After spending the last three thousand years wanting the world, a rouge alicorn finally returns to Equestria. But what will his reception be like?
Cobalt never wanted to rule, he never wanted to be a prince of Equestria. He just wanted to see the world. Of course, he didn't realize how defenseless he was leaving his country, and his little sisters the Princesses Luna and Celestia.
Now, three thousand years later, He returns to Equestria, but not as he knew it. New towns and cities have sprung up in his absence, and everything seems unfamiliar. Even his family has changed and expanded. Still, he's visited culture of all different verities. He should be open to new experiences...right?
To preemptively avoid any issues with cannon, revealed later in the show, I'm going to make a point to say this story was mostly written between season 6 and 7, and therefore is set in that period
Zecora, as was her usual practice in the evenings, was out in the forest gathering herbs for her various remedies, which she sold in Ponyville Market. Tonight she was going to the ruins of The Castle of The Two Sisters. Apparently at one time Luna and Celestia had a collection of rare plants, which now grew wild in patches around the ruins.
Once finding a group of these plants, she took a small trowel form her hemp saddle bag she was wearing and used it to get at least he roots, which had the beneficial properties she needed. As she worked on collecting the roots she heard a rustling in the leaves, which made her weary. She did have a powdered poison joke leaves, along with several different bitter plants, in small breakable jars, so she could throw them and ward away any attacking timber wolf or other monster. So, as she replaced the trowel, she also pulled out the clay vile with the potent deterrent inside so that she was ready for the ambush.
Instead of being pounced on, like she was expecting, a dark blue stallion holding some sort of paper walked casually out of the jungle saying. "Hey do you know t-" That was all he could get out before the readied and surprised Zebra mare tossed the all-natural tear gas grenade at him.
Realizing what she had done, Zecora started to panic. "Sir! Sir! I apologize sorely, but you can't blame me for being prepared surly?"
"It's fine," He said in between the coughing and sneezing the herb mix produced, "rather ingenious too."
As the stallion stepped out the the inflaming cloud, Zecora was even more surprised by the stallions appearance. He had wings and a horn, along with the tall build common among alicorns, but those were the least notable characteristics of his strange appearance. At the end of each hoof he had white socks, and the tips of his sharp triangular ears and long snout. Along with a long bushy tail, also ending in white, he had a very fox-like appearance.
Zecora immediately was reminded of the stories she was told as a foal: Myths regarding a being called The Fox, who was wise but also mischievous. Many of the legends were of notable heroes or kings of the Zebra tribes asking him for advice, which he would give, though it was vague or attached to some onerous task usually. Still she was shocked and amazed that a creature so similar to that mythological figure was standing before her.
"Hun, a Zebra..." He said as he blinked back tears from his golden eyes. He then took out the old parchment he was carrying and folded out into a comically large area. "I swear I went north from that island of toothless alligators..."
Zecora tried to recover her senses.He might have been odd looking but he still needed assistance. "I don't know your destination, but Equestria is the name of this nation."
"This is Equestria?" The stallion said as he folded the top half of his map down so he could look around the area again. "It's certainly changed" he mumbled to himself. "But I guess I'm that's what I get for being gone nearly three millennia..."
"Three thousand years is a long time to roam." Zecora nervously stated before inquiring. "So I assume this land is your home?"
"Yes, or least it used to be." He said before looking at the map again for a closer examination. "There should be a large city here... Everfree City...I must have gotten turned around somewhere" He then began to start to walk, map in hoof.
"Such a city is not known to me," Replied the Zebra mare as she followed the stallion. "But all this forest is called Everfree."
"How odd... Perhaps..." He seemed to become distant, with a far off look, though he was peering into the past. "No...it was walled...safe... It couldn't have..." He suddenly set off, quick as a lightning jumping from the sky to the ground.
The odd character left the Zebra confused and dumbfounded by her interaction with the apparently ancient being, she didn't even think to pursue him.
He could feel his heart pound as hard as his hooves pound against the ground. He had to know. He had to know if the ones he loved... the ones he...left...were safe.
It wasn't long until he came to the crumbling granite and marble skeleton of what he had know to be a Grand Palace in his time. Built to rear two young sisters in comfort... His sisters.
"Sweet Mother of All... I've been gone for far too long..." He muttered under his breath as he stepped between the rubble piles and under an entry way of an arch. Sunlight, filtered through the canopy and poured through a whole that had opened up in the ceiling, eventually resting and illuminating a large circular mosaic, depicting the cycle of night and day. It's almost luminescent glow made the strange stallion remember when these ruins were not only whole, but a home as well.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
After his exploration of the abandoned residence, he dejectedly rested himself on one of the walls brought low due to a partial collapse. He was filled with a deep sadness. He felt that this could have been one of the lasting gifts he could have left his family.
Zecora, at this time, was passing by where the alicorn was perched, continue looking for those herbs that grew in this area, not knowing that she'd encounter the strange creature again.
"Times a menace isn't he? He could take something worthless and preserve it and it becomes priceless, or he can take something priceless tear it down and make it worthless...but then again... I let him do this didn't I..."
Zecora jumped a little as she turned to face the speaker. "You are certainly quick on you feet. I hope you don't appear so suddenly every time we meet."
"Sorry old habits..." He said before he let himself slink of the wall where we was resting. "We never introduced ourselves properly, my sisters would be ashamed of my lack of manners. I am Cobalt of Everfree, or at least I used to be."
"Zecora is my name. Where I come from there's a figure like you of some fame." Zecora said, being able to relax around the stallion a little more.
This surprisingly seemed unsurprising to the deep blue stallion. "I might actually be me... I mean it has to have been quite a while since I passed through your part of the world... But considering my... memorable appearance and actions..."
Zecora had no words. She was confronted by someone, according to the legends, was sometimes outright malicious for no reason at all. Yet she was talking so cordially with him.
Cobalt gave a small smile of amusement at the Zebra's befuddled expression. "I've made many marks in many places...not all of them positive. In fact..." His look seemed to gloss over, looking through the mare instead of at her. "I put some of my worse marks here... Perhaps time has lessened them for those that live here. but they only get deeper and deeper on my soul..." His gaze once again shifted to looking in the Zebra's eyes. "But these are worries I don't need to share... I suppose I might see you around...Zecora? Was it?"
"Y-y-yes that's what I a-am called, please excuse me if m-my speech is a little stalled." She managed to stammer out.
"It's fine," He said as he began to walk away at a slow pace so that Zecora could follow if she so wished. "In your culture I must be some demon or trickster god or something... Whatever happened here anyways..."
"It was abandoned after many battles fought, the capital of Equestria was moved to Canterlot." Zecora informed the stallion.
"Canterlot?!" He seemed a little upset by this. "How much pandering to the unicorn nobility are we going to allow?!" Zecora was unsure what to say, his strong prejudice against entitlement was very apparent. Still he seemed rather bristled at the idea of the capital being moved. "Everfree was in the center of Equestria, equidistant from everyone. It was a symbolic gesture showing that the government and by extension the law, was to consider ponies from every race in equal measure...Of course, I didn't understand that at the time it was told to me... I was... to foalish to see then..."
