Across the Ages

Chapter 3

Celestia stood on the balcony with her sister as their charges switched places on the horizon. Both alicorns stifled a yawn. Despite their many millennia of experience, it never got any easier to be awake at this time of day.

“*Yawn* So, Tia, rumor amongst the guards is that you had a visitor last night.”

Celestia glared at her sister and her smirk, though one would have to have known Celestia very well to know that she was glaring at all. Few on Equus could match her diplomatic skills, and that included her control over body language. Celestia turned back to observe the peaceful land she had just awoken.

“Yes. It was quite a surprise. I may long for a… companion, but I can’t say I want one to simply appear in my chambers. Especially one that is new to the world and an admitted criminal.

“He never said he was a criminal, merely… lacking in funds. A single citizen cannot be blamed for how their government is run. Either way,” Luna turned back out to the view, smirk still present on her lips, “he is resourceful. Not many can talk their way out of a prison cell only to scale the side of the palace and sneak into the bed of the most powerful pony in the country.”

“Hmmph… indeed.” Celestia sipped her tea. “One can only hope that we shall hold ourselves to a higher standard than his leaders.”

“Not to push you, Sister, but what exactly do you have planned for our guest? Surely we cannot keep him locked away for the rest of his life.”

“No we cannot.” Celestia took a bite out of her waffles, which were covered in syrup, honey, whipped cream and half a dozen different berries. “Besides, he’d probably just sneak out and wind up in your bed the next time.”

Luna rubbed her chin in a gesture mocking deep thought. “Well, it has been over a thousand years…”

“Lulu, if you’re that desperate I can have a maid select some random stallion off the street then erase their memories after. Then you can erase mine after that.” Celestia stuck out her tongue and shook her head as if she had just eaten something awful.

A grin spread on Luna’s lips as she raised her tea to them. “I appreciate the thought, and the image, but I have not quite reached that point yet.”

“Well I’m certain that the ponies of Equestria will sleep better knowing that they don’t have to worry about their princess snatching them up in the streets and dragging them back to her chambers.” Celestia sipped from her tea some more. “However, I can think of quite a few stallions, and mares, who would be very happy if that were to happen to them.”

“Hmph. At least you do not have to see their dreams. The things that some ponies would like you or I to do to them… or each other.”

“Oh, I am aware. I have come across several different literary pieces with such themes.”

Luna shuddered. “Ugh, no matter how old I get, I will never get used to the depths of depravity ponykind can plunge.”

“Nor will I, Sister. Nor will I. For now, though, let’s change the topic to something more pleasant. Do you have any plans for next Nightmare Night?”

“None so far. As it is still several moons from now, I feel I still have time to think on it.”

“Well, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

The two sisters continued to enjoy their breakfast and their light conversation. Luna talked about some of the more interesting dreams she handled the previous night while Celestia discussed how much she was loathing the approaching Day Court. While Luna felt sympathy for her sister, she would never volunteer to take over for her. Nopony could deal with those suck up nobles better than Celestia simply because she hasn’t flung a single one of them off the mountain.

Once they were finished, Luna left to get some much needed rest before her Night Court. Normally, she would rest her body while her astral form traversed the dream scape, but last night was different. Celestia, on the other hand, was going to have to visit with, and explain things to, Tommy. They said their farewells and headed off to their separate destinations.

Celestia strolled through the halls, moving so elegantly that she might as well have been floating along the carpets. She nodded to maids and servants, greeted bowing nobles and clerks carrying barley balanced stacks of paperwork. The only ponies she didn’t address were the guards on post as they weren’t supposed to move anyway.

After some time strolling through the beautiful, marble floored hallways, Celestia finally reached the heavy, but still stylized, steel doors that led to the dungeons. She walked through, nodding to the guards, and proceeded to descend the stairway. She passed by scores of empty cells built for when the kingdom was a little less peaceful, some guests of the crown needed to be kept somewhere more secure than a jailhouse. Once she reached the bottom, she smoothed the few wrinkles on her dress gained during her journey and continued on toward the strange visitor’s ‘quarters’.

The sound of her golden shoes tapping gracefully along the smooth stonework floor was interrupted by laughter. The audible evidence of merriment caught the immortal princess of guard, causing her to pause momentarily. It was only a few moments before she could make out more than garbled voices.

“…so he says to the guard, ‘hey, I only told him to kiss my ass. I never thought he would actually try.’” Tommy’s voice was drowned out by the chuckles of her guards. After a few moments, she interrupted their merriment.

“Ahem,” she said plainly.

No one wasted time looking around to see who had made the noise, they all knew it as if it was instinct. The guards all snapped to attention, backs pressed firmly against the nearest wall. In one case, one guard had accidently pressed up against another guard as if stacked like playing cards. The scene made it very difficult for Celestia to keep a straight face. Luckily, she had a few thousand years practice.

