Rumors And Raindrops
Mentally sighing, Celestia continued to listen to her subject, patiently waiting for her - a yellow unicorn mare with a light purple mane and tail (with one white stripe going through both), a white shirt with a pink sweater tied around her neck, and some eyeshadow - to finish her ranting so she could answer her question as calmly as possible.
"…so as you can see, my concerns regarding your nephew are more than well-placed, your Highness."
"And I appreciate the…detailed explanation, Miss Upper Crust, but as I told you, there is no reason to worry. As I've said before, my nephew simply had to leave Canterlot due to royal business."
"Oh? But disappearing all of a sudden doesn't fit the prince at all your Highness! As one of his most trusted friends, he always told me in advance when he was planning on trips, so I would always have the first-word involving travel."
"And as I've told you, this one was special, a last minute emergency meeting that couldn't wait, and of which called for his presence specifically."
"Oh my, I didn't know the prince was starting to ascend the royal ladder, your Highness," she spoke with some surprise. "Must be all the hard work he's put in. He is, after all, the perfect image of the upper class and the Canterlot nobility," she proclaimed with rising 'pride'.
Whatever floats your boat, Celestia thought with small annoyance, doing an eye roll as Upper Crust started to giggle before continuing. "And to think, there are rumors saying that you decided to cast a spell upon him that went wrong, and as a result, his entire mind got erased! So in shame, you and your sister decided to banish him forever to the badlands, where he can only drool and crawl like a snail. I mean, could you imagine that your Highness?"
"Oh, the imaginations of some ponies, right?" Celestia joked with a practiced smile. How are these rumors spreading so quickly!? She wondered this to herself with some concern while Upper Crust asked a question.
"Can I at the very least know when he'll be back?"
The princess replied quickly. "I'm afraid I can't share that information. The situation he's dealing with is very...delicate."
"Oh...such a shame. Oh well, thank you for your time, your Highness." Upper Crust gave her a small bow, following up with, "Have a nice day, your Highness."
"Likewise," Celestia replied with her usual smile as Upper Crust left. Shortly after, the next petitioner approached the princess.
While that was happening, Upper Crust continued further down the hallway until she spotted a familiar white pegasus, waiting for her from behind a large, ornate pillar.
"How did it go?" The white pegasus called out, looking to Upper Crust curiously.
"You were right Sharp Shot, the princess is evading the question. What about you? Anything on his whereabouts?"
He shook his head. "Prince Blueblood is nowhere to be found. I've searched everywhere, but there wasn't any clue of him, and we both know that subtlety isn't exactly his forte."
"This can only mean one thing: something really happened to him and the princesses are trying to hide it from us."
Sharp Shot nodded. "This could be promising, if Blueblood really has amnesia and we can prove it, the upper class would finally obtain the bargaining chip that we have been waiting for so long."
"Plus the gossip! Or even better, if he doesn't remember a thing, I could tell him that he is married to one of my cousins and I will instantly become a duchess!"
"And that could be just the tip of the iceberg," the stallion said before looking around. "For now, we need to focus on. See what else we can find, and most importantly, discover where exactly the prince ended up." As he said this, he slipped back into the shadows. "Now go, the guards will arrive here soon on their usual patrol and they can't see us together. We should continue this at your house." Upper Crust nodded, the two heading in different directions...unaware that a maid with yellow fur was watching them from another pillar.
I need to warn the princess, the maid thought before darting toward the throne room as fast as she could, worry in mind.
Back in Ponyville
"Go long New B!" Scootaloo yelled before throwing a rubber ball as hard as she could.
"I got it, I got it!" Blueblood shouted as he chased the now-falling ball. Feeling like he was going to miss, he jumped and came close to catching it when a cyan bluer swooped down and caught the ball. He fell to the ground in slight surprise, letting out a small grunt from the impact.
"And Rainbow makes the save!" Rainbow Dash cheered, landing on the ground and spinning the ball in one of her forehooves.
"What just happened?" Blueblood asked as he stood up, brushing himself off before looking to the newcomer.
"Rainbow Dash!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders cheered in unison, rushing towards Rainbow who let out a small chuckle.
The mare ruffled Scootaloo's mane with her free hoof, looking down at her warmly. "Hiya squirt did ya miss me?"