"I assume that's where you'll want to go their next?" Zecora asked " I assume seeing the princess is you quest."
"Well of course it's been too long since I've seen Tia and Lu-Lu." He said as he looked to the sky which was being painted with brilliant strokes of fiery orange. "I suppose I should find a stage to take, they would be the fastest way to get there..."
The causal reference to the regents pet names also put the zebra's head for a spin again. Still she managed to shake it off. "You don't have to take a wagon to cross that plain, you can get there in a fraction of the time if you take a team train."
"You already have trains here?" Cobalt said seeming to become intrigued. "I know the Saddle-Arabians were designing some prototypes..."
"If wanted to travel by train is your will, the closest station is a Ponyville." Zecora explained as she pointed him in the write direction of the city.
"Alright then thank you very much." He said before almost immediately starting to bound off, but remember something he backtracked and asked Zecora with an awkward bare tooth grin, with his omnivorous canines glinting. "Umm do you have a more current map I could borrow?"
It was a peaceful day in Ponyville, no monster attacks, no magical explosions coming from the direction of Princess Twilight's Castle, it was great. A breeze blew into Ponyville carrying with it a shower of sweet smelling cherry blossoms. Cobalt blew in as well, stopping at the top of the hill and looking down at the town. It hadn't been there when he had left, yet another reminder how much things had changed. But he couldn’t dwell on that when he was so close. He pulled his traveling cape from out of his saddle bag and laid it across himself to obscure his wings. There was no need for everyone to gawk at him while he was just passing through.
As the path beneath his hooves shifted from dirt to cobblestone, he looked at the thatched roof houses at either side of the street. “You know...” he said to himself in a low voice. “I was never a fan of communities with this sort of forced exterior design...but it's actually rather quai-oof!”
As he had not been paying attention to where he was going he ended up stumbling head over hooves over one of the smaller ponies, a pink one with an especially plush and frizzy main. “oww...I think I sprained something...” He moaned as he laid on his back.
“Wowize wow mister!” The Pink pony said as she sprung up almost immediately before going over to help him up. “Are you okay? That was quite the tumble.”
“Yeah. I've been in Saddle Arabia so long...” He said as he and the pink pony worked together to get himself back on his feet, standing up to his full height, nearly twice her’s. “I've forgotten how diminutive ponies are here.”
“Wow, you are tall!” She said as she bent her neck back to view his full height. “I don't think I've seen anypony as tall as you, well except perhaps Princess Celestia.”
“I suppose that's so,” He said smiling warmly. Though this pony had made the comparison from him to his estranged sister, he supposed that she really doesn't suspect anything. He had become all but legend in other regions he visited, he was sure that he probably was totally forgotten in his own country. That could have been a sad thought it suited his purposes or now as it helped him keep a low profile.
“Hai thar Pinkie Pie!” An orange pony with a freckled muzzle and a straw blond mane called out as she pulled a cart full of apples onto the scene. “Who's this stranger you're talking to.”
“Oh him he's just some pony I ran into just now.” She giggled a little and then added. “Literally!”
“Honestly it was my fault for not watching where I was going.” He admitted with a red shade of embarrassment coloring his cheeks before he nodded towards the cart. “Did you grow all these?”
“Yep!” Pinkie said, cutting back into the conversation . “Applejack and the rest of her family grow the best apples in all of Equestria!” The animated earth pony had reared up and opened her legs so wide for emphasis that she was in danger of falling over.
“Well... I suppose that's true.” Applejack said as she crossed her front hooves and beaming proudly. “We pride ourselves in the great care and love we put into our crop.”
“That sounds lovely.” He said smiling and licking his lips hungrily, he hadn't eaten since last night and since he’d be walking most all day he was very hungry. “I been traveling so much I’m not even sure how a farm fresh apple tastes...much less how my favorite type tastes...”
“Well I have all types here,” Applejack said unhitching herself from her wagon and began gesturing at each bucket of the different types of apples in turn. “Gala, Golden Delicious, Mcintosh, Fuji-”
“Well umm, I don’t think you’d have it...” He said, referring to the zap apple, as he poked through the barrels of apples. Her sisters and him had their own grove full back when they still lived in Everfree. He of course didn't realize that the Apple family had found them growing wild and had cultivated grown their own crop of the rainbow colored fruit. “It's awfully rare...in fact, I think it might not even exist anymore... I’ll just have one of these.” He said taking an apple from the top of a barrel. “Though umm I don’t have any bits on me...perhaps I have something of value to trade...”
“Ah, sucks don’t worry about it. Have it on me. ” Applejacks said smiling warmly at the stallion.
“Really? That’s very kind.” He said before taking a bite out of the rich juicy apple, chewing it with relish.
“So what brings you to Ponyville?” AJ asked as a few more ponies came up to her stand to purchase her produce.
“Well I’ve done a bit of traveling.” He said before realizing he still had apple in his mouth. Blushing, he swallowed and continued. “I felt that it was high time that came back and see how things were here at home, catch up with my sisters and all that.”
“Ohh what kind of places have you been to?!” Pinkie said excitedly, hoping to hear all about the adventures her new friend had been on.
“Oh, Yakyakistan, Japony, the Pearl Islands, Saddle Arabia.” He said listing them off nonchalantly. “Really just all over.”
“I say!” A white unicorn with a gently curled, royal purple main, wearing a pastel yellow sun hat said as she trotted up to the stand. “That makes you quite the well traveled stallion doesn't it?”
“Howdy Rarity.” The farm pony said welcoming her. “We were just talking with umn...what's you name again?”
“Oh, I don't think I've given it yet.” The stallion said after finishing another bite of apple. “My names Cobalt.”
“Well Cobalt, let be the first one to say your really do have a sense of style.” Rarity said approvingly stallion before lifting up his cape so she feel the fabric in her hooves. “This is the most marvelous material I've ever seen! Is it a type of silk?” It was true that the material was quite spectacular. It was colored sky blue, but its peculiar sheen almost gave the illusion of white clouds moving across it.
“Well,” Cobalt blushed nervously as used his magic to take his cape back gently. There was no need for this pony to look beneath his cape to see the wings he was trying to hide. “I do have a few bolts of similar fabrics if you'd like to see them.” He said quickly pulling out the fabric for his saddlebags, that he had used magic to increase the size of, and present them to Rarity.
Similarly to his own cape, these fabrics also had interesting, illusory effects. One bolt was gold, with bright fiery splashes of orange and red flaring when the sun hit it a certain way. The other had a deep midnight blue color. It could be seen shimmering with specs and bands of light that almost made it look like the night sky.
“Surely you can't be giving these to me!” The fashion pony said, in shock as the stallion hovered them over to her. “You-you must have had some purpose for them!”
“Well... I was going to have them made into dresses for my sisters but...” He said sighing a little and running the back of his head. “I kinda realized a bit ago that I don't really know their gown sizes...”
“Oh no matter. When you meet up with them you can send me their gown sizes and I can make the dresses!” Rarity said as she set the fabrics on her back. “It's the least I can do after you've given me the fabric to make them.”
“Wow umm thank you.” Cobalt said with a smile. “I'll be sure to get those to you.”
