A couple of years after Luna's return, Prince Alfred finally agrees on assisting at the gala, to many's surprise...
"I always wanted to sing this song for the very first moment I thought about... her. Now, on this very night, I would like to dedicate this song to that very special pony in my life... This is for you, my love."
Alfred has avoided attending the gala for many years with the same excuse, but after Luna resumed her role as Princess of the Night and Queen of Dreams, the human Prince is finally left without a "reason" to not be part of the celebration.
He had other reasons for not attending and, although Celestia knew very well, the Princess of the Sun managed to convince him to come and accompany them all.
1st P.S: Special thanks to MisterEdd and cinos0 for helping me by reviewing the chapters.
2nd P.S:Please, first read the story before judging it only by its cover. Once you did that, you may judge it and comment if you liked it or not and why. Thank you.
3rd P.S: Corporal Hook OC is given by JimmyHook19, and yes, this character is very important for the "Alfredverse".
The knocking on the door echoed in the silent room. This same silence dominated the place’s environment for quite a while, as a response, the knocking was heard once more, this time, a little louder.
Then, a slight growl emanated from the room, although it was too low to be heard from the other side; again, the knocking appeared for the third time and, on this occasion, it was way louder than the first one…
“Come in.” Growled a voice, from which a remarkable yawn emerged as well.
The door opened and, from there, entered the room a very peculiar looking pony with a dark blue-tone armor; precisely, it was a female bat pony that several ponies knew very well by that moment. The equine walked to the side of the room’s bed and smiled as she looked at the figure that laid on the bed; however, at no moment did she forget her duty and spoke…
“Good morning, your majesty.” Greeted the bat pony, though the only response she received was another growl coming from the man that seemed to not have any intention to wake up properly…
“*Ahem* ...Your majesty, it’s 7 am.” She commented. “And we both know you have some duties to carry out, sir.”
The man finally sighed and replied…
“Good morning to you too, Corporal.” Another yawn came from him, though it didn’t seem to disturb the equine since she already had experience dealing with this kind of thing…
“You know,” said the half-awake man. “I thought you were sleeping by now.”
The Corporal denied with the head while still having a smile on her face…
“Ironsight had an incident last night and he’s in the nursery now.” Reported the bat pony, then stepped back once to let the man, named Alfred, sit on the bed’s edge while looking at her with a slightly surprised expression on his face, he asked…
“Is he okay?”
His preoccupied voice tone reflected how he felt; fortunately, the Corporal reassured him…
“Don’t worry, your highness. He’s okay.” She answered. “Though, I think he’s gonna be out of duty for a while.”
“That means you’ll be waking me up for a while, huh?” He asked, to which the Corporal nodded and said…
“Affirmative, your majesty.”
Her tone of voice was a very confident one, which let Alfred know of her self-confidence; he smiled at this while letting a thought go through his mind for a moment before speaking…
“I like your self-confidence,” He commented. “It makes me… remember a friend of mine I had some time ago.”
The nostalgia on his voice was immediately noticed by the bat pony, who looked at him with some confusion, though she didn’t let him know about it thanks to having an ability to disguise her expressions. She witnessed a slight sad gaze on Alfred’s face while he looked at the floor for an instant before changing it by another one, this being fake.
The human got up from the bed and walked towards the mini kitchen on the other side of the room…
“I’ll prepare myself some hot chocolate.” He changed the topic, then turned to look at the bat pony and asked her. “Would you like some, Corporal?”
His offer definitely took the Corporal by surprise, even her ability to hide her real expressions didn’t help, so she could do nothing but answer honestly…
“If… it’s not such a problem-” She then blushed of embarrassment while looking somewhere else to not let him notice that; it worked, and Alfred replied…
“Nonsense, Corporal.” He interrupted her. “It would be a pleasure.”
The man’s walk continued for a couple of seconds, passing by the armchairs, in which he always spent the coldest nights near a pleasant warmth from the fireplace's fire. Then, when he reached the mini kitchen, he stopped and bent down to pick up a saucepan, then stood up again and placed it on the small stove. He started cooking the drink with such absolute and silent tranquility, which had already become a habit of his, that it also came to worry others at times.
The bat pony stood still, staring at the human, for a short time as she realized the significant lack of lighting in the room; this, despite being predominant, was not instantly noticed by her because of her habit of being in the dark.
A curious fact about the bat ponies is that, after being in the dark for so long, and with the lack of interaction in the day, they weren't able to distinguish day from night. Their eyes were used to night and day, for them, was not different at all.
Then, and without anything else to do, she went to one of the windows and opened its blinds, letting in the light of the young morning with Celestia's sun illuminating everything in its path. After that, the bat pony gave a small smile of satisfaction, she liked to help as much as possible and always cared more to help in exchange for nothing, instead of doing favors only for recognition.
She stared at the landscape that the window allowed to see for several minutes, in which, from time to time, a murmur came out of her mouth, though she wasn't able to articulate any words. She just... enjoyed the view and smiled. Definitely one of her favorite things to do, admire a landscape with as much detail as possible, and to watch it completely from the best possible place... And this was one of those moments.
However, a somewhat strange sound interrupted her and she turned to look in the direction of where it came from. She looked towards there, but Alfred was the only one present, still preparing the hot chocolate; puzzled, the Corporal approached Alfred to find out if there was a problem.
She trotted quickly, albeit with some caution, as she wasn't entirely sure what was going on. When she got next to Alfred, another sniff was heard coming from him; it was then that the bat pony realized that Prince Alfred, co-ruler of Equestria, was on the edge of crying, shedding a few tears as he kept his eyes focused on the hot chocolate, in an attempt to avoid the crying. He may not have realized it, but there was a tear capable of falling on the hot chocolate that was still being cooked.
She had never seen this facet from the Prince. Furthermore, never in her life did she think that she would see a member of Equestrian royalty show, even if it is, an expression of pain and/or sorrow on her face; however, there she was, witnessing the outbursts of a man whose feelings and emotions were clear for anypony who was there to see him…
Hurt, afflicted, broken…
His teary eyes showed nothing but sorrow and the desire to cry uncontrollably. His hands trembled as more time passed and his breathing became more agitated after one last thought passed through his mind, causing him to cry uncontrollably at last…
“Feeling any better, sir?” Asked the bat pony as she handed the cup full of hot chocolate to Alfred, who didn’t respond immediately, but instead, he grabbed the cup and stared at it for a moment…
“No.” He finally answered.
That was the worst possible response the Corporal could have thought, but what she least wanted, ended up happening. Her efforts to calm him seemed to have worked, but it ended up not being that way. Instead, the co-ruler of Equestria from whom so many wonders are talked about was simply sitting on the ground, in tears as his thoughts invaded him at every moment.
She knew that this problem was not hers, but she could not help worrying about this human, who was supposed to be some of the best that had existed in Equestria. Then, after finally realizing she had no other option, spoke…
“Is there anything I can do for you, your majesty?” The bat pony asked, hoping he could give her an answer she needed to try and help him…
Instead of receiving one, what was heard from Alfred’s mouth impressed her…
“I need to know one thing… Hook.” He replied, finally talking to her by her name.
Corporal Hook looked at him, directly at his eyes, seeing in them desperation, sadness, and need for answers; realizing this, she sighed and nodded while saying…
“Anything, sir.”
“...How?”
The question was… odd. She was not prepared for a question as simple, but at the same time, as complex as that. The confusion was notorious on her; after all, those kinds of questions, without a more explicit explanation, were some of the things he hated about every creature…
“Your majesty,” She began saying. “please, I need a more specific question. I can’t help with only a word.” She ended up explaining…
“...I mean, how are you able to… go forward?”
“My apologies, your highness. But… I don’t understand.” Hook expressed, to which Alfred turned to look at her, only for a moment, before gazing back at the now-cold fireplace…
“If you lose all those for who you cared the most and they cared for you… How would it be possible for you... to go forward?” He asked in a cold, but also, broken voice.
It took a long time to think of an answer. It's clear that the dilemma Alfred faced was also dependent on her and the answer she would give; she had to admit it, never before was she felt so needed by someone until that moment... She reflected, pondered, and finally had an answer to give…
“It’s complicated. I won’t lie to you, your highness.” She said. “Usually, we all think there’s an easy answer to everything, but… it isn’t like that… We all have to go through a lot before achieving anything.”
A predominant silence began to emerge in the environment, though Hook wasn’t willing to let that silence dominate her and kept talking…
“However,” She added. “There will be always a time in which peace can be reached by ourselves… And, with patience, you may reach that peace very soon. There’ll be suffering, pain… we all go through that, but… that doesn’t mean you have to go through it alone. Maybe, Celestia can help you.”
Her conclusion made Alfred barely smile, though it was enough to make her know she had done her job correctly.
At some point, Alfred closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, took a deep breath before opening them again, and got up from the floor, being followed by Hook. Then, he looked at her one more time before saying…
“Thank you.”
The bat pony nodded in response while walking towards the door; she had no intention of disturbing the Prince for more time, instead, she understood that she had done everything on her possibilities and remained satisfied with the result. Right before opening the door and exiting the room, the bat pony turned around to see Alfred staring at her; then, at this, the human said…
“Thanks for the talk… it means a lot to me.” He thanked her. “It really does.”
“Always an honor, your highness.” Replied the Corporal as she bowed. “And thank you for the hot chocolate, sir.”
Alfred smiled one last time and responded. “Always a pleasure, Corporal Hook.”
Both of them nodded at each other for the last time. Then, at that moment, Hook opened the door and exited the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Alfred alone, once more… with his thoughts...
And there he stood, standing in the middle of the room, looking at the door that just closed, leaving him completely alone once more…
Always…
A while had passed since the last time he thought of that word, Always. He'd said it many times, but never stopped for a moment to ponder the moral meaning of that word; he put aside its importance after the incident with Celestia, centuries ago.
Their friendship was very strong after the Pre-Equestrian Era, it was strengthened during the first 100 years of both sisters and Alfred's reign, although this relationship suffered a notorious decline after the exile of Nightmare Moon. Fortunately, that slight, but palpable friendship managed to stay afloat despite the setbacks; however, it all ended after the incident...
This event only proved to be the last straw in the relationship between both Alfred and Celestia, it caused a distance between them for several decades, what’s more, neither of them spoke a word to each other... for almost 37 years.
Now, after the long moment of silence, Alfred stands in front of his bathroom mirror, examining his face carefully; looks at his eyes and cheeks, still with traces of tears, then sees his disheveled hair, and at the end... pays attention to his ear, or rather, the place where his ear should be.
He still remembered perfectly that and many other events throughout his life, some worse than others, but he did. Every day, every night, he would stop for a few moments to reflect, to cry, and to try to accept the fact that all of this... is in the past. But he just can't.
The worst thing was that he cannot go and tell anyone about his feelings and thoughts, his nightmares and pains, nothing at all. He, because of his position as monarch of Equestria, was unable to do anything about his past, except... cry.
Crying, venting with weepings, and tears were the only thing a man, psychologically devastated, could do, but who still tried to keep his sanity as least affected as possible to avoid scandals. Alfred was, and is, the perfect example of that, the only thing he did, apart from his duties, was that... Letting go of a melancholic, sad, and desperate cry.