"Who wouldn't," the orange filly replied, smiling up at her. "Did your mission go well?" She asked with growing wonder.
"Did you bring us any souvenirs?" Sweetie Bell asked with big puppy eyes.
"Was it any dangerous?" Apple Bloom asked with curiosity.
Before the mare could speak of her 'awesome' mission, Blueblood approached the four. "Ah, miss?" This caught their attention, Rainbow especially considering she hadn't met the colt before. "Can we have our ball back?" He asked, pointing to the rubber ball in Rainbow's hoof.
"Sure squirt." She gave him the ball back, following up with a question of her own. "Who are you? Are you new in town?"
"He's Twilight's cousin, New Blood!" Sweetie Bell answered, withdrawing from the mare and approaching the Prince with a smile. "Rarity told me all about him!"
"Twilight's cousin?" Rainbow looked at them with a raised brow before looking at Blueblood. "I don't exactly see the resemblance."
"We're kind of distant cousins," Blueblood added quickly...
At that moment, the Crusaders gasped in realization and pulled Rainbow away from Blueblood, who was preoccupying his attention with the ball. "Rainbow, you need to be careful not to spook him too much," Scootaloo whispered.
"What? Why?"
"AJ told me about it," Applebloom said. "Apparently, something really bad happened to him recently, something that scared him so much that he lost all of his memories!"
"What?" Rainbow looked at them with a raised eyebrow again, having a hard time believing their words.
"It's true Rainbow, Rarity told me about it too, and Fluttershy confirmed it. Something very bad happened to him...he almost died." Sweetie's voice became quieter as she mentioned that bit. "That is why he doesn't even know how to use magic," she spoke sadly, her features wilting. "He's probably still very scared."
"Wow, that sounds really intense..." Rainbow said softly before an irritated look came across her expression. "This isn't some kind of prank, right? Because if it is, I'm telling you, this one has some really bad taste."
"We swear we're telling the truth!" Applebloom told her quickly, albeit in a hushed tone.
"Ah, excuse me?" Blueblood called to them, his attention lost from the ball. "Is something wrong? Why'd you all suddenly gather around and start to whisper?" He asked, confused from their actions.
"Oh, nothing's wrong! We were, ah…we were…" Applebloom started, but couldn't think of what else to say.
"…we just remembered about a surprise party for Diamond Tiara that Rainbow agreed to assist with!" Sweetie Bell finished for her friend.
"I did?" Dash asked quietly before being given a small nudge from Scootaloo. "Er, I mean yeah, I did!"
"And we needed to whisper in case she was nearby, y'know, keep the surprise!"
"Oh! that explains the whispering," Blueblood said before nodding. "Now I get it"
Geez, is he that gullible? Maybe he really did lose his memories. As Rainbow Dash thought this, she approached him with a beat of her wings, kicking some dust up into the air. "Anyway, nice to meet ya squirt, the name's Rainbow Dash, but you probably already knew that by now."
"Yeah, you're like the big sister of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, right?"
"That's right, I'm the...wait, what?" She looked at him, confused.
"Yeah, how else would you explain why they're so happy to see you?"
"Well duh, because I'm a superstar! Even if you don't remember, it's impossible not to know who I am!" She struck a heroic pose.
"...ah'm sorry Miss Dash, I don't."
That caught her off guard. Breaking the pose, she darted to him and grabbing him by the shoulder. Lifting the colt up into the air, she started firing off titles. "Fastest flyer in Equestria? An Element of Harmony? Member of the Wonderbolts?"
"...what's a Wonderbolt?" Blueblood asked, both confused and a little unnerved.
Dash gasped in horror before shaking him. "HOW COULD YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE COOLEST FLYING TEAM EVER!?"
"Rainbow Dash, stop!" The three fillies said this with rising alarm, concerned for Blueblood.
Meanwhile, the shaking was starting to make Blueblood dizzy, along with making even more dust come into the air from Dash's wings flapping in confusion. It was but a few seconds before the dust reached his nose, which began to itch terribly. He scrunched his face up to stop the sneeze, but with the shaking and his dizziness, he quickly succumbed.
Without anymore thinking and no control, the colt sneezed, accidentally charging his horn and firing off a magic beam. It nailed Dash square in the forehead, causing her to let him go as she cleaned her face with some amount of disgust.
