//------------------------------// // Ooooh Pretty... // Story: Music Makes The Heart Grow Fonder // by Yzanburg //------------------------------// Chapter 24 "Ughh..." I groaned as I sat up from my bed. "Why do I stay up so late all the time..." Rubbing the tiredness from my eyes, I walked over to the window and opened up the curtains to a beautiful sunny day. I smiled at first until I glanced over towards Canterlot and noticed the large, foreboding cluster of black clouds looming over the castle. "That's not good..." A shiver ran down my spine as I turned away from the window and went to get changed. I threw on a black dress shirt and a pair of blue skinny jeans, all courtesy of one Miss Rarity Belle. When she heard about the letter and my impending meeting with Celestia, She was more than happy to whip up some classier clothes for me and the big meeting, which was, sadly, this evening. Seeing as how I was due to meet Twilight and Fluttershy at the train station in little over ten minutes, I quickly freshened up in the bathroom and headed out the door. I could just grab something to eat on the train. Hopefully... As I walked through the streets of Ponyville, Closer and closer to the inevitable face to face with Equestria's ruler, My nerves started to get the better or me. And so the chewing of my lips began. The entire way to the platform, I was frantically searching for any way out of this situation, at the expense of my lower lip. By the time I arrived at the station, Fluttershy and Twilight had already arrived and were waiting for me. Fluttershy looked rather calm, if not a little tired. As for Twilight, i'm almost certain she looked more nervous than I did. Her hair was a frazzled mess. Her eyes were manic and darting all over the place, and she was pacing incessantly along the train platform. As I neared my travelling companions I began to hear the quiet ramblings of a mad person and I soon realized that it was Twilight talking to her self and trying to figure out what Celestia wanted. Still. With a deadpan look towards Fluttershy, who just shrugged and smiled at me sheepishly, I walked up to Twilight and stood in her path. Without even pausing to look up, she continued to walk into my legs. Even though she wasn't moving, she continued to take a few steps forward before turning around and repeating the process of walking into me and turning around. "Twilight." Nothing. Not even a glance up at me as she continued her pacing. "Twilight." Still nothing. Fluttershy looked even more concerned than she did when I first arrived. With the grace and dignity of any sane person I know, I started walking along side Twilight as she paced. My timing had to be clean and precise if my plan was going to work. With all the class of a first grade boy, I sloppily licked my finger and swiftly jammed it into her purple ear. Right away she yelped in surprise and bucked me. Now it wasn't a very hard buck, but I certainly felt that one. "Oh my gosh, David!" Fluttershy yelled as she three of her ran to my side. Three Twilight's followed suit soon after, all wearing looks of confusion and worry on their faces. "David, what happened? Are you okay?" Twilight asked. "Finland!" Both Fluttershy and Twilight shared a look of some sort that I couldn't quite make out in my groggy state before I felt myself magicked to my feet. I shook my head from side to side to clear all the stars and planets from my head. I could already feel the hoof sized bruises forming on my chest but I decided not to think about them for the moment as I watched the train pull into the station. Perfect timing. As the pastel colored train came to a stop, a grey stallion with an impeccable moustache leaned out the train engine window and addressed the general public. "All aboard!" Taking a quick look around, there really weren't that many ponies around at all. Maybe ten at the most aside from the conductor and myself. Being the gentleman that I am, I allowed Fluttershy and Twilight to board the train car before me with a smile. Albeit a woozy one. Before I had a chance to step on board a loud peal of thunder could be heard from behind me. When I turned and looked in the direction of the intruding noise, I looked at Canterlot Castle just as branches of lightning were showing their faces in the backdrop of cloudy blackness. With an ever so manly gulp, I stepped into the train proper and followed my companions to their chosen car. We sat in relative silence. All of us were rather nervous about the coming meeting and our minds were a buzz of thoughts and wonders of what Celestia might want to talk about. As the train lurched into life, we sat in silence and it wasn't long before I was nodding off and eventually fell asleep on Fluttershy's shoulder. