Spike stood at the foot of the throne. He seemed a bit disoriented from being teleported, but his gaze managed to notice me standing in front of him. “Hi.” He gave a little wave in my direction.
I was too dumbstruck, that Celestia had actually trolled me, to answer.
Why would you do that to me? I thought we were cool. Wait… how is Spike going to teach me about magic?
I wasn’t able to give voice to my thoughts. While I was looking on at nothing in particular, Spike had a moment of realization and recognition. Pissed; didn’t even begin to describe what he was feeling.
“You!!!” He pointed an accusing claw my way.
“M..Me?”
“You were the pony that Fair Rarity fawned over for so long. YOU were the one she ran after at the Gala. YOU were the one who ruined her night, and YOU were the one who broke her heart!” Spike advanced on me with each accusation. The hate in his eyes sending shivers down my spine.
Crap!
“I..It.. w..wasn’t…”
“And now YOU are going to pay for everything you did to her…” He was right in my face now. Granted, I was looking down at him, but the sheer amount of emotion he was emitting was more than enough to make him intimidating. His claw was poking my chest, causing me to wince a bit in pain. He raised his little hand up and… slapped me.
He slapped me!?
My head was angled to the side after the attack; my eyes were wide open in shock.
He actually hit me!
Spike stood there huffing a bit as the rage was boiling over. “I challenge you to a duel!” he declared.
What?
“… To the death!”
WHAT!?
“Celestia! Help me out here!”
“Leave her out of this. This is between you and me.”
Celestia decided to finally speak up, between fits of giggles, before things got out of hand. “That won’t (giggle) be necessary, Spike.”
This isn’t funny Celestia! He wants to kill me!
Spike turned his attention to the princess. “Oh course it is! He sullied Lady Rarity’s honor!”
“That is not Prince Blueblood. (giggle) It is his brother, Prince Honor Bound. (giggle)”
I can’t take this! Something needs to change.
“I’m already sick of people thinking I’m Blueblood!”
“People?” Spike questioned.
“Ponies… Whatever. My point still stands. Celestia, where is that mane dresser that you mentioned yesterday? I need to change the way I look. Sooner, rather than later”
Celestia was finally able to stifle her little giggle fit to answer. “I am sure Spike remembers where Spectrum works. He can escort you there. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to go tend to my sister with large amounts of comfort food.” With that, Celestia teleported away, leaving me and Spike in the throne room together.
…
…
This is kind of awkward. Guess I should say something.
“So… Umm… You know where to find this guy?”
“Huh? Y.. Yeah. Follow me.” Spike waved me on as he made his way to the door. I followed behind him, at a much slower pace. I was still weak, but for some reason, I didn’t feel worn out from just walking, like I was earlier in the day.
The guards opened the door for Spike as he got close. He looked back to me after he had passed the door’s threshold. “Come on, we don’t have all day.”
“This is as fast as I can go right now. What part of ‘physical therapist’ didn’t you understand?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Yeah, whatever.”
Why is he being such a dick to me?
“What are you mad at now? If anything, I should be mad at you. You have yet to apologize to me, after all.”
By this time, I had caught up to him, and we were walking down the hall together.
“Apologize. For what? Hitting you? Fine! I’m Sorry for slapping you. Happy?”
Well that sure was half-assed. What’s got him all wound up?
“What’s with all the hostilities? I never did anything to you. Hell, we just met.”
“You’re related to him. That’s enough for me to not like you.” He grumbled under his breath.
I stopped walking. Spike noticed this after a few steps and turned around to face me.
“So, you don’t like me, because I’m related to…ugh” I shuddered “…Blueblood?”
“Pretty much.”
Wow. That’s totally not fair!
“What about the princesses?” I asked.
“What about them?”
“They’re related to him. Do you hate them too?”
“Of course not! They’re, like, super nice and… stuff. Nothing like him.”
“So, why am I getting the cold shoulder then?”
Spike turned around and started walking again. “I don’t know. I just don’t like you for some reason.”
Great! He hates me, and doesn’t even know why.
I started walking to keep up with him. We walked in silence for a while longer, taking a number of corridors and hallways, until Spike stopped in front of a room.
“He should be in there.” Spike said pointing at the door.
“You’re not coming in?”
“No way! He gives me the creeps.”
“Uh huh. Fine. Stay out here then. I’ll be out in a bit.”
I went to open the door with my magic, but it swung open before I could. A guard pony walked out wearing the hundred yard stare. It wasn’t the normal ‘trained’ stare though. It was the ‘I was just scarred for life’ stare. He walked between Spike and I, not even acknowledging us.
“Good luck. You’re going to need it.” Spike warned.
Suddenly, I’m having second thoughts about this.
