Arianna

Waking up has never been one of my favorite things. I'm usually disoriented, clumsy and as genial as a hibernating grizzly bear that's been woken up. So when my eyes opened and I didn't feel anything normal, I knew something was up. As I looked around in my limited view I took in the sight of a very well appointed bedroom. 'Nice place' I thought to myself. When my sense of feeling kicked in I felt warm. Not a uncomfortable kind of warmth, but the nice comforting type. I was about to drift off when two key points came to my attention. The first was the light breathing I could hear behind me and the next was the feeling of feathers covering...... me?

My eyes widened in fear and adrenaline flooded my system. I got my 6'3" frame up and out of what I would call a bed as fast as I could. When I got some distance, I turned and looked at where I had been. My eyes opened wide in shock, then curiosity when I gazed upon the creature that was behind me. It was a pony? Had to be. It wasn't big enough to be a horse, but I estimate that it could look me dead in the eyes standing up. One thing I did notice was a well developed set of teats between its hind legs. Its a mare then.

She had a black coat and a thick mane and tail. The biggest surprise I had was that she had wings and a horn. 'What the fuck?' 'Where the hell am I?' My mind was almost at the point where I was going to break down, when the mare woke up. She was bleary eyed for a moment until my absence was noted. When she spotted me standing there in shock she locked her....brown...eyes? No, it can't be. I know those eyes.

"Ari?" When she nodded I stumbled, but before I could hit the floor she caught me.

"It's ok, Vatore. I've got you. I will always catch you." She had such a beautiful voice. When I looked into her eyes I could see concern radiating in those brown orbs.

"H-how? Why?" I wiggled out of her grasp and started pacing. Where I turned and looked at Ari, she was sitting on her haunches. Walking over to her, I started to see what other changes had happened my friend. "What in the nine hells is going on Arianna?"

"I really don't understand the situation myself either, but I can try and explain it to the best of my abilities. To you, it was just last night. To me, I've been here in Equestria for a thousand years. We are currently in Canterlot Castle, Canterlot, Equestria."

"Wait......wait. Your telling me, that we are in another world? And you've been here a thousand years? How is that possible?"

"We still don't know Tor, but I was hoping that you had somehow followed me here. I waited and waited, but you never showed" she said sniffling. "I had almost given up until a guard ran into the throne room three days ago. When he started describing what they had found I left to see if you had finally got here and you had." She was smiling at me, tears running a race track down her muzzle.

"I can't get over this" I said incredulous. "I'm standing here, holding a conversation with the only being I've been around for five years." I looked at her while running my fingers through her mane.

"Can we even get home?"

"No" she replied shaking her head. "Celestia has searched for a way and around seven hundred years ago said that there was no way for me to return to Earth and that includes you as well." When she finished Ari hung her head in shame. I couldn't stand to see her sad. I had gotten to where I could read her moods very well over the years. I gently set my right hand under her chin and pulled her head up so I could place my forehead against hers. With my blue eyes looking into her brown I smiled.

"So, talking, wings and a horn and what's that mark on your flank? It looks like a pair of wings surrounding a broken heart." That got her to giggling and to me it was a beautiful sound.

"Here in Equestria the main inhabitants are ponies. They are just as intelligent as humans and as you have no doubt noticed, can speak too. As to what I am now, I'm a alicorn. I represent all three kinds of ponies. Which are earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi. The mark on my flank is my cutie mark and you should know magic is prevalent here too."

"What do you mean magic?" When I asked that, her horn glowed a bluish silver color and I was lifted off of the floor. "Ok, Ari. Uh, can you put me down now?"

"Sorry, Tor. That was the easiest way to show you." She was grinning sheepishly.

"Ok, next question. Who is this Celestia?"

"She is the Princess of the Sun and co-ruler of Equestria. Her sister Luna is the Princess of the Night and the other co-ruler."

"Well that's interesting, but that leads to my next question. Since your a alicorn. Does that make you a princess as well?" Her blushing answered my question.

"Y-yes I am. I am the Princess of Compassion."

"That is to be expected Ari. You are a Andalusian. Your breed is know for that." I told her smiling. "So, since we can't return to earth, not that I would want to" I mumbled "what happens to me?"

"You shall stay in the castle with me and if anypony has a problem with that, I will deal with them." Her eyes had a fire in them that said she meant it. I was going to ask another question when someone knocked on her bedroom door.

Lighting up her horn, Ari opened the door and when she did two more alicorns walked in. One was a alabaster white and had a multi colored mane and tail that moved on its own. She also had a stylized Sun on her flank and gold shoes on her hooves, a gold chest piece and a golden crown. Judging by the other one beside her, she could look me in the eye standing. The other one wasn't as tall, but she walked with the same authority as the tall one. She was a gorgeous dark blue with a darker blue mane and tail that also moved on its own. A added bonus was that her mane looked like a star field. On her flank was a black blotch with a white creasant moon. The regalia she wore was silver instead of gold.

"Is he the one you have spoken fondly of for so many years Ari" the white one asked with a warm tone.

"He is. Celestia, Luna, may I present my friend, Vatore Greymoon."

"He is a tall one, is he not sister" Luna I'm guessing asked her sister.

"Indeed he is Lulu. It's very rare that I find another that can see me at the same level."

I started laughing when she said that. "It's nice for me as well. Normally I'm the tallest in a room, but I know a few people who are taller than me." When I finished I felt a bump and looked next to me. Ari had a mischievous grin on her muzzle.

"I was taller than you once."

"You was also a full grow horse, but someone left you in the wash too long and thus... you shrank" I replied to her grinning. I thought I could get one over. on her, but her grin only got brighter.

"Well, be that as it may. Now that your here and I can speak. I can start sharing all those embarrassing moments I've seen."

My face fell in realization. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, yes I will. Believe me. I've got plenty of what's the word" she took a thoughtful pose while tapping her chin with a hoof. "Ah, yes. I believe it's called ammunition" she finished with a even bigger grin. As we was going back and forth, the sisters was taking it all in and giggling their hearts out.

"I see someone is getting entertained by my discomfort."

"Forgive us, Vatore" Celestia began still giggling. "Its just that I can see that both of you care greatly for each other and it's wonderful considering what I know of your world from Ari's stories."

"Yes, even though I'm considered her owner, master or whatever, I've never treated her as a animal. Even as a filly I could see her intelligence and other traits that her breed was known for. To me, she was the one thing that kept me sane." I had been softly rubbing her cheek with a hand the entire time I spoke. I could see unshed tears in her eyes and I was overwhelmed by the emotions she was showing.

"For what you did for me, I will always be grateful Arianna."