Equivalence of Two Worlds

I was walking to my house. I was 8 years old and still in the human world. I rang the doorbell of the old brick house, with my mother opening it. I ran into her arms, and gave her a hug. Suddenly, her grip on her right arm loosened, the right side of her face went dead. I immediately ran to the phone and called for an ambulance.

While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I knelt down beside my mother, who had sat down, and eventually started crying. After I had lost my father, I didn't want to lose the only member of my family. Weakly, she said "Don't worry, I'll be all right…"

"But what if you won't?" I asked between sobs.

She barely managed a full smile. "I will be in a better place. Just remember, God will always be watching over you. Always…" she slipped into unconsciousness. I started crying uncontrollably.

Just 30 seconds later, an ambulance arrived. Then the Mane Six jumped out and said "Jonah, time to wake up!"

I opened my eyes and reality came back. My vision was blurred from the tears from the dream. I quickly blinked them out, and saw I was on the train to Ponyville.

"Are you alright?" asked Fluttershy's soothing voice.

"I'm alright…" I replied before I hiccupped. "It was just a very sad dream."

"Could you tell us your dream?" asked Twilight.

"Must I?"

"A problem shared is a problem halved."

I let out a mental sigh. "Are you sure? You won't believe how many times I have had this exact conversation, and every time it ended badly…"

"We can take it."

I sighed in defeat. "Alright, brace yourself."

I went on to tell them about my dream. By the end, they were all sad. Fluttershy was letting out silent tears, and Pinkie's mane somehow partially deflated (I could have also sworn it turned a darker shade of pink). Twilight had gotten the worst of it, seeing as she could feel what I felt.

Fluttershy was the first to speak. "How have you managed to live like this?"

"I barely did…" I replied. "I suffered from chronic depression. I could barely concentrate on my school work, and was nearly sent to an Asylum." They all winced at that.

"Once I nearly…"

I realized that I simply couldn't continue, partially because I doubted whether they could take much more of my history, partially because I didn't want to delve further myself.

"…But that doesn't matter anymore. After that, I dedicated my life to science – understanding how the world works, and how to improve it. It gave me something to think about, and what's more, I really enjoyed the success of experiments. When you haven't felt joy for 6 months, it's really an amazing feeling. When I went back to school, my grades immediately shot up. However, I was not able to make any friends, since everybody considered me a 'nerd', or an 'egghead'."

Rainbow Dash smiled nervously and scratched the back of her head (were Ponies double-jointed or something?).

Twilight said, "You know, I was a bit like you before I came to Ponyville. I didn't have many friends and I was a study-freak. Rainbow Dash also occasionally calls me an egghead."

"That would explain Rainbow's embarrassment."

"Trust me, friends are quite something."

That again struck me quite deep.

"I – don't know what to say to that." For the first time in ages, I was speechless.

"Also, you dedicated your life to studying science, and I dedicated mine to studying the magic of friendship."

"Magic doesn't exist." I said instinctively.

Twilight smiled mischievously and I saw the familiar purple glow of her horn.

"Oh no..." I thought as I began to levitate.

"Okay, magic does exist" I mentally yelled.

"Say it out loud" she said playfully.

"Not a chance!" I replied stubbornly. I started turning upside down.

"Not going to work this time!"

I saw her smile fade while the cogs turned in her head, before she adopted a new, more sinister smile.

I sensed her thoughts, and suddenly, a picture of a merry-go-round popped into my head.

"Oh sugar…" I cursed in dread.

I started spinning like a top, which wasn't too bad. Except I was upside down, which was enough to make even the most strong stomached feel disorientated.

"OKAY! OKAY!" I yelled. "Magic does exist!"

Mercifully, the ordeal ended and I was back on my feet. However, I was still feeling the side-effects. I was walking around dizzily. Everybody giggled – including Fluttershy, who I knew from Twilight to be very kind.

Then the train started slowing down, causing me to stumble and…

[Cue ASDF Movie "Everybody do the flop!"]

…faceplant. Everyone tried to suppress a full scale laugh- and miraculously succeeded.

Just when I thought that things couldn't get worse – surprise, surprise - they did. All 22 of Rarity's suitcase fell on me.

"Ouch…" I complained

*THUMP*

Correction: All 23 of Rarity's suitcases fell on me.

Pinkie gave up and laughed out loud, followed by everyone else.

When everyone calmed down, I asked Rarity "I suppose you would like me to help you carry all your stuff (?)" sarcastically

The sarcasm sailed right over her head. "If you would be so kind, my dear." She replied, with several sniggers.

I suddenly chuckled when I realized the irony of the situation.

"I guess this would be repayment for the ticket?" I asked, remembering her generosity at the ticket booth.

"You don't owe me anything for the ticket, but if you so wish."

"First off, can someone get me out of my suitcasey tomb? I can't feel my hands!"

"Sure!" said Rainbow Dash, pulling the suitcases off me.

