(Revised) Where will I go?
View Online

Appetizer

(Revised) Where will I go?

"Nine fucking months of looking and I still don’t have shit to show for it!"

He threw his arms in the air.

"I have dug through every job search site, newspaper posting, and unemployment office listing I can get my hands on, and I'm still just sitting here on my ass!"

He laid back in his chair.

("Fuck fuck fuuuuuuck......am I really that useless?")

He lifted his head up and stared at his computer monitor. The web browser was opened to "Jobs-A-Picking.com".

("So many jobs available, and I barely qualify for a quarter of them.")

He sat straight up in his seat again.

("And now I've gone through a third of those....shit...")

Grabbing his mouse he clicked open a new tab and went to his email.

("Maybe I got a reply from one of the other sites. Maybe even the unemployment office sent something.")

Looking through emails from the various websites he was registered with he found a email from a local shop called Mike’s Bikes. Reading the email title he got excited.

"YES!!! I knew I would make a better impression meeting with him personally!"

He pumped a fist in the air. Quickly he opened the email and read it.

Kumen, Ryan

In regards to your application for the position of "Crew Member", we regrettably must decline. We are sorry to have rejected your application to our shop and wish you the best of luck in whatever endeavors you choose to pursue.

Sincerely,

Mike Hambles

"......I wish I drank."

He stood from his desk and walked to his bed flopping face down into it. He remained motionless for a while, quiet grumbles audible through his pillow.

("I should walk up there and ask for Mike. As soon as he sees me I'll shove a steering handle down his throat.")

He stayed there going over ways he could exact revenge on the bike salesman. After a few moments of doing this he felt a discomfort in his loins.

("I need to piss.")

He got out of bed and walked across his room to the door. His room was at the end of the house next to one of two bathrooms making it an exceedingly short trip. He was closing the bathroom door when he heard his name.

"Hey Ryan~ when you're done in there take the trash out please, I gotta work on the laundry!" Ryan's mom, Catherine, called from down the hall.

" 'K mom!" He yelled back before closing the door and doing his business. He was washing his hands when he noticed himself in the mirror, his eyes to be exact.

("That’s probably the problem, with one look you can tell I never get enough sleep. I'll never get those shadows off.")

He brushed a hand through his short cropped brown hair. He sighed and left the bathroom. Walking the short way to the living room he saw his little brother on the couch watching television.

"Ey Andy."

"Hi Ryan"

"Where’s mum? She wanted me to take the trash out. Actually now that I think about it why aren't you doing it?"

"I was cleaning my room then, so she got you. I just finished up cleaning."

"How convenient."

"Not my problem, I just cleaned my room as fast I could."

"Whatever, mum?"

"Laundry room, duh. She told you that she was doing clothes."

"Yeah yeah, thanks pipsqueak."

"Course, mondo."

The laundry room was a small nook accessible by going through the kitchen. Walking to it he saw his mom washing a load of laundry with the door open. It got hot in there when the dryer was on otherwise.

"Hey mum, where’s the trash bag at?"

"Behind the door. Could you also take the bin down to the end of driveway while you're at it? They're picking up the trash tomorrow."

"Yeah, fine."

"Thank you Ryan."

"Mmmhm."

He grabbed the trash bag on his way back to the living room. Opening the front door and walking out, he made his way down the stairs. The trash bin was set next to the stairs for easy access. He put the bag in, took the bin by it's handle, and walked towards the end of the driveway. When he got there he set the bin next to the mailbox. He paused, observing his damp neighborhood.

("...A walk might help me feel better. I can stop by the park too, there shouldn't be anyone there with how much it's been raining. I'd get the whole place to myself.")

He turned back to the house, walked over quickly, went in, and shot straight for the laundry room again.

"Mum, I'm gonna head out for a walk and maybe mess around at the park for a bit, okay?"

"With as wet as it is? Why now all of the sudden?"

"First, because that means no other people, and second is to get some time to think."

"Job search getting you down hun?" She said as she shifted clothes from washer to dryer.

He considered just saying he felt cooped up, but figured his mom wouldn't buy it.

"...My application for Mikes Bikes got turned down."

Turning away from the laundry she directly address him.

"How come? Did they say why?"

"No, but I don't want to make something of it, I’ll just be making problems for myself if I went up there and started anything." ("Even with as much as I want to take one of those tire pumps of his and go Dig-Dug on his ass.")

"It might be easier to let it go, but they still should have told you their reasons. But that aside, it'll be fine Ryan, we can head to the unemployment office tomorrow alright? I'm sure we can find you something soon."

"Ugh, stuff like that's why I need to de-stress. I'm eighteen and going to the unemployment office."

"Well you're the one that wanted to hold off on going to college. You could have used that Georgia Hope Scholarship to make it into Lanier Tech."

"I KNOOOW. And YOU know that I passed high school by the skin of my teeth! I don't like it but I know that there isn't going to be any "Special Help" for me in college. I'm not ready for it yet."

"I'm sure that if you tried as hard as you did your last year at school, then you could make it through college fine, but I understand where you're coming from. It's too late to get the scholarship anyway."

"Yeah yeah...I'm sorry for putting more on you, I just don't want to mess up. College is a whole 'nother level and I want to be sure I won't fail by the end of first semester."

"Oh Ryan, you're always welcome home no matter what, and I know that you'll do great when you go. Just promise not to give up, hun."

"Of course, never have, never will."

Smiling broadly she moved in to hug him and he accepted. They let go after a moment and she went back to her work, Ryan just standing there for an awkward moment.

"....Soooo are we going to have an emotional talk each time I ask ya to go out?"

His mom laughed.

"That would make you a lot easier to understand." She said grinning ear to ear.

"Har Har, I'm out."

He spun around and started walking.

"Be back before 5:00."

"Right."

He walked past the living room and down the hall to his room, searching around the slightly messy room.

("Pocket knife, glasses, glass wipe, vita, wallet, and jacket. K, that's all that.")

He put his jacket and glasses on, shoved everything else in his pockets, and left his room making his way for the front door.

He was almost out the door when his brother yelled at him from the couch.

"You know you don't have to worry about a job right? When I make my lemonade stand it’s gonna go huge, and then I'll have more than enough to pay for you to go to college. If you ask nicely." Andy said smugly.

Ryan burst out laughing and held onto the TV as he bent over holding his stomach, causing Andy to go into a fit.

"What’s funny?! Andy's Lemon-licous Lemonade will be huge! I'll be president of the biggest lemonade company in the whole world! If you think it's dumb then I won't help you at all!"

Andy crossed his arms and pouted.

"He He-I'm sorry, really I-Ha Ha Ha-I am. It's just that I couldn't help but laugh ‘cus I know that no bros got as cool a bro as my bro."

Andy looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Really?"

"No."

"YOU'RE A JERK!"

Andy threw a pillow at him. It bounced harmlessly off his chest.

"Ah, calm down pipsqueak. I'm just messin' with ya. I really do appreciate that you would do that for me."

He picked up the pillow and dropped it next to Andy.

"And you really are a cool little bro."

He punched Andy's shoulder lightly. Andy was still pouting, but he had a small smile now.

"Just get out of here you big jerk. When you need your college money I'll have my secretary take care of it, you won't see me dealing with it. I'll be so rich that I won't even notice so little missing."

Ryan laughed again.

"I'm sure you won't, I'm gonna head out now."

"Good."

Ryan just shook his head and walked out the door. He quickly made his way down the driveway and turned left.

("Been awhile since I just walked. I should do it more, helps me think.")

He reached the entrance of the cul-de-sac and took a left again.

("Might help me lose weight if I do it enough. I'd have to plan out a time everyday to do it.....naaaah not worth it.")

He splashed through a puddle while he was thinking, getting his shoes soaked.

"Shit, wet socks. Stupid puddles. Need to look in front of me."

With a squelch to his steps, shaking his soggy shoes every few feet, he made his way to the park. The rest of the way was spent in relative silence.

("That fuck Mike better hope he doesn't see me around anytime soon, I'll make sure he never forgets my name.")

He imagined various scenarios ranging from verbally destroying publicly to doing things to him of a disturbing nature.

("-then I'll take his leg and twist it till I hear it crack and then...then...-Then what?-....I really am fucked up aren't I?-Yup.-I still want to do that Walker Texas Ranger thing to his heart. Makes me happy that mind readers aren't real, or if they are then at least theirs none near by.")

He slowed down considerably.

("Maybe I should save up for a therapist before college, last I checked wanting to use some guy's intestines to hang them meant you aren't all there.-You think?-But how am I supposed to tell anyone, even a therapist, this kinda shit? I'd be in a padded room before lunch.”)

He could feel the all-too-familiar uncomfortable tightness in his chest forming as he shuffled along.

(“Why is it that of all the psycho-killers-to-be I'm the one that knows that they’re screwed in the head?-You know why.-")

He sighed and took a deep breath.

("The world would probably be a little safer if I just disappeared now, before I become anything dangerous.-Probably would.-")

Pausing and staring up at the sky, light grey clouds were the only thing to greet him. He didn’t move for a few minutes. Suddenly he was walking again, faster than before, as if trying to escape his morbid thoughts.

("You haven't done anything yet, and you never will.-And what abou-SHUT UP! You're just pissed, I'm sure other people don't talk about some of the shit they want to do when they’re pissed. Just get to the park and don't think about it.")

The next few moments were filled with a mental battle that went unknown to anyone but himself. Later when he actually reached the park his more positive side had won the fight and he was thinking of more mundane things.

("The egg came first. Due to evolution whatever laid the first chickens wasn't a chicken. It's egg would have become the first ever chicken being the next in an evolutionary chain...I think. Would it be considered a chicken if it's parents weren’t considered one? When would two different levels of evolution be separated?")

He continued his ponderings as he strolled through the park entrance. Unsurprisingly the park was empty as he had predicted. He made his way to one of the round tables that still had it's umbrella, took a seat, and pulled out his PS Vita to play JetPack Joyride. The rest of the time, he milled about randomly. He played with his vita, contemplated more ideas, and just walked around aimlessly and burned off pent up energy. About a half hour in, he felt bored but wasn't ready to head home yet, so he found a park bench and laid down.

("Not much to do, but it's still nice to have it all for myself. I should get a bouncy ball, would be another thing to do when I'm here.")

Shifting to a more comfortable position, he yawned.

("It's been some time since I came out here. Last time I was here for the grad party mom threw for me. It was just my family, and of course Boa. He never seems to fail when it came to party crashing, even when he was invited that magnificent bastard of a friend. I still couldn't believe all the money I got from everyone! All together it was enough to buy a new Wii! I spent a lot of time afterwards just thanking them. Mom hung off me the entire time always on the verge of tears.")

His eyes started to lower as he reminisced.

("I remember as it was wrapping up Boa wanted me to come with him. It was near eleven o'clock I think. I got mom to let me stay at his place so we could have the rest of the night for whatever the hell he had planned. He took me under the bridge near his house and handed me a bottle of wine. Fucker knew that I hated beer, it all tastes like piss. He knew that too, but wine ain’t beer, and to hell and back if we cared that night! He got some glasses out, poured a good amount in each, and we toasted. “Here’s to me being able to give those school higher ups that said I needed Special Ed the middle finger by getting above average on most of my finale tests.” Then we got drunk off our asses and stumbled our way to his house. His mum was asleep, thankfully, and we passed out as soon as we got to his room.")

He was closing his eyes as some last thoughts went through his head.

("Glad I stayed at his place, my mum could have seen our hangover from a mile away that morning....")

He fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan awoke with a start, though his eyes remained closed. The surprisingly comfortable wood of the bench had been replaced with something smoother and flatter. He opened his eyes, and gazed into the empty darkness surrounding him. He was confused and dazed having suddenly shifted from the park to this dark eternity. No matter where he looked, all he could see was more black. The only perceivable thing was himself. He was as clear as if he were anywhere else with reasonable lighting. With no idea on what to do he tried calling out to the void as he stood up.

"HELLOOO, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE?!"

He was greeted with silence, his voice consumed by the darkness. He was truly scared now, unsure of how to proceed when a voice replied.

"Hel...can y…..ar me?"

He was surprised to have gotten a response and swiftly called back.

"I'M SORRY BUT COULD YOU REPEAT THAT?! YOU SOUNDED DISJOINTED!" He yelled into the void in whatever direction he was facing, not being able to spot the other speaker.

"Tha…..underst……..for how we ar…...unicating. We wou…..ke to speak wi…..o...ore...rectly, so we mu…...ve the for now as…...nd...way to come into….ter contact."

"WAIT!!!!! PLEASE, DO YOU KNOW WHERE I AM AND HOW I CAN GET BACK?! I’M COMPLETELY LOST!"

He did not get most of what the voice said but he heard enough to know that they were going to leave.

"Ah, ye…..had forgo…..at you wo…..ot know w…..you are. We sha…...d you back."

"THANK YOU!!"

He wasn't sure what was going on, hardly understanding his host but he understood enough that they were going to send him home. He didn't want to question it as long as he got back.

"Thi…..not the las….me t….we sh…..eet. Whe…...ave found a…...solid form o…...act we will find yo..again."

He was perplexed by what they meant when a light off in the distance caught his attention. He could hear some very faint sound.

"It wo…..eem that ano…..is waking you. Reme…...we will ta…...in."

The light was growing as well as the noise. It sounded like a horn.

Ryan wasn't able to give any reply as the the light blinded him and the horn drowned out all other sound, even his own surprised yelp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan fell off of the bench as the horn continued to blare.

"SWEET FUCKER ON RICE!!!!!"

He scrambled to stand back up and looked around. He saw his mom in her car, near the back entrance, glaring at him. Letting his heart slow down he started walking to the car.

"Damn, how long was I out?"

He took out his PS Vita and looked at the time. 5:27.

"Noooooo..."

He hesitantly made his way to the car. As he neared he saw Andy in the back. He was playing on their mom’s tablet. Andy gave him one of those smug "You’re in trouble" looks. As they pulled out onto the road his mother gave him a stern glare.

"Why were you sleeping on a park bench?"

"...I got bored and laid down. I was just thinking about stuff and then I fell asleep."

Silence.

"So instead of coming home you went to sleep on a park bench?"

"I wasn't ready to come home yet and I didn't think I'd knock out."

"Well think of that next time because I had to drag your brother out here and waste gas on getting you. I had no idea if something had happened and I had no way of contacting you! I forgot my own cellphone I was in such a rush!"

"I'm sorry that I'm not one those teens that goes brain dead on a smartphone."

"You're just one those teens that falls asleep on park benches."

More silence.

"I really am sorry. I didn't think I'd fall asleep. I just wanted to lay down for a minute."

~sigh~ "Just promise you won't do it again. It drives me nuts not knowing what’s going on with you."

"I won't, I promise."

"Thank you."

"Really?! That's all he gets?!" Andy said, game of Flappy Birds forgotten in the face of the grand injustice.

"He didn't mean to Andy, and he apologized. Plus nothing happened so yes, that's all he gets."

"Hmph. He always gets off easy."

"You'll learn how to do the same thing when you’re older pipsqueak."

"Don't give him any ideas smooth talker, I'm just letting you off the hook this time."

Ryan looked back and gave Andy a wink, who grinned madly.

The ride was relatively quiet from there on out, only broken by the various noises of angry birds and the car’s engine. There were no other cars on the road, they had taken the dirt road behind the park since it let out closer to home. The road was old and familiar, having been made at the same time their town was settled. It was near perfectly flat on most days thanks to its constant use, but the recent weather made it a little uneven. Still, many around the neighbourhood used this road as a way to try and pass the main roads, unless of course too many people were trying to use it at once. Thankfully this didn’t happen too often thanks to it being more of a local secret. Ryan felt like he was going to be eaten by the quiet as he settled into a comfy position in his seat. He was still a little drowsy from his nap in the park, and the soft rock of the car on the gravel was helping to lull him back to sleep.

The roar of an engine shattered the quiet. Ryan’s eyes snapped open back onto the road to find a red pickup truck skidding uncontrollably towards them.

The truck had made an upcoming turn too quickly, only its own luck allowing it to stay on the road. It was now heading directly for them, the driver’s face white with terror as he slammed on his brakes. His truck must have found traction, because it turned on a dime. This with the momentum of it’s own weight was such that its rear end kept going, spinning round to end with a shattering crash in the bonnet of their car. They almost instantly stopped as Catherine was already slamming their brakes. The pickup pivoted where it had impacted to smash into Ryan’s side of the car. The jolts shook them violently with glass flying as if in a storm. Ryan held on to whatever he could grab with all the strength he could muster. He could not think of anything else, only the primal need not to let go.

Their car tilted onto its left side near one of the roads ditches as the truck spun into the one on the opposite side. Ryan felt sick as the car landed on its side, dangerously close to flipping completely over into the ditch. After his mind was able to process what had happened, he realized he was still being held to his seat by the seat belt. His glasses had gone missing, flung away in the havoc. Ignoring the pain shooting through him from his pinned leg he twisted in his seat, his own plight forgotten.

Below him he saw that his mom was awake and hacking uncontrollably, having been hit in the stomach by the steering wheel. Fortunately her only other injuries were a collection of small gashes on her arms and face. Looking in the back seats he could see Andy had been knocked out. A large gash on his head and a blood covered tablet lying on the floor confirmed the cause. Thankfully, he was still breathing. He looked at the splintered windshield and his busted out window, fearing that the car would flip over entirely if any movement was made at all when he saw just how close to the ditch they were. Images of glass flying, the roof buckling under the weight of the flipped car, and other gruesome events passed through his mind. He left self examination for later as he thought on how to get them out without the car flipping.

"Mom, are you alright? Anything broken?"

*cough cough* ~inhale~ "No...I don't think so..."

"Take a sec to catch your breath and try to not move too much."

"Why...?"

"We're on our side, if we move to much we might tip the whole car over."

She realized that she was at an angle, partially laying on what was now the bottom of the car.

"Oh..."

There was no talking as they waited for her to recover. After she seemed to have gotten herself together a bit, Ryan began on what he hoped was a decent plan.

"Okay mom, do you think you’re good to move?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Then I need you to get up, you're gonna have to get Andy out first, he was hit in the head but he's still breathing."

She breathed a deep sigh of relief despite the pain in her chest, grateful that both her sons were alive. Nodding her understanding, she carefully undid her seat belt. She groaned as she unfolded from the seat, a multitude of injuries clamoring for her attention. Glass crunched under her feet as she held onto the steering wheel, letting her body get used to the slightly tilted world. She was bent over, not being able to fully stand straight in the sideways car.

"Okay, now get Andy before you help me, he’s already out cold from that head wound and being in a flipping car isn’t going to help, so he needs to get out first."

“Right.”

She got Andy out of his seat as gently as possible, pausing whenever she felt the car shake from her movement, and laid him on the floor of the car. She stood back up and was about to help Ryan but he stopped her.

"Not yet, all of us on the floor would be a bad idea. You and Andy need to get out first, then I can get out of my seat."

"But Ryan, I can't just-"

"You have to! I know you don't like it and neither do I, but if this thing falls over then none of us are making it out. I'm not asking to make myself look tough, it's the safest way since we can't just wait for help to come. Just please listen to me."

She glared at him while she searched her mind for something other than her own worry to argue him with. Without her cellphone or any more cars likely to come their way soon, his idea seemed to be best. She hated to do it, but she folded as no other ideas came to her.

"Fine, but for the love of god be careful."

"I will, I absolutely promise."

Quiet.

"...Okay, what’s your plan?"

He smiled as reassuringly as he could at her.

"Thank you. I have my knife on me, you can use it to break out the rest of the windshield and climb out like that. It's in my right pocket, you have to get it out. I'm useless up here."

"Alright, I guess that works."

She reached over and started digging in his pocket when she saw his right leg.

"OH MY GOD YOUR LEG!!!"

It was at a strange angle from where the car had bent inwards from the crash.

"I KNOW! There's nothing we can do about it right now, we need to get out the car first okay?"

She looked at his bent leg for the longest time before she quickly looked away.

"O..okay.."

Shakily she got his knife out and began to work on breaking what was left of the windshield. It took a good bit of effort, cutting her hands multiple times as she worked. At last, most of the glass was smashed out with the hilt of the knife.

"That should be big enough to get through...I'll go ahead and get Andy out."

"Right, I'll work my way out after. You can help me through the windshield on the other side."

"...." She stared at the ground in silence.

"I know you don't like it, but if it's even just us two in here it still could be enough."

Looking back to him they stared at each other for a moment, neither willing to budge. At last his mom looked away.

"I know, just please keep your promise."

"You know I will."

She awkwardly hugged him then worked on the task at hand. She picked up Andy, glass dust falling from his cloths, and cradled him in her arms. She inched her way out the jagged hole, not wanting to cut Andy or herself anymore. She was half way though when she paused and looked at Ryan one more time before exiting completely. Ryan couldn’t tell what she was doing until a small scream was uttered from outside the car. He feared the worst and just as he was about to call out she yelled to him.

“I’m fine, just slipped on the mud.”

The next few heartbeats were spent in more silence before she came back and looked at him through the broken windshield.

"I laid Andy on the side of the road, I should stay with him near the road in case a car comes by. Yell when you need my help"

"Okay, I'm gonna start."

He was terrified, his imagination working overtime with new possibilities, some wild and impossible, some simple and very likely, but all gruesome, of how the cars fall could bring him to his death.

("Alright, best idea would probably be to try and land on my side, shouldn't get too much more hurt like that...")

He looked at the ground for a moment before undoing his seat belt, landing on the ground with a thump. He hissed in pain, his leg doing nothing but reminding him that it was broken, not helped from the added stings of pain where new bits of glass had made their home in his skin. The car shook for a bit and he believed his time had come sooner, rather than later. He held still while the car balanced, the sound of wet dirt, glass and metal being the only noise. It soon settled, still on it’s side, after a bit of swaying. He visibly deflated of tension and saw his mom had run back after seeing the car move.

"Now imagine if we had both still been in here, I know what I'm doing sometimes."

"Shut it boy,no jokes until we can get you to a hospital."

The small moment of joy was broken by someone yelling at them.

"HEY! The..The FUCK ya think yas was doin bitch?!"

Ryan cringed at the sudden new voice and his mom made a sharp pivot to her right, seething in anger.

"Wha..WHAT?! WHAT WAS I DOING?!?! I was driving like a person who DOESN'T have more liquor than blood in them!"

Has much as Ryan wanted to get out there and kick this guys ass himself, there was no way he could even stand. He wasn't worried for his mom really though. She could handle herself, especially against some heavily drunk a-hole that was in the same, if not worse, condition as they were.

"So yooours say'n tha -hic- that it was mys fault?! You can't see fo shit!! Tha fuck ya think you are?! JESUS?!?!"

"I certainly think you need Jesus in your life, now if you could kindly go along your way I need to help my son out of the car."

("That mother fucker better be glad it's not me out there, I would have already fucked his ass up.")

"Ya tellin ME what ta do nows huh? You think I'ms one've yer kids likes that spoiled brat in there that can't even faucking walk on his own?!?!" The drunk walked closer to the side of the car pointing towards it.

"His leg was injured severely thanks to you, and now I am TELLING you for the last time to just move along before I have to do something regrettable."

She growled out the last few words, taking a step closer to the drunk.

"Now yer frettin me! You jus don know whens ya need stop ya dumb fuck...I'll fukin show you and yer lazy fuck-off son!"

Catherine was about to confront the drunk when he rammed a foot into the car’s underside, falling back on to his buttocks from loss of balance, and watched fixedly as the car flipped fully over into the ditch upside down with a crunch.

"FUCK!!!!" The scream could be heard from inside of the vehicle.

The drunk was grinning in triumph on the ground before a foot filled his vision and the world went black for him.

“Worthless piece of shit!”. She growled as she ran over to stricken vehicle, concern winning over her anger.

She had to crouch to see through the windshield.

"RYAN, oh my god can you hear me?! [Please you need to answer me, any~-~-]"

Everything around Ryan was quieting has he struggled to understand what was happening. Without anything holding him he had been tossed about wildly even in the short distance the car had covered. He was on his back, lying near the driver side window. The roof of the car had crumpled on impact, but it looked easy enough to scoot out of it.

("Why can't I feel my legs...it's starting to get hard to feel the rest of my body too...")

He raised his head to look at himself.

There was a shard of glass sticking out slightly from the top of his belly.

("Shiiiit...that must’ve went through my spine...I guess I'm in shock then. That explains why I can't feel anything...or I'm dying...")

There was a pool of red reaching outwards from his body.

It felt as though everything was covered with cotton, everything was muted and dull, color looking to seep away like a watercolor painting being washed away. It barely registered in him that his mother was yelling as she scrambled to grab him through the open wind shield. He more saw his body being pulled out then felt it. His mother laid him out of the grass a few feet away from the car. The only thing he could hear though the padding that seemed to obstruct his ability to sense the world around him was his mother sobbing as she held his head in her lap. Unable to move only his thoughts proved he was still alive.

("I'm sorry mom, I thought I was gonna make it. I hope you'll be okay without me.")

His mother was holding him to her chest, hugging tightly.

("Andy will pull though, he's always been a strong kid....")

Ryan began to feel a tugging in his chest, but odd as it was to be feeling anything, he was more focused on his last thoughts to pay it mind.

("I should try saying something to her. She needs to hear me one more time.") He looked her in the eyes, noticing everything was getting blurry.

"I love you mom, I'm glad I was your son. Please tell Andy he was an awesome brother and that he can have my stuff. Thank you for everything."

He wasn't sure if it came out as coherent as he wanted or if he even said anything at all, he couldn't hear himself talking or feel his mouth. By how his mother started to cry harder, he knew he said something intelligible. What remained of his strength left him along with his words. He could not move no matter how much he wished to. His mother put her hand to his cheek and her forehead to his, saying things he could not hear.

The tugging had now become full-on pulling. This invisible force was trying to pull him straight into the air. His mom might have seemed confused, but he was unable to tell before everything went gray. When he could see nothing but the endless gray void, the force that had been trying to pluck him from the earth finally succeeded. He felt himself speed upwards. He thought his body must be like a fish on a line, the hook lodged firmly in his chest. He still felt nothing else but the pulling sensation, not sure if he screamed and if so out of fear or pain. The gray slowly changed to pure black, so deep it felt like it was invading his mind. It reminded him of the peculiar dream he had.

He had unanswered questions, regrets, doubts, and personal demons. In this endlessness he let them slip away, content with the thought that his family would be safe.

("I'm dead. And now I'm probably going to judgement. I'm not sure how I'll do, but I kinda hope I can be reborn. Heaven always sounded boring, everything you want is just given to you. I want to know that I earned what I wanted...")

And then he was silent, thoughts drifting away into nothing, being hurled through darkness to a pinpoint of light.

Author's Note

Where it all began for dumb lil' me.

*Edit* Major thanks to CanisLoopis and WrittenWord333 for proofreading. Be sure to check them out on their pages.

(Revised) Where am I?
View Online

Appetizer

(Revised) Where am I?

"This HAS to be purgatory. It’s too dark to be hell, or heaven for that matter, BUT FUCK ALL IF I’M SUPPOSED TO KNOW!!!!"

Ryan’s eyes opened, once more gazing upon the black void. For a while he had thought maybe he was still dreaming and that he would wake up. He discarded this notion after a lengthy amount of time had passed. He was now certain that after he had died that he had been sent to purgatory, the waiting room of the afterlife.

He found that his clothes were intact along with his glasses, but everything else he had on him before were gone. He tried various things in search for any kind of response from his environment, or possibly even his host from before. Yelling had only left his throat hurting. More purposeful self inflicted pain like pinching himself did not wake him as he heard it could. He tried walking for as long as he thought he could take, becoming frustratingly bored. He did notice that he never tired though. This is how he came to the realization that for as much time he seemed to have spent here he still wasn't hungry, thirsty, or had to use the bathroom. He had no physical needs to fulfill, nowhere to go or anything do, and no clue what this place was. After walking had also failed to lead him to an answer he sat down, still utterly confused that this place had a floor, and simply thought.

This is where we are now.

"Maybe this is what happens to everyone when they die, just ending up in their own endless eternity."

He had taken to speaking out loud to keep himself slightly more coherent.

"Sounds morbid, but hell if I have anyway of knowing. It's not like I have a manual."

...

"It'd be nice if I had a book, or a clock so at least I can tell how the fuck long I've been in here."

He turned to his side and closed his eyes.

"Fuck it, I might not NEED to sleep but naps should help pass some time."

He laid still for a long while, trying to fall asleep. Twenty minutes later it seemed that he didn't just not have to sleep but could not sleep at all, no matter how hard he tried. After getting into several more comfortable positions to try and catch the elusive Z's he let out a sigh and stood up.

"...Fuuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkingggggggggg shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttt-aaaaa. Now I understand why everybody wants to live forever."

A sound like whipping wind scared him from his frustration and made him turn to look for its source. Behind from where he stood a faint blue glowing blob could be seen. He could feel a small gust coming from it, the origin point of the sound. Being cautious he waited a moment before approaching. As he watched a discernible form could be seen starting to take shape from the blob. It looked to be some kind of horse creature with appendages not normally given to earth equines.

("I think that's a horn...glowing too...A unicorn? That glow must be magic then. Not sure what's on it's sides. I just hope it's here to help me. Maybe it's how god has chosen to appear in front of me as. If nothing else, could keep me company if doesn't know how to get out of here too.")

With the idea that this new being could help or even just stave off the near infinite boredom that this place embodied he began to approach it more. By now it had almost completely materialized and he could start making out the finer details.

("Wings? That's a pegasus right? Then either unicorns and them have always just been the same thing or this is some kind of super version. Like a fusion monster. Or I've really have gone completely insane.[-It was bound to happen at some point.-] Unhuh. At least it's dark blue, my favourite color.")

He came to stand right in front of the now completely materialized horse. It had it's eyes closed and seemed to be concentrating intensely, it's horn glowing a similar shade to it's fur. He stood patiently, not wanting to make it angry or frighten it. Mythical creature or not he still had no idea if it was sentient. It's head came to just under his, its horn likely reaching past an inch over his head. From the long eyelashes and slender form it gave off a distinct female vibe.

("A girl then. I never thought a unicorn-pegasus could look so feminine, might just be that if there's more it's how they all are.")

Her horn’s glow faded and she stirred, slowly opening her eyes and peering about her. Instantly she was looking straight at him. She seemed to lock up, her body rigid still and her eyes widening their already huge selves to even greater lengths. Clearly surprised and not moving, Ryan ventured to make the first move. He grinned broadly and raised his hand to wave.

"Hi, I have no idea what's going on and am really hoping that you do. I guess I should introduce myself first though, I think proper manners should always pervade even in this endless hell. I'm Ryan Kumen. Nice to meet you."

("A bit blunt but simple to follow.")

His grin was nervous as it was and only grew weaker has he got no response. She looked to have calmed her body but was still not moving. Not breaking visual contact her eyes returned to normal size (for her anyway) and she now looked to be contemplating something. She finally looked away closing her eyes again and taking a breath. She turned back to look him eye to eye and gave a smile.

"Forgive us for our poor behavior, we were greatly surprised by your...appearance. This is the first time we have witnessed you in full. We believe you have introduced thyself and we shall do the same. We are Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria and guardian of the night. It is a pleasure to finally meet you properly, Ryan Kumen."

Ryan was thrown off by this. Her being able to talk isn't that big of a stretch, her being royalty though he did not foresee. He scrambled to bow.

"I'm sorry princess, I wasn't aware of who you were. Please forgive me for my not having paid you the proper respect." ("DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT!!! She has a crown you dolt! How did I not notice it?! It was one thing before when she was just magical but now she's a PRINCESS! If I don't treat her right she'll probably leave me here for the rest of eternity...")

Luna seemed surprised by his sudden action, taking a slight step back.

"Please rise Ryan Kumen, we understand that you would not be privy to the fact that we are of royalty and even so we do prefer that our subjects be able to feel comfortable around us. We...I like to walk among the common ponies and be treated as one of them, rather than be looked upon as a creature higher than them. I would like to expect the same from you, that you would come to consider me a friend."

Ryan tentatively looked up from where he was bent over.

"A friend your highness? If I may, I can understand wanting to be accepted by your people, but I'm a stranger from, I believe, another world. Why would you want me as a friend? You know nothing about me, plus I'm just a nobody. I'm not royalty or a noble. I'm not anyone special."

This seemed to only agitate Luna. Angrily looking down at him her horn began to glow again. Ryan felt himself being lifted up in the air and the world take on a blue tint. He kept his calm appearance not letting her know of how he felt of the sudden levitation.

("FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK SHE'S GOING TO SEND ME FLYING AND SPLATTER ME LIKE A BUG OHGODOHGOD")

He was back on his feet before his mind could go on. He was standing at full height again, looking confusedly at the royalty. Luna proceeded to poke a hoof into his chest.

"I may not know you in the least, but you are far from nopony. I will not tolerate others belittling themselves, and if I must say this to you ever again then I’ll make you noble just so you will not be able to say so. It is a very hard life one must live if they do not have confidence in their own self and I will not have my guest do as such. You are no lesser than me nor I greater than you, and especially here of all places we are equals."

She was now right in his face, hoof still poking him. He was flat out confused by how aggressively she was going for this. It wasn’t exactly how he imagined meeting another sentient species or royalty would go.

"I’m sorry?"

Luna backed off him and lowered her hoof.

"It is fine, just do not speak of thy self so lowly. It is a great personal grievance of mine when ponies speak of themselves in such a way. I know what it leads to and wish to help others away from that path. Just know you may speak how you wish and do not need to act as though a manticore will attack you at any moment."

(“K, first what’s a manticore? Second, why do you care about how I think of myself, and third would you please slow down and let me get a grip!? Ugh whatever, I think I can start getting some answers now.”)

“Well, I won’t talk like that again. Um, so do you mind if I ask you a question?”

The Princess seemed to be calming down and smiled again.

“Of course, it would be silly if you would have none.”

“Okay, well here's my first one. You seem to know about this place, would you tell me about it?”

“Ah yes, I should have known that would be your first question. I suppose the best place to start would be with how I myself am here. As I said before I am the guardian of the night and as such can enter others dreams to help them with their nightmares and give them guidance, for their dreams echo the realities they live. Nightmares and simple dreams with notable problems tend to derive from the troubles of real life, and as the ruler of night it is my obligation and honor to protect and assist them through their night terrors. While any unicorn trained enough can do it, it comes much more naturally to me, even entering your dreams was of no terrible effort after I knew what to expect. This is how I am able to be here, though the first time I tried to enter your dreams specifically was while you were still of your own world, if you would remember."

