//------------------------------// // Chapter 59 // Story: The Monster of Canterlot // by drnkntst //------------------------------// Chapter 59 My birthday was rapidly approaching and I couldn’t help think about just how this last year had treated me. Heck, the very beginning of the year started with my girlfriend trying to force me into staying with her by getting herself pregnant and claiming the foal was mine, which was physically impossible at the time. Then her friends told the papers that I had left abandoned her and the foal for my own selfish reasons. After that, I ran away to Appleoosa to get away from all the hurtful things ponies were saying about me. To top it all off, I got captured by changelings who killed me, which caused me to be reborn as an alicorn. Oh, and I got imprisoned for committing an act of war. Even though all those horrible things happened, I wouldn’t change any of it. If anything changed, I’d risk the chance that Fluttershy and I wouldn’t have gotten together and we wouldn’t be planning our wedding now. If I hadn’t gotten killed, I wouldn’t have some of Celestia’s and Luna’s life energy inside me now. There certainly wouldn’t be a changeling village being built within range of the Crystal Heart. It’s been a busy year. “So,” I started to ask Celestia around Cotton Tail, who was sitting on my lap during breakfast, “you can actually send me back to where Twilight brought me from and then bring me back?” “Of course, Dear. If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t risk sending you. This little filly would never forgive me otherwise,” Celestia booped Cotton Tail on her snout for emphasis. “And~…” “Hmm? And what, Darling?” “You might lose your only son,” I asked sarcastically. “Oh, right, yes,” Celestia responded with a dismissive wave of a hoof. “I love you too, Mom.” “Oh, Honey, you know I’m just teasing.” Celestia stood and wrapped her forelegs and wings around me. “I love you so very much and would never, ever do anything that would put you at risk.” “Uh-huh, sometimes I wonder.” “Ahem,” a guard by the entryway spoke up. “Announcing the arrival of his royal highness, King Gurfon of the Griffon Empire.” “I do hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Gurfon said as he entered. “Not at all, Gurfon. Please come in and join us,” Celestia answered. He had only taken a few steps before I had set Cotton Tail down in my seat and hurried to approach the griffon ruler. “King Gurfon, I would like to speak with you, if you’d be willing.” “Certainly, Christopher,” he responded and turned to lead us both back out of the room. Once the door clicked behind us, he started with, “What would you like to speak to me about?” “Well, when I was being held in your palace, I said… some things that I wish I hadn’t. I was wondering, would you allow me to call you my uncle again?” “Chris, I’d be honored if you called me your uncle.” ***** This was it. The big day. I was turning twenty-three and I was going to see Earth again for the first time in seventeen years. I was going to see my parents again, if I could find them that is. Celestia was going to send me back to the exact spot I was taken from, thus increasing my chances. That was the reason we were having a quick birthday party out in the same field where I first met Celestia. Of course, this field was also making Twilight very uneasy, she still felt like she ruined my life, despite my protests that my life has been pretty good thus far. We had held my birthday party the day before, so today would be left open for my departure. The benefit to this was that all my friends were here for me. I couldn’t help but smile to myself as Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders chased each other around the field while Rainbow Dash dive bombed them and Rarity picked flowers. “Thank you very much, Applejack. Those apple dumplings were fantastic. And thanks for feeding me, Twilight.” She had to do that since neither Celestia, Fluttershy, nor Cotton Tail would let me use my arms. That had me squeezed in a death grip bear hug. “Ah’m glad ya liked ‘em. Not all of yer family seems ta,” Applejack sneered in the direction of Blueblood. “Maybe, but all the ones that matter do,” I smirked. “I only hope they have something close to this good on Earth. Speaking of which, it’s almost time. Twilight, Bunny, Aunt Luna, a little help please.” The ponies clenched to my body were all surrounded by magic and forced to relinquish their grips. There were whines and moans and one or two cries of ‘my baby’, but I was finally free. I would have laughed, but I was too nervous about the whole situation. I couldn’t let it show though, for the sake of everypony else. Of course, not everypony present was upset at my journey. “Worry not, Creature. If you do not return, I will see to it that your little mare is well taken care of,” Blueblood snarked. I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of me, but he was never very good at it. “While I appreciate the sentiment, Bluey, I’m certain that I have no need to worry anyway. After all, I know who is a best friend of hers.” Blueblood looked down his nose at Twilight and her friends. “No, not them.” Blueblood looked back at me in confusion, but before he could ask what I meant, a very large lion’s paw landed on his shoulder. “Oo-hoo, I do believe someone is talking about,” Discord started cheerfully, but then