My eyes opened to the same image that had been burned into my memory for the past 365 days. A cold, cavernous crystal roof. The ice-blue crystal walls took a jagged, rough curve inward to create a rotunda-like structure above me. The floor, likewise, was an equally cold deep purple. It was broken up a bit by a rug and some non-crystal furniture, but it still lacked any sense of brightness or life, at least to me.
I rolled out of my bed. I didn't need to check the time, I'd gotten out of bed at the exact same time every day for a year. A mental alarm clock was permanently installed in my brain. I grabbed my clothes from the wooden dresser and trudged across the hall to my bathroom, which thankfully only I used. I turned the shower on to just below scalding hot, undressed, and stepped inside. The hot water and steam temporarily erased the cold feeling of Princess Twilight's daunting crystal castle, and it was usually the highlight of my day, that and the shower I took every night.
I stepped out of the shower, and was immediately disappointed. Despite the thick steam hanging in the air, The crystal floor of the bathroom was still cold, seemingly sucking the warmth right out of me. I wiped off the mirror above the sink and looked at my reflection. Stark blue eyes, which my mom used to say sparkled like the sky, long brown hair, trimmed facial hair of the same color. My face wasn't rugged enough to really be handsome, but not childish enough to look boyish. I remember thinking I looked pretty average back when I lived in Chicago, aside from my noticeably blue eyes, but I hadn't seen another human in a year. The only remotely human-like creature I'd seen since being in Equestria was a minotaur, but it's not really the same... at all.
I took my thick comb made of, guess what, crystal, and ran it through my hair. It was already a bit shaggy when I'd first arrived in Equestria, but I hadn't cut it since, and it was now just past my shoulders. I went a good, long time without shaving, too, but Twilight kept bugging me about it and even Princess Celestia made a comment. I didn't even think I could grow a decent beard in Chicago, so I didn't want to fully get rid of it, so I just trimmed it down and kept it clean. That was enough to shut them up. Thankfully, they didn't care about my hair, probably since the manes of most stallions in Equestria are pretty long, so I haven't done anything to it. Personally, aside from not really caring enough about it to cut it, I kind of like it. It's a reminder that things can still grow and change in something as lifeless as this castle.
Now, as to how I got to Equestria in the first place. Believe me, it wasn't by my decision. First of all, my name is Caleb Stetson. I grew up in Chicago, Illinois. It's a big city in the United States of America, good chance you've heard of it. No, not the part of Chicago where someone gets shot every thirty seconds, but the semi-decent part, if there is such a thing. My mom fell in love with some deadbeat that promised her the world. He got her pregnant with me and left, never to be heard from again. How my mom still loved me as much as she did, I'll never know. She was always there, my rock. I wasn't really made fun of in school, mostly because I flew under the radar. I had a few friends, but none of those stereotypical high school friends that people remember for the rest of their lives.
I made it through high school with a good enough GPA that I got to go to college. It was about the same as high school, just with more studying and stress. I was close enough to home that I could still live with my mom, and she told me every day how proud she was that I was going through university, something she had never done. She worked long hours at an office building as the head of the mailroom. She made decent enough money to keep us going, but we were far from the lap of luxury. I told myself every day that once I got through college and landed a good-paying job that I would support both me and my mom. I would buy her a nice house or apartment and she'd get to retire early. I'd take her on vacations, starting with Paris, where she'd always wanted to visit. She attended my college graduation, and she screamed and hugged me when I told her I got a job at the same office building she worked at, only I was behind a desk, making a good enough starting wage that I'd be able to move out before too long. She took me to a restaurant to celebrate. Then on the drive home, the sedan we were in was hit head-on by a delivery truck going 75.
