//------------------------------// // 14: Day 2: World Building with twilight and Partying with The candy makers // Story: Dawn of The Ice King // by KingdomBrony16 //------------------------------// "So what was the plan for today?" I asked Ixis while I was walking through town. +Apple Jack, Twilight, and Spike remember?+ I rolled my eyes, "Obviously not since I asked, but alright and since we're pretty close to the librar… no it's a castle now, I forgot… Castlebrary? Yeah that works for me, anyway since we're close to that I guess it's them next. Hey Ixis… something I've always wondered but never asked. What do you do in my head all day?" +Normally I sing, it just seems you tune me out almost instantly. And since I run out of songs from my time I just shuffle through your memories and listen to songs and learn them that way and hum those.+ She said. "Oh… you do anything else?" +Other than sing? I suppose I just go through your life though your memories. All the good times and bad times you've had. I've never really told you this but I'm kinda envious you got to experience video games.+ "Really? Why are you jealous of that?" I could feel her shrug mentally. +Just… getting to live the life outside of your own just seems interesting and plenty of the games you played had very intriguing stories. Though one did confuse me greatly… even when I shuffled through your mind to get a better grasp on things, actually I'm still a bit confused on it.+ "Hmmm well I'll help you if you have any questions." I said, looking off for the next turn and seeing a pony stare at me like I had two heads… well I mean I was talking to myself… that and I'm a weird conglomeration of Human and Dragon sooo hey. +I doubt you can remember it.+ "It's Kingdom Hearts isn't it?" +I… yes… yes it is…+ "How much confused you?" +Some of it.+ I just raised my brow. +Half of it?+ "Uh huh" +Ok, fine, all of it.+ "There ya go, so let's start at the beginning, I don't know how long this will take, knowing that series, a fucking while… so let's start with the main character of the entire series…. Sora…" and so I explained up until the end of 2 cutting into bbs, chains, and days every now and again to explain some things or reinstate others. "And that is why the lingering sentiment is there." I finished up as I approached the castle steps. +That is…. Confoundingly stupid.+ "Agreed but it's one of my favorite games of all time." I said as I opened the front door. "Now where are those stairs…." I looked around until I found them and proceeded up them only to be blocked by another door with a sign on it that said, 'Please knock and wait for the assistant to answer.' So I knocked and waited. The door opened to show a taller, older Spike standing in the doorway with his eyes closed and practically slouched over, "How may the Princess of Friendship help you today?" He asked with a long yawn at the end. "Sup short stack, Just here to see you two." I said that but he really wasn't that short, a growth spurt hit him and hit him hard, he was very close to my height, only being 2 or 3 inches shorter. Spike opened his eyes and blinked a few times before he realized it was me, "Chris! You're back! YES!" He fist pumped. +Glad to know he wakes up faster than he used to.+ I scoffed but didn't reply directly, "So is our favorite purple book smart in?" He nodded, "Yeah, she's being purple book smart. Come on in and I'll make some tea. Wait you don't like tea right? Or was it coffee? I can never remember." "Don't like either, just water and extra ice would be nice, thanks brogon" I said patting his back as I walked passed him. Twilight as usual was reading a book… but it was a book that was published in the Crystal Empire and she must've just got it… I read it about a week before I came here, good book actually. "I love that book, can you believe the aunt is the killer? I was so shocked when I read that part." Yes I did that on purpose, I do it all the time I read a book before she does. It's funny seeing her reactions. This time though she just sighed and tossed the book before it poofed away in flash of purple, "Must you always ruin good books for me?" She looked at me with something that was a mix between a scowl and smile. "It's what I do, it's what I do." I said plopping down in one of the six thrones, the one I plopped down into just happened to be Shy's. "Well regardless of that, It's good to see you Chris." Twilight said, sitting up straight. "Same to you grape master, so how've things been since the last Gala?" "Well aside from Tirek attacking, it's been peaceful." "Yeah I heard about that, sorry I couldn't be here to help. I was stuck in Caitro for half a year." I said shuddering. "It's fine, how was Caitro by