When You Wish Upon a Star...
Two months, had two months already flown by. I was amazed it was only that long, it seemed like Twilight had been gone for longer. We had known since her coronation she wouldn't be around Ponyville much anymore, but I hadn't thought it would be this long. Sure, it seems a short time compared to the last time I saw Discord, but still. I guess why I couldn't sleep. I lay on my bed; eyes drooping slightly, but sleep wouldn't come. Just like all my friends.
Being friends with the new Princess, Rarity was to busy with clients and Rainbowdash had gotten an invitation to join the Wonderbolts which she responded with by making a sonic rainboom that was so close to the ground it caused all of the Apple's apples to fall of their trees. But although Applejack was angry she didn't pummel Rainbowdash to death only because almost everyone wanted a taste of the Princess Favorited apples. And now Pinkie had left the Cakes and started her own business. She was, what did she call it. Oh yeah! A Super-Duper-Fabulous-Fantastic-Amazing Party Planner. And since they were all busy it left me all alone.
It isn't like I was jealous; I'd never be able to handle something like their new lives when I can hardly handle three fillies. I got up from the bed and went to the window, looking up at the silver and gold shining stars that colored against the black sky. I closed my eyes and whispered to them alone, "I wish for something to change, something to happen to fill this hole inside me." A silver star shimmered and almost seemed to wink at me.
I waited my heart open to the gleaming stars above me when I felt a tug on my tail. Turning I saw Angel; his eyes had bags under them and he was pointing both at my bed and at the ticking clock that read 3:45. "Alright Angel, I'm coming. And with that she walked to the bed and lay down with Angel curled against her in a cuddle. But although it was a kind gesture that usually lulled her to sleep. But sleep still hid itself from the flickering candle on her nightstand. With a slight blow she blew it out and engulfed the room in the darkness of the night.
But even though it was dark now; black as pitch, but although that was true sleep still evaded me as I lay awake in bed. The fuzzy body of Angel lay next to me, but my mind was far away in a new world of thought. I thought about Twilight's speech, how she wouldn't be a Princess without her friends. She had said that to everypony in Canterlot and all the vistors from cities all over Equestria. And after that we all seemed to be given new lives. Somepony had even invited me to become their new pet whisper, but I had declined. I had wanted to be it; I really had, but then they would of had to fire the pet whisper they already had and she didn't want him jobless or homeless. Maybe Rainbowdash was right.
Maybe I was to kind for own good. No, that wasn't true. I was the Element of Kindness, I had to be nice. But it was true wasn't it, ponies took advantage of me all the time. Oh, my mind feels so muddled. I want to put my hoof down, but I kept thinking about when I became New Fluttershy. I don't want to be like that again; all that boiling anger in me. I felt like an active volcano, like the wrong footing would set me off and keep me like that.
I am asleep. I know I am asleep, but everything feels real. A wind brushed my face, the sweet smell of honey and lilacs floating through it. Stars were all around me, some of white, of blue, and gleaming gold. It felt like I was floating, but I knew I was standing on something for I was bound to a path of glowing stars. Around me flew shining comets that whistled and danced in the moonlight. No, starlight. I looked up and above me was a star that outshined all the others. It was a ball of pale pink flame, like a small sun and had a shining warmth to it that made my face glow.
What happened next, I am not sure how to explain. My wings started flaping all on their own and I took to the sky
like a bird and flew into the small sun. At first I felt only a soft tickle as the flames licked at my yellow coat, but soon it grew hotter and hotter like dragon's fire. I wanted to pull away; to get out of the pain and heat, but an invisible force had me. Soon I couldn't breathe and I had to shut my eyes for the light was to bright to look at any longer.
And the last thing I heard was a soft voice, like a foal's voice singing, "a true, true friend." And then it all turned white.
The ground was hard beneath me and my eyelids turned red as the light of the sun snuck through the curtains. I moved to re-lift the blanket over my eyes, but I felt nothing. Well, not really nothing, but something fuzzy like grass. Wait, grass. My eyelids flew open and I was sharply assaulted by the clarity of it all. The dagger sharp green grass, Rainbowdash bright blue sky, and the golden sun that was shining more then Celestia could ever muster. It wasn't the soft and warming golden glow of her sun; this sun was intense and sharp like broken glass.
