Changes Of Heart and Soul

by Tohshi

Chapter 9

I woke the next morning back in my room in the middle of the private area of the castle. Aegis Heart was still sleeping in the other bed. I couldn’t tell what time it was and I didn’t want to wake Aegis up again in the middle of the night. So I just rested waiting for Aegis to wake up himself.
My wait was interrupted when the door swung open and in walked Rarity. She was carrying a bag with her in her magic. Fiddling with my cloak I made sure I was covered up. Rarity turned on the light with her magic and caused Aegis Heart to jump to attention again. I winced at his jumping. This had been the second time he had woken like that.
“Sorry to wake you like that, Aegis,” said Rarity. “I have some good news for you Zoe. I have finished my first piece of clothes for you. It is a simple tunic but hopefully that will work a little better than that dreary cloak.”
She pulled out a lilac colored tunic that looked a bit too big for me. Rarity handed it to me and I turned around to face away from Aegis and Rarity. I slipped off my cloak and put on the tunic. As I expected it was pretty baggy on my but it covered me up in all the right places. I felt better already. That and I could use my arms without exposing myself.
“Thank you Rarity,” I said.
“Come over here so I can see if I need to make any adjustments for the rest of them,” said Rarity.
Coming over, I stood in front of her. She had me move my arms around every which way they could including crossing them across my chest. The tunic was more than big enough for me to have free range of motion. It might be a bit too big and definitely made me look a child wearing this though I didn’t care.
“Hmm, I can go smaller for the rest of them,” said Rarity. “You need something that looks like it was made for you not a hand me down. What do you think, darling?”
“Um,” I said. “It is fine. It works for what I need it too. I kinda like the bagginess as it sorta flows nicely. I like how long it is as it covers up all of my skin and a bit more.”

“It sounds like you are going to love the dress I have planed for you. That one will take a while longer though I want to make it perfect. That and it would be nice to see if you grow any,” said Rarity.

“Do you think I’ll grow?” I asked.

“If your lower half is to go by, then probably a little bit,” said Rarity. “Mind you it wouldn’t be too unusual for you to be a your full height. But with your unusual nature I can’t really say for certain. Do you remember anything about humans and them growing up?”

“No, I only remember the fall,” I said quietly. I pushed against the memories trying to stop them from taking over. It was no more useful than trying to stop the tide. They washed over me and my everything was in them. The rushing of the wind, the feeling of panic overcoming me, the crunch my legs made when I hit.

The memories subsided and I found myself being held by Aegis Heart. I tried to shake the sorrow from my head. It didn’t work.

“My apologies, Zoe,” Rarity said. “I didn’t mean to dredge up bad memories for you.”

“It is fine,” I said. “I’m the one who should apologizing. I can’t be asked a simple question without freaking out.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” said Aegis. He pulled me closer in the hug and rubbed his head against mine. It must be a sign of affection between ponies but it just felt weird to me. Still the intention behind his actions were clear to me. He was trying to warm my icy heart.

“I assume you haven’t eaten yet. We should all go together. Aegis do you know a place where we can eat in quiet?” asked Rarity.

“I know where,” I said. “I ate there yesterday.”

I lead them to the room that I ate in yesterday only to find Princess Celestia was already in the room. We all stopped at the door uncertain what to do before she turned to us.

“Come in. I could use some company this morning,” said Princess Celestia. “Besides I want to spend some time with my newest sister. Luna told me of your introduction last night.”

“Um, she was just being playful right?” I asked. “I’m not worthy of being her sister. Or yours.”

“If Luna thinks you are worthy of being her sister, then I have no choice to embrace you as well. Besides if you ask me I think you are a fine addition to our family. Now come sit next to me so I can teach you all about being a princess,” said Princess Celestia.

“A princess. Hah. I get to be one to make clothes for the newest princess of Equestria. Darling you simple must let me make you the most fabulous dress now. I hope that you don’t mind if I eat and dash, Princess Celestia. I have so much work to do and I need to get this out before the creative juices dry up,” said Rarity.

“No of course not,” said Princess Celestia. “Here have some of my food the chiefs always prepare much too much food for me.”

“Oh thank you. I’ll just take this danish. I am trying to watch my weight,” said Rarity. “Though I can’t resist a sweet now and then.”

Rarity grabbed the danish and walked out of the room. Which left just the three of us in the room. Aegis Heart seemed stuck in contemplation of where he should be and just stood off near the door. I on the other hand knew where I was expected. I flopped down in the chair next to Princess Celestia.

“So no waffles today. How about some hashbrowns and fruit instead?” asked Princess Celestia. I just noticed the stack of papers that she had near her on her right away from me.

“What is all the paperwork for?” I asked.

“I am just going over the laws concerning title granting. Princesses are able to grant titles or at least my sister, Cadence and I are but the granting of a title such as princess has a bit more to it than just that and I want to make sure that Luna’s actions are properly recognized by the Parliament,” said Princess Celestia. “As far as I can tell it is a large amount of paperwork and has to be approved by the Council of Paragons. Which shouldn’t be a problem if I present them with it.”