“Hey what's going on down here?” A rainbow maned Pegasus, followed shortly by a yellow Pegasus with a long pink mane and tail.
“Oh Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Darlings.” Rarity called as her flying friends touched down on the ground. “You simply must meet Cobalt! He's quite ‘cool’ as you would say.”
“Well I wouldn't say that...” He said humbly chuckling, he was certainly causing quite the crowd now. So much for just passing through...
“Well as the local authority on total coolness” Rainbow said pridefully smiling. “I think I can determine for myself weather he’s cool or not.”
“Well, I can say that you're definitely...interesting...” Fluttershy said as she looked the tall stallion up and down. She kinda felt ambivalent towards him, his tall stature and all around wild look made him a bit intimidating, but also had the features similar to a cute little fox. She didn’t know how to feel about him, only making a little more scared of him.
Cobalt was going to open his mouth to try and make some excuse to get away, but then he saw something that stopped him short. Trotting along the street, looking at what looked like very scientific charts and maps, was another alicorn!
Then something even more surprising to him happened, the pink pony, the one that he had stumbled over, called out to her. “Hey Twilight, why don’t come over here and meet Cobalt!”
“I’m sorry Pinkie.” The lavender alicorn said not looking up from what she had right in front her. “But reports have been coming in from all over Equestria about wild weather patterns forming. I’ve got to get to Canterlot right away.”
“Which reminds me!” Cobalt said speaking up as he shuffled away from the group, getting a head start. “I also need to catch a train to Canterlot...See my sister’s and all that...I’ll definitely come back around once I get settled down.” And like that, he was galloping off like a bolt of lightning.
Pinkie smiled looking at all her friends that had gathered around here. “I like him.”
“Twilight has agreed to come and discuss this weather issue,” Luna said trotting up to Celestia, who was standing on one of the balconies of their castle.
The Princess of the day didn’t respond. Instead, she seemed to be very deep in thought as she looked out across the white marble buildings of Canterlot, and the rich green valley beyond.
“Sister? Luna prompted again, taking a place at Celestia’s side.
“Oh, I’m sorry Luna.” The older sister said turning to her sister with a kind smile. “Did you say something?”
“I know what you're feeling, Sister...” Luna said as she turned to look out at the vista as well. “These unbidden winds...they carry whispers of him.”
Celestia sighed and hung her head. “It’s just been so long...Do you really think he could be coming back?”
“Would it be so bad if he was,” Luna asked, giving Celestia an encouraging smile.
“I dunno...He was just so reckless and irresponsible when he left...” Celestia said turning away from her kingdom as tears came to the corner of her eyes. “And why? Why after all we went through why is he coming back now!? W-Why not when we had to face Tirek, or Discord, or...or when I had to send you away...”
“I don’t know,” Luna said as she let her wing wrap about her sister in a kind embrace. “But I’m sure if he is back, and we do see him, he’ll be able to explain himself.”
--- --- ---
Cobalt sat in the back in the train. He had done his best to sit in an empty car so that he could stretch his wings out. He loved the sky! It was hard to keep his wings pinned against himself and not just fly everywhere, but they were easier to conceal than a horn. He watched the Equestrian landscape go by though the window. It was an amazing blur of green and pastel patches of flowers that before vehicles such as the train he was on, was reserved for the Pegasi winging overhead.
He sighed before turning away from the window to preen his wings, burying his face into his plush feathers. It was just then when he heard the door between cars open, and, to his displeasure, he had to tuck his wing back under his cape.
“Finally a car with some peace and quiet!” The young alicorn that Cobalt had seen in Ponyville said as she came in. She was still studying her charts, maps, and almanacs, as she sought a solution to the puzzle the Princesses had given her.
Cobalt tried not to stare as she took a set across the isle of him. She hadn't made the slightest indication that she had even noticed him, as she busily muttered to herself and scratched notes down on lengths of parchment.
He knew that it wouldn’t be wise to draw attention to himself, but she was an alicorn like him. He just had to know who she was. “Umm, I’m sorry.” He started, causing her to turn her head in surprise. Apparently, she had thought that she was alone. “Hi, um, well you see I’ve been traveling and perhaps I haven’t kept in touch with current events as much as I should have but umm.”
“Oh, I see.” Twilight said smiling as she set down what she was doing in the seat across from her’s “I’m Twilight Sparkle, The Princess of Friendship.”
“The Princess of Friendship, eh?” That’s kinda a sappy title...Cobalt thought before politely returning it with. “My name’s Cobalt. So...Princess, how did you-?”
“How did I become an alicorn?” She said finishing his statement for him. Apparently, she was rather eager to tell anyone who asked about all this. “Well you see, it all started when Princess Celestia, sent be on assignment to Ponyville. I had been her student for a while and....” The whole story took a while to explain, how she had her friends had found the elements of harmony, how they had to give up the elements of harmony, all the villains they had to face. All in all, it took the rest of the train ride to complete.
“Next stop, Canterlot Station!!!” The conductor called out as the train hissed to a stop.
“Well, it was nice talking to you Cobalt!” Twilight said as she picked up all her stuff and made her way out of the train.
He smiled and waved to her as she exited the car. “More like talking at me...” He mumbled to himself as he picked himself up and made his way off the train. He did enjoy listening to her, but he hadn’t really contributed to the conversation at all. With her, being an alicorn wasn’t so lonely anymore.
As he stepped onto the platform he noticed a few differences between the Canterlot he knew and the city he was trotting into. The architecture was still extravagant, each white stone building a castle in its own right, but there were a much more diverse people on the streets. There were still noble unicorns with their snouts so high in the air they couldn’t see five feet in front of them, but they were in the minority now. A lot of what he say now was pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies walking together and talking together. When he had left there was still a lot of friction and prejudice between the three races. Seeing them come together in this, the city that he felt had the worst offenders, warmed his heart.
Remembering that Twilight was going to be meeting up with the other Princesses, he decided that he shouldn’t interrupt, but instead should find some food. After all, he had only had the one apple in Ponyville and long overdue reunions weren’t something to be done on an empty stomach.
True, he still didn’t have any bits on him, but he had been in this situation before and he knew just what to do. Using his nose to find a whiff of food before following it like a wolf tracking the scent of wounded prey. Arriving at a back alley, whose air was thick with foreign spices.
His mouth watering now, he went around to the kitchen door and rapped on the door with his hoof. A thickly accented voice answered from inside. “Yes, yes, I’ll be right there!” A moment later, a stout, mustachioed, unicorn pulled the door open. “Wait a sec… you are not the delivery pony!”
“Umm... no I'm not,” Cobalt admitted meekly. “I was hoping that I might be able to work for you a little bit? All I ask is a meal.”
“Hmm I don't know...” he said tapping his chin.
“What are you talking about, Papa.” Another voice called as a mare with a plush tangle of raven hair, presumably, this stallion's daughter stepped into the doorway. “We’ve been in desperate need of more help ever since Rarity and Pinkie helped us get more business!”
“Rarity and Pinkie? Princess Twilight's Friends?” Cobalt asked, remembering the encounters he had that morning. Perhaps he could put them into use.
