The past two days had been uneventful for the most part. Vesper was trying to stay awake during the day, and sleep during the night. This seemed counterproductive to her being a member of the Night Guard, but truth be told I had no authority to tell her otherwise.
Starlight Glimmer had been the one to show me around town, something about a lesson from Twilight. I was thankful for any help that the unicorn could provide, especially since I had a guide willing to stop and explain things to an ignorant alien that got lost in two castles.
Now, I stood outside Cheerilee’s house, not quite sure what to expect. I assumed it would just be baby steps with abcs, or whatever the Equestrian equivalent was. I knocked on the door, awaiting a response from the mare within. She had seemed to be okay with the whole teaching the human bit, but that was with Starlight Glimmer there. I’d be on my own today, and my first impression of her when I arrived was that she hated me. Perhaps this was a chance to get to know her better.
“Coming!” A muffled voice shouted from within.
Even from outside, I could hear the teacher’s hooves hitting the floor. I found the clip clop sound to be oddly soothing and was almost disappointed when it came to an end when the door opened to reveal the familiar muzzle of Cheerilee.
“Good to see you again,” Cheerilee said as she stepped to the side.
I made several observations as I entered the house. The floor, as expected, was mostly hard wood, save for the kitchen which was mostly grey tiling. The walls were salmon colored, with a red trim, and an assortment of pictures hung from them. The occasional shelf typically held an ornament of some kind.
The furniture was an inconsistent baby blue and sunflower yellow. A fish tank that held a few tiny tetras and a few other small fish I couldn’t identify was set up on the far left side of the room, just out of reach of the sun’s rays. A set of stairs led up to a second level of the house, which I doubted I would ever see for the duration of my time with Cheerilee.
“Okay,” Cheerilee said breaking the silence. “I know this is going to be a challenge for both of us, so let’s just get a fresh start on things. My name is Cheerilee, what’s your name?”
“Um, Benjamin,” I said, finding the mare’s method a bit odd, until I reminded myself that Cheerilee actually was a school teacher and was probably just trying to stick to that mindset as if she had a classroom full of students, instead of a giant talking ape.
“So, I think we need to start this off by learning a bit about you,” Cheerilee motioned for me to follow her into the living room.
“You mean like my hobbies and stuff?” I joked.
“If you want I suppose,” Cheerilee paused long enough to answer before motioning for me to sit in an easy chair.
“Darn, I don’t get a school desk,” I snapped my fingers in disappointment.
“Wait, you do that too?!” the mare’s eyes suddenly grew larger.
“….do what?” I asked.
“That…whatever it was you just did with your hooves,” Cheerilee looked genuinely afraid.
“Snapping my fingers?” I scratched my head before I came to the assumption that if it had Cheerilee startled it could be an insult of some kind. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything bad by it!”
“N-no no, it’s fine,” Cheerilee said taking in a deep breath. “Just promise you won’t summon any strange beings or turn water into bread.”
“I can’t do either of those things,” I smiled nervously, making a mental note to never snap my fingers around a pony.
“Good to know,” Cheerilee said, a smile slowly returning to her muzzle. “I think this will be a learning experience for both of us.”
I let out a mental sigh of relief as she proceeded to pull out a standard sized sheet of paper. I couldn’t help but wonder what had caused her reaction to such a simple, harmless motion. Perhaps a bad experience with some other bipedal creature was responsible for her mini freak out. She certainly seemed to settle down rather quickly though, probably a trait she had to develop when dealing with foals that can bend inanimate objects to their developing will, or ones that could fly.
“So, what I’m going to need you to do first is make a list of your letters,” Cheerilee explained as she passed me the paper and pencil.
“Yes ma’am,” I said as I took the pencil and started to write out the alphabet I was familiar with.
“You don’t have to be that proper,” Cheerilee giggled. “It makes me feel old, just Cheerilee is fine.”
“Alright, Cheerilee,” I smiled.
I wrote out each letter a bit slower than I normally would, as my hand writing is pretty bad. As I did so, I couldn’t but notice Cheerilee watching my hands intensely, seemingly fascinated by the motions that fingers provided. I knew about Minotaurs being a part of Equestrian society, so surely this wasn’t the first time she had seen fingers in use.
