Chapter 14
Dinner Plans
Back upstairs Cross was in the restroom when he felt the information from his clone reach his brain. His eyes shrank and let out a huff of anger at the fact that there were at least a dozen Changelings in his home. He swallowed his anger threw on a fake smile as he walked out of the restroom to see ‘Jeeves’. “Anything I can get you sir?”
“No thank you, I’m holding off till dinner with the Princess.” he said as he smothered his rage.
“Very well sir.” he said with a small nod and continued along his way. Cross gritted his teeth as he made his way into the kitchen to check up on Applejack and Pinkie.
“How are things going in here?”
“Great! We’re almost done!” Pinkie said as she was dotting the last bits of cake with icing.
“Good. The Princess should be arriving soon.” he said as he threw on a fake grin. “Listen, there may be some trouble tonight and if that happens I want all of you to leave it to me okay.” the mares looked back at him in surprise.
“What kind of trouble?”
“Let’s just say that things can get out of hoof very quickly around here. Now I want you both to Pinkie Promise me that should something happen you and the others will leave it to me.” the mares looked at one another and went through the gestures as they said the chant. “Thank you.” he said as he made his way to the library, he opened the door to see several books flying around and being stacked neatly beside one a another. Cross noticed a a purple horn sticking out of a pile of books, he trotted over to the mare who was fully engrossed in her current book. “Hey Twi, enjoying the job?”
“Oh yes! These books are amazing, I’d love to get copies if that’s alright-”
“You can read them anytime you want. I just came over to say that-” he was cut off by a cyan blur racing up to him.
“THE PRINCESS’S CHARIOT IS ALMOST HERE!” she yelled. Twilight shot up at the news and ran out of the door with Rainbow close behind. Cross shrugged and hurried after the mares. His horn flared and he caught the two in a magical grip. “Hey what gives?”
“Before the meeting starts I want you two to promise me that if something happens you won’t get involved. Pinkie and AJ already Pinkie promised me that they wouldn’t and I’d like the same from you two.” he said as he released the grip.
“Expecting trouble?”
“Possibly, meetings like these can get out of control very quickly and since you guys don’t know the King you can’t calm him down as well as I can.” the mares shrugged and promise the stallion. “Thank you.” he said as he sped off towards the front gate to greet the white Alicorn. Cross opened the door to see the sun goddess standing before him with a warm smile on her face. “Great to see you Celestia!” he said with a smile.
“You as well.”
“Is Luna with you?”
“No, she remained in Canterlot while I’m here.”
“That’s fine, we’ll just have some food left over then.”
“Has Karathax arrived yet?” she asked.
“Not yet but-” he was cut off by a massive black dragon landing in front of the ponies. His dark scales flickered in the light, his body had many scars strewn across it. The dragons left eye was bright blue while his right one had a massive scar over it. “Karathax! Good to see you.” he said with a smile. The dragon let out a laugh as he saw the stallion.
“It’s good to see you again my friend.” Karathax said with a grin on his face. “You as well Celestia.” he said as he noticed the white Alicorn who nodded at him. Cross saw that a familiar yellow mare was staring at them with fear in her eyes. Cross trotted over to her and gently led her out to meet the dragon.
“Karathax, this is my mare friend Fluttershy.” he said as Fluttershy was visibly shaking in fright.
“It’s nice to meet you miss. Any friend of Cross is a friend of mine.” he said as he outstretched a claw to her. Fluttershy suddenly ducked behind Cross and poked her head out from behind his back.
“Sorry about that, she’s shy by nature and has a distinct fear of massive dragons.” he said with a weak smile.
“Oh, well we can’t have that now can we. Just give me a second.” The dragons body began to glow and shine causing the ponies to advert their eyes. As the light vanished they saw that the massive dragon had shrunk to the size of the white Alicorn. “Better?”
“A-a little.” She said in her usual timid voice.
“Splendid, I forgot you could do that.” The grey stallion said as he looked at the dark dragon.
“I don’t usually use this form, it’s small.” he said as he cracked his neck.
“Good thing too, I didn’t have time to resize the house for your stay. I’ve been busy with the kids.” he said as he walked them inside.
“I’ll never understand why you turned this place into an orphanage.”
“This place has seen enough horrors for a life time.”
“I suppose your right.” he said with a sigh. “I suppose the world is better of without the Crimson-” the grey stallion shot him a cold stare.
“Don’t mention that.”
