//------------------------------// // Another royal meeting // Story: PONY // by Deathsia //------------------------------// ANOTHER ROYAL MEETING Professor Josh stumbled backward and fell onto his ass as Ericka approached him after she had struck him square in the face. “Why didn't you tell me this?! How could you be so thoughtless?!” Ericka roared as she stood before him. “H-Hey! It's not like those things had souls of their own! I just worked from the ground up with what I knew! And since when did you care so much about how your equine body was made?” Josh asked as he stood back to his feet wearily. Upon hearing this Ericka balled up her fist once again but just as she was about to strike the professor, Richard came up behind her and held her back. “Stop it Ericka! He's not worth it!” Richard exclaimed as he struggled to hold the woman back. “All those bodies, the least you could have done is have the decency to bury them! But no, you just tossed them in a ditch like they were Jews in a extermination camp! Would you have even told me if I hadn't seen it for myself?! Would have have told me how I was made?!” Ericka roared as she struggled against Richard, seemingly hellbent on pummeling the hell out of the professor. “Wh-What?” Josh asked in a shocked tone. At first he thought he had misunderstood her, but he realized that she had actually said “How I was made.” “Do you honestly believe that creature is you?” Josh asked stunned at hearing this. This question halted Ericka in her struggle full stop and realized just what she had said now. “Forget it, I'm going back to see Pinkie Pie and the others now. I'll have my report for you when I get back.” Ericka replied in a solemn tone at which point Richard released her from his grip. Ericka then walked over to the V-M-A device, laid in it, and shut the door. ------------------------------------------------- A month had now past and Nightmare Night was now upon Ponyville and Ericka was eager to meet Princess Luna herself. “You really did that?!” Pinkie Pie asked incredulously as Ericka sat in her room now. “Well yeah. I was pissed off. After all, what they did to make this body I'm in. Even though I'm happy to be able to spend time with you guys, I wish it didn't come at the expense of those bodies. To be honest, I don't care about the mission anymore. But I know this won't last forever. The field study will end and I'll have to leave.” Ericka replied in a saddened tone. The pink mare looked at her with a saddened expression now. “You mean you can't stay forever?” Pinkie Pie asked with a pouty expression. “I'm afraid not. I would love to believe me, but the top brass won't let me stay here forever.” Ericka replied followed by a sigh. “But we've become such great friends. And you've even become good friends with Twilight's and the others.” Pinkie Pie replied in a soft tone at which point Ericka placed a hoof on the pink mares cheek and smiled at her. “Hey, don't give me that look. Isn't your special talent making parties and putting smiles on pony's faces?” Ericka asked softly. “Well yes, but how can I be super happy, when knowing you won't be here forever makes me super sad?” The frizzy maned mare asked with a slight sniffle. “I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, and I’ll let you know when I have to go, but until then. I want to see you smile okay? It just seems so not you to be frowning like that.” The dark blue Pegasus said as she embraced the pink mare in a loving hug. “Okay Ericka. I'll do my very best to keep a super duper big smile on my face!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she returned the hug. “That's what I wanted to hear. Now lets go outside and enjoy Nightmare Night shall we?” Ericka asked as she broke the hug and looked at the pink mare. “Okie-doki-loki!” Pinkie Pie replied as she hopped to all four hooves and began to walk to the door of her room followed by Ericka. --------------------------------------- “She's getting too close to them...” “I know...” “You told me she was the perfect candidate for this because of her background. What changed?” “I don't know, but I do know one thing...” “and what might that be?” “She needs to be 'taken care of'” “You mean “make her disappear”?” “We can not just make her 'disappear' the others would notice, her social status in their society has progressed that far.” “Then what do you suggest?” “Expose her, reveal to the others that she's not what she seems.” “That's low, even for you...” “I know, but we have no other choice. If this continues, it's only a matter of time before she stumbles upon something else...” “How did she discover the bodies in the first place?” “I have an idea. But I'm not completely sure.” “Oh?” “Yes, Richard told me that he saw her speaking to a zebra-like creature a week before the confrontation.” “So you wish to silence the zebra too?” “If it comes down to it, yes.” “Very well, This meeting is adjourned.” ------------------------------------------------ Ericka walked about Ponyville now in awe by all the festivities that were happening. To her left she could see a few ponies firing off pumpkin launchers which sent pumpkin hurtling towards targets with a loud splattering sound. To her left she could see more ponies dipping their heads into a large bucket of water. And judging by the fact when their heads resurfaced they had apples in most of them, she assumed this to be a game of “bobbing for apples”. In front of