Chapters "Who am I?"
Even though the human had claimed he wanted to return to the safety of sleep, he found that he was incapable of doing so. There were so many questions he wanted answers to. Who was he? Why was he here? Can he return home? Biting his lower lip, he resisted the urge to sob in despair as the gentle stinging of tears welling up in his eyes began to set in. In a vain attempt to comfort himself, he pulled the quilt he had over him even closer to himself. However, it was for nought, no discernible benefit was gained. The uncertainty over his identity, the strange environment and outright impossible inhabitants of the land would not be muted by a simple quilt.
Seconds morphed into minutes, the only sound of life within the bed chamber being the occasional noise caused by Twilight turning a page as she read her book. The passage of time continued to weigh heavily on the human. Every second caused an unknown pressure to build up, which was being applied to his mind and chest. The inactivity and uncertainty merely exacerbated the pressure, which was beginning to become physically painful for him. After around five minutes had elapsed since he stated he wished to go to sleep, he tossed the sheets off and hopped out of bed, causing Twilight's ears to prick up in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" Twilight asked, her head turning to see what the human was doing.
"Everything's wrong," He snapped aggressively. "I can't do this."
Twilight tilted her head in confusion at his statement and watched as he wandered to the massive doors that separated the bedchamber from the rest of the castle and opened them. Before the lavender unicorn could even begin to ask that he stay, the doors slammed shut. Glancing round, the human noticed that he was stood in a massive corridor with numerous doors dotted along it that obviously branched off into other rooms or sections of the castle. Unsure where to actually go, he began striding his way down the hall. Meanwhile, Twilight emerged from Celestia's bedchamber and glanced up and down the hall to see where he had gone.
"Wait!" She cried upon noticing him walking away. "Come back!"
"Shut up!" He barked back. "Just... Leave me alone!"
"I can't! Princess Celestia told me to stay with you!"
He stopped and turned around to tell her that he wished she would leave him alone, but found himself being crashed into by the princess' student. Her head collided with his stomach, while her horn stabbed into his chest. The sudden loss of breath, accompanied by the rounded tip of the horn crashing into his torso, caused the human to fall backwards onto the floor. Twilight swiftly followed suit, her fore-hooves flailing wildly in a vain attempt to prevent her from falling onto the downed humanoid.
"AGH!" He roared in agony. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"I'm sorry!" Twilight whimpered in embarrassment. "I couldn't stop quickly enough! Are you okay!?"
"No, I'm not okay!" He groaned back, his upper limb with five appendages covering the point of impact. "Do you have any idea how painful that bloody horn is when it crashes into your ribs!?"
"N-No! I don't! I'm so so sorry!"
"Just... Shut up! Shut the hell up!"
Twilight's ears drooped and a frown weaved its way across her lips, however the sight was lost on the human, who let his free limb place itself against Twilight's side and push her off. With Twilight now on her side beside him, he rolled over and clasped both of his limbs onto his chest.
"Ow... This hurts so much!" He cursed. Twilight swiftly scrambled back to her hooves and approached him.
"Wait, let me help with that injury!"
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Twilight gasped softly at the sudden outburst, but stood her ground. Bravely, she stood over the human and pinned his limbs down.
"Hold still!" She ordered as her horn began to light up.
"Stop! Get off me!"
Twilight continued to resist the humans struggling, while she let her head tilt down so that her horn touched his chest. Immediately, the human could feel the blunt force trauma inflicted upon him fade away, causing him to stop struggling. After a few seconds, Twilight's horn stopped glowing and she looked up at him.
"H-How do you feel?" She asked nervously, while gazing down at the human she had pinned to the floor. The human stared back up at her blankly.
"It feels better." He responded weakly. "What did you do?"
"Oh, it's a local analgesic spell. It relieves individuals from the sensation of pain by-"
"Affecting the ability of the nervous system to register them."
Twilight's eyes widened at the interruption. Her mouth agape, she stared, dumbstruck, at the human.
"You know about magic?" She asked in total surprise. The human shook his head in response.
"No, I know of a number of medicines back home that help with pain relief," He replied. "We use such things to assist in surgery and many other related tasks."
Twilight's eyes suddenly twinkled at the knowledge being imparted. It was clear that the human's civilisation had an advanced understanding of medicine, and had an educational system. The possibility to learn more about the human and what his kind can do whirled through her mind. Meanwhile, the human cringed slightly as he watched Twilight stare vacantly at him.
"Um... Hello?"
Receiving no response, he reached around and jabbed Twilight's side. The unicorn squeaked in surprise and leapt away from him.
"EEK! What was that for!?"
"You were pinning me down and staring at me," He stated defensively. "It was really creepy!"
Twilight's eyes widened and she placed a fore-hoof against against her chest.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She gushed apologetically. "I didn't mean to do that. I was just thinking of all the questions I could ask you!"
Twilight was suddenly silenced when one of the small appendages attached to the human's upper limbs pressed gently against her lips.
"It's okay," He stated soothingly. "No need to say sorry. Also, for what it's worth... Thank you for your help with the pain."
Twilight blushed lightly and looked away, her forehoof tapping the floor nervously.
"Y-Your welcome." She replied softly. Suddenly, she became faintly aware of a rather pleasant tickling sensation on the top of her head. Glancing up, Twilight was graced with the sight of the human petting her mane. The unicorn closed her eyes, cooed softly and smiled, happy at the sign that her guest had calmed down and did not hold a grudge, and enjoying the attention. However, once the all too brief petting stopped, she frowned internally, but hid her disappointment and looked back up at the human.
"Pardon me, but could we return to the room?" She asked politely. "I know there's a piece of parchment and a quill there, and I'd like to ask you a few questions."
"So, those strange little appendages are called fingers?"
"Correct," The human replied, while wiggling them to emphasise the point. "Starting from this one, they're called the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger, which is sometimes called a pinky."
"Pinky?" Twilight asked curiously. "Why's that?"
"It's basically because it's so small."
"Oooooooh, I see." The lavender unicorn murmured with a slight nod. Her attention then returned to the piece of parchment, which she was drawing a diagram of the human's body on. At the present time, he had started from the top and explained about the head and its constituent parts, like the ears, nose and eyes. The similarities were astounding, even though she was a quadruped, while he was a biped and from a different plane of existence altogether.
"So, what do you call the rest of those upper limbs?"
"Ah, well, the fingers are part of what is called the hand." He remarked while pointing to it. "The underside of the hand is called the palm and is used to help with holding items. Its flexibility comes from the wrist, which, as you can see, allows a lot of room for rotation."
Twilight nodded and continued to scribble down notes and add more detail to her diagram. She was truly grateful that this creature was knowledgeable about his own anatomy, otherwise it would mean having to do horrible things like an autopsy to achieve the same result. The thought of seeing this strange, yet intelligent, creature dead made Twilight shudder, however her guest was too busy referring to a part of the human body called the "funny bone" to notice.
"Which, ends with a ball and socket joint here at the shoulder." He finished. "That's the basic structure of the bones in these 'upper limbs' as you call them."
"That's truly fascinating!" Twilight chirped enthusiastically as her magic levitated towards her for a closer inspection. "Sadly, I've run out of space on this parchment. I really should get a notebook and we continue this some other time!"
"To be honest?" He began thoughtfully. "I wouldn't mind that, it's kept my mind off... This situation."
Twilight frowned slightly and stepped towards him. Hesitantly, she reached out and gently gave his shoulder a pat. The human looked towards her and smiled weakly in response.
"Thank you for trying," He murmured. "But I think it's just something I'll have to get used to."
"Well, we don't know if we can find a way home for you or not," Twilight soothed. "Maybe there is a chance you can get home?"
"What about my memories?" He countered. "I don't even know my name. Sure, I know what hands are, but that doesn't really make me feel better."
Twilight nodded sympathetically. She had never experienced what he was going through, but she could imagine how scary it must feel to be in his situation.
"Well, why don't we come up with a new name?" She suggested. "And when you remember your real name, we can swap to that! How does that sound?"
The human rubbed his chin in thought for a moment before nodding.
"I don't see why not!"
"Great! Now let's think. You're a human. What kind of name would a human have?"
"Well, I remember a number of different names," The human said. "Names like Bill, William, Mark, James..."
"Those sound really strange," Twilight remarked with a tilted head. "But then, I can't really judge. You probably think the same way about our naming conventions."
"What kind of names do you have?"
"Well, I'm Twilight Sparkle, I know ponies named; Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine..."
The human nodded and listened intently as Twilight rambled her way through an ever-growing list of different names. Most of them sounded like random nouns and adjectives stuck together, yet they rolled off the tongue rather well. Disregarding the fact that they were clearly not human, he could see how such unusual names could exist. Eventually, Twilight finished her list, the lack of breaks taken to breathe between names caused her to inhale sharply.
"And that's the ones I know." She wheezed.
"I see. They are rather strange." He replied honestly. "But, I can definitely see how they would be used as names... Big Mac... Twinkleshine... Rarity. In fact, I think Rarity is probably the most 'normal' from my perspective."
"Quite, but that doesn't really solve the problem of what we could call you." Twilight replied dejectedly. "Something human... Not pony..."
While Twilight began pacing the room in concentration, the human opted for laying down on the bed and staring at the ceiling. What temporary name could he have? Did it matter what it was, if it was temporary? Since his memory may not return for ages, it was natural that he may be called whatever was picked for a while. As a result, he had a good reason to ensure it was a good name.
"I've got it!" Twilight squealed. The human was about to crane his neck so he could look at her, but was surprised when the overjoyed unicorn suddenly leapt on top of him. Finding himself in the position he'd been in not long ago, Twilight standing over him with a borderline manic grin, he decided it was better to just ignore it for now.
"You have?"
"Yes!" She chirped in excitement. "It's a mixture of our respective species names!"
The human raised an eyebrow, a hint of foreboding and dread washing over him at what she was about to suggest.
"Go on?"
"Well, my logic was that you wanted something familiar, but it should be easy for ponies to understand. As a result, I thought 'Pony is two syllables, human is too. Why not merge them? I was thinking Ponan at first, but it didn't sound right, so I reversed the words, resulting in the name..."
The human's eyebrow dropped back to its original state as he latched onto Twilight's train of thought and worked out what she had discovered.
"Huey." They both said together. Twilight's eyes widened at the simultaneous exclamation, while the human smirked confidently.
"Reverse the words." He explained. "Ponan. The first part is clearly pon y, while the second part is human . Reverse the words, it becomes hu man and pony ."
Twilight giggled softly and climbed off him so that she could look away in embarrassment. With his new found freedom, the human sat up and gave her mane a gentle pat.
"Great minds think alike?" The human suggested to dispel her worries. Twilight looked back at him and nodded with renewed confidence.
"Yes!"
"Amusingly, the name Huey is actually a real human name." He remarked. "So, I think you struck gold."
"You like it!?"
"I do. The logic behind your creation of it is nice. That, combined with it being a genuine human name... I think it's perfect."
Suddenly, the lavender unicorn released a sound analogous to a squeaky toy and threw her hooves round Huey in an ecstatic embrace. Huey blinked, surprised at the sudden show of affection, but swiftly recovered and gently, yet awkwardly, patted Twilight's back. Thankfully, the embrace ended as quickly as it began.
"Let's go and see Princess Celestia!" Twilight suggested with a gasp. "We can tell her about your name and all the things I've learnt about you!"
"I don't see why not," Huey thought out loud. "Plus, I'd like to actually see a little more of this world and learn a bit about it."
Huey climbed off the bed, while Twilight manoeuvred herself so they were side by side. Glancing down at the unicorn cheekily, Huey gave her a gentle nudge.
"I could put you through a session of constant questions as payment for my answering your questions."
Twilight looked up at him with a slight hint of offence.
"I wasn't intending to be annoying!" She complained, causing Huey to roll his eyes.
"Never meant that, Twilight. I was referring to the fact that you've asked loads of questions about myself and humans, but you've not done anything in return. I'm going to be staying here for a bit, so... Makes sense to know what's what, right?"
"Hmph... You could have phrased it a bit better, but okay!"
"Sorry," Huey stated with his hands raised defensively. "You really are an inquisitive soul, I was hoping to tease you about that."
"Never mind," Twilight replied matter-of-factly with a head shake. "The princess should be in the throne room!"
"Your Highness, that was the last individual wishing to seek an audience with you." A guard informed the snow white alicorn with a solemn bow. "Shall I give the order to close the gates?"
Celestia grimaced. It had been tradition, many hundreds of years ago, to signal when she would hold open court for any of her subjects to speak to her by having a semi-ceremonial opening of the castle's gates. It always pained her to have to "close the gates" every time. It felt like she was shutting out her subjects, closing herself off from them with stone and steel. However, a satisfactory alternative had failed to materialise, which forced her to continue the archaic practice. Regretfully, she nodded, causing the guard to salute and retreat from the throne room to carry out the order.
While the guard exited the room, Twilight and Huey entered. The rest of the guards stationed in the throne room watched the pair warily. They knew that anyone accompanying the princess' favourite pupil must be safe to have in the presence of the princess herself, but they were still suspicious due to this being their first encounter with a human. The pair ignored the watchful glances as they traversed the red carpet that lead to the throne.
"Twilight!" Celestia called out in her motherly tone. "It's so good to see you!"
Her student eagerly trotted the last few paces and embraced Celestia. Huey crossed his arms and watched the pair silently, occasionally glancing at the guards to see whether they were one of the three varieties of common equine Celestia had mentioned when they first met. Even though he felt much calmer than he was immediately after waking up, the wary looks he was getting from the guards were still unnerving.
"Twilight tells me that the pair of you have been getting acquainted."
Huey swiftly turned to look at the princess, who was making her way down the steps that lead to her throne. Now face to face, it was clear that Celestia was head and shoulders above her subjects in height. Unlike Twilight, who, if one used the top of her head as a reference point, only reached up to Huey's chest, Celestia was, as far as he could guess, the same height as he was, approximately six feet, if one was to disregard her horn. It would therefore appear to be the case that the average pony grew to a height of four feet, from hooves to head. This particular fact Huey had deduced as he watched the princess approach him.
"Yes, she had a lot of questions to ask about myself," He replied. "She was even able to provide a name for me!"
"Indeed, she was kind enough to mention it to me while she summarised her time with you," Celestia said softly. "Please, you must be hungry. I would be most appreciative if you and Twilight accompanied me for dinner."
Huey pursed his lips. He hadn't thought about food or drink at all since he'd arrived. Now that he had, he realised that he was very hungry.
"I'd be delighted!" He said cheerfully and stepped aside to permit Celestia to pass, even throwing in a polite bow. Celestia chuckled lightly, a hoof lifting up to cover the smile forming on her lips.
"There's no need for the formality, Huey." Celestia assured him. "You are a very important guest, my guest, to be precise. It is I who should be considering whether I should bow to you."
"Ah, there's really no need." Huey replied modestly. "I'm not that important, even if I'm the only one of my kind. Could we just not bother with the formalities and stuff, in private?"
"As you wish," Celestia agreed with a slight nod of her head. "Follow me."
Without hesitation or argument, Huey followed with Twilight beside him. As the pair meandered through the maze of corridors in the castle, Huey became aware of a soft prodding against his side. Glancing down, he found Twilight looking up at him with a massive smile that oozed the message; "things are going well". Huey nodded in agreement before focusing on watching where he was going.
It took mere minutes for the trio to enter a stunning dining room. The table, while extraordinarily thin, was incredibly long. Huey couldn't even begin to count how many chairs were lined up down the sides of it, and was relieved when Twilight and Celestia took their seats. The princess sat at the head of the table, while her student sat on her left. Unsure whether to sit on Celestia's right or next to Twilight, Huey remained on his feet until Twilight tapped the spot next to her. With the signal received loud and clear, he sighed in relief and sat down.
"I don't believe Twilight enquired about your dietary needs." Celestia remarked as a number of servants seemingly materialised out of nowhere and began setting four places at the table. Huey nodded in confirmation of Celestia's statement.
"We were still going over human anatomy," Huey stated, while a servant placed a full set of cutlery in front of him. "Twilight had just finished making notes about my arms and hands. I think that would have lead us to the chest and neck."
"Right!" Twilight chirped happily. "He may look different, but there's actually so much that's similar! He knows about surgery and medicine!"
"Oh?" Celestia said inquisitively. "Were you a physician?"
"No, I don't think so," Huey replied thoughtfully. "I have this vague recollection of a place called McDonald's. It was a fast food place!"
"Fast food?" Twilight interrupted. "You mean like hay burgers and such?"
"Not exactly," Huey corrected gently. "Humans are usually omnivores, we eat both meat and plants."
The sudden of mention of meat caused the crash of crockery against the floor. The trio whirled round to see what had happened, and were graced with the sight of a young mare frantically clearing up bits of broken ceramic and burbling apologies. Unbeknown to her, Huey had stood up and walked over to help. Suffice to say, she was surprised when she saw the human's hands pick up a piece of crockery she was reaching out for. Nervously, she looked at up him, a clear hint of uncertainty and fear in her eyes. Huey grimaced at that, he felt offended at the ridiculous fact that this mare was afraid that she might get eaten by him.
"However, we don't need meat to survive," He continued, while holding out the bits of ceramic for the mare to take. "There are a number of humans that choose to be vegetarian. Some go even further and eat nothing that comes from an animal, like milk, who are called vegans."
Huey smiled lightly at the mare, who still had clear traces of fear within her. Eager to put her fears to rest, Huey knelt down, so that he was at her height and spoke to her directly.
"What's your name, Miss?"
"M-My name's S-Silver Salver, sir." She stammered. "I'm sorry for dropping the plates."
"Shhhhh... It's okay." Huey replied quietly. Reaching out, he let his hand gently stroke her ear and mane. At first, the mare flinched at the sudden contact, but then released a gentle hum of delight. After giving her mane a soft tousle, Huey stood back up.
"Don't worry about calling me 'sir'," He explained. "Dropping the plates was an accident and, frankly, I can understand why you might be afraid of me. After all, where I'm from... Ponies don't talk at all. Imagine how spooky this place must be for me, hmm?"
Silver Salver nodded in understanding and smiled sweetly at him.
"Thank you, Si-I mean very much. Ahem... Thank you very much." She stuttered, while taking the ceramic, bowing apologetically to the princess and retreating from the room. Huey rejoined the two ponies at the dinner table.
"If you pardon my asking," Celestia began. "What were you doing to her with those... 'Hands', did you say?"
"Yes, hands." Huey replied. "I gave her a reassuring pet. It's a common practice done by humans to domesticated animals. Pets we have include cats, dogs, rabbits and, if you're incredibly rich, horses and ponies."
"I see," Celestia stated, a hint of suspicion in her tone. "Tell me more about the horses and ponies of your world."
"Well, I was never that interested in them, but they are markedly different to yourselves." Huey said honestly. "A horse is usually as tall as me, if you stop at the... What's the part called where you... Um..."
Unsure how to describe the specific equine body part, he looked towards Twilight.
"Could you stand up for a moment?"
Twilight nodded and the pair stood up and took a few steps away from the table, Celestia watching them intently. Huey pointed at the base of Twilight's neck, where it met her back.
"This bit, what is it?" He asked.
"The withers." Celestia stated.
"Right, well if Twilight was to be a horse from where I'm from, her withers would reach to around where my head ends. With the head included, that'd mean they'd be about seven feet in height?"
"So, our counterparts from your land are much larger than you?" She reiterated with a nod of understanding.
"Correct. Ponies are a little bit shorter. However, very few, if any, are as short as the average pony is here." Huey elaborated. "Before you ask, I'm afraid they are not bestowed with the same... Intelligence?"
Celestia tilted her head.
"In other words, they're not enslaved." She stated bluntly, causing Huey to nod frantically. He was happy that he had dodged the bullet regarding whether he could say that equines where he was from weren't anywhere near as intelligent as Celestia or Twilight was.
"Yes, that's it!" He added. "I didn't want to offend, but where I'm from, they're a domesticated animal. They can't speak and the colours aren't as varied as yours. For example, a horse with Twilight's colour doesn't, and couldn't, exist in my world."
"That is most fascinating." Celestia remarked. "You mentioned that you ate meat. Does that include...?"
"What? No!" Huey replied in surprise. "No, I don't eat horse or pony. Admittedly, some cultures do, but not me... I think. I honestly can't remember if I did or not before I came here, but I promise I won't do anything of the sort here!"
"Just checking," Celestia replied nonchalantly, her horn glowing a bright gold aura as she examined a fork that she'd levitated over to herself for inspection. For a moment, Huey thought he could see an almost cheeky smile break across her lips, but he shook the idea out of his head. Twilight and he took their respective places again.
"As for vegetables and fruit," Huey said, eager to move the topic aware from meat. "Humans can eat many kinds of vegetables, fruit, berries, herbs. "
"That all sounds incredibly basic," Twilight mused. "Have your kind experimented in the culinary arts?"
"We have," Huey replied. "Food is constantly experimented with where I'm from. We have loads of different food stuffs like pizza, pasta, bread, cake, the list is endless."
"Well, all four of those exist here," Celestia said with a smile. "So, I think you'll be just fine!"
"Glorious!" Huey cheered. "What's on the menu anyway?"
"Whatever you wish, sir."
Huey whirled round to face the new voice that had addressed him. To his surprise, a steel grey, earth pony stallion, wearing a black waist coat, white dress shirt and a black tie was stood next to him. How he had been able to do so without being heard, Huey could not fathom.
"Forgive me for surprising you, but Her Highness' catering staff are most proficient."
"Indeed, Silver Platter," Celestia said. "Huey, Silver Platter will note down what you wish to have for dinner, I think you'll find he's a true expert at the art of..."
"Buttling, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Silver Platter."
"Ah, thank you!" Huey said to Celestia before turning back to the butler. "And thank you too, Silver Platter. May I have a simple cheese pizza, if that's possible?"
"It is, and it shall be done, sir." The butler replied passively with a simple nod. After swiftly noting down Twilight and Celestia's requests for dinner, he retreated from the room.
"Excuse me for asking, but..." Huey said cautiously. "Why is there a fourth place set at the table?"
"Ah, my sister, Princess Luna, will, I hope, dine with us. Usually, she sleeps during the day due to her duties requiring her to be awake at night."
"Ah, the graveyard shift?" Huey remarked, causing Celestia to raise an eyebrow.
"That's... One way of describing it." Celestia mused. "However, I don't believe Luna would appreciate it."
"Oh, then I'm sorry," Huey backtracked. "Still, I'm grateful that you're being so generous with your time and staff. I'm really not that special."
"You are to me," Celestia countered gently. "It is most unfortunate that you were snatched from your world. Naturally, we will leave no stone unturned in our search to get you back to where you belong."
"All I can really say to that is thank you, Princess Celestia." Huey replied modestly. "Wait... You hope Luna will dine with us?"
Celestia's smile suddenly vanished. Twilight hadn't noticed the princess' choice of words and hearing them again piqued her curiosity too.
"Is she okay, Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked. "How is she feeling after what happened?"
"She..." Celestia began quietly, her usual motherly tone replaced by one laced with worry. "Still feels great shame for what she did. I have tried to help her, spend time with her, but my duties to Equestria..."
"Sorry to butt in, but what did she do?" Huey interjected cautiously. Twilight looked at him with a grave expression, causing him to regret asking the question. However, Celestia sighed and answered regardless.
"Just over a thousand years ago," She said sadly. "My sister and I had ruled over Equestria together. However, Luna had become increasingly bitter due to the fact that she is the architect of the night, while I am the princess who brings forth the day."
"She builds the night?"
"Not exactly," Twilight interrupted. "Celestia and Luna have the power to raise and lower the sun and moon! They are the ones we rely on to ensure we have a day and night at all!"
"Wow!" Huey replied in surprise. "That's... Unbelievable! I mean... That's not how it works where I'm from. The sun and moon do that by themselves."
"Well, there are some differences between our world and yours, Huey," Celestia stated. "In my sister's case, she took great pride in the stars she crafted in the night sky. However, most ponies would be asleep."
"She didn't feel appreciated." Huey guessed, causing Celestia to nod.
"I still remember it like it was yesterday," Celestia continued with a light shine in her eyes, indicative of tears. "My sister felt so alone, so bitter. That anger corrupted her into a monster called Nightmare Moon. I tried to stop her, but, she was gone. I had no choice, but to do something that I still regret to this day."
"And what was that?" Huey probed.
"I banished her to the moon." Celestia admitted, her head looking away in shame. "I wish I could have done something else. Instead, she remained trapped there for a thousand years."
"Your sister lived on the moon for that long?"
"No, she became a part of it." Celestia explained. "A legend that centred around strange markings on the moon, which looked like a pony, suggested that there was a mare in the moon itself. Those legends were more true than most ponies know."
"But Luna is free now, right?" Huey stated defiantly. "You have a place set for her right there! Surely that means she's okay now?"
"A few days ago," Twilight began, causing Huey to shift his gaze. "Nightmare Moon was able to break free from her lunar prison. I, along with my friends, were able to dispel Nightmare Moon and bring Luna back."
"Something which I could not do," Celestia remarked mournfully. "I know Luna isn't to blame for what she did back then and now, but..."
"She still feels guilty, even though Nightmare Moon and her are separate beings?" Huey postulated, earning a nod from both ponies at the table.
"Well, they're kind of not separate, but are." Twilight mused. "Nightmare Moon is a corrupted form of Luna, obsessed with achieving eternal night and sweeping away the possibility of the sun raising ever again. Completely filled with unbridled rage and hatred of Celestia."
"Madness incarnate?" Huey mused. "The personification of an individuals darkest emotions."
"That description is not pleasant," Celestia remarked. "But it is painfully accurate."
Huey looked over at the alabaster alicorn. Even though she hadn't changed in size, her posture made her seem small and insignificant. It was clear that she was deeply upset by those events. Biting his lip, Huey stood up and walked around the table towards the princess. Twilight watched in wonder as Huey approached Celestia and gently wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Shielded from view, Celestia rested her head against Huey's chest. Normally, she would not permit herself the luxury of something as simple as a hug. However, tonight was different. There was a deep emotional pain weighing down her spirits and she could not bring herself to refuse the hug, even if it was from a totally different species. Even though she would have liked to return the embrace, she dare not for fear of appearing to act improperly in the eyes of her student. As a result, she decided nestling her head against Huey's chest was the next best thing.
After letting her enjoy the hug for a moment, Huey gently let go of her. Celestia was blisteringly quick in driving away the raw emotion that he could see while he was hugging her. From Twilight's perspective, Huey had just given Celestia a hug and she'd just sat there like a statue and permitted it. The truth of what really happened was known only to the alicorn and human.
"Now then!" Huey stated with a cough to break everyone's attention regarding the hug. "While we wait, how about I tell you some of the things I know regarding humanity's knowledge of medicine?"
"Yes, please!" Twilight chirped, her thought processes immediately engrossed with the possibility of learning more about humans. Celestia looked at Huey and, when he glanced back, gave him a grateful smile and nod. The gesture probably did not feel like much to him, but it had been of tremendous help to her.
4 - Inter-Species Observations
"She keeps stealing Rainbow Dash away from me! She popped my balloons, and she told me to buzz off! I've never met a griffon this mean! Well, actually, I've never met a griffon at all, but I bet if I had, she wouldn't have been as mean and grumpy as Gilda!"
Huey's eyes opened wearily as the angry rant unfolded. He and Twilight had completed their plan with time to spare, however it turned out far less successful than he had imagined. The quilts sewn together to act as an enlarged one for him to wrap up in had functioned perfectly. However, the quilts that had been put together to act as a mattress were far too thin. As such, he had to make do with sleeping on the hard, wooden floor of the library. After much wrangling and discussion, he and Twilight had agreed that he would just sleep in the library proper. In the event that a pony came to visit, in the capacity of a customer, Huey had agreed to being woken up by Twilight and quickly ushered upstairs to sleep on the floor in her bedroom.
The very familiar voice used by Pinkie Pie clearly showed that this was not a professional visit, so it didn't warrant waking him up. However, it was clear that whatever was bothering the party mare was important enough for her to forget that there was an individual sleeping in the room. Huey yawned loudly and stretched his arms as far as he could before rolling onto his side to look at who was in the room. Upon discovering that Twilight was reading a book on the central lectern, Pinkie Pie was pacing around her and Spike was sat in the corner with a tome of his own, he waved in greeting.
"Hey, everyone!" He mumbled. "What's going on?"
"Huey!" Pinkie squealed. "I'm sorry! I forgot that you were asleep!"
The human waved his hand dismissively and let his face slump against the floor. The fact that his sleep was less than satisfactory meant that he did not have the energy to properly wake up, or crawl out of his makeshift bed.
"It's fine!" Huey assured her. "What's this about popping balloons?"
"Oh!" Twilight exclaimed. "Pinkie Pie was telling me about her experiences with Gilda. She's a griffon Rainbow Dash knew from Flight Camp."
"Griffon?" Huey interrupted. "You mean half bird, half lion creature thing?"
"Mhm!"
Huey stared at the occupants in the room and blinked. It was hard enough that dragons existed and equines could speak, but it was getting ridiculous with the revelation that griffons existed too. Huey let a hand drag its way down his face in exasperation.
"I'm not even going to argue." He mumbled. "It's meaningless anyway, since we're not in my world. Where I'm from... Griffons are a myth and don't exist. Just like talking ponies, unicorns... And basically everything else here."
The trio of Equestrians glanced at each other. Huey, on the other hand, sluggishly picked himself up off the floor and stumbled his way towards Pinkie.
"So, you were saying, Twilight?" He murmured in exhaustion. "Griffons stole Rainbow Dash."
"Just one griffon!" Pinkie corrected. "Mean, old, grumpy Gilda!"
"Pinkie..." Twilight began carefully. "I'm sorry to say this, but I honestly think this is a case of jealousy on your part."
"Jealousy!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in surprise.
"Yup, green with envy!" Spike remarked from his corner of the room. "Well, in your case, it's pink with envy, but you get the idea."
"Just because Rainbow Dash has another friend, it doesn't mean Gilda's mean or a grump!" Twilight continued. "And it's actually unfair on everyone else if you were to keep Rainbow Dash to yourself. She is her own mare, after all."
Pinkie Pie glanced between Spike and Twilight, her expression displaying her dismay at her friends not backing her up. She then turned towards Huey and looked up at him. Huey stared back, his eyes burning with fatigue as he ran a hand through his hair.
"What?" He asked. "I've literally just woken up. I mean... Sure, the balloon popping thing sounds pretty mean, but the rest sounds like she just wants to spend some quality time with Rainbow Dash. So, I don't know, I'd have to see this griffon for myself before I make a judgement here."
Pinkie Pie looked down at the floor dejectedly. Huey looked at Twilight, who just shook her head. However, the sombre silence was broken when Pinkie Pie suddenly perked up.
"I'll just have to show you what a meanie she is!" She declared before biting the hem of Huey's t-shirt and dragging him towards the exit. "Come on, Huey!"
"Uh, can't I get breakfast or something first!?"
"We'll get something while we're out, come on!" Pinkie replied insistently. Huey looked back at Twilight desperately, who frowned and shook her head as a signal that she had no idea what she could do. Resigned to his fate, Huey stopped resisting and let the earth pony drag him into the streets of Ponyville.
"Pinkie, I really think this is a bad idea!"
"What?" Pinkie replied in disbelief. "It's bound to work! No pony will even know you're here!"
"Handing over a large pair of sunglasses with a red nose and a party horn is hardly the perfect disguise for a creature that's six foot tall, walks on two legs and is literally the only one of its kind!" Huey hissed quietly. "You might as well just give me a massive sign with flashing lights that reads 'Do Not Look At Me!' to wear as a hat!"
"Well, what do you suggest!? I don't see you making any suggestions!"
"How about a bloody newspaper!?" Huey suggested with growing annoyance. "It's better than the stuff you've given me!"
"Fine!" Pinkie huffed. "I'll go inside and get you a newspaper. What kind of milkshake do you want?"
"Surprise me."
Pinkie nodded before vacating her seat and wandering into the ice cream parlour she and Huey had ventured to. The two reasons this location had been picked above all others was the fact that it was situated in the centre of town, where the majority of ponies congregated, and it allowed Pinkie to get something for Huey to eat that wouldn't run the risk of being inedible due to the presence of grass or daisies. Realising he was on his own, Huey glanced around and noticed a number of ponies actively keeping their distance, huddling into groups to whisper, point and stare and generally demonstrating that he stuck out like a sore thumb.
Sighing, he averted his gaze and stared down at the table he and Pinkie had occupied. It was clear that his choice of words after waking up were the worst possible ones to say. Huey shook his head and began drumming the fingers of one hand onto the table and forced himself to look around.
The architecture was, as he'd noticed upon arrival, reminiscent of sixteenth century Europe back in his world. The homes were made of wood with, what he assumed was, wattle and daub, a mixture of a woven wooden lattice smeared with mud or clay to keep the wind out, for the walls, while the roofs were thatched. However, there were three notable exceptions that he noticed. The first being the town hall, which was a round, layered spire in appearance, which indicated that a great deal more time and effort had been put into its architecture. The second was Pinkie's home and place of work, Sugarcube Corner, which was the unusual in that it looked like a giant gingerbread house. Finally, Rarity's home and business, Carousel Boutique, which was clearly based off the architecture that was prevalent in Canterlot.
The equines themselves were wandering around the myriad of wooden stalls that had been set up by those seeking to sell their wares. The variety that was on sale was staggering. Not only were there stalls for fresh fruit and vegetables, some were selling more intricate items such as hoof-crafted wooden toys and books. It was, if one disregarded the inhabitants, an almost perfect parallel to medieval Europe.
"Here you go!" Pinkie chirped as she placed a glass filled to the brim with pink liquid and a newspaper. Huey tore his gaze away from the surroundings to watch the mare add a parasol to their table.
"What's that for?" He asked, while pulling the glass closer and sucking some of the milkshake through a straw. "The weather's not that hot."
"It's so Gilda can't see us from above!" Pinkie explained quietly. "She's a griffon, remember? Griffons can fly!"
Huey paused his drinking of the strawberry-flavoured beverage he had been provided and nodded.
"That's actually really smart. Good thinking, Pinkie!" He complimented before reaching over and gently clinking his glass against hers. "Also, this milkshake is delicious! Good choice!"
Pinkie smiled happily and giggled.
"No problem, Huey, and you're right, these milkshakes really are awesome!"
The pair settled down and began to drink their respective milkshakes. Huey glanced down at the paper Pinkie had obtained for him and skimmed the front page. Much to his disappointment, there was a very dull story being used for the headline, which was referring to the aftermath of Nightmare Moon's return. Admittedly, if he hadn't known about what happened from Princess Celestia herself, Huey would have been eager to read it, but that was not the case.
Huey's ears pricked up when he registered the faint sound of what he thought was a jet-powered aeroplane. The low droning sound was clearly emanating from the skies overhead, so he leaned back to see what was happening outside of the protective dome provided by the parasol. Much to his surprise, a pair of hooves grasped him by the t-shirt and pulled him back under cover.
"What are you doing!?" Huey hissed in surprise.
"That's them!" Pinkie replied quietly. "It's Gilda and Rainbow Dash!"
"That was sweet!" A tomboyish voice Huey recognised as the sky blue pegasai's said with a giggle. "But, I've gotta take care of a few weather jobs around here. Shouldn't take long! Just, uh... Hang out in town and I'll come find you!"
Huey and Pinkie watched as Rainbow Dash landed close by with a massive griffon, blessed with a head covered in white feathers with purple tips and a body of brown fur, beside her. The human swiftly grabbed his newspaper and opened it up onto a random page. Pinkie immediately joined him, the pair squashed up against each other like love-sick sweethearts to keep themselves hidden from view behind the pages of ink.
"That's cool, I guess?" A lower, more gravelly female replied. "I'm gonna go chow down!"
"Later!" Rainbow Dash said before zipping away, the breeze created causing the pages of Huey's newspaper to flutter. With Rainbow Dash gone, the pair peeked from their respective sides of the newspaper to observe Gilda.
"Wow," Huey whispered. "It's a real griffon! A real, breathing griffon!"
"Kind of cool, isn't it?" Pinkie replied. "But watch out! She really is a meanie mean pants!"
Huey raised an eyebrow and glanced at Pinkie, who was busy watching Gilda like a hawk. Shaking his head, Huey returned his gaze to the griffon, who had wandered towards a fresh vegetable stall. Quietly, Gilda crept behind it as an elderly, green earth pony walked up to the same stall. As the elderly mare leaned forward to sniff one of the carrots, a long, brown tail with a tuft of dark brown fur on the end reared itself from the pile of vegetables, causing the mare to scream in fright.
"A rattler!" She cried. "A rattler! Run for the hills! Everybody run! Save yourselves!"
Huey and Pinkie watched as the decrepit earth pony lead by example in the slowest manner possible. Gilda popped up from behind the stall with a devilish smirk, but it vanished when she noticed the stall owner glaring at her. With a disinterested expression, Gilda prodded one of the tomatoes on the cart.
"This stuff ain't fresh!" She declared angrily before stomping away. Huey and Pinkie looked at each other.
"Did you see that!?" Pinkie complained. "She played prank on Granny Smith and didn't even tell her afterwards that it was one!"
"Yeah, but I wouldn't really call that mean," Huey replied with a grimace. "Maybe a little bit unpleasant, but it's not exactly being an outright jerk, is it?"
Pinkie Pie huffed before they returned to watching Gilda, who had wandered past a cart selling apples. The griffon glanced back at the cart, who's owner was busy chatting with two mares. With an amazing show of agility, Gilda's tail wrapped around an apple sat at the top of one of the many buckets filled with them on the cart and took it. Huey gasped as he witnessed the griffon pop the stolen apple into her mouth and, in her own words, 'chow down'. He leaned towards Pinkie and nudged her.
"She just stole an apple!" He hissed. Pinkie looked up at him with an unsure expression.
"Maybe she'll give it back?" She suggested weakly. Huey blinked in bewilderment at the ludicrous suggestion. After taking a few moments to process the her response, he shook his head.
"She's eaten the bloody thing!" He argued. "What do you expect will be left to give back once she's finished digesting it!? Free first grade griffon dung!? Also, why are you even defending this thief? You're the one who wanted to show me she's a meanie!"
"Hey! I'm walkin' here!"
The pair swiftly broke their attention away from each other to see what was going on. Stood in the centre of town, with a familiar butter yellow pegasus cowering before her, was Gilda. All of the ponies in the area had backed away from the disturbance, leaving Fluttershy on her own during this confrontation.
"Oh! Um... I-I'm sorry. I-I was just... Trying to..." Fluttershy stammered, her whole body almost pressed against the ground as she backed away from Gilda. However, it was clear that the griffon was not interested in apologies due to her stomping after Fluttershy.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Gilda replied in a tone meant to imitate Fluttershy's before reverting to her normal voice. "Why don't you watch where you're going, doofus!?"
"B-B-But... I... I..."
Suddenly, the griffon took a deep breath and then released a deafening roar. The sound was so piercing that Huey let go of the newspaper to cover his ears. However, instead of falling onto the table, the newspaper blew into his face due to being propelled by the gust of wind created by Gilda's roar. Ears ringing, he tore the paper away from his face, once the roar had concluded, just in time to see a sobbing Fluttershy fly away. Mouth agape, he then turned to look at Gilda, who was rolling her eyes in annoyance.
"Urgh..." She groaned indignantly. "Please... All these lame ponies are driving me buggy! I gotta bail!"
Huey's blood boiled. Not only had this disgusting excuse for a griffon stole an apple, she'd also traumatised two ponies, one an elder and the other the most timid creature ever born. His skin burning with fury, he stood up and strode over towards Gilda, who was about to take off into the skies.
"OI!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, causing the griffon to stop and turn towards him.
"What do you want!?" She asked, the 'you' emphasised to convey her annoyance at being disturbed.
"You know what I bloody want, you jumped up chicken!" Huey bellowed, totally unaware of all the ponies watching him. "Who died and gave you the right to be an utter prat towards Fluttershy!?"
"Uh... Duh... Every griffon ever?" Gilda replied nonchalantly with a raised eyebrow. "Like, everyone knows griffons are way cooler than ponies. What are you anyway?"
"I'm a human," Huey began, every word dripping with unconcealed hatred. "My name's Huey, and you're nothing, but a disgusting piece of trash waiting to be swept up."
The white feathers covering the griffon's neck fluffed up in fury. Gilda closed the gap between herself and Huey before pressing her forehead against his, the pair boring holes into each others eyes.
"I can gut you with one flick of my talons, human," Gilda stated, her eyes slowly becoming bloodshot with rage. "So, you better take that back before these ponies get a front row seat in finding out what your entrails look like."
"Bring it on," Huey replied defiantly. "I eat chickens like you for breakfast!"
Suddenly, Huey became aware of something tugging on his t-shirt. He turned and found Pinkie Pie pulling on it frantically.
"Stop!" Pinkie shouted. "Just let it go!"
"Ha! I should have known you would be chicken enough to send your hairless weirdo to do your dirty work, Stinky Pie," Gilda scoffed. "I'm outta here."
Huey's eye twitched as he watched the griffon fly away. As soon as the brown speck that was Gilda vanished from view, he turned away and stormed towards the library with Pinkie chasing after him.
"Huey, stop!" Pinkie begged as the human pushed the library's front door open so hard that it slammed into the wall, causing the room to shake. "She isn't worth getting hurt over!"
Huey whirled round and looked down at the party mare.
"She is a thief, a complete prat and an idiot!" He ranted. "She deserves to be skinned alive!"
"What in Tartarus is going on here!?" Twilight exclaimed in surprise as she wandered into the room from the kitchen.
"Pinkie was wrong!" Huey yelled. "Gilda isn't a meanie. She's the most evil creature I've ever seen! That birdbrain saw fit to roar at Fluttershy like she was... I don't bloody know! Granted, I've yet to have a proper conversation with Fluttershy, but even I'm capable of noticing that she's timid and nervous!"
Twilight shook her head in confusion, while Huey stomped towards the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Pinkie asked sadly.
"Upstairs." Huey replied bluntly before slamming Twilight's bedroom door shut behind him. Pinkie frowned and sat down, while Twilight walked over and embraced her.
"Tell me everything from the beginning," Twilight soothed, her hoof gently running through Pinkie's mane.
"Well..." Pinkie began tearfully. She was about to divulge everything she had witnessed between Gilda and Huey, but suddenly stopped herself. After shaking her head vigorously, Pinkie returned to her cheerful self.
"It's okay!" She chirped with a giggle. "It was just an itty-bitty misunderstanding between Gilda and Huey. I'll just go and smooth things over with Huey."
Twilight tilted her head and raised her eyebrow in incredulity.
"An 'itty-bitty' misunderstanding?" She repeated. "It sounded more like he and Gilda were going to tear each other part."
Pinkie's smile faltered slightly, but swiftly recovered. An ecstatic giggle that ended with a snort erupted from the party mare.
"Oh Twilight! You worry too much! I assure you that everything's just fine!" She lied. "Auntie Pinkie Pie will take care of it!"
"Take care of what?" Twilight enquired as Pinkie trotted towards the stairs. Sadly, she received no reply as the pink earth pony ascended the stairs with a spring in her step and a happy tune to hum. This facade quickly evaporated once Pinkie was sure Twilight couldn't see or hear her. Nervously, she knocked on the bedroom door. A few moments elapsed before a very angry Huey opened it.
"What!?" He asked abruptly.
"Huey, can we talk?" Pinkie asked. "Privately?"
The human huffed and stomped away without shutting the door. Interpreting it as permission to enter, Pinkie trotted over to Twilight's bed and laid down on it, while watching the furious human pace the room.
"Stupid chicken-hearted..." Huey cursed. "Thing! Who does she think she is!?"
"Huey?"
"I swear, how can she be like that? Fluttershy's clearly a shy and nervous soul! Yet she still... I can't even..."
"Huey..."
Huey suddenly turned towards the wall and punched it, causing Pinkie to jump slightly. The pair remained silent for a few moments before the human sighed and began to smack his head against the wall repeatedly.
"Huey!" Pinkie called out insistently. "Stop!"
Huey obeyed and slowly turned his head to look at Pinkie Pie. It was barely noticeable, but his forehead possessed a small red patch from the abuse he'd inflicted on himself with the aid of the bedroom wall. Pinkie frowned and patted the empty space next to her on the bed.
"Sit."
Huey blinked at the calm, yet clearly authoritative tone Pinkie was adopting. At first, he wanted to argue against her, but decided against it. After all, his quarrel was with Gilda, not Pinkie. After breathing a heavy sigh, he wandered over and sat down next to Pinkie. To his surprise, she immediately lay down, her head, legs and upper torso laying on his lap like a large dog.
"What are you doing?" Huey asked passively.
"I'm helping you calm down, Huey," Pinkie explained while looking up at him. "You can't let what happened make you unhappy."
"I'm not unhappy!" Huey argued, his hand gently patting the mare's chaotic mane. "I'm just outraged. How can you not be outraged? Fluttershy's your friend, yet you don't bat an eyelid when she got treated like dirt."
"Hey!" Pinkie interrupted. "I'm not saying Gilda ISN'T mean and grumpy-wumpy... I'm just thinking that maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
"There's a reason why she's so grumpy?" Pinkie finished thoughtfully. "I mean... You have to have a reason to be nasty, right?"
Huey sighed and shook his head. While his personal memories were very much gone, he was still aware of general memories regarding his race.
"Pinkie..." He began solemnly. "Actually, could you get up for a minute?"
Pinkie immediately obeyed and hopped off the bed. Huey then lay on it properly and gestured towards Pinkie, who immediately retook her position of laying in his lap. The human took a deep breath and continued to pet her mane before continuing.
"Where I'm from," He mused. "Being nasty is easy. You don't need a decent reason to be utter scum. Some enjoy making others miserable, there are individuals who just... Like to make others suffer."
"How do you know if they're like that?" Pinkie asked, while leaning a little closer towards his hand.
"You judge them by how they act," Huey explained. "You see how they interact with their others, watch how they act and treat those around them. What I saw today was just nastiness without reason. I don't know if you have the phrase here, but I am certain that Gilda is a 'bad egg', Pinkie, as rotten in the inside as she clearly is on the outside."
"You really believe that?"
"I do," Huey replied solemnly. "I mean... I'm more than happy to admit that I'm wrong, if she suddenly turns out to be okay, but, from what I've seen and heard today, I am certain that I'm right."
Pinkie grimaced and nuzzled Huey's hand. The small problem she had with 'jealousy' had spiralled into something far worse. What was originally just concern about a griffon's bad attitude had turned into Equestria's first human holding a vendetta and damning opinion of someone who he had never actually spoken to properly. Pinkie's heart sank when she realised that she had also not actually interacted properly with the grumpy griffon. Maybe it was her fault? Her initial insistence on following Rainbow Dash and Gilda around had put the griffon into a bad mood, which had boiled over into the confrontation with Fluttershy and Huey? Had she even given Gilda a proper chance at all? Reviewing the course of the day's events, Pinkie frowned as she realised that she had not given Rainbow Dash's guest a real chance.
As a wave of guilt began to wash over her, Pinkie's focus turned towards how to fix the problem she believed she had created, the gentle petting from Huey providing a comfortable backdrop for her to think carefully and clearly about the best way forward. Huey, on the other hand, was gazing mindlessly at the ceiling. He had already made up his mind that Gilda was trouble, what more was there to consider? Now, all he wanted to do was just relax and let the remnants of his anger towards her slip away. Much to his embarrassment, petting Pinkie Pie's candy floss-like mane was helping a great deal, but he did not wish to admit that yet.
"I've got it!"
Huey looked down at Pinkie inquisitively, who was looking back at him ecstatically.
"You've got what?"
"An ideeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaa!" Pinkie Pie sang before hopping off the bed. "You and Gilda are now super-duper angry at each other. She's also super-wuper-duper angry at me for being jealous! Well, what if I was to throw a party that helps you two make amends and help make her feel welcome in Ponyville!?"
Huey sat up and shook his head, a look of despair and incredulity plastered over his face.
"Pinkie," He began. "Forgive me for being sceptical, but I don't think a party's going to change what is clearly a disgusting individual."
It was Pinkie's turn to show incredulity as she raised an eyebrow at him, which, much to his amazement, continued to rise until it was no longer a part of her face. Huey watched in disbelief as the eyebrow rose up towards the ceiling. His gaze then returned to Pinkie, who was clearly not affected by the sudden detachment of a body part. Once it was clear that Pinkie was not going to relent, Huey facepalmed.
"Fine!" He mumbled in annoyance. "Do what you have to do. Merge our parties together or whatever, just understand that I think this is a stupid idea."
"Duly noted!" Pinkie chirped, her eyebrow suddenly fading back into existence in its intended place. Without a single indication the physically impossible had occurred, she turned and trotted out of the room, leaving Huey on his own to wallow in despair at the outright ludicrousness of the pink mare.
"I swear, that pony is a law unto herself." Huey remarked to himself.
5 - Inter-Species Welcome Parties
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Pinkie greeted enthusiastically while ushering in a young, bright blue earth pony mare with a grey mane into Sugarcube Corner. Applejack, Rarity and Huey watched her greeting the guests from across the room, which had been decorated in the usual decorations, like bunting, balloons and streamers.
"So, who's this Gilda I ain't heard nothin' about?" Applejack asked inquisitively.
"I heard she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash!" Rarity replied. "A griffon too! So rare!"
Huey unconsciously grumbled in acknowledgement, causing the two mares to turn towards him.
"Is there somethin' wrong, sugarcube?" Applejack enquired. "You don't seem too pleased. Is this 'cause Pinkie Pie put you and Gilda's parties together?"
"Hmm?" Huey hummed, his attention finally torn away from his quiet sulking. "What? Oh, Gilda? Yeah, she's a griffin, I and Pinkie were able to catch a glimpse of her in town at one point."
"Ohhhhh!" Rarity cooed with interest. "What is she like? What does she look like?"
"Honestly?" Huey murmured, his gaze wandering around from the mares to look towards Pinkie, who was now chatting with a clearly nervous Fluttershy. "I think you might like her feathers. Her head's covered in white feathers, but there were some which had slightly purple tips. You'll see what I'm referring to once she arrives, I think you might find them most interesting, Rarity."
"Well!" Rarity exclaimed in delight. "I shall definitely take the time to converse with her, she sounds positively divine!"
Huey grimaced internally before making his excuses and wandering towards Pinkie.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about mean, old Gilda!" Pinkie stated cheerfully before reaching up and patting Fluttershy's mane. "Your Auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of!"
Fluttershy frowned in disapproval at the patronising tone and head-patting she had received. It was not enough for her to tell Pinkie Pie, who had trotted back towards the front door, how she really felt, but she still said it to herself, unaware that Huey was stood next to her.
"I'm a year older than you." She murmured with a hint of frustration. Huey waited a few moments before quietly clearing his throat, causing the butter yellow pegasus to whirl round in surprise.
"Oh, um... I-I'm sorry, H-H-Huey," She whispered timidly. "Was I standing in your way?"
"No, no!" Huey replied in a reassuring tone. "I just came over to ask if you would like a drink?"
Huey caught the faintest hint of a blush forming before Fluttershy looked towards the floor and began pawing her hoof against it, her face now hidden by the familiar curtain of pink mane.
"You... Don't have to do that... F-For me," She murmured. "I... I don't... You know... Want to be a bother."
Huey grimaced and knelt down. Lifting a solitary finger, he gently parted the pink mane in front of him so that he could, at the very least, look into a solitary emerald eye belonging to Fluttershy. Her view continued to flick from the floor to the human looking back at her with concern, clearly preferring to be 'invisible' behind her flowing locks of pink hair.
"Fluttershy, it is not a bother at all," Huey stated truthfully. "I know that I'm probably really scary to you, but I promise, I could never consider hurting you."
"Y-You really mean it?" She asked, her eye contact increasing ever so slightly. Huey nodded solemnly.
"I do," He reiterated. "So, could I have the privilege of getting you a drink? Please?"
Fluttershy's eye contact completely broke down and she leaned backwards, causing her mane to no longer be restrained by Huey's finger and swiftly hide her face again.
"O-Okay," A barely audible whisper said. Huey was about to ask her to repeat herself, unsure if he'd actually heard her at all, but decided against it and swiftly wandered over towards the buffet table. After quickly browsing through the selection of savoury and sweet snacks on offer, Huey grabbed a paper plate and stocked up on mini donuts and some cupcakes. He was about to head towards the punch bowl next, but quickly turned back towards the food to grab a few random savoury snacks. Admittedly, he had no intention of eating the savoury items, which were mostly grass and assorted flowers put into sandwiches or small puff pastry casings, but he thought that the gesture would be appreciated by Fluttershy.
"Gilda!"
Huey's ears pricked up as he spun round to see Pinkie Pie greeting the guest of honour herself.
"I'm so honoured to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties, and I'm really, truly, sincerely hope you feel welcome here amongst all us ponyfolk... And our resident human too!" She stated with an almost jaw-dislocating grin. Huey sighed, he was aware that he had given his blessing, under duress, to Pinkie, but he would have preferred her to not highlight the fact that he existed too. Shaking his head, he began to quickly scan the crowd to see where Fluttershy was, before his attention was brought back to Gilda. The griffon, who had accepted a hoofshake from Pinkie, appeared to be in a great deal of distress. Huey's eyes narrowed in suspicion, followed by concern when Gilda collapsed to the floor.
"Gilda!?" He called out, while quickly leaving his plate of snacks on the buffet table and wading through the crowd towards her. "Are you okay?"
Pinkie Pie suddenly burst out into laughter, her hoof turning over to reveal a small button strapped to it. Huey grimaced as he knelt down beside the shocked griffon and waved into her eyes.
"Gilda, you alright?" Huey asked urgently, but was distracted when a sudden electric shock pulsed through his upper arm.
"NYARGH!" He cried out before face-planting the floor unceremoniously in surprise. Pinkie's laughter doubled in volume, her breathing so irregular that she began snorting between laughs.
"Gotcha you boooooooth!" She sang before taking the button off her hoof. "Hoof buzzer!"
Huey mumbled an unheard obscenity under his breath before picking himself up, followed by giving Gilda a helping hand to stand up too.
"Ha! Oh, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash guffawed, while approaching her, Huey and Gilda. "The old hoofshake buzzer! You are a scream!"
"Yeah," Gilda began awkwardly with a half-hearted chuckle. "G-Good one, Pinkie Pie."
"No, it wasn't," Huey muttered to himself before speaking properly. "If there's nothing wrong, please, excuse me, I was getting someone a drink."
"Come on, G!" Rainbow Dash cheeped. "I'll introduce you to some of my other friends!"
Huey rolled his eyes and swiftly walked away from the trio to retrieve his plate. With two glasses of punch and the plate of snacks balanced awkwardly in his hands, he carefully made his way over to a solitary table in the corner of the room, which Fluttershy had taken refuge at.
"Here," Huey said as he deposited his collection of items onto the table. "I got some different snacks. I don't know which you'd like. So, I'm sorry if none of them catch your fancy."
