//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: The Goodbye // Story: Regrets of the Past // by Brightfireprior //------------------------------// It's Friday night, in two hours the banquet will start. I pretend to sleep in the small bed as Nurse Lauren comes in and gives me the same shot every seven hours. As soon as she leaves I jump out of the bed, removing the wires. I shut the white hospital door and push everything in the room against it. Thanks to the shot I don't feel dizzy. I unlatch the window and swing open the window panels. Jumping onto the ledge I look back into the room. Last chance to turn back. I spread my wings and feel the cool breeze in each feather. Some of them have turned silver. Nope, I'm defiantly going. I push my hips up and chest down with my wings spread up as far as they can go. Launching up into the air, I truly feel free leaving everything behind. I make sure to fly to my home cautiously so I'm not seen. I fly up to my balcony and attempt to open the doors to find it locked. I feel around for a loose stone in the wall and pull it out to find my secret spare key. I knew it would come in handy sometime later. I unlock the door and swing them open. Closing them quietly I check my clock on the wall. Thirty minutes left. It takes me twenty minutes to find a dress I like. It's a simple light shade of purple with a short silver piece on top of that. It's short sleaved and has a purple heart hair clip to go with it. The matching shoes stap halfway up my legs. As I quietly leave my room I forget to check for guards but am surprised to find, there are none. I feel the lump in my dress and pull out my journal that I was given by my parents on my fifth birthday. I wrote poems in there and I decided that I wanted it with me tonight. Tucking the journal and the red quill back into my dress I head down the halway to the dinning hall where the banquet will be starting in three minutes. Before I grab the door handle I stop. I'm randomly feeling nervous.what if Dreya still doesn't want me here and I ruin his banquet? I back away from the door. It would kill me if that happened. I then remember that the dance should have started eight minutes ago. Maybe if I go there? "Brighty?" I jump and nearly throw a magic blast at the imposter. Oh it's Dreya. "What are you doing here?" he asks worriedly and shocked to see me. "Why Dreya," I reply smoothly. "I'm here to be there for my best friend. Hint hint, it's you." "When the nurse told me to go home I thought that you wouldn't want to see me or even talk to me again." He looks so happy to see me. "I wouldn't miss something this important to you for the world." I confirm. "I thought that if you weren't supposed to be in the hospital that you would have went to the dance with Derby." "Are you trying to say that I lost that race because I can assure you that I won! And I can't honestly believe you would think i'd go to the dance with that little uptight brat!" He smiles trying to hold back a laugh. "Dreya Leōn ho Sophos!" Dreya looked up his full name on Tuesday and told me straight away. He bursts out into hoots and howls until he was unable to breathe. After he calms down he wipes a tear from his eye and is still chuckling. "Keep that up and it will not bode well for your future," I growl glaring at him. He looks at the doors and takes a step back. "Oh hay apples, are you even nervous?" he asks. "No, are you?" I reply. He gulps. I roll my eyes and softly peck his cheek. "Now are you nervous?" He shakes his head no. If he wasn't literally red then I bet you could see him blushing as red as a tomato. "Shall we walk in like royals?" "We shall." he nods. And we both walk in together hoof in hoof, with no fears at all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The banquet was very fun. Even though my parents gave me the "You're going to explain this later" look, they still let me have fun. My favorite part was that royals from all over came to the banquet. I even got to meet some distant cousins on my father's side! I was disappointed that nopony from my mothers side of the family. Actually, I don't remember ever meeting anypony from my mothers side. I would make sure to ask her about it later. The food was awesome, and Dreya and I played with the princes and princesses our age. Shortly after the banquet ended and every pony left, it was only my parents, my sisters, Dreya, the Guards and I left in the dining hall. Only about ten minutes later all of us were called to attention by the dining hall doors bursting open and as a very tough looking guard struts in spear up. He had thick armor as he was flanked by like thirty other guards who move and circle around the room. Then stepped in a tall tan pony who was so pale that he looked