"Grandpa, could you tell me that bedtime story again?"
“The same one? Boy, you must really love it. Well here goes..."
“Long ago, there were mystical creatures like unicorns and peg and alicorns living in this world. We lived together with them in harmony. Everybody was happy until a demon came along. With him he carried the element of greed. His infectious ways soon spread and influenced everyone. In the process of stopping him, two powerful alicorns, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia brought six elements with them-the elements of harmony, sealing it as a human nature. But in the process of doing so, were forced to leave this world. And so, the world was now devoid of alicorns and those similar to their kind. It is said that those great Alicorns still watch over us. Princess Celestia during day, and Luna in turn during the night."
“Grandpa, will they come back?"
“Silly boy, it's just a story. Now go to sleep. Your mother would be upset if you were still up this late."
“Okay pa, good night."
***
I lit my cigarette and took a long drag. It was going to be a long night.
Slowly letting my breath out, I turned to enjoy the city's night lights ahead of me. The rooftop of my apartment provided one hell of a view.
Full moon again. The wintry nights were as cold as ever and I decided to call it a night or what was left of it and try to get some sleep.
Just then, a figure caught my eye. It was a creature I had never seen before but was oddly familiar somehow.
Perhaps it was an alicorn. Who knew?
It had a dark blue coat and a slightly paler mane with different shades of blue.
As it descended I noticed that it was gracefully falling with the help of its wings.
As chance would have it, it landed on the same roof I was on, almost just two feet away from me with a thud.
Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Too much coffee maybe?
I ventured approaching it and found that it had passed out.
The closest animal I could relate it to was a pony. But one with wings and a horn.
Well, what was I to do? I tried to gently move this supposed alicorn down to my room. It was pretty late so I was sure I was able to do it without drawing the attention of my neighbors.
It was easier said than done though. It was big and heavy. I took note to avoid the wings as it tensed up when I lightly tugged on it in my attempt to move it.
Fortunately, the doors to my stairs were just the right size to fit it through.
With inadequate space anywhere else, I decide to settle it down in my living room.
Upon its flank I spotted a symbol which resembled a crescent moon on a wing.
Was this Princess Luna?
What was a mythical creature like this doing here? Were the stories true?
I certainly was not going to sleep until I figured out what to do. It wasn't much of a problem as an insomniac.
It didn't take long before it woke up. Looking confused, it decided to attempt to get up and fly only to be stopped by what appeared to be an injured wing. The clitter clatter of the hooves on the marble flooring was echoing in the living room.
Upon noticing me it panicked and tried to move away.
“Easy... easy... I won't harm you."
I held out my open hands to show I meant no harm. I had to refrain from making any sudden movements as well.
“Why am I here? Who are you? Where am I?"
The poor pony looked so disoriented.
“Calm down, Luna. You're-"
“How did you know my name?"
She cut me off.
“Well I just guessed..."
The look she gave me told me she was not satisfied with that answer.
“Look, I just found you on my roof... You seemed to have fallen from the sky. Are you alright?"
“I’m fine, thanks."
I guess it was weird talking to ponies, considering they generally do not talk. But it was not very often I actually had any company to talk to. In fact, almost never.
“Well if you want anything-"
“I would like to know where I am. Please."
“Well, Earth?"
I paused and wondered whether I needed to go any more detailed than that. The look on her troubled and confused face told me I didn't have to.
“So, where are you from?"
“A place called Equestria. A place that I could have had. A place that I shared with-"
“Your sister. Wasn't it?"
I said, cutting her off.
“Yes. I grew tired of her being the one with attention and I being put in care for the night where almost nopony is around."
It was then I noticed was a glimpse of hatred in her eyes.
"So I refused to cooperate and planned to bring about eternal night. As my punishment for doing so, I got sent to the moon. Only to end up here. Wherever this is."
“Well,"
I finally got up and said.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Well, if you want you could stay here actually. I mean I've got space and I wouldn't mind the extra company. But if you would want to go somewhere I guess I could point you in the-"
“No, it's fine here. Thanks for helping me out. It's late. Aren't you going to sleep?"
“Oh, that. I'm an insomniac so I have trouble sleeping. By the way, you could use the roof if you'd like. I guess it would be spacious enough for you there and you'd get to see the moon as well."
The next few days were spent getting to know each other and getting Princess Luna to be more accustomed to this world.
I taught her almost everything in sight from the roof. From how lights worked here to the names of the stars we saw.
As time grew we agreed that there was little harm in allowing her to fly at night as her dark coat blended well with the night sky allowing her to stay invisible to what little people were still awake in the area. We even found opportunities to go to the park when no one was around. Luna particularly loved the swing.
So she spent most of the nights out flying around the area venturing further and further each time and would turn up at my living room asleep and force me to make as little noise as possible before going out to work. I soon figured out that would not be a problem though, she was a really heavy sleeper. She may have been called a princess but she definitely did not snore like one.
Working at the city sure had its benefits. I was able to bring something back for Luna's meals every day for her to try out as the variety of foods especially those associated with apples were wider there. She still preferred apple pie on the whole however. There was one choice for drinks however, and that was apple cider. It wasn't long before I had to dedicate part of my cupboard to house Luna's favorite refreshment.
