"Rebirth: A Pony Tail" Part one.

Some say that when we sleep, another wakes in an alternative reality.

But what happens when we die? Do we become reborn?

This is my story, a 18-year-old man who lived with dreams higher than the heavens above him. Since I was a child, I wanted to be amazing. A person worthy of a statue in a park dedicated to himself. Sure, it sounded high-and-mighty, but I felt like anyone with motivation could be the same. I still feel the same way today. Taking up martial arts disciplines, learning odd skillsets, because I aimed and will continue to aim for greatness.

Today, I just stepped out the door to my tiny studio apartment in Poteau, Oklahoma, dressed to kill with a black suit and red tie. I had three interviews, and felt the rush of caffiene in my veins. I walk down the stairs of the two story building and into the desolate parking lot. I fumble with the keys as I stand outside my red Mini Coup, hands full of various other items. I finally settle in, fix my tie and start the ignition.

I'm out of the parking lot and onto the main street. I stop at a red light, and watch momentarily as the catlady next-door to me walks into the only cafe in this small town. Green light and I continue on, and turn down a narrow street with beautiful green oak trees that seeming create a mystical pathway.

Five minutes of driving later, a figure suddenly jumps out from some bushes causing me to slam the brakes. I'm sighing with relief, but a second too soon. The man in a green vintage jacket pulls a pistol from his coat pocket, running to my unfortunately open window. "Get out slowly, or you're gonna' bleed!" I cautiously do as he instructed, finding an opportunity to disarm him like I had been taught in Aikido. He has a deep and raspy laugh, and says sharply "hand over the wallet and fast, chump!" I grabbed it out and tossed it on the ground in between me and him. "Good boy!" he says, reaching his hand to it. I quickly grab his head, and deliver a swift knee kick to the skull, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.

I sigh once more, straighten my tie, and grasp my wallet. I hear three grim words from behind me: "Wrong choice, Pal". A gunshot and a searing pain in my body. I fall on top on top the man still unconscious in front of me.

"Not... Dead... Yet..."

An unarmed 9mm lay in front of me still on the ground. I grab it, and roar with a final bit of strength and fire three shots into his turned back. I drop to the ground, frail and covered in my own blood. "What a short life... I hope I can live longer in the next one..."

%i%

I awake to sound of a beeping heart monitor. I'm dizzy, and whole body feels like it isn't mine. I open my eyes to a hospital monitor, blanketed, and half-awake. Did the paramedics get there in time? Something feels wrong though. My body feels lighter than usual, and my hands feel-- "My hands! Where the hell is my hands!" door opens to the room. A... pony?! I suddenly remember in my hazy memory, a show I adored for the last 2 years.

"You're awake! What's this about hands, Ms. Galehooves?" she chuckles.

'Miss'? Me, a woman? Here I am with stubs covered in navy blue hair for arms, I'm twice as short, and a white, colorful pony that resembles Nurse Redheart is standing before me. "Are you feeling dizzy, or maybe is there any pain?" I stutter out a few words still in shock. "W-wait, is this... Equestria?"

She laughed heartily, "Silly, of course it is!"

I sit up and realize what might have happened. I pull off my blankets to reveal my body that looked ever so familiar. "Nurse, what... is my name?"

Her smiling face turned crestfallen. "Your name is Maelstrom Galehooves... and I think you may be having a bit of amnesia." I remember everything though. I am Jude, or so I used to be. What am I now? How did I get here? Did I really die back there? I'm left with a lot more questions than before.

I turn back to the worried nurse. "I think you may be right." It's a convenient enough excuse; I have no better ideas than to find out who I am, and finding who this Maelstrom was is a good first step. "I feel fine now, surprisingly. Is there any chance you can find out where I live? I'd like to schedule an appointment later, because I feel like I need some good rest back home. She looked hesitant, but after a few lingering moments, she got a blank sheet of paper from her clipboard and began scribbling. She finished several seconds later handing me a sheet of paper.

"Guessing from the address, I believe this is where it is. Take this I'll come by to check on you."

I get up as she closes the door. I struggle to keep my balance for a few moments before it feels more natural. "Never did I thought becoming a different creature would be so difficult" I thought, giggling to myself. I began walking clumsily to the door, push it with my head instinctively. "Wow, that was a lot simpler than I thought."

I walking out the doors to the clinic to find myself in awe. Ponies walking around a city of thatch-roof homes. I take a few steps in to this beautiful new world. I look left and right as I begin walking to find my home. A minute later I'm stopped in my tracks. A pink pony with a puffy mane begins "Oooh, I haven't seen you before!! Welcome to Ponyville!".

The prancing pony right before me starts bouncing up and down over and over, not exactly allowing me to move to my destination. She exclaims "We should have a party to celebrate!". I take a moment to think of how I should approach this situation.

After mulling it over, I say to her: "I don't think you should be celebrating this, Pinkie. After all, I'm not even sure if I'm new here or not." She reacts with a heavy stare and out of place serious expression.

She brightens up with: "Ohmygosh, are you psychic!? That's soo cool!"

I sigh with a small chuckle, and ask her "I'm sort of in a hurry, let's talk later. I'm sure I can find you in a few hours or so." She then smiles with an 'okay' and hops off.

I began walking off to destination to find a peculiar house, or should I say Dojo that I felt like I've been to many times. I hesitantly walk to the bamboo door of the Japanese style structure and slide the door. A large open room expands out before me, with several students sparring in pairs. I hear a call from the back in Japanese, which I knew meant "Welcome home, Maelstrom". I was definitely caught off guard, and I was afraid I'd have to speak Japanese when I'm only a beginner in my studies in the human world. To my further surprise he says in fluent English "What are you standing in the door for? Come in!" I take my shoes off before I step on the tatami floor. and put on my slippers which I somehow knew were the of Turtle design, and walk a long way around the students engaged in practice.

The stallion sitting on a pillow monitoring the students beckons me over. "Looks to me you're in good health." He gets up and gets into a stance, pulls a combat knife out of his coat and charges at me. I'm shaking, desperately trying to find a way to counter him in this new body. I decisively begin running toward him, and we almost clash. I quickly make a small jump and slide under his body. It fails, as he jumps over my body to avoid my attack. He stops, and says "What the hay was that? That was a terribly risky move!"

I get up panting from my close shake with death. "Why the hell did you attack me! I come home, and I get attacked by some random stranger and--"

"Wait, what happened to you, my daughter? Do you not remember your own father?!" Oh, right. Things are still in a fog, because my amnesia. I felt so horrible on the inside, needing to lie to him about how I have taken host of his daughter's body.

I finally muster the resolve to tell him. His expression fell further afterward, and he walks into the other room, probably holding back tears of a father. I sighed heavily, and then walked out of the room letting my body do as it feels. I walk up the stairs, and enter a room I felt was all too familiar. I had a LOT of stuffed dolls, so many it many me laugh a bit, lightening my feelings a little. I fall onto the bed in the corner, trying not to think of anything. Too much happened today. "I hope it's not as stressful as today was." I say, dozing off into a deep slumber.