However, all this would not be of importance to anyone except those who knew about all this, all his past... Celestia, Raven, and Shining Armor were the only ones who understood; but Shining Armor, currently, was in a distant Empire. Raven was forced to help out where possible with royal duties... and Celestia, well, neither of them had any contact beyond the casual, short talk.
Alfred focused on a business, the breakfast, and glanced at the clock that hung on the wall next to the door. It was 7:38 in the morning. Usually, Celestia had her breakfast around 8, so the human decided to do what, until then, was unthinkable…
“Not again…” He whispered. “Not today.”
Alfred proceeded to freshen up himself completely. First, he combed his hair again, then shaved off his short two or three-day beard; afterward, he washed the face to remove traces of tears from it, and finally, he brushed his teeth thoroughly in order to look good.
Once finished, the Prince looked carefully at his face once more. He was satisfied with the result, though he wasn't handsome, he had never tried to look good on purpose; indeed, this was one of the few times he did.
He sighed. However, only for a few seconds, he was able to barely smile. It wasn’t much, but… when he noticed, it told him a lot and he was proud of it. He finally knew what he would do after so much…
Once again, Alfred stood in silence, in front of the door. However, this time, he wasn’t thinking… Now, at the moment, he stared, not at the door, but at one object he had on his hands. It was a black-colored beret. It didn’t seem to be something important, but it was for him. Actually, this was a gift given by both Celestia and Luna, many years ago.
Maybe, he had been suffering a lot lately, but he did have some good memories. Unfortunately, these were only a few and, almost always, they were overshadowed by those bad.
This simple but important object represented for the Prince what he lost once and, narrowly, lost on many more... A show of affection for him.
Looking up ahead, the human puts the beret on and closes his eyes one last time, sighs, then opens them again and whispers…
“Here we go.”
That's when he opens the door and takes a couple of steps forward, then closes it behind him. Right after, Alfred looks forward again, only to notice somepony's presence, standing at the side of the hall. He immediately recognized her, it was Corporal Hook, who still seemed to be doing her job of guarding the end of the hall and the room's entrance...
“I thought you had already left, Corporal.” Alfred commented, making the bat pony turn to him and respond…
“As I said, your highness,” She replies. “It is my duty, for the moment.”
Alfred responded by nodding at her, letting her know he understood the situation; she continues…
“Feeling any better now, sir?” She asked.
He immediately stops by her side while looking forward; despite what others would believe, he wasn’t ignoring her, just… thinking. She knew that, which let Alfred to not worry about and answered…
“No.” He said, though there was something to add…
“As you said, We all have to go through a lot before achieving anything… Heh… It almost sounds like it comes from a philosopher.”
Hook slightly blushed at his comment, she understood that the compliment was for her and it made her feel a little embarrassed; however, as before, she managed to hide that expression very quickly, but not as quick as usual…
“You don’t have to feel embarrassed, it’s only a compliment.” Alfred remarked…
The bat pony sighed. “I know,” She replied. “It’s just… embarrassing when somepony else notices I’m easy to flatter, it makes me feel weak.”
Alfred didn’t reply, instead of that, he walked forward for a moment before turning around and looking at her…
“If somepony notices you can be flattered, don’t let it make you feel weak, but to make you feel that you can show emotions… that you actually have a heart.” He suggested before adding one last thing…
“Being a royal guard, either solar or nocturnal, doesn’t transform into a machine… You can feel. Never forget that.”
A silence started, but this one wasn’t an uncomfortable one, it’s reflective for the bat pony who had helped him, but forgot to think about herself. Now, she did and picked up what he meant; she looked at him in the eyes and nodded in gratitude, Alfred picked up as well what she meant and replied…
“Most importantly,” He commented. “Never let anypony else tell you what to do. You’re free to choose your destiny.”
“And, what you did wasn’t the exact opposite?” She questioned him; Alfred chuckled at this and replied…
“It was more like… a suggestion.”
Then, without saying anything else, he stepped back a few before turning around once more and leaving the place…
The more he walked, the more guards he saw. It was common for him to see plenty of them, but it was always impressive to him knowing that, in every event, more than 150 royal guards to prepare the event correctly or, at least, appropriately. Of course, most of the ponies that came to the Grand Galloping Gala were part of the high social class, but still. Sometimes, Alfred thought it was an exaggeration to only let those ponies be welcomed since, for what they went for, was only to see Celestia and, hopefully, him.
Now, they had another excuse to come, Luna.
He wasn’t against the fact of Luna being part of the gala, but it made him think that society only wanted recognition and popularity for anything, instead of enjoying the event and chatting with others, dancing, or whatever they could do there.
However, he chose to put those thoughts aside and keep walking towards the castle commander. After another few minutes of walking, Alfred finally reached his destination, being greeted by a couple of royal guards, who noticed his arrival and bowed before him…
“Good morning to you too, gentleponies.” Alfred greeted as he nodded to both guards, who replied…
“Thank you, sir.” Said one.
The other asked. “Have you slept well, your majesty?”
“Well,” Alfred sighed. “as good as possible. Thank you for asking.” He thanked.
“It is my duty, after all, your highness.” The guard replied before asking…
“May we know to what we owe the honor of having you here, your majesty?”
Alfred remained silent for a moment before smiling slightly and responding…
“I just wanted to surprise Celestia.” He said. “Is she here?”
“Affirmative, your highness.” Answered the other guard. “She just returned from cooking breakfast, you want me to tell her you’re here?” He asked, Alfred immediately denied with the head…
“No, thanks.” He answered. “As I said, I would like to surprise her.”
“We understand, your majesty.” Commented the guard. “You want us to leave for the moment?”
Alfred thought the answer for a second before saying…
“Yes, please.”
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Celestia stopped drinking her tea and set the cup on the table, closed the newspaper, set it aside, and kept her gaze fixed on the door. For her, it was rare for somepony to interrupt her breakfast, though it wasn't something that bothered her at all; what's more, the company used to be enjoyable at times, so she spoke…
“Come in.”
At her answer, the door opened instantly, though what she saw surprised her quite a bit. Alfred, the one with whom she had hardly interacted after a long time, was on the other side of the door, looking at her with an expression capable of confusing anypony…
“A-Alfred,” She exclaimed slightly. “what a surprise.”
“Hey, Tia.” He greeted. “May I join you?”
“Of course, Alfred.” Celestia replied.
Alfred nodded and proceeded to enter the dining room, closing the door behind him; afterward, he walked towards the table in absolute silence, without saying a word. Celestia noticed this, but preferred to let him speak, though she already had an idea of why he was doing it.
Alfred sat next to Celestia, still not saying anything, but knowing that Celestia realized all that silence; therefore, and without more that he could do, he spoke…
“Enjoying breakfast?” He asked, to which the alicorn nodded in response…
“Yes, thank you.” She answered. “Would you like some as well?”
“Thanks, Tia. But… I must decline the invitation.” The human replied.
Celestia looked at her food for a moment, she knew that Alfred hadn’t come to just make her some company, then why was he here?...
“Then, why are you here?” Celestia asked. “If you didn’t come to have breakfast nor accompany me, then… which is the reason?”
He was silent for a few seconds, this time it wasn't to know what to answer, but to have enough courage to tell her; they hadn't interacted properly in a long time, the past events had hardened them and it would be difficult for him to explain himself, but he knew what it had to be said…
“I miss…” He responded.
That was definitely the answer Celestia had least expected. There was nothing explicit in that short sentence that made her understand all the sea of thoughts that flooded his mind. All she knew was that he missed something, but she didn't know what. Despite knowing him well, the lack of proper interaction between them for as long as almost three hundred years left her without a clear idea of what he was referring to since he could be meaning to anything…
She asked. “What do you miss, Alfred?”
“...Everything.” He answered. “I miss… all the good old times we once shared, I miss all those who I loved once and love me back… and, I miss the love and friendship in my life.”
Celestia said nothing. She wanted, needed to hear him say everything he had inside of him; in order to help a soul in need, they should be allowed to express themselves freely, to speak, to vent their sorrows and pains, even if they had already done it before on many occasions.
However, something stopped the man from talking. He wanted to speak, but something inside him was screaming to stop; it was impossible to describe, but it seemed to be like his subconscious, telling him to not do it, that it wouldn't be worth doing so. Now the reason was known, the fear within one can force him/her to keep the thoughts hidden from others forever, but this is only a reflection, which must be overcome…
At some point, it looked like he was able to recover the ability to speak. He had made it. The fear that for a long time forced him to be quiet with almost everypony was officially gone; now, he was free to express himself, to tell Celestia everything…
“It’s been difficult for me to accept that everything I’ve once known is… gone.” He continued explaining while looking at a window; his mind seemed to play some sort of trick since he was able to see in it the image of an evil Discord, looking at him with the most feared, corrupted eyes.
He closed his eyes, but never stopped talking…
“The castle, Discord, my friends… my family.” A sniff came from him, a tear was shed on his right cheek and his eyes opened once more to look at Celestia’s…
“The worst of it is… that I left all those events deeply affect in my current life, making the friendship we once shared be gone and, probably, not be recovered ever.” He concluded, almost letting his soul break at remembering all those terrible memories.
Celestia, instead of answering, got up from her chair and walked towards him; then, she slowly approached and hugged him in silence. Alfred, without hesitating, accepted the hug and left all the tears be shed…
“I understand the feeling, my dear friend,” Celestia whispered. “I know how it is to lose somepony you love, witness the death of many that you cared for, and cared for you… And- ...I know what it is to be forced to remain in complete silence and not tell anypony how you feel.” She finally expressed, shedding a tear while she kept hugging the man.
Suddenly, a small chuckle, covered in sadness and weeping, emerged…
“We need serious psychiatric help... don’t we?” Alfred joked while crying, Celestia, knowing what he meant, chuckled in tears, and replied…
“We certainly do, Alfred… We certainly do…”
They kept hugging for quite a while, but there wasn’t need to know that, neither Celestia nor Alfred cared since they needed this. It was needed some truth, some sincerity, some… honest weeping…
“Thank you, Tia.” Alfred thanked whispering, to which Celestia said…
“Thank you, Alfred… for sharing the honesty trapped in your soul.”
A while passed after the sweet, friendly reunion between both friends, Alfred and Celestia; the two monarchs never expressed themselves as directly as they did at the time. Even after the hug, the alicorn cordially invited him to breakfast and, despite having rejected it previously, the human accepted this time; together they ate, talked and reflected, with the occasional smile on their faces because of the good news this meant.
The happiness and joy in both were notorious; even after the crying, the laughter never faded. For the first time in a long, long time, both coexisted in a harmony never seen before since the reign of both sisters and the human; sure, neither of them wanted to give up the pleasure of interacting with each other, but life forced them to.
During a short talk between each other, Celestia came to realize something, she saw Alfred's beret, who was still wearing it, and smiled at this; that simple object reminded her of the moment in which she and her sister gave it to him after what happened with the Griffins, more than a millennium ago.
She laughed...
“I see you still have that old beret.” Celestia commented.
Alfred replied…
“Well, it was a gift of you both.” He said, referring to her and Luna, then asked…
“Why shouldn’t I wear it now?”
“You like it?” Celestia asked.
Alfred chuckled in response. The question was odd and absurd since she already knew the answer, but it seemed like she only wanted to verify it; once his laugh stopped, he answered…
“I said it once and I’ll say it again,” He claimed with a smile on his face. “...I love it.”
