Chapter 10
Chapter 10: The Fall of Blueblood.
***
"I'm so sorry," said Rarity, putting a hoof on Blueblood's shoulder.
Despite the years, she could see the memory was still very painful.
A few tears trickled down Blueblood's face.
"He was my best friend. To lose him so fast... Well it hurt me deeply. That's when I really started to change."
"Are you okay going on with the story?" asked Celestia, "I can finish it for you."
"No," said Blueblood, breathing deeply, "I'll be okay."
Rarity looked over at Pinkie Pie, expecting her to burst into tears or hand Blueblood a cake.
But the pink mare sat there with the most solemn look she'd ever had on her muzzle.
"You aren't going to hug him or something?" she whispered.
"Shhh," replied Pinkie, "Rarity, there's a time to be silly," she held aloft a stuffed manatee, "And there's a time to be serious. This is no time for party cannons."
Rarity stared at her friend, shocked at her maturity.
"Well," continued Blueblood, "After Stormwing died, I didn't really know what to do. I went to the funeral and then returned home. I'll never forget how sad poor Lily was."
***
"Blueblood?" asked Celestia, poking her head into her nephew's room.
He hadn't left his room since he got back from Manehattan a week ago.
"Are you okay? Do you wanna talk abou-"
"No."
Celestia bit her lip.
It's not good for him to just sit in there dwelling on what happened.
"Do you want to come out for dinner?"
"No,"
"Are you sure? Chateaubriand made your favorite, apple fritters."
Ooh, she thought, grimacing, I shouldn't have said that.
***
"Wait just half a tic," said Applejack staring at Blueblood, "Your favorite food is... Apple fritters?"
"Yes."
"But at the gala you said-"
"Studious always made the best apple fritters. After Stormwing's death, they just... reminded me of him."
"Oh," said Applejack, "I guess I should've considered the menu more."
"You couldn't have known. Don't worry about it."
***
"I'm fine Auntie," said Blueblood, closing the door, "I just want to be alone."
It can't be healthy for him to be alone all the time, thought Celestia, Maybe he should spend some time with his friends. I'll have to talk to Silver Dollar. Maybe I should be more cheery too.
"Why do bad things happen to nice ponies?" asked Blueblood, staring at the card Lily had made for him when they'd first met.
"Blueblood!" said Celestia, bursting into the room and opening the curtains, "You need to get ready! Your friends want to meet you-"
Blueblood's face lit up.
Stormwing's family?
"-at the Wonderbolt's derby!"
Oh.
Blueblood sighed.
Silver Dollar and everypony else. Great.
"So get dressed and ready. You need to eat something too. By me, you're almost as thin as a rail."
What's with her? She's so... Bright.
"I had your suit pressed and a nice, nutritious breakfast is waiting for you. Hurry up before it gets cold."
Celestia left the room, and with her went about ninety percent of the energy.
Blueblood sighed and dragged a comb through his bedraggled mane.
She must have been trying to cheer me up.
Blueblood showered and put on his suit.
After a nice, nutritious, (though somewhat cold) breakfast, he left for the derby.
"Blueblood," said Silver Dollar when he got to the box, "So good to see you again. I'm terribly sorry about your friend."
Blueblood narrowed his eyes.
The only thing he hated more than his aunt trying to cheer him up was fake sympathy.
"I'm glad that you came though. Last time we saw each other, you were about to tell us about the fall festival. Not to be insensitive, but you kind of left us on the edge of our seats when you left."
"You remember last year's festival?" asked Blueblood.
"Yes?"
"Picture the exact same thing and you'll have this year's festival."
Blueblood sank into a chair and examined the racer list with fake interest.
Silver Dollar watched him for a few moments, until more ponies arrived and he was lost in meaningless greetings.
Stormwing was so much better than them, thought Blueblood, And now he's dead. These ponies are dull as dirt and they all live to ripe old ages. How is that fair?
He watched the influx in high society ponies that meant absolutely nothing to him.
I guess the moral of this ordeal is never get to close to a pony cause sooner or later they'll die, thought Blueblood, Which is great for me since none of these ponies even WANT to get close to me.
***
"Wait a second," said Rarity, "That's the conclusion you came too? How in the hoof would you think anything so dumb?"
When she saw Blueblood smile and shake his head she quickly reiterated, "What I meant was, how did you come to that decision because it seems so... unlike you."
Blueblood laughed.
"It's okay Rarity, it was dumb of me. But have you ever lost anypony you really cared for? You can think some crazy things. Plus, this wasn't exactly a new thing for me. It was really a bit of my father speaking to me. I knew I was wrong, but I really didn't want any new friends at that moment. So I just told myself lies that friendship wasn't worth it."
