Eclipse

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 1
Chapter 7

Chapter 2

Wet snow was beginning to collect on my shortly cut dark brown hair, mottling it with patches of white as I simply kneel there staring down as I try to comprehend just what I’m looking at.

Okay, certainly not a deer. If anything, it looked more like a small horse, but that didn't quite seem to fit either. For one, the proportions were all wrong. What I was looking at was much more slender around the middle, with more finely toned legs, and a slimmer, more finely toned muzzle. Even so, it was distinctly equine, and I could almost imagine some...creative individual painting and dressing up a horse like this. However, I couldn’t imagine any stencil or artist that could create such a finely detailed image as the white crescent moon that stood out against the dark splotch on its flank. If that wasn’t enough, I could actually see through the softly waving “cloud” of mane that billowed around its prone form. A long horn on its forehead, and a set of feathery, limply hanging wings at its sides only add to my confusion.

My eyes wander over the prone form idly as I try to make sense of what I'm looking at. Whatever it was was wearing a strange metal collar with a symbol in the center that matched the design on its flank, as well as some kind of metal shoes adorning its hooves. If the slender form and long mane weren't indication enough, a quick glance under its limply draped tail confirmed it. It...was a she.

I’m finally brought out of my shocked gaze as I notice a few splotches of vivid red standing out in stark contrast against the white snow.

Suddenly, everything was all too real as I reach down and press my hand to her side. Warm soft fur meets my touch, and I find myself holding my breath for several moments before I finally feel her side rise as she takes a breath. I lean over a bit further, following the trail of red splotches with my eyes, and gulp when I find the source.

She had fallen facing away from me, and I could now see a trickle of blood seeping from near the base of her long spiraled horn. Even worse, was the long, vicious looking crack that worked its way up from the seeping wound.

“Sh…shit! Hold on…” I don’t care that she most likely can’t hear me, or if she'd even be capable of understanding my words as I push myself up and work my way back to the truck with a new sense of urgency. Throwing the door open, I scramble around for a tense moment before digging out a first aid kit. Grabbing the plastic box, I hurry back and try to calm myself as I kneel down beside her. “Oh…okay, remember your training…she’s breathing, but non-responsive….the first thing to do is deal with the bleeding…”

I fumble with the plastic case, the cold starting to get to me and make my motions clumsy. I stop to rub them together and blow on them before reaching in and pulling out a bandage. Gently lifting her head, careful not to go anywhere near her damaged horn, I set it carefully on my knee as I unspool the cloth and wrap it around her forehead. A few times I brushed against her mane, and I don’t know what I was expecting, a strange staticy feeling or something? But no, shockingly it felt like regular hair, if exceptionally soft and moving unnervingly.

Finished with my hasty bandaging, I move back to her middle and lean down to press an ear to her side. Okay, her breathing didn’t sound unusual, so probably no broken ribs or anything, and her heartbeat sounded strong and steady, if a bit slow. Then again, I didn’t really know what a mythical alien creature’s heart rate was supposed to be. So the only question remaining…what now? She’d almost certainly need real medical attention, but there was no way I could bring her to a hospital. What could they even do? And worse, what would they do?

My decision was made. I’d have to get her out of the road first off, otherwise there’d be no hope for her at all. Take her home with me, and figure out something better later, if she didn’t wake up and just decide to vaporize me, that was. I frown as I look her over. She was a bit smaller than me, if she was standing I’d imagine the top of her head would be about chest height for me. That said, she was still certainly fairly heavy, and her proportions would make it difficult to lift her into the fairly narrow single cab. Glancing around with a bit of trepidation, and feeling somewhat relieved to see the road still clear of any signs of other cars, I make my way back to the truck. Clearing some snow that had accumulated on the windshield, I carefully pull forward and around the unconscious creature before hopping out and pulling the tailgate open.

“Sorry about this, it’s not going to be warm or comfortable, but I’m going to get you somewhere warm and safe as fast as I can, okay?” I say softly as I stroke a hand across her neck before squatting down and sliding my arms under her barrel. With a groan, I manage to lift her up and set her rear end in the bed before letting out a sharp gasp and nearly dropping her. “N…not so little, are you?” I grunt as I carefully settle the rest of her in the bed, being very careful to position her horn in as safe of a position as I can before shutting the tailgate.

With no time to waste, I hop back up in the cab and begin driving. The slow pace I’m forced to take only adds to my urgency as I keep glancing back through the rear view mirror. “Okay…okay, everything’s fine…not far now.” I breathe, more to reassure myself than the unconscious alien equine. My concern only builds with each glance back. It’s not like I was driving particularly fast, but I silently hope that fur of hers is for more than just show against the cold air flowing over her. It wouldn’t be much of a rescue if she simply ended up freezing to death.

Fortunately, it only takes a few more minutes before I’m pulling into the welcoming sight of my driveway. I wince and duck unconsciously as I see a set of bright headlights making their way up the road towards me from the other direction as a plow approaches, accompanied by a grating roar and cloud of white powder billowing around it. I find myself holding my breath as it passes. Being a large commercial truck, the driver would easily be able to see into the bed if he gave so much as a glance in my direction. I watch tensely in the mirror for several seconds, but got no indications the driver had spotted anything unusual as the plow continued on its way, cruising down the road before finally disappearing around a bend.

I can’t help but give an occasional glance toward where the plow had disappeared as I back up to the front door and shut the truck off.

Getting out and dropping the tailgate again, I’m relieved to see the unconscious creature hadn’t shifted around too much, and still seemed to be breathing. Dashing over, I unlock the door and swing it open before once again hauling her up in my arms and stumbling into the house.

“Okay…okay, gotta drop her somewhere…” The couch? No, too cramped. The floor? No. That would be just as uncomfortable and seemed more than a little disrespectful, especially if this ended up turning into some kind of first contact situation. There was a futon in my office that I used for the rare guest, but that would take time to set up. With nothing better, and my arms threatening to give out, I stumble into my bedroom and carefully deposit her onto the mattress.

She felt alarmingly cold, even through her soft coat it was obvious. As I lay a hand on her side, I could feel a couple of weak shivers, causing her coat to twitch against my palm. Okay, that’s good….if she can shiver, she’s not too far gone.

Heading to the closet, I grab handfuls of blankets off the shelves and walk back over to carefully drape a few over her, before tucking the rest in around her as an extra measure. With a final glance back, I turn the thermometer up a few degrees as I make my way back to the front of the house. It was all I could reasonably do for the time being. She was safe, getting warm, and the last thing I’d want was some stranger watching me if I woke up in an unfamiliar place.

Trying to once again calm my racing thoughts, I idly retrieve the items I had purchased and set the bags in the kitchen. Lacking the will to put anything away properly, I simply toss the case of beer in the fridge before pulling out the whiskey bottle. Was it smart to be drinking right now? Probably not. But with what had just happened, and the unexplained otherworldly creature in the other room, I needed it more than anything right now. Grabbing a glass and filling it with ice, I can’t help but smile as I watch the glorious amber liquid fill the waiting crystalline container, causing the frosty cubes to bob and crack.

I take a long sip and sigh as I settle down at my computer. With nothing to do now but wait and hope, I had to do something about the cascade of questions and feelings swirling through my head. Was she here alone? Should I go back and search the area where I had found her? Had anyone else seen her, or even other creatures like her that had ended up here somehow? I needed to focus on something, and perhaps the internet would have some answers. A warm buzz already beginning to flow through me, I flip open my laptop and power it on to begin my search.

As expected, a quick scan of the local news and social media didn't turn up much besides a number of complaints and warnings about the weather, and a myriad of comments and pictures on the recent eclipse. No, I'm not bitter, it was my own damn fault I hadn't thought to prepare for it!

Another sip of the sweet amber liquid, and I change my approach a bit. Pulling up the search bar again, I type in a brief description of the creature and hit 'enter.' I wasn't expecting much, but my heart nearly stops as a number of results pop up, including several cartoonish drawings of the exact thing that was currently lying on my bed. "Princess Luna....My Little Pony....wh....what!?"

I scroll through various descriptions and images in a blur, trying to make sense of it all. It was just....preposterous! How could a living, breathing creature I had just come across be so accurately depicted in a children's cartoon!? And....I had heard of it before, but where? I'm beginning to get lost in my thoughts , when I'm suddenly pulled back to reality by a soft feminine groan from the other room.

I frown one last time at my computer, before slowly closing it as my concern gets the better of me. Nervously, I get up and walk lightly across the house, not wanting to risk any sudden noise or movement that might startle the injured pony. With no small amount of fear, I reach the doorway and poke my head in. Ok...for better or worse, she was still out, though she had curled up a bit tighter under the cocoon of blankets. Well, movement had to be a good sign, right?

As I find myself standing over the unconscious alicorn once again, I find myself comparing her to the results of my search, and the resemblance was unmistakable. Wait!....That's where I'd heard of it before! Lorrie Phillips. We had been friends back in high school, right up until graduation when we went our separate ways. She had been passionate, bordering on obsessive with all things equine. Naturally, that had included an interest in "My Little Pony," the new reboot of the series being relatively new at the time. Despite several attempts by her to introduce me to it, it had never really been something that interested me.

While I had joined the Army immediately out of high school, she had gone on to study veterinary medicine. Even though we had grown apart over the years, we kept in touch through Facebook, sharing occasional updates on our lives, if nothing more than a "Happy Birthday," or congrats. I knew she now ran her own practice a few towns over, and as I gaze at the injured pony on my bed, I realize there could be no better person to ask for help.

Taking a seat by the bed, I slip my phone out and pull up our usual messaging app. It had been a while since I last talked to her, and it would take some careful thinking to come up with how exactly I would introduce her to this situation...

Chapter 3

My hand hovers over the screen for several moments as I simply stare at the lit up profile picture of my estranged friend. She was online...what was I waiting for? The deep brown pools of her eyes seemed to stare back at me accusingly as my fingers drift toward the keyboard. Another soft groan from the bed spurs me on. I may be woefully unprepared to provide care for an injured alien equine, as would most anyone...but if there was anyone that could help, it was her. With one last hesitant glance at that soft freckled face framed by gleaming locks of brilliant blond hair, I begin to type.

"Hey, I know this is kinda out of the blue, but..." I pause. I couldn't just tell her everything. At best, she'd think I was making fun of her, and at worst she'd think I'd lost my mind. "I hit a horse with my truck today, and I wasn't sure what to do, so I brought it home to try to do what I can for it, but I'm kinda out of my element here and could really use your help..."

Okay, not the best explanation, but I hit 'send' anyway and wait anxiously as the 'sent' icon quickly shifts to 'seen,' and she quickly begins typing a response.

"Oh...that's awful, are you alright? Wait...brought it home!? The poor thing isn't suffering is it?"

"I'm fine...truck took a bit of a beating, but not too bad." I carefully watch the gentle rise and fall of Luna's chest for a few moments as she seems to rest peacefully. "I'm not sure about the horse, I don't think anything's broken, but I really don't know what I'm doing here."

"Ok...." She responds quickly, followed by a long pause as she types.

"I can stop by first thing in the morning, have you contacted the owner?"

"No. I have no idea where she came from." I reply. Well, at least that was somewhat truthful.

Lorrie follows up my response with a myriad of questions, as well as some advice, most of which not being applicable, or otherwise unhelpful. My vague responses only seem to further confuse and concern her, but we eventually agree on her stopping by early tomorrow to take a look at the "Unconscious horse I'm sheltering in my house." With a sigh I finally close out of the app and set my phone down. Yeah...by the end of that she more than likely thought I was a bumbling idiot when it came to animals, but at least she'd agreed to come.

With a glimmer of hope that at least now I have some semblance of a plan, and someone I can hopefully trust to help me, I return my attention to the nearly empty glass by my side. My eyes linger on the remaining bit of amber liquid as I swish it around before tossing it back. I enjoy the subtle burn of the watered down alcohol as it trickles down my throat, leaving behind an empty glass that seems to hold my interest as I slowly crunch on the few bits of ice that had stubbornly refused to melt. I study the bottom of the empty glass as if it's the most interesting thing in the world while I try to quell the unending torrent of concerns and doubts flowing through my head. When I finally lower it, I flinch back as I see an enormous set of pale blue eyes studying me in return.

"Wh....what has happened?" A soft feminine voice fills my ears as the midnight blue alicorn blinks a few times and wearily lifts her head from the blankets. Despite the obvious pain and confusion, her voice seems to carry a dangerous note of authority as her eyes focus on me and narrow. "What manner of creature are you!?"

"I...ummmm..." I struggle to form a response as those icy eyes seem to bore into my very soul. The rest of the blankets are flung to the side as her wings flare open, dominating my vision with a wall of midnight blue as they span the length of the bed. A cool blue glow suddenly illuminates the room as a glowing aura envelopes her horn. I gulp as it intensifies, fully expecting to meet my end right here. However, there's a loud *pop* and a brilliant flash as the aura blinks out and she falls back to the bed with a soft 'thud' and a shrill scream.

"Wha....what have you done to me!?" She groans through clenched teeth as she moves a foreleg up to massage her smoking horn, a small trickle of glowing blue ichor seeping from the jagged crack.

"Nothing!....I...I was trying to help you!" My voice wavers as I find myself scooting back across the carpeted floor. There's a sharp 'thud’ as the back of my head slams against a wall, and I find myself cornered. I watch as she squeezes her eyes shut, her muzzle wrinkling and ears lying flat as she hisses in pain.

Several tense moments pass in silence before she once again opens her eyes, quickly regaining her composure as her ears flick back up, giving a little twitch and swivel as if scanning the room like a pair of fuzzy little radars before centering on me.

"A...are you okay?" I ask softly as a battle rages in my head, my concern slowly pushing back the creeping terror that leaves my muscles tense, and keeps urging me to run. I begin to wonder if she could even hear me over my heart pounding in my chest, but I'm soon rewarded with an indignant snort as she seems to weigh my words.

She flexes her folded wings a few times before letting them settle into a neutral position at her sides as she pulls herself shakily to her hooves on top of the bed, and I can't help but notice a light wince as she puts weight on one of her rear legs, though any semblance of vulnerability is lost as she now towers over me.

"I will be fine...creature." Her voice seems to convey an unspoken warning as her eyes wander over the room, though I notice that one ear never moves from its lock on me as she turns her head. Her wary expression softens somewhat as one of her hooves brushes across her bandages. "Where is it you have taken me?"

I begin to pull myself up, not wanting to hold a conversation sprawled on my back against a wall, but quickly settle back down on my rear as her eyes narrow dangerously. "This is my home, ummm....on Earth? You're not from here...right? You were injured, and I wasn't just going to leave you lying in the sn.."

She holds up a hoof, silencing my hasty, rambling explanation. "Earth...." She sounds out the word carefully. "Yes...I had thought something felt....off." She mumbles to herself under her breath for a moment, and I'm only able to pick out bits and pieces about "ambient magic," and "the moon," before she focuses her attention back on me. "No. I am not from here. Tell me. What was this strange creature of light that has assailed me and left me in such a state?"

"Creature of..." Crap! I had been hoping she hadn't remembered me hitting her, and now I was going to have to explain myself. "That uhh, that wasn't a creature." I steel myself. "You were in the middle of the road, and I didn't see you, and...that was my truck that hit you..."

I take a deep breath as she stares back blankly with a slight tilt of her head. "A vehicle...like a self propelled carriage..." They had carriages, right? "What you must have seen were my headlights."

I'm not sure what I was expecting. Rage? Disbelief? Instead, she lets out a long, dejected sigh and lowers her head. "'Twas nothing more than an unfortunate accident then..."

"Yeah. If it means anything....I'm sorry." I watch her carefully as I slowly pull myself up again. Fortunately this time she doesn't seem to react as I get to my feet and walk forward shakily, adamant not to make any sudden moves as I approach her. Standing at her full height on top of the bed, she was still more than a head taller than me, her long pointed horn more than doubling that advantage as she lifts her head to lock eyes with me. "...and, you don't have to call me 'creature'..." I slowly raise my right arm, holding my hand out for her. "My name's Dave. Dave Chandler, and I'm a human."

She stares at my hand hesitantly, as if unsure what to do, before mirroring my action. Slowly, she lifts her right foreleg and sets a metal clod hoof against my palm. The corners of my mouth curl up in a hint of a smile at her curious look as I gently wrap my fingers around the cool metal and give her leg a gentle shake.

"I am Princess Luna, diarchal ruler of Equestria, warden of the moon and the night, and I am a pony."

I feel a warm sense of relief flow through me as I notice the trace of a smile begin to light up her face. Angular and unmistakably equine, yet somehow able to convey just as much emotion as any human. Satisfied at having broken new ground without having accidentally committed some kind of grave offense, I smile and release her hoof, taking a step back to give her some space. With her being royalty, I consider bowing, but think better of it. It would be a bit much, and this seemed more than appropriate given the circumstances. Not that she wasn't regal, even in her current state, but this wasn't her kingdom...princessdom?....and as the apparent first representative of humanity, it wouldn't do to grovel for her.

Luna doesn't quite smile back, but our introductions seem to have broken the tension in the room as she tucks her wings back into place at her sides and settles back on her haunches in a sitting position not unlike a dog.

"Well then...Dave." She turns her head, pointing toward my empty glass with her muzzle. "I suppose I should be thanking thee for thy aid, and if I am not mistaken you intend to offer me thy home, whilst I recover?"

I nod in response. "Of course, it's the least I can do...princess."

She frowns a bit at that. "Hmmm. Please, call me Luna. Thou are not one of my subjects, and I see no need for such formality. Though if I am to take advantage of your hospitality, might I trouble you for some water?"

"Of course! Oh, I'm sorry...I should have thought to ask!" Doing some quick math in my head as I check the digital alarm clock next to my bed. It was later than I'd thought, already passing 10pm. She'd been out for what, at least six hours, not to mention however long she'd been wandering around in the woods before she came across the road. For all my concern, I'd never even considered the thought of food or water, and quickly begin heading for the kitchen.

"No need for apologies, it is most understandable." I hear her voice trail after me as I head to the cabinet and pull out a pair of tall glasses. Filling them both from the tap and plopping a few ice cubes into each for good measure, I hurry back to find her sitting expectantly as I hold one out for her.

Luna pauses for a moment as she eyes the glass before grasping it clumsily between her front hooves with a clink of metal on glass. She brings it to her muzzle, giving it a wary sniff before tilting it back and drinking greedily. When she's done with it, there's an awkward moment as I offer her the second glass, and clumsily swap it with the empty one in her hooves. This one she seems content to hold on to, bringing it to her mouth for the occasional sip as I set the empty glass aside and watch in interest.

"Do you not use cups in Equestria?" I ask as I watch her fumble with her drink. From the withering glare I get back, that was apparently the wrong thing to ask.

"Of course we do!" She growls back, making me flinch. "It is just....difficult, without the use of my magic."

"Magic?" I ask dumbly, hoping I'm not adding to her growing frustration and annoyance as she sets the glass down to let it rest precariously on the bed between her forelegs.

She sighs as she gives me a curious look. "I take it humans do not possess magic?"

I shake my head. "No. It's something that's popular in myths and stories, but real magic?" I shake my head again. "So....you're telling me you're some kind of powerful wizard or something?"

"Hardly, though perhaps it might seem that way to somep...somecreature who is unfamiliar with the concept." She answers as she idly fiddles with the half empty glass. "All ponies possess magic, though unicorns and allicorns such as myself are the only ones capable of forming spells which we channel through our horn, though even pegasi and earth ponies can use their innate talents to manipulate the world around them." She stretches out a wing. "Without magic, a pegasus would not be able to fly or control the weather, and earth ponies would be unable to care for the land as they do..." She retracts her wing and sighs again as she closes her eyes. "Magic is something imbued into every aspect of the word...something that binds it together in harmony....."

She lifts her head again as if to look for something I can't see. "A world without magic is simply....unthinkable."

The conversation dies away to an uncomfortable silence as her ears lay flat and she dips her head to stare into her glass, seemingly lost in her thoughts. I can only imagine what she must be going through. While her explanations had only intrigued me further and left me full of questions about her world, the little information I had shared must have only made this one seem that much more cold and alien to her.

