//------------------------------// // Interval 3: Chapter 16: Royal Pains // Story: The Everfree Chronicles: The Alchemist // by Roran Dreamon //------------------------------// Canterlot Palace, Lunar Wing, Royal Outfitters Room, Morning, Four Months Later "And why must I wear this crown, neck ring, hoof guards, and monocole? This just makes me look silly! I don't even expect anypony to even take me seriously in this! Even I don't take myself seriously in this!" I said while whining outloud, getting dressed up by a few maids while Luna was waiting near the door, smirking at me while her hoof-picked maids dressed me up in different styles, trying to find the perfect one that matchs me. Well so far I went through at least a dozen different sets of suits, hats, and royal looking outfits, and in all it was horrible. I rather be stuck in Rarity's shop being used as a ponyquin and jammed with needles. Hearing a giggle to my left I saw that Luna has not even left the room when she said she would but instead stayed to watch me squirm and fidget under my new station, let alone watch me in discomfort about having a royal regalia and being outfitted for one. In all my morning was terrible, be woken up by a maid by having my windows thrown open while mumbling obscure words, than having to pull myself from the worlds softest bed which was a challenge on its own, having to make myself look presentable which to me is easy if I left as I was but since Luna and Celestia said that bed-mane is not very 'royally' and that looking like I was just ran over by a cart would not make myself look very appealing to everypony. So after losing my very rugged, and at the same time very awesome bed-mane to the royal stylist, which to me I hated since I now look like Prince Blueblood...oh...Blueblood....the pony I hate with a passion. Not even one week here and he says that I look like some tribal that was lucky to be born into royalty, my response was to seal his mouth shut with magic and for added measure I wrapped his muzzle with a belt to keep it shut. He did not like it at all and from then all we are always trying to get at each other. So far the score is 10 to 1. "Because Umbraspark you will need a regalia when your coronation happens on the day of the Gala, and besides I think you look cute with that scarf and beanie on." Luna said while giggling again, I was now wearing a stripped winter scarf and beanie, and truth be told I do look cute in it. Which was the problem, stallions don't look cute, we look fashionably acceptable or sometimes, good looking. "Thanks Luna...but the correct term would be good looking...cute is for the little foals and fillies..not full grown stallions." I pout while standing absolutely still, not liking the fact that I had to get my measurements by somepony I don't know and that pony also had to go to such lengths to get my correct size. My guess was that she was following Celestia or Luna's orders to get me uncomfortable before my day is started, and if it was a guess than I was spot on accurate. Taking off the scarf and beanie the maid known as Sunny Smiles, was busy placing on me now another set of clothes that was designed by somepony that I never met or heard of, and guessing by the very strange blend of neon colors of black and bright blue, to me it was very good and the way it blends into one another brings a smile that is very small and very concealed. Luna caught onto it before I can take it away. "It seems we found something that you like in fashion...Smiles, please place an order on more of the neon fabrics." she said while giving me an evil smile, which to me at the time was kinda odd until I realized that she just told somepony to get more of this fabric to be weaved into more clothes for me to wear. My worst nightmare...right next to eating with Blueblood. Giving her a small glare/ smile I got off the podium and leaving the room without giving it a second glance I strod through the halls of the palace, not really liking the bright walls and floor, the light is a little to bright on my eyes, and the fact that every guard I pass by usually give me confused looks or in my case a glare because they are Blueblood's private bodyguards and are still upset that I put ink in his tea the previous day. He still has yet to get the black ink removed from his teeth. Laughing to myself I crossed my new room and kept going, the dinning hall my destination for some breakfest before I keel over from the daunting dressing room that has kept me standing still for three hours straight. Upon entering the room I saw a sight that if I was drinking water or tea at that moment, I would have spat it out and fell over laughing my flank off while my face was red with flush. Celestia eating a banana in a manner that even I thought was hilarious and that from the angle I was looking at her, made it even worse. As soon as she saw me she quickly bit down and swallowed it, I was barely holding in my laughter till I sat down across from her and started to laugh like an insane pony in a mental assylum. After a good ten minutes of me laughing my flank off I finally started to gasp for air until I calmed down