The Broken One

The massive bear launched itself at me, the razor sharp claws whipping past my face. I reacted instinctively and teleported several feet away. The bear changed course and charged again, going in for a bite. I noticed what the beast was doing and leaned back, avoiding the bite and catching the bear’s jaw with an uppercut punch. The hairy giant wobbled for a moment before it flopped down on its haunches and started actually bawling.

“What is it”, Fluttershy called as she exited the house.” Oh Harry, what happened?”

The bear sobbed and grunted and growled while pointing at me. As Harry kept making noises Fluttershy’s brow dropped lower and lower.

“That sounds terrible”, Fluttershy gasped, “but you should know better, Harry.”

The massive bear hung his head and made some more noise before she turned her perturbed glare on me.

“I’m disappointed in you, Jackson”, she said sternly. “It isn’t nice to hit others.”

“I’m sorry”, I muttered sheepishly before a thought struck me. “Hey, I was just defending myself.”

“I know, and Harry said he’s sorry”, she replied. “Now, let’s all go inside and have some tea.”

Harry and I followed Fluttershy toward the house, both of us sufficiently shamed. Suddenly he reached one claw out to me. I glanced from his claw to his face, wincing when he shifted his eyes to the side where Fluttershy was watching us. I accepted his claw and huffed out a breath when he pulled me into a hug. I heard a cute giggle before the door opened.

“Put me down”, I grunted while trying to squirm free.

Harry ignored me and carried me inside, stooping to fit through the door. I sighed heavily as he tromped up the stairs to the second floor and through the second door on the left. Before me was a bedroom with a somewhat large bed, a decent sized writing table and chair and a dresser. Harry seemed to smile as he put me down patted my head and trundled out of the room.

“I see you found your room”, she smiled quietly.

“Yeah”, I laughed. “Harry kinda helped me find it.”

“I’m so glad the two of you are getting along”, she whispered as she closed her eyes in happiness.

“I’m sorry”, I found myself apologizing. “It was all a misunderstanding. Harry got scared I guess and was protecting you.”

“Yes, he’s awfully protective”, she said, her ears drooping. “I’m just sorry you two got in a fight.”

At that moment a fuzzy bunny, who Fluttershy introduced as Angel, hopped into the room and stared at Fluttershy as he tapped his back paw on the floor. He snottily pointed at his mouth, then Fluttershy, then the other part of the house. The timid Pegasus apologized the entire way out the door and disappeared. Angel stared at me for a second before blowing a raspberry and disappearing out the door.

“Stuck up little asshole”, I muttered as I went back down to retrieve my belongings I had dropped when Harry attacked.

I gathered my travel bag and bedroll and headed back inside. On the way up the stairs I passed a slightly blushing Fluttershy and asked for paper and a quill. She promised to bring it to me right away, blushed a little bit harder and zipped away.

“Coexist peacefully”, I muttered as I entered my room.

I looked around the room and settled for putting the flowing outfits in the dresser. My socks went in the top drawer, thin summer socks like I wore now on the left and the thicker winter socks on the right. My shirts went into the middle drawer, again separated by season, as well as the pants and shorts in the bottom drawer. When I was satisfied with my clothing I pulled the few knickknacks out that I had acquired while living in the castle.

The first I pulled out was a plain silver necklace with a triangle pendant on it. I had been in an antique shop hiding from the overprotective gazes of the royal guards when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. As my eyes locked on it I felt drawn to it like I was supposed to have it. I happily parted with the fifty bits for it. Whenever I wore it, I felt as if I had rested for a week or something. That’s how good it made me feel.

The second was a scratched up ring made from woven gold strands, nothing important. I had spotted it at the open market in Canterlot one weekend and on a whim decided to buy it. There was absolutely nothing special about the ring, but I still felt something telling me the ring would be useful. So naturally I said fuck it and bought the ring.