"Okay...Yeah I remember, you were coming in all weird and fuzzy. Wait! This is a dream? Does that mean I'm sleeping now?"

Luna went quiet and nodded.

"So...I'm not dead?! I'M STILL ALIVE SOMEWHERE?!?!"

"That is correct..."

Luna looked hesitant and did not meet his gaze. Down cast eyes, mouth pulled tight into a frown, and the tilt of her head to the side told him that couldn’t be anything good.

"...and I'm guessing there's a "but" to this sentence?"

Luna couldn’t help but giggle at his wording, downtrodden as she was by whatever news she had to give him. Matching his gaze with determination, Luna spoke.

"When I had brought to my world you were in a...less than favorable condition, most of your body paying host to some form of shrapnel, the worst of which being a shard of metal in your back. Your right leg was far beyond anything we could do and had to be amputated. You must believe me when I say that me and my sister had our best doctors try and help you, but we simply knew too little about your species. We tried using healing spells on your body but their effects were minimal. We can keep you alive for about a week as we have you now, but without an expert on what you are there is nothing we can do beyond that."

Luna let Ryan absorb this at his own speed and sat on her haunches, dutifully waiting for his response. Ryan meanwhile was beyond stunned,completely paralyzed even in his emotions, feeling nothing but cold.

("So I’m going to die anyway, it’s just gonna take another week. And I’m being kept alive in a whole other world.")

He put his hand to his face as he thought.

("That means that even if by some miracle I live that I might not be able to go home. Which would mean no more living with other humans, never having kids if I ever wanted any, living with these horse creatures, basicly restarting my life. Mom will have to fend completely by herself with Andy to look after. Andy will ask her why both me and dad are gone since he was knocked out during the crash.")

He flinched, pupils shrinking, as his family came to his mind.

("SHIT! I forgot about them…-Like it matters to you anyway-...What are they gonna do without me?-Probably a lot better-I should have been worrying about them to begin with! Damn...I could still make it home.")

He started to rub the bridge of his nose just under where his glasses would sit.

("-It's not like you really cared about them anyway-I don't how long it's been, just that it's definitely been a crap load long. If it hasn’t been too long I should be able to make it back without much trouble.")

His body felt like it was starting to be squeezed.

("Or would they even want me back…-They would say they do, but you know that people don’t always know what they want. They don’t know that their better off without you-I can still find a job, help around the house, I just need to get back.-To what? Sitting on a computer and looking at the long list of application rejections? To being no more than a room filler that your mom has to feed? To hurting them?-")

He let out a small gasp as tears threatened to spill.

(-”Face it, you know that their better off with you gone, dead or alive. Just so long as you’re no where near them, especially Andy.”-)

Luna watched as Ryan brought both his hands to his face and slowly sank to his knees, thinking now would be the time to try and comfort him. She rose from where she sat and walked to Ryan. She laid down on her stomach next to him and draped a wing around him. He did not protest, a sob being his only response.

"I know that it may seem hopeless Ryan, but there is a way to save you yet. It's a dangerous gamble that could kill you regardless, but it at least has the chance of saving you, where as simply sitting does not."

Ryan lowered his hands from his face and let his arms drop to his sides. He held his look at the ground, tears freely flowing.

"It doesn’t matter, I don’t have any reason to live anymore now."

Both of Luna's wings shot straight out as she stared once again wide eyed at the grieving teen. Taking a moment to gather herself she draped her wing over him again, though a bit tighter this time. She felt a jolt in her own chest due to him talking like this again, but she knew that she needed to be comforting now rather than angry.

"Ryan, we just spoke about this way of talking. I understand that this is extremely troubling but as long as you have a chance I see no reason to give up hope."

Ryan only sunk his head lower in response, sobs being the only noise he made. Luna used her magic to grab Ryan's chin gently but firmly in her grasp and made him look at her.

"Ryan Kumen, I wish nothing more than to help. I have seen the many regrets of my subjects and believe I could offer advice, but you need to speak with me if I am going to be of any help."

Ryan tried to pull away but Luna kept his head in place. He was forced to look at her. She wore a stern yet concerned look, not wavering in the least as she silently pleaded with him. Obviously he could not avoid this. He closed his eyes and took a few shuddering breaths.

(“I...I can’t tell her the truth. Not the whole truth anyway.”)

"Okay...I'll tell you."

She let go of his chin and let his head turn away.

"Very good, go on."

Taking one last breath he began.

"When I first got here I was confused, not sure where I was. I was in a bad crash and had just gotten my mom and brother out when a drunk kicked our car over with me still inside. The last thing I remember before I got here is my mom's face and the feeling of being pulled. And until just now that was the last time I thought about her, or my brother. All I cared about in all the time before you came was about what was going to happen next and how boring this place was. It wasn't 'till you told me I was going to die again that I spared them a thought. Not once did they cross my mind before. For as long as I've been here all I've thought about was myself."

(“-Yeah, that does sound a whole lot less worse than “It’s because I realized that I was certifiably insane and shouldn't be near anyone in a thousand kilometer radius and it’s for the best that I’m going to die.”-)

Luna didn't know that he had only told her part of the story, but she did know how to help with what he had told her. She put on a gentle smile.

"And you feel that you have done them a great disservice. That you deserve a punishment for doing so. Ryan, I know that the guilt that weighs upon you when you have wronged those who are close to you is like that of the world itself, but if you wish to rectify it, then all you can do is ask them for forgiveness. And you cannot do that if you give in now, correct?"

Her words still made him feel better, even if it was for much more guarded reasons.

"And that you feel such remorse now after realizing shows that you care a great deal, even now. Hold onto that and use it to try and make yourself better if you truly believe you need to do so."

Ryan tears ceased. He still felt like he was being constricted, but it was not as bad as before. He wiped his face of moisture, working up the strength for a small but genuine smile for Luna, who who returned with sympathy.

("...She’s right, I can still get home and make it better.")

Ryan got more comfortable and sat cross-legged. They sat in silence for a moment, Luna retracting her wing. After collecting himself some more he grew anxious as not one or the other knew what now to say.

"...Sooo what now?"

"Hm? Oh yes, I was telling you about how we might still be able to save you. Do you think you are ready to hear this now or do you still need a moment? I imagine that you want some time to consider everything thus far. If so we could talk of other things a for the moment."

He gave it a brief thought.

"I'd like that, but you said there wasn't much time. Are you sure we can use it like this."

"Yes I did, but it is only one day, you may take some time to help cope."

"Alright, if you’re sure. So what else is there to talk about?"

“I could tell you about how you actually came to be here.”

“Yeah, that would be nice to know, if you don’t mind.”

"Then let me explain. As I said before I tried to contact you back in your world."

"Yup."

"I was trying to enter your dream as I have now, only then it was from another world. I had great difficulty conveying what I wanted and wished to try again the next time you fell asleep."

"...So you wanted to stalk me in my dreams?"

Luna blushed deeply, opening and closing her mouth soundlessly.

"It was NOT stalking as you say! I fully intended to introduce myself once I had been able to make a better connection."

Ryan was laughing loudly, Luna turning her head away and pouting still with that blush. After calming himself he address her.

"I believe you, really, but what made me so interesting?"

Luna huffed and looked back at him, the barest hints of a blush still on her cheeks.

"Do not be offended but it was not you specifically that interested me, but your dreams themselves."

"My dreams?"

"Yes. I can look into the world of dreams and see the slumbering musings of all my subjects, even to some extent, look past the walls of reality and glimpse others. I was making my rounds until I spotted something peculiar. It looked like a dream like any other, a floating cloud with a view into the sleeper’s dream, but a closer look revealed that inside was a living blackness. It appeared to be moving of it's own accord. It captured my interest and for the next few nights I would come back to it after making sure that my subject’s dreams were safe. I would return to examine it and try to discern what it was."

Ryan looked very lost.

"My dreams are a...black monster? Does this mean that we're in it’s stomach?"

"Tis...not truly a monster. It is your subconscious that we are in. Commonly one’s dreams are made when their subconscious is allowed to think freely with higher functions put to rest, but it would seem that yours remains void."

Ryan tilted his head.

"So I don't think when I'm asleep?"

Luna thought of her answer for a moment before revealing her thoughts.

"Yes and no. During sleep the subconscious pulls all the recent thoughts that have been preoccupying your waking mind and begins to file the away into your memory. It is believed to be one’s way of trying to understand what they have learned during the day. Yours does not do that. You are asleep traditionally, but with no memories for your subconscious to use your dreams have no form or shape. The movement that I have glimpsed might be a sign that your subconscious is active, just with no real thought to create with."

Luna hoped her explanation would not be overly complicated for him. Not many ponies study how sleep works as she did and those who do tend to say that it is one of the hardest subjects they have undertaken.

Ryan held a bit of a far off look before he hesitantly looked to her.

"So you could say it's like people's brains are picking up building blocks, information, and at night their subconscious uses those blocks to make dreams. My brain has those blocks, but my subconscious doesn't use them. Or something like that?"

("Please let that analogy work, I don't need "Sounding like an idiot" to be added to the list of things I've done in front of a princess.")

Luna gave an unreadable look for a moment as she mulled over what he said, bobbing her head a little with a low hum and eyes closed.

"That is a very good way of putting it, yes! I am really rather impressed by how quickly you grasped it."

Ryan was grinning more genuinely now but wanted to tell Luna something.

"Thanks Luna, but you don’t have to try and make me feel better."

Luna was once again surprised but tuned narrowed eyes towards him as she immediately understood what he meant.

"You think that I'm complimenting you simply to make you feel better?"

Ryan now being the surprised one slowly nodded.

"You don’t need to worry so much about me, I’ll be fine now. I won’t go crying again, promise."

Luna’s face twisted into a scowl, and her gaze sharpened.

"I would have you know that I do not lie to simply make others feel better for their self. One can not improve upon their mistakes if they are not told of them. I truly think that you have a great deal of ability to comprehend things with greater ease than others, no more, no less and if I desire I will tell you so. Now if there is anything that can be considered wrong with you it is this: You think too lowly of yourself. You have damned yourself to such a lowly position and fear much to greatly of hurting others. You must understand that you will not hurt others for simply voicing your opinion."

Luna sighed and backed off of him.

"It such a short time I have come to hold you in great interest. You have surprised me, aggravated me, and so on. If only I could see into that funny little head of yours, I could acquire the answers to the many questions you have raised."

Slightly dazed Ryan heard himself talking before he could think.

"It's because you just met me. Give it time and you might think of me every once in awhile at best. I just don't want you worrying so much about me before the appetizer effect kicks in."

Luna perked her ears at this and gave him a curious glance.

"The appetizer effect?"

Ryan turned away, cursing under his breath.

("Damn it, why did I have to say that out loud.")

"Yeah...you see, I try the best kind of person I can be-"

(-"Because you don't want them to know that you’re a psycho if you tell them what you're REALLY like."-)

"-and when you just start getting to know me I am. I have interesting things to talk about, I'm polite and honest, and I try to think of you first. I hate leaving a bad impression. But the problem is-

("-That nearly everyone who sticks around longer might start figuring out how fucked your brain is.-")

"-that I don’t have much more than that. If it's not something I already know about you'll be the one to do all the talking as I just sit there and listen. If it costs too much then I can't come with. I'm still nice and all that, but that's it. You get me to talk for a bit about some interesting stuff here or there and then I'm done, nothing more to me. At least anything worth while."

("-There's plenty more, you just don't want them to go running and screaming.-")

"That's why I call it the appetizer effect,I seem alright at first glance, but I don't have much more to offer. I still have my friends, I'm not THAT out there-"

("-Because you keep it all in here. Or you try to anyway.-")

"But I know people like you, people that have so much more...well just EVERYTHING. Talent, smarts, athletic, or something like that. They can't stick with someone like me without having to give up that potential. If I have any of my own then I've lost trying to help others keep theirs. Even if my friends try to stay, I'll push them away. I'm not gonna let them try and help me if it's just hurting them. You're a princess. You just don't have any reason to stay and help, it's not worth the effort."

Ryan part way through his tell had looked at Luna again. She was not sure what to make of this. She put great care into what she said next.

"I am going to slap you if you keep this up."

"I'm sorr-..wait, what?"

"For some strange reason you keep insisting on talking that way about yourself. If this now is your “appetizer”, then I am only more interested than ever in seeing your “main course”. Honestly you are the most unusual thing I have ever seen, but I’ve always liked solving puzzles."

Ryan blinked, then he laughed. He wasn’t really wasn’t sure why Luna was so interested, but he was going to complain if he could get a new friend, even for a little while.

"...Thank you. I’m still not convinced myself, but I’m not gonna argue with a princess."

"Think nothing of it. It is a pleasure in itself to help others."

Ryan wanted to say something again but couldn't. He wasn't sure if there was anything left to say. He just smiled bigger than ever at the welcoming princess. This did not stop some questions from entering his mind though. With everything touchy-feely out of the way more practical problems came back to his mind. He gave her a funny look as he tried to word it in his mind.

"Luna, do you mind finishing how I got here?"

Luna blinked at the sudden switch in topic but obliged quickly.

"Right, of course. Like I had said I had been watching your dreams for a while, about three weeks, when I decided to try and enter them. Unlike most dreams where it feels as though I am passing through a thin veil, this felt as if I was trying to push my way past some denser form of water. I had thought that due to the strange nature of your dreams that it might be easier to enter them as nothing would try and fight against me but I quickly found that you were a great further away than I had thought. This is why I had appeared to you the way I had."

Luna looked to Ryan questioningly. He didn't say anything, so she went on.

"As you can guess, this piqued my interest. I was pondering the inscrutability of thy dream when I saw your soul begin to fade. A black cloud appeared in place of your dream cloud. They are the last thoughts of a fading soul. With haste I looked to find what I feared most. They were indeed your thoughts, I being able to recognize your voice by our earlier conversation. You were fading fast and I had little time to think clearly. I decided that despite how little I knew of you that you had shown no ill will and I should try and help you. Using my magic I put as much power into my spell as I could and tried desperately to take hold of you. It took longer than I would have liked but I managed to grasp you through the realm of the sleeping and pull you to our world. I had brought your whole physical body over, meaning that you appeared in our real world, rather than the dream world. Your mind had gone quiet but your cloud still remained. I quickly awoke before that could come to pass."

"I sent many of my Night Guard out to find you, as transporting a living being from one world to another is something I have never personally attempted, as well as informing my sister of what had happened. She assisted me and sent out guards of her own to help in finding you. Has it was you were in the royal gardens, hanging from a tree."

Luna shuddered at the memory.

"Your were in dire condition. We rushed you to the medical wing of the castle as fast as we could, but...there was little we could do. As I said before there was not much we could do. We know next to nothing about you anatomy, our best doctors having to make educated guesses about how to handle parts of you and what medicine would be safe to use on you. Normally we would use magic to help in the healing process but your body seems to resist magic to a degree. It does not outright reject it but the effects are weak at best. I had not noticed earlier because me having brought you over here would have been a draining task even if your body had no resistance to magic."

Luna eyed Ryan for a moment before she took a deep breath and went on.

"As of right now your condition is as follows: Your right leg had to be amputated, all of the known bits of glass and metal have been removed from your body, most of your smaller cuts and bruises were healed, the larger ones being bandaged, a large shard of metal has paralyzed you from the waist down and there is the other internal damage that the shard has caused, you have also lost copious amounts of blood. We tested some of your blood and found that yours doesn't match any type we ponies have. Right now the only thing keeping you alive is the continuing efforts of our best unicorn healers. With three of them shifting work hourly and consistently casting healing spells upon you, you have at the very least another week to live. It was after we had done all that that we had thought of a way to help you, but the results even if successful would be life changing. We had decided that I should try and contact you in your comatose state and relay this information to you before we went through with it. That leaves us where we are now."

It was a long story to get through but not a single word of it was lost on Ryan. After Luna had finished he had closed his eyes and gave a breath himself, running a hand through his hair. Luna ventured a question.

"Were you able to comprehend that all? Is there anything you would like me to repeat?"

"No, I got it all the first time...So I have at least another week to live. There's still that other way right?"

"Yes, it's the reason I'm here, to talk to you about it."

"...Could we wait to talk? You said I could spare a day, and I need...time to think."

Luna stood up, giving him a smile, readying her horn with the same blue aura as before.

"One day to contemplate would be acceptable, though I advise you do not delay any further. I shall leave you to your thoughts and inform my sister of what we have talked about. I will return the next night. We can not afford to waste much more time after this."

Ryan was nodding his head when he remembered something and scrambled to his feet.

"Before you go, I have one more question."

Luna let her magic fade and nodded for him to continue.

"I...wanted to know if this is how I'll always dream from now on. Just me sitting in nothing until the next morning."

Luna smiled.

"Do not fear, this is just a result of my magic’s effect on you, me having used so much on you that even your resistance could not fully stop it. Once a length of time has gone without more magic being cast on you they will return to how they were."

Ryan nodded.

"Good. That's all for now I guess...Thank you again Luna. For everything."

As again Luna's horn came alive with magic she tilted her head and smiled wider.

"But of course Ryan. We are friends after all. Until the new sunset."

Ryan waved as Luna vanished in a flash of blue light.

"Until then..."

Ryan laid down on his back, hands crossed behind his head. He stayed like this for a great length of time.

("...I don't know if being insane would make this better or worse.")

Author's Note

*Edit: Re-proof-read by WrittenWord333.

(Revised) Where is this heading....?
View Online

Appetizer

(Revised) Where is this heading....?

Ryan was sitting still not moving much, having gotten his thoughts together and coming to terms with everything he had learned. He had rotated from walking to sitting, letting his thoughts try to straighten themselves out. Had he been asked to describe it, he would have compared it to advanced tetris. He went through so many ideas and took apart so many thoughts he began to feel as though he was in a maze. After he was sure he had most of what he had been told thought out he had sat down and tried to relax. Once again it was a matter of waiting, though this time he was more relaxed and felt more comfortable knowing what and who he was waiting for.

"I wonder what they're thinking of doing to try and help me. I hope it's something I can be asleep for. Nothing that can save me from certain death could be painless. Maybe they're going to try and turn me into a magic cyborg with crystals and stone instead of wires and metal. That might be cool, but then again I might just die in the process. Luna said that it was basically a gambit of an idea."

He was torn from his thoughts of magic lasers by a familiar sound. He looked to his right and found Luna once again forming from nothing. He stood and made his way to greet her . It seemed like she was done faster than before.

("Maybe it gets easier each time.")

She was fully formed and smiling at him.

"Greetings Ryan! It is seems that you are doing well since last we spoke."

" 'Ello, and yeah, I definitely feel better. I got everything sorted out and am ready to talk."

Luna sat down and invited Ryan to do the same.

"Very good. Before we start though it might interest you to know that from what I have told my sister about you that she has come to the same conclusions as I have about you."
Ryan gave her a nervous glance as he seated himself across from her.

"Rea..Really now? And what did you two conclude?"

"That you are a very gentle soul and most certainly worth saving."

Ryan laughed as his body lost its tension.

"Again with the compliments. You haven't seen me in the morning yet."

"I am sure it could not hold a candle's flame even to my sister in the morn."

"Oh really? Well I'll take that as another compliment. Thank you."

"You are quite welcome. So what have YOU concluded from everything I had told the of yesterday?"

Ryan took a deep breath, wanting to get it all out in one take.

"I understand whats happened to me and have made my peace with it. My mom was always able to take care of herself and will be fine after she has had some time to mourn. Andy's a good kid and will do some big things in his life, I know it. I might be in a new world with a completely different species, but I'm sure that if everyone in it is like you then it will be a good time. I have my personal problems to deal with still but I can worry about them later. All in all I've got everything together. Nothing I will regret, nothing to lose, nothing to stop me. All that's left is to hear about this dangerous thing that could kill me faster or save my life."

He let out a sigh and waited for Luna to talk.

"I see. First I thank you for the compliment. Second, have you really made peace so easily?"

"Huh?"

"I am asking if you have really made your peace. I would think you would have many more doubts concerning your life and what is to become of it. I can hardly believe that you have so readily accepted this and are willing to move on."

Ryan was more or less waiting for this.

"I guess you wouldn't believe it. I should explain. It all comes down to one question: Should I just die?"

Luna was taken back by this. Ryan pressed on.

"Unless I say "Yes" there's nothing else I can do about it. I've got two real choices about it and I prefer the one that let's me keep on going. A lot is going to change and it's all going to hit me hard and fast, but I would rather walk forward and get to the end then just sit there and take it. So I have made my peace with everything I'm having to leave behind and braced myself for whatever I'm gonna be hit with next."

He sat still and let Luna look him over critically, looking for any indication of lying. With none found she went on.

"You are telling the truth. I can see it. Then since you have prepared yourself I will explain what we are proposing to do."

She adjusted herself and looked Ryan straight in the eyes.

"As you've been hearing we have a way of saving you with a extremely slim chance of success."

Ryan nodded. "Right"

"After we had assured you well being for the immediate future and during your respite to think my sister Princess Celestia, our doctors, and my self talked of this solution. We wanted to be sure that nothing was left to chance and that every other possibility was looked at before having you agree to such a risky idea."

He nodded again. "Mmhm"

"We even have my sisters ounce student Twilight Sparkle pouring through vast amounts of written knowledge to try and find a safer way, but as you are now time is of the essence and we must act fast."

Another nod.

("Whats this leading up to...?")

"Ryan, as of right now the only viable way of saving you from certain death is by transforming you into a pony."

With this finely having been made know to Ryan a deep and powerful silence followed. Luna waited for him to respond, allowing him to soak it in. He was lost in his mental world grasping for something to say.

("A pony....They want to turn me into a pony. A pony that in their world can talk, hold conversation, and can create a functioning society. A pony that could fly or do magic. A creature that back home would be used by children to learn how to ride horseback. A MAGICAL TALKING CREATURE FROM ANOTHER WORLD.")

Ryan looked at Luna for any sign of joking or lying. She only raised her eyebrow in confusion.

("She could be lying about it all. All I've done is trust her, or she could just be part of some kind of head trauma from the crash..........I want to trust her but....I never have seen anything outside this place. I need to ask her to wake me up if she can.")

He took a great breath of air before speaking.

"Luna, you have been nothing but nice, welcoming, and helpful. I don't mean in the slightest way any kind of offense when I say this, but I don't fully trust you yet."

Luna recoiled, completely unprepared for this. Ryan was quick to talk again fearing the worse.

"IREALLYAMSORRYBUTANDIDON'TWANTTOMAKEYOUMADPLEASELISTENTOMEFIRST!!!!!"

Luna recoiled even more from the blunt statement, now simply trying to unravel the mess of words he had spat out. Ryan went on without waiting, afraid that she will be angry unless he finishes.

"You haven't done anything that makes me suspicious or distrust you, but all I have had to go on was your words and nothing else. I like to believe in what others won't, but I also know when to check all the details. All I want to do before we go on about turning me....into a pony is this: Wake me up long enough to see you and your sister in the real world. That's all I need to be sure that I'm not crazy or that your telling the truth. I hate to say this but I can't be sure about what you say until I see it for myself."

He wanted nothing more than to say that he trusted her, she has been only ever nice to him, but he needed to know that his condition was really as bad as she said and that everything she has said about her world was true, especially with such a big change as the solution.

Luna did not move, her now needing a moment herself to collect her thoughts. She had her eyes closed and was thinking deeply before opening them.

"I understand Ryan, here in this void with nothing but my word for what has happened to you, and now I tell that changing your very being is the only salvation. It is a great tale to swallow. What you have asked is only fair. My only apprehension is that without any proper medicine that can be used on you that you will feel the full force of the agony that you have gone through."

Ryan sighed in defeat and from the fact that Luna was not upset with him.

"I thought maybe so, but all I need is to see you and your sister and then you can put me back under. I just want to know that you're really real. I can handle some pain for a little while."

Luna's stare was weary as she contemplated the idea.

"....I shall go and inform my sister of your request. Be prepared for what awaits you in your real body, I can only imagine what it will feel like."

"Thank you Luna. I am REALLY sorry that I making you do this but....I have to be sure that it's not all a facade or that I'm going out of mind. I really am sorry Luna."

Luna shook her head as she readied herself to leave.

"Do not fret Ryan, I am not offended at all. It is quit understandable that you would have your doubts."

Luna was enveloped in blue light.

"I will see you in the real world as promised alongside my sister."

and then she was gone in a flash.

"...More waiting. A pony huh? If this is for real then I wonder what I'll look like. I never gave her a chance to explain the details. They seem pretty adamant that it's the only way. I KNOW something like that's gotta hurt."

He sat unmoving as he swam through an ocean of thoughts.

"It probably wouldn't be all that bad. Hell I might even look cute. I like cute. Or if not cute then at least I might be thin.....If it's not real then I'm just wasting my time with either a luny or a figment of my imagination. Most likely my imagination considering all the effects it would take to make this all happen."

It was not to long after that he could see a small white light in the distance.

"I think that's my ride."

The light began to spread out, swiftly growing bigger.

"Or my death. My real death."

The light was rapidly engulfing the blackness as it came upon him.

"Why do I always go to the worst possible place?"

The light consumed him.

Conscious thought faded away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

("SWEET HOLY MOTHER OF DEATH IT"S LIKE THE SUN HAS EMBEDDED ITSELF IN MY VERY SKIN!!!!!")

This all came out has a quiet groan. This served to only agitate his problems as he found breathing to be a considerably harder job. None the less he still proclaimed once again his discomfort in the only way he could.

"Arrgh..."

"He is waking Celestia!"

"I can see Luna, but be patient. He is for the first time feeling all of the suffering his body has gone through."

While one voice would have been familiar and the other new to Ryan normally, right now they both served to make his head feel as though it's imploding.

"Ugghhh..."

"Let's keep our voices down, he will be sensitive."

"Oh, yes that would be right. So sorry Sir Ryan."

"hm..."

From there the voices remained quiet as he struggled to think.

("Everything hurts and it's not getting better. My neck feels like its been replaced with a straw and my lugs with paper sacks. The only thing that doesn't hurt is my legs, because PART OF MY SPINAL CORD WAS CUT WITH A SHARD OF METAL!!! Calm down, calm down. Just get your eyes open and then you can go back to sleep. Ohhh it feels like a team of mini men are digging holes in my body.")

He tried to open his eyes fast to get it over with as quickly as possible but was painfully forced to close them again.

"Gah." Even in his surprised pain he was quiet.

("THE SUN HAS MOVED FROM MY SKIN TO MY EYES OH GOD IT BURNS!!!!!!)

He felt something move to his ear.

"Try and go slowly, you're much more sensitive right now and simple things are going to be a great task."

It was the new voice whispering in his ear. He knew very well to heed it's advice. As slowly as his body could muster at the moment he once again began to open his eyes. Letting his eyes adjust each time the light began to hurt he fully opened one eye, the other likely bruised as he couldn't fully open it. The first thing he saw was a white ceiling. It rose high above where he laid and was smooth stone from what he could see. It was hard to tell without his glasses, only a third of his vision, and the great amounts of pain he was in. He couldn't see himself as he was laying straight on his back. He was not going to dare try moving his head yet.

"Hello Ryan, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Luna as told me about you from her visits."

Ryan heard this come from his right and in due course saw two heads come into eyesight from that side. One was Luna, happy but worried looking as she looked at him. The other was a slightly taller pony, with a white coat and a multicolored ethereal mane smiling down at him. Presumably Princess Celestia.

("Sorry but no time for hellos. I've got what I wanted and am ready to go NOW.")

He spared Celestia a look for politeness sake before shifting his attention to Luna and doing his best with his eyes to beg to be put back to sleep.

"You are ready to return to your dreams?" Luna asked.

Ryan's eyes lite up as much as they could being in the state he was. Celestia nodded.

"Go ahead, he has been through enough has it is."

Luna nodded as well as she prepared the spell. She touched the tip of her blue lit horn to Ryan's head. He felt pain slip away along with his mind as the spell worked its self on him.

The world faded back to black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blinking Ryan let the feeling of uneasiness pass him.

"God damn.....I really am dying."

He sat on his rump.

"At least I can trust Luna I guess."

He watched as Luna slowly appeared directly in front of him this time.

"But still, becoming a pony....?"

Luna was done and peered at the sitting teen.

"Ryan? Are you okay? I hope that what you have seen has not upset you."

"Huh? No no, I was just thinking. I was more than willing to accept it. I just needed to be sure it was real."

"Really? Then perhaps was it...The matter of turning you into a pony?"

Luna had seated herself across from him.

"Well first was that your sister was pretty tall."

"Oh that. Nothing more than magic and age, but surely that was not what was of biggest concern in your mind."

Ryan smiled.

"Bigger than you think but you're right......Luna, I didn't give you a chance to fully explain how changing me into a pony would save me. Sorry about that by the way."

"I take no offense. And as for the transformation.....As you know you are resistant to magic to a degree. As me entering and leaving your dreams more easily can contest, one can practice to perform magic on you, but I have not felt any give from you. This means by using a great deal of magic by trained magicians it could be possible to alter your body to that of our species, a pony. Even now as you are there is more than enough mass in you to equal to a fully grown pony."

"Mass?"

"Yes. Magic is not a cure all for only limited by the users skill. While skill is most certainly important, there is just as much a science to magic as there is to anything else you can think of. If you had been of smaller stature it would impossible to save you. It is required for the spell to work that the mass of the object being transformed be of equal or very close mass and genetic makeup. You meet both of these requirements."

"Okay, I can understand that."

"Now, as you know this does not guarantee your safety. If any of us make a mistake you could come out deformed or even......"

Luna seemed unable to go on, ever so slightly shaking.

"Luna? What's wrong?"

"...You could explode from rapid cell reproduction."

"Oh..."

"...."

Both looked away from the other for a few minutes. Ryan coughed.

"...Nothing can be wholly safe right? Let's go on okay?"

"Let us."

They looked at each other again and readjusted themselves to be more comfortable.

"Hem-hm..Right, as I was saying the process is very dangerous, but you will have not only our best doctors, but me and my sister to help cast the spell to give you the best chance of success."

"Wow."

"Quit. Now something you must know is that not all ponies are alicorns. There are unicorns, pegasus, and earth ponies. Unicorns are able to use magic as they will, pegasus can manipulate the weather and fly , and earth ponies hold a strong connection to the earth and can grow nearly anything anywhere as well as being rather strong. I tell you this now because from what we can tell you will be a earth pony. You don't seem to have a connection to magic as unicorns and it is unlikely that your body has enough of a similar make up needed for a pegasus, so that leaves earth pony left. Do you have anything to say to this?"

"Would I HAVE to grow something?"

"Um..well no, but you might feel the urge to. Many earth ponies tend to at least have some plants around to tend to."

"Okay that's fine. I just wanted to know."

"Very...well. Anyway, besides you more than likely being an earth pony there is really nothing we could tell you about what you will be. The spell basically changes you based on a lot of factors that we are not fully aware of. We can only hope everything goes right and that everything goes where it needs to be."

"Alright, I have to hope for a good draw then. Not the worst thing ever. Anything else?"

"There is. You will have to be awake for the spell."

Ryan's eyes widened.

"Really? I can't be asleep while it happens?"

"I am afraid so. Like I have just said it uses many things to determine how you will change and one that we know of is your personality. With such a complex spell we can not simply cut out one part and hope the rest works. You need to be awake for it to work."

"Ugh...Alright, I understand. No way of getting around it."

"I am sorry. We will try our best to make it as painless as we are able."

He sighed.

"It's fine. I know that nothing is perfect. It'll just be another thing I'll have to deal with for a while."

Ryan laid back on his arms and looked up. Luna stared at him curiously.

"Ryan?"

He looked back down at her.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering, from the way you have been talking it sounds like you have chosen to go through with the procedure."

He looked at her a second longer before looking up again.

"It sounds like that because I have. If it's really the only way then that's it. I don't want to die, and hey, being a pony doesn't sound bad. One question though. Do ponies eat hey?"

Luna blinked.

"Yes we do, but we also eat other things such as confectioneries, fruits, and vegetables."

"I can live with that. That's all I have to say, anything else I should know?"

"No there is not. I must admit Sir Ryan that I am quite surprised that you have made such a quick decision. I would have thought that you would have liked time to consider it."

"Well, I already had time to think. There's really nothing making me NOT want to be a pony and like I said if it's the only way to save me then why not. I will miss being human, but it's not worth dying over. I have no major objections and don't want to waste more time than needed because, well you know."

"Are you sure beyond a doubt that you will not come to regret this Ryan. That you are ready for this?"

"As ready I can be for something like this."

"Right, if you have really chosen to go through with this then I shall begin the preparations with my sister. The next time I come to you it will be time to start. It will also be the last time that we will need to speak like this."

"Alright, I've learned to be patient in this place so I can wait. I'm ready when ever you are."

Luna stood and began the spell to leave.

"I promise I won't take more time than is necessary Ryan, please be ready when I return."

As Luna was enveloped in light she let out one last assurance.

"I promise to be at my best Ryan, you will not perish."

She blinked out of existence.

"Creepiest way of saying "I won't fuck it up" EVER. At least she put in the effort."

Ryan did not move from his seat.

"So it's really going to happen. I'm going to be a pony by about tomorrow. Too bad I can't be a unicorn, casting spells could have been cool. Even being able to just fly would've been cool."

Ryan laid on his back.

"Ah well, beggars can't be choosers."

Author's Note

I know that this chapter was a lot shorter than the last two but I know that me describing the same empty black void over and over is getting boring, and I want to dedicate a whole chapter to the change. I am happy to say that now I can start getting some new chapters done and start getting this story back into circulation again. As always thank you for reading and rate fairly and freely.

WHERE DID THEY GO!?
View Online

Appetizer

WHERE DID THEY GO!?

"I hope I don't end up looking ugly if it bases some of it on my personality."

Ryan had been pacing, contemplating the ins and outs of how the spell might change him on what Luna had told him.

"There still might be a chance I could be a pegasus, their not entirely sure I COULDN'T be one. I mean being strong is fine but flying? That would be AMAZING! To touch the clouds, shape them, changing the weather?! A unicorn couldn't do that I bet."

He stopped his pacing.

"....I shouldn't get too excited, I have to take what I get. I need to hope that I can become anything other than a mass of goo."

He began to pace again.

