The Third Choice
Chapter 3: Everyone needs a good hat
By UltimaReborn
I was sitting in the Canterlot dungeons. Just thinking. Not even about my more than likely execution. Rather I was thinking about the fight. Why the hell am I so calm about all this? Maybe it was the fact I had died before and it wasn't that bad. Possibly. Not likely.
I heard the sound of hooves on stone. Guess the guards are coming to take me to my sentencing. A few moments later two Royal Guards, one a unicorn and the other a pegasus, came to the door of the cell I was in.
"Princess Celestia wants you brought to her. No funny business or we'll bring you down". Said the unicorn.
"Well I am offended sir! You believe that I would ignore the summons of the Princess? I am many things sir, but rude is not one of them!" Where the hell did that come from? The guards looked as surprised as I felt. I had no idea why I had said that. I just did.
"Uh... Okay c'mon, don't want to keep the Princesses waiting." said the pegasus, being the first of the two to recover from my mini-rant.
As we approached the throne room I was still thinking about how I had been behaving. This is definitely not normal behavior for me. Maybe the manticore venom did something to my brain? Well so far it had been more of a help than a problem.
As we entered the throne room I noticed that everypony seemed to have gotten themselves together in the half-hour I had been in the dungeon. The throne had been repaired from the fire bolt.
"Your Highness." the guards said bowing. I followed suit as best I could with the rather primitive wooden shackles still on my wrists.
"You two may leave now." Said Celestia, addressing the guards that had escorted me to the throne room.
"Seeing as I'm here I'm going to assume that you've decided what you'll be doing with me, Princess?" I asked, once again inexplicably calm. "So what will it be? Execution, banishment, imprisonment for the rest of my natural life?" I asked. Everypony seemed shocked at what I had just asked.
"Actually we were going to let you go." said Celestia.
"Well that actually is a surprise." I said. "So, if I may ask, why are you letting me go again?"
"Well you did save Twilight and her friends from a manticore, almost killing yourself in the process, and you did just save my own life from Nightmare Moon." said the Princess, a hint of laughter beginning to work it's way into her voice.
"Well... I am much obliged to you your Highness. As a token of my appreciation, I will give you my word that I shall protect your subjects from harm." I said, that calm once again present. What the fuck! Why am I so calm again!
"Let us hear your oath." said the Princess after a moment.
"I swear that I shall protect your subjects from harm so long as it is within my power to do so. I swear that should you require my aid, I shall be ready to stand at your side whatever the threat may be." I intoned, my voice echoing strangely. Now that I thought about it, my voice had sounded the same when I turned the manticore to stone. Guess that I just Invoked an oath.
"I accept that which you have said. And with the return of Nightmare Moon, I fear that we may require your aid sooner than expected." said the Princess. "You will be staying in Poneyville, with my student Twilight Sparkle."
"Very well Princess." I responded.
"But before you go, we all have some questions that we would like answered." I was caught a bit off guard as this was the first time that Princess Luna had spoken since I arrived at the castle.
"Of course Princess." I responded after a moment.
"First off, how were you so calm? Both when believing we were going to harm you and while facing Nightmare Moon. By the knowledge you have displayed, I am sure that you understand just how dangerous she is."
"In all honesty, I don't know. I was wondering the same thing pretty much since I was brought in here." I answered. It seemed to satisfy her enough.
"Second question, how did you stop a manticore? As I remember humans don't possess magic."
"Well if you remember, part of the gift I was given in coming here was the ability to use Invocations. It's a type of incantation-based magic that, currently, has no rules in regards to it's use." I responded.
"What do you mean it has no rules?" this time it was Twilight that asked, her face both curious and disbelieving.
"Well the magic was made for me. So I basically have to give it rules before they'll be applied. And I will be making rules. Wheres the fun if an enemy has no chance to win?" I answered her.
"Could you demonstrate this power?" asked Celestia, looking as curious as the others.
"Of course your Highness." I replied.
"That which I seek is the heaven's light,
I Invoke: Starlight!"
As I spoke my voice once again began to echo unnaturally. Guess it is the Invocations. As I finished I gestured with two fingers and a miniature star appeared there just past my fingernails. Everypony's eyes widened in amazement. After a few moments the star faded.
"Each Invocation takes a bit of power, the stronger the intent the more power is required. Just like in other magic." I said.
"Ah I thi- you just made that a rule didn't you?" asked Celestia.
"Indeed I did. Now back to the questions." I said.
"Okay, last question," it was once again Luna asking. "How did your hat go through a magical barrier and knock out Nightmare Moon?"
"Like I said it's a good hat. Oh speaking of which I have something for you Princess Luna." I said. As everypony watched I produced a hat, similar to my own, with the exception that it was the same blue as Luna, and had silver stars and a crescent moon sewn onto it. I walked up and presented it to the Princess, she looked surprised but accepted it.
"So that's what you wanted sewing supplies for!" said Twilight, finally understanding. I just nodded.
"This is actually the first time anypony's given me a... a gift." said Luna, still slightly in shock.
"Well everyone needs a good hat." I replied with a smile.