Tales Of Somnambula

The sun decided to take a break.

Which wouldn’t have been an issue any other day, but today I needed to find my way through this sizzling sandbox the locals refer to as the San Palomino desert. I needed only to know where South is so I could reach a town called Somnambula, and it would have been easy if Mother Nature didn’t decide playing a cloudy prank on me was amusing. Clouds mean no sun, meaning I can’t tell where East is, which means I’m aimless.

The San Palomino desert, Southwest of Equestria. Or as civilized folk would call it: “Nowhere”. There isn’t much to do here. Yellow sand dunes as far as the eye could see, and if the stories surrounding the place are true then there isn’t much after but mountains overlooking the Southern Lunar ocean. If the merciless heat doesn't do you in, the wildlife will. And should they fail, then thieves, thugs, and bandits will gladly pick up where the others left off. No wonder their Queen doesn’t want anything to do with the place.

I wonder, if I die here, and some pony scientist or another finds me, what would they think? Would they take my bony remains for investigation, or would they leave it there like they do any other victim of the desert? Would they take my death as a warning to all dwellers of this sea of sand, or will they laugh upon seeing what’s left of me; another sucker born and gone? But, would they even be able to find them at all before the searing winds bury them in a sandy grave?

None of that matters now. I am lost, in a place I know nothing about, surrounded by a slow looming death from all angles, no way to retread my steps back to civilization, and all of this because I refused to hire a guide at the station. Not like I would have agreed; he offered to take me to the city for the low-low price of 300 bloody bits, one way. I wasn’t about to be ripped off by him, I thought then. Though the only rip-off that was left for me now, it seems, is vultures ripping the flesh off of my decomposing corpse. Oh look, there they are now. Or are they clouds? Hallucinations already. How nice.

“Hello there!”
I flinched at the surge of friendliness coming from this stranger’s voice in my ears, polite yet direct. I turned around. A young mare in a red dress, wearing a yellow scarf around her neck, and comically round glasses covering half her face. She couldn’t contain her giggling when she witnessed my reaction, and I couldn’t honestly blame her.

“Why so gloomy? Are you lost?” she asked, dawning a sweet smile. There was a noticeable curiosity in her voice, one that would have usually annoyed me, but given the circumstances, I couldn’t afford to pick and choose my help. I looked around at the empty spaces surrounding us, then at the sky still holding on to its cottony coat of clouds like a foal clutching on to a toy. Let’s see: Sarcasm or survival? A witty retort, or a chance at continuing my existence?

Entertaining my pride was not an option.

“Yes, Ma’am, I am indeed lost. I got off at the Las Pegasus train station and was told to go South if I wanted to reach a town called Somnambula. I have been walking for quite a while, but I haven’t been going anywhere.” I wonder if she asked that seriously, or just to spite me. Certainly didn’t seem the type, so why ask a question you most likely already know the answer to?

“That’s because you’ve been going Southeast, silly. Somnambula is Southwest,” she said, pointing to my left at the direction I assumed was what she thought was Southwest. “See that big mountain over there?” still pointing, now at what looked to be a triangular shape in the far distance. “You see it, don’t you? That’s Somnambula’s very own pyramid. It’s visible from every corner of the San Palomino desert, a beacon helping all travelers find their way around, and right under it is the town you seek.”

That was helpful.
“Thank you very much, Ma’am,” I replied, putting my hoof at my heart and bowing slightly. “I will make my way there immediately. I hope we meet again. Farewell.” I turned around towards the supposed pyramid and walked away. Now that she brought it up, how did I not notice it before?

“Wait,” she said, running up to me. “Don’t you think it’d be better if we go there together? It’s always nicer when you have a friend.”

I’m sorry, a what now?
“Lady, I appreciate you looking out for me, I sincerely do, but you have already shown me the way. You have done more than enough.”

“Don’t mention it,” she replied. “Folks here may feel a little uncomfortable around strangers, but we all help any way we can. It’s our way.”

