Chapter 6
Amy was surprised that once the round of applause had subsided, that ponies who had avoided her before were suddenly seeking her out. She wasn't sure if her speech had shown them that she wasn't some crazed savage or, if it was because the princesses were openly friendly with her and they were just following their example, but it made her life easier, so she wouldn't complain. Really, the dragoness was just glad that the suspicious and angry glares had been reduced, the only remaining perpetrators being the prince and his cohorts.
Ignoring them, Amy tried to talk to everypony who approached her, exchanging pleasantries and small talk with as many as she could while doing her best to convince them to finance her expeditions. The dragoness did surprisingly well on this front, getting many ponies interested in bolstering their reputations. Leave it to nobles to be willing to spend thousands just to get bragging rights over each other, Amy thought sardonically. Well, at least I'll be putting their bits to good use.
The dragoness found herself relieved as the night came to a close, her nerves being strained to the point of breaking by all the high-society ponies she had to deal with. Lore Finder better not expect me to do this again anytime soon, Amy thought as she joined the princesses at the door to say farewell to the guests. Most of the send-offs were half-hearted, but there were a few that were genuine, like those for Fancy Pants and Fleur, as well as Filthy Rich, Silver Plate, and their fillies. The dragoness couldn't help but smile when Diamond Tiara was forced apologize to her by her father. The little pink filly had to mumble out the apology three times for her rude words earlier before her Mr. Rich was satisfied she had said it loud enough.
When the last few ponies ambled out of the ballroom, Amy, Celestia, and Luna all sighed in relief. Upon realizing this, they all looked at each other and laughed. "You know, I'm not really surprised, no number of years can make dealing with people like that any easier," the dragoness said as their laughter died.
"Yes, well, it can be quite trying at times, but not all of them were bad. I saw you make some friends amongst my little ponies," the sun princess responded with a knowing smile.
Luna nodded her head, "I saw that as well, you seemed to find friendship in Fancy Pants and his fiancé. I'm not surprised; he is one of the more agreeable of Canterlot's elites."
"Yeah, they were pretty cool, but I'm still glad this is over; I'll take deadly traps over high-society any day," Amy said as she stretched an arm over her head. "I definitely don't envy Lore Finder, that's for sure."
"Well, I hope you're not to anxious too get back to work; I'm afraid the next train out of Canterlot won't be until early morning," said Celestia.
The dragoness let her arm drop once the joint popped. "Ahh, that's better," she groaned before answering, "I'm fine with that I guess. It'll be nice to sleep in a comfortable bed one more time before having to do it on the train."
"Then you'll be staying the night!? Huzzah! The fun shall be started!" the moon princess cheered as she threw a hoof up, getting a chuckle from Amy and a nudge from her sister's wing.
"Now, don't get carried away, Sister. I'm sure after such a long day, Amy would prefer to take it easy," Celestia said with a stern look.
Luna looked to her sister confusedly before her eyes widened. "Oh! Yes, of course," she said before turning back to the dragoness. "Would you like to relax with Celestia and I over some tea?"
Amy looked back and forth between the two alicorns with a raised eye ridge, their odd behavior setting off instincts honed over a lifetime of dealing with dishonesty and danger. "Riiight... I'm up for anything..." said the dragoness, giving the princesses the benefit of the doubt and doing her best to suppress her suspicion. These two were some of the few new friends she had made in quite a long time, and she didn't want to lose them just because she jumped to conclusions.
"Yes, some good tea and conversation is a fine way to end any night. If you'll follow, I know the perfect place to unwind," Celestia said as she herself exited the ballroom.
The sun princess opened her mouth, but before she got the words out, Amy yelled, "Prim & Proper!"
The named stallion appeared out of nowhere trotting beside the group and said, "You called... your... majesty?" His voice trailed off as he looked to the dragoness in bewilderment, a look mirrored by the royal pony sisters.
Amy gave a sheepish smile as she scratched her cheek, "I wanted to try it at least once before I left... Feels kind of like being a magician, ya know?"
Upon hearing this, Celestia chuckled and decided to ignore the matter. "Prim, can you bring tea to the reading nook in the west wing of the castle? You know the one," she said to the stallion.
"Of course Your Highness, I'll do so immediately."
With that, Prim & Proper was off towards the kitchen doors and the three ladies were walking down a hallway. They remained in a comfortable silence the entire journey through the castle, enjoying the quiet after spending so much time in a room full of chattering ponies. It took nearly ten minutes to reach their destination and Amy found herself marveling at the size of the castle, comparing the goliath to some of the others she had visited in her journeys.
When they did reach the nook Celestia had spoken of, the dragoness was mildly surprised. It was a beautiful room, but compared to the splendor of the rest of the palace, it was far homier. The colors were earthy; consisting of various shades of brown, almost making the room look as if it were made of wood. The furniture fit the interior well, having five red plush reading chairs sitting around a round, dark oak table. There were no windows, two walls being covered in books the the third sporting a fire place.
