//-------------------------------------------------------// Scarlett Letter -by Scarlett Letter- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// I: Broken Wing //-------------------------------------------------------// I: Broken Wing Everything was going too fast. I didn’t have time to sit and think of how I feel. I was in the first second in the air, feeling the wind hitting my face, hair and feathers, and in the other second I felt the taste of the earth and the grass in my mouth, so disgusting and bitter that for a moment I could only think of water. I spit and could hardly stand up although of the pain. All my body was hurting me and I was surprised for having a few scratches. My heart was beating like it wanted to get out of the chest. I didn’t know what to do or how to hide myself. I know there are many trees around, but… The only think I could think was to fly… Hiding myself into a cloud and wait for the guards to not see me, that they just walk pass so that at least I could sit and breathe for a few seconds. How many hours have we been already with this prosecution on air and earth? When I tried to fly again I felt an undescriptible pain that made me gasp and return to the ground, the grass tasted even bitterer and I would swear that I perceived the metallic taste of the blood. My stomach started to squirm. I would have thrown up if I could waste time on that. “Shit…” I sputtered, spitting the blood while trying to not get in shock. I had to move, no matter what, and fast. I broke my wing with the fall. The arrow that made me lose the equilibrium was still nailed there. I unpinned it with my snout as I could, which only made me feel the pain like electrical bolts. It was bleeding and started to swell. I perceived the pain and the taste of my own blood was giving me nauseas. I thought I could faint if it wasn’t for the voice that I heard from far away, that ended up putting me on the alert. The huge amount of voices I heard was closing in. I was trying to normalize my breathing and dragged myself until I could hide myself behind some bushes that didn’t have spines. As the guards were nearing in, I could understand more the conversation. They decided to give priority to the search on earth without disregarding the search on air. I thought that, if they didn’t know that I’m wounded, maybe they could believe that I’m far away and they would retreat, then I would keep moving. “Everyone, examine the terrain! Search below the rocks and in the treetops if necessary!” Ordered the one who appeared to be the general. “Yes sir!” Exclaimed obediently the rest. And I heard how they all dispersed to search. No matter how I hard I thought about the topic, I still couldn’t understand how I ended up on this situation. I putted my hooves above my head while I was making myself a ball. What the fuck happened? A few minutes ago I was in the castle with the princess Celestia drinking tea. Why did she react that way? What happened…? And why? Why!? I thought my agitated breath would turn into a whimper if I don’t find a way to keep calm and see my situation clearly. I looked at my bag without knowing exactly how I should feel. This was a secret between voices or something like that. Wouldn’t have been easier for her and for everyone if she could have censored it since the beginning? Why didn’t she do it before? And if she was not looking to censor me… Then what does she get by ordering me to kill? Not doing the dirty job herself, of course… I’ve waited several minutes in my same position, quietly, hoping that no guard sees me. I saw them all getting far, they were tense and scared at some point, but trying to keep calm, fighting against the rigidly of the body. It’s just been a moment in which I started to feel dizzy and noted two things. One, that I stopped breathing. And two, I didn’t do anything to stop the bleeding of my wing. I breathed deeply while binding up my wing as quickly and cleanly I could. At the same time, I started to bite my lip to try to keep myself conscious. I could not allow myself be an easier prey. The binds started to turn pinkish, and I thought that I would surely have to change them soon… The moment in which I thought that no one was around has come. I poked out my head a bit more above the bushes. There was nothing but the wind moving the treetops slowly. It was safe for me to move, but I couldn’t avoid feeling a cold watch over me, like if the feeling of a cold hoof at the root of my column was getting intense, then going up to roam the backbone and making me shudder. “I got you.” Trembling, I saw the captor. Yes, it was a royal guard. I immediately looked at his hoof and my wing and then at him again. He had blood. MY blood. He was smarter than the other ones while noting and following the trace, although it was just a few drops. And sick enough to have them in the hoof and feel nothing. Now how would I get out of this? “So, you were the one who tried to kill Celestia alone?” I swallowed saliva. I didn’t know how to answer. My first impulse was to stand up and try to run. However, that earth pony was faster than I, and he didn’t to any efforts to be in front of me. His eyes were only telling