Fugue - Volume 1

Groggily, Huey's eyes opened. While the curtains were still shut, it was clear by the faint traces of light penetrating through the fabric that it was no longer night time. His attempt to sit up was frustrated by something heavy and soft holding down his right arm. Glancing down, he was surprised to find the solar princess still asleep, her hoof draped over his lower torso, while her head rested on his chest and his arm was trapped under her body. Huey grimaced, and deduced that the princess had snuggled up to him while they slept. Unwilling to wake her, Huey closed his eyes and let himself drift off into a light doze to pass the time.

"Good morning, Huey."

Huey opened a solitary eye and looked down at the princess, who stretched her rear legs with a satisfied groan. She then looked up at him and smiled lightly. Huey returned the smile and gently pulled his arm free, so that he could pet Celestia's mane.

"Good morning, Your Highness," He murmured in response. "Have a nice sleep?"

"I did, thank you," She replied lazily. "I dare say it was one of the best sleeps I have ever had."

"I'm glad to hear it," Huey remarked. "However, I don't think you and I should make a habit of this. What would others think if they found out you and I had shared the same bed?"

Celestia pursed her lips in thought and looked away. After mulling over Huey's concern, she shrugged lightly and let her head drop back onto his chest.

"It would be most scandalous," She confirmed. "However, it was for a good reason."

"That is true, your mental health is most important." Huey noted, while his hand caressed one of Celestia's ears. With a hum of approval, the princess wrapped her hooves round the human a little tighter.

"Day off?" He probed, curious as to how it was day time, yet she was not making any attempt to get ready for her, naturally, busy schedule as monarch.

"I raised the sun a few minutes ago," Celestia replied indifferently. "My little ponies will need a little time to wake up. Which means I have a little longer to snooze."

Huey nodded thoughtfully before his eye closed and his head fell back onto the pillow. Past experience had demonstrated that he was slow to rouse himself from any slumber, so the prospect of dozing or going back to sleep was most appealing.

"Sounds wonderful," He muttered, his arm instinctively wrapping round Celestia in a partial embrace. Realising what he had done, he suddenly mulled over what had happened over the past twenty four hours. In that time, he had seen, firsthand, one of the darkest memories of Equestria's ruler, slept in the same bed and, startlingly, Celestia had raised the sun before returning to bed, where she intentionally snuggled up to him before he woke up. It was clear that Celestia was far more confident than Huey was, since she had initiated the physical intimacy first. Putting aside the concerns regarding Celestia being caught with her hooves wrapped around an alien creature, he thought about the actual embrace he was in.

What puzzled him was the fact that, for all intents and purposes, Celestia was an alien, a talking equine. In his world, they would be kept in stables, raced by jockeys for money and treated like property. Yet, he was cuddling a pony and, surprisingly, he was not finding the experience creepy. On the contrary, he actually found the physical contact very pleasant. It made him feel secure and safe. He knew that this intimacy was merely platonic for the princess, and the idea of this developing further into something romantic was out of the question. After nodding to himself in confirmation, he smiled and pushed the mental debate aside. This was helping an individual who, if he was not there, would have to cope by herself. As such, any benefit he gained was a bonus.

"So, what's the plan today, Your Highness?" Huey probed quietly. He wasn't that interested in her activities, nor did he expect her to divulge them as a matter of security, but he felt that the conversation would be pleasant for both parties.

"Not much, to be honest," Celestia murmured, her body pressing a little closer to Huey to make herself more comfortable. "Paperwork, open court, the usual. My diary has been relatively unexciting for a few centuries now."

"C-Centuries?" Huey repeated in disbelief. "You're really... That old?"

"I am," Celestia replied honestly with a giggle. "Don't worry, I'm not offended."

"You've got to share your beauty tips with me!" Huey teased. "You are looking fabulous for your age."

Celestia wrinkled her nose at him playfully before jabbing his side. Huey yelped and glared lightly back as the princess giggled.

"What was that for!?" He whined.