"Sometimes it's nice to get away from all the extravagances and simply go somewhere to relax," Celestia said in response to Amy's wandering eyes. "This is the room where we often do that. Ponies know not to disturb us here except for the most important reasons."
The dragoness nodded absently, looking at the chairs as something about them tickled the back of her mind. "Yeah, I can see how being a ruler can get stressful; not a lot of alone time," she said, stubbornly crushing the feeling and looking to her friends with a smile. "So, what do you want to talk about? I never did get to finish telling you that story last night."
"Let's have a seat and wait for tea before we get too heavily engrossed in such things, shall we? I, for one, am quite parched," Luna said as she walked to one of the chairs and sat down.
"Yes, knowing Prim, he'll be here before we know it... probably quite literally," said Celesta as she got into the chair next to her sister's.
Amy shrugged and moved to the chair opposite to the alicorns, hopping over the back and plopping down heavily into the seat.
True to the sun princess's prediction, Prim & Proper showed up with a tea tray laden with cups, a small pitcher of cream, a bowl of sugar cubes and a kettle. Setting it down in the middle of the table, he said, "Your tea, Madams."
"Thank you Prim, that will be all," the solar alicorn said with a kind smile. The butler nodded and left the room. Celestia picked the kettle up with her golden magic and started filling the cups, asking as she did so how much cream and sugar the other two wanted. When they had all settled back in their seats, the dragoness held her cup between her claws while the princesses held theirs in their magical glows.
"How do you like the tea, Amy?" asked Luna as she sipped her own.
Pulling the cup away from her lips, she smacked them together a few times as she analyzed the flavor, "Hmm, earthy, but with a hint of mint... odd, but good." She looked to the two and noticed they were giving her strange looks, "What?"
It was Celestia who recovered first, "Nothing... It's just, I never would have guessed you were a tea aficionado."
Amy blinked a few times before chuckling, "I'm not, really, but Lore Finder loves tea and I've kinda been forced to acquire a taste for it."
"You mention her quite often, the two of you must be close," observed the moon princess.
"Huh, do I? I've never really noticed... But yeah, Lore is more than just my partner; she's been my best friend for the last ten years..." the dragoness said as she stared into her tea cup before taking another gulp. "We're sisters in everything but blood, really," she added, feeling incredibly calm and content. Amy wasn't exactly sure why, but she attributed the feeling to thinking of the yellow pegasus; the winged egg-head was her rock, after all.
The dragoness didn't notice the two alicorns share a look, and she hardly registered when Celestia began to speak, "That reminds me, there's been something we've been meaning to talk to you about..."
"Wha?" the dragoness began as her head jerked up, "You've been wanting to talk to me about something?" she looked to the ceiling in thought before finishing, "Oh! I bet it's about the reward you told Lorey about. I can't believe I forgot about that." Celestia opened her mouth, but Amy continued, "I don't want much, just access to the library in Unicornia's castle. I'm sure there's all kinds of leads to be found in those old books!"
Celestia stared at the broadly smiling face of the dragoness, both waiting to see if she had anything else to say and steeling herself for when that smile dissipated. "Of course, I'll see to it that you gain full access to the site, library included, though it will be some time yet until an expedition can be organized and mounted." the sun princess said before taking a breath. "But that wasn't what I had intended to ask. What I want to ask pertains to events that transpired in this city ten years ago... More specifically, something that occurred at my school for gifted unicorns."
The cup in Amy's hand began to fracture in her tightening grip as she unconsciously brought it to her lips and finished the last of its contents. Despite how nervous she was feeling, a part of the dragoness was amazed she wasn't feeling more so given the situation. This part, however, was drowned out by the part trying to deal with what was happening. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, this is the first time I've visited Canterlot," she said, her voice sounding feeble even to her own ears.
Celestia spoke as if not hearing the dragoness, "A decade ago, a mysterious visitor left something, or more specifically, someone, in the care of my little ponies."
Luna had started fidgeting in tandem with Amy, but remained silent. The moon princess had seen and done many questionable things in the elder days to protect her kingdom and subjects, but it had never become any easier to do so. Thus, she could now say without doubt that interrogating not only a good person, but a friend, was one of the hardest acts she had to participate in.
"... I think I'm going to turn in for the night," said the dragoness quietly, turning her head down to look at cup.
Before she got the chance to even move, the solar alicorn said, "Why did you leave the egg of Spike the dragon for the school to care for, Amethyst?"
The words elicited more hairline fractures through the porcelain of the fine china in her hands and the response, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Celestia was about to comment on that when there was a knock at the door. "Perhaps you should tell that to him, then. If it is true, he will have to hear it, and I doubt he'll believe it from anyone's lips but your own," the sun princess said as her horn flared.
