Moon's shadow

by Znegil

2 Welcome

A headache, I had an extreme headache. I felt like my head could burst into pieces any minute now. Suddenly all came back to me... the car accident... my... death?

Did all these things really happen? If so, headache suddenly became something good, since you need to have a head to have a headache. In heaven I shouldn't feel something like that, shouldn't I?

I decided to open my eyes so I could see for myself.
I was greeted by the sight of a metallic shining spearhead taking up most of my field of view. This for sure wasn't my favorite way to wake up but it beats being dead by miles.

I tried a careful "Hello."

The spear flinched back a bit, giving me more sight for my surroundings, while I heard a surprised "It talks?"

What I saw now shocked me more then the spearhead did. Talking horses in armor and armed. TALKING HORSES!?

I was considering the possibility that I had survived the accident but was lying somewhere having severe brain damage.

"What are you?", the one who stood with his spear before me asked. I counted five of them.

They all looked pretty similar, horses in heavy armor, a horn on their head. Unicorns?

"What are you?", he repeated while I was looking around baffled.

"I... I am a human.", I answered confused. "Why are you horses? I'm dead and in heaven! But why are talking horses in heaven?"

The one opposite from me looked at me with a strange expression and backed away a bit. "We are ponies. As far I can see you're not looking dead to me.", he answered warily.

I saw another pony behind him reading and browsing through a book, a book that was LEVITATING BEFORE HIM!

"How does he do that?!", I shouted hysterically, pointing at him.

"What do you mean?", the pony answered with a surprisingly deep voice looking up from the book. He had dark green hair, a white stripe running through it.

"This book levitates!", I screamed at him.

He looked at me as if I had asked why grass is green. "Better restrain him.", he said to the other ponies and continued reading and browsing through the book.

Two ponies walked towards me while their horns started glowing more and more until finally... nothing happened. Unsure they withdrew a bit.

"Captain!", one of them shouted.

"I can't find anything on humans.", the captain said absorbed in the book.

"Captain Silver!", the other shouted again.

"What?"

"The spell has no effect!"

"Pardon?", Captain Silver asked surprised while he lowered the book to look at me.

He walked towards me, his horn glowing bright white while he was focused on me. After a few seconds and sweat on his forehead, the light of his horn faded and he looked at me in wonder. "How is this possible?", he mumbled.

"There is not need to shackle me.", I said, after calming down a little. "I will follow you without resistance."

I decided pretty quick not to anger anyone who aimed a weapon at me, no matter what creature they were.

They all looked at me in a way that made clear they wouldn't believe anything I said. Captain Silver came to a decision. "You will walk in front of us. Don't get to close to one of us, or you will look like a pincushion."

"I am harmless and won't cause any problems, believe me.", I tried to further relax the situation.

"Your teeth show you're carnivorous and I won't trust a carnivore."

"Just because my kind has the teeth of a carnivore doesn't mean we all eat meat.", I tried to defend myself, while I decided to conceal how much I loved meat.

"Stand up and move.", he said while looking at me in a menacing way.

I did as he told me and carefully stood up. I noticed that the ponies backed up a bit, it seemed I was a bit bigger standing up then they expected. Their shoulders were about the same height as my hips, if they could stand on their hind legs, they would be about 2/3 my size.

Slowly I walked in the direction they showed me, four spears and one sword directed at my body.

I tried to sort my thoughts while walking, and at the same time taking in as much of this world as I could. It looked like morning to me the sun slowly moving towards its highest point. It all seemed pretty similar to my world, trees, grass, blue sky... apart from the talking equines, I could as well be in the countryside a few miles away from my home.

As a brown pony flew by, I stopped watching in awe as it disappeared towards the horizon. "You ponies can fly too?"

I only heard an annoyed murmur behind me. "Just go.", somebody said while he poked me with the shaft of his spear.

We had been walking around a mountain for half an hour when a huge city on the other side of it came into view. I saw small and big houses and even a giant palace. I expected them to live in small grass houses or something like it, not in a modern looking city, another thing I better kept to myself.

"Blue Star.", Captain Silver shouted. "Run ahead and report to the princesses about this unknown creature we will bring."

One of the ponies saluted and ran towards the city.
We continued to walk at a slow pace. I was even more impressed as we got closer. The city had such clear lines and bold ideas, all buildings had been built to compliment each other, something you would see for maybe two or three buildings in my world, but here the whole city was build like that, it was breathtaking.