“Sorry for all the trouble,” I said. “You don’t need to go through that for me.”

“To be honest this is as much for Luna as it is for you,” said Princess Celestia. “It is good to see her take on a few extra projects.”

I nodded and started to dig into the plate of food Princess Celestia had put in front of me. I had put a piece of fruit when I realized someone was missing from the table. I looked back and Aegis was still standing by the door.

“Aegis, aren’t you hungry?” I asked.

“Uh,” Aegis said. “I can wait.”

“Nonsense,” said Princess Celestia. “Come join us. I am done eating at this point so there is plenty for you.”

Reluctantly Aegis took a seat next to me and started to eat some of the waffles that were within his reach. He kept stealing glances at Princess Celestia while he ate. He seemed worried to me.

“Aegis, what is wrong? You keep looking at Princess Celestia like she is going to yell at you?” I asked. “Wait does she do that? Is there something I don’t know. Aegis?”

Princess Celestia chuckled at my outburst. Aegis on the other hand seemed to loose all coloration in his face and froze in place. My eyes darted back and forth between the two of them not able to put both in my sight.

“Aegis Heart is just nervous around me is all. He doesn’t want to offend me. Sadly there are rumors of my tolerance for mistakes being low,” said Princess Celestia. “Part of the territory of being a Princess.”

“If you make me a princess will people treat me like that?” I asked. “I don’t want to worry people.”

“It is possible but probably not. Ponies will probably always see you in a different light just because of what you are. No if anything being a princess is likely to protect you from any ill wishes,” said Princess Celestia.

“Are people, uh ponies, going to not like me just because I am part human?” I asked.

“My ponies are sadly far too afraid of the unknown and that which doesn’t comfirm to their views. It is a leftover of Discord’s reign over them long ago. I have been trying to make headway into fixing this but it is slow going,” said Princess Celestia. “Still I have made great strides in the acceptance of minotaurs and griffons. Some places are better than others. I hear that Ponyville is doing better after an unfortunate incident with a zebra.”

“Where is Ponyville?” I asked.

“Not to far from here,” Princess Celestia said. “About a half a day’s train ride away. That is where Twilight and her friend live. It was where you were brought into this world. Some of the paperwork here is to make you a registered citizen of Equestria. I have to put a place of birth for you. I think Ponyville is as close as we will ever get to knowing unless your memories return. Technically it isn’t inaccurate.”

“I should visit. It would be weird if I didn’t know where I was born,” I said. “That brings up the question, am I stuck here in the castle?”

“I was hoping to let you recover a bit more before we revealed you to the public however last night changes things. I wanted you to be strong enough to take any unpleasant situations you might encounter in step,” said Princess Celestia. “If I hide you from the public now things will be worse when you do go out into the world so we must act soon. I have a press event planned for this afternoon when Luna wakes so that we may introduce you to the world.”

The door opened and in walked Ensorcelled Quill. Princess Celestia stood up and walked over to the mare. She levitated the stack of papers with her. There was a wordless exchange between the two before Ensorcelled Quill walked back out the door.

“Aegis Heart, make sure that Zoe is made presentable by four o’clock and is in the waiting room c by then,” said Princess Celestia.

“As you wish, your highness,” said Aegis Heart.

We quietly finished the rest of our breakfast. There was still plenty of food left over and I was some what worried about how much waste it was. But again the cleaning mare walked in on us just finishing our food.

“We are just leaving,” I said and I pulled on Aegis’ foreleg. We hurried out the door at my insistence.

“What is the hurry?” asked Aegis Heart.

“I just don’t want to explain what I did yesterday after I saw her,” I said. “What are we going to do today?”

“Well outside of the press meeting later, I don’t know. What would you like to do?” asked Aegis Heart.

“I don’t know. What can we do?” I responded. “It is hard to pick something if you don’t know what your options are.”

“Well we could go to the library or the gardens,” said Aegis. “I don’t really know what there is to do here in the castle outside of those two options.”

“I can’t read so the library seems out of the question and honestly I don’t want to deal with any stares yet and the gardens are outside which means more people, um ponies,” I said. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself? Like you have to have some stories you could tell me. Even if they seem boring to you I want to know. I don’t have many memories and so I want to fill in the blank spots a bit.”

“Okay but let’s talk back in the room,” said Aegis Heart. “If I am going to share stories of my childhood then I rather only share them with you.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I said. “I won’t make you share. Are they unhappy memories? I can understand not wanting to dredge those up.”

“Some of them are but really it just is a little embarrassing is all,” said Aegis.

We ducked into the room. No one was there. Rarity must have been working somewhere else right now. I hoped that she would return before too long. I wanted her help getting ready for the press thingy.

Aegis closed the door behind us. He hopped up on the bed he had slept on earlier. I crawled up into my own bed. It was always much harder for me to get up it than down. We sat there in the quiet for a moment.

Aegis spoke first breaking the silence. He said, “What do you want me to tell you?”

