//------------------------------// // The Reveal {RE-EDITED} // Story: The Poisoned Barb // by ManlyDerp //------------------------------// “... A… Seer?” Folding his wings back up tightly, and offering me a tired smile, Prince Solaris gives the question a curt yet somber nod. His mane slows its usual pace as he does, amplifying the new heavy atmosphere. The whole act solidifies the idea in my mind that the Prince was being honest right now. No more tricks, no more manipulation... ... and no knowledge of what I truly am... “Yes,” Solaris once again says, reassuring my nonreactive self. “One who can view the passage of Ether, the essence of life itself, and from it draw visions of events yet to transpire… A ‘holy’ being.” A spiteful sounding “Ha” then leaves the alicorn’s throat at this, catching me even further off guard. “That is how the ancient Griffon witchdoctors of old described them at least. I have my doubts though, even as I bear this title.” “A… Seer,” I repeat in the silence that follows, unable to come to terms with this turn of events. Part of me didn’t want to understand it, instead wishing more than anything to remain in the numb state it was currently in. As the unresponsive lump of cells that it now was, my brain lacks the cognitive ability to fully grasp the ungodly amount of disappointment it should be wallowing in right now. It also lacks the ability to produce the appropriate response to said soul-crushing disappointment. Tears of sorrow and regret. Thus I remain emotionless where I sit and watch passively as the Prince tries yet again to shake me out of my shocked stupor. “Originally, they were called Dragoons,” he elaborates further, having turned to head back towards his seat. With his back to me, the alicorn was unable to see just how little I actually cared at the moment. “Called as such because the art was supposedly taught to these few Griffons through the aid of a Dragon. Do you understand now why I am not surprised by your hidden nature, dear Barbara?” “...” “...” A chuckle soon vacates the stallion’s lips. “I suppose you're still a bit surprised,” he states the obvious, completely unfazed by my display. “Or... perhaps you are right now trying to think of a way to refute my claims?” Solaris shakes his head. “That won’t be possible, I’m afraid. I have too much proof. “For starters; since the age of five you’ve been more than capable of fulfilling all of Dusk’s requests to the letter, but you’ve also possessed the ability to make your own decisions,” says the Prince, again stating the obvious as if I didn’t already know. “This was the point of your lessons, true, but said lessons were not completed in those two short years. They weren’t supposed to be completed for at least a full decade… Yet, despite this, I’ve since come to fear that you’re the only reason that colt stays healthy at all these days! Sleepless nights and a caffeine-based diet used to be the norm while he was in my comparably lackluster care, but that all changed the day you subtly took the reins.” I keep staring silently. ‘... Took the reins... Took the reins... Horse puns… Always with the horse puns...' ... "... I’m so bucking sick of horse puns… Among other things..." The white pony continues, none the wiser to my slowly growing frustration. “One could simply see this as proof that the training was effective, but I always felt that there was more to it than that.” "... Yes... There was..." “Your manners and behavior are atypical as well,” was the next point of interest the stallion highlights. He explains further after a quick sip of his tea. “Hmm… A fact that I further doubt the training was able to grant unto you, Barbara. If not simply because it wasn’t covered in the time given, then perhaps instead because of your, I now know, pure hatred for the home I once forced you to dwell in. Hah; I wouldn’t judge you in the slightest if you were to admit right now to having made the conscious decision to forget all your lessons out of spite of me! Hoho!” "… It’s not funny..." “Finally,” he begins to wrap up, setting his teacup down upon its saucer and aiming his piercing blue eyes directly into the green of my own. “While your decision to purchase this book may have been the tipping point for me in my mind, it is far from the only hint I’ve been given. You have made similar peculiar decisions in the past as well. “Teleporting, fail-safes, ‘Want-it-Need-it’; you’ve suggest spells for Dusk to work on that were oftentimes the same as the ones I was going to suggest to him. You’ve also led him into reading certain books which just so coincide with my own choices; such as when you encouraged him to ignore his favorite mage, Starswirl, and instead focus on her more ethical and harmonic apprentice Clover… And you’ve discouraged trips outside of Canterlot, instead preferring for him to stay here in his hometown where friendships have failed to blossom. