Chapter 11 - Nightly Visit (Edited by JBL 01.23.2017)
I slowly emerged from the land of dreams, my eyelids struggling valiantly to remain closed. When they finally admitted defeat and opened, I saw that my room was almost pitch-black. The only light was a faint silvery glow coming from the window, and from my position, I saw that it was dark outside.
"How long did I sleep? Apparently long enough for it to become night, by the looks of it."
I struggled to sit up but immediately regretted it. I flinched from the pain, almost instinctively curling in a ball. It was not as though it was centrally located, like twisting an ankle or breaking a finger. No, this was something else, something far worse. It felt as though my bones themselves were literally creaking. I had experienced this agony only once before, and that had been during my futile attempt to cease using morphine in the past. I took a shuddering breath, feeling as though the very act of inhalation seared though my muscles and joints.
If it were just the physical pain, I could probably cope, if only just barely. At the very least, it was not as though I was going to be running any marathons anytime soon, so I could just lie in bed, stare at the ceiling, and loathe everything around me. However, I also had to contend with a gnawing hunger that grinded away at my mind, a malicious whisper curling around my psyche, promising relief if only I would succumb. It only wanted one small gift as recompense: morphine. Despite myself, my mind began considering capitulating, if only for the barrage of misery pounding it to end. Maybe the ponies had a supply of medicine somewhere nearby. If I could get to my feet, I could go look for it—
"No, I can’t! I’m here for a reason, dammit! I need to get better; I need to fight through this."
Wondering if I had made the right decision, I struggled to move my arm, raising it a couple of shaky inches before it flopped uselessly to my sides. It seemed Doctor Mgangah’s prediction on just how drained and exhausted I would be had proven prophetic.
The bed sheets were damp and cold, a result of having been soaked in sweat. Beads of moisture continued to roll down my forehead and into my eyes, stinging them. When I tried to blink them away, I could feel my facial muscles contorting.
“Hnnng, damn…”
“Please refrain from shifting around too much,” a female voice called out from somewhere in the room, halting my feeble attempts to move.
My eyes shifted rapidly through the room, though I was careful not to move my head. With the soft moonlight that poured through the window illuminating part of the room, I only now dimly recognized that someone was standing there. The figure, a pony, turned around, their cerulean eyes shining in the murky shadows capturing my attention. She took a single step into my line of sight, allowing me to witness her dark blue mane and tail billowing in a non-existent wind, sparkling like tiny stars.
“P… Princess Luna…” I grunted. Even speaking was a chore, though not entirely beyond me. “I would bow but… nh, it’s difficult.”
“Do not strain thine body.” Still commanding respect, her voice contained an undercurrent of kindness. “Thou art bedridden and shant bow to Us in thine frail physical state.” She walked up to the side of the bed with a gentle smile on her face. “How dost thou feel?”
“Unh… pretty terrible…” Despite my efforts, I couldn’t stop a pathetic moan escaping. “It hurts… and cold…”
Her eyes briefly shifted over the bed, stopping when she noticed that the duvet was almost down to my stomach. Using her magic, Princess Luna grabbed hold of the edge of the duvet and pulled it up to my neck. She was careful to avoid covering my right arm, though. With some effort, I managed to glimpse an IV needle stuck in my arm, a plastic tube running from it out of sight. I could only guess that I was hooked up to some fluid to keep me hydrated.
From my right side, a washcloth and bowl came floating into view. Setting it down on a small table next to me, she dipped the washcloth in the bowl, wrung it, and gently wiped the damp cloth over my face.
“Better?” she asked after depositing the cloth back into the bowl.
“Yes… thank you.” However, my shivering, only partly due to the cold, had not subsided. The princess took one look at the duvet and pillow and nodded shortly, seemingly understanding the problem.
“This will not do,” she announced. Once more, her magical aura stirred to life, levitating a folded piece of fabric out of the wardrobe opposite the bed.
She swung around, her horn aiming the fabric at me, but at the sudden hitch in my breath, she instantly halted. She almost took a step back, looking somewhat chagrined. “We almost forgot. Our sister spoke of how thou... fear Us, and to use magic with great caution around thee. Wouldst thou allow Us to use our magic on thee?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. My inability to move, much less defend myself, even though I knew it was absurd, had left me feeling insecure. “W-Why?
“We only wish to lift thee up for a brief moment. Thine pillow and duvet is drenched and needs changing. We assure thee, We wish no harm.”
