The Dreamwalker

by YourDashOneDawn

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Human, Drama, Dark
Length: 9773

When the lines between dream and reality fray, things can slip through. Be it fate, destiny, or something far stronger, exactly this occurs.

When a royal mistake throws Nathaniel Finch into Equestria, he is understandably confused. When Starlight Glimmer finds him, she also discovers a dark evil. If Nate and Starlight can't stop this mysterious foe, the Dream Realm may collide with reality, bringing all of it's nightmares with it.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2017-08-23 15:00:55 UTC

Nathaniel Finch

I woke up feeling slightly more tired than usual. My alarm sounded at six, but I couldn't convince myself to crawl out of bed until quarter-after. I pulled off the blankets, cutting them at a forty-five with my bed, as my mild OCD wouldn't allow anything less. The sun had just begin to seep through the cracks in the closed blinds on the window, leaving lines of light running across the room. I pulled the cord, and they slid to the top of the windowsill, letting in the full amount of light. I then crossed over to my wardrobe, and opened the top drawer. I reached my hand in to grab a pair of grey shorts, but a headache make me freeze. This struck me as strange, because I hardly ever got headaches. It was rare for me to get sick, which the doctors attributed to my advanced immune system. I waited for it to pass, thinking I got up too fast, and this was my punishment.

After standing for a full five minutes, I concluded that it wasn't going anywhere. I continued about my morning routine, but slower than usual. I pulled on a pair of clothes that suited the warm summer day, consisting of the grey shorts, a blue t-shirt, and a pair of short black socks. My shoes would be in the downstairs coat closet, meaning I would worry about them once I was done up here.

When I was dressed, and had my teeth brushed, I looked at myself in the mirror. Staring into my own eyes, I noticed something different. While they were normally an icy-blue, today they almost seemed to take on a deeper shade, like a sapphire. I shrugged it off, assuming that I was just seeing things.

My headache had dampened to a dull throb, but I still couldn't understand why I had it to begin with. Needing to find something to blame, I settled on staying up too late the night before, even though I had been up much later on other days, and woken up fine the next day. I wasn't happy with the excuse, but I would roll with it. If I couldn't explain the illogical, I made something up. That's how my mind has always worked, even if it means some of what I believe is fake. I lived on the philosophy of 'there's a reason for everything.'

I crept down the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. The parents were still asleep, and I couldn't deal with being blamed for waking them up today. I was already annoyed by my headache as it was, and that would just send me over the edge.

When asked why I have such a problem with my parents, I tell people to look at the walls in my house. When they inevitably ask me what they're supposed to be looking at, I simply reply with 'nothing.' They would then go on to say something along the lines of 'I don't get it,' To which I would respond with 'there's nothing on the wall. My parents don't care enough to hang a family portrait, or put up any photographs of us together. They don't care about me at all.' That conversation has only happened a few times. To most people, I'm just The Quiet Kid With No Friends. The only people that see anything different are side-antagonists of my life story, who view me as The Kid To Make Fun Of. If I were to suddenly disappear, nobody would even notice, and I'm fine with that.

It was Saturday, and I had nothing to do. Why I wake up at six on the weekends, I truly don't know. Maybe it was having the house to myself for a few hours before the others woke up. Maybe it was getting to watch the sunrise. Whatever it was, I didn't question it, nor did I want to.

By the time the sun had fully crested the low hills on the horizon, I was on my bike. I was old enough to drive, and I had just gotten my license, but I preferred to bike. I didn't know where I would go, but it was a way to pass the time. I let my legs carry me down streets and alleys, along a railway, and up a dirt path. When I finally stopped, I must have ridden for three hours. I sat on the summit of one of the tallest hills in the county, and I could see everything for miles. The view would have been breathtaking, had I not already seen it dozens of times.

Everybody has their own personal retreat. A place where they could go when they need to relax, or they're looking for inspiration. For some people it's a quiet spot by a lake. For other's it's in the middle of a meadow. Mine sat on the brink of the cliff in front of me. Sure, it was a long way out, but it was always worth it.

I kicked my bike stand down, and propped it on a flat rock. I then unslung my drawstring bag from the storage compartment I had built under the seat, and tossed it over my shoulder. I walked to the edge of the drop, and sat with my legs hanging over. I pulled a notebook from the bag, with a pencil tucked in the spirals. I folded it open and took the pencil in my hand. I then began drawing the pencil across the page, wherever my hand wanted to take it.

This was my personal journal. Sometimes I would create intricate sketches in it. Other times I would write stories. It all depended on what my mind felt like jotting down. Today, I drew the view in front of me. I slid my hand across the paper, creating the horizon. I drew the big lake in the distance, the abandoned railroad running around the base of the hill, the hundreds of green trees, the far-off city of York (Though it wasn't a very large city), the quarry that had filled with water, the perfect clouds for a sunny summer day, and a sixteen-year-old boy sitting on the edge of a cliff, writing something down in a spiral notebook on his lap. Something about this boy gave off a sense of loneliness. It was the fact that he was the only person in the picture, and that was no coincidence. Every picture I drew was the same way.

I sat for hours, even after I had finished drawing. Sitting on this ledge was just a way to pass the time. I would stare into the distance for hours, thinking about anything. Eventually, I stood to head back, but my headache came back right at that moment. I stumbled, and nearly went over the edge. At the last minute, I threw myself backwards to avoid falling off the cliff. I got a mouthful of dirt and a bump on my wrist from the tumble, but it was better than the alternative of falling forty feet.

