Ever seen a video where some skateboarder or biker fails a stunt they're trying and ends up skidding the pavement? Especially when the aftermath looks like they got tickled with a belt sander?

That's kinda how everything withing three inches of my left eye felt once I came to again. It's NOT a pleasant sensation, I can tell you that much!

With a grunt, I managed to sit up and took in what I discovered to be my new surroundings: there was no mistaking the off-white walls and ceiling of a hospital room. At least, that's what I could tell on the right side of me, after reaching up-gingerly-to feel a bandage covering my other eye.

"Mr. Dracson!" Fluttershy's voice hit me from my currently blind side when I did, along with feeling the small hands grabbing my arm, "Thank goodness you're finally awake! Are..are you ok?"

"Unf.." I muttered, still a little dazed, "For the most part." I muttered, "Who threw the painted brick at me?"

"Well, that..." Holy shit! Her voice went from 'soft and concerned', to 'The Mom Tone' in a flash! Last time I'd heard that was when I was Fourteen and my mom caught me telling a couple of my brattier cousins to go fornicate themselves with an eggbeater.

She 'ah-HEM'ed pretty loudly, causing me to turn so I could actually see what had her in this less than pleasant disposition.

Standing near the window was another pony; a blue Pegasus to be exact, though the wings on this one were almost twice the size of Fluttershy's . Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with a multicolored lightening bolt, it wasn't hard to tell this was a girl as well, though she looked a tad taller than Fluttershy and had somewhat of a more athletic build. Her hair...er, maybe 'mane' might be the more accurate term. Anyhow, her mane and tail were multicolored as well.

Her fur color made it safe to assume that it was her I saw coming at me. Plus, she was in the traditional 'scolded' stance: hands behind back, hangdog look, and kicking at the floor slightly with a hoof..

Oddly enough, looking at her made me wish I had a big bag of Skittles right now.

"Rainbow Dash." She said, using the tone.

"Yeah.." The other one piped up, looking my way, "Um, Sorry about kicking you; I thought you were chasing her and may've overreacted a teeny little bit." She smiled sheepishly, complete with an oddly cute little squeak when she did. (Seriously, it sounded like a squeaky toy!)

"And 'a little bit' is all that happened to your eye, thankfully." Another new voice spoke up nearby, belonging to yet another mare, if the nurse uniform was an indicator; this one was a shade of white with a pink mane and tail similar to Fluttershy's. I assumed the red cross with hearts on the uniform was her own cutie mark. "Aside from the obvious bruising, the worst was some minor corneal abrasion. That should heal up within the next day or so; just leave the bandage on till then."

"Ok, thanks Doc...?" I trailed off, having no clue what her name was.

"Nurse, actually. Nurse Redheart." She smiled.

"You...you're taking this kinda calmly, you know? I mean, technically I'm an alien being that Fluttershy found, more or less."

She just let out a dry laugh, "Well, I'll admit I was surprised when you were brought in, but, judging from how she was acting when they did, I think it's safe to assume you won't be going on any rampage through town. Besides, compared to what this town normally sees at times, having a...what was it? 'Hue-mun', or something like that? Anyway, you showing up is kinda par for the course. "

"Oh, right." Didn't know if I even wanted to ask what she'd consider 'freak-out'-worthy, "Um, how long was I out?"

"About two hours. It..it took us a few minutes to get you here." Fluttershy said, "Sorry.."

I wondered why she apologized, but just filed it away for later.

"A few??" The one she identified as Rainbow Dash piped up. The name was somewhat familiar, for some reason, "Fluttershy, we're lucky most ponies are busy at the marketplace so we didn't get seen! It took the both of us just to drag him here!" She looked at me "You're heavy!"

Part of me wanted to joke about the time one of the female weightlifting team gave me a twenty to sit on her back while she did push-ups for a bet. (she won it, needless to say) But, taking into account they were both the size of 8-10 year olds, I skipped it.

"Oh! I almost forgot! I have to go back home and check on my animals!" Fluttershy yelped, "Mr. Dracson, I'm really sorry, I have to go. But Rainbow Dash can finish showing you around, right?" She looked at the pony in question.

