A Night of Contemplations
The royal sisters meandered down the halls away from their new guest’s room toward the main section of the castle. Luna followed slowly behind her sister, lost in her thoughts as they both approached the grand dining room.
“Sister, share with me. What do you think is to become of Sir David?”
“Oh, Lulu, I cannot be so certain at this stage. He seems to be kind and cooperative; let us hope that he is the ally he seems to be.”
“So you have doubts?”
“I do. Perhaps they are nothing, but some of his words troubled me.”
“Certainly it is not the tales he speaks of. Though outlandish, even I cannot sense any dishonesty from what he has spoken.”
“No, it is not that. Hopefully, we will come to understand what he means by them, but I am concerned by other things…”
“Do tell.”
“There are a few, but the most startling… I am sure you heard him say it too. He said he ‘has no magic.’ At first, I thought he was speaking of spell-bound magic, like that of unicorns, but I now feel he meant that magic itself is foreign to him.”
“That seems improbable. All things have magic in them; it is one of the most basic components in the universe!”
“Yes, that is true for us… but for him, perhaps not.”
“Tia, I already fear the impending headache from contemplating the possibilities. Can we not simply wait for Twilight and Cadance to make that conclusion?”
Celestia sighed. “Perhaps that is best.”
Luna’s countenance brightened at her sister’s words. “I, for one, am willing to let them make such inquiries. Research of that magnitude is simply too cumbersome a task.”
“Oh? Perhaps you would care to take on another, less strenuous mission?”
“I did not mean it in that way. Is there more to be done?”
Celestia smiled. “Of course! As Sir David is a guest, would you consider taking care of him this night, should any needs arise?”
Luna stopped and scowled. “Court still demands my attention, sister.”
“Yes, but it is a short session as tomorrow is a day off. Surely you can take care of his personal effects and tend to him if needed?”
“Of course I can. Do you think I would shun him? I am the caretaker of the night!”
“Hmm…”
“You will see. I will take considerable care of our guest. It is my duty!”
“Thank you, Lulu. I leave him in your capable hooves. But now, I must return to my quarters. I feel there is quite a bit of paperwork waiting to be done before I can retire. That is, unless…” Celestia shot her sister a knowing smile.
Luna turned away, feathers ruffling as a chill ran up her spine. “Say no more, please. I cannot fathom it. I will handle the Night Court and then watch over Sir David. I hope your toils are not long. Rest well, sister.”
“Goodnight, Lulu.”
***
Celestia sat at her desk in her personal quarters. She had just finished up the reports for the Royal Guard regarding David’s arrival and was now taking a moment to update her personal diary.
After the week’s events in court, I was hoping for an uneventful weekend. That destiny was not mine to enjoy. All being said, I do have a renewed sense of vigor for what lies ahead.
A mystical event has lead a traveler from another world to our doorsteps, one of a form nopony has seen before.
This creature, a ‘human’ by his own words, is intelligent, friendly and unusually knowledgeable. He goes by the name of David Marshall, and though his spoken word matches with our own, he is otherwise illiterate in Equis.
Perhaps illiterate is not quite accurate, for he admits that there are both similarities and differences between our written tongues. I hope to investigate it at a later point, if possible.
That, however, is not the only curiosity he holds! The most interesting facet besides his lingual skills is, despite being foreign, he may possess a vast knowledge of many events and ponies here in Equestria, including myself, my sister, and Twilight and her friends! He claims that this knowledge was passed to him in the form of fictional or mythical stories, supposedly created by his own people. I find this somewhat difficult to fathom but cannot wait to hear more.
Waiting is sometimes the most difficult part in life. At the point when it seemed Sir David was about to embark on yet another fantastical story, the stress of the night’s events finally caught up with him, and he asked to retire.
As we prepared to adjourn, I informed him of his current predicament, being one of confinement until he was properly examined. He immediately understood the concept of the proposed quarantine and accepted his position, then showed concern for Luna and myself, as to him we seemed to be exposed without protection. I assured him that we took appropriate precautions, and hearing that, he correctly assumed that our ‘first contact’ protocols had been developed by Twilight. I must say that his responses amazed me, showing both an impressive intellect and compassion towards others. I look forward to having some time to discuss more with him later; though, again that will have to wait. Before leaving him, I finished out the checklist of his needs, then both Luna and I bid him goodnight and left him to rest.