me one thing: “Don’t even try, I’m faster than you”. I felt a knot in my stomach’s mouth and my throat getting dry. Keep calm, I told myself. They think you’re powerful, try to intimidate him. Try to intimidate him! “LET ME PASS!” I demanded him while I was holding magic in my horn. But he did not flinch. In fact, he didn’t do anything. “Poor girl… I don’t understand,” He said while laughing with the humor of someone sadistic. Don’t cry, Golden Feather. Don’t-cry! “Who would be so stupid to attack Celestia alone?” “You know what? That’s exactly what I thought!” I mumbled, and by looking at his face I think he heard me. “You want to know a secret? I did nothing, amigo.” But I knew he didn’t believe me. I wasn’t hoping he would believe me either. He didn’t stop advancing, and by each step he was doing, I was going two steps backwards. “And why would the princess Celestia herself invent something like that?” He angrily asked while surrounding me against a few trunks. “Are you saying she simply yelled and fell down pretending you attacked her?” “T-That’s exactly what she did…!” The fear went upon me for a few seconds, and those seconds were enough for him to notice that my horn was an adornment. “You insolent!” I saw how he raised the bloody hoof and I tried to protect myself with my front legs. The next thing I felt was a knock in my cheek, he hit me before I could move. He was fast. I looked at the guard who hit me without even knowing how to react. I felt so petite and defenseless that it was ridiculous. By looking at his face, I’m sure that he hit me more for pleasure than for having “blasphemed”. “What’s what you have there?” He slightly rotated his head and half-closed his eyes like trying to appreciate something better. He was pointing at my bag. I tried to hide my bag with the healthy wing, like if it were enough to prevent him to keep looking at it, like if that was going to make it disappear or make him lose interest. But after scuffles and grunts (I couldn’t dissimulate the pain of my broken wing), he managed to snatch it and everything fell to the ground… I saw him shuffling the papers, feathers, the ink and everything that fell down, trying to find the almost homicide weapon, or searching something that was going to put me in jail for more years, if they don’t execute me of course… “What’s this?” He asked. It was obvious that what he found wasn’t what he was hoping to find. Books, notes, photographs in black and white, sepia and full color (Which was still unusual in Equestria) with creatures that the ponies yet believe that don’t exist, or that are extinct… “Hu-humans?” He stammered. He couldn’t identify those creatures he saw in the photos, he read the papers. “B-but is not possible…” He looked at me and he was confused. “WHAT-IS-THIS!? The fury and the confusion in his eyes were irrefutable. I didn’t know how to react. Now, someone else (besides me and the princess Celestia) saw convincing evidence that the humans exist. But that’s not important in this moment. I could only think in some way to escape. I’m useless with the magic, but I’ve been already for a few seconds looking behind the guard, looking for something to stun him with one hit, which was enough for me to get out of here. “I cannot believe it, Golden Feather…” He said my full name with laconic tone and started to ramble while still looking carefully at the evidences that I’ve been living with humans in a place far away from Equestria. And then I found an object that would get me out of here. It was a branch that fell off a tree. I took it with magic as fastest I could, although for my ability, it was too heavy. The poor guard was still confused and full of questions, but I didn’t let him finish. “You better let me go or…” I threatened him with the coldest voice I could. I started to pick up the stuff in the bag as fast as I could. “Or what?” With the heavy branch, I knocked him with all my strength. The branch broke with a huge “CRACK!” noise and the guard fell down. I didn’t leave him unconscious, it wasn’t so big, but it stunned him. I started to run as fast as my legs allowed me, without even knowing where to go or hide. For the first time, I didn’t know where I was going to or how is everything going to end. The forest was full of strong trees, and the sun started to hide, which means that I would soon have to light to see. I hoped that the guards would leave and I would be safe from them so I can stay at the mercy of the wild animals, without knowing what’s worse. I suddenly stopped and hid myself as best as I could behind the trunks from a few trees. Just ahead, there was a group of guards that looked younger than the rest. Surely they were new. If I’m lucky, none of them have common sense. “Guys, it’s useless…” Said one of them. “She escaped” “We cannot return to Celestia and say that she escaped!” Objected one of them, clearly frustrated. “She will become furious!” “Ok, tell me, how do you pretend to find het in the middle of the dark?” “W-Well… I…” Fortunately for me, there weren’t any unicorns between them. They don’t have a way to search in the darkness… “Darkness?” I frightened while noticing it. “But I reached Canterlot in the