A Mind Enshrouded

Falling...that’s what this dream felt like this time. It was falling, freely and unabided by the laws of gravity, no consequences happened as it went on. The amount of time spent falling keeps it from having a time, a length, no particular end or stop at the point where it should encounter solid ground. But it tingled too, something felt different yet the same as before. Its at this point I manage to open my dreamworld eyes, see what it was I’d seen while falling. Hands? Faded pink-like skin that had slight wrinkles at the joints...joints? As in multiples of them? Not one large mass of bone here, it was a bunch all put together and saved by cartilaginous fibers strung around a core of bone and muscle?

Now I knew my mind was playing tricks on me...when did I ever have these? I flexed my newfound fingers, for what felt like the first time. It wasn’t the first time from how they reacted, quickly responsive and familiar. I glanced further down, blinking as I came to...well okay, I’ll be frank here...a word immediately popped into my mind that I did and did not understand at the same time. ‘Breasts’, was the word and it described what I saw, yet at the same time was alien...foreign, like my hands were. A quick grab and squish confirmed that they existed, yes...but it still baffled me.

What kind of creature did I turn into that needed this kind of anatomy? Furthermore, I could see a shimmering reflection coming up quickly at me...actually, it wasn’t far off...could that be..? A lake? I instinctively braced myself for impact, knowing what I do about inertia and gravity that the impact won’t be kind to my body. I’m braced for impact anyways, thinking I could lessen the impact...

There was no impact when I hit it...in fact, I went right through it easily and effortlessly. I wonder if I’d actually gotten hurt, since there’s always some delay in the body with catching up in pain dealt to it. Some time to register the hit, so to speak. That’s how some ponies can stay going for so long, they’ve managed to avoid letting the pain register for a long enough time to complete what they’re doing. In fact, I’d managed to do this a few times as well. Two scrapes I came out of were along my flanks, before I got my mark...wait a second, my flanks aren’t exactly different from this perspective.

I take a long look around at my flank, staring lightly at it and noticing one particularly odd thing...no cutie mark. In fact, I also had something covering my flank, what looks like shorts and some sorta frilly thing under it. Actually, now would be the best time to get a full report on what my body now is. So I decided to try swimming up to that reflective surface. Turns out, I didn’t need to swim, I just glided up there and suddenly got to rest.

The surface was solid, but it flowed like water...reminded me of mercury, that mysterious liquid metal. It flows around me and under as well, parts of my clothing vanishing underneath the solid obstructive barrier. Tingly, wet, but most of all inviting...that’s what it felt like and what it had felt like after falling in. I fully get up to a prone position, taking in my new face...another word quickly comes unbidden to my mind, ‘Human’. I ponder this one aloud.

“Human...what is it?” I ask in my dream state...I lean down to stare deeply at my own bright greenish-blue eyes, the ones with no pupil yet can plainly see in light.

And I wake up, gasping lightly as I realize something felt wet around my barrel. I slowly moved up off the hard metal of the device I was in the middle of working on to notice it was my own sweat, suddenly realizing that what I’d witnessed was another nightmare...or was it? Perhaps the dream itself made me think of a nightmare, despite the nature of it being so calm and collected...like a real memory. Something at the back of my mind told me it was not just a dream...that it was real. That somehow the pony me that I know was fake...

“Just another bit of insanity to add to the pile for later I suppose.” I mutter, quickly taking into stock my surroundings. It was early morning again, though this time the hour that I was supposed to be up at. You’d think that I could get used to being in my workshop early as a treat, but nope, this was almost a normal thing. I’d have nightmares in my actual bed removed from the workplace, proper dreams while around my gears and machinery. Strange, eh? Then again, I’ve been one of the stranger ponies according to Twilight and her mentor, Princess Celestia.

“Oh, right...these wings need the finishing touch.” I mutter to myself, quickly setting down to put in the last few pounds on the metal. Not weight, just the last few kicks needed to put it into shape. Once that was done, I could move back and stare at my work. A masterpiece of machinery and robotics, something that would last years after the ponies’ body would give out. I shuddered a bit at that thought, realizing I’d accidentally wished a death on the pony who’d paid for these wings. Then, I slowly came to grips with my dream.

“That wasn’t natural, whatever it was...and it felt the same as me...” I grumble, before turning to head out and stopping as quickly in my tracks as Rainbow Dash’s pet tortoise, Tank. There was Twilight Sparkle, alongside her was the pony who’d paid for my work before I’d set on it. He was a heavy-set stallion of a bright blue, nothing like Dash’s but similar in tone, he had stumps for where the wings would be. I grin lightly, knowing exactly what the moment called for and carefully picked up the metal wings beside me. Carrying them over I fit it onto his back, the holes I’d left behind for those stumps meant for controlling his new metal wings.

