Ichigo didn’t really think that she would be late, he thought that as a princess she would be here in time, but it seems even royalty can be late. Cadence doesn’t look to good in red, fake, is the word that could describe her. Ichigo was never into fashion but when colors don’t match, everyone can turn into a specialist.

The white coated stallion with long blond hair, he was dressed as if ready for a weeding. Ichigo could swear he saw such clothing once, or twice. It didn’t look expensive, it looked cheap but whoever made it wanted it to look nice. He or she succeeded, but a whirly forelock fell on his face, it gave him the impression of an alcoholic. Add the bags under his eyes that were tired, the fact he walked towards them bend forwards like an old man.

Ichigo gaze and the Stallions tired eyes met, and the stallion paused. He smiled, like a business man would when he got a splendid idea how to make more money using cheap and quick ways that would harm others. With stretched out arms he inhaled some air filling his-probably also-tired lungs expanding them.

“Who do we have here! The hero who saved our beautiful Equestria” He said bowing his head, Ichigo did the same as he is quite the traditionalist and his tradition requires to do so.

Cadence did greet Ichigo by waving to him, she didn’t want to take more time then she already has taken by coming in just when they would all start tasting the well made by Canterlotian chefs food. Fun fact, it is the second best in the known world.

The white coated stallion choose his place to be on the end of the table just so that he might look at his guests like his aunt Celestia while staring at his…unpopular relative. Ichigo didn’t like this guy but for now he seemed to be friendly, maybe he has one of those days you just look horrible? He didn’t know his name, Ichigo was lucky as he had Luna by his side to tell him who he was.

“Luna, who is he?”

“That’s Prince Blueblood, our distant nephew, he resides in Canterlot.” She got slightly closer to Ichigo “He is one of the most annoying ponies you will ever meet, trust me” She retreated looking at him with a serious look

While Luna got closer, Ichigo could smell wonderful aroma of flowers, yet it was weirdly mixed with fresh air, or the scent of a pony? But way sweeter then he could have imagined. Its weird thou, he sits close to her but only in close distance he was able to detect it, and now he is again surrounded by the hot steam coming from all those wonderful meals.

“Now that we all are here, let us in friendship and harmony talk and drink. So that our hearts may be hot like the air surrounding us. Indicating our friendship, and life equally tasty to what lays before of us!”

With that everyone started to enjoy their meals, for a breakfast he thought that normal bread would be served and here, he was surprised. Ichigo had a small problem thou, he didn’t have any pitchforks. Considering the fact this country is basically the copy of the western world it would be weird to eat with your hands.

‘Well, a normal fork will work’ Ichigo thought to himself

Normally he doesn’t eat with a fork, but here he has no other way of doing it, he grabbed it and impaled the first sushi roll on it. It went in smoothly yet there were some obstacles on the way. It meant the meat was well cooked. Ichigo was centimeters before taking his byte, and when he took it. He could tell that the world flipped upside down for his mouth and for his tongue.

There maybe was no soy sauce to cover the roll in, but it doesn’t mean the sushi rolls will taste bad. Ichigo heard about many wonderful things in the tv or while surfing the net. He saw videos and he heard people describing wonderful things in their life’s. If he was chosen to an interview about sharing his wonderful moments, it would be this one.

He heard about eargasm, he heard about eyegasm, he heard about-like most people- about orgasm. He invented a new one. Mouthgasm, the food was indescribably good. Ichigo could go down and take another role in his mouth, but he swallowed the roll he currently had. This sushi roll was with crab meat, he only wishes other will be just as tasty.

“Do you like the food?” Asked the minister of defense, chuckling under his breath and taking a sip of blood red wine

“It is…incredibly well made, the taste is so breathtaking.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it” Celestia said

“What can you expect, you are in Canterlot after all” Said the gryphon ambassador

Ichigo looked around, all the ponies ate plants “Are all ponies vegetarian”

“Yes, but don’t worry pony kind isn’t hostile to omnivores or carnivores” Luna said this time

‘Cool’

While Luna said it, he could see the gryphon ambassadors and the minister of defense expression change to a colder one. This only proves that the ponies and others don’t like Luna, what did she possibly do to be hated like this?

