A Lost Star

Chapters

Prologue - The Beginning
Chapter 1 - Physical Therapy
Chapter 2 - Black and White
Chapter 3 - Lunar Acquaintance

Prologue - The Beginning

A rhythmic beeping filled the room, its noise all too familiar to me. For years, its steady beeping has kept me company. But, I knew that soon even the steady pulse that represented my life would leave me. I was dying.

All I could do was stare at the tiled ceiling, the bright fluorescent lights clouding my vision. I had been weak for many years, but lying on this bed I had nothing left. My body was a husk of its former self, my mind being the only thing remaining.

I could hear the gentle sobs of my adoptive mother, accompanied by the reassurances of my adoptive father. Sitting in the corner of the room, they were just outside my field of view. But that didn’t stop me from imagining the pain they were in.

I had been adopted at a young age, their own attempts at children having been futile. Nonetheless, they loved me like their own. And I loved them. Each and every day was filled with laughter and fun, my pain briefly being forgotten while they were around.

But life was never easy. I had been diagnosed with an unidentified genetic illness as a child. A disease that would haunt me until the very end. For years after, my life would consist of school and the hospital. Test after test, procedure after procedure, none of which could quell the sickness. A disease that was devouring my body, making it all but certain that I would die young.

And there I was, at the ripe age of twenty, sitting on my deathbed. Heck, I never even got the chance to try alcohol.

Nevertheless, we had seen this coming for many months, the disease having my heart in its crosshairs for quite some time. Its destructive nature only accelerated as it approached my vital organ, my only hope being a full-body transplant.

Though you could say there was no hope as a full body transplant was sadly still science fiction, no more than a distant dream. A dream that could alleviate me of the pain I was in, and finally give me the life I had always wanted.

The edges of my vision began to cloud, and the final thoughts running through my head slowed. Time itself seemed to slow to a crawl, the sound of the heart monitor speeding up filled the room.

My time had come.

I tried to look at my parents, but I was unable to move. Though I didn’t need to as their silhouettes filled my vision.

My vision continued to cloud over, though I felt one final breath deep inside of me. Only three barely audible words fell out of my dry, parched mouth.

“I love you”

*Somewhere off in the universe*

Luna sighed as she gazed out of her bedroom window. The moon's faint glow seeped through the glass and illuminated her blue fur, her body relaxing as it consoled her form.

Her eyes remained trained on the moon, its celestial body filling her pupils as she remembered her time on its surface. Each crater, each imperfection fell under her gaze and she reminisced in solitude.

The solitude was broken a few moments later by the clack of her hooves against the marble tile, her form gracefully gliding toward the terrace that overlooked all of Canterlot.

She peered over the edge, down onto the city below. Eyes staring blankly, filled with memories of old.

Her moment of recollection ended a moment later, broken by her soft voice.

“Star light, star bright,

A soul that leaves tonight

Lost and void of light

Will shine bright, through the night”

Chapter 1 - Physical Therapy

(Edits made on 8/15/23)

Reality began to take hold, the shackles of unconsciousness slowly leaving my mind regained control. I was… nowhere. Somewhere. I was in my mind.

I realized that I was currently talking to myself, in my own mind. The more I tried to grasp the environment around me, the more it confused me. The darkness around me was blinding. It was as if I was floating aimlessly through the outer reaches of space, distant from even the closest planet. There was nothing, and yet at the same time everything.

The first things I became aware of were… memories. Memories of my life… my past life. The hospital… my parents… my death….

Though out of nowhere, it was as if my soul was being pulled toward an unknown force. A sensation, a feeling from the real world that begged entrance into my reality. It started off gradually, a small tug trying to guide me in the right direction.

I made no resistance to the force that was trying to move what was left of my existence.

But it quickly went from a gentle tug to a forceful realignment, my very soul being dragged across reality to a destination unknown. By a force, I could not comprehend.

I could only watch as the universe itself flew past me, my form only able to hold on for the ride as I was dragged toward whatever the universe had in store.

A cool, crisp breeze blew through the air. Its soft hands grazed my unconscious form, causing my mind to stir. A short breath of air escaped my nostrils as my mind began to reboot, a mind that had just experienced the universe.

My ears were the first to regain a tether to my mind, the gentle sounds of the world around me greeted my consciousness. The gentle rustle of leaves as a breeze flew through them, echoed by the chirps of birds who were stirred by the sudden movement. Off in the distance, the soft pitter-patter of water against stone could be heard.

The vibrations of a groan echoed throughout my body, making me aware of another sensation.

The refreshing air flowing down my esophagus, causing my chest to expand before slowly exhaling. It was the freshest air that had ever graced my lungs.

It was chilly, though not cold. A nice fall day, one with light winds and a very temperate climate. It was likely approaching winter if the dryness of the air was any sign. I could feel the chill of the air, yet it felt as though I was wearing a jacket. The nip of the air glanced off of me, my body not feeling the slightest bit cold.

The soft prickles of grass could be felt against my skin, I was currently lying down in a grassy area somewhere. Each fiber of grass poked at me, its pointy texture mixed with that of dirt against my skin was instantly recognizable.

My mind began to piece together all the different inputs and sensations, each one being consumed by my brain and deciphered into a feeling.

I was just missing one crucial item, vision.

A shudder emanated throughout my body as my eyes fluttered, my entire body seemingly unable to tie the connection between my eyes and my mind.

Grabbing ahold of my senseless mind, I pulled my various scattered thoughts and feelings together. Each one slowly calming before reconnecting to my mind, returning me to my previous state.

My mind fixated on the simple action at hand, opening my eyes. Quelling all my strange senses, pushing them into the corners of my mind for the time being, I opened my eyes.

It felt as though I was trying to lift a thousand-pound dumbbell with my eyelids. Each millimeter my eyelids traveled demanded the utmost focus, a mind-boggling feeling of concentration to perform such a menial task.

My focus nearly faltered as the bright rays of the sun pierced my pupils as I was greeted by a glimpse of the world around me. I had to squint as my pupils hastily adjusted to the brightness of the scenery. Though it didn’t take long before the world came into focus.

My eyes didn’t move, my mind sputtering as it tried to make sense of all the new sensory information that was being unloaded upon it. I slowly pieced together the colors first, the green and brown being the most dominant. Each one came in layers. First green, then brown, then more green. Grass, bark, leaves.

I was on the ground, in a forest.

The figures of trees, shrubs, and grass all began to comprehend as I continued to sort through the collage of information. Trees filled the entirety of my vision, grass, and shrubs filling in the remaining space.

My mind was finally able to put two and two together, I was in a forest.

“Why am I in a forest?” I thought, my mind halting.

My eyes went wide as recollections of the hospital, my parents, and my final moments flooded my mind. Each memory forced itself into the forefront of my attention, making me relive every breath, every moment up to my death…

My heart stopped, my mind churning as it fought with itself over the impossibility that it was currently in.

“I’m dead…” My inner voice repeated, to which my mind agreed. Only my eyes disagreed, throwing my mind itself into question causing me to repeat the statement. The cycle continued, festering in denial and contradiction. Growing and growing only for it to all explode in a blink.

