My name is Canary. At least, it is now. “Canary” is a pet name Princess Twilight Sparkle gave me a long time ago, but everyone else that knew me by my real name is long gone. So, Canary it is.
It’s an appropriate name, I suppose. Twilight first thought of it when she heard me sing all those years ago. A human like me might not look like much, but I’ve always been proud of my voice. It was nice to be recognized like that, especially in a world where it feels like almost anyone can sing. Maybe that’s why I didn’t object to the name.
Regardless, now that she and I are joined at the hip, the name is here to stay.
“Mmmmmwah~! You never fail to brighten even the darkest of days, Canary.”
I smiled at her sudden smooch. I mean, what was I supposed to do, not smile when she kissed me?
“Glad I could be of service, Twilight.”
“Don’t forget, I’ve got to be at the Seaquestrian Conference until late tonight. Behave, okay? You’ve got all of Canterlot Castle to yourself. Er, well, aside from the Royal Guard. And the castle staff. Still, you get the point.”
“Haha. Don’t worry, Twilight. I’ll keep it quiet tonight.”
“Hmhm, but your voice is so lovely!”
“Perhaps I’ll sing for you when you get back, then.”
“Oh, I love it when you give me something to look forward to!” She kissed me again, pressing her comparatively larger (and, frankly, somewhat intimidating) form against my own. I had to actively plant my feet to avoid being bowled over. “Bye, Canary!”
Without waiting for a response, she disappeared in a flash of bright purple magic. She does that a lot nowadays, but I still haven’t quite figured out what all the rush is about.
After giving her a few moments to potentially reappear after forgetting something, I rolled my shoulders. It isn’t often that I get the castle to “myself,” and I planned to make the most of it.
But first, preparations!
My trip into town didn’t take long. I nodded at the stout, well-built forms of the Royal Guard stallions guarding the main gate to the castle, and they nodded right back. I’m not royalty or anything, but considering how “close” Twilight and I are, they wouldn’t dare do anything to upset me.
The same is true for the rest of the ponies in Canterlot. As I made my way down the busy street, the dozens upon dozens of high-class passersby gave me a wide berth. This would have upset me in a time long gone, but I’ve grown used to it by now. Thankfully, the various shops and other businesses around the city aren’t willing to turn me away, so I could still accomplish my task.
I knew exactly what I would need, too. Water bottle? Perfect for wetting the throat of a Canary. Crowbar? Well, what kind of person leaves home without their trusty crowbar? Dalokohs Bar? …I didn’t really need it, but I figured it would make a nice snack on the way home. All in all, the shopping went well. The shopkeepers didn’t even charge me.
It was turning out to be a pretty darn good day.
With a determined smile on my face, I leisurely made my way back to the castle. At that point, the sun was beginning to set. When you live in a place like Canterlot, it’s hard to ignore how beautiful the sunset is. It’s also hard to ignore how long it’s been since I’ve seen it from any other town. I’m still not very accustomed to watching it set without Twilight by my side, but I digress.
By the time I had made it back to my room, it was already dark. I had Twilight to thank for that, of course. Conference or no conference, someone had to move the sun and the moon. I laid on my back after placing my newly acquired belongings at my side. Staring at the ceiling, I began reflecting on my life and the road that brought me there.
My arrival in Equestria was sudden. We still haven’t figured out what caused it, either. Still, Twilight and her friends took me in and treated me like one of their own. For that, I will be eternally grateful. And I mean that literally, for as the years went on and the lot of us grew older, two individuals stuck out.
The first was, of course, Twilight. She’s an alicorn, and as a result, she’s immortal. Everyone knew she’d age a bit more gracefully than the rest of us, but we didn’t expect her to get so tall that fast! That was almost as unexpected as what happened to me. Specifically, nothing. I don’t know how or why, but by some twist of fate, I, too, turned out to be immortal. I didn’t get to be all big and cool like Twilight, but to this day, I still look like I’m in my prime.
It was no surprise, then, that Twilight took solace in me when our friends eventually passed away. I couldn’t really refuse her request to live with her in Canterlot. It would have been just too much to bear.
Thankfully, time heals all wounds. At least, that’s what some ponies say. We can function without our old friends now, carrying their memories with us as we continue to guide Equestria into the future. At least, I can. It was a bit tougher on Twilight. One time, I recall being visited by Luna in my sleep. I was dreaming about Twilight, and Luna thanked me for staying by her side.
“Every alicorn needs a Canary,” she said. “It keeps us sane.”
I haven’t heard from Celestia or Luna in a long time. I wonder who their Canaries were?
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hoofsteps outside my door. They were heavy, but methodical. As soon as I realized they were there, I began to count them.
One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four.
