AUTHOR'S NOTE: WELCOME BACK! ANONYMOUS GUEST, I'M GLAD YOU ENJOY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JACKSON AND DASHIE. THEIR FRIENDSHIP WILL BE VITAL IN THE LATER CHAPTERS. BACK TO THE MAGIC!
I could feel the sun shining through the window when I woke up. I felt a pressure around my head and reached up to find some kind of contraption strapped to my head. I tried to call out but I couldn't move my jaw and began to panic when a soothing voice from the doorway.
"Calm down before you hurt yourself", Nurse Redheart said as she rushed to my side. "Wait for the doctor to get here, please."
I nodded and put my hands back on my stomach, trying to slow my breathing. The little pony nurse spoke calmly to me, telling me about the night guard that had carried my unconscious body to the infirmary with a broken jaw. I groaned at the pressure and balled my hands into fists.
"Just be patient", she cooed and headed to the door.
"Ah, Nurse Redheart", Doctor Adryl's voice greeted from the hallway. "Is our favorite patient awake?"
"Yes, Doctor", she replied, backing up so the unicorn could enter. "He was trying to remove the mandible brace when I came in."
"Anxious, are we", he smiled as he approached the side of the bed. "Let's just see how fast you really do heal, shall we?"
His horn lit up and I felt a familiar tingling in my face. I realized he was using the spell Twilight had used. He grunted in amazement and his horn stopped glowing as he turned to the little nurse and whispered something to her. She turned and trotted quickly from the room, returning moments later with a familiar pair of leather wings. I growled and tried to yell at the bat pony but it came out as a mumble.
"Calm down, please", Dr. Adryl said as he unfastened the device. "Now, when I remove this do not try to move your jaw."
He unfastened the last belt and lifted the torturous contraption free. I sighed heavily through my nose and followed his directions. It was annoying going through the motions but I was glad I was healed.
"How long was I out this time", I asked as I stretched.
"Only three days", the good doctor said in awe.
I stopped mid-stretch and stared at the unicorn and earth pony in a sense of awe myself. I rolled my shoulders and slipped from the bed, glad I had been dressed in new trousers, and then made my way to the restroom to handle business. When I came out of the bathroom I saw the bat pony standing by herself as the medical professionals talked in hushed whispers.
"You", I growled as I pointed at the bat pony. "Come here."
Her ears drooped as she plodded over to me. I summoned a chair from elsewhere in the castle and sat down, curling my finger to call her closer. She lowered her head slightly as she stepped in front of me.
"I apologize for my actions and accept whatever punishment you give me", she whispered as she hung her head farther.
I reached out and pulled her across my lap with a grunt. As I placed my left hand on her back I poured magic into my right hand. As the first swat landed on her flank she cried out in alarm. I raised my hand and brought it down again and again. Almost instantly her flank began to turn red and her shouts quickly turned to tears of pain and embarrassment.
"Now", I said as I finally let her slide off my lap. "You gonna break my jaw again?"
"No, your Highness", she whimpered.
"What did I say about that?"
"I'm sorry", she wailed. "Please don't spank me again!"
I nodded and stood, sending the chair back where it came from. Minutes later an agitated white alicorn strode into the room. She looked from me to the sniffling bat pony and back.
"Do I even want to know", mom asked.
"She broke my jaw, so I spanked her ass", I replied as I went to the closet and peeked inside. "Hey mom, was it you that brought my clothes?"
"No", she replied as she eyed the bat pony with an unreadable expression. "Shadow Bloom, is that you?"
The pony I now know is called Shadow Bloom nodded through her tears and stared at me in anger and fear. She had started to back away from my mother but a golden aura surrounded the bat pony and lifted her in the air.
"You should never have returned", mom said quietly. "How many years ago did you borrow my gilded shoes for that date? You know, the ones you didn't return?"
"Seriously", I asked. "You're upset over shoes?!"
"Those shoes cost me a small fortune", mom replied indignantly.
"I have them at my house", Shadow cried pitifully. "Please don't hurt me!"
"Hurt you", mom asked as she jerked her head back. "Why in Equestria would I hurt you?"
The floating pony broke down into sobs at this point and choked out something about not meaning to steal from the ruler. I cocked my head to the side and watched the exchange. It struck me as odd that Shadow tried to curl into a ball as my mother floated her closer. I saw true fear when mom hugged the bat pony.
"Dafuq", I muttered.
"What is it", mom asked as she turned her eyes to me.
"Shadow, is Aunt Luna mean to you guys", I asked.
Shadow looked from me to my mom and back but remained silent and just shivered. Mom and I shared a concerned look before the great alicorn gently set Shadow on her hooves. I walked over and dropped to eye level with the trembling guard.
"Shadow Bloom", I said quietly. "Please tell us the truth. There's nothing to fear."
"Your Highness", she began as she turned to my mother, "please forgive me, but Princess Luna is unwell."
"Explain", mom said cautiously.
