"There's too many a simple pleasure we all take for granted..."
A content sigh escaped Erebus' lips as he stood motionless, a steady stream of warm water running down his back. For the past half hour, he had been doing nothing more than indulging in the comfort of being able to take a hot shower, with each passing moment only serving to further root him in place.
"You look back on your life, and it's a wonder that so many people can disregard small things like this." He muttered softly.
"Then again, I was always a little easier to please than most other people."
Regardless of his current contentment, he knew the same couldn't be said for Princess Celestia. With the preceding events still fresh in his mind, he was rather surprised the Princess hadn't tried to tie him to a chair and play twenty questions. Looking back, he knew he had caused the poor mare more than her fair share of stress for the day. When he had absentmindedly let slip his actual age, he could of sworn that the alicorn's mind must have shut down. The look on her face and the way she stumbled over her words were telltale signs of the human's lack of tact. Had it not been for Princess Luna's expedient intervention and uncanny ability to placate her sister in the heat of the moment, then he had no idea how the situation would have turned out. Due to Celestia being caught completely off guard, Luna had managed to persuade her sister that allowing some time of actual preparation before a proper meeting would be undeniably beneficial for all parties involved. Following his release from the infirmary, the sisters had been gracious enough to allow Erebus access to a well furnished and guarded guestroom, before departing further into the castle to await a formal audience with him.
Accounting for all the current accommodations that he had been granted thus far, Erebus still couldn't help but know that he was essentially a glorified prisoner at the moment. It was true that Luna seemed to trust him well enough, and the other ponies didn't know enough to make an informed decision. As things stood though, he was going to have to overcome a rather troubling hurdle if he wanted to start gaining any real trust.
"Celestia and I haven't gained anything in the way of common ground, there's no doubt about that." He wiped a hand over his face, clearing the water from his eyes. "Although, it's not like I can really blame her to be honest. She's right to be cautious of me, especially when I've been behaving like an utter moron."
"I know that I've been trying to keep a more carefree attitude towards everything that's happened, but I believe it's well past time that began to take things a bit more seriously."
He sighed, knowing all too well that he couldn't snake his way out of the situation as it was. He was gracious that Luna had been so accepting of his outward appearance...as well as what he actually was. If he was going to be so lucky with her sister though, he was going to need to be careful in regards to what information he divulged about himself.
"If she even begins to believe that I'm lying to her...than I might as well not even bother trying." He gazed at the ceiling in contemplation. "It's likely that she plays the part of the diplomat more often than not. I'll have to keep myself sharp if I need to outflank her."
A knock at the outer door served to interrupt his musings.
"Please excuse me sir, but Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be willing to have an audience with you now." a muffled female voice called out.
Erebus blinked in slight surprise, before scoffing at his own ineptitude. In days gone past he would have had an alarm alert him as to when he should pull himself away from such indulgences. With how comfortable he become, he had actually believed that he could rely on technology that had been defunct for generations.
"Truth be told, I get that nagging feeling my watch doesn't exactly work anymore. It's funny just how slow I've gotten lately."
"Yes of course! Thank you very much for letting me know. I'll be sure to be out and ready shortly!" He called out as he shut off the flow of water.
Reaching through the shower curtain, he grabbed one of two white towels that had been hung nearby, drying himself as quickly as he could. As he stepped out of the tub towards his clothes, he couldn't help but notice how familiar the washroom was in regards to his past accommodations. While the shower was a tad shorter than what he was used to, and the toilet was slightly foreign to him, the rest of the room wasn't really different from what he was used to years ago.
He shrugged as he began to pull on his undergarments and tunic. "It's certainly more decorative than post-apocalyptic architecture, but I suppose function never really changes."
Grabbing his chestplate, he fit it into place around his waist, the ballistic material conforming snugly to his figure. He followed suit with his arm bands, each utilizing the same material as his torso's armor and weighing nearly nothing at all. Kneeling down, he began to secure his combat boots into place, careful to make sure that they didn't catch on any fabric.
He took a moment to examine his ensemble before continuing, making sure that each piece of armor was fit in place accordingly. Despite the set being quite advanced as far as personal armor went, it had been outdated long before humanity went extinct. As such, he always maintained and augmented each individual piece, if only to assure that nothing became obsolete. He nodded in contentment as he reached for his cloak, satisfied that everything had held up so well over the years.
Erebus kept his hood down as he pulled the cloak over his head, knowing that it would help his overall public image. He briefly glanced at a mirror on the wall before continuing, making sure that everything was in order. The inspection wasn't something that he was truly accustomed to performing, instead preferring to simply forgo his appearance.
