“Another day, another battle,” Cameron muttered to himself as he walked through the doors to the high school that he attended. At school, Cameron was an outcast, every day was a battle. He had few friends, but none he could really trust. While he only had a few friends, he had plenty of enemies. He got along with his teachers very well and more often he felt like he was better friends with them than any of the students there. The teachers enjoyed his presence in the class room, he was a good student, quick witted, and a hard worker. Cameron looked like a normal happy teen on the outside, but on the inside it told a very different story, whether he recognized it or not he was in a depression, but who wouldn’t be if they too were alienated by the entire student body. His only refuge from all the chaos in his life was waiting at home in his room, his computer. Every day at exactly five minutes till three in the afternoon his school would let out, he would go home do his homework and sit down and watch episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic on his laptop. This was his calm in the storm that was his life.
“FAGGOT,” screamed a bunch of kids that drove by in a car. This was one of the many words that he had come to have gotten used to being called over the last two years. This was first started when during his freshmen year, through clever sets of untrue rumors; all of his classmates thought and deeply believed he was gay. This was false, Cameron knew the truth and to him that was all that mattered, as today was the last day of his sophomore year.
Like any other gorgeous sunny afternoon, Cameron walked to his dad’s house only a mile from the school. He always ends up following an old trail through the woods behind his dad’s house that at one point in time had rails and ran freight trains daily, the tracks are torn up now and all that’s left is a trail that goes behind his house. Something felt off to Cameron today, he felt like there was another presence watching him walk the path; he took no heed to this red flag in his mind and kept walking. He came to a point in the trail where the sun was at his back, he looked down at his shadow, and he not only saw his shadow but three others as well. Another red flag went up in his mind, it screamed for him to run, but again not listening to another red flag in his mind, he turned around to meet the strangers of whom the shadows belonged to, instead he turned around and was greeted with a fist to the face. The blow was unexpected and powerful enough to send Cameron to the ground. The other figures quickly pounced on this opportunity; they began a relentless barrage of punching and kicking. For the grounded Brony, the pain was only momentary, soon the world faded to black.
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Cold.
Darkness.
Pain.
Am I……..am I dead?
No……too much pain to be dead.
Cameron awoke sometime later. He soon realized that he couldn’t see out of his left eye. He touched the area around it out of curiosity, it was swollen shut. His rubs ached; the pain grew stronger with each breath he took. He had splitting pain in his head. He finally came around to grasp the fact that it was now dark out and that he needed to get out of the forest path. Cameron got himself up with the aid of a nearby tree and began limping down the direction that he thought that was home. After heading that direction for a few minutes, the Brony noticed a light ahead, continuing in that route he came to see that it was a glowing white ball of light that was floating about two feet from the ground. Standing an arm’s length away from the floating sphere of light, Cameron hesitantly reached out towards it. The tip of his finger touched the surface, a blinding light followed and Cameron quickly found himself not standing on firm ground anymore but actually falling.
Screaming as he rapidly descended an unknown distance, he hit the earth with a large thud and in turn the ground welcomed him with pain. Lying face down in a grassy field, the likes of which Cameron did not know, he moaned agonizing groans of pain for an unknown period of time. Feeling a sense of heat upon him he gazed upon the source, a flame lit lamp. He reached his arm out towards it in a gesture of asking for assistance, moaned then slipped away into the darkness of unconsciousness once more.
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It was night time in Equestria, Luna’s moon was shining most beautifully this night, but not everypony was asleep, yet. With Angel now asleep, Fluttershy also prepared for bed. She had just finished brushing her mane and putting on her night gown and cap, she heard frantic screaming followed by a loud thud.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEP,” Fluttershy squealed as she hid under the covers. She poked her head out only to wonder what that could have been. Finally convincing herself to go see what the noise could have been, she lit her oil lamp and ventured out into the night.
H-hello? Is…..is anypony out here?” She asked.
No answer.
Fluttershy searched the property surrounding her cottage for around five minutes and was nearing where her land ended and Everfree began, a moan of pain perked her ears and she went towards the source. Another moan, this one sounded even more painful than the last, somepony or some creature was hurt and whatever it was, it needed her help.
Fluttershy soon found the source. It was a creature of which she had never seen before. The creature bore no fur on it, except for on what she assumed was its head. It had pale skin, the fur was brown, and oddly, it was wearing clothes. The creature had four limbs, two looked like they were for walking, and the other two reminded her of Spike’s arms and claws, so she assumed that’s what they were. It also seemed to be carrying something that resembled a saddlebag; she found that to be odd as well. She heard another moan of pain from the creature; she shined the light of her oil lamp closer to its head. It looked up at her, reached out for her. She saw its badly beaten, bruised, and swollen face. At that moment Fluttershy made her mind. She didn’t know what this creature was, but is needed her help and she was the only one who could save this creature.
That’s what she thought at least……………..
Nearly a week had gone by since the night she found the creature that now remains motionless in a sleep like state. She has been keeping a close eye on it now, in case it was to wake up, but something seemed off. This creature wasn’t in any of the books she had on animals or the few she had on mythical creatures either. She would’ve went to ask Twilight to come and examine the creature to see if she knew what it was or had any books that had whatever this creature was in it, but both Twilight and Spike were in Canterlot visiting her family. In fact Fluttershy hasn’t told any of her friends of her discovery, yet. Rainbow Dash was in Cloudsdale trying out for the Wonderbolts –again, Rarity was in Manehatten attending a fashion show, Applejack and her family was in Appleloosa for the Apple Clan Reunion, and Pinkie Pie was busy babysitting Pound and Pumpkin Cake while their parents were on a well-deserved vacation.
Not being able to further care for the injured creature simply ate up Fluttershy inside, after taking care of all the other forest creatures, she often found herself reading next to the creature residing in her bed. It seemed to add a comforting element to the situation, well at least to her it did.
