“Goodnight, Anon! See you in the morning!” Twilight called out, shutting the doors to your guest chamber. With a sigh, you flopped backwards onto the unfamiliar bed, careful not to land on the satchel Fluttershy loaned you. You thought about how the past couple hours had gone by in a blur. Twilight had whisked you away to the cottage, insisting that you head to Canterlot as soon as possible, but refused to tell you or Fluttershy what the cause for Celestia’s summons was.
“I don’t like keeping secrets, but I promise that it’ll be worth going,” she had said with an unusually radiant smile. Not that you had any reason not to trust Twilight, of course. It just seemed strange that she wouldn’t even hint at what Celestia wanted to discuss with you tomorrow. Fortunately, you had been waiting for a chance to meet with Celestia again for some time now- maybe your plans to show her you meant well had come to fruition, after all. Fluttershy had seemed to think so, as well, having gently pressed Twilight about the topic while you packed away your single change of dress clothes.
Once you had prepared, Twilight had teleported the two of you directly to the entrance of Canterlot castle, much to the castle guards’ dismay. Apparently, they had already been informed that you would be arriving, but you could tell they were slightly off-put by your alien presence as Twilight guided you through the halls. You did your best to focus not on their wary gazes, but on Twilight, who cheerfully explained the history of how Canterlot came to be. You’d expressed interest in seeing the city itself after the meeting, only to be shot down. In a discussion earlier in the day, Twilight explained, Celestia had emphasized that you were to be transported directly to and from the castle. While you had permission to move about Ponyville, that was all she was willing to allow for the time being. A quiet dinner and a few more history lessons later, and Twilight showed you to the guest chamber reserved for you, apologizing for her ‘lecture’ going on for so long. You hadn’t minded it at all- it was much more engaging than sitting around doing nothing, as you were now. You absentmindedly slipped off your shoes as you stared out the chamber window at the night sky, still thinking about the day to come. As drowsiness started to overcome your senses, you hoped that Twilight would be right, that everything would turn out just fine.
"Come on, Anon! I know you're faster than that!" Fluttershy called out, flying just out of your reach. You had been trying to catch her in your game of Tag under the midnight moon, chasing her here and there around the garden behind the cottage. You couldn't recall having this much fun in your life, and Fluttershy seemed to be having a great time, too; who knew Tag could be so exhilarating? It was difficult to keep up with her, as fast as you were running, whenever Fluttershy would bank suddenly and fly in the opposite direction, occasionally tapping the top of your head or otherwise teasing you while staying far enough away to avoid your retaliatory swipes. You laughed and leapt up high after the mare, hoping to snatch her out of the air. You managed to catch her off-guard, and tucked her close to you as you sailed back towards the ground with her in your clutches. You slid across the soft grass without a care, the two of you giggling uncontrollably as you held her up in your arms. You had anticipated the landing to hurt, but you couldn't feel a thing .
Eventually, your laughter died down, and you opened your eyes to see Fluttershy had stopped moving completely. For that matter, everything had become suddenly still- the leaves blowing through the air had frozen in place, the creek had fallen eerily silent, and Fluttershy stared down at you lovingly, although unmoving. You tentatively let the mare go, and allowed her to float mid-air above you, as if held aloft by invisible strings.
"Do not worry, human," a deep, feminine voice soothed behind you. "I come here in peace, and wish to speak with you." You tilted your head backwards to see Princess Luna slowly hovering in the air behind you, descending to the grass silently. You blinked a few times, and realized what was going on.
"You are, indeed, dreaming, Anon. As princess of the night, the realm of dreams is my domain, and I can see those of any pony I wish." Her statement confused you, as you were clearly not a pony, and Luna gave you a warm, understanding smile. "You appear as astonished as I was when you first slept in Equestria. Yes, that was certainly an interesting experience, to say the least." You instinctively reached for your pouch, only to find that it was absent from your waist. You apprehensively tried to speak, but found that only unintelligible nonsense left your lips, as per usual.
