To Live Another Lifeby Brony2893ChaptersChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourInterlude: Mysterious Stranger Chapter FiveChapter SixChapter SevenChapter EightChapter NineChapter TenChapter ElevenChapter One“Remind me again, why are we here?” I moaned to my mother a few yards away. I was leaning over a railing, struck with seasickness as our boat trailed through the clear waters. The constant up and down motions were leaving me a little green. “You know why we’re here. Stop complaining and try to enjoy this free vacation.” She huffed, stomping off to the boat’s stern. I know I complain a lot, and more than twenty years of it hasn’t been good on my mother’s patience. I closed my eyes for a moment to regain some of my composure, temporarily shutting out the seasickness. “Hey, Victoria,” I yelled over my shoulder to my sister on the starboard side of the small watercraft, who was as cheerful and full of energy as ever, even though there was nothing to do on the relatively small craft. “Thanks again for winning a stupid radio contest and flying us all the way down here to the Atlantic Ocean.” She rolled her eyes and walked over to me with ease. Apparently, she already had her ‘sea legs’, while I was barely keeping my breakfast from the airport terminal in my stomach. “We’re not just here to see the ocean, Edward. We’re on our way to the island too,” She corrected, flicking me upside the head. “Right, because spending a month on a no-name island in the middle of nowhere sounds like a wonderful time,” I commented sarcastically. The thought did sound fun, but it was what it took to get there that was trying my patience. Days of travelling by plane, rental car and finally boat and we weren’t even there yet. “Can’t you at least pretend to be a little excited? I thought time away from home would do you some good. And spending an entire month by yourself can’t be healthy. Especially after what happened with you and—“ “Will you stop bringing that up?” I snapped, glaring at her with my sickly eyes. “Why can’t everybody just leave me alone?” I huffed, tilting my sea-sickened head over the railing once more. “I’m sorry. But mom and I thought it would be better that you come with us, rather than stay home all alone.” “But I like being alone…” Victoria only rolled her eyes at my rebuttal. “Look, after a breakup that bad, it’s not good being alone to think about her.” “But being alone is what makes me feel better,” I grumbled. “And besides, what do you know about bad breakups? You’re only sixteen and never had a boyfriend.” “Only because you go all ‘big brother’ and threaten to shoot any boys I bring home.” She laughed and playfully punched me in the arm. “Hey, it’s my job to keep my sister safe, even if she is a pain in the a—“ A wave of vomit poured from my mouth over the side of the boat. After it was all done I cringed and tucked my arms together. ’I am never, ever setting foot on another boat as long as I live.’ “You alright?” My sister’s worried voice calmly asked. “You seem really sick.” “No, really? What gave it away?” I replied flatly. “I’ll go get you some water, be right back.” I let out an exaggerated sigh as I sat down and leaned onto the lower rail, resting my chin hard on the cool metal. My thoughts drifted as I dangled my feet off the edge and watched the waves roll by. ’Why am I here, again? I could’ve just fought harder to stay home. I am twenty-three after all, I can take care of myself… Well, maybe a whole month alone might be pushing it a bit. Considering I’m not exactly on speaking terms with my most recent ex and all my friends went south for college, I wouldn't really have anything to do now that I think about it...’ I paused for a moment as I reflected on my friends. ’I guess I really shouldn’t complain. They’re happy after all, no more northern Michigan winters for them. Too bad I’ve always wanted to move further north where it was colder and more comfortable.’ I looked up to the clear sky and was met with the blazing sun that had helped in turning my mood sour. ’It must be a thousand degrees down here. I wish I could go back home and jump in the snow, where I belong; as far away from the Equator as possible.’ My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden cold sensation of Victoria pressing a bottle of ice-water against my cheek. “I just talked to the captain, guess where we are!” She chirped, positively vibrating with excitement. I shrugged to her as I took the bottle and gulped the water down in record time. “He said we’re right on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle! Isn’t that awesome?” “Yep, it means we’re getting closer to the island, and that means closer to land.” I smiled at the thought of it. No more rocking back and forth, no more worrying about sharks. A silly thought seeing as we were safe on the boat, but I mean everyone has the right to be afraid of something, right? “Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant.” She said as she kicked off her flip flops onto the deck before sitting cross-legged next to me. “It means we might see something cool out here. You know all the myths and stuff about this place, right? Because you know, like everything, or at least you think you do.” I looked up in thought before quickly speaking again. “I’ve read a few books on the matter. There’s some weird stuff that happens here, but there’s nothing superstitious or alien going on here like most people believe.” “You’re so boring sometimes, you know that? You don’t have to go all ‘science genius’ all the time,” she stated with a large frown. “And why is that?” I cocked an eyebrow turning towards her. “Because it’s fun to just believe sometimes!” My sister beamed. You could almost sees stars blinking into existence in her eyes. “Believe in what? Magical storms that make people disappear?” I rolled my eyes at the ludicrous idea. “So you’re saying you don’t believe in magic at all?” Victoria had been quite irritating ever since she found out about Wicca or whatever it was called. She was always wasting her money at a “potion” shop, truly thinking it would do something. She even tried putting a curse on me to make me lose my hair. It didn’t work. “Just because some expensive book you got off a website with birthday money says magic is real, doesn’t mean it is. Can your magic explain that squadron of planes that vanished some sixty years ago?” She smirked at the question. “Can your science?” She shot back trying to stump me. “I don’t even need science. It’s just an unfortunate event the planes or boats or whatever get caught in storms and sink or crash.” I waved my hands up in the air. “It’s all just chance they disappear more in this part of the ocean. Just like when you went outside that one day when it was windy and that one-hundred dollar bill that smacked you in the face; all coincidence and proper timing.” Victoria remained silent while she shot me a thoughtful glare. Without a word she stood up. “I’m going to take a nap below deck,” She started as she slipped her flip flops back on. “—and for the record, this conversation isn’t finished.” “Just don’t slip on your way there, wouldn’t want me getting the inheritance.” I teased. “Only if I don’t push you in the water first.” She stuck her tongue out at me. I didn’t watch her go, only stared out to the sea with a satisfied, slightly evil smirk. There was of course, no family inheritance. We just teased each other about it. I chuckled softly as my pale face rested on the strangely comfortable metal railing. A slightly less comfortable thought shoved itself to the front of my silent musings. ’I sure hope my neighbor remembers to feed my fish. Those guys are expensive to replace…’ <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The ocean is truly a breathtaking sight to see. Even if the temperature was in the triple digits, and I was vomiting like a sewage outlet pipe, I had to admit it was beautiful. It was a couple hours later I’d guessed by the sun’s position. Even though I had an expensive watch that was right to within a ten-thousandth of a second, there was something nice about guessing the time. My stomach had finally settled and I managed to keep down a granola bar my mother brought me. She was always trying to get me to eat this healthy stuff. I sighed deeply at the thought of the dry, tasteless things she classified as ‘food’. ’I hope there’s better stuff on the isla—wait.’ “We should have been there by now.” I thought out loud. I slowly stood up from my spot on deck and made my way to the back of the vessel. If I had to guess, I’d say the boat was fifty feet long? I don’t know, I’m not good at judging length or distance. After watching my feet and paying attention to my balance, I made it to the small ladder that led up to the captain’s nest; A small platform not really made for two people about five feet up from the rest of the deck. “Hey, Captain William, how much longer ‘til we get there?” I asked as my feet connected with the floor of the navigation room. “Hey there, Curly!” The captain greeted over his shoulder. I got called that a lot because of my hair. I had what people called “jerry curls”. I’m glad I understood the references. It just made me more aware of how strange my hair looked, considering I’m Caucasian. “So, what brings you up here?” He asked with his slightly southern accent. “Well, I was thinking we’d be there by now. The trip was only supposed to take three hours.” This got a reaction out of the captain. He looked up at what I guessed to be the GPS mounted by the main viewport. He then turned his attention to a framed map on the wall. I could see his face just enough to notice his brow furrow and an unsure smirk appear. “We should see the island on the horizon shortly.” He answered in a stern voice much unlike his usual upbeat demeanor. I opened my mouth to say something, but decided against it. Heckling the captain wouldn’t get us there any faster. I eventually made my way back to the comfortable spot I had picked out on the deck. I nestled where I spent most of my time, resting my chin on a metal bar as I glowered over the side towards the endless ocean. My head felt like a snow globe, being shaken and having all the little bits floating around. I took my sandals off to let my feet breathe a little easier, hoping that would help me cool down some too. ’Could this pathetic watercraft possibly go any slowe—’ My bored thoughts were interrupted by a gentle buzzing sensation on my right thigh. It was my phone, surprisingly enough. We must have been getting close if I was able to get that small bit of reception. I pulled it out of my pocket and paused upon seeing the picture assigned to the caller. “Who’s that?” I jumped at the question. Victoria had snuck up right behind me when she noticed I was getting a call. “I don’t know,” I lied, shrugging my shoulders. “It might be somebody from work. I’m gonna head to the back and take this.” I stood up and quickly strode off. Aware I only had a few seconds left to answer, I didn’t bother putting my shoes back on, making the deck a little trickier to navigate. “Don’t you mean the stern? That’s what the back of a boat is called!” Victoria teased as I walked off. I just waved over my shoulder and brought the phone to my ear, now satisfied I was away from eavesdroppers. “To whom do I owe the pleasure?” My tone was cold and flat into the receiver. The only thing I heard was the slight gasp of somebody opening their mouth to speak, then pausing. Even without the caller-id I could have told you who it was; It was my ex-girlfriend. “Hey...” She choked out after a few long moments. “Hey yourself.” I rolled my eyes. She never was great at getting a conversation rolling. “So, what’s up? I thought you weren’t talking to me any more.” “I came by your house yesterday, but nobody was there... I tried again today. Where are you? I want to see you.” Her words slowly came out in-between sniffles. “I’m on a forced vacation to the Caribbean, no thanks to Wingus and Dingus here.” I was of course referring to my mother and sister; I did not consider either of them notably intelligent. “Heh, figures it’d take them to drag you out of the house.” She let out a stifled giggle. “So the Caribbean, eh? Must be nice down there.” “I guess. We’re not even to the actual vacation proper yet. So far it’s been tedious plane trips, fast food and a lot of—” The boat listed to one side, throwing me off balance. I grabbed on to the nearby railing with a vice-like grip out of reflex just as a foot of water emerged over the sides, not quite soaking the deck but leaving it thoroughly wet at the very least. I gave myself a moment to breathe before putting the speaker back up to my ear. “...and a lot of water.” “I’d kill to be down there with you. I mean—to be down there, to see things.” She caught herself. “So, what—” “Hey!” I looked back to see my mother poking her head out from the lower deck. “You kids alright!? That was a real big wave!” ’Why all these interruptions?’ I let go of the railing to wave that I was just fine. “Sorry, I keep getting interrupted by the ocean and my family.” I groaned into the phone’s microphone, using my off-hand to rub at my temples. “So, what did—” A small wave knocked me off balance and made me collapse to the deck on one knee. My phone clattered a little further down the boat. I reached out in my half-prone position, my fingers just bracing its edge. I couldn’t reach so I rose into a low crouch, wary of the slick coating of water all over. I crept closer to my prize only a few feet away. I snatched it in one quick motion and grinned that it hadn’t gone any further, or over the edge. “Ha ha, gotcha!” I said to nobody in particular. I looked to the screen and saw that the call had dropped during the commotion. I rolled my eyes and put it back in my pocket. ’Oh well. Whatever it was, it can wait until I’m off this death tra—’ I didn’t finish my thought, as yet another wave of seawater lept over the edge of the boat. This one was centered right where I was standing and momentarily blinded me as the salt water stung at my eyes. Out of pure reflex, I brought both my hands up to wipe at my eyes, relinquishing my grip on the railing. As the boat rocked back down to recover from the sudden waterborne turbulence, my bare feet lost their cohesion with the plastic decking. I went down hard, my feet being sucked out from under me. I smacked my head on something behind me on the way down, dazing me for the exact moment I would have needed to have grabbed hold of something. It all happened too fast to really register at the time. What I felt next was the momentary sense of falling, then the sensation of water rushing up my nose, tickling my involuntary gag reflexes and shocking my mind back into the present. ’No!’ I panicked and flailed my arms underwater, quickly reaching the surface that had only been a couple feet above me. The water that made it into my system was irritating my entire system, forcing me to fight the urge to open my mouth and cough, which would have just let in more water. ’No!’ I broke the water’s surface and retched and heaved up everything I could, rasping out pathetic yells for help in between. I raised one hand out of the water to try and wave, but the boat wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. ’No! Come back!’ A mouthful of water escaped my mouth that had been most of the issue. I could breathe a little easier and was finally able to speak instead of just groan. I yelled and hollered as loud and as much as I could at the white dot on the horizon that was my boat. I screamed for minutes, even as the watercraft left the limits of my view. I coughed from the irritation caused by the seawater, and the violent yelling I wasn’t used to. ’No! No no no no no no no! This can’t be happening. This isn’t happening.’ My breathing increased and I turned around in the water, panicking, looking in all directions for something that wasn’t water and waves. Nothing. ’This… this is happening.’ “Calm, Edward. Stay calm,” I told myself, still whipping my head back and forth over the featureless sea. “Ok. Ok ok, just… take a second to think. The boat was headed in…” I paused, trying to remember the position of the sun compared to the boat’s direction of travel. “In… that direction.” I said, aligning myself the same way and hoping I wasn’t wrong. ’Ok… Ok ok you can do this.’ I gulped, feeling the gravity of the situation continue to settle on my shoulders. I was stranded in a relatively small lake once after a water skiing incident, although nothing could have prepared me for what horror the current situation brought. I could feel the vast emptiness below my feet, the nothingness. It made me reflexively bring my legs up closer to my chest, trying to feel safe, knowing I was far from alone in the vast abyss. But, it was either try to make an effort and possibly live another day… or sit in that spot and definitely never be seen again. I swam in the direction I assumed was the right way, pacing myself as best I could. As well as trying to shut out the thoughts of something in the water eyeing me at that very instant, ready to attack any moment. Swimming with baggy cargo shorts wasn’t easy, and I was getting winded after only a few minutes into each swim. Not to mention I wasn’t exactly the epitome of picture-perfect health to begin with. It was during my eighth or ninth break I heard a loud crack behind me. Clouds as black as obsidian were rapidly encroaching from behind. The occasional flash of lightning within the looming mass only quickened the feeling of dread welling up inside of me. They looked to be maybe ten miles off, but growing up around so many large bodies of water, I knew storms over oceans and lakes had a tendency to be far away one moment and on top of you in the blink of an eye. ’You have to keep going.’ I knew trying to out-swim a storm of that size was futile, but I couldn’t just sit there and not try. I resumed my tedious, painful task of battling the ocean—now getting more rough—whilst doing my best to not look over my shoulder. I could feel the wind pushing me from behind, chilling me to the bone and slowing my previously-strong strokes to no more than little dog paddles. I could feel the freezing wind and water sapping all the heat and energy out of my body, feel it just wicking away into the turbulent abyss. I willed myself to keep going, but before long it took what energy and will I had left to even stay above the surface. I kicked my legs to stay afloat, but the sea tossed me around like a ping-pong ball in a washing machine. It didn’t take long for my lower half to succumb to the exhaustion and chill, and stopped responding all-together. I tried to compensate by willing more energy into my arms but it just didn’t work; my body was failing and I slowly inched my way deeper in the water, the salty spray assaulting me from all angles. ’No...’ I looked with half-lidded eyes towards the last glimmer of sunshine, now miles off. Soon, the only light that remained was the frequent flash of lightning quickly followed up by the ear-splitting crack of thunder. There was no longer any sense of direction, just water. “No...” My voice cracked. Unable to fight it any more, I let my body go limp and my eyes close. There was a moment of warmth, then it all faded away. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Have you ever woken up on a beach? Can’t say that I have, though I hear it is a magnificent sight to wake up to. This was not what I began to wake up feeling. I felt weaker than ever before, like all the life was sucked out of me. Letting out a pained moan, I rolled to my side and groggily opened an eye, though the sight before me was not what I expected. There was grass, and from the blurry vision of one eye I guessed it to be the middle of the night. I brushed it off and moaned at the pain coursing through my body. I turned to my other side, not having enough of my senses back to even feel what I was lying on and tried to huddle my freezing limbs together. It felt like somebody had taken me apart like a toy and put me back together in all the wrong ways. There was a noise off in the distance that caught my attention, but I ignored it. I was tired, so tired and all I wanted was to fall asleep, not caring where I was. The noise came back, it was closer now. I opened my eyes again after muttering a barely audible “what”. What stood before me was beyond my vocabulary, it was some thing standing there, with the most unusual color of a deep, dark blue. It stood on four tall legs and its neck stretched into the air towards the face of the monster looking me over. I blinked several times to try and clear my vision, but everything remained too fuzzy to make out any fine details. ’What in the world is that thing? It looks like a… horse, or a donkey. I must have washed up on a farm near the beach.’ The strange horse-like figure before me opened its mouth and began speaking what my traumatized brain could only barely classify as some sort of language. I closed my eyes and chalked it up to my trauma, trying to shut out its continuing sounds. ’Just shut up you stupid animal. Go find your keeper already.’ The unusual animal took a step towards me as its strange voice made more sound beyond my understanding. Seeing I wouldn’t respond, it took yet another step towards me, one step too close for my comfort. I could tell now it was far from any equine proportions I’d known. It was far taller, and almost lanky in its appearance. The creature turned its head slightly to the side, now showing me the unusual appendage on its head. ’What in the hell...’ I thought, my vision slowly beginning to sharpen. I turned onto my back and started a slow retreat from the frightening monster. Or I would have if my bruised and broken body had responded. My eyes went wide with fright at what the mysterious creature would do to me with that horn I had just noticed upon its head. It opened its mouth and let loose yet another string of sounds unfamiliar to me. I could just make out the thing’s eyes; a striking—and unusual—blue hue. “I don’t understand! Somebody, please, help!” I yelled, wincing as I tried crawling away on my back. The creature tilted its head in thought and narrowed its blue eyes. Before I could react, it closed the gap and glared at me. I was sure this thing would stab me with its horn and devour my freezing body. I blankly stared back at the situation overloading my barely-conscious brain. A grey haze formed from around my eyes, as I dropped my head back onto the soft grass. ’This can’t be happening’. I shut my eyes, and submitted my body back to the realm of unconsciousness. Chapter TwoI’ve read about people stranded at sea for days, weeks…even months before. I always felt sorry for these people, on the knife’s edge between life and death each passing hour as they drifted the vast oceans. Most of them had something to keep themselves alive. Me? I’ve got my soaked clothes, a waterlogged phone and— My wallet? I felt around my left pocket where it usually resides. I felt nothing. I must have left it on the boat. Oh well… won’t do me much use out here anyways. Clouds as black as a moonless night loomed over me, rapidly approaching from where I first laid eyes on them. Numerous flashes could be seen on the horizon as distant lightning shot forth like some rapid-firing weapon. I could feel the breeze beginning to pick up and quickly lower the temperature, as well as send a slow shiver up my spine as I stared in horror. What do I do now? <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I wasn’t doing a very good job of being the brave, courageous person I often like to picture myself as. In a short time, I have panicked myself into a state of unconsciousness out of sheer fear, twice…not quite the picture of courage. The feeling of regaining consciousness is not a feeling I expect anybody could ever get used to. I certainly wasn’t. Although, at my current rate, I easily could be. The closest analogy I could think of to the strange feeling of regaining awareness, is the slowest computer ever made attempting to boot-up. Very slowly my body started to re-awaken. My extremities began to regain feeling and usefulness, however sluggish they may have been in responding. At first I was only aware I was breathing in the way I typically do when I’m sleeping, abnormally slow and quiet. People have told me I appear dead, with my breathing so silent and drawn-out. It was probably because I was such a calm person, though recent events would testify to that. I began to focus on my breathing, it reassured me I wasn’t dead as far as I could tell. My eyes flickered open, expecting to be met by the darkness of my room and ended up greeted by the brightest light I’d ever seen. It was a blinding wall of white with no remarkable features, unless of course you count a mild shock as remarkable. I quickly shut my eyes and stared at the inside of my eyelids. The room was so bright I could still see the light behind my eyelids. I tried to ignore it and get a feel for my surroundings. I was lying on my back that much was for sure. Whatever I was on was soft, with something slightly less soft and somewhat stiff covering me up to the top of my chest. It feels like my blanket at home. But I know it isn’t… I tentatively sniffed at the air in search of some clue as to my location. It was a strange smell, incredibly familiar yet a complete mystery to me at the same time. The unusual odor was strong enough I could taste it… I could only describe it as, “overly clean.” I tried to move my arms to rollover into a more comfortable position. I lifted my right arm just a few centimeters before a fiery pain lanced from my arm up into my shoulder. I grunted out in surprise more than anything, though it was still quite painful. Did I break my arm? Probably not since I can move it after all. Maybe I can try— I decided to shift my legs, hoping to not be met with the same fiery sting as before. I tensed my muscles just enough to move them and sighed with relief they weren’t as sore as my arms. But they still felt… wrong. Like I just couldn’t put my finger on it at the time. I turned my head to the side in an attempt to get more comfortable. It didn’t work. I just couldn’t find that “sweet spot” against the soft, yet stiff surface my head was resting on. I suddenly became aware of a dull ringing in my ears. I sniffed loudly in an attempt to hear myself, inadvertently inhaling more of that sickeningly clean smell. It surprised me when I couldn’t hear myself at all. “Hello?” I said aloud. I heard myself, if only just. It sounded muffled and distant. Hope it’s not permanent. I’ll be quite upset if I can’t ever listen to my music ever again,. I chuckled at my thoughts. Here I was, an unknown location, with an unknown amount of injuries, barely able to move… and I was worried about my music of all things, never thinking how horrible it would be never hearing anything ever again. I could have a serious head injury, blindness, heck I could be dead for all I knew. One way to find out… I inhaled sharply in preparation for what I was about to do. I slowly fluttered my eyes open to meet the blinding light once again. It wasn’t as bad this time around, thankfully. The more I opened my eyes the more the wall of light retreated, eventually, enough for me to make out a few surroundings. I was staring up at the ceiling, noting its slightly textured surface. I peeked out the corner of my eyes to get a better picture of this mysterious place. Off to my left was something large hanging off the wall. A bulletin board, perhaps? I couldn’t really make it out; my vision was still a bit blurry. In front of me was a plain door with a tall, thin window above the handle. I couldn’t see anything outside except more of the white color this place seemed to love so much. I scanned over to my right and was greeted with a sight I wouldn’t have cared for most days. It was a large window looking outside. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was very bright outside, probably morning or early-afternoon at the latest. I could almost hear it calling my name like some cursed siren, beckoning me to go over there. Now I can finally see where I am. I began to sit up, but immediately fell back down as my limbs screamed out in agony. “Guess not then...” I grumbled, my eyes suddenly feeling heavy. Maybe I should try and get some more rest before exploring… I laid my head back down and tried to get some sleep in this unknown place. I knew it was daytime at least, that put my mind at ease, if only slightly. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Rest did not come easy to me as I stared up at the ceiling, my mind making pictures with the slight irregularities in the textures. I didn’t want to move my head too much, not until I knew the full extent of my injuries. My neck could have been broken for all I knew. In the endless boredom of my mind, at least there was some good news: my hearing seemed to be back... and it was stronger than ever. I could hear footsteps outside my room as people went to and fro. I was able to make out faint steps above me as well. Clearly this is a busy, multi-floored building that prides itself on cleanliness. Still doesn’t answer my question of where I’m even at. I could just be in a coma, and all this is just my imagination. Wait. “How did I even get here?” I asked myself aloud, amazed I never took a moment to contemplate how I even came to be in this place. Last thing I remembered was being on a— The boat! My eyes shot open in remembrance. Last thing I remember was being on the boat, so why am I here? I thought this over for quite a while. I couldn’t remember anything other than sitting on the deck looking out to the ocean. Wait... what if I was kidnapped? What if some modern-day pirates took us, and are holding me for ransom! Was that idea at the time completely ludicrous? Of course it was, but how often does something like this happen to anybody? To be fair, I think my fears were justifiable. Oh god... what if they got my mother and sister? Are they ok? How could I only be thinking of myself this entire— click My ears seemed to physically perk-up at the sound. I had no time to think about the strange ear-moving sensation as I heard the door’s mechanism engaging, and then opening. I quickly closed my eyes once more as I heard a multitude of steps entering the room. It’s hard to pretend you’re asleep when you’re scared to death and faced with a possible mob of pirates, but I managed well enough, I think. If I had to guess just from the sheer number of people I was hearing, I’d say three or four people, possibly even five. That’s a lot of footsteps just to check on one guy... this just gets weirder and— I felt my shoulder being prodded gently. I didn’t respond in any way except more internal panicking. I felt another small series of gentle jabs as the person on my right started to say something. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, clearly another language that I didn’t understand. It sounded as if the person was addressing me with a question; its voice carrying a distinct upwards inflection. Again, I didn’t answer or respond, just laid there as still as possible. The voice on my right said something across me to another person. Sounds almost, female? Odd. I didn’t have time to think it over anymore as my left eye was forcibly, yet gently opened by the other person. It took every shred and scrap of courage I had to not move as a blinding light was hovering a few inches from my exposed eye. It only stayed for a few seconds before moving off, and giving me a slight relief. I felt one last poke in my sides, which was easy to ignore compared to having an eye forcibly held open and blinded. The voice on my left sounded much deeper, and if I had to guess I’d say it was male. I heard a quick scratching noise that sounded rhythmic, almost like writing. The occupants of my room exchanged a few words, and just as quickly as they came, I heard them all leave and shut the door behind them with a satisfying click. I didn’t want to open my eyes for a bit, in case one of them stayed behind a few moments to see if I “woke up.” In any case, it gave me a few minutes to think my most recent encounter over. What the hell was all that about? What did these people hope to accomplish by blinding me? Wait a minute, that seemed like the old “flashlight-eye” thing doctors always did. But why would my kidnappers be doing that? The gears in my head started turning and adding up everything that’s happened so far. There’s the bleach-white color everywhere, the uncomfortable bedding, the terrible brightness, the light in the eye thing, the sickeningly clean smell everywhere. Everything made sense now as I put all the pieces together. I’m in a hospital... of course I’m in a hospital, where else would I be? I breathed a sigh of relief, having discovered I was in a safe place at the moment. Those people coming in must have been the staff, seeing if I was alright. I felt bad for deceiving them, they were just doing their jobs. Eh, they’ll be back. Still, why am I even here? What happened to make me feel like a tossed ragdoll? I tried to remember more of my memory of the boat. I could recall everything up until being on the watercraft, speeding through the sea. After that it went all dark, like there was a block preventing me from remembering the events that led to my injuries. I peeked my eyes open and, satisfied I was alone, stared back up at the ceiling to the place I dubbed my “thinking spot.” At least whatever happened to me didn’t kill me, and I was taken to some proper doctors. I blinked, recalling something from my recent encounter. Why did it feel like I was being poked with their whole hand? It certainly felt larger than just a few fingers poking my sides. I dismissed this thought, it didn’t seem that terribly important so I moved on to my next question. What language were they even speaking? It sounded so accented and backwards and so... foreign. Not like anything I’ve ever heard befor—. My thoughts halted as I recalled another memory. Wait, that weird blue horse-thing in that place I woke up! Right, I was lying on the grass when that strange creature tried speaking with me. Then it must have ran up and impaled me with its horn! I stopped thinking for a moment. I stared upwards for a few seconds before a slight chuckle escaped my lips. “I must’ve taken a pretty serious knock to the head, there’s no such thing as talking horses. Let alone ones with horns, what were they called? Unicorns?” I started laughing to myself. “There’s no such thing as unicorns, Edward. You were simply hallucinating, too bad it was that and not something a little more, ‘fun’ to remember while you were knocked out.” I started to notice I was actually beginning to feel considerably better compared to a few hours ago when I first woke up here. My body wasn’t throbbing anymore, and I could tense my muscles without a painful retort from my limbs. Maybe that whole “laughter cures” thing isn’t a myth after all. I thought as I tried to sit up a little more. A sudden ache pinged through my skull. I closed my eyes hoping it would go away. Ok, so I’m not all better yet. I brought my hands up from under the blanket to try and rub my temples. I softly knocked myself in the face at first, but tried to rub my head anyways. It was one of the most alien feelings in my life as my appendage made contact. My hands felt all, fuzzy. What the hell... I slowly opened my eyes and let loose a blood curdling scream. “Why am I orange!? Where are my hands!?” I looked up at the sound of the door opening again. The staff must have noticed my screaming and decided to come in. The door opened to reveal two creatures standing there. They were similar to the one I encountered before, though these two were much different. The first was white with purple hair, the second was green with tan hair and slightly larger than the other. They both rushed over to me as I noticed they too sported horns atop their heads. “G-get away from me you monsters!” I tried waving them away in a futile effort. The two creatures went to either side of me, the white one laid its front leg on my shoulder and said something. I immediately brushed it away and told it to leave me alone. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously began to hold me down. I tried to struggle but it was no use, I was still too exhausted from whatever happened to me. The dark green creature to my left pulled a syringe out of its coat and readied to insert it into my arm. No, not like this. I don’t want to die like this! It was too late though, I felt its sharp point pierce me and release its tranquilizing payload. My arms dropped and I quickly felt myself falling to sleep as the creatures stepped back and exchanged more glances and strange words. I couldn’t see much more after that, I fell back asleep, but not before one more thought. Please let me wake up after this. Let me go... <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> My return to the waking world was slow and groggy. I’ve never woken up from being sedated... now I knew how it felt. If anything, I was feeling better which meant I probably got some painkillers while I was out. When I first opened my eyes I thought it was all a horrible dream and I was back in my room... I was wrong again. I rolled over and saw the large window on the wall to the right. It was dark, but the moonlight seemed to easily illuminate everything. It was open, likely a staff member, thinking I could use some fresh air. Upon final realization of where I was, I grumbled and turned my back to the window. I couldn’t see too much in the darkness, but I was able to see my ‘body’ well enough. I saw the same slightly dark-orange coloring on my body from before, and the light fur I had everywhere. It was hard to tell from being in the bed, but I could make out a darkly colored tail right where you’d expect it to be. When I first saw my ‘arms’, I was mortified thinking my hands were amputated in some horrible accident. I noticed my toes were gone too, and my back legs bent backwards to what I was used to. I did not feel joy at my transformation, I felt alone and scared. My body had taken on the form of a small horse... and I was terrified. It was the biggest shock of my life, waking up in an unfamiliar body. I was afraid of what might happen to me, afraid that my mother and sister met the same fate and are also somewhere, scared and in pain. I’ll admit I cried to myself in the darkness of my room for what felt like hours; the uncertainty eating away at me. What if it was just me? What if they’re still on the boat, looking for me, wondering where I am? What if these creatures killed everybody but turned me into one of them? What if they’re going to eat— I heard a sudden flurry of sound behind me. I could feel my heart jump into my throat in response. I very slowly turned my head around to see what the cause of the noise was. The curtains by the window were flapping in the breeze. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned my attention back to the wall on my left... only to see eyes glowing in the darkness, and staring directly at me. I only stared back, completely frozen in fear at the sight in front of me. I noticed they were a distinct shade of blue, before they began to get closer. Still unfamiliar with my new body, I scrambled and fell out of the bed and flat onto my back. If I can make it to the window, maybe I can escape. The intruder began to step around my bed, bringing itself into the moonlight. I tried to turn myself over and flee, but to no avail. As the figure was revealed my eyes grew with surprise. It stood on four legs, clearly taller than the other creatures. It was coated in a dark blue that melded with the shadows as if they were one and the same. Its eyes studied me as it drew closer, revealing the rest of its body. A spark went off in my mind as I lied there, frozen. I recognized this one. Chapter ThreeThis was the creature that had first confronted me when I woke up in that unknown place. Maybe it had finally returned to kill me. It certainly wasn’t the most calming thing to see in the darkness. It’s piercing blue eyes stared me down as I retreated on the floor, my back pressing up against the wall by the window. I flicked my eyes over to the door. It’s too close, I’d have to run right past it to go out the door… that leaves me with— I looked back to the window on my left and quickly peeked outside, the blue horse was still coming at me, albeit slowly. I looked out and realized I was much further up from the ground than previously thought, at least three of four stories. Much too far to fall and survive. Damn… well, could I fight it off? As if, you can barely even move in this body, let alone fight a horned monster twice your size! Thanks brain, once again you never cease in your endeavors to aid me… The horned creature ceased its approach only a few meters away, it eyed me curiously before pointing one of its front legs at me. I saw its mouth move and heard more of the strange language these creatures speak. It carried another upwards inflection, most likely a question. It put its leg down and continued to scan me with its confused gaze. I slowly rested on my recently acquired front legs and inched away again, leaving me firmly pressed against the wall. The blue unicorn thing didn’t move, it just blinked a few times and watched me with more curiosity. I hesitantly looked into its striking blue eyes and tried to figure out more about it. The eyes that mine met were admittedly pretty. It blinked a few more times as I thought I saw an almost caring, concerned look in the incoming moonlight. I slowly let my guard down, if only slightly before speaking. “What are you?” I asked, causing the dark-blue creature to quirk an eyebrow at my question. It said something else I just couldn’t understand. Its voice did not seem threatening, judging from its tone, and its posture as it was relaxed as well, reclining on its hind legs. “I’m sorry; I don’t know what you’re saying.” Its ears perked a bit more as it narrowed its eyes in silent contemplation. The blue creature’s head tilted slightly before it suddenly stood up and raised one of its front legs at me. If I had to guess, it looked to be the universal signal to ‘stay’.before it quickly turned around before leaving me in utter confusion. The door to the room seemed to open on its own as the creature stepped into the brightly-lit hallway and leaving me alone. I simply stood there, uncomfortable in this unfamiliar body as I tried to piece together what had just transpired. What… the… hell... is happening? It just left me here. I jumped out of my thoughts as I heard the door click before opening, revealing my blue ‘friend’ as it calmly walked back over to me, the door shutting behind it seemingly on its own. The creature stepped right up to me and dropped something at my feet, er ‘hooves’ before taking a few steps back. There was a notepad and a pen on the floor. That’s strange... it looks just like a human’s would back home. I looked up to the figure and saw it once again reclined on its back legs, patiently waiting for me to do something. It wants me to write something... duh. I fumbled the pen around in my hooves, failing many times to pick it up. I groaned and rolled my eyes at not being able to do something that should be simple. How do they do anything with only hooves? It’s impossible! I eventually managed to clasp the utensil between my hooves and with painstakingly slow, and atrocious spelling manage to write out a question. What is happening? I dropped the pen and slid the notepad across the floor to my strange companion. It turned the paper around many times before looking back at me with a quizzical expression. It blinked and slowly rose to its hooves before bringing one of its front legs up to its chin in thought, before pointing to me. It asked something slowly while pointing at my head. I replied with my best impression of a shrug, the universal ‘I don’t know’ expression. It brought its hoof to its face in frustration before pointing at my head again. I looked behind me, wondering if something was behind me. All I saw was a blank wall with the window a couple feet to my side. I shrugged again, completely lost as to the message it was trying to convene. It gently stomped its hoof on the floor in frustration as it let out a light huff. “I’m sorry? I don’t get what you’re trying to tell me.” I knew talking was pretty useless, but it was killing me to keep quiet. It brought its hoof slowly up to its horn before tapping it a few times and then pointing its hoof back at my head. When I didn’t respond it repeated the action and waved its hoof towards me. I decided to humor my companion and copied the movements, bringing my hoof up to my forehead expecting to only find more of my mane and fur, but instead meeting an unexpected resistance. I felt around on the hard surface, it was cylindrical, incredibly hard and all led up to a decently sharp point. I had a horn too. I was so dumbfounded I accidentally poked myself as the limb dropped back to the floor. I tried looking up to see if I could see it, I could just make out the point of it. The creature nodded at me before drawing its attention back to the notepad and pen I gave. I saw the pen lift off the floor and begin to write. I rubbed my eyes; surely it was some trick of the light... right? My companion dropped the pen onto the paper before sliding it back over to me. I eyed the paper with a lost expression. The creatures writing was very neat and flowed beautifully, but was completely unrecognizable. I’d probably have a better chance of reading Aztec symbols blindfolded than this writing. I shrugged again before slowly writing out another message. I don’t understand this. I slid the paper back over, eliciting yet another confused glance. It pointed between my horn and the paper a few times; I couldn’t make a connection between the two. I shrugged again. It stood up and went over to the door and flipped a switch, bathing my unprepared eyes in the painful explosion of light. I could see my ‘friend’ much better now; it was most definitely unusual in my mind. Whereas it seemed to melt into the shadows before, it now clearly stood showing its striking blue colors. As it walked back over I saw something tucked at its sides. Are those-? No, it can’t have wings... right? That would just be silly. My blue companion must’ve noticed me staring and fluttered its wings a bit, lightly stretching them before me. I had to admit, they were quite amazing for something so unusual. I visually inspected the other some more, noting some of its more intricate details and contours. If I had to guess, I’d guess it was female judging from the body and feminine eyes. Her horn started to glow a dark blue color, and shortly thereafter the pen floated up to its face showcasing the same mysterious aura. She pointed back and forth between the horn and the floating pen, eventually getting the message across. Magic? No, that can’t possibly... this is crazy– My thoughts halted as I looked back to my body and reflected back on the situation thus far. Was magic really such a stretch at this point? The feminine creature must’ve seen the registration of what it was trying to get across to me. I glanced up to my horn and gave it a curious rub. Could I do magic too? I tried... well to be honest I just looked down to the paper and squinted really hard whilst thinking about it moving. It must have been pretty humorous looking from the outside. Not surprisingly, nothing happened. I tried again, this time sitting down with my horn pointed directly at the notebook. I felt something inside me stir. The sensation startled me a bit and I decided to cease my magical efforts. I looked back to the female and gave it another shrug. It brought a hoof to its chin in thought, clearly curious at my lack of abilities. After a few moments it took a few steps towards me in a slow fashion. I instinctively backed up a little bit, slightly raising one of my forelegs thinking it would protect me. It looked at me with eyes that looked... sad that I was somewhat afraid of its presence. It reached a hoof out and slowly rested it on my shoulder, before looking me in the eyes and giving a slow nod. I put my leg back down and relaxed some, while her hoof was withdrawn from my shoulder. It raised the same hoof straight up between us; it seemed to be another ‘wait’ signal. I replied with a nod as she carefully reached her horn over and gave mine a slight tap. It was... strange. Imagine every nerve in your body suddenly registering feeling. It didn’t hurt, it was just incredibly strange. I barely felt a wave go from my head to my hooves, and back before the other’s horn was withdrawn. She backed away with her brow furrowed and a lost expression adorning her face. I rubbed my horn to help alleviate the strange feeling the horn to horn contact left me with. She paced around the room for a few moments, staring at the tiled floor. What the hell was all that about? What did it—she even do to me? I was shaken from my thoughts at the sight of it pointing at me again. It was pointing at my sides but I couldn’t figure out what it wanted. I turned a little bit towards her and shrugged before turning to look back. She blinked a few times then nodded towards her backsides. She turned a bit to allow me to see. It...it has...moons on its butt? Is that some sort of tattoo? This is just getting weird, well, weirder. I decided to try and lead the ‘conversation’ now. I needed to know more about what happened to me. I drew my hoof and foreleg in a wide, sweeping arc before shrugging. She just blinked, lost as to what I was trying to communicate. I sighed and tried again, this time doing a full 360 turn with my hoof raised, covering the entire place before finishing. Never thought I’d be playing charades with a freaking horse... She ruffled her wings slightly before I saw the recognition flash across her face, finally getting at what I was asking. The lone pillow from my bed floated over and landed on the floor between us. She pointed at me, then at the pillow a few times in quick succession. I shrugged, once again lost. She rolled her eyes before a small flash of light enveloped the pillow, leaving it a shade of orange matching that of my own coat. She pointed between it and me once more, I nodded once I understood. She took a dozen or so steps in place before approaching the orange pillow. She nudged it a few times and then proceeded to envelop it in a blue aura, causing it to slightly retreat away before resting a few feet away. She slowly approached and lifted it in the same blue aura. Its hoof did a wide sweeping arc around the room much the same as mine did, before settling the pillow back on the bed and reverting it to its natural color. Oh, now I get it. You were walking, found me, I woke up, and then you brought me back here after I fell unconscious again. It never dawned on me that a magical unicorn-pegasus thing might one day save my life. It was even more strange to think that this creature actually cared enough about my well-being to actually bring me to a hospital... and in return I ran away like a coward. I mentally kicked myself for being so rude. For now, I gave her a warm smile and a nod in return. One day I’d have to repay her kindness in saving my life. My companion walked over to the window beside me and looked out for a few moments. I took a step back out of regards for personal space. This female was quite, ‘large’ compared to me even. She wasn’t fat by any means, just simply tall. She silently motioned to herself with a hoof and then to the door. I was guessing she had to leave for something. I slowly nodded in return; somewhat sad I would be alone again. My friend then proceeded to point directly at me then to my bed. I pointed at my bed with a questioning look, she nodded in return. Guess she wants me to go to sleep? ...not a bad idea really. I cautiously walked over to my bed, careful to not trip over my own hooves in this unfamiliar body and climbed in. My friend made sure I was comfortable before flicking the light off and shutting the door behind her. I rolled over and stared back out the window, reflecting on everything. I can’t tell you how long I simply laid there, thinking about my strange companion. I should try and get some sleep... the sun’s starting to come up. I let loose a long yawn before turning over and welcoming sleep’s embrace once more, a slight smile on my face as I knew everything would be alright in the end. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Sunlight infiltrated my room and slowly sabotaged my peaceful slumber. I didn’t wake up in a panic for once and managed to get a few winks, not a bad start to my day. After stretching underneath my covers and rubbing my eyes I noticed a small cart with a covered plate of food next to me. Thank god, I haven’t eaten in... however many days I’ve been here. I jumped out of bed a bit too hastily and ended up falling to the floor with a deadpan expression. After righting myself and coordinating my four legs, I finally made it over to the tray of food. My mind was racing at the thought of it, actual food. With my eyes full with hunger and my mouth watering, I took the cover off the plate and just blinked. This... this isn’t food! This, what is this?! I stared at the plate full of flowers, apples, and a few carrots. My stomach didn’t exactly get along with a lot of fruits and vegetables the majority of the time. Now? Now it was all there really was it seemed. I reluctantly grabbed an apple in my mouth and pushed the cart closer to my bed. I climbed in and laid on my back, grabbing a bite of the apple as my hooves released it from my mouth. I chewed it slowly, taking the time to get familiar with how my new mouth worked. Surprisingly, the apple wasn’t that bad, it was sweet without being too overpowering and perfectly ripe. I quickly devoured the whole thing and reached for the second one, quickly adding it to the fate of its companion. I looked back over at the plate and frowned. Do they seriously expect me to eat flowers? They’re pretty, but that’s disgusting. I shrugged and put the top back on the plate. I went back over to the window and accidentally stepped on the pen and paper from the previous evening. I reclined on my back legs and stared at the pen, trying to make it move with my thoughts. I must have stared at it for a few minutes before sighing and giving up. Stupid magic... I decided to spend the time waiting for my friend to return to practice—of all things, simply walking. I made several slow laps around my room, barely taking my eyes off my legs as I tried to coordinate them. I had to stop mid-step a few times to make sure I was doing it right. This was how I spent a good half hour it felt like. I decided to rest over by the window, placing my forelegs on the window seal and sitting on my haunches. My chin rested in my forelegs as I looked out over the street below. There were so many of these creatures everywhere! They came in nearly every color of the rainbow. I spied very few orange-tinted creatures though, but dismissed it without much thought. I noticed not all of them were unicorns; some had wings, and others didn’t have either. I wonder if they don’t feel as special as the magic or flying ones? I know I’d be a bit envious. I continued watching the creatures and took note that a considerable amount were wearing what seemed like pretty fancy clothes, a few rarely seen ones were even clad in golden armor that shimmered in the sunlight. My activity was interrupted by a sudden flurry of knocks on my door. I stood up by the window and waited for whomever it was wished to see me. My dark-blue friend walked through the door with a slight smile on her face, but she wasn’t alone this time. It was tall, even taller than my companion from yesterday. It seemed to be the same species though, except it was a bleached white and had a multi-colored mane that seemed to almost glow. The blue, green and pinks in the mane and tail were beautiful and swayed in a non-existent breeze. Its eyes were a darker shade of purple with a look of pure kindness. I guessed this one was a female as well, though its horn was much longer and almost intimidating in a way. I didn’t notice until now they were both wearing crowns and other jewelry that were the telltale sign of royalty. I awkwardly smiled and did my best bow without falling over my front hooves. I felt a touch on my shoulder as the hoof of my darkly-colored friend silently told me to rise up. I sheepishly smiled again, waiting for them to do something. The taller one took a few steps toward me and studied me with a trained look, her eyes barely moving as my features were taken in. It turned and said something quiet and quick to the blue one. My friend raised her hoof again, politely telling me to stay put. I replied with a nod, curious as to what they would do this time. I watched as the taller, white one of the two took a few steps towards me. I mentally gulped; this creature’s horn could easily impale one side of my body and come clear out the other. But it didn’t do that, it gave me a reassuring smile before bowing its head. I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I felt the other horn make contact with mine as I felt a spark course through my body. I felt my ears twitch for a few seconds before the other’s horn was withdrawn. She stepped away and motioned for me with her golden-clad hoof to say something. “Umm... can you hear me?” My throat creaked out; it felt terribly sore all of a sudden. The shorter one said a few words that seemed to carry a condescending tone as the taller one frowned in thought at me. It stepped forward and once more placed its horn against mine. This time I felt an incredible warmth envelop me. It was almost unbearable by the time it reaches my hooves before I felt all the energy eventually gather in my throat area. The other’s horn retreated and the owner gave me a waiting look. I coughed a few times as the almost-burning sensation in my throat went away. “Ugh, why do you keep doing this to me? It kinda hurts ya know...” I mumbled, still confused as to what it was trying to accomplish. The white one turned to its shorter, darker counterpart with a sly, satisfied smirk upon its face. My ears perked once more as I heard my first recognizable words in days. “I told you it would work, dear sister.” Chapter Four“I told you it would work, dear sister.” I was absolutely flabbergasted. Was I really hearing this right? Or was I simply going insane in this strange place? I just stared blankly like a moron while the two in front of me exchanged concerned glances. “Tia? What did you do to him? He looks... in pain.” My eye twitched as the darker one questioned the one who did that, thing to me. “He seemed alright, perhaps he is just in shock.” The white one, ‘Tia’ arched an eyebrow at me and took a slight step forward. “Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I wanted to say something, anything to let them know I was okay... well, as okay as I could be, given the unusual situation. “Whahappenmeblergh?” My words all slurred together into some horrible verbal mess. “I think you broke him, Tia.” My darkly-colored friend teased while nudging the sides of its white counterpart. The white one of the two lightly rolled her eyes before addressing me once more. “Could you say that a little slower please?” ‘Tia’ asked in a warm voice followed by a kind, patient smile that it did not share with the shorter creature next to it. I gulped before opening my mouth, taking care to speak slow enough to not sound like a raving lunatic. “What is happening to me? Who are you? How did I get here? Where am I? What am I?” I finished by motioning to myself, a slightly desperate look on my face. The taller of the two opened its mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the darker one before it could speak. “Perhaps I should tell him, Tia.” She regarded to the other, whom nodded in return. My dark-blue friend turned to me now, a slight smile on her muzzle. “My name is Luna, and We found you while taking a stroll many nights ago.” She paused to let it sink in, her voice was almost accented in an ancient dialect from what I could pick up. “‘We’?” I asked, turning to see ‘Tia’ simply watching us converse. “My apologies, I tend to slip into old speech patterns sometimes. Now, as for your questions...” Luna paused, momentarily rubbing her chin with her hoof. She was about to speak before she herself was interrupted by the other. “My name is Celestia, and what Luna means is we have similar questions for you.” She smiled while carefully studying me behind trained eyes. I had a feeling something was off about ‘Celestia’, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. I dismissed it and decided to get some clarification. “What do you mean ‘questions for me’?” “For one, your question of who we are is the same we have for you.” Celestia replied. “We know next to nothing about you, no name, no identification, family registry, simply nothing.” “Umm, my name’s Edward.” I flashed an uneasy smile. “That is a... most unusual name, I must say.” Luna slowly remarked. “Anyways, like I was saying... When I found you, you awoke in a panicked state before quickly falling unconscious. Fearing for your life, I gingerly brought you here.” I blinked and let it all settle-in for a moment. Luna really seemed to care about me, and she didn’t even know me. “I appreciate that, but... where exactly is ‘here’? “This is a hospital.” “No, I mean this land, this region... where am I exactly?” I continued with my questions. “This is Canterlot...” “And where is that?” “Equestria.” Luna answered, her voice slightly frustrated. I silently mouthed the word to myself. This ‘Equestria’ didn’t sound familiar in the slightest. I decided to pursue a different thread of questioning, my location could wait. There were more pressing matters on my mind. “What happened to me? Why am I a... horse?” I asked Celestia, my voice heavily laden with curiosity. “You’re a pony. More accurately, you are a unicorn.” She stated quite simply. “Are you not normally like this?” “No, I’m a human, not some colorful, magic pony.” My voice deadpanned, this was getting a bit old. Luna gave Celestia a curious glance, which was later returned before voicing a question. “Edward, pray tell what is a ‘human’?” She slowly asked, making sure she got the word correct. Are you serious... “How do you not know what humans are? We stand on two legs, have two arms and fingers and toes.” I stated, once again earning dumbfounded looks that were almost enough to question one’s sanity whether what you were saying exists even. “We... are unfamiliar with your species, I’m afraid.” Celestia slightly bit her lip in thought before voicing a rather hasty question at me. “What is the last thing you remember before coming to Equestria?” “I was on a boat with my mother and sister in the middle of the ocean. I ended up going overboard, and when I came back up to the surface, everybody was gone and a storm quickly coming towards me.” I told the two in front of me, hesitant to reveal the foolish reason I even jumped into the doomed sea. “I don’t remember much else really, it’s all fuzzy and taking a while to come back.” I shifted on my hooves, trying to find a comfortable stance. “So...” Luna began, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. “It was a storm that brought you here then.” “I suppose so, only thing that would make any sense right now.” I shrugged. “Doesn’t explain why I’m... one of you, and not my normal body.” I looked down to the floor with a slight frown. Celestia decided it was her turn to speak. “Perhaps, your kind simply can’t exist in our world, and thus you were transformed into a normal unicorn, though you lack a cutie mark.” “A what?” “Nevermind that, Edward, it is not important now.” “Okay then. Have any other strange people like me been found?” I asked, worried about the well-being of my family. “I’m wondering if my mother and sister followed me into—whatever it was that brought me here.” “Celestia and I shall look into it. For now, we should depart and discuss, an ‘alien’ such as yourself in our world is cause for concern.” Luna stated very matter of factually, before realizing her mistake and raising a hoof at me. “No offense intended, we must be sure Equestria is safe.” “I understand, I guess.” Makes some sense, they’re just protecting their land after all. I respect that. “While Luna and I do some investigating, I shall look into a suitable residence for you during your, unintended visit.” Celestia’s wings seemed to slightly ruffle. What does that mean? Is she angry at me? Nervous? “I appreciate that, thank you.” The two turned to leave, but not before I stopped them. “Wait! What are you? I get that I’m a unicorn cause the horn and all, and the flying ones are pegasus... but you have both, what are you?” “We are alicorns, an exceptionally rare breed that command great power.” Luna smiled slightly at me. “We have informed the staff to keep disturbances to you down to a minimum. We thought you would need time to... think things over.” I nodded to her, silently thanking them once again as Luna turned to leave. “You are welcome, one of us shall return once we discover something, or find you a temporary home.” Celestia flashed a smile. “I feel you do not appreciate the aesthetic of hospitals?” And with that, she too turned and departed my room, shutting the door behind her in a golden aura that seemed to sparkle. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding as the solitude of the room sunk back in. I didn’t mind social situations, as long as they were among familiar people, or I wasn’t overwhelmed by foreign knowledge. Lucky for me, I got both... I frowned as I went back over to the window and reclined on my rear legs once more, letting everything sink in from earlier. Equestria? What kind of name is that? Also, Canterlot? Sounds off to me. Why wouldn’t humans be allowed to stay human here? What kind of force could be at play to do something as drastic as that? Why have I never heard of an ‘alicorn’ before? Were those two really royalty? Are they princesses, or queens even? What did they mean by ‘commanding great power’? My thoughts continued to bounce back and forth for some time, not really getting me anywhere other than a slight migraine. After a while a doctor came into my room and asked if I needed anything, it was the same dark-green, tan maned unicorn from before. I asked for some headache medicine, which he quickly brought to me along with a tall glass of water, and a fresh plate of assorted fruits and vegetables. I pushed the food around on the plate for a while before consuming a few apples and slowly nibbling away at some asparagus. Why must this stuff taste so vile? It wasn’t much longer before I began to feel tired, as was reflected by the shadows on the streets growing longer as the day came to a close. I lied down in bed and tried to get some sleep, but not before trying to move something with my magic again. I turned over and tried to ‘push’ the food cart next to the window with my thoughts. After many strained minutes of mental work, I came away victorious! Well, not exactly... all I managed to do was just barely jiggle the glass of water before a pain lanced up through my skull. I huffed and quickly turned to face the blank wall, quickly falling asleep as my mental exhaustion took hold of me. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Large drops of rain pelted the sea all around me, creating a beautiful symphony much unlike the terror I was feeling. The waves created by the wind were beginning to toss me around, every now and then I’d be forced under the surface of the salty water. This was fear unlike anything I’d ever felt before. This was something that could only be manifested by one’s worst nightmares. I couldn’t keep this up much longer, each wave sapped my energy and the cold slowed my muscles. It wouldn’t be much longer before I succumbed to exhaustion, or became a victim of one of the many denizens in the dark waters below me. Flashes of lightning were my only source of light in the impending darkness, each one growing more and more dim as I slowly drifted into the arms of unconsciousness, helplessly adrift in this hellish place. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I awoke in a sweat and with a violent jolt as a short scream escaped my lips. It was all coming back, albeit slowly. Why couldn’t I remember what happened to me in that ocean? I got out of bed and slowly went over to the cart, before taking a sip of water and peeking outside. It was still quite dark, only street lamps and other buildings to light the darkness. I took one more swig of my water, before climbing in bed and promptly falling back asleep, hoping that this bout of sleep would not be interrupted by more dark visions. <><><><><><><> Something tugged at my ear in my sleep and I reflexively rolled over and pulled the blanket further over my head. “..werd...” There it was again, that noise that kept invading my peaceful sleep. I tried to mentally block it out in my half-awake state, vaguely aware of anything at all and simply wishing to fall back asleep. “...ward..?...ake up...” That voice... It sounded warm and kind as it fell upon my ears. “... mom?” My throat croaked as I turned over and slowly opened my eyes, which were soon met in a somewhat familiar blinding light. “I’m afraid not, little one.” A figure of light calmly stated as it gradually faded into the shape of my newly-found ‘friend’, Celestia. “It is time for you to get up, I have some news for you, Edward.” That woke me up. My eyes opened up the rest of the way and any remnants of sleep quickly fell away. “What’s going on? Did you find my family? Did you—” I was interrupted by a raised hoof, halting my deluge of questions. “I am afraid I do not have much news, but what knowledge I do have for you is something I’m sure you would like to hear.” Celestia smiled and waited for my response. “What is it?” “I have made arrangements for you to stay somewhere whilst Luna and I sort this matter out. “That’s great! I’m kinda sick of this room anyways.” I beamed, practically falling out of my bed. I stood up on my hooves and thoughtfully smirked as a thought entered my mind. “Celestia? Where exactly am I staying, if you don’t mind?” “It’s a peaceful, quiet town I thought would be nice for you. I did not think a large city would be to your forte, considering your peculiar conditions here.” Celestia smiled and looked to me, seemingly waiting for another question, which I didn’t give. “The name of the town is Ponyville.” Ponyville...? “Ponyville?” I half asked, half-said to sound out the word. Of all the places I could be staying, it was someplace called ‘Ponyville’? It sounded like something out of some childrens book, but I decided not to complain, I was sure Celestia knew what was best for me. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” I flashed a smile and a slight bow to her, still unsure of the specifics of her title but deciding to be safe either way. “So, am I staying at my own house? Or is it an apartment, or a hotel?” “I am afraid not, you will be staying with somepony I know, somepony I fully trust with your well-being.” “Oh.” I guess that’s alright... “Umm, who is it?” “It is my pri—” Celestia paused as she turned her head towards the closed door, distracted by something. She grinned widely before turning back to me. “Ah, here she is now. Edward, I would like you to meet one of my closest friends...” She looked back to the door just as a slight purple aura enveloped it and clicked open. “... Twilight Sparkle.” Interlude: Mysterious StrangerWhat a strange pony… I don’t believe I’ve ever met such an unusual individual. Luna thought to herself as she sat on her bed. I couldn’t even understand him! Why did he panic? And what was he even doing all the way out there? She was getting nowhere with her questions and decided she’d need some help to solve this mystery. If there was anypony who might know something, it was her older sister. <><><><><><><> The alicorn of the night slowly trotted through the corridors. The events that had just transpired were still fresh in her mind… and there was only one other person she felt she could talk to about it. Luna eventually reached her destination and hesitated before entering. She gently rapped on the door to her sister’s bedchambers, somewhat doubtful she would be awake this early. “Tia? Are you awake?” Luna asked as she slowly opened up the massive door to the bedroom. “I’m sorry if I’m waking you, but there was something I…” Her words trailed off as she noticed Celestia wasn’t in her bed… or even in the room. Even through darkness of the private room, she could see as though it were day. Luna slowly inspected the main room, bathroom, and walk-in closet; all with no sign of the solar alicorn. Where could she have gone off to? She heard a slight noise that immediately drew her attention to the glass door that led out onto a balcony. Luna reached the door and was just about to open it when she saw a flash of white in the top corner of her eyes. Celestia set down on the balcony and folded her wings back against her coat. She had her back to the door, staring at the grand view, lost in her thoughts. Luna just watched her sister for a minute. Celestia bowed her head, almost in an expression of defeat it seemed like. This puzzled the younger princess greatly, her sister being awake this early, and in such a visibly poor mood was quite the oddity. She was about to open the door before Celestia turned around. “Luna!” Celestia’s eyes went wide for a moment as the shock registered she wasn’t alone. Luna had slightly jumped at the sudden exclamation. “I’m sorry if I startled you,” She comforted as she quickly magicked open the glass double-doors. “I wasn’t expecting you to come by… is something wrong?” Celestia hesitantly asked as she strode over to her sibling and gave her a warm, almost motherly smile. “Yes, no…not exactly, Tia.” Luna stuttered as her intended conversation from before slowly came back to her. She decided to question her sister in the meantime. “It can wait. Where did you go? It’s very early in the morning, even for you,” Luna tilted her head in bewilderment. She had a feeling something wasn’t right. “I was going to ask you a similar question,” Celestia chuckled to herself. “Why are you here so early? By this time you usually take your nightly stroll.” “I asked first, Tia. You know the rules.” Luna winked as she recalled their millennium-old ‘sister rules’. “So you answer first,” She finished with a light poke to her older sibling’s sides. “Oh fine then,” Celestia smiled and rolled her eyes in reluctant acceptance. She looked back to Luna and blinked before speaking again. “I was up early and decided to go on a short flight. It’s been much too long since I’ve stretched my wings.” She finished with a quick smile. “But, Tia, I fly places much less than you do, and my wings are just fine,” Luna raised an eyebrow, suspicious. Celestia smiled and blinked a few times before replying. “Well, you always were the better flyer out of the two of us.” She remarked with a playful jab at her younger sister’s muzzle. “I just have to fly more to make up for it, you see.” What is she talking about? Tia’s a fantastic flyer… she did the first Sonic Rainboom even! Something wasn’t right here… but she decided to tackle that issue later. Her original topic of discussion practically screamed to be heard. “I suppose you’re right,” Luna smiled and waved a dismissive hoof in front of herself. Celestia silently smiled and walked over to her bed, getting atop it and quickly tucking her legs together into a comfortable position. “Now, what was it you came down here to talk to me about?” “It’s about a stallion I ran into earlier, a unicorn to be precise,” Luna stated as she took a place next to her older sister. “Is my little Lulu developing a crush on somepony?” The white alicorn flashed an evil smirk at the end of her question, earning an un-amused look from the recipient. “No.” Luna deadpanned. She never did like being teased. “I stumbled upon him during my nightly walk after I raised the moon. I wasn’t too sure what to make of it at first to be honest, Tia. I noticed an orange figure lying in the grass and quickly ran up to find a stallion lying unconscious in the middle of the ground!” “Really?” Celestia arched an eyebrow, truly interested in her sister’s retelling of events. “And where exactly did you find him?” “It was in the palace gardens, in the labyrinth actually. He awoke shortly after I found him and he panicked and was practically hysterical at the sight of me. And he spoke such a strange language I did not comprehend. I tried talking to this stallion anyways, but he panicked and fell unconscious again. I really did not know what to make of the situation at first…” Luna trailed off as she looked out the glass doors leading to the balcony, lost in her memory of the unusual event. “What happened next, Luna?” Celestia gently nudged her sister to get her attention. “I decided to take him to the Canterlot hospital after alerting the guards I would be leaving. I thought he may have needed medical attention, so I teleported us both to the emergency room. After he was situated and tended to, I left and came here.” “That was a good thing you did, my sister. If you hadn’t acted immediately, something could have happened to him,” Celestia remarked with a wide smile. “I’m proud of you, Lulu.” “Thank you,” Luna smiled back up at her sister. “The doctors gave him a private room and said they’d send word if anything changed. Tia? Have you even seen an adult pony without their Cutie Mark? The unicorn I found was fully grown, yet... he did not have one. Have you ever heard of such a thing?” Luna asked, completely lost at the concept of an adult ‘blank-flank’. “Now that you mention it, that is strange…” Celestia rubbed her chin with a perfectly-tended hoof as she tried to recall something. “I haven’t heard of something like this for quite some time actually. I believe it was a pegasus I met a few centuries back. It was the first time I’d even heard of something like that.” “Really?” Luna perked up; somewhat relieved her sister knew what she was talking about. “What happened to this pony? Did they ever get their Cutie Mark?” “Yes, she received it not long after we met actually,” Celestia answered as she drifted off back into her memories. She couldn’t believe how quickly those centuries had passed. She mentally shook herself back into reality. “It’s not important right now though. What are you going to do about the unicorn you found?” “Like I said, I’m going to wait for word from the doctors on his condition and then check on him.” “You seem awfully worried about him, Lulu,” Celestia smirked. “Should We not be worried about the health of our subjects?” Luna asked with a confused tone. “Just saying, it seems you have taken a liking to this particular stallion is all,” The solar alicorn teased with a light prodding of her sister’s wing. “You know we are only interested in mares, Tia,” Luna deadpanned with an un-amused expression, now getting up from her position on the bed and dropping to the floor. “I’m going to return to my stroll. Thank you for talking to me, Tia. It is greatly appreciated.” “Any time you need me, dear sister,” Celestia smiled warmly to the now leaving alicorn. Luna left the bedroom and shut the large golden doors behind her. Celestia just stared for a few moments, allowing herself to freely think. Wordlessly, she dropped to the floor and slowly trotted into the bathroom. Using her magic to turn on the faucet and splash some cold water on her face, she frowned as a thought kept repeating itself in her head. This is going to be interesting… <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Luna sat at her throne with a bored expression that had become all too familiar, looking over her manicured hooves for probably the one hundredth time that night. Being a princess certainly did have its drawbacks. Nopony ever came to night court, but it was still required for her to spend the proper amount of time in the throne room. She usually brought a few books to pass the time, but they were proving of little interest lately. It had been nearly three nights since she had first encountered the mysterious orange unicorn. Luna was somewhat surprised she hadn’t heard anything in that time. She looked over to the ponies charged with her protection at either side of the room. Wouldn’t be the first time my guards scared somepony off… She thought sourly, remembering the piercing golden eyes and bat-like wings each Lunar Stallion possessed. Even if it was just an enchantment, they still were a bit unnerving, if not intimidating to many ponies. Celestia had been rather busy the past couple of days, and had little time to talk with Luna. Although, each chance she got, she asked the younger alicorn about any news from the hospital, each time she would get a shake of the head and a negative answer. Luna started mentally debating with herself whether she should just go on her own and check on the status of the peculiar pony, but not before a knocking at the doors ripped her from her thoughts. She eyed the throne room’s colossal doors eagerly; any visitors would be a warmly welcomed escape from her boredom. “Enter,” Luna commanded. The doors slightly parted, revealing a Lunar Stallion who quickly bowed before speaking. “Your highness, somepony wishes to see you. Shall I send them in?” He asked before returning to a crisp attention, waiting for an answer. “Yes, please send them in right away, thank you,” Luna slightly smiled to herself, glad for some company, however long or short it may be. The guard passed back through the door, quickly being replaced by a white mare with a purple mane and a nicely-kept horn. The lunar alicorn smiled at the sight and her mood immediately took a positive turn. “How may the princess of the night assist you, miss…?” “I’m Nurse Soothing Song from Canterlot Memorial. I’m here about the stallion you brought in a few days ago.” The nurse simply stated, she seemed surprisingly unafraid of the princess or the guards who watched her every move like a Hydra. “What is his condition?” “About that…” The mare’s demeanor changed and she rubbed the back of her neck as she prepared her next words. “There was an… ‘incident’ concerning the patient.” This made Luna’s blood chill for a moment. “What are thou talking about? Is he alright?” The princess asked, afraid of the answer that would leave the mystery of the orange stallion forever unsolved. “He’s fine, for now. We had to sedate him after he awoke in an agitated state and was afraid of myself and the other pony assigned to look over him.” The nurse flashed an awkward smile to the princess, trying her best to comfort the worried look on Luna’s face. “Don’t worry, princess, he will be just fine after some more rest. We were merely concerned he might have hurt himself in his panic.” “Thank you.” Luna breathed a slight sigh of relief. “I should be getting back in case something else happens, your highness,” Soothing Song bowed before turning to exit the throne room, once more leaving the princess to the silence of her thoughts. Why would this pony act in such a strange way? Surely he would be thankful and glad to be in caring hooves? Perhaps I could visit him, it’s not like anypony will miss me here… Luna stood up on her hooves, having quickly made up her mind. “Guards, I will be leaving for Canterlot Memorial. I do not require an escort; I will make the trip on my own. You are all dismissed for this shift.” The half dozen Lunar Stallion positioned around the large room quickly nodded. They were used to the younger princess going off in the middle of the night on her own. Not to mention, silently happy about getting off work a few hours early. “Very well then, I shall see you all the next night.” Luna said as she strode over to the doors, and out towards the city. <><><><><><><> Luna soared through her night as swift as an arrow and silent as a barn owl. The hospital was quickly coming into view. She located the window she believed that led to her destination, and silently opened it with a flick of magic and landed inside. It was dark and silent in the room as the princess silently strode off to her objective. She looked over the unicorn as he lied partially under the covers, and was tossing and turning in his sleep; his eyes clenched shut and face contorted in pain. Luna blinked and continued to watch him for a few moments, curious as to what could be bothering the poor pony. After a few minutes of silently arguing with her consciousness, she decided to delve into the unicorn’s dream and seeing what was the