Ch.9
It's a Matter of Perspective
The loud hiss of a train echoed throughout the station and within a few minutes four guards were out of the train, waiting for a certain prince and baby dragon to exit.
“Spike.” Came a voice. It was modish, full of poise, yet had a certain something to it Spike couldn’t place his claw on. Regardless it was not welcomed in his sleep.
“Spike.”
Spike batted the voice away with a wave of his hand. He wasn’t in the mood for a rude awakening after previous events. Spending most of the ride trying to keep his distance from Blueblood since the young dragon frankly had no reason to show any form of trust towards the stallion, ended up draining him of more energy than he thought.
Eventually sleep did take over him. But that had only been about an hour ago.
“Spike.” The voice issued again, this time the dragon felt himself being shaken.
Spike groaned in frustration. “What?” he asked with closed eyes, his head buried into his backpack that’d served as his pillow.
“Get up. We’re here.” Blueblood’s voice stated. The brisk sound of hooves touching the ground was what followed based off what the young drake could hear but not see with his eyes still shut.
Spike sighed. Great. He thought. “I’m coming.” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes and allowing them to adjust to the light as he opened them. Grabbing his backpack and soon following the Prince, outside.
The four guards that had been waiting, only started moving once Blueblood nodded at them to continue. Spike lazily followed behind Blueblood, unsure of where exactly they were going, but not really caring too much as long as he was able to hop right back into bed after what he’d been through the day before.
Sadly today was going to be full of surprises for the young drake.
Sleep would be the last thing on his mind today.
Upon exiting the station, Spike was much more surprised than he’d imagined he’d be, but Blueblood didn’t look phased at all by the sight before them.
Gathered in a large collaboration of fillies, stallions, mares and colts, were the citizens of Stalliongard, banded together in a form of a welcoming committee. If Pinkie lived here Spike would have reasoned that she was the cause of such a greeting but the truth of the matter was, these ponies weren’t here for him.
They were here for Prince Blueblood.
The fact only proven by the large banner that stated in bright colors “Welcome Prince!”
In all honesty this was the second time Blueblood had rather caught Spike off guard like this. The first was meeting him, but the second was seeing this many ponies actually being happy to see him. They hadn’t even been fully out of the station yet, but he could clearly see the large banner that was waiting to greet this surprisingly beloved duke.
In fact the moment they exited the station’s quarters, after receiving a few bows here and there, Spike had found it somewhat strange they were acting with such reverance but then again Prince Blueblood was a prince, so it made sense right? He thought they were just being respectful till he heard a voice shout out loud, “It’s him!”
“It’s Blueblood!”
“Hooray!”
“Thank you for all your help, your majesty!”
And it continued. The cheers grew louder and louder until it was just a cacophonous bunch of shouts, cheers, and screams from the welcoming committee, by the time the group had exited the station.
Spike was astounded, shocked, and greatly confused. Ponies actually like him? B-But he’s a jerk! Spike reasoned. It wasn’t so much the fact that ponies liked Blueblood that surprised Spike. It was the fact that ponies tolerated him. Even at the Gala, out of many that had had the chance to mingle with the young prince, not all of them had good things to say about him.
So what makes him so different to these ponies? Spike wondered.
However his thoughts were soon dissolved when he felt a force wrap around him, and carry him onto the armored back of one of the guards. A unicorn guard Spike recognized who went by the name, Blurry.
The ganter through the heavily crowded streets was done at a slow place. Rows of officers, acted as a barrier between Blueblood and the ecstatic ponies on either side, while Blurry and three other guards covered Blueblood’s blind spots as he waved and smiled at as many cheering ponies as he could.
While all this was going on, Spike was still having trouble digesting all of this. The Blueblood he’d met at the Gala two years ago, was definitely not the one he was seeing now. Smiling, waving, not being snooty or upstanding. Was this the same Blueblood he’d briefly met two years ago back at the first Gala? The dragon wondered. Or was this some kind of act he was putting up because Princess Celestia would be displeased with her nephew if he misbehaved around the dragon she practically considered her own.
