A moment later I awoke to find myself upside down.
In a tree.
My tail tied to a branch.
A squirrel on my face.
Eating a nut.
I slowly started swinging, to get the squirrel off.
It took a few minutes, and at the same time my tail ended up getting untied, sending me straight to the ground.
I wasn't injured, given how it was less than a foot.
I looked around and noticed how I hadn't even gone twelve feet before this happened.
However it happened.
I stopped thinking about it and got up, then truly began the journey to the capital.
Which, a few minutes later, I learned was named Canterlot, given how a small group of ponies were talking about it as I passed.
I quickly made my way to Canterlot, and hid in a nearby bush.
I had to wait for dark if my plan was going to work.
Sneak up on the Princess when none of these crazy ponies were looking, and get her to fix this.
I had nothing to lose.
The night came and I emerged from the bush.
I then went into the city, and made my way to the castle in the middle.
All I could think was "incredible"
I ignored that thought, and quietly made my way over to it.
I hid by the main door, and a small group of guards came out.
I slipped in and looked about.
No living being.
I quickly made my way through the building, and ended up in the kitchen.
I took advantage of the convenience and grabbed a very sharp, strong knife in my mouth, then snuck out.
I continued to explore the castle for the Princess, avoiding detection by the guards.
I decided they were really bad guards, given how they didn't even move.
I eventually found my way right outside what I had to assume was her quarters, given how there was a sign above it in gold that said "Princess Celestia. Do not Disturb."
I silently pushed the door open, and there she was.
Reading a scroll by a fireplace.
I slipped in and pushed the door closed, also silently.
Then I slowly made my way to the darkness of the room, and didn't even bother looking about. I had one goal.
Her.
She magically lifted another scroll and a quill, then began to write a response.
I waited.
When she finished she wrapped up the scroll, put away the quill and a bottle of ink I hadn't noticed, and the scroll disappeared.
She then turned around and looked right at me.
I narrowed my eyes greatly, so I would be the hardest possible to see, given how eyes can reflect light.
She went back to looking at the fireplace.
"I know you are there. I'm just as good, if not better, at seeing in the dark than you are."
I stepped out of the shadows and approached Celestia.
"First, let me give you your voice back so we can talk."
A small pill floated out of a drawer and my jaw was forced open by nothing, making me drop the knife on the floor.
The pill went down my throat, and my jaw snapped shut.
"Let us give it a minute. You should think about the consequences of sneaking in here."
I didn't.
I had nothing to loose.
A minute had gone by.
Exactly.
"Speak."
"I have nothing left to loose Princess."
"It worked."
"Clearly your royal education has paid off."
"Clearly."
"What consequences?"
"Normally you would be either put to death, or jailed for several decades, depending on how much the trespass was. But given the circumstances, instead my sister will be able to do whatever she pleases to you."
"Something tells me that will be far worse than it sounds."
"It will be."
"Great."
"OH LUNA?"
A small cloud of starry smoke flew into the room and took the form of another unisis, this one slightly taller than me, her coat was a grey purple, her eyes teal, her mane and tail both light blue and natural looking, and she had a crescent moon tattoo on both her flank and her chest.
She gave a girlish squeal of delight and immediately wrapped her forelegs around my neck.
"Oh you are so CUTE!"
I flinched backwards a little bit.
"Knifer, meet Luna. Luna, meet Knifer."
"Hi…"
She gave another girlish squeal and hugged tighter.
"Luna, he is yours for the next few days."
Luna looked right at my eyes and smiled.
"I know EXACTLY what to do!"
Everything went starry and black as night for a few moments, and then I could see again.
We were in another room.
"Now, let me make you CUTER!"
"Wait what?"
Everything went black as though I had shut my eyes, and when I could see again, everything was larger.
Correction: I was smaller.
A colt.
"D'aww… Now you need a tuxedo!"
"WHAT?"
I was too late, my body was moving to her whim, and the tiny tuxedo was being put onto me.
When it was done she made a mirror float over.
I had to admit, it was somewhat cute, but it was me, unwillingly.
"Oh! A ROSE!"
A small rose flower then floated over and attached to the tuxedo.
"FANCY SOCKS!"
As she said that black socks appeared on my hooves.
"AND SHOES!"
I was lifted into the air and brought down into a tiny little set of fancy shoes.
"OH! A MONO-"
"I think that's enough!"
