//------------------------------//
// Scratchy scratch! 
// Story: A chance at a new life or just the same old same old? 
// by Belendu Armshire 
//------------------------------//

	I cracked my eyes open to stare at the pristine white ceiling of my room/holding cell. Truth be told its much more comfortable than the prison cell from before but it still serves the same purpose. I sit up with a small grunt and look around the room, rubbing my the sleep from my eyes. To my surprise I find my clothes from the day before sitting on a side table, folded and smelling of soaps.

A few minutes later I stand at the foot of my bed, fully dressed and heading into the bathroom to wash my face and scrub my teeth with my finger, lacking a toothbrush. Once my daily ritual, that technically only started today, was finished, I made my way back into the bedroom to find a small blue unicorn wearing a maids outfit staring at me from the door with the handcuffs in her magical grasp.

"P-princess Celestia s-said that you h-had to wear these. I-if thats ok?" Her whole body was quivering and she stared at me with obvious fear in her eyes, fear which confused me. What could they have been saying about me already? What could be the issue that caused such terror already?

I smiled at her and held out my arms with a nod, letting the blue pony attach the cuffs to my wrists. Once latched shut she backed out of the door, motioning for me to follow with her head. I walked forwards and out the door, still smiling. My smile seemed to put her at ease slightly, enough that i could start up conversation.

"So.... Whats the word around the castle? Or palace. Whichever." I looked at the paintings and busts of the two princesses as we walked, wondering how old could these two be? I'm no art expert but some of these paintings looked old. Very old.

The little unicorn glanced at me and said in a quiet voice "That... You assaulted a guard and nearly killed him..."

I blinked in confusion and looked back down at her "No... I never did that. In fact if anyone has been assaulted its me. Got knocked out with magic and thrown in a jail cell just for showing up at the castle gates. But if you're worried that i'm going to do something, don't be." I chuckle and pat her head with my cuffed hand and instinctively scratch behind her ears.

Instantly she stops and stands stock still, a blissful look on her face with her eyes rolling back into her head. At first i'm worried and try to take my hand back but at the expression that told me she would gut me with her horn if I stop, I nervously chuckle and continue scratching, much to her obvious delight.

After a few minutes she finally shakes her head and smiles up at me, holding out a hoof. "I'm Berry Delight. I... I'm sorry about what I said.... Nopony that can scratch ears like that could be mean." She giggles and takes my hands, shaking them with both her front hooves. How she balanced I have no idea, she went back to all fours before I could look. I introduced myself and she nodded, leading me down the hall some more, staying a little closer than she was before.

Roughly ten minutes later (Seriously how big is this place??) We arrived at two large golden doors. The left door was decorated with a moon and a dark pony figure with wings and a horn, an alicorn. The other was decorated with a sun and a white version of the alicorn. Obviously the two sisters. The door was opened from the inside by a guard in golden armor at our approach and with a warm goodbye, Berry trotted down the hall, tail wagging like a puppy that just did good for its owner. I shrugged and headed inside the large room. 

By large I do mean LARGE the room could easily fit a couple football fields, though most of it was empty space. Six pillars made from some sort of white marble lined the center path, three on each side. The path itself was just a simple, yet decorative red carpet that lead all the way to two thrones. One being golden, the other a more navy blue color. Sat upon their respective throne were the two sisters, Luna and Celestia.

Luna smiled wide upon seeing me and waved a hoof in the air "Belendu! Come come!" I gave the large room one last look before settling my view on the two sisters. Half way to the thrones, my handcuffs took on a blue aura and vanished from existence with a pop. I looked down and rubbed my wrists as I neared the thrones, getting circulation back into my fingers.

At the foot of the steps up to the thrones I stopped and looked up at them, ready to bear the assault of questions from the two. Luna, I noticed, seemed happy to see me. As though I was a good friend of hers. Celestia on the other hand, seemed to watch my every move, as though just waiting for me to fuck up so she can throw me back in the prison. I decided there that I liked the Princess of the night more.

Luna nodded her head for me to come up the small stairs. I stuffed my hands in my jacket pockets and trudged up the stairs, still ready for the inevitable question attack. Once at the top I stood there in military fashion with my hands behind my back. Just as predicted they had hundreds of questions. Questions about who I am. What I am. What earth is like. What humans are like. I would write the whole conversation here but it would take pages upon pages. To simplify, I told them that humans are intelligent, yet brutal. I told them that I am a genetic experiment that was designed for preparation of World war 3. Then I told them of the world wars. I told them everything I could about humans to the best of my knowledge given to me by the scientists.

To say that they were shocked is an understatement. They were stunned beyond belief. That a race without magic could achieve so much. Craft weaponry that could kill millions in an instant, but at the same time, create medicinal machines capable of healing someone back to pristine. Surprisingly, Celestia was the first to speak.

"You.... Your people... Are monsters." She stated simply. At first i'm offended but when I think over the information that I gave them, I cant help but agree. Luna shook her head and looked over at her sister.

"Nay sister. Remember the dark ages? We are no different than they. His people did what they had to, to survive. Thrown in a world without magic and with creatures that could easily make a meal out of you. Its only understandable that they would evolve into a more warrior species. Much like the griffons." She turned her head back to me and nodded to me "We have thought long of this and have decided to give you a citizenship, granting you free realm of Equestria, on one condition." She smirked a bit "You must take a guide with you that my sister and I can trust. For now you will go to Ponyville to see Celestias student. Maybe learn a few things about this world."

Celestia has a student? If so why aren't they here? Learning from their teacher. I nodded to the two of them, though looking more at Luna as I spoke. "When will I leave?"

She giggled at that and pointed a hoof at a window. Once I looked through it, I could see some sort of closed chariot with two Pegasai attached to it. "Right now. Those two stallions are waiting for you." She prodded me in the chest with the same hoof used for pointing and smiled. "Go Belendu. Go make some friends." I thought that rather strange but shrugged it off. What do I need with friends? I wasn't designed to need friends. I was made to be a soldier. A killer with a purpose. A weapon.

I walked back to the large throne doors, noting that on the inside, both doors were decorated with a sun and a white alicorn. The guard from before (Or at least I think its the same one. They all look the same to be honest.) opened the door for me to reveal a smiling Berry Delight. At my quizzical expression she trotted up next to me.

"The princesses asked for me to be your guide. Isn't that great!" She practically filled the room with happiness with the size of her smile. I merely chuckled and patted her head, careful not to scratch behind her ears and put her in a coma.

"That's wonderful Berry." She beamed at that and walked beside and slightly ahead of me, leading me to the chariot outside. The two guards spotted us and one walked around to open the chariot door for me. I thanked the man- er... Stallion, and climbed aboard, quickly followed by Berry. On the inside it looked like an old west chariot or wagon. Simple cushion seats and a small window. I sat on the side closest to the front, expecting Berry to take the seat opposite. Instead she sat right next to me and nuzzled my hand.

"Scratchies now! Pleaseeeee" She gave me the saddest puppy eyes I think ill ever see. With a small sigh I raised my hand to behind her ears and started scratching gently, sending her into the drooling coma of scratchitude.

........Never thought i would write that down...... ever.....