Ben ran into the vendor hall at Everfree Northwest 2024. Excitedly looking for his favorite comic book artist in the last row. Everyone was trying to jostle each other, but there were just so many people there. Ben’s moth man antennae bounced and swayed with each person he narrowly missed. He spotted the comic artist, his smile spreading across his face so wide it felt like he would get stuck like that. Ben dashed between two furry cosplayers, looking back at the beautiful sleek and shiny fur…. “Later” he thought. Finally, he arrived at the table.

“What’s new this year?!” he asked, loudly.

The comic artist looked him up and down, noting the cryptid at a Con theme Ben had going on his tall lanky body. A twinkle came into the artist’s eyes.

“I know just the one. Here, try this one. I think you’ll find it quite immersive.” The comic artist chuckled a little, handing Ben a rather thick comic.

Ben trusting that this artist had never steered him wrong before took the comic book and handed the artist his money. Hard earned from doing chores at home.

“Thank you!” Ben gushed, already heading out of the vendor hall and moving toward a seating area near a fireplace that looked quiet.

Ben’s ADHD meant he was easily distracted when he was trying to read. He wanted to be able to focus on this newest treasure. He sat down on a cozy couch and looked at the title. “Smile for the Watcher” he mouthed. That was an odd name for a comic book. But he forged on and opened the book.

It was a crisp fall morning when the town of Whisper Falls was holding their election for the next Governor of Whisper Falls and the surrounding areas. The whole town had come out to see how Plum Pudding the Pony would fair against Wallace the Weasel. It was not often that someone other than a Pony entered the race. Afterall everyone knows a pony is faster in a race than a weasel…

Ben leaned into the book, entranced by the bright colors popping off the page. His mind zoned in on the pages making the world around him fade and become nonexistent for him. Suddenly he was falling into a cyclone of colors.

“What…!” He exclaimed.

He looked around as the world calmed and he gently floated to the ground. He whipped around and suddenly released he was not at the Con anymore. It was too bright, too outside. He also realized he had wings sprouting from his back. He felt his body and it was slightly fuzzy. He felt something bobbing on top of his head and felt antennae sprouting from his scalp. He ran to a shop window and saw that he had indeed changed along with his surroundings. He was a moth…man…well as much of a man as a 15-year-old boy could be. He was adorable. He had big bright eyes, long fuzzy antennae but most of he admired his wings. They were a beautiful dark gray with a white stripe and orange highlights. This was a dream come true for him. He had always wanted to be a moth person.
While he was twisting this way and that to get the best view of his wings he noticed a large gathering of what appeared to be ponies in the reflection of the shop window. Curious he turned around. He was in the middle of the town square of Whispering Falls he realized. He was in a comic book! He vibrated with excitement a smile lighting up his face.

“I’m going to enjoy this.” He thought to himself.

He walked over to the ponies gathered and asked, “What’s going on?”

A dark purple Pegasus with a megaphone on its flank turned to Ben with a shocked expression, “You’re new in town. We almost never get anyone new.”
Ben nodded, “well I just… flew in.” Ben chuckled to himself a little.

The dark purple pony tilted her head a bit, not getting the joke. She did not know after all that until a few minutes ago, Ben had been a human boy, not a moth.

“I’m Meg Brightmouth. Today is the election race. We have Plum Pudding who is the brown pony with the Plum sticking out of a pie as her cutie mark. She’s fast. Then we have Wallace the Weasel. He is obviously the non-pony over there with the bright orange fur. He may look cute, but he’s known to be less than honest, if you know what I mean.” Meg talked at an incredible speed and barely took a breath as she talked.

Just then a throat cleared loudly trying to get everyone’s attention. “Ahem Ahem… Every pony it is time to begin! Will all the Pegasi please step forward for watcher’s duties.”

“That means me. See you around new pony.” Meg waved with one of her wings as she started forward through the crowd.

She was friendly and didn’t seem to mind his social awkwardness. Ben liked her. He hoped all the other ponies were as nice but wasn’t counting on it.
He looked up at the stage that had been erected at one end of the town square. There on the platform stood the two Meg had described, Plum Pudding and Wallace. But Ben’s eyes were all for Princess Luna. She stood there regally, her hair flowing in a nonexistent wind. If the ponies and cuties marks weren’t enough to tell Ben where he was, he certainly knew now. He was in Equestria. He watched as all the Pegasi gathered in front of the stage. Luna counted the number gathered. A frown marring her lovely face.

“I will be at the end to determine who crosses the finish line first. We have four Pegasi to watch along the route to ensure no cheating. Any pony caught cheating will automatically be disqualified.” She took a breath in, her brow furrowing. “We need more watchers. Is there any other creatures with wings?” She looked out through the crowd.

A griffin stepped forward with her owl pet. “We can help” He said.

Princess Luna looked through the crowded town square again. Her eyes landing on a smallish dragon and on Ben.

“Both of you creatures,” she pointed with her wings first to the dragon and then to Ben, “Will you help us ensure a fair race?”

“Of course.” Said the Dragon, dipping it’s head in respect.

“Ok” Ben said, not sure at all. His stomach started to flit as if other moths were inside.

Both the dragon and Ben stepped forward.

Princess Luna continued to explain the rules. “Each watcher will have a partner. Each pair of watchers will have a designated area to watch. You must make sure each contestant goes through and solves the obstacle in their way. Ignoring the obstacle is not an option. Cheating is not allowed. Honesty is always the most important attribute of a public servant of the ponies, however only second to the ability to solve problems with speed and efficiency.”’
Princess Luna paused dramatically, then looked at Plum Pudding and Wallace, “Are you ready?”

“Yes” Wallace squeaked with a sharp toothed smile on his face.

