I awoke in blinding light. As my vision adjusted, I could make out the unmistakable branches of a tree. A cloud seemed to hang off of the leaves like a leech. I got back on my hooves and held my head. A pulsating pain shot through my entire body. I needed to find out if I had a concussion. I looked around. From the dirt road on which I stood, I could see a bridge leading over a small river into a rather forest-y area, and what looked like a town.
"It could be a mirage," I thought to myself. "But I can't take the chance." I began to trot toward the far buildings.
By the time I had arrived at the settlement, the moon had risen high in the dark sky. I glanced left and right to find someone that might just happen to be strolling about in the darkness. The moon illuminated the ground just enough for me to notice a rock on the ground below me, but not before I tripped and fell face first into the dirt. I cringed, then began to chuckle softly. I balanced myself and brushed off some dirt.
Just as I began walking again, I noticed a figure standing about thirty feet away, looking at me. Was it a pony who lived here? I hoped so, but I didn't say anything. Suddenly, a sound emerged from the being. It was...laughing? The pony flopped onto its back, cackling hysterically. I assumed it saw my incident with the stone.
I chuckled as well, then started trotting toward it. As I got closer, its laughing ceased.
"Hello?" I said. "Um, do you know a place where I could stay for the night?" It inspected me, up and down. I could finally make out the shape and stature of the baby blue pony. "I just arrived here, and I've been traveling all day. If you don't have a place, I'll understand."
"Oh, I know a place," she replied. "I'm sure you'd FALL in love with it." We burst into laughter at the joke until I interrupted.
"Honestly though. I have nowhere to sleep at the moment and would much appreciate it if you could show me a place to stay." She looked into my eyes.
"You're serious, aren't you?" I nodded. She sighed in deep thought and turned a corner. "Follow me. I'll get you a room at the inn, but you'll owe me."
I followed close behind. If it weren't for the knowledge of a warm bed and a roof in near future, I would have collapsed onto the ground then and there.
"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed. The quiet clatter of hooves echoed lightly over the road. "I'll never be able to repay you!"
"Ya, ya," she retorted. "I get it. You got a name?" I thought long and hard for an answer. A tsunami of letters and names bombarded my brain. Did I even have a name? ... Of course! How could I forget my name?
"Yeah. My name's Heshiken." My mane brushed over my eye, so I blew it back over my forehead. As I waited for a response, a muffled chuckle came from my escort. "What?"
"Nothing, just what kind of name is that?!" she laughed softly.
Offended, I tried to think up a witty remark, but instead remained silent.
"Well, my name's Rainbow Dash." she spoke. I smiled faintly, and we walked the rest of the way in silence.
Once we reached the inn doors, a wave of heat punched me in the face. It felt nice to be in a heated building.
"Hello Rainbow Dash!" a clerk at the counter exclaimed. They looked to me next. "And hello..."
"Hesh. Call me Hesh." I responded. They stared at me in curiosity.
"Can I get a room for my acquaintance for the night please?" Rainbow Dash asked the pony.
"I'm sorry, Dash, but all of our rooms are being used right now. As much as I would like to help your...friend, I wouldn't be able to." A train of surprise slammed into my gut. The nice warm bed. The heated room. It all vanished.
"Alright, well thanks." Rainbow Dash said, trotting back out of the inn. The clerk waved to me as I left, and I fake-smiled back. Rainbow Dash began to walk away and I had to catch up.
"What now?" I asked. My bracelets jingled behind me. I felt a wave of defeat come over me.
Rainbow Dash sighed. "Just this once, JUST ONCE, you can stay at my place."
I stopped moving altogether. I couldn't believe it. I caught up again, and said, "So let me get this straight. You met a random stranger on the street at night, and decided, Hey, I'll let them stay at my place!" I chuckled at the logic.
The blue pony stopped, as did I, and looked at me angrily. "Listen, I think you're a pretty nice dude, so just accept the compliment and let's go. I don't care about whatever you think. Excuse me for being kind." The words carved a wound in me. Had I really offended her?
"I'm sorry, I-"
"I don't wanna hear it. Let's just go." I walked in silence for the rest of the trip.
When we arrived, Rainbow Dash spoke up again. "Hey, sorry about earlier, I'm just not at a right frame of mind right now. I haven't been getting much sleep lately, and I've just been-"
"It's fine." I interrupted. "I appreciate the offer regardless." We smiled at each other, and she let me in, showed me around, then designated my sleeping area. I plopped onto her spare mattress instantly. My hooves throbbed and my head was on fire.
"It's not much, but hey, at least it's somethin'" she said.
"Yeah!" I yawned and she walked out of the room.
"Welcome to Ponyville." the lights turned off and the door shut, but I was too asleep to notice.
Author's Note
I wrote this at about midnight, so don't expect anything too grand from it. 
I awoke with a yawn the next morning. My legs were sore from walking all day yesterday, and my eyes almost stung from the sudden exposer to the light shining in from the window. I stumbled out of bed and down the stairs to the front door. I had no idea what time it was. My 'internal clock' told me it was about ten, but it was always wrong. I turned around to look at the clock on the wall behind me. It read 10:02 am.