Tonight, while I file reports with the guard and set security policies in place, Luna will be taking watch over Sir David, even though she has a short court schedule to attend to. I must say, I was quite surprised; though she was quite alarmed at the initial encounter, she showed great care while we spoke to him. At one point, he was quite distraught, doubting his own mind and even I did not know how best to calm his fears. My dear sister, though, replied to his plight immediately. She pressed her body to his to let him feel her warmth, and as he looked into her eyes, it calmed him immediately. Such boldness is not in my character, though sometimes I wish I was capable of it. For now, though, I will leave his care this night in her capable hooves.
Finishing her writing, Celestia let out a mighty sigh. “Oh, Lulu, I hope tonight is less eventful for you. Please let peace be with my little ponies this evening, and with Sir David as well.”
And with that, the celestial ruler bid the world goodnight.
***
In the midst of the throne room, Luna sat majestically as she oversaw the Night Court’s activities. The docket was short, common for the last session of the week, and most petitioners offered only simple requests.
Growing a bit bored with the proceedings, Luna called for a short recess near the halfway mark. During this time, she enjoyed a snack and thought about the recent events.
‘Drat. I almost forgot my promise to care for his clothing, as sister had requested. I dare say, ‘tis a fair trade: a bit of common housework instead of the tedium of paperwork!’
With her new task in mind and wearing a smile, Luna trotted back to her chambers where the basket of soiled clothing lay in wait.
Back in her personal washroom, she carefully washed David’s garments until she noticed a tear in his trousers.
‘Tsk. That will not do! It seems we have damaged his clothes while inspecting him,’ she thought.
Luna finished the washing and hung David’s shirt by the fireplace to dry, then took the pants with her to a nearby lounge. There she sat and marveled at the size and length of the strange garment.
‘Sir David seems to come from a land of giants! Though we barely glimpsed him standing in the field, I dare say he is another head taller than even Tia.’
After carefully examining the pants, and failing to find any other cuts, she fetched a needle and thread from her sewing kit with her magic and neatly mended the cut using a running stitch.
Snapping the loose thread off, she admired her work. ‘There. Not too terrible of a finish, considering.’ She nodded to herself, smiling in satisfaction.
Now, also hung next to the shirt to dry, Luna, too, took a moment to pen her thoughts of the day.
This eve has brought many unexpected events.
A missive was sent to us from the outlying fields of the capital that a strange, foreboding mass of dark and unidentified magic had appeared there amongst a violent storm. While a storm is of little concern, the anomalous magic warranted action, and so my sister and I felt the need to investigate personally.
Arriving at the scene, the guard corps that accompanied us performed diligently and verified the rural area was indeed clear of bystanders. Even with their efforts, though, there was one creature left within the cordon…
There in the field stood a strange being, one we would later identify as a ‘human.’ It was tall and lanky, stood only on hind legs and gestured with its fore. It wore clothes and spoke to us, asking for help. As my sister and I would not turn away from such a request, Tia banished the unidentified magic and returned peace to the area. Apparently, her actions caused too great a shock, as the human swooned from the display of power and lay unconscious for a great while.
After a cursory inspection, we decided to reconvene back at the castle, Canterlot, taking the unconscious passenger in tow. As a precaution, the guards were first protected by the use of magical wards, which we were also clothed in, as was prescribed by one of my fellow princess’ direction in handling such matters.
Back at the castle, we further examined the newcomer. Under the clothing, fur was not present, nor tail, hoof or claw. It was a soft being, a mammal, and undeniably male. Finding him not physically damaged, we showed great care and transferred him to a guest room for warmth and comfort as we waited for his revival.
Little would prepare us for the shock that awaited us.
Upon his awakening, we found the human, named David Marshall, though stranger to us, knew of us quite well! More so, he claimed this knowledge was available to many, but that to his people, we were mere fiction. How absurd!