“Alright, done,” I announced, snapping the mare out of her hand induced trance.
“Excellent, now if you could simply go through them with me,” Cheerilee said, taking the paper.
“So this is A,” I said pointing at the appropriate letter.
Cheerilee nodded silently as she pencil in her mouth to scribble an odd looking symbol that looked nothing like an A to me, or in any known language from Earth. This trend continued as we worked through the alphabet. Her attitude seemed more positive than when we had last met. Every once in a while as we worked through the letters of my language I thought I noticed a smile of excitement.
“Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I want you to write five of each letter in our language,” Cheerilee slid two clean pieces of paper to me as she returned the pencil.
“I feel like I’m in kindergarten all over again…” I sighed as I picked up the pencil, which was surprisingly saliva free.
“The greatest heroes started out as humble foals,” Cheerilee said as she watched me. “I don’t expect you to learn everything in one day.”
I nodded, trying to shake the uncomfortable feeling of her watching me write, and I use write lightly. The letters felt more like drawings but I suppose kanji was the same way; it felt more like art work than actual writing, but that’s probably why people back on Earth thought it was an interesting writing style.
“Start over with G,” Cheerilee pointed at my horribly misshapen work. “You added an extra stroke and turned it into a Q.”
I quickly erased it, sending tiny bits of the tool across the paper. Sadly, it was a fresh pencil and the eraser didn’t really work as well as a slightly used one would. This left a hideous stain on the pristine white paper, save for the other embarrassing attempts at writing the letters out. I shook my head as I started over; trying to ignore the grey and black blob I had left behind.
“Hey Cheerilee,” I spoke up. “How do you guys stand deal with getting eraser leavings out of your mouths, and for that matter, graphite as well?”
“I’m sorry?” Cheerilee tilted her head in that adorable pony fashion.
“Y’know, these things,” I said, pointing at one that I hadn’t swept off the table.
“Oh those,” Cheerilee l shook her head. “I can’t say I’ve ever had them in my mouth, they don’t look that tasty.”
“But…you guys use your mouths to write,” I felt my face twist in confusion which made Cheerilee chuckle.
“Yes, we use our mouths to write,” Cheerilee pulled another pencil out of a nearby saddle bag, this one well-worn from repeated use. “We use our hooves to erase.”
Cheerilee gave a demonstration as she made a perfect copy of the G she had made for me to write out. Without missing a beat, she released the pencil from her mouth, caught it in her hoof and proceeded to erase her work in the blink of an eye. I could smell the smoke coming out of my ears as my brain fried while she smiled at her work.
“I think you would have an easier time if you didn’t use your hooves,” Cheerilee commented as I resumed writing.
“I am not putting wood in my mouth,” I replied to which Cheerilee snickered
I stopped when I heard her trying to stifle her laughter. I ran the words over in my mind to try and determine what I had said to amuse her. I couldn’t think of anything that would trigger such a reaction, until my mind trekked off into the gutter. I raised an eyebrow at the mare who was covering her muzzle with her hooves.
“Are you thinking about what I’m thinking about?” I asked cautiously.
“That depends if your world works like ours when it comes to humor,” Cheerilee replied.
“…ponies aren’t supposed to have dirty thoughts,” I mumbled.
“They most certainly do,” Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “I spend three fourths of the year with foals that require me to keep composed and proper. Summer is when I’m free of that obligation.”
“What if you damage my fragile psyche with crude humor and dirty thoughts?” I teased.
“I was hoping to be a bit less formal, since my only student for the summer has a far more developed mind and personality than those I’m normally used to.” Cheerilee said.
I shrugged and stared at the pencil, pushing the dirty thoughts aside for the moment. I smirked as I carefully placed the pencil in my mouth, trying to avoid getting the eraser on my tongue. Cheerilee seemed surprised when I got as close to the paper as I could before moving the pencil around through an odd combination of tongue, lip and jaw movement.
For my efforts, I was rewarded with an almost complete match to Cheerilee’s G. My stunned expression allowed the pencil to fall free from my mouth as I observed my work when compared to what my hands had written. I looked over at Cheerilee who seemed rather pleased with the result.
