Nightmare's Heir

by johnnycajxrt

Back in Canterlot Castle

I heard hoof steps running towards the balcony we landed on, then the door burst open, and there stood, with a worried look on her face, my aunt, the ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia.

“Luna? Rainbow Dash? What happened to you?” she asked frantically. She then looked over and saw me, she did a double take before getting an extremely angry look on her face. “LUNA! WHY IS HE HERE? DID I NOT TELL YOU WHAT HE DID?! HOW DID YOU GET HIM HERE ANYWAY?!”

“Sister, please forgive me, I was trying a new spell for the ponies at night to see better…” she recanted the whole story about how she had been sent to Earth, how she and Rainbow Dash had landed on my house, and how we had gotten back. Celestia didn’t really seem interested, she just kept glaring at me.

“Please aunt Celestia, I implore you to forgive me for what I did all those years ago, I have spent the past 200 years regretting what I did to you and the other ponies of Equestria” I said as my mother finished her story. My aunt glowered at me, obviously still angry that I had found my way back before she decided it was time.

“Rainbow Dash, what do you think?” Celestia asked, turning towards her.

“Honestly, Princess, I don’t have any opinion on the matter. You could send him back, keep him here, execute him, whatever you want to do, it doesn’t matter to me,” she said.

When she said that, my heart sank, for I knew what was going to happen. Celestia was going to either send me back, or imprison me in the castle so she could keep a closer eye on me. I fell to my knees as tears began to fall out of my eyes.

I felt something warm falling onto my shoulder. I looked up and saw that mother was crying as well.

“Prince Francois, get up, you look pitiful.” I heard my aunt say.

“No, whatever horrendous thing you’re going to do to me, do it here, on this balcony in front of my mother,” I said, not looking up.

“Sister, please, I beg you, forgive him and let him come back to where he truly belongs,” Mother said pleadingly

“Luna, if you wish to help his case, you will stop talking now. He did what he did while I was ruling Equestria alone, so I alone will decide his fate,” Celestia replied harshly.

“You watch your tone with her, Celestia!” I said, jumping to my feet and glaring daggers at my aunt. “I may be a human right now, and you may be able to send me back, but that doesn’t mean I won’t fight for my mother!”

Celestia seemed surprised at my outburst, and then, for some reason, smiled.

“I see that you have changed, Francois. The prince I remember cared for nopony but himself and his own ambitions. It seems that your time alone on Earth really has made you regret what you did.”

“There’s a lot that you don’t know about me Celestia. Do what you’re going to do with me, I don’t care anymore.” I said flatly

Celestia turned around and started walking back into the castle, “Come inside and come to the throne room,” She said as she crossed the threshold.

I didn’t know what she had planned for me, but I followed her inside and into the throne room anyway. She walked up the stairs to her throne and turned around to speak to me.

“Prince Francois of Equestria, I hereby revoke your sentence of banishment and allow you to return to Equestria to live amongst the ponies you belong with. Take heed, though, for if you waste this chance, I will not be so lenient, you will be banished to a place that only I have knowledge of, and I will make sure that your mother will not be able to follow you. Do I make myself clear?”

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard, I was going to be changed back into the pony I was born to be.

Celestia’s horn began glowing bright yellow, it then shot a bright, concentrated burst of energy that surrounded me, lifting me into the air. As the energy spun faster and faster, I could feel myself being changed back into the Unicorn I once was. I landed on the soft carpet and look a good look at myself in the reflection of a nearby window. I was exactly how I looked 200 years previous when I almost accomplished what I had been dreaming of doing. My midnight blue coat, my coal black mane with a small red highlight, cut very short, my long black and grey tail, my grey-blue eyes, and finally, my gold Fleur De Lis cutie mark.

“Thank you Celestia, and I promise, I shall not do anything to try and usurp the throne again,” I said to my aunt, but secretly I thought, at least not until I get re-used to this pony body and able to perform greater magic than before.

