I was watering the flowers behind my little home when I heard the flapping of wings and the clopping of hooves behind me on the newly-installed gemstone pathways I had installed in my backyard area. HEY! I had to do something with some of the gemstones!
“Hello, Shepard,” Celestia's motherly voice rang out
“Hello, ‘Tia,” I say, turning around and holding a watering can in one hand and my Princess Mug in the other. The mug itself was slowly changing from its white coloration to a darker blue color as the sun was being lowered.
Celestia placed a hoof over her muzzle trying to contain a giggle behind it. “Is that your new title now Shepard? My, I’ve never seen you as being the feminine type.”
I gave her a confused look before looking down at the mug and rolling my eyes... “No,” I stated before taking a sip of my thick, rich coffee.“It was just the biggest mug I could find.”
Celestia still smiling, she nods before taking on a more stern face. “Shepard, I wish I could say that I came for a friendly visit.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
She smiled. “But.” She paused. “Well you see, the nobles have been worried lately. Prince Blueblood has seemly vanished some days ago, you would not have happened to have seen him would you?”
I look at Celestia for a long moment looking into the half-empty mug of coffee. “You know what? I just might have.”
It's been about a week now. The first two days had been hard on me because I had nowhere to sleep, so Twilight allowed me to stay at one of the guest rooms in her castle. Two days was about all I could stand with a baby dragon following me around all day long. I suspected he wanted me to give him more gems but was too afraid to ask. I figured he had plenty. I had no idea how many gems I did have or how much they are worth, but he had to have put away a hundred thousand bits worth of gems. On the bright side, at least I have a clean back porch now.
Anyway, I told Twilight I was going back home on the third day. I think she expected me to return to the castle, but I hadn’t. Instead, I spoke with the changelings, and for the act of generosity for allowing them to stay within such a love-filled environment, they dug me a room all for myself around fifty feet below the entrance of the hive in my backyard. I have to say it was quite nice. The Queen even came by for a time and we had a nice little chat; got into some history and backstory of her hive, explained why changelings were considered felons in Equestria.
She had said she tried to get help for her ‘lings hundreds of years ago before the neutrality act was established, but was denied by Celestia. Which came as a shock to me, I will have to do some research on the subject later on I think.
On day four Twilight came over with some movers and construction ponies. After about six hours of work, they had successfully hauled all of the gems out of the kitchen. Some of which were used to pay the movers and haulers, along with the construction workers to repair the structural damage to my home. Even with all that, it took twelve heavy, iron-reinforced pony-drawn wagons just to hold what was left of the gems alone.
Twilight had told me not to worry about the wagons of gems and told me she would handle it. I agreed because honestly even with the kitchen cleared I could not use the rest of my house. The living room had crates in it that were, in the end, covered in gemstones.
Oh, I just remembered! I had a cellar I could have slept in… Can you guess what happened when I took a look in the cellar? Yeah, found more bits. NOT gems. Bits, apparently the solar guard that came by ran out of room in the cellar and put the rest in my living room. You know, I’m a little worried that I have too much money now. I mean before I had just made it off my job, which though with everything going on, I kinda forgot that I had a job. I’m pretty sure the Cakes are mad at me now.
I smacked a palm over my face. “You know what? One thing at a time.” I said aloud and slammed the cellar door shut to go back to my kitchen. The ceiling looked nice and was reinforced with thicker wooden beams then before, which made me nod in satisfaction
Following the inspection of the wooden beams, I went about making my daily coffee. After cleaning out my coffee maker—and digging out a gemstone from the percolator—I made some sweet, sweet lifeblood. “I’ve missed you so much coffee,” I said as I took a long draw from my ‘#1 Princess’ mug’. Hey! After a day I was going through withdrawal, alright? I needed my fix.
There came a knock from the door. It was light, almost as if someone was tapping on the back door. I sat my mug down on the counter, resisting the urge to down its entire contents, then opened the door. Immediately, I was swarmed by a wave of colorful fluff taking me off my feet. I let out a very manly squeak of—‘Not the face!’—and was left groaning on the floor, feeling the pain of a headbutt to the crotch... and the sound of cheering and ‘thank you’s?
I looked up, still groaning, to see a bunch of what looked like happy foals jumping around me all chanting ‘thank you’s and ‘yay’s. A small pony bounced up and down on my chest, which I have to admit hurt a bit—with them having hooves and all—but the most of them were fluttering around the room or bouncing off the walls or walking on the ceiling. Okay, that unicorn has to be related to Pinkie.
After I sat up and regained the ability to breathe, I spoke. “Whats going on?”
I heard another voice. “Children, where are you?” An earth pony mare stepped up onto the back porch and looked at me, putting a hoof in front of her muzzle to hide a giggle. Apparently it was funny to have a filly on one's head and being covered in bouncing ponies. “Alright, class settle down.” Spoke the mare.
Upon hearing their teacher, all the little fillies and colts zipped over and stood in front of me. “What’s so exciting?” I asked while standing and patting the dust off my clothing.