Amy could no longer deny that something was wrong with her as hearing a familiar voice greet the princesses only resulted in her heart rate and mind racing a little faster. So focused was the dragoness on ascertaining the cause of her current state that she hardly registered the exchange of words occurring between the others in the room or hesitant steps being taken. She continued on, addled mind working on the mystery, eyes idly tracing the lip of her teacup as it did. Her eyes suddenly widened a bit, before they lidded again.
Finally raising her head, Amy stared into the emotionless mask that had replaced the solar diarch's kind features. Doing her best to ignore the two splashes of purple in her peripherals, she said, "You drugged me."
~8~
The journey to where the princesses were had been painfully silent for both Twilight and Spike. The unicorn wanted to offer comfort to the young dragon, but didn't know what else could be said, whereas the guard was just following orders and had neither the right nor the desire to know what his rulers needed Twilight Sparkle and Spike the dragon for. Lastly, Spike, was too focused on the path ahead of him to pay either of his companions any attention.
When they had arrived at the unassuming door of the nook, the armored stallion said farewell and left the two trying to figure out how to proceed. Eventually, the unicorn stepped forward and brought a hoof up. Taking a deep breath, Twilight looked over to the young dragon, who nodded his head and stood straighter. With that, the mare looked back to the door and knocked three times.
The next few seconds seemed like an eternity to Spike, and he had been about to open the door himself when it swung on its hinges, traces of golden magic still visible on the doorknob as it came to a stop. His body moved of its own accord as he stepped into the room, Twilight following behind him.
The young dragon's eyes went immediately to the purple figure seated across the white and blue ones, and he noticed her posture. Her head was down, hiding her face from them and she was slightly slouched over a teacup resting between her hands. He couldn't help but take in every inch of her, silently wishing she'd lift her head so he could see the green eyes he knew to be there.
Spike also noticed that the cup she was holding was covered in cracks, but before he could think of anything to say on the matter, Princess Celestia's voice brought him back to reality, "Twilight, Spike, it is good to see both of you. Please, have a seat."
The tension was palpable as the two did as they were asked, the lavender mare returning the greeting as they did, and neither one taking their eyes off the motionless dragoness. When they were seated, the young dragon to the left of Luna and Twilight to the right of her mentor, the sun princess spoke, "Amethyst Thistle was about to tell us of her actions a decade ago, correct?"
Upon hearing her words, Spike could feel conflict begin to form in his heart. It wasn't the question that caused this, but the tone in which it was asked. This was not the voice of the kind and benevolent Celestia he had known all his life, this was Celestia the judge. In a way, what was unfolding before him was like the book store clerk, but this time, it was a friend who was accusing the dragoness of ill intent and Spike did not know who to side with.
He watched on, looking for any sign at all that his kin acknowledged his presence, but he got none. After a while, the young dragon feared something was terribly wrong with Amethyst, and when she finally looked up, those fears were confirmed. Unlike the last time he had seen those eyes, so full of shock and fear, they were dull and near emotionless, only traces of betrayal lingering now. Even so, he could not help but compare those emerald orbs with those he saw in the mirror every day and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was his family.
It was this conviction that caused his heart to skip a beat when the dragoness said simply, "You drugged me."
It wasn't a question, and everyone but the sun princess and Amy reacted to the declaration. It was Luna, though, who responded first, "We didn't! 'Tis a blend for calming the mind and body, nothing more! We simply wished to ease thine tensions after we heard of how thou first reacted in Ponyville!"
The dragoness turned her head to deliver a flat stare at the lunar alicorn, "Forgive me if I find it hard to believe you, Princess, but current revelations make it hard to do so. You have been lying to me since our first meeting, after all."
The moon princess flinched back, equally hurt by the truthful accusation as the lack of her name being used, but couldn't say anything in her defense before her sister cut in, "The kauma tea leaf may be rare, but its potent and fast acting effect is worth the effort to obtain. My sister and I have found it to be invaluable in dealing with the more stressful aspects of ruling, though a resistance has been built over the centuries..."
This actually made Amy smirk a little. "A resistance I don't have, right?" she said before letting her face return to neutral. "I'm leaving Canterlot. Tonight. Goodbye Princesses."
The ponies watch as the dragoness dropped her teacup to the floor, letting it shatter before standing up and start walking towards the door. Spike was still too shocked that the alicorn sisters would have drugged another to say anything as Amy left. "You have yet to tell us your relationship with young Spike, Amethyst," said Celestia in his stead.
This actually got a growl from the dragoness, but she did not stop in her exit as she said, "That is none of your business, and you have no right to know."
"Than what about my right, huh?! Don't I deserve to know about my past?!" The sudden shout froze Amy where she stood, hand resting on the doorknob. "I'm tired of not knowing where I came from! And I'm tired of always being left out of things!" the boyish voice of the young dragon went on. "What the Princesses did was wrong, and they never told me, but that doesn't mean you can just leave me with all these questions!... Not when you're here now..."