"Oh, i-it's okay," Fluttershy replied nervously. "You... You picked some nice things."
Huey carefully pushed Fluttershy's glass closer to her before taking a donut and popping it into his mouth.
"Everyone!" Pinkie called out, causing everyone, Huey included, to look towards her. "I'd like you all to meet Gilda! A long time dear friend of Rainbow Dash! Let's honour her and welcome her to Ponyville!"
Huey smiled as she watched the pink mare wrap her forehooves round Gilda, causing the griffon's eyes to widen in total surprise at the sudden physical contact. After Pinkie disengaged, Gilda glared at her, but was unable to pursue the matter any further when a massive chorus of cheers and applause rippled throughout the room, forcing her to smile awkwardly in an attempt to show appreciation for the warm welcome. Huey scoffed and turned his attention back towards Fluttershy.
"Um... Are you not i-interested in the party?" Fluttershy stammered. "I... I-I'm just a little nervous."
"I'm okay," Huey replied quietly. "Honestly, I just wanted to keep you company. You seem to be a little... What's the word... Out of your comfort zone? So, I thought you might appreciate having someone you can trust by your side."
"Th-Thank you," Fluttershy mumbled. "But, it's okay. I'll be fine, you can go and have fun."
"Fluttershy, don't worry about me or being a bother," Huey insisted. "I'd like to spend a little time with you. I didn't really get much of a chance since your nerves got the better of you yesterday."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let them do that."
"It's fine, I promise! I've been scared too, I know how hard it is. You don't have to explain yourself to me," Huey said nonchalantly. "Whatever you decide to do, I've got your back."
"Th-Thank you, Huey." Fluttershy murmured after a long pause. Suddenly, Huey noticed the mare's perpetually frowning lips begin to straighten into a line. His eyes widened slightly as they did not stop there and continued until it had curled into the smallest of smiles, barely noticeable, but enough for him to do so. Huey smiled back, while his heart felt warmer. It was the first time he had witnessed Fluttershy smile and it was a sight to behold. However, the smile swiftly became one of surprise when a cry of agony echoed round the room. Huey whirled round, while Fluttershy dove under the table, to see what the commotion was for and found himself witnessing an impossible sight.
Gilda was breathing fire, which was being used by Pinkie Pie to toast marshmallows. However, as soon as the fire stopped erupting from his beak, the griffon grasped her throat.
"Hot!" She yelled in anguish, her eyes watering and a hint of steam or smoke seeping out of her beak and nostrils.
"G, the punch!" Rainbow Dash suggested urgently. Gilda immediately rushed through the crowd of ponies towards the buffet table, knocking over a few who were too slow to get out of the way. The pained griffon swiftly filled up a glass and attempted to pour the contents down her throat, but was amazed to find not a single trace of liquid graced her tongue. Looking down, she discovered that the glass had a hole in it that prevented the contents from being drunk. Instead, the punch had spilt down the feathers covering her chest. All the ponies in the room were taking a great deal of delight from her plight, her friend, Rainbow Dash, included.
"Well, what do you know?" Pinkie Pie noted. "Pepper in the vanilla lemon drops and the punch served in a dribble-glass!"
"Ha! Priceless!" Rainbow Dash remarked with a grin. "Priceless!"
As Gilda looked around frantically for something to douse the flames in her mouth and throat, she felt something tap her shoulder. Turning round, she found Huey presenting a glass of punch for her to take.
"This isn't a prank," He reassured her. "I promise."
Gilda failed to let Huey finished, she swiftly snatched the glass from his hand and let the glass' contents flood her throat. With the fire extinguished, she took a few deep breaths before shooting a hateful grin in Pinkie's direction.
"Yeah, hilarious!" She grumbled with a roll of her eyes before turning to Huey. "Hey, human."
"Huey."
"Whatever," Gilda replied indignantly, while presenting the glass for Huey to take. "Thanks for helping a girl out there."
"It's fine," He stated with a dismissive wave of a hand, the other taking back his glass. "You looked like you were about to burst into flames, so... How could I not help out a griffon in distress?"
Huey was about to return to his table, but stopped when he noticed Gilda present a fist. He glanced down at it and then up at Gilda, who was staring back at him with a mixture of nonchalance and simmering frustration. Hesitantly, he clenched his free hand and accepted the fistbump. The griffon then skulked silently away, leaving him to return to the table, where Fluttershy was only just plucking up the courage to come out from her hiding spot.
"You okay?" Huey asked as he popped another mini donut into his mouth. "This prank stuff isn't exactly what I was expecting."
"It's probably just Pinkie Pie being P-P-Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy whispered, the top of her mane, ears and eyes the visible features available, the rest of her remaining under the table for a quick retreat to safety. Huey grimaced and tapped the table.
"If things get a bit too much for you, I can escort you home, if you like?" Huey suggested, causing the mare's eyes to widen.
"E-E-Escort m-me?" She stammered. "Oh n-n-n-no, I couldn't!"
"It would make me feel better to know you got home safely." Huey added sincerely.
"Oh, w-w-well, if it will make you feel better, I g-g-guess you can... If things get w-worse."
"Excellent!" Huey stated happily.
The party continued with barely any interruptions, even Fluttershy had come out of her shell and was playing the role of conductor for an orchestra of songbirds. The only exception being when Gilda was ushered over to a pile of presents meant for her. The excited griffon was so eager to open them, she fell foul of another prank that resulted in her releasing a canister of spitting snakes. Her bewildered expression and puffed up feathers causing the ponies even more amusement at her expense. Huey, on the other hand, had found the pranks juvenile and, in his view, rather hurtful. He didn't see the harm in pranks themselves, but the fact that they were being carried out in the presence of a massive crowd just made what could be a joyful moment just emotionally painful for the victim. Everyone else might find it amusing, but their amusement was caused by their suffering. As such, even though he did not hold Gilda in the highest regard, Huey felt a twinge of sympathy for her.
"Cake time, everypony!" Pinkie Pie announced, while wheeling a massive, two-tier cake into the centre of the room. Spike rushed over towards it with Twilight in tow.
"Hey, can I blow out the candles!?" The dragon begged, however his request was quickly shut down by the lavender unicorn.
"Why don't we let Huey and Gilda blow out the candles?" She suggested. "They are the guests of honour, after all!"
"I'm fine," Huey stated with a shrug. "Gilda can do it."
"Thanks, dude," The griffon said as she approached the cake. Taking a deep breath, she blew out the candles with a huge puff of breath. Gilda then smirked triumphantly at the crowd, but that triumph morphed into surprise when she noticed the candles had failed to extinguish. Huey frowned, immediately realising Gilda was falling foul of relighting candles. Much to the amusement of the other guests, Gilda began to frantically blow out the candles with ever larges puffs of breath, causing her to comically wheeze with each attempt. As the laughter continued to grow, Huey took pity on the griffon and stepped forwards. He gently pushed Gilda, who was on the verge of passing out due to hyperventilating, aside and pinched the top of a candle after licking his index finger and thumb.
Satisfied that the candle was definitely not going to resurrect itself unexpectedly, he licked his two fingers again and quickly extinguished the rest of the candles in the same manner.
"Relighting candles?" Huey asked with a hint of disappointment. "Really?"
"Really, really!" Pinkie chirped with an innocent smile. "It's a harmless joke!"
Huey bit his tongue and backed away from the cake, refusing to be drawn into the debate regarding whether it was okay to prank others or not. To his relief, Spike had burrowed his way into the cake and was noisily munching through it without any regard for the desires of others to have a slice uncontaminated by his scales and dirty feet, which proved to a be perfect distraction for everyone else. Eager to quickly withdraw to the periphery of the room again, he turned and walked towards Gilda to check on her before heading to the buffet table for more donuts.
"Hey, you alright?" He asked. "You looked like you were about to huff up a lung there."
Gilda grimaced and waved dismissively.
"It's cool, it'll take more than a harmless prank to bug me."
"If you say so, Gilda," Huey replied before swiftly leaving her to obtain more delicious treats.
"Hey, ya'll!" Applejack suddenly called out. "Let's play pin the tail on the pony!"
Huey sneered in disgust and shook his head. He was already here under duress, being dragged into playing such a childish game was something he would not permit. However, he was still forced to hear the equine's chatter.
"Oh, my favourite game!" Rarity declared proudly, causing Huey to cringe privately at how an adult could be so blatant in declaring such an embarrassing truth. "Can I go first? May I have the purple tail?"
"I'm the guest of honour!" Gilda suddenly growled. "I get the purple tail!"
"Yeah! Gilda should definitely go first!" Pinkie Pie chirped. Huey would have written off her statement as just part of the conversation, but his suspicions were raised at the unusual emphasis she had placed on the 'definitely'. He had held his tongue throughout the entire party, but Huey was convinced that Pinkie had established the party as a means to conduct continuous pranks on Gilda. The only conceivable proof that he could show was her answer to his query regarding the necessity of relighting candles. However, the only word stated in that conversation was 'really', so it was doubtful anyone would believe that it indicated an admission of guilt for all of the pranks or an admission that they were all meant for Gilda.
Sighing, Huey turned to watch the equine's play their party game. He mentally scolded himself for thinking Pinkie Pie could be so calculating and evil by orchestrating relentless, degrading pranks on her enemies. As far as Huey knew, the party mare never truly lost her overwhelming aura of happiness, even in moments of frustration or sadness, so how could it be possible that she would stoop to such diabolical levels of manipulation? Huey pushed the thoughts and suspicions to the back of his mind.
"Now, just walk straight ahead and pin the tail on the pony!" Pinkie instructed, while guiding Gilda towards a crudely drawn picture of an earth pony with a purple mane, cream coat and pink heart cutie mark.
"Just walk straight ahead and pin the tail on the pony!" Gilda repeated in a tone of voice intended to mimic Pinkie's. The griffon then turned her head to look in the mare's direction, even though she was blindfolded and incapable of seeing.
"I'm not falling for that!" She snarked. "This is another prank. Isn't it? I'm going this way!"
Huey watched as the griffon u-turned and began walking away from the poster. Even though the sight was silly, he could perfectly understand Gilda's suspicion. He even admitted to himself that he may have done the same thing, if the events so far had happened to him.
"Wait!" Pinkie cried. "The poster's this way!"
Sadly, her warning went unheeded as Gilda continued to walk blindly away. Suddenly, one of her back paws stepped into a piece of discarded cake that was on the floor. The griffon wailed in shock as she began skidding across the room. The ponies watched in amusement, while Huey dropped his plate and began to plough his way through the crowd to try and prevent Gilda from getting hurt. Before he could break free of the horde of equines, Gilda slid into the kitchen with a massive crash. Flour and bits of left over icing in a variety of colours erupted from the adjoining room, the icing splattering all over the floor. Huey's brow furrowed, anxious to know whether the griffon had been injured in what was clearly a very serious accident.
Much to his relief, Gilda emerged from the kitchen, covered in icing and the tail balanced on her beak in a manner that made it appear more like a moustache.
"Uh... Gilda?" Pinkie began timidly. "You pinned the tail on the wrong end."
The dazed griffon glanced down to see the purple facial accessory covering her beak, a look of bewilderment plastered over her features. As soon as the crowd began to laugh at her comical appearance, she clenched her eyes shut. Huey pursed his lips in wonder, it was clear that Gilda was trying to contain her emotions, but he couldn't put his finger on whether it was sadness or rage. His question was answered when the griffon reared up onto her hind paws and roared, causing a gust of wind more severe than the one Huey had experienced earlier that day.
"This is your idea of a good time!?" The enraged griffon bellowed. "I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life!"
Gilda's gaze suddenly locked onto Pinkie Pie.
"You, Pinkie Pie, are Queen Lame-o with your weak little party pranks! Did you really think you could make me lose my cool!?"
Huey restarted his venture through the crowd, certain that this confrontation would become physical between the outraged griffon and the party mare. Meanwhile, Gilda flew over to Rainbow Dash and pulled her closer.
"Rainbow Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together!" She declared acidly before striding towards the door. "Come on, Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene."
Huey quickly broke free of the crowd and picked up Pinkie. The earth pony squeaked in surprise, while Huey huffed with exertion as he found out how heavy the equines were. Struggling, he carried her away to the back of the room. The plan, originally, was to carry her out of the room entirely, but he settled on putting space between Pinkie and Gilda, with himself standing between them, if necessary. Meanwhile. Gilda noticed that Rainbow Dash had failed to follow her. She turned towards the cyan pegasus angrily.
"Come on, Rainbow Dash!" She growled aggressively. "I said we're leaving!"
Rainbow Dash's head lowered in shame for a moment before perking back up with a look of anger that matched Gilda's.
"You know, Gilda?" She began calmly. "I was the one who set up all those 'weak' pranks at this party!"
"What!?" Gilda gasped in alarm and surprise, her gaze flicking between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie in disbelief.
"So, I guess that means I'm Queen Lame-o!" Rainbow Dash continued, her growing anger becoming more prevalent in her voice.
"Come on, Dash!" Gilda stammered. "You're joshing me!"
"They weren't all meant for you specifically!" The cyan pegasus explained. "It was just bad luck that caused you to set them all off!"
"I should of have known!" Pinkie Pie remarked, while smacking her forehead with a hoof. "That dribble-glass had Rainbow Dash written all over it!"
"No way!" Gilda argued. "It was Pinkie Pie! She set up this party to trip me up, to make me look like a fool!"
Huey smirked, happy to see that he wasn't the only one who had been suspicious of Pinkie's motives for throwing the party. However, that quickly evaporated when Pinkie peeked out from behind him with a hurt look on her face.
"Me!?" She exclaimed despondently. "I threw this party to improve your attitude! I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down!"
The human's heart sank, a wave of guilt hitting him as the realisation he was completely wrong was displayed in full. He had been mistrusting of the party mare. He should have seen that it just was not in Pinkie's nature to be so callous, but he had believed it anyway, despite evidence to the contrary.
"And you sure didn't need any help making a fool out of yourself!" Rainbow Dash added, while stomping angrily towards the griffon. "You know? This is not how I thought my old friend would treat my new friends! If being cool is all you care about, Gilda, maybe you should find some 'cool' friends... Somewhere else."
Gilda looked down at the floor forlornly, but that soon morphed into frustration as she gritted her teeth and clenched her eyes.
"Oh yeah?" She began, her wings flaring out aggressively. "Well... You... You are just a... Flip-flop! Cool one minute and lame the next. When you decide not to be lame anymore, give me a call."
Without waiting for a response, Gilda stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
"Not... Cool." Rainbow Dash fumed. "And Pinkie, I'm sorry that I brought Gilda here. I didn't know she was so rude and... I feel bad for ruining one of your cool parties."
"It's okay, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie stated nonchalantly. "If you want to spend your time with grumpy griffons, that's fine by me!"
"I'd rather spend my time with you," Rainbow replied. "No hard feelings?"
The cyan mare offered Pinkie a hoof, which she gratefully accepted. However, as soon as they connected, the pair of them suddenly yelped in surprise and shock. Huey stepped forward to help Rainbow Dash, the next victim of Pinkie's hoofbuzzer, but was surprised when Rainbow Dash revealed she had one too. Huey facepalmed in exasperation.
"Hey, Pinkie," Twilight said sadly. "I'm sorry I accused you of misjudging Gilda. It looks like I'm the one who misjudged you!"
Pinkie immediately pulled the despondent unicorn into a hug.
"It's okay, Twilight! Even you can't be a super-smart-smartie-smart pants all the time!" She replied happily. "Come on, everypony, there's still a whole lot of party to finish!"
The reinvigorated crowd of equines cheered and applauded the master of parties, while Huey shook his head and quickly whispered he was going to head home to Twilight before vanishing out of the front door, while no one was looking.
"Spike, fetch me a quill, ink and some parchment!"
Huey's eyes opened wide. In the exact moment he had decided to retire for the night, convinced that Twilight and Spike were going to party to till dawn, the same pair waltzed into the library. Groaning, he stood up and waved at the ecstatic pair.
"What took you guys so long!?" Huey asked in irritation. "What kind of party lasts... Um... I don't know, there's no clock here, but it's clearly a long time since it's bloody dark outside!"
"A Pinkie Pie party?" Spike suggested sarcastically as he retrieved the requested items for Twilight, while she lit a candle with magic from her horn. "I'm gonna hit the hay. Sweet dreams, everyone!"
"Sweet dreams, Spike!" Twilight replied cheerfully, while Huey merely mumbled a half-hearted reply.
"So, what are you up to now?" Huey enquired, while pulling up a chair next to the desk the lavender unicorn was using to write on. "Aren't you tired too?"
"I am, Huey," Twilight admitted. "But, I have one last thing I need to do before I head to sleep; write my friendship report!"
"You write reports!?" Huey asked incredulously. "How does that even work?"
"Well, when I witness or experience a truly important moment between friends, I record it!"
"I'd argue with you about the principles of scientific method, but I gave up trying to find logic when I discovered griffons exist here." Huey stated in defeat. "What do you intend to write?"
"Well, I've been thinking about that," Twilight mused. "Here's my first draft!"
The human suddenly noticed a scroll occupying the entirety of his vision. With a grumble of annoyance at almost being blinded, he grasped the parchment and began to read it out loud.
"Dearest Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behaviour. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who's true will surely come to light.
Your faithful student,
"What do you think?" Twilight asked eagerly. Huey looked at the unicorn and then at the parchment again before nodding.
"I think it's perfect," He said quietly. "Um... Could I perhaps write something too?"
"Of course, let me just grab another piece of parchment for you to write on."
"No," Huey interrupted. "I meant... Can I add something to the report?"
Twilight blinked, her expression one of total bewilderment.
"You mean, you learned something about friendship too?" She asked, her mouth agape and eyes wide.
"I really think I did," Huey murmured. "I was going to keep it to myself, since it's about something really bad that I've done, but... I can't."
Twilight reached out and gently rubbed his shoulder.
"Whatever you've done, I forgive you," She soothed. "The fact that you know you're wrong and wish to learn from your mistake shows that you're not a bad po-... I mean human, because of this."
Huey smiled weakly at Twilight, who smiled back before dipping the quill into the ink well.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today, I made the mistake of misjudging someone who has nothing, but kindness, in their heart. I fell into the trap of expecting a complete stranger, and member of another species, to act in the same manner as those of my own kind. Even though I had evidence proving that they were not a bad pony, I still harboured unwarranted suspicions about them. It's unlikely that they will ever realise I thought about them in such a mean-spirited way, but I could not let myself carry this mistake as a secret for the rest of my life.
No matter how much your past experiences convince you that those around you are secretly in possession of black hearts, you must always give others a chance, lest you paint their hearts black through your own prejudiced actions.
Yours sincerely,
Twilight looked up at the human and nodded her approval.
"Thank you, Twilight," Huey replied gratefully before gently scratching her ears. The lavender mare cooed softly in appreciation before suddenly being surprised by the human embracing her, which she swiftly returned.
"Pardon my asking," Twilight probed warily. "But, who did you think was a bad pony?"
"Well," Huey began nervously. "You know how Gilda kept falling foul of all those pranks at the party?"
Twilight nodded.
"I believed that Pinkie was responsible for them all too," He admitted in shame. "I was convinced that after what I saw before stomping in here earlier today that she was going to teach her a lesson."
"What did you see exactly?" Twilight asked. "You were really angry and Pinkie wouldn't tell me anything!"
"I saw Gilda being a total jerk. She even roared at Fluttershy, causing her to fly away in tears!"
"And you thought Pinkie planned all those tricks as revenge?"
"I did," Huey sighed. "I shouldn't have believed it. It just... Isn't Pinkie... Full stop. No arguments. Pinkie wouldn't dare, yet I still thought that. In fact, when Gilda voiced that same suspicion when she snapped, I felt a twinge of joy upon realising that I wasn't the only one, but it immediately became guilt. I shouldn't have misjudged Pinkie Pie so badly, especially when I had seen with my own eyes that she's a gem. A really unusual gem, but a gem nonetheless."
Twilight leaned closer and gently nuzzled Huey's cheek to comfort him. He nodded gratefully before returning to his impromptu sleeping bag.
"Sweet dreams, Twilight," Huey said, while wrapping himself in the quilt.
"You too, Huey, sweet dreams." Twilight whispered before blowing out the candle and heading to bed.
"So, what plans do you have for today?"
Twilight, Huey and Spike were sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Much to Huey's delight and relief, he discovered that having hot buttered toast was a common breakfast item that he and the equines both ate. Huey's question caused Twilight to swallow the mouthful of toast she was chewing.
"I was thinking that we could spend some time continuing our research on human anatomy," Twilight suggested thoughtfully. "You and I have been kind of distracted with getting you settled in and that business with Gilda."
"I'm fine with that," Huey replied with a shrug. "After all, if I ever become sick or injured, it'd be a great help for any physician who gets the misfortune of treating me."
"Now, Huey, there's no need to be so pessimistic!" Twilight scolded. "Remember that incident back in Canterlot?"
"Of course I do! I was almost impaled by your horn."
Spike glanced at the two, but swiftly returned his attention to his meal when Twilight waved her hoof dismissively at him to quash his curiosity.
"That shows that our healing magic works on the human body too!" She continued. "Admittedly, that only shows promise for treating physical trauma, whether you will respond to pony medicines and diseases is another question."
"Depends on if you have penicillin," Huey mused, causing the unicorn to tilt her head inquisitively.
"Penicillin?"
"It's an antibiotic," Huey replied. "I'll explain in detail after breakfast. There's a lot of stuff I know, presumably from school back where I came from, and I assume you'd want to know everything."
"You're right there!" Twilight chirped with excitement before diving back into her breakfast. The renewed vigour and speed shown indicating to Spike and Huey that she was eager to begin as soon as possible. Huey looked at Spike, who just rolled his eyes knowingly. The human smiled and shook his head before quietly eating the rest of his breakfast.
"So, what should we start with?" Huey asked. After breakfast, he had been swiftly taken upstairs to Twilight's bedroom, so that the pair could focus on documenting everything he knew in peace. Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully with a quill she had procured. While Huey had sat down on the bed, Twilight was pacing the room with an inkwell, parchment and quill held within the grasp of her magic.
"Let's start with the important matters," She said. "We'll complete my notes on human anatomy before moving onto other biological and medical matters."
"As you wish!" Huey replied. "If I remember correctly, we'd just finished talking about the bones leading up to upper torso. I would like to say, before we continue, that I don't know all of them, so I might miss a few or name them incorrectly."
"Of course!" Twilight said in understanding. "Don't worry, I'm sure, if I can persuade the local hospital to provide some x-rays of you, we can accurately chart the skeletal structure of your body!"
"Very well! Before we continue, I'd like to mention that there's a number of different joints within the human body that allow varying degrees of movement."
"Synovial joints?"
"I wouldn't know about that," Huey admitted. "I learned these biological facts when I was very young, so we didn't go into that much detail, but I know for a fact we had ball and socket and hinge joints."
Huey then reached out with his arm and bent his elbow. After demonstrating the hinge joint in his elbow, he let his shoulder demonstrate its fluid movement to prove the presence of a ball and socket joint. Twilight nodded and continued to scribble notes onto her parchment.
"While the shape and structure of the torso may have a number of differences, it should be relatively similar to that of an equine, where the spine and ribs are there to protect the internal organs like heart, lungs and such, as well as the spinal cord."
Twilight nodded, hummed and quietly chewed the end of her quill as she listened to Huey explain almost every inch of his body and what was inside. Even though he admitted that there was much that he could not explain due to either being unsure or not knowing at all, his relatively in-depth lecture was truly enlightening.
"And that's what I know about the human skeleton," Huey finalised. "From the skull to the toes."
"Fascinating!" Twilight remarked as she arranged a growing pile of parchment that she had been writing on. "Maybe I'll write a book about you in the future!"
"Maybe," Huey mused. "Still, with the skeletal structure done and dusted to the best of my ability, what's next?"
"Well," Twilight began. "I think we should perhaps consider..."
Suddenly, the door to the bedroom burst open. Spike waddled into the room with a scroll in his grasp.
"A letter from the princess!" He declared. "She must have sent a reply to your first friendship report, Twilight!"
The lavender unicorn's eyes sparkled as she snatched the scroll from her pet dragon with her magic and unfurled it.
"Dear Huey," She read out loud. The unicorn suddenly stopped, her expression melted into one of confusion and surprise as she then squinted her eyes and read the opening salutation again to make sure she had not misread it. After realising that this was not a mistake, she rolled the scroll up and levitated it towards Huey.
"It's for you," Twilight said passively, all traces of emotion drained from her. Huey thanked her before taking the scroll and opening it back up to read it out loud.
"Dear Huey,
I must admit that I am surprised that you have also learned a lesson about the magic of friendship. However, it also warms my heart to see that, even though you were not given the task to do so, you opted to provide a very welcome addition to the lesson Twilight learned. In response to your postscript, I am feeling well, but would be most delighted if you have the time to return to Canterlot. I am aware that it is Twilight's task to care for your needs and document as much as she can about yourself, but I cannot hide the fact that I also have questions of my own to ask of you.
Hoping you accept my invitation,
P.S: Please express my deepest thanks to Twilight. Her first report shows great promise and is proof that I was right in entrusting her with studying friendship."
Huey looked up from the scroll to find Twilight's eyes sparkling with delight once more. The usually quiet lavender unicorn squealed loudly and began hopping manically round the room in a manner more befitting Pinkie Pie.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She repeated. "Princess Celestia is proud of my work!"
Spike and Huey watched the overjoyed unicorn silently. While Spike looked on with mild disinterest, Huey was surprised on the effect some simple praise had on Twilight. After a minute of the unicorn expressing her joy passed, Huey reached out and grabbed Twilight as she bounced by him.
"Twilight, calm down!" Huey asked urgently. Twilight blushed and smiled awkwardly, realising that she may have gone overboard with her excitement.
"Sorry." She said apologetically. Huey rolled his eyes and gently scratched the unicorn's ears. Twilight cooed appreciatively, while her eyes fluttered in response. However, the petting swiftly ended when Huey stood up, causing Twilight to almost fall over due to her attempting to lean into him simultaneously. Much to the unicorn's relief, neither Huey or Spike noticed.
"It's quite alright," Huey replied as he turned the scroll over to glance at the back. "The only question now is... Do you come with me or not?"
Twilight tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Well, it didn't mention bringing me along," She reasoned. "So, I would assume she doesn't?"
"Hmmm... Doesn't need you present," The human mused. "What could that mean?"
"Maybe Celestia's found you a way home and wants to gauge whether you want to or not," Spike suggested absentmindedly. "And didn't want to upset Twilight at the same time."
"No, that can't be it," Huey countered. "Why keep it a secret? Twilight knows that work is being done to find out if there's a way for me to return home. It would be silly to keep her in the dark."
Spike shrugged before wandering downstairs, leaving Huey and Twilight to postulate together.
"Perhaps she wishes to help with my research?" Twilight thought out loud. "Canterlot is home to many of our most knowledgeable scholars, along with the best of Equestrian technology, so she might be documenting some of the more intricate parts of the human body?"
"Or..." Huey began dramatically. "We're looking too deeply into this. Why keep further experimentation a secret? Unless it was vivisection."
"Pffft, I doubt that," Twilight scoffed. "You're the only one of your kind, and vivisection is barbaric and illegal!"
"Well, then," Huey replied triumphantly. "If it's nothing to keep secret, it must just be a friendly chat or something, surely?"
Twilight grimaced slightly at the conclusion.
"I guess, but that just doesn't seem like her."
"Well, the only way to find out why she made this request is to actually visit her!" Huey stated authoritatively. "Are you sure you don't want to come along?"
"No, I can't," Twilight replied after a moment of thought. "I promised Applejack that I would help her with the apple harvest. I can't let her down!"
"I see. I'll make sure to tell her that you wanted to come, but couldn't. How does that sound?"
"Perfect!" Twilight said with a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get going to the farm. Do you need anything before I go?"
"Money for a ticket to Canterlot."
"You'll find some in that jewellery box on the dresser over there," Twilight pointed out, causing Huey to glance at it and then her.
"A jewellery box?" He asked. "I didn't know you had jewellery."
"Oh! I don't," Twilight corrected. "I just use it to store my bits. Ten should be more than enough for a ticket!"
"Thank you, Twilight, I'll see what I can do to repay you." Huey said gratefully as the unicorn wandered towards the stairs
"No need to worry about repaying me. Best of luck with the trip!" Twilight said, while she trotted down the stairs. However, the unicorn swiftly returned moments later.
"Actually, it might be better if you take my research with you anyway, just in case!" She said with an awkward smile. Her horn glowed, causing a massive stack of papers to be neatly packed away into her saddlebags, which she levitated over to Huey.
"Um... How am I meant to carry this?" He asked. "It's designed for ponies, not humans."
"Well, why not have them wrapped round your neck?" Twilight suggested. "If you buckle the strap, it'll be like wearing a necklace!"
"Hmmmm..." Huey mused, while examining the light blue bags with pink, six pointed stars used to decorate the buckles of the bags themselves. "I don't think that will work, but I'll think of something."
"Alright! Best of luck again!" Twilight chirped before rushing back downstairs. "Spike! We're going to Sweet Apple Acres!"
Huey smiled and swiftly approached the aforementioned box. It was a simple, metal box, cuboid in shape and very plain, with a hook catch holding the lid closed. As the door to the library slammed shut, signalling Spike and Twilight's exit from the premises, Huey opened the box and took ten of the gold coins within before rushing out of the door to the train station, after snatching up the saddlebags .
"Lyra would die, if she saw you!"
Huey looked out of the window and grimaced. His swift walk to the train station had occurred with no problems, even his discussion with the station master to obtain a ticket to Canterlot had been problem free. However, much to his annoyance, the money he had taken was only enough for a third class ticket, the cheapest. As a result, he was forced to sit with the rest of the passengers, one of whom, a very friend blue unicorn with a white and dark blue mane and tail, accompanied by an hourglass on her behind, had immediately taken the opportunity to sit next to him and was nattering to him in a manner reminiscent of two old friends meeting again.
"I swear!" The unicorn continued to ramble. "She would be so happy, her heart would burst!"
"Um... Sorry to interrupt," Huey said passively. "But, could we at least... You know... Introduce ourselves first before we move onto other topics?"
"Oh!" She exclaimed, followed by a cheerful giggle. "My name's Minuette. I'm a unicorn, duh... And I'm heading home to Canterlot after visiting some friends in Ponyville!"
"That's... Nice," Huey replied, the unicorn's Pinkie Pie-like energy unnerving him. "Name's Huey. I'm a human... And I'm heading to Canterlot... To visit some friends... From my home... In Ponyville."
"Oh my gosh!" She gasped in delight. "That's the exact opposite of what I did! That's such a funny coincidence!"
Huey smiled weakly. He would not have minded her behaviour, if she hadn't been so forward from the beginning. The shock of meeting an equine that had done the complete opposite of staring, pointing and generally being afraid of the strange creature that was Huey had knocked him off balance.
"I guess it is," Huey stated submissively. "Um... Pardon me for asking, but do you visit Ponyville often?"
"All the time!" Minuette chirped. "Lyra and Bon Bon, a unicorn and earth pony I know, live in Ponyville, and are really great friends of mine!"
"All the time?" Huey repeated with a hint of incredulity. "The long train rides either way don't bother you at all?"
"Not at all! Spending time with them makes the journey totally worth while!"
"Fair enough, where I'm from, such long distance journeys aren't done so frequently or willingly. We have other forms of communication that make such a thing sort of redundant."
"Oh, you!" Minuette scoffed politely. "Sending letters to your friends doesn't even come close to actually spending real quality time with them!"
"That's true, although the cost of long distance travel is much more expensive, so I guess it's mostly a problem regarding whether one had the funds and time to do what you do."
"Well, I'm glad I don't have to worry about such things like you do!" Minuette replied, her happiness bordering on the point of becoming physical in form. "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't visit Ponyville so often. It'd be absolutely horrible!"
"It would be a rather horrific chock," Huey concurred. "Still, it's doubtful that will happen, so..."
"Lyra!" Minuette squeaked, causing the human to flinch. "We were talking about Lyra."
"Yes, you were," Huey corrected subtly. "I remember her name being mentioned by someone else. Why do I make her name spring to mind?"
"Well!" She began. "Lyra has a deep interest in these creatures she calls humans. She sits really strange, likes to talk about things called hands. Most people think it's really weird, but, personally, a girl can daydream, right? Still, you're a human! You aren't just something she made up, you're real!"
"Yes, I am real," Huey confirmed. "But you just said she knows about humans. Are you saying that she's met one of my kind before?"
"Well, she says she has, but no one believed her. She doesn't really talk about humans that much anymore, only with her friends, everyone else just acted really mean!"
"That's not nice at all!" Huey declared angrily. "I mean... Obviously, I'm biased, since I am a human, but what kind of morons would be so cruel?"
"All kinds of ponies," Minuette responded, a hint of sadness bleeding into her tone. "She's really nice though, honest! You really should go and see her sometime. Tell her I sent you and you'll be treated like family!"
"The pair of you are close then?"
"Very! She's an absolute star!"
"Well, I don't see why I shouldn't introduce myself," Huey remarked. "Would it be possible for you to note down her address when we arrive in Canterlot?"
"Of course, Huey!"
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Huey was delighted when the train finally arrived in Canterlot. However, the delight was not caused by Minuette, on the contrary, her presence and persistent conversation had actually made what would have been a dull journey fly by. The human was actually mildly disappointed that he and the unicorn had to part ways so soon, however the knowledge that she frequently visited Ponyville made the pain a little easier to bear. With Lyra's address in his pocket, Huey began his walk through the city streets.
As expected, many of the locals stared and pointed in wonder, however Huey was much more confident. Unlike Ponyville, Canterlot was patrolled by members of the guard. It was inevitable that word of Huey's existence and situation would have spread round the barracks like wildfire, ensuring that they would know him when they saw him, and would not be suspicious of him. The actual journey to the castle was long and arduous, a fact Huey noted as he kept track of his location by keeping the massive spires of Canterlot Castle in sight. Unlike his first journey to the train station, which had been provided by a chariot pulled by a pair of pegasai guards, he was on his own and forced to walk the distance.
"I should have had Spike send a reply stating I would be coming immediately." Huey huffed with a shake of his head.
By the time he had arrived at the castle, his legs were in pain and the first signs of blisters were beginning to appear on his feet. The human grumbled as he wandered towards the gate. Much to his surprise, he found his way blocked when a pair of guards crossed their spears in front of him, planting a cross of wood and steel in his path.
"Open court is no longer in session," One of the guards barked. "Come back tomorrow."
"I'm not here for open court," Huey stated. "I was invited here."
"By who?"
"Princess Celestia."
The two guards shared a glance before one of them retracted their spear.
"Wait here," He ordered before heading through the gates. Huey folded his arms patiently and looked over at the solitary guard on gate guard duty.
"Lovely day, isn't it?" Huey said nonchalantly. He was not surprised when no response came.
"You know, I actually know a place where I'm from that has royal guards," He stated quietly. "They're just like yourself. Firm, well trained and, when on duty, totally silent. They get a lot of tourists trying to make them laugh or just outright annoying them. So, don't worry, I'm not going to try and do that to you. In fact, you actually have my respect. It must take a lot of patience to put up with so many trying to make you slip up."
As expected, the guard remained absolutely silent and still. Huey grimaced, the urge to try and scare or make the guard laugh was rising within him, however he swiftly suppressed those feelings when he saw the guard's colleague return.
"Her Royal Highness wasn't expecting you today," The guard stated. "However, you are permitted to enter."
"Thank you, sir," Huey replied gratefully with a nod. "Thank you to you both. I hope the rest of your shift goes well."
With no response given, Huey rolled his eyes and wandered through the gatehouse. Once inside the castle proper, he was swiftly ushered into the rabbit warren of corridors by a servant. A wave of embarrassment washed over him when he began to wonder whether he was being escorted to the throne room, he was completely unable to remember which doors led where. His question regarding his destination was swiftly answered when the servant stopped outside a pair of doors. Huey opened his mouth to provide his thanks to the servant, but found that they had already begun their retreat into the warren. The human huffed, nervousness rising within him as he looked at the door handle. Even with the knowledge that he was expected, the final step of knocking on the door proved to be nerve-wracking.
"Come on, Huey," He muttered to himself. "Just do it and you won't have a choice!"
Taking a deep breath, he rapped on the door with the back of his fist. Much to his surprise, there was no response. Huffing in mild irritation, he knocked on the door again. When there was still no reply, he gingerly grasped the door handle and opened the door.
"Your Highness?" He called out into the room, which was pitch black due to the lack of any lit candles. "Are you here?"
His question was answered with words, not actions, when a golden light began to sparkle into life around a horn so long that there could be only one possible owner. Huey watched from his spot on the threshold as the aura grasped a small fork, which began dancing around in front of the faint outline of Celestia's face, barely visible in the soft light emitted from her magical grasp and horn.
"You can come in." A weak and miserable voice murmured. Huey gulped before stepping into the room. With a gentle thud, the door closed behind him, leaving Huey in the darkness.
"What happened?" Huey asked outright, realising that it was silly to ask if everything was okay. The urge to approach the princess rose within him, but the lack of a visibility deterred him.
"Am I a bad pony?"
The query startled Huey, leaving him speechless and stuttering in surprise. It was not a question he was expecting.
"I... Um... I don't know," Huey stammered. "I mean... If you want a fair opinion, could I hear what's happened from the very beginning?"
Silence fell between the pair. After a few moments passed, the princess' horn suddenly emitted a much brighter light that caused a nearby candle to ignite, providing Huey with the visibility needed to see a great deal of the room. He had been escorted to the Princess' bed chamber, its owner was laid haphazardly on the bed. The first feature Huey noticed was that the Princess' mane was not in its ethereal form, consisting of pink, pale green and contrasting shades of blue. Instead, it was a long, flowing sea of hair that was the norm for the regular pony-folk, pink in colour. Also of note was the lack of royal regalia, the tiara, necklace and horseshoes were nowhere to be seen. All that was present was Celestia in her purest, unadulterated form. The alicorn's eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her cheeks a shade darker than the rest of her coat and slightly matted, indicating recent and heavy crying.
Huey frowned as his gaze settled on the fork in Celestia's grasp, which was being used to cut into a massive slice of chocolate cake. The piece that was cut off was swiftly scooped up and stuffed despondently into Celestia's waiting maw. The human tilted his head with concern and walked over to the bed, while dropping Twilight's saddlebags close by.
"Celestia..."
The princess finally looked at Huey, her jaw moving visibly as she chewed her comfort food.
"Hand over the cake." Huey ordered gently. As expected, Celestia grasped the plate with a hoof and pulled it closer to her.
"No." Celestia replied curtly through a mouthful of chocolate cake, causing her human guest to roll his eyes.
"It will only give you a stomach ache," Huey explained. "So, please, give me the cake."
The princess shook her head vigorously and grunted dismissively. Huey huffed and stretched out his hand authoritatively.
"I'm not going to ask again," He said gravely. "Give me that plate now."
Celestia gazed into Huey's eyes for a moment before obeying. Much to his annoyance, the princess took his demand literally and provided only the plate, the cake now bathed in her magic as it levitated next to her. The human sighed and put the plate down on the bedside table.
"That's it, I'm taking the cake!" Huey declared before climbing onto the bed and crawling towards the princess.
"No!" Celestia protested as she levitated the cake away from her pursuer. "It's mine!"
"Cake isn't going to help you!" Huey countered, his hand attempting to snatch the cake from the air, but failing when it floated higher. "You're already miserable! You don't need to make it worse by feeling sick."
"But, it makes me feel happier!" She explained. Huey paused to shoot a deadpan glare at her.
"Your cheeks are literally drenched with tears and your eyes are bloodshot, it's not done anything!" He exclaimed. "So, give it to me!"
"I said no!" Celestia insisted forcefully. Huey turned towards the floating cake and stood up on the bed to make another attempt at grabbing it. However, his attention was broken when he felt the alicorn wrap her forehooves round his waist to stop him. Without looking, he reached down with a solitary hand to push Celestia away. Instead, his hand grasped a hard, cylindrical object that caused Celestia to gasp. Huey yelped as a short, sharp shock zapped through his hand, causing him to let go of the object and hold his hand protectively.
"The hell was that!?" He shouted, while looking down at Celestia. As soon as he noticed that her horn wasn't glowing anymore, his gaze looked up at a familiar brown object falling towards him.
"Oh no." He muttered before the slice of cake collided with his face with an unceremonious splat. Silence fell, neither of them willing to react to the comical event. Huey looked back at the princess, only one eye operational due to the other being covering in cake. Celestia looked nervously up at him and bit her lip, a soft blush tinting her cheeks as she tried not to laugh.
"Don't you dare," Huey said before scraping a large chunk of the confection off his face. Celestia averted her gaze and coughed politely as she levitated a towel over for the human to use.
"Thank you, Celestia." He replied before wiping the rest of the cake off. "At least the cake's gone."
"No, it isn't." Celestia countered as a slice of lemon drizzle cake floated towards her. Huey face-palmed and sighed.
"I'm not going through that again." He stated. "Look, if you're not going to stop, at least let me control how much you eat."
"What?" Celestia asked. "Do you mean... Feed me?"
"If necessary, yes!" Huey said forcefully. "So, hand over the damn fork already!"
Begrudgingly, Celestia levitated the fork towards Huey, who swiftly snatched it, while she placed the cake onto the plate. Huey then laid down, his back against the headboard and watched as Celestia laid next to him and let her head and neck rest in his lap. Huey rolled his eyes, memories of petting Pinkie Pie returning to him as he picked up the plate and cut off a small piece of cake for the princess.
"Here comes the choo-choo train!" He teased. "Open up the tunnel! Chugga-chugga! Choo Chooooooo!"
Celestia immediately caught the hint and played along, her mouth opening with a childish "ah". Huey cringed internally as he placed the cake onto the royal tongue. He was immensely grateful that neither he, nor Celestia, would dare speak a word of what they were doing to anyone. Huey's embarrassment would probably kill him, while Celestia would be deposed in the ensuing scandal. However, the pair were in privacy and, it seemed to Huey, a moment of distraction for the depressed monarch would give her much needed respite from her worries.
"Does Celestia want more?" Huey asked playfully, earning him an equally child-like nod after Celestia had finished her current chunk of rich confectionery. With a chuckle, he sliced off another piece and fed it to her. When a small piece of sponge ended up on the edge of her lip, Huey could not resist the urge to tease.
"The cake goes in your mouth, not around it, silly!" He scolded gently as a finger wiped it off her face. The princess pouted in response, causing him to smile.
"How are you feeling now?"
"A little better," Celestia admitted and laid her head in his lap. "Thank you."
"Sometimes, a brief moment of distraction and silliness can do the power of good," Huey remarked. "However, that doesn't solve the problem troubling you. What's on your mind?"
Celestia sighed. She knew that she could not run away from it, but it was easier to do that or ignore it, rather than bravely take the issue head-on.
"It's Luna."
"Your sister?" Huey clarified. "I remember you mentioning she's been reluctant to let go of the past."
Celestia nodded sadly and sighed again, causing Huey to gently stroke her neck. The alicorn hummed gratefully and closed her eyes.
"You wanted to know if you were a bad sister," Huey said. "Thus far, all I've heard is your hand... Um... Hoof rather, being forced by circumstances. You can't seriously judge yourself solely by what you did when faced with things out of your control!"
"You heard only my words and Twilight's," Celestia countered. "If you truly wish to understand. Let me show you what happened."
"Sh-Show me?"
Huey watched as Celestia craned her neck so that she was face to face with him. Her horn began to glow brightly, causing the human to squint. With what little vision he had, he noticed the alicorn's eyes glow with the same magical aura surrounding her horn, which was gently being tilted towards him. As soon as the cranial appendage touched his forehead, a sensation comparable to electrocution coursed through every atom of Huey's being, causing him to scream in shock before all noise ceased and his vision was eclipsed by white.
"Where am I?"
Huey glanced around. He was no longer in Celestia's bed chamber. In fact, it was apparent that he was not even in Canterlot Castle. The decor of the throne room he found himself in was the exact opposite of the lavish interior of Celestia's throne room. Instead of stained glass windows decorating the sides of the room, there were arches leading deeper into the castle, white marble replaced by brown sandstone and two thrones, one gold, the other blue, were situated at the end of a red rug that covered the floor. To round off the differences, a large podium marked the middle of the room, a meeting point between the two thrones.
"Princess Celestia?" Huey called out, but no reply came. He glanced back at the two thrones. Each had a banner suspended above them. The golden throne's consisted of rolling hills and mountains bathed in golden sunshine, while its blue counterpart possessed the same scene, however it was mirrored and the moon hung in the place of the sun. Hesitantly, Huey took a step towards the twin thrones.
"Not... Another... Step!" An unknown female voice boomed. Huey immediately threw up his hands submissively and froze in place. Suddenly, a dark blue alicorn emerged from behind the blue throne. While her stature was clearly larger than any of the average equines Huey had met thus far, she was nowhere near the size of Celestia.
"P-Princess Luna?" He murmured to himself in realisation. The Princess of the Night glared fiercely, her brow furrowed in what could only be described as a representation of true bitterness and fury.
"Did you really expect me to sit idly by, while they all basked in your precious light!?" Luna bellowed acidly, the resulting breeze causing Huey's hair and clothing to ripple gently. Huey's mouth fell open in alarm as he took a step back. Unfortunately, his footing failed and he fell with a thud onto the solid floor.
"There can only be one princess in Equestria!" Luna declared, every word dripping with the most toxic venom Huey had ever heard, as she stepped up to the podium. "And that princess..."
Huey's eyes widened, his mind alternating between fear due to the clearly malicious intent behind her words, but also aware of the cliche that was about to occur. Luna reared up onto her rear hooves.
"Will be me!" She screeched as her hooves slammed down onto the floor, causing the podium to explode in a hail of rubble. Huey raised his arm just in time to cause numerous fragments of rock to bounce off him. Terrified, he lowered his arm enough to permit his eyes the ability to keep watch on the enraged alicorn. Behind Luna, the wall began to crack ominously, followed by the sole window in the room shattering to reveal the sun as it was eclipsed by the moon. Forehooves held aloft, Luna levitated into the air in a manner symbolising her holding the moon in her hooves as darkness fell.
The inky blackness thickened and engulfed Luna in a manner similar to a cocoon. Huey was riveted to the spot, his mind totally entranced by the spectacle and numbed by the fear within him. The cocoon of darkness suddenly glowed a deep, threatening orange before a black, imposing and fearsome figure emerged from within. The equines coat was pitch black, her mane an ethereal blanket showing the stars and her body, now similar, if not larger, than Celestia's, clad in dark blue armour. The creature's eyes opened, revealing thin, vertical slits instead of regular circular pupils, and the maniacal laugh permitted Huey the blessing of seeing her teeth morph into jagged, menacing rows of canines.
When the alicorn suddenly ceased laughing and glared furiously in Huey's direction, he gasped and scrambled to his feet to flee. However, his route was cut off when a massive beam of magic zoomed past him and gouged a massive crevice into the walls and roof of the castle. Huey dived towards one of the arches and rolled past the threshold just in time to see his original spot be crushed under a sizeable chunk of masonry.
"Luna, I will not fight you. You must lower the moon, it is your duty!"
"Celestia!?" Huey gasped before sprinting towards the arch he had rolled past to escape being crushed. At the opposite end of the throne room stood the alabaster alicorn, her expression grave and serious as she glared back at the monster destroying her castle.
"Luna?" The armoured nightmare scoffed indignantly. "I am not Luna. I am... Nightmare Moon!"
"Nightmare Moon!" Huey repeated in shock.
"I have only one duty now!" Nightmare Moon declared. "To destroy you!"
Huey watched as a beam of dark blue magic blasted its way towards Celestia. However, she leapt into the air and took flight, ensuring that the beam merely bore a sizeable crater into the floor. Huey watched as Celestia beat her wings furiously and flew out of the hole Nightmare Moon had made in the ceiling into the night sky.
"And where do you think you're going!?" The monster asked viciously before pursuing Celestia. Huey bit his lip anxiously as he glanced around. With his lack of wings, he could not follow them via the same route, but he could find a way that would lead him outside. As the sounds of magic and masonry crashing to the ground echoed round him, he bolted from door to door, kicking them open in a manic search for a way out.
"Damn it!" He cursed. "Why must these places be so bloody big!?"
His frustration evaporated when a blood curdling scream rung through his ears and chilled his blood.
"Celestia!?" He cried out before sprinting back to the throne room. Upon arrival, what he saw made him skid to a halt. Laying motionless, surrounded by rubble, lay the alabaster alicorn. Huey shook his head in disbelief and rushed the final few steps so that he was beside her.
"Princess Celestia!" He bawled, his lower jaw trembling. "Don't tell me what I think just happened happened."
No answer came, causing Huey to laugh nervously.
"Come on, Celestia," He murmured. "It's just a scratch! I think... I didn't actually see what happened, but you're a tough girl... I mean mare... You can walk it off!"
As the silence persisted, his heart sank, while tears rolled down his cheeks and fell to the floor.
"This isn't funny anymore!" Huey sniffled. "You've got a deranged alicorn to stop! Wake up!"
With his third attempt at rousing the downed alicorn failing, Huey slumped to the floor. As far as he could remember, he had never seen someone die before. Suffice to say, a feeling that could only be described as his heart being torn in half ripped through every fibre of his being. His teeth chattered as he tried in vain to contain his tears, the flow increasing exponentially.
"Oh no," Huey mourned. "Celestia..."
The human closed his eyes and wept silently, the agony within him refusing to leave. Suddenly, the sound of hooves against rock echoed round the room. Huey took a deep breath in, sure that he was going to be murdered next by Nightmare Moon. Bravely, but with a heavy and terrified heart, he stood up and opened his eyes. What he saw made him gasp in disbelief.
Standing before him, grave, but unharmed, was Princess Celestia. Huey laughed maniacally in relief as he wiped his eyes.
"You're alive!" He declared ecstatically. "I thought that you'd... I... I'm so glad you're safe!"
"My dear sister," Celestia said solemnly and sadly. "I hope you will forgive me for what I'm about to do."
"Princess Celestia?" Huey asked, his joy vanishing as swiftly as it arrived. "What are you going to do!?"
"I have no choice, but to use these!"
Huey watched as Celestia's magic grasped a massive stone slab in the centre of the throne room floor and lifted it, revealing a massive, rotating orrery. However, the arms that usually contained models of planets possessed a single, hexagonal-cut gem. The human witnessed Celestia silently gathered up the five gems, each either pink, red, purple, blue or orange. Her magic then encased the concrete orb in the centre of the device, which usually represented the sun. Huey gasped as a sixth gem, cut into the shape of a large, six-pointed star, rose up from the solid sphere.
"What are they, Celestia?" Huey asked hesitantly. "What are you going to do to her?"
Celestia ignored him, instead examining each gem individually before they formed into a circle round her and began to orbit the alicorn. Huey stepped back, the speed of the gems orbit rapidly increasing to the point where they were just a poly-chromatic blur round the princess. Suddenly, a flash of rainbow-coloured light blinded Huey, causing him to shield his eyes and look away. After letting his eyes have a few moments to recover, he glanced back to see Celestia fly up and out of the roof again.
"Wait!" He cried out before rushing to another door adjoining the throne room. Frustration bubbled inside him as he found himself inside another dead end. However, a seed of hope sprouted when he realised he had stumbled upon a study. The inside was completely trashed as a result of one of Nightmare Moon's beams blasting a hole through the wall, however it presented a perfect view of the outside world. Huey sprinted over to the gaping hole and looked outside. Far away, up in the night sky, floated the two alicorns. Unlike Nightmare Moon, who blended relatively well with the dark background, Celestia was an unmissable spot as the rainbow light surrounding her continued to pulse gently.
"Damn it!" Huey murmured. "I can't see!"
As he tried to lean out of the window, his foot bumped into a metallic object. Glancing down, he found that he had accidentally kicked a telescope. Smiling, he snatched the dusty object and peered through it at the pair. Nightmare Moon, the maniacal goddess of darkness, was clearly undeterred by the spectacle Celestia was bathed in. Meanwhile, Celestia was gazing at her former sister tearfully. Suddenly, Nightmare Moon glowed bright blue, her entire body being bathed in her aura as another attempt to murder her sister charged up. Celestia clenched her eyes shut, tears drenching her cheeks as she said a few words. Unfortunately, Huey was too far away to hear them. The two alicorns fired their respective beams simultaneously. The two streams of magic colliding in a massive orb of white light that shifted back and forth towards either opponent as they fought for dominance in this battle of magical endurance and strength.
Huey watched as the orb slowly began to creep towards Nightmare Moon. Certain that Celestia was about to be victorious, he focused his attention on the monster. Nightmare Moon's eyes were clenched shut, every fibre of her being pouring every last atom of magic into what was clearly a matter of survival or death. However, the effort, which was beginning to cause beads of sweat to trickle down her face, was for nought. The moment she felt the orb of colliding magic touch her horn, her eyes opened wide in shock and surprise. That single moment sealed her fate as the lapse in concentration caused all resistance to crumble and the full force of Celestia's magic to engulf her.
"No!" Nightmare Moon screamed in terror as she was engulfed in a shimmering orb of rainbow coloured magic that rocketed into the sky. Huey watched as the screaming ball, and its captive, smashed into the surface of the moon, crafting the shape of a unicorn's head into it. Huey let the telescope slip from his hands and fall to the ground far below.
"Of course," He whispered in understanding. "The banishment of Nightmare Moon... One thousand years ago."
However, his realisation did not last long when his vision was once again engulfed in white.
Huey sat up with a jolt. His heart was pounding and every part of his body was drenched in cold sweat. Panicked, he looked around in the pitch black darkness.
"Celestia!?" He cried out in fright. "Where are you!?"
"Shhhh... I'm here," A motherly voice whispered, while a pair of hooves embraced him. "It was just a memory... My memory."
Huey sobbed uncontrollably as he buried his face into the alicorn's chest.
"I thought you died!" He bawled. "I thought... You had been killed!"
"I was very close to being killed," Celestia admitted. "However, I am very much alive and well, as you can see."
"But... It was all so real! You weren't moving! I heard you scream!"
"That's because it was real, Huey," Celestia clarified. "Was. That was a memory of the past."
Huey shivered and remained silent, his mind still reeling from the shock. Meanwhile, Celestia gently stroked his hair and whispered comfortingly into his ear. Eventually, Huey's sobs subsided, but the tears remained. It took a few minutes of crying before the flow began to dry up and Huey had the strength to look up into the alicorn's eyes.
"It was horrible!" He stated tearfully, earning a nod of understanding from Celestia. "There was so much destruction."
"I know, Huey, I know."
"But you're not a bad pony," Huey stated, causing Celestia to gaze back in surprise. "What I saw was self-defence. It was banish or be killed. You did the right thing, Celestia. You could have struck your own sister down, and be forced to bury her, but you didn't... You showed her mercy, even when she had become so twisted that she sought to kill you."