When the migraine subsided, I pulled myself back onto my feet. My wrist felt like it was being crushed in a vice grip, and I had probably sprained it. To make matters worse, it was my right hand, which was the dominant one. This would make riding back interesting, but I would push through it.

The sun had already crested, and was now about halfway finished with it's descent, making it around four o'clock. I could have used my phone to check the time, but that would have involved reaching into my bag, which wouldn't be very easy with only one hand. I had tucked the notebook into the bag before I stood up, which wound up being quite helpful.

I mounted the bike, and began my slow trip down the mountain. I wouldn't normally go this slow, but I was steering with one hand. At this rate, I would be home by sundown. I probably wouldn't even bother eating. I would just go straight to bed.

I rolled down the abandoned railroad, pondering what had spiked me headache again. It almost didn't seem natural. It was like somebody held a controller with a large red button, and every time they pressed it, my head pulsed again. Hopefully it would be gone by tomorrow.

When I finally pulled into the driveway of the two-story suburban craftsman I called home, the sun was gone, leaving only an afterglow in it's place. I punched in the four-digit combo to open the garage door, and slid my bike inside. I propped it against the back wall, and side-stepped around the Twenty-twelve black Focus that I had inherited from my parents (one of the few nice things they ever did for me, and only to get me out of the house more), and the red Two-thousand Gen-four Mustang belonging to the parents in order to reach the interior door. As I stepped through, I hit the garage-door-opener, and shut the heavy white door behind me.

"Where were you, Nate?" My mother asked, sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea and working on her laptop.

"Do you care?" I retorted.

Instead of giving a verbal answer, she looked back down at the glowing white screen in front of her, giving me all the answer I needed. My dad must have been sleeping on the couch in the other room, as he was nowhere to be seen. He may have also been at his basement workshop, but I didn't hear a racket below me, leading me to believe it was the first option.

I climbed the staircase to the second floor, and went straight to my room. It wasn't much, but it was mine, which was all I cared about. I had a feeling that it would turn into an office for my mom once I moved out, as they probably didn't want me coming back. I kicked off my shoes here, instead of the downstairs closet, simply because I didn't want to spend any more time downstairs than I had to.

I threw my shirt into the hamper, followed by my socks. I left my shorts on, and clambered into bed. It was only nine-ish, and the sun had just recently stopped casting it's rays onto this side of the hills, but I was ready to sleep. Favoring my right arm, I brought the covers over top of me, and rolled onto my back. I rested my right arm across my stomach, not wanting to risk laying it anywhere else.

Not five minutes had passed, and I was out cold. I didn't quite understand why I was so tired, but I didn't question it. I gave into my body's demand for sleep, and that's exactly what I did.

Starlight Glimmer woke up the same way she did every day. She wiggled her way out of bed, and went to her personal bathroom. She brushed her teeth, wrapping the purple toothbrush in her signature teal magic, and levitating it from the holder. When she finished, she used her hooves to splash water on her face.

After this, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, and something struck her as odd. Her usual sapphire-blue eyes had almost appeared to be a lighter shade than usual- perhaps more of an icy-blue. She assumed that there must have been something off with the lighting today, and that was why they appeared different.

When Starlight made her way to the door of the bedroom that Twilight ha given her, she suffered from a strong headache. It took a full fifteen minutes to pass, but even then it left her head throbbing for another hour or so. Though it was rare for her to have headaches, she had been working hard on a new spell the night prior, and attributed that night's work to her current situation.

When the headache subsided, Starlight was finally able to go about her business as if it were a normal day. What she didn't realize, however, was that today would be anything but normal.

Just A Dream?

I woke up in a strange place. It wasn't one of those cases where you forget where you are temporarily, either. I genuinely didn't recognize the crystal walls around me. My confusion only worsened when I got out of bed, because I didn't get out of bed. My body moved on it's own. My mind almost went into a state of shock, trying to explain what was happening.

It's just a dream. I thought to myself. I only half-believed that excuse, but it was the only thing that seemed logical. If it was just a dream, then why did it feel so real? Once my body had reached the edge of the bed, it slid down onto the floor, but in an awkward manner. I got onto all fours, but in a way that felt natural, like I was supposed to walk that way.

I made my way over to what appeared to be the bathroom in what I could only describe as some sort of horse-trot. When I was in the white room, with a sink that was at my height, I began to brush my teeth, only I wasn't doing it. While whatever was controlling me focused on the toothbrush, I noticed that it was levitating. Beyond the brush, I saw some sort of pink, four-legged animal. Something was off about what I was viewing, aside from what I was already seeing. Then it hit me: it was a mirror. That four-legged pink thing was me, but it wasn't me. I was inside whatever this thing was, almost like a part of it.

It's just a dream. I continued to think to myself. I no longer believed it, but it was the only thing still keeping me sane. It was too real to actually be a dream, and I was struggling to comprehend what was going on, while continuing to think 'it's a dream' until I had a better explanation.

When 'I' had finished brushing my teeth with the floating toothbrush, 'I' looked into the mirror. That's when 'I' saw me. This pink thing stared into our shared eyes, but it didn't see it's own eyes- it saw mine. It looked right at me, but it didn't realize that there was someone else in it's head with it.

'I' walked to the door that I assumed would lead out of this... bedroom? Just before 'I' reached the door, 'I' froze. Then we were both wracked with another big headache. Though this wasn't my body, I could still feel the pain.