“There’s no way” Spike whispered, still full of doubt. He’s probably just putting up an act because it's part of his job. Yeah that’s it. Spike reasoned. Blueblood couldn’t be this good of a pony. Not from what Rarity and AJ had told him upon meeting him.
But despite Spike’s doubts all these cheers proved otherwise. It made him skeptical. What did Blueblood do here to earn a town full of fans? He was no hero that was for sure. Especially not from the few things Twilight had to say about him on the few times she went to Canterlot to aid Princess Luna or Celestia.
Nor was he a saint, Spike considered when he thought long and hard about what Rarity had briefly said and since then never desired to speak about again.
It bugged Spike quite a bit. But worrying about it as much as he’d been on the train wouldn’t help him in a crowd of cheering fans, so he simply pushed the curiosity away for a later time.
The farther the group moved up ahead, down the street the more cheering they heard, it went on like this for quite sometime, with the crowd even moving to follow after this beloved prince of theirs. Finally after almost five minutes of walking down the road, they came upon a podium, where a rather bulky looking cinnabar colored pegasus with a acid green mane, wearing a light blue tie stood waiting for them.
To Spike’s surprise, Blueblood actually picked up the pace a bit, moving away from the safety of his guards to approach this stallion.
The guards and Blurry picked up the pace to catch up with the prince’s quick gait, while the rest of the crowd that surrounded them gathered behind the officers that cut them off the prince and this new pony.
This pegasus, and Blueblood met each other just in front of the podium, smiled at each other and once again to Spike’s surprise, Blueblood didn’t hesitate to shake the hoof the stallion offered. And what’s more he didn’t look the least bit whiny or even bothered to ask if his hooves were clean.
“How have you been old friend?” the pegasus asked the prince.
Blueblood merely tossed his head to the side with a confident smile. “Wonderful as usual. How are you and the rest of the citizens fairing?”
“Quite well. But we wouldn’t have been able to do it without your help of course.” The pegasus said with a grin. Both him and the prince now made their way towards the podium, that was directly in front of the city no more than a couple yards away.
Spike gaped in confusion. “What is going on here?!” he exclaimed. Though the question was more meant to be a thought then actually spoken.
Blueblood and this new pegasus being already up the podium and possibly unable to hear because of the hints of cheering here and there, didn’t answer. Blurry however did.
“Oh. Right, I guess you wouldn’t have heard.” Blurry said, glancing back at Spike, who still sat on his back.
“Heard about what? Why is everypony so happy to see him? What’s with the fanclub and who’s that pegasus?” Spike asked.
“Easy.” Blurry said gently to Spike, the young dragon was starting to work up a sweat, and he wasn’t even doing any of the carrying. “I’ll explain in a minute just take it easy.”
Spike’s muddled expression, slowly shifted as he tried to relax. He took a deep breath like Twilight had taught him, placed a claw on his chest and-
“Ponies of Stalliongard!” The voice of the pegasus boomed.
Spike wheezed as he choked on the air he was about to exhale that had somehow managed to mix with his spit. Blurry spent the next few seconds trying to put the dragon at ease while the pegasus beside Blueblood continued, completely unaware of the small heart attack he nearly gave Spike.
“Today, we welcome a good friend of ours. Prince Blueblood! Let’s hear it for the princesses’ nephew!”
The sound of woots, and cheers. Stomping and one or two ponies passing out, filled Spike’s ears, as he managed to wince in a breath of air thanks to Blurry’s help.
“Settle down now, settle down.” The pegasus amplified voice soothed after a few seconds.
“I know we’re all excited to welcome back the unicorn that got us all out of our darkest time, but he’s here due to my invitation and I’m sure the prince has a few words to say for himself. Don’t you, Blueblood?” the pegasus said, flashing a grin at the unicorn, who merely nodded with a calm smile on his face.
