//------------------------------// // 3-Presentation // Story: The Tales of Prince Onyx // by Stanislas //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Knock knock knock! Celestia kissed the head of her little Onyx before she pulled the covers over him, then she got out of the bed and trotted over to the door. If she had the choice, she would pass up being Princess, to spend all of her days in her room, taking care of Onyx. But when you have a full land to take care of and be in charge of, you could barely do what you wished for leisure, without some sort of political complication in one part of the country. “Who is it?” Celestia asked calmly. “It’s Curved Bronze, your highness. I’m here with-” Celestia opened the door before Bronze could finish what he was saying. “Did you bring them?” She asked. The two ‘ex’-guards looked at each other before they brought forth two full bags of the fruit in which the Princess requested them to bring. Celestia took it with her magic and put the bags in her room. She would never admit it, but when somepony brought her bananas, she could hardly be angry at them. She then returned her attention to the visitors. “Don’t you two have something to say to me?” She questioned the one at her left. “Yes, we both wanted to say that we are sorry to have fought each other in front of you, it was unprofessional and we will never, ever do it again.” The Princess raised a brow, looking to the other guard. Then the other one started to talk. “E-except if one of us was a traitor, THEN we would need to fight each other, but I’m sure Bronze is not a traitor. And I am forever loyal to you, your highness.” “Steel, you know that what you said would be exactly what a traitor would say in your position, right?” Bronze asked him. “WHAT?! Oh no, d-does t-that mean I’m a traitor!? No no no no no, please forgive me your honor, I didn’t know that I am a trai-...” Steel exclaimed nervously. Celestia rolled her eyes before she interrupted the panicking guard. “If you were a traitor, why would you have given me your apology, and a bag of the bananas?” Celestia asked. “Uh... I don’t know...” “Exactly. That means that you are not a traitor. Now return to your captain, and say to him that I have accepted your apologies.” Then, she closed her door. After hopping back up onto her bed, she reached into one of her banana bags, and took the one on the very top with her magic. She then laid down, next to where the little baby was, sleeping peacefully. *** Its was time. Outside, an immense majority of the population was there, standing in front of the balcony on the streets and lawns below, waiting to hear what Celestia would say. Strong Shield was looking outside by the window, and all seem to be in-check and normal. But in less than 10 minutes, the Princess would show them all the... the monstrosity she found in who knows where, and HE would have to protect it. He constantly wondered to himself, who wouldn’t say that this little child would grow up into something dangerous? ‘Strong had seen aplenty of dragon hatchlings in his day, which at infancy, are cute, but when fully-grown, are one of the most dangerous predators in all of the land. This creature could show no difference, but then again, how would he know? Nopony, not even the Princess herself, knew what this creature could withhold in the future! But now was not the time to sweat the small stuff. This was the first time that he saw Celestia smile like that since he knew her, and if somepony actually managed to take away the source of joy that she had, Strong could never forgive himself. Even though he did not truly care for the creature, it was his sworn duty to do anything that her highness commands, whether it be small, or large. Strong Shield was walking to Celestia’s room to advise her that the people were waiting outside for the big announcement, or should we say, the little announcement. Strong laughed at his own joke, before he finally arrived at the door. *** Celestia was reading something aloud, looking down at a scroll wherein she had written what she would say to the people for the 6th time. She was still not quite certain on what she would need to say, and the worst part was that she needed to be ready now. Silver Heart gently set Onyx down on the bed, before she placed her hoof on the shoulder of Celestia. She looked over to her, and smiled. “Your honor, if I may, I suggest that you go with what your heart says. A piece of paper is just that. It cannot lead nations. Only by your word, and your word only, shall they listen. ” Celestia let out a sigh, but before she could have responded, somepony knocked at the door. “Your highness, the time has come.” Celestia steeled herself, and motioned for Silver to come along with Onyx as she began to walk out of her room. She gulped. *** Strong Shield was in front of the massive crowd of ponies, at the foot of the tower. Celestia was at his left, Silver Heart at his right. Strong was looking at the crowd, wondering how the ponies would react. He had already had the number of guards at the main door of the castle increased, and even more in the way to get to Celestia’s quarters, just in case. The little creature was hidden in the hooves of Silver, Celestia