The Blueblood Chronicles

by No One and Nobody

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Return to Canterlot and a visit with an old friend.

***

A train of tired soldiers rattled along it's tracks on the way to Canterlot.

Blueblood stared out the window as snow passed by his eyes.

"Are you okay?" asked Celestia, sitting down beside him.

"I just feel... Betrayed."

"I understand."

"What was my father... what was he really like?"

"Well. when we were foals, he was the most rambunctious of us all. If you looked for danger, Luke was right there. Then, after we came to power, something began to change with him. At first he was just a bit of a recluse, then he began to drift farther away from Luna and I until we barely ever saw him. We didn't even know of your birth until he brought you to the castle after your mother died."

"Did you ever find out what made him change?"

"No."

"Why did he want to rule Equestria?"

Celestia shook her head.

"Why does anypony want to rule Equestria? Power, Blueblood. It's a sick hunger for power. And they will chase it till their graves... Sometimes it even leads them there."

"But how is that different from you and Luna ruling Equestria."

"We do not rule Equestria, we merely... watch over it. We look out for the welfare of the ponies and in return, they grant us respect. Lucifer wanted to command, not to watch over. He cared only for his own intentions."

"What if I become like him?"

Celestia smiled and stroked her nephew's mane.

"We are not destined to become somepony because of who we are or where we're from. We become who we are by the ponies we meet along the way and the decisions we make. One can start with the most bleak beginnings and end with the happiest of endings."

Blueblood stared out the window and thought about what his aunt had said.

With my aunt as my witness, I shall not become my father!

"'sigh'. If only I could believe that."

Slowly, icy mountains became green grass as the train sped ever-onward to its destination.

---

Blueblood sat in his gigantic room back in Canterlot. The normally friendly and opening rooms in Canterlot had seemed to him, dark and vast. So huge that he was afraid of getting lost in the seemingly unending hallways. He knew his aunts had tried to make him as comfortable as they could, but he was with strangers. And an unknown restlessness had been bothering him ever since he left the Crystal Empire.

He let out a sigh.

"Blueblood?" said Celestia, poking her head through the door, "There's somepony here to see you."

"Thank you," Blueblood mumbled.

He rose and exited his room.

Celestia looked at him piteously.

"You know Blueblood, we are all going through what you are going through. Lucifer was my brother as well as your father. If you want to talk about it, I am here."

"No, I'm good," Blueblood said, with an emotionless voice.

He was finding it hard to bond with Celestia and Luna who, for some reason or another, was spending more time in seclusion.

"He's right in here," Celestia said, opening a door.

The door swung open and Blueblood found Stormwing standing in the room with what must have been his family. Stormwing's father, a stocky, middle-aged pegasus and his mother, a friendly-looking motherly type unicorn smiled at Blueblood. Stormwing's brother, a lanky unicorn with a messy mane and tail, looked up from his journal of sheet music paper with minimal excitement, bordering on apathy. Stormwing's sister, a small, teal, adorable-looking unicorn, held a card in her mouth which said, in the messy scribble of a foal, Welcom howm Prins Bleublod. The card was ornamented by a glitttery drawing of Blueblood and Stormwing hugging.

"Stormwing!" Blueblood shouted, running over to his friend, embracing him just like on the aforementioned card.

"Blueblood," Stormwing, said, hugging him right back, "It's so good to see you again. May I introduce you to my family?"

"Hewwo," said Stormwing's sister, handing Blueblood the card, "I made dis fow you."

"Why thank you," Blueblood said, opening up the card, "I must say, this is the nicest card I've ever received."

Being the only card I've ever received. Blueblood thought with a smirk.

"This is Lily Blossom," Stormwing said, putting a hoof on his sister's shoulder, "And this," he said, pointing to his father, mother and then his brother, "Is Leather Loafer, Studious and Aneighdeus Mozart."

"Stormwing, quiet down," said a perturbed Aneighdeus, "I am trying to compose a sonnet. I just can't seem to find inspiration. And you are not helping with this whole, loud introduction."