"Hey! Turn your head when you're about to sneeze!" Rainbow scolded, her anger quickly dissipating as she noticed the way her voice was coming out. "What the…?" She held her throat in confusion, not understanding why her voice was suddenly high pitched.
"Ah, Rainbow Dash?" A deep, booming voice echoed out in front of Rainbow, startling her and causing her to look upwards. She saw Blueblood standing in front of her, but this time, he was gargantuan "Are you…okay?"
"New Blood., what did you do?! You turn yourself into a giant!" She shouted, alarm coloring her voice.
"Actually..." Another deep, yet feminine voice called out, and Scootaloo appeared beside him. "It's kinda the other way around Rainbow."
"S-Scoots, please tell me that you were hit by the spell too," Rainbow responded with rising fear. A gigantic leaf passed within her eyesight, and she turned to look at it with wide eyes. This confirmed her fears, she was extremely small now.
"Okay, Dash, don't panic…" Applebloom started, trying to keep her calm. Her words fell on deaf ears, however, as Rainbow just started to scream in fright, making the four around her somewhat wary.
"W-well, at least now you can see more of the resemblance with Twilight!" Sweetie Bell said, trying to alleviate her stress.
"Sweetie, this isn't a time for jokes!" Dash glared at the filly, who only giggled in response.
"Sorry, sorry it's just that it's kind of hard taking you seriously with that high-pitched voice."
"Come on girls, be cool, Rainbow Dash needs our help," Scootaloo said, trying to be mature about the situation but failing to withhold her own chuckles.
"I would say she's more like a Raindrop now," Sweetie Bell said off-hoofed, making the other two fillies begin to snicker.
"Would it be bad for me to say that, even if this is bad, she looks kind of cute like this?" Blueblood said while looking at the Cutie Mark Crusaders, his words being enough for them to burst into a fit of laughter, much to the displeasure of Rainbow. Feeling that he may have upset her even more, he picked up the colorful pony and held her up with a hoof. "Don't worry miss, we'll help you."
"You better," Dash warned him, her miniature wings extending. "Now let's go to Twilight's place!" She said, taking of as fast as she could towards the castle...yet, in the eyes of the kids, she was moving really slow.
"What's happening?" Scootaloo asked, alarmed.
"Basic proportion plus distance," Blueblood explained with growing worry. "She's too small now, the trip there will take her years, and that isn't the worst part."
"There's something worse?" Applebloom asked, concern lacing her words.
"Right now, she is the size of a fly, if a bird sees her, they'll try to eat her. And with Miss Rainbow being slower, she doesn't have a chance!"
"I can still hear you, you know!" Dash yelled at them in annoyance, which increased further as Blueblood grabbed her body with his forehoof. "Hey!"
"I'm sorry Miss Rainbow, but it's too dangerous. You'll need to stay with us until we can return you to your original size."
At that moment, they hear a bell ring nearby. "Oh no, recess is over, we need to get back to the classroom!"
"What? Oh no, no no no, we are going to Twilight's Castle right now!" Rainbow demanded, but Blueblood just ignored her and placed her within his mane, behind his ear. He quickly made sure she was secure enough before galloping towards the schoolhouse. "Hang on Miss Rainbow!"
"But I don't want to go to school!" Rainbow complained as she, with no choice left, held onto his ear for dear life.
Later on, at Twilight's castle
"…and after their race was over, Dash and I boarded the next train here," Starlight finished, her story coming to a close. She sat on Fluttershy's throne, Twilight on her own and rolling her eyes as she gave the story some minor thought.
"Of course she would. Dash would never miss a chance for a race, especially if it's against somepony as fast as her," She said with a little mirth.
"So...who won?" Spike asked, sitting in his own chair with a curious expression.
"I think Rainbow would like to tell you about that part, Spike," Starlight responded, looking to the dragon. "And it's not important right now, what is important is that the mission was a success and Dash got her friend back!"
" that's good to hear," Twilight said with a smile.
"So, how have things been going here? Any world-ending threats come by while Dash and I were gone?" Starlight asked with a knowing look.
"Why would you think something like that would happen?" Twilight asked with a raised brow.
"Because, Twilight, this is Ponyville. Something's always happening in this, quote-unquote, 'quiet village'." To further her point, Starlight raised her hooves and made the imaginary apostrophes.
