Starship Ponyville: Homeward

by Vylet Pony

IV. Strangers

“Are you sure you want to do this again?” Rayna voiced her concerns to Vylet.

“Escapism is how I meditate,” Vylet dismissed, typing away on his laptop. Functions and variables danced across the screen as the monitor lit what it could of the dim room. Rayna scanned every line of code, alerting Vylet of any potential errors or inconsistencies.

There was a knock at the door, startling Vylet. “Who is that?” he whispered to Rayna.

“Telegram,” Rayna replied, her impartial tone could be perceived as an element of attempted comedy.

“Rayna, we don’t have—” Vylet stopped himself, sighing. He stood up and trotted over to the door. Standing there was Satyrn, who was ever so slightly taller than him.

“Oh… Hey Satyrn,” Vylet managed.

“Rayna sent me your room number, if you were wondering,” said Satyrn.

Slowly, Vylet turned to offer a half-scowl at Rayna, who was hiding behind his leg.

“Well, come in, I guess.”

---

The room was filled with quiet talking, the light sipping of tea, and occasional laughter. Various electronic displays illuminated the room which caused large shifting shadows to cascade across the chrome walls. Although the stars could be seen from the bedroom window, they had looked at them enough. The aroma of freshly prepared green tea moved about, bringing about an unparalleled pleasance.

“Seeing you sitting out there every day reminded me of my time in Statera,” Satyrn admitted.

Vylet looked up from his laptop monitor for a moment to glance back at her.

“Even with so many ponies there, it was lonely. It’s kind of like that now,” she continued.

“Minus the authoritarian rule,” Vylet added.

They laughed heartily.

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Rayna insisted. There was a solemn tone in her voice.

“Well, you have at least one pony you can talk to on this ship now,” Satyrn told Vylet.

Vylet went to sit down next to Satyrn on his bed.

“I appreciate that.”

“That’s how friends work,” Satyrn smiled.

“Well, I have friends back home.”

“Oh… I see.”

Vylet stared at the floor. Rayna drifted around his lap.

“The truth is,” Vylet started, “being alone isn’t the problem for me here.”

Satyrn studied his expression, listening closely.

“I’m just…”

There was a pause. Satyrn put her hoof on his shoulder. He was shivering.

“I want to go home…” Vylet began to tear up, “I don’t know where—”

The boy began to visibly weep. Rayna rested on his shoulder in an effort to comfort him. Satyrn watched helplessly.

“I don’t know where we are,” he choked up, “I’m not brave. I’m just scared. I’m scared of everything. I can’t handle being out here,” Vylet cried.

He fell into Satyrn’s embrace as she comforted him.

“I’m not brave…” he repeated, his voice was breaking.

“During the war, I created the Super Pony World simulation so I could feel like I had a reason to exist. I wanted to feel like I was strong and brave... but I’m not… In the real world, I’m scared of everything,” Vylet confessed to her, “everything is so terrifying…”

Vylet’s tears began to stop, but Satyrn was working to hold back her own sorrow. The room became quiet again as Satyrn stroked the boy’s mane.

“Bravery comes in a lot of different forms,” Satyrn said.

Vylet sniffled and wiped his eyes, looking up at Satyrn.

“Everypony calls me a hero, but really I was scared, and I ran. I ran from Statera,” she looked down at him.

“But you were strong enough to get away,” Vylet reasoned.

“You were strong enough to get here, right? You’re here now,” Satyrn replied.

“I guess you’re right,” Vylet sniffed.

In that moment, the universe seemed still. The burden of innocence carries a substantial weight, but such burden is the key to surmounting the ill-intent of a miserly king. Tracks that have been long obscured are uncovered usually through eyes untouched by power. Innocence is to be protected, nurtured, and is deserving of faith. At this time, they’re all strangers to the world outside Equestria. The fear of the unknown is the natural way of things for beings of any relative intelligence.

The scent of tea dissipated.