The Light of a New World

Inside a cottage situated on the edge of the Everfree Forest lived a yellow pegasus with a pink mane. The cottage was built to look like the top of a large tree and was covered in homes and dens for all sorts of critters. Vines and flowers grew on the outer walls of the cottage which made the home look as if it were living. The pegasus was a shy mare who didn't leave her home much. The few times she would were only when she would be visiting her friends, feeding her many animal friends that lived outside or when she needed to go to the market. The pegasus was very shy but, also extremely kind. She had woken up several hours ago and had just came back from her weekly spa visit with one of her closest friends. Now she was feeding the many critters that she housed in her cottage. As she was feeding them she noticed a certain bunny was nowhere to be seen and he never missed his meals. Beginning to worry the shy mare searched her home in hopes to find her bunny friend.

“Angel? Where are you Angel? It's dinner time.” She asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Hearing nothing she decided she should check outside. Trotting out the door she began her search outside her cottage and if needed she would search inside the dreaded Everfree Forest. She shuddered at the thought, but continued her search. As she entered her backyard she couldn't help, but notice the cottage that stood not too far away from her home. It had been abandoned long before she moved into her cottage. She would eventually get frightened by the look of the cottage if she stared long enough. It was partially hidden by the Everfree with it's trees surrounding it on every side other than the front. Just as she was about to walk towards the strange cottage she saw a white bunny running toward her very quickly.

“Angel! There you are! Why are you in such a hu-” She was cut off as the bunny ran past her like a bullet and made it's way inside. It was then that she noticed a small timber wolf sprinting in her direction from the cottage in the forest. Frightened, she gave an almost inaudible squeak and and rushed inside her home much in the same way Angel Bunny had. The yellow pegasus huddled on her sofa terrified of the small timberwolf making it's way to her home. It wasn't long until she heard a soft scratching at her door following by a high pitched whine. She huddled into herself further but, stopped and stood when she recognized the sounds it was making as crying and not aggression. Hesitantly she made her way to the door and opened it just a crack so she could see the small wolf. It was very small the yellow pegasus didn't know timber wolves could ever be so small. It continued to whine and the animal caretaker opened her door a little further to see if it would attack. When it didn't she opened it fully and the wolf gave a pitiful bark and ran off behind her cottage. Realizing that the wolf wanted her to follow, she flew at a reasonable pace to find that the wolf was leading her to the cottage she had just seen it come from not too long ago. Thinking there may be an animal in danger, the pegasus mare steeled her nerves and followed the small wolf into the cottage where it stood at the top of a set of stairs and waited for her.

“What it is girl? Is something wrong?” The wolf pup nodded her head and gestured down the stairs. The pegasus slowly crept to the edge of the stairs and her face turned from one of fear to one of surprise. There lying at the bottom of the stairs was a dark grey alicorn laying unconscious.

“Oh my, thank you for leading me here girl” The pegasus whispered.

She quickly flew down the stairs and examined the alicorn for injuries. She noticed he had plenty cuts and bruises along is face and body and more than a few bee stings, nothing that would leave scar tissue though. She then examined his head to find a large bump on the side he most likely landed on and gasped. She noticed Angel Bunny standing at the top of the stairs looking worried.

“Angel quick! Go get Applejack!” The yellow mare shouted in a quiet voice.

The white bunny gave a salute and hopped off quickly in the direction of the apple orchards.

The pegasus mare raised his head onto one of her forelegs and waited for her friend to show up.

Not five minutes later did an orange earth pony mare with a blonde mane and tail both tied with an elastic, wearing a cowpony hat appear at the top the stairs looking down at her friend holding the head of a dark grey alicorn.

“Fluttershy! What in tarnation happened and who is that? Is he an alicorn?” She shouted in a panic.

“Yes, Applejack. It looks like he fell and hit his head at the bottom here” Fluttershy told her. “Can you help me get him back to my cottage so I can clean and wrap his injuries?”

“Sure thang Fluttershy” Answered the cowpony as she trotted down the stairs and with Fluttershy's help got the alicorn stallion on her back. They quickly made their way to Fluttershy's cottage wanting to help the grey alicorn as fast as they could. They made it inside the cottage and Fluttershy directed Applejack to her bedroom on the second floor. Applejack gently laid the stallion on the bed and stepped aside to allow her friend to attend to his injuries. Applejack went downstairs as Fluttershy quickly went to work. When she was done Fluttershy went into the kitchen and made a pot of tea.

“Is he gonna be alrigh' Fluttershy?” The orange earth pony asked.