It struck me for the first time how strange it was for her to be tending to me, seeing as the princesses had staff to do just that. Still, the sheets were supposed to be warm, and they were more of a hindrance than anything right now. I knew she was right, and would probably press ahead anyway if I objected.
“O-Okay.” I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “Go ahead.”
She smiled in approval. “This will take but a moment.”
Luna's magical aura enveloped me completely, and then I was gently lifted off the bed. Once again, that warm, pleasant feeling that occurred any time I came into contact with magic flashed through my body. Floating a good four feet above the bed, from the corner of my eyes, I saw the sweat-soaked pillow case, sheets, and duvet being changed for new ones, all with the use of her magic.
Wrapped in her magic, I realized that the pain in my body and mind had subsided somewhat. Not by much, but enough that it became bearable. What was it? Did she do something to me? Before I could ruminate over an answer, I found myself slowly being lowered into bed. As soon as my body touched the mattress, the duvet was pulled up to my neck again.
“There, mine task is done,” she announced as she took a step back and observed her handiwork. I was just surprised she did it all in less than eight seconds. A few seconds after her magic faded, the familiar pain came surging forth again, just as robust as before, eliciting a groan.
“Thank you… but why?” I asked her. “You are a… princess… Nurses could have changed them…”
“Thine sheets needed changing. We can perform such a task as easily as a nurse,” she replied, still with that soft smile on her face. “We can do more than rule a nation.”
“...hehe… oww…”
“Do you find it amusing?” the princess queried with an arched eyebrow.
“Yes… no royalty back home… would do this themselves.” After all, how often did one hear of the Queen of England taking out the trash or going to the corner store to buy some tea?
“Tis true. We usually do not perform such tasks, but that does not mean We art unable to. It is night, the hour is late, and few nurses work the infirmary during this time.”
“Good point…” I mumbled as I tried to get comfortable. It took some effort, but I managed, stifling my groans as my muscles twinged and protested. During all this, the princess simply observed me until she decided to sit down on a cushion at the table.
“Why are… you here?” I asked, hoping that the princess wasn’t some weirdo that enjoyed watching ponies and people sleep. It was enough that they had god-like powers at their disposal—I didn’t want to worry about having one observing me when I was unconscious.
“To watch over thee.”
"Thank you, fate, you’re very kind."
“The potion concocted by Doctor Mgangah worked as intended, though its intensity was somewhat surprising. Thou hast been asleep for many hours.”
“How long?”
“Nigh thirteen hours. The side effect of the potion was greater on thee than he anticipated. Being caught in the clutches of the dream world for too long is not healthy.”
Well, that explained a few things. I felt as though I had been sleeping for days, and considering he had warned that the potion would weaken me, I’d say it worked perfectly. Still, I had asked her a question that she had deflected.
“Why are you… watching over… me?”
“As the Princess of the Night, mine duties are many,” she began, her forelegs hanging on the edge of the thick cushion. “Some of them We have postponed to see to thine health. Thou art mine sister’s and mine’s responsibility. My sister informed Us of what happened to thee after the potion took hold, and naturally We decided to see how thou fared,” she explained, all the while maintaining eye contact and never once blinking.
“You don’t… have to. I’m okay…” Truthfully, I felt like a load of crap that had just been run over by a car.
“We do not believe that for a second.” She shook her head. “We art not blind.”
“Worth… a try,” I responded with a weak chuckle. I hadn’t expected she would believe me. Still, she had taken the time from her undoubtedly busy schedule to check on me. What was it Celestia had said? Kindness? Luna must be the same as Celestia, all about kindness and caring. Would I have done the same if an injured talking horse had ended up in my care?
I decided to the shift the conversation to something else, though I hoped I would not cause offense. “Can I ask… a question?” Luna nodded. “You talk a… bit strange… Why is that?”
“Ah, We—I mean, I did it again.” She frowned, though it seemed to be more to herself. “Sometimes my tongue slips, and I revert to speaking as I did in ages past. Forgive me if I do so occasionally.”
I smile at how radically she had altered her speech in a single sentence. It was almost akin to switching languages. “Can I ask… why?”
At that, her frown deepened and she averted her eyes. Her forelegs shuffled nervously, while her ears slowly drooped. I could tell it was something she did not wish to discuss, and cursed myself silently. Her gaze was focused outside the window, but she seemed to be staring at something that was not of this time and age.
