Chapter 1: The Mare in the Mirror

Since When am I Faust?
Chapter 1: The Mare in The Mirror

Warmth, that was the first thing I noticed. The sun was slowly rising, and the golden hue was stretched across the sky. The sound of birds began to fill the air, and the constant ticking sound from a clock almost became unnoticed. With my face buried in my pillow, I hid under the warmth of the covers. Despite my best efforts, I felt myself slowly rousing from my sleep. Peeking one eye open, I saw how a ray of light had made its way past the curtains and landed on me.

I groaned in complaint as I stirred from my slumber. My movements were slowed, and the task of opening my eyes was exhausting. It was warm, too warm. I made a move to sit up past the stiff sheets I laid in.

For some unknown reason, my room seemed different; it felt odd, like it wasn't mine. I could tell seemingly by the atmosphere and smell of the dusty drapes. Even though my eyes were still hazy and trying to adjust to the harsh light, I began to get an idea of my situation. The air was a lot drier than I remembered my room being, and it smelled stale like it had been just sitting there for ages.

I attempted to rub my eyes, but I found my hands to be unresponsive. I gave a frustrated groan and wiped my eyes with my wrist. Once I was done, I was able to see more clearly, and my senses started to return.

Immediately I noticed that everything felt off... The room, my bed, the smells, and my body, everything was wrong. My muscles, for the first time in my life, felt... Foreign and unnatural. The feeling I had could be likened to wearing a full-body suit of thick heavy clothing. But it also felt like it was me.

My heart was beginning to speed up as panic started to settle in. Despite laying in the bright sunlight, I felt a sinking chill wash over me. Questions stormed my now sobering mind, and worries of being kidnapped or held hostage demanded my attention.

I decided to do a quick check to make sure I was at the very least physically alright, but when I did, the already evident chill in the room dropped to sub-zero. I had no hands, my stumpy arms were covered in an off-white fur, and red hair hung down just at the corner of my vision.

It took a minute or so for my mind to kick in and realize that I was holding my breath in fear. I wanted to run; I wanted to scream. In fact, I was about to scream. But, as soon as I inhaled, I started to choke on the thick dust floating through the air. I ended up wheezing and coughing, thumping my arm against my chest.

Collecting enough saliva to swallow, I managed to wash down the little thing, much to my disgust. I tried calming myself physically, taking slow deep breaths to prevent hyperventilating. But I made sure to take precautions to avoid making the same mistake twice.

By this point, I was fully awake, but I was shaking. The room I was in looked abandoned, like it hadn't been used in years. Cloths and drapes covered over the furniture, and if not for the dust, the wooden floor showed no signs of age.

The room itself was rather large, with purple walls and gold accents. I saw sizeable double doors to my right; they lead to what I would guess to be the hallway. To my left was a glass door leading to a balcony. On the wall behind me was a door to a washroom and another to a walk-in closet. While I was looking around, a shimmer of light caught my eye.

On the other side of the room, a drape covering the furniture had fallen slightly. Inspecting it from afar, I noticed what looked like a mirror stood there.

Both fear and curiosity filled my soul. I just had to know. I needed to know just what had been done to me. Because, well, I wasn't even sure if I was human anymore. I had to get over there. It was for better or for worse.

"Okay, let's just do this slowly," I mumbled, slowly sifting my new limbs around with unfamiliar muscles. Each movement brought a different sensation, one alien to me. And each one sent a shiver down my spine. My mind then turned to my voice, I had noticed a feminine tone in my voice when I spoke, and it freaked me the hell out. The whole situation only made me tenser. Waking up in an unfamiliar room with a new voice and a different body. It was enough to make me feel sick.

"Just a little more." I urged myself. I was leaning my head out to see the distance I was from the ground. The torrent of thoughts storming my mind proceeded to demand my attention. However, the logical part of my mind kicked in. It convinced me to focus on my goal rather than my situation, my goal of getting out of here.

I shifted out from under the bedsheets and found my legs to match my arms. I scooted back off the bed, putting one leg on the ground. When I did, I felt my sense of pride return to me, and I opened my mouth in victory. "Ha! No prob...

THUMP

A loud thump echoed through the halls of the Canterlot castle, and Celestia looked up from her throne in confusion. "What was that?"

She looked towards the direction she heard the sound, and with a hopeful gasp, her eyes glazed over. Each possibility was painting its way in front of her eyes as to what it could be.

"Um, your highness..." A mare spoke up.

The voice of a job applicant reminded her of where she was and what she was doing. "Oh right, sorry, do continue Lillybreeze."

"..blem." I finished with a groan. I laid there sprawled out on the ground. I was waiting for the pain of falling on my face to pass. The nose area was incredibly sore, and I think it now stuck out a little further than before. It also seemed to be more sensitive to the scents around me. That is until the fuzzy cloud I kicked up from falling drifted down to my level. The dust just ended up stinging my eyes and causing my nose to itch.

"Ah-Ah-AH-CHOO!" Another cloud...

"Ugh, maybe I spoke too soon." I groaned again as I rubbed my muzzle? My pride and feeling of accomplishment had left as quickly as it had arrived.

Once the pain died down, my quest to get to the other side continued. The mirror itself was too dusty to see my reflection clearly, especially from this distance. However, that could be fixed relatively quickly with a little blow on the well-polished silver.

"Okay, right arm moves back. Left leg moves forward." I coached myself, taking one step at a time until I was able to carry a slight rhythm. I looked like an idiot, but I didn't care. As I made my way around, the unfamiliar sounds of my limbs against the floor reminded me of hooves.

