//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Bringing Up Blueblood // by InsertAuthorHere //------------------------------// Two months later... “Oh, I'll be the toast of the town, the girl on the go. I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony...” For the fifth time that day, Rarity found herself tripping over the words to her own song. Despite coming up with the lyrics during the last trip to the filly's room during the Wonderbolts Relay, she could never get the temp just right. It just seemed to happen in random bursts. And now that she was getting ready to launch Canterlot's newest airship, not being able to sing a tune about how awesome it was to be popular wasn't working in her favor. How does Pinkie keep doing this? She must have an accordion in her head or something. Such thoughts ceased, however, as she approached the main platform. Already, a sizable crowd was gathering to watch the launch of this, the most recent addition to the growing air travel industry. Granted, such an event was only possible after Celestia convinced the Mayor of Cloudsdale that she wasn't planning to replace the entire Pegasus race, but still this was a momentous occasion for a pony such as her. After days of rapidly ascending the social ladder, she herself was chosen to christen the ship for its maiden voyage, along with a mystery guest of some sort. Perhaps he's charming, she thought as she finished up the last few steps. Oh, and sophisticated! A real prince charming out to sweep me off my hooves and carry me onto the airship himself! N-No, focus Rarity! Remember what happened the last time you let such thoughts take over. B-But he might still be... And then she saw him. Standing on the stage was none other than the deposed Prince Blueblood himself, in all his full-grown glory. His luxurious blonde mane flapped about in the wind, despite there only being a slight breeze at the moment. Once again, he was dressed in his finest tuxedo, its color blending in perfectly with his coat. And then there were those adorable, soul-piercing eyes and... “So it's true, then. You've been making a name for yourself throughout all of Canterlot with this little trip of yours.” Rarity could feel her soul being tugged in multiple directions at once. On the one hoof, this was the same royal pain who had crushed her hopes and dreams, and then plotted to burn her home to the ground because he couldn't deal with a little frosting stain. On the other hoof, their reunion a few months prior was still fresh in her mind, and as much as she wanted to wish death upon him, possibly throw him off the balcony with one hoof, she couldn't bring herself to do so. “Good day to you, Prince Blueblood.” Rarity's face scrunched up as she caught her mistake. “I...mean...what should one call you now these days?” “If you want, you can keep the title in there,” Blueblood said with a smile. “Granted, I still have no royal rank, but the sentiment is nice.” “A-hem!” Both ponies spun about at the sound of Fancy Pants clearing his throat. “I do apologize, but we really must not keep the good captain waiting any longer. Now, there will be plenty of time to reminisce on good times afterwards, but for now, let's get on with the ceremony.” Rarity silently nodded at her benefactor, the pony who had finally pulled her up where she belonged. Blueblood shrugged and stepped aside, revealing a champagne bottle hanging from a long ribbon. The ship's stern sat in front of her, while an old, one-eyed pony with bulging forelegs tapped his hooves impatiently. Chuckling nervously, Rarity gripped the glass container with her teeth, pulled back, and finally swung the bottle forward. Unfortunately, the current regulations required all bottles used for such christenings to be shatterproof, just in case the liquid or glass caused these newfangled ships to explode or something like that, so all the impact accomplished was giving off a slight tap before the ship went sliding down the slipway. Fortunately, the balloon itself remained sturdy, and the vessel remained hovering in the air for all to see and admire. A massive roar of support emerged from the crowd, followed by the firing of confetti. Rarity stared at the great airship with a look of fascination and awe, both at the thing before her and the fact that she, a mere dressmaker from Ponyville, was now famous enough to be asked to do such a thing. As the ponies broke away to sample the hors d'ouevres, however, Rarity and Blueblood remained firmly in place, doing their best not to appear horribly awkward in each other's presence. Given the looks they were getting from the others, they were obviously not succeeding in that regard. “So...I take it your 'rehabilitation' was successful?” she asked. Blueblood smiled and shook his head. “Yes and no. Princess Celestia has allowed me to return and start working my way back into her good graces, but...” Rarity's eyes dropped just slightly. “You know what I'm talking about. The last time I saw you, you were much, much shorter.” “...Yes, I suppose I was.” Blueblood brushed his mane out of his eyes, his face visibly souring as he remembered the exact circumstances surrounding his current situation. “You see, the official word is that I'm little more than a criminal, working off my debt to society at Celestia's discretion. And I think I've been doing a good job so far. She has seen fit to release some of the funds she was holding to repair my family's estate, while the rest has been going to fund various charities across the entire country. I spend three nights a week at Canterlot's soup kitchens, read to foals at the hospital every Sunday, and pick up trash along the mountain highway.” Rarity giggled at the last comment. “Really? You picking up trash?” Blueblood opened his mouth to offer a counter-comment, but