“You know them?” The young mare said ushering the disguised alicorn into her kitchen.
“Well, I meet them yeah, they seemed like lovely ponies.” He said as he looked about, getting a feel for the place.
“Well any friend of them is a friend of ours!” She said cheerfully before turning to her father and saying with a tone of insistence. “Right, Papa!”
“Yes of course,” He said conceding to his daughter. “I still don’t like another pony poking around our kitchen!”
“Well, I don’t have to be in the kitchen. I could wait on and bus tables, or wash dishes, or what have you.” He suggested, in order to appease both father and daughter.
“Deal,” The mare said quickly seizing his hoof and shaking in. “I’m Saffron Masala, my father is Coriander Cumin.”
“Mines Cobalt!” He said, his smile turning uncomfortable as his whole body was shaken by the excited mare.
--- --- ---
Twilight looked about where she was going, she thought she’d be meeting the Princesses in the throne room as usual, but instead, the guards had sent her up to the Princess's’ private quarters. This, of course, made her wonder if something was wrong, which of course only made her more surprised and confused when Celestia answered the door dressed in a large yellow trench coat covering her wings.
“Oh, Twilight you're here.” She said before pulling her pupil into the room and shutting the door.
Looking around the room she was able to see a cushion sitting in front of a fireplace, on whose mantle piece was set several framed pieces of paper. “Are those, my friendship letters?” She asked, rather surprised that the diarch actually keep them.
“A few of my favorites, yes, but that’s not why I called you here.” She said as she switched her golden shoes for a more conservative set. “Have you been able to uncover any explanation for the wild weather patterns that have been cropping up?”
“Not that I can see as of yet,” Twilight explained while watching the Princess gather up her flowing ethereal mane under a head scarf, and a wide brimmed that. “But have a theory that it might have to do with The Everfree Forest.”
“Good, at least that’s a start.” The Princess said as she put on large, yellow brimmed, circular sunglasses on as the finishing touch on her strange ensemble. “Me and Luna were going to get out of the Castle, stretch out legs a little. You should come along and we can discuss this issue more.”
“Ohh that explains all this,” Twilight said with a smile, finally understanding as she exited the room with the princess.
“Of course,” Celestia said, “It wouldn’t be all that relaxing if we were being mobbed everywhere we went, or were treated differently than everypony else.”
They found Luna, dressed similarly, but with a dark blue trench coat and square rimmed glasses, in another corridor. “Ah, Sister, and young Twilight as well, always a pleasure to see you.”
“I feel the same, Princess Luna.” She said bowing respectfully.
“Before we go, you should know that while we're out there that you must refer to me as Moondream Trotter, and my sister as Sunrise Sailor.”
“I think I can remember that!” Twilight said nodding with a smile towards the disguised sisters, as they flew off into the night. Before she would join them, she was going to place her notes on the table, but caught a glance at the scrolls of her friendship lessons back in Ponyville. Remembering the lesson Rarity had learnt about when taking a break and spending time with your sister is amazing experience to have, even Twilight herself learnt the importance of spending time with friends and not be stuck in the Old Oaks Library reading books all day... Wiping a tear away, she still felt sad that her old home was gone… But she took to heart what Spike & her friends had taught her about making new memories and having a new home to fill with thouse memories . Walking up to the balcony, she look up at the beautiful night sky, taking one more glance back at the scrolls. She flow out to the night to have a great time with the royal sisters.
--- --- ---
“This is the best curry I’ve ever tasted!” Cobalt declared as he finished up his payment, for bussing tables through the dinner rush. “And I’ve been around so that’s saying something!”
“I’m so glad you think so.” Saffron said beaming at him as she took away his empty plate.
“You sure have an appetite, as well as a good work ethic.” Coriander said with a mirthful smirk. Apparently, he had warmed up to the stallion through the course of the night. “He’d certainly make a good husband.”
“P-Papa!” Saffron said in protest as she blushed hotly.
“What!” Her father returned defensively. “You’ve been watching him all night!”
“I-I think that’s my cue to go.” Cobalt said standing up abruptly and accidentally hitting his head on a chandelier.
“Well um come back sometime.” Saffron said, hoping that he hadn’t hurt himself too badly.
“I will be.” He said, smiling politely as he too blushed. “Hopefully as a paying customer next time.”
“Yeah.” Saffron said looking at her hooves.
After a moment of awkward silence, Cobalt mumbled a final good-bye and galloped away. That had happened a handful of times while he was on his travels, sometimes with ponies offering to marry him to their daughters right there and then, and it never got less awkward. Saffron was a nice enough filly, no doubt, but...but something about commitment still spooked him. He’d need to overcome that if he wanted to become part of a family again.
Still, he kinda wished he didn’t have to have run out on them, partly because he was now craving something sweet as a dessert.
“I guess it’s time to employ the super sniffer again.” He said to himself as he once again using his nose to find his food. This time, he smelt for some kind of bakery, or...
Blindly he started to follow a trail of scent of freshly ground coffee beans and the saccharine scent of frosting and sprinkles. The scent trail lead him to a donut shop, called Pony Joe’s. As he walked it he could see a stallion in the back room trotting back and forth hurriedly.
“Oh hey.” The cream colored stallion said coming up to the counter. “How can I help you?”
“I think you're the one that needs help, judging by the way you’re wearin’ out your linoleum back there.” Cobalt said leaning up against the counter.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Joe said rubbing the back of his head. “I have this big dessert contest tomorrow, but I don’t think I can make everything I need all by myself. “
“I could help you.” Cobalt suggested. “Do whatever you need so you have time to work on your masterpiece.”
“Well...Most ponies expect my face up front.” Joe explained. “After all, It’s my name out front.”
“Wait? Your actual name is Pony Joe?” Cobalt said with a cock of his head.
“Well no it’s Donut Joe, but still.” He said shrugging, ”I suppose that you could mix up some dough for donuts to sell in the shop...”
“You give me a couple dozen of these day-olds here.” Cobalt said tapping the glass of the display case. “And we have ourselves a deal!”
--- --- ---
Later that night around closing, the bell above the door rang again. Twilight walked in followed by the two incognito princesses.
“Hey, I didn’t know you’d be back Twi!” Joe said approaching The Princess of Friendship. “And ahem Misses Sailor and Trotter...”
“It’s good to see you. Don’t you have the National Dessert Competition tomorrow?” She said as the three took seats at a table. “I now that the cakes have been working on their entry for several weeks now.”
“Well, I was actually a bit worried that I might not have completed it in time.” He said as he used his magic to wheel in a cart, on which he had something covered by a sheet. “But, with some help, I was finally able to finish,” With a flourish he pulled away the sheet to reveal a donut replica of Canterlot the Royal Canterlot Castle. “Castel Donut!”
The trio smiled and put their hooves together for the hard working baker. “It looks wonderful!” Celestia said, already eyeing it. “I’m sure it will taste equally wonderful when I- I mean when Princess Celestia samples it.”
“Yeah of course.” Joe said smiling as he played along. “I was still able to make your usual order, though. Can you bring that out Cobalt.”
