The day started like any other. The alarm clock jolted me rudely away from the dream I had been having about Equestria; my favourite refuge from the incessant demands of daily life. My sanctuary.
In my dream, Rarity was reprising her role of seamstress to her friends and had been singing The Art of the Dress while designing each of them a fabulous new themed ensemble so that they could look their best attending the forthcoming red-carpet Canterlot premiere of My Little Pony The Movie.
The alarm’s impatient mechanical cry for attention seemed such a brutal intrusion into my happiness, dragging me back to the mundanity of the waking world with all of its pressures that I just wanted to go back, even if only for a few precious minutes so I could see how the dresses turned out and what a success the night would be for them all.
It was not to be. I was running late and even breakfast had to be a hurried affair before I pitched myself out onto the street running through a checklist of things that I needed to have with me, but had inevitably left behind, leaving me no time to do anything about it now. Damage limitation; that’s all it was – just knowing what I’d forgotten made it easier to plan a way forward with the minimum of embarrassment and inconvenience.
I was listening to a collection of my favourite My Little Pony songs on my phone and when the opening bars to Becoming Popular started, I couldn't help but feel a smile spread across my face as I found my feet stepping in time to the upbeat tempo. Inspired by the music, my mind conjured up pieces of the next fanfiction story I wanted to write and whirled them all around in my head as a challenge for me to grab them before they were lost forever like individual sparkles in the morning dew.
I fumbled for a notepad and jotted down a few quick notes about each of the ideas as the storyline started to take shape in my mind while threading my way carefully around fellow pedestrians, all equally as keen as me to get where they were going, everyone wrapped up in their own private little worlds, but nobody paying any particular attention to anyone else.
A large impersonal building that was my destination loomed up on the other side of the road and I casually checked to see if there was a gap in the traffic, pulling out my earpiece just to make sure I could hear if anything was coming that I hadn’t seen and stepped out, still swept along by the inspiration of my new storyline. It seemed almost a criminal act to leave Rarity in mid-song, but I knew her seductive transatlantic tones would be waiting for me to put my earpiece in again as soon as I was safely on the other side of the road.
Suddenly, my vision whirled around and I was completely disorientated, finding myself standing beside a black car that had just come to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. The driver flung his door open and jumped out, looking very concerned.
I looked at the car and recognised the distinctive lines of a Prius hybrid. No wonder I hadn’t heard it approach, it was battery powered and almost silent. Still, I couldn’t feel any aches or pains, so considered myself lucky that I hadn’t been hurt.
“Hey!” I shouted to the driver “I’m OK – just a near miss that’s all. I guess I didn’t hear your car coming – sorry to frighten you.”
He completely ignored me.
“Fine” I grumbled “Treat me like I’m invisible, why don't you?”
Next thing I felt a gentle nudge at my side and turned to see a pair of teal eyes looking back at me from the midnight blue fur of a familiar face.
“Princess Luna!” I gasped in surprise “Now I know I’m dreaming!”
She shook her head softly and gave me a gentle nuzzle. I responded by reaching out to stroke her muzzle and to my surprise felt her lean in gently in appreciation. She accepted some petting and then drew my attention to a crowd forming at the front of the car.
“OK Princess” I said, “I’ve got time to check it out if you want, but I really should be somewhere else by now.”
She raised an eyebrow betraying one of any number of emotions, but I couldn’t read which one.
“I guess you can’t talk, huh?” I said, before adding “Oh sorry, I should have addressed you as Princess …”
She didn’t seem to mind my breach of protocol, but nudged me to see what was happening at the centre of the crowd.
I craned to see, and caught sight of someone lying in the road. At second glance I noticed they had a similar colour shirt to me with jeans and trainers just like mine.
“Poor soul” I said respectfully “Someone’s having a far worse day than me.”
As I watched, I saw a guy in a trenchcoat step forward from the crowd and roll the victim over to begin CPR. A familiar looking notebook fell out of the victim's hand and I began to feel a tingle running down my spine. A sense of fatalism swept through me and although I didn't want to look, I found my attention drawn inexorably to looking more closely and wasn't entirely surprised to see that the logo on the front of the victim's shirt was exactly the same as mine. Meanwhile, in a discarded earpiece lying in the road, Rarity finished singing her song, unheard and unappreciated.