"He's just like I imagined," whispered Blueblood.

"Unfortunately," Stormwing replied, rolling his eyes.

"Hello," Blueblood said to the rest of Stormwing's family, holding out a hoof.

Before he could react, Lily Blossom embraced him in a tight hug, while Leather Loafer pumped his hoof up and down and patted his back.

"Well hi there young fella," he said, "It's nice to finally meet'cha. Stormwing's been talkin' nonstop 'bout you since he came home."

"I,y,y,y,y,y,y,y tho,o,o,o,ught you po,o,o,o,o,o,o,o,nies lived in Ma,a,a,a,a,a,a,nehatta,a,a,a,a,a,a,n," Blueblood said, his whole body jerking up and down as Leather Loafer shook his hoof.

"What's that son?" Leather Loafer asked, "You'll have ta speak up."

"Honey," interrupted Studious, placing a hoof on her husband's.

"Oh yeah," Leather Loafer said, letting go of Blueblood's hoof, "Sorry, didn't mean to be a space invader."

Blueblood tried to cradle his hoof in his other hoof but couldn't because Lily Blossom still had a death grip on him.

"Lily," Stormwing said, prying his little sister off of Blueblood, "Blueblood can't breathe."

"Sowwy," she said.

"I said 'wheeze' I thought you ponies live in Manehattan." Blueblood said, regaining his breath.

"Oh, normally we do," said Studious, "But we've been living in Canterlot ever since Stormwing came home."

"Yeah son," said Leather Loafer, in a thick Manehattan accent, "But we're plannin ta go home tomorroh'. Stormwing wanted ta see ya before we left though."

"Yeah," Stormwing said, "I wanted to give you my address in case you're ever in Manehattan. Also, that way we can write each other."

Stormwing handed Blueblood a note.

"Well ya' gave him da' note," Leather said, "Let's go."

Think Blueblood think! I haven't seen Stormwing in months!

"Great," said Blueblood, "While you guys are here, would you like to have dinner?"

"Oh my," said Studious, "That's very sweet of you, but only if Princess Celestia doesn't mind."

"Please, consider yourselves our guests," Celestia said, smiling.

Blueblood and Celestia led Stormwing and his family to the dining room.

---

"Oh my," said Studious, wiping her mouth with a napkin, "That was simply delicious. My compliments to the chef."

"I'll tell Chateaubriand you enjoyed the meal," said Celestia, "He has a wide array of recipes that will satisfy even the most... picky ponies."

They looked at Lily Blossom licking ketchup off her muzzle and levitating a cookie towards her.

"Ahhhhhhhhh," said Leather Loafer, leaning back in his chair, "Well kids, we bettah be goin' back ta ah hotel."

"But you, uh, just got here," Blueblood said, "You haven't even finished your meal."

"Is there another course afteh dessert?" asked Leather Loafer.

"Umm, yes," Blueblood said, "You must stay for... Cocktails!"

"Wut's tail?" asked Lily Blossom, tilting her head, "I don't eat eggzo... exco... exot... fancy foods."

"Well of course for you it would be a Shetland Temple," Blueblood said.

"Okay," said Leather, as Blueblood levitated a drink to him.

"None for me," Aneighdeus said, "Alcohol dulls the brain and makes it less likely to envision musical pieces."

"That and you're too young to drink," Stormwing said, smirking.

---

"Thanks for the drink," Leather said as he and his family stood from the table, "But we'd better get going. It's getting awful late."

"Oh but I insist you stay for tea," Blueblood said, passing cups out.

---

"Well thanks dearie," Studious said, "But we really have to be putting the kids to sleep."

"But we haven't even had snacks yet!" Blueblood said.

"How do you stay so svelte Princess Celestia?" asked Studious, placing a hoof on her already bulging stomach.

"I don't 'groan' know," Celestia said, with an equally enormous gut, "Blueblood, perhaps it is time for them to go. Luna raised the moon hours ago."