Celestia looked away, the metaphorical gears within her mind turning as she considered the human's assessment of what he saw. Minutes passed as she desperately tried to concoct a rebuttal, adamant that she was a bad pony, that there was an alternative solution she could have taken that didn't mean she had to banish her sister to the wastes on the lunar surface. However, her concentration was broken when a thumb gently stroked her cheek.
"You can't torment yourself over the past, Celestia," Huey said quietly. "All you can do now is try to make the future brighter for those you adore, and realise that what happened in the past could have been much more painful if you hadn't shown such restraint and care for your sibling."
Celestia gasped, his words touching her heart. The princess grimaced as she mulled over this new nugget of wisdom for a moment, before nodding her head in agreement.
"You're right," She agreed. "I must be strong. Not just for my sister, but for my subjects."
"That's right," Huey replied. "However, you cannot do that on your own. You may be immortal, but that doesn't make you any less of an individual."
"But, Equestria... They need me!" Celestia protested, but was cut off when a fingertip was placed on her lips.
"Immortality does not make you invulnerable to stress, Celestia," Huey said forcefully. "You'll be useless to everyone if you bottle everything up. You need to be able to relax and, if necessary vent any frustrations or worries you have to someone."
"But I'm a princess! Who could I possibly go to? I couldn't even consider confiding in one of my subjects... They can't be expected to cope with such a task."
"Then consider going to someone other than your subjects!" Huey explained. "I would suggest your sister, but she's not in the best of places, like yourself. So..."
"So, what?"
"Why not me?"
Celestia's eyes widened at the suggestion.
"Before you say anything, just think back to what you and I have done here," Huey said. "You shared with me a very traumatic memory and, dare I say, you seemed to enjoy being fed. Would that perhaps be due to your position as a princess?"
Celestia raised a hoof to her lips to conceal a silent giggle, while her cheeks took on a slight red tint.
"It was nice," She admitted. "But I could never ask any of the servants to do such a thing. It's too..."
"Degrading or dictatorial?"
"Yes!"
"Well, I volunteered and suggested the idea, so you've nothing to worry about!" Huey remarked. "Meanwhile, I do believe there's still some cake left. May I try some?"
"Of course!"
Huey smiled as he retrieved the plate and fork. Eagerly, he sliced off a chunk and ate it. The sponge was delectably soft and moist, while the butter cream icing on top was a delightful mixture of vanilla with zesty lemon. Huey hummed in appreciation and licked his lips.
"Whoever made this is a genius," Huey murmured. "The buttercream icing... Soft, easy to eat, but the taste of vanilla and lemon. It's perfect."
"I know," Celestia replied quietly. "When I am feeling low... I..."
"Comfort eat," Huey finished. "It's not healthy. I don't know if you can gain weight or not, but if you can, becoming overweight will be detrimental to your health and self-esteem."
"I know, I know," Celestia replied with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not a child. It's just..."
"With no one to confide in, the only way to relieve stress is cake?"
"Exactly."
Huey nodded his head in understanding before slicing off another chunk, which he presented to the princess. Without the childish fanfare provided last time, Celestia accepted the tribute and ate the treat.
"While I'm not averse to letting you have cake," Huey said as he continued to present chunks of cake for Celestia to eat. "I will make sure it's not too much, for obvious reasons."
"Fine." Celestia muttered, a hint of disappointment bleeding into her tone as she munched another serving. As soon as the remnants of the cake had vanished, Huey put the plate and fork aside and gently stroked Celestia's ears, who had quietly laid her head in his lap. The princess' ear twitched and flicked periodically, but the gently cooing and murmuring were a clear indication that she was enjoying the attention. Huey's fingers eventually left her ear to stroke the alicorn's neck and mane too, causing further mutters of approval.
"How are you feeling?" Huey whispered, anxious not to break the peaceful silence that had fallen.
"Secure." Celestia even whispered back. The choice of adjective puzzled Huey. Was Celestia referring to being in the company of a friend? Was it a statement of her mental health now that she knew she had someone she could rely on to help her through her darkest hours? Huey grimaced as he wondered whether to probe further for confirmation. Eventually, he decided on letting the matter drop. The reason why Celestia found any value in his company meant nothing to him. What mattered is that an individual, isolated by her own status and power, had finally found someone they could speak to as an equal, not as a superior. The distance created by being a completely different species, an alien, in Equestria was pivotal. Without that unique status, it was doubtful that Celestia would be so willing to open up. It was actually surprising she opened up to him at all, in retrospect, but, for some reason, the sun princess had found enough reason to trust him with some of her most troubling worries.
Huey shrugged his shoulders lightly before returning his attention to Celestia. The coos had ceased, and the only sound indicating she was alive was her gentle breathing. Guessing that she had fallen asleep, Huey tilted his head as he began considering whether he could slip away without disturbing her. With the alicorn comfortably using his lap as a pillow, it was obvious such an idea was doomed to failure. Grimacing, Huey shook his head and sighed quietly before slowly shimmying down into a supine position. With the alicorn's head now resting on his chest and his own against the pillows, Huey resigned himself to sharing the same bed with not just an equine, but the most powerful one he knew existed.
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.
9 - The Mare From The Moon
"This situation seems oddly familiar."
Huey huffed in exasperation as he let his forehead rest against the doors that separated himself from Luna's bedchamber. He had assumed that the task of knocking would be easy, since he had done the same thing with Celestia less than twenty four hours ago. Sadly, he was mistaken as his nerves overwhelmed him, leaving him stranded on Luna's doorstep.
"Come on, Huey," He muttered to himself. "You've done this once before, just do it again."
His hand lifted, preparing to knock on the door, but suddenly faltered and dropped to his side.
"Damn it!" He scolded. "Just do it!"
With a sigh of frustration, he drew his head back and then smacked it against the door a few times in an attempt to knock some sense into himself. As he prepared himself for the fourth strike, the door suddenly opened. Due to his leaning against the door, Huey stumbled clumsily into the darkened room, his arms flailing wildly.
"What the!?" Huey exclaimed in shock as he lost his footing and fell, face first, onto the floor. Dazed and surprised, he lifted his head up and shook it vigorously to snatch back some of the consciousness he had knocked out of himself.
"WHAT IS THY BUSINESS IN OUR PRIVATE CHAMBERS!?" A female voice bellowed, the volume so high that the room shook. Huey's hands immediately scrambled to cover his ringing ears, that caused him to lose the support that had allowed him to shake his head. As a result, his face slammed into the floor again.
"WE SHALL NOT REPEAT OURSELVES, CREATURE!"
"I'm here to see you!" Huey shouted back weakly. "Please, stop shouting! I swear my ears are bleeding."
"WE DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE VISITORS! LEAVE!"
"Luna, for the love of all that is sacred!" Huey begged as he staggered to his feet. "Stop shouting! I'm going to go deaf if you don't!"
"THOU DARE TO ORDER US TO CEASE THE USAGE OF THE ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE!?" Luna roared furiously. "WE SHALL TEACH THEE A LESSON IN HUMILITY AND RESPECT, VILE WHELP!"
Huey's eyes widened as his feet tingled, indicating that they had been encased in magic. His feet were hauled into the air, rendering him incapable of fighting back..
"Oh lord!" Huey yelped as he flailed helplessly in mid-air. "Put me down! I beg of you!"
"YOUR PLEAS MEAN NOTHING TO US!" The Princess of the Night declared. As the light from her horn, which provided the only source of illumination, began to flare aggressively, a new voice interrupted them.
"PUT HIM DOWN, SISTER!" Celestia bellowed authoritatively before it returned to her normal, motherly tone. "That is no way to treat the only human in Equestria."
"This creature is known to thee?" Luna exclaimed angrily, her voice no longer shaking the castle's foundations, but still loud by normal standards. "Then, pray, tell us what purpose it serves by invading the sanctity of our quarters!?"
"I sent him to introduce himself," Celestia explained. "I did not expect you to assault him without provocation!"
"Tis a lie!" Luna argued, as her magic shook the ensnared human roughly. "This beast rushed into my chambers without leave. We acted out of instinct to protect ourselves from harm!"
Celestia looked towards Huey with a look of surprise and concern.
"Is this true?"
"Not quite," Huey began weakly. "I lost my nerve when I arrived and was plucking up the courage to knock. However, my banging my head against the door to knock some bravery into me was clearly loud enough for Her Royal Highness to notice. The sudden opening of the door took me by surprise."
Celestia grimaced and shook her head.
"A simple mistake, nothing more, sister," She summarised. "Please, put him down."
"Very well," Luna replied after a moment of silence. Huey was turned the right way up and placed safely on the floor. After straightening his clothing, Huey cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion," He said to Luna solemnly. "If I may be so bold, I am Huey. The only human in Equestria. I wish to make your acquaintance, but not in such a raucous manner. I am sorry."
Silence fell over the room again, leaving Huey with a growing worry that Luna was still harbouring a great deal of anger towards him. Nervously, he glanced towards the silhouette of Celestia being caused by the light spilling through the door. Unable to see her expression, he fidgeted and spoke again.
"If you would rather that I leave, I can do that, Your Highness. I will not bear any malice towards you."
"No," Luna finally replied. "If my sister sent you, she must be convinced that you are of sound character. We hath total trust in her judgement."
Huey smiled slightly at the compliment and bowed.
"I am honoured, truly," He replied solemnly. "I also wish to apologise to you, Princess Celestia. My intrusion, undoubtedly, interrupted you during your duties."
"It is quite alright," She replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "The sudden shouting surprised me, yes, but nothing urgent was interrupted. If you'll excuse me, I will leave."
When Luna failed to respond, Huey looked at Celestia. While he was unable to actually see her features, he could sense that the silence had upset her. It was clear that The Lunar Princess' anti-social behaviour was more prevalent than expected. Celestia nodded her head silently before leaving the room. The door was swiftly shut by Luna's magic, leaving Huey in the darkness. Silence swiftly encased the room, Huey too nervous to speak, while the princess within was not in the mood for conversation.
"So," Huey stammered after a minute had passed. "Um... M-My name's Huey."
"Thou hath already divulged thy personage, Human," Luna interrupted bluntly. "We do not wish to have our time wasted."
"I'm sorry!" Huey blurted out weakly. "I'm a little nervous."
"Thou know our dark and repugnant past?" Luna guessed. "Hath thee knowledge of our misdeed against ponykind?"
"I do," Huey admitted. "However, that's not why I'm nervous!"
"Then tell us why you are nervous!" She ordered. "If our past does not turn thy stomach and freeze thy blood, thou art braver than thee give yourself credit for."
"Well, this may sound silly, but," Huey began hesitantly. "It's because you are a princess."
"Our position perturbs thee?" Luna asked in surprise. "Do tell us why that is so!"
"You're powerful!" Huey elaborated, his hands clasped together. "You are a monarch, a ruler of Equestria..."
The human was swiftly cut off by a bout of laughter. Frowning, Huey witnessed a pair of eyes suddenly appear through the inky blackness. How he was able to see them without any light source, he could not say, but the sight was disturbing due to the apparent lack of a body the eyes were attached to.
"Thou clearly jests!" Luna declared after her laughter subsided. "We hath no position in Equestria anymore. We are merely a discarded remnant of a time long since discarded to the annals of time and history. My dear sister is the sole ruler of Equestria, as it should have always been."
"Why do you say that?" Huey asked. "You have just as much of a right to rule as your sibling, surely!"
"No, Human, our tyrannical actions hath caused my right to rule to be forfeit for over one thousand years." Luna countered. "While we hath been freed from the chains that compelled us to act so horrifically, we are still capable of falling victim to the dark again."
"Ah, so that's it," Huey mused. "You can't forgive yourself, even though everyone else has."
"Tis true," Luna admitted authoritatively. "The citizens of Equestria should not be forced to accommodate a princess that may attempt to enslave them. They may have found it in their hearts to forgive us for our transgressions, but I refuse to do so."
"Why?" The human enquired. "Surely, by accepting that you made a mistake in the past, and vowing to never repeat it, you can find it in yourself to stand by your sister once more?"
"Because if we were to let go of the past, we may let down our guard and allow the dark forces that corrupted us to return. You cannot seriously suggest we allow such a possibility to exist?"
"I'm not saying that you should let go," Huey countered. "I'm saying that you should not allow the past to dictate what you will do in the future. I'm not going to whitewash what happened, you became a monster. However, you are not a monster now, Your Highness. You are, once again, your true self. What you decide to do now, and in the future, will be your decision alone, and not the darkness you refer to."
Huey smiled internally as Luna failed to respond instantly, indicating that he had made a logical breakthrough that she needed time to mull over.
"Our decision is to isolate ourselves from the world," Luna declared. "Nothing should be left to chance! If Nightmare Moon were to return..."
The princess fell silent, the outcome she was alluding to obvious to Huey. She would not allow herself a normal life again. Luna had opted for self-imposed isolation to protect Equestria's residents. Huey sighed as he began to pace the room.
"You understand the risks then?" Huey probed. "You understand that what you are suggesting will require mental stamina that is unheard of!"
"My desire to protect others will not fail me."
"Oh, I do not doubt that," Huey admitted. "However, what you seem to forget is that you're not a goddess. You have a mind like everyone else, that can experience a full range of emotions. Have you considered what will happen to you, if you decide to hide yourself away for the next ten years? Hundred years? Maybe another thousand years?"
"We have experienced a thousand years of solitude already, Human," Luna spat. "We can clearly handle another thousand."
"Ah, but that was different!" Huey countered. "You were still very much under the influence of Nightmare Moon. The real you was suppressed, buried beneath the hatred, the bitterness and jealousy. Nightmare Moon... She had an axe to grind. A desire that burned so bright that she would wait a billion years, if it meant she could escape and wreak havoc across the land."
"You speak as if you're a scholar regarding Nightmare Moon!" Luna remarked angrily. "What possible experience could you have of the evil that is The Mare In The Moon!?"
"Because I witnessed her defeat!" Huey suddenly yelled. He gasped, the sudden burst of aggression shocking himself deeply.
"You... Witnessed it?" Luna asked in confusion. "How?"
"Your sister showed me her memory of the event," Huey explained calmly. "I saw everything with my own eyes. The anger, the hatred, the physical incarnation of evil appear before me and attempt to strike down Celestia. I experienced every moment of it."
"But why? Why would my sister show you?"
"Because she felt just as guilty as you do," Huey replied sadly. "She has spent the last thousand years torturing herself mentally, due to what happened. Your sister could not accept that what happened was out of her control. She was adamant that she could have done more to save you, to tear you away from the malignancy that had corrupted you. You are not the only one who has regrets, because of this."
Huey breathed a heavy sigh as Luna considered the information he had presented. He felt a small twinge of guilt as he realised he had revealed what was, in his view, information Celestia had told him in confidence. Huey smacked his forehead angrily as punishment.
"Tia..."
Huey looked over at the pair of eyes, the new name confusing him for a moment before he deduced that it was a contraction of Celestia.
"She has been suffering just as much as you, Your Highness," Huey reaffirmed. "She has spent so much time blaming herself for what happened. Could she have done more to prevent it? Could she have done more to save you when you became Nightmare Moon? Could she have ended your exile early? Celestia was wracked with self-doubt and guilt, and she was struggling to cope."
"Struggling?"
"Yes, Princess," Huey stated. "Neither of you are paragons of mental fortitude. You may be confident now, but the self-hatred will eat you alive. I dare say that it will drive you insane. Which then raises the question of; when that inevitably insanity finally envelopes you, who will stop Nightmare Moon returning then?"
"We..." Luna stuttered. "We cannot allow that to happen! Nightmare Moon must never return!"
"No one's disagreeing with you about that. However, I am saying that the way you're trying to achieve that is counter-productive. You are merely prolonging the inevitable by doing this. Think back, Your Highness! All the emotions you experienced that allowed Nightmare Moon to exist, they were negative emotions. Hatred, jealousy, anger... They are still there, only they are directed at someone else... Yourself. Don't you see? The anger and hatred stemming from what happened could be the seeds that will see Nightmare Moon return stronger than ever!"
Luna's eyes looked away, expressing a clear hint of despair.
"Then there is no hope."
"That's not true!" Huey argued passionately. "There is always hope, even if you are certain that there isn't. I can't begin to imagine how guilty you must feel right now, but I beg you to reconsider your current course of action."
"What course of action could there possibly be other than incarceration?" Luna queried incredulously. "I am Nightmare Moon, Bringer of Eternal Night, Destroyer of Lives."
Huey sighed heavily and began pacing the room. The princess was stubborn, totally adamant that they were in need of punishment for their past transgressions. Was it possible to convince her that she was totally innocent? Did a path lay ahead that could show Luna that she had been forgiven for "her" actions? Huey rubbed his temples in frustration, while glancing at the solitary pair of eyes that watched him intently.
"Punishment," Huey stated bluntly. "That's what you wish to have, is it? Punishment?"
"Yes."
"A thousand years in exile isn't enough for you?"
"No, it is not."
"Well, have you considered..." Huey began hesitantly, as his mind whirled with suggestions. "Community service?"
"Community service?" Luna repeated inquisitively. "Pray, elaborate on what this entails."
"Well, it's a form of punishment," Huey explained. "It adheres to the concept of restorative justice. Where an individual guilty of a crime is punished by being required to engage in tasks that help those they have wronged."
"Hmmm..." Luna hummed thoughtfully. "Your suggestion appeals to us, human."
"I was hoping you'd say something along those lines. One could argue that such a form of punishment is more appropriate here since it means that you will using your considerable power for good, instead of locking yourself away forever."
Huey gazed at Luna, hoping his suggestion would pry her out of her extensive inertia. However, the course of action he had leapt into left a deep pain in his heart. He was, for all intents and purposes, manipulating Luna, by using her guilt and self-loathing to convince her of the need to engage in her royal duties as "atonement" for sins that he knew were not hers. Sadly, he did not feel confident in his ability to change her perception of the part she believed she played in the events of a thousand years ago. It was cruel, totally devoid of morality, but Huey rationalised that Luna was more likely to recover from her guilt if she was tricked into engaging in normal life to allow her to "forgive herself", instead of being allowed to fester in a whirlpool of emotion forever.
"Thy words convey much truth, human," Luna finally replied. "But we would not know where to begin with this new path."
"That's okay," Huey said comfortingly. "You won't be doing this on your own. You will have others guiding and assisting you along the way."
"That brings us much comfort," Luna admitted. "But what shall our first step be?"
The human paused for a moment before he reached out with a hand for the alicorn to take.
"May I suggest that you and I go for a walk?"
"What for?"
"Simple, Your Highness," Huey replied. "To allow the staff to see and become accustomed to their new princess."
For a moment, Huey was afraid that his reason would not be accepted, but the concerns evaporated when a hoof gently grasped his hand. Tenderly and with all due respect, he guided Luna off her bed and towards the door that lead to the rest of the castle. Upon reaching it, Luna tugged on his hand.
"We can't do it," Luna hissed. "We... We are afraid."
Huey immediately gave her hoof a gentle squeeze.
"Your Highness, I will be by your side every step of the way. If it helps, we can go somewhere more quiet first to allow you to get used to being out in the open and so forth."
"I'd like that."
Huey's ears pricked up at the sudden usage of I, instead of we. He was not fully aware of the reason for Luna's unusual method of speech, but its sudden disappearance was startling. Filing away the incident for the purpose of discussing it with Celestia later, Huey opened the door. His hand immediately reached up to cover his eyes, the light proving to be far brighter than expected. However, he was quick to recover from the shock, allowing him to step outside of the room. He then looked back, patiently waiting for Luna, who had opted to remain inside her bedroom, to follow.
"Is it safe?" Luna whispered. Huey glanced in both directions to check if anypony was in the area. Noticing that they were alone, he nodded. Suddenly, a blue mist emerged from the bed chamber. It was similar in consistency to that of Celestia's mane when it took on its public, ethereal form, but it was not as colourful. Instead, it had stars scattered throughout what could be mistaken for a snippet of the night sky.
Huey watched as the mist began to thicken and coalesce into the shape of a pony. The general shape was unmistakably that of an alicorn, featuring the same slender legs and body that Celestia sported, however it was not as tall as her, for it struck a middle ground between the average equine and the sun goddess. With the shape now in place, the mist solidified into flesh, hair and bone, turning what was once a shapeless cloud into a living, breathing equine.
Standing before him, her gaze fixed to the ground, was Luna. Her mane and tail were a light azure blue, while her coat colour was a much darker shade. Much to Huey's confusion, the princess' cutie mark was much more elaborate than the others he had seen. Unlike everyone else, who merely sported a symbol, Luna had what could only be described as a sizeable ink blot splattered across her backside, accompanied by a waning moon. Swiftly brushing the asinine queries aside, he gestured towards the end of the corridor.
"Shall we?" He asked politely. Luna nodded nervously before gingerly following her human chaperone down the corridor.
"Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go?" Huey asked quietly. Luna shook her head in return, which caused the human to grimace.
"Well, um..." He began slowly. "What about a wander in the royal gardens? I've yet to go there and the fresh air might do some good for both of us."
Luna made no attempt to respond. Huey sighed internally, the uncertainty within the princess clear for all to see.
"What about lunch?" He suggested. "Will a nice, quiet meal help?"
Once again, the mare beside him made no attempt to respond. Huey stopped, so that he could crouch down to speak directly to the princess.
"We can do this another time, if you don't feel comfortable?"
"Can we do this when night falls?" Luna asked, her tone was so nervous that the request was more akin to begging. Huey nodded in understanding and swiftly ushered her back into her bed chamber. The princess released a deep sigh of relief as her horn lit the candles in the room.
"You have our infinite gratitude, human," Luna murmured, while crawling back into bed. "We felt great distress outside the sanctuary of our quarters."
"I understand. It's been a long time and you are, undoubtedly, nervous. I am more than happy for you to take your time."
"We are grateful for your patience, even if we do not deserve it."
"That's not true!" Huey objected. "You deserve decent treatment."
"Even after what I did?"
"Yes! You wish to make up for what happened, right?" He asked, earning a nod from the forlorn princess. "Then you deserve to be treated as well as anyone else! If you did not wish to atone for your past, that would be completely different."
"Are we truly worthy of your generous treatment though?"
"I think you do," Huey stated firmly. "I have faith and trust in you."
"You... You trust me?" Luna repeated in surprise. Huey gazed back solemnly and nodded.
"I do," He reaffirmed. "You may not trust yourself, but I am confident in the judgement I've made about you."
"Time will tell us if your faith was misplaced, human," Luna murmured.
"Please, call me Huey. I don't know if you were waiting for me to give you permission, but I do not wish to be kept at a distance."
"You do not fear me?" Luna queried. "You are comfortable in exchanging pleasantries with... Me?"
"As I said before, I trust you, Your Highness." Huey reaffirmed, and sat on the edge of Luna's bed. "Absolute faith."
"But why? We cannot fathom why!"
"Because your sister believes in you," Huey explained. "And, in retrospect of the events after my tumultuous introduction, I do not believe you bear any malice towards anyone, apart from yourself."
"Tis true," Luna admitted. "We would not dare contemplate harming another."
"Then why should I be afraid?" Huey pressed. "You have acted only in self-defence and, even then, you did not truly harm me, merely disarmed me when you had reason to believe I was an intruder. You showed restraint, a quality that tells a great deal of a pony's character."
"Thy words show thou hath great skill in perception, Hum-Huey," Luna remarked thoughtfully, her slip of the tongue being swiftly corrected. "It is clear that we have a truly worthy individual to guide us on the path to salvation and redemption."
Huey smiled weakly in response and nodded solemnly. Luna watched silently, her expression devoid of any perceivable emotion. The differences in character between herself and Celestia ran much further than the skin-deep differences of mane, coat and cutie mark. Celestia exhibited the qualities of a benevolent monarch, more concerned about her subjects in perpetuity and showed it with the tone and actions that were blatantly maternal in motivation.
The sun princess was the embodiment of one who could be given the title of "mother of the nation". Her sister, on the other hand, was more reminiscent of a monarch of centuries past. Aloof and distant, yet still caring deeply for her subjects, Luna embodied a monarch who maintained the clear divide between royalty and peasantry. There was no doubt that she would, if she were the sole ruler of Equestria, act benevolently, however she would not be as open and caring as her sibling. Instead, she would be more akin to a statue, a stoic symbol of strength in the face of adversity that others can place absolute faith in, a princess who would rule fairly, but firmly. Huey smiled as he concluded that he was privy to an unsoiled snapshot of what must have been the methodology utilised by the two princess' a thousand years ago.
As co-rulers, it was highly probable that they sought to rule in a manner that was consistent, so as not cause concern via contradictory behaviour. However, with Luna's exile, Celestia had clearly evolved with the times, the role of ruler now including far more than just a distant symbol of strength that the average citizen pledged allegiance to. She was the guiding light of the kingdom, the mother of all foals, the pinnacle of care and compassion, her simplest actions alone had the power to influence everyone, who would undoubtedly wish to emulate what she stood for.
"We apologise if our lack of conversation bothers thee."
Huey shook his head slightly to dispel the thought process he had been mulling quietly over.
"Not at all, Your Highness," He replied honestly. "I must say that I am also at a loss for words. I am not entirely sure what you think would be an appropriate topic."
"Then show no fear and ask, Huey," Luna said with a careful wave of her hoof. "We hath no qualms with providing the answers you seek."
Huey clicked his tongue and looked away. The distant nature Luna exhibited made it hard to discern what could be appropriate. Unlike Celestia, who always exuded an aura of openness and understanding, Luna displayed what could be interpreted as a lack of patience for the mundane.
"Yourself," Huey suggested. "Tell me about yourself, Your Highness."
"M-Myself?" Luna repeated in surprise. "What could thou possibly wish to know? Thou art already knowledgeable in our past crimes against pony-kind."
"I am," Huey replied gently. "I also know that you ruled Equestria together with your sister for centuries before those events occurred. However, I have yet to hear anything in detail. I want to know about the REAL you, The TRUE Princess Luna, not Nightmare Moon."
Luna blinked, her gaze unwavering as she processed the unusual request. She then looked away, her expression softening into one of indifference and a hint of shame.
"We..." She began quietly. "We were the clear junior partner during those times, as it should be. Our duties were not as extensive as our dear sister's, yet we expected equal praise and recognition."
"What duties did you do?" Huey probed, his hand reaching out to softly stroke Luna's mane, which was just as soft and luscious as her sister's. Luna hummed softly, her eyes closing, while she leaned into the hand that caressed her.
"It was our duty to lower and raise the moon to herald the end and beginning of the night," Luna murmured. "We would also watch over the dreams of common ponies to protect them from the nightmares that may plague them."
"Those sound very important to me," Huey remarked. "Where I'm from, nothing protects us from nightmares, and the planet moves of its own accord, resulting in the appearance and disappearance of the sun occurs of its own accord."
"But our purpose is far from important," Luna countered, a hint of sadness invading her voice. "Our sister hath performed our function for over a thousand years without fault. Does that not mean we are nought, but a third wheel?"
"I don't think that's true," Huey replied, while his fingertips glided over the edge of Luna's ear. The princess purred softly, while her ear twitched and her eyelids fluttered involuntarily. "Your sister was not able to assume all of the responsibilities you had before your exile. Due to her needing to be awake during the day, she needs to sleep at night. If she is asleep, who guards the dreams of Equestria's citizens?"
"No one," Luna answered sadly. "Equestria has been deprived of that luxury for over a thousand years, because of our selfish actions."
"You have the power to guard their dreams again, Your Highness," Huey stated. "You are the only 'Guardian Of Dreams' in existence. Think of the good you can do in that capacity alone. Foals will never have to fear the advent of nighttime, because you will be their guardian that ensures happy dreams are permitted, while nightmares are chased away."
"We'd like that," Luna cooed. "We wish to protect our sister's subjects to atone for our misdeeds."
Huey hummed softly as a form of encouragement, while Luna yawned lightly.
"Have you been okay since your return, Your Highness?" Huey whispered. "Your sister and I have been worried."
"It is of little consequence," Luna replied softly. "We are not worthy of your concern."
"On the contrary," Huey countered. "Your welfare means a great deal to myself and Celestia. You are still an individual, one who we care about, regardless of what you believe you've done."
The human let his free hand curl round Luna's barrel to envelope her in an embrace. The princess made no attempt to disengage or deepen the physical contact, causing Huey to refrain from venturing further. Instead, he continued to gently pet her mane and ears, earning him another delighted coo.
"We won't be able to convince you otherwise, will we?" Luna enquired.
"Correct," Huey responded tenderly. "Celestia and I will always worry about you, no matter what happens."
"Thank you," Luna murmured. "We do not deserve it, but thank you, Huey."
"You're welcome, Your Highness."
"Luna..." The princess corrected with a heavy sigh. Huey nodded in understanding before giving her a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
"Luna." Huey repeated. However, the princess did not respond. Huey closed his eyes and focused on listening to her gentle breathing, indicating to him that she had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Wake up!"
Huey's eyes drifted open. To his surprise, he found a large pair of dark blue eyes staring back at him, which he immediately recognised as Princess Luna's.
"The day has passed, the sun begins its descent once more!" Luna declared, her hooves tugging urgently at Huey's t-shirt. Yawning, he crawled sluggishly out of bed and allowed himself to be dragged to the balcony Luna's bedchamber possessed. After giving his eyes a vigorous rub, Huey watched as the sun descended below the horizon. Unlike the sun he recalled back home, there was little time wasted between the sun hiding behind the horizon and the moon emerging to takes its place. In the span of moments, it was now pitch black, if one disregarded what little moonlight there was.
"That's it?" Huey remarked. "That's sunset?"
"Yes," Luna stated proudly. "That was the demonstration of our sister's power over the celestial bodies that occurs daily!"
"I can't help but feel incredibly underwhelmed," Huey admitted, earning him a gasp of disbelief from Luna. "What about the pleasure one can get from witnessing a sunset?"
"Hath thy eyes deceived you?" Luna asked. "The sun hath set before your eyes! What more could there possibly be to witness?"
"Well, for starters," Huey began. "The beautiful sight. What we saw was a simple switch from day to night. Where I'm from, it doesn't take place over the course of seconds. On the contrary, we have our own naturally occurring seasons, and constantly lengthening and shortening days and nights."
"Your kind must wield great power to have achieved naturally occurring day and night, along with the weather."
"You give me too much credit," Huey replied solemnly. "My kind has done nothing of the sort. It is the power of science that created our situation."
"Your kind must live in constant fear of the elements and the hardship they may bring?" Luna clarified, earning a nod from Huey. "But that is monstrous! How dost thy fellow humans cope with such uncertainty? How hath thee survived without the certainty of your crops bearing fruit?"
"We study the skies, Luna," Huey explained. "It is a service that requires hundreds, if not thousands, of humans, who constantly watch the skies and use great inventions to predict what the weather will be. We then plan around this knowledge."
"For a moment, we believed thy kind hath perfected control over the seasons to the point of automation!" Luna mused. "Instead, we learn that you are living in perpetual fear. Dost this situation not bother you or your kin?"
"We have adapted," Huey replied. "At first, we could not predict the weather, which did lead to famine and death on a number of occasions. However, we learned, ensured we grew more than necessary, in case a famine did occur, and try our best to co-exist with the weather, since we do not possess the power to control it."
"This revelation truly astonishes us," Luna murmured thoughtfully. "How dost thy weather work? If not via the labours of pegasai, what causes the rain to fall, the sun to shine and the temperature to rise and fall?"
"I don't know the full details, but allow me to explain part of it. Do you have a ball or anything that is spherical in shape?"
"We possess a perfectly sculpted globe of our lands and those beyond it," Luna replied. "It is in the royal observatory nearby."
"Then please, shall we take that walk we postponed, so that I may provide the answers you seek?"
"Let's!" Luna chirped. For the first time, a clear emotion had been displayed, excitement. Huey smiled as he was escorted back into the bedroom by Luna, before being ushered out into the corridor. It was clear that all traces of uncertainty had been vanquished from Luna's mind, all that existed was herself and Huey. The human chuckled quietly to himself as Luna eagerly trotted through the halls of the castle, completely ignoring a number of servants and guards, who were going about their duties.
"This way!" She cheeped urgently. "We urge you to hurry, Huey!"
"Alright! I'm coming!" Huey replied in defeat as he sped up into a jog. Within moments, Luna arrived at a pair of doors, which were swiftly thrown open to reveal a truly magnificent observatory, the candles inside swiftly being ignited by Luna's magic to provide illumination. The domed roof consisted of panels of glass, permitting an almost perfect view of the night sky by just looking up. The centrepiece that dominated the room was a massive telescope. Unlike observatories Huey remembered, which needed to create a massive gap in the roof for the purpose of allowing the telescope to see the sky, the architect who had designed this room had opted to integrate the roof with the telescope, permitting the user to immediately gaze at the stars without exposing themselves to the elements outside.
"Here is the object you seek!" Luna said as she presented Huey with a globe. It was clear by the unusual landmasses that this was not a representation of Earth, but it was perfect for Huey's demonstration.
"I want you to imagine that you are the sun, Luna," Huey began. "Stay right where you are. As the sun, you never move, but you are constantly shining light around you."
"We understand," Luna replied with a nod, before she sat down and began waving a hoof towards the globe in Huey's hands. "We are breathing our perpetual light upon you."
"Exactly! However, unlike Equestria, my home, Earth, rotates," Huey continued, while rotating the globe round in his hands. "This constant spinning is what creates night and day for humans. Our world revolves around the sun."
"Fascinating!" Luna chirped. "But what of the seasons and the varying days?"
"That's the next part," Huey replied eagerly. "Right now, we have the planet rotating, which provides a stable and consistent amount of day and night. The next part is that my planet is tilted."
Huey adjusted the globe so that it was tilted away from Luna slightly. He then pointed towards the upper hemisphere that Luna could see.
"Here, it is further away from the sun due to the tilt," Huey stated before pointing to the lower hemisphere. "While it is warmer here due to it being tilted closer."
"Amazing!" Luna remarked. "But that dost not explain the varying day and night cycle, nor dost it explain the seasons!"
"That's explained by the final thing my planet does!" Huey said as he began to walk around Luna. "My planet doesn't just spin in one place, it spins around the sun in an orbit. By doing this, the planet alternates towards tilting towards the sun, or tilting away from the sun, depending on where you are. When we are tilted towards the sun, the days are longer, brighter, warmer. However when we are tilted away the days are shorter, colder and darker. Since the planet is constantly going round in a circle, there is a cycle of warming up and cooling down that humans could map out into the four seasons; summer, autumn, winter and spring."
"This is truly beyond words!" Luna burbled. "A heliocentric planet! Equestria's greatest astronomers demonstrated that we are the exact opposite centuries ago!"
"It is very clear that your planet is what my kind would call 'geocentric'," Huey remarked. "A planet that has the sun and moon revolve around it, instead of the other way round. I can tell you that many years, decades even, were spent arguing over whether my planet was stationary or mobile."
"We are truly astounded!" The princess replied. "We would be willing to do anything to be given the chance to witness the natural movement of the sun and moon in the manner you describe!"
"It could get boring, Luna," Huey said quietly. "Days are calculated to last twenty four hours, the same as here, however the movement of the sun across the sky is very slow."
"That may be true, but you are telling us that a celestial body as vital as the sun does not require magical intervention to perform its role!" Luna argued. "The planet itself moves to make the days and seasons go by. Dost thou not see how new and exciting it is for us?"
"I do, I truly do!" Huey reassured her. "However, the natural progression of a single day is not the part that I believe you should be excited about. It is the transition between day and night that you must see!"
"Why?" Luna asked inquisitively. "We hath seen days and nights pass for thousands of years. What dost seeing the transition happen slowly achieve?"
"My dear Luna," Huey began solemnly. "That is a sight that I am unable to describe. It is a sight that I believe you and your sister should see with your own eyes, because words cannot begin to give it the credit it deserves."
"Thou must be teasing us!" Luna declared defiantly. "No celestial event could possibly be so fantastical that thou art incapable of describing it for us!"
"I am not lying!" Huey stated bluntly. "I promise you that when the time comes for the sun to rise again, you and your sister will see something that will, metaphorically, blow your mind!"
Luna narrowed her eyes in suspicion and pursed her lips in thought.
"We shall see," Luna eventually muttered. "We shall see for ourselves whether this event you speak of is worthy of such praise."
"I am confident that you will concur with my assessment," Huey reaffirmed. "However, the night is, as some might say, young. What should we do now?"
"We remember our most favourite activity during the night was to craft intricate patterns into the sky," Luna reminisced sadly. "We would while away the hours by crafting entire constellations for our subjects to admire."
"Constellations that they could not admire, due to being asleep," Huey added, causing Luna to look away. "However, I do not see any stars tonight."
"They are only temporary," Luna explained. "The stars one sees in Equestria's skies exist only for a single night."
"Every single one is unique," Huey mused. "Back on Earth, the stars are other suns that are millions of miles away. Their light incapable of being seen during the day, but they light up the sky during the night."
"Your home is so incredibly different from ours," The princess remarked. "The sun and moon do not require magic to work, and the stars are not created each night by hoof."
"Correct," Huey confirmed. "The stars my kind see are millions of years old, the suns of what could be other planets that bear life."
Luna gasped lightly at the enormity of Huey's statement. Meanwhile, Huey took the first opportunity to look up at Equestria's sky during the night. He had yet to take the opportunity due to being in dire need of sleep. Much to his disappointment, Huey saw nothing, but inky blackness. Not a single star was accompanying the moon.
"Of course," Huey muttered to himself, while approaching Luna, so that he was stood next to her. "Each star lasts a single night."
"Indeed," Luna sighed. "It would appear that our sister has yet to craft her own designs into the blank canvass before us."
"Or, perhaps, she cannot," Huey suggested, causing Luna to look at him. "She is the princess that represents the daytime. The night is not her domain. It is possible that she either chooses not to craft a landscape with stars due to needing to sleep, she cannot do so due to her magic revolving around the sun, or..."
"Or what?" Luna probed inquisitively. Huey remained silent for a moment, quietly giving the sky one last scan to confirm there were no stars before he looked into the eyes of the princess beside him.
"She chose not to, because it would not be right for her to tread on the territory of 'The Princess of the Night'," He postulated. "Perhaps the reason the sky is devoid of constellations is due to its rightful architect not being ready to paint the sky... Until now."
Luna's eyes widen at the implication Huey had just dropped upon her. She glanced up at the sky before staring back at Huey, her hoof raising to cover her mouth.
"Y-You mean..." She stammered. "I should..."
"Yes," Huey replied with a nod. "Your canvass awaits you, Princess Luna, create a masterpiece."
Luna's eyes glistened as they welled up. Her gaze slowly locked onto the sky above, tears trickling down her cheeks as she fought with herself mentally. She desperately wanted to let herself loose on the sky before her, but the pleasure it would give her felt undeserved.
"I-I can't!" She stuttered, her head shaking vigorously. "I can't do it. I don't deserve-"
Huey cut her off as his armed wrapped around her from behind, enveloping her in an embrace. The Lunar Princess squeaked in surprise, but did not fight back as Huey comforted her.
"Do it for me," Huey whispered. "Show me the beauty an Equestrian night can bring to a being that comes from a world where magic does not exist."
For a moment, Huey thought that his encouragement had fallen on deaf ears. However, he was proven wrong when a reinvigorated Luna gently broke free from his embrace and stepped forward. Eyes closed, Luna ignited her horn and pointed it towards the sky. Huey looked up and gasped as he saw specks of light suddenly spark into life across the sky. Mouth agape, he watched in silence as Luna threw herself wholeheartedly into her work. Using her horn like a piece of chalk, Luna's head rotated and tilted in time with the emerging patterns of stars, creating a collage more spectacular than the individual patterns of stars she had created.
Minutes passed by in total silence, Huey too astounded to speak, while Luna concentrated on her art. Eventually, after almost ten minutes had elapsed, Luna breathed a deep sigh and opened her eyes to admire her finished landscape.
"What ist thy opinion, Huey?" She asked quietly, while leaning back into the embrace Huey she had originally broken free from. Huey blinked and attempted to speak, but could only achieve incomprehensible mumbles. Luna blushed and giggled at the human's linguistic difficulties.
"I... Oh my gosh," He stammered. "It's beautiful."
Huey did not know whether he had ever actually appreciated stargazing before he lost his memory, but he was definitely doing so now. Witnessing the actual process, and seeing the stars flicker into life, had added an element of wonder that could not be matched by the stars he could look at on Earth. Tenderly, he tightened the embrace he was providing to Luna, a move that caused her to hum with approval and snuggle closer.
"I have never seen anything like this before," Huey murmured quietly. "If there is one memory that I would want to keep forever... I think it might be watching you craft what I'm seeing right now."
"That's not all," Luna replied with a giggle. "Watch the sky."
Luna's horn burst into life again. Huey obeyed her command and scanned the night sky, desperately searching for the sight the princess wished for him to see. His gaze eventually spotted a collection of stars that were shining much brighter than the rest.
"What do you see?" Luna asked. Huey pursed his lips in thought. It was clear that saying 'stars' was the incorrect answer, so he stared at the highlighted dots of light, mentally begging them to provide the answer he was seeking. After a few moments, Huey gasped as he realised that Luna had highlighted a constellation. Desperately, he began visualising the myriad of different lines he could draw between each star, knowing that they would, somehow, create a recognisable shape. However, his recollection of constellations from earth were that they rarely looked like the creature or mythical figure they were named after.
Suddenly, a particular combination of imaginary lines revealed to him what Luna had done. The alicorn had created a sequence of dots which, once connected together, created what could only be described as a stick person. Huey grinned and nuzzled the top of Luna's head.
"I see a human," He whispered, earning him a hum of confirmation from the princess. Huey's heart swelled with pride from the fact that Luna had taken the effort to draw a picture of him with actual stars.
"I hope you like it," Luna replied nervously. Huey nodded and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"I love it," He murmured into her ear. "It's beautiful."
Luna sighed in relief and readjusted her position for extra comfort before responding.
"You're welcome."
Content, the pair admired the landscape Luna had created.
"I don't know if anyone's ever said this, but you are clearly a talented individual," Huey remarked quietly. The princess squirmed slightly, the sudden compliment taking her by surprise.
"Th-Thank you," Luna murmured. "But it was the arrogance caused by the night that corrupted us."
"I'm not so sure," Huey countered thoughtfully. "If you pardon my asking, how frequently did the citizens of Equestria actually see you in the flesh?"
"N-Never." Luna stammered quietly. Huey grimaced, this revelation was both enlightening, but troubling too. This innocent mare had spent hundreds, if not thousands, of years watching over her subjects' dreams and crafting truly amazing sights with the canvass provided by the night sky, but had never received any recognition for them. Tenderly, Huey tightened his embrace a little more and nuzzled her mane, earning him a satisfied hum. If Luna was to feel any sense of self-esteem, she had to be given the opportunity to be seen by the public. It sounded incredibly petty and self-centred when portrayed simply as a need to be seen and fawned over, but the issue ran much deeper.
Luna had clearly been an integral, but unnoticed, part of the smooth running of Equestria. However, the knowledge that Celestia was praised and worshipped like a goddess, while her equally consistent stewardship over the nightly needs of Equestria's residents occurred without any recognition, would, undoubtedly, chip away at any individual's self-esteem. Huey felt a pang of sympathy for Luna and Nightmare Moon. A simple thank you, or a kind remark about how beautiful the star-filled sky looked, would have done wonders for the princess, however that did not happen and the results were catastrophic.
"What is on thy mind?" Luna suddenly asked. "We hath noticed that thy embrace hath increasingly restricted our movement over the past few minutes."
"What? Oh!" Huey exclaimed, his grip immediately slackening. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about someone... And it made me feel sad for them."
"Oh? Who is it that hath won your concern so completely?"
"You."
Luna tilted her head back, so that she could look up at Huey in surprise.
"You feel sad for us?"
"I was thinking about how lonely you must have felt, while trapped on the moon," Huey lied, unwilling to reveal the pang of sympathy he had experienced. "I cannot begin to imagine how awful it must have been for you."
"It is the price we paid for our past actions," Luna explained indifferently. "Do not worry, Huey, for that chapter of my life is over. We shall craft a new chapter of redemption together."
Huey nodded with a wide smile plastered over his face.
"I would be honoured to accompany you down that path, Luna," He replied solemnly. "It means a great deal that I have been able to speak to you at all!"
"Hmph, you give us praise that is undeserved," Luna remarked. "But we thank you for your kind words regardless."
"I'm glad," Huey responded tenderly. "If you are willing to answer, could you tell me more about what life was like before Nightmare Moon?"
"Hmmmm... We do not believe our life hath been incredibly interesting," Luna began thoughtfully. "However, the part we played with helping our sister vanquish a great menace from Equestria is worthy of your attention!"
"Oh really?" Huey asked, his interest piqued. "I wouldn't mind listening to what you have to say."
"Then make thyself comfortable!" Luna ordered enthusiastically. "We shall regale you with the tale... Of Discord!"
"Discord?"
"Discord is a creature of power that exceeds ours and our dear sister's," Luna began. "Long before I became Nightmare Moon. Equestria was struck down with a period of great unrest and unhappiness. The clouds rained down chocolate upon innocent equine heads, the grass became wool and pigs could fly!"
Huey stared at the princess in disbelief, the only response made was a solitary blink.
"It truly was a time of chaos for all!" Luna explained. "The culprit behind this most troublesome state of affairs was Discord, a being that had the head of an equine, the horns of a goat and deer, the tail of a dragon, the paw of a lion and talon of a griffin, and the legs of a goat and a lizard. A being that lived to be out of the ordinary. Chaos was his lifeblood! The wacky was his forte! The unusual was his usual!"
"Okay..." Huey replied slowly. Even though his disbelief and growing concern for Luna's sanity was becoming more apparent, she continued regardless.
"However, we journeyed far and wide, with our sister, in search of a set of magical artifacts that were capable of subduing him and returning Equestria to normal; The Elements Of Harmony."
"Oh!" Huey interjected. "Were they a set of gems, one of which was a six pointed star?"
"Indeed, Huey! The same gems that vanquished Nightmare Moon!" Luna confirmed. "My sister and I used them together to undo all of his troublesome magic and turn him to stone!"
"You make it sound like this was incredibly easy," Huey interrupted again. "Surely the showdown you had with this being was far more eventful! What happened?"
"Well, it was rather anti-climatic," Luna admitted. "Discord wasn't willing to take us seriously. So, he sat back and laughed, while we unleashed the power of the elements upon him!"
"Let me get this straight," Huey said incredulously. "A mish-mash of creatures with the power to turn the entire landscape into wool just sat there and let you turn him to stone with the very same artifacts that would be used against Nightmare Moon?"
"That is correct!"
"I'm sorry," Huey began apologetically with a sigh. "I can't believe this story. You want me to believe that this living jigsaw puzzle, with the power to make chocolate rain, just sat back and laughed, while you unleashed power beyond comprehension upon him. If this is true, where is he now? You said you turned him to stone, so this thing must be sitting somewhere as a statue, right?"
"Right, Huey!" Luna chirped. "He lives in the palace gardens! We'll show you!"
Huey raised an eyebrow and followed Luna as she briskly trotted out of the observatory and into the lush grounds encased within the walls of Canterlot Castle. Huey rushed to keep up with The Lunar Princess as she charged ahead of him into the depths of the gardens. Eventually, she stopped beside a statue and turned towards a tired and wheezing Huey, who was barely managing to keep up.
"Here he is!" Luna declared with a flourish. "We present Discord, embodiment of chaos!"
Huey raised a hand to silently convey the message that he needed a moment to recover. Luna cringed slightly at the exercise she had unwittingly provided and gently gave Huey's back a pat, while he continued to inhale deep lungfuls of air. After he had sufficiently recovered, Huey finally looked at the statue Luna had presented.
Stood before him was a majestic, but incredibly mismatched collection of animal parts. Discord was exactly as Luna had described. One of his arms, in the form of a lion's paw, was holding his chest, while the other, a griffin's taloned "hand", was thrust into the air in a defiant pose. Huey was swift to notice that even though the creature's head had been described by Luna as "equine", he could see nothing that bore even the slightest similarity. It was truly a sight that needed to be seen to be believed.
"This is him over one thousand years ago?" Huey enquired. "This exact pose was the last one he took before being turned to stone?"
"Correct, Huey," Luna confirmed. "While he was far from being a violent and tyrannical ruler, his troublesome behaviour was just as bad."
"I see," Huey hummed as he paced round the statue. "If this is his actual physical form, can he hear us? Is he still alive?"
"He is very much alive," Luna replied with a nod. "Whether he can hear us, we cannot tell."
"I wouldn't be terribly happy if I was encased in stone, but still capable of sensing what happened around me," Huey mused, while giving Discord's leg a gentle tap. "I'd probably be driven totally insane by the experience."
"Considering Discord is the embodiment of what his name represents," Luna remarked thoughtfully. "It would be hard to tell if that's the case. He was hardly the picture of sanity when he wasn't in this current state."
"That's true, however it makes me wonder," Huey murmured. "Is there any chance that he might break free like Nightmare Moon did?"
"We sincerely doubt it," Luna replied confidently. "There has been many opportunities throughout history for him to break free, but we have yet to see anything occur. It is our firm belief that he is totally harmless."
Huey glanced over the statue once more before humming in agreement and following Luna, as she trotted back into the castle.
"My sister tells me that you wish to show us something, Huey."
Huey nodded in response to Celestia. He and Luna had been able to successfully while away the hours and were tired, but Luna had prevented him from heading to sleep to ensure that he would show the two princess' the indescribable event he had mentioned to Luna. His eyes heavy and beginning to burn with fatigue, Huey yawned and stretched to provide the last ounces of energy needed.
"Yes," He muttered. "Please, come with me and let me show you."
The royal sisters obediently followed Huey out onto the balcony of Celestia's bedchamber. With the time for the moon to be lowered fast approaching, Huey beckoned the two princess' closer, causing them to stand beside him. With Luna on his left and Celestia on his right, Huey pointed at the moon.
"Luna," He began. "Begin lowering the moon, but do it slowly."
"Slowly?" Luna repeated. "But why?"
"Both of you will see in a moment," Huey replied. "Please, do as I ask."
Luna huffed slightly at the curt tone Huey had employed, but said nothing as her horn ignited and the moon slowly began its descent.
"Slower," Huey said. "If you lower it too fast, you'll miss it."
Luna nodded and slowed down the descent to a barely noticeable crawl. Huey then turned towards Celestia.
"Raise the sun, but do it slowly as well, the same speed as your sister," He requested. "I assure you that my unusual directions will bear fruit in a few moments."
Celestia grimaced slightly, unsure of the purpose of Huey's insistence on the transition from night to day being done slowly. However, she sighed and followed his instructions. Huey leaned forward and gripped the balcony as he watched the suns rays begin to appear over the horizon.
"There!" He shouted, causing the two alicorns to jump. "Look at the horizon!"
The two alicorns looked in the direction Huey was frantically pointing at and gasped. Instead of the usual sight of the clear blue sky, the suns rays had scattered, causing the sky to take on a breathtaking mixture of orange, pink and dark blue. Huey laughed cheerfully as he marvelled at the sight.
"Your Royal Highness'," He began grandly. "Allow me to present to you... The phenomenon known as twilight!"
The alicorns stepped forward, unaware that their respective holds on the sun and moon had ceased.
"How is this possible?" Celestia asked. "It's... It's beautiful."
"You were right, Huey," Luna remarked. "It really is indescribable."
"I know," He replied. "What you are witnessing is the sun's rays being scattered as they creep over the horizon. The result is what you see before you. A breathtaking symphony of colour."
The trio fell silent, the sight leaving the princess' all lost for words, while the human remained silent so they could truly appreciate what he had helped them to create.
"Luna, Celestia," Huey murmured quietly. "This is perhaps something the pair of you can do together."
"Together?" Celestia repeated inquisitively. "What do you mean?"
"This sight can be recreated when the day becomes night and vice versa," He explained. "All it requires is patience and a slower transition from day to night. Imagine it, twilight heralding the arrival of a new night or day, a few precious hours where it is both, yet also neither. Both of you will be awake simultaneously. I don't know whether it requires much concentration to manipulate the sun and moon, but I am imagining that you both can slowly move your respective celestial body and spend that new found time with each other."
Celestia hummed in thought before looking at her sibling.
"What say you, dear sister?" She asked. "Would you be willing to perform the duty of raising and lowering the moon once more?"
Luna glanced at her sister, then back at the horizon, before nodding her head eagerly.
"Yes, please, Tia!" She begged and wrapped her sibling in a hug. Celestia smiled and returned the embrace, while Huey watched silently.
"Then it is settled, Lulu," Celestia replied authoritatively. "Today begins a new chapter in Equestria. We shall enjoy this brand new celestial event Huey has shown to us!"
"What should we call it?" Luna asked, causing Celestia to look at Huey.
"The same thing his kind call it," She murmured. "Twilight."
Huey blushed and looked away as the familiar feeling of pride swelled within his heart again.
"Dear Huey,
It is wonderful to read that everything is okay in Canterlot. It is even better that you have been able to help Princess Luna, I had my worries too, but I did not wish to impose myself upon Princess Celestia's affairs.
Meanwhile, I have been busy with adventures of my own. After you left for Canterlot, I received a pair of tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala, a social event hosted by the princess every year. Suffice to say, being given two tickets, but having five friends, made the situation very distressing for myself. Before you begin to worry, I was eventually able to come to terms with the problem and learned a great deal about friendship in the process. I was given extra tickets so that all of my friends could come along to The Grand Galloping Gala, which definitely made their day! If you could pass on my gratitude and best wishes to the princess', that would be a great weight off my mind.
Best Wishes,
P.S: If you are curious about any of my findings regarding the magic of friendship, I am sure Princess Celestia will allow you to read the reports I sent to her."
Huey looked up from the letter at Princess' Luna and Celestia. After spending a while enjoying the twilight he had organised for them, the trio had decided to have breakfast together. During the wait for their food, he had quickly penned a letter to Twilight summarising his own adventures in Canterlot, after ensuring to omit any private details he had been made privy to by both monarchs before sending it.
"My student is such a kind soul," Celestia remarked as she sipped her tea. "I sometimes wonder whether she ever has any time to think about herself. Her studies or the needs of those she cares about have always been her priorities."
"We are certain that your prize pupil has the common sense to ensure that she does not deprive herself of their basic needs," Luna replied soothingly. "We are sure Huey will be able to confirm this, considering he resides with her."
"From what I saw, she is coping just fine!" Huey stated indifferently. "Thinking about it, I'm not sure if I would have accepted Your Highness' invitation if I had reason to believe that Twilight wasn't coping. After all, she is the pony responsible for me. It would be most heartless if I was to not return the favour and be concerned about her welfare."
"You are right, Huey," Celestia murmured with a nod. "I am overthinking it. Please, do forgive me, I am still getting used to not having Twilight near by."