Agh! At first I thought that this thing had yelled in pain, but I quickly realized that it didn't make a sound. I must have heard it's thoughts. This brought an interesting thought to mind: could it hear my thoughts? I would have to find out.

When the pains finally dropped to a manageable light throbbing, 'I' opened the door that 'I' was originally headed for, without lifting a finger. When the door latched shut behind 'me,' I tried to communicate with whatever I was sharing this body with.

Hello? I thought.

Wait, why 'hello?' The pink being thought to itself, not realizing that it was sharing a mind. I would have to try something bigger.

I'm stuck in here. I tried.

No, the exit is just down the hall. I can't believe I still haven't learned this castle. The pink thing thought. I had to do something that it would know wasn't it's own doing.

My name is Nathaniel Finch, but you can call me Nate. I stated. The creature froze.

Is somepony reading my thoughts? It questioned. Now I had it's attention.

I think I'm stuck in your head. I said.

Is this a joke? Who's doing this?

It's Nate.

Who's Nate?

The one stuck in your head.

How are you doing this? It takes an incredibly good unicorn to master telepathy spells. Is this Twilight? She wasn't buying it. I couldn't understand most of what she was talking about, but I knew that I needed her to realize this was real. I would have to try something bigger. Maybe I could move this body?

It took some effort, but eventually I figured out that I could indeed control this body. I lifted my front left arm... leg... appendage? And nearly fell over. The other took over, and just managed to catch us.

Do I have your attention now? I thought.

What are you?

Right now, I'm just a voice in your head. I don't know how I got here, or what happened to my body, but I'm stuck here. My name is Nate. I repeated for the third time. The other wasn't quite sure how to respond.

That's both strange and incredible. I, uh, I'm Starlight Glimmer. It finally managed to form a complete thought.

What are you?

A pony, of course. A unicorn, if you need me to be more precise. What else would I be?

Human?

What's a hu-min?

That's what I am. I don't recall any forms of sentient life on Earth aside from humans.

Erth?

You know, where we live? I tried.

I live in Equestria. She said, as if I should have already known that.

Well I'm from the United States. Pennsylvania, if you need the name of the state. The last thing I remember took place there. I fell asleep in my bed, and I woke up here, inside of you. This has to be a dream.

If this were a dream, I wouldn't be able to feel pain, and I just had a big headache. Starlight tried to convince me.

I felt it too, so maybe it's not a dream, but I don't know how to explain it otherwise.

Starlight began to walk. I didn't need to ask where we were going, because her mind had already indicated that she was going to get breakfast.

I can consult the library. There's a book for almost anything in there. Starlight declared. I just need to grab something to eat, first.

I guess that works. It would be nice to have some answers. I had hundreds of questions, but I was trying to stay objective-driven. My current goal was to find out how to get home, or wake myself up. A voice in the back of my head was still silently praying that this was all just an extremely vivid dream.

How does it do that? I asked Starlight, referring to the plate of food hovering beside us, wrapped in some sort of teal-colored atmosphere.

You've never seen a levitation spell before? She asked in disbelief.

I've never seen any spell.

How?!

Up until an hour ago, I didn't even know magic was real. I added.

Do you like under a rock? She couldn't accept that I didn't know about magic.

No, but it feels like I live in another dimension. I don't understand half of what you're talking about.

If you're in my mind, can't you look into my memories? Maybe you can use that to learn the basics of Equestrian history.

I suppose I can try. Would you have any objections if I did that?

Starlight shuddered as she thought of her dark past. She already regretted bringing up her idea, but she had promised herself that she wouldn't allow her past to haunt her.

Sure. She reluctantly agreed.

I dove deep into the thoughts and memories of Starlight Glimmer, not having a clue of what to expect. While Starlight made her way to the library, I was digging through her mind. The first thing I found was six other pony-things. There was a purple one, that I associated with the name Twilight Sparkle. When I found her, I felt feelings of intelligence and caring from Starlight. This Twilight must have been some form of mentor, as well as a close friend. When I looked closer, I noticed a fading feeling of hatred. At one point, these two must have had some form of conflicting history.

The next memory I pulled up was of an orange pony, which came with the name Applejack. This was followed by pink pony. She was a more vibrant pink than Starlight, and was appropriately labeled as Pinkie Pie. I found a white one named Rarity, a blue one named Rainbow Dash, and a yellow one: Fluttershy. I wondered why they all had such strange names, but I wasn't going to judge another culture because of an odd naming system. These six must have been fairly close to Starlight, as they all gave off a feeling of companionship when I thought about them with the mind that wasn't mine.

I looked further, and found two larger ponies. They gave off an eminence of leadership and royalty. They must have been the leaders of this place, meaning that it was a kingdom, and they were the monarchs. Celestia and Luna- that must have been their names.

Going further still, I found a small town. It consisted of a single street, line with around six houses on either side. There was a lone house on one end, which radiated a single, faded sentence. Home, but not anymore. I was overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and fear, which lapsed into an anger. That anger built up, until it became a blind rage. I didn't like being here anymore, so I quickly dropped my search, and returned to Starlight. She sensed my fear when I came back.

What's wrong? Did you find what you were looking for? She inquired.

I found enough to understand things a little better, along with some things I wish I had left alone.

What do you mean? Starlight asked, even though she had a pretty good guess at what I had found.

Fear and anger. A dark past. Things you regret doing.

And I beat myself up over it every single day.

Well, don't. I demanded.

What? Why? I did awful things to those ponies.

