Perchance to Dream

by David Silver

78 - Canterlot Canter

I ambled through the streets of Canterlot at a lively canter. There were ponies to see. Some were busy trying to look refined, but others were smiling. I focused on the latter, they were more fun to approach. But I was not there for either of those. I had my eyes out for a particular female. Trick, the female could, in theory, shapeshift.

Could she become a he? If so, my search might have been entirely hopeless. I put aside that thought and trusted that, even if male, they would give off the same 'vibe'. Besides, it was the best use of my time at the moment I could think of. If only there was a way to signal them...

That's when I stopped and put a hoof to my head. I had just had the stupidest idea, but could it work? Maybe.

I asked for a paper and a quill and a mare produced both. "Here you are." They could be so nice at times. I thanked her and got to scribbling before I passed the quill back and trotted along with the paper floating over my head.

"Subtle," spoke a familiar voice a few minutes later. There she was, as I had seen her last. She slipped free of the Canterlot crowd. "You've made up your mind then?"

I rolled up the paper that read simply, "I want to talk," and tucked it away in a bag. "I wasn't sure that would work, but it did, hello again."

She flashed her teeth, sharp still. "Hello yourself, stallion. I trust you did not call for idle chit-chat?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, I wouldn't waste your time like that. We're both busy people. Let's start with a question. This does not disqualify you, mind. Celestia and Luna have already agreed to hear you." She perked up at that. "But are you Chrysal--"

She slapped a hoof over my snout. "Discretion! And no..." She stepped back a little. "I work with her though, so not a bad guess. Of course, I don't plan to prove or disprove that, so assume I am if that makes things simpler."

Fair enough... "So long as you plan on dealing straight with me, I don't care if you are or not, in the end. I do want those humans."

Her horn glowed softly. "Then you just have to follow this tail." She turned and started walking off. "A thing you're adept at, I'm told."

I scowled as I followed her. "I'm a virgin." At least, as a pony. Not that I hadn't been tempted, but still!

"Good to know," she said in a sing-song way. "Still, really? Are you even trying?" She weaved down into an alleyway. "Alright, let's get my side of things out of the way. I'll arrange for the hu-mans to be found."

"No." I thrust a hoof at her. "We're not at a level of trust to simply assume you'll make people appear."

She paused a moment before nodding. "You're shrewder than I gave credit for. Very well. I'll turn over one right now, as a sign of good faith, the others will be given once our message is delivered."

That was starting to sound more like a hostage situation than I liked, but screaming that would likely sour the whole thing. "So, how did you find them?"

She shook her head. "They stand out. Once we noticed the first, we started keeping our eyes open for others, started a little collection... We've been treating them nicely, promise." She sat on her haunches. "I dare say a few of them are perfectly happy where they are."

"I will need their names and pictures, please, even if they prefer to stay where they are." I pulled out the same paper I had from before, but I had no quill. "Have something to write with?"

Her eyes rolled as she pulled out a scroll of her own. "Now you're being rude. Don't you even want a name?"

"I don't think you'll give one," I admitted. "You know mine."

"I do," she confirmed. "And you're right. I suppose I'm teasing." She unfurled the scroll. "Names."

I quickly got to counting. Fifteen! "Wait, didn't you say closer to half a dozen before."

She held out the scroll in her magic towards me. "That's how many we're turning over. But you said you wanted a list, whether or not they're coming."

The glow of the scroll shifted as I took it from her magic into my own. "That's fair. Are the others happy then?"

"Oh yes, very." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Most prey resist being held, but they seem to enjoy it."

I very much did not like the sound of that! "Are they being harmed?"

"Not your concern. Here is the missive." She produced a second scroll. "See that it reaches their eyes directly, no intermediaries."

I took the scroll, but my eyes were on her. "About the first?"

"Follow." She was back on her hooves and walking in no great hurry. "Would you rather a large one or a small one?"

What a choice... "Does the large one look like it has a small one in it, by chance, a female?"

"Perhaps." She flicked a tail back at me as she walked onwards. "You want the pregnant one then?"

I wanted them all! I bit back a hasty retort though. "Yes... that would be a nice start. Have you... harmed her?"

"Oh, we don't hurt anyone." She looked over her shoulder back at me. "Not physically, not usually..."

Oh, that was comforting. "I gather you are one, a changeling then?"

Her upper lip pulled back in a brief sneer. "I don't think I need to answer that. She stopped in front of a metal door and rapped on it three times, paused, then four more times. "Bring out the heavy one," she shouted through it. "Before you get funny ideas, we'll have moved shop before you can get anyone back here." She turned back towards me. "I'm on the level, and I hope you are as well."

"You're not giving the best impression." I watched her carefully. "But let's take this one step at a time."

"Good attitude." She kicked the door without facing it and it opened. "Here you are, one hu-man."

From the darkness came a woman, staggering as if shoved into the light. She was as pregnant as I had feared. She was a light brown. Hispanic? Maybe hispanic... She had mousy brown hair and wore a simple t-shirt and jeans that did a reasonable job of covering her bloated form. "You don't need to shove," she spat with a bit of an accent that quickly confirmed my theory.

I nodded at the irritated woman. "Hello. My name is True Shot and I'm here to help."

"Like I've been helped so far." She looked less than pleased about things.