But then again, the way Luna said it. Omnivores and carnivores, as if she said it about animals. Wouldn’t the term ‘meat-eaters’ and something similar for omnivores be more suiting? Because if that was the problem right now then he takes back what he has thought this was wrong and rude to say.

Either way, Ichigo took another roll of the cheap spin-off of sushi, and again he was greeted with amazing crispiness and harmony of spice and sweetness in his mouth. He hopes he won’t get addicted to the food, it is amazing. The cooks must get paid in hundreds of thousands of coins per month for such wonderful work.

“Tell us more about you”

Ichigo stopped in the consumption, this voice belonged to no one other than the white coated stallion with blond hair. Who as Ichigo earlier said, looked like a jackass from the beginning. This question was out of place, he doesn’t know but he bets he was there when he told he ran from war and is on a refugee.

“For example, how old are you? You look young!” Said the prince from the opposite end

“Well I’m…”

Now, if he says he is sixteen it will cause problems, he is a teenager and they will have problems with this for sure. Ichigo didn’t finish his education and he doesn’t have any means whatsoever to start a job. He can become a soldier, yes, but he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t know since when you are considered an adult here in Equestria.

He must lie again

“I’m twenty-one years old”

The reactions were normal, there were some whispers talking about how strange it is. He looks young, but he is older then he seems to be. Of course, normally it would be a good thing, be old and look young. Celestia and Luna shared looks but it seemed he was lucky and said the right number. Ichigo felt bad lying about this, but for now it is the best option. Maybe later when he will do some research he might upgrade his story.

“Alright, and what are you good at?”

“I am a good swordsman if it counts”

“Yes, it does! What else?”

Dammit Ichigo doesn’t know what to any, he was good at learning, he had good notes and he remembers a few things from school that normally wouldn’t do any good. He can say he is quite strong that he likes Shakespeare, but they won’t know who he is. Simply saying he like literature will be good enough, maybe it will also be enough for him to stop asking.

Mentioning school might lead him to ask what he studied! This is a suicidal move, he can’t do that or else his lie will be revealed. He has trouble remembering faces and people, he could say it, he will forget a few ponies from this dining hall sooner or later, talking about his personality isn’t what he’d like to talk about.

“I like literature” He said thinking further what he could say

“With all due respect” Stood up the minister of defense “But why not wait until our guest decides to talk about it himself. He did much good and your questions are visibly” Tight grip said his voice turning angrier “A try to reveal as much as possible about Ichigo, we know you don’t trust guests.”

Prince Blueblood looked at the old pony with his tired eyes and narrowed them, his gaze was sharp enough of pierce a diamond, some in the dining hall would say, pierce the moon Luna commands. Prince Blueblood made himself more comfortable in his seat and looked away to then again strike the old pony with his stare and reply.

“Despite your age, your imagination is big. I just wanted to know a few things about him, I’m sure everyone does”

“No, what you try to do is to gain information, to know what he likes and use it to lick his boots!”

Prince blueblood only smiled “Did you consider writing a political parody lately? I bet it would sell like fresh buns in the morning”

“You know I am serious, you lost support lately, gaining his trust and Ichigo’s good word would bring you it back.”

Celestia wanted to intervene, this was too much. Equestria was being embarrassed in front of the ambassadors and in front of Ichigo who came from a distant land. This was turning into a comedy, looking at the faces of the guests she knew the situation turned out pretty bad. Cadence didn’t want to say anything but even her diplomatic skill wouldn’t help here.

“Where were you when Canterlot almost fell?!” Yelled the old stallion

Bluebloods expression turned hostile “Mind your business will you! I had things to do, and I was away from a very important meeting”

“Oh really? Then tell my why half of your guardsmen were on the opposite side exactly from the points where the changeling attacked?”

“ENOUGH!”