My mind went blank, redirecting to my eyes for confirmation. Slowly, my eyes begin to glide across the landscape in front of me, analyzing everything I was seeing for even the most minuscule error.

But it was flawless. Everything around me was… picturesque.

Every leaf, every blade of grass moved with such precision and detail that it couldn’t possibly be a figment of my imagination. The beauty and detail of mother nature were undeniable, my eyes weren’t lying.

The memories replayed from my memory, my mind analyzing them again and again. Scouring each moment for a clue as to how I ended up here.

But there was nothing.

Those memories felt so real… they couldn’t be fake they were my memories. But it was undeniable that I was currently lying in a forest with absolutely no recollection of how or why I was there.

My mind was doing backflips trying to make sense of the information, but suddenly my reflections ground to a halt. It felt as though another voice had managed to weasel its way into my mind and was attempting to… reassure me.

My mind relaxed, and my thoughts calmed. It felt as though my mother was right beside me, assuring me that everything was all right. The very fabric of my existence felt… calm. Everything was as it should be. I belonged here.

While strange, what was more surprising was that I felt... okay. While more than a little stressed out at the moment, my body felt good. My life had been plagued with chronic discomfort and pain and for it all to just be… gone. I couldn’t comprehend the feeling of nothing.

My mind was in a state of shock… again. Being bombarded with new experience after experience I felt like my brain would explode.

The swaying trees brought me back to reality, the sparse grass, and the thick shrubs being all that surrounded me. The rays of the sun peeked in through the treetops around me and through a clearing above, lighting my immediate area while leaving the surroundings shadowed in darkness.

I needed to sit up in order to see the rest of the environment around me, my eyes were only able to take me so far.

So with a little focus, I tried to sit up.

Pain shot down my spine, my body stiffening at the slightest movement. My teeth clenched as my eyes slammed shut. I groaned as I quelled the pain, not moving as it slowly subsided.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and forced my body to move again. I felt my muscles contract, but it wasn’t right. It felt like all my muscles were in the wrong place. My arms moved clumsily, as though they had weights on the ends of them. My hands were completely numb and my fingers had lost all feeling. My legs moved the wrong way, and my head felt heavier than ever before. I was like a fish out of the water.

Falling back onto the ground, my eyes clasped closed in frustration as I cursed through gritted teeth. I opened my eyes and glared at my hands in frustration, only there were no hands.

Charcoal stumps were all that greeted my eyes. I tried to move my fingers, the stump twitching as a result.

My mouth opened and closed, staring at the appendages before me. Quickly closing my eyes and inhaling a deep lungful of air I began reassuring myself, before reopening my eyes.

The same charcoal stumps stared back at me. My breathing halted and my heart beat fast. Tears poked at the edges of my eyes, the arm… my arm shaking.

This caused me to glance downward toward the rest of my body, quickly wishing I hadn’t. What made up the rest of me was of equal coloration and equally bizarre proportions.

Where my legs should have been sat two appendages with stumps on the ends, except that they bent the wrong way. A long body connected my arms and legs, all leading up to a long neck.

“H-how…” I tried to squeak out, my voice cracking as my mouth moved uselessly, only for the words to fall out of my mouth a jumbled mess.

My hindered speech caused me to cross my eyes, peering down toward a dark protrusion filling the bottom of my vision. My eyes widened, my mind stopping as it tried to make sense of yet another abnormality that it couldn’t make sense of.

I lifted my dark stump and hesitantly poked the snout protruding from my face. My new nose scrunched up as my arm made contact, causing me to yank my arm away.

My heart rate spiked, my arm collapsing to my side. My mind now awfully aware of the existence of my new snout on top of everything else. While I had just confirmed its existence, my mind still wanted to deny everything.

“What’s next?” I moaned, clasping my arm over my mouth once my voice reached my ears.

Slowly removing my arms hoping it hadn’t just been a terrible voice crack, I took another breath.

“Hello…” I said, my heart deflating as I heard the same voice once again.

My eyes widened as I quickly looked down where the sun doesn’t shine.

Quickly looking away, not seeing something very important to me, I just hoped that maybe my new body was just that different, I shuttered as I knew that I was lying to myself.

A mirror was now the next step. I needed to know what else happened to me, and seeing my own reflection would be the easiest way to do that.

As I lay in the grass, my mind doing backflips, the sound of running water in the distance caught my attention. While it may not be optimal, it would allow me to take a look at my reflection. I’d take any win I could get right now.

With that in mind, finding that water became goal number one. A goal that would provide me with a few answers, but also get my mind to focus on one task.

My heart finally began to slow, my thoughts beginning to reconnect. My eyes narrowed in concentration, I needed to move.

Quickly gathering my will, I pulled my arms and legs in close to me, and began to rock my body back and forth. My eyes clenched shut as the pain shot through my body, but I pushed through. I would have to get moving at some point.

The grass deformed under my strange body, my coordination with my new appendages quickly increasing as they moved slightly to shift my body weight.

While it likely looked very strange from the outside, I quickly found myself crouched down on my arms and legs. A small smile spread across my face, my arms and legs extending a moment later pushing me into a standing position.

Blinking a couple of times, it felt astonishingly natural to stand in my current four legged position.

I craned my neck around to look over myself, my jaw dropping. I looked like a horse. The idea had flown over my head, but it was so obvious. Hoofs, hind legs, fur, forelegs, barrel, and a snout. I had it all. Though it didn’t look… right?

Staring at my legs, my brow furrowed. I looked like a drawing a child would make if you described a horse to them. The proportions were off. My legs were thick, not skinny, and had no clear separation between where the leg ended and the hoof began.

There were a few similarities with regard to general shape and fur, but it was still a bit unnerving how different yet similar I looked to a horse.

My gaze moved back toward my rear, raising a brow as I spotted a tattoo on my flank. It was like a branding a farmer would put on their cattle only it looked… natural? It looked as though it was a part of the fur itself.

It looked like a star, trailed by what looked like some kind of writing. It looked like nothing I had ever seen before, though patterns in the shapes led me to believe it was some form of writing.

My attention was brought back to the world in front of me. Before stood trees and vegetation, but off in the distance water could be heard. A strange sensation occurred on top of my head, realizing a moment later that if the rest of me looked like a horse, then I likely had a nice set of ears. Another reason to find a mirror.

Looking down at my legs, my body sank as it dawned that walking with two legs versus four legs were two very different processes.

My gaze wandered off into the distance as I tried to recollect how a horse would walk.

Front legs then back? Back then front? Alternating?

Chewing on my tongue for a few moments, I pondered the optimal method of four-legged locomotion. Ultimately deciding that alternating legs would be the best course of action.

Glancing down at my forelegs, my core tightened as I lifted my legs, doing my best to keep my balance. While it wasn’t hard, especially with three legs instead of one, it was certainly unique.

My eyes stared intently at the ground in front of me as I did the same with my back left leg, steadying myself as I moved.

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of my head. Repeating the process with my other two legs, coming to a stop about two feet away from my starting point.

I exhaled, looking at the distance covered. My fist… hoof dug into the ground. Having been through hundreds of hours of physical therapy, this was just another session.