Once we reached the city I saw many other ponies being out on the streets, and I got a wide range or reactions from them, some seemed to be curious while others looked frightened. One filly even tried to touch me but was dragged back by their parents.

I felt like a circus lion dragged through the city, a curious sight but possibly dangerous.

After another half an hour we stood before the palace's doors, compared to the ponies these were absurd big. The guards opened them with their magic, which looked pretty impressive.

Once we walked through and my eyes got used to the lower lighting, I curiously scanned the inside of the palace. It looked like an antique store to me, countless fine old wooden furniture, polished for so long it seemed to shine itself. I tried to get a closer look at some of these, but Captain Silver always urged me to move on.

After walking through endless corridors, we arrived at a huge hall that was decorated with lovely plants and figurines. On the other side of the room, slightly raised, were two beautiful thrones on which sat the most breathtaking creatures I ever saw. I was led only a few steps before them so that I could see them in all of their glory.

Both were much bigger then all other ponies I had seen so far and they had both wings and huge horns. One white, with a colorful mane which seem to move in an invisible breeze, her appearance was calming almost something motherly.
The other one's fur was dark blue, and her mane looked like the night sky, it moved as well. Her body was something more delicate, and a mysterious aura seemed to surround her. Both of them looked like they had incredible power at their disposal.

Under other circumstances, I probably had a hard time to avert my eyes from their divine beauty, but I was scared and at their mercy. I looked away and focused the floor.

Silver and his subordinates bowed down to them, and I hastened to do the same.
The white one rose, took two steps towards me and looked at me with kind but curious eyes.

"Hello, I'm Celestia. Together with my sister Luna we are the protectors of this country and focus on the happiness and safety of its citizens. We have been told that you can communicate and that you possess an unusual skill.", she said in a soft voice.

I saw no fear in her eyes, only curiosity and kindness, I was quite happy about that. Then I noticed Celestia had no reason to be afraid of me, because she could impale me, with three quick steps, on her very long and pointy horn. I gulped at the thought and unconsciously took a step back.

"Please don't be afraid of me, I will do you no harm.", she said as she noticed my reaction. "What is your name and where are you from?"

I moved uneasily but tried to look calmly at her face.
"My name is Alex. I am a human from another world, but I'm not sure how I got here."

The other one... Luna stood up and stepped beside her sister.
"We are...", she cleared her throat, "I'm thinking we should first find out how dangerous he is, we can talk about the weather later." She glared at me suspiciously and I winced slightly.

Celestia looked disapprovingly to Luna, but she sighed and said, "Luna is right in a way. The fact that Captain Silver's magic had no effect on you is quite worrying."

I was worried about how they wanted to find out if I was dangerous. "Please.", I said with a slightly trembling voice. "I would never hurt anyone, I will not -"

"And I believe you.", Celestia interrupted me, "But it may be that you could harm us without wanting to. You don't need to be afraid I'm not going to hurt you."
Her calm voice and gentle eyes helped me to calm down so far that I no longer trembled.

"All right, I trust you princess.", I said. I knew I had no choice anyway.

"I now will try to lift you with my magic.", she said, and lit up her horn. Nothing happened. I watched as her horn glowed brighter and brighter until I had to close my eyes because it was too bright for me to look at.

After a few seconds, the brightness was gone, so I carefully opened my eyes again. Celestia stood still in front of me but was breathing hard, and sweat was on her forehead.

"Are you okay?", I asked, slightly worried.

"Yes ... yes, I need ... just a moment ... to rest." She sat on her throne.

Luna used her magic to take one of the lamps of the wall and placed it in front of my feet on the ground.

"This is a permanently enchanted lamp which illuminates the room with its light, pick it up."

I carefully picked up the lamp. The moment I touched it, immediately it went out. I saw how Luna grimaced at the sight of it. I was not sure, but for a moment I thought to see fear in her face.

"Put it back!", her command was sharper than I had expected.

Carefully I put the lamp back to the ground, the moment I no longer touched it, it lit up again. I could hear several ponies in the room exhale relieved.

"What's wrong?", I asked, confused.

Celestia who had recovered replied: "It means that you do not destroy magic, but only repress it."

"But is it the same way when he touches a pony, or could he permanently harm us?", Luna interjected. "We can not let him run around if he is a possible risk to others."