When she finished, she looked confused and asked "Hold on, weren't you a human a few moments ago?"

I looked down and realised that once again, my hands became hooves.

"Well, that would explain the lack of feeling in my han- hooves. But can we first get off the train? I will explain everything a bit later."

We each carried our suitcases (except me and Spike, who didn't have any) and shared out Rarity's.

Unfortunately, I was not used to this kind of exertion, making it quite a journey.

"Who - *pant* - knew - *pant* - that - *pant* - clothes - *pant* - were - *pant* - so - *pant* - HEAVY!"I collapsed.

When I woke up, I found that I was in a boutique.

"Man, this whole passing out thing is getting old!"

I looked around, seeing several finished and half-finished set of clothes on marble white pony-shaped models, with fabric, thread and assorted gems cluttering the area.

"That's quite an establishment you have here!" I complimented.

"Thanks, although it is the only one in Ponyville, so really, I don't have anything to compare it to." She replied.

"Figures, seeing as this is a rural town."

"So, now can you explain?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"What?" I replied. "Oh, the train! Well, to be perfectly honest, I don't know WHY it happened. Guess I can't morph if people are watching."

I saw that Rainbow Dash was mildly disappointed at that feeble answer.

"On the bright side, at least everyone won't freak out when they see me as a human. By the way, do you know what time it is?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the, admittedly, beautiful sunset.

"Celestia and Luna really outdone themselves!" I thought, before I realised what I just thought. "Wait, the Royal Sisters raise the sun and moon? I will need to ask Twilight about that."

"By the looks of it, it seems to be around 8 o'clock." Replied Rainbow Dash.

I yawned. I just realized just how tired I was, despite my disturbing nap on the train.

"Is there anywhere where I can sleep while I'm in Ponyville?"

"Well…" said Rarity."Sweetie Bell and her friends are having a sleepover, so my spare room is being used."

"Oh dear…" continued Fluttershy."My cottage is completely full. I'm still looking after the animals after that forest fire."

"Forest fire?"

"It's still ah mystery how it happened..." replied Applejack."Unfortunately, our farm is also full."

"The bakery doesn't have any spare rooms either." Said Pinkie.

"I DO have some spare rooms in my cloud-house, but only Pegasi and Alicorns can walk on clouds, sooo, yeah." Said Rainbow Dash

"What is this? Bethlehem?! And how are cloud houses possible? Nothing makes sense here."

"Well…" started Twilight.

"PLEASE have a spare room! And not just a stable! I don't want to sleep in a manger."

"I do have spare room in my library, although it is, at the minute, full of junk…"

"Don't worry, I've slept in worse… Just as long as I have a roof over my head." I said remembering my times in poverty and homelessness.

"Oh no…" I thought.

"Twilight is going to experience my past again. Why does she have to go through this? She has done nothing to deserve it!" I sighed.

"Twilight, a' you alright sugarcube?" asked Applejack worryingly.

"Yes, I – I'm fine" replied Twilight after a brief pause before she walked out.

"Does anypony know what the hay happened just there?"

"Telepathic connection. I remembered an unpleasant memory and unfortunately she just experienced it. Don't ask me to explain, I am too tired, and besides, I don't fully understand it myself." I replied quickly before I set off after Twilight followed by Spike, leaving the remaining 5 in confusion.

"Hey! Wait up!" Me and Spike yelled.

When we caught up with Twilight, she was already waiting at the library.

"Welcome to the Library." She said, wanting to get it done and over with.

"Please come in."

I walked cautiously in, with the sight reminding me of when I first came to Equestria. I tried to clear my mind of most of my memories from before I came here.

After she levitated the sleeping dragon off my back, and popped him into his bed, she asked me "Jonah, if you don't mind, I would like to talk."

"Sure." I replied

"I-it's about the memories I've been getting from you, and the story you told us on the train. How is it possible for someone to experience so much pain, and yet… Who are you?"

I let out a sympathetic smile. "I have asked myself that question many times before. Unfortunately, I never found an answer. I just try not to think about it too much. If that fails, I occupy myself with something else. If that doesn't work, then I go to bed and think of a fantasy world a bit like this one before I fall asleep. If THAT doesn't work, well, I never got to that stage."

"Thanks." She replied, clearly comforted.

"Now, if you don't mind, could you show me my room, I would like to skip straight to stage 3."

She smiled, clearly comforted "Sure, just follow me."

We climbed up the stairs to find a two doors next to each other.

"Your room is the one to my right, the one to my left is my room."

"Thanks." I replied.

"I will be downstairs attempting stage 2."

I smiled. "Sure, just don't stay up too late."

"I won't." she replied.

Somehow, I knew that was an immediate lie. I opened the door and walked over to the bed, sidestepping the various books and boxes. I cleared some of the books and just crashed onto the mattress without bothering to find a blanket, falling asleep with a weird, but nice nonetheless, warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest.