on girls, everything is on the house.” “Yippee!” Pinkie cartwheeled over to the counter. Donut Joe put his face into Pinkie Pie’s, “Only the first 20 bits for you.” “Awe…” she sulked. He walked behind the counter and pulled out four menus from one stack and a fifth from another. “Here you go ladies,” he handed the girls their menus, “four adult menus,” he gave one to Bulla, “And a kid’s menu for the guest of honor.” He smiled wide. Bulla looked up at him, then back at the menu. “Ya need help with that, Bulla?” Applejack asked. “No I got it,” Bulla said as she struggled to open it. Bulla quickly noticed it was different from the others. It was brightly colored with large pictures and words, while the adults’ had no pictures at all and normal size print. Everyone’s smiles rose and faded in tandem with Bulla’s gasps and perked-up ears before returning to her depressed look as she looked over every menu item. “See anything you like?” Donut Joe asked. “Ummm…” Bulma thought. “This one,” she pointed at a picture of some donut holes covered in icing with one cut in half showing its yellow cake center. “Right,” Donut Joe nodded and walked off, “Six donut holes coming up.” The bell rang behind them signaling new customers entering the shop. “That you Rainbow Dash?” “It’s the Wonderbolts!” one of the foals shouted. The two children raced from their table with their grandparents yelling at them. While the grandparents apologized for their overly enthusiastic children, Spitfire walked over to the group. “I thought that was you. Kinda hard to mistake that hair.” “I didn’t know you ate here?” Rainbow Dash said. “Soarin stumbled on this place last week after taking the wrong trolley. This is the first time the rest of us have been here.” Then she saw Bulla glance back at her with bloodshot eyes. She turned to her, “Hey there kid. What’s your name?” “Bulla…” she said softly. “Well hi there Bulla, I’m Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.” Bulla smiled. “I know…” she said with no energy in her voice. “Can I ask what’s eaten ya, kid?” Bulla hung her head, “Daddy broke his horn. The doctor said it’s a bad ouchie.” Spitfire’s eyes widened and her ears pinned back. Her jaw dropped. The restaurant went silent at a loud bang. “Sorry,” Donut Joe said, bending down behind the counter to pick up the tray he dropped. “Oh wow kid,” Spitfire finally recovered, “Hey, how would you like to watch today’s track race from the pit with the team?” Bulla’s face lit up much to Spitfire’s pleasure. She smiled. “Sorry Spitfire,” Rainbow Dash said, “Maybe another day.” “Awe….” Bulla whined. Spitfire glared at Rainbow Dash. “Yeah, come on Rainbow Dash. What’s up?” Rainbow Dash spun around on the bar stool, “Sorry but this little tike just had most of the palace guard looking for her for an hour after she sneaked out of her room. The second your back is turned, she’ll be off to find Rarity and Fancy Pants up in the stands.” Spitfire turned to Bulla, “You’re staying at the palace? Is your father one of the guards?” “Nope, this is Princess Bulla,” Pinkie said loudly, “She and her father have had a pretty rough couple days since they entered Equestria.” The restaurant went silent a second time. “Pinkie ya need to keep that big mouth shut,” Applejack snapped. Everyone in the restaurant bowed, minus the baby in the highchair. Rainbow Dash spun back to the counter, “Donut Joe, can we get our orders To Go? No one was supposed to know who she is.” She then glared at Pinkie Pie. “Umm, Rainbow Dash, we haven’t ordered yet,” Fluttershy said. Spitfire stood, “Want an escort? We may be Wonderbolts, but we are soldiers first.” “Judging by Soarin’s face, I think you may want to eat first,” Rainbow Dash pointed. Spitfire turned and saw Soarin with a puppy dog face and watering eyes. She looked at the floor in defeat. “Fine,” she said, turning back to Rainbow Dash. Then she turned to Bulla, “My offer for you to join us in the pit still stands. If your father is well by then, he is welcome as well.” “And here are her Majesty’s donut holes,” Donut Joe said handing over a bag, “Gave you a full baker’s dozen to snack on. And the next time you girls are in here, it’ll still be free.” Applejack tipped her hat, “Thank ya kindly.” Then she hopped down from her bar stool, “All right now. Let’s get back to the palace before the princesses have another conniption.” Everyone bowed as the group left the shop, then the families returned to their seats. The Wonderbolts lined up at the counter. “Awe mane…” Fleetfoot shook her head, “A foreign diplomat breaks his horn? That’s a crisis in the making.” “Here’s your menus, Ladies and Gents,” Donut Joe passed them out. “Yeah, that and the new dark mage attacking Ponyville,” Surprise said, opening her menu. “I think you’ve been around the nobles too much,” Spitfire scolded, “They will gossip about anything. All we know is that somepony insulted Princess Celestia. Let’s just hold off a bit. If it is even a quarter of what everypony is talking about, there will be an official report.” “You guys talking about that thing is Ponyville?” Donut Joe asked. “Yeah,” Surprise nodded, “What have you heard?” He leaned on the counter, “Well nobles tend not to show up here, but I’ve heard everything from a new alicorn