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your quiet prodding, dear child; I have been able to bear witness to all these events and more through the various means available to me... one of which being my Sight. “The same Sight which resides within you, in a certain capacity.” "… Shut up." “And it is through this power, I can confidently state, that you’ve seen the same future as I.” "Shut up." “The future in which Dusk is happy.” "Shut up." “With lifelong friends.” "Shut up. “Where all of Equestria is united together in the magic of harmony and friendshi-” “SHUT UP!!” Silence falls upon the bedchamber as I pant for breath, the words having taken the air from my lungs. All my anger and frustration had been fed into them; all my suppressed disappointment and guilt having finally been set free. I couldn’t hold them back any longer, nor could I these tears. I had hyped myself up too damn much, becoming too emotionally invested. I'm not angry with the Prince right now, not at all. This anger isn’t aimed at him. It's instead aimed at myself. “Huff… huff… s-s… s-shut… up… I… Sniff… I-I-I’m… a… a-a...” I can't form the words, not even a single syllable. This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. No matter how much I want to, no matter how heavily the guilt rests within my heart, I can’t tell him what I really am. I... can’t. I’ve been lying to everypony for too damn long now to be accepted back right away. I know this as fact; they’ll just look at me funny for the rest of my looooong life if I did. They won’t believe me. They’ll think I’m just a child making things up, which will only serve to cut me deeper. I’ll be treated as one further, and will never be able to return to the mantle of an adult I once held for many, many years. And if they do believe me? If they accept me for who I am and nothing changes between us? Then they will have forever lost my respect, because I'll know that they're lying. “A-a... I-I'm n-n-not, a… sniff… a…” Clop The sound Solaris’ hoof makes atop the table’s surface rings out loudly in my ears. Peeking up, I soon find his golden horseshoe-clad appendage resting neatly atop my planted claw. Sniffing back my tears, I manage to look up into his eyes once again as they warmly stare down into my own. “Child…” he says, his voice soft and nonaccusing. “Dear child, please listen to me; I care only about you in all this. What you are will never affect my views of you, nor will I allow it to affect Dusk’s. If need be I will keep this a secret from him, so long as that is what you wish. I don’t advertise my own abilities, after all, for I know all too well how ponies change when the truth is made known to them.” I try to comment, and again reject the notion that I'm a Seer like him, but in my weakened emotional state I only end up hiccuping. A sad smile graces his majesty’s lips at this as he begins to calmly message the back of my claw with his now bare hoof, having, with the ease of magic, removed the horseshoe and placed it aside. “... Clover the Clever reacted much in the same way when I confronted him on his own clairvoyant abilities,” he speaks to me soothingly, trying to halt my grief-filled sobs. “He denied the accusation fiercely, but the young stallion eventually broke down into a similar heap in Starswirl’s embrace soon after. You have nothing to be ashamed of, dear child. Nothing at all… Take your time and let it all out.” With another small hiccup and a sniff of my nose, I resume staring into the stallion’s kind eyes. They're clearly heavy with the weight of past choices and pain, I can tell. Memories of past sins and regrets of his own are probably swirling around in that ancient mind of his at this moment, just as they are in mine. I know he's old, having lived for thousands of years; both because of my knowledge of the show and through the literature and proof I’ve found while here. He really is an eternal being, far older than I. Yet he still makes mistakes, still is unaware of my true nature, still completely wrong in his guesses… … and still here for me, despite it all. Still my friend. In finally realizing and accepting this I grip his foreleg in my claws, pull it closer to myself, and then, without a moment’s hesitation, bawl my eyes out into it. He may never know what it exactly is that I’m crying about, and he may be left without a real answer for a long time, but I know that he isn't going to be asking anytime soon either. For now, that's good enough. It takes me five minutes to compose myself again. Five long and quiet minutes. Solaris never said anything during that time, but I didn’t expect him to either. He probably figured that I needed a moment to process this ‘revelation’ or the like. The reality was much different, true, but as what has sadly become my motto over the years; nopony needs to know the truth. Nopony… “... Do