"You're right, a monocle wouldn't 'suit' you…"
"I see what you did there."
She smiled and let me go.
I looked into the mirror again.
I looked like I was ready for a wedding.
I turned to Luna.
"I haven't-"
"Had a bite to eat all day?"
All of a sudden a bottle of milk came from nowhere and shoved itself into my mouth.
I refused to suck on it, so Luna made me.
When she decided I was done she pulled it out and put it away.
"I can tell this is gonna be hell…"
"NO. LITTLE CHILDREN DO NOT SAY THOSE WORDS!"
I glared angrily at her.
She burst into laughter.
Normally that could have worked… but given how I was a little child, it was probably adorable.
She slowly came to a stop.
"It's time for bed now!"
The suit disappeared off me and a little bed with tall rails on it's side floated over by a royal looking bed.
I was lifted into it and placed down.
Luna crawled into the royal looking bed, her bed, and looked at me.
"Nighty night."
Everything went dark.
Pitch black dark.
I quickly worked my way under the blanket.
I had forgotten to mention that I am afraid of the dark.
But I mean real dark, where even I can't see.
I closed my eyes and tried to sleep through it.
I awoke in the morning, having succeeded in sleeping, to being nuzzled.
I slowly opened my eyes, hoping at least part of it was a dream.
None of it was.
"It's nine in the morning sleepy head."
"Rewind time by just over a month and a half and I'll be happy."
"I can't do that."
"I'm staying in here."
I was grabbed by my mane with her mouth and lifted out of the crib, then set down on the ground.
"Not any more!"
"Why do I bother?"
The suit from last night came floating down from the ceiling and was quickly put on me.
"D'awww…."
"I hate this world so very, very much."
"Lighten up!"
"No thanks."
"Oh, I just remembered! Last night I invited Fable to-"
"I'm outta here then, see you when I'm a paste."
I quickly made my way to the window and jumped.
Only to be stopped in mid-air.
"Oh yeah, magic."
"Don't do that."
I was pulled back to Luna.
"Why not?"
"It would look bad for a little colt to be found dead here."
"…"
"I told her I had you with me, which isn't a lie, and I also told her that I'm giving you back to her, in that cute little suit."
"…"
"I didn't tell her you were a child now!"
"Great, more embarrassment."
I was set down on the floor again.
"Hey, how did you get your cutie mark?"
"That's what these are called?"
"Yep!"
"Well, when I was human, I made silverware, very wanted silverware. I actually earned millions of dollars due to how I made it specially and by hand."
"Millions?"
"Let's just say that although human life is regimented from year to year, it changes from decade to decade."
"…"
"I didn't believe it myself."
"IDEA! A TOP HAT!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"WHY DO I BOTHER?"
As I said that, a small top hat descended onto my head.
"Oh you are going to need your mane cut!"
A pair of scissors floated over, and I immediately grabbed them in my mouth, flipped them around with my tongue so I was holding the handle, and I stabbed them into the ground.
"Maybe not if that's the case, but still, she'll be here ANY MINUTE!"
"Kill me."
"No."
"A TIE!"
"That I can stand."
"GREAT!"
Luna made a black bowtie just appear out of mid air and attached it to my collar.
"All set!"
"Great, I'm a true gentleman."
Luna then performed an impromptu hug on me for the remainder of the time.
There was a knocking on the door, followed by the door opening on its own.
Fable entered and immediately burst into laughter.
"You made him so cute!"
I simply rolled my eyes and walked over to the door.
"Don't show me in public. Until this is over, it will be over, right?"
"Tomorrow.
"Great, sixteen or so hours of this torture."
"Lighten up!"
"Well excuse me Princess, but some of us don't like being children again."
Then my face caught on fire.
I just stood there and waited for it to be put out.
"That only works once, after that the victim knows how it works."
"I would have really burned you if your weren't wearing that suit."
"Afraid to burn clothing?"
"No. Afraid to burn hundreds of bits, yes."
"Take me away?"
"Yes."
Moments later we were back in the library on the second floor.
"Teleportation shouldn't work…"
Fable began to walk down the stairs.
"Why not?"
I began to follow.
"It destroys you molecularly, and then reassembles you. Your body travels, but your mind does not. When your mind has no host, it dissipates and *poof* you have no mind, thus you are not in your body."
"That's not how teleportation works for us."