She sighed heavily before looking at me. “If you wish to know, I believe I can expl—” she began, but I quickly raised my hand with not an inconsiderable effort.
“No, stop.” Not a second later, a numbing pain shot up my arm. “Hnnnngh!”
She immediately stood up and quickly walked over to my bed, her mouth tightening. “Magnus, do not move. I can see and hear that you are hurting yourself. Please, stop it.”
“I will… if you don’t… explain.” Slowly, I lowered my arm back onto the mattress. Just lifting it was an achievement in itself. Meanwhile, Princess Luna gave me the strangest look; I guess she was trying to understand why I had stopped her. It was still strange how easy their faces were to read, but I suppose it was because they were so similar to humans, or perhaps it was another part of my ancestry, being able to understand a part of myself. Or understand my… people. The point was that she had worn the countenance of someone who was loathe to explain something, and I had no intentions of forcing the matter.
“Why not?” she asked me after a few moments of silence.
“Because I could see… that you didn’t want to… talk about it.”
Her frown faded, replaced by a relieved smile. “Thank you. It is not a topic I relish discussing.” I nodded weakly to her, and she returned to the comfort of her cushion.
After she sat down, she occasionally glanced out the window. It must be something she was watching in the sky, judging by how she craned her neck. Perhaps she was looking at the moon? If I was in charge of a celestial body, I’d keep an eye on it at all times, just to make sure it didn’t fall out of the sky. Occasionally her horn lit up, though only briefly, lasting only for a few seconds before fading away again.
What was it that had happened when she levitated me out of the bed? Had she casted a pain relieving spell on me? With all the magic I had seen so far, I didn’t doubt that some kind of pain relieving spell existed. After all, both Celestia and Luna had healed my hand when I had shattered the mirror.
“Princess?” Luna turned me. “When you levitated me… did you cast some kind of spell… to make the pain go away?”
She frowned at that, shaking her head. “I did not—it was merely a simple levitation spell.” Well, so much for that theory.
“When you cast the spell… the pain did not feel… so bad.”
Lifting a hoof to her chin—I still wondered how they managed to balance on three legs—she seemed to ponder my statement. “Most interesting. Magic can heal wounds and suppress pain, yet I did not cast any such spell on you. Perhaps....” She looked up from the floor to me. “May I try something?” I nodded, and Luna’s horn glowed in her aura. I quickly felt the sensation of magic again wash over my body.
Once again, it felt as though every nerve within my body was responding to a euphoric symphony being played inside me. I felt my heartbeat quicken as I luxuriated in the sensation that had assaulted me in the throne room, greeting it like a long-lost friend. In many ways, it was.
“How do you feel?” Luna asked me. I opened my eyes and peered at her, only then realizing that a grin was splitting my face.
I can’t help but laugh. “I feel great!” I exclaimed. “I feel… alive. What did you do?” If the potion had left me feeling like an empty husk of a being, I now felt as though I was bursting with vigour, any aches seemingly obliterated. However, when I tried moving, it quickly reminded me of its presence, though it was heavily suppressed now.
“I merely channelled a minuscule amount of my magic into your body, nothing more.” Giggling, she stood up and walked over to me. “Your reaction to magic does sound pleasant, and if this will aid you in your recovery, then I shall endeavour to continue doing so.”
Still smiling giddily, I looked to Luna. “Thank you so much, Princess. Don’t other beings feel like this when magic is used on them?”
“No, they do not.” Well, I felt sorry for the other creatures of this world, because this was freaking amazing.
“No? Why not?”
“All the creatures of our world have a connection to magic. From the greatest to the tiniest beings, we are all exposed to ethereal winds every moment of every day.” She looked to my arm and her horn glowed a bit brighter. In response, the sensation coursing through my body intensified. “There have been times when magic was stolen from a single being, or from nearly all of Equestria. Each of those times, those who knew the touch of magic upon them felt weaker and… lifeless. I endured such a misfortune only recently.”
For the briefest moment, I wanted to enquire about what had happened, but decided against it, preferring to bask in the embrace of Luna’s magic. In any case, she did not need to be prompted to continue. “Magic is needed for life to exist. Without magic, there can be no life. I know Twilight Sparkle has expounded upon this concept to you in the past. When our magic was returned to us, we felt life stirring within us once more. Do you understand what I speak of?”
