Adventure awaits.

David woke to a familiar sound. A sound that reached inside his very core, it was the slow rocking of the sea. He took a deep breath of salty air that seemed to invigorate him enough to sit up, despite his wounds. For the last three days he had been in and out of consciousness. He remembered the blue pony thing had an argument about an airship and a boat... He wasn't quite sure. In his exhausted dreams he remembered thinking that Indiana Jones had been on an airship and that was awesome. He winced as someone bumped his bunk, causing waves of pain to fully awaken him. "Uhhhhggg" David moaned out.

"Sorry bout that." A gruff voice said.

David rolled over to face the person. "No worries man, I HOLY SHIT it's a griffon!"

The griffon arched an eyebrow. "Yeah? What of it?"

"Uhh, whats up?" David asked, retracting his surprise. The griffon studied David for a moment before shaking his head and going back to his duties.

He peered around the room. It seemed to be some sort of infirmary or sickbay. David's breathing increased as he swung his legs out of his bunk. He didn't have to wonder if this was all a dream, his half healed wounds didn't lie. He was just stuck in gladiatorial arena with a mythical minotaur who could talk and probably sing and dance, and... "I killed him." David whispered out loud. Then he was saved by a magical flying horse with a horn. David groaned, he needed some fresh air. Despite his soreness, the rocking motion of the boat did little to slow his walk. He gracefully hopped to the floor, made his way to the deck hatch and pushed it open. The bright sun and sea spray hit his bare skin, causing his breath to hitch in his throat. Scanning the deck he was amazed at what he saw. Tiny colorful horses and an occasional griffon ran to and fro shouting and laughing to one another. They paid him no attention as they went about pulling ropes and securing hatches. He wandered his way across the deck thinking out loud. "It's like something out of an adorable pirate movie."

"You're awake." A relieved and familiar voice called out.

"Uhh, I'm not so sure about that." He answered looking around, his brain still caught in a mild state of disbelief. He turned to find Luna standing behind him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked tentatively, reaching up and checking his bandaged wounds.

He grunted, "Easy, I'm kind of ticklish."

"Oh." She blushed. "Sorry. You've been unconscious for about three days now, we were starting to worry. We did our best to heal your injuries with magic but your body still needed lots of rest to recover from your time in captivity."

"Wait, magic? Like what you used to pick up Hannibal in the arena?"

She nodded. "Yes, exactly. I will admit your body didn't take to it like I would have hoped."

"What do you mean? Am I allergic or something? Can you even BE allergic to it?"

She laughed a little, " No, I don't think so. You body soaked it up like a dry sponge, like it had never even seen magic before. It just took a little extra that's all."

"Oh, probably because magic isn't exactly real where I'm from and if it is, I've never seen it."

She gave him a quizzical look. "No magic, how odd. You don't seem to be bothered by this at all. If I saw something as fantastic as magic after never being exposed to it, I would probably be frightened, or at least concerned."

David shrugged and nodded. "Truthfully, if it were under any other circumstances, I would be totally losing my mind, but now?" He spread his arms out and motioned all around him. "I'm free, I'm mostly healed, and I have you thank for that." His far away look focused to one of determination. " And I will find a way to repay you miss... come to think it, I never got your name."

She looked at him with a genuine smile and raised a hoof "Hmm, I guess not. Hello David, I am Princess Luna."

He reached out and grasped her hoof, giving it a light shake. "Princess huh? Fancy fancy." David joked. Luna just rolled her eyes.

The two stood in a slightly awkward silence when the boat lurched with a wave, causing her to stumble forward and into David's stomach, knocking the breath out of him. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

David groaned, laughing a little and decided to tease her. "Yeah. It just reminds me of how hungry I am."

"You're hungry?"

"Uhh, yeah. Starving actually. You'd be surprised at how terrible the room service was at the last place I stayed."

She giggled. "Humor? Really?"

David shrugged. "Like I told you before, prison does strange things to a man."

Luna and David made their way to the back of the ship where a simple door stood, barring the entrance to the Captain's quarters. David had to duck as soon as he entered. His stomach growled immediately at the smell of roasted something. "Dear God what I wouldn't do for a cheeseburger" He thought as he closed the door behind him. The room was a little short for his height but efficient. Slanted window's lined the walls to let in natural light. Every bulkhead had sea charts and diagrams marked with different coordinates. In the middle was a large drafting table where another familiar face sat. She was hunched over a familiar book that David recognized to be his sketch book. He wasn't upset in the slightest that she was going though his stuff without permission. He was just shocked to see that anything he had from his trip had survived.

"Princess Twilight, we have a guest."

"Uh huh." She droned. "You can only have ice cream after you finish your dinner Spike."

David arched and eyebrow and turned to Luna who was giggling to herself. She tried again. "Twilight, I spilled cider on your copy of Astronomical Anomalies." That got her attention.

"WHAT!?" She jerked her head up from the book in order to rush to the aid of her first edition tome. Seeing it was all a prank she pouted and wined. "Lunaaa, that's not very funny."

David thought it was and chuckled to himself. Twilight's eyes grew twice their size and her ears flattened at sight of the human. She was stuck in a room with a potential crazed animal. Not that she didn't believe Luna when she told her he wasn't, but still. He was kind of scary up close.

"Princess Twilight, meet the hooman. David." Luna held our her hoof to David as if she were advertising a new model of car or something. Twilight's ears perked up as she strolled around the table to greet the stranger. "Jeeze he's tall." She thought to herself. Given his bipedal stature, her head only came up to about his stomach, which she could see since he still only had his sack pants on. Twilight's quizzical nature took over the more sensible parts of her brain as cocked her head, raised her hoof up and stuffed it in his belly button. It took all Luna's strength to suppress a laugh at the look on David's face.

"Uhhh." He said frozen in place. "Is this...normal?"

It was all too much for Luna. She snorted in laughter and raised a foreleg to cover mouth. Her sister would always tell her,  "Lulu ,snorting is not very lady like." Twilight's concentration broke as Luna flopped to the ground, burying her head in her hooves trying her best to ride out the laughing fit. Twilight looked down her leg then at her hoof which was still firmly planted over where the hooman's umbilical chord used to be. She blushed hard and backed up.

"S..Sorry. I just zone out sometimes." She said sheepishly.

David's temporary paralysis broke and he grinned back. "No worries. I'm the same way, especially around something new. It was just unexpected that's all. I'm sure we both have a lot of questions that need answering but first. Princess Luna, are you going to be okay?"

David asked crouching down to look at her buried face. She chuckled and nodded into her hooves. The laughter in the room suddenly turned to screaming. The boat lurched once again as Luna raised her head to stand up. David lost his balance and fell forward. Although Luna's horn wasn't very sharp, that did little to stop it from popping David's right eye. Twilight reached magic out as fast as she could, saving the horn form going the rest of the way into his brain. He screamed and clutched his face, blood was freely pouring out of the socket. He half attempted to open his eye but knew it was useless. He never told anyone before, not even Andrew or Maria but losing his sight was probably one of his biggest fears. Without depth perception, his adventuring days were over. He wouldn't be able judge a jump or drive a vehicle without special training and you could forget putting him in front of a camera. The scar alone would be enough to turn people off. His mind raced with all the potential negative outcomes, whether they were real or not. David felt himself being lowered down to the ground and a soft hoof was placed his shoulder.

"David." Luna whispered. "David I need you to look at me." Despite the pain, he was able to open his good eye long enough to look at the princess.

"It hurts." He croaked, trying his best not to cry.

"I know. Hold still now, everything's going to be alright." David felt her other hoof reach up and remove the hand covering his other eye. He resisted at first but slowly lowered his guard. He felt her press her hoof to his right temple and saw her horn begin to glow. He felt a strange sensation spike inside his now lifeless eye socket. It tingled at first but he felt the pain slowly ebb away. Luna smiled as his shoulders began to relax. A few moments pass where only the creaking boat and the channeling of her magic could be heard. Luna grunted and slumped into David's shoulder. He reached out and caught her in his arms, holding her close.

"Luna?" He asked, unsure of what to do.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a small smile. "All better now David."

"Wha.." He carefully opened his once ruined eye. He winced as the light hit the newly healed organ. He blinked several times before a mixed feeling of elation and confusion welled up in his chest. He looked to Twilight who still had her hooves over her mouth and back to the resting Princess in his arms. Luna opened her eyes and groaned. She tried to sit up but was too weak to do so on her own. She lost her footing and stumbled, only to be caught by David once again.