"For being insolent to a princess!" Celestia replied haughtily. Huey rolled his eyes and gave Celestia's shoulder a gentle squeeze, reassured that there were no class barriers between himself and the princess.

The sound of fabric rustling and his arm suddenly sensing a distinct lack of a certain princess made it clear that time was up. Huey sat up and yawned loudly, while rubbing his eyes to expedite the process of waking up. Through blurred vision, He deduced that the shifting white mass that wandered the room was Princess Celestia. Assuming she was getting prepared for a new day, Huey clambered lazily out of bed to ensure he did not portray himself as idle.

"Forgive me for asking," Huey began wearily. "But do ponies wash? I've been here for about three days now and, quite frankly, I'm worried about my personal hygiene."

"My student didn't provide you with such facilities?" Celestia enquired with a clear hint of surprise. "I'm surprised she didn't do so!"

"Well, we've not actually wandered over to social, cultural and day to day rituals that humans do yet," Huey explained. "So, she probably didn't want to assume, and I haven't actually sought out a shower or bath until now... As such, I didn't really help matters."

"Ah, that makes much more sense," Celestia mused. "Regardless, you want a bath! Follow me!"

Huey obeyed and followed the princess into her en-suite bathroom. The room was, as expected, plush. The centre was dominated by a large, square bath that had been sunken into the floor, allow anyone used it to just step into it. On the other side of the room sat the rest of the essentials. Huey nodded to himself, impressed by the luxury before him. Meanwhile, Celestia switched the taps on with her magic and levitated some towels out in preparation for after the ablutions had been done.

"You have a lovely bathroom," Huey remarked before pointing with his thumb towards the door behind him. "Shall I step outside?"

"Why would you need to do that?" Celestia asked with a tilted head. "I thought you wanted a bath."

"I do!" Huey confirmed hastily. "It's just, I assume you wish to go first. So, I was going to wait outside."

Celestia stared at him for a moment in bewilderment before shaking her head and gasping in realisation.

"Oh, of course!" She exclaimed. "Twilight had not begun discussing Equine culture and norms with you! It's common for ponies to share their showers or baths with each other."

"Share?" Huey repeated in surprise. "As in, friends and acquaintances share?"

"Well, not acquaintances," Celestia elaborated. "But, among friends, roommates, family and lovers, sharing a bath is common. In the case of pegasai and earth ponies, it's so that they can have their companion assist with the areas they cannot reach when washing."

Celestia turned round and attempted to reach the back of her neck. Huey watched with a grimace as the princess had no chance at achieving this feat. The equine skeletal structure was completely incapable of permitting the joint movement necessary.

"Ah, I see. I'm guessing unicorns are an exception due to their ability to use magic?"

"Correct!" Celestia congratulated warmly. "However, it's not uncommon for them to choose not to use magic and share with their fellow ponies anyway. It also helps with conserving water too."

"Where I'm from, sharing a bath is reserved for lovers only," Huey explained. "Nudity and situations that require it, like bathing, are a very sensitive topic. The clothing I'm wearing right now is to keep myself covered."

"Oh, really?" Celestia murmured. "So, those clothes aren't there to keep you warm?"

"Good lord, no! These clothes are totally inappropriate for keeping me warm in colder climates. I would be wearing garments that cover practically every inch of my body, bar my face."

"That is strange," The princess mused as she switched the taps off and climbed into the bath. "But then, I can hardly judge, when you must find our ways just as strange!"

"Well, not really," Huey countered. "There are a number of people, called naturists or nudists, who are comfortable with showing their body in its entirety to everyone. However, there are very few of them, and most places have laws against nudity in public. It's against public decency and such."

"While clothing here is usually reserved for formal occasions," Celestia contrasted, her body sinking to the point where only her head was above the surface. "Or for more intimate things."

"I think I know what you're trying to hint at," Huey remarked with a blush. "Would you perhaps be referring to underwear? Lingerie? Garments to accentuate the characteristics an individual has that attract the attention of others?"

Celestia looked away and nodded, her cheeks also blushing lightly.