“There, finished.” I state, as I cinch the last few straps down tight enough that it secures on his body in a manner designed to never move or shift even during flight. I move back as he gives the wings a test flap, Twilight joining me as she mutters something under her breath that I couldn’t hear at the moment. I was too focused on listening to the joints of the wings work, paying close attention so as to know whether something had gone wrong before he tries taking off. Just as he’s about to get off the ground, I move forward at a quick darting pace, softly securing a stray bolt I’d just noticed near the lower belt. Slamming it in and giving a quick twist and yank, it locks in and settles back again, permanently.

“There...sorry for the worry, had to make sure it’d stay secure.” I state to him, Twilight and the pegasus boggling at my insane precision and capability to detect that one fatal flaw. I back off, Twilight giving me a cursory gaze of curiosity, “Its safe to use now...I didn’t find anything else wrong with it.” We both look back to the pegasus, who grins and tries again, thankfully now safe from any other ‘gremlins’ I would’ve found if they presented themselves. He lifts off proudly, easily and effortlessly into the air, though only for a while before he settles down again.

“Thank you, Miss Gear. I owe you my livelihood with this...” he states, as I could only bashfully blush and nod my response. Then, the most sudden of things happened. A kiss, straight from him in the middle of my workshop. I caught myself and backed off soonest he’d stopped, which was thankfully short-lived. He gives me this odd smile, like he’d done that before with a similar response before leaving with a, “Thank you again!” and a quick flap into the air.

“Well...that was certainly...different.” Twilight states, as I immediately glance to her with a wry smirk, “Okay, okay...amusing is more like it. I’ve never seen you blush before...what was that all about?” she adds upon being so prompted, acting like the bookworm she is and blushing lightly.

“That, was all about him being overly grateful. Something I hadn’t expected here in Ponyville. Usually, I’m more used to the simple nod and praise, the average response from a Manehattenite. No flirting with the working class, lest you become one yourself. I seriously need to reconsider my options for engagement if there are ponies like that stallion about.” I managed to banter on, making Twilight go from abashedly curious to infuriatingly embarrassed in the blink of an eye. I take a quick glance to Twilight to confirm that suspicion, then was about to banter onwards when I hear a knock at the door.

“Yes, I’m coming...” I sing-song my way to the entrance, expecting another customer. To my utter surprise it was Celestia, ruler of Equestria and personal handler of the daytime hours. Once there, I quickly kneel onto my forelocks and bow my head in as submissive a pose as manageable without falling prone. Celestia grins lightly at my response before moving back and looking to Twilight Sparkle, who’d also assumed a similar position.

“Come now, my little ponies, no need for formalities when I’m just simply taking a break...” she intones softly, reminding me of that particular voice of a parent chiding their foal as it tries hard to be impressive with a display of grown-up intent. I felt more at ease once she’d spoken, as if a heavy weight were lifted. I quickly got back to my hooves, Twilight likewise doing the same as I heard the familiar clop of hooves on stone behind me.

“So...what brings you here, Princess?” Twilight managed to ask over my shoulder. I thought I was asking it, as my mouth had moved to speak but no sound came forth. Celestia stifled a giggle at my pantomime, as if thinking I’d done it on purpose. I truly had not, but for amusing the princess I was just going to let it alone.

“Just wanted to give Solid Gear another round of thanks for being so willing to help out ponies with her gift here in Ponyville. I’m sure she could be in Manehatten with family...” she says, before I stare at her curiously.

“Excuse me, princess, but perhaps I should just mention that my parents are long dead...I didn’t even get to wish them a proper goodbye.” I mutter, not softly at all just in that jerking and half-baked way normally reserved for a tear-inducing moment. It was a bit of a relief when Celestia and Twilight took notice of this.

“So...that’s why you rarely speak of them, Solid. I’m so sorry, I had no idea that you were still estranged from them.” Twilight responds, immediately earning a glare from me. I know she was right, but her phraseology got me angry right there. That word, estrangement, it just didn’t work...not with how I truly felt. Estranged was used for when parents had allowed something to happen with their foal, that it drove them apart with a sense of it being somepony’s fault on either side.

“What I’d experienced...was nothing short of just being deprived of a proper upbringing, Twi. That’s it. No estrangement, no blaming somepony for what happened. There was no blame to be had...just death and departure.” I stated, with a finality that made even Celestia give me an odd gaze before she quickly changed subjects.

“Well, be that as it may, I am down here to enjoy time with my protege and star pupil, Twilight Sparkle. I simply managed to catch her at your place, Solid.” she states, as I glance up to notice Celestia had on this very serious gaze. I shy away just a bit, worried she’d get even more upset at me when Twilight comes forth.

“Don’t be angry with her, please, Princess? I trust that even if Solid Gear can be rather abrasive in her manners, she is not lacking in kindness and friendship.” Twilight offers, Celestia quickly changing tune as she listens. Upon a bit of thinking and staring at me, which I dubiously try to shy away from as well, Celestia nods lightly.