"Why you're so right," Blueblood said, looking out the window, "It's much to late for you to be wondering the streets of Canterlot. Well it looks like you'll just have to stay here. I'll tell the servants to prepare you all some rooms."

"Do you think we could escape out the bathroom window?" Leather Loafer whispered to his wife.

"Prince Blueblood," Leather Loafer said, "We're only stayin' a block a' two away and it's well lit and I think we can make it back to our hotel. So thank you for the invite, but I think we should be goin'."

"Oh but the thieves always strike in the light places now," Blueblood said, "That way they can see what their doing better."

"Then we'll walk in the dark alleyways," Leather Loafer said.

"But they like to strike in the shadows too," Blueblood said, "It makes them feel more mysterious."

"Then we'll fly home."

"Only two of you are pegasi."

"We'll find a way."

"I insist," said Blueblood encasing Leather Loafer's tail in an aura of magic and dragging him down the hall, "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to your family."

"HELP!!!!" screamed Leather Loafer.

"Ah, tragedy!" exclaimed Aneigheus, "A wonderful and often successful subject to compose music about! Lead on my good Blueblood, so that I may be inspired!"

---

"Blueblood," Stormwing said, peeking his head into his friend's room.

The unicorn bolted up from his seat by the window to meet his pegasus friend.

"Oh Stormwing," Blueblood said, in a half-frantic tone, "How is your room? Comfortable enough? Do you need new sheets? An extra pillow?"

"No thanks, you've already thoroughly smothered us with those."

"How's your family doing?"

"I think mom and dad are tying the bed sheets together to make a rope. But that's not what I wanted to say, what I want is an explanation."

"I didn't want your family to stay in some dingy room at a one star motel."

"Princess Celestia put us up in the Canterlotdorf Astoria. That's far from dingy. Come on, I know you better than that."

"I just..." said Blueblood, searching.

How does one put this into words? He pondered.

"You didn't want to be alone, did you?" Stormwing guessed.

"Yes," Blueblood said, slight shocked at his friend's astuteness, "The castle is nice and all but it's so... big. Celestia and Luna are busy with royal duties so all I do is sit around and think about what happened."

"You needed somepony to talk to?"

"Yes."

"Well," Stormwing said, planting his rear end firmly on the floor, "I'm not going anywhere."

---

"So I couldn't kill Celestia," Blueblood said, "So I ended up betraying my father. And now he's gone."

"I know this is hard for you," Stormwing said, "And I can't tell you what was right because well... Prince Lucifer never was my father. I can't imagine my father becoming evil."

"I don't think your father has an evil bone in his body," Blueblood said.

"Yeah," said Stormwing, chuckling, "If he took over the world it would be something like, 'MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!! You will all buy my shoes!!!!!!!'."

Blueblood and Stormwing chuckled.

"I thought of you though," said Blueblood, "When I was deciding whether or not to kill Celestia. I saw you and your family. I decided I was going to be like you. Full of life. I guess I haven't done that great a job."

"Even ponies who are full of life go through periods of grief. Life is going to happen and sometimes it's not good. About ten years ago my grandfather died. I was barely out of foalschool. I cried for days. Then one day my mother said, 'When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.' That made me think of all the good times I had with him, which helped me recover from his death."

"Sadly, I didn't have that many tender father-son moments with my dad. You remember him from when you traveled with us. He was gruff and cold. Always business."

"Then why are you mourning his death?"

"Because I wish I could have had a dad more like yours."

"That sounds more like anger then grief to me," Stormwing said, "Your dad wasn't stellar, I agree. But you can't let that keep you down."

"How can I?"

Stormwing whacked Blueblood on the head with his forehoof.

"HEY!" exclaimed Blueblood, rubbing his noggin, "What did you do that for?"

"It doesn't matter," Stormwing said, "It is in the past."

"But the past can still hurt."

"So? Move on Blueblood. Once you forgive your father, you'll feel so much better."

"That may take a while."

"No matter how long it takes... do it. Otherwise the past will just continue to hurt."

"Thanks Stormwing," Blueblood said, "You want me to walk me back to your room?"