“How the…what?” I stammered stupidly.
“See?” Cheerilee stood beside me. “It looks so much better!”
“This makes my brain hurt,” I said. “How can a mouth be better at writing than hands?”
“Let’s experiment then shall we?” Cheerilee asked rhetorically as she took the pencil in her mouth once more.
The mare’s expression became more focused as she tried to write a G in my language. After several attempts she spat the pencil out with a huff. Cheerilee cocked an accusing eyebrow at the letter before turning to me.
“It’s as I thought,” Cheerilee said. “Your language is best written with hooves, while mine is best written with mouths.”
“Hands,” I held up the two appendages, wiggling my fingers. “My hooves are called hands where I’m from.”
“Ah, I see,” Cheerilee said. “Well, I don’t suppose I can talk you into using your mouth for the duration of our visits?”
“I don’t think I’ll be using that method again anytime soon,” I laughed. “Even if it is easier, it doesn’t feel right.”
“I understand,” Cheerilee nodded before placing a hoof on the paper. “Let’s get back to it then, we’ve got a lot of ground left to cover.”
I did as instructed and the rest of our time together for the day involved rather basic stuff. At one point I felt like a kid again calling out colors, objects, and a number of other things with pictures. I was about to question her method, until she took the pictures away and asked me what they were. Despite the simplicity of this practice I lost my skepticism as the mare quizzed me. This was going to take a lot of work to grasp.
---
I stretched a bit as I walked out of Cheerilee’s house, its owner leading the way. When my stomach started to rumble, the teacher offered to get us some lunch. I tried to convince her I was fine, but she pushed me towards the door. She was surprisingly strong for a three foot tall equine.
“So, what does your kind like to eat?” Cheerilee asked.
“You really don’t have to-“
“Shush,” Cheerilee stopped me mid-sentence. “You’re my student, and it’s my responsibility to look out for you. Besides, we deserve a little break with the progress you’ve made.”
I reluctantly nodded and matched her pace, walking a little slower than I normally would. My legs were much longer than hers, and I would walk past her if I wasn’t careful. That was the only instance where I would be a bit faster, as a filly in Canterlot had outran me without breaking a sweat. It was hard to imagine all of that speed in a deceptively adorable form.
“Back to my original question, what is it that you eat?” Cheerilee asked again.
“Fish?” I answered, backpedaling when I noticed the mare’s expression shift slightly. “Or fruit! Yeah, love me some fruit!”
“O-oh, so that part was wrong,” Cheerilee seemed disappointed. “Odd, old text said that humans were primarily fruit eaters. At least that’s what evidence revealed.”
“So no on the other food option?” I asked. “Sorry, I’m okay with whatever, as long as it’s not hay.”
“There’s plenty more to choose from,” Cheerilee said. “I never thought humans would be piscivores.”
“Piscivore?” I gave her a confused look.
“It’s an animal that eats primarily fish,” Cheerilee answered.
“Well, I can eat veggies and fruits as well, I’m not too picky,” I said. “Though piscivore sounds a lot cooler than omnivore.”
“I suppose they’ll have to redefine the human diet in the books,” Cheerilee giggled. “Speaking of books, I have a few I want you to take with you when we get back to my house.”
“Out of curiosity, why did you want me at your house instead of at the school?” I asked.
“It didn’t seem practical to have one student sitting in the middle of the room as I taught him,” Cheerilee replied. “I actually dread the summer, even if I get to have a little time to myself. I feel empty and without purpose, what good is a special talent if one can’t use it?”
“Is that part of the reason why you agreed to see me?” I asked.
“A part, yes,” Cheerilee nodded. “Not that I don’t enjoy teaching you, please don’t take it as that. I enjoy teaching and I….I needed something to wake up for.”
I could hear her tone drop for a moment, but decided not to ask why. The way her voice seemed to fall midway through her explanation made my own heart ache at seeing something so happy and adorable sound so depressed. Still, it was none of my business, and I didn’t know Cheerilee well enough to try and pry into her life like that.
