10. Exposition
Reign Cloud was dressed in a nice blue suit complete with a white silk shirt and a red silk bow tie. He stood at the front of a line, his mother and father on each side of him. His mane had been combed for a goodly while by Cadence, slicked down repeatedly. The locks on his head were stubborn and it took a lot of gel to keep them tamed. A strand or two resisted, poking up like an obscene gesture. It irked Cadence to no end. His father kept grinning at his mother’s efforts to do battle until even her eternal patience was worn to an exasperated declaration of “It will have to do!”.
It was this day and what was expected from him when led him to forget yesterday was his actual birthday. Today the kingdom would celebrate and it had him anxious. In the few times he had been in public, he lost his temper each time. Usually it was because of some rude comment he overheard, or somepony made a disparaging remark about his appearance.
It was always an adult he went off on. Cadence had stressed greatly him giving colts and fillies his age the benefit of the doubt. He had been around few colts and fillies in his young life, mostly because Cadence and Shining Armor feared his weak physical body would not hold well against the frolicking antics of the typical, playful foal. As it was, any interaction with foals the same age as Reign Cloud was strictly monitored and with a lot of restrictions.
This meant greeters politely reminding parents to keep their foals on their best behavior when they met the prince. They were watched carefully and foals thought to be overly rambunctious were steered away from Reign.
They were outside, the grounds beneath the castle set up in a banquet hall fashion, with tables set up neatly. Colorful balloons and streamers added to the festive mood. There were colts and fillies everywhere of all ages, laughing and shouting with each other. Cake and ice cream was given freely out by the kitchen staff.
There were hundreds of foals enjoying themselves. A live band played music, even encouraging singalongs for the younger foals. Clowns —Reign Cloud’s least favorite form of entertainment— roamed among the crowd, making funny faces, telling jokes, and making balloon animals. They stayed away from the prince. He tended to splay his ears out and hiss like a wet cat if they strayed too close to him. If such an event occurred, Cadence would chastise him gently or tease him a bit.
Wistfully he looked over at the carnival rides he could make out rising above some of the buildings. There was the ferris wheel, flying scooters, a gravitron, a pendulum and a few other rides Reign couldn’t name off the top of his head. Why couldn’t he enjoy those rides?
Maggie —dressed in a simple pink party dress— gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Aw, don’t be grumpy,” she said consolingly. “If it makes you feel any better, I can’t go on the rides, either.”
This was true, as she was forbidden from leaving his side if he did go outside.
There were dignitaries from other nations who came to offer their well-wishes to the prince, though they were more inclined towards looking good in the eyes of Princess Cadence. Celestia and Luna showed up and it took every ounce of Reign’s willpower to keep from running to them and leaping into their hooves. He adored his aunts. The announcement to his mother as she helped get him ready for the party nearly had the colt leaping from his chair. Maggie simply laughed at him.
They sat to his left, speaking to the recently arrived griffon ambassador. He was an older fellow; stiff, formal and very dull and boring. It had only been a week since the griffons opened their borders partially to the world. The past decade it was rumored they had endured a massive internal upheaval, perhaps even civil war. The tales from the few refugees able to cross over the border suggested it was an internal struggle against a foe who was not interested in fighting griffons.
Before he could satiate his curiosity and listen in, Celestia and Luna rose from the table they were seated at and asked the ambassador to join them. Cadence gave them a pensive look, then turned to Shining Armor.
“Can you keep the party civil?” she asked him, batting her eyelashes. “I need to see what this is about.”
“Can I go?” Reign blurted.
Maggie was staring at the griffon hard. “Hmm.”
Shining looked at him. “No, son. This is a state matter. You need to stay here and be seen and greet the ponies. You’re the host and you need to be a good one.”
“But this is boring!” he protested. “I hate clowns! There’s one named Pennywise out there!.”
“Balloons float,” Maggie moaned with a grin. Reign shot her an ugly glare.
“Don’t you two start,” chided Shining, rolling his eyes with a sigh. “You’ll both stay here with me. Reign, you’re the guest of honor and it would be rude if you up and left. A part of being in a position of authority, no matter how small, means you have to do the things asked of you in order to make a good impression on other ponies. Keep in mind, there are visitors from other nations here and you need to look and act your best. Remember those exercises your mother taught you to keep that temper of yours in check.”
Reign sighed. “Yes, sir.” His ears splayed out flat and he slumped a bit.