But look where you are now. If you didn't feel bad over what you've done, you never would have worked so hard to turn your life around. I haven't known you for very long, but I do know that you've been nothing but kind to me, even though I don't belong here. You could have panicked, or tried to find a way to get rid of me. Instead, you're heading to some library to help me find the answers I need to go home. No 'evil villain' would do this for me. I tried to comfort this total stranger.

Oh geez. You've spent a total of two hour in Equestria, and you're already better at giving friendship lessons than I am. She shot, but with a hint of humor. Though I had no idea what a 'friendship lesson' was, It was evident that my attempt to cheer her up had been at least slightly successful.

Starlight stepped through the large doorway, and into one of the largest libraries I had ever seen. She immediately headed for a section that was about new or exotic creatures. She pulled dozens of the books off of their shelves with her magic (Which I still struggled to comprehend), read the labels, and flung them back into their place.

No. Nope. Not that one. Nada. Zip. Zilch. No way. Mmm... no.

After going down the entire crystal isle, and to finding what she was looking for, she sat on her hind legs in defeat. Though I was used to my human body, the pose still felt natural. My mind seemed to have already adapted to having a different body, which I found mildly impressive. I tried to think of reasons why we couldn't find a single book on the topic we searched for, which then gave me an idea.

What if we looked for books on alternate dimensions? I suggested. Starlight pondered this possibility, and then decided to give it a shot.

I guess we can try it. Why?

Earlier I mentioned about how it felt like I was from another dimension. Maybe that really is what's going on here.

So she scanned the shelves of another isle, deeper in the massive room of books. Just when she was about to give up, she pulled one that fit perfectly with everything that was going on.

The Book Of Dreams

The Dream Realm, Read the title.

We stared at the pages in awe. What the words in this book implied was almost totally unbelievable. If it had been written by anypony other that the Princess Luna, I wouldn't even begin to imagine that it was true. But where the author signed their name, it clearly read 'Luna.'

The book stated that there were occasional tears in the fabric of the Dream Realm, and that it was potentially possible for someone to jump the gap, and end up dreaming in another dimension. Nate claimed to have fallen asleep at home, and wound up in my head. If this book told the truth, then that had to be how Nate got here.

Aside from the dimension jumping, there were various other parts to the book. One section explained a few causes of these tears. Another mentioned Dreamwalkers, which were anything with the ability to enter the Dream Realm, like Princess Luna.

In order to get Nate back home, we would probably need to see Luna. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to visit her until tomorrow, as she was currently acting as an ambassador for Equestria in one of our neighboring regions. Until then, I would have to keep this to myself, or other ponies might think I've gone insane.

As if thinking about others was her queue, Twilight walked into the room. She started sifting through the books, not even noticing me. She must have been focused on some important task to be this unobservant.

"Hey Twilight." I halfheartedly greeted her.

"Oh, hey Starlight. Didn't see you there. I'm studying a very strange anomaly right now." Twilight toned. I wondered Nate being here was causing some form of disturbance.

"What kind of anomaly?" I inquired.

"Princess Luna asked me to investigate a flux in the Dream Realm while she was away. It really seemed to bother her, so I'm trying my hardest to determine the source. I've narrowed it down to somewhere in Ponyville."

"I think I may know where it is." I mumbled, afraid of what Twilight would think when she found out about Nate.

"Have you been experiencing vivid dreams or nightmares lately?" She pressed.

"Not exactly..."

"Then what is it?"

"It's difficult to explain. It's like there's another person in my head."

"That's called dissociative identity disorder, and it doesn't involve dreams. You should, however, consider consulting a therapist or other experts to get help."

"No, that's not what I meant. This pony- or whatever he is- came from another dimension. He may have crossed through an opening in the Dream Realm to get here." Twilight looked up from the book she levitated in front of her. Now I had her attention.

"Princess Luna had told me that something might have traveled here through the Dream Realm. We held our conversation in private, but you just described what she said could have happened." Twilight said. She knew I hadn't been listening to her conversation with Luna, which meant she definitely believed me now.

"He goes by Nate, and the last thing he claims to remember is falling asleep in bed, and then he woke up inside of my head. This book here helped us figure out what we think happened." I filled her in.

"Alright, first thing tomorrow we're going to see Luna. She's definitely going to want to hear this." Twilight declared.

"Agreed."

Why is this 'Luna' so special? I saw a little bit of her when I went into your memories. Nate asked.

She's the pony who can help us figure out what's going on, hopefully.

Starlight and I spent most of the next few hours going back and forth, asking questions about one another's lives. It quickly became evident that Starlight had it made, compared to me. She had plenty of friends, all willing to forgive her for the things she's done. I never even did anything wrong, but nobody was willing to forgive me. I was treated the way Starlight thought people... ponies... would treat her.

These kind ponies were working hard to find me a way to get home, but I wasn't even entirely sure if I wanted to go home. Everyone here seemed nicer than anyone else I knew. Was it worth all the effort to send me home?

Ooh, Nate! I've got a good one. Starlight chimed.

Shoot.

What's it like being out of your body?

That's, uh, that's kind of an awkward one to answer. I guess I just adapted to being in a different body. I still have all of my senses, but I share them with you. I see what you see, hear what you hear, etcetera. My turn.

Go ahead. She allowed.

What's it like having a new voice in your head?

Umm, well I suppose it's no different than holding a conversation with myself, but I don't always know what the other one's going to say.

You mean to tell me that I'm predictable? I took a shot at being humorous.