“Magic is needed for life to exist…” I murmured to myself. “Without magic, there can be no life.” What did it mean? Another issue came to mind. “I’ve never felt magic before on Earth… and the lack of magic was killing me. Now that I can feel your magic in me… I feel whole? Complete? Is it only now that I am completely alive?” I wondered out loud.
“Very good. My sister noticed that you were very perceptive,” Luna said with an approving nod. “Some species have a greater need for magic in order to live and prosper, among them unicorns, alicorns, and certain magical creatures. You have the blood of a unicorn in your veins, thus you have a higher need for magic than an earth pony or pegasus. In other words, since you had never previously experienced magic within yourself and was only recently bonded with it, the sensations will be robust for you than anypony else, though I believe this will fade in time.”
That was a bummer. I had better enjoy it while it lasted. However, the situation where I had been slowly dying due to not having a magical bond raised an interesting point.
“If ponies had their magic stolen from them, wouldn’t they, you know, die?”
“No, they would not. Our connection to magic runs deeper than you think. We are born into a world of magic, so it never truly abandons us. When our magic was stolen from us, we lost our ability to perform magic, but we never lost our connection to it.”
While that was informative and answered some questions, new ones reared their heads. If magic was so important for life to exist, why had we never figured that out back on Earth? Star Swirl and Celestia had mentioned something about magic existing back home, just that it wasn’t mature, whatever that meant. Perhaps it was only enough to support life. I could only imagine the reactions of the scientific and religious communities if they found out. Scientific theories would be shattered, and a new religion would probably be established where people worshipped Merlin the Wizard, insisting that he had existed despite no evidence to support such a claim. Perhaps some enterprising con artist would ‘find’ Merlin’s spell book, and people would band together in churches chanting Abracadabra, while Harry Potter and Gandalf would be viewed as blasphemy.
“It’s a shame.” I released a contented sigh. “I like it.”
“It is,” Luna replied from the corner. “I experienced as much when my own magic was returned to me after the defeat of Tirek. For me, that joyous feeling lasted a day. Perhaps you shall be its companion for longer.”
“I hope so.” My mind began to wander, thinking of my mother and grandfather, my entire family line who had suffered from not having this connection, never able to enjoy being pain-free. The root cause of the issue was one I had tried to deny, though it could never be forgotten as long as I existed.
“Star Swirl the Bearded was my ancestor,” I announced and raised my left arm to my line of sight so that I could see the copper fur, the larger hand and fingers. Just at the top of my field of vision, the horn was visible, always there, always reminding me.
“Indeed he was.” I glanced over to Luna, who stared at my arm as I slowly turned it around. “Does this trouble you?” she asked, seemingly sensing the hesitation on my face.
“...Yes,” I answered sombrely. “It’s hard to believe. Just looking at a mirror, the fur, the horn—it reminds me of what I am now, how I can never escape from it.”
“Why does this cause you discomfort?” I could see the concern on her face mingling with confusion.
“I… It’s because…” I struggled to find the words. “There is a species of animal on my world known as horses. You ponies resemble them in shape but not much else. For one, they aren’t sapient. They can be taught tricks, and for a long time they were used as beasts of burden. They were useful on a farm when ploughing a field, and we even made armour for them and would ride them into combat.”
“Your ride these… horses?” Luna’s voice was uncertain. When I glanced at her, her eyes seemed somewhat widened. It might have been a trick of the light, but I could swear that she was blushing.
“Yes, it was and still is a common form of transportation in certain places on Earth. Anyway, like I said, horses aren’t sapient—it’s all instincts. Eat, sleep, mate, repeat. They are animals.” I swallowed, inhaling a shaky breath that served as inadequate preparation for what I was about to say. “One in my family had sex with a horse, and the consequences of that are imprinted on me after so many years.”
My words seemed to linger in the air as an uncomfortable silence fell over the room. The only sound was my own raspy breathing and the tinkling echo of Luna’s magic. I dared not look at her, choosing to stare at the ceiling. It didn’t take a genius to know that she would have taken offense, and who could have blamed her. I had compared her entire species to dumb animals.
“Magnus,” I heard Luna's voice come from right beside me, but I refused to look at her. How had she moved right next to me without a sound? “Magnus, look at me.” There was no anger in her voice, not even a hint of it.