almost white. He had a very short black and messy beard, mane, and tail. hints of grey were scattered in the neat mess. He had muscles half the size of my head. And i'll admit my head is big for my age group but, he looked intimidating enough. No-pony dared to greet the scary intruder. Not even my father. Gathering up courage I march straight up to him and I fix a welcoming smile onto my face. Dreya stays behind. "Hello um sir, forgive me but who are you?" I greet innocently. The strange stallion lays his cold beady eyes on Dreya and takes a step towards him his white and tan layered wings open and make him seem bigger. "I apologize but if you were here for the banquet then it has already ended," "Get out of my way you foolish filly! You needn't know who I am! All you need to know is that i'm above you, and you are nothing but a peasant." He scolds. He shoves me out the way. The guards hold back anypony else from joining the brief conversation. Anger builds up in me but I push it down and intercept him from reaching Dreya. "I believe I asked you a question. And no pony disobeys me in my castle!" I growl. I ignore the fact that I just called this my castle. "My apologies, your majesty. I didn't recognize you Princess Brightfire." He bows briefly to me. His deep green cape rolls off and exposes his pale flank, without the trace of even the smallest cutie mark. The whole room gasps. He stands in his original position. I can't help but to feel intimidated by his smug expression. I don't care what any pony says, I don't trust him. "You all are probably wondering why I don't have a cutie mark," The impostor answers out loud for every pony in the room to here. "And why I came barging in late to your little, party here." He spits the words at us. He can tell by the awkward silence that that is a yes. "I'm Leo, the true emperor of the Byzantine Empire." He sets one beady eye on Dreya and finishes his sentence that makes a weight drop in my stomach. "I've come to collect my son." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dreya takes a step towards the frightening intruder. I deeply consider if I should move out of the way or stand my ground. Emperor Leo lifts his hoof to push me out of the way. An unexplainable surge of power flows trough my veins. And not the good kind. "Touch me and you'll be going strait home with one less leg you little mule mouthed lizard creep!" I snarl with my teeth clenched together. Nothing is making sense, I would never say that to anypony. I wouldnt even think that! "Brightfire!" My Mother gapes. "I find quite a spirit in your youngest heir here Sol," Leo smirks staring daggers at me. My anger returns, man how I wish I could shoot laser out of my eyes right now. My eyes feel like they are starting to heat up. I rub my eyes until they return to normal. Better not risk scorching the Emporer of an ancient kingdom in the face with lazors. Anyways, he better not have just addressed my father by his old nickname. Royal or not I will seriously never allow that. My heart beats faster, what is happening? This isn't me! He gives a nervous laugh and it still sounds boastful. Well, there goes another chance of me ever going to get along with him. But I respectfully back up and give the father and son some space. He struts circles around Dreya, examining his posture and such things like that. An uneasy feeling fills my stomach. The power surge is getting stronger and my spirit is getting darker by the moment. I try to signal my parents for help but some unknown force is making me shut up. Not just that but it's taking over me. Filling my mind and mouth with foul words. "Well thank the gods that I came here before they completely brainwashed you with this Equestrian nonsense! There are a lot of things that need to be changed, and that should take only about a year. And after that we will need to find an appropriate wife for the throne. We will explain everything else in the cart home." He instructs almost robotically. "Whoa, whoa! Wait just a second." I step forwards. No, stop! Why am I acting this way! Please! Make it stop, nothing good is to come from this. "Brightfire," Dreya murmurs in a hushed voice. "Who do you think you are just bursting into MY realm, into MY castle and just claim that Dreya is even your son!" I growl. My spark-like spirit ignites into a small flame. Growing darker and larger by the moment. I can't stop myself and I feel the force almost fully take over. "Brightfire," Dreya says normally now. "And you insult our traditions and ways! Not to even mention that you probably want to change everything about him!" "What, do you care for him or something?" Leo questions accusingly. The memory of the night we admitted that we liked each other flashes by. "We all