Celestia was glad to hear that answer, she and Luna had made an effort to sew it up for him, shortly after the "Massacre Decade" the humans suffered. And, despite the fact that was its initial purpose, after seeing him in such a state, they decided to give it to him as a welcome gift, since they've had compassion for him after what he went through during those times.
It was Luna who felt sorry the most for that human being, since she herself saw the crude and cruel fate that his sister had; this made her feel a great fear of losing her own sister, so she offered the idea to Celestia, who gladly agreed to carry it out.
Obviously, such a simple gift, but also one of great significance, was not enough to completely help Alfred's mental state; however, it did seem to mean enough, since he had the will to keep moving forward and more after discovering the surprising fact that he wasn't the last of his kind.
The nostalgia in both of them was perfectly reflected on their faces. Remembering a moment so significant and, at the same time, as beautiful as that one, managed to give back even more joy to the Prince, who was finally able to smile long enough for Celestia to feel very happy for Alfred. It wasn't something too significant, but it showed that Alfred had the ability to enjoy the little moments that life offered.
He has finally taken the first step…
Then, at a moment, Celestia stared at Alfred, while he was still smiling to himself and deepening into that moment; she thought to herself…
“Maybe, he’ll finally accept.”
Instantly, and without Alfred's awareness, Celestia used her magic to levitate an object from within a box located on the other side of the table, the same place where no creature had taken sit in decades. She levitated it carefully so Alfred wouldn't notice and carried it to where they were; then, she spoke…
“Alfred,” She said…
Alfred stopped rambling in the thought and immediately paid attention to Celestia; posteriorly, he asked…
“Yes, Tia?”
The alicorn sighed. “...I know I ask you this every time, but…” She said, then levitated the object and asked. “Would it be possible for you to assist at the gala?”
Alfred’s smile faded as he looked at the object, it was an invitation for the Grand Galloping Gala, and immediately let out a sigh, then spoke…
“Tia, we’ve already talked about-”
“I know,” She interrupted him. “but there’s a time in which you have to give up at certain things in life.” She explained; however, before Alfred could reply, Celestia kept talking…
“It’s been almost five centuries, Alfred… Please, make us all some company for once.” She asked, almost begging at him, while staring at him with a pleading expression on her face.
The human looked away. He had already given the answer many times since then, but Celestia always asked him to come to the gala; despite always rejecting, the alicorn never gave up on trying…
“Then, why don’t you give up?” He asked her, she replied…
“Because I know you have no reasons to deny the invitation,” Celestia explained. “Since you let Luna retake her old positions as Princess of the Night and Queen of Dreams, you stopped having a credible excuse.”
“Tia… I-” He tried to talk, but no word came out from his mouth.
The Prince understood that it no longer made sense to continue like this, he had no reasons to avoid attending the gala; the excuses from before, at least, were justifiable, but he didn't have the support that helped him in these situations. Looking at the ground, he finally gave a sigh and spoke…
“Is Luna attending as well?” He asked while turning towards the alicorn, who answered…
“Yes,” Celestia said. “though, she’ll only be present for a while before having to carry out her duties.”
Alfred nodded in response, understanding the situation immediately, though he had something else to ask…
“Discord?”
The Princess was definitely caught off guard with his question. She didn’t know what to reply since the answer wouldn’t be a pleasant one for him; despite that, she knew it had to be said…
“Yes.”
The human looked away again, thinking about what Celestia had told him about the gala; on one hand, there was Luna, whom he had hardly seen since her return a couple of years ago. But, on the other hand, there was Discord, the last "living" Draconequus worldwide, the same one who had betrayed him, Celestia and Luna, and all of Equestria alike; a situation like this would usually make him reflect for quite some time, but this time... it wouldn't be like that…
He sighed one last time. “Alright, Tia… I’ll go.”
His answer relieved Celestia a bit, as she feared that he would continue to be insistent about not going to the gala; however, to her surprise, Alfred added…
“But on two conditions.” He warned. “First, I would like to have the opportunity of inviting a couple of guests to the gala, I got some who might be interested in coming.”
Celestia sighed, she should have known it wouldn’t be that easy, so she nodded in agreement…
“Second,” Alfred said. “If Discord comes to me and tries to apologize, I’ll make sure he gets rubbed in his face everything he has done to us all. You, me and Luna alike.”
“Alfred, you can’t-”
“You want me to come, Tia?” He interrupted her.
Celestia nodded in response, to which Alfred spoke once more…
“Then, let me do some justice.”
“Alfred, don’t let the apathy and anger consume you.” Celestia begged. “Please, I know you hate what Discord did to us, but… he’s different now. I assure you that.”
“I know,” Alfred answered with a cold tone of voice, then looked at her one last time and said…
“but… does that mean his past actions are forgiven?”
Celestia replied. “No,” She said. “but, at least, let him try.” She asked him…
“...There are no third chances, Celestia.” Alfred spoke before taking the ticket and getting up from the chair…
“He may be good now, but his past actions… are not forgotten.”
Then, without speaking any other word, Alfred turned around and walked towards the door; when he reached it, he opened it, looked back for a few moments before fixing his gaze forward again and leaving the dining room, closing the door behind him…
No sound was heard all the way down the short and lonely corridor; the tranquility definitely had an overwhelming presence and there was nothing trying to disturb it. Not even the guards, being present, made any noise; perhaps, for them, it was too comfortable to feel peace like this one, which they rarely had at this time.
Neither of them moved, they were just there, standing, looking at nothing while they carried out their duty of guarding that particular and reassuring corridor; however, in an instant, that peace was interrupted by the remote, but also constant noise of footsteps emerging from the other side.
Both guards glanced towards the end of the corridor, searching for the source of the noise that had, somehow, acquired their attention; seconds passed, during which, the noise increased, not too much, but enough to be identified as human steps instead of equine’s.
It was then that the guards realized that it was Prince Alfred, although he could not be seen anywhere, it was attributed to that he was still walking down the other corridor, which connected with the one in which they were; therefore, both guards awaited.
However, and surprisingly, everything stopped. Silence reappeared immediately, once again dominating the same environment that, for moments, seemed to have life. Confusion appeared and the curiosity in both guards made them look at each other for a moment before a voice spoke…
“Boring morning, should I guess?” Asked the voice with a joking tone.
A few more steps were made present, at the same time, they saw how the Prince's figure appeared and turned to see them with a smile; immediately, both guards bowed before him and said in unison…
“Your majesty.”
Almost immediately, both guards returned to their initial position, taking the typical vigilant posture of the royal guards; Alfred walked towards them, taking one step after another while looking at both equines with a kind, sincere smile, which was rarely reflected on him…
“Good afternoon, your highness,” Greeted one of the guards. “heading to the ballroom, I assume?”
“Yes, Hanzal,” Alfred replied, then looked at the pegasus and asked. “Slept well?”
“Affirmative, sir.” The private answered. “Thank you.”
His gratitude made a brief memory flash through Alfred's mind, causing him to chuckle as he remembered that specific moment; then, and after a couple of seconds, he commented…
“Well,” He said. “It’s the least I could do for the one who… saved my life.”
“I assure you, your majesty. It was nothing.” The guard replied. “It’s my duty after all, sir.”
“I know,” Alfred responded. “but, if it wouldn’t be for you, Chrysalis would have gotten rid of me.”
Melancholy was reflected on his face. Alfred, every time he saw that same pegasus, remembered the very moment of that occasion, in which, during the Changeling invasion of Canterlot, that brave stallion stood between Alfred and almost certain death, risking his life for him.
The human sighed while looking at the pegasus, right on the eyes. Then, for no apparent reason, he approached the guard; consequently, Alfred knelt before him and extended his hand, in a clear sign of wanting to give him a hand/hoofshake.
The private, clearly surprised and with great confusion inside, took a while to accept the gesture, extending his hoof and giving a hand/hoofshake that he never thought he would be witnessing…
"Saving my life cost you a whole month in the hospital, a coma from which you barely survived... and the loss of your wing." Alfred said as his eyes looked at the stallion's crippled wing.
“You owe me nothing, your highness.” Hanzal commented while stopping shaking the Prince’s hand, but the human still had something to say…
“Wrong.” Alfred corrected. “I owe you my life.”
Once again, Hazal stood there, looking at Alfred with a shocked expression on his face while processing each and every word he had told him; meanwhile, a small, but a visible smile appeared on Alfred’s face as he got up, still looking at the stallion…
“We’ll talk later about your award, Private Hanzal.” He said, then walked towards the door; though, he didn’t open it, not yet…
“Have a good day,” Alfred spoke, posteriorly, glanced at both guards. “both of you.”
“Thank you, sir.” The other guard responded.
However, in Hanzal's case, the pegasus was silent, still staring off into nowhere with a shocked expression on his face; Alfred didn’t if to smile at the irony or feel worried about him, but instantly remembered that everycreature reacts like this after shocking news.
In the end, and after being silent for quite a while, the Prince finally opened the door. Then, took a few steps forward before stopping; immediately after, he looked back at the private and smiled slightly before closing the door…
The ballroom. It always had a charm that no living being could ignore during their first visit, always, there's been something that made it stand out from the other places of Canterlot Castle, besides the throne room, and that something was its importance and beauty. The interior design was perfect, large enough to host meetings or parties, but also small enough to not host thousands of guests.
While the considerable space offered by this place allows great freedom to the organizers of the important events carried out; the stairs, reserved for the guards and members of the royalty, impressed many guests with the great detail of these. At the same time, on the other side, the majestic windows left anypony who saw them, for the first time, speechless; single-color portraits of iconic Equestrian landscapes and the art depicted in them were the subject of admiration by many artists across the land.
Finally, the small size of the area allowed for musicians was the very place where the professional debuts of great artists and geniuses of entertainment took place; incredible performances, musical numbers, and plays were held there, some of them even becoming very popular, bringing instant successes to those who managed to surprise the monarchs themselves and members of the upper class.
An iconic place, with no doubts…
“Your majesty,” Greeted a voice. “such an honor to have you here, sir.”
Alfred, who was admiring the place, turned to look at the source of that voice, only to find the surprising presence of an acquaintance he hadn't seen in months…
“Commander Sentry,” The Prince replied. “didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Likewise, your highness.” Flash agreed…
“May I know the reason for you being here, Commander?” Alfred asked, to which the stallion responded…
“Prince Armor sent me here,” He said while taking out a letter from a bag he brought with him and handed it to the human. “he thought some help was needed here, your majesty.” Flash explained.
Alfred opened the letter and immediately read it, written by Shining Armor indeed, since the calligraphy and orthography were quite terrible; in it, what was said by Commander Sentry was corroborated, so Alfred allowed Flash to stay and help…
“Alright then, Commander.” The Prince commented. “You may stay.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” Replied the stallion, then looked up at him and asked. “Is there anything I can do for you, sir?”
“Actually,” Alfred responded, though he stopped for a few seconds, thinking about his answer carefully before giving it…
“there it is something.” He said, then looked at him. “Is chef Crème Brûlée here?”
Flash stood silent for a second while thinking of the answer; fortunately, it didn’t take much for him to respond…
“I... think so, your highness.” He said. “Though, right now, I have no idea of where she is.” He commented…
“If it is possible for me to go and search for her, I wouldn't hesitate in doing so, sir.” Flash immediately explained as his eyes looked back at Prince Alfred, who immediately nodded in response and replied…
“Very well, Commander.” He said as a smile of gratitude appeared on his face. “You have my permission.”
