//------------------------------// // New Life: Lucky // Story: Imbalanced // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// [Blazing's Entry] It's Heart's Warming Eve and I'm writing this entry a bit confused but happy. Down in the castle ballroom there is a loud celebration and the sounds reach even up here from time to time. I'm done with my rounds so there isn't much to do aside from enjoying the warmth of a burning fireplace. [End Entry] Somepony knocks at my door and I stop thinking about the entry helping me summarize what actually happened. I can't help not being a bit worried though, last night was really strange. I let out a sigh of relief when the visitor proves to be Choking. It could have been way worse. The screams of pain and the begging I was so long waiting for finally come. Not that I'm willing to fulfill any of Valiant's wishes but his pleas for forgiveness make the world right again. "Stop it, Blaze," I hear from somewhere but my entire mind can take in only one thing and that is the earthpony screaming at my hooves. I stomp on his hind leg again just to see him squirm. "STOP. Right now." I don't care about the voice and bite down on Valiant's chest tearing out a chunk of flesh. There are things with which my new fangs and sharper teeth help a lot. The disbelieving expression which completely drowns his agony drives me ecstatic. Getting eaten by another pony, how unique. The maniacal laugh comes from the depths of my bones and they joy I feel is only mirrored by Valiant's horror. Something knocks me down on the ground and lying on my back I can see Choking sitting on me and pinning my legs down. "What is this?" she slides her hoof over my chest and legs. I look down and realize all my fur is gone, replaced by the plating. She's already seen it before but with me being weirded out by my entire body, she must be shocked as well. I can only imagine how my face must look right now. The sun inside her almost completely fades and I stop struggling. She is very light and I could just throw her away but that just seems inconcievable. "What are you?!" she snarls. Not 'who' but 'what'. And she's right. I almost let her down. I almost gave up which would leave her in his hooves. I almost threw her on the ground when she stopped me few seconds ago. I don't deserve to be called a pony by her. Looking anywhere else than into her beautiful red eyes I say: "I'm just something that should have ended in a dumpster as soon as it arrived here in Canterlot." The punch confuses me but doesn't really hurt. Maybe it's the armor or maybe I'm just too tired to feel it but everything seems to be fading. A regal voice pierces the air. "Take it to the dungeon!" "Wait, princess!" The clunking of armor around me stops. "We are listening." Choking looks at me or at least that's what I think because I still don't dare to look at her face. This is the second time my entire future rests in her hooves and much like before she has no good reason to let it stain them more. "Just... just end it," I whisper and get a hoof in my mouth as a reward. "Interrogate him personally, your Highness, please. He's a Nightguard... technically so he has the right to it." "We see no reason to do so. IT definitely is not a pony and there are enough eyewitneses around here." Something wet drops on my armor. Even when it protects me I can feel every little sensation albeit weaker than through skin. "Please! Ask Sharpie if you have to." Time passes with me only feeling Choking's weight on my chest and hearing a muted conversation from somewhere, I can't understand the words though. "Take it to the dungeon! We will deal with it personally." I can't move. All the energy pushing me forward burned out when Choking was sitting on me but that is not a problem to the group of Nightguards who carry me to a part of the castle previously unknown to me. I guess prisoners don't get coal to keep warm. I feel the hesitation of the batponies but in the end they decide to put me down on the wooden plank serving as a bed instead of throwing me on the ground where I drift off. "Wake up!" says the voice of Sharp Biscuit, the calming harmonics completely gone. He's here on official business. Not wanting to bother him I sit up and when the world begins spinning I slam to the ground. "S-sorry, Sharp," I apologize and try to get up but despite all my efforts it takes eternity to just get up on the bed. "First things first. What are you?" asks the voice behind Sharp which, when I focus long enough to move my head, proves to be princess Luna. I try to repeat the same thing I told Choking but before I open my mouth Sharp Biscuit intervenes: "And don't bother the princess with your personal baggage!" I understand immediately. He isn't sure but leans towards being on my side at this moment if I don't mess up too much. Better stick to the facts. "I am a unicorn, princess." Despite the contrasting evidence she doesn't press the issue. "Why do you look like this?" "I don't know." "WHO are you?" "Blazing Light. I carry coal around the castle every night." "What happened in the gardens?" I tell her everything and when she asks for details Sharp chips in with his knowledge of the situation. "I have nothing more to ask. The situation seems pretty clear," says princess Luna and stands up to leave. "Wait, please!" I groan at the princess. "Yes?" "Why did Cho want you to involve yourself personally?" Princess Luna just smiles and nods at Sharp Biscuit. "Take care of this, we have much to think about." Sharp sits down on the bed next to me. "Do you know how the justice system in Canterlot works?" "Not really," I admit. "Every crime gets judged in the same way as everywhere else in Equestria." I don't understand and look at