CCC-Back Home Again

by Fresnor

Prologue

The brightest white is all existence was all that was visible for the longest time. Soon voices started to filter through the silence though I couldn’t quite catch their meaning. Soon one finally pierced through the veil surrounding me. “Princess, wake UP!” Suddenly I was met with full consciousness as I woke up cold and wet to find Butch, Cassidy, and rose peering down at me. I suddenly remembered what I was just doing moments before. “Did we make it?” The three look at each other before turning back to me with a shrug. “How should we know that? We have no idea where we are supposed to be”

I shake my head at myself for forgetting that, though with how much effort the spell took it wasn’t unusual to be out of sorts for a bit. While I was still feeling a bit drained, those few moments I was out were enough for me to be able to spark a small light so I could get a better view of the room. Looking around I noticed I fine layer of dust covering the room and the tables lining the various walls. Nearby was a pedestal that looked to be in good condition and tracing its form down to its base I see writing done in silver in front of it. Turning I see that the writing is a perfect copy of the design I had just been in that was instead made of salt.

Remembering the layout that I had not seen in so long I turn towards one end of the room as I stand and make my way towards it. Pushing on a cleverly camouflaged section of the wall I throw open the window there to reveal an early morning view similar to one I had found myself missing. “Ponyville. It truly has been to long since I have seen you and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon again.” I mutter this bit quietly to myself then I turn back to my two guards and timberwolf companion.

Before speaking I take a moment to examine myself with my senses just as a precaution after such a long teleport. Everything seems to be in their proper place but I pause for a moment when I feel something off about the link I once felt with the Lord and Lady. While it was lost with all the other kitsune from what I overheard I found that this wasn’t quite true with me for some reason and instead it was turned inwards for some reason. Deciding to look into this later I start to address my companions who had been watching me.

“I’m glad that I finally got that teleportation spell to word correctly for once. I guess having a focus on both ends while casting it helps instead of just using one from the origin point.” This is met by three limbs hitting three faces as they all react to me essentially saying that I had never succeeded with the spell before. “Well the last time I tried casting the spell I was only a four-tail as well, so having six now should have been enough to account for most of the problems before.” The two diamond dogs look at each other for a moment before turning to me again as Cassidy speaks up. “Um, Princess, that actually should be seven now. It appeared during your speech before you began preparing your spell to take us here.”

I turn in surprise at this news to find that she was correct as I stare at the new limb I hadn’t noticed yet. It was probably a good thing that I cast such a powerful spell as it would give me time to get used to my new jump in strength without as many problems as before. “Well I guess the title of Princess actually fits now, though I still don’t feel like one. Now we have to get a few things ready before I can head out to see Princess Celestia. Butch and Cassidy, I’ll need you to head down to the basement and prepare the rooms off in the side passages. Claim one each for yourselves and do what you want with them, but the others will be for any other diamond dogs that happen to show up in the future. Rose, guard the front door but stay unseen by the locals until I say so. If any of you meet any of the locals under no circumstances shall you harm them without consulting with me first.”

They all nod as they all try to go off to do as I ask but fail to find out how to lower the exit causing me to roll my eyes. Hitting the switch near the stairway I cause it to lower for them while I just shake my head before looking around the room once more. “It’s too empty up here, I wonder what new things have been discovered that I can fill it with that I can study later.” I actually feel a smile on my face as I make my own way the stairs to the floor below. As I step off the last step I feel myself using my magic to hit something and I realize that I subconsciously reached out to hit the button sending the stairs back up again.

I can’t believe I did that. All these years away and I’m still doing things I didn’t bother thinking about even then. I just shake my head in amusement as I watch the stairs rise up into the ceiling once again. Turning away I head down the hall and stop before the door to the main bedroom and examine the slight shimmer over it. Good to see that the room is still sealed since I was last here and it doesn’t seem to have decayed either. As I pull down the enchantment over the room I remember to reach out to the hearth stone and activate it fully once again after noting that it barely has enough power to sustain itself from its basic charging function.

Opening the door I step into my old room and look around with a sense of nostalgia. Everything looks just as I remember it from the made bed to the empty bookshelves next to it. Considering the state of it all I can tell the spell worked correctly to preserve it all as even the painting that was done of me hasn’t even lost any of its color. “That’s going to need to be updated I guess though I guess it could be nice to see how much I’ve changed over the years. I wonder who the pony is that is doing royal paintings nowadays?”

Turning towards the walk in closet I head over and open it up before entering and taking in the sight I had left so long ago. From the wrapped up ball from Pinkie, to the preserved bottles of Zap apple cider from Applejack, and even to the feathers of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, I just sit and soak up the memories that come with each. “It has truly been too long since I’ve been home. I really can’t believe that I just left all this stuff behind when I left.” I stroke a paw along one of the feathers before bringing it to rest on a picture that contains not only myself; but all of the princesses, the five ponies closest to Twilight, Trixie, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

I consider the many objects in the room and decide to grab one of the bottles of the cider to add to my bags. I was about to leave the room when the last words of Pinkie Pie flit through my mind and I turn back just long enough to grab the wrapped ball she had given me. I wasn’t sure yet what to do with it, but she did say that I would know what to do with it and I rarely found her words to be wrong.

I decide that I might as well take a walk around Ponyville once while it was still early so I get out my hooded cloak to wear before leaving the room. I wasn’t sure what the ponies would do if they saw me without it, but if they react like I remember they would probably run around in a panic. Once it was secure I left the bedroom back into the hall before standing underneath another portrait of me that was on the wall at the top of the stairs.

Well Equestria, I hope you are ready for the changes caused by our return as things will never be the same again. “Hey!? Who are you and what are you doing in here!?” I turn in shock at the voice to find myself face to face in the darkened hall with a pair of cerise eyes underneath a rainbow mane.

Author's Note:

Well here we go again with the final planned book of the series. Expect the unexpected but don't assume anything until it actually happens. Should be much more talking this time as things will be a bit different than the last book. Of course now so many little hints I left behind will start making sense I hope as many plans finally come to fruition. So please leave any comments, questions, typos and complaints below so I can respond to them. Also enjoy the very first little cliffhanger.

Comments

[Crescent Glaive]

Whoa, what!....

Cliffhanger indeed....

ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER!

[Asolem2]

Of course it's a cliffhanger