A beautiful sunrise awaited me. Yesterday I had my interview at the castle, where I was able to tell everything that happened in Ponyville. However, I forgot one small, but crucial detail: I forgot to mention that I'm not from this planet and that I need to go back home. I cursed myself for my own absent-mindedness.

When I remembered this, I decided to turn around and look for Raven to tell her. But, after going through half the castle, I couldn't find her. Instead, I ran into a pony named Celestia, a rather kind pony who offered to help me. Although her behavior seemed a bit strange to me, I didn't give it too much thought. They are magical ponies, after all, so oddities come as standard... I guess.

The day passed without us managing to find anyone else, but I took advantage of it to hang out casually. I returned to my tent in the area designated for refugees, and she returned to the castle. We said goodbye with the promise to continue the search for the princesses the next day.

After spending the night camping, my day was normal, I woke up, went to a food stand for refugees since I had already run out of the money I had earned, went to the library to investigate a little more about the history of Equestria where I was able to learn more about the princesses of the sun and the moon.

Princess Celestia, who curiously had the same name as my friend, I suppose that, yes, it must be a popular name, after all the same thing happens in my world with famous people; is in charge of raising the sun every day. Normally I would say one of two, either the princess pretends that she does it to have a presence of an omnipotent god like 'You can't do anything against me, I move the same sun at my whim' or do all the ponies really believe that a powerful pony moves the sun like a fairy tale that they still believe. But since this world is a magical world, who knows, there is a possibility that she can move the sun. Magic is so convenient.

The other princess is Princess Luna, the younger sister. She is in charge of raising the moon, the night and something curious, also of dreams; I don't know how that would work. Does she go from house to house to calm someone if they have nightmares, touch them with her horn and that's it? Anyway, she is in charge of the night and brings the stars with her as an ornament that lights up all of Equestria. Or which one gives me more doubts, how does that of taking care of dreams work? If she is in charge of decorating the skies, then she should be much more powerful than Celestia, you know, billions of stars are more than just one.

I definitely have to talk to Princess Luna. I don't know her but if she brings the night and the stars, she instantly became my favorite.

After a while of reading about the story of the two sisters, where apparently the ponies did not appreciate the night that Luna brought, she made Luna become Nightmare Moon and she was trapped in the same moon for up to a thousand years. Until the elements of harmony redeemed her.

Reading this story I could only feel empathy for Luna. She tried hard every night to bring a show of hope, brightness and light in the darkness so that in the end everyone else wouldn't care. If I were in that moment, I would let Luna know how wonderful what she did was.

After finishing reading the story, I headed back to my tent. I would take my borrowed saddlebag and guitar to put on another show in the square in hopes of getting more money and then go with Celestia, the normal pony I met yesterday, not the princess (although they looked similar), to continue looking to talk to a princess, but when I passed the corner, I saw two ponies standing in front of my tent.

The guards came to get me for an audience I had with the princesses, they said it was of utmost importance. And of course, who else would have organized something like that? Celestia, of course. The thought made me smile all the way.

The guards escorted me through the long hallways of the castle until I reached an imposing door. I wasn't entirely sure what awaited me on the other side, but what I found was a large, dark room, barely lit by the dim light of a few candles. A long table dominated the center, projecting a more somber atmosphere than I would like.

As I waited, I began to wander around the room, inspecting everything thoroughly. The place had a heavy atmosphere, almost as if the same tension hung in the air. It wasn't long before a knock came from guards at the door. Several figures entered and positioned themselves around the table. Three of them I recognized instantly. One was Raven, my interviewer; the other, none other than Princess Twilight, who would no doubt have many questions for them. And, of course, there was Celestia, my "new friend." But the fourth figure was new to me: an imposing presence in a dark blue color, radiating elegance, respect, and a kind of coldness that made my hair stand on end. If I had an audience with the princesses and Twilight was here, then she must be Luna.

The atmosphere was tense, and my brain told me that it would be best to approach the only one I already knew, or at least the one who wasn't going to glare at me. Without a second thought, I walked straight up to Celestia, greeting her in the most casual way possible, as if we were old friends. I even gave her a nickname, as if that was the most natural thing in the world.

“Hey, Celes!” I said with a smile. “How’s it going?”

The reactions to my familiarity with Celestia were instantaneous. The confusion and surprise on the faces of the others was palpable. Apparently, my friendly approach to the princess was more impactful than I had anticipated.

Luna, radiating a mix of elegance and severity, was the first to speak. Her tone, like a cold wind, rang with clear indignation.

“Who do you think you are, addressing a princess so disrespectfully?” she asked, her narrowed eyes fixing on me with an intensity that almost made me recoil.

For a second, I stood there blankly, trying to process what she had said. Princess? What was she talking about? Twilight, for her part, looked at me in confusion, her tone less severe, but equally perplexed.

“Arthur... Do you have any idea who you are talking to?” Twilight asked, with a mix of curiosity and wonder.

