//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Consolation Prize // by Geo-Sif //------------------------------// That first week was probably the most memorable of all my time in Canterlot combined, and not for the usual reasons of drama or stress. It was the most peaceful of my time there. Sure, I had a few nightmares that would pop up, but I couldn’t remember them upon waking. I know why now, but at that point, I simply figured that they just weren’t worth remembering. For nearly the entire week, I spent my time with my nose in the books, so to speak. I made little progress, sure, but I at least worked the cipher out quickly, for the most part. I was having difficulties memorizing the information without the use of flash cards, and found myself frequently flipping back to the foals’ books for reference. Of all the books I had at my disposal, I found myself gravitating towards the ones with simpler text, with illustrations drawn in to aid the words. One of the few memories I have of my mother was of her telling me about how I taught myself to read using images in a magazine. I just hoped I could still learn to read, given that I was no longer three… mental age notwithstanding. At any rate, I had grown accustomed to the four walls that surrounded me in that time. They did little to comfort me, however. I had been told at some point that I was unable to move about the castle because of my sudden appearance, and because of my magical disability, I had been promptly assigned what was I assume a butler. I don’t want to refer to him as a servant, but that’s what he was. “Butler” just sounded much better to me. I woke up one morning to him cleaning the mess I had left previously. “Good morning, sir,” his voice deep, accent similar to northern British, mouth hidden behind his mustache. It, like his mane and tail, had minor graying to it. I blinked blearily at him, almost unable to register who he was and what he was doing. With a start, I leaped from bed, and promptly hit the floor. He approached me with an annoying calm. “Are you okay, sir?” he asked, helping me up with his magic, dusting me off. “Peachy,” was my grumpy response. He went on to explain that he was the butler that had been hired by one Princess Luna to help aid me in day-to-day life. To my grimace, he mentioned that from what he’s been told, it was bound to happen at some point. I was too weak with magic to be able to perform my daily routine, too new with hooves to have any form of dexterity, and being that as the case, I was unfit to take care of myself. And because of my rather harried, run down appearance from lack of maintenance, I was also unfit to be seen by others. Considering my low list of visitors, that might have been a lie. Regardless, he was here now, and I was to make full use of his services, under royal order, in order to improve my mood and hygiene. “Terrific...” was my sarcastic response. He simply raised an eyebrow at me, not commenting further. “So, what do I call you? I mean, you’re certainly no Alfred Pennyworth.” “Indeed. I am not a Pennyworth, but a Wordsworth.” At this, I blinked. It had to be some coincidence, or something fate deemed hilarious that a Pennyworth should even exist here. “So, you work for Her Majesty?” He nodded, going back to picking up around the room, “Oh yes, my family is indebted to Her Highness, and has been for generations.” I pursed my lips, “Does that mean you also served in the military?” “Of course, sir. As is tradition!” he stood proud, even as he scraped a few plates into a bucket. I had forgotten to send them back to the kitchen… a few times. I couldn’t help myself as the line of questioning continued. “Did you happen to be a super secret spy pony?” “Oh, that’s not something I’m at liberty to reveal,” he turned his back to me to clean up a shelf. “And what about Princess Luna’s secret identity?” I whispered conspiratorially to him. And he didn’t even break form, “I believe that’s public knowledge as of two years ago.” “Wait, what?” He didn’t smile, though, not that I could tell behind his mustache. As I stood there, he took that as his opportunity to make my bed, humming softly to himself a rather catchy tune. I watched him, as I couldn’t yet process what I’d learned. I was still tired, and secretly wanted to crawl back into bed, made or not, butler or no. I shrugged though, and made my way over to a chair nearby, turning it away from the desk. It was awkward to sit in at best, but I made do. I needed some semblance of normalcy in my life, considering I now had a butler. Me, a college student well on his way towards massive loan debt. Before I got too comfortable, though, Wordsworth spoke