A Whole New World

I shift in the bed, the sheets feeling soft against my skin. I roll over only for my side to feel like something was plunged through it. I shoot up straight and wrap my arms around my body, I bite back a scream as my body feels like it's on fire.

“Ah, what the fuck!”

I slowly lie back down, I block the pain by counting in my head. I reach thirty before the pain calms down enough for me to unfold my arms. I take a deep breath though my body still feels like I have something sticking through it. I turn my head to look at the room I'm in, it seems standard enough in design, though it didn't look like a hospital room. I slowly turn my head and my eyes fall on a small table by the bed, I raise an eyebrow at the framed picture sitting on top. It seems like the person who owns this room likes a cartoon about small horses considering the two small horses in the photo.

I look closer at the picture and see that one horse was smaller than the other, the horse was foal sized and a strange shade of light purple with a yellow mane. The other was larger with a darker purple coat and a purple mane, I also see both had horns on their heads.

I snap my head forwards as I hear voices outside the rooms door. I listen but can't hear what's being said, though one of the voices did sound irritated. The voices go silent for several minutes until the door handle turns and the larger purple pony from the picture comes walking in...Backwards.

“Mum, I don't see why I have to do this! You helped it, you see if it's ok! It's your bedroom!”

My eyes widen the horse was talking, the fucking horse was talking! The horse turns around and catches me staring at her wide eyed, we both stare at each other before the horse look back to the open door.

“Mum, it's awake! Help, I don't know what to do!”

“Try speaking to it!” A reply comes from the doorway.

“About what!?”

“Anything, just try asking it it's name!”

I just stare at the horse as she judging by the voice comes closer to the bed. I slowly slide up in the bed as the horse sits down and gives me a smile, though it did seem a little forced. I however was having a slight dilemma as I was still trying to figure out how this horse was speaking and how the smile she gave me was almost human like.

“So...um...W-what's your name?” The horse asks me, when I don't respond she tilts her head. “Can you understand me?”

I didn't know what to do so I just nod.

“Oh, can you not speak? Did you lose your voice?”

I sum up what courage I could and swallow hard. “I-I can speak.”

“Hey, I can understand you too, but you don't look Equestrian.”

I didn't know what to do next so I held out my right hand to her. “My names Michael, what's yours?” I give her a little smile and try to be non threatening.

The horse looks to my hand then to me before moving forward and raising up a hoof, she looks at me one more time and then lowers her hoof into my hand.

“Hi, Michael, I'm Sparkler Hooves.”

“Hello Miss Hooves, if I can call you that?” I close my fingers around her hoof and give it a shake, the pony seems to look at my action with fascination or she was probably wondering why my fingers didn't rip her hoof off.

“P-Please, Miss Hooves is my mother, just call me Sparkler.”

I let the pony's hoof go and wince as the action of moving was really starting to hurt.

“Sorry.” I say when the pony looks at me with worry. “My body is still beat up, though I can't remember why.”

“You can't remember?”

“No, I have no memory of how I'm here or where I am. All I know is my name and the fact I'm human, everything else is just not there.”

“Do you know what I am?” The pony asks.

“You're a horse. I know that much.” I reply.

The pony chuckles. “You're close, I'm a pony not a horse.”

I give her a raised eyebrow. “A pony? You don't look like a pony I've ever seen.”

“How would you know? You don't have any memory.”

I go to reply but I knew she had a point. “True, you do have a point there. I just have that feeling you're different from what you should look like.” The pony cringes. “Sorry, I shouldn't have said it that way...I'll just shut up now.”

“My mum brought you in from the front yard, she said she found you passed out on the grass when she left for work early hours yesterday.”

“You're mum found me? Then could you thank her for me? She could have just reported me to what ever acts as authority here.”

Sparkler giggles. “You don't know my mum, she would never leave a creature outside if it was hurt. She has sent word to a local pony that deals in unknown creatures.”

“I just hope I don't scare the pony.” I say.

“You won't, though she is very shy, but I'm sure you'll be ok.”

“S-Sparkler are you ok in there?” I hear come through the open door.

“I'm fine mum, he's doing fine.” I watch as Sparkler grins. “His name is Michael by the way!”

I hear something drop outside the door. “Um, ok! Thank you Sparkler!”

“What was that about?” I ask.

“Mum wanted to know your name.”

“Oh, why?”

“Wouldn't be nice going around calling you it now would it?” Sparkler replies.

“I guess not.”

Sparkler stands up and moves to the door. “I have some chores to do Michael, you just lay back and rest and I'll bring you something to eat in a bit ok?”

I lie back. “Yeah and thanks again to your mum for rescuing me.” I chuckle.

Sparkler nods and walks out closing the door behind her, I put my head back on the pillow and close my eyes.

I open my eyes slowly as I get awoken by some sounds in the room, I turn my head and notice a grey pony slightly larger but not by much than sparkler head first into the closet near the far wall. The pony was trying to be quiet but her head and hooves kept bumping into things as she rummaged. I gave the pony a quick feature glance and saw that she had a blonde mane and tail with a mark on her hip, seven bubbles. The pony moved during her rummage and her tail flicked to the side, my face heated up when I caught a glimpse of her pony bits.

I raise a hand to my mouth and cough, the result was the pony suffering a heart attack and banging her head on the closet frame. I felt a little guilty as the pony stood back up rubbing her head. The grey pony looked to me and I saw fear, surprise and hesitation cross her face in mere seconds.

“S-Sorry if I woke you, I'll just leave.” The pony quickly heads for the door but I stop her.

“Wait! You don't have to leave. Are you Sparklers sister?”

The pony blushes, which was surprising. “N-No, I'm her mother.”