Taking a few more deep breaths, the objective at hand refocused.

The soft ground deformed beneath my hooves as the weight of my body shifted across the ground, crawling forward at a snail's pace.

While not easy, the action of movement quickly cycled through my mind like a set of instructions. The beginning to a very long set of instructions.

After but twenty minutes, the painstaking process of movement felt engraved in my brain. While it still took a bit of focus, one leg was confidently placed in front of the other. A smile slowly formed, the small accomplishment being the only upside of the day. That smile was quickly wiped away as I tripped on a pebble and ate dirt.

Checking to make sure nobody saw that, I brushed myself off and continued on.

My eyes jumped from one plant to another, their vibrant colors enthralling me. The differences in the world, especially how colorful everything was, quickly became noticeable.

The leaves, shaking in the wind, were a deep green. The thick tree trunks were a shade of vibrant brown. The shrubs were equally vibrant, even a few flowers dotted the vegetation adding bright splotches of color.

Even the ground seemed almost colorful. I didn’t know how to describe it, it was like if you took a picture and cranked the saturation all the way up. It was very strange to look at.

My eyes got pulled toward the trees in front of me, a large amount of light pouring in from between their trunks. Perking up, I quickened my pace, the sounds of flowing water growing significantly.

It didn't take long to finally emerge from the dense forest and into a clearing.

Before me sat a small river, its white and bubbly water flowing past. It took a few dozen steps to make it from the tree line to the edge of the embankment.

The same river extended to the right and left in both directions, eventually curving out of sight around more trees.

The portion of the water Infront of me was calm enough that the reflection of the trees on the opposite side of the river were visible. But it was still flowing fast enough that safely crossing it was not possible, not without getting swept away.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, before taking a few steps toward the river bank.

Mere inches from the water, I hesitated. Something had happened, and whatever it was would likely alter my psyche forever.

I opened my eyes.

Staring back were two large green eyes, eyes that were filled with life. A charcoal-colored face, with a horn extending sharply from between two ears, reflected off the water. The creature that stared back was instantly recognizable.

I was a unicorn.

Not moving an inch, my eyes froze in place. Their eyes stared back into mine, unmoving and distant.

My mind sputtered, and my lip quivered, as it tried to understand what happened to me. How had it occurred? Any explanation short of magic or some other wacky sci-fi trope was hopeless. I was a unicorn for crying out loud!

The eyes that stared back at me in the reflection belonged to someone else, something else. Not the someone that greeted me in the morning, an alien.

Backing up, my eyes didn't leave the ground. The ground thumped as a charcoal unicorn took a seat, staring a thousand yards away.

The dark thoughts began to take hold, the hopeless thoughts of self love and inner being fending them off.

“Not if you’re a mythical unicorn… a messed up one at that,” I grumbled, resting my chin on my hoof.

My mind simply could not process everything, from waking up in a forest to being a creature I previously thought didn’t exist. Everything…

The sound of a stick snapping caused my head to spin around, my eyes scanning the forest behind me. The forest seemingly stood still, not a sound could be heard besides the flow of water.

I stood up and turned toward the forest, its large form now towering ominously above me. The silence was deafening, I didn’t dare move. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise, but I stood tall looking for the cause of the silence.

My eyes darted to a section of the forest where a green light emanated, a pair of green lights. While dull, they easily stood out against the dark backdrop of the forest.

My breath caught in my throat, only able to watch as another pair of green lights appeared. Then another. Then another.

In a few moments, the single pair of green lights had turned into about a dozen pairs lining the forest's edge. Surrounding me.

I took a step back, cautiously eyeing the spectacle unfolding before me. I felt my body tense as the lights all closed in around me, each one growing brighter by the second.

Taking another step backward, the glowing lights continuing their approach. Each one seemed to be about a foot apart from the other, unwavering in its ominous glow.

I looked between all of the lights with a quizzical expression, not really sure of what to make of the whole situation.

My eyes quickly darted between all the lights as they all seemed to be gathering exclusively around me, each pair now on the cusp of the tree line.

Not a moment later, the first pair of lights broke the tree line. A mass of wood nearly double my size stomped into the clearing, a vaguely wolf-shaped creature staring me in the eyes.

I did a double take, my eyes scrutinizing the creature as it stopped its approach a few yards away.

A low growl emanated from the creature, now barring a set of wood teeth. Drool dripped from its mouth as it continued its growl, not letting up as more creatures broke the tree line.

Each one carried a sort of glow around it, a dim green color, that seemed to stem from within their bodies. Almost as if it was what was holding them together, their bodies appearing to be made of no more than sticks and bark.

My eyes danced between the creatures as they appeared, each one nearly identical to the first save for being noticeably smaller. All of them were letting out an equally low growl as they approached, encircling me and the largest creature leaving no room for escape.

I didn’t know much about animals, but I did know that a growl generally wasn’t a good thing. Especially when said growling animal was barring its teeth at you.

I hesitantly back peddled, my eyes never leaving the creatures in front of me. My legs shook, trying to put a bit more distance between me and the creature. My back hoof slipped a moment later as the river blocked me in, leaving no avenue of escape.

My breath caught as the growling stopped, the largest creature taking a step forward.

My body quivered, my eyes wide, as the largest creature dropped its head close to the ground. Its eyes trained on me, motionless, as though it was considering its next move.

“This is how I die…” I thought as the creature and I stared into each other's cold eyes.

A scream barely escaped my mouth as it pounced, its body crashing into me as we both tumbled to the ground.

It quickly pinned me to the ground, its sharp, wooden teeth snapping at me. My trembling arms now the only things standing between me and certain death.

The creature was much bigger than me, my arms barely keeping the creature far enough away that it wouldn’t instantly tear me to shreds. But I would have to make something happen, fast.

The monster continued to bite and grab for my neck, a wave of nausea spread throughout me as a smell equal to death filled my nostrils. The wretched monster's breath nearly caused me to puke, stopped only by another bout of pain as the monster landed a slash on my chest.

Bits of wood covered my body as I attempted to drive the monster's head away, kicking with my legs in a futile attempt to get the creature to stop.

Its razor-sharp claws dug into my arms, tearing away fur and flesh as it fought, causing me to cry out in pain. Tears poured down my cheeks as the burning sensation of wood cutting through my skin began to take hold, the pain instantly becoming unbearable causing me to let out a scream.

I continued to slam my hind legs into the monster's stomach, a few painful howls emanating as a result, in an attempt to fight back. Only for the monster to snarl and bark in anger, causing it to double down on its efforts.

Its muddy, wooden claws sank into my chest and arms, and blood began to pool on the ground below me. My arms were almost completely useless in stopping its flailing claws from reaching me, each one now stained with my blood.

My legs could now only flail uselessly, catching the occasional hit against the creature. But I continued to fight, not letting up for a second. Adrenaline rushed through my body, masking some of the pain allowing me to fight a little more.

Adrenaline, however, would not be enough to save me as I could feel the darkness slowly beginning to creep into my vision.

A pool of blood now surrounded my body, my arms, legs, and body completely covered in gashes.

Crying out in pain, I felt another claw rip through my arm muscles.