Slowly, I turned my head towards her. She was mere inches away from my face. I expected to see at least some annoyance in her eyes, but instead confusion was dominant. “Is that how you see us? As animals?” she asked quietly.
I sighed and nodded. “It’s hard not to. Whenever I see a pony, I see a horse. I know that you ponies aren’t mindless animals, I do know that, but… I can’t help it. A horse is an animal, not capable of intelligent thought.” I knew that I was grasping, trying to make her understand. “You look like horses but are as intelligent as humans. You speak, you think, you build. You’re not animals, but an animal is the first thing that comes to mind whenever I see a pony.”
Her facial expression became neutral, her eyes regarding me impassively. I began to wonder what colours my prison clothing would be. Surprisingly, after a few moments, she nodded slowly, adopting an understanding look. “I see.” Slowly, she turned around and wandered to the window again, staring out into the night.
“I try my best to understand you, Magnus, but there is a world of differences between Earth and Equus, between humans and ponies,” she continued with her back turned to me. “Is it shame that you feel? A loss of self-worth?” I couldn’t even place her emotions, as there is no tone to it, nothing to help me decipher her current mood.
“I… I don’t know. Maybe. For a human to have sex with an animal… It’s frowned upon where I come from. It’s not normal.”
“But we are not animals. You have said so yourself.” She paused for a moment. “Humans are the only sapient race on your world, am I right?” I nodded, seeing Luna’s face reflected in the glass of the window. “What do you think is the most intelligent species of animals on your world?”
I reflected on that for a minute. Dolphins? Nah. Dogs? Nope. Cats? They had already conquered humans by making us their servants. We brought them food, cuddled with them, and got up in the middle of the night to let them out or in. Crows? They were pretty smart. They dropped nuts into traffic to allow car tires to crack them open. Chimpanzee, perhaps? Yes, definitely Chimpanzees.
“A type of primate known as a chimpanzee might be the most intelligent animal. Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestry from millions of years ago.”
“And if these primates were as smart as humans and lived amongst them for thousands of years, do you think that no male or female of your kind would love one? Perhaps even mate with one?” She turned around, awaiting my answer. Now facing me, it was as though her thoughts and emotions were shrouded in shadow.
“Maybe… I think some would. If humans and sapient chimpanzees had lived together for thousands of years and were used to each other, then I guess they would.”
Luna nodded slowly. “I asked Star Swirl if humans felt lonely because they were the only sapient race on your planet.” She slowly walked over to her cushion and took a seat before directing her eyes to me again. “He denied it, seeing as humans are not aware of any other sapient races. However, in this world, there are many races just as intelligent as ponies, and we have co-existed for thousands upon thousands of years. Love is a precious emotion, not restricted to members of the same species. If a pony falls in love with a griffon or minotaur, then so be it. One’s species should not matter. The human mare that Star Swirl fell in love with managed to look past their external differences, which resulted in his daughter and eventually you.”
Loathe to admit it, the princess had a point. If there were ten or twenty different sapient species on Earth, then humanity’s history would have progressed radically different. However, to accept something like that, to go against the grain of what had been the norm for society on the flip of a dime, was something I was uncertain I would be able to do.
“I get your point,” I admitted, shaking my head in disbelief. “I am a speciesist and morally racist towards your species’ idea of love between different species.” I had never considered myself racist before. It took a trip to another dimension to figure that I actually was. If that wasn’t a journey of self-discovery, then nothing was.
“I would use the term ‘misguided’,” Luna replied, chuckling wryly. It was a preferable response than anything else someone in her position could choose. “You did not know better, and I hope that your perspective will shift, given enough time. For the record; it is not ‘your’ species.” My eyebrows rose at her choice of words. “You also share an equine heritage as well.” She pointed a hoof at my hooves and horn.
“Yes, and that is what confuses me the most.” I reached up to my horn, rubbing a finger over the hard bone growth. Two vastly different species had managed to create viable offspring, even though genetics should have rendered such a being impossible. For it to be remotely possible, the two species would have to be closely related. I know tigers and lions could produce offspring, the result being what was known as ligers.
But this? Me? I was a biological impossibility. “I shouldn’t exist,” I mumbled under my breath as I allowed my arm to rest on the bed.
“What?!”
With a flap of her wings, Luna was instantly at my side, giving me an angry glare. “We will not hear thee speak of thyself in such a manner! What art thou thinking? Dost thou not believe thou art deserving of life?”
