Chapter 10 Remembrance, road trip and vacation plans
Chapter 10 Remembrance, road trip and vacation plans.
Canterlot, Canterlot castle, Royal palace...
The Royal palace of Canterlot castle was an amazing sight to look at. Even some of the locals never grew any less amazed when looking at it, while to few it eventually became a normal sight. These few included Celestia, the Princess of the sun.
Said princess was now heading to the different part of the castle, after finishing up the early day-court, which had concluded plenty of the whining sect of nobles, trying to worm themselves more power or money. Someponies just never learn to be better, despite her best efforts.
One of the biggest inner problem in her reign recently had been trying to make the bishops of the, now once again re-named, Church of the Two Sisters to change plenty more of their tenets into more tolerable direction. She even had to twist plenty of hooves to even get the name back from the Celestial Cathedral, which had been the name of the church since the Nightmare Moon incident. The name change back then had hurt her emotionally, but was necessary to keep the peace at the time.
It had been made somewhat harder keep the peace when an another church had emerged, using the name Chapel of Faust, led by the son of the dead Archbishop Zealous Soul, Zealous Spirit, who managed to carve out his own sect of very humble followers from many races, which in turn caused them to be more anonymous in their memberships to avoid the major ire of the Cathedral higher-ups and their followers. Sadly that faith discriminatory was still a slight problem among some of the populace even to this day.
And then there was the singular harassing monster appearing randomly, during her lone reign. Seemingly out of nowhere, a gargantuan serpent-creature had appeared and started attacking several of the churches, starting some time before the Nightmare incident and it kept happening often enough to not be just a coincidence.
Said monster according to many of the old reports said that 'it has a snake-like face, with bright red eyes, numerous fangs, and many hook-like spikes along its body which start out clustered around its head and neck, and becoming more spread out along its long body, with a small cluster near the tip of its tail, which is topped with a pair of red barbs'.
Celestia had not seen it in pony, due to it always leaving before she arrived to the location, to only find a completely destroyed church building and plenty of shocked ponies, telling tales of the monsters sudden appearance, it's flaming breath, using the coils of it's body to crush the buildings, like a helpless prey and then of it just leaving almost without a trace.
Several more attacks later, some ponies began to look into the attack patterns more, eventually finding out the more hideous secrets of the attacked churches. Turned out that all the attacked churches where all practicing extremely horrific xenophobic deeds, that still haunt her memories, both the deeds and the political sh*t-storm that followed. Even today she kept a secret inquisition to keep an eye on the churches.
After the first big raids, the attack's of the giant snake-monster seemed to grow further apart. Last attack being almost three decades ago, and last sighting in Equestria around decade ago, seemingly keeping its own watch.
Some time after the first reports of the snake monster had reminded Celestia about what certain another serpent had said, mentioning the Snake King Dalamadur, leading her to presume that this beast was the said King.
These thought led her memories to the serpent, who had seemingly called upon this beast to punish the ponies, who had strayed to the very, VERY wrong path.
This serpent maiden had haunted her thoughts every now and then. Naja was the maidens name, if she remembered right, carrying titles she had heard, such as The Serpent of the South, Queen of the Forbidden Jungle, Mistress of Materia, Slayer of Solaris, among few others. She could only guess which ones where true, who came up with them, what some of them meant, while knowing origin of at least one of said titles, which tended to remind her of certain traumatic event from her foalhood...
Long had the said event haunted her, to the eventual banishment of the serpent, and the hard times that followed. The village had driven away any and all Equestrian settlers and visitors, who where either trying to secretly or publicly to get them to join Equestria, which in turn ate up some resources, giving start to the big arguments with her sister over the said issue, leading to even more arguments on other issues, driving them apart... And the lonely years that soon followed...
If Celestia was honest to herself, she had tried planning on how to apologize to the serpent, if it ever returned, hopefully peacefully. After thinking over several thing's during her sole-ruling years, she had come to understand that her late father would have most likely driven Equestria in to a bloody wars, rather than make peace with other nations. She still shuddered when she mentally tried to imagine what could have been, if Solaris had stayed in power...
These days the town of Tanah kahijian, and it's sister town of Southpost where mostly left alone by most of the Equestrian officials. And the towns had mostly kept to themselves.
Finally Celestia arrived to her destination in front of the royal vault, holding great amount of nations wealth and several relics within, held behind nigh impenetrable armored, airtight door, walls, floor and ceiling with no windows or air-ducts, alongside a metric-crap-ton of wards. But instead of that, she headed towards the cleaning closet on the side of it.
And there was nothing special in it, just your usual mop, bucket and other cleaning implements and some extra aprons hanging on the wall hooks there.
After confirming that she was alone, Celestia then proceeded to turn the wall hooks in a certain order. Having now done the combination, the inside of the closet began to move aside, revealing a set of stairs going down.
Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, now before another armored door, this one with special lock with sun and moon theme on it. And with a little spell the door opened, revealing a room full of various relic's. Among them was a rather large sword held aloft in couple of display stands.
It was one of the six blades the serpent, a marilith if she remembered correctly, had held as it's source of power. This specific one had even summoned a gargantuan machine of immeasurable magical power. Her visual memories of it where a little hazy, but she still get's chills when remembering the humongous magical pressure emitted by it's mere presence.
So many years had been spent on trying to maybe wield or harness such power for good of everypony, only for all attempts, which included even an attempt to just melt it, to fail. Even moving the blade without some manner of transportation was not possible. Now it was basically a memento to princess. Maybe waiting for it's original wielder to return perhaps?
Such a returning would hopefully happen only after the sword was made harmless, just in case. The rest where hidden, some even from Celestia as an extra measure, after multiple attempt's to find out their power.
"Remembering those days again, sister?" came a familiar voice behind her, a short glance revealing the arrival of the Night Princess to the relic-room.
"Yes Luna... And some thought's what might have been if some thing's happened differently..."
"Like our father still being alive? You where having a short nightmare about it the other night, before returning to those 'Cakeland' dreams through a mild dreamless phase."
"...Yes. But I still wonder, will she return peacefully or with vengeance one day?"
Luna did not have an answer. Both sisters stood there quietly for a moment, reminiscing those few moment's they had seen the serpent maiden.
"So, what bring's you here sister?" Celestia finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Well, I was just going to visit our old castle, for nostalgia's sake. Then there was this big explosion of fire from the inside, blowing me a distance away by the shock wave it caused. When I finally got there, there was loads of ashy scorched surfaces all around the interior. Especially on one of the doors i the entry hall. I think it was that one door you avoided using."
"That's because that specific doorway had it out for me. I kept bumping into it's sides, no matter how carefully I tried moving through it... Anyway, please continue."
"Yes, as I was saying, there was ton of ashy scorch marks around there, and the door looked like it was blasted from the outside. My guess would be somepony trying to get something big out, since there was a rather large drag mark on the floor."
This made Celestia worry. While the Castle of Two Sisters has been abandoned since Nightmare Moon incident, there was still few relic's forgotten in there. Most of them useless, but still little troublesome.
"Did you see if anything was taken from there?"
"Well... The only thing I noticed missing... Where the two specific large swords, you put on that large shield."
Even though Celestia was already white, she went even whiter after hearing this tidbit of info.
"You mean that two swords of great power, are now at the hooves of somepony of great magical prowess?"
"It's possible. But there is something else too. After returning to Canterlot, I went to check the sword you gave me for safekeeping..." After saying this, Luna summoned the said sword, holding it in her magic.
"Oh good, at least two of the swords are-... Waaaait a minute... How are you wielding it???" Celestia questioned, sounding quite confused.
"Simple. It's a fake." was Luna's answer, while she proceeded to snap the fake sword, revealing it's wooden inside.
"Obviously someone has stolen it, and left behind a very well made lookalike."
"We better look into this. And maybe move this one somewhere else, just in case-" Celestia began with her 'planning'-tone, when Luna proceeded to lift up the remaining sword effortlessly, followed by snapping it in half quite nonchalantly.
"Look's like we might have a hole in security? Or maybe somepony just walked in when all the wards where down?" Luna questioned quite calmly.
"But they never are down. The only time they could have gone down would be... That time when Discord got free and momentarily played around with his magic." Celestia concluded, while realizing that when the now reformed draconequus had turned Equestria on it's head for a short while.
"Sooo... Now that four swords have gone somewhere else, where are the other two? I was little bit out of the loop at that issue." Luna asked, while twirling the fake sword pieces in her magic.
"I gave them to couple of my trusted soldiers back in those days, who then proceeded to bury them. One is somewhere here in Equestria, while the other is out of country. To be on the safe side, they erased the locations off from their memories. So even I don't know where the swords lay now."
"So after nearly a thousand years, they might be somewhere under someones garden, if we're lucky? Or under a tree? A field? Maybe a sandbox?" younger sister questioned, getting a nod for each suggestion. A lot of things could and would happen during a thousand years period.
"In any case, maybe we should keep this quiet for now. At worst, it might-" Luna interrupted Celestia with a very noticeable eyebrow rise. "-WILL most likely causes panic among ponies that someone has stolen powerful relic's. It might even cause a mild, to serious, disturbance with our relations with our southern neighbours."
"You mean the ones that are still rather fragile, due to our shared past deeds done there?"
"Yes, those ones." Celestia admitted, sounding a little ashamed of something.
"And the more problematic nobles? You know well enough that there are more nosy and gossipy ones might fish this out somehow."
