Just A Dream

Chapter Three

As the three ponies conversed, the sun began to set. They were already two hours in, their plans already made for what to say. Spike had listened in and was informed on what happened. The dragon was puzzled by what he had heard about the human, but he just let the three talk and was doing his duty of organizing the books Twilight Sparkle had misplaced. Fluttershy seemed confident enough that this would work, Twilight had the sureness of herself like she always had. Pinkie seemed to have cheered up as the conversation went by. But in a flash after the three spoke their last word, there was a knock at the door.

“Twilight, I need to know if you know where Fluttershy is! There’s a big hole in her house!” The slight pitch in her voice and the sound of her excitement suggested none other than Rainbow dash. Twilight opened the door as she pointed away from the door. “And there’s some weird thing walking around Ponyville digging in trashcans!”

“Is it walking on two legs and have hair on its head?” Twilight inquired, ever so patiently looking down the street.

“Yes! Wait, how did you know that?” Rainbow Dash asked, cocking a brow up as she poked Twilight with her hoof. “What are you hiding?”

Twilight pushed Rainbow Dash out of the way, looking back at the three. “Pinkie, Fluttershy, come on. Rainbow Dash, don’t say anything at all.”

“Dash shrugged, looking at Twilight as Pinkie and Fluttershy came out, following Twilight.

“Wait, can’t I come see him?” Spike asked this almost eagerly, his eyes begging as he ran to Twilight, squeezing by Pinkie and Fluttershy.

He looked directly into Twilight’s eyes, practically begging without talking. Twilight sighed and nodded, but put her hoof on Spike’s shoulder.

“You can come only if you promise to run and not turn back if something bad happens.”

“Deal,” Spike answered, Twilight’s response being a nod and a turn towards Ponyville’s ‘action alley,’ and a slow, brisk walk. They couldn’t help but wonder what Willie was doing, and they hadn’t the slightest clue. Soon they had come upon the Town hall, looking down a few streets until they saw a familiar shape. They then decided continued down to Sugar Cube Corner, seeing the boy walk down the road towards it.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash shouted, catching the boy’s attention from about fifty feet away. The Willie had turned around, full body, his legs slightly bent as he crooked his arms a bit, seeing the four ponies, and a dragon. He shook his head, sending a shout towards them as he turned around, running past Sugar Cube Corner, and taking a right turn as Twilight began to speed up. Within seconds, they were passing the popular sweet-goods shop as they saw him running. He was no more than seventy feet away from them. Twilight turned back to Rainbow Dash, and her horn started to glow the soft pink it usually did.

“Rainbow Dash, I need you to stay beside him, try your best to keep up with him,” Twilight ordered, looking towards the boy. “When I see you stay beside him long enough, I might be able to catch him.” Rainbow Dash simply nodded in agreement as she spread her wings, and began her chase. After about ten seconds, she was already beside him, waving.

“Hey,” she said, her hoof going side to side as she smirked, Willie trying to pick up speed but Rainbow Dash easily matching it, not losing him a centimeter. Twilight new it was the right time. With her horn glowing a bright pink, she vanished in a flash of light, only to reappear twenty feet in front of the two, standing on her back legs and waving her hooves.

“Stop! Wait!” She shouted, drawing Willies attention away from the pride-filled mare to see Twilight on the ground. He couldn’t stop, he’d hit her if he tried. He brought his foot up mid run, and tensed his muscles as best he could. With one reflex, he shoved his foot to the ground, sending him flying over Twilight as he feared he would still hit her. He did not. His feet came inches to her body, but made no contact. Twilight watched him soar over her for just a few seconds, amazed as she recognized the look in his face, seeing the fear in his eyes. But when Willie hit the ground, the stop wasn’t so sudden. He hit it hard, throwing his arms in front of himself once again, trying to protect himself, but this time sending him rolling at his sides, almost like a barrel, and he slid about ten feet, just to come to a stop.

“Willie!” Twilight shouted, running to him and standing right beside him. Spike, Pinkie, and Fluttershy followed not far behind as Rainbow Dash hovered above him.

“I seriously thought you guys were gonna just beat the crap for talking smack about friendship. If you’re still gonna do it, I’m in,” he took a breath, sighing softly, “no position to object at all.”

“Why would I hurt you? I was trying to talk to you. Then you ran off like you had just had someone throw a rock at you.” Twilight seemed a tad agitated, but more or less confused. “I actually came here to try and talk to you.”

“About?” Willie said as his face contorted slightly, his arms seeming fairly beaten. He laid onto his back, his shirt torn and his left shoulder bleeding slightly, his right arm scraped like a fresh cheese against a grater, and his cheek a soft purple.

“Remember how you said that if I had reasons good enough to believe in friendship to bring them to you?” Twilight looked at the battered child in empathy, Fluttershy was scared to go near him, fearing something might go wrong if she stood too close. Pinkie was shaking softly as Willie sat up slowly, groaning as he attempted to reach at least ninety degrees. He did successfully, and managed to hold it as he stared at the ponies in front of him. Spike the dragon stayed a ways behind, watching the group from afar. He didn’t dare come near the new being in front of him.

“Sorry about your injuries man,” Rainbow Dash said, softly putting a hoof on the boy’s shoulder. Willie slowly pushed her hoof off of him, wincing softly as he did. His eyes narrowed to Twilight Sparkle as he stood up slowly, looking down at her.