He huffed lightly and shrugged. "I know that I should be more concerned about how I look, but it's not like I'm going to earn any medals for it. I suppose that as long as I'm presentable, than nothing else should truly matter."
Reaching for the handle, he opened the door and stepped out into the spacious bedroom. Keeping his head on a swivel, he began to walk the perimeter of the room, going over every corner as meticulously as he could. To his mild surprise the room hadn't been disturbed at all, somewhat against his expectations. While he had known that there were guards posted at the room's entrance, he had expected that Celestia might wish to keep a closer watch on him. Despite what he had thought though, he could find no evidence of intrusion or even surveillance anywhere in the area.
Erebus raised an eyebrow. "Definitely odd, but not completely out of place I suppose. I guess it would make more sense for her to maintain transparency."
He shook his head as he walked to the bedroom's exit, trying to rid himself of any anxiety before having to meet with the sisters. Upon pulling open the door however, he was greeted with something that only served to surprise him even more. The two guards that had been posted at the door when he had entered were nowhere to be seen, replaced by a lone unicorn standing patiently a few feet from the threshold.
The mare's coat was a light shade of tan, complimenting her mane and tail, both a slightly darker brown with a few caramel streaks running through. Compared with some of the other ponies that Erebus had managed to meet, she might as well seem modest. Though he couldn't quite make out her face from where she stood, a closer glance managed to catch him a glimpse of a pair of reading glasses perched on her muzzle.
He raised an eyebrow upon seeing this. "Hmm, I'm really gonna have to get used to seeing ponies wearing clothing."
Upon turning and noticing Erebus standing behind her, the pony's ears slicked back slightly and her eyes grew wide. Her breath caught in her throat and she stood motionless, her eyes rapidly moving to assess the situation. Noticing her discomfort, Erebus quickly moved to calm her down.
"Excuse me Miss, I'm truly sorry if I happened to startle you. It's my fault for not giving you more warning before stepping out." He gently pushed his cloak up onto his shoulders, making sure the rest of his body was visible.
Upon hearing Erebus' voice, the mare seemed to relax slightly, managing to let her breath loose and build her composure. She took a moment to push her glasses up before replying.
"N-No please, I'm quite alright I can assure you. Being completely honest, it would be my fault for not being sufficiently prepared to meet you."
Erebus cocked his head to the side upon hearing this. "Ya know, I'm afraid something about that strikes me as rather odd. It's pretty simple to see that you brought no guards here with you. If I might ask, why is it that you're here all by your lonesome to come and pick me up?"
The mare took a moment to think, seemingly lost by Erebus' question, before realizing exactly what he was implying. "Well yes, under normal circumstances foreign guests are usually accompanied by the royal guard whilst escorted. However, the Princesses worked over the matter and decided that it would be far more beneficial if I myself were to walk you through the castle."
"Is this supposed to be some kind of test ?" Erebus scrunched his face up in contemplation.
He shrugged mentally and turned his attention back to the pony. "Well I'm afraid that doesn't answer my question as well as I would like it to. I don't mean to be rude, but is there some specific reason that you happened to be picked, Miss?
The mare just laughed nervously. "It's quite alright, I can understand how you might not know the importance of my escorting you. That being the case, I do that believe proper introductions are in order."
She pushed her glasses up again and smiled brightly before continuing. "My name is Auburn Study, and I happen to be one of Canterlot's leading historians. I was specifically picked out so that I might answer any of your questions about our city."
Erebus smiled in return. "Well it's certainly a pleasure to be able to meet you. My name is Erebus, and I just so happen to be a pretty normal guy."
Study continued to smile but shook her head in disagreement. "While it is a pleasure to meet you as well, I'm going have to respectfully say that you're wrong on that self-assessment. From what I gather The Princesses know very little about you, and I know even less than them. Even with that said, you've been labeled a very high priority guest here. So it's clear to me that you're obviously very important for one reason or another."
A sigh escaped Erebus' lips as he heard this. "Well yes, I wouldn't doubt that my being here has caused a little bit of a commotion. All the same however, I'd prefer not to think of myself as any kind of celebrity."
Study giggled lightly at his comment. "Ah I see, you're more of a modest type then aren't you? That's fine, I can understand that perfectly well. The way you've been received though, you might find yourself explaining that to other ponies more often than naught."
Erebus nodded slightly. "Yes, they're certainly the excitable type aren't they?"
