What makes us?

A soft throbbing pain pounded into my head slowly bringing me out of my slumber. With each beat bringing me closer to consciousness. I lift my eyelid slowly allowing the rays of the sun to enter my eye bit by bit. I remain still for a moment collecting my thoughts together as the light warmed my fur. I place my paws firmly against the bed and roll myself over. I sit up on the matress, it shifts to my weight allowing for maximum comfort no matter how I sit. A large yawn escapes my open mouth as I survey my surroundings once more. The dull gray mist was replaced by the same furniture I had seen before my involuntary nap.

"Was it just a *yawn* dream? Did I actually go inside my own mind... Oh god, is there really a creepy voice in my head?" I ask myself.

I push off the bed and stand up. Cracks and pops reverberate through my body as I stretch out. With my joints and body stretched and ready for what lies ahead I begin to walk around the room. I walk towards the window and inspect the outdoors. Several pegasi soared through the sky near the tower creating zipping shadows as they passed by the sun. I look out and see a bustling city. Ponies running back and forth with packages or hauling large carts of supplies to some unspecified location. A few large factories near the very back of the metropolis spewed a small amount of black clouds.

I open the window slightly to allow fresh air inside the room. The creaking noise created by the window reached the ears of a few of the pegasi whom all turn around to face me. Their faces were deadpanned as they glared at me through the window. I back away a few steps from the window and sheepishly smile. The pegasi turn away from me and continue their activities. The cool sensation of sweat rolls down my forehead in a single drop before I wipe it away. I take a deep breath allowing the fresh air to fill my lungs before exhaling.

A low rumble resonates from my stomach. "I guess I'm hungry... What did Celestia say about food? Something about a guard at the stairs..."

I look around the room in order to find the stairway. I stop my search at a medium sized wooden door. I stride towards the door and pull on the handle with my paw. The shadows created by the lack of windows in the stairwell gave the corridor a eerie feeling. I take my first step down the staircase. I felt my foot snag on my tail as I attempt to take another set. Worry soon fills my face as I feel my balance shift downward. This is going to hurt... I feel the chilling laugh of my 'friend' echo in my mind. Gravity pulled me down shortly after, sending me barreling down the stairs.  I bounced up and down constantly spinning sideways or upside down. After nearly half a minute of tumbling I finally arrived at the bottom of the staircase with a thud.

A groan escapes my mouth. I push myself off the floor still groaning from the aches and pains. I shake off the fall and walk towards the end of the hall. I poke my head out of the large doorway in search of a guard.

"Ahem..." A voice speaks from behind me.

I yelp and jump back from the voice before turning around. Behind me was a white unicorn. His armor was polished silver, and followed a similar design as the armor I had seen earlier. He wore a bored expression as he stared at me.

"The royal sisters have informed me to escort you to the dining hall for breakfast." Even his voice was in monotone.

I rub the back of my head trying to soothe a sore, "Alright.. uh lead the way I guess."

The guard began to lead me through the castle. I recognized a few of the statues and pieces of art which were centered around an alicorn. I could tell they weren't Celestia or Luna but they felt familiar. As we walked through the grand hallways of the castle; we passed by several of the staff as we walked.  A couple of the cleaning ponies fled as if I was chaos incarnate at the sight of me. A bone chilling laugh bounced through my mind.

We soon came to a rather impressive door made from wood. It wasn't as grand as the door to the ballroom but it still retained some girth. A large set of double doors with what looked like a royal seal embedded within the wood. The guard's horn began to glow as he opened to the doors. They swung outward revealing the dining hall. I watched the guard walk away leaving me alone to enter the room. I began to stroll into the dining hall, soon afterward a screech of some kind of banshee echoed from within the hall.

"It's a monster! Run for your incredibly expensive lives!" Cried the voice.

I look over to the source of the screeching to see a young mare pointing at me. The earth pony wore a face of almost absolute terror as she watched me. Several of the other guests at the table soon realize her distress and turn to face me. A single awkward moment passes as I stare at the ponies and they at me. The mare who had first seen me snapped out of the stare and broke the silence.

