Chapter 2: Explosions and a cake.
Shining armor had just finished his last period class. He among many bounded out of the suffocating classroom and into the open air of Canterlot as soon as the bell rang. He sighed happily as he exited the gates and began walking up the streets. He strode past the busy markets blissfully ignorant, or perhaps jaded, of how busy the whole street could get during noon.
"Hey, Armor!"
Shining stopped, looking around for the one who called him. He looked across the streets and saw his fellow cadets that were attending the military academy as he was. "Oh, hey guys." He shyly waved. "What's up?"
"Wanna come hang with us at the pizzeria?" A pegasus filly asked. Cloudy Days was her name if he could remember.
"Yeah, and don't worry, 'cause Cloud here is buying!" Another colt, a unicorn, happily announced, nodding his head at the aforementioned filly. He was in the same class as Shining Armor and his name was Red Burn.
"Yeah, uh, sorry guys!" He replied. "I have to go pick up my sister! Maybe next time!"
The pair deflated. Cloudy smiled but it was strained. "Oh… Ok. P-perhaps next time?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll take you up on that offer!" he called as he ran up in the direction of the palace.
As he disappeared into the distance, the Red Burn gave a comforting pat on Cloudy's shoulder. "Told you he wouldn't come." He said.
"Yeah, I know, but like he said… maybe next time." The filly said as the pair went their way to enjoy some pizza.
Meanwhile, Armor managed to reach the entrance of the gate and saw a familiar pair of guards standing at attention. He approached the two and saluted. And it was a full on hardcore, puff your chest out, salute.
The guards gave an amused glance at the young colt before they do stood at attention and saluted back.
"Cadet Shining Armor, reporting in!" Shining shouted.
"At ease, cadet!" The colt did so at the mare's order, and both the guards smiled at his performance. "Finish with the academy?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Did good?"
"Did great, ma'am!"
"That's the spirit! Now, what's your designation, kid?"
"Here to retrieve my dear sister best friend forever, ma'am!"
"She came through here to meet the prince," The stallion said.
Shining resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I figured, sir. Well, permission to enter, sir!"
"Permission granted, cadet." The stallion snorted, but the proud smile he had widened. "Dis~missed!"
With a proper salute, Shining armor finally entered the palace. The two guards gave him a glance as he passed before they resume their station.
"I am telling you right now the kid's going places." The mare said. "He's got the makings of a good guard pony."
"It's all in genetics. Night Light's family been serving the crown honorably for years."
"He's probably gonna outrank us at a young age."
"Yep, I know."
"Wanna bet? I'll put in 50 bits that says he'll reach sergeant 4 years in service."
"Ha! Double it and I'll say it'll take him about 5 years."
"You're on!"
As Shining entered the revered halls of Canterlot palace, he gave a wary glance around his surrounding. Of course, the halls are safe! There is no malignant pony within these walls that bore him ill will… It just that when it comes to the Solar son, there's a prank trap somewhere, somehow, just primed to hit any unsuspecting victims. Even the guards in the halls looked just as wary as he is!
The same can be said for the maids who look battle hardened just like the guards are. Each of the maid were moving about brushing the halls, but they brandished their dusters as soldiers would a weapon.
As he made his way through the palace, he began to reminisce about the situation. Sure, it's not everyday you get the tutelage of a prince for your dear younger sister, but when the prince is a just a few years younger than you, then things starts to become too good and too silly to be true.
Yet here he is.
He would of course play the big, older brother role and make sure that the prince isn't being unruly with Twilight, but he was still thankful all the same for it.
Truth be told, she was better off here than she was back at home. He hated how devastated she was when the test was utterly canceled and the school of gifted unicorn was shut down. Twilight wanted to be in that school… but they all thought it wasn't meant to be.
He still remembered that blank, dead look on her face… he wanted to forget it. He wanted to forget feeling helpless in the situation. His parents, too, were affected but kept a happy facade in order not to make the matters worse. And he did, too.