Cadence gave him a nuzzle. “Don’t be like that, sweetie. I’ll tell what I can when your aunts are done speaking to the ambassador. Sit up straight, dear. Remember, there are eyes on you at all times in public.” She smiled and turned to her husband. “Can I leave you long enough to keep everything from bursting into flames?” she teased.
“No promises,” Shining replied with an absolutely straight face.
“I’ll make it worth your while,” she promised.
“I like where you’re going with this,” he said.
Reign blanched. “Gross!”
“I hope you’re taking notes, Reign,” Maggie said resolutely. “Lots and lots of notes.”
Both the adults chuckled as the colt gave her a look of horror.
“Hey, look!” Maggie cried out, pointing a hoof towards the crowd. “There’s Pennywise!”
Reign saw the clown. He shuddered. That happy face looked so creepy and fake. The white makeup was too much like the mask of a serial killer. The colt flinched, then glared again at the changeling filly. Beneath the clown face, there was probably nice pony, but that never mattered to Reign. Clowns were evil, plain and simple.
Cadence left and joined her aunts. Celestia and Luna both threw apologetic smiles to Reign Cloud. They would be with him at dinner. He had done little but get his hugs from them and he relished the few times they could visit.
Shining Armor smiled at his son. “Let’s go meet the guests,” he told Reign. “They’ve been lining up to thank you for the gifts you gave them. Let’s do your mother proud, okay?”
The young prince nodded and raised his head proudly.
The gifts his mother and father had selected to give to the foals of the Crystal Empire were simple, ranging from hoofballs to dolls. Most had been donated by the wealthier houses, some coming even as far as Canterlot. Celestia was quickly warmed to the idea of giving away toys on her grand nephew’s public birthday. Luna had suggested extending the gifting to the orphans in Canterlot. Both mares dug into their personal accounts and may have gone overboard in their enthusiasm. The enthusiasm was foisted over the wealthier ponies of the capital of Equestria with subtle hints and suggestions. Most were more than happy to contribute. Others, not quite so much.
Seven million bits later, Prince Blueblood was chiding his aunts for their wasteful spending from the deck of his third personal yacht. His protests were ignored.
With a nod to the smiling guards (they were told to look nice and pleasant with so many young foals running around), the line was opened and the procession of foals began. Most were accompanied by their parents. There was a press gallery to the right and flashbulbs flared, accompanied with their tell-tale popping sounds. Reign smiled as he had been instructed, looking proud, yet humble as the first foal came up. She was a little filly of about five and she held a little pony doll in her mouth as she stared up at him with huge, round eyes. Her mother accompanied her.
She mumbled something shyly when she was in front of her prince, cringing a little.
“She says thank you,” her mother offered helpfully.
Reign smiled. “You’re welcome. Enjoy your toy!”
The filly saw his fangs and burst into tears.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” cried the mother as she comforted the crying filly. “She’s never seen fangs before, except in those awful horror movies her father likes to watch!”
“Congratulations, Reigny,” chirped Maggie with a straight face. “You’re a horror movie monster!” Her mane bounced as she giggled.
Reign would have swished his stubby tail in irritation if he hadn’t been sitting on it. To the mare and her foal, he said, “Think nothing of it. Please go and enjoy the rest of the party. ” He cast a sidelong glance at his father. Shining gave a brief nod of approval and a wink to his son.
Reign did not see the sigh of relief after he turned his attention to the next foal. He ruffled his feathers and made sure they were properly in place before resuming the meet and greet. “Thank you for the toy” was followed with “Thank you for coming”. It worked out rather well, required nothing more than a smile and was quick. Most foals had the singular toy they had chosen. For the next hour, the procession continued. Reign Cloud endured it. Maggie was quiet for a change and only occasionally did his father have to say anything.
There was no platform, no dais. Reign was easy to access, though there were eyes watching everywhere. There were cordoned ropes guiding ponies to him and it was watched carefully by cheerful and helpful guards. The gallery consisted of the curious as well as the obvious media representatives. Some were happy with the sight of a young prince greeting his subjects. Others were waiting for his temper to flare. The more spectacular, the better.
Even though he was doing little more than sitting, Reign Cloud was beginning to become fatigued. It was evident as his shoulders began to slump and his wings trembled. He did his best though, knowing his father was watching him.
Shining Armor noted this and took steps, stepping forward after his son’s last greeting. “You did very well, Reign,” he said proudly. “Go and rest up some. Your mother will kill me if you fall out right here. Maggie, make sure he gets some fluids in him. I’ll take it from here.” Loudly he announced to the crowd, “That’s all for now! Prince Reign Cloud must rest. Please understand he would love nothing more than to greet each and every one of you. Unfortunately, his health won’t allow him to stay as long as he would like.”
