Northern Lights

Bright light poured through the bedroom window, illuminating the entire room in a pale glow. It was bright enough to be sunlight, but the darkness around me indicated it was still nighttime.

The moon, most likely, I thought. Groaning, I rolled onto my stomach, taking extra care not to disturb my mane. “Ri, are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m undamaged,” She replied, once again sounding like she was on the other end of a deep tunnel. “I must say, I was not expecting such an abrupt end to our conversation.”

“So all of that was real? I wasn’t dreaming it?” I asked.

“Of course it was real,” Ri said.

“Good, I just wanted to make sure we’re both having the same delusions.” I rubbed my eyes with my wrists and gazed out the window.

What I’d thought was moonlight turned out to be a collection of pink, purple, and blue ribbons, paled by the surrounding night, yet still bright enough to force my eyes to adjust. Curious, I slid onto my hooves (only buckling for half a minute before steadying myself) and scanned the night sky. Above the city, the ribbons gathered into a pattern of flickering lights that resembled the auroras found in the Arctic and Antarctic hemispheres.

“Ri, you’re seeing this, right?” I asked, drawing aside the curtains. “Because I think we just discovered those byproduct lights the Princess mentioned.”

“Yes, I see it,” Ri said. “Interesting. I don’t recall seeing any sign of these lights during the daylight. Could there be something in the moonlight that causes them to form as such, and then disperse in sunlight?”

“Maybe it’s got something to do with magic?” I pitched.

“That’s a strong possibility,” Ri said. “Regardless, I cannot make a steady hypothesis on these observations alone. We’d have to get closer to the source.”

“Which we can’t thanks to the princesses’ orders,” I continued, my eyes still fixated on the flickering lights.

The more I watched them, the less comparisons I drew between them and the auroras. Documentary videos I’d seen about the north pole had always shown the aurora’s spread out across the sky like water. These lights seemed fixated in their place in the sky. Even their movements weren’t natural. Instead of watching colours fan out in a vivid display, it was like I was watching a mass of writhing eels trapped in a net. Every twitch and ripple of movement looked like a creature struggling for freedom.

And yet, amidst the writhing lights, there was something familiar staring me in the face. I wracked my brain for the answer, and upon finding it, my muscles collectively locked up.

“Is something wrong, Tyler?” Ri asked fearfully.

“It’s nothing” I replied,shaking my head. I’d forgotten she could read my thoughts. “These light just remind me of the place I passed through on my way to Equestria. They had the same colours.”

Ri went silent; more than likely trying to piece together some kind of hypotenuse for how these two events were connected. I decided to let her think, and concentrated on my breathing. The steady rise and fall of my chest helped me regain control of my muscles. Once they’d relaxed, I turned my attention back to the lights. The pink, purple, and green streaks kept separate from one another as they danced across the sky. When their paths crossed, the colours showed no signs of blending. They twirled and twisted around one another in spiral patterns, but otherwise kept to themselves.

Just like my mark, I thought, turning to look at my right flank. Like all the ponies I’d seen, an odd mark was tattooed across it. Mine was a three sectioned rainbow that curved from the base of my flank. A purple streak was closest to my tail, followed by blue one in the middle, and finally, a green one closer to my leg.

That last colour puzzled me. There hadn’t been any green streaks in the psychedelic world, or in the lights above. So why did I have one and not a pink streak? Did it have some hidden meaning behind it?

A sharp knocking came from the bedroom door. By the time I turned my head, the door was open, and a grey stallion adorned in lavender armour was standing before me. “Aurora Borealis, your presence has been requested by Princess Luna.”

“What?” I asked, rubbing my eyes. “She’s awake?”

“Of course,” the guard said, extending a wing towards the doorway. To my surprise, it was leathery like a bat’s. “And she does not appreciate being kept needlessly waiting.”

A tired snort escaped from me. Great, I wonder what I did wrong now?

“Don’t start focusing on the negatives again,” Ri said. “What is there to suggest you did anything wrong?You’ve had no chances to in the one day you’ve been here.”

Except pissing off some noble-pony, I thought. The guard flashed me an irked look, so I blinked my eyes several times. “Sorry, I’m still waking up.”

“You’re awake enough to walk.” he said, furrowing his eyes.