"Alrighty then." He spun around the hallway for half a moment before turning back to the unicorn. "I suppose we should be on our way, shouldn't we? I'd personally hate to keep the royalty waiting."
"You're certainly not wrong there." Study responded, turning to begin down the passage to their right. "This way, the main hall is on the floor above us."
Erebus stepped up beside the unicorn, careful to keep a respectable distance between them both. While he knew she looked comfortable enough, he was better off not spooking her in any way.
As the two began making their way down the hallway, Erebus took this time to begin appreciating the architecture around him. The design was unlike anything he was ever familiar with, being restrained to the uniform style that his City's skyscrapers were constructed in.
The corridor was incredibly spacious, easily capable of making even him feel small. The walls that flanked him were seamlessly woven together by stone, intricate patterns dotting them as well as the pillars that were spaced between. Gazing up, he noticed different sets of tapestries hung about the rafters, each carrying its own unique crests. Beneath his feet was a spacious crimson carpet, the borders lined with carefully woven designs.
Study gave him a quick upward glance. "Admiring the scenery? Canterlot is well known for catching the eye of many an esteemed guest."
The human nodded lightly. "Oh yes, this place is unlike anywhere I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. I'd say it's more an art piece than a building."
Coming up to a spiral staircase, the unicorn responded. "Isn't it though? I don't have all the time in the world to wander around these halls, but I often find myself lost in the various works that line the castle."
"With that in mind, was there anything at all that you happened to be curious about?" She questioned.
"Anything at all?" Erebus shrugged. "How about...age, and just overall construction. Just how old is this castle, and how many ponies did it take to create it?"
"That's certainly a question I get asked quite a bit." Study giggled lightly and adjusted her glasses. "Construction of Canterlot began well over a thousand years ago. It was quite the ambitious project at the time, and thousands of ponies of differing race were contracted to help build it. Some of the most artistic minds to date are said to have been behind the concept, Princess Celestia included. As the castle began to take form, the city steadily began to grow around it, leading to the bustling hub it is today."
The human raised an eyebrow at this. Something about that statement didn't quite sound right to him. "What about Princess Luna? Surely her opinion would have been very important as well, wouldn't it?"
"Well I...oh...you mean you don't already know about that?" The unicorn's eyes shifted, and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry, but it would be disrespectful of me to speak of that matter to you, especially if you haven't already been told by the Princess herself."
This immediately struck a chord with Erebus. "What kind of matter would she be referring to? If she went quiet that quickly, it's certainly a touchy subject."
Knowing better, he was quick to set it aside. "Don't worry about it, I won't be one to prod. That being said, I have been meaning to ask you something about yourself."
Study raised an eyebrow to this. "Something about me? What exactly did you want to know?"
"Well it's about what you were saying earlier." Erebus shrugged. "With you saying you're one of Canterlot's best historians, I suppose I was just wondering how you became interested in that field of study?"
"One of the best? No, I'm afraid that's only half true." The unicorn laughed in a somewhat melancholy manner. "It's true that I'm on the top of my field currently, but that isn't due to any amount of skill or achievement. It's more due to the fact that...well...I'm one of Canterlot's only historians."
Erebus raised an eyebrow. "Hold up, you can't expect me to actually believe that, can you? You mean to say that in a city as old and large as this one, you're one of the only residents that writes the history books?"
"Unfortunately that would be exactly what I'm saying." Study solemnly replied. "My particular field doesn't find much demand, though I'm not placing blame on anypony for it. In this day and age, Canterlot is more well known as a center of commerce and trade. I suppose it's only a pretty natural conclusion that the Historical Foundation doesn't find quite as much business as it might."
Erebus huffed lightly as the two of them began to ascend up the spiral stairs. It was pretty obvious that this mare enjoyed her work, and took an amount of pride in what she did. The fact that she wasn't garnering the recognition she needed was a bit disheartening.
"It's not like I can say that I'm unhappy with what I have." The unicorn smiled up at him. "In fact, I'm incredibly lucky to have been given my position. Princess Luna was quite adamant that the foundation should be allowed extra funding, and after seeing some of my own work, she decided to appoint me as the director."
"I'm extremely gracious to her for what she's allowed me to do with the position." Her eyes shifted and her ears dropped slightly. "It's still quite the endeavor to keep things aloft though. I'm just one mare after all, and despite the occasional assistance I receive, the job can be a bit taxing."
As the two continued forward, Study's words struck up an idea in Erebus' mind. Something that could be incredibly helpful to both him and this unicorn.
"I should make it a point to bring up this subject with my two gracious hosts..." A small grin worked its way onto his face.
