Stories like mine normally begin with a noble cause, right? That’s what I thought also, but as it is fate is a cruel mistress. One minute I am a typical freshman in college, the next I am sitting in some medieval dungeon of sorts. All I really know is that whoever put me down here is going to pay. I like the medieval thing and all, but it is really annoying. I can hear the echo of what sounds like hooves on the cobblestone floor. Why would an animal be in here? I guess all I can do is wait and see.
*****
A white unicorn guard in solar armor walks through the dungeons. As he walks, he checks the few prisoners that reside in the dungeon. At the end of the hall was the newest of the prisoners. The guard saw it was awake and quickly ran out the dungeons to the throne room of the Canterhorn Fort. In the throne room Princess Celestia sits on the throne, "Princess the prisoner has awakened, do you wish for me to bring it to you?"
Celestia spreads her wings, "We would be grateful if thou would bring it to us." she responded.
"Then I shall return momentarily with the prisoner." the guard left with haste and headed for the dungeons.
*****
I stared blankly at the wall before me. I have been like this since the echoing stopped. It is strange, I can see the bars to my cell but no further almost like there is a piece of black cloth in the way. The echoing returned, but unlike last time they were getting closer. I stand and walk towards the cell door. I did not have to wait long before the darkness is replaced with a dimly lit hallway, and standing in said hallway is a white miniature unicorn in gold armor, "Well aren't you cute." I say mockingly.
"Shut it Prisoner." he snapped causing me to jump back.
Since when the fuck can any equine talk, "How the hell can you talk?" I ask.
"I said quiet. The princess wishes to speak with you." the armored unicorn opened the door put restraints on me, "Follow me." I didn't really have a choice because he (I guess that it is a stallion) was pulling my restraints. I stayed quiet and let him lead me out the dark dungeons and into a bright hall. The walls are white with gold accents, "Keep moving." man is he starting to get annoying. He leads me to a pair of large double doors, that are flanked by two more miniature unicorns in gold armor, "The Princess wishes to speak with the Prisoner." the two flanking the doors pushed them open and allowed us to pass. The room, I'm guessing a throne room, had white pillars alongside the center isle that lead to what appeared to be a solid gold throne. On the throne sits a much larger version of the unicorn that brought me here. The only differences are that the large one is not wearing armor and has a crown, it has wings and a horn, and the things mane and tail were flowing fucking rainbows. What kind of drugs did they give me. There is no way that is natural, "Princess Celestia, here is the Prisoner." he said while practically kissing the ground.
The horse thing sitting on the throne stands, "Thou may leave us Sargent. We hath many things to discuss with the Prisoner." I will take a leap of faith and say that horse is a mare. I never really paid attention to the Sargent when he spoke so I never heard him say who she was, and what the hell is with the Shakespearean English. Why does the Sargent speak normally but she don't?
"As you wish." the Sargent leaves. I look at the mare before me. We both just stared at one another looking for signs of weakness.
"Thou is most interesting. Tis not a word in any text about thy kind. What are thou?" did she really just ask what I am? Is there really no other humans here? Am I alone in this trippy ass world?
"I am a human." I responded as calmly as possible. I am trying hard not to start freaking out. I can't be alone, there has to be others.
"We hath never heard of humans." what is with that we. She is just one being, "Does thou hath any questions?" thank you for finally asking.
"While I have many questions, I would like to start simple. Where am I and what are you?" I hope that I didn't cross any boundaries asking that.
"Thou are in Equestria, and we are known as alicorns. *giggle*" what is going on, "Deepest apologies, but we hath forgotten our manners. Our name is Princess Celestia, and me along with my sister rule Equestria. What is thou name?"
OK at least she is polite about things so far, "My name is Ōkami. It means wolf." I wasn't going to deny her knowing my name. I mean she introduced herself so it is the polite thing to do, right?
"Ōkami? Thou has a most interesting name." the horn on her head started glowing a gold color and my restraints fell off, "Thou shall now be placed in service of the crown."
Wait did she just draft me or something? "What will my job be?" I ask.
"Thou shall be trained and then place as our personal guard. Once our sister wakes up to take her place holding court, thou will guard her." I am not even part of her country and she just fucking drafted me into working for her and her sister, what the hell. I guess it could be worse.
"When shall my training start Princess?" I hope that I will be at least able to try and find a way home.
"Thou shall start once we return to our castle in the Everfree. We shall be leaving shortly." so that is either good or bad. I thought that this was the castle, I mean the place is fancy and could definitely pass as one, "Tell us Ōkami what kind of weapon do you prefer?"
So she will actually let me use the weapon of my choice. Looking at what they have I don't think that they have made guns yet so a sword would do, "I like long-swords and claymores. I would like to have a shield with the long sword." I was honest. I like the claymore because heavy hitters for the win, and the long-sword and shield are just for those moments when a claymore wont work.
The Princess stares at me. Slowly a smile graces her lips, "While odd choices they will most likely be the best ones. Come, we shall return to the capital. Tis getting close to night, it wont be safe for travel soon." wait she is actually serious. I don't know why but I felt like she was joking with me. She walks/trots to me, "If thou would please follow us." she lead the way out the throne room and towards a pair of extremely large doors, "Our chariot waits outside Ōkami." I nodded and followed her as we approached a white chariot that is attached to two miniature pegasus. We left the ground not long after we were settled. The ride was honestly quite pleasant to say the least.
