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TD the Alicorn Princess

by BronyWriter

Chapter 8: Baltimare

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As per my request, the move to Baltimare was quickly set up. Despite the success I'd had with the public, I opted to remain out of the public eye for now. It was tiring, and I wasn't quite sure that I was completely ready for it. Of course, Celestia was quite right when she said that she'd get revenge on me for going over her horn and becoming the princess of her favorite food.

Law books.

I had to study Equestrian law between the speech and my move to Baltimare. I had been lying down in my bed and just looking out at the night sky when I heard a knock on my door. I opened it to see Celestia, sans regalia, positively beaming at me and levitating a stack of at least ten ominously thick books. "Good evening, TD," she chirped. "How are you this fine evening?"

I stared suspiciously at the books as if I expected them to attack me, but stepped aside to let her in. "I'm good, I guess..."

"Spectacular." Celestia walked over to a table and plopped the books on it. "If you're going to be a princess, you're going to have to know all Equestrian laws including..." Celestia ignited her horn and lifted a book thicker than my head from the pile. "The history of desserts in Equestria." She tossed the book over to me, but I was still getting the hang of levitation, so it hit my right on the nose and bounced onto the floor. It flipped open and I stared into its horrifying depths.

"Twelve point font and sparse pictures, of course," she said with a smile. I raised my head with a death glare on my face, but her serene smile never left hers. "If that is unacceptable, you can revoke your claim as the princess of pastries." She chuckled softly and pointed to my flank. "It would be a shame if you went against your cutie mark."

I'm ashamed to admit it, but she won that round. The entire time I was in my room out of the public eye I was forced to read those law and history books. Did you know that Equestria has a law that states that it's illegal to grow sugar and apples on the same farm? I mean, what the heck is that all about? Supposedly there was a reason but I think that I kind of lost over that part.

Needless to say, by the end I was getting ready to support Equestrian book burnings by the end of the week. I vowed to get my revenge on Celestia by revoking some of these sillier laws if I could. I was the princess of pastries, so I had the final say on them. Celestia had no more say in them than I had power over the sun.

But, after three weeks of mind-numbing awfulness that was Equestrian law, with promise of further study over the course of forever, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance finally agreed that I was ready to move to Baltimare. Once I was settled, they were going to lend me Shining Armor and Night Stalker, the stone faced Captain of Luna's bat-ponies, to create the fourth branch of the Equestrian guard.

Given that I didn't have much stuff, what I did have was moved from Ponyville, we didn't need to spend a lot of time loading the train that we were going to be arriving on. Of course, I had quite the stack of law books that Celestia would be giving me. 'An ascension present,' Celestia had called it.

She really didn't like that I was the princess of cake now, did she?

So it had come to pass that Luna, Celestia, Cadance, Shining Armor, Night Stalker, and a dark green maned, teal pegasus mare in simple, sleek, powder blue armor, and I were sitting on a train to Baltimare. I was staring out the window, watching the Equestrian countryside go by. Cadance and Shining Armor were talking to each other, as were Luna and Celestia. Night Stalker? I hadn't heard him say more than three words. He merely gave me one nod and a single wing salute when he met me.

Weirdo.

As the train ride went on and the chatter between us was rather low, I decided that I had enough of reading law for a moment. I was admittedly curious about the mare. She was sitting in the corner of the train car. She was constantly scanning the car is if she expected something to jump out at us, a group of the most powerful ponies in the world, at any second. I put my book down and trotted up to her. She fixed me with her gaze when she saw me approach, and got to her hooves. She extended her wings and bowed her head, tilting her wings forward as she did.

"Princess Antares."

I groaned almost inaudibly and waved my hoof. "No need for that."

She straightened up and sat back down on the seat. "Very well. I assume you want to go by TD, then?"

I snorted and sat down next to her. "I assume I shouldn't bother asking how you know that? Celestia didn't tell anypony outside of Shining Armor and Night Stalker. She even forced the ponies in Ponyville who knew it to keep quiet."