His emotions swayed as his mind’s grasp of reality crumbled. Even he could not believe the words he spouted. After hearing his rants and fears of self-lunacy, I moved to put a stop to it. I approached him and looked into his eyes; we shared breath and warmth, and his mind stilled. He recognized us, and in turn, his own situation in our world, as reality.
It was magical how quickly he was able to cope with his situation. I fear if I were in his hooves, I would still be quite mad.
After regaining composure, he explained more of how he came to know Equestria. Though we have never seen his kind before, he and his have intimate knowledge of our world, of us and of some of the more prominent ponies in society. This knowledge was purported to come from stories and film (a media I am still not familiar with) and was created by his own people for the entertainment of their young. He even suggested that our likenesses were crafted into dolls as gifts for the little ones to play with!
All of that aside, Sir David, as we have taken to calling him, was polite and forthcoming with information. Sister and I promised to seek a way to send him home, even though the thought of his world lying beyond my stars and her her sun makes it seem impossible to reach. That must wait, though, as we do not yet know if he is in danger, a danger to others, or if he has been contaminated with powerful magics like those found in the field. Sister has contacted Twilight and Cadance to assist in his examination, as they have not yet been exposed to his presence, and they will be here tomorrow to make a judgement.
At the moment, the Night Court is taking a recess, and so I follow through with my part. Since the night is my domain, I have chosen to be of service to our guest by washing and mending his garments as well as delivering requested supplies my sister and I promised.
As I take a moment now, peering into the dreamscape, I see Sir David is resting, though peacefully is not as I would describe it. Normally, I would not hesitate to attempt to quell a nightmare, but I cannot offer the same assistance in his case, not until I am sure it will do him no harm. Instead, I will continue to watch over him from the shadows. Perhaps a comforting note would ease his fears.
Luna continued to write for some time as the clothing dried by the fire. Soon after finishing, though, she stood and gathered the supplies as directed by Celestia. She then neatly folded David’s clothes and prepared the care package for delivery.
***
David Marshall slept restlessly in the cold, dark room. The chill seeped into his bones and made him shiver, eventually shocking him awake. It was not the best way to wake up.
“These castle walls are pretty cold and unforgiving without a fire to keep you warm. I guess I should be more careful,” he murmured to himself.
Having recently awoken from especially vivid and torturous dreams about his current predicament, he was surprisingly calm and accepting of the reality of his location in a ‘guest room’ within Canterlot Castle of Equestria.
Noticing the chill, he looked to the fireplace. A few small embers were still glowing, and he set about restoring the fire with the provided firewood placed near the hearth. After coaxing the flames back to life, it quickly warmed him. He reached up to the gas lamp and lengthened its flame, bringing light to his surroundings as he looked about his new room.
It was hard to tell what time it was without windows, but looking to the dresser, he saw that had already been taken into account. Sitting on the dresser was the tray of snacks the princesses had brought earlier, but alongside it were some new additions. A small but fancy, traditional, hand-wound alarm clock showed the time to be one-forty in the morning, signified by a small crescent moon that was slowly making way for a bright, yellow sun. Next to the clock was a stack of paper with a quill and ink pot. His clothes were seemingly freshly laundered and neatly folded. The last addition was certainly a welcome sight. His face slightly twitched, realizing that someone—or more likely somepony—had been in the room as he slept.
He went over to the tray and grabbed an oatmeal cookie to munch on, then began to inspect his clothing. His shirt, a rather plain dark-blue, white-speckled polo, was in decent shape considering the amount of time he assumed he had spent on the ground. Looking at it, his thoughts returned to the night before.
‘I remember being on the asphalt outside the grocery store and then waking up on the grass in that field, here in Equestria.’
Running his hand through his hair, he tried to remember what had happened in the field. He remembered only bits and pieces, mostly darkness and noises. A whisper of a recollection murmured inside his mind, and he remembered the sky as it was illuminated and what he saw before he had lost consciousness.
There, in the heavens, he recalled his first sighting of the regal rulers of this land. Bathed in light from Celestia’s magic, the gloom of the night had receded to display the rulers of the sun and moon, wings beating slowly as they hovered in the sky, their crowns and peytrals glinting in the golden magical light. The spectacle had been too much for him, with his body already taxed to the limits. Thinking back on it now, it felt rather cowardly, but he wondered if anyone else in those circumstances would fare any differently.
