A Lost Soul Hidden in Unexpected Places

by Broniesrponies2

We needed a dining room scene?

I walked down the steps, one of my button up shirts on under an open jacket, beige cargo pants and the only pair of shoes that I had. I looked okay, if a little bit casual-formal. We had hit up the toiletries aisle, but they had no razors, having fur on everyone's faces. Instead, I got myself a razor sharp pocket knife from the sporting section. It would do for now. I just had to be careful to keep the blade moving up and down in a straight line. So I was also clean shaven. It would do. I waited at the bottom of the steps, before the entrance to the dining hall and leant against the wall.

Luna had asked me to wait here for her so that we could enter together. I was a little bit wary about this, but it was up to her. Lyra and Bon Bon walked down about a minute after I started leaning against the wall. I raised my hand and gave a little wave and a jaunty little salute before dropping my hand back to my side. Lyra and Bon Bom waved back, Lyra attempting to imitate my little salute, making me smile. I scanned up to the top of the stairs and felt a familiar feeling in my mind.

I'm almost there. Sorry to keep you waiting.

I hopped off of the wall and strode up the stairs. Lyra and Bon Bon started at my sudden movement. I arrived at the top of the stairs just as Luna stepped into the corridor. She was breathtaking. Instead of going casually, she had dressed fully formally. There is something about me that I should really mention. It's a way of judging a personality by reactions to questions, or situations. Luna dressed fully formally for a normal dinner. Admittedly my first actual dinner in Equestria, not counting the party at the library, but still no special occasion. She had done up her hair into a glittering bun, a long braid flowing from the end and over her shoulder. She was wearing a strapless evening dress in her usual navy blue, except with enchanted patterns shifting over her body in light greens and blues. Lyra and Bon Bon simply stared past me. I managed to keep my mouth closed, smiling at her. She saw me and smiled back radiantly. It was something inside me that clicked into place.

All of my thoughts backpedalled, flashing back through all of the time that I had spent with her. Two realizations had hit me at once. She was one of the (on Earth) incredibly rare personages who was truly empathic. I am and I have met and talked to three others who are the same. It is easy to tell after a short while of being around them. I had been a little bit distracted by all of the things that had happened since I arrived here so it took me a little bit of time to make the connection. The second realization was a far more disquieting one. She was in love. It appeared to act like "imprinting" except, differently. The moment that she had entered my mind, she had acted oddly in her sister's eyes. There were no warning bells. No blaring alerts. It could work.

Luna strode towards me, reaching the stairs quickly before slowing down and stopping beside me. She twirled in front of me, allowing her dress to swirl around her calves.

"So, how do I look?" she asked me, a mix of smugness and worry in her voice. It was understandable.

"I don't know... I think that your bun is a little off kilter." I said, casting a "critical" eye over her appearance. Her smile started to slide away. My face instantly changed to display my true emotion of adoration.

"No, Luna. You look perfect." I reached out and stroked her cheek with my right hand. She sighed with relief before casting a critical glance over my own attire.

"You could have dressed a little bit more formally." she said, her voice slightly accusatory. I smiled.

"Not really. Maybe without the jacket, but then the shirt would have been on it's own. The cargo pants look better than the sweat pants that we got earlier and I despise wearing completely formal attire. Suppose something happened and I had to protect you, I would need something that I can move around in."

"I suppose." she said a little wistfully.

"Now that we have agreed that you are beautiful and I am average, how about we go and eat something?" I asked, keeping my tone light and playful. I offered her my elbow.

"Well. At least you know how to act chivalrous." she said.

"That's not the only thing I know." I said as she looped her elbow through mine. We walked down the steps together. Lyra and Bon Bon were still standing partway up the stairs. We walked past them fairly regally. I could tell that Luna was ready to burst out laughing at the slightest provocation. I was too as we reached the bottom of the steps and the door ahead of us opened onto a needlessly large dining room. Or, at least on any other occasion it would be needlessly large, however, with the mane six, Lyra and Bon Bon, the two princesses, Octavia and myself, it was only a little too large.

