Cantertale

by ReachForThePie

Light in the Dark

At the end of the corridor, to one side, stands a doorway. Yes, it is a doorway - not a natural gap in the rock face, a constructed doorway, perfectly tidy and symmetrical, leading into... something.

Stepping through, more natural light seeps in from above. You see in the centre of this small room, no more than twenty feet or so from one side to the other, a statue. A very strange statue - the figure isn't any animal you can recognise, and certainly not a human. It's an amalgam of a number of species, it seems. Mismatched horns on its head, mismatched limbs, a pair of mismatched wings - very strange indeed.

Perhaps it was a trick of the dim light, but as you step closer, the statue's grey colour seems to alter into multiple colours. Yes - it is changing! You freeze, seeing each mismatched part of this peculiar creature take on a distinct hue.

After a pause, the multicoloured statue gains a quality of liveliness, as if a spirit had entered it. You stare in quiet horror as the bright red eyes turn downward to meet your gaze, a single oversized tooth sticking out from the creature's grinning maw.

"Haven't seen a human in quite some time. Oh, they're so much more fun to play with!"

This wasn't good.

"Don't tell me you're not in the mood for some fun and games, little one. What do you say?"

You politely decline his offer.

"Charming. Unfortunately, that's the wrong answer. Goodness, it's been far too long. Your kind are so much more fun to corrupt!"

As his clawed hand extends outward, meaning to wrap around your body, a beam of what you can only assume is sunlight strikes the side of his face, sending him reeling.

"Gah, how dare-"

Another, more powerful lance of yellow light punches into his chest. He topples over, collapsing against the hard floor, coughing and wheezing.

"Dammit. I won't forget this, Celestia."

His burning gaze focused on you.

"And I won't forget you either."

In the blink of an eye, he shrinks down to a barely perceptible size and zips away.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner, child. I was unprepared, he... what a horrible thing to do to a defenceless little human."

It would have been nice if they'd come sooner, but you were certainly glad they hadn't come any later.

Your saviour drew nearer - it was a pony! A rather large one, at that, with a pristine white coat and a flowing prismatic mane and tail, dressed in a simple beige robe.

"My name is Celestia. I guard this place and try to keep any vulnerable visitors out of reach of the likes of him."

His bright, red eyes are still clear in your memory.

"The important thing is that you're safe now. What is your name?"

You tell her your name and she smiles.

"That's a nice name. Well, I don't suppose you'd like to dawdle around here all day. Follow me."

Through the next doorway was a hall, much larger than the previous room, with staircases leading up to another doorway.

"I used to live further inside with the rest of my kind, but things... changed. Let's just say the 'ruler' and I don't see eye to eye. Besides, ensuring the safety of lost humans like yourself is too important a task to not carry out."

You explain to her that you came down here by choice. She frowned and looked at you.

"Oh? Is that so? Now why would that be?"

You told her, with enthusiasm, about the stories, the rumours, what you know and don't know, and what you'd like to know.

Celestia's reaction seemed mixed, but she did manage a faint smile eventually.

"Human curiosity, does it know no bounds? Well, I'm afraid for better or worse you're stuck down here for the time being. But I can look after you."

You express your surprise that this underworld only has one entrance, the one you came through, and can't exactly be considered an exit.

"Don't worry yourself with any of that. It's a big place down here, but I don't think it's safe for you to try and make it out by yourself. Come along, we can sit down and have a rest in my home."

She led you out. It was surprisingly roomy down her, hardly different from being indoors above ground.

"I'd be lying if I said it's not dangerous down here. Sure, there are nice folk, but don't let your guard down."

Sure enough, a few moments later, Celestia stopped. You followed her gaze - at the far side of this garden-like room was... a pony, grazing nonchalantly on the grass. Celestia spoke, keeping an eye on the pony.

"One of the few remaining inhabitants of the ruins. Nearly all of the ponies down here moved on to better living spaces some time ago, but some of them just didn't want to let go."

You asked her why.

"They lived here, it was their home. At least after they lost their home above ground. But goodness, terrible things happened here. Separation, beatings, sometimes worse. Some lost their parents, others... others lost their children. All because of our self-appointed ruler. I should have stopped her, but I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt her, but she - she had no reservations like that. I'm lucky to be alive. Luckier than many who were buried here. That pony over there, she lost someone here. I can remember it so clearly. I think you can understand why she doesn't want to leave."

You said nothing, but nodded solemnly. She turned to you.

"You must remember this - our ruler is a master of deception. She has layered lie upon lie until truth and fabrication have become indistinguishable to most of the populace down here. Some of the oldest ponies remember the time before we were down here, and know what the truth is. But they've learnt to hide that if they want to remain... unharmed."

You understand.

"When our exile to the underworld was complete, she told her story - her false story explaining our burial here. She told the ponies of the evil, heartless humans who refused to agree with her plan for, in her words, a great and positive change for the world. To allow everyone to experience and appreciate the night - instead of sleeping through it and never seeing it. She told of how I was a ruthless usurper, using the Sun's power to dominate her and her Night, and that I planned to one day banish the night forever.

Of course, the humans would never agree to an eternal night. Like us, for them it was a time for sleep, a time for resting and preparing for the next day. But that reality could not be accepted by her. By my sister.

