Neutrality

by Debonair

Chapter 9.

I opened my eyes as the sun crept in through the window. Zecora was fast asleep under the blanket, her head rested on the pillow. Her mane was limp and strewn out. I thought it best not to wake her, and slowly rolled off the bed. I made my way to the window, and looked out upon the place I once knew as Camelot. The gardens were as lush as they were two thousand years ago. Zecora stirred awake and stretched in the bed. "Good morning my Shining Knight, I trust you slept well last night."

"When I got around to it." I sighed with a smile, as a knocking fell upon the door. "One moment," I opened the Armoire and found a robe, and put it on tying it shut. "Come in." A beautiful mare came in in a frilly black outfit, with some folded clothes.

"Sir Malicious, here are some fresh linens." She set them down on the nightstand and bowed.

"My thanks,"

"Au revoir."

"Au revoir," I replied as she left. "Sir Malicious," I walked to the nightstand, and looked at the linens, pure white leggings, with gryphon heraldry on the coat back. "These linens are fit for a king." I felt honored that such fine craftsmanship was given to a commoner like myself. They breathed like the finest silk that Uncle Arthur would import from the east. I found a ribbon and tied back my hair. I couldn't help but feel proud yesterday I awoke in rags and in a strange place, but now I am living like a King, I stood and modeled for her.

"My Knight who's heart does shine, I must say you look more than fine." Her mysterious mannerisms were quite charming. She rolled out of the bed and went to style her mane.

"You come from the Southlands don't you?"

"While I have a strange way of mouth, I do not hail from your South."

"You are indeed beautiful,"

"I can say you are as well, Ice to the Eskimos your looks could sell."

"Shall we be on our way?" She smiled and nodded. "Let's gauge the damage that our friend did to the wolves." I opened the door, and stood face to face with the White Princess. "Good morrow Princess."

"I trust you both slept well?"

"When we got around to it."

"Lovely, I was wondering if you would join us for breakfast, before I show you the archives."

"Thank you for asking, We would most certainly love to join you."

"Follow me please, I usually let my Sister sleep in, but she has taken quite a liking to your personality."

"Looks like You'll have some competition," I patted Zecora's head.

"The best memories are made where, there are ones who love to share."

"Where have you been all my life?"

"When you find one so perfect for yourself, it's best not to put them on the top shelf."

"Wait here," Celestia knocked on a door I remembered well, my old room. I would sleep there when father was out on crusades with the other Round table knights. The door opened and Luna walked out in a night gown.

"Sister why are you waking me so early, it is only nine o' clock."

"I could have woken you upon sunrise." Luna yawned and stretched like a lion, and cracked her neck.

"Good morning, Shining Knight will you two be joining us for breakfast?"

"Yes,"

"Give me a moment," Luna retreated back into her room and came out a moment later wearing a large sapphire necklace. "Now we can leave." She had gone from tired and groggy to blushing and beautiful in seconds. I kneel down and throw Zecora onto my shoulders, she got comfortable and Celestia led the way to the food providence. We sat at a rather large table complete with padded chairs.

"I feel obligated to ask, how did two Allicorns become the rulers of Camelot?"

"It was about seventeen-hundred years ago, the Equestrians stood side by side with the humans, living in a time of peace but something strange happened, an alien disease that affected the humans only."

"Without any knowledge of how to use their complex technology it was lost to the progression of time."

"So you opted for magic,"

"Precisely."

"What makes you different from all other Equestrians, other than your stature."

"For some peculiar reason the alien virus did more than kill off the humans, it stopped time, the sun never moved, and the moon never rose, we were stuck in eternal twilight, then we read about the gods Susano'o, Amaterasu, Helios, and Selene and their abilities to move the sun and moon."

"We took the responsibility of marching time on."

"So you raise the sun, and you raise the moon, who taught you the spells?"

"Starswirl the Bearded. The human you described shared several similarities with him."

"Merlin, you time travelling son of a she-wolf."

"Time travelling?" A brown stallion, overheard and interrupted. "Who time travels?"

"Time Turner, how have you been?"

"Yes, answer the question please."

"Merlin, an old friend of mine."

"I haven't seen another human in years."

"And you are?"

"I have to leave, i'll be back in ten seconds." He trotted around a corner and a man came walking back around exactly ten seconds after.

"I am the Doctor, if you know Merlin that means you know Arthur, how did you survive the virus, who are you, where are you from." This man was bombarding me with questions.

"I don't know who you are, but if you mind, I was going to find out."

"I'd like to hear this."

"Anyway," Celestia continued. "While I don't know how you survived, after we began to raise the sun and moon each day and night our power made the citizens believe we were fit to rule, and we took the responsibility to heart. we had our share of close calls but the Elements of Harmony have never failed."

"Elements of Harmony?"

"They are the core of our power, Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, and Magic."

"The requisite for any knight, to make it past squire, minus the laughter part." A breakfast fit for five kings was served before each one of us, comprising of crab, eggs, and smoked salmon. It had been years since I had even smelled such delicacies let alone have them served to me. The princesses began eat their food which was levitated to their mouths. "I thought Equines were vegetarian." The salmon melted in my mouth, and I could taste the birch it was smoked on. The eggs were boiled, and went down easy in two bites. The crab meat was delicious but it lacked the certain flair that I remember having as a child.

"Whoever gave you that idea?" Luna asked between bites of her lobster, that she had ordered special.

"I fed the horses in the stables oats every morning."

"Well, you tend to get tired would you say, of something given everyday." Zecora made a good point.

"Well I must be off," The Doctor man waved to the waiter. "Oh Garcon, can I get a doggy bag?" The waiter came and took his food and came back shortly after with a box. "Grazi," He stood and bowed. "I shall see you later." He walked off and around the same corner, a few seconds later the same brown stallion trotted off.

"I thought you said humans were extinct."

"He is by no means human."

"So the archives, they are in the south wing, correct?"

"Yes, they are."

"I know my way around, if you wouldn't mind could you tell me where you train the guardsmen, i can see you turned the armory into an eatery."

"The west wing, ask for Shining Armour,"

"Thank you both for the wonderful meal." I bowed and headed for the south wing. The paintings had changed but I could still navigate the halls with ease, I had forgotten how large the castle was. After a few moments I found the library door cracked open and that Twilight pony inside fast asleep using a tome for a pillow. I decided not to wake her and began searching for any tome that could explain my situation. "Time travel spells, close but not quite,"

"I believe you are looking for this," A rather large creature knocked Twilight to the floor and handed me the tome. Kinder- und Hausmärchen "The Tale of the Little Snow White may hold an answer." I heeded the creature's words and looked for the tale of Little Snow White. Evil mother no, Dwarves no, tight lace no, poison comb no, Poisoned apple, After taking a bite she fell into a deep sleep, until a prince falls in love with her, upon convincing the dwarves to let him have her, the servants trip and cause the piece of apple to dislodge and she was awoken. Twilight's eyes opened as she stood to shake herself awake. The creature vanished as suddenly as it appeared.

"My head," she groaned as she massaged where the table had hit her. "I must've fallen asleep again."

"Good morning,"

"What's so great about it?" I could tell she was tired, and frustrated. "I stayed up all night, and I didn't find anything that shed any light on your situation."

"Read this," I set down the tome on the floor before her. "You were using this as a pillow."

"Poison?"

"It may be, but I have no way to be sure, if it was an apple there would be a tree in my home at this very moment."

"It's a possibility, but who would want to poison you?"

"I have an idea."