The nature of the beast.

by Kintra


Scroll Five: Education

Sleep. Something I think I took for granted. I mean, it’s easy to sleep, just sit there. Don't think. And drift off. So what happens when you can’t STOP thinking about your day? Simple, you hate yourself. You sit there rolling around thinking "It’s cool, I’ll just stop thinking" And it just doesn't freaking work! You try and try but still your day haunts you and it just ARGGHHHHH. Ya know?

Weird how my first real night in Equestria, I slept fine, and then they give me a bed. And I wander around the castle. Slept for maybe an hour, which somehow during that time, someone fixed my door. Don’t know who, but I wished I could thank them. After about two hours of wandering aimlessly (And getting lost) I eventually found my way to the library.

Where I found the only book I recognized. "The elements of harmony: A reference guide" Oh boy oh boy. It was interesting knowing what the book was when I couldn't actually Read the spine, but I had seen it before, and the pretty pictures confirmed my suspicions of it being the book. So I was happy.

When morning came I was still in the library. The first pony to find me was a servant. Who tried to ignore me as best she could, though every time I turned a page or grabbed another "Picture book" I could see the poor girl flinch. I suppose it made sense, some unidentified creature reading in MY library? Id flip to.

She deserved a pat on the back though. She took me like a champ. Now I wish I wasn’t writing in pen, that last sentence sounded weird. Though she was one of the first ponies in Canterlot I came to know, a unicorn mare by the name "Thorn" Her body color was a bright, almost vibrant green, and her mane and tail were cut short but still the dark red was visible her cutie mark was of some sort of duster thing, the old French ones.

Her eyes being almost milky white, I asked if she was blind, she said it’s just how she was born. Did I mention how much taller I was to all these ponies? Thorn comes to about my waist and she’s tall for little ponies, Luna is almost a full foot shorter than me, and Celestia is almost able to look me in the eye ALMOST. But again, just rattling about useless stuff.

When Luna found me she was almost in a panic saying something about only the servants knowing I’m allowed and the guards told to watch my moves, and anything suspicious would get me locked up blah blah blah, she could talk, a lot. "Luna, calm down. I’m right here! I was just looking through the books!" I said almost laughing at her hysterics, Thorn ran when I started talking. Man... I feel so sorry for her...

Luna finally regained her composure after a few more minutes of ranting and then caught me off guard she walked up to me and placed her chin on my shoulder, which to be honest, I’m pretty sure is the only kind of hug she could accomplish with how I was sitting.

"I am deeply sorry, I was simply worried. When you were not in your bed I panicked and ran around trying to find you." At this point I stopped laughing and started feeling like shit, only knew her for a day and already being an asshole. Good job man. Good job.

"I'm sorry Luna, I just couldn't sleep. So I figured I would wander the halls, eventually I ended up here. I would have gone back to my room, but to be honest, I’m so lost I couldn't if I wanted to." At that she laughed, stood back up and took a few steps backwards,

"Why the library? Can you read equestrian?" This is where I was REALLY proud of myself. "Not at all. I was just looking at the pictures." I raised my voice a few octaves. "PRETTY pictures." I laughed and looked at Luna who was also enjoying herself, because I was safe or because of my stupidity? Another mystery, though she swears it’s just because the pictures thing.

After about twenty minutes and the servants (Excluding thorn, though bagger was there brown stallion, Very plain, cutie mark of a chef’s hat. cool guy though. he’s the only one who helps me make snacks at night. AND THEN makes me work them off by running around the gardens, It’s all in good fun though. He likes the company. ) Brought us, being Luna and myself, some apples and éclairs, oh man. Éclairs.

I had never had éclairs before. I ate one of these things and OH MY GOD. Amazing. Not sure if earth’s éclairs were as good but if they are I regret never trying them. Though the apples were getting a bit. Eh. Boring, I’m sure you know what I mean. Eat too much of one thing over a period and it’s like...Eh. Anyway.

After we had eaten Luna perked up some and asked "So! Would you like to learn to speak, write or read first?" Tough question. "Speaking please. I don’t like everyone fearing me. I’d like to be able to tell them I’m not going to hurt them. Et cetera, et cetera." Luna looked at me a moment.

"Et cetera? Oh. That abbreviation Eee tee cee. So on and so on?" Not gonna lie, she didn’t miss a beat, I was almost proud, though she did rip the language from my mind. Ah well. "That’s right, see? You learned something today too!" I was actually happy for her. Weird as it may be.

We started the lessons around roughly 8 am; by the time we were finished, we had walked the castle gardens, and halls, twice. Toured the town once, until businesses started closing. To which we returned to the castle. All in all when we returned to the castle it was 8 PM.


I was dumbstruck. And also about half the words of the equestrian language richer, I could piece together sentences. Which was nice. Though nothing to complicated, last word I was working on was "Injustice" Which in equestrian in my now not so biased senses, Actually sounds less like barks and more like "Banrigh" Closest translation. Swear to god.

When we did finally enter the castle the princess of the day fussed over her little sister in equestrian, here’s what I managed to get from the conversation "Luna you brought the man creature into town! If you were trying to......The town then couldn't you have just......But no! You took him to a public place! You probably didn't even teach him that much did you!"

Sorry about the partial completeness, but that is what I heard, anyway, Luna was starting to look hurt so I turned to Celestia and in the strongest Equestrian voice I could muster. "She taught me plenty princess, and the only reason we were wandering though the town is because the only way ponies are going to fear me less is if I see them, and can interact with them. I'm sorry we didn't inform you first, but eventually words going to spread of me being here anyway."

Celestia stared at me for a good five minutes before she spoke again. "You...Speak equestrian?" Was all she got out. "Your language is surprisingly simple, though a few of my favorite english words have no translation, yea, I can speak equestrian to a point." I said matter of factually.

"Oh. good." She looked at me then turned over a hoof "Put this on." In between the...treads? I don’t know, of her horseshoe was a small purple bracelet; It looked like it was made of woven metal. But who am I to question the princess...