But nothing helped. Shining Armor was failing at the academy, Twilight didn't get her cutie mark, and her parents became even more worried than before. It just looked like a dark cloud hanged above the family that wouldn't let up… and they were clueless on how to stop it.
And then… he arrived. Out of nowhere, in the middle of the day for all to see, the prince – the Solar son of Equestria, the miracle child – appeared at their doorstep and asked, 'Is Twilight home? Can we be friends! Pretty please!"
Shining armor snorted at the memory.
He won't say it out loud, but that was the most suspicious thing he had seen all day, yet he was too grateful to point it out due to the fact that it bought Twilight, his dear sister, back from the dark place she was in. Still, it won't hurt to be cautious around him.
"Now, how do I find a mischievous prince?" He murmured to himself. Just as he was about further ask rhetorical questions, a huge commotion occurred at the other end of the hall. It sounded just like… "Blueblood?"
Shining armor ran down the hall until he came upon the nephew of Celestia walking across the intersecting halls. He was about to call him until he saw his face… and hoofed his own guts very hard just stop the laughter from coming out. Pressing the other hoof to his mouth just to keep his puffed up cheeks from releasing any noise past his lips.
"Sire!" Coming up from behind the fuming prince was the butler. He look so disheveled and tired, gasping for breath, as he limped after Blublood. His monocle was already swinging around his neck.
"Where is he!?"
"Sire, please!"
"Where! Where-" Blueblood froze as his clownish glare turned to Shining Armor. "You."
"Your – hehe, ahem! Your highness… um, how-"
Blueblood raised a hoof, his face unimpressed at Shining's awkward attempt to greet him. "Don't bother, Shining Armor. You're just as bad as your sister. Now… do you know where Bacchus might be?"
"Um, I just arrived." Shining answered. "I was actually looking for my sister."
"Then you're of no use, then!" He cried as he resumed his marched.
Shining frowned at his rudeness. Then again, the clown make-up was probably the source of his crankiness. He followed after the duo as they resumed their search.
He thought why not tag along. After all, if they find Bacchus, Shining Armor will probably find Twilight, too. Chances are… that's where they'll be.
Following that thought a huge explosion occurred that shook the palace. Despite this seemingly hazardous event no guardpony made a move. Most just rolled their eyes at the sudden interruption. The maids nearby looked done with everything in life.
"That sounds like it came from Royal Lab!" Blueblood smirked. "That's where they are!" and bolted towards his quarry.
The two other unicorns followed after him. After all, if there's an explosion, Bacchus is probably there. May Celestia have mercy on them because Blueblood will not.
Speaking of our dear future victims, meanwhile at the lap:
Twilight coughed as the smoke began to clear. She didn't need the mirror to see it but she could feel that her face was probably covered in soot from the recent explosion. Not to mention the royal lab they were in. Luckily though none of the equipment were damaged or else the maids would probably plot a coup against them. Well, only at Bacchus.
Still, the lavender unicorn gazed at her recent work and groaned depressingly.
"Oh no! I botched the spell. Again! I'll never be good at this… I failed."
"Failed?" She turned to her supposed mentor who, just like her, had his entire front half covered in soot. He came out of the next door room with that same stupid grin he had when he convinced her to try out the spell. "That was awesome! Plus it did work. Look, the explosion even reached me."
Twilight blinked in surprise. Disbelief and a small sense of elation build up in her chest as she smiled."What? How?!"
"The stuff I told you to send over to me in the next room might have had magnesium and sulfur in the box… Whoops!"
"Whoop!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHOOPS! Look at the lab!" She hollered at the colt that may drive her to insanity.
"… You should check out the room next door." he said sheepishly. "The full brunt of the explosion went off in there."
"How did you-… you know what!" She slapped her hoof to her face. "Never mind, I don't want to know."
"Still," He shrugged. "Congrats! You actually managed to cast dragonfire spell! Took you about the entire day, too!"
"Thanks." She murmured, a small smile on her lips. She glanced over to her flank to check for her cutie mark but found nothing changed. She sighed, but kept up her happiness since doing that spell one among the many she had hoped to learn. "I couldn't have done it without your help."
