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.