//------------------------------// // Chapter 22: Breakfast with a View // Story: Zaps Apple // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Zaps Apple Chapter 22: Breakfast with a View “I will mother! You’re awesome, as always...” I opened my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun across my face. I sat up, next to me the girls were still asleep. Was everything that had happened a dream? I yawned and hopped off the bed onto all fours. Big Macintosh was standing by the window. The sound of my hooves hitting the floor alerted him to my presence and he turned around to face me. “Mornin' Zaps,” he greeted me. “Morning Big Mac!” I replied cheerfully. He stepped up to the tableside and picked up a small object in his mouth, before placing it on the ground in front of me. “Princess Luna dropped this off little while ago, along with this note.” He carefully handed me a white envelope, sealed with Luna’s cutie mark. I opened the envelope and pulled out a carefully folded letter. I unfolded it and began to read. Dearest Zaps, I wish that I could have attended your Birthday but the duty of a princess isn't always so simple. Nevertheless, I have thought long and hard about what to get you, and within this box is a small gift from my Sister and I, a rather belated birthday gift. It is a small token from us to remind you that, no matter how overwhelming the darkness seems, the light of friends and family will always shine through. I bid you also a warm good morning and hope your gift suits you well and that your dreams have been pleasant. May my and Celestia's gift bring a smile. From your friend, the Princess of the Night, Luna I smiled at the letter, it was amazing that the Princess had written this for me. “Big Mac, what’s belated?” I asked him. “It means somethin's late, but still given.” Big Mac explained to me. “Oh! I get it! My birthday gift from Luna and Celestia is late! That’s what belated means?” He nodded and I looked at the box in my hooves. “I wonder what she got me.” Big Mac shook his head. “Just open it and yer’ll see.” I gently lifted the lid up from the small, ornate, blue box. Inside lay a beautiful, golden pendant, a sun and moon orbiting a shimmering crystal attached to a thin chain. “Whoa...” I took it out holding it with my hooves. “Look what Luna got me!” I showed it to Big Mac. Big Mac took the pendant and held it up, looking at it with shock for a few moments, but his shock gradually turned into a big smile. “It’s a beautiful gift Zaps, a really thoughtful present from the Princesses.” “Could I wear it?” I asked, looking up at my big brother. “Eeyup.” Big Mac took it off me and undid the chain, he put it around my neck and rehooked it. “Whoa! Zaps, that is awesome! The princesses got you that!?” Scootaloo had woken up and was sitting on the bed, staring at me and the pendant I was wearing around my neck. I nodded happily. “Sure did, Scootaloo!” “Awwww that so nice! I wish I could get a gift like that!” Sweetie Belle said. “Ah’ve got to say, it look pretty neat.” Applebloom stepped up to me, taking a good look at it. “And good on ya!” Scootaloo looked at me for a second. I looked back at her, but she suddenly turned away again. “Yeah it does... Erm...” She got out of bed, walking to the door. “How about we get something to eat! I'm starved!” Big Mac opened the door, letting us out to be greeted by Night Spark. “Morning, I'll show you the way to the dining room for breakfast with the princesses.” Night Spark put a hoof out in the general direction. I looked up to him as everypony left. “Morning Night Spark! Did you sleep well?” Night Spark put his armoured hoof on my head, looking down towards me. “Sure did kiddo. Hey, nice pendant, did Princesses give that to you?” “Sure did!” I beamed. “Zaps!” Big Mac called out. Night Spark turned back to his direction. “We’ll talk more at breakfast.” I nodded and we quickly caught up with Big Mac and the girls. “This is going to be something new for me...” “How so?” I asked the bat pony with wonder. “I’ve never dined with the princesses before, this assignment I was put on has given me some special treatments that I never would have had otherwise.” He seemed rather confused by this, I didn't know why though. “I wonder why Princess Luna has so much interest in you Zaps...” I was thinking about it but didn't really come up with much. “I don't know, Night Spark. Is this unusual?” Night Spark chuckled. “Not really, ever since Luna's return, things been… Both interesting and unusual,” Night