Chapter 3

                                                                        Chapter 3 - Into the Fire

I awoke the next day to find Spike jabbing me in the chest.

"Herbert, are you awake?"

"Yeah, I'm up. What do you want Spike?"

"Well, I came in here last night to tell you about the report, but you were asleep in a stack of books." I looked over to see one of my piles had been knocked over, presumably from when I fell into it while dozing off. Am I really that deep of a sleeper?

"Did you move me in my sleep?"

"Yeah, that isn't a problem is it?" He said, obviously not wanting to make me angry.

"No, I guess it’s ok this time. Just don’t make a habit of it, I find it kind of creepy, being touched in my sleep." Creepy or… unpleasantly reminiscent.

"Ok, do you still want to hear about the report?" No, absolutely not. Where would you get that idea?

"Yeah, sure, I’d love to." I faked nonchalance.

"Ok, well basically she said you seemed to have a subtly manipulative nature, but hurting ponies seems to never be your goal as whenever you cause somepony to be upset, you immediately work to fix it. She said you seem to strongly enjoy learning and then she went on about how much fun it would be to read with you and other boring stuff. Do you really think reading is fun?"

"Actually, yes I do. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. She also said stuff about your chances of survival without our help is low and other stuff." It slightly hurt me to consider how true that was. From what I had learned about magic and flora so far, the world itself could be considered a predator. It would be a tough thing to overcome. I have at least a year to prepare myself before Twilight will probably throw me out into the wild. She wouldn’t. I know this now.

"Alright, thanks Spike. Pop in whenever you want." He didn't say anything, just walked out.  I decided I'd go check in with Twilight and see what I would be doing today. So I walked out of my bedroom and looked around. On the other side of a table with a wooden horse head on it was a staircase going up. I went up that staircase and it brought me to a mix of living room and kitchen. I looked up and saw another staircase leading to a door. Since this room was empty, I was hoping she would be in there. I walked over to the staircase and head on up.

Now, I knew better than to open a closed door without knocking first. I knocked on the door and Twilight answered.

"Give me a minute." I stood for a few seconds before the door opened, and Twilight seemed to jump back at my presence.

"What are you doing out of your room? Didn't I tell you not to leave unless Spike or I come for you?" She seemed a bit irate. Oh shit, that's right! She did tell me not to leave that room.

"Oh! I forgot all about that Twilight, sorry. I was coming to ask you what you had for me to do today. I'm usually at school learning, but that isn't going to be happening anymore. You said you were working on a report yesterday, could I maybe read it?" I knew that wasn't going to work, but I figured I may as well show some curiosity.

"Oh, not right now, maybe some other time." Keep in mind, other time includes but is not limited to never…

"Well in that case, I would like to talk to you about something when you have a moment."

"Alright then, you obviously know your way around, so wait for me in the lobby and I'll be right with you." I nodded and started walking down the staircase. Have I mentioned yet I was naked? I know I mentioned I came here without clothes, but I don't think I mentioned just how awkward it felt to be talking to people while naked. I was originally going to talk to Twilight about what happens when she is done studying me, but now I was wondering what a guy like me had to do to get some clothes. It made it much more awkward that her face was pretty close to my dick. I walked downstairs and sat down at the table. Before Twilight got down, someone walked through the door. I looked up to see Fluttershy with some bags strapped on her back.

"Oh. Hello Fluttershy." She seemed really happy to see me, she hopped right over.

"Hi Herbert, how are you today?" Whoa, give me some space, jeez. I backed away a bit, as she was getting right in my face.

"I'm doing fine. How about you?"

"Today has been just wonderful. Angle and I went hunting for food, and we got you something." She reached into what I guess qualifies as a back pack for ponies, and pulled out the arm of a lion.

"Holy shit, did you kill a lion?" I was suddenly terrified of these ponies, they hunt meat?

"Oh I'll show you how I got it. But we will need to wait until Twilight says it is ok for you to come with me. I don't want to make her upset." Speaking of Twilight, she just walked in to the lobby of the library.

"Oh hi Fluttershy, are you and Herbert getting along?"

"Oh yes Twilight." Fluttershy seems to act calmer when ponies are around than when it is just her and an animal.

"Well I'm glad to hear that. Did you come over to visit?"

"Well I guess I could stay, but I just came to drop off a manticore arm. I don't have anything else to do though so I guess I'll stay."

"Oh Fluttershy, I don't know how you get these things but I don't care anymore. I just want to thank you for being so generous with your feed for your animals. I know I couldn't get this on my own." I was beginning to become much more suspicious on how Fluttershy was acquiring this meat. I knew better than to allow myself to try prying into other people's business, so I decided to play the curious visitor role.

"So Twilight, Fluttershy, tell me, how did you two meet?" They both had a glazed look over their eyes as they were probably looking back on memories.

"I remember that day." Twilight said.

"I was helping my bird friends get ready to sing for princess Celestia, and then Twilight came and said hello."

“We were all pretty poorly written back then.” Pinkie Pie said as she walked past the library. I think I was the only one who heard her.

"Yeah, I was supposed to check on all the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration." Fucking alliteration man, it is getting on my nerves.

"Summer Sun Celebration? What is that?" Twilight jumped at the opportunity to answer a history question.

"Oh, it is a ceremony celebrating Celestia's defeat over Nightmaremoon. Nightmaremoon once went by the name of Luna. They ruled together over Equestria for many thousands of years when Luna started to become jealous of Celestia because ponies seemed to pay her more attention than herself. Eventually she rose in rebellion and assaulted the princess. Afterwords, princess Celestia had no choice but to use the Elements of Harmony to send Luna to the moon. The Elements- What are you laughing at?" I had burst out laughing the minute she said the thing about sending her sister to the moon. It took me a few seconds before I was able to collect myself and respond.