up again, “Now that the bulk has been straightened up, I believe it’s time for your bath, sir.” I bolted upright, “Bath? But I took one last night.” “Did you? You certainly don’t look it,” he then sniffed, face scrunching up, “And you certainly don’t smell like it.” I blinked, “Yes, I did!” “Come along, sir,” he moved to guide me off the chair, and I followed at first, before stopping. “… You want to bathe me?” He nodded, poking out his chest as though proud of the fact. “It’s a part of my duties, sir.” “No, absolutely not,” I made a cross with my hooves. “I prefer having my privacy for a bath, regardless if it’s efficient or not.” “And you will have it, just as soon as you learn to clean yourself properly. Think of it as a lesson in etiquette and hygiene.” I blanched, shutting my mouth. I felt as though I wasn’t getting out of this one. I, nearly out of my teens, was going to get a sponge bath by a butler… I worked to hold in this embarrassment. I was so close to being self-sufficient that this hurt me, set me back a few years in my pride. And so, he bathed me. It wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as I thought it might be, mostly because we didn’t talk. He just did his job, and I went along with it. I now knew what the family dog felt like as I was hosed off. He was drying me with towels, denying me any attempt to do so on my own, when I grumbled something out. “What was that, sir?” “I said, ‘thank you,’” the words passed through grit teeth. “I seriously doubt you did, sir.” I don’t even want to think about how we went about shaving my scruffy face. That was an adventure in and of itself. 000 This sort of activity became routine, with me fighting it even less than I did before. The rest of the week was spent cleaning nearly as much as I studied. I knew he was just doing his job, but at the same time, I didn’t want Wordsworth there longer than necessary each day. Not to mention, this was my little slice of ‘paradise’, and I didn’t need another pony to invade it with actual legitimate reasons. At any rate, Cadance had stopped by a few times to see how I was doing, and I grew to relish her visits. She never could stay long though, but I still appreciated her stopping by when she was able. I briefly wondered just what royal duties she had, or even what the other princesses did. As interesting a subject as government would be in book form though, I was still on the pony equivalent of “An apple is red”. All in all, things were pretty normal, except for the extremely minor fact that I hadn’t left the room at all in a week. The walls felt as though they were closing in around me, locking me down, stifling me. It was hard to breath easy at times. My progress slowed, my will to learn waning, as I fought with myself to get out of bed at times, even though I slept little. Most times, I would just crawl back into bed as soon as Wordsworth would leave. It was one of these particular days that Cadance caught me. “Come on, now. It was time to wake up some six hours ago!” Her voice was the usual levels of chipper and happy, which just seemed to grate harder on my nerves. She snapped on the lights as she entered, having long forgone any form of knocking or announcing her arrival. I merely grunted, keeping my eyes squeezed shut and rolling over. I could practically feel her smile fall, her hoof steps approaching my bedside. “Ben, come on. Don’t do this.” One hoof was placed on my shoulder, and I resisted the urge to just pull the blanket over my head. “Do what?” I muttered, eyes still shut. “You know what I mean.” “No, Cadance. I don’t,” my temper was rising, building from being cooped up for so long, ready to take it out on anyone. “And what’s the point? There’s always tomorrow, and at this rate, that’ll never come either.” I practically growled the words out, surprising myself with the tone, but quickly got over it. “You shouldn’t talk like that,” I could hear the frown in her voice as she tried to convince me of something she herself didn’t truly believe, “You—” But I cut her off. “And why is that?” My eyes snapped open, and I bolted upright in bed. The mattress gave me a little height advantage over her as I looked down at her, eyes narrowed and voice fierce. “Because I should be happy? Happy that I’m in what is essentially a gilded cage?” My voice fell as I caught myself yelling at her, not liking the look in her wide eyes, “I can’t leave, Cadance. I can’t do anything, and I feel like I’m just wasting away in here.” I couldn’t look at her any more, slumping over. “Sure I’ve made some reading process, zero on the magic front, but I don’t have much room to move around. I haven’t even felt the sun in a few days now.” There was a cloud cover during that time, threatening to rain, or at least, that was what was scheduled. I still don’t quite understand how they made weather predictions so accurate. When she didn’t respond with so much of a sound, I built up my strength to look at her. She looked lost in thought, lips pursed and eyes drifting to the side, her knit brow marring her forehead. “I can’t even open the window.” I waved a hoof that way, and she didn’t even flinch. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to go without fresh air for over a week?” “Yes, I do.” She countered, voice low as her eyes narrowed, despite still not looking my way, “And for longer than that even.” I ignored her. “Give me a break. You’re a freaking princess. Royalty! I bet you have free reign over the entire palace, while I’m stuck here.” I huffed, giving in to the childish desire to act out, to complain about anything and everything. “I told you, you can’t have free roam over the palace without guards,” she cast a sideways glance my way. “And I told you, the guards won’t listen to me!” “That’s because you lack a cutie mark. You would draw undue attention to yourself.” “And that’s my fault how!?” I roared at her, hooves in the air, mouth twisted in a snarl, “Last I checked, it was your aunt that made me this way! The least she could do is let me see the outdoors, and I’m not talking through a freaking window!” She flinched back, her eyes drifting to the floor and posture wilting. It took the wind right out of my sails, and I deflated from my perch above her. “Cadance… I’m sorry,” I started, moving closer to the edge of the bed. “I’ve been in here too long. At times, it feels like I can barely breathe.” I took a deep breath, my chest feeling heavy, lungs aching. Without a word, she got up, heading towards the door. It was my turn to flinch, to feel ever so tiny. “Cadance? Please don’t leave.” I pleaded with her, just short of begging. “Relax,” she turned to face me, stopping just before the leaving and putting on one of her warm smiles that I had grown so fond of. “I’m going to take care of something. I’ll be back soon, hopefully, with a surprise.” With a small wink, she stepped outside the door, “Try to stay out of trouble.” The door clicked shut. “I don’t like surprises… “ 000 True to her word, she didn’t take long at all. Although she found me still in bed, staring at the door, she didn’t comment on it. Instead, she moved to the edge of the bed, coming to sit on it while facing me. She had this smile on her lips, and just stared at me, teasingly, as if egging me on to ask what she had done. And I caved, being the first to speak, “So… what was that about? Where did you go?” “Hmm? What ever do you mean?” her smile widened. “You know very well what I mean, young lady,” I chided, trying to be playful, testing the ground. “Oh, young colt,” she patted me on the head, which I didn’t like, my ears betraying me by folding back. She continued on unperturbed, though, “You really should learn to trust your elders.” “Cadance, I swear—” “Shouldn’t swear,” she tutted me. I grumbled, hunching down in on myself, growing completely unsure about this playful side of her. I mean, sure, I liked it, but I had enough reminders that I was essentially a kid again, with no will or authority. And I didn’t like that part most of all. I wasn’t going to take it out on her though. With a click of her tongue, she remarked, “Now, say please.” Maybe I would take it out on her a little bit… My eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring a little. “No.” She stared at me a long time, watching as my will crumbled. Who was I kidding? I couldn’t just say ‘no’ like that. Eventually though, she pouted, scoffing, “Spoilsport… “ I almost apologized, stopping just short and snapping my jaw shut at a look from her. With a shrug, she continued, “I set you up an appointment.” And then my playful side decided to speak up. “Oh? Is this for my hair? Cadance! You really shouldn’t have.” I gestured over at her, “I mean, whoever does your mane should get a raise, but I bet they couldn’t do me justice.” She actually chuckled at that. “Oh no, you’re not quite ready for a trip to a spa,” she ran a hoof through her mane, flicking her wrist at the edges to let it flutter back into place, triple colors still staying neatly organized in a row. “Thank you, by the way. I do it myself.” I bit my lip, eyes widening some. And she only laughed more, “Surprised?” She winked, “Anyway, this appointment is more your style, I’d think. I set you up with a date and time to spend in the Royal Sculpture Garden!” My mouth hung open, face marked with disbelief. “I know, right?” she patted me on the shoulder, smile wide. “It would’ve been sooner, but we need to get you ready. As it stands, you’ll be able to leave the room in two days. You think you can hold on that long?” I wanted to hug her right there and then. And that’s saying a lot: I never want to hug anyone. She took my silence in stride, even going so far as to close my mouth for me. “I’ll take that as a ‘maybe’.” “No— I mean, yes! Take it as a ‘yes’!” The twinkle in her eye returned. She was teasing before, but I didn’t catch it in time. She stood up from the bed, moving towards a pack that she had brought in with her. Out of it she pulled a tape measure and a notebook. “Would you mind if I got a few measurements? It’s for another surprise. Remember, you can’t go out as you are.” “So I’m getting a costume? Oh! Can I be Bat-mare?” I smiled, hopping down from the bed and approaching her, all while inwardly cringing at the dumb pony pun. I only stumbled a bit, as I was getting used to this four-legged way of thinking. Couldn’t run yet, probably. “Not quite.” With her magic, she brought the measure around my neck, and then hung it loosely over my chest. She marked down each of the circumferences, and moved the tape around my barrel, again marking it down. She continued to measure me, while I stayed as still as possible. Her magic had a strange, light touch to it, and I fought down a blush as it tickled me. Finally, she was done, nodding to herself. “Got every part you need?” “I believe so, though stallion fashion tends to be a little more loose than a mare’s.” I wasn’t sure what she meant by that. “I should have enough information for now, though” As she packed up her bag, I couldn’t help but smile, excited already for the day to arrive, when I could be outside again. I was practically bouncing. “Well look at you,” she had her smirk back on her face. I immediately went rigid, crimson creeping into my features. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy!” I decided not to comment, that this was only because a few hours outside looked so much better than being cooped up in this tiny series of rooms. However, I had another suspicion I needed solved. “So, uh,” my voice cracked, “why the security? I mean, I know I’m not supposed to be seen, so does that mean what, exactly?” “Oh, it’s nothing, really. I just needed to double check the weather schedule, and that the garden would be empty that day, so you could be alone to yourself.” I sunk a little at this. “Hey, don’t give me that, now. You were so happy a moment ago. Don’t let anything ruin that.” She was right. “You’re right… “ “I know I am,” she smiled at me. “Now, I have a few errands to run in the meantime. I likely won’t see you until it’s time for your little trip.” I almost pouted at that, “None of that! Keep studying, and maybe you’ll be able to read the statue plaques!” I knew she was teasing, but I couldn’t help but feel a little indignant. “Hey!” “Hay is pretty good. You should try some.” To my befuddled look, she giggled. “You have a nice evening, and a good day tomorrow. If you have any sort of emergency, you can talk to the guards outside, after all. I know they seem like statues at times, but you’ll be able to tell the difference after your trip.” “Okay, Cadance. You have a good day as well.” I waved to her as she opened the door, “And thank you, again, for everything.” “You’re welcome.” “No, I mean it. I don’t know where I’d be without you.” I put on a warm smile, one she easily matched and surpassed. She didn’t say anything further though, closing the door and leaving me to my thoughts and my studies. 000 Now, I know what you’re thinking. That I was impatient, that I couldn’t sit still under the excitement of something so mundane as a trip through what is an outdoor museum. … you’d be right. I spent the two days buried in my research. That’s what I had taken to calling it, anyway. It made me feel a little better about my situation, like I was back in college, and there was a term paper due. Only, I was always a good boy, and got those things done ahead of time. You have to pace yourself to not be late and still do a good job. Reading was coming along nicely, not quite second nature yet, but still close to it. Memorization without writing something down, or typing it up, was always hard for me. But regardless, I forged ahead. The words came easily enough, so did the spelling, eventually, but it all came together when I could read a single sentence without stopping. “This red pony is strong.” It was simple, but as I mentally checked my work, I felt my heart soar from the sheer success of it. Sure, it was no pangram sentence, and I don’t think there was an equivalent in