The kind of smile that had most likely been practiced for years for these kinds of situations. And that smile alone seemed to get some of the mares screaming.
Spike however winced, because one of them happened to be an officer. When two of the royal guards glanced in her direction though, she immediately tried to recuperate what little authoritative image she had intact.
The pegasus waited a few more seconds. Giving the crowd the chance to get it out of their system before he spoke again. Once they were done, the stallion continued with what little left he had to say. “Well then. I see you’re all very eager. Then without further ado I give you, Prince BLUEBLOOD!”
Spike braced himself for the pain he’d be feeling in his ears, but to his surprise he didn’t hear a thing. He looked around, saw ponies looked like they were cheering. But none of them were making sounds.
He did manage to catch one sound though. Blurry’s voice. It spoke to him, but when Spike looked at him, the stallion’s lips weren’t moving. He was speaking to Spike telepathically.
“Better?” the unicorn asked with a small smile.
Spike nodded slowly, turning his attention to the cheering fillies and colts that were around his age, seeing the grown up stallions slamming their hooves into the ground in applause, and watching the mares whistle away in joy.
Was Blueblood loved this much? But why? What did he do to get all this attention? These ponies they. They-
“They adore him.” Blurry finished for Spike. Practically reading his mind, but it was more of a coincidence or lucky guess than anything else..
Spike, turned his attention to Blurry’s gaze and saw him staring at Prince Blueblood who had now taken the podium and was waving at the group citizens now. They couldn’t hear him speak because of the noise cancellation spell Blurry had cast around them. But the guards who were with them, seemed to be paying close attention to what was going on, as the crowd seemed to quiet down and Blueblood began speaking.
“Why do they care so much? I mean. Twilight and our friends, we’ve saved Equestria so many times before but we’ve never had a welcoming committee held out for us.”
Spike glanced back at the now silent crowd that was holding on to almost every word that Blueblood was speaking. Words they couldn’t hear.
Blurry chuckled. “Well. I suppose, they admire him for how hard he worked to fix the issues the former mayor got them in.”
“Former mayor?” Spike repeated in confusion. Blurry merely nodded.
“See that pegasus up there, beside the prince.” Spike nodded, he’d been wondering who that was the entire time.
“That’s the new mayor of Stalliongard. The previous one was impeached for misusing the town’s salary and trying to cover up her actions which ended up doing a lot more harm than good. A lot of ponies here suffered since their whole system was getting torn apart, and quite a few ponies here left because jobs started dropping.” Blurry explained. “That stallion over there is, Mayor Fold, he’s been taking over since the last mayor got kicked out.”
Spike remained silent after Blurry explained the situation. But one question was still bugging him. “What about Blueblood. What’d he do in all of this?”
The unicorn merely shrugged. “I don’t really know. They said he played a big part, but I wasn’t a part of the team that escorted Blueblood here back when things were falling apart. I only know from what I read in the papers, and from what a few of the senior guards were willing to tell us. I was skeptical at first also but, after travelling with Blueblood for the past couple of months since being transferred as one of his bodyguards, I can kinda see why some ponies get the wrong idea of him.”
“Wrong idea? What do you mean?”
Blurry was about to respond, but stopped when he noticed that Prince Blueblood was done talking, and the crowd had begun to cheer again. “Sorry, you’ll have to ask him when you get the chance.” Before Spike could get another say in though, sound once more began to fill his ears, as sound barrier fell and Mayor Fold moved to speak once more.
“Well, I’m sure everypony greatly appreciates your kind words, Prince Blueblood. Now then, we’ve prepared a little celebratory party in your honor. Ah, and I hear the Princess of Friendship’s assistant is here as well.” Fold said drawing everypony’s attention to Spike.
Spike suddenly felt himself feeling under a whole new wave of pressure as almost every eye turned in his direction.
He let out a weak cough, that echoed in the deathly silence that filled the area. Working up the nerve to offer a smile the baby dragon offered a somewhat confident, yet weakly voiced, “Hi” which in turn was responded with a “Welcome to Stalliongard.”
