There was silence for a few moments as Trixie stood on her hind legs. The Elements of Harmony gaped at the showmare, clearly just as shocked as I was that she had taken up residents in the Everfree forest.
Trixie finally fell to all four hooves as recognition took hold of her features.
“Oh. It’s only you.” She stated, unimpressed with our presence. “What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do to remove you from her presence?”
“Well that’s a fine how de do.” Applejack commented.
“How de do.” Trixie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes for emphasis. “Now, why are you here? I have already apologized for what happened in the past. What more do you want? Have you come to embarrass The Great and Powerful Trixie some more?”
“W.. We would never!” Fluttershy stammered in disgust of purposefully trying to disgrace somepony.
“Yeah, it’s not like you needed our help to embarrass yourself.” Rainbow Dash added as she flew overhead.
“It is not Trixie’s fault that she is so far beyond other ponies that her amazing appeal is lost on their puny perceptions of reality.” the showmare shot back.
“It’s not like that.” Fluttershy tried to defend her friends. “We didn’t even know you lived here in the… Everfree… Forest… Eep!” she squeaked the last few words out with fear as the blue mare glared her down.
“It would be wise not to lie to me. Unlike before, I have been training, and added new and more powerful spells to my repertoire.” Trixie boasted with a flurry of her hoof for emphasis.
Twilight stepped forward, standing in a more defensive stance between us and the blue mare. “You know full well that, without that amulet, you can’t hope to outmatch me.” the element of magic warned. “We only stumbled upon your camp by accident. Nothing more.”
“Doubtful.” Trixie stated in a huff. “What possible reason could you have to come this far into the forest, besides for me?” she asked.
The lavender mare adopted a smug look, happy to be able to bring her outspoken rival down a peg. “Him.” she stated, directing Trixie’s attention with a nod in my direction.
“Him?” Trixie asked. “What’s so important about him that you would travel this far into the middle of nowhere?”
“I’m…” I tried to explain, but was interrupted by Twilight.
“That’s none of your concern.” she stated rather tersely. “Just know that we need to move on, and travel to our destination as swiftly as possible.”
“You’re headed to the ruins, aren’t you?” the blue unicorn deadpanned.
“Who... Wha... How did you know that?!” Twilight demanded.
“It’s the only landmark that would require you to go into the forest instead of around it.” Trixie explained as she trotted closer to me. “Now, the only question left is as to why you would even try to go there?” she asked as she eyed me up and down, scrutinizing every detail of my physique.
Why is she looking at me like that? This feels really awkward.
“You seem to be a fine specimen of a stallion. Perhaps you would like to accompany Trixie into her abode and have her show you her tricks.” she offered in a sensual manner.
I recoiled at the thought. Not just because of what Trixie was offering me, but more because she was actually offering it to me.
This is just wrong! Ponies should not behave this way, and definitely shouldn’t be offering sex to strangers.
“He most certainly will not!” Both Rarity and Twilight exclaimed at the same time. They looked at each other in surprise for a moment, nodded, and stood united side by side against the showmare.
“Ah. So that’s the reason then.” Trixie stated matter-of-factly. “You care for him. So I am to assume that his life is in some form of danger, and the only way to save him lies in the forest?”
I began to grin like an idiot as I stared at Twilight.
Is that it? She just wanted to see if Twilight cared for me. She cares for me? Yes, yes, yes, yes…
Rarity huffed in irritation. “My love life is of no concern of yours.” she stated. “Our roles may be reversed at the moment, but in the end, he will sweep me off my hooves and into the sunset, where we will live happily ever after.”
I gapped at the white fashionista.
She sees me as the mare and that she’s my knight in shining armor? What the fuck? Blueblood might be threatening my life right now, but it’s not like I need her to save me or anything. I’m not even royalty. Why is she so interested in me? I need to set her straight. She can’t keep pining for me like this. Besides, I made Spike a promise.
“Rarity, I…” I started, but was unable to finish because Rarity had placed her hoof over my muzzle to signify that she didn’t want me to speak.
“It’s alright, my stallion. I know you feel strongly for me, but we must not consummate our love until we are out of the forest and that poor excuse of a pony is out of your body.” she stated as she removed her hoof from my mouth.
