Author's Note

~~So i sat down to finish chapter 1 of my other story, Altruism, and couldn't make words. So I opened a new Docs page and started typing and this ended up happening! I wrote this all in one sitting, and besides a quick read through of my own, didn't have anyone edit it. SO if anyone finds anything wrong please do not hesitate to inform me, it would be very much appreciated!~~

To those of you reading this for the first time, you will notice the first two chapters of this story exist twice, in both an (Old Version) format and a (New Version) format. The reason for this is I have decided to change a major point in this story, and change it from a "just for fun to get the ideas out of my head" story, into a "just for fun, but with an actual story to be told" type of thing. I will fully admit, the direction it is taking has been done before, more specifically by Fresnor and Tangent, however I've decided to write my own spin on that particular trope. I won't confirm or deny if this story will be a 7th element story (despite the jokes I may make about them, some of them are quite enjoyable), but of those types of stories are your cup of tea, I suggest checking out Fres's and Tangent's stories.

If you are reading this and don't agree with the re imagining, I'm sorry that you feel that way and hope that you find what you're looking for in another story, but I will push forward regardless. To those of you reading this and sticking around, I appreciate the support and hope that I won't disappoint!

"Speech bubble."
'Thought Bubble.'

Is this a dream? (Old Version)

I sighed as I made my way to my car. It had been another long night of hours laying in bed, trying and failing to fall asleep, only to finally get to sleep a couple hours before I had to be up for work. That's not too terribly unusual for me, between depression and anxiety, I'm no stranger to long nights of my overactive mind wreaking havoc on my psyche, but lately it had been getting worse. Add the stress of finals to the mix and you got a recipe for a good time.

As I unlocked my car and sat down, I couldn't help but lean back and take a moment to think. ‘Well, I was late to work today… Again. And I could barely stay awake in my algebra class today. Pretty sure I missed half the lecture just trying to find ways to keep my eyes open.’

Buckling my seatbelt, I put my foot on the clutch and put my car in neutral before pushing the button on the center console to start it. ‘Well, at least I'm interning with my brother in law’s philanthropic group, so I don't need to be too worried about being fired. Although if I don't pick it up and make sure I pass my classes there may be a problem…’

Frowning slightly, I switched my radio to Bluetooth before shifting into first gear and pulling pulling away. ‘I mean I don't think he’d fire me… The whole deal was I go back to school, and as long as I'm passing my classes he makes sure I have a place to stay and I don't go hungry.’

Driving farther up the driveway, I find a place to turn around to head out the front driveway. The “office” I work in is more of a renovated barn on my brother in law’s parent’s property, although from looking at it you could never tell. Although a bit short for me, standing at 6’2”, it's nicer on the inside the some houses I've been in. Hell, it's nicer than some places I've lived in. The office itself sits back behind the main barn of the property, and has easy access to both the front main drive, and the rear driveway that goes to the tractor barn.

As I turn around, I notice some of the girls from the barn out taking a lesson, so I stop to watch for a minute.

‘It's been awhile since I've been on a horse. I kinda miss it… Maybe I should ask if I could get on one of the horses sometime? Nah, that would probably be weird… Pretty sure most of the people that ride here are still in high school. What would they think of some random 25 year old guy asking if he can go riding with them?’ Chuckling at the thought, I finish turning my car around and head out the front driveway.

After checking both ways, I pull out of the driveway and start heading towards my apartment. ‘Well just because I don't think he would be too pissed if I'm late, doesn't mean I should push my luck. He's really helping me out and it would be terrible of me to take advantage of him like that.’

As I continue down the road, I feel my eyes getting heavy again as sleep tries to overtake me again. ‘Ugh, again? My brain is perfectly ok with me going to sleep while behind the wheel of a car doing 50, but as soon as my ass hits the bed it's like nope, not tired! What the actual fuck brain? Good thing I live close to where I work, I can just take a nap or some shit when I get home.’

Pulling into my apartment, I parked my car and headed up, ready for a nap.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

‘4 o'clock in the morning… It is 4 o'clock in the fucking morning… And I'm still awake?’

Groaning in exacerbation, I rolled over and grabbed my phone phone. ‘Maybe some fan fiction will help? Usually reading makes me tired.’

Scrolling through my “read later” list, I try to decide on a fic that will help put me to sleep. ‘I don't want it to be something too interesting, because then I'll be up all night reading, again… Although some of these I don't even know what possessed me to add them to the list. I mean the premise for some of these just sounds terrible! Oh well, this one looks boring enough to help me pass out.’

My reading material picked, I switched the browser to reader mode and started reading.

‘Ok, this actually isn't too bad so far. The story started well, isn't too excessive, there aren't random things happening for no reason. The grammar doesn't make it look like it was written by a 3rd grader even! I mean I know my grammar isn't amazing, but damn! Some of the stuff I've read is almost painful to read. The worst part is as bad as the grammar can be on some fan fictions, the story itself can be so captivating! And now I'm on a tangent, where was I again? Ah yes, I was just getting to the part where the OC helps the mane 6 get the elements and… Oh look, there's 7 elements now… It's one of those… Well, I'll give it a chance, it's written pretty well so far, so hopefully it's not another one of those “my OC is a Mary Sue and knows the exact way to solve every problem ever” story. Those are so overdone.’