My arms fell to my side, my body going almost completely limp as my muscles gave out. My mouth was wide, gasping for air, as blood pooled beneath my quivering body. My vision was almost completely gone, the howling form of the monster being all that I could see.

A thought crossed my dying mind, my brain piecing together one last course of action. If I was going to die, it wouldn’t be as something else's meal.

My eyes closed, tears staining my cheeks as I summoned up all my strength.

I kicked my hind legs, the sounds of agony filling the air as my unconscious corpse fell into the river.

Author's Note

Timberwolves are big meanies :fluttercry:

Chapter 2 - Black and White

I crumbled up another piece of parchment, throwing it across the room toward the trash. It bounced off the wall before landing next to the overflowing bin, adding to the mountain of scrapped ideas.

Rubbing my temples, a groan escaped my lips as another piece of blank parchment floated onto my oak desk. It had been days since the sun had graced my fur, but for Luna’s sake, this thesis needed to be finished.

The cold air nipped at my skin, the winter season has kept me confined for the better part of the last few weeks. While some may think of that as a curse, to me it was a blessing. However, my current situation was less than favorable.

The warm glow of candlelight wafted across the page, its emptiness mocking me as I stared at the page.

A knock reverberated through the door, causing me to jump. Glaring, I turned toward the door as it cracked open.

“Art thou doing well?” Luna asked, poking her head through the cracked door.

I let out a sigh, dropping the quill onto the table as my glare softened. My head thumped against my desk as a tired hello fell out of my mouth.

“Which wast the last time thee hath left thy room?” She asked softly, stepping fully into the room.

“I wast outside at dawn,” I moaned, face still planted on my desk.

She didn’t say a word, her eyes burning a hole into the back of my head.

Luna broke the silence, taking a step closer. “I understand-”

“NO, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” I shouted, eyes filled with fire as we locked gazes.

Her mouth didn’t move, her expression unwavering. Her body was still like a rock, only the humidity from her breath could be seen in the cold night air.

After a few moments, the tension was cut as my anger began to falter. I turned away, covering my eyes as the tears began to fall.

The sound of hoofsteps echoed throughout the room, accompanied by the sound of crying. A silver hoof soon began to rub my withers, the lunar princess's voice whispering soothing reassurances as she did so.

A few shaky sobs escaped as I tried to regain my composure. But the tears wouldn’t stop, they just kept falling. The emotions locked inside of me for so long finally spilling out into the world.

We simply sat, me spilling my emotions while Luna offered her reassurance.

“Now then, alloweth me to see if’t I can help thee,” Luna cooed, patting my back.

“I… okay…” I conceded with a sniffle, turning back toward the blank page on the table.

My body stiffened as Luna’s arm wrapped around me, relaxing a moment later as my body melted in her embrace.

“Now then, shall-”

Pain wracked through my body, my eyes shooting open as my body tried and failed to breathe.

I rolled over onto my side, coughing and hacking as my lungs and stomach emptied all over the stone floor. A fire burned in my chest, my ribs coursing with pain at every movement.

Not a moment later the coughing slowed, my lungs filling with precious oxygen. My body shook as I rolled onto my back staring up at the sky.

The shaking finally began to stop, oxygen now plentiful throughout my body. Yet as my body finally started to relax, the pain returned.

Clutching my chest, I groaned as a bout of fiery pain overtook me. My chest felt like it had a thousand paper cuts, each one causing more pain than the last.

As my body shifted, a strange feeling could be felt against my chest. Something was wrapped tightly around me, tying me together.

Looking down, makeshift bandages covered a majority of my chest and legs. They were incredibly simple, no more than a few leaves tied together, but they seemed to be keeping the blood inside of me fairly well. Only a small amount of blood could be seen soaking through.

My head shot up, quickly scanning my surroundings as memories flooded my mind.

I had thrown myself into a river to escape those beasts, but to be here on dry land meant that someone or something pulled me out and patched me up.

Slowly sitting up, my body shook from the pain and lack of energy. Looking around me showed no signs of anyone nearby, only an empty building.

The building was made primarily of stone blocks, with archways lining the hall where I sat. The roof looked to have collapsed long ago, indicated by its absence as well as the copious amounts of debris on the floor.

Analyzing the rubble showed no obvious signs of where in the world I was, not even a clue.

My ears perked up as the sounds of flowing water reached me. The sound was faint, but it was likely very close by. Indicating that the river was still close by.

“Ah, you are awake, I thought I had made a mistake!” A female voice came from behind me, causing me to spin around.

My jaw dropped at the sight before me, a zebra was currently making its way toward me. Her dark turquoise eyes were looking straight at me, a smile adorning her face.

The clop of her hooves echoed off the crumbling walls, her eyes surveying me as she approached.

My body didn’t comply in an attempt to scooch away, awestruck and what was before me. I was still as a rock, the zebra now no more than a few yards away. Her gaze shifted from one of happiness to one of worry, giving me a strange glance.

“Are you all right? You gave me quite the fright!” She spoke, stopping an arm's reach away.

I didn’t answer, staring up at the black and white equine before me. My mind was now in full meltdown mode. Nothing was making any sense.

She stood in front of me, waiting for an answer. Letting out a sigh a moment later as she began to pace back and forth muttering to herself. Though she quickly stopped, redirecting her attention back toward me.

“I assume the tale of how I found you is of great value?” She asked, taking a seat in front of me.

Staring for a moment, I slowly nodded, electing a small smile from the zebra.

“You see, the sounds of commotion set me into motion,” She began. “Soon I spotted a mare, giving me quite the scare. And it is good I stopped by, as in the Everfree you may die!”

Chewing on my lip, my eyes glanced up at the zebra. While it was nice to be alive, I was rescued by a talking (and rhyming) zebra. Not something that happens every day.

Since she wasn’t freaking out at my existence like I was about hers, it likely meant there were more creatures like me. Meaning that home was very far away.

“It is not required, but I would like to inquire,” She asked in a soft tone, causing me to look in her direction. “What is your name so that we may be acquainted the same?”

Looking at her, I thought the question over in my head. She just asked for my name, it wasn’t like she was asking to murder me. What harm would it do to just say my name?

“Nova Nebula,” I said, causing me to clasp my hoofs over my mouth. My breath caught, my mind trying to figure out what had just happened.

“Ah, a nice name you have proclaimed. Zecora is what I am called by most, especially those on the east coast,” She responded with a smile.

Zecora eyed my wounds looking for any damage as I stared off into space, trying to say my name to myself.

“Nova… Nebula…” I whispered, my brow furrowing.

Trying a few more times, I whispered to myself as my mouth tried to say my real name. Only causing me to curse in frustration.

“Are you doing alright? I do not mean to be outright,” Zecora asked, staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

My stammering quickly halted, turning toward Zecora and nodding without a word.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath as my mind began to calm. My name was yet another item to add to the laundry list of things wrong with me, a list that was becoming worryingly long.

Staring back at the sky, my eyes drifted over its cloudless image. The sun was now out of sight, the sky beginning to turn reddish orange.

My eyes widened as I realized the amount of time that had passed. The last time I was awake it was about noon, meaning it had been several hours at least.