"Don't mind her." The mare that had led me that far waved it all off. "She's yours. Make sure that gets to the princesses, and you get more. Ta ta." She waggled a hoof at me, clearly expecting me to just... go.

Which was exactly what I planned. "I'm sorry, let's get you somewhere more comfortable. Can you walk?"

"I have legs," she assured, taking a step towards me. "But why should I go with you?"

"Because I'm offering shelter, food, some privacy, and a chance to get home." I counted on my hoof as I went, which was decidedly ineffective.

She gave an uncertain look towards the changeling(?) mare. "If it means we're getting out of this place, I guess I won't complain too much."

I turned back to the castle. "This way, I'll take you to the castle, where you'll be taken care of."

"Castle?" She looked where I was looking and saw the castle. "So are you going to tell me where in the good god's name I am?" She was following despite her angry words.

"Welcome to Equestria, land of ponies," I glanced sidelong at her. "Which you may have guessed in part."

"A little," She wobbled a hand. "So... you one of them bugs?"

"I'm stranger than that... Part horse, part human. My human name is Linda."

"That..." She seemed to cut herself off. "Why do you have a human name?"

"Because I go back and forth every day." We emerged from the alleyway and ponies started staring with wide fearful eyes. They didn't do anything rash, but they kept some distance. I stood as tall as I could. "She's with me and means no harm."

"Oh," they said in a chorus of tones, the tension deflating. Was it that easy?

A little foal came trotting up. "Hey Mister Shot! What is that?" She pointed right at the lady.

The lady's nose wriggled a bit as her hands went to her hips. "My name is Susan, little one."

The filly blinked with wide eyes. "Oh wow! Are you a minotaur? You look funny for a minotaur, and those already look f--" Another pony, presumably her mother, snatched her up and whisked her away, apologizing.

Susan shook her head at the parting ponies. "You don't seem nearly as surprised to see me."

"I am, but in a different way." I led her along, cutting a path with my own bulk. "Are you alright? Did they hurt or abuse you in any way?"

"No, they were... mostly fine... Tell me we're eating solid food wherever we're going."

"Solid?!" What had they been feeding her? "Yes, that at least." We were just reaching the steps of the castle, the sun on my back, cool stone beneath my hooves. It was a fine day to mount a rescue, which I felt I was doing fairly well. "Have you been here long?"

"About a month." Susan reached over and ran a hand suddenly over my back. I hadn't felt a human hand petting me like that. It was... ticklish and electric at the same time, especially when she gave a pet down my spine. Was that why dogs like petting? It was also just a bit put-offish. It was my space, dang it.

I sidestepped, and almost fell over trying to do it on stairs. "How... far along are you?"

The reaching hand fell to her gravid belly. "About half a year? I'll get bigger before I'm done."

My teeth clenched a moment as I resumed guiding her. "Do you have a husband, or a family waiting for you?"

"I... probably had... a boyfriend." Her tone was bitter. "I doubt he waited this long with no sign of me. He probably figured I ran off somewhere. I can't even blame him."

We were approaching the guards and I moved ahead to speak to them first, "Hello. I've brought a human with me, her name is Susan." Susan raised a hand and offered a little wave. "She's of interest to the Sisters. Where should I house her for the moment?"

"Sisters?" came Susan's curious and cautious voice from behind me as the guards murmured to one another a moment.

One of them saluted and spun around, starting to lead the way. We fell in behind him.

Susan's eyes were on the walls. "What art... Look at those windows..." She reached out to pet a passing unicorn as she had with me.

The noble-looking mare gave a surprised snort and danced away. "Well, I never!" She turned her nose up as high as it went and stomped off angrily.

I slowed down to be beside Susan. "Did the others let you pet them? You should ask before you reach, just like with people, really."

Susan lifted her shoulders. "They seemed alright with it, but okay. I'm not trying to be an ass about it." A snort drew her attention to where a donkey was standing. But... she didn't seem to get the pun entailed in the situation. "What?"

I quickly moved between them. "Forgive her, she's new and didn't mean any harm by it."

The donkey muttered something, but trotted off down the hallway.

Author's Note:

We have two hu-mans to deal with, and one of them is almost ready to lay eggs. There is no way this can end well, I imagine.

Hu-mans lay eggs, right?

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Comments

[badninja]

Well the Equestrian medical practice is about to get a crash course in human child birth.

[Booster Spice]

Well, someone is going to lay egs, and trust the changelings to come up with the idea of feeding at a petting zoo, unless one of them got the idea from a fan fic about someone like Darth Vulcan.

Next up. Trying to get the mirror to dial the correct world. Or even a slightly different and better for the person in question world?

[Astorius]

Some humans from the Super Mario Movie actually do lay eggs.....

[badninja]

8286625

That movie never happened! Now I got to erase it from my mind, again.

[Valhuir]

8286673
WHAT?!?!? Forget the greatest video game movie of AAAAALLLL TIIIIME?

[Warrior Kitten]

Some do lay eggs. Just gotta fill em first. Wink wink nudge nudge.

[tsaukpaetra]

Hmmm, we suppose newly birthed infants would be a pretty stable source of love.
She didn't seem enthralled or anything, that's definitely a good sign (unless she's a sleeper).
Keep going! ;)

[SolangeEggbert]

Donkeys sole magical ability is to appear for 'ass' comments.

[Luckyfanisaac]

Her upper lip pulled back in a brief sneer. "I don't think I need to answer that.“(——