//------------------------------// // Chapter 49: Business Trip 1 // Story: Trash of the Royal Castle // by Netap //------------------------------// Princess Celestia was walking in circles around her darling Prince. "Do you have everything packed?" She asked, her eyes moving to the ancient bag of holding he found on the moon. "I already told you, Celestia, Everything is ready," Prince Blueblood said with a roll of his eyes, a flick of his magic tightening the bag to his back. "What about the Dogs? Do they have everything ready?" The Princess of the Sun asked, causing The Prince of House Platinum to stifle a groan. "They know we are coming, Celestia. I already told you I was in talks with one of the Princesses," Blueblood started explaining, "They know how important this deal is not just for us, but for them as well. They aren't some ruffians with no class," Blueblood straightened his legs and wiped his leg on his suit, "They're royals, who just like us, want to see their nations prosper." Celestia wanted to drag him into a big hug, so proud of how mature he was, how dashing he looked, how smart he is. "Don't forget to pack Starlight," Celestia said, ignoring her boy's silent spit-take, "She needs to be fed and watered every day," She smirked as Blueblood tried to hold back his laugh. "I'm not going to forget my Bodyguard, Auntie," Blueblood said with a small smile, "You'll break her if she stays here," "Mother," "...We are not doing this right now," Blueblood blankly responded to Celestia. "Mom," The Princess smirked down at the Shorter Pony. "We already talked about this-" "Mommy?" Celestia smiled mischievously at her Prince, and he sighed in defeat. "I'm not going to forget my Bodyguard, Mom," "Good Morning Sea and Good Morning Employment," An Aquamarine Pegasus said with a smile as he made his way to the docks of Buckton, on his way to a ship that will take him to the foreign land of Caninia. Next to him, he carried a bag filled with different personal belonging that he knew he simply had to have. And once all of this is over, Maybe he'll finally get that certain somepony to agree to go on a date with him. He won't force it, of course. Respect is important to a healthy relationship. He read that in a magazine once. A Brown Earth Stallion was dragging a suitcase behind him as he walked down the Buckton docks, his breath already tired from the physical work. "All I have to do is watch the Engine," He said to himself, his legs aching from carrying his suitcase, "Once I'm in Caninia my part of the job will be free, right?" He might not be the most physically capable Earth Pony, but he got this job for his Brain, not his Brawn. At that same time, an inconspicuous Pegasus Mare was also making her way to the same part of the docks. A Hat over her head and Glasses over her eyes. Her Suitcase was packed slim, only the essentials she had to bring with her were on board. "Documentation," She said to herself with a smile, thinking of her part in the coming job, "Just write down what the ones in charge are talking about," She smirked at that, "Writing stuff down? I already do that for a living," And maybe, when she gets some time off, she might do a bit of research. Does Caninia have any Archeology sites? A small Pink Filly was making her way down the Buckton docks, not a suitcase on her, carrying only the ribbons in her hair and the letter she received. "Just an assistant job," She smiled at the thought, "Send messages around, maybe tell one of them to make the boss a coffee once or twice," Her smile widened at how easy her job looked. "And I get a free bed and breakfast for that?" She laughed at the thought. "I'm the smartest pony in the world! Hahaha!" She laughed loudly, her childish voice bouncing across the morning docks, scaring away a flock of birds. "Be safe out there," An Aging Earth Stallion told a Blue Unicorn as he and his family bid their latest employee farewell. "Of course I will!" The Unicorn said with cheer, Her large hat nearly falling off her head as she moved around, "The Great and Powerful Trixie will never allow herself to be beaten by the mere prospects of a new job!" "And what even is your new job?" The Eldest daughter of the Stallion asked the Unicorn, already getting tired of her personality. "I'm an..." The Unicorn told her, the last word barely heard. But they knew. The Great and Powerful Trixie was nothing but an Intern... "This the place?" A Griffon asked as she looked at the paper map of the City of Buckton she held in her talons as she flew above the dock. Landing on the concrete floor, The Griffon looked around for any sign of where she was supposed to go, spotting a group of ponies in the distance standing next to a large yellow and blue ship. "Oh my-" One of the Ponies said when he spotted her approaching, causing the Griffon to frown as what he was about to say already appeared in her mind. "Gilda is that you?!" Only for him to instead say something that she didn't expect. He recognized her. "Yes?" She said, looking at the Stallion who spoke, "And who the heck might you be?" The Stallion looked offended that she didn't recognize him, "Ah! I'm Zephyr Breeze, We went together to flight camp back in Cloudsdale, remember?" When he said that, a small memory floated through Gilda's mind. A memory of a time when she was younger, and the worries of holding a job never even crossed her mind, playing around with the other Griffon and Pegasus. Playing around with Her... "Flight Camp..." Gilda muttered as she looked at the tall and lanky Stallion, "Of Course..." And with that, she dropped her bag onto the floor and used it as a chair. "By the way, Are we still waiting for anyone?" She asked after a few minutes of silence. "There's the boss we need to wait for," A Small pink Filly said from her place on top of a nearby pole, "And maybe another," She shrugged. "We're still waiting on the Cook," A New voice called out, causing the group to look over at a Purple Unicorn walking up to them, a black suit and a pair of Sunglasses on her making her look like some sort of Government Agent, or just a really well dressed Bouncer. "Excuse me, But who are you?" The Earth Pony asked, and the group couldn't help but nod at that question. "Me?" The Unicorn asked, a small smirk on her face, "I'm just the bodyguard," Silence followed that, only pierced by a cough from Gilda as the awkward silence kept on going. "I Apologize," A new voice called out to them, causing them all to turn and look at another Earth Stallion, carrying on his back three large suitcases, "For being... Late." He said, his eyes staring forward. As the Stallion approached, Gilda couldn't help but scrunch her face as a sickly sweet smell wafted from the Pony's suitcases. "It seems you're all here," Another new voice said, causing the group to look at the Ship behind them, lowering a stairway for them to walk, as a White Unicorn with Golden Blonde hair looked down at them. "Zephyr," The Unicorn said, looking at the Pegasus, "You arrived first, this will be taken into account," And with those words leaving his mouth, the Unicorn turned his back onto the group and walked into the ship. "Are you waiting for an introduction? Get on the boat." "You heard him!" The Filly said loudly as she flew onto the ship, followed closely by the rest of the ponies. Gilda blinked at that before she stood up and grabbed her bag, and with a strong flap of her wings, she made it onto the boat. Standing on the bridge of the ship, I pressed a few buttons and flicked a number of switches. And with a message to the Docks, we were on our way out of Equestria and into the vast ocean. On my way to sign the first trade deal of my new company, the Blueblood Foundation, a new arm of The Crown, giving me more authority in Equestrian politics, and as a result in the wider political world. I just need everything to go perfectly...