“Bloody hell.”
His voice seemed to echo through the empty halls as he sat in front of the unwavering door. It’s been thirty minutes now and still he made no progress to opening this retched door. ‘Confounded habits’, the stallion mused give the pale white door a halfhearted kick. He sighed, bringing both his front lightly grayed hooves to his face in frustration, “Why in all things holy do they have an auto lock door?” in the jester he stood on his rear legs, quickly losing his balance as he fell backwards.
If any pony saw he over the top reaction most would just wright, it off as pointless but it gave him a strange sense of joy. Even if the absence of embarrassment from a familiar unicorn finding him lying on his back in the middle of the hallway felt normal as he gave a light chuckle.
“Well hello there Vinyl, lovely day right?”
Vinyl eyed him with a blank stare, hold a paper bag in her magical grip. A few seconds past before she let out restless sigh, “How long?” all she could ask. Her sad tone and even lest thrilled expression to his plight didn’t seem to damper his mood.
“About half an hour, went for the mail and poof, stuck out here,” he said making a small jester with his hooves trying to get a smile out of vinyl. Sadly it fail with Vinyl sighing.
“Why can’t you remember to bring the extra key with you,” She said as she pulled out a key of her own, inserting it in the lock. “Please bring the mail with you,” she told him as he proceeded to get to his hooves. He watched as she entered the apartment, fallowing with the mail in his mouth.
The apartment itself wasn’t small but comfortable with its modern decor.. The kitchen with its black and white color schema still seemed a bit retro to him. Placing the mail down onto the small table that severed as a dining table, he continued to what served as a bed at night. A well worn out, blue couch/bed that sat in the living room.
“Bill, bill, ad, magazine,” the sound of the mail smacking the counter with the forced ruffle of the paper bag caused him to turn to small bar that was a part of the kitchen. He watched as Vinyl began to put away its contents, “Still nothing.”
It’s been nearly a week since he came to live with Vinyl and Octavia. The times have been rough with Octavia’s job and the money from the few jobs Vinyl gets haven’t been as good ether. The sound of what he thought was glass break turn his gaze to the hallway. Vinyl gave a heavy sigh, moving from the kitchen to the hallway that lead to her room. He gave her a look of confusion, “Bale, she’s having a bad day. Her mother called,” was all she said as she headed toward her bedroom.
Bale stood in the living room, wishing there was way for him to help. Ever since they brought him back from the hospital, thing just seemed to get worse those two. He thought helping him come up with a name to call himself or some of the antics he pulled would help brighten the mood. Sadly, it has not; Octavia has been spending more and more time in their bedroom, Vinyl being stressed to a breaking point.
He noticed vinyl walking back toward the living room with a dreadful look about her. She walked right past him, clasping on the couch with a resounding thud. Think what he saw was tears, “Vinyl…”
“She failed to get the Mainhattan job, her mother told her over the phone. That mare had even black listed her there as well. What are we to do?” The sight of Vinyl in such a depressed mood was broke his heart. They have done so much for him; he had little to nothing to give back.
Just then, the sound of something slapping agents the ground turned his attention to the kitchen, he noticed the magazine on the floor. Walking up to it, the fall opened it to an ad. It was a help wanted ad for a local restaurant the stood not but a few blocks down. ‘Waiter needed 15 bits an hour, work four days a week.’
“That’s it!” he said a bit too loud.
“What is?” The sad tone of Vinyl’s voice was painful to hear.
“I could apply for a job to help. This ad says they need a waiter and what it a waiter but a friendly pony.” He doesn’t know if it was the enthusiasm or his upbeat look on things but look Vinyl gave him warmed his heart. She was smiling, a full-blown grin.
“True, and it would help with the bills two.” She pulled herself from her seat, wiping away some of the tears that still fell. He handed her the magazine, noticing her eyes scanning every word. “This is close by and it isn’t one of the high aristocrat type places either.” ‘He really has a chance at this.’
“So I grab a job there and help with the bill. At least then, you two could go back to smiling.” Vinyl could help but smile out of pride that he was willing help.
“Okay, let me wright down some directions so you don’t get lost,” she walked past him to a note pad they had hanging on the fridge. “But knowing you, you’ll still get lost.” She gave a slight chuckle to the thought. It was the first laugh, or anything close to it, she had in weeks.
“Hey that was one…” the look of disbelief of vinyl gave him was scrutinizing. “…Okay, a few times.” She shifted to be siting, still giving the same look. “Fine, A Lot of times! It’s not my fault that all the buildings look the same.”
“Yeah and you getting distracted by the nearby arcade was another problem with the city.” She gave another chuckle. Even through Vinyl hasn’t said it out loud, Have him here has brighten up some aspects of their lives. Even though Octavia been out of work or months now, this last week had seemed a little bit brighter. It was as if everything Bale did was to make them smile.