“But that’s…”
“I know it is hard.” she continued, overdramatically raising the hoof she used to silence me over her brow, fainting distress. “It’s difficult for me as well, but we must persevere. Our love will be all the sweeter once the danger is behind us, and we are married. You can take me to your castle and we will make passionate love in the light of a beautiful sunset.”
What the Hell is she talking about? None of that is ever going to happen. I don’t even have a castle!
Glancing over to the pony that I actually had feelings for, I noticed that she was looking back at me. Silently, she seemed to be questioning whether her friend’s assumptions were true or not. I gave my answer in the form of a negative shake of my head and a minute expression of disgust upon my features.
Twilight gave me a small smile, almost unnoticeable, but quickly focused back on the showmare in front of me, glaring at her with all of her fury.
She smiled! She does like me! Yes, yes, yes…
“Your attraction to this stallion matters little to Trixie. I have no interest in him.” Trixie stated. “And for the record, I was actually referring to the only mare who can defeat Trixie in anything.” she said gesturing to Twilight.
The element of magic recoiled in surprise. “I.. I do not like him!” she stammered through her own defense.
Oh come on! Do you like me or not? This is getting ridiculous!
“Oh? Than what does it matter what he does… or who with?” she added in a sultry tone as she leaned closer to me. I took a noticeably larger step away from the unicorn.
“You cannot seduce him because… because…” Twilight struggled to find her words. Her eyes darted around, searching her mind for a reason, any reason. In a moment of clarity she had it. “He’s Celestia’s adopted Nephew and Prince of Equestria.” Twilight stated in a rush.
Wait… what?
“Huh?” both Trixie and I asked dumbly. The showmare looked at me in confusion for a moment, but deciding that an answer was more important to her, and so, asked Twilight what she wanted to know.
“Since when has Princess Celestia taken it upon herself to adopt ponies?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I added. “I mean… I’m no prince.”
“But of course you are.” Rarity defended. “Do you not live in Cantorlot Castle?” she asked.
“Well… according to Celestia’s letter, I’m to live in the Ponyville Library, with Twilight.” I answered.
The fashionista was silent for a bit, but then tried again. “But… clearly you know that you are to take Blueblood’s place?”
I shook my head in the negative. Rarity sighed, but continued to explain. “Blueblood was Celestia’s nephew, and not too distant heir to the throne. If she saw fit to try to swap the two of you, than that can only mean that she saw you fit to take his place, affectively adopting you as an heir to the throne. Honor Bound, you are the new prince of Equestria!” the fashionista exclaimed in giddy hysterics.
My hind quarters plopped down on the ground. Staring ahead of me for a moment, unblinking, I thought on what this meant for my future. Our little group fell into silence to allow me to adapt to this new information presented me.
Well…I never thought of it like that. It makes sense actually. I guess that explains Rarity’s continued infatuation with me. Damn gold digger. But, what does that mean for me and Twilight. Would she be interested in a prince? Well, I guess she’s a princess herself, considering how Shining Armor married Princess Cadence.
I was so deep in thought that I didn’t hear the first distant shout of somepony calling out a name. My ear twitched slightly at the sound of the second, but it wasn’t able to break me of my internal thoughts yet.
So, if I’m Celestia’s nephew, then what does that make me in relation to Twilight? I mean… Celestia knows that I have this crush on her, so… what? Does she really want me to hook up with her, or is it just one of her lessons to her student about something? Could this still work?
“Twily!” the pony shouted again. This time the cry was able to reach through my thoughts, jarring me into the real world of mythical talking ponies.
My misgivings of princedom shortly forgotten, I blinked a couple times to clear my vision. “Huh? What’s that?” I asked dumbly as I noticed that everyone around me was looking around for the source of the shouting. I joined them in their search, but once I heard Twilight’s nickname called out again; I knew who it was.
“Shining?” Twilight asked herself as she recognized the pony who was shouting her name. “Shining! It’s my brother everypony! Over here Shining Armor!” she shouted out, and waved her hooves around in an effort to gain her brother’s attention.
Trixie leaned towards me in a conspiratory manner. “She has a brother?” the blue unicorn asked me. “Why didn’t Trixie know of this?”
There was a quick flash of light and Shining Armor himself appeared before us in the aftermath of his teleportation spell. He looked at each of us, noting our presence, before shouting out. “They’re all right! We’ll meet you back in Ponyville.” over the tree canopy above us I could hear the wing beats of what I assumed to be pegasi guards flying away.
