From Thread No.31603217. Writer is 'Love and Powerlifting' - https://ponepaste.org/user/lapsbin
 
 
>Transportation. While for many it was something someone thought very little of, it was a subject many ponies had varying opinions on.
>Earth ponies had the most simplistic view on things. Many preferred using their hooves to all other things. Why wouldn’t they? With their hooves they could traverse any mountaintop, push through and swamp or forest or desert with little ease. They didn’t need any fancy-smancy technology. All they needed were their four hooves and a bit of time and patience.
>Pegasi were a bit more complex. While some didn’t mind walking around like everypony else, they were made for the skies. The ground was hard, cold, it chipped and broke hooves. The air, though treacherous in its own ways, was mother’s milk to these ponies. Since birth, even the worst fliers knew how to feel the shifting of air pressure, how to deal with wind, and rain, and lightning. It was sometimes a dangerous, terrifying way to travel, but even so many of the more traditional fliers considered touching the ground a sin.
>Out of all three races, unicorns had something of a disdain for transportation. Unlike earth ponies, they didn’t have the strength or stamina to make their way across vast distances, nor could they fly like the pegasi. The only thing that gave them a distinct advantage over the other races was magic. So, over the centuries, they had done all they could to make transportation easier for themselves.
>Wagons were created that would haul a massive amount of weight with little effort. Spells were created that could teleport one across great distances within the blink of an eye. Trains were created, and zeppelins could be seen floating through Equestrian skies. 
 
>But out of all of these modes of transportation, there were none that the unicorn loved more than the carriage. Comfortable, most often ornate and made out of the highest-grade materials, it stroked the elitists’ unicorn ego in the most delightful way. Not only could they travel great distances in relative ease, they had one of the “lesser” races doing all of the hard work.
>It was on a carriage that Twilight Sparkle found herself on for a trip to Canterlot on a sunny afternoon. This wasn’t just any average, ordinary carriage either, this carriage was for Princess Celestia’s own personal use.
>While this wasn’t the first time that Twilight had traveled in this particular carriage, she couldn’t help but marvel at just how massive it was. It was easily twice the the size of a normal Canterlot carriage. If she stood on her seat and tried to touch her wings to the ceiling she wouldn’t be able to reach. Even so, that didn’t stop the carriage from being a little cramped because of the other person she was riding with.
“Are you sure this isn’t some weird racists thing, Twi? Because this feels kind of racist,” Anon asked.
>Shifting his weight in his seat, as he poked his head through the carriage’s window. The carriage creaked, shifting under the human’s weight, though he didn’t seem to notice.
>“No, it’s not, Anon,” Twilight replied, flipping a page of the book that she was muzzle-deep in.
>Staring outside for a few moments more, Anon pulled his head back inside. The carriage wobbled, and the guards could be heard grunting in exertion 
“Are you sure?” he asked, nose scrunching up. “It feels a bit demeaning to me.”
>“It’s fine,” Twilight said, not looking up from her book. “These guards signed up to pull this wagon. It’s actually supposed to be a great honor.”
Anon snorted, leaning back. “It doesn’t seem that honorable to me,” he said, making a vague hand gesture. “It just seems… you know…” 
 
>Twilight had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. “There’s two unicorns pulling the carriage too if that makes you feel any better.”
“I don’t care who’s pulling the thing,” Anon said, making a face. “Hell, I’ve been in horse-drawn carriages before—”
>“Pony.”
“—But they didn’t talk or do taxes or anything like that, so it’s… weird.”
>“If you feel so bad why don’t you get out and help pull the wagon then, you big colt?” Twilight asked.
“What? Fuck no,” Anon said. “I might feel a bit bad but I’m not lugging shit.”
>Twilight bit back a chuckle. “Then why don’t you just enjoy the ride? We should be there pretty soon.”
“Fine,” the human said, picking up the book lying next to him and opening it up. “But if we get stopped by some left-wing crazies then I’m telling them you made me ride this thing.”
>The dense forest around them began to thin out. Their relatively flat road began to tilt upward. Slowly but surely, the road changed from dirt to gravel to cobblestone. It wasn’t long until the grand city of Canterlot, the Jewel Of The World, could be seen off into the distance.
>Anon poked his head through the carriage’s window. The carriage groaned again, and an earth pony guard could be heard gritting her teeth.
“Man, that place looks just as dangerous as ever,” he said, shaking his head.
>Closing her book, Twilight poked her head through the window as well. She had to navigate around her friend’s massive size, but with a bit of gymnastics she was able to do it, a smile coming to her face as she gazed upon the place where she had spent most of her life.
>“You’ll love it here,” she said. “I know that the princesses will make you comfortable. There’s also so much to do in the castle that you’ll never get bored.”
>She placed her hooves on the human’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. Giving his head a little shake, Anon reached up and placed his hands over them.
 