"We have such things back home," Huey continued. "Indeed, I am wearing underwear right now underneath these trousers that cover my legs. Concealing undergarments is another social norm my kind has, which is actually a bit contradictory."

"How is it contradictory?" Celestia asked. "The fact that you are already wearing clothes that cover your body, so why have more underneath?"

"I can see how you'd come to that conclusion," Huey admitted. "But you're incorrect. We have clothing dedicated to when we wish to go swimming, called swimwear, they take on the appearance of underwear. They only cover the groin and, in the case of women, breasts, just like undergarments, yet they do not cause the same amount of embarrassment. It is puzzling that the two types are, in essence, the same in appearance, but one's okay to wear in public without being covered."

"That is most puzzling," Celestia replied. "However, I must ask, do you wish to join me or would you rather that you waited outside?"

Huey's relaxed expression melted away. He hadn't thought that the offer of sharing a bath with the princess would be on offer, especially after he had explained his kind's position on such things. He glanced over towards the door and then back at Celestia.

"Now?" He asked, receiving a nod from Celestia. "Um... Wow... That's a bit of a shock. I've never... Well, as far as I can remember, I've never done anything like that before."

"You are more than welcome to join me, Huey," The princess stated. "If you would rather that you retain your kinds’ stance, then by all means, do what makes you comfortable. I will not judge."

Huey took a deep breath and exhaled. Even though there was nothing that compelled him to accept her offer, his heart was pounding due to the sheer amount of nervousness within him. His breathing increased rapidly as he dithered over the inconsequential choice he had before him. Should he partake in the social norms of the equines or stick to what he felt in his heart was the right thing to do?

"I..." Huey stammered, his hands shaking by his sides as he glanced at the princess and the door. "I..."

Celestia frowned and tilted her head with concern. She could see that the decision, even though it was trivial, was troubling him a great deal. After a few moments to think it over, she came up with a suggestion.

"Why don't you do both?" She asked calmly. "Join me for a bath, but don't take your clothes off. You did say it was normal to not show your body, unless it's a loved one."

Huey nodded frantically, the suggestion was overwhelmingly simple. So simple that he felt a tad of shame that he didn't think of it. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, he twirled his index finger.

"Could you turn around though?" He asked timidly. "I'd rather not... Undress, while being watched. I'm not going to be totally naked! I'm just going to take off the outer layers."

Celestia nodded in understanding and looked away. Gingerly, Huey reached for the hem of his burgundy t-shirt and pulled it over his head with a single, swift and fluid motion. This was followed by his two-tone white and brown shoes, black socks and black trousers, leaving him standing in just a pair of dark blue, loose-fitting boxers. Hesitantly, he padded towards the edge of the bath and dipped his toe into the water. With the temperature seeming to be warm, but not hot, he stepped down into the depths.

"AH!" He exclaimed in surprise, his toe-dipping proving to be inadequate as hot water singed the nerve endings of his skin. Celestia flinched, her instinctual attempt to turn round being prevented at the last moment.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, her voice dripping with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no!" Huey hissed through gritted teeth. "It's just... Hot water. I'll get used to it in a moment! You can turn round now!"

Celestia immediately turned to look at Huey, who was busy muttering and hissing due to the temperature. Grimacing, Celestia's horn lit up to switch the cold tap on.

"Here," She said softly. "Let's cool the water down a little. It sounds like you're finding it to be most painful."

"Maybe I'm not used to hot baths?" Huey remarked. "Or baths in general? I don't know, but if this is anything to go by, I doubt I would be eager to experience it often. Maybe, before I came here, I only had showers? Warm ones?"

"You've not had any of your memories return?" Celestia asked. "Not one?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Huey replied sadly. "I know lots of things about my kind in general, but personally? I know squat."

Celestia grimaced, while levitating a bottle of shampoo over to begin washing her mane.

"Could you help me?" She enquired. "Those little spindly things you use to tickle my ears would be perfect for shampooing my mane."

"Oh! You mean fingers!" Huey corrected. "That reminds me, I actually brought Twilight's notes so far regarding human anatomy and such. We had a heated discussion regarding why I was invited to Canterlot. One of the ideas was that you had some scientists wishing to examine me, so she gave me her notes, just in case that happened."

