+_+_+_+ The following day +_+_+_+
James had looked about the area he had played for the critters, and eventually the Lunar princess and her retinue of guards, and looked at the direction he had run towards. Granted heading straight for the cave hadn't been the best of choices but it was nontheless obvious that the direction was AWAY from the wrath of the darker sister.
Walking to the tree, he glanced around the more immediate area, and noticed a few birds looked at him, tweeting their songs and tilting their heads.
"No show today. Hell where is my guitar?" James walked around the tree and in the general direction he had taken. No sign of the guitar. Sighing, James turned around and slumped against the tree, tapping his hands together.
One of the larger birds flew down, landing on his arm, and hopped down to his wrists. James looked up and smiled softly at the fire bird that perched on his wrists.
"Hello Philomena.. Long time no see," James whispered out, reaching up a hand and gently brushing the back of the phoenix's head.
+_+_+_+ 1671 years 1 month 4 days +_+_+_+
Sitting outside on a balcony of the Palace, James had been kept as a "guest" under guard. He had been getting gently more restless trying to spend his time reading on various things that were provided by the Celestia, who had a slowly growing attraction to him. James didn't exactly have anything bad to say but the fact of the matter that he had been attacked twice by the maids and once by the guards for a simple misunderstanding (leaving out the various pranks that were tried and failed), He could see himself atleast trying to enjoy the new world he had been stuck in.
A knock came from his door, drawing his attention to the door before taking calm, steady steps towards it. The room furnished sparsely with various things that were necessary such as a razor (of the straight edge variety), a armor stand, and a whetstone for the sword.
Opening the door revealed, surprise surprise, Celestia with a tray of fruit and a large salad with two bowls.
"Good afternoon James.. I brought lunch," Celestia spoke with a smile. The meals for the rest of the castle wafting up from below, along with the chatter of the changing of the guards.
"Hello Celestia," James stepped aside and motioned in. "Please come in.." 'Not like I can keep you out of the room as it is.' James thought sourly, still putting on a good smile as to not worry the princess. Celestia walked in, moving to the small dining table set up on the balcony.
"James.. I do have a question for you," Celestia turned her head, slightly worried. "I'm still partially dubious as to what you did.. saving that drakeling from the guards..." She turned to face James, and sighed. "What I wish to know.. Why did you save him?"
James quirked a brow, vaguely taken back by the coldness that he sensed from the princess. "He was weak.. and the guards were taking advantage of him.. Why NOT save him from the abuse?" james retorted calmly. "When will the little guy be up and about?"
Celestia glanced to the door, James following her gaze as a dark grey drake walking through the door slowly, hesitant of James and Celestia. The smallish drake looked at both of them and shrinked slightly at James gaze.
"Hello... Do you have a name?" James asked, trying not to be threatening. That only caused the drake to flinch back slightly. Noticing this, James slowly sat down, his knees popping lightly from standing so long. The drake slowly stepped forward until it was 6 feet away, still visibly uneasy. James reached out a hand slowly, beckoning the drake closer. "Its alright.. I wont hurt you.. I promise.." James spoke softly, smiling to show that there was nothing to be afraid of.
"Y-you'll hurt me like the other ponies..." The drake blurted out, looking at Celestia.
"I promise you I wont. My kind do not hurt children," James chuckled softly, beckoning still. "If I had wanted to harm you I wouldn't have saved you."
That stopped the drake, who looked at James questioningly before sitting down. "You didn't save me.. my older brother did.." The drake spoke again. "He always has my back.. He would... he wouldn't leave me.." The drake bit his lip gently, closing its eyes. "He.. H-he promised.." The drake looked up, tears slowly making thier way down his scaled face. "He promised to watch over me!"
James took this moment to move closer, frowning in sympathy for the poor drake. Wrapping his arms around the drake, he pulled it into a hug, waiting for the drake to stop crying.
