A new world, another search

Penstrokes

part 1

”What the hell am I supposed to write? Dear diary? Start with my name, or something? Nah, nobody but me is going to be reading it anyway, well, save for whoever is running this show, if it is a show that is. I’m kinda hoping it is, this, it can really be real, can it?”

(…)

“Umbreon.”

“Oh, right, sorry.”

“Umbreo.”

*sigh* “Thanks, you’re too kind.”

“Umm.”

“Heh.”

(…)

“Right, recording no, writing… Now where to begin?”

“Zuu.”

“Right.”

My name is Moon Silver, and I’m, was, part of a test team, more precisely their test pilot. One of those with the whole business secret hype stuff, cool? No, not really. The craft worked it seems, just, not the way it was supposed to on the paper. Saying I know what happened or even felt it happen, would be a lie. One moment I was pressing the launch button, not a single red lamp, the next, I was blind as a bat. Did I crash? In that case, into what?

Groggy like anyone waking up with everything definitely not being as they were supposed to, it took me a moment to notice where I was, and where I definitely wasn’t. When I, well, relatively got my bearings, I figured I was on a cave floor, temperature and texture and all that. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes, and my snout felt all out of shape. At first, I thought it was because I had hurt it, hitting the cave floor. I had, it’s still sore, but oh boy, that certainly wasn’t all. You see, when I tried to rub it in the dark, I really had no fingers, instead a hoof. A hoof covered in fine silky fur was rubbing my muzzle of my own accord. You probably noticed I said muzzle, didn’t you? It was short, rounded, nostrils a lot like something I’d put on an equine. My mind was still rebooting, and it didn’t exactly go smoothly.

Getting up on all fours was piece of cake, but about then I noticed my next issue; I had no arms! Still don’t, but I’ll leave the part about how to write for later. Yes, I know this isn’t my finest handwriting; try write with each finger the length of your arm, connected by leather sheets. Argh. At least my spelling hasn’t gone batty yet. Seriously don’t know how those ponies do it with their mouths! So, back on track. So, I tripped a bit around on the spot. Understandable I mean, I was, am, really confused. At least I didn’t panic, no not at all.

(…)

“You know, for a bat with no visible eyes you make quite the roaring deadpan.”

“Umbreon.”

*sigh* “You too? Okaay.”

“Dou’, why did I write that? Ink, why ink? Why couldn’t they use pencils or a PADD?”

(…)

“Hey, what are you?..”

(…)

“Erm, is that the kid’s crayons? You’re telling me she gave me feather and inkwell, when they have crayons and pencils lying about?”

“Zuu.”

“Arh, come on… I’ll be right back.”

“Umbreoon.”

(…)

Cake.

*Pling* - *splat*

“Umbreoo!”

*Click*

“M-wha? *!”

“Umbreoo.”

“Don’t move! Not an inch. Don’t want ink paws all over the place.”

*Slam*

“Gezz, that black fox thing as bad as Shady, At least she was a kitten.”

(…)

“Hey Vanilla? You got something to clean up ink with?”

(…)

“For furniture too. The living lamppost tackled the ink jar.”

*Clip-clop, clip-clop*

(…)

*Click*

“Wow, hasn’t moved an inch, I’m impressed.”

“UMBREOO!”

“I, wait, what? Right, magic, never mind.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll go put Sweet Heart to bed. I’ll be in the living room for a couple of hours. In case there is anything.”

“Thank you very much. Got any erasers and pencils?”

“I’ll be right back.”

*Click*

*Snicker*

“What?”

(…)

“What are you doing with that feather in your mouth?”

(…)

“I know you’re smarter than you look, but now you’re starting to worry me. Don’t you finish that.”

“Umbree.”

“Eh, nope, give me that.”

“Um, nom.”

“Dah’ give me that, I was in the middle of something here!”

*Click*

“What are you three? And why’s there a bat atop the closet?”

“Hmm, what?”

*Thump*

“ow”

“Erm, was?”

(…)

“I got you a little collection of pencils and two decent erasers.”

“Thank you. Now, if I could just… Erm, okay?”

*Snicker*

“I swear, I didn’t draw that, it was that scoundrel of a lamppost who went all hearts and, erm, cake, on it.”

“Pfft. You little scoundrel, you be nice to poor Batty now. He’s had it rough enough already, okay?”

“Umbree.”

“Good girl. Good night.”

“Thank you and sweet dreams.”

*click*

“I think. Why’d she call me Batty?”

“Zuu.”

“Right, right. Geez, give me a breather, I’m not exactly some essayist who spits out pages like a laser printer.”