“Yes, I think so. He has a big bump on his head from where he hit it and he has many minor cuts and bruises and bee stings. It looks like he may have been galloping through the -shudder- Everfree Forest.”

As they continued their conversation in the living room, upstairs the alicorn stallion was waking up.

“Ow my head” I said as I lifted a hoof to it. When I did I felt a cloth wrapped around my head. Confused, I opened my eyes and looked around.

I was in a room that looked to belong to a girl so I automatically figured that I was not in fact in my cottage and someone must have found me after I fell down the stairs. After a while of taking in my surroundings and noticing the other plethora of bandages on my body I heard hoofsteps coming up the stairs. They stopped outside the door and I heard two voices talking about me.

“What do ya think he was doin in the Everfree Forest Fluttershy?” Said a female voice with a country accent.

“I don't know Applejack but I am sure his injuries will heal in no time” Answered a second female voice in almost a whisper.

'Those must be the ponies that brought me here and fixed me up.' I thought.

As they came inside I got a good look at just who found me and brought me here. The first to step inside was a yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail and she seemed to hide behind a part of her mane that covered her eyes. 'Hmm, she must be shy like me.'

The second pony to walk in was an orange pony with no wings or horn and a blonde mane and tail. The pegasus that I assumed to be Fluttershy had a mark of three butterflies on her flank and the other pony who must be Applejack had a mark of a trio of red apples. As they fully stepped into the room I sat up and they noticed I was awake.

“Oh thank goodness your alright. What happened?” Fluttershy asked.

“W-well I walked i-into my cottage, a-and I fell d-down the stairs”I weakly answered as I turned my head away, my shyness kicking in.

“Oh, are you cold? Do you need a blanket?” She asked, but before I could answer Applejack answered for me.

“Ah don't think he's gonna need a blanket Fluttershy. Ah think he's just shy.” Applejack stated.

As she said that Fluttershy slowly walked toward the bed and sat down on it, placing a hoof on my shoulder.

“There is no need to be shy. We just want to make sure you are alright” She said in a very caring voice that relaxed me a great deal. She removed her hoof from my shoulder as I tried to speak again without the stutter.

“T-thank- I mean thank you. I am fine” I said getting rid of the stuttering caused from being shy. I thought for a moment and came up with a name for myself. I have a dark grey coat and mark with a moon. I thought for a little while and finally came up with a suitable name. “I am Cobalt Shadow.”

“Well howdy there Cobalt, mah name is Applejack and this here is my friend Fluttershy” Applejack introduced. “She can be a might shy too sometimes” Applejack finished as Fluttershy blushed a little and turned away. She looked back to me as the redness left her cheeks.

“Why don't we go downstairs and have a cup of tea?” She asked.

I nodded. “Sure, that sounds nice.”

Fluttershy and I stood up and the three of us went downstairs. Applejack and I sat at the table as Fluttershy got us our tea. When she brought the cups to the table the three of us sipped our drinks in silence, it was great. The tea was sweet and warmed my body to the bone. Just as I finished my tea Fluttershy looked as if she was going to say something but, Applejack beat her to the punch.

“Well, ah would love ta hear all about how you got them there scratches but, Fluttershy and ah were just about ta head on down ta Sugarcube Corner ta meet our friends. Maybe y'all could come with us and tell everypony what happened?” Applejack asked as Fluttershy smiled and nodded.

“Sure, it would be easier to tell it only once.” I answered.

“Well alrigh' let's get a move on then!” She exclaimed and lead us out of Fluttershy's cottage.

As we walked along the path and over a small bridge that lead out of Fluttershy's property I noticed all the animals around the place that I hadn't noticed when I came out of the Everfree Forest. There were many different animals bears, squirrels, bunnies, deer and many others playing on her front lawn. I had never seen so many different animal species play together before and it was amazing. We made it into the main part of the village that Hollow Oak told me was here and I have to say that I could see myself living here even if this turned out not to be a dream. I already started having my doubts that is was. As we walked I decided to ask what the name of the village was.

“Hey, Applejack?” I called to her.

“Yeah, sugarcube?” She answered.

“What is the name of the place we are in?”

“Oh, this is Ponyville, Cobalt. You never heard of Ponyville before?”

“No, this is the first time I stepped into anywhere that wasn't the Everfree”

“You mean ta tell me that y'all lived in the Everfree?” She asked her curiosity piqued.

“No, thats just where I woke up today and I had no idea where I was”

“Well shoo'! Now ah gotta here yer story!” She exclaimed as we approached a building that looked like a giant pastry with frosting as the roof. The place actually looked like it was edible!