Celestia’s voice roared thru the dining hall, the ceiling shook, and some dust feel on the meals on the table. Ichigo had to cover his ears, it was horribly loud, Luna also had to, but she did it only to decrees the sound, not to protect her years, an Alicorns years can withstand the voice of another alicorn.

The old minister of defense had to cover his ears, Prince Blueblood just close his eyes and sighed, he knew exactly what this meant. When Celestia’s voice died down, she stood up and looked at the minister of defense who turned to her, while frightened also looked at Ichigo. Prince Blueblood just looked down, playing an ashamed pony.

“Know your manners, both of you will come and we will discuss this topic later. If I hear one of you arguing with each other today” She looked at both “I promise you a very harsh treatment”

There was silence and only it, Luna wanted to say something, but she held in her, her sister did this to mercifully. Normally such things were put down with force and very harsh punishment accompanied by a penalty of ten thousand bits, now nobles are way richer then before, so a penalty of one hundred thousand bits would be enough.

Ichigo looked at Celestia she was a brute force, she seemed to be so friendly and so motherly, and yet he saw her angrier side. But he personally would do more than just this, the words of Tight Grip echoed in his mind. Could Blueblood potentially be somehow connected to the invasion? If yes, then he must do something.

‘I’ll talk with the minister later’

“Yes, your majesty” Said the minister of defense

“I understand aunt Celestia” Blueblood said after tight grip

Both sat and only looked at each other and continued to eat, the atmosphere become peaceful and lovely like before quite quick, Ichigo didn’t say much, the conflict between the prince and the minister was very severe and it impacted heavily. What’s worse, the minister only protected him and wanted Blueblood to stop talking and asking him things.

Ichigo was grateful for it, he needed support like this. He also felt partially responsible for the possible punishment the minister might receive, he didn’t care about Blueblood he seemed like a traitor from the beginning and Luna herself said he is annoying.He is very annoying, the rest of the time Ichigo spent thinking and enjoying his meal.

When everyone ate the deserts came, ice cream and fruits, more importantly cake that princes Celestia has eaten the most. Ichigo doesn’t know how much a cow weights, but he knows that the amount of cake Celestia ate was equally large. Luna ate some too, she ate it manners and each time she took a bite she cleaned her lips from the cream. Ichigo received some strawberry cake, wonder why.

It was delicious non the less, the strawberries were so sweet and juicy you could compare them to the luxury Japanese fruits, red like a red dwarf star. Different reds, different whites, different colors. This seemed so perfect that it was almost impossible to exist. Ichigo’s hollow himself said that they had to use magic to get fruits so perfect.

When everyone was done, the waitresses came and took the dishes back to the kitchen to clean them. Ichigo was full, to think that every day he can get this delicious food, maybe they will also invite him for dinner? That’d would be an offer not to reject. He wouldn’t spend as much time searching thru his room as he spend today.

The guest stood up, he did the same, they begin to bid themselves farewell and they came up and bid farewells also to the princesses, Ichigo couldn’t ignore it, but all the guests said those words looking at Celestia not once did they say it to looking at Luna. When everyone began to go away, he was the only one who didn’t yet go.

“So, thank you for the invitation, the food was delicious to say at least” Ichigo said

“I sure my chefs will be glad to hear it” Celestia said and her expression changed as she brought her hand to cover her face “I’m very sorry you had to see this, it doesn’t happen normally, I hope it didn’t ruin your view on Equestria”

“No, it didn’t, back home our…politicians sometimes behave the same” Ichigo replied giving Celestia some hope “Although may I ask you something?”

“Of course, ask freely”

“Why when they bid you goodbye they only looked at you and not on both of you?” He asked reluctantly

Celestia was taken back by this question. Luna also, but less then her sister. Celestia didn’t know if she should say why. It also hurt Luna, she knows they don’t like her and she tries to rebuild the relations with her sister and the nobles, she would love to have her accepted. Celestia also fears what might happen if she fails.