“Anyways, I think this is a pretty good restaurant,” Cheerilee changed the subject.
I looked the building over and was reminded of a McDonalds, without the drive-thru of course. It shared the same interior with the fast food establishment as well, with a kiddie area included. It reminded me a bit too much of home, causing memories that I wished to repress back to the surface.
“Are you okay?” Cheerilee asked, poking me with her hoof.
“Um, yeah,” I mumbled, removing the beginnings of a tear from my eye. “Just didn’t expect to be reminded of things today.”
“Oh…I see,” Cheerilee said, tapping the floor with a hoof uneasily. “Want to talk about it?”
“I can’t bug you with something so stupid,” I replied.
“You’re my student, I’m responsible for both your physical and mental wellbeing,” Cheerilee huffed, her cheeks puffing up as her nose scrunched. “Now go find a seat while I take care of ordering.”
I nodded after seeing the disarming display of adorable frustration. Cheerilee meant well, and the fact that she cared at all pricked my heart a bit. When I arrived I was asked questions, but I never felt as if I had a meaningful conversation with a pony until-
“Vesper?” I said aloud as I saw the bat pony push the open the glass door to enter the building. Her sunglasses blocked out the bright UV rays that her sensitive eyes couldn’t tolerate well. The fact that she was up at two PM was mind boggling.
"Hi Benjamin," Vesper chirped happily.
"Vesper, what are you doing up?" My question came with a slightly scolding tone that the bat pony either didn't register, or simply ignored.
"The alarm woke me up," Vesper replied as she adjusted her glasses slightly. "I didn't want to go back to sleep."
"But I rememebr shutting off my alarm, how did it wake you up?" I asked.
"Not yours, mine went off," Vesper explained. "I hate being the only one in Ponyville up into the odd hours of the night. I want to do stuff, like normal ponies."
"And normal ponies wear super thick sun glasses inside buildings?" I rolled my eyes.
"Well, there's DJ Pon3, Photo Finish-"
"Okay, okay, you've made your point," I stopped her. "Their sunglasses aren't discount welders goggles though."
"You have a problem with my "welder's goggles?" Vesper crossed her forelegs and raised an eyebrow at me.
Before I could answer, I heard a light cough. We both turned to see Cheerilee staring back at us. Her expression threw me for a loop as she slowly slid a plastic container of fruit towards me. Vesper had also grown quiet and tilted her head slightly at the mare.
Where once Cheerilee had been talkative, warm and friendly, she now seemed cold. I assumed her abrupt shift in attitude had been the result of me doing something wrong, given my lack of pony etiquette, but I felt that any malice or discontent wasn't directed at me. As she slowly took a seat across from me, her eyes remained locked on Vesper.
Both mare's ears flicked back and forth, as they held some sort of private conversation spoken only in pony body language. While I was pony ignorant, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that whatever was being communicated, and that it wouldn't end well.
"So, Cheerilee," I said, snapping her out of whatever trance she had been in. "Um, thanks for lunch, what all comes in it?"
"Nothing special, just an assortment of fruit," Cheerilee said, her eyes occasionally falling on Vesper before fixing them on me. "I,uh, I recommend the star fruit."
"That's hardly filling," Vesper commented. "Now mangos, that's what you want to dig into."
"Well there aren't any mangos in this," Cheerilee pointed at the assortment of fruit in front of her.
I could feel the tension level shoot right back up to where it had been before I broken their stare at one another. Both of their attitudes made little sense to me; was Cheerilee upset that Vesper took the seat beside me? No, that couldn't be it, that would be silly. Perhaps getting them off on a better hoof would smooth things over, temporarily anyways.
"Sorry, Cheerilee this is Vesper, she's a body guard," I said motioning with my head towards the threstal. "Vesper this is Cheerilee, the mare I told you about that would be teaching me."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Cheerilee said, her voice carrying a bit of bitterness.
"Same here," Vesper shrugged, her ears finally relaxing.
Cheerilee took a deep breath before looking at me, holding an obvious fake smile. "So, I assume you met at Canterlot?"