He set his shirt aside and picked up his khaki pants. A piece of paper dropped out of them; apparently, it was left folded in the garment. Dropping his pants back down, he reached for the note and attempted to read it.
The text was carefully printed, he assumed to give him the best chance at deciphering the meaning. He studied it carefully, but the only words he could make out were ‘DREAMS’ and ‘PEACE’. Failing to understand the few lines of the note gave him an unexpected headache, as he realized communication would be much more difficult than he had originally assumed. After scanning the note further, he noticed the signature at the bottom. Surprisingly, it was easy to surmise the identity of the original writer. At the bottom of the letter, the ink color changed from the basic black to a royal-blue. In this soothing color was a beautiful script that plainly wrote out ‘LUNA,’ which was accentuated with a crescent moon.
“So, Princess Luna was here. Perhaps she had business during the night and felt like checking up on me. Maybe Princess Celestia even asked her to.”
Looking back at the clock, he noted that it was now two-fifteen, only a little more than thirty minutes having passed in his musings. He then checked his pants, being the only set of clothing he had available, and found them to be in good condition. There were some minor tears in them that were now neatly mended, he assumed by the pony who had cared for the laundry.
“Wow, that’s nice of them. I don’t think I’ve ever had my clothes mended by anyone, not even in my own family.”
With this warm thought in his heart, he carefully refolded his clothes and placed them inside the dresser and continued to look around.
“Hmm,” he mused aloud. “I didn’t seem to make it here with my shoes or socks. Or at least they haven’t shown up yet.” Not wanting to let that get him down, he pushed the thoughts of the missing footwear out of his mind. He certainly had more important things to consider.
Despite that, he was actually unsure what to do with his time at this point, so he decided to investigate the bathroom. It was actually quite nice, outfitted with a walk-in shower, lavatory, and mirror, with a surprisingly human-like toilet also there. The main difference was the flushing handle was actually a pedal on the floor. This last, but extremely welcome sight, was apparently exactly what his body was waiting for. As if being confronted with a long-lost family member, his body instinctively reacted at the sight of the porcelain comrade. Recognizing the necessity at hand, he excused himself and closed the door to gain some privacy.
***
Now relieved, he wondered what to do. Should he eat a snack, attempt to write something, or go back to sleep? He wasn’t quite drowsy, so he decided to try writing. This new plan in mind, he realized that the room was missing a suitable spot to sit and write. The dresser offered a decent, flat surface, but there wasn’t exactly a way to sit at the dresser, and attempting to stand and write seemed like an excellent way to stress his back. Nevertheless, he was determined to put quill to paper, so he walked over to the dresser and set up his ink and quill, along with a piece of paper from the stack. He silently gave himself a small pep-talk, noting that quill and ink was not exactly a popular method of writing in his world, and hoped his handwriting would be legible at least to himself.
A small dip in the ink was followed by him wiping the quill gently on the lip of the inkpot, followed by a gentle scratch of a line across the top of the page.
‘Just like in a movie.’
Smiling, he noted that perhaps he would have a knack for this after all. He started slowly, attempting to write his name.
‘Hmm, curves are much more difficult than I hoped.’
It seemed that both the rough paper and the stiff quill fought against him as he attempted to form the most basic letters. Becoming somewhat frustrated, he struggled against the scratchy grain of the paper and scrawled out his name.
“Pathetic,” he muttered to nobody in particular.
He took a few moments to practice, then scribbled out a summary of the night’s events. Finished writing his barely legible journal entry, he stopped to review his work.
Journal of David Marshall
Saturday, The First Night in Equestria, Evening
Current mood: Excited, confused, and scaredWriting. Okay, I can do this. Forgive my handwriting; this isn't what I expected, and yet, I guess it was. I can't believe I'm actually writing with a feather quill! That's not important, though. There's so much to say, so much to write! I have to get it all down on paper, or I think it'll all just disappear. I'll start with the important parts. It's not much of a beginning, but here goes.