She can’t allow her sisters dark side to again take over, and Ichigo, unknowingly might have just added an inch more to the bowl that is her sister’s jealousy. Bringing it closer to the point of overfilling it. Causing horrible damage and again doing what she would have to do when a scenario like this happened.

“Well, its hard to explain” She said

“They hate…” Luna started getting Ichigo’s attention “… Because I once have chosen a very bad decision,” Lunas voice changed, it was sad, hurt and it showed that she was scared “But eventually they will forget, and I have been strong, what has happened doesn’t really matter, I need to look forward and not backwards if you want to live like everyone”

Ichigo understood, she didn’t want to mention it. Maybe it is better he doesn’t know, after all the more ponies, including him, would know the more would hate her or she would think more would despise her. He doesn’t want to dislike her, he wants to help her, maybe protect her partially from the pain of being hated, bullied you could say.

The minister of defense seems to like him, maybe if he becomes friends with him he could help Luna and repair her destroyed bounds with the old pony? Rather then fight and protect he would say and protect? Something new, different from the warrior path he has always went with, of course he won’t go off from it any time soon.

“Thank you for the response, I didn’t want to ask it earlier but now that I know, I won’t ask anymore”

This was just to assure Luna can be calm and think he won’t ask for it. Ichigo would really like to know what has happened, if he knew he would know how to approach this subject with others in the palace. Maybe if he somehow gets to see Twilight again he will receive some information, she works in a library, she looks smart nad probably is a smart pony, she will definitely know what has happened.

Ichigo turned and went to exit the dining halls leaving the diarchy alone or now. The guards opened the large doors and he exited. Ichigo, as he exited, he didn’t need much time to see a familiar old face of the minister of defense standing in the hallway. The minister was more than happy to see him, he remembers that the minister wanted to talk about a few things.

“Boy! Glad to see you, come closer”

Ichigo did as the old pony said, the old pony wore his military uniform, it was very familiar to the uniforms of the British generals and officers. Maybe he held an actual military title, who else might know about military then someone who himself works in it? Then again, the minister must be well educated not to spend too much money on unnecessary things.

As Ichigo got closer the old pony also got closer. The old pony seemed to be happy to see him and finally have some time to exchange a few words, Ichigo will gladly talk with the minister of defense. Maybe he will tell more about Blueblood? And the fact that half of his forces was on the opposite side where from the changelings attacked! Although it could be a lie.

“I’d like to apologize you had to see what you have seen in the dining hall, but that snob had to shut up!”

“Don’t apologize, I wanted him to shut up, but you will get punished for staring a tiff, won’t you?”

The minister just waved his hand “Don’t you trouble yourself with such nonsense, Celestia isn’t as bad as she was once.” The minister paused “Which is a bad thing…But anyway come I want to ask a few things”

“I’m serious, what will she do?”

“She will either make us apologize to each other or appoint someone to watch us until we won’t make up.”

“Only this?” He asked, this didn’t seem that bad

“There is a possibility for a fee, but the money would go to charity, I would more than happy pay it.” The minister tone darkened “Not like that blond bigot!”

‘He really doesn’t like him’ Ichigo said in his mind “Why don’t you like him so much? Don’t misunderstood me, because I don’t like him to”

“I didn’t like him since he was allowed to say his opinions in the Equestrian parliament, twenty three years ago the a law passed. It allowed nobles to enter the parliament when they turned sixteen.” Explained the old pony “When he first came and stood before the rostrum. He gained the favors of most nobles, his words were filled with reactionary views. He spoke against the allowance of interspecies marriages.”

Ichigo nodded, so this is going to be pure politics, again, he knew it only divides as if all of the ponies couldn’t live together. Yes, there will be ponies or gryphons, Deer’s, or changelings that will have twisted ideas, unhuman in nature, unmoral. This is something to fight with, but to fight about such things like interspecies marriages? Please, they won’t even have children.

‘Or will?’

“But these families wouldn’t have children, would they?”

The minister of defense hummed under his breath “Normally no, but sometimes yes, but it would die.”