“You have missed much in the time you have been gone. Go and see the rest of your family, as well as your new family members, Shining Armor and Dusk Shine.” My mother said warmly.

“Dusk Shine?” I asked, confused.

“Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor’s new foal. She looks like her mother, but has her father’s mane, tail, and eye color.”

“How long ago was she born?”

“About 3 months ago, luckily, she hasn’t shown any major magic outbursts, but we have heard a few loud bangs and things breaking, but no worse than when you were a colt,” she said with a hint of nostalgia.

“I think I will go and see them. Mother, will you show me where their respective rooms are?”

“Of course I will, my son. Follow me, and I’ll show you to Blueblood’s quarters.”

As we walked out of the throne room, I stopped and noticed the new stained glass windows, taking the most notice towards the one of the element bearers defeating Nightmare Moon.

“Francois? Are you coming?” Mother asked

“Sorry, mother, I was just noticing the new windows, I’m coming.”

Walking down the hallways of Canterlot Castle brought back so many memories; Running down the hallway, trying to find my mother while we would play, practicing my magic in the library, locking myself in my room, crying my eyes out when I found out my mother had been banished to the moon, and sneaking through the halls, taking down guard after guard as I made my way to the throne room to challenge my aunt.

“Here’s Blueblood’s room, he should be home. He’s been on self-inflicted lockdown since Rarity threw chocolate cake on him at the last Grand Galloping Gala, convinced that he has cake stuck in his coat,” She said, chuckling.

“Rarity? Who is that?” I asked.

“One of Rainbow Dash’s friends and the bearer of the element of generosity. Don’t worry, you’ll meet her and the other element bearers tomorrow when we take Rainbow Dash back to Ponyville.”

I knocked on the door, and was rewarded with my cousin screaming, “GO AWAY!! I LOOK HIDEOUS. I HAVE CAKE ALL OVER ME!!” I shook my head and pressed a hoof to my forehead. Same old Blueblood.

“Blueblood, open the door, it’s been two hundred years since we’ve seen each other, dear cousin,” I responded through the closed door.

“That voice… Francois? Is that really you?” He said, opening the door a crack.

“Who else would it be, dear cousin?” I said, stepping back from the opening door.

The door fully opened, revealing Blueblood, his mane disheveled, slowly stepping towards me as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Hello Blueblood, long time, no see. Why are you in such a sorry state?”

“Some bucking mare from Ponyville named Rarity threw chocolate cake on me,” he said angrily.

“Now why would she do that, I wonder?” I said sarcastically, knowing how uptight he was.

“I don’t know, at the Gala, a cake was flying right towards me, so I grabbed the nearest pony to me so as not to get dirty. Apparently, she took offense to that and decided to shake herself off right next to me, right after insulting me.”

I facehoofed, it really WAS the same old Blueblood, not caring about anything but his own appearance.

“Blueblood, it’s great to see you again, but I just got back, and I want to settle back in. I just wanted to see you, Mi Amore Cadenza, our new in-law, Shining Armor, and our niece, Dusk Shine.”

“Alright then, Francois. It was nice to see you again. Hopefully the next time you see me, I won’t be in such a state.”

We hugged, Blueblood not really returning it as usual. Then mother and I went off to meet my new in-law as well as see Mi Amore Cadenza.

As we went off towards a section of the castle that I never went into, I found myself looking at every nook and cranny for possible places to hide for when I was ready to finish what I started. I guess that’s why I didn’t notice the pony that I ran into until we were both knocked onto our flanks rubbing our respective heads.

“Francois, are you alright?” Mother asked, concerned.

“Yes, I’m fine,” then, turning to the other pony I asked, “Are you alright? I must have been distracted...” I trailed off.

Then I noticed his eyes, one a dull gray, like a normal eye. But his other eye, a bright, neon yellow, with a long vertical slit, was what made me stop talking.

“Special agent Bentgrass, what a surprise to see you here,” Mother said to the stranger.

“Hello, your majesty, we both must have been distracted, I was reading my case file, and I bumped into your friend here-”

“Son,” Mother corrected him.

