The World Hereafter. [Ch7] The moon is nice.

>Night rolls in as you make yourself at home in one of the guest rooms in the castle.
>The bed is soft and you can feel yourself sinking down into the flowing mattress.
>It's like laying on a cloud.
>You can't fall asleep though.
>Two things are grinding on your mind and you're not sure which one bothers you more.
>The fact that you're stuck in another world and can't go back home again.
>Or that you've been requested to act as a royal envoy for humans in Equestria.
>You toss and turn.
>The weirdest part of all this is that something in your mind tells you it's not as bad as you think.
>It's been like this ever since you ate at the diner in ponyville.
>Things had started to feel better. You felt more fit than before, thoughts felt clearer.
>You felt good.
>That set of feelings still linger now.
>Perhaps you're not happy but you can swear that you feel as if you're in the prime of your life.
>At least physically and in regards to health.
>Does the magic in this place have something to do with it?
>Whatever it is, it feels wrong the more you think about it.
>After an hour, you finally begin to drift off.
>Darkness, sweet blue dark...blue?
>A large pair of bright eyes look down upon you.
>You flinch backwards, tumbling down a small hill.
>After grumbling a bit, you get to your feet only to notice you're not in your bed, but in the middle of an ever-expanding field.
>The moon stands high in the sky, illuminating the grass to a pale turquoise hue.
>A wind is softly sending the blades of grass into a dance, making the field appear to flow like water.
>On top of the hill, Luna stand underneath a large single tree, giggling merrily as you look up at her with a frown.

"What's going on? Where am I?"
>Your voice sounds calmer then it did in your head.
>You intended to shout, but it comes out only as an echoing whisper.
>"Thou art still in Canterlot castle, Anonymous."
>She inspects her hoof with a nonchalant humming.
>"But we are in your dreams."
>She sits down on her haunches and taps the ground next to her.
>"Come."
>You remain where you are, narrowed, suspicious eyes locked onto the dark blue princess.
"Excuse me?"
>She eyes you for a bit before a frustrated sigh escapes her lips.
>Her horn lights up and you feel the ground under you vanish as you're pulled into the air.
>Your arms go full derp mode, flailing about as you're running in place.
"WOAH, HEY, WHAT?!"
>You're pulled uphill and set down on your ass beside her.
>She holds you in place, preventing you from moving.
>"Now, if thou are quite done with acting like a child."
>She gives you a disappointed look.
>"If we release you now, will thou remain still and listen to what we have to say?"
>After a few seconds of fruitless struggling, you finally give up and give in.
"Alright, fine."
>A victorious smirk spreads upon her lips and she releases you from her magic shackles.
>"A wise choice, anonymous."
>She clears her throat.
>"Now. All we wish to do is to hear of your thoughts. We are quite worried about thee."
>She's worried about you? Why?
>Why should she give a hoot about it?
>She's a princess and you're just another human that's appeared here from what you've understood.
>Nothing special about you.
"What do you mean?"

>She sighs once more and looks at you with he most visible "Really?" glare.
>Shaking her head, she lies down and looks out into the field.
>"Thou art a mystery, Anonymous. The first human that hath appeared outside the Amberian walls since Solaris and the two first after him."
>Oh, so THAT'S what this is all about?
"What's so weird about that?"
>She looks back at you and tilts her head.
>"Oh, yes. We suppose thou would not know of this since thou appeared here just two days ago."
>She nods and continues.
>"In the Amberian castle lies a crystal forged by we and our sister to detect when thine kind appears and it teleports them instantly to the crystal chambers."
>She gives you a long look to make sure you're listening.
"And I'm amongst the few who weren't teleported?"
>She shakes her head.
>"Thou art the ONLY one whom the crystal hath not detected since it's creation."
>Well that certainly makes you feel peachy.
>You shift about a bit, uncomfortable with all this focus on you.
>You look out across the field, trying to set your eyes on something, but the only thing that seems to exist in this field is the hill and tree you're sitting under.
"So.. you said you wanted to hear my thoughts?"
>She nods.
>"Indeed, Anonymous. We are quite curious about thine thoughts."
>You look at her, frowning a bit.
"The first that comes to mind is... why do you speak like that?"
>She looks at you, eyes widening a bit with a confused tilt of her head.
"I noticed that princess Celestia doesn't talk like that, so why do you?"
>She pauses for a bit, before letting out a snicker.
>"We.. I mean.. I am from an older time and unlike my sister, I have not had much chance to adapt."
>She gives you a small smile.
>"If you would like, I can speak in the common way."