"That's two I owe you now Princess." He whispered, smiling over her. She gave her own weak smile back before turning her head to the side in curiosity. "You have very pretty eyes David."

Despite David being a grown man with little to no shame, he felt his face grow hot with blush. He cleared his throat and tried to joke away the embarrassment. "Hey now, you can't be buttering me up quite yet Princess Luna. We hardly know each other."

"Hmm." She hummed and slumped back into his chest and her breathing slowed. David felt his heart soften a bit. He reached down taking her forelegs and wrapping them around his neck. She instinctively nuzzled the side of his face, it was nice. With his arms he reached down and secured her back legs. He grunted and stood up, lifting her off the ground like a very large sleeping child. He caught a glimpse of a large bed in the corner of room which he made his way to. She frowned and whimpered a bit when he laid her down and unwrapped her legs from around his neck. He took a pillow and placed it in her hooves. She sighed and wrapped her arms around it, snuggling it close to her chest.

"I could of just levitated her there ya know?" Twilight said behind him, breaking his concentration from the sleeping princess.

David nodded in agreement. "Probably, but I wanted to help her and I have an, odd question." He began, slowly rubbing his scraggly beard. "Is the nuzzling thing normal or?"

Twilight half shrugged and half nodded. "Yes. We ponies are a pretty affectionate race. Why, do hoomans not show each other affection?"

"No, no of course we do, that was just... different." He answered still absentmindedly rubbing his cheek. "It was nice." David smiled bright again as Luna stirred in her sleep. Twilight looked from David to Luna then back to David. "Ohhh, I see what's going on here." She jested. "Not even free for a whole week and you're already falling for a princess?"

"Falling for? She saved my life, TWICE." He punctuated his point by holding up two fingers. "Once literally, once figuratively. I am extremely grateful, nothing more."

"Too bad I guess." Twilight shrugged and went back to the sketch book.

"Oh and by the way. What's your name again? David asked.

"Have we not been introduced?! What kind of princess of friendship am I?" She cleared her throat. "Hello hooman David, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle." They shook hooves/hands."

"Princess, there's something that's been driving me insane."

"What's that?"

"It's HUMAN not HOOMAN. H-u-m-a-n." He spelled out phonetically.

Twilight giggled. "Fine then David the human, there is something that might bother me as well."

"Is it my smell?" He asked sniffing his armpit. "I mean, it's been almost a month since I've had a." Twilight raised a hoof and laughed.

"No, I mean, you do smell but that's not it." David flopped his arms 'Now you tell me''. "My title may be Princess Twilight Sparkle but please, just Twilight. The princess thing still makes me feel uncomfortable. I figure since we are friends we might as well drop the formalities."

"Friends huh?" David said with a smirk. "It's a pleasure to meet you Twilight. My name is David Coulson."

She couldn't stop herself from grinning. "Hello David, the pleasure is all mine. Welcome to our world." She smiled to herself. "Maybe this human won't be so bad after all."

Luna stirred in her sleep, slightly opening her eyes to the sound of laughter. What she saw warranted a giggle. Twilight and David sat opposite one another at the table. A stack of empty bowls sat next to David. He had his cheek pressed to the wood with a sour look on his face.

"Jeeze, you're worse than Spike! I told you to slow down." Twilight lightly chastised. "It's been nearly a month since you've had solid food."

"But it was so good." He said, still pawing at a bowl.

He just happened to look over and catch Luna looking at him. "Good evening princess."

"Hello." She yawned back. "How are you feeling?"

His usual self fell away as he looked far into her eyes. "How do I feel? I feel like there isn't anything you can't do Princess."

She looked confused for a moment before burying her head back in the pillow. "Princess?" He asked, wondering what he said. Little did he know she was only trying to hide her goofy grin from his prying eyes. She said something into the pillow that he didn't quite catch it was then she realized that somepony had brought her to the bed and put a blanket over her. She forced down her lips and turned to Twilight.

"Thank you for levitating me to the bed Twilight. I kind of exhausted my magic healing David's eye." Twilight took a sip of her drink and shook her head, pointing to David. "Don't thank me Luna, David's the one who carried you like well, a princess."

