I was pretty calm while following the princesses. I mean they were the good guys right? We navigated the castle, nodding at a few amazed servants every couple meters. After a bit I think Celestia and Luna talked a bit, and the elements, Cadence, and Armor were left behind at the party, but I wasn’t paying attention. My mind was so focused on getting my story straight that I didn’t notice us walk into a dark grey interrogation room.
“Luna wanted to ask you a few questions, if that’s alright,” Celestia explained.
I yawned and sat on one side of the table, flinching at the cold ground. Luna smirked triumphantly and sat herself on the other side.
“We wish to learn your name, first.” She ordered, smile fading.
I paused to hastily gather the rest of my thoughts before answering.
“Phasma di Imago Veritatis,” I lied.
Luna looked to the side briefly, then back at me.
“You will tell us the truth.”
A lie detector? Only one way to beat this.
“Truth? Ah, well, I guess there’s no way around it...”
Luna leaned forward slightly, I could tell she was fighting back a smile.
“The truth is... Well it’s hard to say...”
“What is it? Tell us!” Luna’s face twisted into a scowl.
“Well, the truth is I’m from a faraway land where names are seen as secret.”
Notalienotalienotalie.
Well, not completely, in ancient mythology there was the concept of ‘true names’, I just didn’t believe any of that for myself.
“We see, so thou cannot reveal your true name without breaking this ‘secret’?”
It worked! My face split into a wide smile.
“Yuppers, my fair flailing flounder, no siree am I spilling any beans.”
The princesses brow furrowed.
“When did we begin discussing the beans?”
I fell silent as we stared at each other for a few minutes, smile slowly fading.
“Well you see, beans are a wonderfull fruit.”
“They are a fruit?”
“Yuppers again, the more you eat the more you-”
Celestia coughed slightly from the corner of the room, bringing me back to the fact that this was an interrogation.
My smile faded off completely, and Luna’s curious scowl faded into something akin to a disappointed frown. But the moment passed when the next question was asked.
“We would like to know where you are from.”
I paused, thought, then smiled.
“In your dreams.”
Luna scowled again.
“You will tell us, you have no choice.”
I leaned back and began polishing my hoof.
“No really, in your dreams, my home use to be a world dreamed of by ponies.”
Luna glared and glanced at the corner of the table again.
“We see...”
Her complexion cleared up swiftly, and she looked more confused than anything.
“And how did you come to Equestria?”
“A most interesting occurrence, the other day, I was strolling down the road, when suddenly, I heard a song being sung. Following the source of the music, I traveled through bakeries, warehouses, clothing stores, and the like, amassing quite the inventory as I went. What I found separating me from the source of this wonder was the hedge maze you see behind me. Never being one to back down from a challenge, I pursued my goal even through the depths of this maze.”
“Getting lost several times, I expended all the donuts I had commondered from a rather homely stand. After a night’s stay in that area of the maze, I continued on, entrenching myself ever deeper in this Chinese finger trap. After a matter of two days, my surroundings seemed to bend and warp, I knew at this point I had gone delusional, for nothing could bend the world so atrociously. For half a day I traveled in this nightmare world, when, as suddenly as it began, it ceased.
“The next thing I knew, I stumbled into your courtyard.”
I bet the lie detector was going off like crazy, luckily Luna wasn’t paying attention to that. No, both princesses were staring with their jaws loose, either amazed at the intense story coming out of nowhere or baffled at the load of crap I just hurled in their faces. Luna was the first to speak.
“What is this ‘chinese finger-trap’?”
Falling to the ground I laughed so hard swore I would either die of suffocation or adorableness.
“You dare mock us?!”
I bolted upright, laughter coming to a dead stop. Luna had stood up and was glowering down at me.
Oh balls, I forgot the short temper she’s suppose to have.
“No no no, It’s just uh, kinda funny you don’t have finger-traps.”
Celestia stepped in with a slight frown;
“Let’s get back on track, just what are you doing in Equestria, Phasma?”
“Didn’t I already answer this? I don’t know, I was just minding my own business and next thing I know I’m here.”
The princesses looked at the table corner in unison. The detector must’ve said something unpleasant for me, because Luna looked down with a furrowed brow, and Celestia's scowl deepened. I hope it felt proud of itself.
“It’s clear you're hiding a lot from us,” Celestia began, “but since we don’t have evidence against you, we can’t hold you against your will.”
Yes! Thank you good fortune!
“But also, due to your lying to the royal sisters of Equestria, we need to keep you under surveillance until you prove you’re not a threat.”
No! Screw you fate!
“Is there anywhere I can stay the night?” I asked timidly.
Celestia tapped her chin in thought.
“We do have a guest room saved for visiting emissaries.”
“I’ll take it!” I complied easily.
“Good, the guard outside can show you where it is, and I’ll be sending servants every so often to check on you.”
The alabaster princess nodded to Luna and headed off to who knows where, meanwhile the princess of the night walked up next to me and watched her sister off. After a few seconds of standing there, Luna leaned closer to whisper;
“So, what is a finger-trap?”