the way?" She asked. "Oh it was fine… hot and sandy, but fine, I honestly won't be goin back anytime soon." "Right you can't handle the heat that well." "Nah, but I did like the inhabitants. They're cat people… well more specifically Negoji but still cat people. Though their Pharaoh did like the color purple way too much." "Hey what's wrong with the color purple?" Spike asked as he walked out with the drinks and handed me my water before sitting next to the throne next to Twilight's. Twilight gave me a hard glare, "Yes Chris… what, exactly, is wrong with purple?" I just held up my hands defensively, "Hey you live in a castle where everything is purple for six months and you tell me how well you do. I don't hate the color purple at all it's just too much of a thing, ya know?" "Right, well why don't you tell us where you visited, you said you would once you came back to Equestria." Twilight said. I nodded, "You're right I did. How about I start with the home of the horses, Saddle Arabia. Again more desert and heat but let me tell you, some of the comfiest beds I've ever slept on were made there. phoenix feathers are quite comfy." Spike gulped at that, having owned a phoenix a while back, "They used phoenix feathers to stuff things?" "Yeah, but don't worry they don't kill the phoenixes, even if they could, or anything to get the feathers. They just use what falls off as they get close to rebirth." I explained and he gave a sigh of relief. "Next is the home of the Griffons… appropriately, if not poorly, named Griffonia. Ah, uhm… well about that place, not very nice actually. Well that's not true, it is in some places but they are very and, I mean very, combat oriented there. But I will say this, you want some quality meat, go there." Twilight made a retching noise, "Ok next… next." "How about the Lamia?" "The Lamia, but I heard they were very territorial and almost impossible to find." "They are but… when you sense another reptile type creature near your home you get curious. And by curious I mean you attack, hard. With a lot of brute force and pointy things." I rubbed my side, yeah that sucked. "You got attacked?" "Yeah the Lamia are pretty animalistic, they are intelligent yes but out of all the species I've ran across, and they stick to the wild the most. After… proving myself, I did get to meet their Master Chief at the main clan. Cool chick really, warmed up to me a bit too much for my liking though." Lamia don't have legs, honestly even if I wasn't with Fluttershy I have no idea how that would even work. "The head of the Lamia clans flirted with you? Well…" Twilight trailed off obviously a bit stunned by that. "Hey Chris, you said you 'proved' yourself, how did you do that exactly?" Spike asked. I looked away and shook my head, "I-I'd really rather not talk about it." "Oh… okay, if you say so. So where else did you go?" I shook my head, "Uhm… I went to the home of the minotaurs and centaurs. They live together in Tauronto but the minotaurs outnumber the centaurs, that's why we normally only see a Minotaur at political meetings and such. I'll be honest with you though, I really don't remember much about that place, and it was so boring there." Twilight tilted her head, "Really? I heard they were most famous for their sports and such. I thought you'd be quite interested in them." I gagged, "Ew no, I hate sports, all sports… well except for like two but still no sports." "Huh I thought… well never mind, where did you go next?" "Diamond Dogs' tunnels, they run under all of the world really, most are abandoned though with the main colony being under the ocean floor. There are a few cut off tunnels like the one in the outskirts but they're just that, out skirted tunnels. I would really like to never return to Bonez again. You think the Dog Father is bad at meetings you should see him when he's home… my word the smell." "I'll take your word for that." Twilight said with a chuckle. "Did you visit anywhere else Chris? You know, like the Dragon Isles?" Spike asked eagerly. I shook my head, "Sorry, Spike I didn't, never got the chance. I had to go where Cadence and Shining sent me and those were the places. Maybe at some other point I'll go and visit them but… not anytime soon." While that wasn't a lie, it wasn't the whole truth either. While I was traveling the world trying to find Sanlios, the Lamia home, I got really close to the border of the Dragon Isles and I immediately got a bad feeling from that place. Like something was calling me there…something dark and evil…something ancient. "Aw man I was hoping you'd bring back some cool dragon stuff." He said with a pout. "You're 16 and you still pout like you're 8… well I suppose you are still a baby in dragon