I find myself staring at her horn and the jagged crack running half its length. If what she said was to be believed, that was the focus for her magic, something integral to her way of life, and with it damaged, she must feel crippled and defenseless.

“Will it heal?” I ask softly with a nod toward her horn, wincing as my blunt question breaks the silence with all the grace of a rampaging bull.

Luna cocks an eye in my direction before following my gaze and frowning. “Yes, fortunately. It is….a surprisingly common injury among unicorns, and the mana system is incredibly robust, even more so in alicorns.” She pauses as she brings a hoof up to trace the jagged line. At my unspoken question, she continues. “A few days at the most, though my other injuries….” She groans as she tenderly shifts her hind leg. Now that she was sitting, and I was able to get a closer look at her body, the fur on her side was noticeably darker, betraying a massive bruise underneath. “Perhaps much longer without magical healing, though I will endure.”

Well, at least I didn’t have to worry about her keeling over any second, though my head was still filled with questions for her. Unfortunately they would have to wait as I notice she’s gone silent again, and I let out a long yawn. A glance at the clock shows me it’s already well past midnight. When had it gotten so late!? After hours of talking, the initial excitement had worn off, and everything I had done that day seemed to be teaming up with the alcohol in a bid to knock me out.

“I’ve got to get some rest, will you be fine here for the night?” I ask as I stretch and begin heading for the door.

“I will…endure.” She repeats sullenly, not so much as turning her head to watch me go.

“Okay….well, I’ll only be a room over if you need anything.” I reply as I ease the door closed and head over to the “guest room.” Okay, it was mostly used to store a bunch of junk that I didn’t have a place for, but I at least kept it somewhat organized, and it did have a futon. As I get it set up, I still worry about leaving her alone like this now that she’s awake, but then again perhaps it was best to give her some space to herself to sort things out. Either way, it was destined to be tomorrow’s problem as I strip down and unceremoniously dump my clothes in a pile on the floor. Within seconds of hitting the mattress I’m fast asleep.

Chapter 4

Morning comes all too quickly as I wake to the sound of something solid clattering against tile. I groan as the noise only gets worse as slamming cabinets and the repeated flush of a toilet assault my ears. I open my eyes blearily as I look over for my alarm clock before remembering I’m not in my room, and fumble around in the dark until I manage to find my phone.

“Five thirty?” I let out a long groan before finally forcing myself out of bed and flicking on the light. By the time I’ve thrown on my discarded clothes, the noise noise seems to have ceased. As I make my way into the hallway, the only thing I can hear is the sound of a running faucet coming from the bathroom. I notice the bathroom door is cracked open as I approach, casting the short hallway in dim yellow light. Now, it’s not like I was trying to be sneaky, but I feel my breath catch as my weight settles on the one loose floorboard and I hear the squeak of a knob as the water is shut off.

There’s a thump, and I shield my eyes as the door swings open and the bright light nearly blinds me. Seconds later a dark blue head pokes out, pale blue eyes going wide as they settle on me. I don’t know how it’s possible for a blush to be visible on a face covered in fur, but even shaded by the brilliant light behind her as she was, the tinge on her cheeks was unmistakable.

“It is apparent your….facilities were not meant to accommodate a pony…” She says in a soft, barely audible voice tinged with embarrassment and more than a hint of annoyance.

“I…um….yeah….” I reply awkwardly. It’s not something I had thought of, but of course she was going to have to….go, at some point, and I suddenly find myself having to push away the mental image of how exactly a quadrupedal equine would use a human toilet. If all the noise earlier, and the paper towel still stuck to one of her hooves was any indication, the obvious answer was “not very well.”

“You’ve, uh…got a little something there.” I say with a nod toward her leg.

Her muzzle wrinkles as she follows my gaze and quickly scuffs her hoof against the floor to remove the offending item.

“We will not speak of this!” She all but shouts as she suddenly darts out of the bathroom, and I just manage to avoid an irritated flick of her starry tail before she limps hurriedly down the hall and disappears back into my room.

I would've found her reaction somewhat funny, but couldn't shake the feeling that a large part of this was my fault. Sure, the priority had been to make sure she wasn't about to die on me...or wake up and go on a confused rampage when she was confronted with the fact that she wasn't in her own world anymore. How had she ended up here anyhow? Yet another burning question to add to my growing list.

The pre-dawn morning haven once again fallen silent, I steel myself as I finally make my way into the bathroom to assess the damage. Okay. To her credit she had cleaned up after herself......and apparently tried to flush a massive wad of soiled paper towels down the now nearly overflowing toilet. "Great...just how I wanted to start my day." I grumble irritably to myself as I fish out a set of gloves and a plunger.

After completing the painstaking task of fixing the toilet, giving the bathroom a more thorough cleaning, and a nice hot shower for good measure, I was at least feeling a bit more awake, if no less grumpy. A quick peek into my room found the Lunar Princess once again fast asleep on my bed as the first rays of sunlight cast the pulled shades in a soft golden glow. Well, if she was a ruler of the night I suppose it made sense that she'd be nocturnal.

Despite the early hour, there was no way I was going to able to go back to bed. Instead, I head into the kitchen to get a pot of coffee brewing. As the familiar gurgle and dripping of the coffee maker starts, I find myself once again turning to the internet as breakfast comes to mind. She'd obviously need to eat too, and I had no idea what her diet consisted of. Sure, I could simply ask her, but I didn't want to risk any nasty surprises, like something mundane that would poison her, or her considering all of humanity as some kind of cannibals for eating meat and trying to purge us from the world....

Okay, that might be going too far. Still, it wouldn't hurt to be somewhat prepared. A quick Google search brings up a daunting amount of information. From "My Little Pony" fan sites, wikis, and a number of clips and screenshots from the show itself. Of course, I had no idea how accurate the show was to the real thing, but as I thought their diet appeared to be exclusively vegetarian. A number of the dishes portrayed seemed to be an odd amalgamation of typical human foods, with things like hay or flowers thrown in. Bread, and even eggs seemed to be acceptable.

Finally setting my phone down, I smile as I see the full pot of wonderful, hot, caffeinated brew waiting for me. Grabbing a mug, I add in a splash of cream before filling it up and taking a long, satisfied sip. Of course, I didn't have any hay or flowers lying around anywhere, but some scrambled eggs and toast seemed like a safe enough bet. A brief search through the stark refrigerator and cabinets reveals I'd definitely need to do some shopping soon, but at least I had enough to put together the modest breakfast.

Soon the smell of cooking food and fresh coffee is wafting through the house. As I'd hoped, I hear the creak of a door down the hall, followed by the uneven gait of hoofsteps clattering against wood.

"Well, good morning Princess!" I greet cheerfully as she hobbles into view. I hadn't noticed earlier in the morning, but at some point during the night she had removed her various pieces of regalia. Now, it's not like it had actually covered anything in the slightest, but now that it was off I can't shake the feeling of just how naked she looks without it.

"I have told you that you may simply to refer to me as Luna." She replies with a hint of annoyance as she wanders into the kitchen. She looks around with interest, her nostrils flaring as her eyes settle on the fresh pot of coffee, and I swear I hear a faint hum of pleasure emanate from her throat at the sight.

"Of course....Luna." I reply as I watch her make her way over to the table. She eyes one of the chairs for a moment, and just when I think she's going to reconsider, she hops up with a small flap of her wings and settles into the seat with a gracefulness I hadn't expected from the injured alicorn as she settles her rump in place, curling her flowing tail around it to spill over the side as she braces her forelegs on the table.

"Might I have some?" She asks politely with a nod toward the coffee maker. "Black, if I may."

"Of course. I figured you'd be hungry when you got up." I reply as I fish out another mug and fill it with the steaming liquid before setting it on the table in front of her. "I had no idea what your diet is, but I've got some eggs and toast here."

Luna takes a moment to balance herself as she lifts her hooves to grip the mug between them. She gives it a sniff before taking a sip and frowning.

"Is something wrong?" I ask as I watch her eye it for a moment before taking another sip.

"No, it is...acceptable, just a bit...weaker than what I am used to." She replies as she sets the mug down. "And to answer your question, eggs and toast are....fine."

I fix myself a plate, but pause as I consider just how she was going to eat. Of course I could put it into a bowl for her, but that just didn't seem fitting, and I was almost certain she'd find the idea more than a little offensive. As I fix another plate for her instead, she seems to notice my hesitation.

"I can use silverware.....even without my magic I am not some helpless animal." She says pointedly as she watches me.

"Sh..sure, what was I thinking?" I reply stupidly as I bring our plates over and settle in across from her. Even as careful as I was, I had still managed to offend her. Still, I can't help but watch with interest as she curls the joint of her fetlock around the fork with a surprising amount of dexterity and scoops up a mouthful of food.

"Think nothing of it, it seems we still have much to learn about each other." She says after a hesitant swallow and and a noticeable grimace. "Hmmph...it does not seem as...fresh as what I'm used to..." She says thoughtfully, seeming to choose her words carefully as she sprinkles a generous amount of salt and pepper onto her meal before carefully cutting the toast into bite-sized pieces with her fork and knife, the simple task making me slightly nervous as I worry about her losing her balance.

That brought up even more questions, but there was one that I found much more pressing as I finish my plate. "So...Luna...how did you end up here, anyway? On Earth, I mean."

She lets out a long sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as a thoughtful expression passes across her face. "I am not entirely certain...the final moments I can recall from Equestria, we were holding a celebration for the five year anniversary of my return."

Okay...even more questions. I do my best to suppress my blatant ignorance and curiosity regarding Equestria's history as she continues.

"To commemorate the occasion, we had decided to bring the sun and moon together in the sky to demonstrate the importance both have in contributing to the....harmony of our world. However....the moment my moon crossed the path of sister's sun...something happened....some kind of magical feedback that fed into me....I was unable to stop it, and so it only grew greater and greater..."

Tears were beginning to form in the corners of Luna's eyes as she went on. "My aura became blinding...nopony else, not even my sister could do anything to stop it....merely watch in shock as it consumed me. When it finally ended, everything was gone, and I found myself alone in a forest. My connection to the moon...the stars.....the flow of the world itself, simply.....gone."

By the time she finishes, her head is bowed as wet tears flow freely from her eyes, matting the soft fur on her cheeks as she sniffles.

"I'm sorry, I can't even begin to understand what you must be going through..." I offer uncertainly. I stretch a hand across the table to rest it gently atop her hoof. She gives a surprised jerk, but doesn't pull it away as she looks up at me with her reddened watery teal eyes.

"I don't know if there's anything I can do to help. I....may not have magic, or any concept of how any of this works, but....we humans can be pretty crafty sometimes." I say with a reassuring smile.

"I doubt there's anything you could do." Luna answers with another sniffle, though the faint trace of a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. "Though I do appreciate the sentiment."

She pauses as she thinks for a moment before a determined grin lights up her face. "Do not worry about me...once my magic is restored, there are a few things I may think to try, and though it is not my area of expertise, I am sure there are many ponies back in Equestria who are already working tirelessly to figure it out."

Her determination is contagious it seems, as I share her grin. Though the thought of more ponies potentially coming here....being seen....the effect that might have on the world, if her mere presence here at this moment hadn't already put things into motion that would change the world as we know it. The implications were daunting.

"Hey, at least you're starting to think positively, I'm sure...." I begin, before being cut off by a loud knock. We both freeze, our heads snapping in the direction of the front door as another series of incessant taps echo through the house.

Author's Note

Well, I managed to get a chapter out early! No guarantees, but starting out expect there to be the occasional random update until I get in the swing of things and can establish a consistent schedule. As always, any feedback is appreciated, and thanks for reading!

Chapter 5

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

I push myself up from the table and give Luna a nervous glance. “Wait here…please.” I add the nicety as an afterthought, but if the princess took any offense at being ordered to do something, she didn’t show it, simply giving an understanding nod in return as I make my way out of the kitchen.

Rather than heading directly for the door, I stop to take a peek out the window. In stark contrast to yesterday’s storm, the sun shines brightly in a clear blue sky, lighting up the thick blanket of fresh snow in such a way that it sparkles like an endless field of gleaming crystals.

Immediately, my eyes fall on the large white pickup sitting in my driveway hooked up to a long horse trailer. On its side was a sign that read “Phillips’ Veterinary Clinic, we care for all animals, big and small!” Lorrie…I hadn’t been expecting her to show up this early!

Heart still pounding in my chest, I move over and slowly open the door. A smiling face greets me, framed by long golden locks that fall neatly down to her shoulders. She had definitely come prepared, as she was dressed in a set of scrubs and held a large plastic case in her left hand. At closer inspection, the baby blue scrubs were adorned with a myriad of tiny pink and purple ponies.

Yeah….this had probably been a terrible idea, and I had a feeling things were going to go downhill fast. It was one thing when Luna had been out, and it felt like it was a matter of life or death, but now that she was awake….

“Hi Dave, about time you open the door!” She greets with mock annoyance, much too cheerily for someone up this early in the morning.

She seems to study me for a moment before stepping past me as I stand there holding the door open. “Christ, you look terrible.”

“Yeah…it’s been a crazy night. Look….” I begin, before being cut off as she turns to me.

“Don’t tell me you actually brought a horse into your house! I mean…it’s obvious you have no idea what you’re doing, but at least tell me the poor things not suffering.” She says, craning her head as if trying to spot it in the living room.

“Look.” I repeat. “Lorrie, you wouldn’t have believed me if I’d told you….hell, I’m still not sure if I believe it myself.” I say with a bit of uncertainty as I guide her toward the kitchen.

“Dave?” She questions nervously as she walks beside me. “What do you mean….” She stops, any words she was about to say shifting to a sharp gasp as her eyes fall on Luna, still sitting patiently at the far side of the table.

I swear I witness Lorrie’s face shift between every imaginable emotion.

“I…is this some kind of joke!? I mean…..It’s cool to see you taking an interest in the fandom, I mean….I never really thought it was your thing, and that thing must have cost a fortune, but getting me all worried and having me come all the way out here, and…and….” Her stream of words cuts off as Luna turns to look at her with a curious tilt of her head.

“Ummm…yeah, Lorrie…this is Princess Luna, Princess Luna, Lorrie.”

“I am…pleased to make the acquaintance of another human.” Luna replies slowly, holding up a hoof welcomingly. There’s a warmth to her voice, but I manage to catch a disapproving frown flashed in my direction.

There’s a loud thud as the medical case slips from Lorrie’s hand and falls to the floor. She seems almost in a trance as she walks forward slowly. Her eyes dart between Luna’s face and the outstretched hoof before she shakily raises a hand. She hesitates uncertainly before curling it into a fist and giving it a gentle tap. Luna offers a warm smile in return as she withdraws her foreleg while Lorrie remains standing, staring down at her hand in awe, as if it’s suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Well, given the situation…perhaps it was.

“Th….this is real!….You…you’re real!?” Lorrie gasps, eyes going wide before she abruptly drops to one knee and lowers her head in a deep bow.

The action surprises Luna, and the table rattles as she nearly loses her balance. “Please rise…..there is no need for such formality around me.” She says, her voice steady and unwavering, somehow managing to project all the grace and confidence of a ruler, despite having just narrowly avoided getting a face-full of tile.

Lorrie’s face flushes as she pulls herself up. “S…sorry, it seemed appropriate…I mean….you’re practically a goddess, right?”

Her comment earns a derisive sniff from Luna. “Hmph, hardly. Though many of our subjects may think of us in such a way, we are far from being all powerful…..as you can see.” There’s a tinge of annoyance in her voice at that last part as she motions toward her bandaged head with a wing.

Lorrie starts, seemingly noticing Luna’s injuries for the first time. “Oh….oh my gosh I’m so sorry! Do, uhhh, that is, would you mind if I take a look?” She asks, starting to regain her confidence as her eyes flash with concern, tracing my hasty bandage job and the jagged crack studiously.

“It’s okay, she’s a doctor.” I interject. Technically true, not that a human doctor would be any more help in this case. If anything a veterinarian was probably the best bet, though it was probably best not to let Luna know that she was being treated by an animal doctor.

“Yes, I believe that would be prudent. While I am confident my injuries will heal in time, one cannot be too careful.”

Luna’s acceptance immediately brings a smile to Lorrie’s face, and I watch as the alicorn bows her head to give Lorrie access.

Lorrie was truly a girl in her element as she deftly unwraps the bandage and sets it aside. There’s a bit of dried blood caked into the fur around her horn, but fortunately the deep gash on her forehead had scabbed over, and didn’t show any signs of growing worse. Lorrie had adopted a look of stoic professionalism as she got to work, and the sight doesn’t seem to alarm her. If anything she looked relieved.

I move off to the side and retrieve my coffee. It had gotten cold some time ago, and I resign myself to making a new pot as Lorrie retrieves her case and sets about cleaning Luna’s injuries. As she works, I can hear the sound of muffled conversation as they talk quietly to each other. It’s too low for me to make out over the noise of the coffee maker as it begins brewing again, but by Luna’s expressions I imagine she’s once again recounting the circumstances of her arrival.

I turn back to the coffee maker as it finishes, grabbing some fresh cups for the two of them. I’d made sure to make it extra strong this time. With how much cream and sugar Lorrie preferred in her coffee, I doubted she’d even notice. By the time I turn back, I notice them both getting up and heading for my bedroom.

“Hey! So, the head wound wasn’t too bad, but I want to get a better look at her side and take some vitals, and well….I hope you don’t mind. I figured your bed would be the best spot to have her lie down.” Lorrie pipes up.

“Yeah, no worries…just let me finish up the coffee and I’ll be right in. You still take three sugars, right?”

She nods and flashes me a smile as they walk away.

It takes a few more minutes to get everything together, and when I step into the bedroom, Lorrie’s sitting next to the bed jotting down notes on a clipboard as Luna lays sprawled on her side, carefully flexing and rotating her injured leg.

By Lorrie’s side, I notice a stethoscope and a variety of other medical instruments neatly arranged on a small mat. Wow, she works fast!

I get another smile as she sets down the clipboard and takes her mug. “It’s remarkable! So far, all her vitals so far have been right in line with a miniature pony here on earth.” She says excitedly around a sip of her coffee.

“And the leg?” I ask, watching as Luna relaxes the limb in question and looks up in interest.

“As far as I can tell, there’s no signs of a sprain or break, but there is quite an extensive amount of bruising. I really wish I could bring her back to the clinic for some x-rays to be sure, and I don’t want to risk any medication without a blood test, but all said, other than her horn I haven’t found anything serious.”

Her statement sends a wave of relief through me. Sure, I still felt bad about being the cause of said injuries, but it was more than a little reassuring to know I hadn’t left her crippled.

“As joyous as I am to hear that, are thou quite finished?” Luna asks, giving a stretch before rolling over into an upright position. “It is growing rather tiresome being treated as some kind of specimen whilst you talk about me as if I am not here.”

“Oh! Sorry about that, Luna….I’m not used to dealing with patients that talk back.” Lorry replies with a chuckle as she sorts through her collection of medical supplies, earning a confused and impatient glare from the princess.

“But to answer your question, I’d like to take your temperature so I can be sure you don’t have a fever, or any complications from being in the cold for so long…what is a normal temp for you anyway?” Lorrie asks as she holds up a long glass thermometer.

“About a hundred degrees or so…if our system of measurement is the same…” Luna replies, before opening her mouth expectantly.

“Hmm, well if it’s the same as Fahrenheit, that would be about normal for a horse here on Earth….oh, and it’s ummm, not that kind of thermometer.” Lorrie answers as she tears open a small packet and begins coating the glass rod with a clear, viscous fluid.

Luna merely stares uncomprehendingly for a moment before her pupils shrink to pinpricks and her tail tucks itself firmly in place over her rear.

“Th….thou shalt not be going anywhere near mine backside with that…that thing! Just what kind of mare do you take me for!?” Luna yells, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“I..I didn’t mean…it’s…just a rectal thermometer…” Lorrie sniffles, clearly hurt by Luna’s outburst as those caring brown eyes of hers start to water. She drops the instrument back in its case before unceremoniously scooping up the rest of her things and dashing out of the room with a squeak, and a few poorly repressed sobs.