>“There’s nothing to worry about, Twi,” he said, giving a hoof a reassuring pat. “I’ll be fine for a few weeks. Hell, you didn’t even need to bring me all the way up here. I could have stayed back at the castle.”
>“I wasn’t going to leave you in that big castle all by yourself,” Twilight replied. “For all I know, I’d find half the place on fire and you wandering the halls in your underwear.”
>A small smile came to Twilight’s face. A moment later, Anon let out a squeak.
“I’d leave the castle in pristine condition, you little purple dork,” he said, reaching around and giving her side a tickle. “Barely any fire, and there’d only be a broken window or two.”
>As the carriage made its way up the final road to Canterlot, laughter could be heard ringing out to all that listened.
 
~_~_~_~_~_~
 
>“Thanks again for letting him stay here, Princess.”
>Princess Celestia stopped in the middle of her hallway. A small frown came to her face as she looked over her shoulder at her old student.
>“Twilight, how many times have I told you to just call me Celestia?” she asked.
“Not as many as you expect, but more than you wanted,” Anon said, getting a nudge to the ribs for his troubles.
>Twilight, glaring up at the human for a moment, turned her attention toward Princess Celestia. “Sorry pri—Celestia,” she said, her ears tucking against her skull. “It’s going to take a bit of time until… you know.”
>Celestia’s frown disappeared, a warm smile replacing it. “I understand, my dear, but just remember that I’m not your superior or better but your equal. You are a princess the same as I.”
“Not as tall though. You are a bit chubbier than her though, Twi,” Anon said, stepping out of the way just in time as a purple hoof darted out to jab his thigh. 
 
>Celestia’s smile widened, and it looked like she was trying not to laugh. “Yes, well, I’d also like you to know that letting Anon stay here is no trouble at all. This castle of mine is empty, and besides, my sister and I could use the company of such an upstanding stallion.”
>Nose scrunching up, Anon made a show of looking around. He then leaned down toward Twilight.
“I think your old teacher’s seeing things,” he whispered. “I don’t see any upstanding stallions around here.”
>Twilight rolled her eyes, giving him a boop on the nose with her wing before increasing her pace so that she was walking side by side with her old teacher.
“The girls and I will do our best to make the trip east as quickly as possible, but I honestly don’t know how long it will take,” she said.
>“I’m positive that your mission will be a success, Twilight,” Celestia said, giving her a nuzzle as the three turned the corner.
>This hallway looked like nearly every other hallway in the castle. The walls and floors were made of some thick, dark stone. Above their heads was a complex ceiling made of wood. What made this hallway somewhat unique, however, were the many doors that lined either wall.
>“Here we are,” Princess Celestia said. “This is where we keep any delegates that visit. The rooms may be a little small for you, Anon dear, but they are very well furnished.”
“I don’t need that much, your highness,” Anon said as she lead them down the rows of doors. “A couple of pillows, a blanket, and a place on the floor to sleep would have been good enough.”
>Celestia chuckled as she stopped in front of one of the doors. The tip of her horn glowed, and with a click the door unlocked.
>“Be that as it may, I’m sure you’ll appreciate your accommodations. Now come, let me show you where you’ll be staying for awhile.”
 