Once I stumbled my way to the mirror, I took in a slow deep breath. I made sure to be careful not to breathe the dust in as quickly as last time. Carefully working my new facial muscles, I did my best to blow away the fuzzy layer. Surprisingly enough, I was able to make a circle with my lips successfully. The dust rolled into fuzz balls and floated off the mirror. Slowly, my reflection began to clear.

Once they were out of the way, I could see the image of a whitish female horse still blowing in the mirror. Her head was covered with crimson red hair making up her mane. Her eyes were blue, intense, and terrified. To my horror, the reflection copied everything I did. That was what made it terrifying. Looking at my reflection kept drilling in the fact that somehow I was now a small horse. I wasn't even an average horse; I was some creature that had cartoonish proportions. Proportions that I knew all too well.

The more I stared, the more I started to wish that I hadn't looked. I was a pony. I had a horn, and I had wings? But I was small. Looking at the proportions, I'd guess that I was the same size as an average pony. How would I know this, you ask?

Well, the reason I knew anything at all was all thanks to my younger sister. One time, while I was up late working on a project for high school, I fell asleep at my computer. My sister took the opportunity and taped me to my desk chair. She then forced me to watch the first season of My Little Pony as a prank. To my surprise, it was actually pretty good. A week later, I started on season 2.

"This can't be happening..." I whispered. A small pang of guilt shot through me as I spoke. I continued to try to think of a plausible explanation for my predicament. Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with an answer that I was willing to accept. Not only was I now a female horse, but I was also a fictional cartoon character. And one that I knew next to nothing about.

I stared at my reflection in shock, unable to move because of my mind's constant refusal to accept the reality I was facing. My thoughts were rampant and uncoordinated. Each question I asked myself was worse than the last. It was all like a constant stream of panic-filled thoughts until I got caught on one. One crucial question with my newfound situation.

"Am I stuck here?" I whispered.

Again a pang of unexplainable guilt shot through me. My eyes had started to water, and I began to cry quietly. Usually, I would have held it in, but I felt that it was okay in this situation. I watched as my tears dampened the floor. My pitiful whimpers were just barely audible. The dust on the ground slowly found itself to be a paste-like substance. And my chest began to ache.

"(For f-crying out loud. Stop crying already! This attitude doesn't suit you.)" A feminine voice called out.

I stumbled back and almost fell over. I had quickly gone from depression to fear. This voice that spoke up, it carried an air of age and authority, and for some reason, I could feel the frustration fixated on me.

"Who's there!.... Show yourself!" I demanded.

To this, I could feel her eyes roll. And the response easily conveyed the deadpan expression she must have. "(Really.. You couldn't come up with a line that hasn't been overused to the point of being cliche?)"

Even though my eyes were darting around the room, I couldn't find where the voice came from. So I started to look around the room in hopes of finding this person. Perhaps they knew what was going on, and then I could get home.

"Come out!" I called but only got silent disappointment, almost like a quiet sigh.

"(You don't listen well, do you.)" The voice sounded like whoever was speaking had their arms crossed and their head shaking with minor amusement. At least I hoped it was amusement.

I was near the dresser at the rear end of the room when she last spoke. Peering into it, I found nothing that hinted at anyone being there. There was just an old set of clothes and a small box. It had a picture of a pen and ink well.

Soon, however, I gave up my search, sitting on the ground in defeat.

"Please, I just want to know what's going on. Why am I like this! And where are you!?" I begged. A silence hung in the room for several seconds as if she were pondering what to say.

"(Oh, okay fine… It was fun while it lasted. Look to your left...)"

I did as I was told, having nothing else to go on. As I did, I found myself staring back at the mirror again. The mare that I had now become sat there in the mirror. I Blinked and tilted my head. Then suddenly, the mare in the mirror sat up straight and smiled a big smile. She carried an age to her; it was clear as day in her eyes. They seemed to be focused. A fire burned deep in the back of those eyes. And it terrified me.

"(Hello, my name is Lauren, Lauren Faust, and who might you be?)" My reflection greeted me as she gave a small wave with her hoof.

I would have stumbled back onto my rear, but I found that I no longer seemed to be in control of my body. Out of the corner of my vision, I could see my hoof was moving back and forth. My anxiety rose to an all-time high as I began to get a full sense of my unusual situation. I was somehow stuck in someone else's body, with them still in it? The only reassurance that I've had today is that I wasn't dead; that was always a good thing.

"I-It's A-Alex. W-Why can't I move?" I panicked in place, only able to move my mouth.

"(Hmm, Alexander…)"

"It's just um, Alex..."

"(Oh, okay... That will take some getting used to…)" She said, tapping her chin with her hoof, "(In any case, it's a nice name. I would say It's nice to meet you in any other circumstance, but, well… we are in an unfortunate predicament.)"

She tilted her head down slightly, and her features became sorrowful. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her as I saw the grief held in her eyes. However, as quickly as it appeared, she covered over them, and her face became stoic and business-like.

"(You see, you and I seem to be two in one. That is to say, that you and I both have come to inhabit the same body at the same time, and as far as I can see, only one can be in full control at a time.

"B-but." I stammered.

"(Calm down Alexan-Alex. I know this is strange, but please bear with me. I'm still trying to figure out what happened to us as well... From the looks of things)" Her head dropped for a second, "( I am unable to hold full control for very long. Even talking to you like this is putting a strain on me.)" She was right, too; I could see the strain in her eyes as she spoke to me, and to a certain degree, even feel it. It was a similar sensation to when someone tries to stay awake out of sheer will.