"I forgot about that tidbit, but I should be alright. I mean I have the rulers of the country coming to help. What do I have to be worried about?"

("The possibility that you'll be flubber.")

"OH WHO ASKED YOU ANYWAY?!"

Ryan fell on to his back with his arms spread out flopping harmlessly on the ground.

"...It's a good thing this ground is as soft or hard as I want it."

It's true that he could manipulate the solidity of the floor as he pleases. He discovered this when as he had first started pacing, he tripped over himself and instead of the hard floor that he had been on this whole time he was met with a soft padding like feeling. It seemed to be the one thing he could control in this empty dream of his.

"I don't get why, but there's no point in complaining."

"That you would let your dreams be so void for such simple compensation is quite confusing Ryan."

"ACK!"

Ryan quickly sat up, turning around to come face to chest with Luna. Looking up he saw her tiring to hold back a laugh.

"Jesus Luna, I was ready to punch you. How did you get here without making any noise?"

Having been able to suppress her laughter, Luna sat next to Ryan.

"Like I had told you yesterday, with practice I can enter your dreams with greater ease regardless of your natural resistance."

"Oh right. So is it time then?"

Luna's face grew serious.

"Yes it is. I will awaken you and the doctors will move you to where we will cast the spell. We believe it will take the greater half the day to complete, and that is if there are no complications."

"Okay....It'll hurt won't it? The transformation?"

"I regret to say that it will. Dreadfully so."

Neither said a thing for a moment.

"I must ask one more time, are you sure that you want to go through with this?"

Luna's stare bore into him.

"I'm sure. No doubts, no looking back. Time to start a new life."

Her face softened before she talked.

"Then I will tell them to begin. I will wake you after a few minutes, so be prepared."

"Right, but before you go can I ask one last question."

"Ryan?"

".....We are friends right?"

"Friends? But of course we are Ryan! After all of our conversations what would make you ask such a question?"

Ryan was looking at the ground.

"I just wanted to be sure that I would have someone by my side when this was all said and done. I wasn't sure we could be friends in such a short time. I know you said we are but.....I just wanted you to say it again. It really does make me feel better."

"Ryan, look at me."

He did so.

"If it takes longer to be friends then I will enjoy spending it to become yours. And I will gladly spend that time helping you when you have become one of my little ponies."

Ryan smiled, Luna returned it in kind but stood right after.

"Now if there is nothing else?"

He shook his head no.

"Then I will inform them to begin. Be ready to awaken."

"I will, and thank you."

Luna just smiled at him again before disappearing.

"....So no more black void huh. I can't wait to be able to see something other than black again."

The white light was there again, faster than before.

"Alright, time to pony up."

He had just enough time to groan at his joke before the light took him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pain from before took him as he came to but this time he had been prepared and was able to brace for it. He found it even harder to breath than before, barely getting in and out tight rasps of air.

("Still feels like Neptune's been sitting on me for a week and that straw's been replaced with a needle.")

He was quiet has he tried to process what was happening around him.

"Come on ponies, he's losing more time the more we waste it! Remember, operating room number five!"

"Right." "RIGHT." "Yes, Right"

The multiple replies hurt his head but he did not complain. He knew they were under a lot of pressure.

*Click, squeak, whrrrrr*

He felt the bed under him turning as the doctors and nurses worked. He listened as they spoke amongst themselves and moved him down what he thought was a hallway.

("I don't want to, but I should probably open my eyes. I need to know what's going on.")

Taking it as slowly as he could he pried open his eyes as far as they would go. His vision was the same as before, one eye almost completely shut. He saw that he had been right about being moved down a hallway, the high ceiling speeding by. Looking around as best as he could he saw to his left the back of a ponies head. She had a red-pink coat, a strawberry red mane and tail, a nurses hat, a heart with a white cross in middle on her rump, and was at the foot of his bed leading the way.

("Shes a lot shorter than Luna and Celestia. Maybe just princesses get that tall. Weird. Why does she have that tattoo on her butt...")

On his right he saw another nurse closer to the middle of his bed walking along helping push him. Her coat was a light brown and her mane and presumably tail were gray with stripes of darker gray. Her hind end was just out of sight from his curious eyes.

("Why am I trying to look at her but anyway? To see if she has a tattoo?")

The thought had just passed his mind when a cough ripped through him, sending him into convulsions, the bed shaking violently as he spasmed and hacked.

*HACK HACK GAG HACK HACK!!!*

("SHIT MY LUNGS ARE IMPLODING FUCK!!!")

"Doctor!"

"I know!"

Ryan felt something wash over him, something tiring to push into him. The convulsing lessened and his coughing let up a small bit but did not stop entirely. As what ever came over him slipped away his was able body relax on it's own.

("Shit...Forgot I was dying.....It's hard to think now.......Need to stay awake....")

All of what was left of his strength went to keeping him awake, knowing that it might be his last time if he passed out. Right above him he could see the head of a green pony with a light brown mane. He was a unicorn that had a pair of spectacles and a doctor's coat on. The doctor noticed him looking and looked down at him.

"It's good to see that you're still with us Mr.Ryan, we might have to of called off the procedure if you had passed out. You will need to keep up that resilience for now but we won't slack on our part I assure you. Blink twice if you heard me clearly."

Ryan blinked twice.

"Good, now as these are abnormal conditions this will have to be your pre-op consultation. My name is Doctor Stitch Heart, Doc Heart for short. Luna has already briefed you on what spell we will be using and how it works already correct? One blink for no by the way."

Two blinks.

"That's some time saved then, I'll tell you about who will preforming in this operation. You should already know that both princesses will be helping seeing as you are a very interesting case. I myself will be there help cast the spell along with my colleague Doctor Swell Heart. In case something happens or we need something we will have two nurses there during the procedure. On your left is Nurse White Cross, and to your right is Nurse Hope Love. Now I must warn you that you a forty to sixty percent chance of this operation succeeding."

They all stopped in front of a big set of doors with a plate over head with "Operating Room 5" written on it.

"This is your last chance. Once again this is not by any means a normal case and you have the right to stop this now before we begin. What do you want to do?"

Ryan had no idea how much this deviated from normal operating procedures, but he knew what he was getting into.

("....I've been going through this all pretty fast, but I had to.....I'm going to become something completely different and join a world I know nothing about. If I don't I die. I can't die yet.")

Ryan looked at Doc Heart.

("It will take time I know, but I can handle it. I know I can.")

He blinked twice.

"Okay, no going back now."

White Cross opened the doors and they walked in.

("Here goes everything.")

The room was completely lite from what he could see. They brought him to a stop some where near some particularity strong over head lights. Most likely above where he would be laying. Nurse Hope Love spoke for the first time.

"Okay Sir, we going to move you from the bed to another so brace yourself. On the the count of three."

Nurse White Cross flanked his other side. "Right."

"One, two, THREE!"

The yell hurt his head but he barely had time to notice as he was lifted from the bed by two pairs of hooves to what he swore was a cloud. He still hurt from where they had picked him up but this new bed was unbelievable.

"Is everything ready Doctor?"

Ryan recognized that voice but couldn't look to see her.

"Yes it is princess, we just need to get in position and we can start."

"Then let's begin. This is going to take some time and we don't have much left."

"Right your highness."

"Hold sister, I wish to speak with him before we start."

"Very well, but hurry."

He could hear them walking around getting ready to do whatever it is they going to do to get this started. One set of hooves seemed to be getting louder. They stopped right next to his bed. Luna's head came into his sight line.

"Greetings Ryan."

He blinked.

"The spell is ready to be cast. I wanted to check on your wellbeing one more time before beginning. Are you ready to start?"

Two blinks.

"A yes I believe."

She bent her head down and spoke.

"And as promised I will be there to help you when this is over."

She lifted her head up and walked away with one last parting smile.

After a bit more shuffling they got themselves settled.

"Is there anything else Doctors?"

"No your Highness." "No Princess."

"Then let us begin."

He heard a whooshing sound at four different points around him.

("I guess that them getting the spell ready. Here here to a new life and may I be happy with it.")

He closed his eyes and readied himself as best as he could for what was coming.

"On my count everypony!"

"Right!" "Right!' "Right!"

"One,"

("Here,")

"Two,"

("It,")

"THREE!"

("COMES!")

His eyes clenched and his heart jumped as something like a laser sounded off. He felt four separate blasts hit him at once, though aside from some pressure they applied on his aching body they only felt warm at the worst, and spread to cover him entirely. It was like water that was pressing down on him, holding on to him firmly. This on its own hurt greatly but he withheld his screams and let it happen, at first. When this force started to push into his body he let loose a wail of pain and did not stop. As the magic flowed grudgingly through him it felt like it was ripping him apart atom by atom, tearing through him without remorse. And it was, taking the building blocks that made him and rearranging them.

"GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

("FUCKINSHISTAYWAKEDAMNI'MSORRYFOREVERYTHINGSHIIITSTAYAWAKE!!!")

The force being exerted on him was keeping him from moving and convulsing. He felt something start to happen were his nub was. It felt as though it was boiling. Something was growing there, painfully expanding from where his leg had been removed. Over his own screaming he heard cracking from the growing limb and a sickly bubbling.

("IT'S GOING WRONG IT'S GOING TO TURN ME INTO A MISSHAPED FREAK!!!")

The intense heat spread from there, growing along with the leg and marching on out to the rest of his body. He had exaggerated from the pain from when he had first woke up and compared it to the sun, but now he deeply regrets this as now it truly felt like he was at it's core. He could feel his body start moving unnaturally on it's own, things breaking and reforming as the sounds of cracking bone and moving skin drowned out his screams. All of his injuries disappeared as the magic worked to remake him, being closed up as his body reformed like play-doh.

*Crack, shulrs, craaack*

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHGU!!!"

His new leg had formed now and was free from the heat, but it did not feel right. His knee felt backwards and he couldn't feel his toes. The room seemed to get smaller has the colors became more vivid, or at least they would have if he could see. His eyes were closed tight as the fire came to his head and made the world behind his eyelids burst into orange and red. Tears squeezed through his lids as he burned.

("DON'T PASS OUT!!!!!")

His other leg bent backwards, finally breaking only to reform to match the first one. His toes seemed to become smaller before they were gone all together. He could feel his chest and stomach tighten, crunching loudly before healing into their new shape. The bandages came loose as he shrunk laying limply around his body. His arms resounded loudly with cracking and popping as they bent the opposite way of how they were just has his legs had. He could feel his fingers stop burning as they all conformed to a single hoof. When one part was done reforming it lay limp in the magical grip. What was left by now was his head. He felt his eyes burn. He opened them to find the world a blur and that burning spread to the rest of his face. He felt the bones in his face break, push out from his head a bit, and then grow in bone to fill the empty space. This went on until it was the right length. His eyes had stopped burning and he could barely see his new muzzle in front of him. He was tired and ready to sleep as the burning and cracking stopped, but the magic still flowed around him.

*Weeze~ Weeze~*

("Fuck......I'm not....Done.....Want to sleep..........")

It seemed that the magic was passing into him easier as the next part began. The sides of his head burned. The world went quiet as his ears melted into his head to form two fleshy lumps, both moving to the top of his head. After finding their place the lumps began to form something new there, the burning intensified in accordance. He clenched his teeth and eyes as his hearing came back, everything seeming louder than before. When the fire subsided again he felt new ears where it had been.

The fire came back near the top of his bum, something growing there. It was done very soon, the new appendage quite small and was pointed. This time however the burning did not go away, but move from his tail to down lower.

("Where's it going nowwWWAAAAAAGH?!?!")

"GAH?!"

He screamed in pain and surprise as it stopped on on his privates and did not move. The burning took hold of him and his fears exploded as he tried to fight the magic holding him, even as weak as he was right now.

("No...It can't be...No..NO...NONONO!!!")

"NOOOO!" His throat burned not having used it in so long, the screaming, and the reshaping making it incredibly painful, yet he still needed to protest in spite of all this. It could be noted that there was a slight higher pitch to his voice if they were listening closely.

"Doctor, whats happening? I thought all that was left was his coat and hair." Nurse Red Cross asked.

"This is what the spell as determined that he should be, for whatever reasons. If we try to stop it now we don't know what it could do to his body. We just have to let this finish." This was Swell Heart.

With nothing else they could do they went quiet again and let the spell work.

Ryan could not stop the growing fear as his personals burned. He screamed in fear and anguish as the burning made his testicles shrink before they disappeared altogether into his body. It did not stop there, his penis shrinking away as well. The screaming went on when there was nothing left but a bare plot of skin, for the burning did not stop. A thin line appeared there, slowly the details growing in. After this the pain moved to just above his new slit and small petite mammary's grew there. The screaming turned into whimpering after a new female part had been wholly made in the place of the males, the fire alleviating.

"no....."

("I....It can't....I'm...I'm not a.......no...")

Now only a uncomfortable warmness the heat spread over him again. He felt pressure pushing from the inside out, thousands of tiny points of pain. Orange-brown fur sprouted all over him, his hair lengthening to the back of his neck and his tail fluffing out its new hair. It was the slowest of the changes as the fur evened itself out. After it was done the magic surrounding him seemed to loosen it's grip on him, the spell was ending.

She was done changing.

Almost the instant the magic had dissipated everypony was a flurry of motion. The nurses quickly but carefully helped her on her feet. The doctors came with an assortment of tools and began to examine her every which way, checking for any kind of deformities or other such problems. The princesses stood by as the doctors and nurses worked.

Ryan cried softly without hold, letting her pain be plainly known. She couldn't stop the new feelings that were coming over her, many hardly identifiable to her. The doctors worked swiftly, their magic now completely unimpeded and helping to speed by the check over. Checking every inch of her over, sometimes having to have the nurses gently help pry away her hooves so they could make sure there was absolutely no deformities. The nurses tried their best to calm her, wanting her to try and let the doctors do their work so they could be done quicker. The doctors were done soon either way and let the nurses start getting her ready to rest. Stitch Heart approached the princesses as Swell Heart went on his way, giving a short bow there way before leaving to start on some other work. Luna spoke first, eager to be sure of her friends safety.

"Doctor, is....she okay? And do know of how this could have happened to her."

Stitch Heart sighed looking to a clipboard he held in his magic.

"Mine and Swell Hearts exams show that she is perfectly healthy, nothing to be worried about for now, we will have to take some more thorough test later when she has had a chance to recover though. For now I will just schedule her for some m-rays*1. As for why he became a mare, it's a factor of the spell that nopony has figured out unfortunately. It's not the first time this has happened, but it is exceedingly rare. All we can do is let her sleep and hopefully try and find some answers later."

Celestia nodded at him.

"Very well, then we will simply have to wait until then. As for now let's keep her a secret only known to our circle, It would be best that she be introduced to the world before we introduced the world to her."

"Understood Princess." "Yes sister."

"If there is nothing else to be done for now then me and my sister should be off to rest our self's, we have spent two days from are royal duties now meaning there will be many ponies waiting to hold court with us tomorrow."

"If it would not be of too much trouble I would like to speak with her for a moment. I want to be sure she will fine until the morn."

Looking behind him Stitch Heart considered it before facing Luna again.

"As long as you keep it brief princess, she needs rest soon."

"Of course, I will not take longer than needed."

Celestia made for the door as she spoke.

"I will wait for you outside Luna, I wish to speak to you on our way to our rooms."

"Yes sister, I will be out shortly."

"I should be off myself, I need to start filling out her paper work."

With that he walked off leaving Luna with Ryan and her nurses. She approached her bed just as the nurses were walking off, stopping for a short bow her way, having completed their work. Luna stood to the side of Ryan's bed and looked down at her. She had been put into a patient gown now that she could fit into it and had the covers pulled up to under her for-legs. She was weeping openly into her pillow, curled into a tight ball not wanting to accept what has happened to her.

("It real....I really am a......a girl....a girl PONY! A MARE!!")

"Ryan, please look at me."

("This wasn't supposed to happen, I agreed to being a pony, not a GIRL!!!!")

"Ryan."

("What do I even look like? A fucking mess I'm sure.....")

"RYAN."

("I bet this is what they planned from the start. There some kind of sick horse cult with like one guy to every fifty women....")

"RYAN!"

Ryan bolted straight up, then fell back down as her new body buckled under her from exhaustion and lingering pain. She fixed Luna with a glare.

"WHAT!?!?" It still burned but she did not care.

Luna recoiled.

"I wished to try and console you before I had to leave."

The look in Ryan's eyes could have murdered. Despite the lingering pain or the deep exhaustion in her bones she, on nothing but the pure emotion she was being pumped full of, stood weakly and raised her head to look Luna as closely in the eyes as possible with tears still running down her own.

"CONSOLE ME!? How could you console me for turning me into a FUCKING MARE?!?!"

"Ryan, please lay down, you need to rest. I understand why you are upset bu-"

"I AM WAY BEYOND UPSET!! Imagine how hot the sun is, I bet I could, now think about three of them. I AM TEN TIMES AS PISSED AS THEY WOULD BE HOT!!!!"

"Ryan..."

"NO, I agreed to becoming a pony, not getting a FUCKING SEX CHANGE!!!!"

This was all Ryan could muster. She fell on her side, still glaring as hard as she could and breathing heavily. The tears did not ounce stop flowing.

"I trusted you.....I thought you were my....friend...."

Luna stood completely still before laying down next to her on the bed.

".....I know. I am so sorry for this. In the short time we came to know each other you accepted me as a friend. And I have broken the trust that comes with it."

Ryan didn't say anything.

"We truly did not know that this would happen, this was such a rare occurrence that none of us had even given it thought."

Luna laid her head down to be on eye level with Ryan.

"There will be a great many things for you to have to learn, more than any of us had thought. But I will keep my promise and be there to help you through every step. You did not fear nor shun me or any of the things that you were presented with, not ounce out casting the different for nothing more then being as such, Different."

Ryan tears ran as her face lost it's anger leaving just the sadness.

"For all your suffering and to still only so this willing acceptance, you will always have help, and my friendship."

Ryan was now weeping again. Luna pulled her close with a wing and let her cry into her chest.

*sob~* "...I'm scared. It's too much."

"That is why I will help you take it on."

"I don't know what I'm going to do...."

"I will help you find a new life here."

Ryan's tears slowed as she talked.

"...You'll really help me?"

Luna let all of her ideals slip away in the face of a friends pain as she nuzzled her cheek.

"I will, you're my friend."

She lifted her head back up. Ryan just stared at her a moment, tears making her eyes sparkle. She then laid her head on the side of Luna's chest.

"Thank you....."

Neither said anything from there, Ryan tiring to draw more comfort from the larger mare who sat patiently. Eventually Ryan gave in to her exhaustion and returned to the land of dreams, which Luna took as the opportunity to stand up. Celestia walked in at this time looking for Luna.

"Luna, I came to see what was keeping you. Is something the matter?"

Luna smiled at her.

"Nothing of concern sister, I was just comforting her until she was able to rest."

Celestia walked over to stand next to Luna, wearing a sly smile the whole time.

"It seems you really have become fast friends with this one Lulu, could perhaps something about her have captured your interest?"

Luna's face burst into color at the prospect.

"CELESTIA!"

"Ah ah, don't wake her now."

Luna let out a small "EPP!", Celestia covering her mouth with a hoof to hold back laughter.

"Ahem, anyway. That you would suggest that I would fall head over hooves for somepony that I just met, a new FRIEND I was simply giving generosity too. Hmph"

Luna turned her head away pouting with a faint blush still on her cheeks.

"Oh Lulu, I know you are more capable than to run foolhardily into something like love without a thought, but it is plain to see that you have great interest in her. I know you have promised to help her to learn how to live in our world, a greater task than at first thought, but it is more than a friendly promise, is it not?"

Luna still looked off to the side for a while before looking back to the subject of conversation.

"She was not scared of me. She so readily called me friend without hesitation. She might not know of what I did but I was still wholly new creature, yet she greeted me and was interested in getting to know me. She did not shun me for simply being different."

Celestia nuzzled her cheek knowing what memories she was thinking of.

"I understand now Luna, you do not need to go on."

Luna smiled and returned the nuzzle. Celestia broke away and turned to the door.

"For now let us rest our self's. We have work waiting us tomorrow."

"Very well, let me just do one last thing. I will not be long this time, I promise."

"As you wish Luna, I will be outside again."

With that Celestia exited the room. Luna looked back to Ryan. She bent her head down to touch the tip of her horn to her head casting a quick spell to try and help her have pleasant dreams.

"Sleep well, my little pony. My friend."

She brought her head back up and left the bed, sparing the sleeping pony one last look before closing the door behind her.

*1-The magical version of an x-ray. Magic-ray.

Author's Note

And there you go. I know by no means that it's perfect but I still feel proud that I could get this where it is now. I hope you can enjoy just as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always rate freely and fairly.

Wheres the bathroom?
View Online

Appetizer

Wheres the bathroom?

"Ugh...huh?"

These were the first things to escape Ryan's mouth when she awoke. The world around her was a blur as her eyes tried to refocus. She lifted her head looking around her, trying to understand what she was looking at. At first she had no clue as to where she was, the fading images of what had been a strange dream still pervading her mind.

("I was just sitting around with Boa, playing TF2. With how rare dreams are l don't get why it would be so bland. Whatever, I should get up an-...")

She stopped moving, looking down at her hooves where she had placed them under her to push herself into a sitting position. She stayed like that, her forelegs underneath her as the memories came back. The accident, the talks with the princess, the transformation. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt guilty for only just now thinking of her best friend, but that was for some other time. Right now she was letting the thoughts settle in her mind before she attempted to do anything.

("...")

"..."

("Oh.")

"Oh, I guess I-"

She shut up quickly and swung a hoof to her mouth, hitting her nose.

"OW!"

Putting her hoof back down and using the pillow to rub her hurt nose she pondered her new voice.

("Is that what I really sound like now? And my mouth feels....funny.")

Lifting her head from the pillow again she carefully worked her new mouth, rotating it this way and that, opening and closing it, messing around with her now slightly bigger tongue, even giving a try at whistling. She ended up just blowing air.

("Not even magic can fix talent.")

Wanting to leave talking for later she decided the first thing to do was find a mirror.

("The best way to get used to cold water is to just dive all in at once. This should work the same way.")

She crawled to the edge of the bed, wanting to get to solid ground before trying to walk for the first time. At the edge she looked to the white and gold tiled ground, nervous at trying out her new body unassisted. This did not stop her from trying though and she brave reaching one hoof out and touching the ground, then another. She was now hanging on to the bed with the back half of her body with her rim rod straight forelegs holding up her front. Slowly she took her right back leg and set it on the ground, finally putting her last leg on the ground right after. She did not move a muscle, getting use to just standing.

("It feels all...weird. Like I'm doing right and wrong at the same time. Maybe I should get a look at where I'm actually at while I adjust.")

Moving nothing but her head and her neck she examined her surroundings. She saw she still had that patients gown but ignored it for now. Right in front of her was a bedside table with a book titled "Equestrian History 101".

("I'll have to remember to read that later.")

Further forward was a pure white wall with nothing more than a door and a painting of what looked to be a forest surrounded by mountains with a small town in the middle. The corners where the wall met the others were small ornate pillars.

("Makes sense I guess. I should be in the princesses castle.")

Looking to her left there was just another wall, completely barren of any decoration other than a analog clock.

("Five-Twenty Five? I thought I would have out longer.")

On her right the third wall had a rounded metal hoop with a curtain hanging from it and nothing else of note. Turning her neck so she could see behind her-("That's gonna come in handy")-she looked to the last wall. It held a rather large window that currently had it's blinds shut but it's curtains left some what open, allowing a small amount of morning light to filter in. She could also see one other bed beside her own with a curtain of it's own. Overall aside from it being larger and a bit more elegant it appeared to be a standard hospital room.

("Not anything else to see. It's time to get moving.")

By now she had been able to relax on her legs. First thing she did was get the gown off, grasping it with her teeth and throwing off somewhere. Next, taking a moment to try and think about how she was supposed to walk she lifted her front right leg at the same time as her left back leg. She kept them there, balancing on her other two legs before bringing them both of her raised ones down forward at the same time. As she was not face down on the tiles she took it as she did it right. Repeating this process carefully she walked to the wall in as straight of a line as she could manage, almost tipping over at times. She eventually made it to the door safely.

("Okay, that's walking in a straight line, now let's try turning.")

And so it went that she spent the next fifteen minutes practicing the ins and outs of walking. She felt quite pleased with herself that she had not ounce fell over, not even as she tried walking in a circle. Afters another few minutes she felt confident enough to brave going out.

("They might not like me walking around on my own but I can't just sit around and wait for someone to come and get me. I just hope I don't get in too much trouble...")

She took the door handle, which was thankfully one of those bar handles or else she would have never gotten it open, and cracked the door open, peeking around for anyone who may be nearby. From what she saw she was in a rounded roof hallway with similar looking rooms to hers decorating it has she might have expected. Seeing that no one was out there she fully opened the door and stepped out. Looking down hall on the left or right they both made turns after four rooms, neither having any indication as to where they lead. She had just made up her mind when a pair of shadows appeared at the left turn. Seeing that her decision had been made for her she swiftly made her way to the right turn before the other ponies could make theirs. Looking down the new hall she was speed walking through she could see a set of double doors at the end marked "Recovery Exit".

("Perfect, if I stay out of sight I should be able to find a bathroom somewhere. Don't know why there wasn't one in my room or the hallway, but I ain't got time to complain.")

She quickly made her way out thinking that she would just be in another empty hall. She found herself in a rather large tunnel, reaching at least twenty five feet above her. At the entrance of this tunnel she saw a giant sign proclaiming "Recovery Wing". Beyond that was a VERY big circular room with many more wings surrounding it. In it's center was a ring shaped desk that made up the reception area. At it's front was a giant set of ornate doors that matched the rest of the decor.

And all around her where various doctors, nurses, and patients in various states of action. Most notable were the two guards that stood to either side of the door she just came out of, both of whom now had their attention on her. They both seemed some what surprised, not expecting the very pony that they were stationed to protect come waltzing out. Ryan was frozen still, her eyes going back and forth on the guards. The two gold clad white ponies were just as unsure what to do as she was at that exact moment. Their orders were to not let anypony other than doctors in and out, and then only allow her specifically assigned doctors only in her room.

By now the three had garnered the looks of the other curious ponies, who all had been wondering why the guards had been placed there to begin with. At last the guards pony on the right thought to lead her back to her room and then go inform Princess Luna that she had come to, just has the Princess had requested.

"Ma'am, if you woul-"

"SORRYBYE!"

Ryan rocketed away, racing for the reception area. The guards were temporarily stunned by the sudden bolt but soon gave chase.

"Ma'am wait! We just want to escort you back to your room!"

"NOTHANKYOUI'MFINE!"

She thanked what ever deity made it so she wasn't in any pain or tired as she speeded past confused ponies, trying her best not to run into any of them. She entered the main part of the medical wing and shot straight for the reception desk.

("Just gotta get out of here and I might be able to find a room I can hide out in 'till they pass.")

Making it to the desk she hopped over it, scaring the nurse on the other side. The guards were hot on her trail, both opting for running on either side of the desk in the hopes of boxing her in.

"Please ma'am, we were just here to guard you!" Shouted the one running on the left.

"We only want to take you back to your room for now, nothing else!"

Ignoring them she jumped the other side of the desk before they could reach her. With only a short distance between her and the door she poured more energy into one last mad dash, moving faster than even back in her top shape as a human. She felt lighter than ever before as her pursuers got further away. She did not have time to enjoy the rush as the doors were closing in quickly and as she got closer she could see a smaller set of doors embedded into the middle of the larger ones.

("The home stretch!")

She was just about to ram open the doors when they open of their own accord. With her target gone she flew right through to only find a new one waiting. Her along with this thing that went "OOF" tumbled for a bit before stopping. The world was a daze to Ryan as the speed rush wore off and she sat up from where she had landed. She found that she was on her side staring at something white and furry. Getting up, she found herself in yet another hallway, though this one was by far the largest, just has the guards came through the doors as well. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks and stared wide eyed at whoever it was she had hit. Following their gaze she looked to the ground beside her.

("OH COME ON!!!")

That multi colored mane, the size, the gold adornments. It was by no doubt Princess Celestia.

She looked to be more surprised than anything, not hurt or even angry. Her crown had been thrown from her head in the impact, her other regalia still fine and dandy. The guards having snapped out of their surprise ran over, one coming to Celestia's side and the other coming to Ryan.

"Your highness, are you alright?"

Sitting on her haunches, Celestia gave a small shake of her head before replying.

"I am fine, I was just caught off guard is all. I am not hurt."

Nodding the guards pony turned to glare at Ryan who was now standing and being held in place by the presences of the other guard.

"You are in a lot of trouble missy. I don't know who you are but-"

"That is enough Gilded Light, she has done nothing wrong." Celestia was now standing back up and was levitating her crown back onto her head. The now named pony looked at her with uncertainty clear on his face.

"But your Majesty, she-"

"Had no way of knowing that I would be entering at that exact moment. An accident is not a crime. As for why she was running to begin with, I will talk with her personally. For now you two can return to the barracks. There is no point in keeping a secret that has made itself known."

Both guards stood at attention and bowed.

"Yes Princess."

With that both of them walked off leaving Ryan with the Princess she had just rammed. Celestia looked back to her with a smile.

"Come along my little pony, I would like to speak with you."

With that she started walking, making her way for the medical wing again. Ryan wanted nothing more than to run but knew better and resigned herself to following the Princess.

("Shit...She's going to punish me. God fucking DAMNIT!! Of all the people I could have run into it had to be the princess that I'm not friends with.....")

As the two walked back through the reception area Celestia received bows and Ryan glares from the various ponies that had to jump out of her way. Ryan kept her head down trying to avoid their stares and stayed quiet, occasionally glancing at the princess nervously. She grew more anxious with each step, the possibility of what was going to happen to her piling up.

They were at the hallway entrance, which she now saw had the words "Recovery Rooms 100-150" on a plate above it. Celestia grasped the door handles in her magic and opened them widely for them. Just before the doors shut Ryan got a glimpse of a pony making the "I'm watching you" motion with their hoof.

The walk to her room was silent, Celestia facing forward calmly with a pleasant smile on and Ryan quietly contemplating her demise. The only other ponies they past were a nurse helping a patient along down the hall. At last they came to a stop in front of her room which she noted was number 125.

("Room one twenty five, my soon to be grave.")

Celestia opened the door and walked in, Ryan hesitantly following behind. After she was a few steps in the door closed behind her. She was unsure as to what to do and just stood waiting for the royal equine to do something. Celestia motioned with her head for her to sit on her bed. Gulping she did has the princess wanted while said princess brought a chair over for behind the other bed that she had not noticed earlier. They both got themselves situated, Ryan laying on her belly with her legs tucked in and Celestia on her bum i the chair. Ryan waited once again for Celestia to act first. She could not look at her directly instead opting to look to her side. After a few seconds had passed she saw Celestia raise her hoof.

("Shes going to hit me. She prefers old fashion beating over using magic for punishments.")

Ryan brace herself for the hit. She cringed reflexively when she felt a weight on her shoulder. Confused she looked up at the smiling face that waited for her.

"You are very timid for one that has braved so much."

Ryan visibly sagged, not caring how confused she was at the moment, glad that she was not in any trouble. Celestia let off a light laugh at the sight, taking her hoof back and letting Ryan relax. Ryan felt better without having to worry about being punished but still had many questions on her mind. She decided to give talking another try.

"...Princess, I don't understand. I thought I was in trouble."

("I'm never going to get used to that. I sound like a husky tomboy.")

Celestia just laughed again.

"Of course not. I meant it when I said it was an accident."

"O-oh, well um...Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for. Now I believe I said I wished to speak with you and the most interesting topic on my mind was why you were running to begin with."

Ryan's ears flattened at this.

"Righ-right, that. Well you see Princess I was..I was trying to find the bathroom."

Ryan blushed as she said this, finding the floor very interesting. The adorable embarrassment made Celestia chuckle.

"And because your room nor any of the others have one you ended up looking for one until you ran into the guard?"

"Yes.."

Ryan's head sunk lower, her face practically on fire.

("Taking a beating would have been so much better....")

"Oh dear, don't feel embarrassed. It is only natural that you would need to relieve yourself after incapacitated for so long."

At this Ryan's blush died down a fair bit. She looked back up to the royalty.

"O-oh no, it's not that. I actually wanted to look in a...mirror."

("Why am I getting so embarrassed, I feel like I'm under a microscope. Stupid hormones...")

Celestia's smile shifted from merry to motherly. How she could do that Ryan had no idea but still welcomed it either way.

"Ah, I see. You wish to get a better look at your body."

It was a statement rather than a question but Ryan still nodded.

"Then I will have one brought to us, the wait can give us a chance to speak some more."

Ryan's ears perked at this.

"That would be nice, thank you."

Celestia cast a spell making a scroll and quill pop in to the air, held in her golden magic. She quickly pend out a message before rolling it up with a ribbon. She then lit it up with a fire started with a spark of her magic, the scroll being engulfed and then floating always as golden ash. Returning her attention to Ryan she found her staring intently before she realized she was noticed and looking away again, blush back in full force.

"You found my magic intriguing?" She asked encouragingly.

Ryan hesitantly looked back to her.

"Yeah..um..You see back home there wasn't any real magic. I always thought it was out there somewhere, just not in my world. To see real magic being used so nonchalantly is just mind blowing!"

Her rising excitement drew out another laugh from Celestia. Ryan was surprised before she turned her eyes downward, her ears lowing again. Celestia was confused for only a brief moment before understanding came to her.

"Do not be distraught young one, I was not laughing at you or your enthusiasm. I was simply reminded of another who grew excited when presented with something new for them to learn. I am sorry to have offended you."

"It's fine, I'm more emotional then I'm use to either way."

Celestia's smile fell at this. She knew she should have started with the largest obstacle first, but she had hoped to come to the topic naturally. It was too late now and all she could do was help her the best she could.

"Ryan, would you mind telling me about how you are feeling?"

Ryan's eyes darted to her a second before staring back down, her ears giving a twitch.

"I don't mind." *Sigh~* "It feels like each little thing shoots a butt load of hormones through me. I was bit reserved before so I really don't know how to deal with it. I feel like I'm going to explode! I just don't know what to do!"

With that she splayed out her front legs and plopped her head down on the bed. Celestia's graced her face again at her little act.

"It sounds very similar to when a young mare starts to go through puberty I must say."