“Well this here's Sugarcube Corner, Cobalt. The best darn bakery on this side of Equestria.” Applejack told me as we entered the bakery. I had no time to ask what “Equestria” was when my vision was clouded by pink. As it backed away I noticed it was a bright pink pony with a hot pink mane and tail. Her hair was extremely poofy and she seemed to be an endless ball of energy.

“Hiya! I'm Pinkie Pie!” She all but screamed in my face. I was just about to announce my own greeting when she released a loud gasp and began talking really fast and in one breath. “gasp Ohmygosh!Ihaven'tseenyouaroundPonyvillebefore!

ThatmeansyoumustbenewbecauseIknoweveryponyinPonyvilleandIdon'tknowyou!”Afterwords she zipped past me and up the stairs.

“Uhmm...” Is all I could manage to say.

“Oh, don't you worry about her darling. She will calm down once you attend the party she is no doubt planning for you. My name is Rarity and I must say darling your eyes match your coat perfectly” Said a white unicorn with a purple mane and tail both curled up into a complex mane style. Her mark was a trio of gems.

As I took a look at her I instantly went into friend making mode and instantly knew that she would be the type of mare to enjoy a compliment or two.

“Why, thank you miss Rarity and I must say you are very beautiful” I answered shocking myself again on how I managed to speak. Sometimes when I am making friends I try to make the best impression and it usually ends me using the perfect personality to make the best impression. Back home it was hard to do so, but here it came easy as if I already had these personalities. With Fluttershy I would be shy, Applejack I would be hard-working and down right country, without the accent and with Rarity I would be the perfect gentleman. After my compliment I lifted her hoof, planted a kiss on it and looked her in the eyes. “My name is Cobalt Shadow.”

As if I planned it, Rarity smiled and blushed a little but, quickly regained her composure after a slight giggle. “My, my what a gentlecolt.”

It was at this time that I heard a loud laugh coming from a booth to my right and noticed a cyan pegasus with a short rainbow colored mane and tail almost rolling in her seat laughing. She stopped after awhile but, immediately started again and tried to talk as she tried to get her laughter under control.

“T-that aha was so aha funny!” She managed to get out as she finally calmed down. Rarity huffed and sat down in the booth as the cyan pegasus made her way towards me.

“Hey man, I'm Rainbow Dash. The fastest pegasus in all of Equestria!” She exclaimed in a slightly rough voice as she struck a pose. I could tell she was a very proud and stubborn pegasus and I knew just how to act around her. As she noticed my wings she gave a loud gasp and stopped her posing to get a look at them. “Holy moly! Look at those wings, they must be almost as big as Princess Celestia's. And he has a horn too! Maybe he is a long lost brother to the Princess. You gotta race me sometime bro!” She finally finished.

I didn't exactly like how she spoke as if I wasn't there but, I figured it was just part of her personality and I looked her in the eye and said, “And as soon as I learn how to use these babies I am so gonna beat you in that race!” When I finished she looked like she was going to race me right then and there but, then she stopped.

“I doubt it! I am the fastes-wait a second! You don't know how to fly?” she asked shocked. I nodded and she burst out laughing. Mumbling something about alicorns and not being able to fly. 'Hmm so I must be an alicorn and not a pegacorn makes se-' I was brought out of thoughts as Applejack addressed Rainbow.

“Quit yer yammerin Rainbow, Cobalt here told Fluttershy and ah that he has a mighty fine story he wanted to tell us.” As Applejack finished scolding Rainbow she immediately stopped laughing and waiting for me to say something.

“Uhmm.. Uh yeah I did say that” I agreed.

“Well go on darling, tell us!” Rarity exclaimed in a very ladylike manner.

I took a breath as I was about to start my tale, but I had to let it out as a lavender unicorn with a purple mane and tail with a pink stripe running through it trotted up to us with a baby dragon on her back carrying a clipboard and and odd pen in its claws.

“Umm.. Excuse me. Could any of you tell me where I can find Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie?” She asked us.

“That would be us darling. I am Rarity and this is Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and this gentlecolt is Cobalt Shadow. Pinkie is away at the moment. Whatever do you need us for?” Rarity introduced gesturing to each of us as she did.

Just as Rarity finished, Pinkie came down the stairs. She stopped when she reached the bottom she took one look at the lavender unicorn, gasped and ran off.