There were some disappointed groans, the sounds of pictures being taken. The murmuring crowd in the gallery was mostly sympathetic, as it was well-known Reign’s health was not exactly in peak condition.
A black unicorn mare watched with keen interest at the back of the gallery. Her eye followed the Halfling prince as he tiredly made his exit with the aid of a changeling filly with an absurdly large mane. A slight frown creased her features, but it disappeared when she shifted her attention to the big unicorn stallion taking the colt’s place. He was very gentle and pleased to meet the foals and their parents, even taking the time to ask them what they thought of their gifts. The black mare snorted, shook her head and went to the front of the gallery where she could be easily seen.
She was recognized by Shining as she stood out with her stunning good looks. Shining whispered something to one of his guards. Emerald Spire was approached by the guard shortly after.
“The Prince Consort was inquiring if you were the Lady Emerald Spire,” announced the guard politely and in a low voice.
“I am,” she said with a nod to the consort. Shining Armor nodded formally back before grinning broadly at a pair of siblings waving dolls in his face. “Is there a problem?”
“No, Miss Spire. The Prince Consort was merely curious and extends his welcome on behalf of his wife, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”
Emerald smiled. “Could you please relay the pleasure I have in walking his beautiful city and that I look forward to our business meeting tomorrow? I am simply here to enjoy myself and relax.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The guard bowed politely and returned to Shining Armor’s side. He whispered into a bent ear and the Prince Consort nodded. Looking up, he locked eyes with the unicorn mare and smiled at her in thanks.
He addressed another colt and spoke with the little guy briefly. When he looked up, Emerald Spire was gone.
Reign Cloud was drained physically, his mental faculties left in tatters. He simply was not used to public appearances, no matter how much his parents tried to coach him. It was tedious, boring, and left him feeling as though there were constantly weights on his wings and hooves when addressing other ponies. The pressure would build and build in his mind until he exploded with frustrated and anxious anger. He was given a drink by one of the servants and left alone on a plush chair in one of the sitting rooms of the palace. There was a teleportation pad in the next room, the same one he used to go from the base of the castle to the heart of the palace.
“So,” Maggie said as Reign sipped a cup of apple juice. “What do you wanna do?” Her eyes were full of life as she stared at him with what could almost be thought of as a maniacal look.
He blinked at her. “What do you mean?”
"Well,” she said with a grin, “don’t you wanna see what your momma’s talking about with the griffon?”
“Does a bear poop in the woods?”
“I’ve never seen one do that, but I think they do.” Maggie shook her mane, grinning impossibly.
“Rhetorical question, Mags.”
“Rhetorical answer!”
“...no such thing…”
“Is now!”
Reign sighed, “That’s besides the point. Are you suggesting I risk getting myself in trouble by using one of the hundreds of secret tunnels you and I explored over the years, causing my parents countless hours of worry until I reappeared without warning in my room none the worse for wear?”
“Yep!”
“Along with the possibility we could very well get caught by my aunts and have them upset with me, possibly having me grounded into my room until I’m forty?”
“You got it!”
“This is terribly cliché, Mags.”
The changeling filly gave him a cool stare. “So, tell me the worse punishment that’s ever been put on you.”
Without missing a beat, he replied, “You.”
“I knew you loved me!” she chirped happily. Maggie gave him the stinkeye. “Heeeey, waitaminute… Was that for that comment I made about your mind earlier?”
He grinned at her. “Maybe.”
The changeling filly shrugged. “Whatever. So. Wanna go listen?”
The colt ruffled his feathers. “Poppa’s not going to bother me until dinner.” He looked at a clock on the wall and squinted as he chewed the inside of his cheek. “Yeah, let’s do it, Mags!”
“Are you gonna be okay?” Maggie asked.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Reign went to the wall and studied the crystal carefully. “Which candlestick was it, again?” he asked her curiously, pointed at the wall mounts.
“Left one,” she reminded him with a toss of her mane.
He nodded and shifted his wings to look like his friend’s and rose in the air. He placed a hoof on the candlestick holder and pulled down decisively. There was a click and a portion of the wall fell back and slid aside. It was big enough to let one adult pony through.
Or a curious half breed colt and precocious changeling filly.
“Do you remember the way to the council chambers?” Maggie asked Reign with a bump of her shoulder to his.
“Yep!”
