//------------------------------// // Chapter VI - Waking up. // Story: The Adventures of Damon Lipton // by Mr101 //------------------------------//         The Adventures of Damon Lipton                     Chapter VI - Waking Up. As the first sun rays shone down through the window and penetrated the small gap between the curtains, Damon groaned and slowly sat up as the room spun slightly, looking around the room. Whilst trying to figure out where he was, he noticed he was in a bedroom and had slept on a fairly medium sized bed, he then noticed the second bed in the room with him that had been untouched, figuring he was in some form of guest room. Groaning in pain as the full effect of his hangover suddenly made itself known to him, he rose up from the bed and stumbled to the doorway, trying to keep his balance. He noticed that he was also not wearing his cloak or hood and tried to remember where it was. Grumbling as he failed to think of where it was, he then stumbled down the hallway walking past a bedroom with the words ‘Pinchy’s room, Keep out!’ and came to the top of some stairs. “Ok… nice and easy now…” he muttered. He carefully lifted his right foot up to take his first step, only to miss the step and trip over himself and crashed down the stairs whilst shouting every curse he knew in various languages. With a loud smack as he hit the floor of the stairs, he groaned again and slowly rose to his feet, clicking his dislocated jaw back into place before heading down the hallway. Damon caught the smell of something cooking and his stomach growled loudly as he decided to follow the smell, he soon came to a kitchen where he saw Berry Punch at the table with a mug of what appeared to be tea and a plate that had toast and eggs on it. She was conversing with another pony who was blue and had an hourglass on her flank, who, as Damon entered, looked up at him with no surprise in her eyes which confused him and then turned to Berry. “Huh… guess you weren't kidding, I owe you 10 bits.” “Morning, Damon,” Berry smiled, “I made you breakfast.” She pointed to a plate of toast and eggs in front of an empty spot at the table, he smiled and pulled the chair back with a screech, causing him to wince as his head throbbed. “Thanks…” “Hungover?” she giggled. “Like you wouldn’t believe it…” Damon muttered, “makes me wish I had the fortitude of a Dwarf now…” “A what?” “Small humanoid, loud, annoying, live underground and can easily drink their own body weight ten fold in alcohol before they even get drunk.” “I see…” Berry replied. “How come you’re not hungover?” Damon grumbled, taking a bite of toast as the other pony watched in fascination. “Oh, I’ve never really gotten them. Not sure why,” she replied. “Lucky mare…” “Oh I nearly forgot, Damon, this is a dear friend of mine and my daughter’s Godmother, Colgate. Colgate, Damon.” “Charmed,” Damon nodded to her. “Likewise, I must say I was a little sceptical at first about the whole ‘I’m putting up a drunken skeleton from another world’ Berry told me about, but weirder things have happened. Beautiful teeth by the way,” “Uh… thanks?” Damon replied, sipping some tea. There was a brief silence as the three continued to eat their meals as Damon took a bite from his toast before he turned to Berry, realising something. “Do… you know where my cloak is?” He said with his mouth full. “No talking with your mouth full,” Berry said, giving his hand a light smack. “Ow!” He mumbled as Colgate giggled before swallowing, “do you know where my cloak is?” “I AM THE NIGHT!” A voice cried to his right. Damon heard the sound of tiny hoofsteps coming from the hallway, he turned to look before being tackled by a blur of blue and falling onto his back. Blinking in confusion he looked up to see a small, pink filly, wearing his cloak and hood despite it nearly consuming the filly with the size ratio grinning down at him. “Pinchy Punch!” Berry shouted, “get off Damon this instant!” “But muuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!” Pinchy whined, “I am the night…” “Pinchy…” Berry said sternly. “Fine!” Pinchy pouted, She was about to get off before Damon grinned and picked her up, startling her with a squeak as he cackled loudly. “My plan was a success!” Damon cackled, “with her back turned by my cleverly timed distraction, the super mare known only as ‘The hooded’... uhm…” “The hooded shadow!” Pinchy shouted. “The hooded shadow!” Damon copied, “I have successfully captured her thus bringing the world to its knees with my power! Mwahaha!” “You’ll never get away with this!” Pinchy giggled, before squirming in his grip, “you forget about my super strength!” Damon gasped as he placed Pinchy on the ground, pretending