“Ah, so this is the fallen prince that I’ve heard bout. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Special Agent Bentgrass, R.I.S. Division Six, and you are Prince Francois, Princess Luna’s only child... Who seems to have inherited a little too much from her, considering your banishment two hundred years ago.”

“You seem to be pretty well informed for somepony that wasn’t born when it happened,” I replied with annoyance, angry knowing that somepony else had a detailed record of my past.

“I pride myself in knowing history of great crimes. It’s like the saying goes, ‘Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ I’m just doing my part to make sure we don’t repeat it.”

“I do have one question for you though, Agent Bentgrass-”

“Is it the eye? That’s always what everypony wants to know,” he said, cutting me off.

“No, I already know what the deal is with your eye; You were in my mother’s royal guard. My question is why did you decide to bow out?”

“It wasn’t by choice, I’ll tell you that much. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a case in Hoofston that requires my immediate attention. Good day your majesties.”

As he walked away, I got the strange feeling that it wouldn't be the last I ever saw of him, though I wasn’t entirely sure why.

We continued down the hall, mother telling me about how the wedding was almost destroyed and Canterlot almost overrun by changelings until we got to Mi Amore Cadenza, Shining Armor, and Dusk Shine’s suite.

I knocked on the door three times, then heard a thump and a tired voice call through the door, “Who is it?”

“Hello Shining Armor, it’s Princess Luna, could you open the door? There’s somepony I’d like all three of you to meet.”

The door opened, revealing a white unicorn stallion with a pink unicorn foal sleeping on his back.

“Shining Armor, I presume?” I asked the stallion.

“That’s me, Captain of the Royal Unicorn Guard. And that’s PRINCE Shining Armor to you. Who are you anyway?”

“I’m Prince Francois, Princess Luna’s son. I just returned after a very long stay away and my mother was bringing me around the castle to see my cousins, as well as my new in-law and niece. By the way, since we’re both princes, we can call each other by name rather than title,” I replied with annoyance.

“Sorry about that, Francois, I didn’t know who you were or what your title was, hence my annoyance, I’m used to everypony calling me either ‘captain’ or ‘your majesty’. Come on in, Cadence is making some lunch for us, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind making some extra for you two.”

“Ummm, Cadence?” I inquired.

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s preferred name. Sorry, Francois, I should have told you sooner. Let’s go in, I’m sure your cousin will be happy to see you after all this time,” said mother.

“Alright, lunch actually sounds good anyway. Lead the way PRINCE Shining Armor,” I said, accentuating the word “prince” intentionally to annoy him.

“Alright, you made your point. Come on in, do mind the mess by the way. We do have a 3-month old running around,” he said, walking into the suite.

“Cadence, where are you? I have somepony that wants to see you.” Mother called out.

“I’m in the kitchen, but please do be quiet, Dusky finally is taking a nap.” I heard my cousin call back.

“I’ll go in and see if she needs help. You rest mother, you’ve had enough of a day already bringing me and Rainbow Dash back,” I told my mother, walking towards the kitchen.

Walking toward the kitchen, I could smell the distinct smell of fresh baked bread as well as the wonderful scent of fresh cut daisies.

“Cadence?” I said, peeking around the corner.

“Yes?” she said, turning around.

CRASH

The tray she was levitating fell to the ground.

“Francois? Is that really you? How and when did you get back?”

“Yes Cadence, it is really me, I just got back about forty-five minutes ago. As far as how… It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later. What matters is that I’m back, and apparently missed a lot. I’ll help you out in here so we all can eat, and I hope that crash didn’t wake up Dusk Shine,” I said, levitating the tray off the floor along with the two sandwiches that were on it.

With both of us working, we had six fresh daisy sandwiches ready within a few minutes, and in that time, we heard a foal start crying in the other room, but it was quickly turned into laughter thanks to Shining Armor and my mother.

“Hey everypony, lunch is ready.” Cadence said as she walked into the living room, where mother and Shining Armor were taking turns levitating various toys for Dusk Shine to play with, causing the little filly to laugh with delight as she grabbed at each toy, only to have it be pulled just out of her reach.