“Alright everypony!” Mayor Fold’s voice called to attention. “Let’s head on into the town square and get this feast rolling!”
The feast was a hit.
Never before had Spike seen such an arrangement of delicious food before, and never before had he found himself so hungry.
Being on the road and having concerns to deal with along with other heavy things that needed factoring in like how he could get food since losing his job, seemed to do a lot to one’s digestive system.
The good news was Fold had told him it was an all you could eat buffet.
In fact there were two really good things that happened Spike considered a bonus. One the food was delicious and he didn’t have to worry about looking bad as he pigged out from almost an entire day of hunger. Two, he was able to get acquainted with most of the ponies that were in on the feast.
A lot of ponies came up to him and asked him a lot of questions. Many about Blueblood, some about what it was like living with the Princess of Magic, and few relating to how he felt about being a savior of the Crystal Empire.
Needless to say Spike, made quite a bit of friends as the hours passed. The ponies here were nice, not too picky if he didn’t want to answer a question, nor too nosy to ask why he was traveling with Blueblood.
It was perfect. Everyone was having a good time. The guards were all together, with the officers in another section of the town square heading off to a bar to have some relaxation time. While most of the townsfolk talked with each other or even tried talking with Blueblood if they weren’t too interested in Spike.
Time went on. The high celestial body that brought light down onto the town, began to recede and make room for darker skies to take over. The hours flew by and before Spike even realized, after he’d eaten his fill, it was getting late.
Fold closed up the whole feast when he realized this, and thanked everyone, Blueblood and Spike himself, especially for coming out here today.
After the party was closed ponies began heading back to their own homes with day coming to an end. Many said their goodbyes to Blueblood and Spike and the mayor who stayed behind, as they left, and in all honesty it was great. Well except for the few parts where Blueblood would turn down the requests of some of the guests inviting him to their place to give them the "honor" of being the host/hostess to a prince.
Those got kind of awkward.
Regardless Spike had to admit it’d been awhile since he’d enjoyed a party like this that wasn’t hosted by Pinkie.
When most of the residents were virtually gone and the guards had returned, Fold decided to show them the way to their hotel.
It wasn’t a far walk. Took about ten minutes to get there, but Spike didn’t really mind since Blurry offered to give him a ride there.
Once they arrived at Hotel Trump, Fold pulled Blueblood aside to have a quick word with him. Blueblood had the guards go on ahead with Spike and he would be in shortly.
Blurry and the rest of the guard did as they were told, but as they were leaving, Spike caught a glance of Blueblood’s face as they entered the in.
That bright smile he’d been holding virtually all day. Faded quickly. Spike had to admit, he’d never seen a pony switch moods just as quick as Pinkie before. And in all honesty...it bothered him.
“Here we are” Blurry said with a smile, stopping right in front of Spike’s room door.
Spike hopped off Blurry’s back, and began absentmindedly walking towards his door.
“Not even a tip?” Blurry’s voice asked with the hint of a joke, just barely managing to catch Spike’s attention.
Spike smiled at his unicorn friend, thought it was rather weak. “Sorry, I guess I just got a bit distracted.” Spike said before turning his attention to the door knob that was too far away for him to reach.
“Um...do you mind?” he asked gesturing with his eyes.
Blurry stared at the drake in confusion, but when he followed Spike’s gaze it clicked. “Oh! Right, yeah sorry.”
A dark blue glow surrounded the door knob and a click later the door was swung open. Blurry whistled, Royalty class was way better than the standard rooms him and the other guards were sleeping in.
Spike however didn’t really seem to care much about the room, its size, the adornings added to it, or the fact that there was a chocolate fountain where a lamp should be. The young drake’s mind was preoccupied elsewhere and Blurry had taken notice.
“Hey. What’s wrong?” The guard asked, a bit of concern expressed on his face.