care about him, he is a part of our family!" "Obviously that was a huge mistake you made, damaging my son like that." "A MISTAKE!" I scoff nearly lose it. Leo takes a step back. Electric is crackling around me. Is this what my power looks like? Or just a glimpse of it. "Well I'm sorry that I'm the reason that your son has a family who has cared and loved him for the past seven years! I'm sorry that I'm the reason that your son has a proper education! I'm sorry that I'm the reason that your son is not still living in a cave, starving or probably even dead right now!" I'm so frustrated and mad that my hair has flames on the edges slowly making its way to my head and flank. Flames slowly lick their way onto the tip of my feathers but it doesn't hurt me. This is a fire that comes from within me. The electric crackles like lightning bolts all around me. Stop. STOP! Please don't make me hurt any pony! "I'm sorry that I'm the only reason that you both probably are even standing here looking at each other! Some grave mistakes huh!" My hair is turning a very dark blue now with some lighter blue and silver on the top and bottom. I don't even notice it. My pelt is slowly turning black. Now every pony in the room was cowering into and corner or enclosed space that hid them from my sight. Soon I was a completely different pony. The only thing left of me were my eyes. The Emperor was trembling really hard now. Good, he needs to fear me! That didn't sound like me. But I suddenly felt like I was losing control if I even had any left before. My teeth form into sharp needles. Only a few moments later do I realize that I'm floating six feet above the floor. No, no, no! I struggle as hard as I can and pull the flames back into me. All of the terrifying side affects go with it. The only thing left from the strange encounter is that my hair is floating. Wait! My hair is floating! That only could mean that it's almost time for me to find my true self, and my Cutie Mark! But my excitement quickly dissolves away when im interrupted out of my fantasy by the rat. I cringe at how I feel that something caused this when it wasn't ever supposed to happen. "I told you! This land is brainwashing my son with their traditions of the dark arts! We are leaving now!" Leo exclaims reaching for the door. "Wait!" Dreya yells. The old rat turns to face Dreya. "Let me get my things first," "Dreya!" I gape feeling betrayed. "No Brightfire! I've been alone for years ever since my mother died!" Dreya states. Leo clears his throat. "Lets go now Dreya," Dreya storms out of the room. I follow after him but he is moving to fast and I lose him in the hallway. Furious with myself and everyone I rush straight to my room and slam the door. Throwing myself onto the bed I glare at the sky through my balcony. What happened to me! None of that was who I am! The mirror on my dresser flashes a green and blue light. I levitate it over to me and look into it. I see the mysterious mare. Eyes closed and there is a sinister feel to seeing her this way. I set the mirror down. I hear a knock only a few minutes later. "What do you want!" I shout. The door opens and Dreya walks in, his expression blank. "Welcome traitor," I say sarcastically. Oh no, it's happening again. "What was that!" Dreya snaps. "I believe that that was something called defending your flank!" I snap in return. He grumbles. "You were supposed to support me, you know like you said earlier." the memory of me telling him that comes to my mind and I sit up on my bed still not facing him. "Dreya I'm happy for you now that you have found your father but all I want to tell you is not to let him change you." "Well maybe you don't have to anymore." My ears perk up. I this time turn to face him. "I'm an emperor now," "You're a prince." "Well I will be one very soon, unlike you." "Well I don't plan on switching genders to become the leader of my own kingdom, but a queen ah yes. The jewels, the glamour! How flawless!" Dreya's nostrils flare. "All that I came to say is that I don't need you to be my friend anymore." I already knew this feeling as I remember my dream when he walked out. Except this time I don't cry, I nearly burst into flames of anger again. "What?" I whisper. "Soon I will have my own wife, empire, and no distractions like you." "GET OUT!" I scream hoping the guards will come and drag him out. Dreya would never act like this. And neither would I. Then I notice that his wings were tan at the tips. "You rotten lizard!" I whisper suddenly understanding what was happening. "Hmm?" "I know it's you Leo," He looks surprised and raises his eyebrow. He lets out a boastful laugh and lashes out at me hitting me in my face which knocks me off the bed and onto the cold hard floor. In one swift motion