“Okay, I’ll stop teasing,” She noticed him make what look to be a school colt’s angry face. “Here, these are the direction to restaurant. Don’t lose these or I’ll be stuck trying to find you again.”
“Could you have some faith now,” He said, taking the note, heading toward the door. Before he open the door to leave, he felt something slide onto his back. Turning to see a saddlebag, “Um, Why?” The note that was in his mouth, levitated to one of its open pockets.
“I do but sometimes i still wonder how you managed to live before.”
“Right then, I’m off.” He locked some his joints, making some kind of regal pose before he headed out the door. She stared at the place he stood, trying to hold in her laughter at his shenanigans. Her effort was nearly foiled when the phone began to ring. She headed into the kitchen, finding the phone mission. “Hu, where did i…oh, right. Octavia has it…”
Xx
As he exited the building, the sound of the bustling city was over whelming. He found the noise to be too much, the cabs shooting through the roads. The whole outside seemed like nothing but chaos and disorder. Most of the stuff he was seeing was still new to him or at least felt new. Bale hadn’t been able to tell the difference from finding something new or doing something he has once done.
He walked over to the nearest street corner reading the name of the streets. ‘E Main ST, Wave Ave.’ Just remembering the directions Vinyl wrote. He quickly took the note out, reading it. “So, Head west on E Main ST, going for four blocks and then turn…”
XxX
“Sir Andole would dress up like one of the present farms as a way to find what was really going one in his kingdom. He didn’t believe his father’s advisers. It was around the he meet his future wife, Maygel, a daughter of the local bakery.”
“Simply fascinating Shade, I wonder what happened after their first meeting though. As far as I know, not a single commoner has ever married royalty before.” Luna taped the recording crystal she had place on the table earlier in the conversation. She told her Celestia that she would record the conversations so she could make up her own thoughts on Shade. Personally, she finds him quite interesting with all the ’Stories’ he has. His blank stare gave no hint of emotion as he continued.
“It took near three years of him battling the nobles who seek to hold power in the Shalin kingdom of which, spying, plotting and occasional assassination was carried out. It wasn't till they openly threatened him that he proceeded to rally the country folk to arms and stamped out the nobles classes. This in turn caused his father to view him as a rebel. A small battle was fought in the castles central courtyard, the king him self died not even knowing the one to kill him was his own son.”
“After the battle he announced who he was before the same soldiers, merchants and farms he just fought with. He said to them, 'I stand before you not only son of a King whom I just just killed but a Prince himself who's heart drove him so. I hide among you, lived among you and even found love among you. I saw the nobles in trickery an contemned, in such it even blinded my father.' At this point he knelled down to the crowd saying, 'All that I ask is that you have the heart to let me follow my own and to forgive me for not seeing your pain sooner'.”
“What happen was for ever since been known as 'The Kingdom's Rebirth.'” Luna leaned closer in anticipation. Even if these tale's of his were by all means to her, fiction. She still found the ether pleasant or thrilling to listen to. “The crowd that was once a angry mod soon turned to the young prince and slowly, one by one, bowed to him. The sight astonished him, 'Why do the all bow?' The answer came from a voice he didn't aspect to hear. The voice of Meygel, 'They bow because they knew you were the Prince,no the king they wished they had. And now the wish came true in you. Please rise your Highness.' She said while bowing her self.”
“He quickly made his way to her, just before her knee touched the ground. 'One such as your self need not knee, if the wished, could you be my queen.' It was five days later that they got married. The Kingdom it self, found a prosperity that lasted for generations to come.” Luna was pleased, mostly due the story's ending. She still couldn't tell if he dose it on purpose or not but most of the tales he's told had such unpleasant endings.
Luna was almost lost in thought as the glimpse of light slowly began to shin over the horizon. A small pang of sadness hit her as she knew this night was ending. With a deep sigh, she levitated the crystal she brought with her, stopping the recording spell she imbued it with.
“My apologies Shade, but it seems our time her has ended.” He nodded his head. The lack of verbal response such as yes or no or even the occupational short answer was something she have gotten used to. 'Never the one for small talk.' “I all tel you the search for the one by the name of 'Shadow' has been less than forthcoming, please have patientest.” Again he gave only a nodded as a reply. “I will take my leave.”
She sat up from the chair she's been siting in for the last several hours. Its been two weeks since his appearance in the castle and not a single one of the royal researchers haven able to figure out what he is. Even Luna has been puzzled by his make up. It felt like he was pure magic but yet he also felt cold and out of place. Like his pure existence was against or only permitted to be by some higher power. The whole idea has been nothing but a migraine.
As she left the dome, see peeked over her should only to see he hasn't moved a single inch from his seat. The two guards that sat out side the door saluted her. She nodded as they returned back to their duties. The walk from the doom to the inner castle was a short but peaceful one as the castle it self was rarely busy in the early hours. As she made her was through the courtyard, she instinctively stopped at the statues that littered it.
