//------------------------------// // Chapter 19, An Unexpected "First Impression" // Story: An Unexpected Life // by alejin //------------------------------// “You did it! You and Shinning Armor did it! All the Changelings are gone! – Rarity screamed after looking how the pony duo casted that powerfull spell and saved all Canterlot but Cadence wasn’t listening to her, she was staring at the broken window Chrysalis and “he” went through. “Princess Cadence? Can you hear me?” – Rarity asked a little worried. Not saying a single word, Cadence flaped her wings and started to fly to the city. “WHERE ARE YOU GOING CADENCE?! – Shinning Armor said, he tried to stop her but Twilight stood in his way. “Twily! What are you doing here? I told you not to come” Twilight wasn’t surprised, her brother didn’t know what had happened yet, of course he was still mad at her, putting that aside, she said: “Please Shinning Armor, I know you are still mad at me and there are some explanations to give but for now, please trust Cadence and me” Tears started to flow from her eyes. “Twily? Why are you. . .” She hugged her brother thightly “(sniff) (sniff). . . A miracle happened today, A TRUE MIRACLE!” Shinning was more confused than ever, he was still mad with his sister but his big brother instincts kicked out and he returned the hug, he knew she needed it, after a minute, Twilight broke the hug. “Oh no! Princess Celestia!” She trotted to her mentor who was no longer in the Changeling cocoon, Princess Celestia was starting to wake up, Twilight helped her to stand up. “Twilight. . .what happened? Where are the changelings?” “Shinning Armor and Cadence dealed with them but that’s not important for now!” “Not Important? Twilight. . .why are you. . .” Twilight used her hoof to stop Princess Celestia talking, she then said: “Princess, I must tell you something but I need to ask you to not freak out!” Celestia raised her eyebrow but noded. “I mean it Princess! you need to not freak out!” “Twilight please, I’ve lived thousands of years, I’ve seen everything, there is nothing that can make me freak out. . .except for what happened 8 years ago with my. . . .you know” Twilight smiled after hearing this, the last thing they needed at that moment was scaring her dear friend, worst when it seemed he didn’t remember any of them, more relaxed now, Twilight said: “Princess. . .he is back” “Back? Who is back Twililght?” “BR. . . . . “ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (CANTERLOT’S CENTER) Princess Cadence was aproaching to a now resigned human, there were so many questions in her head, how he survived? Where he was all this time? Did he have amnesia? She considered the posibility he could be another human but she discarded it immediatelly, even though she couldn’t see his entire face, he had the same red hair, the same eyes and she just knew it, she knew he was her sweet cousin, once she was a few inches from him, she glowed her horn, she had to make an extra effort since he was wearing darkness stone, this fact brought another question, just how many dangers he went through to forcé him to craft this armor? Steel was getting a little impatient, was this princess going to do something or what? his plan at that moment was simple, he would go with the flow, let himself being imprisoned and when he recovered some energy, he would use his powers to escape, get to Minus and never speak of any of this again, he then, felt the alicorn in front of him, he was just hoping it to be painless, he expected some kind of magic beam but what he felt was the alicorn’s horn in his forehead, he opened his eyes and saw her casting a spell, this was it, he prepared himself for the pain. . . . . . he then felt. . . good, he was no longer in pain or tired, he wasn’t fully recharged but at least he could move more freely and maybe use some of his powers, but even though he felt great, after inspecting his body, he looked at the alicorn with confused eyes, noticing his expresión, Cadence said: “I gave you some of my energy and healed some minor injuries, I believe now you feel better right?” No matter how much he thought about what just happened, he was lost in his thought until without a warning she immediatly trapped him in a crushing hug. Steel’s eyes widened for the shock and said: “Wha. . .what are you doing?. . . let me go pony!” “Please. . .just please, let me stay like this for a few more seconds, I need it” Cadence said while crying. Steel decided to let her be, maybe it was some kind of gratitude, he’d rather meat but this. . .wasn’t too bad, he reluctant used his hand to pat her head, Cadence recieved it with pleasure, after breaking the hug, much to Cadence’s grief, they stared to each other, she smiling and still sharing some tears said: “Thank you, It meant a lot to me” “. . . . Ok. . . this is awkward” Steel thought. Everypony in Canterlot were looking their princess being so nice with the strange creature, why was she acting like that? Only a few old retired royal guards knew what was happening but didn’t say anything, they knew Princess Cadence could handle the situation. Ignoring the stares of the ponies, Cadence spoke