Coming to the top of the stairs, Study noticed this reaction and looked understandably confused. "I'm sorry, was there something I missed? I didn't say anything funny, did I?"
"No no, it's nothing to worry about." Erebus relaxed his grin into a warm smile. "My mind has a horrible habit of wandering off at inopportune moments, I was preoccupied with something."
"Oh, I see then." The unicorn smiled back at him. "I suppose I can relate under certain circumstances, I always tend to have a lot on my mind."
"You know, you're certainly an interesting individual Erebus. If I ever get the chance to see to see you again, I would love to get to know you a little bit better than what time is allowing."
Erebus' smile dropped by the smallest fraction. "Hmm...and what exactly makes you believe that chance is so slim?"
The smallest of chuckles passed its way through Study's lips. "Well I'm sure you know how easy it is to get tied up sometimes, especially when you get mixed up with high ranking political leaders. Not only that, but if you didn't notice...we're not too far off from where we actually needed to go."
Looking out ahead of him, Erebus immediately noticed what he could only assume was the entrance to the main hall. The double doors were absolutely massive, easily reaching almost to the ceiling far above, each intricately decorated with various symbols and markings. Flanking both sides of the entrance were a pair of the royal guards that had been noticeably missing from the rest of the castle.
"Wow, you know I probably should have noticed a door that size." He glanced down at his guide. "You might even start to assume the Princesses were expecting company or something."
Study gave him a glance easily likened to a shrug. "They are royalty after all. I suppose that you can never have enough grandeur when it comes down to a palace."
"I guess you're right on that." He returned with a shrug of his own.
"Well then, this is probably where we'll be parting ways, isn't it?" He gave the unicorn a warm smile. "I can honestly say that I appreciate you taking the time to escort me, I really enjoyed getting to talk with you."
Study adjusted her glasses once more and set a cheery grin on her face. "It was nothing really. I myself enjoyed the time spent with you Erebus, even if it was a tad short-lived, and...well a little awkward."
"Awkward you say?" The human's grin turned sly. "My friend, life is defined by awkward situations. In fact, if you can't find a single awkward scenario throughout your day, then you probably did something wrong."
Study once again pushed up her glasses and raised her eyebrow. "So then, with that in mind, I suppose I had a...good day? Otherwise I think I'm not following you exactly."
"Well, that's the hope at least. Whether or not it's truly good is mere opinion." Erebus replied.
"Assuming this meeting goes smoothly, everyone's hopefully going to have a better day."
Erebus lightly gestured towards the two guards before them. "Well...I get that feeling these two are our welcoming committee. Suppose we shouldn't keep 'em waiting."
Stepping towards the pair of armor clad stallions, Erebus allowed Study to take the lead and announce them both.
"Ahem." The mare briefly cleared her throat before beginning. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important but, I...well...I'm here...as requested, with the uh...individual...the one I was sent to escort."
Both of the guards kept their positions, the closest of them giving only so much as a glance in Study's direction. Erebus assumed that their stoic behavior was mainly in keeping with training and tradition. Even with this in mind, he couldn't shake the assumption that they did this to avoid eye contact with him.
"Yes, Auburn Study." The stallion's words were as concise as his mannerisms. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have been awaiting your arrival. They would like to extend their apologies for not being able to thank you personally for your assistance in this matter."
"As per their former instructions." The guard's eyes locked more intently on Study. "They would ask that you exercise subtlety during your return home."
The historian nodded politely. "Yes, I know that I'm not to speak to anypony of what I've seen today. Not until I've been told otherwise."
Keeping his composure the guard shifted his focus to Erebus. "Sir, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would like to speak to you as soon as possible. You are free to show yourself inside whenever you feel that you are ready."
Watching the stallion return his focus to the wall ahead, Erebus shrugged "As simple as that huh? Well, I guess there's no time like the present."
Turning his attention back to Study, Erebus let out a sigh. "Well...I do believe that this is where we'll be parting ways for now."
The unicorn gave him an accommodating glance. "I do believe so. It wouldn't be right to keep the Princesses waiting for too much longer."
Turning to begin walking down the hallway they came from, Study gave him a brief smile. "I shouldn't stay and hold up your meeting. It's been very nice to have been able to meet you. I wish you the best of luck with the political dealings...and perhaps we might run into each other again."
"I'll be holding you to that." Erebus raised his hand in farewell. "I'd certainly like to see that historical foundation that you told me about."
"It would be my pleasure." The unicorn kept her eyes trained on him, nodding before starting her trek back down the hall.