"Then how?"
"It makes you go faster than light, so it does take time when crossing vast distances, and it also enables you to fly and phase through materials."
"Of course it would be that simple."
"It's hardly simple."
"Of course it isn't. I was referring to how it is simpler than it sounds."
"…"
I went past her and looked around at the ground floor.
All five of her friends were there.
Fable came up behind me, her horn glowing.
"First off, you're staying like this for a long time."
My body glowed, and I couldn't move.
Blitz came up to me.
"Next, you are going to be chased by me tomorrow, all day."
Cerridwen came up to me next.
"Then, helping me by modeling, much worse than it sounds. All day."
The currently un-named mare, the orange one, came up to me next.
"Then you'll be helpin' me out Applebucking."
Cerridwen shook her head at me.
"Much worse than it sounds."
Shy came next, very upset at me and brave, which I really did not see coming.
"Then, animals."
Fable spoke up next.
"Then you'll be a test subject as I practice my spells.
Finally Seka came over, still sad, and only I noticed the murderous glint of light in her eyes.
"And on the final day, you'll have to help me bake."
I was then unceremoniously dropped.
"It all starts tomorrow, let's hope you can run!"
"What time is it?"
"Almost bedtime for you mister."
"You are all enjoying my torture, eh?"
"Ah reckon so."
I stood up.
"In that case, I know exactly where to hide all six of those days."
"WHERE?"
That was a simultaneous shout from all of them.
"I am not saying. Oh, top hat at twelve o' clock."
I then quickly tilted my top hat down and threw it at them, then went upstairs.
"Bleh, damn girls."
I turned around to see Steve coming up from behind.
"Tell me about it, Fable once had a spell backfire that turned me into a female. You have no idea how embarrassing that was."
"Well, I'm a child for six days."
"That has got to be bad."
"And tomorrow, Blitz is going to chase me all day, next day Cerridwen will use me as a model, next come Applebucking, then helping animals, then a spell tester, then I'm going to be baking with Seka."
"That doesn't sound that bad."
"Because I'm going to hide."
"Where?"
"Where else?"
I quickly ditched the suit and ran to the balcony.
"Below ground."
"Won't work, earthquakes are scheduled this week."
"Then I'm screwed."
"Be optimistic, you're gonna make some friends!"
"I don't want friends, I want home. FORK YOU CELESTIA!"
In response to that a bolt of lighting came down from the sky, went past me, circled me, then flew outside.
"Did you really have to make her mad?"
"She did this to me."
"She couldn't have without a reason."
"I'm her little test subject."
"Okay…"
"And I wrote out a lot of what happened with a typewriter in the basement."
"Yeah, I read that."
"I'm off to bed I guess. Where?"
"Up another floor and to the left."
I followed his instructions and climbed into the bed, then closed my eyes.
I tried not to think, and instead drifted into a quiet, calm sleep.
I awoke to Blitz staring at my face.
"Boo."
I twirled, forcing her off, and ran.
She gave chase.
I left the building, left the town, and ran into a dark forest.
I lost her and myself.
"KNIFER? WHERE ARE YOU? THAT'S THE EVERFREE FOREST! VERY DANGEROUS!"
I went along the edge of the forest and came out far from Blitz, near a small cottage.
I saw Shy tending to some animals, and gave her a wide berth.
I instead headed away from town, away from the cottage, and most importantly, away from Blitz.
I turned my head to check behind me, and broke into a sprint.
Blitz was right behind me.
My little childish body couldn't take all this exhaustion, and so I had to lose her again before I collapsed.
I veered right as she sped up, and sent her crashing into a bush.
I came upon many, many trees all scattered about neatly.
I ducked into a large number of trees and hid in a spot only I could get into, due to my small size compared to Blitz.
I curled up and took a quick nap.
I woke to the sound of hooves hitting trees, and apples falling neatly into baskets.
I peaked my head out of my hiding place, and saw that red mare from earlier.
She turned her head in my direction, then went back to work.
I quickly got out of there and rushed further from town.
I eventually stumbled upon a large cloud house, and saw Blitz looking about from the top of it.
I hid under the house, and Blitz took off to where I was hiding earlier.
I got moving, and rushed towards the tallest mountain around.
It was a harsh, long climb, but nothing happened beyond the occasional slip down a few feet.