Spark explained as we made our way to the dining room. “So I’ll just say it’s another thing that keeps us guards on our hooves.” “It does, doesn’t it?” We both turned to see Fancy Pants come into the room with Soulful Haiku. “Hello Fancy Pants, Soulful Haiku, what brings you two to the palace at this time of the morning?” Night Spark asked them as they joined us to the dining room. Fancy Pants gave a small smile. “Oh, nothing important, we were invited to breakfast by her royal highness as a gesture of goodwill after we aided in bringing young Zaps here to safety.” “Sounds very much like them.” Night Spark replied. I looked at the dark blue unicorn showing my pendant to him. “Look what the princesses got me for my birthday!” “It look great Zaps.” Soulful looked at it then at me. “But I have to admit, I feel rather nervous...” “Why?” “I’ve never been invited to anything like this in my life... I knew working for Fancy Pants on the article was an amazing opportunity, but getting to dine here in the palace?” Soulful gulped. “I feel like my heart is just going to leap out of my mouth and run away.” I blinked and looked rather confused, I didn't get it. “How can your heart leap out and run away?” Fancy Pants laughed softly at my comment. “No, my dear child it can't, it’s a figure of speech, one way of saying I feel rather nervous about the prospect of speaking to the Princesses and eating with them. The last time I did anything like this was at a royal venue for Princess Celestia's birthday a few years back shortly before Luna's return.” I was about to ask about it but the doors were opened by the guards and we walked through to the dining room to see Twilight, Vinyl, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash already sitting with Princess Luna and Celestia at a large round table, all talking to each other. I looked around the large round room. I remembered the palace had large round towers and guessed we were in one of them at the lower levels. At one side of the room were a large set of windows, gasping I quickly rushed over to them putting my front hooves on the glass pane as the girls and I all started in awe at the view. In the distance we could just make out Ponyville. It was so small from all the way up here. “Whoa the view of Ponyville from here is awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Zaps what do you think of the view?” “I think it’s really amazing, I never knew how far or how high we would be from Ponyville, you can even see the clouds above it.” I now had a idea that this city was truly higher than most clouds. This must be the view that you got from the cloud city that I read about, Cloudsdale I think it was called. I looked around the sky for it and far in the distance I thought i could just spot it, it looked a very faded blue in the sky, almost invisible with the clouds around it. “I see Cloudsdale!” “Ah can see it too! Ah never really saw it from this high up before! It looks so different from the ground at Ponyville.” Applebloom pointed out to it with her hoof. Sweetie Belle looked out towards the horizon. “What do you think of the view of Equestria, Zaps?” I took a good look at what I could see, the view of what I could see of Equestria was incredible, but one thing that stuck to me was the Everfree Forest beside Ponyville. “The place I woke up in... The place of my first memories...” I stared at the thick forest. “Indeed it is Zaps but remember what it leads to.” I turn my head seeing Celestia standing beside us calmly looking out the window. “My sister and I once lived there.” “The castle of the two sister right?” I looked back at the forest. Celestia smiled. “Indeed, though our home there is no more than ruins. The Everfree Forest is taking it over, piece by piece...” Celestia looked around at Twilight. “Until Twilight and her friends started to restore it. They been working hard and they doing a good job of it.” “Princess we’re just doing what we can.” Twilight smiled. “I...” The smile disappeared and I saw why. It was him! Prince Blueblood... I quickly got behind Big Macintosh as he approached. “Here...” He drop a piece of paper before my brother and walked over to the table taking a seat at it. Big Macintosh took it with a hoof and looked at it. “Ah write this to apology not for mah... Actions... But for harming the co... Comm... COMMONER!?” Big Macintosh snorted heavily. “Yer call this thing ah apology!” I gulped, seeing Big Mac’s anger grow and didn't like it. Big Mac saw me looking at him with a bit