"It is unfortunate that you are still unable to speak, as it has been in all of your past dreams," Luna commented, frowning sympathetically. "I had hoped that your alternative method had crossed over, at the very least." You were even more confused now; if you were conscious in your dreams, couldn't you just magically find your pouch at will? Wouldn't you be able to speak, as well?
"Unfortunately not, my dear human. The mind can only project what it remembers how to do, and what it remembers best of those whom it belongs to." Hearing Luna interrupt your thoughts made you jump in surprise, and she stepped forward to comfort you.
"My apologies, Anon. You are not accustomed to having your thoughts read, nor are any others I approach in this state. I did not mean to scare you, but to educate you." You nodded, acknowledging her apology. You weren't that worried, but it made you slightly uncomfortable. You glanced back towards Fluttershy, and felt that level of discomfort rise dramatically- you couldn't remember any of your dreams after coming to Equestria, but how many could Luna recall?
"Do you want an honest answer?" Luna asked bluntly, now standing over you. You hesitated to answer, but your curiosity got the better of you, prompting you to nod slowly. Luna bent her neck down and hovered over your face with a coy grin.
"Every. Single. One. I know just about everything you do about Fluttershy's 'interactions' with you. And I must say, you have quite the guilty conscience." You covered your face defensively, unwilling to admit that she was right. Even though you were caught up in the moments before she arrived, you could recall the exact feelings you had experienced; it didn't seem unbelievable that this instance hadn't been the first time. But why, then, had Luna shown up only now to meet you?
"I came here to speak with you personally, to understand your perspective of this world, without fear of judgement by Twilight Sparkle or my sister," Luna whispered in your ear, sending a chill up your back. You felt another sensation crawl up your back and envelop your whole body as you were lifted carefully to your feet. "Please, human, walk with me. There is much I'd like to discuss with you."
"Alas, where should I begin?" Luna mused, leading you across the bridge over the nearby creek. "There's so much I'd like to ask, and I'm sure there's plenty on your mind as well, Anon." You thought about her earlier comments regarding how she was the ruler over the 'dream' domain.
"Ah, yes. Since times of old, my sister and I have ruled over a number of lands, both physical and not," she began. "We represent, no, embody the dualities of this world. The sun and the moon, day and night. Those are obvious. We differ, however, in how we watch over and care for our respective domains. As many of Equestria's citizens sleep at night, I uphold the duty of seeing over their wellbeing in their dreams.” To you, that sounded rather intrusive. Were all dreams ponies had like this?
“I can understand your concern, but I assure you that I do not intervene in the dreams of my little ponies as I am now. Not usually, that is,” Luna replied, winking at you. “I do step in when I see fit, but almost never in my usual form. I use my magic to influence the dreams of those who are distressed. Worried. Terrified beyond belief.” She craned her head upwards and looked towards the enormous moon in the sky.
“While our citizens may appear to be cheerful and carefree at any given time, there is much to be said about the stresses they suffer from day to day. Some that those such as yourself dare not imagine.” Even if you couldn’t remember your own personal history, you could recall faint memories of tragedies on Earth. Earthquakes, hurricanes, wars, and many more disasters. Despite what little you’d seen of Equestria, it wasn’t hard to imagine that it had its own share of problems.
“I’m glad to see that you understand. You aren’t wholly swayed by the endearing allure of ponies, after all.” You chuckled to yourself and gave her a wry smirk; relationships had been a concern of yours for a few days, but surely that wasn’t all you thought about. A chilly breeze blew over the two of you as you reached the peak of the hill outside Fluttershy’s cottage, and Luna stopped you to point towards the dimly lit houses of Ponyville.
“I jest, but I feel you might do well to listen to a word of advice,” she continued, looking upon the town with a motherly expression. “Of all the inhabited areas of Equestria, the citizens of Ponyville might be some of the most considerate. They operate primarily on emotions, and have bonds more tightly-knit than the strongest cords imaginable. Many of them fervently care for one another, and often show little hesitation to extend that care to those in need.” You watched Luna as she spoke, noticing what looked like the Cloudominium floating in the far distance. She turned her head towards the cottage for a few moments before turning to you, snatching up your attention with her cerulean eyes.