Looking at the time, I realize it's now going on 5 and I'm still awake. ‘Ugh, damnit! It's been almost an hour and I haven't even finished one chapter. Brain, stop, let me sleep, or let me concentrate on my reading. No more tangents!’

Deciding to try sleep again, I lock my phone and roll over. Finally getting comfortable, I close my eyes… Just to hear my alarm on my phone start going off. Picking up my phone, I see the time is 8:50 in the morning.

“What the hell, it was just 5” I grumble to myself, hitting snooze and rolling back over. I close my eyes again and lay there for a second, before it hits me.

“Shit!” I bolt up, grabbing my phone and seeing it's now 8:52. “I've gotta be at work in 8 minutes and I haven't even showered yet, damnit!”

Hitting play on my phone, I put some music on, and 10 minutes later I emerge from the bathroom, showered, teeth brushed and ready to go to work.

“Shoes, shoes, where the fuck did I put my shoes…”

Finding my shoes tucked under the couch, I throw them on and grab my keys, phone, and wallet. Checking the time as I ran to my car, I notice it's already 9:10.

“Well, late again dumb ass, good job!”

Hopping in my car, I pulled out and balled ass towards work, not even bothering to put my radio on.

‘Today's going to suck…’ “I'm so glad it's Friday.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2pm rolls around, and after struggling to stay awake through English Comp, I'm finally done class for the week. After collecting my books and putting them in my bag, I start making my way towards the stairs.

‘I'm glad none of my classes are on the ground floor. I think all the walking I do on campus and the stairs are the only reason I don't weigh as much as I probably should…’

As I near the steps, another wave of exhaustion rolls over me, and I once again feel my eyes getting heavy.

‘Woah, while driving is bad enough, but now I can't even walk without wanting to pass out? Maybe I should… Maybe I… See… Doctor…’

As I take the first few steps, my vision slowly tunnels in as everything starts going black, and the last thing I see is the stairs rising to meet me before everything goes black.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pain. As I awaken, all I can feel is pain. I lay on the ground for a while, eyes closed tight, trying to make sense of anything through the pain.

I slowly open my eyes, taking time to let them adjust to the light. Once my eyes are fully open, the first thing I notice is I'm outside. I try to raise my head, but the pain stops me, so I set it back down while I try to talk stock of the situation.

‘Ok, I was in school, leaving class, then what? I remember getting up, heading down the hallway and getting to the stairwell… Stairs! I remember falling down the stairs! So then how did I get outside?’

Hearing noise nearby, I struggle to finally raise my head and take a look around. The first thing I notice is that I'm lying in a grassy field, what looks like woods to my left. As I start panning vision to the right, I see a few colorful blobs moving in the distance.

‘Alright, someone must be nearby! Now to try and get their attention’

Struggling to keep my head up, I take as deep a breath as I can manage and yell.

“Haaaaa!!”

‘Well, that was supposed to be help, but as long as they can hear it.’

After a brief coughing fit, I yell again.

“Hhaaaaa!!”

I let out a relieved breath and lay my head back down as I see the colored blobs start moving closer.

'That was annoying, but at least they heard me, I hope.'

After what felt like hours to my pain addled brain, I finally started to hear voices.

“I'm tellin’ ya girls, I heard something!” A very young sounding girl yelled out.

"Are ya sure Scoots, Ah didn't hear nothin’” Another young girl called out.

‘Wait… Scoots? And why do those voices sound familiar?’

“Oh my gosh, girls, there's somepony over there, and they look hurt!” A third voice calls out, this one higher and squeakier than the other two.

‘Somepony… What?’

“Ah see ‘em, over here Scoots!” The second voice yells out.

‘No way… No freakin way…’

The sound of multiple footsteps gets closer until the legs of three very familiar fillies enters my line of sight.

“Oh no, he looks bad,” The third voice, now identified as Sweetie Belle, says. “he's really hurt, we need to get him help!”

‘There is no freakin way that this is happening, I have to be dreaming or something.'

“Scoots, you're the fastest of us three, you go ‘n’ get some help, me an’ Sweetie will keep an eye on ‘im. Ok?” Applebloom said, taking control of the situation.

“Got it!” Scootaloo yelled back, already running for her scooter.

‘I died or something. I'm in a coma. This isn't real. This can't be real’

“Is he still alive?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I can't tell if he's breathing or not”

“Ah think so, it looks like he is, but Ah don't wanna move him, iffin he's hurt you should leave ‘im be so you don't make the injury worse. His eyes are open though.” Crouching down, Applebloom looked me in the eyes. “Hey, you still alive?”