It seemed like a bit of an overreaction, but then again I’d never seen anyone yell at Lorrie. Ever. And why would they? With how cheery and caring she always seemed to be, it would be like kicking a puppy. Even worse, she practically idolized that “My Little Pony” cartoon, and more than likely Princess Luna by default. It hadn’t even been an hour since Lorrie had found out Luna was real, and she had just been yelled at, and practically accused of being some kind of pervert for trying to do her job.

A glance back at Luna, and she appears as stoic as ever.

“Luna….” I start softly.

“I…am sorry, Dave.” She frowns, a bit of regret beginning to creep out from behind that stoic mask. “This has all been so much, and I am rather….sensitive about such things….”

Okay…and now I was starting to feel bad for her too. But still, that had been completely uncalled for, and I feel my resolve building.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” I growl back with a nod toward the hallway. “I’m not great with all this touchy-feely stuff, but she’s really sensitive too…and…”

I pause, not sure how exactly I’m going to explain, or if I even should, but I steel myself and continue. “I’m not sure how to say this, but….somehow, she knew about you before….from a TV show….a…a work of fiction that somehow portrays your world….and meeting you probably meant the world to her.”

“…Oh.” Luna frowns, her muzzle scrunching in thought. “That would explain her choice of garments…I had been most curious….”

She lays there silently, lost in thought for some time before speaking again. “Please, apologize to her for me, but for now I wish to be left alone…..it is clear this experience has affected us all, and what is needed now is some time apart, to…cool our tempers.”

I simply nod in response as I turn and head for the door. After the hectic morning we’d had, the tense silence was crushing. With a weary sigh I take one last glance at Luna lying on the bed, head bowed and eyes closed, before shutting the door softly and turning away.

Chapter 6

Well, all said and done things could have gone worse. On the bright side, Luna’s introduction hadn’t caused Lorrie to completely lose her mind, and I could rest a little easier knowing the princess has a (mostly) clean bill of health.

At least that’s what I try to tell myself as I walk past Lorrie sitting on the couch. She wasn’t crying anymore, but she does give a little sniffle and bring a hand up to rub at her reddened eyes as they turn to follow me.

We’d certainly need to talk, but perhaps there was some truth in what Luna said. A little time to gather our thoughts and cool off was probably best. Besides, drama really wasn’t my thing. I had burned so many bridges over time. Distancing myself from old friends and family. Just not wanting to deal with it anymore, and preferring instead to live a solitary life of peace and quiet.

In less than a day, such hopes had been thoroughly crushed as my life had not just taken a turn, but been mercilessly tossed off a cliff with no bottom in sight. Yeah, it wasn’t even noon and I was already over this day.

The beer in my fridge remains pointedly ignored as I head right for the bottle of whiskey on the counter. I’d need something stronger to get me through this. I frown as I pull out a glass and inspect the bottle. Only half full….I’d only had what, one or two drinks out of it? Whatever. It was an issue for later as I fill my cup, not even bothering to add ice before taking a long swig and wincing at the harsh burn of the uncut alcohol.

I top off the glass for good measure before recording the bottle and making my way back to the living room.

“It’s a bit early for that, isn’t it?” Lorrie asks, eyeing the full glass in my hand accusingly.

“Hey, 5 o’clock somewhere right?” I reply with a hesitant smile. With the faint hope I’d had of making my way quietly over to my office dashed, I resign myself to leaning on the doorframe and give the glass an idle swish. “Besides, I really need something to take my mind off of, well…” I wave my free hand. “Everything.”

That earns a disapproving frown from her. “I know, I’m still trying to make sense of it myself, but that…” She points a finger at the glass and shakes her head. “Really isn’t a good idea.”

“Hey! I’m just having one. Besides, it’s not like miss broody is coming out any time soon.” I retort.

“She’s not? Oh, I didn’t think I upset her that much, I just….”

“No.” I stop her short. “You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, she felt really bad for…overreacting like she did, and wanted me to apologize for her.”

Lorrie brightens a bit at that, but her frown quickly returns. “Oh. Now I feel even worse. She must be going through so much, and I’ve only made things harder for her.”

“Believe me, she really is grateful for your help. Let’s just give her some time to adjust, I’m sure she’ll come around in time.” Ah, there’s that familiar smile!

“Heh. I kinda wished I had gotten a peek under her tail though. You know, to see if all the clop artists were accurate or not. There’s a whole debate about these things!” She says with a giggle.

“Clop, what?” I ask in confusion.

“You know…pony porn? I told you the fandom’s weird!”

“Riiight…” I reply with a scratch of my head and another much needed sip of sweet sweet liquor. “Well if it settles your little debate, I got a glimpse earlier, and it just looked like a horse butt to me, except you know….blue.”

She hums thoughtfully at that, the answer seeming to satisfy her. Then she glances at the TV. “Hey, do you want to watch some of the show? I kind of want to see how the cartoon version of her compares to the real thing.”

“Huh. The way you used to talk about it, I’m surprised you don’t have every episode memorized at this point.” I say as I move over to power on the TV and boot up my well-used Xbox. Sure, it wasn’t really my thing, but I had to admit I was starting to get a little curious myself.

“Heh, I’m sure I did at one point, but it’s been a long time since it ended.” She replies as I hand her the controller. She scrolls around for a bit before pulling up YouTube, and apparently managing to find a playlist of the more “Luna themed” episodes, starting with one about some kind of Halloween knockoff.

As the episode plays, I can't help but pester Lorrie with questions, like the occasional "who's that?" Fortunately, rather than becoming annoyed she seems to take joy in answering them, as well as pointing out various members of the colorful cast, and offering explanations for various events, such as who Nightmare Moon was, Luna's banishment, the Elements of Harmony, and so on. Not that the plot of the episode itself was all that hard to follow, even if I apparently had a lot of catching up to do.

We both take particular interest when Princess Luna shows up, descending in her chariot and revealing herself to the citizens of Ponyville. Okay, her animated portrayal didn't quite do her justice, though as I'd seen in my rushed internet searches previously, her proportions seemed to be pretty close. Perhaps her actual muzzle was slightly longer, and legs a bit slimmer, and her wings were a bit larger, but overall it was pretty damn close. What the show couldn't capture, was the soft glossiness of her coat, and the sheer number of intricately placed delicate feathers on her wings, not to mention the sheer majesty that was the starry field of her mane and tail.

Her mannerisms and personality were much the same, though Lorrie makes it clear that this is a relatively early version of her, and she became more refined over time. Indeed, I'd never heard her refer to herself as "we," though I had caught the occasional use of "thy" and "thou." This led to a long discussion about just how closely her world matched up with that of the show. From Lorrie's explanation, both Luna and her sister Celestia ended up retiring, leaving their rule in the charge of Twight Sparkle and her friends. But this couldn't be the case, since Luna had referred to herself as one of Equestria's current monarchs. Yet another thing to add to the list of burning questions we had for her.

We sit there watching for some time as one episode plays after another, only stopping to fix ourselves lunch. I consider knocking on the bedroom door, not wanting Luna to be left out, but quickly dismiss the thought. She had been pretty adamant about wanting to be left alone, and respecting her wishes seems like the best thing to do if we wanted to establish any level of trust between us.

By the time the credits roll after the last episode on the list, rather than being some kind of enlightening experience for us, it just seems to bring up more and more questions that only the Princess her self would be able to answer. With a long sigh, I reach over and shut off the TV. That's when I notice something....off. A cold draft blows through my shortly cropped hair as I jump to my feet. Then, from somewhere deeper in the house I hear a door slam shut.

"Shit.....Luna!" I call out as run through the house, a panicked Lorrie following quick on my heels. In no time I reach the back door and throw it open. Sure enough, there's a set of hoof prints in the slushy remains of snow left on the small wooden deck behind my house. I don't care that my socked feet are getting soaked as I follow them down the stairs and out into the moonlit field.

"Luna!" I call out again as I trace the path she'd left, quickly leaving Lorrie behind as I shift into a panicked sprint, nearly falling over several times as my feet struggle for purchase on the slippery ground. The trail only leads a few more feet before I jerk to a stop when the hoofprints simply disappear. Only my ragged breathing and the cool wind can be heard as I whip my head back and forth, scanning the shadowy landscape for anywhere she might have gone.

I stand there panting and looking around for several moments before I hear footsteps approaching. I turn to see Lorrie walking up to me, having wisely opted to take the time to throw on a jacket and boots.

"Here, I grabbed these for you." She pants, shoving a pair of shoes into my hands. "*Huff*....did you see where she went?"

I shake my head as I gratefully slip the shoes onto my feet. "No."

My concern grows as we stand there, looking around anxiously. One benefit of living out in the country was that I didn’t have any close neighbors, so if she hadn’t gone far it’s unlikely anyone would spot her. But it’s not like I was comepletely isolated. Even from here I could spot the lights from various homes and farms scattered around the area, as well as the headlights of a few cars making their way along the road. It was still early in the evening, and likely many of my neighbors were on their way home from work.

“There!” Lorrie suddenly points. I follow her gaze and manage to make out a dull blue glow shining through the trees on a small hilltop not too far from us. It’s dim, but through the long shadows it casts from the sparse leafless trees, I’m just able to make out its source.

Wasting no time, we make our way up the short slope, my wet socks squishing unpleasantly against my cold feet as I pick my way over the rocky, slush covered ground.

When we reach the top, we find Luna sitting in a small clearing, staring up at the night sky with an impassive look as she seemed to be lost in concentration. She doesn’t so much as turn her head to look at us, though I do notice on of her ears swivel in our direction as we approach. A dark blue glow surrounds her horn, clearly the source of the light we had spotted earlier.

“I apologize if I have worried you.” Luna says slowly, her voice soft as her teal eyes remain fixed on the heavens, almost seeming to glow on their own as they reflect the pale moonlight. “But I could feel your moon as it rose, so alien, and yet…..familiar.”

A faint smile warms Luna’s face as she trails off, and I find myself looking up as well to admire the glowing sphere of the waning full moon. Though early yet, it was already framed by a backdrop of shining stars as the last rays of sunlight disappear behind the horizon.

She could have at least told us. I’m beginning to feel a bit annoyed after having rushed out here after her, but decide to let it go for now. Looking at her, it was becoming clear just how much this meant to her.

“Wait….you can feel the moon?” I ask.

“Indeed.” She let’s the glow around her horn fade as she cranes her neck to point down at the crescent moon in her flank. “It seems I share a connection with it as though it were my own, if somewhat….fainter.” She frowns, turning once again to examine the sky. “But everything else bears little resemblance to what I’m familiar with. These constellations and wandering lights are, well, a stark reminder of just how far from home I am.”

“Wandering lights?” I echo uncertainly as I look up again. I soon spot the blinking lights of a plane, as well as a distant satellite arcing its way across the sky. “Oh! Those moving lights are…” Just how was I going to explain this in a way she could understand? “Machines. Things people created that orbit around the planet to transmit information and various other things….”

Yeah, I wasn’t exactly an expert, but I didn’t seem to be losing her as I point towards the objects in question, simply adopting a thoughtful expression as her eyes follow my gestures. “And that’s an airplane. Do you have any kind of flying machines in Equestria?”

She nods. “Balloons and a variety of craft powered by magic, though nothing the likes of which could leave the planet itself. How is such a feat possible without magic? I have sensed nothing from these machines, as you call them.”

“It’s….complicated. I’m probably not the person to ask, but I suppose it comes from centuries of technological development.” Okay, kind of a non answer, but it’s not like I wanted to spend all night trying to share my limited knowledge of how a plane flies, or electronics work.

*Flash*

“The fuck!?” I spin around to see Lorrie grinning and holding up her phone.

“Heh, sorry. You two looked so cute together and I just had to take a picture!” She laughs, holding out her phone to show off the image of Luna and I staring up at the sky, my arms waving about as I animatedly try to describe things to her.

“Now, if you two have had enough fun, how about we go inside before we freeze to death?”

Author's Note

Hope this one wasn’t too dialogue heavy and meta for you guys, but don’t worry. Things will start to pick up soon.

Chapter 8 Author's Note

Just a word of warning. This chapter came out rather dark, and contains some traumatic events. If that’s not your thing, it can be skipped without missing any major plot points, but there is a bit of character development that may make the upcoming chapter a bit confusing if you miss out. (Also, sorry for it being a bit shorter than normal, but don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you in the next one.)

Chapter 8

“Charlie Actual, Charlie two-six, passing CK three now, over.”

“Acknowledged, two-six. We have you at checkpoint three, your MSR is green at this time, and you are clear to proceed to your next point, over.”

I idly monitor the radio chatter echoing through the cramped confines the Humvee as I ride shotgun, staring out through the thick armored windshield at the seemingly endless sea of sand, the desolate expanse only marred by the ocasional sight of a distant village, and the taillights of the vehicle ahead of us as the convoy makes its way down a poorly maintained road, kicking up a cloud of dust that stings my eyes as it finds its way into the vehicle, tinging everything inside a dusty tan.

We had done similar missions so many times I had lost count. Every time it was made out to be some kind of heroic endeavor. Patrol the area, keep the peace, track down the dreaded insurgents. Of course that last almost always meant sitting on the outskirts of some village for hours, if not days, and watching the locals going about their day in the slim hope of spotting something nefarious.

The first few times I’d gone out were a nerve wracking experience, constant warnings and horror stories of enemy contact, IEDs, and dead soldiers being sent home in mass coming to mind. After countless missions with nothing to show for it, boredom and complacency had set in. Patrolling felt less and less like what I’d signed up for, and more like a menial chore to check off the list.

My eyes growing tired, I’m beginning to get lost in my own thoughts, the minutes passing by with the landscape as our dusty convoy trundles its way down the road. My eyes settle wearily on the red taillights ahead of me, their soft glow almost hypnotizing until they suddenly disappear behind a wall of brown earth and smoke.

I hear bits of rock and other debris pinging off the vehicle, and it’s not until a thundering boom reaches my ears that my eyes shoot open as the driver mashes the brakes, causing my helmeted head to slam into the dashboard.

“Aw…fuck…what the fuck!?” The driver, Specialist Mendez, looks over to me, eyes wide in as he trembles in shock. “Sergeant Chandler, what should I do!?”

“Back us up, get clear!” I shout back as my hand darts to the radio. “This is Charlie Two-Two, IED! IED, Two-One is hit!” I yell into the mic before nearly hitting the dash again as Mendez sends the vehicle hurtling backwards.

“Stop here!” I shout, sending the Humvee jerking to a stop again. “Mendez, stay in the truck, gunner scan our three o’clock, Johnson, on me!” I yell, giving my M4 carbine a quick check before throwing the door open. Despite my thundering heart, and the insistent ringing in my ears, I manage to pull myself to my feet and begin jogging forward as I hear Private Johnson’s hurried footsteps behind me.

I barely notice the slamming of doors as soldiers in other vehicles do the same, many of them fanning out to scan the hills while I set my sights on the smoldering wreck before me. I go to open one of the doors before freezing as I realize that not only is there no handle to grab, but the door itself is completely gone. Bile begins to rise in my throat as I peer shakily through the haze, and see nothing but splotches of blood and viscera splattered across what remained of the crew compartment.

“Sergeant Chandler!?” I hear a concerned voice shout behind me, but I can’t focus on it as I turn away and double over to hurl onto the chalky ground.

Suddenly pain blossoms in my back as I feel something slam against the ceramic plate that was nestled there, sending me sprawling to the ground and robbing me of air. A staccato of heavy machine gun fire sounds from somewhere nearby as I struggle to push myself up, fumbling with my weapon as I desperately scramble to make sense of anything through the thick cloud of dust and char that swirled around me.

Somewhere behind me there’s a cry of pain, and I hear something fall to the ground. “Fuck…Johnson…..JOHNSON!?” I scream, becoming more and more panicked when I don’t hear a response. The sounds of battle are deafening as I try to fumble my way blindly towards where I’d heard him fall. And then….everything falls silent.

Even the ringing is gone, replaced by an eerie calm as the dust begins to drift away. I look down to see the road is gone, replaced by a soft green grass that blows gently in a wonderfully cool breeze that brings a chill to my sweat-soaked body. When I look up again, everything is gone, and I’m standing in a moonlit field, the vibrant green interspersed with scatterings of purple wildflowers that seem to shine under a starry night sky. And standing there before me is Princess Luna in all her glory, wearing a look of intense concern. Her teal eyes appear glassy, as barely holding back a flood of tears.

“What was that?” She asks softly. “I have seen terrible nightmares, indescribable horrors over the course of centuries, but this…”

I feel incredibly refreshed, my sweaty uniform and gear gone, and replaced with a simple silk robe that flowed in the gentle breeze, and though loose, seemed to hug itself around me comfortingly. Even so, it takes me several moments to calm myself enough to respond.

“That’s because it’s not just a nightmare. It’s a memory. One that I haven’t been able to forget since that horrible fucking day.” I answer, clenching my face as I try to hold back tears of my own.

“So you were a guard….some kind of warrior?” She asks in that soft motherly tone.

I nod. “Yeah….a soldier. A defender of freedom as they’d say, what a fucking joke. There was nothing worth fighting for in that lousy desert besides each other.” I point a hand to my right, as if I’m still where I had been standing, and I swear I see a few swirls of dust threaten to invade the peaceful landscape. “And Johnson, he didn’t make it.” I say, my face growing hard as I focus on keeping my voice from wavering. “He died, and for what!? I never should have told him to follow me! It’s my own goddamn fault, if he had just stayed in the truck….”

My outburst is cut short as I feel a pair of soft wings wrap around me. I look up to see those warm teal eyes staring back at me as her mouth twists into a sympathetic smile. “No Dave, you have done nothing wrong. There was no way you could have known, and just as you chose your actions, he made the choice to follow you, and his fate was his own.”

The rage inside me begins to crumble, but it’s not through yet as I sneer. “Fate? He went home in a fucking casket. He had a family, a wife and a son who will never see him again, and do you know what I got? A medal! A fucking medal for running around like an idiot, and getting someone killed!”

“Shhhh.” She coos softly, tightening her wings around me and leaning forward to nuzzle my cheek. Her muzzle feels so warm and soft as its velvety fur brushes across my skin, and I feel the tears I had been holding back finally start to flow.

“I will not pretend to understand the nature of your people’s conflicts, and the nature of your pain is one that may never fade entirely, but until you can forgive yourself, it will never release its hold on you.” She whispers, her muzzle resting beside my ear. “You must learn to let go….”

I don’t say another word as I remain held tightly in her embrace. As close as she is, despite it being nothing more than a dream, I’m able to pick up the steady thumps of her heart, and the soft inhale and exhale of her breath, the warm gusts tickling my ear with every exhale as hot tears run down my face and drip to the ground below. I don’t know how long we remain like that, but eventually everything slowly grows dark.

I wake to find her wings replaced by a blanket I had pulled tightly around me some time during the night. My eyes flicker open as I lift my head from my now damp pillow to take a bleary look around the dark storage room. A glance at my phone tells me it’s only half past three in the morning. With a sad, tired sigh, I flip the pillow over and lay my head back down. Spilling everything had left me thoroughly drained, and it only takes a few more seconds before I fade away into a blissfully dreamless slumber.

Chapter 9

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 10

Between the wrench being thrown into Luna’s plan to get home, and my continued unease over the possibility of government agents snooping around, the afternoon takes a solemn turn.

Luna seems to be lost in thought as I go about putting away the rest of the groceries. When I finally put the last items in the cabinet, I turn to see her pacing around the kitchen, inspecting the various appliances with a keen interest.

“So….” I say, breaking the silence. “Can I make you anything? All I’ve seen you eat today is that apple, and I’ll feel like a terrible host if I let you go hungry.”

“Hmm?” She turns away from a close examination of the electric kettle. “I will be fine for now. Though pray tell, what is the purpose of this device?”

“Oh, that heats water for tea and the like.” I answer, walking over to show her. “See? You just fill it with water and hit this switch here.”