all he could do was join in the laughter. The two ponies simply stood their and took in the mockery, enjoying every moment of their time together. Of course, such things could never last long, and Blueblood's mind soon returned to something else. “I am so sorry, but I do have another obligation to attend to. I promised to meet some ponies today, and I do not think they'll be pleased if I'm late.” “I see,” Rarity said, her voice still floaty from the sudden influx of mirth. “Well, I suppose I shouldn't hold you up. It's been...nice seeing you again. P-Perhaps we should do this some other time.” The suggestion knocked Blueblood for a loop. Not once in all of his daily planning had he considered the possibility of Rarity actually suggesting they spend more time together. When he had hatched this scheme to speak to her to begin with, all he had sought was a sort of closure to the whole debacle. Still, he couldn't help but grin at the possibility. “Perhaps if I find myself in Ponyville, or you in Canterlot again, we can have lunch. I would love to try some of your friends...what did I call it, 'carnival fare?'” And with that, the two gave a parting nod, and Blueblood slowly walked away. None of the other ponies in attendance seemed to pay him much mind, save for the occasional dirty look one would give a seemingly forgiven traitor. Rarity, meanwhile, stood and watched him leave, waiting until he was out of earshot before she sighed. Any possibility of a romance with the prince was obviously dead and rotting, but perhaps a friendship was still possible... “Ah, Rarity!” Fancy Pants walked up alongside his favorite party guest, a small platter of stuffed mushrooms hovering alongside him. “You must give these a try! Straight from one of the finest restaurants in all of Canterlot!” Rarity was momentarily shocked by the sudden intrusion, but the sight of her new friend's genuine excitement and the obviously delicious treats soon overwhelmed her thinking. Blueblood will have to wait for now. I still have Twilight's dress to finish, society events to attend to, and plenty of business contacts to make! Oh, I'll be the toast of the town... ---------- Once back into Canterlot proper, Blueblood worked his way through the busy streets, his eyes peeled for the appropriate dark alley. Sure enough, he finally found the right one sandwiched between Crazy Al's Joke Shop and the Crud 'n Buzz, two of the least-shopped establishments in the entire capital. There, at the very end of the passage, was a glowing glint of light, enchanted in such a way that it was invisible to everypony but himself. Once he was sure he was safe, the stallion slipped into the alley, passing through the illusionary field, and finally approached the ponies waiting for him: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “My apologies for being late,” the fallen prince said. “Rarity and I had quite a bit to talk about.” “You were cutting it pretty close,” Luna whispered, her voice deep with frustration. “Next time we have to make a change like this, we need to do it in the castle itself. No more witnesses.” Blueblood shrugged. “I'm sorry, but I had to do this. I owe her that much.” Luna sighed. “As do I.” “If we've all finished with the pleasantries,” Celestia said, her voice rushed and at a half-whisper, “we must get going. The others aren't going to be too happy if you're late.” The Princess' horn lit up with a golden glow, which soon spread to all over Blueblood's body. The stallion closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable fall. Around him, the illusion began to chip away piece by piece, shrinking his frame until it was the size of a foal colt, before finally dissipating completely. The now-tiny Blueblood let out a small yelp as he fell to the ground, his body still unbalanced and nauseous after such a sudden change, but it only took a few minutes for him to fully recover. He gave a final bow and thanks before dashing off towards Canterlot Central Park. Luna and Celestia looked up once to make sure the Pegasi guards were keeping up with him. Once satisfied that the situation was properly secured, Luna turned towards her sister, her face wrought with worry. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” “He has until the Summer, at least,” Celestia replied. “By then, Twilight and Pinkie Pie should be finished going through all the members of the Pie Clan. Once we know Kuchen is gone for good, we can deal with all this in one fell swoop. We'll see where things go from then.” “You were never worried about him until now. What happened to change your mind?” Celestia shrugged. “I have my reasons.” Luna would have argued the point more, but she had known her sister long enough to realize a prolonged debate would not serve them any better. “I suppose...it turned out as well as we could expect. I just hope you know what you're doing.” ---------- Blueblood's little mouth gradually opened as he drew ever closer to his waiting friends. In the midst of the park's busiest day in months, the foals were busy playing about in the sand-covered playground. Gusty and Snowball were seated on top of the jungle gym, the former flashing the approaching colt a smile that showed her missing front tooth. Smokey was busying himself with the slide, barely even acknowledging how much the metal surface was roasting his hind quarters in the sunlight. Ribbon and Buttons were far more satisfied with building a perfect sand fortress/temple for Lofty's Daring-Do toys to explore. And far away from the crowd sat Orange Peel, looking around nervously as if deciding whether he belonged in this scene or not. Ruby Dream and Seamstress, meanwhile, sat on a nearby park bench, snacks and water at the ready, talking over the former's daily tasks back at the castle and the latter's