My Terrible Nightmare

”Welcome to your new home!”

The pony said, opening the door and seeing empty space everywhere I looked. Ace jumped in excitement.

”Finally I can have a friend that lives close by!”

He put his arm around me and I smiled, setting my suitcase down. After going back to the castle and getting a few things, I set down a few boxes in a corner next to the door, starting to walk in the seller pony leaving us to marvel in the new place. It was like Ace’s place, but sort of opposite, the stairs next to the entrance for the kitchen, and space for a couch and a tv would be placed on the left. Kitchen was still on the same side as Ace’s, just with the stairs there. Twilight appeared as well with the other girls, all of them having something in their hooves.

”We are so glad you find a place to stay! Sad that I won’t be able to see you in the halls again.. but…”

She trailed on and formed my first furniture, a bookshelf, with a few books on it. I walked towards it and grabbed a book with my magic, moving around a bit, still getting used to my magic. It was about animals.

”Thought I’d give you a few things to read if you ever get bored! These were a few extras just for this exact moment! I know I gave some to Starlight before she left.”

I thanked her, Rainbow Dash coming up next, dropping some Wonder Bolt posters next to the bookshelf and a statue that had a lightning bolt placed on it, as well as the first book to Daring Doo.

”Okay so, I don’t know what you really like, and I know you don’t have wings, but the Wonder Bolts are super cool, as well as Daring Doo! I lent you my first ever book I got from Twilight when I started reading. Sure reading can get a bit weird, but I love this book! Read it first in a hospital. Pretty cool though!”

I picked it up with magic and saw the back, reading the summary of the book, and smiled, and nodded.

”Thanks Rainbow Dash, I’ll be sure to read this some time.”

She smiled and fell to the back. FlutterShy’s turn.

”I know you told me you really like ferrets, so me and rarity had the idea to sew you a little plush of one. I hope it’s okay.”

I smiled, holding the ferret plush in my aura. It was a bit bigger than an actual ferret size, but I didn’t care. I thanked her smiling a bit wider, smiling. Rarity was next.

”Other than the plush, I made you a new hoodie! But of course I know that one is a bit special.”

She said, winking, me and Ace looking at her and then at each other, eventually quickly looking away sheepishly. She flew the hoodie over, and saw it was made in a dark teal with dark purple trims, the hood as well. I nodded in approval, liking the style. I grabbed it with my magic and thanked her. AppleJack was next.

”Me and Granny quickly made this quilt for you for a blanket on your bed. Didn't know what you liked, so hopefully apples are okay!”

”Thanks AppleJack, feels nice.”

I felt the blanket. It felt a bit weird, but it still had a soft touch to it. I placed it down next to the other things, and once I turned around, Pinkie Pie was there, holding a rather big popper and popping it right in my face, confetti exploding around everywhere, blowing my hair back, a hat snapping in my head and ending up with a party blower in my mouth, me breathing out from the shock, but also making the blower make a noise.

”Happy ‘Welcome To Your New Home’ Day!!”

She shoved a present in my arms, and I spit out the blower and opened it up, seeing a huge cupcake, surprised that it wasn’t messed up with the tossing around.

”Oh hah, thank you Pinkie Pie. I can eat this a little later if that’s alright.”

”Of course!!! Whenever you want!”

She smiled and hopped to me, hugging me, my magic moving the cupcake out of the way, making sure she wouldn’t have knocked it over. She then hopped back where the others were.

”Thank you guys, really. All the gifts were amazing.”

I said, all of them saying you’re welcome. Eventually they all moved aside, as a mail pony came with a bed, and a couch. Ace going over and signing off the paper, and turned around, and smiled.

”This is my gift, haha. Hope the colors are alright.”

The couch was a royal blue, and the bed had a dark brown wood frame, with the blanket being purple, with normal colored white pillows. I looked at Ace and went over, hugging him.

"The colors look fine Ace. Thank you."

After they helped placed the furniture around the house, they said their goodbyes, and Ace stopped behind and turned.

"Hey, If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Okay?"

He smiled, and I nodded, and he flew away. I went up stairs and collapsed on my bed, stretching. I glanced over at the mirror Rarity lent over. It was a bit to pretty for my taste, but at least I had a mirror. I then stood up, walking over to it, looking at myself. What did I look before? I know I was human. I tried to visualize my face, and it slowly appeared. I tried smiling, but then the face disappeared and my pony face appeared back. I felt a bit sad, and a few tears slid down my face. I shook my head, laying back on the bed, and then crying, crying to much to where I passed out.

I woke up hours later, rubbing my head. Man, I really need to stop crying here. I shook my head and looked out the window. I was a bit dark, raining a bit. I got up and walked around my new place, moving around a few things before being satisfied with the results. Didn't take as much time, so I went back to the bed and fell back asleep. I then woke up by a knock at the door.

"ZJ? ZJ? You awake?"

I yawned and got up from the bed, heading down the stairs and towards the door, opening it. It was Shadow Ace.

"Look what tomorrow is! Wanna come with me?"

Ace shoved a flyer in my face, using my magic to hold it in front, seeing that it showed a bunch of artifacts with words I still can't really read. Whatever their language is It never really transferred over to whatever magic connected to me. Well at least Luna game me some. In fact, I saw that my magic color changed a bit to be more bluish. Eh, that's just Luna's magic probably since she used a spell. Or something more... Oh well.