Luna groaned inwardly. "He's got to stop being nice to me. I'm going to get spoiled." For a moment she looked to David who was rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah it was the least I could do. You did kind of cuddled in my neck so we're even? Anyway, Twilight and I were just passing the time with the question game."

"Question game?" Luna asked, trying to hide her hot face behind her flowing mane.

"Oh my yes." Twilight said clapping her hooves together. "We go back and forth asking each other a question. The rules are you can't ask the same question the other...person just asked." She looked to David to see if she got the word right. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Oh, that's a thumbs up. He does that from time to time, it means yes or good job. The second rule is if you do ask the same question because you really wanna know, you have to ask another question. That's pretty much it. Would you like to join us?"

Luna stretched her legs causing her tongue poking out slightly. David laughed and pulled the chair out next to him and pat it with his hand. "Come on over princess, it's fun."

The rest of the evening went by with a pleasant atmosphere. Twilight and Luna informed David of all the different species in Equestria from the four pony races all the way up to the giant Ursa Major. Twilight gushed over her friends and their adventures together, of how her tree house blew up but got a new one that was all crystal. "And that's how we found you!" She explained in detail. She kind of skimmed over the Nightmare Moon incident due to present company. David's mind did its best to keep up with the constant flow of out of this world information. Then again, when you are forced to fight a minotaur the death for the entertainment of sentient camels, unicorns and griffons, your view of what's possible starts to change.

"So how did you get your hooves on my sketch book Twilight? I thought all of that was destroyed or put in an 'Alien from another universe' museum."

Luna shook her head. "After you... with Hannibal then fell unconscious in the ring, Azir was rather upset."

"He had smoke coming out of his ears." Twilight commented.

"Indeed he did Twilight. I warned him not to go back on our deal. He told me he was a camel of his word and said to take your belongings as well. He, how did he put it? Just looking at your things makes him want to vomit and to 'Take it away!'" Luna shouted in a pretty good imitation of the prince. "The rest of it is deep in the cargo hold so unfortunately you'll have to suffer a little longer. At least until we get to port."

"Eh no worries, and thanks again. I don't know how much longer I could wear these pants. They are chaffing me something fierce." David said, adjusting his frayed belt.

"Why not just take them off?" Luna advised.

Twilight blushed and snickered. "Am I missing something?" Luna asked, looking between the two.

"You missed that part of the conversation I guess." David began. "Humans wear clothes all the time. Call it a biological imperative. We wear clothes because that's just how we've always been. I could go into evolution and the boring science behind it."

"It's not boring." Twilight countered, crossing her forelegs.

David breathed a laugh. "We wear them for comfort and as protection against the elements. The only time we take them off is when we are showering, in private or... doing other things."

"Oh?, OH! I suppose that would make you a little uncomfortable." To everyone's surprise, Luna jumped up from the table. "Oh no! What time is it?!"

"Uhhh?"

"With all this fun we've been having I nearly forgot. David would you like to see something you can't see anywhere else in Equestria?"

He gave her a inquisitive look before shrugging. "Sure. I have to warn you though princess. I'm a hard man to impress. Even more so these days." He finished with a wink.

"Twilight?" Luna asked but was waved them off with a hoof.

"Book, other world, you go."

They both shrugged and David followed Luna out onto the evening air. The sun was beginning to set over the quiet sea. It was amazing to him that even though he was in another world, everything seemed so familiar. Maybe the shock of being in another universe still hadn't sunk in yet. He may still wake up one day and have a full blown panic attack, but for now he was content just following the pretty princess around. This rambling thought caused him to stop walking. "Pretty?" He whispered out loud.

"Did you say something David?" Luna turned and asked.

"It's just pretty." He remarked, saving himself. He motioned to the sea and the sky. "I don't see the moon though, do you ponies even have a moon? Then how do you have tides? How.."

Luna put her hoof to his lips gave him a big grin. She walked a little further ahead before turning around to face him. David watched with curiosity as she closed her eyes and raised her head slightly. With a smooth flap of her wings she began to hover in front of him. Her horn and eyes began to glow and David subconsciously took a step back. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a familiar object. He smiled as the alabaster moon began its slow rise into the evening sky. He heard the clop of four hooves on wood and he turned back to Luna. She wobbled a bit and stumbled. David sprang as fast as he could, catching her before she hit the ground. She gave him a half grin. "How was that David? Impressed yet?" She laughed at his slack jawed expression. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Princess, what the HELL was that!" He shouted, causing her ears to flatten.