Luna had done this mutable times now, always wondering who made them and why. It all ways made her uncomfortable nor knowing the answers to those questions. Ever since Twilight and her friend freed her from the nightmarish prison of Nightmare Moon, she has found it hard to understand the Equestria she now lived in. The politics seemed to pass her by, the law and changes to them left her confused, and the nobles seemed more useless than ever.
She sighed in defeat once more, as her horn pulsated with magic. Lowering the moon for the sun to take its place was about one of the only thing she felt she knew and could do without any worrie. As the sun rose, she remembered all the lessons she looked through on the more modern way of speaking. It took nearly a year before it felt normal to speak with thought the royal voice or the royal 'we.'
Again she glanced to the many statues in the garden before she made her way in side, it seemed like she was just another forgotten statue that should join the garden. As she walked through the hall toward the thrown room, to drop off the latest recording of her conversation with Shade. She was honestly surprised that Celestia also found his tales enjoyable, if not entertaining. Even in her slight depressing mood, the thought that her sister being wrong but being a tad bit proud to show it caused her to laugh a small bit.
The sounds of the bustling staff and politician practicing their lines as they tried to petition for what seemed to a waste of they time or/and money. As she got closer to the thrown room doors, she could see the near endless line of ponies all wishing to see her sister. Their scolding gazes centered on her as she proceeded to open the doors and enter. 'Even after so long, some still hate me.' she thought.
“Dear sister, I'm glade to see you arrived from your meeting.” The cheerful tone of Celestia's voice seemed to only damper Luna's mood even more.
“Well, dear sister, its seems today is going to be a bit stressful.” She motioned to the door and what laid beyond it.
“Yes it seems so.” Luna could easily tell that she was preparing her self for the taxing day. “I do hope you brought the latest recording from your conversation.”
“Yes, sadly I wish I could help more. The past few months have been from what I saw, grueling.” 'I want to do more!' she thought in frustration. 'Just what can..' “What is the situation about the Everfree forest, any news to what those spike were yet?”
“Sadly, no. I've sent patrols under the disguise of a military exercise but they have found nothing as of late. There was a report of one that rippled throughout the forest, shacking and ripping the ground in two. Sadly the soldiers that made the report were never found. But of the late, there hasn't been much of a development as of late.”
The news just seemed to depress her even more. Even in a crisis there was little for her to do. She decided just to drop of the crystal and head to her bedroom to sleep. There was much else for her to do but sleep. As she handed off the crystal, her thought some how found there way to the conversation she had with Shade. It was when she thought about the story he told her that the idea struck her.
'Maybe there is something I could do..'
XxX
She checked her self in the mirror for the fifth time, making sure the spell was working. It took nearly four hours for her to get Celestia to agree to her idea. Another hour not send a guard with her. She eyed her appearance closely, trying to find what ever fault there were. She manage to make her coat a bit brighter, to a near aqua blue. Her wing were easy to hide but the main was something else entirely.
She spent what felt like forever trying to get to stop its flowing and make it act normal. A small blast of glee filled her when she finally made it so. It took her nearly thirty minutes to figure out what main color should be before she settled on a forest green color. 'Right, all most done.' Luna's sight turned to her cutie mark of the moon surrounded by three stars. With a little effort, it was turn into a telescope looking into a night sky. She gave her self one last look before turning to leave the guest room her sister had set up.
It took all but ten minutes for them set up the room for the now residing Miss Eclipse DE Star. The daughter of a foreign dignitary from what ever country the nobles class have never meet. It once started out as a joke to see their reaction long ago, now was Luna's tool. She would explore Canterlot not as Princess Luna but as Eclipse, a lover of astronomy. A knock at the rooms door snapped her out of her preparation thoughts.
“Mistress Eclipse, may I enter.” The soft tone of a stallion was pleasant surprise. She quickly cast a spell to change her voice as not to blow her cover.
“Yes, you may,” she said being slightly surprising her self with the new tone in her voice. It was higher pitch but was soothing to the ear, like a sister whispering sweet words to a younger brother so he can sleep. What appeared to be one of the royal guards entered. His looks did leave something to be desired, his body was not as tone nor did his poster give the feel of dominance that accompanied the rest of the guard.
“Good evening Miss Eclipse, I'm Corporal Stone Watch. I was assigned to escort you where ever you wish to go in the castle by Princess Celestia, for your stay in Canterlot.” she stared at him, for some reason he seemed familiar with his gray main and brown coat. It was when he shifted his weight in a bit of insecurity that it came to her. 'This was that guard I scared a few days ago who was post to guard the thrown room.'
“Well mister Stone, I would like it if you escort me to the castle gates. I would like see the town know as Canterlot. I've heard it has a lot to offer in terms of beauty.”
He hastily cleared his throat, “Yes then, this Madam.” He proceeded to lead her out of the room. 'Hum, this is going to be fun,' Luna thought mischievously as her eye never left the stallion.