Luna and I walked through the open doors into the dining room, still arm in arm. Luna was steering as we walked to her seat. Somehow, there was an empty space beside it. Luna smiled at me shyly, and I returned with a smile of quiet confidence. I seated her on her sister's right hand before sitting at Luna's right myself. We sat, waiting for only two more ponies, the rest having already been seated as Luna and I had walked in. Lyra and Bon Bon walked slowly through the door to see that we had already sat down next to a slightly disgruntled Celestia. There wasn't anything that we could do about Luna being imprinted, but I could see that she didn't particularly like it. It worried me, but it was nothing that a few candid talks with Celestia and some time couldn't heal. I would be polite of course, but Celestia would take some time before she accepted the circumstances. If she ever did.

The truth is that in my experience, certain minds were special. It was something to do with past traumas. Many people would just curl up and hide from the world, building a wall around themselves to stay safe. These people almost invariably end up with weird disorders. Some, however, accept things after a while. We just accept whatever comes at us. We can complain about it, but it is accepted into a realistic world view that to most appears cynical. The primary issue is that we see what is really there. When there is simply horrible luck, we can call bullshit because we know that it is just bad luck. If it is malevolent, which it so rarely is, then we know. We see and judge people faster and more accurately than anyone else. In a country like Equestria, such things are almost unheard of.

The real issue was when Luna looked into my mind for the first time. She had never seen a mind like this before. Her own was strong, but was one of the same... colour... for lack of a better word. As such, she recognised it at a subconscious level and latched on metaphorically. I was suddenly someone who had to stay near her. She couldn't very well adopt me, and I couldn't be a parental figure, so I was brought in at the only remaining level. I was almost instantly, her one true love. Celestia knew this, but she still didn't like it.

It was all taken in in a single glance. I wasn't in danger, and nor was anypony else. I just had to tread carefully. Octavia had a look on her face as Luna and I had walked in, but hers was now simply one of acceptance. Lyra also looked a little downcast, but soon, dinner was served, waiters bustling in with drinks and large trays laden with vegetables and fruits. There were also soups and gravy. Those puzzled me. Soup stocks and gravies are frequently based on animal meats and bones. What were they based on here? I made a mental note to ask later. In the meantime, I found myself being presented with a medium sized fish. I was surprised at first and turned to Luna questioningly.

"We sometimes serve Gryphons here. They prefer meat and fish to more civilised foods. I understood that you were an omnivore and gave requests to the kitchens." Luna explained.

"It makes sense, but you don't have to make special provisions for me. I can see that you and Princess Celestia are used to omnivores and carnivores, but the others around the table do not look so fondly upon my habits. I recommend that I desist henceforth while they are around, at least for a while." I replied. Celestia looked over to me, an eyebrow cocked.

"I did not expect such a diplomatic response Josh. Perhaps you are not all that you seem to be."

"No fear of transparency Your Highness. I simply believe that impoliteness is needless and tends to slow down civilised conversation. I suppose that you yourself have seen what happens when impoliteness is used during your long lifespan as a solo ruler of a nation this large. I must commend you on the warmth and kind nature of your subjects. Were it not that humans could only manage the same things, we would be far better off."

"Luna, you have certainly met an interesting stallion. I may employ him myself as a diplomat."

"It would appear to suit him would it not, my sister?" Celestia laughed at Luna's response.

"Yes Luna, it would indeed appear to suit him." Celestia said, looking at me. She had warmed to me over the brief exchange, but I wasn't above suspicion, as well I shouldn't be. If she had let me into her confidence so easily, I would have spoken to her about it. As it was however, things were proceeding well and so was the first course. I had been talking in between bites of fish. Diplomatic speeches frequently took a long time and were a good opportunity to take a few bites. I finished the last mouthful and took a small bite out of an apple.