>With a flick of her horn, Celestia opened the door. Another spell flicked some unseen light switch, illuminating the pitch-black room. Smiling, Celestia trotted through the room’s door. Without a second thought, Twilight and Anon joined her.
>The room was nothing less than extravagant. The ceiling had been meticulously painted to show some epic battle scene. Gold, silver, and gems were placed everywhere and on everything. The main section of the room was massive, with a comfortable looking black sofa sitting in front of a fireplace.
Anon let out a whistle, looking around the room. “A bit of an upgrade from that little closet that I got back at home, huh Twi?” he said, nudging Twilight.
>Twilight stuck her tongue out at him as Celestia looked around.
>“I had the maids come in here to give this room a thorough cleaning, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with dust or spiders,” Celestia said, giving the human a smile. “If there is any trouble though, don’t hesitate to tell me or one of the castle staff. The bathroom is fully stocked and should be able to support a stallion of your size, as should the bed.”
Nodding, Anon let the duffle bag in his hands drop to the ground. “Great. Thanks a lot princess. It really does mean a lot that you’re willing to let me hang around for a few weeks.”
>“It’s absolutely no trouble at all dear,” Celestia said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “Though, if you really want to make it up to me you could join my sister and I for dinner in an hour?”
Smiling, Anon gave the alicorn a low bow. “I’d be happy to join you, your highness.”
>Celestia giggled. “Very good,” she said, unfurling her wing to give his nose a boop. “I’ll let you get settled in then and say your goodbyes.”
>With that, the princess made her way toward the door. Both Anon and Twilight watched her step out into the hallway and close the door behind her, leaving the two alone.
 
>“Be good,” Twilight said, looking up at Anon. “Remember that you’re a guest in the castle. Also, remember to go to the princess if you ever need anything. I’m sure she’ll be able to help you with whatever you need.”
“I will,” Anon said, getting down onto one knee and spreading his arms out wide.
>Twilight, letting out a sniffle, darted forward and wrapped her hooves around his neck. Without missing a beat, he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Twilight responded with another sniffle, her grip on him tightening.
>“The girls and I w-would take you with us if we could.”
“I’m not much of a traveler, but I appreciate the thought.”
>“If you get really lonely the castle has one of the biggest libraries in the city. There’s also a salon down the street if you want to get your hair and hooves done.”
“I’ll make sure to take a look at it tomorrow. The library, not the salon.”
>Sighing, Twilight rested her head on his shoulder. Anon gave her back a few gentle pats. The two stayed like that for a time, just holding each other. Eventually, however, Twilight did break the hug, doing her best to keep the tears in her eyes from overflowing.
“Aw, come on, Twi. There’s nothing to be upset about,” Anon said, reaching up to wipe a stray tear away. “It’s not like you’re never gonna see me again. You’ll go do your mission thing, go pick up Spike and Starlight from wherever the hell your parents are taking them, then we’ll all take the train back home. Then we can lay around the castle all day and eat pizza and read books or whatever purple nerds like to do.”
>Despite herself, Twilight snorted. “S-Shut up,” she said, giving his shoulder a light punch. “There’s nothing wrong with w-wanting to eat pizza and read books.”
>Ears perking up, she looked up at the gold-wire clock hanging on the wall. Her expression soured slightly.
 
>“It looks like I need to get going,” she said, wiping her face with a hoof. “I need to get back to Ponyville to get the other girls.”
“Have a good time,” Anon said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “Go and shove all of your lovey-dovey friendship shit down some throats.”
>With a giggle, Twilight gave her friend one last hug before making her way toward the door. “Bye, Anon. I’ll get back as soon as I can. And try to make a friend or two while you’re here, alright?”
“I’ll try,” Anon said, watching as gave him a small wave before making her way through the door and closing it behind her.
>As soon as the door clicked he let out a sigh. Standing back to his full height, he made his way over to his bag and picked it up. It took a bit of searching—the room really was like an apartment all into itself— but he eventually managed to find the bed.
>Tossing his duffle bag into it, he flopped onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The “mini room” was dark, but he could just make out images. Squinting, he saw dozens of ponies staring up at what looked like a full moon.
“Make friends, huh?” he murmured to himself.
 
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
 
“Thanks for coming to get me, your highness. I’d have probably gotten lost if I had tried looking for the kitchens myself.”
>Celestia let out a motherly chuckle as she lead the human down the hall. Though this looked exactly like the last five hallways that she had taken him down, the princess insisted that this was the way to the kitchen.
>“Oh, it’s really no trouble, dear,” Celestia said. “I know that the castle can be a bit of a labyrinth to anypony that’s new to it. I’m sure you’ll get the routes down soon enough.”
>Anon stared out of one of the fancy windows. The sun, which had been hanging so proudly in the sky, was starting its descend. Shadows were starting to leave their corners and secret places, and the air was growing colder.
 