"Are you okay David? You're frightening me." She panicked ducking her shoulders and flattening her ears. She thought he would like the display, now he just seems upset.

"Okay? OKAY?! THAT WAS AMAZING!" She breathed a sigh of relief and he paused, turning his head down to look into her eyes. "You're amazing."

For a moment the world faded away, leaving the two of them alone together on the deck of the ship with the stars shining above. Luna searched his hazel eyes and found something beautiful waiting for her. She leaned in towards him as he did the same. Luna shut her eyes and waited to feel his lips upon hers. "Luna." David whispered, close enough for her to feel his breath on her cheeks.

"What are you two doing?" The voice of Twilight Sparkle snapped them both out of their trances. They both jerked their heads to face her while clumsily standing up and separating.

"Twilight!" Luna Squawked. "I was just showing David how I raise the moon. What, What are YOU doing?" She asked, almost accusing Twilight of some criminal act.

Twilight raised her eyebrows. "Uhhh, nothing? The captain just told me we will be pulling into port first thing in the morning and that we should probably get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be pretty hectic."

"Of course! Twilight could you show David where he will be sleeping for the evening? I still have something to finish up here."

Still not quite sure what was going on, she nodded. "Sure, follow me David. It's not much but it should be okay for one night."

"I'm sure I'll manage." He turned and gave Luna a little bow. "Goodnight princess Luna."

"Hmm, yes. Good night David. I will see you in the morning." Luna rattled off the evenings pleasantries, hoping the darkness would hide the sheer embarrassment on her face. "Sweet sister's sun. I almost kissed him! I would have kissed him! Ugh, what are you doing Luna?" Her heart ached a little as she saw the mild hurt expression on his face. Luna watched them walk away. She turned and brought her hoof up to her lips. "Oh my."

Twilight lead David down some steps to a small alcove where a makeshift bed was made. There wasn't nearly enough space to fit David's  large frame. "I'm so sorry. I told them to give you as much space as possible. I guess they underestimated how much room you take up."

"Jeeze Twilight. That's the nicest way anyone has ever called me fat before." He looked out of the corner of his eye to see her reaction.

"What?! David I would never. That's just rude, in fact you aren't fat at all you are quite hands... You're messing with me aren't you?"

He responded with a wink. "I'll make due." He looked around for a certain few items. Finding what seemed to be a junk piece of sail, he got to work making a makeshift hammock. Twilight watched with curiosity as his hands went about knotting and tying back the extra fabric. He used two pieces of rope and secured both ends between the ribs of the wooden boat. "It's not the best job I've done buuut, It's good enough for government work."

"Government work?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, ha. It's just an expression. A hammock is actually one of my favorite ways to sleep. It's not good for every night but one night will be okay."

"Hmm." She hummed in mild disbelief. "Whatever's comfortable for you I guess. Anyway, goodnight David I will see you in the morning. Try and get some sleep, all three of us will have a long day tomorrow. Everypony in Canterlot is going to want to meet you."

David gave a little moan of disapproval.

"Don't be like that my little human! It will be fun!"

"Fine fine. Goodnight Twilight. Don't stay up too late reading my sketch book. You need your sleep too."

"I won't. Night."

David watched Twilight disappear around the corner before crawling into his hammock. He shifted his shoulders in order to get the comfort he was looking for. He finally settled but something was still bothering him. It wasn't his hammock, it was Luna. He surprised himself when he went in to kiss her but it felt right. She seemed into it too but turned cold fish as soon as Twilight showed up. He grunted and turned over. "Probably a bad idea anyway dumb dumb." He scolded himself. "She's a pony princess who raises the frickin moon for Christ's sake. She probably has hundreds of dudes hollering at her every day. There's no way she would pick an alien over one of her own kind, she just got caught up in the moment that's all. I mean she's sweet, playful, selfless and gorgeous... Yeah that's still a little weird brain." He rolled over again for the last time and closed his eyes. A vision of a smiling Luna filled his thoughts as he slowly drifted to sleep.