Watching her for a moment, Erebus slowly turned his attention back to the doors behind him. Moving between the two stallions that flanked the massive archway, he reached out his hand and gripped one of the door's large handles. Pulling outwards, he was surprised to find that the door required very little effort to move, despite its size.
"Hmm, I suppose the material is lighter than it seems. It's safe to say that quite the artist designed these."
Pulling himself through the gap he had made, Erebus found himself within a spacious and brightly lit room. His eyes flicked around as they adjusted to the light, taking notice that while the architecture was similar to the rest of the castle that he had seen, this room seemed particularly well furnished in comparison.
Before he could register anything else, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Erebus!"
Fixated on the numerous stained glass windows, he had all but failed to notice a prominent detail. Situated in the center of the room was a large decorative table, a number of wooden chairs dotting the perimeter around the legs. Seated on the chairs closest to him, were the two Royal Sisters.
"Ponies on chairs." The human smothered a chuckle as he looked on. "I could say I've seen it all, but I feel that would quickly be proven wrong."
"We do hope that you didn't plan to keep us waiting all day." Princess Luna flashed him a slight smug grin. "We almost assumed that you had gotten lost somewhere among the castle."
Erebus wholeheartedly smiled. It hadn't been very long at all since he had last seen Luna, her visit to the infirmary being brief though it was. Being able to see her now, he noticed her wounds had been properly cleaned and dressed, and she seems in much better condition than before.
He lightly bowed, doing his best to keep his manner somewhat professional. "Do excuse me, Princess. I didn't mean to make you wait. I was just so caught up in the grandeur of this place, I couldn't help but take a little time."
"Well then, I'm glad that you enjoyed what little of the palace that you've seen so far."
A second voice filled the room, a warm and welcoming tone to it. Shifting his gaze behind Luna, he was quickly met with the gaze of Princess Celestia. Although Luna was situated in front of her, Celestia was easily a full head taller than her sister, and could lock eyes with him quite easily.
"Come now Erebus." A warm smile graced Celestia's face. "Why don't you take a seat with us? We've both been waiting some time now to be able to speak with you."
The man's smile faltered for a moment, but he didn't let it drop entirely. It threw him for a loop that Celestia's demeanor was so different, considering how well his previous encounters with her had gone.
Obliging her request, he took a small step forward. "Well...that's a tad bit disconcerting. I've dealt with a handful of politicians in my life, but she can put on a better poker face than most."
Resolving to keep himself just as level-headed, he continued his stride towards the two sisters. "Of course Princess Celestia. Being honest, I've been looking forward to this myself."
Reaching the table's edge, he stopped and gestured towards the chair across from them. "May I?"
"Of course. We only hope it suits you." Celestia nodded, before tilting her head towards her sister. "Luna and I were unsure on how comfortable you would be sitting in the same position that we do. It has been a considerable amount of time since we had to host any guests of your particular frame."
Bowing and quietly taking his seat, Erebus smiled to both of them. "Rest assured that I would have been comfortable sitting or standing. Still, I appreciate that you took it to mind for my sake."
Princess Luna shook her head lightly at his words. "Oh come now, it should be expected of us to think of about your comfort. After all, you are our guest here.""Luna couldn't have put it more aptly." Celestia spoke up. "Make no mistake that we'll be getting down to the matter of your more permanent accommodations soon enough."
"However, before we begin our discussion..." She turned her focus back to the human and gestured towards the far end of the table. "I would like to ask if there's anything at all you might like for refreshment?"
Looking towards her indication, Erebus noticed a small assortment of fruits, pastries, and beverages resting on a few silver trays. He only quickly glanced over the food, taking notice of an abundance of apples, accompanied by some grapes, bananas, and even a pineapple. He had little idea as to what the beverage could be, only being able to guess when he noticed faint steam rising from the cups. Coming to the modest pile of confections that were included, he immediately had to tear his eyes away, swiftly bringing his attention back to the alicorns.
"No no...no. Sugar is a commodity I cannot allow myself to be distracted by right now. No matter how much it might pain me to let the opportunity slip."
He raised a hand to the sisters. "Thank you kindly for the offer. I would be interested in a glass of tea, if I'm guessing those beverages correctly."
"Of course." Celestia nodded. "Specifically it's lemon honey, freshly brewed. I like to help myself to a glass on regular occasion."
The mare smiled at him, and Erebus watched as her horn began to give off a gentle golden glow. He looked on as two of the tea cups, as well as the saucers they rested on, became engulfed in the same golden aura, and slowly began to levitate their way down the length of the table.