to someone trying to kill Princess Luna.” “Yeah, that’s been flying around faster than Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom,” Spitfire said, “I don’t know what the princesses are thinking. Bull puckie like that needs to be shot down right away. It’s more than just a rumor, it’s a diplomatic nightmare.” Fleetfoot shrugged her shoulders, “Maybe that’s why they haven’t said anything. They are dealing with the other governments.” “Well, like I said, we should just wait instead of letting everyone’s overactive imagination start affecting us,” Spitfire said, laying the menu on the counter, “Well, I know what I want. You guys ready to order?” ~~***~~ “So how about we head to the park next?” Pinkie Pie asked bouncing down the street, “We could go on the swings, or the twisty slide. Oh! The merry-go-round!” “Actually Pinkie,” Applejack started, “We all should head back to the palace. Don’t think us leavin’ after she got loose the first time was the swiftest idea to begin with.” Suddenly they heard a scream from above. “Incomin’!” Applejack shouted, grabbing her hat. Pinkie grabbed a large balloon from, somewhere, and in one breath blew up an air mattress. Which Twilight Sparkle promptly crashed into. “You ok there, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked after she stopped skidding across the pavement after sliding off the mattress. “Look! It’s Princess Twilight!” someone shouted. A crowd quickly encircles them all shouting questions about yesterday. Twilight glanced around panicking. Then her horn lit up. The entire group vanished in a flash of purple light. They reappeared in Bulla’s room, now cleaned up by the staff. “What in the sweet sun possessed you to leave the palace!” Twilight got into Applejack’s face. “Well… It was Pinkie’s idea…” she stuttered. “And you all went along with it?!” “The staff wouldn’t let us in the kitchens,” Rainbow Dash said. “Yeah!” Pinkie Pie said, “So I ate part of Princess Celestia’s birthday cake last year. They are the ones who forgot to write her name on it! Not my fault.” Pinkie huffed, crossed her hooves and looked away. Everyone rolled their eyes. “Anyway,” Applejack continued, “Since we Pinkie promised the little tike some cupcakes, Pinkie thought of going to Donut Joe’s. We were all coming back from there when ya crashed in front of us.” Twilight sighed, “Well… at least we got her back before anything bad happened…” Twilight glanced at Bulla. She smiled at her drooping posture. “He’s sleeping now,” she said walking over, “but I talked to your father after you left. He’s going to be just fine.” Bulla looked up at her. Twilight nodded, “He won’t be up for a few days, but he’s conscious and communicating.” She walked over and put her front leg over her, “The first thing he asked was about you, you know.” Bulla looked at her surprised. ~~***~~ In the dreamscape, Celestia and Luna were gaping at the large city they found themselves in. “I know you said he had talent Lulu,” Celestia said as they trotted down the street, “But this is ridiculous.” “Yes, his mental discipline is impressive,” she answered, glancing about with her horn alight, “But most of these structures are hollow or shallow in depth. He hasth not entered into them.” She lowers her head and lights her horn, “We must find the most detailed dwelling. It will be his location.” Celestia followed Luna closely as she led them. “He should be down this street,” she said, taking a left. Down the street was a large dome in the distance with a large herald emblazoned on it. “What an odd castle,” Luna said. “This may be his wife’s mansion,” Celestia said, “Prince Vegeta has no property other than his name.” They trotted along the sidewalk. “All the structures on this side of the street are domes. This must be a large estate.” Luna suddenly stopped. “Sister look,” she pointed. Before them at an open gate is a flashing neon sign with a sun and moon with an arrow pointing inside. “We believe we are expected.” “Then let’s get this over with,” Celestia lowered her head as she trotted into the complex. After following several similar signs, they came to a wide partially-opened sectioned door, but it appeared to roll up into the ceiling. There was a long line of them. They also heard music coming from within (1985 by Bowling for Soup). Blue and gold magic lifted the door as it made a loud, rolling noise. Inside was a sea of brightly painted machines with restaurant booth seats within them. They walked up to a red one. “It appears to be some kind of carriage?” Celestia said. “We see no hitch though,” Luna answered, examining the front bumper. Suddenly they heard the music switch to a booming screech vaguely identifiable as music (Dracula by Rob Zombie). They turned and saw an open door on the far wall. They peeked into the room and found a two-wheeled contraption of shiny metal and what they feared was leather. There was a blanket on the floor covered in tools and strange objects covered in a black mud. Suddenly the music clicked off. They turned and Celestia saw a creature in the same shape as the silhouette. Luna needed no introductions. “I was wondering when you were going to show up,” Vegeta said wiping the grease off his hands with a towel, “I was running out of songs.” “Wha… What