It’s midnight in Canterlot.
The city’s usual buzz had died down to near silence, and just about everypony had turned in for the night. They all lay in their beds, thinking back on their day. They remembered the friends that they visited, the time they shared with their loved ones, and the fun they had. These sweet memories gave them peace as they started to drift off into sleep. For Princess Celestia, it was a night like any other.
Court was over, and her daily duties were over. She had no more responsibilities, no more ponies to deal with, yet she felt unhappy. Her subjects viewed her as a mother who was never at fault and who cared for them all greatly. While the second part was true, she felt as if she was an idol. Being an idol sounds and feels good at first, but it becomes torture. The ponies elevate her to some pedestal that makes her untouchable. They cannot joke with her, they cannot share life stories with her, and they cannot treat her like a friend.
To them, she was above having friends and feeling love. No pony would dare admit their feelings for her because she was like a god to them. She was a pure flower that could not be touched unless it be destroyed entirely. No pony treated her like any other pony, and she hated it.
She wanted to have ponies she could genuinely call friends, but they would not want her to stoop so low. She wanted somepony to love her, but they would not dare touch her. She just wanted a real connection with somepony. She wanted somepony she could discuss her day with while sharing a meal. She wanted somepony she could lay down at night with and hold tight. She wanted somepony who would hug her or kiss her in public without a second thought.
No stallion had so much as held her in almost a century, and even then, it was just a friendly gesture. Any form of romantic embrace had not taken place for the greater part of a thousand years.
She was lonely.
Celestia tried to clear her mind as she walked down the halls of the Canterlot Castle. She looked outside through the massive stained windows, taking in the scenery. The street lights were shutting off, but the moon was out, casting a crystal glow over the cityscape. She continued trotting through the halls, her horseshoes clicking on the stone floor.
Her ears perked up as she heard the one distinct sound that everypony in the castle instantly recognized. The light pit-pat of shoes hitting the floor echoed through the hallway as the strangest creature in Equestria approached.
His slim body came into view, his features being illuminated by the moonlight. His name was Marcus, and he was the only of his kind on the planet. He was what he called a “hoo-man,” a species of monkey-like, bipedal, and furless creatures. They did not have hooves or paws but instead walked on two “feet,” which looked like what ducks walked on, just lengthier and without the webs. They had large, very defined muscles, and Marcus was fit for his kind.
His “biceps and pecs” stuck out especially, and it made him look very intimidating. Everypony was scared of crossing him, mainly because he stood at two times their height and weighed twice as much as them. His muscles were the cherry on top of the monster cake he appeared to be.
It hurt Celestia that her ponies were afraid to talk with him, but she knew it was to be expected. He was a creature from a world that was a lot more dangerous than theirs. She knew that, despite his reputation, he was one of the nicest stallions around.
She loved his company because he was a real friend. He did not care that she was a princess or that she could smite him to death at will. To him, she was someone who had a lot of weight on their shoulders with no one to help them carry the load.
Marcus wore a blue pair of what he called “jeans” and a black long sleeve shirt made for him by one of Equestria’s finest seamstresses. He had a pair of black shoes on that gave him the distinct sound he made while walking. Without shoes, he was dead silent and could sneak around the castle, Celestia came to learn. One time of him walking up behind her and startling her by laying his hand on her made her learn that lesson.
As he walked up to her, he abruptly changed directions and started walking by her side.
“Hello, princess,” Marcus said in his soothing voice that she had come to like so much. It was very deep compared to a pony’s, but it was not a harsh voice. It always came from the most sincere of places. She thought it added to his exotic flare.
“Hello, Marcus,” Celestia answered him. To any other pony, it would have sounded like her normal voice, but to him, it sounded downtrodden. His smile dropped, and he made his voice lower and more concerned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s not important,” she replied dismissively. She gave him a smile, but he could see right through it.
“I know that voice and that look: you’re upset about something, princess.” She stayed silent, making him frown.
She gave a lighthearted, “Hey!” after he teasingly poked her. “And I told you, you don’t have to call me ‘princess.’ Celestia is fine.”
“I know,” he started, “but we are around the castle guards. You do have a reputation to maintain.”
“I don’t care that they are around. You can call me whatever you want.”
Marcus whispered under his breath, “You’re going to regret saying that, Sunbutt.”