you feel better now, dear Barbara?” “Sniff… y-yes, Prince Solaris,” I answer meekly yet honestly. “... Thank you.” Again he smiles warmly. “Think nothing of it. I understand your guilt well, little dragon.” "Perhaps you do..." I internally consider, choosing not to outright deny it as was my kneejerk reaction. Instead, I ask “Lost Soul?” aloud, referring to the title he had mentioned earlier. I think that’ll be all I really need to ask in the end. If he wasn't referring to one such as myself, then Solaris must view the title differently than me. Though his face grows long, and he allows himself to sigh, the Prince explains himself fully. “Yes… We are beings inexplicably whisked away to far off futures without warning, and forced to watch events transpire through eyes that are often not our own, only to return to the present with little to no idea how to proceed. At times we can change the future without effort, transforming joys into horrors accidentally, while at others it is as if we are fighting upstream against the current; battling fiercely to just accomplish the opposite. All the while, as we wander between the present and the now, making decisions by ourselves that can change the lives of many…” It lasts for a second, so incredibly quick that I almost miss it, but Solaris' eyes briefly shoot to the still present book on the table... before returning to look into my own. “... we often lose sight of those around us.” I allow the moment of silence that follows to pass by uninterrupted. It was the least I could do. “... Sigh… Those who wander through the passage of time, unable to stay in the now; the title of ‘Lost Souls’ seems most appropriate for us, don’t you agree?” "..." "... I… I suppose I actually can..." In that moment, something changes within me. Something... clicks. For years I’ve seen myself as ‘cursed’, and I still rightfully do. I’ve lost family, friends, culture, and, by all accounts, my life. Despite this, I claimed at the beginning of my journal that I’ve chosen to keep on living regardless; that I found my reason to keep moving forward. My friends are this reason, for they are my new family. But… I’ve been treating them all like children this whole time, haven’t I? Like my children. Dusk like my intelligent son, Gleaming like my go-getter daughter, and the Prince… even the Prince I’ve treated like something else. Not as the friend that he is, but instead like a person who needs to be dealt with; who needs to be ‘handled’ and not treated as an equal. "He can’t help me. He lacks the ability to understand." I thought these things and more towards him in the past. "Just one big obstacle; like a needy child or an, I'll admit, overbearing parent." The truth of it all was that I didn’t think that much about him until today. I didn’t dedicate any time to consider his own struggles. An afterthought, at best... ... He’s another cursed individual though, I now know; there’s no denying that. Forced to banish family to the moon, to bear the heavyweight of a crown, and live the life of a Seer as well... Solaris, while not a reincarnee, has suffered just as much as me. Probably even more, when you consider his age. Yet, despite this, he remains strong in the face of it all. Meanwhile I… I-I… … … have remained strong as well. I should never second guess myself in that department. Tears don’t mark me as weak; never have and never will. It is within my right to cry. It is within my right to scream at the heavens. It is within my right to be a pissed-off individual. It is within my right… to not be alone. Solaris has this same right as well. Never before has this been more apparent to me than right now. For not judging me, for granting me a shoulder to cry on, for trusting me with a deep-seated secret, and for assigning me to watch over Dusk at all; though I feared this talk, and feared what he was going to do to me if he discovered what I am, somewhere along the line I had forgotten just how much this pony has done for me. I forgot that he is a friend, and forgot the strength of his heart. He’s underhanded, a liar, and always plotting… ... but, regardless; a friend. Having at last completely and utterly wrestled my fledgling emotions back under my control, my mind no longer the turbulent hurricane of nervousness and sorrow that it once was, I steel myself to say these next few words. I think it’s time to remind his Highness here that friendship isn’t a one-way street; what goes around comes around. He told me a secret that reduced me to a crying heap... It’s only fair that I try to return the favor. A reveal for a reveal; an unquestionably childish solution but, heck, when in Rome. What good is a second childhood if you can't be blunt sometimes? You're only young onc-, er, twice... Probably more, now that I think about it... Ah, forget it. You get the idea. Back to the show. With my mind fully