I wondered how ponies handled everything with no fingers; apparently she could use magic and grab things. I'd lost the fight for the T.V. remote ever since she was here.
Every day became an adventure after that one night she allowed me to ride on her back while she took flight.
“Whoa."
The view from above was breathtaking, provided you shared the same view I had. The city lights decorated the landscape beneath and sought to illuminate the sky above.
“So what do you plan to do from now on?"
I asked her once while we were cruising around in the night sky.
“I don't know. Part of me wants to stay but I still miss my home back in Equestria."
She sounded torn apart. I guess she never did take this world to be her home no matter how much I tried.
“We’ll just have to find a way to get you back."
I knew that I would miss her if I really the opportunity for her to return to her home arose. But it meant a great deal to Luna and it was her decision.
As time passed, Luna gradually remembered less and less about her home. She forgot about getting even with her sister and just wanted to get home. Days turned into months and months into years and we did not have a single idea. Luna did not know any spells that could be used to help and I did not know the details of how she got here or anything of the sort.
As a decade passed, we were living quite differently compared to how we did before. We celebrated different events together, like Christmas and Thanksgiving. If anywhere were to be her second home, this would be it. It seemed that Luna was part of my life now, my only family and was all I need.
That much I knew. I did not know that she would be gone within the month.
I came home to escape from the cold from the winter of that year only to find the apartment empty. Under the assumption that Luna left the house for her daily flight, I washed up and settled down and turn the television on flipping to the news channel. Unlike the usual news, the headlines of the first channel I came to caught my attention. It read : Mythical Creature Flying Unicorn Discovered. There was a footage of Luna unconscious beside the road and tones of people swarming around for curiosity’s sake.
“Crap!"
I told myself.
I had to get to her before anything happened to her.
The next few moments all occurred in a blur. I remembered struggling to get the car key into the ignition, and that I was driving double of what the speed limit was and barely missing other vehicles. I was faced with different possibilities of what had and what would happened all of which compelled me to get there quicker.
I recalled getting out of the car, then shoving and throwing myself to get past the crowd. Rude remarks were thrown as I struggled but eventually made my way to Luna where to police had set up a perimeter with tape.
As one of the cops pushed me and asked me to stand back I told them that I knew her. The disbelieving look on his face told me that I was not getting anywhere.
“Just tell what happened to her and how is she."
“The burn marks indicate that she was most probably struck by lightning and fell here. Sir I'm gonna have to ask you to stand back as we are to bring it to a secure facility."
The word "secure" did not sound good. Moreover, why the deuce was there lightning now?
“Look just let me through I can help-"
I was pushed back along with the wave of onlookers before I could finish my sentence.
“Luna! Luna! Wake up! Can you hear me? You need to wake up!"
I cried out, just to be muffled out by everyone else.
As I pushed back, I was able to catch a glimpse of Luna waking up and stretch her wings and fly away. She did look badly injured though.
I rushed home after pushing through the crowd to meet Luna back at home.
What I was greeted with though, was far from my expectations.
“Luna! You got me worried there! Are you okay?"
Luna looked at me differently. Like the first time she met me.
“Luna? Do you remember me?"
“As I woke up and only remembered about this place. Nothing more. Who are you? Do I know this place?"
My heart sunk. She did not remember about me. Nor anything else. Just this place. It must have been that blasted lightning that hit her.
“Well, I was your friend. And you stayed here with me."
I tried to hold back my tears.
“That can't be true. My home is at the Canterlot Castle, in Equestria."
“You don't remember anything else? The first apple pie you had here? The first time you tried the swing out? You broke it."
I laughed a little through the tears.
“How about the first time we flew above the city? Or how we fought for the remote where you always won because you cheated and used magic?"
Luna shook her head. She really forgot about it all in an instant.
Just then, two other pegasi entered my house through the balcony windows and shoved me aside.
“Princess Luna, your sentence is over, we have been looking for you everywhere."
Upon hearing that I knew what they meant.
“I guess that means you're returning?"
Luna appeared different now. She had a darker coat and a helm. She looked intimidating.
“Yes. I am. I may not remember who you are, but words cannot express my gratitude for taking care of me and providing me with a great time here. I would not have felt comfortable in your presence and in this place otherwise. Farewell."
I approached her and was blocked by her supposed guards and only granted passage as she motioned for them to let me through.
I hugged Luna as hard as I could knowing that I most likely wouldn't see her again and said,
“You take care okay? It was great while it lasted but it has to end sometime. And you may not know it but, there may be more than ruling Equestria that important. I guess this means goodbye."
“It does."
Those words from Luna landed on a heavy heart.
And just like that Luna took off with her guards towards the moon. Leaving only the wind to bring snow in to my apartment.
I wiped the tears that welled up in my eyes.
In the stead of Luna where she would always settle down to rest, there was an ocean blue feather. That was all that could remind me of her. That and the huge stockpile of cider and apples in the kitchen.
Author's Note
Was an idea I had for some time but never got around to until recently. First time writing though which means there would most likely be mistakes in terms of formatting or would have written it in a particular style that is not very popular. Please comment your thoughts so I can know where I have went wrong or have done well. All is appreciated, thanks!