Chapter 5, *Interlude*: Royal Intrigue.
Chapter 5, Interlude: Royal Intrigue.
<><><><><>~Luna - Austin 1 hour ago.~<><><><><>
“We all make mistakes… It’s what makes us who we are.” he says as he tightens his grip around me slightly.
There are millions of ponies across Equestria that do not like me, some even residing within the walls of the very castle that stands as the capital of all. Even so, sitting beside me is an intelligent being who has lost everything he ever cared for and practically been abandoned by all he has ever known and loved, yet is showing me more kindness than most of my subjects. As he speaks, he does not think of me as a ruler; but a pony – an equal in his eyes, but why…? Why is it he is so kind to me after all he has been through? This isn't the only thing that is bugging me; there is something familiar about him yet I cannot place my hoof on it. Seeing nothing better to do, I lay next to the stream we were talking by thinking about what makes him so different, despite him being a different species. In less than a minute, hundreds of questions sprout with no reliable answers.
'Fie to it all! Why do we feel this way around him…?'
'What makes him different from the nobles, stallions, and mares that would normally only come to us for help.'
Seeing no other way to stop the questions, I lay beside the stream and meditate on the thoughts that plague me.
<><><><><>One hour later. - Present.<><><><><>
A short while later we can hear somepony or something approaching, and our ears turn towards the noise.
"Are you ok?" I recognize the voice that belongs to the human.
"Why dost thou show me such kindness whilst others do not?” I look at him quietly with our hoof over the other. He sits beside me and begins to tell me the reasons why he acts the way he does. Without warning he hugs me in a way that rivals that of my sister. With this I take flight towards Canterlot feeling slightly happier than I did when I had arrived.
<><><><><>Canterlot - 20 minutes later.<><><><><>
I land on the balcony of the tallest tower of the Canterlot castle; folding my wings to my sides, I begin trotting down the stairs to meet Tia. As I walk down the corridors I am greeted by four guards standing at attention, two of which are standing to attention next to a corridor; seeing this they both salute motionless, the other two follow suit and take a similar stance. As I continue my path up I approach a massive door with its own set of guards, these two are dressed in light gray armor and holding Kiras staffs; spotting me, they move their staffs apart to their sides quietly, not offering so much as a glance. A slight smile crosses my muzzle as I look at the door bearing my sister’s golden sun; gently I knock on the door. A few moments or so later I can hear the slight sound of hooves scuffling around.
"Sister, we must talk." I put my ear to the door to hear soft hoof steps.
"Come in, Luna" I hear Tia say with a slight yawn and we enter.
"Sister, we have returned from Ponyville!" I smile proudly.
"So I can see. And how did your search fare?" She sits down next to the fireplace, her regalia placed neatly on the dresser.
"Tis what I want to talk to you about." I give a blank look and sit next to her laying on a cushion that was next to the fire.
"What is it, Luna?" she gently drapes a wing over my back my ears splay to my head.
"Before we arrived here...did mother not tell us that the species on this planet were all but destroyed?" I see Tia's ears fold back immediately from the question.
"She told us that the planet had fallen in turmoil; she did mention that by the time we would arrive they would be all but gone." she looks at me a face of dread crosses her muzzle.
“But we remember there was a small group of humans that did survive for a short while.” I look at Tia now trying to trace her steps back to that day.
“I recall you were the one that they saw.” I smile sheepishly at the statement.
“Yes...but shortly after they all starting dying from something we did not understand,” she looks at the flames dancing happily.
“The last to pass was laying on his back.”
"Oh... yes...that was about the time I found you with him." I give a sad look as I recall the specific memory.
“He looked fine...until he removed his shirt and revealed his skin was covered in boils, rashes, irregular colorations, and multiple lacerations.”
“At the time we could not do anything about it,” Tia sighs and looks at the floor guiltily. "We did what we could to suppress his pains; we were also young still very young very inexperienced mares, it was all we could do; our magic couldn't reverse the effects of what he came into contact with." she looks away from the fire at us.
“What makes you think of such a time, dear sister?”
"Well... that's just it. The disturbance in Ponyville was something we thought were long gone." her eyes widen.
"There's a human still alive? In Ponyville?" her mouth nearly hits the floor in shock.
"Yes, we could not believe it either; two legs and arms. He is barely surviving or at the very least struggling to survive."
"B-but how is that possible? It’s been nearly two millennia since one has been seen!?" she stutters.
"Thy guess is as good as our own."
“B-b-but how?!” Tia is now gasping trying to grasp the situation.
“We are not sure; but he is quite docile much like the ones we met then;” I pause for a moment. “Sister…do you have the book that human gave you all those centuries ago?” I stare at her quietly.
