Son of the Sun

by Buckeye49

Chapter 14: An Equestrian Tour: Pt. 4: Princely Planning

Author's Note:

*It is true.

FYI: lots of hugs throughout this story? I am a hugger.

Also I am trying in Slice of Life content.

*Realized some goofs a little bit so I proof read this; if it is the same then I found no errors.

Back at Rainbow's home hours earlier the girls and myself were waking up, but first Sunset and I had to wash up before we started, however before that Sunset had an idea how to start the morning routine....by changing who woke up first....Lovely.

"David~" Sunset cooed in my ear; I said nothing but Sunset knew I heard her and was not going to let me sleep in while she cleaned up first.

"David? I know you hear me quit pretending you don't," Sunset said sounding now more annoyed than amused by my acting.

"David!" Sunset shouted a little louder sitting up and slapping me with her wing.

"Ow! What the Hell Sunset?!" I said groggily.

"He awakens! About time...." Sunset said with sarcasm and amusement while folding her wings behind her again.

"Screw you Sunset..." I retorted rubbing my eyes as I woke up, "What was this for? Why you waking me up?" I asked in addition.

"I'm starting your help, by helping you learn how to wake up early; I will start semi-early, move to early, then graduate to before dawn until you adjust to waking up 1 hour before Dawn's hour," Sunset explained; Sunset was wearing a carbon copy of her Pj's she had in the EqG's dimension.

"Well schist....I knew this part would come, just not early," I replied sighing out of being partially awake.

"If it will make you feel better this was just a sneak peek of what you will do," Sunset explained hugging me lovingly.

"I know sis, I know you mean well by doing this," I replied.

"Glad you understand bro," Sunset replied, "I'm going to let you wash up first David,"

"Sure thing Sunset," I replied slowly sliding out of bed to head to the bathroom.

After my bath Sunset followed after and afterwards we dresses and headed out to meet the rest of our group.

"I wonder how Luna's meeting will go?" I asked.

"Not sure; I only hope Luna and Graceful-Pen can figure out a plan," Sunset replied.

"What else could be needed to be planned?" I asked.

"Well you planned when you will returned, but tell me because I can't believe we didn't ask this first; have you given a speech before?"

"Yes...But it was in 5th Grade, memorized....In front of a school Auditorium....I think there was a lot of people...." I said thinking and being a little antsy along with nervous as I then began to second guess myself.

"Hey now don't get cold feet now, not after you were so sure about this announcement," Sunset said stopping our walk and shaking me grasping both shoulders.

"Okay Sunset! I get it no need to act like I was breaking down...." I replied pulling her hands off me.

"Could have fooled me David you we spacing out."

"Well can you blame me?? I never stood in any authority especially over lessor authority and spoke to person's or ponies of authority," I stressed.

"Then I advise you start practicing David, because Parliament will rip you to shreds and grill you if you show weakness before them; you should know that if you fail, you will lose your crown as Co-ruler and I will be the only one in charge," Sunset stated in a firm yet compassionate tone.

"You serious?"

"Yes; Parliament has the right to refuse you...As douche-y as it is..." Sunset affirmed.

"But what about Twilight?" I asked.

"She has nothing; because she is not of Celestia's blood she cannot inherit our mother or aunt's throne, except if a legitimate reason was given to allow her to be next in line," Sunset clarified.

"I know 2 reasons....Maybe just one," I replied but was not going to be open to the idea.

"Regardless David, mom is not going to let you pass up your birthright; she has lost enough sleep and peace of mind to allow you to get cold feet and refuse your crown!" Sunset snapped pointing a finger at me.

I could only recoil at the harshness of her tone and level or no tolerance in her mood for excuses; it hurt but it was the truth and I could not let my own timidity get the best of me, no matter how much I was afraid.

"Look I am sorry for being hard on you," Sunset said softening her expression remembering my sensitive demeanor, "But you can't play around and take your time,"

"You have 3 months by Parliament to straighten up and confront them, but you wanted your arrival in 1 month; now commit to it and prepare yourself in the time you set up, you're going to address Parliament strong and you will do it confidently with no sign of hesitance," Sunset finished.

"Yes Sunset....I will do it," I said though I was never more uncomfortable and frightened in all my life; to be honest one might call me pathetic, childish, over-sensitive, insecure, non-confident, and you name it along those lines....*but cross me and given the right circumstances I would physically or verbally try my best to rip you a new one....Or into quarters, and burn what is left.

"Good," Sunset replied but then place a hand on my cheek.

"Hey look, I know this is hugely out of your comfort-zone and you're scared and uncomfortable; I know your self-esteem and self-confidence is impaired, but this will all calm down once you show Parliament you can do this,"

"I am not good at history but here is something you may know, when Napoleon became king he took the crown from the one putting on his head and placed it on his own head," Sunset recalled.