"No need to worry. My sources say that Blueblood is not in Canterlot right now."
"Really?? Where he is then?" Luna asked.
"He went on a-"
On the road to south...
"Secret vacation?" Naja said, sounding a little amused.
"Yep, that is my usual cover-story whenever I leave Canterlot. And the best part is, that it is technically true; I'm leaving to have a little me-time with some actual friends." Bluey confirmed, while enjoying some waffles. Even the carriage pullers had gotten some, but declined any extra. Can't keep pulling the carriage effectively if you have too full stomach. Naja had also eaten few waffles, mostly for the taste.
"I guess there aren't that many ponies in the capital that would like your actual friendly company, if it wasn't for the money and connections as a prince?" mariltih asked, while slithering next to the carriage. They had travelled on the clearly less used side-road for a while, until they where across the southern border of Equestria.
Some patrols where dealt with a simple paper check and the vanish-spell.
"Yep. Excluding few cases of actually good nobles, which are very rare these days, my only real friends live in Southpost and it's parent town. Just wishing I could spend more time there..." Prince commented, sounding like he indeed wanted something different.
"Sooo...? You got a lady friend there?" Naja asked.
"U-um... Weell... Maybe..." Bluey stuttered, while blushing. This reaction even got a few snickers from the carriage pullers, like if they knew something little extra. And this caught mariliths attention, bringing a devious smile to her face.
"Oooh. So you got one then?" Naja concluded, still smiling.
An awkward silence followed, until Blueblood finally said "...Yes." in a non-convincing tone.
This only made Naja raise her brow, accompanied by a slight head tilt, like she was sensing that he was not telling everything. She even had a certain "look" on her eyes, the kind that just said "c'mon, just tell the whole truth..." in almost maternal way.
"Ok, two..." he admitted, only to receive more of the "look".
"..."
"Fiine, I have three lady friend's there. We all hang out together and relax whenever I visit my beach house there..."
"..."
"...Well allright. We are all lovingly together..."
"..."
"*sigh**groan*... We all buck A LOT, whenever we find time, place and endurance for it. But we still actually love each other very much."
"There. Now was that so hard to say?" Naja asked, with a sweet tone.
"YES. And you actually just managed to make me tell something, even my aunt has not succeeded in digging up." Bluey admitted, still slightly blushing.
"How is Sunbuttt doing by the way?"
"Quite well healthwise, and her faithful student even ascended recently and her friends helped to solve an invasion of plunder vines. If only same could be said workwise... Last time I checked, some of the more troublesome nobles had been pestering her at court."
"That sounds believable." Naja simply concluded, sounding like she did not have anything special to say about the Sun Princess at the time. And luckily Blueblood didn't press the issue.
"Yo, Bluey! Were about to arrive to the Southpost!" one of the carriage puller called out, making both the unicorn and the marilith to look ahead. And there was a visible large town, with pretty nice looking harbor and a beach.
Clearly the place was great for both commerce and tourism, and it could be seen from afar.
"So, should I vanish again, just in case?" Naja carefully asked.
"I don't think it's necessary. The locals are really tolerant and welcoming to many races. Heck, they even have occasional sea-serpent visitors here. So you probably won't stand out too much." was Bluebloods answer, with the carriage pullers nodding to it.
"Alright then. I trust you in this. But if something bad comes from this, I just might burn your eyebrows." Naja said, while a small flame appeared on her middle-lefty, and with a smile on her face.
"Very well, if it makes you calmer..." Bluey commented, with slight sweat drop.
And so, they started to head towards the town of Southpost, waiting what might happen. Which included not expecting someponies to be coming same way as them... From Equestrias side of the border...
-
-
-
-
At the Golden Oaks-library...
"Twilight, if you keep pacing like that, you'll wear a hole in the floor."
"But I have to find even a little bit of answers Spike!" purple alicorn half-screamed, looking a little bit frazzled, with several hairs popped out, while pacing between piles of books.
Little dragon was not only one who was worried about Twilight's situation. Rest of her friends where also in the library.
"Has she been walking around all night??" blue, rainbow maned pegasus asked.
"Apparently. Can't be good for her complexion." marshmallow-white unicorn, with a well made purple mane, commented.
"Is it because of that snakey-lady Apple Bloom told about?" asked an orange earth pony, wearing a stetson on her head.
"Um, i think so?" muttered pink maned yellow pegasus, with a barely audible voice.
"Did you check that old looking little book in the back Twi?" pink pony called out, pointing at the said book, that looked like a well preserved journal of sorts.
Twilight went almost instantly to check it, flipping through page after page, suddenly stopping at one page. And there was a quite well made sketch of the marilith who had disappeared earlier, leaving Twilight without any answers.