This caused a notable reaction in The Princess. Their bodies went stiff and their eyes opened wide and their pupils shrank.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked noticing her mentors discomfort.
“O-o-oh nothing.” Celestia said before turning to her sister and mumbling. “It’s probably not him...Lots of ponies could be called Cobalt.”
Unfortunately, their fears and hopes were confirmed as Cobalt, their brother, came out of the back room, his coat dirtied with white splotches of flour and powdered sugar and hovering boxes of sweet confections with his magic. “I have a dozen cake donuts for miss-” His eyes grew It was all too easy for the siblings through each others feel disguises.“T-Tia? L-lulu?”
“Wait I talked with you on the train.” Twilight said looking between the three alicorns. “You know each other?!”
“Twilight.” Celestia said getting up at trotting up to the stallion. “This...is our brother...”
A young adult alicorn glided silently in the night, low and hidden in the shadows of the Castle grounds hiding from the Moon’s light. He didn’t want to be spotted, by anyone, not by guards, not by servants, not by his sisters. Equestria was becoming boring. It was becoming tame. He couldn’t stand that! He needed to get out of here.
Landing near by a wall, he picked up his saddle bag that was packed with all that he’d needed, food, gold, a sleeping roll and maps of all the known world, which he had hidden in a hedge.
He quickly shinched the bag around himself before once again setting out, this time meaning to get beyond the walls of his gilded cage. Getting ready to take of at his full speed, he was stopped by an old wise voice coming from behind him. “So that’s where my all maps went...”
“Starswirl...” Cobalt said before turning about to face, the bearded stallion. “I’m not your student anymore...You can’t stop me from leaving this time. You don’t have the right.”
“No I can’t” The elderly wizard said with a sigh. “But I will ask you to reconsider! Equestria is still a fledgeling nation. You were a good student, though you pretended to be apathetic. You would make a great leader.”
“No...trust me Equestria is much better off without me.” He said sighed as he hung his head and once again tried to turn away again and prepare to take of. “My sisters are better off without me.”
“Are they really?” Starswirl asked, before two younger ponies stepped out from behind the the bell trimmed cape.
“What’s going on.” The adolescent Celestia said wiping sleep from her eyes. “You know I don’t like being awake after I set the sun.”
“A-are you trying to sneak out again...” A filly luna said, staring up at her big bother with eyes as wide and as gleaming as the full moon.
“Wait a minute.” Celestia said, noticing how well packed he was this time. “This isn’t one of you week long trips...you're going away for real this time...”
The little sisters were looking up at him, hoping their big brother won’t leave them. They always thought how silly he was of talking about leaving one day and seeing the world, but even than he was the only family they had.
He was looking into their tearful eyes, knowing well that they didn’t want to believe he was leaving them... But this was his choice.
“You two...You two are stronger than I am.” Cobalt said with a sigh as he tried to justify himself. “You’ll both make great rulers...I’d just get in your way.”
“That’s not true!” Celestia plead as she seized on of her wings. “You are the strongest of all of us! You always have!”
“Perhaps in sheer power.” Cobalt said as he took his wing back with a curt move. “But...In emotional equanimity, in level headedness, and in patience? Of all the things that make a good, kind ruler I am quite weak. This is a peaceful place Tia. These people don’t need power to defend from outside attack. These people need a kind healer to stitch the wounds between the races.”
“Where will you go!?” Luna said her eyes still looking up at him pleadingly as she trotted up close to him.
“To The Crystal Empire first...” He said simply before shrugging. “Then...who knows.”
“There’s no way to convince you to stay?” Celestia said with a sigh, seeing that there was no way to stop him.
He shook his head no. “I-I’ll try to keep in touch...” He forced the corners of his mouth into a weak smile as he backed away from his sister.
He took off with a thunderclap, and was gone.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
“What are we going to do with you...” Celestia said, pacing back and forth in front of her brother. He was sitting on the polished floor of the throne room, surrounded by tapestries and stained glass windows that adorned the walls. Cobalt opening his mouth to say something, but was quickly shushed by his sister. “You don’t get to talk yet.”
“With all do respect Princess.” Twilight said, stepping forward to advocate for Cobalt. “He is your brother. As family, shouldn’t you be overjoyed to see him?”
“Ohhh I don’t know how to feel!” Celestia said, a fire flaring in her mane as her temper did, making Twilight step back in surprise. She didn’t think she ever saw her mentor truly upset. It was a little...scary.
“I for one am glad you are back.” Luna whisper to him as she gave him a small embrace with this wings.
“Thanks Lulu.” Cobalt returning her whisper and embraced.
The still steaming Celestia trotted up right to his face. “W-Why didn’t you contact us? You didn't write a single letter!”
“I-I often meant to.” He said looking at his hoofs ashamedly. “I would often find baubles and trinkets in markets I’d pass through...I’d buy them because they’d remind me of you. I mean to send them to you...so you could see where I’ve been...You can see how that worked.”
“Well...I guess we should find some way of introducing you to the Equestrian people again.” Celestia said with a sigh, working herself down. “I guess tomorrow will be as good as any...”
“Princess.” Twilight said respectfully. ”Perhaps we should inform Princess Cadence?”
“Wait Princess who know?” Cobalt said, feeling absolutely out of the loop. With two new Princesses, along with all the other changes he felt so ignorant. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza Is the current ruler of the Crystal Empire.” Princess Celestia explained to her brother.
“Cadence as I know here used to be my foal sister.” Twilight said a note of pride entering her voice. “She’s actually married to my brother.”
Cobalt cocked his head a little. “Hun... I think I’d like to meet her...”
“Well, it would be better if we went to her. She’d still be tending to her foal.” Luna explained. “Flurry Heart has been the first true born alicorn in living memory.”
Cobalt sat up and took notice. “That is something special...” He never heard such a thing since his sisters were born. Thinking it would be impossible for another one to be born, he thought they were the only ones.
“Perhaps, if we knew Cadence’s parentage, it be less puzzling.” Celestia said with a sigh. “You see, Cadence became an alicorn, like Twilight. She was an orphan pegasus raised by earth ponies, before she ascended.”
This gave Cobalt obvious pause. “Impossible...” He muttered under his breath.
“Well I suppose we should set off to The Crystal Empire as soon as we can.” Luna said stretching herself out a little.
“I suppose that means we’ll miss out on the Dessert Competition.” Celestia said already longing for the missed cakes she would have indulged in. Mr. and Mrs. Cake, from Ponyville always made a good showing, but there were so many talented bakers all over Equestria. Missing out of all those wonderful confections would be devastating.
“Don’t worry.” Twilight says gently putting a hoof on her mentors wing to comfort her. “I’m sure Pinkie will make lots of cakes if we get her to throw a ‘Welcome Home’ party for your brother.”
--- --- ---
The Royal Car, despite being furnished very plushly, was uncomfortable to Twilight, who had always ridden in the public cars with the general population. Cobalt as well, seemed none too pleased at his situation.
“Isn’t this a bit...much?” He asked as he looked about all the trappings in the car.
“Our subjects like to keep us safe.” Luna said as she lounged in one of the couches provided. “A private train car is a good way to do that.”