“Ah, most ingenious!” Luna exclaims with an excited flap of her wings, levitating the metal pot up to peer inside. “I may not be as fond of tea as my sister, but if I may rescind my refusal, what manner of tea do you have to offer?”

That was a good question. It wasn’t something I enjoyed all that often these days. I head over to a cabinet and rifle through it for a moment before pulling out a pair of small boxes.

“Let’s see, I’ve got….green tea, and Earl Gray.” I say as I place the boxes on the counter.

“These are not anything I am familiar with, however….” She leans over and gives each box an inquisitive sniff. “Ah, this one smells quite pleasing.” She says, pointing a hoof at the green tea.

She continues to watch with interest, paying careful attention as I fill the pot and get it heated, before pulling out the packets and placing them in a pair of mugs for us. “Well, how do you make tea in Equestria?” I ask, watching her ears flick curiously at the sound of the brewing kettle.

“It is much the same, though we do not have such an extensive use of electricity as you. Rather, the water would be heated by a unicorn, or talisman, though many earth ponies prefer a simple flame for the task.”

(Huh. I had to wonder just how advanced the real Equestria was compared to the show, but it made perfect sense. Why go through the hassle of developing complex technologies when magic could be applied to just about any task?)

In short order, the water begins to boil, and I fill both our mugs. As I set the kettle back in its place, I feel a buzz from my phone. I smile as I pull it out and check my messages.

“Oh good, it looks like Lorrie was able to get some hay and alfalfa for you, and she’ll be on her way over in an hour or so.” I say as one of the mugs levitates past me.

“Most wonderful indeed, you shall have to offer her my thanks.” She replies.

It surprises me when she only gives my phone a mildly interested glance. I suppose when magical scrolls and dream walking are a thing, electronic communication wasn’t all that groundbreaking. I silently count my blessings for that, as I really didn’t want to make an attempt to explain how it worked.

Luna blows gently on the steaming mug before taking a dainty sip. She smiles and closes her eyes for a moment as she savors the taste. “Mmmm, this ‘green tea’ is rather good, of what herb is it derived?”

“Huh, I don’t really know…..a green one?” I answer dumbly, turning to take a closer look at the box. “Uhhhh….apparently, it’s made from ‘Camellia Sinensis leaves’….whatever that is.”

"Hmmm, I shall take your word for it." Luna answers with a shrug before taking another sip, apparently unsatisfied with my shaky description, yet content to enjoy it nevertheless.

I'm in the middle of my own sip of the hot beverage when Luna speaks up again. "If I may, I would ask that I cook tonight's meal. Not that I question your skill, but I fear your knowledge of Equestrian cuisine may be....lacking."

"Ooookay..." I answer hesitantly. "I mean, if you're up for it.....I suppose I wouldn't turn down the chance to try something new."

Somehow she seems to catch on to my trepidation, and gives me a determined look. "Worry not, for though it has not been a necessity for me, I have managed to learn a thing or two about the culinary arts over the millennia."

Well, this should be interesting. Of course, it also meant having to spend a great deal of time walking Luna around the kitchen and explaining how everything works and where to find everything she'd need. Fortunately she turns out to be a fast learner. The biggest challenge was going to be the distinct difference in how we measure portions and temperature. By some miraculous coincidence, ponies and humans wrote numbers in the same way. Of course, I had no idea how Fahrenheit compared to Centimare, but she she seemed more than willing to go by feel.

We were just wrapping up our impromptu lesson when I hear a knock at the door, and Lorrie lets herself in. It looks like it has been a long day for her, judging by the weary look on her face, but the smile that lights up her face when she sees us does a good job of hiding it.

"Hey guys!" She beams, staggering into the kitchen under the weight of several heavy bags that she almost immediately sets on the floor with a resounding *thud*.

"Hey Lorrie! Wow, you weren't kidding about stocking up, huh?"

"Hmmph, well the feed we had only comes in 30lb bags, and I figured I'd be sticking around for a while." Lorrie grunts as she pulls out a bag of alfalfa pellets. "I also got some of the fresh stuff, and there's some hay in the truck."

Luna walks over to eye the bag of pellets. "Feed? You know I am not some simple farm animal, do you not?"

"Oh, of course not!" Lorrie answers, opening up the bag to show her. "But I figured since these would meet all your nutritional needs, they could make a good snack or something."

Luna levitates out a single pellet and eyes it suspiciously before popping it into her mouth and chewing slowly. "Hmmm, a bit bland for my tastes, yet it is palatable." She says as she swallows.

"I'm glad you like it, that stuff's expensive!" Lorrie replies as she moves a few bags of alfalfa sprouts over to the counter. "Oh, and I just couldn't resist bringing this. I almost forgot that I had it..." She rifles around in another bag for a few seconds before pulling out a little vinyl figure of Luna and holding it up. From the level of detail, it was clearly meant as more of a collector's piece than a toy

Luna's eyes widen as they fall on the tiny likeness of herself. "You had told me that thou were familiar with us, but to be honored in such a way..." She sits on her haunches next to Lorrie and holds up a hoof, carefully levitating the figurine onto it and turning it one way and the other, taking in every little detail. "Truly remarkable.....I am not sure what to make of this."

Lorrie giggles, clearly trying to hold herself back from completely fangirling out as Luna returns the figurine to her with a flow of magic and a content smile. "Hehe, it's nothing that dramatic, remember....you're just a fictional character as far as anyone knows. Though to be honest, I always thought you were best princess..."

Luna seems taken aback by that. "Me!?....but how have thou comest to such a conclusion!?"

Ha! She did revert back to that weird biblical way of speaking when she was flustered. Wanting to give the two of them some time to themselves, I casually offer to bring in the rest of the things Lorrie had brought and head outside. It turns out to be easier said than done as I find myself unloading a heavy suitcase and pulling a few heavy bales of hay out of the bed of her truck. It was the same work truck she had driven over the other day, though this time the large horse trailer was noticeably absent.

Okay, this was going to take a few trips. Judging by the weight of the suitcase, she hadn't been kidding about sticking around for a while. Where was she even going to stay? The couch I supposed, though the polite thing to do would probably be to offer her the spare room, which meant I would have to move again. Resolving to solve that issue later, I decide to just drop her stuff in the living room for now. One more trip with a hay bale balanced on each shoulder brings me back to the kitchen, where I find the two of them talking excitedly as Luna works at the stove, a myriad of ingredients hovering in the air around her.

"Retire? What a ridiculous notion!" Luna snorts as she goes about chopping up a variety of vegetables while simultaneously placing a pot on the stove. "While sister may have prepared young Twilight for her role as the Princess of Friendship, the idea of her running a school at the same time, much less all of Equestria whilst we simply abandon our duties?" The princess laughs.

"Did I miss something?" I ask as I set the bales down in a corner. Lorrie meanwhile, seemed to have forgotten about the salad she was preparing, all her focus on Luna as she hung on every word.

"More like everything!" Lorrie replies excitedly as she finally pulls her focus away from Luna. "For one, I hope you don't mind us getting started on cooking. It's nothing too crazy, some vegetable soup and a salad..."

Luna doesn't even turn her head as I watch a clump of hay float past me and shred itself before plopping into a bowl of batter. "Oh, and haycakes!" Lorrie continues.

"It's fine, we'd already discu..." I start, but am almost immediately cut off as Lorrie continues to speak excitedly. "But also, we got into talking about the events of the show, and it turns out it's dead on for the most part, well, at least up to season 6 or so, but there's also so much it didn't cover, and..."

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down!" I cut in, holding up a hand as Lorrie finally trails off to catch a breath.

"S..sorry, it's all just so exciting!" She pants, steadying herself as she remembers to breathe.

“Yeah, I have to admit it’s pretty crazy…” I answer, glancing over at Luna who seems to have finished adding all the ingredients and was now contentedly stirring the soup while the cakes sizzled in a pan next to it. I wrinkle my nose as I pick up the somewhat sweet smell of cooking hay.

“Everything alright over there?” I ask, somewhat concerned by the not so appetizing odor.

“Hm? Yes, everything is coming right along perfectly.” Luna smiles, giving the pan a flip that reveals the underside of the cakes to be a perfect golden brown.

Before long everything is ready and we all sit at the kitchen table to eat. As expected, the hay cakes turn out to be completely inedible for myself and Lorrie, but the soup….my god. Royalty or not, apparently living for thousands of years gives you more than enough time to master a few skills

Fortunately for the humans in the room, the salad also turns out to be edible. Of course it was mostly composed of familiar vegetables, but I hadn’t known alfalfa was something people actually ate…..and it was fairly mediocre, not that I’d dare tell Luna that after all the effort she’d gone through.

The conversation over dinner remains light, if somewhat animated as it’s dominated by an onslaught of questions from Lorrie about the workings of Equestria. Not that I didn’t find the details fascinating, as Luna eagerly explained what she could, apparently relishing the opportunity to turn her mind toward home, but I found it hard to get so much as a word in as Lorrie’s curiosity seemed to have no end.

To be honest, I didn't really mind being somewhat left out due to my ignorance on the subject. I find myself content to mostly listening. And sure, this wasn't exactly a normal social occasion, but I can't help to smile at seeing the table full of people (and pony) for the first time in years. Why had I secluded myself all this time? Sure...I'd been messed up when I returned from overseas, but there had been people like Lorrie and the few old friends I still had in the area. I had been so quick to write them off as being incapable of understanding what I'd gone through that I'd driven them off with bitterness, and even contempt.

Now Luna was going through a challenging time of her own. Cut off not only from family and friends, but her entire world. Neither myself or Lorrie may be able to fully understand the gravity of what she was going through.

Sure, in a sense of been away from everything I knew when I’d been deployed. My own familiar little world left far behind. In this sense I could sympathize with the lost princess, but even then my fellow soldiers had been a constant reassuring presence, and I’d still been able to keep in touch with everyone back home for the most part. Yes, things had been dangerous and uncertain, but I hadn’t faced it alone with no one to help me but strangers, as Luna was now.

It was clear by the spark in Luna's eyes as she went on about the way the moon and sun orbited her planet, and how the weather was really controlled by pegasi, just how much simply having someone to talk to could make things easier. Something that I had blatantly pushed aside in favor of the warm embrace of alcohol and solitude.

As much as I try to put on a brave face for their benefit as the night progresses, the weather seems to reflect my mood as the soft patter of a cold October rain sounds from the roof. Regret and solemness for a past I couldn't change.

Chapter 11 Author's Note

Okay, I said I wasn’t going to do clop, but here you go anyway. If it’s not your thing you can avoid all the explicit bits by skipping to the second set of asterisks without missing anything important to the plot.

Chapter 11

The midmorning sun trickles in through the windows, bathing my bedroom in a warm golden glow as I make my way through the doorway.

*************************

I catch sight of Luna once again sprawled out on her back atop the covers, her rear legs splayed to the side, and her flowing tail draped limply across the bed. I really should avert my eyes, or leave quietly and come some time later when she was more decent. Instead I find myself moving closer, my eyes drawn to that soft slit that lay nestled just below her belly. In the golden light, it seemed to glow invitingly, and as relaxed and spread out as she was, I could even make out a few hints of its pink interior.

I really should stop myself, but before I know it I’m already standing at the foot of the bed, my arm outstretched, and my fingers hovering mere inches from her soft entrance. What was I doing!? In sudden realization, I jerk my hand back like I’d been burned. Looking up slowly, I’m greeted by a pair of large teal eyes staring back at me.

“Hmm, no need to look away now….did you really think I had not noticed where your gaze had wandered?” She coos seductively, eyes half lidded as she spreads her rear legs even wider, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination as her horn lights, spreading herself wide with her magic and making me gulp.

“What!?” I blurt out in shock, already backpedaling toward the doorway. “No! You’ve got this all wrong, I…”

I’m stopped in my tracks as her magic reaches out, wrapping me in its blue aura and hauling me right back to the foot of the bed.

“No, I do not think I am mistaken…” Luna purrs, gripping my head in her magic and tugging it downward until my face is pressed tightly between that set of soft, yet well toned haunches, leaving me face to face with her soft slit as her aura releases it, allowing her lower lips to settle back in place with a wet ‘slick.’ It seems to glisten as it lays nestled there mere inches from me, already dripping with arousal.

Okay, it was true that I had looked more than a little, but… “No…Luna, this…this is wrong…you’re not even human! There’s no w…” I try to retort, but I’m quickly silenced as she pulls my head forward, my protests muffled as my mouth is mashed against her soft lower lips.

“Nothing but simple curiosity then?” She questions between a series of delighted feminine moans as she grinds against my face, smearing it with her slick juices and forcing no small amount into my mouth as her folds caress my cheeks.

“Well, in that case…” She suddenly pushes me backward, causing me to land hard on my back with the sweet, almost flowery taste of her juices still fresh on my tongue. “I’ll admit, I am somewhat curious myself.”

Her aura envelopes me again, and my eyes go wide as I feel my belt tug itself off and my zipper working its way down. I try to bring my arms down to shield myself, but it proves to be utterly futile as she simply pushes them aside and slides my pants off effortlessly, followed quickly by my boxers, leaving me completely exposed.

Despite my best efforts, her lusty tone combined with our intimate contact had produced the desired effect, and my unprotected manhood now stood proud and firm in the open air.

“Such a curious little thing, so slender and delicate…..I can not see why you always insist on hiding it away.” Luna coos lustily as she hauls me into the air once again, gripping my member and turning it one way and another, those big teal eyes poring over every detail as if it’s nothing more than another curious human implement to be inspected.

Giving me no time to respond, she pulls me down atop her, bringing us face to face as I feel my member begin to sink into her warm folds and prod at her slick entrance. The warmth grows as I feel her rear legs curl around my waist, and she lets out a soft moan as more of my length is pushed inside.

Her smile widens as I can’t help but let out a short groan of pleasure at the sensation. “See? It’s nothing to be afraid of…..you must accept your true feelings for me….” She says breathily, a slight flush to her face as her half lidded eyes glint with eagerness. It’s so intoxicating that I find myself solemnly beginning to agree, and even offer a smile in return as I wrap my arms around her barrel and begin to thrust gently, swiftly sinking the remainder of my comparably pitiful length onto her. While not below average by any means, there was no way it could be more than a fraction of what a stallion had to work with. Yet if her pleasured pants were any indication, it didn’t seem to make a difference.

No matter how much I may want to deny it, I was beginning to feel that she was right. Sure, on one hand: She was an alien from another world who was far too similar to a horse to be comfortable being attracted to without raising some serious concerns. But on the other: She was undoubtedly intelligent, and with those graceful curves to her slender body, and that perfectly rounded plot, there was no denying that she was unmistakably feminine and attractive by nearly any standards.

Setting the last of my reservations aside, my breathing begins to pick up as I ease my way out of her surprisingly tight love tunnel before pushing my hips forward again with a wet ‘slick.’ I hug her tighter, the sounds of her adorable gasps and pants gracing my ears as I begin to thrust.

“Mmm, yes…..show me how you human stallions can treat a mare..” She moans out, her face flushed with arousal as she flares her wings out to pull them around me and hug me close as I pick up the pace….

*********************

“It is not that I haven’t seen dreams involving myself in such situations before, but is this truly how you think of me?”

The voice from somewhere nearby sends a shock through me, and I let out a surprised yelp as both Luna and the bed vanish under me, causing me to land flat on the hard floor.

“Huh, Luna?…..What’s going on?” I shake my head, reality coming flooding back to me as I see her walk up to stand over me. “Wait….it’s a dream?” I state the obvious as I pull myself into a sitting position, my clothes fortunately deciding to reappear on my body as I turn to her.

Of course. After dinner last evening, we had all sat down and tried to brainstorm a plan that would actually have a chance at getting Luna home successfully, but after several hours with nothing to show for it, we had all decided to call it a night before our growing frustration and weariness got the better of us.

“That…wasn’t really you, was it?” I ask with growing unease.

“Nay, twas but a creation of your subconscious. Be assured, I do not, and would never hold such passionate feelings for you.” Luna answers.

Somewhat comfortingly, she didn’t seem to be angry or embarrassed by what she’d seen. If anything, she appeared somewhat amused if the sly, knowing grin on her face was any indication. Also….ouch. Not that I’d ever so much as entertained the idea of considering her as a romantic interest, much less one so intimate, but still. Did she really have to be so blunt about it?

“I mean, it’s not like I really see you that way, just….I don’t know, I guess I’ve just been a bit repressed lately?” I say unsurely as I fight off the lingering traces of embarrassment.

“Indeed?” She cocks an eyebrow. “I am not unaware of the effect I have on stallions, and as sister might say, ‘there is no wrong way to fantasize,’ but perhaps it might be more suitable for you to have such thoughts about one of your own species?” She pauses to think for a moment. “I may not be the princess of love, but what of Lorrie? It is clear to me that there is a strong bond between the two of you.”

“Hell no!” I answer quickly before reigning myself back at Luna’s shocked expression. I let out a long sigh. “What I mean is, we’ve known each other since high school, and if anything she’s like a sister to me….even if we have grown apart over the years, and I’m sure she feels the same way.”

“Such things can change in time. While it would be unwise to force things before their time, I would advise that you speak with her on the matter.” Luna says sagely.

I shake my head slowly. “Look. I do love her, just…..not like that. Like I said she’s practically my sister. Besides, even if that was the case, why would I have imagined you and me….you know…” (Don’t make me say it!)

“Rutting?” She replies with a cheeky grin. Not quite mocking, but almost seeming to hold back laughter at my obvious embarrassment. “Hmm. I am no expert on the minds of stallions, but I have been a constant presence in your recent life, and without a doubt the focus of much of your thoughts. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that your mind would go to such places…”

“Men. Human males are called men.” I correct her. “And okay, let’s say it is just because you happen to be an attractive w….mare?” I correct myself, getting a confirming nod in response before I continue. “Then why would I imagine you so aggressive? It’s not like I really wanted to do anything that just happened…”

“Ah, perhaps then, I was mistaken.” Luna replies. “It is not a simple desire for intimacy that compels you, but the fear of finding something so different to be desirable.”

“Well, yeah…I’ll admit you are beautiful..” I answer awkwardly, though that comment does earn a smile from her. “But it just feels wrong to picture you like that. I mean, you’re a completely different species…”

“And what is wrong with that?” Luna questions. “In Equestria there are many ponies who seek partners who may be of another species. Be they gryphons, or minotaurs, or even one stallion who fell in love with a dragon who was ten times his size. Believe me, I will not judge you for such a harmless interest, so long as you hold no expectations that it be returned.”

I want to shoot back another adamant denial, but her words give me pause. Yeah it would be wrong to be attracted to another species on Earth, being that humans were the only sapient race, but Luna and ponies like her weren’t animals. I find myself considering what she’d said carefully. As I do Luna closes her eyes and smiles as the room crumbles away and the dream fades into the peaceful void of sleep.

Chapter 12

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 13

*Pop!*

I have to shield my eyes as I’m suddenly assaulted by the glaring sun, my head spinning as I feel like I’ve just been forced through a tunnel that was far too small for me and tossed around for good measure.

I feel cold rocky ground greet me as I fall to my knees, desperately trying to hold back a strong wave of nausea. Heart pounding and breathing heavily, I manage to lift my head enough to take a look around. We were back on the small hilltop where Luna had gone to seek comfort only a few nights ago. How the….she had teleported us!? It was the only possible explanation, and even in mere seconds she must have had to do it, she had even managed to bring along the meager collection of supplies we had gathered….and a good sized chunk of the floor if the circular patch of carpet under our bags was any indication. I find myself staring at it with a morbid sense of fascination. It should horrify me. That house was my pride and joy. The culmination of years of effort and saving to finally have a place to call my own, but..,,I could hardly blame her for it. After all, it should be the least of my concerns at this point, and with a sinking feeling in my gut, I begin to consider that I might never see it again.

Speaking of more immediate concerns, Lorrie had clearly taken the sudden teleportation just as poorly as I had, standing doubled over a few feet away gagging and retching as her body purges itself of every meal she’d had over the last day and then some.

Luna meanwhile was simply standing stoically between the two of us, concern marring her otherwise placid features as she gazes off into the distance.