I sat near the peak, by the entrance to a cave, looking down at Ponyville, Canterlot, the Everfree, and watched as Blitz rushed all around the area looking for me.
I had just enough time to notice the wisp of starry smoke coming at me and dive backwards, roll, stand, and face it.
It formed into a large, nightmarish demon of a pony.
"You are Knifer, are you not? Hoping for revenge upon Celestia, to over throw her and her tyranny, bring the power to the people, and get back home?"
"Only the first and last."
I was then surrounded by a black smoke, so thick it was solid.
"You will want all those soon enough."
"Let me go Demon, and find another host, or I will shout."
"Shout? That's it?"
The Demon simply floated over to me, not bothering to use it's legs.
"Really? That's it?"
I screamed a very sharp, loud, high pitched scream.
The Demon staggered backwards, then glared at me.
"It will take more than that to stop me."
It turned back into the starry wisp and flew at me.
I rolled to the side, but it made a sharp turn and went right at me, and into me.
I fought with all my will, the only thing I could do.
I resisted for hours, constantly bombarded in my mind and heart, slowly making my way through the smoke, down the mountain, and towards the town.
It was night when I got back, and most of the Demon had left, but not all, a slight trace remained, leaving my mind slightly corrupt, polluted, I had been unable to fight all of it.
I knew this, but could not tell anyone, literally. It was impossible.
I came back to the Library, and entered it.
Fable was busy reading a book of some sort, so I quietly went upstairs and looked in a mirror.
I could see the faintest wisps of smoke coming off me, too faint to see except at extremely close range.
I ignored it and went back down the stairs.
Fable was looking at me, and it seemed like her black eyes were piercing my soul.
"There's something in you."
"I know."
"It's evil."
"I resisted."
"Not well enough."
"Please don't talk about it."
"I won't, there is too little to harm you or anypony else."
My stomach growled with pain.
Twenty four hours of no food, no water was beginning to take it's toll.
Fable sensed this, and telekinetically brought a muffin over.
It was a normal muffin, but I didn't care.
I grabbed it in my mouth and took it upstairs for some time to myself, something I always needed.
"You can't stay safe forever."
"Shut up you vile beast and let me eat this in peace."
I began to eat and ignored whatever it ranted on about.
When I saw done I continued to sit their and tried to think, but all my thoughts were polluted by the Demon.
"I get it, you want me to do what you say. I won't."
"You have no choice."
"I do for now."
"Not for long."
"I will relish these last few moments then."
"At dusk tomorrow, you will bathe in the blood of those you will never know."
"That's right, too little of you to make me harm those I know."
"Other than Celestia."
"Of course."
I went looked about and saw where my silverware was.
"FINALLY!"
I quickly took it over to my bed and set it down.
I then climbed into the bed and slept a terrifying, unforgettably forgettable dream of death.
It was morning, almost noon when I was shaken away by none other than Cerridwen.
And I was in the Boutique, on the ground.
"Wake up, it's time for work"
I was annoyed at her sign-song tone.
"Dusk…"
"Shut up."
Cerridwen hadn't heard that though, for which I was thankful.
"Now then, you know that red friend of mine? Her name is Chicha, she doesn't like that name though. We tend to call her Apple."
"How original…"
"Yes, well she has a brother about your build…"
"So you're going to use me to make a suit for him and also for others like me, eh?"
"Correct!"
"Kill me."
"Later."
The fact she said that creped me out slightly, until I realized she was joking.
A farm style suit floated over to me, and nestled itself on neatly.
"Perfect."
It quickly came off and I found myself barraged by other suits for hours, all the while Cerridwen sang various songs, one of them caught my ears: "The Art of the Dress."
I paid attention to their make and design, the Demon in me memorizing every detail.
It was three in the morning when she had finished, and I left the boutique, only to get tackled by Blitz.
"I FINALLY CAUGHT YOU!"
"The chase ended last night…"
"And?"
"Idiot."
I got up and trotted away back to the library.
I only had so much time to let Fable know.
I quickly rushed inside and ran up to Fable, who was busy reading the same book from last night..
"Dusk. Evil. Change."
She looked at me funny.
"What?"
"Can't say exactly what will happen! Dusk. Evil. Change."
"At dusk you are going to turn into something evil?"
"Yes!"
Her black eyes were piercing my soul again.
"Can't do anything. Sorry."
She then went right back to her book as I stormed upstairs.