again: “You don’t remember me. . . do you?” “I. . .remember a little but I don’t know who you are if that’s what you are asking” Cadence was sad, she was right, Bright had amnesia, she tried something else: “Can you please tell me your name?” “. . . . . . . . .” “Please, I promise you are not in danger here, we are just having a conversation. . .you can trust me” Steel wasn’t that confortable with this pony but at least she seemed. . . kind, like the one he saw in his dream and he was glad of being right all this time, now she was hot! And he remembered one of Jilt’s advices. “Always listen to kind and hot girls! . . . unless they are trying to kill you” He noded and said: “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t entirely trust you. . .not yet but I’m willing to listen of what you have to say” Cadence smiled and answered: “That works for me. . .at least for now, Thank you, I’m so happy, there is so much I want to ask you, soooo one more time, what’s your name?” “hmmm. . . ok. . .It’s St. . .” Steel was interrupted by another voice in the distance. “WHAAAAAAT, TWILIGHT! HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT! IT’S NOT FUNNY!!!!” (seconds of silence) “THEN WHERE IS HE? WHO IS THIS. . . IMPOSTOR!!!” Everypony looked at the chapel and recognized the voice of Princess Celestia using her Canterlot Royal Voice, She sounded so pissed, like when a criminal is sentenced, Cadence hoofpalmed, she turned to see her cousin only to see him few meters away from her, with his axe in hands and angry eyes. “I can’t believe I almost fell for your sweet words and your hot figure, Mr Jilt was right!” Cadence widened her eyes and tried to say something but was interrupted again. “I knew coming here was a huge mistake, don’t worry, you will never see me again” “but. . .” At that moment, Steel looked in his leg’s side pack and took one of his smoke bombs, he thanked whoever deitity there was for he didn’t forget to pack those, (why he didn’t use it with the bug pony he wondered) he threw three on the ground, they exploded, releasing a dense smoke screen that covered all the área. “Wait! (cough) (cough) Wait! Please listen to me! you are. . .” Cadence kept screaming but Steel didn’t hear anything, he was already away, running through Canterlot’s streets, he felt. . .sad, he didn’t know why, why was sad? Why feeling bretrayed by that particular pony felt so horrible? He shook the feeling and kept running, ignoring the stares and screams of everypony he was passing by. When the smoke screen faded, Cadence saw his cousin was no longer there, she had to act quick. “Guards!” Dozen of royal guards presented in front of her. “Go after him! But don’t harm him! Anypony who dare to harm him will respond to ME!” Everyguard noded and started to go after Steel, after they were gone, Cadence and everypony left saw Princess Celestia landing there, she was crying too, she aproached to Cadence and asked: “CADENCE! IS IT TRUE? IS THERE A CREATURE LIKE MY SON HERE IN EQUESTRIA?. . .” “No Aunt Celestia, it’s Bright! I. . . I know is very hard to believe but I saw him, we all saw him!” Celestia calmed down the best she could and continued: “Ok. . .ok, I think. . .I was a little too hard with Twilight . . .I’ll apologize later, now. . .tell me. . .where is he? I need to see him by myself. . .please.” Everypony who hear the Princess gasped, what was she talking about? Since when Princess Celestia had a son? when it happened? Princess Celestia was hearing her subjects but she didn’t care, the only thing she cared for the moment was seeing her son again. (sigh) “Aunt, please you need to calm down, it’s not good for you to be so stressed, I don’t know very much. . . but I know two things for sure, first. . .he is definetily Bright, no doubt about it and second. . .He has. . . has amnesia, he didn’t know who I am. . . or Twilight. . .or you” Celestia’s face changed to concerned to horrified, she almost fainted after hearing that, how cruel fate could be? Her baby might be alive and . . . he didn’t remember her? Was this some kind of cruel joke? “What? are. . . are you sure of that? Maybe. . .maybe he is just. . .confused yes! confused, Right? . . . Right?” “Sorry Aunt but no, he definitely has amnesia and not only that. . . it seems he is not very confortable around ponies or strangers, he was even wearing some kind of mask” “He doesn’t like. . .ponies?. . . he hates ponies?” Celestia felt her heart pierced. “I wouldn’t say he hates us but he definitely has trust issues with us” Celestia sighed in relief after hearing that but. . . “I see, now please tell me, where is he now?” “He ran away” “What?! why he ran away?” “It was for you!” Another stab to the heart for Celestia. “What?” “We were having a conversation and he was starting to trust me, I was so close to convince him to come with me to the castle when we heard you, he thought it was some kind of threat and used smoke bombs to get away, it seems he was trained and for what I saw while you were unconcious, he has new abilities now.” Celestia processed all the information Cadence just told her, she couldn’t believe it, what happened to her son all this