her now she saw a small group of colts and fillies laughing aloud as they ran to a home dressed in different kinds of costumes and shouted “Trick or Treat!” as the door opened revealing an adult stallion dressed in what Ericka assumed to be a “vampire costume”. “So, are y'all enjoyin yourselves?” The farm pony asked as Ericka and Pinkie Pie stepped up to her. Applejack was dressed in what Ericka assumed to be a scarecrow costume and stood by the large bucket of water as ponies bobbed for apples. “It's just so much to take in, I never dreamed your holidays would be so, well, big!” Ericka remarked aloud in an awed tone. “Heh, well ah reckon once your memory comes back, you'll remember this kind of stuff is common for Ponyville folk. We are a pretty close-nit town ya could say.” Applejack replied with a giggle. “So what is Twilight dressed up as this year Applejack?” Pinkie Pie asked eagerly. “No idea, probably another pony from one of her history books.” Applejack replied followed by a hearty laugh to which Pinkie Pie joined in with a giggle-fit of her own. CRACKLE-THOOM! “Yaaaaah!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed about the same time Ericka had as they jumped in the air and fell onto their rumps, turned around and looked up to see Rainbow Dash whom was dressed in what looked to Ericka like something from a “scream movie” from her world. “Ha-ha-ha! Got ya both!” The cyan blue Pegasus exclaimed with a grin. “Can ya go one year without bein a prankster Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked with an annoyed glare at the Pegasus. “Can you go one year without putting up this bobbing for apples stand? Lighten up AJ! This is the one time of the year I can cut loose and not get any flack for it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a mischievous grin as she pushed the cloud along the skies to her next unsuspecting victim. “I didn't take Rainbow Dash for a prankster.” Ericka remarked aloud as she caught her breath and waited for her heart to stop pounding out of her chest. “Are you kiddin meh? Her and Pinkie Pie are notorious for the most pranks in Ponyville this side of Equestria.” Applejack replied with a grin. “You too? No wonder you like to sneak up on me, it all makes sense now.” Ericka remarked aloud dismally though she smiled as she spoke. “Hehe! Don't worry Cloudkicker, I won't prank you if you don't want me to, it's all in good fun, and Pinkie Pie looooves fun!” The pink mare exclaimed with a wide grin. “Oh really?” Ericka replied with a mischievous grin. --------------------------------------- The cyan blue Pegasus now hovered over a set of unsuspecting ponies preparing to strike down to creak the loud thundering sound only to have the cloud she was on suddenly be yanked from under her. “Hey! What gives?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in an annoyed tone. Rainbow Daaaash, you have be abusing my power to scare unsuspecting ponies, for this you shall be punished! The cloud seemingly spoke to the cyan blue Pegasus. “Wh-What?! Okay who's doing that? Who grabbed the cloud?” The cyan blue Pegasus exclaimed in an annoyed tone as she flew over to it only for it to zip away from her. Moments later a few other clouds gathered in the area and began to making thundering sounds of their own. “O-Okay guys, this isn't funny! Come out and face me!” The cyan blue Pegasus exclaimed in a scared tone as the clouds grew louder and louder and electricity seemed to be swirling around in them. Any last words Raaaaainboooow Daaaaashhh? The cloud seemingly asked as the electricity grew more firce. “Whaaaaaaahhhh!” Rainbow Dash shrieked out in horror as she darted away so fast a rainbow streak could be seen in the wake of her flight. After the cyan blue Pegasus was clearly out of sight, two mares could be heard laughing hysterically behind the clouds as was a certain Purple unicorn. “Th-That was pure genius, Cloudkicker. Bwhahahahahaaaaah!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed between laughs. “It's a good thing Twilight knew some of kind of way to let you move and walk on clouds for a short time.” Ericka replied as she caught her breath from laughing so hard. “Nothing a walk on clouds spell can't fix.” Twilight remarked from below as she wiped tears from her eyes after laughing so hard herself. “A magic spell huh?” Ericka asked aloud as she helped the pink mare to the ground. “Yep. Is it coming back to you yet Cloudkicker?” Twilight asked curiously as the dark Blue Pegasus walked up to her. “Slowly.” Ericka replied honestly. Though she meant this with a completely different meaning. She was slowly beginning to accept that there was nothing scientific at all about the things Twilight and other unicorns is this world could do. Slowly but surely, she was beginning to believe that this “magic” as Twilight and many other unicorn's called it, actually did, in fact, exist. “So do you think she'll be pulling anymore pranks tonight?” Pinkie Pie asked with a mischievous grin. “Actually, I kind of hope so. It wouldn't be nightmare night without Rainbow Dash scaring the Tartarus out of ponies.” Twilight replied with a soft smile. “Your right, she's always been the big prankster. Bigger even than me.” Pinkie Pie replied with a giggle. Hours past however and the cyan blue Pegasus was no where in sight. “Maybe I should go see how she's doing?” Ericka suggested worried. “Yeah, she's been gone way too long now. I was sure she