morning…! How long have I really been playing hide and seek with them?” “Besides, she’s an alicorn.” He explained, like if that was a clear advantage for me. “She must have teleported to his hidden place…” “Surely she did…” Another guard agreed “but… wait.” I felt stares at my direction. The sweat started to go upon my head with more strength and I felt like it was gelatin. The urge to vomit because of this mad race wanted to betray me. I even stopped breathing so they couldn’t hear me. I wasn’t feeling with strength to run of tussle anymore. I’ve done a long flight from the human world to the castle instead of stopping for a rest. “It’s incredible when you think that way…” Their steps were louder and nearer while my vision was getting fuzzy and my strength decreasing. They will catch me, they will catch me, they will catch me, they will catch… Something moved between the bushes, but I didn’t look at it. It’s the end. “It’s just a squirrel!” One of them exclaimed. “False alarm. Let’s find the others and return to the castle. We’ll go for oil laps and return to keep searching. No one will rest until we find her!” Said with a tone each time louder and angrier, like if that was going to motivate the new guards. “Yes sir!” And then they started to leave quickly. One of them walked passed me. Maybe I got confused due to the lack of light. I sighed and my breath started to recover its normal rhythm while my vision started to clear out. This is what I needed, a few seconds where I could breathe without fear that they see me. I couldn’t believe my good luck. I looked at the squirrel that went off between the bushes and I didn’t know how to thank him for fooling them. I had a few nuts in my bag, so I took and left them on the ground. He looked at them, then sniffed and putted them into his cheek and ran away as quick as he could. I thought he looked adorable, and I also wondered how long do squirrels survive in this place. I looked around just to make sure that there’s nothing here before leaving my improvised hideout and planning what’s next. Very well, the Celestia’s guards are looking for me and I don’t know how long the time remaining before they resume their searching. I cannot stay here for camping. I better move on. I started to walk while trying to orientate myself and thinking on thousands of things at the same time. What would I do from now since the real guards are looking for me? What would I do if there is no light in the middle of the forest? Where would I go from now on? If I just had a compass or something that can tell me where I am… I started to look for it, but it got broken due to the fall… Then I remembered the Equestria’s map I always bring with me. I took it with my front legs while shaking due to an undescriptible emotion. It was full of marks from fruits, ink and everything, and yet it was still legible, although I would have to get another one later. Where will I get money for another one? Or rather said, will I walk on the streets without fear? If Celestia (by thinking of her name makes me feel an egg in my chest) was still going with this… Surely all Equestria will look for me. It’s okay, there’s nothing wrong. Attend your wing and escape from the princedom. Go to some neighbor kingdom and think of a better plan. But… I need to see how my parents are. I shook my legs. I have to think in only one thing at a time. I have to go find someone to attend my wing before someone else know I’m being searched. If I’m not wrong, I’m in the Everfree Forest “ I swallowed saliva while remembering all the stories of foals that were told about this place. “ If I walk a little, I could reach Ponyville and find a hospital (And also find a place for me to stay on the way) for today. No, that will not be possible. The news about the royal guards looking for me will take at least a few days to reach the towns, I hope. This means I just have time to get my wing plastered, and then pray for my wing to heal well and run away. “Ponyville… Ponyville… Ponyville…” I started to repeat the name of the town and mumble its name like if that was going to remove my deepest thoughts. There was something in that town that was strangely familiar to me. I don’t remember having been there recently (although I can say that I know Equestria well, or at least their most important archeological cities). Then I remembered that I have a friend there. Surely she would help me by giving me accommodation today. Maybe… But I had to hurry. I was about to have no light and I ran out of oil for the lamps that are also broken. I wouldn’t have a way to know about which way to go once the sun finishes hiding. Author's Note Hello! Well, well, I can finally translate my own fic (It's originally in spanish). I really wanted to upload it here until I saw that here you can't upload non-english stories. So, here is it. I hope you like my fic as much as I like to writing it. ______________________________________________ Well, guys, I was translating the fanfic when I noticed someting: This was all wrong. So, I'm writing the fanfic again. Which means I'm translating again too. I edited this and the story will have really small changes. Anyway, this is for