had asked him to take it, but he responded that if he needed to protect it, he would need to have both of his hooves free. The truth was that he found Onyx to be rather... revolting, even to look at it. So when asked to take it... there would be no way in Tartarus he would accept it. “Citizens of Equestria... Today, you are all gathered here because I have good news for us all. In the past few days, I have found an infant with no parents, in the gardens of the castle. And after having thought about it during the past few days, I have decided... that I shall adopt him. And this would have him become the new prince of Equestria when he is an adult.” After Celestia said this, the entire crowd was cheering. Everypony looked to like the idea of their Princess adopting a little foal. Celestia was smiling, but that smile quickly faded, as reality kicked in. She knew that the hardest part... had now come. “I am truly glad to see how happy you are by this, my little ponies, but before we continue... I need to tell you all something. The new prince... is not a pony.” Some gasps came from the crowd, followed by an immense amount of whispers. Suddenly, one pony raised his hoof. “Princess, is he a Gryphon?” The Princess started to feel a bit of pressure. “No, he is not a gryphon, he is a...” Celestia took Onyx from Silver with her magic, and held him up, just so the crowd could (hopefully) see him. “Like you all can see, he is not even a species that we know of. And I know that taking him under my wing, to some, is a bad choice in your opinion. But ask yourselves, does he really look that dangerous? He is still an infant when I look at him. I don’t know what he will look like, but what matters is what he will become. If I raise him in a good way, hopefully only his appearance will differ him from us.” She took a small breath, before she continued.”I am sure that many of you have a foal or filly to take care of, but if your child was born different, ask yourself, would you continue to take care of it, or you will forget it, and not take the risks? I think that everypony here can give him a chance. It would be an act of cruelty to judge this, this lovely child, before we can even begin to know him more.” Celestia felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She had to tense almost every muscle in her body, just to keep herself from shaking. The people were silent. Some even fainted. Some had a look of fear in their eyes. A little group wore a look of anger, but suddenly, one unicorn start to stomp her hooves on the ground in applause, and then a another one, and another, and another. Ultimately, the entire crowd was applauding and cheering, some even yelled, “WELCOME TO THE NEW PRINCE!”. Celestia couldn’t be happier, even if she tried. She would finally be able to raise her adopted son, without the fear of him being discovered. But what she did not see, was the look of full-on rage from Strong Shield. He was walking back to the barracks, trying to calm himself. “Am I the only pony here who has a brain!?! She should think about all the disasters that... that that little monster can bring into Equestria! Is the Princess so selfish to only think about HERSELF, and not about the consequences that can come from keeping that baby!?! Is she bucking BLIND!?!? And what the hay is her problem to think that it will be easy to raise a creature that we know NOTHING ABOUT!?!?!?” When he finally reach is office, he slammed the door shut behind him, and opened-up a bottle of 80% Celeska. He had finally lost it, if he was turning to the bottle. But, he was trying to drown-out the thoughts of that... disgusting little creature. *** Celestia shut her door with a smile, after she said a few goodbyes to a group of mares who wanted to come and see the prince. “Finally... me, Onyx, and the rest of my banana... Maybe I will be able to finally-” KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! She let out a long sigh, before she opened the door. But what surprised her was that she saw Silver Heart with a little foal on her back, sucking on a pacifier. “Good afternoon your highness. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” “No no, not at all, miss Silver. But may I ask, who is the little foal you have with you?” Celestia asked, her smile growing a bit when she saw the foal. “Oh this, this is my little angel, Shadow Heart. He will be four months old in two days, and I was thinking that now Onyx is officially here, maybe my son and yours can have some time to play together, or whatever little foals do together.” Silver offered, looking at Celestia with a smile. Celestia was gonna say that maybe it wouldn’t be quite a good idea, but she quickly realised that if she wanted Onyx to be truly, truly accepted by the ponies, she would need to do all that she could for him, to have him communicate with the other ponies. Celestia let Silver enter the room with her foal. Celestia looked at her son, and closed her eyes. Now that she did not have to be worried about what others would say, she would be able to finally, for the first time in about 980 years, be happy and have a family, like she had always wanted. THE END … of the chapter, not the story, you bunch of loony toons!