Following her gaze, I suddenly feel a new appreciation for the dense thickets of trees that now stood between us and my house that now lay a few hundred meters away. However, it still felt uncomfortably close as I lay my eyes on the swarm of activity that now surrounded it. Dozens of figures wearing black tactical gear armed with rifles had created a perimeter, covering every possible avenue of escape. A small crowd milled about near what remained of the front door, mostly consisting of the hazmat team, who seemed to be arguing with a pair of agents that were blocking them access to the house.

The front yard now looked like small parking lot, and even as I watched more vehicles were arriving. It was a strange motley of agencies. Everything from the local PD, State bomb squad, Federal Government, hazmat, and several more that I couldn’t make out had descended on my property.

“I am sorry, Dave.” Luna’s soft voice breaks the stillness of the hilltop, that stood in sharp contrast against the flurry of activity below. “I have been arrogant to think my presence would not draw attention, and now the both of you are worse off for it.”

She hangs her head, ears drooping as she turns away from her vantage point and circles around behind us before plopping down on her haunches dejectedly. “Had I any sense, I would have left as soon as I was able.”

“No.” I say firmly, rounding on her. “I made the choice to help you.” I glance over at Lorrie, who appears to be recovering somewhat, but still looks a bit green. “We both did…”

Luna turns her head up toward me, looking ready to argue her point further, but before she can Lorrie butts in. “And go where?” She states, waving a hand around for emphasis. “Yeah, this sucks. There’s no denying that.” She surprises me by boldly marching over and resting a hand on Luna’s withers. “Look. We can play the blame game and wallow in self pity forever, or we can help each other, and maybe together we can make this all work out.”

Luna brightens a little at that, a thoughtful smile creasing her muzzle. “Hmm…..in some ways thou remind me of a certain former student of sister’s.”

Yeah, I had no idea who she was referring to, but apparently it was high praise from the way it made Lorrie’s face light up.

“And I must concede you have a point.” Luna continues. “As much as I do not wish to cause further harm, I will admit that I would be in much more dire straits without your assistance, and do not favor the idea of finding my way in your world on my own.”

Another glance down the hill reveals that the majority of attention was still focused on my house, but that would only last for so long. “Okay, it’s great that we’ve worked that out, but we’re going to have to get moving. Once they realize there’s nothing there, they’re gonna spread out and search for us.”

“But….where do we go?” Lorrie asks, scooping up her bag. “It’s not like we can hide out in the woods, and there’s no way we’ll be able to hide her.”

That gives me pause. What had my plan even been? Sure, if we had Lorrie’s truck we could’ve kept Luna hidden well enough to get her to Lorrie’s house, but there was no way we’d be able to sneak back to it. Of course, even if we could, the authorities almost certainly had all her information at this point, so the idea of laying low at her place was out the window.

So where did that leave us? Even if we headed down the far side of the hill to the road, if it wasn’t being patrolled already, it’s mot like we could hitchhike with a five foot tall blue allicorn. What we needed right now was more time to come up with a better plan, so with no better immediate options, deeper into the woods it was.

I explain as much to Lorrie and Luna, and with no better suggestions from either, we reluctantly collect the last of our things and set off.

Counting our blessings, we continued trekking our way through the woods. Thankfully the weather had let up, the snow having melted and the cold having lost most of its bite. The ground itself was fairly muddy, but as we kept to what looked firm, we shouldn’t need to worry too much about footprints. Another bright side was the fact that we were dressed for the impromptu hike, our boots and jackets proving their worth with each step deeper into the woods.

None of us say any more than the occasional hushed comment as we walk, making the sound of our foot and hoofsteps the only constant over the noise of a low wind rustling the few stubborn leaves that had held out though the fall. Every now and then a stick breaking, or other unexpected noise causes us to stop. We’re all on edge, myself especially as I imagine even the smallest of sounds being picked up by a relentless search team, or that a pack of dogs might crest the hill we had left behind us to chase us down.

The tension slowly fades as the minutes turn to hours. I spend the majority of the time leading the way, since I knew the area fairly well. Plus I didn’t really want to walk behind Luna. Sure, everything was neatly hidden away by her tail, but just a few minutes of trying not to focus on her flexing haunches and the way her hips swayed from side to side as she walked threatened to pull my thoughts back to that unsavory dream of mine.

Nope. Not going to let my mind go there. Was she attractive in a weird, uncomfortably equine way? Undeniably. But we didn’t feel that way about each other, her not even slightly as she had made clear. “Stupid brain, you like women….not ponies, not horses….women!” I mentally shout at myself as I pull ahead again, sandwiching Luna between myself and Lorrie as she takes up the rear.

After a while of making our way through the woods, the area begins to clear out. We decide this to be a good spot to halt for a bit, the trees around us spaced out enough for visibility, but enough overhead cover to keep us secluded from airborne observers. The day had been slowly creeping along, the setting sun shining its rays through the gaps in the trees. After taking some time to settle in and carefully listen for any possible signs of pursuit, we finally allow ourselves to hesitantly relax. The walk had given me time to think and plan, but what I’d come up with would depend on a lot of unknowns.

After taking some time to settle in and carefully listen for any possible signs of pursuit, we finally allow ourselves to hesitantly relax. The walk had given me time to think and plan, but what I’d come up with would depend on a lot of unknowns.

I pull out my phone. Yeah, I was going to have to ditch it soon. None of this would do any good if I kept carrying around something so easily tracked, but there were still a few things I had to do first.

Service is somewhat limited, only one bar, but I do have internet access. Not unexpected, being that we were now in a valley in the middle of nowhere, but it should be enough to work with.

I couldn’t risk making a call or sending a message. If my phone hadn’t been tapped into already, leaving a trail they could use to lead back to me would certainly tip them off once they inevitably did. Instead, I pull up a map and scroll around until I find what I’m looking for.

“Hey Luna, what you did back there…..that was a teleport, right?” I ask, moving over to sit beside her.

She nods.

“How exactly does that work? Are there limits to it?” I continue.

She looks thoughtful. “I am not sure how to describe it in a manner you would understand. It involves envisioning the location one wishes to travel to and…..in a sense, displacing yourself into a….” She pauses, trying to find the right words. “A tunnel formed of magic, with the destination being the exit. The longer the tunnel, the more magic it takes to create, and the greater the number of passengers one takes, the larger the tunnel must be.”

“Does it have to be a place you’ve been before, or just one you can picture?” I ask.

“It must be well known, but with a detailed enough vision of the location it is possible, if more hazardous.” Luna replies. “Why do you ask?”

I show her my phone, the map focused on a satellite view of a cabin nestled in a small clear cut area on a hillside. A long dirt driveway winding its way down to a distant road framed the bottom of the picture.

“There’s an old Army buddy of mine.” I sneak a glance at Lorrie before lowering my voice. “He was in that dream you saw, in one of the other trucks. To be honest, he’s a bit….eccentric. Always went on about the end of the world and all that. Went completely off grid after we got home, and like everyone else I kinda lost touch with him a few years back, but I’d trust him with my life and I’m sure he’d be willing to help us.”

Luna looks at the picture carefully. “I do not think I can use this to teleport. The details are vague, and I do not know how distant it is.”

I was zoomed in as far as it could go, so no help there. “It’s about two hundred miles from here.” I reply, zooming out. “See, this is where we are, and this is where his cabin is.” I explain, pointing to a spot in Northern Maine. “Is it possible to teleport that far?”

Luna nods again. “Yes. The distance is not a problem. What makes it impossible for me is your picture of the destination. While I could potentially use it, without knowing precise details I could unwittingly teleport us into the same spot something already stands, which would have….horrific consequences.”

Well, fuck. I feel my heart sink at the failure of yet another plan…..wait! I did have a better picture! I close out the map and begin scrolling through my pictures until I find one of myself and another man posing in front of that same cabin. At the time it was taken, it was clearly newly built, with excess materials stacked neatly in the foreground. My friend had a proud grin on his bearded face as he leaned on a pallet of plywood, his other arm sling across my shoulders.

“What about here?” I ask, pointing at the newly finished driveway on the left side of the picture. “There shouldn’t be anything there, but would it be possible to drop us a foot or two off the ground just in case?”

Luna studies the picture carefully before smiling. “Yes, I believe I could manage that.”

I hear a gasp from behind me. Lorrie’s curiosity had gotten the better of her, and I turn to see her looking over my shoulder.

“Oh god, you want to bring Tony into this!?” She exclaims, leveling me with a judgmental look.

“Yeah.” I say bluntly. “Look….I know how you feel about him, but of all the people, I know we can trust him to help us out and keep quiet.”

“If he doesn’t decide to just shoot us on site!” Lorrie retorts.

“He’s not that bad. Remember that party we were all at when you helped him take care of me after I drank way too much?”

“Yeah….and it’s the only thing that got him to stop talking about all his stupid conspiracies.” Lorrie fires back. “I mean, he’s a nice guy, but….”

“But he might be our only option.” I reply, looking back down at the photo. Tony Mason, or ‘Doc’ as we all called him, had been the combat medic for our squad. His smiling face was framed with a head of long black hair that matched his neatly trimmed beard. As we once again gather up our meager collection of supplies, I take one last regretful look at the picture before powering off the phone and tossing it away. Our plan was settled and we were ready. Tony had no idea just what was about to hit him.

Author's Note

Whew. After a good start there, life has finally caught back up to me. Expect weekly updates from this point on.

Chapter 14

As it turns out, teleporting a small group of people and supplies hundreds of miles blindly is a lot more complex than a simple point and zap of Luna’s horn.

We’d only been stopped in the clearing for twenty minutes or so, but my anxiety is beginning to grow as I have to retrieve my phone and hold it up for Luna to study the picture. There really shouldn’t be any way for them to know where we had gone. Nothing to indicate we’d left the house at all, other than what that first agent to enter the room had seen in that brief moment before we’d vanished. For all he knew, we’d simply been vaporized, but still, I’m unable to shake my unease as I watch Luna study my phone.

Her focus doesn’t waver as the minutes tick by, and I find myself scanning the wooded ridge line we’d descended. Other than a light breeze causing branches to sway, and kicking up a few loose leaves, there’s no sign of anything moving. Nothing to be heard but soft whispers of air.

“How long is this going to take?” I ask, beginning to grow impatient.

“Significantly longer, should you continue to break my focus.” Luna mutters back, pulling her attention away from the screen to glare at me, her soft teal eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Okay…sorry.”

I get an irritated flick of her ear as she turns her attention back to the screen. Her eyes scroll slowly, side to side and top to bottom as she works to take in every possible detail.

A few more painfully slow minutes tick by. Everything is unnervingly still as neither myself nor Lorrie dare make even the smallest sound that might break the alicorn’s attention. With nothing of interest to see, I find myself studying Luna as she works. Her lips pursed in thought, and her muzzle crinkled slightly as she concentrates. It’s amazing how much emotion her face displays. Even her ears point slightly inwards to face the screen, like a pair of fuzzy little radar dishes, only occasionally swiveling one at a time in response to things likely only she could pick up.

I frown when one of Luna’s ears flicks back and remains focused toward where we had come from. Her face doesn’t show any traces of concern, but for some reason the involuntary movement puts me on edge.

I turn to look back toward the ridge, breathing slowly as I listen carefully. Nope…noth….wait.

As the wind stills, I begin to pick up a faint buzzing sound somewhere far off in the distance. Like a swarm of angry bees, but far too constant. Too consistent.…

“We have to go. Now!”

"What is it? Have we been discovered?" Luna asks, finally pulling her attention away from the screen to focus on the sound as it slowly begins to grow. Lorrie meanwhile, while not seeming to have noticed it yet, is already picking up her things and moving closer, looking concerned.

"Not yet...I think. But that's definitely a drone." Greeted by a blank stare from Luna, I hurriedly elaborate. "Another machine. Something small and flying, made to observe things remotely."

Indeed, judging by how faint the sound is, it's still some distance away. Most likely still on the far side of the ridge line, and unlikely to see much through the tree cover even if it did make its way closer. Still, this was not the time to take chances. With however many agencies and whoever else may be involved at this point, there was no telling what kind of equipment that drone might be carrying.

“No matter. I have acquired all that is needed from your photograph, and we shall be away well before this ‘drone’ should have a chance. If you are ready, please gather close.” Luna replies.

She doesn’t show any visible concern, yet a note of authority creeps into her voice at the request.

I nod, moving over and lifting my phone from her outstretched hoof. I give it a long regretful look as I once again power it off. So many memories. Photos, emails, time wasting apps and games. Sure, it could probably all be recovered if I ever got around to replacing it, but still. As I toss it away, I can’t help but feel like I’m leaving behind one of the last bits of my old life. One that I might never be able to return to.

Having already thrown her phone away, Lorrie seems to be going through a similar realization as she solemnly trudges over to Luna’s side. She doesn’t say a word, but the glassy hint of tears in her eyes convey more than a muttered complaint or sad remark ever could.

I press in close on Luna’s other side as her horn begins to glow.

“Prepare yourselves. Despite my efforts, there are many variables with this teleport, and the landing may be….unpleasant.” Luna warns as the glow increases in intensity. Her brow furrows in concentration, and a dull whine begins to build, a few blue sparks arcing from her horn before the aura stabilizes and becomes surrounded by an even brighter overglow.

The whine continues to build, nearly making my ears ring, and I have to snap my eyes shut as the glow becomes blinding in the fading evening light. It’s taking so much longer than the first teleport, that I’m about to ask if something is wrong. But, before I can open my mouth to voice my concerns, the spell reaches its peak and I suddenly feel I like I’m being grabbed by an intense force and shoved into a space that’s far too small for me. The last thing I hear is a resounding *POP* as everything goes blue.

*************************

*POP!* *THUD!*

“Owwwwww…..”

I groan as a second loud pop nearly makes my ears ring and I fall onto the cold hard ground. My groan is almost immediately cut off as something heavy falls on top of me, knocking the wind out of my lungs and turning my groan into a sharp gasp.

Almost immediately, the nausea and dizziness sets in, and my head pounds as I struggle to push the weight off of me, struggling to untangle myself from a mess of limbs. This action earns an annoyed feminine groan from above, revealing the unidentified mass to be Luna. At some point during our arrival, we must have shifted around, and now the surprisingly heavy little pony was lying on top of me.

Fortunately Luna recovers quickly, and with a graceful flap of her wings she pulls herself off and sits back on her haunches a few feet away. I gasp and gag as my lungs fill with sweet, wonderful air, the darkened landscape spinning around me only making my dizziness worse.

To Luna’s credit, she looks more concerned for my condition than embarrassed for having landed on me, looking down at me pitifully as she seems to spin around me in lazy circles.

I squeeze my eyes shut, breathing deeply as the spinning mercifully slows and finally stops. Though my ears are still ringing, and my head pounds incessantly in protest, I manage to pull myself up on shaky feet.

“Ughhh….let’s not do that again.” I complain, slowly looking around. We had landed almost exactly where we’d intended, if a little higher up, and the driveway was thankfully clear. Having traveled a good distance east, darkness had fallen completely, the dim light of the stars and a half moon peeking over the horizon the only source of illumination. Well, the only source besides the warm yellow light spilling from the windows of the cabin a few dozen feet up the hill from us.

Luna doesn’t acknowledge my comment as she walks over to check on Lorrie who lays sprawled out on the ground to my left.

“Fuck.” I swear bitterly as my eyes fall on her unconscious form. At least I hope she’s merely unconscious as I stumble over to check on her.

Thankfully, she appears to be uninjured aside from a few small scrapes as a consequence of crash landing on the rough gravel driveway. I breathe a sigh of relief as I make out the steady rise and fall of her chest.

It surprises me when Luna leans down to tenderly nuzzle Lorrie’s cheek, causing her to groan weakly, though she doesn’t stir.

“I am sorry. I knew the experience would be rough, and knew it to be necessary, but I cannot help but feel shame for the pain I have inflicted.” Luna says solemnly as she pulls away.

“It’s not your fault. If anything, we should be thanking you, Luna. If you hadn’t been able to teleport us, we’d still be stuck in the woods.”

Any further discourse is cut short as the door of the cabin slams open, and I’m once again blinded as an intense white light hits my face.

“What the fuck’s going on out here!?” Someone yells as I throw up a hand to shield my eyes.

My heart jumps as I hear the metallic clunk of an action being cycled. “Shit! Mason, is that you!? It’s Dave! Don’t fucking shoot!” I yell desperately.

“What the….Chandler!?”

I blink spots out of my vision as the light moves away from my face.

“Yeah, it’s me dickhead!” I retort, squinting at the form silhouetted I’m the doorway. My night vision now completely ruined, I’m unable to make out much, other than that he’s holding some type of long gun with a flashlight near the muzzle, now pointed toward the ground.

“Is such language really necessary?” I hear from somewhere nearby.

The flashlight moves up again, illuminating Luna in its intense glow.

Before I have a chance to call out a warning, a blue glow envelopes the weapon and tears it from Mason’s grasp.

“Hey! What the fuck is that!?” He yells as Luna levitates the weapon, a shotgun by the looks of it, over to her.

“Calm down and wait a minute!” I yell as he looks about ready to dash back inside. Fortunately my shout causes him to stop halfway through the doorway.

“We need your help! It’s a long story, and I promise I’ll explain everything, but Lorrie’s here too, and she’s hurt!”

“Lorrie?” His eyes fall on her unconscious form for a moment before shifting back to Luna. “What the hell’s going on, Chandler? And what is that thing” He asks, pointing at her.

Luna turns her attention from the stolen shotgun to glare at him, her wings flared out at her sides as she snarls. “You dare threaten me with this human? I am Princess Luna, diarchal ruler of Equestria!” She yells with an intensity that makes me take a step back as she shakes the shotgun accusingly.

I had never seen her like this. My heart races as she begins to walk forward with fire in her eyes, her relatively diminutive size doing little to detract from the terrifying display. This was not some poor helpless little pony in need of help. This was a goddess with the power to crush mountains and wipe entire cities off the map, and right now all her fury is directed right at the confused man standing before her.

“Everyone just calm down!” I run over to place myself between her and Mason, waving my arms in a desperate bid to deescalate the situation before it has a chance to go completely sideways.

I begin to fear that she might just push me aside, but mercifully she stops short. A few tense moments pass before she takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. Her face relaxes, and she folds her wings at her sides, looking ashamed as she lowers her gaze.

“Forgive me……I…..seem to have lost my temper.” She mutters softly, letting her magic wink out and letting the shotgun fall to the ground.

“It….it’s okay…” I reply, just barely able to keep my voice from shaking. I can feel my hand trembling as I reach up to lay it reassuringly on the side of her neck. I had just faced down certain death and somehow came out on top. If that was her reaction to the mere possibility of a threat, and being called a ‘thing,’ then what would she do if she was truly threatened? The thought makes me shudder.

I turn to see Mason standing perfectly still in the doorway, his face ghostly white. He reaches a trembling hand down to fish out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Popping one in his mouth, he lights it and takes a long inhale before blowing out a cloud of smoke with a shaky breath. “Right…..fuckin’ showing up on my doorstep with an alien ruler and shit…” He mumbles around the cigarette, taking another puff before pulling it out fixing his gaze on me. “So, you wanna start explaining?”

Chapter 15

An explanation was certainly owed considering we had just dropped in without warning, literally, in this case, and dragged Mason into the absolute mess of a situation we were now in.

That said, it was going to have to wait. Now that the tense stand-off had passed, I move back to check on Lorrie. She’s still out, but her breathing is more natural, and the occasional twitch of her eyes tells me she’s probably close to waking. Considering just how poorly we were affected by the teleport, I find myself wondering if the side effects could indicate something far worse. That hazmat team had been picking it up as radiation. Was that just a fluke of the instruments trying to make sense of the magical energy, or had Luna unwittingly been irradiating us every time she used her horn? Of course with as strong of a reading as it produced for them to locate it from so far away, had that been the case, we would almost certainly have developed severe radiation sickness by this point. A small assurance, if not exactly confidence inspiring.

As if we don’t have enough to worry about as it is. I think bitterly. I’m so lost in my thoughts as I crouch next to Lorrie that I jerk when I hear the crunch of gravel next to me and look up to see Mason standing there.