"Okay, how did this all happen?"

"(Well, several hundred years ago, no wait… That's wrong.)" She looked down as if she were searching for something, and then her focus shot back up to the mirror.

"(Ah yes, several thousand years ago, I was in a bad situation. I had to make a decision, either save myself. Or sacrifice myself for the sake of Equestria… and my family... I thought that would be the end, and it very nearly was, but a friend of mine, a traveler, they sent me to your world to save my life. You see, Alex, there's a link between our worlds, and for those who travel through it, they are reconstructed. I was sent through as I was nearing death; they were hoping it would heal me. And it did. However, when I was sent through, a surge of energy caused the link to close. Since then, I've been unable to return to this world.)"

I guess that explained some stuff, but I still didn't quite get the majority of what Lauren was saying.

"(I'm so sorry, Alex. But for years now, I have been looking for a way to get back. Then I found one, but it was very risky. I would either make it here or be split and dissolved into infinite dimensions according to my calculations. I had never expected that my actions would pull you or anyone else into this world with me...)"

"...Okay, I think I understand the situation. And to be honest, I don't know what to feel, pain, anger, sadness... But for what it's worth... It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Faust."

"(Hehe Likewise.)"

Lauren's reflection gained a genuine smile, and I felt as if a weight had lifted off of me. Or was it off of her? Her eyes then widened ever so slightly, and she called my name.

"(Alexander.)"

"Huh, what is it?"

"(I can't hold my concentration much longer, soon I'll have to go back into this body's subconscious. When I'm there, you shall have to be my substitute. Answering to my name, and dealing with my relationships.)"

I wanted to object, but part of me kind of knew this was for the best. Tilting my head to the side, I raised an eyebrow.

"How many relationships are we talkin about?"

"(Not to worry, at this point, the only ones who would remember me would be my daughters, Celestia and Luna. However, I'd prefer that we kept this knowledge of our situation just between us, but we may have to tell my daughter's if all else fails. Please be kind to them. Again don't tell anypony about us; it would be most unfortunate for us to end up in a psych ward.)"

"O-Okay, that makes sense. I'll do my best."

(From now on, whenever you need me, I'll speak to you this way, It is much less strenuous, and it will be sure to keep our secret. Oh, and one last thing, get something to eat. This body hasn't had a good meal in a very, very long time.)

After that, it was silent, and I figured she left to our subconscious. Quickly wiping a tear from my eyes, I took a good deep breath to calm my nerves.

It was about noon when Celestia was making her way through the castle. She was pondering over the mysterious bang throughout the ceiling of the royal court from this morning. It had been a minor proton of her day, but somehow it seemed significant. She just couldn't put her hoof on what it was.

Passing through the halls, she would glance at the workers and give them her patented celestial smile of approval. She had become quite accustomed to doing so throughout those long years without Luna, and it seemed to stick.

Celestia passed by the maid's room where they were cleaning the bedsheets, the kitchen where the chef was making a gourmet three-course meal, the Dining Hall where her mother was stuffing her face, then... Celestia froze, swelling emotions filling her soul; joy, sadness, and, most of all, shock. Tears started to roll freely as she trembled in place.

"M-M-M-Mother." She managed to mumble through her sniffles. Doubt clutched at her heart, but unlike the other times, other objects were in motion.

Like a statue, she stayed in the center of the hallway despite her will to run back. Her heart was beating painfully in her chest as if it wanted to run ahead of her. But still, she was overwhelmed, slowly she managed to unfreeze. Joy began to well up within her, so much so that she began having trouble containing her composure. A goofy grin covered her face.

She turned back to the dining hall, and when she made her way inside, she looked, and it was real. Her mom was sitting right there, looking up at her. Celestial bolted for it, quickening her pace more and more the closer she got to her target.

"Mother!"

I had made my way downstairs, tumbling and swearing all the way down. I was tripping all over my new hooves the entire way. Then, once I was on the main floor, I wandered the halls of this monumental castle until I found a fridge.

I didn't care or know what anything was, so I ate the first thing I saw. It turned out to be nothing other than a classic slice of Apple pie. It was so good that I kept going back for seconds. On my fourth helping, I noticed a white Alicorn open the doors to the dining room I was in. She stared at me for a moment as tears welled up in her eyes. I looked back, shocked at how much bigger Celesta was than myself.

"Mother!" She shouted, and then the next thing I knew, I was being tackled in a bone-crushing hug by none other than Sunbutt herself.

"Mother, I've missed you so much! Both Luna and I have been eagerly awaiting your return."

Celestia... Let go... Can't breathe!" I wheezed as my lungs got crushed.

It took a second for Celestia to register my pleas for air, and even when she understood, she was reluctant to let go as if she was afraid I'd disappear. When she loosened her grip, I checked myself over to make sure she didn't actually break a bone, and thankfully nothing got damaged. Looking up, I saw Celestia staring at me with tears of joy.

"Is it really you, mom?" Her question was filled with so much emotion, and I couldn't help but feel some intense sympathy for this mare.

I may have been in pain because of her, but I couldn't find it in myself to be mad at someone who seems so happy to see me. It just wasn't right. It also pained me at the same time because I wasn't really who that joy was meant for. So hiding my sudden depression, I answered for my passenger.

"Yes, Celestia, it's me," I said, giving a heartfelt smile.

That statement seemed to strike her to the very core. Celestia continued to stare at me as if she wasn't mentally present, processing what I just said. A faint smile made its way into my face, and I tapped Celestia on the nose. That seemed to bring her back to reality, and she wrinkled her nose in irritation.