his voice dropped into a deep growl and serious looking claws extended from each digit, “me.” The way he grinned with all those teeth and lowered his head so it filled Blueblood’s vision was quite unnerving. Blueblood’s eyes shot wide open and his knees shook for a few moments before he bolted to the nearest group of guards. A wise course of action on his part. I on the other hoof, was too busy laughing my flank off alongside the draconequus. My laughter was stopped by Luna tapping me on the shoulder. It was time. I took my place on the exact spot I first arrived and awaited the spell. Celestia approached me and I awaited another hug attack. Instead, she floated over a large photo album that was covered in decorative flowers and hearts. “What’s this?” I asked “I have taken a photograph of you every year on your birthday and placed them in this album. I thought this might help you convince your parents you are who you say you are.” I flipped through the album and found it to be full of pictures of me and cakes with increasing amounts of candles. “Wow, thanks, Mom. Aren’t you worried it’ll get lost though?” “Oh don’t worry about that, Honey,” she turned to stand next to the other princesses, “I have plenty of copies.” The horns of Celestia, Luna, and Twilight all glowed brightly as they powered up their magic. I saw tears in Celestia’s eyes before I closed my own. ***** Barbara pulled her car into the same parking spot she always got when she came to the park. It was the same one she used seventeen years ago today. It was the one closest to the patch of trees that her son had always loved to play in. She got out of the car and started toward the trees. “Why do you do this to yourself, Barbara? I miss him too, but it wasn’t your fault,” the large man who came with her asked. The man struggled out of the car after her. He wasn’t exactly the man he used to be. Years of binging on beer and… any food stuff within reach had taken its toll on him. It didn’t help that ever since his son disappeared without a trace, people had suspected him and his wife. But as hard as it was on him, it was far worse for her. Barbara had been right there when it happened. She had to watch as her only child had been ripped from her life. She and her little boy had come here to enjoy the warm afternoon after a fairly rough winter and he was gone in a literal flash. The only reason the police hadn’t taken her away was because at least a dozen other people had seen his vanishing. Barbara knelt down and plucked a few random weeds away from the small cross the park had allowed her to place there. She sighed as she read the writing on it, even though she knew the words by heart. “Because... I just have to, alright, Steven? I need to.” Steven placed a hand on Barbara’s shoulder and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “*Sigh* I know, Honey, I know. But… I think it’s time we just accept facts.” Barbara glared over her shoulder, a sharp warning in her eyes. “What facts are those?” “*Cough* Um, the fact… that… *sigh* our little boy isn’t… he isn’t coming back.” Barbara stood from the cross and stared at her husband. “I know that I may never see Christopher again, but I’ll be damned if I ever give up hope,” she growled. “Barb, I never said-” “Get in the car, Steve.” Steven hung his head in defeat, “Yes, Dear.” Barbara was stomping after her husband toward the car when her worst nightmare came to life. The same bright light shone from the same spot as it did seventeen years prior. She collapsed to her knees and begged the universe to make it not happen. Through her tears, she could see the light dimming. This time though, there was someone new standing there instead of someone being taken away. She wiped her eyes to try to get a better look at the new figure. The figure was clearly male, as evident by his athletic build and broad shoulders. He was also quite tall, not towering, but not short by any means. She could also swear he had wings. “Barbara! Are you alright?” Steven asked as he picked her up off the ground. “Hmm?” She wasn’t listening. She was too busy staring at the man as he bent down and picked up the piece of the cross that had snapped off when he appeared. He read the words aloud, “In memory of our son Christopher. Last seen on this spot on… oh, there’s the rest of it.” Barbara and Steven both watched in wide eyed amazement as he set the broken piece down next to its companion and, with a literal wave of his hand and a blue-gold glow, repaired the cross. There was no way this guy could have been from Earth. They almost jumped out of their skin when he turned to look at them with piercing miss-matched eyes, one was cyan and the other was magenta. He started to approach them, his huge wings flapped once before folding back up against his back. He spoke to them and Barbara couldn’t help but feel there was something familiar about it. “Pardon me, I didn’t mean to startle you. Maybe you can help me though.” “Uhm…” Steven started, “I suppose we could try.” “Thank you, very much. You see, I’m looking for someone, Mister and Missus Lachance. Do either of you know them?” The couple looked at each other in shock. “Tha-that’s us,” Barbara answered. The strange man smiled broadly and pulled out what appeared to be a large photo album covered in hearts and flowers. He handed over to the couple and said, “Then do I have story to tell you.” THE END