get this better. _______________________________________________ Hey Guys! It's been like months, but this is what I've been doing: Conventions are hard keep writing this Commissions And also, I found a good translator, so I trust him and I know he's doing a good job. He can translate from spanish to english and vice versa. If you're interested, his name is Maximo, and you can find him in his DeviantArt: Maximiliano235 Also, he's an really cheap translator (this chapters was for just $4) //-------------------------------------------------------// II: Ponyville //-------------------------------------------------------// II: Ponyville I was starting to lose my mind. Every single tree was exactly the same as the other. I was lost and the sun was about to disappear. There wasn’t any pony in kilometers (fortunately and unfortunately for me) to ask how to go to Ponyville. And I was already habituated to the pain of my broken wing, but that wasn’t exactly good. And just when I was starting to mourn with rage, I saw a light. Not metaphorically. It really was a light. I get off the ground and I walked to it, cleaning all the grass of my hair. What I couldn’t clean was the blood… and that will draw the attention of other ponies even more. I hid my injured wing with my hair the best I could, but that wouldn’t help me for a long time… Ponyville was just ahead. From above you could see the sunset bathing the village with its light, and the lanterns in the streets began to light for not letting the ponies in the darkness. I was on a gentle hill; all I had to do was walk to be in the middle of civilization again. But there was something that was intimidating me and was making me doubt if I should go to Ponyville or go to somewhere else. I didn’t remember to see that imposing castle there. But… given that the sun was about to hide, I had no other choice but seeking for Lyra and beg her to let me stay with her, just for tonight. Suddenly, I remembered the stuff that the humans gave to me. Because I really loved “Red Riding Hood and the Wolf”, they gave me a riding hood of the same color. I wear it as fast as I could. Maybe that will attract the attention in a village where I know they’re not used to wear clothes, but that’s better than blood. They’ll believe I’m just a traveler, nopony will see my wings or my broken wing either. I started to walk to the town while I saw the moon rising. I gulped when I thought of what would happen if sometime, somepony really tries to kill Princess Celestia. Maybe Luna would do Celestia’s work… or maybe she will try to bring back eternal night… again. When I arrived to the village, I noticed that it was prettier than I remembered. Even in the night, the small place seemed to be full of life. The castle contrasted a lot with the town hall. Everypony was walking around the village, with happy mood or just deep in thought. For the first time, nopony left their stuff to come and greeting me. Why did I never hide my wings with something? The truth is that the idea to hide what I really am was disgusting for me, but… Well, considering my current situation, it’d be the most logical next step. Suddenly, I really wanted to seek for my old friend and greet her. I had a lot of time I didn’t write to her, and surely she will be happy for see me too. But I wanted to go to the hospital too because of my wing. I was afraid to get closer to anypony. The paranoia was starting to be like my own shadow; despite I know that nopony knows me here. Fortunately, there were signs (that, in fact, they seemed makeshift) that indicated you the most important places in the village. Princess Twilight’s castle (I gulped when I read it), the library, Sweet Apple Acres, Sugar Cube Corner… But I didn’t stop to read the rest. Just when I read “hospital” I ran as fast as I could to arrive there. However, to arrive I had to go by the castle. I didn’t think it would be a problem until I saw its great doors opening wide. I stopped short and then I hid back of a wall of a near house. If it’s a castle, maybe there are guards. The strange thing is that I didn’t see any guard coming out of the castle. Why didn’t I take another route!? “But, I don’t understand… Why Princess Celestia wants to keep something like this in secret?” A Pegasus with all the rainbow colors in her mane asked. “She says she doesn’t want Equestria in panic…” Princess Twilight replied. In fact, she was a lot prettier in person (I saw her coronation in T.V), but she didn’t seem to be so… noble. “But, even so. She already told the other princesses and all her royal guard…” Her voice sounded scared. “I think that, if we don’t capture her soon, she’ll make it public herself”. I felt like if a cold hand traveled through my back. They were talking about me. “Oh my… at least Princess Celestia is okay…” Another yellow Pegasus with long pink mane said. Next to the princess; there was a pretty white unicorn with the best hairstyle I’ve ever seen and long eyelashes. A pink pony that was jumping, she had frizz hair like cotton candy and blue eyes that were full of life. And an earth pony with orange skin and blonde mane, with freckles, hat and green eyes. Everypony seemed concerned