"Mom, forgive me, but it's hard to believe that this is reality."

To that, I only gave a smile. Then I started to look around and ask a question that could either cause more joy or a lot of pain. Biting the bullet, I asked, "So where's Luna? Asleep, I suppose?"

Tia's eyes lit up at mentioning Luna, and she quickly made her way out of the Dining Hall. My only guess was to wake Luna. I shook my head at her response. It was like watching a child be told there's ice cream in the fridge. Or I guess in this case. It was more like telling Sunbutt that there was cake in the refrigerator.

Once the room was empty, I asked Lauren. "Was that good?"

(It was perfect, thank you.)

I gave a small smile. Then turned back to the doors where running hoof steps could be heard.

"Hey Celestia, wait up, I'm coming with you!"

As we quickly made our way to Luna's room, I ran at full speed through the halls. In an attempt to catch up with an eager alicorn. My footing was uncoordinated, and every few moments, I found myself beginning to stumble. But that didn't bother me. Instead, what I was struggling with was how noticeable I've become to those around me. I was being watched by everypony there. The guards, staff members, and regular citizens roaming the halls; were all looking intently at me with wide eyes. From my viewpoint, shock, wonder, and even a little fear were clearly evident on their faces.

While I looked around at those in the hallway, I was quickly reminded of my poor motor control over this new body. Because I was still new to this whole quadruped situation, I wasn't quite sure how to stop, and I accidentally ran into one of the maids. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, and so was she. Fiddling with my hooves as I tried to get up. After a couple of false and awkward starts, I eventually managed to lift myself. But when I did, I came to the revelation that Celestia had continued without me. She didn't notice me fall and now had left me in this giant labyrinth of halls without direction.

"I'm so sorry!!" My attention turned to the maid I'd knocked over. Confused, I turned to look behind me to see if she was talking to someone else.

However, when I turned my head back to her, the maid was bowing her head. She also had an expression that conveyed the feeling of being sincerely sorry for something. Something that wasn't even her fault.

Her apology was entirely unexpected, and I soon found myself saying, "Sorry for what? It was completely my fault." To this, the maid's head twitched upwards in surprise, and I decided to take this opportunity to ask the question that had been gnawing at me for the past few minutes, "In fact, while I have you here, do you know why everybo-pony is staring at me?"

It was a simple and straightforward answer, but the maid still tensed and gave me a nervous smile. Finally, after about four awkward seconds, she answered, "W-well, your majesty. It's b-because you're an alicorn." She squeaked.

The way she bowed her head and shivered at my presence. It was kind of unsettling. I couldn't comprehend why she would seem to fear me, so I looked at her and asked, "Pardon my asking, but do you know who I am?" I tried to speak in the nicest way possible; I didn't want to terrify her anymore. My efforts, unfortunately, only worked partway. The maid, although not overly frightened, became slightly downcast. She probably thought it was a requirement to know all the rulers of Equestria, even the ones that have been gone for a millennium.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, but I have never seen you before, and I don't know your name."

Her voice became worried as she said this, but it only drew my curiosity further.

"Then why are you scared of me?" I asked.

She flinched. Turning her head up to me with an almost desperate expression, she said, "... I-It's because you're a princess! And I'm just a maid."

A brief silence hung over us. It lasted only a moment, but then I felt myself begin to speak. "So what?" I asked. There was a sense of boredom in my tone, yet I tried to imitate Lauren's authoritative style when she spoke with me, but I just didn't have the same finesse.

"Huh?" Her surprised expression was priceless!

"I said, So what? I'm the same as you, a pony with normal feelings and emotions. The only difference between us is an occupation. Well, that and I have wings. But even at that, it's not a big difference. I serve the kingdom as a ruler, and you support me with the jobs I can't do. Technically you make it so I can be a princess or authoritative figure, so try not to be so downcast. And thank you for making my life easier. "

"..."

Her reluctance to speak was like pulling teeth. I felt a strong sense of awkwardness begin to creep in every time she sat there with a blank look in her eyes. Perhaps I went a little too far...

"So, um... Anyway, what's your name?" I asked.

This seemed to snap her out of it. As soon as I had said this, she seemed to sense my sincerity, and she offered me a smile." It's Lillybreeze. I just started working at the palace today."

"Nice to meet you, Lilly, my name is Ale-um... Lauren."

Lillybreeze seemed to cheer up at my casual introduction and finally stopped trembling." It's nice to meet you too, princess."

"Okay, I need to get going, but thanks for your help. I hope to see you around!" I called out as I started to make my way down the hall again. I quickly began to curse myself for losing Celestia. I ventured aimlessly throughout the halls of Canterlot's royal palace. I kept on passing by the same rooms and hallways as I tried to escape this labyrinth. But it was all to no avail.

(So, it looks like you made a friend.)

May as well, it's not like I have any chances of getting home anytime soon. And I'd rather be liked by everyone.

(Oh, well, okay... I guess that makes sense. But to be honest, you're taking this a lot better than I expected.)

I watched many shows based on this type of situation, so this isn't the weirdest thing I've ever thought about happening to me.

"Though I have to admit, I didn't see it being thrown into this universe... That was a shock." I said the last part in an undertone as I walked through the hall, staring out the windows in thought.

Ten minutes later, I was still looking for Luna's bedroom. With little results, I continued talking to myself, figuring two heads wrestling better than one. But still, that wouldn't give us the directions, and I was beginning to enjoy the exploration.

(Alex, there are servants right over there. Just go and ask where Luna's room is.)

We could, but I kind of want to find it by myself.