No, you're rational. You ask the questions one would be expected to ask when placed in an odd situation. She stated.

That's good, I think. At least it means I'm not totally insane.

Implying that you are partially insane?

Maybe. Everyone back home treats me like I am.

How is it possible for you to be nice, when you've never experienced kindness? Starlight took on a more serious tone.

I can't really answer that. I was always treated poorly, and I vowed to myself that I would never be like the people around me. That could be part of it.

Starlight paused for a minute before responding.

That's a moving story. Princess Twilight might even want to use that as a friendship lesson or something.

It's not really that great. It's kind of sad, in all honesty.

I'm serious. Twilight could use you as an example of how ponies should react when faced with negativity like that.

...

You want to know something? I asked.

Sure.

You're the nicest person I've ever met, and you're not even a person. Isn't that funny?

Sort of. It's more sad than anything else.

We sat in silence, until Starlight finally stood up from the library bench she had sat us at. We had been here for quite some time, but I didn't have any sort of way to know just how long in here.

Where are we going? I questioned.

I'm grabbing something to eat, and then I'm getting ready for bed. It's getting late.

How can you tell?

Starlight looked up at the analog clock above the doorway, and I felt stupid for not seeing that sooner.

Does that answer your question? Starlight asked. Usually I would have taken that for sarcasm, but she seemed genuine. I never explicitly told her that there are clocks where I'm from, and she was probably unsure as to whether I knew what they were or not.

I'm more used to digital than analog, but yes, that does answer my question.

Digital? She inquired. I had noticed the technology gap between here and home, but didn't pay it too much mind until now.

Oh, right. A digital clock is, eh, how would I go about describing it? It's a clock with a light-up display, and it shows the exact time in numerical value, instead of having hands that rotate around a circular plate, leaving the reader to try and estimate based on their placement.

I only understood about half of that, but I would probably need to see it in order to fully know what you just said. That was very informational.

I was on track to graduate in the top five of my class.

Top five percent?

No, top five students. Maybe even top three.

That's pretty impressive. You're a lot like me, you know?

That's probably what kept us both comfortable with the other's presence. I have a feeling that if I were different, we would have both been driven to insanity.

Then thank Celestia that you are the way you are.

Though I had a very limited understanding of who this 'Celestia' was, I knew enough to understand the expression. It reminded me of how the people in the United Kingdom used their Queen in certain sayings.

Starlight made her way through the castle that I was both familiar and unfamiliar with. Sharing a mind with someone acquainted me with things I had never seen before. For instance, I hadn't ever been here, but I knew that the kitchen would be through the next door on the right. and Starlight's room would be farther down on the left.

Just as I had knew she would, Starlight shoved through the door on the right, and into the massive kitchen. Starlight began to pull ingredients from the fridge, and I quickly noticed something was off.

You're going to make a appetizer?

What? No. Why would you think that?

You're making a salad. Personally, I don't eat salads, but I know that people eat them as appetizers.

This isn't an appetizer, it's the main course. What do you normally eat?

All kinds of things. My favorite meal would have to be- I stopped myself. I was about to say 'pork and sauerkraut,' but something caught my attention. Everything in this kitchen was that of a vegetarian diet. Ponies are vegetarians!

You alright? Starlight checked. My abrupt stop had left her concerned.

Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine.

What were you going to say?

Apple pie. I said, thinking fast.

That's not a meal. She laughed.

It's my favorite food.

Alright, then I'll try this: what would you eat as a regular meal?

Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. I stated, only half-lying by leaving out the pork part of the meal.

Gross! You eat sauerkraut?

Is that bad? I asked, hoping it didn't violate their food standards or anything.

No, it's just that most ponies can't stand anything sour like that.

Whew.

By now, Starlight had tossed the ingredients of her salad, and floated it over to the kitchen island. This castle should have had an dining room in it somewhere, but she was content eating here. She grabbed a fork from one of the drawers, and I watch it hover it's way into the bowl.

How do you do that? I wondered.

What, this? She lifted the fork again, coating it in that same teal aura.

Yeah. I've seen you use your magic, but how does it work?

Hmm. I've never really had to explain it before. It comes naturally. I just think about what I want to do, and it happens. Some spells take more concentration that others. Levitation is second nature to most unicorns, as it's one of the easiest.

I want to try something.

You want to see if you can cast a spell, since you're in my body. She guessed.

Would you be okay with that?

I don't see why not. Try the fork. She set the fork in the center of the island. Just think about the fork, and what you want it to do, or where you want it to go.

So I stared down the fork, and concentrated on lifting it. After some time, our shared horn began to glow, and the fork twitched. That was all I was able to do.

You did it! She chimed.

Barely. I deadpanned.

It's a good start. We can try again later, if we have time. Right now I just want to get to bed.

Starlight downed her salad, which I could taste, and cleaned up her mess. She trotted down the hall, and back into the room we started in. She did her nightly ritual, which wasn't far off from my own, and got ready for bed. There was a slight ordeal when she showered, because neither of us like the idea of my presence while she did so. I finally managed to find a way to... 'disconnect' from Starlight's eyes. It was a mildly frightening experience, as it felt like I had gone blind.

When she was all finished, Starlight clamored into the oversized bed, and pulled the covers over herself. Falling asleep was a strange sensation, because I was out before Starlight was. Everything simply went dark for a few seconds. When I opened my eyes again, it was morning, but not in Equestria.