is this place?” Luna asked. “The Brief’s private garage. This baby however is mine.” He walked over, “My Harley-Davison motorcycle, aka an iron horse. Horse, Ponies. Ponies, Horse,” he sarcastically introduced them. Celestia approached the motorcycle sniffing. “I’d be careful,” Vegeta warned, “If you’re not used to the smell, it can knock you on your ass.” “How doesth these creations function if thy world has so little magic?” Suddenly Celestia stood straight and scrambled backwards. “I told you…” “Griffin Fire,” Celestia’s voice shook, “These monsters use Griffin Fire.” Vegeta saw Luna’s pupils go pin point. “Must be a pony pun…” he thought, “Isn’t Greek fire is an old name for oil…?” “It is called petroleum on Earth,” he said, “Or simply oil. Most machines run on it or artificial lightning called electricity.” “We knowth what electricity is,” Luna said, “We art not primitives. But how is Griffin fire of use other than a great poison and weapon?” “That is knowledge neither Equestia nor Equis can afford to possess,” Celestia continued to shake. Vegeta watched her. Then he snapped his fingers. Celestia became disoriented by the room spinning into a blur of color. Luna however knew what was next. The room came to a stop, and they were in a completely different room. This one clearly a sitting room with plush furniture, but of biped design. Vegeta waved his hand and the large piece that could fit five of him side by side widened and flattened. Celestia and Luna now walked onto the large bench and sat down. “We thank you,” Luna said. Celestia nodded her head. Vegeta’s oily clothes flashed white. Luna’s eyes widened. Instead of the civilian clothes he greeted her with before, he was clearly in military uniform. White boots and gloves, blue pants and shirt with a white breast plate. “Why does he wear armor when he’s gone so far to seem helpless?” she thought. She looked at Celestia quivering, “Does he mean to intimidate her?” Vegeta sat down in a chair across from them. Although he did not alter it, the way he sat with his back straight and arms on the sides gave the illusion of a throne of power. “Well? Do you have something to say to me, Sunshine?” Celestia whimpered before she started to bawl. “I’m sorrr~y e-e” she said laying her head down and putting her hooves over her eyes. “I was so blinded by your element. This is not your doing, if anything you are victim of a terrible curse. You have done nothing but struggle for your life and I have done nothing but add to your suffering. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve never acted like this before.” “There’s a simple expl…” “Don’t thou dare…” “I’m not going to mention that, Princess Luna,” Vegeta raised his right arm and pointed into the air, “Trust me. Just this once.” Luna looked at him skeptically, but nodded. Vegeta lowered his arm. “I was told you both are war heroes and came to power after overthrowing a King Sombra and the same Discord you seem to have come to peace with.” Celestia’s head shot up, “Who told you that?!” “The doctors you sent.” “I ordered them not to talk to you!” “No, you ordered them not to ask any questions,” he said sternly, “Didn’t say anything about them answering mine.” Celestia lowered the tilt of her head, “What did you ask them?” “I asked for a brief history of your kind.” Celestia took an extended blink, “I see…” She looked suspiciously at him, “Past is Prelude, then?” Vegeta nodded, “But I only got the story of the defeat of the windigoes. They began a story about your overthrow of a King Sombra when they looked at me and pissed themselves before running off like bats out of hell. I assume it is his memory that colors everyone’s judgment?” Celestia closed her eyes and nodded. “Now then, you are well regarded by your subjects. A leader in peace and in war.” Celestia nodded again. Luna raised an eyebrow. “All your thousands of years, all the things you’ve done that’s made your skin crawl, you have always comforted yourself by saying you had no other choice. That you always make the right decisions,” Vegeta looked down his nose at her, “But now you have made the wrong choice, twice. And not something harmless like a tax audit. Someone almost died, twice, by your order. And now all those emotions you’ve been burying for all these centuries are surging to the surface and you’ve lost the only weapon you’ve had to smother them.” Celestia’s eyes widened as she lost all expression in her face. “Did she just get paler?” Vegeta thought. Then she tilted her head back and screamed. Vegeta watched her cry for some time. Then he saw Luna glare at him as she put her wing over her older sister. He closed his eyes briefly before he spoke. “You are not the only one who has made miscalculations in this encounter.” Celestia uncovered her eyes as the two looked at him surprised. Vegeta leaned forward putting his elbows on his legs and clasped his hands together. “I did not take your race seriously. I underestimated the power I now possess and overestimated any natural ability to control it.” He lowered his eyes, “Six years ago, my home was attacked by a dark wizard and his army. His soldiers were people who had fallen to a mind control spell, one that sacrificed free will for untold strength. If the children