"She mentioned that she lived here in the castle itself once," Huey added, while cutting up the pancakes he had ordered into easy to eat chunks. "From a very young age, as you already know. So, it's only natural that you would miss her. I guess you could say you are experiencing the heartbreak a parent experiences when their children finally grow up and... 'fly from the nest', so to speak."
"True," Celestia admitted. "But I don't know whether it is appropriate for me to have such feelings for her though."
"Nonsense, Tia!" Luna exclaimed, while her hoof slammed onto the table forcefully and startled Huey. "It is only natural that you, the princess mother of the kingdom will harbour maternal feelings for all of your subjects. It is merely through prolonged contact with Twilight in particular that those feelings have become much more pronounced."
Huey nodded and hummed in agreement, his fork waving towards Luna to accentuate that she had raised a very perceptive point.
"Don't worry yourself over whether you should feel what you're feeling or not, Your Highness," Huey said. "Just act on them. Twilight speaks very highly of you, when given the opportunity. I dare say that she probably harbours some feelings for you that are akin to the affection and respect one has towards their mother. I could even go so far to say that she may even consider you as something of a second mother. Whether that's true or not, I'd have to ask Twilight herself, but I don't see idea as being impossible."
"You're right," Celestia replied with a shake of her head. "I'm overthinking it. Moving on, it's truly wonderful that you and I have shared a meal together, Lulu. It's been too long."
"Far too long, Tia," Luna replied with a nod. "Almost two thousand years, if memory serves us well."
Huey suddenly gagged, the revelation that the two sisters had not sat at the table to eat together for two millennia causing him to inhale and send a fragment of pancake into his trachea. The two alicorns watched in alarm as he leaned forward and began pounding the front of his chest in a frantic attempt to dislodge the fragment that was blocking his ability to breath.
"Luna, he's choking!" Celestia yelled. The pair stood up so swiftly that their chairs were sent flying, the urgency of the situation overriding the need for decorum. Luna stood Huey up, while Celestia bent him over and slammed her hoof into the human's back. Huey wheezed, his face turning pale and a faint shade of blue as Celestia's attempt to assist failed.
"Stand back, Sister!" Luna ordered. "We shall deal with this!"
Celestia stepped back, while Luna reared up and wrapped her forehooves round Huey's torso. As his vision began to fade to black, Huey became aware of a sudden pressure being exerted upon his diaphragm. What little air he had been able to inhale, while choking to death, was suddenly expelled from him, causing the fragment of pancake to fire out of his mouth like shot from a cannon, and splatt unceremoniously against the wall on the far side of the room.
The pair then collapsed to the floor, Huey was too weak to stand, while Luna was unaccustomed to standing on her rear legs and, therefore, lost her balance. Celestia was quick to throw herself to the floor to pet Huey and comfort him as he inhaled deep lungfuls of air.
"It's okay, Huey," She cooed. "It's all over. It's gone!"
Luna joined in with the comforting and nuzzled his neck protectively. Huey's vision was blurred, his eyes were watering and the first droplets of a cold sweat had began to form on his forehead.
"Th-Thank... You..." He wheezed weakly. Both princess' shushed him, eager for the human to rest and recuperate from the shock.
"Don't talk," Celestia ordered tenderly. "You had both of us worried, Huey. What happened?"
Huey deadpanned at the sun princess, the order for silence being immediately contradicted by the query. However, his expression swiftly melted away when he responded.
"Sur-surprise..." He began quietly. "So long... Since... Meal... Together."
The sisters shared a brief glance after Huey was able to wheeze the final word of his broken sentence. Celestia shook her head and ran a hoof through his hair tenderly.
"Don't worry about that, Huey," She reassured him. "That chapter is over now. This is, as you say, the first time in two thousand years that Luna and I have shared the same table for a meal, but it will not be the last time. After losing her to Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago, I don't know if I could handle being separated from her again."
Luna blushed, a solitary tear falling down her cheek before she gave her equally tearful sibling a loving nuzzle on the cheek.
"We missed you too, Tia," She remarked. "We do not wish to be separated from you again either."
Huey coughed, causing them to look down at him. Much to their relief, the human was nodding weakly in support of their shared ambition, a smile slowly creeping its way onto his face.
"I'm afraid it will soon be time for me to leave to begin my duties for the day," Celestia said mournfully. "But I will endeavour to check on you at lunchtime. Luna, will you be able to take him to our private quarters to rest?"
"Of course, sister! We shall watch over him like he was our own foal!" Luna declared confidently. Huey was able to exhale a strained giggle before passing out, the strain, combined with his already notable fatigue from being awake the entire night, proving too much for him.
"Poor thing," Celestia remarked, her hoof running through his hair again. "I thought for a moment he might have..."
"We thought so too," Luna added. "It is fortunate that the technique we performed to remove the blockage did not cause any damage. After all, he is a human, not a pony."
"You'd be surprised how similar his kind are to us," Celestia stated. "I read Twilight's notes, which he had brought with him at her request. They know a great deal... Much more than we do."
"Considering the fact that they do not have magic to control the weather, they undoubtedly need to exploit the knowledge science can bring to survive. He told us about how his planet spins around their sun last night, and how it creates the seasons and more."
"Hmmm... I don't know how I can break the news to him that he can't go home." Celestia muttered sadly, causing Luna's eyes to widen.
"Thou hath tried?"
"We have," Celestia admitted. "He came here when a unicorn miscast a spell. It would take centuries to recreate the broken spell that brought him here. His kind can live, if they're lucky, up to around one hundred years at the most. He would be deceased long before we find the way."
Luna frowned and looked back at the unconscious human on her back.
"Then perhaps we shall pray that he would prefer to stay here?" She suggested. "We hath known him for less than a day, but... He is already like an old friend to us... Like dearest Starswirl."
"I must admit that I feel the same way as yourself," Celestia murmured. "The way he acts... It's refreshing to be treated like a pony, instead of a princess. However, he might want to go home if his memory returns."
"He has amnesia?" Luna enquired in surprise.
"He does," Celestia confirmed. "He knows much about his kind, but nothing about who he really is. The name 'Huey' was the result of Twilight's creativity."
"Then..." Luna muttered in shame. "Perhaps we should pray that his memory never returns too? Even though it is a horrible thing to wish upon someone."
"You are not alone in your shame, Luna. I am worried that he might be very different if he recovered his memory too."
The pair fell silent, both contemplating the shameful, and possibly selfish, wishes they were both nurturing. Eventually, Celestia shook her head and gave Luna a brief hug.
"Pray, do not tell him what we have discussed here, sister," Celestia begged. "When the time comes... IF the time comes... I will be the one to tell him."
"We understand, Tia," Luna replied. "We shall say nothing, as if this conversation did not happen."
"Thank you."
Huey's eyes flickered open. The ceiling above him and the delightfully soft mattress beneath him showed he was in Celestia's bedchamber. Biting his lip, he rewound the events he could remember to ascertain how he ended up back in her bed. Vaguely remembering the near death experience he had at breakfast, he swiftly deduced that he must have been deposited in the princess' bed to rest and recover. Humming in thought, he began to sit up, but discovered he could not due to something weighing him down. His decision to admit defeat without a fight and return return to sleep was overturned when he clocked onto the fact that whatever was holding him down was not touching his clothing, but his bare skin.
Eyes wide, he slowly, and nervously, looked down. Much to his disbelief, Princess Luna was using him as a pillow. Her head was nestled under his chin, while one of her forelegs was draped across his chest. This was an arrangement he had experienced with Celestia and, as a result, did not bother him, however, the fact that he had been stripped shocked him. Waves of panic washed over him, causing his heart to pound as he closed his eyes and focused on ascertaining how much of his clothing had been taken from him through what he could feel against his skin.
His heart sank progressively as he realised that the situation was worse than he expected. He, at first, assumed his t-shirt had been removed, but that was proven wrong when he discovered that his trousers and socks were missing too. Clenching his eyes shut, he muttered a prayer that, at the very least, his underwear had been left alone. Gingerly, he grasped the edge of the quilt that covered his and Luna's bodies and lifted it up. What he saw caused his blood to run cold, even his underwear had been removed. Huey let the quilt fall back into its original place and stared, dumbfounded, at the ceiling.
"I am... Currently being cuddled by a talking pony..." He whispered to himself. "Without any clothes on at all."
Huey blinked and repeated the statement mentally over and over again. His already strained and panicked breathing hitched when he realised that he must have been stripped by one of the equines, since he had clearly been unconscious. As anger, stemming from being stripped without his consent, threatened to encroach upon his thought processes, his attention was caught by a soft, feminine hum. Huey mentally facepalmed when he remembered that he was not alone. Luna was cuddling his naked frame like a teddy bear. Unlike the previous physical interactions he had engaged in, the skin-to-hair contact between himself and the naturally nude equine made his skin crawl.
Whether he would have been more accepting if the situation had occurred on terms he was comfortable with, Huey did not know, but he did know that he was not comfortable with what was currently happening. Gritting his teeth, he looked down at the sleeping alicorn and began weighing up his options. He could be polite and just tolerate the predicament he was in until Luna woke up, but he was eager to escape from the uncomfortable situation, and he had no idea when she would wake up. The second option was to attempt to quietly break free from Luna's embrace and retrieve his clothes, but that carried the risk of backfiring and disturbing her slumber. The final option was to bite the metaphorical bullet and wake her up intentionally, however he did not feel it was polite to disturb anyone if they are asleep.
"Damn it."
Huey sighed and rubbed his face in exasperation. Even though he was in a situation that was, as far as he knew, the worst he could possibly be in, he could not bring himself to put Luna at risk of losing sleep. With a deep frown, he shook his head and gently gave Luna's mane a pet.
"Hmmmm... That's nice," Luna mumbled in her sleep. Huey rolled his eyes and sighed again. Huey's ears pricked up when he heard the sound of the door handle turning.
"Oh no!" He hissed and pulled the quilt cover until it covered the lower half of his face. The voice that he heard chilled his blood.
"Lulu?" Celestia said softly. "How is he?"
Nervously, Huey raised a hand and waved.
"Oh, you're awake!" Celestia whispered. "What of my sister?"
Huey immediately revealed his face and mouthed the word "asleep" before gesturing to urge Celestia to step closer.
"What happened to me!?" Huey hissed to the princess, once she'd approached his side of the bed. "I choke on pancake one moment and find myself completely naked, with Luna, in bed the next!"
"Ah, I think I can guess," Celestia murmured quietly. "You passed out, and I asked Luna to take you to my room to rest."
"Okay, that explains the fact I'm in your bed," Huey hissed. "But why have I been stripped?"
"I would assume that Luna thought you would feel comfortable if you weren't dressed," Celestia mused. "Did you tell her about your kinds... Aversion... To nudity?"
Huey shook his head and sighed.
"Could you, at least, pass me my underwear?" He asked. "I don't want to wake up Luna, but I REALLY don't want to have her hugging me while I'm not decent."
Celestia blushed and giggled before her horn ignited and, much to Huey's surprise, teleported his boxers into place.
"I apologise for what my sister did, Huey, She undoubtedly had the best of intentions when she... Deprived you of your clothing."
"Har har..." Huey replied sarcastically. "Regardless, thank you for giving me my boxers."
Celestia waved a hoof dismissively.
"It is quite alright, Huey," She murmured. "I shall leave the two of you to sleep. Both of you were awake last night, after all."
Huey nodded and released a small, silent yawn.
"You're right," He muttered. "Again, thank you for... Clothing me."
Celestia chuckled again, her hoof giving Huey's hair a motherly tousle. The alicorn then turned tail and left the room, leaving Luna and Huey in peace. Shaking his head, Huey looked down at The Lunar Princess, who was still sleeping peacefully, and gave her neck and gentle stroke. Luna hummed and her body shivered at the pleasant touch.
"Sweet," Huey remarked as he laid back and, gingerly and carefully, coiled his arms round Luna in an embrace, the embarrassment from being naked diminished by the presence of clothing, even though he was wearing the bare minimum.
"I am definitely going to tell Luna not to take my clothes off next time," He muttered himself with a quiet chuckle before letting fatigue claim him again.
"We are certain that these were removed when we tucked him into bed!"
Huey sluggishly roused himself from his slumber, his brow furrowing in concentration as he listened intently to the voice that woke him up. While blinking rapidly to clear the blur that was obscuring his vision, Huey suddenly became aware of something tugging on his boxers. The realisation that someone was in the process of robbing him of his underwear proved to be effective at waking him up. Sitting up, Huey, to his horror, found Luna attempting to strip him. His eyes widened as he witnessed Luna standing over him, her head buried into his groin so that she could grasp the waistband of his boxers with her teeth.
"Luna!" Huey shouted, causing her to let go and allow his underwear to snap back into place. "What the hell are you doing!?"
The princess looked up at him in surprise, but not embarrassment.
"We took the liberty of removing your garments for the purpose of ensuring maximum comfort during your period of rest from your near death experience!" Luna explained nonchalantly before poking his boxers. "However, somehow, this... Thing... Is still on your personage."
"That's because Celestia helped me put them back on when she visited a while ago!" Huey replied defensively. "I'm not a pony, you know!"
"But surely your kind remove all clothing before heading to sleep?" She countered. "After all, the function of garments is to insulate one’s body from the cold. When that is being done by the bedsheets, dost thou truly need to complement that with clothes?"
"That's not the point!" Huey exclaimed. "We don't allow ourselves to be nude!"
"Even in these circumstances?" Luna scoffed. "What about when you are born? Were you born fully clothed too? Nay, such an event could not happen. You hath nothing to be afraid of."
"I can see why you'd not understand, since your species walks around naked by default," Huey mused. "However, that's not the case with humans! We reserve nudity for those we trust, those we love. It's even illegal to be nude in public... It's just... Not the decent thing to be nude."
"Dost this mean that you do not trust us?" Luna asked aggressively. "Art thou suggesting that you do not consider me worthy of seeing your naked form?"
"What!? No!" Huey stammered. "Well, Um... Maybe... No! It's not like that! Look, nudity is something that my kind take very seriously. Even among friends, it's considered inappropriate to be totally nude... Heck, even being in just underwear, like I am now, is considered to be either on the boundary, or crossing over it, in regards to decency!"
"Hmph... Your ways are confusing and make little sense," Luna said with a shake of her head. "You were born naked. We saw nothing that should cause you any embarrassment when we removed your clothing the first time around."
"You saw... E-E-Everything?" Huey stuttered in horror.
"Correct," Luna replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "We know what the intimate anatomy of equines consists of. While yours is a little different, we saw nothing too special."
"Why did you take the time to examine my genitals!?" Huey interrogated angrily. "I was unconscious! Do you know how creepy and inappropriate that is?"
"We were curious," Luna said indifferently, her nose held high indignantly. "Plus, we did not believe you would be so averse to displaying your body."
"So, at no point you thought the fact that I wore clothes everywhere could indicate that I may have a cultural aversion to nudity!? That idea never occurred to you at all?"
"Never."
Huey rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, his fingers reached up to rub his temples in annoyance.
"Okay..." He began calmly. "Let's just be absolutely clear, if you need to remove my clothes, don't touch my underwear, unless it's absolutely necessary. When I found myself totally naked and you snuggled up to me... It made me really uncomfortable."
Huey gave his boxers' waistband a gentle tug to highlight what counted as his underwear to Luna. The princess nodded in understanding.
"So, you did not feel great honour from being able to sleep with us?" Luna probed, causing Huey to blush deeply.
"W-What!?" He spluttered. "N-No, I mean... That is to say... I-I-I-I-It's an honour to be able to share the same bed, but... I-It's still... I..."
Luna cut him off with a mischievous laugh, causing Huey to puff his cheeks out in exasperation.
"Calm yourself, Huey," She soothed. "We were only jesting. We are sorry for assuming that you would be okay with nudity, we should have been more cautious and understanding."
Huey raised a hand to silence the princess.
"It's fine," He murmured. "I am the only one of my kind and very little is known about me. Indeed, the fact that there is much humans share with Equestrian culture would, undoubtedly, make one believe that the similarities exist with other things, like how one treats nudity. So, what matters is that it's been corrected, no one's been hurt and it won't happen again."
"You truly are a very forgiving individual," Luna remarked. "We are certain that if this had happened with someone else, it may have ended in a manner that was less agreeable."
"It was partially my fault," Huey admitted with a shrug. "After all, we've shared some very close moments together, but I never really explained where the boundaries lay. You can't exactly stick to them if you don't know they exist, right?"
Luna nodded in agreement. The human sighed and reached out to grasp Luna by her forelegs. The princess squeaked in surprise as she was dragged from her position, which was dangerously close to Huey's intimate region, into an embrace. Swiftly recovering from the shock of being forcefully relocated, she returned the gesture.
"Fresh page?" Huey asked quietly. "Put this awkward event to miscommunication and move on?"
"Agreed!" Luna murmured. "We are sorry for causing this."
"Don't be, Your Highness," He muttered. "It's over and no one was hurt."
Huey gently pet Luna's mane, earning him a delighted hum, which became a coo after he tickled her ears.
"Thy fingers are truly amazing!" Luna groaned, while her body shivered. "They are truly agile and capable of bestowing great pleasure."
"I see you've read Twilight's notes on human anatomy," Huey deduced with a smirk. "And yes, I've noticed everyone seems to enjoy ear scratches and having their mane caressed."
"It is undoubtedly a pleasure unknown to us ponyfolk," Luna reasoned deliriously. "Our hooves do not permit such precision when physical contact is needed."
"Most definitely," Huey agreed, before reaching out with his free index finger and tenderly pressing Luna's nose like a button. Luna blushed slightly and scrunched her muzzle up in confusion.
"What purpose dost thy action fulfil?" She queried, her eyes crossing in a vain attempt to see if anything had been placed on the end of his nose.
"Well, if it causes you to make such an adorable expression," Huey mused. "The purpose is to make you look cute!"
Luna shot Huey a brief glare.
"We art not cute, human!" She declared in a mock-authoritative. "We hath passed the age that permits us to be described as that."
"Age doesn't limit when you stop being cute!" Huey argued. "No matter how old one gets, they still have the ability to make someone else's heart melt... Metaphorically, of course."
Luna rolled her sighs and sighed in exasperation, before climbing out of bed and doing some minor stretches that accentuated her lithe, supple form. Huey was quick to follow her lead and hopped out of bed too to fix the stiff joints he had acquired while sleeping.
"Any idea what the time is?" Huey asked before glancing round the room for his clothes. "And where did you put my clothes?"
"The time is quarter past five in the afternoon," Luna reported. "While your clothes were sent to be washed. We could smell your essence upon them."
"Hey!" Huey snapped defensively. "I have yet to get some more clothes yet, they're all I've got! In fact. In fact, I've yet to get a proper bed set up in Ponyville! The only bed I can fit in is one crafted to hold an alicorn!"
"That is most regrettable," Luna mused. "We insist that you obtain more! There are many tailors and seamstresses throughout Equestria that will, I am sure, be more than happy to assist you."
"But I don't have any money!" Huey countered. "I can't expect them to make custom-made clothes for me without getting due payment, surely?"
Luna pursed her lips and tapped her chin in thought.
"We received an allowance from the royal treasury to permit the purchase of personal items and such before we were exiled," She stated thoughtfully. "Tia has one too."
"You mean... You'd give me the money to buy clothes? Also, you don't actually control all of the money you obtain through taxation and such?"
"We did not choose to rule over Equestria for the purpose of acquiring wealth and power!" Luna exclaimed defensively. "It is right that taxation be performed only when it is necessary. As such, My sister and I passed a decree over a thousand years ago that ensures we do not have total control over the treasury, but receive a generous monthly stipend for purchases that are not considered to be integral to our role as monarchs."
"Sounds reasonable," Huey commented. "After all, you may want to buy something for yourself at some point. However, what's that got to do with me?"
"Simple!" Luna replied. "We shall furnish you with the funds necessary to provide you with a new wardrobe!"
"Oh, a-are you sure?" Huey stammered. "I mean, I could just get a job... I'd rather not sponge any money off of you."
"Nonsense!" The princess countered with a dismissive wave. "We shall speak to our sister immediately and explain the situation. We are certain that she will permit us to obtain a small sum to use for payment!"
"I-If you say so," Huey replied weakly. "Wait, does that mean I'm going to go shopping?"
"Why... Yes, it appears that we are!" Luna concluded. "I trust you are not shy?"
"No, I've wandered through the streets of Canterlot before," Huey answered. "I was worrying about you."
"W-What? What do you mean?"
"You said 'Yes, it appears that we are', Luna," Huey explained. "Does that not indicate you wish to come too?"
"Oh..." Luna muttered, while looking away to try and hide the wave of nervousness and concern that washed over her. "I... It must have been the slip of the tongue... M-Misheard us!"
"Could you come with me?" Huey asked. "I'd like the company, and I can't think of anypony else."
"You mean, there's no alternative to me?" Luna replied sadly, assuming that Huey had so few friends that she was at the bottom of the pile. The human swiftly noticed the insinuation and approached Luna before he gave her a hug.
"No, it's because I would rather I had you by my side than anyone else," Huey admitted. "I will be honest, if this was night time, I would be tempted to ask Celestia, since she'd, technically, be off-duty. However, she's busy, and if she weren't... I'd have to flip a coin."
"Flip a coin?"
"Because I'd never be able to decide who to choose on my own," Huey explained. "That's how much I like you and your sister. You're equally wonderful to me."
Luna's eyes twinkled at the comment and she looked away to hide a light blush that had snuck onto her cheeks.
"Thank you," She whispered before wandering towards the door. "That means a lot."
"Where are you going?"
"We are going to speak to our dear sister," Luna replied. "We shall return as swiftly as possible. Meanwhile, we shall call a servant for you."
"A servant? What for!?"
"To ask that they retrieve your clothes, naturally!" Luna stated. Her horn ignited and grasped the end of a large, golden rope that hung down next to the bed. Huey watched her give it a forceful tug with her magic, and caused a distant bell to ring.
"One will arrive shortly, we are sure that you do not need instructions regarding how to ask someone to fetch your clothes."
Luna then left the room, leaving Huey on his own. A few moments passed before he was struck by a sudden and awkward realisation.
"But... I'm not dressed now!" He called out to no one. "I'm going to have my body seen... By a stranger."
Huey looked down at his barely clothed form. He was decidedly average in appearance. Neither fat, nor thin, and his skin relatively smooth, if one disregarded the barely visible hairs on his arms and legs. However, he still felt exposed without a full set of clothes that covered him up.
"Crap."
12 - A Royal Shopping Trip
"We do not see what the issue is," Luna stated nonchalantly. "You were wearing underwear. Why would you be embarrassed this time?"
"Two reasons!" Huey argued. "Firstly, the servant was a mare. Secondly, I was in only my underwear!"
"Exactly!" Luna fired back. "You were in your underwear! Therefore, you were not nude!"
"Th-That's not the..." Huey began before facepalming and sighing in defeat. "Look, it's also considered a social faux-pas to be seen in your underwear by those you are not romantically involved with. I didn't say that before, that's my fault."
"You humans truly are strange," Luna mused. "Not only do you prefer to cover your body, you also wear clothes underneath your clothes. Weird."
"Yeah, it kind of is if you're part of a species that walks around nude and proud everyday," Huey remarked. "Still, I'm going to make sure I get lots of clothes! It's bad enough I woke up... You know... Next to you. Having to then try and give orders to a servant, while attempting to cover myself up, is just rubbing salt in the wound."
Luna shook her head and rolled her eyes. The pair had descended down a long, winding set of stairs that lead to the basement of Canterlot Castle. It had been chosen as the perfect location for both the dungeons and The Royal Equestrian Exchequer, also known as "The Treasury", which was their destination.
"By the way, how did things go with Celestia?"
"Our sister was most delighted to hear that we wish to venture outside of the castle walls," Luna replied. "Although..."
"Although what?"
"We never got to ask if we could borrow the necessary bits from her," Luna mused. "She just said we were to consult The Chancellor of The Exchequer."
"Well, maybe things have changed since your exile," Huey suggested. "Perhaps there's been financial reforms regarding what Equestrian royalty can do with the nation's money."
"Maybe, but we can't think of why that would happen," Luna replied. "After all, we were more than satisfied before, why change what works perfectly?"
"Fair point."
The pair meandered down a few more dark corridors buried underneath the castle, before they reached a stereotypical vault door. Scattered around it were a number of guards, who were watching over a group of assorted equines scribbling furiously on scrolls of parchment and counting stacks of bits.
"Seems a bit low tech," Huey remarked as he approached one of the bureaucrats and looked at the pieces of parchment in front of her. It became clear that they were auditing the bags of money that had been provided by tax collectors scattered across Equestria. In one hoof, the treasurer held a list of place names with numbers, which Huey assumed were the amounts of tax expected to be deposited into the vault. In the other, she held a quill, which was feverishly scribbling down what may have been the name of individual tax collectors, followed by a corresponding location on the first sheet and the amount of bits they had sent. The final section had the totals from each collector added together and whether there was any extra or missing money.
"Seems simple enough," Huey commented. "Admittedly, some of the totals on these pieces of parchment are ludicrously large."
"And we count every single one," The female bureaucrat suddenly said without looking up, causing Huey to jump away in surprise. "So, it's not as simple as you suggest, sir. On the contrary, it is our duty to ensure that the totals provided by collectors across Equestria add up. If we find a discrepancy, well... Questions need to be asked."
"Q-Quite!" Huey stammered, his heart pounding while Luna giggled at the fright he had been given. "Who do I have the honour of addressing?"
"Abacus, but everyone just calls me Abby." She murmured, while putting her list down and offering her now free hoof to Huey. Amazingly, her gaze did not falter from counting her stack of coins, nor did her writing hoof. Huey reached out and shook it gently.
"Huey," He replied politely.
"Oh, the yu-man?" Abacus muttered. "Nice to meet you."
"Um... It's human, Miss," Huey corrected. "Also, you've heard of me?"
"Princess Celestia ensured that all of the staff knew who you were, so that we don't get a surprise if we bumped into you."
"How very kind of her," Huey said. "If you pardon my asking, do you happen to know where The Chancellor is? Her Royal Highness wishes to make a withdrawal."
The mention of "highness" caused Abacus to lose her concentration and scrawl a massive smudge across her page. All of the counters scrambled to stand up from their desks and bow to the princess.
"You Highness!" Abacus stammered. "W-We... I mean... I-I-It's an honour to be in your presence!"
"We are most humbled by your show of respect to us, diligent accountants of the realm!" Luna bellowed in reply, causing Huey to wince at the unexpected usage of the volume he had experienced when he and Luna first met. The bureaucrats were just as surprised too, their manes billowing out behind them as she spoke and their expressions all displaying bewilderment at being shouted at.
"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" Abacus stammered, while tottering towards the vault door with a mixture of fright and confusion. "The Chancellor is inside the vault. Let me just... Open the door for you!"
Huey grimaced. It was clear that Luna's archaic "Royal Canterlot Voice" was more terrifying than endearing. It was a habit he would have to assist Luna in overcoming, if real change was to occur. Storing that topic away for later, Huey thanked Abacus before swiftly following Luna into the vault. The interior immediately inside was narrow, but long. Smaller copies of the door they had just entered through lined the sides, each possessing a unique string of numbers, which Huey assumed were serial numbers for identifying specific sub-vaults. At the end of the corridor was a vast circular room with an ornate, mahogany desk situated in the middle. Sat at the desk, quill busy scribbling with the aid of magic, was a middle-aged unicorn blessed with a light green coat and a darker green mane that made him look similar to the colours of an American dollar bill.
As Luna and Huey approached the desk, the human took the opportunity to glance around the room. It was the same as the corridor they had used, sub-vaults covered the walls. A circular staircase that hugged the wall allowed those unable to fly to walk up to the upper levels. Suffice to say, it was clear that this location was nothing, but secure storage.
"Welcome to Your Exchequer, Your Highness," The chancellor murmured monotonously.. After completing the documents he was writing on, he levitated his quill into an inkwell in the corner of his desk and stood up. Unlike all the other stallions Huey had met, The Chancellor possessed much longer, spindly legs, resulting in him being taller, but also appearing much thinner overall.
"I am Chancellor Fiscal Policy," He continued, while providing a bow. "How may we assist you with your financial needs?"
"We wish to enquire as to whether we still receive a monthly stipend, Lord Chancellor!" Luna yelled, her voice echoing round the room and forcing Huey to cover his ears. Fiscal, on the other hand, was totally unfazed by the princess roaring in his face.
"One moment, Your Highness," He drawled in the exact same monotone voice, causing Huey to wonder whether he was capable of emotion at all. The unicorn's horn ignited and opened all of the desk's drawers. Within moments, hundreds of individual folders floated out and began to slowly orbit Fiscal. After humming for a moment, his horn's aura brightened and the orbit sped up to the point where the folders were a mere blur to Huey. As swiftly as the swirling vortex of documents had begun, it suddenly stopped dead with The Chancellor passively gazing at one of the many identical folders..
"Here we are," He muttered to himself before levitating the remaining folders back into his desk. "Shall I provide you with a summary, Your Highness?"
"We would be delighted!" Luna shouted. Fiscal merely nodded and opened the folder. After flicking through the pages, he closed the folder and put it away with the others. Huey pursed his lips in wonder. All he had seen was a blur of paper, yet it seemed The Chancellor had seen all he needed to see.
"To keep it brief," Fiscal murmured. "The Royal Exchequer has, in accordance with The Royal Fiscal Appropriations and Responsibility Decree passed one thousand, seven hundred and ninety four years ago, provided Your Royal Highness a monthly stipend of five hundred bits for personal use. I am happy to say that we have never been late with depositing the money you're rightfully owed into your account each month."
Luna's jaw dropped.
"You mean... Celestia didn't stop the payments when I... I mean we... Were banished?" She stammered in shock.
"Correct," Fiscal replied indifferently. "It was made clear in a directive, issued by Princess Celestia one thousand years and two days ago, that her sibling's stipend, also known as your stipend, was to be provided, regardless of your long-term absence."
Luna took a step back, her mouth opening and closing impotently. Huey swiftly leapt into action and turned Luna away from Fiscal for the purpose of whispering to her.
"What's wrong?" Huey asked quietly. Luna merely shook her head.
"We... Our sister didn't stop the payments," She muttered weakly. "Why?"
"Because she did not consider your exile to be permanent?" Huey reasoned. "Even though you had been banished to the moon, I think she couldn't bring herself to rescind the standing order, since it would feel like erasing you from her life."
"We don't understand, we don't deserve that money," Luna replied in a slight daze. "That money belongs to the citizens, not me."
"If being in possession of a great deal of wealth bothers you, why not give it to charity?" Huey suggested. "You'll be giving away what you don't want, and it will be helping those who are less fortunate."
Luna nodded in agreement and smiled slightly.
"Yes, we shall do that!" She stated firmly. "We shall withdraw a small amount for your clothing needs, while the rest will be dispersed to various charities. Thank you for your advice!"
"You're welcome," Huey replied with a smile and a nod. He then turned towards The Chancellor, who had resumed his seat.
"Her Royal Highness wishes to withdraw," He began before turning towards Luna. "One thousand bits?"
Luna gave a quick nod of approval, allowing Huey to continue.
"The rest of the balance will be withdrawn later to be given to worthy causes," He explained.
"There is no need to explain why you need the money," The Chancellor replied drily. "We merely keep it secure."
"Right, my apologies," Huey said quickly. Fiscal levitated a piece of parchment and scribbled on it before tearing it in half vertically.
"Here is the receipt for one thousand bits," He droned. "As for the money itself, allow me to retrieve it for you."
Fiscal swivelled round in his chair to face the vault directly behind him. With a simple flash of his horn, the door flung open to reveal hundreds of brown bags with the necks tied shut with strands of rope.
"What, pray, would you prefer your bits to be divided into?" Fiscal enquired. "Tens, twenty fives, fifties or hundreds?"
Huey burbled in surprise before turning towards Luna for help.
"We shall take ten tens, four twenty fives, two fifties and two hundreds," Luna stated authoritatively. Fiscal nodded and levitated out eighteen bags of varying size. Huey reached out and took one of the smaller ones and looked at it. For all intents and purposes, the bag was devoid of anything that could identify it, as far as he saw.
"Forgive me for asking," Huey began inquisitively. "But what are tens, twenty fives and so forth? I'm guessing they're bags filled with the corresponding amount of bits, but how will a normal pony be able to carry all that money, and how does one tell what bag contains what amount?"
"There is a stamp on the bottom of each bag," Fiscal explained, while returning to his work. "As for carrying all of their money, most ponies rarely need it in large quantities. Earth ponies are strong enough to carry heavy loads naturally, so it's easy for them, Unicorns can just levitate it, only pegasai would, theoretically, have a problem. Regardless, banks are better equipped for dealing with large transactions."
"Hmmm..." Huey hummed in response before looking at the bottom of the bag he was holding. As expected, the royal seal, followed by the number ten, was stamped onto the fabric in black ink.
"Thank you for the explanation," Huey said. Fiscal did not respond, causing the human to shrug and follow Princess Luna out of the vault, who had levitated the rest of the money they had withdrawn with her.
"Princess Celestia requested that we provide you with an escort, Your Highness."
Huey watched as Luna listened intently to the two guards who had intercepted them as they attempted to leave the castle grounds. The first was a bright orange, male pegasus called Flash Sentry, the second was a dark burnt orange, male pegasus called Spearhead.
"We do not see the need to be escorted around Canterlot," Luna argued. "We are well versed in the locations of the shops we wish to patronise!"
"Oh, we're not here to help with directions, Your Highness!" Spearhead explained. "We are here to protect you."
"Protect me!?" Luna spluttered in surprise. "From what!?"
"The public, Your Highness," Flash Sentry chirped. "Ever since your return, there has been a number of... Rumours... About you. If you were to leave the castle grounds alone, it is possible there could be an incident."
"Rumours?" Luna repeated. "What rumours dost thou speak of?"
"Ummmm..." Flash began nervously, his gaze glancing towards Spearhead for assistance. "Well, Your Highness..."
"There are worries that you may still be... Nightmare Moon."
Luna visibly flinched, the revelation knocking the wind out of her sails and causing her posture to slacken with despair.
"Could you two excuse me for a moment?" Huey interjected, while stepping forward and patting Luna's shoulder to grab her attention. "I'd like to have a quiet word with the princess."
The two guards nodded and marched off to the gatehouse. Huey immediately ushered Luna away to ensure no guards were in earshot.
"Luna," He began urgently. "Look at me."
The princess slowly looked up at him, her eyes welling up with tears. Huey sighed and stooped slightly to reduce his height to Luna's.
"Luna, I'm sorry you had to hear that," He whispered. "But you need to remember that you have started anew. It is inevitable that there will be those who have concerns about you."
"But what if they're right?" She choked. "What if I am just Nightmare Moon, waiting for the right moment to strike?"
"No!" Huey hissed forcefully, his hands grasping Luna's shoulders and shaking her slightly. "I refuse to believe that's true. I know, deep down in my heart, that this is you in its purest form. I watched you when you painted the sky with stars last night. What I saw was a soul with the purest of intentions, not a monster."
Luna didn't respond, spurring Huey to continue.
"And you can't say I don't know a monster when I see one," He counter preemptively. "I saw Nightmare Moon with my own eyes. I saw malevolence in physical form! You are the furthest thing from that, Luna!"
The princess sniffled and looked away as tears escaped from her eyes and rolled down her face. Huey gently cupped her cheeks in his hands and wiped the tears away with his thumbs before compelling her to look back up at him.
"I believe in you, Luna," He whispered solemnly. "If you don't have faith in yourself... Then have faith in me."
Luna stared up at him, her eyes showing raw, unhidden fear, concern and despair. Huey frowned and let his hands drift down her neck to her shoulders for the purpose of pulling her into a hug, which she swiftly returned.
"I believe in you," Huey repeated. "No matter what happens, I will always be ready to fight for you."
Luna backed away slightly, so that she could look directly into Huey's eyes.
"Thank you."
Huey smiled and gently stroked her ears. Luna sighed happily before looking at Huey with renewed vigour.
"Let's go!" Luna said confidently. "As long as you're by my side, we have nothing to fear!"
"I am ordering you to keep back, sir!"
"Come on, just a quick snap of the princess!"
"No! Her Royal Highness wishes to have some privacy!"
Huey grimaced as he glanced back at the two guards blocking the door of the seamstress he and Luna had entered. It had not taken very long for word to spread that Luna had left the castle and was wandering the streets of Canterlot. As a result, the paparazzi had swooped down like vultures, eager to snap the first photos of "Nightmare Moon". His attention swiftly returned to Luna, who had hidden herself in one of the changing cubicles.
"Luna?" He called out. "Are you okay?"
The curtain separating him from her parted slightly to allow Luna's head to pop out.
"Are they gone?" She asked with worry. Huey glanced at the front door again.
"No, they're not," He confirmed. "I think the crowd's getting bigger."
"Perhaps we should have brought along more guards?" Luna wondered.
"Well, neither of us expected word to spread this fast!" Huey countered. "Unless one of us is psychic, I don't think we could have foreseen this in a million years!"
"You're right," Luna sighed. "But what do we do? We can't send one of the guards to fetch more, the remaining one may be overpowered!"
"But if we wait, the crowd might overpower both of them anyway!" Huey mused. "I think we may have to give them what they want."
"You don't mean..."
"We make this your first public event," Huey stated. "An impromptu statement to the press, let them take a few photos, then send them on their way."
"But what would our statement be?" Luna panicked. "We hath not prepared one!"
"Then I'll prepare one!" Huey soothed. "Just give me a moment to think."
"Excuse me."
Luna and Huey looked towards a sky blue, earth pony mare, who owned the establishment that was now under siege.
"I'm sorry to be a bother to you, Your Highness," She stammered nervously. "But that crowd out there is getting really big! It's scary!"
"Don't worry, Miss!" Huey reassured her. "If you'll give me a few minutes, I'll have the crowd dispersed."
"Alright," She replied with worry. "Best of luck!"
"Thanks!"
The seamstress swiftly fled to the back room. Huey took a deep breath and exhaled before looking at Luna.
"Okay, I have an idea!" He began firmly. "We will go outside and you will call for silence with that booming voice of yours. I'll then make up a statement, rebuke or something. Sound good?"
"Far from satisfactory, but it will have to do," Luna murmured. "Do we go now?"
"Yes, but first, how do you address a crowd? They're not ladies or gentlemen, since they're not human."
"Oh, we use the phrase 'fillies and gentlecolts'."
"Gotcha! I'll go first and speak to the guards. Once we're ready, I'll give you the signal to come out." Huey explained, earning him a nod of understanding from Luna. After taking a deep breath, Huey walked to the front door and leaned down to speak to the two guards, while the volume of the crowd increased as they spotted the human.
"What's that thing!?"
"Why's it in there with Nightmare Moon!?"
"Is it one of her minions!?"
Huey rolled his eyes at the shouts and ignored them.
"Flash, Spearhead," He began loudly, so that they could hear. "I need you to push the crowd back so that Luna can come out to speak."
"Difficult, but doable, sir!" Flash remarked before pushing another journalist back and bellowing at them. "Stay back!"
"Well, let's get on with it!" Spearhead said eagerly. "The quicker this crowd disperses, the better!"
The two guards turned their spears sideways and began using them like the blades of a bulldozer to push the crowd back. However, they were just as determined to resist. Huey shook his head and took a deep breath.
"SILENCE!" He roared at the top of his lungs. The two guards flinched at the sudden noise and the crowd swiftly stopped its pushing, shoving and shouting.
"Look at yourselves!" Huey scolded. "Acting like a bunch of hooligans! Have you no respect for someone who wishes to do their shopping in peace!?"
"We want to see her!" A voice cried out from the sea of ponies. Huey raised his hands up defensively.
"Calm yourselves!" He ordered. "Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna, will show herself in a few moments. However, I must stress that this will not be a press conference. There will be no questions, since you didn't have the decency to think about whether she wanted to, and after you've had the opportunity to see her and take a few photos, you will disperse and leave her in peace. If you don't agree with those conditions, then I am more than happy to advise the princess to teleport back to Canterlot Castle."
"Boooooo! No fair!" Another voice cried out. Huey shrugged his shoulders and smirked.
"That settles it then," He stated nonchalantly. "No one will get to see the princess. I'll go and tell her to head back to the castle."
"Wait, don't go!"
"He didn't mean what he said!"
"We'll do as you ask!"
"Who are you?"
"To answer that question," Huey said loudly. "My name is Huey. If you're wondering what I am, I am what's called a human. I am the only one of my kind here in Equestria."
A collective gasp erupted from the crowd, followed by muttering and whispers.
"Are you a diplomat?"
"Why are you here?"
"The answers to those questions are; no, and accompanying the princess, while she goes shopping." Huey answered. "Now, if you'll all stay quiet, Princess Luna will be here shortly."
Calmly, he walked back into the shop and approached Luna's cubicle.
"Luna, it's time," He said. "You won't need to speak at all."
The princess nervously opened the curtains and stepped out.
"Deep breath and have no fear," Huey murmured. "I believe in you."
Luna nodded and took a deep breath. After holding it for a few moments, she exhaled and then gingerly approached the door. Once she had emerged from the building, the crowd stared at her in wonder. Huey was quick to stand beside her for comfort, and to ensure he could put himself between her and anyone who pushed past the guards.
The silence persisted, all of the equines in the horde had been struck dumb by their first glimpse of the second princess. Much to Huey's surprise, Luna broke the silence.
"Citizens of Equestria and Canterlot!" She shouted. "We are honoured that you are so eager to set your eyes upon us! We give thee our deepest thanks!"
The crowd immediately descended into panic. Screams of terror erupted as the horde dispersed in all directions. Huey gasped and quickly ushered Luna towards to door to allow a quick escape if the riot began to threaten her safety. To his relief, the crowd did not attempt to break past the weak cordon being operated by Spearhead and Flash. Instead, the crowd ran away from her.
"Was it something we said?" Luna asked once the crowd had disappeared. Huey shook his head and guided her back into the shop.
"I think your Royal Canterlot Voice frightened them," Huey mused. "I don't believe Celestia uses it anymore, so that was the first taste they had of it."
"Hmph... They were truly unruly!" Luna remarked. "Perhaps our dear sister should consider using it for controlling rioting crowds."
"I can definitely see it serving that purpose," The human murmured thoughtfully before calling out to the owner of the building. "They're gone now!"
"Wonderful!" She replied happily, while emerging from her hiding place. "I've never been good with crowds. They're frightening."
"That one definitely was," Huey replied with a thumb pointed towards the door. "So, you're not alone."
"A-Anyway, how may I help you, Your H-Highness?" She stuttered. "M-My name's Honey Dew."
"We are here to furnish this dear human with clothing!" Luna stated loudly. "Are you capable of such a feat?"
"W-W-W-Well," Honey Dew stammered, while her body trembled in fear. "Th-That depends, w-w-what did you have in mind?"
"I was hoping I could get some copies of the clothes I'm wearing," Huey said softly to comfort the traumatised seamstress. "I'm not that interested in fashion, so..."
"Oh, c-copies?" Honey Dew repeated. "I can do that! However, I will need your clothes."
"You will?" Huey asked in surprise. "Why?"
"Well, firstly," She began. "I'll have to examine the clothes for the types of stitch, fabric, how it's pieced together, followed by creating a pattern so I can begin making it!"
"Urgh..." Huey groaned. "How long will that take?"
"Oh, not very long," Honey Dew mused. "Judging by your physique, you could be the same dimensions that most of the clothes I make are made to. Just that you are stood on two legs, so it's hard to tell."
"Fine," Huey sighed. "You can begin with my shirt and work through the other garments one by one."
"I swear there's a conspiracy that seeks to ensure that I become as nude as the rest of you!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Huey!" Luna scolded. "You were able to relinquish your garments on your own terms."
"True, but throughout the course of the day, I had all of them removed for... 'comfort reasons'. I was then railroaded into having to give orders to a servant in my boxers, and then I had to hand over all of my worn garments to that poor mare."
"They were fresh from the wash!" The princess protested in annoyance. "Stop whining!"
"I'm not whining, I'm complaining!"
Huey was finally free to leave Honey Dew's shop, after having to let her examine every article of clothing he had. Much to his delight, she was more than happy to make some exact copies due to their simplicity. With an order for six sets of trousers, t-shirt, socks and boxers placed for delivery to Huey's Ponyville address, he and Luna left the building.
"How are things, you two?" Huey asked Spearhead and Flash Sentry, who had been guarding the front door the entire time they were inside.
"Fine, sir!" Spearhead reported. "There hasn't been a single sign of another crowd developing."
"Excellent!" Luna remarked. "Where, pray, shall we venture next, Huey?"
Huey's response was curtailed when a sudden bright flash of light blinded him. His hands immediately rushed to cover and rub his eyes, which were now capable of seeing only pure white.
"What the hell was that!?" Huey exclaimed. "I'm blind!"
"Sorry, I think I went a bit overboard with the flash setting."
"Who's that!?" Huey asked frantically. Luna quickly placed a hoof on his shoulder to calm him.
"Name's Snap Shot, Snap for short," A mare's voice replied. "I was in the crowd that you addressed."
"Oh, really?" Huey muttered. "So someone was brave enough to stay?"
"Yes, I was," She confirmed. "It's a pretty good catch too! First photo of the princess and her human companion!"
With his vision returning, Huey became aware of the mint green, pegasai photographer hovering at eye level, wearing a shabby fedora on her head and a Polaroid-style instant camera strapped around her neck.
"How're your eyes, Mister?" She asked gently. "I didn't know you were sensitive to bright lights."
"I'm not," Huey replied. "I was just taken by surprise, that's all! Just give me a minute."
"Alright," Snap Shot said before examining the photo she took. "Oh dear... It's blurred! I'm sorry to be a pain to you, Your Highness, but could I have one decent photo of you and your companion? Please, pretty please!?"
Luna raised a hoof, causing Snap Shot to squeak in surprise and fall silent.
"We shall provide you with a photograph," Luna stated calmly and authoritatively. "Only one!"
"Yes!" Snap squealed. "Thank you so much, Your Highness! You're the best! Alright, just give me a moment to get a good shot!"
Huey grimaced before standing beside Luna for the photo.
"How do you want us both?" Huey asked. "Smiling? Stoic and silent?"
"Whatever you think's appropriate!" Snap replied excitedly. "Oh gosh, this is the best moment of my life!"
Huey glanced towards Luna, who had adopted a stoic expression with a faraway stare that oozed authority. Huey smiled as he looked down at her, admiring the generosity and benevolence she had displayed by permitting this single photo to be taken.
"That's good!" Snap remarked loudly. "Hold that position!"
Huey resisted the urge to take the pose he had in mind. Much to his surprise, his gazing at Luna had been interpreted as his position for the shot. However, Snap was happy with the position, so who was he to deny her the opportunity to photograph it?
"Alright, steady!" Snap said slowly. "Wait for it and..."
Another bright flash emanated from her camera, followed by the whirring of the photo being printed. After giving it a vigorous shake, Snap looked at it and gasped.
"Perfect!" She squealed before showing it to Huey and Luna. "It's better than I thought it would be!"
"We are happy to see that you are satisfied!" Luna replied.
"I'm over the moon!" Snap squeed before wrapping her hooves round Huey's neck in a surprise hug. "Thank you sooooooooooooo much!"
The photographer disengaged to give Luna a hug, but swiftly changed her mind when she realised that she was about to hug royalty. With an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, she scratched the back of her neck nervously.
"Sorry, I almost went overboard there," She admitted. "I can't thank you enough though!"
"There is no need to thank us, citizen," Luna explained calmly. "We are grateful that we could assist you."
"St-Still, thanks a bunch! I'm gonna go and see my editor!"
"Wait!" Huey called out, causing Snap to cease her attempt to fly away. "Could I ask you something?"
"Name it!"
"Well, firstly, could I borrow your camera for a moment?" Huey asked solemnly. "And may I ask where you purchased it from?"
"Firstly, sure!" Snap replied cheerfully, before removing the strap and passing it to him. "Just press that button there to take a photo. As for your second question, I bought it from the photography and film store at the Canterlot Department store. There's only one, so you can't miss it!"
"Thanks!" Huey said before taking Luna to one side. "I'd like to take a photo too, if you don't mind?"
"What for?" Luna asked. "You are residing in Canterlot Castle! We see each other every day!"
"I know, but I might have to head back to Ponyville," Huey explained. "I'd like something to remember you by."
"Well, since it's for you," Luna murmured thoughtfully. "Okay!"
Huey smiled and leaned down so that he was closer to Luna's head height. He then stretched his arm out as far as he could reach, allowing the camera to have some distance between it and him.
"Alright, ready?" Huey asked, before glancing at Luna and finding she had adopted the same stoic expression. Huey grimaced as Luna nodded, her expression was far from the one he was hoping for. However, he doubted that she would smile if asked to. As such, he opted for a more devious plan.
"Say..." Huey said quietly in preparation for taking the shot, but paused ominously before completing his sentence.
"Princess Sunbutt."
Luna suddenly burst into a fit of giggles, giving Huey the window he needed to take the photo. Triumphantly, he took his prize once it had been printed out and passed the camera back to Snap. With a quick salute, Snap flew away, leaving Huey alone with the snickering princess, while the pair of guards kept their distance and watched for suspicious individuals.
"S-Sunbutt!?" Luna gagged with laughter. "What in Tartarus made you say that!?"
"Because I wanted to have a picture of your smile," Huey admitted. "What better than an unexpected joke?"
"Oh, you rascal!" Luna declared, her hoof to her lips to stifle her snickering. "We doubt we will ever be able to look at our sister the same again!"
"I'm sure you'll get over it," Huey said nonchalantly. "What matters now is, what do you think of this?"
Luna's eyes settled on the photograph, which caused her giggling to cease instantly.
"It's..." She began quietly. "It's lovely!"
"I think so too!" Huey said. "It definitely caught your beautiful smile."
"Well, since the photo is so good, we shall forgive you for the... amusing nickname you have given to my sister."
"I'm glad!" He sighed with relief. "But now, let's continue shopping!"
"I heard the pair of you caused quite a disturbance today."
Luna and Huey glanced at each other from their respective places at the dinner table, before looking at Celestia, who was smiling mischievously at them. Huey rolled his eyes and returned the gesture, while Luna looked away with a hint of embarrassment.
"We weren't expecting the press or local residents to be so interested," Huey protested. "However, Luna coped brilliantly with it. She even gave her first public statement and photograph!"
"That's wonderful, Luna!" Celestia congratulated warmly. "I hope it wasn't too stressful."
"Worry not, dear sister," Luna replied calmly with a dismissive wave. "We were, thanks to Huey's presence, more than capable of coping with the situation."
"I'm glad, Lulu," Celestia remarked with a loving smile. "If I'd known that you would be ambushed like that, I would have asked more than two guards to accompany you."
"Privates Spearhead and Flash Sentry performed their function admirably and without fear," Luna declared. "They are soldiers who, we are sure, will become credits to the Equestrian military!"
"Hear, hear!" Huey concurred. "Meanwhile, I was able to get some clothes and a souvenir, thanks to Luna!"
"Oh, really?" Celestia asked inquisitively. "What kind of souvenir?"
Huey reached into a shopping bag he had placed beside his chair and retrieved a brand new instant camera.
"The reporter who took Luna's photograph was kind enough to tell me where she bought her camera," Huey explained. "So, I decided, since I wish to remember as much as I can... I'll take photos! I was able to obtain plenty of film and such, so I'll never be unable to take a quick snap, if the opportunity arises."
"I'm glad to see you're settling into Equestrian life so smoothly, Huey," Celestia remarked. "I was worried that it may be a little bit tumultuous."
"On the contrary," Huey countered. "The locals have been just fine. Sure, I've noticed that they may point and stare a little, but what can you expect? I'm unique, so I don't let their curiosity bother me. Regardless, I have you two, Twilight and her friends, who have accepted me with open hooves. So, it's all good!"
Celestia and Luna smiled at Huey and nodded appreciatively.
"Which reminds us," Luna said. "We must ask if you intend to return to Ponyville any time soon?"
"Why? Eager to get rid of me?" Huey teased, causing Luna and her sibling to share a saddened glance. "Did I say something wrong?"
"N-No," Luna replied despondently. "We just... Didn't know that you considered us to be so... Heartless."
"What!? No!" Huey protested in alarm. "It was a joke! Honestly, I was just making a joke! I'm so, so sorry!"
"Let's just forget this happened," Celestia interjected firmly. "Luna misinterpreted the joke and you regret it. May we quickly move on?"
Luna and Huey eagerly nodded, but traces of sadness still remained in both.
"Although, I am rather keen to hear your true response too," Celestia admitted. "Do you have any plans regarding when you'll return to Ponyville?"
"To be perfectly frank," Huey began. "I'm not sure. My new clothes will be sent to Ponyville when they're done, but that's not really a compelling reason to go. The only reason I can think of is to help Twilight with cataloguing everything there is to know about my kind. Although, considering the fact that I'm kind of stuck here, that's not really urgent either!"
The two princess' shared another uneasy glance, which Huey failed to notice as he focused on eating his meal.
"What about you, Celestia?" Huey asked. "I've not spent much time with you over the past day and a bit. How have you been?"
"I've been better than I have been for a while," Celestia said thoughtfully. "Having yourself and Lulu around for company have truly brightened my life."
"We must say the same," Luna added. "It is truly wonderful to be able to spend time with you again, dear sister."
Huey smiled as the two siblings gazed fondly at each other.
"I'm glad I was able to help both of you," He said, attracting the pair's attention. "I guess we can all learn that no matter how powerful an individual becomes, friendship is still a necessity for having a happy and fulfilling life."
"My dear Huey," She chuckled. "One could be forgiven for thinking I had entrusted you with the task of studying the magic of friendship, instead of Twilight."
"My apologies," Huey said. "I felt that making such an observation was appropriate."
"No need to be sorry," Luna reassured. "It is accurate and true. One must admit that we lost sight of that a long time ago."
"But now we know better," Celestia added tenderly. "And we will use what we've learnt to enrich ourselves and those around us."
"Excellent!" Huey remarked before standing up. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to use the facilities."
"No need to ask," Celestia replied with a dismissive wave. Huey bowed slightly before leaving the room. As soon as the door shut, the two princess' looked towards each other frantically.
"Did you hear what he said, Tia!?" Luna panicked. "Do you suspect he wishes to go home?"
"I don't know, Lulu!" Celestia hissed. "He didn't ask if we'd made any progress on finding him a way home!"
"Has any progress been made!?"
"Of course not! We could put the entire kingdom to work on finding out how we could send him home... And he'd STILL die before we even came close!"
"We can't hide it from him!" Luna muttered. "It's not fair to keep him in the dark about this!"
"But who should tell him?" Celestia mused. "Do we do it together or just one of us?"
"Flip a coin?" Luna suggested, her hoof retrieving a bit from the remnants of the money she had taken with her earlier that day. Celestia nodded and shuffled her seat a bit closer to her sibling.
"Ready?" Celestia whispered. Luna nodded nervously before tossing the coin into the air.
"Heads!" Luna hissed.
"Tails!" Celestia called out quietly. The pair watched as the coin fell onto the table and began rolling around. Hearts pounding, the bit eventually ran out of steam and fell onto its side. Gingerly, the two princess' leaned forwards to examine the result.
"Heads," Luna declared. "You tell him."
Celestia scrunched her muzzle up and looked at Luna, who frowned in response and gently gave her back a pat.
"If you find that you can't do it alone, Tia," Luna said tenderly. "We will do it together."
Celestia nodded her head and took a deep breath. After waiting a few moments, she exhaled and returned her chair to its original position. As soon as she had sat back down, Huey reentered the room, which caused both monarchs to jump in surprise.
"Sorry!" Huey said with his hands raised apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you both!"
"I-It's quite alright, Huey!" Celestia stammered. "Please, rejoin us!"
Huey nodded and sat back down, unaware of the conversation the royal siblings had just concluded.
"Once again," He remarked. "I must send my compliments to the catering staff. Everything they cook tastes glorious!"
Luna and Celestia smiled and nodded in acknowledgement, but their expressions still held traces of worry.
"If I may be so bold," Celestia probed warily. "What plans do you have once this period of twilight ends and the night begins?"
"That depends," Huey replied thoughtfully. "What plans do you have, Luna?"
"We will be retreating to our quarters for a nap," Luna stated. "It is necessary to ensure that we are alert and well-rested for our duties!"
"I could do with going to sleep myself," Huey mused. "Today may have ended without any escalation of that mob outside Honey Dew's shop, but it was still a tiring time. Canterlot really is big!"
"It is much larger than I remember it," Luna added. "However, we have been absent for a while, so it is inevitable that things will have changed."
"Maybe we should consider expanding the castle staff," Celestia murmured. "After all, with a third princess around..."
Huey and Luna's eyes widened, followed by them both spitting out their respective mouthfuls of food before looking at Celestia in shock.
"Third princess!?" Huey repeated.
"What are you saying, Tia!?" Luna demanded. Celestia looked at them both blankly before gasping in surprise.
"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed apologetically. "I didn't tell either of you. I'm so sorry!"
"That's fine, but you just said 'third princess'!" Huey spluttered. "I thought there were only two princess' in Equestria!"
"No, there is now three," Celestia explained. "My sister and I are the first two, but during Luna's absence... A third emerged."
"Who!?" Luna enquired forcefully. "Who, pray, hath become the third princess of the realm!"
"Well, her name is Cadance," Celestia said calmly. " She's young, bright, lovely."
"An alicorn." Huey added drily. "How could this possibly slip by me? Twilight would have told me about this Princess Cadance when I asked her about Equestrian royalty!"
"She didn't?" Celestia said in surprise. "I did not expect that at all. Princess Cadance was Twilight's foal-sitter when she was younger."
"How is this meant to explain anything!?" Huey ranted. "Surely that's even more reason for her to know and tell me that there was a third princess kicking around here! You don't forget being given child care by a princess!"
Celestia waved a hoof authoritatively, causing Huey to grumble and sit back down with his arms folded.
"I cannot explain why Twilight failed to mention her," She said honestly. "Maybe the amount of time they spent together made her consider her more like family than royalty? I do not know, you would have to ask her yourself. As for Luna, you didn't wish to see anyone... I didn't think it was appropriate to tell you until I felt you had settled back in. I'm sorry."
"You are forgiven, sister," Luna said gravely. "However, we wish to meet this new princess as soon as possible!"
"I'm confident that can be arranged," Celestia responded cheerfully. "Sadly, not today."
Luna nodded in understanding before finishing the remnants of her meal. As soon as she placed her cutlery on her plate, the door opened and Silver Platter, the castle butler, escorted the dessert trolley into the room
"Your Highness', Mister Huey," He announced monotonously. "Your final courses have arrived"
"Excellent!" Huey remarked, his annoyance immediately vanishing. "Oh, which reminds me! My compliments to the staff, yourself included!"
"I shall relay those compliments, sir," Silver acknowledged. "As you have requested at every meal."
"Credit should be given where credit is due!" Huey said nonchalantly. "And I believe that the catering staff deserve plenty of it!"
"Of course, sir."
"Thank you, Huey."
The human bowed his head solemnly as he held the bedroom door open for Celestia. After dinner, Luna had bid them farewell and retreated to her quarters. Huey was about to follow her before being stopped by Celestia, who requested that he accompany her to her bedchambers. Unwilling to decline, he had accepted.
"Please, come in."
Huey obeyed and entered the room before shutting the door behind him. He watched as Celestia breathed a heavy sigh of relief and let her ethereal mane transform into its normal, lifeless, sea of pink hair, before levitated her regalia off her body.
"I'm grateful that you accompanied me, Huey," Celestia admitted. "You see, there's something I wish to talk to you about."
"What would that be, Your Highness?" Huey enquired, his heart rate leaping slightly at the ominous turn the conversation had taken.
"It concerns getting you home to your kind... On Earth." Celestia said. Huey pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, observing the despondent tone and inability to make eye contact, he was quick to deduce where this was going.
"You can't do it, can you?"
Celestia's gaze fleetingly looked up into Huey's eyes before falling back to the floor. The princess nodded solemnly, causing Huey to sigh heavily and sit down on the edge of her bed.
"I'm sorry, Huey."
He shook his head and waved dismissively, causing Celestia to fall silent as she crawled onto the bed and softly massaged Huey's shoulders to comfort him.
"I'm not sure how to feel about that," Huey murmured. "I feel... Sad... Trapped."
"Understandable." Celestia whispered and gently nuzzled his cheek. Huey buried his face into his hands.
"But I feel like... It's a blessing."
"How so?"
"I don't know," Huey muttered. "It feels like... I don't really belong on Earth anymore. I mean... I've not even been here a week, but... Everything's so familiar. Probably because I know bugger all about what my life was like before this happened."
"Still nothing regarding your memory returning?"
"Nothing at all," Huey confirmed. "But that's just it..."
"What do you mean?"
Huey stood up, leaving Celestia to watch him from her bed as he paced the room.
"I sometimes wonder whether I want to remember," Huey said miserably. "I feel like having my memory back, in conjunction with the new ones I've made here, will ruin it all. Who am I, Celestia? If my memory comes back... I could find out that I'm an evil person. A criminal, true scum that's unworthy of all the kindness I've been given here. I suddenly appear and you and your kind just welcome me with open hooves!"
Celestia merely blinked as Huey laughed maniacally.
"Ha! I've even picked up the mannerisms!" He remarked. "Hooves instead of arms, hearing 'everypony' doesn't grate anymore... I just... This is a blank slate for me. I'm scared of finding out what my past is, because it may ruin the wonderful present I'm experiencing now... Does that make sense to you?"
"I can understand your point of view, Huey."
"I don't want to remember," Huey admitted with a sigh. "I'm terrified that I'll end up finding out something about myself that I will hate. I'd rather I just remain clueless about who I really am forever than risk finding out that I'm a horrible person. Does that make me horrible?"
"No, Huey," Celestia insisted, while climbing off the bed and wrapping her wings round the human in a motherly embrace. "No matter what your memory turns out to be, if they return, I will not forget what you've done for me and my sister."
Huey laughed weakly before turning around and returning the embrace, his face buried into Celestia's chest.
"I'm scared."
"Shhhhhh... Be brave, Huey," Celestia soothed, her hoof gently stroking his brunette hair. "If you do end up facing your memories, remember that you won't face them alone."
Huey merely choked back a sob, tears rolling freely down his cheeks and onto Celestia's chest. The princess frowned and gently tightened the embrace, cocooning Huey within a shield of alabaster feathers.
"Hush now, Huey," Celestia whispered as her horn ignited. "Rest."
As soon as her glowing horn touched Huey's forehead, the sobbing was replaced by gentle breathing. The princess frowned with worry as she cradled the sleeping human in her hooves and carried him to her bed to be tucked in.
"Huey."
The human's eyes opened at the sudden calling of his name. Glancing around, he could see that he was still in Celestia's bed, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Yes?" Huey responded warily, while climbing out of bed.
"Huey."
Ears pricking up, he ventured to the door and opened it. To his surprise, it linked the bedroom to the throne room. The entire room was filled with ponies of all descriptions, all of whom were glaring at him in disgust. Huey immediately lost his nerve and attempted to shrink back into the safety of the bedchamber, but found himself backing into something sharp.
"AH!" He yelped in pain. Whirling round, he found Spearhead and Flash Sentry levelling their spears at him.
"Move." They ordered, their spears jabbing aggressively towards Huey. Raising his hands defensively, he turned and began walking towards Celestia's throne. The sun princess was sat upon the throne, while her sister stood beside her, and Twilight, along with her friends, were operating a cordon round the steps leading up to the throne.
"What a monster."
"After all our princess' did for him."
"I bet he's just sad because he's been found out."
Huey's gaze flicked through the crowd in search of those who were talking, but he could not see them due to the sheer amount of whispering the crowd was doing amongst itself. Fear crept in and consolidated as he took the last few steps that separated him from the cordon.
"No further," Twilight ordered, an expression oozing pure hatred plastered over her face. "You don't deserve to stand any closer to Princess Celestia."
"Twilight, What's going on?" Huey asked with worry. "Why is everyone staring?"
"Hey, you don't have permission to talk, buster!" Rainbow Dash suddenly yelled, while leaping into the air and hovering above the terrified human. "So, shut it!"
Huey shrank away from the furious pegasus.
"Enough," Celestia stated, causing the cyan pegasus to return to her place in the cordon. "Human."
"Celestia?"
"Princess Celestia to you." She corrected hatefully. "I considered you to be a friend."
"Considered!?" Huey spluttered in surprise. "What do you mean? We ARE friends, not WERE friends!"
"SILENCE!"
Huey covered his eyes with his arm as the sudden usage of the 'Royal Canterlot Voice' threatened to send him flying.
"All I feel now is disappointment," Celestia continued. "What you've done is unforgivable."
Huey opened his mouth to ask for clarification, but stopped when Twilight, and her friends, took a threatening step towards him.
"We welcomed you with open hooves," She said gravely. "Fed you, cared for you, even clothed you... And this is how you repay that kindness and generosity?"
Huey glanced towards Luna for support, but the blue alicorn merely looked away. With his fear maturing into terror, the human shook his head and threw his arms open in confusion.
"I don't understand!" He whimpered. "What is it that I've done?"
"Even now he pleads ignorance!" Luna ranted furiously. "It is clear that he does not wish to accept what he has done was wrong."
"What did I do wrong!?" Huey shouted back, tears welling up within him. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about!"
Suddenly, Huey gagged as an intangible force wrapped around his neck and constricted it. Grasping his throat in panic, he feebly attempted to claw away whatever it was that was choking him, but to no avail.
"It pains me deeply that you would betray us, after all we've done for you." Celestia said tearfully, her glowing horn indicating to Huey that she was the one responsible for choking him. Huey merely gurgled in response, the magic crushing his throat too strong to permit his vocal cords the ability to form legible words.
"It is with a heavy heart that I must pass judgement and punishment upon you," The sun princess muttered. "There is only one sentence I can impose upon you."
Huey's eyes widened in preparation for Celestia's announcement.
"Death."
The crowd suddenly exploded with applause and cheers. Cries commending the princess' choice of punishment rang out and reverberated within his ears. Huey suddenly felt the rest of his body become immersed within Celestia's golden aura. Once he had been levitated above the crowd, permitting them all a perfect view of him. A cold breeze wrapped around him as his clothes were magically torn from his body, leaving him completely naked in front of the crowd, who redoubled their cries for his blood. Huey shut his eyes and wept silently.
"Ready, girls?" Twilight said, earning a nod from her friends. The lavender unicorn levitated The Elements of Harmony towards the helpless human. Huey opened his eyes to find that the familiar gemstones were spinning round him, each of them glowing brightly. The six friends rose into the air and gasped when their respective element floated towards them and attached itself to their forehead. Their eyes now glowing a pure white light, Huey sighed heavily and let his head slump forward in resignation.
Moments later, he felt an intense burning sensation engulf him. Huey threw his head back and screamed with all his might as he felt his entire body detected the presence of extreme heat. His vision turned white as he felt every last atom of flesh burn off his skeleton. As swiftly as the agony and anguish began, it ended.
"Huey..."
The human gasped in surprise and looked up, his eyes fluttering open warily. All around him was a white void, whiteness without end or beginning.
"Huey..."
A small, dark speck appeared within the miasma of nothingness, causing Huey to squint at it in a vain attempt to discern what it was. Realising that it was too far away, he began taking small steps towards the speck. The steps soon turned into a walk, swiftly followed by a sprint.
"Huey..."
"I'm coming!" He shouted back as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Eventually, the speck began to grow larger, revealing its colour to be blue. Encouraged by this, Huey continued to pound the void, disregarding the complaints his aching legs were crying about. Stumbling, Huey lost his footing and fell to the floor. Much to his relief, the ground, though firm, did not harm him. As he reached out to put his hand on the ground to pick himself back up, he touched something hairy.
Nervously, he gave it a gentle squeeze and ran his hand up and down it. To his confusion, the base of the object was metal, which swiftly gave way to hair, flesh and bone.
"Huey."
He slowly looked up. To his horror, he saw the face of Princess Luna staring down at him. Releasing a terrified whimper, Huey curled up into a ball and sobbed. However, it stopped when he felt Luna's hoof gently pat his head.
"You're safe now, Huey," She whispered tenderly. "Have no fear."
"L-Luna?" The terrorised human stammered. "I-Is that really you!?"
The princess nodded and laid down beside him, her wing unfurled and wrapped around his naked body protectively.
"Am I dead?" Huey asked. "Is this death?"
"No," Luna replied softly. "This is a dream."
"I'm dreaming!?"
Luna nodded and nuzzled his forehead.
"My sister used a minor sleeping spell to help you overcome your despair regarding your memory. However, when you began having a nightmare she could not wake you up from... She came to me."
"So, all of those ponies... You... Celestia... T-Twilight... It was all fake?"
"Correct," She reassured him. "What you witnessed was a nightmare. We are sorry for not saving you from it sooner."
Huey shook his head and began sobbing loudly.
"I thought you'd killed me!" He wailed. "I honestly thought I'd done something horrible, but I didn't know what!"
"Shhhhh..." Luna hushed, her wing tightening its grip round the bare human. "You're safe now. We promise you."
"It was still so real!" Huey exclaimed. "I could feel myself being burnt to a crisp by Twilight and her friends! They executed me!"
"It was merely a product of your subconscious," She explained. "At this very moment, Tia is watching over your real, physical form. She's worried about you... Just as much as I am."
Huey whimpered and nestled his head against Luna's chest. The alicorn draped a hoof over him and gently stroked his back.
"Will this become a recurring dream or something?" Huey murmured. "Am I going to have to experience that every night?"
"We are afraid that we cannot say," Luna admitted. "However, we can guarantee that we watch over all of Equestria's residents. That, my little human, includes yourself."
Huey huffed and wiped away his tears before gazing up at the dark blue alicorn.
"You mean... You'll watch over my dreams too?"
"We will."
Huey let out a strained laugh before wrapping his arms around the princess and hugging her tight.
"Thank you," He whispered into her ear. "Thank you so much."
"It's okay," Luna whispered back. "However, I'm afraid it's time for you to wake up."
"I-If you say so," Huey stuttered. "Celestia must be really frightened."
"We both were, but not to worry, she will be most relieved once you have awoken."
Luna's horn ignited and gently touched Huey's forehead, which prompted his vision to instantly black out.
"Urgh..."
Huey's eyes flickered open. Immediately recognising the decor as that of Celestia's bedroom, he sat up and found Celestia watching him, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, while her cheeks were matted with tears. A few seconds of silence passed before the two simultaneously threw their respective appendages round each other in an embrace.
"I was so worried about you, Huey!" Celestia hissed tearfully. "No matter how hard I tried, you would not wake up. Y-You were screaming!"
Huey sniffled and buried his face firmly into the sun princess' neck for comfort. The realisation that he was wearing clothing and the real princess was with him brought invaluable relief to him.
"I had a nightmare..." Huey murmured. "You sentenced me to death for something. I think it had something to do my memories."
"Shhhhh..." Celestia hushed, her hooves gently petting the traumatised human. "It's over now, Huey."
Whimpering, Huey nestled himself deeper into the embrace, his face brushing against royal hair as he milked every last drop of comfort from the distraught princess' hug. It became apparent that the monarch was just as affected as Huey was, when she unfurled her wings and cocooned him within them.
"Celestia..."
"What is it, Huey?"
"Can I ask a massive favour?"
The princess looked into the terrified blue eyes of her universe's only human and nodded.
"Is there some kind of magic out there that can remove memories?" Huey asked weakly.
"What are you hoping to achieve?"
"I can't handle getting my memory back," Huey explained with a hint of panic bleeding into his voice. "I can't! If anything like what I just dreamed can happen... I-"
Celestia gently pressed a hoof to his lips and shushed. The alabaster alicorn then leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"That's enough, Huey," She ordered, earning her a submissive nod from him. "You're safe, but distressed. We can discuss what you wish to do once you've had a proper sleep... Without any traumatic disturbances."
Huey could not bring himself to press the issue, so opted to simply whimper in agreement and nod again. As soon as Celestia attempted to retract her wings, his eyes widened and he released a distressed squeal.
"What is it?" Celestia asked, her expression showed no annoyance, only concern, at Huey's actions.
"Please..." Huey begged. "Don't go."
Her eyes twinkled softly in understanding before nodding and let her wings wrap round him once more.
"I won't, Huey," She reassured him with another kiss on the forehead. "I will stay right here with you."
The human exhaled a massive sigh of relief.
"Thank you."
14 - Thoughtful Gifts & Farewells
With the establishment of twilight as a permanent fixture of the Equestrian timetable, it made the mornings a little easier for Huey to cope with. Unlike the previous situation of merely swapping the darkness with blinding light, the slow transition made it far gentler upon sensitive eyes. As another morning dragged on, Huey stirred and opened his eyes. He deduced from how bright the ambient light was that the transition was almost over, yet Princess Celestia, who was still holding him close like a newborn, was not awake. Yawning lightly, he gave Celestia's ears a careful scratch to try and rouse her from her slumber.
"It's time to wake up," He whispered, but fell silent when he felt another pair of hooves tighten round his chest. Looking down, Huey noticed a familiar second set of hooves, dark blue in colour, were embracing him.
"Five more minutes," Luna murmured and nuzzled the back of the human's neck, causing him to blush. Her alabaster sibling mumbled in support of Luna's demand before giving him a gentle peck on the forehead, which caused his blush to intensify.
"Make it ten," Celestia muttered. Huey looked down at Luna's hooves, followed by Celestia's sleeping form. Finally realising that he was sandwiched between the two royals, he shrugged his shoulders and yawned once more before shutting his eyes and joining them in their collective doze.
Groggily, Huey opened his eyes and smacked his lips. Much to his surprise, both Luna and Celestia were gone, causing him to sit up in bed and stretch his legs and arms.
"Celestia?" He called out. "Luna?"
"Luna's returned to her own room to sleep, Huey," Celestia responded. Huey saw the alabaster alicorn laid down on a plush carpet by the fire, writing messages on pieces of parchment.
"Oh, I see," Huey said with another deep yawn. "How are you?"
"I'm well, thank you," Celestia replied warmly, her concentration breaking temporarily to look at him. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel great," He said cheerfully, while climbing out of bed. Glancing down, he noticed that his trousers had been removed, however Huey shrugged. Even though his boxers were, technically, his underwear, under the circumstances, they could double as pyjama shorts for the time being. What proved to be more uncomfortable was the cold, stone floor.
"Sorry for asking," Huey said apologetically. "But do ponies happen to have slippers?"
"Why, yes, we do!" The princess responded politely. "However, I'm afraid that mine are in a colour you may not find to your tastes."
"Honestly, I don't mind," He replied firmly. "Slippers are slippers. As long as they keep my feet off the floor, it's all good."
Celestia nodded before levitating a plain pair of bright pink slippers over to the human. After expressing his gratitude, Huey put them on as best as he could and approached the alicorn.
"I should probably consider seeing if there's a shoemaker willing to make me some slippers and other forms of footwear," He mused. "Humans have rather sensitive feet, so I'll need slippers of my own while living with Twilight... Otherwise, I might get wood splinters piercing my skin."
Celestia winced at the idea of splinters.
"Most understandable," She remarked. "Regardless, I am certain that you will find somepony willing to accommodate your needs."
"I agree, your kind have been most welcoming. As I mentioned before, some are still a bit wary, but they aren't actively persecuting me. So, that's a plus."
"Why would they wish to persecute you?" Celestia enquired.
"Well, my kind have something of a knack for being afraid of things that are different. So, it's kind of a change for me." Huey explained sadly. "In some cases, it's lead to mass enslavement or outright gen-"
"Gen-?" Celestia probed inquisitively. "What were you about to say?"
"G-Genocide." Huey stammered in shame. Celestia merely tilted her head, demonstrating her lack of knowledge regarding what the word meant. Noticing this, Huey sighed heavily.
"Genocide," Huey repeated. "It means the total destruction of a particular group. When I say total, I really mean it. Think of it like if unicorns were to kill every pegasus until they were extinct. That's an example of genocide"
Celestia gasped in alarm.
"That's hideous!" She replied in disgust. "How could your kind possibly justify doing such a thing!?"
"Hatred, lies, fear," Huey suggested. "There's been quite a few attempts to destroy particular parts of humanity for one reason or another. It's one of the great black marks on us... The fact that we are the ONLY animals on Earth that kill each other for reasons other than survival."
The princess frowned and shook her head.
"This is truly disturbing," She admitted. "Are all of your kind supportive of such repugnant endeavours?"
"No," Huey said. "Usually, those responsible are a very small, but powerful group of people with very rigid and sinister beliefs or goals. The vast majority of humans are, to my knowledge, more interested in sorting out their own affairs."
"I see. It still saddens me that they would do such a thing to one another."
"It is sad." Huey sighed. "Should we perhaps change the subject? That was a very grim subject to discuss first thing in the morning."
"I'd like that."
Huey leaned forward to take a closer look at the parchment Celestia was writing on.
"Pardon me for asking, but what are you writing?"
"I'm creating a reply to one of Twilight's friendship reports." She answered. "She has been rather busy during your absence."
"I guess that makes my absence from Ponyville okay then," Huey mused. "After all, she's also got the task of studying me too."
"Indeed she does," Celestia confirmed. "Although, it is not the highest priority at this time. Whether she sees it that way is another matter."
"She and I have had in depth discussions about many things," The human said thoughtfully. "However, there's still much to say. I must confess that she and I were distracted by the events that inspired us to send a joint friendship report, so, if I were to guess, she'd be overjoyed to get the opportunity to learn more from me."
Celestia hummed in agreement.
"Celestia..." Huey began, causing the princess to avert her gaze from the letter again. "Could I ask you a massive favour?"
"Of course you can ask!" She replied cheerfully. "However, that doesn't mean I'll do it."
"Naturally! I was wondering if I could, perhaps, take a picture of you."
"Memento?" Celestia guessed. "My sister mentioned that you took one of her with your new camera."
Huey nodded solemnly. The princess smiled and levitated the camera over to him. Thanking her, Huey snatched the camera from the air and began preparing it.
"So, what are you thinking?" She enquired. "Sat side by side and saying 'cheese', or do you have something else in mind?"
"I was thinking just a natural shot of the two of us," Huey replied thoughtfully. "There's a timer feature on this! Let me just find a decent place to put it and I'll randomly set it!"
Celestia watched as the human began exploring the room for various locations he could place it. After settling on placing the camera on the edge of the bed, Huey twisted the timer knob and returned to Celestia's side.
"And now, we wait." Huey mused. "So, you said this was a reply to one of Twilight's reports. May I see the exact report?"
"Of course, Huey!" Celestia replied, her horn igniting so that she could levitate a scroll over to the human. "Here."
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I am happy to report that the dragon has departed our fair country, and that it was my good friend Fluttershy who convinced him to go. This adventure has taught me to never lose faith in your friends. They can be an amazing source of strength, and can help you overcome even your greatest fears.
Always your faithful student,
Huey looked up from the parchment in surprise.
"There was a dragon attacking Equestria!?"
"Not attacking," Celestia clarified. "It was sleeping in a mountain close by to Ponyville. However, doing so meant that it was exhaling a great deal of smoke, which was proving to be a nuisance to the local population."
"Okay, but still!" Huey protested, while putting the parchment away. "Twilight and Fluttershy... Evicted a dragon! Wasn't that just a little bit careless of them!? Isn't such an endeavour incredibly dangerous when dragons can breathe fire that... Kills?"
"Dragons are not feral beings," The princess countered. "You've met Twilight's assistant, Spike."
"I have, but still... Just because a creature is sentient doesn't necessarily mean that they are automatically reasonable!"
"Hmmmm... True." Celestia mused. "Regardless, they were able to persuade the dragon to move on. Preventing Equestria from being covered in smoke for the next few centuries."
"Fair enough," Huey muttered. "Still, why not send some guards? Surely, such an emergency is falls well within their purview?"
"It does, but there's no local garrison near Ponyville. With the time it would take to set up an expedition, it would have been too late."
"There's no military presence near Ponyville!?" Huey asked in surprise. "Then... Who's there to investigate and prevent crime?"
"Crime?" Celestia repeated with a chuckle. "My dear Huey, this isn't Earth. Crime is practically unheard of here!"
"Really?" Huey enquired in disbelief. "But... How?"
"It's just not in our nature to break the law." Celestia explained. "Harmony has existed in Equestria for millennia. Couple that with the fact that there is next to no deprivation, poverty or other problems here... There's no reason to commit crime."
"Wow..." Huey murmured. "I can't help but be both impressed and worried. I'm impressed that you have such a borderline perfect society. However, it worries me that it seems to have lead to what I can only describe as complacency."
"Believe me, Huey," Celestia soothed. "I am not complacent. On the contrary, it is my duty to ensure that what you have experienced so far either improves or remains the way it is."
Huey opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of his camera taking a picture and printing it.
"Two ticks!" He said, before standing up and retrieving the finished image. "It's perfect."
"May I see it?"
"Of course!" Huey chirped, while showing Celestia the photo.
"You're right," Celestia agreed. "It is perfect."
Huey grinned proudly and hugged Celestia, who happily returned the gesture.
"Your subjects are really lucky to have you and Luna as their rulers," Huey commented. "I've never met a pair more selfless."
"That's very sweet of you to say." Celestia replied solemnly, her usual motherly smile replaced with one that blatantly displayed pride. "I've always tried my best, because I believe everypony deserves it."
"Even at the cost of your own health," Huey added. "Remember when I first arrived?"
"Mhm, lots of cake." She reminisced. "Delicious."
"Ha!" Huey chuckled before gently patting the princess' neck, earning him a satisfied coo. "I'm glad that I was able to help. It really hurt to see you in such a low place."
"It did?"
"Yes, I couldn't allow you to destroy yourself, even if the reason for doing so was 'for the greater good'. You deserve to be taken care of too, you know?"
"The only question there is; who could take care of 'poor and helpless' Celestia," She asked playfully with a childish pout. Huey rolled his eyes and pulled her closer to him, causing the princess to squeak in surprise.
"Your sister and I shall take care of you!" Huey declared proudly, causing Celestia to giggle. "We shall stand by you through thick and thin! I shall even feed thy royal personage with delicious cake!"
The alicorn gasped, her eyes twinkling at the thought of cake, but Huey caught her attention again when his index finger gently pressed her nose.
"But not too much!" He said authoritatively. "We cannot allow you to get a nasty tummy ache!"
"Oh no!" Celestia agreed in a childish tone. "Me not like tummy aches!"
"Exactly!"
"C-Can I have cake now?" Celestia pleaded, her lips pouting once more. "Pwease?"
"Has Tia been a good princess?" Huey enquired, his hand petting her head. His answer was provided by an enthusiastic nod from the alicorn.
"Then yes, you can have cake!" He declared. Celestia clapped her hooves together excitedly and levitated a plate holding a generous slice of chocolate cake, accompanied by a fork, towards him. Huey's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Have you been eating cake, when you're not allowed to?" He asked gravely. Celestia pursed her lips and shook her head, her eyes gazing at him innocently.
"Are you sure?" He enquired, earning him a nod from the princess. "Okay... I believe you."
Celestia fidgeted eagerly as Huey grasped the plate and fork, and cut off a chunk of cake for the alabaster alicorn to eat.
"Who's a good pony?" Huey asked.
"Is it me!?" Celestia asked in excitement. "Please be me!"
"You're right!" Huey confirmed heartily. "You win some cake!"
"Yay!"
The human chuckled as he presented the cake, which was swiftly eaten off the fork. The princess beamed in delightful as she happily munched the soft, moist sponge. After swallowing, she opened her mouth in preparation for another mouthful, which Huey happily provided.
"You're adorable." Huey remarked. Celestia blushed at the comment and gazed at the floor. With a pout, he gently tapped her nose with the fork, causing a small amount of chocolate icing to be smeared onto her nose. The princess crossed her eyes as she looked down at the blob of sweetness on her muzzle.
"You have a little something," Huey said, while pointing to his own nose. "Just a bit of icing."
Much to his amusement, Celestia scrunched up her nose comically, while her tongue crept out of her mouth in an attempt to lick the icing off. However, it couldn't quite reach, causing her to huff in frustration.
"Silly Tia," Huey murmured, while gently cupping her cheek with one hand and wiping the icing off her muzzle with the other. "Although, you were very close to reaching it."
Celestia tilted her head, allowing her cheek to nestle more comfortably into the palm of Huey's hand.
"I shouldn't get so much enjoyment out of this," Celestia murmured quietly. "It's unbecoming of a princess."
"Shhhh..." Huey hushed gently, his thumb softly stroking the royal cheek. "Even princess' deserve a moment to just... Enjoy themselves, even if it's something that's 'unbecoming' of their status. Remember, you're still an individual. You have needs, desires and feelings."
Celestia gazed into Huey's eyes as he gave her a weak smile. Breathing a deep sigh, she pulled Huey into a hug, which he returned cheerfully.
"Never change." Celestia whispered.
"I'll try." Huey murmured before they parted. "So, once the reply's done, what's next on the royal agenda?"
"Well, I'm going to be visiting Ponyville this afternoon." Celestia explained. "So, you could come along too. It would save you the train fare."
"Wait, today?" Huey asked in surprise. "As in, I'd be going back to Ponyville today!?"
"If you want to," Celestia clarified. "If you don't, then I can smooth things over with Twilight on your behalf."
Huey bit his lip thoughtfully and looked away. On the one hand, his time here in Canterlot had been amazing. He had been able to spend quality time with two princess', who were truly wonderful company, once one looked past the status they both had as royalty. On the other hand, he missed Twilight, and was eager to spend some time with her friends. He had yet to spend much time with any of them, if he disregarded Pinkie Pie and Twilight, and he had made progress in peeling back a layer of Fluttershy's innate timidness, which he wanted to continue. Couple that with the advice given to him by Minuette on the train regarding Lyra, there was much to do outside the castle walls.
"That's a tough choice," He admitted. "It'd be nice to see Twilight and her friends again... I must say I've not been able to spend much time with them. If I remember correctly, I only spent two days in Ponyville before returning here."
"There is plenty of time for you to consider your choice," Celestia soothed, while engulfing her finished reply in magic to send it to her student. "Whatever choice you make, I will support you every step of the way."
"Thank you, Celestia," Huey replied before giving her ears another scratch. "I just need a little while."
"I understand." She responded with a nod. "If you'll excuse me, I've got a few matters to attend to."
Huey hummed and waved as Celestia left the room. Now alone, he sighed and rubbed his temples.
"How am I supposed to choose though!?" He asked himself. "I can't be in two places at once."
Huey sighed miserably and trudged back to bed. Falling back onto the soft mattress, his hand smacked against something hard, causing him to yelp in surprise.
"What the!?"
Rolling over, he realised that he had accidentally smashed his hand against his camera. While the device was safe and sound, his hand throbbed painfully. However, his attention on the self-inflicted wound disappeared when a brainwave hit him.
"Of course!"
"I've made my decision to head back to Ponyville."
"What!?"
Luna stared at Huey, aghast at the announcement he had made. The trio were stood outside of the castle keep. Luna had accompanied Huey and Celestia, while they prepared to fly to Ponyville via chariot.
"But what will we do without your presence?" The Night Princess asked. "Who will keep us company throughout the night?"
"Well, I thought about that," Huey replied confidently. "If you get lonely, just pop into my dreams. It's likely that I'll be asleep during the night, but my dreams will always be open for you, Luna."
Luna attempted to counter Huey's suggestion, but merely achieved a symphony of stutters when an argument failed to materialise. Celestia, who was stood beside her sister, merely nodded her head in understanding.
"Very well," She murmured. "We will miss you very much, Huey. However, I received word that an unusual problem has arisen in Fillydelphia. As such, I'm afraid I won't be able to truly visit Twilight. I will be able to drop you off, while enroute though. "
"I see." He mused. "Before we go, I have a gift for each of you."
Reaching into Twilight's saddlebags, which he had brought with him at her insistence, he retrieved a picture frame and a small, golden locket, which he had nestled in amongst his camera and Twilight's notes on humans.
"I knew that I was going to miss both of you as well," Huey explained. "So... I took the opportunity to use these items I was able to quietly obtain while shopping with Luna."
"So, that's why you snuck away from us!" Luna exclaimed. "We were curious as to why you kept disappearing while we were in the department store!"
"I wanted to get you both a little something." He continued. "It was only while I was deciding whether to go back to Ponyville or not that I finally realised I had the parts necessary to make these gifts."
Gingerly, Huey presented the picture frame to Celestia. Nestled within it was the picture he had taken of them that morning. Celestia placed a hoof over her heart and smiled warmly.
"It's beautiful!" She remarked. "Thank you so much."
Huey let go of the portrait as Celestia levitated it into the chariot for safekeeping. He then turned towards Luna.
"Luna," He began solemnly. "I know that things are difficult for you right now, and that the road ahead for you is going to be rocky. However, I want you to know that if, at any point, you need me, just send me a letter via Spike. I'll send a reply or hop on the next train to Canterlot as soon as I receive it."
"We will bear that in mind," She responded with a nod. Huey then showed her the locket.
"When I found that the jewellers in that store could engrave things," He said quietly. "I couldn't resist getting you something that you could have to give you some comfort if you encounter a bumpy stretch in your life."
The human opened the locket and showed Luna its contents. Her eyes widened, while both of her forehooves quickly clamped over her muzzle to stifle a loud gasp she was about to release. Huey smiled weakly as a solitary tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground below.
"It's perfect," She hissed, her ability to speak inhibited by the shock she had just received. "Thank you... A million times thank you!"
The Night Princess clenched her eyes shut and lunged at the human, her hooves wrapping round him in a bone-crushing hug. Huey wheezed, but ignored the pain as he returned the hug. As swiftly as it began, the pair ended it.
"If I may," Huey stammered. "May I have the honour of putting this round your neck?"
Luna nodded enthusiastically before turning around and sitting, providing Huey with unlimited access to her neck. Tenderly, he looped the chain round her neck and clipped it together.
"Remember what it says, Luna," He added. "Because if there's ever any truth in this world... It's what you read in that locket."
She nodded, while grasping the locket and hiding it underneath her royal necklace.
"I'll wear it always," She wheezed, her emotions still preventing her from speaking properly. "Thank you, Huey."
The human bit his lip before giving Luna one last hug and stepping onto the chariot. Celestia stood beside him as they waved farewell to Luna. Within moments, they were airborne and flying towards Ponyville.
"What you did was truly wonderful, Huey."
The human looked at his fellow passenger. For the majority of the journey, they had spent it in silence, content to watch the scenery below them.
"I wanted to show you how much you mean to me," He said solemnly. "I couldn't think of anything that could express how I feel more appropriately."
"I mean it, Huey," Celestia reaffirmed firmly. "I've never said this to anypony else, but ruling over Equestria is hard, very hard. As you and I have already discussed, it was soul-crushing to be alone for the past one thousand years."
"Well, things have changed, Celestia," Huey replied, addressing her formally due to the presence of the two pegasai guards pulling the chariot. "You have your sister back, and the treatment I gave to her... I wish to extend to you as well."
"You mean..."
"If you ever need me, just send a letter." Huey confirmed. "During my time in Canterlot, I've been given the privilege and honour to spend time with you. You even showed me some of your most harrowing memories. As far as I'm aware, you've had to cope with the trials and tribulations you've felt throughout your life alone. It breaks my heart to know that is the case."
Celestia stayed silent as she mulled over Huey's words.
"I don't know what the rest of Equestria sees," He continued. "But I see two wonderful mares, who deserve the ability to experience friendship as much as anypony else. It fills me with pride to know that both of you had enough faith in me to... Well... Let me in and be there to comfort and support you when you need it."
The princess looked down at the picture Huey had given her, which was located by her hooves.
"I'm glad I did, Huey," Celestia admitted. "I'm truly glad I did."
"So am I."
"Ponyville's up ahead, Your Highness!" One of the guards called. Huey looked over the side of the chariot and smiled at the rapidly approaching town, but tilted his head in confusion when he saw what appeared to be massive chunks bitten out of the buildings. His attention was then grabbed by the sound of upbeat music being played below.
"What's going on here?" Huey asked to himself as the chariot landed. Before they came to a complete stop, he noticed Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash drop to the ground in a collective bow, while Pinkie Pie marched past with a variety of different instruments strapped to her various limbs. Celestia was also struck dumb by the sight of the party mare, which was exacerbated by a procession of small, spherical creatures with wings following Pinkie.
"Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil!" Celestia greeted, as she watched the unorthodox conga-line pass her. "It is truly wonderful to see you again, along with your friends!"
"Hello, Princess!" Twilight chirped nervously. "So... Um... How was your trip? Hit much traffic on the way here?"
"Traffic?" Huey interjected incredulously. "We were flying, Twilight! We were completely on our own!"
"Huey, darling!" Rarity exclaimed with an ecstatic wave. "So nice to see you!"
"It's nice to see you too, Rarity!" Huey replied cheerfully as he approached the quintet and was treated to a group hug.
"What is this?" Celestia asked, as she examined one of the spheroid creatures, yellow in colour, which had landed upon her wing. "These creatures are adorable!"
"They're not that adorable." Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath. Huey raised an eyebrow, but said nothing when it was clear that her statement was not meant for the princess' ears.
"I'm honoured that Ponyville saw fit to put on a parade for my visit," The princess continued. "However, I'm afraid that I cannot stay. I came by only to say 'hello' and drop off Huey. I'm actually enroute to Fillydelphia, where they've been struck down by a swarm of bothersome pests. I'm sorry that I have put you through all this trouble for nothing."
Huey glanced at the five mares and noticed that they were all grimacing or attempting to hide surprise. Rolling his eyes, he folded his arms and kept his attention firmly on the princess. Once she had gone, he would have plenty of time to find out what they were hiding from her.
"Trouble?" Twilight stuttered. "What trouble? It was no trouble at all!"
"Before I go," Celestia said, while stepping onto her chariot. "Would you care to give me your latest report on what you've learned regarding the magic of friendship?"
"My... Report!?" Twilight repeated in confusion. After a moment of frantic glancing around, she gasped at the sight of Pinkie Pie still playing her menagerie of instruments.
"I'd love to!" The lavender unicorn chirped. "I've learned that, sometimes, the solution to your problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friend's opinions and perspectives. Even when they don't always seem to make sense."
"I'm so proud of you, Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia replied happily. "And I am very impressed with your friends as well! It sounds like you're all learning so much from each other."
Huey's eyes narrowed as he, and the others, watched the princess depart. As soon as she was out of earshot, he turned towards them.
"Okay," He began firmly. "What happened?"
"W-What do you mean?" Twilight stammered. "What would make you think something happened?"
"Two things," Huey began authoritatively. "First, when I arrived, I noticed that the buildings of Ponyville had been... Partially eaten."
The five mares glanced at each other nervously.
"Secondly, I saw your faces when Celestia mentioned that Fillydelphian pest problem. The same thing happened here, didn't it?"
After a few moments of awkward silence, Twilight sighed and stepped forward.
"You're right, Huey," She admitted. "Those creatures you just saw that were part of a 'parade' were actually parasprites. They're a critter that have been causing turmoil! The entire town's been destroyed!"
"All of it!?" Huey spluttered, earning him nods from the group.
"Hey, girls... Huey!" Pinkie Pie chirped, while staggering towards them awkwardly. "Where'd the princess go?"
"She couldn't stay," Twilight explained. "Apparently, there's an 'infestation' in Fillydelphia."
"Oh no!" Pinkie gasped. "Have they got parasprites too? Well, got tuba... Will travel!"
"Don't worry about it, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack reassured the party mare. "Princess Celestia has already gone to take care of it. I'm sure she'll be just fine!"
"Judging by what I heard from Twilight's report," Huey mused. "You knew what these parasprites were all along... I'm guessing the rest of the group weren't taking your advice seriously?"
Pinkie and Huey looked towards the rest of the group, who were all nervously looking away or poking the ground.
"Thought as much," He admitted. "Well, at least you learned that even if someone who's... A little out of the ordinary... Gives a suggestion you shouldn't automatically disregard it. After all, you're not telepathic. You could be ignoring something very important."
"Right!" Twilight concurred. "And I'm sorry, Pinkie. We shouldn't have been so quick to disregard what you were saying. If we'd listened, we could have saved more of the town... Or all of it."
The remaining mares of the sextet voiced their agreement and respective apologies.
"You're truly a wonderful friend!" Twilight declared. "Even if we don't understand you all the time."
"Thanks, guys!" Pinkie Pie replied cheerfully. "You're all great friends too, even when I don't understand me."
"Well, that's nice and all, girls," Huey remarked, while facing towards Ponyville. "However, from what I'm seeing... I don't think the town's going to recover from this anytime soon."
The group turned just in time to see the town hall collapse, causing them all to grimace.
"Well, no time like the present!" Huey chirped. "Let's head back into town and find out how much of it's completely buggered! Once that's done, we can begin the job of fixing it all!"
The sextet cheered in approval before following Huey, who strode bravely towards the ruins of Ponyville.
"At least the library's still standing."
Huey rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he turned around to survey the aftermath of the cataclysm that had befallen Ponyville, while Twilight and Spike stood beside him. Even though he was not versed in the art of construction, engineering or architecture, he could see that much of the town had been rendered unsafe for habitation. The parasprites had eaten sizeable chunks out of the buildings without any consideration regarding whether it would make the building unstable or not. Meanwhile, the rest of Twilight's friends had spread out to check on their respective dwellings, after agreeing that they would meet up at Twilight's library once they had finished their inspections.
"This is all my fault," Twilight murmured sadly. "I cast that spell which would make them stop eating things."
"I see," Huey mused. "I'm guessing they began eating things that weren't usually eaten?"
"Exactly."
"Twilight," Huey began, while kneeling to bring himself to eye level with the lavender unicorn. "You did what you could. As far as I can see, it was a fifty-fifty chance of it working or it causing this. I would have played those odds too, if I were in your position."
Twilight sighed heavily, the guilt still bearing down on her as she stared at the ground forlornly. Huey cupped her chin with his hand and gently raised her head so that she was looking at him.
"Feeling miserable won't rebuild what's been destroyed," Huey explained. "Instead, let's knuckle down and get to work with restoring Ponyville to its former glory. How does that sound?"
"That sounds great," Twilight muttered with a weak smile. "But where do we start?"
"Well, I say we gather everyone together and figure out where we're going to keep everyone." Huey said as he stood back up. "We can't have all of these equines sleeping under the stars."
"Why not speak to the mayor?" Twilight suggested. "Maybe we could organise a committee for coordinating the reconstruction work?"
"Oh brother." Spike muttered with a roll of his eyes. Huey glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, while Twilight shot him a death glare.
"Yes..." Huey began slowly. "Where would we find the mayor anyway, Twilight?"
"Normally, she'd be at the town hall, but that collapsed!"
"Maybe she's inspecting the damage inflicted upon it?" The human thought out loud. "No harm in checking. We could ask some of the locals while enroute."
"You're right," Twilight agreed before turning to her draconic assistant. "Spike, could you stay here and tell the others where Huey and I have gone when they arrive?"
Spike stood to attention and gave the pair a salute, providing them with the acknowledgement they needed. Huey and Twilight immediately began their journey through the ruined town.
"How was Canterlot?" Twilight asked inquisitively. "Sorry if this is an inappropriate time to ask."
"It's alright," Huey reassured her. "As for how my trip was, it was great. I was able to spend some time with both princess'."
"How are they doing?"
"Great, which reminds me. Princess Celestia sends her best wishes and gratitude for your hard work regarding your studies in both friendship and humans."
"She read my notes!?"
"I do believe she did, however the reason she summoned me wasn't due to wanting to examine me further."
"Then what did she want?"
Huey fell silent, unwilling to state the deeply personal reason the princess had summoned him.
"Huey?" Twilight probed. "Is something wrong?"
"Huh? What? Oh! No, I lost my concentration." He stuttered. "She wanted to talk to me about going home."
"Home!?" Twilight exclaimed in surprise. "You mean she found a way to do that already?"
"Not exactly," Huey corrected. "She had come to the conclusion that determining how to get me there would take too long. In essence, I'd have died of old age long before they'd even scratched the surface of the puzzle regarding how I could be sent home."
"Oh... I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, Twilight. I was gone for so long since I needed time to come to terms with reality." Huey lied. "And anyway, it can't be so bad. I have no recollection of life before I was here, so... Silver lining; it's a completely fresh start."
"I guess," Twilight murmured sadly. "I'm still sorry for you, Huey. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it would be if I was to be stuck as the only one of my kind in your world."
"Good thing that's not the case! I'd find it heartbreaking if anyone had to experience what I have."
The pair fell silent for a while. Huey had run out of topics to discuss, while Twilight was mulling over the hypothetical situation they had just discussed.
"So, you're stuck here forever?" Twilight clarified.
"Pretty much."
"Wow..."
Suddenly, the pair's attention was captured by a pair of mares having a one-sided argument beside a wrecked house. The mare performing all of the speech was a grey earth pony, sporting a black mane, a white detachable shirt collar, accompanied by a pink bow tie, round her neck, and a purple G-clef adorning her rump. The second participant was an off-white unicorn with a wild, two-tone electric blue mane, an inverted image of two eighth notes bridged together as a cutie mark, and a large pair of purple tinted sunglasses.
"How can you be so laid-back about all of this!?" The grey mare ranted. "Our home is ruined!"
The off-white mare stared blankly at her friend for a few moments, before reaching into the wreckage and pulling a dusty, but unharmed, cello from it with a smile.
"Knowing that my instrument is unharmed does not change the fact that we are homeless, Vinyl Scratch!" She replied, while burying her face into her hooves. Vinyl grimaced and gave her friend a gentle pat on the back.
"Excuse me?"
As soon as the cellist looked up, she squealed and hid behind Vinyl Scratch, who was completely unfazed.
"My name's Huey," He said. "Sorry for butting in, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation."
"What do you want!?" Vinyl's friend squeaked nervously, causing Huey to look back at Twilight, who merely shrugged.
"To help," Huey said, while genuflecting. "I doubt you will have noticed me before, but I'm currently living with Twilight Sparkle, the local librarian stood behind me. We were going to see the mayor, and were wondering if either of you had seen her?"
Vinyl glanced at her terrified cellist friend, who merely shook her head vigorously. The unicorn then looked back at the human and shook her head too.
"Alright," Huey replied with disappointment. "Thank you for your time though."
Huey then presented a hand for the two mares to shake. Vinyl looked at it for a moment before raising an eyebrow and presenting her hoof, which Huey gently fist-bumped. He then presented his hand to Vinyl's friend, who gave it a quick and feeble shake.
"Octavia Melody." She quickly said before snatching back her hoof and hiding entirely behind Vinyl.
"Nice to meet you both." Huey said before standing back up and walking back to Twilight.
"Don't worry about Octavia," Twilight murmured. "She's never seen a human before."
"I know, Twilight," Huey replied. "I've accepted that it's going to take some time and effort before I'm treated properly. Still, at least Vinyl didn't seem to care that much, so that's something."
"DJ Pon-3? She's very laid-back, so that's not that surprising."
"Would that be her stage name?"
"Mhm! She's something of a celebrity." Twilight explained. "And a very popular artist on the night club circuit."
"Huh... That's the first time I've ever met a celebrity."
"How would you know that? I thought you couldn't remember anything."
Huey looked down at the unicorn, expecting to see her sporting a smug grin. Instead, she was gazing up at him with pure concern and curiosity.
"Fair point," He remarked. "I wouldn't know. A better statement would probably be 'first time meeting an Equestrian celebrity'."
"Much better!"
Huey glanced back at Vinyl and Octavia. The pair had turned their attention towards their broken home once more, and were slowly poking through the rubble for any other belongings they could salvage. Huey experienced a sharp twinge of emotional pain as he watched the sombre scene unfold before him.
"We've got to do something, Twilight," Huey stated firmly. "It hurts to see this."
"It does hurt." She agreed with a sigh. "But what can we do?"
"At this point, I'd do anything," Huey said dejectedly. "Anything at all."
Twilight frowned and gently gave him a pat on the back.
"We'll think of something, Huey." She soothed. "Something that will help put this right."
The human sighed heavily and covered his face with his palm, realising that this scene that was affecting him deeply was not limited to just Vinyl and Octavia. This exact scene would be occurring throughout the entirety of the town with varying severity. What was needed was a plan and somewhere for the town to congregate. A place large enough for all of them.
"Twilight..."
"Yes, Huey?"
"When Pinkie threw your welcome party a few days ago, how many guests did she invite?"
"Well, she said she invited everypony," Twilight replied. "But I don't see what that's got to do wit-"
Twilight suddenly gasped in realisation.
"The library?"
"The library," Huey repeated. "If the town hall's destroyed, which it is, we'll need somewhere else to have a town meeting. Why not have it in the library?"
"But..." Twilight protested. "She must have been over-exaggerating!"
"This is hardly the time to split hairs!" Huey countered. "You agreed that we need to do something. The quicker we get started with sorting out this mess, the sooner we can get back to normality, right?"
"R-Right," Twilight stammered, her ears drooping slightly as the memory of her involvement with causing the aforementioned "mess" reared its head once more.
"Then let's gather everyone together and find out how bad things really are!" Huey declared. "Once we know, we can begin a planned and coordinated approach to sort this calamity out!"
"Right." Twilight agreed firmly, her resolve rejuvenated by Huey's authoritative pep-talk.
"I'll go and invite Octavia and Vinyl, you see if the mayor's at the town hall ruins," Huey ordered gently. "We'll then both head back to the library, while inviting as many ponies as possible along the way."
"Right!" Twilight acknowledged. "Meet you back at the library!"
"Best of luck!" He replied before presenting a fist, which Twilight eagerly hoof-bumped before trotting away. Huey then took a deep breath and huffed with determination before striding confidently towards Vinyl and Octavia.
"Miss Scratch, Miss Melody," He said politely. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wish to invite you to a town meeting that is going to be held in the library. I'd be most grateful if you relayed this message to anypony you meet while heading there."
Vinyl smiled widely and nodded before zipping away, leaving Octavia on her own with Huey.
"I-I," The cellist stammered. "I'm sorry for Vinyl's behaviour. She's not the talkative type, but she's really lovely, I assure you!"
"It's quite alright," Huey reaffirmed. "Although, I wonder where she's gone in such a hurry."
"Oh, only Celestia knows," Octavia remarked nonchalantly. "I swear she's a force of nature sometimes."
"Ha... Reminds me of Pinkie Pie," Huey remarked. "She's a unique character too."
"Oh, I know!" Octavia agreed. "Some of the things she can do leave me absolutely speechless!"
"And that persistently rosy outlook on life," Huey added. "It's beyond explanation how someone can be so cheerful!"
The two shared a chuckle at their joint bemusement towards their respective friends for a moment, before Octavia suddenly tilted her head inquisitive at the human.
"Pardon me for asking," She began softly. "But what, exactly, are you?"
"I'm a human." Huey explained. "I'm the only one of my kind, and came here purely by accident. Apparently, somepony cast a spell incorrectly and... Well... Brought me here from my home."
"Oh dear," She remarked. "How positively dreadful! I'm sorry for my nerves earlier... They got the better of me."
"Don't worry about it," Huey reassured her. "I've accepted that I'm going to get a few funny or scared looks. After all, you've probably never seen anything like myself before."
"Very true."
"The feeling is actually mutual!" Huey continued, while sitting down to bring himself to Octavia's eye level. "Where I'm from, ponies don't talk, while pegasai and unicorns don't exist at all!"
"My gosh! That is weird!"
"Straight back at you," Huey countered with a smile. "Think how I must have felt when I first met one of your kind. Such vibrant coat colours, magic, the ability to speak! It went against everything I know!"
"Yes, I can definitely see how you'd feel that way," Octavia mused. "At least, in my case, I have the comfort of being in a familiar place, surrounded by familiar things. You, on the other hoof, must be constantly experiencing new things."
"I'm definitely doing that," Huey agreed. "Thus far, it's been an adventure that I'm enjoying a great deal. However, this is a minor hiccup."
"What is?"
Huey motioned towards the devastation around them, earning a gasp of understanding from Octavia.
"Oh, of course!" She stuttered. "You said you lived here with Twilight!"
"Yes, but the library's fine." Huey replied. "What bothered me was... Well... You."
"Me?" Octavia said in surprise. "What did I do to upset you?"
"Oh no!" Huey exclaimed in alarm. "I didn't mean 'you' specifically. I meant this disaster that's occurred. I saw you and Vinyl arguing about being homeless and... Well... It hurt."
"Oh, was I being that loud?" Octavia asked in embarrassment. "It didn't sound like I was being too vocal in my frustration."
"It was loud enough that I noticed. Seeing the pair of you surveying the ruins of your home hurt a lot. You didn't deserve it and I want to help put everything right. That's why I invited the pair of you to the library for a meeting. I thought that if we were all able to band together... We could get Ponyville rebuilt within a couple of days."
"That's so kind of you!" Octavia commented. "But why?"
"A number of reasons," Huey explained. "First, it hurt to see innocent ponies losing so much. Second, I'm fortunate to have a home that's still standing. Three, I don't have any money, so if there was to be a call for donations or anything... I wouldn't be able to give anything. As such, I should donate my time and energy instead."
Octavia listened intently to Huey's explanation. Once he had finished, and she had mulled over his words, she reached out and patted his shoulder.
"You have a kind heart, Huey," She said. "If you have a heart, that is. I don't know if humans have hearts."
"They do."
"Good. You have a good heart, and I'm glad to hear that someone wants to help me. It's only right that I return the favour and help you."
"Oh, you don't have to, but it would definitely help to have everyone on board to get Ponyville back to normal."
Octavia opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when she heard the sound of wheels rattling towards her. The pair turned and found Vinyl Scratch pushing a trolley that had a DJ's turntable, accompanied by massive speakers, mounted onto it.