“But it’s rather...Opulent...Don’t you ever worry that you're being a burden to the people?” Cobalt prompted. He was used to living ruff, and without much. Being thrust back into this world of excess drove him out of his element.
“Yes,” Luna said honestly, as she looked out the window. “I do worry about how that the lifestyle Celestia and I affect our people. That’s why I try to be the kindest ruler possible as well as one that can be relied upon to face outside threats.”
“Well I agree with Luna about trying to repay the people, I don’t feel burdensome to the people. Our allowance, upkept of the castle, and state dinners, not only make up a small portion of the taxes levied on our subjects, but arguably benefit them as much as us?” Celestia said, adding her side of the argument.
Luna seemed a bit inflamed by her sister's response “You really mean housekeeping for rooms in a castle that the majority of the time go used is a benefit to the people?”
“When we need to use those rooms to host foreign ambassadors or peace conferences yes!” Celestia reply, her voice getting heated.
The sisters began to argue, and Cobalt’s ears drooped a little. “I-I didn’t mean to spark contention...”
“Umn Cobalt.” Twilight said feeling uncomfortable as the two princesses argued as well. “Perhaps we should take a walk down the rest of the train, give them time to work this out between themselves...”
Cobalt looked at his sisters once again and sighed. ”Right, That should be good.”
As the two alicorns excited the royal car, this time Cobalt having his wings out in the open. Ponies muttered as they walked down the train ilse. They didn’t know who this new alicorn was, did he ascend like Twilight or Cadence, or if he had some other origin. The whisperings made him blush and shift his wings uncomfortably.
“So...” Twilight starting, hoping to take his mind off everything that was going around and also to sate her own curiosity. “So Cobalt...What exactly are you in charge of...as a Prince or whatever your title is.”
“I don’t have a title.” Cobalt said simply. “I don’t want one. As for what I’m in charge of well... I’m the lord of the sky and the wild things beneath it.”
“Does that mean you could be responsible for this wild weather?” Twilight asked hoping for an easy explanation for this crisis.
“Well no...” Cobalt said, sad to let the younger alicorn down. “I haven’t inadvertently caused weather events since I was a foal...”
“Oh...Well at least you’ll be able to help us.” She said smiling, not wanting to give up hope.
He smiled back wanting to feed the spark he saw in her. “Yeah I think I will.”
The two of them soon arrived at the caboose of the train, Cobalt stepping out onto the platform there. Twilight paused for a moment. She watched the night air blow through the stallions wild main, and plushly feathered wings. His sharp features, his intelligent eyes, Twilight would be lying if she had that it didn’t have an...impression on her.
Eventually she stepped out to be with him under the canopy of stars. “So...” She started, as she put her hooves up on the railing of the platform. “In all your travels did you ever...well.”
“Did I what?” He asked as he turned his eyes from the sleepy, darkened countryside to the lavender princess, causing her to blush a little.
“Well did you ever meet...” Twilight had to break away from his gaze to finish. ”meet some special somepony.”
Cobalt chuckled a little and smiled. It was one of those smile were a friend would mention something that happened long ago in jest, but it still stings for you. “Once...a few decades ago...but...” He also turned away, looking down at the quickly receding tracks. “She’s gone now...”
“I-I’m sorry.” Twilight said, putting a comforting hoof on his wing, which he shrank away from. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories...If you want to talk about it sometime...my castle doors are always open.” She looked at him with caring eyes, no longer thinking about romance, but of true friendship
“Thanks.” Cobalt said giving another week smile to The Princess of Friendship. “I have no doubt that you’ll be a good listener.”
Hearing somepony clear their throat behind them, both alicorns spun about to see the royal sisters standing there with wide, cocky smirks plastered on their faces. Apparently they had gone out to find where their brother and little student had went of too.
“H-Hey this isn’t what it looks like.” Cobalt said defensively, as Twilight grew as stiff as a board and as red as a cherry. What did this look like to her mentor? Would she be in trouble for trying to make a pass at her brother?
“Oh yes?” Celestia said as she made parchment, ink, and a quill appear. “I’m sure Twilight's friends would love to know what it doesn’t look like.”
“Give those to me!” Cobalt demanded, boldly as Celestia began to scratch out the letter.
“You stopped being the boss of me 3,000 years ago.” Celestia said saltily, as she hovered the letter writing equipment out of Cobalt’s hoof-reach.
Cobalt dove for through the air the parchment. Only to have his sister teleport it, and herself back a few feet. “If you want them you’ll have to catch me~” She said before sticking out her tongue playfully with a wink.
Seeing what she was doing Cobalt smiled happily and charred after her, having her giggle as they ran back into the train, waking some of the sleeping passengers with their rowdy game.
“Hey, wait for me!” Luna said, not wanting to miss out on the fun following after them, leaving Twilight, still frozen like a statue on the train’s platform as the door locked closed behind her.
As daylight begins to shine through the tips of the mountains of the Frozen North. The Royal Canterlot train moved through the trough blanket of white that reach for miles and miles, like a bowl of cold milk. Princess Celestia eyed the beauty of it. The snow’s reach kept going and going, like frosting on a cake, with a few crystal cherry's and Buttercream flavored to suit all tastebuds! No focus… said the Sun Princess shaking away any thought of the event she would be missing again. With a sigh, she wondered why when there was cake, something always Important happened?
Snores fill the lantern-lit room disturbing the sweet peace of silence she had hoped would last before making the trip. Turning to the side to see her sleeping siblings brought some sweet memories when their big brother would tuck them in bed at night. He would tell them stories of adventurers and fantasies in faraway places. It was so simple back then before they became rulers, like no studies from Starswirl, no learning how to act like a noble and many other things… If Twilight had read her mind, she would think they had lived on a different planet. Giggling to herself, she looked to Luna has she was trying to hold her brother like a teddy bear, but couldn’t quite reach around him since he was three times bigger than she was.
Having forgotten what it was like to hear her brother snore, It was a surprise to her. With how long it's been since that day he left them with a kingdom… she didn't even think to recall anything about him. After she and Luna defeated Discord and other villains all those years ago... it was almost like he never existed
‘Oh Cobalt..’ she looked to his sleeping form as he was drooling on Luna’s mane. There are many questions that she wanted to him to answer after all these years, but most of all. ‘Why didn’t you come back sooner?’
After getting out of the tangled mess of her siblings. She went to fix herself up before raising the sun so that it would glide across the world effortlessly. She didn’t worry about forgetting to move it at all. It was a trick Cobalt had taught her and Luna when they were little. He really knew how to move them smoothly across the sky with no sweat at all. It took her hundreds of years just to master gliding a ball of fire across the sky while Luna crashed the Moon a few times into the ocean… If you ever heard about the sinking of Atlantis, let's just say it was only a meteor that drowned the once great kingdom.
Seeing the sun nearing 8am, she knew pretty soon they will be nearing The Crystal Empire in an hour. Celestia yawned as she brushed out her ethereal “Come on you two slug-a-beds.” She said to her brother and sister. “I sent a letter to Cadence, she’ll be expecting us soon.”