"I believe you can be like that, I believe you will pull a Napoleon and have a confidence that would shows you not only accepting the crown but willing to take that crown and place it on your own head and say, 'Here am I, send me to the throne and I will lead you'," Sunset finished with confidence.

"Thank you Sis, thank you for the morale boost," I replied with a small smile hugging her.

"Welcome Bro; you can do this...all things aside I believe in you," Sunset said warmly.

"I only hope to deliver."

"You shall," Sunset replied.

After the actually stirring and comforting pep-talk we went the Rainbow's living room to meet up with the others be they awake or not present but in bed still; naturally we found our mother among the early birds, time was 6:45 AM.

"Good Morning," our mother said softly, "How did you sleep?" she asked; my mother was wearing a simple white-ish pink night-gown that complimented her figure perfectly; to be honest Celestia made it difficult at times to call her my mother.

"Decent; that is until somepony..." I said nudging Sunset playfully, "Woke me up a little early to help me be a morning pony....That may be easier said than done," I finished.

"It took me a while myself believe it or not," Celestia said.

"Really?" I asked a little surprised.

"Before my coronation and ascension to my role I was not a morning pony; it's true I slept in a lot and lounge about, you would not recognize me by personality alone, only by my appearance," Celestia confessed.

"Heh, I guess it makes certain things logical," I mused smirking at the idea of Celestia acting differently than the image painted of her.

"It would," she replied with a smirk of her own as she moved to hug me.

"The others still asleep?" I asked looking of Rainbow & Aj.

"Well what you expect from their....'game' they played at the bar yesterday?" Rarity said politely yet had a hint of disapproval in her tone.

Rarity was dressing in a white with purple lace nightgown with her cutiemark on the bottom or the skirt as did the others, Pinkie was dressed in sky-blue Pj's with white edges and her mark on her pants top on the hips.

"You should have seen Applejack when I checked on her, she was all 'Blah!!' and 'Fwah!!' And-" Pinkie rambled only to by Rarity be cut off with Rarity's hand cupping her mouth.

"Applejack will hopefully be up soon, Rainbow too but she despite not having drunk herself into a stupor like Applejack was terribly hungover," Rarity said.

"Oh dear," Sunset remarked.

"I missed it when you were younger and only foalishly foolish," Tia said a little disappointed.

"Sorry about that," Rarity said looking guilty.

"You all are not fillies anymore, this is expected," Celestia simply said in reply.

"Still, as matured mares we should know better," Rarity remarked.

"True; but we all were foolish in our youth," Celestia replied.

"True dat," Rainbow remarked groggily making her entrance; Rainbow was sporting instead of the Pj's shown was in shorts with matching sleeveless tank top a darker shade of her blue fur/skin.

"Hey Rainbow you're awake," Sunset remarked.

"Yeah I am," Rainbow said looking half hungover and half asleep, "Heard talking so I'd thought I see what's up," she added.

"You okay Rainbow? You look a little off," I remarked.

"Nah! Whadda you sayin'? I'm- *gags* I'm feeling better," Rainbow said looking a little greenish blue.

"You sure??" Sunset asked.

"Yeah...I'm good," Rainbow replied making a weak smirk.

"Okay Rainbow..." I said giving Rainbow an unsure expression.

"Maybe we should extend the morning to allow you to recover; you and Applejack both," Sunset suggested.

"I think that is good idea Sunset; it also gives Luna a chance to return before we decide on continuing our tour," Celestia agreed.

"Yeah...I needed an hour more anyways," Rainbow groaned head up stairs to her room to freshen up; as she headed up down came the cutely half-awake and messy maned Fluttershy slowly making her way passed Rainbow to give us her 'Good Morning'.

"Morning everypony," Fluttershy said yawning.

Fluttershy was wearing a simple leaf green night-gown the same color as her Gala Gown that hugged her rather shapely form perfectly, she was barefoot even though she told me she owns fuzzy slippers, oh my Alex would have heart failure and a nose bleed.

"Morning Fluttershy, yo sleep well?" I asked walking to give a morning embrace.

"Oh yes, I did; I may not look like I did but I slept pretty well, I am just not much a morning pony," Fluttershy told me.

"That is good; you are just like me I see, unfortunately I have to become one on account of a certain job and the job description," I remarked giving Sunset and my mother a playful glare.

Sunset in response gave me a shrug and my mother simply gave a smirk and fake innocent look; Fluttershy only giggled as she made her way into the living room to mingle with the members of the 6 in the room who slept here in sleeping bags.

"Anypony want coffee? Tea? Or either or?" Celestia asked.

"I'll have some coffee please," Rarity requested.

"Tea for me mom," Sunset put in.