and stopped, only for it to start back up into small giggles, that lasted for a good 2 minutes until my pancakes arrived in a timely fashion. Eating my pancakes in peace was like a little piece of paradise, until paradise ended in a blazing inferno when Blueblood walked in and sat down near Celestia, grinning at me, I made a gagging notion and proceeded to try and annoy the hell out of him. 10 minutes later he left with his head up high as if I was a lowly begger, in which I might have been a few months ago if I haven't been forcibily changed into what I am now. Smiling that he left I go back to eating my pancakes at this point in time have gone somewhat cold and using my Nightmare Moon given magic, I re-heated my pancake to the right temperature and resumed eating them with a smile on my face until Celestia did the interrupting cough, sighing again, quietly whispering to my pancakes 'later'. "Yes Celestia...if this is about me and Blueblood's constant banter against one another than don't try to tell me to stop, so far this is so much fun...besides being with Luna whenever we go out to see Canterlot at night...and reading more books in the library...and eating pancakes." I said the pancakes part while slightly taking another bite out of one with a very satisfied smile and if I was smaller and a bit younger I would have been making my trademark 'nom' sounds while eating. "No Nightshade it is not that...in fact I find it to be quite amusing to see you two fighting like colts, partially because you two are exact opposites of one another and that when you two get into petty arguements or fights I always get to see what you two would attempt on each other. But I do say the quill ink in the tea prank is one that I have not seen in at least 100 years..." she said while taking a sip of her own cup of tea, and while she was taking a sip I just had to do a smirk while doing a fake holding laugh while she does so. "If you had put any ink in my favorite tea cup than I am giving Blueblood un-restricted rights to prank you at any time and at any place." she said while giving me a small glare, which did nothing to me but making me laugh a bit more until I finally explode into full on laughing my flank off. Celestia finally had enough of my laughter as her wings completely unfurled and with a fury I have only seen twice, she jumps over the table and is standing over me while I am holding onto my ribs in laughter until she roughly places her hooves on my chest, trying to get my to talk. "What did you do to my tea! Did you put ink in it! Tell me!" Coughing loudly I barely manage to push her hooves of me, trying to speak I manage to utter out a few words out before I against burst out laughing. "I didn't put anything in it!" Laughing again she scoffs before she uses her horn to levitate me off the floor, and with a flick she sends me out of the dinning hall, landing in the hallway in front of two guards who just stared at me with unblinking eyes. "I didn't put anything in her tea, I put some laughing syrup in mine. I knew it would work like a charm! The look on her face was priceless!" I said before I began to laugh again until Luna came by and hit me upside the head with a wing. "Okay I deserved that for messing with your sister like that today. But the other times with Blueblood was all worth it." she gave me the look that said 'true but still...' "Well Luna my dear, Celestia looked like she needed a good laugh was all...appearently she took it the wrong way...again. it seems she doesn't like to cut loose and enjoy herself." I said while pulling myself together. Luna sighs a bit before she pulls me into a hug as I turn a bit to give one back to her, our wings wrapping around one another as one of the guards does a whistle while another makes a cat noise, both were highly appropriate at the time, which only made me smirk and wiggle my eye brows at Luna, my reward was another hoof upside the head. I shrug it off before I go after Luna, just following her since she did a motion that told me to follow, and by follow I mean 'You will come with me or I will get Celestia to come after you.', in all, following her was worth it. We got to my room which has been recent refurbished with Luna's style, dark blue carpet, night-sky ceiling and walls, everything is dark, even the balcony was made with the same dark blue marble back from the Everfree Castle. It was a near replica of my old room. "You just know how to spoil me don't you Lulu hehe...nice moonstone studs on the ceiling, and the carpet...so soft...and the view...its perfect. Now all that is left is a few things of mine that I left back in the Everfree....and...I will be right back." I said before I jumped out of the balcony and flew off towards the Everfree Forest, the two guards that were waiting outside my door tried to chase after me but realized that they didn't have wings to give chase, Luna on the other hoof was actually flying above me over the clouds, obscuring any line of sight that I could get on her. Usually it would have taken me at least three hours to walk to the castle, two hours if I am lucky and not fall in a mud pit or a bunch of vines, but