Twilight's eye was twitching at this point.
"Uh... no offense," said Blueblood.
The Princess of Friendship nodded and grabbed Pinkie almost like a security blanket.
"Now, Rarity," said Pinkie, "Is a time to hug."
"So," said Rarity, turning her attention back to Blueblood, "That's when you really drifted away from everypony?"
"Yes," said Blueblood, "And it's really easy to get lost in Canterlot high society. You live this life you think is important but in reality, when you look back on the day, you see that all the parties and boat christenings aren't really fulfilling you."
"I know the feeling," said Rarity, "I learned that lesson a while ago. All that... stuff just can't replace true friendship."
"Yes," said Blueblood, "For a while, Auntie tried to spend time with me, but after trying for so long, she just gave up and went back to her royal duties. And since nopony else held me up to standards well, I became the um, 'snerk' you knew before."
"So when did things start to change back for the better?" asked Rarity.
"You don't want to hear the riveting tale of the hundred or so years I spent being the pony everypony should know?"
"Um, not really."
"I understand. Well, that happened the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, with you actually."
"Me?"
"Yes, I'll explain. You see, ever since Luna was reformed, Celestia had had more time to spend with me. She had, of course, noticed my behavior change and wanted to improve my attitude on life but I really didn't care what she thought. All those years of nopony to be held accountable to had really taken their toll on my respect for my aunt. But that night, Celestia saw a side of me she really hated and decided to have another go at changing my attitude."
***
Blueblood looked through the sea of ponies.
His aunt's word's rushed through his mind.
I'm sick of this pony, I want my nephew Blueblood back. Is he still there?
I'm not a colt anymore Auntie!
What is so foalish about treating ponies as equals? I'm serious Blueblood, I want to see a change.
Blueblood rolled his eyes.
Nothing would change, nothing ever did. This was Canterlot. Another gala. Just like all the other ones.
Oh well, might as well mingle.
He walked around the ballroom for a while, chatting and hobnobbing with his 'friends' until he got tired and decided to go out into the rose garden.
He noticed behind him followed a lovely white unicorn in a stunning pink gown.
Blueblood knew what she was after.
Yet another star-struck mare head over hooves in love with me, he thought, How predictable.
He was constantly having to tell mares that it wouldn't work out for some-such reason and that he had royal duties that would interfere with the relationship.
They were all lies of course, but they kept the mares at bay.
Maybe I can have some fun with this one, he thought, smiling coyly.
She played it cool and walked over to sniff a rose, pretending that was the sole purpose for her coming outside.
Blueblood decided now was perfect for his opening line.
"Well hello. I am Prince Blueblood," he said, walking over to the lovely, white mare.
"I am Rarity," she said, giggling under her breath, "Oh my what a lovely rose."
What a sap. This'll just kill her.
"You mean," he said, bending down and picking it up in his teeth, "This rose?"
He held it in front of her til she was thoroughly charmed, then he bit off the stem and inserted it into his coat.
Blueblood tried to hold in his laughter as her face fell.
"Thanks. It goes with my eyes."
Rarity looked bewildered but not willing to give up on her fantasy.
I'll just have to try harder.
***
"Wha- You- You were trying to be a pain?!" Rarity said in shock and amazement, "Why would you-"
"Consider my character at the time," said Blueblood.
Rarity thought for a moment.
"Yes, I can see you being that much of a jerk."
***
Blueblood's mind raced with ideas on how to give Ms. Rarity a clue he didn't like her.
I must admit, she is more persistent than the other mares. Most would have given up when I didn't offer her that seat out in the garden.
But he could hear her whispering to herself and he knew she was getting annoyed.
Blueblood spotted a puddle in the middle of the ballroom and smiled.
Perfect.
"Ms. Rarity," he exclaimed, throwing his hoof out to stop her, "Stop!"
"Oh, Prince Blueblood, she said, batting her eyes, "How chivalrous."
"One would hate to slip," said Blueblood, slipping out of his normal speech and into a more formal tone.
"Yes," said Rarity, giggling, "One certainly would."
"One's cloak should take care of the problem."
"Oh, of course it will."
Blueblood and Rarity stared at each other as Blueblood let it sink in.
Then, he took her cloak and threw it into the puddle and walked over it.
He held back laughter as Rarity followed and muttered rude things under her breath.
Blueblood walked into the ballroom again, the door opened by his marefriend for the night.
She is very... hmm, the correct word would be... persistant? Annoying? Tenacious?
Blueblood's thoughts were cut short when he saw an apple cake, presumably made by the country pony, sailing through the air towards him.
Thinking quickly, Blueblood grabbed Rarity to shield himself from the falling cake.