I shrunk at her piercing stare. “T-That is not what I meant!” I objected, holding my hands up in front of her. Almost instantly, she took a step back. “What I meant was that humans can’t have offspring with a different species. It shouldn’t be possible.”
“Please, explain yourself!” It was not a request. Flashes of her demeanour during my hearing had begun to surface
“Uh, well, there’s genetic compatibility to think of first. The two species should be closely related or be in the same family. Dogs of different breeds can create viable offspring, and so can cats.” Scratching my head, I tried to recall my biology classes from so many years ago. “Humans and chimpanzees have similar DNA—we’re related somewhere around ninety percent—and we can’t create offspring. Humans, and I’m pretty sure the DNA of ponies as well, are probably much further apart and still…” I pointed at my head with both hands. “Here I am. Hell, roughly half of my DNA can be found in a common banana!”
“...”
“...”
“Snrk.”
“Huh? What are you laughing at?” Luna bit her lower lip while her muzzle scrunched up. It was obvious that she was trying to hide a grin, but her efforts proved substandard.
“M-My apologies.” She snorted again. “I… So you are saying that you are half banana?” she asked, snickering.
“That’s not what I meant!” I shot her an annoyed glare.
That seemed to be the trigger to set her off, and she began outright laughing. It almost seemed uncharacteristic of her. From what I had seen of her so far, and it wasn’t much, she seems to be a very serious individual. Her face was so bright now, her merriment shining through. I wondered dourly to myself if all ponies were so easily entertained.
Slowly, her laughter subsided, though it seemed to be lurking in the background. “I jest, Magnus. Please forgive me, but the idea of your relation to a banana was very amusing. It would explain your elongated body form,” she explained with a final chuckle, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye.
“Can you take this a bit serious?” I asked before the vision of Banana-Magnus took shape in my mind. My skin consisted of a banana peel, with the top pulled back to reveal my head was the fruity flesh of a banana, the DreamWorks grin out in force. It was something ludicrous that one would expect to find in Monty Python, and I snorted, shaking my head.
“Oh god, hahaha! What kind of images are you trying to put in my head?” I managed to ask through my chuckling. “Heh, jokes aside,” I sat up in the bed, resting my head on the headboard, “how could this happen?”
Still smiling, Luna resumed sitting. “It can be difficult to explain in your case, but cross-species offspring can happen from time to time in Equestria and other lands. The foal of a pony and a griffon, the offspring of a minotaur and diamond dog, even between a dragon and a pony. Offspring from these unions are considered extremely rare, however. Due to certain… circumstances, I have no knowledge of cross-species progeny in recent years.”
A hoof under her chin, she tilted her head. “In the throne room, Star Swirl said that he suspected that his magic could have helped him conceive his daughter. Considering the amount of time he spent with his wife helps reinforce the theory.”
“What do you mean?”
She stood up, her blue magic flaring. “I will show you. Fear not, it is completely harmless.” She closed her for a second, and when she opened them, her pupils were completely gone. Where her eyes were supposed to be was now shrouded in a pure silver light.
I sensed an intense amount of magic building up within the room. In the air, in every breath I took, on my skin, in every fibre of my being, there was an intense presence, as if a god, or in this case, goddess had stepped into the room in all her glory. As quickly as it had swelled, it faded away and Luna's eyes reverted to their normal cerulean colour.
“Wha—What was that?” While it had certainly been a spectacle, it had not done any favours for keeping my heartbeat steady.
“That was my magic you felt, although different from what most ponies feel.” Her wings ruffled slightly as they folded back together and she took her seat again. “It is called magic overflow. For those whose magic is especially potent, magic overflow is the ethereal energy that radiate from their very being into the area around them, allowing magic to join with the natural flow that exists all around us. Star Swirl was a powerful unicorn, his magic strong, so his unused reserve could have affected his wife to a certain degree, allowing her to bear a child.”
“Uh-huh…” I mumbled slowly, nodding slowly. I wondered at the extent their powers could bend reality to their will. Had Star Swirl’s magic altered their genetic material in order to produce a child, or had the entire process simply been one magical event. I shook my head in bemusement, a snorting laugh bubbling past my lips. It seemed that no matter what strange occurrence I happened upon in this land, it all led back to the same conclusion.
“What is so funny?” Princess Luna asked as she noticed my joviality.
“Heh, sorry, but I just realized something,” I told her, trying to stifle my laughter. "I just realized that every time something confuses me here, I can always assume magic is responsible.”
