Celestia’s Prophet
Part 2: Who is "Flower Power"?
The creature looked up when a section of stone slid inward, and then to one side. There was more than one way into her cell, but the newly revealed section was something of a ‘control area.’ Getting up with a sigh, it walked slowly into the room and peered around. Inside was a bountiful meal of salad and fruits, a steaming bath, and a standing guard. They stared at each other for a time, until the creature finally spoke. “You’re a new face. You new here?”
“Just transferred,” he said, eyeing her up and down. Sure enough, the beast was twice his height, with a screaming scarlet mane and piercing blue-green eyes.
“Well take it all in, I suppose,” it gestured to itself. “The mysterious monster of Canterlot’s deepest dungeons.”
“…you don’t seem so scary,” he said after a moment. The single chevron on either of his shoulders said he was a private-first-class. Probably still a bit wet behind the ears. He cocked his head and checked the thick steel door behind him, as though to make sure it was padlocked shut still. “The door is reinforced and locked from the outside. I have no key and no weapons to steal.”
“You and every other pony I meet in this room,” it mumbled, wandering over to the steaming bath. “What’s your name?” it asked, sinking into it with a sigh. They stared at one another for a time and it crossed its arms over its rounded mammaries. “…Are you going to watch me bathe?” she smirked coyly, looking at him sideways.
The stallion turned, for the creature was decidedly female, so she might have some inkling of privacy. “I’m Private First Class Armor Heart, of her Majesty Princess Celestia’s standing corps of Canterlot Palace Guards.”
“Fancy,” she chuckled, splashing about a little. He listened to her scrub for a time. “Do I look like a monster to you, my little pony?” she asked softly.
“That’s not for me to say,” he said, shifting his hooves a little.
"What do I look like, then?"
"Er... judging by your teats, I'd say a mammal."
She set into a series of loud barking guffaws, slapping the water with her palms a few times. “A mammal! Very good! I see!” she laughed. She hummed aloud, mood lightened as she bathed and shook her head at his stark and innocent reply. After ten or so minutes the steaming water began to cool and she got out, feeling rather refreshed. Dangling a drying cloth about her waist and another around her shoulders, she wrapped her mane as well. Walking daintily, she dripped all over him and he startled around. “Sorry. I don’t make much sound with no shoes.” She reached and rubbed the top of his muzzle, from between his eyes to the tip of his nose.
Armor Heart allowed the petting. He’d been ordered to. Even though her hand was wet and a little wrinkly. “Er,” he said. “S’okay, I suppose.” He cantered around her so she'd let go. “Are you hungry, then?” He'd been told to be conversational, friendly, and approachable. No matter how scary she looked or what she said.
“I don’t get much excersize, hard to be hungry much anymore,” she said wistfully. Sitting at the one-pony table she fiddled with her food for a bit. After a few bites, she leaned as though bored on one elbow. “So, just out of curiosity, what did they tell you I was?” she crunched noisily on her crutons. “I’m always interested to hear what they’re trying to classify me as.”
“Er, I wasn’t briefed on that much detail.” said Armor Heart, looking stiffly to one side.
“What if I told you I made you?” she said cryptically, leaning with her fork and taking another huge bite.
“I’d say my father had some explaining to do,” the young soldier said without thinking.
The red-maned monster threw her head back and laughed again, shooting a cruton across the table and to the floor. She covered her mouth quickly, still giggling, “Sorry, sorry! That’s cute, that’s cute.” She nodded to herself. “You’re a funny one, what’s your cutie mark? Show me your butt. Er, flank.” She amended, making a turn-around motion with her fork. Not seeing the harm, he turned profile to show her the heart with an iron cross across it, studded with divets. Pretty literal, considering his name. “Ah, you’re simpler than most.” She nodded, crunch-crunch-crunching on a sliced apple.
“I’m not simple!” he said, his temper flaring a little.
“It’s not a bad thing. A lot of early cutie marks were symbolic. Or worse yet, had no meaning at all. Only recently with your generation did they start becoming so literal. Must be all the individual, original characters popping out of the woodwork.” She wiped her mouth when she was done, standing. He looked up at her as she loomed over him. He didn’t understand her cryptic-speak, so he said nothing.
“So, let’s have a look at you,” she said, peering into his face. His ears turned back. She knelt down on her huge, pillar-like legs until they were eye to eye. “Hrm,” she murmured, pawing at his mane and feeling his ears. The soldier steeled himself, but couldn’t help the light purr gurgling in his throat. The pads of her fingers were quite soft, they felt nice when they rubbed circles on the insides of his ears. A glitter worked its way across the creatures eyes. “Well, you’re handsome enough. I can see why she likes you.”
“Who?” Armor Heart said, blinking curiously.
“Not too bright though. That might be part of the attraction,” she smirked a little, shaking her head. “Like a big dumb puppy, sometimes, you.” She stood again, shrugging.