Celestia giggled and presented her flowing pink mane for Huey to begin squirting shampoo onto.

"My student is most eager with her secondary assignment, it seems," She remarked happily. "I am glad she is taking it seriously. However, that is not the reason I extended the invitation to you."

"Yes, I apologise for not sending a reply," He replied solemnly. "Twilight and her assistant, Spike, left the house quickly due to other commitments. As such, I couldn't send you a letter via Spike."

"It's quite alright!" Celestia replied indifferently with a wave of her hoof, a soft hum of delight escaping her as Huey began to massage the shampoo into her mane. "Things happen, and I am grateful you came so quickly."

"Which brings us onto why?" Huey probed bluntly. "What made you extend an invitation so soon after I left?"

Celestia stiffened, causing Huey to stop massaging her mane as he awaited a response.

"I..." She began hesitantly, but swiftly sighed after a few moments of thought. "I invited you, because I knew you didn't think of me as a princess."

"Wait, what?" Huey began in surprise. "That's not true! I do consider your position a great deal!"

"But you don't treat me any differently due to it." Celestia countered, causing Huey to fall silent. "I have hoof-maidens I can call upon to wash my mane whenever I please, dress me in my regalia."

"I don't understand," Huey admitted weakly. "What makes me different here? I fed you cake last night and I'm washing your mane right now!"

"My servants would never dare share the bath with me, while washing my mane," Celestia explained. "Remember, I am, in the eyes of many, not just their ruler, but a goddess. I raise and lower the sun and moon, I am the embodiment of pony-kind itself by being an alicorn."

"And the reverence they hold you in means they could not consider themselves in such a position as I am now," Huey added after noticing Celestia's point. "You are beyond them. Out of their league, if you were to use a phrase from my home."

"I do believe students here have the same phrase," Celestia mused. "Where a particular pony is so important, it is considered foolish to approach them, yes?"

"Pretty much," Huey said nonchalantly, his hands returning to the task of caressing the princess' mane. "I guess I just can appreciate that, yes, you are a goddess, a royal, the ultimate authority in the land, but that doesn't mean you are above the needs of any other individual. You eat, you sleep, you drink... And you need company."

Celestia's head drooped, the point that she was, in essence, isolated due to the accident of being born an alicorn. There would be no respite, she would live in this ivory tower, cut off from the ability to have a normal conversation with someone else as an equal, forever. The only way out would be death by her own hoof, but such a course of action would be impossible due to it being far too selfish for her to contemplate. Huey frowned, he had yet to feel what it was like to be lonely, he had been in the company of equines every waking moment since his arrival, and he could not remember what his previous life on Earth was like. Suffice to say, he could not begin to imagine how horrible it must feel.

Gingerly, Huey ceased his tending to the royal mane and let his hands slip onto Celestia's shoulders. The princess gasped, her whole body stiffening in surprise as his hands drifted to her upper torso and wrapped around her in an embrace from behind. For a moment, Huey worried that he had overstepped the mark and his gesture, which was intended to show that he was there for her, would be interpreted as assault. His concerns were swiftly allayed when the princess gently leaned back into his chest with a quiet sigh. Huey breathed a mental sigh of relief before tenderly tightening the hug, ensuring that the princess was encased in a cocoon of sympathy and affection. The apparent acceptance by the princess was confirmed when her forehooves gently held his hands to her chest, ensuring that he could not disengage until she permitted it.

"Someone's awfully brave," Celestia teased quietly. "Everyone else wouldn't dare think about doing what you're doing now."

"I couldn't stand by and let you feel like you have no one," Huey admitted, his head resting on the top of the princess'. "Your sister is in need of a friend too, I am sure, but you need one just as much."

Celestia remained silent as she quietly mulled over Huey's words. The human, on the other hand, hummed a tune that he swiftly composed at the same time, quietly enjoying the hug. It soon occurred to him that he found much value in physical intimacy. He enjoyed the cuddle in bed with the princess and was enjoying the current embrace a great deal. Was it an indication that he was a very affectionate person before he arrived in Equestria?