"UGGGH, please, what ever higher being that can hear me do not make me go through that AGAIN! I've already done my time!"

"Do not fear, it won't be the same as puberty to be more precise. Once you have learned to cope with your emotions you should be perfectly fine."

"I just have to learn everything else about being a girl alongside being a pony."

"Yes, but you will not have to do it alone if you'll remember."

At this Ryan sat up quickly, her eyes lighting up a bit.

"That's right Luna! She said she'd help me! Where is she now?"

"She is asleep right now."

"Oh, That's right. She works at night so she wouldn't be up by now. Could you tell me when she usually gets up?"

"When the sun sets."

"...She's nocturnal then?"

"Yes."

"...I'm not sure what to do."

Ryan was honestly not sure what to do or say, having hoped to start learning from Luna and maybe figure out where she will be living. Celestia was amused at the earnestness the mare presented.

*Knock Knock*

"That must be the mirror I sent for."

Celestia opened the door from her chair and in walked a pair of ponies carrying a full length mirror. They walked it over next to the princess and put it down. They both bowed before one spoke.

"Is there anything else we can do for you Princess?"

"No, this will be all. Thank you."

Another bow and then they left. Celestia stood and walked just beside the mirror turning around to face Ryan.

"Well come on, I know you are anxious but there is no point in delaying."

"I-I Know! Just give me a um..I mean just uh.."

She closed her eyes.

*Inhale, sigh~*

("Time to dive.")

Opening her eyes she saw Celestia once again smiling encouragingly, gesturing to the mirror with a hoof. Nodding Ryan stood up and, after taking off her hospital gown, slowly walked over to the reflective glass.

Celestia stepped back as Ryan got closer, giving her room to do as she wanted. First she peeked her head in to it's view. The thing that stood out to her first was her eyes. They were huge.

("WHOA, I look like an anime character! I could use windows for glasses!")

After she got over the size she noted that her eyes were still brown and lacked eyelash but had no other real noticeable features. The next thing that popped out to her was her muzzle. It was not to long and rounded at the nose. Having already gotten use to how it felt she opened it and got a look. Moving it this way or that way she looked at everything she could.

("Not much different there, just looks a longer version of a human mouth as far as I can tell.")

Giggling pulled her from her thoughts. Celestia could not hold it back, the sight of the mare leaning her head over opening her mouth at all angles into a mirror was just to funny. Ryan stood straight and blushed madly. The rulers giggles died down to a small smile as she waited for her to continue. After calming down Ryan stuck her head back over to make sure she didn't miss anything.

("I've got a diamond on my head.")

Indeed a small patch of lighter colored fur in the shape of a sideways box sat squarely upon her forehead. The last thing she gave thought to was that her hair seemed straighter than it was, plus the gray streaks were really nice looking.

("Yet I bet it'll still be a bitch and a half to fix in the morning.")

Seeing nothing else to critique she knew she had to take the last step. She walked fully into the mirror, turning to her side to get a full view.

("Wow.")

She was not sure if she liked it or not. Using the few other mares she had seen for comparison she found that she was thicker set then them. Not fat, just bigger. She even looked a bit taller than the other mares she's seen.

("Not being fat? Now I can get behind that!")

Her hooves weren't covered by her fur as she noticed many other ponies did. The hooves themselves were rounded.

("They kinda look like the push-pop ice cream.")

The thought of licking her hoof came up and she quickly shot it down, giving her head a shake.

("ANYWAY, what next?")

Looking to her backside she saw her tail.

("How the hell did I forget about that?")

It was black with a gray streak just like her hair, looking long and full. She turned around so she was looking back into the mirror. Giving it a good shake she swished her tail back and fro, trying various tricks and movements. She found spinning it like a helicopter quit fun. Turning back around she couldn't really anything else to check out.

("At least nothing I can look at in front of a princess...")

She was turning to Celestia when something caught her attention. In the mirror she saw her blank bum. If she thought back to her little escapade she remembered that every pony she saw had one of those marks on their flanks. As a once gentleman/human she had never looked at Luna's bum and so never saw if she had one of them too.

"I am guessing that you want to know what those marks that all ponies have are."

'"EPP!"

Ryan jumped, Celestia having sneaked around to her side.

"Um-um-um yes?"

Celestia turned around to show off her own bum mark, a stylized sun.

"These are cutie marks. They appear when a pony discovers what their special talent is. The thing that not only are they best at but also makes them the happiest to do. It represents that talent and that the pony as found what it is they want to do for their life."

"Wow, that's a lot to show just in a mark. If you don't mind can you tell me what yours means?"

Celestia faced her again.

"Not at all. You see it was the job of the unicorns to raise and lower the sun. In a time long ago the ponies did not mingle outside of their races. While the they held a weak treaty based on necessity the unicorns still held the most power being the only ones that could bring day and night. At one point the races leaders came to a true understanding and were able to form the country of Equestria, but unfortunately there was still unease of the ponies of each race, they not having gone through the events that brought their leaders together. This is where me and my sister come in. We as the first alicorns in ages were able to control the sun and moon by ourselves. With this power the three races crowned us their rulers and felt more at peace with each other. The unicorns for having such powerful magic users to lead them all, the pegasi and earth ponies comforted with being on a more even level with the unicorns. I took to raising and lowering the sun and my sister the moon. That is how we came to have our cutie marks."

Celestia had moved to the window and opened the curtains staring at the sun as she told her tell. Ryan found it interesting and moved to sit next to her.

"Wow, so all three leaders unanimously agreed to name you two princesses?"

"Yes, but they still held authority as their respective races, they would act as council. If they could come to an agreement they could overturn a law and other such things. Over time individual leadership of the races was left behind in favor of having Two rulers who held the traits of all three races."

"Huh."

At this there was a lull in the conversation as Ryan stared out to the mountain side below them, Celestia to the sun, or perhaps a land far off.

"Are all cutie mark stories so grand?"

This elicited a chuckle from the white equine.

"No, most are not as grandiose as ours."

"I should have figured."

Ryan looked up at Celestia. She noticed and looked back.

"Will I get one?"

"I do not see why not. You are a pony through and through now as you just had the chance to see. You just need to find your special talent."

"Okay."

Another lull, both returning to the window.

"What happens now?"

Celestia looked down at Ryan again.

"How about you tell me about your new body? How do you feel about it?"

"...I think I look fine. That's all I can really say now. Obviously I've been a guy my whole life. I was and still am really scared. For some reason in my head becoming a girl is a much bigger thing than becoming a pony." *Sigh~*

Ryan laid down on her belly.

"I guess I just wasn't ready for it. I had time to think about what becoming a pony means, how it would change my life. I would have agreed to it anyway if I really think about it, I would have been dead if I didn't, but....."

"You still are unsure of just what truly frightens you?"

"Yeah. I know it has to do with me becoming a girl but...I don't know why! I did what I had to do to live, and I know I'm still me on the inside, but I still feel terrified. I..I just don't know..."

"I believe what scares you is uncertainty."

Ryan lifted her head slightly.

"Hmm?"

"You are scared of what you do not know. With such great changes in such a short time, even a pony who I was told faced things head on would be overwhelmed. But in that time you also did something amazing. Despite all the what if's, all the ways things could have gotten worse, out of everything that you had to do and the fears of what's to come, you made a friend."

"Luna.."

"Yes, and be sure that in such a time as yours, a friend is invaluable. I will not lie and say it will go up from here. The trials and tribulations you must face will be numerous. Be glad that you will have her to turn to, and you will also have me to turn to as well. I am always happy to help my subjects the best I can, and a friend of my sister is a friend of mine."

Ryan was growing tired of how ofter her face was tinting red.

"Thank you. I..um...just don't know what to say."

"There is nothing to be said."

"Right..."

Both mares relapsed once again into silence, Celestia attention still drawn by the sun wheres Ryan's was on the ground as she thought.

"......There's so much. Stuff I had to leave on the back burner in the rush, stuff I need to learn, and all the stuff that I'm sure is just waiting around some corner. You're right, having a friend will make it possible to make it through. For whatever time it is, thank you Princess. You really know what to say. I guess that's why your princess."

Celestia smiled, standing up and looking down again to Ryan.

"I can only draw upon my own experiences and give the best advice I can. I am glad that this conversation was able to help you, but I must go now. I have day court to attend to, and when the night comes Luna must attend to night court. We have much work to catch up on. For now you will have to wait for the doctors to examine and release you, afterwards you be given a room of your own here in the castle. You will also have full access to the castle services. It is likely the doctors already know you are awake and will be here soon so be expecting them."

"Okay, I will."

Celestia nodded and made her way for the door, grasping the mirror in her magic as she went.

"Could you leave that here please?"

"Yes, of course."

With that she left, the door closing gently behind her. Ryan got up and walked back to the mirror, once again in thought.

("So this is it. My new life.")

She put a hoof to the mirror, then put it down.

"....."

Being satisfied with the mirror for now she sat on the bed, laying on her side. Looking to the side table she saw the book from before. Sitting up she grabbed it, skimming through a few pages stopping on a chapter titled "The Griffin/Pony war of 950".

"Back in the early days of pony society it was-"

As she read she was absorbed into the story as she patiently waited for the doctor.

Wheres the Guards When You Need Them?
View Online

Appetizer

Wheres the Guards When You Need Them?

"Do you really have to do this....?"

"Yes, I have to make sure everything's where it should be, just try to bare with me, I'll be done soon."

"Fine, but please hurry!"

Ryan currently had her face smushed into a pillow, tail down as the mare doctor called Medic Love examined her flower. She had came in a few minutes after the Princess left. She is a slightly taller than average unicorn, with a black mane/tail and light pink fur, wearing a fully closed doctors coat. She was specifically sent in in the hope Ryan would feel more comfortable around her. She had been very kind, taking Ryan's request to save her most delicate part for last. At first she carefully checked over her body, combing through her fur and hair. She then took a slightly modified otoscope and looked in her ears. Finding nothing wrong there she exchanged the otoscope for a flat stick, a small flashlight, and asked Ryan to open her mouth. Lastly after being satisfied with what she saw she her to stand up as straight as she could and try not move. After Ryan was up Medi, as she preferred to be called, cast a spell that enclosed Ryan in a dark green glow. Ryan felt a tingling through her body, and then she was see through except for her bones.

"WHOA."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, just surprised. It's really cool."

"I have to agree, it's quite popular during nightmare night."

"Oh, that's the holiday where ponies dress up and go collect candy, right?"

"Yes it is! Your a the fast learner to be sure."

Is was hidden in the spell but a blush did come to Ryan's face.

"Thanks."

After that Medi had Ryan get back on the bed and asked her to lay on her back. This is where they are now, Medi with a small magnifying glass and a to be unnamed metal tool checking Ryan's new sensitive folds, Ryan herself holding a pillow over her face.

"I guess I really have no reason not to ask now..." Ryan said moving the pillow to her chest to reveal an almost black shade of red across her whole face.

Medi peeked up from her examination.

"What's that dear?"

"Welllll, I was wondering...Um..."

"Come on, you can tell me, everything stays between us. Doctors confidentiality."

"....It feels really sensitive."

" It? Do you mean your vagi-"

"NO, I mean yes, ah...I mean to say that all of my new..."personals" feel sensitive. REALLY sensitive."

Medi giggled at her shyness.

"You are absolutely adorable flustered dear, but you know you'll have to get used to those terms."

"Yeah, I know. I just need to get used to it on my own time."

"Alright, if you say so. Now you mentioned being sensitive?"

"Ye-yeah...It feels like I'm constantly in the mood. Every little brush sends a tingle through me! I can ignore it for now, but it just won't stop."

"Some mares would call you lucky."

In response she received a deadpan stare.

"Only a joke, but really you're fine."

"I am?"

"Yes, this parts are fresh and brand new. It only makes sense that they would be more sensitive. You just need to get used to them. It's when your first heat comes around that it will really be sensitive."

"Heat?! You mean like when animals get really horny and start screwing anything that will let them?!"

"More or less, I must say many mares act like animals during their heat."

"OH GOD, I'm gonna be humping some guys leg, or get in some strangers bed, or-EEEEEAAHHH!!"

She was ripped from her rant as a hoof touched one of her teats, a mix of extreme surprise and slight pleasure coming over her. Faster than she thought possible of herself, Ryan got into a sitting position and was backed up against the head of the bed, tail unconsciously wrapped around her. Medi was left with with her hoof in the air, mouth slightly ajar.

"Oh my, are you alright?"

"WARN ME NEXT TIME!"

As what had become a common occurrence recently the deep blush spread out on her cheeks spread just a bit further. Medi put her hoof down and moved her chair to sit next to Ryan.

"I'm sorry dear, but you knew I needed to check them, plus I knew that a little surprise would get you to stop worrying for a moment. Heat is a perfectly normal time of year that every mare goes through. There is plenty of ways to prepare yourself for it and it is something that over time you'll may even learn to use to your advantage. I know a few lucky stallions whose special someponies know just how to handle it to give them a magnificent week."

Ryan felt as though white hot irons were being pushed into her cheeks and her face looked the part as well.

"I don't want to use it! I just want to know how to survive it!"

"I could recommend you to a good book in the royal library, I've personally found it very helpful when I was first going through my own heat. As for a more personal tip I would say get a coltfriend. There ARE some companies that specialize in this particular area, but a coltfriend just feels so much better, especially when you can wake up in their hoofs in the morning."

Medi seemed to get a far off look for a moment but caught herself quickly and gave her head a little shake.

"Sorry about that dear, just some good memories. I still recommend that book, it's called "My First Heat: Whats Happening to Me?!". A stallion with a cart of books should be stopping by later, ask him if he could get it for you."

Ryan was now laying on her belly, legs tucked in. She still had a tinge of red to her face.

"Alright, I'll give it a read. Thank you and sorry for you know...freaking out."

"It's fine, but you know we have to do it again right?"

"I know...."

They got back in their previous positions, Ryan opting to leave the pillow this time. Ryan let out a small squeak every once in a while but remained quiet otherwise. Soon Medi was done and they were both standing as Medi made a few more notes on her clipboard.

"And so you haven't had any other problems aside from the sensitivity?"

"Nope, I feel fine. At least nothing hurts anyway."

"Good to hear, now I have given you all of your major examinations and with my magical assistance your recovery has almost sped by. You'll still need to stay for the next three days as per the rules. In that time I will come see you for daily check ups to make sure there's no delayed effects and answer any questions you have about your new body. If you need to use the bathroom just tap on the door three times and a magical alert will have a nurse come by to guide you to one."

"Um, Why do I need to be escorted to the bathroom? And I was thinking, why aren't there any bathrooms in the recovery rooms anyway?"

"You may be recovering quickly but you still had a major operation and are still going to be held to the same rules. As for the bathrooms, the medical wing of the castle is really a lot older than it looks. It's been taken well care of over the years and has had many renovations, but unfortunately bathrooms is just something they haven't quite gotten around to yet. It was made before proper plumbing had been invented so there use to be a whole other section for out houses. And lastly we don't want another instance of you running around as though you're a wonderbolt."

Ryan rubbed the back of her head.

"Oh, that. Heh heh..."

Medi giggled as she opened the door, stepping half way through before looking back.

"I understand dear, just try not to make more guards question themselves because they couldn't stop a patient from running rampant."

"I'll try my best."

Medi smiled and left, leaving Ryan to her own musings. Ryan passed a bit more time by reading up some more on her history before she grew bored of that and stood up to stretch out her legs. As she walked around the room randomly her mind turned back to her talk with Medi.

"Heat...."

She started to walk a little faster.

"I'm going to go through heat."

She was walking in a tight little circle.

"And the only help I have is a book I don't even have yet."

Pinkie nodded her head as she walked next to her.

"I don't think books help you walk in circles either."

"ACK?!"

Ryan jumped, nearly hitting the wall. It made Pinkie giggle as she bounced right into Ryan's face.

"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"Um, hell-"

"Hello to you to! Oh my gosh it's so exciting to meet an alien! Do you eat cake on your planet."

"Well yea-"

"What am I saying? OF COURSE you eat cake! Who doesn't like cake? Nobody, that's who!"

"Okay, anywa-"

"Oh I can't believe I'm meeting the first ever alien to come to Equestria!"

Pinkie's eye widened, she stood up on her back hooves, put her forehooves to the side of her head, and let out a huge gasp.

"THAT'S RIGHT! You'rethefirsteveralienheremeaningthatyou'rethefirstonetoeverhavea "Welcome to Earth" partyandthatmeansIhavetomakesurethatyouhavetheabsolutlybestpartyever!"

Ryan only had a second to blink before Pinkie took her face in her hooves and shoved it in to hers, their eyes almost touching.

"I Pinkie Promise that I will throw you not only the first but the BEST "Welcome to Earth" parties EVER, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

She finished a small series of motions off with sticking a hoof in her eye. The sight made Ryan cringe.

("How does that not hurt?")

"Um...well thanks....I guess."

Pinkie just giggled again.

"Of course, what are friends for?"

With that Pinkie bounced away from the confused mare. She hopped over to the door and grabbed the handle.

"And speaking of friends mine are here to see you too!'

And so she opened the door to reveal a surprised purple unicorn standing with a hoof raised ready to knock.

"Huh? Pinkie?" The unicorn looked behind her at what looked to be some other ponies and then looked back to the still bouncing pink energy ball.

"When did you leave? And how did you get here before us?"

"Well you see I was really excited to meet the alien so I went on ahead as soon as the chariot landed and I found that if you go through the window it's a whole lot faster so that's how I got here first!"

Glancing to the window Ryan saw that it was open.

("Is she a ninja or something?")

"Hello there."

Looking back over Ryan saw that The unicorn had walked in now, her entourage following behind. Her mane and tail was a darker purple than her fur, with a even darker streak of purple and a streak of pink running through both. Now that Ryan could see her closer the purple one was really an alicorn.

("How many princesses are there? Or is she even a princess anyway?")

Last thing about the purple possible princess was that she had some sort of star cutie mark.

The one on the alicorns left was the first pegasus pony she had gotten a good look at. A solid cyan color to her fur with a rainbow mane and tail, she stood out a little more than the others. She looked lean and well toned, probably an athlete. A cloud with rainbow thunder was what decorated her bum.

The next was on their other side, an earth pony from the looks of it. She was the only one wearing any clothes out of all of them, a simple cowboy hat. She had a pure blond mane/tail, with orange fur. She looked to be pretty built too but gave off more of a hard worker vibe than anything. The three apples on her flanks reminded Ryan that she hadn't eaten in a while.

("I need to remember to ask when lunch is, I've probably missed breakfast in all the drama this morning.")

Beside the cowpony was a white unicorn with nicely kept deep purple mane and tail. It was obvious she was trying to appear high class, and Ryan had to admit she did. She gave off a nice elegance that made itself known but did not try to overpower the others presence in the process. Ryan could appreciate that even if she wasn't one for that high society stuff. Ryan realized she would never again be able to play Minecraft thanks to the diamonds the unicorns bum wore.

Lastly was the one cowering behind the the athletic pegasus. It was hard to see her, not only was she hiding behind the more confident winged pony, but she was also hiding behind her own long pink hair. Ryan could see one bright blue eye peeking out and ducking back in every now again with what could have been an "eep" is one listened closely.

The one they called Pinkie Pie would have gotten look over but Ryan had already got all she wanted to see of her and more.

"Hello? Are you okay? Did you do something Pinkie?"

"NO, well yes, but I was just telling her abo-"

Ryan realized she had dazed off has she examined the new ponies. Deciding it was time to actually say something.

"-and then they were like "Bozongo" and I was like "Okymoky!"

The alicorn let off a groan.

"Pinkie, I just wanted to know if-"

"Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself. My names Ryan. Who are all of you?"

The alicorn was thrown off from her impending rant, Pinkie as she was named just going back to bouncing in place happily. The purple possibly princess pony looked to Ryan again with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

("If she has anything to do with those books I am going to jump out the window.")

"This is Rainbow Dash." Twilight said gesturing to the blue Pegasus.

"Whats up?" Rainbow greeted, puffing out her chest slightly.

"I don't know, I should be the one asking you that."

"Heh, I guess so huh?"

Twilight interjected there.

"And the one hiding behind her is Fluttershy. As you can plainly see, she is very shy."

The yellow and pink quivering mass poked it's one eye out again and said something.

"~~~~~~~."

Ryan leaned in a little.

"I'm sorry, what was that."

"It's nice to meet you."

Ryan took a step closer and got on her knees to be on eye level with her.

"Do you mind speaking up a little? I can't hear you."

Fluttershy hid a little further behind her mane but obliged to Ryan's request.

"It's nice to meet you."

I was hard to hear but Ryan still got it and smiled.

"Thank you and it's very nice to meet you too."

Fluttershy go a blush on her cheeks, went "Eep!", and hid behind her mane again, though she did stop quivering. Ryan could only tilt her head in confusion. She just shrugged her shoulders and stood back up, turning back to Twilight but before either could say anything the orange mare came right up to her, grabbed her hoof and started to shake it furiously.

"Well howdy there sugarcube, my names Applejack!"

Ryan hoof felt like it was going fast enough to create fusion energy. Ryan felt a small spark of competition in her.

("If she wants to shake then I'll shake!")

With that Ryan started putting as much strength as she could into match and even out shaking Applejack's. This lead to the both of them bouncing just as Pinkie was, each swing up having the power to very shortly lift them in the air. They stopped after a moment, Ryan stretching out her foreleg from it's sudden exercise.

"Wowie, you've got quit the leg on ya there. I'm mighty impressed."

"I just shook your hoof. Nothing to be impressed with."

"Oh but darling! I have learned from personal experience that even the littlest of things can be grand things if you know what you're doing."

This was the white unicorn walking around Applejack to be in front of Ryan.

"Of but please forgive me, I'm Rarity. An absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance dear."

Rarity stuck her hoof out to Ryan. Ryan shook it much more carefully, knowing better than to try and shake this dainty looking mare hoof like it was the brake lever on a train heading for a cliff like she had with Applejack's.

"I must say it is quite exciting to meet someone who is of an entirely different world altogether."

Ryan walked over to the bed and got on before replying.

"So you all know about that then?"

They all nodded.

"It's not really much of a secret is it?"

Twilight seated her self in a chair she had pulled close to the bed.

"Outside of me and my friends, the princesses, and the medical staff no one knows about where you came from. Your secret is still safe for now."

As all of the other made an impromptu circle around her Ryan decided to get the biggest elephant out of the way.

"I don't mean any offense from this, but I would feel better about my secret if I knew a bit more about you all other than just your names, and apparently the fact that I'm going to have a welcome party."

Pinkie grinned broadly and Twilight nodded.

"That's fine, I would be a little suspicious of some random ponies I just met too. I'll explain. I used to be Princess Celestia's personal student until I became a princess myself. It was both the most exciting and the scariest moment of my life! I wasn't even sure what I was supposed to do as princess, but with my friends I was more than ready to take on what ever came at me. Without them I wouldn't be where I am now."

Twilight was beaming, her friends having come together for a quick group hug.

("It's a good thing I'm already in a hospital 'cus that definitely just gave me diabetes.")

Breaking the hug Twilight began again.

"So when Luna brought you over Celestia wrote to me asking for my assistance, wanting me to see if I could find anything on your species."

"Oh right, I remember being told about you now. I'm guessing you couldn't find anything?"

"Nothing that could be useful, The most I could find was legends and myths. It's a shame that I never got a chance to examine humans more closely when I had the opportunity."

"Wait wait wait, you've seen other humans?"

Ryan got a bit excited at this, hope gathering in her that this world might not be so foreign after all.

"Well yes, but only briefly. You see somepony had stolen my crown, which also happened to be my element of harmony, and in order to get it back I had to go to the human world. In short I managed to get it back but I had not time to stay or I would have been stuck there forever. I knew what you were, but I still had no idea how to help you."

Twilight looked at Ryan apolitically. Ryan was a little disappointed but fine.

("I didn't lose anything anyway.")

"It's all right, I'm just grateful that you tried and that I'm alive. It might seem like it but from what I understand it could have been a LOT worse."

Twilight perked up at this.

"Alright, so now I know who you are, why are you here?"

"Well I wanted to meet the being that had me up to the early hours of the day and gotten both the princesses to help them. My friends wanted to come meet you as well and I saw no harm in taking them along too."

"Oh, well here I am. The human turned pony."

"Oh I already know that, I wanted to learn more about you and your species."

"Learn about humans? Alright, tha-"

Rarity propped her forelegs up on the bed and got closer to Ryan.

"I in particular am interested in learning about your fashion, I mean a whole species that always wearing clothes simply MUST have great fashion sense!"

"Um, well I might not be-"

Applejack copied Rarity, getting even closer.

"I was wondering now 'bout your farmers m'self. How do they buck trees with those legs like you got, er, had?"

"Buck? I don-"

Rainbow zoomed in next, getting almost right in Ryan's face.

"How the heck do you control the weather if you don't have wings or magic?"

"We-well we don't, it-"

Fluttershy got closer as well, though that was just moving from the foot of the bed to the side.

"I-I was hoping that yo-you could tell me about your animals, especially the if you have any bunnies, that is if you don't mind."

("Correction, that's going to give me diabetes.")

"Well when I was younger-"

Pinkie once again smosed her face right into Ryan's.

"GUACAMOLE, YES OR NO?!"

"MAYBE?!"

Pinkie just nodded at this, backing off just a bit to reveal that all six of the ponies were starting to argue, each wanting to get their answer first. As they bickered they drew in on Ryan, her backing up until she hit the wall.

"HUMANS!"

"FASHION!"

"BUCKING!"

"WEATHER!"

"BUNNIES!"

"RABBLE RABBLE!"

("HELP!")

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He's a scoundrel and you know it."

"Yeah but he's a cute scoundrel!"

The two nurses were discussing something pertaining to stallions when they heard some yelling from down the hall they were in. As was their job they went to investigate. The voices got louder as they got closer. Just as they were at the door it was coming from a voice rose above the others.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!"

Then a thump could be heard followed by a pony in a patient's gown bursting through the door and running like mad past them. Right after her came a group of ponies, one of which they recognized as Princess Twilight. In the madness the nurses had the mind to try and bow as she rushed by along with her friends. They were all calling for the first pony to stop. Once all of them had made the turn at the end of the hall the nurses looked up, then to each other, then to where the ponies had run off to.

"Was that the special patient we have that just ran by?"

"And that was the newest princess chasing after her."

They stood looking where they had gone before turning back and walking again.

"We'll go tell Doctor Stitch Heart, after we've gotten some coffee."

"Right."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

("SECOND TIME IN ONE DAY THAT I'VE RAN THROUGH THIS DAMN HOSPITAL!!!")

Ryan was trying her best to not run into anypony as she was perused by the ponies that wanted answers from her. She had zigzagged around the various hospital goers, having made it to the reception area fairly fast. The guards that had been standing at the doors before were gone this time when she got out of the hall.

("When I actually need them their off somewhere fudging about!")

As she almost reached the desk she looked behind her to check on her chasers.

("I'm starting to lose most of them but that cowponys keeping up and skittles is catching up!")

Clearing the desk quickly Ryan saw a purple flash in front of her and suddenly Twilight was there waiting at the door.

("NO FAIR, she cheated!")

"Please wait, we want to say that we're sorry!"

"Then stop chasing me!"

Twilight made a stance, reading herself to cast a spell if she needed. Ryan made to ram her. Just as Twilight looked ready to cast her spell Ryan jumped on her back, doing a slide and slipping right by the surprised purple pony. Getting up turning around Ryan slammed the door behind her just as Rainbow was going to crash into Twilight. The resulting *THUNK* was the signal for Ryan to start running again. She shot off in the first direction she could find and hoped she wouldn't run into anypony else.

("I just need to find somewhere to hide for until they have gone and hopefully I can slip back to my room before Celestia finds out. I'm sure if I explain the situation to Medi she'll understand.")

Ryan had rounded a few corners now, trying her best to avoid anything living. Every now and then she would duck into to another hall or behind an ornament as a maid or royal guard passed her. Eventually she started to slow down and then stopped, realizing something.

"I didn't memorize which way I came from. Buck."

Looking at where she was she could see she was in a sort of waiting room, thankfully empty, and that there was a large black door with a crescent moon embolized on it.

"Okay, I'm guessing that might be some kind of room for Luna. She doesn't get up until night so it might be a good place to hide 'till I figure out what I'm going to do."

With that sentiment Ryan walked in, making sure that nopony was around quickly. Now inside she saw that it was in fact a court like room with minor differences. The seats were all stands pushed to the sides of the room, tall windows stretching a good fifteen feet up, unlit torches between each one. They touched the ceiling which depicted to alicorns chasing each others tails in a circle with a sun and moon in the style of a yin yang symbol.

"A safe bet would be that's Luna and Celestia up there. Makes sense I guess, I mean they can control the moon and sun. Scary really."

Further down the long room where the usual judge stand set up would be there was instead one seat, a throne with that crescent moon again, at the top of a small set of stairs.

"This must be where Luna holds her night court. It's smaller then I would have expected honestly."

Ryan looked for somewhere she could rest as she thought of what to do. Walking around the room a bit she found that a thin curtain separated the the under side of the stands the rest of the room. Checking the other side of the curtains Ryan saw that the space behind the stands was empty other than a few poles holding up the stands.

"This should be a good place."

Crawling in and find a comfy spot Ryan laid down on her side, putting a leg under her head. After she was comfortable she thought over what she should do.

("I think I'm going to just have to find a guard and explain myself, there's no way I'm going to find my way back on my own. I know if Celestia finds out not even she will be willing to put up with this shit anymore. I just hope she listens to me before she does anything.")

Sigh~

("How the fucking buck did I get into such deep do-do when I got here just a few days ago? And why am I saying buck now?")

Ryan laid still, just letting her thoughts drift. After a while her eyes started to get heavy. She rubbed them with the back of her hooves.

("Nope, can't fall asleep here. Last time I fell asleep at some random place I picked I died. Plus I can't stick around here too long, need to figure out how to get back to my room.......but this floor is really comfy.")

Internally a small battle waged over rather to take a nap or go ahead and get going. Three minutes later her fight was over and her eyes closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"THE NIGHT COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!"

Jolting from her sleep Ryan whipped her head around looking for it's source. Shadows stretched around her from in front of the stands, made by the now aflame torches as to strife off the dark night that came from the windows.. She could hear loud murmuring coming from the many seats she laid under. Trying to be as quiet as she could Ryan walked over to the curtain and very carefully pulled the curtain aside just enough so she had a sliver to peek through. Using one eye she looked about to find that day had turned to night and that the once bare courtroom was now filled to the brim with ponies, some sitting on pillows next to the stands which were full of more ponies. Looking to the front Ryan could see Luna sitting upon her throne, ponies similar to the guards she had seen before but with dark gray fur, clad in dark blue and purple armor, and with bat like eyes and wings stood to either side of her and the entrance doors.

And she was looking right at Ryan with a devious smile and a gleam to her eye.

"Oh buck me."

Author's Note

Sorry if this one seems rushed, I'm under time constraints due to the unique nature of how I'm writing these. I'm gonna go back and fix it up when I can and start on the next chapter soon. Anyway how are yall liking it so far? It's starting to really get into some action now huh? Well that's all I've got for now so as always judge fairly and freely, and thanks for reading.

Wheres the Exit?
View Online

Appetizer

Wheres the Exit?

"Did you hear something?"

Ryan pulled her head back and held still.

"No, now hush. I want to hear what the first things asked is tonight."

"You and your believes, one bad or good question does not decide how the rest of night court will go."

As this lead into hushed fighting, Ryan carefully looked out again. Luna was looking out into the crowd now, but still had that smile.

("She knows I'm here, but just left me here and went ahead and started her night court. That could only mean one thing. She plans to put me through one of the greatest punishments ever conceived by intelligent beings. Public humiliation.")

A shiver ran from the base of her neck to the tip of her tail.

("I'd have taken another car head on if I had the choice.")

Luna called out again.

"WOULD THE FIRST PONY OF THE NIGHT PLEASE APPROACH!"

With that the guards at the door opened the them to a white pony with a blond mane and wearing a black tuxedo collar who held their head high and walked in with a grossly over needed amount of confidence. At his appearance Luna's smile became more strained.

"Ah, Prince Blueblood, to what do I owe the honor?"

Reaching the bottom of the steps and making a short bow with his head Blue Blood spoke.

"Good evening Princess Luna, I have come to make a request."

Luna very subtly rolled her eyes, making sure that Blue Blood didn't see.

"Very well, but I must ask why you waited to come to my night court instead of going to my sisters day court."

"Oh I did. I just wanted to be sure that both Celestia and you heard my request as so you both can consider it."

At this point Ryan stopped straining to listen and just watched. Blue Blood went on talking and Luna looking like she would throw him through a window to anyone who wasn't so engrossed in themselves as Blue Blood was and looked at her face. After he was finally done with his request for what Ryan thought was hair gel or something dumb like that he bowed his head again and left.

("I guess it's impossible for there to be such a thing as a perfect world, there's got to be at least one mirror kissing a-hole out there somewhere. He did give me the chance to see that whatever Luna has planed for me is not the worse she could do. At least from what I could tell from her face.")

After that it was a tirade of ponies coming to talk to Luna of various problems and requests. Some ridicules, like this one that wanted to know how come alicorns use unicorn magic instead of their own. Some were like Blue Bloods, though somehow not AS pompous. The rest were simple inquires, many pointed at Luna herself as it seems that she was absent for a great length of time and many ponies are curious about her, and some more practical requests, usually of a political nature, that if it couldn't be solved then would be scheduled for a meeting later. The thing that captured Ryan's interest was the excitement that Luna would have before each pony began then the disappointment after.

("What's she waiting for? She knows I'm here, had a creepy smile when she looked at me, and is waiting for something from one of the ponies here at the night court. The waits gonna kill me before what ever she's doing starts.")

Ryan was getting scared, the longer she sat there the longer bad was bound to happen. It had been three hours since night court started and the tension of what was going to happen was starting to get to her. She had spent a bit of time looking around for anyway she could have made a quiet escape but no such luck. With guards on the door and no way of getting to any of the windows without being seen she was stuck waiting for Luna's scheme to unfold.

"NEXT!"

The next pony to walk in was a doctor that Ryan vaguely recognized.

("Doctor Swell Heart. He's the one I never got the chance to meet personally. Wonder what he's here for. Probably something regarding me. I AM still missing.")