His eyes fixed on those majestic windows; it's been a long time since he'd seen them and admired the art impregnated. Alfred witnessed when they were placed, although that memory was blurry enough to not be able to remember it clearly. However, it wasn't necessary at all to remember, just seeing them one more time satisfied him.
Once again, a smile appeared on his face; finally, expressing himself to Celestia and both guards who he trusted the most worked. He was already able to not focus so much on the past, but rather on the present and future…
“Enjoying the decorations, I assume?” Asked a voice.
Alfred took a few seconds to answer…
“Kinda,” He said, then turned his head towards the voice’s source. “you?”
“Well, I-” The pony interrupted herself, then took a deep breath and continued…
“A-Apologies, your majesty.” She commented while bowing before him, then got up and said…
“I’m… nervous.”
He chuckled. “I know the feeling.”
“I-I… I still can’t believe you, the Princesses and the entire Canterlot’s nobility selected me as the official organizer for the gala!” The pony exclaimed, though she cleared her throat…
“It is a-... I’m very honored to be here, your highness.”
“Glad to know it, Mrs. Star.” Alfred smiled…
She nodded in reply. “Thank you, your highness… However, you may call me Amethyst, sir.”
“And you may call me Alfred,” The human replied with a smile. “there’s no need for formality.”
Then, after a few seconds of silence between the two of them, the Prince began to look all over the place, running his eyes over those previously mentioned decorations; he enjoyed witnessing optimal organization and maximum beauty throughout the ballroom. He always witnessed beauty in his life, but when it came to decorations, he had to admit that he was impressed to see such wonderful ones.
Pleased.That’s the word he was looking for...
“Lovely.” He declared as his eyes returned to look at Amethyst, who was slightly blushing at the compliment…
“Very lovely,” Alfred assured. “Congratulations, Amethyst. You’ve achieved to impress me.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” Amethyst thanked him. “It means a lot to me.”
After chatting for a couple more minutes, both Amethyst and Alfred had to say goodbye to each other; while the pony bowed before him, the Prince preferred to nod towards her to say goodbye politely. Then, when Amethyst stepped away, another pair of ponies approached Alfred; these were Flash Sentry and chef Crème Brûlée, both of them jogging towards him, so it didn't take them long to reach him…
“Found her, your majesty.” Commander Sentry commented…
“Where was she?” Alfred asked, to which Brûlée chuckled.
“I was in the kitchen.” She said. “The poor one was lost and another guard had to guide him to where I was; then, after he informed me about everything, I guided him back here-” Another laugh came out from her mouth, which also made Alfred laugh since he’d been repelling the laugh for too much and finally gave up…
“Your majesty, not you too!” Flash begged…
Alfred laughed for a few more seconds before stopping and catching his breath; a big smile formed on his face from the suppressed and subsequently released laughter. Even a tear, from laughing so hard until running out of oxygen, came out of his right eye; the Prince didn't notice it at first, but as he did so, he immediately took it off and apologized…
“I-... I’m terribly sorry, Commander.” He said, though another chuckle escaped, making it difficult for him to continue apologizing…
At the same time, Brûlée’s laugh didn’t stop yet; however, she had a reputation to maintain. In no time, her laughter stopped abruptly as she cleaned the tears that had escaped from her eyes. She cleared her throat and commented…
“Anyway, sir.” She changed the topic. “Didn’t you require my assistance?”
"You're right." He replied. "I need you to do me a favor."
"Of course, your majesty," Brûlée replied. "What do you need me to do?"
Alfred nodded and took out an object from one of his pockets, it was a sheet of paper folded several times; he gave it to Brûlée and she levitated it with her magic, then opened it and read its content...
"Is this... a recipe?" The chef asked...
"Yes, it is." The Prince replied, to which Brûlée looked at the sheet, reread it, and asked...
"And what do you want me to do with-?"
"Mom's recipe." He interrupted...
Brûlée - stunned - stared at the Prince, who now has a totally different expression than a few seconds ago; surprisingly, there was no happiness or sadness on his face, but a feeling of longing very well expressed on his face. Alfred looked straight into her eyes amid a deep, emotional silence; there was nothing to be said for the chef to understand exactly his request, she nodded and said…
“It will be done, your majesty.”
“Thank you.” Alfred replied with a small, grateful smile and nodded…
Once again, that word echoed through his mind. At this point, it was impossible for him to stop thinking about it without voices from the past tormenting him at every moment; his head ached, the stress in him couldn't be more obvious, and the memories, both good and bad, swamped that vital organ called brain.
Now, Alfred chose to stay in his room for the rest of the day until it was time for the gala to begin; as he closes the door behind him, the human looks at the desk next to him and sits on the chair to try and calm himself so he could organize his thoughts properly. He didn't want to freak out psychologically again, this time, he would try to not commit the same mistake as before.
Then, something came to his mind and he looked down, right where there was a desk drawer, locked. His body commanded him to do so, but his mind and heart implored him to stop right there; but the desperate screams inside him were useless, because - involuntarily - his left hand grabbed the dangerous key that laid next to the lamp and passed it to the right hand so that it could do the dirty work…
“STOP!”
His mind's multiple attempts to stop the body from doing an act that it would immediately regret were palpable, but they were completely ignored. A click was heard and hopes in Alfred dissipated as soon as the drawer was opened, revealing the object that the Prince's mind and soul feared so much…
An Apple cider bottle. But it wasn't just a common cider, inside that bottle was a fairly high percentage of alcohol's volume... 57%.
With both hands, he held the bottle by both ends and pulled it out of the drawer; when he had it in front of him, he blew and the dust covering the old-fashioned bottle flew off. He read the label and a serious expression grew strong on his face... the "Bright Apple Cider", the strongest cider in all Equestria. It'd been banned for a reason, after various incidents related to alcoholism, causing a crisis in the Apple family, the drink was removed from the market; however, and surprisingly, one bottle was lying in the hands of Equestria's co-ruler…
His eyes, lacking any visible expression, examined the bottle further as the memory of the moment when he obtained it became clearer and clearer. He'd paid a lot of money for only ten of these bottles, which, over the past 200 years, he'd been drunk; proud of it, he never was, but it became one of the few things that helped him avoid a mental breakdown... Sure, he would let all his trapped emotions and thoughts consume him, crying and sobbing, but something that was never told is that there were times when he drank while remorse killed him, deep inside...
“Son… Don’t.”
His father's voice took him by surprise. His eyes widened as the image of his parents slowly projected into his mind; one second after another, the scene surrounding them both became clearer and - in no time - their shack's room, their former home, was fully revealed. However, the center of attention was the bed, on it his parents were sitting, staring at Alfred, imploring him to stop…
“Mom…” His voice broke, a tear fell and his expression changed. “...D-Dad.”
“You’re better than this, honey.” His mother said. “Don’t let yourself be consumed by the past.”
“I-”
“Alfred,” His father called him by his name. “look forward. You have a bright future… but only if you let us go.”
“I… love you.”
“We love you too, darling.” Replied his mother…
“Now, come and give us a big bear hug.” His father encouraged him with a smile…
At carrying out the action, he dropped the bottle, letting it fall to the floor, causing it to break instantly; his attempt to hug those he loved the most was helpless, as the image of both parents vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving him - once again - completely alone.
It took a whole minute for Alfred to process everything, but - in doing so - he didn't want to hold back his tears, letting them flow freely down his face as he sobbed immensely while he realized the stupidity he was about to commit; he rested his head on the right hand, still in full regret... He let himself be carried away by his impulse and that almost cost him dearly…
Dear Dr. Whooves;
I am humbly honored to inform you that you and another guest of your choice are welcome to tonight's Grand Galloping Gala; both Princesses and I would be very grateful to have you on this special occasion.
I hope you and your companion enjoy the gala.
Att: Prince Alfred.
---
The Prince placed two gala tickets on the sheet, folded it, and proceeded to place it inside the envelope, then closed it and wrote the address to which the letter was addressed. Consequently, after looking at the envelope for a couple of seconds, he smiled and placed it next to him, as he had done with the others.
With that, it ended a series of letters that he himself decided to write to citizens who - he believed - deserved the opportunity that few were given; it may have been centuries since the last time he was part of the gala, however, that fact didn't prevent him from thinking about the injustice around him. Many inhabitants of Equestria were born, lived, and died with the dream of attending the most prestigious party on the planet; and, while he refused to go, many others saw how only the nobles and members of the upper class wasted the invitation by chatting about business and private matters when they could do that at any time in their lives, instead of enjoying the occasion to dance, taste exquisite food and listen to great music.
He put the pen on the table and looked at the envelopes; despite being on top of each other, it seemed as if Alfred was able to see through them all and read addresses, names, and the letters themselves; he thought one last time about what he was doing to make sure he was completely sane. Once confirmed, he turned to the clock and checked the time; it was 3:21 pm, perfect timing he had made writing the letters.
Then, without thinking twice, he got up and picked up the envelopes. Now, all he had to do was give them to a mail pony, so these could be delivered to their respective recipients; but at no time did he need to look for somepony available, the Prince already knew the one - the incomparable - Derpy Hooves…
“Here you go, Derpy.” Alfred said while handing the envelopes to the pegasus, who - with a big smile - replied…
“Thank you, your majesty.” She said, then looked up at him and asked. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“Currently, no.” The human responded, then smiled at her. “Again, thank you for offering to carry out the job.”
“Ah, shucks.” Derpy chuckled. “It’s my job, after all.”
Alfred didn’t hesitate on letting out a chuckle as well; then, after clearing his throat, he spoke…
“That’s what everypony says,” The Prince commented, looked at the pegasus and said. “though, it’s quite curious to hear it come from you.”
Derpy was surprised by the choice of words he had implemented since it’s something a common citizen wouldn’t hear from a member of royalty, though she always had the feeling Alfred was a… different kind of Prince; which - at the end - was very well received by Equestria’s population…
“Really?” She asked, Alfred nodded in response…
“Of course,” He said. “you’re a special pony. And, no… it’s not because of your eyes.”
A grateful smile appeared on the pegasus's face after feeling flattered, since - besides the Doctor - there was nopony else who stopped focusing on her eyes to see more of her kind side; although, of course, she never liked to brag about it, so she just kept being the kind, somewhat absent-minded and affectionate pony that everypony knew…
“I really like how you are with those who surround you.” He commented. “Even when interacting with royals - such as Celestia, Luna, and myself - you don't bother trying to impress us with an attitude that isn't yours at all; you are the complete opposite, you don't try to impress us, however - and somehow - you do it masterfully by only being yourself…”
Then, he made a pause, looking at the mail mare with a growing smile as he thought about the last words to say…
“That does say a lot about you, Mrs. Hooves.”
At this moment, the mare was already blushing in bright red; there were hardly a few who dared to look beyond her exterior to deep into her true being and came to flatter her - only - for how she behaved. Then, in a demonstration of respect, she bowed before Alfred, to which the human responded with a sincere smile and said…
“I devoutly wish you a great life, Mrs. Hooves.” He commented as he looked at the window and walked towards it…
“...Enjoy it while you can.”
He was unsure whether to do it or not; in the morning, his behavior wasn't the most appropriate when they both talked about the gala, but - now - Alfred thought deeply about it and felt the need to go to Celestia and apologize for what happened.