That’s a debatable subject, I was half tempted to say, but I was in enough trouble as is. So, rather awkwardly, I hobbled my way towards the door. As I passed him, the guard sighed and pressed his body against me and helped support my weight.

The cold of his armour helped jolt me out of this lethargic state. Instantly I took notice of how ominous the castle was at night time. The rich colours were dulled by the darkness; every hallway seemed to stretch forever, and end in blackness. The only lights seemed to come from the windows, where the false auroras shone through, or from a unicorn guard projecting light from their horn as if it were a flashlight.

“How do you accomplish anything in this darkness?” I asked the guard. Thanks to me, the walk was going at a snail’s pace, and I needed something to distract me from whatever was coming.

“We’re trained to see better in low-light,” he replied, keeping his focus on the pathway ahead of us.

“Is it difficult training?” I asked. His reply was a blunt “No.”

Clearly he’s not one for socializing, I thought.

“It is not the job of the soldier to socialize. He is tasked with protecting the state, and all who dwell within.” Ri said, almost robotically. Before I could ask her about it, we approached a pair of double doors. Two grey unicorn guards were stationed outside them. When they saw us approaching, they used their magic to open both doors wide.

Beyond the doors was a vast hallway, desolate except for a long red rug stretched out along the floor. Stained glass windows flanked me on both sides. Some showed the images of landscapes and planets, while others had only abstract images only an art critique could decipher.

At the end of the hall was a simple golden throne erected on top of an elevated golden platform. From it, Princess Luna’s cyan eyes watched me.

The guard stopped in front of the throne and bowed. I decided to follow suit, awkwardly bending my knees until I was in a similar position. When I glanced upwards, the princess did not seem at all pleased with the courtesy. Her jaw was set at a neutral half-frown, and her eyes barely blinked. If it weren't for her star-like mane blowing in an invisible wind, I’d have mistook her for a statue.

“Thank you, Shadow Sight. You are dismissed” she said at last. The strange guard beside me rose to his hooves, and a moment later I heard the sound of his hoofsteps echoing away. It was followed by the double doors sliding shut.

“You may rise,” the princess said, though her tone hinted that this was not an offer.

Carefully, I rose back to my hooves. “The guard said you summoned me, your majesty?”

“I did,” Princess Luna replied. Her wings flared open, and the princess glided down to land beside me, never diverting her gaze. “In light of recent discoveries, there are some questions I would like to ask you.”

My heart was beginning to pound against my chest, but I forced myself to breath slowly. Don’t get stressed now. I swallowed a breath of air, and willed myself to be calm. I looked through my memory for anything pleasant to aid me. The search didn’t last long; soon I was remembering my first week of high school, when Emily gave me one of her beautiful illustrations for the first time.

Despite myself, the corners of my mouth twitched into a smile. “What did you want to ask me, princess?”

Those cyan eyes seemed to glance over me in a single fluid motion. “To begin with, I would like to know why you lied to myself and my fellow princesses, Tyler.”

The feeling of my heart skipping a beat was like being punched in the chest. “How did you-”

“I am the princess of the night,” Princess Luna said before I could finished. “My duties do not just pertain to holding court while my sister sleeps. Among them is the ability to see into the dreams of ponies.” Her eyes glanced over me again, briefly resting Ri’s necklace before locking eyes with me. “And humans as well, it seems.”

I heard Ri cursing in the back of my mind. “Stupid! Stupid! Of course the arcane abilities of these ponies would extend to astral projections! How could I have been so foolish!”

Ri, this really isn’t the moment for an emotional breakdown. If I weren’t in front of a pony who could decide my fate with a wave of her hoof, I’d have laughed at my own hypocrisy.

Princess Luna’s gaze hadn’t left me, though her lips had shifted into a frown. “Does your silence indicate surprise, or are you speaking with the serpent?”

“Princess, I can explain-”

“That does not answer the question.”

At some point I’d forgotten to breathe. Slowly, I took in a breath of air. “It’s a combination of both. She’s... scared, so I’m trying to calm her.”

The princess cocked an eyebrow. “You seem quick to confirm its existence now.”