Sure. It’s your way until you meet a tourist, in which case the less of them the better, right?
“Moreover, Miss, I don’t want to become even more of a burden on you than I already have. I can take care of myself.”

She snickered.
“I’m sure you can, I’m just worried the desert might not agree. Lest you forget you were lost not five minutes ago,” she said, her face beaming. “I heard you muttering under your breath for at least half an hour. You’re not from around here, are you?”

So innocent, and deceivingly crafty. My pride was getting stuck in my throat, but I gulped it down.

“I live there, so how about we make a deal: I take you to Somnambula since I was heading there as well, and you tell me more about yourself in return. Deal?”

Ah, the illusion of choice. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one here giving something the other one doesn’t have, but since it’s so trivial it shouldn’t logically matter, right?

“Deal,” if you want to play that way, then I should establish a few rules of my own, “but only until we reach the town. No questions too personal, and no taking the long way around. We’re already running out of daylight as is. Deal?” I asked. “Deal!” she so eagerly replied.

And that’s how I ended up back on the road to my original destination with an adorable nuisance trotting beside me. Light of the heavens and earth, help me, for this is going to be a long trip.

***

“So,” she began firing, “what’s your name?”

“Harun. Harun Abdul-Mujeeb.”

“Ooh. ‘Servant Of The Responding One’. That’s a nice name. Where are you from?”

Hold up, how did you figure that out?
“I’m from Saddle Arabia. Specifically the capital: Al-Rawdah.”

“I’ve never been anywhere outside Equestria, but I’ve heard nice things about the place.” I’m sure you have. Difficulty of travel and lack of communication between the two nations notwithstanding.

“Anyhoo,” I felt her putting a little more effort into the next one. “This one I have been wondering about ever since we met, so excuse me for asking, but what kind of goat are you?” she said, staring at my horns.

“I am an oryx, thank you very much. Goats don’t have long curved horns like mine. Very rarely do they have my white complexion.”

“Oh, sorry.” she said. Clearly distressed. “You’re not upset, are you?”

“No, not at all. You get used to it after a while. I’m only thankful there’s no malice behind your question,” I hope. That was a lie, because I was in fact slightly peeved, but you’re not the first pony to do that, and I doubt you’d be the last. “Your apology shows you care, and that alone makes you better than most creatures I’ve met.”

“Okay. Thanks,” she answered, still veering her head to the side from the guilt. For a second I felt bad for her. A second, because she perked up the moment her mind processed I said “creatures”. Aren’t we supposed to be close to the town by now?

“Creatures? You mean there are other creatures where you come from aside from ponies?” she asked, her enthusiasm flooding back. I was happy she felt better again, but that meant more interrogations.

“Yeah. Believe it or not, there’s more to the world than ponies, flying ponies, and magic ponies,” I said, putting on the happy voice of a depressed, underpaid clown. “There are horses, and camels, and goats, and deer, and gazelles.”

She listened with utmost concentration. She didn’t seem to question what I said, so I kept going.

“I even heard of these mysterious creatures of infinite beauty and endless wisdom,” I didn’t. “Their manes fair as snow, their eyes black as the night sky, their skin soft as silk, and their hooves hard as steel. Their stallions are heroes, and their mares are goddesses. Want to know who they are?”

Her eyes were sparkling and her face was shimmering with utter excitement.

“Yes! Please tell me,” she said, bouncing in anticipation.

“Oryxes. They’re oryxes,” I replied, dropping the act. Her face drooped down in an instant. I admit that, in hindsight, this was not a good idea.

“Well, that wasn’t exciting at all.”
“Ask a silly question; get an appropriate answer.”

Her face spoke of disappointment, but her lips said “Very well.” and very well, I prayed it was. I was getting impatient walking the distance just as the pyramid was becoming clearer. No longer a vaguely triangular shape, but a pony-made mountain visible for all to see. The sun was on the western horizon now, the clouds are finally gone, and the sky painted an amber color with broad strokes of violet not too far behind. We didn’t have much time till nightfall.