Right on cue, a low grumbling emanated from within me. Zecora looked at me for a moment before standing up, stretching out her legs as she did.

“I feel that now is the time for food, that should get you in the mood. If you are able to stand that would be grand. Then we can begin to roam in search of my home,” She rhymed, extending a hoof toward me.

I looked at her extended hoof for a moment, questioning how it would help me. I understood she wanted to help me stand, yet her flat hoof did not appear to be of any help.

With a shrug, my hoof reached out and connected to hers. My body tensed up as a strange feeling grabbed hold of the end of my hoof. It felt as if a magnet was pulling my hoof toward hers.

Instinctively I tried to pull my ha- hoof away, resulting in me pulling Zecora’s hoof with me. She gave me a questioning look as she pulled, lifting my body off the ground as my footing situated itself below me.

Once my footing was established, the force between our hooves dissipated. I stared at the bottom of my hoof looking for any sign of what just happened, no apparent change visible.

Zecora gave me another strange look, causing me to quickly put my hoof back on the ground with a forced smile.

She stared at me as I continued to smile, causing me to glance around nervously.

Eventually, after a few awkward moments, she motioned for me to follow as she began trotting down the empty corridor. Her hooves echoed off the wall, mine quickly falling in sync as I took up pace behind her.

Staring at her flank, not in a weird way, a strange pattern caught my attention. It was an intricate pattern like mine, though hers was only black and in the shape of a sun. It too looked to be a part of her fur, similar to mine.

She looked back at me with a questioning gaze, her eyes tracing my line of sight to her flank. I quickly averted my attention away, looking at the path in front of us as I forced another smile. Being a weirdo was not something on my to-do list.

Her gaze soon left me, my fake smile dissipating as a breath escaped I didn’t realize I was holding. As that situation left my mind, my mind wandered across the ruins around me.

It appeared that we were in what was likely the great hall of the once-former structure. Doors lined the walls, at least what was left of them, with a long discolored floor running down the middle of the hall.

Vines snaked their way across the walls, piercing through the many cracks that littered the ruins. Their almost black color in addition to the blue spikes that covered them resulted in an almost extra-terrestrial appearance.

My gaze fell to the floor in front of me as my mind pondered why she had dragged me so far into the building, to begin with. In fact, why had she saved me in the first place?

“Why did you save me?” I asked quietly, my eyes glued to the ground avoiding her rear.

“I saw a pony in distress, would you do less?” She asked, causing me to nod in agreement.

I decided it wasn’t a stretch that she actually helped me out of the goodness of her heart, reasoning that if she had ill intent something would have already transpired.

Without another word we continued on, leaving behind the ruins as we excited through a towering wooden door. The rotting structure the only sign of the building’s entrance, forever stuck slightly ajar.

We wormed our way through the maze of rubble that sat in front of the entrance, the debris extending only a few yards from the door.

We quickly found ourselves free from the ruins, standing in what was once a courtyard. Looking behind me, what was left of the towering wall loomed above. I was able to make out towers on either side of the main building, the spires still somehow intact and coming to a pin's point nearly a hundred feet in the air.

It was once a grand building, the ornate construction and intricate stone patterns a telltale sign that this structure was built with great care. Along with a lot of money. But that didn’t take away from the fact that this felt like one of those medieval castles you could visit in Scotland, maybe it even belonged to an aristocrat.

My body shudder as I stared at the tower on the left. Its coloration was distinctly darker than the other as well as being slightly shorter, yet for some reason, I felt a connection. my eyes stuck to it, unable to look away from the top of the tower.

Averting my gaze from the towering structure, I turned back toward Zecora in front of me while making a mental note to come to visit this place later. Particularly when I’m in better condition.

We trotted through the desolate remains of the courtyard, stepping over patches of rock and avoiding overgrown statues. Soon we were right back in the forest.

The rest of the journey through the forest was rather uneventful, primarily just following Zecora and watching my step. I learned that after I wasn’t paying attention, nearly stepping on a sleeping lizard with a chicken head. I added that to the list of questions that needed answering.

Light dimly shined through the trees, the sun now having almost completely set. The orange horizon slowly became visible as we followed a dirt path through the vegetation, the exit in sight.

It didn’t take long before we broke through, the sun now fully visible as it rested on the horizon. A few stray clouds floated through the sky. Hills rolled up and down, dotted with trees and shrubs. The occasional animal could be seen hopping to and fro, the area likely home to hundreds of little critters.

I couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful scenery, everything looked straight out of a picture. The grass was the greenest I’d ever seen, and the leaves on the trees seemed to be even greener. The land looked like it had never been touched, only mother nature having graced the landscape.

Even the air was just like that of the forest, pure and clean. Not even the slightest hints of air pollution could be detected, the air flowing smoothly through my lungs.

A small village off in the distance caught my attention, the straw roofs peeked over a hill in front of us. I couldn’t see much more than the roofs, but a large tower could be seen poking its way above the rest of the buildings.

We continued to follow the dirt path without a word, Zecora leading the way as we approached the village.

Soon we passed by a tree that looked like it had been converted into a house. A few dozen food bowls were scattered about in front of the house, causing me to snicker at the thought of this being the local crazy cat lady. The image of hundreds of cats all clung to one person got a chuckle out of me, the strange house soon passing by. ]

The house seemed to be distant from the town, now fully visible in front of us. It was about two hundred yards away, a small dirt path connecting it to the main roads of the town.

The town looked to be wood houses with straw roofs, each one in near-perfect condition. My eyes widened as I spotted the first of the local inhabitants, a golden yellow horse with curly orange hair walking down the road before turning and entering a house.

It looked just like me, save for the color and hair difference. My body relaxed, my mind put slightly at ease that I wasn’t a complete weirdo here.

However, my heart jumped as realization hit me. Unless a little town of horses had gone undiscovered, that meant I was likely not even on Earth anymore.

My eyes glazed over as my thoughts bounced around in my head. What would I do? How did I get here? Why here? Are there other humans here?

Crashing into a light pole, I crumbled to the ground as stars danced across my vision. I rubbed my head with a hoof, feeling a small bump causing me to wince in discomfort. My head ached as I stood up, glaring angrily at the pole in front of me.

Rubbing my head, I let out a little laugh as multiple ponies were now looking at me. Their eyes looked as if they had just been spooked, none of them moving as they watched me.

I continued to smile nervously, giving Zecora a nudge causing her to continue on. The stares gradually left as we walked away, though the embarrassment stuck.

We walked through town, making sure to avoid any lampposts as we walked down the cobbled pathway. Buildings lined the road, most of which appeared to be residential with the occasional storefront.

The sun shined down the middle of the road we were currently on, creating a Manhattan henge-type picture. The wind blew a cool breeze through my hair as a couple of locals walked by, paying no mind as I gawked at everything around me.

My attention was drawn particularly to a sign that had a picture of a quill and a sofa on it. It was closed and dark inside, but in the window was a sofa... and a giant quill.

Whoever came up with that store idea really must have found a hole in the market. But hey, if it made money it made money.

We passed through the town square, making our way toward another tree home at the end of the street.

