From the Flames of a Phoenix

        Celestia occasionally spoke up to question me about one thing or another, namely human technology. After finishing recalling the memories up to me arriving, I gave her the basics of our world. This included describing the political, religious, and economical conflict between civilizations on earth.

        Afterwards, she explained some basic history of Equestria, she overthrew chaos incarnate and has ruled for the past few thousand years. To the north is Gryponia, east is Zebrica, and west lies the land of the minotaurs and some other herbivorous species like bison. She did not really mention what was to the south of Equestria, but she did say that it was mostly frozen wastes.

        The strangest thing she told me was that this chaos incarnate, unicorns, and herself are all able to do magic. Like- Not fancy magic tricks magic, but real fucking magic. I don’t want to fuck with any of them if it means my head will blow up if they get even slightly angry.

        She must have saw my fear when she mentioned magic, because she promised that no one would use magic to hurt anyone else, especially in Equestria. I explained to her how it would be used on Earth if humans had magic, but then again, we have weapons that can travel across the world unmanned and kill millions, so would magic really be that bad?

        She was not fazed when I explained that I’m an omnivore, she mentioned that she often has gryphon ambassadors, so she has stocks of meat for their visits that I can eat. Non-sentient meat while at it. So I got that going for me.

        That purple unicorn, Twilight, came back in and mentioned something about royal duties. Thankfully, before Celestia left, she magicked up some sort of healing spell and numbed the pain in my leg so I could actually get up and walk around. She told me that her sister, Luna, would be visiting me in a few hours after the sun falls. Why then, I don’t know.

        I got myself out of the bed and left the room. Now I know how those pirates who lose a leg feel. The numbness in my leg makes it feel like I’m walking on a wooden peg. As I waddled through the doorway, a dark blue mare unicorn with a black mane that trailed down to the bottom of her neck approached.

        “He-he-hello s-sir!” She quickly stammered.

        I just merely wave a hand and reply, “Hey. You need anything?”

        She nodded urgently, “Y-yes sir, I’m to show you to your room. F-follow me please!”

        “Alright, lead the way Ma’am.”

        I took a place beside her and followed her through the castle halls. She had a hard time keeping still and she kept frantically looking at me and turning away when I returned her glance.

        “Are you alright ma’am?”

        “Y-yes, I’m fine s-sir!”

        “Are you sure? You seem reall-”

        She stopped in front of a door and opened it.

        “W-we’re here, sir! C-call me if you need me!”

        She turned to walk away, but I called out to stop her, “Wait! What’s your name ma’am?”

        She jumped a inch then sighed and turned back around, “Inkwell, s-sir!”

I waved a farewell and walked through the open door to my quarters. The room seemed pretty simple for one inside of a castle. The room was garnished with a red rug, but not much else. In the center of room, against the wall, was a bed with navy blue sheets and similarly-colored pillows. The bed was as wide as a queen sized bed back home, but the length between the foot of the bed and the backboard was much shorter than I’m used to. It’s not exactly surprising since it was meant for quadrupeds, but you would think they would have a room suited for a minotaur that I could use. Oh well.

        I took a look outside through a window. It looks like I have another hour or so until nightfall; Luna will be looking for me then. Content, I left the room and took note of its number: 5. I waited outside my room for a few minutes until I got tired of waiting for someone to pass by and resolved to just walk around the castle until I can find a guard or Inkwell again.

        I found two guards stationed outside a door and asked them what I could do around the castle to pass time. One of them told me of the various things meant for guests, but I had already made up my mind when he mentioned the royal garden. He gave me directions to the gate outside and so I left him to his post once again.

        Left. Pass the intersection. Right. Throu-

        “H-hello sir, do you need anything?”

        I spun around and saw that Inkwell had found me again. I shook my head and said, “No, I’m fine. Thank you for asking Inkwell, but feel free to call me Richard instead of sir.”

        “Y-yes si- Richard.”

        I patted the top of her head, “No need to be so nervous, Inkwell. I’ll see you around.”

        I passed through the castle door to the gardens outside. Off to the right was what looked to be a giant hedge maze. To the left was more of what I was expecting. A sort of mini forest if you will.