“The fuck happened to her?” He asks as he takes a final drag from his cigarette before idly flicking away the butt.

Her condition had apparently spurred him to leave the relative safety of the doorway, but I notice that he keeps sneaking wary glances toward Luna. She was keeping a respectful distance, having settled down on her haunches where she’d stopped. Though she seems to be paying attention to us, her ears are flat to her head, and her wings droop limply at her sides. Okay, it’s obvious that she feels bad about losing her temper, but she had stopped herself. So why was she beating herself up over it this badly?

“Well…” I start. How the fuck could I even begin to explain this? “In short, we had feds after us.” I nod toward Luna. “Looking for her. She has some crazy powers, and teleported us all here, but apparently our bodies don’t like being magicked around. My head still fucking hurts, but she took it a lot worse this time.”

“Christ….” Mason breathes, somehow managing to look both sympathetic and disbelieving. “Well, let’s get her inside….”

He moves around to her head, motioning for me to grab her legs before glancing at Luna again. “You can wait here until I figure out what the fuck’s going on.”

“Mason….” I start to protest, but Luna cuts me off.

“No Dave, it is alright. I understand his distrust, and I believe a bit of solitude is just what I need right now.” She turns her attention to Mason. “I apologize again for my actions. Believe me when I say I do not mean you any harm.”

She offers him a regretful smile as she levitates up the dropped shotgun, giving it a disapproving look before floating it into the cabin and setting it down gently.

“Right, well that’s a start, err….Luna was it?”

She nods silently.

“Good. I’m glad we have an understanding here.”

Mason turns back to me. “Alright, ready? 1…2…3…lift!”

Between the two of us, it takes little effort to haul Lorrie off the ground and carry her into the cabin. Luna makes no complaints or comments as we pass by her, content to sit and watch idly. Though, I can’t help but notice her troubled expression and flattened ears. Why was she beating herself up so badly over this? Sure, things hadn’t gone as smoothly as we could have hoped for, but her response hadn’t been completely unjustified….

As we move inside, I’m instantly assaulted by the scent of burnt tobacco. The place is relatively small, mostly consisting of one big room that was a combination of an open kitchen and living space, with a loft for a bedroom overhead. A couple of doors branched off of the main area, one leading to a small bathroom, and the other to a second bedroom.

It had been several years since I’d been here, but I certainly couldn’t forget a number of us sharing that cramped room for the night after Mason had thrown a party to celebrate the cabin being completed.

One other thing that stands out is the head of a large buck mounted proudly just under the loft’s railing. That could be a problem. I hadn’t even mentioned to Luna that humans ate meat at all, and as soon as she came in that fact would be staring her in the face. Quite literally in this case.

But that would be an issue for later as we set Lorrie down on the large sectional couch that took up a good portion of the living room. At this point Mason is in full medic mode, his face set in a frown as he looks her over.

Now out of the dark, I’m able to get a better look at him. Not much had changed over the years, though he had grown his hair out a bit, to the point where the disheveled black locks nearly reached his shoulders. The same could be said about his beard. Though a bit more well groomed, it’s far longer than the short, styled look I remembered. Altogether, it gave him a wild look that made me think ‘mountain man.’

“Hmmph.” He snorts, finally breaking his concentration. “Well, she doesn’t seem too bad off as far as I can tell. Probably just needs to sleep off whatever the hell happened to her.”

As if trying to confirm his assessment, he snaps his fingers next to one of her ears, causing her to groan weakly and turn her head away from the sound. “But on that note, how exactly did you get into this mess anyway?”

“Well…”

I start from the beginning with the snowstorm, trying to rush through it as fast as I can without leaving out too many details. Mason ocasional butts in to ask for more details at a few points. Frustratingly, most of his questions are aimed at things I don’t understand all that well myself. Luna’s theory on how she’d gotten stuck here for example. It had been clear they were circumstances she didn’t fully understand herself, and as such my limited comprehension of magic, and parallel universes only muddles the topic further.

Curiosity and disbelief seem to fight for dominance on Mason’s face as I go on. The latter taking the lead when I mention our ‘alien’ comes from a world that bears a striking resemblance to a children’s cartoon.

By the time I wrap up our discovery by the government, and how they’d managed to find us by tracking Luna’s magic, he looks a bit more concerned. His frown only deepens as he sits in silence for several moments, apparently digesting everything I had gone over.

“Well, I should be able to find out if you were actually exposed to radiation or not.” He finally says as he gets to his feet. “But one thing just doesn’t sit right with me. Do you really think she’s telling the truth about being this ‘Princess Luna?’”

“What do you mean?” I question, fixing him with a puzzled look.

“What I mean is, she obviously looks the part, but how could it be possible that a cartoon is somehow an almost 100% accurate depiction of her world?”

He leans in close, lowering his voice to almost a whisper as if worried that she could somehow overhear us. “It would be the perfect disguise, right? For an alien I mean. They pick up our broadcasts, take a form that would be cute and familiar to us, and…..”

“And what?” I ask flatly. “I know it’s crazy, but come on….” I trail off. As ridiculous as his suspicion is, it does give me pause. Of course some kind of alien intelligence posing as a pony is ridiculous, but any more so than an entire fictional world being real? Sure, they say that sufficiently advanced technologies could be indistinguishable from magic, but why go through that effort just to deceive us? Nope. Somehow that’s even more ridiculous than ‘inter dimensional cartoon pony princess. Barely.

“Nah.” I continue. “She hasn’t given us any reason not to trust her or doubt her story.” And you really need to lay off the conspiracy forums. I silently add.

“Look. I have no love for the government, but you’re really prepared to throw everything away to help this ‘pony?’” Mason replies, forcing me to follow as he walks across the room to open up a closet and begins rummaging around.

“Pretty much already have…..not like I can just give up and go home at this point. Lorrie either. I really feel bad for forcing this on her…..if we leave now, it’s probably not too late for you….”

He brushes me off with a wave. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know I’d feel like shit if I just tossed the lot of you out in the cold like that….aha!””

With a look of satisfaction, he shifts a few items aside and pulls out a small handheld radiation meter. Because of course he had one of those.

Mason fiddles with the dials for a moment before passing it over me and watching the gauge intently.

“Hmm…well, whatever it is, it’s definitely not radiation.” He says as he finally pulls the meter away before moving over to repeat the process with Lorrie and getting the same result.

“Well, if you’re satisfied, can we get her in out of the cold now?” I ask, beginning to grow a bit irritated with his over cautiousness, despite my growing sense of relief at hearing I’m not about to die from radiation poisoning.

Mason doesn’t look up from his work as he shifts over to inspect his returned shotgun that now rested against the wall by the front door. He checks it with the radiation meter before shutting it off and setting it down.

He lets out a long sigh. “Might as well. Don’t want piss the alien off any more than I already have, right?”

“Hey! She not like that, and you shouldn’t call her an alien.” I retort angrily. Even if it is technically true.

“Alien, pony, whatever. Just because I agreed to help, doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

I suppress the urge to press the issue any further, instead simply pushing past him and heading back outside.

Having spent a good deal of time in the warm cabin without thinking to do much as take off my jacket, the cool night air feels refreshing as it washes over me.

A few clouds had moved in, bathed in a silver glow cast by the moon as they drift lazily across the sky. It doesn’t take long to find Luna. She had only moved a short distance to sit on the driveway rather than the damp ground, and is faced away from me, gazing idly up at the moon.

“Hey…” I greet softly as I approach.

“I take it that things have not progressed as smoothly as you had hoped.” She replies, not shifting her gaze. It’s not so much a question, as it is a statement of fact. Great, she’d probably heard a good portion of our conversation..

“He’s agreed to help at least. Reluctantly maybe, but it’s something.”

She lets out a distinctly horse-like snort in response to that.

I move up to stand beside her. Standing, she was only about chest height to me (if you don’t count her horn), but seated as she is puts us nearly eye to eye. Though she still doesn’t move, I notice an ear swivel toward me.

“Why are you being so hard on yourself for going off on him anyway? I mean, he was….”

She holds up a hoof to silence me. “Because, the last time I let my emotions get the better of me. My anger. My jealousy……I gave in and let them take over completely. I became corrupted….broken down until I was no more, and Nightmare Moon stood in my place. I turned on my subjects, and my own sister….nearly killing her for my own selfish desires. I may have been a prisoner in my own mind, but I still remember every detail, every action, and it is not something I wish to relive….something I cannot allow to happen again.”

Okay…that’s a damn good reason. I hadn’t seen much of Nightmare Moon in the episodes I’d watched with Lorrie, though she had filled me in on some of the details. Though seeing the depth of pain and regret in Luna’s eyes as she spoke, I doubt the family friendly program could’ve done it justice.

Yeah, I had pain and regrets about things I had done in my life. Hell, I could even say people had gotten killed because of me. Of course, my actions hadn't threatened the fate of the world itself, but I can’t help but feel a strange sense of sympathy toward her. I’m torn between a desire to drown myself in alcohol until it’s pushed out of my mind, and an urge to hug her close and wish for it all to be better.

Without thinking, I find myself draping an arm across her shoulders and pulling her close. To my surprise, I feel a long feathery wing curl around me and hug me back. She had hugged me in the dreamworld before, but as we sit there held closely together, it becomes clear that it couldn't compare. It couldn't replicate just how warm her body is, or how soft her coat feels against my skin. I can even feel her soft breaths begin to calm as we sit there, followed shortly by the gradual slowing of her rapid heartbeat until it fades to a dull, steady rhythm. We're all stressed, but I feel she needs this more than any of us. The odd one out, with no one but strange alien creatures to turn to for reassurance or comfort. Things were almost certainly going to get worse before they got better, but that's not something we need to think about right now. No more words are shared between us as we simply sit there and watch the moon, the cause and possible solution to everything we're facing, make its way innocently across the night sky. Having spent so much of my life focused on work and pursuits that now seemed so trivial in comparison, I had never taken the time to appreciate just how beautiful it was.

Chapter 16

It’s all over far too soon, yet I feel much calmer and sure of myself as I reluctantly give Luna’s wing a gentle nudge.

“Well, I suppose it’s time we head inside and get this over with.”

That wonderful, comforting warmth fades away as Luna nods and retracts her wing. “Indeed. Worry not, for I shall not let my temper get the better of me.” She replies, pulling herself to her hooves and stretching her legs carefully one at a time before giving her wings a quick flap and resettling them with a soft rustle of feathers.

“He really is a good guy.” I start as I pull myself up as well and take the lead in walking back to the cabin. “Hell, you remember that nightmare you pulled me out of?”

She nods silently.

“Well, he was there too….kinda. He was a medic with our QRF, err…..with a backup team back at our base. Didn’t get there in time to see any of the fighting, but he saw a lot more of the aftermath of it all…..helped some of the guys I failed.”

I stop at the door as Luna turns to me. “And what became of you after the battle?”

“Fuck.” I sigh. “I tried like hell to get back to my guys, to help however I could, but that shot I took layed me out. Never saw Mason there. The medic in our convoy got me evac’d out of there on one of the first trucks. Turns out it wasn’t all that bad. Just some bruising on my back where the plate was, but they kept me at the aid station for a few days. That’s where I really got to know him.”

I open the door and nearly run into the man in question as I step inside to see him standing by the doorway expectantly, holding the radiation meter.

“Hold on.” He says gruffly as Luna steps in beside me. Her head is held high, but the way her ears are splayed betray the guilt and shame she still holds over their last meeting. Still, she doesn’t protest as he fiddles with the meter before pointing it at her and moving it around slowly. A rapid series of clicks and a static-like sound emanate from it as he passes it over her body, earning a puzzled frown from him.

“Well, I’ve gotta say that is some of the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen.” Mason grumbles, finally turning off the meter and setting it aside. “She’s definitely reading hot, but if that really was radiation, you would’ve been sick after being around her for just a few minutes, never mind days.”

“Ahem!” I cough, nodding my head at Luna.

“Huh?” Mason pulls himself out of his musings and finally focuses on the princess herself. “Oh, my bad. It’s nice to meet you, Luna. The name’s Tony, Tony Mason. Sorry about that.” He says a bit reluctantly as he holds out his hand.

She eyes it for a moment before lifting a foreleg and giving it a gentle tap. “Truly, it is I who should be apologizing, and I thank thee for thy aid.”

She may be doing an amazing job of hiding it, but I’ve spent enough time around her to tell just how flustered she is. The weird biblical speech she adopted was always a sure sign. Fortunately I manage to hold back a chuckle at the awkward greeting.

“No, no…forget about it.” Mason smiles. “Not every day you meet an alie…err, pony.”

“Quite. I suppose I must remind myself to not be surprised by such reactions, I am the outsider here after all.”

With a flash of her horn, the door shuts behind Luna and she takes a few steps forward, looking around curiously. Then her eyes settle on the deer head and she freezes.

Fuck! I’d forgotten all about that!

“What is the meaning of this…display?” She asks slowly, a dangerous tone to her voice as she rounds on Mason, her eyes narrowing as her wings seem to flare out on their own. “You kill deerfolk and take their corpses as trophies?”

Getting the sense that we’re no more than a small misunderstanding away from disaster, I move between the two of them and throw my hands up. “Whoa! Relax….” I take a deep breath. “Remember when I told you humans are the only intelligent species on our planet?”

“Yes…” Luna turns her attention to me, not calming, but looking slightly less sure of herself.

“Well….” This had to be the absolute worst time for this. “I didn’t exactly explain everything. You see, humans are omnivores. We raise animals for their meat, and some prefer to hunt wild animals…” I wave a hand toward the display. “Like that….”

I fully expected this revelation to anger or disgust Luna, but to my surprise it actually seems to calm her….barely.

“I had my suspicions. This is not such an unusual thing in Equestria. Gryphons and minotaurs possess similar habits, and we do what we can to accommodate them without judgement. I wish you had revealed this earlier, I am not some delicate foal in need of coddling.” Luna says with a bit of irritation, striding forward to get a closer look at the buck.

“But this….there are differences, yes. But it is strikingly similar to a race of forest dwelling people in Equestria, and seeing it displayed in such a manner….it is nothing short of vile.”

“Wait….you knew this whole time!?” I ask, aghast.

“Indeed. If those pointed teeth of yours were not a dead giveaway, the smell that lingered in your kitchen was unmistakable.” Luna answers with a grimace, turning away from the buck.

She lets out a long sigh, folding her wings and hanging her head. “I fear I have jumped to conclusions and once again let my emotions get the better of me, and for that I am sorry. I do not wish to be an ungrateful guest, but I would rather not look upon such a thing.” She punctuates the statement with a wave of a wing toward the display.

“No, that’s fair.” Mason chimes in. “I could imagine how I’d feel if I ended up in some other world and saw what looked like a human head on someone’s wall.”

He looks up at the mount and rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Look, I can take it down and move it to my bedroom if it will make you feel better.” He pauses. “….and I’ll pull the bearskin rug out of the guest room too.”

She smiles graciously at that.

He begins to walk off to do just that before turning back. “Oh! And feel free to make yourself at home while I take care of it. Got some beer in the fridge, and even some of the good stuff. Hell, I’ll join you when I’m done…god knows we could both use it…” His voice trails off, followed shortly by the thud of footsteps as he makes his way upstairs.

The mere mention of alcohol nearly has me trembling with excitement. Fuck, how long has it been since I’ve had a good drink? A full day? Two? Yeah….that would be just the thing to help me settle in and calm my nerves.

I’m about to take him up on his offer, already moving toward the fridge when I hear a rustle of blankets and a soft groan from the couch.

“Ughhh…..what happened?” Lorrie groans, pushing the blankets aside and sitting up unsteadily. She winces at the warm light of the cabin, and massages her temples painfully.

“Lorrie!” I cry out happily as I rush over to her side.

“Arghhh….my head. Not so loud, please.” She moans uncomfortably, slumping back to rest against the cushion. Several loud clunks and bangs as Mason works at removing the mounted buck cause her to squeeze her eyes shut and grimace.

He takes notice, peeking over the railing and smiling sympathetically as he pulls the mount off with one last ‘clunk’ of metal against wood. “Heh…sorry. Be right down.” He calls out in a muffled tone before ducking out of sight.

Fortunately, Mason had been thoughtful enough to leave out a glass of water and a small assortment of medications after we let her rest. I waste no time shaking a couple pills of aspirin out of their bottle and pressing them into her hand.

“Here, this should help. We were all worried about you, you were out cold for a couple hours after we arrived.”

She opens her eyes again, blocking out the light with her free hand as she pops the pills into her mouth. I quickly hand over the glass before she can fumble for it. She all but snatches it out of my hand before guzzling it down.

“Gah….it feels like the worst hangover of my life.” She complains, smacking her lips and setting the glass back on the table.

“My apologies. If only I had known how severely you would be effected, I would not have considered using the spell at all.” Luna pitches in regretfully from over my shoulder, nearly making me jump in surprise.

“And if it wasn’t for you, Luna, we’d probably be still be stuck back at Dave’s place. You don’t need to apologize for anything.”

“Heyyy, welcome to the party!” Mason’s voice cuts in, putting a stop to Luna’s self inflicted pity party as he joins us by the couch.

Lorrie’s wince makes him immediately realize his mistake, and he softens his voice. “Heh, sorry. You holding up alright?”

“Yeah….well enough, anyway. Did all our stuff make it here?”

I nod. “Yep, dumped all our bags by the door. Why, did you need something?”

“No, just wanted to make sure we still had something for Luna to eat. Unless Tony’s made some radical life changes, I doubt so much as a single vegetable around here.”

“Hey! Give me some credit, I’m sure I have…..uh, ketchup counts as a vegetable, right?” Mason retorts, throwing up his hands defensively.

Snarkiness aside, that did bring up a good point. As much as a self proclaimed “prepper” as Mason was, and despite having a medical background, the guy really wasn’t big on fruit and vegetables. Two things that we’d need an abundance of if Luna was going to spend any amount of time hiding out here with us.

Of course by this point myself and Lorrie were probably on some kind of watchlist. Even if we wanted to, going out shopping would be simply out of the question. As would so much as looking at our bank accounts for that matter. As a consequence, we were really going to have to ask a lot from Mason. At least if Luna didn’t want to be stuck eating freeze dried beans and rice for the foreseeable future.

“Ugh. Anyway, I could go for a drink right about now. You guys want anything?” Mason asks, already making his way toward a well stocked liquor cabinet on the far side of the room.

Oh, that brought back some memories.

I remember a time that now felt so long ago when he had first moved in, and he had been so proud of what he called his “home bar.” In reality it wasn’t much more than a small cabinet, mini fridge, and a couple of chairs, and that night we had made short work of drinking it dry.

I nod in response to his offer, and head over as he pulls out a pair of glasses. Surprisingly, Luna trots over to eye the small assortment of bottles on the shelves as Mason drops a handful of ice into each glass.

“Whiskey? Got some of that blended Irish stuff you like.” Mason asks, not waiting for my reply as he uncorks the bottle and tops up the glasses.

“I am curious. What manner of spirit is this?” Luna cuts in, pointing a hoof at a black labeled bottle and tilting her head curiously.

“Huh, that?” Mason pulls out the bottle to get a better look. “Apple Brandy.”

A blue glow envelopes the cap and pops it off before Luna leans in to give it a sniff. “Hmm, I find the scent to be appealing. May I?”

Mason shrugs and pulls out a third glass. “Sure, I rarely touch the stuff anyhow. So, they have alcohol in your world or realm or whatever, then?” He asks, clearly suppressing an urge to jump as the bottle levitates itself out of his hand and pours a modest amount into her glass.

“Indeed. Though I rarely partake, I do have a certain fondness for a brew made by my beloved Lunar Ponies.

“Lunar Ponies?” I ask curiously as I take a sip of my whiskey and sigh contentedly.

“Imagine a pegasus with features like those of a bat. Loyal, and nocturnal servants of the night.” Luna smiles, taking a slow sip from her own drink. “It is from them that I select my most trusted servants and guards.”

Huh…batponies. I can’t decide if I find the idea oddly adorable, or terrifying.