ever learn of it, I will say I do not remember what happened after I fell,” he looked back up at them, “But that is a lie.” He took a deep breath, “When I felt my new body’s magic rip through me in the dungeon, it was the exact same sensation of power coursing in my veins, the exact same overwhelming voices screaming the hatred and vengeance I had swallowed my whole life.” Vegeta straightened up and returned to his authoritative position, “When my horn is finished getting glued back on, I want that thing that blocked the magic put back on it. I refuse to become such a creature again.” “If you have faced this darkness before,” Celestia asked, “how did you overcome it?” “I killed myself in a fleeting moment of clarity.” Celestia swallowed. “I heard you were brought back from the dead. Yet you are not an abomination. Has death become so meaningless for your kind?” “Some view it that way. But I believe it’s better to go into battle believing you will not return than to sacrifice your life casually only to discover you cannot. The item used was never meant for that purpose. It only works on a very narrow set of circumstances and even then fails constantly.” Celestia sniffed, “I think it is best to not advertise that fact about yourself. Your kind seems to have a love of dangerous things.” Then… “Prince Vegeta, why did you leave your cell?” Vegeta lowered his eyes and smirked, “Finally getting to the gorilla in the room…” He looked back up, “In my world, children are often harmed to punish their parents…” Celestia’s and Luna’s jaws dropped. “… When I realized I was being treated like a King Sombra incarnate, I immediately feared for my daughter. And when the guards’ answers only heightened my suspicions, I went to rescue her.” “Thou thought we would harm a child?” “But what have we done that would disprove his biases, if such behavior is the norm in his experience,” Celestia said mournfully. Vegeta nodded. “On a related note, I had noticed my total ease at escaping, and yet from what I overheard in the briefing I was under guard by the best you had, in both men and materials?” “Yes thou were,” Luna said, overstepping her still emotional sister, “How did thou do it?” “By the powers my people take for granted in everyday life, just as you take for granted magic I surmise.” Vegeta leaned forward again, “Which means your race is completely helpless if we are attacked before my friends can arrive.” “Attacked?!” they both gasped. Vegeta nodded, “War and violence are a part of everyday life where I come from. The arms race has kept most regions in a stalemate, but from what I’ve seen, yours is not one of them. Magic may buy you some time, but you will be quickly overwhelmed.” “What is the chance of invasion?” Celestia ordered, “And from which direction? We must secure the borders.” Vegeta shook his head, “You still don’t get it do you. I am not from this planet. I do not know this system’s coordinates. I do not know who your neighbors are or their aggression level.” Celestia suddenly stood and loomed over Vegeta, “I am willing to believe many things about you, but this nonsense must end!” she stomped her hoof. “Then where am I from?” Vegeta raised his voice, “Where is all this from? This planet is no bigger than Earth judging by its gravity.” Celestia’s eye twitched. Luna stood and leaned into her, “Let’s ignore this dragon for now, and just believe the evidence that these two are visitors from another world. A planet, a parallel dimension, the science and its fiction that have developed during my exile supplies more than enough room to accommodate them without accepting we are a figment of imagination.” Vegeta saw Celestia try to relax. “She’s going to be a basket case to deal with until she levels out,” he thought, “Total control freak and perfectionist.” “I may have a solution.” Celestia and Luna looked up from nuzzling each other. Vegeta leaned forward again, “First tell me, are your life forces pure magic? Or say somehow your magic was taken from you, would you still be healthy?” “Why doesth this matter?” Luna asked. “Because my style of powers comes from manipulating your own life force, your own energy. But if your species’ life force is your magic, then I cannot teach you how to do it.” Celestia took an uncertain step forward, “You… You would teach Equestria your powers?” “Don’t get me wrong, in my current condition my daughter’s safety depends solely on your military. But I can guarantee your prowess in something as rare as magic will cause a lot of unwanted attention as it has done for the people of Earth and Namek,” Vegeta stood, “First contact planets always have a hell of a time adjusting, and although my ancestors technically did not count, we were fully taken advantage of in our ignorance.” He extended his hand, “I don’t expect full trust…” Celestia shook her head, “No, Prince Vegeta…” He lowered his arm. “… I’m not sure if you knew the full consequences of breaking your horn, but I see you were fully prepared for the death it could cause.” She raised her hoof, “A death to protect those that had tried to kill you, those that had shown you nothing but disrespect, suspicion and hatred.” Celestia tilted her head slightly and smiled, “You have my full trust. Pax?” Vegeta took her hoof, “Pax.”