“Good mornin’, Princess. I was just sharing some laughs with your guys here. They’re so much cooler than the guards I’m used to.”

“Indeed.” Celestia looked to the nearest guard, “Leave us.” The guards quickly filed out of the cell and back up the stairs. “So, still believe this is all a dream do you? A night in this cell didn’t change your mind?”

Tommy stood from the bunk and approached the bars. “I’ve told you before, there is no other explanation. There is no way that any of this, or any of you, could be real.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“You’re horse-people. The only reference to things like you is in mythology. Well, that and some weird porn stuff. Not only should you not exist, but you damn sure shouldn’t be good looking.”

“I’m not certain I should not feel offended, but I think I know what you’re getting at,” Celestia said as she crossed her arms under her bust. “Perhaps that could be attributed to selective breeding.”

“You mean, something like pretty people banging pretty people to make more pretty people?” Celestia half nodded, half shrugged. “I guess that would make sense. But what about our language? There is no way we should be able to understand each other right now.”

“Ah, I have a definite answer for this one. You see, the land of Equestria is a land of magic. Because of this, any sapient species within its borders will hear any language spoken in their own tongue. For some reason, this doesn’t work with written languages, however. We don’t know why.”

“Aha! Now I know this isn’t real because there’s no such thing as magic. Wait, what’s happening?” Steve asked because he had started to float off his bunk.

“Do you still believe magic does not exist?” Celestia asked with a cocked eyebrow and a glowing horn.

“Fine, I was wrong. Please put me down.”

Steve wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but the fact that he was just unable to control his body terrified him. Having spent some time incarcerated had taught him to never give anyone the upper hand, especially physically. He had seen what happens when someone in a position of authority or, worse yet, other inmates get power over a person. When a person no longer sees someone as an equal, their inner animal comes out. He had witnessed some serious depravity in his time and he never wanted to be on the receiving end of that. Not again. He was only grateful that the attacks against him had remained physical, the sexual assaults he had witnessed, but carefully forgotten he had, had been anything but gentle.

Celestia set him gently back onto the bunk. “While I am here, please tell me how you got from your cell into my bed.”

“Ah, that’s actually an amazing and funny story.”

“Good. Walk me through it, please.”

“Well, first I started by getting your guard super turned on. By the way, that part was way too easy. Lady needs to get out more.”

“Ahem.”

“Sorry, but I calls ‘em as I sees ‘em. So, anyway, after cranking her throttle a little bit, I went and left the dungeon. After getting into the castle, I snuck my way outside. Once there, I got bored and decided to scale the walls. By the way, your guards suck compared to the ones I’m used to.”

“Apparently. I shall have a word with my captain of said guard.” Celestia let out a small huff. “So, again, how did you find yourself in my bed?”

“Well, it wasn’t my first choice. I simply didn’t think I should interrupt the maids cleaning, the maids cleaning after banging, or the little blue girl having a tea party.”

Once again, Celestia cocked an eyebrow. “Little blue girl you say?”

“Yeah. A cute little girl with blue fur and hair. She was in a room about as big as yours and she was having a tea party with her teddy bears. Weird that she was doing it so late at night.”

This, while not bad in itself, could leave to trouble. Celestia had to keep the ‘blue girl’s existence a secret for national security. Moreover, if anypony found out, that girl would be not only at risk, but embarrassed too. Unfortunately, at this stage Celestia didn’t exactly know what to make of Tommy. So far, it seems he’s been completely honest with her, but that didn’t mean he meant Equestria no harm. He was just as likely to be a threat as he was to be a hero. She could trust him to keep this a secret, or he could go and tell the griffins or the yaks despite being ordered not to. Either way, she had to do something.

“You said you scaled the walls, correct? Perhaps you would be kind enough to show me where you accomplished this?” Celestia asked, uncrossing her arms and indicated the cell door.

“Sure.” Tommy stood from his bunk and walked out into the corridor. “First thing I did was get out of this damn dungeon.”

For the next few minutes, Tommy led Celestia on tour through her own palace. He showed her the different passages, rooms and even closets he had used to hide from guards and staff. Eventually, the two made it outside.

Tommy approached the wall and indicated several gaps in the masonry. “Here we are.”

“You’re telling me that you managed to climb the walls of my palace, essentially a fortress, using only these cracks and your bare hands?”

“Oh yeah. We didn’t have much to do in prison except work.” Tommy lifted on of legs. “Plus, it’s a lot easier to climb with feet rather than hooves. A benefit to being primate based I guess.”

“Hmm, so it would seem. Could you show me your exact route so as I can have my masons effect repairs and prevent intruders from following your example?”

