>You stir out of your pleasant unconsciousness some time later. >The cool, crisp grass has been replaced with warm bedding and a fluffy pillow. >Aww yeah. It was all a dream. >You extend all your limbs for a good stretch. >Your ankles extend off the end of the bed, so you just curl up into a nice, warm ball. >Mmrph… Shoes. You don’t wear shoes to bed! >You blindly kick them off onto the hardwood floor. You don’t recall having a hardwood floor, but that isn’t important right now. >What IS important is the sound of two people talking outside your door. >Unless it’s a couple bros throwing you a random surprise party, which is extremely unlikely, then you have something to worry about. >You quietly sit up in your bed, which to your surprise, isn’t actually your bed. >In fact, this isn’t your room at all! >The bed is way too short, the floor is hardwood, and the walls are decorated with paintings of colorful horses! >Wait. Horses. >Oooohhh no. >These horses are real… >Or you’re still dreaming, but that seems very unlikely at this point. >You slip your shoes back on and walk softly towards the door where you heard the voices. >They seem to get quiet as you take the last step towards them. >You cautiously and slowly open the door. >Suddenly, two spear tips are thrust a mere inch from your face. >You stumble backwards into your room and hold your hands up in surrender. >Then you get a good look at whatever holds them.   >Two more of these horses with horns, both with bright white coats. >One wears a pure gold armor while the other has purple with a gold trim. >They stare at you, spear raised and ready to kill. >The one in golden armor whispers something to the other. >”I know! I just… Don’t know what this thing is capable of!” He hisses back. “Easy, man. I’m not here to cause trouble.” >They both stare you in the eye for several seconds before the one in Purple armor quietly commands to the other, >”Go get the princess.” >Golden boy over here look between you and the other horse a few times before galloping away. >Then it’s just you and the purple one. “So uh… What’s your name? You guys have names, right? I mean, you are a sentient race so I assume—“ >”Shining Armor, Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard.” >Okay, weird name and ‘Canterlot’ is an unfamiliar word to you. “Alright, alright… My name,” You bring a hand to your chest while keeping the other rose. “Is Anonymous.” >He doesn’t respond. >The two of your stand like this for a few more minutes before you hear trotting from down the hall. >The guard from before swings around the corner and stops at attention next to Shining Armor. >A deeper, heavier clopping echoes from around the corner. >Your mind puts two and two together. They mentioned something about a princess, and you recall passing out in front of a princess. >Just as you expected, that dark blue princess of the night rounds the corner with an apprehensive look on her face. >She gives you a quick look over before spinning on her heel and turning the other way. >”Come, we will talk in the dining hall.”   >You’re forced into a chair that fits perfect, so it must be big and elegant for these horses. >The table in front of you is what you’d expect from a medieval play or something. >And it’s covered in a plethora of unique dishes, all of which look masterfully handcrafted by the finest chefs in the world. >Even the dishes that are obviously inedible look very edible. >So you scooch the closest one towards you, pick up a fork, and begin slowly eating. >It tastes okay. A little… grassy? Yeah. Still though. Food. >While you chow down, the Princess sits at the other side of the table, observing your movements. >”We… Weren’t sure how large of an appetite your species has.” >You finish your small bite of food before quietly thanking her. >The awkward silence picks up exactly where it left off. >You only manage to finish half a dish before feeling full. Once your silverware clatters to the dish, that’s when it gets REALLY awkward. >Luna softly stares at you while you stare at your lap. The guards perched around the room let out a quiet cough or two, silence otherwise. >”Are you satisfied with your meal?” “Yeah…” >”Hm, very well. Might we ask you something?” “Yeah…” >”You mentioned you were looking for us, or something of the sort.” “I guess I was. Thank you for saving me.” >Luna looks at you expectantly while you grab a napkin to wipe your mouth with. You’re sure there’s nothing on your face, but in the presence of a princess being cautious isn’t a bad thing. >Luna lets out a silent sigh before looking to the armed guards stationed around the room. >”Anonymous, was it?” >You nod. >”There is something we must discuss. We imagine it would be easier without… An escort.”   >Luna abducts you from the dining hall and brings you into a long hallway with stained glass windows. >Each window is some sort of different piece of art. Perhaps something religious or historical. You don’t know. >And Luna was sure to dismiss any guard that wanted to follow. The spears pointed at your back was unnerving, but that’s not your greatest concern right now. >Once Luna deemed the two of you were ‘alone enough,’ she finally speaks. >”You mentioned you had something to tell us.” “What?” >”Last night when we found you… Falling from the sky. You said you had something to tell us.” >You take a moment to scour your brain for that memory. It’s foggy, but you recall having that brief conversation. “… Mmmph…” >”DO you have something to tell us?” “Nothing specific really… Some big, black thing told me to find you.” >”… Big, black thing?” “Yeah, looked a little like the other horses here, but scarier…” >She lifts her head to stare at something behind you. >You spin on your heel, and your heart skips a beat at the sight. >The horrific vision of what you saw in The Null stared back at you. >Of course, that’s what you thought for a second there. >Her image was merely portrayed in the stained glass window. Her visage was plastered over the moon while another white horse with a rainbow mane was resting below, crying. “That!” >You point to the window. “That’s what I saw! It told me to find you.” >”And what?” “Well, nothing.” >She takes a step back. >”Nothing at all?” “No,” You turn back to her. “She just told me to find you. Said you’d guide me or something.” >You manage a halfhearted shrug. >”And that is all?” “Uh-huh.” >You turn back to the window once more.   “Luna?” >”Yes, Anonymous?” “What is that thing?” >Luna bows her head while taking a deep sigh. >”In essence, that is myself.” >What?! >That doesn’t make sense! >Ugh, nothing makes sense right now. This is no time to panic though. >So you keep your mouth shut and pretend it doesn’t frighten and confuse you. >Luna takes your silence as a queue to move on. >”Anonymous, you’ve been kind enough to answer our questions. We imagine you have many of your own.” >Oh yeah, you do. >”Whenever you’re ready, we shall summon the greatest educators in all of Canterlot to answer your questions.” “Thank you, but I think I’d rather spend the rest of the day sleeping. After a warm shower, of course.” >”Are you sure?” “Positive.”