The children had spent the past five years exploring the myriad of hidden tunnels and passageways snaking between the walls of the massive crystalline castle. There was many a restless night the two had explored the depths, finding caches of weapons, gems, gold, and countless other treasures hoarded by King Sombra so long ago. Most of it was hoofed over to the adults, but Maggie and Reign kept a few baubles to remember their adventures. It was spooky. It was fun. It was a break of the boredom for Reign as his life and movement was restricted due to his health. Certainly, Cadence and Shining Armor were fully aware of the hidden side of the Crystal Castle, having even made their own forays into it.
In the early years, the two were forbidden entry. King Sombra might have left traps as he had with the castle proper. Oddly enough, there were none to be found. It was assumed the passages had been constructed as a sort of emergency escape for the deposed tyrant. They tried to close off the hidden chambers and halls, but inevitably Reign Cloud found other ways into the unknown parts of the castle.
And Maggie was his enabler.
It was within these walls Reign and Maggie established the bonds of their friendship. They shared every jump at every shadow, snacking on the foods they had taken with them as they spelunked. The duo delved into the darkest places even the adults were afraid to go and they loved every minute of it.
It was within these very walls Reign and Maggie could hear every voice uttered, each whispered given in confidence. The walls kept secrets and it was often one or the other who became privy to them. It was their giggles and laughter which led many of those who worked in the castle to believe the ghosts of foals killed by Sombra haunted the many rooms. A lot of it was admittedly done deliberately and deviously, but it was all in fun.
Imagine Cadence’s miffed expression upon Celestia asking Reign to show her the secret places he and Maggie had discovered. She was allowed only after being sworn to secrecy. Later, she would tell her niece to allow the children their fun and no harm would befall them within the castle.
That had been a couple of years ago and with the blessing from the Alicorn of the Sun, the children were allowed to play so long as they immediately report anything new or different in their little expeditions.
Now, they knew the castle like the back of their wings and they knew exactly where to go. Within five minutes, they were in a little round room lit only by the light at the tip of Maggie’s horn. The acoustics allowed them to hear the adults talking. Easily they could make out the speakers.
“—needs to be addressed and quickly. My Emperor has asked I come to explain a few things and voice his concerns,” spoke a male baritone voice.
“Griffonia closed her borders for nearly a decade.” Luna’s voice resonated sternly. “What few things could have possibly closed your Emperor from his friends? Has Equestria not been a strong ally towards your nation?”
“It’s not that…” the griffon said, his voice trailing. “I need a drink.”
“Cadence?” Celestia spoke gently.
“You prefer a port, don’t you?” asked Reign’s mother.
“Ah, thank you, princess.”
There was a moment of pause. Maggie blinked and stared at Reign, who was busy staring hard at the point where the sounds were travelling from above him. She nudged him, shrugging her shoulders. He shook his head, set his jaw firmly and jabbed a hoof at the ceiling. She rolled her eyes. Maggie was never one for patience.
“Please continue,” Cadence said. “I know I was worried with the inner turmoil. With your nation bordering mine and my ponies unable to get any answers as they were turned from your borders. This concern has also been at the forefront of my aunts. We all want answers. Was there a civil war? A revolution?”
“It was a matter of unwanted guests using our nation rather rudely,” replied the ambassador. “We know so little about changelings, but we do have some previous experience with them.”
Reign was playing rapt attention. Maggie twiddled her hooves.
“The changelings had a war in our backyard,” sighed the ambassador. “Without asking our permission, mind you. Save one. Quite rude of the others, really.” He sniffed, pausing. Perhaps taking a sip of his wine. “We had to close the borders and set up patrols to keep them from spilling out into our neighbors’ yards.”
“We would have helped,” Celestia said gently. “Why did you not ask for it? Do you require aid now?”
“You see, Princess Celestia,” he said smoothly, “you should know better than anyone in this room other than myself my kind are a stubborn race. We pride ourselves in being able to handle things without outside interference. As this war erupted, it should be noted the battles were for the most part kept away from major populations. Cities and hamlets were left almost untouched. We were not the targets of this war.”
“How curious!” exclaimed Luna. “Pray tell, how exactly does one wage a war upon another nation and not do acts of destruction upon the populace?”
“By not going to war upon the griffons,” came the reply. The ambassador harrumphed. “A changeling civil war of sorts exploded around us and the damn bugs avoided His Imperial Majesty’s forces with maddening regularity. We tried to contain this nasty little fight and found we could do little more than skirmish with the blighters.”