With Celestia's door in front of him, Alfred waited to regain the courage to knock. After finally being able to talk to somepony who had not interacted with for decades, he himself - surely - caused the image that the alicorn had of him to change radically. Yet here he was... waiting for the opportunity to put an end to all the madness of his mental state and - in this way - try to move forward.
He took a deep breath, it was now or never… And he wasn’t going to waste another chance like this…
Knock, Knock, Knock.
And so - without further ado - he waited patiently for the door to open…
Celestia stared at the door, she could recognize those knocking wherever she was and she knew his reason for being here; but - despite being disappointed with him - she believed that Alfred had finally realized his mistake. So, taking a deep breath, she got up from her chair and walked calmly towards the door; when she arrived, she did not open it immediately but waited for the knocking again, nevertheless, she heard nothing-
Knock, Knock, Knock.
That was her signal…
Slowly, Celestia used the magic of her horn to open the door gently, revealing the human that made her reflect so much; Alfred stared at Celestia and she returned the gaze. Neither of them had cold looks - on the contrary - they both shared glances of kindness, although - in Alfred's case - he had included some sadness and guilt reflected in his eyes…
“Hey, Tia.” He greeted, to which Celestia replied…
“Hello, Alfred.” She said. “Anything I can do for you?”
He looked at the ground and sighed. "Yes," Alfred replied. "I came to... apologize, Celestia."
The alicorn did not reply - indeed - she longed to see the definitive change in Alfred; the Goddess of the Sun longed to see her old friend being able to start a new chapter in his life, letting the past be what it is and regain his old being... A fiar, loyal, generous, and respectful man, at last... She wanted to witness the return of who she considered a brother…
“Back, in the dining room, I-” He tried to vocalize his words, but he knew these words were used many times, and sighed…
“Who am I kidding?... You certainly have heard this kind of speech many times throughout your life.” He finally expressed, then looked at Celestia and opened his arms - in clear intention to hug her -; the alicorn was quite impressed - at first -, but she let out a small chuckle and smiled. Then, she corresponded the hug…
Alfred once more. “I’m sorry, Celestia.” He apologized…
“It’s okay,” The alicorn replied. “we all commit mistakes, don’t we?”
Alfred chuckled in response and said. “I guess you’re right.”
Tea time had just passed. Both Alfred and Celestia decided to spend some time together, chatting and remembering some happy moments, in an attempt to put those bad ones behind - even if it was - for a few minutes. Celestia made jokes about how the citizens related her so much to tea and Alfred to hot chocolate, even, they both knew that Luna has always been related to coffee, this being - in fact - her favorite drink.
Unfortunately - for both of them -, there came a point where they were forced to go back and carry out their duties; also, in Celestia's case, inspect the final preparations for the gala. Meanwhile, Alfred still had to choose a suit for the gala, he did not want to attend it in his common clothing.
The alicorn and the human got up from their chairs and said goodbye with a warm hug; then, at the same time that Celestia was heading to the ballroom, Alfred took the route to his room. Halfway there, he bumped into the royal secretary, Raven, who greeted him…
"Your Majesty," she said. "Haven't seen you for days. How's your day been?"
"Quite strange at the beginning," he admitted. "However, I wouldn't say it was bad."
Raven smiled. “Glad to hear it, sir.” Then, she took an envelope and gave it to Alfred, who took it and asked…
“Is it for me?”
Raven nodded. "Yes, your majesty." She said, then added...
"It's from Derpy, the mail mare."
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow, then looked at the envelope and chuckled…
“Guess she’s faster than I thought.”
“Indeed,” The pony replied. “despite her… vision issue, she’s pretty good at her job.”
Alfred chuckled again. “Can’t deny it.” Then, he opened the envelope, took out the folded letter and read it…
---
Dear Prince Alfred;
I hope this letter will reach you before the gala. I'm excited to tell you everything, but I must be brief; Dr. Whooves - who happens to be a great friend of mine -, after receiving the letter, offered me almost instantly to be his companion for the gala, to which I agreed without thinking twice.
I look forward to talking with you a bit more at the gala, although I don't want to be a distraction; have a very good afternoon.
Sincerely, Derpy Hooves.
---
“Who would have guessed?” He murmured…
“Excuse me, your majesty?” Raven asked, to which Alfred looked at her and replied…
“Derpy has a companion for the gala.”
Raven was impressed by his response; those words were the ones she least expected to come out from his mouth, yet they did. And, with great curiosity, she asked again...
"Really?" She said. "Wow... That's- *Ahem* ...quite unexpected, to be honest."
“I know,” Alfred responded, though he chuckled. “but… that’s life. Am I right?”
She nodded in response and turned back to leave; nevertheless, the Prince commented…
“Although, I believe this will end up very well for both the Doctor and Derpy.” He smiled while looking at the ground.
Raven turned around and gazed at him, then spoke…
“Wait, did you say the Doctor?” She asked. “You mean, Dr. Whooves?”
“Yes.” He answered immediately and looked up at her. “I’ve met both of them, but I never thought they could be friends… Or, maybe, even more than friends.” He chuckled once more and commented…
“How surprising life can be, isn’t it?” He asked…
“Agreed,” Raven replied. “though, it’s quite sad to know that she only has a few friends.”
“Aren’t you considering me?” Alfred asked with a joking tone of voice; Raven, surprised at hearing that phrase, questioned…
“Does she consider you a friend?”
Alfred turned at a window, looking at it, he answered…
“I’m not sure,” The Prince said. “maybe… but I do consider her a friend of mine.”
He turned to look towards where Raven was, who was still looking at him somewhat surprised; however, her expression of surprise was gradually replaced by one of happiness…
“I’m glad you’ve finally taken a step forward, your majesty.” She commented with a grateful smile on her face.
Raven, being one of the few to know about the past of Equestria's rulers, was aware of the emotional state that Alfred had because of everything that happened; she always thought that he should step up and let go of the past or - at the very least - realize that it was not worth having remorse for things that can no longer be fixed. Now, seeing so much joy and happiness reflected on her face, she was happy to know that - at least - she was taking the first step on the right path…
“Thank you, Raven.” Alfred thanked her for those words. He needed to hear the opinion of some creature other than Celestia and, although he had already heard it from Corporal Hook, he required to hear it coming from somepony else…
The sound of the door closing took possession of the silent room's atmosphere; a few steps began to make an appearance all over the place, although these were quite calm and peaceful. The human walked towards a closet with his gaze on it; when he arrived, he opened it and examined its interior, looking for a suit that might be perfect for the special occasion of the evening that was approaching.
His gaze runs through each suit, each pant, each jacket that were inside, discarding some and taking others into account until he can properly organize the way he would be dressed for the gala; then - miraculously -, his eyes fell on a suit. It wasn't too fancy, but it wouldn't look wasteful for the occasion either; so - after examining it carefully - he grabbed it and closed the closet in front of him.
However, he laid it on the bed. About to change of clothes, he noticed something; the suit was somewhat worn and you could perfectly see a hole in the jacket - quite notorious -. Then, after thinking it over, he went to his desk and searched among the drawers for tools that could be used to fix the suit; after a few minutes searching, he finally found a roll of thread and a needle for sewing. He looked at both objects and then said…
Happiness and sadness. Grief and relief. Damage and Upgrade. It would be impossible to witness a living being possessing such a combination of poles so opposite that seemed to be two souls trapped in a single body; however, there it was an exception, Alfred. His face was no longer fulfilled with only sadness and regret, now enough joy could be observed in him to reestablish the balance of emotions. His serious expression spoke more than a thousand words.
However, his appearance was what mattered most to him at the moment. The Prince was never fond of pure elegance, he always preferred to be a little more... simple - to say the least -. Although, on the other hand, he didn't want to have inappropriate clothing for every occasion; he always tried to maintain a balance between the elegant and the simple.
He had put on a dark gray suit with a white shirt and also added a red bow tie; furthermore, he allowed himself to keep his beret on, reaffirming the unique style of dressing that characterized him, since Alfred almost always wore the beret with him, although - until very recently - he had rarely left the castle area where his room was located.
Finally, there was a remarkable change on his face. He shaved a large part of his beard, removing the "stubble" that he had previously possessed for several days, although he allowed himself the luxury of keeping the mustache; despite the fact that the mustache fashion was - mostly - implemented by high society, in some way, it was he who popularized it.
He chuckled at that fleeting thought, he was amused that - unexpectedly - he would be who caused such a peculiar event; he never considered creating a fad, but - somehow - he did it. The only thing required was to have a makeover…
Knock, Knock, Knock.
It didn't take long for him to recognize that knocking, it was Corporal Hook's; after a couple of months learning about someone, it would be easy for any creature to recognize a peculiar characteristic of him/her…
“Come in.” He replied.
The sound of the door opening gave him the answer he needed and left the bathroom, turning to look at where his room's entrance was; there, his eyes met with Hook's, who returned the gaze…
“Looking good tonight, your highness.” The pony praised him, to which he responded…
“Thanks, though it’s not my best outfit.”
“Well,” The Corporal expressed. “I think it fits you very well, sir.”
Alfred chuckled. “If you say so. Ready for the gala?”
The question was definitely one the bat pony hadn't expected to hear; all the royal guards were informed that there should be - at least - one royal guard accompanying each monarch during the gala, taking care of any possible danger. All this being part of a strict protocol with which they were instructed from the first days of training to become royal guards, either solar or nocturnal…
She blinked. “Excuse me, your majesty?”
“Let’s just say that… there’s no other guard on who I could put my trust, except for you.” He explained while walking towards her…
“Corporal Jimmy Hook, it would be a pleasure to have you as my personal guard for this very evening; also, I’m pretty sure you get bored at night, with nothing else to do.” The Prince commented as he extended his hand towards her; Hook stood in silence, looking at Alfred’s hand for a few seconds before smiling and extending her hoof as well…
“Your majesty,” She said. “It would be the greatest of honors.”
“Nice sunset,” Alfred commented. “don’t you think?”
At the comment, Hook turned to look back and stopped almost instantly; she hadn't noticed, but Alfred stayed a few steps behind, gazing through a window at the beautiful visual spectacle that was being offered. The pony walked up to his side, then turned her head and looked at the landscape.
Her eyes lit up. Despite not being able to tell the difference between daylight and dark at night - at first -, with a little effort, it was possible to visualize a daily event as charming as the sunset. She focused her eyes well and the brightness of the sun finally made its appearance, making her understand the brightness of hope and joy that so characterized the day, while - little by little - these were replaced by the elements of peace and a darkness that, slowly, made itself known. Nevertheless, and to the happiness of all who contemplated this magical wonder, now... darkness was not represented by evil -but instead -, it had benevolence, goodness, and wisdom as representatives of the night…
“Wow…” She expressed, then turned to look at Alfred. “it’s- ...just fabulous.”
“I know,” He replied. “Reminds me of a pony I met some time ago.”
The smile on the bat pony's face dissipated in a matter of seconds as she saw an expression that - by now - was very familiar. Alfred lowered his head and sighed, showing a tone of sadness, although an effort on his part could be perceived to not make it so obvious…
“...It didn’t end well.”
If the Corporal was correct, the tone of voice Alfred had used was new to her... it sounded like disappointment, a rather remarkable one. A little confusion showed on her face, but it immediately faded when her mind managed to understand; consequently, she nodded and replied…
“I understand.”