The two made small movements, but made no sign of truly getting up. She sighed, then thinking on what she could do to get them up... Smirking, Celestia used her magic to open one of the windows next to her. Snatching two snowballs out of a nearby bank which she then threw onto her sleeping siblings.
Feeling the impact, as well the sudden cold, Luna jumped like a startled cat and accidentally crashed through the roof of the car. “W-Was that really necessary?” Luna asked feeling cold from the impact and now outside, she looked down at her sister though the hole she had created.
“Well, It got the job done.” Celestia said with a smirk, before turning to see that the snowball had hardly affected Cobalt. “Well...for one of you at least” She added as Cobalt turned over onto his belly with his head falling back with his drool dripping on the Royal Carpet flooring. Noticing Luna was back inside, she was sneaking up to him with bucket of… No she wouldn’t… But then again, when was the last time they had to wake him up by force and pay him back for all those pranks he had pulled on them when they were little?
Celestia nodded her approval and Luna gently used her magic to glide the bucket above their dear brothers belly. Knowing fully well if they pull this off, there is no way of getting out of the car, or even teleporting out in time. With one more look at each other, they nodded in agreement knowing this might be their last day of their lives.
If someone were listening to what was going on in the royal car, they might have thought they heard the Princesses torturing some sort of animal, considering the high pitched yipping that came next.
--- --- ---
Cobalt licked at his coat as he tried to get it clean. ‘I didn’t deserve this... did I?’ He thought to himself. He started himself down in a reflection of one of the trains metallic surfaces. Nothing seemed to out of place... Of course, he didn’t notice that the tip of his tale was still a shade of periwinkle. Being sure he was done, he thought to himself that everything was once again right in the world. He didn't even notice the staring ponies that begin to giggle, not really caring to know what’s funny he continued to head back to his sisters. As he came back into the Royal car, he could see that his sisters were only looking down at their hooves. “What’s wrong?” Cobalt asked cocking his head. “I’d thought you two would be in hysterics after that.”
“I-I’m sorry brother.” Luna said apologetically. “We did laugh for a minute...but seeing how upset it made you...We realized it really wasn’t that funny...” Celestia nodded in agreement with her sister.
“Hey, no harm done.” Cobalt said, giving his little sisters an encouraging smile. He looked out the window to see the snowflake of the Crystal city in the distance. The sight of it made him smile. It was his first stop of his journey, and the Crystal ponies had been more than hospitable. Perhaps it was their Crystal Heart, and The Castle that acted like a beacon of warmth and love in a cold world, but he never found a more caring or gentle people. Thinking about how they had fallen into the hands of the despot Sombra...it still made him feel angry and, to a lesser extent, useless.
The conductor soon called out the stop for The Crystal Empire, and Luna remember what their party lacked. “Has Anyone seen Twilight?”
“I hope she didn’t spend all night out on the back platform.” Cobalt said as he got up and trotting out of the royal car again. “I’ll go look for her.”
His quick search of the train ended up with finding the lavender princess curled up and shivering on the caboose’s platform. “Oh dear...” He said before helping her up and putting a wing around her for warmth. “Are you okay? We didn’t mean to leave you out here.”
“I-I-It’s fine.” Twilight said with chattering teeth, “The door locked b-b-behind you...I-I’m sure you didn’t notice.”
“Still it was wrong of us to leave you like that. Here-” His horn glowed for a moment, and so did Twilight's body. The magic was tingly, but left her feeling warm and comfortable. “That’s a warming spell I picked up during my travels. You wouldn’t believe how many uses it has.”
“Thanks,” She said as the magic aura around her dissipated and she was left a little numb. “I think I might have read about it before...but perhaps you can show me sometime.”
Cobalt smiled and lead her off the train and towards his sisters. “After all you’ve offered to let me talk to you about my feelings whenever. It’s the least I can do.”
“Come on lovebirds.” Celestia prompted teasingly. “Best not keep Cadence waiting.”
Cobalt sighed but smiled as he followed his sisters. The paths were familiar to him and not much had changed since he last visited. Well except maybe the large crystal statue of a small dragon holding The Crystal Heart. ‘Huh… I never seen or heard of Dragons being here… I have to ask about this.’
“What’s the story behind this.” Cobalt said gesturing to it, a look of confusion coming across his face.
“Oh, that.” Twilight said before giggling a little. “Spike, my baby dragon assistant is kind of the Hero of the crystal ponies.”
“What for?” Cobalt asked, before a mob of crystal ponies gathered around him to explain.
“Spike, The Brave and Glorious, has saved The Crystal Empire twice over!” Explained one wide eyed pony, who seemed so enraptured in telling the story that she didn’t even notice she was talking to an unfamiliar alicorn. “First he returned the Crystal Heart to us in our time of dire need!”
“Then he saved us again during the Equestrian Games!” A little one said.
“Don’t forget the time he helped us make friends with a Changeling.” Another called out, making Cobalt’s head spin as he looked to who was speaking.
“Friends with a what now?” He said, ending up looking very confused.
“I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when you meet him.” Twilight said as she started leading him through the crowd of earth ponies. “But that’s not why we’re here.”
Pressing on, they soon made it to the Castle Plaza, the center of the snowflake, the streets of the city made with the Castle spire rising high into the sky. At the base of it was the Crystal Heart, which shined with great light of warmth, moving slowly in a rotating motion. Near it where two stallions waiting. One had brilliant gamboge with light apple greenish spots coat and the mane being vivid and brilliant vermilion. He was also wearing wizard's robes with glasses near the tip of his nose. The other pony had a light grey coat with a sapphire blue mane with a few cerulean streaks. He was also wearing purple armor, making his status as Captain of the Royal Guard.
“Shining!” Twilight called out as she galloped up to the Captain and wrapped him in a hug. “It’s been so long since seeing you.” Noticing that someone was missing, she asked. “Where's Cadence?”
“Don’t worry, she is taking care of the baby.” Said the Captain as he broke from the embrace. He was always glad to see his sister but...
“Honestly when we heard you were coming such short notice, we worried that something might have gone wrong.” The other pony interrupted as he tapped his hoof nervously and pushing his glasses back into position before they fell off the end of his muzzle. Cobalt thought he looked like a young Starswirl. The socialistic disposition, the long beard off of his chin, it was old Starswirl back alive again. Remembering back in the days, he would call the old bearded wizard ‘The Bearded Book of Knowledge!’ This made him chuckle heartily.
“May I ask what's so funny?” Shining asked to the unknown stallion, looking him up and down sternly.
“Stand down Captain. There is no need to treat him coldly” Celestia said, to her Captain of the Guard. The authoritative tone triggered something in the former guard, causing him to shiver a bit. “After all...” She said her tone becoming warmer. “He is mine and Luna’s brother.”
Both of stallions were absolutely shocked. “I-I didn’t know you had one.” The stunned guardsmen stammered out.
“Neither did I...” Said the other pony writing his glasses of the bridge of his muzzle again “I mean in all the Histories of Equestria I’ve read, there wasn’t the slightest mention of..”
“Because I didn’t want anyone to remember me.” Cobalt admitted. “Still, It’s nice to see that we still have scholar's that appreciate Equestrian History. I’d be happy to fill in some of holes in between the lines sometime, Mr...?”