Okay then, I was panicking somewhat. I was in some strange dark place with a lot of rocks cave as mentioned earlier, and somehow I had lost my arms in the process. The constant echo of my own hooves, even though they were muffled somewhat by the fur was the only thing ringing in my ears. Ears that shifted constantly on top of my head. After tripping myself to a point where I could use my own breath to determine the distance to the nearest wall. I came down again and tried to think rational.

I’ll admit, I failed pretty badly to begin with, I mean: What happened? How did I get here? What time is it? Who is going to feed the cat? And how am I going to make it for my dentist appointment the day after tomorrow? You know all those important questions, that you just have no way nor reason to try and answer the moment something goes haywire. Hey, feeding the cat and making it for my rare appointments with the dentist is, or was rather important to me; I mean, she’d be a nightmare if I forewent it, oh and the cat too.

“Dang, I miss Shady more than I thought, even her habit of pouncing me from three meters in the air.”

“Umbreo?”

“Not you, Shady. My cat back home. I hope somefur’ll be taking good care of her, nah, not hoping, somefur will definitely take good care of her. Heh, they’ll spoil her rotten they will.”

After that mangling of priorities, an issue of a more current nature got me moving. I was thirsty, simple as that. So there I was in the dark of some dusty cave, wondering where to find water. I stopped focusing on what was in my head, and what was around me, about time I guess. After having rolled around myself, hitting my head on a rock or two, I was pretty certain that it wasn’t a dream, thank you very much headache.

So to sum up; I was, am currently a bat winged, fanged equipped pony completely in my fur. Status; I was completely lost in a pitch black cave with nothing but my survival instinct, a thankful prayer to my sire’s family and the scout corps of my youth. Bunch of good that did me. I tried to find something, anything that would tell me which way to go, and hey, I did find a faint breeze. Though following it had me walk right into a big rock, or something about as hard. Next was a sound of water. So, I carefully walked on, not wanting to head-butt more rocks than necessary. Apparently twenty-seven was about the necessary amount. My head kept count for me. I’m pretty sure who or whatever is behind all this was laughing their hindquarters off at the time. I lost count of how many times ‘bloody hell!’ rang through that cave system thingy. At least something or well, somebody heard me.

If you thought my ears had rung enough from physical impact, you were wrong. I tell you, for a bat that size, the flying fur-ball really kicks up a mean rant when complaining in supersonic. Yes, I had some sort of bat complaining my ears off, and I couldn’t even see the thing. So, I broke its rant by asking for a way out. Believe me when I say I was stunned to have it actually stop, flutter around me, and then come down in front of me, sounding pitifully lost and confused. It didn’t get much better by the fact that I couldn’t see but had to rely on my hearing alone. Since it seemed to, at least somewhat understand me, and I wouldn’t mind some company, I suggested that it could hang around and we could be lost together. I was surprised when it landed in my mane, hanging on by wrapping its wings partly around my neck.

I named it Azuu later, he, at least I’m pretty sure it’s a he, doesn’t seem to mind. So I walked through the cave or cavern or whatever with Azuu in my mane and only my ears to rely on, I’m thinking in circ. Well I found a sound of rapidly running water, followed by moisture in the air, then a rather steep decline found me. Aand, I got soaked in a mighty splash. That didn’t get me popular with Azuu, little complainer went ranting for a while. ‘Well warn me next time there’s suddenly a ledge then’. I called into the dark. I’m not sure how much he understood, but at least he settled onto my rather clingy mane with a single disgruntled sound, and said no more. I wasn’t too happy either, not that I don’t like water, but wet fur is a chore, trust me I know what I’m talking about, not to mention that the water wasn’t exactly bathing temperatures. I swear after that night, coming out here and getting to soak in a tub of warm water, simply celestial. On the upside, hey, I found water and I wasn’t drowning in it. It only went to my abdomen.

Thirst clenched and hunger abated I went for shore. I went for shore and collapsed in a heap of smooth cool pebbles. Something that was surprisingly un-uncomfortable. I ran a couple of possible scenarios through in my head, some more likely that others, yet so far this world I’m on has made fun of them all. I’m starting to think that it must be a combination of several things, but that just leaves more important questions; who did it and why, why, why?

*Yawn*

“You know what. I’m so dead tired, I bet I could sleep till noon.”

“Umbre?”

(…)

“I’m not sure if you just questioned what I said, or took me up on the bet.”

(…)

“And now she’s humming contently at me. That’s it, I’m denning for the night. G’night you two.”

“Zuuu.”

“Umbreoon.”

*click*