        I entered the garden and was pleasantly surprised to see various animals roaming around. Some I did not recognize, but I did see creatures like rabbits and a turtle like from back home.

        I walked up to said turtle and bent down in front of it. The slow creature just looked up at my face and opened its mouth in a yawning motion.

        “Hello? Do you talk turtle?”

        I stared at it a bit longer before I realized it wasn’t going to respond. I’m not sure why, but I expected it to speak. Just seemed plausible after waking up in a world inhabited by talking ponies and mythical creatures.

        I shrugged it off and continued walking through the garden. I admired the natural beauty of it and stopped in a field. The field was covered in a short, very green grass free of blights or imperfections.

        I walked to the center of the field and laid back and put my hands behind my head so I could watch the sky and relax. The darkness of the night had started settling in and the sun’s last rays of the day were hardly visible.

        I stared at the changing sky until finally the light was replaced with darkness. The sky was broken apart by stars haphazardly laid out, forming unfamiliar constellations. I studied the formations until I became aware of a presence approaching. I sat up and turned to face my visitor.

        A midnight blue alicorn mare, like Celestia but shorter, with a mane speckling with stars had come to visit me.

        I took the initiative and stated, “I assume you are Luna? Name’s Richard, Celestia told me you would visit me.”

        “Thou is correct in thy assumption. Does thou enjoy my night?”

        I raised an eyebrow at that, “Your night? Do you mean you designed it all?”

        “Of course, I am the princess of the night.”

        “The-” Luna, night. I facepalmed and groaned, “Oh. Luna, moon and all that, how did I not see that before?”

        I regained my composition and discussed the same things as I did earlier with Celestia. Luna seemed pretty down to earth, but the way she spoke made it seem like I was in a shakespeare play.

        “So, why do you speak archaic?”

        “I was banished by my sister to the moon for a millennium until recent times.”

        “Oka-” I backtracked on that thought, “a millennium?! Holy shit, how old are you?”

        Luna just waved a hoof at me and blushed, “One does not ask a lady her age.”

        We sat in silence for a brief moment before I spoke up, “Well, I’m getting tired. I’ll be retiring for the night, if you ever need help adjusting to modern language, feel free to come visit me again.”

        She nodded, “I shall remember that, farewell Richard.”

        “Goodnight.”

        I left the garden and found my way through the castle back to my room. I tried to lock the door, but quickly found that it does not even have a lock. These ponies must be trusting, oh well.

Lacking a change of clothes to wear besides the pants and shirt I had on and the rest of my ACUs, I just laid down in what I woke up in.

        Sleep took little time in overtaking me and I quickly found myself in a black void. I tried turning around, but couldn’t. I felt fear envelop my still body. No no no, why can’t I move? A talon reached over my right side and laid itself upon my shoulder.

        “Good, you’re finally here. I thought you would never leave that princess to join me.”

        I tried turning to face whoever or whatever was talking to me, but still found my body to be unresponsive. I started trying to thrash my arms to at least try and turn a little bit. Whatever force was holding me disappeared and I spun around and was rewarded with a heavy sense of vertigo for my efforts.

        After my head stopped reeling, I scanned the void around me. The talon and its owner was gone, but its voice stayed.

        “I summoned you upon the event of your death, Richard. You did not truly die, as I called upon your form before you were consumed by the explosion. However, I summoned you to complete a task.”

        The voice trailed off and so I asked it, “And what is this task? And why me?”

        A cackle pierced my ears, “Hahahah! You see, I am the harbinger of harmony. Before harmony came chaos. My immortal life has allowed me to control this realm you currently reside in and my favorite playthings, the ponies of Equestria, are in mortal danger. I watched your sacrifice for the greater good, even at the cost of your life to those that you have never met.”

        “Alright, but what dangers are they facing and how can I help?”

        “Two old monarchs will rise again and cooperate to invade Equestria. I will let you decide as to what to do, however, you will not remember the details of this conversation. You will remember what I have said, but not who said it. It will become a feeling you cannot ignore. Stop the invasion and keep my playthings from enslavement and death and I will grant you one reward of any nature. Now leave.”

        The darkness around me remained unchanged, but once again a sense of vertigo overcame me as the nothingness I stood upon gave in and I fell through the endless void.