"Well don't just sit there and stare at it Satin! Get rid of it!" She shouted angrily at the stallion opposite of her.

The stallion snapped out of his trance and looked toward the mare, "Oh...uh yes honey!"

Satin got off his seat and leviatated a large sack with him. He slowly began to make his way to me. The entirty of the walk he kept his eyes locked on me. He soon was only a few feet away from me before he spoke up.

"'Take these bits and do not return creature." He threw the bag causing the golden coins within to spill out.

I look up from the bag of gold bits toward the mare. Her expression was furious to say the least. "Satin Cowl, you will not be bribing a monster to leave! Now defeat him like a real gentlecolt!"

"Yes dear..." He levitated the sack back onto the table.

I begin to look around for some sign of the princesses to end this madness with little success. I stared back down at the stallion who was clearly fearing for his life. The stallion repositions his legs so that he had a more stable stance. Satin furrowed his brow in concentration. At first I thought he was trying to imtimidate me but soon his horn adopted a soft orange glow. I watched the glow grow brighter until it finally reached it's peak. I look down at myself to see if he had done anything to me but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I turn my head back toward the stallion just in time to catch something crisp with my head. A moment passes as I try to figure out what had just happened. I take a glance to the floor only to see a large baguette just laying there. I stare back at the stallion with minor disbelief that he threw bread at me. My eyes shift to the scene occuring behind him. Several baked goods were floating in mid-air all encompassed by a familiar orange glow.

"Did you just throw a..." I was quickly interrupted by a croissant to the face.

I quickly recover and attempt talking once more, "Look would yo..." This time a muffin was shoved into my mouth.

The muffin drops from my mouth as I make another try, "Would you st..."

A continuous rain of baked good was launched at me. Croissants, cupcakes, sandwiches and other assorted goods were flung toward my general direction by the stallion. His aim was terrible. I took a quick peek through the volley of foods to see him cowering down with his eyes shut saying something about "Dear Celestia make this work." The splattering of various pastries hitting the floor and the wall behind me reach my ears.

A moan of opening doors fill the air within the grand dining hall. Suddenly the assault of cakes and breads ceased. I relax my points and look toward the ponies at the table. Several foods remained in a mid air stasis while the ponies were fixed not on me but behind me. I slowly begin to turn toward the door. The pieces of food pull on my fur before plopping onto the ground. Finally completing my 180 degree turn only to see three alicorns standing in front of myself.

Luna leaned toward Celestia. "Sister doest thou know what they are doing?"

"I think it's rather obvious Luna. Satin there is conducting B.G. Warfare against Harmony."

The third alicorn whom I did not know turned her head to Celestia. "What's B.G. warfare?"

"Why B.G. warfare is baked good warfare Cadence." Celestia gave a gentle laugh at her own joke.

Luna walks towards both me and the nobles. "We are sorry Harmony. It appears that our assumptions that the nobles would act calm enough the first time that they met you that me and my sister could inform the guards but..."

A large mish mash of baked goods dropped down from the ceiling infront of Luna. "It seems we were incorrect."

"At least he didn't get here before we did, Luna." Celestia spoke.

The pink alicorn shook her head in agreement."Yes, this entire situation would have been much worse had he been here."

"Without a doubt, Cadence"

"Um... who is this 'he' you are speaking about?" I ask with a genuine curiosity.

Celestia looks over in my direction. "We are speaking of my nephew prince..."

She was quickly interrupted by the sound of the door behind myself being flung open. The sounds of hooves hitting the ground in a rush fill the room. Small wheezes for breath reach my ears before a thundering voice shouts out.

"Aunty! Aunty! Aunty! The servents tell me there is a creature roaming the castle! We need to summon the royal guard and get rid of this intru..." I turn around to face the pony behind me.

I stare at the horrified stallion for a brief moment before speaking. "Hi."