The mare smirked at me. "Even if she did, it's my job to know the goings on in Equestria." She extended a hoof to me that I shook. "My name is Raining Skies: Commander of Her Majesty Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's Blade-Wing Regiment."

I raised my eyebrow. "I didn't know Cadance had her own guard."

Raining Skies snorted. "Well then we're doing our job, aren't we?" She chuckled and shook her head. "We were formed after Princess Cadenza's foalnapping at the hooves of Queen Chrysalis at Prince Shining Armor's insistence." Raining Skies fixed Cadance in her gaze. "Princess Cadenza agreed, but only if she could do it her way. So she created us." She glanced back at me. "Given that you now have the highest security clearance in the land, I assume you're curious.

I nodded. "A little. Not every day you learn about a new branch of the military."

Raining Skies nodded. "Yeah, well, like I said: we're doing our job, then." She shook her head and waved her hoof. "Anyway, Princess Cadenza recruited around two-hundred or so crack troops to blend in around Equestria and report suspicious goings on and generally play peacekeepers if we needed to. We have authority to disguise ourselves as any branch of the military or police force we deem necessary, even the Wonderbolts if we need to."

"Wouldn't that be kind of... obvious?" I flinched back at Raining Skies' glare. "I mean, impersonating a public figure would make it easy to be spotted, right?"

"No!" She scoffed. "We wouldn't be very good at our jobs if we stuck out like that. Wigs, makeup, costumes, magical disguises, it's all part of the game." Raining Skies' glare faded away into a mischievous smile. "I do such a good Spitfire that not even your friend Rainbow Dash knew the difference when I impersonated her after a show."

"Why were you impersonating Spitfire?" I asked.

Raining Skies shrugged. "Eh, just a little scouting work that turned out to be nothing. The Wonderbolts know when to stop asking questions."

"I see. So your main job is espionage."

Raining Skies nodded. "We have to be the eyes, ears, right hoof, and protector of Princess Cadenza. The changeling invasion showed the crowns that there were weaknesses in our defenses, and the Blade-Wings fill those defenses." She shrugged again. "Most ponies know of us, but they don't know who and were we are. Some of us higher-ups don our official armor for big events like this, but we prefer to stay in the shadows."

"Interesting." I tapped my lower jaw. "So... any Blade-Wings in Ponyville?"

"Yep. Trust me, you know some of them too. With Ponyville the danger zone that it is on top of the fact that it's where all six Elements of Harmony live, it behooves us to keep a close eye on it."

A big part of me wanted to ask who, but I felt that was kind of overstepping my bounds a little bit. The fact that her gaze kept flickering over to Cadance kind of gave me the idea that she felt that she was being a little disloyal, giving this much information to me. I decided that I had asked enough. So, I said my goodbyes to Raining Skies, with the promise from her that we'd interact again, and went back to my seat.

I wasn't quite thrilled that I still had law books to read, so I decided to flip on my computer and watch a movie. I used a pen to click the keys. I was becoming more dexterous with my magic, and I even managed to put my headphones on.

However, as the train ride continued, even the relaxing awesomeness that was Die Hard wasn't enough to erase the increasing feeling of dread as we came closer to Baltimare. Sheesh, I was actually going to have to rule over cartoon horses, wasn't I?

Celestia must have noticed my increasing discomfort, and she excused herself from her conversation with Luna and sat down next to me. She smiled comfortingly at me and wrapped a wing around my shoulders. "How are you, TD?"

I glared at her. "How do you think? Not only have I been thrust into this, but I took the right to rule from a friend who deserved it more than I do." I sighed and looked down at my hooves. "On top of not being human anymore. I'm not sure what the worst part about that is, actually."

Celestia nodded and squeezed me tighter. "I was the same way when I came to power. Raising the sun every morning? That kind of thing is intimidating."