source of his fears. She felt an almost academic desire to know more, and right now there was only one way she could do it. The princess of the night drew in a quick breath, and closed her eyes, joining her consciousness with that of the sleeping stallion. It seemed…’chaotically disorganized’ was the best phrasing Luna could describe it as inside the dream. She stood in a mostly white area that seemed to stretch endlessly. It was like no other dream realm she had ever seen before. All around here were large, floating shards of glass easily the size of herself. Most of them were clear and revealed nothing, except for one as Luna glimpsed something on the other side of one near her position. Curious, she walked over to one and followed it as it slowly spun on an invisible axis. She was surprised to see something was happening inside of the glass, almost like a portal to some event. She watched with great curiosity. She saw some strange creature standing in the middle of a black, hard packed soil with evenly-spaced yellow lines in the middle. The creature was seemingly tall, with a strange pink and white color of skin. She noted it stood on two legs and had two arms coming from its upper body, ending in hands and fingers. Odd… is this some strange form of dragon? They are sometimes bipedal. Luna thought to herself as she continued to watch the creature. Suddenly these strange enclosed, metal carriages sped past the creature and spun it around, giving Luna a better look at it. Atop its head was brown curly hair, and covering the top half of its legs were some white, loose clothing of some sort that had an assortment of pockets. Its torso wore what Luna surmised to be a light garment that covered the entirety of its chest and arms, but left the hands bare. The strange metal contraptions were getting closer and closer to the creature, each one got louder and closer as the fearful subject barely dodged them. Luna could make out basic details in the ‘carriages’ as they passed her viewpoint. They were mostly smooth from the front to the back, and were as tall as the chest of the panicking creature. At the front and back of each metal carriage were identical pairs of dark windows, obscuring anything within from view. Luna noted strange black wheels that propelled these along their speeding course. The bipedal being jumped to the side and barely avoided being run over by the vehicle. As it picked itself up off the ground another vehicle quickly sped up and was on a direct collision course with it. It must have known it would never move in time as it raised its arms in defense and screamed a blood-curdling noise. Suddenly the glass pane Luna watched the scene from shattered and the pieces defied gravity and floated away towards the ‘sky’. “Well, this is most unusual. What is happening to this pony—?” The alicorn was interrupted by some sound not far away. She turned her head to see another scene in a nearby floating shard of glass. She quickly trotted over to see what would happen this time. It was the same creature from before, wearing the same clothing and looking the same as before. What is this pony’s fascination with this strange being? Luna silently wondered. The scene before her was much different. The bipedal creature stood on a ledge and a blue sky dotted with a few clouds were behind it. Its arms were raised in what looked like some sort of begging position. Luna’s view panned over to what the creature was looking at. In front of it were three similar, though very different beings. One was a darker skin and had no hair and was not as tall as the one before. The ones on either side of it were also different. One was significantly skinnier than the others and had long black hair that went down to its chest. The other was a pink color and had closely cropped hair that was a dark shade of brown. All three of these creatures were holding small, metal contraptions in their hands, directly pointed at the first being Luna saw. She couldn’t make out what the small, dark metal objects were. They had a handle big enough for one of these creature’s hands and extended outwards a short distance. Why they were pointed menacingly at the creature on the ledge was beyond the alicorn. They did not appear to be dangerous at all, just oddly shaped, small pieces of metal, yet the subject of the nightmare seemed utterly terrified of them. The thinner, pale creature on the left side of the trio said something Luna could not understand, directed at the one on the ledge. Its eyes went wide with fright as it slowly looked behind and below itself. Luna’s view panned over the side of the ledge. They were very high up in the air. More black roads and distant carriages sped far, far below them. The one standing on the ledge halfway dropped to its knees and seemed to take a begging tone of voice toward the trio in front of it. Luna suddenly heard an incredibly loud booming noise and saw a magical flash of fire from the tip of the object. A small wound simultaneously appeared in the center of the pleading creature’s torso, with a crimson liquid quickly pouring out. Its lip quivered and face contorted into silent, shocked horror. The entity was wounded once more by the seemingly magical object. The sound was almost too loud for the princess, who lowered her ears and momentarily looked away, only to look back and see the wounded creature slowly falling backwards off the ledge. Luna silently watched as it toppled over the ledge, and fell the almost impossibly long distance to the ground, its arms and legs faintly flailing helplessly as a faint scream reached the top of the structure. Just before Luna saw the creature come in contact with the ground below, the glass pane she witnessed this event through shattered and quickly dissipated just like the other one showcasing the terrible fate of this being. Luna continued a pattern like this for some time. Each time she would watch the same pale-skinned, curly haired creature be killed in some truly horrible way. He was hung, dropped off a cliff, brutally stoned, even set on fire before the alicorn couldn’t bare to watch it anymore. Luna stepped back from the latest horrific scene and just tried to figure out all these strange scenes. What is this pony’s fascination with this creature? Why are his dreams plagued with repeated, horrific deaths? The princess just couldn’t find any connection. Having decided she wouldn’t figure anything out by staying there, she left the dream realm and returned back to the hospital room. The orange unicorn still had a pained look upon his face while he slept. Luna frowned at the sight, she felt bad for the poor pony. His dreams were too chaotic and disorganized she doubted she’d be able to help him even if she tried. Luna decided it would be best for her to leave and let the object of her curiosity get some more rest. I’ll come back and see him in a few hours, he may be awake by then. The princess of the night quickly opened the window and took back to the skies, forgetting to shut the window on her way out. Little did she know, that he would be very much awake upon her return. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Celestia had woken a few minutes earlier than she usually did this particular morning. Knowing this, the princess decided to simply lie in her bed for a while; silently enjoying the comfort. A knock was heard at her bedroom door, interrupting her ecstasy. Most ponies assume Celestia was a morning pony, she was not. She enjoyed little more than your average pony being woken up early. “Come in,” The princess said after a moment to magically snap her mane back into its usual, tidy self. The door quickly opened to reveal Princess Luna, looking almost excited. “Lulu! How nice to see you. It’s been a few days since we’ve had time to talk,” Celestia stated with a warm smile, genuinely happy. “Yes, I have been rather busy myself as well,” Luna remarked as she went over to the bed, stopping just short of actually getting on it. Celestia noticed her ears were somewhat splayed downwards, signaling there was something on the lunar princess’s mind. “Is there something you wish to talk about? You seem… troubled, my dear sister,” The white alicorn moved aside and motioned with her wing for the younger princess to join her, which Luna quickly and happily accepted. She always did love snuggling up to her big sis. “It is about that stallion I mentioned a few days ago. Do you remember?” Luna asked with an uneasy frown. Celestia immediately pushed her other thoughts aside, this was important. “Yes? Have you heard anything about him? Is he going to be alright?” Celestia quickly asked. “I was approached by a doctor early into my night, she told me he awoke in a highly agitated and nervous state and they were forced to sedate him. Don’t worry though, he’s…ok,” Luna slowly mouthed. “Whatever do you mean by that? He wasn’t harmed, was he?” Celestia worriedly asked, her eyes wide. “No, not physically at least,” Luna answered, shifting her hooves uncomfortably. “I get the feeling you are leaving something out…” The solar alicorn trailed off. “I…” Luna stuttered, unsure of how to proceed. “After I heard of the incident, I went to visit him. He was still asleep when I went there, though he seemed greatly pained,” Luna bit her lip, remembering what came next. “Out of curiosity, I entered the unicorn’s dreams to see what else I may learn about him, or his origins.” “What did you find?” Celestia asked. “It was… it was like no other mind or dreamscape I have seen before.” Luna rubbed her front hooves together, searching for the right words. “It was a place of countless nightmares, all of which ended in the death of some creature I could not identify. There were many unfamiliar things in that pony’s mind.” “Perhaps the sedative the hospital staff used was to blame?” Celestia offered, slightly shrugging her shoulders. “I know the minds of beings much more than you do, Tia. The drug that caused him to sleep can only cause the events of the nightmares, not the subject of them,” Luna corrected. “This creature, this… alien that is in this pony’s mind is not like anything I have seen or heard of before. I believe this stallion is insane, there is no other explanation, Tia.” “Oh Luna, there is always an explanation,” Celestia wrapped her right wing around the lunar alicorn. “…we just have to find it is all.” “Well…” Luna started. “The dreams weren’t all that happened…” Celestia gave her sister a puzzled look that slowly turned into a dirty smirk. “It wasn’t like that, Tia,” Luna lightly nudged her sister with a hoof in the abdomen. “I went back a few hours later to see if he was awake… and he was.” “Really? What happened?” Celestia arched an eyebrow, surprised. “He was… less than ecstatic at my presence, even attempting to jump from the fifth floor before realizing I wasn’t there to hurt him. It took quite some time, but a peaceful understanding came between us.” “So, he told you who he was and where he came from I assume then?” Celestia asked, eager for an answer. “Actually, when he spoke it was that strange language he spoke when I first found him. I tried communicating with pen and paper, but this only confused him more. The pony can’t even read our language!” Luna exclaimed. “That is very peculiar indeed,” Celestia rubbed her hoof on her chin. “How did you and him ‘talk’ then?” “Sign language mostly,” Luna answered before huffing to herself. “…it was not easy. But, that wasn’t the strangest part. The stallion did not seem to know he was even a unicorn. When I ‘questioned’ him why he wasn’t using magic, he seemed completely lost at the concept, as well as the horn atop his head.” “So what you’re saying, Lulu, is there is a grown, adult unicorn who has no verbal communication skills within our comprehension whatsoever, can’t use magic, and wasn’t aware he even had a horn? Not to mention, no Cutie Mark?” “Umm…” Luna trailed off at the question. “We know it sounds strange, but—“ “If it was any other pony but you, I wouldn’t believe them,” Celestia interrupted. Luna only stared at her sister, mouth agape. “Thank you, it means a lot to me, Tia.” Luna nuzzled Celestia back and smiled to herself. After a few moments of quiet, content comfort between the princesses, the younger of the two spoke. “What is going to be done about this unicorn? He does not seem dangerous… just confused, from what I could tell.” “Perhaps I could meet him after raising the sun?” Celestia offered. “I may have an idea or two to improve the situation, and answer some of the questions raised by our guest. “Is that really a wise decision? Leaving the castle for your own curiosity?” The lunar alicorn asked. “I could ask you the same thing, my dear Luna,” Celestia countered with a smirk. “Besides, I’m confident Equestria will be fine without its princess’s for one hour at the most.” “If you say so, Tia. I shall meet you for breakfast after you raise your sun, then we can leave for the hospital,” Luna said as she got up from the bed and stretched her wings. “A sound plan. I will see you soon, Luna.” And with that, Celestia watched her younger sister depart, leaving her alone for a few moments before raising the sun and bringing forth the day. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The princesses walked through the automatic opening door of the hospital and were met with the warm, comforting rays of the sun. Having just learnt about their peculiar guest through their first ‘real’ conversation, both alicorns were in pretty high spirits as they walked through Canterlot. “Tia, if I may ask you something?” Luna looked to her side, seeing her sister nod. “How did you do that spell earlier? I wasn’t aware you could do that.” “Oh? It was just a little trick I picked up back before the griffons adopted our language,” Celestia answered nonchalantly. “Perhaps I will teach it to you sometime.” “We see…” Luna trailed off, looking down at the street in thought. They both continued walking for a few minutes in silence before she spoke up again. “I have another question, Tia. Do you really believe ‘Edward’s’ story, that he’s a… ‘human’?” Luna disbelievingly asked. “I will admit, it is a strange tale, but I believe him,” Celestia replied. “I take it you are not so easily convinced?” She asked, looking over to the skeptical princess. “At first, I thought he was a changeling, but when I touched my horn to his, I found no evidence of their filthy influence,” Luna stated, not bothering to look back at Celestia with her answer. “He may be a pony, but I still do not believe his story. An alien from another world coming here? It is a preposterous idea!” Luna frowned. “Have stranger things not happened before, dear Luna?” Celestia questioned. “The crystal civilization disappeared for more than a thousand years. Entities like Discord have survived millennia encased in stone, and we both control celestial bodies many countless miles away while being nearly immortal…” She trailed off, letting the facts sink in. “You yourself viewed his dreams and saw these aliens with your own eyes. Is it really too difficult to believe such a being stumbled into our world of magic?” Celestia asked the skeptical princess. “I…” Luna trailed off once more, trying to formulate a response. “I do admit the dreams would be proof enough for most, but they were not beyond what an insane mind could conjure. I do believe him when he says he is not naturally a pony, but he is natural to this world,” Luna slightly huffed and pointed her muzzle towards the sky. “Are you really so certain?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her younger sibling. “I am sure. This is simply not possible,” Luna nodded while still looking forward, seeing the castle growing closer and closer with each step. “Oh, Luna,” Celestia rolled her eyes and brought her wing over her sister’s side, stopping them in the street. “There is still much to learn of our own world, even for us,” Celestia smirked. “I will make a deal with you, if you will listen.” “A ‘deal’? What kind of deal do you speak of, Tia?” “Do you remember how I told him you would search for his family whilst I find him a home?” Celestia asked. “Yes, you were quick to appoint me such a difficult task,” Luna grumbled as they both resumed walking towards the castle. “It is no secret you have already grown bored of your nightly duties, you could use a vacation,” Celestia genuinely smiled, earning a positive look from her younger sister. “Now, back to the deal I spoke of. If you do not find sufficient proof to convince you he is a human, then I will both find him a home, and find his family if they are here. You win either way, Luna,” Celestia smirked. She always knew just what to say to get her stubborn sibling to do something. Luna thought over the terms of their agreement for a few long moments, eventually turning and stopping in the middle of the street once more. “You have a deal, Tia. But what if he does prove dangerous? And it was our fault he ever left the hospital?” She worriedly asked. “Do not worry, he won’t harm anypony unless he is forced to do so,” Celestia confidently smiled. “How can you be so sure?” Luna curiously asked. “While I was performing my language spell, I performed, another…” Celestia slightly trailed off. “It is a variation of your natural dream abilities; it allows me to read a pony’s heart when I touch my horn to their bodies. It’s funny really, my language spell could have been cast from across the room,” Celestia chuckled to herself and turned back towards the castle, leaving a confused alicorn a few steps behind her. “You… read their hearts?” Luna disbelievingly asked. “Pray tell, how does that even work?” “It’s simple to explain, but complicated to perform. Essentially it lets me read a pony’s, or any sentient creature’s true intent, or motives.” Celestia stated, quite proud of herself for creating such a powerful spell on her own. “That… is that even legal?” Luna asked, still trying to grasp the concept of ‘heart reading’. “Well… technically nopony besides you and I know about it, so I really don’t have an answer for you,” Celestia shrugged. “I never thought about it. I haven’t had to use the spell for quite some time, I usually forget about it.” “Fair enough,” Luna simply said, noticing they were both nearly at the castle now. “Tia? How do you suggest I go about finding the proof I require?” “Infiltrate his dreams once more, and do not leave until you are thoroughly satisfied,” Celestia simply replied. “Do you really think that will work, Tia?” Luna cocked an eyebrow. “I did not learn much last time…” “We could always have him dragged off to the torture chamber instead,” Celestia smirked along with a slight chuckle. “It hasn’t been used in far too long.” “Er… I would prefer to not harm the stallion without good reason, dear sister.” Luna cast a somewhat worried look. Sometimes her sister’s jokes were a bit disturbing. “Very well then. If you will excuse me, I shall go and make living arrangements for Edward then,” Celestia opened her wings, about to take off. “Wait!” Luna called, just stopping her sister in time. “Where do you plan on him staying? At the castle?” “Oh no, I had somewhere much different in mind,” Celestia winked as she took off and hovered a few feet off the ground. “And I know just the pony to watch after him.” She smiled once more before turning and flying off towards her tower. Luna watched her sister go, letting their conversation replay in her mind and sink in. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> “But… but you Pinkie Promised you’d be there, Twilight!” The pegasus’s wings flared in exclamation. “I’m sorry, Rainbow, but something has come up and I can’t go. I’m sorry,” Twilight frowned to the pegasus across her living room while she packed a few things in her saddlebag. Twilight promised to go with the rest of the girls to The Wonderbolt’s 300th Anniversary Air Show! a month ago. In all honesty, the librarian saw the event as nothing but a way to earn money. “Well…” Rainbow Dash trailed off, letting her wings fall limp at her sides. “Can I at least know why you can’t come?” The pegasus pleaded. “You already sent Spike off to Rarity’s, can’t I know at least?” “Rainbow, I…” Twilight stuttered, quickly glancing over to her desk where a partially rolled scroll lay, next to her half-eaten dinner. She shut her eyes for a moment, remembering a line from the letter. Remember Twilight, this is a matter that may jeopardize national security, come alone, and tell nopony. That sentence repeated in the unicorn’s head dozens of times since she’d read it. “I’m terribly sorry, Rainbow, but I don’t really even know. Princess Celestia herself said it was urgent and I needed to be in Canterlot immediately.” Twilight nodded affirmatively. “You’ll tell the others, won’t you?” “Fine,” Rainbow Dash huffed and turned towards the front door to her friend’s home, hesitating as soon as she opened it. “Just, be careful whatever it is,” Rainbow called over her shoulder to the packing unicorn. “I don’t want to have to leave the show early tomorrow to come save your flank.” She finished with a playful smile before lifting off and soaring into the sky. “Phew, glad that’s over,” Twilight smiled to herself before packing the rest of her bags, placing the scroll from Celestia in a side pocket. Oh, who am I trying to fool? I feel horrible for going back on my Pinkie Promise, even if it was something important... Twilight’s eyes went wide in epiphany. Oh Celestia no, I have to break a Pinkie Promise... may that party pony have mercy on my soul... She stared at the wall for a few moments, her mind conjuring all the torturous acts her pink friend would surely inflict upon her. Twilight shook her head after a few moments, dispelling the unpleasant thoughts. She ran up to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, making sure she was at least presentable. Running down the stairs, she glanced at the clock and nearly felt her heart stop. If I don’t leave now I won’t make the train! Twilight internally panicked before quickly grabbing her bags and simultaneously closing and locking the front door. She ran down the street as quickly as her hooves would carry her, irritated by the fact she couldn’t teleport at the moment. Of course I had to be practicing an actual age spell all day when I got the letter, now I’m not going to have hardly any magic for the rest of the night... Twilight sourly thought to herself as the train station came into view. She levitated some bits out of her saddlebag as she approached the ticket counter, practically yelling at the poor pony behind the booth. “One evening express ticket to Canterlot!” <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The princess of the night glided over Canterlot, being silhouetted by her moon that had risen to the center of the sky. She followed the path she had previously taken to the hospital, and Edward’s room. If we keep leaving during the night like this, my guards may become suspicious. She thought to herself as the familiar building came into view. Just like the night before, she silently flicked the window open with her magic and stealthily landed inside. Luna looked over to see Edward sleeping, somewhat more peacefully than the previous evening, but still uncomfortable looking. Luna drew in a breath and let her consciousness travel over to the sleeping stallion’s mind. After a few moments of darkness, she felt around for the dreaming part of his thoughts, she materialized in mid-air with no ground beneath her hooves. With a startled yelp, the dream-walking princess quickly unfurled her wings and steadied herself before seeing her surroundings. There were only dark, motionless clouds above her and a seemingly endless expanse of water below her. Luna noted distant flashes of lightning off in the distance. Seeing as how those were the only remarkable things within her view, she quickly took off in their direction. After a quick flight, Luna arrived in the middle of a terrible storm, the winds threatening to send her into the roiling depths below. Wait… this sounds familiar. He said something about a storm that caused him to come to Equestria. Perhaps he is around here somewhere… Luna carefully lowered her altitude, looking for any poor ponies trapped in this dark place. It did not take long before some distant noises caught her attention. She quickly found the source of the distressing sounds… it was the same mysterious creature she had seen before. The princess could scarcely believe her eyes. This pony must be insane to still be dreaming of this pink, fleshy being. Time to get some answers. I will not just stand by and watch this time!” Luna dived through the air and stopped just short of the swimming creature, its face white with fear. “Halt! Who are you? Why does the stallion in the real world continue to dream of you?” The princess shouted to be heard above the sounds of thunder and crashing waves. The creature ignored her and continued swimming, occasionally slipping beneath the surface before returning to the tiring exercise. “We ask again… Who are you!?” Luna demanded once more. When she did not receive a reply, she flew in front of the creature in an attempt to at least be acknowledged by its eyes. “Do you even hear me?” She asked, once again eliciting no response from the still-swimming being. Curious, Luna carefully flew even lower and closer to the creature and stuck her hoof out, trying to get its attention by a touch to the shoulder. The princess silently gasped when her hoof passed through the creature’s body as if it were not even there. She withdrew her hoof and tried again and again, each time she passed right through the being. Wait… something is not right here. Luna flapped her wings to gain a few feet of altitude. She closed her eyes and concentrated her magic, feeling the air around her. Luna quickly opened her eyes at the surprising discovery. This is not a dream… this is the pony’s actual, unaltered memories! The princess looked back down to the swimming, bipedal creature with her mouth agape in shock. She continued to stare as the being grew noticeably tired, his movements becoming slow and lazy. He… he was really telling the truth the whole time… Luna focused her magic once more, and in a blink of her eyes, was back in the hospital room. She took a step back from the bed in disbelief. Oh, what this poor soul must have gone through… Luna silently gasped to herself. After a few moments of letting the facts sink in. “Tia was right the whole time...” Luna quietly whispered to herself before flying out the window and latching it shut. She had a sister to see, and admit her suspicions of simple insanity were false. <><><><><><><> Twilight nearly vaulted off the train as soon as it pulled up to the Canterlot station. She’d hardly slept during the night, too worried about Celestia’s letter. As was reflected by her untidy mane and tale, coupled with an occasional twitch of her left eye. She glanced over her side to make sure her bags were secure, and took off towards the castle. Having been born and raised in the Equestrian capital, it didn’t take her long at all to find the shortest, most efficient route to the castle. Twilight saw a few ponies along her route who recognized her and offered a polite greeting or a friendly wave. “Sorry can’t talk gotta go bye!” Was all most of them managed to hear as she continued along her speeding journey. Twilight was so focused on the task at hoof, she didn’t notice as a white unicorn with a red mane with violet highlights stepped right in her path. She collided with the white mare in a surprising, though thankfully not painful, heap of tangled limbs. “I’m so sorry!” Twilight apologized as she righted herself and offered a hoof to the pony she’d run into. Of all the ponies she could have run into, she never expected to see this particular mare’s face looking up at her. “Moondancer?” Twilight slowly asked, almost thinking an illusion spell was at play. “Hey Twilight,” Moondancer greeted, her similarly-shaded violet eyes met Twilights, whose were brimming with surprise. “I wasn't’ expecting to bump into you today, well, not quite so literally.” She laughed and used her magic to pick up her friend’s saddlebag and quickly deposit it on her back. “So, what brings you to Canterlot? I heard you moved to Ponyville,” Moondancer asked