Spike didn’t reply immediately. He hopped onto the bed first, removed his bag and just stared at the floor for a few seconds before replying.
Blurry’s muzzle scrunched up a bit. He moved a bit closer towards Spike and sat right in front of him so they were on equal level.
“Spike?”
The drake twiddled his thumbs around in circles. “I’m...confused.”
Blurry raised a brow. “About?”
“In the past few months I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. How much I’ve been able to grow as I first started this journey, the ponies I met and what they were able to teach me. And even now I’m still learning a lot of things that....that when this journey ends, I plan on going back and using as an experience and lesson so I can be on equal footing with Twilight and the others.”
Blurry nodded slowly, not sure where this was going, but remaining silent because he could tell that’s what this situation called for.
“I...I think I still have a lot more growing up to do. I mean, before I thought I was mature enough to do a lot of things but, the past few days I’ve went through have shown me I’m not as prepared as I thought I was when I left Manehattan. And even now I’m starting to see that I still kind of have a childish outlook on things, but-”
A gentle pressure touched Spike’s shoulder. He looked up and stared at Blurry’s confused expression.
“Spike. What are you trying to say here?”
Spike bit his lip and fiddled with his claws. “It’s about Blueblood. I, I guess there’s a lot more than meets the eye. I never had any real interactions with him, except for the Gala so I kind of just wrote him off as a jerk based off of other opinions. I didn’t really consider anything else about him, but since we’ve got here I’ve been seeing different sides to him.
“He’s not as snobby as Rarity briefly described, or from what Pinkie told me. And he’s not as well...bratty?” he tried, trying to think of the right word was hard. “As I thought. I kind of just assumed he was just this spoilt colt trapped in a stallion’s body, but coming here I haven’t seen much of that. He kind of reminds me of Princess Celestia, back when I was really young. She had her sweet sides that I always saw but...she also had a scolding side to her that I never saw much of, but was always wary of.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is, I kind of overlooked a lot of things about him and maybe even other things in the past before coming here. It, I don’t know makes me feel a little, stupid I guess? For not realizing it till now.”
It took a minute. Probably less than that, but Blurry stayed silent for awhile before speaking up again.
“Hey Spike?”
The baby dragon morosely looked up.
“Let’s go see what the prince is up to.”
Stalliongard seemed to have two different features. In the day it looked like the friendliest place on the planet.
At night, friendly was the last thing you’d think went on around here. Then again it kind of made sense since Hotel Trump also acted as a casino of sorts at various times on certain nights.
Blurry and Spike exited the hotel and its large arrangement of guests that they hadn’t seen at the large feast earlier today. The two merely guessed that not everypony was willing to stop what they were doing to meet an important guest like the one they were searching for.
Regardless the two stepped out into the slightly chilly streets of Click-Clack road, and looked around the various buildings that surrounded Hotel Trump in search of two particular stallions.
There was no one. Well no one aside from a few staying at certain diners just across the street, Blueblood and Fold were no where to be found.
That is till Spike heard a voice, coming from somewhere down the street.
Not wasting a second, the drake took off after it, his unicorn compadre following in suit. The voices grew closer and louder, softer and harsher, till eventually the two came towards a closed diner that seemed to serve only donuts and milkshake.
Blurry looked around, but didn’t seem to be able to hear what Spike’s sensitive ears were picking up. So he asked: “Spike, what are we doing? I know I said we should look for Blueblood, but-”
“Shhh!” Spike hushed. He moved closer towards another hotel inn. Just above them on the third floor was an open window.
Spike looked up at it, and for a brief second he was sure he caught wind of Blueblood’s voice.
“Can you get us closer?” he asked Blurry.
Blurry didn’t respond.
He smirked.
“So. What was so necessary that you decided to drag me into this hogwash of an inn, just so we could talk?” Blueblood’s voice asked. It was cold. Very cold indeed, practically devoid of all warmth or friendliness the stallion had so graciously offered earlier in the day's setting.