terms." "Yeah well so are you, you're only 26." "Maybe so but I have a 1000+ year old dragon living in my head so ha there!" I stuck my tongue out at him. He just grumbled something I couldn't exactly hear so I just shrugged, "What about you two, something has to have happened." "Well… not really no. I'm not complaining mind you, it seems like Ponyville and Equestria proper is getting attacked every other month. I'm quite happy it's been quiet lately. Though we did go to the grand equestrian games, we all really hoped you'd be there." "Yeah, me too, though I heard Spike saved the day." I gave the younger dragon and smile. "Yep, breathed the most fire I ever have that day, then the next day my growth spurt started. It's been strange, everything is so much smaller than it used to be." I laughed, "You'll get used to it, I promise." We talked for a few hours, at some point though we just ended up reading random things out loud in silly voices and changing a few things trying to see how outlandish we could make the stories sound. "Ah man… that was fun but I still have a the rest of the day up ahead. I'll see you all later, and do me a favor and not tell Pinkie I'm home yet, ok? Yes I know it's stupid but that along with many other things is what I do best." "Alright, see you later Chris, oh and tell Golden that it's almost time for another study session!" She called out before the door closed. I laughed and made my way out of town to Sweet Apple Acres. Honestly Apple Jack and I don't interact that much, but I can't really blame her for that now can I. We just don't have much in common, she's a good pony and all and she's still my friend it's just that personally I haven't found a common ground with her. But I still wanted to see her regardless. A few moments later I was at the gate of sweet apple Acres to see that it was closed with a sign hanging off of it that read, "Gone for a family reunion, will be back in a week –The Apples" "Huh… well, that puts a bit of a damper on my plans. So that leaves…" +Bon Bon and Lyra and Pinkie.+ I groaned, "Right well Bonnie and Lyra it is…" I turned back and made my way into town. "Now which way was it to the candy shop again?" +Wasn't it close to the town hall?+ I snapped my fingers, remembering the layout of the town, "Right, thanks, so how about on the way there I continue my explanation?" +Please do, you left off on the lingering sentiment.+ "Right so, that's why he was there now, why Castle oblivion exists is because…" I explained more whilst I made my way to the shop before bumping into someone, I seem to be doing that a lot, oh it was a Griffon and she was on the ground. "Hey watch where you're going you dweeb!" She said harshly as she started getting up. "Sorry about that miss…" "Gilda, now out of my way you…." She looked at me and paused, "What're you some sort of demon?" I blinked, well that's a first, "No I'm not a demon I'm a Drakon, half human and half dragon." "Well whatever, I don't have time to mess with you I have to find Dash." She said starting to walk away. "You're looking for Rainbow?" She stopped and turned around, "Yeah, you know where she's at?" "Sure but why are you looking for her?" Her eyes darted away quickly before looking back at me, probably thinking I didn't notice, "Just an old friend, and I wanted to tell her something." "Oh well… wait." Something in my brain clicked, "You said you're name is Gilda right?" "Yeah what of it, you gonna tell me where Dash is or not?" She crossed her arms obviously impatient. "I don't know, the girls told me about you and you were a bit of a jerk apparently…" She groaned and let out a soft sigh, "You're friends with them too?" "Friends, dating Fluttershy, have a daughter with her, yada yada." This time I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the ground. "Fluttershy… oh yeah her… I… oh…" Her face went from one annoyance to shock to fright. "Look I just want to apologize for all that, ok? I was young and stupid and jealous. I know I didn't have any right to do what I did and I paid for it when I got back home. Look, just tell me where Dash is so I can apologize to her and I'll be out of you guys' hair for good." I relaxed my stance. "I don't have a grudge against you, what happened in the past stayed in the past and I believe anyone should get a second chance. She's at Shy's house, or at least she was when I left, it's right next to the vet so you can't miss it. But I'll tell you this because I feel like Rainbow will tell you the same thing, don't apologize to her, at least not until you apologize to her friends." She gave a sigh of relief and a smile, how they do that with beaks I'll never know, "Thanks man, I owe you one." "Sure, but if I find out you messed with my friends… no my family again… you should probably make sure I never find out. Are we clear?" I asked the last bit with a growl. I could hear her swallow, "Yeah, you got it man." And with that she left with a quick walk before taking to the skies. I resumed my walk to the candy shop which was actually only two buildings down, "And before you say anything Ixis, I just want my family to be happy and safe, that's all." +I know Chris, that's why I wasn't going to say anything. As long as you don't actually hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it then I won't stop you, often.