I am my own OC

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 8: A rocky reunion , a mini Woona, and did you say chicken?

“I suppose I’ll have to reschedule and try again,” I say softly from Cadance’s bed. I’m laying on my back with my hoofs to the ceiling. “Lofty? You’ve been mighty quiet.”

“Princess Celestia apologized to you. - I’m trying to understand.”

“Let's just say that if I am not a genuine bonafide alicorn, I’m pretty darn close.” I let my legs go limp as I turn my head to look at her with my hind legs straight out and my front in the bunny paws position.

“But how?” She can’t resist the smile from the upside-down filly. Namely me.

“Princess Celestia is my aunt. I’m her sister’s daughter. I am Nightmare Moon’s daughter.”

“I didn’t even know she had any actual family. I mean outside of the Platinum bloodline, though I’ve often wondered if the claims that family makes have any validity.”

“I couldn't rightly say. I mean there are some really big gaps in my memories of, well the time before I found myself in the present. If she is related by blood it likely happened after mom and I got banished.”

“You remember the crystal empire.”

“I do. I was maybe six or seven when the Crystal Empire vanished taking my best friend with it.” I offer. “I’d completely forgotten. It’s like something I made up. Writing by the seat of my pants making it up as I go sort of stuff.” I get up, and have a look about the room, and then out the window. “I’m guessing we are on the third or fourth floor above the ground floor?”

“You spooked pretty bad.”

“I just wasn’t ready. The last time I saw her she and my mom were in a knock-down fight.” I go to the bedroom door, open it slowly to discover a small sitting room. There are two doors in addition to the bedroom door. I walk out picking one at random and discover a hallway. There are a pair of guards on watch at the end of the hall.

I decide to close the door and check the other. Cadence has her very own privy and vanity. What, no bath? In my memories of the place, this would likely have been a guard room or government office. But that was back before any of the numerous buildings that had been erected in the past thousand plus years. Back then it was the keep, the first surrounding wall, and a small village. Looking in at the toilet is also all it takes to realize that I'm overdue...

“I get the feeling your getting antsy.” Lofty offered a short time later after I'd freshened up.

“I feel like a cat in a new home,” I reply. “I’m familiar with the keep from the outside, well sort of, but there are buildings that weren’t there and the inside is all brand new. - I’m also going to have an issue with my scholarship if I don’t buck up and face my aunt.”

“Nova?”

“What?”

“Language.”

“Lan… oh! Sorry, that used to mean build up the courage.”

“Oh, alright, but you’re going to need to be careful of what you say.”

“Ponies used to live a lot rougher,” I offer as I head back to the door that opens into the hall. “And let's keep in mind I have to make a conscious effort to use the modern dialect.”

“Where are you going?” Lofty asks as I head out into the hall.

“Well, unless some pony stops me, I thought we might go downstairs and try again?”

“I don’t think it works that way?” She says as she follows me.

“We didn’t even get our hearing. I need to screw up my courage, and face my aunt.”

We continued down the hallway passing several opulent chambers, and came to stop at a large tea room where a unicorn maid and hoof colt stood by outside the room. Hoof colt: pony version of a footman. Inside we found Cadance and Princess Celestia having tea, along with a unicorn pony who appeared to be a secretary whom I wasn’t familiar with just standing by.

“Um, hello.” I offered nervously.

“Won’t you please join us?” Celestia asked as kindly as she could.

I slowly walked in and sat in a chair that would place Cadance between myself and Celestia. Lofty sat in a chair opposite of myself so that she ended up right next to Celestia. Every last one of us seemed nervous.

Celestia let out a heartfelt sigh. “Nova, what happened between your mother and me was the biggest mistake of my life.”

All I could do was smile and nod. My memories from before were telling me that Celestia had always been a little distant.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes please,” I replied, and Lofty indicated she’d like some too. A moment later the maid and the foot colt came in and prepped us both some black tea.

“Reminds me of the tea that came from Mistmane’s family plantation,” I commented after taking a sip. It truly doesn't feel like it's been that long for me. My hooves are shaking so I decide I'd better set the tea down.

“It does taste a bit like the tea they grew. It’s been such a long time for me.” Celestia replied. “The tea of the Mountain Mist clan is hard to come by these days.”