“National pride kept the griffons from asking for help, didn’t it?” Cadence’s voice was heavy with disappointment. “I do wish you noble lion-birds would set it aside and ask for help from their friends. It’s a big world and we need to lean on each other at times.”
“Not now, Cadence,” Celestia interrupted. “Ambassador, what happened? What you’re saying is quite serious. Why the secrecy? There’s something you’re not telling us. Are we not friends with Griffonia? Have we not put the past behind us and established a peaceful and beneficial coexistence?”
“And we value that relationship,” pointed out the ambassador. “Please, we did not want to drag the world into our issues. Our Emperor commanded it. We obeyed, because we are loyal to His Imperial Majesty. It’s just that...what happened was so...mercenary.”
There was the sound of a heavy sigh. The foals looked at each other from their hiding place. The talk of war had swung Maggie’s attention one hundred and eighty degrees and now she had her ears perked forward as she craned her neck eagerly at the ceiling. Without thinking, she handed Reign a granola bar.
“The Emperor was paid,” he stated distastefully.
“I beg your pardon,” said Celestia softly. Maggie and Reign could barely hear her. “But did you say ‘paid’? What do you mean?”
“His Majesty was paid a hefty sum to close his borders by one of the changeling queens. She wanted to use griffon lands to wage war upon her own kind.”
“Did you not just inform us your armies were skirmishing with changeling forces?” Luna asked with a touch of confusion.
“The standing order was to keep the changelings within our borders and keep innocent parties from becoming involved in the war.”
Luna hissed, “Madness!”
Reign flinched. He had never heard his aunt react this way before.
Apparently, the ambassador felt the same way. “Please understand, this situation was unprecedented and the queen did deliver on her promise of payment once her war was completed. She even paid half of what she promised up front. I never heard of such confidence before. We thought she would fail. The Emperor declared she would not last a year.”
“What reason did the Emperor have to trust this changeling queen? What did she look like?”
“Tall. Dark. Equine in shape, of course,” said the ambassador blandly. “A long, crooked horn and having eyes of a demoness. Arrogant and dangerously intelligent. I dare say she might even have been pretty if she wasn’t so damned frightening! As for trust? Well, that was never the issue as we mobilized our entire army. We put every griffon on alert and declared a Pact of Silence.”
“Ah, calling upon all griffons to speak of nothing unless given permission,” Celestia said, “It must have been quite a crisis to close your borders, call for utmost secrecy and put the whole of the griffon army on alert. Clearly you were preparing for the worst.”
“We anticipated treachery,” grumbled the griffon. “We know nothing of changelings save for what you told us based on your past dealings.”
“I haven’t seen any other queens, so I really can’t speculate if she’s our changeling queen,” remarked Cadence sourly. “It’s not much to go on.”
“I do have photos, if you would care to have a look,” offered the griffon. “They’re a few years old, but these were taken when she approached the Emperor while requesting political asylum.”
“Political asylum?” wondered Celestia. “By law, griffons must allow three days of full protection while they consider the request, do they not?”
“Indeed. Ah. Here they are. What do you make of her?”
There was a long moment of uneasy silence. Reign wanted to see the pictures. Maggie was interested, too.
“It’s her,” Cadence breathed. “I’d recognize that face anywhere. Chrysalis.”
“I was not aware she gave her name to you ponies,” observed the ambassador.
“Our intelligence gave her that name,” said Celestia offhandedly. “It was either that or Ladybug.”
There was the sound of chuckling coming from the adults.
“Why not Ladybug?” asked the ambassador.
“First of all, she isn’t red.”
“Ah.” The griffon sounded as if he didn’t know if he should take her seriously or not.
“How long ago was this?” Cadence asked.
“Hrm,” the griffon paused in thought. “I’d say nine years. October, I should think, just before the Harvest Festival. I recall she had a nasty limp. Nine and a half years.” He was more confident as he spoke.
Luna spoke up. “So, this is Reign Cloud’s mother. Hard to believe such arrogance could conceive and bear such a wondrous foal.”
Reign’s heart jumped into his throat. “Mother?”
“Shh! Quiet, dummy, they’ll hear you!” Maggie hissed in his ear.
His wings unfurled partially as he sniffed at the ceiling.
“Oh dear,” sighed Celestia. “Cadence, where is your son? Would you mind locating him for me?”
Reign heard his mother answer, “Of course.” There was a momentary pause as sudden dread settled heavily in the colt’s stomach. “He’s...in serious trouble!”
The world shimmered and swirled around the colt and filly, accompanied by a pressure at their sides as though some vast talon gripped them gently. For a moment, there was darkness. A flash later, Maggie and Reign Cloud found themselves surrounded by three alicorns and a very large and imposing griffon. One alicorn was not amused.