and scared, except the pink one. “Oh, come on girls!” The pink on exclaimed shrilly while she steps in front of the others. “If that such Golden Feather appears in Ponyville, we’ll show her what does the magic of friendship means!” “Even so, I can’t help thinking that her name sounds familiar to me…” Twilight replied even more worried. “Bleh…” The rainbow mane Pegasus who hasn’t put her hooves in the ground yet said. “Maybe she committed another minor crime before.” “Wait, Twilight… Did you say “she” is another alicorn?” The white unicorn asked. “Well… that was what Princess Celestia said in her letter. Why, Rarity?” I couldn’t hear more. They still walking and they continued their way. I sighed of relief because they didn’t see me. But on the other hand, I wouldn’t stay in Ponyville for ever. My next plan was Fillydelphia (The last thing I knew from my parents was that they were staying in there), surely they’ll help me… I shouldn’t go with Lyra so I won’t compromise her… I ensured that they weren’t near to resume my race to the hospital. Some ponies looked at me because I was the only one who was running, but I didn’t care. I really needed to know how bad was my wing, and If I’ll ever fly soon. I couldn’t stand the idea to be trapped in the ground for a long time. As more as I moved, there was less ponies in the streets. It was getting late and maybe they were going to their houses. The hospital was really near. Suddenly I saw a purple flash that blinded me. I stopped short and I covered my face with my healthy wing by reflex. And what I heard next froze my blood. “Were you going somewhere?” That was Princess Twilight’s voice. Then I felt dizzy. And then grass under my body. When I opened wide my eyes, we weren’t in Ponyville anymore. We were back near to Ponyville, near that gentle hill. The alicorn in front of me brought us here just with her magic, and she was looking at me scowl. “P-Princess Twilight…” I hesitated obviously scared. What was she been thinking about me? “What did you tried to do to Princess Celestia!?” She demanded to know, totally angry, while she was getting in an attack position. This was bad, really, really bad. “YOU’VE GOT THREE SECONDS TO ANSWER!” “P-PLEASE WAIT!” I begged, moving backwards and trying to express myself with my hooves. “I CAN EXPLAIN! W-well, not really… BUT…!” “TWO…!” “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING, I SWEAR!” I cried. “PLEASE, DON’T HURT ME!” “… ONE! YOUR TIME IS OVER!” And then was a scorching heatstroke. I started to feel that I was falling downhill. I felt exhausted, thirsty, and it was hard to breath. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I was bleary-eyed. Everything around me looked like blots and colorful spots. I blinked in an attempt to recover my sight. My riding hood was holding on a branch, and my backpack, broken, in the distance. All my things were thrown and disordered, and even some papers were starting to fly away to no get back. In the only thing I was thinking was in stop that papers and don’t let them go. They were the fruit of my research. If they go, it would be like if this last months had never happen. But it was useless; I wasn’t able to move without falling to the grass again. All my body was screaming, begging for mercy. Twilight arrived near to me flying. I saw her panting because her attack’s effort, trying to normalize her breathing. Suddenly I wasn’t thinking in my papers. I was thinking if she wanted to kill me right here. “WHY AREN’T YOU FIGHTING?” She screamed trying to sound choleric. But her voice was more distressed and tired than choleric. I didn’t feel with force to reply her either. She was an incredibly powerful alicorn; she was about to knock me out with just a spell… “Your wing is broken…” She muttered as she was getting closer with caution… Suddenly, she looked to the sky and then I saw her taking all my papers with her magic. “Where you looking for this…?” She was examining them for a few seconds and then she gasped. Suddenly, she took all the things that were thrown in the grass. Her glance was like somepony that saw something she wasn’t supposed to see, and it was exciting. “That’s why your name sounded so familiar to me!” She exclaimed, happy because she reminded something. “You’re Golden Feather!” Does she know me…? “I should guess it when Celestia said it was another alicorn!” She added no more. I saw her lips moving, but in some moment I wasn’t hearing her anymore. Twilight bit by bit was looking more like a purple and pink blur with pale and scared expression. “Golden? GOLDEN?” I think I fainted. … I don’t know where I am. I can’t feel the grass or the ground. I can’t see Twilight. I can’t see my things. All I can see is a white shining. Am I dead? Is this the heaven? No, this isn’t. All my body stills screaming. It burns, especially my wing. Something is holding it. This must be hell. Everything around me is starting to take their form. Walls, tiling, lights… I’m on a bed that is not comfortable. And a strong and awful smell to chlorine disinfectant starts to fill my nose, combined with the smell of blood and something that seems food. This must be a hospital. I heard myself