“Thank you… Jimmy.” Alfred had appreciated her comprehension and smiled at her, to which she answered in the same way.
Then, the Prince looked up at the corridor and said…
“Come on, we shall not be late for the gala.”
Both Alfred and Jimmy resumed their walk to the ballroom; however, on this occasion they managed to establish a rather cheerful conversation between the two, chatting and joking about some minor matters, in addition to giving their respective opinions on the upper social class. On Jimmy’s side, she didn’t care much what the members of that part of the population did, the bat pony was only interested in carrying out her life and serving the Royal Guard with honor.
Alfred, for his part - in addition to chuckling a bit at the comment of his personal guard - surprised Hook by mentioning that only Fleur Dis Lee and Fancy Pants were high-society ponies that were really worth befriending, since the vast majority were only corrupt and selfish who took advantage of each of the opportunities offered to them; At this, Jimmy couldn’t help but make fun of it...
“That’s capitalism for you!”
...Being followed by a series of laughs from both of them; these lasted a long time - to tell the truth -, although they were very useful for the time to pass faster, causing that - once the urge to laugh was over - both found themselves near to their destination...
“Three years…” Alfred sighed. “...It’s been three years since we met, back at the Royal Academy.”
“I remember the day,” Hook replied. “you had come to supervise our final training; I felt so embarrassed when I arrived third since, almost always, I got first… but never third.”
“Do you regret arriving last only for a few milliseconds?” Alfred asked her, to which she denied…
“No. I don’t regret it… Somehow, you saw potential in me and chose me as the new addition of the Nocturnal Royal Guard; even if I had failed the final exam, you still chose me… Why?” She questioned while turning to look at the Prince, who returned the gaze and answered…
“Failing a final test doesn't mean you're bad at something. On the contrary, you made a great effort to achieve it... Moreover, you showed determination and a conviction that I hadn’t seen in centuries; you are tenacious, I admit it... That’s why you caught my attention, because you are an example to follow.”
The Corporal blushed at his words, although she did not suppress that expression of pride and embarrassment; Alfred noticed it and commented…
“Seems like you’ve stopped suppressing your emotions,” He said and smiled once again. “I’m proud of you.”
Her eyes widened instantly after hearing him say that, - definitely - those were deep words coming from the Prince himself; now, she didn't know whether to maintain her demeanor or whether to allow a host of mixed emotions and feelings possess her, even for a few seconds - causing her to act inappropriately in front of a royal -. Nevertheless, even though the second option was quite tempting, she managed to stay calm…
“T-Thank you, sir.” She replied - though with some embarrassment reflected on her tone of voice -. “Those are the kind of words I haven’t heard since I left Stalliongrad.”
...It was then that a sudden silence flooded the air, while Alfred's speed gradually slowed to a halt; Hook took a few seconds to realize that, so - as she did so - she turned back and looked at the Prince. His face seemed to have lost any emotion, as if there were no soul possessing the body; this worried Jimmy, who immediately apologized - in case she said something rude -. However, her mind managed to realize that it was the mention of her home, Stalliongrad, the reason for his reaction…
Alfred lowered his head and looked at the floor. “Stalliongrad?” He asked, the Corporal replied…
“Yes, sir.” Then, she became silent - still looking at him worriedly - as he slightly nodded…
“I see,” He said; consequently, his gaze aimed at her. “Is it nice?”
Hook was caught off guard by his question, though she didn’t hesitate in nodding…
“Yes, it is.” She answered. “You’ve… visited it?”
The Prince chuckled and said. “Yes, seventy-four, or seventy-five years ago… I- I don’t remember exactly when.”
Jimmy stood there, looking at Alfred as her mind tried to assemble the puzzle he had created - unconsciously -; several seconds passed and she continued thinking about it, there was something missing. Hook knew Alfred used to visit some places throughout Equestria, but Stalliongrad had no reason to be visited in recent times, unless…
The Corporal gazed at him and replied…
“You… witnessed the Great Migration?”
Alfred chuckled once again and responded. “The hell I did, it was fantastic.”
“Good evening, Princess Celestia.” Greeted a female voice.
Celestia, who was admiring the windows and decorations, immediately turned to see both the bat pony and the Prince, smiling on the spot; She bowed her head a little, showing her kind side by welcoming them with a single gesture…
“Greetings, Corporal Hook.” Celestia said, to which the guard nodded in gratitude.
Then, the alicorn looked at Alfred - noticed his suit - and chuckled before saying…
“Seriously, Alfred?” She asked while smiling at him. “That suit? I had the idea that you had lost it.”
“Well, what can I say?” Alfred replied as he looked at his suit, then gazed at Celestia and returned the smile. “As Rarity says, we all have our own style.”
Celestia laughed at this and commented…
“I can’t deny it.”
“Rarity may exaggerate at times and not do the right things always, but - when it is needed - she knows exactly what to say.” Alfred said as a small laugh came from him, being followed by Celestia…
“Anyway,” She said before looking at them both, still smiling kindly. “I am glad to see you both here, the gala is about to begin.”
Alfred nodded in response and said. “Well, that means it is time for me to go and welcome the guests.”
Hook blinked at this and looked at him as he walked towards the main entrance of the ballroom…
“Excuse me, your majesty.” She interrupted. “But… aren’t we supposed to stay here with Princess Celestia?”
The Prince slightly smiled as a blurry memory passed by his mind, then turned towards her and replied…
“It’s been quite a few centuries since the last time I’ve come.” He commented. “If I’m going to do this, then let’s do it right.”
Posteriorly, Alfred resumed his way towards the main entrance while Hook tried to accompany him, but Celestia stopped her, telling that this was his decision and that it was essential for any creature to respect it. Jimmy nodded in response and then looked at the Prince, then smiled as she realized the change that human being finally had…
The Grand Galloping Gala is, for many, an event that gathers important members of the nobility, royalty and high society; it causes a feeling of prestige that few can enjoy, making every creature else to be excluded just because they don't have enough money for this event's tickets. On some occasions, celebrities could be seen among the guests, enjoying ordinary talks while their atmosphere was accompanied by the sweet melodies of the best music in all of Equestria.
Many will think that the gala has always been like this, but they're all wrong...
There were times when fun, happiness and pure joy dominated the atmosphere, even letting children explore the immense castle; before, every creature was welcome to be part of the celebration and rejoice in the incomparable happiness that was felt in its environment...
However, over time, the purpose of the gala was corrupted, like everything in life; little by little, it was given a quite high-status quo, causing social classes to suffer a great difference between one and another. The gala corrupted society and it never realized it; there came a time when no one outside of high society was accepted anymore, and not even monarchs could do something about it.
Alfred repudiated the situation, - already suffering severely, emotionally - he chose to set aside and not attend the gala anymore, puzzling many; nevertheless, now something had changed...
Allowing the Main 6 to be at the gala set off a chain reaction that gradually escalated, causing the nobles themselves and members of high society to lose some decision-making power - a surprising occurrence considering the fact that most of them were part of the Great Council -.
A few years later, even Alfred noticed a change in the gala and agreed to help directly with the organization of the event, inviting the well-known organizer, Amethyst Star, to take the lead in the final planning.
Now, the result of all this impromptu effort was visible…
The guitar solo began to sound with great power and an excellent rhythm, followed by a series of drums being played; then, a voice spoke - rather, sang - with great enthusiasm, following the electrifying rhythm; it was Berry Chuck, one of the best musicians and artists in Equestria.
In front of him were Prince Alfred and the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie, dancing as the song went on; their dance steps were very reminiscent of those danced by whole audiences during the golden age of rock n' roll, with spectacular choreography and masterful coordination, both individuals dazzled with their talent.
They weren't the only ones dancing, but certainly stole the audience's attention, as even Berry Chuck himself was in awe of their incredible movements. But neither of them cared to be the center of attention, they were just two people enjoying the music to the fullest; even, both Alfred and Pinkie mimicked some of the few gestures Berry made while singing.
As the end of the song approached, Alfred and Pinkie did nothing but leave everypony speechless; they swapped places from time to time and did the same dance steps more than seven times - it seemed as if they had memorized the entire dance -.
Then, from one moment to another, the song ended...
Whistles and several applause echoed throughout the ballroom, praising the great performance put on by them both alike; the human and the pony turned to look everywhere, visualizing a sea of guests clapping with great intensity as some of them walked in their direction.
At that moment, a loud and predominant whistle was heard behind them; they turned to look up at the stage, on which Berry Chuck was standing, clapping loudly. Alfred replied, nodding his head in gratitude; subsequently, both he and Pinkie praised each other for the great dance steps and said goodbye.
While Pinkie stayed on the dance floor, Alfred preferred to move away a bit to avoid the considerable amount of ponies that were going to praise them; then he ran into Jimmy, who had been waiting for him just off the dance floor - although the Prince had invited her to dance, though she declined -.
She was about to speak, but a group of nobles approached and began to comment on various things, although they were immediately interrupted by the bat pony - who asked them to leave the Prince alone -; however, a couple of them ignored her and even dared to push her aside, only to receive the same treatment from the guard.
The pair of nobles complained about this and instantly turned to the Prince to protest, but only to be silenced by him...
"You two better go," Alfred warned as he looked at them seriously. "I don't recommend you to stay here and continue complaining about an action that you caused; now go."
Both nobles were outraged by this, but remained calm and walked away, leaving the others looking towards the guard and the Prince in silence, they all apologized for disturbing them and left...
"These nobles," Hook snorted. "don't even respect the Royal Guard anymore."
"You were a bit aggressive, don't you think?" Alfred commented, to which Jimmy replied...
"With all due respect, your majesty. You were the one who spoke ill of them in the first place."
Alfred chuckled. "Good point."
"Well," Hook said. "as you said, never let anypony else tell you what to do. You're free to choose your destiny."
The pony lowered her head and her eyes were fixed on the ground for a few seconds as she reflected on that phrase...
"Wise words, your majesty." She expressed. "Wise words, indeed."
Alfred chuckled once more while maintaining a pleasant smile, Jimmy - on the other hand - was happy to see the Prince enjoying little moments of life like this; then, after the laughter ended, he said...
"I'm glad you like them."
“Your majesty!” A voice exclaimed happily. “I’m so happy to see you!”
There was no need for trying to recognize the voice, it's obvious that it was Derpy since the happy tone of voice could only come from two ponies and Pinkie was not available, at the moment; therefore, Alfred turned back. In front of him were two ponies, Derpy and - the well known by all - Dr. Whooves; while the pegasus wore a beautiful dress that matched perfectly with her fur - surely made by Rarity - the Doctor wore a green-colored bow tie, which was accompanied by a gala hat of the same color...
"You both look good tonight." The Prince congratulated. "No doubt at all, a very good choice."
Both ponies nodded in appreciation, then the Doctor spoke...
"We didn't want to complicate ourselves with the choice, but Rarity insisted that Derpy should wear the dress." He explained. "Although I had to insist, so she could leave me with the gala hat and the bow tie, Derpy-"
"I didn't matter at all." The pegasus interrupted. "Besides, I think it's so muffins."
That comment was capable of getting a chuckle from the Doctor, who couldn't resist the temptation; without a doubt, Derpy is quite a character, with whom anypony would like to hang with - such a shame many didn't realize the opportunity she deserves -.