“I’m not dumb!” he said.
“Are so. Dumb as a rock.”
“I… I…” his poor academic life came rushing back to greet him. Choosing the military. Muscle could make up for what brain could not. He was disciplined, methodical… just not very book-learned. It kept him from other jobs, and it would more than likely keep him from command as well. He hung his head a little. “How did you know?” he asked, following her back into the main cell area.
“I know everything about Equestria. Well, all the important stuff anyway.” She flopped onto her cot, scrubbing at her red mane for a long time. He sat on his haunches a few feet away. She then beckoned, and he came closer so she could run one of her ghostly pale hands down his back. Like he was a great big dog or something. He felt quite small next to her, to tell the truth. She sighed, letting go of him at last.
“…you don’t seem like a monster to me, Miss,” he said after a long time, looking over at her. “How come the Princess has you locked in here? You’re so slender and weak, what threat are you?” he eyed her up and down some.
“Because I know things,” she said softly, her gay smile fading a bit, running a brush through her mane over and over. “Things I can’t possibly know, in her eyes. Princess Celestia is afraid I might fall into the wrong hands, eh, hooves, and be a threat to national security.” Leaning, she playfully brushed his mane a couple of times.
“Like what?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him at last. She leaned to whisper in his ear, a devilish smile on her crimson lips. Suddenly a bell sounded, and the guard flinched away. That was the signal to report back. “Er, I have to go,” he told her.
“Darn,” she said a little acidly, sitting upright. “Well, if I never see you again, be happy, my little pony.” She rushed a fast hand gracefully through his mane and withers. He shuddered a little, but offered a smile. She stood, dropping all her towels on his back. Going to the little writing desk she had, she put a band around her mane to hold it out of her face. She offered a miserable-looking smile, raising her hand just slightly to wiggle her fingers in a good-bye gesture.
Armor Heart stood in the bath-slash-eating room, then watched the section of wall slide closed. He felt… sorry for her. When the cell was sealed and all the gears and weights had slid back into place, the reinforced door clanged open. “Well done, Armor Heart,” a dark blue unicorn came in to tell him. A few other ponies rushed about to collect the food, tub, and other things strewn about the room.
“Er, Yessir, General Light, sir,” he said, straightening and saluting.
General Night Light leaned with authority, his horn lighting up. There was a flash not unlike a camera. Armor Heart went still, his tongue hanging out and his eyes derping in different directions. Little dots of light hung around his head. “Very well done indeed, for crown and country,” Night Light came forward and started leading the young soldier along by his shoulder.
“Who… what… what did I do, again?” Armor Heart was slowly starting to be able to see colors again. “Was I on a mission?” he said, cocking his head and screwing up his eyes. “It’s so dark…” he murmured, squinting back and forth as they swept up the tunnels.
“Your mission was highly classified, Private, I had to wipe it from your memory for your own safety,” General Night Light said. “All I can tell you is that everypony is safe for another day because of your bravery.”
“Everypony? Really?” the young soldier said, blink-blinking until his vision finally returned. “Wow, that’s good!” he smiled enthusiastically. “Thanks for trusting me with the important mission, sir! Er… whatever it was!”
“Get yourself checked out in the medical wing, shower, then report back to your usual activities.” The General stopped when they were out of the dungeon area and above ground again. “Off you go.”
“Sir yes, sir.” He turned to be off, but bumped right into a maid in his rush. “Oof!” they tumbled over each other.
“Oh! Armor Heart it’s you!” the squeaky-voiced made said, red-faced and flailing to turn-upright again. “I-I-I’m so sorry!” she finally got back to her hooves while he did the same, scrubbing at his face to make sure he was okay.
“It’s okay…” he said. They locked eyes for a moment. Well, wasn’t she a pretty face? He blushed for a moment. “Er, Miss…?”
“Flower Power. I set the vases and inside plants around the palace.” She said, folding one hoof over another in a nervous, blushy-faced, nervous-filly expression.
Sensing this, Armor Heart coughed twice and stepped back a bit. “Are you alright then…?” he trailed off, quite enchanted by her freckles and tan fur.
“Oh yes, I’m fine… I’m… fine…” she said, never taking her eyes off him.
“Herm-HERHM?” General Night Light said, still standing right where he was moments ago. Both ponies fled in opposite directions, flushed and panicking. His not-so-carefully masked scowl deepened when they were both gone. He would have to report this to the Princess. He was in charge of security, and he’d never heard of this so called ‘Flower Power’ mare before. He’d memorized every staff member, kitchen dishwasher, and every guard in the palace. He knew all the names and faces, it was his job. There was no Flower Power on that list in his encyclopedic head. Oh no doubt she’d have papers, a detailed history, a good work ethic and so on and so forth, but… Celestia would want to know that another pony had just popped into existence. The monster in the dungeons was at it again.