I. Chapter 4: Leaving the hospital

Everywhere was dark. I lay on my bed and trying to sleep, it's a terrible feeling when you try to fall asleep but you can't. I decided to get out of bed even though Redheart strictly forbade.

I slowly discovered the quilt and flipping it aside. I slipped off the bed and I stood on legs, for a moment I got dizzy but quickly, everything went back to normal, but... something was wrong, although I could clearly see my hands, like in the daytime, as well as the bed, after a while, I looked around the room, but I couldn't call it like that. There was absolutely nothing around me. I took a few steps from the bed, then I already knew. I wasn't in the hospital anymore.

I walked along. The darkness in which I was, seemed to have no end, then... I heard it... A snarling. I immediately turned around, it was this damned monster. He looked at me with his red, glowing eyes, grinning his teeth in a nasty smile. It attacked me when I ran away from home, it still looked the same... A big, winged black lion with a scorpion's tail. When I was reading a book called "Daring Do" I read something about a creature called Manticore. It suited the description perfectly.

It was in front of me and smiling at me. I had enough of it. What did this thing want from me? And why it will not just leave me alone?

"What do you want from me?!" - I asked angrily, It only smiled at me - "Get out! And leave me alone!" - I shouted. When the beast began to laugh, in a deep tone - "You hear me?!" - I asked again what the monster began to laugh even louder - "Get out, and leave me alone!" - I shouted, more furiously

"Hahaha... Oh, I was really moved" - Monster replied, sarcastically

"Get out, and leave me alone!" - I screamed

"Because what will you do to me? Will, you hit me with stalk, as before?" - Beast asked

"Get out! You are not real!"- I shouted again

"I'm not really for you, huh?" - Monster said, - "You are not a challenge for me"

A moment later, he approached me violently. I jumped backward.

"Mmm... Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear" - The beast said, grinning and drooling - "I'll make you crazy and I'll kill you. I'm your worst nightmare, everything that you're afraid of"

"No, no, no! Leave me alone! I'm... not afraid you!" - I said panicked

"Everybody says that" - Monster said

I trembled in fear, I did not know what to do, then it beast roared, and then started running towards me. I regained consciousness and started to run away, I did not even pay attention, where I run. I stumbled and I fall down.

I was to get up when suddenly the monster ran up to me, stood in front of me and pressed me to the ground. My face met his face. Then It lifted up, making a sound similar to roar and human scream. he dropped his head violently to bite me, I was helpless. I closed my eyes, covering with my hands and I started screaming loudly.

"AAAAAAAAAGH! LEAVE ME!" - And then, I woke up - "DON'T KILL ME, PLEASE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" - I screamed, and then Redheart ran into the room

"What the hell is going on here?!" - Redheart asked surprised

Then I dropped my hands and opened my eyes, in the doorway stood Redheart, behind her I noticed Twilight and Rainbow Dash. I stared at them, with frightened eyes, studied the room for a moment, making sure that there is nothing in the room.

Immediately Twilight ran up to me.

"What's happened? Are you alright?" - She asked, looking at me with concern, after a while, Rainbow Dash came to the room - "Hey, I'm here... what happened?" - Twilight asked, approaching to me closer, grabbing my shoulders.

"I... I s-saw something ..." - I replied, still in shock

"What?... What did you saw?" - She asked

"I-I had a nightmare. I was in a place where everything was d-dark... And then..." - I replied, with a trembling voice

"And then what?" - She asked, even more inquisitively

"I saw t-this... B-beast" - I stammered, then tears began to stream from my eyes - "H-he said that he would k-kill me..."

"Wait, Are you talking about this beast, through which are you here?" - Twilight asked, and I just sat there and I kept silent, and from my eyes were stream tears - "Hey. It's okay, it's just a bad dream. You are safe here, It will not come to you" - Twilight said, then gently hugged me, I hugged her too, and frankly, I didn't want to let go.

I calmed down a bit, Twilight slowly released me from her grip, then she looked me in my eyes.

"Everything is okay?" - Redheart asked, looking at me with concern

"Y-yes..."

