Chapter 17
After a weird night where all I could dream about was flowers and butterflies, I woke to a new day. It started pretty much the same way as the one before. Spike made breakfast, I helped set up, Twilight helped clean afterward. Then Twilight and I stepped out for the day and Spike stayed behind for now.
The plans for today involved a picnic near the swimming hole. All of our friends would be there, including Spike. It was going to be a lot of fun. Hopefully, Applejack and/or Pinkie Pie would bring some of their cooking.
The only thing I was worried about was Rainbow Dash. She and I had come to an agreement but I don’t think she thought much of me. I had high hopes, though, that we might be able to become friends someday. For now, I was happy just to be given a chance.
As we walked through the marketplace again, there was less murmuring but it was still there. It didn’t bother me nearly as much as it did Twilight. Just like yesterday, her ears were twitching the entire time. I found it amusing and even a little bit cute. Still, there was that risk that a pony might say the wrong thing and she might, accidently, pull their tail out their throat.
“So, Twi, do we have everything needed for the picnic?”
“I think so. Rarity is bringing some tea. Applejack has prepared some apple fritters. Pinkie’s got cupcakes. Rainbow brought the blanket and plates. Fluttershy made cookies. And I, am bringing you.” She finished her list with one hoof pressed against my chest.
I smiled down at her. “So, your friends really want me there?” She nodded and my smile broadened. I was wanted. Of course, Celestia and the rest of my family wanted me, but these weren’t my family, these were my friends. It felt good to be wanted.
On the way, we came upon the flower shop from the day before. I looked in through the open door. I didn’t really know why at the time, but I was trying to catch a glimpse of Rose. Unfortunately, I wasn’t walking alone.
“Trying to catch the eye of your fillyfriend, eh?” Twilight always knew exactly how to push my buttons.
“Wha- no. I was just thinking… that the girls might like some flowers.” Yeah, that’s it. And just to prove it, I went inside the store.
The sound of my footsteps on the wood floor alerted Rose to my presence and she soon wandered out from the back. “Oh, hello again, your highness,” she lowered her head in respect. Well, at least it wasn’t a bow, not a full one anyway.
“Please, I told you you don’t need to do that. Also, just call me Chris.”
“A-alright… Chris. So, um, what brings you here today? More carnations?”
“Well, probably a few, but really, I wanted an assortment. I’m going to a picnic with my friends and I don’t really know what they all want.”
“Oh, okay,” she was still a little nervous around me, but I could see it was starting to wane. “If that’s the case, then please allow me to make a selection of some of our best sellers. That way, you can cover all the bases.” I think I actually got a smile from her that time.
“That would be perfect, thank you.”
Five minutes later, I walked out the store with a large bouquet in hand and found Twilight patiently waiting right where I left her. “Well, now that you’ve seen your fillyfriend, can we go now?”
I decided it was best not to rise to her taunts. “Yes, we can. Oh, by the way, I got some carnations in there,” her ears shot straight up and her eyes somehow enlarged as she stared up at me, “do you think Rainbow Dash will like them?”
“No, please! I’m sorry, I won’t tease you ever again! I promise!”
I pulled one of the flowers out of the bouquet, leaving two more. “Uh-huh,” I handed one of to a passing mint-green unicorn, “with my compliments,” I told her. “Consider that your punishment, Twi.”
Twilight groaned but nodded in understanding. As we walked away, I missed the expression of shock and happiness on the unicorn mare I had just given the flower to.
*****
“Lyra, are you okay?”
“Bonnie, did you see what just happened? The Monster of Canterlot just walked up and gave me this flower.”
“Uh-huh, of course he did. I think we should get you out of the sun.” The earth pony identified as ‘Bonnie’ began to push ‘Lyra’ back inside her candy store.
“But it’s true,” she whined. “He’s real, just like I said, and was just walking by with Princess Twilight and gave me this carnation, said ‘with my compliments’ and kept walking with…” she kept talking while her friend kept pushing.
*****
Before too much longer, we had reached the field. When we got there, the girls had already set up. The spot they chose was on the edge of a large swimming hole and under a large oak tree. Since the weather team had made it a bright and sunny day, the shade was very welcome. Though, it appeared they missed a cloud, I wasn’t going to say anything.