"Well, what do you know. It was right this time." I narrated. I opened the door to find dozens of fillies and colts playing outside. Numerous ponies talking with each other. As I stepped off of the porch, I practically let off a siren. Everyone I could see was staring straight at me. My green fur. My blue-yellow mane. Me. I gave a sheepish grin as I walked, trying not to look foolish. Out of the blue, a note appeared in front of me, startling me. I jumped, falling on my back, and several people laughed.
I got back up and read the note.
Meshiken,
Please meet us at the palace. We need to talk.
(P.S. It's the huge building at town central)
(P.P.S Hurry!)
Rainbow Dash
As I finished reading the letter, it vanished, and I looked around for a large building. I found a palace-like one and began to run toward it. The letter said hurry, so I did. All I hoped is that I didn't trip again.
I looked ahead in anticipation. The building had grown tenfold since I last saw, and the letter kept flashing back into my mind. I gulped as I started toward the large palace doors. What had Rainbow Dash meant by "We"? Many questioned were still left unanswered. A mare in intimidating looking armor stopped me before I reached the door. He gave a suspicious look.
"Name please." he commented. He sounded tired of standing all day.
"Um, Heshiken. My name's-"
"Listen, kid. I don't know where you come from," his demeanor shifted more toward an angry rasp. "but you'd better not cause any trouble in this town. You understand?" he whispered.
I swallowed the nervous saliva that had collected on my tongue. "Yeah, I understand." The guard stepped aside, and I entered, cursing him silently under my breath. I found a huge room with a large pony sitting on a throne, and Rainbow Dash standing under her, talking with a few others. I didn't know any of them, and was a bit shy. Nevertheless, I trotted forward, not looking back.
"Hesh! Tired or what? It's practically noon!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. I grinned in response and walked on. Five other ponies instantly surrounded me, asking tons of questions like, "Who are you?", "Where are you from?", and "Where's your cutie mark?"
"Ponies." the larger one declared. "Make way." they obeyed, and I looked in confusion. "What is your name?" she continued. She spoke with assertion, but her voice was a choir of soft, melodies.
"Heshikan."
"Where have you traveled from?" My eyes darted left and right at the other ponies.
"I-...I don't know. I don't remember anything before coming here." She gave me a suspicious look. The Pegasus stood from her seated position and gracefully walked to me. She circled me, inspecting every inch of my rather embarrassed posture. "I have no idea where I am, and I keep hear people talking about this 'cutie mark' thing, which frankly, I know nothing about either."
"You, my child. I have been waiting for your return." She swiveled her head back at her throne. "I am Celestia. The Queen of Equestria." She sat back in her throne "And you are the answer to the question I've been asking of."
"Whoa, dude. That sounds cool!" Rainbow Dash piped up. "Wait, what's the problem? Everything's fine in Ponyville."
"That is correct, Rainbow Dash, however, there is dark force growing in the forests outside of this city. This pony is the one to extinguish the flames of darkness that grow on the outskirts." I stretched my wings, then put them back at my sides.
"What in the world am I supposed to do about it. Look at me! I don't even know how to fly, yet I have wings." I drawled. I hung my head low. My heart beat with intense intention to jump out of my chest. I felt sick, embarrassed, and separated. I had just arrived at this place, and the queen tells me that I am destined for greatness? I made no sense of the situation.
"Twilight," the queen went on. "fill Heshiken in on your knowledge. Perhaps it shall spread light to him." The lavender pony nodded and gestured for me to follow her. I sighed, and departed with the aforementioned 'Twilight'. Shortly behind us Rainbow Dash bolted out of the building and into the air.
"Sounds like you have quite a story to tell." Twilight said.
I almost stumbled. "Yeah, not really." I recalled.
"Hmm. I'm Twilight Sparkle, but you can just call me Twilight." She countered. We walked in silence for a moment, until I gave in.
"Where are we headed?" I asked.
"We're headed to my house so I can fill you in on what Princess Celestia was talking about."
"Wow. Only day two and I've been to two pony's houses already." I thought. The joke brought a slight smile to my face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. "Man, I don't know if I can handle this. I mean, I just got here and I already am being overwhelmed by people."
"You say that like it would have happened anyway." Twilight retaliated. I caught a faint smile from the mare.
I snickered. "I didn't mean it that way." I said.
"I'm just giving you a hard time." she replied. We smiled at each other. Maybe I could get used to living here.
We arrived at Twilight's house at sunset. I followed her in as she lit a candle with magic. I had seen other ponies use magic on my way to the castle. I wondered if I could use magic too. "Hey, how would I-"
"SPIKE!! CAN YOU GET ME THE BOOKS ON THE ELEMENTS PLEASE?!" Twilight yelled to the ceiling. Soon after a small green dragon walked down a staircase with five large books in his arms.
"Sheesh, you don't need to yell." he said. He set them down on the floor, then Twilight looked at me, mischievously.
"What?" I reacted. "You don't expect me to read all that, do you?"
She grinned. "Read up." she said, walking away.
