A Feeling Of

by Nuke


A Feeling of Joy - 1

Three-hundred years have passed since Luna's return to Equestria. And with that comes the thirteen-hundredth Summer Sun Celebration. Every pony in town has been working as hard as possible to get ready for it. Princess Celestia is going to be there. Princess Luna and Princess Twilight were also mentioned to make an appearance.

"Speck, stop." Her hooves bat at my leg as she smiles wider than I've ever seen her smile. I stare at her. "Are you alright?"

"Princess Luna is coming to Ponyville." She answers in the faintest of whispers. She starts to screech and covers her mouth with her hooves. "Princess. Luna." I stand from the bench where we sit and start to walk away from her. Ponies start to stare as she flies up to me and latches to my back. Some of them even giggle at the display. Things have been a lot better since ponies have gotten used to seeing Speck around town.

Speck's been a lot happier too. It's only been a month since I met her, but we've already grown close; closer than I was with anyone on Earth. She visits Sugarcube Corner every day and takes muffins to the mail-mare. We visit the library every day after I get off work. Sometimes we hang out at Lipizzan, or walk around the outskirts of town. It's an average life that we live, but it's nice all the same. I still haven't taken her to visit the orphanage, though. Things always come up, preventing us from going. I'll get around to it, eventually.

I check my watch. Eleven in the morning. I wave to Mr. Cake as we pass by Sugarcube Corner. He grumbles something at me and continues sweeping the porch. I've worked for him for a year, and he still doesn't like me. He isn't fond of anyone, except Mrs. Cake. I don't take anything he says to heart, though.

Speck waves and greets nearly every pony we pass, and most of them return her kindness. It's really nice, not seeing them recoil in horror or fear when they see her. I had Luna and Celestia send me some first-hand accounts of the war, and learned that the bat-ponies had done some incredibly cruel things to their prisoners. Celestia's army had done similar things, but history has a way of glorifying the victors of war.

I carry Speck into the library, though I don't know why. Reverie offers a startled look as we walk inside. She's used to Speck, so I wonder what prompts this. She glances nervously to the Magic wing. Something must be wrong. I set Speck down.

"Wait here." Reverie tries to object, but I've already started sneaking into the Magic wing. I lean as close to the bookshelves as I can as I slink around. I find nothing out of the ordinary until I get to the back corner.

Sitting at a small table is one purple alicorn, with her face stuffed into a book. I sneak over to her and sit opposite her. She has yet to notice me.

"Enthralling book?" She drops the tome with a soft "eep" and nearly tumbles backwards out of her chair. Twilight Sparkle looks up at me, disgruntled and annoyed.

"I don't appreciate being snuck up on."

"You should pay more attention to the world around you, instead of those books."

"Mmm. How's life around here? It's been a while since I've visited." It's been a few months, actually.

"It's been quaint. I've made a new friend."

"Oh?"

"She's a bat-pony." Twilight perks up a little, clearly interested.

"A bat-pony? Around here? That's... that's incredible! I didn't realize they were already spreading out from Hollow Shades and the Badlands! Does Luna know?" I nod.

"I wrote a letter to her. She said, and I quote, 'You had better take good care of that bat. Make sure you keep her happy. And do me a favor, check up on the one in the orphanage.' Though, I've yet to visit the orphanage."

"You should. It would probably make that foal very happy to have someone come see her." Twilight offers a soft smile. "So, this one you met. Tell me about her."

"Well, she was just lurking around my house one night. I invited her inside, and she ended up moving in not long after." Twilight starts giggling as a small shelf of books get knocked over. I turn to find one sneaky little bat-pony buried under the resulting avalanche. "Speck."

She flinches as I kneel down beside her and reach out to her. I pick her up and ruffle her mane as I carry her back to the table. She sits in my lap and tries to hide her face behind her hooves.

"So this is the infamous bat-pony of Ponyville? Nice to meet you." Twilight holds a hoof out to Speck. Speck nervously takes it. They shake hooves. "I'm sure you already know me, but you can call me Twilight." Twilight's voice is soft and motherly; she could soothe any disgruntled pony with a few words of reassurance. Maybe it's a trait with mares.