"Hmm, I suppose levitation makes sense when you lack certain fields of dexterity. I'll make sure to add that to the list of things to keep in mind."
Once the cups of warm liquid had reached them both, Celestia gently raised hers and took a small sip, her eyes closing in unison. The cup seemed to stay at her mouth for a moment longer than it should have, a brief silence making itself known during the lapse. Her eyes remaining shut, she slowly lowered the tea back onto the saucer, a small sigh escaping her lips.
Looking down at his own glass, Erebus slowly reached forward, trying to keep decorum by grabbing it by the handle. Bringing the cup to his face, he was greeted by the most well brewed batch of tea he had ever had the pleasure of drinking. The water had already cooled to a pleasant temperature, and neither the lemon nor honey were overpowering of each other.
"This...is amazing." He widened his eyes ever so slightly. "I haven't had too much tea in my time, but I've never had a glass this well prepared."
"Well then." Celestia opened her eyes to meet the man's. "If we're all ready, then I suppose I should start with the basics. Do you know why it is that you're here?"
Setting down his cup, Erebus plainly met her gaze, though he was slightly taken aback by the question. In truth, he had expected the princess to begin with some far more intrusive questions, considering how everything had gone so far. Straightening his composure, he quickly formulated and voiced his reply.
"Well you certainly gave me a question that could have more than a few different answers, but I think I can narrow it down to what you're hoping to hear. The main reason I'm here currently is because I'm a species that hasn't been seen on this planet before, I showed up out of nowhere with no real warning whatsoever, and my arrival here caused more than its fair share of complications that you now have to deal with."
He locked his fingers together and leaned in slightly. "I would take it that's an acceptable answer for you, right?"
"Yes." Celestia nodded lightly. "Forgive me for the blunt wording of that question, but I wasn't sure if you quite understood the magnitude of this whole situation. I needed to make sure that you didn't believe this conversation was just a way for me to place blame on you."
"Not at all, princess." The man replied. "You have all the right to judge me for anything I've done here. I'd feel quite ashamed if I didn't take responsibility for any harm that I've caused, accidental or not."
The mare took a second to process his reply before continuing, her eyes seeming to stare through the words themselves. In that moment, her smile seemed to shift ever so slightly, taking on a marginally more gentle and genuine tone.
"Thank you, for showing such respect on this matter. Though I would like to think that we should all shoulder a portion of this. As we were all involved, it's only fitting that Luna and I take responsibility on this matter as well."
"It's as Luna said, after all." She continued. "You are very much our guest here, not our prisoner. Once everything here has been sorted out, we will do our utmost to ensure that your stay in Canterlot is as comfortable as it possibly can be."
The princess paused momentarily to catch another sip of tea. "I will say that Luna has already taken the time to explain much of what happened up till the point you met me. So while I shouldn't have to ask you about every little detail, there are still a few major and minor details I would like to be informed about."
Erebus nodded affirmatively. "Please, feel free to ask me anything you'd like too, within reason of course."
The Princess of the Sun gently mirrored his nod. "If there is anything we discuss that makes you uncomfortable, be assured that I'll not press you against your will."
"Thank you for your consideration." The man smiled in response.
"Of course." Celestia replied. "Now, there is something I would certainly place at the forefront of my queries. Something that I've been curious about for some time now. May I ask, exactly what species you belong to?"
Erebus subtly raised an eyebrow at this, a slight wave of confusion washing over him. He had expected that Celestia would have already gleaned this information during her questioning of Luna. He'd thought that his companion would have been all too eager to share that particular information, given how enthralled she had been when he had originally told her.
"Unless of course, Luna thought she might upset me if she shared too much info without my consent. Cute... And, it does help to give me a bit more leverage over the conversation."
Deciding to play along with his first reaction, he feigned a somewhat surprised expression. His eyebrows now visibly raised, he began to shift his gaze between the two sisters, doing his best to seem confused.
"Oh, you mean then... Luna didn't already mention this all to you?
The Lunar Princess immediately perked up at his question. "Well, you have to understand! It's not as though we didn't wish to tell our sister all about you, as we certainly did. We just didn't want to overshadow your own insight on the more personal questions."
Erebus internally chuckled, amused he had a chance to rustle some feathers, both in the figurative and literal sense. Turning back to Celestia, he raised his hands and shrugged.
"I can understand why Luna decided not to tell you herself, what with me being some mythical creature and all. If she had just let you know that I'm a human though, it might've been a tad easier for you to get behind."