"Yea-"
"I used to come in and keep an eye on him," Vesper interupted me. "When the ear scratches started though, I kind of got attached to him."
"Ear scratches?" Cheerilee questioned.
"Sweet Luna, they're the best thing ever!" Vesper smiled, her fangs showing a bit more than they usually would. The sight caused Cheerilee to cringe slightly.
"I see," Cheerilee finally took a bite of sliced up fruit from her lunch. "I didn't think a human would make that type of contact with a pony."
"It was out of habit when we talked," I confessed. "Where I come from ponies don't talk, and are kind of umm..."
"Go on," Cheerilee motioned with her hoof while Vesper looked up at me confused.
"They're um...pets," I tensed up, preparing myself for a hoof to the face.
"That's all?" Cheerilee asked, taking me by surprise.
"You guys are really warm too," I added. "Well, Vesper is so I'd assume you all are, even if she's a bit fluffier than normal ponies."
"I'm just long haired," Vesper tapped her hooves together.
Cheerilee didn't respond as she took another bite of her food. I had almost forgotten about mine and took a bite. It tasted pretty good, fruit in Equestria had a richer flavor to the fruits I was used to on Earth. Cheerilee's ears perked up as I picked a random slice from the sizable plastic container, I assumed this was a piece of the star fruit she wanted me to try.
"This taste pretty good, actually," I commented, earning a smile from Cheerilee.
I felt a hoof gently poke my side, and turned to see Vesper looking up at me. Even with her sunglasses, I assumed she was giving me puppy dog eyes, or whatever the pony equivalent was. The bat mare eventually pointed at the fruit.
"You're not five," I said as I picked up another piece. "Use your words."
“Can I have some?” Vesper asked. “Please?”
“Since you said please,” I replied stabbing a piece of fruit with a plastic fork and passing it to her.
Before it was even in front of her muzzle, Vesper leaned into the approaching hand and inhaled the offering. She quite literally held her mouth open and vacuumed it off the fork like some sort of cartoon character.
“Well, it’s been thrilling to meet you Vesper,” Cheerilee said, abruptly leaping out of her seat. “I’m afraid that we’ve still got a few things to cover before I can release him for the day.”
I was about to comment that she still had food to eat, until I noticed the empty container. In the time it took for me to give Vesper a piece of fruit, Cheerilee had somehow managed to silently consume all of its contents without making a sound. I had assumed such an act would produce the typical sounds of a sloppy eater.
“What’s her problem?” Vesper asked.
“She probably lost it when you sucked the fruit right off the fork,” I replied, getting out of my seat. Thankfully we hadn’t selected a booth, and I didn’t have to wait for her to leave first.
While Vesper was probably the reason Cheerilee left, I had a hunch that there was a bit more to it than a silly eating habit. The way the mare went from being warm and happy to cold and isolated suggested as much, but I didn’t feel like it was a good idea to press her for information. Her attitude certainly raised a multitude of questions.
"You're going back already?" Vesper asked as she followed me out of the restaurant.
"If I want to learn how to get around on my own, then yes, I have to go back with Cheerilee," I replied.
"Oh..." Vesper's shoulders seemed to sag in response before she slowly flew off.
"What's her deal?" I mumbled before turning to catch up with Cheerilee.
As I caught up to my teacher I could tell she was still upset about something. She turned and smiled at me when she realized I had caught up with her. Cheerilee lifted her head up a little and seemed to walk a little prouder the more distance we put between us and Equestria's version of McDonalds.
"You feeling okay?" I asked.
"I'm right as rain, why?" Cheerilee asked in return.
"Just checking," I shrugged, reminding myself that I didn't know this mare well enough to ask her personal questions like that.
As I turned my attention to the road ahead of us, I noticed two mares that seemed to be rather good friends with a charcoal stallion. Both mares planted a kiss on each of his cheeks, making the stallion's chest puff out slightly.
"That's weird," I commented.
"Herding is perfectly normal," Cheerilee said. "Though some mares do prefer a stallion's undivided attention. Do humans not form packs...herds...troops perhaps?"
"None of the above, normally," I chuckled. "It's usually just two and whatever kids they have. Though you do get the occasional douche bag who thinks with his lower brain instead of the one in his head."