of fear, he calmed down, taking deep breaths. “Ah’m sorry Zaps. Ah should have known somepony that stuck up wouldn't apologize the way it should be done...” I nodded a little not, saying a word, he put a hoof out to me. “Ah'm sorry Zaps.” “It’s ok big brother... Could we have breakfast?” He nodded to me and we went over to the table sitting away from that white stallion. Celestia sat at the table. “I hope no pony minds, but I asked for a typical Ponyville breakfast for today. I have tried it in the past and quite enjoyed it. I thought that, since we have honoured guests with us as friends, we should be fair and try some of their normal meals.” “Does that mean we get stuff like Oatmeal, Apple fritters! Pancakes! And that other yummy stuff!? Not that fancy dancy stuff that hardly fill a plate?” Scootaloo asked sitting by Princess Luna and Rainbow Dash. I sat beside Big Mac and Applebloom, while Sweetie Belle sat with Rarity and Twilight, Pinkie Pie by Rainbow Dash and Twilight between that rude stallion Blueblood and Night Spark, he didn't seem too keen sitting by Blood Blue either. Soulful and Fancy Pants sat on the other side of Rarity. “Indeed, sweet thing it is, I, the Princess Of The Night requested this and my sister thought it would be ideal as well.” Luna replied to Scootaloo who cried out a... “Yes!” Blueblood didn't look nearly as happy with this decision. “That sounds repulsive! Eating commoner food in the palace! I...” He took a look at Celestia and Luna and went quiet instantly. After a moment of silence he replied. “I will... Try... It...” “That’s very noble of you, nephew.” Celestia bow her head a little with a graceful smile. “As for refreshments, I believe Tea, coffee, water or juice will be the four choices.” I watched ponies dressed in some strange outfits step in with their horns glowing, carrying metal trays holding pots and jugs. I watched as they each approached us gave us the drink that was was requested. I looked up at the stallion that had come up to me. “Erm... Can I have apple juice... Erm... Please...” “You may sir.” He tipped the jug of apple juice and poured it into my glass. “Enjoy your drink sir.” “Th-thank you...” I watch him move onto Big Macintosh and he ordered the same thing. “Applebloom why does he sound so... Weird?” Applebloom shrugged. “Beats me, ah think they do it as part of their job. Ah’d rather they just themselves though, instead of actin’ so strange.” I nodded in agreement. “I get what you mean, Applebloom.” I took my glass and drunk a little of the juice. “Doesn't taste as nice as the juice back home, but it’s ok.” “What would you two youngsters like for breakfast?” Another pony came up to us, this one was a mare, she held up a note pad up. “Pancakes! With apple fritters! And chocolate sauce on the pancakes!” I spoke out licking my snout. Applebloom eyes lit up and she spoke up. “Ah’ll have the same!” “That’s triple to me!” Scootaloo yelled out. “Me four!” Pinkie Pie giggled. The mare looked around at each of us that spoke out. “Erm...” She took a look at Celestia who gave a nod. “Sure I will have the chief make that at once for...” “If you don't mind I will have the same.” Celestia interrupted. “That goes double for me sister.” Luna spoke afterwards. “And me!” Sweetie Belle yelled out. Rainbow Dash put her hooves behind her head. “I will have what Scoots having.” “Count me in too! If these dudes like it, then I will give it a whirl!” Vinyl smirked. “Right...” The mare wrote it down and bowed before leaving. Rarity giggled at the reaction of the mare taking the orders, although ordered something different for herself, along with Twilight and anypony else who didn’t want a bowl of diabetes for breakfast. Fancy Pants lifted his cup of tea up looking around at us. “I would like to propose a toast.” “Indeed, I say...” Prince Blueblood began, but was cut short by Fancy Pants. “To friends.” “I’ll toast to that!” Rarity applauded, seeing how annoyed Blueblood looked. I raised a hoof and they all looked at me. “Why do we do toast as friends? It make no sense,” I complained. “I agree! It doesn't make sense to toast our friends!” Pinkie Pie said right after me, I stared at her in confusion. Big Macintosh put a hoof to mine and place it on the glass. “This toast is when yer raise the glass or cup up and say what Fancy Pants say, to show yer agree with him.” “Oh... Erm ok... Although I still don't understand what toast has to do with any of this...” I didn't really understand what he meant, but I guess this was normal for most ponies. “To friends?” I offered, raising my glass as high I could. “To friends!” They all replied and sat back down, taking a sip of their drinks. Fancy Pants looked at me. “My dear young friend, how would you, and any other pony here, like to join me and Soulful Haiku for a trip today to the Wonderbolt Derby?” “The Wonderbolt Derby?” “Oh my gosh! You really mean the Derby, Derby? The one that the Wonderbolts race in at Canterlot!?” Rainbow Dash quite literally took off from her seat. We all watched her fly around in circles until she realised where she was and sat down again. “That Derby!?” “Yes indeed.” Fancy Pants chuckled. “Oh yeah! This is awesome!” Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof into the air. Realising that I was unlikely to get an answer to my question I sighed. “Nevermind...” Fancy Pants chuckled. “Dear Zaps, the Wonderbolts Derby is a set of races around an oval track. The competitors race each other to see who can go round the track the fastest to win. It is quite enjoyable.” I looked at Scootaloo. “Do you think we should go?” “I say we should! You will get to see them before their performance at the Crystal Empire!” Scootaloo replied excitedly. I turned back to Fancy Pants. “Alright, I would like to go! If it’s ok with Big Mac.” Big Mac responded with one word. “Eeyup!” Rainbow Dash screamed out in joy, sending all of the ponies around the table into fits of laughter at her reaction. If this Derby was enough to set Rainbow Dash off going crazy like that, then I supposed it must be fun to watch! Soon our breakfast was served up and it was pretty neat. I got to enjoy my pancakes in chocolate sauce, and so did every other pony that ordered it. The fritters were good, but not as good as the Apple family’s fritters. They were really tasty. I think Big Mac agreed with me when he ate his, but he really enjoyed the pancakes though. I took the plate after finishing my breakfast off and licked it clean, I got a 'eww' reaction from Blueblood followed by. “That is gross! This is exactly why we shouldn't have co...” “You say that word one more time in my presence Blueblood, I dare you!” Luna sneered. “Erm... I mean to say it is ill mannered for one to act in such a way in front of other ponies, especially those that aren't... Family...” Blueblood, taking great care in his choice of words. Vinyl rolled her eyes, I was surprised to see her without her shades on, although I doubt she had much of a choice in the matter. “Oh lighten up Bluey, he’s just a colt, for Celestia’s sake!” Blueblood glared at her. “It is Blueblood, Prince Blueblood to you, unclothed pony!” Vinyl glared back at him. “Vinyl Scratch to you mister! And I can call you whatever I like, as long as it is not rude, and calling you ‘Bluey’ isn’t rude, Bluey!” “It’s Blueblood, you annoying mare!” “Whatever Bluey.” Vinyl waved her hoof at him and turned back to me. “So...” “Blueblood!” He yelled. Throwing the cloth down he got up and stormed out of the room. Vinyl chuckled. “Well that worked.” Her comment was met with a polite chuckle from the two Princesses. “So Zaps, how have things been hanging for ya?” “Been great Vinyl! Are you coming to the Derby thing too?” I asked her. Vinyl shrugged. “Why not? Since I am here, I might as well take the chance to relax for a change.” She looked over at Twilight. Twilight sighed. “I am really sorry Vinyl, I didn't mean for it to go this far. Can you accept my apology?” “Alright have Sparkle, you’re one cool Alicorn. You just need to chill sometimes and take a step back.” Vinyl pulled up her shades from under the table, placing them on her eyes. “Everypony has their crazy moments, right Sparkle?” “You’re right, and thank you.” “What are friends for?” Vinyl turned to Pinkie Pie. “Right Pinks?” “Rightorunnny!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “This has been one of the most fun breakfast gatherings I have ever had! Even the meanie prince was ok for a change!” “I agree darling, for once he kept a lid on that big mouth of his.” Rarity drunk some of her tea, placing the cup down carefully. “And might I say Zaps, that pendant looks really smashing on you.” “Thank you Rarity!” I beamed, looking at it and back at her. Rarity turned to the princesses. “May I ask where you got the crystal from?” Luna and Celestia looked to each other for a brief moment before answering Rarity. “Luna and I can't say, they are very rare. We decided to have the pendant and crystal forged together for young Zaps after what happened to