That left me more confused than before. What the hell was going on? I decided it would be best to address Celestia, using a joking tone to lighten the tense atmosphere.

“What are you talking about, Celes?” I said with a lopsided smile, hoping she would clear the air for me. “Don’t tell me you’re part of some secret society or something?”

To my surprise, Celestia let out a small laugh, as if she was having fun with this whole misunderstanding. With a graceful flourish, she turned around and showed me her back, revealing a pair of massive wings that gracefully unfurled. I stared at her, mouth agape, as my brain tried to catch up with what I was seeing. Not only was she a kind pony, but she also… had wings. How had I not noticed that before?

“Arthur…” she said in a soft but clear voice. “I am Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of Equestria.”

Boom. My brain short-circuited.

“What…? You? Princess?” I stammered, still trying to put the pieces together. I leaned back slightly, staring at her with my mouth agape, but not losing my casual tone. “Well, that does explain why they let me run around doing silly things in the castle… Wow, Celes! You’ve been playing at being the normal pony, huh? Is that something you do often?”

Celestia simply smiled, enjoying my reaction without making a big deal out of it.

“I just wanted to make you comfortable and have a little time,” she replied with a spark of humor in her eyes. “Though I’m afraid the time for revelations isn’t over yet.”

Before I could make another witty comment, Luna, with clearly limited patience, interrupted my surprise.

“Enough of the nonsense,” she said, her tone stern, but not losing her composure. “We have important matters to discuss, and I’m sure you have questions, Arthur, about the reason for this meeting.”

Twilight nodded, speaking up immediately after.

“But before that, perhaps it would be best if we all introduced ourselves properly,” she suggested, her voice softer, seeking to ease the tension. She gestured towards Luna. “She is Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria and guardian of the night.”

Luna looked at me with her deep dark eyes, still serious, but less harsh than before.

“And I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler of Canterlot,” Twilight continued. “You should have met me before when I reported the situation in the square, but never in a formal manner.”

Raven, who until then had remained silent, greeted me with a slight nod.

“And I am Raven Inkwell, court attendant. I make sure everything runs smoothly in the castle, including these meetings,” she said with a polite smile.

Finally, Celestia, who was standing next to me, bowed slightly.

“I am Princess Celestia, though you already know that,” she added with a slight smile, remembering our previous interaction.

I nodded, still a little overwhelmed by the sudden formality, but trying to keep up.

Twilight picked up the thread of the conversation, her tone becoming more serious as she focused her attention on the center of the room. My gaze followed hers until I noticed a large, detailed map of Equestria, spread out on a table. It wasn’t just any map; it was divided into six irregular regions, each highlighted with a bright color that was vaguely familiar to me. Something about the way each area stood out told me that this wasn’t just decoration.

“We know you must be confused by everything you’ve seen and what happened in Ponyville,” Twilight began. “But what you’re about to hear is essential to understanding what’s really going on.”

Luna stepped forward, pointing solemnly at the map. “This is the current state of Equestria,” she said, with a gravity that captured my attention completely. “Divided, fragmented into six regions, each altered by the influence of one of the Elements of Harmony. What was once a united kingdom is now… broken.” Each of these territories has been affected by the power of the element that rules them.”

The idea of a broken Equestria was not new to me. I had already seen firsthand how Ponyville had been transformed into a kind of perpetual party theme park, completely under the influence of Pinkie Pie and her laughter, but seeing it represented this way on the map gave a new dimension to the chaos I had witnessed.

Twilight continued, supporting Luna's words “Five parts of the total of six of all Equestria, were altered by the elements of harmony: Laughter, Honesty, Kindness, Loyalty and Generosity.”

Twillight continued speaking although her voice began to break for a second “The former bearers of the Elements, my friends, have been affected. They have become powerful alicorns, each ruling their own territory. But what is really at stake is not just the division of Equestria... Something deeper has changed in them. Their behavior has been... altered, and they act very differently now than they did before.”

I noticed that even though they knew something had gone wrong, they didn’t seem to have the whole picture. The interviews, the reports... They weren’t sure why they had turned into alicorns or why they were acting that way. And they didn’t even know about the memory loss. When Turner and I watched Cranky, facing Pinkie, for her there was always the realm of laughter and she was always an alicorn. Their expressions showed concern, but none of the princesses mentioned amnesia. They only talked about behavioral changes.

It was at that moment that Luna turned to me, her gaze piercing. “Arthur, you have been summoned because you were the only one who managed to escape Ponyville,” she said firmly. “You are the only one who, as far as we understand, has faced Pinkie Pie and left her territory. We want to know how you did it… and what else you discovered during your stay there. Especially regarding the fragment.”

My thoughts raced through my mind. They knew about my “escape,” but they clearly had no idea of the details. They didn’t even know that Pinkie Pie had forgotten who she was before her transformation.

“Well… About Pinkie,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “I wouldn’t say I “beat” her. More like it was a… stroke of luck. Her parties are exhausting, but in the end I managed to find a weak spot and escape. As for the fragment…” I paused, looking at the map and remembering again.