(Alex, Celestia and Luna are waiting for us. Just go and ask!)

"Fine, but I still say it would be more fun to explore, like how we found the kitchen," I said with a disappointed grumble. Looking up from my conversation between myself and the mare in my mind, I saw the guards looking at me with confused stares.

Little did I know that while the two of us were talking, we had been staring at the guards. They looked back at us with confusion and a minor bit of worry; because this strange alicorn had walked up, stopped, looked down, and slowly turned her head back and forth, all while looking at them. When I stopped turning my head back and forth, I frowned and approached them.

"Excuse me, could you direct me to the quarters of Princess Luna?" I asked.

"Um... Sure thing, your highness. Down the hall, to the left, and up the stairs." The guard answered as he pointed the way. I gave as polite a nod as I could and passed them.

(See, now was that so hard?)

"Aren't you supposed to be in our subconscious?"

(I would be there, believe me, but someone kept on calling for me to help them out. Really, it gets annoying; you should learn to think for yourself once in a while.)

"... Heh, right."

Once I finally found the room. I quietly looked through the open doorway and spotted the sun princess harshly shaking her younger sister. It was an attempt to wake her, but it looked more like she would throw the princess out of bed.

I moved closer, and as predicted, I saw Luna fighting to stay in bed. I felt my heart start to flutter. No doubt, it was from Faust's reaction rather than mine. I felt a feeling of joy and relief wash over me almost from within. And to be honest, it was freaking the crap out of me.

Hey, what's up?

(I-it's just... I haven't seen her since she was a young filly. I missed her whole life of growing up.)

I had to admit that type of sadness touched my heart. Spending time with your child while growing up is something special, and no parent should have to miss it... Even if they are a nutcase.

"Come on, Luna! Wake up!" Tia commanded, but her sibling resisted the best she could.

"Leave me alone, sister! Thine actions art most annoying." In saying that, Tia's face grew mischievous, and her horn lit up as she started to magically drag Luna out of bed by her tail.

Once Luna realized what was happening, her eyes shot open in a panic. It was hard not to laugh at the sight. Especially when Celestia slowly pulled her off, Luna was frantically clawing at the bed in an attempt to stay on. Then finally, the dark mare fell to the ground along with her fluffy comforter sheets. Her mane was a mess, lacking the usual ethereal look to it that the show often depicted. Her coat was fluffy and unbrushed, and to say the least, she looked adorable, mainly because of her grumpy attitude.

"This better be good, Tia," Luna warned sternly as she crossed her hooves.

"Oh, trust me, Luna, it is." Even from a distance, the mischievous smile sun butt was giving her younger sibling was something that provoked a sense of worry.

"Sister, why art thou just sitting there looking smug."

"Because Lulu, we have an unexpected guest. Somepony who neither of us has seen in a very long time."

Luna looked up at her sister in a perplexed manner. "But Tia, nopony has lived long enough to be considered unseen for a 'long' time."

Celestia's grin only grew wider, and I took that as my cue to finally reveal myself. I trotted quietly through the open doorway and stood directly behind the queen of the night.

"Hello, Luna." It was difficult to speak when Lauren was in control of the body's emotional state. I was doing everything to keep us from breaking down into tears.

Her fur immediately stiffened, and her body froze like a stone at the sound of my voice. Her head slowly lowered, and even though I was behind her, I could sense a shadow covering her eyes." I-Is that you, Mother?"

"Um.. Yeah" (Well, she's in here :P)

Luna looked towards my direction with pained eyes, but she never met my gaze." M-Mom, I am so sorry." Tears began to well up at the corners of her eyes, and I felt my heart begin to feel pain.

I decided to play dumb and said, "Sorry for what?" I didn't know if it was best to talk about it, but I figured the sooner we get past it, the better.

Celestia's eyes widened, and she flinched forward as if to warn me not to go there, but before she could sign anything, Luna reluctantly spoke up. "After you left, I-I became a tyrant who tried to overthrow Equestria out of jealousy of Tia." She said as she hung her head with guilt. "I've betrayed you, mother, and my actions hath caused great fear and hatred of myself among our subjects." When she finished explaining this, she started to cry.

No, no-no. Please, don't cry.

It was evident that this emotional confrontation was doing a number on this body's owner, and thus me. Trying to keep it together, I tried to think of what I should say to fix the situation. But, nothing was coming to my mind. I didn't know her; I didn't know how it felt to be in her position. All I am is an eighteen-year-old guy who got thrown into another world!

Not knowing what else to do, I hugged the mare and began to speak in as comforting a tone as I could, "Luna, ... (do you really think that I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference? All I've ever wanted during all this time has been to see your faces again. Both of you, I could never hate you.)" As I was speaking, I suddenly found words that were not mine coming out of my mouth.

It was nice to see how much Lauren cared for her daughters. I could feel the love she had for them in the heart we now shared, and I slowly began my journey to understanding her point of view.

"You forgive me?" Luna asked as she looked up. Her body was quaking as she struggled to control her sobbing.

A moment passed of silence, and I suddenly found myself back in control. Taking a deep breath to get a hold of this body's ever-present desire to break into tears, I tightened my embrace and answered, "Yes."

"Why!?" Luna suddenly shouted. I leaned back in surprise, and I could see the pain growing within her expression as she looked at me.

"...What?" I asked as I tried to think of why she seemed to have reacted so differently than what I expected.

"I said, why would ye forgive me!? I've tried to throw over Equestria, I turned against my sister, and I've killed many in my selfish ambitions!" She spoke again, this time growling in what looked like self-hate as tears streamed down her face.