Ponish, but still. I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, the thing to bring my mood down ended up being simple: I lacked someone to share the success with. Sure, there was Wordsworth, but I doubted he was paid enough to care. And there was Cadance, but she was busy for my two day wait. So I just had my little success for myself, bottled up for later. I decided to build on that, though, and try my hand at more complex sentences. The universe seemed pleased with me, at any rate. It deemed that I should have a smooth couple of days, and I soon found myself being escorted by a couple golden clad guards, and Cadance. We were a little slow in walking, despite my excitement, but it was deliberate, as I still had yet to learn how to walk properly. That’s part of what this trip was for, I guessed. Sooner or later, some one would have to teach me proper posture, though. Pacing in my room certainly hadn’t helped in that regard. Her little surprise ended up being a simple cloak, one that hung just past my flanks, hiding them. I wasn’t completely stupid. I could figure out that those little butt tattoos I had seen on the princesses and Cadance, and even Wordsworth, were the ‘cutie marks’ she mentioned I lacked. Again, it hadn’t been my fault, but this simple cloak would allow me to be relatively unhindered as I roamed around under escort. And though I felt a little naked, as the cloak only covered so much, I found myself not caring. Being washed by another pony seemed to cure me right quick. Besides, when in Rome… or would that be Roan? I couldn’t stop smiling the whole trip to the garden. Sure, the decor of the castle was exquisite, immaculately clean and shining, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I needed to be outside for once. To feel the fresh air on my coat, a breeze in my mane… That would be something I’d fight for, and yet, I wouldn’t have to. I would need a way to thank Cadance later. We kept relatively silent the whole trip, and at times, I would catch glimpses out of the palace windows of the city that was Canterlot. Again, while gorgeous, it was not where my attention lay. No, I wanted that sculpture garden. Sure it was silly, but it reminded me of a simpler time, where I could be in class and there would be a field trip to a museum. I still think I was the only kid to ever enjoy such a trip. And even though I knew I wouldn’t understand the context of any of the art I saw, I was still excited. There was nothing that could bring that feeling down. Finally, we had reached the entrance to the gardens, my escort pausing on the threshold. I looked back at them, a little shocked that they were letting me just head out alone, staring at them for confirmation. While the two guards simply flanked the entrance, Cadance gave a nod. “Don’t worry, Ben, they will be right here. You’ll have the gardens to yourself.” “But,” I hesitated, “what about you?” “Paperwork,” she groaned. “Oh.” “Sometimes, I wish I was still in Canterlot Academy. Things were so much simpler back then,” she sighed softly, but perked up. “Don’t let me stop you, though. Just make sure you stay in sight of the guards. And no running into the maze.” I smiled wide, nodding. “Good.” She gives a single nod in return, quite restrained compared to my excitement, “I’ll see you later on, Ben. Do try to relax.” And she turned and left. I watched her until she vanished around a corner, and was truly gone. A part of me was disappointed, but then, she never said she’d be going with me. So with a shrug, I turned about, and gave the guards a wave, that neither returned. With a small frown, I headed into the gardens to have a look around. The sights did not disappoint. It felt like I was still in college, having gone on a trip to a proper sculpture garden, not that this wasn’t one. Granted, there were no Modern or Contemporary styled art in the Canterlot Sculpture Garden, from what I could see. Most of them were Figurative in nature, being carved out of sparkling marble with little in the way of stylization. It struck me as odd that they would use such a stone for outdoor sculptures, but I couldn’t remember why. I briefly considered the stone to be porous, but I couldn’t recall the details. Regardless, I followed the footpath laid out along the statues, each one leading to the next, with them facing or pointing back to the castle in some manner or form. I stopped to examine one in particular. It looked like a mare holding a bound scroll, with a similar, unrolled one circling her. Her eyes were closed in pensive thought, and she stood on hind hooves, something I had been attempting and failing do to my unfamiliar body. It was amazing to me