Holding a hoof in front of her mouth, Luna giggled. “Well, when we live in a world where magic surrounds us, it would not be wrong to assume so.”
After our collective laughter abated, I had one final question for her. “Can I assume that magic is the reason why my feet turned to hooves and I got this horn on my forehead when I got here?” I pointed to my horn and tapped it lightly. “Because these things were not there back on Earth.”
“Yes, I did find that a bit odd as well. Star Swirl said he channelled his magic into his daughter, which then revealed her true form. I have never heard of a technique such as that before. I believe that the answer is your home world and its lack of magic. Perhaps in time, we will find an answer to this mystery.”
“All I want to know is if these things are actually permanent, Princess. I plan to go home, you know.” I had not given up hope, not when there was a solution in sight. No matter how tiny that shred of optimism was, I could not admit defeat. I know Twilight and Celestia had alluded to myself being here as a permanent thing, but I could not allow myself to place my entire reserve of belief in it.
“Home?” Luna asked, tilting her head slightly.
“Yeah, back to Earth.”
“Oh, yes, home. Of course.” She looked down at her cushion, the feathers of her wings rustling slightly. To me, it seemed as though she was hesitant. “Your physical changes are permanent. In the throne room, my sister and I connected you perpetually to the magic of our world. You are now as much a part of this world as any being in it.”
God dammit! Well, that settled it—I was going to be held captive in a lab for the rest of my natural life if I made it back home, and that was only assuming I made it back to my era. All my hopes rested on Princess Twilight Sparkle's back. Although it was certainly a positive that I wouldn’t be plagued by headaches again, I could not help feel overwhelmed. Wiggling my way under the covers, I rested my head on the pillow and sighed.
“Do you not believe you could live here?” Luna had moved over to the window, staring up at the moon. “Is our world so strange to you that even the thought of living here terrifies you?” There was a layer of contemplation underpinning her voice.
“How can I just give up everything I have back home?” I asked. “Everything I’ve spent my life building, I’m supposed to just leave it? It’s not as easy as you think it is.”
She didn’t answer straight away. Several seconds passed before she replied. “No, it is not.” She turned around, a flash of sorrow streaking across her face before her ears perked. “However, in the event that we are unable to return you to your world, you will need to reconcile with the fact that you will have to stay in Equestria.”
The princess’ word rang through amidst the cloud of uncertainty concerning my future. The fact that I might be here forever had crossed my mind several times, more than I’d liked lately. The odds were stacked against me, and I had never been much of a gambling man.
A voice next to me tore me away from my thoughts. “What?” I asked Luna, having not heard her the first time.
“I said, will you at least consider it?” Her eyes had never left my own.
“...Okay, I’ll try,” I told her, feeling defeated. If nothing else, I hoped that that would be the last of this line of conversation.
“I am pleased to hear that,” she responded with a smile. “Now then, I have business to attend to. Before I leave, is there anything you require?”
“Hm, maybe some food? Something to read?”
“A healthy appetite is a good sign, even when one is sick. I will have the kitchen staff prepare a meal for you, all according to Doctor Mgangah’s diet of course. And as for something to read, is there a specific subject you wish to pursue?”
“I don’t know, maybe something educational?” Then the thought struck me. “Got anything about magic?”
“A fine choice.” Luna trotted over to the door and opened it. “I will ensure your food and reading material will be delivered to you shortly. I will also see to it that somepony will be here to channel magic into you to lessen your discomfort.”
Damn, I had almost forgotten Luna had been using her magic on me, having gotten acclimatized to it relatively quickly. “Thank you, Your Highness.” I gave a brief wave as she trotted out the door, but before she closed it, she turned to me.
“You may call me Luna, Magnus.” A small smile crossed her face. “And I have enjoyed our conversation.”
“Thank you, it was nice talking to you.” I matched her expression.
The door clicked shut, and with her absence, the pain that had been held at bay came rushing back. With a painful grunt, I lowered myself back into the bed. Turning my head towards the door, I stared at it for a few moments. Luna was certainly different from Celestia, but she had shown she could be kind to someone like me. Perhaps I had been wrong about these alicorns. They both possessed fearsome powers, and I should fear them, but… I didn’t. They had done nothing to betray my trust, and despite myself, they had begun to act as lifebuoys in the churning reality that crashed over me.