Fold pulled at his tie, feeling sweat begin to make its way through his pelt.
“Don’t tell me you called me here to vouch for her, Fold.” Blueblood’s hoof tapped impatiently, at the drinks they had been served.
“Blueblood please if you would just-”
DINK
The glass Blueblood had been drinking from hit the table hard as the unicorn's magic released it onto the table. “Fold. How long have we known each other?”
The pegasus wings tensed at the question and seemed to nestle closer to his body. His ears dropped, but rose slightly when he offered a smile at Blueblood’s calm expression and spoke: “A year now.”
“Excellent. You and I worked together to fix this place up didn’t we. It was through my efforts and your hard work that you were able to get selected as the next mayor was it not?”
“Yes but-”
“Then explain to me, my compatriot. “ The prince said rather bluntly, his tone stating there would be no room for interruptions.
“Why should I care about that plebeian, you call a sister?”
Silence filled the room.
Fold swallowed.
“I...I-” Fold coughed. He placed a hoof to his barrel, than took a large gulp of water. “Look Blueblood, I know my sister tried to throw a scandal on you when she was in office, and because of her this town did get into a lot of trouble, but she needs help. I haven’t contacted her 6 months now, and the last time we talked she said she was having trouble finding a stable place to stay. She wouldn’t accept my help but maybe she would-”
“Mine?” Blueblood finished. Fold swallowed again, but he nodded.
Silence fell once more.
"You want me to help your sister, who drove this town into the dirt and had the audacity to try and frame you her adviser, after she was caught?" Blueblood asked.
Fold didn't respond, but from what Spike and Blurry could guess from the lack of vision they had in their hiding spot, the pegasus nodded.
A chuckle escaped Blueblood’s throat, that sounded friendly, but in reality was full of contemptible mirth. Blueblood “We are done here. I will be off tomorrow, and the next time you call me here I suggest it be of diplomatic or political matters.”
“Wait, wait!” Fold begged, his voice practically straining.
The sound of movement ceased, then continued once more. Blurry and Spike looked at each other with concern till they heard the prince’s voice speak again.
“What makes you think she’d accept my help, when she couldn’t even accept her own brother’s? I’m the one that got her kicked out of office, and practically run out of this town. Besides, I won't waste my time on that commoner. And neither should. you”
“Now if you’ll excuse me” Blueblood’s voice said with finality. “I have a spa waiting for me in my room.”
A gentle click from the door came, as Prince Blueblood made his exit. His hooves still carrying that graceful step that could only be fashioned after years of practice and presence with the high and mighty.
Both Blurry and Spike, pressed their ears up against the wall of the room they were opposite in, only to hear the pegasus slump into his seat and sigh sullenly.
Seconds later, Spike and Blurry watched Blueblood cross the street back to the hotel, before they finally made their own departure minutes later.
Both had regretted leaving the hotel that very night.
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I like this interpretation of blueblood. He's not solely a complete bastard to everypony, only those that try to mess with him, or those who try reaching above their station. He sees himself as privileged, and so long as the commoners don't mess with the status quo, he doesn't really care, but when they screw things over, then he gets angry.
interesting...
Act, definitely an act, maybe he saw Rarity as being a suck-up/gold-digger, like a whole bunch of other mares who get close to him for his wealth and position and just wanted to mess with her, they had some other stories like that.... Plus, maybe he wasn't too aware that she was the Element Of Generosity, or wanted to teach her a lesson or something.... *shrugs* Bet he cries a little when he gets back to the hotel....
I need more man. Give me them sweet chapters
Is it dead? *pokes with a stick*
Please update.
Will this return?
10165993
I'm hoping to get back to this once things are settled down on my end, short answer- yes.
10166634
Oh thats good to know
Whatever happened to this masterpiece. It was one of its own kind. One of the only self reflective fiction where Spike addresses his identity crisis. I wished this continued.
Can't believe it has been 7 years since this chapter. Will we see another chapter within the next 2 years