"So let me get this straight: Celestia's sister gets jealous and throws a fit, and instead of locking her in a dungeon or something to cool down or whatever, she sends her to the fucking moon? What, did she suffocate and die up there? I can only imagine she would have popped like a grape by the time her hooves touched the ground there." They were looking at me with a mix of disgust, offense, and confusion. I decided I should clarify.

"What I'm saying is, why didn't she send her to the dungeon or something rather than rocket her into space? I mean, it must have been awful to be sent to the moon to die within thirty seconds of getting there."

"Oh no, Luna isn't dead. She was staying in her palace on the moon. She served her sentence of one thousand years before using ancient solar magic to free herself from the chains that had been placed on her." I managed not to laugh at the 'thousand years' remark, and paid close attention to her comments.

"Solar magic? What is that? I haven't found any books on that in your library Twilight, though I admittedly haven't seen all the books."

"Oh, well don't bother looking for any, this library doesn't have any books about that. And it most certainly doesn't have any secret compartments. I have been living here for around a year now and re-shelf it constantly, so I most certainly would have discovered any compartments before season two. This most certainly isn't a writer’s way of flipping off the show that inspired this story or anything, so don't bother considering that as a possibility."

"Oh... Okay. I'm not going to bother asking about what Solar Magic is, I barely understand normal magic right now. Get back to telling me about how you met."

"Okay, well I was checking the preparations for the celebration and that involved checking up on the music."

"I was nearby helping my bird friends get synchronized and get the right notes when Twilight came by and said hello."

"Fluttershy was much more of a shy pony back then, and was too frightened to even talk to me." Fluttershy gave a visible blush, showing her embarrassment. Twilight chuckled and draped a hoof over her shy friend, and smiled.

"She has come a long way since then, right?" She gave a quiet nod. I decided to draw attention away from the subject that was making the mare uncomfortable and ask about something else that I was curious about.

"Twilight, will I ever be meeting this princess Celestia? I highly doubt it, considering how her schedule would probably packed full of royal duties."

"Actually, a surprisingly large amount of her time is spent by herself. I don't know what she does, but I have always meant to ask. I asked her once as a filly, but she said she might tell me when I'm older." It took all my self control not to laugh right in their faces again.

"I should be getting back to my hut now, I'm sure Angle is getting lonely without me."

"Goodbye Fluttershy." said Twilight and I in unison.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked, unsure of what I would spend the rest of my day doing. I was hungry, so I would have to bring that up.

"Oh, I think you called me down for something earlier didn't you? Maybe we could talk about it over breakfast. I have plenty of nuts and beans you could eat; do you eat meat raw or cooked?" I had never eaten meat not cooked, but I was sure that was for a good reason.

"I think we should wait until we can cook this, I think I get sick from eating raw meat."

"Well alright, I'm sure Spike can cook it for you. Spike!" Spike came running down the stairs.

"Yes Twilight?"

"Can you make me and Herbert some breakfast?" So… He is some kind of servant? Maybe a ... what were those people called that served knights in hopes of becoming a knight themselves? Squires right? I nodded in affirmation, earning a puzzled look from Spike. I just grinned at him, knowing that I was going to have a very positive effect on his life.

"Sure Twilight." And up he went. I shook my head in pity.

"Is something the matter Herbert?" Concern was evident in her voice.

"No, he just reminds me of someone from back home. Tell me how long until breakfast is ready?"

"Oh he usually doesn't take too long; you should probably go give him the manticore arm for him to cook." I was really hoping he knew how to skin meat, this thing was super hairy. I grabbed the arm and carried it over my shoulder up the stairs. I decide I should test how much of a slave he was and treat him like a piece of shit.

"Cook this." I dropped the arm on the floor next to him and walked off. I heard a faint 'yes sir' from behind me, and I gulped, fearing he may be far too gone for me to help him. I sat at the nearest table and Twilight came up with a book from my pile. Oh God, what fresh hell is this? I really hoped she wasn’t becoming suspicious.

"Herbert, I see you have been reading about Equestria's geography. Why is this?" I wanted to mouth off to her, but I had been thinking about how I probably have no rights in their legal system, so she could probably lock my ass in a dark room with nothing to do for as long as she pleased.

"I am wondering about the world I'm now living in. I'm sure once you have finished studying me, you will send me off into the world on my own. Because of this, I'm studying the world around me so I know what area would be best for me. I'm considering the Everfree Forest." I just pulled that out of my head from the few places I had read about. I knew that place was near here and was considered dangerous, so it might make me look like a badass if I say I liked the idea of living there, or it would make me look like a dumbass. She gasped, and stared at me in shock.

"You cannot be serious! That place is extremely dangerous; no pony comes back from there alive. With your weaker limbs and lack of sharp teeth or claws, there is no way you can survive in that place by yourself. The animals take care of themselves, plants grow without help, and clouds move all on their own!" I gave her a deadpan look.

"Yeah? So what, all that stuff happens where I come from." She looked at me with a sense of wonder.

"Really? I need to ask you more about your home world, it sounds terrifying."

"Oh Twilight, I have a question.

"Yes?"

"Do you ponies have rubber or leather?" I immediately regretted mentioning leather, considering what it was. However, Twilight never got a chance to answer, as a powerful heat immediately enveloped me. The last thing I saw was Twilight watching me with an expression of… Well, it’s like a cringing, like seeing something really gross or painful and imagining that it was happening to you. That’s all I saw before passing away.