I stood, woozily shaking and shivering on my hooves and fluttering my wings from the cramps of sleep. Blinking away the sleep I really saw where I was. The grass spread on for a while, but soon met the ridge of a silver city that gleamed in the morning sun.
A few trees popped around, but mostly it was green grass and a park bench or two. Where was I? Last night I remembered sleeping in my bed, with Angel curled next to me, but then there has always been the sleep-walking. Sometimes I would fall asleep in my bed, and in the morning wake somewhere else, but that hadn't happened since I was filly. I felt my face grow red from the memory of the last incident. I had fallen asleep in the bed of my parents house and woken in Ghastly Gorge with a clown's rainbow wig and cowboy boots. That's when my parents, well, snapped.
My dad is great flier, and I could barely do the most basic skills. My mother was an outspoken member of the Equestrian goverment, and I could barely say my name to a stranger before I met the girls. Then with my sleep walking and flying; that's when my parent's sent me to Ponyville to stay with my aunt. And when Aunt Silver Lining died and my parents didn't even come to the funeral I knew I wasn't needed, or wanted. That my own parents didn't want me.
A fat tear rolled down my cheek, stopping at my chin, but I didn't move to brush it away for sadness had filled and overwhelmed inside my heart. I fell down on the grass, its sweet smell leaking into me. But I barely noticed in the fact that the tears were pulsing down my face and that my parents didn't want me, or... or... I couldn't think it, say it for its truth would consume me. I couldn't do it. My parents loved me, at least a little.
I sniffed and with eyes warm from the constant rubbing away of tears. I stood, wobbling like a fawn and saw it. My wings locked in fear and eyes widened, but my legs did neither and in seconds had spun away and was running away from the beaten path I had been near and towards the shining city. Another burst of tears flooded out, but from fear instead of sadness.
The creature had been a myth, I story Aunt Silver Linings used to tell me. It was a story about tall mythical giants with fingers like dragons and the wisdom of a great pony such as Starswirl the Bearded. But they were dangerous and cannot be trusted, at least that's what Auntie Lining said. They had helped the princesses fight Dicord all those centuries ago, but then left right in the middle of the battle never to be seen again. It was called a Knight.
But now was not the time for old memories, now was the time to run.
My legs burned as I ran across the grass, only looking back once or twice to see if the knight was following which in fact it was. Tears dripped down her face in fear as the creature loped behind her on long spindly legs. It was coming for her; it was going to kill her; it was going to eat her. The silver city drew closer and was threatening looming over her and multicolor shiny closed chariots that sped around the tall gray buildings. I stopped at its base, where the hard stone met the grass. I didn't want to leave the park; back in Equestria her home was in nature, not in the bustling cities. But the knight scared her more, even though it had slowed and was panting heavily.
In a flourish of pink hair and yellow wings did I rush into the city, hearing the sound of a swear word from behind me.
The city was dirty and covered in a layer of grime and trash that blew in the light morning breeze. But this wasn't the sweet smell of grass and flowers, but the smell of gas and and sulfur like when the dragon had fallen asleep in Equestria. And noise, so much noise. Honking and screeching that stung ears so much I wanted to rip them off.
And then there were more knights; they wore clothes and talked into silver little boxes or at least that is what I saw of them from behind an overflowling dumpster. Fear dwelled inside me, I could feel it in me; inside the depths of my heart along with something else. An emptyness. A hole.
What it was, I couldn't know. But for now, I chose not do care at the fact that I was surrounded by them. All of them. Suddenly there was a voice, not a coo or a screech, but talking. Speaking. A peered from behind the dumpster and saw two knights standing just a few feet from her hiding spot. She was about to race down the alley when one opened its mouth and spoke in a language I coulld understand.
"I mean come on Jeff that last episode was terrible," it said in a mare like voice, "I mean it ended with Applejack going to visit Fluttershy only to find her gone."
The darker skined one with a bulky bulid spoke next, it's stallion like voice deep. "Claudia it wasn't that bad."
"Wasn't that bad!" the feminine one spoke, "It was just about the girls lives after Twilight became an alicorn."