"Thank you," Celestia finally whispered. "Thank you so much, Huey."

Huey gave the princess a gentle squeeze.

"You're welcome."

"Thank you, Silver Platter, give my best wishes to the catering staff."

"Naturally, sir." The stallion replied indifferently before withdrawing from the room. Much to Huey's relief, there were plenty of breakfast items that he and the equines shared. As such, he was able to request a plate containing scrambled egg, hot-buttered toast and baked beans. It was far from the "full English breakfast" he desired, but the taboo regarding the consumption of meat was something he did not wish to trifle with. Celestia, on the other hand, had satisfied herself with some croissants, accompanied by butter and strawberry jam, while sharing a large pot of tea with her guest.

"Will Luna be joining us?" Huey asked, while buttering his toast. "She didn't come to dinner when I was last here."

"I'm afraid not," Celestia replied with a heavy sigh, her mane in its ethereal form once again. "She has become totally withdrawn, and I am at a loss regarding what to do."

"This is about her harbouring guilt for what happened, yes?"

Celestia nodded mournfully as she sipped her cup of tea. Huey grimaced as he stuffed a slice of toast into his mouth and began munching on it.

"If you pardon my speaking with my mouth full," Huey apologised, his hand raised to ensure Celestia didn't have to see the half-chewed food lurking in his mouth. "I'd like to ask a few questions, if you don't mind?"

"Of course," Celestia replied with a wave of her hoof. "The fact that you are considerate enough to cover your mouth helps a great deal, Huey."

"Well, I may be asking for permission to disregard one of the basic tenets of courtesy," Huey said. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to take the opportunity to be a savage. Regardless, from what I recall from last night, your sister's main complaint was a lack of appreciation from the population due to their preference to sleep at night."

"That is a concise summary, yes."

"What other duties did your sister do?" Huey enquired. "If raising the sun took you mere moments, then the moon must be the same. As such, she must have a lot of time on her hand-I mean hooves, if that's all she did."

"Her other duties included watching over Equestria's citizens," Celestia added. "She would wander through their dreams and protect them, as best as she could, from nightmares."

"Ah, that would be much more time consuming," Huey murmured. "Do most ponies know of who Luna is after a thousand years?"

"Alas, they do not," Celestia replied sadly. "I could not bring myself to tell my subjects that my sister had attempted to bring eternal night to all a thousand years ago. I did not wish for them to fear her."

"And what about her return a few days ago? I remember Twilight mentioning she made quite an impression on the inhabitants of Ponyville."

"It is certain that the news regarding what happened that day has spread far and wide, however most know of Nightmare Moon only as a legend, a fairy tale."

"Hmmm..." Huey mused, while eagerly eating a forkful of beans and egg. "Have you considered finding Luna some other royal duties she may get involved in? Her raising of the moon and protecting ponies from nightmares are not exactly the most visible of royal duties."

"What could she do though?" Celestia asked. "The citizens sleep at night, when she's awake."

Huey nodded in understanding at the conundrum he needed to solve. With a new princess, who was very much unknown, or feared, by the populace, it would be difficult to make her adored as much as Celestia was.

"What about a holiday?" Huey suggested, earning him an incredulous look from the princess.

"A holiday?"

"Yes," Huey continued confidently. "Why not create a public holiday that your sister is the patron of? She would be able to mingle with the locals, show herself a little and garner a positive public image. You could even tie it into her role as the princess responsible for the night."

Celestia's expression melted into one of worry.

"No," She murmured sadly. "I couldn't do that. Nightmare Night would hit too close to home for her."

"Nightmare Night?"

"It is a holiday celebrated by ponies. It is based around the idea that Nightmare Moon seeks out careless ponies to consume, but could be warded off with the offering of sweets and treats as an alternative. It evolved into an event where ponies may dress up in scary costumes and-"

"Go trick or treating?" Huey interrupted. "Nightmare Night sounds a great deal like a holiday celebrated where I'm from, called Halloween. Children dress up in spooky costumes and go around knocking on peoples doors asking 'trick or treat?' Invariably, they are given sweets or money as a treat, while the trick part is mostly ignored."