"She argues with herself", she stated, gulping before she continued. "She has taken ponies into her chambers for nights at a time, and when they return they aren't the same. They seem almost… haunted by what happened. All of them refuse to speak about it."
"Do you have anything other than lecherous behavior to support your claims", mom asked.
"Yes, your Highness", Shadow replied before glancing at me. "I had heard odd noises in her chambers and went to investigate. I will never forget what I saw that morning."
"Well", I asked as she hesitated. "We're waiting."
"She was moaning Prince Jackson's name as she, uh, serviced herself", Shadow replied bashfully.
"Are you happy in your assignment", mom asked. "Please tell me the truth."
"No, your Highness", she eventually whispered.
"That settles it", mom smiled.
"Settles what", I asked in confusion.
"Effective immediately Shadow Bloom is your personal guard", the benevolent leader replied.
"Do huh?"
"Your Highness", Shadow asked with squinted eyes and a cocked head.
"You clearly have a difficult time staying safe", my mom said as she eyed me sternly. "To assist with that you shall now have a guard with you at all times."
"Joy", I sighed. "Now I don't get to have fun."
"Oh come now", my mother grinned. "Now you have somepony you can kiss whenever you want!"
Shadow and I both sputtered and stammered, but I could swear there was a slight blush on her face. She snuck a glance at me and blushed again before turning toward the door.
"Where ya goin' Shadow", I asked, causing her to turn her bashful gaze back to me.
"To begin my duties and take my post outside the door", she answered. "With your, permission, of course, your Highness."
I cocked an eyebrow at her and she darted from the room allowing the door to slam behind her. I chuckled and shook my head before turning back to the assembled ponies in the room. I chatted with mom for a few minutes while the med-ponies argued about something in my bloodwork or some such nonsense.
"Do I have to have a guard", I asked pitifully.
"Yes", my mother replied.
At that moment we heard a commotion in the hallway that sounded like running hooves and shouting about a changeling being sighted in the castle. A bolt of dread flew through me as I ran to the door and flung it wide open. In the middle of the hallway I saw a sight I couldn't believe.
Halfway down the hallway there were several guards laying on the ground dazed while even more charged toward the furious bug pony. Red bolts of magic flew this way and that but the changeling managed to dodge them all. As the creature caught sight of me a pair of dragonfly like wings popped out of its back and lifted the creature into the air.
"Jackson", the changeling shouted, startling me.
The clatter of the changeling's wings echoed through the hall as it made a beeline for me. At the last second I caught a glimpse of gold before a gray blur streaked out of nowhere and slammed into the changeling. A sickening thud resounded through the hall as Cindra hit the stone wall and fell to the floor.
"Shadow, stand down", I shouted as I ran to the changeling's side.
"Stay back", my guard snarled, refusing to turn away from the shuddering bug pony.
"I know her", I snarled back before I pointed at Cindra's golden leg. "Who do you think did that?!"
Shadow balked and eased back, keeping her eyes on Cindra as I helped her up. Her ears perked up and without looking over my shoulder I shouted for the other guards to stand down. A single bolt of magic zipped through the air toward the changeling. At the last second I used magic to rip a cupboard door off and used it to shield us. The green bolt slammed into the piece of wood and it exploded.
"Who did that", I shouted, shaking my head when a familiar guard sheepishly raised a hoof. "Slap yourself!"
As I turned back to Cindra I heard the sound of a hoof connecting with flesh followed by the sound of the unicorn hitting the floor. I glanced back and was surprised that the fool had knocked himself out. I shrugged and turned a disappointed gaze on Cindra.
"What were you thinking", I demanded as I gripped her mane at the back of her neck.
"I wanted to see you", she mumbled as she blushed.
"You're a changeling", I sighed. "Not everypony is as accepting as me and mom."
"I don't care, I had to see you", she said stubbornly as her stomach growled.
"You were hungry", I grunted.
"That too", she blushed.
"If you're here then where's Fluttershy at", I asked.
"At home", she muttered quietly.
"What happened", I growled.
She launched into the story, telling me how the two of them had argued and blamed each other for me leaving. It had come to blows several times, and they had fought until they were both bleeding and gasping for breath. It had been less than a week and already they were pining over me.
"Dammit", I sighed and shook my head.
"I just had to come see you", she whispered as she reached a hoof out to me.
"You almost got killed", I said with a raised voice.
"I don't care", she said quietly. "I won't let anypony stop me from seeing the stallion I love."
Before I knew what was happening she wrapped her mismatched hooves around my neck and pressed her lips to mine. I could only flop back onto my ass when Shadow had snatched Cindra up by the neck and slammed her into the wall again. I heard them shouting at each other but couldn't make out the words. The sound of a hoof connecting with flesh pulled me from my shock and I turned to see Shadow standing over an unconscious Cindra.
"What the hell just happened", I muttered.
"I slapped her", Shadow replied simply.
"Why?"
"She was raving about being meant to be with you", she said and looked down at the changeling. "Is she telling the truth about putting… that… in her mouth?"
"Well, fuck."