• Published 12th Apr 2020
  • 3,220 Views, 299 Comments

Youngblood - Centurion Pike-Wall



Sequel to The Broken and The Damned. Rainbow's sons spend a year in Ponyville as exchange students. How will the two of them react to a culture so alien to them, and the former friends of their mother?

  • ...
11
 299
 3,220

PreviousChapters Next
21~Decembers Child

December 5th, 3095 Imperial Calender (1522 AD)
Carousel Boutique

Rarity adjusted the lace, before turning back on her sewing machine and attaching it to the side of her latest commission. After she reached the end of the dress, she lifted up the dress, examining it in the light that filtered through the window. "Yes, that turned out perfect. I'm certain that Lyra will love this gift from you, Bon Bon."

"Thanks, Rarity", Bon Bon said, reaching into her purse to pull out the needed bits. "I know this is an unusual request, but-"

"Oh, think nothing of it, Darling", Rarity said, folding the pair of lacy garments and placing them in a cardboard box. "This isn't the first time I've done... Bedroom attire, let's say."

"Let me guess; Applejack?", Bon Bon said, smirking.

Rarity tutted, admonishing, "A lady is entitled to her privacy."

"I'll take that as a yes", Bon Bon said, laughing. She took the box from Raritys aura, ignoring the somewhat dirty look from the unicorn. "Anyway, thanks again. Here."

Rarity took the offered bits, a smile on her lips. "Of course. Have a lovely day, darling." As Bon Bon left, she called after her, "And Happy Anniversary!" Rarity went back inside, shutting the door and heading for the attached kitchen. Her thoughts of a sandwich were dashed as she heard the bell ring. "What I get for not putting the 'closed' sign up." She turned back, hiding her frustration with a warm smile. "Hello, and welcome to-Oh. Hello, Scootaloo."

"Hey, Rarity", Scootaloo said, slamming the door behind her.

"Can I ask why you're here? If I recall, your anniversary with Rumble is in March, and I don't know what else you could need a dress for", Rarity said.

"Oh, I don't need a dress", Scootaloo said, snickering. "I was just seeing if you had any excess gems. One of my earrings broke, and it would be a lot cheaper getting it from you than paying the jeweler for one."

"Oh, of course", Rarity said. "I don't have nearly as big of a supply since Spike moved away, but I should still have a decent amount. Come come."

Rarity led Scootaloo back into her workshop, heading for a large cabinet along the far wall. "Do you have any preference? Ruby, diamond, topaz, et cetera?", Rarity asked.

"Sapphire, if you got it", Scootaloo said. "It's what was originally in the earring."

"Ok", Rarity said in a singsong voice. "Pray tell, why do you need it?"

"Oh, it's DJ's birthday in two days", Scootaloo said. "Rumble managed to get us a reservation at the Gilded Horseshoe."

"DJ's birthday?", Rarity questioned.

Scootaloo nodded. "I just wanted to wear something a bit nicer, and figured the earrings would be perfect. Course, then I found out that one of them was cracked, and that leads us here."

"Oh, it's quite alright", Rarity said, pulling out the requested gem. She levitated it over to Scootaloo, her aura fading as it fell into her wing. "Don't worry about paying me; Consider it a kindness to DJ."

Scootaloo nodded wearily, before shrugging. "Alright, thanks. Oh, and whatever you do, don't tell Pinkie."

Rarity cocked her head at the odd request. However, given what she had heard, both about DJ and about Pinkie, she decided not to question it too much. She said, going through the gestures as she did so, "Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Thanks. Have a good one", Scootaloo said, waving behind her as she left the store. Rarity turned to head for the kitchen, her heart once again set on a pickle sandwich, when a loud *thud* and a pink blur in front of her stopped her dead in her tracks.

"DJ's BIRTHDAY IS SOON!?", Pinkie pie cried in disbelief.

"GAHH!", Rarity also cried, scrambling back in alarm. She then looked up at the ceiling where Pinkie came from, then at the party mare in question. "Just... just how long were you here?"

"Oh, I came when I heard about DJ's birthday", Pinkie said calmly, before her eyes went wide again. "DJ's having a birthday!" And with that, she zoomed off, the door slapping against the wall.