I once again tightened the hug I was giving her and leaned my head against her shoulder. "No matter what you've done, you will always be my daughter. And I will never reject you." When I mentioned being rejected, her eyes flinched open a slight bit. Finally, she leaned back and looked me in the eyes. She didn't say anything, but her eyes told a story, a story of pain and self-loathing. It made my heart ache, and I brushed her mane.

"Luna, everypony has regrets. Some are big, others are small, but the past shouldn't be dwelt on. Instead, move forward, and focus on the future. Whatever you may have done, isn't it better to think of how you can make amends for those mistakes?"

Everypony seriously? What a stupid form of wordplay.

(For your information, I was the one who came up with that dialect.)

Yeah, okay, but you forgot there are Dragons, Zebras, and Griffins. They are not ponies.

(...Sh-shut up!)

Returning my attention to what was happening, I noticed that Luna's expression of rage, pain, and sadness seemed to dissolve, and the tears that had slowed flowed freely again. Tears of joy stained her dark coat." Thank you, mother."

Once again, I found myself embraced in a bone-crushing hug. This time, though, the strength put into it was twice that of Celestia's. She crushed me to the point that I started wheezing. Thankfully she quickly let me go, and I was given the privilege of breathing again.

"Sorry. Too strong?"

"It's okay. I'm just in a weakened state, as you can see," I said, pointing out my small form in comparison with her. "I'm a little delicate with certain things," I said, hoping that it would make everyone else a little more aware of the pain that they were inflicting on me.

We ended up talking all day, just the three of us until it was time for Luna to raise the moon. Celestia made arrangements for me to sleep in the guest bedroom that she always had ready for Twilight. Then after showing me the room and how to get to it, she went off to bed.

I decided to stay up a little longer to talk with Luna. I guess I felt some kind of connection between our situations. We conversed about how life had been when it was just her and Celestia ruling Equestria. I couldn't help but get caught up in the fascinating mental images her story brought to my mind. Eventually, I no longer heard what she was saying, but mentally I saw everything play out before my eyes. In fact, I got so caught up in her tale that I was caught daydreaming when she started to ask me something.

"Hmm? Sorry, what was that, Luna?"

The night princess rolled her eyes in response to my daft reaction." I was asking thou about thy life in the other realm. Please, mother, do tell of what wonders thou had the pleasure of witnessing."

Oh, this should be easy. I'm an expert! "You want to know about the other world?"

"Oh yes, mother, please do tell." Luna happily smiled as she got into a more comfortable position. Cradling her head in her hooves. It reminded me of when a parent decides to read a story to a child. She sat there like that as she waited for me to begin.

"Well... I don't really know where to begin. What would you like to know?"

"What of that world's intelligent life?"

"Okay then, in the other world, the top species of life is known as a Homosapien or human. They look like an ape without a tail. And most of their hair is only visible on the top of their heads, much like a mane."

"Hmm...and what of their magic?"

"There's none."

"What? I do not understand."

"Humans have no magic in their world. It is just a fantasy carried along with myths and legends."

"Then how do they survive? Conduct the weather, or change the seasons?"

"Well, for your first point, they are actually quite intelligent; their eagerness to know about the world around them and where it came from drives their civilization onward. Humans have technology that makes Equestria look like the stone age. Vehicles that can fly fast enough to break the speed of sound. Space travel! Luna, they have managed to land on the moon!"

At least that's what they said; I sometimes wonder if those conspiracies were correct.

"What! Mother is this true! Such advancements in a society where there's no magic, how can it be that they have accomplished such actions!?"

"With a lot of time and imagination."

"What of the weather?"

"That runs automatically through the way water is designed. The sun heats the top of the water, slowly turning it into steam. Then because it becomes lighter than air, it rises upwards. Once the water is collected high in the sky, the floating water droplets collide, getting bigger and heavier. Finally, after enough water is collected, its weight pulls it back down to earth. At least, that's the water cycle there.

"Water cycle?"

"Yes, there are many cycles in that world like, for example, the day and night cycle. That's automatic as well."

"How did they make the sun and the moon automatic?"

"They didn't do anything over on the other side; it's just the way the world works. The earth orbits the sun, and the moon orbits the earth.

"Oh, of course, the planet orbits the Sun."

Sensing her mood dropped slightly, I decided to share a little more science with her. "Hey, Luna, listen. The planet may revolve around the sun, but the sun is only a small star compared to those in the rest of the sky. And that's not all. Billions of galaxies exist beyond what we can see between the stars, where we think it's dark. You move all of them here, and Tia moves a small star. So please don't feel sad or less important."

"(Sniff) Okay" After a second of processing the information, Luna suddenly looked up at me with wide eyes.

"What!"

As I woke up the next morning, I instantly felt that I wasn't alone in the room. Even though my eyes were shut, the presence in the room was unsettling as the figure or figures waited. I shifted my ears around and even stopped breathing for a brief moment to hear any signs of hostility.

Once a minute or two had passed, I slowly opened my eyes and sat up. Three figures stood in front of me. One was the maid I met yesterday, and the other two were Minuette and Lyra.

Lyra was the pony who stood out to me because it was terrifying. I had only been here one day, and she had been able to locate the only human within this dimension. Their watchful gaze and silent presence slowly became more and more disturbing as time went on. So taking their silence as a hint, I figured I was the one who was supposed to address them. I was royalty now, after all. "Hello, what's up?"

Smooth real smooth...

"Princess Celestia has requested we attend to you and your personal care. I am Minuette, this is Lyra, and she is Lillybreeze. We are happy to meet you, Miss..."