“You’ve spent naught but a fortnight in this town, and already the townsponies speak of you openly, and positively. Few of them know you, but your selfless acts have indirectly set expectations of you in their minds.” You couldn’t resist matching her smile; you hardly knew Luna, but she gave off an aura that made you feel as if she had been watching over you for the longest time, like a godmother, of sorts. “I’ve read over Twilight’s reports about you and what you’ve done, and I can tell that you will be welcome in Ponyville. I do worry, however, about the affections you and a certain few ponies share.” Her expression didn’t waver in the slightest, but you could pick up on her concern from the way her tone of voice shifted. You were well aware of the stress your far-reaching conclusions you had jumped to had caused, and hearing the concern of another--especially that of a royal--was strangely relieving. You felt thankful that you were not the only one who knew your feelings.
“I should clarify, I do not know individual details of your interactions, dear Anon, aside from those about which Twilight has spoken to us.” Luna explained, starting to walk towards town once more. “But I have observed your dreams, and seen what troubles you. You worry about the consequences of what would otherwise be happy misunderstandings, and wonder where your feelings lie. Am I correct?” As much as you didn’t want to admit it, Luna had boiled down your worries to their very core. You were just a human without tangible connections to both Earth and Equestria, and yet you struggled to fight the seemingly misplaced kindling feelings that burned within you. As far as you were concerned, the romantic gestures of little ponies should have been far from the forefront of your problems, but they remained there nonetheless.
“My concern does not stem from the fact that you are human. It would stand to reason that, with what my sister experienced millennia ago, I should have no reason to trust you, but I know that you are different. No, I fear for you because you will face a difficult choice in the future, only made worse by your broken memories.” You looked at her in dismay- what kind of choice was she describing?
“We will speak of this again tomorrow, but I will ask you one question on the matter.” She spoke sternly, as if she were preparing herself for her next sentence. “Do you wish to return home, Anon? To return from whence you were stolen away by Discord’s magic?” You took a deep breath as you registered Luna’s question, the one topic you’d been trying to avoid most of your time in Equestria. It was distressing to think about, solely because you didn’t want to think about it. You couldn’t think about it, even; attempting to recall your past, even your own name, only made your head ache and throb. Up until this point, avoiding the issue of returning to Earth had actually been beneficial, in its own way.
“Normally, one would consider your efforts to disregard returning to your world a feeble attempt at escaping your past. But I am as knowledgeable on that as you are, and I sympathize with your pain.” You could see the weariness in Luna’s eyes as she gazed up at the moon again. She looked as if she had more to say.
“I do not know, has Twilight informed you about my past with my sister?” You couldn’t recall Twilight speaking much of Princess Luna, and shook your head. A bittersweet smile spread on her face, and she resumed eye contact with you as you both continued to walk.
“Long ago, I let jealousy overwhelm me, transform me into a horrible monster whose goal was to enshroud all of Equestria in night. I do not exaggerate; I truly became a different being. My sister was forced to banish me, then known as Nightmare Moon, to my namesake, where I stayed for a thousand years. Nightmare Moon eventually returned, embittered by her imprisonment, and intended to bring about her plans once more, but was stopped by Twilight Sparkle. I can tell from your expression that there’s plenty more you wish to hear, but bear with me this once.
“I was transformed by the power of the Elements of Harmony, wielded by Twilight and her friends, and returned to the form you see now. I sought the forgiveness of my sister and all of her people, and to this day I strive to keep it. But much changes in a thousand years, and I, like you, felt alien in Equestria. The place I helped create, of all places, was an entirely different world to me. Even Celestia was changed by her decisions from that fateful day she was forced to expel her own sister from the world, and I truly felt alone.” Hearing Luna’s story made you want to reach out to her, but you restrained yourself. At the very least, you knew she could feel your sympathy and understanding. The scope of such struggles between divine beings was beyond you, but anyone could start to imagine what it must have felt like.
