It was a tad bit cold.

'No; that's quite an understatement.'

Honestly, it was actually freezing. I felt as if my limbs have already numbed and dulled by the embrace of cold. I felt myself despairingly cold; so cold that I might end up being encased by frost soon from now.

'No; that's... quite hyperbolic. Nevertheless, I think I might have conveyed what I'm feeling right now.'

Idly, without much bother to wake myself up completely, I shrugged off the cold clinging onto my limbs, burrowing my face deep into my folded arms as I writhed idly in the darkness.

My cranium, being caressed by my folded arms, was feeling somewhat warm--the other parts of my body, however, did not feel mutually. If I can recall, I accidentally nodded off on a table, while sitting upon a chair, with my head resting upon my arms that I have set upon the table.

'Why'd I do something such as that? Well, the damned gryphon, Royce, upped and told me that all of the rooms of this behemoth of a ship is occupied; hence why I'm sleeping upon a table.

Widening my eyelids, I was accosted by a dimmed clarity plaguing my vision--I could barely see; I'm awake, yet my eyes tired and rebelled. Hissing with a grimace, clearly distraught, I shut my eyes close once more, returning to dark and sweet embrace of sleep.

Suddenly, my somewhat restless ears picked up a sound--seemed as if it was thumping.

Indeed; there was a brisk gale just outside from here, banging untiringly at the steel surface of this massive vessel.

This sort of breeze was relentless and heavy, breaking pass the metallic barriers of this colossal ship, managing to let out muffled whispers even within this room. The metal walls resounded with thumps.

Irked, I shifted my position, closing my eyes a bit more intently. Much like a knot, the vice of sleep tied itself to my head, instilling drowsiness within it.

Thump.

The metal corridors from somewhere--yonder north ahead of me I presume--resounded out a confounding thud, irritating to no end as I scrunch myself bitterly. Reaching my ears with my hands, I covered them. Suddenly, another particularly loud metallic thud forced me to react. Twitching instinctively, I still had my eyes shut, clenched forcefully.

My face twisted into a grimace--then into a scowl, as the barrage of tormenting noises did not relent on pestering me.

Thump.

Another; the thumping noises seemed to be plaguing me perpetually. Irritated, I shifted to my right, setting my head upon my right arm.

Thump after thump, I began to grow disgruntled with such nuisance.

'Perhaps it's nothing, but knowing my predicament, whatever this is will likely to be something that isn't 'nothing'.'

Dreary and heavy with fatigue, my eyelids managed to open up, albeit barely. Metallic white... metallic white was just below my sight; to be exact, it was the metallic white pigment of a rather dauntingly plain table. Shifting a bit, my eyes darted around the table's surface.

I examined myself. My arms, folded and resting upon the table before me, were numb--it seemed as if they were still asleep. Bringing my arms to myself, I shook them, attempting to shake off the weariness. As my grogginess wore off, I immediately took notice of a stabbing pain embedded within my back.

"Ugh..." Groaning once more hoarsely in slight pain, I stretched my limbs. I extended both arms to their respective directions, left and right, as far as I could. The tendons reducing in tension as I did, I felt somewhat relieved as I retracted them, letting them idly hang beside my body. Arching myself up slightly, I felt my spine loosening--the joints relaxing and popping into place as the pain faintly diminished.

Yawning, I found that I was in a particularly empty room. It was perhaps just a moderate amount of feet wide. A dull light hung loosely within a bulb, suspended just above me; shadows inhabited the corners of the room--this light was not exactly optimal. This room was majorly empty. The only things within this room were the table, which I slept on, and the metallic chair, which I reclined on while sleeping--and would probably mean why I suffered through this back pain.

Just ahead of the table was a large archway leading towards a hallway. Aforementioned hallway was spacious, but it wasn't excessively wide. For as far as the hallway branched, there stood upon the corridors' walls were various doors. These doors stood brazened with metallic bolts and a steel frame--they appeared intimidating, but if I can recall, most of them are just entrances to living quarters.

Shaking myself awake, I took notice of the large vents apparent within the walls. Humming out a violent wind, freezing zephyrs emerged from them, pervading within this room, seeping as well through the hallway which is presumably just as cold here.

Grimacing slightly, I crossed my arms as I shrunk myself a bit, the atmosphere being overwhelmingly cold. "Ugh..." Lightly, I took a step, placing myself beside the table as I looked for any source of heat. Feebly, I darted my eyes to the left, however, I was simply greeted by a blank wall of metal. Opting for the right corner, I looked accordingly to the right; there too was nothing more than a dreary metal wall.

"Ah..." I groaned a bit, slowly setting my posture straight upon the chair that I was sitting upon. 'Not good. I drowsed off. To be fair... I can't even recall the last time I had a decent sleep.

Shrugging, I braved myself, taking a step forward.

Suddenly, however, I could hear something resonate from within the corridors.

Perking myself up, I listened carefully--after all, it felt as if it was coming my way. Rhythmic tapping... rhythmic tapping among the ashen white panes of the flooring in the distance, rebounding off the walls of this massive ship. Sounded as if they were footsteps--in fact, they actually did feel as if they were footsteps.