made up, my thoughts now more focused than ever before, I swallow the remnants of my fear as I snap my head back towards the Prince's. It was with a small smile, and kind eyes of my own, that I look the pony in the eyes and assured him that I had, indeed seen the future: “The Nightterror, your brother, will seek your forgiveness tomorrow morning, your Majesty; just so long as you are willing to give it.” CLANK! !!! ... … Shocked… ... I-I had shocked Solaris. S-shocked him so hard that he lost his magical grip on his cup and dropped it. Tea droplets are now staining the tablecloth. I... I-I... ... Earlier I had caused him to stammer; not an easy task by any means. I didn’t think I was going to ever top that feat outside of revealing to him right here and now that I was really forty-seven years old... But now his mouth is agape, his mane and tail have stopped moving altogether, and he's shaking. Prince Solaris of Equestria is shaking. He had not been prepared, not in the slightest. The sight of it placed my heart in a tight, vice-like grip. Good Lord above he had not been prepared to hear that. “A-Artemis will…?” he begins to inquire weakly, his hoof outstretched towards me pleadingly. “M-my Sight… I-I had not seen... Was unaware... D-didn’t think he could be sav-…” With much effort, Solaris quickly draws his foreleg away and turns his head as well, choosing not to face me. Looking down at the ground, the no longer mighty Prince of ponies asks pathetically a simple “H, h-how…?” And again the tables have turned. For a precious few seconds, I'm in control of the conversation once again; I'm the 'adult'. Quickly getting over my own shock, realizing that there were more important matters to attend to right now, I grant the stallion the sight of a warm smile of my own. It's only through the corner of his eyes that he can see it, but that's good enough for me. “I saw it,” I speak softly and reassuringly, imitating the alicorn’s past actions today. “I’m… I-I’m not a Seer, Prince Solaris. I’m not as special as that. But, long ago, I saw… things. Only once, mind you, but it was more than enough. “I know that you have a brother, your Highness; a little brother who you loved so much but were unable to save. He became The Man in the Moon; Nightterror Nebula.” Silence follows. “... Artemis,” stutters the Prince after a time, sitting up straighter in his chair and facing me. “H-his name wa-, is Prince Artemis… My little Archie… I… I-I…” “Used the Elements of Harmony on him long ago,” I finish for him gently. I stand up in my chair again afterward, breaking every mature barrier I had placed in my mind to not walk on the table to do just that. Stepping around the tea-set and book, being careful not to trip on anything, I approach the Prince’s side. Now standing before him on a more leveled playing field, reminiscent of the height difference between a normal horse and my old human self, I use my claws to grip his face and bring it closer to my own. I nuzzle the side of it once I did, and gently pat the other with a free claw. “After his loneliness transformed him...” I add calmly in our embrace. Momentarily taken aback, I assume not being used to being on the receiving side of such things, Solaris eventually accepts the contact and the words with closed eyes. “I-I had no choice,” he mumbles under his breath. “M-, Our little Ponies; t-they would have…” “I know,” I say. “It was in the book... Eternal Night.” “He wasn’t in his right mind.” “I know.” “He w-wouldn't listen to me.” “I know.” “H-he refused to lower the moo-” “Ssssshhhh,” I soothe, allowing instincts from another life to take over; rubbing my claw against his face reassuringly. “It’s alright. It’s alright…” I say nothing more as I hear the sound of sniffing leave the Prince’s nose. I feel a single droplet of water soon after, one that dampens the emerald green fins atop my head. I pay it no heed as I continue to stand here and slowly pet the literal incarnation of the sun gently as he, for probably the first time in a long time, confides in another his pain. For a second, a single lousy second, several thoughts cross my mind. "Would Spike do the same? Did this happen to him, or am I now messing up the show’s events?" These thoughts don’t last long though as I quickly discarded them like the trash they are. "Screw the show, this world, and Spike. This is my life now, not his, and I’m going to live it as me." God hasn’t taken that away from me yet, and he’s never going to without a damn, good, fight. “You never shared this with anypony, did you?” I question the strong stallion in my arms, though it wasn’t really a question in the end. “Sniff… N-n… Ahem,” he straightens himself out with a blush, probably only now realizing that a little girl had been comforting him this whole time. Ahh, men/stallions and their pride; an endless source of confusion and amusement. Thank