him. I do hope you understand.” “Oh of course darling, it’s a shame but I do understand.” Rarity answered, respecting their wishes. I looked at it again holding it into view with my hooves. “Maybe I should leave it in my room, I don't want to lose it.” “It’s up to you young Zaps, only we in this room know of it value, nopony else does.” Luna walked around the table over to me, she knelt down to my eye level. “Even if something is of value you should never feel worried about losing it. These gifts aren’t given as a test. They are given because of what is truly important, in here.” She tap the pendant with her hoof. I look to it and into her eyes. I smiled, feeling a strange warmth from it as if I saw for a second it seem to shimmer to my feelings inside. “A gift from friends has no value, because the value of friendship is all that matters right?” I said, looking into her eyes. “Yes Zaps that is correct. And that is all this gift is, a sign of friendship, even if you lost it I wouldn't be upset, because in the end, the biggest treasure of them all is our friendship.” When she said that I gave her a big hug around her neck, and Luna returned it, much to the delight of everypony else in the room. “Where a camera when you need one!” Rarity grumbled. In the corner of my eye I saw Pinkie Pie pull one out of her mane. Before I could try and work out where in Equestria it had come from, she suddenly announced, “Happy Breakfast! Everypony!” And, with a flash, she took about two pictures, or maybe it was more, I couldn't tell, it happened so fast. “Yay, more photos for the 'Canterlot Weekend Scrap book! The best, most awesome, most fun and even the sadder parts of the trip, all recorded in this book!” I let go of the hug from Luna and we all gathered around, looking at the multitude of photos she had already glued into the large book. My mind couldn't make sense of what I was seeing, I saw myself being chased by the guards in one shot, but no pony was around when that happened, how could Pinkie have a photo of it? Nevertheless it was there, and I was looking at it. “Don't bother trying to understand, it’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash reassured me. Rarity looked at some of the pictures I saw of her in it. “At least she got my good side.” “Oh look, there’s the one with Vinyl crashing the party!” Scootaloo pointed to it. Vinyl chuckled. “Well that was a good shot, loving the reaction from Tavi, could you make a copy of this Pinks?” “Sure!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. Luna giggled at the pictures. One was even of Celestia, eating some cake while at the same time trying a go at apple dunking. “Sister I believe the idea is to put it in your mouth.” Luna suggested, as I looked over and saw the apple stuck on Celestia’s horn. “Oh my, that all seems quite funny when you see it here.” Celestia giggled too. “We’ll be waiting for all who wants to come down by the gates.” Fancy Pants told all of us and walked on with Soulful out of the room. “See you all in a little bit!” He called out to us. Night Spark smiled at the photos of us in the train. “Now that’s a keeper.” He pointed to it with his hoof. “Sure is!” I beamed. We continue to look at all the photos she taken so far and they were all amazingly impossible, but the last one shocked me the most, and it wasn’t just me. It made everypony stare at it for a few seconds, trying to understand it. “No way!” Scootaloo spoke out. “That’s not possible!” Rarity declared, her voice rising with surprise. “No way!” Rainbow Dash said, blinking and rubbing her eyes. Twilight looked at every detail of the picture. “Th-that...” “Applebloom are you seeing what I am seeing?” Sweetie Belle turned to Applebloom. Applebloom nodded a few times with tears and a smile on her snout. “Ah sure am...” “Whoa dude that one awesome picture!” Vinyl confirmed, staring at it too. Big Mac hugged me with happiness over the picture. I returned it, tears welling up as he and I weeped over what we saw. It didn't seem possible by any accounts but I didn't care. Even Luna and Celestia seemed to not care about the impossibility of the photo. Pinkie Pie was simply bouncing up and down, apparently completely unphased by what she had accomplished. The photo was of everypony from the dream, it was of me with my mother and everypony gathered around with happiness in all their faces and eyes. The final moment of the dream I remembered so clearly... An impossible photo that showed how family and friends were truly... Magical.