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed as I made my way inside Canterlot Castle. My eyes were jumping from shadow to shadow as I walked alone to meet my fate that was Celestia. The air was frigid and stale as I pulled open the very large and ornate front doors of the castle. I walked silently through the dark abandoned halls. My only guide being the red carpet that seemed to call me forward and deeper into the darkness of Canterlot. This felt weird. For a bustling capital city, their seemed to be no pony in the immediate vicinity. I was shaken from my thoughts as the sound of a childs laughter reached my ears and the retreating form of a small filly caught my eye as it rounded a corner. Ditching the red carpet, I pursued the filly deeper and deeper into the halls. Passing room after room we ran until at the end of a particularly dark hall the door slammed shut and I was once again alone. I cautiously inched my way towards the door, dreading what I would find behind the barrier. Easing it open I walked into an enormous room. There was a tattered red carped that eventually led to a staircase. At the top of the staircase stood an ornate golden throne. It looked as though it hadn't been used in ages as the gold bare gleamed at all in the light of the two torches standing on either side of it. Even with the light of the fire lighting up the throne and carpet, I still couldn't make out any walls in the room. Just the door I came in and the empty, endless blackness that surrounded me. Tentatively taking a few steps forward, I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched. As if on cue, An enormous black figure rose up from behind the decaying throne. I easily towered over me by at least fifty feet, glaring down at my insignificant form. I watched in awe as it's black mane moved in an unfelt breeze. It didn't say anything. Just stood and stared down at me. "Ce-Celestia?" I asked. My voice shaky with fear and nerves. The imposing black figure merely blinked in my direction, making nary a sound to indicate I was right or not. Not knowing what to do, I slowly bent down on one knee and bowed my head out of respect. My eyes shot open in surprise and fear as the sound of booming laughter assaulted my ears. My head shot up rapidly as the beasts front hoof raised into the air. Before I knew what was going on, The black hoof was looming over my head. "Holy shit!" I screamed, falling to my knees. "Oh please no! I'm so sorry. I don't know what I did but I'm sorry." I pleaded for my life but the giant alicorn made no indication of sparing my life. When I looked up, tears pouring down my cheeks I saw the most malicious white grin grace it's face before her hoof was speeding towards my tiny form. "Auughh!" I screamed. My heading shooting up right off the train seat cushion. Fluttershy was leaning over me uncertainly while Twilight stood by the door. "David, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, helping me to my feet. "You we're crying in your sleep and then you screamed..." "Uh, yeah... Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream is all. Heh heh..." I gave her a sad smile as I looked over at Twilight with a look of confusion. "What's going on?" "We're finally in Canterlot." Twilight said with a smile before walking towards the train platform and out into the station. Fluttershy and I followed soon after and before I had a chance to look around, an official looking pony greeted us and lead us right to the castle proper. We followed him through the streets of Canterlot, passing many fancy looking ponies and even fancier looking buildings until we reached the home of the princesses, Celestia and Luna. While were being lead through the halls, all I could think about was my dream I had and was looking around nervously at all the walls and doors we passed. Fluttershy must have noticed my nervousness as she placed a wing on my back and gave me an encouraging smile. It helped a little bit until we came up to a large, imposing set of doors. The guard pony opened them up for us and followed us into what I now know was the throne room, but unlike my dream, it was in pristine condition, with not a speck of black in the immaculate white room. The golden throne sparkling in the light of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. But what was the same as my dream was the distinct lack of an alicorn princess in the immediate vicinity. The guard lead us further into the throne room before gesturing us to stop and making exit back through the doors we came through. We stood in silence as we waited for Princess Celestia to arrive. I began to twitch in my left eye as we waited, eyeing the throne warily. Unbeknownst to me, the Princess had teleported in silently right behind the three of us. She leaned in slowly and all but gently spoke into me ear. "Hello David." With all the grace and dignity of a kitten high off catnip, I screamed like a little girl a fell on my face. Fluttershy was by my side in an instant while Twilight turned to her mentor and gave her a puzzled look. Celestia just shrugged before giving her pupil an affectionate nuzzle. Meanwhile I was still on the floor, face first and unmoving. "David, what's wrong?" Fluttershy asked worriedly. "I dunno. Sometimes when I'm nervous I forget how to stand." I said as I used all of my strength to roll over and face the demon that me. She stood with poise of a goddess as she looked down at me and... Was she... Laughing? I couldn't find the words to say as I all but gawked at the princess of the sun as she laughed at my expense. When she finally composed her self and saw me staring, she gently cleared her throat and extended a hoof in my direction. "Hello, I'm Princess Celestia." I couldn't believe what was going on. This is nothing like the dream I had on the train, and definitely not what I was expecting. I flailed about in my head trying to find the words to say before settling on the most genius thing I could. "You're pretty." Internally I could hear the sound of a thousand people face palming back on earth.