the powers that be that I don’t have to deal with that little hurdle as well in this new life of mine on top of everything else… Hmmm… ‘Spike the Motherly Dragon’... Ugh. Sounds like the sort of drivel one would find on one of those fan fiction websites little Nathaniel used to be so engrossed in. The thought that all of those are actually real out there in the multiverse… Brrrr. Sends a shiver right down my spine(s). “N-no, dear child. I did,” eventually finishes Solaris, knocking me out of my thoughts and slightly surprising me with the actual answer. “Starswirl offered me an ear long, long ago. She was never a… ponies pony though, if that makes sense to you. Jokes and laughter masked a mind full of logical arguments and choices. It was frustrating at times, to the point that… well… Let’s just say that we regrettably grew distant to one another towards the end of her life.” “And you never tried with another?” I speak up, turning my head to look into his one visible iris from this angle. “Not even that Clover guy?” Closing his eyes for but a second, when Solaris opened his blue orbs once again I could clearly see the hard edge they now possessed. “No,” he repeats, his momentary tears having dried completely. “I couldn’t bear to do that to him. I didn’t want to burden that extraordinary stallion with my troubles… and I did not wish for the truth behind the Nightterror to be revealed; that he had not slain my brother but instead was him…” I allow another moment of silence to pass before asking “Is that why his name was lost from the history books?” In our embrace, the Prince gently nods his head. A weak grin passes his lips as he did; one filled with equal parts spitefulness and a sense of heavy sadness. “History is written by the ‘victors’, little dragon. A sad but true fact... I chose for him to be forgotten in place of having his memory be tarnished by one wrong decision.” A wave of the pony’s foreleg soon draws my attention away from him and towards the book now placed behind me. It was propped up with the aid of magic, and its pages were flipped through slowly and mechanically as the Prince went on. “This ‘old pony’s tale’ is all that remains of him in this world... and I can't help but feel that it was formulaic of me. Even in banishment, I saw fit to push him further into the shadows, just as I did when he was beside him... W-what kind of brother am I to do such a thing to the only kin I-I…?” “He misses you,” I interrupt confidently, remembering Princess Luna’s return from the cartoon series I had not seen in almost twenty years. Faith has been built upon rockier foundations though, thus I don’t think I’m unfounded in mine. “I have no reason to think otherwise from what I've seen.” “...” Pulling his head upwards, bringing it out of my reach, the bearded alicorn with the flowing autumn red mane disengages our embrace as he decides to stare down at me. “... While I thank you deeply for your support and words, Barbara, I feel awful in admitting to the relief I’m feeling right now.” A laugh exits my lips at this; one of the first real ones I had uttered since arriving here today. “Don’t be. A silly pony like you doesn’t need to have all that baggage weighing you down.” Again a sigh escapes the confines of the alicorn’s muzzle, surprising me. That was not the response I was expecting. “No no; my relief doesn’t stem from that," he admits. "... Well not completely, if I were to be honest." He then shook his head. "No... the regrettable relief that I’m feeling right now is, I'm afraid, a result of… well… The fact that you’re seven years old.” "..." I blink blankly. “... Seven and a half?” came my reply; half in jest and half confusedly. “My birthday is in six months…” “Oh," Solaris grumbles quickly. "Yes. Hmph; indeed… Ugh. Now there’s another Greed Flame-filled can of worms altogether…” “... What was that, your majesty?” My question is swiftly dismissed with a wave of a hoof. “Nothing. Nothing at all," I reluctantly allow it to pass. Didn't have much of a choice in the matter, seeing how fast it took for the Prince to get back on talking. "But returning to the subject at hoof, dear; I once found your age to be troubling, but your words have granted me an unsteady respite from said troubles.” I tilt my head, still quite confused about what he was now talking about. “How so?” Solaris’ body suddenly shifts at the question, becoming more somber in appearance. He stares down into his empty cup of tea as his face became long once more. “... You’re not a child,” came the response, one that forced my heart to skip a beat. “By no definition are you a ‘baby’ dragon, nor an adolescent. Rarely do you act as one; at least, not without reason…” I hold my breath. “... For years I felt as though it was my doing.” I let said breath go. “I feared that the home I had charged with raising you had stripped the innocence from your