“What’s going on?” I asked the captain of the guard.
Shining Armor glared at me for a split second before his sister glomped him with child-like glee. Because of his stature however, he didn’t move much more than a step back to keep his balance.
“Shining!” Twilight squealed with joy. “What are you doing here?”
“Hay Twily.” Shining Armor greeted warmly. “The Princesses asked that I help keep you safe in their place.”
"Oh! So, you’re here to help us get to the ruined temple?” the librarian wanted to clarify.
“You’re going to the ruins of the old temple!?” Trixie exclaimed. “I knew you were going to the city ruins, but… the Temple!? Are you mad!?”
“So what if we are?” I asked in return, only to realize what I had inadvertently admitted to. “Going to the temple, I mean.” I corrected myself.
“So? So!? The temple in those ruins are the whole reason that they are ruins!” Trixie explained. “They’re how I learned about the Alicorn’s Amulet. The vary amulet that began to corrupt me, and turn me into something I wasn’t. No. If you value your souls, you will not venture into that place.” she warned.
“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked the showmare. “The Everfree City was reduced to ruins from the rise of Nightmare Moon. Everypony should know this.”
“That’s true, but I think that what’s in that temple is what caused Princess Luna to become Nightmare Moon in the first place.” she explained. “If you’re smart, and I know you are Sparkle, you will turn back now.”
“Tha..that’s not an option I’m afraid. We need to…” Twilight tried to say but was interrupted by her brother.
“We need to go back to Ponyville.” he said. “It’s too dangerous.”
Huh?
“What? But, we can’t. Honor Bound has to get the gem that’s in the temple. If we don’t, he’ll die.” Twilight pleaded. “You were sent here to help us, right? We can’t just turn back now, especially since we just started.”
Shining Armor’s features hardened slightly, not in an angry sort of way, but in the way that family members tend to get when they have bad news to deliver. “Twily,” he said in an almost whisper, “my orders are to keep you and your friends safe. I was never ordered to escort you to the temple.”
“What! But…”
“I know that’s not what you want to hear from me right now, but it’s too dangerous.”
No it’s not. We’re walking through a forest to get a rock from an old building. It’s not like we’re going to fight Discord or something. So…
“Why?” I asked the captain. “Why is it too dangerous? These six mares have saved Equestria multiple times, facing tyrants and gods alike. They’ve even saved you from marrying the changeling queen once. All of which had a lot more danger involved than we face now, so… what makes this so much more dangerous?”
Twilight and the others gazed at me with both humility and confusion. The captain of the guard on the other hand glared at me. “It’s different, in that, not even Princess Luna would venture into the ruins to help you.” He growled out with clenched teeth.
Why is he so pissed at me? If Luna did destroy this city we’re headed to, then I can understand why she wouldn’t want to go back to it. The regret for the devastation would be staggering. Besides, she turned into Nightmare Moon because she was lonely. So, what is his real problem?
Sensing that something was off, Twilight spoke up in an attempt to calm her older brother. “Shinning, what’s wrong?” she asked. “You’ve never acted like this before.”
He gave his little sister a soft, comforting smile. “It’s alright, Twily. I just want to keep you safe.”
“I know.” Twilight affirmed. “But, why are you so angry with Honor Bound? Did something happen back in the castle before he came to Ponyville?”
“Not that I know of?” I answered for the guard.
Besides scaring the living Hell out of me. I finished in my head. He can’t possibly be mad at me because he thinks I broke my promise to him. Twilight’s perfectly safe, and I didn’t do anything to hurt her. It’s got to be something else. I hope.
Shining Armor cast a cold look my way before answering his sister’s questions. “Princess Celestia let slip who he is, and why he came to Ponyville.” he explained.
Oh shit! What did you do Celestia?
“You can’t trust him, Twily. He’ll say anything to get what he wants.”
Twilight looked my way in a questioning manner. Quietly she analyzed my reactions to the accusations being flung at me. “And what, exactly, is it he wants?” she asked Shining Armor.
“What most coltfriends from Cantorlot would want.” he answered vaguely, yet answering many of the other questions that had been brought up.
The purple unicorn tore her sight from me to stare at her brother in shock. “What!?” she demanded with a full blush dominating her face.