“Reigny,” Maggie said grandly as she levelled a pitying look upon him, “you’re on your own!” And she made a break for the door.
Only to be caught by Luna’s telekinesis. She was smirking hard. “Enabler!” she called to the changeling.
“Curses!” she cried, struggling futilely.
Cadence was not amused and also perplexed. “Reign Cloud? Just what do you think you’re doing?” she demanded sternly.
Celestia simply raised an eyebrow, her amusement twinkling in her eyes.
“What goes on here?” roared the ambassador.
“Well?” Reign’s mother prodded. Her frown seemed unnatural, given her usual sunny disposition.
“Um,” he stammered lamely, “looking for rats?”
“Rats are delicious,” rumbled the griffon, glaring down at the Halfling. He snapped his beak loudly for emphasis.
The colt spun and only realized just then how big a griffon could be. The ambassador was massive, his black feathers touched with gray. A white feathery crest rose from his head and his yellow beak had serrated notches.
In the instinctual choice of fight or flight raged a war for exactly six seconds while Reign stared up at the ambassador, the obvious one was selected. The prince in a panic nipped the beak looming down at him and took off, following it up with a very loud and unexpected hiss. His wings flared out in a threat display and he fluffed his fur and feathers to look bigger. His hooves spread wide and his mouth was open, showing his fangs.
The griffon recoiled, his golden eyes wide as he stared down at the little ball of hiss. With one talon, he rubbed the area where the prince had bit him.
“Reign!” cried Cadence, moving swiftly and scooping him up in her forehooves.
“Hoo-boy!” gasped Maggie as she facehooved. Luna shushed her with a glare. She curled up and grinned sheepishly under the diarch’s glare. “We’re gonna die, Reigny! Die horrible, horrible deaths!” Her eyes went up to the griffon who seemed to be in a state of shock quickly shifting to something more menacing. “Don’t eat us! We’re nothing but tofu!”
Cadence tightened her grasp on her son the moment his first panicked chirp reached her ears. It was a reflex changeling nymphs could do when frightened and Reign was sounding off like a giant fuzzy cicada. The Alicorn of Love went from wearing her angry mommy face to her protective mode in the blink of an eye. Her glare was levelled at Maggie, who shrank away with a sheepish grin.
The ambassador recovered, rubbing his beak as he studied the terrified prince. “So,” he said slowly as he blinked slowly, “that’s what a Halfling looks like? I hear you have quite the temper, boy.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.025 seconds
Total duration
1,030 users online
1,966,273 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
And so the plot thickens...
Like my... never mind, I was going to compare the thought to my genitalia in a specific situation, but decided against it out of poor taste.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
Pleeeeeease tell me that this mystery mare isnt Chryssie... No really.
5064874 Okay, I won't tell you. You'll have to read and find out!
5064904 You know what. Your hints with her appearance are sometimes waaaaay too hinting. So much that it sounds way too obvious to be true.
5064921
turned FROM your borders.
This sounds.. familiar...
5065484 Thanks for the catch! As for Ladybug...I'm allowed to give a nod to Maternal Instinct, am I not? Pupa's favorite stuffed toy!
5066979 Maggie is still by far the most fun oc filly I've seen xD. Poor reign, forever married at the hip with that silly rambunctious filly of adorable diabetes
5066979 That'd explain a lot. xP
Pennywise? The Clown from IT? The one obsessed with baloons? Tim Curry?
TIM CURRY???
Watch this video and then tell me if you still find him scary
[youtube=aFcC5xi2W1o]
Or even better, this video:
[youtube=lwUjJXxoGy4]
5070631 Yes. Now... Imagine him as a pony...
Balloons floatt
And if you come down here ytou will float to
5071175 ok, maybe if he sings "sweet transvestite" again. That was creepy.
The way you've constructed this suggests that they go where the adults would rather not but you used 'wont' which is literally the opposite.
Try something like: "They delved where the adults feared to tread."
I can't help but think of a pair of adventurous kittens, one of them hissing in anger when he gets startled
5077599
5117607 Huh...used the wrong word. Crap.
The Griffin is going to be friendly.
They float... They all float down there!
Wow, so Chryssie pretty much went against all the other Queens and won? Awesome!
Hah, I like the griffon already.
Run away!!!!!!
Little ball of hiss? oh that is a funny image in my head, makes me think of a puffed up kitten challenging a large, confused dog.