Everypony was enjoying the snacks and sunshine and things were going well. It was hard to believe that less than one month ago, I was nothing more than a legend to these ponies. Despite how we first met, they have all proven to be true friends. I know I’ve said it a lot, but it was great having friends outside the palace walls and these five new friends of mine were making me feel like I was part of the gang. Well, four of them were.
Rainbow Dash wasn’t being rude, as such, but she also didn’t really seem to trust me either. I had a feeling I knew what it was that was making her feel that way too. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, can I speak with you?” I asked after I finished my fourth fritter.
We were about fifteen yards away from the others when she finally asked, “what do you need?”
“You don’t trust me do you? Not like the others at least.”
She started to deny it, but she gave in. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, I just… I don’t know. I mean, I don’t hate you, I know you aren’t gonna hurt any of them, but we hardly know you. It’s kinda hard to trust somepony who appears out of nowhere, kicks your flank without breaking a sweat, then forces you to clean all the windows in Canterlot.”
“Hmm, I see your point.” I rubbed my chin as I thought about how to solve this dilemma. “Well, I only see one way to fix that.”
“Yeah, and how’s that?” she asked with one eyebrow raised.
“We fight, of course.” She gave me that look that could only mean one thing, ‘seriously’. “No, I mean it. You and I spar, we learn some new moves from each other, and maybe even find some common ground.”
“Alright, when do we start?”
“Now works for me, how ‘bout you?”
A very wide grin spread across her face as she dropped into a fighting stance. I did the same, bending my knees and lowering my center of gravity.
“Ready!?” Rainbow called out.
I smirked a little, “ready.”
This time, Rainbow stuck to the ground. She charged directly at me, just like Applejack had done before. Also just like Applejack, I was able to sidestep and avoid her, though I refrained from pushing her. I was hoping to teach her, not hurt her.
She slid to a stop and spun around, not even breathing hard. At least she looked like she had expected that. “Dang it!” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve trained my whole life to counter that move. Try something else.”
“Like what?”
“Think about this match as one of your stunt shows. What would you do if you went to a contest and somepony did the same routine you were planning on? Improvise.”
Rainbow gave this some thought, made evident by her chin rubbing. Her smile returned and she lowered her stance again. “Got it!”
I only just managed to get back into my fighting stance before she started her second charge. However, this time, right when I stepped out of the way, she suddenly spread her wings and gave one powerful flap. This changed her direction just enough to canon her into my stomach headfirst, thus knocking the wind out of me and sending tumbling head over hooves backwards.
“I did it! I di-oof-hey! Get offa me!”
I lay there trying to catch my breath, but managed to look over just in time to see one of Celestia’s pegasus guards holding Rainbow Dash down on the ground. That single cloud in the sky made sense now.
I struggled to my feet as air began to fill my lungs again. I could just hear Twilight and her friends beginning to rush over to help. I tried to say something, but couldn’t. Still, I staggered and closed the gap.
“You dared to assault the prince again?! The princess was right to be concerned!” the guard yelled.
“What!? I wasn’t-” Rainbow tried to reason with him.
“Shut your mouth! I’m placing you under arrest and-”
“Stand down, damnit!” My voice finally came back to me.
“B-but, your highness, this pegasus just attacked you.”
I reached down and plucked the helmet off the guard, thus releasing the illusion spell placed on all the royal guards’ armor (the idea being, if nopony could tell who a guard was, they couldn’t try to use that guard’s family to coerce them, nor could they befriend a guard simply to use them to gain a strategic advantage against the crown). I recognized the golden mane and black fur right away. “Corporal Lightning Strike, if you wish to keep the right to wear this helmet, then I suggest you release Rainbow Dash. She wasn’t fighting me, we were sparring. Plus, it was my idea, not hers. Now stand down!”
Lightning Strike released Rainbow as quickly as he could and stood at attention, throwing an extremely crisp salute. “My apologies, your majesty.”
I slammed the helmet against his barrel, just under his throat, where he took it from me, and helped Rainbow Dash to her hooves. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.”
Twilight and the others got to us and huddled around Rainbow Dash. Then Twilight turned to me. “What the hay was that all about?”
“Me and Rainbow were doing a little sparring, when she got in a very good hit and knocked me down. That’s when the corporal here swooped down and tackled Rainbow. Mother was being overzealous and apparently had a guard or two stationed to protect me.” I then faced Lightning Strike. “One, if this had been a real assault, you were too slow,” he looked down at his hooves, realizing that once the strike is done, it’s too late. “Two, these are the Elements of Harmony. The only ponies who could possibly protect me better would be Mom and Aunt Luna.”