she had broken free of his grip. “Drat! You may of won this round, Hooded Shadow! But I will return!” Damon cackled. “Not if I capture you first, Skeletal Overlord!” Pinchy giggled as she began to chase Damon around the table as Colgate and Berry watched with smiles on their faces, they were at first slightly shocked by the display but they couldn’t help but feel happy watching the two play. Soon Damon pretended to get captured by Pinchy and surrendered to the ‘authorities’, a one detective Berry and Colgate, before being told to go brush her teeth, seeing as she had already eaten, and get ready for school. “A skeleton who can hold their own with their drink against Berry and is good with foals, where did you find him Berry?” Colgate giggled. “In the park, being chased by the Elements of Harmony claiming he was evil,” Berry replied, sipping her tea. Colgate blinked, looked to Damon, then back at Berry, then back to Damon before bursting out laughing. “Oh, that is priceless! I had heard there was an ‘evil monster’ running amok but, it was Damon? Man, the ponies in this town sure overreact to everything don’t they?” Berry giggled as the three finished their breakfast and it wasn’t long before Pinchy returned from brushing her teeth, Colgate then offered to walk with Berry to the school and Damon decided he would tag along before he and Berry would go to the library to meet with the Princesses.The local mailmare, Derpy, had brought them a reminder note from Twilight reminding them about the meeting. “Mister Damon…” Pinchy started, “can I wear your cloak to school? Everypony would be so jealous!” “I’m afraid not, Pinchy, I need to look my best for the meeting with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,” Damon frowned seeing Pinchy’s saddened expression, “however… wouldn't it be cooler to arrive at school riding atop a new creature the likes your classmates have never seen before?” Pinchy gasped before giggling in excitement as Damon knelt down and popped her on his shoulders, Pinchy using her front legs to hold on tightly to his head. “Onward! All skeletal transportation vessel!” She declared. “Aye aye cap’n!” Damon replied, giving an over exaggerated salute by sticking his hand up, twirling it three times before saluting properly.*** Berry giggled as Damon began to make boat noises as Pinchy giggled whilst directing him towards the school, as they walked through the town, ponies left right and centre watched in confusion and curiosity as the Pinchy guided Damon made its way towards the school with Berry and Colgate in hot pursuit. “Oh no! Enemy ships sighted behind us, evasive maneuvers!” Pinchy cried. Damon made whooshing sounds as he swayed right and left, Berry and Colgate giggled and played along by making sounds of catapults being fired. “Oh no! Watch out!” Pinchy cried, pointing to an imaginary projectile. “Say the word, Cap’n and I’ll activate the emergency temporal teleportation!” Damon replied. “Do it!” Berry and Colgate gasped as suddenly Damon and Pincy vanished in a flash of light, before being hearing a sound behind them. “FIRE THE PINCHY ROCKET!” Pinchy shouted. Berry and Colgate turned to see at the last second, Damon throwing Pinchy at them, who let out a war cry and tackled her mother and Godmother into the ground whilst giggling along with them. Damon chuckled as the three ponies lay together giggling, oblivious to the others watching them, shocked at the sudden teleportation spell Damon used. “Ok, ok enough playing now we’re nearly at the school,” Berry giggled. “Awww,” Damon and Pinchy said in unison, much to the amusement of Berry and Colgate. As the crowd of fillies and colts rushed into the school, saying goodbye to their parents as they did so. Pinchy gave Berry and Colgate a hug before giving a hug to Damon, much to the shock and confusion from the other parents. “Will you be here to pick me up later with mummy, Mister Damon?” Pinchy asked. “Sure, don’t see why not,” Damon replied with a smile, ruffling her mane. Pinchy giggled as she rushed off to join her friends, a small light purple filly with a blonde mane as well as three others, one with a white coat with a pink and purple mane, one with an orange coat and purple mane and one with a yellow coat and a red mane with a bow attached. After watching the fillies and colts enter the school building, Colgate said goodbye to Berry with a hug and to Damon with a handshake before she left to go to work. Damon and Berry then began to walk back through the town towards the library, discussing various, if not random, topics. They soon came to the library and Damon stopped in front of it and gave it a look over. “A tree?” He said