Meta Gamer in Equestria: Odyssey

by reflective vagrant

Chapter 24. Truth be Told, Part 2.

I stood there with my eyes closed to keep my mind on the committee I needed to convince instead of the crowd of ponies that would surely pile up behind me, waiting for my cue from Sunburst as he prattled on about legalities. Finally, he led me by the hand to a stand and gave me the cue to speak.

One hand pressed firmly on the large stone in the middle of the stand and the other pressed on my amulet. "I have no idea how I got here to your land, but what I've found here has been amazing. While your technology isn't as advanced as I've seen in my home world, save for the integration of magic, I honestly feel that this land is better off in every other way I've seen so far."

I placed the other hand on the stand with the first and turned my head as to look in the direction of the review committee.

"You wanted to know why I have been so cooperative? Well it boils down to a philosophy I adopted years back. A country's power can be measured in the might of its military, the ingenuity of its craftsmen, the size of its coffers, the bounty of its lands and the depths of its knowledge."

I made a purposeful dramatic pause of a carefully measured time.

"But a country's true greatness can only be measured in the integrity of its people. While I was treated as a prisoner, you were firm but fair, far more so than anything I would hope to expect in my home world, given similar circumstances. When I was released, multiple ponies, some of which had personal reasons to not trust me, fought hoof and tooth to help me. I was viewed as a monster in the public eye, yes, but even then the people of this nation didn't treat me with the blind hatred I expected. I doubt my home world could lay claim to the same if the situation was reversed. True, there were a few that took action against me that wasn't completely wholesome, but the system was strong enough to not let such behavior take root solely on the hatred and ranting of the vocal minority. It isn't perfect, but from what I have seen with my own eyes, your land is leagues ahead of my home world when it comes to integrity on the whole. I find that quite beautiful, philosophically."

"As for why I am asking for-" I was suddenly interrupted.

"Sandwiches are done! I even made some with the 'egg salad' recipe you taught me, Moss!" I heard Fluttershy call from behind me.

With the illusion broken, I opened my eyes and turned around to see the living room table of Fluttershy's cottage set up for a friendly snack.

"That was excellent, Moss," Sunburst called out, "You didn't stutter once. We can wrap up the last bits of practice after lunch. Hopefully you won't choke too much when we do it for real."

* * *

"You made the headline, in a good way this time, Moss," Fluttershy said as she brought the newly delivered news paper to the table.

Apparently, the paper had interviewed the pony princess that had performed astral judgement on me to confirm my tale. From what Sunburst read of the article to me, the princess was profusely sorry for invading my privacy, and was now clarifying my tale. She basically confirmed the factual details that I had stated, and said that the opinionated statements of my home world may have been influenced by the emotional side effects of the Astral Judgement. When asked about more details, she said she still was under oath as a Dream Walker to respect my privacy and said she could not divulge details I had not spoken about to the public any further without my permission. The one thing she could volunteer, however, was that she was adamant that I was not guilty of the crime I was charged for, being among the invaders, as my home world looked nothing like anything she had seen from other prisoners, nor were there any images of consorting with the enemy.

When Sunburst was done with the paper, he picked up his flash cards. "Sorry again, but let's go through these one more time to make sure you got them right."

I rubbed my temples so hard it started to hurt.

"I think I have learned more Equestrian in the last three days than in the rest of my time on Equis so far," I spoke in a broken mixture of raw Equestrian and English as I gave him a frustrated smile. "While I am grateful for the lessons, why can't I use my amulet in the court again?"

Sunburst gave an empathetic sigh. "Because the princess that signed and approved the order must also be present, as she is the one that ultimately passes sentencing. Since we still don't know how you came here, we have to have you chained to guards among other security measures. One of them is that only court prepared magical items can be present. Your amulet isn't a qualified item. We barely got a modified interrogation stone approved for your use when you take the stand. You need to learn as many terms as you can to keep up with the conversation while you don't have your amulet. Now, what one is this and what does it mean?"

And so I was run through as many terms as I could remember for the rest of the day and even a brush up the next morning.

I always butchered their pronunciation like a thick accent when I tried to speak them in the raw without translation, but that was enough to show him I at least recognized the words. I knew I'd never remember more than maybe a half a dozen to a dozen of the words I was practicing after the courts were said and done and I had time to forget them, but at least it would work for the immediate task at hand. Even if I learned more of their language, I knew I'd need the amulet for speaking clearly for a long, long while yet, if not indefinitely.

Turns out I had incorrectly learned the words for "carry on" as "go away" from when the crow headed griffin taught me a few words. That one was definitely going to stick from there on.

---

The next day.