“Then I’ll consider your friendship with her, Twilight. Now, we need to be off...I’m certain you had other errands this day?” she asks, giving a grin and wink to Twilight upon saying so. Twilight’s face lights up grandly at this, immediately giving off that feeling of a spark suddenly igniting somewhere.

“Oh yes, Princess! I have just the thing I’d been waiting to do for the day! I was headed off to meet Fluttershy, as she’s returning from one of her jobs aiding the animals.” Twilight states, easily cantering up and following after her Mentor. The two canter off into the distance, giving me a moment to sigh and sit down, pulling up the bushel of apples and quickly biting into one. Said silence lasted all of a short, sweet few minutes.

“Heya, there Sugarcube! Looks like yer mighty busy with nothin’ on yer hooves, Solid.” Applejack calls over, causing me to glance over to the blonde-maned mare. The most immediate thing I’d noticed was...her stetson wasn’t on, and that mane usually tied-back was down and loose. I panicked a bit inside, since...well, you usually never see her without that hat.

EVER.

So, it made me wonder just what she was up to by the time AJ’d gotten within a few feet of the workshop’s threshold. “AJ...you uh...you realize you don’t look quite the same as usual right now...right?” I ask curiously, just checking to see that Applejack was quite aware of her current state. Upon the inquiry I felt foolish, for she’d immediately gotten a slightly more sour expression crossing her face.

“Yes...Ah’m rightly aware of it. I don’ really want ta talk about why, neither.” She responds, quite bluntly like an apple falling on a pony’s head. I nod, slowly taking in the ‘wilder’ AJ with a bit of pause at the mane and tail... “Solid, you got somethin’ in yer eye or somethin’?”

“Uhm...no?” I ask for an answer, blushing as I quickly forced my gaze more towards AJ’s face. Tough thing to keep a straight face at, especially when the mare you’re talking to looks like she’d just finished wrestling a bear. “Sorry...uhm, want to come in and chat? I’d love to have words with you...er, I mean, hear what you’ve been busy with this season.” I stumble, just minorly weak at the fetlocks for a bit before heading inside. It wasn’t for me to see, but I swear I could have heard Applejack grin.

We settle down at the table I have sittin’ off to the side of the workshop floor, AJ immediately taking to fixin’ me up with a beam of amusement. I grin embarrassedly, “So, this thing ya wanted ta talk about...what was it?” she asks, keeping true to that pure element of honesty and voicing her curiosity.

“Well...it has to do with your relatives? And something I figured that might be a bit...of a dark spot, if you know what I mean.” I respond, AJ’s gaze hardening a little before she nods as a sign to continue. “So...that pegasus I had helped out...he happens to be a relative of Rainbow’s.” There was no response at this, AJ either too in shock to visibly respond or already informed of this.

“He didn’t ever say how he’s related, or what makes him her relative...just that he’d seen her before and that it was a family meet up. You know all about those, don’t ya, AJ?” I ask, careful to not go all that deep into details yet.

“Ah do recall a few meet ups where I’ve seen a Pegasus around, yah. Why do ya need ta know? I’m sure it won’ do ya any good ta just ruminate on it...” Applejack responds, her originally sour applesauce turning just slightly bitter.

“Well...as much as I want to know if he’s actually a cousin of RD’s, something tells me that the particular pegasus in question has no real relatives.”

“Oh he does, that much is certain. I just don’ want to give ya the wrong impression of mah family, Solid.” AJ iterates, her attitude slowly slipping more towards an amiable and comfortable drawl, “That pegasus happens ta be related ta me through a cousin o’ mine. Ah’m not certain who took ta who first, but since they’d been togetha I’ve had a bit o’ trouble keepin’ the two separate long enough for the Apple family reunion ta run its course.” she grumbles, as I pick up slowly on the cues from what she was talking about.

“So, he’s engaged to a cousin of yours, is related to Rainbow Dash and...” I take a deep gasp of realization as it hits me, “You don’t like him much, do you?!” I exclaim, mildly surprised that even the affable and friendly Applejack could have somepony she’d dislike. It didn’t take much more than a look away from AJ to confirm that suspicion. “So then, want some help with it?” I offer, Applejack giving me this curiously concerned gaze that simply spoke volumes about my idea of helping her.

“Uh...if its all tha same to ya, sugarcube, Ah’d like to keep this a little low-down ta earth? Nothin’ highly complicated or dangerous?” she asks, as I just smirk lightly and offer a hoof to her.

“I promise on pain of cupcake in the eye to never ever tell anypony about your dislike of Rainbow Dash’s cousin.” I state confidently, AJ returning the solid affirmation with a hoof of her own. A simple clop of hooves echoes in the room before I return to more chatter, “So...what’s his name? And which relative of yours is he dating?”