“Uhmm, OK. Well I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's faithful student. I am here in Ponyville to oversee the decorating of Town Hall to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration and Princess Celestia coming to Ponyville.” She stated after Pinkie Pie's sudden appearance and then disappearance.

“Well howdy Twilight, Cobalt here is new to Ponyville too and he was just about to tell us a story. Why don't y'all sit down next to Rare and he can get started.” Applejack stated anxious to hear my story.

“Well OK, sure. Do we have time for a story Spike?” She asked the dragon on her back as he jumped off so she could sit down next to Rarity.

“Yes, Twilight we are ahead of schedule so we have time for a story” he answered.

“Well I guess I better start from the beginning.” I said starting my tale. “My real name isn't Cobalt Shadow, it is Jacob and I am not from this planet I am from a planet called Earth.” After I began with that, everyone gasped and either didn't believe me or were asking me questions about Earth.

Finally Twilight coughed and began to address the group. “Excuse me but his story is very interesting could you all please be quiet so I can listen and take notes?” When she finished I gave her a smile and heard Applejack and Rainbow dash snickering when she said she was taking notes.

I told them what happened before I came here and started with that. “I was at home on Earth and I was sitting on my couch when an earthquake came out of nowhere and brought into the Everfree Forest.” I decided not to tell them about my dreams, the figure and the messages. “I woke up in the Everfree Forest as a pony, but before I came here I was human. A human is basically a tall, hairless, monkey.” I explained. “I walked over to a stream to get a good look at myself and noticed I was a pony with both a horn and wings.” As I said that Twilight snapped her gaze at me and noticed the horn and wings and furiously scribbled something on her notepad. “As I was looking myself over I turned around and saw three timber wolves in front of me.” They all gasped when they heard this and Rainbow made sure I knew she didn't believe me. “I thought they were going to attack me until the bigger one looked at the mark on my flank and stopped with a confused look on his face. I was really scared and didn't know what to do so I asked him if he could take me to the nearest town. What he did surprised me very much. He answered me. He told me that I had the mark of the Elders on my flank and asked me who I was.” Now Rainbow Dash had, had enough.

“Now, I know your lying! Nopony can talk to a timber wolf!” For some reason after she said that she looked over at Applejack who was staring into my eyes as if she could stare into my soul.

Applejack said four words that made everyone gasp besides Twilight and Spike. “He's telling the truth.”

Twilight made a motion with her hoof signalling for me to go on. “Well I was still terrified of them so I lied and told them I didn't know who I was or how I got there. He told me his name was Hollow Oak and his mate's and son's names were Maple Berry and Spruce Sapling. Afterwords I asked him why didn't attack me and how I could understand him.” I took a deep breath and continued. “He told me that he saw the mark on my flank which stopped him and allowed us to speak to one another through telepathy. Afterwords I asked what my mark was and he told me to follow him. He lead me into a cave which held a timber wolf village, and no I cannot tell you where it is.” There was a collective of “awwe” from the group and I continued. “There he explained to me what the mark was and why I have it.” I told the group everything that Hollow Oak had told me about the mark and about sticking up for the baby timber wolf Rose Petal as everyone was hanging onto my every word. “Then Hollow Oak led me to the cottage where I entered and as I stepped aside to let Rose Petal in I slipped and fell down the stairs.” As I finished there was complete silence until Rainbow Dash broke it by yelling out in excitement.

“That. Was. Awesome! Your life story is much cooler than mine! Awesome!” When she said that everyone else said something similar until Twilight coughed and caught everyone's attention.

“That was a very interesting story Cobalt, but now I must ask the five you to get back to work. It is almost four o'clock and the town isn't ready for the Summer Sun Celebration. Applejack you are in charge of food so I will be by shortly to see how you have been coming along, Rarity you are in charge of making the banners to hang up in the Town Hall, Rainbow Dash you are in charge of the weather, we need the skies cleared in a hurry. Fluttershy you are in charge of the bird choir and Pinkie Pie is in charge of the party after the celebration.” Pinkie Pie managed to show up to hear Twilights speech and and all five of them ran off to do what their jobs.

Now it was only myself, Twilight and Spike in the sweet shop. Twilight checked her notepad and called Spike as she walked out the door. Before he left to follow her he came up to me.

“Cool story. I really liked the part where you beat up that timber wolf!” He exclaimed.

I gave him my thanks and he quickly sped off as Twilight called him again.

“Coming!” He called as I chuckled.

Now it was just me in Sugarcube Corner, wondering how the six of them would act around me now that I told them I was an alien and can talk to something that can eat them. Would they still count me as a friend? Time would only tell.