Swell made his way to the base of the stairs where Luna, who seemed more excited than before, greeted him.

"Ah, Doctor Swell Heart. I thought I should be expecting you or Stitch Heart for tonight's court."

Giving a quick bow, as seemed the etiquette, Swell spoke.

"Yes Princess, I have come to speak to you about a cretin problem. Normally such a delicate subject I would discuss with you more discretely, but seeing as this problem as made it, or I should say her, self quit well known, I felt that a more formal discussion would be appropriate."

The murmuring went up an octave at this, the snippets of conversation that Ryan could catch telling her that they knew what Sell was talking about.

"I think he's talking about that filly that went running through the medical wing twice today."

"I heard that she literally ran into Celestia while she was running away from some guards."

"I was visiting my brother earlier when it happened, and let me tell you, she had a sweet flank. Didn't see her cutie mark though."

The last comment made Ryan's face go deep red as her mind went crazy.

("Just how fast does gossip travel?! Or was I really just out that long? What kind of trouble am I in? Why couldn't it be Doc Heart instead? He seemed like a cool guy. Luna looks like shes ready to pounce! I DON'T WANT A SWEET FLANK!!!!")

Clearing her throat to gain the rooms attention again, Luna addressed Swell.

"It would be a safe guess that you speak of our newest friend."

"I do. As you might know, twice today she has ran recklessly about the medical wing and is now somewhere in the castle if she hasn't already some how found her way out. The first time she was pursued by two of the royal guards and crashed into your own sister Celestia. The next she was chased by our most recent princess, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends only to escape."

"I have heard of this. My sister told me of these events herself when I awoke for the night. While I am open to hear all the concerns of my subjects I must ask why it is you waited to speak to me of such things rather than speak to my sister."

"I thought to come to you Princess because you were the one that found and saved hi-ahem, Her from meeting an untimely end. Plus it is simply easier on my schedule to come to night court. I wish to know why it is that my recommendation to have her recovery period extended and begin regular therapy sessions upon being found is being ignored. Her activity today as reaffirmed that she is having a great deal of trouble of adjusting and needs professional help. Yet both your sister and your own self have said to let her be. That along with you having halted the search for her hours ago as made me quite concerned."

Again the crowd talked loudly with themselves, and again Luna quieted them.

"Your concern is well warranted and I apologize deeply for the trouble, but I can assure you that it is all under control. But the subject I wish to handle first the question of her meant well being. I am under the believe that she is mental state is perfectly fine."

("While I don't want to have to see a therapist, I have to say you're wrong on that one Luna.")

"Really? I'm sorry Princess but as one of her treating doctors I must have more than just your word. What I have seen and heard today is strong evidence for my case."

Luna's grin that had subtly been on her face had grown greatly at his comment. Ryan was, has quietly as one could, freaking out immensely.

("PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER YOU HOLD DEAR DON'T DO WHAT I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING OF DOING!!!!!")

She was trying her hardest to try and convey this through her one eye peeking from behind the stands, trotting in place all the while. As it was Luna wasn't looking her way at that moment.

"I do believe that the best way to proof her mental stability would for her to defend herself."

It was then that Luna looked to Ryan. It was also then that Ryan decided that making a run for it would be the best idea. Unfortunately she was not given the time to even take a step before a dark blue shimmering glow grasped one of the curtains edges and pulled it aside, leaving Ryan to face all the crowd that had turned their heads her way. Her ears folded back and her tail went between her legs, her eyes wide open and her pupils tiny dots.

The room was blanketed in silence.

"..."

("...")

"Please approach the throne."

Luna kept her calm demeanor but her smirk was plane for all to see. Ryan, along with most of the onlookers, were broken from the stare-off. Loud musings of Ryan's sudden appearance could quit plainly be heard as she took slow agonizing steps closer to stand next to Swell.

("Please let a bolt of lightning strike me down where I stand now, if there is any mercy to be had by whatever higher beings there might be up above or below.")

Now at the foot of the stairs she quickly spared a glance to Luna, still sporting that smirk, and to Swell, who seemed a bit dazed, before turning to look down at the floor and continue her silent prayers. Luna broke the tension building in the room.

"It is nice to see you were able to join us tonight. I do hope that you enjoyed your nap."

("If I had never woken up again it still would have been better than this.")

"I did..."

Ryan kept her gaze locked to the floor, not seeing Swell shake his head and throw a glare towards Luna.

"You mean to say that you knew she was hiding here the entire time and didn't say anything earlier?!"

"Yes, I had known she was here from the moment I stepped in the room. Tis the reason I had halted the search for her. I also knew that it would make a fitting punishment for disobeying doctors orders to have to explain herself in public at my night court."

"A-A PUNISHMENT?! Princess, with all the respect I can muster I have to say how unbelievably irresponsible this is! To put a patient who has been traumatized through an ordeal such as this can only lead to further traumatization! I will be taking her back to her room and scheduling her for weekly therapy sessions this instant."

"I believe that we were seeing if she was truly in need of help, Swell Heart."

Swell swung a hoof to point it at Ryan, who was now glaring at him now.

"It is very plain to see that she has not recovered! She-"

"I'd like to see you suddenly be put in front of not only a huge crowd but also a princess when you're not ready!"

Swell jumped back in surprise at Ryan's outburst. She had now rounded on him, jabbing a hoof her own in his direction. All the nervousness had bled from her as he talked, replaced by anger.

"And quite frankly I've had enough out of you! Yes I have some problems I need to work out but so does anyo-anypony else! I am done with hearing out of you that I need to see a therapist. I was completely within my right mind and ready to go through my procedure, and just because there were some surprises does not mean that I am "Traumatized"! ANOTHER thing! You seem to think I ENJOYED being chased around and looking like a fool. It's not exactly like I WANTED to run around a castle looking like an idiot."

Ryan was starting to close in on Swell who was backing up, the crowd hushed in anticipation for what could happen next, when Luna put an end to her rant.

"I believe he understands now. Could you please not make him flee from my night court?"

Ryan, pulled from her tirade, looked back at Luna with red on her cheeks, before giving one last glare to Swell and sitting at the the foot of the stairs, head glued to the ground again. Swell, after a taking a second to look around in a even greater daze than before, hesitantly made his way beside her, careful to not fully look at her. Despite her reluctance to look Luna straight in the eyes, Ryan still felt she needed to speak.

"I am so sorry , I just felt-"

"It is fine. I know that you were just letting off stress. Just be more mindful of what, or who, you release it upon. And it was quite fun seeing you an emotion other than quiet, sad, or sarcastic."

("YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME BURN A HOLE IN MY CHEEKS WOMAN!!!")

Ryan dipped her head lower to try and hide the blood rushing through her face.

"But you were called to the throne to explain yourself for why it is you were chased by my sisters royal guard, her once apprentice Twilight Sparkle, AND her friends THEN felt it perfectly fine to sleep under the seats of my court room."

Luna adjusted herself in her seat, leaning forward a slight bit.

"So please go on."

Ryan peeled her gaze off the floor and meet Luna's. Luna had finally lost her smirk, her face a mask of calm, but Ryan could still see that mischievous spark in her eyes. Ryan let out a discreet breath and did her best to get comfortable.

"Alright, alright. If I have to.....do I really have to?"

"Yes you do."

Ryan snapped her head to the side and let out air through her nose.

"Fiiiiiine." *Sigh~*

Ryan faced the deep blue ruler, doing her best to keep eye contact in an attempt to look strong, before going on.

"I guess...I should properly introduce myself?"

"That would be a good place to start."

Before Ryan could begin Sell started to mutter something.

"I-uh-um..."

Swell was still trying to speak against the proceeding events but his brain was still untangling some crossed wires and couldn't quite get it out. It was Luna that stopped his repeated utterances of "Um, uh" or "I".

"You can go and sit with the rest of the audience now Doctor Swell Heart. When she is done with her explanation you can escort her back to her room."

Still out of it, Swell just nodded his head and walked to the first unoccupied space he could find in the ever louder gossipy crowd. With that done Luna returned her attention to Ryan.

"Now, if you could continue?"

("I could but I'd rather noooot...")

One more breath out her nose.

"My name-" ("Can't say Ryan. Not in front of this crowd of rumor starved savages. Need a more pony name. um-um-um....") is Art Craft. Craft for short." ("Yeah that works.")

Luna raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing.

"As you know twice earlier I ran around the medical wing and the castle. Both times I was chased, the first time by the royal guards, and the second time by some crazy mares."

The conspiratorial like whispering went up again from behind her at calling their newest princess and her closest friends crazy. She elected to not address it.

"So I'll talk about them one at a time. For the first one um, well I had just woken up after my...procedure and I was alone. No-um..pony was around and I wanted to make sure I was alright. I wasn't really sure what to do and decided to try and find a bathroom so I could use the mirror. IIIII-ummmm...I ran into some royal guards and kinda freaked out. I was still a bit dazed just having woke up and got scared. When I reached the doors I ran umm in..into your sister, Princess Celestia."

Ryan fought against the near need to jump out a window as the crowd nearly burst with conversation. Luna just nodded and motioned for her to go on.

"She took me back to my room afterwards. She said it was okay, she understood it was a mistake. After that we just talked a little bit and then she left."

Conversations on top of conversations were going on without pause as Ryan thought out the next incident carefully. She felt a bit stronger with this next one, her voice coming out a tad stronger. Luna for whatever timeth it was quieted the other ponies so Ryan could go on.

"The second time wasn't my fault and I know it. I was just resting in my room reading when a pink mare calling herself Pinkie Pie came in and started yelling about parties, followed by her friend. They seemed fine at first, introducing themselves and being polite, but then they started asking me questions and wouldn't give me the time to answer them. THEN they started fighting over whose question I should answer first and started to back me up to a wall, each one trying to get me to themselves first. I tried to say something but they weren't listening. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I ran out the door hoping to get somepony to help me, but then they started chasing me!"

Ever ready to catch any potential gossip the crowd was getting really loud over "Art Craft's" tale but were hushed once again by a quick glare from Luna.

"After I got out of the medical wing I just ran around randomly until I was sure that they weren't chasing me anymore. That's when I realized that I had forgotten to remember where I ran and didn't know how to get back to my room. From there I decided to duck into the closest room I could find, which just happened to be this room. I was trying to figure out what to do next while I rested under the stands when I started to drift off. The next thing I knew it was night time and you were starting court."

That was the end her story so Ryan just remind quiet, waiting for Luna to say something. Luna for her part maintained her calm exterior the entire time even when a few chortles or small gasps could be heard at some points during Ryan's tale from the expressive crowd. She nodded to Ryan, showing she had heard and understood her, and began to ponder her, giving thought to what should be done about the mare that had, intentionally or not, caused so much trouble in just a days time. She gave some critical looks to Ryan, or perhaps she should say Art Craft, never betraying her thoughts. Ryan was starting to get nervous. Her anger towards a particular doctor had carried her through most of her story, but now feeling calmer she could feel it creeping around inside her again. Back when she was human, and a guy, she would have been able to force it down and do much the same as Luna, hold a expressionless expression and wait patiently. She wasn't having such luck now.

No matter how hard she tried she couldn't help but feel the need to wiggle in her spot, her eyes darting this way and that way. It felt as if something didn't happen soon she would blowup like a bomb, or more like a balloon. In line with that analogy she deflated like a balloon as well when Luna spoke.

"It would seem you have had quite the day. While it could have been avoided I can see how you truly did not mean to cause such a commotion. Seeing how I have already made you come forward to speak your piece here in my night court you have served an appropriate punishment for what was hardly more than a misunderstanding. You have also shown that you are of sound mind and are ready to enter society once again after you have been excused from the medical wind of the castle. Is there anything you would like to add before I go on?"

"Uh..no, Lu-Princess Luna."

Not many cached it or thought much of it, but some of the listeners did notice Ryan almost addressing Luna causally rather than with the proper royal periphrasis. The rumors would likely be blown out of proportion and be spreading through the papers for at least a week.

"Then that is all that needs to be said, Doctor Swell Heart and one of my personal guards will escort you back to your room. I would suggest you try and keep from running through the halls this time, Art Craft."

"I won't as long as nopony chases me first."

Luna smiled at her before turning and nodding at one of the bat-pones at her throne, as Ryan felt was a good name for them, who nodded back and descended the stairs. Reaching the bottom he gestured for Ryan to follow him. She took the chance to examine him more closely now that she was right behind him.

("Yep, definitely a bat-pone. No other name could fit better.")

As they walked to the door the bat-pone nodded to Swell on their way, who promptly got up and started walking a bit behind Ryan. The bat-pones at the doors parted them open for the small group and closed them behind them, cutting off the crowd that seemed to feed off the juicy bits of info they could glean from the mysteriously strange mare that had been running rampant through the halls. The rest of the walk was spent in silence, the bat-pone leading in a partial march, Ryan and Swell deep within their respective thoughts.

("So let's review. One of my treating physicians, most likely along with most of the upper crust now, think I'm loco. Luna new from the start that I was taking a nap in her courtroom and to get at me for it and running around twice in the castle she made me defend myself in front of everypony. On reflection this punishment was also a means of making sure I didn't being consider coco because of the way I've been acting. And now despite my questionable friendship with the Princess I'm now on thin ice with her and even thinner ice with everypony else. Greaaaaat...I need to find a way to thank AND apologize to Luna. As not only the only one keeping me out of rehab, she's been helping me since that start.")

Ryan had finished her thought and some others when they reached the outside of the medical wing. Being careful as to not make any noise this late they passed through fairly fast, making their way to outside her room soon. With just a quick nod to Swell the bat-pone walked off to return to his duties. Swell opened the door and went in after the bat-pone had turned the corner, Ryan coming after. Ryan made her way to the bed and hopped on, getting herself comfortable before looking at Swell. He was sitting in a chair waiting for to finish before he began. He let out a low sigh, looking to deflate much like she had.

"Miss Ryan, it is with all my heart that I must apologize. When I had made to suggest that you need mental treatment I did not in the slightest mean to say that you were mentally disabled in any way. It's just that since you had been put through such a great physical change and had ran from the medical wing twice that I thought you were suffering from some kind of scaring or, Celestia forbid, mental damage from the spell. It never occurred to me to ask you directly what had happened. What had prompted you to do these things. You more or less had valid reasons for what you did. I saw symptoms that weren't there and felt the need to help you in a way that you didn't need. So for that I am truly sorry."

During his apology Swell had dipped his head down, his ears folding back. Ryan's head jolted slightly back, her ears mimicking his. She had not expected that out of him and had to take a second to recover her thoughts. She had been ready to get some kind of scolding, or even a threat about still getting her into therapy. She had prepared herself with biting comments and threats of her own, but now her weapons made of words were useless as she tried to think of how to approach this new conundrum.

"We-well it's fine. I mean really it is. I can see where you were coming from and like Luna said, it all could have been avoided. I should be one saying sorry. I had no reason to snap at you the way I did and it was wrong of me to do so, especially in front of so many other ponies. I guess let's just say we're even and let bygones be bygones, okay?"

Looking up at her, ears perked, Swell has a smile now.

"That sounds great."

They shared a small laugh.

"Um, so I never got to meet you properly before."

"That's right, we never did get introduced. Well let me remedy that."

He stuck out a hoof.

"Doctor Swell Heart, Swell for convenience. Pleasure to meet you."

Ryan grasped his hoof and gave a nice firm shake.

"Ryan, Ryan Kumen."

They smiled at each other. Swell looked over at the wall clock and let out a sigh.

"Well I suppose that I should let you rest, it's rather late and I'm sure we could both use all the energy we can get. I know now that those "Elite" have enough ammo for a lot of gossip and we're the main subject."

A shiver went up Ryan's spine at the notion as Swell got up to leave. Just as he was at the door she remembered something and stopped him.

"Swell Heart?"

Stopping to look back at her he put his hoof down from where he had it on the door handle.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering...Could you talk to Stitch Heart about getting my name legally changed?"

Swell's eyes went wide and he turned fully around.

"Getting your name changed?"

"Yeah. It was something I thought about on the way back. I've pretty much gotten the idea that this is going to be my new life down, and I was thinking, "Ryan Kumen doesn't sound like something a pony would name their kid". I figured that a new name would help me fit in a bit better, like it did back in the courtroom. It just seems like something that's going to get in the way later and I want to take care of it now."

Swell was not sure what to say. She did have a bit of a point, but just changing her name like that?

"Well, I guess I can talk to him about it, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. Most of the medical staff has already gone to sleep, I was just up since it's easier to go to night court. He'll also want to come and talk to you about it as well. I would strongly suggest you give it more thought in the mean time. This isn't an small matter and I would hope you are absolutely sure about what you were doing before you went through with it."

"I know, and I was going to sit on it for a little while anyway. I just wanted to see if it could be done before my name was officially documented is all."

"Okay, I guess that works. Just don't try going for anything strange like Trygar or something along those lines."

"I'm not, promise."

Satisfied with this answer Swell nodded, wished her a good night, and made to leave before pausing and then turning back again.

"I guess I should ask, what are you thinking of changing it to?"

"That one's a tad easier. It's a name that grew on me pretty fast and I think I could live with."

"And it is?"

Ryan couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face.

"Thinking about it, I really like the name Art Craft."

Author's Note

And there it is folks! I know that this chapter a bit rougher and shorter but I was felling bad about late it was. I promise to touch it up where it needs it, just bear with me for now. If you are wondering about why it was late and the future check out my recent blog for some detailed info. As always rate freely & fairly and thank you for reading!

Where did the time go?
View Online

Appetizer

Where did the time go?

"And if you please could, don't go causing a ruckus. I would rather not have to treat you again so soon after you were let out."

"I'm never going to live that down am I?"

"I'm afraid not dear."

It had been two days from when Art Craft had made her grand introduction to the Canterlot Elite, and by proxy of gossip, the whole of Equestria. There weren't any more incidents in that time, but a good deal of noteworthy events did unfold, the first of all being the small argument Art Craft had with Medi the morning after.

"I thought I said not to go running about like a mad mare!"

"No, you said not to make the guards feel bad about not catching me, I got chased by an insane posse of ponies the second time."

The fight ended when Art Craft was able to get Medi to listen to her. While still displeased Medi could understand her predicament and let it drop with a warning. The next thing was the newspaper Medi had brought with her along side breakfast.

"It would seem that you have made it to the front page dear."

Holding out the paper with her magic telekinesis Art Craft read the header.

"Mad Mare Madness: Is Princess Luna's new special somepony a hazard?!"

Below it was a black and white picture of her at the night court as she was being lead out by the bat-pone guard. The article went on to talk about her escapades the other day. She didn't really get upset though until the suggestions of a romantic relationship between herself and Luna, which was rumored to be the reason she hadn't been thrown in a dungeon cell.

"How did this even get published today?! This all happened just yesterday!"

"I'm sorry to say that when news with as much gossip potential as this gets in the wrong hooves that it can get out pretty fast."

After taking a couple minutes to let Art Craft shimmer down, which consisted of her pacing around and muttering curses to herself, Medi brought up a question she had been holding.

"So are you really going to change your name?"

"Oh, well yes. I was hoping to get it changed to Art Craft. I wouldn't mind you calling me Craft by the way."

Medi giggled at the toothy grin that Craft gave her.

"While Art Craft sounds like a lovely name, I must say I thought Ryan sounded perfectly fine as well dear. You can call yourself anything you'd like, within reason, but I'd like to know why it is you so suddenly want to change it."

"I wanted to have a more pony name."

"More pony name?"

"Yup. Going around introducing myself as Ryan Kumen would lead to a lot of questions and I just don't feel like answering them all the time. And I just really like the name. Nothing wrong with my old name at all, it's what I grew up with after all, but I just think I need a new one for a new life."

"I suppose that's more sound reasoning for getting your name changed than others I've heard, but please take your time thinking it through, promise?"

"I promise, but I've had time to think about it already and I'm pretty sure about it. Just need word from Stitch or Sell Heart."

Medi just nodded, sated with that reply, and so the two chatted while they ate. Medi gave her to be routine check up, said her goodbyes, and left. Craft spent her time after stretching, reading, or sleeping. After some time of just looking out at the mountain scape when she got the smallest of an itch at the back of her mind, like something was there trying to work its way up to the front of her brain but just couldn't. She tried forcing it for a bit until she got a visitor.

*Knock Knock* "Mobile book and mail deliver service! I have some mail for a one......Ryan Kumen?"

("I guess my name was already made official. That means a lot more paper work to get it changed. Woooo.")

The itch gone now Craft went over and opened the door to be greeted by a silver coated earth stallion with light blue hair. He had a cart filled with books next to him, wore a blue deliveries pony hat embolized with a quill over a envelope, and had a satchel slung over his shoulder. He rose his head from a clipboard he was holding put on a smile, hiding the confusion he had at Craft's name.

"Hello, would you happen to be miss Kumen?"

("Hopefully not for long.")

"Yes that's me. You said I have mail?"

"Yes ma'am!"

He quickly put away his clipboard inside his satchel in and pulled back out two envelopes. Not sure how to grab stuff with her hooves yet Craft as gently as she was capable grasped them with her lips and nodded her thanks. The silver stallion nodded happily at a job done and went for his clipboard to check to see who were waiting for mail. This was just enough time for Craft to remember a recommendation from Medi. Depositing the mail on the side table first she trotted over to the delivery pony before he could get back on his way.

"Uh, Excuse me but could I ask if you have a certain book."

The silver stallion looked back from his cart with a smile.

"Of course, what are you looking for?"

She looked down the hall to make sure no other ponies were there to hear before she spoke.

"...do you have...."My First Heat: Whats Happening to Me?"?"

His professionalism proofed strong as all that escaped the silver pony was an arched eyebrow as to why a full grown mare would be asking for a book like that, but with a shrug he leaned over to one of his cart side and pulled out a small red book. In every way it looked unassuming, only it's title betraying what laid inside it's pages. He held it out to her with a smile, not letting any of his skepticism leak out. Taking great pains to avoid eye contact Craft took the book with her mouth, mumbled "Thank you" the best she could and retreated back into her room, closing the door as fast as she could without actually slamming it in his face. With just a shake of his head the delivery pony left to finish his rounds.

("God damn all the world to hell for all eternity for ever making this situation even possible.")

She spat out the book onto the bed before slamming herself face first into the mattress and letting out a muffled "UGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHH". She remained there letting the emotion drain from her before doing anything. When she got to feeling better she lifted her head up, coming to face the book of her anguish. It filled her with dread and she was not eager to start. Remembering the envelopes on the side table she got back up quickly, thankful for even the smallest of a distraction. Getting the envelopes and sitting a chair in the corner of the room, she paused when she got comfortable and ready to read.

"How do I open these with hooves?"

While puzzling over this she examined the envelopes. One was small and light blue, sealed with a dark blue wax showing Luna's cutie mark. Written on it was interesting combination of her old and new names, "Ryan Art Craft Kumen". The other was a bigger white envelope, this one holding six cutie marks but hand drawn instead of in wax. This one just had her old name. Recognizing the cutie marks on the white one she decided to try and start with the one from Luna. It took a bit of work but eventually she figured out a way to open it. She held the envelope clamped between her hooves and ripped the top of the envelope off with her mouth. Inside was a piece of paper colored a darker hue of blue than it's container. After a bit of finagling she figured out a way to get it out and find a comfortable way to hold it while she read it spread out on her forelegs.

Dear Ryan,

I must say that you put up quite a show last night. I'm sorry to have put you through such an ordeal but I did think that you needed a bit of embarrassment after yesterdays "events". It also helped to assuage some of the fears that were starting to arise from the general public and medical staff of the supposedly mentally unbalanced mare. It was really a lucky coincidence you were there at night court. Had I not been privy to you location I would have had to have jumped through a great deal more hoops to have sorted the whole mess out. Thankfully that was all avoided when I found you dozing away while I was looking for some extra cushions. Forgive me but I could not help but peek at your dreams when I had the chance and I think you will be happy to know that they have, for you at least, returned to normal. Now that is all taken care of I would like to inquire of your interest in changing your name. To be safe I will continue to call you as I met you, but I would like to get to know of what it is you desire to call yourself the next time we can meet as I have only heard of it in passing. It will be a while before then though for I still have much work to catch up on and my schedule will be full for at least the next week and so I must ask you to be patient.

Until then your friend,

Princess Luna

She was disappointed that she wouldn't be seeing her first friend here for seven days but was glad she wasn't mad at her. Putting the letter aside she thought on what to read next. The letter from her assailants yesterday, or the book most likely filled with descriptive imagery.

("The lesser of two evils...")

She opened the other envelope and began reading the plain white letter.

Dear Ryan,

Hello Ryan. As you probably know it's us, the mares from yesterday that chased you. We all feel absolutely terrible about how out of control we got and ultimately getting you in trouble and would like nothing more than to apologize. We all considered it and we thought that the best way to handle this would be to meet you individually, one at a time. Provided you would be willing to give us all a second chance. We understand if you want nothing to do with us but we really want to be able to prove to you that we're not just a bunch of crazed ponies that just happened into your room. As of right now we should be on our way back to our homes in Ponyville so if you want to see us you'll have to come down there. If you want to send a letter back I have inclosed a mailing address for you to write to.

With the sincerest of apologies,

The Mane Six

P.S.

HI! This is Pinkie talking! Or writing I mean. I just wanted to say how super duper wuper with a strawberry on top sorry I am so I snuck in a coupon for a free slice of cake over at Sugar Cube Corner. That's where I work! These coupons are for really super special occasions and that's why I gave you one, to show you just how sorry I am. I really hope you come by and use it soon so we can talk!

Hoping you day is filled with lots of smiles,

Pinkie Pie

The last part was written in pink and looked to have been hurriedly done. True to her word there was a little pink coupon proudly proclaiming "One free slice of cake of any flavor". It was branded at the bottom with the logo for this Sugar Cube Corner. Craft's stomach growled at the thought of cake. All she has had since waking up yesterday was the breakfast Medi had brought with her. That had consisted of an assortment of fruits which Craft noticed tasted a fair bit sweeter then she remember fruits being. She needed to ask Medi where they came from next chance she got.

("Forget the fruits, what should I do about the mad six?")

Pondering their words and Pinkie's gift, Craft couldn't help but feel the sense of genuine regret they had for what they had done.

"...Alright, I'll see them again. If it's just one at a time then I should be able to handle them. And their the only other ones that know about who I was so it would probably be a good idea to stay on their good side."

Having said that something crept at the back of her mind again, but stronger than before. It was a nagging feeling of something being out of place but she couldn't see what it was. Pushing it out for later after not being able to figure it out she looked at the address at the bottom of the letter and committed it to memory. She got up and put her mail in the table drawer. Turning around she once again was faced with the book she had been putting off. With nothing else to do she picked it up, got in bed, and opened it up to page one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Medi had came by at two PM she had found a rather flustered Art Craft in bed rubbing her legs together. She looked like she was really trying not to relieve herself in THAT particulate way. Seeing the little red book on her lap gave Medi an idea of what had gotten her so worked up. Delicately setting down the tray of food she had brought for a late lunch, she decided to make her presence known to the blushing mare.

"I see you took my recommendation."

Craft snapped her head to the unicorn just now having noticed her.

"Medi! Why in the name of all that is holy did you not suggest a different book or at least warn me that this one was so..so...so SEXUAL?!?!"

Medi giggled and shook her head, sitting in a chair next to the bed.

"It IS a book about how mares go through heat dear."

"Yeah, but I thought it was going to be all matter of fact and stuff, not be a romance novel poorly disguised as a educational book! It really did good describing all the details of what was happening to the example mare they used, especially when she found a stallion to plow her!!"

This would set the mood for the rest of Medi's visit, debating over just how effective the book really was at teaching about heat. It ended on a good note, both of them coming to an understanding that it did ultimately teach what it was trying to. Before she left Craft had asked Medi if she could get her some stuff to write some letters next time she came by. With an affirmation that Medi would she left Craft to fill the rest of her time for the day. Deciding she might as well try and glean some useful information from the erotic tale and hunkered down for the rest of the day, trying her best to not feel like she was a pervert, though the uncontrollable heat across her face and slowly working it's way down was hard to ignore.

She woke up the next day with the book opened to it's last page on her belly, once again thankful for her dreamless nights. She knew that if she had been dreaming that it would have been VERY detailed depictions of happenings in the book. She got up and did some stretching before knocking on the door, to which a nurse opened it a few minutes later. While being escorted back from the bathroom she ran into Medi on the way for Craft's morning examination. She had breakfast and the writing stuff Craft had asked for with her. Medi excused the nurse and they walked back to the room to talk and eat, mostly Craft asking questions about the world and Medi answering.

"I've been meaning to ask you, how can I write without magic? I need to get a letter written out and I have no Idea how I'm gonna write it."

She punctuated this with a shrug, lifting up her hooves to show off her confusion.

"That is a problem, but an easily fixable one. You said that Princess Celestia told you about all the pony races?"

"Yeah, why?"

"So you know that only unicorns have any direct control over magic, with pegasus second, being able to control the weather, and lastly earth ponies, who have magic but no way to control it. Now despite this there is a basic magic that all ponies share and use. I'm frankly surprised that you haven't noticed other ponies using it."

"Guess not, what is it?"

Medi took one of her hooves, put it down on a fork, and bringing it up the fork was stuck to it, much to Craft's surprise.

"Everypony can do it, it's nothing more than your natural supply of magic altering your electromagnetic field and that of the object you are touching to attract it to your hoof. It's not very strong though, the average highest lifting weight being twenty-five pounds. Like any other part of your body it can be trained but it's not as easy to do as with a muscle, it involves a lot of magical training and it is extremely difficult to do for non-unicorns, and even then unicorns have trouble being able to use it as most magic they have performed in their lives as been through their horns. But just using it is simple, you just have to give it a small thought when you want to use it. Go ahead and give it a try."

Craft didn't respond at first, staring at nothing and was starting to worry Medi when she finally looked at her.

"So I didn't have to just pick everything up with my mouth? For the love of Pete Medi! If I hadn't asked it would have taken at least another week for me to figure this out! And you using your magic to eat didn't exactly help drop clues. I've been munching away at my food like a dog this entire time!"

Craft had a look that spoke of no true hostility but did make clear her frustration. In short a pout that Medi found adorable on the mare.

"I'm sorry dear, I just assumed that was how you preferred to eat. Many ponies do and I by no means was going to stop you if that's how you liked to go about it. Though now I must ask, if you wanted to use utensils then why didn't you ask me about this when I brought you your first meal? Since I had no way knowing how you ate I just went ahead and brought all the standard eating cutlery and yet you did not even mention them and went on with your food."

Craft wanted to slap herself as yet another blush rose up in her cheeks.

("I seriously need to work on that as soon as possible, next thing I know I'm gonna start having nose bleeds...")

"After all the running around and stuff I was really hungry and.....I just wasn't thinking about it at the time. There was food, I knew I couldn't use my hooves, and so I went with what I thought at the time was the next best thing."

She was contemplating just how hard her hoof would be against her face as her blush got redder while Medi just shook her head in bemusement.

"Either way you know now, so like I said go ahead and try picking up something."

Nodding Craft went ahead and went for a spoon, as it was the only thing Medi hadn't used yet. Placing her hoof on top of it she thought about the spoon sticking to her hoof. She felt a slight tickling feeling at the base of her hoof, which she guessed was the right time to lift it up. Looking at the bottom of her hoof she was happy to see the spoon stuck on as if it was glued there. Figuring that it would likely be as easy to drop it she put her hoof back down, thought about letting it go, and was happier then before to see it devoid of the silverware after she brought back up.

"See? And before you know it you'll be using it without even really thinking about it."

"Yeah, thanks Medi, that's really going to come in handy in the long run."

"Of course, that's what I'm here for."

Craft thought she could figure out how to write on her own now and so just let Medi do the routine check up after they ate, letting her be on her way. She used her time afterwards practicing writing, being very careful to try and not get ink everywhere or rip the paper. About an hour later she was able to write at a level that still spoke of the practice she needed but was legible. She wrote out a message to the mares who she was trying to remember the individual names of. It took seventeen minutes on its own to write. She read over it a few times to check for errors of any kind.

To The Mane Six,

I'm one for being truthful and so I have to say that I was and still am a little hesitant to meet with you again, but I can clearly see that you all are sorry for yesterday. I'm not sure when I will have the chance to come by and meet you will be but I assure you that as soon as I can I will send word and we can make plans for me to come visit. For now know that I forgive you all and that some good did come from it all in the end. Like the chance to think of a new name for myself. That's all I really have to say for now, be sure to write back soon and we can keep in touch.

From your local alien,

Art Craft

P.S.

Tell Pinkie thanks for the coupon and that I'll be sure come over to Sugar Cube Corner as soon as I'm in town for that cake slice.

Satisfied with it she folded the letter and sealed it away within the envelope, writing the address and the groups name on it before putting away until she could get it to a mail pony. The rest of the evening passed with little event. The most that happened was that that the newspaper that Medi had with her that afternoon had the headline of "Celestia locks away Luna's luny new Love?". This new rumor stemmed from the fact that nopony had seen Art Craft the last two days and they weren't sure what to make of it. This aside the day was peaceful, not much of anything worth noting until Craft went to try and sleep that night. She laid in bed and was comfortable, eyes closed, but could not fall asleep. The same nagging feeling in the back of her head kept pestering her but for the life of her could not think of what it was her subconscious was trying to tell her conscious. She turned, twisted, pulled her blanket over her, threw it off, and got into every position she could conceive in the struggle for rest. Her head was buried under the pillow, blanket on the floor, when she gave up.

"Just buck it..."

She got grudgingly up and picked up the blanket from the ground before walking over the singular window of the room. Pulling a chair up she sat in front of the glass and just stared out. While all she could see were mountains she knew thanks to Medi that the front of the castle faced the supposedly beautiful city of Canterlot and the medical wing specifically faced to the west. After she was cozy in her chair Craft began to dwell on what was bothering her.

("Okay...I guess the best place to start is to think about what's different now. Well, different from how it's been the last few days. The first three days I was here I was in a coma, a pony princess who apparently has power over dreams was visiting me in my coma, said princess telling me I would die unless I turned into a pony too and live in another world from there on out, not only do I turn into a pony but into a girl as well, and my on my first day I end up getting chased twice through a castle. This all happened in the span of four days.")

The silence was barely punctured by her breathing as she let that all sink in.