"I will have coffee too," Fluttershy politely ordered.

"Orange Juice for me," Pinkie requested; surprising, Pinkie knew caffeine was not good for her even though she just woke up.

"Tea but depends on the type," I said.

"How about you help out?" Celestia asked.

"I will do that," I consented making my way with my mother to the kitchen; we then left the others to continue their wake up.

"So? Tell me what did you do before making your way down?" my mother asked as she prepped the drinks.

"Sunset told me some stuff, how Luna's meeting might be going, about Parliament...The deadline, Have I ever gave a speech before?" I listed.

"Have you?"

"Once; it was in 5th Grade," I stated.

"Did you do well?" she asked not turning her attention away from her task.

"So-so; granted it was a memorized speech and a long one...But it was in front of a crowd bigger than I ever had, and I think...I may have stage-fright," I said feeling worse as I spoke.

"I see...." she replied clearly showing she was in thought by her tone.

"Is this bad?" I asked sounding nervous.

"No it is hardly a problem; in fact it is an easy fix," she replied calmly.

"How?" I asked eager to hear what she had to give for this; my mother then ceased her actions and turned to face me, a soft expression on her face.

"First: Let us write a speech out, unless you prefer to improvise and say how you feel which would a...no pun meant 'Bold move' it still should be written down," my mother started.

"Second: Run it by us once you wrote your thoughts out and we will determine what is good and what could be improved,"

"Third: After we have your speech planned out and ran through we will think on what to do later," Celestia finished.

"So that is what I have to do?" I asked perplexed, "Is that your plan for what I am doing? That simple?" I asked in addition.

My mother's face only remained soft and loving, as her expression was one of motherly care as she then walked to me.

"Often the best plans are simple; it is hard to believe but that is at times the way it works, I understand you're skeptical," she began even toned moving then to sit in a chair.

"Sit please?" she requested; I then did as she asked and sat down to hear her thoughts.

"Look; since day one I knew this would not be easy, you were ripped from a life you had and only knew as your only life, I did not expect you to accept it at all to be frank," she went on looking more and more soft in her expression trying her best to convince me to trust her.

"I am not the one who raised you, I may be the one who birthed you but even after all this time I know you still question everything and you have a right to,"

"I only want what is best for those I love and care for, you may be my son but it does not imply at all my care is bias,"

"But it makes more powerful, as you would expect from a proper mother; I only hope come what may I can be the support you need from one in my position as Sunset, Twilight, and the others do from theirs; please David...Believe me and the love I have for you," she finished with tears actually building in her eyes.

"The world I was raised is cynical, it trusts very little and is quick to judge harshly and with criticism; humans are as you know bitter and lack of faith in the honest word for fear of betrayal and/or having a hidden catch or agenda," I began smiling warmly to soothe Celestia.

"In fact many would say I was too trusting on the day Red Stationary came to my door that July day, even go so far as to say 2 weeks was not enough to let things sink in and accept it before your visit came...but I did go an extra mile to have further proof confirmed and it panned out,"

"But I guess it is high time I help justify those nitpicks, they may not accept them and to be honest not everything has to make sense, somethings cannot be explained, rationalized, or put into a box all summed up," I expressed showing strength I had not felt in a while.

"But dammit all this is an example that somethings come from the heart and cannot be faked, faith is based yes on trust, but it involves pure belief in something greater than what can be explained,"

"Greater than things that are 'weak' or 'make no sense'; what we believe does not make sense and will by in large cannot be understood and will never in this world in this life be understood in full,"

As I spoke Celestia at first was of interest and ease interested in what I had to say; as I went on further she looked surprise what I was speaking then became what I could say is proud and moved by my passion and conviction.

"It is for this I accept you mom, I understand your intentions and believe in you..." I said tearing up myself.

"I want to believe, I for too long had mistrust and cynicism toward trusting others and God in the decisions made for me in my life; my mistrust has only hurt me, got me in trouble, and proved that I cannot do things on my own,"

"I love you mom, I trust you; and I am eager to do this and prove I can be a prince, prove I can be a leader, and prove I can take charge of my life and know when to take action and also ask for help," I finished place my hands on Celestia's.

Celestia could only sit there after what she heard, she just smiled and was in tears of joy as she could only then hold my hands with loving care; she seemed for a moment unable to find her voice but she in all honesty did not have to say a word, I knew how she felt, but eventually she pulled me in for an embrace then said softly with her voice cracking.

"I'm proud of you; I think you will be ready my son," she said warmly.

"Thanks mom," I replied feeling actually better about myself; the moment was shortly 'ruined' by the whistle of a kettle indicating the water was ready to make the tea at least.

Not only that but soon a rather amazing version of the scent of coffee hung in the air as well officially starting the day.