with my new wings that now work and can actually support me weight it now only takes me 10 minutes to fly over the tall tree's and wildlife. It took me only two minutes to find my castle and only 10 seconds to land on my balcony without my legs giving way and I roll into my room comedy style. Taking a glance around my room I spotted to what I wanted, a painting I made by hoof, Nightmare Moon's old crown which was still polished to a high mirror shine, an old black book in which nopony will ever see again, and lastly my favorite comb that I made out of a manticore's talon, it was Fluffy's broken talon since he had to play rough with me when we were playing a ragged game of hoofball. It turns out that timber wolves can't catch a ball without popping it...or tearing it to shreds... "There we go...that is everything I need from here...the last of it is at Applejack's barn...nah...that can wait a few months..." I said to myself hoping that no one was following me, but knowing how I jumped off the balcony and flew away. I most likely have a few royal guards flying around looking for me or are waiting outside my old room...or both. "Who can wait a few months? The ponies of Equestria or your new friends that you made in Ponyville? Whoever you said can wait to see you as you are now...you do not fully trust them or that they will not believe you for a second." Turning around I saw that Luna was standing on my balcony looking at the things I have collected than to me, wondering why I was back here and why I came back to even pick up the few items I was looking for. "Well...Luna, I was talking about everypony...I doubt they will accept me, since well I do look almost exactly like the pony that sided with Nightmare Moon, tried to bring the eternal night and also messed with Princess Celestia, so far five times. And neither of those five times ended on a good note." "Than stop giving her reasons to hate you, try being nice for once or at least not ruin Blueblood's day. Even though that prince does deserve some of the pranks you have done to him...that ink in the tea was one of them." "At least somepony likes my pranks...I think a few of the guards and maids that work under Blueblood enjoyed seeing that twit hide himself in shame because his teeth were black for a week." As we were talking in my old room I had this sense of urgency suddenly, and as quickly as it came it left me, slightly confused at best until I realised that it was my little magic detector, it went off again a few seconds later. I grinned quite evilly to myself as I knew what just happened and started to laugh to myself until I noticed that Luna was giving me a confused stare until I told her what I did. "I set the little prince's mane shampoo to explode if he picked it up with his magic, and that I also turned another one of the shampoo's into a color dye, lime green. By my sense it feels like he used one of them." I said while trying very hard not to laugh my flank off, 11 to 1 Blueblood, and I am still on top. "Night...one of these days he will get you back...and don't ask me to help you with a revenge plan...I will not partake in sides, even though he does deserve a few of those pranks..." well at least she thinks that little royal snob deserves them. "Yea well...so far he tries and fails, I am just surprised that he can't think of anything to get me back, I mean..he has all this spare time, and he doesn't use it! If it was me I would be out having fun, or messing with things, or just reading a book. Hell...maybe even prank a few nobles and get a good laugh out of it." I said while floating a mirror over to myself and putting on my old helmet that was on the floor, and I had to adjust the helmet a bit since my horn didn't entirely fit in it and that it was dusty as an old ancient book. Looking back at Luna I saw that she was giggling and pointing a hoof at me until I saw that a spider was on my horn and was slowly lowering to the floor and when it touched the ground it scurried off to a dark corner of the room. Looking over at her I saw that she was still giggling until I saw that there was a couple spiders above my head, and in a very unstallionly manner, I let out a weak scream and bolted out the balcony and flew back to the castle. The flight back was quick and uneasy when I was flying out of fear for spiders, usually I am not afraid of them when I know where they are, but if one sneaks up on me and manages to land anywhere on my body, I will freak out and run away or jump out of the building from fear of being eaten by them. After landing in my room's balcony I closed the doors, lowered the curtains, locked the windows, and started to put my gathered goods where they belong, placing my comb near my bed, the old crown near it as well, the painting I placed near the small fireplace, and the old black book I put where nopony will ever bother to look. Quickly scrambling to the fireplace I lifted the iron railings and created a hollowed out area, placed the book in it, and enchanted the railings so that only ashes can touch the book once it has cooled down, protecting it from heat and the still burning remains. "There we go...perfect