Speck looks up at me as I pick up Twilight's book. I look over it briefly, before Twilight turns her attention back to me.

"The Summer Sun Celebration?" I scratch my head. Last year's celebration had occurred shortly after I arrived in Equestria; I had missed it by mere days.

"Yes. It's a celebration of Nightmare Moon's defeat, thirteen-hundred years ago."

"But, wasn't Nightmare Moon Luna?" Twilight nods. Speck perks up and stands up in my lap, her front hooves on the table so she comes face to face with Twilight.

"Is Princess Luna coming to the celebration?" Her outburst catches Twilight off-guard.

"I believe she is, yes." Speck freezes, and I think she begins vibrating out of excitement. That, or she's getting ready to jump onto the table and start screeching. I take the precaution of holding her still. "If you want, I could introduce you to her?"

I stare at Twilight, pleading and begging. Please, just cast a spell that turns time back about ten seconds and don't say that.

A very low, nearly inaudible screech starts to sound throughout the room. I place my head in my hands and try to find my happy place.

"What is that?" Twilight looks around, trying to find the source of the sound. I hold a finger up, signalling for her to wait. Speck's screeching intensifies, becoming higher in pitch. She escapes my grasp, leaps over the table, and pulls Twilight into an incredibly tight hug.

"I can't believe I've gotten to meet a princess today, and I'll get to meet Princess Luna herself soon!" She kicked her back hooves as she held onto Twilight.

I fear that, should I be exposed to this any longer, I will contract some form of diabetes previously unknown to man-kind; one that will concurrently remain unknown, as I am still in a different world. Twilight looks up at me as she falls to the floor.

"Help... me..." I look away, a devilish smile creeping across my lips. "P-please..." I might as well. Twilight doesn't deserve this.

"Speck, get off of her. That's no way to treat royalty, no matter how casual they are." The room gets a little hotter as Speck blushes.

"I'm sorry!"

"It is quite alright, Speck. You remind me of a certain friend of mine from a long time ago." Pingpong's ancestor? If she was anything like Pingpong, or even Speck, then it must have been hard to see her go. This library was her home once, and this town was where she lived, with all of her friends, so long ago. I've read the stories of how she came to be an alicorn. I've read all about her coronation, and everything she's been through. But never once have I read anything about her witness of her friends' passings, due to Twilight destroying those first editions. Still, I can't fathom how she must have felt. Living forever, seeing everyone you love pass before your eyes. Her friends, her family, her brother.

Speck climbs into my lap, waking me from my musing. I smile softly and scratch her behind the ear.

"You two are lucky to have each other." Twilight watches us, amused.

Her horn starts to glow as a scroll materializes in front of her. She sighs softly and opens it. Once she's finished reading it, she looks up at me and Speck.

"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are about to attend the banquet to celebrate the Apple family and their history with the town." I've read about them, but never really interacted with them. I've only seen one member of the Apple family around, anyway. Never really bothered to talk to him, though I assume he's an alright stallion. I've seen maps of the area; his orchard is massive. I think it's been in his family for close to four hundred years.

One of Twilight's friends was a part of that family.

I look up and notice Speck and Twilight are gone. The princess stands by the door to the wing.

"Are you coming, too?"

"Yeah." I should stop thinking; it tends to distract. I follow Twilight out of the library, only to find Speck zipping around through the air. She's excited; she'll be meeting three princesses today. One of whom is her hero.

"I've got a question, actually." She looks up at me and offers a soft 'hm?' in reply. "There are four princesses, right? Why are only you, Celestia, and Luna showing up today?"

"Well, Princess Cadence is in the Crystal Empire. It's rather far away, and she typically doesn't have time for the Summer Sun Celebration, since it coincides very closely with one of their own festivals." I nod in understanding. Speck flies circles around us, snickering excitedly. Twilight watches her, a nostalgic look on her face. "She's an amazing pony, Anon. You must feel absolutely blessed to have her as a friend."

