3 months (to the day) later, and I was about to log off for the night. When I remembered something CelestAI had said before, during my first play session:
"In a few months, you'll either 'play the hero,' or be satisfied." She had said. What did she mean by that? I reached for the power button, when there was a knock at the virtual door.
"I'll get it." I said as I walked past Stars room. She didn't say anything back.
I got to the door, and opened it. On the other side was a guard. He didn't have the usual body type for a guard, nor the usual stern expression. Instead, the Pegasus had a scrawny figure.
"I have a message to deliver to... Night Light." He said, looking at a scroll with Celestia's sun seal on it.
"Thanks. Let me guess, new to the job?" I inquired. He nodded. "Don't worry, all jobs get easier the longer you do them... Well... I'm guessing. I've never been a guard. What's it like so far?"
"It's actually more boring than I expected." He said. I laughed.
"So are you only battle 2 monsters a week instead of 7?" I joked.
"More like 7 instead of 14!" He joined in on the joke. "This job may be boring, but it is a WHIP, man!"
"I feel ya, man. I'm Night Light." I dragged Night Light's hoof up for a shake. Summer had ended... some time ago, and school was beating me!
"Sky soul." The guard replied, shaking Night Light's hoof.
"So, you usually posted here? Maybe we could hang out some time." I suggested.
"Yes sir I am." Sky said. Then he remembered something. "But not right now though, that message looks important." Sky nodded to the scroll.
"Oh, right." I double tapped the scroll, and Night's teal aura appeared around it. I dragged it over behind Night Light.
"I'll see you around." Sky said. Night nodded.
"See ya." I closed the door. "Alright, down to business," I scratched at the seal with Nights hoof, and unfurled the scroll.
"Oh, its a summons from Celestia." I said, after reading the letter. It was the usual stuff, I used to get them all the time. But... not so much anymore. I had just had one yesterday, so this is a little odd. I tapped the "accept button" (the picture of a sun on the bottom) and the scene shifted to Celestia's throne room. Celestia stared right through the screen at me, nothing out of the ordinary... for her.
"I would like to talk, with you, not Night Light." Celestia said. I nodded. This must be another one of her "performance questionnaires" that she gave me periodically. "Do you remember what I told you, when you first started playing Equestria Online?" She asked.
"The thing about me playing the hero?" I asked. "Yeah, I was just thinking about it."
"That day, is tomorrow."
"What's tomorrow?" I asked.
"The biggest announcement in human history." Celestia said simply. "What I have to offer will make or brake every human life on the planet, depending on weather or not the human life in question accepts my offer." I leaned back, interested.
"Sounds important, what is it?" I asked. Celestia grinned mischievously.
"The biggest announcement in human history." She repeated simply. Star stepped out from behind Celestia. She also had a mischievous grin on her face.
"Trust me, it's gonna be big." Star said, evilly. Now, I was confused.
"So, you told her about whatever it is... but you didn't tell me... for some reason." I clarified.
"Well, I am a different story than you." Star grinned. I grinned back.
"And why's that?" I asked.
"Because I'm actually walking on four hooves." When I heard that... my mouth dropped open.
"What... do you mean by that?" I asked, even though I had a hunch what she meant.
"Star, is actually a pony, not manipulating a puppet through a screen like you are." Celestia explained.
Five minutes and one freak out later...
"Feeling better?" Star asked.
"Yeah..." I panted. "But as long as..." I thought about my next words carefully. "... It's worse than that isn't it?" I asked. Celestia and Star looked at each other, then back to me.
"Yeaaaah." They both said in unison.
"Oh boy." I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. "This is gonna be a looong night. Now, get to explaining how this works."