with a tilt of the head, her red and violet mane slightly falling off to the side. “I’m here to see Princess Celestia,” Twilight replied while making doubly sure her bags were secure this time. “I’m kinda in a rush, actually...” She trailed off, glancing towards the now nearby castle gates. “Oh, ok then,” Moondancer frowned and looked slightly down to the street. Twilight looked at the downtrodden mare in front of her, feeling a familiar feeling of guilt. Suddenly, Moondancer perked up and seemed her usual cheery self. “Well, make sure to come and visit me sometime!” She smiled and resumed her walk down the street. “Oh, and bring Spike too!” The mare called, although her lavender friend was already a fair distance away by the time she turned back around. Twilight ran up to the golden gates that separated Canterlot from the entrance to the throne room. The Solar Stallions quickly opened the gate with their magic upon seeing who was running towards them, not slowing the unicorn down in the slightest except for a quick ‘thank you’. The guards in front of the massive throne room doors weren’t as quick to let Twilight through. They gave the untidy unicorn in front of them a curious glance before one of them spoke up. “We’re sorry, Lady Sparkle, but the princesses are not in at the moment,” The bleached-white pegasus stated in a honed, flat voice. “Oh,” Twilight’s ears fell flat, not expecting to be stonewalled like that. This makes no sense! Why wouldn’t Princess Celestia be here? “However,” The other guard pony started. “We were given instructions to escort you to the royal study if Her Highness was not present during your arrival.” This instantly raised Twilight’s spirits. “Thank you sirs, but you don’t need to escort me, I know where it is,” Twilight beamed as she took a step off towards a corridor, before a white wing shot open and blocked her path. She looked over to see the guards giving her their usual, emotionless face. “Be that as it may, it is protocol that somepony of your importance be given escort, Please follow us, Lady Sparkle,” One of them stated before they both took positions in front of their temporary VIP. The guard on Twilight’s right let out a quick, sharp whistle. Almost instantly two unicorns flashed out of thin air, and took the pegasi guards place where they were before. Security is really tight nowadays... Twilight silently thought to herself as she followed the Solar Stallions in front of her. Surprisingly, they were quick in their task of escorting the Equestrian hero to her destination, getting her there nearly as fast as if she were on her own. They arrived at a set of perfectly polished, wooden double doors at the end of a long corridor. Twilight was quite familiar with the room, the princess had let her study there when the library was closed or she needed help. It surprised her there weren’t any guards posted outside the doors like before. That’s strange. Did Celestia order them away? Twilight thought before her guards quickly turned and left her alone momentarily. She knocked on the door and slowly went inside, noting the somewhat dark atmosphere. “Ah, Twilight Sparkle,” A voice called out, causing her to jump. suddenly all the lights in the room lit and the shades lifted, revealing Princess Luna lying comfortably on a couch. “Oh, hello Princess,” Twilight smiled, her adrenaline tapering off from just before. She took a few steps further into the room, letting a momentary feeling of nostalgia take her over. “How many times must We tell you,” The princess chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Call us Luna, Twilight.” “Sorry, Pr—Luna,” Twilight sheepishly smiled. “I’m here to see Celestia, do you know where she is?” “Ah yes, she is at the hospital,” Luna replied as if it were nothing. What. That statement had set off nearly every alarm in Twilight’s mind. Anypony looking from the outside would have noticed a totally blank expression as what she heard registered. “Celestia’s in the hospital!?” Twilight shouted, her mind still racing. “What happened to her? Is she going to be ok? Is she—.” “We did not mean it like that, Twilight,” Luna quickly interjected, she’d heard what the violet unicorn’s mental breakdowns could do to her health, not to mention anypony within a 5 mile radius. “Celestia is visiting the hospital,” She comforted in a soothing voice as she stood up from the couch and walked over to the distressed mare. “Why do you need to see her though?” Luna quizzically asked. “She sent me this letter yesterday...” Twilight used a bit of her magic to bring the scroll she’d received the prior day from her bags. “...and said I needed to be here as soon as possible for an urgent matter of national security!” She finished my floating the letter over to Luna, who quickly took it and scanned its contents. “Oh... oh! We see...” The princess mumbled to herself as she continued reading. After a few moments, a surprised look surfaced on her face as her eyes went back and forth between the scroll and Twilight. “It would seem Tia has... ‘chosen’ you for an important task, the nature of which I do not feel at liberty to discuss.” “What are you talking about?” Twilight was baffled. “I was chosen for something about the security of the country?” “About that...” Luna bit her lip as she thought of the best way to explain. “It seems my sister may have intentionally exaggerated on some aspects of your unexpected trip. It is important, Twilight, but she felt you needed to be in Canterlot as soon as possible.” Celestia, tricked me? “Why would she do that?” Twilight slowly asked, still letting it sink in. “Like was said before, she wanted you here as quickly as possible, so she... altered the facts of the matter to, speed things up?” Luna shrugged. “I wish more could be said here, but I am not the one to tell you.” “...but I am not the one to tell you.” Those words repeated through Twilight’s mind, trying to discern some meaning from them. “Is it about my brother? Are my parents ok? Is something wrong with Cadan—!” “Twilight, calm thyself,” Luna laid a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Everypony is fine, nopony is hurt,” she comforted, eliciting a relieved sigh from her violet friend. “I guess I should be getting to Celestia then?” Twilight smiled a bit sheepishly. “But I don’t know where she’ll be exactly... the Canterlot hospital is the largest in Equestria!” She exclaimed, feeling a miniature panic attack beginning to brew. “She will be in room sixty-two on the fifth floor,” Luna informed. “Thanks, Luna. Well, I’ll get going so I can see what she needed then,” Twilight turned back to the door and took a step forward before turning to say goodbye. “It was nice seeing you again.” And with that, she turned to leave once more. “Wait!” The princess said, stopping Twilight in her tracks. She stared at her friend for a few moments, mentally debating the best course of words for the next thing she would say. “Perhaps you should brush your mane before leaving?” Luna smiled sheepishly while summoning a brush. The two shifted their gaze to Twilight’s disheveled mane, stray ends going every which way. “Perhaps you’re right.” <><><><><><><> After a quick, but desperately needed moment for herself, Twilight happily trotted to Canterlot Memorial. Her mane, tail and coat were all back to their normal selves. She was glad Luna suggested she brush herself before departing. Twilight certainly didn’t want her mentor and friend seeing her in such a frazzled state a second time. Twilight trotted up the decorated walkway that led up to the main entrance. She’d only visited here a few times but was relatively familiar with it. She was heading up the stairs before she decided to simply teleport herself to the top of the landing to the fifth floor. Twilight opened the door and stepped out into a hallway teaming with various hospital staff. She saw a sign pointing to the direction of the sixty and seventy block of rooms, and promptly followed it until she came to where she needed to be. Twilight had a strange, almost unnoticeable feeling something was ‘off’ in the air around her as she reached the proper entryway, but shrugged it off as exhaustion. She focused her magic on the door and enveloped it in her signature colored aura, quickly opening it and allowing her to catch the tail-end of her mentor’s voice from the room within, speaking to somepony else. “... Twilight Sparkle.” Chapter FiveChapter Five “... Twilight Sparkle.” I shifted my gaze over and saw a pony I’d never seen before walking into my room. She was a shade of violet that seemed so deep it was almost unnatural, as well as her mane with its pink strip slightly off-center. This unicorn had the tell-tale facial features of a female, and a horn that seemed perfectly taken care of. I noticed all of this in the moment it took her to take a step inside and quickly shut the door after herself. She noticed Celestia first and was quick to greet her upon entering. “Hello Celestia, nice to finally see you!” The purple unicorn beamed with an almost unnoticeable jump. She was turned just enough for me to see her tail reflect the same pattern as her mane. On her lower-back was a small grouping of stars. One large purple star with several smaller, white ones surrounding it. After greeting Celestia she turned to me and quickly scanned me up and down. Something about her violet eyes was very soothing. “Who’s this?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, studying me the same as I had studied her. “He is the reason I summoned you here,” Celestia replied with a quick nod in my direction. Wait, she can just summon people? She must be pretty high in the royalty department. “Twilight, I would like for you to meet Edward,” She finished with a patiently waiting look to see how we interacted. Twilight scrunched her face ever so slightly at the mention of my name and gave me another studying glance. Her face was blank for the most part, but not off-putting. I smiled a little and am betting it looked a bit awkward as I glanced everywhere. Most people wouldn’t guess I was shy, but I most definitely was. “Um, hello,” I greeted, breaking the silence in the air. This seemed to break her of the situational awkwardness as well. “Nice to meet you, Edward,” Twilight smiled at me. She paused a little when she said my name, likely as alien to her as this world was to me. She pulled her eyes off of me and looked back over to Celestia. “Princess Celestia? Why am I here? Luna said the letter wasn’t as important as it sounded.” So she’s a princess? I wonder if Luna is a queen, or if she’s a princess too? “It is true the message was somewhat exaggerated, but still important nonetheless.” Celestia nodded her head towards me again. “It is about Edward, I would very much appreciate it if you could take him into your home for a temporary amount of time,” She finished with a smile. “What? Why?” Twilight looked understandably confused, a feeling I was secretly glad I wasn’t the only one experiencing lately. “I… umm, this is…” She stuttered, looking back and forth between the princess and myself. “Edward was... stranded in Equestria and requires somewhere to stay for a time until which he can safely return home.” Celestia stated. “Umm, sure I guess? I mean, of course, Princess!” Twilight grinned slightly too much as she corrected herself. Something about the situation made me feel uneasy. “Where’s he from? Why can’t he go home now though?” She asked while looking me up and down some more with her inspecting gaze. “He’s… from a land quite far away from here,” Celestia stalled. “How far away?” Twilight asked with a slight tilt of her head. "Very far, my student,” The princess replied. Twilight’s face took the appearance of somebody thinking over a difficult question. She took a few steps towards me before silently circling me for a few moments. I felt a little unsure about being looked at so much. She returned to her ‘spot’, completing the triangle the three of us made in the hospital room. She rubbed her hoof on her chin before turning back to Celestia. “Is he from Germaneia?” She asked while offering a hoof. “Further than that, Twilight,” Celestia shook her head. “Is Edward Prench?” Twilight persisted. “Further.” Celestia smiled. She seemed to enjoy the violet unicorn questioning her. “… Saddle-Arabia?” Twilight desperately asked. “Keep trying.” The princess’s smile turned into a smirk on the side of her face only I’d be able to easily see. Twilight seemed incredibly puzzled. She stared at me with a thoughtful frown as the gears turned in her head. Twilight does know Celestia is messing with her, right? It’s pretty obvious to me... “Is he from… the zebra territories?” She unsurely asked. I glanced down to my hooves and frowned. I obviously wasn’t a zebra. She must really have no idea what to make of me… that makes two of us I suppose. “I am afraid not…” Celestia shook her head. “Perhaps it is better if he simply told you?” She questioned, giving me an expectant look. “Oh,” I hesitated, not expecting to have the spotlight on me. Twilight waited for my answer with the greatest curiosity I’ve seen in years. “Well, I’m from... Earth, I guess you could say.” “’Earth’?” Twilight repeated to herself. She looked down to the tiled floor while she tried to think of where Earth was, though she’d never be correct. “Is that part of the dragon continent we haven’t explored yet?” Did she just say… “There are dragons here!?” I asked, unsure if my new ears had picked that up correctly. “Of course! Everypony, even the gryphons and zebras know dragons exist,” Twilight waved her hoof as she threw her head back and giggled, likely thinking my question was a joke. After her short self-chuckling faded away and she saw my blank face, her own face froze. “Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?” “Err… yeah, I really didn’t know dragons existed,” I rubbed the back of my neck before continuing. I looked over to Celestia who seemed perfectly content just watching us. “I mean, there were always legends and stories about them back home, but they were never proven real.” “Oh, dragons are definitely real,” Twilight laughed as she lightly rolled her eyes before composing herself and clearing her throat. “I think we’re getting off-topic here. You were saying where ‘Earth’ was?” “It’s, uh, it’s pretty far away from anything you know,” I stalled, nervous about her reaction when she knew the truth. “Let’s just say, it’s a world further away than you could ever travel to, or likely see. And none of your kind have ever been there.” “Wait, are you saying—?” She furrowed her brow as the gears turned in her head. “... You’re, you’re saying you’re from another… planet?” Twilight tilted her head as the question left her lips. “Well, that or another dimension,” I shrugged in response, glad the awkward part of explaining I was essentially an alien was over. “I haven’t really had a chance to nail down which it is yet.” “He can’t be serious…” She trailed off and looked over to Celestia who’d remained silent for the most part. The princess just smiled and blinked as Twilight gave her a look I couldn’t quite see. “He’s… he’s telling the truth, isn’t he?” “As unbelievable as it may sound, yes. He is not of our world, that much I am sure of,” Celestia nodded simply, not breaking her calm composure. Twilight looked back to me with a face comprised of shock, disbelief, and possibly even denial. I almost feel bad for Twilight… she must think this is some weird joke she hasn’t seen the end of yet. “Well, that would explain why he didn’t have a Cutie Mark…” Twilight trailed off and tilted her head while slightly biting her lip in thought. “… but why is he a pony if he’s an, an alien?” “Well, Twilight,” Celestia hesitated and flashed her eyes to the floor before quickly bringing them back to the violet unicorn. “That I do not have an answer to,” She finished with a studying glance of her own. “What I do know, however, is that Edward is most definitely telling the truth with what he says.” “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this one, Princess,” Twilight slowly said as her gaze drifted up to my horn and looked it over through squinted eyes as if she were attempting to find some minute detail. “Try to think of him as being a part of a foreign exchange program then,” Celestia offered with a wink directed at the violet pony who ignored it and continued looking me over. “Edward, can you use magic at all?” Twilight asked me with her hoof pointed loosely at my head. “I saw your horn and it made me curious.” “Well, uh…” I awkwardly smiled and looked away for a moment at the recollection of my efforts the previous day and night. “I tried after I saw Luna do it, but it just hurt my head when I thought about magic. I think I wiggled a glass of water, but it was probably just my imagination,” I finished my explanation with a shrug. “Fascinating… do you mind if I…?” Twilight trailed off and motioned at my horn, silently asking to get a better look. “Uh sure, go ahead.” I replied and lightly shrugged. Twilight seemed satisfied and took a few steps towards me. She was only a couple feet from me as she raised her head and stood on the tip of her hooves in an attempt to better examine my horn. She wasn’t much shorter than me at all, but I quickly realized her difficulty and slightly lowered my head, pointing my horn almost directly at her. “Thanks,” Twilight said in a quick, cheery tone. All I could really see was the floor and her purple legs as my head was lowered. She leaned forward a bit more and made a few humming noises as one of her front hooves lightly tapped various points around the base of my horn. I felt like I was at, well, a doctor’s with how Twilight seemed to examine me all the time. I was broken out of my thoughts by something that was completely new to me in this world, a pleasant smell that for once wasn’t the sterile smell of my room. I quietly sniffed the air in front of me and picked up a faint aroma of some sort of flower or other plant. It was very pleasant, but all the more surprising when I realized it was coming from Twilight. Must be some kind of shampoo or perfume she uses, right? Wow, these ponies really seem to take care of themselves, I can respect that. I silently thought to myself. I suddenly felt a point at the base of my horn register an almost ticklish feeling that made me shiver and my skin twitch for the shortest of moments. “Hmm… that’s what I thought…” Twilight mumbled to herself before drawing away and letting me bring my head back up to normal height. “What is it?” I asked her while stretching my neck. “I felt a weird twitch when you were doing… whatever it was you did.” “It’s like I thought, you ‘technically’ have magic, but you haven’t learned how to properly access it yet,” Twilight replied quite studiously, a slight smile on her face. I looked over to the still-there Celestia who had an impressed, proud smile just visible on her white muzzle. Twilight, just now noticing she was still standing right in front of me sheepishly smiled and stepped back to where she initially was. “Um, maybe we should get back to why we’re all here in the first place?” I offered after clearing my throat. “Yes, that would probably be best,” Celestia interjected. Twilight seemed to look away and consider something before looking back to the princess. “I guess I could take him in…” Twilight trailed off, unsure of how to continue it seemed. “But, I don’t know if I can afford to house him too. Having your home and place of employment be the same building is a benefit, but I don’t know if I can financially handle it.” She remained looking at the princess with a frown. “Do not worry, Twilight, I have already signed off to have five-hundred bits sent to you every two weeks while Edward is living with you in Ponyville.” “You’re… you’re giving me one-thousand bits every month?” Twilight’s jaw dropped at what I assumed was a reasonably large amount of ‘bits’, which I surmised to be their form of currency. “Yes. Think of it as a royally-funded foreign exchange program.” Celestia said to the shocked Twilight. “You shall teach him our ways and customs so he can be more comfortable in Equestria, and he might even tell you about his world.” She finished with a smile directed at me. “But, how will I explain to my friends that I suddenly have a stallion living with me?” Twilight had a hoof raised and waved it slightly for emphasis. “I mean, they all know I only have one brother and they might assume we’re… dating…” She trailed off with an awkward smile back and forth between me and the princess. So she has a brother? I wonder what he’ll think of… wait, she’s right, this is going to be weird. “Oh Twilight…” Celestia took a few steps towards her student and momentarily wrapped a wing around the nervous mare. In truth, I was just as nervous about, well everything. “I am sure they will listen once you explain things.” “Can I tell them who he really is?” Twilight asked after a few moments. “That is up to you, although if they are told they must keep it a secret,” Celestia finished with a serious, but not threatening tone. “I do not wish many ponies to know of where he is from, the results may be… undesirable.” “Don’t worry about that, princess,” Twilight smiled to Celestia. “I’ll make them all Pinkie Promise to keep it a secret.” ’Pinky Promise’? I examined my hooves with a confused smirk. But… ponies don’t even have fingers… “Then it is settled, Edward, you will live with Twilight in Ponyville until Luna and I can find a way for you to go home,” Celestia smiled while looking between Twilight and myself. “Any more questions from either of you?” “I have lots of questions, but they can wait until later,” Twilight replied before her and Celestia both looked to me. “How are we getting to this ‘Ponyville’ place?” I questioned. “Cause I’m still a bit new to the whole walking on four legs thing.” I flashed a weak smile. “Don’t worry, there’s a train that takes us there.” Twilight spoke up. “Well, it seems like there isn’t much reason for me to stick around anymore. I should return to the throne room and let you two be on your way,” Celestia said as she slowly walked over to the door past Twilight, whom she turned to just before exiting. “Oh Twilight, be sure to send me letters on how he is adjusting, won’t you?” “Of course, Princess!” Twilight seemed strangely happy to send letters on something as dull as recording me. “I’ll send you one every day.” “Then I will take that as my cue to leave. The papers were taken care of when I got here, you are free to leave at any time. Goodbye, Edward,” Celestia smiled and nodded to me before returning the same farewell to Twilight. “Bye, Princess,” I waved a hoof at her, hoping that same body language applied here as well. “Please, just Celestia to you,” She waved a hoof back to me. “I’m not your princess after all, so Celestia is perfectly acceptable.” She smiled to me. “Alright then, I’ll try to remember that if— I mean ‘when’ I see you again,” I corrected myself. The princess seemed satisfied enough at how things went and quickly nodded to each of us once more. “Good day you two.” Now with Celestia gone and the door shut, the room became uncomfortably quiet, both me and Twilight unsure of what to do next. She seemed happy enough to take me in, but I still sensed some uneasiness from her. We just stood across from each other on nearly opposite ends of the room glancing around, neither of us sure what to do next. “So, uh when does the train leave?” I asked to break the tension. “We’ve got a couple more hours until we can leave,” Twilight replied and followed it up with a light shrug and a glance out the window. “We could walk around a little bit and stop for some lunch? I haven’t eaten yet.” I was reminded of how hungry I was almost the entirety of my stay at this hospital. Having only munched on a few apples and seldom anything else, I gladly accepted the offer of ‘real world’ food. “Lunch sounds fantastic." <><><><><><><><><><><> “So, I’m assuming you’re not normally a pony back in your world, huh? Judging by your earlier reluctance to walk a lot.” “Pretty much. It’s very… strange not having the body you’ve lived your whole life with,” I answered her. We were walking through the city I was informed was called ‘Canterlot’. It was certainly something to see. Everywhere around me were fancy shops, restaurants, strip-malls and even what I guessed to be a theater. I wasn’t looking at any one thing for too long, there was just so much to see! I saw other ponies of nearly every color imaginable, which went double for their manes too. I started to notice they all had peculiar symbols on their lower backs, and no two were the same. There was an hourglass, a trio of flowers, some stars and a telescope, even one that was simply a giant, red diamond. There were different ‘breeds’ as well. There were ones with wings I recognized as pegasi from stories back home, and the same for unicorns, which were clearly the majority here. I didn’t see many ponies without wings, but they seemed somehow better built from the quick glances I gave. “Hey, Twilight? I know the horned ponies are unicorns, and a flying one is a pegasus…” I trailed off as a white unicorn guard in golden armor passed us. He seemed to stare right through to my soul as he eyed me. “What are the ponies without horns or wings called? Just, ‘ponies’ then?” “They’re called ‘Earth ponies’ actually,” Twilight replied, a thoughtful tone in her voice. “It’s strange really, that your world is called ‘Earth’. Is your planet terrestrial in nature?” She asked me without a pause. “My planet is mostly water, but just over a quarter is solid land,” I answered her, recalling all those wonderful days in various science classes. That’s not sarcasm either; I was quite the nerd back in school, though you wouldn’t guess by my sheer size. “I’m guessing they’re called Earth ponies because they have something to do with earth then? I mean like, the ground,” I wondered out loud, hoping I was right.” “Actually, yeah, that’s essentially it.” Twilight gave me a slightly impressed look as we continued to walk. “We can talk about the other pony tribes later, for now let’s get some food before somepony hears our conversation and gets suspicious.” “Sounds like a good idea to me. I’d rather not draw a lot of attention.” I agreed with her, I was already getting enough strange looks being the only pony without some sort of special symbol. Twilight smiled to me before signaling us to turn down a street and coming up to some sort of outside restaurant with tables and chairs on a fancy patio. I approached one of the chairs and gave it a curious glance before sitting in it like I saw all the other patrons doing. Twilight was already seated and watched me with interest. She seemed to always be watching me out of the corner of her eye, seeing my reactions at various things, I didn’t really mind though. While we waited for a server to come and see us, I decided it was a decent time to ask about something that was bothering me. “Hey, Twilight?” I asked to get her attention while she looked off in her own little world. “What’s with all the pictures on everybody’s backs? I don’t get what they mean.” “Oh,” she said as she glanced down to her own symbol of stars before replying. “Those are called Cutie Marks, and they show what a pony’s special talent is.” She motioned over to a green pegasus seated a few tables away. “See how hers is a bunch of clouds? She must have something special when it comes to weather,” Twilight simply stated before pointing to a white unicorn that was walking past us. “And see how her Cutie Mark is two music notes? She’s likely got a special talent in music.” “A double-note, I remember those from band class actually,” I pointed out. “I think I get the concept now, but why don’t I have one?” I asked as I looked down to see nothing more than my orange coat. “Well, you just haven’t discovered your special talent yet,” Twilight replied as she thoughtfully rubbed her chin. “You not having one is very strange, but understandable. Most ponies get them when they’re only foals. Hmm… I wonder if you’ll ever get—“ She was cut off as a waiter walked up to our table. He was a dark gray color with a blonde mane and a horn to match his coat. “Here are your menus and some waters, sir and madam. I will return in a few