“Wait what?”

“Imagine a pony-gryphon child, half pony, half gryphon. You can either leave it and help it grow so that it may either be called names, or let it die from pure fact biology wouldn’t allow it to live. The body wouldn’t work in harmony, and any interspecies children also die young.”

“I don’t understand, then it was good he spoke against it, why let those children suffer?”

“Because he used it to try and clean Equestrian from other species, he thinks ponies are better than others, we aren’t at many things, but he was also right when he said we are good at a few. This is just one reason, he believes unicorns thru magic should control and teach other ponies.”

“This is clearly racist”

“Against your own people and country, he thinks Pegasus’s exist to help the earth ponies with their crops he sees the earth ponies as cheap workers. These workers are supposed to make food for the true force and intellect of Equestria which are the unicorns.”

“You said he used the interspecies marriages topic to clean Equestrian, how? It doesn’t make sense if he allowed it then those parings would have those children and they would die. So, any children who would somehow survive, he would then do something with then”

“Yes, but pony’s would ignore it and still have children, or try to have them. He saw an opportunity to deport the other species out of Equestria to prevent it, as he said, “To prevent unnecessary lives to suffer and die because of the incompetence of the Equestrian government(…)””

“Nobles support him?”

“Nobles? Peasant thru the nobles support him, he even somehow managed to convince non unicorns to support him”

Ichigo had a totally new view on Equestria and prince Blueblood, he is a racist son of a bitch. He is very nationalistic. Ichigo doesn’t understand many things about Equestria but he just got here, if he had to choose or to pass a law, he would allow them to marry but what comes from it isn’t the states concern. They bring the suffering on themselves.

“What about those forces he has appointed perfectly on the opposite side from places where the changelings attacked?”

The minister stopped and looked right and left, he then got closer and started to whisper

“Maybe I don’t like him, and my views and his are different, but we are both patriots. Or so I thought”

“What do you mean? “Ichigo whispered back

“He is hungry for power, he wanted to become the parliaments royal speaker, I once heard somepony saying he wanted the Equestrian crown. But it can be a false rumor”

“What would becoming a royal parliaments speaker give him?”

“He would basically have the right to approve or change a part of the reforms princess Celestia might want to establish, bending Equestrian law to his idea, like he wants, preparing it for his own reforms and his own innovations”

“While still being a noble and a parliaments member”

“Exactly”

“What would the changeling victory bring him?”

The old pony again looked right and left, he didn’t like the silence, someone might spy on them and knowing Blueblood, he knew his magic. That bastard can have someone spy on him. The minister of defense as an advisor had talked to Celestia many times and even his clothes might be a giant magical wire tapping device like in all those modern movies he saw.

“Not here”

They continued to walk, and changed their topic from talking about Blueblood to a more daily one. Normal and without conspiracy theories. Ichigo and the minister continued thru the hallway, taking a route around the palace. The minister from time to time showed him some art, and explained who was on which painting and what did he do to earn himself a place on the wall.

It was weird, Ichigo normally didn’t like old people, he even acknowledged that fact, yet this old pony had him think before calling him ‘gramps’.

Immediately after Ichigo has left the dining hall, Luna sighted, her heart pounded like crazy, she knew he would ask this sooner or later, she just knew he would. Thankfully her response was enough for him, and she was glad that Faust gave her so much luck for it to actually work. Now that he was away, she might ask her sister, beg her sister.

“Tia” Luna asked concerned, her sad voice didn’t yet leave her

“Lulu, I know, but it was close thou, you will h-“

“No, none of this. Please never, never say anything about my past, he is friendly to me only because he doesn’t know.”

“Luna, if he finds out, what then? You will be hurt even more”

“I will tell, but not now, please”

Luna leaned for hug, she wrapped her blue arms on her sisters milk white neck. Sniffing and letting a part of her emotions out, hugging tightly she felt as Celestia also hugged her back deeply with concern. The guards that guarded the entering were her private guards whom she knew were loyal enough to never tell what they see now before them. The doors to the kitchen didn’t let even one squeak to go thru.