("Ignoring the great possibility that I went insane after that car hit us, I think what's different now is that I've had a chance to just slow down these last two days. No life or death decisions, no chases, no out of no where gender changes. I've been able to just sit and relax, take a breather, and.....think.")

Her ears folded slightly as the beginnings of understanding came to her.

("Yeah, I haven't had a single chance to take a step back and put this all into perspective. It's been one thing after another, no chance to slow down 'til now......")

She grew uncomfortable in her seat. She felt the need to do something and so stood up and began to pace.

("There's a lot of things that I haven't done that I probably should have by now, questions I should have asked already. Now that I'm safe can't they turn me back? Couldn't Luna send me back home now? If she was so interested in my dreams then why hasn't she tried coming to me again? Why have I not thought of this all before? More worrying is that nopony else has either.")

Many dastardly scenarios were pushed away in her mind as she tried to keep a clear head.

("There's more, but that most important one....Was this all planned? It just seems all too convenient that the one guy that would be more willing to believe than most would be the one to be plucked out of his own world. Too convenient that I haven't had the time to think about this before. Just....UGH! FUCK!")

The thoughts ran together in a mad swirl as her frustration came to a head. Rearing up she stomped the ground with her front hooves, making the room shake ever so slightly. The small feat of strength was lost on Craft as she breathed slowly, walking over to the chair and sitting again. She let her nerves calm down before broaching the subject again.

("....The only thing I can do is wait until tomorrow. When I'm finally out I can see about talking with Luna privately, then I can confront her directly with my questions. I have no idea what she'll say, or what I even want her to say.....")

Her mind wandered from there, vaguely thinking about what it is she wanted. She wasn't sure what she would do if it was all a coincidence, or if it was all some kind of conspiracy. It was such a new and out there situation to be in and made finding answers hard, and after fruitlessly searching about she just thought of other things having decided that she would wing it when she talked to Luna. But when her mind reached a certain subject she could not stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. These new thoughts plagued her all night until she could escape to her dreams, but not before letting it be known to people that would probably never know, a promise.

"Mom, Andy, I'm sorry I haven't thought about you, I'm an idiot. But I still love you both. Boa, I'd let you punch me anytime you'd want as hard as you want if you would forgive me for not thinking about you. I'm so sorry to all of you, and I promise I will never forget you again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning she was woken up by Medi knocking at the door. Craft explained her sleeping in a chair as her just relaxing in the moon glow and nodding off before she knew it. They ate their breakfast and Medi began her last check up, this one being a tad more extensive than the others. After she was done she was more than happy to give Craft a clean bill of health and that all she needed to to do was come in next month for another check up, and then just to come in on yearly basis if nothing came up. Craft played up her cheer, not wanting to betray the nervousness and fear in her gut. Medi gave her some forms to fill out, standard medical stuff. One though caught her eye. It was a form asking to sign and make it official that her name was Art Craft. This brought up more feelings of unsureness but she hid it with a smile.

Back to present, Craft had been told by Medi that she had to drop some of the forms off with the receptionist and that would be it, a guard would be waiting for her at the door to take her to her new room over in the living quarters of the castle but from there she was more or less free to do as she pleased. Saying goodbye and promising to try and stay out of trouble Craft made her way to the reception area, doing her best to block out all the stares she was getting.

("No matter what Luna says or how I feel about it, I know one thing for sure. I will make the best of it no matter what.")

Author's Note

Not much to say on this one, so as always rate freely & fairly and thanks for reading!

Where's the scoop?
View Online

Appetizer

Where's the scoop?

".......Never thought living in a castle would be so boring."

Craft was currently laying on her back, paper hat on top of her belly, in her new room.

Earlier the guard, which to her immense happiness was not one of the ones that had chased her, had taken her on a some what long journey from the medical wing to the living quarters. They had made several twist and turns that Craft tried desperately to remember for future reference. Craft felt a bit polarized as they had walked due to some the stares she got, thankfully they were few and far between. They all came from ponies who she either recognized from night court or looked like the kind of ponies that would belong with the ponies that had been at the night court. Maids or other staff seemed to pay her no mind, even if she herself would stare at a unicorn every now and then as they passed by holding something or other in their magic.

When they made it to the living quarters she found that it was a large spiral tower, it's roof reaching high up to the point of almost not being seen from the bottom. Leading to the top was a stair case that held a platform about every ten feet. These platforms lead to another room. Each one either had a name or number. The last feature was what looked to be four ornate 1930's styled elevators but instead of some kind of pulley system there was just a large crystal fastened to their tops. They looked to stop at their own platforms after about every twenty rooms. Craft felt hesitantly excited despite the thoughts still lingering in her mind. While it looked like it shouldn't work she knew that somehow the lift would as the guard walked in and waited on her. Stepping in she saw that it only had a lever on the inside aside from the wallpaper. After she was inside it the guard pulled and latched the door shut before pulling the lever, and then they were off. The cart shot up quickly and was only just slow enough for Craft to make out what levels they were passing. When the guard finally stopped it they were on level thirteen.

Her room was number three-fifty-eight. The guard escorted her the rest of the way, gave her the key to the room, said that until the Princesses said otherwise she could live here and that if she needed anything to just ask one of them, and then left back down the elevator. The inside of the room had been a bit of a trip for Craft. The bed was queen sized, which she didn't like really. She never liked having something that was a chore to navigate and that included crawling three feet to get out of bed, but it looked so comfortable that she decided not to complain. Besides the bed she first noticed that the room looked much larger then how the rooms had been spaced would allow. Taking a quick look back outside she found that at some point the rooms had been spaced out much more as they got higher and most likely bigger as well. Coming back in and taking the room in she began to explore it's various features.

The first thing was two large bookshelves on one wall. One played host to many books with subjects ranging from history to recent magical studies and classical literature while the other was bare for her to fill with her own books of choice. They were stationed next to a door which upon inspection lead to an elegant bathroom. The tub was wide and could very easily double for a hot tub, and to her surprise she found more crystals at the bottom of the tub covered with flat glass. Looking at the wall the tub was on she saw that there were three small switches with a letter over each and an unmarked nob below them. H and C seemed easy enough, hot and cold water presumably would come out of the nozzle mounted at the top or out of the small pipe on one side of the tub depending on rather the knob was pulled out or not, but the last one was a mystery she felt like solving right then and there. She hopped in and flipped the switch. Nothing happened at first, but after a few seconds a soft glow came from the bottom of the tub. Little deduction was needed to figure out that it was the covered crystals. It was rather interesting how they had combined a bath, shower, AND hot tub all into one.

With that done she got out and looked for the toilet. Having already used them while she was still in the hospital she wasn't really surprised by it's design when she saw it. They resembled some Japanese designs she had seen and so outside of getting comfortable using one it wasn't anything too much to understand them. Instead of a bowl to sit on it was a flat cream colored square with a hole in the middle. It was made out of padded material to sit on, with two small polls jutting out at the back. One had a small button that flushed it and the other simply held a role of teepee. Not needing to relieve herself at the moment she went on to the last fixture, the sink. While it certainly was ornately made it was rather generic. It looked like just about any other upper class bathroom sink. Nice big basin, pipe with knobs for hot and cold water, big wide mirror, and the cabinets underneath held every toiletry you could possibly ever need. With nothing left she walked back into the main room.

The room was by all means huge, but it held little else of interest. A side table sat next to the bed, a singular rose held in a vase on top. On the far wall next to some double doors that went out to a balcony was a desk adorned with a few blank sheets of paper, a ink well with quill, and some envelopes. Deciding to go out and take a look on the balcony she noticed there was a white chest at the end of her bed. She made the mental note to check it for anything after she got back in. Nudging one door open she went out and once again started expecting her surroundings. The balcony was small but would likely seat two ponies nicely. She had to take a few minutes to take in the whole view when she looked over the marble railing.

Far below she could see more of the castle, it's expansiveness solidify what she already knew: She was indeed now living in a true castle that could easily go one on one with some of the greatest structures back on earth. While many of the spires and domes that made up the kingdom were simple in appearance, having no overly complex decorations, the simple ingenuity that went into keeping it all attached to the side of the mountain and to every other part of it's whole was astounding. Further out from the main castle itself she could see the city of Canterlot if she remembered it's name right. She saw blimp like aircraft floating in and out from large ports all around the outer edges of the city. Many towers and more spire reached out from the buildings, as if to try and emulate the castle for which they surrounded. Many a manor dotted the city, all of them with a garden to accompany the many open to all ones already placed about. Nearly every building within eyesight was colored in some combination of gold and white, with small occasions of light and dark blue ones or even the very rare uniquely colored homes that wanted to express themselves apart from the others. Past the castle or the city was a great valley that spread great and far along the land. It was home of one small town there could barely be made out as anything more then a dot from where she stood. All in all it was a breathtaking sight to actuality see the world Craft now lived in.

After a good lengthy time she tore her vision away from the painting like land and walked back in. She felt calmer now, but it was still heavy on her heart what she knew she needed to do. Taking a quick look inside the chest to find nothing before hoof she sat herself at the desk and began to work on her letter to Luna. It still took her a considerable amount of time to write it, and also a considerable number of papers, to write out exactly what she wanted to say but after an hour or so she had gotten a letter felt would do the job.

Dear Luna,

Luna, it's been some time since we've been able to sit down and really talk as you know. I'm very glad that you still think of me as a friend after all the trouble I've caused in the short time I've been here. I'd like to apologize to you personally, but that's not the reason I'm writing to you. There is something personal I'd like to talk to you about as soon as possible. Please understand though that it's no emergency, don't feel you need to take time out of your extremely busy schedule to come see me. Especially since I've likely added to your load with my antics. Sorry.

Your (thankfully) friend,

Art Craft

She quickly folded it and sealed it in an envelope, marking it appropriately like she had seen with other letters (She put "From Art Craft" were she would have put her cutie mark). She took the letter with her back down to the base of the tower and looked for a guard to ask about how she could send it. She didn’t want to stray too far from the tower in fear of having some other romp in the castle halls and so was grateful when she saw a guard milling about in front of the doors outside of the tower living quarters doors. He looked to be getting off duty as he wasn't marching about tall and stone like, in fact he looked as if his armor was going to crush him any second now. His dark gray coat was marred with sweat as he leaned against the wall and rested. Craft hoped he was going off duty because he was going to have a stroke at this rate. She really didn't want to bother the guy but really REALLY didn't want to go further then she needed to and so approached the poor stallion.

"Um, excuse me?"

He apparently hadn't noticed her before and jumped. Quickly turning her direction he came to attention and saluted. When he saw who was in front of him he calmed down visibly but still held his posture, to the great protesting of his shaking legs.

"Ye-yes ma'am?"

His voice was softer than the other guards she had meet but she paid it little mind.

"Well, first off you don't have to worry. I can understand having a hard day, you can relax for now. Or at least until I can stop hearing you knees click together when you stand."

The guard was at first stunned, go through a small bit of anger, calmed himself, looked like he was preparing himself to argue, then just slumped to the floor in defeat and exhaustion.

"Thanks I guess. I'm off work and was heading to the barracks to put up my armor, but until I have it off I need to do my job. That means as long as I have it on I need to keep up my appearance, even in front of civilians, so if you could-"

"Keep this between us?"

"Yeah."

Deciding that she wouldn't have anything better to do with her day after she got this letter sent she sat down next to the weary guard.

"My names Art Craft, nice to meet ya."

"Oh, um...I'm Iron Boot. And it's nice to meet you too."

"So Ron, if you don't mind me calling you that, can ya tell what's got you so beat?"

"If you want to sit here for a while."

"As long you tell how to get my letter sent because I just got moved in I sit here all day."

"Sounds like a deal to me."

Ron got into a more comfortable position then spoke.

"I'm a fairly new recruit to be honest. I've gotten used to the daily in and outs of guard life, but when I'm called in to actually do something hard I can get my flank handed to me from time to time and the last few days have been nothing but hard. There's this mare that's come to the castle recently who has caused a political NIGHTMARE. While the full details about her haven't been let out to the general public it's still obvious that for some reason shes important 'cus both the Princesses have personally involve with this."

Craft's pupils shrunk tremendously but she looked out a window before he could notice and nodded for him to go on.

"But like some nobles I could name shes more trouble than she's worth. Twice in one day she runs around like shes headless and then that same night crashes Princess Luna's night court which is when the trouble really began to snowball. Now every reporter from here to the freaking GRIFFON KINGDOM is trying to get a scoop. Most of them are being stopped at the castle doors and after being told no enough time go away, but then there's the ones that try sneaking around and getting inside the castle. We've found them as far as the Princesses rooms. They all want to get that big interview with this weird new mare, especially now with what the newspapers been saying about her."

"Heh heh, yeaaah. I've read some of those. It seems that their trying to say that shes in a romantic relationship with Princess Luna...."

"Yup, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Thanks to her being at that night court everypony's got a pretty good idea for what their looking for. The biggest thing is that she doesn't have a cutie mark for some reason. It's insane, but everypony that was there says it's true, so I don't know."

"You don't, do you. It's kinda weird that don't now that I think about it. You're part of the royal guard too, shouldn't you know?"

"Unfortunately no. Only those picked by Celestia or Luna themselves for a job involving her know anything about it, and even then they get told to keep it completely secret until the media get over it."

"...So you you're not exactly a fan of her then?"

*sigh* "I can't say that I am, but I've heard that she went through some really bad surgery or something and that she was still going through recovery at the time. It makes sense with the fact that Steel Will and Fire Shot were posted at the medical wing a few days ago went everything went to tartarus. As long as she stays out of trouble then I won't care either way."

"Alright, so you've been having to be on the look out for rogue reporters, and probably have had more as of recently too. Anything else?"

"Just that the nobles have been freaking out, but that's nothing new. They go into hysteria if Celestia so much as try a different hair style for a day."

"Ugh, and they wonder why it is I wouldn't want to be famous."

"Tell me about it."

Craft stood up and smiled at Ron.

"Don't worry, I sure things will clear up soon, it's seemed calm around here the last two days. At least no ponies running about anyway."

Ron smiled back and was getting up when voice boomed from behind them both.

"PRIVET IRON BOOTS, WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE TWO SISTERS ARE YOU DOING LAZING AROUND IN YOU MILITARY UNIFORM!?"

Craft felt as though she could have touched the ceiling if had gotten a few more feet off the ground. Ron was up in a statue still salute before she was back on solid ground with another pony garbed in a guard outfit in his face.

"Sorry sir! I was heading to the barracks Sir! General Armor Weight has relieved me of my duties today Sir!"

"And does that explain why it is you, in your full armor, were sitting about in this hallway like some punk teen!?"

"That would be my fault General."

Ron's eyes went wide as the General turned around. By now Craft had gotten her bearings and made a hasty decision. It was truly her fault that Ron had been slacking off, even if he technically was done with work today, and so went to amend the situation. That was made a more daunting task when she found that the guard in question was none other than one of the ones that had been posted at the medical wing.

("Well shit on a stick and call me fucked.")

The Generals eyes went ever so minutely wide before they narrowed in frustration.

"Oh for the love of Zacherle, what are you doing here?"

Craft held a deadpan stare of her own, even as she fought the strange new urge to put her tail between her legs.

"Well if you must know, I was trying to talk with Iron Boots, but then you came yelling around like a mad guy."

"Hmph. Regardless he has to maintain his role as guard until he takes that armor off no matter what. I'm not sure why it you're trying to defend him but it's not going to work."

"I'm defending him because one, it's not his fault, two, rather you believe it or not I won't let others get in trouble for my mistakes, and second, I asked him to sit with me."

"You asked him to sit with you?"

"Yes, yes I did. I got lonely and with no one else to talk to I figured I talk with him. He was an unbelievable good listener for that matter."

The General and Craft had a few seconds long staring contest before looking back at Ron.

"Is this true private?"

Ron felt paralyzed under the unrelenting look of his superior officer, but still found the courage to speak up.

"Yes Sir. She asked me to sit with her as she talked Sir."

The feeling of palatalization came in handy has he remained still and let the General glare at him. With a "humph" he turned back to Craft.

"Very well. But don't go requisitioning my privates again just to alleviate your loneliness. Understood?"

"Yeah, I got it."

One more cold stare later the General marched off, Ron nearly collapsing as soon as he turned the corner. Craft laughed and sat back down next to him.

"Pewh, I really owe you for that."

"Ah it was nothing. He's got something up his bum anyway. Besides, I couldn't let you get blamed for me asking you to take a load off."

"Even still, thanks. I need to repay you."

"No ya don't. It's just what anypony with some sense of good in them would have done. You don't have to do anything special."

"Well...maybe, but I still want to return the favor...Wait, you said you needed to get a letter sent right?"

"Yeah, I just moved in today and I'm not sure how to send mail yet."

"Then let me help. Normally you'd have to get up early in the morning to give you mail to the delivery pony, but I know some ponies that work in the castles personal mail office. I can it sent in today."

"But your beat, it's honestly fine. I can just get up tomorrow."

"Come on, let me at least do this. Steel Wool would have had me running until next month if you hadn't helped me. Besides it'll just give me a chance to hang out with some friends."

Craft wanted to protest, the fact that he looked as though he could quite literally fill a bucket making her want to argue, but just let it drop after she figured it would just tire him out more.

"Okay, you win. But you better grab an ice cream or something on your way."

"Hey, your not gonna hear me fight with that idea."

Just grinning at the sweaty guard she pulled the letter from it's resting place, tucked behind her ear, and hoofed it over.

"Thanks for doing this, it's going to help me a lot. I've got to go, somethings I need to get ready for, but don't be afraid to come see me if you want to talk."

"I'll be sure to keep you in mind."

They smiled at each other and Craft turned to leave. Ron looked at the letter, being careful not to get it wet, and was surprised to see it was addressed to Princess Luna of all ponies. He looked back over to where Craft was going and only got a glimpse of her very clearly blank flank as she walked back into the living quarters and shut the door behind her. He was left to stand there opening and closing his mouth in stunned understanding. He finally just shook his head and walked off towards the barracks deciding he'd definitely take her up on that offer to talk more.

After the short ordeal Craft quickly got back up to her room and went about her favorite activate to do when she was thinking: walking about in loose formations of circles. Not much of substance was thought of but she couldn't stop herself. There was a tight ball of energy in her stomach thanks to the ever growing nervousness of what may come.

("What if I'm being too paranoid? Luna and just about every other pony I've meet has been nothing but kind to me, or if they haven't it was because of something that was partially my fault. But again what if I'm right to be paranoid? How can I fight back against an ancient powerful moon controlling being? What if-")

Her train of thought went on like this for some time. Craft had burned a good chunk of her day away doing this and felt a deep burning in her legs when she was rid of the feelings that had been hanging over her. With that out of her system she came to a troubling new realization. She had nothing to do. She had done what she needed today and was now left with free time and no idea how to use it. She thought about exploring the castle but thought better of it. With reporters still about and her most likely guide that she would need being another guard she threw that off the table until she could talk to Luna. That just left the books on her shelf. And it was then that she found that they were pretty much as dry as a bone in a dessert in the middle of summer at the peak of global warming. Even the history book that had been given to her in recovery had at least made it interesting. Every book on that shelf made her want to eat the cardboard so she could get something less bland.

This is how she came to be laying on the bed mid day with nothing more than a paper hat she made herself in the hopes to try and use her imagination to help fight the solitude and silence of her room while laying on her belly as she was on her back at the moment.

"Stupid reporters...stupid books....stupid nobles...stupid........everything."

As she laid there condemning all to their stupidity she got a glimmer of an idea that would help to pass some time. A small grin graced her face as she got up, letting the paper hat fall to the ground, and walked to the bathroom.

"I have a freaking hot tube now. Hell yeah!"

Walking in she went to the sink first and got a few bottles of bath salts and two towels from the cabinet, put them on a rack next to the tub, plugged the drain pipe, turned the water on nice and hot, and jumped to let the slow rise of the steamy liquid relax her. She felt her new body relax as rolling little waves massaged the tension out of her muscles. She slowly slid her body down further into the ever rising water until her back hooves hit the other side of the tub ,trying to speed up getting more of her inside it's soothing warmth. When it was just an inch away from spilling over she move as little as possible to turn the stream off. She felt better than she had in all the short time she had been here. The water seemed to be able to touch her just in all the right ways to-

"UGGGGHH!!!!"

Craft threw her head back in frustration as she felt something she had very pointedly made great efforts to try and completely ignore and forget about ever since she came to find out she had it. With no way to run from herself and knowing that for at least now she had complete privacy she looked down at herself and said what she had been avoiding even trying to so much as have a thought about a thought about it. Something that she decided that in the luxury of true solitude that ironically she had been fighting off before she would explore in the hopes of coming to terms and understand it.

"I have a vagina."

Author's Note

Again a little short on this one. Some times I just can't think of much to fill the whole 5'000 word minimum I've set for myself, but that's bound to happen from time to time I suppose. I still hope you enjoyed it regardless of it's length. As always rate fairly & freely and thanks for reading!

Where was I?
View Online

Appetizer

Where was I?

"Despite that being correct it still sounds wrong."

Craft groaned. She had said what needed to be said. Taking a breath and letting the warm water ease her muscles a bit, she said it again with a bit more confidence.

"I have a vagina and teats."

She still felt a twinge at the words but overall felt better for being able to say it. In her time here she had been very methodical when ever it came to her more private area. She already understood for the most part how to handle it, not exactly having been all the innocent before, and never explored it, simply doing what needed to be done when she needed to. Now she was going to take her time and try and more personally understand her new parts. While she had a basic understanding of her private flower, the small teats she had where whole other thing all together. At most she knew that they became extremely sensitive during heat.

She decided to actually start and very slowly dipped a hoof under the water. It paused about halfway to its target as craft had to let some tension drain before she went on. With the same speed as before she reached down further until at last she made contact with her left mammary. With her body being fresh and new plus the anticipation that had been building she ended up shivering uncontrollably as small sparks were sent up her spine from the touch, the experience making her let out a small hiss.

("Jeeeeesussss, this is defiantly something else.")

Holding her hoof there she waited for the feelings to pass before she dared to move again. As delicately as possible she felt around it, pausing when ever she felt to much pleasure. When she felt more comfortable with her body she thought she might get a bit more "Adventuress", but for now wanted to keep this wholly exploitative. Brushing against her nipple was like having a car battery hooked straight up to her spine. She retracted her hoof a bit and took a deep breath, letting her body calm down a bit.

("Medi wasn't kidding about the sensitivity. I might end up humping the water if this keeps up. I have to be careful....")

Building up the necessary courage again she lowered her hoof to her nipple again. Her touch, more careful than ever, sent another, albeit, smaller jolt through her. Forcing her hoof to stay she rode out the feelings of electrified pleasure. It was intense just how much the small touch could nearly drive her mad, but she understood why and was determined to see this through. It was HER body, as strange and new as it was to her, and she was not going to let it control her. Again, she steadied out her heart rate and began to slowly rub her nip.

("Thank god I chose the tub to do this in.")
In her little journey of self discovery her lower lips had become rather excited. The water of the tub made it easy to hide the evidence, even if she only hiding it from herself. She worked on the process of feeling herself, rubbing one teat until it felt bearably sensitive instead of pure bolts of lighting,, doing the same with the other just as meticulously. With that done she stopped there and took a break. she got out of the warm embrace of the tubs water and let the chilly air bite at her damp fur and skin. Walking around the bathroom a bit, she let the cold do it's job, cooling the fire the had been stoked as she did her business. After a short time she felt ready to brave the chasm that was trying to understand her body again and got back into the water. She laid out in the most comfortable position she could find and looked down at herself once again.

("Alright, this is the moment. You were a man, a being typically stereotyped as nothing more than a horn dog, and you were and still are a complete weirdo that's barley in touch with reality. You can handle this.")

Having mentally prepared herself, she reached for her most sacred area with her right hoof. With no idea how to start she went with the idea of just placing the flat of her hoof right on top of it, and was surprised to find that she wasn't immediately sent into overload.

("Huh....It feels like...like.........a pair of freaking lips. Really soft ones too.")

Still cautious of what may happen, she began to rub it. While she had never had the personal chance to explore one before, she knew thanks to the now far off wonders of the internet what normally was done to elect lust from a girl using their flowers, and so took great care to use this limited knowledge to avoid exciting herself as much as possible. The waters hug and her own bodies sensitivity made sure to make her job just all the harder. Thankfully it seemed that while still sending all those wonderful yet new feelings through her, her virgin folds were not as easily moved as her teats.

"Maybe I should talk to Medi about this, I thought it was goin-AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?"

That is until she brushed against her clitoris.

It made her have a small spasm, the pure bliss nearly making her jump out of the tub in the brief fear that some highly skilled pervert had sneaked under the water somehow. She gripped the edge of the tub tightly with both hooves a she took deep breaths. Eventually she was able to calm herself. The great shot of joy had been so sudden and unexpected that was almost sure her body had some how had a latent defect from her surgery. With her mind clearing she realized what she had done.

("Okay, found the "Happy Button". Now to make sure I NEVER press it again.")

In her surprise and shock she had not noticed something floating in the water. It was white fluid that took her a full three seconds to comprehend it's existence and origin. She had managed to trigger her first ever orgasm as a girl.

"...And that is officially the end of my bath."

Avoiding the happy juice, she drained the tub and got out, grabbed a towel, dried off, struggle with brushing her mane and tail, and at last left the bathroom.

To only have a giant camera lens shoved in her face with a quick voice on the other end.

"Ah, you must be the mysterious manic mare that made a muck in the castle. I'm Swift Pen and I was hoping that I could possibly get a quick talk with you?"

Craft tried in vain to back paddle and ended up on her flank staring wide eyed at the mare in front of her. The mare was a pegasus with a blond mane that hung just above her eyes but was kept short cropped near her neck. Her tail looked like a bent spike, not one air out of place. Her coat is a soft green that brought thoughts of veggies to mind. Around her neck was a strap that held the camera that previously had almost had it's lens lodged in Craft's eye. Her wing were currently extend and holding a notepad and pencil, something nearly eligible written on the pad.

Craft was left surprised and uncomprehending, staring blankly at Swift as her brain tried it's best to put itself back together. Just as she was getting together a sentence that wouldn't sound insane Swift to initiative.

"Not much of a talker are you? That's fine, just let me follow you around a bit I can get all I need!" She said this all while writing down more on the pad.

With just one last brief thought to the idea that pegasus wings might work the same as hooves Craft force herself to speak before any more of this disaster could unfold.

"That won't be necessary Miss Swift, I'm perfectly capable of speaking. You just caught me off guard is all." She said while she stood up.

"Oh terribly sorry about that. It's just I had to find a way to talk to you and that was to come in through your balcony. I did try knocking first, but you never answered and the doors were open."

Swift's face betrayed no signs that she knew just how creepy and intrusive that was, just an innocent smile.

("As if you would come in any other way you freaky son of-")

"Right, well I'm sure if you just take the same route back out you'll be perfectly fine and won't run into ant guards."

"I know, I had planned to take the same way."

("Take the hint so I don't have to yell.")

"It's a good thing it's such a nice day. I can't imagine what making that trip again would be like during a storm."

"Right? I had to get here fast just so I could miss the rainstorm the weather team had scheduled for tonight."

("Oh for the love of-")
"I'm not doing an interview."

The smile that Swift had held this entire time finally fell.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not doing any interviews. Nothing against you personally, but I'm just not doing any interviews with anypony."

Swift looked ready to cry, her cherry mood going downhill fast and making Craft do a double take at the speed of the transition.

"But, but I was going to get the big scoop for ounce!"

"Well I'm sorr-"

"I was finally going to get some recognition!"

"Look, It's jus-"

"Please let me get an interview! Please, please, PLEASE!"

"WOULD YOU CALM DOWN!?!"

Swift was taken back herself, her wings popping out in surprise as she fell onto her flanks. She stopped the river of words coming from her mouth, but she still had tears in her eyes and sniffled occasionally, avoiding direct eye contact. Craft had to take moment before she talked.
"Listen, we'll do this. I want to hear YOUR story first. The way the news as been betraying me as not made me the most trusting of the media as of late, but honestly, I just really hate seeing people-I mean ponies, sad. So I'm gonna give you the chance to earn my trust. If I haven't kicked you off the balcony by the time you're done, then I'll do the interview with you, okay?"
Swift dared to look up at her again after wiping her eyes with a hoof.

"You really want to hear about me? And you'll do the interview?"

"Like I said, I don't like sad ponies, and the best way to get me to like you is to tell me about yourself. If I don't like afterwards then that's that, but If I do then I'll consider you my friend. And I don't mind doing stuff for my friends."

Swift practically exploded with excitement, warping Craft in a huge bear hug with both her forelegs and wings.

"OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!"

"He-hey, it's fine, really. Just calm down a bit."

Swift quickly pulled back with a huge blush across her face.

"Heh-heh, Sorry about that."

"Again, it's fine. Come on, we can talk on the bed. It's big enough to fit at least ten of both of us."

"Okay!"

Swift took to the air and glided to the bed with a huge grin on her face, Craft just shaking her head following.

("I need to ask if she's related to that pink ninja. Insanely energetic and unbelievable happy. Plus they both snuck into my rooms through a window.")

Craft took a seat, with a wide divide between her and Swift, on the bed as well. Swift looked had everything but her camera laid out to her sides, looking as excited as if she was in a slumber party. Craft, pushing away second thoughts, started the conversation.

"So, I guess where I'd like you to start is why it is you wanted to become a reporter anyway."

Swift nodded vigorously.

"Okay! When I was just a little filly my mom would take me to work with her a lot, my dad was a construction worker and was out of town a lot to work on big projects, and I started school late because my parents moved around Canterlot a bunch and they wanted to wait until we had a home we could stay in. My mom could always get the biggest scoops before anypony else could, always managing to get to a celebrity or a big event first. She would always rush out the door with me on her back, taking all these back alleys and weird turns before, somehow always getting exactly where she wanted to be. She said it was all thanks to her "Journalistic Instincts". If she was reporting a crime scene she would leave me with one of her friends at the the office."

"And you wanted to do the same job when you grew up?"

"Yup! The way my mom could move and get things done, it was like she was an adventurer. Kinda like Daring Do!"

("Daring who?")

"It was so cool! Eventually we settled in at a nice big house close to the edge of Canterlot. My worked at the Canterlot Collective, a really big news company that's only second to Equestria Daily."

"Canterlot Collective? I've heard that name before..."

"Their the biggest newspaper company in all of Canterlot, and they reach as far as the Griffon Kingdom!"

"Wait, I remember now. They're the ones that have been saying I'm in a relationship with Luna!"
Craft turned a sharp eye towards Swift who shrunk back a bit.

"They've been saying all sorts of insane things about me when I haven't even had a single day outside the castle yet!"

Swift rubbed the back of her head as she spoke.

"Ye-yeah. It has been like that for a while. You see, my mom and a bunch of her friends kept to a very strict code. Always be truthful, always be strong. She told me that if you can't trust the news, then how are you supposed to know anything about the world? She always made sure, even when big stories were slim to come by, that a boring paper was better than a fake one. But after she retired it got a lot harder for everypony else to keep up moral and money. They wanted to do their jobs with pride, but they needed money to stay alive. So eventually they broke down and started blowing stories out of proportion. Without my mom to keep them strong until something juicy came along, they just couldn't keep it together. And that's how it's been ever since. Ridiculous stories that have nothing to do with anything but still make money."

Craft let out a breath and looked away.

"And, if I can be so bold, you wanted to get a real story that had a lot of potential so you could start trying to get them back to the way things were?"

Swift, seemingly drained of all her excitement, nodded.

"I wanted to be like my mom, not only getting the big stories and going on little adventures of my own, but getting REAL news out to ponies again. And when I heard about you I-"

"Saw your chance. I get it."

Swift looked away herself. It seemed clear what Crafts decision was. Swift was just starting to collect her stuff when Craft looked back to her and spoke.

"That just leaves the interview then. Where do ya want me to start?"

Swift was getting up and nearly fumbled at those words, tumbling to the ground onto her back with an upside down face of pure joyous surprise.

"You want to do the interview?!?"

Craft had to catch her breath, having laughed so much, before she replied.

"Yes, I want to do it. Swift, I am a brutally honest pers-PONY when I think I need to be, and my first thought of you was that you were a ditzy news hound that had gotten lucky. But I'm also a sucker for heartwarming stories like you just told me. I mean come on, wanting to follow in your moms hoof steps and bring back the integrity of news? It's like a book, and one that I'd read wholeheartedly."

Within two seconds Craft was enveloped in a bone breaking hug as she was left staring at an empty spot on the the floor.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOU THANKYOU!!!

Craft was more surprised than hurt even with as tight as Swift was hugging.

"Yo-you're welcome."

Swift pulled back to show the absolute happiness that was plastered to her face. Craft couldn't help but smile back. Quickly gathering her stuff and getting back on to the bed, Swift was very eager to get the interview started proper.

"Alright, so I guess where I'd like you to start is with who you are. I mean so little is known about you despite everything you've done, except the fact that you don't seem to have a cutie mark. Which is really kinda weird you know."

Throwing a quick glance at her bum Craft felt the slightest touch of warmth come to her cheeks.

"Yeaaaaah, I can see why that might be confusing. Well, you see I really don't know. The farthest back I can remember is when I woke up in the castle gardens."

"You have amnesia?!"

"Mmhm, plus when I woke up I-”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"-and that's why I have this room."

The last hour had been filled with conversation. Not only did Craft, with a white lie here or there about how she used to be a man, tell Swift about herself, but they would deviate whenever a subject of interest would come up, the two of them just talking like they had always known each other. Over this time Craft came to see Swift extensively different from their first encounter. She had extended her trust to this quirky pegasus mare, but as she talked with her she found herself opening up to her. Swift was very over energetic and seemed to do faster then think, giving an air of oblivious innocence. This could be no further from the truth. As it would turn out, she had covered an array of stories, some mundane, some abnormal, and some sicking. Swift had told her that it had been hard at first to report on crime scenes, but that she got over it with time and practice. She had been working for Canterlot Collective for three years, learning all the ins and outs of the media world. Over all for as bubbly as she was Swift could be strong willed when needed, knew how to deal with a-holes and just in general looked to have her heart set in the right place and was following it without fear.

And liked to play video games, which were apparently in their arcade cabinet era here, when she had the extra bits. Craft liked her a good deal more than she would have thought sixty minutes pryer.

Swift got up off the bed, stretched out out her wings, and gathered her stuff before turning a warm smile to Craft.