“Also like you, I found an unexpected friend in Fluttershy. When we first met, she was practically terrified of me, but with time grew accustomed to my archaic ways and even helped me to become the mare I am now.” Luna’s eyes shone as she continued, and her face radiated relief as she mentally relived sweet memories. “No pony could embody kindness more than her, and she is a gift to all of her friends.” You agreed wholeheartedly that Fluttershy was easily the most considerate pony you’d ever met, hands down. It seemed just like her to try and befriend someone like Princess Luna, even after her alter ego’s melodramatic attempts at taking over the world.
You and Luna both approached the edge of town, and you continued to follow her as she led you through the streets surrounding the outermost buildings. Once again you could see Rainbow Dash’s home, floating peacefully in the air.
“Your dreams are often centered around Rainbow Dash, as well. Did you know that?” Luna giggled as you fought the sudden, strange feeling that washed over you, just at the mention of her name. You wished that you could remember your dreams half as well as Luna could.
“Do not worry, your dreams of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are nothing to be embarrassed about, I assure you,” she said calmly. “One of my peers--another princess--who lives in a distant land would actually be very interested in them, come to think of it.” You couldn’t begin to imagine why. You weren’t sure why Luna was bringing those dreams up, either.
“I merely felt you would be interested in knowing, as you cannot remember them yourself. You are always such a gentlecolt in them, just as you are in real life. But it would appear that her relationship towards you is different than that of Fluttershy, is it not?” You had to admit again that she was correct; Rainbow Dash had a drastically different attitude toward you than Fluttershy, and not just by her personality alone. Fluttershy had politely brushed off your concerns of romantic interest, but while you had yet to approach Rainbow Dash about them, it seemed likely that you may have been projecting your misguided feelings onto her.
“I wonder, why do you insist that your emotions are… incorrect? Have you not considered that you might be experiencing more than simple infatuation?” Luna pondered, tilting her head at an angle as she spoke to you. Up to this point, you thought, you were sure that whatever emotional interest you had in ponies beyond that of friends was for naught. Again and again, you’d heard about different species on Equestria forming relationships and living happy lives, but it was hard to consider yourself a part of that equation.
“If and when you do make your decision to stay in Equestria or not, I would encourage you to keep that thought in mind, dear Anon. I will not belie anypony’s feelings towards you, nor assume yours toward another, but you may find it beneficial to keep an open mind.”
Luna’s words echoed in your head as you both turned away from the town and approached a small lake you recalled seeing from the clouds once before. Your entire body started to feel fuzzy, almost hazy as you approached its shore, and Luna bowed her head to you politely.
“It would seem that our time here is coming to an end, Anon. I am certain you will awake refreshed and well-rested, and hope you will consider what I have said to you before we next meet.” A piercing white light shined from the center of the lake, and gradually consumed your entire field of view, forcing you to cover your eyes.
Moments later, your vision was filled with the sun-lit marble ceiling of your guest chamber. A few sharp knocks from the door rang out clearly, and you could hear it creak open a little.
"I'm here to collect the human, Anon, to take to the throne room. Are you ready to go?" The sound of the royal guard's husky voice roused you from your sleep, and you rubbed your eyes as you swung your legs out of bed. You grumbled your agreement and mentally prepared yourself for whatever the princesses had in store for you. Luna had assured you that it wasn't going to be a terribly stressful ordeal, but you were wary of how Celestia would approach you, even after all you'd done in ten days' time. The walk to the throne room only lasted a minute or so, but with each step you felt more and more tense, uneasy at what would come.
"This way, sir. The princesses are waiting for you inside." You gave the guard a nod as he and another guard opened the large throne room doors, revealing a grand, lofty hall, much longer than the ones you'd seen previously back at the Castle of Friendship. On the far end you could see all three princesses sitting patiently, a hush falling over them as they noticed your entrance. You couldn't help but balk at the grandiose, intricate etchings in the colorful windows of the hall, but did your best to maintain a brisk pace as you approached the throne. You almost missed Luna’s gentle, knowing nod as you stopped at the foot of the ramp, and nodded in kind, feeling your chest loosen up a bit.