could have figured out it was a prank by now.” Twilight replied equally worried now. Ericka then took off from the ground and off towards Rainbow Dash's home. --------------------------------------------------------------- Once the dark blue Pegasus arrived, she saw that just about every light in the cyan blue Pegasus's house was on as she landed on the doorstep. “Dashie? You here?” Ericka called out but there was no awnser. Curiously she opened the door and saw the cyan blue Pegasus huddled in the corner sobbing softly to herself. “Listen, about the cloud thing, that was my idea. It wasn't real ya know. Just a prank.” Ericka confessed guiltily as she walked up to the cyan blue Pegasus. “Of course I figured out it was a prank, what do you think I am? A foal?” Rainbow Dash replied in a hurt tone with a sniffle. “Then I don't understand, why are you like this?” Ericka asked confused yet still concerned. “When I was a filly, way before I entered flight school, I was terrified of clouds. See, when a year or two after I was born, there was this huge storm that the Pegasus ponies bright in. Well, it got out of control. Me, my mom, and dad had to flee from our cloud home. Our cloud home was destroyed before my very eyes as they carried me away. The formation of clouds, the lightning, it was just like your prank. It took me eight years to get over that fear.” The cyan blue Pegasus explained at which point Ericka felt like dirt. “I-I didn't know. I'm so sorry! Can you forgive me?” Ericka asked in a soft tone as she laid down next to the cyan blue Pegasus and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I know you didn't know. That's why I’m not upset with you. I just didn't want anypony to see me like this. The last thing I want anypony saying is that I went from the coolest pony in Ponyville to a lame crying filly.” Rainbow Dash replied with a sniffle. “Dashie, our fears don't make us lame ponies. Nor does crying for that matter. Everypony does it. Sometimes, even fear can drive us to overcome the very thing we are afraid of.” Ericka replied in a comforting tone. “Don't talk to me like I’m some filly okay? I know this. I just have an image to uphold.” Rainbow Dash replied in an annoyed tone as she sniffled once again and wiped some tears from her eyes. “Okay, Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to talk down to you like that.” Ericka replied sheepishly as she rubbing the back of her head with her right hoof. The cyan blue Pegasus gave one last sniffle before she wiped her eyes and nose with a hoof and stood to all four hooves. “It's cool. I'm okay now though.” “You sure?” Ericka asked curiously as she stood to all four hooves herself. “Yeah, I'm fine. No need to be crying my eyes out all night long over something that happened so long ago.” Rainbow Dash remarked as she walked towards her door, stopped just short of it, turned around and looked at Ericka. “Something up?” Ericka asked curiously as she took note of the cyan blue Pegasus's look now. Rainbow Dash stood there for a few moments just looking at Ericka before she shook her head with a soft smile. “Nah, it's nothing.”  She replied before she turned around and took off from her doorsteps. “Your welcome, Dashie.” Ericka remarked with a smile. Though she wasn't exactly sure, she had a feeling Rainbow Dash wanted to say thank you for coming to check on her and cheer her up. She however knew that even if she did, she wouldn't say it outright. ------------------------------------- “Hey, you missed Princess Luna's speech!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as Erika came into sight and landed next to her. “”Well, crap! She hasn't left yet has she?” Ericka asked hopefully. “Nopey-dopey! She's in town square enjoying the festivities with the other ponies.” Pinkie Pie replied with a smile at which point Ericka and her ran towards town square. Ericka stared in shock and awe of the night princess's appearance. She was nearly as tall as Celestia was, maybe a few feet shorter. Without another moments hesitation she ran up to the moon princess and bowed before her. “Hello Princess, I've been looking forward to meeting you!” Ericka exclaimed looking up at Luna whom looked down at her with a curious expression until her eyes widened in realization of who exactly this pony was. “Ah yes, we have heard about you.” Princess Luna remarked aloud with a slightly stern expression. “If I may be so bold to ask, can I ask to speak to you alone?” Ericka asked curiously. The moon princess stared at her for a few moments as if debating this before she replied with a silent nod and the two began to walk away from town square. “We must be frank with the, we do not trust thou, but we trust our sister's judgment.” Princess Luna remarked aloud as they walked on. “I understand. At first I was afraid your older sister would banish me to moon or something like that from the history book I read.” Ericka replied nervously then made a facehoofing gesture. “Oh sorry!” Ericka exclaimed thinking she may have brought up unwanted memories to the moon princess.   “It is quite alright. We assume you know of our dark past then?” Luna replied as they stopped just short of a statue and looked at it.  “Well, yes and no. I had my suspicions, but the history book was really vague about it.” Ericka replied honestly. “As it should be. Our sister did not want her younger sister's reputation left in ruins for younger generations to learn and hate us for what we did.” Princess Luna replied followed by a sigh. “It is still hard for us. Adjusting to this modern world. So much has changed. And sometimes, it overwhelms us.” The moon princess confessed. “Me and you are the same in some ways then. Thrown into a world where nothing makes sense. I'm still learning about this world and up until I finally accepted some things, nothing made sense. And a lot of stuff still doesn't. But I’m learning.” Ericka replied with a smile as she looked over at the moon princess whom continued to stare at the statue. “Know this, we have been watching thou closely, as has our elder sister. We have taken note of how you have become friends with Twilight and the others. We urge the to not get anymore attached then thou already has. One day you will have to leave, thou knows this does the not?” Princess Luna asked as she turned her head to look at Ericka who's expression had become saddened upon hearing this. “Yes, but sometimes, I wish I didn't have to leave them.” Ericka replied at which point Princess Luna turned to face her directly. “Thou does not belong here. Thou belongs with the two legged creatures that dwell in the Everfree forest. Thou is not a pony, thou is a two legged creature in a pony's body. We do not wish to be cruel to the, but thou surely must realize this.” Princess Luna replied with a look of seriously in her eyes. “How can you say such cruel things?! After all, you were once Nightmare Moon were you not? You changed who you were. Why can't I change who I am? Why can't I be a Pegasus? Why do you look at me and see one of those two legged creatures? Can't you look at me and see me for who I am?!” Ericka exclaimed as tears swelled in her eyes now. She didn't know what she was saying, it just seemed to pour out and she wasn't able to control it. Upon hearing this, Princess Luna's expression changed to one Ericka couldn't quite place as the moon Princess blinked at her several times. “Thou...truly believes she is a pony?” “I-I guess so.” Ericka replied stuttering slightly now. Upon hearing this the moon princess sighed heavily. “We may have misjudged the.” Princess Luna remarked aloud as she walked past the dark blue Pegasus and stopped though she did not turn to face her. “Know this, we have been impressed by thou's statement. But we must bid the farewell for now. If we do not partake in Nightmare Night's festivities, then thy subjects may wonder what has happened to us. We shall speak again Cloudkicker.” Princess Luna replied and walked away. Now alone, Ericka was able to fully process what she had just said. “What the fuck is happening to me?” Ericka asked herself aloud as she stared at her hooves now as she sat on the ground. “Why did I say all that? Is it because I’ve been in this pony body for so long that I'm actually starting to believe I am one? Is this one those unknown side-effects that Josh spoke of?” These questions and more plagued the young Pegasus's mind. She was lost, confused as to who she actually was. Yet, at this very moment she remembered something... FLASHBACK “Hey sis! Do you really think those visitors from the other planet come in peace? I mean they look so creepy and different!” Ericka's little sister remarked aloud. “Just because a being looks different doesn't mean they are automatically evil sis. Remember, we live in a vast universe. So many worlds exist out there. If we can't accept another race of being that looks different from us, then how can we live in peace?” Ericka asked as she looked away from her painting to look at her sister now. “I know that, but it's not like we one of them, how can we know what they are thinking?” Ericka's little sister asked curiously to which Ericka smiled at her. “Well, you are you, right?” Ericka asked to which her little sister nodded but didn't see where she was going with this. “And you would never hurt anyone right?” Ericka asked curiously. “Of course not! But I don't see where you're going with this!” Ericka's little sister exclaimed in frustration. “No matter what you look like, you'll still be you. And no matter what the visitors from outer space look like, they will still be them. Sure, some of them may be hostile towards us, but that doesn't make them any different from humans. Nothing in this universe is perfect. And no world in this universe is an exception to that statement.” Ericka replied as she reach over and hugged her little sister. “I don't understand.” Ericka's little sister replied in a confused tone to which Ericka giggled. “Don't worry little sis, one day you will.” Ericka replied with a smile. END FLASHBACK “Even if I’m a pony right now. I'm still me.” Ericka said aloud as if she had an epiphany. “I understand now, but it's funny, I thought I understood before.” Ericka said aloud with a soft giggle. “I can't believe how much of an idiot I’ve been! Fussing over looks when they don't matter when it comes down to who I am.” Ericka remarked aloud with a soft smile however frowned as she looked at her hooves again. “But what am I really? Am I a human being? Or a pony?” Ericka asked aloud as she stared at her hooves. The question now was no longer about her appearance, but rather a more spiritual question to herself. A question she had yet to find an answer for. Regardless, she would find that answer for herself as time passed. For now, she just would take things as they came and in doing that, she was sure she would find the answer...