just how lifelike she was, standing there on a pedestal, looking like she could walk off at any moment. This was no Michelangelo, though, so it lacked certain qualities that, if I was one of those art history majors, I could comment further on. As it was, I just about understood that it meant intelligence, if I could read the plaque correctly. As I wandered around, my mind began to wonder. My imagination drifted some, back to what I had read in a class pertaining to art through the ages. There had to be more than just a Classical or Neo-classical. My favorite was Baroque, I believed it was called, where they used gold to represent the sunlight as it flowed and glimmered along the gilded marble statue depicting something in the height of emotion. Sure the statues in Canterlot were impressive, but they didn’t have that soul to them. Especially the one I approached after the mare with the scroll. It was a creature unlike I had ever seen, even in the imaginations of fantasy land. Head of a pony, with what looked like an eagle claw and a lion’s paw for arms, a bat wing and a pegasus wing, a goat’s hoof and a dragon’s leg, and finally the tail of what I think was a cockatrice? I stared in utter confusion at that statue for the longest time. Now, I don’t have much of an imagination, but I don’t think many could’ve dreamed up such a sight even without psychedelics. And the way its face was twisted into one of pain and horror, arms and legs extended, as if trying to dodge something or push it away, it all unnerved me. I don’t know what came over me. I must’ve stood around there for hours, because when I finally came to, when I finally looked away, the sun was dipping behind the castle in what must’ve been in the late evening hours. I bit my lip as I looked over to the guards, and saw a third figure there in purple and gold armor. They were all looking at me. I couldn’t figure out why, or what time I was due back inside, so I headed their way... taking the long way of course. After all, they let me out of that cage, the least they could do is let me walk back slowly. As I approached, the third figure removed his helmet, revealing himself to be… Some pony or another? I wasn’t sure who he was, since all day guards were white anyway, so a white unicorn is only enough for me to raise an eyebrow at, no matter how blue his hair may be. We stared at each other for a moment or two, with myself wondering if he was waiting for me to speak first. Luckily, one of the guards cleared their throat, seeming to snap the white stallion out from the staring contest. “Ah, you must be, Benjamin.” “Ah,” I countered, a smile on my lips, “seems you have me at a disadvantage, sir.” “Indeed. I’m Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard,” he holds out a hoof, much like Cadance did once, and I go to tap his with mine. He doesn’t let me get away with that though, using the crook of his hoof to hook under mine and actually giving me a proper hoof-shake. It was strong and firm, not something I expected. And the look on his face told me he knew exactly that. “Okay,” I muttered, “Disadvantage in more ways than one, it seems...” I shook my hoof out. It felt like he gave me a rough squeeze, causing my hoof to ache afterward. He had small smile on his lips. A look, I’ll admit, I didn’t like. “So, what brings you here, captain?” I smirked, “Come to watch me as I look around? Make sure I don’t run off?” His smile vanished in an instant. “Speaking of, isn’t it about time for you to head back to your room?” I felt my elation from the day outside sink, his words like a cannon through my ship. “I, uh, don’t know. Cadance didn’t really give me a time frame.” “Well, where is she?” he tilted his head. I gave my best shrug while on all fours, “It beats me. She mentioned paperwork, and then—Oh! There she is!” He followed my pointing hoof, a smile coming back to his features as he sees her. “Are you boys playing nicely, now?” “Yes, ma’am,” I droned out before Armor could say anything. He shot me a puzzled look, and Cadance responded before he could. “Shiny? Are you not being fair?” she raised an eyebrow at him. It took him a moment, but he scooted back as though she were going to scold him further, wincing. “But Cadance! Not in front of the soldiers!” he whines out in an impressive way. She gave him the stink eye for all but two seconds, before she burst into giggles, Armor and I chuckling soon after. The guards are stoic, though I thought I saw one crack a knowing smile. Our laughter soon died down, to which Armor cleared his throat. “Alright, I hate to do this, but we have to get you back to your room.” I wilted. Desperate, I turned to pleading, “Oh come