years? Her heart was crushed and now her head started to ache very hard but she didn’t have time to think about that for the moment, her baby was out there and she was not letting him get away, ignoring the pain and composing herself the best she could, she said: “Guards!” Once again, dozen of guards presented in front of their princess. “Aunt Celestia, I already sent guards after him, if we send all of them, he will be even more scared and untrustfull. . . you don’t. . .” Celestia ignored her niece and said: “Find the creature the other guards are chasing right now! corner him and catch him but hear my warning, DO NOT HARM HIM! UNLESS YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIVES IN THE DUNGEON!” Everyguard a little scared noded and joined the search, Princess Celestia and Cadence as well, Cadence didn’t say anything for no other pony seemed to notice but. . . she could swear she felt. . . something dark around her aunt. . . nah! It can’t be! She thought. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steel kept running, using part of his electricity in his feet to increase his speed, he was running very fast, even faster than an earth pony, someponies tried to stop him, others tried to talk to him but he didn’t listen, all he cared by the moment was to get away from those ponies forever. “STOP CREATURE!” Steel heard some unicorns royal guards comming after him, they were catching up with him but he didn’t stop, he was almost at his destination, Canterlot city’s limit, the lookout. “WE HAVE HIM! HE IS OUT OF THE GAME! – One guard screamed, there was no way he could escape from there unless he could fly. Steel smiled and ran even faster, every royal guard was looking at him, shocked; he wouldn’t dare right? Steel jumped the lookout border. He did! – Everyguard thought, one of them tried to pull him with a his magic with no success he only managed to pull out his bloody and torned mask, leaving him falling to his death. - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steel saw himself, falling to the forest located in the foot of the mountain, he used his body and electricity to fall faster, the guards were looking how that creature was falling to his death, not even a guard pegasi could reach him, maybe a wonderbolt could but not them, for their surprise, a few meters before hitting the ground, Steel summoned his axe and shot a powerfull beam to the ground, he started to break the fall and finally landed safely. “I love you so much Lightining Axe” – He said and gave his Axe a kiss and then proceeded to run deep in the forest. The guards still in Canterlot were speechless, Princess Celestia and Cadence arrived at the place. “What happened! Inform!” Cadence asked. “He. . . jumped from here and landed in the forest, I tried to pull him up but since he is wearing a DS armor. . . I only managed to get this” The guard showed Celestia and Cadence the bloody mask, Just watching the blood from his son was enough to make Celestia want to puke, this day was only getting worse, wait? He jumped the lookout? she then screamed: “AND YOU DIDN’T HELP HIM? DON’T TELL ME HE IS. . .” “No your highness, he used some kind of. . . lightnings to break his fall, he landed safely and now he is in the forest” Celestia was surprised, how her son. . . Cadence said he had new abilities, she would investigate about that later, there was no time to lose, she turned again to her guards. “AND WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE? GO AFTER HIM NOW! TELL THE CHECKPOINTS AROUND CANTERLOT TO TRIPLE THE SECURITY, I WANT EVERY ROYAL GUARD AVAILABLE LOOKING FOR HIM! HE IS NOT LEAVING CANTERLOT’S BORDERS YOU HEAR ME?” “Ye. . . yes your highness!” After all the guards were gone, Princess Celestia’s headache got worse and she fell started to lose conscious, Cadence cought her with her hooves, once again she felt dark magic present, what was happening? Worried she asked: “Aunt Celestia! Are you ok?” “Yes. . . my niece, I’m just a little tired, this really hasn’t been my day, first my fight with Chrysalis, this stress for being in that cocoon and the. . . finding that my son is alive but doesn’t remember I’m his. . .mother. . . It’s too much for me, please. . .please find him. . .I need him. . .” Princess Celestia lost conscious with a final whisper: “Bright. . .please. . .don’t forget about me. . . don’t forget your mommy” At that moment the mane 6 and Shinning Armor arrived at the place. “Princess!” Everypony screamed. “Don’t worry, she is just sleeping, she couldn’t take it any longer” Applejack then aproached to Cadence. “Excuse me Princess but ah think we need an explanation, why yah and Princess Celestia are so interested in that. . .creature?” Cadence sighed and answered: “Fair Applejack, I promise all your questions will be answered eventually but for now, we need to find him, please take my aunt to the Castle, she really needs to rest, Twilight come with me, we are finding him together” “Yes Cadence! Let’s go” – Twilight said looking more determinated than ever, Shinning Armor recognized that look in her eyes, even though she was happy all the time she had lost some shinning in her sight long ago, 8 years ago to be more precised. “I think I should go too” Shinning Armor said. “No Shinning, almost every royal guard is looking for Bright, you are needed here to keep control in Canterlot” “Ok Cadence, as you wish, just please. . . don’t let him get away, but tell me, if you have to. . .will you forcé him to come?” “No Shinning, I won’t do that, right now he is scared and untrustfull to ponies, I don’t want him to fear or. . .hate us even more, I know with Twilight’s help we can at least convince him to come voluntary” (sigh) “Ok Cadence, and please be carefull, we don’t know if he is dangerous now, after all. . . he lived outside Equestria all this time” Cadence narrowed her eyes and looked at him with angry eyes. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, Ok let’s go Twilight” Twilight noded and sat on Cadence’s barrel, Cadence then levitated Bright’s mask and casted a spell on it, after some seconds, she smiled – “Got you” – she said and started to fly to the forest. - - - - - - - - - - - - Steel ran further in the forest, after some minutes, he found the place where he left his backpack, he immediately proceded to drink a healing potion, he felt rejuvenated seconds later. “Thanks Zahari” – He said. He then removed his armor and put on his normal clothes and a new mask, he didn’t like the idea of not wearing it since it would let him more vulnerable to magic but he needed to be more quiet and a metal noisy metal armor wasn’t going to help him with that. He then saw dozens of royal guards on the air and he heard some more coming his way, not losing time, he started to get away, After some minutes of walking and hidding in the bushes and trees, Steel finally reached Canterlot’s borders but when he looked at it, there were dozen on guards as well, making sure no creature could pass, he saw a couple of wagons going outside but not before being checked completely, it seemed hidding in one was out of question, even trains were checked carefully, he was trapped and he knew it. Steel felt angry, he expected some rejection from the ponies but this? He thought he could at least trust that pink alicorn, she seemed nice and caring but. . . wait a minute! now that he thought about it, why he ran away? It wasn’t the pink alicorn the one who screamed, it was the motherly. . . he knew it now, the voice that sounded so menacing was the motherly voice he liked so much, the voice of the white alicorn from his dreams, when he heard that voice in that tone, he felt scared and without thinking he ran away like a little child. he felt so stupid with himself, maybe. . . the pink alicorn really wanted to help him. Steel thought about going back but now it was too late, maybe now he was a wanted criminal and he really wasn’t in the mood to become a prisioner so he decided to take his chances, he would go all or nothing againts all those guards, he put on his armor again and made a little pray, after that, he prepared himself to leave his hidding spot and start his attack, he promised himself to tried to not hurt anypony. . . maybe. “Ok. . . at three. . . one. . .two. . . thr. . .” “Wait!” Steel lost his focus and felt on the ground, he stood up immediately and looked who it was, he almost fell again when he saw the pink alicorn again and with her, the purple unicorn he saw in his dreams, she wasn’t as hot as the princess but man! She was very cute, he woke up from his thought and summoned his axe. “What.. . what you want?” Cadence commanded Twilight to stay silent, the little unicorn noded and let her friend handle the situation, Cadence started to walk to her cousin. “Ok. . . I know you are scared, I know you don’t trust ponies, I don’t know why by I know you don’t, please. . .just listen to me, it’s only the three of us, no guards, no anypony else” Steel somehow knew she wasn’t liying and felt a little more relaxed but kept his battle position. “Please let me present myself, my name is Cadence and this is Twilight Sparkle” “Cadence?. . . Twilight?” –Steel though, suddendly, his head started to ache, he used his hands to nuzzle it. The ponies noted his reaction and smiled, maybe there was still a chance for his memories. “How. . . you found me?” “It was a simple tracking spell, I used your mask you were using a little while ago to track your aura, like when a dog follows a prey using the smell, but it only works if the ítems was used minutes ago, I’m glad I remembered that spell” Steel facepalmed for his stupidity, why he left his mask in that place, well, he didn’t know they could do that. “I see, very clever. . .now, what you want?” “I just want to talk to you, that’s all” “. . . Hmmm, ok. I’ll bite but first I want to know something, who was the one we heard screaming with that powerfull and menacing voice, for what I heard, she sounded very pissed by my presense” Cadence knew she had to be carefull for what she’d say, she decided to be honest with her cousin. “Ok, first, I promise everything I will say it’s the truth, I hope you believe me” “We’ll see” Cadence noded and continued. “The pony you heard screaming was. . .Princess Celestia. . . Co- Ruler of Equestria and. . . your Mother”