“I’m curious. If you give me a convincing enough case, I’ll consider your offer of friendship…” Willie knelt slowly, staring at all three of them. Twilight raised her hoof slowly, but seeing as how Willie reacted to Rainbow Dash, she lowered it softly.

“I don’t think you’ll understand… But it is my job to try. Pinkie and Fluttershy are here to help prove to you that it is real, and it does work.” Pinkie and Fluttershy both stood beside Twilight, nodding as they took a stance.

“I’m willing to wait to rest until you three are finished,” Willie said softly, eying the three in front of him. He crossed his arms, awaiting the three to speak.

“Well,” Twilight started, “let me put it out like this, without friends, I wouldn’t be here, talking to you. I’d be back at some old castle, studying my life away instead of having fun every day with the friends I made.”

“She is right, and without a lot of my friends here,” Pinkie began, “I would never have been as happy as I am now, Just a sad old mare back at home, doing Celestia knows what,”

“I want to speak now,” Fluttershy stated, stepping closer to the young boy as she flapped her wings, hovering to his eye level. “You seem like you never had friendship and I know it seems great, but you can’t help yourself all the time. You’ll eventually fail. You’ll be unable to stand up anymore. You’ll one day realize you’re wrong about that. It could one day get you killed. Or even worse, drive you down into a depression you cannot climb out of. You were possibly bullied, but I can’t judge. Just think of us, the ones who want to help you, as your family. Is there anything you would not do for your family?” Fluttershy began to descend as Willie closed his eyes, his hands gripping to fists as he opened his eyes for once more, a single tear whisking out as it fell down his cheek every so quickly and to the ground. He looked at the three, shaking his head as he knelt to them. Holding out his hand, his voice began to crack as he stared at the three.

“I accept what had been offered. But don’t break my trust. Some bridges are hard to rebuild.” Willie looked at them all in a sort of joyousness, admiring what they did to reach him. They did wish to become his friends, and he accepted them, after what he had said. Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy put their hooves on his hand. Rainbow Dash stared at the four from behind Willie. She simply walked to them and put her hoof on his hand with the three, smiling at the new friend of the group.

“Any friend of theirs is a friend of mine. Rainbow Dash, fastest Pegasus around. Willie, right?” Rainbow Dash smiled at the human with pleasure, eyes wider than a platter. Willie nodded as he stood up slowly, looking in the distance as Spike approached slowly, holding out his hand as he looked at the new being with shyness.

“I-I’m Spike, Twilight’s loyal assistant. Nice to meet you Willie,” mused Spike. Willie slowly slipped his hand from the hooves of the four ponies as he took Spike’s, and shook softly.

“Glad to meet you Spike,” Willie said as he let go, standing up to see the five new friends standing around him. His true friends, ones he could count on. “Listen uh… Before it starts to get dark, is there anyplace I could get a bite to eat..?” Willie said, his stomach offering a solid growl as evidence.

“Sugarcube Corner?” Pinkie was hoping to treat her new friend to a nice snack, but Willie shook his head at hearing that.

“It’s all candy. Frankly, I like living without sugar higher than a plant can make in a lifetime.”

“I might have some leftover apple I got from Applejack’s farm, you can have those,” Fluttershy said, and Willie’s response being a nod to the mare.

“I’d prefer fruit any day. But I just hope there isn’t any problem with me sleeping near the fountain here.” Willie seemed serious as he looked down the street, seeing the fountain as it kept running.

“Willie, I’d like to ask, and frankly I never thought I’d have anypony in this group in this decision, but is there anyplace you’d like to sleep?” Twilight asked this question seriously, looking at all the ponies around her. Rainbow Dash shook her head immediately.

“He probably can’t fly so how would he sleep in Cloudsdale?” Twilight acknowledged this immediately as she looked at Willie. He pointed to the fountain, shrugging as he looked at the five.

“I like the fountain though.”

“Willie,” Twilight begged, pleading as best as she could, “who would you rather spend a night with?”

“But the fountain has running water.”

“Willie, Celestia help me we are not letting you stay out in the cold. Not alone and at night. You’ll freeze!” Twilight got a little impatient, but calmed down. Fluttershy walked past the four, standing beside Willie as she looked at all four of them.

“I’ll take him to my cottage. He can rest there.” Fluttershy stated this in a serious tone, but softly as it was her personality.

Willie put his hand to his face, sighing as he shook his head slowly. “I don’t seem to have much of a choice, so I think I’ll go with her.” He seemed a mite worried as Fluttershy looked up at him.

“Come on, let’s get you to sleep.” Fluttershy began walking, taking an easy pace as Willie shrugged, walking forward with a soft limp.

“Have a good night guys!” Twilight shouted this as the group dispersed. Rainbow Dash took off as soon as it was done and over with, flying back to Cloudsdale, Twilight and Spike taking a shortcut to the library, and Pinkie Pie walking directly towards the Sugar Cube Corner, leaving just Fluttershy and Willie walking down the street. Willie already knew this was awkward. He had barely even talked to opposite genders, nonetheless, especially not a mare. But he shook the thought away, deciding to try and not make it so awkward for his new friends, especially the one who was within range to hear even his breathing.

‘This is gonna be a long night,’ thought Willie…