“Have you ever noticed that there is always someone who steps up to help out in a crisis” I heard a soft familiar voice comment by my side.
“I thought you couldn’t speak ...”
“Not while you were alive” she answered.
“Oh ...” I said, suddenly recognising how all the pieces fitted together “I see.”
“When a human passes” she said softly, her teal eyes looking into mine “The most important person to them who doesn’t live in the real world comes to help them pass into the next realm. This could be a parent or a friend who has already passed, but in your case that most important person, or rather pony, is me, so your transition is my responsibility.”
“Is there anything more I have to do here?” I enquired in a reverential whisper.
“No. Your time here has run out now.”
I found myself holding onto her as the most solid and reassuring thing in my world and shed a tear, whether for myself, my family or my friends, I would never know, but I was grateful as I felt the reassuring touch of her midnight blue wing embrace me and trembled a little as the shock of my loss rippled through me. Her fur was comforting and it somehow felt perfectly natural to cry a little more as the worldly tensions melted away like a clockwork spring winding down for the very last time.
"I love you, Princess Luna" I whispered "Thank you for coming for me."
In response I felt a gentle squeeze from her wing as she sensed my need, drawing me closer, my last few salty tears mingling with her equine scent and soaking into her fur.
Once I had come to grips with no longer being an invited member of the world’s population, but instead an outsider who had outgrown their welcome, I gave her a hug of acknowledgement and she furled her wing, turning to look me in the eye.
“Where would you like to go?” she asked.
“You mean there’s a choice?”
“Of course. This is your future, so you can choose what you would like.”
“I don't suppose you could take me to Equestria could you?” I enquired hopefully, but not expecting a positive response.
“Are you sure that is where you would want to spend eternity?” she asked, eyeing me with her head slightly on one side.
I cast my mind back briefly to the idyllic setting of the dream I had been having that morning before the alarm clock had dragged me mercilessly away.
“I have a dream to finish” I confided.
“Or perhaps to begin?” said the Princess of the Night with a knowing smile "I am certain Rarity would love to show you those dresses she has been working on; I believe they should all be finished by now. Who knows; perhaps there may even be a spare ticket for you to attend the premiere yourself?"
I looked at her, stunned that she had known about my dream that morning.
"Did you not remember that I patrol the dream realm?" she enquired with a mischievous sparkle glinting in her eyes, then turned and settled her haunches down, motioning for me to get on. I climbed up onto her back as carefully as I could and held on tight. I felt her tense, then spring upwards and heard the whumping sound of her majestic wings beating the air.
I turned back briefly, just long enough to spare one last sad glance at the world I was leaving behind before looking over Luna’s shoulder towards the bright light we were aiming for, feeling no trepidation, just an eagerness to experience the delights of my life to come.
***
We surged forward, Luna’s powerful wingbeats driving us closer to the light that acted as a guiding star before us. She was so self-assured on her task, her confidence dispelling any fear I may have had. It was blind resignation on my part, simply handing over my future and my life to a character who most considered as a desktop creation from an animator’s imagination, but who for me was, and always had been, so much more.
I had felt every twinge and stab of pain as she had travelled on her journey of acceptance from Nightmare Moon to beloved Princess. It had been hard, and I had shared her tears as I wished myself with her to provide her comfort and show her she had a friend in her time of need. Now, the roles were reversed, and here she was, an immortal monument to the love I held for her; a love she was reciprocating to me.
My life too had suffered bumps along the way; times when friends had misunderstood me, followed by harsh words and awkward silences, but Luna had always been there for me; faithful and true. She had been my most constant friend to help me in times of my greatest need, and I had often confided my fears in her and shed my tears, feeling her there as my only support; my most loyal friend.
Now, I felt her physical power through the closeness of our bodies as I sat upon her back, the rippling of her muscles under me as her wings drove us on, and that delightful scent of equine sweat from her exertions. I was unable to stop a smile spreading across my face as we all but merged into one another, and I leaned further forward to hug her a little tighter and whisper in her ear, “I love you, Princess Luna.”
She turned her head back to acknowledge those few special words, a sparkle dancing in her eyes.
“I know” she replied softly, “I have seen your dreams.”
After a brief pause, she added, “I hope I do not disappoint, now you have met me?”