I woke up in the ER with a cast around my leg and both of my arms, with a doctor telling me I was lucky to be alive. Then he told me my mom was dead. He said she died instantly, painlessly, but that didn't help. It still hurt. Oh, how it hurt. It still does, and it hasn't really lessened, I've just learned to push it back. I know that there are surely healthier ways to deal with it, but I don't have the strength to try. Twilight doesn't even know about it, I didn't tell her. I told her my mom was still alive on earth. I've always been a good liar, although I don't like doing it. I never lied to my mom, under any circumstances. She deserved nothing but the truth.
As far as my new job went, it turned out that my department was a dead-end. I rotted behind that desk for four years, doing the same thing every day in an insufferable routine. Nobody ever got a raise or promoted. The only way people advanced was if they left the company. Nobody would let us into new departments in the same buildings. I stayed where I was. I considered quitting more than once, but I didn't see a reason to move on. I could afford my little apartment, my TV and computer, and all of my necessities. I felt empty, and the same emptiness has filled me ever since. I know I'm probably depressed, but I don't think of it that way. I kept thinking I just needed something in my life to fix it, but I had no idea what.
Everything changed when our department head called me into his office. He was so excited I legitimately thought he was going to soil himself. He told me I was getting promoted to Resource Management. A new desk. A raise. New co-workers. And to top it all off, the Resource Management department was near the top floor and had a great view of the city. I was beside myself. I felt genuinely excited for the first time in four years. But that emotion deflated as soon as I thought of my mom. I wanted to tell her. To tell I was throwing my humiliating dead-end position out the window for something that could serve as a new beginning. But she was gone. I didn't even know if a better job was what I needed to fill the void inside of me. I never got the chance to find out.
When I walked into my apartment that night, there was a round, bright pink light hovering in the middle of my bedroom. I cautiously walked forward to examine it, and it suddenly flew into my face and blinded me. The next thing I know, I'm the middle of a fantasy-looking town I'd later come to know as Ponyville with a purple unicorn looking over my half-conscious form with a worried expression.
That one bizarre, unforeseeable event changed everything permanently. The princesses apparently knew nothing about earth or the pink light that sent me here. Apparently I was the only human in all of Equestria. For once in my life, I was totally unique, and I hated it. Celestia assigned me to Twilight so she could watch over me. So now I was the Friendship Princess's pet. Today marked one year that I'd spent in her castle, learning things from her that I couldn't care less about if I tried. The history of Equestria, Equestria's customs, and, naturally, friendship. As distasteful as this all is, I don't even know if I'd prefer being here or going back. Surely after disappearing for a year, my job opportunity is long gone. I want to view being in Equestria as a fresh start, but it feels like every day is still the same here. Twilight schedules daily lessons (gag me), but other than those I can do whatever I want during the day. Yet I stay in the castle, despite how it seemingly drains the life out of me, and just wander. Maybe it's my fault that my life is so bland, but I don't have any urge to liven it.
I get dressed and exit the bathroom, starting my daily trek down the hall, where I know Twilight is waiting for me with a lesson on friendship at hand. She swears friendship will help me, but I think I might be past help at this point. But it's easier just to humor Twilight. Meetings with Celestia, however, are a bit harder to slog through. One of those was coming up next week, and I'd rather get hit by a train than attend. But as I opened the doors to the giant throne room and saw Twilight sitting at the giant crystal table with a fat stack of notes and a pencil, I knew that when it came down to it, I had few options left in this sad little pony-infested life of mine.
"Good morning!" Twilight said in a singsong voice that would usually force a sincere smile out of most people/ponies. But I wasn't most people/ponies.
"Morning, Twilight," I said as I sat down across from her. My bum mood, as usual, didn't faze her.
"Are you ready for today's lesson, Caleb?" Twilight said, her horn glowing magenta as her magic picked up a page of notes off of the table. This was the point where I'd usually just say 'yes' and try to show interest in the lesson. But something stopped me from doing that.
"Hey, Twilight, can I ask you something?"
She was caught off guard. "What? Um, I mean, sure."
"Why are you giving me friendship lessons in the first place?" I asked. Twilight blinked a few times.