+ "Good" I was about to knock on the door before I realized that unlike the boutique this wasn't a home shop type thing so I just walked in and heard a little bell chime. "Man this place hasn't changed in all this time." I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of chocolate, sugar, and diabetes. "God I missed that smell." I looked to the counter to see Lyra reading a magazine, much like she has every day she works here. "Welcome to Bon Bon's and Lyra's Confectionaries where everything is a treat and ready to eat." She said without looking up. +Well this seems like a repeat of something.+ 'I'll say… jeesh.' "Well good to know everything has stayed the exact same since I was last here. Especially your habit of reading on the job" I snatched her magazine from her. "Hey give that back you… CHRIS!" She hopped over the counter and tackle hugged me. I hugged her back, using my tail to keep my balance, "Hey Lyra, it's good to see you too." "I was wondering when you were gonna get back, oh and you have a tail, that's really cool." She stared at it for a minute before I cleared my throat. "Oh sorry, just interesting color really, never seen that color for a dragon." "You only know one dragon though, unless something happened while I was away." She looked side to side quickly before whispering, "Well… you didn't hear it from me but an ambassador from the Dragon Isles came here a year ago to talk to Princess Twilight about having Spike go there for proper training or something." "Oh, so that's why he asked if I went to the Is les." She nodded, "yeah, probably wanted to see what it was like, the ambassador gave Twilight and Spike 3 years to think about what they wanted." "3 years… so when he's 18? I wonder why then? I though early years like this the dragons don't really care." +Generally, we don't but…. Hmmmm maybe.+ 'Maybe, maybe what? Ixis?' +Sorry, I'll let you know when I'm sure I promise.+ I nodded, "So where's Bonnie?" I asked Lyra who was still half sitting on me. "Oh she's in the back as usual, she's been having trouble with all that sour and bitter candy since you left." She looked at the door and back at me with a worried expression. "You want me to check on her?" "Please, I can't go back there right now, it's start of the rush and stuff." She looked at the glass doors, "Speaking of…" She let go of me and clambered behind the counter, "Go on in the back you know they way." "That I do, thanks Lyra, also the longer hair looks good on you." I said before walking through the heavy door to the back of the shop. It was dimly lit and rather cold, or at least that's what the girls told me, due to being an ice dragon the dimly lit lights didn't matter because night vision stuff and also ice dragon so the cold definitely did nothing to me. There were large shelves of ingredients used to make a variety of candies and boxes full of wrapping plastics and stuff. It was very much like a warehouse and at the back of the medium sized room was another heavy door that lead to Bon Bon's Candy Lab. The door was locked by what I call a super fancy dancy hand scanner. Basically it was coded to certain ponies' magical signatures. All ponies have magic, even earth ponies, it's mainly in their hands and hooves though, which makes sense. This particular Scanner was made to open to Bon Bon's Magic signature. Above it was a hole, which was how Lyra opened this door, she put her horn in it, and many a jokes have been made about that, especially by her, much to Bon Bon's annoyance. 