"Yeah, I get that." I ran a hoof through my mane. "I know my magic will develop, and believe you me, when it does I'm going to descend, but I can't even fly!"

Celestia lightly laughed. "Well it will come in time, but I think the best first step is teaching you proper wing care." She poked one of my wings. "I can help preen you if you want."

My eyes narrowed, and I tightened my jaw. "Celestia, if you ever ask to preen me again, I will forgo being a human again, spend all of my efforts on dethroning you and Luna, dissolving the nobility, and appointing the Ponyville foals in their place."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and folded her wings back at her side. "So you're telling me that if I ask to help preen you, you'll replace the nobility with children?" I deepened my scowl and nodded. "TD, would you like it if I preen--"

I groaned and cut her off with a wave of my hoof, but despite myself, I couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Okay, I'll give you that one."

Celestia chuckled and looked over at my computer when John McClane was busy being John McClane. "I’m curious as to what this is. Twilight told me that you had movies on this device, but she never went into... into..." Celestia's words died down, and she leaned in closer to the computer screen to get a better look. "Did that human just jump off of an exploding building?"

I grinned and nodded proudly. "Celestia, there are a few facts of life that you have to accept. One of them is that John McClane is, and always will be, better than you. He will always be better than me too, so it's nothing personal."

Celestia shook her head in disbelief, but she continued watching for a few moments. We didn't get to watch much more than that as the most horrible thing that I could imagine happened: the train stopped.

We were here.

Oh dear.

I gulped and shut my computer off. Celestia took it from me and gently placed it back in my suitcase for me. Even from here I could hear the noise of the no doubt immense crowd that had gathered to meet the now four Equestrian princesses. I took a deep breath and fluttered my wings, surprised at how moving two new appendages was a reflex now. Celestia put a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "It will be okay."

"Right," I muttered. I followed Celestia, Luna, and Cadance to the wide entrance to out royal car. "Right."

The door slid open and I was immediately assaulted with the sight of dozens of flashbulbs going off every second. I almost instinctually lifted a foreleg to cover my eyes, but Celestia's horn began glowing, and the sharpness of the light went down. The camera's kept flashing, but it wasn't as bright before. I made a note to remember that one.

Shining Armor and Night Stalker directed a few nearby guards to part the crowd for us, and we walked through the throng. The other three princesses smiled and waved at the gathered ponies, but I was beginning to feel a little sick to my stomach. Why? Well, let's just say that they weren't there for Celestia and Co. Each and every one of the ponies in the crowd was hardly paying attention to them. All eyes, and cameras, were fixed directly on me. I was already hearing shouts of praises, requests, adoration, and the like. Each and every one of them was there to witness a historic event. Each of them was going to tell their grandfoals that they were there the day Princess Antares came to rule Equestria alongside the Royal Sisters.

I had hoped that they would have gotten it out of their systems when Luna returned, but not so much, apparently.

I had hoped that we could just get into some covered carriage and be done with it, but it turned out that there was a whole parade thing set up. A large golden throne adorned a gigantic float pulled by no less than thirty guards decked out in full armor. No prizes for guessing who had to sit on it.

I fixed Celestia with a subtle glare as we walked up to it. "The law books weren't enough?" I growled.

Celestia gave me an apologetic smile. "They set this up for you, TD. You can set precedent once you begin your stay, but it would be wise to humor them for today. You just have to smile and wave."

Remember what I said oh so long ago about me likely teaching fifth-graders in a small Colorado town like the one I lived in before this mess? That wasn't me aiming low; that was actually what I wanted to do with my life. I would have been content with that. Silly me, though, I had to sit on top of a large throne while possibly tens of thousands of ponies cheered me and sang my praises.

I hadn't even friggin' done anything yet!

* * * *

The parade in my honor was two hours of sheer torture. I could only smile and wave while the deafening cheers of the ponies in one of Equestria's largest cities rang through my ears.