The last item was a single small white alicorn feather inside a silk pouch, given to me by mom the night before I left Canterlot. She said it was a way to remember her. Even though I pointed out that I would be able to see the castle from Ponyville she still insisted I took it so I would always have a part of her with me.
I sat the ring and amulet on the top of the dresser and slipped the cord of the pouch around my neck. As soon as the silk touched my skin I felt comforting warmth flood over me, calming me and giving me a sense of peaceful strength. It was a welcome feeling, even if it was unexpected.

“I have that paper and quill”, Fluttershy called from the hallway, gasping as she came in the door. “Jackson, you’re glowing!”

“Huh”, I laughed as I looked down at my luminescent arms and torso.

“It’s so pretty”, she cooed as she flitted up to stroke my shiny cheek.

“You just wanted to touch me”, I grinned before booping her on her blushing nose. “You can admit it.”

“I wasn’t- I didn’t-“, she stammered as she dropped out of the air. “Oh, I’m sorry Your Highness!”

I arched an eyebrow and began to reach for her. She let out a cute “Eep!” and vanished out the door. I wasn’t really going to kiss her, but over the past month I had gotten used to that reaction when she would visit me at the castle. The first couple times I had actually kissed her, but eventually she began disappearing as soon as she realized what she had said.

I laughed and scooped up the supplies she had dropped. One of these days I would learn not to tease Fluttershy but it wasn’t today. I decided it would be best if I went ahead and wrote that letter, so I made my way to the desk and sat down to write.

Dear Mom.
I made it to Ponyville just fine. I ran into Rainbow Dash on the train, and you’ll be glad to hear that I apologized to her and now we’re friends. I also met an interesting pony on the train named Pinkie Pie. I think she uses true magic. The only thing I have seen her do is make confetti appear out of thin air. It isn’t a bad thing, but I thought you should know. Things are going well with Fluttershy, except for a misunderstanding with her bear Harry, but everything is okay now. I’ll write to you on Friday, just like I promised. Don’t worry about me or Twilight Sparkle. Until next time.
Your son,
Jackson.

I focused on my mother and sent the letter on its way. I went to the restroom to get a glass of water, jumping slightly as a scroll popped out of thin air in front of me. I clumsily grabbed it before it could fall and saw it was a reply from mom.

My dearest Jackson,
I’m glad to find your trip went well. I can’t help but worry about you both. I’m quite proud of you for apologizing to Rainbow Dash. She would be a very loyal friend. This Pinkie Pie you mentioned does seem to be using true magic somehow. Keep an eye on her for now, son. I hope you haven’t been teasing Fluttershy like you would at the castle. I look forward to your next letter.
-Mom

Considering I was planning to go into town I slipped the pouch off and into a pocket with the letter. Much to my relief I stopped glowing, which would have been hard to explain. Hell, it was going to be hard enough to explain my existence to any curious ponies. I decided not to dwell on it and headed out of my room.

“Fluttershy, I’m headed to town”, I called as I crossed the living room. “Do you need anything while I’m out?”

“A small bundle of cotton”, she quietly called from a side room. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

“I don’t mind”, I called back before closing the front door behind me.

I took a deep breath of the happiness inducing flowers near the door and set off at a relaxed pace on the way to town. I enjoyed the scenery as I walked along, peace seeming to just ooze from my surroundings. I was greeted by three little fillies, who introduced themselves as Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom that were absolutely filled with curiosity. I was bombarded with questions the entire way into town where the three said their goodbyes and scampered off.

“Cute little things”, I smiled as I made my way to Sugar Cube Corner.

The bakery was packed, ponies filling every table and waiting in line to receive their baked goods. Curious murmurs began floating through the air as ponies began noticing me and an impossibly high pitched voice screeched my name half a second before I found a pink blur wrapped around my face.

“Mffr mmph!”

“What was that”, Pinkie asked as she leaned back, freeing my face.

“I said let me go”, I gasped.