Celestia sadly bowed her head.
I didn't like where this was going.
Captain Silver stepped forward.

"I volunteer for testing it, Princess."

"That's very brave and noble of you.", Luna said.

Silver stood next to me.
Celestia was restless in her chair.

"The risk indeed appears small.", she said. "But despite everything, I'm not sure if we should do that."

Silver bowed and said: "Thanks for your concern, but I as a guard have sworn to keep all population of Equestria safe from harm, and this is one way to do that."

Celestia nodded gratefully.
He turned back to me and looked at me prompting.

"But what if it causes you pain?", I asked him, worried.

He smiled wryly and snorted. "Do not worry big one. I've survived so much pain. Nothing of what could happen here is going to blow me away. And the alternative would be to lock you away forever."

"Thank you.", I said as it became apparent to me that he was doing me a big favor.

Still unsure, I slowly reached out my hand to him, bit by bit until I finally touched his soft fur. I expected that it would be rough as stubbles, but it was soft, almost fluffy. He did not respond to my touch. They all stared at him expectantly. Luna circled us as she watched closely.

"Nothing, I do not feel anything.", he said after a while.

"Nothing?", Celestia asked.

He focused for a moment before he replied: "Perhaps a very faint tingling."

"Try a simple light spell.", Luna asked him while still circling us.

Silver looked very focused for a moment before shaking his head. "I can't do it."

I pulled my hand back. "Try it now.", I said.

Just a moment later his horn shone a cone of light like I would have expected it from a flashlight.

"Well, he seems to be harmless.", Celestia said. "However, his passive ability is fascinating, and I would like to learn more about it. Please lower your weapons."

When I saw the guards put their spears in a relaxed position next to them, I exhaled deeply and was very relieved.

"There is one thing we still have to find out.", I heard Luna's voice behind me. I turned to look at her. When she came into view, I saw she was holding a sword in her hoof.

I looked at her in horror.

Then she stabbed me.

Author's Note:

You may want to read the next chapter before grabbing your pitchforks and torches ;-)

Comments

[Thunder--Clash]

"Talking houses in armor and armed."

Not houses," horses "

Besides that everything looks fine. Your quotes are alright as well because I know who is talking.

[AspectofBlood]

Really Luna...>.>

[CaliginousTheIllusion]

well.....rip mc

[Kadigan]

"Just because my kind has the teeth of a carnivore doesn't mean we all eat meat."

This again. Yes, it seems it's a touchy subject for me.

Yes, we all sorta do. If you don't, there's a number of supplements you're going to be taking - otherwise there're fun illnesses in store for you. This is obviously much worse for vegans than it is for vegetarians, but both groups are at risk of deficiencies if they don't manage their diet very carefully. The truth is, we're omnivores - with all that entails. We need meat as much as anything else (though I'll agree that we certainly don't need to be eating as much of it as we presently are).

And yes, we can survive without meat, provided we have the right supplements - but that's very much like having a prosthetic arm, or an insulin pump, in that it's not how our bodies naturally work*. If you were a vegan in ponyland, you'd have quite the short stay unless they could figure out the supplements you needed (and how to make them).

Going vegan without supplements? Nope. Not a chance. You're going to descend into madness when your central nervous system symptoms kick in, and it's little consolation that you'll probably be too weak to seriously hurt anyone at that point.

* don't get me wrong - I'm all for various improvements to our bodies, and the fact that you can go vegan w/ the right supplements on its own is amazing. Just don't expect all of that technological advantage to be available in Equestria, you know... If you're ever displaced like this, you'll have to rely on everything your body has and can do, because it may very well be months to years before you figure it all out, and you need to survive before you get there.

[Kadigan]

I only heard an annoyed murmur behind me. "Just go.", somebody said while he poked me with the shaft of his spear.

I think I'd be a bit touchy at that point. Sure, I'm an unknown - but they're as much unknowns to me. I wouldn't poke someone (or something) with a sharp, pointy object with this sort of disdain. Like, what the fuck.

[DerpTape]

9990043
I read this as him being proded with the non pointy part. The shaft is the part of the spear you hold on to,
so more the side of the spear, not the tip or (spear)head.

[Red Neck]

Then I noticed Celestia had no reason to be afraid of me, because she could impale me, with three quick steps, on her very long and pointy horn.
He has a point
Like if you get the pun