I swallowed my fear, and made my way inside the room. It looked like any other salon. There was a chair set up in front of a mirror, a hair dryer in the corner, and a table with a number of hair care products on it.
A voice came from the back room. “I’ll be out in a minute. Just let me clean up from the last guest.”
I sat down on the chair in front of the mirror. It felt weird sitting in a chair the same way a dog might. My tail slipped into a hole, and flowed out of the back of the chair. I looked at myself trying to imagine what I want to do to my main and tail.
I definitely need to change the color. That’s the first thing that needs to go. I guess while I’m here, I’ll get it cut. I’d like to get the hair out of my eyes for starters.
I blew the offending strands out of my vision only to have them fall back into place.
I guess I’ll get this guy’s opinion on the rest of it. What was his name? Spectrum? Guess he’s good with colors. This doesn’t look too bad. I doubt Celestia would hire someone who would harm anyone. I wonder why Spike was so scared.
In the mirror I saw a Unicorn pony enter through the back door. His coat was a light purple, almost pink color, and his main was a light gray. As he entered further I was able to make out that his cutie mark was a rainbow.
“Prince Blueblood? Mmmmm, I didn’t expect for you to come here again. Though, I did enjoy the show you provided earlier in the day. I will be sure to remember it before I go to sleep, and maybe again when I wake up. Heh heh.”
“I..I’m not Blueblood.” I’m seriously creeped out here.
“Oh? You sure look like him. Hmmm. Oh! Is this a game? What are we playing, and… should we take it into the other room?” He motioned into the back room he had just come from.
I sat there never moving from my chair. My mouth hung open from what the stallion was suggesting. This can’t be real.
The stallion noticed my immobility. “Oh? Perhaps you would like to play here, then?”
This got me out of my shock. “No! I mean... no. That was not what I meant. I’m Blueblood's brother, Honor Bound.”
The mane dresser’s eyes lit up. “Brother! As in twin? Oh ho ho! Blueblood never mentioned a twin. Oh, the fun we could have together.”
“I don’t know what kind of relationship you had with my brother, but I can assure you that I don’t swing that way.”
“That’s what they all say... at first. We’ll get to that later though, for now you came in to have your mane and tail styled. Correct?”
“Y..Yes, but I don’t think I’m comf…”
“Oh, don’t be silly! I’m the best mane dresser in all of Cantorlot! If I can’t do it, than nopony could. Now what can I do for you… or to you. Heh Heh.”
“I.. I just wanted to change the way I look. M..Maybe change my mane color and get a trim, but...”
“Oh, what a wonderful idea! A complete makeover! Oooooo, this is going to be so much fun.” He did a little dance out of excitement. “Let’s see. You have the right structure. Hmmm… Sure, why not? What do you think of this?”
Spectrum’s horn lit up and a quick flash later my mane felt different. I looked back to the mirror to see that it now looked exactly like Rarity’s. Purple curls, and everything.
“I recently saw a mane styled this way on a mare, who visited the castle, not too long ago. I think it works on you though.”
“Fascinating, but I was thinking of something a little more… masculine.”
“Oh? The brash type, eh? Vary well. How about this?” His horn glowed, and with a flash, my mane changed again. This time it took the shape and colors of Rainbow Dash’s mane.
Am I going to have to go through all of the main six’s hair styles?
“Something darker and more reserved, please.”
“There’s just no pleasing you, is there? Fine. Let’s try this.”
I face hoofed. The next hair style was easy enough to recognize. It was Twilight's. To be honest, I looked really good with her mane. But, even I knew that that just wouldn’t be right, and more than a little creepy.
“Next.”
Another flash and… I had to face hoof again. This time it was Luna’s waving, star filled, mane.
“Oh for the love of… You know what; just make it a royal blue color. Short enough so it’s not in my eyes, and not too long in the back. My tail can be the same length that it was when I came here, just the same color blue as my mane. Let’s see how that looks.”
“Oh, you’re no fun.” Spectrum pouted. His horn lit up once more, and after the flash… I had my new look. My mane was a little messy, but that was nothing new. I was never one to take much care in what my hair did back on Earth. Simply washing it and letting it dry was enough for me.
Nice. Not too over the top, and most importantly, I don’t look like Blueblood anymore.
I smiled. “I like it. Thank you.”
Spectrum smiled back. “That is good to hear, your highness. Now that we are done with business, let us move on to pleasure.” He began to advance on me in a predatory manner.
It terrified the shit out of me. I scrambled, and fell out of the chair. Keeping my back to the wall at all times, I attempted to talk him out of it. “That won’t be necessary. I..I’m sure you’re very busy.”
“Not too busy for royalty.” He licked his lips “…and it’s no trouble at all.”
Shit! Not good! Not good at all! I need to get out of here!