"Because that's what Princess Celestia instructed me to do. That and everyone can benefit from friendship and having good friends around them."
"But the only friends I even have are you and Spike," I said. And even that was up in the air. Twilight was forced upon me as an instructor. Spike just lived here and thought of me as his dude friend or something. He was just too upbeat for me to burst his bubble about the whole friendship thing.
"I've been encouraging you for months to go and make some new friends, or even to get out of this castle for something other than our trips to Canterlot."
I nodded, but something was different about me today. Something was stirring deep inside. The next words came out of me without thought.
"Why is Celestia having us go through this?" I asked. There was a hint of anger to my voice that surprised me. Evidently, it surprised Twilight, too.
"Caleb, what do you me-" Twilight started, but I was filled by a sudden wave of irritation and cut her off.
"Why did she assign you to me and trap me in this castle? Every other pony in Equestria gets to live where they want, do what they want, live life to their bells and content, but I'm told exactly where to stay and what to do!"
"You're not a pony, Caleb." Twilight said calmly after I was done venting. "Princess Celestia was just trying to be safe. She's only thinking of Equestria's well-being. And yours, too."
I brought a hand up to my forehead. "I'm sorry, Twilight, I can't do it anymore."
"Do what?" She said. She sounded genuinely concerned. Of course she was.
"This. I can't stay in this lifeless castle and listen to friendship lessons I don't care about anymore. No disrespect to you or Celestia, but I can't. I'm going insane."
Her reaction was careful, thoughtful, and then resolved. As if a solution to my complaints was already present. She pulled a piece of paper from the stack beside with her magic and cleared her throat.
"Well, then I guess it's your lucky day." She said.
"What?"
"Princess Celestia sent me a letter saying that since you've under my guidance for a year now, it would be fine for you to move out of the castle, provided you stay in Ponyville so you can continue studying friendship under me."
I could move out. My mind started racing. Did I want to move out? My first thought was yes, I hated this castle. Then again, would a house be much better? Would I have to pay for it and get a job in town? Would anypony even hire me? Would Twilight or Celestia herself pay for it? There were too many emotions, too many unknowns for me to decide right then.
"Anyways," Twilight said, not missing a beat, "We can talk about that this afternoon." Her teacher's smile returned and I groaned internally. She hovered eight notes in the air from her pile. "Today's lesson is understanding!"
. . . . .
"You're moving out?" Spike asked, surprise clear in his voice.
"Yep. Afraid so, Spike." I was almost done stuffing my clothes in a suitcase. Tonight would be the last night I slept in the castle room. My new home in the residential area of Ponyville was cozy, homey, and warm. The exact opposite of the cold crystal walls and ceiling that encased Spike and I now. Twilight and I had gone house-hunting this afternoon, and as soon as I saw that little hut, I wanted it. No, needed it. Due to my 'relationship' with the high and mighty Princess Celestia, Nopony was going to pay a penny for the house. While Celestia constantly breathing down my neck in the form of her former student was far short of welcome, at least it came with one nice perk.
"But why are you leaving?" Spike asked. "Is it something I did?"
"No, Spike," I said calmly. "I just... need a place to myself. I still have t-... will visit everyday for Twilight's friendship lessons. It's not like we won't see each other anymore."
Spike took a moment to process this, and then nodded. "Well, alright. I... guess I should leave you alone to finish packing."
"That would be much appreciated," I said with a smile. He smiled back.
"Dude, your eyes are really blue," He said. For some reason, he seemed obsessed with my eyes. Even though his were twice as large and every bit as green as mine were blue. But I humored him.
"And yours are really green," I replied. And with that, Spike was gone. After I was done packing, I took my nightly shower and went to bed. It was a long time before I finally fell. Whatever would happen from here, surely it couldn't be worse than how Equestria had been treating me so far.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading. Comments appreciated.
The reception of this story will be the defining factor of whether or not I continue it, but it's been fun to write thus far.
Also, congratulations Graduates 2017!