Unfortunately, I've never been much of a morning person, so I wasn't wholly sober in my thinking ability." Alex James Smith, nice to meet you."

Everypony seemed taken aback at my answer, and it wasn't until they tried to address my name with the title of princess did I realize my mistake.

"Oh shit!" I silently cursed.

"Actually, just call me Lauren, the other name I went by in some other dimension, so it's irrelevant now." As I said that, a sad realization hit me as I understood just how true that statement was.

"Um... Anyway, Celestia is waiting downstairs in the dining hall for you. Do you require any assistance before you leave? Perhaps one of us could brush your mane?"

"No, but thank you, Lillybreeze," I said, giving her a soft smile. Minuette stepped forward as if to say something but then decided against it. I looked at her, waiting expectantly for her to speak up, but she didn't.

Sighing, I rubbed my hooves together and said, "Well, then, I best be off." I rolled over to the edge and hopped off the bed. Then I made my way to the dining hall. As I left the room, I heard a sigh of relief from some of the girls.

"Hmm, I guess the ponies in this world are quite scared of authority. I'll have to remember that in the future." I began thinking about using my intimidating position to troll the servants. Unfortunately, my train of thought was interrupted by a sudden act of karma. I forgot that I was on the second floor and fell down the stairs. It was a spiral staircase, too, so my body hugged the far edge of the wall as I fell due to the law of centripetal force. Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I laid limp on the floor, wallowing in pain. I glanced up to see two guard ponies standing at the base of the stairs; they refused to acknowledge my situation or even look at me. Any person knows to help someone who had fallen and got hurt, but these jerks didn't even bat an eye at my generally painful situation. Fifty-four stairs are quite painful when you have stupid wings and a horn!

Slowly pushing myself up, I glanced at the guards, pushed his side a little, and he fell over; the armor fell off, and the perception of the guard vanished. Instead, it revealed a mannequin. I gave a quick snort and started walking. Coming across the dining hall doors, I took a deep breath and pushed the doors wide. Celestia was at the far end of the room, sipping a cup of tea and reading the paper. She glanced up from her reading and gave me a satisfied smile. "I was beginning to worry your being here was another dream."

"Sorry, Tia, you're stuck with me." I shrugged.

"Glad to hear it. Mother, is there anything I can get you?"

"No thanks, I'm just here for conversation. How does your typical day go?" I started to make my way over to Celestia to hear her better, eventually sitting down beside her seat.

"Mother, please don't remind me of my duties. They are hardly enjoyable enough while doing them."

"Okay then, make any new friends over the past years?"

"A few, but I had become distant from others once I realized that the more ponies I get to know, the more I'll have to lose." Her mood was saddened as she pondered the relationships she used to have.

"Well, you got me Luna, Cadence, and Twilight now, so at least, you're not alone."

"Who told you about Twilight and Cadence?"

"Oh... Um, Luna did after you went to sleep." Oops...

Suddenly green fire came blazing through the window. I immediately ducked for cover; it's not every day you see a flame about the size of a football go dancing around the room. It found its place in front of Celestia, materializing into a letter. The white alicorn glanced in my direction and started to laugh." Oh, mother, don't worry. It's only a piece of paper." Celestia teased, shaking the letter around in her magical grip.

"I-it's not funny! That thing almost hit me!"

"Mother, this spell can't hurt ponies even if it comes directly into contact with them."

I gave her an annoyed stare. "So.. What does it say?"

Dear Princess Celestia
Today I learned it's not good to jump to conclusions. You have to find out all the facts before saying somepony did something. If you don't, you could end up blaming somepony for something they never did. This could hurt their feelings. And it could make you feel really foolish. So from now on, I will make sure to always get all the facts.

From Pinkie Pie

"So... Is that a child writing to you or something?" I knew who pinkie pie was, obviously, but I wanted to make a point that had been nagging at me ever since my sister tied me to that desk chair and forced me to watch the series.

"What would make you think that, Mom? Pinkie Pie is in her early twenties."

"It just seemed a bit like common knowledge for some-pony in their adult age," I stated as I stared straight with a deadpan expression.

At hearing that, Celestia gave me another one of her patented mischief grins. "Mother, just because you have had the years to figure things out doesn't mean everypony else has had as much time to do so."

The hell does that mean?! Was that an attempt at a shot?

(Yeah, it was a shot)

I'm 18

"Whatever... So... What's on the schedule today?" I said, trying to change the subject to something that's not my age.

"Hmm... Let me think, breakfast, then court, then lunch, then court once more until eight [2:00 PM], then I finish the paperwork to record all the political details throughout the day." When I heard that, I must say that I was surprised. And here I thought that Sun Butt just sat on her royal behind all day.

"Wow, you do that every day?"

She chuckled. "No, I only have this schedule on Sundays. Usually, I try to find a way to attend parties, make public appearances, and travel abroad to get out of that routine."

"I can see why."

A little bell rang beside Celestia's teacup, signaling breakfast was over. "I have to get going. Do you want to come along or continue to readjust?" After discovering more details about her job, I must say I wasn't exactly eager to take part in it.

Thinking of an excuse, I said, "I think I'll stay here to practice my magic. It's been years since I've done so; I don't even think I remember how to do it." To my relief, she seemed satisfied with my answer. She got up and began walking to the doors.

"If you find you're having any trouble with magic, just let me know, and I'll teach you how. Or I could get you to learn from Twilight, although I don't know how she would react to the task of teaching you." She said, and I couldn't help but smile warmly.

