Chapter 3 Moonlight Meeting
Twilight said a reply would show up in just a few moments but I needed some air. I left before she could make any arguments against it. By now the sun had long since set but it seemed almost as bright as a nightlight in a hallway. The moon was about half full waxing, brighter than the moon of my world at such a state.
I hadn’t gone far before I realized I was walking back to the Everfree forest. While the place had been evil, it was home to me for what felt like a month. How could a year pass and yet only feel like a month.
I laid down at the edge of the Everfree forest where I had first seen Ponyville and looked up at the stars in the sky. The constellations that were there looked like the ones from my world, yet different, more pony-fied. I found Orion’s Belt and it looked more like Orion’s Saddle. The North Star was still where it always was, at the tail of the Little Dipper. The Big Dipper was also still right next to it.
The sound of flapping wings pulled me from my stargazing. Soon the flapping turned to a landing and muffled hoof steps. I heard the clinking of metal in time with the steps. I glanced in the direction of the sound to see a regal looking blue unicorn with an ethereal starry mane and a moon cutie mark on the field of black. Flanking her on either side was a guard pony with blue armor and yellow eyes with slitted pupils much like a cat’s. The armor had a fin on the top going down the middle where the mane would be if it could be seen through the armor. Their wings were leathery and the same blue as their armor.
In the back of my mind I knew it was disrespectful to just keep laying there while royalty was just feet from me, but in all honesty I was to tired from the day to really care that much. I returned to my stargazing and waited to find out what they wanted. A guard was the first to speak.
“I do not like this one. He is disrespectful to her highness. A pony should bow when in your presence.” His voice was gruff and quite annoyed. A more regal voice spoke up, sounding firm, yet gentle.
“Thou art here to protect me, not to judge this new pony.” The voice was directed at me this time. “Thou art Bastion art thou not?”
“I am. I would assume that, based on your Cutie Mark and the wings of your guards you would happen to Princess Luna. I would also assume that since a person of royalty is here I’m either about to go to prison, be killed, or put under observation by one of your rather zealous guards there.”
Luna looked slight stricken at the mention of me being killed, but quickly recovered her composure.
“We are indeed Princess Luna and we wouldn’t dream of ‘killing’ anyone. Our worst penalty is banishment, which is quite terrible enough.” There was sad tinge in her voice when she mentioned banishment as though she knew all too well just how painful it could be, it also became several times louder as though she were shouting.
“We… I am here to determine if thou… you are a threat to Equestria and then to determine your fate. Since you have decided to stay, what do you plan to do here? Where do you plan to stay?” The change in her speech was noticeable, she was talking more like a regular person, volume and all, still regal in bearing however, as befitting of royalty. The guards looked rather upset and like they would like nothing quite so much as dragging me to the dungeon and feeding me nothing more than bread… hay and water.
I thought about her questions for a few moments. When I had gathered my thoughts I spoke them to her as best I could.
“I’m not entirely sure what I will do here or where I will stay yet. I have been told that my Cutie Mark will be a representation of what I am best at, but I don’t yet have one. As for what I will do in the immediate future… I think I will ask the Apple family if they could use an extra farm hand if I could sleep at their barn, just until I figure out what where my life is heading. I came to this world of peace from one of war due to a decision that I will regret for perhaps my entire life. It tends to make one need time to organize their thoughts and rethink their life. So, am I still seen as a possible threat?”
Luna seemed to think this over for a bit, she nodded as though coming to a conclusion on something before she spoke. “I find it unlikely that we will need to take any further actions. Twilight Sparkle will keep an eye on you and keep us informed of your comings and goings. I believe that that is all that was needed from you.” She turned to leave but before she could take off I spoke up.
“Wait. Before you go I have to ask. Your Cutie Mark is a moon on a field of black. What is your special talent?” She looked at me like it was perfectly clear what her talent was before explaining it.
“It means that I move the moon at night and paint the night sky with stars. I am the keeper of the night sky.”
Magic… why does it need to break every law of science I know?
“That’s… more than I ever could have expected. You have a beautiful night.” With that I actually did get up and bow as best I could… it sadly ended with a face plant but I got back up into a proper bow… the third time. I heard light and happy laughter coming from the princess. It was a sound that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. She flew off while the guards continued to glare at me pointing their hoofs at their eyes then me before taking off after her.
I knew what I wanted to do now. I wanted to make Luna happy and keep her safe. I needed to learn how to fly first, figure out if I COULD learn magic, and I needed to learn manners. Marines don’t generally need too many manners, which could make learning them be quite difficult.
I figured that since I was a pony now, and all I knew about them was from my world (and what I had gleaned from here) that I’d just use my jacket as a pillow and sleep here. Ponies and horses from my world did it all the time so why not.