As for Alfred, both he and Jimmy couldn't resist laughing; to Jimmy, what she had heard about Derpy seemed to be true. The mail mare didn't complicate her life, she tried to enjoy it to the fullest with those she cared for; and thus it was for much of the next few minutes, chatting and sharing a laugh with Alfred, the Doctor, and her...
"...And that's why Pinkie has been my greatest source of inspiration in life; she wasn't only there for me, but has also aided me when I needed her the most." Derpy finished recounting as a tear could be seen running down her right cheek as she smiled. "The title of heroine- *Sniff* ...is well-deserved."
The Doctor didn't hesitate to support her with a hug, which she reciprocated - still shedding a few tears -; Alfred immediately took out a white-colored handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to the mare, who used it to wipe her tears - thanking him -.
Alfred caught her expression; an impressive combination of nostalgia, happiness and sadness flooded the pegasus' face, who found it impossible to hold back the tears. It had reminded the Prince of himself, something that has rarely happened...
"Life's inexplicable;" The Prince commented. "sometimes, it is impossible to understand, full of complications and mistakes that any creature can commit... There are victories and misfortunes in it."
"For the rational mind," Dr. Whooves replied. "nothing is inexplicable; only unexplained."
"Nonetheless," The Doctor added. "Equestria is a great exception; here, impossible things happen from time to time and we just call them miracles."
"Yeah," Alfred replied as he nodded. "you may be right." Then, he looked everywhere, fixing his eyes on his surroundings and noticing how the guests enjoyed the party - even with the gradual change that society was experiencing -. He smiled and repeated...
"You may be right."
“Well then,” Alfred said. “we won’t disturb anymore. Enjoy the gala.”
Depry waved her hoof to them both and the Doctor nodded in gratitude. "Thank you for the chat, your majesty." He said, to which the Prince replied...
"No, Doctor. Thanks to you guys for the chat."
Derpy, suddenly, went to Alfred and hugged him sweetly; the human didn't hesitate to respond alike, which Derpy appreciated very much...
"Thank you," she whispered. "those nice words made my day."
The Prince instantly understood what the pegasus meant by that, so he smiled softly and replied...
"Just keep enjoying life, okay?"
Derpy stepped back a bit and nodded in response. "Of course," she said. "and I hope you do as well."
"I will, Derpy."
Consequently, both the Doctor and the Pegasus said goodbye one last time before heading to the buffet; while Jimmy watched as the couple left, happy and content, she noticed that the Prince looked towards nowhere in silence - without possessing any expression for several seconds - until a slight smile made an act of presence once again...
"Can you answer a question for me, Corporal?" He asked; in response, Jimmy looked at him for a few moments and nodded...
"Sure, your highness." The bat pony replied. "What is it about?"
"Do you plan to have a happy life after you retire?"
"Apologies, sir, but... I don't understand; what's that about?" She questioned, to which Alfred replied...
"I don't want to worry about you like I've done all my life;" He said. "I want to live peacefully, to know that I shouldn't worry about what could happen to an amazing friend like you... I know perfectly well that you're capable, but I require your answer to confirm it." The Prince explained, then turned his head and looked at Jimmy right in the eyes.
It took her a while to answer, but when she did, she didn't hesitate to be honest...
"It is an honor to have you worrying about me," The pony replied. "But... I assure you that I'll compromise myself to it; I just hope you do as well."
"Trust me, Jimmy," Alfred assured. "If you do, me too."
“However,” He interrupted. “you should remember that there’s nothing such as a happily ever after life, but that doesn't mean we can't all live it as best as possible.”
Admiring the panorama, there was the Princess of Night in silence, contemplating the landscape in front of her, being illuminated by the bright emanating from the moon - her old home and prison -; mixed feelings, there were, but also beautiful memories appeared in her mind.
Smiling was difficult, but not impossible; however, visions made an appearance, causing a severe - almost irresistible - headache. These prevented the alicorn from continuing to enjoy that view in front of her; she focused on suppressing them all, she wanted to enjoy a quiet night, without nightmares or memories of the evil past that haunted her every time.
"These visions..." She thought. "They never leave me alone."
Incessant pain worsened, making her clench her teeth, thus avoiding screaming. The situation was serious and the only thing she could do was face the reality that, slowly, was consuming her inside; but... why was she like this?
24/7, Luna was certain that she was selfish, a bad sister, and a terrible ruler as she allowed jealousy to corrupt her and turn her into a nightmare...
Nightmare Moon.
She opened her eyes, a tear escaped from her left eye, showing her true side; just like Alfred, she was devastated, in pain, and repressed herself as time passed. Not only that, but also grudges towards herself didn't stop tormenting her soul...
The wedding, King Sombra, Discord, and many more events in which she could have tried harder - and although this wasn't at all - they made her torture herself; worst of all, it was just on the gala's night, in which she allowed herself to release all her anger and regret within herself, the good thing was that it wasn't in public, she had left the party just in time...
"P-Princess Luna?" A voice asked shyly; Luna reacted immediately, wiping her tears and regaining her usual posture, although it didn't work at all...
"A-Are you okay, Princess Luna?" The voice asked again, Luna recognized it and answered...
"Y-Yes, Fluttershy." She said, trying to remain calm. "I'm fine."
"Oh," Said the pegasus, who was already behind the Princess. "Excuse me, your majesty... it's just that I- ...I heard you cry."
Luna didn't reply to the comment, she just lowered her head; she felt as if she had ruined everything, but she didn't allow herself to let her emotions escape and raised her head again, still without turning to look at the Element of Kindness...
"I-" The alicorn tried to say, but she cut herself off, clearing her voice a bit. "...I'm fine, Fluttershy." She assured, although her tone of voice found out to be a little... broken; this was perceived by the pony, who replied...
"...Your voice doesn't sound like you're okay, Princess." She said, leaving Luna without an answer to that; then, she remained silent and - although her head was looking up - her eyes fell on the balcony floor.
Being so, Fluttershy took a few steps forward, to later sit next to Luna; it was then she noticed the trace of a tear and knew that she, truly, suffered...
"C-Could you please tell me what's going on, Princess Luna?" The pegasus asked, receiving a denial from the alicorn in response...
"Oh," she expressed, then looked down at the ground and commented. "Sometimes, when I feel sad, I tend not to pay attention to the bad things and... I always think about the good moments I have gone through with my friends."
"That doesn't stop your mind from making you feel bad, does it?" Luna said, to which Fluttershy looked at her with a bit of sadness, feeling somewhat bad for her reaction; although the alicorn seemed to realize this...
Luna sighed. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy." She apologized. "It's just- ...today has not been the best of days and- *Ahem* ...I feel a little ...fed up with this situation."
Fluttershy looked at her again, concerned about the alicorn and interested in helping her as much as possible - however, she was aware that she couldn't do much -; consequently, and giving everything to make things right, she placed a hoof on Luna's shoulder...
"It's okay Princess." Assured the pegasus. "Trust me, I know perfectly how you feel; if - at any time - you feel like that it's correct to express yourself, here I am by your side."
The Princess of Night couldn't help but smile at her comment; it made her feel happy to have somepony to talk to and know that she can trust her...
"I appreciate your determination, Fluttershy." Luna thanked. "I'll keep it in mind."
Fluttershy nodded in response and turned to look straight ahead, placing her eyes on the landscape that awaited to be admired...
"It's, uh... a precious night." The pegasus commented in an attempt to start a conversation...
"Thank you," Luna replied. "I try to make every night memorable."
"In that case," said the pony. "You do an extraordinary job." She complimented, to which the alicorn blushed a little and commented...
"You know, before... many ponies did not look at the night as you do; nevertheless, although I've been a villain, I see that - at least - there are a few more who appreciate my effort and dedication... it's a sad reality, being honest." Her tone of voice dropped enough that now she sounded sad...
"Do you regret turning into-?" Fluttershy questioned, though her question was interrupted...
"I do, every day."
"I... have also made serious mistakes," Fluttershy commented, which surprised Luna since she had always the perception of Fluttershy being practically an exemplary pony; it seemed that she was wrong...
"Such as?" Asked curious Luna, to which Fluttershy replied...
"I discriminated against Zecora for years."
Luna was left surprised of hearing such a thing. "The zebra sorceress?" The alicorn asked again ...
"Yes," Fluttershy replied, now in a slightly more unhappy tone of voice. "At first, I wasn't aware of it until Twilight and Spike showed me and all of Ponyville the mistake we had made... I- ...when that happened, I felt bad about myself and my morale decayed." The pegasus admitted, although she added...
"But... after a while, I realized that mistake is one of the many a living being can make; even animals can be somewhat... i-ignorant. I have realized that a mistake in life doesn't define me, but it can help me be a better pony... and that's what I've done."
Luna nodded as her gaze returned to the panorama, though Fluttershy's voice spoke again...
"Same thing happened with Discord."
The last word of that phrase caused a strange feeling in Luna, who tensed at the name of the Draconequus - Lord of Chaos -; however, she didn't tense up out of fear, but out of annoyance towards that individual who caused so much trauma in the past...
"I'd really appreciate if you didn't mention Discord." The Princess murmured as a fleeting memory passed through her mind, causing her to close her eyes and try to suppress a headache that came out of nowhere just after that...
"Oh," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you, Princess."
Luna nodded slightly and remained silent, avoiding eye contact with the pegasus, who - upon seeing this - realized that she'd made another mistake; fortunately, she didn't allow herself to feel bad about it...
Nonetheless, curiosity gnawed her and she couldn't do anything else but asking...
"Why do you hate Discord?"
Luna feared this and - yet - it happened. She turned to see Fluttershy right in the eyes, letting her know that this was a too-delicate subject, a message which the Pegasus caught instantly; but, unexpectedly, the Princess sighed and began to speak...
"Discord..." she said. "He's responsible for Nightmare Moon's existence."
At such an answer, Fluttershy remained puzzled. She was aware of Discord being a villain in the past, but never - in the least - did she imagine that he could be the "creator" of one of the most dangerous monsters and tyrants in Equestrian history...
Shyly, she asked. "He was... c-creator of... N-Nightmare Moon?"
Luna nodded in response. "Yes," she said. "Although not directly... he caused various traumas in me and... Sombra only made it worse; Discord's chaotic magic and Sombra's dark power did nothing but ruin me... worst of all, my jealousy towards Celestia is what put the cherry on top of the cake... all this led to the birth of Nightmare Moon."
Fluttershy didn't know how to react, she was stunned by such revelation and she was unsure whether to say something to reassure her or not; her bewilderment didn't decrease in the following minutes, during which Luna finally gave up and shed several tears. The Pegasus, seeing this, could not resist and hugged the Princess, comforting her as best she could; the alicorn reciprocated the hug while tears continued to flow from her eyes, leaving marks on her cheeks and showing the immense pain and sorrow she possessed.
However, the Element of Kindness was not the only one wishing to comfort the Princess of the Night; behind them, looking at them both with pain and deep pity, was another one of the "creators" of Nightmare Moon... an acquaintance of the sisters and the elements of harmony; the Prince of Equestria, exemplary living being, Alfred, contemplated the scene as his mind punished him severely...
"It's all my fault." Alfred thought to himself. “I’m nothing... but a monster.”
Then - without anything else he could do -, the human left, shedding a tear - which he dropped to the floor -.