"Your species is quite odd," Cheerilee giggled, her mood steadily improving.
“We do what we can,” I shrugged.
“Oh do you now?” Cheerilee snickered.
“Ha ha, very funny,” I mumbled, trying to fight against the smile spreading across my mouth as I processed what made her laugh.
----
“Another night on the ceiling,” Vesper sighed.
The mare watched the sleeping form of Benjamin through the darkness, seeing him as easily as he saw her during the day. The soft moonlight was far tenderer to her eyes than the harsh sun’s rays, and even though she knew her human was just below her, he seemed so far away.
The sight was only made worse by the nagging of nature at her mind, disrupting normal logical thought that brought her growing discomfort. Aside from the physical pain, there was also an emotional side to it as well. The way that mare looked at her today hurt most of all. She knew she would be judged just for being a nocturnal pony, she still didn’t expect it to sting as bad as it did. In Canterlot, she was respected, even by the ponies who stayed up through the day. While the disdain for her kind had dwindled with Luna’s return, there were still some ponies that couldn’t get over the stigma that bat ponies had earned when they rebelled after the banishment of their leader.
For once, Vesper was thankful for needing such thick sun glasses during the day; they helped hide the sadness in her heart. It had taken all of her self-control to not leave and just give up trying to be with Benjamin. Just thinking about it brought a few tears to her eyes, which given her upside down position fell onto the sleeping human, causing him to stir slightly.
“Oh no, oh nonononono!” Vesper whisper exclaimed, landing quietly beside the bed.
The bat pony saw that the tears had landed on the human’s forehead and slowly climbed onto the bed. With a sigh of relief she gently dried the wet spot, studying his features. She found herself stroking Benjamin’s face as a smile spread across her muzzle. His hair tickled the bottom of her hoof, causing an involuntary giggle to break the relative silence.
Just as she was about to leave a powerful arm wrapped around her barrel, pulling her close to Benjamin’s chest. Vesper blushed as the human rolled over, nuzzling into her mane.
“Ben!” Vesper hissed quietly.
Um, why are you fighting this? a disembodied voice asked.
"Because...because..." Vesper mumbled quietly.
This is your chance! Now, get real close and you snuggle the shit out of him! the voice ordered.
"But...this isn't how I want it," Vesper sulked. "It's not fair."
The bat pony tried to free herself from the clutches of the human, but was unable to squeeze out of his arm. She couldn't escape without waking Benjamin up, and that would only cause more trouble and possibly set her back in trying to find a way to win the human's heart.
Just tell him you were checking on him when he sleep grabbed you, the voice provided an excuse to remain.
"Because that won't raise a red flag," Vesper rolled her eyes.
Wake him up, or fall asleep with him, your call, the voice said. Either way I'm not in any trouble, I'm just your subconscious.
"...does my subconscious have a name?" Vesper whispered.
I-ugh, goodnight, Vesper the voice groaned.
"But I'm-" The threstal yawned before she could finish. "-not sleepy."
Yes, you are.
-----
Vesper awoke to the beautiful moonlit room she had dozed off it. Everything was still the same from when she had drifted off, save for the absence of a tall, lanky, hairless ape. Seeing the open door to the room, Vesper assumed he had woken up, despite her best efforts to prevent his sleep from being disturbed.
With a sigh, Vesper rose from the bed to begin her hunt for the human. She would have to tell him that she thought he was having trouble resting, and that was how she ended up next to him. As she formulated her excuse, it dawned on her that perhaps she was why he left the room in the first place.
Her thoughts running wild, Vesper rushed to the door, but stopped when she heard giggling from the other side. Occasionally something would be whispered between the two voices, one belonging to Benjamin, while the other...the other sounded oddly familiar.
Pushing open the door, she found herself in a restaurant. In the very middle was a single table, seating Benjamin, and Cheerilee. Between them was a milkshake with two straws, each leading to the mouth of the table's occupants.
"W-what?" Vesper thought her heart had stopped beating as she continued to stare at the scene before her.
"Benjamin!" Vesper called out, but there was no response, not even a glance in her direction.