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Pain.
Cameron awoke from his unconsciousness.
Let’s try and get up.
And I can’t move anything.
Well, that’s just dandy.
Looking around the room with his eyes, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about this room seemed eerily familiar.
“I’ve seen this room before but where……..and why AM I NOT WEARING ANYTHING BUT MY BOXERS?” Cameron thought to himself. “Alright, let’s not panic, I’m not chained up or anything……….as far as I know,” He took a deep breath through his nose, “Well at least it smells nice.” He noted.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
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Fluttershy’s ears perked up as she heard a deep inhale come from her bed. She looked over at the creature, its eyes were open.
‘’Oh, you’re awake,” Fluttershy tried to say with the most comforting tone she could.
That voice…….
Cameron instantly knew where he was now. “Ok, I’m insane…..yeah let’s just go with that one, no, I don’t think I’m there quite yet…... I must be dreaming or…….something. This is impossible, something is up and I have no idea what the hell is going on…….. Yeah, I’m just gonna go with the loss of my sanity…….” Adrenaline started to course through his veins as a bit of panic set in, feeling it flow to every limb, he took full advantage. Now being free to move, he leapt from Fluttershy’s bed to the side opposite Fluttershy. He stood there, watching her. She was now hiding in a corner, face buried behind her mane and hooves, he assumed out of fear.
“Shhh…….Shhhhh….It’s going to be alright Fluttershy,” Cameron whispered with a calming tone. “I’m not going to hurt you”
“H-how do you know my name?” Fluttershy stammered, still trembling in the corner.
“It’s kind of a long story, I’ll tell you later, but I need you to do something for me. Can you do something for me?” Fluttershy nodded her head in agreement. “Good, well there is no easy way to ask this, but I need you to hit me, hit me as hard as you can.”
“Wha-what?!?” Fluttershy tearfully cried “I-I couldn’t possibly do that, it would onl-“
“Yes, yes you can do this,” he explained “I need you to hit me as hard as you can so that I know that this is real life and not just some fantasy.”
“I………..I-I………I can’t do it,” she managed to stammer out.
“Ugh…….yes yo- ,” he was cut short by a small white bunny roundhouse kicking him in the face. Cameron nearly choked as the wind was knocked out him while he fell flat on his back to the floor.
“I-I’m sorry………………I-I just couldn’t do it,” she whimpered as tears fell to the wood floor.
Cameron gasped for air as he sat up. “It’s ok Fluttershy; I shouldn’t have asked for you to do something like that, there’s no reason to say you’re sorry, I know this is real now. If anyone is sorry it should be me.”
“So......what are you?” Fluttershy inquired. “I’ve never seen a creature like you before, not even in the few mythology books I do have.”
“I’m a human and I’m not surprised that I’m not in any historical records, yet.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because it would be very unlikely that humans have ever been to this world.”
“Hmmm…..what’s your name?”
“My name is Cameron Hickson.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Well last time I checked, I was just outside of Fort Wayne, Indiana………in the country of the United States of
America…………..on planet Earth. I really don’t have a clue as to how I got here.”
“When I found you, you were hurt……..pretty bad.”
“……..I actually don’t really remember what happened,” he looked down at himself and saw all the bruises on his body.
“You were unconscious……..for almost a week,” she told him.
“I bet my dad is worried sick,” Cameron replied.
“Oh…oh my, I….um…..imagine he would be.”
“Yeah, by any chance could I have a glass of water? I’m really thirsty.” Cameron asked Fluttershy. She nodded her head.
“Oh, I bet you are…..for being unconscious for almost a week and all,” she added “I’ll go get you a glass.”
“Thank you………..thank you for everything you’ve done, I’m sure I owe you my life”
Fluttershy returned a short time later with a glass. “So you still haven’t told me how you know my name yet.”
He took a gulp of water and replied, “Well…….I’ll tell you soon, but I’ll need to speak with the other five girls to clear everything up.”
“Oh…..well um I guess you’re lucky then.” Fluttershy replied.
“How’s that?”
“Because we were actually planning a get together tonight because Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack just got back to Ponyville because they had….um….events to attend.”
“I see……… and about my clothes…”
“Oh, well you see…um… well I….um… washed them….they were all muddy and had blood stains…..I hope you’re not angry or anything…”
Cameron took another sip, “Oh no, I’m not angry Fluttershy, I was just worried…….yeah, very worried……it’s not every day that I wake up somewhere new……..without my clothes, but I do appreciate that you cleaned them.”
“I took out the things that you were carrying in the pockets and set them by your umm…..saddlebag?”
“Backpack, its fine…..sooo where are my clothes?”
“Oh, um, they are by your backpack.”
“And that is?”
“At the foot of the bed.”
“Oh……ok,” He chuckled a bit because he didn’t notice it being there “Do you have a bathroom I could use and maybe a shower?”
“That would be down the hall and to the right.”
“Thank you…………..well for everything.”
Still slightly limping, he made his way to the bathroom. “Ouch…..how did I even get here…..this is kinda impossible……….better question, how do I even turn on this shower……..” Cameron stood puzzled at the shower in front of him. “Now which knob is hot water,” He turned the first knob. “COLD, COLDCOLDCOLDNOTTHISONE, DEFINATLY NOT THIS ONE, NEXT KNOB!” He turned the next knob, “Let’s see what this one isHOTHOTHOTHOTTURNITTURNITTURNIT,” He turned off the knob of scalding water and looked at the knob that was below the other two. “Well let’s see, we have the knob for mother fucking Mordor, the knob for the god damned Arctic Ocean, why the fuck not, let’s just turn this one and find what surprise it has for me,” he turned the final knob, “mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I like dis one ahahah…………….”