Upon hearing this, a pair of white furred ears twitched, doing little to hide the surprise of the mare they were attached to. Her eyes slowly growing larger, Celestia did her best to keep her composure, despite how clearly unsettled she was.
"You... You actually said you're a... Human, didn't you?" She stared incredulously at the man. "That is certainly a piece of information that is... Difficult to take in, if not simply hard to believe."
"Well you are the one that asked, aren't you?" Erebus nonchalantly shrugged. "Like I said earlier, I've been around for over a million years, it's not like I have any good reason to lie about this."
The elder sister shook her head, still trying to compose herself. "All of this is very sudden, i-it's just a lot to think about. If you can see it from my perspective, I think you would understand my response."
"Oh believe me Celestia, I can easily see it from your perspective." The human replied. "Much the same as I'm a myth to your people, unicorns and pegasi were just as much legends to humanity. Recently, I've been forced to accept such legends as reality, on quite the short notice I might add."
Luna took this moment to chime in. "Sister, I already explained everything that happened while I was away. If you truly trusted what I was saying, then you should be able to trust what Erebus is saying now."
Celestia split her attention between the two, sighing. "It's like he just said, I'm going to have to accept this, whether I want to or not. After all, I would rather have some information to go off of, rather than none."
"That opens up an entirely new line of questions though." She focused back towards the human. "You would be the first human to ever be introduced to Equestria. May I ask if there are any others of your kind that we are unaware of?"
Erebus bit his lip, his eyes dropping slightly, yet still managing to see Luna's expression mirror his. He found it nice that she was empathetic towards the subject, but knew that it was better for her sister to have no reservations concerning this. Bringing his eyes back up, he voiced his answer as plainly as he could.
"No... There are no others. I'm all that's left, and I have no doubt that won't ever change. I can continue to explain if you wish, but it's not so simple to answer that line of questioning."
He kept his gaze fixed squarely on her, doing his best to let his tone convey the mood. Carefully watching her expression, he knew she had gotten the message, even before she replied.
"I understand." The mare's answer was just as plain as his own. "I'll not press you any further on the matter until you are willing."
Erebus let a moment pass between them, before softening his face and letting on a slight smile. It was refreshing for him to know that he wouldn't be bothered for information that would upset the entire conversation.
"Thank you, Princess. I genuinely appreciate your respect for my privacy." He allowed his smile to widen some.
Celestia politely returned the smile and gently waved a hoof at him. "Please, I would ask you think nothing of it. To dwell on such subjects would be a clear misuse of our time here."
She gently took another sip of tea before continuing. "So Erebus, I'll have to admit that...I don't have very much information to go on here. Considering that I don't have much in the way to prove otherwise, and Luna's story does seem to corroborate this all, I'm have little reason to believe that you are anything other than human. Besides that piece of information though, that's really the most that I know about you."
"So then, I wanted to ask you this before I made any assumptions of my own." Raising a hoof, she pointed directly at the man. "Now that you've been reintroduced to the world, what is it that you plan to do? The world is quite different from the one you remember, and we would all do well to know how you plan to live through these changes."
"There's the question I've been waiting for." Erebus thought softly. "So far, she's been taking this better than I thought."
He cleared his throat before answering. "A very good question Princess, very good indeed. You're right, the world I'm familiar with is long gone, and I'd be a fool to act as if my life was unchanged. However, I think the solution to that problem can be a simple one."
He paused for a moment, before leaning closer to both alicorns. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, how would you respond if I were to ask you to offer me a job?"
The two sisters simultaneously raised an eyebrow at each other, before Luna glanced back at Erebus. "That's certainly a sudden and straightforward question to ask. Exactly what kind of job did you have in mind?"
Erebus nodded in response. "I understand that it is indeed sudden, but I firmly believe that a freeloader is nothing but trouble to anyone that takes them in. I believe it would be a burden off all our minds if was to give something in return for all the hospitality you're showing me."
Celestia took a moment to think before looking over at him. "Never forget that you saved my sister's life, as well as my own. There should be no questions raised to allowing you room and board. Still, that's not to say that I don't agree with your sentiment. I believe taking on a job would be an excellent way to begin integrating you among the larger society."
"So then..." She continued. "Like Luna said, what exactly did you have in mind?"
"I believe that you're well familiar with the young unicorn who escorted me here, Auburn Study?" Straightening himself to his full height, Erebus continued. "During my time with her, she informed me of a historical foundation that she heads within Canterlot. To the point, I hold a firm belief that I could be an invaluable asset within that line of work, as well as offering her some well needed assistance."