"Good morning, Anon. It's a pleasure to see you," Celestia's motherly voice called out. She sounded considerably warmer than when you'd last spoken personally. "Let me be the first to say how happy I am to hear that you are well and acclimating yourself to Ponyville and its citizens. Please tell me, how do you feel?" Your first instinct was to reach for your pouch, but you realized that, standing close to ten feet away from her, she wouldn't be able to read the tiny print on the cards.
"You're more than welcome to get closer so that I can read, if that's what you're looking so bashful about," she chuckled lightly. You took tentative steps forward as you searched for the right words.
[I feel foreign, but very welcome.]
"That's good to hear. Ponyville is a good place to go when you're looking to make new friends. Isn't that right, Twilight?" The lavender mare nodded enthusiastically.
"That it is. I couldn't have picked a better place for you to end up myself, even if it was my fault you ended up there in the first place."
"I understand how you feel, Anon; it must be difficult to deal with such a strange situation," Celestia continued, materializing a scroll out of thin air with her magic to study. "But from what I've heard, you've been making strides to make the best of it. Twilight's reports on you have been more than satisfactory, which spurred me on to let you move about Ponyville, with guidance from the Elements."
"Why did you choose us in particular?" Twilight asked. "The choker Anon is wearing is only activatable by unicorns, so only Rarity and I would be able to suppress him if anything were to happen. N-not that anything WOULD happen, of course," she added with a nervous smile.
"I chose you because I trust you, and I was sure that if anypony could inspire Anon to be a good member of our society, it would be the six of you and your friends. You've done so much for Equestria, and are paragons of what all Equestrian citizens should aspire to be." Twilight blushed under Celestia's heavy praise.
"Do you think it would be fair to allow Anon freedom from that trinket, dear sister?" Luna commented, levitating the choker off of your neck to inspect carefully. "I was not present when these were first implemented on the humans you discovered, but they seem rather intrusive." Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated upon seeing Twilight lean forward and raise her hoof patiently.
"If I may, I'd like to point out that Anon volunteered to wear the choker after Celestia gave him permission to leave Fluttershy's cottage. I gave him the opportunity to take it off and avoid using it." You nodded in agreement with Twilight, earning an intrigued nod in return from Celestia.
"Really? You certainly are a puzzle, Anon. And, tell me, what reason did you have to not only aid Fluttershy in her day-to-day tasks, and Twilight with her research, but other members of Ponyville, as well?"
[I wanted to repay them for their help.]
"And what of the stallion, Patch, who sells vegetables in Ponyville?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. "And the Cutie Mark Crusaders, as well? I’d heard you stepped forward to help them, even as complete strangers." You were surprised that she was even aware that you'd gone to help Apple Bloom and her friends the day before, but you guessed that Twilight had passed on your announcement of your plans to help them clean up well in advance.
[I saw they needed help, so I did.]
"That's very considerate of you. Most of the humans I saw long ago weren’t like that. I wonder if Fluttershy's influence has had any affect on you."
"If I may be frank, I think Anon's kindness is genuine," Twilight remarked while shaking her head. "Fluttershy might be a good role model for him, but I sincerely believe that he means the best out of the kindness of his heart." Celestia shot Twilight a look of surprise, and turned back towards you.
"If what you've told me is true, Anon, then there would be good reason for me to believe Twilight. But I'm still curious as to WHY you feel the need to help ponies. You would certainly be more content with staying with Fluttershy and the other elements and waiting for a way to return home, right?" Celestia's tone seemed to be leading, as if she were anticipating a certain kind of answer from you. But you knew the best option would be to answer honestly- it had been a good policy for you this far.
[I hadn't thought about returning, no.]
"You hadn't?"
"Whenever Anon tries to remember his past on Earth, he's wracked with terrible pain. It makes sense that he would avoid the topic altogether," Twilight added.
"I see. But do you not wish to return to Earth, regardless? Surely, being among your own kind would be preferable to living here in Equestria," Celestia suggested. You shook your head adamantly and smiled at Twilight.