"Vinyl, dear," Octavia began curtly. "It's not the time to use that."
The DJ grimaced before switching on the turntable. Octavia and Huey immediately covered their ears when a wave of feedback screeched through the speakers.
"VINYL!" Octavia yelled. "Turn that turntable off!"
Huey watched as Vinyl scrambled to manipulate the myriad of dials and knobs that allowed her to silence the screeching. Once the whining ceased, she tapped the microphone that was part of her instrument. Huey beamed and gently shook Octavia.
"Octavia, your friend's a genius!" Huey declared in excitement. "She's got a microphone and a pair of speakers! We can broadcast a message to Ponyville with them!"
"You're right!" Octavia gasped. "I'm sorry, Vinyl, it seems I misunderstood your intent."
The DJ merely shrugged before stepping aside, so that Huey could stand beside her and remove the microphone from its stand. He gently tapped it, while Vinyl adjusted the volume dials accordingly.
"Testing, Testing." Huey said experimentally. "One, two, three. Calling all Ponyvillians."
After receiving a smile and nod from Vinyl, Huey gave her a thumbs up before clearing his throat and beginning his broadcast.
"Citizens of Ponyville," He began. "A meeting is to be held in..."
Huey fell silent when he realised that he didn't know the name or address of Twilight's home. He looked to Vinyl and Octavia, who had taken the time to move until she was stood on his other side.
"Golden Oak Library." Octavia said, earning her a nod of gratitude from Huey.
"A meeting is to be held in The Golden Oak Library. I repeat; a meeting is to be held in The Golden Oak Library. We request that all residents attend in the aftermath of the disaster that's befallen us. Thank you."
Huey put the microphone back onto its stand, while Vinyl switched the feed off.
"Let's hope that they heed the call." Huey muttered. "Let's get going to the library."
Huey and Octavia immediately turned and began walking to the library, but stopped when they heard the familiar squeak of wheels. The pair turned towards Vinyl, who was attempting to turn the trolley bearing her equipment around, so that she could bring it with her.
"Vinyl," Octavia said in exasperation. "We're not taking that with us."
Huey blinked before silently he approached the DJ and helped her push her turntable. Vinyl flashed a grateful grin at him, before looking at the cellist with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Octavia stared back at Vinyl blankly for a moment before sighing heavily in defeat.
"Fine."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Huey, I am Mayor Mare."
The human bowed and shook the hoof of a pale brown earth mare blessed with a grey, wavy mane, half-moon glasses, and a tied scroll cutie mark. After assisting Vinyl and Octavia with bringing the turntable to the library, he had discovered her talking to Twilight upstairs in the librarian's bedroom.
"It's an honour to finally meet the mayor of Ponyville, Madam Mayor," Huey replied solemnly. "However, I wish it occurred under better circumstances."
"That goes without saying," She remarked with a weak smile. "Twilight has been explaining your suggestion to me, and it is one that I would totally support."
"I'm glad that's the case!" Huey chirped. "Has there been any discussion regarding who should be on the committee?"
"Ah, your committee for rebuilding," The mayor murmured. "We've been talking about that and have come up with a preliminary group that would, at this time, seem appropriate. I would sit as the chair of the group, Miss Twilight, along with her assistant, Spike, would act as the notaries for minutes and such."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Huey commented. "Are there any engineers in Ponyville that can sit on the committee?"
"We are hoping to recruit the services of Crafty Crate and Drill Bit," Mayor Mare explained. "The former is the owner of a local moving company, while the latter is the foreman for a local construction firm."
"Excellent!" Huey replied ecstatically. "Is there anyone else you intend to speak to?"
"Other than yourself, no pony springs to mind."
"Me?" Huey stuttered. "Why would you need or want me!?"
"Because it was your idea," Twilight chipped in. "You were the first one to come up with the suggestion of working together, that kind of quick-thinking could be a real asset to the rebuilding process."
"I-I guess," Huey stammered, while a blush of embarrassment adorned his cheeks. "I wouldn't say my suggestion was that ground breaking."
"Well, we would still be delighted if you attended." The mayor said. "With that order of business settled, I think it would be a good idea to head downstairs and address the pony-folk. I assume you're okay with outlining your plan to them personally?"
"P-Personally!?" Huey spluttered. "Why me!?"
"Two reasons," The mayor chirped. "First, it's your idea. Second, introducing yourself to the entirety of Ponyville will help allay the fears they have about you. A number of complaints and concerns were lodged by worried citizens about who and what you are."
"Oh..."
Huey watched forlornly as the mayor walked downstairs, leaving him alone with Twilight. The lavender unicorn gave his back a gentle pat.
"Cheer up, Huey," She soothed. "At least this means that the entire town will get to see that you're completely harmless."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Huey sighed. "Still hurts a little bit to know that some think I'm dangerous, even if I know that they're just afraid of something they've never met before... It can't be helped."
Twilight frowned and reared up onto her hind-hooves to hug the saddened human, who eagerly returned the gesture.
"Thanks, Twilight," He whispered into her ear. "It's good to know I've got a friend to turn to."
"Any time, Huey," Twilight murmured back tenderly. "Shall we?"
Huey nodded and helped Twilight drop back down onto all fours before they descended to the ground floor. The entirety of the main library area was packed with ponies of all shapes, types and sizes. What surprised Huey was that even though it was a sea of vibrant colour, he could still pick out individuals he knew. Admittedly, the fact that Rainbow Dash was hovering above the crowd and Pinkie Pie was vigorously waving, in an attempt to grab his attention, helped in this endeavour, but such visual aids did not apply to the likes of Applejack or Rarity. After waving back at Pinkie, Huey pushed his way through the waist high wall of equines to Vinyl Scratch's turntable, which he had helped to set up inside the library once they had arrived.
"Vinyl, can I borrow your microphone again?" He asked. Vinyl nodded and swiftly altered the settings necessary to switch it on. Huey took the device from its stand and tapped it, causing a loud thudding sound to emanate from the speakers.
"Fillies and gentlecolts," Huey began, causing everyone to fall silent and turn towards him. "First off, I'd like to extend my gratitude to you all for attending this impromptu meeting. In the aftermath of the parasprite invasion, which has caused widespread chaos and damage, the local authorities, under the leadership of Mayor Mare, seek to unite all of the ponies, regardless of whether they are a unicorn, earth pony or pegasai, in the common cause of fixing the town."
A wave of light applause and intrigued murmurs rippled throughout the crowd, which ended as swiftly as it began when Huey raised a hand to silence the audience.
"Meanwhile, this is a perfect opportunity to put to rest a number of concerns that have been circulating about me," Huey continued. "My name is Huey. I am what is called a human."
A loud squee erupted from the crowd, causing Huey to squint his eyes as he scanned the crowd in search of the individual responsible. His gaze eventually settled on a mint green unicorn that was clearly so excited that she was practically vibrating due to the sheer amount of fidgeting she was doing. Immediately recognising her as Lyra Heartstrings, Huey gave her a smile and a wave.
"Hello, Lyra!" He chirped. "Minuette and others have told me about yourself. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
The unicorn immediately swooned at the attention, her fall broken by the swift intervention of a cream earth mare with a pink and dark blue mane, and three wrapped sweets for a cutie mark.
"Moving on!" Huey exclaimed, recapturing the attention of the crowd. "To tell you a little about my species. We are bipeds, as you can see. We wear clothes as a matter of necessity due to having very little in the way of hair to keep us warm. As for our diet, I'd like to first assure everyone present that this is not, I repeat not, a cause for alarm, humans are omnivorous."
The crowd suddenly became much more wary, many backed away, folded their ears down, and began murmuring to the equines next to them about whether they were in danger.
"I know that the idea of a creature eating meat is going to cause a few stomachs to turn, and cause people... I mean ponies... To be afraid for the safety of themselves and their loved ones," Huey continued solemnly. "However, I would like to state that my kind are very particular about what kinds of food we eat. For example, it is common for us to keep household pets, such as dogs and cats. As such, we do not eat them. In the case of ponies, we do not eat them either."
A collective sigh of relief was exhaled by the crowd, causing Huey to smile and drive the point home.
"Also, it is not a necessity for humans to eat meat to survive." He stated confidently. "Many humans take the conscious decision to never eat meat, choosing to opt for pure vegetarianism instead. Thus far, I have, for the benefit of the equines who have graciously allowed me to reside with them, not eaten meat as a matter of courtesy. I will be as herbivorous as yourselves... If one disregards some of your cuisine choices like daisy sandwiches or hay fries, which are literally inedible to humans. Are there any questions?"
The audience talked amongst themselves for a few moments, and soon fell silent again without a single hoof being raised.
"Very well. To help with coordinating the rebuilding process, Mayor Mare wishes to speak to Crafty Crate and Drill Bit. Are they currently present?"
Two hooves immediately rose up.
"Excellent!" Huey chirped, before pointing to the stairs leading up to Twilight's bedroom. "If you'd be so kind as to take the stairs over there, I, along with the rest of the committee, will join you shortly. As for the rest of you, I would appreciate it if you would remain here, while we discuss our plan of action. Pinkie Pie, are you still here?"
"Right here, Huey!" The party mare cheeped with a happy wave.
"Excellent!" He remarked. "Would it be possible for you to find a few volunteers to find some refreshments for everyone?"
"Yupperoni!" She replied with a salute. "You can count on me!"
"Thanks, Pinkie, and thank you, everyone for your attention! Make yourselves comfortable and we will be right back after we've had our discussion."
Huey put the microphone back onto its stand and gave Vinyl a scratch behind the ears, earning him an ecstatic grin from the DJ. With his gratitude expressed, he immediately headed towards the stairs.
"Soup's on, everypony!"
Huey moaned miserably as the clanging of a triangle roused him from his sleep. He immediately grasped the ends of the pillow his head was laid on and clamped them over his ears to block out the racket.
"Kill me now," He mumbled lethargically. Sadly, his attempt to prevent the noise from reaching his ears failed, due to the sound being too loud for the pillow to absorb. Defeated, Huey yawned and rolled over to look at Twilight's bed. He had been allowed to move his "bed" into her room for the duration of the crisis, since Huey had reservations regarding his sleeping with the refugees that had slept downstairs. As expected, the lavender unicorn was nowhere to be seen, however the sizeable bulge in the small basket beside her bed indicated that Spike was a late riser too.
"I'm up," Huey cried out in despair. "I'm up, just... Stop the noise!"
Much to his relief, the clattering of metal suddenly stopped, causing him to sigh happily. Sluggishly, Huey grasped his trousers, which he had carelessly tossed onto the floor beside his sleeping spot last night, and tugged them on. The conversation with Twilight regarding his underwear, and its current usage as sleepwear, had been much easier to do in comparison to Luna and Celestia. Admittedly, the incident with Celestia was the first time he had, as far as he could remember, taken his clothes off in the presence of another, while Luna had discovered that caveat of human behaviour after forcibly stripping him into total nudity. In contrast, Twilight had been completely understanding of the fact that it was the exact opposite of her kind's norms. Her only interruption during the brief lecture Huey had provided had been to allow her the opportunity to fetch writing tools to scribble down notes.
"Five more minutes," Spike burbled sleepily, causing Huey to raise an eyebrow at how the cacophony of noise hadn't irrevocably roused the dragon from his slumber. Shrugging, he put on his socks and shoes before heading downstairs. Unsurprisingly, the masses of blankets that had been laid out in neat little rows to permit maximum sleeping capacity were showing their own signs of who owned each spot. The unoccupied sleeping spots ranged from their respective blankets being neatly folded to just being haphazardly screwed up and deserted on the floor. Meanwhile, the spots that were still occupied had all manner of equines that were either waking up due to the racket or, much to Huey's disbelief, had been able to sleep through it entirely.
After greeting those who were awake, Huey stepped outside. Congregating around the library were a horde of equines, who were lining up in front of a table Applejack had set up to dish out what appeared to be breakfast. Huey walked past the queue and approached the apple farmer.
"Hi, Applejack!"
"Howdy, Huey!" Applejack greeted with a tip of her brown stetson. "If yer here for grub, you need to get in line like everypony else."
"I can wait," Huey replied, as he glanced over the array of apple-based edibles being handed out. As far as he could see, every conceivable dish that could be made of apples had been made in vast quantity, such as apple pie, crumble, strudel, brown betty and cobbler.
"Is there anything here that doesn't have apple in it?"
"Nope!"
"Fair enough," Huey murmured before turning towards Applejack, who was busy handing out platefuls of food with her teeth. The human grimaced at the blatant lack of hygiene standards, but said nothing.
"So, how may I help?" Huey asked. "There doesn't appear to be anyone helping you, and there's a lot of ponies to feed."
"Oh, I'm not all alone!" She corrected. "My brother and sister, Big Mac and Apple Bloom, are bringing more supplies from the farm!"
"Ah, I see! It'd be delightful to meet your family."
"Ha!" Applejack chuckled. "I hope you humans live long lives, my family's pretty darn big."
"I assure you, we can," Huey replied cheerfully before turning to a pegasus mare that was impatiently waiting for their attention. "Sorry for distracting Applejack! What can we get you?"
"About time," The irate pegasus grumbled. "I'll have some apple cobbler."
"Sure thing!" Huey chirped, and quickly put a generous portion of the sweet treat onto a plate. "Again, sorry for the delay!"
"It's fine, I guess. Thanks, AJ." She muttered, while snatching the plate and flying away.
"Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning," Huey murmured to Applejack. "Although, considering the 'beds' that most of the towns’ had to cope with... I can understand their anguish."
"Yeah, I heard there were problems with getting mattresses and sleepin' bags," AJ remarked, while serving another equine. "So, they had to sleep on the ground. Ain't no problem for me, personally, but some ain't never slept like that before."
"Indeed, must have been quite a shock for them," Huey added. "Still, once everyone's all good and ready, we can knuckle down and get building!"
"Too right! I bet The Apple Family tradition of barn-raising could be mighty helpful."
"I'm sure it will," He agreed with a nod. "Out of curiosity, have you seen Twilight? I woke up not so long ago and she was nowhere to be seen."
"She's been busy with the mayor!" AJ answered. "Twilight told me she didn't want to disturb you and Spike when she woke up, so she left you two alone."
"Well, a metallic clanging woke me up," Huey mused. "Followed by you declaring that 'soup's on', so even though I would have preferred sleeping in... I'm grateful you jostled me out of bed, AJ."
"'T weren't nothin'!"
"Still, let's feed these ponies!"
"You're tellin' me you yoo-mans don't have cutie marks!?"
Huey looked down at the lemon yellow filly sporting a bright red mane tied up with a massive pink bow, who was staring back up at him in shock.
"We don't have magic either," He added, causing Apple Bloom to gasp with renewed horror.
"No magic or cutie marks!?" She blurted out, causing AJ to tilt her hat down so that it covered her rolling eyes.
"Apple Bloom," She began firmly. "Some species don't have magic or cutie marks here in Equestria. You know... Timberwolves, Winona, the farm animals..."
"But that's different, Applejack!" Apple Bloom protested. "This yoo-man can talk and stuff!"
"Griffons can talk, but they don't have them," Huey countered. "So, the point stands. Also, it's pronounced 'human', not yoo-man."
"But how do ya know what your special talent is!?" The filly enquired. "Don't you wanna be able to sport what makes you special proudly?"
"Two points against that," He replied bluntly. "Firstly, humans aren't exactly the type to walk around naked, so very few would actually get to see it. Secondly, humans are very flexible creatures. We can do many things, if we put the effort in. I really don't see why you're so flabbergasted, after all, you don't have your mark yet."
Apple Bloom immediately flinched at that remark, while her tail immediately shifted so that it could wrap around and cover up her blank flank.
"Y-Yeah, but..." She stammered in shame. "I'm workin' on that!"
"Is it common for foals, like yourself, to hunt for their mark as soon as possible?"
"No," Apple Bloom stuttered. "It's just that my cutie mark's late."
"It ain't late, Apple Bloom!" AJ protested. "You're just a late bloomer. Your cutie mark'll arrive when it's good and ready!"
"But everyone else has got theirs, Sis'!"
"You know that ain't true. Remember Twist, she ain't got hers yet!"
Apple Bloom huffed in defeat and wandered away towards her massive brother, Big Macintosh, who had silently, and wisely, stayed out of the discussion by busying himself with unloading supplies in preparation for lunch and dinner. Huey glanced over at Applejack and shrugged.
"Is a cutie mark really that important?" Huey enquired. "Is it like... A mark of reaching adulthood or something?"
"No, it's a mark that represents an integral part of who you are," She explained. "It's unique to everypony. However, it don't mean that's all you can do. After all, I turned out to be The Element Of Honesty, yet you don't see nothin' about that with this, do ya?"
Applejack turned slightly to display the three red apples on her backside, that contrasted prominently with her orange coat.
"Then why is your sister so eager to find hers?" Huey wondered. "If it's something that everyone eventually gets. Surely, it's just a matter of waiting for the moment where you realise that special quality that makes you... You."
"I dunno, Huey," AJ mused with a sigh. "I tried tellin' her that, since there's plenty of foals her age that don't have their mark yet, and I know even more who didn't get their mark as quickly as the rest too... But she don't want to listen."
"I'm sure she'll learn that lesson at some point, AJ," He comforted with a gentle pat of the farmer's straw coloured mane. "Apple Bloom's just a kid. Maybe, once she's grown a little older and wiser, she'll realise that having one isn't ones only defining characteristic. I mean... If that was the case, wouldn't that be pretty boring? In your case, all you'd ever do is farm apples."
Applejack cringed and looked up at him.
"That is kind of what I always do, Huey."
"Y-Yeah, but..." Huey stammered, while wincing in embarrassment. "It's not the ONLY thing you do. Your entire existence isn't devoted to apples alone. You have your own personality, experiences, desires and needs. Yes, your occupation as an apple farmer takes up a lot of your time, as it would, since farming is labour intensive, but you do other things too. You are, as you mentioned, The Element Of Honesty, so you're more than just 'that orange apple farmer', Applejack."
"You're right there, pardner." She agreed before sitting down and leaning back against one of the wheels of her brother's cart to relax. "Still, thanks for helpin' with feedin' time. That was quite a large crowd."
"Hey, you're graciously helping with feeding the entire town!" Huey exclaimed. "Of course it's going to be a big job. How could I just leave you to do all that on your own?"
"Heh... You know that there reminds me of somethin' I learned, while you were away in Canterlot."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, the day after you left, my brother over there hurt himself real bad. Yet we needed all the hooves we could to get the apples harvested. So, I said I'd do it myself."
"I'm guessing from this, you bit off more than you could chew?"
"Darn right! I was workin' so hard that I began to lose my precious sleep. I don't remember much, but I do remember poisoning about half the town with some badly made muffins."
"You caused mass food poisoning!?"
"Yeah, I'm ashamed to admit it, but my stubbornness and pride caused a heck of a lot of trouble round town. Plus, I only harvested a tiny amount of the apples we have in the orchards back home. It was then I realised that I can't do everythin' on my own... And it ain't no sign of weakness to admit that and, when needed, ask for a helpin' hoof."
Huey sat down next to Applejack and wrapped an arm around her to provide a gentle half-embrace.
"Damn right!" He agreed with a smile. "When all of this rebuilding is over, I'd be delighted to come over and visit... Maybe even help out around your farm. You said that your family is large, and if they're as pleasant as yourself, Apple Bloom and Big Mac, then I'm sure I'd get along just fine with them."
"Well, that depends..." Applejack mused, while her hoof tapped her chin thoughtfully. "What you like with applebucking?"
"Applebucking?"
"Yeah, that's how we apples get them off the tree," She explained. "We give the tree a good kick in the trunk and make the apples fall right off."
"Ah, I see," Huey muttered. "Well, to tell the truth, I could never be able to do that. Back where I'm from, we pick apples by hand."
He presented a hand and wiggled its fingers.
"Harvest time takes a couple of months for us humans, since we have to pick each apple, individually, off the tree. Yes, that does mean we have to climb into it to grab the fruit that grows on the higher branches."
"Phew! That there sounds like a lot of work, if you ask me," AJ remarked. "Me and my brother do the work all by ourselves."
"How many trees do you have?"
"I couldn't tell you, I lost count."
"I guess I'll just to have to see for myself then," Huey sighed. "Although, if it's as large as you're making it sound, I think I might be kind of useless when it comes to picking apples."
"That's fine, you can always help out with other chores, like the pigs, chickens, other vegetables..."
"You have a massive apple orchard AND other crops and animals!?"
"Yeah, I mentioned the farm animals when I was talkin' to Apple Bloom, remember?"
"Oh yeah, sorry, that slipped my mind," Huey admitted. "Still, that's quite impressive if only you and your brother are the ones doing the work!"
"I guess it is, but it's what we always done."
"From my point of view, it's staggering," He insisted firmly. "If my kind had the opportunity to have someone like you, they'd leap at the chance to ask for your help."
"Well shucks," Applejack muttered with a slight blush, which she immediately concealed with a tilt of her stetson. "My brother and I are a bit too busy to help out your farmers, even if I'd like to help."
"That's okay," Huey soothed, while patting Applejack's mane. "I found out that it's impossible for me to go back to my kind, so you wouldn't be able to get there to help anyway."
"You what?" AJ spluttered. "You can't go home!?"
"Shhhhh!" Huey hissed, his hand clamping over the farmer's mouth to silence her outburst. "Not so loud!"
After she nodded in acknowledgement, Huey let go, allowing AJ the ability to speak again.
"But why!?" AJ enquired urgently. "What about your family? Friends? Your life back home? Won't you miss your fellow humans?"
"No memories," Huey replied, while tapping his forehead to emphasise the point. "I know literally nothing about my life before I came here. As for it being impossible, Princess Celestia explained to me that it would take hundreds of years to discover the exact circumstances that brought me here. Humans are lucky if they can live to the age of a hundred, so I'll be dead long before they finished."
"That's real sad, Huey," AJ sighed. "I'm sorry for you, I really am!"
"Don't worry, Applejack," He said quietly. "The princess helped me get over the shock. I've accepted it's the way things are. Anyway, it's nice here. Twilight, you, the others, the princesses, you've all been great!"
"Yeah, but... The familiarity and stuff. Don't you wanna be with your own kind? Be around other humans and such?"
"Not particularly, no," Huey admitted. "After getting used to being around colourful ponies, I've not that out of place. Everyone seems to be rather tolerant... Sure, I get a few funny looks, but I'm the only human in existence here. It's bound to get a few looks, hushed whispers and such."
"I guess, it just sounds a bit scary."
"In the beginning, it was!" He explained. "But I'm not facing this alone. I've got dependable friends like yourself. So, how can I go wrong, eh?"
Applejack turned her gaze towards Huey and smiled proudly at the compliment.
"Thank you kindly," She drawled. "Like I said, anypony that appreciates apple pie's okay in my book."
"Speaking of which," Huey interjected. "I must admit that since I remember nothing of my personal life, that means I don't actually know if I've ever tried apples or anything like that before."
"You mean you lied?" Applejack clarified, her expression melting into one that oozed sadness and a hint of anger at possibly being deceived. Huey grimaced and hummed in thought.
"I don't think I did," He mused. "When I said that, I was sincere about liking it, yet when I thought about it just now... It's impossible for me to have that appreciation for it, if no memories exist."
"Maybe the taste of pie's so good even losin' all your memories can't bury that?" Applejack suggested, while standing up. "Still, if you don't really remember, you should come and try some!"
Huey was suddenly hauled to his feet by the earth mare, after she grabbed his hand and pulled him effortlessly. The human was swiftly dragged to the table that had been loaded with food for distribution to the townsfolk.
"You just take a seat right there, Huey," AJ ordered. "I'm gonna get ya some samples of our home-made apple eatables!"
The human obeyed and sat down, his gaze fixed on the farmer as she swiftly began to stack a plate up with scores of apple-based comestibles. Within a minute, an impressive tower of food was placed in front of him.
"Tuck right in!" AJ urged. "There's plenty to enjoy. Oh, before you do!"
He watched as she placed a tankard of yellow-brown liquid next to his plate.
"Apple juice!"
The human let his gaze drink in the sight of the teetering tower of grub, before nodding at AJ.
"Thank you."
"Urgh... I ate too much pie."
Huey clutched his stomach miserably as he trudged towards his allocated building site. He desperately wanted to blame Applejack for his current discomfort, but he knew, deep down, that he had overindulged on apple pie. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the texture of the pastry, accompanied by the sweet, warm apples, proved to be too much to resist. Severe stomach pains and overwhelming nausea were the factors that finally caused him to cease his gorging on food.
"Damn apples," He cursed under his breath. "So sweet and delicious."
Sluggishly, he meandered towards the remains of an unknown house. The allocation of labour had been organised, mostly, at random. As agreed, every team had a professional builder as the leader. They were accompanied by nine other ponies, selected at random, who would assist with the simpler jobs and, under direct supervision, perform some of the more complex jobs. After finally finding Twilight, Huey found himself assigned to a team that were given the job of rebuilding the home of Nightjar, a pegasus stallion who was the proud father of a young, hyperactive filly named Zipporwhill.
"Hey, Huey!"
He looked up to see the familiar face of Drill Bit waving at him.
"You're late!" He shouted, as Huey redoubled his pace. "Not exactly off to a good start, are ya?"
"Sorry," Huey apologised. "I got caught up with helping Applejack feed the town, followed by finding Twilight to be told where I was going to be helping out... It kind of just went downhill from there."
The builder hummed nonchalantly before turning towards the rest of the group.
"Alright, everpony!" He cried, causing them all to turn towards him. "Now that we're all here, let's get down to brass tacks. The lovely pile of rubble around you is the former house of Nightjar and his kid, Zipporwhill. It's our job to begin putting it back together. Crafty Crate's ponies will be here soon with a tonne of stuff to begin rebuilding, but before that... We need to clear this site up."
The group, consisting of pegasai, earth ponies and unicorns, nodded and murmured in acknowledgement. Huey folded his arms and opted for merely listening intently.
"So, without further ado!" Drill Bit declared. "Let's get busy. All this rubble needs to get shifted off the foundations of the house, so get it loaded up into them wagons and baskets over there."
The stallion pointed at a selection of containers. The largest was a four wheeled wagon, which clearly required more than one equine to pull, if it was to be loaded with rocks. The smallest containers were large pairs of baskets that would be loaded with rubble and carried, like saddlebags, by individuals. Bridging the gap were a few two wheeled wagons that could be pulled by a single pony.
"All clear? Good. Let's roll!"
Huey took a deep breath and exhaled, his stomach still griping due to his overeating, but he ignored it and approached the pile with the group. Most began to bite their lips in thought at where to start, but Huey boldly stepped forward and tapped the largest slab of rubble that was close to him.
"What's the matter?" Drill Bit asked the nervous equines. "Never done hard graft before?"
"Well, um..." A grey pegasus stallion with a black mane and a four leaf clover cutie mark stammered. "It's... Kind of... A big pile."
"Start with the bigger bits," Huey suggested, drawing the attention of the entire group, as he picked up the slab of rubble he'd found and staggered towards the largest wagon. "It'll get easier once we've got the large parts shifted."
"You doing alright there?" Drill Bit asked. "That looks mighty heavy."
Huey laughed and nodded, his arms already aching.
"It is, just a minute," Huey groaned, before dropping the slab onto the ground, causing the group to jump away in surprise. "Damn... That hurt."
The group of unskilled equines began to mutter amongst themselves, discussing how they were going to be able to do the job if it was going to be so heavy. Huey, on the other hand, was busy mulling over how to make the job easier for himself.
"Drill Bit," He began. "Do you have a hammer and a chisel?"
"Indeed I do, why?"
"May I borrow them for a minute?"
The builder warily took the two implements from his tool belt and passed them to Huey. After thanking him, the human knelt next to the trouble slab of rock and placed the chisel against it. After readjusting the position a few times, he raised the hammer and slammed it onto the handle of the chisel. The slab suddenly gained a sizeable crack down the middle. After a couple more hits, the slab broke in two.
"There!" Huey declared. "If we encounter anything that's too big, we'll break it into easier chunks. Now, come on, everypony! Let's do some heavy lifting!"
The group erupted with an energised cheer of optimism before immediately diving into the work. Unicorns levitated the smaller chunks by the dozens, while the pegasai, Huey and earth ponies focused on the larger pieces that the unicorns' magic could not cope with.
"So, who do I have the honour of working with?" Huey asked indifferently. The group began to list their names off sequentially. Disregarding himself and Drill Bit, he found himself learning the names of the unicorns; Sea Swirl, Shooting Star and Golden Grape. Followed by the earth ponies; Berryshine, Lucky Clover and Lucky Star. Lastly, the pegasai identified themselves as Flitter and Thunderlane.
"I'm glad to meet you all," He replied warmly. "Once you see past the differences, you'll find that I'm, basically, just another individual you might meet... Only not a pony."
"Pardon me for asking," Flitter, a light greyish-blue mare with a flowing opal blue mane, accompanied by a bright pink bow and raspberry pink eyes said. "But where do you come from?"
"I come from a place called Earth," Huey stated honestly. "A different planet, in a completely different dimension."
"How do you know it's in a different dimension?" Thunderlane, a black pegasus with a cyan-grey mane and golden eyes asked. "I mean... I've seen some sci-fi films and stuff, but none of that's real, since it's science-fiction!"
"I can understand your scepticism, Thunderlane, in fact I would actually be asking the same question if I were in your shoes," Huey admitted. "The reason I know is because of the following three things; Pegasai and unicorns exist, equines can talk and magic is real. Where I'm from, none of those are the case. The fact that magic exists here must mean Equestria is somewhere entirely different on a fundamental level."
"If you don't have magic, how did you get here then?" Flitter mused.
"Accident." Huey said bluntly. "Apparently, a unicorn miscast a spell, which caused me to be brought here, instead of the intended effect. As a result, I'm stuck here, because it would take centuries to discover what part of the spell went wrong."
"Oof! I'm sorry to hear that!"
"It's fine, I've already gotten used to it. In fact, it's not that bad here, everyone I've met's been awfully nice." Huey remarked. "Plus, I don't have any memory of my personal life back home, so... This is a new start for me."
The group murmured their agreement regarding Huey's assessment of his situation, but the grim nature of it had stripped them of their desire to continue talking about it. As a result, they focused solely on the task they had been assigned.
"Watch it, Derpy!"
Huey looked up from the rock he was breaking to see who was yelling. Before him was a grey female pegasus with bright golden eyes, a blonde mane, and a collection of bubbles for a cutie mark, being berated by Drill Bit. Huey deduced from the broken sack on the ground, along with the mass of cement powder covering the construction worker, that a minor mishap had occurred.
"I'm sorry!" The mare whimpered. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"Yeah, yeah, your eyesight ain't good!" Drill Bit replied nonchalantly. "Well, if you got your head screwed on right, maybe your eyes wouldn't be all over the place!"
Huey frowned and dropped the hammer he had been using to crack rocks in half before approaching the two arguing equines.
"Hey, what's going on here?" He interrupted.
"Just Little Miss Klutz dumping a bag of cement over me," Drill Bit explained. "It's all good, Huey, I'm just telling her how it is."
"Didn't sound like that to me," The human countered. "It sounded more like you were being a complete jerk."
"Well, maybe you should try working with her!" The stallion simmered in response. "Every single time I've had the misfortune of meeting her, she's dropped the ball big time!"
"I'm sorry." The mare whispered, her ears and gaze drooping towards the ground.
"Sorry doesn't cut it! Just... Go away, before you break something."
Huey watched as she flew slow, and sadly, away, before turning towards his team leader.
"Forgive me for being clueless, but why are you giving her such a hard time?" He asked. "What's so bad about her that justifies such harsh words?"
"Listen, Huey," Drill Bit replied bluntly. "When I said that she drops the ball, she does it in the worst possible way... Every time. She's one of Crafty Crate's bunch, but I honestly don't see what he sees in her. Everything she touches breaks, that's how clumsy she is."
"Don't you think that she feels bad enough when her clumsiness causes a problem?" Huey countered, his voice raising slightly. "Do you honestly think giving her a verbal smack down is going to make a difference?"
"Probably not," The pegasus admitted. "But at least it makes it clear to her that she's done wrong."
"She's not blind, Drill Bit!"
"She might as well be. If you don't believe me when I say she's useless, go to her. You'll change your tune by the end of the day."
Huey huffed in disbelief as Drill Bit flew away to continue supervising the rest of the group. After mulling over the construction worker's words, he scoffed and began to pursue the forlorn mare.
Warily, Huey approached the grey mare. The blonde-maned pegasus had landed near a pile of rubble that was big enough to be used for a place to sit, and used it for that purpose. The human watched as she sighed heavily and sniffled.
"Are you alright?" He asked tenderly. "I heard Drill Bit giving you a hard time and... Well... I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I'm okay," She lied pathetically. "I just need a minute."
Huey grimaced and sighed himself before sitting next to her.
"I can tell that what he said really hurt you," He countered. "And it pains me to see a lady in tears."
"Ha!" She scoffed. "Some lady I am, I can't even deliver some stupid cement without messing up."
"Accidents happen!" He soothed. "You don't intend to cause them, so that's hardly something you should tear yourself up over, surely?"
"It's not just the odd accident every now and then though," The mare sighed. "It's everyday, it's everything I do. From dawn to dusk, I can't do anything without breaking something, hurting myself or getting lost."
"Oh, come now," Huey said incredulously. "That's an over-exaggeration, surely?"
"Trust me," She murmured. "It really isn't."
"And why's that?"
Slowly, her head turned, allowing Huey to see one of her golden eyes look at him sadly.
"I have this... Problem," She began nervously. "I'm different to other ponies, and it makes everything really hard to do. I get teased about it a lot."
"Teased?" Huey repeated. "I don't understand, you look fine to me. Four legs, wings, nothing seems out of the ordinary."
After a few moments, the mare took a deep breath and exhaled before turning herself towards Huey. To his surprise, he discovered that her right eye, which she had been hiding throughout the conversation, was misaligned in comparison to her left. While her left eye was gazing at him, the right was looking up and to the right. Huey tilted his head and silently gazed at her.
"Is that it?"
"W-What?" She burbled in surprise. "Y-Yeah, but... W-Why aren't you? What?"
"I'm sorry," Huey began solemnly. "But I don't see anything particularly wrong here. My kind have a name for what you seem to have. We call it a lazy eye."
"Lazy eye?" She repeated softly. "I've been told it's a wonky eye or a derpy eye."
"Neither of those terms, or, to be fair, lazy eye, is actually accurate," Huey mused. "Pardon me for prying, but how long have had you this problem?"
"All my life," She confessed. "As far back as I can remember, I couldn't see stuff right. It'd always be blurry, or there'd be two of everything. It was also always either further away or closer than I thought it was."
Huey hummed softly as he mulled over the information she had provided.
"Could you look at my finger?" He asked, presenting a single index finger for the mare to gaze at.
"What for?" She asked inquisitively, but obeyed and looked at it anyway.
"The most common cause of the condition you probably have, which my kind call 'strabismus', is due to the muscles that cause eye movement being either weak or paralysed," Huey explained, slowly waving his finger from side to side. "However, both eyes are moving equal amounts."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that your problem isn't because of your eye muscles," He revealed, letting his finger drop back to his side. "When you look at something, your good eye focuses on it, which is what your bad eye is meant to do. Instead, your bad eye is permanently offset upwards and to the right."
"Can it be cured?" The mare asked, a hint of hope in her tone. Unfortunately, Huey's sigh made her ears droop.
"I don't know," He admitted. "I'm not a doctor. I just know scraps of information, some of which is medical. My only advice would be to ignore what it's telling you."
"How am I meant to do that?" She asked tearfully. "How do I just not use that eye?"
"Honestly?" Huey began gravely. "The two things I can think of are; to learn to compensate for the lack of depth perception through practice and muscle memory, or..."
"Or what?"
"Total sensory deprivation," He murmured. "Which could be done with the aid of an eyepatch or removal of the eye."
The mare gasped in shock and backed away.
"Remove my eye!?" She spluttered. "What kind of suggestion is that!?"
"A realistic one," Huey said, remaining seated to ensure he did not spook the agitated mare. "I will be perfectly frank with you, the drastic idea of literally removing one of your eyes is something that, while an option, is never suggested by doctors where I'm from. As for the eyepatch, I worry that would just make you more of a target for teasing. Before I came to see you, Drill Bit said a number of rather mean things once you were out of ear shot, and mentioned a number of others hold the same view as him."
The mare's eyes glistened as tears welled up. Her lip quivered softly as she tried, in vain, to hold the flood back. As soon as the first sob emanated from her, Huey approached her and knelt down.
"Hey," He began firmly. "Look at me."
With the assistance of his hands gently cupping her cheeks, the distraught mare looked at him as best as she could.
"They're idiots," Huey stated. "They're not doctors. They know nothing of what it's like to live your life. Do they know how hard it is when your depth perception is non-existent? No, they don't. Do they know how hard you try to make the best of a bad situation? No, they don't care. They just think of themselves and the inconvenience they have inflicted upon them by something that you can't help."
Huey smiled weakly and let his thumbs wipe away a couple of the mare’s tears before continuing with his soliloquy.
"The reality of this is that you are still a pony. Yes, you have trouble with your sight, but you do your best to ensure it does not hold you back. You fight on, despite the minor mishaps. They don't know what it's like, they don't think of how hard it must be for you to cope with this every day. I can't begin to imagine how bad you must feel when you have an accident, but having the teasing and badgering fromothers piled onto you... That really hurts. You deserve better, Miss."
"Y-You really think so?" She stuttered, her ears pricking up at the kind words she had heard. Huey nodded solemnly.
"I really do," He stated confidently. "If anything, you must be a real tough cookie to have put up with this kind of crap for so long. That's a very admirable quality to have."
After flashing the cheered up mare a genuine smile, Huey stood back up. To his surprise, he immediately found something wrapping round his lower torso. Glancing down, he discovered that the mare had reared up onto her hind hooves and was hugging him tight.
"Thank you!" She cried. "I've never heard anyone say anything so nice to me before!"
Huey frowned at the sad fact he had just heard, and returned the embrace she had initiated. With a gentle tousle of her blonde mane, the hug ended with the pegasus smiling from ear to ear.
"Well, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't believe it was true," He stated honestly. "Regardless, I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name's Huey."
"Mhm! I saw you at the meeting yesterday!" She chirped. "My name's Ditzy Doo, no matter what others say!"
"And what do others say?"
"They call me Derpy instead," Ditzy huffed. "But that's not my real name!"
"Sounds like just another way to try and bring your spirits down," Huey remarked. "Well, don't let them. You have a big heart and a lot to give, don't let some mean-spirited fools take that away from you."
"Yes, sir!" She acknowledged with a salute, but immediately became a lot more subdued. "Um... If you'll pardon me for asking, but would you like to have lunch with me?"
"I would be delighted to!" Huey declared. "However, I don't have anything to eat. I hadn't had time to prepare anything before heading out to the work site."
"Well, I can share my lunch with you!" Ditzy offered, while heading back towards Huey's work site. "I usually pack too much anyway!"
"I'd gladly accept on one condition," Huey began. "I get to return the favour later."
The mare stopped in her tracks and whirled round to face him. Her cheeks had turned a faint red, while her eyes had widened.
"A-Are you asking me i-if..." She stammered. "You can take me out to dinner?"
It was now Huey's turn to be stopped in his tracks. The idea he had in mind was to buy her something from Sugarcube Corner for lunch, but, after a moment of consideration, he realised how broad his statement had been. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat.
"Well, not necessarily dinner," He began nervously. "I was thinking I could buy you lunch to repay you for giving me some of yours today, but if you would prefer dinner or breakfast somewhere, I'd be more than happy to treat you."
"Oh my..." Ditzy remarked, her gaze turning away. "This kind of sounds like you're asking me on a date."
"W-What?!" Huey spluttered. "No! Not a date, just the opportunity to repay you for your generosity, that's all!"
Ditzy's eyes narrowed for a moment, before she immediately nodded.
"Alright!" She chirped happily. "It's a deal!"
Huey watched speechlessly as Ditzy continued trotting towards the work site. He wondered what her reasons were for asking such questions. Did she think he was attempting to take advantage of her? Was she so inexperienced with social interaction that she needed the security of knowing unequivocally that his offer had no hidden motive? If that was the case, then how did it explain away the fact that he was a hairless biped, while she was a quadruped equine with wings? Did that mean inter-species relationships existed? Huey scratched his head and pushed the questions to the back of his mind. The answers were not needed, since he had no intention of taking any of the relationships he had with the equines any further than that of friendship.
"Wait up!" Huey called out to Ditzy, as he ran to catch up with her.
"What's she doing back here?"
Huey frowned at Drill Bit's hostility towards Ditzy. He and the blonde pegasus had arrived back at the work site, where the rest of the crew were busy opening up their saddlebags to retrieve their respective lunches. However, that hadn't prevented the foreman from taking the opportunity to take another jab at her.
"She," Huey said defensively. "was kind enough to share her lunch with me. So, unless you know of a way for her to have her lunch, and share it, without being near me, I'm all ears."
The stallion huffed in annoyance before turning away to return to his own meal.
"Just don't let her touch anything," He retorted. "It'll probably break."
Huey gritted his teeth, his blood boiling slightly in anger at Drill Bit's behaviour. His attention was then drawn away by something tugging on his shirt sleeve. Glancing to his side, he found the pegasus looking up at him, her hoof grasping his sleeve tightly.
"Just ignore him!" She insisted. "I'll be okay, I promise."
"It still annoys me," Huey huffed, following Ditzy to the cart she had brought to the site to sit down. "You don't deserve this kind of treatment!"
"I know, but it's just the way things are," She explained. "Still, it's not so bad. I have somepony else who isn't mean to me!"
"Who?"
Ditzy raised an eyebrow and glared at Huey, causing him to gasp in realisation.
"Oh, you mean me!" He exclaimed. "Sorry, I thought, when you said 'somepony else', that you were talking about an actual equine."
"Nope, I was talking about you, silly!" Ditzy giggled, giving Huey a gentle push. "Anywho, I have chocolate chip muffins, blueberry muffins, cranberry muffins, honey muffins..."
"Ditzy," Huey interrupted gently. "You had me at chocolate chip muffins. I'd be delighted to have one of those... Although, the honey muffins sound delicious."
"Alrighty!" She chirped. "Chocolate chip and honey muffins coming up!"
Huey smiled as he was handed a pair of the baked goods. The aroma and sight were enough to make him want to immediately stuff them into his mouth, but courtesy prevailed and he took a single bite out of the honey muffin. The soft texture and sweet taste made him groan in delight, causing Ditzy to blush lightly and smile.
"That good, huh?"
"Oh my word," Huey mumbled, his mouth still full of delicious muffin. "You've got to tell me where you bought these. They're beyond description!"
"I made them myself," Ditzy admitted nervously, causing the human's eyes to widen.
"You need to give me your recipe!" He exclaimed urgently. "This honey muffin is just... I don't even know where to begin."
"You'll like the chocolate chip ones then!" She remarked. "I usually go overboard with the chocolate, so it's kind of like a chocolate explosion!"
"Say no more!" Huey begged. "I can only take so much deliciousness!"
Ditzy burst into laughter at Huey's response, her hoof reaching up to cover her forehead and clenched eyes.
"Haha!" She guffawed. "They're not THAT good, Huey! You don't need t-"
Her speech was immediately cut off by something pressing gently against her lips. Her eyes immediately opened to find that Huey had used his finger to silence her.
"I mean it!" Huey insisted. "These are absolutely divine! Literal food of the gods, Ditzy. I know this probably sounds like an over-exaggeration, but you honestly seem to be wasting your talent for baking on working for a moving company."
Ditzy pursed her lips, her blush returning with a much greater ferocity as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
"You really think so?" She asked, still incredulous as to whether Huey was being sincere about her culinary talents.
"I do!" He assured her. "They're delicious, divine... Perfect."
The pegasus, after taking a moment to let Huey's statement sink in, slowly let a wide grin emerge.
"That's just the sweetest thing ever!"
"Not as sweet as this muffin!" Huey countered, presenting the half-eaten honey muffin. "What I said doesn't even come close."
Ditzy giggled as Huey returned to savouring her culinary products. The groans and hums of delight emanating from him caused an unfamiliar, but pleasant and warm, feeling to spread out across her body from her heart. It was only after a few moments of intense thought did she realise that she was feeling pride. She could not remember the last time she had experienced this, but she knew immediately that she loved it.
As far as she could remember, there was little that she could say she was proud of. Ditzy had always been brought down by the persistent scolding of others for the inherent clumsiness that accompanied her eye condition. It had even come to the point where it was the only feature anyone ever noticed. Even she had begun to believe that she was nothing, but a disappointment and a nuisance to everypony else. However, this strange biped had unleashed a renewed sense of self-worth. She wasn't just a "derpy-eyed klutz", she was a derpy eyed klutz who could bake a damn good muffin. Ditzy smiled confidently and puffed her chest up as she relished the status she had conferred upon herself. It was still, by average standards, a very low mark, but it was infinitely better than what she thought about herself before now.
"The chocolate chip one's just as good!" Huey remarked, breaking Ditzy's train of thought. The mare nodded and smiled even more at the compliment.
"I do my best!"
"And it definitely shows," He replied. "Again, I must say that your true calling in life must be baking. These are positively scrumptious!"
"Haha... I would have agreed with you, but the mess I make in the kitchen would probably get me fired."
"That may be the case," Huey admitted. "But even you must admit that what you've baked here is truly special."
Ditzy looked away thoughtfully. She could not deny that what she baked always tasted delicious to her, but no one else had ever bothered to give her efforts a try. As such, how could she know if they were delicious to others? She had always assumed she was just biased since she had made them. Could it be that they were genuinely delicious?
"Wait..."
The blonde mare looked up at Huey, who was looking at her with narrowed eyes that were filled with suspicion.
"You said 'somepony else'," He muttered. "If I'm the second, who's the first?"
Ditzy looked down, so that she didn't have to see his piercing gaze.
"My daughter."
Huey gasped lightly.
"Y-Your daughter?" He spluttered. "Why wait until now to mention that!?"
Ditzy shrank away, her feeling of pride immediately being replaced by shame.
"I..." She began nervously. "I try not to talk about her. She gets enough trouble having a mother as rubbish as me. So, I just keep the fact I'm her mother to myself. She doesn't deserve to have the same childhood I had... And I'll do anything to make sure of that!"
Huey's suspicion melted into sadness. This talented mare, through a minor fault in her eye, had been browbeaten to the point where she didn't even feel it was appropriate to be proud of having a foal of her own. She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness and well-being for her daughter. This realisation caused Huey to sniffle and gently wrap his arms round Ditzy, causing the pegasus to squeak quietly in surprise.
"You should never have to do that, Ditzy," He whispered tenderly. "Your daughter is, in my view, in the care of the best mother ever."
It was now Ditzy's turn to sniffle. Tears swiftly welled up and began to flow down her cheeks. She had never been complimented on her parenting skills before. Admittedly, few, if any, ponies knew of her status as a parent, since she didn't want any of the abuse she experienced to be shifted onto her child.
"Thank you," She whispered. "Thank you so much."
"Anytime," Huey whispered back, his hand gently petting her soft, blonde mane. "But I need you to promise me something."
The pair slowly disengaged, so that they could look into each other's eyes.
"What?"
"Don't hide yourself away," He requested. "There's a saying where I'm from that many with certain problems follow; 'A disability is what you make of it.'"
Ditzy tilted her head as she digested the phrase she had been told.
"Just because you have a problematic eye doesn't mean you should let it hold you back," Huey continued. "Overcome it, never let it stop you from doing what you really want. With enough determination, you can be just as good, if not better, than anyone else."
"That's... Really deep," Ditzy murmured. "You must be really smart!"
"Haha!" Huey laughed softly. "I wouldn't know, personally. I don't even know my real name."
"Huey's not your real name?"
"Sadly, it isn't," The human admitted. "Twilight Sparkle, the librarian for Ponyville, made the name as a mixture of pony and my species name, human."
"Oh! Hu and ny, but without the 'nuh' sound, right?"
"Precisely!" Huey congratulated. "Honestly, I feel like the name's growing on me, so... I think I might keep it as my name, if my memories return."
"Do you think they will come back?"
"I honestly don't know. Sometimes amnesiacs never get their memories back, but that never stops them from making new ones."
"Like what's happening now?"
"Definitely," Huey reassured her, giving her ear a gentle rub. "I'm glad that you equines are so accepting of me. I must look so peculiar to you."
"I don't know," Ditzy murmured, her eyelids fluttering slightly as her ear was rubbed. "You don't look that strange to me."
"I don't?"
"Not at all!" She chirped. "There's all kinds of scary creatures here in Equestria! Chimeras, manticores, dragons... Some of which are all bits of creature stuck together! You don't look dangerous like they do."
"That's very kind and reassuring of you, Ditzy, thank you."
"No problem!"
"Hey, lovebirds! Lunch-break's over!"
The pair turned to see an irritated Drill Bit shouting at them. Ditzy immediately blushed at the suggestion that she and Huey were an item. Huey merely rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Just ignore him," He whispered reassuringly. "And remember what I said."
"Yes, sir, Huey, sir!" Ditzy replied cheerfully with a salute, causing the human to chuckle lightly.
"Good! I'll see you around, I hope?"
"Oh, don't worry! I'm sure we'll bump into each other sooner, rather than later!" She replied before her eyes widened. "Oh! Before you go, have another muffin to give you plenty of strength for the rest of the day!"
Swiftly, she retrieved another of her muffins and handed it to Huey, who immediately took a bite and hummed with delight.
"I am telling you, Ditzy," He murmured through a mouthful of half-chewed muffin. "You should consider becoming a baker. Your efforts are just too delicious."
"Maybe I will," She replied with a giggle. "But for now, it's back to work! Ponyville won't rebuild itself!"
Huey nodded and watched as Ditzy hitched herself up to the wagon she had brought to his work-site and trotted away. Once she had vanished from sight, he returned to the rest of the crew.
"Howdy, Huey! How was your day?"
Huey merely grumbled halfheartedly as he accepted the generous portion of apple pie Applejack offered to him. Wearily, he trudged round the back of the stall The Apples had set up that morning and slumped to the floor, out of sight of the rest of the townsfolk that were beginning to queue up for their dinner.
"That bad, huh?"
"Ugh... It's not that it was bad, Applejack," Huey groaned, every joint within his body crying for the sweet release of pain relief. "I just have some major pain from overexertion. Whatever I did before I lost my memory, it wasn't physically demanding at all."
"Don't ya worry a bit, sugarcube," She reassured him. "Granny always told me that kind of pain was just proof that ya done a good day’s work."
"I wish that made my agony better to cope with," He whined. "All I feel is regret."
"You listen here, mister. Ya mucked in to help rebuild Ponyville, heck ya one of the main drivers behind this. Don't go quittin' on us now."
"I'm not going to quit," Huey reassured her. "I'm just whining for the fun of it. Just ignore me, I'll shut up eventually... I hope."
Suddenly, a wave of relief washed over his body, causing all of the aches and pains to vanish. Huey sighed and shivered in delight at the absence of the discomfort he had been developing throughout the day.
"Feel better, Huey?"
Looking up, the human saw Twilight and Spike approaching him and Applejack. A happy grin spread across his face.
"Analgesia?" Huey asked, causing Twilight to nod in response. "Thank you so much, Twilight. I feel much better now!"
"Happy to be of help!" She chirped. "How much progress did you make today?"
"Well," Huey began. "I and the rest of the crew have cleared the foundations of Nightjar's house and got the walls and frame set up. Drill Bit thinks that we'll probably be finished by noon tomorrow, if we start early to get the roof thatched and furniture moved in."
"That's fantastic!" Twilight beamed, while Spike, who was holding a piece of parchment and a quill, began to scribble notes. "The rest of the crews have been achieving similar progress! If my quick calculations are correct, we should have Ponyville rebuilt by the end of the week!"
"Seriously?" Huey asked, completely flabbergasted by the projection she had made. "That quick? I honestly thought this would take a month!"
"Well, the only complex building that needs to be rebuilt is the town hall," Twilight explained. "The rest are a composite of easily sourced materials such as thatch, clay, wattle and timber that are relatively easy to build!"
"I kind of guessed," Huey replied with a grimace. "This kind of architecture was used by my kind around five hundred years ago."
"Five hundred years ago!?" Twilight blurted out in surprise. "What do your kind do now for building homes?"
"Bricks and mortar with tiled roofs, double or triple glazing windows, full plumbing, electricity and broadband."
"What's broadband?"
Huey opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when he realised the enormity of the question he had been asked.
"I'll explain later," He replied sheepishly. "It's a very complex topic, plus I'd like to eat this apple pie before it gets cold."
"Gosh! Every time you speak of humans, I get even more questions!" Twilight remarked excitedly. "This is thrilling! Wait... Oh... I'm sorry for disturbing your meal."
"It's fine," Huey reassured her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Why don't you and Spike join me for dinner? I've not seen you all day!"
"Yeah, sorry about that!" The unicorn apologised. "I got up early and didn't want to disturb you."
"Have you even eaten?" He enquired. "I don't recall you coming to the breakfast line this morning."
His query was answered by a sudden and ferocious growl, which emanated from Twilight's stomach. The intellectual immediately blushed in embarrassment and looked at the floor.
"No, I was too busy to eat today."
Applejack and Huey shared an alarmed glance, before the apple farmer immediately piled a plate up with apple-based edibles.
"Now you get some o' this down ya gullet, Twilight!" Applejack insisted. "Ya'll get some mighty bad hunger pains if ya don't!"
"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight replied gratefully, her horn igniting as her magic levitated the plate, and its contents, towards her. "I guess I overdid it to the point where I forgot about my own needs."
"You're of no use to anyone if you're incapacitated by hunger, thirst or fatigue." Huey remarked, patting the ground next to him as an invitation for the unicorn and her draconic assistant to sit down. "And I can't begin to imagine what would happen if you were out of action."
"Oh, Huey," Twilight murmured sheepishly. "I'm not THAT important."
"Some of us would beg to differ," Huey countered. "Right, Applejack?"
"Right ya are, pardner!" Applejack agreed, as her attention remained fixed on serving the massive line that had materialised. "If you weren't there when we took on Nightmare Moon, we would have been done for! No question about that."
Twilight smiled weakly, a faint blush tinting her cheeks as she remained silent and began to enjoy her meal.
"Moving on," Huey began with a cough. "I made a new friend today."
"You did? That's wonderful!" Twilight exclaimed. "Who did you meet?"
"Yeah, who's the lucky pony?" Applejack asked.
"Well, I met a pegasus during my lunch break," He explained. "Her name's Ditzy Doo. Grey coat, blonde mane, bubbles for a cutie mark, golden eyes."
"That sounds kinda familiar," Applejack murmured thoughtfully. "Is she the one where one of her eyes is kinda... You know?"
"Offset?" Huey guessed, causing Applejack to nod. "Yes, that's the one. She shared her lunch with me, since I neglected to get some of my own."