Rarity’s jaw hung open at Shining Armor’s revelation. She remained silent and didn’t faint, but I was sure that she believed that she was going to still be the ‘other mare’ in our relationship. Or rather, what relationship she had dreamt up in her head.
Trixie, again, leaned close to me in a conspiratorial manner. “So, one mare isn’t enough for you, huh?” she asked nudging me in the side.
“It’s nothing like that!” I declared in disgust of the insinuation. My outburst gained the attention of all the ponies in the area, including Shining Armor.
“It’s not, is it? Then tell us. What is it then?” he demanded. “Princess Celestia seemed to believe that you are Twilight’s ‘coltfriend’ and that ‘great things’ were about to happen.”
“Did she say those words, exactly?” I was attempting to grasp for straws to prevent just what was about to happen.
“She did.” Shining answered to my dread.
Why would she say something like that? Especially, out loud where someone like Shining Armor could hear her. She has something up her sleeve. I can feel it.
“W..why would Princess Celestia think you were my coltfriend?” Twilight whispered to herself, but her brother heard her, and thought that he might as well discover the answer.
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” he muttered as he began to slowly stalk up to me.
Crap!
I back peddled in an attempt to keep my distance from the overprotective brother.
“H.. hey now. T.. there’s no need to get violent.” I stuttered in fear. Shining Armor’s horn glowed and I found my back against a solid magic wall, stopping all progress of my retreat from him.
Crap! Crap! Crap!
“T… this isn’t what you think it is. Can’t we talk about this?” I pleaded as my eyes darted around for any means of escape.
Over Shining Armor’s shoulder I saw that Rarity had since fainted, and Fluttershy was trying to tend to her as best she could. Applejack was close to them, but clearly wasn’t sure what she should do.
Next to them Pinkie Pie and Rainbow dash were exchanging bets on who was going to win the fight that I seemed to have found myself in. I noticed that Trixie, herself, had just realized that there was gambling to be had, and was eagerly trotting towards the two with a single bit in her hooves.
Nopony seemed inclined to help the poor human about to have the stuffing beat out of him.
“You can talk all you like. I think I’ll just keep pounding until the truth comes out.” Shining Armor stated in a cold tone of voice.
Damn it. He’s really going to kick my ass, isn’t he? I can’t fight him. I don’t know any offensive spells to fight him with. All I really know is…
Realization dawned on me that I knew how to teleport away from the threatening pony. I began to charge my horn for that effect, but it died off with a cry from Twilight Sparkle.
”Stop it this instant!” she shouted with a stomp of her hoof. Everyone froze in place as silence permeated the area. All our eyes turned to look at the purple mare. “So what if Honor Bound is my coltfrind? Does that give you the right to accuse him of such depraved things?” she asked her brother.
Coltfriend!?
“Coltfriend!?” everypony else demanded in stunned confusion.
“Twily, what are you saying? Just a little bit ago you wanted to know why the Princess would think that you two were in a relationship, now you’re saying that you actually are?”
Twilight looked uncertain of herself. Her eyes shifted back and forth as she provided her answer. “I.. I was wondering to m..myself how s..she found out.” She lied.
She’s lying? Why is she lying for me?
“Now, if you’re not going to help me save my c..coltfriend’s life,” she stuttered out with a blush on her cheeks. “th..then, you can stay here with Trixie until we get back. Come on, Honor Bound.” Twilight said as she teleported, only the two of us, onto the other side of the river.
“If you want to help, than we’ll meet you at the ruined temple.” she shouted across the river to the remaining ponies on the other side.
I was greatly confused as to what was going on, but when Twilight began to make her way past the tree line, I followed her. Glancing back, I saw that everypony was still just as confused as I was, but none of them moved to stop us going into the forest.
We continued to walk in silence for only a moment before I had to give voice to at least some of the thought’s that were buzzing around my head.
“Twilight, what was all that?” I asked. “I mean… thanks, and all, for keeping him from beating me up, but…”
The ground below our hooves rumbled ominously, causing my focus to shift onto what was happening around us. “What was that?” I asked. A hole then proceeded to open beneath our hooves and swallowed both Twilight and I before either of us could do anything about it.
We both screamed and shouted for help as we fell into the awaiting darkness below, not knowing whether or not the other ponies across the river could hear them. I remember asking myself before hitting my head on something hard, effectively knocking me out.
Why do things always have to get more complicated?