Chapter 2: Confusion

Chapter 2: Confusion

It's been a few days since I first met Star Charmer. Two days, three, time within this stone cell seems to go by incredibly slow. The air in here is cool, dry, and very sterile. Much like a doctors office. Wait... what is a doctor? My memory hasn't improved much over the past few days of being left to nothing but my own thoughts. When I find myself having these inner monologues, I come across words that I know, but I don't know the meanings. Occasionally I think of why some things around me seem so strange. Like Star Charmer, her anatomy intrigues me drastically. But, one again, I digress.

Star Charmer has made her company a scarce commodity. As the only pony I really met so far, she is my only relief from isolation. She did bring me that cot and pillow she promised, but I only have seen her when she brought me meals. And even so, we didn't talk much. She only said things like "Here's your lunch." and the like. And she always looks at me with her huge sad night azure eyes behind a concealing smile.

Day after day, I sit on my cot thinking, dreaming, trying to re-live any of my past to give me any clue to who I used to be. But all I have had so far were night terrors of a never ending penetrating darkness. I can never escape from my mind, and being isolated alone in this room is definitely not helping.

A set of hoof steps breaks the silence. The sound of the huge metal door to my cell being unlocked bounces off every wall of my cell. Star Charmer opens the door bearing a completely straight face, definitely trying very hard not to show any emotion.

"Good evening" Star charmer says in a stern voice.

Her sudden harshness causes me to sit upright and stare at her with probably the stupidest look. "Good evening? Are we going to actually have a real conversation again?" Thinking I was being witty, I then put on my best sarcastic smirk. Star's expression only hardened further.

"Amusing, but now is not the time for antics"

Star is not being her usual self. She typically laughed, or at least giggled at my attempts at bad humor.

"You alright star?"

A short pause.

"Depends on your definition of 'all right'"

Now I'm concerned, not only is her face cold as stone, she is a totally different person. Or pony. God i'm confused as hell. Wait, what's hell, or God? I shake my head violently to rid my mind of these conflicting thoughts. Star notices but doesn't seem to care.

"Her highness wishes to see you personally." Star says as she levitates a single pair of shackles from behind the door and sends them to me. Not wanting to cause her any more stress for the fear she will beat the living shit out of me with her magic, I willingly outstretched my hands to be bound.

"Her highness? You ponies have royalty?"

"Naturally. Every functioning society has a governing body, and as you can see, we ponies are a very well functioning society."

Star sounds like she is reading from a script. But, her voice is remaining completely serious. I open my mouth to ask another stupid question, but one look at Star's face wipes away any questions I had off the list.

"We better quit the dilly dally and get a move on" Star says "Or else the Princess may use the 'royal wee'"

I am not looking for to finding out what the royal wee is.

Star lead me out of the room into a dark corridor, and once she closed the door to my cell, the darkness suddenly enveloped us in a void without sight. But with a flash of blue light, a bright orb floated out of Star's horn and illuminated the stone hallway ahead. With a encouraging nudge from her muzzle, we move forward into the darkness through the large metal door. Identical metal doors lined the damp. The air in the hallways was heavy and damp, unlike the dry and sterile air in my cell. The ominous darkness filled the hall with the exception of the area around us. My bare feet pounded softly against the cold stone floor, but Star's hooves made a loud clop sound that echoed for a good few seconds after every step. A few minutes of walking later and Star stops me with a hoof.

"We're almost to the meeting room." Star explains. Her tone was still quite worrying. "I know the guards wont let me enter, so you'll be going it alone. Remember, the princess doesn't take to sarcasm very well, but if you keep collected, and don't upset her, I may as well be taking you out to the hay-burger for lunch."

For the first time today, Star gives me a genuine smile, though it wasn't a whole hearted one. I know she was only trying to comfort my nerves.  I don't know what the hay-burger was, but it was probably better than the prison food I've been eating. Star turned around to leave, and soon I was all alone, staring at a big metal door. And after a few seconds of trying to calm my stomach's butterflies I give up. Damn. Why am I so tense?  I don't even know who exactly is waiting for me on the other side of this door. With a deep breath, I pushed open the door.

"Good of thee finally to treat us with you'r attendance. Took your time didn't thee?"

The door closed behind me. I couldn't see it close, for a bright white light shined throughout the whole room blinding me from seeing anything other than a small table and chair. The light solely emanated from the walls themselves. Not only that, but my eyes weren't adjusting either.

"Please, sit for us. I know you cannot see us, but we can see you perfectly. We have a few questions to ask thee."

The... thing, sitting across the table from Princess Luna was of nothing she has never seen before. One of bipedal stature, like a monkey or an ape. Even with the fleshy talons to match. But the hairless body. The seemingly glowing green eyes. What the buck is this creature? Star Charmer briefed the princess earlier of the condition of this thing she decided to call "Emerald".

Due to his eyes no doubt. The mare always had a things for eyes. It seemed that the princess' favorite mare in Canterlot always saw the night sky itself in the eyes of the ponies around her. That's probably why she takes such an interest in this so called "Em".

