Starting Up

Stares. It’s funny, you go to two different places, you find two different attitudes. Whereas the Ponyville stares were faintly hostile from the get go, the Canterlot stares were a lot more polite, more curious and no parents hurried their kids inside or covered their eyes. Having finally arrived, I didn’t need directions to get to the castle, since it was visible from the train station so I knew which direction to go in.

I begun to walk at slow pace, savoring the fact that not only was I here in Canterlot, good old safe Canterlot, I had no debt hanging over my head, no thought of guards trying to chase me and lock me up. I took in the sights of a pure city that looked etched from marble with a master hand, slowly cutting away at the mountain and taking the stone for this masterpiece, despite having seen it hanging off the side from the train, when you were in the city there was no hint that you’re life hung in the balancing act, whether it was magical or not I did not know.

While I was walking, a small foal cantered over to me, asking me what I was. I was in a good mood by now, so I told him that I was a human come to Equestria by forces unknown. I just finished this short expose when his mother came toward us. I began to fear the worst, that she would claim I was a pedophile cannibal about to rape then eat her son, when she apologised that he was a nuisance and wished me a good day. I was slightly dazed by this, so only offered a short “No problem,” needless to say, Canterlot had already risen far above Ponyville in my eyes and this was just confirming all my prejudices.

I eventually made it over to the castle, being stopped by the guards in front. I simply requested an audience with the Princess, as we had to have a small talk over a small task she sent me on. They took this to me I wanted to go into day court, which was in session at the moment, and so brought me into the throne room. I was pondering the laxness of their security when we entered. A beautiful room with ornate statues and doors, a large golden throne raised above the area where us mere mortals would make our requests. All illuminated from the light emerging from a stain glass window.

When, I entered the court was fairly packed and from what I overheard the current petitioner saying, Celestia must be a far greater ruler than I thought for staying awake and sane, while nobles such as the one in front of me petition for such useless laws, for example, a law which would force all bakeries to have at the least a sausage roll before they may be called a bakery. A topic matter which was not just pointless busybodying, but also stopped any dessert based bakeries from calling themselves as such.
The Princess said that she would have a expert group of bakers look into the issue and then tell the noble whether the law has been passed. About to call for the next petitioner, she must have checked how much she had left, as she spotted me and talked to a guard to her left. That guard then went to me and took me off to the courtyard where the Princess and I first had tea.

A couple of minutes later the Princess walked into the courtyard, the tea being prepared by a nearby servant. She asked me why I was back, I responded with a report of the past few days, describing my encounters with Sparkle, Rarity and Redheart. The next few minutes were a blur, with the Princess giving me a guest room, the one I stayed in when I first woke up, as recompense for her little ponies actions against me, with the broken nose, abandonment and the false debt and blackmail.

I sit there now, on that comfy bed with the ornate dresser, trying to think of something, a story to write, a world to create and a whole culture to bring. I can’t wait! I put quill to paper and the rest is simple.