“S-sunburst.” He replied smiling shakily with nervousness.
“The name is Cobalt.” Cobalt reply, having his hoof out in a friendly gesture.
“I-I’ll look forward to it Prince Cobalt.” As Sunburst bowed down to him.
Cobalt stepping back in a wild surprise look. “No, I’m not a Prince anymore!” Speaking in a high fox voice. He rub the back of his head smiling nervously In embarrassment. “It’s just Cobalt. No need to bow down to me...” The others were looking at him with a funny look, thinking he just sounded like a fox. His sisters were glancing at each other, concerned.
‘If Fluttershy were to hear him, she might had believed that he was an actual fox’ Twilight thought as she looked to Cobalt with a small smile, ‘It might be funny for his sisters to see him being treated like Fluttershy treats a sweet little animal’. She laughed at the thought for a moment, but she knew they should move on before more awkwardness happens.
Clearing her throat to catch Shining’s attention. “Hey Big Brother, can we see Cadence now? We want to talk with her about a problem that has come up recently. And no it’s not Cobalt.” Twilight added seeing how he seem to be sizing him up. “It’s very urgent.”
Shining didn’t catch all of what her sister said, but he did catch her expression. ‘Oh dear, I know that look. It’s always the look she gives me when there's a problem. Glad I’m taking this seriously now or I could have had made the biggest mistake in all of Equestria… What did she say again… Big problem, need Cadence and Cobalt is the problem?’ Glancing back to the Male Alicorn in question, he was a head taller than Princess Celestia for sure, and his build seemed to be fit for either a warrior or a traveler... ‘I better stay near him to protect the others, I can’t make the same mistake again. No one is going to get brainwashed and being turn into food on my watch.’
Remembering that Cadence was taking care of Flurry Heart at the moment, Shining tried thinking up some way to stall the group, so this mysterious Alicorn couldn’t get the chance to harm his daughter. ‘Hmm… She wanted to put Flurry to sleep before seeing the Princesses. What time is it?’ The captain looked across the plaza to spot a clock tower nearby, it was nearing 10am. ‘Ok we got 10 to 15 minutes before Flurry will be asleep. I can’t risk an enemy nearing my daughter, I will give a tour and have Sunburst lead while I interrogate the guest a bit.’
“Sorry Twily,” Shining said, trying to remain as casual as possible and not tip Cobalt off about his suspicions. “Cadence wanted to have Flurry asleep before seeing everypony. Since it’s nearing Flurry’s naptime. How about a little tour of the castle, before seeing Cadence?”
“That sounds lovely.” Cobalt said with a weak smile. “I haven’t visited since before King Sombra took over, and a tour would be a lovely way to get reaquainted with the place.”
“Well, I’m sure Sunburst will be able to give quite the insightful commentary while we walk.” Shining said nodding to his crystaller.
“Well yes of course, I’d be happy to!” Sunburst said, honored to be called upon to help in any capacity. “I guess where we’re standing is a great place to start. This palaza not only houses the Crystal Heart as you can see, but acts as a gathering place for most public events.”
As Sunburst went on, Shining trotted over to Cobalt. “So Cobalt...” He started as he tried to think of questions that wouldn’t tip Cobalt off. “So why exactly did you come back?”
“Well, I guess I wanting to see my family again.” Cobalt said, trying to be as kind and as reasonable as he can. He didn’t need to go around making enemies here. “You can understand that right? You and your sister seem really close.”
“Yes I can understand that.” Nodding to the Alicorn. He understood of importance of family. “Twilight and I are very close, even though we both live farway, in different castles. I always find the time to spend with my little sister. Even if we haven’t seen each other for quite some time.”
Twilight heard her brothers remark and glance back with a smile. Cobalt felt that it might have been Insult, but sadly thinking... he hasn’t been very close to his sisters at all since 3,000 years ago… ‘I hope I can be as close to my sisters, as they are to each other...’
As Sunburst lead them through the tour on history and trivia of the castle Shining notice that they were falling a bit behind the others. Turning to ask him another question. He notice the Male Alicorn frown a bit. “Hey… Is something wrong?”
Snapping out of his headspace, he looked to see who was talking. “Sorry Captain, just thoughts and memories. Umm…” He hoped to change the subject, “What were you going to ask?”
“Well, I was going to ask,” Shining continued, not paying much mind to what he had said. “Why exactly did you have such a strong objection to being called a Prince.”
Cobalt have a small, uncomfortable laugh. “Because I’m not one. I abandoned that title when I abandoned Equestria. Also...” He paused as he looked about all the luxuries that The Crystal Castle was filled with. “I was never comfortable with that title to begin with... The concept elevating yourself above other ponies... there’s something in my nature that make me viscerally opposed to the idea of such the thing.”
Shining was surprised, and not really sure how to interpret this. It seemed that he was against the idea of aristocracy all together, was he here to try and convince his sisters not to be royalty anymore? Or was he just humble and truly thought he was no better than anypony else?
He’d have to think on this more, but later. There’s still was other questions that need answering. “But why leave? You could have still done good work here, protecting the good people of Equestria.” He demanded with a struness of a military commander.
Cobalt hung his head and thought deeply for a moment. “I dunno...when I left I didn’t perceive any threat towards Equestria. Well, except maybe the bigoted attitudes some members of the three tribes still had towards each other. Now I see that...that perhaps my power acted as a deterrent to outside forces...Had to think of myself as that intimidating though.”
“What exactly is your power?” Shining asked, with bated breath. Knowing this would greatly help him in creating a strategy against this rogue Alicorn.
“Well I can controll the weather, whip up a decently powerful storm in a blink,” Cobalt said, starting to think that perhaps Shining's questions weren’t all they first appeared to be. “But I don’t know how that has to relate to anything.”
“I just don’t see how you ever thought it was a good idea to leave your two young sisters in charge of such a large country!” Shining said defensively. While the company were a bit further away, they were starting to hear a commotion behind them.
“Are you saying they can’t handle themselves?!” Cobalt retorted loudly, catching the group's attention. Their discussion was becoming heated, the Princesses and Sunburst grew nervous. What would it look like if they got into a fight here, the epicenter of love and good feelings of all Equestria?
“No,” Shining said, not backing down. “I’m just saying, that even they aren't infallible!” This made the Princesses blush deeply and looked at each other.
At that moment, from behind the large door they were standing in front of, a high pitched crying started up, hurting Cobalt’s sensitive hearing. Shining looked especially panicked at this new development.
“What the fluff is that!” He said as the group covered their ears from the Supersonic Screeching from the other side.
“T-that must be the baby.” Sunburst called out loudly over the crying with a nervous smile before one of the lense in his glasses cracked. “I should really recast that Filly’s Forebarrence spell.”
As he opened the door to the nursery, a pink magic bolt flew right over his head, trimming the top of his hair a little. Everypony ducked as it began to ricochet off the crystal walls of the castle. Cobalt, still crippled by the sound, took the blast full on. The impact was enough to send the full grown stallion flying out of the castle down to the Plaza below...