soul. So little of it remains in your day-to-day behavior... But, in reality, what you are today is a result of your gift, isn’t it? It is what robbed you of your foalhood, not my actions. Not fully, at least..." Again he produces a spiteful sounding "Ha!" before elaborating. "I feel relieved for this outcome, yes, yet I know it is not my place to... "... Nor is it right,” Solaris finishes his thought, frowning deeply over his perceived 'sin'. I, meanwhile... have no idea how to respond. This is a... good thing, I think. I’m being given another easy chance to justify what I am through the excuse of being a ‘Seer’. Hurrah, I guess, though I’m starting to feel like a student being given an exam’s answer key by the professor himself... ... But, as nice as this is, I’m going to need to nip this in the bud right now before it starts to get out of han-, screw it, claw. I'm not going to be able to predict the future forever! “Solaris? Your majesty?” I begin, still trying to form a proper response in my head. “I... I’ll admit to having seen a ‘vision’ or whatever, and I'll admit that it’s probably a reason for why I’m not really interested in kid’s stuff; but I’m not a Seer,” I settle with complete confidence, for my words were true. “I’m not! I only saw the future once. Whatever power I have stopped working after a certain point… Er... Right around when a Kingdom made of Crystal appears in the North," I tack on. Might as well make use of my audience with him while I can, I guess. Though he has another shocked look upon his face, Solaris’ surprise doesn't last nearly as long this time. Soon he composes himself once again. “So the Crystal Empire will return one day,” he muses aloud, stroking his beard before drawing his attention back to me. He laughs as he does. “Your clairvoyant eyes seem to be better than mine, child! To see my brother’s, and the cursed Empire's, return when I could not... Perhaps I will need to see a pony about getting fitted with glasses! Haha!” I frown. “But I just said that I wasn’t a- hmm?” My argument was suddenly interrupted quite rudely by a telekinetically levitated gemstone being shoved into my mouth. The Prince’s trademarked smirk reappears afterward as he allows the magic to leave his slender white horn. “Oh yes you are, Barbara,” snickers the snarky stallion as I reluctantly start chewing on the treat. “Yes you are, there’s no denying it now. Even if you’ve only had one vision, that’s more than enough to mark you as a Seer. Clover only had five small ones throughout his lifetime, and I myself have gone hundreds of years without receiving another. I've even slept through a smidgen of them!” Another laugh follows, though it quickly subsides. “Regardless; you are a Seer, child," he states with gusto. "And your long life guarantees that you will receive another vision down the line. It may happen tomorrow, next year, next decade, or even…” “...” “...” I stare dumbfoundedly as Solaris abruptly stops talking. His eyes flash blue for a few short seconds... I think. It happened so fast that I'm left questioning whether I saw it at all. A minute later, with the shake of his head, the stallion continues unfazed. “... even in the midst of a conversation…” This only confuses me further. Either way, Solaris soon returns to smiling cheekily. “It’ll happen again, my dear, mark my words. And I’ll be here for you when it does.” … … … I… I don’t know what else to say. I’m not going to have any more ‘visions’, but from the sound of it the Prince isn’t going to expect me to have more any time soon. Soooo… umm… mission accomplished, I guess? Being left alone was my original plan in all this anyway, right? Right? … … Lord my head hurts right now. Ding dong ding dong, ding dong ding, dong! The clock atop the wall suddenly rings out loudly in the silence of the room. Turning where I'm still standing atop the table, and swallowing my now chewed-up gemstone, I stare at the clock as the bell below it is struck viciously by the rear hoofs of the little animatronic pony attached to the device. Ding ding ding diiiiinnngg! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! With the final strike, the tiny wooden pony makes a little show of rearing up on its hind legs in celebration of its 'accomplishment' right before the track it was stationed upon forced it back inside the contraption. “Would you look at the time,” muses Solaris behind me, audibly scratching his beard. I rotate to look at him, only to watch him get up from his seat. With the wave of his horn, I soon find myself floating up into the air and gently placed upon the floor. My purse swiftly follows me, being visibly stuffed with the scrolls containing chapters seven and eight of my journal along with a napkin full of my uneaten Emeralds. As the strap was kindly placed over my shoulder, I crank my head upwards in an attempt to look the Prince in the