The princesses watched me silently, expectantly. I knew that the fragment was the key to everything that had gone wrong in Equestria.

I began to say it as clearly as possible “We used a radar to detect the source of the change, and everything pointed to that fragment. Pinkie Pie was obsessed with getting it back; there was something in her behavior that made her seem more... desperate than one would assume. And, although I was able to snatch it from her for a moment, she later got it back.” My voice became more serious as I watched the princesses exchange worried glances.

“I'm pretty sure of the fragment's existence and that it's the source” I stated, although with more doubt than I intended to show.

The princesses exchanged glances, clearly worried. Twilight leaned over the map, pointing out the other territories.

“If Pinkie has one of the shards, chances are the other kingdoms have theirs too.” Her tone was thoughtful, but there was no hesitation in her words.

“Shards in every kingdom?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

Celestia nodded solemnly. “It’s a possibility. If those shards are what’s keeping Equestria divided, then uniting them could be the key to restoring balance.”

The room fell into a tense silence. She felt the weight of the atmosphere.

Luna was the first to break the silence.

“Arthur,” she said, her tone more serious than it had been before. “We need you to escort Twilight back to Ponyville. We must retrieve that shard. We know it’s no easy task, but you’re the only one who’s managed to escape Pinkie Pie before. You… know her territory better than anyone.”

My heart skipped a beat. Going back to Ponyville, to Pinkie's kingdom, where I had barely escaped with my life the last time... The thought filled me with panic. But the princesses were looking at me, waiting for an answer, and I was left silent, thinking.

“I'm sorry, princesses, but...” I began, breaking the awkward silence. “I don't understand. Why me?”

Twilight was the first to respond.

“Because, in addition to what we already mentioned, you managed to face an alicorn without possessing magic or wings. Also, you have more experience than anyone else with that fragment,” Twilight said in a firm tone.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

“That's not what I'm asking,” I answered, this time more seriously, putting aside my nerves. “I want to know why me in particular. I understand that you have some experience, but, as you said yourself, I don't possess magic or wings. Besides, there are many others more capable than me. They have guards, scouts... Why not send one of them?”

Twilight sighed, and after a brief exchange of glances with Celestia, she continued.

“The guards are working day and night. Since Equestria was fragmented, not only the territory has changed, but also its inhabitants. Many escaped their disturbed homes and have sought refuge here in Canterlot. Our staff is depleted, and those that remain are overburdened with the duties of maintaining order and assisting the refugees. The princesses...” Twilight hesitated, looking back at Celestia, who gestured for her to continue. “After the event, both Celestia and Luna have lost much of their power. They can barely carry out their duties as guardians of the sun and moon. It all falls on me now. Normally I would try to take care of this alone, but after talking about it last night, we all came to the same conclusion.”

Twilight took a step forward.

“You are the only pony who managed to escape the Kingdom of Laughter and make it this far. You were the only one to face the Elements of Harmony up close, and you possess the most promising information so far. Also, from what we observed, you were responsible for raising morale in the plaza yesterday.” “I need someone to accompany me on this long and complicated journey to restore Equestria, and you, Arthur, are the best option we have.”

I felt as if the ground was falling out from under my hooves.

“They don’t understand,” I said, with a mix of frustration and confusion. “I… I have my own problems and issues. In fact, I’m not even sure if I should be involved in all of this.”

“Arthur…” Celestia intervened, her voice soft. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but we believe in you. Even if you don’t feel it now, you have more capacity than you think.”

I closed my eyes, feeling a mix of exhaustion and despair.

“I can’t do it,” I said, firm and clear, surprising everyone, even myself.

Twilight looked at me confused, and before I could answer, the words came out of my mouth in a rush.

“I'm not who you think I am... Normally I shouldn't say this, but there's no point in hiding it anymore. I don't even belong in this world.” I paused, watching the princesses' gazes meet, and I felt my whole insides crumble. “I woke up one day in another body, in another place... in another world that isn't my own. I arrived a week ago, right when this mess started. I know it sounds crazy, and maybe you think I'm going crazy, but I had to say it, sooner or later.”

The princesses exchanged glances, especially Celestia, whose face seemed to soften as she understood why my behavior had been so strange from the beginning.

“Everything I've done since I got here... I've ruined it, over and over again,” I said, my voice tinged with a mix of resignation and pain. “I can't do this, I really can't. You should find someone else. I'm not that person... I've just caused trouble. I've failed at every attempt to do something right.”

Without further ado, I decided to leave the room as quickly as I could. I couldn't stand another second without breaking down.

Author's Note

Arthur finally has an audience with the princesses.

The effects that altered Equestria and how to possibly repair it are made clear.

Arthur is asked to go on a journey with Twilight but this request only awakens doubts and fears that Arthur has held since he arrived.

For a moment, Arthur puts the jokes aside and becomes serious.

Thanks for reading.