>You catch yourself smiling back before you collect yourself.
>You try to put on your most displeased face at the whole situation but you find it nearly impossible to put up the facade you had practiced almost your whole life perfecting.
>It ends up in a weird grimace and you finally give up after she's giggled herself into lying down onto her belly.
"Augh! Why am I dealing with this so well?!"
>You didn't mean to say that out loud.
>You press your lips shut and you're met with a questioning look from Luna.
>"Whatever do you mean, Anonymous?"
>She sits back up on her haunches.
>You curse yourself for blurting that out. Now you had to answer her.
>Wait.. why do you feel like you have to answer her?
>You feel kinda bad for being so immature.
>No! You're not being immature!
>Jesus, this place is messing with your head so much it's not even funny.
>Well, maybe a little.
>ARGH!
"Ugh.. maybe you can clear this up."
>She tilts her head, waiting for you to continue.
"Ever since I've gotten here, I've been all kinds of weird."
>"How so?"
"Well. All my life I've been building up a wall to keep people from seeing my weaknesses. My occupation requires.. required me to not lose my patience in front of investors and customers."
>You can't believe you're spilling the beans to a magical pony.
"I've been able to put on a stone face in front of my family, pretend I wasn't sad when my mother passed away. Pretend not to hate my father for things he said about her."
>You rest your chin upon your knees, wrapping your arms around you legs.
"My whole life, I've been lying to get what I wanted because that's how I was taught to do. It's worked though. I'm rich and famous, owning one of the biggest names in the world of business."
>You look to Luna.
"One day here and it all crumbles to dust. I can't lie without feeling like a huge prick, I can't pity myself for my fate. I'm missing my old life less and less. I couldn't even stop myself from crying my head off in front of others."

>She remains silent for a while.
>She seems to notice how your eyes glisten a bit from the slow buildup of frustrated tears once more.
>You wipe them quickly once you notice how she's looking.
>"So, what is so bad about all of this?"
>What did she say?
"What?"
>She raises an eyebrow curiously.
>"You make it sound as if these are bad things."
>You can't even hold all your whats.
>You're unsure of which part confuses you the most.
>The fact that she's claiming that the feelings you have now are good.
>Or that you're feeling that she's making a horrific amount of sense.
>A long period of silence rolls by.
>You're staring out into space.
>The more you think about it, the more you begin to doubt yourself.
>Are you really missing the old you?
>Did you really enjoy the fact that the only time you could be yourself was in the privacy of your own home?
>The more you think about it, the more strange your old behavior seems to you now.
>Why did you do it?
>Was it the money and position?
>Did you want to please the father that you deep down despise?
>For every question you ask yourself, the more distant the old you begins to feel.
>As if it was another person.
>"Do you really miss having to pretend all the time?"
>She asks the question at the same time that you do.
>You turn to look at her once more. She has a smile on her lips, eyebrow raised even further.
>You hadn't noticed it before but she has really pretty eyes.
>You can't find an excuse that dismisses the question and all you feel that you can say is... the truth.
"No. I don't. As a matter of fact, I hate lying, I hated it from the start, but it was all I knew."

>"I had a feeling that there was more to you."
>She giggles and nods.
>"I don't know how much it means to you, but I must say I'm proud of you for admitting it."
>The feelings came rushing in.
>A tear pushed past your resistance and slid down your cheek.
>No one has ever told you that they were proud of you since...
>Since she died.
>Your thoughts rush to your mother, who had spent the last years of her life sick.
>Cancer had taken her too soon but still, she didn't spend the last years on fulfilling her dreams.
>She had spent them trying to deprogram you from your father's harsh upbringing.
>She had praised you when you did good in school.
>She always commented on how dapper you looked in your school uniform.
>You could never lie to her. She always knew your little secrets.
>You remember that look she used to give you.
>It was the same as Luna's.
>A suspicious smirk and a raised eyebrow.
>Nothing seemed to get past that expression.
>You are crying now, face buried in between your knees.
>You're happy though. Happier than you've ever been before.
>It feels nice to cry, you think.
>Letting it all out, the feelings you've bottled up your whole life.
>It feels odd, how relieving it all is.
>A warm sensation washes over your back and you see out of the corner of your eye, a dark blue wing.
>Luna has wrapped one of her wings across your back and she pulls you close, resting her chin on top of your head.
>"Go on." she whispers.
>A good amount of sobbing later, you're sitting cross-legged beside the princess.
>You feel.. better.
>No, you feel great.

>Things are starting to make sense for the first time in forever.
>You don't miss your old life at all. You just miss the few good parts.
>But those were gone and the rest just became an attachment by association.
>The fog in your mind seems to have lifted and you suddenly begin to smile.
"You know.. it's not bad at all. All of this, you know?"
>Luna laughs a bit and nods.
>"I'm glad you came to realize it. I've felt it since I came in here. You just needed a little push to find it."
>She nudges your arm with her silver-clad hoof.
>"You can't fool yourself in your dreams, Anonymous, which is why I came here tonight."
>You look around for a bit.
"This... this is a dream? This isn't real?"
>She shakes her head and stands up.
>She removes her wing from you and flutters it a bit before folding it gracefully along her side.
>"It IS real Anonymous. Dreams are world unto themselves and they are just as real as the other world. They just hide in your mind and grows as you do."
>She walks up beside you and bumps your arm with her nose.
>"Maybe I'll show you mine one day. But for now, I believe you have an important decision to make."
>You look at her and you realize what she means.
>You have to decide if you're going to accept the offer.
>"If you want my opinion, I think you would make a great envoy. You have experience with representation after all and your heart is in the right spot."
>She gives you a wink and before you can open your mouth to respond, you fall.
>You jerk up from the pillow, sunshine temporarily blinding you.
"I..."
>You pause, realizing you've awoken.
>Before you can start thinking about what transpired in your dream, a knock on the door catches your attention.