eyes one final time. He speaks up as our sights connect. “It is with a heavy heart that I must bid you farewell today, dear Barbara.” “Bu-” I start to say, but a once again armored hoof quickly is placed firmly over my lips, successfully shutting me up. “I’m truly sorry, but I must return to my duties before the events of tonight transpire. Though I wish we could continue, as I’ve had nothing but a good and insightful time with you thus far, I have my role to play in the festivities...” He then offers me one last warm smile; bright as the sun itself. “We all have roles to play upon this grand stage today, child. Myself, The Nightterror, Dusk Shine, five certain stallions in Ponyville… and you, Barbara. You have a role to play in all this as well, of this I am certain. I need not the power of clairvoyance to know this to be true." At first, I pause… but then I grin sweetly back. “Heh. I guess I do have an important role, don’t I?” I admit, placing my claws neatly atop one another over my chest; over my heart. Dusk… My Dusk Shine... … is completely helpless without me! Ha! "I know I do!" I declare proudly, because darn it all if it isn't true! "Who else is going to make sure that dolt colt of ours eats right, or actually flipping sleeps at night, your Highness?” “Ha!” Solaris chortles alongside me. “Not Dusk himself, that much is certain!” We share a good laugh. In its wake, the Prince’s smirk remains grinning. “That pony doesn’t know how lucky he is to have you.” I simply smile in reply. Spike is the butt monkey of the show, I recall; the punch line to a lot of jokes. He’s abused, ridiculed, and generally treated poorly. I laughed at him back in the day, and thought little of him. Twilight pretty much treated him the same way as me, from what I can remember. Only a couple of episodes come to mind in which their relationship was anything more than servant and master. Dusk is the same as Twilight, and I have taken Spike’s place; logic would dictate that the same events from the show are about to repeat themselves in their entirety, warts and all. Regardless of this though, I may have nothing but faulty old memories, poor first impressions, and the heart of a pre-friendship stallion to work with here… “He will someday, your Highness.” But faith has been built upon rockier foundations. With that I bow to the Prince; curtsying with the dress I'm not wearing. Hmm… Maybe I should write a chapter in my journal about my spiritual transition into nudism? It would probably make for an, er, interesting read if I did… But for now... “I’ll see you later today then.” “Hmmm, I suppose you will,” Solaris muses, only to then laugh. “Keep such facts to yourself though, dear... I haven’t gotten that far in the 'story' yet, after all!” “Ha!" I could only laugh. “Terribly sorry for the ‘spoilers’ then!” “Hoho! Think nothing of it, Barbara! Heh... Think nothing of it.” With a wave of his hoof, empowered by all these good tidings, Prince Solaris of Equestria bids me a fond farewell. With one claw placed firmly upon the bedchamber's double door handles, I turn and use the other to wave goodbye as well. After trading smiles one final time, and our good laughter having slowly fades away; I turn forward, open one of the giant doo- “Caw!” … and promptly get a face full of crimson phoenix chest. “... Mah?” came my muffled response. “Caw!” “I-Ignatius!” cries Solaris, failing to hide new mirth from entering his voice. “S-snort… Leave, hah. Leave the poor girl alone, you ruffian! She's suffered enough today!" From the 'comfort' of my surprise bird face hug, the Prince’s royal pet shook his head a resounding ‘no'. “Caw!” Though he sighs, and despite me being unable to see anything but bird chest right now, I can still tell that the Prince is enjoying every second of this. I grant him his fun a moment longer as I wait patiently for a golden glow to appear over my feathery friend’s body. This thankfully forces him to float away from me. I breathe in fresh air as he does, and shoot the bird a fierce glare as he continues to levitate above the ground in front of me. When he's eventually let go, he soundly dashes through the air between us and shoves his cheek against my own again. “Caw!” he remarks, nuzzling me affectionately. With a sigh and a roll of my eyes, I grudgingly hold my arm out straight and firmly; granting Ignatius a perch to rest upon. He happily accepts it, before resuming his nuzzling soon after. All the while, Solaris snickers. “Hehehe… All right all right,” he speaks up after a time. Raising a hoof to his lips, his highness then produces a shrill whistling sound that instantly catches the phoenix’s attention. With a sharp push of his beautiful red wings, Solaris’ companion leaves my side and returns to his instead. There he perches himself steadily upon his back and remains; scanning his feather-covered head at various things