moaning in pain while something is touching my wing. I slowly move my head, with my eyes half closed and I see a nurse cleaning my injured wing. I close my eyes and sigh, trying to not interrupt her work as all my thoughts are taking their place. What am I doing here? “Well… now your wing is clean” The nurse muttered softly. “Soon we’re going to plaster it…” The next I heard was she walking away and a door being open. I didn’t open my eyes in any moment. “Is she okay?” That was princess Twilight’s voice. “Well… she’s stable” The nurse replied. I can imagine her confusion face when she saw me. “Is she your friend?” “Eh… kind of…” The blue pegasus mumbled. “May we see her?” Twilight inquired. “If you wish to… but she’s asleep.” The nurse yawned, and then she continued with sleepy voice. “My working hours are over, but another stallion nurse will come and plaster her wing. Maybe it’ll take a bit to heal, but she’ll be able to fly as always” “Thank Celestia…” I told myself. However, I was not sure if that expression would be okay. Thanks to Celestia, my wing is broken. “Good night, Princess Twilight” The nurse said. “Good night” Three ponies replied at the same time and then I heard them entering to my room. “Twilight…” The blonde pony muttered. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “No, Applejack…” She replied, concerned. “I could have killed that poor pony…” “HAD YOU LOSE YOUR MIND?” The blue Pegasus objurgated. “No, Rainbow, I didn’t!” “Calm down sugar cube…” Applejack craved, trying to keep calm herself. “DON’T ASK ME TO CALM DOWN!” She screamed hysterically. “A crazy alicorn tries to kill Celestia, AND YOU GO AND TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL TO HELP HER! You must be under a spell, Twi! WAKE UP! “Rainbow…” Applejack muttered. “If Twilight was under some spell, she would attack us, don’t you, Twi?” “Also, I used the same spell that Celestia used to protect her mind against King Sombra…” The princess explained. Rainbow muttered something that was not possible to understand. “It’s impossible…” “Then why are you helping her?” Rainbow demanded to know. She was frustrated because she could not understand. “Where are the others?” “Apple Bloom ran to aware them…” Applejack answered. “They’ll be here in a few minutes for sure…” “AND YOU STILL AVOIDING MY QUESTIONS!” Rainbow complained. “I WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE OTHERS ARRIVE!” Twilight cried, totally altered. “Twi, Shhhhh!” Another pony exclaimed. “Girls, you’re here!” Twilight exclaimed happily because her friends arrived. There were a lot of seconds of greetings, questions, confusion, and Twilight managed to shut up the others to let her talk. “It’s just that, even if we try, we don’t understand what you are doing…” The white unicorn with beautiful mane explained, talking by the others. There was a general agreement. “You defeated her and then you took her to the hospital to cure her…” A shy voice muttered. “Why…?” “Well, girls… It’s not that I defeated her…” Twilight started, dully. “She didn’t even defend herself…” Everypony gasped. I was afraid to open my eyes so they’ll notice I was hearing them. I want to know what happened. I don’t understand it either. Why did she save me? She could kill me in the hill and problem solved. Equestria shouldn’t have to worry about the mare who tried to kill their favorite princess. “WAIT!” The pink pony cried. “What do you mean?” Applejack asked. “I meant that! She didn’t defend herself!” Twilight continued. “I attacked her with all my force because I was so scared. I thought she would be incredibly powerful because she could go until Celestia’s room being alone.” She was starting to talk faster. “But Golden seemed to be really terrified. She begged to me to don’t hurt her… I didn’t know what to do. I attacked her…” At this point, the only thing that you were able to hear was Twilight’s voice, and she felt guilty. “She fell downhill” She continued. “I thought she would get up and fight. I was afraid that Ponyville’s villagers could see the battle. But she wasn’t even able to get up. I saw her trying to get her backpack and her things back. She didn’t try to counterattack in any moment. When she saw me, she became pale, but she didn’t say anything. I saw her notes, and…” There was a general exclamation. Everypony were like they wanted to say something, but they didn’t know what. “Wh-what is that?” The shy scared one asked. “Those things… their paws are like eagles…” “As Golden says in her notes, that “eagle paws” are called “hands”” Twilight explained. “That’s why her name was so familiar to me. She’s an anthropologist who gained some fame these last month’s…” “Fine, now the question here is: Why an anthropologist would get insane and then tries to kill Princess Celestia?” The white unicorn with cute mane asked, completely skeptical. “Well… I-I guess she didn’t, Rarity…” “… What do you mean?” “DID YOU BECOME CRAAAZY!?” The pink pony cried. “I-if she were as powerful as Celestia said… Why didn’t she defend herself?” Twilight was challenging them to answer. “Why did she run away before finishing the dirty job? Why is she carrying all this stuff? Why didn’t she