“I understand.” the grey stallion looked over to see Twilight and the other five mares walking down the hall way.
“Ah, perfect timing! Karathax allow me to introduce Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie.” the mares looked at the dark figure with a raised eyebrow. “Ladies, allow me to introduce King Karathax.”
“Greetings.” He said with a bow. “It’s an honor to finally meet the Elements of Harmony.”
“N-nice to meet you.” Twilight said in a nervous tone.
“No need to be nervous Twilight, Karathax is very welcoming.” Celestia said with a warm smile.
“I was just expecting him to be bigger.”
“That I can do.” The dragon said as he was about to snap his fingers.
“No! Remember the lat time you did that in my house?”
“Right, sorry.” the dragon said with a weak smile. The grey stallion felt a small shudder go through his body.
Looks like Jeeves has made it out. Time to discuss the plan.
“Are you all right?” Karathax asked as he looked at the grey stallion.
“Yes, listen theres something I need to take care of real quick. I’ll see you all at dinner.” he said as he started to walk away from the group.
“Need some help?” Twilight asked.
“No thank you, I can handle it.” He said as he galloped into the dark hallway. The ponies looked in confusion as he vanished from their sight.
“What’s with him?” Rarity asked.
“Don’t know, he’s been acting mighty strange since we got here.” Applejack said with a raised eyebrow.
“That’s understandable. He’s been through a lot and being here is bringing back a lot of memories.” The dragon said in a low tone.
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.
“It’s nothing, ancient history.” Celestia said in a flat tone. The mares looked at the tall figures in confusion. “I will go settle in.”
“As will I.” Karathax said as he started to walk in the opposite direction. The mares looked at one another in confusion as the Princess and the King went to their respected rooms.
“Something strange is going on here.” Rainbow said as she looked at her friends.
“Ah know what ya mean sugar cube, ah feel like ah’m being watched or something.” Applejack said as she looked around the hallway.
“I’ve got that feeling too when I was in the library. It felt...wrong. This whole place feels wrong.” Twilight said as she felt a shiver down her spine.
“Yeah when Applejack and I were baking my Pinkie sense was going crazy.” Pinkie said as her back right knee twitched.
“What does twitchy back knee mean?” Rarity asked.
“I think it means that we’re not alone in here.” she said as she looked down the dark hallway. Rarity and Fluttershy were shaking in their hooves.
“Maybe the Princess knows something about this.” Rainbow asked.
“Good idea.” Rarity said as the mares altered their course to find the Princess.
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The grey stallion stopped in front of a massive black iron door. Cross put his hoof on the door and gave it a hard push, the large door creaked open to reveal a large circular study with suits of armor standing around the room. He knocked three times on the desk and a trap door opened in the center of the floor. He looked over to see the elderly butler pop out of the passage.
“Good to see you sir.”
“Red Dawn.” he said as he positioned himself in a defensive stance.
“Black Eclipse.”
“Had to make sure.” Cross said as he relaxed his stance.
“Completely reasonable. Given the circumstances.”
“Yeah, how long were you down there?”
“Two weeks.” he said as he took a seat. “I’m sorry sir, I should have seen it coming.”
“It’s fine. Did you get the foals out?”
“Yes, they’re asleep and going to the safe house off the estate along with the rest of the staff.”
“Good. Why didn’t you go with them?”
“And miss out on the fun that’s to be had? Not on my life.” he said with a smile.
“You’re a good friend Jeeves. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
“Neither do I. What’s the plan sir?”
“Pest control.”
“Ah. You’ll make your move at dinner?”
“Yeah.” Cross trotted over to a portrait of a jet black stallion with vibrant blue hair standing tall. “Do you think I’ll ever become him?”
“No and I thank Celestia every night for that. This place can offer something more than pain.”
“I can still hear him whispering to me.” he said as he sat down.
“Listen to me, you are NOT your father. If anything, you’re the complete opposite of him.” the white stallion said as he put a hoof on his shoulder.
“He’s right.” the stallions looked up to see Princess Celestia standing in the door way. “I should have known you’d be in here.”
“Hello Princess.” he said as he kept his head lowered.
“What’s wrong?”
“The usual.” The white Alicorn walked beside him and let out a sigh. “It was right out there wasn’t it?” he said as he looked out to the balcony.
“Yes, hard to believe that it’s been eleven years.”
“I know what you mean. I guess when you do the unthinkable, it changes you.”