on. Please, just thirty more minutes? I haven’t had the sun on my coat in weeks!” Armor looked about as happy as I felt about the news, but before he could so much as bargain with me, Cadance spoke up. “Look, Ben. I’m sorry, but your time is up. Now, I didn’t say you couldn’t come back out here. Just not right now.” It sure softened the blow of having to go back to that blasted room, but then Armor went in for the kill. “We’ll take the long way back.” I blinked, surprised. And he smiled at me, “I’m not all business. I do have a heart.” “Oh hush,” I got brave, though I was prepared in case this one backfired, “You just want to impress Cadance!” Armor’s face went pink immediately and he actually sputtered! I couldn’t believe I just struck the right nerve, first try. I wasn’t going to let him off easy, either. “Oh, my, gosh… Armor! Not in front of the soldiers! Remember?” He squirmed, as if he’d been caught. For what, I didn’t care. I just laughed. “Okay, okay.” Cadance swooped in to save his sorry butt, “You had your fun, Ben. You can stop picking on those who are much bigger than you, now.” We both laughed, to Armor’s chagrin. “Okay,” I echoed her, “I’ll stop.” I was smiling ear to ear, and let out a content sigh, “I think I’m ready to head back now.” “Very well,” she nodded, turning and beginning to lead the way. I followed her, with Armor and his guards catching up. “Thank you, Cadance, for everything,” I chirped, “Can I maybe get some books on the history of the sculptures in the garden? For when I can read them?” “Sure thing.” 000 That night, I felt a renewed vigor, and I pushed forth in my studies. At some point previously I had asked Wordsworth for some advice on how to do just a quick levitate spell on a quill, but he was of no help. He simply told me to do what felt right when it came to magic, and left. My magic books were of no help either. Of course, they required more than just core understanding of the language, and that wasn’t their fault. I just needed to hit the books harder! Notes or not! And so, late into the night, I found myself studying a page in a book I swear was titled “Living History and You.” Bizarrely, it was largely about Princess Celestia, if my first glance was of any indication. She never struck me as quite that old. The book also seemed to be fairly new too, recent edition, which left me wondering why it was so important to need publication in the first place. Shouldn’t that all still be within recent memory under her reign? And what about her sister? But before I could dwell on it further, I heard someone clear their throat. I didn’t look up. If they needed me, they’d call me by name, which they actually did, “Mister Moore!” My head shot up, and I realized I was in a classroom. Everyone in the room except the teacher had turned in their desk and were staring at me with various expressions, from amusement to disgust. The teacher on the other hand had her arms crossed over her chest, staring at me with a look of contempt. I immediately recognized her. It was Miss Paisley, my second year English Teacher. “So glad you could join us, Mister Moore!” She always was a terrible teacher, demanding instead of teaching, ridiculing instead of nurturing, “Now, if you could, please identify the appositional phrase in the sentence on the board, that would be most helpful.” I swallowed a lump forming on my throat, “Y-yeah, sure.” But as I looked at the board through my glasses, I noticed something disturbing. I couldn’t make out which sentence she meant. The letters all looked foreign to me. I cleared my throat, my hand pointing towards the board, “Um, what sentence, Miss Paisley?” Before she could answer, I was saved by the bell. The class shot up out of their seats, leaving the room in a loud commotion, me included. I had briefly caught Miss Paisley trying to flag me down, but I largely ignored her. I just had to get out of that class, before I embarrassed myself further. As I roamed the halls, my embarrassment largely faded, and I immediately noticed a strangeness to my surroundings. Everything was on the huge side, or maybe I was the small one? My head couldn’t look over the lowest level of lockers. I had always been of average height, so being tiny stuck out to me quite easily. Then snippets of conversation broke me out of my trance. “Did you see that fat nerd in class stumble over the sentence on the board?” It was a group of teens, their faces unrecognizable, if not outright blank. That couldn’t be right… “Totally! Can you believe it? And to think, that dumb-ass makes all the A’s. Throws the curve way off.” the second male scoffed. “I know! Oh hey, there he is!” The final voice belonged to a