Luna looked at me attempt to eat an apple in a diplomatic way, a feat that I considered nearly impossible. She giggled and it turned into a laugh that broke the diplomatic atmosphere of this section of the table into a million pieces. Both Celestia and my shoulders started to shake. I swallowed my bite of apple and started to laugh. Celestia soon followed suit. Both of us let ourselves go in a severe counterpoint to the businesslike feeling of just a few seconds ago. The three of us regained our composure and we turned to one another.

"I suppose that I could give you a shot. You appear to be a moral being, even if a little naked around your face."

"I find the lack of fur to be helpful at times. Do you ever have to shed for instance?" Celestia understood that I had found the ultimate flaw of her argument. She laughed again, this time harder than before.

"You are quite right. We have to shed once a year. It itches like mad and I hate it more than anything in the world." Luna laughed again at her sister's outburst.

"I think that you have my sister's seal of approval Josh" she said, poking me in the ribs with a wing.

"I think that I should therefore thank your sister for such a seal of approval. I would also have you know that you are both more beautiful than many on my planet would even think of dreaming about."

"I am not sure how to take that." said Celestia, looking at me al little strangely.

"Take it as a compliment Your Highness, as that was how it was intended." I replied.

"Then I shall."

We sat as butlers cleared away the plates from the first course. They came back with deserts. A delicious looking slice of chocolate cake was laid down before me. I took up my fork and took a bite. It was far too rich for anypony to enjoy. I, however, was diplomatic and therefore ate it with a smile and pretended to enjoy it. I did, however make the comment that it was a tad rich for my tastes, but good all the same. It was a cake that made me profusely glad that my requested drink was milk as opposed to cranberry juice. It was very helpful that I could forget about the richness every few mouthfuls. Soon enough it was gone.

"I must commend you on the test, but I must inquire as to how you truly thought of that cake." said Celestia, looking at me differently. I could always have lied, but that would have been stupid and gratuitous and would have served to simply set me back in her eyes.

"I am unused to rich tasting cake like that. It was not significantly pleasurable, but thankfully, my requested milk helped me to get past it. Milk is a useful beverage for banishing unwanted tastes from the mouth. Have you ever experimented with such Your Highness?"

"No, I have not." Celestia replied. Luna sat between us, head bowed, shoulders shaking, her laughter being muffled by a pavlova. "Can you truly recommend it?"

"Request a piece of that self-same cake that I ate and test for yourself. I feel confident that you will find the effects of milk satisfactory." I replied. Celestia did so and soon a small piece of the cake was before her as well as a glass of milk. She took a bite of the cake and made a show of revulsion that she overplayed just a little bit. She then partook of the milk before her. Her look changed almost instantly.

"See? Milk really does work wonders." I said.

"Indeed it does. How did you stand to eat that cake. Even I might have sent it back upon the first bite."

"I knew about the milk trick. Also, from the first mouthful, I knew that it was a test. Nopony could truly enjoy such a cake. As such, that means that it was a test for the recipient. Did I pass?"

"You did. You also taught me a few tricks. I might use this against certain other nations in the future."

"Please be sure not to waste such a tool. I feel sure that someday another species would try to counter the trick by preparing that only another drink would work on, or simply preparing their diplomats to eat terrible food while plying them with yet another beverage. You might request that same beverage, only to find that it does not work. Regretfully, only a human could truly think so deceitfully of another species." I said hanging my head. Luna stopped laughing and looked at me worriedly. Celestia looked at me with an interesting look on her face. I saw neither of them.

"It would appear that the qualities of your race that you despise are also the ones that I find to be negative. Is this true?"

"It would seem so, yes, Your Highness." I sighed, still looking down.

"Then I must request that myself and Josh may leave the table. I have something to show him." said Luna. Celestia looked at her critically. This time, I felt two minds touching one another outside of my head. Mentally, I recoiled from the touch, but soon, I left my mind's control over my environment alone. In a second, Luna had taken me by the arm and was lifting me from my seat. I raised my head.