She was right. Whereas I was quick to withhold information yesterday out of fear, here the words came jutting from my mouth, like water through a faucet. Ri was still muttering hushed curses at herself, so I doubt she could tell me why.

“There’s no point in making up some lie,” I said after a moment’s thought. “You know my name, and you probably have some way of checking to see if I’m telling a fib or not.”

Luna nodded. “Quite correct,” Her eyes once again fell on Ri’s necklace. “With that said, you still withheld this information from my fellow princesses and I.” Before I could explain myself, she silenced me with a glance. “Now is not the time. In a few hours Celestia will rouse to raise the sun, and Twilight Sparkle will be awake as well. We shall wait for both of them before hearing your explanation.”

A couple of hours to wait for judgement, seems fair. I thought. In hindsight, making a fake name and withholding information wasn’t the best choice I could have made, but at the time I was stressed, hungry, and still reeling from the shocks of a new world and body. Hell, I’m still not used to this quadrupedal motion. Or my new and improved senses.

Or my new sex.

Princess Luna’s lips were moving, but I didn’t hear the words. It wasn’t until the heavy dual doors opened that I was snapped back from that dreaded thought. Hoofsteps echoed through the room, and I could feel someone standing behind me.

“Shadow Sight will escort you back to your chambers and make sure you remain there until my fellow princesses have awoken,” the lunar princess said. “But before you leave, the necklace you are wearing must be relinquished to me.”

“NO!” Ri screamed, so loud and sudden that there wasn’t any way to prevent myself from flinching. If the princess had noticed, she didn’t show it.

Ri, shut up. I can’t think with you like this! In a repeat of yesterday, Ri proceeded to mutter hushed words to herself. I was only able to make a few out, mostly darkness and silver eyes.

“Why do I have to give it to you?”

“The serpent is privy to information about the archway that brought you here, and the magical light it created. I simply wish to question her about them.”

I paused, trying to pick my next words carefully. Why did this have to happen right after I got out of bed?

“Princess, I understand your concerns, but it would be a bad idea for me to just hand her over like that.”

“And why is that?” the princess asked, and her eyes furrowed into another message. Tell it true and tell it whole. I’ll know if you’re lying.

“She’s told me that she can only see the world when she’s being worn by someone. Removing her would place her in a state of suspended isolation and loneliness.”

The princess’ demeanor faltered. She looked concerned, and her eyes flickered for a moment, as if remembering something, before returning to her stoic state. “Have you confirmed this in any way?”

That one question sapped what confidence I had left in the situation. My ears flattened against my head, and in the back of my head, Ri let out a whimper of fear.

Ri, everything’s going to be OK, I said in thought.

“No it’s not!” she shouted back, her voice choking from crying. “Nothing I’m associated with is ever OK!”

If I’d had the time and patience, I’d have tried to talk some sense into Ri. But with the princess starring at me with a look that’d crack stone, I was forced to swallow and try to drown her out. Sadly, my techniques weren't as effective on silencing internal noises.

“Well?” Princess Luna said; her tone of voice had the slightest hint of annoyance.

“No,” I said, dejected. “I can only go by what she’s told me.”

The princess sighed. “Then I’m afraid there isn’t enough information present to justify your request to keep her at the moment.”

“NO!” Ri screamed, so loud that I almost screamed alongside her. It wasn’t full of normal fear; it was terror, so deeply rooted that my eyes were beginning to water from the thought of what caused it. “Tyler! Please don’t take me off! Don’t leave me alone again! PLEASE!”

Ri, shut up! My thoughts were harsher than intended, but given the situation I felt justified. Look, I’m sure there’s a way we can convince the princess that you’re not a threat to their nation, but to do that, we have to go along with their demands. I blinked a few tears from my eyes. This is not a permanent situation. Slowly, reluctantly, I rose a hoof behind my neck and prodded for the clasps to the necklace. I’ll get you back, I promise.

I never heard Ri’s final plea. There was a small click, followed by the necklace loosening itself around my neck. For the first time in two days, my head felt as clear and silent as a graveyard.

I brought my hoof underneath the necklace and cradled it in front of my face. The silver Sky Serpent’s wings were spread out like the points of a star. Her mouth was open, exposing her fangs like she was poised to strike.

That’s wrong, I thought. Ri isn’t this menacing.