After a decent amount of time, another knock as a guard stood there with a maid and a trolley, the trolley laden with gems and jewels of
various colors and sizes. Celestia motioned her hand for the maid to enter, and enter she did warily, pulling the cart with a hand as she kept her distance as best as she could with still keeping her composure.
As the drake stopped crying, James let go and patted his back, smiling. "Feeling better now?" James asked lightly, to which the drake nodded and hugged back.
"If you two are done, I think we could all do with a meal," Celestia said, smiling and tugging at both beings with her magic, lifting both to their feet. "Besides.. There are going to be some changes that you'll both be part of."
James and the drake looked at her, James moving forward to the table and offering Celestia a seat. "Changes?" James queried. "What kind of changes?"
"You will be taking care of this drake until his older brother or a family member can be found," Celestia spoke as she sat down. "I'd rather keep the dragons happy with what has been happening recently but that is none of your concern." She smiled up and motioned for the drake to come over and sit.
James furrowed his brow and shrugged, moving to the opposite end of the table and sitting down. The drake joined and smiled slightly, looking at the gems that had been set in front of him. James looked at the drakes 'meal', admittedly very confused.
"Aren't those worth a good fortune?" James prodded the drake and Celestia equally.
"They can be if refined.. but as is they are more of a meal for dragons," Celestia provided as the drake licked a blue sapphire before taking a small bite, still slightly hesitant but a rumble very noticeable coming from its belly. James just blinked before shrugging, not even caring anymore at something as normal, albiet ridiculous, as a meal choice.
In the distance, a flapping of wings could be heard as a bright red and orange bird appears over the ramparts, and flies straight towards Celestia before, flying high up and dive bombing James, causing him to roll out of his chair in surprise. The bird flies around before landing on the railing and chirping at Celestia, who chuckles lightly and pats the birds head.
"What the everloving hell was that about?!" James sits back up, glaring at the bird.
"Oh? Philomena? She was just playing around," Celestia faces Philomena and points to James. "Philomena dear.. Please apologize to James." The bird looks at the human and chirps questioningly at Celestia, before hopping onto the table and strutting towards the human who was readjusting his chair.
"Well?" James looked at the bird. All Philomena did was jump into his salad and curl up slightly, smiling. "Really?" Celestia giggled slightly and didn't do anything at all to help.
"She can be a slight meanie but it isn't exactly that bad. Atleast she didn't try to gouge your eyes out or something," Celestia said, looking down to her salad and taking a few bites.
"Lovely.." James looked at the bird and sighed, and sitting himself back in the chair and waiting. "I can tell we are just all going to be GREAT friends.."
+_+_+_+ Present Day+_+_+_+
James chuckled at the memory and shook his head lightly, smiling. Knowing that Philomena was only playing had helped in seeing the bird, not as a pest, but trying to make light of a situation was better.
Philomena chirped lightly and looked up, pointing with a wing. James followed her her end feather and noticed that the guitar was in the tree, and pats Philomena's head gently.
"Thanks.. I was hoping that it wasn't lost," James moved Philo to his shoulder and reached up, grabbing the neck, and pulling it down gently. "Now..." James said, looking to Philomena. "Go and pester Celestia.." Philomena chirped and shrugged, before jumping off and flying up to his face, and latched onto his face, giving him a rather awkward hug before flying off.
After the hug, Philomena flew off towards the castle on the side of the mountain, and James was left standing there, shaking his head. "Ridiculous bird.." James smirked and walked off towards the cave once more, guitar in tow.
The sun set, being ushered by Celestia into night, and the cool winds of the Everfree washed over James, giving him a small bounce in his step as he made his way faster. He felt eyes on him from somewhere in the woods, and the occasional breaking of twigs. James went into a jog, and after a few minutes of this the feeling eased off.
"Fraking timberwolves..." James muttered as he spied the cave and made his way to it. Upon entering, the warm air greeting him, and he went to his spot in the cave, waving to Leoran, before laying down and gently strums the guitar before eventually falling asleep with the guitar in hand.