In front of the tree sat a small sign with a picture of a book painted on it. The windows in the tree glowed, a silhouette visible on the first floor. Zecora quickened her pace, leading us toward the tree.

Once we approached, Zecora gave the door a couple of firm knocks causing whoever was inside to shout something.

A few moments later, the door cracked open. A small green eye peered out at us, the door fully opening a moment later.

“Hello Spike,” Zecora greeted with a small bow. “I hope you don't mind us in your like. I wish to speak with Twilight, I have something I would like to highlight,”

The door opened, and a tiny purple and green creature stood in the doorway. “Twilight! Zecora is here with another mare!” It shouted before turning around and facing us. “You guys can come on in, Twilight will be right down,”

Zecora and I gave the creature our thanks, making our way inside the tree. The room we entered was round, the walls having been carved into bookshelves. A red sofa sat in the middle of the room, a glass coffee table in front of it along with two posh red chairs.

We sat on the sofa, my eyes looking at the various pictures and decor. The pictures seemed to all contain photos of a particular purple pony, sometimes accompanied by the purple and green creature.

There was a door opposite the entrance and a staircase carved into the left wall, it winded up into a loft with a bed and even more books.

“That’s a lot of books,” I muttered, looking at all the books. There had to be at least a thousand books, maybe even more.

“Hello Zecora, it’s nice to see you,” a female voice greeted, drawing my attention to a purple pony descending the stairs. “And who is this with you?” She asked, looking in my direction.

“It is nice to see you too, and this mare is why I came to see you,” Zecora spoke, motioning toward me with a hoof.

“What is your name miss?” Twilight asked, looking at my flank.

My eyes traced her gaze, causing her to look away with a sheepish smile. “Nova Nebula,” I responded, not even trying to say my real name.

“Well it's nice to meet Nova, I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

My eyes widened, “You’re royalty!?”

“Well technically yes, but nopony here calls me princess,” She said with a laugh. “And you are no different, please just call me Twilight.”

I blinked after a moment, pulling myself out of my stupor. “Well it’s nice to meet you Twilight,” I said, still slightly awestruck.

I had never met royalty, the closest being a visit to Buckingham Palace. But if history was anything to go by, royalty didn’t have the best track record. Twilight, however, seemed to be nothing like the royalty that came to my mind.

“So what is it you wanted to tell me, Zecora?” She asked, shifting her attention.

“Well, this mare I found in the Everfree, which is quite unusual you see,” Zecora stated, Twilight’s eyes wide. “She was injured when I came across her, and I was hoping you could put her body back to how things were.”

“What were you doing in the Everfree?” Twilight questioned with a worried expression.

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I just woke up there,”

“You have no recollection of how you arrived there?” Twilight asked, her face shifting from one of worry to one of suspicion.

“Nope, not a clue,” I answered, Twilight tapping her chin in thought.

She suddenly stopped, her eyes staring a thousand yards away. She sat still for a few moments, eyes looking me up and down.

She muttered something to herself, but it was too quiet for me to hear. A moment later, her features softened.

“Thank you for bringing her here Zecora,” She thanked, turning toward me. “And you are welcome to spend the night here if you want.”

“It is my pleasure, and I hope that Nova finds some leisure,” She gave a little bow, giving me and Twiligt a goodbye before leaving.

That left me and Twilight alone, a silence hanging in the air between us. Twilight, however, fidgeted in her seat, something obviously on her mind.

Twilight finally stood up and broke the silence, “I will be right back, I have to write a letter to somepony. Spike should be making some food if you’re hungry,” She quickly turned around, making her way up the stairs and into the loft out of sight.

Sniffing the air, a heavenly smell of spices and herbs reached my nose. The sounds of pots and pans could be heard, and my stomach rumbled in anticipation of not having a good meal all day.

Looking out the window, the sun could be seen just barely peeking above the horizon. The glow of the moon began to fill the sky, the stars slowly becoming visible.

As the stars began to fill the sky, memories began to flood my mind. Memories of the sleepless nights spent gazing at the stars, wishing for a second chance. Getting lost in the night sky, traveling through the cosmos. The stars were my escape from reality.

My body subconsciously stood, gliding toward the window. Watching the sky slowly shift from orange to black as the stars continued to fill the sky.

A knock echoed throughout the room, knocking me out of my daze. The sound of falling books also met my ears, Twilight calling out a moment later. “Nova, can you get the door please?”

“I got it,” I said, making my way over to the front door. My hoof slipped into the door ring, and I pulled it open.

I looked up, a tall dark blue unicorn standing in front of me. Our eyes met, her mouth going wide as she looked me up and down.

Her stunned expression quickly turned to a smile as she looked down at me, her eyes beginning to water. “Hello Nova, it is nice to see you again.”

Chapter 3 - Lunar Acquaintance

"Hello, Nova. It is nice to see you again."

We stared at each other momentarily, the tall unicorn with wings staring at me expectantly.

"Who are you?" I asked, causing the unicorn's smile to falter.

"I had hoped this would not happen…" She sighed, staring dejectedly at the ground. I gazed at her, wondering what she was talking about.

The sound of Twilight coming down the stairs was followed shortly by a gasp. "Princess Luna! What are you doing here?" she asked as she walked up beside me.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle. I received your letter and came immediately, the situation being of utmost importance," She declared.

"What's so important?" I asked, looking between them both.

"We shall explain, but first, I must talk to Twilight privately," She stated, motioning for Twilight to come outside.

Twilight quickly obeyed, closing the door behind herself as the two began conversing.

I couldn't make out anything they were saying, ultimately deciding that it wouldn't be wise to try and eavesdrop on them. Whatever they were talking about likely wouldn't make sense to me anyway.

I returned to the sofa, taking a seat as I patiently waited for them to return.

Looking out the window, their silhouettes could be seen against the backdrop of the night. Their conversation carried on, though it abruptly came to a halt.

They both reentered without a word, Twilight's expression now of awe and wonder.

They both sat across from me, sharing a glance before the tall unicorn broke the silence. "I am Princess Luna, and I assume you have a couple of questions you would like answered," She asked, to which I nodded in response. "Ask all your heart desires, Nova."

"First," I began, "how do you know my name?"

"That is part of a longer story that I will explain momentarily. But to put it simply, you are my former pupil,"

"Where am I?" I asked, hoping that I was close to home.

"You are in Equestria on the planet Equus," She responded simply.

"How much do you know about me?"

"I know a fair bit about you, Nova. You were once my star student, after all."

The sound of the kitchen door interrupted my thoughts. Spike was carrying a large pot as he approached us, emanating a heavenly scent.

"Food's ready everypony!" He said, setting the pot down on the table before us.

"Hello, Spike," Luna greeted, causing Spike to bow, which elected a small laugh.

"I will be right back with plates and the rest of the food," He said, disappearing a moment later.

Looking into the pot, I saw it was filled with pasta drenched in red sauce, herbs, vegetables, and likely dozens of spices. It smelled amazing. Spike sure knew how to cook a mean spaghetti.

"You are welcome to have some food, Luna," Twilight offered, which Luna declined.