minutes for your orders” He said as two laminated menus gingerly fell onto the table from his side bag, and two glasses of water floated from elsewhere. His accent was a mix of French and, something else I couldn’t place. He turned in place and trotted off inside, leaving us alone. I grabbed the menu with my hooves and, well, it didn’t go too well as you might imagine. My hooves just clumsily slipped over the surface again and again, until a faint purple aura enveloped it and brought it up to eye level. I looked over to Twilight and saw her menu was doing the same, with a matching aura emanating from her horn. “Uh, thanks,” I sheepishly smiled and hid behind my menu after she gave a silent smile in return. I started at the top of menu and figured I’d work my way down. I scrunched my face up as I kept on going, until I was forced to sigh and push the menu down and looked at Twilight. “Twilight?” I almost whispered across the table. “I can’t read this.” She immediately set her own menu down and gave me a bewildered look. “What?” “I mean, I can’t understand any of this,” I deadpanned and motioned to the menu in front of me. Twilight bit the inside of her lip and brought my menu up next to her own and compared them before quickly giving me an even more confused look than before. “It all looks like scribbles to me.” I said before she could voice a question. “But…” She trailed off and tried to make sense of it all. “You can speak our language just fine, why wouldn’t be able to read it? Wait, how can you even speak our language!? You’re not exactly from around here,” Twilight questioned with a slight tilt of her head, the pink strand in her mane falling over the side of her horn. “Oh, yeah when Luna first found me I couldn’t understand anything that was said, so Celestia came the next day and did some sort of spell to make me speak your language,” I replied nonchalantly before I looked down to the table with a sad look. “I guess it only works with speaking, and not reading.” “Huh. I suppose that makes some sense,” Twilight said with a quick tilt of her head the other way, moving her mane even more. “Well, I guess I could teach you to read while you’re with me too?” She offered. Great, now I really feel like a child… can’t even read. I mentally complained. “Sure, sounds good to me.” I guess I might as well just go along with it; reading does tend to have its advantages. “Do you think you could read the menu to me? I don’t exactly want to go hungry,” I finished with a weak laugh. “Alright then...” She replied as she brought one of the menus back up before listing off various items. “They have simple things like hay fries, daisy sandwiches. Then they have stuff like spinach lasagna with a poppy sauce, a pumpkin calzone with mushroom dip…” She continued to list off dishes for a few minutes. Each one sounded less appetizing than the last. I didn’t want this light, non-satisfying stuff, I wanted real food. “That stuff sounds great and all,” I interrupted. “But do they have anything less…vegetarian on the menu?” “’Less vegetarian’? Wait, you mean…” Twilight’s voice faded away as it dawned on her what I was insinuating. She looked around before leaning towards me and whispering. “You eat meat!? You’re a carnivore?” Twilight asked before leaning away and looking perhaps just a bit unwary of me all of a sudden. “Well, technically we’re omnivores, so… we eat more than just meat at least.” This seemed to ease her down, if only a bit. “Oh, well...” Twilight blinked a few times as she looked at me with unsure eyes. “I guess I can’t hold that against you, it’s just who you are, I mean ‘were’, wait that didn’t come out righ—“ “It’s alright, no harm done,” I interrupted her and flashed a nice smile. “And the spinach lasagna sounds just fine.” I added as I saw our waiter coming back. After she placed our orders and the waiter left, she looked back to me with a face full of questions. “So… what kinds of animals did you eat back home?” Twilight hesitantly asked, it was obvious she didn’t really want to know, but she seemed to need to ask. “Umm, cows, chickens, pigs, fish…” I recounted as I mentally counted each animal off on invisible fingers, each seemed to make Twilight a bit more uncomfortable than the last. “… lamb, turkey, whatever it is hot dogs are made out of, even had duck once.” I could see her face was almost completely drained of color, absolutely mortified. “Let’s move on, shall we?” “Yes, um I actually had a question about you if you don’t mind.” Twilight asked after shifting in her chair and a moment to regain her color. “What were your species called on Earth? What did you look like?” “We’re called ‘humans’,” I said in a bit of a hushed tone, careful to not be overhead. “We’re bipedal, with hands that have fingers and we don’t have fur, for starters,” I stopped once I noticed Twilight actually pulled a small notepad out of her side-bag and started taking notes. After a few moments she motioned for me to continue. “Well, uh our skin colors range from really pale to really dark, almost black, and a lot of us are a pale, pinkish color. It can change depending on where you are in the world though.” “Uh huh,” Twilight mumbled as she quickly took down everything I said. “Do you have different tribes like ponies do?” “No…” I just blinked to her. “We’re just male and female. We don’t have magic or fly either…” I looked up to my horn, wondering if I’d ever get my magic working and what I’d be able to do with it. Twilight continued to write for a couple minutes after I last spoke, flipping several pages in her small notebook. I took it as an opportunity to try and come up with some questions of my own, which of course I had many, although there was one I simply had to know above all else. “Hey, Twilight? What color are my eyes?” I asked, causing Twilight to drop her pen and raise an eyebrow, not sure if she heard me correctly. “How do you not know the color of your own eyes?” She blinked her own violet ones at me, curious. “Well, I’ve only been here a few days, and I haven’t exactly had a chance to look in a mirror,” I finished by pointing to my face with my left hoof. “Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Twilight slightly shrugged before looking at my eyes with that studying gaze I had a feeling I’d be getting used to. “They’re a slightly dark shade of hazelnut.” She said before quickly looking away. “Thanks.” I smiled in return. “Lunch, is served.” A heavily accented voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked over to see our waiter levitating two large, covered plates in a yellow aura. I had to admit, the magic seemed quite useful to the unicorn, and almost pretty, almost. The waiter set them down in front of us and quickly pulled off the tops, allowing the sweet, alluring scents from within reach our noses. My spinach lasagna with poppy sauce looked delicious, which was likely reflected on my face as I stared at it. I looked over to Twilight’s plate and she only wanted a daisy sandwich, a ‘favorite’ of hers she told me. After making sure we were set, our server trotted off back inside and left us alone to eat. I looked back over to Twilight and saw her easily eating her meal with magic, something that would not be so easy for me. I stared at the silverware on the table, wondering how in the world I would even eat with only hooves. Just like with the menu, I tried to manipulate them without much success. After a few failed attempts I looked up to meet my violet friend’s gaze. She silently, curiously watched me with exaggerated, slowed chewing. I glared back down at the silverware, mocking me as my stomach churned. “Twilight? How do ponies without magic eat?” I asked without taking my eyes off the offending fork. “Well, earth ponies and pegasi have more of a natural talent for manipulating objects with their hooves...” She trailed off as I looked over to see her giving a quick glance to her own silverware, easily floating before her. “... unicorns have their magic to assist them, so ponies like you and I aren’t as naturally...” Her voice faded as she mentally searched for the right word. “Dexterous?” I offered with a raised eyebrow. “Exactly!” She exclaimed back at me before giving a quick glance between my uneaten meal and myself. “If you want, I could—” “You are not feeding me—” I interrupted with a dark glare. I am not a baby... “... teach you to use your magic,” Twilight deadpanned with her ears slightly fallen. “Oh, that sounds fine,” I grinned quickly, hoping to forget my momentary rudeness. “Good,” She smiled before glancing off to the side, as if trying to remember something. “You said you used your magic to move a glass of water before, right?” “I think I used it,” I politely corrected. “I’m not sure if I actually did anything other than give myself a migraine.” “Did your horn glow before, when you attempted to use your magic?” Twilight quickly asked. “Umm... I kinda had my eyes closed when I tried actually,” I sheepishly grinned in response. “Here, I want to try something,” she said as her horn lit with her magic and without even blinking brought her fork up to the middle of the table, levitating a few inches and pointing upwards. “Try to move it now.” “How? If I couldn’t move anything before, what makes you think I’ll move something you're holding?” I questioned with a hoof pointed at the skyward-pointing cutlery. “I’m not actively holding it, I only told it to levitate until somepony else manages to move it,” Twilight corrected. “Try to move it with your magic, and this time I want you to have your eyes open so you can see what you’re doing. “Alright, but don’t complain if it somehow turns into a black hole, or turns into an inter-dimensional portal that spawns demons... or if it talks,” I said with a light sigh and a shrug. I took in a long breath and slowly released it to calm myself. I looked at the suspended fork and tried to concentrate, my vision of Twilight behind it went hazy as my eyes focused only on the silver surface of my objective. “Good,” Twilight quietly complemented. “Now, try to imagine the texture of it, feel the curvature and points of the object with your mind. Imagine you are physically holding it, and slowly tighten your grasp around its surface,” she instructed as if it were out of a text book. “Ok,” I replied with a flat monotone voice, trying to not lose my concentration. I started to think about how it must feel, the smooth surface and the pointy tips of the fork as I mentally reached out to grab it. After a few moments, I felt what I could best describe as a ‘ping’, feeling something not attached to your body. I didn’t move a muscle as I closed in around the source of the magical feeling surrounding the eating utensil. Very slowly, the aura surrounding the fork faded from Twilight’s color to my own, a soft, brownish green hue that matched my eyes perfectly. The two colors flashed as mine fought for control over the small object. Eventually my magic enveloped the rest of the violet, and when I had control, the fork slightly bobbed in the air as it changed owners. “Yes!” Twilight exclaimed before quickly composing herself and issuing further directions. “Good, now that you’ve got it in your magic, I want you to slowly bring it towards you. Keep a steady concentration and take your time.” I drew in another large breath and let it out without taking my eyes off the fork. I ‘pulled’ it with my magic and the result was a barely-noticeable twitch from the floating object. I tried again and again, each time it hardly did anything. Feeling frustration build up at the lack of results, I ‘pushed’ my entirety into moving the utensil all at once. I blinked after the momentary exertion and when I opened my eyes, the fork was gone, and Twilight’s face was blank with shock. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention while I looked around me, looking to see if the fork fell off the side of the table. “Where’d it go? I tried moving it, I blinked and it was gone when I looked again. Umm... Twilight?” I asked again as I saw her eyes slowly drifting straight up to the sky. “It’s... gone,” she whispered, dumbstruck at what I’d just done. “What do you mean ‘gone’?” I questioned. “Where did it go? I didn’t disintegrate it or anything, right?” “I worriedly asked. “Oh, it’s still whole,” Twilight said as she looked down at the table, her eyes quickly darting back and forth as she thought. After a moment she looked back up, her eyes looking to the sky once more. I followed her gaze and saw nothing but the tops of the taller buildings and a perfectly clear, blue sky above us. “Twilight? Did I—?” “Yes.” She interrupted, both of just still looking straight up. “It’s up there, somewhere.” “Do you know where it’ll land?” I nervously asked before gulping to myself. The thought of a supersonic fork impaling some innocent pony was not a comforting picture. “No. I wouldn’t have even noticed if I’d blinked too,” Twilight answered in what sounded an almost impressed tone. “It was so fast I barely noticed as it instantly accelerated to a speed appropriate to the magic you put into it.” “How fast do you think that was?” I asked as my gaze drifted to the knife that rested next to my plate, slowly using my hoof to push it away. “Fast enough that I don’t think it will come back down.” Twilight looked back to the sky one last time. “Let’s... let’s put this lesson on hold for now, before we end up owing the restaurant a new patio,” Twilight nervously laughed. I silently agreed and nodded to her before deciding the hard way of eating would at least for now, be the safer route. It took a few tries, but I eventually had a decent way of manipulating the silverware not currently coasting through the atmosphere. “So, does that always happen the first time?” I looked over and asked Twilight, who’d finished eating much quicker than I did. She’d been writing something down for quite some time and I noticed an occasional glance up to me, and the sky. “Does what always happen?” She asked with a raised eyebrow as she closed her small notebook while we talked. “Sending something into orbit the first time you use magic,” I replied with a slight deadpan and a hoof pointed straight up. “Oh, well... no,” Twilight answered after a few thoughtful moments. “It does correlate with a theory I recently thought of, and you may have actually helped me with.” She brought her notebook up off the table and beamed. “What ‘theory’? And how did I help?” “I’ll spare you the little details for now, but,” Twilight halted her words as she quickly flipped her book open and scanned something. “Essentially it’s a hypothesis that a unicorns first use of magic is always a rather...” She trailed off as she looked skyward once more before turning back to me. “... A rather sequential expenditure of energy, after which, their powers are reduced to ‘average’ levels. Normally a unicorn’s first magical release is when they are still a child, but you’re a fully grown stallion, which would likely explain why yours was so powerful.” “So, I can safely use my magic now?” I asked, my voice full of hope. The look on Twilight’s face made it quite apparent she was not very keen of my plan. “I’d prefer we were somewhere less crowded first,” She waved a hoof towards the street and the seemingly endless crowd of mostly unicorns everywhere. “There would be less chance of... catastrophic disaster that way.” “Makes sense I suppose,” I agreed and shrugged slightly, I certainly didn’t want anybody getting hurt because I was an idiot and couldn’t control myself. I was going to stay silent, but something came to the front of my mind at that moment. “Hey, what happened the first time you used your magic?” Twilight nearly dropped her water as she took a drink. “I... I’d rather not talk about it right now.” She managed to say whilst coughing from her drink. I must have hit a sensitive subject, I’ll be sure to tread carefully in the future... I quickly thought to myself. I turned just in time to see our waiter arrive and place a small slip of paper, likely the bill, on our table and collect our plates. “Have a wonderful day you two, and don’t worry about your little, ‘accident’, your secret is safe with me,” he finished with a nod before turning and leaving. “Thanks.” I nearly squeaked out, my face likely a reddish hue as the embarrassment of that situation made itself known again. I looked over to Twilight who was levitating some gold coins from her bag to pay for the meal. Curious, I picked one of these coins up and set it on the flat, bottom part of my hoof as I examined it. They must have been the ‘bits’ the princess and Twilight were talking about. Seeing it as little more than a shiny coin, I quickly put it back with the small pile atop the bill. “Come on, if we make the train now, we’ll reach Ponyville by nightfall,” Twilight simply said as she got out of the chair and levitated the bag from beneath the table. I quickly slid out of my chair, ready to leave and get to my temporary home. <><><><><><><><><><><> The Canterlot train station was, unsurprisingly, a very crowded place. Throngs of ponies were constantly coming and going from the spectacular city. Twilight and I sat on a bench and waited until our train pulled up, in the meantime there was something I’d been mulling over for quite some time now. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention next to me. “Yesterday when Celestia and Luna saw me, Luna said they both ‘commanded great power.’ What did she mean by that?” I asked with a slight tilt of my head, eagerly awaiting an answer. Twilight glanced away for a moment as she registered my question and tried to formulate a response. “I’m not sure how things work in your world, but here Celestia and Luna raise the sun and moon every day and night.” What... “How... how is that possible?” “I stuttered, lost at the concept of something so large being moved by an individual. I looked up to the mid-afternoon sun then looked back to Twilight with a bewildered look. “They move that!?” I asked with a hoof pointing towards the blazing star. “It may sound strange, but it’s true,” Twilight nodded, confirming what I still thought to be a ridiculous and impossible idea. “Celestia raises the sun in the morning, and Luna raises the moon every night.” “Wow, I’m kinda having a hard time wrapping my mind around something like that,” I admitted and looked back up to the sun. How powerful are the princesses? I’d certainly hate to see what would happen if I ended up on their bad sides... “What do you mean? How else would it move without magic?” Twilight quizzically asked, regarding me almost as if I were crazy. “By itself? Like it’s supposed to!” “I’m assuming that’s how it works on your planet?” Twilight asked, slightly quieter than her previous statements, lest somebody passing by get suspicious. “For starters it’s not magic that moves them, it’s—” My reply was cut short by an ear-splitting whistle travelling through the station. My ears reflexively flattened as the assaulting sound echoed. “I’ll tell you later.” I slid off the bench and followed Twilight to our train. Before heading inside I gave the railed vehicle a curious look, noting its strange, colorful designs covering the entirety of the exterior. We eventually made it to our private cabin. It was pretty spacious for what I expected, a small group of ponies could easily maneuver around it without problems. With only the two of us, it felt empty yet calm, just the way I wanted it. There was a table in the middle, a few other miscellaneous pieces of fine furniture and a bunk bed on either side of the room. Twilight casually lifted and set her bag on the table before lightly stretching. “I’m gonna take a nap on the way to Ponyville, I didn’t sleep at all last night,” she said with a yawn, the tiredness in her eyes making itself known. “What about you?” I opened my mouth to answer but was momentarily interrupted as the floor beneath us lurched forward. I looked over to the window and saw we were slowly moving away from the city now. “I’ll stay up for a bit, got a lot to think about,” I shrugged and walked over to the window and pushed the shades the rest of the way up, letting the midday sun further illuminate the half of the cabin that naturally became mine. “I bet,” Twilight lightly smirked before turning and going to the bunk bed on the right side of the room and flopping herself into the bottom bed. “Let me know if you need anything, Edward,” she said as the window shades on her side of the room magically shut all the way. “Just call me ‘Ed’, it’s a nickname from back home,” I looked over and lightly smiled. She gave me a tired smile in return before turning her back to me and pulling a blanket over herself. I looked out the window and watched as the edges of Canterlot quickly turned into countryside that seemed to stretch forever. I contently sighed to myself, happy at finally having some quiet time to just think. The train was slowly picking up speed, the scenery before me moving away a little bit quicker as I thoughtfully stared out the window, reclined on my hind legs and my chin resting on the window sill. After a few minutes I heard a light snoring sound coming from the other side of the room. I gave a glance at the rest of my surroundings, taking in all the little details of the room. This is really happening, isn’t it? Everything over the past couple days really began to sink in now that it was quiet. I thought about everything the princesses and Twilight said, how eager they all seemed to make sure I was comfortable during my stay. But... what if I never do leave? What will happen to me if Celestia and Luna don’t find me a way home? Everybody seems nice enough, but this isn’t where I belong... I wish I was back home, in my room listening to my cd’s and just spacing out... I exhaled a long breath and drew my gaze from the window for a moment. My eyes eventually came to rest on an inkwell sitting on the table. I looked up to my horn and thought I’d give my magical endeavors one more shot for the day. I remembered Twilight’s advice from earlier, about ‘feeling’ the object with my mind. I took a few breaths to steady my nerves and reached out, a slight dark green, almost brown field of magic surrounding the tiny inkwell. After a few minutes of carefully pacing how much of myself I put into it with no visible results, I released my magical grasp and frowned. I sighed to myself in defeat and turned back to the window. I have a feeling this is going to be a long stay... The calm, scenic view outside sped past as we continued on our destination, bringing me ever closer to my new home. Chapter SixI quickly opened my eyes as my head jolted up in shock. In my surprised state I somehow managed to fall flat on my back as my surroundings slowly came back to me. I looked around and remembered where I was as I righted myself and slowly stood up. The train cabin was nearly as bright as it was before, the sun having only moved slightly while I slept. It was that same strange memory-dream thing again, where I was stranded in the ocean. Nothing new happened this time, just another replay of the horrid memory. I looked over to Twilight, still sleeping despite my crashing to the floor. My gaze moved over to the window and I took a quick glance outside before looking down at the window sill. I must’ve just dozed off when I spaced out thinking about stuff… told myself I wouldn’t do that anymore. I quietly chuckled to myself before deciding the bed would likely be more comfortable to sit on than the floor. I slowly slid onto the bottom bunk and lied on my back with the pillow resting in the perfect spot behind my head. I closed my eyes and let out a contented sigh. Oh… oh this is so much better than that hospital bed— I opened my eyes once more as my recent dream crept to the front of my mind. I blankly stared up at the top bunk as my most recent chunk of memory came back. I tightly closed my eyes, trying to recall what happened next. Why… can’t… I… remember!? I punctuated each silent syllable by lightly beating my hooves against my temples in frustration. I gave up trying to remember by self-abuse and dropped my limbs to my sides with a sigh. I rolled over to face the wall so I could be on my favorite side. I hope my family got away from that storm… I hope they’re alright. But what if they’re not? Or what if they’re here in ‘Equestria’ and turned into ponies like me? What if— I was interrupted from my thoughts by somebody snorting. I rolled over to see Twilight lightly turning in her bed before resuming her silent slumber. I briefly wondered if she was having a dream too, but quickly shrugged it off and returned to my musings. I traced the faint lines in the wood paneling with my hoof, continuing my barrage of questions. One however, stood out from the rest and would not leave. What if I don’t get to go home? What will I do then… <><><><><><><><><><><> “How long have you known the princesses?” I asked Twilight, whom had been awake for some time now and steadily writing in another notebook. I was lying on my back with my forelegs behind my head and resting on the pillow. My hind legs were crossed in a way that proved surprisingly comfortable. “I’ve been Celestia’s personal student for most of my life,” Twilight answered after only a quick moment. After a pause I looked over to her out of the corner of my eye. “What about Luna? How long have you known her?” I saw her writing halt for a second while she dashed her eyes up to me from across the room. She didn’t seem to be looking at me, just thinking. “Almost four years now,” Twilight stated and returned to her writing. A few minutes of silence filled the cabin before I turned over and propped myself up on my foreleg. “What’re you working on over there?” I asked, arching my head slightly higher. “It’s not still the theory about magic, is it?” “No, it’s an idea I had since you proved sentient life exists on other planets,” Twilight looked up and beamed, reminding me of a kid on Christmas morning. “I might write a book about it, with your help of course.” I silently contemplated her proposal, the idea of co-writing a book piquing my interest momentarily. “Well, what if it isn’t another planet?” I asked before returning to my lying down position, staring up at the bunk above me. “What if this is my planet, but just another dimension occupying the same space in some sort of alternate, underlying reality?” I looked over to Twilight after a few too many silent moments to see her giving me a look comprised of many emotions, too many for me to have figured out at the time. “What? I was always the science geek through school and I guess it stuck with me.” I lightly shrugged. “Sorry,” Twilight apologized and lightly shook herself. “Are all humans like you?” “Like what?” I asked. “So, well… intelligent.” I’m glad I was lying down and not looking at her considering I don’t get many compliments, and I may have blushed as red as a tomato. “Edward?” Twilight asked when I didn’t say anything. “Sorry, and to answer your question…” I trailed off, mentally debating whether to lie, or tell the truth. I decided to take the ‘moderately-modest’ route. “I guess I’m smarter than the average human by a respectable degree, but I still have my… less than bright moments…” My voice trailed off, recalling the regretfully idiotic event that led me here in the first place. “But, there are still others who make me as dumb as a rock.” I quickly added. “I see,” Twilight slightly grinned with an impressed hum. “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess you don’t get many intellectual conversations, huh?” I asked as I got up to look out the window, noting the occasional farmhouse pass by, the first thing besides fields for a few hours. The sun, which I still had a hard time believing was controlled by Celestia, was about to set, darkness not far away. “No, not as often as I’d like,” Twilight’s disappointed voice answered me. I looked over from my position on the window to see her ears slightly fallen as to reflect her tone. “My friends are great and I wouldn’t give them up for anything, but they aren’t really interested in some of the things I do.” “Yeah, I know what that’s like.” I offered with a comforting smile across the room. “You talk about your friends pretty often, what’re they like?” “Oh where do I start?” Twilight laughed to herself. “Let’s