"It is similar, but ours is different," Celestia replied. "The salutation we use is 'Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!'"

"Well, you've skipped the pointless trick part, so I'd say it's an improvement," Huey said thoughtfully. "Why not suggest to Luna that she try and take advantage of this popular event? Since it's an event that, I assume, involves staying up late, she will be able to mingle with the ponies, without forcing them or her to adopt an unusual sleeping pattern!"

"That could help," Celestia ruminated. "But that would require her to leave her chambers!"

"She's not left her room since her return?"

"I'm afraid not," The princess admitted miserably. "It is so serious that she won't see any visitors or eat in the dining room. The servants have to provide her meals in a manner befitting a prisoner by quickly opening the door, pushing the plate into the room, and then shutting it. It's so degrading."

"Considering her position," Huey said. "I think we should try to get some normality back into her life; Share meals, spend time with her and such. Once she's come out of her shell a little, we can move onto reintegrating her into the hierarchy. However, it cannot be stressed enough that she must be more visible to the public. A little bit of appreciation, even a thank you, can go a long way, agreed?"

"Agreed," Celestia replied with a nod. "However, I do not know how I may achieve this, Huey. Luna is adamant that she does not wish to leave her quarters."

"Then I'll visit her," Huey said nonchalantly. "If she does not wish to know me, then so be it, but there's no harm in introducing myself to her."

"Indeed."

Huey scooped up the remnants of his meal and swiftly ate it. He hummed with delight and smiled warmly at the princess, who returned the gesture.

"Absolutely delicious," Huey stated cheerfully. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't eager to have some meat, but there are some things that one must sacrifice."

"Sadly, that is so," Celestia confirmed. "There is much that I have had to sacrifice over the centuries."

"Well, friendship is not one of them," Huey stated firmly. "If you ever need me for anything, just send me a letter and I'll hop on the nearest train to Canterlot."

"Your kindness is much appreciated," Celestia replied graciously. "However, your place lies with Twilight. This can be only a visit."

"How long that visit lasts is another matter though," Huey countered with an eyebrow raised knowingly. Celestia was quick to spot the subtle message, causing her to smile sweetly in response.

"As much as I would like it to last a long time, I could not permit it."

"That's quite alright, I refuse to leave until I have helped you and your sister. I cannot leave you to be on your own again, once I've left, nor can I permit your sister the ability to continue to wallow in guilt and misery. She deserves better."

"I do believe you'll be hard pressed to make her agree to that."

"Don't worry, I have no intention of leaving until I cheer her up!" Huey declared confidently. "Thank you for the breakfast, Your Highness. It was delicious. If I may be excused, I wish to introduce myself to your sibling."

"Of course!" Celestia replied. "Hopefully, she will find your company as valuable as I have. If you do not know the way, just ask a servant or guard to show you, they will assist you."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Huey said, while standing up. "I will do that. As for yourself, I hope you have a nice day."

"I will try, but I have my doubts."

Huey nodded in understanding before wandering towards the door. As he was about to exit the room, a small problem struck him, causing him to look back at the princess.

"Forgive me for asking, but what will my sleeping arrangements be?" He enquired. "I don't believe I have anywhere to rest at this time."

Celestia turned towards him silently. After a few moments, she looked away nervously and blushed.

"I was hoping you would perhaps consider..." She began hesitantly. "Repeating what occurred last night."

Huey's eyes widened. The invitation to share the princess' bed for the foreseeable future was not one he was expecting to get. However, it was not an unwelcome one, his personal experience was most agreeable and Celestia clearly saw enough value in his company to make the request. Huey bit his lip as he mulled over his options. Within moments, he had made up his mind.

"Honestly?" He began. "I'd like that."

Celestia looked at him in surprise. Huey, realising what he had admitted, blushed and bowed his head solemnly before swiftly leaving the room.