[Equestria is my home more than Earth was, as far as I can remember.] Celestia re-read your statement multiple times before staring you down intently. Her eyes burned with an insatiable interest, as if she were trying to gauge your sincerity through eye contact alone.
"Is that so? You really believe that Equestria is your home?" Luna chimed in with a smile.
"One could argue that logic is flawed due to your impaired memory, sentimental as it is," Celestia argued. "My intention was to discover a means of returning you home outright, but it seems that would be a hasty action to take without your consent. You were brought here in the same manner, it's only fair that you be given the opportunity to make an informed decision this time."
"What are you saying, Princess Celestia?" Twilight inquired.
"I'm saying that I would like to pursue a means of restoring Anon's memories, so that he can properly decide on whether to return to Earth, if and when the time comes."
To your surprise, Twilight and Luna looked as taken aback as you did. You hadn't considered the possibility that your memory could be restored before, and to hear such a proposition from Celestia was telling.
"Do you really think we can?" Twilight asked.
"I do. You are well aware that magic can be used to restore memories in ponies; I see no reason why we cannot do the same with dear Anon," Celestia replied.
"Would it not pose any danger to him? I know that field of magic has been and still is a cutting edge when it comes to research," Luna remarked with worry.
"It is. But I believe it is the best option for us at this moment," Celestia concluded. "What do you think, Anon? Is this something you want? To regain your memories?" You hesitated to answer at first; you were still new to experiencing magic, and while your brief history with it thus far wasn't unpleasant, Luna's warning gave you a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. You were also unsure how to answer because you had absolutely no idea how the process would work.
[I don't know. I'm still unfamiliar with magic.]
"Your doubt is not unjustified- sister, why don't we wait until we have a means of transporting Anon first, as to avoid unnecessary risk," Luna pleaded firmly. "Consider it another choice Anon will be able to make when he is properly knowledgeable of the process necessary." The two of them exchanged glances for a moment, and Celestia let out a calm sigh.
"You make a fair point. I suppose I am asking a lot of you, Anon, but please know that I only mean the best for you. When it comes down to it, I believe that Equestria may not be the best place for you, I won't lie about that." Celestia took a deep breath, and beamed as she continued. "But so far you have made leaps and bounds to prove my past judgements wrong, and I sincerely apologize for holding the past actions of your kind against you. That said, I will continue to pursue means of setting things right as I see fit, and we will meet again when the appropriate day comes. Do you understand?" You bowed in affirmation, earning another nod from Celestia.
"Good. I do believe that I have exhausted my list of business with you, Anon, but please allow the other princesses a moment of your time, if you would." Celestia turned to Twilight, who did a double-take.
“Wait, are you sure that’s everything you had to say?” she asked carefully.
“Of course. Was there something you were expecting, Twilight?” Celestia responded, raising an eyebrow and briefly setting Twilight’s hair on end.
“N-no, no, I was just making sure.” Twilight’s eyes darted between you and Luna for a moment before composing herself.
“There was one thing I was expecting, dear sister,” Luna chimed in.
“And what would that be?” Celestia questioned, her voice taking on a curious tone.
“Did we not have a discussion about granting Anon citizenship, just the three of us?"
Wait, did she Luna just say 'citizenship?' You looked to Twilight with a stunned expression, who tapped her hooves together in quiet excitement.
"Last I recall, you entertained the notion, albeit with some skepticism,” Luna pressed. "If we're on the topic of transparency and informed consent, I feel he should be aware of this, as well." The soaring feeling in your heart was abruptly cut down as Celestia’s gaze returned to you. You did your best to not show your nervousness, although it didn’t seem to be working. After a few seconds, Celestia looked as if she had realized something and cocked her head to the side.
“You’re absolutely right. I’d like to speak with him alone on the matter, however.” Twilight and Luna exchanged glances briefly, and stepped down past you. You could hear Twilight whisper ‘good luck’ under hear breath to you as she and Luna left the quiet hall. Celestia watched the two alicorns leave over your shoulder, and settled back into her throne once the doors shut behind them.
“Anon, be honest with me,” she began. “Do I scare you?” What a strange question to ask, you thought, shaking your head.