"Well Craft, I really am glad I got this chance to talk with you. Not just for the interview, but for being able to meet you in general. You're a very nice mare. I just can't imagine who would want to do something so terrible to you. Beating a pony to near death, I could just cry that anypony could be capable of doing something like that."

("If you knew how I thought then you wouldn't be so shocked.")

Kicking herself in the stomach with a back leg at the stray thought, Craft stood up as well.

"It doesn't matter now. While there's still things I'm getting used to I know I'll be getting answers soon. I'm going to be talking with Luna the next chance I get. Hopefully to get her help on finding some things out."

"That's good to hear. I'm sure Luna will be a great help. The only thing I think could be better is if you somehow got all four princesses to help you."

"Four? Yeah that would be great." ("There's four of them? Is there no queens or kings? The only "Prince" I've seen was that black hole of attention BlueBlood.")

Swift walked over to the balcony and Craft followed. Swift held out a hoof out to Craft once she was standing outside.

"Welp, this is goodbye for now. I promise that the next headline will read "Revelations of a Mysterious Mare". "

Taking Swifts hoof in her own Craft shook it firmly.

"Hey, if nothing else I know who to look for if it turns out you lied to me and release some crazy story about me."

Craft smiled warm to let Swift know it was a joke, Swift smiling lopsidedly back. With one last good shake Swift let go and crouched down on her front legs before jumping up and taking flight. She shot Craft one last look before she was off, flying towards Canterlot. Craft watched her for awhile, marveling at the possibility of flight before walking back into her room. She looked around herself, not sure what to do now. Looking behind her back out the balcony window she saw the sun setting. She hadn't noticed it before.

("...Luna's probably going to have an answer for me by tomorrow. I need to figure out what it is I want to ask her specifically. I can't just go in there accusing her with a bunch of coincidences.")

She walked over to the large desk near the balcony doors. Just as she was sitting down her stomach growled at her.

"Oh, right."

She had forgotten to eat all day, use to Medi bringing food with her.

"I guess it's time for me to go and figure out how I get food around here."

Craft got up and made her way out of the room. She set about finding a guard, quickly using the elevator to get to the ground floor. She only had to walk out of the living quarters and make a turn down the first hall she had gone down to find one. She ran up to him, calling for him to stop for a moment.

"Um, excuse me, Can I ask you something right quick?"

The guard paused mid march and turned around to face her, giving a quick nod to go on.

"I'm really new around here, just got moved in to the living quarters, and haven't had time to get a proper tour of the castle yet. Could you please tell me how meals work? Do I need to work a job for money, is served somewhere, all that."

The guard, a light black*1 unicorn, took a moment to think it over before he offered a question of his own.

"That depends, just who are you? Obviously your not part of the staff or you'd already know to head down to the employee cafeteria. Depending on your status it can very different how you can obtain food living here in the castle."

Craft blanked. She had no idea just what her official status was.

"I...Really don't know."

The uniguard, the title bequeathed to him by Craft’s subconscious imagination ever at work, raised an eyebrow at that.

"You don't know what you are?"

Craft could feel the more powerful than normal need to flee beat at her chest just as fast as her heart.

"Like I said, I just moved in...from the medical wing. I'm the...the.......the mad mare that's been running around."

Craft kept eye contact even has it felt like a Japanese drummer going at it on her heart. The uniguard at first looked confused, then surprised, then neutral again.

"Right, I was informed about you. While you have the same freedoms as any other resident, the guards have been instructed to keep a watch on you for the time being. I hope you understand why."

Despite having a reputation Craft was relieved that it wouldn't get in the way of her doing stuff for now.

"I understand. I'm just looking to get some food is all, I promise."

The uniguard nodded.

"Very well. I'll tell you about statuses, which one you are, and what that entitles you to."

("A little lengthy sounding, but knowing more never hurts. To much.")

Craft nodded.

"When living in the castle you are given one of six different statuses. Princess, guard, Staff, resident, high profile guest, and visitor. Yours would be resident if I remember correctly. I won't go into everything a resident may and may not due, but as far as meals you can either head to the dining hall during one of the meals of the day. Breakfast is from six to nine-thirty, lunch is from twelve to two, and dinner is from six to nine."

Looking out a tall window noticed the nearly completely lowered sun.

"And I'm guessing that if it's not already past nine it will be by the time I get to the dining hall."

"I am afraid so ma'am."

"Dang." ("BUCK!")

"But you can also order room service if you can pay for it."

"I can't."

"You can."

"I can?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You have thirty bits."

"Thirty Bits?" ("Whats a bit?")

"Yes, in your account."

"Okay, enough. For now just go along with the very likely idea that I'm an idiot that has no idea about anything. Why do I have an account and with who, how do I have thirty bits in it, and how do I order room service?"

"Every resident automatically has an account with the castle personal bank, though if you wish to use another banking service you may, and if you, as many others were, are homeless and get approved for housing in the castle then you given thirty bits to help start you off. As for ordering room service, just find a staff member, give them your order and name, and they will bring you your food to your room as soon as possible. The cost will be taken out of your balance after your food has been delivered."

Craft thought it over. It sounded pretty good as far as she could figure. Rearing to go find somepony to give her order to she got into action.

"Thank you so much for putting up with me. Have a good day!"

"No problem ma'am, it's my job to serve and protect."

She flashed him a smile, nodded her head a tiny bit, he returned it, and trotted off. She went back the way she came, remembering she had seen some maids earlier down the other side of the hall the living quarters resided in the middle of. Of course they weren't in the exact same place, and began her search in earnest. The last of the day faded away as she looked through hallway after hallway for any member of the staff. Paying extra attention to every turn she made so she could make her way back, she made a left at a four way to see a maid walking her way. Happy to have found a pony that could get her some food Craft made her way up to the mare and greeted her.

"Hello? Could I get your help please?"

Looking her way the mare maid seem irritated, likely from how late it was, but she hid it behind a smile.

"Of course, what do you need?"

Even though Craft could easily detect how irked the maid was, her hunger outweighed her need to not be a nuisance.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, I haven't had a chance to eat most of the day ("Seeing how I completely forgot that food was still necessary to live") and I was told I could talk to a staff member to get some room service, if it's not to much trouble."

The maids eye twitched, making Craft wonder if she should be getting ready to run again.

"Oh, it's NO trouble at ALL. Just tell me what you want, your name, and your room number."

Craft was a little unsettled with giving this mare the location of where she would be sleeping, but again a small growl from her belly pushed her forward. Not knowing exactly how much thirty bits really was or what ponies ate other than grass, oats, and fruits, she went with something simple.

"I'd like a peanut butter sandwich with some milk, my name is Art Craft, and my room number is... three-fifty-eight."

The maid looked like she was trying to figure out what she was, if she was glad it was such a simple order or that she was being bothered with such a redundant thing so close to the end of her shift. Seeming to just go with slight annoyance she nodded.

"Right, that will be about ten bits ma'am. I or another will have it sent to your room shortly."

Not wanting to overstay her welcome Craft thanked the mad maid and left. She made her way back to the living quarters, up to her room, and flopped onto her bed. Laying there for a moment she entertained the idea of going asleep right then and there, though her stomach greatly disapproved of it. With nothing else to hold her back Craft got up and made her way over to the desk where she promptly sat down.

"RIGHT, no more fooling around. I can't wing the whole thing with Luna."

And so she began to work on what to ask Luna. She knew she wanted to make sure that it really was some coincidences that she got here and that there wasn't anything more sinister going on, but what else? What to do about her family back on earth? Why didn't they say anything about if it was possible to change her back now that she wasn't in critical condition, or sending her back? She worked to filter these questions along with any others she may have had. She slowly realized how bad it might of turned out had she really gone in playing all by ear. She worked long, writing out questions and ideas, throwing out pointless or irrelevant ones, only stopping to occasionally use the bathroom or to answer the door for the butler that delivered her food, which she ate as she brainstormed. At last at some time past midnight she had a list of questions that she felt covered everything she needed to ask Luna. She left the paper and its many crumpled comrades where they laid to drag herself to bed. She slipped in and got cozy, her nights efforts out for the world to see on the paper, the topmost question reading:

"Can I be human again and go home?"

*1-It's not gray. Black can be light too. Colors are weird like that.

Author's Note

Hey everypony. Man, it feels good to get another chapter out finally. I have a bit of news for y'all. With x-mas rolling around, consuming thanksgiving in the process, Loopis is getting swamped at work meaning that chapter output is going to get even slower. I feel like I'm turning into a reverse Rainbow Dash :rainbowderp: . But as always that doesn't mean it's not being worked on at all, so be sure to be on the look out for the next chapter. Remember to judge freely & fairly and thanks for reading!

Where is the right way?
View Online

Appetizer

Where is the right way?

"Of COURSE they don't have an arcade here."

It was a day and a half after Craft had spoken with Swift and sent the letter to Luna. As she had hoped Luna sent her reply immediately and it got to Craft first thing the next day.

To my friend Art Craft,

You have nothing to be sorry for. Unfounded newspaper articles are the worst that came of your escapades, and I assure you that both me and my sister have had more than our fair share of experience with dealing with those. In fact, your grand appearance at the night court was by far the most fun I've had hosting one since the smooze cultist of 3038. But moving on, I will try to clear up some time so that we may meet. Busy or not you are my friend, which I have a small pool to pull from, and if there is something important you wish to discuss then I can only feel honored that you have chosen me to confine in. I will send to you again when I can find the time.

Sincerely,

Princess Luna

Craft let this fuel her need to have herself ready and spent a good chunk of that day locked away in her room constantly re-working her questions, only leaving to acquisition castle staff for food. She was out of money in her account by dinner. She was eating her late dinner of assorted fruits, which she was growing to really enjoy, when a knock came at her door.

"Mail for a Miss Craft."

And thus an envelope was slipped under her door frame. Walking over and picking it up she saw that it was marked with a familiar star cutie mark. She sat on her bed where she had been eating and opened the envelope, thinking briefly of how shes getting the hang of doing stuff with hooves more or less.

Dear Art Craft,

Me and my friends are really thankful you're not mad at us. After what we had done I thought you wouldn't forgive us. It sounds like you're settling in pretty well to have already have thought of changing your name-

Craft felt a stab in her chest at that last remark.

-and I for one think it's a lovely name, though Rarity seems to think it's a bit on the "tomboyish" side. Either way it's great to know your getting along so well. We're really excited to have a proper chance to meet you. There's so much we want to know about you! This time however we'll be sure to actually let you talk. We just wanted to let you know that we're eager for you to visit and can't wait to talk.

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S.

Hey, Pinkie again! I wanted to tell you that I've got the absolutely BEST "I'm really sorry about chasing you through Canterlot Castle" party planned for you. I just can't wait! But Twilight said I do have to wait until you come visit us here in Ponyville, and at first I was all like "Awww" but then I was like "WAIT, if I wait I can throw her TWO parties." First is the "I'm really sorry about chasing you through Canterlot Castle" party like I said before and the other ones a "Welcome to Equestria/Ponyville" party! So I'll wait for now, but please please PLEASE hurry and get here. I might just burst if I have to wait too long!

With lots of extra hugs,

Pinkie Pie

Craft let a smile break through despite the turmoil within her thoughts. Even with her doubts she couldn't deny that it seemed like the were willing to make more of an effort in this world to be nice then back home.

The rest of the day was quiet, nothing but the sounds of scribbling and walking being made within her room. She dreaded waking up tomorrow. Tomorrow she would have to head to the dining hall if she wanted to eat, has she had spent the last of her bits. She took a shower and went to sleep with some hesitation. She awoke that morning bright and early, just as when breakfast would be starting. Still not looking forward to dealing with other ponies she got out of bed, used the bathroom, wrestled with her hair, and walked out her room promptly at seven-twenty-three. Once she was outside of the living quarters she began the ever more familiar task of looking for somepony that knew their way around. This time her guide took the form of a rather thin unicorn butler wearing a black and white vest, as he worked on cleaning some of the decorations that lined the halls. He had a dark blue coat with dark reds and bright oranges coming together to give his mane and tail the effect of looking to be on fire. His cutie mark was interestingly enough a running fox with a duster in it's mouth.

Craft walked right up to the butler.

"Excuse me, I'm fairly new here and could use some help."

Peeking from over top a set of armor he had been wiping down, which Craft found surprisingly fierce for something meant to fit a pony, the butler looked around a bit before spotting her.

"Oh, hello ma'am. I didn't notice you there. Just give me a moment."

The butler disappeared back behind the armor before walking out and over to her, giving a bow of the head and smiling.

"What can I do for you miss?"

"I want to get breakfast, but I don't know where the dining hall is."

"Oh that's simple enough, just head down that hallway and take a right, and then from there it's going to be just like this: Left, right, left, left. You got that?"

"Um..Right at the end of this hallway, then left right left left?"

"That's it!"

"Okay then, I think I have it. Thanks."

The butler nodded and Craft went on with her day.

("Left right left left, left right left left, left right left left-")

She chanted the directions in her head trying her best to remember them while also trying her best to ignore the stares she had gotten. She honestly couldn't tell if she was getting more or less than before, especially since as she got closer to the dining hall. The closer she got the more traffic there was in the halls. It got to the point that she was having trouble chanting as she had to focus on not bumping into anypony.

("This is ridiculous. It's like being back in high school!")

Funnily enough she seemed to get less stares as the crowds got bigger.

("I guess I still have that knack for blending in.")

After some more crowd surfing she got to where she was going. She could she the huge doors leading into the absolutely humongous dining hall from the end of the hallway. Working her way through various ponies leaving and entering the dining hall she squeezed her way through the doors and was able to take in a sight that seemed more holy than anything else she had seen.

Stretched from one end to another were rows upon rows of long benches, many filled with those in different states of eating or conversation, but all packed with food. While she expected there to be no meat, which meant no sausage (Because bacon is overrated) there was plenty more treats that made her mouth water. Each one held a mix of breakfast sweets, many types of juice, flora and fauna of all sorts and likely tastes, and beautifully many, many variations of cooked eggs.

Craft had immediately looked for a secluded table, finding one that held only one other occupant, a sleeping earth pony mare. Taking a seat Craft took a moment to gaze at all the food, wondering where to begin. She eventually decided to start with some scrambled eggs and a tall glass of apple juice. Adding a bit of salt and pepper she dug in and was instantly in heaven. It was as if somehow they had gotten workers straight from Waffle House to make them. After eating a "healthy" portion of eggs she took a swig of her juice. While she had never come across bad apple juice she still knew that this was exceptionally high quality. She continued to take her fill, savoring the bounty and pondered eagerly on what might wait for her come lunch. Slowing down after her third butter and syrup smothered waffle she pried her eyes away from the mountains of food still laid out before her to take a proper look at her surroundings.

First thing to catch her eye was the napping mare across from her. Her coloring brought about thoughts of chocolate, her coat a light brown and her mane and tail a darker one. Currently she had her head laid down in a small puddle of her own drool, snoring softly, her ears twitching. Making a mental note to wake her later just to make sure she doesn't miss breakfast Craft looked elsewhere. She note that a copy of the Canterlot Collective was sitting on the table. It seemed like a few copies were left on each table. While she decided to take it with her after she was done eating she did look and was happy to see that Swift had been true to her word. Plastered nice big and bold for the headline was "Revelations of a Mysterious Mare". She nodded a little nod to herself before looking around.

She had to do a double take when she looked at a table a few rows ahead of her.

("Mythology don't fail me now, I think that's a griffon.")

And so it was. Sitting there chatting away happily with some ponies was indeed a griffon. Most surprisingly it was plainly FISH of all things.

("I would have thought they would have made him go vegetarian.")

Looking around some more she noticed that dotted here and there were a few more griffons, and if she strained hard enough she thought she saw a zebra too. They all were few and far between but most certainly there.

("Wow, I guess that could also mean there could a lot of other sentient things out there too.")

After covertly examining them a bit more she turned her attention elsewhere. The room itself was more or less just a bigger version of the castles hall ways. Though the windows were more interesting to look at. Each one held stained glass art that depicted different ponies doing things of, assumingly, historical worth. They all seemed to be times of when ponies have made peace with other beings. One showed a white bearded pony sitting with a zebra tribe leader and having a meal. Another showed a pony that looked like a pinked haired Celestia trading gold and other treasures for what looked to be glowing jewels and ancient books with dragons.

("Dining hall, different species, just kinda makes sense I suppose to have the historical moments of them coming together decorated everywhere. But it also makes me want to meet a dragon.")

Speaking of dragons, as she looked down to the end of the hall she noticed a familiar looking princess, minus the pink hair. Sitting by herself at a long white table was none other than Princess Celestia. She seemed to be just relaxing at the moment as she sipped some tea and occasionally took a bite out of a dainty looking piece of carrot cake, sitting on a small pile of pillows. Or at least that's what it looked like from where Craft sat. Even with her slightly better eyesight it was still a good distance between her and the princess.

("Maybe its velvet cake....")

Again after looking at the princess and trying to discern what sweet she was consuming Craft just let it drop. While she wasn't really hungry anymore she decided to stay there a bit longer. There was nothing else she needed to do and the idea that she might be hungry again in a bit kept her seated at the bench. She just let her thoughts wander as she lazily played with a grape.

("I hope Luna can get a date for when we can talk soon. It's going to eat me alive if I have to wait too much longer. Then again I'm still not to sure how to break the question to her. "Hey Luna, I was thinking, Just how is it that you managed to pick someone that wouldn't be freaked out about a world of talking rainbow ponies and other assorted talking creatures, because I'm kinda freaked out by the fact that there seemed to be too many coincidences going on. Plus it seems no ones even tried talking to me about possibly turning back and sending me home. It's like you all just assumed that I would be totally fine with living here, like you already knew that I was a lune that would accept it all. Except now I've had some time to think and I think it's pretty freaking weird. So could you tell me about that?")

Craft sighed and laid her chin down on the table.

("I don't know if I'm more scared of finding out it was all a conspiracy or offending her because I was jumping at shadows. Admittedly big shadows though.")

She tilted her head on the table watching the grape as it rolled around under her hoof.

("...I wish I could talk to Boa. He's better at getting answers out of people. I remember the time he managed to get Mark to spill the beans about His and Hanna's break-up.")

She felt a smile tug at her face.

("Three sentences. Three. That's all Boa said and Mark was telling us everything about, even why he went with Hannah's sister!")

She kept her mouth clamped shut as she felt the urge to giggle.

("Course he had to watch himself whenever he came over to my place. Mum could detect bullshit from a hundred yards away. It was like watching Hannibal Lecter versus Doctor Xavier every time, with me having to keep the two from sitting down and having a game of chess to try and prove who's smarter. And of course Andy would always take the chance to try and get Boa to give him some dirt on me. Thankfully Boa's my boy, never let anything slip.")

Her smile thinned out to a line.

("Anny was always trying something. If wasn't something to do about getting at me then is was some cash grab scheme or other. I can't remember how many times I tried telling him no or at least tried to help and yet he never listened, getting himself, and in many cases the both of us, in trouble. And every time it would end in a fight.")

Sighing she closed eyes while subconsciously pressing on the grape a bit harder.

("Mom would get under control most of the time, but we just couldn't handle our self. I still don't know why, but he somehow always knew exactly how to get under my skin. Begs the question why he needed dirt on me in the first place. I can't remember if he started more of the fights or if I did.")

She let her hoof drop from where it had been close to squishing the grape, laying limp at her side. She could feel an discomfort in her chest, that even slightly distorted in her new body was more familiar then she liked.

("Even now it still makes me want to hit him. When we fought it was both our faults, I can admit that. But all I ever tried to do was help him otherwise, but every time he just would refuse to even try and let me explain. He would just wait until he heard what he wanted to hear and run off, leaving me to yell after him.")

She could compare the tightness in her chest to when she had gone through her transformation. She propped her head up on her hooves and closed her eyes as she let her thoughts carry her.

("...But that still didn't give me any right. It was still terrible to do it. That I even could still think of doing it, that I never really stopped...")

She started to press her face right into her hooves as her thoughts turned into a fight.

("But it was happening less and less-But that it happened at ALL-No ones perfect, and I'm working on making myself better.")

She began to bury her head in her forelegs. Her thoughts went from fighting to battling.

("Then why didn't you stop all together?-Because he wouldn't stop provoking me!-He's a kid!-He's old enough to know when to stop.-So are you!")

She had her head back on the table, muzzle on the table and legs over top. Her thoughts had grown into a full blow war.

("And he wasn't going to be the only one was he?-I haven't done it to-But you've thought about doing it, anyone that's pissed you off you've thought about doing it to.-And yet I never have.-Except with Anny.-I KNOW!-THEN STOP DOING IT!-I'M TRYING GOD DAMN IT!...When I get home-If you get home.")

Craft nearly slammed the table with her hooves. It could have very well splinted the wood had she done so. She was breathing deeply, trying to calm herself down. Her eyes locked on to a random point in the wood in front of her, her hooves hovering right above it. She let that dot of wood become her entire world as she felt her heart beat go down and her body un-tense. She was nearly back to to normal when a voice scared out of her pseudo meditation.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Blinking her eyes a bit Craft looked up to see the once sleeping mare from before was now looking at her with concern.

"Ghaa..Um, yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just spaced out there for a minute."

The chocolate mare was not convinced.

"Are you sure, you looked like you had just seen Nightmare Moon herself."

Craft forced a smile to her face as she tried to get this pony to leave her alone.

"Really it's fine, just some bad memories, I just to get some fresh air and I'll be fine."

While still hesitant the other mare nodded.

"Right, well, I just wanted to let you know that breakfast is over. I didn't want to just leave you here."

This made Craft realize that everypony was now shuffling out of the dining hall.

"Oh. Th-thanks for that. I really was spaced out then."

"Don't worry about it. Like you probably noticed I'm not exactly the most together pony myself."

"Heh, yeah, but you were asleep, I was wide awake and still let the time slip me by."

The chocolate pony just smiled at her and with a short nod got up to join the crowd. Craft was left to herself again. Not really sure where to go from there she took one last look at the food, finding now that she wasn't hungry like she thought she would have been, picked up the newspaper, and got up as well. She shuffled on out, letting the throng of ponies carry her until they hit the first four way and she was left to figure out what to do.

("......Maybe they have an arcade around here. I could probably find some tokens under the machines if arcades here are anything like the ones back home.")

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*SLAM* "FUCK!!!"

Craft had just gotten back to her room from a very aggravating search for an arcade.

"Of COURSE they don't have an arcade here."

She threw her newspaper at her bad. It landed but slid a little, going over the edge.

"And of COURSE it's just right after I nearly have a mental breakdown that I get surrounded by ponies trying to give me sympathy or ask me a bagillion questions."

She stomped to her bed and flopped onto it.

"And OF FUCKING COURSE now every fucking pony I didn't manage to fucking beat off of me now knows where I fucking live, one of the few fucking things I still had secret left!"

She grabbed one of her incredibly soft pillows and began to pound it into an even softer pulp.

"I'm sorry -Pomf- Swift, but -Pomf- I'm going to -Pomf- go up to -Pomf- the Canterlot Collective and -Pomf- BURN IT TO THE FUCKING GROUND!!!" *Pomf pomf pomf*

Not gaining any satisfaction with beating inanimate softness she slammed her face into it instead and continued her enraged rant.

"Fucking fuck fuck mc fuckity buck fuck BUCK!

And then all was silent.

She laid there, just breathing. When she felt her face get too hot she lifted it to rest her chin on the pillow instead. Again she laid still as her eyes remained unfocused, not catching on to anything particular.

("...I just don't even know anymore. These place is too good to be true, I don't even know if I want to stay here or not, and I can't even figure out what to do with myself. No matter what answer Luna gives me I'm up shit creek. What would I even tell everyone if I did get home?")

...

("The only friend I have is in another universe all together, I'm the talk of the town, I'm a terrible person, back home I'm a terrible insane person that should be locked up and here I'm a magical talking pony girl with a fake past. Who's still insane.")

"If my life had a face I would punch it."

Craft was disturbed from her pity party by a knock at her door. Just as she was going to get up a voice came through the wood barrier.

"I have mail for a Miss Art Craft."

Has had been done yesterday a single letter was slipped under the door. Craft, with very little energy, went over and picked up the letter and went back to her bed. She saw that it was from Luna, the dark blue paper and wax cutie mark becoming more and more familiar. Craft opened it up quickly and immediately began to read.

Dear Art Craft,

I have good news to share with you! It seems that preparations for the upcoming Nightmare Night celebration is going to leave our staff rather in short supply, meaning that both me and my sister will need to temporarily stop holding court for the next three days. We will be able to meet this in tomorrow after the sun lowers. I will need to help Celestia with planning and other such things all day has this time of year commonly doubles her work and so I have offered to help, but once night has fallen I will be free to do as I please. I do hope that it does not bother you that I have set our meeting time for so late, but no matter what day I scheduled it for it would need to be at night, so I wanted it to be as soon as possible seeing as you wanted to speak with me over something of importance. I will have a guard sent to your room when tomorrows moon rises. Do not fret with appearances, I will understand that if at the middle of the night after being just awoken you are not at your finest.

Your friend,

Princess Luna

The letter fell to the floor, Craft Not even realizing she had dropped it. Her pupils were pinpricks and her ears practically glued to her head.

"I'm not ready."

She had thought she would at least another day or two to get herself together for her talk with the Princess. She never thought that she would have hate Halloween or any equivalent as much as she did now. Springing up from the bed she ran right for her desk and grabbed a quill, looking over frantically what she had already written.

1-Can I be human again and go home?

2-Was this all preplanned?

3-...

That's all she had.

The papers still sat in the trash bin with the same two questions and countless others that had all been crossed out before ultimately being tossed aside. She sat there desperately trying to find the words for the questions she wanted to ask. She wasn't even entirely sure how she was going to ask Luna the first two. The quill hovered right above the paper as she just couldn't think of anything worth putting down. It grew to the point that her thoughts became a mad tornado of questions, words, doubts, worry, and more.

("AM I HERE FOR A REASON?DO I DESERVE TO BE HERE?AM I A BAD PERSON?WHY DID NO ONE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT POSSIBLY SENDING ME HOME?DO I WANT TO BE HERE?DO I LIKE BEING A GIRL?AM I STRAIGHT OR NOT? WHAT DO I DO?")

The chair screeched horribly as Craft pushed away from the desk violent. She jumped off the chair, turned around, and bit down hard onto the back of the chair before twisting her head sharply and throwing the chair against a wall. It exploded into chunks and splinters upon contact, but Craft paid no mind as she stomped to the balcony. She shoved the doors apart hard enough to break out a few panes of glass. She reached the edge and got up on her back legs before shouting out, using a word she knew well to sum up all the pain of her past, the confusion of the now, and her own strangeness and inability to understand.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!"

She punctuated this with slamming her hooves into the railing. She managed to make small cracks in the marble. She slid onto the floor, turning to rest her back up against the railing. Her eyes were moist with tears that dripped down on to her hooves and the floor. Her throat hurt. She knew someone had heard her. But she didn't care. Today had been one big push to throw her over the edge that she had been slowly pushed to. She just stayed there, letting misery wash over her for a time. When she saw that the sun was beginning to set she got up on shaky hooves and dragged her way to the bed, leaving the balcony doors ajar. She climbed on top laid where she was, not bothering to try and get more comfortable. She was tired and slipped into slumber easily, but not before letting one last sentence escape her.

"I'm screwed."

Author's Note

So yeah, starting to really get into the stress now. I'm gotta say I'm just amazed how much different a character Craft has become from what I originally imagined. I can't wait to get out what happens with her and Luna, and I hope you all do to. As always be sure to rate freely & fairly and thanks for reading!

Where's the main course? (Part 1)
View Online

Appetizer

Where's the main course? (Part 1)

"Tweet tweet."

This noise that dared to break the dead silence of the room made it to the ears of a medium sized pony. Craft twitched a bit before she opened her eyes. As she groggily blinked her eyes she noticed that at some point last night she had grabbed a pillow, hugging it close to her body, and that her back legs had some how gotten tangled in the blanket. Bracing herself against the cold that pervaded the room she sat up and looked around. The desk chair still laid broken in it's many pieces, scratches defaced the floor from where she had violently pushed herself from the the desk. There were more scratches where she had thrown it against the wall. The doors to the balcony still had some glass left in them, most of it still remained on the balcony itself, the metal frame dented from being slammed open. Craft paid each act of furniture-targeted-malice only a few moments of thought before she got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

She noted a few things about herself when she got to her hooves. First was the stinging in the bottom of her hooves. Every step felt like needles being repeatedly jabbed into them. The next thing was the fact that she felt surprisingly fine, emotionally. Despite everything that lead up to her rampage last night she felt fine. Not happy per se, but fine. Likely enough it was BECAUSE of her breakdown that she felt so good. She was still unsure what to do, what she wanted, and what she was going to say tonight, but just having been able to let everything out, without any filter she was able to drop some heavy weights. Without any of her normal outs for stress like her friend, her family, video games, and other such things, the stress had just kept building. Last night was the point where it all just boiled over, but to great effect. Now, she would be able to deal with what was coming with a strong front and a clear mind.

"No matter what, I'll be ready now to make the best of it." She said, as she walked into the bathroom.

The first thing she did was look at herself in the mirror.

"Hue boy."

Peering back at her was by far the worst looking pony she had seen. While it was the first time she had looked at herself in a mirror for any other reason than to brush her mane and tail, it still shocked her a bit just how bad she looked. Her hair was at odd angles and knotted in many places. Her fur stuck out in patches. She could see where it was darker from her tears running through it, black bits of dried blood clung to her hooves. There were dark lines under her eyes, which had been normal for her back in her old body, but just looked out of place now. Her eyes were slightly blood shot. Reaching a hoof up to her face she saw why it was they were stinging, a couple small bits of glass was embedded in them, having previously gone unnoticed in her mental state last night. All together it was a package that clearly showed the scars of her emotional battle last night.

"I need a shower...and tweezers...and to pee..."

With a quick pit stop, a half hour of figuring out how to get the glass out without the aid of tweezers she couldn’t find, and a soothing shower she was back at the mirror. Sitting on a towel she had placed on the floor, she looked at herself again. Her mane was stuck to the sides of her head but was no longer knotted. The fur told a similar story, mated down against her skin but still clean. The dark spots under her eyes were still there but less noticeable. Her eyes had cleared up completely, showing off their natural hazel brown. She just watched herself, ears lightly twitching, letting her eyes take in every detail as though she was seeing her body for the first time again.

("Would I want to stay like this?")

She had, more or less, gotten used to being a pony. She couldn't deny that she felt comfortable in her own skin now. Manipulating stuff with her hooves was simple enough, being able to handle more delicate things with greater ease each day. Of course she'd gotten walking and running down pat her first day. She never really noticed her tail, it just kind of did it's own thing and never bothered her, the only real nuisance being when it came to brushing it. Her muzzle just felt like a longer version of her old mouth and her ears felt absolutely great when they were stroked the right way. Her senses were better and she just felt healthier, though she did miss her glasses. Overall there wasn't really anything about being a pony that she could say she disliked.

Her hair began to puff out as she sat there evaluating herself.

("So what about the being a girl part then?")

This was still confusing for her. She just couldn't figure out being a "she". It was so different from everything she had grown up being. There were times when she hated having to deal with all the new chemicals running through her body making her do things that she thought were humiliating. But then there were times when she felt better than she ever had before. She could not help but feel happy that she might actually be considered attractive. While before she wasn’t the ugliest thing around, Ryan’s acne and weight just seemed to be too much for any girl he had asked out to look past. She can’t describe the feelings she gets when a stallion, and this one mare this one time, looks at her with desire in their eyes. It wasn’t a bad feeling, it felt good on a physical level, but the questions it arose in her were what made so hard to understand.

(“God I just can’t figure it out. If I thought about it back as a guy I would have just said it was a sexual thrill, but it feels like theres more to it than that. Like...like it COULD mean more.”)

Craft remembered how despite her extreme awkwardness about the subject "My First Heat: Whats Happening to Me?!" had been a very loving tale of of a mare experiencing her first heat and exploring it along side her coltfriend. Even at its most risque moments the book seemed to have a romantic feeling to it. At the time she couldn’t help but imagine having somepony hold and talk to her the way the two in the book had to each other. The way the two so clearly cared for each other seemed to only be amplified when ever they did something sexual, or just straight up had sex. Mind you though that whenever she thought about having sex herself she just couldn’t help but feel disturbed by the idea of taking some guys package, natural now or not. In the end it was all a mess of emotions that she could not untangle.

(“It’s still terrifying, despite what Celestia said. What she said was true, I’m scared of the unknown, but something about being a girl still bothers me too. It just feels like something’s gonna disappear the second I accept it. Like...”)

Her eyes locked onto their reflection as it came to her.

("...I'm scared I'm not going to be me. That fundamentally I'll be a completely different person. So little of who I was is left and I’m scared of killing off that last part of me.")

She looked deeply into her brown pools.

("I have changed a lot haven't I? I have a new body, a new name, and a new gender. I've made some friends here...kind of...I've learned how I could live a normal life here...more or less…”)

...

(“Is there anything left of Ryan Kumen?")

She looked in the mirror, not sure if the mare reflecting back was really her.

("Would I even still be the same person if I could go home, back in my old body? Have I changed too much to ever go back?")

She breathed in deeply slowly and let her head drain of everything for a small moment. The silence, even within her own mind, was strong and hung over everything. Only the most minimal amount of her brain was being used, her wanting to keep her thoughts as clear as she could.

Then she opened her eyes again. And instead of the mare she had grown familiar with, looking back at her was the man known as Ryan Kumen. He was looking at her expectantly.

"I still love video games, even if I haven't been able to play. I still have a snarky attitude. I still have the same anger problems. I still have that problem of sleeping at weird places. I...I'm still me."

The barest hints of a smile began to appear on hers and Ryan’s lips.

"Yes, if I do stay here I'll be a girl named Art Craft, and yes, if I go home I'll be a guy named Ryan Kumen. Both have their different set of problems to deal with, but whichever one of them I am, what makes us both so special, what makes us the same person, that is who I'll always be. For better or for worse."

She was grinning ear to ear, her tail wagging happily in abandon as Ryan laughed without noise and slowly morphed back into Craft’s happy reflection.

It had taken several days, numerous unusual encounters, a frustration induced mini rampage, and a cool shower for her to get there, but she was glad to be sure in who she was again.