aloud, “the Elves would love her.” “The who?” Berry asked. “Arrogant, stuck up, pointy eared, tree hugging humanoids. My Master was one of them.” Damon briefly explained. “I see,” Berry nodded, The two stood in front of the door for what seemed like minutes, Berry looked at Damon who was clearly showing signs of hesitation by having one of his hands clearly in a fist for knocking, but close to his chest. “Want me to knock?” Berry asked. “Yes, very much so,” Damon replied. Berry walked up to the door and knocked three times before taking a step back and waited, they waited for a while before the door was opened revealing Spike standing there. “Yes? Oh, hey Berry, what brings you-” Spike stopped seeing Damon and his eyes went wide and he gasped. Damon braced himself for a scream but instead watched as the little dragon ran up to him and looked him up and down, a huge grin on his face. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Twilight told me you’d be coming round but told me to stay in my room but I didn’t want to so I snuck downstairs just now when she went into the kitchen with the others then you knocked and its you and I can’t believe it you're like something from one of my comics. You’re. So. AWESOME!” Spike said in one breath. Damon blinked as he let the words sink into his head before shaking his head. “Thanks, not every time you get complimented by a  dragon. Usually they tend to be stuck up, pompous and think everyone who isn’t a templar or paladin is trying to steal their horde.” He knelt down and let Spike examine his hands and lowered his hood so Spike could see his skull, chuckling as the dragon’s eyes widened with fascination. “Spike! Why’s the front door open? I told you to-” Twilight appeared in the doorway and saw Damon, her eyes widening slightly before seeing Spike on his shoulder, examining his skull. “Spike! I said wait upstairs!” “But, no one went to answer the door! That was a little bit rude, so I answered it for you. Just because you guys are hesitant about this meeting does not excuse rudeness.” “Yes, Twilight, how very rude of you,” Damon tutted, shaking his head along with Spike who was also tutting before they both burst out laughing. Twilight’s eyes twitched slightly as Berry held back the urge to giggle herself. “Just get in here! The Princesses will be here soon.” Berry entered first followed by Damon with Spike sitting on his shoulder, the pair still snickering as Twilight closed the door behind them. Damon looked around the library, seeing all the shelves containing books and placed his hands on his hips. “Huh…” he said softly. What? Something wrong with my library?” Twilight asked in a huff. “Actually, quite the opposite. The library back in the temple was bland and boring, but you’ve made it fit with the tree in terms of how the shelves move around it, very impressive.” Damon replied. “Oh… thank you?” Twilight blinked. “Hey, Damon you want a drink?” Spike asked, hopping down from his shoulder.” “Alight, tea would be nice, Master Spike,” Damon gave a low, over exaggerated bow, “Hah, Master Spike, you’re a riot dude!” Spike chuckled, “and you, Berry?” “Same for me thank you, Spike.” Berry replied. Spike grinned, heading into the kitchen and passing the other Elements as he did. They all saw Damon and smiled nervously at him. “Morning ladies!” Damon cheerfully said. “Good morning, Damon,” Rarity replied. Rainbow Dash simply nodded as Applejack tipped her hat, both still a little nervous about the meeting. Fluttershy remained quite, looking away from Damon with shame. Damon looked to Berry with confusion. “She alright?” Berry simply shrugged as Damon muttered to himself and took a seat on the sofa, ignoring the confused looks from the other girls. He sat on a cushion that squeaked, something he knew a cushion didn't do and upon inspecting the cushion he let out a startled yelp as Pinkie grinned back up at him “Hiya, Bones!” She giggled, “Bones?” He asked. “Mhm, it’s your nickname!” She replied “Alright, I’ll go with it for now,”  Damon replied, wondering how he hadn’t noticed her there. Berry took the seat next to him, sandwiching Damon between herself and Pinkie as a slight awkward silence reigned over the group. Damon began to twiddle his boney thumbs as he went back to looking over the room, soon Spike reentered the room carrying a tray of tea. “Tea’s up everpony!” Spike said. As the girls thanked him and took their cups, Damon blinked at him before looking at Twilight. “So… Spike’s a baby dragon.” “Yes?” “Why is he acting like a butler?” He’s just a kid!” “Well… he is my number one assistant,” Twilight proudly stated. “The best there is!” Spike added. Damon went to argue, but Berry saw