"If you want, I will bring you calming medicines. It doesn't look good" - Redheart said

"N-no, you don't have to, it's okay" - I said, wiping my tears

"Okay, but if you need something, call me, okay?" - Redheart said, then left the room

I sat there, head down, but after a moment I calmed down.

"Wow, that was horrible. Tell me, how long you had such nightmares?" - Rainbow asked

"Actually, I have them since I came up here" - I replied

"Tell me when you met... It?" - Twilight asked

"Then, when I ran away from my home" - I answered, already a little calmed down

"Oh no... I knew it" - Rainbow said

"What?" - Twilight asked

"Do you remember, how I was telling you how together with Fluttershy I brought him here?"

"Yes, I remember" - Twilight answered

"Fluttershy had to go home because she was dealing with animals. I stayed in the hospital, I just was worried about you, kid - Rainbow said, looking at me and then she gave me a warm smile

"Okay, what happened next?" - Twilight asked

"The doctors said that apart from the wounds inflicted by... It" - She paused for a moment - "They found old scars. They said that it was probably evidence of abuse" - Rainbow said, lowering her head down

"What?... Really?" - Twilight asked in disbelief - "At the beginning, I didn't believe it, but... Colin, who did it to you?"

"My father..."

"Your father did it to you?"

"Yes..." - I said, getting out of bed - "I hated my father. It is because of him, that I have these scars. He beat me, and my mother every day, but... One day, she couldn't stand it, and... she..." - I stopped I felt that tears are beginning to stream from my eyes

"It's okay... Don't say, if you don't want..." - Rainbow said, coming up to me

"Sit down, you don't look good" - Twilight said, then I sat down on the bed - "Tell me, how this beast looked?"

"it looked like a big black lion. It had red eyes, bat wings, and scorpion tail" - I said uneasily

"Manticore" - Twilight said

"I was so scared. He said that he would kill me" - I said, and then tears began to stream from my eyes

"Don't be afraid. He will not hurt you, it was just a bad dream" - Twilight said, and then I leaned my head against her and she pressed me lightly to me

It took some time before I calmed down. All the time I was wondering on the words spoken by this thing "You're not a challenge for me" I was wondering, what this fucking thing meant. Why It doesn't just leave me alone?

I sat in the hospital bed for about forty minutes. I was talking to Twilight and Rainbow Dash, about different things, to forget about what just happened, I didn't want to remember that.

"And what about Fluttershy, why she didn't come?"

"She wanted to come, but... She had a lot of things on her mind" - Twilight answered

"What things?" - I asked,

"Probably now deals with animals" - Rainbow Dash said - "Someone has to feed all of them" - Rainbow said, taunting

"All of them? How much does she have them?" - I asked

"Too much to count. I really don't know, how she deals with it" - Rainbow said

Our conversation was interrupted by Redheart entering the room.

"Hello Colin, how are you?" - She asked

"It's okay. I'm fine"

"Well, I have good news for you" - Sister Redheart said

"Really?" - I asked

"Yes, last night as you slept, the doctors checked your wounds, and it turned out that, it heals very well" - Sister Redheart said

"Okay, but something else?" - Rainbow asked

"In addition, he must remember to change the bandages every three days and most importantly, you shouldn't overwork. Your ribs are still cracked, and your body has not yet fully recovered" - Redheart said - "Well then, take your stuff and you're free. But now, I have to take care of other patients, bye!" - Redheart said, giving a warm smile to me and then left the room

"Hmm... There we have, only two problems" - Rainbow said

"What problems?" - I asked, then I looked at her

"First: you don't have any clothes, secondly: you have nowhere to live" - Rainbow said

"Oh... There is not a hotel here... Or something?" - I asked,

"If you want, you can stay with me" - Twilight said

"Wait, really?" - I asked

"Sure. At least until we find you a place to live"

"Thanks, Twilight"

"You're welcome"

Twilight and Rainbow Dash helped me with the pack. Actually... The only things which I had, was two books Daring Do series. After packing things, we went to the doctor for discharge, everything happened very quickly. After a while, we left the hospital, immediately sun striking my eyes. When my eyes got accustomed to the prevailing conditions, I dropped my hand down and, I saw Ponyville. The town looked really beautiful, and also it was a really beautiful day.