Lonely steps could be heard, filling a silent corridor with them, giving some life to it while an aura of sadness and desperation made an act of presence on the atmosphere; then, a figure appeared in the distance, a bipedal creature made his way towards a specific place as his head look down at the floor.
His eyes were fixed on his own feet, seeing how he walked and kept going straight to his destination; from time to time, the human used to look backward and make sure no creature would be following him, then turning his head back at his original position.
The Prince, better known as Alfred, had a reason to be there; despite being known as an exemplary living being, truth was far away from the public thought. Until very recently, he’d been tormented by his own past, unforgivable actions and diverse traumas throughout his life have forged a soul divided into two; one of them represented the “good” side of this individual - being the one with most citizens related him -, however, the other one was full of the contrary. The dark side of the Prince was printed on it; suffering, pain, sorrows, trauma, absolute madness and desperation reside there and got used to controlling him every time he’d try to suppress his deepest thoughts…
Nevertheless, there’s something neither Alfred nor Celestia or even Raven dared to admit; there has always been a third side on Alfred’s personality… It only got known a few times, but it was more than enough to sow terror on Celestia herself; this same side of Alfred was characterized by the different behaviors that could present at any time of the day, although almost always it was needed to have a fairly strong reason for it to appear. His attitude varied between being defensive about his decisions, showing passive-aggressive behavior before a specific someone, or even being violent and presenting anger without any remorse, but only until he was able to calm down.
After hearing what Luna had said, he felt bad towards himself, even more than any time in the recent days; blaming himself severely for what happened and showing internal anger that gradually grew up. He feared the worst, so he took advantage of the pretext of having to go for something he had forgotten in his room; of course, Jimmy wanted to accompany him, but the Prince assured her that he wouldn’t need company and asked her to stay in the ballroom. She obeyed, but her expression showed that the bat pony seemed to be aware of more than he thought.
Now, there he was, in front of his own room, looking at the door with a lost gaze; it took him a while to stop thinking only of himself, he opened the door and entered, closing it behind him. Then, seeing he was finally alone, broke down in tears - he had just heard from the one he loved the most how much she’d been affected by him, though she wasn’t aware of that -; all the effort expended throughout the day felt as if it had been for nothing, since - despite giving his best - life always used to ruin everything by reminding him in cruel ways of what he had done in the past and who he negatively affected.
Flashes of dark and painful memories invaded his head, causing him to clench his teeth as he put his hands on his head in a desperate and futile attempt to ease the intense grief. Images and visions of the "Massacre Decade", his hunt against those who took his family away from him, the incessant fights against villains and implacable enemies, the consequences of the "Great Changeling War" and... everything involved with the rise of Nightmare Moon.
It was then that a cry of agony, he struck; not only did his mind hurt, but his soul was also hit very hard by the great wave of emotions generated from the harsh reality he was facing.
Therefore, and without more than being able to do, he closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands, still allowing each tear that he released to pass down his cheeks and fall to the ground; he lowered his head and didn't deign to look up for the next couple of minutes.
He sobbed, wept and let every single tear go down by his cheek; then, he… laughed, somehow, his cries of pain transformed into laughs, but not normal ones. His laughs were too depressing, he was actually laughing as he cried, making him look as if he had gone completely insane; worse he couldn’t look and his mental state, from a few minutes ago, had fallen drastically. One single fact had caused him to lose complete control of his emotions, but… who could blame him? More than a millenium putting up with the infinite misfortunes around him, through his and others’ lives.
That was until…
Suddenly, the human felt some weight on his shoulder and slowly looked up ahead, only to find a familiar face, Celestia; the alicorn seemed to have known that something was wrong and went to see what was happening, then... there she was, looking at him with empathy and pity…
Alfred sniffed. “I- ...I can’t, Tia.” His broken voice made it obvious, to which Celestia approached him and gave him a sweet hug.
“It’s okay, Alfred.” She reassured.
“Am I... going to have these for- ...forever?” He asked, Celestia nodded in response…
“I fear so.”
The Prince laughed in tears once again, worrying Celestia even more than she already was; however, the alicorn let him continue laughing as she patted his back in an attempt to call him down, then he commented…
“Not even a psychiatrist can… h-help me, right?”
“Not… entirely,” Celestia whispered in response pulling her head a bit away to stare at his friend. "...but that doesn't mean it won’t make a difference for you; if you try as hard as you had today, I assure you that you'll get better."
"Were it so easy," Replied a tearful Alfred, dropping another tear. "You know it perfectly, Tia; it's difficult to ignore the past and everything you have caused when, all the time, you remember that you're one of those responsible for misfortunes that the one you... l-love the most." He said, referring to himself and what he did to Luna, even if those were not his intentions.
Celestia hugged him again while whispering...
"Luna used to tell you this… Let your past make you better, not bitter."
The human shed a few more tears at the moment in which the memories of all those occasions in which his beloved one used the phrase crossed his mind; he smiled and cried in parallel, nostalgia and deep sadness kept him in a constant balance that never seemed to end...
"I am so proud of you Alfred." Celestia whispered again, a slight smile on the spot. "Today you have done everything to improve... and you have achieved it, but you still have to strive to achieve the final goal; imagine it as a race, always-"
“Always believe you'll succeed.” Alfred completed the sentence for Celestia, who gave a little chuckle and replied...
"Exactly... and I think it is right for you to... express yourself with this." She commented while levitating a sheet of paper with her magic, one Alfred himself had given her long ago; it was somewhat worn, but still kept the handwriting that characterized the human.
A song that he wrote and composed himself, but never dared to make public for various reasons... Nightmare Moon was one of them.
The Prince grabbed the sheet and read it, several times, until he felt sure to say...
"Will everyone enjoy it?" He asked, referring to the guests. "I don't want to ruin the celebration."
"And you won't," Celestia said, looking at him straight in the eyes. "You just have to choose the correct words."
It'd been more than an hour since Alfred left the ballroom and, despite the many distractions that flooded the place, his absence was perceived by many - who didn't hesitate to ask about his whereabouts, only to get unsatisfactory answers -.
By then, even dinner time had passed, although his absence was much less perceived because of the enjoyment that the guests had towards the food, which - as always - was very delicious; however, shortly after the dinner was over, doubts arose again regarding the Prince, even Jimmy herself began to worry about him and was about to go look for him until a voice interrupted her...
"I hope you're enjoying the evening."
At the comment, not only Jimmy, but every creature else present turned to look at a specific place, the stage; there, sitting in a chair - next to the piano-, was the individual for whom so many asked, observing them all with a slight and almost imperceptible smile...
"...And also dinner," Alfred added as he passed his gaze over each individual that his sight could perceive until his eyes fell on a certain Draconequus, who returned the gaze at him. "nonetheless, for me it's been a challenge to enjoy the day, not just the gala; I have tried my best to ignore the problems, but that only made matters worse... Life is what you have to face, day by day, until - in some way or another - this endless cycle ends."
Spectators were silent, listening to each and every word that came out of the Prince's mouth, expressing himself as well as possible - without leaving any loose ends. Then, at one point, there was no word that the human said, as he observed five specific individuals; first Celestia, then Jimmy, hence Derpy, next one was Discord, ending his traveling with the pony that he'd loved the most, Luna...
"I always wanted to sing this song for the very first moment I thought about... her. Now, on this very night, I would like to dedicate this song to that very special pony in my life... This is for you, my love."
The final piano's solo slowed down as the song came to an end, giving it a feeling of completion; once the notes ended, his hands stayed on the piano keys, as if waiting for the melody to continue a little longer. He shed one last tear while slowly turning to look at the crowd, which remained silent - being impressed by the ability Alfred had in the musical field -; he took a deep breath before getting up from the chair, accommodating it once more, didn't make any eye contact and prepared to leave the ballroom for once...
Alfred didn't answer, instead, he remained silent as his eyes were still fixed on a particular window; the human didn't take his eyes off it for a single second, he just stood there, watching how the figures of many beings that he once knew appeared one after another, returning the gaze...
Knock, Knock, Knock.
"Sir," Called a voice from the other side of the door. "Listen... I know that today wasn't your best day; but, if you could allow me to accompany you, I might be able to help you as I did today."
The Prince sighed and replied. "Because it's your duty, isn't it?"
The bat pony behind the door stopped in her tracks, what she least expected was such a comment - and with a rather cold tone, although it was something she understood perfectly -; she thought for a moment about her answer and stared at the door for almost a minute until she spoke again...
"That isn't the only, nor the main reason;" She sighed as she lowered her gaze and fixed her gaze on the ground. "You've been nice, as well as having supported me at all times during the course of this... particular day. You've given me the strength to have a better opinion of myself and it's all thanks to you, your highness."
Jimmy smiled to herself, remembering the very morning the Prince confided to her his darkest regrets, pains and sorrows; that smile showed her gratitude towards the human for such an act and many more, even if he didn't see it...
"I appreciate what you have done for me, sir. You are an extraordinary friend." The Corporal concluded, after which she closed her eyes; then the constant sound of footsteps made her look forward, only to be greeted by the door opening, revealing Alfred, who just shed a tear while outlining a soft and pleasant smile...
"Honestly," Said the monarch. "I never thought I would hear you say that... I'm glad I was wrong."
Jimmy was grateful to hear him speak like that, which was reflected in a slight blush, being noticed by the Prince. However, it was the pony who took the floor...
"Well, as you once said. Being a royal guard, either solar or nocturnal, doesn't transform me into a machine... Heh. You're very good with words, I see now why you're so loved by the citizens." She commented, to which Alfred chuckled.
Then, still smiling at her, the Prince crouched down before Jimmy, and extended his arms, surrounding her in a sweet embrace; at first, the Corporal remained somewhat confused, but almost instantly, she understood what was happening and reciprocated the gesture...
A voice sighed. "You know, I really feel bad for him, Celly." His eyes remained fixed on the sweet and moving scene...
"There are times when I don't think too much about life itself, I just... have fun in my own way." Then, his gaze dropped to the ground as his expression suffered a progressive change, showing signs of melancholy that the Draconequus hadn't shown for a long time. "Now that I've witnessed all of this, I feel like I've... I don't know, screwed everything."
Celestia didn't say a word, instead, she only dedicated to outlining a soft smile while her eyes changed direction to where Discord was...
"We all have committed mistakes, Discord." She replied. "Nevertheless, you came to that conclusion on your own, not for some creature else."
"First you both," He said, referring to the royal sisters. "next Fluttershy... and now, Alfred." The Chaos Lord sighed again, then looked at the floor for a few seconds before saying...
"Celestia, thanks for letting me try to help." Discord had appreciated she’d let him do the favor, so she was for letting him do so. "I knew I affected Alfred a lot, but... I never believed it would be so severe."
His comment wasn't answered, although the Draconequus could get the idea of what she might answer; Celestia, on the other hoof, turned to look at Alfred and Jimmy, then gazed at Discord to comment back...
"You have a long way ahead, Discord. Like Alfred, you have both taken the first big step, but you will have to work hard to overcome this situation and re-forge a friendship as great as the one you two had."
"I'll try, Celestia." He replied, to which the monarch said...
"Do, or do not, there is no try."
Both immortal beings smiled at each other for a few seconds before turning to look back at where Alfred and Jimmy were, still embracing; then, Celestia and Discord disappeared in a matter of a snap, leaving - definitely - the human and the bat pony alone…
“Always try to be patient, the world may reward you for it.”