This will get her for sure.
Rarity turned towards Blueblood, her face red with anger.
Here it comes, thought Blueblood, better act surprised.
"You sir are the most UN-CHARMING prince I have ever met! In fact the only thing ROYAL about you is that you are a ROYAL PAIN!"
One last remark, as insurance, Blueblood thought. But in reality, he was just having fun at this point.
"Ah, stay back," he whined, "I just had myself groomed!"
"Afraid to get DIRTY?!?!?!" screamed Rarity, keeping on the offensive.
She shook herself off, splattering cake all over him.
Blueblood stood up and walked backwards to get away from the mad mare. By accident, he slipped on some cake frosting and hit a statue of Celestia, making it sway back and forth.
A rainbow-maned pegasus tried to catch it but ended up making more of a mess by knocking down several pillars.
Thank Celestia they're for aesthetics and not structural, thought Blueblood.
Celestia and her personal protege entered at that time and stared at the carnage.
Blueblood could just picture what his aunt was thinking.
Abruptly, the door to the garden swung open, letting in a barrage of animals and an insane, yellow pegasus.
"You're going to LOVE ME!" shouted the crazed mare.
Utter pandemonium broke out in the ballroom.
Blueblood looked and saw Rarity and her companions run out the door.
"Blueblood," said a voice from behind him.
He looked to see his aunt glaring at him.
"What?" he asked, "I didn't cause this. It was that looney pegasus and her animal cohorts."
"You played a hoof in this. I can tell. And you've been annoying that unicorn all night."
"She wouldn't leave me alone."
"That does not give you free reign to treat her like garbage. And don't think that your royal status puts you above her."
But I am above her, thought Blueblood smugly.
"I haven't said a thing about your behavior in a while, I know that, but I think it's time I intervened. Now go wait in your room while I go talk to Twilight and her friends."
Celestia left and Blueblood followed a ways behind, keeping out of sight.
I'm not a foal anymore Auntie, he thought, I'll go wherever I want, whenever I want. I'm a prince.
Blueblood arrived out of breath at the donut shop. He had had to run to keep pace with his winged aunt.
He looked in the window and saw his aunt and a baby dragon plus Ms. Rarity and the five other ponies she had come with.
They were laughing and talking.
It seemed very...
Nice.
An memory flashed through Blueblood's mind that he hadn't thought about in a while.
It was of his dinner with Stormwing's family.
They were laughing just like these ponies now.
What if?
Blueblood shook his head.
Friendship was a waste of time. He had had a best friend and despite his friend being the most wonderful pony in all existence, he had died.
Well, he thought, there doesn't seem to be anything interesting happening here. I suppose I'll go take a bath.
Scowling, Blueblood turned around and galloped back to the castle.
"Blueblood?" asked Celestia, peeking around her nephew's door, "May I come in?"
"Of course."
What will it be this time? thought Blueblood, smirking, She's already taken away chariot privileges from me once this month. Oh perhaps I'll have to work in the gardens like last time?
That had been easy enough. Bribe some castle guards and servants and soon enough he had plenty of ponies doing his work for him and Celestia was none the wiser.
"Blueblood, I was quite disappointed with you this evening," said Celestia, launching into the same speech Blueblood had heard since Princess Luna had returned, "Your behavior embarrassed all of the Royal family. I thought I told you that being a royal doesn't mean you can treat other ponies as inferior."
Even if they are.
"And I have decided on your punishment."
Blueblood rolled his eyes.
"You will work on a rock farm for six months without being allowed to come back to Canterlot."
Blueblood's jaw dropped.
"S-s-s-six months?" he cried, "Auntie, that's insane! Where in the hoof did you get six months!?!?!"
"Perhaps you'll think better next time you are tempted to act out. You leave next week."
Celestia left the room, letting her nephew sit there and think.
It was several minutes before Blueblood managed to pick his jaw up off the floor.
***
"I hate to say it," said Rarity, "but I do think you kind of deserved that."
"I did, didn't I?"
"I felt he needed strong discipline," said Princess Celestia, "That's why I send him to Igneous Rock Pie and his family. I also felt he needed some strong role models."
"Hey wait," said Pinkie, "Igneous Rock Pie is MY FATHER!!!!!!"
"Yes Pinkie," said Celestia, "He was also Blueblood's boss for six months. And did Blueblood work hard."
***
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Well, we now know why Celestia gave Blueblood that look in the first or second chapter. I know six months at a rock farm was only going to piss him off and resist changing his attitude even more. So, I can't wait to see what happened that made Blueblood want to change.
I just realized something. Wouldn't that be around the time Trixie showed up at the rock farm?