"Okay,"

They walked out of the room and down the hall.

---

Stormwing opened the door to his family's adjoining rooms.

Studious and Leather Loafer looked up from the bedsheets they were tying together. Aneighdeus sat on a chaise lounge writing in a pad of paper.

"We've been discovered!" Leather Loafer screamed.

He and his wife jumped behind the chaise lounge.

"Would you like to hear my composition?" asked Aneighdeus, "I call it, Canterlot Imprisonment."

Stormwing and Blueblood laughed.

---

"Well," Celestia said, "Are you all packed and ready?"

"Yesyesyes," Leather Loafer said, throwing the last of his family's belongings into the carriage that would take them to the train station, "We'll be goin' now."

He grabbed Studious and the kids and they jumped into the cart.

"Let's go before they try to feed us more," he said to his wife.

Blueblood looked at his hooves in embarrassment.

"Leather Loafer, Studious, I'm sorry about last night. I really wanted to get to know your family and I realize what I was doing was wrong."

"Uhuh, well bye!" Leather Loafer said, waving a hoof frantically.

"That's okay Blueblood," Studious said, putting a hoof on Blueblood's shoulder and elbowing her husband in the ribs, "We all can over react sometimes."

"Uh, that's right," said Leather Loafer, rubbing his ribcage, "It was, uh, nothing. I mean... think nothing of it."

"Thanks," Blueblood said, smiling.

"And you are always welcome at our home," Studious said, "So if you're ever in Manehattan, just look us up."

Leather Loafer shot his wife a look of terror.

"Thank you," Celestia said, "And I would like to extend the same invitation to you."

"And Aneighdeus," Blueblood said, handing him five tickets to the Manehattan Sympony, "These are for you and your family."

"The Barber of Ponyville? Why that is one of my favorite operas. This is most generous of you. Thank you Prince Blueblood."

"And here you go Lily Blossom," said Blueblood, giving her a crystal necklace, "This necklace is from the Crystal Empire."

"Pwetty," she said, putting the jewelry on, "Tank you so much."

She wrapped her hooves around Blueblood and proceeded to choke the ever-loving daylights out of him again.

After an eternity and a half, she finally let go and got into the cart along with Aneighdeus, Studious and Leather Loafer.

Stormwing turned to Blueblood.

"Well I guess this is goodbye," said Blueblood.

"Nah, just until we meet again. Now you remember what I told you."

"Yes sir."

Stormwing hugged Blueblood tight and then got into the wagon.

"Until we meet again," he said as the wagon pulled off.

"Until we meet again."

Blueblood watched as his best friend and the most wonderful family he'd ever known, faded away on the horizon.

Author's Note:

The quote Studious tells Stormwing when his grandfather died was from Kahlil Gibran.

Comments

[Frankie2]

Stormwing whacked Blueblood on the head with his forehoof.

"HEY!" exclaimed Blueblood, rubbing his noggin, "What did you do that for?"

"It doesn't matter," Stormwing said, "It is in the past."

"But the past can still hurt."

I see what you did.

"The Barber of Ponyville? Why that is one of my favorite operas. This is most generous of you. Thank you Prince Blueblood."

I know Granny Smith is old, but I don't think she's that old.

[No One and Nobody]

6654887
What can I say, I've always been a Lion King fan. But also, the show itself contradicts itself as to Ponyville's age. In Winter Wrap Up, Twilight says that Ponyville is hundreds of years old.

[Frankie2]

6661736 She did? I can maybe see Ponyville being two or three hundred years old (we have no idea how long Earth ponies live), but around the time of Sombra is pushing it a little for me. Then again, this show has never met a continuity that it liked.

[No One and Nobody]

6663108 exactly. And since the show can't even make up its mind as to Ponyville's age, I call that freedom to choose whichever explanation I like. And I believe Twilight.

[VunderGuy]

"The Barber of Ponyville? Why that is one of my favorite operas. This is most generous of you. Thank you Prince Blueblood."

Ha!

[Zwei]

And all is well, The End?