"Makes impressive, huh?" - Rainbow Dash asked after a moment

I did not say anything, just nodded, after a while, and we started to talk.

"Do you like it here?" - Twilight asked

"Hmm, I didn't pay attention to it, when I was here for the first time. Ponyville looks like beautiful, but..." - I said, looking nervously at the residents looking at me with surprise.

"Don't worry, residents will not hurt you, you can be sure of that" - Rainbow said

"I don't know..." - I said uncertainly

All ponies looked at me. Some looked at me with confusion, others looked at me with sadness, shame, and compassion, but there were those who looked at me with anger. One of them even prepared to throw a rock at me, I slightly ducked, but fortunately, someone stopped him. Rainbow Dash saw my anxiety and nervousness, then she looked angrily at the crowd which staring at me.

"What are you looking at, huh? Take care of your affairs" - Rainbow said, with anger in her voice

Everyone immediately turned away and returned to what they were doing, although some still looked at me.

"Thanks, Rainbow" - I said with relief

"No problem, kiddo. As I said, don't worry about them, they will not hurt you. You can be sure of that" - She said, giving me a nudge

"I wonder, why they attacked you?" - Twilight asked, walking next to me

"I don't know. Maybe they got scared of me, they saw me in blood and wounds" - I said, looking down to avoid stumbling.

"But they didn't have to attack you right away" - Twilight said, looking angrily at the residents, who after a moment turned around with shame

"No... It's okay, I'm accustomed to it" - I said

Twilight and Rainbow Dash stopped momentarily, I didn't notice that and went a few steps further and I stopped.

"W-wait... What?!" - Rainbow asked, shocked - "You kidding, right?"

"What?" - I asked

"Colin, you shouldn't say that you should never have been treated like that. It's not that, something you can get accustomed to it" - said Twilight, frowning

"But I..."

"She's right, kid. You should never have been hurt. To be honest, I don't do well when I imagine it" - Rainbow said, coming up to me - "Don't worry, nobody will hurt you here"

"Okay, let's go, my house is close"- said Twilight

We walked along the streets of Ponyville. The residents looked at me nervously, I felt insecure, when I was walking next to someone, so I just covered my face. Finally, we got to some big tree that had, doors, windows, and next to it there was a sign on which was a book.

"Well, here we are!" - Twilight said

"Wait, you live in a big tree? And... In the library?" - I asked

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Nothing... Just, you know... I heard about tree houses, but... a house inside in the tree?" - I said

"Well... As you see" - Twilight said opening the door, letting me in and Rainbow Dash inside

The interior of the house, or rather the library, looked interesting. It was carved, as were the shelves on which the books were located, in the middle there was a small table where the horse's head was carved in wood, but I was surprised that the books were scattered everywhere.

"Ugh... Spike! you didn't put the books on the shelves, as I asked you!?" - Twilight said - "Spike? Are you there?" - She asked - "Just, great..."

"Who is Spike?" - I asked

"This is my assistant, he's a dragon. I'm really sorry for this mess, feel at home. I'll clean up" - Twilight said, collecting books

"I'll help you" - I said

"No, you don't have to. You're my guest, I can handle with it" - She said

Even though Twilight said she could handle it myself, I helped her, well... I was her roommate now. Collecting books took us a good half hour, Rainbow Dash also helped, but a moment later she had to go to the place called 'Sugarcube Corner'. She had an appointment with her friend.

After dealing with the books, Twilight offered me tea, I did not refuse, the more that I was a little tired of arranging books. When Twilight went to make tea, my attention was caught by an owl sitting on a wooden pedestal.

I went to the owl to look at her, and then she made a sound.

"Who?" - I heard after a moment

"Wait... did you say something?"

I asked the owl, it was stupid I know ...