“The one he made us promise to keep safe; I have it here, but I still haven't learned how to read it,” she pauses momentarily. “You propose we bring him here so he can possibly translate it?” I nod. As she is clearly putting some thought into this.
“Well...there is the matter of him being moved around. If he is in such a feeble state as you say than he is probably malnourished perhaps...For now we should give him some time… For the time being I will send letter to Twilight about him and request her to keep a watchful eye over him." I sit up and stretch my hooves and begin heading for the door leaving my sister to write a letter.
"And Luna..” I stop abruptly before heading out.
“Remember, you will need to talk to the castle décor artists about the banners for the Sun Celebration." she glances at me with a gleeful smile as she writes that letter my ears fold back as I remember what the human had done before I left.
"Certainly, Tia!" I put on a false smile as I open the doors; the guards promptly moving their staffs to their sides once more, as I am out of Tia’s gaze my smile fades as I close the door in the corner of my eye I spot one of the guards eyeing me with a look of curiosity which he quickly stows as I glance at him.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Well thus far it has been 4 days living in this newer...eh older world and so far this week I've broke my nose, scared a town of multicolored ponies with said nose, and met royalty due to said ponies having a full on panic attack, all in all four days it has been a pretty productive week. All the while I look like I have been dragged through forest I can see my hair draping over my eyes...the wind didn’t help that either- you’d think that wind would blow your hair backwards; well not me, the way I was headed the wind was blowing it straight into my face. To make matters worse there isn't a scrap of food around this place. Knowing I am right next to a river there should be fish in it. Nearing the water the wind picks up and I nearly fall face first again; regaining my balance I approach the water I observe the surface for any signs of activity. After a while I continue to stand by the shallow waters of the stream waiting for an unfortunate fish to swim by wrist. Half an hour later my stomach betrays me and growls in anger.
“I get it you are hungry...Jesus; look I’m trying…” my stomach returns with a low growl…
“Yea, yea I know just shut up.” I chuckle slightly; and as if my prayers have been answered a fish swims right by my hand carefully I flip my knife open with my left arm and, gently, I lower the knife into the water waiting to pounce...
"Dinner..." I stab the fish behind the head causing some blood to flow into the stream. Quickly I grab it out of the water.
“Not much but it will do…” I sigh and begin to skin it of its scales and other organs. Once I finish cleaning it I start to scavenging for dried grass and twigs when a voice behind me speaks up.
"What are you doing?" I recognize the voice as Twilights.
"Uhm- nothing?" I turn around to see Twilight, noticing she is sitting to the rock I grab it from her side she watches me curiously.
"Sure doesn't seem like nothing." She gives me the most serious look she can possibly muster.
“Well I don't know what to tell ya’,” I continue to stack the dried grass and twigs into a small pile. "What brings you out here anyways?" I run my thumb over the surface of the rock. With a glance I can identify this is quartz rock. Without a second thought I strike my knife to the rough surface of the rock making sustaining sparks. The first attempt doesn’t entail a fire in the grass.
"You don't have to do this you know I could just light it fo-." The second strike causes the grass to slowly ignite as she sits quietly watching almost baffled.
“Quartz stone…” I hold the rough rock up to show her.
“What?” she looks at it curiously
“Quartz stone is a stone that's slightly rough fine side allows my knife to create sparks easily. Though difficult at times, mostly works without needing something to stoke the fire.” I set the rock down
"So... What really brought you here?" I raise an eyebrow at her. Her poker face fails and she sighs.
"Curiosity got the best of me, I suppose." she smiles sheepishly, by now the fire is slightly larger I place a few twigs on it prodding it exposing unburned areas into the fire.
"Why do you say that?" I put more wood onto the fire.
"Well it’s surprising to see you are able to survive with such little resources," she observes as the fire grows larger. “It’s incredible....” she lays down silently.
"Well just about anything beats being where I sleep; it's hard enough to worry about the place falling in on me." I stab the small piece of fish meat with a small branch and put it into the fire with a resounding sizzle.
"I've been out here many times and I've only seen Zecora's hut. There isn't anything out here, so where do you live." her stare turns serious.
“You mentioned above the ground...but did you look below your hooves? I pull back a burned piece of meat that is now on fire.
‘well may taste like shit, but it's better than nothing.’
I blow out the meat and eat in a bite I look over to Twilight who is looking at me with an odd expression. One I know all too well. Discomfort.
“Sorry.” I swallow.
“eh- what is it you said that humans eat exactly?” I look at her closer her face is slightly pale.
“Humans are Omnivores.” she gives me a look of surprise and horror.