“It’s difficult for me to comprehend,” I say as I reflect on my memories. It seems like it was just the other day. - Aunt Tia," I'd always called her Aunt Tia though I feel like I'm taking a huge risk. Mom called her Tia when it was just family and she seemed to like the little bit of informality, that taste of family that you just can't get from anyone. Granted that back then we seldom had servants hovering nearby. "What of my scholarship request? I’m kind of running out of time.”

“Consider your educational needs funded.” Offered the unicorn secretary who'd been standing by.

“Thank you, mam...” I give her an inquisitive look and slowly pick up my cup again. I breathe in the aroma and allow the scent of the tea to calm my nerves. She seems rather young to be the Secretary to the Princess.

“Raven. Raven Inkwell. I’m actually fairly new here.”

“Really?” I ask, my spirits lifting. Keeping young people around her may be an indication of a desire to be surrounded by people with fresh ideas who aren't mired in tradition.

“_{Auntie Celestia!}” called a voice from somewhere in the keep.

A cold shiver ran down my spine and I quickly put my cup down. I know that voice. I cast a glance at my aunt to discover a rather pained look on her face. I’m fairly sure my ears went flat and my nervousness is coming back.

“Auntie!?” Called the voice of an adult stallion.

I look in horror as the same colt from the train strides into the room accompanied by a pony that absolutely has to be Prince Blueblood. He has all the airs of someone convinced they have the authority of God almighty backing them up as well.

“Auntie?” I say a gasp. “Please tell me I’m not related to him?”

“You!” Exclaims the colt on spotting me. He points a hoof at me. “Auntie, arrest her! She’s in league with the cultists! She even summoned Nightmare Moon on the train!”

“Summoned Nightmare Moon?” Celestia asked. “Now Prince, what have you been told about exaggerations?”

“Ant Tia, as much as I hate to defend this villtr colt, there’s an anti-theft spell that mom put on my amulet that creates a projection of herself in armor. He attempted to take my amulet without due process or warrant.” Prince junior is too incensed to say anything at this point, and Prince Blueblood senior isn't quite sure what to make of me and has likely decided to wait and see. I'm betting that neither knows that villtr means foolish.

“Wait, what? Seriously?” Celestia asked as a devilish smile formed on her face.

I remove the amulet and pass it over to her. “Try not to mess with it too much,” I say while holding back a grin. After all, wasn’t it Celestia that brought out my playful NPC's better qualities? No sooner did she take it than Moonie appeared behind her and stuck her holographic tongue in Celestia’s ear. Somehow or another the spittle was real enough.

“Gaaaaa!” Celestia cried.

Prince and his son both fainted, and the staff turned white as sheets.

I bust up laughing. Mom and my aunt loved to prank each other and the prank has got me feeling a lot better.

“Ha! She got you!” I exclaim delightedly but sober up just as fast. “Aunt Tia? Are you alright?” Celestia was not alright.

“I should have known there would be a prank loaded into it.” Celestia offered with tears streaming down her face.

“She’s alright, isn’t she?” I asked. “I’m not going to ask to see her, only...”

“She’s well. The elements stripped her of her magic and reduced her to a filly a little younger than Cadance. The thing is, I think it affected her memory as well. I don’t think she remembers you.” Celestia offered as the holographic alicorn dropped its ears and attempted to console Celestia by nuzzling her. She was perplexed to find she had no solidity and then attempted to correct.

I felt faint. “My memories have been a bit jumbled," I'd offered but stop as the pull on my magic became more than I could manage, "Moonie, Moonie no, I can’t support that much energy right now.” I knew immediately what was going on, and understood why she hadn’t shown at the palace of the two sisters. Both of us had been all but stripped of magical energy by the elements of harmony. Moonie looked at me, frowned, and then vanished. I also couldn't help but wonder if Luna’s mind was as mixed up as my own?

I took a deep breath, and let it out. No wonder I’d been so drained after getting off the train.

“Nova?” Lofty asked.

“Nova?” Cadence echoed.

“She’s drawing her magic from me. Probably set up that way to keep me more manageable.” I offered. “Looks like I’m going to need a nap.”

“Why don’t I help you to my room.” Cadence offered.

“Let me see if I can fix that?” Celestia offered. “And if the staff can take care of Prince Blueblood and son?”

“Perhaps I better handle that?” Raven offered. “And I suspect those two...” she indicated the maid and the foot colt, “..are in need of a break as well.”

“I imagine at the time she programmed this I’d have found it highly annoying.” Celestia offered as a smile slowly crept onto her face. After that Lofty and Cadance walked me to Cadanc's bedroom.