'How do I get in' I bet you're wondering, well right above Lyra's horn hole, pfft, there were another set of holes, just two. That I could stick the ends of my horns in, why they didn't just modify Bon Bon's hand scanner, no idea, pony technicians and engineers tend to not be able to see the simple solutions. I leaned my head down and stuck my horns in the holes and a very clear clunk was heard as the door unlocked and swung open. Bon Bon was standing at what looked like a kid's home chemistry set except a lot more complicated, but at the same time it looked like a normal kitchen. She was obviously very concentrated on her work, so I took this opportunity to sneak up behind her and poke her in the back. "Lyra, stop." She said quickly, without looking back. I poked her again. "Stop." Again, "Lyra, I said stop. What are you doing back here anyway isn't it the rush hour? Go back up front." I snickered and formed a snowball in my hand, 'She's gonna kill me for this.' I quickly dropped it down the back of her coat and shirt to which she jumped up and gasped loudly. "COLD COLD COLD COLD COLD COLD!" She opened up the bottom of her shirt wide enough to let the partially melted snowball fall out. "LYRA WHAT THE HELL?!" She yelled while quickly turning around with the harshest glare I've ever seen on her. I just smiled sheepishly, "Hey, Bonnie, how are you?" I could see the surprise in her eyes from the fact that it was me and not Lyra but at the same time I could see the blinding anger, which she acted on by punching me straight in the chest. Of course I really didn't feel that much of it, but I winced just to make it seem like she had an effect. "Ok I deserve that, not going to lie." Then she punched me in the arm, "Ok, now I have no idea what that was for." She huffed, "That was for being gone for 5 years and never sending us a note or a card or anything, jerk." "Oh, yeah… sorry about that, but I'm here now, right?" She just closed her eyes while giving a heavy sigh, "That you are and it's good to have you back." "Good to be back especially in my favorite sweet shop, don't tell Pinkie I said that. Now I heard you were having some problems? I mean if no one stole my position I wouldn't mind taking it back." She looked at me with questioning eyes, "Are you sure? I mean you're a Prince now right? You must have an entire room worth of bits to your name." I laughed, "Several actually." She just looked at me for a few seconds before blinking several times, "And you want to work back here? Why? I definitely can't pay you a Prince's pay." I waved my hand, "You don't have to pay me anything, and I just want to help out, is that too much to ask. And if need be I can just hire you and all of your employees to be my royal candy makers. I could pay you a nice pension so you can expand your shop and such." "You can do that? Just like that?" She asked Shocked. I scratched my head trying to remember the politics, I would ask Ixis but she's kinda busy doing whatever at the moment, "Hmmm well maybe not just like that, I think I have to get approval from Celestia, since I'm not a prince of Equestria, but I don't think she'd have any problems with it." "I-I…. would you really do that for me?" I shrugged, "Sure, I don't see why not, I mean you being a candy maker in the same town as the cakes, that has to be rough… wait it is." She gave a slightly bitter laugh, rivals and such, "Yes, it is, and if you could do that for me that would be amazing. It would give Lyra and me some time to prepare for the foal." My tail twitched at that, "Wait… what?" "I'm guessing Lyra didn't tell you?" At my 'No shit' expression she continued, "Well, I'm pregnant." I was utterly flabbergasted, "How? But… you and her…. Huh?" "And here I thought you were smarter than that, we got a surrogate father." She said happily. I face palmed, "Shit, I didn't think you all did that here. On this world I mean, but I suppose magic and shit since your tech isn't as far ahead as mine was when I left. So who's the surrogate?" "Well we don't really know, it was from a bank." "Oh, well congrats all the same, how long?" "About 3 months now." "Wow you don't look like it at all." She rubbed her belly, "I know… but ponies are pregnant for 11 months and we normally don't show until the 5th month." "Right, humans are pregnant for 9 months so yeah… that and dragons well, we… that's still confusing really. Anyway dragons lay eggs." She perked up like she just remembered something, "How's Fluttershy and Golden doing by the way? They used to come into the shop all the time but for the past few weeks they haven't been here." "They're doing fine, Golden started school and Shy is still helping out at the vet next to our house. Though I'm not sure why they haven't been coming, I only got back a few days ago so I can't be the reason for that." She turned back to her candy making stuff, "Oh well, but since you're here, would you mind testing out these candies?" "Sure thing boss." I sat down in one of the 3 chairs in the room. For the next few hours or so I helped Bon Bon fix her candy up. I looked at the clock and jumped up making my way to the door, "Shit, I gotta go Bon Bon, It's getting late and if I'm not home for dinner Shy is gonna kill me." She gave a grunt and waved me off. "I promise I'll talk to Celestia about that thing too." I made my way to the front of shop and I heard Lyra talking with someone. It was a very familiar voice. But whose…. +I believe that would be Pinkie.