"Bah! Are you kidding? You're a natural at this, Twi!" Bacchus exclaimed as he dusted off the soot. "It took me about a week when mom taught it to me. You did it in a day! You're great at this magic stuff."
Twilight bashfully looked away to hide her blush. "I-I wasn't that great. I mean you're teaching only made it easier for me to cast it."
Bacchus rolled his eyes as he came up to her and gave her a light pat on the back. "Ugh, learn to take a compliment, girl. I only gave you a formula of that stuff and you just cast it. Ah-ah, no! No frowning. None of that dismissal of my compliments. Just take it and we can call it a day for now, okay?"
"Still," She began to say, using a cleaning spell to remove all the soot within the room, watching it all float into air and then crushed it into a dense ball and levitate it into the bin. All the scorch marks though on the table and walls are going to be a lost cause. "You said that this lesson was going to help you with coming up with a perfect gift for Blueblood."
"And it is!" He cheerfully exclaimed.
"How?"
Before he could reply, the door exploded open in a loud crash. The two surprised unicorn saw a very scary, yet funny, sight. Panting like a mad bull, the clown prince focused his glaring gaze on that one pony in the room who had caused his misfortune.
Shining and Jeeves came into sight behind him, both weary and wary at what was to unfold.
Bacchus and Twilight stood frozen in fear. Neither moving or daring to breathe. "Don't move…" Bacchus whispered. "Its sight is based on movement…"
Twilight only replied with an incredulous look to the back of his head.
"I have you now… RAAAAAAAARGH!" Like a beast from Tarturus, Blueblood roared as he leaped onto Bacchus. The two princes began to battle a mighty struggle on the floor. The bloodcurdling roar of Blueblood echoing across the hall and feminine scream of Bacchus crying in harmony.
"Time to pay!"
"Aaaaah! No, Blue! Wait-"
"There will be no mercy!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry-!"
"No quarters shall be given! For I have none to give!"
Twilight immediately ignored the two bickering cousins/brothers and approached her own brother in glee. "Hey, Shiny!"
"Hey, Twi. Erm, exciting morning, huh?" He sheepishly grinned.
"Um, could be better." She replied.
The two siblings returned their attention to the future diarchs of Equestria that were currently in an undignified pile on the floor struggling to murder or survive a murder. During the first few visits, Twilight and Shining were mortified to see them act like this. Nowadays…
"Do you think Equestria is doomed if these guys grow up into seat of authority." Twilight asked with a deadpan expression.
"One must give thanks to the fact that Celestia is immortal. Let's hope nopony is mad enough to actually put them in charge." Shining chuckled. The smile slowly faded as the horrible thought stewed in his head. "Nopony is mad enough, right?"
"… Knock on wood?"
"Knock on wood."
The two siblings proceeded to knock on the wooden table only to be surprised to be joined by another set of knocks. The two glanced over to the butler who was also knocking on the other end of the table. Jeeves, the butler, blushed at their intense stare before looking away incredulously.
Finally, the two princes finished their awesome battle with one sitting triumphantly on top of the other. The battle was hard fought, but victory was sweet to Blueblood.
"Ok, Blue, get off me!" Bacchus cried, laying sprawled on the floor with his cousin/brother crushing him from atop. "Y-you made your point! You win!"
"No." Blueblood sneered. "I seek not victory… I seek only vengeance! This clown paint you marked me wouldn't wash off. I can only assume you put a spell on it!"
"It is!" Bacchus laughed wheezily.
"You think this is funny!" He growled as he turned to face his prey. "I am about to go out and join luncheon with the lords and ladies of the realm. And you put this bloody paint on me!"
"Yeah? Who needs them?" Bacchus scoffed as he adopted a bored pose. "What's so important about their luncheons and dinner parties?"
"Don't you get it! Today is an important day for me! This party is important so it can help with my family name!"
"Why?" Bacchus asked, his face innocent.
"Do I have to explain myself?!" He sighed, his anger replaced by frustration. "You know what? Forget it. You're a child. You won't understand the intricacy of what being noble is all about."