cure her wing? Why didn’t she try to kill me too? Why did she arrive to Ponyville instead of going to wherever is her homeland?” There were too many questions that nopony knew how to answer. “Uhm… Are you hinting that Princess Celestia is lying?” The shy Pegasus inquired, as if somepony would hurt her if she talks. “I don’t know, Fluttershy… Girls, girls, don’t look at me like that!” The princess begged. “Surely the princess had her reasons… And, looking at all this stuff, I think I’m starting to understand her reasons. “Twi, what do you mean?” The blonde asked. “Well… all her books, her notes, the photos…” I started to open my eyes and I saw how Twilight putted all my stuff in front of her friend’s eyes. “This doesn’t look like anything that we have in Equestria. Or to anything that in our books say that were in Equestria sometime.” “It can be false.” Rainbow answered back. “IT’S REAL!” I shouted as I was sitting in the bed, and Everypony looked at me, surprised. They thought I was sleeping. “Humans ARE real! I was with them!” Their faces said that I was a patient that will be at the mad house. “How much time were you listening to us?” Asked Applejack, who was looking at me as if I was the enemy that they had to defeat. “The enough time” I replied, cutting. “Listen to me, please…” But before I could say anything, somepony was opening the door. I saw Twilight hiding all my stuff in her backpack really fast. A pony with white coat arrived to the room, saying that he will plaster my wing. Until he’s gone, we couldn’t talk about this. And, even if Everypony were looking at me with mistrust, Twilight was looking at me as if she wanted to know more. “Woah… this broken wing is serious…” The doctor exclaimed. My wing still hurts. “How did you say this happen…?” I looked at the doctor and then at the princess, who was suddenly nervous. I don’t understand why, this wasn’t her fault. Maybe she thinks it’s her fault, maybe she didn’t see my wing until she attacked me. “I-I fell…” I mumbled. Suddenly, I felt really dizzy and I fell to the bed. I began to vanish. All around me started to look like blots, but I made an effort to keep conscious. The voices started to sound like if they were distant and diffused, but somehow I was able to say “I’m fine, I’m fine…!” “Somepony can tell me how much time was her without drinking water?” The doctor asked. “N-no…” Twilight muttered. She felt guilty. Suddenly I noticed the needle serum in my paw. I took a deep breath while all around me were taking its place. I heard the doctor telling something to the girls before he went away. “This is horrible…” I heard myself complaining. “Do you know what will make you feel better?” The pink pony said. I looked at her and she was searching for something in her hair and then she suddenly found a… a… a cupcake… and she putted it in the bedside table. “Eh… thank you…” I told her not knowing how to feel. I smiled and she smiled too as she was going back to her friends. “S-so… Golden…” Twilight said, without knowing what to do now. “WHAT DID EXACTLY HAPPEN?” Rainbow objurgated with accusing voice. I gulped with my ears down. “GIRLS, STOP!” The Pegasus with pink mane shouted. “The doctor said we mustn’t stress her!” “You have to calm down, Rainbow!” Applejack said, and then she looked at me from up to down. “Even if she could be a criminal, we need to respect her health state… She looks more like a scared filly” She muttered, thinking that I couldn’t hear her. “That I look like a scared filly?” I replied “I’m twenty four…” “Are you twenty four!?” Rarity exclaimed, surprised. “But you look so much younger!” I sighed. “Ehm…” Twilight hawked a bit to attract her friends’ attention. “What I was going to say, Golden, is that I don’t know how to compensate what I did to you…” “It’s not necessary” I said a bit cutting. “My wing was broken before you tapped me. I was going to end here in anyway.” I had a small vanish. I gave a deep breath for trying to keep conscious and be able to hear what Twilight was saying. “… And I want to compensate you…” I heard her. I couldn’t hear the rest. “Excuse me… what did you said?” I asked feeling a bit disorientated. “I could kill you while that wasn’t my intention…” I became pale. “And attacking you without let you explain yourself first was wrong. I want to hear your story.” “B-But…” “Oh, excuse me!” She suddenly exclaimed a bit nervous. “I haven’t introduced my friends to you yet… they are Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.” “Nice to meet you…” I replied coldly, but none of them replied back. I heard them muttering something to Twilight. “Are you crazy?” “You can’t be serious.” “Maybe you’re helping the enemy” and a lot of things that I didn’t understand. I didn’t know how to feel or what to do. I didn’t even hear well what Twilight said. The truth is that no one of her friends wanted me near to them, I feel like they’ll take me to the royal guard at the first opportunity. I feel like if this are my lasts hours of life. And I was starting to resign… It’s too soon… And I’d love to tell her my story, but I felt dizzy and I didn’t wake up. … The next day, I was awakening for the sunlight filtering in the window. For