"I feel more than blessed," I say as I snatch Speck out of the air. She screeches out of surprise as I hug her tightly. She escapes my grasp and zips off.

"Somepony's got a crush!" I stare at the princess. I stare deep into her immortal soul. I stare so deep, that I can see everything she's ever been through. I can feel everything she's ever felt, as she can feel everything I have ever felt. My stare could erode anything in the world to its final stages of existence. I could crumble mountains with this stare.

Unfortunately, it has no effect on alicorns. She giggles.

"I'm just teasing!" Small horse, please. "Anyway, we should hurry. Wouldn't want to miss the banquet!" I highly doubt that. Why would they start a banquet without the princess that "grew up" in this town, let alone, the princess that was friends with the family that founded it?

Twilight starts to gallop away. I am quick to follow, as is Speck. She hovers beside me as I run. We come to a halt just outside of the Carousel Opera house.

"The Opera house. I've never actually been inside."

"It's a nice place. I remember coming here all the time, long before it became an opera house. Back when... We all had our differences, but we were best friends." She sighs. "Rarity never could bring herself to leave Ponyville." Twilight leads us inside.

It is a posh place, decorated and elaborate. Two large, opened doors stand opposite the entryway. Peeking inside, they lead into the opera hall. To the right of the doors, further down the entry hall, is a large door that reads "Staff Only." To the left, another sign that reads "Banquet And Ceremonial Hall." Twilight leads us toward the latter. I'm already feeling under-dressed; I don't want a bunch of normally-naked ponies to make me feel ashamed for not dressing better.

"Rarity's dresses ended up becoming widely popular. They sold by the hundred in Canterlot." We walk up to the door of the dining hall and stop briefly. "She made quite the fortune, and with help from Applejack and the Apple family, she expanded Ponyville. It attracted quite a bit of attention. Eventually, she tore down her dress shop and rebuilt it into this. I believe her her descendant is in charge of it now. Kind of hard to believe I've seen ten generations of her family come and go." Twilight must keep in contact with her friends' descendants. I wonder if she ever had children of her own. Or if her brother did. I believe he was married to Princess Cadence. I'd ask about that, but it seems a little touchy right now.

Twilight leads us into the dining hall. Similarly to the one in Canterlot Castle, two tables sit pushed together. Celestia and Luna sit side by side at the head of the combined table.. Looking around, I notice nearly every seat at the tables has been taken, save for three by the princesses. Judging by the cutiemarks of the ponies seated around the tables, nearly half of the occupants are Apples. Nearly fifty ponies sit, chattering and laughing and celebrating.

Twilight receives no grandiose welcome, no announcement, save for a simple nod from Celestia. We sit in the open seats beside them. Twilight to Celestia's right, Speck to Luna's left, and me to Speck's left.

"So, Anonymous! It has been a while, has it not?" Celestia smiles as one of the caterers gather Speck and Twilight's drink orders. I gaze into her eyes. After finding no sign that she's brought good news of my home, I sigh.

"It has. You'll be glad to know I've made my way here. Friends and success alike." Speck keeps casting nervous glances over to Luna, who just stares at her. I can tell Speck is refraining from embarrassing herself, but I don't give it long until she does.

"That is most excellent, Anonymous." Luna speaks up, her eyes never leaving Speck. Luna smiles. Speck awkwardly smiles back. The smell of spaghetti reaches my nostrils. "So, little bat-pony. How did you come to meet dear Anonymous?" Speck taps her hooves together nervously.

"I, uh... He... f-found me in his... his bushes." Luna laughs heartily and places a hoof on Speck's shoulder. One of the caterer's places a plate of spaghetti in front of me. That would definitely explain the smell. Speck tenses for a moment, before relaxing completely. Any sign of her nervousness is completely faded.

"There is no need to feel uneasy around me... Speck." Speck jumps a little, surprised that Luna knows her name. She doesn't know that I've written them a couple of letters about her.