A heavy silence hung in the air as the alicorns weighed his request, each staring at the other with various expressions. The moment seemed to drag on for some time before Luna broke the silence.
"In truth we hadn't expected you to ask about such a specific position. Though we should have expected the director to have been passionate about explaining her work to you, she normally isn't so open to most."
Celestia carried on her sister's train of thought. "The foundation has fallen upon some hard times in recent years, and help has been incredibly difficult to find. All the same, we would both like to know what you think you could bring to such a position."
Keeping his tone blone, the human responded. "Well I've certainly no knowledge in regards to that current world I live in, all the same I'm a veritable archive of information that has been undiscovered for longer than your culture has existed. Not to mention...I'm very good at manual labor."
Luna did her best to stifle a chuckle at that last bit. "Ahem, well that certainly is an intriguing set of qualifications."
Sighing softly at her sister, Celestia addressed Erebus. "I will have to agree with my sister on this point, though I do believe that this would indeed be a worthy pursuit. If this is truly what you wish, I will have to send word to Auburn Study to hear her own opinion on the matter."
She glanced at the windows behind her before continuing. "I do apologize, but it is getting later in the day and we're running short on time before my other duties need attending to. I've already discussed the matter with Luna, and she has agreed to bear the weight of helping to get you settled in more permanently. Before we end this discussion however, are there any questions that you would like to ask either of us, perhaps?"
Though he hadn't been keeping track of the time, Erebus was taken aback by the briefness of the meeting. He had expected a far more inquisitorial stance from Celestia. What took him back all the more was her asking him about any questions. Truly he hadn't thought he would be allowed a word in edgewise, lest it be deemed disrespectful.
One lingering thought came to his lips. "If I can speak plainly Princess, I would only have one thing that's nagging me. I understand the formalities of politics, but why are you treating me like I'm absolutely no danger at all?"
Celestia smiled at him before taking a final sip of tea. "I now know that the earlier ordeal regarding my sister was a misunderstanding, meanwhile you caused more embarrassment to those guards than actual damage. I find little use in holding grudges, but if you had done anything worth truly holding against you...we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Point taken." Erebus nodded.
Carrying on her smile, Celestia gently pushed her chair away from the table and lowered herself down. Luna followed suit and Erebus took his cue and raised himself up. Walking over to him, the elder sister began again.
"Again I do apologize that my tasks must pull me away so soon, but Luna has assured me that you will be settled in with no issues. I do hope that I will be allowed more time in the future to learn more about you, but it may be a while before I'm allowed the luxury of escaping my work."
"It was a pleasure meeting you Erebus." She bowed lightly before turning to walk towards a door at the back of the room.
Luna watched her sister walk away before turning back to look up at the human. "Well, that went about as well as we could have expected it to, given the circumstances."
"She doesn't trust me at all, does she?" Erebus kept his expression stoic.
Raising an eyebrow, Luna responded. "More than than might expect her to, but she has no reason not to be cautious."
Erebus raised his own eyebrow. "Fair enough, and what about you?"
Luna lightly smiled at him. "We are cautious...cautiously optimistic. We truly believe that you have no intent to harm anypony, and we hope there's no reason for that to ever change."
She continued. "But that's enough dwelling on such things, We promised to help get you settled in for the long term, and it would be best to do so before our own duties require attention. So please, follow us."
Turning back towards the large double doors, the princess began making her way back towards the room that Erebus had come from. The human began following close behind, taking note that the walk seemed shorter than before now that he was paying more attention.
Coming up to the bedroom door, Luna stopped and looked up at Erebus. "For the foreseeable future, this will be the quarters that we have set up for you. If there is ever anything that you want or find lacking, you need but mention it to any of the staff ponies on hand."
Erebus nodded, "I think everything is in perfect order as it currently stands, but I'll be sure to keep that in mind if anything comes up."
Returning the nod, Luna continued. "As Celestia stated earlier, we will be the main bearer of responsibility regarding your time here, as such we will be keeping as close an eye on you as we can. However, it should be noted that we will not always be available, according to our daily and nightly tasks. In the times that we are preoccupied with such matters, we have assigned two guards to your person to act in our stead."
"That's understandable." The human affirmed. "So who exactly are the two unlucky guys who have to keep their eyes on me?"The princess gestured to an adjacent hallway, and Erebus noticed to figures approaching that he hadn't been able to see. Coming closer, he immediately realized that he recognized the two guards all too well.
"Erebus, please allow me to introduce you to my personal guard, Nightshade and Overcast."