There was an explosion of sound as all the little ones begin talking at the same time. I raised a hand up. “Alright, Alright,” I spoke over the mass of voices of the foals assaulting the air, getting them to calm themselves. Eventually, they settled down, and I looked over to the mare standing behind her class. “Miss?”
“Cheerilee,” the mare spoke. “I’m the teacher here in Ponyville's school, and this is my class. Say ‘hello’, children,” she said to which I got a reply of “Hello, Mister Shepard.”
I couldn’t help but to smile at them. “Hello kids,” I said as I took up my mug once more.
One of the little fillies spoke up. “We’re not kids, we’re ponies.”
I had to blink at that before remembering that ‘kids’ were the child equivalent of goats here, I mentally facepalmed and then gasped loudly. “You're not?!” I asked in a playful tone.
The children giggled and some of them replayed with a ‘No’”.
“Well, I had no idea, I guess in my old age my eyesight is going bad on me.” I pulled two a large rounded gemstone off the counter and looked through it. “Oh my, you are right. I see, small, cute little, adorable chickens!”
The children chortled, but one little orange filly with a purple mane pouted, mumbling something about not being a chicken. While a chubby little unicorn colt spoke up saying “You sure are funny, Mister Shepard!”
Miss Cheerilee interrupted at this point. “Alright everypony, we should be getting back to Shepard’s Park.” There was a round of disappointed aww’s at that.
“Wait, Shepard’s Park?” I asked
There are no words to describe the amount of confusion I was feeling at the moment. I have no idea what I was seeing. No, I knew what I was seeing. It’s just that my mind was just having a hard time registering it. A massive open area full of grassy plains, a playground that looked about as big as four of my homes put together sat off to the side with a large pirates boat themed play place, swing set, tetherball, merry go round…. Slide…. You think of something that goes in a playground, it was there. But that was just the normal stuff, high above were clouds, sooo many clouds and they took on shapes of buildings and rings, I think there was an obstacle course in the sky itself. I even saw a rainbow waterfall. I’m pretty sure my mind stopped working at that point
I snapped out of it when I heard a train whistle and looked over to a small station where a miniature train pulled up, fillies and colts were getting off the train and getting on it at the station that it stopped at. Peering into the engine, I saw that there was no conductor, and it appeared to be entirely magic operated. Once the train was full of little children there came a voice over an intercom “Please keep your hooves inside the ride at all time until we reach the subterranean station, and remember! Have fun!” The voice, which sounded a little like Princess Twilight's, had said.
At this point I spotted a large well-crafted sigh that said:
“Welcome to Shepard’s Park”
This park was constructed on the orders of the Shepard so that everyone might partake in its wonders. We hope you have fun, play safe and as always enjoy yourselves.
Donated by the Shepherd
designed by Princess Twilight Sparkle
“Twili…?” That's all I got out before remembering back to a few weeks prior to now; I then smacked myself in the face leaving my hand covering it. “Ow,” I mumbled
I felt a light tug on the hem of my pants leg which caused me to look down. Standing there was a small unicorn filly that had a striking resemblance to Sweetie Belle, except she was a strange green coloration with a greenish- yellow two- toned mane. “Mister Shepherd.” The little filly asked in a sad tone making me take on a concerned look.
“Yes, little filly?”
“We need your help! My friend Dinky felt bad and is wanting to sit next to the honing stones, but some mean stallion keeps running ponies away.”
“Take me to your friend,” I stated
It was a short walk across the park, but we arrived at the slide, I bent down to the little purple filly with a blond mane. “Hey, are you alright Dinky?” I asked placing a palm upon her back.
“My head hurts,” She moaned out, Shepherd could tell she was in distress.
“What can I do to help?” I asked
“She just needs to use the honing stones,” Sun Glimmer, the little filly that came to me for help said. I give her a look that made her roll her eyes and she continued. “Honing stones are used by Unicorns as a way to ground the magic in their bodies; unicorns, especially fillies are susceptible to magical surges and magical buildup, but all unicorns can use the stones. They are really helpful and also feels real relaxing to be near them.” The filly stated, to which I nodded in understanding.
“I see,” I said. I heard another voice from nearby.
“Go away you little brats! This is my area now and nopony is going to come near it.” came a posh voice. I looked up as a fully-grown stallion pushed a small unicorn filly away with a hoof, knocking her to the ground.
I looked back to Sun Glimmer. “You stay here with Dinky,” I said before standing up and walking over towards the direction of the stallion.
“Hello, good sir.” I said walking up to him, my shadow being cast over him as he sat in the middle of six large stones. His horn light up and I found myself moved to the right and sat back down. I narrowed my eyes at the stallion before stepping back to where I was before. “”Excuse me,” I stated
The Stallion snorted through his nose. “Can you not see I am trying to relax here? Bother some other poor sap and move out of the way, you're blocking my warmth.”
“Oh yes I can see that, truly sorry, but I was just going to say that the honing stones are for everypony, you're not allowed to hog them all to yourself.”