“Oh, Princess!” I replied, holding her close and closing my eyes, “You are even better than I could have imagined.”
When I opened my eyes again, I saw that the scene before me had changed to a moonlit sky, beginning to brighten in what I assumed was the east, but that was not the most surprising thing I saw, as I had become aware of a soft blue glow fading from Luna’s horn.
“Do not be alarmed” she said, turning her head to look at me once more, “We have just crossed between two realities and are now high above Equestria. We are home.”
I took my first breaths of Equestrian air and found myself panting in excitement. We were really here!
Luna relaxed and locked her wings as she entered a gentle glide, taking us down into the darkness below. The moon’s soft glow reflected back welcomingly from the few inquisitive clouds that had come out to welcome us, and I gave a cheerful wave to them as we sailed on serenely past.
In the distance ahead, I caught a pinprick of orange light and watched intently as we drew closer, trying to make out any details I might be able to recognise. I gradually became aware of other little dots of light, and soon the image of a castle stepped tentatively out of the darkness. Although it was large, it was not threatening, but somehow familiar and welcoming.
As we drew closer, I could see a mountain rising up on one side and began to make out that the castle was surrounded by other buildings, some large, some small, and some with lights on in the windows. The layout all seemed to be familiar even though I had never been here before; if I was right, there should be some large picturesque waterfalls off to one side.
“Do hold on tightly” advised Luna, “I am about to land and do not wish for you to fall.”
Obediently, I followed her direction and straightened up on her back, tightening my grip around her neck.
Suddenly, I saw a stone wall adorned with rectangular battlements on its top skim by to one side, and gasped at the closeness of something so solid after our long flight from another world, far away.
Just then, Luna began to backwing and arrest her descent, circling her wings more speedily as we neared the ground.
A whole new series of muscle groups flexed underneath me as her wings beat faster and I trembled, not only in surprise, but also the realisation that I would shortly be setting foot on the ground, in Equestria.
Luna touched down with a gentle compression of her hindlegs and a fraction later, her forelegs did the same.
A white figure trotted over from a doorway in the castle, her features silhouetted by the torches burning in the wall sconces behind her. I didn’t need to see her any more clearly to know who she was, and my heart leapt.
“Sister” she greeted warmly, coming close to nuzzle Luna lovingly, “I am so glad you have arrived safely.”
Before the midnight Princess could answer, her sister turned her attention to me and bowed respectfully.
“We are all so honoured you have chosen to join us here in Canterlot” she welcomed me, as if I was some high-ranking foreign dignitary.
“Princess Celestia!” I blurted, happy beyond belief, “You are so kind. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Luna squatted down on her haunches to allow me to dismount, and I tried to climb off as smoothly as I could, but my legs had set in position during the long flight and were no longer quite as responsive as I had expected. I was eager to make a good impression, but my legs decided that this was a really good moment to show me that they were in charge, as I part climbed and part stumbled onto the ground, earning a slightly quizzical glance from my graceful hostess.
Regaining my composure, I stood before two alicorn Princesses, unsure of what to do next, but my heart knew, and I skipped over to Luna, flung my arms around her and planted a kiss on her muzzle. She flustered slightly; clearly this wasn’t what a visitor was supposed to do upon first meeting the two most powerful ponies in Equestria, but Celestia laughed it off politely. I planted another kiss on Luna, then returned to her sister and gave her an unashamed hug and a kiss too, before standing back to a more respectful distance.
“I could see the sun ready to rise, Sister” said Luna anxiously, “Am I late?”
“Not especially, although you may want to lower the moon once you are recovered.”
“Oh!” she gasped, “My apologies. I shall see to it right away.”
“Do not worry about our guest” Celestia added, “We shall stay down here while you perform your ritual.”
“Thank you, Sister” she shot back before springing into the air for a short flight up to the top of a nearby high tower.
“Luna has told me how much of a friend you have been to Equestria” said Celestia, turning to face me and fixing me in her soft lilac eyes.
“You are a second family to me” I replied.
“You have written many stories about us, have you not?”
“Yes, that’s true” I answered, rapidly scouring my memory for all the things I could remember having written about her, in case I had to make some swift apologies.
“With every story, we became more real to you, and for everyone who read a story about us, we became more of a reality to them too, ready to help them through their times of need. So, with each story you wrote, you helped reinforce our reality in your world, and for that, we all thank you.”
