Chapter 8 strange happenings
Wherever that letter had come from didn’t bode well for what I had seen. If I had learnt anything from my time in Equestria it was that my dreams were pretty accurate. Not just that but Celestia had something to talk with me about that wasn’t safe to be spoken about to any other pony. It didn’t bode well.
I didn’t spare any time getting to the train station. I flew there at my maximum speed in an effort to catch the train as fast as I could. I quickly bought a ticket and climbed aboard. As I took my seat I turned my head to and to my surprise outside was Speedy. She too was getting on the train.
As she came down the car I stuck my head out and called her over. She looked surprised enough to see me here and she trotted over to me.
“Hey what are you doing on the train to Canterlot?” She asked.
“Oh nothing much, i’m going out for business.” It was the truth after all. Plus I didn’t want to tell anypony about what was going on in fear of what they mite think.
“Oh cool, what are ya working on over there?” She asked as she took her seat across from me.
“It’s a special order from the princess. She wants me there first hand.” She looked impressed by that.
“Geez I knew you were a popular architect but the princess. You are defiantly good at what you do.”
“Speaking of which I was meaning to ask you what is your job. I figure it has something to do with singing.” I gestured to her cutie mark.
“Good guess, I’m a singer in the Ponyville choir. That’s actually why im going to Canterlot, we have a show over there in a few days.”
“Really, ill have to go see that.”
We continued our conversation all the way to Canterlot. The trip usually takes a good two hours but it felt more like only one. Apparently Speedy was just her nick name that she stuck with at practice. Her real name was Songjay, which I thought was a pretty name but she disagreed and said she didn’t like it much.
I also asked about her opinion on the contest in Cloudsdale that Rainbowdash was so worked up about. She was really into it; apparently she considered herself quite the adrenaline junky and was really into competitions. As we continued the conversation it started to get a little more personal. Eventually we were touching on subjects I hadn’t ever even considered talking to anypony about.
We soon arrived at the Canterlot train station. We exited off and I waved her off as she left into the crowd and I headed off towards the castle. I was halfway there when I became severely disturbed at what happened. I didn’t think much of it earlier on the train but now when I was thinking I noticed it.
I felt like I well liked her, and I didn’t know what to think of that. She was a pony after all and I was… a pony? So was that alright, or was it somehow wronge. She was a nice pony and all and was very social. I had no idea about how to process that.
I decided to sit down for a minute to get my thoughts straight. It was a restaurant that Twilight had recommended before I left. It was written in French, had never thought of it before but ponies did share a lot of human culture. Hay if you put one in a human body one could pass for a person. I suppose it works the other way too.
So did that make it alright, for me to like a pony? No matter how I looked at it there were reasons it was ok and reasons it was bad but my gut told me it was wronge? I decided not to think about it any more and was going to strive for a nice lunch.
I had ordered a quiche and a side of hay. I was about used to pony food now and found that it was actually pretty good, just as long as you like the idea of eating hay. As Twilight had said the restaurant was very good and the waiters were very courteous.
Before I could leave to the palace something disturbing happened. It was slight but I could feel it. As if reality itself convulsed for less than a second. I looked over to the waiter.
“Did you feel that?”
“Feel what sir?” he apparently didn’t notice whatever it was.
“Nothing just thought I felt something. Thank you for the food.” I tossed ten bits on the table and an extra two as a tip and went out. As far as I could tell no one else had felt it and if they did they didn’t show it.
The trip to the palace didn’t take too long from where I was. A few guards stood around the entrance but moved out of my way. The princess had informed them I was coming. I was inside the main thrown room again. Some level of redecorating had gone on but nothing too much. There were a few new paintings on the walls also some vines were now growing on the pillars.
“I have been waiting for you Cameron.” Celestia called out from up ahead.
“Honestly I don’t know what to think of this meeting. The last time I was here you kinda dropped a bomb on me.” I said. she seemed to understand. “So what kind of strange occurrences are you seeing?” I inquired.
“They aren’t what im seeing, they are what im feeling.” I think I know what she meant. “It’s as if reality is convulsing, it’s the same feeling I was having when you came here but there is a difference to it.”
“What kind of difference?”
“It’s not magical or pure like yours felt like. This one has an artificial feel to it.” She began. “Tell me do humans have the ability to travel between realities?”
“no.” I said bluntly “that is science fiction at most theoretical. There is no way we have that capability.”
“Well what if they did? If humans had that ability what would they do with it.” She asked. Something in her voice made me understand this was serious.
“I don’t know what we would do. I would hope we would use it for peaceful exploration…” Celestia interrupted me.
“But what would they do?” she was serious.
“If history does truly repeat itself.” I began slowly. “All I can tell you is that it won’t be good.”
What I told her seemed to solidify what ever she already believed. I was still withholding information though. I decided to tell her about my dream.
“There is something I would like to tell you though.” Celestia turned to me. “I had a dream last night, not a normal one in fact it was more of a vision.”
“What happened in this vision?” she asked with a certain flare of anger in her voice.
“It was of Canterlot, it was in ruins.” Celestia was quiet. “Then when I got out of my house to come here Twilight gave me this.” I handed it to Celestia.
“I assume that this isn’t by any ponies hoof is it.”
“No it was written on a computer and printed up. Celestia if the humans that were in my dream come here…bad things are going to happen to Equestria.” Celestia turned around and started pacing around the room to gather her thoughts.
“I want you to stay here in Canterlot for a few days. I will arrange for you to stay in the palace as a guest. If you get anymore of these dreams you will tell me immediately.” I nodded in compliance.
Celestia showed me up to my room in the palace. It was a lot larger than any room in my house and a lot more ornate. A letter was to be sent to Ponyville for somepony to watch over my home. By now it was late and Celestia was required to meet her sister. She left in a hurry after wishing me a good night’s sleep.
I was left to ponder what I had just learned with Celestia. If it were true that humans were trying to come to Equestria I didn’t know what I was going to do. Is that why Celestia was keeping me here, was I a possible enemy for when or if the humans ever arrived. Truth be told I didn’t know where my loyalties would lie if something like that happens.
Then there was the matter of that Michael character from my dream that I somehow knew. And what was worse my thoughts of Songjay returned which only deepened my confusion. Were my feeling for her fine and acceptable and if they were and I did have feelings for her would I turn on my own kind?
I decided to abandon the subject and strive for sleep instead. I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. The bed was much more comfortable than any I had slept on before and I began to drift into sleep. Unluckily for me I had a dream, and it was as bad as I suspected.