I barely made it before passing out.

I awoke sometime later to find a plush toy-sized Moonie looking down on me from her perch on top of my wing with the amulet in her mouth.

I gave her an experimental poke. I don’t know how but she was solid and she wasn’t draining me.

Unable to resist the cuteness of the mini Woona I grabbed her in my forelegs and gave her a hug.

“By the sound of that squee I’d say you discovered the mini Woona,” offered a voice I knew, but never thought I’d ever hear again. “What’s the matter, Discord get your tongue?”

“Lieutenant Mouse?” I ask while looking for her, and sure enough there she was. She was just sitting there on a chair with the biggest of smiles on her face. Alice Mouse had been like a second mother to me as mom trusted no pony else to keep an eye on me when she couldn't.

“In the horse flesh.”

“But how?”

“Same way you got here. I just arrived sooner.”

I got up leaving the Woona to fend for herself and tackled Miss Alice. How I even knew her I could not know, but I did, and I didn’t care.

The chair is smashed in the process.

“You know that was an antique?”

“Can’t be, it’s not even as old as I am.” I offer with a big grin. She just laughs.

“So are you hungry?” Alice says from her new place on the floor.

Now that she mentioned it… “Yes, starved.” I grab my cloak and put it on along with the amulet.

“Have they been feeding you right?” Her question is understandable, but by the glint in her eye, I’m wondering if she might be up to something.

“It’s kind of difficult to get a proper diet out of ponies who are primarily vegetarian.” I offer. “Lofty at least enjoys the occasional fish, and understands that I might need a little extra being I'm a growing filly with wings.”

“Well I know just the place to get you something I know you’ll love.”

“Um… really?”

“I know a place run by a griffon by the name of Gustave le Grand.”

“A griffon? Here in Canterlot?” From somewhere deep down there is a cold horror at the thought. Back in the old days, griffins were never to be trusted around a foal.

“Seems the new and improved Equestria has griffins running around side by side with ponies. Took me a bit to get used to the idea considering they used to eat ponies.”

I shudder at the idea.

“They may not serve pony, but they do serve fried chicken.”

“Chicken!” I exclaim, my apprehension abandoned, and begin pronking about the room in excitement. “Chic-ken. Chic-ken. Chic-ken.”

“Alright now, calm down before you hit the ceiling.” And it was an extra high ceiling.

“Oh, what about Lofty?” I ask as I cease my bouncing.

“Lofty has already gone home for the day.”

“Home?” My heart skips a beat. Might have been nice if I’d had some say in this.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be back in the morning. Meanwhile, I’ll be keeping an eye on you in the evenings. Something I’m sure the night watch will be thrilled to hear.”

“How’s that?”

“Because I won't be riding their flanks all night.”

“Oh. Um, just so you know, my hours kind of got flipped.”

“Well then let's go get you that chicken before it gets any later, shall we?”

“Chicken! Yay!” Ya, I’d completely abandoned myself to the character. Oh who am I kidding, my human self wasn’t exactly a vegetarian either. Not that I would ever eat any form of horse. I’d studied a certain amount of military history, and horses were so valuable to the successes of what would become the modern army that to eat a horse was considered akin to cannibalism. I’d read variations of that same line so many times it sort of became ingrained into my subconscious. Why in the old west a man’s best friend was his horse, and you don’t eat your friends. Chickens, I had no issues with eating their tasty goodness. “Come on Moonie, we are going to get us some chicken.”

Comments

[TherealNightblader]

Alicorns and there chicken

[KittyrinnAiko]

10562816
It's a fox pony thing.

[Lunatic God]

She is most definitely not an unseasoned chicken wing

[uis]

“ Chicken!” I exclaim, my apprehension abandoned, and begin pronking about the room in excitement. “Chic-ken. Chic-ken. Chic-ken.”

Scoot-Scoot-Scootaloo

[Kentavritsa]

10563099
she's such a fox, you know ..

[Kentavritsa]

I remove the amulet and pass it over to her. “Try not to mess with it too much,” I say while holding back a grin. After all, wasn’t it Celestia that brought out my playful NPC's better qualities? No sooner did she take it than Moonie appeared behind her and stuck her holographic tong in Celestia’s ear. Somehow or another the spittle was real enough.

Tongue = Tongue ??

[KittyrinnAiko]

11506098
That's one that is really hard to catch.