around the room without rhyme or reason. Using his own wings, the alicorn gently scratches the top of the bird's head with deep attention and obvious care. Noticing that I'm watching, Solaris turns his head towards the doors and talks with me. “Such peculiar creatures, phoenixes,” he explains. I decide that it'd be rude not to listen, so I stay rooted in place and do just that. “You’ll never find a more affectionate pet… Yet, at the same time, you’ll never find a pickier and trickier pet.” The pony then cranks his head to address the bird perched upon his back. “I’ve not seen beak nor feather of you for months, Ignatius, yet now you reveal yourself?! Were you in the midst of your cycle again, my friend?” “Caw!” retorts Ignatius captivatingly. “It shouldn’t have lasted that long though!” “Caw!” Grunting, Solaris shakes his head from side to side. “Good grief,” he grumbles. “At this rate I’m never going to get the chance to introduce you to Dusk properly. Poor lad must think that you’re nothing more than a diseased chicken at this point! That reflects poorly on my own character, you know!” With one last “Caw!” Ignatius dismisses the accusation from his princely perch and then proceeds to freaking dive bomb me. Bracing myself, I tiredly accept another face hug and another laugh at my expense from Solaris. As I stretch my arm out again, creating another perch, the Prince finishes his thought to me. “I still love him,” he assures to no one in particular, the care clear in his voice as he admires his old friend. “Such a beautiful and mysterious avian... It is said that only certain individuals can command the love and affection of a phoenix,” he reveals to me, though not for the first time. “... But I’ve told you this before, I believe.” “Yeah,” I confirm, finally breaking down and returning the bird’s prodding with a gentle scratch under his chin. I’ve always thought this bird was pretty, ever since I met him two years ago. “It’s nice to see you again too, boy,” I coo softly. Solaris remains quiet as he watches our little display. “... To this day I still don’t know which ponies and creatures he prefers to show his true self to,” the Prince confides in me after a time, though I remember him having told me this years ago as well. “I’ve yet to find a single thing that connects ponies and creatures like you to the likes of Starswirl and the others who accomplished such a feat.” Blinking, I draw my attention back to the affectionate creature nuzzling me... and grin. I… I’ve always had a theory about that, actually; ever since his picky nature was made known to me. I’ve secretly had this little idea planted in my mind as to why a creature such as a phoenix would like me specifically. It’s admittedly a rather silly idea when you get down to think about it, or perhaps just plain obvious... But if you know common 'reborn-from-the-ashes' phoenix lore as most do… well… It just makes sense, right? Right? “Maybe it’s because…” I whisper lowly and nigh on mutely under my breath to Ignatius. “Birds of a feather flock together?” “Birds of a feather flock together?” I pause. ... Then I turn my head to the right. Solaris is right there next to me, on my eye level; having inconceivably sped himself across the room and crouched down low without my knowing… … all to repeat my words to me. The world halts in place. "W...w-what…?” The Prince says nothing at first... … but then he closes his eyes and smiles brightly; standing up straight once again on long and powerful legs. “Goodbye for now, dearest Barbara,” the towering god bids with a mighty laugh, facing his back to me and trotting his way further into his room. “I look forward to our next appointment." Turning his head briefly, I receive one last sight of that signature smirk. “Perhaps next time you’ll feel comfortable enough to share with me your other secret, young lady! “For now though…Hehe... Have a lovely day.” Slam! With the assistance of twin sets of magic, the doors to the Prince’s inner sanctum are loudly shut before me, separating the two of us. The two guards beside the entrance extinguish their horns and swiftly return to their silent staring. They don't even acknowledge that I'm here. I'm doing a fair bit of silent staring of my own as well here as I gawk at the closed doors. “... Caw?” questions the bird still gripping my outstretched arm, perfectly mimicking my own thoughts. Two solid minutes of silent petting later, I place my arm back at my side, shoo the bird away with the wave of a claw, and then trudge my way down the hall towards the castle’s entrance in silence. ... I... … … I just… … … Ten minutes later I find myself outside Canterlot Castle. The city streets are packed, as usual, and the noise is just as loud. Nopony is sparing me a look, as is the norm. I give the crowd one glance… the castle another… … and then proceed to scream at the top of my lungs.