Bound Through Dimensions

I woke up in bed- my bed. I opened my eyes, and knew exactly where I was: home. How this was possible, I didn't know. I clearly remembered Starlight, and it still felt real. She still felt real.

Could it really have been a dream? I asked myself.

I don't think so. Toned that all-too familiar voice of a certain pink pony. I looked around, but quickly realized I wasn't going to find her. She had swapped places with me, and now she was the one without a body.

You're here too? I asked.

Looks like it, but how does this make sense? She returned.

I don't have the slightest clue, but since you're here, welcome to Pennsylvania. What do you think?

I think I know how you felt when you woke up in my bed.

But not in the way one would think. I prodded.

Wow. I hadn't even though of it like that.

Obviously.

Shut up.

You said it, not me.

That's not what I meant!

I know. I'm just trying to be funny.

You're not giving me a very good first-impression of this pencil-vana place.

It's Pennsylvania, and I'll stop now.

I flipped the covers down, again being sure to leave them cut on the forty-five, and tossed my legs over the side of the bed. I wore nothing but a pair of shorts, not having been expecting company. I walked over to my closet, and grabbed a shirt to toss on quickly, before turning my attention to the alarm clock. The buzzer had just started to chime, indicating that my trip to Equestria had only lasted around eight hours.

How long does the average day last in Equestria? I asked.

The day is the standard twenty-four hours, but we only get sunlight for around sixteen. She stated.

It's the same way here, so how is it possible that eight hours passed here, but twice that went by in your world?

She hesitated, thinking my question over.

I don't know. My guess is that it has something to do with time-relativity.

That could make sense. We should look into that later.

What should we do for now? Starlight wondered.

I'm planning on finding ways to pass the time until sundown, because I don't intend to fall asleep after I just woke up.

So I'm marooned here for the next few hours? She prodded.

At least you're not alone. Is there a problem with being here?

I just don't like not knowing how to get home.

I probably just need to go back to sleep.

But you don't know that, and that's what scares me.

I wasn't sure what brought on the sudden change in mood, but I figured I should just leave her to think for a little while. When she was ready to talk, I would see if I could be there for her. The problem was, I didn't know how to comfort a human, let alone a pony.

I walked to the door, and reached to twist the knob. Just as I began to turn the metal, I felt a sharp pain in my wrist. It was tolerable, but only just. I had forgotten that my wrist was injured- probably sprained. Enduring it wouldn't be fun, but I would live.

Oww! What was that? Starlight blurted, referring to the searing pain we had just felt.

I took a fall yesterday. Sprained my wrist pretty bad, but I'll manage.

Your wrist? I had forgotten that she had hooves, and was unfamiliar with human anatomy.

This thing. I used my left index finger to point to my right wrist.

You mean you have a sprain, and you're just going to push through it?

If I have to.

I wish I could get you to Equestria. I have a few spells that might help.

If the opportunity presents itself, I might just have to take you up on that offer.

Duly noted.

I wasn't entirely sure what I would do today. Maybe I could show Starlight my mountaintop retreat? I went down the stairs, and into the garage, putting my shoes in as I went. I hit the opener, and squeezed past the two cars in the garage, and picked my bike up. When I had tossed my leg over the seat, the door had reached it's apex. I rolled just past the now-open metal door, and punched the 'enter' button on the exterior keypad, which caused the door the begin sliding back to the ground, resealing the garage from the rest of the world.

Hey, Starlight? How would you feel about taking a trip to a mountain summit? The view there is gorgeous.

Do I have a choice? She muttered.

We don't have to go there, if you don't want to. There's other places I can go.

No, the summit is fine. She let out a mental sigh, still worked up over her previous breakdown.

I'll make sure you get home. Don't worry. I assured her. When she responded with nothing but silence, I took it as my queue to pedal.

The ride was tiring and painful, but I had finally managed to reach the railroad. I rode along it, past the abandoned boxcars, and found my turn-off. I made a left onto a slightly overgrown hiking trail, which hadn't been used for it's intended purpose in years. This took me straight to the summit. Along the way were some old signs, mostly unreadable. There was one metal sheet on a pole that was still semi-legible: 'SENIC OVERLOOK AHEAD,' it read in white text.

Just as promised, another two minutes past the sign, and I could see the entirety of York County again. While I was used to the sight, Starlight was completely enthralled.

What do you think? I queried.

It's captivating. What're the buildings off in the distance?

That would be York City. It's not very impressive up close, but from here it looks neat.

What's wrong with it?

It's just not the best place to be. It looks like it's falling apart, and the people living there aren't much better.

Why?

Because humans are slowly loosing their humanity. People are forgetting what kindness and friendship is. Nobody knows how to be nice anymore.

Then why aren't you like the rest of them?

I've never been like the rest, nor have I ever wanted to. I live by my rules, not theirs.

That sounds lonely.

It couldn't have been any worse than what you went through.

I must have struck a sensitive topic, because her response was silence. Fortunately, her silence was timed just right for me to hear something in the woods. I tensed up, and slowly turned my head. I was greeted by two hungry eyes, staring right back through the brush. I was no nature expert, but I knew what I saw: a lone wolf.

Usually a single wolf wouldn't be willing to take on a human, but wolves never traveled alone. I took my time standing up, avoiding sudden movements. I spun my body to face the woods, and scanned through the trees. I could see at least six, but I could hear more moving, somewhere beyond my vision. There could have been a whole dozen of them, total.