"H-how do you name my name?"

"Please, little bat! I know all of my batty ponies. After all, you are my children, in a way. My children of the night." She smiles softly. "I consider myself to be a sort of guide for them, a mother figure. No matter if they're a blood-drinker or a fruit-eater." She boops Speck on the nose. "Wherever they hang, and no matter how batty they are."

I already have my head in my hands. I couldn't even enjoy my spaghetti for a moment. Luna opened the flood gates, and I can do nothing to stop it. Speck's face lights up with a big grin; one that I cannot see, but I can feel emanating from her.

"I didn't know you liked puns, Princess! Anon loves puns!" I groan as she tips her head back to look up at me. "Come on, Anon! Turn that frown upside down! You can't just hang around at a banquet feeling like a damp cave!" Luna giggles at Speck's puns.

I grab Twilight's attention. She and Celestia look at me. I gesture for a gun, or a deafening spell, or for one of them to kill me. They shake their heads and stifle giggles.

"Anonymous. You have yet to eat your spaghetti. Is there something wrong?" Luna takes a sip of her apple cider as she stares at my plate. I lost my appetite at the first pun. Speck starts to pull my plate towards her.

"I had a big breakfast."

"He's able to go an entire day with almost no food to go on!" I stare at Speck. There was a pun somewhere in there, but I can't find it. "No?"

"No." She and Luna try so hard not to burst out laughing. Something just happened, and I have no idea what. This makes me uncomfortable. I switch seats with the pony across from me; a white unicorn with a purple mane. She doesn't seem to mind, despite being moved away from the stallion that had her so caught up in conversation.

Speck and Luna continue throwing puns at each other, and talk for the next hour. Apparently it's been a long time since Luna's seen any bat-ponies, and hasn't even visited their home town in nearly a hundred years. I find that sad; Speck's the first bat-pony she's seen in so long. Speck starts to frown, causing Luna's laughter to die down.

"Is something troubling you?" Speck nods a little bit. "Pray, do tell." I meet Speck's eyes as she looks up at me, a curious look on her face.

"Are angels real?" Luna looks away from Speck, and glances at me. She sighs, a soft smile creeping over her lips.

"Well, some ponies believe so. Why do you ask?" Speck rubs her neck with a hoof.

"My mom used to tell me stories about them. I figured, since you've been around for so long, maybe you'd know?" Luna chuckles a little and casts her gaze to her sister.

"I'm not completely sure. I believe they were, at one point. Some ponies say they still walk among us today." Her gaze meets mine. "Maybe they're closer than you think." Speck's smile threatens to rip her face in half. She giggles lightly to herself, barely able to contain the happiness Luna's words have brought her.

***

The hall starts to die down, as Celestia and Luna discuss their need to prepare for the ceremonies. Twilight leaves with them. Soon, I am left alone in the banquet hall, save for a few members of the Apple family, and a few caterers. The banquet itself wasn't too bad. I met most of the Apple family; great ponies, I must say. I'll have to visit them on their farm more often.

Speck still sits across from me, enjoying the fruit salad that had been brought to her a short while ago. I move to sit beside her. She smiles at me; it's a tiny smile, one that says there is something on her mind.

"Ready to start enjoying the festival?" She nods and sets the bowl down. She walks close beside me as we head out of the opera house. It's almost as if she tries to lean against me. She's been acting a little odd since asking about angels.

Regardless of her odd behaviour, today will be fun. I check my watch. Two in the afternoon. Plenty of time to partake in the festivities and games! Speck leads me off to the other side of town, where a great many games were already set up.

***

Time flies as we play games, help set up booths, and wander around town. No words pass between us, and I find it strange; Speck is usually never this quiet.

I see neither hide nor tail of the princesses. My watch reads eight o' clock. I believe tomorrow is the Summer Sun Celebration itself, so it would be a good idea to go home and rest for it.

Speck agrees as we head home. She has an obvious look of exhaustion on her face.

Tomorrow is going to be great.