"I had better make the tea and coffee," Celestia said wiping her eyes standing up.

"Here is where I help," I stated.

"Indeed," she replied warmly.

The two of us then prepared the drinks ordered by the girls awake with the intention of serving the ones yet to awake, eventually coffee was brewed, tea was served, and juice poured before we headed back to the group.

Upon arrival we were greeted by 2 more guest, Rainbow and now awake and looking a little worse-for-wear was a badly hungover, messy-maned, slightly pale Applejack; time was 7:45 AM.

"Heloo Applejack, hope you are not too bad," I said softy to prevent giving Aj a headache atop her existing one with a loud voice.

"Hey-*gag* Hey there David," Aj said weakly.

"Maybe coffee will help you, once you can down it without vomiting it," Celestia said as she served the drinks to their respective 'customer'.

"M-Might help...." Aj replied.

"Me too, I could use one I'm good enough; I can sip it gradually," Rainbow requested.

"I can get you a cup Rainbow," I offered.

"Thanks dude you're awesome," Rainbow said laying back in her couch as was Aj to take stress off her headache.

"My pleasure," I replied making my hasty withdraw to get Rainbow some 'joe' to help her out of her hangover; after a quick venture I made my return and handed her the coffee.

"You are a life saver..." Rainbow said gratefully taking her mug and sipping it gingerly immediately even though it was still freshly hot.

"You are welcome Rainbow; that should help; I hope you will be better in a little while more Aj," I remarked.

"Just give me another hour," Applejack uttered weakly.

"No hurry," I replied finding a seat to enjoy the tea I decided on for myself.

"Any idea when Luna will be?" Rainbow asked.

"It could be anytime between 10 and Noon," Celestia answered.

"She can take her time; 1 cause it will make things for me easier, 2 because it will give her time with my maybe soon-to-be uncle?~" I remarked.

"True~ She promised Nightshade something upon her return," Celestia giggled, "Also I agree, she will probably make good use of her meeting with Graceful-Pen," she added.

"I hope as much ground and more than what I covered," I said.

"I think she has David, Graceful-Pen is not an issue to take time to deal with," Celestia remarked.

"I know...I have a snake pit to wow.....Parliament," I replied.

"I know you have a hidden snake charmer in you David, you're sure to get Parliament off you with ease," Rarity cooed sipping her tea.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Twilight said making her way into the room.

"Morning Twilight," Celestia said turning her attention to Twi.

"Morning," Twilight said evenly having a hint of sleepiness remaining.

"Oh come on Twi, David's got this!" Rainbow said more energetically.

"It is one thing to plan, then it's another to put toward action; David has to actually make the effort to determine whether he will succeed," Twilight explained making her way to the kitchen.

"We established that too Twilight," Sunset informed.

"Good, but first things first; I want my coffee," Twilight said as she slumped onward to get her drink invoking laughter or soft chuckle from the rest of us.

"So when we finally wake up and Luna gets back, what's the plan?" Rainbow asked.

"Well.....We saw Ponyville and Cloudsdale, so what's next?...." Celestia mused in thought.

"I think we covered everything; as short as it was I think we covered all we can of a secret-ish tour," I said.

"You know?...I think you're right David," Sunset said, "Boy that was fast....I guess we should have known that since day 1," she added.

"Nothing wrong with that, I got a sense of my native land in a tidbit," I stated with a smile.

"Yeah but I think it should end with something to remember," Rainbow suggested smirking.

"Like what Rainbow? I think he had a more than memorable experience to take home," Rarity replied dryly.

"Indeed, 2 hungover mares is more than enough," Twilight remarked with annoyance.

"True but I feel he deserves a better experience than that," my mother insisted.

"Mom, girls? Please; no need for that, you all gave me a great time and I thank you greatly for it, you gave me the most welcoming tour of a new home one could ask," I began.

"It made my move from a world I was familiar with, to a foreign one less daunting and frightening; you made me feel at home and I cannot ask more of you, thank you everypony, thank you," I finished warmly.

"You're welcome dude," Rainbow said showing clearly she was touched.

"Thank you darling, I'm please we made an impression," Rarity chimed.

"You're welcome David, I'm happy you're happy," Pinkie added.

"I only hope we can have nice days ahead of us after all this is over," Fluttershy said with a hopeful tone.

"Yer goin' to be a good Prince David, just stay strong," Aj said a little stronger now seeming to snap out of her stupor.

"On behalf of everypony I say you're welcome too," Sunset summarized with an embrace.

"Cool; now that everypony is present, Breakfast anypony?" I asked, all agreed except for Aj who's response was 'Not yet please' and some more chuckles.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Comments

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

And that's why you don't get drunk, you're gonna end up with a monster of a hangover!

[Buckeye49]

6836593 That is true.