Despite the initial hesitation, the creature finally accepted the princesses invitation and sat down. Luna asked all the typical questions: Where are you from? When did you get here? Why are you here? What is your date of birth? What is your name? What are you? To each, Emerald only said he didn't remember, shook his head, and looked for the face of his interrogator. Thanks to the illusion facade spell cast on the walls of the interrogation chamber, the area between the the two acted as a one way mirror of sorts,  making it impossible for the creature to see Luna, but the princess had a perfect view of the thing that sat across from her. The more she stared into those eyes, the more felt nagging her in the back of her mind. What was it about this creature that seemed so familiar?

"Star Charmer, dispel the illusion" Luna's booming voice echoed off the room several times, and by the third echo the light emanating from the walls dimmed. And, by tho look on Emerald's face, he could see her clearly.

I couldn't really quite distinguish what I was looking at. Or should I say who. After the earth shaking, bellowing yell from the interrogator, I find myself sitting face to face with one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. From seeing Star Charmer for a couple days, the overall shock from the whole pony thing has worn off. Why did it seem so unnerving to me in the first place?.

The pony that was speaking to me moments ago was a midnight blue, with the most magnificent mane and tail that looked like a fluid mosaic of the night sky. It's large wings were neatly folded, and it's horn was sitting neatly behind a black crown with the crescent moon embedded in the metal. The pegasus, unicorn hybrid also wore a matching black neck piece that sat neatly on her chest, also with the crescent moon. When she spoke again I could fully appreciate her soft and soothing voice.

"Well, I must say that I am surprised none the less. You seem to come from another world, but with none of the memories from your past. Yet, you seem to not be completely sure yourself if you have the answers or not."

Finding the perfect opportunity to speak out with something other than a shake of the head, I snag the chance.

"To be honest with you your highness-"

"Please, call me Luna, or princess Luna. I typically only accept those formal greetings from my subjects." the princess said with a hint of annoyance in her voice

With a stiff nod and a gulp, I continue my interjection.

"Luna... To be completely honest with you, I have no idea what the answers are to any of the questions you asked me."

The princess just simply looks to the white floor in defeat and sighs.

"I have no idea why your here, what you are, and above all what to do with you. We could just agree to keep you locked up down here forever."

At this, the princess looks up and gives me a sly smirk upon seeing my shocked look of disapproval.

"On the other hand... that would be immoral, animal cruelty is a crime in Equestria." The princess sat this point is staring off into space scratching her chin with the tip of her hoof. "I'll cut you a deal." The princess turned back to me placing her hooves on the table. The sudden movement caused me to scoot back in my seat.

"You will be free to go in a few days time.

At this my eyes lit up. I probably was wearing the stupidest grin on my face. I didn't try to hide it.

"But.."

Say goodbye to that smile.

"My sister surprisingly is still oblivious to your arrival, She has a difficulty sensing anomalies under the moon, so she does not know you are here. And other than the ponies who first found you, the guards, Star Charmer, and I, nopony knows of your existence. I suggest we try to keep it that way."

Now I truly don't understand.

"How are we going to do that?" I inquire.

"Some of us ponies can use magic you know. With me being an alicorn, and Star Charmer over there being a unicorn..."

Luna looks past me to the door. I turn around to see Star Charmer's head peeking through the door. Noticing she has been caught her eyes open wide and light red blushes appear under her white coat. Knowing she cant leave Luna's sight after being discovered eavesdropping, she slowly worked her way into the room.

Luna continues. "We can certainly think of some way to disguise you."

"Disguise... As what? One of you? A pony of all things? You can't be serious!"

"It may be the only way" Star Charmer interjects. "You don't want to stay down here just waiting for your memories to come floating in through the door! I am down here constantly, but I can at least leave to see sunlight. Staying down here will drive you mad!"

Star is right. I can't stay here.

"Why cant I just leave like I am?" I am just speaking my mind at this point. Trying to find any excuse to not go through with this. In my agitation, I fiddled with the shackles on my wrists causing my wrists to burn with irritation.

At this Luna facehoofed.

"You remember how the ponies who discovered you that morning reacted. We cannot let panic spread any further. And plus, rumors spread fast. Soon enough my sister would discover your existence. Tia is not so keen to openly welcome intruders into her realm. She would banish YOU to the moon in a heart beat."

Luna upon saying this went silent, staring into the distance as if reliving a terrible moment in her past.

Star Charmer sees this and places an encouraging hoof on my shoulder.

"I know it is a lot for you to take in Em, but you need to think this through. Take all the time you need, but you alone need to make the decision to stay here, or go with the plan. And remember" Star looked at me with a small grin as I looked into her eyes. "I'll be here for you every step of the way."

"Make thy decision quickly" Luna's continued after regaining her composure and returning to her formal speech patterns. "For the offer will be taken back if thee goes mad in this place. Don't make the irrational choice."