“I won’t tell him I promise, but you will have to do it soon or else he will be angry”

“I know, I know” Luna said

“You know, maybe you should try and speak with others, you can’t limit yourself to just one no-pony who came yesterday, what if he decides to go?”

Exactly…what then? What if Ichigo decides to venture on and leave Equestria to seek a new home? What will happen when he decides to do so? What if, until then she actually becomes good friends? She would like to be good friends with Ichigo, she can’t allow him to go away, but she won’t keep him caged in Equestria.

The thought that she might succeed and loose something after she gains it, it’s horrible. It’s very horrible. Luna only hopes Blueblood didn’t hurt Ichigo’s view on Equestria too much, if he did and somehow his offspring will be the cause of him leaving, then she will have a rough discussion on the main alley, with him standing just before a guillotine.

“I’ll try”

“And I will help you, but recently I have more things to do and I can’t just leave those matters alone”

“Then give me some”

“Luna you are still stuck in the past, today death penalty is unactable” Celestia looked at her sister running her hand down her cheek

Luna wanted to argue, but Celestia put her finger in the way that stopped Luna from mentioning the word that is perfect for arguing and also mentions the prettiest part of Luna’s body. One more time the sisters have hugged, hoping that the bad emotions left Lunas mind Celestia excused herself and went to dress up properly for the day to then address the nobles.

Luna went back to her room, accompanied by the same guards who have witnessed everything. While going back to her room she has gone past a few nobles that gave her those angry looks, of course if not the guards that received an order from Celestia she would be probably stoned to death by the nobles.

Luna did have some friends, Twilight for example, and the whole main 6 as they call themselves. Spike the dragon was also friendly towards her, and Cadence didn’t mind her dark past. Shining Armor is neutral, but she can in time form better relations with him. Ichigo was the last one who can become a friend, maybe the first once since she arrived that would be somepony true.

Her room was filled with teddy bears and small plushy Ursas that accompanied he during the night. She had some alcohol inside too, her windows were always closed, she liked it dark. She could concentrate and if needed she could turn on the light, apparently a new invention. A lightbulb and electricity, basically someone managed to build a device that formed a small sun inside the glass bulb. It needed electricity to work.

It doesn’t work as she imagines it to work, telling herself something like this helps her. She has infinite amount of time to learn about everything that changed. What really Luna didn’t like was the fact that a small island that belonged to Equestria was annexed by the gryphons and to this day it wasn’t returned.

Luna’s bed was large and round like the moon. Her walls were dark and painted with a special paint that sparkles at night illuminating the room from tiny points resembling stars. She had multiple wardrobes like a princess would have, she had clothes made from materials shipped from the corners of the world and jewelry made from minerals and ores excavated under deadly circumstances.

She even possessed a ring made from the most expensive ore in the whole world, worth five hundred gold bars per ounce. The Tartarian ore, it was a ore found just before Tartarus or in Tartarus itself. It could cut thru diamond, and nothing else then magic could destroy it. It can take the color of any kind, be it red, or blue, white or look like glass.

Only the Tartarian ore is capable of holding a soul belonging to a Alicorn or any other demigod being from any race. One ring like this could store massive amounts of magic or potentially be given for land. Such trinket could be used to buy a country and make it another countries vassal. But that ring is a family treasure, and it will never be used this way.

Author's Notes:

As promised another chapter, I hope you like it, write your own thoughts down in the comments. Is Blueblood a traitor? Is the minister of defense trying to gain popularity by being friendly to Ichigo? Or am I only messing with you, making you write the wrong thing, that later will make you look stupid? I dunno, but do you know?

And yes, I know that Shining was supposed to come, but he didn’t you’ll see why, in a few weeks or more, as the next week will be pretty messed up for me.

Leave a comment, my heart was almost broke when I saw just one person's comment but some of you were loyal and showed love and I was greeted with 3 comments under the previous chapter.

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