"Okay, thanks for the offer. I'll see what I can do first. See you later."

"The same to you, mother." With that, Celestia walked out of the room to go to the royal court.

I had made my way up to the room that I woke up in the other day. The vivid memory of waking up as a pony and having my blood run cold made me grin. I had always been quiet and self-reserved back when I was home. But now I'm wandering around with someone else's body. I couldn't help but notice how rapidly I was becoming more open to joking around. It felt comfortable now for some reason.

"So, how do I magic?" I said to myself, looking at my reflection in the polished silver mirror. I had grabbed a book on the way up here that dealt with the subject. After all, I couldn't keep using Faust as a get out of jail free card all the time, could I?.

The basics of magic: page 1, the four areas.
Four key areas need attention when conducting magic of any kind. Knowledge, love, visualization, and will. Knowledge helps the user to define what their goal is and how to achieve it. Love is the source of magic's power. Once you unify your heart with your horn, then things are a case of will. Visualization and will go together as one. The controller must define a goal and visualize every step to achieve it.

I gave a pause from my reading; then, I double-checked what it said. "So what is saying is all I need to do is define a goal, and will it happen by love? If this is all that's required, then magic will be easy." I shut the book and set it down on my bed.

Taking a few steps back, I started to imagine the book floating above the bed. I focused my heart's emotions into the tip of my horn, and in a daydream-like state, I saw the book rise and spin around. Refocusing on reality, I found that that is precisely what was going on.

"So, all that is really needed is the ability to visualize something happening?" I asked myself in surprise. But what I wasn't expecting was to get an answer, "Yes, that's about it." I turned, startled, to find princess Cadance in the doorway.

"...Hello," I said, trying to be polite, but I couldn't shake the look of confusion on my face.

"Celestia told me I could find you here; It's very nice to meet you, Lauren. I've heard so much about you." Smiling, I made my way over to her. I was going to try to give a hoof shake, but once I got in range, Cadance threw her hooves around my neck.

"Princesses don't shake hooves, Princesses gotta hug." Well, to say the least, I fell over laughing when I heard that quote. Cadance fell with me. Now she was the one to have a confused look on her face. "Was it something I said?"

I sat there for a moment as I tried to get a hold of myself, but all I could do was get it down to a few chuckles. "Sorry- sorry, that comment reminded me of a funny show I saw while I was away," I explained through my relentless snickering.

"Oh, okay." She smiled. Getting up, I did my best to dust myself off from the fuzz-covered floor. "Sorry about the dust. I really let this place go." We laughed a little bit more before calming down. I made my way back into the room beside the bed.

"So, what are you working on?"

"I'm trying to figure out magic."

"What do you mean?"

"The other world I was in didn't have magic, plus I was a different species. So I kind of forgot over time. Although after looking through this book, it seems... Simple."

"What have you learned so far?"

"I've just read the introduction, but I've already mastered levitation from it. I bet I could grab hold of all the dust in this room and put it in one spot!"

Cadance gave me a skeptical look, "Well, you could try, but I doubt it. It takes years to master such multitasking."

"Bet ya ten bits, I can do it." I nudged her side as I began to imagine the dust moving off the floor.

Celestia had the unfortunate duties of day court. Each Nobel citizen demanding that their wants be satisfied like a rotten child demands of their parents. Currently, the headache she was dealing with was a noble pony by the name of Currency Driver. He was a banker who wanted the royal funds to go to building a private pool on his property. To say the least, the selfish and ridiculous things ponies would come up with boggled Celestia's mind.

"So you see, your highness, a pool within my residence would be a logical thing to do to care for my condition." That condition being he's too weak.

Rubbing her temples, Celestia began to wonder what other ludicrous things would arise within her court. Every day was torture dealing with these ponies who felt they deserved favor from royalty. At least, she knew nothing could be more ridiculous than that pony who claimed Celestia should seal Luna in the moon again for rejecting his request to tear down an orphanage for a recreation center.

Suddenly the doors to the throne room burst open, and an off-white alicorn accompanied by a pink alicorn frantically ran in. "Auntie! We need your help! Where can we put this!" Cadance quickly said, pointing to a faint red glow being held in Faust's telekinesis.

"What is it?"

The crimson maned alicorn suddenly spoke up. "It's a dust bomb." She seemed to be under a lot of strain.

"A what?" Celestia turned her head in confusion.

"Auntie, that speck is all the dust from her room collected into one spot. If she lets go, then it will explode!"

Hope fluttered in the co-rulers chest; perhaps this stupid matter could get her out of day court.

"I'm sorry, Currency, but our meeting will have to be postponed." This got a grumble out of the noble, but he was too cowardly to openly protest against the princess.

"Your Highness, if I may so ask, who is that?" Currency stated, pointing a hoof at the newest alicorn in Equestria.

"That, my little pony is my mother, Lauren Faust."

It took a couple of seconds for the stallion to register what that meant, and quickly he turned to Laurens direction. His eyes seemed to expand to unreal proportions, and he slammed his face into the red carpet. He bowed, so suddenly, his head bounced on it a little bit, and he became unconscious.

The pitiful sight of the noble who knocked himself out brought Lauren's eyes to tears as she tried not to laugh. Cadance and Celestia quickly ran over in an attempt to calm the mare down before she lost her concentration. The mare's laughter only grew as both princesses desperately tried to calm her down. Then Celestia tripped on Currency.

From the outside of the castle, the stain glass windows suddenly became black, and no light passed through for days.

Author's Note

Well, that's the first chapter finished, I hope you liked it.