"You know you can just call me Spike, right?" Is what I probably should have said right then, but decided to wait till after things settled down a little

"Me??" After another look, she seemed to relent, "Fine...I..guess I do owe you for the hoof in the face..."

---------------------------------

After a few minutes of them checking to make sure there wasn't any damage they missed, and giving me something to ease the soreness along with a warning about how some ponies in town could be.....excitable, for lack of a better term, I was given the ok to leave. Fluttershy said her good-byes for now and headed off to wherever her place was, leaving me and Rainbow Dash standing outside the hospital.

"Sooo..no hard feelings...?" She asked, the sheepish smile and squeak returning.

I looked at her, "Well, I am a little irked at your assumption that I was chasing her since she informed me that, like you, she was capable of flight."

She rubbed the back of her head as we started walking. Well, I walked: she decided to fly around a couple of feet off the ground, (Which, in hindsight, made me wonder just HOW they pulled that off, what with how slowly her wings were actually flapping.) so we were currently at eye level with each other, "I thought she was scared. Shy kinda forgets she can sometimes when she's scared or upset."

Remembering how she reacted to my less-than-pleasant reaction to learning I was really here, I kinda saw her point, "Fair enough. Tell you what, you pay for me to get something to eat, and I'll consider us even, deal?"

"ME!? Why do I gotta pay??" She demanded, glaring at me a little.

I checked for my wallet and, after a moment of relief that it was still there-and happy day, my MP3 player as well!-, took out a dollar, "Because I have no clue what your currency is and I'm pretty sure the money I do have isn't going to be worth much here."

She gave me a mildly annoyed look, "You had to bring that logic junk into it, didn't you? Fine, deal." And with that we headed to that Sugar Cube Corner place Fluttershy had mentioned.

---------------------------------

I've asked myself a lot of questions over the years: What's the safest way to store hydrofluoric acid? How can I make a nitrogenous base? Can I repair this before Mom gets home? Why do some women like wearing thongs?

Upon reaching this Sugar Cube building, I had another one:

Why do I suddenly wanna try and take a bite out of the corner? Seriously, the whole damn place looked like it was made outta gingerbread, complete with icing and gumdrops on it! It actually did look kinda tasty in a way...

"You still there? Hello??" I was broken out of my musing by Rainbow Dash poking my shoulder.

"Huh? Who? Oh, sorry, my mind wandered a little." I said, trying not to look as silly as I thought I did.

"Right..Anyhow, like I was saying, it's after the lunch rush so the place should be empty right now. The Cakes, they're the ponies that own and run the place, they're pretty easygoing, so it shouldn't be too bad. Just let me explain things first." She landed on the front steps and we headed in.

Then it hit me; the smell of chocolate cake, donuts, bagels, bread and more. I inhaled and damn near started drooling.

Also, the place was most definitely NOT empty! At best glance, I counted at least a dozen other ponies sitting inside at various tables chattering and munching...or they were until they noticed I was there.

Then the whole place went dead quiet.

"I thought you said it'd be empty!" I whispered to Rainbow Dash, glancing around and praying they didn't freak out.

No answer.

"Rainbow Dash? Don't just...!" I started, only to watch her suddenly zip over to the counter and engage in a conversation with the pony at the counter. From my spot, I could only catch a few words of what they were saying, "New.....Flutters.....eye.....bits.....care"

Once they were done she bolted back to me and suddenly shoved a handful of odd coins into my hand, "ItalkedtoMrCakeandhellgetyousomethingPinkiePiewilltakecareofyouwhensheandMrsCakegetbackherearesomebitsbye!" She blurted out in rapid fire before taking off back out the door as fast as she talked.

"Who..wah...what's going...what are you..Dash! Get back here; where're you going!? What'd you just give me!? WHO THE HECK IS PINKIE PIE!?" I yelled after her once my brain pieced together some of what she said. Unfortunately, she was well out of earshot by then, "You have GOT to be kidding...!" I muttered, looking back at the staring ponies.

Still nothing but silence from them.

"Um...hi? I come in peace?"

Author's Note

Whew, another chapter done.