I ran through my options. My bike was too far away, meaning escape wasn't a possibility. There were too many of them to fight. My back was to the cliff, with a drop that would likely be fatal. In a standard situation, there is always a fight-or-flight response. When neither of those are an option, you freeze up. That was what I did now. I tried to think of anything I could do, and I remembered something I might be able to use.

Starlight!

We're trapped here, aren't we? She mused.

Not entirely. You remember that Book Of Dreams?

Yeah, why?

One of the sections in that book explained dimensional travel. I don't remember it word-for-word, but it said something about possibly being able to bring things with you when you jumped dimensions. I need you to see if you can do that, and take me with you.

What?! That's you're plan?! I don't know how to do that!

I trust that you'll be able to figure it out. You're smart.

That's very reassuring. I can't possibly fail now! She remarked.

You have to at least try.

And if I can't do it?

Let's not think about that right now. I have more pressing matters.

The wolves had begun to advance. I backed to the very edge of the cliff face, and stood my ground there. They had clearly anticipated easy prey, but I showed them no fear. Inside I was terrified, but I couldn't let them see that. Upon realizing that I didn't plan to go down without a fight, they halted with about five feet to spare, forming a rough semi-circle.

Any day now. I pushed, anxiety taking over my voice.

I'm trying!

After a minute-long standoff, one wolf wound back, preparing to pounce. When it lunged at me, it hadn't taken the cliffside into account. I felt my shirt being torn, a sharp pain my shoulder, and the ground disappear beneath my feet as the force sent us both tumbling over the edge. I braced myself for the impact from the ground that rushed up to meet me, and everything went dark.

The Broken Bond

I opened my eyes in a familiar bed, yet it wasn't my own. Still on the adrenaline rush, I shot upright, and immediately regretted the movement. My shoulder lit ablaze with pain. I looked down to see blood seeping through my shirt. The wolf had left three long scratches across my chest, along with a bite mark on my left shoulder.

It was at this moment that Starlight bolted up beside me. I hadn't noticed her laying in the bed until now. She looked over at me, and saw the growing splotches of red in my blue shirt, creating deep purple stains. She also registered that I was beginning to turn pale. Without saying a word, she ran into the bathroom. She came back with a roll of gauze, and a bottle of what looked to be antiseptic.

My already ruined shirt was ripped from my body by a teal haze, and the white roll of gauze began wrapping itself around me. The gauze had been doused in antiseptic, meaning it burned as she put it on. It took everything I had not to yell in pain.

Eventually, I wore what could have been a new shirt, consisting entirely of gauze. It only covered my upper torso, and left shoulder. I leaned against the headrest, and looked at the mess I had made. There was blood all over the sheets, which looked to be of an expensive variety. Exactly what one would expect to find in a castle.

"Sorry about your bed." I mumbled.

"It's fine. I'm just glad you're okay." Starlight responded.

"We're okay. You were there too." I corrected.

...

"So, what do we do now?" I asked.

"I should probably tell Twilight about what happened. She'll want to know about this."

"What should I do?"

"Stay put. You look like you could use the rest."

Before I could argue, Starlight left the room, closing the door behind her. I was left alone, in a place I was only vaguely familiar with. I only sat for five minutes, when the doorknob twisted again. I looked over expecting Starlight, but instead saw what I guessed was a small, bipedal purple reptile.

"Hey Starlight, can I-" He started. We both froze upon making eye contact. He seemed to be just as afraid of me as I was to him.

"Uhh... hello." I gave an awkward smile, and a slow wave, trying not to spook him. It didn't work. He slowly backed away, and once he was out of sight his footfalls sped up. Strangely, I felt like I recognized him. Maybe I had seen him in Starlight's memories?

It only took another minute or so for Starlight to get back, with Twilight in tow. When the princess came into the room, she spent a minute looking me over. I was the first of my kind that she had ever seen, and she was fascinated by the opportunity to discover a new species.

"So, you're Nate, huh?" She asked.

"Am I not what you were expecting?" I poked.

"I'm not sure what I was expecting. I suppose I thought you would be a pony, or at least some form of equine." Twilight informed me. Just then, a purple head poked around the doorway.

"You may come in, Spike. He won't hurt you." Twilight assured him. He inched his way around the doorframe, but refused to travel any further. Starlight suddenly stiffened, remembering something important.

"How long until we have to leave for Canterlot?" She turned to Twilight.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you: there's been a change of plans. Princess Luna is coming here. She should arrive by... right about now! I have to go get ready!" She sped out of the room, Spike trailing close behind, using this as his excuse to get away from me.

"What happened to me being the center of attention?" I joked.

"The princesses tend to take priority." Starlight justified.

"I've never met royalty before. This'll be new for me." I told her.

"Just try to be respectful and you should be fine. Oh, and it's polite to bow when you first meet."

"I'll keep that in mind." I used me hands to prop myself up farther, and let out a pained groan when I felt the vise tighten on my wrist.

"Are you alright?" Starlight asked.

"Wrist." I reminded her, holding up my right arm. It had begun to show heavy bruising. I had really done a number on it.

"I can help with that, if you're okay with it." She offered.

"How so?"

"I've got a spell to dull the pain, and allow it to heal faster. I would still avoid using it for the next day or two, as it takes time to heal fully." She informed me.

"Don't see how that could hurt anything. Sure, go for it."

"Just hold still for me. This might feel a little weird."

I did as instructed, and my wrist was gripped by that same turquoise aura I had seen before. I didn't move a muscle, but my arm left it's place at my side, and lifted a few inches above the bed. As she predicted, I felt a tingling inside my lower arm. It almost felt as if it had fallen asleep.