I smiled and grabbed some of my things. As quietly as I could (like I’d promised), I opened my door just a crack. Sure enough, the Royal Guard watchman was making his rounds, and he turned the corner right when I expected him to down to the exact second.
You pick up on a few things when you’ve been in the castle with Twilight for as long as I have. I know that the guards take 127 steps between my room and the corner at the end of the hall. I know that the kitchen staff is supposed to switch out at 2:30 in the afternoon, but the head chef usually doesn’t leave until 2:42. I know that there are exactly 527,461 marble bricks making up the east wing of the castle.
And I knew that there was nopony between me and the bathroom.
I was silent as I crept down the hall. It only took me a few seconds to reach the bathroom, but my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest as I closed the door behind me. The best part about moving in after a pair of twin princesses was that I got all of Luna’s old stuff, including her own private bathroom.
And said bathroom had a poorly secured toilet.
I unscrewed the already loosened bolts with my bare hands. With a shove, I scooted the toilet off to the side, revealing a large hole underneath. The castle’s plumbing was more than a little outdated. Sure, there were plenty of pipes going in and out of that hole, but the fact that the hole was that big to begin with implied a storied history that I didn’t want to think about.
I glanced at the door. In a fit of brilliance, I pushed the toilet under the handle to prevent the door from being unexpectedly opened. It didn’t have a lock, after all, so that was the best I was gonna get.
Then, without hesitation, I leapt into the hole. It was barely wide enough for me, but with a bit of wiggling, I emerged in a small, rectangular corridor; the castle’s inner workings, where pipes, wiring, and whatever else is deemed unsightly goes to hide from prying eyes. Only authorized personnel are allowed in there, and despite my status, I was not authorized.
I made sure to walk quietly down that long, pitch-black corridor.
Eventually, I emerged at my destination. An emergency exit in the form of a simple wooden hatch hung above me. Unfortunately, it was boarded up and rendered entirely unusable many years prior. Fortunately, I brought a crowbar.
It’s difficult to do a deed such as that quietly, but I did the best I could. The process couldn’t have taken more than a minute, but it sure felt like an eternity. However, the job was finished. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I pushed up on the hatch and immediately felt the evening air wash over me. I instinctively smiled as I climbed up out of the corridor, leaving the crowbar behind in the process. I wouldn’t need it anymore.
I took a deep breath. As expected, I had emerged on a bit of slanted roof near the back of the castle. About fifteen feet below me was solid ground, and the unkempt wilderness that lies on the mountain behind Canterlot had never seemed so inviting. With nothing but jubilation, I jumped from my perch. For the first time in many, many years, this Canary was going to take flight.
…But that never happened.
Rather than fall to the grassy haven below, I hit something solid right on the edge of the roof. My head throbbed from the impact, and I had fallen on my rear. I curiously stood up and pressed my hands against where I jumped. At my touch, a nearly invisible force shimmered, ensuring that I continued no further. At the same time, a high-pitched hum filled the space, which was promptly followed by the sound of a spell activating behind me.
“There you are!” I didn’t need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to. “What in Equestria are you doing out here?!”
“Ah… h-hi, Twilight. I was just–”
“You know what? I don’t want to hear it. This is the third time this decade! You can’t keep doing this!”
“But–!”
“Do you know what lies out there? Do you have any idea how many things can hurt you?!”
“Twilight, I–!”
“No. No, I’m not hearing it. You’re all I’ve got left, Canary. I’m not losing you, too.”
Before I could even stutter, a magical aura surrounded me. There was a flash of light, and the two of us suddenly appeared in her bedroom. She let out an exacerbated sigh as she began removing her regalia.
“It seems I’ll need to do another thorough sweep of the castle. Apparently, I gave you too much credit when I thought that looking inside the walls would be excessive.”
“...I’m sorry.”
The room was silent for a long, tense moment. Those moments usually only lead to one of two things, and I was really hoping it would be the less violent of the two.
Finally, she sighed yet again.
“I know you are, and I forgive you.”
“Th-thank y–!”
“But I believe you promised me a song.”
“Er… I did?”
“Mmhmm. ‘Something to look forward to,’ remember?”
“...Right.”
Well, that was what I got the water bottle for. A special get-out-of-jail-free card for if I were to experience a worst-case-scenario. After taking a swig, I sat myself on the edge of her bed and began to sing. A smile spread across her face as I did so, her hooves excitedly tapping the sheets beneath her. It was the same smile she’s given me every time I’ve sung since the day we met. Once, it was endearing.
Now, it’s relieving.
I glanced at the door as I continued to sing. There were no locks on the door, but there was also no handle. When you can teleport everywhere, you have no need for either. Without her, no one can get in. Or out.
No one.
So, here I am. My name is Canary, and so long as I am kept in my cage, I will sing.