Rarity growled, before flipping the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed' and slamming the door. She straightened up, before sighing. Now, nothing was stopping her from getting a nice, juicy pickle sandwich, with extra hot sauce.

+++++~+++++

"Well, this is an odd request, Pinkie", Shadowlock said, consulting a small booklet his wife had given him detailing the layout of the library. "I'm not actually sure Pryhan birthday practices are in any books we might have."

"Well, could you at least give me something that could help at the very least?", Pinkie said, trying to give the scarred stallion her famous (Or infamous) puppy dog eyes. He sighed, lowering the book so he could look her in the eye.

"Look, I'll help. But you owe me an explanation", Shadowlock said.

Pinkie opened her mouth, looking to object, but stopped when she saw the slate-gray stallions deadpan look. "Ok", she said. "It's for DJ."

"Praetor Rainbow's kid?", Shadowlock asked. "I didn't know his birthday was coming up."

"Neither did I", Pinkie said, starting to bounce up and down a bit. "Which is weird, considering between me, Cheers, and Cheesie, I know the birthdays of everyone in Ponyville! I even learned the birthdays of everyone in Twilight's exchange student program. Again, except for DJ. It's almost like he doesn't want anyone to know about it, and for it to be a private affair. Or, maybe he just doesn't like Birthdays! *GASP*! Well, that just won't do. I'll-"

"Pinkie!", Shadowlock said, cutting off her little speech. "If you're done yammering on, I think I found some books that might act as intermediaries."

"Oh", Pinkie said, her smile turning sheepish. "What are they?"

Shadowlock levitated three books over to him, setting them down on the Librarian Desk in front of him. One was a simple leather-covered book with golden stenciling on it that read 'The Pryhan Spirit'. The second was a book showing several different items, ranging from masks, jewelry, and instruments. It was labeled in big bold letters 'Celebrations and Gifts from across The World'. The final book was another simple one, this one with only the image of a goblet on the front below the words 'Food of the Eternal Empire'.

"Those first two are about different celebrations", Shadowlock said. "The one in Pryhan is, obviously about Pryhans specifically, but the other one might have a few bits of information the first doesn't have. The last one's a cookbook of Pryhan food."

Pinkie reached over the desk, pulling the stallion into a firm hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Can't breath!", he rasped out, causing her to let go.

"Sorry", she said, once again smiling sheepishly. She turned to leave, almost bumping face-first into the subject of her current machinations.

"Oh Celestia", Pinkie said, backing up. "Didn't see you there, DJ. You ok?"

The demigryph shrugged. "Been better." He pushed past Pinkie placing a book about the Hearths Warming on the desk. "I'm returning."

"Course". Shadowlock grabbed the book and began running down a manifest, somewhat absentmindedly asking, "So, anything coming up?"

"Heh", DJ said, once again shrugging his shoulders. "Aunt Scootaloo insisting on taking us out to dinner for my birthday."

"Really? Just that?", Shadowlock asked.

DJ looked mildly annoyed. "Not this again. Same thing happen when I told Flurry."

"What does that mean?", Pinkie asked, hopping up next to him. "A birthday is a great time! You get to do all kinds of fun activities and hang out with your friends! Why wouldn't you want a party?"

"Pryhans do not celebrate birthdays", DJ said flatly.

Pinkie stopped, mouth split into a wide grin. She stood their, frozen, for at least a minute. After that time, she unfroze, before rushing up to him, wrapping him in a hug. His feathers fluffed up, eyes going wide in a mix of surprise and mild panic. "Oh, I can't imagine the horror!" She held him at forelegs length, saying resolutely, "Trust me. I'll make this the best First Birthday Party ever! I'll pull out all the stops, don't you-"

DJ finally regained his composure, pushing Pinkie Pie off of him. He laughed nervously, before saying, "That... is fine. Even if it were a practiced ceremony, I would not want one."

"Why not?", Pinkie asked. "If this is about not knowing what is involved, then I'll make sure that it'll be great!" Not noticing a faint twitching in DJ's left eye, she began to rattle off, "The party'll have Friends, Balloons, Streamers, Presents-"

"MAYBE I DON'T WANT A FUCKING PARTY FOR MY OWN DAMOCLES-DAMNED REASONS!!", DJ shouted, his face contorted in fury the likes of which Pinkie had never seen; even from Rainbow Dash. His eyes seemed to steam as he clicked his beak together menacingly. "Just mind your own fucking business!"