Not wanting Lorrie to be left out, we settle back in by the couch. I settle in on one of the arms of the couch itself, while Mason plops himself down on an armchair. Luna simply borrows one of the cushions from the couch to settle onto.

Some time passes spent on idle conversation and vague plans for how we’re going to move forward. Drinks are emptied and topped up again, and while still feeling somewhat weak and tired as the night grows late, Lorrie’s headache finally fades. But despite all the worries about what the future might hold, as we get ready to call it a night a much more pressing matter makes itself known. There is only one couch, one bed, and three of us to split them between…

Chapter 17

All of us, with the exception of Lorrie, have managed to finish off the bottles of whiskey and brandy. The latter now flipped upside down and seated firmly on the tip of Luna’s horn.

“I must say, I regret my avoidance of partaking in spirits all these years. ‘Tis unbecoming of a princess’ as sister would always say…” Luna says cheerfully, swaying slightly on her cushion as she lifts her front legs to emphasize her impression by making air quotes with her hooves.

“Wait….you’re saying you have some damn good alcohol over there, but you’ve never actually gotten drunk before?” Mason asks incredulously.

“Indeed, and it is truly a shame…this feeling is most delightful!” Luna replies with a giddy smile, nearly losing her balance as she returns her forelegs to the cushion.

“Maybe you should slow it down then?” Lorrie pitches in with a note of concern, eyeing both myself and Mason accusingly. “All of you…”

She might have a point. Was I not feeling the warm buzz of liquor myself, I might have been concerned about the potentially dire consequences of what a drunken alicorn could do, unintentionally or otherwise.

That said, I find myself much more content to simply see how things play out. We had all loosened up substantially over the evening, leaving the prior tension and mutual mistrust far behind. We all have so much to worry about, so why not take a load off and leave all that for tomorrow?

“Oh lighten up, when did you become such a…uh, Karen?” Mason replies indignantly.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe about the time the FBI decided to hunt us down, or have you forgotten all about that?”

“Okay, okay….I get your point, but come on.” I butt in, gesturing toward Luna who has gone cross-eyed trying to look up at the bottle as it clinks and wobbles precariously on her horn. “Why don’t you relax and have a drink with us?”

“Thanks, but at least one of us should have a clear head.” Lorrie answers firmly, not finding the sight nearly as entertaining.

Luna chuckles at that. “Hehe, thou does remind us of our sister. Perhaps she too is one of these ‘Karens’ thou speakest of?”

Lorrie huff irritably and throws her hands up. “Not you too! You guys are a bad influence, you know that?”

“Eh, guilty as charged.” Mason shrugs. “Anyone else hungry? I’m feeling some nachos.”

The mention of food grabs Luna’s attention, and the bottle finally loses its precarious balance on her horn as she turns her head quickly, flying off and rolling across the floor loudly.

“You have those here!?” She asks excitedly, her wings flaring out to keep her balance as she leans forward.

“Uhh, you have Mexican food in Ponyland?” Mason asks curiously, already making his way to the kitchen.

Luna tilts her head and offers him a puzzled look in return. “I am not sure what a ‘Mexican’ is, but this dish you speak of. It is made with chips and melted cheese, yes?”

“Yeah. Huh, universal nachos…..who woulda thought? You guys got tacos over there too?”

“We do….though I assume humans do not make them with fried hay?”

“Hay tacos? Oh, that’s just wrong.” Mason shakes his head as he sets down a pan and begins covering it with chips, the noise muffling his further mumbled rant about the ruination of good food.

“Hmmph, well I think they’re quite good as commoner food goes.” Luna huffs. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to use the fillies’ room.”

It takes me a moment to register what that means, though it becomes obvious as she gets to her hooves and heads for the bathroom.

“Heh, just don’t make a mess of it like you did with mine.”

“Wh…wha!?” Luna stops in her tracks, wings flaring out in alarm as she turns back to glare at me. Somehow, even through her dark coat, her cheeks are visibly lit up in a bright red blush. “I…I thought we agreed never to speak of that!?”

“Oh, this I have to hear.” Mason interjects, looking up from the pan of chips he had been topping with a bag of shredded cheese. “Let me guess Chandler, you left the toilet seat up, didn’t you?” He chuckles wryly.

“No, it was more li…”

“IT IS NOT OUR FAULT THOU HAVE SUCH SMALL AND STRANGELY SHAPED TOILETS!”

The sheer volume of Luna’s panicked shout makes us all shrink back as she gallops the rest of the way across the room and slams the bathroom door behind her.

“Owwww. You guys really shouldn’t tease her like that.” Lorrie complains, rubbing her ears painfully.

Mason meanwhile glances at the closed door before looking back to me and mouthing “how bad?”

“Everywhere.” I mouth back, suppressing a chuckle.

“God, you guys are so childish! Seriously!” Lorrie hisses.

Her complaint has the opposite of its intended effect as both myself and Mason fail to hold back a fit of laughter.

A moment later the bathroom door slams open and Luna emerges with a scowl on her face, her flowing tail giving an irritated flick as her withering gaze pans back and forth between the two of us. If looks could kill…

“You know, thou art quite loud. I cannot help but agree that your behavior is rather coltish to find such amusement in my bodily functions.”

The measured calmness of her voice somehow manages to unnerve me even more than the death stare.

“Sorry!” I apologize hastily. “We’re vets….toilet humor is kind of unavoidable.” Not to mention dark jokes and sexual innuendoes…

“Yeah….sorry.” Mason mutters, though the trace smile on his face strips any sincerity from the words.

Luna closes her eyes and takes a long, deep breath and letting it out slowly. When she opens them again, she appears measurably calmer.

“Very well.” She sighs. “I doubt I will ever understand humans. So remarkably similar, and yet were one of my guards to make such crass remarks….well, it would be unthinkable.”

“Are you sure about that?” Mason asks over his shoulder as he finally manages to find the focus to slide the tray into the oven. “I mean, soldiers are soldiers. They might be shining example of discipline on duty, but I bet you wouldn’t believe the things they say when they’re not in the spotlight.”

That gives Luna pause, so he continues.

“No matter how well trained someone is, we’re not machines……they’re not machines, right?”

She shakes her head.

“So yeah…I’m willing to bet there’s no shortage of degeneracy going on right under your nose.”

“Hmmph.” Luna snorts. “I shall consider this, and may need to have a long talk with my captain upon my return.”

“Way to miss the point, Luna…” I mutter under my breath. “At least you’re cute when you’re angry.”

She really was. The way her muzzle wrinkles. The way her tail flicks and her wings flare out to make her look larger. Even considering how intimidating she can be, and the fact that she could more than likely vaporize all of us with little more than a thought, it could only do so much in contrast to her being a fluffy little pony.

“C…cute!?”

Crap!l Apparently I hadn’t so much thought that, but had blatantly blurted it out.

She begins walking toward me, eyes narrowing. “So you think to mock me, only to follow up your poor excuse of an apology with such foalish teasing?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at…”

“Nay! Think nothing of it!” She stops a few feet short, her expression softening as she seems to consider me. “Perhaps I misjudged, and your compliment is sincere. One I hope comes from the heart, and not….”

She brings up a hoof and taps me none to gently between my legs, causing me to gasp more from surprise than pain. The feeling of the soft underside of her hoof brushing against a particularly intimate spot only adds to my confusion.

“…Not one born of more….naughty desires…”

I look around hurriedly. Fortunately with the couch in the way, and my back turned to the kitchen, her action had gone unnoticed by the others.

“Though I’ll admit, after that dream of yours I have found myself rather curious…” She smirks, giving my zipper a flick and gazing up at me with an unmistakeable burning desire in those soft teal eyes.

“No, it’s nothing like that!” I blurt out, taking a few steps back.

My shock and embarrassment shift to confusion as she starts laughing.

“Now that, is how you tease somepony!” She giggles, catching me with a flick of her long tail as she turns to head back to her cushion.

“Wh…what!?” I stand there awkwardly for a moment before turning to see her sitting there innocently, as if she’d done nothing at all.

“Something up, Dave?” Mason asks, looking over from the kitchen as he leans against the counter next to the oven.

How the hell had he not seen any of that?

“Nothing.” I say with a sigh before turning my attention back to Luna.

“Dammit Luna, you’re drunk!” I growl accusingly.

“Hmmm, perhaps. Or perhaps you simply cannot stand when the horseshoe is on the other hoof?” She grins smugly, as if daring me to press the issue.

I’m still trying to puzzle out her distinctly equine metaphor when there’s a thunk, and I look over to see a steaming hot tray of nachos resting on the table. Portions of it are covered in bare cheese, while others contain a scattering of jalapeños and black olives.

“Here we are, help yourselves!” Mason beams.

I’m silently thankful for the distraction, as if there’s anything to grab the attention of a group of drunks, it’s a plate of junk food.

Any lingering questions or accusations are pushed aside as we gather around the table and eagerly dig in.

At this point all of us, with the exception of Mason, had gotten used to Luna’s casual use of magic. That being the case, he can’t help but stare unashamedly at the generous pile of chips she has hovering in front of her, pulling out a few at a time to munch on.

Her eyes flit over to him as she finishes crunching a mouthful and swallows.

“Have I done something wrong? Why are you staring at me?” She questions as she selects another chip from her floating stash.

“No, that’s just fuckin’ trippy….your magic, I mean.” He replies. He holds up a hand toward the glowing blue aura, but hesitates.”Is it safe?”

“Of course.” She nods. “It is true there are spells capable of doing great harm, but one such as this is quite benign.”

Even with her assurance, he can’t help but flinch as her magic envelopes his outstretched hand.

“Huh…I expected it to feel like, I don’t know…something.” Mason breathes, wiggling his fingers in the glowing cloud.

“Such would only be the case were I to intend it to do something. Observe…”

Mason’s eyes widen as one of his fingers begins to flex on its own. “Oh….oh, that’s fuckin’ weird!”

The glow winks out as he jerks his hand away and examines it curiously.

Yeah, now imagine being lifted up and flown through the air like that. I think wryly to myself as I chuckle at his reaction.

We make short work of the remaining nachos, and when the tray is empty, Mason brings it back to the kitchen, stifling a yawn as he sets it by the sink.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but think I’m about ready to call it a night.”

His yawn is echoed shortly by Lorrie, and a glance at the clock reveals it to be going into the early hours of the morning.

“Well, I don’t mind staying here on the couch, but that leaves Dave and Luna to split the bed.”

“This is not an issue. I will not need to rest until after I lower…” Luna stops herself. “Until after the sun rises.”

“You sure you’ll be alright staying up by yourself?” Mason asks. “Sounds kinda boring and lonely, if you ask me.”

“Thank you, but I will be fine. I am no stranger to solitude, and have always taken pleasure in the peacefulness of the night.”

With that, we say our good nights. A long, stress filled day combined with a belly full of food and alcohol takes its toll, and it’s not long after I settle into bed before I drift off into a deep, and mercifully dreamless sleep.

Chapter 18

“What….how dare you!?”

My eyes snap open at the sudden shout and I fight to tear the sheets off, nearly falling on my face as I hurriedly throw myself out of bed.

“Such….such vile trickery! I shall not let this stand, and my vengeance shall be swift and brutal!”

I don’t waste time getting dressed, taking only the time to snatch my pistol and pull it free from its holster before slamming the door open and dashing out into the living room.

I keep my gun lowered, but at the ready as I scan the room. I’m not sure what I expected to find. Perhaps a tense stand-off between Luna and Mason, or a squad of armed agents who had managed to track us down.

What greets me instead are the shocked faces of Lorrie and Luna staring back at me from the couch, the latter with a headset perched awkwardly on her head, and a controller hovering in front of her.

It seems I’m the last one to get up, as I spot Mason in the kitchen. A few moments of awkward silence pass, and I become painfully aware that I’m standing in the middle of the room in nothing but my boxers.

I sigh and let the gun drop to my side as I hear Mason snicker. Lorrie thankfully averts her eyes, but Luna doesn’t seem to share her sense of decency as she looks me up and down shamelessly.

“I am sorry Dave, I did not mean to wake you.” Luna starts, beginning to blush. “Oh my…I believe I see now why you humans are so fond of clothes. Your hairlessness is quite…..erm, blatant.”

“Fuck. I thought….you know what, never mind! Umm, excuse me for a moment.” I reply embarrassedly and with more than a little irritation as I turn and hurry back into the bedroom.

“Haha, nice piece dude!” Mason calls out before I close the door behind me.

I take some time to calm myself as I collect my clothes from where I’d neatly piled them next to the bed and go about getting dressed.

When I finally deem myself presentable, I reluctantly make my way back to the living room.

“Well, now that I’ve managed to make a fool of myself, what’s going on?” I ask, moving to stand beside the couch.

Luna doesn’t look up, having started a new match. A racing game by the look of it, and surprisingly she seemed to have caught on quickly as I watch the midnight blue Subaru she had selected begin to overtake a Mitsubishi holding second place. Just as she begins to pull ahead though, it swerves and slams into her, nearly knocking her off the track before she manages to recover.

“Grrr, horseapples, he’s trying to do it again!” She curses, face contorting in rage as she pushes to make up the distance she had lost as the other driver swerves to block her.

“She seemed kinda bored when I got up, so I showed her how to play Forza.” Mason answers my question as he walks up and offers me a cup of coffee, which I gratefully accept. “She really caught on quick, but-“

“Haha….how do you like it!?” Luna yells, wings flaring excitedly as she sends the Mitsubishi spinning off the track and into a tree.

“-But she really gets into it…” He finishes with a wince.

“I’m surprised she has so much energy after being up all night….and drinking an entire bottle of brandy.” I reply as I watch her play.

She’s completely engrossed, leaning from side to side with every turn of the car, the controller following her motions as it floats in front of her. The dark blue aura seems to sparkle and flash from a myriad of smaller points that surround each of the controls as she manipulates them with a level of finesse that would put my hands to shame.

She leans forward, her tongue poking out as she assumes a look of intense concentration. One turn and then another, and her Subaru flies past the lead car and crosses the finish line with barely half a car length to spare.

“Huzzah! I have succeeded in pwning the noobs!” Luna cheers, throwing her hooves up victoriously and causing the precariously balanced headset to tumble off her head.

“Ok, who told her to say that?” I ask with a bit of amusement as I level my gaze at Mason.

“Hey, don’t look at me! Maybe she picked it up from the voice chat.”

“You let her go online!?”

“Relax….who’s gonna know? Besides, it was her idea.” He replies with a wave of his hand toward Luna as he makes his way back to the kitchen to continue preparing breakfast.

“Really? But….”

“Heh, it was kinda my idea too.” Lorrie giggles. “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a pony.”

“Indeed, my opponents were more concerned that they were beaten by a ‘girl,’ though I do not understand their fixation with what I am wearing.”
Luna says as she sets the headset down next to the TV. “They became quite crass when I answered truthfully.”

“Yeah, that’d do it.” I smirk, taking a sip of my coffee. “Though you’re one to talk, walking around naked….getting drunk and teasing…”

“Yes, I was drunk!” She retorts harshly. “It would be best if you do not take my comments from last night too seriously.” Her voice softens, and her cheeks begin to redden as she continues. “I *ahem*” She lowers her voice further until it’s barely more than a whisper. “I possess absolutely no curiosity as to what you possess under your…pants.”

“Well, you could’ve..”

“None, whatsoever!” Luna growls, a dangerous tone slipping into her voice. “So I suggest you rid your mind of the thought.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little too hard on yourself? It’s not like you actually tried to fu…”

I stop myself short as she stares daggers at me, her frown beginning to contort into a snarl.

“Okay….I’ll just stop talking now.”

“Good.”

“Umm, did I miss something?” Lorrie asks with a note of concern from the other side of the couch.

“Don’t worry about it.”
“Nothing to concern yourself with.”

Luna and I answer almost as one.

Fortunately breakfast is ready only a short time later, saving us from a settling awkward silence. It’s a simple affair, with scrambled eggs, bacon, and buttered toast. At least for two of us. Lorrie politely declines the bacon. While not a strict vegetarian by any means, she’s not overly fond of red meat. Luna simply complements her eggs and toast with a bowl of alfalfa from the dwindling supply we’d managed to salvage.

Unfortunately it’s the pelletized stuff she’d found to be disappointingly bland, but with the addition of some milk and a scoop of sugar, she manages to turn it into a passable pony-friendly “cereal.”

The TV is flipped over to the news as we settle in to eat. I’d been somewhat curious to see if there’d be any mention of the raid at my house. Fortunately there’s not so much as a mention, though that in itself seems odd. Potential terrorism, a threat of radiation, and a manhunt should dominate the headlines. Instead, they seemed to be focused on the presidential debates and the upcoming moon mission.

In short, nothing new or particularly notable. Though that last topic did get Luna’s attention, and shifted our conversation to doing our best to share our limited knowledge of human spaceflight as she bombards us with questions.

It’s a welcome distraction, since I had noticed her eyeing the bacon on our plates more than a few times, and really didn’t want to have to explain the process behind it. While meat itself and the fact humans consumed it didn’t seem to bother her too much, I really don’t want to consider how she might react if she knew how we treated farm animals.

As the screen shifts to display a map of the planned trajectory for the ‘Artemis II’ moon mission, and the reporter continues her interview with one of the crew, Luna’s ears perk up, and she seems poised to ask yet another question.

Before she can though, all of our attention is drawn by a loud *pop* followed shortly by a green flash as something appears in the air above her and falls to the table.

“Is that?….” Lorrie gasps, leaning forward as Luna levitates up a rolled piece of parchment emblazoned with a shiny golden seal.

Luna doesn’t answer as she brings a hoof up to tenderly touch the seal, stroking it across the engraved image of a burning sun, as if unable to believe her eyes. Slowly and carefully, she unfurls the scroll. Her lips move silently as her eyes pan over the contents. I lean over her shoulder to get a look, but whatever’s written on it looks like a cross between Cyrillic and some kind of pictographs. The script is elegant and flowing, but completely indecipherable.

By the time Luna gets to the end, there’s a hopeful smile on her face, and her eyes are brimming with tears.

“What is it? What does it say?” Mason asks, pushing in beside me to get a better look.

A few moments of silence pass until Luna finally sniffles and looks up.

“It’s….it’s a letter from home…..from my sister…” Luna smiles, before seeming to realize that the rest of us are practically packed in around her to get a better look at the mysterious scroll.

“Forgive me….I suppose I should satisfy your curiosity.”

She clears her throat before beginning to read aloud.

“Dearest sister,

It is my hope that this letter finds you well. While we have not been able to determine exactly how it came to be, we are aware that some form of magical feedback has pulled you from our very plane of existence.

Not a day goes by without your absence making itself known. While I have been been working tirelessly doing what I can to bring you back, I worry more for Twilight. I do not believe she has slept so much as a wink since your disappearance, and only cautions from myself and her student have held her back from acting rashly and throwing herself after you blindly.

Despite sharing in her urgency, the risk of the unknown is far too great, and the loss of another princess would be too much for Equestria to bear. Though rest assured every great mind the country can spare is working tirelessly around the clock to bring you home.

Should this reach you, I have included a second piece of parchment, as well as the spell that must be used for it to reach us on the back of this page. It is no small task to cast, but with the proper preparation I am confident you can make it work.

Please Lulu, send a response when and if you can.

Signed,
Princess Celestia.”

“Hey, this is great! You can communicate with home!” I cheer, only hesitating briefly before throwing my arm around Luna and pulling her into a hug.

Despite her obvious joy, Luna doesn’t share my enthusiasm as she carefully separates the second sheet from the letter and studies it carefully. The letter had been unreadable, but was at least recognizable as writing. What’s drawn on the second page looks like someone had taken some Nordic runes and randomly shoved them into a wiring diagram.

“Were it only so simple.” Luna frowns as she pours over the spell. “Not only will this take a good deal of magic, but the runes will have to be printed on anything I desire to send.”

“No big deal, I can make some copies for you.” Mason offers, but she holds up a hoof to silence him.

“Nay. A simple copy will not do. It will need to be written by quill. One infused with Equestrian magic to power the runes. Do you have any ink?”