I looked up at Princess Luna. “I’ll get her back after I explain everything, right?”

There was a pregnant pause before she replied with “We shall see.” Her horn illuminated with an indigo aura, and Ri’s necklace was lifted into the air beside her head. The bat winged guard then walked up beside me, and gestured off with a nod.

Go along with their demands, I told myself. Leaning against the guard, we made the long, tedious trip back to my room. Before the doors to the throne rooms had closed, I chanced a glance inside. Princess Luna had resumed her seat on the throne and was holding Ri’s necklace in her hoof.

My heartbeat began to pick up. No. You can’t afford to get stressed now.

“So, are you going to stand outside my door all morning?” I asked the guard, trying my best not to show any damning emotions.

“Those are the princess’ orders.” he replied.

“Of course,” I said, blowing away a loose strand of pink hair. “Just so you’re aware, I have a tendency to talk to myself. Especially before potentially life altering events.”

“So long as you don’t try to escape, I could care less about what you do.”

“Does that include attempted suicide?” He gave me a sour look. “Sorry, I’m trying to keep myself calm through conversation, and that usually leads to weird things being spoken.”

The guard didn’t reply, but I could feel his muscles moving us the slightest bit quicker through the hallways. Already my thoughts began going back to Ri. Would the princess keep her safe? She’d have to; Ri knew too much about what was going on, even if she hadn’t said much.

So why didn’t I believe it?

Just answer their damn questions and get this over with, I told myself. Ri will be alright.

That’s what I told myself during the remainder of the trip. Time seemed to just breeze by as I repeated the same words over and over in my head, until the two of us were standing before my room. The bat winged guard opened the door for me, and then stepped to the side. I gave him an appreciative nod, and clumsily walked inside. He then closed the door behind me.

Now that I stood alone in my room, I took in a gulp of air and re-composed myself. “Alright Tyler, time to think,” I muttered in a hushed voice. “This’ll be like an ordinary interview. Just answer the questions and keep it cool. Everything will turn out fine.”

Except you’ve never had an interview before, the voice of doubt reminded me. I pushed it away and turned to the full body mirror. The pony looking back at me was a wreck. Her mane and tail were messy and scattered every which way. Even her blue coat wasn’t as vivid as it had been yesterday, though maybe that was because of the lighting.

The first thing I need to do is make myself presentable, I reasoned. Looking past myself in the mirror, I spotted a single white door on the right side of the bed. Did this room come with it’s own bathroom?

Shaking with each step, I made my way towards the door. Sighing, I took the doorknob in my mouth — grimacing at the taste of metal on my tongue — and opened it with a quick flick of my head.

I’m not sure what I was expecting to see when I opened the door, but for some reason I felt disappointed. The room looked identical to any other bathroom I’d seen: a small sink with a mirror fixed above it, a series of cupboards around it, an above ground bathtub that could function as a shower, and a device I assumed was a toilet.

I took a moment to look at my reflection, blow a strand of pink from my face, and flashing a dry grin. As much as I hated to admit it, I actually looked cute as a pony. My eyes were wide and blue, which only made things better.

I wonder if I’ll die from adorableness if I’m made presentable? I pondered while making my way towards the shower. The idea had a slight appeal, as it would allow me to avoid possibly dying of stress in front of the princesses. But I reminded myself of where Ri currently stood, parted the shower curtains with a hoof, and used the other hoof to adjust the knobs. Once I had a steady stream of warm water, I stepped into the tub.

Showers had a habit of calming me down, and tonight’s was no exception. As the water poured down over my head, my heartbeat returned to its normal pace. I let it run down my neck and back; I felt it collect in my mane and tail, making them thick and heavy. And for the first time since I’d arrived in Equestria, I found myself feeling normal again. Under the water, it didn’t matter if I was a human or a pony. A boy or a girl. I was just Tyler Rannon.

Of course, the illusion was broken when I felt my tail press itself against my back legs. For the most part, I’d been good at avoiding contact with my new reproductive organs, but I couldn’t hold back a shivered as the long, water-logged hairs touched my new sex.

It both was and wasn’t a pleasurable feeling. In some respects it was the same as when I felt hair touch any other part of my body. But at the same time, it was an alien feeling; like this part of me didn’t belong — which it didn’t.