Emerging from the crossed paths of the hallway, into my view, was a rather familiar sight--Royce. His beaked face held a smirk as he approached me, his steps lax and leisurely.

Presenting himself before me as he entered the room within a few steps, he nonchalantly rose both his talons together, gesturing them at me. "Well, it seems that now you're awake."

"Yes." I trudged a bit towards him. "That's quite apparent," I added, my voice laced with sarcasm. "I take it that we've landed now?"

"Pft." He waved his front leg towards me. "Yes." He nodded, snide basically permeating from him as his smirked widened. "Yes. In fact, it's been two hours since we've landed."

"Oh." I deadpanned a blank expression. "Is that so?" I inquired.

"Yes," he nodded as he made his way towards me. Taking a few casual steps, he swept at beside me, taking down a seat from the chair that I previously used. "Out of context, I'm impressed that you managed to sleep through a couple of hours of this freezing atmosphere."

"I honestly do not know the answer to that..." I muttered out, shivering as I did. "But, I take it that Luna is wishing to see me?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed, raising both his front legs as he sat idly. "In fact, she can't wait any further for you to get to her, so she herself is coming here!"

I widened a bit. My chest constricted, tightening hard as my heartbeat quickened alarmingly. "Oh... well, I suppose as such. After all, she must be really dire to see me after our... last encounter."

"No worries. No worries," he assured as he closed both his eyes, a malicious smirk apparent on his face as he waved both his talons. "At these times, I'm certain she won't be killing you anytime soon. Oh- and feel free to mentally prepare yourself for your impending 'talk' with Luna. She's about... a few minutes away from taking care of... particular matters before actually coming here to greet you."

"Well..." I shifted a bit, trudging around in place as I fumbled with my words, uttering out slurred blurbs. "You could've at least attempted to wake me up," I glared at him, bearing eyes of ire, "But, you at least managed to forewarn me about this. So... thanks, I guess."

He courtly brushed aside the metal chair, pushing it slightly to the left, its metallic legs screeching as it dragged across the plated flooring, as he stood up. "But of course," he bowed down. Recomposing himself, he leveled his eyes towards mine. "Well-"

Without much more than a warning, echoing sounds resounded from within the halls, the origins of such sound being obscured by the dimness. They sounded a bit familiar. Suddenly, my eyes lit up as I just acknowledged the sound's persistent rhythm, the signature thumping--the sounds were undoubtedly hooves stepping across the floor.

"Oh!" Royce beamed up with a grin as he exclaimed. "That must be her right now," scooting across towards the exit of this chamber with deft steps, he brought forth his right frontal talon just before his head, mocking a salute at me. "I wish you the best of luck."

I rose up a bit, extending my arm towards his direction, palm displayed as my hand was wide open, as he evanesced into the grimly dark halls, his figure vanishing as he submerged himself into the shadows eclipsed by the walls of metal barely perceptible through the hazy darkness.

I stood a bit deadpanned and in disbelief, holding my posture still as I gawked at his abrupt departure, listening as his steps became more distant and hushed gradually by the second. I resolved myself, steeling my face with a jarringly neutral expression as I shuffled my way towards the metal chair now left unoccupied.

Sitting down, I braced myself for what was to come--however, the fact that I'm shivering somewhat feebly in place--thank you very much, insanely cold wind for that--was making me appear somewhat... pitiful.

Bearing down my eyes upon the lone, single hallway that promised nothing but endless stretches of walls integrated with identical, countless metal doors, I prepared myself, folding my arms. Clenching both of my hands together, I placed them upon the listless metal table, the suspense basically torturing me.

The sounds of footstep, both of Royce and, presumably Luna, became fainter and more prominent respectively. Suddenly, ringing out, I could hear Royce's voice. "Whatever you do, don't kill him... Wait for this damned war to end or something."

It was almost a whisper, but for some reason, it was vivid and clear--nevertheless, as those words hit my ears, I grimaced in agitation as I muttered to myself bitterly, "Wow. Thanks for that; best she does now is probably cripple me rather than outright kill me."

Lasting no more than a few seconds, the steps of hooves finally became just mere feet away, the source of them being revealed--none other than Luna.

"Summoner." She emerged from the billow of pitch dark, standing her ground while shooting me with a scowl-like, but still neutral, facial expression. Her mien pervaded with supremacy, an atmosphere cascading with assertion surrounding her.

Her mien was that of stoicism towards me--still, that glare-like stare within her eyes is very... intimidating. Regally adorned with a moon-insignia, was a choker-like mantle upon her neck. Her mane, unlike our prior confrontation, was... a bit dissonant; it waved among the air still, but its nebulous stretch was a bit more hectic as it fluttered wildly, strands of "hair" sticking out of its gaseous-like appearance. Her color scheme still remained the same; coat still retained its blue hue, tail still being a shade darker or so, and her eyes remaining the same color.

"Luna." I cleared my throat. "It's... been awhile."