“Yeah, sure. Not like I have anything else planned for the day.” Tommy started to make his way to the first gap before Celestia interrupted him.

“Oh, no. That will take fa too long. Here, allow me.”

She spread her wings wide and lit her up horn. Tommy was soon enveloped in her magic and found himself being lifted off the ground. For him, it only got worse from there.

“W-what are you d-doing?”

“Don’t worry. I’m just going to take you up so you can show me. Just don’t squirm and I won’t drop you.” Celestia grinned to herself, not knowing what she was doing to the human.

“P-please, don’t drop me,” Tommy said, doing his best to keep his voice level.

He knew that the only thing worse than being overpowered was letting them know they had you. Flashbacks to his first experience with a similar situation where plaguing him. He had taken a beating that day, and had the scars to prove it.

With a flap of her huge wings, Celestia took to the air. Tommy was dragged up with her, fear locking every muscle rigid. She followed along what she assumed was his path by spotting the gaps and cracks that he had shown her. Upon closer examination, it was a fairly obvious path.

“So you managed to climb all the way up here?”

“Y-yeah.”

“But you couldn’t use these quarters because they were occupied?”

“Right.”

“Okay, so then where did you go from here?”

The two continued to explore the palace’s wall, one against his will. They floated up along the path Tommy had taken the night before. Celestia asked him several questions, though she only got single syllable answers in response. Tommy’s brain had all but shut down in defense, locking himself away inside his own mind.

Soon they came to Luna’s balcony. “And is this where you saw the blue girl?”

“Yea.”

Celestia touched down on the black marble and folded her wings. “Good. Since we are here, there is something we need to discuss.”

“Sister!? What are you doing?!” Luna yelled as she came storming out of her quarters.

“Ah, Luna. I apologize for disturbing your rest, but Tommy has discovered our little secret.”

“So you saw fit to torture him?!”

Luna reached out with her own magic and plucked Tommy from Celestia’s grip, brought him to the floor and released him. As soon as Tommy touched the stone he came back to life and sprinted, nearly on all fours, as fast as he could and hid behind Luna’s crescent moon shaped bed. Celestia watched the proud man who hadn’t shown a hint of fear since his arrival hide from her as if she were a monster prepared to devour him alive.

“Tommy?” Celestia stepped closer only to have her path blocked.

Luna stood before Celestia with her arms outstretched. “You’ve done quite enough, Sister. Go. I will see to our visitor.”

“But I…”

“Go,” Luna pointed to the door to her chambers. “Remember, fear is my domain.”

Celestia sighed and nodded in defeat and a little shame. “Yes, of course. Please, help him, Luna.”

Luna watched her sister, heavy with guilt, exit her chambers. Once alone with the human, Luna returned to his side. She lowered herself to the floor, carefully tucking the hem of her gown so as to keep her dignity. Luna watched Tommy for a moment to better assess the situation she had before her.

Tommy seemed withdrawn, though that was an understatement. After dealing with nightmares for millennia, she had grown adept at not only recognizing fear, but also knowing exactly how to deal with it. Many ponies thought the best thing to do when someone was in this state was to try to bring them around, but that can sometimes serve to only make them spiteful or agitated. Instead, Luna simply sat in silence next to Tommy. She would do nothing more than watch over him until his own mind decided it was safe, no matter how long that would take.

It wound up taking almost half an hour. Eventually, Tommy’s mind came back from its self-made shelter and returned to the real world. He looked at his surroundings, taking them in. He saw the luxurious, night-themed room, filled with beautiful furniture. The ceiling painted to resemble the night sky, complete with drifting clouds. There was even a moon shaped bed. The last thing he saw, was that he wasn’t alone.

“Hello there,” Luna softly greeted.

“Yep. I knew this was still a fantasy. There’s no other explanation for such a pretty young thing to be sitting next to me in her nightie,” Tommy curled into the fetal position. “Especially when I’m simpering like a child in a thunderstorm.”

“While I appreciate the compliments, this is indeed the real world. Also, as far as the,” Luna made air quotes, “‘simpering’, phobias affect each of us in a different way and there should be no shame associated by anypony for that.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t exactly change things.”

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“No. There are some things a man likes to keep locked away in a dark, deep place. However, I would like a nap.” Luna cocked an eyebrow at him. “What? I spent the night climbing the walls and thinking about your sister. By the way, she got weird after I mentioned seeing that little blue girl.”

Luna paused for only a moment before responding, “Yes, Sister gets protective of that girl. I feel it would be best if you simply forgot about her.” Tommy shrugged and nodded his head. “Good. For now, you may sleep on the fainting couch,” Luna summoned a duvet and a soft pillow which she handed to him. “I hope that will be adequate.”

“It will be great. Thank you.”