The court house was bustling again. Most of the ponies seemed empathetic to me, and from what I could tell from my broken understanding of their calling out to me, they didn't like the fact I had to be chained. But the higher class ponies were smirking at the sight of me chained to four separate guards. I could only imagine what Chancellor Neighsay would be saying from wherever he was. It was a flip of a coin between "serves him right," or "how dare he even exist!" at this point. I tried to not let it bother me. I was on a mission.

Despite the difficulties of walking in a chain restricted formation at the time, we managed to get into the court room and settled in.

From what I was told before hand, the security measures forced most onlookers out of the court room. I could see that only a select few individuals were allowed in the stands. Sadly, most of them looked like the upper class that didn't care for me.

After I was seated, the rest of the court filled in. Fizzlepop Berrytwist was similarly chained and sat down on the defendant's side of the room. She was unhurt, though a bit unkempt. She also had an utter look of defeat about her with her head down and her overall timid posture. I tried to give a gesture of encouragement, but she utterly refused to even look in my direction.

I saw other ponies, including the approval committee taking the seats of what was normally reserved for a jury. Since the court wasn't to determine the guilt of a party, as that was already done and over with, there was no need for a jury.

Finally, after everypony else involved save the presiding princess had been seated, additional guards of crystalline nature entered and spread themselves about the court room.

And that's when the shit hit the fan, and our understanding of the situation was flipped on its proverbial head.

I felt a chill in the courtroom, like a strong breeze was trying to cut at my bones. Just as the guard was announcing the arrival of the princess acting as judge, I could see a black steam rising from my body.

A taller, bubblegum pink pony with multiple stripes of color in her hair, sporting both a pair of wings and a horn peaking out from behind a crown came into the room. Strangely, her hair was not floating around her like the hair of the princess of the night I saw during my Astral Judgement.

I couldn't think about it any further, as my body suddenly wanted to go into fits. I held off the first with the help of my good luck charm, but a second bout that followed the very next second increased in strength and overwhelmed me. I found myself rocketing up all exorcist style, pulling the guards with me into mid air.

I lost control of my body and found an foreign voice coming from my mouth.

"Hsiivopht, Emodusp Princess ug Equestria. Qmieti fu puv ci emesnif," I found my mouth speaking what I managed to discern was fluent, un-buchered Equestrian, "I niep yua pu jesn, cav I cies e nittehi ug avnutv onqusvepdi."

At this point all the ponies were in a panic. The crystalline guards were placing themselves between me and the princess and I could feel the ones dangling beneath me calling out in pain from being held up by a single, shackled hoof. My wrists and ankles were mentally screaming right along with them, but the rest of my arms and legs seemed fine, like there was no weight on them.

My right arm came forth and performed a bit of a presentation gesture. Immediately as this happened, an owl appeared in mid air in front of me and simply flapped its wings to stay floating in the same spot.

"Vjot ot my djutip dusqusiem gusn epf I en tonqmy tqieloph vjsuahj vji dsievasi I en cuapf vu. I duni ciesoph eptxist epf vedvodem lpuxmifhi vu eof you op-"

I couldn't tell what happened after that, because a strong surge of lightning struck me from the direction of the defendant's desk and I was out cold. It wasn't until after I woke up days later that I figured out what had happened.

Author's Note:

I have a question for you guys.

What do you think of me ending this book at the end of the super arc and starting fresh with a new direction with a new book, turning the story into a series? The story will still be the same and all that, just split up if I go this route. Personally I fear that this tale has been more of a prequel to the larger story, like The Hobbit, or Rouge 1, and may not have needed to be made first when it comes to order of release or reading. Any of you guys see any problems with this idea?

Translations added begrudgingly before a response to my question:
Hsiivopht, Emodusp Princess ug Equestria. Qmieti fu puv ci emesnif,"
"Greetings, Alicorn Princess of Equestria. Please do not be alarmed,"

"I niep yua pu jesn, cav I cies e nittehi ug avnutv onqusvepdi."
"I mean you no harm, but I bear a message of utmost importance."

"Vjot ot my djutip dusqusiem gusn epf I en tonqmy tqieloph vjsuahj vji dsievasi I en cuapf vu. I duni ciesoph eptxist epf vedvodem lpuxmifhi vu eof you op-"
"This is my chosen corporeal form and I am simply speaking through the creature I am bound to. I come bearing answers and tactical knowledge to aid you in-"

Comments

[TheBBofC]

Moss just can't get a break.

[Mordred]

C'mon, what the shit he says in Equestrian mean?

[reflective vagrant]

9235682
good to know people are actually interested in the language barrier. I was hoping to get some feedback before I shifted the author's note to the end of the chapter, but it seems nobody cares about that. I'll update the author's note to the bottom of the chapter and add the translations.