“What was that?” Celestia sharply questioned after hearing him.
“N-nothing. Now, tell Doctor Marcus what’s wrong.” He pulled out a pen and notepad from his pants, trying to look like a therapist.
Celestia huffed. “Where did you…” She shook her head. “Come with me.”
She led the human further down the halls until they reached the doors to her bedroom. They were two double doors, both made of gold. There were intricate little designs on them that represented the sun and other planets. Marcus had always liked these doors. He thought they looked “fire,” which was not entirely inaccurate.
She opened the two doors as her horn lit up, its golden glow encasing them. They slid open, letting Celestia and Marcus into her bedroom. She went over to her extravagant bed and plopped down, looking up at him.
“Well?” he quietly said, waving his pen and pad for emphasis, “what’s up?”
She sighed. “Well… I just…” she stopped herself, trying to collect her thoughts. “I feel lonely.”
“Lonely?” he asked, confused. “But you’re the princess. Everypony loves you.”
“That’s just it,” she started. “I am not physically lonely—I have ponies all around me. If I want to have a party with hundreds of ponies, I can have one in less than an hour. If I want entertainment, it is only an ask away. If I want compliments, I could get them. All of these things are great, but they mean nothing to me anymore. I may not literally be lonely, but no pony truly cares about me. They care about Princess Celestia, their motherly idol who loves each and every one of them. She is practically a god to them and untouchable as such.
“I have no friends. All the ponies I used to be able to talk with about how I felt are long dead. Even my student, Twilight, looks at me as a mother, not a friend. If I tried to talk to her about how I feel, she would think it wasn’t her place.
“I could go without friends, and I have, but no pony has loved me for generations. They all shy away because I am some powerful being who they are supposed to respect beyond all others.” She only now noticed the tears starting to drip from her eyes. “They’re terrified of me, Marcus. They’re too afraid to care about me as a mare in the slightest. I still need somepony to talk to; I still need someone to trust and share things with; I still need affection; I still need those tender moments and uplifting compliments.”
She sniffled, trying to compose herself in front of him. “You are the only pony I find a true friend—and you’re not even a pony.”
“And why is that?” he genuinely asked.
She froze up for a moment. Why did she enjoy his company so much? They were great friends, but it felt like he made life worth living.
“I think it’s because you treat me like an equal. You don’t think of me as some goddess that you are tainting, and I am ever thankful for it. You are the only one I can talk to about these things. Even my own sister looks up to me like our subjects.
“I’m lonely, Marcus.”
That last line hung in the human’s head. Hearing that Celestia, the princess of Equestria herself, was lonely struck him differently. The truth was that he had felt the same way ever since he arrived in Equestria. The ponies thought he was a monster—some still did—and he was imprisoned. Besides Twilight and the princesses, hardly any of them actually treated him fairly.
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” he asked, feeling a little betrayed that she did not tell him until now.
“I-I didn’t want to risk losing your friendship,” she said, laying her head on the bed.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. “You shouldn’t feel that way. A true friend will care how you feel. If I am a real friend like you say, I would care—and I do. I want to hear how you feel.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s what a good friend would do,” he said with a smile. She smiled back, looking up into his eyes. He broke it after a moment, quickly standing up and stretching his long legs. “Now, I have something that will cheer you up.”
He went to the door, opening it and stepping outside. He poked his head back in when he saw she was still on the bed. “What are you waiting for?” he teased, to which she got up with a giggle. He practically ran down the hall, Celestia having to briskly trot through the castle to keep up. They were making turn after turn, heading somewhere she did not know.
“Where are we going?” He only grinned. “Where are we going?” she asked with mock worry.
“Don’t worry; you’ll love it.” He finally slowed down and stopped outside of a small cleaning closet. “Wait here for one minute, and I’ll be out in a sec.”
“You’re going to take a second, and yet I have to wait a minute?” She raised an eyebrow, wiggling it. He tried to contain his chuckles as he went into the closet and closed the door.
Celestia was left to look around at where they were. It was a small hallway that some of the janitors would use to get around. How Marcus knew about this place was a mystery to her. After a few minutes of waiting, the door clicked open. She turned to him, only to find quite the sight.