him. He boops my nose with his hoof and continues. "Except for when it revolves around a member of royalty or the Guard in which case one of the princesses has to involve herself. Since YOU are somehow connected with the Nightguard, you get princess Luna and should consider yourself lucky since her dreaming ability allows her to sense if somepony is lying." "That means she-" "Knows you were unclear about how you became whatever you are but she let it slide." "You know... I told myself during the fight I would fulfill your every shower fantasy for helping me so much." "Eh... so you noticed?" he asks and I can't believe I managed to get the immovable batpony nervous. "Are you kidding? Blind mule wouldn't miss it even without Choking's jokes." "Well she's known for quite a while but I hoped you'd ignore her messing around," he says and I can tell he's blushing through his grey coat. "If it helps I still mean it, even though I look weird and I don't know why anypony would give me a second loo-" I say, speeding up and becoming unintelligible towards the end. "So you're into stallions?" "I don't know, alright? It's more like I'm not against anypony who for whatever reason finds me... interesting, no matter what sex they are." He mumbles something to himself. "So what now? Am I free or mhmmfgh-?!" I stop and my eyes bulge when the Nightguard kisses me. I try to answer in kind but I've never done anything like this before so I just mirror his movements. "You are terrible at this," he says smiling when our lips part. "Not... much... experience?" I get out of me while burning more than a gas stove and staring at Sharp's breastplate. "Yes you are free, for now. If the princess needs you, she knows where to find you. I guess she will be interrogating your attackers when they wake up. You made quite the mess. So, well, if you want more training I'm sure Darky can tell you where I am." With this he rushes out of the cell. I can hardly believe it, did things work out somehow? Seems so, sweetcheeks! I grin to myself. My first kiss wasn't much like I imagined. But heck... I loved every second of it. "I gotta thank ya for that," says Choking and gives me a box of something. "For what?" "Sharp usually gets real depressed during this time of year but when I met him earlier his smile was wider than-" "He told you?!" "Huh? You were mumbling to yourself and recounting stuff for your diary. Gotta admit you look really weird walking around lost in thought." I roll my eyes, so much for this being a secret. "Let me ask you something, Chokey," I try a new one. "Not bad. As a reward you get one question!" she says in the voice impersonating the royal master of ceremonies. "Why are you here?" "My apartment is too big and cold," she answers simply. Simple answer is not what I'm looking for right now. "You've been great to me since we first met and you had no reason at the time. Now it's supposed to be the happiest evening of the year and there is a huge celebration going on in the ballroom. You could be having your pick of nobles and guards or you could be with your family, instead you are here with... well, me." "My folks have a ton of work this time of year and get home too tired to spend time together. For the rest - I can have my pick of anypony at any party. Stop looking at me like that! I know you start drooling every time I turn my back you." "Guilty as charged." "Well I wanted to invite you at first but then I remembered how you don't like crowds so I just wanted to visit you and wish you merry Heart's Warming. You may have hard time believing it but I do enjoy your company." I have hard time believing it. Go along with it. What can you lose if she's telling the truth? "I-I just don't know what to do right now. I've never-" "Spent time with somepony who liked you?" Even in this situation it hurts to admit it. "Kind of. I just don't see a reason for your liking me." "Why do you have to be so difficult? You did something yesterday that nopony else even considered for me. You got all your legs broken for me and you lost your pony form because you wanted to protect me more than keep something that could hurt you a secret. So stop overthinking stuff. I'm not saying I love you and want to spend the rest of our time together. I'm just saying you matter to me in a way difficult to explain. I only wish you skin wasn't so hard," she says and gives me a big hug. I try something out and small sparks run over my entire body. "Better?" "Now THAT'S pretty cool!" her eyes widen and she begins poking me all over. "Hey! I want to finish off today's diary. I haven't written a thing, almost." "Alright, alright. These are some sweets from the party. Sure you don't wanna come?" she asks and points at the box she brought. "No. Thanks for asking though," I smile back at her. "Kay. I'll be thinking of you tonight if I get lucky with some visiting prince," she makes me blush before leaving. "Oh, one more thing. How did you know I was being attacked?" I want to know one last detail. "I was going to your place to ask if you wanted to practice and I saw a group of well-armed ponies who weren't on duty walking around. Since it was Valiant I knew it had to be connected with an accident magnet like you so I ran up to ask Sharpie for help and then I ran back immediately." "Well, thanks. I'm not going to waste more of your time. Have fun and drink responsibly." "It's never a waste, dummy. Bye." The door slams shut. Kiss from a dude and a pity hug from my best friend. If this is what I get I'll gladly turn into a monster and go berserk every day. Perhaps I should go down and mingle a bit? Nah, let's just see if there is somepony running the cafeteria at this hour so I can get some milk. Best night of the year.