"So Princess Celestia, is there anything I should know before I meet your sister?" I asked.
"Just don't insult the night and you will be fine. She is extremely passionate when it comes to it." she responds with a smile. Well at least I know that. We flew over a large forest and in the center is a large stone castle. We landed in what I assume is the courtyard, "Follow me and I will show you where we shall be dinning when my sister wakes." wait did she just talk normally? The hell.
"I have a question." I said as we started walking, "What was with the we stuff when you were talking about just you?" I hope she don't get mad.
She started to laugh, "Me and my sister call it the Royal we. When we are doing our royal duties it is how we speak. It is to show that me and her are one when it comes to the law." that actually made sense. The hall of the castle were not nearly as flashy as the other place. Everything was plain stone with a rug running down the center. Every so often there is a banner and torches, but other than that there is nothing, "I hope that thou will be comfortable living here with us. All the staff that resides in the castle who are not guards are mares. We will try an make it as comfortable as possible for thou, so long as thou don't take advantage of being one of the few males here."
"Trust me, it will be a while before I try to have any form of a relationship here. Back home it was illegal to have that kind of relationship with non-humans. So I may never actually be able to do that." my response made her frown, "Don't be sad. I was never really close to anyone back home, so this won't be to much different."
"What about your family?"
"They hated me. The only reason I was even born was because they didn't believe in killing babies before they are born. Growing up they constantly threatened me with military school or an orphanage. The only time I was happy was when I had a few friends, but they abandoned me not long after we finished high school." I could feel a tear slowly ran down my cheek, "In my mind I have no family." she suddenly pulled me into a hug. I was not expecting that at all.
"How old are you?" she asked into my ear. Why did she want to know how old I was?
"Twenty." was all I said before she squeezed me harder. I could hear hoof steps getting closer.
"Sister, why are thou just standing there and holding something?" a younger more teenish female voice asked.
"For twenty years they treated him like dirt Luna." she cried. Why is she crying about this? It didn't happen to her.
"Who treated who like dirt sister?" the younger one asked.
"Ōkami's family treated him horribly since he was born." that's it. I pushed Celestia off of me and I slapped her. I slapped one of the rulers of a nation.
She looked at me in shock, "I am sorry I did that, but I am tired of people or ponies crying over this. I have come to accept it. Yes it makes me sad to think of, but it happened and nothing can change that." I could finally see the blue alicorn, who I presume is Luna. She is about half the height of Celestia, who I just noticed that is about a six inches shorter than me, "If it is all the same to you, I'd like to eat something."
Celestia looked at Luna and saw the confusion in her face, "I shall tell thou what he told me later." at least I don’t have to repeat anything, "Shall we go eat then?"
Both me and Luna looked at her, "Please!" we both practically yelled at the same time causing Celestia to chuckle nervously. Me and Luna nod at each other and start walking away from Celestia.
"So, what kind of food is there here?" I ask.
"The chef will make thou almost anything." Luna responds as we round a corner, "Thou is most interesting." really. Her and her sister have both fucking said that, "I would like to ask if thou has ever been stargazing?" finally something normal.
"Yeah. I actually used to love staring out into the night. Something about it comforts me in a way that the sun never could." Lena's face darkened a little. Did I make her blush?
"Tis nice to finally meet someone other than myself that likes the night. Most hide and cower during the night. It makes me so mad." Luna started turning black as she spoke, "They all worship my sister and her precious day. They normally run scared when they see me."
"Some just don't understand true beauty. Don't let what they do get you down. The night is wonderful and don't let anyone say I anything different." her coat returned to normal. I don't know what was happening but whatever it was it is over.
*****
Over the next few weeks I studied Equestrian history and practiced my swordsmen ship. I am now on duty whenever Luna is in court saying that most threats are made to her. During my studies and training I have watched her get distant and overly aggressive. It seems like I am the only one she talks to now. Currently I am standing in the throne room with my standard claymore on my back, a bastard long-sword on my side, and a kite shield on my left arm. Other than that I am just in blue jeans, boots, and a t-shirt, "Ōkami, I need thou to stay out of what will be happening soon." Luna said. What is she talking about and why does she suddenly sound remorseful, "What ever happens do not get between my sister and I." OK what is going on.
Before I can really think on what she said Celestia stormed into the throne room, "Luna lower the moon!" why is she yelling.
Luna started cackling, "Dear sister," What happened to her voice. She sounds so much older now, "We shall never lower it. It shall be night eternally. Our little ponies will learn to love us and our night." seriously what is going on.
"Luna...."
"That name is so childish. My name is Nightmare Moon! NOW BE GONE!" Nightmare, I guess, shot a beam of pure magic at Celestia. Celestia created a golden shield and deflected the beam destroying parts of the throne room. Celestia spread her wings and shot into the air before she fired a beam of magic at her sister. Ignoring what I was told I let my training kick in and I jumped in front of Luna with my shield raised. The beam hit my shield and it broke. There was a searing pain throughout my body as I started to stiffen up. I looked at Luna/Nightmare Moon and I saw a tear in her eye as her normally midnight blue body shifted to black and armor appeared, "THOU WILL PAY FOR HURTING ŌKAMI!" after that everything went dark. I couldn't feel, hear, or smell anything. Slowly my mind shut down and I slipped into a slumber.