I was shuffling to the door I came in from, trying my hardest to escape without turning around. My back end bumped into the door, making me jump a little.
“You’re not trying to leave are you? You can’t leave without one of my famous massages.”
“Nothanks! Gottago! Bye!” With that I shot through the door. I mean, literally shot through it. A hole, in the shape of a pony, was left in my wake. Spike was leaning against the wall across from the salon.
“Spike! We need to go! Now!”
Spike looked up at me. “Shining? Wait… Is that you Honor?”
“No time to talk, need to go now.” I grabbed Spike, and through him onto my back, and galloped as fast as I could. It wasn’t too fast, but was the fastest I’ve moved sense arriving in this body.
________________________________________
Spectrum poked his head out of the hole in his door, just in time to see me round the corner.
“Awww. He didn’t get a scalp massage. Everypony loves my scalp massages. It usually leaves them all dazed for a while afterwards. I guess he really had somewhere to be.”
Spectrum chuckled to himself as he remembered what he saw earlier in the day. “Why would Blueblood do something so outrageous? He is a noblepony. They do odd things for the publicity of it. Still worth a laugh to think about, though.”
With another chuckle, Spectrum went into the back room to his desk. There were a number of board games strewn about the room. All seemed to be in different states of use. He opened a drawer, and pulled out a form to requisition a new door.
________________________________________
Spike was holding onto my neck, so he wouldn’t fall off. I didn’t care where we ended up, so long as it was away from Spectrum.
“What’s going on? Why are we running? And, why do you look like Twilight's brother?” He asked, after my pace slowed.
“He.. He was… going… to…” I was incredibly winded. I’m not sure how long I was galloping for, but it was much longer than my body was capable of. My front hooves buckled under my own weight, and I fell to the ground. Spike tumbled over me, and landed a couple feet away.
I was having trouble focusing. I could feel my heart beat at an unimaginable speed. My chest was rising and falling at a fast, but steady rate.
I think I got away from him. I can’t believe there are ponies like that working in the castle. Why would Celestia employ someone like that?
Spike picked himself up, off the floor, and walked over to me. “What was that all about!?”
“Spike, y..you were… right. He… is not… a good pony. Don’t ever… go near him… again.”
“Why? What did he do?’
“I..it wasn’t… what he did. It was… what he… wanted to do.”
“And, what was that?”
I am not having this talk with Spike. “I’ll tell you… later.”
Spike crossed his arms and grumbled. “Fine.”
I lay on the ground for a while trying to catch my breath. Spike only stood there and watched me.
“Are you going to be alright?” He asked.
I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “This, coming from… the dragon who wanted… to kill me? Thanks. I should be fine… in a bit. I’m just not used to moving… that much.”
“What do you mean?”
Oh shit! How am I going to explain this, without talking about the whole body swap thing?
“Umm… I haven’t been feeling well. I’ve been bed ridden for a while now. This is the first time I’ve actually gotten to move around the castle sense I got here.”
I’m not lying. I’m just leaving out details.
“But, don’t you live in the castle?”
“Yes, but… let’s just say, I’ve recently done some traveling that didn’t agree with me.”
“Where did you go?”
I don’t want to lie to Spike, but I can’t tell him the truth either. I’m pretty sure Celestia would want to keep this a secret.
“I think that’s classified.”
Spike looked at me as he contemplated what I had just told him. His eyes then grew to the size of dinner plates. “Are you some kind of secret agent?” Spike began to jump around in excitement. “It makes so much sense, now! You must have been injured on a mission. You recently recovered, but you just need some help getting back into peak condition.” Spike inhaled sharply. “And, I’m the one who gets to help you! Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. We'll get you beck to normal in no time at all.”
In my prone state, I could only look up at him in amazement.
Wow… He likes to jump to conclusions. I suppose, I don’t have to correct him. He seems to have warmed up to me, because of this.
“Umm… Thanks.”
I guess I could be considered a spy. I mean, if watching you and your friends’ daily lives, in a TV show, isn’t spying; I don’t know what is.
I rolled over and got to my hooves. “Now you can’t tell anypony about what was said here. Do you understand?”
Spike stood rigid, and saluted me. “Yes, sir! Oh, this is so cool!”
My stomach grumbled a little. I haven’t had a good meal yet. I guess that should be next on my list of things to do.
“Now then, I haven’t had anything decent to eat in a while. Let’s go see what we can find.”
“I know where the kitchen is. Follow me!” Spike then started walking down the hallway. Following him as best I could, I began to think as I walked.
Yeah, this has no chance to bite me in the butt later. Guess I should just have fun with it, while it lasts. Maybe the next time I have to introduce myself I should do it like James Bond. “My name’s Bound; Honor Bound.” Awesome.