The sStallion stood up looking me in the eyes. “Now you listen here,” he looked me up and down. “Ape… Thing,.” he said with disgust. “ I am Prince Blueblood, and I am trying to have a nice day at this new park.” He raised his head high in the air. “And I shall do as I please, do you understand!” The last sentence came as more of a statement than a question.He stated sternly.
I looked at him with a plainplane face for a moment’s time before stating. “You are not welcome here. Leave.” in the plainest voice one could ever muster.
He looked at me with a sternly. “Did you not just hear me?” He asked, “I am Princ-”
“I don't care who you are, you could be Princess Celestia herself. I don’t care, you are not welcome here now get out of my—-” You know, there is a time and a place for everything and at this moment I was thinking something along the lines of. ‘I might be a murderer before the end of this day is up.’ Tas the reason I was cut off from what I was saying was because the stallion before me had turned around, and kicked me in the guts. And holyonly crap did it hurt.
Blueblood flicked his hair as he walked back to the honing stones and laid back down. “Why don't you go back to your trees where you belong, ape.”
I slowly stood to my feet gasping for breath for a moment and coughing while I stumbled away back over to the slide where there were little fillies and colts looking worried. at me as I caught my breath.
“A-are you okay Mister Shepherd?” One of the little fillies asked me as I grit my teeth and took a breath.
“Yeah.” I stood up straight and give a laugh rubbing the back of my head. “”Yeah, I’m okay. Hey, i’ll be right back alright. You all wait right here.” I stated as I jogged away from the foals, after I got out of eyesight I groaned and held my side as I walked home.
After arriving at my back yard, I took a breath a paused still feeling the pain in my ribs from where I got bucked. “This is not over.”
“Prince Blueblood!” a voice called out as he run over to where the stallion was laid in the center of the honing stones. Blueblood huffed.
“Yes guard, what is it now? Can you not see I am relaxing?”
“Yes your Highness, but we just received a letter from Canterlot, the Princess has asked to speak with you immediately.”
Blueblood’s ear twitched. ‘Aunty wants to speak with me?’, “Can she wait? I am quite relaxed.”
“I’m sorry your Highness but she was quite clear that she needed to speak with you immediately.”
Blueblood huffed but stood with a stretch and begin trotting away. “Put yourself to good use and be sure nopony takes my spot while I’m gone. I will return to it later today.” He stated as he made his way.
A little while later Twilight Sparkle was seen flying as fast as she could though the skies heading towards the park, she landed hard enough to cause the ground to crack and looked as if she could burst into flames at any moment. She stomped her way over in the direction of the honing stones. She looked as if she was about to scream as she rounded one of the stones but paused at the slight. Shepherd sat laying up on the side of one of the honing stones a small filly snuggled down in his lap, the filly Dinky was lightly snoring as he gently runs his fingers through her mane.
I looked up at Twilight with a smile while holding my coffee mug which had a dark coloration to it. “Hey,” I said in a quiet and subdued voice so as to not wake the sleeping filly in his lap. Twilight looked around seeing another unicorn filly nearby relaxing, her little tail flicked in her sleep as she lay next to her earth pony friend.
Twilight didn't know what to say or do so she decided it best to just walk in quietly and lay on her belly looking at the little filly in Shepherds lap she let out a little coo.
“You know Twilight, it's times like these that make all the craziness I've been through lately worth it.” he says with a smile, taking a sip from his coffee which now could be seen having twilight's cutie mark on the side of it.
“And that's it really, I went up to him, told him he had to leave and that was the last time I saw him,” I said to Celestia as I sat down the watering can on the porch. “Far as I know he left soon after that,” I said taking a drink of my coffee and looking at Celestia who gave me a look like she knew there was more to it than what I was telling her.
“Very well Shepherd, if you see him?”
“I’ll be sure to send him your way.” I said with a smile; Celestia smiled back and flapped her wings and took off back towards Canterlot.
Three months later.
A shipment in the shape of a large crate arrived at Celestia's throne room, a large manilla envelope was attached to the side of it addressed to Princess Celestia, Mountainside Castle, Equestria.
Princess Celestia took the envelope in her magic and opened it up removing some parchment and several photographs that she narrowed her eyes at before taking up the parchment and reading.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I found this in my underground vault and told you I would send it back if I ever saw it again. Please do not open until Hearth's Warming three thousand years from the current date of arrival. Also, I have included some handsome photos of myself, try to overlook the hoof marks that say doolbeulb on them, just because they spell Blueblood backward, and could not possibly mean anything.
I would have kept this hidden away, but I decided I needed the extra space so you can have it instead. Until we meet again.
~Shepherd
Celestia had a deep frown on her face looking back at the photos and then up at the large crate sitting in the middle of her throne room. She placed the photos and letter back into the envelope where they had come from and walked over to the crate using her magic to open it. A bunch of packing peanuts went flying out and into the floor and within the crate was a large egg-like green object. Within, if one were to look closely they would see a white stallion floating within a green gel-like substance.
Celestia frowned and turned to her guards. “Take… this.” She waved with her hoof at the crate.” To a holding cell until I can decide what to do with him.” She stated sternly marching back to her throne.