“Shining, will you put Dusky in her chair so I can feed her please?” Cadence asked her husband.

“Sure thing Cadence,” he said. Then, turning to the filly he said, “Come on Dusky, up you go!”

The filly laughed with delight as she was lifted into the air by her father’s magic and placed into her high chair.

As we sat down to eat, we each took one sandwich, Shining taking an extra half sandwich to feed Dusk. It didn’t take long for questions to start arising from Cadence and Shining Armor.

“So, Francois, where exactly were you? All Celestia told me was that you ‘were going to a far-off land for a while’ but wouldn’t go into any further detail than that.” Cadence asked.

I looked toward my mother while I decided whether or not to answer honestly, deciding in the end to answer with the truth.

“If you must know…” I started, sighing, “I have just returned from a place called Earth. A place that I was banished to for attempting to overthrow Celestia two hundred years ago. I deeply regret doing what I did, and I am so happy that Celestia allowed me to come back. I didn’t realize what I had here until it was taken all away from me. I had family members that love me, the many loyal subjects that adored me, and most of all, knowledge of the prophecy that mother would return. But foolishly, I threw it all away for my own selfish ambitions, and for that, I am deeply sorry and I hope that you all can forgive me in time.”

I looked up, and noticed that everypony had stopped eating and was absorbing what I had just told them. Shining Armor was the first to speak.

“Francois, I think that you should leave, now. Knowing what I now know, I don’t want that kind of pony around my daughter. You say that you ‘regret what you did’ but I don’t see it. I may see it in time, but I don’t see it now.” Then, turning to talk to Dusk he said, “Come on Dusky, let’s go into daddy’s room and we can play,”

“Shining, be reasonable! He’s family, don’t be so quick to judge.” Cadence said, coming to my defense.

“No, Cadence, it’s fine, I understand his viewpoint and I’ll respect his wishes and leave. Mother, I remember where my room is, you go rest for raising the moon. I’ll be in my room if anypony needs me,” I said, rising off the chair that I had been sitting in.

“Are you sure, Francois? It’s no problem for me to show you everywhere else in the castle,” Mother said, concerned.

“Yes mother, I’m positive. I’m tired from all that’s happened today and I’d like to get some sleep, especially considering that I won’t be able to see and play with my new niece.”

“I’m sorry, Francois. I’ll talk to Shining and see if I can get him to be reasonable,” Cadence said as she led me to the door.

“Thanks Mi Amore Cadenza, I hope he sees sense soon. See you later dear cousin.”

As the door closed behind me, I heard Cadence shouting at her husband, all I really heard before I was out of earshot was, “WHAT THE BUCK WAS THAT ABOUT SHINING…”

Turning to my mother I said, “Go rest up mother, I’ll be fine on my own. I’m only going to my room.”

“Alright, Francois, I’ll go get some rest for raising the moon. You need to get some rest as well.”

“Why?” I asked

“Because you’re coming with me to Ponyville tomorrow to see off Rainbow Dash and I want you to meet the other element bearers, that’s why.”

“Okay, mother, I’ll go get some rest for our trip tomorrow. I’ll see you in the morning. I love you,” I said, hugging her.

“I love you too, my son,” she said, returning the hug, then turning around and heading toward her room.

As I walked through the castle back towards my room, I thought of how angry I was at my treatment by Shining Armor. Even though I understood his concerns, I had been nothing but nice and cordial with them. I had a feeling that this was only the beginning of something big brewing between Shining and myself, but like earlier, I couldn’t really explain why.

As I walked into my room, I finally started feeling the fatigue from everything that had happened to me. From being thrown into a ditch, flying on my mother’s back to my trailer, being brought back to Equestria, being changed back into a pony, going around Canterlot Castle to meet my family, and subsequently being kicked out of Shining Armor and Cadence’s room. I magicked the blankets up and crawled under them, falling asleep quickly despite so much that was on my mind.