Grunting indignantly, I wrestled for control over my muscles. Once I’d stopped shivering, I reached back with a hoof and moved my tail away from my skin. In doing so, I caught a glimpse of two small mounds resting between my back legs.

You’re kidding me, I thought bitterly. On the one hand it shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, I was a female pony, so it’s natural I should have a pair of teats. But on the other hand, this was humiliating. Here I was, the eldest son — the only son — staring at a pair of the equine equivalent of breasts!

I decided to rush through the rest of my shower, not even bothering to put any conditioner into my mane. I quickly stepped out of the tub and got to drying my mane and tail with a pair of white towels, hoping it would distract me from coming so close to my new anatomy. My tail felt thick and heavy, and I had a hard time moving it. My mane was even worse; it clung to the back of my neck and drooped over my eyes and muzzle like a big pink weed.

Normally I allowed my hair time to air dry, but circumstances forced me to search through the cupboards for something to help. I hoisted my upper body onto the lip of the sink and opened a side cupboard. Inside were some cans of what I assumed were hair products. and a purple handled hairbrush. Without any hands to aid me, I was forced to grip the brush in my teeth. Luckily, the taste of wood helped wash away the last of the doorknob.

Brushing my tail was easy. With the handle in my teeth, all I had to do was flick my tail to the side and crane my neck over it. It was a tedious process that felt like it took hours to complete, but it worked. Most of the knots and tangles were out of my tail with little effort.

After that, I pondered over how to do my mane. “I can’t do it like I did the tail, unless I want a broken neck,” I said aloud. I placed the hairbrush on the bathroom counter and then looked up at the ceiling. “You know, universe, now would be a great time to give me back my hands.” When no response came, I shrugged. “No? You’re going to keep being a dick to me? OK, I’ll get through this on my own.”

I stared at the brush ponderously. If I had a horn I could just magic the brush to make me presentable. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to make the best with my hooves.

I would have snapped my fingers if I still had them. Yesterday I was able to hold an apple in my hooves without hindrance. Maybe the same mechanics could be applied to this situation.

With nothing to lose, I placed my hoof on the brush’ handle. I didn’t feel anything to indicate a connection. No tingling sensation flowed into my hoof, nor did I get the illusion of my fingers returning. Yet, when I pulled my hoof away, the brush followed as if caught on a magnet. It was just surreal enough to bring a smile to my face.

In about twenty strokes of the brush I’d gotten out as many knots from my mane as possible. Unfortunately, this left my hair straight and flat against the side of my head. It was a hairstyle only a scarecrow would be envious of. To remedy this, I used my hooves to play with and re-position the strands of pink hair.

My mane still looked messy when I was done, but it was more of a natural looking messy. Instead of hanging over my eyes in annoying strands, most of my mane was collected into a single curl that hung over my muzzle. With a gentle nudge of my hoof, the curl could be positioned over either eye. All in all, it was much better than the bed-head look I had when I woke up. At least I won’t face the jury looking like a complete tramp.

Smiling a dry smile, I turned from the mirror. Before I could step back into the bedchamber, I became aware of an all too familiar pressure in my pelvic region.

My eyes widened, and I cursed inside my head. Of all the times I had to pee, did it have to be now?

Grunting, I turn my back on the door and make my way over to the Equestrian toilet. For the most part it was built like a toilet on Earth, made of porcelain and shaped like a bowl. However, the bowl was more ovular shaped rather than circular, and there wasn’t a seat. Or at least, not one that could be raised. The lip of the bowl curved upwards around the side, creating a seat with a gap in the middle (more than likely for stallions to use).

Stop hesitating, I spat at myself. With a great deal of effort, I managed to get myself seated on the porcelain lips. My bladder wasted no time in emptying itself.

In that moment, all my emotional baggage broke free. I couldn’t help but cry; here I was — an eighteen year old human boy — sitting on a toilet in the body of a girl pony. I felt like I was in the middle of a dark room with a spotlight hanging over me, showing me off for the whole world to see. It was humiliating.

But most of all, it was alienating. Every choked sob was in that feminine voice I heard every time I opened my mouth. Every tear that slid down my cheek trickled over furr that shouldn’t be there, and a long muzzle that never existed. Even the simple action of urinating felt as alien to me as the reflection in the mirror. Or the absence between my legs. Nothing about me was me.