"She sounds lovely!" Twilight remarked, her hooves clapping together happily. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for her and say hello!"
"Oh yeah, you're still quite new here, aren't you?"
"Mhm!" She hummed with a nod. "I've been a resident here for almost a week now. Pinkie threw a welcome party for me on my first day, but I wasn't exactly that inclined to mingle. That was before I truly understood how much friendship means to the average equine."
"So, you have some catching up to do as well," Huey remarked, finishing off the last of his pie. "Still, I promised her I'd take her out to eat sometime."
Twilight suddenly began spluttering in surprise, while Applejack dropped the plate she was about to hand over to a hungry earth mare.
"You're going on a date with her!?" Twilight exclaimed in amazement, causing Huey's eyes to widen.
"What!?" He burbled in alarm. "No! No, it's nothing like that at all! She offered me part of her lunch and I thought it was only fair for me to return the favour by buying her dinner or lunch as friends. It's not a date, we both made that very clear to each other!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow and squinted suspiciously at him.
"Don't look at me like that!" Huey said defensively. "It's not a date."
"Taking a mare out for a meal," Applejack mused. "Sounds like a date to me."
"She's right, Huey," Twilight concurred with a nod. "I read that a common form of courting is to engage in private meals together at public venues. So, from what you describe, it definitely fits."
"Wrong!" Huey countered forcefully. "A date requires both of the parties involved to be engaging in courting, aka the kindling of a romantic relationship. Neither of us are interested in such a thing. It is merely an opportunity to show my appreciation for her generosity. That is all."
"If ya say so, Huey," Applejack replied with a stifled snigger, causing Huey to glare at her with a deadpan expression.
"I'm not going to hear the end of this, am I?" He asked. "This is going to be wrung through the rumour mill until it's as desolate as the desert."
"Nah, it's fine, Huey," Applejack reassured him. "I just found your response to be a bit much. It was pretty funny to me."
"Alright, I'm glad that's been made clear." Huey said with a relieved sigh, standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be in the library, if you need me."
"I'll be along shortly, Huey," Twilight replied. "It's getting late, and we need to be up bright and early!"
"Huey!" Applejack blurted out, causing the human to turn towards her.
"What?"
"I just wanted to say..." She struggled to say through a torrent of giggles. "Good luck on your date."
The dam broke and Applejack burst into hearty guffaws at the human's expense. Huey, after watching her for a moments, took a step towards her and snatched her stetson off her head. The sudden theft of her hat silenced Applejack immediately.
"Hey! You gimme mah hat back!"
Huey took a step back, placing the stetson on his head.
"Or what?" He asked defiantly. "I'm bigger than you."
"I'll buck you like one of my apple trees for pinching my hat!" Applejack stated bluntly. The hint of venom in her voice signalled to Huey that the hat he'd just taken had value that went beyond just a favourite accessory. Solemnly, he removed the hat and handed it back to its owner.
"Sorry, Applejack," He apologised. "I know you were just teasing. I shouldn't have taken your hat."
The orange mare grimaced and sighed in response.
"I shouldn't have teased ya, sugarcube," She admitted. "I couldn't help myself."
"It's alright," He reassured her. "I probably would have done the same in your shoes... Hooves? Anyway, if you did kick me, I'd probably have every rib broken!"
"Most probably!" Applejack agreed, bucking her back legs back to demonstrate her strength. "Them there legs have been bucking trees for as long as I can remember."
"Anywho, no hard feelings?" Huey enquired hopefully, his hand reaching out as a peace offering.
"No hard feelin's!" Applejack replied heartily, her hoof extending out for Huey to grasp and shake firmly. The farmer then squeaked as Huey knelt down and pulled her closer for a brief hug, which she gingerly returned.
"I'm glad," Huey murmured, once he had let her go. "Good night, you three!"
Applejack, Twilight and Spike made their own farewells as Huey waved and ventured to bed.
19 - Second Verse Same As The First?
The faint sound of birdsong provided the perfect ambience for Huey as his eyes flickered open. Once again, he had slept upstairs in Twilight's bedroom, close by to Spike's basket. After taking a moment to stretch his arms and legs, he sat up and glanced around to see if he was alone or not. Much to his surprise, he noticed that both Twilight and Spike were still asleep. A swift look out of the window informed Huey that he had woken up early. He was about to curl back up to head back to sleep, but stopped when he caught a horrendous whiff of body odour.
Scrunching his face up in disgust, he sat back up and looked over towards the bedroom's en-suite bathroom. He hadn't had the chance to wash since his shared bath with Princess Celestia. Since that was over three days ago, it was inevitable that he was beginning to smell, especially after the hard work he had engaged in yesterday. Carefully, Huey crawled out of his makeshift bed on the floor and walked to the bathroom.
Upon entering, he grimaced when he realised that the bathing facilities were, due to their usual equine user’s stature, horrendously small. The bathtub was, at most, three feet in length, which was completely inadequate for his six foot high form. As for the shower unit combined with the tub, it was only four feet off the ground and not adjustable or flexible. Huey sighed heavily, realising that he was going to have to crouch or kneel under the shower head. Resigned to the uncomfortable situation before him, he stripped off his clothing and stepped into the tub. Within moments, warm water began to flow over him, after he had turned the taps.
Once he was entirely wet, Huey glanced over at the collection of various shampoos and other toiletries neatly arranged on the side of the bath. It became apparent that all of them, undoubtedly, belonged to Twilight. Since she wasn't awake, it wasn't possible for him to ask permission to use them, nor was he willing to just use them without her knowledge or blessing. Shaking his head, Huey grabbed a brush and began to scrub himself down. If he was unable to use the limited supply of shampoos, soaps and conditioners, he was definitely not going to refuse the opportunity to scrub himself clean, even if the bristles were incredibly uncomfortable as they scoured his skin.
Suddenly, Huey heard the sound of knocking on the door. He swiftly turned the shower off, so the running water wouldn't drown out his speech, or that of the individual outside the bathroom.
"Huey?" Twilight's voice asked on the other side of the door. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine, Twilight!" he replied. "Just having a shower. I woke up and found that I smelled absolutely rancid, so I decided to use your shower. I hope you don't mind!"
"No, not at all!" Twilight chirped reassuringly. "If you need to, you can use some of my toiletries, if you don't mind using something designed for mares."
"Honestly, I'm completely fine with that," Huey stated honestly. "As long as I get clean, I'd bathe in bath salts, strawberry shampoo and an exfoliant face mask."
Twilight chuckled lightly.
"Alright, I'll wait until you're done, I'd like to use the shower too!"
"Naturally!" Huey agreed before turning the shower on and grabbing the first bottle of shampoo his hand touched. Five minutes later, Huey opened the bathroom door and stepped back into Twilight's bedroom with a happy smile on his face. While he had been forced to put the clothes he had been wearing for almost a week back on, he was well aware that the copies from Canterlot would be arriving soon, and he could always have another shower later. Waiting outside was Twilight, who looked up at him and matched his smile with one of her own.
"You're looking awfully cheerful today!"
"Well, it's nice to feel clean again," Huey explained, stepping aside to allow Twilight to enter. "It's been a few days since I cleaned, and I'd rather not force everyone to cope with the smell of human body odour. My kind find it to be incredibly unpleasant, so it's possible that ponies will too."
"Understandable," Twilight remarked, as she trotted into the bathroom. "Still, Applejack should be setting up her stall for serving breakfast outside. I'm sure she could use some help!"
"Good idea!" Huey remarked. "Enjoy your shower, Twilight, and thank you for allowing me to use your shampoo."
The sound of running water, and no response, informed Huey that his reply had been completely missed. Shrugging nonchalantly, he turned and ventured downstairs to assist the apple farmer.
"Howdy, Huey!" Applejack greeted with a wave. "What can I get ya for breakfast today?"
"I think I'll try apple crumble today," Huey replied with a slight bow of his head. "It's nice to see you! I hope things weren't too hectic after I turned in last night. After all, you had one heck of a crowd to feed."
"Things went just fine!" the farmer remarked, scooping a large portion of crumble into a bowl. "Also, pardon me for bringing it up again, but I just wanted to say sorry for threatenin' to kick you. I shouldn't have acted like that."
"It's fine," Huey reassured her. "I shouldn't have nicked your hat. I gathered, from how you acted, that it is more than just a hat to you, so I think your reaction was, in all honesty, understandable. Regardless, it's all water under the bridge, no one got hurt, let's just forget it ever happened."
"Alright," she murmured with a slight frown. "Thanks for bein' so forgivin'."
"Applejack," Huey interrupted. "Forget it happened."
The orange mare stared at Huey, her mouth opening and closing as she decided to say something, but swiftly reconsidered. After a few moments of indecision, she finally spoke.
"Forget what?"
"You learn quick." Huey chuckled, shovelling a spoonful of crumble into his mouth. "This crumble's amazing, by the way. Add some custard or ice cream, and I think you would have the perfect dessert."
"Aw shucks," she said, while tipping her stetson down to hide her embarrassed expression. "You don't have to say that on account of my being a true lover of apples."
"No, I'm serious. I'm glad you insisted I give apples and stuff a try. It's delicious!"
"You better stop before you go and make me redder than Big Mac," Applejack scolded playfully, giving Huey's side a jab. "Movin' swiftly on, what do you plan on doin' for your date?"
Huey immediately stopped eating and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Applejack's eyes widened at the faux-pas she had just made, causing her to burble as she tried to backpedal.
"What I was meant to say was," she panicked. "What do you have in mind for repayin' Ditzy's favour?"
Huey smiled gratefully and continued eating his breakfast, while he mulled over his options. His expression swiftly melted into a grimace as a grave problem reared its head.
"That's a good question," he mused. "I don't have any money. How am I meant to treat her to a nice meal, if I can't afford it!?"
"Why don't you make her one?" Applejack suggested, causing Huey to stare at her blankly.
"Make her a meal? Doesn't that kind of tip this into 'date' territory?" Huey countered. "I don't think it would go down well if I approached her today and said; 'Hi, Ditzy! I'm so sorry, but since I'm broke, I'm going to have to offer you dinner for two at home. Hope you don't mind!' That's quite an escalation from just returning the favour!"
"Do you have any other option?" Applejack replied with a shrug. "As you said, you're broke! You can't even take her for a hayburger and fries!"
Huey sighed in exasperation and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Well, I can't go back on my word," he muttered. "So, if that means having to invite her round to the library for dinner, then so be it! We both agreed that this was just my opportunity to thank her for sharing her lunch, nothing more. It'll be fine!"
"If you say so," Applejack replied nonchalantly, turning her attention to the first of many customers approaching to receive their breakfast. "All I'm gonna say is 'best of luck' to ya."
"Best of luck for what?"
Huey and Applejack's ears pricked up at the sudden introduction of a new participant to the conversation. Turning his head, Huey was blessed with the sight of Twilight and Spike approaching the stall. He and Applejack waved in greeting, which the unicorn and drake returned cheerfully.
"I was just discussing the commitment I'd made to Ditzy with Applejack," Huey informed Twilight. "I've only just realised that I'm penniless... Or would 'bit-less' be more appropriate? Anywho, since I have no money, it seems my only option would be to invite her over for dinner."
"For dinner?" Spike repeated thoughtfully. "I thought you were trying to make sure this wasn't a date."
Huey and Applejack shared a knowing glance.
"Well, it's either that, or I ask someone for money, which I'd rather not do, or I tell her that I can't repay her and that the entire idea's been ditched. Suffice to say, I have no intention of breaking my promise to her. As I said to Applejack, she and I are adults who agreed that this wasn't a date, so it should be fine."
Twilight nodded in agreement at Huey's conclusion, while Spike raised an incredulous eyebrow before shrugging and fetching breakfast from Applejack's stall.
"Moving on, it's good to see you are having breakfast today, Twilight," Huey remarked. "Your stomach sounded like it could start an earthquake yesterday."
"I made sure to wake up earlier than normal," Twilight explained with an embarrassed chuckle, levitating an apple towards her to eat. "You woke up earlier than expected too!"
"Well, as the old saying goes, 'early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and wise'," Huey replied. "I don't know if you've heard of that particular saying before, but it sounds fitting."
"It certainly does," Twilight agreed. "I assume you will be heading back to Zipporwhill's home to continue rebuilding?"
"Your assumption is correct! What about you?"
"I'll be continuing my organisational work, with Spike, my number one assistant, by my side!" Twilight announced proudly. "Anything I can do to help rebuild Ponyville, I will do!"
"Hear, hear!" Huey and Applejack concurred. The human lifted his bowl up in a manner reminiscent of a glass being raised in support of a toast for a moment to accentuate his agreement.
"Speaking of which, what have the others been up to?" Huey asked. "I've not seen them since the meeting in the library."
"Pinkie's been helpin' me, Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Granny out with the bakin'," Applejack replied. "Her work at Sugarcube Corner made her perfect to help with cookin' up all this grub for the townsfolk."
"Not only that," Twilight interrupted. "she's also been working hard on repairing Sugarcube Corner."
"I didn't know Sugarcube Corner housed children," Huey mused. "Do the owners live above the shop?"
"They do!" Twilight chirped. "However, we prioritised the reconstruction of it since it's a bakery! It would make things easier to have the food cooked there, instead of at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Plus, it's a sizeable building," Huey added thoughtfully. "Better to have the place up and running for everyone to get their nutritional needs, instead of forcing Applejack and her family to cart all this food here from the farm."
"Awww shoot," Applejack replied with a shrug. "Granny's been here since before Ponyville was founded! We'd do anythin' to help our friends."
"True, but you need to do all that cooking, as well as the running of your farm," Huey countered. "There's no need to make hardship last longer than it needs to. What about the others?"
"Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy have been helping Rarity repair Carousel Boutique," Twilight explained. "Her shop's show room and other facilities make it perfect for temporary accommodation!"
"Fair enough!" Huey remarked. "Hopefully, once this is all done and dusted, the whole town can have a well deserved break!"
"Agreed!" the two ponies, and Spike, concurred with a nod.
"But, until then, we've got work to do!" Huey declared, putting his bowl next to the growing pile of used crockery near Applejack's stall. "Thank you for breakfast, Applejack. I'd better get going to my work-site, Drill Bit made a prediction, and I intend to make it come true!"
"Hold ya horses, Huey!"
He immediately turned to face Applejack, who tossed an apple towards him.
"Lunch!" she said. "I don't want ya starvin' like ya did yesterday!"
Huey smiled and gave the farmer a grateful thumbs-up.
"Thanks, Applejack! See you guys later!"
The trio waved goodbye, which Huey returned, as he left the group behind to head to work.
"You've got the strength of an earth pony!"
Huey looked up at Flitter, who was watching him push a set of drawers into the house they had finished thatching.
"I wish!" he retorted, while beads of sweat slowly rolled down his face. "This thing's heavier than it looks! How's the daub doing on the upper floors of the house?"
The light blue pegasus fluttered up, so that she could give the outside wall an experimental prod with the tip of her hoof. After a couple of prods had been performed, she flew into the house in pursuit of Huey to inform him of her findings.
"Still kind of sticky and wet!" she reported. "I guess it needs a little bit more time before we begin painting it?"
"Indeed it does, Flitter!" Huey concurred. "You've learned quick!"
"It's certainly different to doing weather stuff!" she remarked, hovering beside Huey. "How do you know all this kind of stuff anyway? I mean... I thought Drill Bit would be the one teaching us all the bits and bobs of this building lark, but from the amount of stuff you've told us over the past day... I'm starting to think you should be in charge!"
Huey raised an eyebrow at the compliment. It was true that he had been able to impart a great deal of knowledge on all kinds of topics. However, it was nothing truly specialised, just incredibly varied. One could, as was the case with Flitter, honestly make the mistake that he was an expert, but he was not. The scraps of knowledge he could recall were not huge enough for him to be on par with an individual, like Drill Bit, who had not only been doing construction their entire life, but were born to do it.
"That's kind of you to say," Huey mused. "However, I'm really not that qualified. Sure, I know lots of stuff, but that doesn't make me an expert. Drill Bit's got the cutie mark, I'd put my faith in him long before I put any in myself."
"You don't need a cutie mark to be good at something!" Flitter argued. "Look at you! You don't have a mark, yet you know all kinds of cool stuff!"
"I can't argue with that, but Drill Bit still has practical experience. As far as I can remember, this is the first time I've built something."
"Alright, but don't go underselling yourself!" Flitter conceded. "You're better than you think you are! Memories or not!"
"Thanks Flitter."
As the pair turned to venture out of the house to find another piece of furniture to move in, Drill Bit poked his head through the doorway.
"Lunchtime, everypony!" the construction worker bellowed. "Also, you've got a visitor, Huey!"
The human's ears pricked up in interest at the news, and immediately quickened his pace to see who wished to see him. His guess that it was Ditzy Doo was confirmed when the blonde and grey pegasus waved at him, once he had left the house. Huey waved back and approached her.
"Hello!" he greeted cheerfully. "How's your day been?"
"Great!" Ditzy chirped with a smile, her excitement at meeting her friend causing her to fidget on the spot. "What about you!?"
"Happy to see you," Huey replied, causing Ditzy's smile to widen even more. "I've been thinking about dinner."
"Dinner?" she repeated in surprise and confusion, her fidgeting immediately ceasing, while her head tilted inquisitively. "What about it?"
"Well, it had completely slipped my mind at the time, but I don't actually have any money," He explained, causing Ditzy to frown, while her ears drooped. Huey's heart sank, the assumption forming within him stating that Ditzy probably thought that he was attempting to bail out of his promise, because of who she was.
"However, I'm going to keep my promise!" Huey declared. "I can't take you out for dinner, so I thought..."
His tongue immediately seized up. The memories of yesterday and this morning flashed through his mind. The thoughts of the meal being 'a date', and the fact that this had escalated from just taking her out for a hayburger to a full on meal at home had caused him to hesitate.
"You thought...?" Ditzy asked slowly in an attempt to prompt Huey into continuing.
"I thought..." Huey began carefully. "That... I could make dinner for you at my home."
Ditzy's eyes widened at the invitation, causing Huey to quickly continue.
"And you can bring your daughter along! You would be able to meet Twilight, the mare who opened up her home for me to live in, and her assistant, Spike!"
The pegasus nodded her head slowly as she let the invitation sink in.
"Okay..." she began slowly. "Yeah... I think I could do that."
Huey breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Thank you, I thought that, maybe, you'd find that a little bit awkward or forward, but I don't have any other way to thank you for your kindness right now! I could hold off until I found employment and saved up enough to do what I intended yesterday, but..."
"But what?"
"I didn't want you to wait," he explained solemnly. "I know this may sound a bit cliche or silly, but I'd like to show you that I really do appreciate what you did for me."
Ditzy looked away, her gaze locked onto the ground as she kicked the dirt beneath her hooves in thought.
"Sure!" she said after a few moments. "Yes, I'd love to do that!"
Huey smiled and nodded his head.
"Fantastic!" he chirped. "I promise that you and..."
"Dinky Doo." Ditzy said, filling in the gap Huey had unwittingly created by referencing her child. The unusual name caused the human to mull over it for a moment.
"D-Dinky?" Huey replied with a hint of confusion. "Dinky's your daughter's name?"
"Yeah," Ditzy replied nervously. "Do you like it?"
Huey gritted his teeth. The name, in all honesty, sounded as weird as the rest of the names he had heard so far, however saying that outright was clearly not the best move at the moment.
"You hate it, don't you?"
"No!" Huey spluttered. "No! I don't think that at all! It's just..."
"What?" Ditzy asked, her eyes shining with the tell-tale sign of tears welling up. Huey sighed in defeat.
"I'm still getting used to how unique Equestrian names are, Ditzy," he admitted. "They all sound so... weird. Every single one of them."
He walked past the pegasus and sat down on the edge of a cart that had once been full of daub for the walls of the house he had been building. Ditzy followed and sat next to him once he invited her by patting the empty spot next to him.
"You see..." Huey began thoughtfully. "Where I'm from, we have all kinds of names like Thomas, Alexander, Bethany, Erika and George."
"Those sound really weird," Ditzy remarked. Huey nodded his head in understanding.
"Yeah, they must if you have only ever known Ditzy, Dinky... Twilight Sparkle, Celestia and..."
"Drill Bit?"
"Yeah! My own name, Huey, must sound incredibly weird and alien to you. Just as all your names sound so strange to me."
"You're right," Ditzy admitted with a hint of guilt. "I didn't want to tell you it was though. I mean... it's not nice being told your name, the thing you will be called your entire life, is weird."
"Quite," Huey agreed quietly. "You know... i've only been here for almost a week."
"You have!?" Ditzy gasped. "Wow! I thought you'd been here for ages! You seemed so... well... settled in."
"Well, I don't really have that much of a choice," he explained. "I don't know what kind of life I lead back home. I found out only a couple of days ago that if I wanted to go home... I'd be dead long before that could even happen."
Ditzy reached out and placed a hoof on Huey's hand to give it a friendly squeeze.
"I can't begin to imagine how hard that must be," she mused. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," Huey reassured her. "To be honest, and don't go telling anyone this, but..."
"But what? Don't worry, I won't tell anypony at all! Pinkie Promise!"
Huey chuckled at the reference to the unusual ritual Pinkie Pie created.
"I'm actually kind of glad that I can't go back."
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm scared of what I might find," Huey admitted, his gaze looking up towards the sky. "I wonder whether I'd go back and my memory would return. I'd then find out whether I was a good or bad person, whether I'd lived a happy life or not. I'm scared I might discover that I was a horrible person. What do I do then? Do I accept what I did and go back to being that horrible person, or do I toss that aside and start from scratch?"
Ditzy's hoof squeezed Huey's hand again.
"Well, you don't have to think about that," she reassured him. "You said yourself that you can't go back. You shouldn't be afraid of what you might find, if you know that you won't find out."
"But that's the thing, Ditzy. What if my memory comes back while I'm here?" Huey continued. "I could wake up tomorrow and remember that I have a family and friends all waiting for me at home. They would be worried sick, and I'd never be able to tell them that I'm safe. I would never see them again."
Ditzy scrunched her face up in thought. Unlike the first scenario Huey had presented, this one was still remotely possible. All creatures, as far as she knew, had parents, so there would, undoubtedly, be a family back home that were probably wondering where Huey had gone. The thought of that happening to her beloved Dinky sickened her. She couldn't begin to imagine what she'd do if Dinky suddenly vanished without a trace, never to be seen again. The grief would probably leave her a broken shell, as she hoped, in vain, that one day her beautiful baby filly would suddenly reappear.
"I wish I had an answer, Huey," Ditzy began honestly. "but I don't. I can't begin to imagine how much this must worry you."
"I try not to think about," he replied softly. "but it's always there. I worry about regaining my memory the most. 'Ignorance is bliss', they say. Except I'm not ignorant to the fact that I may suddenly remember everything. That single, insignificant thing terrifies me more than anything, since if I were to remain without those memories, I could block them out entirely. Sure, I know I don't even know my own name, but I can imagine something less painful without fear of being proven wrong. I can imagine that, before I came here, I was an orphan. No one who would worry about me if I disappeared. I'd be able to just move on and focus on making the most of being here, instead of worrying about the massive catastrophe that's occurred due to my disappearance."
Ditzy nodded in understanding and wrapped a wing round Huey's torso. The human sighed and leaned into the pegasus' side for comfort as he stewed silently in his concerns.
"Huey..."
"Yes, Ditzy?"
"I don't know what I can say to help you right now, but I can tell you this," she murmured quietly. "It may be for the best if you try not to think about something that may not happen. Instead, you should wait until it does. If, by some miracle, you do remember your past, I'll be there for you... no matter what."
Huey sniffled and sighed softly, as he felt Ditzy's wing tighten its grip around him. Tilting his head, he rested his cheek against the pegasus' blonde mane and closed his eyes so he could just focus on the comfort the embrace gave him. His experience with Celestia and Luna a few days before had shown him the therapeutic value of a hug was immeasurable.
"Thank you, Ditzy," he whispered. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
20 - A Sad Lebowski & A Curious Unicorn
"Gaze in admiration, everypony!" Drill Bit declared. "Today, we rebuilt our first house together in just two days!"
Huey rolled his eyes at Drill's lack of recognition of the fact that he was not a pony, but said nothing as he looked up at the house. Immediately after lunch, they had finished off the addition of the interior furnishings, followed by the finishing touches to the exterior once the daub had dried. For all who weren't aware of the calamity that had befallen Ponyville, it would seem that the house had never been damaged at all.
"We make a really good team!" Flitter remarked as she hoof-bumped her fellow Pegasus, Thunderlane. This was followed by murmurs of agreement by the rest of the crew.
"So, where are we headed next, boss?" Thunderlane asked their leader. "We're ready for it!"
"I'll have to send a message to the committee first," Drill Bit replied. "I honestly thought we'd be done when the day was over, but we've got around three hours left. No harm in getting started on the next one, but first..."
The construction worker reached into his visibility vest's pocket and retrieved a whistle, which he blew into. The sudden noise caused the ponies to cover their ears in surprise.
"What in Tartarus was that for!?" Berryshine asked angrily, while shooting a glare at Drill Bit.
"You'll see in a tick." He replied as his head tilted, so that he could look at the sky. Huey's ears pricked up when he heard a low droning sound that was similar to that of a jet engine. It did not take him long to realise who it was when a cyan blur flew towards them. Within seconds, Rainbow Dash landed close by and let the rest of her momentum peter out by transferring effortlessly from flight to a canter.
"You called?" She said with a hint of smugness. "I heard you guys all the way from the other side of town, so I guess it took me like... Two seconds longer."
"Can the attitude," Drill Bit scolded, causing Rainbow Dash to huff in disappointment. "My team's done with this house, and we're ready to move onto the next."
"Great!" She congratulated. "I remember Twilight saying that the bowling alley would be perfect for a load of ponies to crash for a while, so you all head on over there and I'll report back to her!"
"You heard the mare!" Drill Bit shouted as he adjusted his hard hat and tool-belt. "Let's move out!"
With an enthusiastic cheer, the group broke into a canter, forcing Huey to jog after them.
Upon arrival, the group gasped at the destruction before them. The roof of the bowling alley, along with the massive sign adorning the front of the building, had collapsed entirely. The only part of the structure that was left standing were the four walls.
"I know, right?"
The sudden voice caused the group to whirl round in surprise. Standing behind them were a trio of earth pony stallions. The first was incredibly stout and tall with a brown, trimmed beard and a flat-top mane style to accompany a gray-brown coat and dark sunglasses. The second was lean and thin with a brunette mane that contrasted with his pale cream coat and clean shaven, but gaunt, face. The third struck the middle ground between the two extremes with a forest of blonde hair and an untrimmed moustache and goatee accompanying a grayish amber coat, while his frame erred towards being stocky, but not to the extent that his heavy-set companion had.
"Name's Jeff, man," The blonde stallion greeted with a detached tone. "Jeff Letrotski, but ponies usually call me 'Dude'. My compadres here are Donny and Walter. Sorry for scaring you."
"It's fine," Huey replied as he stepped forward. "How may we help you?"
"There ain't much you can do to help us," Walter, the stout male with sunglasses replied gruffly. "We were just mourning our beloved alley."
"You were customers of this place?" Huey enquired, causing the trio to nod solemnly in confirmation.
"Well, before you start buying a tombstone," Drill Bit interjected. "Let me actually have a look inside and see what the damage is."
The construction worker immediately abandoned the group by heading to the front door, picking his way through the mass of rubble separating him from the building's entrance.
"He ain't gonna find much, dudes," Jeff remarked. "We checked. The whole place is totally wrecked."
"We can rebuild it!" Flitter replied defiantly. "We rebuilt Nightjar's house, which means we can rebuild the bowling alley!"
"This place is done for," Drill Bit declared, his return causing Flitter to whirl round in surprise at his speed, followed by her ears drooping at his diagnosis. "Just took a peek round the door. The entire roof's caved in. Best thing we can do here is pull down the rest of the building and clear it all up so it can be used for something else."
Jeff and his companions approached the ruins upon hearing Drill Bit's diagnosis and put a hoof against a large bowling pin that had been part of the front door's sign.
"Rest in peace," Jeff murmured sadly. "We'll never forget the good times."
"Yeah, rest in peace, old friend." Donny added solemnly. His input caused Walter to jab him in the side, forcing the stallion to squeak in surprise.
"Shut up, Donny," Walter scolded tearfully. "Let's just... Remember."
The group watched the trio mourn for a moment, before coalescing into a huddle.
"What do we do?" Flitter whispered. "Those guys seem real torn up about this!"
"What can we do?" Huey replied. "You heard Drill Bit; the place is beyond repair. We're not fully qualified builders, we're only able to do repairs under his supervision."
"The human's right," Drill Bit agreed. "Best we can do is pull the building down in preparation for it to be rebuilt later, as I said."
The group mumbled their disapproval. The high morale bestowed upon them from their earlier success now sapped from them.
"It's so sad," Thunderlane remarked as he glanced over at the three bowlers. "I mean... They must really love that place."
Huey looked at them and breathed a heavy sigh.
"Sometimes, there are things that one just doesn't have the power to do," He muttered thoughtfully. "However, that doesn't prevent us from searching for those who can. We have the funding necessary to rebuild everything in Ponyville. It will take time, but the bowling alley they cherish will return, just not as quickly as we would like."
"I'll go tell them that," Flitter said. "Those guys deserve to know that things will be alright."
She flew over to the bowlers to inform them of the good news, leaving the group to stew in the despondency that was beginning to set in.
"Cheer up, everypony," Huey soothed. "We may not be able to fix this problem by ourselves, but that doesn't mean we can't fix our next building!"
"Which we'll get as soon as Rainbow hears this." Drill Bit added as he readied his whistle and inhaled sharply. The crew covered their ears in preparation for the piercing screech that occurred moments later. Within moments, Rainbow Dash arrived with a poly-chromatic trail marking her route through the sky.
"You guys done already?" She asked in surprise. "Wow, you guys are good."
"Rainbow, if you took the time to check behind you," Huey said, his eyebrow raised incredulously. "You'll find that the bowling alley is... Beyond our abilities."
Rainbow Dash glanced at the ruins behind her. She then smiled sheepishly at the group and chuckled in embarrassment.
"My bad?"
"Your bad's right," Drill Bit growled. "You said this place was ready for repairs!"
"No, I didn't!" Rainbow barked back defensively. "I said I heard Twilight say that the bowling alley would be a great place for a lot of ponies to crash for a while!"
"Both of you, settle down!" Huey intervened. "This is clearly a simple miscommunication. It'll soon be the end of the day, let's just make the best of this mistake and prepare the site. Drill Bit did say that we can demolish the rest of the building and clear it for when it's rebuilt, right?"
The construction worker nodded with a grunt, his glare continuing to match the leer Rainbow Dash was shooting back.
"Then let's do that! We can wind down from a hard day's work with some demolition and clearance!" Huey said quickly as he grabbed Drill Bit by the shoulder and, with a bit of effort, began to turn him away from Rainbow Dash and towards the ruined bowling alley. "Rainbow Dash, report to Twilight that we'll get the site prepped for reconstruction, and send her my best wishes!"
"On it!" She chirped with a salute before zipping away. Huey breathed a sigh of relief before Drill Bit shoved him away.
"What's the big idea?" He rumbled angrily. "She sent us on a wild goose chase!"
"Does it really matter!?" Huey replied forcefully. "Okay, yes, she sent us here without actually knowing whether we could do anything worthwhile. We all heard her. There's no need to get so worked up about a mistake! We established this whole scheme when the entire town had been munched by parasprites, there's bound to be a slight hiccup or two since it was all very slap-dash!"
"Yeah," Berryshine concurred. "Even then, we finished Zipporwhill's house quicker than expected!"
Huey folded his arms triumphantly, while the rest of the group murmured in agreement. Drill Bit huffed in defeat as he quickly realised that he was outnumbered.
"Alright, fine," He grumbled. "Let's get to work. If you're strong, grab a sledgehammer and begin smashing. If the exertion is too much, grab a hammer and chisel, so you can chisel away the cement between the bricks and dismantle the wall that way. Once the four walls are down, we begin clearing the rubble away. All clear?"
"Aye aye, sir!" The group, minus Huey, replied enthusiastically with a salute. They swiftly retrieved a variety of tools and began to dismantle the wall.
"Be careful," Huey called out as he picked up a sledgehammer. "If you're knocking a section of wall down, make sure it falls away from you. We don't want anyone getting crushed by falling brickwork!"
The human slowly approached a sizeable chunk of wall and gave it an experimental prod. Even though the rest of the building had collapsed, this wall was still sound. The width was approximately twenty feet, while the height extended to around six feet. The sound of a pony clearing their throat caused Huey to turn and see Drill Bit watching him with a smug grin.
"Can I help you?"
"No, no... Just watching to see how you handle this," Drill Bit replied. "You seem to know a bit about building, let's see if you know about demolishing."
Huey raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help but feel that Drill Bit was being intentionally confrontational. Whether that was just Drill Bit's general demeanour, or because Huey had been throwing in bits of advice or suggesting ideas to speed up the work, which was annoying the expert, he could not tell. Shrugging, Huey turned towards the wall again and approached one of the sides.
"Stand back," Huey warned, causing Drill Bit to take a few hoofsteps backwards. With a grunt, Huey hefted the sledgehammer back and slammed the head about half a foot in from the edge. The cement cracked or crumbled to dust, causing a few brick to fall loose and drop to the ground. Huey glanced back at Drill Bit.
"If you're not too busy," Huey called to him. "Do you mind giving me a hand... Or hoof? You could start from the other end and we meet in the middle."
Drill Bit nodded silently before approaching the other side of the wall, turning, and giving it a kick with both of his back legs. Huey watched as the bricks were sent flying and the cement disintegrated under the massive force exerted upon it.
"Doesn't that hurt?"
"Nah," Drill Bit replied nonchalantly. "Practice makes perfect. If you do it just right, it's harmless, do it wrong and you've just broken your hooves."
Huey grimaced and shivered at the thought of shattering his legs.
"That's just a little bit concerning," He remarked. "I'd rather you stayed safe, than put yourself at risk."
"It's fine!" Drill Bit stated with a dismissive wave. "I've done this many times without any injury. I wouldn't do it if I wasn't certain I'd be safe."
"That's a good principle to live by," Huey concurred with a nod. "By the way, how did you discover your talent for construction?"
"You want to know how I got my cutie mark?" Drill bit asked in surprise. "That's a first for me."
"Well, I've been told that these marks appear when you discover an integral part of who you are as an individual. So, the discovery of what makes you... Well, you... Must mean a lot to you, personally."
"You're right there, I've just never been asked about it before."
"There's always a first time. So, what's the story?"
"It started all the way back when I was a colt," Drill Bit began thoughtfully. "I loved playing with stuff like wooden blocks and building sand castles. Anything that involved building, I'd love to do. While I was at school in Cloudsdale, a competition was held for the fillies and colts to display a work of art they'd made. I wasn't an artist or anything creative like that, so I thought I'd build something. Construction's a kind of art, right?"
"My kind dabbled in different architectural styles, which was kind of art," Huey remarked. "So, I don't see why not. I mean, just look at the buildings around us, then compare it to Carousal Boutique. If that's not art in the form of a building, I don't know what is."
"Yeah, I'd built this amazing jungle gym in the style of a castle. With turrets and all kinds of cool stuff for the rest of the kids to play on."
"And you did this as a foal? I'm hoping you got first prize based on effort alone."
"Nah, I lost. The judges didn't think that it counted as art," Drill Bit corrected nonchalantly. "But, one of them was an architect, who was super impressed. After the competition was over, he came back to examine it further and thought that it was a brilliant piece of work. He told me that I had a bright future ahead of me in cloud construction."
"C-Cloud construction?" Huey repeated incredulously. "That's a real thing?"
"Uh... Yeah?" Drill Bit snarked. "Cloudsdale is the cultural home of all pegasai. It's a city built entirely from clouds."
"W-Wow," Huey spluttered in amazement. "I'm sorry, I... I was told that Cloudsdale is a city, I just... Still haven't quite come to terms with the fact that it's a literal city in the clouds, made of clouds."
"What, do humans not have that kind of thing back where you're from?"
"Not in the slightest. Clouds are just big blobs of water or ice that haven't yet reached the point where they begin to fall as hail, rain or snow."
"Weird, we make all of our weather at The Rainbow Factory in Cloudsdale. It's then distributed around Equestria according to the needs of the local weather teams."
"Now that sounds weird to me. All of our weather naturally occurs due to a variety of different phenomena, like heat, wind, regional pressure, the list of variables is endless. Each playing a part in what kind of weather's on the horizon."
"Huh... That sounds a lot like The Everfree Forest."
"Everfree Forest?"
"Yeah, it's a forest on the outskirts of Ponyville," Drill Bit explained, while pointing into the distance towards a large wall of trees outside of town. "It's a massive wood filled with strange and dangerous creatures, and the weather occurs all by itself, just like yours does."
"Really?" Huey said quietly, while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That's most interesting."
"Not interesting enough for you to have a break, pal," Drill Bit scolded playfully. "Come on, put your back into it, lazybones."
Huey rolled his eyes and shook his head before returning to work.
"The progress we've been making is fantastic!" Twilight announced happily.
She, Huey, Spike and the rest of her friends had congregated in the unicorn's bedroom at the end of another day of hard work. They had decided to eat their dinner there, because they'd spent the last few days away from each other, due to the heavy workload exerted upon them by the near destruction of the town. Suffice to say, the six mares refused to let that get in the way of their friendship.
"Of course it's fantastic!" Rainbow Dash stated nonchalantly. "We're doing this together, which means we're unstoppable!"
"Well, two brains are better than one," Rarity mused quietly, the fork she was levitating softly tapping her chin thoughtfully. "So, naturally, a town of brains is better than two!"
"Precisely!" Twilight concurred, while poring over a long piece of parchment containing a list of the various homes that were in need of repairs. Those that were able to be repaired, and were, such as Night Light's home, had a tick scrawled next to them. The unlucky buildings that were beyond hope, like the bowling alley, had a large cross next to them.
"How fantastic are we talking here?" Huey enquired as he sat, cross-legged, on the floor with a tankard of apple juice beside him and a plate of apple tart. He had hoped for another serving of apple crumble, but Applejack had insisted that he try something new as often as possible, so he could establish a larger understanding of the foods he liked or disliked. Unfortunately, the tart he had been persuaded into having was not as pleasant as the previous apple-related dishes he had tried. The tart, while sweet, felt clammy and strange due to it being a cold dish, instead of a hot one. The squishy texture of the cooked apples merely added to the discomfort Huey was experiencing. However, he soldiered on, so he would not offend the orange farmer.
"We're talking a productivity error of around 100%!" Twilight explained. "In other words, we are working twice as fast than originally predicted. In fact, things are going so well, that we should be all done and dusted by the end of tomorrow!"
"Minus the buildings we couldn't save," Spike added. "The town hall's completely collapsed. It'll have to be rebuilt from scratch!"
"That ain't nothin' to be concerned about!" Applejack said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "With the bits Luna kindly gave to Ponyville, it shouldn't take too long for a good band of ponies to get it back to the way it was."
"Indeed," Rarity concurred. "It was most generous of Princess Luna to donate so much to such a worthy cause."
"And we couldn't have done it without you, Huey," Rainbow declared authoritatively. "After all, pulling us all together was your idea."
"You overstate my role, Rainbow," Huey replied quietly, while sipping his drink. "I merely suggested the idea. If anyone deserves credit, it's Twilight. After all, she organised the town into the crews that have made this miraculous recovery possible!"
"T-True," Twilight stammered, while a blush began to creep onto her cheeks. "But you suggested the idea originally. If you hadn't thought of us all banding together to repair Ponyville, we'd be waiting months, while contractors did the work by themselves. The company Drill Bit's a part of just doesn't have the ponypower to achieve what we've done over the past few days, and it would have taken weeks for other companies to arrive. You really are the town's saviour."
Huey smiled weakly and looked down at his plate in embarrassment when he saw the six equines gazing at him gratefully.
"I just wanted to help," He murmured. "That's all."
"And we appreciate it, Huey," Fluttershy spoke, her silence finally breaking. Albeit only slightly, since she spoke with a barely audible whisper. "We really are grateful for your help rebuilding our town."
"Hopefully, you see it as your town too," Rainbow Dash added. "I mean... Who wouldn't want to live here? It's got me in it!"
A round of groans and eye-rolls erupted at the rainbow-maned pegasus' boasting, causing her to grin sheepishly.
"Although, Rainbow Dash does have a point, darling," Rarity remarked. "After all, all of your friends are here. Surely that is another reason to wish to care for Ponyville?"
"Not all of them," Huey muttered under his breath, his mind drifting to the two princesses residing in Canterlot that he had left behind not so long ago.
"Anywho, I'd better get goin'," Applejack interrupted as she stood and stretched her legs. "I need to get back to the farm. My bed's callin' and I don't want to keep it waitin'."
"You're right, we all need our beauty sleep if we're to meet Twilight's target tomorrow," Rarity agreed with a nod. "Which reminds me, I must thank Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy again for their help rebuilding my home. I truly don't know what I'd do without them."
"What are friends for?" Rainbow replied nonchalantly with a wave of her hoof. "It's no biggie! I'd do that for any of my friends!"
Fluttershy merely let her face be shrouded by her curtain of pink hair, while nervously scraping the floor with her hoof. The group bade farewell and departed, leaving Spike, Twilight and Huey alone.
"I guess it's time to hit the hay for us too," Spike remarked passively as he plodded towards his basket. "See you guys in the morning!"
With a dull thud, the chubby drake flopped into his basket and snuggled up under his blanket.
"He's such a great helper," Twilight whispered. "I really don't know what I'd do if he wasn't around."
"Every successful mare has a powerful dragon behind them?" Huey joked, causing Twilight to press a hoof to her lips to stifle a chuckle.
"You could say that, yes," She murmured. "He's almost like a part of me... If you catch my meaning."
"He knows you well enough to be able to predict what you want and do it before you even know you want it?" Huey mused, earning him a nod. "I do know what you mean."
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and then fell silent as she gazed upon the now sleeping dragon. Huey shovelled the final piece of tart into his mouth and chewed it slowly, yet noisily. The cold dessert squelching as his teeth munched into it.
"You know Applejack's gone," Twilight whispered. "You can stop eating it now."
Huey's eyes widened and he stopped chewing when he realised that Twilight had been able to work out his distaste for this particular piece of cuisine.
"How did you know?"
"I saw your face," Twilight answered. "You looked so miserable and disgusted whenever you put a piece of that tart into your mouth."
"Crap," Huey cursed quietly. "Do you think anyone else noticed? I was trying hard not to make it too obvious."
"They probably did, but kept silent," She mused. "If I, of all ponies, noticed, then they definitely did. I'm sure Applejack would understand that somethings just aren't for everyone."
"I guess, I'll still try and talk to her about it though. I, personally, preferred some of her other treats. The crumble is divine, in my opinion."
"It definitely is, but I know, from experience, that you can have too much of a good thing."
"How so?"
"When I first arrived in Ponyville," Twilight began. "I was tasked with ensuring that the preparations for The Summer Sun Celebration here were on schedule. Applejack and her family were in charge of the food. I was treated to a very hectic introduction to most of her extended family, and a crash course in everything apple-related. By the time I was done, I could barely walk!"
"Yeesh!" Huey grimaced. "I'm imagining you with a really swollen stomach."
"Your imagination is nearer than truth than you think. I honestly thought I was going to explode!"
Huey smiled and shook his head at the exaggerated image of Twilight nursing a sore, full tummy.
"Well, at least that event didn't ruin your figure," He remarked absent-mindedly, causing the unicorn to look at him in surprise.
"M-My figure!?" She stammered. "W-What do you m-mean!?"
"Well, if the selection I've been able to choose from while helping with rebuilding is anything to go by, you must have eaten a phenomenal amount of food. Food that is, for the most part, sugar. All that glucose, fructose and sucrose would have to go somewhere, even if you were a very active pony. All the excess would be converted to fat for later use."
"How do you know all this? What even is fructose and glucose?" Twilight asked in wonder.
"I don't know," Huey replied honestly with a shrug. "I just remember. Maybe I learned this in school, even though I don't remember going to one. I just... Know these things."
"Amazing..." She breathed in admiration. "I need to find a quill and ink."
The unicorn's horn ignited with a spark of purple as she began levitating a fresh piece of parchment, along with writing tools, over.
"Come with me," Twilight ordered, while heading down the stairs to the ground floor of the library she lived in. Huey followed without complaint. With the repairs of Ponyville being ahead of schedule, the ponies who had taken refuge downstairs had all been transferred to their repaired homes or an alternative location, so they would no longer be a nuisance to the library's caretaker. Twilight had stated that she didn't mind allowing her home to be a place of rest for the temporarily homeless, but Mayor Mare had insisted that they move out to a larger and better organised location.
As such, Huey wandered down the spiral staircase after Twilight, who ventured into the kitchen adjoining the main section storing all the books.
"I don't want to disturb Spike," Twilight explained, as she ignited a few candles situated around the room with her magic. "He needs his rest."
"I understand," Huey replied with a nod. "What would you like to know?"
"I wish I could say everything, but there's just too much!" Twilight huffed in frustration. "We'd be here all night!"
"True, but if this were any other time, would that matter to you?"
"It wouldn't," She admitted, while trying a hide a swiftly forming blush behind her quill. "But Ponyville is depending on everypony doing their part! I can't let them down, just because I want to learn more about you and your kind now. That's just selfish!"
"You're right," Huey agreed. "When this is all over, how about you and I spend some quality time together?"
"Q-Quality time?" Twilight repeated, her eyes widening at Huey's choice of words.
"Mhm, I promised you that we'd knuckle down and really focus on documenting as much as we could about me. Unfortunately, Celestia requested my presence, then this calamity befell Ponyville. Suffice to say, we've been neglecting these studies."
"R-Right," Twilight squeaked. "Of course, you're right! Celestia tasked me with learning as much as I can about you! I can't let her down."
"That and it probably makes you very excited to be delving into the unknown."
"You have no idea!" She said with a frantic nod. "You keep saying all these new things that I've never heard of. Fructose, sucrose, glucose... I want to learn everything there is to know about them!"
"Well, we don't have all night, so you'll have to make a decision on what you'd like to talk about."
Twilight scrunched her face up as she thought hard on the decision put before her. Huey's smile widened at the adorable expression upon the lavender unicorn's face. She was, in many ways, the perfect scientist. Honest, dedicated,forever inquisitive about the unknown and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a greater understanding of the world around her. Even though she could just be patient and wait until Ponyville was fixed, she was still eager to learn as much as she can regardless.
"You." Twilight finally said, causing Huey to shake his head in surprise.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I want to know more about you, Huey," Twilight stated solemnly. "You're more than just a specimen of humans."
"Specimen of humanity."
"Humanity, right! A-Anyway, you're more than just a specimen of humanity to be studied. You have your own thoughts, memories, desires and aspirations. I don't just want to learn about you as a species, I want to learn about you as a person. Person's the right noun to use, right?"
"Right!" Huey confirmed with a nod, causing Twilight to sigh with relief.
"I know this is probably silly of me to say, since it's most likely already blatantly obvious, but I'd like to go further than what I was tasked to do by the princess. I want to be friends with you."
Huey shook his head before reaching out and pulling Twilight into a hug, causing her to squeak in surprise at the sudden gesture.
"Twilight, you don't need to worry," Huey soothed, while softly petting her purple mane. "I've never felt like I was just an experiment. If that was the case, I probably wouldn't have had the amount of freedom I've enjoyed so far. Not only that, I've never felt like you were only interested in me, because of my status as a human. You've treated me like one of your own kind and I appreciate it a lot. If anything, I already consider you a friend, Twilight. You're fantastic."
The lavender unicorn's eyes widened throughout the entirety of Huey's speech, a prominent blush also gracing her cheeks. Embarrassment finally registered, causing her to bury her face into Huey's chest to hide. He hugged her a little tighter and gave one of her ears a tender scratch, causing her to shiver slightly.
"If you wish to discover more about who I am as a person," Huey whispered quietly into her ear. "We're going to have to do so together. I'm just as clueless as you are."
Twilight finally plucked up the strength to look up at him and nod in agreement.
"We'll do it together!" She declared firmly. Suddenly, her mouth opened wide as a prominent yawn escaped her, causing Huey to chuckle quietly.
"Starting tomorrow, Twilight," He murmured. "This will be a long-term project of experimentation and observation for both of us. We won't miss anything by sleeping."
Twilight gazed up at the human and pouted, her lower lip quivering in an attempt to persuade him to change his mind. When it became clear that Huey was adamant, she puffed her cheeks out in mild frustration and began making her way towards the stairs. Huey followed close behind, his mind wandering to whether what he had just promised was a lie. He knew nothing about himself, but that was one of the things he was terrified of. As he had explained to Celestia in the strictest confidence, he was afraid that, if he were to regain his personal memories, he would discover that his past was littered with unpleasantness. However, that did not discount the possibility that he could, in essence, 'discover' so much about him that didn't involve his past. Fashion preferences, food and drink, sports and literature all lay open for him to explore with Twilight and her friends. He shook his head forcefully and corrected himself mentally, because they weren't just Twilight's friends, they were his friends too.
"My most faithful student,
I apologise for the inconvenience, but it is most important that you return to Canterlot as soon as possible. A most unusual event has occurred here. An event that I firmly believe you will be able to assist with. I appreciate that after you and your friends defeated Nightmare Moon and saved my dear sister, Luna, you will want to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation. However, the unfortunate situation I need your help with cannot wait. I am sorry that I am unable to tell you more, it is, sadly, beyond my ability at this time.
Kindest regards,
Huffing in frustration, Celestia's most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, rolled up the parchment the message had been written on and levitated it into her saddle bags. The message itself wasn't the source of her exasperation. She was more than willing to drop anything she was doing to assist her mentor with a problem. The problem was the total lack of information regarding what this "unusual event" was, and why Celestia would possibly be unable to explain the situation in words. The persistent mulling over the infinite possibilities that Twilight may be about to face had been most helpful in passing the time as she journeyed to the capital of Equestria, Canterlot, by train. Hearing the shrill whistle of the locomotive, Twilight looked out of the window and was graced with the sight of the place she used to call home.
Neatly nestled into the side of a mountain, the spires of various buildings within the city rose into the sky. The largest of them denoting the location of Twilight's destination, Canterlot Castle. The lavender unicorn cracked a little smile when she noticed a particular tall, white, cylindrical building with a yellow onion dome roof, because she recognised it as her residence while under the personal tutelage of Celestia. With a sudden jolt, the train came to a stop and the passengers began to disembark. Stepping down onto the platform, Twilight was swift to notice a pair of snow white pegasus guards scanning the faces in the crowd. Deducing that they were there to escort her to the castle, she navigated her way through the sea of equines in their direction.
"Excuse me, sirs," Twilight greeted with a solemn bow of her head. "Are you waiting for me?"
The two pegasai nodded silently before ushering her out of the station, and into a chariot. Twilight frowned, it was most unusual for the escorts she had the privilege of being given by her mentor to be so abrupt. In her view, she had been practically bundled into the chariot in a manner more befitting a kidnap victim than a guest. Regardless, she shook her head and watched the castle draw closer to her. Considering the tone of the letter she had received, it was reasonable to think that there should be no time given towards pomp and ceremony, which would warrant the unusually rough treatment.
"Responsibilities before niceties." Twilight mused, while glancing down at the streets below her. She noticed that a number of the equines were looking up at her, some were even waving. A knot of nervousness formed in her stomach, causing Twilight to crouch down, so that no one could see that she was the occupant. It was clear that the public believed that they were witnessing their princess in transit, and Twilight felt great embarrassment from the possibility that her fellow ponies would be disappointed if they realised that they were not waving at their ruler, but their ruler's protégé.
Upon arrival, she peeked out from the chariot and, when she noticed the princess was waiting for her by the steps of the castle, she disembarked so that she could gallop to her.
"Princess Celestia!" She squeaked in greeting as her hooves wrapped around one of the princess' legs. Celestia looked down at Twilight and smiled warmly before returning the embrace, her head lowering so that she could rest it against the back of her pupil's neck, while her free fore-leg gently wrapped around Twilight's withers and pulled her closer. The pair let the embrace linger for a moment before they simultaneously disengaged.
"It is truly wonderful to have you back, Twilight," Celestia greeted in a quiet, motherly tone. "However, I wish it was under better circumstances."
"I caught the train as soon as I dictated a letter to Spike," Twilight replied with worry. "But I don't know how I can help. After all, I don't even know what the emergency is!"
"You will see very soon, my faithful student. Close your eyes."
Obeying without hesitation, Twilight became vaguely aware of a soft golden light beating down on her eyelids and the gentle tingle of magic enveloping her. Mere seconds passed before the aura's sensory stimuli vanished, causing Twilight to open her eyes. Glancing round, she noted that she and her mentor had teleported into the castle. To be specific, they were now within Celestia's own bed chamber. Twilight, as a young filly, had been given the privilege of living with Celestia inside the castle and, during a particular stormy night, had taken refuge in her mentor's room. The memory of her nestling into the alabaster alicorn in fright, while Celestia shielded her from the flashes of light and cracks of thunder with her wings, was as clear as the memory of Twilight's arrival in Canterlot less than an hour before.
"What are we doing here?" Twilight asked. "What problem could possibly exist in your bedroom?"
Celestia merely pointed at her bed. Twilight's gaze followed the direction Celestia was pointing at and gasped when she saw that the princess' bed was currently occupied. Tucked under the clean white bed sheets, a most unusual creature was sleeping. Gingerly, Twilight crept towards the edge of the bed to get a closer look at the intruder. From what she could gather, the creature was as tall as Celestia, approximately six feet in height. It was clear that this specimen was more akin to a minotaur by having a bipedal form, instead of the skeletal structure that required the usage of four legs. However, there was a distinct lack of fur on the creature's face, even though there was a crop of brown hair covering the back and top of its head.
Twilight glanced back at her mentor and placed a hoof on the bed sheets, silently asking for permission to remove them. After Celestia provided a simple nod, she closed her eyes and began to concentrate on them. Her horn emitted a light pink aura as Twilight levitated the sheets off the bed, so she could examine the unusual animal more closely. With her sight no longer obscured by bed linen, she was able to see that the previous comparison to a minotaur was incorrect. There was no trace of anything even remotely bovine. This was, as far as she knew, a totally new species of animal. Looking closer, it was clear that this creature was wearing clothing, suggesting that this was a being with intelligence comparable to, or exceeding, that of ponies. Satisfied that there was little else to learn, Twilight crept back to her mentor.
"What is it?" She asked, causing Celestia to frown.
"I'm afraid I do not know," The princess responded sadly. "I was hoping that your extensive studying of zoology would help in its identification."
"Well, it has some traits similar to a minotaur," Twilight remarked. "But the lack of fur, horns and bovine legs, the unusual muzzle structure with a protruding nose. This is, literally, unlike any other species known to pony-kind. How did it get here?"
