Beyond Infinity

I closed the door and walked downstairs with a smile on my face. This was going better than I could have imagined. "Goddamn, I feel so much better with all of that off my chest," I said to myself. "I just met her, and yet I feel comfortable saying just about anything about myself. Gotta love having a friend like that around." Initially, I admit, I just wanted to make sure she got home safely. But now...now I wasn't sure. This was nice. I could get used to this. I was beginning to hope that she stayed a while. I'd be ok with that. I'd find a way to make it work with food and all of that. Yeah. This could work. I filled Scootaloo's glass and mine, and then looked around to see if there was more soup I could make for her.

**********

"P-p-princess Luna..." stuttered Scootaloo. "What...how...how are you...I mean...how are you here...what's going on?"

Luna chuckled. "I am not quite here, young one. This is merely my image. Celestia has told me of your situation, and I am here to help."

"Just your image?" Scootaloo asked with a confused expression. Luna nodded, and walked over to Scootaloo and lowered her head. Scootaloo reached out, and as her hoof reached Luna's mane, it passed straight through. Scootaloo let out a gasp. "How are you doing that? How did you find me here?"

"When you are as old as I, you tend to learn things here and there," said Luna with a wink. "This particular spell is an improved variation of the spell Twilight performed on you. Speaking of whom, Twilight would like to speak to you." Scootaloo was taken aback, but then nodded in approval.

Suddenly, an image of Twilight Sparkle appeared right before her eyes. "How is this possible?" said Scootaloo.

Luna replied "While I am casting this spell, if somepony were to rest their hoof on me, they would be able to share in my experience of the spell. This takes extraordinary ability, and I am the only pony in all of equestria who is capable of such a feat. I say this not to be boastful, but to try and explain just how difficult this spell is, and just how enormous a task it was for Twilight to attempt this spell without any prior practice."

"That doesn't excuse my actions though, Princess." interjected Twilight. "Scootaloo, I...I'm sorry. I should have read the spell closer. I should have listened to Spike when he went to stop me. This is all my fault that you're here and I'm so, so sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Scootaloo looked the lavender pony in the eyes. She saw the pain and the regret. She saw the sorrow. Then Scootaloo thought back to before she was sent here. To how the physical therapy had pushed her to her limits. How Diamond Tiara had teased her. How Apple Bloom had tried to cheer her up. How she had insisted on trying the spell because of how worthless she felt. Then she thought about how her time here had gone so far. How Dave had listened patiently to her whole story. How he had told her his story. How he had tried to show that he cared, and just how much he cared. Why he cared. And then how he even knew her name. Scootaloo thought about all of this, and looked Twilight in the eyes, and said "I forgive you, Twilight. Really, it's my fault for pushing you to do it. I should have been more patient and I shouldn't have let Diamond Tiara get to me. If anything, I should apologize to you for putting you through this."

Twilight shook her mane. Scootaloo noticed that at one point, it passed through Luna's image, which made this whole situation all the stranger. "Don't blame yourself, this is absolutely my fault. I cast the spell, I made the mistake." said Twilight with finality. "All I can say is that I promise that I'll do everything I can to make it right."

Scootaloo nodded in acceptance. Twilight looked at Luna, and the two nodded. Twilight's image faded into nothing. Scootaloo turned back to Luna. "So, what happens now? Are you going to take me back to Equestria?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Nay, I cannot do anything to the world around my image when I perform this spell. But Scootaloo...do I detect a hint of doubt and hesitation in your voice? Do you not want to return home to your friends?"

"Of course I do!" responded Scootaloo a little too quickly.

Luna continued to raise her eyebrow in a questioning manner. "What is on your mind, Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo hesitated, and started to answer. "Well..."

But before she could finish, the door opened up.

**********

"Hey Scoot, I'm ba..." I stopped mid-sentence as I walked in the room. I never could have imagined that Luna would have found her way here as well. This was starting to get ridiculous. How was this happening?

"Uhhhh..." I started, but then Luna took over.

"Scootaloo, pray tell...who is this?"

Scootaloo looked from me, to Luna, back to me, and back to Luna. "This is Dave. A human."

Luna looked towards me, to Scootaloo, back to me, and back to Scootaloo. "A human, you say..."

Scootaloo swallowed. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. What was going on?

Luna broke the ice. She smiled. "You can both relax. Scootaloo, you know I mean no harm, to either of you. I am...not used to speaking with humans...although I have heard some things about them..."