“My apologies again, my prince, but I have my orders, and those orders are to protect you the entire time you are away from the palace.”
“Fine,” I stood right in front of the corporal and leaned over him so he had to look straight up to see me. Then I thrust a finger in his face, “but you better make damn sure I don’t bucking see you again while I’m here.” If my body language wasn’t enough to tell him what I was thinking, the growl in my voice should have cleared it up.
“Y-y-yes sir!” Lightning Strike threw up another salute, slammed his helmet on and raced off as fast as his wings would allow him.
“Good riddance,” Rarity scoffed. “Oh, but you’re not hurt are you, Rainbow Dash?”
“Nah, I’m fine. He just caught me by surprise is all.”
I walked over to her and sat on the ground, shielding my stomach with my arm. She really did pack a wallop. “I’m sorry, Rainbow, I honestly didn’t know he was here. If I had, I would have sent him away long ago. Please believe me.”
“Eh, don’t sweat it. I trust you.” She held out a hoof, which I bumped with a closed fist. Then she noticed how I was sitting. “Oh, man, did I do that?”
“Yeah, good job,” I said with all seriousness. “You managed to improvise and catch me off guard on your first try, nice work.”
“But I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whined. “I’d never hurt a friend.”
“It’s okay~, I just got the wind knocked out of me.” I lifted my shirt to prove everything was where it should be. I thought I heard a gasp, but it was so soft, I could never be sure. “Humans, I’ve found, tend to be a little more squishy than ponies. Don’t worry about it. I’m just sorry the picnic was ruined.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Twilight offered. “There’s still some food left and plenty of sunlight. We could still do something.”
“Ooh-ooh, I know! We can go swimming!” Pinkie yelled out.
All the other ponies seemed to agree that it was a good idea. “Sounds great, but I don’t have my swimsuit,” I pointed out.
Rainbow let out a short chortle. “So? None of us have any ‘swimsuits’, whatever they are. What’s the big deal?”
“I can’t swim in this,” I indicated my outfit. “Wearing wet clothes is miserable.”
“So then why don’t’cha jest take ‘em off?” Applejack asked. Twilight leaned over and whispered something into her ear. Applejack’s face quickly went from orange to deep red. “Oh.”
“I believe I can help with that,” Rarity added. “Just take this towel behind that bush, disrobe, and wrap it around your waist. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I did as instructed, I was a little uncomfortable about only having a towel to hide my shame, but I trusted her. “Alright, Rarity, now what?” Her horn lit up and I the towel I was wearing began to glow in a matching color, then I felt something change. The area between my legs connected and became pants legs, and the area at the top of my hips tightened a little while the loose ends became one with each other. Suddenly, I was wearing a new set of trunks. “Wow, Rarity, they fit great, and I even like the color, (white with Celestia’s cutie mark on the right leg). Thank you so much.”
“Oh, think nothing of it. Just knowing you appreciate my work is enough, Darling.”
They really were nice trunks. The fact that they were made from a towel meant that they were a little heavy, but while in the water, that didn’t matter. We played around and splashed each other. Pinkie brought a ball along and we tossed it back and forth for a while. I even managed to catch a few of the girls by surprise by swimming under water and tugging at their hooves. The only one I wasn’t able to get was Rarity, she had chosen to stay on the shore and sunbathe. For some reason, Spike had decided to stay there with her.
After an hour or so, everypony had had enough of swimming for today. We all climbed onto the shore and began to dry off (except for Pinkie who chose to shake like a dog). After everypony was dry, it was time to pack up.
Once everything was put away, I was approached by Fluttershy. In her mouth was a small cooler. She placed it at my feet. “What’cha got there, Fluttershy?”
‘Well, I thought, since you’ve been away from the palace, you probably haven’t had any, um… meat. So…,” she lifted the lid of the cooler and showed me the large trout within. “I keep some ready for my otter friends. I hope you like it.”
“Wow, thank you so much. That’ was very thoughtful of you, Fluttershy.” I leaned down and hugged her. Unfortunately, it was at that moment the wet trunks I was still wearing decided that they were afraid of heights.
And that was the moment everypony learned I needed to get more sun.