I sighed briefly, my head digging into the pillow in an attempt to gain some level of comfort. "Thank you, Luna, for listening and helping."
New chapter! Magnus meets Luna and they talk hybrid creatures of Equus. Of course magic is involved, how else could two different creatures create viable offspring? Magnus feels uncomfortable with the whole pony ancestor thing and Luna tries to help him. Will he accept it or reject it? Clues have already been given during previous chapters.
I really liked writing this chapter. How Magnus and Luna interacts with each other felt natural and flowed quite easy. I was unsure of how to write Luna's lines to begin with, on account of her old Equish language (I've never been good at Ye Olde English). Still, I think it came out good. If I wrote something wrong, please leave a comment so I can fix it.
Also, recently, I've been listening to music by bronies and searched youtube far and wide. I came across several composers that I like. The link in this chapter is A new Moon by The DashDub. I recommend listening to his/her stuff cause it's good and relaxing stuff. I also recommend Evening Star, he doesn't just write MLP music, he's got other good stuff too.
A big thank you goes to all of you readers and also new subscribers, you all make me wanna write 
. And as always, leave a comment, a like if you want to and/or constructive criticism.
Edit 01.23.2017.: Another re-edited chapter. JBL works his magic in fantastic ways. Also, I noticed that the link to the music included in this chapter has been set to private, which means that linking it to others might not be what the composer wants. In that case, I found another magnificent piece that I think fits right in. The composers name is Brandon Fiechter, and I highly recommend checking out what he and his twin brother has made.
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"Written by ''''Cup of Coffee" Huh I never would've guessed. (I'm just teasing) Keep up the good work.
6312218 Oh, I will. You guys are all great support
6312345 Fixed. Thanks for notifying me.
Really nice character building here.
Curious just how long Magnus will suffer denial about his chances of returning to Earth.
That was a really good chapter. Very interesting, though I find the magic overflow a little odd since if it kind of restricts offspring in an odd way. Overall loved it!
6313762 I don't consider Magnus to be anthro enough to warrant the tag. He started out as a human, and what pony features he's got is heavily watered down. Still, if more people bring it up, I will add the tag.
6313467 A better explanation concerning magic overflow will be provided in future chapters by our in-house scientific expert
6314528 Very nice music
6313806
I don't think this should be tagged anthro. There are a lot of people, myself included, who tend to look the other way and skip past an anthro story. The tag implies that all the characters are anthro, not just one.
6315595 Thanks for helping me clear that up. I was wondering if I should tag it anthro or not, but seeing that the ponies are ponies and not anthros and that Magnus is human with only a few pony-like features and that he started out as a human, the human tag will remain.
6312353
Probably until he finds out that Celestia's given orders to shut down any portals found.
I'm kinda wondering how badly he'll freak out when he meets a real dragon for the first time. (Sorry Spike but you're just not dragon-y enough) Or just gets to witness one of those dragon migrations, I bet that would be impressive as all hell.
6380553 Correct. Twilight said that real magic comes from within.
6380619 They didn't use healing magic on Rainbow Dash when she injured her wing. I like to think that sometimes ponies let healing take its natural course.
6380859 In this story, MLP:FiM wasn't a show on TV, and Equestria Girls didn't happen. It wouldn't be much of a story if he could just take the next train to the Crystal Empire, go home and live happily ever after.
Some people got this story that Faust was the first Alicorn, or that she was the mother of Celestia and Luna. Then there are those who have it as their headcanon that she was some type of religious figure which all ponies worshipped in the distant past. I'm one of them.
6380877 It wasn't hereditary migraine. It was suffering from a lack of magic.
As you've already noticed, my story got some holes in them. Some things will be explained in future chapters to clear things up. Thank you for pointing out the flaws in the story.
I can't get this image out of my mind from the banana bit with Luna...
derpicdn.net/img/2012/6/24/19378/full.jpg
Yanno, to make the guy feel more at home, they went and picked up some more 1/2 brothers for him!
dont click the link youll be laughing all day
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9YXLFzGPDGQ/hqdefault.jpg
don't click the link youll be laughing to hard
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9YXLFzGPDGQ/hqdefault.jpg
When I read this my brain reminded me of this and I lost it.
They had done nothing to betray my trust
Ya about that...they never planned on even trying to send you home or haven bothered to tell you that it was next to impossible in the first place
this now lives rent free in my head