"Who?" - I was not wrong, it was this owl

"But who?" - I asked, lightly chuckling

"Who?" - She asked me again.

Honestly, it amused me, I could not resist and began to imitate her.

"Who?" - I asked

"Who?" - Owl asked

"Who?" - I asked again

"Who?" - Owl asked again

And again and again, we were repeating this word all the time. After a while Twilight entered the room, she couldn't stop laugh when she saw me, with her owl with which I kept repeating one word 'Who?'.

"Hahaha... Okay, okay, what is going on here?" - Twilight asked, laughing

"Uhmm... She started it" - I said, pointing to the owl sitting on a pedestal

"Who?" - Owl asked after a moment

I couldn't stop laughing, just like Twilight

"I see that you met Owlicious" - She said, stroking the owl

"Owlicious?" - I asked

"My owl, this is my second assistant" - Twilight said

I approached the owl closer, then began to gently scratch it under the chin, she hooted happily.

"I like her, though... I would prefer to call it Doctor Who" - I said with a smile

"Who?" - Asked the owl, then Twilight and I burst into loud laughter

"Yes, it definitely suits her" - Twilight said - "So... do you wanna drink a tea?"

"Yeah" - I said, then sat down together at the table

Twilight Horn shone with a pink glow, then a cup of tea came to me. I grabbed and started to drink, it turned out to be a herbal tea, it very relaxed me.

"Mmm... It's really good, a little bitter, but good" - I said, putting down the cup

"I'm glad you like it. It's a mix of lemon balm, eucalyptus, and wild chamomile" - Twilight said, taking a sip - "Zecora knows, what is good"

"Who is Zecora?" - I asked from Curiosity

"It's is my friend. She lives in the Everfree Forest" - She said, also putting the cup down on the table

"This is the forest behind the Fluttershy house?" - I asked

"Exactly" - She said

"Will we visit her someday?" - I asked

"Oh, I think not. Everfree Forest is a dangerous place, is swarming with monsters, believe me, you do not want to go there" - She said

"I understand" - I said, grabbing a cup

Time passed us very quickly, on talk. I asked Twilight what they mean the tattoos on their right, she said it's the cutie marks that every pony gets when he finds out his talent. It sounded incredible, but after what I saw, nothing will surprise me. We sat and talked, after a while, the door to the house opened and I saw in them, you will not believe me... A dragon, a real living dragon! His scales had a purple color, and the spikes on its back were green, like his eyes, and I thought that nothing would surprise me anymore.

"Oh! Hello, Spike" - Twilight said

The young dragon immediately looked at me, I saw the surprise on his face, exactly the same what I saw in the ponies when I arrived here.

"Twilight... What is... It?" - He said, pointing at me

"This is not IT. This is Colin, he's our guest, and as usual, you forgot to sort the books" - Twilight said, little angrily

"I'm sorry... I just forgot" - Spike said

"You forgot. This is not the first time, next time try not to forget, okay? " - Twilight said

"Okay" - Spike said, then he turned to me - "Hello I'm Spike, and you're Colin, right?"

"Yes. It's nice to meet you" - I said, Spike seemed alright, I even liked him.

"Actually... What are you doing here? I have never seen you here" - he said, looking at me - "I could even swear I have never seen a creature like you before"

"Colin is a human. We don't know where he came from, and there is nowhere to go. So he will live with us until we find him a home" - Twilight said

"Wait... So about him, we wrote to the Princess Celestia yesterday?" - Spike asked

"Exactly, yes. Has the princess already answered?" - Twilight asked

"This is strange, but no" - Spike replied

"Yeah, she usually answered" - Twilight said

"Maybe she doesn't know, what to think about it" - Spike said

"Hmm... Maybe..." - Twilight said

It began to get dark slowly. I finished my tea, and then I took a cup to the kitchen. I looked out the window, it was completely dark outside. At one point I saw something, in the darkness. I saw a pair of red eyes, suddenly, I saw that it started to smile disgustingly. I knew that it was a monster from my nightmares. I stared at it, I was terrified, I was afraid to move.