twelve-step-program. “Fhey!” Gusty shouted, a tiny string of spittle escaping from that gaping hole in her grinders. “Abfout ftime fya phade it!” “Heh, sorry,” Blueblood replied. “Too many grown-up things I had to deal with. What'd I miss?” Lofty shrugged. “Not a whole lot. Daring was about to go explore the Tombs of Feather Island. Want to join?” Blueblood scratched his chin for a little bit, then shook his head. “Nah, I think I'll settle for the slide.” He turned his head towards the orange outcast nearby. “Hey, Orange Peel! Do you want to join?” The former bully's eyes opened wide at first, while visions of his former pummelings raced through his brain. When he could find no obvious sign of foul play or the like, however, he shrugged and walked over. “What do I have to do?” Lofty, Ribbon and Buttons looked at each other, their eyes reflecting the deep discomfort they still felt with having their old tormentor around. Orange Peel shrank back a bit, more than expecting to be ejected and left to rot by the wayside. He was about to turn around when he heard Buttons' voice. “Y-You could be The Avian King. You know, if you want.” Orange Peel froze for a moment, his muscles struggling to articulate the appropriate response. After a tremendous amount of effort and sheer force of will, however, the good parts of his soul finally caved in, and he knelt down to join the others in their epic quest. Sensing that his work was done, Blueblood headed off to join Smokey in the bun-baking contest. ---------- By the time Shining reached his quarters, it was already close to sunset. Every inch of his body ached and groaned with each step, his armor clanging about in a most noisy and disruptive manner. Fortunately, Cadance was already inside, looking over what remaining wedding plans they had to set. “Honey, I'm home,” the stallion chuckled. Cadance giggled and rolled her eyes. “Shining, you've been saying that every night since we moved in together. I think you need to work on getting a new punchline.” “What can I say? I'm too much of a soldier.” Shining trotted over to his beloved and gave her a nuzzle along the cheek, followed by a gentle bite on the ear. “They beat everypony's sense of humor out of them during basic training.” The two chuckled briefly, engaging each other in furious hugging and nuzzling and the general behavior that lights up a poet's heart and makes a cynical pony feel like emptying his digestive system. Cadance barely had enough time to mutter her latest decision. “I've decided not to select Blueblood as my ring bearer.” Shining pulled his head back, his eyes wide with surprise. “What? B-But I thought you guys were getting along fine! And he's still doing good during the morning drills.” “We are,” Cadance said. “But it would just be...awkward right now. Besides, don't you think Twilight would want Spike to have a role in all this?” The Captain of the Guard scratched his chin. “Well, I was going to let him take care of the bachelor party, but...” He froze as his wife-to-be gave him the coldest, most crushing stare he had ever experienced. It took every last fiber of his being to push back the terror welling up in his heart and smile. “I...I suppose he could do both?” Before the lovely discussion could get any further, however, there was a knock at the bottom of their door. Shining's telekinesis pulled the wooden barrier open, revealing a sweaty, sandy, but otherwise normal colt. “Good evening,” said Blueblood. Both of the adults looked at the foal with no small measure of happiness. While there was still plenty of uncomfortableness in this whole arrangement, a good amount of it had worn itself out over the last two months. “Looks to me like somepony enjoyed himself,” Shining said as he trotted off to get changed out of his armor. Once he was out of the room, Blueblood nervously rubbed at the back of his neck. “A-Are you sure it's all right that I stay here? I could just move back into the room in the castle if you want.” Cadance grinned as she hopped out of her seat. She walked over to the colt and folded one of her wings over his body, wrapping him up like a blanket. Blueblood initially winced, but settled on accepting the gesture for what it was. “It's no problem at all. Now, how about we look over those books? We still have to budget our donations for the next month.” Blueblood grinned and nodded in agreement. Things seemed to be working out perfectly from his perspective. He had a good home for the time being, friends he cared for, and a chance to mend his broken reputation until he was ready to return. There was still a lot to do, but he could at least see the light at the end of the tunnel... ---------- Ribbon gave a little yawn as she fidgeted under her covers. While her mom was able to get her tucked in safe and sound, the bakery had gotten yet another emergency muffin order, and she had to be denied her bedtime story. Even the kiss felt rushed and not fully personal. It was as if her mommy had never put a foal to bed before in her life. As she struggled to fall asleep, however, a familiar, comforting voice rang out around her. “You did good, Ribbon. Your friend is going to be very happy.” “You think so?” she whispered, both out of fear of her parents hearing and because she was just tired. “Of course. She may have taken all of my friends away, but she won't do the same to yours. And besides, isn't Leon so much happier as a colt?” “I guess so.” “Now, I think it's time we went to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow. Just remember, don't put too much sugar in the cookies again. A little makes it sweet, but too much ruins the flavor.” “I'll remember.” “Good night, my dear.” The filly let out one last yawn before finally drifting off to slumberland. “Good night, Uncle Kuchen.” TO BE CONTINUED...IN ANOTHER STORY