I finished my cry the same time I finished my piss. Sniffling, I slid off the toilet, using one hoof to flush while the other wiped the tears from my eyes. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror again. Fortunately my mane hadn’t been ruined by my emotional breakdown, but my eyes had changed. They were no longer their brilliant blue colour, and were instead a dull, sad green.

I hated when they turned green. It only ever happened when I was feeling sad or angry, and the colour seemed to amplify the emotions.

With one last sniffle, I turned from the mirror and shuffled back into the bedroom. Outside the window I could see that the sun still hadn’t risen. This was good. It gave me more time to recover from my cry. To speed the process, I sat myself in front of the full body mirror and looked at the sky-blue pony.

“This sucks,” I stated, watching my reflection parrot the words. “So, what are you going to do, Tyler? Are you just going to cry while your friend is sitting alone in a necklace? How about your family waiting back home — will crying get you any closer to them?”

Or Emily? Some voice in the back of my mind pitched, but the words never came from my mouth. I kept my gaze locked onto the pony’s green eyes. “You’ve made it this far through life; through eighteen years of schooling and younger sisters. You can make it through this.” My eyes narrowed. “You will make it through this.”

I don’t know if there was a science behind it, but just telling myself I could do something made it seem all the more believable. The corners of my mouth twitched into a smile as I watched the colours of my eyes shift. It was small at first, but gradually they came to rest in a blue-green colour range.

The rest of my morning was spent in front of the mirror, reassuring myself I could get through what was going to come. Some questions will be asked, answered, and then Ri will be back with me. I was so wrapped up in preparing myself that I didn’t notice the time passing me by. When the bat winged guard came to bring me to the princesses, I nearly jumped out of my skin in fright.

The trip to the throne room didn’t seem nearly as long as the first time. Perhaps it was because of the sunlight revealing all the vibrant colours of the palace, or maybe it was because I was the teeniest bit more confident this time around. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t complaining.

This time I found Princess Celestia sitting on the throne, flanked by Luna standing on her right and Twilight Sparkle on her left. With all three standing side by side, you really got a sense of how different each was. Celestia rested on the throne like she was meant for it. She didn’t need to hold herself like most kings or queens would; one look at her told you she had all the authority behind that caring demeanor.

Princess Luna was still as poised and statuesque as she was a few hours ago, although this time there was a more analytical look in her cyan eyes. Was she trying to read my mind to see if I was fabricating a story to tell? In contrast to her was Twilight Sparkle. The most recent of the alicorns looked her part: her mane and tail were messy, and her eyes were sunken in and baggy. She looked like she hadn’t gotten an ounce of sleep. I couldn’t see Ri’s necklace anywhere.

With a nod from Luna, the guard left my side and exited the room. Once the double doors had closed behind him, Princess Celestia spoke. “Good morning, Aurora.”

I was a little taken back by her using my alias after Luna’s reveal, but I did my best not to show it. “Good morning, your majesty.”

“My sister tells me that you have some information to share with us.”

Only that I’m an alien, male, and have another alien inside a necklace. That sounds sane right? I said internally, but it came out as a simple. “Yes.”

All eyes turned towards me. My heartbeat began to pick up, but I forced myself to ignore it. “I haven’t been... entirely truthful with you on multiple accounts. My real name is Tyler Rannon, and I’m not even a pony. I am... I was a human; a bipedal species descended from apes.”

“We know about your kind,” Celestia said, her tone eerily consistent with when the conversation had begun.

Twilight Sparkle continued for her, “I was recently in your world, at a school called Canterlot High. Does that sound familiar to you?”

“No,” I replied. “But, how did you-”

Celestia rose a hoof, but I was already silenced by her lavender eyes. “One issue at a time, Tyler. Why did you withhold this information from us?”

“Because I was scared,” I answered. “I’d just been pulled from my home, my family, my species... even my gender.” Twilight Sparkle’s eye seemed to widen at that. “I didn’t know if I could trust a bunch of talking horses who can use magic.” My eyes looked at the floor. “Everything else I said was true. I don’t know anything about this machine that brought me here.”