“Tell me about an important moment in your life? Or maybe why you joined the guard?” I asked.

“Okay. I’ll tell you about how I got my cutie mark” said Aegis. “When I was about nine my parents got a divorce. I know weird thing to do but they had grown distant. That and my father was a bit of a drunkard. He had been retired from the guard after a back injury left him unable to work. Money wasn’t a problem just his pride. So one night they had a big argument. It was about what to do with myself and my little sister who was just a foal at that point. Well their argument grew so heated that dad stormed out breaking the door on the way out. He never got physical with my mom but he would break stuff. His words though would almost cut as bad as if he had hit her. So dad left and Mom broke down. She couldn’t even stand up she just crumbled to the ground crying. Upstairs May Flower was crying as the yelling had woke her up. And there I was frozen not knowing what to do. As much as Dad was a jerk I still loved him. I tried to comfort mom. It didn't really work. Well Dad came home drunk. And that is when things went from bad to worse. He started yelling at her about how useless she was because she was just sitting there crying when there was stuff to be done. That she didn’t deserve to keep my sister and I if she couldn’t even pick herself up after a little confrontation. He kept yelling at her and throwing pieces of the kitchen around. Something sparked in me and I erupted in a blaze of magic. I erected a shield between us and him giving him only one way out the door he had came in through. Then I slowly pushed him out. He was just too stunned to do anything and just left. Wound up that he got in a bar fight and spent the night in jail. I didn’t notice but I had gotten my cutie mark. A shield to protect the heart.”

“What happened after that?” I asked. “Who got you and your sister?”

“I ended up with my dad and my sister with my mom. I wish it had been the other way. I haven’t seen my mom in about a year now. We keep in contact with letters though. Dad was hard on me afterwards. Like I was his chance to shine again he trained me to be a good guard though I never was up to his standards,” Aegis said. “No I think I have supposed to be taking care of the heart not the shield.”

“Thanks for telling me that,” I said. “I bet that was hard to talk about. I know I would have a hard time talking about my bad memories.”

“It is fine,” said Aegis. “It is nice to get off my chest. I haven’t ever told anyone else before and I would appreciate you not telling anyone else.”

“I won’t,” I said. “I promise.”

Comments

[ponylover2]

Awesome chapter my friend and I can't wait for the next upload for this story I'll be waiting my friend and keep me posted on the story thanks

[Texus]

“No, I only remember the fall,” I said quietly. I pushed against the memories trying to stop them from taking over. It was no more useful than trying to stop the tide. They washed over me and my everything was in them. The rushing of the wind, the feeling of panic overcoming me, the crunch my legs made when I hit.

To be honest I like that, but I can't tell when it happens to much, I guess she just is like that right now.

“Wait does she do that? Is there something I don’t know. Aegis?”

Is she trying to be funny or is she kind of honestly shocked? I think she really means what she is saying right now.

“I ended up with my dad and my sister with my mom. I wish it had been the other way. I haven’t seen my mom in about a year now. We keep in contact with letters though.

I'm suprised that this guy got anyone, I believe he normally would keep no one.

Well nice chapter. I always want to say the press thing and stuff like that would be overdone, but then I remember she is the princess and just like in real life there are idiots that are interessted in every little detail of her life, because of that the press and showing Zoe makes sense to a certain point. I mean there is nothing wrong with being interessted in their queen, but if I remember it right, there where hundred of people waiting in front of a hospital waiting for her to get her children like they would watch some sport.

[Tohshi]

7874087 I am taking cues of Ponyville and their treatment of Zecora as an example of how ponies treat the strange and unusual. Which is to say not well. Part of that could be because of the relative uniqueness of a zebra to the area. In my story the ponies of equestria are a bit xenophobic. They get allong well with their imedate neighbors (the Griffons and Minotuars) but not so much for any creature else. This is in part due to the lingering effects of Discord's rule of the ponies a thousand plus years prior. Princess Celestia has worked to rid the ponies of this but still it lingers.

This leads me to why there is the press conference. Princess Celestia is trying to make sure that Zoe gets a warm welcome into Equestria and one of the best ways to do that is have a Princess endorse you.

The part you didn't understand was Zoe having a particularly bad flashback to her jump. I don't think I am quite getting that one across as well as I could.

And yes she was being serrious. Sometimes worry gets the best of us.

[Texus]

7875464

And yes she was being serrious. Sometimes worry gets the best of us.

okay I was just curious if she really was that innocent or how I wanted to call it last time.

Not sure if i really got that point across, it is a bit difficult to say how some people mean their comments, but while I thought that way about the press thing in the story, I remembered something and could actually understand her reason.
I mean your right, in Equestria there more or less only are the princesses and they really love them, which means it kind of works the best if she would show Zoe.
However maybe they should tell Zoe not to just trust every noble or think a bit more about what they say.

In the real life I sometimes think it is a bit overdone how they react or act if something is about famous people.

[Tohshi]

So to no one in particular but I have just now realized that I have forgotten Fluttershy in all of this mess....yep