I couldn't relax. I was essentially staring a God in the face. "With all due respect, may I ask what it is you've heard?"

Unless I was imagining it, Luna was now giving me a grin. "Well, Dave was it? Let's just leave it at this. I know what that black device is." (Here, she pointed at my laptop) "I know what a television is. And I know you know who I am, especially since I can tell you know who Scootaloo is."

"And that doesn't bother you?" I asked. If she knew about the whole brony thing, I wasn't thrilled about the many different directions this conversation could go.

Luna shook her head. "Nay. I have been alive for thousands of years. Some of those were spent in confinement on the moon. I'm not proud of that, but it is what it is. Before my confinement, my sister and I ruled. I have seen many different cultures. Many different types of people. You both know I am Princess of the night. While you are still young, Scootaloo, I am sure Dave has some idea about the type of people you can meet at night." If only she knew how true that was. I was once again glad that I had quit my job; the type of people she was referring to were all too common on my night shifts. "I can see it in your eyes, Dave. You know. During my confinement, I was given plenty of time to reflect upon this. In addition, I was given plenty of time to practice, and ultimately perfect, this spell."

"Pardon the interruption," I said. "But what spell?"

Luna took a few steps towards me. I backed away, but then she stuck her horn through my chest, and I realized what she was saying: it was just her image. So wait...am I just imagining this then? Is this all a dream? "But wait...you are real...right? This isn't a crazy dream or anything like that?"

Luna stepped back and chuckled. "Why don't you ask Scootaloo? I am sure she has thought the same thing."

I turned to Scootaloo for the first time since entering the room. She was wide eyed, and I was once again reminded that she was only a child by most standards. She nodded her head at me, and it was only then that I realized she was just as freaked out about this as I was, and yet she was holding back her surprise as well as I was. I chuckled. "This is crazy. All of this. And yet I can't deny what's going on. Scootaloo has weight. She is making an impression. This is real. This...is actually happening." I pinched myself just in case. No dice. This is real life. I cleared my throat, and said "So what happens now?"

Luna stepped back and began to pace. "You may or may not like what I have to hear." I decided to sit down on the bed next to Scootaloo. Bad news would likely make me want to smash something. Luna coughed, then proceeded. "Scootaloo, I cannot take you home, nor send you home, at present time."

The silence in the room was palpable.

"What do you mean, Princess?" asked Scootaloo, speaking up for the first time since I had re-entered the room.

Luna looked away, and Scootaloo and I shared a look. "It is...hard to explain." said the Princess of the night.

"I've got all the time in the world." I said quickly. Scootaloo nodded in agreement.

"It's...I have some theories. Some ideas. Each one crazier than the last." said Luna. "But first, I would like you both to explain a few things to me."

"Explain? Explain what?" asked Scootaloo, sitting up quickly. She winced and let out a small "ow!" as her wings flared out.

I gently eased Scootaloo back down onto the bed. "Relax, Scoot." I said. "You're still recovering." I looked back to Luna to see she her head cocked to the side ever so slightly, with a curious expression. I wondered what was on her mind. "What did you want to know, Luna?" I asked.

Luna looked at me and said "Let's start with this: Has anything significant happened in your life recently? Discounting Scootaloo's appearance, that is."

You guys know the story from here. I told Luna about what had happened to my dog. About what had happened at work. How I had been feeling prior to that. The hopelessness. The loneliness. I skipped over about watching My Little Pony, but otherwise I didn't leave out any details.

Luna then turned to Scootaloo, and asked the same question. I passed Scootaloo a glass of water, and after a quick drink, she began her story. Beginning with her conversation at her physical therapists, Scootaloo told Luna about her day in class. About how Cheerilee had pulled her aside. About how Diamond Tiara had teased her, and about how this had emotionally pushed her over the edge. She also talked about her loneliness. Her hopelessness.

Luna closed her eyes. I assumed she was thinking about everything we had said. Scootaloo and I shared another look, and then we noticed Luna nodding her head. "Um, Princess?" said Scootaloo. "Is everything ok?"

Luna opened her eyes. "Yes, Scootaloo. I am ok. I am just thinking about all that has been said." She paused. "I would now like to hear from both of you about all that has happened since Twilight cast that spell a few days ago."