“Uhhh” I groaned out, only response I seemed capable of.

‘Ok, this is getting worrying. I know I'm hurt, and from the way things feel, pretty bad. But why am I having so much trouble talking?’

“Well, he's alive at least, and from the sounds of things he can at least hear us” Applebloom said, standing up straight and looking in the direction Scootaloo took of in. “Ah sure hope she hurries, he's in purty bad shape.”

We waited a few minutes longer, Applebloom occasionally checking to see if I was still awake. Eventually, the sound of hoofsteps drew our attention, and shifting my head a bit, I was able to see a small orange blob approaching fast, a slightly larger brown blob with it.

“There she is!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “And she brought… The Doctor?”

Sure enough, as the blobs cleared up, Scootaloo and Doctor Whooves took their places.

‘Heh, she called him The Doctor. Ya know, if I wasn't in so much pain, this would be pretty awesome.'

“Oh dear,” I heard The Doctor start “he looks pretty bad. What happened here?”

‘Thank you, Captain Obvious!’

“Ah don't know, Scootaloo said she heard yelling coming from over here, so we came over her to look and found him like this. Please Doctor, you gotta help him!” Applebloom pleaded.

‘Huh, that's nice of her.’

“Well I don't know what you expect me to do, I'm a science doctor, not a medical doctor.”

‘Well shit.’

Crouching down to look me in the eye, The Doctor continued. “Excuse me young colt. Can you hear me? You seem to have been in some type of accident, and we need to get you to a hospital. I'm going to have to move you, so this may hurt a bit, ok?”

‘Young colt, the hell? And did he say they're gunna move me? This is gunna hurt…’

“Uhhhh” was all I could answer.

“Ok then, Scootaloo was it?” The Doctor asked “Bring that wagon of yours over here, we are going to load him into it.”

“Are ya sure we should be doin’ that?” Applebloom cut in.” Applejack always told me if somepony is hurt, and you don't know what it is that's hurt, you could make it worse iffin ya move them.”

“While that is normally true, and quite good advice at that, I fear that time is of the essence for him, and we need to get him to a hospital fast.”

As The Doctor finished, Scootaloo came rolling over with her wagon, and The Doctor prepared to load me in.

“Alright girls,” The Doctor instructed “I am going to pick him up now. Scootaloo, try and keep the wagon steady. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle? You two help me to keep him as steady as possible.”

With a nod for confirmation from the crusaders, they all got in position and ready to lift me.

“On the count of three, girls. Ready? 1. 2. 3!”

At three The Doctor, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle all hoisted me into the back of the wagon, while Scootaloo held it steady.

As they secured me in the cart, all I could do was groan in pain. ‘Sweet Celestia of Equestria that hurt! Also did I really just think that?’

After making sure I was in good, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle climbed into the open front and back of the wagon and held me. Once she was sure they were in, Scootaloo took off.

“You girls get him to the Hospital in Ponyville! I'll be right behind you!” The Doctor called after them, the thunder of his hooves drawing farther away.

The ride to Ponyville was anything but pleasant. As the scenery zoomed by, every little bump we hit sent a spike of pain through my body. After what felt like hours, the view of trees gave way to colorful, thatched roof houses, and plenty of worried looking ponies. As we zoomed through town, I'm pretty sure I heard someone yelling, but the girls kept going regardless. As we crashed through the hospital doors, Scootaloo skidded to a stop, almost throwing me from the wagon.

“Nurse Redheart, quick!” Applebloom yelled, hopping from the wagon. “We found this colt out by the White Tale Woods, and he's hurt real bad!”

As Nurse Redheart ran from behind the counter to get a doctor, the doors burst open again.

“Applebloom!” The worried voice of Applejack called out. “What in tarnation is goin’ on! Ah see y'all three go tearin’ through Ponyville and bustin’ through the hospital doors! What's wrong? Who's hurt?!”

Running around the wagon, Applebloom jumped into Applejack’s waiting forelegs. “Ah’m ok, Applejack, honest. We found this here colt out by the White Tale Woods, and he was really hurt, so Doctor Whooves helped us load him into the wagon so we could bring ‘im here.”

Before Applejack could respond, the doors to the back of the hospital burst open and a doctor and a few nurses came rushing out, pushing a stretcher. Taking me in his magic, the doctor lifted me out of the wagon and onto the stretcher, while listing off my visible injuries.

“Patient has multiple lacerations covering his body, contusions covering his neck, chest and stomach. Both forelegs appear to be broken, with a possible dislocation of the left shoulder. Left wing appears to be dislocated. Judging by the location and severity of his injuries he appears to have fallen from quite high.”

‘Well shit, that don't sound too good. Hopefully pony medicine is as good as all the fics make it seem…’

As they pushed me through the hospital, one of the unicorn nurses floated a needle over and stuck it in my foreleg.

“Now sweetie, this is going to ease the pain and make you go to sleep, ok?”

She no sooner finished the sentence as the room slowly faded to black.