“Look, Ma’am, I’m sorry you didn’t like my answer, but that’s the truth. Well, not the mysterious divine bit - that I made up - but the bit about there being more than ponies in the world,” I said. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a sulky pout.

“Besides, I fear time is not on our side. Could we please hurry it up to the town before it’s dark?” Please? I’d hate to spend the night with you.

She looked up as if to validate my concerns, then said “Alright, but one last question:” My patience was at its limits. Fortunately, that limit was my smile. “Sure. What is it?”

“Of all the places a tourist from your country would visit in Equestria - of all the forests and waterfalls and snow and mountains – why the San Palomino desert, and why Somnambula in specific? It seems counterproductive, if you ask me, since there’s nothing this town could offer you that you don’t already have back home. And the pyramid? It’s closed off; its entrance unknown.” The sudden shift in tone took me by surprise. A legitimate question, but I was certain there was more than curiosity behind this one.

“So tell me, why did you come here?”

“I’m looking for someone.” No point in lying.

“A relative of yours?”
“A friend of theirs. They left home long ago and I came here looking for them based on information I was given.”

“A Saddle Arabian, or an oryx, like yourself?”

That’s it. I’m officially done with this pony.
“Excuse my attitude, because my patience is running thin, but aren’t you asking perhaps too many questions for your own good?”

She didn’t seem too bothered by this. In fact, she seemed like she was expecting it. As if she was wondering what took me so long.
“But we had a deal, remember?”

Yes, I do. And I’m altering it right now.
“OUR DEAL” I blurted out. “Was that you could run your mouth all you want and I get a guide back to your town. Our deal was that you wouldn’t take the long way around just so you could take more than we bargained for. Our deal was me putting up with you over-friendliness and ongoing inquisition on the hope that you’d uphold your end and take me to your town before dusk so that we’d hopefully avoid becoming some hungry monster’s dinner.”

I pointed at the western horizon, the sun now hiding behind a mountain, and what little light left was fading by the minute.
“Would you look at that? The sun’s almost gone, I’m sitting in the middle of nowhere shouting at pony Red Riding Hood, and will soon be sharing the stomach of some beast with her as well. My only solace is that I will not be devoured alone.”

“Hey, keep it down.” I heard an old passersby say. “SHUT UP!” I shouted back.

I turned to face her and looked her straight in the eyes.
“So now, how about you answer me this one question, dear lady: Where is Somnambula?”

She returned my stare dead-on, raised her hoof, and pointed to her right.
“Over there.”

“What do you mean over there-”
I cut myself off when I saw what was on my left. We weren’t quite there, no, but that city was definitely the one. Huge gates on all four sides of its outer wall, and a golden pyramid keeping watch on it and its inhabitants. The houses, the bazaars, the ponies toiling about. There was no doubt; this was Somnambula.

Pride goeth before destruction, I’m told. However, no one told me I would be destroyed in two words.
“Wow... I- I’m sorry. I-”

She raised her hoof up telling me to stop. Grinning with satisfaction.
“No worries, It’s alright. I was testing your patience on purpose. It’s fun seeing how far you can push ponies before they snap. It’s a good way to learn who they are.”

It is? How often do you do this?

“Of course, there are better ways to do so, but they usually take more time, and they require the subject to be in a relaxing environment. I didn’t have that luxury with you, and I had to make use of what little time we had. I’m sorry for giving you this much trouble.”

Little time? Didn’t she say she lives here?

“I need to go now, I have probably made a few ponies worried about me already,” she said, looking at a group of ponies waving at her. Five mares standing beneath the western gate. She waved back. “Here they are. I must go now. I hope we meet again, Harun of Saddle Arabia. It’s been fun. Goodbye.” She started running in their direction.

“Wait!” she stopped. “I have caused you so much trouble and still didn’t apologize properly. Besides, I don’t even know your name.”

She giggled. That smile lighting up her face once again.
“It’s alright. And the name is Manara. Manara Mubarak.”

She ran to her friends, and soon after they disappeared into the city. I followed them inside, looking for a place to spend the night.