it coming and placed a hoof on his leg, he looked down at her and she shook her head and he reluctantly signed. As the girls quietly chatted to one another, Damon sipped his tea as Berry spoke to Spike who was asking her questions about him. Soon they heard the sound of a chariot landing and several stallions talking before there was a knock on the door, Spike quickly went and opened it revealing a stallion in royal armor. “Announcing the arrival of their majesties, the Princesses Celestia and Luna and Prince Blueblood.” Twilight’s eyes widened as her pupils shrank and Rarity gasped loudly before immediately fussing with her appearance. “O-okay,” Twilight replied nervously. “You okay Twi?” Applejack asked. As Celestia and Luna got off their chariot, speaking quietly to Blueblood who was nodding intently, Twilight quickly rushed over to her friends. “This is bad, when I lived in Canterlot, all I would ever heard about Prince Blueblood was that he was rude, arrogant, chauvinistic and was somewhat racists to anything non pony. I just know something bad is going to happen because of Blueblood...” Twilight replied. “A bit like you guys?” Damon teased, receiving a light bop from Berry. “Oh come now, Twilight, they were probably just rumours you know how some ponies can be,” Rarity started, “I’m sure he isn’t all that bad,” Rarity sighed happily as Spike pouted and went into the kitchen in a huff, before anything else was said, Princess Celestia and Luna entered the building. The girls all bowed to them as did Damon and the Princesses smiled back at them. “Come now my little ponies, there is no need to bow,” Celestia giggled, “and good morning to you, Damon, I trust you slept well?” “Aside from the hangover? Pretty good thank you,” Damon replied. “Princess?” Twilight called to her, “can I speak with you a second?” Celestia walked over to Twilight as Luna began to make small talk with Damon and the girls, leaning down to Twilight’s head, sensing she had something urgent to discuss. “Yes my faithful student?” “With respect, why did you bring Blueblood? You know what everpony says about him! He might over react and offended Damon, he might cause Damon to get angry and attack, he might-” Twilight was silenced by Celestia’s hoof on her mouth. “Relax, Twilight. Everything will be fine.” “But-” “Auntie? May I come in now?” Blueblood called from outside. “Yes nephew,” she replied. Damon watched as a white stallion with a blonde mane and wearing a suit  entered the building, Blueblood saw Damon and his eyes went wide and his pupils shrank. ‘Here it comes…’  Twilight thought as she cringed, bracing herself, ‘Blueblood's going to overreact and insult Damon and it’ll be the end of Equestria as we know it!’ “Ahh!” Blueblood cried out in alarm. “Blueblood, remember what we just said about acting as a diplomat for your kingdom with a new race,” Celestia said. “I-I’m sorry, Auntie, I just was a little surprised that’s all. My apologies, Mister Damon, I’m still a little new to this,” Blueblood said with a bow and offering his hoof. “It’s okay your Highness, I’ve had worse reactions,” Damon replied, glancing at the Elements as he shook his hoof. Twilight felt her eye twitch again as she incoherently began to babble trying to make sense of what she just watched. “My auntie told me of your appearance, but I must admit that I wasn’t expecting to see you as you are,” Blueblood chuckled, “what with the bones and all that.” “Yes, liches can be a little bit startling I know, would you like some tea? It’s freshly made.” “That would be splendid, thank you,” As Damon let Blueblood have his seat and poured him a cup of tea, the Princesses were also given a cup of tea each by Spike who had come back from the kitchen. “Now that we are all here, perhaps we can get started?” Luna asked. Everyone nodded in agreement with a smile on their face, all except Twilight who remained where she was, eye still twitching like mad as no coherent sentences left her mouth as a slight froth formed in the corners of her mouth, trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. Everything she had heard about Blueblood over the years of her time in Canterlot was just destroyed in a few seconds and to make things worse, she was pretty certain that Damon had just compared her and her friends to the Prince. “Twilight? Would you please join us?” Celestia asked her. “Yeah, Twilight,” Rainbow snickered, “wipe the froth from your mouth and pull up a chair.” Twilight felt something snap inside of her. “IS EVERYPONY CRAZY?!” She screamed. Everyone stared at her startled by her outburst, Twilight heavily panted before her eyes fluttered and she let out a frustrated groan and fainted.