We looked up to see Luna on the balcony of the high tower, weaving an intricate web of spells with her forelegs, in response to which, the moon settled.
“However” Celestia added, not tearing her eyes from her sister, “I am not quite as addicted to cake as so many writers have appeared to suggest.”
“Oh” I flustered, feeling the heat rise in my face, “I’m sorry …”
She turned towards me and laughed gently, draping a white wing over me.
“But, I do have a good sense of humour”, she added with a wink.
The dark silhouette of Princess Luna glided down from her tower and landed a few hoofsteps away, allowing her time to shake off her feathers and furl her wings before coming over to join us.
“I have cleared the sky in readiness for the new day, Sister” she announced, “Forgive my tardiness.”
“Oh Lulu; you worry too much, but thank you anyway” her sister comforted, “If you will excuse me, I shall go and raise the sun. Would you both care to join me for breakfast once I have done?”
My eyes followed Celestia as she left.
“Sorry, wouldst thou …” started Luna before cutting herself short and starting over, “Sorry. Would you like to watch as my Sister raises the sun?”
I nodded approvingly, “If I may?”
“Yes, of course” replied the Princess, “I should have invited you to stand with me as I lowered the moon. I am just so used to doing it by myself …”
“That’s fine” I replied reassuringly, “I’m going to be here for a bit, right? Plenty more chances to watch you, I hope?”
We shared the promise of many days and nights to come as we watched Celestia, horn glowing yellow, stand on her hindlegs and lift her forelegs in one steady motion, hoisting the sun at her magical command.
Long shadows raked their retreating fingers over the land, pouring sunlight into the most sinister of darkened recesses so that they once again held no fears for ponykind.
Celestia walked over towards us, her mane and tail flowing as if caught in some early morning breeze that I could not feel. The first rays of sunlight flashed brilliantly off her crown and brought life to her blue, green and lilac colouration, as if she were emerging from a monochromatic dream.
“It looks like it will be a nice day” she commented as she joined us, “Shall we enter for breakfast now?”
She led the way into a cavernous and intricately decorated room where a pair of impressive chandeliers illuminated a long table that had been laid in readiness.
I reached for the zipper of my jacket now we had left the early morning chill outside, but before I could undo it, a cheer rang out, echoing around the dining room, making it sound as if it had been made by more than just the six ponies who waited within.
Before we reached the table, I was surrounded by some very familiar pastel coloured ponies, all of whom seemed very eager to meet me.
Introductions were made by Princess Celestia, but they were largely a formality; I knew who each of them was, and evidently, word had spread around them as to who I was too.
“Well, how d’ya do; a pleasure to make your acquaintance” one drawled while another bounced excitedly on the spot, shouting happily about something to do with a party. One more flew over them all and was in my face in a flash beaming enthusiastically, her words lost in the competing melee from her friends.
“I think our guest was in the middle of removing their jacket” said Celestia, at which cue a white unicorn edged forward and helped me out of it with her magic.
A sudden silence fell as the ponies’ eyes went wide, taking in what lay beneath.
“Well, I’ll be …” a drawl filled the silence as they all eyed up the T-shirt emblazoned with a large picture of Princess Luna that was now revealed.
Celestia turned to her sister and raised an eyebrow at her following the revelation. Luna shrugged nonchalantly, but as somepony who had known her for hundreds of years, Celestia could sense that underneath her midnight blue colouration, her sister was blushing deeply.
“Interesting” mused a studious looking unicorn, “Your species must have developed a means of crossing between our dimensions to gain such a realistic image of our Princess. Tell me, how does it work?”
“Oh, and it’s really captured your regality too” Rarity simpered admiringly, drowning out Twilight’s request.
“Well, there’s no doubting your loyalty if you’re wearing a picture of our Princess” added Rainbow Dash admiringly.
“Oh hear, hear!” cheered Rarity.
“I think it’s very nice” Fluttershy agreed quietly.
Once the excitement had died down, I found myself guided to a chair at the middle of the table and watched as the ponies all made their way to the other places that had been set for them, crowding round as close as they could, all asking questions at once.
At the head of the table, the two Princesses took their places of authority, and looked on at the happy scene which seemed to be less of receiving a visitor, but more of welcoming a returning friend.
I had been accepted.