Wait an alicorn, Twilight. They knew about me, Equestria. Maybe they brought me here. It couldn't be a dream; I had tried biting and closing my eyes and trying to wake up, but nothing had worked. But how did they know? I kept watching and listening to what they said.
The dark skinned one spoke next, or Jeff as the mare Claudia had called him, "I guess it was pretty terrible, though it was intresting to know about the girls new lives."
"The best part about it was probaly Pinkie Pie's song," he said and then broke out singing, "I am the party planner and that is very true."
And then the other one sang into it, "I make many parties some for you, you, and you."
Then together in bad harmony sang, "I am the Super-Duper-Fabulous-Fantastic-Amazing-Party Planner!"
"A shut up," yelled a passing knight as he briskly walked by, bumping Jeff as he went and breaking their odd song.
Suddenly their was a panting and a knight in a red shirt ran up. I gasp it was the one who had chased me. I backed up a bit, when Claudia spoke.
"Caleb, what happened to you? I thought we were supposed to meet at Joe's."
Caleb was still huffing, but managed to get out, "Have...you...seen...Fluttershy?"
I inched back; he knew who I was, just like the others had known about Twilight and Applejack and Pinkie and me.
I wanted to run, to hide. But sheer will kept me in place. The stone on my hooves would have drawn their attention and I wanted to find out what else they knew about me.
"Yeah, last night. You know, on the show. Now what is this all about Caleb?" said Claudia.
Caleb, who had gotten more air into him now spoke quickly and glanced around once an awhile. "I walked through Newberry park on my way to meet you guys when I saw this yellow blob staring at me. Well, I walked up to it and saw it was Fluttershy right before it ran into the city."
"Hahahaha, so funny," laughed Claudia, "No Caleb where were you?"
"I am serious," he said, "I saw Fluttershy."
"I thought you were better then petty excuses," she sneered half-heartedly, like Caleb had done this before.
"It isn't an excuse!"
But Claudia was already walking away with Jeff following, but before he had left Jeff said, "I thought you were better than that, Caleb."
Caleb sighed and walked into the alley with a sigh, thankfully I was able to duck away from him before he saw me. I slipped behind the dumpsters, sqeezing between the wall and cold metal of the smelly dumpster. From my spot, I couldn't see him, but I could here a scraping sound as he probaly slide down the wall.
"I knew I saw her. Why won't they believe me?" he said to himself. I stayed behind the dumpster, although the smell probaly could knock out a full grown stallion. Thankfully or unfortuneatly Aunt Silver Lining had always had a lot of cats and guess who had gotten to clean up after the little creatures. It's how I kinda got hooked on animals after I got my cutie mark.
"Maybe I did just make it up," he said, but it was muffled like he had his odd flat face in his hands.
I let the air out of me and started to back up when there was the crackle of plastic from behind me. I had stepped on something. I heard the scraping sound of as the knight known as Caleb walked over and peered behind the dumpster, his eyes widening with every breath he took as he surveyed me like one would look at food before they bought it.
He reached his hand out and I drew back in a flinch. He drew his hand back and stood there with his mouth open like he was going to say something, but he didn't.
My heart beat so loud I thought he could hear it through my skin. And those eyes he had only made it worse. Those ever watching green eyes that recognized what they saw.
He knew who I was. How? I had know clue, but he knew. I could feel it.
He sat down where he was, but first brushed away crumbled piece of paper. And I in turn did nothing, but stare. Study really. His eyes were a piercing green, like the color of moss, but a lighter shade. And the knight was so different then what I thought they looked like. Aunt Silver Lining had said they wore silver armor and had dark, ever searching eyes. What I had seen in the nightmares after that story were great silver giants with a dragon's claws and fiery breath. And the eyes of the knights in my dreams were black with no whites and seemed like they were always looking around. Studying just as I was.
His voice broke my thoughts as he said quietly, "Are you real?"
I wasn't sure how to answer him. For one I was scared, frightened out of mind. Knights were dangerous, but this one. This one looked innocent, looked kind like a pony. So softly I said, quietly I said, "I-I-I think so."
I closed my eyes and winced, and heard him say, "It's alright I won't hurt you."