“No….” Mason frowns. “I could probably break open some pens if I have to, but where…”

He’s silenced again as Luna uses her magic to pluck a feather from one of her wings with a soft wince.

“Okay then….I’ll just grab some pens for you.”

Luna smiles and gives him a thankful nod as he heads off to do just that.

“When you say it’ll take a lot of magic….well, do you think it’ll be enough to draw attention?” I ask as Luna rotates the makeshift quill slowly until it seems to satisfy her.

“I am unsure.” She replies with a glance out the window. “We seem to be suitably isolated, but I have no way to account for your people’s instruments.”

“Well, if it acts anything like radiation, maybe there’s some way to block it?” Lorrie offers.

“Hmm, it’s worth a try.” Mason answers as he sets an assortment of pens and a bowl on the table. “I’ve got the meter, and the basement is set up as a fallout shelter. Not perfectly shielded or anything, but better than nothing.”

“You turned your basement into a bunker?” Lorrie asks skeptically. “Seriously Tony….are you expecting the end of the world or something?”

“Hey! It doesn’t hurt to be prepared. You came to me, didn’t you?”

“I guess….still seems like a bit much though.” She grumbles, unconvinced.

Luna watches as Mason begins pulling apart a pen before removing the ink cartridge and pulling the tip off. After a bit of fiddling with it, he manages to squeeze a few drops from it into the bowl.

Growing impatient, she rolls her eyes as she lifts all the pens in one fluid motion, pulls them apart, and squeezes every last drop of ink from them
Into the bowl.

“We can test this theory.” Luna begins as she dips the quill in the ink. “But first, I would like to have something to send.”

Chapter 1

“Ughh, finally!” I let out a long sigh as I click the save button on the last of my work for the day and slump back in my chair. I blink a few times, trying to clear the afterimage of endless spreadsheets as I look around. Having been so focused on my tasks, I hadn’t even realized how dark it had gotten. If the dim light filtering in through the shaded windows was any indication, it was already well into the evening.

“Wait…” There was no way. I should’ve been done well before sundown. I idly look down at the little clock on the corner of my computer screen. Sure enough, it was only 3:00 in the afternoon. “Ohhhh, that’s right!” I had been so focused, I had completely forgot that there was supposed to be a solar eclipse today! Eyes widening, I pull myself out of my computer chair and head over to the window.

When I was working, I always kept the shades drawn to keep the glare off my monitor. With a flick, I pull them aside and squint as a few rays of sunlight hit my eyes as I glare up at the thin sliver of light emerging from behind a dark shadow. An odd blue glow seems to emanate from the shadowed sphere, illuminating it for a brief moment and casting it in an eerie glow before suddenly being replaced by the light of the emerging sun. It had been so brief, if I had so much as blinked, I would have missed it. One thing I certainly don't miss is the sudden stab of sunlight boring into my eyes.

“Aghh! Wow, that was stupid!” I mutter to myself as I abruptly pull away and blink rapidly to clear the spots from my vision. Yeah….I’m pretty sure it was common knowledge that you don’t look directly at the sun. Even worse, I had been so focused on what I was doing, I had missed most of what was possibly a once in a lifetime event! Already, the late afternoon sun was once again shining in through the partially shaded window.

With a disappointed groan, I wander back and once again plop down in the comfy chair, still rubbing my eyes to clear away the lingering spots of irritation. Of course it's not like I truly could have seen much without some special equipment to protect my eyes, though that thought didn't really do much to console me.

A few bleary moments later, I close my laptop and pull myself up once again. I make my way over to my small kitchen. Hey it’s still Friday. I may have missed out on the eclipse, but at least I could kick back and have a few beers to help me relax….or not.

I frown as I open the fridge and my eyes scan across the pitiful collection of food items before settling on one lonely can. “Argh, of all the times..” I grumble irritably to myself as I grab the solitary beer and slam the door closed.

There was nothing for it. As much as I wanted to just settle in and let the time slip away, I was going to have to make a trip into town for some “supplies.” It probably wasn’t the worst idea, as oblivious as I may have been, I had still caught the forecast warning of a particularly harsh early season snowstorm set to ravage a good portion of New England.

Not needing to convince myself any further, I shrug on a heavy jacket, and stuff my wallet and keys into my pockets before clipping a holstered pistol securely to my belt and tucking it under my shirt. A quick glance at my phone informs me it would be another hour or so before the impending storm would roll in. Hah! More than enough time for a quick trip into town. Not that it really concerned me too much.

Stuffing my phone into a pocket as well, I head out, twirling my keys idly in my hand as I make my way over to an aging little pickup that was most likely coated more with rust than paint at this point. Even so, the trusty little Ford had taken me where I needed without issue more times than I could count, and it was a source of pride for me that I kept it as well maintained as I did, despite its outward appearance.

Settling into the well-worn bench seat and closing the door with a satisfying ‘thud’, I rub my cold hands before starting it up and setting off, beginning to regret not letting it warm up for a bit as I shiver in the unseasonably cold October weather.

Fortunately it isn’t much of a drive into town. Of course, living out in the country, most would consider a short trip like this to be inconvenient just to make a stop at the local convenience store, but really it was just a fact of life here.

As I pass a familiar sign welcoming me to the town of Granite Peak, NH, almost proudly declaring its quaint size with the tag “Where the people and mountains come together, population 1200,” the gray skies were already beginning to shed a few errant white flakes, forcing me to turn on the wipers as they began to collect and melt their way down the windshield in wet streaks.

As I wind my way through a series of twists and turns, making my way between forested hills and sheer walls of granite where they had been cut away to make way for the road, I idly listen to the local news blaring on the radio. As I expected, it was mostly about the recent eclipse, and crazy weather. Rarely did anything truly interesting happen in this quiet little town, so of course those would be the highlights.

Not terribly interested, I found myself mostly tuning it out to dull background noise as I cover the last few miles and finally reach ‘downtown.’ The term was really more of a joke among locals as the smattering of mostly brick buildings interspersed with aged wooden houses could barely pass as more than a village. But hey, at least they had a modern convenience store!

Pulling in past the brightly lit gas pumps, I’m greeted with a flurry of activity as I see several people filling up their vehicles and gas cans alike. “Hmmph, always wait till the last minute.” I grumble to myself as I park, blatantly disregarding my own hypocrisy as I make my way into the store.

I waste no time working my way through the isles. Of course, being a convenience store, there aren’t many options for fresh food, but I make sure to stock up on some snacks and a few frozen meals. Hey, it’s better than nothing! Satisfied at now being at least somewhat prepared for the dreaded “snowpocalypse,” I head for the real prize.

A case of beer and a bottle of whiskey later, I’m struggling to balance everything in my arms as I make my way over to the cashier. I mumble an obligatory “Hi” as I set everything on the counter.

The cashier, a skinny bearded man about my age squints at me from behind a thick set of glasses as he begins bagging my items. “Just the essentials, eh Dave?” He asks with a faint smile at the collection of junk food and booze.

Great, he was in a talky mood today. While hardly friends, I had become a bit of a regular, and we’d strike up a conversation every now and then when business was slow. “You know it, Sam. If this storm is all it’s talked up to be, the last thing I want is to be stuck at home hungry and sober.”

“Yeah, I hear that.” Sam glances out the window as he bags the last of the items, and frowns at the thin blanket of snow already beginning to coat the roads as the flurry seemed to have picked up during my browsing, the scattered snowflakes having given way to a wall of white that reduced everything more than a few dozen feet away to dark, blurry shadows. “I’m not even looking forward to driving home in this myself if it’s already this bad.”

After paying and giving our goodbyes, I finally manage to escape with my goods. Walking past the pumps again, I’m somewhat surprised to see most of the last minute shoppers had cleared out already. Apparently no one wanted to risk getting stuck in this mess.

Depositing the bag on the seat of my truck, and wiping away the snow that had built up on the windshield, I give the roads a glance before shifting it into 4wd. Sure, they didn’t look that bad, but I also hadn’t bothered to get my winter tires put on yet, and didn’t feel like embarrassing myself by slipping and sliding my way through town. Not that many of the few remaining cars making their way along the road were faring much better. I give a faint sympathetic chuckle at some poor sap inching along in a sports car as I turn onto the road, his tires spinning in a desperate bid for traction. Ugh. It was far too early for this kind of weather!

The way back was slow going. Fortunately it seemed just about everyone else had better sense than I did, and I was all but alone on the road by the time I made it out of town. Unfortunately, I could hardly see a thing through the torrent of snow, and the blanket of white obscuring the road only added to the problem as more than once I found myself nearly driving right into a ditch.

I once again thanked whatever powers may be that the road was empty as I make my way embarrassingly slowly up a hill, the tires struggling for traction until I finally reach the crest, squinting my eyes as I stare out through the blur of the wipers working overtime. After a white knuckled descent, I breathe a sigh of relief as I reach flat ground again, but it quickly turns to a gasp as a dark shape pops into view right in front of me.

“Fuck!” I slam on the brakes, feeling the vibration of the ABS struggling to find traction as the shape coalesces into a four legged figure. I try to jerk the wheel, but the truck stubbornly refuses to change course and continues to slide until I feel the dreaded ‘thump’ of it making contact, sending the poor creature sprawling as I finally jerk to a stop.

“God Dammit!” I slam a fist on the steering wheel as I shakily shift into neutral and yank the parking brake. My hands tremble, knuckles turning white as they grip the steering wheel like a vice. It takes several moments of sitting and taking deep breaths before I finally manage to get ahold of myself.

Flicking on the hazards, I get out and walk around the front. “Oh…okay, it’s not that bad…” I reassure myself as I assess the damage. There were a few new dings in the chrome bumper, and a small crack running up the grille, but otherwise, everything seemed to be fine. With a sigh, I then turn my head to get a look at the dark shape lying in the roadway several feet away. I check my side to feel the familiar weight of my pistol. I hated the thought, but if the deer, or whatever it was is still alive, it would probably be best to make sure it doesn’t suffer.

Hesitantly, I make my way towards the dark shape. Okay, this definitely wasn’t any kind of deer I had seen before. The coat that I thought had simply been shaded by the wall of snow and fading light, was actually a midnight blue. I stop as I notice the hair…mane?…and tail flowing softly as if in a breeze, even though the air was relatively still. In fact, everything seemed to be still and quiet around me, my harsh breaths echoing in my ears as I inch closer, my eyes growing wider as I take in the dark purple glow and gleaming field of stars rippling in the “hair” that nothing natural could possibly replicate.

"Wh....what the hell are you?" I breathe as I kneel down to get a closer look at the thing.

Author's Note

Hey there readers! This is my first real attempt at a novel length story, and any feedback and commentary is more than welcome. See a mistake? Let me know.

Chapter 7

Luna finally pulls her attention away from the sky. We hadn't covered that much ground to catch up to her, but the concern that flashes across her face reflects just how bad off we were. Wearing only a t-shirt and jeans, with my feet thoroughly soaked, I was starting to shiver now that things had calmed down. Lorrie was doing somewhat better, but wears a look of clear discomfort as a gust of wind tears through her golden locks. Despite her best efforts, the scramble up the hill had also left the bottoms of her medical pants soaked and dirtied.

"Hmmm, I'm beginning to see why you humans seem to insist on remaining garbed." Luna says, spreading her wings wide. She winces as she gives them a flap and pushes off the ground to hover before us, earning a squeal of shocked delight from Lorrie at the awesome sight. Even I find my jaw dropping at the majesty of the dark alicorn in all her glory as she looks down on us, framed by the light of the moon that lit up her coat and sparkling mane, seeming to give her body a radiance of its own.

*Flash!*

"Dammit Lorrie!" I growl as she smiles sheepishly and tucks her phone back into a pocket. The majesty of the moment ruined as Luna blinks several times to clear her vision.

"Some warning would be appreciated next time." Luna scowls as she lights her horn. "But indeed, it seems most prudent that we return. I have managed to regain a fraction of my magical strength, and shall assist you."

That's all the warning we get before I yelp as a blue glow surrounds me and I suddenly find myself weightless, arms and legs flailing as I'm lifted off the ground. In contrast, I hear an excited giggle from Lorrie as she's lifted up beside me.

"Wow! Can you believe it Dave, real magic!" Lorrie yells excitedly.

I'd agree, but it takes all my effort to force back a wave of nausea as Luna glides down the hill, sending us hurtling through the air as we're held in front of her. It's only a matter of seconds before we're set down on the deck behind my house, but I stumble unsteadily as the glow around me winks out, and I try to orient myself as my body seems to be trying and failing to figure out whether or not I was still moving.

There's a thud of hooves on wood as Luna lands behind us, and Lorrie, still grinning excitedly, pushes past me to get the door.

"Did...ugh...didn't you just say something about warnings?" I groan as Luna walks past me into the house, taking another few seconds to steady myself before following and closing the door behind me.

"Hmmm, well then. Perhaps I should consider us even." She retorts, flashing a playful grin as she looks over her withers at me before trotting away. What had gotten into her?

"But it wasn't even me!" I shoot back, but my words are lost on her as her starry tail disappears around a corner.

After a brief struggle to rid myself of my waterlogged shoes, I head into the living room to find Luna casually sitting on the couch talking to Lorrie, who had moved a chair in from the kitchen to make herself comfortable. As I enter, they both turn to look at me expectantly.

"As much as I do not wish to impose further, I am quite hungry." Luna says, clearly unused to having to actually ask for anything.

That gives me pause. I really didn't have much to offer, having neglected to stock my kitchen with anything that would be suitable to her. It would be pretty pathetic to offer her eggs and toast again, and I didn't even want to risk bringing up the ground beef in the freezer. "How do you feel about pizza?" I finally reply.

"Hmm, a fairly popular dish among the commoners, if it is indeed the same thing in your world. Yes, that will be acceptable." She nods.

Okay, that made things easy. I grab my phone and pull up an app for the one pizza place in town that did deliveries.

"Alright, what would you like on it?" I ask as I pull up a list of toppings, being careful to leave it hovering over the "veggies and other" option. This, however, revealed another problem.

"I cannot read whatever language this is." Luna says, tilting her head as she leans in close until her nose is nearly pressed against the screen, nearly going cross-eyed as she tries to focus on the text.

"But you're speaking clear English?" I question.

"Equish." She corrects. "Some of these characters are familiar to me, but it seems any commonalities between our languages end at speech."

Alright, no big deal. I pull the phone back and read off the various options to her. Fortunately, Lorrie is also a strict vegetarian, so after only a short debate we settle on ordering two pizzas. One with green peppers, olives, and chopped tomatoes, and one that was just plain cheese.

With the order in, and some time to kill before it arrives, we go about getting ourselves cleaned up. While Lorrie heads off with Luna to assist her in the daunting process of operating the shower, I settle on a simple change of clothes before sprawling out on the couch to wait. It's only a couple minutes later that Lorrie comes back in to sit beside me. Unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury of having fresh clothes to change into, and had elected to simply discard her socks and roll up her pants to keep the dampness of her legs.

"How'd it go?" I ask.

"Oh, not bad at all." She answers. "It's so cool seeing her use her magic so casually. All I really had to do was show her how the knobs work and leave her some towels."

We both wince as we hear a thud against the wall. "Heh, it was a little cramped for her though." Lorrie chuckles.

"I can imagine." I reply, wincing again at the sound of hard hooves on porcelain, followed by another thud. "So, you planning on sticking around?"

She frowns. "I think I'm going to head out after dinner. I need to be at the clinic tomorrow, but my other vet should be able to handle things just fine for a while after that. He's probably not going to be happy about it though." She chuckles. "Besides, I didn't really expect to be doing all this." She nods to her dirtied pants. "But I'll stop by as soon as I can, if you don't mind having me here."

"Of course! Hell, I'll take all the help I can get, you've been a real life saver." I reply, stretching over to give her a hug.

A short time later the sound of running water shuts off, and after a few moments Luna steps into the room. Her freshly cleaned coat shines with lingering dampness, though it looks like every hair and feather on her body had been meticulously groomed and set in place, well...except her mane and tail that was. Despite whatever magical properties it was imbued with, it apparently behaved like any other hair. Rather than billowing around her and waving in a nonexistent breeze as it normally did, it lay limply across her neck as her tail drooped against her haunches.

"Soooo cute!" I hear Lorrie squee under her breath. Despite her best effort to muffle the comment, I notice one of Luna's ears turn toward her, clearly taking in every word as a soft blush tinges the fur on her cheeks. To her credit though, the princess quickly regains her composure and restrains herself from pointing it out.

"Hmmm, not the most comfortable shower I've ever had, but most pleasing never the less." Luna smiles, reaching a foreleg up to brush a limp strand of mane out of her face. "Though if I am to stay here, I do hope you can supply more than this....body wash thou hast provided. The smell is most....unusual."

I have to hold back a chuckle as she lifts a wing and pokes her muzzle under it, wrinkling her nose at the apparent scent. An alien pony princess that smells like Old Spice, now there's a thought I never could have imagined.

"I....I'll keep that in mind." I chuckle, unable to hold back my mirth, earning a scowl from the allicorn in the process.

With nowhere left for her to sit but the floor, Lorrie returns to her chair while I head to the kitchen to grab another one, allowing Luna to take the premiere spot on the couch. As I set it down and begin positioning the small coffee table, the only other notable piece of furniture in the room, into a more central spot for all of us to reach, there comes a knock at the door.

"Hah! Perfect timing!" I exclaim, giving the table one final adjustment before heading to the front door. Fortunately the house was arranged in such a way that I wouldn't have to worry about the delivery man getting a glimpse into the living room as I open the door to greet him.

Sure enough, a lanky teenager with a patchy mustache greets me as he slides a pair of pizza boxes out of a carry case. With a mumbled "thanks" as I fork over a handful of bills for a tip, he goes on his way as I close the door and head back.

"Thou do not use silverware?" Luna asks quizzically as I open up the boxes and select a slice.

"Nah, you just kinda go for it." I reply, holding up the piece to how her before taking a bite. Ahh, good old cheese pizza. Not exactly my favorite, but hey. Pizza is pizza.

Luna watches hesitantly as Lorrie selects a piece of the veggie, before a blue glow envelopes the one next to it and lifts it up to her mouth. She gives it a sniff before taking a dainty bite and smiling. "Mmmm, delightful." I watch in awe as she all but inhales the slice, already levitating up a second one as she finishes.

"Hmmm, I believe I may have discovered a way to return home." Luna says after polishing off her third slice.

"Really!?" Lorrie and I reply almost simultaneously.

"Indeed." Luna answers as she lifts up a napkin to dab at her lips. "As your moon has shown remarkable similarity to my own, if I can replicate the circumstances of my arrival, perhaps it may have the same effect as it did before." But then she frowns. "However, this would require getting word to my sister so she may do the same in Equestria, and until I regain my full strength, I am not sure if such communication between worlds is possible, even through the world of dreams."

"...Oh." I say dumbly, unsure how to respond. Fortunately, Lorrie has my back.

"Well, you won't know until you try, right?" Lorrie asks, receiving a nod from Luna. "And even if it doesn't work, I'm sure we can come up with something together if we put our minds to it!"

Lorrie's positivity seems to placate Luna, though as I consider the princess's plan I begin to see more and more problems.

"But, wouldn't that mean you'd have to move the moon....our moon?" I ask with concern. "Wouldn't that, you know....cause all kinds of environmental catastrophes, not to mention the kind of attention and panic it would create?"

"Perhaps, though I am fairly certain I could redirect it to its regular trajectory before the consequences become too severe." Luna replies, looking thoughtful. "Though you are correct in your assumption. Such an alteration of its orbit, no matter how brief, is bound to have an effect on your planet. Though, if it comes to a choice between this, and me remaining trapped here, it is a path I will take without hesitation." She says resolutely.

The conversation fizzles after that as her words sink in. It was clear her priority was in returning home, no matter the cost. There was no debate to be had, and only time would tell what could happen. After a while, Lorrie says her goodbyes and heads home. After the leftovers are put away, Luna heads to her commandeered bedroom while I ready myself for bed. When I finally lay my head down on my pillow, even as exhausted as I am, sleep doesn't come easy as my mind is plagued with thoughts on an uncertain future.