"This sure looks like her. Let's see... Intelligent... Omnivore... Possesses magic... Observed by Starswirl!!? On the Solarian Era?!" she muttered and finally yelled out, sounding astonished.
"Wait. Do ya mean that this 'Naja' lady is THAT old??" Applejack asked, receiving few looks. "What? Just because I live in a farm, does not mean I don't read history."
"Not sure AJ. She didn't tell all that much to Crusaders or Zecora. She might just be a descendant of this sketched one. And there have been some records of rare magical beings of great power, that only reproduce once before dying. And those beings usually have only a hoof-full of members in species as a whole. Keeps the population controlled and discourages overtly violent behaviour." Twilight said, going momentarily in her 'lecture-mode'. Then her legs suddenly gave, making her fall down. All night pacing must have caught up with them.
"Alright Twilight. You really need some time to relax a bit." Rarity piped up, while helping her back up with Fluttershy. "And I just happen to have a perfect idea for it."
"What is it?" Rainbow asked, seemingly curious. This made Rarity pull out several tickets, one for all seven of them. Yes, even one for Spike.
"Special ticket-passes to a well liked beach-resort and it's sister-town!"
"Oh? Where is this resort?" Twilight asked, also curious.
"Why it's in the independent towns of Southpost and Tanah kahijian."
Aaand done. And with a cliff to hang from too...
Also, would like to ask something... What would you call the hybrid child of a pony and a minotaur?
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Fascinating. Though you really ought to go back and edit this, the word "the" does not show up nearly as often as it needs to.
A Lamassu probably, the Assyrian winged bull. Failing that, unguligrade anthro, basic humanoid shape with equine elements replacing the bovine.
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/740e745b-9a46-45e6-b5c6-603a24a22287/daoyoss-87c2e386-9344-45bb-86ac-f4a38879dc67.jpg/v1/fill/w_1012,h_790,q_70,strp/another_day__another_dungeon_by_baron_engel_daoyoss-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9Nzk5IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNzQwZTc0NWItOWE0Ni00NWU2LWI1YzYtNjAzYTI0YTIyMjg3XC9kYW95b3NzLTg3YzJlMzg2LTkzNDQtNDViYi04NmFjLWY0YTM4ODc5ZGM2Ny5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.iFxGOWURoNsHX8JR5wmqKe--WLmz0VvDkq40m6hk1TY
I LOVE this story, I can hardly wait for more to come out!
Good to know Celestia comes to her senses at some point. Shame Naja doesn't know that. Yet.
I see twilight loosing her collective sh*t next chapter.
Shanagins will happen
9550144
That could work, maybe add some muscle to it and a variant with horns of the like, you know bull horns or all three if one the parents was a unicorn and your done.
So Celly read the overlord's list and took the lessons to heart? Good, she might be salvageable yet.
A minopony. Upper half of a minotaur, lower of a pony. With four legs, yes. Not to be confused with the ponymino, with the upper half of a pony and the lower of a cow. No matter the gender
oh boy... i can only imagine the reception she will get... and how twilight will take the truth
i want more ..
so much MORE ...
please ._.
9550144
The first thought that came to my mind was tirek.
Hmm, it's nice to see that Naja isn't holding resentment against the regular ponies of Equestria despite what Tia did... or if she does feel any resentment she's not letting it dictate how she interacts with them. Though I too am curious as to how Naja will interact with the Princesses, and if she'll even care that Tia realized she was wrong? Honestly, I'm hoping Naja will give her a "buzz off".
Also, daaang, Blue's got game.
I can see the whole town stop and look at Naja before someone says "Our queen is back."
a cross between a pony and a minotaur would probably look like Tirek and he is regarded mostly as a centaur
since there are presumably no humans in this world the closest thing would be minotaurs
Yeah, about that
Yeah that might not be a good idea for several reasons, not least of which is Twilight's connection to Celestia
9550925
Maybe
Of course you would have something like that rarity...
9550549
"We found da queen my bruddas." Click-clocking ensues.
9550549
*tongue click* "she will show us de wae"
MORE MORE MORE😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👏👏👏👏👏👏
@ least it's not a shear drop...
a centaur...? ponytaur. mmm, shorter...potaur! yup that one.
More please.
When's there going to be more!?
Good story, I'm fav/tracking this.
9564213
Based on the last two updates, sometime about the ~7th of May.
MORE MORE MORE MORE THE NEXT NOW
DO IT.
Very Interesting story so far. Not overly complicated and not dozens of subplots to keep an eye on. A very relaxing straight-forward read. Looking forward to more!
pleas make more
9605314
Working on it.
9605321
okay whan will you be finished or how match is missing?
Bluey doesn't sound like the type of pony who would use a mare as a shield so he doesn't get any cake on himself. That is my only complaint. If I think of him as an OC and not as Blueblood, I like him.
Did Naja just forgot everything about MLP?