“You eat m-meat?” I slowly nod.
“I’m not gonna eat ya’ sheesh I'm not that barbaric I have fucking morals you know,” she gulps slightly. “anyway, who is this Zecora you spoke of.”
"S-shes a Zebra who lives in the Everfree."
"English." I put my hand to my chin.
"The forest" she points a hoof at the forest less than fifty feet away from me.
"Oh..."
“She is a potion master that lives deep within the forest.”
"Well I am like Fluttershy, I don't live in it but on the outskirts of it." her eyes turn to the size of dinner plates as she looks at me with wonder and almost like pinkie she does a slight skip jump onto her hooves in front of me.
“Ohhh, can I see it?! Pleeaseeeeeee?????” her eyes practically like a puppy.
‘Oh I’m gonna love this.’
“Hm....maybe; I’ll think about it.” she suddenly falls on her haunches now begging me with her eyes practically saying ‘pweeeeaseeeeeeeee’???
“Ah alright, alright fine...just stop with the eyes…”
“YIPPIE!!!” Twilight is now hopping around excitedly.
“I have to warn you though Twilight...the place is old and decrepit...It could very well collapse and that is the last thing I want or need to happen is a pony being pancaked under literal tons of debris.”
“I’ll be careful!,” she sits down “Can we go now?” she starts fidgeting in place.
“Patience. I want to eat something first: I’m starving…” I pull the second piece out of the fire and blow on it.
“Me needz few more minutes.” I eat last portion of the fish.
“Oh come on…” she gives me an upset look.
“I’m only yanking your chain, don't be so sensitive about it.” I laugh a bit as I chew scooping some water out of the nearby stream I douse the fire.
“Not funny!” She scowls at me
“Well then I'm afraid to tell ya' that is your problem; anyways are we going or not?” she gets up and starts to follow behind me, after a short few minutes she catches up to me and walks beside me.
“So what was it like?" she looks up at me
"What was what like?" she looks up at me.
"The human world?" I stop walking instantly at the thought of the explosion.
"Are you ok?" I feel soft hoof on the side of my hip.
"Uh… It was fine." I lie as I shake my head and the thought with it.
‘I really wish I could say I was ok...’
"So where is this home of yours?" We walk into a rather large clearing surrounded by trees slightly concealing the area around and what hides below the ground.
"here..." I mumble slightly.
“What?” she looks at me like I am crazy.
“We’re here.” I say again a little louder.
"There isn't anything here" Her look changes to that of one of concern.
"One second." I crouch down feeling for a slight gap in the moss below. finding the lip of the door I heave on it with all my strength. I continue to yank on the door the hinges squeaking in protest from the weight and age of the door. with a large thud the hatch falls on itself revealing a menacing set of steps the sunlight stops halfway down the stairs.
"Please be mindful of the condition this place is in." She is practically like a kid waiting in line for a candy store to open.
"After you." I gesture down the stairs with my left hand.
Last second she hesitantly looks down the stairs and slowly begins her descent. With her going this slow it takes awhile for her to reach the bottom; as soon as her first hoof touched the bottom stair her horn lights up half of the decrepit living room. Quietly she slowly begins examining what's left of my once decent second home.
"Not very impressive is it?" I walk over to my rusted generators.
"Not impressive; it's absolutely incredible!" gently she levitates a tarp off the mantle revealing a few books and a photo album.
"Call it whatever you want." I chuckle sarcastically as I check the oil of the generator. As I expected it is beyond expired. Giving it the best of luck I yank the old starter cord with sputter it starts for half a second and kills over. Out of instinct I crack the fuel cap to see the fuel is not liquid anymore but a gel.
'Fuck.It.All.'
I do the same with the second generator as I pull the second cord with a similar result it sputters out. I remove cap again but this time I find only the top layer is gelled over.
'Fuel must have clogged the intake pipe.' Looking over I can see Twilight levitating something off of my mantel.
"Were these your friends?" The light on her horn brightens what she is holding. I stand up and walk over to her; gently, I take hold of the photo album to see a photo of my five best friends at a party when we returned from months of being on tour. With a slight smile I look back to the purple mare.
"They weren’t just my friends they were my second family..." Immediately her ears fold down.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." She looks away sheepishly.
"Nah- Don't be sorry for asking an honest question." I set the album back down on the mantle.
"But how did you survive." I stop abruptly and face the unicorn mare now standing before me.
"I won't lie...It was my cowardice actions and bad judgment that landed me here." Silently I walk past her to the very corner of the room.
Standing quietly the corner is the Cryostasis pod its lights now shut off due to power failure.