“Yes I am” Plum Pudding said.

Princess Luna quickly made the pairs of watchers and directed them where their stations were. Ben was paired with Meg. Or rather Meg had volunteered to be paired with Ben, since he was new to Whisper Falls.

They set out. They were assigned to the ravine. Where a rickety rope bridge spanned across the over 100-foot drop. As neither contestant had wings themselves, it was Meg and Ben’s job to ensure that not only both contestants remained honest, but also to rescue them should either fall. Their location was closer to the end of the race. So, they had a little time to wait before they were expected to be on duty.
Ben took the time to practice with his wings. He experimented with flapping and zipping and loop de looping. He was having a pretty good time as the wind rushed over his antennae. He found that he felt a lot more of his environment as a moth person than as a human. His ultra-sensitive ears picked up a creature scurrying toward their location.

“Someone’s coming” Ben said.

Meg nodded and motioned to the hiding places they had decided on.

They flew up into a tree. One of them on each side of the ravine. Meg and Ben had just gotten into their hidden positions, just as Wallace came running into view. He skidded to a halt at the edge of the ravine. His beady little eyes looked over the bridge. Noting its frayed rope holding up wooden planks that appeared to be in bad shape. In fact, several were missing.

The weasel carefully picked his way across the bridge. Holding his breath when the wind rocked the bridge. Ben could hear the fierce pounding of the weasel’s heart. Clearly Wallace was not comfortable with heights. Ben didn’t blame him, without his wings he normally would be scared of heights too.
After Wallace had crossed the bridge. Plum Pudding galloped up to the bridge on the other side.

She shouted across the ravine as she started on the bridge, “That was a dirty trick Wallace. I’m going to make sure Princess Luna knows the kind of creature you are.”

Wallace smiled slowly. The jovial expression quickly morphed into one filled with malice. “There is no one here. They must have taken a break.”

Plum Pudding looked around, not finding any creature or pony in the air or area.

Wallace followed her eyes. “It won’t be my fault when your poor mangled body is found on the bottom of the ravine because no pony was here to save you.” He popped out a claw and brought it close to the rope.

Plum Pudding’s eyes widened in shock and disgust. “You really are awful aren’t you, Wallace?”

“No one will ever know, except you.” He sneered and started to cut through at the already frayed rope.

Plum Pudding held onto the side of the rope bridge Wallace was not hacking at and tried to pick up her pace. She really was quite fast, but just not fast enough.
The rope snapped. Plum Pudding screamed and scrambled trying to remain on the hanging bridge in the slim hopes that the watchers would return to save her flank. She was still trying to put hoof over hoof to reach the other side.

Wallace started to saw through the remaining rope. Ben couldn’t believe his eyes. He knew evil existed in Equestria from the many stories and adventures he had gone through in both cannon story and fanfiction, but he didn’t think they actually tried to kill other ponies. Trap yes, kill no.

At first, he was frozen in place. He thought Meg must have been in shock too to not respond. He glanced over at where Meg’s hiding place was supposed to be. But he did not see hide nor hair of her. Either she wasn’t there anymore, or she was really good at hiding. Ben had to decide what to do. He was not someone that normally stepped in other people’s problems. He was more likely to hide so he wasn’t noticed by the bully. But something seemed to grow within Ben as he realized he was Plum Pudding’s only hope out of this alive. That something grew and grew until his body moved without his directive.

He shot out from his hiding place as the rope broke and Plum Pudding unable to reach the other side began to plummet toward the ravine floor. Ben didn’t think as he folded his wings behind himself to get more aerodynamic. He shot forward like an arrow. He reached out and caught Plum Pudding around her girth.
“Umph” his breath was knocked out of him as he struggled with a pony’s full weight in his hands. His wings started to beat furiously to hold up both of them in the air. Plum Pudding and Ben both ended up sprawled on the ground having been slowed enough to stop either from getting hurt. The weasel looked down to see their bodies on the ravine floor. Thinking they were done for he laughed to himself and turned to finish the remainder of the race.

He turned and ran smack into the front legs of Princess Luna herself. She pulled her full height, and her voice cracked through the silence like a whip, “Wallace the Weasel how dare you not only cheat at this election race but attempt to cause your fellow contestant to come to harm. You are hereby to come back to Canterlot with me and you will be judged and sentenced there. No one is above the law.”

Ben looked over at Plum Pudding, “I guess that means you won.”

Plum Pudding looked over at Ben and smiled gently, “Yes, I did. Thank you for saving my life. As I always say the proof is in the pudding and you proved to me and every pony today that you have a heart of a hero.”

Ben’s smile lit up the ravine like a million fireflies. Radiant and beautiful in its sincerity.

Ben flew Plum Pudding, after he caught his breath enough, back up so she could finish the race officially.

Later that night after the celebration and swearing in of office. Plum Pudding gave Ben the Medal of Bravery. A metal pin that shone brightly in the moonlight provided by Princess Luna. Ben was exhausted and was invited to sleep at the town’s inn for free. He fell asleep in a whirlwind of colors.

When he woke up he was once again in front of a fireplace on a couch. His mom stood over him gently shaking his shoulder.
“Ben, Ben, let’s go back to the room. You fell asleep out here.”

Ben looked around, wondering if it was all just a dream.

“That’s a cool pin. Did you get it in the vendor hall?” His mom asked.

Ben looked down at his Moth Man onesie cosplay and saw pinned to his chest, just above his heart, the Medal of Bravery Plum Pudding had awarded him. Ben smiled and the warmth reached his chest. He knew in his heart of hearts that it had been real. He wondered if he might be invited back to Whisper Falls in Equestria again someday. He certainly hoped so.

"I have a story to tell you mom." Ben began.