"It has been a pleasure conversing with you Your Highness." I said to Celestia.

"And you Josh."

"Ladies, It has been a pleasure being with you this evening." I said to the room at large.

"Likewise." said Twilight, the others nodding agreement.

Luna and I turned and left, The others returning to their normal conversation.

"Princess, are you sure about this?" asked Twilight when she was sure that Luna and I were out of earshot.

"Yes Twilight, I am. Luna has told me of her plans and she has my approval."

"If you are sure."

"I am"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH strode out onto a dark plain. A bald man sprinted by, several black horrors swiftly following him. Another figure was following them on a skeletal horse. DEATH let himself fly after them. He had feet, but flying would be better for this conversation. He caught up to the figure on the horse.

PARDON ME? asked DEATH of the figure.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS BASTARD STILL HASN'T DIED? HE HAS FOUGHT BOUNTY HUNTERS, RANDOM CREATURES, NECROMANCERS. FOR ONE, I CALL THIS BULLSHIT.

WHO IS HE?

HIS NAME IS RIDDICK. THE LITTLE FUCKER JUST KEEPS ADDING TO HIS BODYCOUNT, MAKING MORE AND MORE WORK FOR ME.

As if on cue, Riddick turned around and slashed deep into the first creature's side with a blade before decapitating it. The figure on the horse swore again and swung his scythe as he rode past the dead body of the monster. It's soul was cleanly cut away.

I FEEL EVER SO SORRY FOR YOU, BUT I HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH THE MULTIVERSE FOR A HUMAN FROM MY DIMENSION.

YOU MUST BE CLOSE THEN. THERE WAS A DIMENSIONAL RIPPLE JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. IT HIT A UNIVERSE (the following has been removed because there is absolutely no way that anyone could understand it. Some people look at time as a hidden direction. This is a thousand times weirder).

THAT CLOSE? I MUST BE ALMOST THERE THEN. BY THE WAY, YOU ARE CHASING THE MAIN CHARACTER FROM A MOVIE ON MY PLANET. PERHAPS THERE IS A WAY THAT YOU COULD SIMPLY TASK SOMETHING TO PERMANENTLY FOLLOW HIM TO CLEAN UP HIS WAKE?

LIKE WHAT?

PERSONALLY, I WOULD GIVE SCROFFULA A CHANCE.

REALLY? OKAY. THANKS.

NO, THANK YOU.

DEATH slowed down and disappeared into the void once more. This time, he had a destination.

Author's Note:

Fear not. I won't die. DEATH has found my current universe however. How I will get out of it, I won't tell you. Rest assured that it will be interesting.
Believe me when I say that the two paragraphs about the special kind of mind is not simply self aggrandising bollocks. Almost everyone who has spoken to me say I have a lot of empathy. I care about everyone's problems and issues except for my own. My life is nothing, but a way for me to help people. As such, I plan to join the military. (The thing is that it is the Canadian military, so I will likely be deployed in the UN peacekeepers.) You can seldom help more than a few people as a civilian, however, if my regiment takes down a tyrannical madman, then that is a bunch of people helped for the better. Also, I can fight national tyrants. It is a helpful vocation. I can only imagine the effect of a mind reader actually touching onto a mind like this, but the effects may be something like what I described. This deals with the realm of total impossibility, and as such, it still counts as legit for my bet.
Anyway, It has been a pleasure entertaining you, coming one step closer to winning my bet and writing a fic that I would personally, much rather be reading as one of you. I keep waiting for another chapter to be posted and then remembering that I actually have to do it. Q.Q Anyway, happy reading!

Comments

[DjBron3]

2976125>>2976125yeah its pretty good so far

[DjBron3]

hey BroniesRPonies2 when you gonna finish next chapter

[Broniesrponies2]

2991267
Sadly, I am at a camp, replying to comments on my phone right now. I will probably have the next chapter up in 2-3 days.

[DjBron3]

2991599 ok thats cool

[val]

that is not a good reason to like someone..........
I call BS