Spike returned with plates and a basket of still-steaming garlic bread a few moments later.

I watched as a porcelain plate floated off the table, surrounded by a light purple aura. It flew gracefully through the air, filling with fresh pasta a moment later before arriving in front of Twilight.

A plate soon appeared on my lap, surrounded by a dark purple aura. I looked up and saw Luna's horn glowing, a sad smile on her face.

"Thanks," I said, looking down momentarily before stuffing my nose into the plate.

The food was delectable, the sauce was filled with flavor, and the pasta was cooked to perfection. What else could one ask for? My stomach agreed, happy that I was finally eating something.

"It looks like somepony is enjoying your pasta, Spike," Luna said with a chuckle that slowly turned into a sigh.

I momentarily looked up from my food, watching Luna's gaze drift to the floor. Something was weighing on her, but a rumble of my empty stomach caused me to return to my food.

"I must excuse myself; I will return momentarily," Luna said abruptly, quickly getting up and walking toward the kitchen.

"If I may ask," Twilight began, causing me to look up from my food, "What were you doing in the Everfree forest?"

"I don't know; I only remember waking up here," I said.

"How strange..." She said as she tapped her chin.

Her eyes lit up a moment later, her horn glowing a faint purple as I felt a tingly sensation run through my body. Yet, as quickly as it appeared, the sensation was gone.

Twilight's mouth went wide, her eyes growing to twice their size. She closed her eyes, the same sensation rippling through me as before. Though once it disappeared, Twilight had the same expression.

"You have almost no magic! How is that possible? How are you even alive?" she asked, baffled, looking me up and down.

"Is that bad?" I questioned hesitantly.

"I've never seen a pony with so little magic, especially a unicorn! However, that does explain why you don't remember anything."

"It does?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As unicorns, our minds are interwoven with magic. To perform a spell, it has to be ingrained in our memory. But you seemed to have lost all your magic, which is why I suspected you had no recollection of why you were in there."

"So, what does this mean?" I asked, a bit bewildered.

"With how little magic you have, it could take months before your magic replenishes itself. It's a miracle you survived. Most ponies would have died from such extreme magic dysfunction."

"Well, that's good," I may be a talking horse now, but at least I wasn't dead.

"Just make sure that under no circumstances do you try to perform magic. Even the slightest strain could result in you permanently losing your magic, meaning you would likely die... painfully!" She said, emphasizing the painful part.

"Okay, well, I'll make sure I don't try any magic stuff," I responded.

"Pinkie promise me you won't try any magic," She stated.

"Okay, I... wait, how do I Pinkie promise?" I asked, remembering that my hands no longer existed.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She said, crossing her forearm over her chest before sticking her hoof in her eye. "Just do that, and you've made a Pinkie promise."

"Okay..." I responded, skeptical of what that had to do with making a promise. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," I declared, repeating Twilight's actions.

I shivered as a chill ran down my spine, suddenly aware of someone watching me. Looking around, however, revealed the same room with Twilight and Spike still being the only other people.

Shaking off the strange sensation, the bathroom door opening could be heard, followed by Luna's reappearance.

"I apologize for losing my composure," She said as she retook her seat.

"There is no need to apologize, princess," Twilight assured.

"Alas, despite the circumstances, I still have my royal duties and must return to Canterlot shortly."

"But you just got here?" Twilight said.

"I still have my royal duties, but I wish to ask," Luna stopped, turning toward me. " Would you like to return to Canterlot with me, Nova?" She asked.

I stopped licking the last few scraps off my plate and looked toward Luna in contemplation. I have nothing against Twilight, but if Luna is as royal as she seems, I'd rather live wherever royalty does than inside a tree.

"Sure," I said with a shrug. It wasn't like I had anything else to do anyway.

"Then we shall be on our way shortly, and your patronage is much appreciated, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said as she gave Twilight a slight bow.

Twilight returned the gesture before turning toward me, looking me dead in the eye.

"Remember, no magic. You Pinkie promised!" She said, her voice ice cold.

"I promise I won't do any magic," I responded, crossing my heart with a hoof.

"Nopony breaks a Pinkie promise, remember that," she uttered, her expression softening a moment later. "Anyways, it was a pleasure meeting you. I'll write to you soon, and I hope you and Luna can reconnect."

"Thanks, Twilight. I'll write as well," I responded, standing a moment later.

Twilight and Luna gave each other another bow before Luna turned toward the exit. I followed in pursuit, Twilight opening the door for us as we exited the tree and into the crisp night air.

She waved to us as we walked, saying her final goodbye. We continued into the dark town, the sound of the door closing being the only sound to penetrate the silence of the night.

The fur on my body shielded me from the cool night air's nip, the tree's warmth already being missed. My new hair fluttered, a strange sensation, especially since my hair had always been on the shorter side.

I wasn't paying attention and nearly bumped into Luna as she suddenly stopped.

We had stopped in front of a golden chariot. It was straight out of a Disney princess movie: a golden chariot with two identical white pegasi clad in equally gold armor stood in the middle of the road.

As we made our way closer, the intricate designs forged into the chariot became visible. Complex patterns in an alien text wrapped around the chariot, and pictures of pegasi, unicorns, and ponies were all over. The two pegasi at the front of the chariot were hooked up as if they were pulling it. They were clad in similar gold armor containing matching text and designs. In fact, they were identical. Everything from fur color to eye color was exactly the same. They looked like clones of each other, standing at constant attention.

Once we approached the chariot, the two pegasi unhooked themselves, turned toward us, and saluted.

"We are returning to Canterlot; haste is not required," Luna commanded softly.

They both bowed in unison before reattaching themselves to the chariot.

I followed Luna as she stepped into the chariot, sitting on the plush, red velvet seat beside her and sinking into its soft embrace. Its plush fabric was the softest I had ever felt, my body going limp as I sat.

"We are ready," Luna spoke, the guards giving another salute before they unfurled their wings.

Their wings started flapping steadily, and the chariot rolled forward before taking to the sky.

I watched in awe as we effortlessly took to the sky, the two pegasi not even breaking a sweat. It was as if we were floating more than flying. As beautiful as the chariot was, I assumed it was a land vehicle, not a flying one.

As awe-inspiring as it was to be in the sky, I instinctively scooched a little closer to the middle of the bench seat.

As we climbed, the air got thinner and colder. After every breath, a giant cloud appeared in front of my muzzle, and the cold became bone-chilling. I just hoped that our trip wouldn't take long.

"I might as well tell you what you have been waiting to hear," Luna whispered, causing me to look up at her.

She wasn't looking at me; instead, she was staring up at the moon. Her features were unwavering as she gazed before taking a deep breath.

"One thousand years ago," she began softly, "we used to rule the night together. You and I, we would show all those stuffy nobles what it meant to come to night court!" She chuckled, wiping away a tear. "I loved being your teacher and taught you everything I knew."

She stopped, her eyes closed as she took a shaky breath, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"But then I began to falter... I... I got jealous of all the love and adoration Celestia received while my nights went unnoticed. I got angry and fell into a depression."

She looked over toward me, eyes brimming with tears as she smiled. "But there you were, as my star in the night sky. You tried... You tried to help... only for me to push you away."