Just over a thousand years ago I banished her to the moon to save life as we knew it, to stop Nightmare Moon. And when she returned, and tried unsuccessfully once more to bargain with humanity's greatest magicians - she did the one thing she thought she could do - the only alternative to the eternal night that had again been denied her. Take me out of the picture, and bring us here. Where the sun can never shine, and where night and darkness are eternal."

So there was much more to this than met the eye - but not even in your own scepticism did you think it would be this different to the stories you'd been told.

"She showed an iota of mercy in letting me live. But if I ever leave here... I don't think about. I thought after I'd welcomed her back after her long lunar exile that she'd have really changed - for the better. But I was wrong. She was still as bitter and cold-hearted as the day I'd banished her to the moon all those centuries ago. I let my guard down, and that was the undoing of all of us."

By now, the pony had seen you, and was moving toward you. She didn't look happy.

"Stand behind me, child."

The mare was fuming, and she soon let the two of you know.

"How dare you, Celestia! How dare you shepherd another one of them through here. I really wonder who's side you're on. I'm starting to wonder why you weren't executed, to be frank with you. It's disgusting."

Celestia stood resolute, but you weren't very happy with how she was being spoken to.

"I've told you so many times, Sugar Song, it's not their fault. But I know you won't listen so I won't explain myself again. Please leave us be."

Sugar Song didn't seem too happy with that response.

"I can't believe you. You know what? I'm done talking with you, done looking at you. It's too difficult. Do what you like, I don't give a damn. Just stay way from me."

Celestia looked to you and moved on, and you shuffled quietly past Sugar Song, avoiding eye contact.

"Scum."

After an almost pleasant walk through more spaces filled with neat, vibrant bushes, trees and the like, you reached a small house at the end of one of the garden-like rooms.

She pushed the door open with a hoof and waved you in.

It was quite simple, modestly decorated, but homely.

"Come through, let's sit down."

The living room was warm from the log fire burning merrily. You each took a seat in a cushy arm chair, the heat of the flames gently caressing your skin.

"You must understand something, child. If I allow you to leave, I can't guarantee in the slightest that you'll be safe - let alone unharmed down here. The last thing I want to see is you getting hurt... or worse."

You point out to her that it's not just about sating your curiosity - you'd quite like to return home as well, and staying here wouldn't solve either of those problems. Celestia considered this, and lowered her head.

"Yes, I can't deny that. I don't really have a choice, do I?"

She laughed quietly and leaned back in her chair.

"If you want to get home, the key to your return lies with the Queen. But you must do it alone. I can't come with you, though. She'd ki-"

She stopped.

"It wouldn't work. I'm sorry. It's your choice, and if you want to go, I won't stop you."

After a walk down into the basement and along a lengthy corridor, a large door stood between you and the rest of this journey. Celestia stood before you, eyes twinkling.

"This is it, the end of the line for me. I hope we meet again, little one."

She wrapped a hoof around you and you leaned into her, hands resting against her soft fur.

Her long horn glowed, an aura appearing around the large doors. They shuddered, dust falling from them, and slowly inched open.

After a large enough gap had opened, you stepped out into the cold air. You turned, looking into Celestia's eyes once more, thanking her and wishing her well.

"Good luck, stay safe."

The heavy doors drew inwards once again, and closed with a dull thud. You were on your own now.

Comments

[ReachForThePie]

Finished Undertale and thought "I have to write something involving this incredible setting and premise" and came up with this.

It's not a huge departure from Undertale itself, the plot line is inspired by UT's but isn't identical. Not sure how it'll be received but I'll go ahead and share it.

If enough people like it, I guess I'll carry on with it. Otherwise it was just a little experiment that I did for fun.

[KDS-Writingindustries]

*Reads title*

Buddy, I don't know if you know this but...

The title of your story is also the name of Undertale porn.

You've written this story into its own grave because of that title.

[ReachForThePie]

7309103

I was not aware of that, I'll change it.

Though I think writing it 'into its own grave' is a bit of an exaggeration.

[Derpy_Hoolian]

I call Luna being Asgore or something similar.

[The Fallout Pony]

7309165 wait, what was the title?

[ReachForThePie]

7312081 undertail

[The Fallout Pony]

7312591 wow, I can see how that's misleading.

[ReachForThePie]

7312594 Haha, it wasn't supposed to be, it was just a pun. I realised the connotations but didn't think it would be a serious problem until that guy told me about the NSFW fic.

[The Fallout Pony]

7313347 anyhow, I really hope this gets noticed, the story I mean; it's actually pretty good.

[ReachForThePie]

7313355 Thanks. I'm not getting my hopes up though.

[The Fallout Pony]

7314037 understandable, still I wish you luck.

[Xenomorpher]

7314037 Did you try submitting this to the HIE group?

[ReachForThePie]

7325366 Thanks.

Which group specifically? This isn't really a HiE story, it's Equestria in the human world inside the Undertale universe.

[Xenomorpher]

7325440 The HIE group has a category for pony on earth stories right here. You should submit it there! It would help you get more readers.

[ReachForThePie]

7325559 Oh, okay, I'll add it there, thanks.

[TheRedButcher]

7328704
Too bad you abandoned it.