About thirty seconds passed when she let go of my hand. Though the aura was gone, my arm continued to feel like it was on pins and needles. Though the feeling was mildly irritating, when I lightly pressed down on the mattress, I didn't get the spike of pain that I was expecting.

"Did it work?" She asked.

"I guess it did. That's incredible." I complimented her. "I still don't think I'll ever fully comprehend all this magic stuff."

"You've already cast a spell. How do you still not get it?" She inquired.

"I didn't grow up around it. This is all so new to me."

"I'm sure you'll figure things out if you hang around long enough."

That was when I realized something: if Starlight had brought me here, I had nothing left connecting me to my own world. I had no way to get back. Did I even want to go back?

"Maybe." I humored her.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and was surprised when they smacked the floor. This bed was much lower than I was accustomed to.

"What do you think you're doing?" Starlight shot.

"Getting up. I'd like to look half decent for the princess, and you just ripped my only shirt off."

"Oh no, I don't think so. You're hurt, and you need to get some rest."

"I've got a few scratches. It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. You lost quite a bit of blood." She insisted. As if proving her point, I stumbled during my attempt to stand, and nearly wound up on my face. If Starlight hadn't caught me, I might've added 'broken nose' to my list of injuries. She pulled me back to my feet, but didn't force me back onto the bed, like I expected her to. She seemed to be relenting.

"Can you stand?" She checked. I gave a nod, and she let go. I started to topple again, but used the wall to catch myself.

"I thought I had to stay in bed."

"You persisted on getting up, and I wasn't going to fight you."

"Thanks."

I worked my way to the corner where she tossed my shirt, and slowly bent to pick it up, still using the closest wall to support myself. I unfurled it, confirming that it was totally ruined. It went from blue to purple, and had multiple tears on the front half. I would have to find something else, or go shirtless. I briefly contemplated the latter, but decided that it would be better to have something to cover myself. These ponies might not have clothes, but they do have a coat of fur. I was completely bare.

"Do you have any blankets not stained with blood lying around?" I queried.

"In the chest at the foot of the bed." She said from the bathroom, which she had migrated to during my quest to find my shirt. She must have been preparing for the princess as well.

I crossed the room unsupported, and was pleased when I made the trek without loosing my balance. I flipped open the box, and pulled out a purple blanket matching the color of Starlight's mane. I draped it over my shoulders like a cloak, and called Starlight.

"Is this okay?'

She poked her head around the bathroom doorway and examined my makeshift article of clothing. After eyeing me up, she shrugged and nodded her head.

"I guess that'll work. It's not very formal." She mused.

"Well I'm willing to bet the shirts here aren't designed for humans, so unless you know an outstanding tailor who'd be willing to throw something together last-minute, this is the best I can do."

"Actually, I do happen to know somepony who could do that, but there's not enough time to get there, make a shirt and get back. Twilight said Princess Luna ought to be here any minute."

"Then you're going to have to deal with me looking like this." Though it was a harsh choice of words, we both found the lightheartedness behind it.

After a few minutes, Starlight came back out, and walked to the bedroom door. She motioned for me to follow her, and we stepped into the hallway. Though I was no longer connected to Starlight, I was still vaguely familiar with the castle. I followed her down a few halls, and into a room with decorated tree roots for a chandelier, and a single round table in the middle of the floor. It was surrounded by seven chairs, all made from some kind of crystal. Two of the chairs were occupied. One by Twilight, who had claimed the seat with the same mark that she had on her sides, just above her hind legs. Spike sat in a small chair beside her.

"Glad you two made it on time. I thought Luna might beat you here." Twilight teased. Spike still refused to make eye contact with me, but he didn't try to run off. I had to find a way to show him I was harmless.

"Nate insisted on standing on his own, which wasted a few minutes." Starlight threw me under the bus.

"Whoa, hang on! Don't you pin this on me! You're the one that took forever in the bathroom." I retorted.

"I would have been in there sooner if I didn't have to keep you from falling on your face." She justified. Seeing I wasn't going to win this, I gave in.

"Alright, maybe we would have been better off if I wasn't quite as stubborn. Sorry."

"That's okay, Nate. You were on time, and that's what it really comes down to." Twilight forgave me.

"Hey, while we're on the topic: shouldn't somepony meet Princess Luna at the door?" Starlight pointed out.

"I'm on it." Twilight stated. "I was just making sure you got here, first." She rose, and left the room. When she was gone, I turned to Starlight.

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What's up?" She smiled.

"What are these?" I pointed to the mark on her side.

"You mean my Cutie Mark?"

"Your what mark?"

"My Cutie Mark. That's what it is. Haven't you ever seen one before?"

"Nope."

"Well, I guess only ponies have them, and you've never seen a pony before." She reasoned.

"What is it?" I pressed.

"It represents the pony who has it. It symbolizes their unique talent. They're all different, depending on the pony that earned it."

An image popped into my head. I had seen it during my time in Starlight's mind, but I was afraid to ask about it at the time.

"Why did I see a few ponies with grey equal signs?"

"When did you see that?" She asked, the concern in her voice spiking.

"When I looked through your memories."

"Oh." She relaxed. "That's a long story. Remind me to tell you about it later. We have to talk to the princess now." Just as she said this, I heard Twilight and a new voice conversing in the hallway, getting closer. It was finally time to answer some of my biggest questions.