"What happened to me so long ago was- is my biggest fuck up; obviously you know there is no way to reverse the clock." I put my hand on the cold glass of the pod.
"Well," Twilight quietly approaches me. "You should at least try to enjoy this new opportunity. I mean as of right now you are a living sentient being, that as far as we know you're the last of." I turn around to see Twilight sitting behind me, a smile across her muzzle.
"You know that doesn't really help me feel better about my situation," her ears flatten to her head. "But what you say does hold merit; I will try to make the best of it...However, I fear the outcome." Her ears perk up again.
"This reminds me of when Celestia told me when I was a filly,"
"Everypony has a purpose, big or small there is always a reason." Twilight cocks her head to the side in possibly one of the cutest smiles I've seen.
"A statement that cannot be more true."
<><><><><><><><><><>~Twilight~<><><><><><><><><><><>
Later that day...
After a long and interesting day with the human in his home I gallop as fast as my hooves can carry me. Entering Ponyville many ponies part in the market as I charge my way through. I slow my pace as I approach my library; Using my magic I open the door to see Spike putting a few books back on different shelves. I enter and close the door behind me drawing the attention of spike.
"Hey! Twilight! How'd it go?" He pushes the last book into place and slides down the ladder.
"It went well, very well; truthfully I think I encouraged him it's never too late to do something." I smile at Spike.
"Well isn't he the last of his kind anyways? Just about anything he'd do would be considered quite noticeable anyways, right." Spike gives a slight laugh.
"True, wait how do you know he's possibly the last?”
“Twilight...I’ve been organizing every book in this library all day long...I do tend to read some of the history books and can safely say there wasn't one that mentioned his kind - or anything remotely close to him.”
“Hmmm- well either way, he has much to adapt to." I sit at my desk; levitating my quill and ink over I begin writing on a spare piece of parchment nearby.
"Dear Princess Celestia,"
"Today I made a trip to find him; At your request I personally believe he's more than capable of traveling, despite this I would think it wise he was introduced to the town and adapt to some ways of life be throwing the truth at him. Though, while I was there I found something that might shock Luna and you. Attached to this letter is a photo I managed to extract from a photo album however, it was of his friends but a closer look revealed something I did not expect, you described one of the remaining humans upon your arrival to this planet nearly two millennium ago. This human resembles the traits you described."
"I suggest we give him time."
"Your faithful student,"
"Twilight Sparkle."
I attach the photo gently as I don't want to damage it.
Tightly I wrap the letter in a red and gold ribbon with a wax seal of Celestia's cutiemark.
"Spike send this with haste, Celestia must read it as soon as possible." I look up at the dragon once again sorting books on the very top shelves.
"Alright, Alright just let me put this book ba-haaackkk" I hear a loud crash of books falling on top of spike I turn around to see him smiling sheepishly with a book on top of his head.
"back...I’ll just...send that now..." he takes the letter breaths fire on it as it flies out the open nearby window.
"Thanks' Spike!" He continues to smile sheepishly.
"Yea...." he scratches his scales and pulls the book off his head and resumes his work organizing books.
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...
My eyes needs rest.
10/11
6000822 is that a good thing?
6000864 Yes.
Although shifting perspective did contribute... a bit, along with reading on mobile.
6000892 fair enough. It does help balance it out. I finished my finals so now I got unlimited free time to write and do whatever else.
6000892 Gah I re-read it myself again... Somehow we all overlooked a couple word errors. I changed em out and also was a little more descriptive with the Transitions. Should be much better now !
6001620 Good job!
6002159 thanks 501 views that's the kind of stuff I love to see!
6002700 No prob!
No to sure it was a good thing for twi to take that photo he will be man. But back to him being a supposed puss is off seeing how any life after a winter there would be no resources. So best action would of been an ice sleep. Any way keep up the good story m8t 8/8.
6006033 Lol; it was for good reason. >_>
Can't blame him for being down. If I was in his position i'd be the same way. Great story.
6006406 Thank you!
Great story, but for the love of god get those generators running haha. I do like his relationship with Luna though, I look forward to seeing what you do with that. Keep up the good work! I've read a lot of hie stories like this, and your story is one of the best ones I've read!
6010398 Haha thank you! All in due time it will play out. :)
MOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
6074083 o.o that is a big request. Literally! Don't worry I'm working hard to get two chapters up that will really bring more deapth to the story.
Awesome. a little suggestion from me can you add later in some chapters Sunny Town?
6077734 Never heard of it. Second; I wont be putting in any outside OC's or ideas to this story since it's telling a story; it isn't focused on Oc's this early on anyways.
Oh, ok.