female, and I could barely make her out, as she pointed towards me. “Aw, where did your clothes go, little man?” “W-what?” I sputtered, looking down. I was indeed naked. The group began laughter anew. “Oh my God! The balls on this kid!” The first one guffawed. “Look at him! I can’t stand it.” The second one chortled. “So, shorty,” the third tittered, “Lose your tongue as well as your mind?” It was then I recognized her voice. “M-Marie?” Her face came into focus for me, and it was just the way I remembered her. Her checks poked in from dimples, eyes showing no wrinkles even though her smile took up her entire face. “I t-thought we were friends!” “Friends?” she attempted to quiet her laughter behind her hand, before bending down to laugh directly in my face, “As if I could be friends with someone so path--” “ENOUGH” With the sheer forcefulness of the voice alone, the entire image dissipated to smoke, clearing and fading away quickly. I was left dumbfounded, at a loss as to what had been happening. My mind seemed to clear though, as did the left over haze from the hallway. It was then I felt someone behind me, just before they spoke, “Young Benjamin?” I turned to face Luna. Was she always this tall? “Y-yes, your Majesty?” She frowned and gave a short wave with her hoof, sweeping around the blank landscape. “There is nothing left to fear. What ails thee?” My voice died in my throat, and my face felt wet with tears. I angrily began wiping my cheeks into my fetlock, only to realize I had hooves again. “N-nothing,” I noncommittally sputtered out, lying to her and myself. She approached me, a look on her face I couldn’t quite place. When she reached me, her wing draped over my back. I was a pony again. Why was I a diminutive equine? “Young Benjamin,” she began, “T’was but a dream. A nightmare. There is little to worry about now.” “But,” my voice was low, just above a whisper, “it felt real to me.” “Be that as it may,” her wing gave me a squeeze, “It is not well to dwell in the past. Take this as a wise warning, young Benjamin.” “Princess?” I finally looked up at her, her face a look of calm, none of her discomfort that I’d seen from her in the waking world. This was her element. Luna sighed and ignited her horn. It glowed with a soft pulse, before someone appeared before us. A tall, black mare, with billowing mane of stars and dragon’s eyes, clad in midnight blue armor… Her face seemed almost familiar to me. Then it dawned on me, “Is she your other sister?” But she shook her head, “Nay. This is… was Us. We went by Nightmare Moon by this point.” She let that sink in for a moment, “At one point in our life did We befall a great darkness. It twisted us, made us only aware of anger and jealousy. We did terrible things...” I looked on in awe, in her face, the mare’s face too, both twisted into a snarl, both mirroring one another. “And all because We did not place enough faith in the positive. We saw only the negative, and soon, that was all we had...” “B-but,” my voice cracked, “Why tell me all of this?” She withdrew her wing, the mare faded, and Luna turned to face me. “Thou are but a part of a hoof-full of Our subjects that do not know the truth.” “I’m not your subject though.” I voiced with little conviction behind it. “Oh? We were not made aware.” I grimaced as she practically looked down at me. Her deep cyan eyes bore such pain, so much sorrow. I couldn’t help myself. “...I’m sorry.” “For what, young Benjamin? Thou has nothing to apologize for.” I was silent. I knew that, but I felt like I should say it anyway. She took my silence hard, “Does thee wish to be left alone?” “I don’t know.” Again my voice cracked, and I felt a warm wetness drip from my eyes. I fought off the feeling, struggling to bottle it, force it down. I refused to let anyone see me cry. Her eyes narrowed as she warned me, “Think long and hard on this, young Benjamin, for it may indeed lead down a dark path. Isolation breeds loneliness, which can lead to contempt. Do not let it consume you.” Her voice faded to an echo, her body giving way to white light. And then I woke up. I was back in the room they set me up in, a nice patch of drool in the book I had been trying to learn through osmosis, apparently. I looked around and considered what Luna had said, but didn’t put much faith in it. It was just a dream, after all. And those usually ended up being less prophetic and more chaotic the older I got. That is, if I remember them at all. I looked over at the clock, and I barely had an hour left to sleep before Wordsworth would just barge in. So despite my groggy state, I moved away from the desk and into the bathroom, all to try freshening up on my own again.