I stare at the pony in shock, she didn't look that much older than Sparkler.

“You don't look old enough to be Sparkler's mother, if you don't mind me saying.”

The pony goes even redder. “T-thank you, but I am ten years older than her. I adopted her when her real mother died and I have looked after her ever since.”

“Wow, you and her mother must have been close.”

The grey pony sits by the bed and gives me a little smile, though I could sense a small bit of tension from her.

“Are you ok? You seem tense.” I say, looking a little concerned.

“I'm ok, I was just looking for something my mother gave me when I felt sad.” The grey pony looks into my eyes and then turns away before coughing. “I...I should let you rest, you suffered some bad injuries.” The pony stands up and walks to the bedroom door.

“Thank you, for taking me in.” I say.

The pony looks back. “I couldn't just let you lie out there, you were injured.” The pony goes to turn away but stops and gives me another smile. “My names Derpy by the way.” The pony then leaves and closes the door behind her.

I stare at the door for a few minutes then a smile crosses my face. “Thanks Derpy.” I shrink down into the bed and close my eyes.

I awake to a knock at the bedroom door, I tiredly survey the room before sitting up in the bed.

“Come in...” I yawn.

“Oh, I'm sorry Michael. I thought you were awake.”

I see Sparkler's head poking through the door. “It's ok Sparkler, I just dozed off. How can I help you?”

“I brought something for you to eat.” My stomach growls, “just in time by the sounds of it.” Sparkler giggles.

“Heh, yeah, sorry about that. Guess I'm more hungry than I thought.” I give Sparkler a cheesy grin.

Sparkler closes the door and puts on a serious expression. “Michael can I speak to you? You know, privately?”

“I'm not going anywhere, go ahead.”

Sparkler walks to the bed and places a tray in my lap using her mouth. Sparkler sits to the bed side and I could see something was bothering her.

“Sparkler, are you ok? You seem to be mimicking your mother from earlier.”

“How?” Sparkler asks.

“You seem tense.”

Sparkler nervously laughs and rubs the back of her neck. “It's...It's about my little sister, Dinky. She wants to see you but me and mother are worried.”

“Has she not seen me yet?”

“Not really, she was not awake when mum brought you in and...we have kind of kept her away.” Sparkler looks down to the floor and looks really ashamed.

“I understand...” Sparkler snaps her head up in confusion. “I really do! I was an unknown. You and Derpy didn't know how I would react being in my situation, I could have lashed out. I fully understand your caution.”

Sparkler sighs. “I thought you would be angry.”

“Why? Look, You and your mother are the first ponies I have met. If I need to learn about where I am then you two would be the best bet, I wouldn't risk that by being a jerk.” I state.

Sparkler smiles. “Thank you Michael, If you're up for it I can let my sister in now if you like?”

I nod. “Better now than never right?”

Sparkler nods as I tuck into the platter of food in front of me, I crunch down on a slice of apple when the bedroom door opens and a small head slowly looks around the door. The little pony spots me in the bed and her eyes go wide, I raise up a hand and give her a wave.

“Hello.”

“H-Hi.” The little pony squeaks.

“You must be Dinky, I heard you wanted to see me.” I smirk. “You can come in, I won't bite.”

Dinky walks in and sits far from the bed, a very uncomfortable silence falls over the room. I look to the door and see Sparkler motioning for me to speak. I nod my understanding.

“So Dinky, how are you?”

“I-I'm fine, I guess.” A long pause followed before Dinky looked up to me. “Are you really a monster?”

I freeze at that question, I put down the segment of orange in my hand and let out a sigh.

“No, Dinky. I may look different from you but I'm not a monster, in fact I have no plans to harm you or your family. I actually I want to know you a little better, if I can?”

Dinky looks up to me with a slight tilt of her head, I could guess she was trying to figure me out.

“Do you like my mummy?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I just want to know.” Dinky suddenly became very serious.

“I find her interesting, but then again I'm new here, you're all interesting.”

“I am?” Dinky asks, tilting her head again.

“Yeah, where I come from your kind don't have the mental development that you currently have.”

“Mental...Development?”

“It means you are much smarter than the ponies back on my world.”

“Oh.” Dinky walks closer to the bed.

“Would you like to hear more about my world?” I ask.

“Yes please!” Dinky replies but she seem to be hesitant to come any closer.

I pat the bed next to me and shift my body over. “You can sit up her if you want, I don't mind.” Dinky looks to me like I had some hidden agenda. “I won't hurt you.”

Dinky looks to the closed door then back to the bed. “Ok..” Dinky walks forward and jumps onto the bed, she sits away from me but at least now I could get a closer look at her and she was adorable.

“You have your mothers eyes.” I say, getting Dinky to look at me funny. “I mean your eye colour, I like the gold, it goes with your fur colour.” I give her a grin but it just comes off as a cheesy smile.

“I have never had that told to me by anypony other than Sparkler or my mum.” Dinky starts to sniff.

“I'm sorry if I said something bad, I didn't know!” I state, holding up my hands. I was surprised when Dinky lunged at me and put her forelegs around my neck. I kept my hands away from her body as Dinky just cried into my shoulder.

Dinky pulls away and rubs her eyes. “I'm sorry, I just get bullied a lot at school because of my mum. They say mean things, mainly about her eyes.”

I frown. “So bullying even happens in this world too?” I lower my head. “I guess it must be some universe constant for some individuals to kick the lower ranks.” I did at that point the only thing I could do, I grabbed Dinky and pulled her in close, I held the little pony to my chest as fresh tears spilled from her eyes. I felt something in my chest that I haven't felt before, I felt a need to love, I felt the need to protect.