hiding place...and now...to see the fruits of my labor with Blueblood. And get a picture of it while I am at it." grabbing a small camera with my levitation I undo all the windows and doors, and walked out into the hall, my first guess that he would be in the throne room but when I arrived he was not there, so I later checked the dinning hall and the kitchens, still no sign of Blueblood. Than I went to check outside and there he was, standing in a training ring, filled with guards and other noble ponies, and a griffon sitting in the seats, to my current thought I can guess that he challenged another foolish pony to a duel over something stupid or out of honor. The sudden sound of coughing behind me was my guess a servant or guard trying to get my attention, turning around and I was partially right. Behind me was a small group of guards, all of them wearing Blueblood's sigil and all of them were standing at attention. "Prince Umbraspark, Prince Blueblood has requested your presence immediately. He has called you out on a duel on the grounds of offending royalty and being a pain in his flank." of course...he has to challenge me...well I guess it is his funeral than. "Alright, I will go...tell him I will be there in oh...5 seconds." my horned charged up before I teleported in front of Blueblood, my face clearly written with the expression of 'Extremely Annoyed', not liking to be called by him, let alone be called by his guards to do something foolish as a duel. As I was staring at him the noble and rich ponies around him began to talk amongst themselves, probably saying that he was a foal to challenge an alicorn to a dueling contest, let alone the only one that nopony has heard about, has no knowledge of the kingdom he rules, or who he rules, only the few whispers of strange powers and abilities. Oh yea...hehe, they don't know nothing about me. "So Blueblood...what was this about challenging me to a duel...I heard it from your guards that you asked me to one. Is this true? Because if it is than I will simply turn you into a cat and leave you like that for the entire day, I have more important matters to attend to than play with you, ask your guards or some random pony that has the time for you because I don't." I said while flaring my nostrils, not liking to be asked to a duel by the twit but to duel in front of a crowd of nobles no less. "What is the matter Umbraspark, afraid to lose to me or are you afraid of making a fool out of yourself in the eyes of every wealthy and noble pony here." he said, smirking to himself as a few of the ponies in the crowd follow in and start to laugh at me, a few even pointed their hooves and laughed at me. Their laughter only made it worse when I slowly began to walk away, but when Blueblood spat on the back of my head, something inside my mind snapped. "Your funeral than." with that I used magic to pull my sword into existence and with a flick of my horn, grabbed a nearby rapier and threw it at him which he caught with his magic aura, only for it to shatter as soon as my sword touchs it, the pieces flying everywhere as some of it scratch and tear. Blueblood's reaction on his face was priceless but it lasted only a while as I bucked him in the side and threw another sword at him as I put mine away and took sword as well. After he shook off the surprise we began to circle each other, the crowd now recovering from the explosion of thin metal bits and pieces. "How blue is thy blood Prince, for you shall pay for your insolence with it. I grow tired of your constant nagging and annoying voice, all thy do is nag and complain about those that do not follow your word to the letter, I shall put thee in thy place, and you will not be a pain in anyponies flank anymore." He was litterally shaking at this point as we started to strike at each other, parrying the opposites blows, each attack faster and more precise as we soon got to the point where it was becoming near lethal as it to a blur of metal. Eventually we both came to a head as we made the finishing move, both of us pointing the tip at each others throats, except that mine was touching his while his was only near my jaw. Smirking in victory I poke him weakly before putting the sword back where it belonged on the rack of weapons, half of the nobles were furious that I won while the others were cheering and whistling at me, one pony in particular was wearing a monocle and vest, was stomping his hooves in approval. "You lose Blueblood, now stop bothering me for I have important matters to attend to such as overseeing who will be attending the Grand Galloping Gala and who will be playing at the Gala...you know the important matters." as I said that I turned around and began to walk away until I heard Blueblood call after me. "Who taught you how to fight like that with such precise motions and speed? None of Auntie Celestia's master trainers or my own have seen such liquid grace and neither have the other master fencer's moved with such grace." "Well Blueblood, that is one secret that I will keep with me to the grave, afterall if I told you than you would be running off to meet him deep within the Everfree Forest, he