I opened my eyes and saw him reach out his clawlike hand and say, "Hi my name is Caleb." I wasn't sure what to do, but he let his clawlike hand fall. I wasn't sure if I could believe his words, but his eyes were soft and gentle.
"How do you know who I am?" I asked quietly, then looked down with a small tear rolling down my cheek.
At first he said nothing; the silence thick and heavy like fog. But after few minutes he said, "I've seen you before."
I shook my head and blinked, "Where?"
He rubbed the back of his head with his claw and said slowly, "Oh boy, how am I going to explain this?"
He opened his mouth, but didn't speak as there was a loud beeping from beyond his body. I shrunk back and heard some shouting , but the words were masked by the distance. Caleb got up and turned around. When he turned back, his eyes were wide and fearful.
"This bad, this is bad," he said.
"What?" I asked, coming out from the space behind the dumpster.
"Okay, we gotta get you outta here," he said, and then contiuned saying, "Follow me." And then he went off down the alley.
I wasn't sure what to do, except follow. He was the only one I had here. Plus, I was curious to know how he knew me.
He moved quickly down the alley and I trotted next to him. We were silent; him guiding and me watching my hooves as I walked. After a while I looked at him as he looked up and down the seemingly endless series of stone hallways.
Quietly I asked, "Why did we have to leave?" He stopped and looked at me, take in a breath and then turning back to guide us through the labyrinth.
"There were some garbage men coming for the dumpster," he said.
In confusion, I asked, "What are garbage men?"
"Oh, ah sorry. I forgot where your from," he said, "They take the garbage out of dumpsters and take it away."
"Oh," I said, but not really getting what he meant. But before I could dwell on it I heard him say "Yes." I looked up from my hooves and saw a winding metal staircase leading to a top floor of a large stone house. Caleb started walking up the stairs, looking back once to beckon me up the stairs.
I followed him slowly my eyes on the stone ground as my thoughts whirled around me like a tornado. How did he know me? Why did those other knights know about Equestria? How did I get here away? Suddenly I felt a soft bump as I ran into Caleb.
"Huh," he said and turned causing me to fall backwards, tripping over my own hooves. I waited for impact from the metal, but all I felt was a grip on my hoof. Opening my eyes, I saw Caleb had grabbed my leg and was setting it down after I righted myself.
"We're here," he said and then opened a glass door that was on a porch by the stairs. Moving it open with my hoof I saw room. The walls were brown as with the floor that was carpeted. My eyes scanned the room as I walked in and as Caleb closed the door behind me. It was scattered with empty food contaniers and clothes and had an old green/brown couch in the middle.
Caleb stepped out from behind me and spread his arms, "Welcome to Casa de Caleb," he said and then plopped on the couch. I stayed where I was and then he asked awkwardly, "You wanna sit down?" He patted a seat next to him on the couch. My eyes widened and I shook my head, sitting where I was.
After a few awkward moments he said, "So let me just ask; how did you get here?"
I thought for a moment and replied, "I don't know."
"Oh."
We sat silently and I swallowed saying the question I had been thinking all this time. "How do you know me, really?"
He swallowed and said, "You sure your comfortable?" I nodded and he contiuned, "Just making sure."
He sat up and started explaining, "I few years ago I started watching this show called, My Little Pony and your in it."
I blinked and said, "What?"
"I'm not done," he said, "You see there's this show and it's called My Little Pony and you and your friends are in it."
"You just said that," I said, getting a bit, a tiny, tiny bit annoyed with his bluntness.
"How about I show you?" he said. Before I could answer he grabbed a flat box-like thing and opened it. It lit up and he started clicking away at it.
"Almost ready," he said looking up from the box and afterward muttering, "Stupid buffering."
"Here we go," he said and turned the box around showing us. I drew back, but kept watching. It was a song, but I didn't catch the words. I saw Twilight and me and Rarity and everyone, even Princess Celestia. It lasted no more than a minute, maybe less.
"How is, how is this possible?" I said after it finished.
"Well, it's all develop and created by-"
"No!" I shouted and than swallowed lowering my voice saying, "I just meant how can this all be real? If this is a show like you say than how am I real?"
"I don't know," he said.
I don't know either. I thought.