“I hope so,” the human said, shivering. “I really don’t want to keep bothering you like this…”
>“You may bother me as much as you like,” the princess said kindly. “It makes this old mare feel important when she gets to lead around big, handsome stallions like yourself.”
>Anon smiled at the flattery. Opening his mouth, he was about to reply to it when something passed through him. It wasn’t an uncomfortable or foreboding feeling, but it did give him pause. Nose scrunching up, he looked around to see what the heck was causing it.
>“And who might you be?”
>It was to his credit that Anon didn’t jump. He did tense for a moment, and the irrational thought to strike out at everything within reach did come to mind for half a second, but he did not jump. >When he looked behind him to see who was speaking however, he couldn’t help but flinch at the deep blue eyes staring back at him intently.
>In his time in ponyland, Anon had met nearly every princess. He was housemates with Twilight, he was acquaintances with Princess Celestia. Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor he had met many times, and whenever they came to the castle he had the chance to play with their incredibly adorable, and dangerous, daughter. But there was one princess that he had never met or spoken to, and it was this princess that was staring him down.
>She was large, easily twice the size of a normal pony. She stood on four long, strong, shapely legs. Her fur was a deep blue, and her wings were as large and beautiful as any of the other alicorns. Just like Celestia, her mane moved as if caught up in some unfelt breeze. Unlike Celestia’s mane, however, hers looked like the night sky itself, complete with thousands of tiny stars that gleamed even in this light.
>Princess Luna, Lady of the Night and Protector of Dreams, regarded him with a regal, almost bored expression, as if he were just another commoner for her to speak to.
 
>Celestia, slowly turned around, brightened as she saw her sister. “Luna! There you are!” she said, walking over and giving her a nuzzle. 
>Princess Luna, not taking her eyes off of Anon, returned the nuzzle, her expression not changing in the slightest. “Good afternoon, sister. I trust that the Day Court was tolerable.”
>“It was one of the better days,” Celestia said, stepping away from her and turning toward Anon. “Where are my manners? Anon, this is my sister Luna. Luna, this is Anon, the young stallion that will—”
>Brushing past her sister, Princess Luna made her way over toward Anon. Her movements weren’t like any pony that he had ever seen. They were too fluid, too quiet, he couldn’t even hear her hooves as they hit the stone floor. In a matter of moments, she was standing uncomfortably close to him, staring him down with that same regal expression on her face, not saying a word.
Anon stared down at her, brow furrowed. “’Hello, your highness,” he said, as politely as he could.
>Luna cocked her head to the side. Out of the corner of his eye, Anon could see strands of her mane floating near him. They never touched his skin, but even still he could feel a slight electric charge.
Luna’s eyes looked him up and down. Humming to herself, she looked him in the eye before taking a half-step away from him. “Greetings,” she said with a very slight dip of her head. “I’m Princess Luna. It is very nice to meet you, young stallion.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Anon replied.
>Shifting in place, he was about to lift his hand for a handshake but stopped himself. He looked at Princess Celestia, who was staring at the two with a smile, then placed both of his hands behind his back and bowed his head.
 
>Luna’s expression didn’t change, though her mane seemed to float closer to him for several seconds before she turned away. “Sister, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to join you for dinner this evening,” she said, walking toward Celestia. “There are some important matters that I must attend to.”
>A brief flash of disappointment came to Celestia’s face, but even so she gave Luna a sisterly nuzzle as she drew near. “Very well. If I don’t see you before I go to bed I hope you have a wonderful evening, Luna.”
>Luna nodded, and she began to make her way down the hall without another word. Both Celestia and Anon watched her go, one smiling and one watching her with a small frown. When Luna had disappeared around the corner, Celestia turned toward the human.
>“Anon? Are you ready to go and get something to eat?” she asked.
Anon, realizing that the princess had said something, turned toward her. “What? Oh, sure, sure, yeah, I’m ready.”
>“Very good,” Celestia said with a smile and a little hop. “If you’ll just follow me then.”
>The princess made her way down the hallway toward the kitchens. Anon looked down the hall that Luna had just disappeared to. There was a thoughtful, puzzled expression on his face, as if he were still processing what had just happened.
>“Anon? Are you coming?” Celestia called over her shoulder.
>That broke the human out of his spell. “Yeah, sorry, I’m coming,” he said, giving his head a shake.
>He turned, and started after Princess Celestia. A shiver ran through him, and though he had no idea why the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.