"Indeed it has been," she spoke coldly, her words lingering in the air for a bit coldly as she settled towards me, standing before the table that I was leaning on.

A trickle of sweat seeped out of my forehead as my face contorted in dissonance--face turning from frown, to grin, to a smile, to a scowl--conflicting feelings having their way with each other in my mind were imposing a rather lightheaded nausea on me.

'Oh bleedin' hell. I know for certain that it would lead up to this at one point, but nevertheless, I'm still damned unsure what to do.

She cocked her head a bit, noticing my rather glaring discomfort as I shift and fidgeted a bit in my seat. "I understand that our last encounter was... unfavorable."

I chuckled a bit, albeit sheepishly as I sported a feigned, see-through grin. Scratching my temple a bit, I replied, "At least we learned a thing or two from that... impromptu duel." I aligned my spine a bit finely, sitting straight as I faced her, sternly putting up a neutral face.

Clearing her throat, an audible cough hoarsely emanating from her mouth, she glared a bit softly at me. "Unfortunately, it was you that was the only one learning from that skirmish... I've never seen such 'exotic'," she slurred her tone at that last part, rolling her eyes in both sarcasm and exasperation, "sword-handling as you demonstrated back in the Crystal Caverns."

"Can't blame me." I shrugged nonchalantly, my arms raised defensively as I deadpanned a smirk. "I was... new to the concept of having to fight for my own life daily at the time."

"Really, now?" Luna tilted her head slightly, her expression still remaining the same--a blank, neutrality. "Come now. We're supposed to be allying together. No need to conjure deceptions."

I stared at her for a moment with hesitation, arching my eyebrow subtly; I couldn't read much from her expression, but I could feel a twinge of pain from her aura itself. 'Does she think that I'm lying to her?'

"What do you mean?" I asked back, blinking in uncertainty. "I really was new to this whole deal."

Luna straightened herself as she leaned upon the table, a tiring breath escaping from her thawing lips. "Yet, not only do you don the attire of a mage that imposes experience, you've been aligned with the Changelings." She looked at me once more. "Forgive me if I am offending you, but I doubt your verity."

I sighed as well listlessly, drooping somewhat underneath the harsh, incandescent light bulb suspended yonder just above me. "Admittedly, this might seem like a ludicrous reason, but the reason why I don these clothes," I pinch upon the fabric of my robes, gesturing at the pitch blackness of its threads, "is because I have been placed into them as I was ripped out of my own world and was plunged here; simple as that."

"You say that you're not part of this world?" she merely asked, her tone soft, yet stern.

The lights flickered a bit as the blizzard outside moderated, gales of sleet and despairing whirls bashed against the steel frame of this vessel, echoing thumps emanating from the halls and chambers of the metallic interiors perpetually. I swore my breath became twofold warmer as I exhaled--was it really getting this cold?

"Yes." I nodded firmly. Still, I stared at her, my mind's thoughts strewn about as I tried to figure her out. She seemed troubled--though, this might be a given due to all that has happened. "I am not of this world."

"I see..." Luna nodded once more. "I take your word for it, after all, I haven't seen a single one of your kind around in Equestria, and I've existed for a long time; a very long time."

I jerked a bit, feeling the discomfort cascading in the back of my mind. "Look, I know, I messed up--a lot by running away." Drearily, I shrunk back into my chair slightly, the echoes of those that I've slaughtered still fresh in my mind after all this time. "But I really didn't have an option."

"The genocides weren't your fault... Well, partially they were, but..." Luna dulled at me, looking somewhat pale. "If only I could've seen through my sister's waning sanity... Perceived her ill-intent, I could've prevent a good portion of my ponies' deaths."

She scoffed a laugh, leaving me to still myself quiet.

"Seems as if the past has an odd way of catching up to all of us, doesn't it?" Luna deeply sighed, a scowl forming on her face. Dispelling that scowl as she bit her lip, I felt somewhat worried as she leveled her head once more at me, shooting a stoic, but pained stare, "Truly, if only I could've see through my sister's-"

Suddenly, rapid tapping came from the hallway, prompting Luna to turn back and gaze into its darkened, metallic walls. Through the abysmal shadows, a figure of a pony came to view barely, sprinting across in a frantic state.

Finally, the pony in question emerged from the mantle of darkness. The pony staggered and faltered, barely able to stand as he took in heavy breaths, wheezing and panting. This pony was of crystalline appearance--another of the Crystal Ponies?

The pony clad armor paved with some sort of leathery, black texture to it. Garters and straps hung loosely from an epaulet stretching from his armor. His mane was, of course, gleaming faintly as it too was partially crystalline, a pigment of brown complimenting his coat apparent upon it.

"Your majesty Luna..." he coughed as he fixed himself, "Celestia's vessel has been spotted in the horizon... She's making her way here as we speak."

I bolted upwards, my stance stiff. "Speak of the devil..."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the very, very belated update, guys.

I've other projects to work on--such as this story right here: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/261484/lohav-can-we-really-be-the-hero