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                                            1.
                                            =Helios 9=
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                                            2.
                                            
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                                            3.
                                            >You absentmindedly stabbed at your hay sausage over breakfast.
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                                            4.
                                            >Celestia was seated next to you, telling a story of ages ago.
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                                            5.
                                            "And so Adamai and I had to take to the forest in search of Luna, little did either of us know that Luna had learned to meld with the shadows cast by the trees."
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                                            6.
                                            >You softly chuckle.
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                                            7.
                                            "I suppose Hide and Seek is an entirely different game when magic is involved."
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                                            8.
                                            >Celestia chuckles with you. "You have no idea."
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                                            9.
                                            >The two of you laugh a bit at the idea of a dragon sifting through a forest looking for a hiding filly.
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                                            10.
                                            >A filly who harrumphs at the end of the table, sending the mood barreling out of the room.
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                                            11.
                                            >Great...
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                                            12.
                                            >First and awkward breakfast and then a day with the prince.
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                                            13.
                                            >Prince Blueblood had requested additional guards for himself today, and with Celestia not having any out of the castle duties, your name was first on the list.
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                                            14.
                                            >You can't say it was your most wanted assignment...
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                                            15.
                                            
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                                            16.
                                            >At the edge of the table, Luna hops up out of her seat and walks towards the door.
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                                            17.
                                            >"Goodbye, Sister. The court is yours. Please do not damage it." She says as she leaves.
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                                            18.
                                            >One Sunshine was out of the room, you turned to Celestia.
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                                            19.
                                            "Is she alright?"
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                                            20.
                                            >Celestia shakes her head. "We have been disagreeing as to the proper response to the situation with the griffins, Luna is taking it a bit personally."
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                                            21.
                                            >Some ponies...
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                                            22.
                                            >The clock against the wall strikes the hour.
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                                            23.
                                            >You rise from your seat. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Well, I better be off to go see his majesty."
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                                            24.
                                            >Tardiness on a new assignment was never good.
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                                            25.
                                            >Celestia rose from her seat and pressed her lips against your cheek.
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                                            26.
                                            >This was one of the few situations where she could get away with it, when nop0ny was around.
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                                            27.
                                            >She pulls away and smiles at you. "Don't let my nephew tire you out too much Anon."
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                                            28.
                                            
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                                            29.
                                            >You walked along Canterlot's streets to Blueblood's estate.
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                                            30.
                                            >Prince Blueblood had a...reputation in Canterlot.
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                                            31.
                                            >For being a bit of an ass.
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                                            32.
                                            >Rude comments, selfish behavior, a bit of a temper when he could get away with it.
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                                            33.
                                            >All that made the list for his personal guard applicants rather low.
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                                            34.
                                            >Still, you had met Blueblood.
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                                            35.
                                            >When he wasn't out of his element, he was just a normal stallion.
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                                            36.
                                            >Rude at times, but never malicious.
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                                            37.
                                            >Of course, you wouldn't know that now.
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                                            38.
                                            >Blueblood didn't know the torture of walking to the complete opposite side of Canterlot in full armor on your own.
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                                            39.
                                            >When you were on guard duty, you could at least distract yourself by watching out for threats.
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                                            40.
                                            >But now...
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                                            41.
                                            >Everyp0ny knew you were Celestia's personal guard, seeing you without her was a bit of an oddity.
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                                            42.
                                            >As you pass through the gates to Bluebloods home, you took notice of the various arcane devices on the front lawn.
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                                            43.
                                            >That was right, Prince Blueblood was up to his horn in magical research...
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                                            44.
                                            >A servant greeted you at the door and took you up to the princes room.
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                                            45.
                                            >Blueblood is talking to a dull blue pegasus with a midnight blue mane, "We'll talk again later, Miss Nightshade."
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                                            46.
                                            >The mare nods and trots out the door...but not before throwing you a wink first.
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                                            47.
                                            >Okay...
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                                            48.
                                            >Blueblood walks up to you, a small smile on his face.
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                                            49.
                                            >"Hello again Anonymous, I take it you are the guard chosen to follow me today?"
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                                            50.
                                            >You nod.[spoiler][/spoiler] "That I am, your majesty, may I ask what it is you need to do?"
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                                            51.
                                            >He signals for a servant to tail him out the door with saddlebags.
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                                            52.
                                            >"Oh, just a few errands, now come. We have much ground to cover."
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                                            53.
                                            