Sheesh. When I saw the second episode of the show, Luna came back to the praises of about two dozen ponies and a Pinkie Pie party. Sure she had to go through this after that, but she was used to it already! Or at least she remembered how to deal pretty quickly. Me? I wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and shut the world out.

Of course, that would mean more law books, so blegh there.

Well, the wretched event did finally end, and I found myself at the steps of what looked like an old army base that seemed to have gone through a deep repair session to make it fit for a princess. A whole two platoons were posted around it, holding the crowd at bay long enough for me to get off of the stupid float - thank goodness for that - and walk beside the other three into my new home. We were flanked by the heads of the three guard branches, and they lead me inside.

I was glad for small favors in that the base was not lavishly decorated. it seemed simple and practical. The limited decor was simple, and almost pleasant. The little things like the paintings and the soft carpets almost reminded me of the kinds of things that one would find in Ponyville. Clearly they wanted this place to actually feel like home to me.

"You can change this however you want to," said Celestia as we walked down the halls. "They royal treasury is yours to use within reason."

"I think I prefer it like this," I replied.

"I thought so." Celestia motioned to a set of double doors. "That is your room. We have done some re-building around here to make it more like a palace, but we have tried to keep its simple style. We chose this place because it is easily defensible."

I cocked my head as we reached the doors. "You expecting an attack on me?"

"Not a physical one, but..." Luna hesitated for a moment. "Thou doubtlessly observed the behavior of the crowd this day. It would be unwise to not take precautions."

"Fair enough," I grumbled.

Celestia took my suitcase from the guard carrying it and dismissed him. She then ignited her horn and threw the double doors open revealing...

Pretty much the exact same setup that I had back in Ponyville.

It was all there, really, with a few additions. I had a simple bed that was larger to accommodate my new size, I had a desk, a large bookcase, a bathroom, a small kitchen... it was like they took my house and just plopped it in here after making a few upgrades.

"Huh." I walked over to the bed and pushed down on the mattress. It was slightly softer, and the sheets and pillows had gotten a slight upgrade. "Even with the light decor out there, I expected something more extravagant in here." I turned my head to the smiling princesses. "This isn't exactly what one expects when they think of a ruler's room, after all."

"Well, this is your room," said Cadance as she motioned around with her hoof. "Only you are allowed into it, so it can be whatever you want it to be."

"We figured that this would be preferable, TD Powell," said Luna. "Were our guesses correct?"

I cracked a small smile and sat down on the bed. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I like this."

"Well then we will leave you to your rest." Celestia put my suitcase down next to the bed. "We will take up residency in one of the hotels around Baltimare. We will stay as long as you need us to."

"Then I'm on my own," I muttered. Celestia nodded and I took a deep breath. "Okay."

Celestia nodded. "We will leave detachments of all of our guards until you create your own. Simply send one of them should you require something."

Well, that was pretty much it on their end for the night. I bade them goodbye and closed the door behind them when they left. I was thankful that Celestia hadn't left me a stack of law books, though she did mention something about a tutor back on the train, so I presumed she was giving me the night off.

Speaking of night, it wasn't more than ten minutes or so before the sun began lowering in the sky. I trotted over to a nearby window and stared out of it. To my delight, I actually managed to see Ponyville on the horizon.

Huh... never thought that I'd miss it.

Author's Notes:

I know that this chapter, particularly the end, was a little more on the drama side, but I write Dramedies with TD. (When will Knighty or whoever put a 'Drama' tag on the site?) Anyhoo, next chapter will be funnier, I promise. we get to find out TD's guard plans, and some familiar faces show up again.

Also, I did some thinking and I figured out a solid direction to take this. I think you will like where this will go.

... I hope you do.

Oh, and one last thing. If you think that he's getting comfortable with his new body and has accepted it...

Think again.

Next Chapter: The Royal Guard of Princess Antares Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 12 Minutes
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