“Do you like it?” Marcus asked. He was clad in black dress slacks, shiny black leather shoes, and a white buttoned shirt. He pulled his unbuttoned suit jacket flat, brushing off any dust. He did not have a tie, and the jacket hung open. There was also a handkerchief in its pocket. The jacket contoured to him perfectly. It had a slim look that made it simply dashing. His short facial hair made the outfit look even better. She studied how his shirt outlined his toned chest muscles, their bulging size making her feel—
“Sooo, what do you think? That bad?” he asked nervously.
She quickly closed her jaw and looked at him, her cheeks slightly warm. “You look perfect.”
“Thank you.”
“Why did you change? You looked great before.”
“Think of this as a nice outing for the two of us. I wanted to look my best for the occasion.” He clapped his hands together, saying, “Speaking of, let’s get going, shall we.”
She followed him further down the hall until they got to a side door. He pushed it open, holding it for her. She went through, finding herself in a large garden area. There were flowers everywhere, and the grass was such a luscious green. The moonlight only added to the beauty of the area.
“Wow,” Celestia whispered.
“Quite the sight, right?”
“Absolutely.”
He waved a hand for her to follow, leading her to the top of a small hill. He plopped down on the grass, sprawling out on his back. She did the same, lying on her side next to him. He looked over at her with a smile.
She had none of her usual regalia on at the moment. Instead, she wore only a basic pair of golden horseshoes. Her ponies would never see her like this, but Marcus was no pony. Her multicolored mane blew in the wind, and her wings gently fluttered at her side. The moonlight brought out the features of her white body.
Her fur was smoothed down, but there was a small tuft of hair on her chest that made a mountain-shaped point. Marcus guessed it was there because of the chestpiece she always wore on that area. Her wings had a different type of fur that made them look like plushies. It was way shinier than the rest of her body and was more like silk in texture. He could stare into her magnificent eyes for hours without getting tired of their beauty. He continued to sit there, looking over at her until she broke the silence.
“When you first showed up in Equestria, we thought you were a villain. We got word of a mysterious threat against Canterlot a few weeks later, and Cadance’s wedding was just around the corner. Even I thought you were some creature sent here to keep us distracted. But, after I talked with you, I saw that you were telling the truth and that you were a kind po—person.”
He nodded, turning so his body was facing hers. “Only a few weeks later, Canterlot was attacked by the changelings. Their queen had been hiding right under my nose the whole time, and I had put you, an innocent creature stuck on our world, in danger. I then tried to stop her, but my performance was… less than adequate.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” he interjected.
“Ha ha,” she replied. “I may have overestimated my power and underestimated hers, but that is in the past. The important part is that I was on the floor, at her mercy. She was going to kill me, but you, a creature from another world who had no stake in this one’s conflicts, got in her way. I remember you bargaining for my life. You said you would give yourself, the last of a mythical alien species, up instead of me.”
“I guess she fell for my lie,” he said with a nervous chuckle, knowing what would come next.
“I woke up in a cocoon, frantically looking for you in the room. I finally found you, but you were being experimented on. Those monsters were trying to understand how you were so resistant to magic. I had no idea you were until then, but I’m glad you were. Otherwise, they would have been able to find what they wanted a lot quicker.” That sent a shiver down both of their spines.
“Anyway,” she continued, her voice turning sour. “You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save me. What did I do to deserve that? I kept you locked up in a dungeon for weeks until I finally heard your case. Even then, I didn’t let you go anywhere outside certain parts of the castle. It took me months to finally realize who you are. Why did you save me?”
“I knew this would come up eventually,” Marcus began, “and I’ve thought about it for a while.” He let out a sigh, pausing for a moment as he steeled himself. “When we first met, I knew you were trying to protect your people, and I cannot blame you for it. While you may think that you are horrible for keeping me confined for months, you don’t know the whole story.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you weren’t the only pony to visit me.”
“What?” she asked out of shock.
“Oh, yes. Twilight came to visit with her friends. That was fun. She was the only one who thought I was not some monster, but her friends pressured her into keeping her mouth shut. They did nothing to help me.
“Princess Cadance came by once to ‘hear my side of the story,’ as she said, but it was really an interrogation. She threatened me, trying to coerce me into confessing that I was a malicious being. I never did, and she eventually gave up, never coming back.