“You’ve been very tense since the moment you walked in. Is something on your mind?”
[Not particularly.] You thought for a moment, and became aware of the sweat forming around the choker on your neck. You remembered why you were still wearing it.
[I was hoping we could meet again.]
“You were?”
[Yes. I’m glad we did.] Celestia nodded in agreement and stood up, gesturing with her wing for you to walk with her towards the hall doors.
“As am I. You’ve surprised me a number of times in the last ten days, and I wanted an opportunity to apologize to you personally.”
[Apologize?] Celestia stopped her steady pace and turned to face you with a solemn look.
“I want to be honest with you, Anon. When I first saw you, I felt afraid, angry, and confused, as I did long, long ago. The havoc that humans caused in the past was heartbreaking.” she answered flatly. “And when we left that cavern, I treated you like an animal, like a burden, and were it not for Fluttershy’s interference…” Her voice trailed off, and you recalled Twilight’s story of the previous humans’ exile. Celestia noticed your expression and cleared her throat.
“But you’ve given me reason to believe in you, Anon,” she continued, bowing her head with a smile. “During my rule, I’ve come to learn that everypony deserves a second chance. I misjudged you, projecting onto you the actions of your forebears, much like one particular human from their time.”
[Twilight told me about that.]
“I thought so.” Celestia lifted her head and continued her slow pace, glancing fondly at the stained glass along the walls before looking back towards you. “But let’s change focus for a moment- you know now why I called you here, but you mentioned before that you were anticipating our meeting. Why is that?”
[I wanted you to trust me.]
“Hm? Are you saying you planned for this?” Celestia watched you curiously as you unclasped the choker around your neck and held it out to her. The only reason you agreed to wear it was to prove your trustworthiness to Celestia, after all. She levitated the trinket out of your hand and studied it for a moment, focusing on the gemstone in its center.
“You kept this, knowing that Twilight was reporting your behavior to me, yet you say your actions are purely out of kindness,” Celestia concluded. When she put it that way, you sounded considerably less sincere than you had hoped. You looked around the room away from her, trying to think of a response.
“Don’t worry, that doesn’t change what I said before about second chances,” Celestia chuckled. “Your decisions were still good in and of themselves, whether you knew you were being observed or not.”
[Thank you.]
“But there is something I’d like to ask of you, first: how much would you be willing to do to be a part of this world? There are the usual examinations for becoming a citizen, of course, but staying in Equestria will, in one way or another, likely take its toll on you. What reason would you have for staying, aside from your lack of memories of Earth?”
You struggled to find a definitive answer; while thinking of what you were missing back on Earth wasn’t an option, you had found some purpose in Equestria, either. Already, a few ponies had made concessions for you as if you were already going to stay- an opportunity for work with Rarity, keeping the Cutie Mark Crusaders company, and helping out at Sweet Apple Acres, to name a few. And there were still others, like Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who you simply wanted to stay with for reasons you hadn’t yet figured out.
[I just want to keep helping, I guess.] Several seconds of silence passed as Celestia pondered your response, before her face lit up with inspiration.
“For clarification, Anon, you are still unable to write, correct?” You nodded your head in reply.
“I see. And how much would you say you trust Twilight Sparkle, my former student?” she asked cheerfully. “Surely enough to be monitored daily, right?” she added.
[I trust her, yes. Why do you ask?]
“When Twilight first arrived in Ponyville, I tasked her with writing letters to me, depicting the lessons she learned about friendship. If you trust her enough to write in your stead, I’d like you to do the same.”
[May I ask why?]
“As I said earlier, I want you to have an informed decision on whether or not you wish to return to Earth. If and when you find yourself dedicated to something between now and when the day comes for that decision, I want to hear of it. Does that make sense?” Celestia smiled again as you both reached the hall doors, which slowly swung open to reveal Luna and Twilight patiently waiting for you.
[What about the choker?]
“I’m keeping it here,” she replied, folding the band up neatly with her magic. “You said you wanted me to trust you, so I want to hear about your life in your words, this time.”