Something else caught Vesper's attention; the light streaming through the windows was slowly starting to slide across the floor as the sun rose to replace the moon. The threstal panicked at the sight and started to back up, forcing her away from Benjamin and Cheerilee.
"Stop!" Vesper screamed, but the light ignored her protest and continued to pour into the building.
Reluctantly, Vesper jumped behind the counter and shut her eyes as the first hours of daylight began. The mare curled up into a ball as she was ignored by the employees. None of them seemed to care that she was trapped in the building, unless she wanted to stumble around Ponyville with her eyes shut.
"Why was I cursed?" Vesper sobbed. "Why Luna...why couldn't I have been a normal pegasus?"
"Vesper," came a powerful voice, one she had been trained to heed above all others.
"Vesper," the voice said again as the sound of hooves approached her. "What troubles you so?"
"L-Luna?" Vesper opened her eyes to find the Princess of the Night standing over her.
"One would wonder why a threstal is dreaming at all tonight," Luna commented. "Have you fallen ill?"
"No, princess," Vesper replied as she stood up. "I...I can't talk about it."
Luna tilted her head in confusion. "You can't, or you don't want to?"
"Is there a difference?" Vesper sulked, her ears drooping as she spoke.
"One means you aren't allowed to speak," Luna said. "The other is just refusing to speak of your own will."
"You wouldn't want to hear about it," Vesper sniffled. "You have more important things to do than listen to a silly bat's problems."
"I, ruler of the night and moon, do not care about what one of my little ponies who is clearly distressed has to say?" Luna questioned. "Either I've failed as a princess for you to view me with such low expectations, or your heart is in such disarray that you truly believe you are beyond help."
Vesper looked away in shame as her princess spoke. She knew Luna could see into the dreams of others, and get rid of nightmares, a fact which put her mind at ease about her surroundings. She never expected to be visited by the monarch personally though.
"Princess, why am I cursed?" Vesper finally relented. "Why do I have to sleep when others are awake?"
"One cannot choose whom they are born to, only what they do with their life," Luna said. "Why would you think you are cursed?"
"I've failed you as a guard, princess," Vesper sighed. "I love who I was chosen to protect, and I mean LOVE love."
"So, that explains why you're asleep tonight," Luna smiled. "You want to be awake when he is."
Vesper didn't say anything in response, simply nodding in confirmation to the princess' assumptions. She felt as if walls of her dream world were starting to close in on her as the interrogation seemed to drag on. She would have given anything to hide herself from Luna, ashamed of how foalish she had been.
"You're certain there is no other way to win young Benjamin's heart?" Luna lifted Vesper's head up with a hoof.
"How can I show him how I feel if I can't see him during the day," Vesper replied. "I've tried staying awake, but I haven’t' made much progress. I still wake up pretty late in the day, when he’s busy. "
Luna closed her eyes in thought, as if considering something which made Vesper nervous. She could order her to ignore Benjamin, or worse, assign her something else to do that took her far away from the human. With all the possibilities floating around in her mind Vesper felt as if she would cry once more.
“Clearly I cannot convince you otherwise,” Luna said. “I also cannot tell you who you can pursue when it comes to love. If you truly feel there is no other, and you wish to be awake during the day, then I will tell you how such a goal can be achieved, even for a threstal.”
“I didn’t think there was as easier way,” Vesper’s ears began to perk up.
“I never said it would be easy,” Luna corrected her assumption. “I only said I know of a way, which I will send to you.”
“Why can’t you tell me now?” Vesper asked, blushing when she realized what she had asked. “Um, princess.”
“Because dawn approaches,” Luna replied. “I must give way for my sister to begin the day. You’ve certainly aroused my curiosity in the matter of our human friend, and given me a lot to think about.”
---
“Vesper?”
The bat pony opened her eyes to find Benjamin looking at her groggily. His eyes half lidded with a lingering sleep and foggy mind. The events of last night came rushing back to her, as well as her excuse. Vesper could only hope that last night’s incident could become the regular.
“Heh, good morning Benjamin,” the threstal chuckled nervously. “You may or may not have taken me hostage last night.”