"Can't argue with that," Spike muttered before speaking up. "Actually, yeah, we have something going on at the moment," he said before looking to Twilight with an expectant look. "We might as well tell her Twilight, they're gonna be roommates soon enough...kinda."
"'Roommates'?" Starlight asks with a raised brow. "What, you renting my room out or something?"
"No, of course not!" Twilight shifted around uncomfortably for a couple of seconds before she looked to the mare, her expression turning serious. "It's kind of a long story, and in order to tell you, I will need you to promise me that what you are about to hear is not going to leave this room. Understood?"
Starlight was slightly jarred by the shift in tone, but nodded nevertheless. "You can count on me, Twilight."
"Thank you for understanding," Twilight said with a small smile, relaxing a little before beginning to explain. "You see, for the next couple of weeks, a family member of mine is going to stay with us here. And the reason for that is because he had a mysterious accident that erased all of his memories."
"Well, that sounds serious," Starlight said with a nod before raising a brow. "Although, I don't see why you ask me to keep quiet about it."
"That isn't the part I need you to keep quiet about - it's what I'm about to tell you." Twilight took a deep breath before continuing. "Starlight, I know you're a smart mare - maybe even smarter than me - and that's why I know it's just a matter of time before you start to see something…off about my story, and the pony that will be staying with us. Seeing as how, well, some part of it's a cover story." This peeked Starlight's interest.
"It's not because we want to lie to you Starlight, not even Twilights' friends could know the truth. It's simple that if the public, in general, finds out that he doesn't remember a single thing, they can use it for their own personal gain" Spike mentions
"Oh, I understand now" Starlight nods before looking down in shame "I'm familiar with the manipulation game"
"This is nothing like what you did Starlight" Twilight answer back. "But it's more like the fear of a pony from where he came from, trying to do just that similar. That is why he is here, Ponyville can act as a safe place"
" 'Safe place?' " Starlight ask making air quotes
"When it comes to his re-learning I meant." Twilight defend herself "And until he can master the basics, and can have a better understanding of the world around him, I need you to please play along with the act and let him recover in peace"
Starlight closes her eyes and then sighed "Ok Twilight" She opens them and smiles at the princess "I am interested in knowing what is all of this about, but because you ask me. I will not try to find out what it is and will leave him alone"
"Thank you Starlight" Twilight sigh in relief "I knew you would understand"
"Anytime. So what can you tell me? Is there anything I could do to help?"
Spike then had an idea "You could help him with his magic lessons" He exclaims before looking at Twilight "It could be great since New Blood could learn from one of the best, and Starlight can practice her friendship lessons on him" He suggests
"Spike that is a great idea!" Twilight tells in excitement
"So that is his name?" Starlight asks with a raised eyebrow "And I'm gonna take a wild guess and say its fake"
"Starlight you promised," Twilight tells in worry
"Sorry, sorry I swear that was the only one. And I like that idea a lot, I don't do much in the school after all so having the company would be great" She tells with a smile.
"Plus you can go explore more of the town with him and have fun" Spike continues "Just don't try to insert all the knowledge on his brain all at once with a spell," He tells a bit wary and Starlight rolls her eyes.
"You used a multilayer spell for a shortcut once and no pony ever lets it go"
Twilight and Spike chuckle a bit, and Starlight soon joins in.
"So? When could I meet him?"
Twilight looks into a nearby clock "Seem like you are in luck, his first class is already over so he could be arriving here very soon"
Right on cue Blueblood and the crusaders arrive in the room in a hurry.
"Oh, hey New Blood, how was school?" Spike asks with some wonder.
"Oh it was great, miss Cheerilee is a great teacher and I even manage to make some new friends" He points at the cutie mark crusaders, who were waving at them.
"Hello!? Daredevil in here!" Dash yelled from his mane which confused and surprised both Twilight, Spike, and Starlight.
"But then something bad happens" He moves his mane and takes Dash on his hoof "Can you fix it Twilight?"
"Please, say that you can!" Dash begs as she looks at Twilight who's jaw just drop.
"Ah, how did this even happen?" Starlight asked in complete shock
"Well, I kind of sneeze?" That is the only thing Blueblood can tell with a smile.