("You still have no idea what you would do if you lived here. You have no idea if you’re going to live here. You might not even have a choice in the matter. Luna could still be a conspiracy leader, Ryan or Craft you’re still a psychopath, and you’ll go through heat each year for a week if you do stay here.")

And now she was back to square one, her smile being flipped upside down immediately and her tail ceasing it’s back and forth movement. Plus she looked like a furby now since she had forgotten to brush herself.

"Damn it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Not too much longer now."

Since her introspective moment in the bathroom earlier that day Craft had been trying to keep up her positive outlook even in the face of all her doubts. She had subdued her fur and hair into a manageable state and had left to get breakfast. On her way there and back she had encountered more ponies that had read yesterdays Canterlot Collective and were still eager to give her their condolences or ask questions, having just enough decency to let her eat her breakfast in peace, even if all the stares made her uncomfortable. More or less she just dodged them or gave them some bogus answers that aligned with the story she told Swift. If nothing else it had made for a good distraction. When she had gotten back to her room she had picked out a random book from her modest collection and sat down to read. And so went her day. In and out for food, evade and dupe over zealous ponies, sit down and read. She only deviated from this ounce during the evening when she had worked up the drive to clean up her mess from yesterday, putting all the wood from the chair in a pile at corner, sweeping the glass carefully into the trash bin after stuffing down all the crumpled paper as much as possible, and just using the curtains to cover the balcony doors for now until she could see about getting the windows fixed. Her whole day otherwise was routine, until it was close for the sun to lower.

She was sitting at the edge of her bed, looking at the rays of afternoon sunlight filtering through the curtains. Beside her were some books she had discarded after a few pages for one reason or another before she had found her winner, "Equestrian History Advanced", which was nestled between her hooves at the moment. Her felt nervous. Even though she had been able to release some stress and figure out somethings out earlier, this talk would decide a lot of things about her future. There were so many ways it could go, more of them bad than good. It didn't help that the chapter she had stopped reading at was titled "Celestial Battle, Rise and fall of Nightmare Moon". She had only gotten in a few sentences before realizing that it was talking about Celestia and Luna. It made her more uneasy than ever about what Luna might be up to, if anything at all.

("She has a long past, one that at some point involved her literally becoming evil and trying to bring about eternal night...")

She tried to shelve these thoughts for now, knowing she she was about to get all her answers. Night time had come, the moon high in the sky. It still took her a moment to remember that the transition was so quick because the princesses moved the sun and moon personally. She was now left to wait for her escort. Not sure what to do with herself, having lost the want to read, she just sat on the bed and tried to keep herself calm. It was about eleven minutes later that the knock came while she fiddled with her hooves.

"Princess Luna has sent me to escort you to her personal chambers." Boomed a deep gravely voice from behind the door.

Craft went and opened the door, greeting the bat-pon. This one did not have bat wings, but instead a horn.

("It’s so weird to think that they're just normal ponies with magic armour. I guess that means I need to rename them.")

Craft nodded to the bat-guard, who nodded back and walked towards the elevator. She followed. They were down and out the living quarters soon and walking through the halls. As they walked Craft took the time to try get herself ready one last time.

("Just remember, don't push too hard. I don't want to look like a complete jerk if it turns out I was just seeing things, and if there is something going on...aim for the eyes.")

This line of thought continued as they walked each new hall, Craft covering as many possible outcomes as she could conceive. After about nine halls they reached a large tower. It could be a whole other living quarters on it's own. It had two large doors that held Luna's cutie mark, much like the night courts, but these were much more ornately designed. White dots for stars adorned the around Luna’s cutie mark and were easily seen in contrast to the pure black doors. They seemed to be depicting constellations, but none she could recognize. The bat-guard stopped at just before the towering barriers, nodding to the other guard stationed at their right side. He then turned around to face Craft.

"The Princess is at the top of the tower in her room, I'd advise you not to keep her waiting."

"Right."

Once again nodding he tuned back around and opened the left door motioning for her to step in. She walked forward, taking one more look at her surroundings, before stepping over the threshold, at which point the guard closed the door behind her with a "THUMP". Craft was now left in near perfect darkness, broken only by moon light seeping in through tall windows and the glow of a crystal that sat upon an elevator directly across from her. It was a bit hard to see it around the giant set of marble stairs that spiraled around a pillar in the middle of the room going straight to the top of the tower. It was mostly white, likely to help make the tapestry's and artworks of the night sky or the moon stand out more.

Looking at her two options, she wanted to take the stairs simply for the fact that it would delay the inevitable, but she knew that it would take too long and that she would be incredibly tired afterwards and so walked to the elevator slowly. Once she was inside she looked at the lever with narrowed eyes, before sighing and pulling it down. Unlike it's counterpart in the living quarters however it did not shoot up, but instead went at a leisurely pace. Not so slow as to be inefficient, but still slow enough as to enjoy the artwork that passed by. Craft did not even give them a second look as she neared the top of the stairway.

Going through a hole in the ceiling she saw that she hadn't reached the top just yet. Instead she was in a low built room with a singular window. Like the elevator the stairs also pierced the floor and led up the short way to the next room, which was likely Luna's, if it didn't lead to another separate area. Craft walked around and came face to face with the doors the stairs lead to. They were surprisingly tame, nothing more than two dark blue rectangles with golden knobs. Craft sat at the bottom of the stairs looking at the doors.

(".........This is it. It's time to get all the answers I need.")

Banishing all her doubts and fears to the farthest corners of her mind as best as she could and taking in a slow huge breath, she stood up and walked up to the doors and knocked firmly.

*Knock knock*

"Oh! Ryan! Just give me a moment, I will be there soon!"

Luna’s voice along with the sounds of hooves clacking about greeted a momentarily confused Craft.

(“Oh yeah, I forgot she still calls me Ryan.”)

It was only a few seconds later that the doors opened. Standing there was of course Luna, though she was without her normal royal regalia.

She beamed down at Craft.

"Ryan, I am so glad that we can finally have a proper talk without some form of trouble looming over you. I am also pleased you trusted me enough to come talk to me about personal matters."

Craft smiled weakly and nodded.

"Um, yeah, well, you're the closest friend I've made here so it was kinda the natural choice."

This just made the moon ruler smile brighter.

"Ah, but let us continue this inside."

And so Luna stepped to the side to let Craft in. Craft waited a half second before entering the room, pushing very hard against her hesitation. Once she was inside she noticed the whole room was some kind of shade of blue. Before she could really make any more observations Luna closed the doors and gestured to two large pillows sitting on the ground next to a grand fireplace.

"We can talk over there."

Nodding again Craft made her way to the left pillow, sitting down to face the fire. Luna was right behind her, sitting on the pillow next to Craft's and also facing the fire. Luna looked at Craft and began.

"So “Art Craft”, what is it you wished to discuss with me?" Luna said with a small grin.

Craft glanced at her, not turning her head, before looking back at the fire.

"..."

"Ryan?"

Luna was now looking at her worriedly.

"I...Luna I was.......I'm trying to say..."

Craft closed her eyes and shook her head harshly. Before she could start to really think about what she was saying she turned to look Luna square in the eyes and spoke.

"I don't know."

The rooms silence was broken only by the crackling of the fire and the occasional whistle of the wind.

...

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...I mean that I just can't figure out anything. I have a lot of questions that I don’t know how to ask and..."

Luna scooted her pillow closer to Craft, wanting to try and bring the mare some small piece of mind. Craft didn’t notice the warmth she could feel from how close Luna was to her now, but it still felt good.

“Perhaps it would be best to start slow? Start with light topics and moving slowly into the more pressing ones?.”

Craft was still at a loss and nervously looked at Luna, tomato redness coming to her cheeks. After a bit of thinking she conceded.

“Al-alright, that might help.”

Luna just smiled at the adorable mare as Craft gulped, trying to find words to use.

“If I may plead an idea, I would very much like to hear your reasoning behind this fabricated story.”

Levitating a newspaper over from a coffee table that sat next to the bed, Luna opened it up to a particular article and floated it right in front of Craft’s face. Realizing what the article was about by the accompanying picture and first few sentences, Craft began to calm down now that her mind found something to latch onto. She took one more steadying breath as Luna returned the paper back to where it came. Craft launched into her explanation.

“It’s a cover. I’d never hear the end of it if I actually told her what really happened, so when the reporter that wrote this found me the other day I took the opportunity to make up a new backstory for myself. I went with the victim angle because it would keep a lot of ponies off my back, save those that want to give me their condolences.”

“And the amnesia?”

“Well, I really didn’t have a way to explain why it is I didn’t have a cutie mark even though I’m a full grown mare. So I made it so that not even I know. Helps write off why I was running around like something crazy a few days ago too.”

Luna grinned.

“You are adept at story weaving it would seem.”

Craft’s cheeks went aglow.

“Heh heh, I guess you could say that…”

“A quite masterful guise, I must say so myself. Having your name imprinted on “shredded clothing” found at the scene of the “attack” was a nice touch as well. But I have to know, why did you choose the name Art Craft? I can understand wanting a more native sounding name, but I am curious as to how you came to pick it.”

“It was a no brainer. After hearing a good few pony names I just kinda got the jist of how you came up with them and I thought about myself.”

(-So why didn't you go with Anger Nu-)

“AND you see-” Craft started a little too loudly, sitting up a bit straighter and startling Luna.

“-I like to make stuff. Not like construction or something like that, but making art. I never specialized in anything, like a jack of all trades when it came for art. Master of none. I do like to write a bit more than anything else, but I never thought about taking it up professionally. Art Craft came naturally to me after some thought.”

“And what of your old name? Are you going to abandon the title of Ryan Kumen?”

Craft rubbed the back of her neck, thinking this might be the best place to try and segway into what it is she wanted to talk about.

“Well it’s not necessarily that I want to give the name up, but...I’ve obviously been having a very rough week-”

Luna looked to immediately lose her happy disposition and in it’s place a look of dread came to be.

“And you are here to tell me how bad of a friend I am.”

“Yes, and-Wait wah-!?”

Craft tried to lean back from the lunging teary eyed princess but Luna still was able to grab up Craft in a hug and held on tight as she began to speak rapidly.

“Oh please forgive us! We did not mean to leave you to fend for thy self, we were merely trying to get enough work completed so we may have enough time to give you a proper tour of Canterlot!”

Craft wedged a hoof between her and Luna, the close contact making her heart feel as though it could power a city with how fast it was beating as she tried to push Luna off.

“Luna.”

Luna squeezed harder, Craft only surviving because of her combination of being the hardy type already and being an earth pony.

“We promise to be a better friend to you, just please-”

Despite the alicorns insane strength Craft started to gain ground and was slowly pushing Luna away from her, but this only reinforced in Luna’s mind that Craft was upset with her.

“LUNA.”

“-do not be hasty and leave! We can delegate more work to our assistants and be able to-”

Craft at last was able to untangle herself from Luna’s killer embrace with one more big shove.

“LUNA!”

With the moon mover back on her pillow she turned her head away, worry and an intense blush that rivaled all the ones Craft has had gracing her face. Craft’s own face was somewhere between a glare and confusion, settling on concern after a few calming breaths.

“Luna, look at me.”

Luna looked, tears still somehow at the edges of her eyes and not having spilled over. The pure cuteness was able to force Craft to realize just how fast her heart was going. Her brain went dead for a moment has it tried to processes where the feelings causing the problem were coming from. Not really having the time to figure this out now she just tried to ignore it.

“Guh...Look Luna, I didn't come here about that. That's not even a thing.”

Luna sniffed and wiped her eyes with a hoof.

“Truly?”

“Yes Luna, and besides, now I’m a little scared to try and stop being friends with you. You might hug me to death trying to make me stay.”

The devilish smile Craft put on was the cherry on top the last comment that made Luna face look ready to explode like a volcano. She lowered her head to her pillow and covered her face with her fore-hooves, her muzzle sticking out.

“Please don’t tell my sister, she will never let me live it down.”

“I won’t, but you have to tell me why it is that you freaked out so bad. I remember that you said you didn't have that many friends, but it really can’t be that bad.”

Luna poked an eye out from beneath her hooves.

“You would think that a princess would have more friends, but…”

“But what? It’s not just that you a princess, but you’re also a very nice pony as well.”

This seemed to give Luna the courage she needed to sit back up, but she was still practically glowing red.

“Thank you, and you are not the only one who thinks of me the same, if I may say. I have had chances to convince my little ponies that I am not the tyrant I once was, but trust and friendship are two separate things. My title of princess makes it so that they are too timid to approach me despite my more positive appearance. Even my sister who has had plenty of time to befriend and get to be known by them has trouble getting them to treat her normally. But as I said she has had time on her side and has a decent pool of close friends. As for me, you are only my second friend. Celestia’s student, Twilight Sparkle, being my other. But with her being away in Ponyville our conversations are confined to letters and the occasional visit.”

Luna looked to the floor, her eyes somber.

“You are my only friend whom is right here. When you had sent to me saying there was something urgent to speak of doubts began to plague my mind. I became scared of losing your friendship.”

Luna kept her head down, feelings weighing it down.

“...I understand.”

Luna gave her a look not with malice, but clearly unconvinced.

“I do, really. I've only ever had one real friend myself. His names Kyle Hollows, but he preferred being called Boa.”

Luna seemed to perk up at this.

“I meet him in middle school. I think I've been painting the wrong kind of picture for you, because if there’s any redeeming qualities about me they came when I was almost done with high school. I was not a popular kid, not even really that much of a likable one. By no means the worst, but I was spoiled and needed some discipline. But while I started to turn around near the end of my school days it definitely started when I meet him. Now don’t get me wrong, he was not some goody two-shoes that helped clean up my life. He was a delinquent that had already been in juvie by then.”

Luna’s face tried to contort in confusion but instead it smiled as she giggled.

“Back then he looked like the coolest kid to me. He let me hang around him because how weird I acted, doing whatever I thought was funny no matter how stupid it was. I wasn't aware enough back then to realize that's how it was, but thankfully things changed before I did and everything fell though. You see, none of the other kids cared about him. I mean they hung out with him and stuff, but it was clear that when ever he was out sick, or suspended that they never gave him a second thought. Except me. I’d always ask around and see what had happened to him when he was out, ‘cuz I didn't have a cellphone. And I guess he found out. He started treating me like an actual friend, instead of a dancing monkey.”

Craft began to stare off to the side as the memories came to her.

“We started to hang out outside of school, I’d spend the night at his house, or he would at mine. We’d go places and do stuff. When I figured it out I just let it go. He was my only friend. It really clicked in my head that I was his only friend too when we graduated high school. Every time we talked and he would tell me about his day he never said anything about anyone else coming over or talking with him. Well, there were some girlfriends, but they would always break up with him. It was never his fault though, or at least in my opinion it wasn't. He always treated them great, doing what he could to make them happy.The problem is that he has no taste in women, and always got with little girls that didn't appreciate all the work he was putting in. He showed them a side that not a lot of people saw from him. It’s hard to believe that I even know about it.”

Craft just stared off to the side of the fire, going quiet as her old friend held her thoughts. Watching silently for a moment, Luna cleared her throat and gained Craft’s attention.

“I am sorry Craft, my irrational fears have-”

“Don’t be sorry for anything, I didn't have to say anything if I didn't want to, but that’s the whole reason I’m here right?”

“...Very well, if you are sure. Though that does remind me, were we not trying to ease ourselves into what it was you had come here to talk to me about originally? Do you think you are prepared now?”

Craft was still feeling off, even more so now with the way this conversation has been going, but…

“Yeah, I think I know what I want to say.”

Author's Note

OMGWTFBBQ!!! Hey guys. Man, it feels like it's been forever since I've posted a chapter. I've been working on this one a lot, trying my best to make it as good as possible. I have gotten a new computer now so I now have all the time I need to write, but unfortunately my proofreader is no longer working on the story with me. He just lost interest in writing in general, but he did help a great deal while he was on and I'll keep him credited for the work he did. This does mean that I'm back to doing all the editing by myself, so please don't be too hard. Lastly I'll say that this was meant to be the last chapter, but has I wrote and refined the word count just kept rising. It got to the point that the chapter would be at least two to three times bigger than my average chapter, so I decided to split the last chapter into two. That's all I've got for now, so as always be sure to rate freely & fairly and thanks for reading!

Where's the main course?(Part 2)
View Online

Appetizer

Where's the main course?(Part 2)

("Here goes everything...")

Craft could feel sweat starting to form on her brow from the combination of warmth she was receiving from the fireplace, Luna's proximity, and her own nervousness. Ignoring it as best as she could she began.

"Luna, what I'm about to say will sound like I don't trust you...and I honestly can't say that I do, but I am asking because I WANT to trust you, if that makes sense."

Not speaking Luna nodded solemnly, not wanting to over react again despite her re-rising fears.

"Alright, here it is. I've been thinking about a lot of things recently. After my surgery I could understand not wanting to bombard me with information too quickly, but it didn't look like anybody was in a hurry to tell me anything period."

"Why hasn't anyone talked to me about getting home? Or about changing me back? I know it would hurt like before if I went under that surgery again, but I still want the choice to be human. Yet I don't know anything! It scares me that it took me so long to to even think about it, it wasn't even until just the other day I even thought about this HUMONGOUS detail of my intimidate future! That no ones said anything and I almost didn't think about it myself..."

Craft didn't want to look Luna in the eyes as she said this, but she forced herself to.

"What am I not being told Luna?"

Craft went silent as she waited for Luna to respond. It seemed the princess was giving Craft her reprieve has she appeared incapable of eye contact herself anymore.

"I suppose it was irresponsible of me to keep this from you. I let my fear control me and in doing so made a poor choice."

Craft could feel her fur stand on end, an ill feeling in her stomach.

"I can understand your fears of conspiracy, but I assure you that this was not the root of my deception."

"W-what deception?" Craft said as she could feel herself tensing further.

Luna kept glancing at her from the corner of her eyes, head turned towards the fire.

"On the day I brought you here I had of course started doing research on "humans". What I found was...less than ideal."

She looked at Craft eye to eye at last, face filled with sadness.

"I had personally asked that this information be kept from you until you had adjusted, but it would seem I had waited too long. I'm sorry for this and for keeping it from you."

Feeling her muscles tense Craft tried desperately to remain calm, but she felt as though her breath was being stolen right from her mouth.

"Just tell me already, what's going on?" She spat out desperately, words almost catching in her throat from lack of air.

With years of practice to help her Luna steeled her gaze and nerves as she prepared to hurt her friend.

"To begin with I believe it was a remarkable trait of your own that you had taken so long to investigate these glaring issues, you had instead instinctively began to try adapting to your surroundings first. You unconsciously sought to understand the foundation of the world you found yourself in before you questioned it. I have seen others, while not haven been ripped from world to another admittedly, be thrown into unfamiliar environments and instead of at first trying to understand it they would questions every little detail that they happened to notice, often sending themselves into culture shock."

Luna gave Craft a small smile before she went on.

"I have already explained that I feared your reaction should I tell you too early, but at this point I am only delaying the inevitable."

Luna paused, trying to think on how to best phrase this, but Craft couldn't wait any longer.

"What did you find in your research?

Luna sighed.

"While in theory if we could find some donors to help replace the mass you lost, you could return to being human. The problem is that no doctor in all of Equestria knows anything about human anatomy. For the spell to work properly it's performers need to have a good understanding of the species they intend to change the target into. So while we could find donors we would not be able to turn you back to human without risk of deformity."

Silence.

Luna watched Craft, Craft watched the fire, and they were silent. Neither moved. Just as she could no longer take it and went to, at the very least, say she was sorry Luna was beat to the punch by Craft.

"So I don't even get to have the choice huh?" Craft said, not looking away from the fire, carefully watching it crackle.

The statement was cold, unfeeling. It scared Luna to hear such a tone come from her friend.

"Ryan-"

"Oh noooo, I told you remember? It's Art Craft now!" She spat out sarcastically.

She stood, grimace meeting Luna's view.

"Because I'm stuck HERE!"

Luna flinched as Craft rose her voice and swung her hoof in a grand sweeping motion.

"Please listen R-"

"In grand ol' Equestria! Land of magical talking ponies and other assorted creatures!"

She made a sharp one-eighty turn and began to pace around the room.

"A land that barely a week ago I had any idea existed! I of course had no choice as to rather or not I wanted to come here, that was YOUR choice. The magical night pony princess that apparently was a MONSTER for a thousand years!"

Now Luna was starting to get upset herself.

"Your going too far Ryan, you need to calm down before you do something you regret."

"TOO FUCKING LATE!"

Craft had stopped pacing to glare at Luna, tears streaming her face.

"Everything I could possibly regret I can't change now because it's all back HOME, the place I can't go back to if you'll remember!"

"I never said that returning wouldn't be possible."

"Oh right, because I can just go straight up to my mom and tell her "Hey mom, sorry I kinda fucking DIED, but it's okay now! A magical pony princess from another world brought me back to live, the only catch is that I had to become a pony too, and a fucking GIRL. That's FINE right?"

Craft had advanced on Luna some, the two glaring at one another the entire time.

"This is getting out of hoof, you know as well as I do that's not what I meant."

Craft didn't have a quip ready, choosing instead to battle Luna's angered stare with her own. After a few tense quiet moments Luna relented, shacking her head in disapproval.

"I had not envisioned this meeting to turn quite so tart."

Looking the other way Craft just gave a grunt for a reply. Again they were quiet, before Craft began walking towards the door. Luna looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Where are you going?"

Craft paused at the door, looking at Luna from over her shoulder.

"To my room. I got what I wanted to know so I'm leaving."

Luna was about to argue, but let it go and just nodded at her. Craft after briefly staring at Luna some more she made her exit. When the door closed Luna turned to her head to her charge hanging in the sky.

"We still ponder rather or not it would have been less taxing to simply have built a new home upon you old friend from time to time."

Looking out the window a moment Luna raised from her seat and cleaned up the ruffled pillows.

"Though we suppose we are the one that chose to save and call this one friend. All related troubles in said friendship is rightfully placed upon me. Including dealing with her irrational anger."

A pause and a sigh.

"Though I suppose I should not be one talk of irrational anger.

Ryan kept looking back at his computer screen, trying to remember what he was doing before he got to YouTube.

"It was something important I know that, which makes me wonder about my ability to set priorities."

He tried to think on just what he was doing, running a hand through his hair, when he heard a knock at his door.

"Sweetie, dinner's ready."

In the kitchen Ryan took a seat, nodding at Andy in greeting as he sat down, and dug into his waffles. His mom came over and sat across from him at the table with her own plate.

"So I was thinking I could take you over to the unemployment office today. I know you hate it there, but it could only ever help."

Ryan groaned, dropping his spoon to his plate.

"Do I have to? It always ends up sucking."

"Well it's not like your getting anything done just sitting around in your room all day."

"That's why I don't just sit around all day. I'm looking around for applications and filling 'em out."

"And just where has that gotten you?"

"The exact same place going to the unemployment office has."

"Well at least it's a change of view."

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"You stay cooped up in that man-cave of yours all day. I'm worried that your avoiding going out and doing anything different for ounce."

"Different? Like what? I've got no money to go anywhere fun like the arcade, I don't have any obligations-" -He made air quotes with his fists- ", leaving me with either heading over to Boa's place or to the park for the ja-billionth time."

Ryan narrowed his eyes at his mom.

"Besides, wasn't this about getting a job just a second ago?"

"If you can use it as an excuse to stay in your room then I can use it to get you out of it."

"So what? You think I'm afraid of anything different, is that what I'm getting here?"

"Well considering you have quite a few more options than just your friends house or a park I think it's a fair assumption."

"Really now, then do please list them."

"You could pick up gardening, writing, maybe get some exercise, or even-"

"All things I don't have time to do because I'm looking for a job. It's not exactly like I can just cherry pick the one I want. Hell by this point I would just take you up on going to the unemployment office."

His mom stayed quiet, to the point Ryan started to get worried when she spoke again.

"Your still scared of change, aren't you?"

Ryan felt like he was just pushed backwards.

"What?! Mom I just told you-"

"An excuse. Finding a job is important, but it can't possibly take up so much time that you can't do anything else. You're scared that if you did something different that everything will get ruined again."

Ryan sputtered a bit to try and talk.

"I-is this something we should really be talking about in front of Andy."

"Andy isn't here dear."

"What?"

Looking over at where Andy had been sitting Ryan found that not him or any signs of his breakfast were there.

"I didn't notice him leave..."

He was startled back into looking at his mom when she spoke again.

"You can't just keep trying to avoid this forever Ryan."

Rolling his eyes Ryan stood from the table and started to walk away.

"We've already had this talk and I'm not having it again, I'm going to my room."

Before he made it two steps she called out to him.

"And we hardly said a word to each other. This is something that you need to talk about sooner or later."

Groaning Ryan found himself reluctantly seated on the couch across from his mom.

"All right, you wanted to do this so you start."

"What we're doing is getting you to open up about how you really feel about all the changes you've been through lately."

"Changes? What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you can't have really come to such a quick acceptance already, but then again you were always very good about hiding how you feel."

Ryan was getting nervous now.

"Mom, WHAT are you talking about? If this is about dad having left that was like seven years ago, I've-"

"Well that might be part of why you were acting so strangely, but it can't be the whole reason."

Ryan stood up, a shade of anger mixing with his nervousness.

"MOM, what in the name of Jesus are you talking about."

"About how your a mare now of course, haven't you been paying attention?"

"Wha-?"

Before he could even finish his sentence he felt his mind explode, memories spilling around his mind in a huge mess with nearly no coherency. As if they were a key to some lock he had not been aware of before Ryan suddenly had full clarity of his surroundings. Black, black as far as he could see. The only thing that existed in this void was him and the the half of the couch he had been sitting on, but even the halved furniture disappeared.

He just stood there, his mind putting all the pieces together. When at last everything seemed to make sense again he looked around himself, checking to make sure he hadn't missed anything. The only thing he could really take note of was that he was human again, exactly the same as before he had left the park.

"I...guess I'm dreaming again?"

"Yes and no."

Ryan clamped a hand over his mouth. His mouth had moved on it's own, that voice was HIS.

"MMPH."

Not sure of what else to do he removed his hand and spoke.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"You."

"...Care to explain, because an explanation for anything right now would be nice."

"Would it really, or are you just gonna ignore it and move on?"

For a brief moment his mouth upturned into a smug smile before immediately flipping downward to become a frown.

"Either tell me what's going on or piss off, stop hijacking my mouth."

"It's my mouth, because I am you. You know how they always talk about that dark little voice in the back of your mind, or your case forward and present, and how in a bunch of media they always have the protagonist face this voice when their having a dramatic moral dilemma as if it was a seperate person? Well that's kinda what's going on."

With some irritation Ryan began to walk in the direction he was facing, needing something to do as he had his less than normal talk.

"Well if this is that then shouldn't you like...be a shadowy copy of me or something?"

"Damn did you read too much fan fiction, no dipstick because I'm not someone else. I'm you, an spectacularly unsuccessfully suppressed part of you maybe, but still."

Ryan abruptly stopped, throwing up his arms up in the air and groaned.

"I'm not doing this marry-go-round talk bullshit with you-me-FUCK IT, I' not doing this is the point!"

"Sounds right, that's the same attitude you have any time something new and hard comes your way."

"..."

"Fine, but you're still the one actually talking remember. So let's get some facts straight. First you are in fact asleep, but we're in your subconscious, just like when Luna pulled us through to her world."

Ryan just huffed and sat down.

"Someones pouty huh? Anyways you were spared this little talk before because nearly dying, being pulled into another world and being told by a blue pony princess with wings and a horn that to live you had to become a completely different species of a world you hadn't even seen yet can push a lot of things to the back of your mind."

His mouth remained closed in a frown before the other voice spoke again.

"You just really love putting off the hard stuff, I mean are you honestly telling me that you just DID NOT think about getting back home? That it just slipped your mind? Or are you really trying to hold on to the idea Luna told you about being adaptable? Because that's pretty funny if that's the excuse your using. You adaptable, HA!"

"Just get to the point so I can hurry up and wake up, find a psychiatrist, and work on getting rid of you once and for all."

"What, scared to look down that well of problems you got going there? Can't really say I would blame ya, it's pretty deep down here."

"If you're the little voice of doubt then I should be able to reasoning to get rid of you..."

"Oh~, just straight up talking to yourself now. Not that you weren't before, but now your not beating around the bush with the whole "negative voices" crap."

Trying to ignore the jab Ryan tried to think of a line of logic that worked.

"There has to be a specific reason you're trying to talk to me now, or more precisely why I'm having these thoughts now. Does this have to do with my talk with Luna?"

"Some "Talk". Just what did you expect to accomplish by screaming at A. Your first friend you made here and B. Your most powerful friend here?"

"Yes, I get that I shouldn't have exploded like that, but-"

" "-how else was I suppose to act?" Right?" How about a normal person and calmly explain things to her so she could help, or at least not have yelled at the pony that saved your life for no other reason than because it was the right thing to do?"

"Is it why this is happening now or not?"

"Nope, this is something that should have happened a long time ago, but until now you always had a way to escape, something to distract yourself with. Now it's just you with yourself."

"Ugh."

"Not my fault you can't handle anything serious, well it is because I am you but you get the point."

"Then what is this about then, even though by your logic I should already know."

"You do know, you've just repressed it so much that you actually don't remember. Impressive if I do say so, But if I really have to spell it out then let me reiterate what your mom was saying before-"

"Wait, hold up a second. Just what the hell was up with that dream before if you know so much?"

Ryan made the mental note that he could stop the other voice if he began to talk.

"First off yeah you can stop me, am I going to have to hammer the fact that I am just your self doubt talking to death before you get that? Second, yeah I know. That was your mind trying, not all that greatly honestly, to be more subtle about getting you to talk about this. Now will you shut up or do you want to just sit in nothing until you wake up?"

Reluctantly Ryan stayed quiet until his mouth moved again.

"Good. Now about change, different stuff than from your little bubble that you made for yourself. You HATE it and you know you hate it. You hated the idea of getting a job, you hated the idea of going to college, and you LOATH all this pony shit that's happened. Your "adaptability" was just you being too shell shocked to even be angry about it. But oh boy did that change tonight didn't it?"

Nothing from Ryan.

"Yup, hearing that it was impossible for you to ever be human again really put the last nail in the coffin. Suddenly not only was there this big change you had no choice but to go through but you also now could never go back on it! All that anger you so graciously managed to avoid to begin with? Came pouring down on you like a tidal wave."

"I came to terms with that just this morning..."

"You figured out that you were still the same asshole just attached to a different body! You think you made any real peace with suddenly being a fucking horse in a week?! Not even the most deranged nut cases that have locked in padded cells for the last fifteen years could have been okay with that in a week!"

He cringed at his own words, lifting his legs up to his chest.

"You were hoping that since you were still the same pile of trash on the inside that you could go back to being human without a hitch, but then came the wrench in that little plan. Face it, ever since dad was killed you couldn't bring yourself to even so much as choose a fucking different topping on your pizza. I'm here because at first I was your voice of reason trying to help you move on, but the more you clam up the more I became that voice that reminded you that you were becoming more and more of a piece of shit every day you couldn't even get off your fucking lazy ass to at least get a job and start making something of your broken mess you called a life! I'm not here just because, I'm here because of YOU. You hate yourself and you can't get away from it now."

Ryan was curled into a ball, trying to stop the voice to speak in his own defense. But it wouldn't relent now.

"It's funny really. By trying to stay in your comfort zone you isolated yourself with all these thoughts. You wouldn't reach out to anyone for help, just keeping inside your own head and never trying unload some of this. And so there was me. The part of you that knows what you suppose to due but can't convince you to do it. Now here are by yourself, thinking to yourself. God I'm surprised I didn't just break into a sobbing mess the second I saw Luna for the first time."

The words just went on, losing all pretense of being seperate people as he spoke to himself.

"Appetizer effect...what a load of shit. That's some of the most third grade story telling bull I could have come up with. What other lies did I come up with? Oh that whole piece about being scared to go to college was a fucking riot."

And so he sat in his own mind, his own misery talking about all the things he hated about himself.

"I should have just died, would have been easier."

"Enough of this."

Ryan jerked at the sudden new voice, but before he could stand he found him self held in a double layered grip made of dark blue fur and feathers. Looking up he saw Luna's frowning face looking back down at him, her fore legs and wings engulfing him in a strong embrace.

"Luna?"

"Yes, me."

Ryan couldn't find the words to respond at first, taking a small moment to allow himself to enjoy the feeling of having Luna hold him before he spoke.

"What are...WHEN did you get here?"

"When I needed to. I heard enough."

"You were here from the beginning?"

"Almost, I came just as your dream of your home ended."

"Oh."

They were quiet. Ryan wanted to break away from the hug, to try and distance himself, but his recent little trip down near madness made him stay in it's small comfort.

"I'm sorry, for how I acted before."

"I forgive you, especially after what I just learned."

Ryan again fought the urge to get away again.

"Look, I'm-"

"Halt."

It was that practiced voice that spoke gently but held power behind it, and so Ryan did indeed halt.

"Much has been said this night, and even more felt. There is a great deal that I would like to know, to try and help, but you have gone through enough and deserve a true rest. Of mind and body. So all I will say for now is that when you are ready, TRULY ready to speak of the things that ill you, I will be waiting. Now though I will let you sleep dreamless, but I still will be here watching over you."

So many thoughts roared in Ryan's mind, questions he wanted answered, but above all he was tired of talking. As Luna's horn glowed and he felt himself begin to drift off he brought himself to say one last thing.

"We're gonna talk about your spyin' on me through my dreams ya hear..?"

And then everything faded.

As the tendril of magic that connected her mind to Craft's disappeared Luna opened her eyes. She stood over Craft as her whimpering dyed out. A smile played at the edges of her mouth as she thought of the last thing she had said before being put completely under. Glancing around the room what little of a smile Luna had quickly turned into a frown. It had been quite a sight to walk into, bits of broken wood and glass gathered into piles here and there. A few quick spell had fixed it all up, but their implications still lingered heavily. Looking back down at Craft Luna shook her head before walking around the bed to sit on it's other side and look out through windows of the balcony doors.

With a pulse from her horn Luna began proper her nightly work of guarding and guiding her little ponies through their nightmares, making sure to keep an eye on her friend. She waited right there in Craft's room going about her duties, just as she had promised.

"Just please don't wait too long my friend, like I had."

Author's Note

Please read this blog if your so inclined, I can't fit what I have to say here.