he jumps over the bed and pounces on me pinning me down. "Clever filly," He states mockingly. "Get out of my ROOM!" I scream but he muffles my cry by clamping his hoof over my mouth. "Listen here you little," He takes a deep breath and softly snickers. "My my, you almost made me lose it." "What do you want you two faced rat," I thunder. His face gets so close to mine that our muzzles are almost touching. "I want you to keep yourself and your kingdom out of my business," "That includes me taking back my empire," "Sounds good anything else you want to tell me before we shake on it?" I raise my eye brow. He looks away and looks back at me. "That also includes my son," He clamps his hoof over my muzzle again before the thought of getting angry comes to my mind again. "Listen, I know that you probably dislike me. But this is something of Dreya's choice. I can assure you that I don't exactly like you either but I know that you care about him." I look away out to my balcony. "It's all true," "But if you and your family have really cared about him then you have to love him enough to let him go, to do the right choice." There is a long pause. I close my eyes and take a deep sigh. Nothing is making sense and I felt that something bad is about to happen but one word is forced out of me, choking me from the unknown. "Fine," "Thank you, and you don't know how grateful I am that you have done something that I wasn't able to do." I look up at him. "Give him a family for the past seven years, if you truly care about him then you will let him go with me, his true family." I nod my head in agreement. I just wanted the conversation to end already, this was honestly the hardest thing I could ever do but it was for the best. Even if it meant letting go of my best friend. "But i'm only doing this because that's what she would want." I see a glimmer in his eyes. "Yeah, she told me that I can be a little harsh sometimes," He chuckles rubbing the back of his neck. "And Brightfire, I know that I have ruined making a good first impression on you.... but all I ask is for another chance." He helps me up. I take a moment to think. Should I really trust him. Glancing up at him I give my answer. Something is about to happen. "Okay," He nods happily. As he steps past me to leave I call his name for no reason. "Leo?" "Yes?" He turns. "Can you tell me what she was like? If its okay with you of course," He smiles warmly. "Soon young heir," And he's gone. The feeling still hasn't left me. But I push it aside and my attention is pulled to the mirror which now rests on my bed. I climb up onto my mattress and curl around the mirror. I stare endlessly into the depths of its reflective surface. Into those eyes of a pony who looks so familiar to me. Those eyes where mine of course but then again, weren't. I hear a slow rumbling from outside but I can't pull my eyes from hers. Those eyes that I shared with this strange pony seemed to be consuming me. "Everything is just a mess!" that familiar pony complains. "and so disorganized, I'm sorry darling but I will have to find a way to change your story!" The familiar pony's whole shape, colors, and form shift and change into the old burgundy maned alicorn mare. She stares at me with worry. "don't go outside," she tells me. Actually, she commands me not to go outside. I attempt to shift my head and look outside but she holds me locked in her stern gaze. I see a flash of frustration in the depths of her eyes. "please let me go, I want to go outside!". I beg, struggling to escape her trap. "No My darling you can't. It isn't safe." her eyes softened and had that motherly look in them. "I must see what's going on outside!" I once again felt the rumbling but even louder, and stronger. "No Sol! Why can't you be like your brother and listen! Even Leo can do that better than you!" she freezes. She had said my father's nickname only known by close friends and, I gasp. She said your brother. She said Leo meaning Leo is my father's brother which makes him my uncle whih makes Dreya my cousin. No, it can't be! "He isn't." the mare's calm voice breaks my silence beside the rumbling. "You will know in time but Leo and Dreya aren't related to you or your father by blood or step marriage." I'm relieved and shocked at the same time but use this opportunity to escape the prison I was held in. Ditching the mirror, I gallop out of my room to the source of the thunderous rumbling. There are no guards in any of the halls here except for a guard running towards the frond of the castle. "Excuse me! Mr.Guard!" I call out. But he doesn't hear me. I can't even hear my self over the deafening battle cry of a dragon, breaking away the walls of this grand palace. Reaching in, grabbing me and snapping me between his talons.