I turned and said "Want me to take this one?" right as Scootaloo asked "Do you wanna answer that?" "Whoa!" we both exclaimed at the same time. "It's like you read my mind." we each said. We both covered our mouths. This was starting to get freaky. I had half a mind to pinch myself again, just to be sure. I looked over and saw that Luna was trying (and failing) to hide a grin. "Um, I'll answer this one." I said. Luna composed herself, and then nodded.

I then launched into the story of how I had wanted to collapse onto my bed, and how Scootaloo had been there. How I had elected spend the night on the couch next to her as opposed to in a separate room. How I had given her food and then taken her for a walk in the woods. At this point, Scootaloo took over, and brought up how all of her negative emotions had just overwhelmed her and left her in tears, and how I had gotten down to comfort her. I then resumed and spoke about the time we spent in the woods, and how, due to my carelessness, I had left her in the woods.

"Honestly that was my fault, don't blame yourself, Dave." interrupted Scootaloo. "I was the one who tripped and fell. I should have just stayed within your sight. I'm sorry."

Before I could respond, Luna chimed in. "It is alright, Scootaloo. We all make mistakes and yours was minor. There was no harm done. Now tell me. What happened next?"

I turned to Scootaloo. I was also pretty curious to hear what had happened next.

She cleared her throat, then began. "I remember struggling to get out of this thorny bush. I remember feeling really hopeless and useless. Like it was all my fault, and that I deserved it." This made me feel uncomfortable; I remember thinking along those lines as well. "I remember lying there for a while, because I was just tired, and the rain was making me feel gross. I finally broke out of the thorn bush, but I was just too tired to move. I think I might have been sick." Almost as if to emphasize that point, Scootaloo broke into a coughing fit. I grabbed the soup that I had brought up for her and handed it over once she had stopped. After a quick drink, she smiled and said "Thanks, Dave. I needed that."

There was a small pause. "So what happened next?" I asked. "How did you end up at my back door? You were unconscious when I found you down there."

The filly shrugged. "That's really all I remember. I was just so tired and in so much pain from the fall and all of that, that I guess I just kind of fell asleep." Suddenly, she sat up. "Wait! I, I do remember something!" At this, Luna's focus seemed to sharpen just a tiny bit. I wondered if I had imagined it. "I remember feeling like I was flying...there was a strange pony with bright blue eyes carrying me..." she paused, and I could tell she was struggling to remember what had happened next. "Then...hang on...Luna, were you there? I remember you! I remember you had spoken to the other guy, but I didn't hear what you had said...who was that? Was that real?" Scootaloo paused again, then sighed and laid back down. "That's...that's all. I don't remember anything else.

Luna listened to all of this, and closed her eyes. I noticed that her lips were moving ever so slightly, as if she were saying words quietly to herself. After a long moment, Luna opened her eyes once more. "What happened when Scootaloo woke up, Dave? And how long has she been awake?"

I thought for a moment. "She's been awake for about an hour or so. We were chatting earlier, and I had apologized for leaving her out there. I remember playing my guitar," at this, I paused and indicated the instrument behind the blue alicorn. "I played the guitar to calm her down and cheer her up a bit." I looked down; the emotions from what I had talked about next had come back. "I...we had talked about my past a little bit. Why I've felt the way I have lately. And...I also explained how I knew who she was. And how I know who you are." I swallowed, partly because I once again missed my dog, and partly because I was nervous. It was true that Luna had already admitted to knowing that I knew who both she and Scootaloo were, but now it was out there, so I had no idea how she would react.

Without warning, I felt something on my shoulder. I turned, and saw it was Scootaloo. She had a small, reassuring smile on her face, and her hoof was resting on my shoulder. I couldn't help but return the smile. Man this filly was adorable.

I looked back, and saw that Luna was now smiling. "It's touching to see how close you two are, despite the short time together."

I replied "It's amazing, it honestly is. I can't quite put into words how that feels."

Scootaloo added "When things are going well here, everything feels...right. Things just seem to click."

"There are times where it feels like we're the same person." I finished, but of course, at the same time Scootaloo chimed in with "It's almost like we're the same pony." We shared a look of shock, then laughed. "How do we keep doing this?" Scootaloo asked, a goofy grin on her face.

Luna gasped. The noise cut through our merriment and grabbed our attention. "What is it, Princess?" we both said at the same time.

"I...I think I understand now." said the Alicorn. She turned and looked away. "I need to speak with my sister. I shall return momentarily." Suddenly, Luna vanished. Scootaloo and I shared a look.

"I wonder what she meant by that?" I wondered aloud.