"Is that your way of saying to grow up?" Bacchus ask with playful suspicion.
Blueblood froze. His face contorted into a mix of sadness, frustration and annoyance. He stood up and allowed Bacchus to stand from the floor. The two siblings would stare at each other with two different expressions on their faces.
Blueblood sported his signature pout. He clearly wasn't too happy, but the clown mask on his face made him look even more sillier.
Meanwhile, the source of his displeasure was grinning that wolfish grin as he stared in amusement at his cousin whom he regards as his older brother.
Blueblood spoke first. "Get this paint off my face Bacchus. Please."
"And allow you to go off to a party that's going to suffocate you?" The prince asked with one eyebrow raised. "No."
Blueblood was about to angrily reprimand him, but the young prince raised his hoof to stop him.
"Allow me to finish." Bacchus continued. "I won't take the paint off if you didn't open the present I have for you."
Blueblood was confused. "Present?"
"Twilight, if you please." Bacchus called to the lavender unicorn who was distracted staring at the family drama before her. "Ahem, Twi. The box. Please."
"Oh, r-right!" She stammered as her horn glowed. A small fiery wisp flew through the air as it went into the room next door. Just as it disappeared, it returned but this time heading towards a table besides the young royalties.
With a loud poof and clouds of smoke that literally exploded in front of the princes. Blueblood wanted to be angry at the fact his face was covered in soot, but was secretly happy that the clown paint was covered. He directed his glaring eyes at the younger prince who only shrugged in response.
Blueblood looked before him and saw a crumpled, soot-covered box of what was once his present. He was sorely tempted to just say 'buck it' and walk off to the luncheon with his face covered in soot, but the encouraging grin from Bacchus made him rethink it.
As he opened the box, revealing the content inside, Blueblood couldn't help but gasp. Before him in pristine condition stood a cake. On the top of the cake it wrote: "HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY, BLUEBLOOD!"
"What?" Blueblood recoiled. His mind raced as he finally processed in his mind what he was seeing. "I… How did you-"
"Happy birthday, bro." Bacchus said softly, patting the back on the white unicorn. "You see, while you were off being all grown up, you have forgotten you own birthday."
"No. How could I have forgo-"
"It shows when I asked Jeeves yesterday if you made any plan for you birthday."
"Sadly," The pegasus butler began. "It's true. I was trying to ask if you remember what day it is, but all you keep alluding to is the luncheon, dinner party, and the small function at the Council's mansion."
"Yep," Bacchus. "So, guess who had to step in?" He stepped back and pointed his hooves haughtily at himself. "This guy! That and I want vengeance for you ratting me out to mom."
Twilight gave the young prince a small slap on his shoulder, making the prince to wince incredulously at her. She glared at him for a moment, causing him to wilt.
"That and also I love you, or whatever." Bacchus grumbled begrudgingly at Blueblood. That seemed to appease the purple unicorn beside him.
Blueblood could only smile warmly at Bacchus in response. He couldn't believe he forgot his own birthday, but then again he had been busy. Shining Armor, Jeeves, and Twilight also came over to say their well wishes. A small warmth build in his chest.
Bacchus came over and removed the soot and the paint from his face. There Blueblood stand as clean and dignified as he was before the prank. Yet a humble smile graced his lips.
"Let's take this party to the gardens!" Bacchus exclaimed, "But first, we have a few guests missing that need to be here."
"Who?" Blueblood asked.
Bacchus only responded with a mischievous grin.
"Oh no. You can't! They're both busy!" Blueblood panicked. He knew exactly the ponies he was alluding to; but it was too late.
Bacchus summoned a trolley from out of nowhere and climbed atop it. "Onward, HO!" He cast a spell at the trolley making it zoomed away with terrible speed.
The four ponies could only look on with horror as the young prince disappeared off down the hall. The direction he was going: Towards the main room of the Princess.
"We're so dead." Blueblood said blankly.
"Yep, it was nice knowing you, prince." Shining armor replied.
"Likewise, old chap." The two colts shared a solemn hoof shake.
Meanwhile, Jeeves and Twilight fainted.