The dragoness tightened her grip on doorknob, focusing on it instead of looking to him. "... You don't know what you want, little one. Just... just stay here and be happy with what you have," Amy said in a near whisper and pushed open the door. As she made her exit, the voices of the ponies rose in protest.
"Wait friend!"
"Please, don't leave like this!"
"Amethyst, I beg you to reconsider."
The dragoness ignored them as she took her first few steps out the door, but was stopped dead in her tracks by two shouted words, "Sister, Please!" Spike was now standing in his seat, ready to rush to the older dragon and beg on his knees if he had to.
The young dragon watched as Amy's shoulders rose and fell with a shaky breath, "Y-You're wrong, I'm not your sister..."
Spike's stare hardened, ignoring the tears that slid down his cheeks. "Yes you are... Sister" he said, never being more sure of his words in his life.
The dragoness dropped her head lower and visibly began to shake as she whispered, "Please... stop calling me that."
"Why?"
"Because... because I gave up the right to be your sister long ago."
Hearing this caused the hardness to leave the young dragons eyes and to be replaced with both curiosity and uncertainty. "How?" he asked and waited for an answer. When one did not come he spoke again, "Please... tell me what happened. Why was I left in Equestria... Please, I need to know."
Finally, Amethyst Thistle slowly turned to them, and when she lifted her head, small gasps were heard. Tears were flowing far more freely than Spike's own, and her eyes had already become blood-shot from the salty liquid. The dragoness ignored all others in the room as she locked her draconic gaze with his, "Because, Spike, I abandoned you... my own little brother."
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Celestia's actions do not turn me away. They just make me want to make sure she is justly punished, like with Amethyst leaving and never having to deal with them again or some such. She did what she believed was right but that doesn't mean she was right.
So pumped for the next chapter!
I sure liked it!
keep em coming :)
Not sure I understand the point of the tea/drugging. It apparently wasn't a truth serum and it didn't stop her from walking out of the room, so what was the point other than killing Amy's trust in the Princesses?
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It was suppose to keep her from absolutely freaking out and taking off, thus giving them a chance to talk to her before she started blowing smoke. The Princesses were afraid that if precautions weren't taken to keep her calm, or at least calmer, she wouldn't have listened at all. As you can see, even with the tea lessening her stress response, she is still pretty emotional. Imagine how she would be handling the situation without the tea keeping her calmer than normal.
I was trying to figure out a way to get her to interact with Spike long enough to break down and confess her past. It was either the tea, locking her in a room with Spike, or magically holding her there. At least, those were the only options I could think of... Maybe they should have went with option 2.
And Celestia done fucked up...
hope she doesn't just get away with that.
3840514 This: 3839655 and this: 3840598 is why I'm not sure this was the best approach. You may not have intended to piss people off at Celestia, but that is what happened.
whew, boy. those princesses .i would've went nuclear on them, first you deceive me, then you drug me and then, you have the nerve to talk like im in the wrong and interfere in my life? yea all kinds of names would've been let loose anungest being called a tyrant and betrayer then told to never ever come near me, i really hope to see Amethyst response to what they did to her, i don't care what they say about the tea there action for serving it was the definition of drugging
My feelz are hurting
If there's one thing I learned about, Celestia, is that she has to go some necessary evils as ruler. And this is just one of them.
Can't wait to hear this, even if I have a good idea how it may go
. Ambush chapter for the win!
Eh, Celestia's actions are fine.
I have to say that I believe you are right with making Tia take this course of action and am hungrily awaiting more
Aaand Celestia and Luna are now on the unlikeable list.
And...you ruined the whole point by telling. The characters should have found out by investigation rather than confrontation. The hijinks, the comedy, the drama! All of it is left out by that one little scene in Chapter 6 at the end.
I love how they don't even think about Spike's parents, or even where they are. And by love, I mean hate. They obviously should be able to deduce that if she ended up with the egg, then something horrible must have happened to Amy and Spike's parents. Heck, the little tidbit about how it takes a full adult dragon about a year to hatch an egg really should tell them that Amy must have left the egg because it would have died from not being hatched otherwise. Idiots, the lot of them.
Tea was stupid. She might have been more willing to talk if she didn't feel betrayed. The tea while calming initially backfired and just caused distrust.
Filthy traitors.
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I sincerely hope Amy wouldn't directly tell her story in front of those two backstabbing cunts.
Damn, this is one good story to make me feel genuine, justified anger against the Princesses. Better yet is how they were both somewhat, kind of, a teensy bit justified in their judgement error.
yeah, this sort of thing is well-intentioned but but definitely not good... kind of wish she left... maybe sudden;y discovered the power to teleport herself with dragonfire