She smiled sheepishly before dropping to the floor. She nervously rubbed the back of her head as she apologized. I chuckled and patted her head which brought her happy smile back. She zipped to the kitchen and returned immediately with a tray of food.

“Pinkie, I can’t eat hay”, I said slowly.

“I know”, she smiled. "Nothing I brought you is hay.”

I looked closer and realized that what she had said was true. I tasted the pasta, my eyes going wide at how delicious it was. A small portion of fish was the next thing I devoured. It tasted almost as good as the fish Fluttershy had brought me during her regular visits. After I finished that off I turned my attention to the bright red cupcake and glass of milk. I pulled the wrapper back and took a nibble of the cupcake, surprise flashing across my face.

“Holy shit”, I laughed. “This thing tastes like apple cider!”

Pinkie grinned as I finished the cupcake and milk off. We sat and talked for a few minutes, getting to know each other a little. Eventually she had to return to work, so I tried to pay for my food before leaving. I had just made it out the door when I felt a hoof shoving into my pocket. I whirled around and came face to face with a perturbed Pinkie threatening me if I didn’t take my money with me.

“Okay”, I said slowly, shuddering when she grinned and zipped away.

I shook my head and began walking down the street toward the market. I made it half a block before I heard Rainbow Dash cry out a warning. I instinctively ducked, glad I did as the multicolored menace crashed into a purple unicorn and a purple and green lizard. I laughed and continued on my way, somehow passing Pinkie Pie going in the other direction. I decided then and there not to think about the pink.

A niggling doubt burrowed its way into my brain as I walked, the sunshine seeming to be less comforting. I shrugged and made my way to the general goods store, trying to ignore the stares. I searched the shelves for cotton, surprised to find small individual bundles of cotton packaged for sale. I grabbed one and found a few other things I would need to make my room more comfortable.

“Okay, time to go”, I muttered to myself.
I made my way to the front of the shop and approached the clerk at the ancient looking cash register humming a foreign yet familiar tune to myself. The clerk smiled as she unloaded my basket and pressing buttons to total their prices up. She blushed lightly as she rang up the bundle of cotton.

Dafuq was that about, I wondered as I counted the correct bits onto the counter.

I shrugged and picked up the honest to goodness saddlebags, for fuck’s sake, and left the shop. A warm breeze blew in from Sweet Apple Acres bringing with it the aroma of apple cider, lifting my spirits as I headed back to my new home. I caught a glimpse of Rainbow Dash as she zipped through the sky just above the treetops.

“Ha, she’s gonna kill herself one day”, I scoffed as I let myself through Fluttershy’s gate.

I shook my head and entered the little cottage, cocking my head to the side as I heard the faintest noise. I listened closely and followed the direction the sound came from only to arrive at the door to the side room Fluttershy had called out from earlier. Apparently the room she was in was the downstairs bathroom.

“Fluttershy”, I called softly. “Are you okay?”

“Yes”, came the breezy reply.

“I have the cotton”, I said as I dug it from one of the saddlebags.

“Slip it under the door and leave please”, she whispered.

“What?”

“You need to leave, please. Just for a few days”, she begged.

At that moment the familiar pop of a teleporting pony resounded right behind me. I turned around and found myself face to worried muzzle with my mother. Before I could greet her we both winked out of existence and popped into a large room I was unfamiliar with. At one end of the room sat a high backed throne, giving me the blatantly obvious idea that this was the royal throne room.

“What’s going on, mom”, I asked as I glanced around.

“I apologize for spiriting you away so abruptly”, she sighed, “but I felt it best to remove you from the premises.”

“Why?”

“You see”, she hesitated, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

“What is it”, I asked, my ire raising a fraction.

“Certain times of the year”, Celestia said with a blush, “mares go through a biological process called ‘heat’ and I never thought I would be giving this talk.”

“Could this have anything to do with her asking why I don’t have a sheath”, I wondered.

“SHE ASKED YOU WHAT”, Celestia screamed, her Canterlot Voice echoing through the castle.

“Well, fuck.”