"Oh, well sure. I don't have anything so why not?"

I smiled, rolling the flyer up and putting on the couch. Ace peaked in.

"Hey! You moved some things. It look really nice and tidy in here! Everything looks like they should be. You fine with it?"

He said, standing aside so he could come in and closing the door behind.

"Well yeah, I'm fine with it. Didn't take much to move it all since I got my magic working."

I said, my horn glowing and then not.

"Oh yeah, how was your talk with Luna? Did she help you with your magic?"

“Mhm, she did. Got to talk to her about other things as well which was really nice.”

Ace nodded in agreement. We then talked for a bit, him mostly about his family which started up a conversation about his brother.

"So my brother doesn't really want to get a cutie mark, says he doesn't want the 'wrong one', whatever that means."

"Yeah I get that."

I said, looking back at my flank. That does make sense really, getting a cutie mark and not liking it, or it looking off.

"Hey, wanna meet my family? Not doing anything now right?"

I looked up at him.

"Oh yeah, I would love to man."

He smiling, turning around and opening the door.

"They live a ways away, but there still in town, I just wanted a place to myself you know?"

I nodded, following behind him, closing the door. We walked for a bit, talked about his family and their interests, and we finally made it to the house, and he knocked on the door.

"Hello? Oh honey! Hi there! How are you doing dear?"

His mother said, pulling him in for a hug.

"Oh and who's this? Is this the pony you've been talking about?"

Ace nodded, her walking towards me and pulling me in for a hug. I just smiled a little.

"Come in! Come in! I have some sandwiches if you guys would like some."

We both nodded, closing the door behind us. As I walk in, and blur zooms by and startles me a tad.

"Oh that's Stripe hoof, my brother."

Ace said, as Stripe slammed down and landed right in front of us. He grinned.

"Hey Ace, I learned how to do 2 loops in the air today! Mom watched me do it!"

"That's nice little dude!"

He patted his head and Stripe jumped excitedly and flew around again. We walked towards the dinning table and sat down, his mom placing the sandwiches down. I looked inside the sandwich and saw there was hay straws and what looked like mayo. I shrugged and took a bite. Kind of dry, but the mayo gives it a taste.

"Hey kid."

I say, finishing one last bite. Stripe Hoof stops in mid-air and looks at me.

"Why don't you want a cutie mark?"

He glares over at Ace, and Ace shrugs, taking a bite of a sandwich.

"Well, if you must know, I just don't want something on my flank that'll scar me to do it's bidding."

My mouth drops a little and I think.

"I mean, you can still get a cutie mark and still do other things you love. You don't have to be bound by it."

He nods, but then looks surprised at me, me knowing that he's looking at my flank.

"WHOA! How did you go this long without getting a cutie mark?!"

I think for a bit, remembering that I came here out of nowhere.

"I'm.. not sure actually, I just did a lot of things and I guess nothing really stuck."

Guess that sounds about right.

"Well then, I guess I can try a few things, maybe It'll all be so boring that I don't get a mark like you! HA! I'm going to try to go to the playground to try some things out!"

Stripe said, opening the door.

"Don't be out so late Stripey!"

Stripe rolled his eyes and nodded, zooming out of the house. The others looked a bit shocked. I looked around unsure what they were feeling.

"Wow, never expected him going to the playground to do anything. Maybe he'll find some friends there?"

His mom nodded and continued doing the dishes, eventually picking up my plate.

"He doesn't have any friends?"

"Well no, kind of? I mean he had one, but they moved to Phillydelphia."

Ace said, finishing his sandwich and giving the plate to his mother. After she finished the dishes, she sat down with me and Ace and asked about what I liked to do, even though I 'tried' everything. I said I just like to draw and play some games, and they thought that was pretty cool. After a while, the sun was setting, and Stripe zipped through the door.

"GUYS! I made a new friend! His name is Silo Cart! He's a really strong earth pony!"

He said, as a red coat and pink haired colt walked through the door. I stared at the red coat, and Mud Rock flashed in my mind, giving me a mini heart attack. Ace slightly noticed and asked if I was okay. I said I was and just shook it off. Silo's mom also peeked through the door, her coat was yellow, and her hair was a dark maroon. That also shook something in me, but of course I shook it away. 'Is trauma getting to me some how?'

"Hey, it's uhm, kind of getting late. I might head back home if that's alright."

"Hey no worries man! Want me to walk you home?"

I nodded and we both got up, him hugging his mother and we both walked out of the house, Silo's mom and Ace's mom talking, the kids getting a long well, both of them zooming around the house. It was silent on the way home, Ace was distracted looking at a butterfly following us to my house, which was a really nice magenta color with yellow trimmings. We made it to the door, and I unlocked and opened it, walking inside.

"It was nice to see your family. They seem really nice peop- ponies."

Ace smiled.

"Awe thanks man! Maybe one day I'll get to see yours as well! Well, have a good night! And oh! I'll be here around 1 so we can go to that awesome fair, okay?"

I nodded, and he went on his way. I closed the door, and just stood there. My family. I blinked a tear, and just walked towards my bed and laid down. Yeah, my family was not here. Just me, and me only. I mean, we need a break from a family once in a while right? Right. 'But.. I miss them.'