is strict and stern, but he will only speak to me since I was worthy of his training." or had the snot beat out of me day in and day out on a regular basis and was ordered to train me by a lovely dark alicorn that was imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years. Once he heard my answer I faintly heard the sound of his rapier darting at me before it was touching my throat. "So...what I overheard from Auntie Celestia and Luna is true than...you are not just an alicorn...you are that traitor Nightshade Umbraspark...you and Nightmare Moon tried to overthrow Celestia and rule over Equestria nearly 4 months ago...and now you are trying again? Not this time. Prepare yourself villian for I shall put you in your place and throw you into the dungeons for the rest of your days to come." and at that point in time, I would have levitated his weapon away from me, than knock him out and resume my daily business, but because of what he just said and near a crowd of rich ponies, he just made my life a living Tartarus. "You asked for it now Blueblood." I turned around and lifted every single weapon off the weapon rack and held each one in my aura, every single dagger, mace, sword, rapier, club, hammer and axe was pointed at him, the sharp and blunt edges slowly twirling at him, effectively forming a sphere of weapons around him until he dropped his rapier as it joined in the weapon sphere. As I was about to have every flat side of the weapon beat him down Luna was standing there, giving me a glare as she coughed, signalling the guards to take the weapons away. As the weapons slowly get taken out of my grasp I am left with only my sword that I started out with, and with it I begin the smack down on Blueblood, hitting him with the blunt part of the blade until he started to give in. Once the beat down was over, Celestia's guards came over and told me to follow, with a smirked grin I followed them, as soon I was out of sight from a beaten Blueblood and a slightly angry Luna. During our walk to the castle, one of the guards, Swift Ray, was talking how Blueblood had it coming to him for angering me and that he was a pompous jerk to every single servant and guard in the castle. Swift is alright in my books, and as we turn the corner to enter the castle I felt a pair of eyes watching me, and as I turn to look who is watching me, the only thing that was, is a statue, and as usual the statue looked like it has fallen down the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. After a while I stepped back onto the marble floor of the palace halls, and getting an ear full from Celestia for actually entering a dueling contest with Blueblue, for fighting him in front of the elite of Canterlot, and for having my true identity revealed. In all I was forbidden to leave castle grounds and had to be followed by an escort of guards, only to make the civilians and nobles feel safe whenever I am around. Damn you Blueblood... Canterlot Castle, Throne Room, Two Months Later, Morning of the Grand Galloping Gala "So tell me again Princess Celestia, why must I attend? I mean from what I heard from Fancy Pants and a few of the servants that it is such a snoozefest that if I attended I might as well just sleep where I stand, and have somepony paint my eyelids to make it look like I am awake...I mean seriously...it sounds boring to begin with!" I whined as Celestia was sitting on her throne, staring right at me, the guards that were my escorts are waiting outside, listening in to what we are talking about, Blueblood is standing near Celestia, looking at me with a grin of victory. 15 to 15....you will pay for this Blueblood. "You will attend to the Gala because of what you and Blueblood did two months ago near the garden. That little duel and my nephew leaking out important information out to the other social elite's of Canterlot...now everypony knows of you and of the relations you and Nightmare Moon had...they also know that you rule over the Everfree Forest so a few might try to appease you to explore it without the worry of being attacked or eaten by its creatures or inhabitants." I chuckled a bit as she said that they would be eaten. Knowing my little critters back home, they are most likely just scaring the living day lights out of the little fillies and colts that enter the forest trying to explore. Sighing sadly I looked over to the window leading to where the Gala will be taking place and already has the construction and decorating ponies arrived and immeidately got to work. Looking at each pony that was outside I saw that a few of them were happy to be setting up tonights festive decorations and essential items while a few were talking about hoofball or the next wonderbolt show, which to me at the time would have been something I would be talking about. "Oh and before I forget, Nightshade, you are to go to Ponyville in a carriage to pick up my student Twilight Sparkle and her friends for tonight, do not be late and whatever you do please don't try to embaress yourself." yea right, like how am I going to embaress myself? If only I knew how I would do such a thing tonight. "Tonight my nephew....tonight."