***
First off, I’m not exactly sure what happened. I went to the store early Saturday night just as it was starting to get a bit stormy outside. While I was shopping, the storm grew in strength and forced everyone to huddle inside, not one of them daring to go out. After I finished shopping and the storm looked to be letting up, a massive thunderclap roared, and there was a large blackout. For some reason, even with all of this going on, the worst of it seemed to have blown over to me, so I decided to go home.
That’s when it got weird. I was in the parking lot when a flash of lightning blinded me for a moment, and when I opened my eyes, something was in front of me. Actually, it was more like something that wasn't there. It was a void: a gloomy, foreboding mass of nothingness just hanging there in front of me. I was terrified! I dropped everything and tried to get away, but slipped and fell. That was the end for me. The blackness seemed to grow and reach out for me. It grabbed my foot. Attempting to pull away did nothing, and my trapped foot and leg had become numb. I looked back at the store, but no one was coming to help. I was alone, and so I closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, I was in an unfamiliar place. From what I could tell, I was in the middle of a grassy field at night, and the storm was still raging. I looked around but couldn't see much in the darkness. I remember looking up, and a flash of lightning revealed one thing was the same… the void loomed high above me. Again, I tried to get away; anywhere was better than near that thing.
Luckily, I wasn't hurt or numb, just sore, tired and wet. I got up, and just as I was moving away, there was an odd flash of lightning, and then I heard two voices from above. One was harsh and yelling, the other mild and concerned. I couldn't see them, but I called out for help anyway. Luckily, the heavenly voices turned against the void and destroyed it with a bright light, saving me in the process. The light showed me a vision, one that I could not believe. In the end, what I saw in that illuminated sky was too much for my mind to handle and I blacked out.
***
The field, the void, the voices. Nothing really makes sense. I’m no longer at home. I’m not even on Earth. This place, though, I recognise it, but even that still feels somewhat impossible. The place I woke up in is from a TV show. Specifically, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
No, I don’t think I’m crazy or dreaming. At least not anymore. I’ve met them. I’ve talked with them, I’ve even felt their touch. For all that craziness can do, I doubt ‘crazy’ is this real.
Right now, I’m in a room at Canterlot Castle, temporarily quarantined for safety reasons. I’ve even met the two royal sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They were the ones that saved me in the field, and they’re exactly like I saw in the show, for what I’ve seen.
Okay, exactly isn’t right. Their colors are richer, their proportions are more defined, they have a real sense and a warmth to them. They are definitely not cartoons, and I am not imagining this.
The proof of that came suddenly. When I woke up in the castle after being rescued and realized where I was and who I was with, I honestly started to lose it for a while. I thought I was sick or dreaming, or worse. Princess Luna saw that, ran up to me, and pressed her forehead to mine, staring into my eyes. When she touched me, it shook my soul and brought me back to reality. Her fur, her breath, her warmth, and those eyes… She is real.
After that realization, I calmed down and regained my manners. The princesses dismissed their guards, and we talked amicably for a while until the initial adrenaline rush had worn off and I needed to rest. They then made sure I was taken care of and bid me goodnight. With very little strength left in me, I went straight to sleep.
***
As I write this, it’s still very late at night. I’ve just woken up after that nap due to a series of bad dreams, only to find that Princess Luna has visited while I slept. She returned my clothes, brought me supplies and even left a note. I couldn’t read it, but it showed me someone cared and that actually helped a lot.
My mind must be going through leaps and bounds to make this all feel okay. I suppose I’m still in shock, really. Either that or something changed in me when I came here because I feel more comfortable than I should. I have no idea how to get home, or even where home is. It seems plausible that if this place exists, home is somewhere entirely different. That thought does scare me. Somehow, the princesses don’t seem to be that concerned. They said they’d help find a way for me to go home, even though I suggested I was from another dimension. Let’s hope their positivity rubs off on me.
Right now, I’ve got to stay calm. The princesses are friendly, and I’m being taken care of. I’m in a safe place… so far. I need to learn, though. Is this really the world I watched while babysitting? Can I trust my thoughts and feelings? I hope so.
Just then, a knock at the door brought him back from his thoughts. “Sir David, are you alright?” It was Princess Luna.
***