"One of the residents of Canterlot was experimenting with summoning spells. They intended to simply make a book that was in another room appear in front of them. It would seem that they did not cast it properly and, instead, summoned this. After a natural moment of shock, they reported it to the guards, who discretely brought it to the castle."
"And put it into your bed?"
"Oh no," Celestia corrected. "The guards suggested that I lock it up in the dungeons. Since there wasn't any proof that it was dangerous, I thought it better to provide it somewhere more comfortable."
"Excuse me."
Twilight and Celestia shrieked and jumped in shock at the masculine voice addressing them. The pair whirled round to look at their guest. The animal was sat up in bed and was looking at them with a mixture of fear and confusion. The group stared at each other, unwilling to break the silence that had fallen over them in the aftermath of the two mares' surprise. What threatened to turn into a full minute of silence was eventually broken by Celestia regaining her composure and stepping forward.
"Greetings," She began formally. "I am Princess Celestia."
The creature pursed his lips in wonder and lifted a limb that ended with five small appendages. Twilight inhaled sharply, expecting him to attack, but sighed in relief when he merely waved at them. Twilight then took the opportunity to step forward and introduce herself too.
"My name's Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"
The intruder inhaled deeply in preparation to speak, but, when the moment came for him to respond, his eyes widened and the limb fell limply onto the bed.
"I... Don't know." He finally said. "I can't remember."
The two ponies glanced at each other again before taking another step closer.
"Do you remember anything at all?" Twilight asked gently.
"I remember... A light," He murmured thoughtfully, while rubbing the side of his head. "I had just finished getting dressed. I don't know why though."
"Well, w-what about yourself?" The lavender unicorn probed. "Do you remember anything about yourself?"
"Yes," It responded. "Human. I think that's what I am. I am human."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Human!" Twilight chirped, but flinched when he waved his limb at her frantically.
"No, that's not right." He said forcefully. "I'm human... But, I'm not called Human... I think."
Celestia and Twilight nodded in understanding as they gathered round the bed, their fears of being attacked now gone.
"Ah, I get it!" Twilight said with an enthusiastic nod. "Your species is human!"
The human bit his lower lip for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, that sounds right." He remarked. "And you... You're horses?"
"Ponies." Twilight corrected gently. "We are ponies."
"No, not ponies." The human argued back, his head shaking vigorously. "Ponies don't have horns. No, you're... What's the word... Unicorns!"
"Well, my faithful student is." Celestia remarked kindly before slowly unfurling her wings to demonstrate the difference. "I am an alicorn. A mixture of the three types of pony that inhabit this land; unicorns, pegasai and earth ponies."
The human stared at the princess thoughtfully, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.
"Wait, that can't be right. Unicorns and pegasai are a myth. They're not real."
The mares shared another glance, both silently asking the other who should inform their guest of the bad news. Twilight decided to take the initiative.
"Well, funny thing about that..." She began nervously. "You see, you're kind of not in your world anymore."
Twilight cracked a nervous grin as she let the revelation sink in. Their guest tilted his head, while five spindly appendages glided through its hair.
"You're right." He said anxiously. "Talking unicorns, pegasai, ponies. Where am I? Why am I here? What do you want with me!?"
Noting that he was beginning to panic, Celestia reached out, gently grasped one of the human's limbs, and gave it a tender squeeze.
"Take a deep breath," She ordered softly and inhaled deeply as encouragement. Hesitantly, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The pair then waited a few seconds before exhaling sharply.
"Do you feel better?" Celestia asked soothingly, her hoof providing another gentle squeeze. The human took another deep breath and exhaled before nodding slightly.
"A little," He whispered. "Thank you."
"It is quite alright. Do you mind if I leave you now? I'm afraid I have some other matters that I've delayed long enough."
"N-No, it's okay."
Celestia nodded before turning towards the door.
"Do not worry. My student, Twilight, will stay with you to keep you safe. I'm sure that if you have any questions, she will be more than happy to answer them!" She stated as she walked towards the door. Twilight looked towards her mentor and bowed.
"You can count on me, Your Highness!" Twilight replied boldly. "I'll do everything I can to help!"
"Thank you, Twilight, I knew I could count on you."
With a soft thud, the door shut behind the princess. Twilight immediately turned towards the occupant of her mentor's bed and smiled at him slightly.
"So, do you have any questions?" She asked happily. However, her happiness wasn't shared by the human. His gaze was downcast and it was clear that he was most glum, if the immense frown he wore was accurate. After breathing a heavy sigh, he responded.
"Can I just... Go back to sleep?" He murmured. "Please?"
Twilight pursed her lips and widened her eyes in surprise at the request. After a brief moment, she shook her head and levitated the sheets back onto the bed.
"O-Of course!" She stammered. "Here, let me tuck you in!"
The human didn't reply or complain as Twilight gently began to manipulate the sheets with her hooves. Once she had finished, she stepped away from the bed.
"Thank you," He whispered mournfully. Twilight bit her lower lip in thought, unsure how she could help provide some comfort for the clearly upset individual. After racking her brains frantically, she suddenly had a brainwave, causing her to gasp lightly and clap her hooves together.
"Not a problem!" She chirped. "I'll just fetch a book to read, so don't worry about being left on your own!"
After receiving an incomprehensible mumble in response, Twilight turned towards a bookshelf Celestia maintained on the other side of the room. After skimming through the titles, she settled on a book authored by Antonie van Leeuwenhoof, the inventor of the field of microbiology. After nodding to herself in agreement, she wandered over to a rug that was situated at the foot of Celestia's bed and laid down to begin her adventure within the tome's pages.
"You know," Huey remarked, while gazing out of the window at the scenery rolling by. "This is the first time I've ever been on a train."
"Oh?" Twilight queried, while sat next to him. "You mentioned that you had trains back in your world."
"Yeah, but I don't actually remember if I used one," Huey explained. "Maybe I did, but I'm going to consider this my first time."
"I see," Twilight mused quietly. "I must say you seem to be coping really well with being... You know..."
"The only human?" Huey replied to save Twilight from having to dance around the topic. "The stares and whispers weren't helpful, but... Since I can't really lock myself away forever out of fear someone might be curious, why should I do so anyway?"
"Fair point." Twilight said before looking out of the window too. "Still, when we get to Ponyville, I'll introduce you to my friends!"
"They're okay with you looking after me?"
"Well, I'm sure if there's any complaints, I can smooth things over with them." Twilight countered with an awkward smile and chuckle. "Still, I doubt there'll be any complaints, they're very understanding."
"Didn't you say you'd only known them for four days?"
"Yeeeeeah, but I still trust them!" Twilight responded defensively. "What we did together on the first day we met really bonded us together."
"I can see how that might work. Admittedly, it's unorthodox to go on an adventure to topple the reign of a mad tyrant as a way of bonding on the first day, but then one can't argue with the results."
Twilight shot an unamused glare at Huey and jabbed him in the side, causing him to yelp.
"Ow!" He complained. "I'm sorry, I was only teasing! It's not the kind of thing my kind would do."
"And what would your kind do?" Twilight queried, the traces of annoyance still present in her tone and expression.
"Nothing that interesting, perhaps go and do a group activity like bowling, watch a movie or just go and grab a meal at a fast food place to hang out."
"Hmph, you're not that different then." Twilight remarked proudly, however she was unaware of a playful grin playing across Huey's lips.
"If one disregards the tyrant toppling adventures," Huey teased again. Twilight shot another glare at him, but then shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Just my luck to be saddled with a joker."
"Hey," Huey interrupted. "Celestia was more than happy to have me stay with her back in Canterlot. YOU decided to bring me back to Ponyville for further observation and so forth."
"You say that, but I can't just refuse a request from her! She's my mentor!"
"She said she was fine with you refusing!" Huey argued. "Celestia even mentioned that she understood studying the magic of friendship... Whatever the hell that is... Could be time consuming!"
"That's not the point!"
Huey grimaced at the stubborn unicorn and folded his arms in defeat.
"I wouldn't have minded staying," Huey mused. "I have some worries about Celestia."
"You do?" Twilight probed. "What kind of worries?"
"Well, it's just what happened with her sister. I can't put my finger on why, but I just get the feeling that things aren't going so well with her return."
"I was there when Luna returned." Twilight interjected. "I was one of the ponies who enabled her return! She showed genuine remorse, even though it wasn't necessary!"
"I guess, I just... I don't know..." Huey mumbled. "It doesn't seem right to me. Celestia was really upset about what she did."
"She said herself that if she could have done something else, she would have!" Twilight replied forcefully. "I know I'm not really qualified to make a judgement, but it was either let Nightmare cause chaos with eternal night or..."
"Banish her to the moon for a thousand years."
"It sounds so awful when some states it so bluntly," Twilight remarked. "The fact remains it was the lesser of two evils! Are you saying Celestia should have just let Nightmare Moon do whatever she pleased!"
"No, I'm not saying that, Twilight," Huey huffed, his hands rubbing his temples in exasperation. "I don't know what I'm trying to say at this point. All I know is that I'm sure something's wrong, I think..."
"Look, if you are worried about Celestia, there's no harm in sending her a letter!" Twilight suggested. "Spike can send one to her for you, if you think that will help?"
"Actually, that will help!" Huey exclaimed, a spring now inserted into his tone. "Although I still wonder how you are okay with a fire-breathing dragon sending and receiving mail via belches of flame... In a library that's in a hollowed out tree."
Twilight raised an eyebrow at Huey's statement, clearly unsure what he was attempting to highlight. Upon noticing her confusion, Huey adopted a similar expression in response.
"It's a house made of flammable material, filled with flammable objects," Huey said in an exaggerated tone. "Don't you ever worry about fire?"
Twilight looked away and tapped her chin in thought for a moment. Huey was aghast when she eventually shook her head. Sighing loudly, Huey slouched in his seat as he resumed looking out of the window. Much to his surprise, a small village comprised of thatch-roofed houses was coming into view.
"Is that Ponyville?"
"It is!" Twilight chirped excitedly. "My friends should be waiting for us at the station!"
Suddenly, a shrill whistle sounded, signalling the trains imminent arrival. Huey remained seated. Twilight and he hadn't brought any real luggage, so there was little need to begin preparing it for a swift disembarkation from the train once it stopped. With the ceremonial jolt of the train coming to rest at the station, the pair finally got up and headed towards the end of the carriage. Much to his delight, they had been provided with first class tickets, so they had the carriage all to themselves due to the train they caught being a quiet one in comparison to the ones that were used by some long distance commuters to Canterlot. Even then, the price of a first class ticket was prohibitively expensive, further reducing the possibility that they would have to share the carriage with strangers.
Stepping off the train, Huey noticed that the station was a very modest one. The platform was open-air and the stationmaster's office was incredibly small, fitting for the size of Ponyville and it's status as a rural town. He then followed Twilight, who was bee-lining towards her friends. Even though he had not met them yet, Twilight had described each of them at length, so it was not hard for him to deduce who in the relatively small crowd of ponies embarking, disembarking or waiting were the equines they were looking for.
"Twilight!" A sky blue pegasai with a rainbow mane cried out. "Hey girls, she's over here!"
A group of five ponies and a small purple dragon swiftly rushed over to Twilight and smothered her in a group embrace. Huey stood close by and watched the friends greet each other and chat for a few moments before they then turned their attention towards him. Privately, he was grateful that each of Twilight's were so unique in appearance, making identification much easier.
"Huh..." Rainbow Dash remarked once the greetings had concluded. "You said this human was strange, but I didn't think it would be THAT strange!"
Huey raised an eyebrow and gently smacked away Rainbow Dash's hoof, which was reaching out to touch him.
"Firstly," He began in a deadpan tone. "You're strange to me too. Secondly, I'm a he, not an it. Finally, my name's Huey."
"Yeesh, touchy!" Rainbow Dash snarked, causing an orange earth pony with a blonde mane to step forward.
"Now hold ya horses, Rainbow," She chided. "You wouldn't want some stranger touching you, would ya? So, don't be like that."
"But have you seen this guy?" Rainbow Dash countered. Huey rolled his eyes and stepped forwards.
"Applejack, Rainbow Dash," He said authoritatively. "I understand you're curious, but let's head home first before we ask any of the questions you all probably have about me, does that sound reasonable?"
The two mares nodded, causing Huey to smile and turn towards the rest of the group.
"As I mentioned to Rainbow Dash, my name is Huey," He greeted politely. "Twilight has already told me a bit about all of you and it's a pleasure to meet you all."
The group, excluding Twilight, murmured their own personal greetings. However, a pink mare, who had been practically vibrating on the spot with pent-up excitement, squealed and began bouncing around Huey.
"Hi!" She squeaked. "My name's Pinkie Pie! Twilight told us a lot about you, but I still have some questions, such as when's your birthday? What kind of cake do you like? Do you enjoy balloons? What kind of party do you consider to be a perfect party where you come from? Can I see what it's like to have my ears scra-"
"Pinkie!" Twilight interrupted forcefully, causing the party mare to stop bouncing and focus on Twilight.
"I'm just getting some important detail-uhhhh..." Pinkie began, but suddenly trailed off as Huey deduced her final query and softly scratched her ears. Pinkie's eyelashes fluttered and her ear twitched as she let out a drawn out moan of approval.
"Soooooo magical!" She cooed, her eyes threatening to roll into the back of her head. However, Huey stopped the scratching, causing her to whine at him pleadingly.
"Later." Huey said passively, causing Pinkie to gasp in delight.
"Pinkie Pie Swear?"
"Um... I guess?" Huey replied with a hint of uncertainty. "Never heard of a Pinkie Pie Swear."
"Oh, it's easy!" Pinkie explained before reciting the pledge with gestures. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Huey blinked. The pledge was absolutely childish, completely beneath him as an adult. However, since he wasn't in the presence of humans and the culture of the equines was different, he sighed heavily and felt a twinge of pain as some dignity within him shrivelled up and died as he repeated the promise, gestures included.
"I'll hold you to thaaaaaaaaaat!" Pinkie sang. "Alright, let's go!"
The group watched as the hyperactive earth pony began to bounce away. Some shook their heads, while others glanced at each other with a look of bewilderment. Despite the varied responses to Pinkie Pie, they all began to follow her through the streets of Ponyville. Huey let his gaze wander across the buildings and their inhabitants. There were mares and stallions of varying types and colours bartering with stall owners, doing the gardening or just enjoying the pleasant weather. Naturally, upon noticing Huey, they glanced over or shared a hushed whisper with each other, but Huey had experienced the same behaviour before. Given time, it was certain that they would stop wondering and consider him just another part of the town's population.
Finally, the sight of a massive tree materialised before him. As Twilight described, it was a giant oak tree peppered with small circular windows and a door. Much to his amazement, there was even a few small balconies built onto some of the larger branches. It truly was a sight to behold, a testament to architecture that wove the modern home into the current landscape. Inside was just as impressive, shelves for the numerous books being stored there were carved into the tree, instead of nailing crafted ones to the walls.
"So, darling!" A white unicorn with a beautifully styled, purple mane said once the door to the library had closed. "May we begin the questions now?"
"I don't mind at all, Rarity!" Huey replied with a shrug. "Once we've made ourselves at home, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have about me."
Noticing a group of chairs being levitated towards him, Huey ducked so that they would sail harmlessly over his head. The chairs, bathed in a light pink aura, arranged themselves neatly into a circle. The group thanked Twilight and sat down.
"Now, let's start clock-wise from me and you can all ask a single question each." Huey stated bluntly. "I am sure you have loads of questions, so we'll keep going round in a circle until they're all answered, alright?"
The group nodded their heads and murmured in agreement. They then turned towards a butter yellow pegasus, who had been slow in taking her seat and had unwittingly ended up sat next to Huey. Upon noticing that everyone was staring at her expectantly, she swiftly lowered her head and let a mass of pink mane cover her face with a terrified whimper.
"It's okay, Fluttershy," Huey comforted. "If you're nervous, we can skip your turn and come back to you later. How does that sound?"
At first, Fluttershy didn't answer, but after another strangled squeak of fright emanated from the curtain of pink hair, the group interpreted it as an agreement and turned to Rarity.
"Now, Huey," Rarity began enthusiastically. "I must ask where you got those clothes from. I don't know about the fashion conventions where you're from, but they look awfully drab. Do humans normally dress, and in such a manner?"
"Disregarding the compound question," Huey chided gently, causing Rarity to smile apologetically. "Yes, humans do wear clothes normally. As you can probably notice, I don't have a coat of fur to keep me warm, so it's necessary to wear clothes to survive. It's also unacceptable to be naked in human society, making clothes even more necessary."
Huey then glanced down at his clothing. Covering his torso was a dark burgundy t-shirt, which connected to a pair of black tracksuit bottoms, plain black socks and a pair of brown and white trainers.
"As for my clothing, it depends. The rich usually have the money to buy some truly spectacular clothes. In the case of what I'm wearing, it's just something cheap and simple to cover myself up."
"Thank you," Rarity said with a polite nod. "For a moment I was worried that your land had a rather skewed vision of what fabulosity is!"
"I don't think that's a real word," Twilight and Huey both muttered under their breath. The group then looked at Pinkie Pie, who was glancing around in what appeared to be a fit of outright panic. Beads of sweat poured down her forehead as her teeth ground together.
"Pinkie?" Huey asked. "Are you alright?"
The party mare suddenly clasped her forehooves against the sides of her head and screeched in frustration.
"I have too many questions to ask!" She wailed. "I don't know which to ask first!"
"Calm down!" Huey ordered to no effect. "If it helps, I remember your questions at the train station, so I'll quickly answer those. First, I don't actually remember anything about me specifically. The name Huey was given to me by Twilight. So, I don't know when my birthday is."
The group looked at each other sadly and murmured in sympathy towards the amnesiac.
"Next, I don't remember anything about what I ate before coming here." He continued. "So, I can't really answer the question about what kind of cake I like. I'm not entirely sure what enjoyment one can get from balloons, and it depends on what kind of party is being held. My kind can have incredibly informal affairs that basically just lets the guests make it what they want, but some can have many rules and traditions, such as dress codes."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Pinkie Pie interrupted. "Let me take down notes!"
Lifting her right hoof, Pinkie took a deep breath and then blew into her hoof. Four fingers suddenly erupted from her hoof, accompanied by the sound of bubbles popping. Huey stared in disbelief, followed by glancing at everyone else. To his amazement, they didn't appear fazed by the sudden addition of digits to Pinkie's hoof at all. When he looked at Twilight, she looked back at him with a small shake of her head and an expression that clearly stated "Don't think about it". Uneasily, Huey looked back at Pinkie, who was now holding a notebook in her unchanged hoof and a pencil in her "hand".
Huey's gaze fixed on Pinkie's hand as she scribbled records of what he had just said to her into her notebook.
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie chirped. "And what would do you, personally, think makes a good party?"
"Again, I honestly don't know," Huey repeated with a hint of exasperation. "So, I think I'll leave the planning of my 'Welcome to Ponyville and Equestria, Dear Human!' party to you, Pinkie. We can then see if you made the right choices afterwards."
Pinkie gasped in surprise.
"How did you know the title of my party!?" She questioned. "Do you have super-duper psychic powers?"
Huey shook his head and pointed at Twilight.
"She made an educated guess."
"Nice one, Twilight!" Pinkie chirped before putting her notebook away and inhaling deeply, which caused her fingers to suddenly be absorbed back into her hoof.
"Now, I guess it's my turn," Applejack drawled. "I ain't got much to ask, stranger, but what's ya thinking towards apples?"
"Well, I'd have to try one before I could pass judgement, Applejack. I'd be lying if I gave you an opinion when I've yet to eat one... To my knowledge."
Applejack nodded slowly and thoughtfully before turning towards Twilight.
"I think ya got a keeper there, Twilight," She said. "He appreciates how much honesty means to somepony."
The group then looked towards Twilight, who had been taking notes of her own. After a few moments of silence elapsed, the lavender unicorn finally noticed it was her turn and swiftly put her stationery away with a nervous chuckle.
"Oh, d-don't mind me!" She burbled. "I'll be asking Huey my questions later. He and I have already gone over a lot of things regarding human culture, but there's still plenty more!"
"True," Huey added. "I don't think we finished the cataloguing of anatomy either, which reminds me, you need to teach me the skeletal system of ponies."
Twilight nodded before looking towards the next individual in the circle, Rainbow Dash. It was clear that she was the impatient type due to her bored and annoyed expression, accompanied by her folded hooves. Suddenly, she threw her forehooves into the air.
"Urgh!" She exclaimed. "Finally, all I wanna know is how do you humans control the weather, if you don't have wings?"
"Ah, yes, Twilight told me that pegasai can manipulate clouds and stuff." Huey began. "However, where I'm from, we don't control the weather. It is dictated by a number of different factors like which season it is, pressure levels, it's not really something I know much about, however I can definitely say we don't control the weather.
"Woah, weird!" Rainbow remarked in surprise. The group then looked over at Spike, who was sat next to Huey in the final position of the circle. He glanced around at the group and then shrugged.
"What?" He asked. "I don't have anything."
With the first circuit of the circle completed, Huey breathed a heavy sigh.
"Does anyone have any more questions?" He asked. "Anything at all? No?"
The ponies looked amongst themselves and shook their heads. Either they'd already asked what they wanted to know, weren't willing to ask or had reserved their questions for later. With the realisation that the questioning had ended faster than expected, Applejack and Rarity stood up.
"Well, I better be gettin' back to the farm." Applejack said with a stretch of her legs. "I'm sure Granny's got some more chores for me to do. So, I'll see ya'll around, alright girls?"
The group paid their farewells to the apple farmer and watched her leave.
"I'm afraid I must dash too!" Rarity explained apologetically. "I have a very important order to complete and I can't delay any longer!"
The unicorn then stepped towards Huey.
"If you are ever in need of a new set of clothes, darling. Don't hesitate to drop by Carousel Boutique. I'd be more than happy to tailor something to you."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you very much, Rarity."
With a gentle nod of her head, Rarity lifted up a solitary hoof and presented it to Huey. Recognising the gesture as one similar to one he'd seen in his own world, Huey reached out and grasped the underside of the hoof tenderly. He then bent down and kissed her hoof. Rarity giggled with delight, her excitement so great that she began to dance on the spot.
"Oh, you're a true gem!" She remarked. "And a gentlecolt too! You really have struck lucky, Twilight!"
With a friendly wave to everyone else, Rarity swiftly made her way out of the library.
"Well, I'm not interested in hoof-kissing stuff, so..." Rainbow Dash began indignantly. "I'll see you guys around. Also, Huey, catch you later, okay?"
Huey nodded and happily accepted the hoof-bump the blue pegasus offered. With her farewells taken care of, she swiftly zipped out of the open door. The only guest left, who had yet to say anything at all, was Fluttershy. Huey looked towards her and found she was still concealed behind the curtain of pink hair. After glancing over at Twilight, who merely frowned and shrugged, Huey addressed the yellow pegasus.
"Fluttershy, would you like me to escort you home?"
The pink mane shifted from side to side, indicating a shake of the head.
"N-No, I-I'm okay." A barely audible whisper replied. "Th-Thank you for offering though."
After muttering a hurried farewell and bowing her head numerous times apologetically, Fluttershy backed out of the library and disappeared. Huey frowned and looked back at Twilight, who shut the door with her magic.
"Is she always that nervous?" He asked. "Or is it just me?"
"I think it's a bit of both?" Twilight mused. "She was like that with me when we first met. So, I guess it's a bit more scary for her since you're not another pony."
"Hmmmm... I guess so," Huey mumbled. "Still, what now?"
"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
Huey yelped and leapt away from the voice, realising that Pinkie had left her seat and was stood right next to him.
"What the!?" Huey cried out. "Pinkie don't do that! You nearly scared me to death!"
"Sorry, Huey!" She apologised. "But there's something I'd like you to dooooooooooooo!"
"W-What?"
Pinkie half-closed her eyes and waggled her eyebrows at him. Huey stared back blankly as Pinkie's ears began to twitch.
"You've lost me." Huey said, causing Pinkie to huff slightly.
"Cross my heart..." Pinkie began slowly, causing Huey's eyes to widen. With a smack of his forehead, Huey remembered the promise he had made to her.
"Ah, of course! Sorry about that!" Huey replied before reaching down and scratching Pinkie's ears. The pink earth pony's eyes rolled into the back of her head again.
"Oh gooooooooosh!" She cooed. "Your fingers are awesome!"
"What?" Huey asked in surprise. "I never told you what these were! How did you know!?"
"Lyra..." Pinkie burbled, her back-leg twitching slightly before she forcefully tore herself away from Huey.
"Sorry, that just feels so good!" Pinkie gushed with an ecstatic grin. "It's like eating spare buttercream from the mixing bowl, only a hundred times more awesome!"
"Um... Glad you like it?" Huey said with a hint of uncertainty.
"I do, very much!" Pinkie replied and gave Huey a hug that proved to be tight enough to squeeze the air out of his lungs. "If you get the chance, visit a friend of mine called Lyra Heartstrings! She'd be delighted to meet you!"
"I'll... Keep it in mind!" Huey wheezed. "Can't breathe!"
Pinkie giggled apologetically as she let go of Huey, permitting him the ability to breathe again.
"Anyway, I'd better get going too! I have your party to plan!"
Huey gave Pinkie a thumbs up and a wave as she bounced out of the library. With all of the guests gone, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards Twilight.
"Now! What's next?" He enquired.
"Firstly, bedroom!" Twilight stated. "We need to figure out where you're going to sleep!"
"Well, how many bedrooms does this place have?"
"Just the one, I'm afraid," Twilight replied with an awkward smile. "My room."
"I'm not sharing with you."
"What!?" Twilight spluttered. "I wasn't even going to... What!?"
"Just preempting a possibility," Huey said nonchalantly. "Where does Spike sleep then?"
"He sleeps in his basket in my room!"
"Fair enough. Well, are there any empty rooms kicking around?"
"Not really, none that would be appropriate for a bed."
Huey sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Okay, what about somewhere temporary?" He suggested. "Why not just give me a sleeping bag and I'll sleep on the floor or something?"
"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Twilight asked. "The floor is solid wood, you know?"
"Eh, I've been camping before." Huey countered. "Same thing, I'll be fine. All I need is a sleeping bag big enough."
"Ah..."
The human glanced over at the unicorn, who was looking down at the floor.
"There aren't any sleeping bags in my size, are there?"
"No."
"Great," Huey stated in frustration. "We leave a castle filled with gigantic four-poster beds without even thinking about the sleeping arrangements!"
"I'm sorry, I've got a lot on my mind!" Twilight snapped back. "All of this stuff about looking after you has been really sudden! I've not had time to plan or be organised."
"Alright, fine!" Huey replied with a slightly raised voice. "Let's just calm down before this becomes an argument and we just think of a solution to this problem. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good to me!"
"Yeesh, you guys are perfect for each other," Spike remarked nonchalantly, causing both Huey and Twilight to look at him in surprise.
"You're still here!?" Huey said. "I thought you'd wandered off!"
"Nope, still here." Spike replied. "But I'm going now. Best of luck!"
The pair watched as the baby dragon wandered to the kitchen. They then looked at each other.
"Right..." Twilight began awkwardly.
"Sleeping arrangements." Huey said in an equally unsure tone.
"We need something that will allow you to sleep somewhat comfortably for a little while. I know a stallion who has a quill and furniture shop that we can look around in for a proper bed." Twilight mused. "But what do we use now?"
"Sleeping bags are too small, and I don't think we even have one." Huey added thoughtfully. "Do you have any spare quilts?"
"I think I do. Why?"
"Well, we need something temporary." Huey explained. "Why not sew two quilts together so that they're long enough for me to lie on. That can act as a temporary mattress!"
"And another pair of quilts are sewn together to act as a quilt fit for your size too?"
"Perfect!" Huey congratulated. "As for the pillows, they'll be fine as they are. As for the sewing, it doesn't need to be that good, since it's just temporary. Do you have a sewing kit?"
Twilight nodded and levitated it into the room from the kitchen.
"Alright, let's do some sewing!" Huey declared authoritatively.
16 - First Order Of Business
"Thank you both for giving us your time," Huey stated gratefully, while giving the two burly stallions a hoof-shake. "It means a lot to all of us."
Drill Bit and Crafty Crate both grunted in acknowledgement. While both pegasai were light brown in coat colour, Drill Bit had a dark brunette mane, while Crafty Crate's was light, goldish gray. Crafty also had a very prominent lower jaw and heavy stubble, which helped further differentiate him from Drill Bit.
"Well, since the pleasantries have been exchanged, let's begin!" Twilight chirped, while levitating a quill, inkwell and parchment towards her in preparation for taking notes.
"Quite!" Mayor Mare agreed. "We invited you two to be members on this restoration committee due to your being influential ponies in logistics and construction. With the destruction of much of the town, we are certain that your expertise will be instrumental in expediting a swift recovery."
"Huh... Sounds simple enough," Drill Bit mumbled thoughtfully. "What did you all have in mind for me and Crafty?"
"In the case of yourself," Huey replied. "I was wondering whether it was possible that, due to your being a construction worker, you and your colleagues would be able to act as foremen. We seem to have the entire town on board, but they will need expert guidance when rebuilding homes and the like... Otherwise, we'd be at risk of seeing homes collapsing due to the work being done by those who have no intimate knowledge of how to build."
"And what about me?" Crafty Crate grumbled. "What do you need me for?"
"Logistics," Huey explained. "I've been told that you own a moving company. As such, you would, undoubtedly, possess a myriad of methods that allow the movement of heavy loads. It is undeniable that there will be a need to move a lot of ponies around, along with heavy building equipment, to get this job done."
"Fair enough," Crafty murmured. "The only question now is how is are you going to pay for all this?"
"P-Pay!?" Twilight spluttered. "Surely you're not seriously considering that you can profit from this calamity!?"
"No, no, no!" Drill Bit protested. "Craft don't mean that. He's talking about the cost of materials and such. We may not expect payment for labour, but you'll be needing a lot of materials. Bricks, mortar, wood, the list is huge."
"Oh," Twilight muttered sheepishly. "S-Sorry for overreacting."
"It's fine," Crafty reassured her with a dismissive wave. "I was never that good at making myself clear anyway."
"Although, that still doesn't answer the question you posed," Mayor Mare mused. "Where can we obtain the funds necessary for this?"
The group collectively hummed in thought.
"What about we ask everypony to chip in?" Drill Bit suggested. "If we were to all put forward our own bits, we could raise the money needed easily!"
"What if we run out though?" Twilight countered. "We have yet to figure out how much the repairs will cost! We could end up running out before we finish, leaving ponies homeless at their expense!"
"Fair points," Drill agreed, before turning towards Crafty Crate and Mayor Mare. "Any ideas?"
"I got nothin'." Crafty mumbled.
"I could send a letter to the princess asking for financial help," Mayor Mare wondered. "But-"
"No!" Twilight suddenly yelped, causing everyone to look at her in surprise. "I-I mean... No, I don't think that will work. I studied a little bit of Equestrian law, while I was studying in Canterlot. I found out that their control over the nation's funds is not as far-reaching as one would expect."
"I can testify to that," Huey added. "I actually met the Chancellor of The Exchequer, Fiscal Policy, while I was there a few days ago. The country's piggy-bank is not controlled directly by the monarchy."
"So, we would have to instead make a plea to The Exchequer directly, or those in charge of allow the funds to be provided," Mayor Mare deduced. "They could take days, or weeks, to make a decision!"
"And we need to start work now," Huey sighed. "We have scores of ponies downstairs. Most of them without a safe home to live in. Where are they meant to sleep for the time being?"
"That's a good question," Crafty remarked. "Until Drill Bit and the crew inspect the damage to Ponyville, we couldn't possibly let them go home... It's too dangerous!"
Drill Bit nodded in agreement at Crafty's assessment, earning a grimace from Twilight and Mayor Mare. Huey hummed softly as he wandered over to the bedroom's window and gazed out at the wrecked town.
"So, we need somewhere large," Huey mused. "Somewhere many ponies can live temporarily."
"What about the local theatre?" Mayor Mare suggested. "It's large, and the backstage area is quite spacious. So, there would be plenty of space for ponies to sleep there."
"That could work, but I don't think it would have the space to hold all of Ponyville," Twilight commented. "We could split the town between staying here and the theatre."
"And when specific homes are repaired, the displaced ponies will reduce in number," Huey added. "However, it still comes down to money."
The quintet gave a collective hum of agreement. Silence then fell across the room as they withdrew into their own thoughts, considering the issues that had been raised and discussed thus far. After a few minutes, Huey eventually broke the silence.
"Drill Bit, Crafty Crate," He began thoughtfully. "Could the pair of you begin a town-wide survey of the buildings? Ascertain which are more dangerous than the others?"
"Wait, why am I bein' included?" Crafty enquired. "I ain't no builder."
"True, but if there's a particularly unstable building, one would need to move in heavy equipment to stabilise it," Huey replied. "Which would be right up your street."
"True." Crafty agreed before giving Huey a salute. "Well, we'll get right on it, Chief."
The two stallions swiftly trotted downstairs. Huey turned towards Mayor Mare and Twilight.
"How will we prioritise the building work?" He asked. "Do we repair the buildings that require the least amount of work or...?"
"Well, I'd say we focus on getting the essentials fixed up first!" Twilight said. "The theatre for accommodation, and any work needed for the local hospital and such."
"Naturally!" Mayor Mare concurred. "Once that's done, we could go with Huey's idea, but..."
"But what, Madam Mayor?" Huey probed. "Is there a problem I'm unaware of?"
"Well, I'm wondering about the foals," She mused. "I'm not sure if they are able to cope with this disaster better than the adults."
"Fair point!" Huey chirped. "Perhaps we should focus on the homes of those who are pregnant, or have kids, followed by those who are neither. Accompany that with the 'least damaged to most damaged' ethic and that should work out fine, right?"
"I don't see any problems with that." Twilight said, while Mayor Mare concurred with the lavender mare by nodding in agreement. Huey smiled and turned towards the window again.
"Excellent!" He remarked proudly. "With us all working together, we should have this town rebuilt in no time!"
"But what about the bits?" Mayor Mare asked. "We've yet to figure out how to pay for this project!"
Huey's heart sank at this revelation. He had forgotten all about the need for funds to pay for the vast amount of equipment needed. Sighing, he rubbed his temples in exasperation, frantically attempting to find a solution to this monumental problem.
"Madam Mayor," He murmured. "Would it be possible for you to tell the rest of the ponies downstairs about the survey Drill Bit and Crafty Crate have embarked on? I don't think it's appropriate to keep them in the dark, and they'll be overjoyed to hear that some action is being taken so quickly."
"Of course!"
"Could you also ask Spike to come upstairs?" He added. "I might need to send a letter."
Twilight's eyes widened at the mention of letters, but swiftly hid her shock to ensure the mayor didn't notice.
"I most certainly will!" Mayor Mare replied. "If you have any ideas about the finances, I'll be delighted to hear them when the committee's back together!"
"If you have any brainwaves, keep them safe," Huey shot back. "We might need them."
The mayor chuckled lightly before giving the pair a friendly wave and heading downstairs. Huey immediately whirled round to face Twilight, causing her to squeak in surprise.
"Twilight," Huey began gravely. "Do you honestly think it's worthwhile to continue to hide your panicked lie from Celestia when the entire town lies in ruins?"
"W-What!?" Twilight spluttered. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Drop the act," Huey snapped, causing the unicorn to immediately flinch. "I cottoned onto your fear as soon as the suggestion was made to ask Celestia for help."
Twilight looked away, her ears drooping in shame.
"I even backed you up on the difficulties of asking," He continued. "Remember?"
Twilight sniffled and nodded submissively. Huey's heart immediately softened at the unicorn's sadness. He didn't want to upset her, just force her to reevaluate her priorities. However, it seemed he had gone too far. Slowly, he approached the mare and gently scratched one of her ears, causing her to gasp in surprise.
"I'm sorry," He said apologetically. "I didn't want to upset you. I only wanted to make sure you focused on the bigger picture, not yourself."
"But..." Twilight murmured sadly. "I lied to her. I can't... I don't... What would she think of me!? I panicked! I didn't mean to lie to her!"
"Shhhhhh..." Huey interrupted and knelt down to give her a hug, which she eagerly accepted. "I was there when you made that lie, Twilight. It was a mistake and I hope you never do it again. Celestia wouldn't have been angry at you."
"I know... I don't know what came over me."
"It doesn't matter. I'm not asking you to bear your soul to Celestia," Huey soothed. "I have an idea that will allow us to get the funds we need."
"Y-You do!?"
"Yes, which is why I asked the mayor to send Spike up."
As he finished his sentence, the aforementioned dragon waddled into the room.
"Speak of the devil!" Huey chirped, while disengaging from the hug he and Twilight were sharing. "Spike, I am in need of Twilight's number one assistant's special talent!"
"One letter to the princess coming up!" Spike replied jovially, a proud smile plastering itself onto his face as he gathered up the necessary resources Twilight had been using previously.
"To Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna," Huey began. "I apologise fo-"
"Princess Luna!?" Spike and Twilight repeated in surprise. "But why?"
"Two reasons," Huey replied calmly. "She is the only monarch in Canterlot at this time, since Celestia is in Fillydelphia sorting out an infestation. Also, I know that she has a great deal of money, which she wishes to donate to worthy causes. Suffice to say, I do believe rebuilding an entire town counts as one, don't you?"
"Huh..." Spike muttered. "Fair enough! You were saying?"
"I apologise for sending a letter to you so soon after we last saw each other mere hours ago," Huey dictated. "However, I have encountered a calamity that requires a vast amount of bits to remedy. To provide a basic overview, Ponyville has been subjected to a massive amount of damage that has left many of the residents without a safe home to live in. I, along with Princess Celestia's protege, Twilight Sparkle, and a few select individuals, have already begun properly surveying the damage, however it is plain to even the average equine that this will require a large amount of bits to fix. As such, I wish to request, in the most humblest of terms, that you provide financial support to this worthy cause.
Forever yours,
"Forever yours?" Twilight probed inquisitively. "Why not use a normal 'Yours Sincerely'?"
"'Yours sincerely' comes across as very..." Huey explained thoughtfully. "Mechanical. After all, it's the basic ending one writes automatically at the end of a letter to a friend. Personally, I consider Princess Luna to be worthy of something better."
"Ohhhh! Yes, I can see that point of view." Twilight mused, while Spike rolled up the parchment and set it alight with a blaze of green flame. Huey smiled weakly as he watched the flames evaporate into a mere puff of smoke that flew out of the window.
"Still, with that letter sent... All we can do now is wait until the survey's finished and Luna sends a response."
"If that's the case," Spike said nonchalantly. "Why not come downstairs and have some food? Pinkie was able to rustle up plenty of grub for the town!"
Huey and Twilight glanced at each other, silently communicating whether they had anything else they needed to do before they agreed. After Twilight gave a nod to indicate they were truly done, Huey looked back at Spike.
"Sounds like a great idea!"
"It was horrible! Horrible!"
Huey grimaced as Rarity and Pinkie Pie relayed to him the devastation that their respective dwellings had endured. Pinkie Pie lived in the attic of Sugarcube Corner, her place of work, thanks to her employers, Carrot and Cup Cake. Meanwhile, Rarity had her own location, which Huey had already been made aware of, the Canterlotian styled Carousel Boutique. The two mares had discovered that both locations had been totally destroyed by the parasprites.
"What will Mr and Mrs Cake do!?" Pinkie panicked. "They're expecting a foal soon!"
"What?" Huey exclaimed in surprise. "One of your employers is bearing a child!?"
The party mare nodded sadly and pointed towards a yellow stallion with a ginger mane, accompanied by a small, pudgy sky blue mare with a two tone pink mane.
"They're over there," Pinkie sighed. "If only I'd been quicker in getting those instruments. I could have saved Sugarcube Corner. Mrs. Cake's been so nice to me, and I don't want her to be stressed! It's bad for her and the foal!"
"You're right," Huey concurred. "However, the committee have prioritised the rebuilding of homes that belong to households with children, or expecting children, so they are near the top of the list."
"Really!?" Pinkie chirped merrily. "That's great! I'll go tell them right now!"
Huey swiftly reached out and grabbed Pinkie as she began to bounce towards her employers.
"No!" He stated authoritatively. "You cannot tell them."
"Why not!?" Pinkie asked in confusion. "They'd be absolutely thrilled to hear the good news!"
"Because it's possible that some may feel like they're second class citizens due to the fact that we're prioritising the needs of the foals over them!" Huey explained. "Rarity, how do you feel about being left at the back of the queue, simply because you don't have foals?"
"Perfectly fine, Huey!" Rarity said indifferently. "I can definitely understand why you'd want to do that. After all, my sister would get her home fixed sooner!"
"You have a sister?"
"I do! Her name's Sweetie Belle. She's still a foal, bless her, but she's my sibling all the same."
"Fair enough, that kind of biases you in favour of the decision though," Huey remarked. "But you both can see how that might be seen as unfair, right? After all, what about households that can't have foals or they haven't decided to have any yet? They're hardly going to be too pleased that their inability or choices mean they have to endure being homeless longer than those who decided to start a family!"
"I guess you're kind of right," Pinkie mused. "Seems a bit selfish to me."
"That's a matter of perspective, sadly," Huey countered. "Regardless, I'll see about having a quiet word with The Cakes to inform them of this. However, I must ask that both of you say nothing of what you've heard to anyone."
"Okay..." Pinkie replied sadly. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Huey watched in surprise as Pinkie made her promise with a vast array of flamboyant gestures. Once the ritual was over, he scratched the back of his head.
"Um... Okay..." He said slowly. "I guess that works. Is that something particularly special?"
"It's a Pinkie Pie Promise!" She explained. "That means you will never ever break it!"
"And if one does break a Pinkie Promise?"
"Well, that has to happen first!" Pinkie chirped. "No one's broken a Pinkie Pie Promise they made to me... And I've never broken one either!"
"Okay then!" Huey said in exasperation, before turning to Rarity. "What about you? Do you promise?"
"Of course, darling! My lips are sealed!"
The human glanced towards Pinkie Pie, and then back at the fashionista, before narrowing his eyes.
"Pinkie Pie Promise?" He said slyly. Rarity's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but quickly recovered, sighed and performed the ritual.
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Rarity promised, her tone showing signs of annoyance at the lengths Huey was taking. Huey smiled once the promise had been made.
"Meanwhile, I must thank you for acquiring all this food, Pinkie! You really beat all expectations."
Pinkie Pie had been able to set up a number of buffet tables around the perimeter of the room, and furnished them with a variety of comestibles. In addition, Vinyl was busy performing her talent of crafting electronic music. However, it was incredibly subdued, providing a quiet veil of background music instead of the loud, thumping that dominated the action.
"It's nice to see Vinyl is helping too," Huey remarked. "I should consider getting her a gift to show my gratitude or something."
"A gift?" Rarity repeated. "That's a rather forward gesture to make."
"How so?" He asked. "She provided the microphone that allowed me to broadcast the rallying call to the entirety of the town. She's helping with maintaining a relatively calm atmosphere, even though things are pretty grim. All of this she did without being specifically asked, I must add!"
"That's hardly anything special," Rarity countered. "It's normal for ponies to help one another like that."
"Really?" Huey asked, earning him a nod. "Huh... My kind aren't so altruistic."
"Altru-what?" Pinkie asked.
"Altruistic," Huey repeated. "It's the act of being selfless, charitable, caring about others to the point where you would help them... Even if it means you're worse off in the end."
"Ohhhhhhhhh!"
"Why would your species not want to help their fellow kind?" Rarity enquired. "You're all the same, surely?"
"Many humans would disagree," Huey explained sadly. "It's common for my kind to be incredibly tribal regarding particular things. Some believes that one skin colour is better than the others, some believe that their religion should be adhered to, even if it means forcing others to do so."
"I don't understand," Rarity muttered. "Skin colour? Religion?"
"How to explain this... Imagine that there was a group of ponies who had varying shades of white as their coat colour. This group firmly believe that they, by having a white coat, are better than everyone else." Huey explained. "They believe that they should rule over everyone else, because they are 'better' than those who are not like them."
"But... What makes them special?" Pinkie mused. "Rarity has a white coat and she's not automatically special because to that."
"That's the insanity of it," Huey sighed. "My kind can have some very silly views. There are a group who believe that people that have the same skin colour that you can see on me are better than everyone else. Many do horrible things to people that aren't like them. Hurting them, tormenting them... Killing them."
"Killing!?" Rarity spluttered in alarm. "But why!? That's stupid!"
"I don't know, Rarity," He replied. "My kind are capable of kindness and evil in equal measure. However, it is more common for us to focus on our own personal interests, instead of the interests of those around us. Along with harbouring incredibly narrow-minded and cruel views for the most nonsensical reasons."
"I don't like the sound of these humans," Pinkie commented. "You're nice, Huey, but other humans sound reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally mean!"
"It's a mixed bag," Huey added. "Some are nasty, some are nice, some can be nice and nasty... Depending on the situation."
"Still, lording it over others just because they have a particular feature!" Rarity exclaimed. "That's positively dreadful! It's a good to see that we ended up with you, Huey, you're an absolute delight... In comparison to what you've said other humans can be like."
"Yeah, an absolute delight." Huey repeated quietly. His heart felt heavy due to the comment reminding him of the fact that Rarity didn't truly know him. He didn't truly know himself either. The memories locked away within him could reveal that he was the very monster he had described. Could he truly be a racist or a bigot in reality?
"Huey?"
"Huh?" He exclaimed in surprise, his quiet musing interrupted by Spike. "What?"
The little dragon held out a scroll.
"Your reply arrived!" He said. "Just thought you'd like to read it now, rather than later!"
"Thanks, Spike," Huey murmured before turning away and unfurling the parchment. Much to his surprise, a smaller slip of paper slipped out and began falling to the floor once he had opened it. After catching the runaway paper, he began to read the letter.
"Dearest Huey,
We are most distressed to hear that Ponyville has been subjected to such hardship! Naturally, we could not refuse your plea for help. As such, we have enclosed a signed cheque with this reply. Once you are aware of the extent of the funds needed, just write it onto the cheque and take it to the nearest bank branch. As for your concerns regarding the sending of a letter so soon after leaving, do not worry, we are ecstatic to hear from you. We must admit that we are already missing you terribly and, privately, we wish you had not left. However, we cannot allow our desires to interfere with yours.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
Huey's heart swelled at the confession, personal ending and the usage of her nickname. He felt honoured and privileged that Luna had seen fit to be so informal, if one disregarded the usage of the royal 'we'. Glancing at the blank cheque he had been given, he smiled and pocketed it before noticing a curious Pinkie Pie staring at him.
"Good news?"
"Excellent news, Pinkie Pie!" Huey corrected, while kneeling down to give her a hug. "It is fantastic news! The best news ever!"
"Hurray!" Pinkie chirped and wrapped her forehooves round his neck to return the hug. "I don't know what the news is exactly, but hurray!"
"Money, Pinkie!" Huey explained. "The question of how to pay for the supplies needed to rebuild Ponyville has been answered! We can begin any time we want."
"Yay!" Pinkie squealed with joy, her embrace tightening. "When do we begin?"
"As soon as Drill Bit and his crew return. They're inspecting all of the buildings in town to see how damaged they are. We can then begin organising crews and rebuilding!"
Pinkie Pie squeed in excitement and almost crushed Huey's neck with a vice-like hug. She then gave his cheek a quick kiss before disengaging.
"Goodie!" She squeaked. "I'm gonna go and tell the others!"
Huey blushed and touched the cheek Pinkie had pecked. The sudden act of intimacy surprised him, due to the fact that there was a definitive species divide between himself and the hyperactive equine. However, it hadn't fazed her in the slightest as she zipped towards Vinyl's DJ booth and snatched the microphone.
"Good news, everypony!" She declared ecstatically. "I've just found out that the problem of paying for the stuff needed to rebuild Ponyville has been solved! Things are gonna be A-okay!"
The crowd inside the library erupted into a raucous cheer. Huey grinned nervously. He would have preferred it if Pinkie had not broadcast that revelation, but there was little he could do. It was not long before he spotted Twilight wading through the crowd towards him.
"Huey!" She called out. "What's going on? What did Luna say?"
"What do you think, Twilight?" Huey asked sarcastically. "She gave us a blank cheque!"
Twilight gasped as Huey presented the slip of paper that Luna had bestowed upon him.
"Oh my gosh!" She wheezed in surprise. "But... How?"
"Long story," Huey said. "A law over a thousand years ago limited royal control over the treasury, but provided both princess' with a monthly stipend to allow them to buy personal items."
"Luna used her money?" Twilight mused. "But, she's only been here for a few days!"
"The law was passed long before she was banished, Twilight," Huey explained. "She's got a sizeable personal fortune saved up."
"W-Wow..." The lavender mare exclaimed. "I... I've got to send her a thank you letter!"
"We can send one together later, Twilight," Huey interrupted. "For now, let's wait until Drill Bit finishes his preliminary work before we do anything."
"Alright."
"Meanwhile, how are the others?" He enquired. "I heard that Pinkie and Rarity's homes got demolished, but what about the others?"
"Fluttershy was able to escape with only minor damage to her belongings," Twilight stated. "Applejack and her family tried to protect their farm, but the parasprites ended up consuming her barn! As for Rainbow Dash, her home is made of clouds, so her house could be rebuilt in a few hours without help."
"Clouds?" Huey repeated. "She has a house made of clouds!?"
"Mhm! Pegasai are able to manipulate clouds, not just for weather control, but for construction too!"
"Wow..." Huey said in surprise. "That's a sight I must see!"
"There's an entire city made of clouds that many pegasai live in called Cloudsdale."
"Can I go there?"
"I doubt it," Twilight replied with a grimace. "Pegasai are the only species, apart from griffons, that can naturally walk on clouds. I don't think humans can."
"Oh, humans definitely can't walk on clouds." Huey concurred. "In fact, it's amazing that pegasai can walk on clouds! On Earth, clouds aren't solid... So nothing can manipulate, or walk on, them."
"Another difference between your world and ours," Twilight mused. Huey nodded and folded his arms before looking out across the crowd. They had yet to start the gargantuan task of rebuilding the town, but Huey felt confident that the task could be done. There was a dedicated crew of professionals surveying the town, Princess Luna had graciously provided unlimited funding, and the town's morale was clearly high.
"I have a good feeling about this, Twilight," Huey said quietly. "I think we'll be able to pull through this."
"Me too, Huey," Twilight agreed. "Thanks to you."
"Me?"
"You secured the funding for this, and brought us all together," Twilight explained. "I don't know what you're thinking, but this initiative exists because of you, in my view."
Huey grimaced. He had never thought of it like that. As far as he was concerned, this was a disaster that warranted a swift recovery. If that meant that they all pulled together to fix it, then so be it. At no point had it occurred to him that he was special or noteworthy for spearheading the effort.
"I guess that's true," Huey admitted. "But, I'd rather that it's not mentioned. We're all in this together, plus my home survived unscathed compared to many others! So, I'd rather not take any credit for this."
Twilight hummed and nodded before standing beside Huey to watch the crowd with him.
"The damage ain't as bad as it looks," Drill Bit explained. "Sure, most of the buildings have great big chunks bitten out of them, but the fact that some are still standing shows that these homes are real tough cookies."
"That's fantastic!" Mayor Mare exclaimed. "What of the theatre and hospital?"
"Oh, the theatre needs a bit work," Crafty Crate stated. "But Drill and his crew were able to fix up the hospital themselves."
"Even better!" Huey chirped before giving the two stallions a firm hoof-shake. "Gentlecolts, you have my deepest thanks. I must also inform you that while you were away, we were able to secure unlimited funding. We are, in essence, ready to begin work as soon as possible!"
The group murmured in excitement and delight at the news of the funding problem being solved. The quintet had retreated back upstairs to Twilight's bedroom once Drill Bit and Crafty Crate had returned to discuss the next step to take.
"Great!" Drill Bit said. "Just say the word and me and my crew will begin work!"
"We can begin work tomorrow," Mayor Mare stated. "It's already nearing the end of the day, and the townsfolk will, undoubtedly, be tired. We should rest and be up bright and early tomorrow!"
"No objections here." Twilight said, while Huey hummed in agreement. The two stallions nodded too, finalising the decision.
"Good!" The mayor remarked. "We'll begin tomorrow. However, we need to provide beds for all of these ponies!"
"Is there a place we can obtain sleeping bags?" Huey asked. "With unlimited funding, we could buy a pile of them for emergencies like this one."
"We don't have anywhere that sells sleeping bags," Twilight said. "But we could speak to Davenport!"
"Davenport?"
"He runs 'Quills & Sofa's'. Sells beds too!" Crafty explained. "We could buy or borrow plenty of mattresses and blankets from him!"
"And make up the rest with mattresses, pillows and blankets taken from the unsafe homes." Mayor Mare added. "After all, I doubt he'd have enough to provide the entire town with one!"
"Mhm," Drill Bit murmured. "Some of those houses we inspected were still habitable. The rooms that got chewed into weren't bedrooms, so... We could move some households back in now and patch up their homes as soon as we wake up tomorrow."
"Brilliant!" Huey said happily. "That sounds like a plan to me!"
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
"Then let's get straight to it!" Mayor Mare declared. "I'll head downstairs with Crafty Crate and Drill Bit to explain this to the rest of the town. You and Twilight can get some shut-eye, we'll have a lot of work to do tomorrow!"
Got it!" Huey replied as the three equines wandered downstairs. Once they had disappeared, he turned towards Twilight, who was looking out of the window.
"Twilight?"
"Hmmm?" She hummed in response. "Oh! Sorry, I was just wondering about this."
Huey approached the window and looked out at the orange and pink sky Twilight was pointing at.
"The sky?"
"Yes," She muttered. "I've never seen anything like this before. Nothing I've read has shed light on why the sky's orange and pink... Or why the sun and moon are so slow in changing places."
Huey smirked and knelt down beside the lavender unicorn.
"What you're seeing is an effect caused when the sun is rising above, or falling behind, the horizon," He explained softly. "It's nothing to be afraid of. Humans see this every single day due to our day and night cycle being dictated by physics, not the intervention of magical beings."
"What?"
"The sun and moon move by themselves," Huey clarified. "I divulged what I knew about this to Luna, while I was in Canterlot."
"You've got to tell me about it too!" Twilight demanded with a sharp intake of breath. "I must know!"
"And you shall!" Huey declared. "But first, I'd like to enjoy this event with you. I trust you can appreciate its beauty, now that you're not afraid."
Twilight looked out of the window and looked at the sea of vibrant colour. After a few moments of contemplation, she nodded.
"It is beautiful," She agreed. "But there's one thing bothering me."
"And what's that?"
"Do your kind have a name for this?" She asked, her hoof gesturing towards the sky.
"They do," Huey murmured. "The name will surprise you."
"It will?"
"Undoubtedly. You see, humans call what you see right now... Twilight."
The unicorn merely gasped in response.