“I know the feeling.” she said in a sympathetic tone. “When I trapped Luna one thousand years ago it tore my heart out. I still haven’t gotten over the guilt, but what you did was beyond that.”
“I had no choice. They had to be stopped.”
“I’m not blaming you, I’m impressed that you’ve managed to stay the same hyperactive and cocky colt that I met all those years ago.” she said with a warm smile. “Do Twilight and the others know?”
“No. How could I tell them that of all things?”
“You can’t bear this all on your own.”
“It’s my duty as the last Crimson Knight. My burden to bear until the day I die.” he said in a defeated tone.
“I understand and I respect your decision, but when will you let go of the past and start living for you?”
“You know that answer Celestia.”
“Yes, and I wish I were wrong.” she said as she turned to leave. “I’ll see you at dinner.” the two stallions gave her a nod as she closed the doors behind her.
“Who’s this Fluttershy she mentioned?” Jeeves asked as he rubbed his monocle with a glass cloth.
“My mare friend. She’s the sweetest and kindest mare I’ve ever met.”
“I see, it’s good to see that you’ve finally found somepony.” he said with a smile.
“Yeah, she’s great. Enough about that you’d better get in position.”
“Right sir.” he said as he began to trot away.
“Jeeves.”
“Sir?”
“These things infiltrated our home and took our friends hostage. Show no mercy.” he said in a cold tone.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” the white stallion said as he smiled and his eyes spliced like a cat.
“Good. Time for a dinner party.” Cross said as he made his way out of the study and back towards his room. As he waked along the hallway he looked at the portraits of his predecessors and let out a heavy sigh.
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As Celestia made her way to the dinning room she was stopped by a familiar lavender mare who was wearing her blue Gala dress. “Hello Twilight, that dress is lovely.”
“Thank you Princess.” she said with a smile. The two continued to walk Twilight noticed the Princess’s stunning dress. “You look great as well.”
“Thank you.”
“Princess, can I ask you something?”
“Of course Twilight.” she said with a warm smile.
“You’ve known Cross for a while right?” the Alicorn nodded at the question. “What’s with this house? It feels strange.” Celestia bit her lip at the question. “You know something don’t you?”
“I’m sorry Twilight but it’s not my place to say, Cross’s past is....complicated.” she said in a sad tone.
“I’m sorry Princess, I’m just worried about Fluttershy. Cross has so much power and I’m worried that he might lose control.”
“Trust me Twilight, Cross would never let that happen.”
“But, what if he does?” she asked in a worried tone.
“I’m going to be honest with you Twilight, if that ever comes to past I doubt that anyone could stop him, not even Luna or I could stand alone against him and hope to win.” she said in a flat tone. She looked down at her pupil who had a look of pure fear strewn across her face. “That will never come to pass.” she said with a reassuring smile.
“I hope you’re right Princess.” Twilight said as she looked ahead.
So do I Twilight, so do I. The Princess thought as the two made their way to the dinning hall in silence.
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As Cross made his way back to his room his mind began to wander. I guess there’s no escape for me. No matter how far I go it’s the shit at home that hits you the hardest. Cross pushed the thought aside as he entered his room and threw on a black suit with dark red trim. Cross looked over to see Fluttershy come out of the bathroom wearing the dress she wore on their first date.
“H-how do I look?”
“Great as always.” he said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. As she combed her mane she looked over at Cross who was staring out the window. “It’s starting to rain.” he said as a clap of thunder echoed through the dark skies.
“Cross?”
“Yes?”
“Is there something wrong?”
“Being back here is bringing back unpleasant memories.” Fluttershy trotted over to him and put a hoof on hi shoulder.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not yet, I’ll tell you after dinner.” he said as he made his way towards the door. Fluttershy looked at him with nervousness in her eyes as she joined him. The two made their way down the hall to see the ponies and the dragon approach from the opposite direction. “Glad to see that you didn’t get lost.”
“Not for lack of trying, this place is like a maze.” Karathax said as he looked at the stallion.
“Sorry this house can play tricks on you sometimes.” he said with a weak smile. “Let’s eat.” he said as he opened the door to reveal two massive tables filled with food and gemstones. The circular room was lined with suits of armor.
“Why are there two tables?” Celestia asked.
“I though I should invite my staff to join us, it’s been so long since I’ve eaten with them. With your permission of course.”
“I don’t see why not.” Cross smirked at the answer.
“Excellent, this is one dinner they won’t want to miss.” he said as he walked inside with his guests following him.