"Hey, what happened?" - Twilight asked, coming up to me, and I immediately looked at her

"There was something there" - I said, in a trembling voice

"What?" - Twilight asked, then looked out the window

"T-this m-monster, from my nightmares. It stood was there and looked at me, and..." - I didn't finish

"I think you should really go to sleep. There's nothing there" - Twilight said,

Nothing was there, but I knew it was different, it was there, I saw it with my own eyes!

"But... It's the truth... It stood was there and looked at me" - I said nervously

"You should really go to sleep, you don't look good" - Twilight said - "Go to the shower, but remember to remove the bandages"

"*Okay" - I said, stepping away from the window

"Would you like me to help you with the bandages?"

"No, I can handle it"

"Okay, but... Be careful"

"I'll be, don't worry"

I went to the bathroom to wash. I turned on the tap, then droplets of lukewarm water started to fall on me, but after a while they were warm, it was very pleasant feeling, but also painful because drops of warm water mixed with soap got into my wounds. When I washed, I dressed in my underwear and shorts and then put on bandages. The wounds still ached me unimaginably, because they still did not heal completely.

After leaving the bathroom, I went to eat supper, it was a vegetable salad and admit that it tasted quite good. After supper I went upstairs with Twilight, unfortunately, she didn't have a second bed so I had to sleep on the mattress, on the floor, but it did not bother me, I was very tired so I went to sleep at once.

"Goodnight, Colin" - Twilight said

"Goodnight Twilight, and... Thank you" - I said

"You're welcome. Now just try sleep, okay?"

"I probably will not have a problem with that" - I said, yawning

"I see" - She said, giggling - "Sweet dreams, Colin" - Twilight said, leaving the room and putting out the light

I lay on the mattress it was not too comfortable but it was better than nothing. My eyelids slowly began to get heavy, and then I began to close my eyes, but a moment before I closed my eyes, I saw something in the corner of the room, it was a figure that was slowly approaching me but I was too tired, to do anything.

"Spike, take parchment and pen. We have to send a letter"

"Alright then" - Spike said, pulling out a pen and parchment

Dear Princess Celestia

Today, Colin left the hospital, but he still feels uncertain about seeing other ponies, the more that attacked him a few days ago, but unfortunately, I'm afraid it's worse with him than I thought. when we come back from the hospital, everyone started to look at him, which disturbed him, but Rainbow Dash immediately reacted. After a while, Colin calmed down and we assured him, that they would not hurt him, the more so they should not attack him immediately, but then he said a terrible thing. He said that he was accustomed to it, accustomed to being harmed. But this isn't the worst, he said that he saw again this beast that probably attacked him, he said, the beast looked like a manticore and said he saw it tonight outside my window. I don't know, what to think about it, I'm worried about him, I'm going to bring him to Rarity tomorrow, and introduce him to the rest of my friends, and I hope that what he saw is not real.

Your loyal student: Twilight Sparkle

"Done! Send it right now?" - Spike asked

"Of course" - Twilight said

Spike, blowing the green fire on the letter, sending it to Canterlot.

"Message sent" - Spike said, yawning - "and now I'm going to sleep, I'm tired"

"Okay. Goodnight Spike" - Twilight said, going upstairs

"Goodnight..."

Twilight opened the door to the room, cautiously and slowly so as not to wake up Colin. At some point when she was in the room she noticed something very strange, she could swear that one second after opening the door, someone or something stood next to him.

"Huh? What the?" - She said, then walked over to Colin sleeping on the mattress - "Ehh, I really have to lie down."

She looked at the boy lying on the mattress, then gently stroked his hair.

"Sleep well" - She said, and then she climbed onto her bed

Twilight lay in the bed. She asked herself hundreds of questions. Is this beast was real? Why did he have to suffer so? She didn't know what to think about it. She looked up for a moment looking at Colin, and again the same... Again, she thought she saw something, but ignored it thinking that it was the only hallucination. She looked at the sleeping Colin for the last time, then smiled and slowly fell asleep.

End of Chapter 4...