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                                            54.
                                            >Blueblood leads you through the city and to a small reagent shop.
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                                            55.
                                            >Inside her orders some standard magical tools, astrolabes, some Ankhs, a few scrolls.
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                                            56.
                                            >As the clerk went into the back to retrieve things, Blueblood approached you.
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                                            57.
                                            >"Tch...common shops..."
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                                            58.
                                            "It's not so bad."
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                                            59.
                                            >"There's dust."
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                                            60.
                                            "It's homey."
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                                            61.
                                            >Blueblood sighs. "So, Anonymous. I hear you and my aunt helped defend Canterlot during the attack."
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                                            62.
                                            >You think back to that night...
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                                            63.
                                            "Yeah...Along with Shining Armor..."
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                                            64.
                                            >Bluebloods face falls a bit. "Yes...Shining. He was...a good friend."
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                                            65.
                                            "Yeah, he was..."
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                                            66.
                                            >Blueblood and you are silent as the clerk comes back with Bluebloods supplies and the two of you are out the door.
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                                            67.
                                            >Blueblood turns to you as you walk down the street. "So, how is Aunty coping?"
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                                            68.
                                            >Easy Anon.
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                                            69.
                                            >Don't mention your...whatever it is with Celestia.
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                                            70.
                                            "She's doing alright. Concerning herself with...other matters."
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                                            71.
                                            >Blueblood nods his head. "Good..."
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                                            72.
                                            >As you walk down the street, a pair of mares approach from the other direction.
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                                            73.
                                            >Your bodyguard instincts tell you to step in front of Blueblood, ushering them off to the side.
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                                            74.
                                            >They almost try to make it difficult, trying to slide past you to Blueblood.
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                                            75.
                                            >You eventually get them behind the prince.
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                                            76.
                                            >They wink and blow kisses as they walk away.
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                                            77.
                                            "Is that common?"
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                                            78.
                                            >Blueblood flashes a small smile. "Wealth and status elevate a stallion, Anonymous."
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                                            79.
                                            
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                                            80.
                                            >Your second stop was the Arcanium.
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                                            81.
                                            >As the home to the Royal Magisters research, it was kept in the main castle compound.
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                                            82.
                                            >It had also had some..."trouble" staying in one place, so it was in a tower of its own.
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                                            83.
                                            >No one wanted the roof being stolen. Again.
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                                            84.
                                            >Once you were in the Arcanium proper, you just sat back and let Blueblood talk to the magisters.
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                                            85.
                                            >This was all way too far over your head.
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                                            86.
                                            >You weren't a magician, you were a guard.
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                                            87.
                                            >Protecting people and hitting things was your job.
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                                            88.
                                            >As Blueblood collects his borrowed tools, he turns to you.
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                                            89.
                                            >"Anonymous, is there a reason you appear to be ready to slaughter this room of magisters?"
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                                            90.
                                            "Magic isn't really my element, Bluebl-"
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                                            91.
                                            >"Your Highness."
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                                            92.
                                            "Your Highness. Half the things in this room could probably evaporate me."
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                                            93.
                                            >Blueblood taps his hoof on his chin as he looks around the room.. "Not half, I'd say a third at the most."
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                                            94.
                                            >Oh. Great.
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                                            95.
                                            >Blueblood taps a hoof on your chest plate. "But fear not, Anonymous! By the grace of the royal family, your armor would protect you from almost all of the magical effects!" He declared.
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                                            96.
                                            >Well that was kinda cool.
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                                            97.
                                            "So I'd be alright?"
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                                            98.
                                            >Blueblood shakes he head. "No no. You would most certainly perish. But your corpse would be in pristine condition!"
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                                            99.
                                            >The prince trots out of the Arcanium. "Come now, I must return to my home!"
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                                            100.
                                            >You follow blueblood down the stairs.
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                                            101.
                                            >You also make a note to get a matching helmet for your armor.
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                                            102.
                                            
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                                            103.
                                            >Blueblood practically galloped back to his estate and dumped the contents of his servants pouches onto his work desk.
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                                            104.
                                            >The servant looks happy to be dismissed. No doubt not used to carrying reagents and instruments all over the city and back.
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                                            105.
                                            >You look over Blueblood's shoulder at his desk.
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                                            106.
                                            "What's all this for?"
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                                            107.
                                            >Blueblood levitates and sets the Astrolabe.
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                                            108.
                                            >"A magical experiment, one that will resonate through all of Equestria and make it a much better place."
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                                            109.
                                            "I didn't know you were so into magic, Prince."
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                                            110.
                                            >He chuckles. "I'll admit that casting magic isn't my forte, I still understand and appreciate it and it's applications."
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                                            111.
                                            >Her starts leafing through his collection of ankhs.
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                                            112.
                                            >"Equestria could always use more magic, don't you agree Anonymous? It helps everyone."
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                                            113.
                                            "I guess, if you say so Prince."
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                                            114.
                                            >Blueblood turns to you. "A man cannot be unsure of things of this level of importance, Anonymous. This spell is going to change the world."
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                                            115.
                                            "I just really don't know enough about magic to form an opinion, your grace."
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                                            116.
                                            >Blueblood sighs and turns back to his desk. "Ignorance..." He mutters.
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                                            117.
                                            >The silence hangs for a bit.
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                                            118.
                                            "If...that's it your grace, am I relieved?"
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                                            119.
                                            >Blueblood waves a hoof to you. "Huh? Yes, go to the rest of your duties."
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                                            120.
                                            >You leave the Prince to his toys as you let yourself out.
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                                            121.
                                            >His words ring in your head.
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                                            122.
                                            >You really shouldn't be unsure about this...
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                                            123.
                                            >Did you care about Celestia?
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                                            124.
                                            >Of course you did, but was it...like that?
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                                            125.
                                            >You look up at the rapidly descending sun.
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                                            126.
                                            >Hmm.
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                                            127.
                                            >Maybe it's time to go get sure.
                         by Mandroid
                         by Mandroid
                         by Mandroid
                         by Mandroid
                         by Mandroid