“Your sister showed up as well. She seemed the most inclined to take my story without bias, but she still thought I was lying. She said that my dreams were evil and that I likely was too. That, hurt me the most. I viewed her as the more reasonable of you princesses. Not that you aren’t reasonable, but she seems to keep emotion out of important decisions completely. I thought she would understand what I was saying and that it was too crazy to be made up, but she used my dreams against me.”
“I never knew they all went to see you, Marcus. I’m sorry they acted that way.” She hoped he could hear how apologetic she was.
“I try not to hold grudges against them for it. They’ve all apologized for it since then, but it still makes my blood boil when I think about it too much.
“Anyway, back to what I was saying. You eventually came by to see me, and you listened. You felt sympathy for me and could see things from my side. I may not be the smartest person around, but I’m good at observing. I could tell that you saw the situation from the viewpoint of someone who was brought here against their will, only to be treated like an animal. You took me at my word and let me out of that cell.”
He gave her the warmest smile he could. He hesitantly put a hand on her cheek. She let out a quiet gasp, but she let her head rest on his comforting hand.
“In truth, it was you who saved me, not the other way around.”
“I-I don’t know what to say to that. I didn’t even know the others had gone to you.” He put his hand over her mouth. He took another deep breath. It was now or never.
“To stop myself from being a hypocrite, I should tell you something.” She sat up, looking at his contorting face. “The truth is that I feel lonely as well, and I should have told you sooner. Ever since I got here, I’ve been regarded as some scary being. At first, I didn’t mind it, but now it’s different. I am always viewed as a monster. As time went on, the memory of my family I left behind has become fainter and fainter. I’m starting to forget the details of their faces, and I hate myself for it. Ever since we became friends, I have been able to cope with that loneliness, but when you’re not around, I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of my own blood.”
Celestia was going to say something, but he stopped her again.
“Please, let me finish,” he whispered. She slowly nodded, and he carried on. “You asked why I was willing to give up my life for you. I did it because you believed in me, but I also did it because…” He took one final breath. “Because I love you, Celestia.”
“You… love me?” she repeated, barely a whisper.
“I have to. You make me feel like I’m wanted. You have been kind to me ever since you saved me. I want to wake up to your beautiful face, and I want to fall asleep to it as well. I want to make you the happiest mare alive, and I want to be there for you when you are down. If what I feel for you isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.”
Celestia sat there, her mouth gaping open. He had just admitted his feelings for her, and he had done it so well. He claimed not to be smart, but he had a way with words unlike anyone else she had ever met. He made her feel special with them alone, and she wanted that. She had considered him her best friend, but she had been blind to her own heart. Did she not want to spend all her time with him? Did he not make life something worth living? Did he not brighten her days when she was the one who was supposed to do that? Was he not the most important person in her life?
Did she not love him?
“M-Marcus, I—” she tried to say. She closed her mouth and decided to pull him to her instead. She wrapped her hooves around his back, holding him tightly in a warm embrace. She rubbed her face on his head, nuzzling him.
“Is that a yes?” she heard him try to say through the fur in his face. She laughed, pulling his face away so she could look into his eyes.
“It’s a yes,” she concluded, pulling him in for a kiss. Their lips locked, and she passionately showed her affections for him. He happily returned the favor.
Their kiss finally broke, both of them catching their breath with a goofy smile on their face. Marcus laid on his back, looking up at the moon. Sadly, the clouds had covered it, making the area gloomy and dark.
“Your sister still owes me a favor if I remember correctly,” Marcus said, closing his eyes tightly and scrunching his face.
“What are you doing?” Celestia asked.
“Almost… there…”
A few seconds later, and the clouds shifted away, clearing the sky and revealing the moon again. A glorious white light came down from it, showering the two in it.
“That should do it,” he said.
Celestia looked up at the sky, taking in the stars and the planets. Her sister could do some fantastic work. “This is wonderful.”
“I agree. We should do this more.”
She turned her head to him. “Why not? We should, and we will.”
“I wish. We both know you have a reputation to maintain, and me being seen hanging out with you will damage it.”
“I don’t care what they think anymore. If we want to be together, then we will be together.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. Tomorrow I’ll announce it to the public. No more staying in the shadows.”
“It’s settled then.”
“We will be lonely together, Marcus,” she whispered into his ear. He turned to her, smiling again.
“We will be lonely together, Celly,” he answered, pulling her in for a quick kiss. They both shifted so they could comfortably look up at the sky.
It was an interesting night indeed…