Adventures in Equestria.

As I drifted off I became aware of the dreamscape. My fortress in my mind stood, Luna sat on her perch, and finally, both Apache One and Sioux Two were still there. Reaccessing my situation I decided to think. I wasn’t going to be able to move my skeletons easily. Luna had set alarms so as soon as I moved too much she would know. I was stuck in the dreams I was already in with A1. This limited my ability to search for Apple for sure. I did have a lead though. The marks on the flank might be related to that on the door. The yellow pony from the day had shown me that. Not to mention I was in her dream as well. I might be able to contact her.

Focusing on A1 I sought the poor chap with the SAW. He was in a foxhole in a tree line looking out onto an open field. Gazing through his optic I could make out the yellow pony with the pink mane. To confirm I stayed there for a few minutes more till she shifted enough for me to spy her flank. Right there just like the day was the three butterflies. I let out a cheer from my actual self. I was right. The door and the flank did match. It was the method of organization. How to find Apple though. She wouldn’t have a mark. Luna would know but I wasn’t exactly on speaking terms with her. Could I get this yellow pony to tell me? Did she know? Jumping back and forth on the decision to talk or to hide I decided to talk. I had other members of A1 and this was my best and only lead. If I lost this sad shit in her dream I could continue on my search elsewhere.

Now to name the poor sod with the SAW. I can’t keep calling him sod, chap, shit, etc. Bony seems a little on the nose but it’ll do. I had Bony stand up and sling his SAW on his back. Bony began to walk over to the yellow pony but as he approached she spotted him and flipped out. She collapsed to the floor. Her wings covering her face and the animals around her charged me.

Retrospectively skeleton warriors in full combat gear probably a little terrifying. The animals approached and tackled Bony. Bony fought back a little. I didn’t want him chopping the animals to bits with his axe. Shoving a dog off his face Bony called out, “Stop pony I want to talk!”

This actually worked. The animals stopped attacking and the pony peered beyond her wings. Crawling out from the pile I began speaking rapidly, “I am the human from the cell. The one you visited today with Sol.”

Realization dawned on the pony as I spewed my gravelly explanation.

“Y-you are f-from the cell?”, She squeaked out.

Quickly responding I stated, “Yes I am from the cell. I want to talk to you.”

Standing up and moving back she said, “Celestia and Luna said you are dangerous though.”

I had to put on some level of charm. Chuckling with Bony immediately I saw the pony withdraw more. How had I forgotten that Bony and his kind’s laugh sound terrible? He literally doesn’t have a voice box. I’m not even sure how he talks. I sat down and laid the SAW to the side in a motion of good faith though. “Only when provoked do I rise and fight”

“That isn’t true we had to take Applebloom from you and you fought use.”

“What do mean? Were you part of the ponies to attack Edoras and take Apple? The little yellow and red filly?’ I countered.

“Yes because you ponynapped her.” She fired back.

“I saved Apple from the wood wolves! I even for injured saving her. Then the next thing I know you all broke into my fort and destroyed my gate.”

At this, she turned meek and mumbled out, “Oh, I didn’t know that. Applejack said Applebloom had gone to the forest and did return. So when we saw the smoke from the castle. We figured you had taken her.”

“I did take her cause she was unconscious. I couldn’t just leave her there. Then after you all broke my gate down Luna came and sieged me in the middle of the night. What was I supposed to do not fight back!?” I admit was practically shouting at this point not very diplomatic of me. The poor horse laid down again and covered her head as I verbally assaulted her. Realizing what I was doing I stopped. Lowing my voice I said, “I’m sorry it has been a long few months here. I’m a little on edge from being kept in a cell and having Luna attack me in my dreams.”

“Luna didn’t want to attack”, she squeaked out.

Taking more rattling breaths with Bony I responded as calmly as I could, “That might not have been her intention but she burst into my mind and caused me great pain. So I took it as an attack after the preceding days. Regardless do you mind if we start over? I’m sorry I was rude and interrupted your dream.”

With my voice at a more even level, she sat up and looked at my skeletal form and respond, “It is okay. I’m sorry we attacked you.”

I had to salvage this. It was my only hope at finding Apple. “Now I didn’t catch your name I do apologize. May I ask what is it?”

Her ears perked up more and she responded with just a tad more confidence than earlier, “My name is Fluttershy, what is yours?”

I tried to recall my name. What was it? What had my family called me? What did my friends and my girlfriend call me? What was it? Why couldn’t I remember it? I had used it all my life. It was important, maybe the most important part of who I was. Why don’t I know it! When did I last use it? I must have written it down in my school notes? Or it had to be in my wallet? If I didn’t know I could find them and learn it. But why couldn’t I remember it?

“It is okay you don’t have to say if you don’t want to”, Fluttershy said. Moving and hovering by me.

Bony was crying. I was crying. First Bony can cry? Why can Bony cry, he is a skeleton. He doesn’t have tear ducts. Admittedly he could talk and he didn’t have a voice box. Scratching out I responded, “It is okay. I just can’t remember my name right now “

Fluttershy’s face curled up into a look of sorrow with this and reach out setting a hoof on my shoulder. With this touch, I broke down sobbing. Boney curled up into a ball mirroring my form in my mind. I couldn’t help it. I was broken. I couldn’t remember my name. It had been a rollercoaster of emotions these past days and months. I’d fought so much and hadn’t gotten anywhere.

Fluttershy cooed, “It is okay. You are safe here.”

I sobbed out, “No it isn’t. Nowhere is safe.”

“I’ll protect you. I’ll help you.” Fluttershy said as she ran a wing across my skeletal arm.

After some time I calmed down enough to sit up and look at her. Taking a few deep breaths more I apologized, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to break down like that.”

“It is okay, no need to apologize. What did you want to tal..”

A stabbing pain coursed through Boney and everything Fluttershy said stopped. My vision faded and was replaced with that of my cell. I laid there gasping for breath, my hands clutching at my chest. A pink pegacorn with the green glowing horn chuckled. Before I could even comprehend further what was happening I was slammed into a wall. Falling back to the cold floor I was thrown again into the opposite wall. This punishment continued, as the evil pegacorn laughed. I was being thrown around like a sack of potatoes. After the 3rd contact with the wall, I passed out. My vision tunneled and blackness took hold of me.