+ "Shit, fuck, crap…. Uh…. Did you see a window or anything?" I asked her. +Well Considering I see what you see, no no I didn't. Why don't you just go say hi?+ "Because she's going to be really mad and a mad Pinkie is a scary Pinkie." "Hey have you seen Chris? My Pinkie Sense has been going off all day and it's telling me he's been in Ponyville but I can't find him." Pinkie told Lyra. "Hmmm actually I did-" She was cut off as a sharp cold hit the bottom of her leg causing her to look behind her. I was standing there making a 'No, don't tell her, just distract her so I can get out, please' gesture. "I… Uh didn't see him actually, but we did make a new candy, maybe you could use it in some of your bakings and stuff, here let me show you." She looked back and me and mouthed, 'Go dude.' I bowed and quickly made my way out of the shop and ran home at full speed, which is much faster than a normal human could run, I actually haven't clocked in how fast I could run yet though, let's just say it was fast. Not as fast as rainbow flying or like the flash running or anything but fast enough to break world records back home. Speaking of, I got to my house just as the sun disappeared over the horizon. I opened the door and was immediately tackled to the ground by a ,what seemed to be, a miniature Cerberus who just gave a growl, "Uh…" Shy rounded the corner and saw the unfolding scene, "Oh dear, Kerby, down down, it's ok, he lives here, he's Golden's daddy." The dog gave me a few sniffs before licking my face and climbing off. I sat up and wiped my face off and looked at Shy, "So… what's with the mini Cerberus going on?" "Sorry, I have to watch him today until his owner comes to take him back." She said helping me up. "Hmmm alright, as long as he didn't break anything, he's rather big for a dog." "Oh no, he's really careful and sweet. He and Golden have been playing since she got back from school." "Well as long as she did her homework, so what's for dinner?" "I don't know, I haven't thought about it yet." She got a worried look on her face. "Don't worry about it, I'll handle it tonight. You go and play with Goldy and… Kerby was it?" She nodded, "Yeah, go have fun." She made her way to the living room after giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, "Ok off to the kitchen…. Uh what should we make?" +Well I know a recipe for a mean gem encrusted meatloaf but for herbivores I have no idea.+ "Oh I got it. Ok walk me through the steps for the gem encrusted meatloaf and I'll make the second thing later." After a few hours of cooking the food was done and everyone was at the table, "Alright, Gem encrusted meatloaf for Goldy and I and for Fluttershy, Spaghetti with mushrooms, olives, peppers, and other assorted veggies. Dig in." I sat down and fixed myself a plate of both we all talked about our days. Fluttershy had a lot of animals be brought in at the vets due to some accident happening in the Everfree and since a lot of those animals knew her, they sniffed her out, literally. Goldy had a pretty normal day at school, none of the kids picked on her since I visited, good. We all finished our food, and Fluttershy, put Kerby to sleep in another room since his owner wasn't here to pick him up yet. Goldy went to her room to go to bed, with Angel and Hedgy following her. Shy and I were just lying in bed talking. "So, when are we going to see your parents?" I asked her. She was reading a book whilst we were talking, "Well I wanted to leave Friday so we have all weekend, if that would be ok." I had to think, today was Wednesday… "Yeah, that's fine, but I suppose I should go talk to Pinkie finally tomorrow." "I agree, oh that reminds me I'll probably be at Apple Jack's farm tomorrow all day taking care of the animals since they're out of town." She said closing the book she was reading, yawning. I stretched and yawned to, laying my head on her lap, "Are you tired?" she nodded, "Oh well… that sucks, and I wanted desert." She blushed but gave me an apologetic smile, "Sorry, but I had a long day and besides, Goldy would hear." I pouted, "Mmmm, alright. But I'm using you as a pillow tonight." She giggled, "I don't mind that, just let me get comfortable." I sat back up while she turned off the light and lay back down in a more comfortable position. I laid my head on her chest and closed my eyes, "I hope my horns aren't getting in the way or anything." "No, they're fine. Good night Chris, I love you." She gave me a kiss on the top of my head, between my horns. "Love you too Shy." I nuzzled into her chest a bit and fell asleep.