Pinkie backed away, a look of horror on her face. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!"

"I already said I did not want a party!", DJ barked. "If you had a brain, then maybe you could take the fucking hint!" He stood there, panting, before turning and storming out, slamming the door behind him.

Shadowlock and Pinkie Pie stood their, shock plastered on their faces. Shadowlock, after several minutes, asked, "Uh... Do you still want the books?"

+++++~+++++

2 Days later...

"Look. I appreciate it", DJ said, a bag of leftovers tucked into the corner of his beak. "But it was unnecessary."

The five of them walked home from a dinner outing; well, four walked while Rumble carried Speed Streak in a carrier. The street lamps of Ponyville illuminated the dark, causing the falling snow as well as that already on the ground to shimmer and cast strange shadows. Few other ponies were out at that time, most having dinner at their homes or otherwise inside.

"Nonsense", Scootaloo said. "It was our treat. Besides, nights like this are beautiful."

"Yeah. Remember our first proper date?", Rumble asked, shooting Scootaloo a sly look.

Scootaloo returned the look, laughing and asking, "How could I not? You fell on your flank more times than I could count before I convinced you to just cut it out and just head to my parents for Hot Chocolate."

"Hey, I tried. Not my fault I feel more comfortable in the air than on my hooves", Rumble defended. Scootaloo's only reply was a snort as she opened up their front door.

"Anyway, it's still a bit early. Wanna play a board game or something?", Scootaloo asked.

DJ set the paper bag next to the hooks that he and his brother used to hang their cloaks. "No thank you", he said, picking the bag up and placing it on the kitchen counter. "I'm going to get some sleep."

"Brother, are you ok", Depressi asked, worry in his voice.

DJ said, "Yes, I'm fine. Just gonna pray and go to sleep. What's wrong with that?"

Depressi nodded. "Ok. If you insist. But, you wanna talk, you know I'm always ready to help. Good night."

"Good Night", DJ said, heading up the stairs. He was already peeling off the cotton wraps and his sandals as he entered the room, stopping when he noticed something on his bed. It was a baby blue cardboard box, with a simple plastic strip keeping it closed.

DJ grabbed his brothers shaving razor from his toiletries bag, sliding it under the strip and tearing it. He put the razor back and opened the box, revealing it was divided into two compartments. One held a Savillum*, a type of Pryhan cheesecake covered in honey and white poppy seeds. The other was a letter, which he tore open.

Dear DJ,
Don't worry, this isn't Pinkie. My name's Cheerilee, the Ponyville Elementary School teacher, as well as the wife of Pinkie Pie. First of all, I'd like to issue an apology. Cheesie and I talked to Pinkie about trying too hard with you and your brother. We thought we'd worked it out. Again, I'm sorry; it won't happen again.
However, Pinkie couldn't be completely swayed. She and Cheesie still made you the Savillum (Is that what it's called?). Honestly, I love them, but they drive me up the wall sometimes. Anyway, I hope you like it.

Sincerely,
Cheerilee

DJ stared at the letter for a little bit more, then at the cheesecake. He sighed, tears threatening to fall from his good eye at any moment. He slid the letter into a pocket on his travel pack, then slid the box under the bed. He sat down, placing his head on the side of the bed, and took a deep breath. He said, slowly and in a low tone, "Voi Damocles, skaalaa Cosmos ja suojeluskunnan. Säilytä voimani ja rakastamieni voimien voima. Anna vaa'an tasapainon, ja anna kaikkien murheeni korjata sen kanssa. Saanko todistaa olevani lahjan arvoinen, suojelijaltasi toiselle, että olen. Tasapaino." After he finished, he took off his belt and climbed into bed, falling asleep soon after.

Author's Note:

*-Here's the recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpDowZJj0rE&t=378s
**-"Oh Damocles, Scale of the Cosmos and Patron of the Empire. Preserve my strength and the strength of those I love. Let the scales balance, and let all of my woes be righted with it. And may I prove myself worthy of the gift, from one of your patrons to the other, that I am. Balance."

PreviousChapters Next