It was Princess Luna who spoke next, “But you know someone who does, don’t you?”

“Yes. As you’re all aware I wore a silver necklace when you found me.”

“The one that belonged to your grandmother?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, but that was my one lie. There was someone... inside the necklace.” I could barely form the words. Luna already knew, so why was it so hard to spit them out? Why did it feel like I was betraying the only friend I had?

Because I have to betray her to save her.

I realized the princesses were waiting for me to continue. “Her name is Ri-Bov-Dis, and she’s a Sky Serpent.”

Twilight’s eyes seemed to sparkle with life. “Are you saying that she’s a living member of the species we found in the catacombs?”

I felt my skin begin to crawl. “Yes, but she doesn’t know anything about that machine.”

Celestia spoke next, “And how do you know this?”

“Because I’ve talked to her. She’s been inside that necklace for hundreds of years — maybe more. I can tell from her voice that she’s telling the truth.” I paused, trying to choose my next words carefully “She’s terrified, and if you probe her for information you’ll just make things worse. She’s not a threat to anyone.”

The princesses took their eyes off of me and looked at one another, conversing with nothing but blinks and the eternally flowing manes of Celestia and Luna. I kept silent, trying to steady the feeling of fire ants skittering beneath my skin.

They’ll believe me, I tried telling myself, but I knew it was a lie. I withheld information from them, and harboured an alien inside my head. Meanwhile, their city is covered with potentially dangerous magic. I was as good as convinced. All they had to do was say the words and I’d be spending the rest of my days in a cell.

Perhaps the princesses heard my thoughts, because they turned back to me at that moment. Princess Celestia spoke for them. “Thank you for telling us the truth, Tyler. I cannot begin imagine how difficult this must have been for you...”

My muscles locked up in anticipation. Here it comes.

“... While I understand your reasons for withholding this personal information, you still placed the safety of my subjects at risk by not telling us about your connections to the Sky Serpent. Therefore, I am hereby suspending your access to the city of Canterlot. You are to remain within the castle grounds until such a time as we deem you trustworthy again.”

For a moment I couldn’t respond; the princess’ words completely caught me off guard. When I finally could speak, all I could muster was a simple, “Is that it?”

“I beg your pardon?” Princess Celestia asked, feinting she’d heard nothing.

I took a moment to breath. “Why are you being so light on me?”

“Because you have only been in Equestria for less than two days time,” Luna answered. “Anyone in your situation would have acted similarly, so it seems improper to punish you for keeping your more... personal secrets to yourself.”

I was at a loss of words. I could have jeopardized the lives of their entire city, and they were letting me off with a house arrest sentence. I should be happy about this; I wasn’t going to be sent to a dungeon or execution block.

But there was still the issue about Ri that needed to be resolved. When I asked the princesses about it, Twilight Sparkle was the one who spoke, “I’m sorry, Auror-um, Tyler, but we can’t give her back to you. She’s the only known living member of her species, and our best chance of learning anything about the archway and the magic it released.”

“You can’t!” I blurted out. “I already told you she doesn’t know anything. And if she’s not being worn then she’s trapped in an isolated state!”

“Did she tell you this?” Princess Celestia asked, to which I nodded. “Then I’m afraid the answer is still no.”

I felt anger beginning to bubble underneath the stress. “Why?”

“Because we have no way of knowing if what she’s told you is true or not,” she continued. “And even if that’s what she said, you have shown us that you cannot be trusted to tell whole truths.” She looked over me, her horn illuminating in a golden aura. Behind me, the doors opened. “Now, please follow the guards back to your room. I’ll have one of the castle staff bring you some breakfast.”

I wanted to protest. I wanted to shout at them — to make them tell me where Ri was and give her back. But what good would that do? I’d just be cementing that I’m a crazy and untrustworthy bastard. Just like I told Ri earlier, I’ll have to go along with these demands to save her.

But what if they’re right? The voice of doubt asked. What if she has been lying to you this entire time?

I couldn’t wonder about that now; not after this heart-wrenching ordeal. So, with a final stiff bow to the princesses, I was supported back to my room by the bat-winged guard.

Hang in there Ri, I thought as the doors closed behind me. One way or another, I’ll get you back.