Luna looked away, her voice filled with shame. "Nightmare moon... I nearly killed you... I used my remaining dignity to spare you. Banishing you for one thousand years to protect you... from me."

She stopped momentarily, her breathing shaky as she wiped her cheeks with her hooves.

A moment later, she turned around, her sad eyes looking back at me. "I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me, Nova Nebula, though I do not deserve pity for my actions."

I looked at her sorrowfully, reminded of my mother, a strong yet fragile woman. My mother was there when I needed it most, yet she also had her own demons. She always told me I was her guiding light.

"I forgive you, Luna," I said with a smile. While I still had no recollection of what she did do, it couldn't have been that bad.

I wheezed as I felt the air get crushed out of my body, Luna wrapping her hooves around me in a tight embrace.

"I've missed you, Nova," She said softly between sobs.

The chill of the night sky was forgotten as I returned the embrace. While it wasn't quite as personal for me, that hug was the first true feeling of belonging since I had shown up here.

We sat in the embrace for a few more minutes, soaking in the moment. While I still had a lot of questions, I pushed them aside for the time being as Luna hugged me.

After a long embrace, Luna finally let go. Sitting back in her chair, she looked like a wreck. Having finally let out her pent-up emotions took a toll on her.

We rode silently for the remainder of the trip, Luna sniffling softly occasionally.

I continued to take in the view, noticing a large city we were heading toward that seemed perched on the side of a mountain. Dim lights could be seen throughout the city, giving it a soft glow against the night sky. A silhouette of a large castle that looked straight out of a fairytale became more noticeable the closer we got.

Our approach was rapid, only taking about ten minutes before we were above the bustling city crowds.

We descended gradually, the chariot slowly falling out of the sky as we approached the castle.

We soon were at a cruising altitude, not more than a few dozen yards above some of the tallest buildings.

Looking over the side, every pony on the ground was looking or pointing to our chariot in the sky. I even saw a few ponies bow.

But soon, we flew over a large cobblestone wall, the city below replaced with an elegant garden full of vibrant fauna.

We approached the ground, the landing barely noticeable as the pegasi brought us down gracefully.

Once we stopped, I followed Luna out of the chariot and onto the ground. She bowed to the guards, who quickly returned with a bow and salute of their own.

My eyes followed as they quickly returned to the sky, headed to whoever they had to pick up next.

That left me and Luna alone in the vast garden, staring at the sky together. By this point, I was shivering from the cold, hoping we would soon go inside.

Without a word, she began walking toward the castle with me in tow.

The rustle of a bush caused me to stop momentarily. Looking toward a large hedge that lined the garden, I quickly dismissed it as a squirrel or rodent.

We approached a large wooden door; it glowed in a purple aura before swinging open. A gush of warm air rushed out, instantly warming my shivering body.

As we entered the building, I squinted, my eyes blinking rapidly as they adjusted.

As my eyesight returned, I was greeted by a spacious corridor. Archways lined the corridor, torches hanging between them, lit with a glowing purple flame, sat below stained-glass windows. A plush velvet rug ran down the middle of the hall on top of the occasional chandelier on the ceiling.

Luna continued walking down the corridor without a word, my eyes taking in the elegance of the castle. It wasn't just a castle; it was a piece of art. The stained glass windows likely took hundreds of hours each to craft, each with a unique picture displayed in its colors.

The soft clop of our hooves on the carpet was the only sound, save for the occasional squeak of a mouse.

A crash could be heard down the hall, causing Luna and I to freeze.

"What was that?" I asked, my heart rate calming.

"We are unsure, but we should investigate and make sure nopony is hurt," She responded before she took off again, this time at a brisk walk.

We hastily walked down the hall, approaching the turn at the end. When we turned, all we saw was colored glass scattered on the ground. Looking up, one of the stained glass windows was missing, with only fragments remaining where the window once was.

As we stopped before the mess, I noticed a rock on the carpet with something tied around it. Luna, too, seemed to notice the rock, which was engulfed in a purple aura before floating over toward us.

She untied what looked to be a piece of parchment tied to the rock before reading it. She held it from my view, though I tried to catch a glimpse. However, I couldn't see anything before it disappeared with a poof.

Several running ponies could be heard behind us, their metal-clad hooves clanking loudly against the stone floor. Five ponies clad in dark purple and blue armor rounded the corned as I turned.

Their eyes locked onto mine as they shouted something in a language I couldn't understand.

My eyes widened, and I stepped back as they continued shouting, not slowing their approach toward me.

Before I realized what had just happened, I found myself at the bottom of a dog pile, unable to move.

I wheezed as they all lay on top of me, my chest being crushed from the weight.

I could hear Luna shouting something in the same foreign language, and I soon could breathe again.

My vision was blurry, and my entire body ached. I tried to take a deep breath, only to cry out in pain as my lungs partially expanded.

"Nova... are... can..." Luna's words turned into a jumble of incoherent words as my vision darkened.

My eyes slowly crept open, the light of the room blinding me. I rubbed the sand out of my eyes, squinting momentarily before my surroundings became focused.

I was lying in a bed, covered in silk sheets, with a curtain cutting the room in half.

Looking to the right, Luna sat beside the bed, writing on some parchment floating in the air.

"Luna," I croaked out, my throat dry as the Sahara.

Her head snapped over to me, eyes wide. The parchment fell to the ground as she went to the bedside.

"Nova! We are so sorry!" She nearly cried in apology.

"What happened?" I asked, my whole body aching at the exertion of talking.

"Our Lunar guards heard the disturbance and assumed you were attacking me." She stated, looking at the ground. "We failed to protect you as they jumped on top of you, giving you a mild concussion and fracturing one of your ribs."

She stared at the ground, her whole body manifesting a feeling of regret, not saying a word.

"I just hope you can forgive me again..." She choked out, her eyes filled with tears. "I just got you back... and this is how I give my sorrows..." She mumbled to herself.

I drew a breath, getting her attention. "W-w-water, please," I requested with difficulty.

She quickly nodded, a glass of water floating over to my mouth a moment later. I drank, feeling the water rejuvenate my parched throat.

The whole glass was gone a moment later, Luna pulling it away as I caught my breath.

"I forgive you, Luna. It wasn't your fault," I said, looking into her teary eyes.

"Thank you, Nova," She said, giving me a gentle hug.

"So why did they think I was attacking you?" I asked after our hug.

"Equestrians are rather prone to... legends, " she began, wiping away a stray tear. A legend is believed to be coming to fruition soon. It involves our castle, which has resulted in increased break-ins and vandalism on the premises. Tis why the guards were on high alert and did not wait for any explanation."

"That makes sense," I responded.

"I will make sure the guards give their apologies and make it known who you are, Nova," She stated, "No harm will come to you under any circumstance, not if I am still here."

"Thank you, Luna,"

"I appreciate your gratitude, but it is my duty. Now get some rest; you should feel much better tomorrow." She said, giving me one last hug.

We waved one more time as she made her way out the door, leaving me alone in the infirmary room.

I yawned, my body's exhaustion catching up with me, before lying in bed and snuggling up in the covers.