reflex, I covered myself with the bed sheets. The first thing I did when I opened my eyes was checking my paw. Somebody quitted the needle serum and there wasn’t more than the picket line. The splint in my wing was a bit annoying, but I knew that I couldn’t fly for a while. “GOOD MORNING!” Pinkie said. I couldn’t avoid screaming, with my voice with higher octaves than normal. I didn’t see her. It’s like she just appeared from nothing. “Y-you scared me!” “Is she awake!?” The princess asked with nervous voice while she was opening the door. “I would say, more than awake” Pinkie replied winking at her. I was still gasping. “I’m going to do the breakfast!” She exclaimed as she left the room. This doesn’t make any sense. Am I still here? Why am I still “free”? Didn’t they surrender me? Nopony knows I’m here? Then, I noticed I wasn’t in the hospital anymore. The room seemed like a normal house. There was a carpet under the bed, a closet, a window, green wall, wooden floor… It seemed like a normal guest room for me. “Where am I…?” I hesitated. “In sweet apple acres…” Applejack said as she entered the room. “What am I doing here!? How did you bring me here?” “Calm down these feathers, hysterical!” She replied. I gulped. “In the hospital the doctor told us that you were stable and we could bring you home, but you were asleep.” “B-but that doesn’t explain how did you…” “I asked them to bring you here” Twilight clarified. “Golden, for Equestria’s sake, let me talk... fine, are you feeling better? Well, listen to me; I just want to know what’s happening. All your photos, your books, everything that you bring with you… Is it real?” “Of course is real!” I claimed. “I could swear it for Celestia’s life…!” I heard how Applejack snorted and coughed. “Sorry, I could swear for whatever that I was there”. “B-But how…?” She asked, confused. “The photos… none of them seems like anything that there’s in Equestria, explain it!” “That’s the point…” From then, I get up from the bed and I asked her where were my stuff. They were in her backpacks. I took an Equestria map, a world map and I drew another map in some scrolls. “We are here” I said while pointing Equestria in the world map, which was at the right of it, circling Ponyville on it. “Then, we have the sea at the right, and other kingdoms and countries at the left. Then, and since the earth is round, if you go beyond Equestria, you should appear here” I said pointing the left end of the map. “… That’s because you’re traveling around the world.” I looked at Twilight, who was nodding, a bit impatient because I was saying such obvious things instead of going to the point. “The problem is I didn’t travel around it.” Then I putted the scrolls with the human world map at the right of the Equestria world map. “I arrived here” “Are you serious?” She asked with a skeptical voice. “How is possible that nopony has arrived there before? Did you open a kind of portal or something else? In the crystal empire we have a mirror, but that’s not like what you have in your photos…” “No, Twilight, I didn’t…” I shake my head saying no, and I tried to not pay attention of what she did say about the mirror. “I arrived there just by flying… And, just so you know, I don’t know anything about magic.” I explained a bit irritated. “And, as I was saying…” “Wait a moment!” Applejack interrupted us. For a second I forgot that she was still here. “How is even possible that you don’t know anything about magic!?” She told me off. She didn’t believe me. Twilight was looking at me incredulous too. “It’s a really long story that I’ll tell you if you want as you bring me to prison” “We bring you to prison?” Twilight inquired “Golden, we’re not going to bring you there.” “Eh?” Applejack exclaimed with me. The princess was glaring at Applejack, and Applejack was doing the same, but suddenly they exchanged meaningful glances and they looked at me. I felt like some kind of bone of contention. “I already told you that all I want is to know the truth.” Twilight repeated, but I still wasn’t able to understand what she was doing. “I don’t understand why Princess Celestia did what she did, and I have no doubt that she had her reasons.” I heard myself whining. “If you tell us your story maybe we can help each other and find the truth” “… Help each other?” I repeated after thinking of it during some seconds. And then I got it. She wants to do an agreement. “What do you want from me?” I asked with caution. I’m conscious that I’m walking on dangerous ground. “I told you so. I want the truth. Just think of it, ok? It doesn’t seem fair to me that Princess Celestia charged you of homicide to censure your investigations…” I looked into her eyes a bit surprised. She was being serious. She believed in me. “And me, as the princess of Friendship.” She said. “I can’t avoid feeling that is my royal duty to solve all of this, because nopony will…” Author's Note Oh my godness I can publish the second part! I was supposed to submit chapters weekly, but I decided that it's better do it monthly, it'll give me more time to translate it. Also, thank you for your likes (Is it called likes here?) and your good comments. See you in the next chapter!