see, well there’s Rari—“ She was cut off by a reverberating wave being sent through the train as it started to slow. “I’ll have time to tell you later, let’s get to the front of the car.” She said as she quickly packed what she had into her bags and making for the door. I gave a final, quick look out the window and saw faint lights in the distance growing steadily closer. Before turning to leave, I remembered something I wanted to ask. “Twilight? What did you mean originally when you said your business was your home?” I noticed she’d already left and my question would go unanswered. With a slight roll of my eyes, I quickly left the room to catch up with my host. <><><><><><><><><><><> Exiting the train and the small station was fairly uneventful and we exchanged few words. The sun may have almost completely set, but I still got a nice look as we started our walk through Ponyville. Everything about it was different from Canterlot; most of the buildings had a rustic, simple design that seemed really homey. Even in the middle of the day, I doubted the crowds would be half as bad as my first introduction into pony society. I didn’t see many other ponies around, though most I saw were earth ponies with the occasional unicorn, and seldom a pegasus on the ground. We passed a road and down in the middle of a small plaza was what looked like a house from a children’s book, the entire thing was covered in candy. I didn’t get to see much more as we continued walking, to where I still didn’t know. “So what do you think of Ponyville so far?” Twilight broke the comfortable silence from beside me. “I really like this place,” I turned to her and gave an impressed smile. “I feel a lot more comfortable here than in a big city, that’s for sure.” “I’d show you around more, but it’s kinda late,” Twilight said with a glance at the sliver of the sun left on the horizon. “We can save the tour and introduce you to my friends tomorrow after you get all settled in, that sound alright with you?” “Sounds fine to me,” I gave an approving nod before going back to my site-seeing. “Are there any princesses in Ponyville too?” “No, just the mayor,” Twilight answered with a slight shake of her head. “How are you doing with the walking?” She asked with a glance down to my hooves. “I’m getting used to walking on four legs, just don’t ask me to run or do an obstacle course quite yet.” I gave a short laugh before something caught my attention down a road off to my right. I looked closer but shrugged it off as probably just seeing things. We continued walking for a few minutes through the town, seeing less and less ponies as they were likely all home preparing for the night. A few waved to Twilight and offered greetings as we passed. Some of them gave me curious looks, but never stared in wonderment like some of the ponies in Canterlot. I liked this place, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that somebody, or something was watching us. After another cautious glance over my shoulder I decided to ask Twilight something. “So, which house is yours? We can’t be that far away, we’ve been walking for a while now.” “Actually, it’s right there.” She pointed a hoof to a large tree not much further down the road. I looked closer and couldn’t figure out if it was a tree and a home was built into it, or it was made to look like a tree. We got closer and I looked up to admire how large and unusual it was compared to the other buildings I’d seen so far. “You live here?” I asked as we drew closer. I could see something pinned to the front door when I noticed the flowers out front in a small garden. “Yeah, it’s really something, isn’t it?” Twilight smiled to herself. “There’s a whole library inside too.” I stopped dead in my tracks and my shocked face quickly took on a look of sheer disappointment and unamusement. Could the universe possibly be any more ironic!? I’m going to be living in a library, one of the best things to ever exist... and I can’t read anything!? Next thing you know I’ll be— I was torn from my silent complaints by a pink blur in the corner of my eye. I quickly turned to track it down a short alleyway, but whatever it was proved too fast for my gaze. I felt my ears twitch as a faint sound was picked up, it almost sounded like hushed giggling. “Hey, Twilight...” I said to get her attention as she halted a few steps ahead of me and turned around. “”Did you just see something?” She raised an eyebrow at me before a quick glance around us, both of us noticing no other ponies on the street. “No? What did you see?” “I thought I saw...” I unsurely started, suddenly wondering if I was just tired from everything that happened today I looked down to the ground before continuing. “...Nevermind.” I slightly sighed and felt my ears fall. “Well, alright then,” Twilight cocked her head a bit off to the side before turning and continuing towards her tree-home. “Let’s get inside, some proper rest would do us both some justice.” She said as I caught up with her and saw the end of a short yawn on her face. We approached the door and Twilight wordlessly pulled a sealed note from the surface with her magic and began to read it aloud. ”Dear Twilight, After leaving you and Edward at the hospital, I took the liberty of having some furniture sent ahead for him, so that he may be more comfortable during his stay. I remember you mentioning your basement was going unused. I hope you don’t mind I had a bed and some other necessities delivered ahead of time and should already be set up downstairs for him. After you two are comfortably settled please send me a letter at your earliest convenience letting Luna and I know you both arrived safely. Your first sum of bits has also been delivered and was placed in the downstairs closet. Luna will be personally delivering the rest of the bits every other week to gauge yours and Edward’s progress, as well as give her a chance to get out and socialize some. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. P.S. Remember to be discreet and cautious who you tell about Edward, Twilight. Do not hesitate to send me a letter if a situation arises that is outside of your control.” “Wow, they really went all-out, didn’t they?” I asked, momentarily wondering how they set everything up before we got here, but dismissing it as just more magic. “I’ll say,” Twilight commented as she reread the letter. “Normally Celestia just gives me an assignment and says ‘do it’. For her to help this much, it’s made me wonder what I got myself into.” She said as the letter folded in her magic and fell into a pocket in her bags. “I’m not that bad.” I said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not going to make trouble for anybody. I just want to keep clean and wait until the princesses find me, and possibly the rest of my family a way home.” “Sorry, that didn’t come out right,” Twilight sheepishly looked down. “Let’s just get inside, I can’t think straight when I’m hungry and tired.” She said while bringing a key out from her bag and quickly unlocking the door. I followed behind and turned to shut the door, but not without one more quick glance around. I stood halfway through the door, facing the street for a few moments, trying to see or hear what it was I picked up earlier. After blinking a few times and not seeing anything, I slowly backed into the house and shut the door without taking my gaze off the street, that feeling of eyes watching me never leaving. Well played, but I know you’re out there... whatever you are. I’m onto you. <><><><><><><><><><><> Twilight’s house was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It alleviated any doubts I had about it just being a home made to look like a tree. More or less, it would take some time to get used to the idea of actually living in a tree. Despite being a wonder in itself, it was quite a simple design inside. There was a large central room where the library was located and that branched out towards a kitchen, and a staircase that led to the bathroom and Twilight’s room. “So, where’s my room?” I asked as we descended the stairs back into the main room, Twilight only a few steps behind. “It’s the door next to the kitchen entrance,” Twilight pointed with a hoof once we reached the bottom of the staircase. I followed her hoof and saw the door; it was just a simple wooden door with nothing terribly remarkable about it. “Oh, I thought that was a closet.” “Most ponies do,” Twilight smiled and slightly rolled her eyes before walking off to the door. “The basement is actually the same size as the ground floor.” She said just as I followed her to the entrance to the aforementioned room. “I guess I could’ve shown you your room first before giving a tour, huh?” Twilight nervously laughed. “I don’t mind.” I shrugged casually as I approached Twilight who’d grabbed the door with her magic, but waited for me to finish before opening it. “I wanted to say thanks for taking me in, I really appreciate it.” I gave her my best smile, genuinely thankful for everything she’d done. “I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant at first,” Twilight started as she let go of the door with her magic and turned to face me. “But, after thinking about it some... this is too big of an opportunity to pass up! There is so much to learn from each other!” Twilight beamed, quite literally standing on the tips of her hooves and leaning towards me. After a moment of her silent, massive grin, I leaned back ever so slightly at the close proximity by the ecstatic mare. “Yeah,” I sheepishly smiled. “It’s the chance of a lifetime.” I said as Twilight regained her composure but held her smile. “Well, let’s see what the princesses did to my basem—I mean, your room,” Twilight corrected herself as her magic enveloped the handle once more. Just as the basement door began to open... A loud knocking emanated from the front door. “Was that you?” Twilight stopped and turned to ask me. “Of course it wasn’t me.” I replied with a raised eyebrow. We both turned our attention to the front door. Another series of knocks rang through the air, more rapid and forceful than last time. “It’s probably just my friends seeing if I’m back yet,” Twilight shrugged and began to walk over to the door that was being made somebody’s punching bag. Just as she grabbed the door, it did the last thing I’d have expected. The door literally exploded into confetti. After a brief moment covering my eyes from the colorful papers, I looked up to see the door broken into splinters, and a pink pony standing on top of Twilight effectively pinning her to the floor. The intruder was the brightest pink I’d ever seen, which was reflected by her mane and tail, both of which were puffed beyond what seemed possible. After Twilight shook her head to dispel the shock of the explosion and being pinned to the floor, the pink pony glared down and screamed something that would have been confusing if she wasn’t a little terrifying. “Twilight! You broke a Pinkie Promise!” Chapter Seven”Twilight! You broke a Pinkie Promise!” In all my years of life… of daydreams, musings, wild thoughts, and dreams of fantasy worlds beyond most people’s imaginations… I never thought I would be in a tree-house, while my purple unicorn friend was being pinned to the floor by some lunatic, pink pony. But there I was, watching this crazed mare with poofy hair who literally blew a wooden door into confetti, and I could only watch, dumbstruck. Twilight seemed to have finally shaken off her shock, and quickly stared daggers at the pink pony on top of her. “What are you doing!? Get off me!” Twilight growled to the intruder, whom had yet to notice me staring from across the room. The pink pony was glaring daggers back at Twilight, not showing any signs of getting off of her. There was a certain look in those blue eyes that disturbed me. I had the feeling she was going to hurt Twilight. And something in me snapped. “Get off Twilight now!” I shouted before even realizing what I’d planned. The pink intruder only had enough time to flick her ears in my direction before I charged. With as much strength as I could muster in my new body, I ran up and shoved the strange pony away, turning to my side so as to not impale the intruder with my horn. “Edward! What’re you doing?” Twilight asked from behind me as the pink pony got her bearings on the other side of the room. I stood between Twilight and the intruder in a defensive stance with my head low and ready for anything. “Saving you, of course!” I answered with a quick backwards glance to Twilight. She had a mix of emotions on her face I couldn’t decipher. “Hey! What’s the big idea?” The pink pony yelled at me. She was standing now and got closer to me and Twilight, only a few meters away. She looked very displeased at my actions. “Who are you? What’re you do—“ I questioned the strange mare, only to be interrupted by a hoof on my shoulder from behind. I looked to see Twilight standing there, giving me the silent look that she would handle it. “It’s alright, Edward.” Twilight smiled to me and stepped in front of me. I relaxed my stance and silently watched the situation with great curiosity. “This is my friend, Pinkie Pie.” She pointed a hoof at the pink mare, who looked almost as perplexed as I was. Sure doesn’t act like a friend… I thought bitterly with a glance at where the front door once was. “Sorry about that, Pinkie…” Twilight apologized. “But what are you doing here? It’s late.” “Well…” Pinkie Pie paused to take in a large breath of air in a rather exaggerated fashion. “You broke your Pinkie Promise yesterday and Rainbow Dash said you left town, so I stalked the train station waiting for you to get back. I was going to get you then, but I saw you had this guy with you,” She pointed a hoof at me. “When I saw him I thought, ‘who’s that? Is he a friend? I don’t remember Twilight having any other friends except—“ “Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted. One of her hooves was rubbing her temples. “Can you skip to the part where you destroyed my door for the seventh time this year?” She asked, clearly not amused. “Oh. I was following you two to see where you went or if he tried anything funny,” Pinkie paused to give me a short glare, to which I meagerly smiled, uncomfortable. “My cover was blown when he saw me so I left the mission and went to tell the other girls you were back so you could explain why you broke your Pinkie Promise to be at the Wonderbolts show with Rainbow Dash!” She finished, lightly panting for breath as she explained her long-winded reason for doing everything. “Ha! I knew there was somebody following us!” I proudly exclaimed, before blushing and quieting myself as Twilight and Pinkie Pie began to stare at me. “Anyways,” Twilight began, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “Yes, Pinkie… I broke the promise. But, I had a good reason.” Pinkie Pie silently reached into her abnormally-poofy mane and pulled out—of all things— a notebook, pencil, and a wooden pipe. “Go on,” she motioned for Twilight to continue. “Wait, didn’t Rainbow Dash tell you why I left?” Twilight questioned. ’Rainbow Dash’? What kind of name is that? I silently mused. “No, she just said that you couldn’t make it and broke the promise,” Pinkie answered, glaring at Twilight while simultaneously writing without looking. “One of these days, Rainbow…” Twilight grumbled as she brought a hoof up to her forehead and rubbed in frustration. “Look, Princess Celestia summoned me to Canterlot for something of utmost importance,” she finished with a nod at me. Pinkie Pie wrote down everything Twilight said, giving me scrutinizing glances every few seconds. “I see,” Pinkie tapped the pencil on her chin in thought for a few moments before continuing. “Why is he important, who is he, and why is he here? Does it have to do with his blank flank?” She pointed to my side, where my cutie mark would be, if I had one. “Sort of...” Twilight started to explain. “You see, he’s—“ "Gee, Twi. You fix'n to put up a new door or something?" A heavily accented voice interrupted. I looked over to the doorway and saw two more ponies walking in. The first was an orange-tan color with a blonde mane and tail bound together with ties. An old-fashioned western hat was on her head. Her emerald eyes stared at me and blinked as she took in the situation. Behind her was another mare with a yellow coat. Her mane and tail were long, but very well kept. They were a pink almost matching that of Pinkie Pie. Lastly, I noticed a pair of wings at her sides which were tucked tightly against her body. The orange earth mare with the cowboy hat seemed pretty neutral, while the yellow pegasus looked terrified and even hid behind her mane and the orange mare, using each like a shield. “Oh! Hey, Applejack.” Twilight greeted the orange and yellow mares. “What are you two doing here?” “Pinkie came an’ got us all in a hurry, sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout y’all bein’ back,” the one known as Applejack informed. She and the yellow pegasus behind her came further into the room, stopping in between Pinkie and Twilight. “Who’s this fella?” She casually asked Twilight, giving me a polite smile. In this time Pinkie Pie had stopped writing in her notebook and silently watched me with a piercing glare. “This is Edward, he’s going to be staying here for a while,” Twilight informed. “Well Ah’ll be...” Applejack turned to me and took a few steps forward, leaving the cowering pegasus to hide behind Pinkie Pie. “Don’t mind her none, she just gets a lil’ shy ‘round new folks, ‘specially stallions. Pleased to meet ya, name’s Applejack.” She held out a hoof in front of me. I blinked and looked between Applejack, her hoof, and Twilight, unsure of what to do. Hoping my intuition was right, I extended a hoof and awkwardly shook hers. I had my hoof shaken incredibly hard and I could’ve sworn this crazy pony was trying to dismember me, though I tried to hold my smile as the limb-breaking shake finished. I was going to say a greeting, but was understandably distracted. “He’s not much of a talker, is he?” Applejack chuckled to Twilight and took a step back. “This is all pretty new to him, I’m sure he’ll open up more after a day or two,” Twilight hit the nail right on the head with that one. Were I a human and back on Earth, I’d be a little more social, but this place was—quite literally—a whole other world. “Makes sense Ah suppose.” Applejack shrugged to herself. Pinkie had been watching me like a hawk and was back to writing in her notebook. “What’s her name?” I asked with my head craned to get a better look at the yellow pegasus hiding behind Pinkie Pie. I took a few steps forward and planned to greet her the same way Applejack had done for me. “That’s Fluttershy, and as I’m sure you figured out, she’s a bit uncomfortable meeting new ponies,” Twilight explained from behind me. Every time I tried to look around Pinkie, Fluttershy skirted around the other side. “Don’t be a meany rude-pants, Fluttershy!” Pinkie chided and jumped to her hooves, leaving Fluttershy without a body to hide behind. I barely saw her turquoise eyes before she buried her head in her hooves. “It’s alright, Fluttershy, I won’t let him hurt you,” Pinkie soothed and patted the shaking mare’s back... whilst giving me a glare sending the message perfectly clear to not try anything. Fluttershy peeked at me just enough to see what I was doing I slowly extended my hoof toward the cowering pegasus and waited for her to return the greeting. Fluttershy hesitantly released a shaking foreleg and brought it up towards my own. Just as her hoof made contact with mine, it withdrew faster than I thought possible. “Hi—I'm—Fluttershy—nice—to—meet—you!” The timid mare squeaked out in rapid succession. Fluttershy was still shaking like an improperly balanced washing machine. I took a step back and Pinkie came back over to calm the poor pegasus. I shrugged it off and returned to the other side of the room by Twilight and Applejack. The library was silent for a few tense moments as nobody was quite sure what to say. “So back to why we‘re here...” Applejack broke the silence. She gave me a cursory glance before looking back to Twilight. “What’s Edward here for? An’ why’s it Ah had Pinkie here wake me up in the middle of the night an’ get Fluttershy?” Applejack’s tone was a mix of tiredness and some definite frustration. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I know you like to be asleep by now.” Twilight stopped herself and thought for a moment. “Why aren’t Rarity or Rainbow Dash here?” She looked between Pinkie—who had been comforting Fluttershy—and Applejack. “Rarity was busy with Spike ‘n Sweetie Belle an’ said she might not make it tonight,” Applejack replied. “Ah’m not sure about Rainbow, she—” “Rainbow Dash was sleeping when I went by her house and said she was tired!” Pinkie interrupted Applejack, who gave the pink pony an unamused look. “Like Ah was sayin’, she might not make it.” Applejack continued. She gave me a look that seemed like she was trying to figure me out. “So, ‘bout this Edward fella, Ah was wonderin’—” “Let me stop you right there, Applejack,” Twilight quickly cut her off. She closed her eyes and held a hoof out in what seemed restrained frustration. “Look, it is very late, I am very hungry and I think this can all wait till tomorrow.” “Aww, but I really wanted to know!” Pinkie Pie whined and ran up to Twilight with pleading eyes. “Please—” “Come on, Pinkie,” Applejack rolled her eyes and grabbed the pink pony’s tail in her mouth and gently dragged her back. “Twilight’s right, this can wait ‘til the mornin’.” “But....but I—it’s my job to get to know new ponies right away!” Pinkie tried to crawl her way over but was held steady by her tail still being held in Applejack's mouth. That must take a lot of strength to hold Pinkie Pie down... but that doesn’t seem very sanitary, holding her tail like that. I thought to myself as I watched the situation unfold. I decided to finally open my mouth instead of standing around like a cardboard cutout. “Don’t worry, Pinkie Pie, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.” I gave her my best smile. In all honesty, I was only saying that so she’d calm down. I didn’t want her exploding my door trying to see me. Fluttershy had seemed to calm down and decided now was a good time to speak up. “Um, I agree with Twilight. It’s late and my animals will wonder where I am.” She had a very light, barely-audible voice. Fluttershy still wouldn’t make eye contact with me though. “Fine...” Pinkie sighed and flopped on the floor. She looked back to Applejack. “You can let go of me now, AJ.” “Y’all promise to behave yourself?” The cowpony asked, receiving a quick nod from the pink mare. Applejack released Pinkie’s tail and adjusted her hat. She slowly blinked and yawned, covering her mouth with a foreleg. “Anywho, Ah’m headin’ back to the farm. It’s mighty late. We’ll all catch up tomorrow, deal?” “Very well then,” Twilight cleared her throat. “We can meet tomorrow at our usual restaurant for lunch, and I’ll explain everything. “Oh—oh—oh! Can I get there early and bring sweets from Sugarcube Corner!?” Pinkie was literally bouncing beyond what seemed possible. “Sure, why not.” Twilight rolled her eyes in obvious frustration. “Can one of you tell Rainbow Dash and Rarity the plan for tomorrow on your way home?” She looked between her friends, waiting for a response. “I guess I can fly up and tell Rainbow before going home...” Fluttershy whispered and continued to hide most of her face behind her mane. I really wondered how shy she really was, or if she’d ever open up. “An’ Ah’ll head by Rarity’s on mah way to the farm, let her know what’s up,” Applejack tipped her hat and smiled behind her tired eyes. “Come on girls, let’s leave Edward and Twilight alone, Ah’m sure they’re tired too.” Fluttershy simply nodded and was the first to leave. She made her way to the door, looking back and forth between me and Twilight for a moment before slipping outside and away from my view. “Was nice meetin’ ya, Edward. Twilight,” Applejack tipped her hat and made for the door. “Come on, Pinkie, let’s go.” She called out over her shoulder, pausing to ensure the pink pony was in fact following. Pinkie Pie followed a few steps behind Applejack. As soon as the cowpony was outside however, Pinkie turned back to us and was instantly in Twilight’s face. “Don’t think I forget about the Pinkie Promise, Twilight...” She glared. “I’ve got my eye on you... and you too mister!” She moved her face over to mine, annoyingly close. She didn’t even blink as she walked backwards out of the library, and disappeared into the night. I blinked and let my racing heart calm down before I dared move. “You certainly have some... interesting companions there, Twilight.” I turned to her with a raised eyebrow.. “Just wait until you meet Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike.” She gave me a slight smirk before walking over to the wreckage that used to be her front door. “What are they like?” I asked after a moment to play the names over in my mind a few times. “You’ll see tomorrow when we meet them for lunch,” Twilight replied, thoughtfully looking over the mass of splinters and confetti littered around. “What are you doing?” I asked, walking over to see what was so interesting. “Oh? You’ll see...” She motioned for me to back up. I did as she instructed and gave her a quizzical look and a shrug, waiting for something to happen. Twilight smiled and lit her horn. In seconds, all the pieces of wood and confetti floated between us, each in its own magical cocoon. All the splinters and confetti met in a single point, and in a blinding flash... there in front of me was a door. “That was amazing!” I exclaimed as Twilight slid the door back on its hinges. “Oh, it was nothing,” She paused to give the door a final inspecting glance. “... just a little something I learned early on living here, especially useful with Pinkie around.” Twilight turned and gave me a slight smile. I opened my mouth to say something, but she spoke up before I could get my voice out. “Come on, lets see what the princesses did to my basement—I mean, your room.” <><><><><><><><><><> “Wow, the princesses certainly spared no expense in making you comfortable.” Twilight was in awe as she prodded the soft covers of my bed. The covers were a bright, royal red with gold designs stitched across the surface. I was laying on top of the covers on my back, reveling in the comfort of the luxurious furniture. The bed wasn’t the only thing I had. Around the part of the basement I considered my room was a simple dresser, a nightstand, a fine desk stocked with everything I would ever need, and Twilight even noted a new bookcase. “Remind me to thank the princesses next time I see them...” I contently moaned. “This bed is huge! Two of me could easily fit in it!” “I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous,” Twilight said. I sat up and looked to her. “This is better than my bed even...” she rubbed the top of the bedspread and sat on the very edge, looking down to her hooves with an expression I couldn’t quite read, but something seemed off. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention from across the bed. “Is everything alright?” “What? Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just... Do you ever get the feeling that...” she stopped and bit her lip in thought. “Nevermind, I’m just tired and probably over-thinking things,” Twilight slid off the bed and let out a short yawn. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but I figured it could wait until the morning. “You heading off to bed then?” I asked with a nod to the stairs leading to the main room. “I was going to grab something quick to eat first.” Twilight replied. “Did you want anything?” “No thanks.” I shook my head “I’m just gonna lie down and think... maybe try picking up a quill or something light with magic.” Twilight stiffened up and stood straight up as if something bit her from behind. Her eyes darted around the room in a blur, likely taking stock of anything and everything I might accidentally destroy. “Well... alright,” Twilight bit her lip. “Just be careful, and remember to pace yourself.” “Will do.” I gave her my best smile. Twilight turned to leave, hesitated, then finally turned toward the stairs. “Well, goodnight, Edward.” “Just ‘Ed' is fine, thanks.” Twilight gave me a tired smile and a nod. With a final look, she ascended the last few stairs and closed the basement door behind her. I looked around the basement a few times as the silence set in. With one last look at the door at the top of the stairs, I turned and jumped into my bed. I was finally alone, and it felt terrific. Sure, I may have had that whole hospital room to myself, but I had doctors and other ponies coming and going all the time, not to mention an uncomfortable atmosphere. But here? Here I had some privacy, someplace to call my own. Someplace to call home while I wasn’t really home. And last but not least, the most comfortable, relaxing bed I’d ever been in. I squirmed my way under the covers, stretching and retracting my limbs out of both comfort, and stretching muscles I wasn’t used to. I felt many pops and groans in my legs, and each one felt like a small massage. I turned over and spied a stack of parchment on my desk nearby. With the small bit of confidence I had left for that day, I fed energy into my horn. I remembered Twilight’s advice, keeping my eyes open and focused on my objective. I kept my breathing steady and reached out to the paper. The paper was slowly enveloped in my magical aura, and despite my best efforts... it wouldn’t budge. With a frustrated huff, I got out of bed and decided to blow out the numerous candles spread around the basement. It was then I started to wonder if the candles themselves were magical, considering how much light each one put out. I blew out each small flame around the room, leaving the one on my nightstand lit. I briefly considered trying to light a candle the same way Twilight did with her magic, but quickly dismissed in on account of not wanting to burn my host’s home, and business to the ground. I made my way back into my bed and quickly found a comfortable position on my back. I looked up to the ceiling, wondering how Twilight must feel having an almost complete stranger in her home. My encounter with Twilight’s friends was playing over in my mind. The ones I already met left a real impression, to say the least. I have to admit, I was almost eager to meet this ‘Rainbow Dash’ and ‘Rarity’. I played the name ‘Spike’ over in my mind, but it didn’t seem like much of a pony name to me. “Then again, all the ponies here have weird names. Heh, shows what I know.” I weakly chuckled to myself before turning on my side and blowing out the final candle. The room quickly grew dark and as I closed my eyes I wished for a night of rest that didn’t end in a nightmare. Boy was I wrong. Chapter EightI was swimming in a sea of hellish fear, and quickly losing the battle between my quickly diminishing stamina and the endless power of nature. Through my blurred vision of tears and seawater, I thought I saw something through the flashes of lightning. Another flash and I saw a faint silhouette in the distance, it was something looming just enough over the horizon for me to see a lightning bolt not quite hit the water. With my mind numb from exhaustion and heart-wrenching terror, I lazily paddled to the only thing not comprised of violent waves. Another large flash of lightning, closer this time, illuminated the large object. It was land. With the first refuge in what seemed days of tiring, painful swimming I felt energized and hopeful as I paddled with renewed vigor. I wasn't sure if it was inhospitable or not, but I didn't care as long as it wasn't water. I was so close; I saw the shape of a tree in the distance as nature’s fury pounded the sea with electricity. The edge of the island slowly came closer and closer, I was almost near enough to stand on the sea bottom. I felt a familiar, yet stronger presence push me under the water as a wave submerged my tired body. I didn’t have time to hold my breath as I went under the surface, and something wracked my leg with pain indescribable beneath the ocean. It seemed every morning would start the same way back then. I would wake up in a heavy sweat with my heart pounding away as I looked at my surroundings, trying to remember where I was. It frustrated me to no end how I couldn’t remember much after ending up in the ocean. It was maddening. Like trying to find something on a shelf or in a case that simply wasn’t there, yet I kept going back and trying to find it. It was useless lying there, lost in my thoughts when they alone wouldn’t solve anything. With a sigh, I rolled out of bed and tackle the day. My first day in Ponyville. My body cracked and popped like bubble-wrap as I stretched my limbs. With a yawn, I made my way up the basement stairs and made my way into the main room. “Good morning, Edward!” The cheery voice of Twilight Sparkle greeted me. I noticed her reading over at a table on the main floor as I exited the basement. The book floated in front of her in a magical aura. What caught my eye was the odd symbols on the cover of the book, but dismissed it as their odd language. “Morning to you too,” I yawned back to her, flashing a tired smile. I thought something looked different about Twilight, but shrugged it off as likely being tired. I glanced out a nearby window and noted how bright it was, which made me curious. “Hey Twilight, what time is it?” I asked, looking around for a clock. Finding none, I looked back to her. “Well...” Twilight closed her book and trotted to the same window I looked out. She barely had to look to know. “It’s already almost noon, actually.” I missed breakfast... great. “Wait...” I looked down to the floor as the previous night’s events played themselves over, until I remembered what was nagging me. “Aren’t we meeting your friends for lunch?” “Yes.” Twilight went back over to her table and floated the book she was reading back to a nearby bookcase. “We’re meeting the girls for lunch, and you’ll meet Rainbow Dash and Rarity too. Spike might also be there.” “Then why didn’t you wake me up earlier if we’re leaving soon?” I asked, perplexed as Twilight made sure the book she shelved was set ever so perfectly. “Well, you see...” Twilight bit her lip in thought before continuing. “I thought you could use a bit of extra rest.” She looked down for a moment, not meeting my curious gaze across the room. “What for? You seemed more tired than I did last night.” I noted, remembering Twilight’s stressed mood before she went to sleep. “Actually, I opened your door this morning to get you up for breakfast, but you were tossing and turning in your bed a lot,” Twilight looked to me, genuine concern in her violet eyes. “You were sweating and even talking in your sleep, but I couldn’t make any of it out. Edward, were you having nightmares last night?” I felt my ears flatten slightly as I recalled the unpleasant memories. I lightly bit my lip, trying to push the terrifying visions back. “Yeah, Twilight, I’ve actually been having them since I came here...” I sighed, examining one of my hooves. It’d been a few days, but they still felt strange. “Nightmares? What about?” Twilight took a step towards me, her expression stuck between curious and caring. I met her eyes but all I saw was the memory of the lightning flashes. I squinted and looked off to the side. “I don’t want to talk about it, not yet anyways...” I shuffled on my hooves awkwardly. “I’ll tell you about it later, promise.” I gave her a weak smile, hoping she’d take the hint I didn’t want to share those memories quite yet. Twilight looked me up and down for a few moments, making me wonder what was on her mind. “Alright, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable after all.” She smiled to me. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” I said almost on reflex. I opened my mouth to say something, but was promptly interrupted by my empty stomach choosing that moment to make itself known. “Heh, I think it’s time we get going to that restaurant.” I turned to the front door and took a few steps before I felt something tug me from behind. I looked around me to see my tail enveloped in Twilight’s magic, which faded as I gave her a questioning glare. “Sorry, Edward, but you need to clean up before we go out.” Twilight nodded to the stairs leading to the upper part of the treehouse. “There’s a shower in the bathroom up there. I suggest you take one before we leave.” I was going to voice my opposition to further delays for food, but I stopped to think about how long it had been since I bathed. The hospital had a restroom for me during my stay, but was never given the luxury of cleaning myself, or even a mirror for that matter. My mane and tail were likely a poofy, terrible mess compared to its normal semi-curly state. “That’s probably a good idea.” I nodded and broke into a quick step as I made it to the stairs. I made it a couple steps up before turning back to Twilight, who’d started writing in a notebook. “Twilight? How exactly do showers work here in Equestria?” Twilight looked at me like I’d just sprouted a second head. “There’s two knobs...” Twilight slowly answered, taking care with each syllable. “One for cold water and one for—” “I got it.” I interrupted just loud enough to be heard. “Sorry, I just thought... nevermind.” I could feel my face redden in embarrassment. I was honestly expecting something to do with magic. “Right...” Twilight gave me an odd look. “There are towels already in there for you. I’m sure the girls won’t mind if we’re a few minutes late, but you better get going.” She motioned with her hoof. “Alright, I’ll be down as soon as I—” “Wait.” Twilight stopped me mid-step on the stairs. I looked down to her with silent bewilderment. “Why did you shove Pinkie Pie off me last night?” She slightly cocked her head to the side. I looked down for a moment, pondering my actions last evening. “Well, she broke your door down and barged in,” I started to recall. “I thought she was going to hurt you, so I pushed her off you.” I answered to her at the bottom of the stairs. “I appreciate the thought, but...” Twilight stopped to find her words. “Just be careful of your horn. It’d be too easy to accidently hurt somepony since you’re not used to it.” She told me with a serious face. “Don’t worry, I’d rather not put somebody in the hospital when I’m supposed to be laying low.” “Good.” Twilight nodded, seeming to be satisfied with my answer. “Now go on and get showered, we have lunch soon.” <><><><><><><><><><> I walked through Ponyville with a smile and a bounce in my step Having bathed and gotten my mane and tail all sorted out, I was ready for the day. Twilight was quiet for the most part as she led me to whatever restaurant it was we were headed. The town was rather lively with ponies of all sorts going this way and that. The majority seemed to be earth ponies, but I wasn’t so sure. Every minute or so one of them would wave to the both of us, no doubt wondering who the new stallion in town was, where he was headed with Twilight Sparkle, why I didn’t have a Cutie Mark... and kept looking down at my own hooves. Overall, I guess there were quite a few reasons for ponies to stare. At least they were polite about it. “How are you feeling?” Twilight asked, breaking the silence. “Pretty great actually.” I gave her a smile out of the corner of my eye. “So, what are Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike all like? I’d like to know what to expect this time.” “I’m not sure if Spike will be there or not, he usually stays behind when the girls and I go out.” ’He?’ “Is Spike like, your brother or something?” I turned to her, wondering if this was who she mentioned back when we first met in Canterlot. Twilight stopped and pondered my question for a few moments. “I suppose you could say that. He was my assistant at first, but I guess he became a little brother to me.” She shrugged before resuming her walk. “Come on, we’re already late.” I went back to my spot at her side, only a step or two behind. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt incredibly nervous walking with Twilight to meet her other friends. I wondered what they would think of me, if they weren’t as open minded as she was and would label me some sort of freak. Or if they wouldn’t believe her... or Pinkie was still mad over, whatever. “How much longer till we get there?” I asked as we neared a sort of intersection separating what seemed like the market district from the rest of the town. “The restaurant is right on the other side of this corner,” Twilight pointed a hoof off to the street on the right. I nodded and we continued on. “So, you’re really going to tell them everything about me?” I asked, trying to hide my unease. “Yes. I promised I would, and they’d figure it out eventually anyways.” She answered quickly as we rounded a corner. “Well, can you really trust them though? Princess Celestia said to be careful who you told.” “Of course I can. They’re my best friends,” Twilight proudly proclaimed with a smile that I caught the tail-end of. “I trust them with my life. Try not to worry about it.” She finished with a reassuring smile directed at me. I gave a short smile in return, noticing the street we were on seemed to stop up ahead, likely our destination. “So, what do you think they’ll all think of me?” I asked. “I’m not entirely sure...” Twilight thoughtfully hummed to herself before giving me a sidelong glance. “You seem like a nice enough pony, so they should like you. I haven’t seen any reason for them not to yet.” “Except I’m not a pony,” I countered. “Well, not really.” “Semantics.” She waved a hoof at me. I lightly rolled my eyes and looked back to where I was going. In the distance I saw a building with green awnings spreading out from the sides. I could just make out a rapidly-moving pink pony under a table that had a parasol matching the awnings. There were other ponies there as well, from what I could tell at that distance. “I’m guessing that’s the place?” I nodded to the establishment we were walking towards. “Yep. Looks like your extended shower made us the last ones here,” Twilight gave me an odd look. I wasn’t sure if she was joking with me, or genuinely annoyed to be the last one. “Heh, sorry.” I sheepishly grinned. “It’s alright. Come on, let’s go,” Twilight said as she increased her pace. I tried to keep up with her, but the slight increase in our pace was a bit much for my new pony body to handle, though I managed, but just barely.I was still nervous as we approached the restaurant patio across the street. I could make out the other ponies as we approached. I recognized the mares from last night; Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. Pinkie was still wildly waving her foreleg at us as we drew nearer. I had my attention briefly drawn to two I didn’t recognize, a white-coated unicorn mare with a styled indigo mane, and another mare with a blue and—of all things—a rainbow mane. The two new ponies exchanged odd glances as we approached. Pinkie Pie excitedly jumped up and down in her seat. “Twilight! Twilight!” The bouncing, pink pony exclaimed as we got close enough. “You made it! We were worried because you were late and thought something terrible must’ve happened to you!” She shot out almost too fast to hear. “Heh, sorry everypony.” Twilight apologized. I noticed there were only five seats, so we both remained standing. “Anyways, thank you all for coming, I—” “What’s with the guy?” The blue, rainbow-maned mare interrupted and pointed a hoof at me from the other side of the table. Applejack scowled at the blue mare seated next to her and lightly smacked her upside the head. “What did Ah say ‘bout not interrupting Twilight, Rainbow?” Applejack said, an unamused frown was on her face. The one I properly assumed to be Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and motioned she’d be quiet. “Sorry ‘bout that Twi, Ah guess some of us were a bit excited and couldn’t hold it.” “It’s alright. Like I was saying... I’m not sure what the others may have told you two yet, but this is Edward,” Twilight glanced over to me. Rainbow Dash and the mare I supposed to be ‘Rarity’ exchanged glances once again, likely my name sounding strange, again. Applejack simply watched and Fluttershy had her face partially hidden behind her mane. “Well, Edward, it’s very nice to meet another friend of Twilight’s.” The white mare stood and stepped forward, extending a hoof to me. “My name is Rarity, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She greeted and I shook her hoof in return. She gave me a big smile before slightly leaning her head off to the side. I couldn’t see what she was looking at. “Put’er there!” Rainbow Dash bolted in front of me and shot a hoof in my face. As I shook her hoof too, I noticed wings at her side. And that her tail was rainbow-dyed as well. She must’ve noticed me glancing. “Before you ask, yes, it’s my natural color.” she said as I dropped her hoof. I guess she was used to being asked that. There was a bit of an awkward silence as Rainbow returned to her seat, and Rarity slowly circled me, before returning to her seat as well, leaving Twilight and I standing. “Well, now that everypony’s been introduced...” Twilight used her magic to pull two more chairs from unoccupied tables and set them down. “Let’s order something to eat while we talk,” She said as we both took our seats. I rested my forehooves on the table. “Gee, I thought the stallion was supposed to get the seat for the mare,” Rainbow Dash snickered out before burying her face in her hooves to contain herself. I couldn’t help but feel my face flush as Applejack once more smacked Rainbow, and the other ponies gave me an expectant look, waiting for a reply. “But we’re not together.” I corrected. “It’s alright,” Twilight tapped me on my shoulder. “Rainbow just likes to joke around a lot.” “Aww, it’s alright Dashie,” Pinkie Pie spoke up. “We can go pranking later.” She finished with a grin that seemed to defy physical limits. Rarity cleared her throat to speak. “We took the liberty of ordering some drinks and sandwiches shortly before your arrival.” Rarity chirped. The thought of a sandwich was momentarily glorious, until I remembered it would likely be a salad on bread. I sighed internally and looked over to Fluttershy, who had yet to say a word. “Thank you, Rarity.” Twilight said. “So, while we’re uh waitin’ for the food, why don’t we discuss what’s really goin’ on here?” Applejack suggested, while Rainbow and Pinkie whispered back and forth between each other. “Yes, let’s,” Rarity nodded in agreement. Everypony, even Fluttershy now looked expectantly between myself and Twilight. I decided to take the initiative on this one. “I’m sure you may have guessed by now, but, I’m going to be living with Twilight for a while.” I said, eliciting a mob of confused looks. “He’s right,” Twilight spoke up. “Now before you all start assuming things, this comes down from Princess Celestia herself.” “So he’s why you couldn’t make the Wonderbolt’s show?” Rainbow asked, giving me an uncertain look. “What’s a ‘Wonderbolt’?” I asked without thinking, falling back to my old habit. All the mares—bar Twilight—looked at me as if I were, well... an alien. Rainbow Dash gave me the strangest look of all. “How do you not know who The Wonderbolts are!?” Rainbow asked loudly. “Like, everypony everywhere knows who they are!” She was leaning over the table at me. “Ah think what he’s tryin’ to say—” Applejack nudged Rainbow with her foreleg back into her seat. “—is that he’s not exactly from ‘round here. Are ya, Edward?” “No. Not quite.” I replied. I felt especially nervous when I could tell my ‘big reveal’ was happening soon. “I’m a real foreigner. I’m not familiar with Equestria at all, to put it bluntly.” I looked over to Twilight, who simply nodded me on, letting me handle it. Rarity cleared her throat to speak. “I thought something was a bit amiss with you darling,” She said. “I noticed you don’t have your Cutie Mark yet. Quite bizarre for a stallion of your age.” “Oh my gosh!” Pinkie Pie vaulted out of her seat and came over to me, looking at my flank with a magnifying glass, which was a bit uncomfortable having her essentially examining my butt. Where she got the magnifying glass is still a mystery to me. “You’re totally right! He doesn’t have one yet!” She exclaimed before Twilight quietly shooed her away. Pinkie ended up bouncing back to her seat across the table. “But, Ah thought everypony got their Cutie Marks when they were little?” Applejack scratched her mane, obviously confused. “Just who is this pony, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked without skipping a beat. The other mares nodded with her, all eagerly awaiting an answer. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. “Well, he’s... He’s not. Edward is...” Twilight struggled to find her words. I watched her fidget with her hooves for a few silent moments. I sighed to myself and figured I’d take over for Twilight. I took in a long breath and steeled myself. “Well, I’m not exactly a pony, heh...” I managed to get out before I felt my throat close off. Everypony around the table exchanged odd glances, silently befuddled. Surprisingly, it was Fluttershy who spoke up, though I struggled to make it out. “Is he... is he a changeling?” Fluttershy meekly asked. “A what?” I asked. “He’s a changeling in disguise!” Rainbow flared her wings and gave me an evil look. “Rainbow Dash! Be quiet” Twilight nervously looked around for any patrons who might’ve overheard. “He’s not a—” “He’s a spy!” Rainbow ignored her and jumped across the table at me. She knocked me back onto the ground, knocking all the air out of me. She had me pinned down, I couldn’t move. Rainbow flared her nostrils and pumped her wings, readying to hurt me in some way. ”Rainbow Dash!” Twilight Sparkle yelled. Rainbow was quickly surrounded by a magical field and ripped off of me. I got my breath and sat up to see Twilight reprimanding a floating Rainbow Dash, still frozen in her magic. “What did we tell you about attacking ponies you think are strange!?” Twilight glared at Rainbow, who struggled to get away, but quickly gave up. “She does have a point, dear.” Rarity spoke up. “Just last week you kidnapped Hoity Toity when he came into town.” “And Derpy too...” Fluttershy added. Rainbow crossed her forelegs in frustration and gave me an odd look as I brushed myself off. “But he himself said he’s not a pony!” She pointed a blue foreleg at me. “Yes he did, but you overreacted before we could explain,” Twilight shot back. “Do I need to keep holding you like this or can I trust you to sit down and listen?” She asked, reminding me of a mother scolding her child. “Fine...” Rainbow Dash huffed and folded her wings. Twilight seemed satisfied enough by her answer, and promptly released her. Rainbow didn’t even bother to look at me as we both got back to our seats. She remained quiet, but still gave me dirty looks. “Y’all ok?” Applejack asked. “Yeah, I’ll survive.” I shrugged, glad that Rainbow hadn’t beaten me into a pile of hamburger. “Before you were so rudely interrupted...” Rarity paused to give Rainbow a disapproving look. “You were going to tell us exactly who or what you are?” “Well, for starters...” I stopped to think of how I was gonna break it. I figured I’d get the biggest bits out first to get it over with. “I’m not exactly from Equestria, or even this planet.” I sounded sheepish as the words left my mouth. What happened next was just about the last thing I expected. Pinkie Pie burst into laughter. “That is so funny!” She was snickering and pounding on the table with her hooves. “Gee Twilight, you bagged a real comedian here!” Pinkie continued to laugh. I looked over to Twilight, who had deadpanned and remained silent, letting Pinkie get it all out. The others exchanged various looks of confusion and general awkwardness. “Wait, he was joking, right?” Pinkie asked after quieting down. “I mean, then he’d be some sort of weirdo alien from outer space!” Twilight was unamused and simply stared at Pinkie with an irritated expression. She drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out to calm herself. “I know this sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.” She explained. “Princess Celestia wouldn’t lie to me about something like this.” “Twilight, dear... is that really true?” Rarity asked. “Edward is not of this planet?” She looked at me with a mixture of emotions. Applejack simply watched while Fluttershy seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. “Precisely,” Twilight nodded. “He’s—” “This is crazy!” Rainbow half laughed, half stated. “There’s no such thing as ‘aliens’, everypony. They’re all sci-fi and made up!” I smiled shyly and released the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I felt like they wouldn’t believe me if i didn’t say anything. I dug deep for a little bit of extra courage, and was ready. “Heh, I may just surprise you...” Chapter Nine"What's there to be surprised about?" Rainbow Dash flew up to me, looking at me with a critical gaze. "You seem just like your average unicorn Joe to me," she declared blandly. "Sure you may not have a Cutie Mark yet, but no matter how I look at you, you’re an average pony." There was something about her tone and word choice that grated on my nerves. However, I bore through it with a forced smile. "I didn't always look like this, only when I came here did I turn into a pony." To my surprise, the quiet yellow mare, Fluttershy spoke up. "If you didn't look like this before, what did you look like?” “Who cares what he might have looked like?” Rainbow blurted before I could even open my mouth to speak. “I’m not buying it.” She crossed her forelegs and glared at me. Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Ain’t that a bit unfair, RD?” “No! He hasn’t done anything to prove anything he said.” Rainbow exclaimed, her wings flaring out as she pointed a forehoof directly at me. “Rainbow, dear… you’re being very rude to him.” Rarity stated, casting the pegasus a small glare. “And to me,” Twilight added. Rainbow gave her friend a confused look before twilight continued with, “By not believing him, you’re saying you don’t believe me either.” Rainbow was taken aback by that. “Well, but… you see,” she stuttered before composing herself. “Look, this could all be a prank. And unless he can prove he’s an ‘alien’, then I can’t believe it.” “Why don’t you trust me?” I asked. Rainbow just rolled her eyes and blew a stray piece of mane out of the way. “Why should I?” “Why shouldn’t you?” I quipped. The pegasus deadpanned at me for a few tense moments. “Just do something that shows you’re not from around here, and we can move on,” she finished by reclining in her seat and setting her forelegs behind her head. Twilight groaned, rubbing her temples. “Is this really necessary?” “Yup,” Rainbow replied stubbornly without pause. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the blue mare’s persistence. “And how exactly am I supposed to do that?” “I dunno, do something only you can do.” She answered cryptically. That got me to thinking, what could I do? Everypony around the table eagerly waited for me to do something, which didn’t help. Applejack and Fluttershy were as silent as ever, content to watch. Pinkie Pie was practically vibrating in her seat, while Twilight and Rarity gave me expectant looks… Rainbow Dash simply shut her eyes out of boredom. I looked around my setting, trying to get ideas. Finally, my eyes settled on the restaurant’s sign, a jumbled mess of lines and other curves that were completely unreadable to me. I let a small smile stretch my lips as it all came together. ’Since I cannot read their language, I bet mine is just as alien to them! Idea!~’ “Does anyone have something to write with and paper?” I asked, looking to everyone in turn. Rainbow Dash opened one of her eyes partway, curious. I saw a small burst of purple light out of the corner of my eye. Twilight levitated a quill and some paper in her magic to me. “Here.” She slid the paper over and set the quill in my hooves. I gave her a nod in thanks and prepared to write. It took a fair bit of coordination to even hold the quill with my hooves. I was about to start writing when I realized Twilight didn’t summon me up an inkwell. I hesitated and turned to her. “It’s a magic quill, never needs ink.” Twilight smiled. My mouth made an ‘O’ shape and I started writing. “Why aren’t ya usin’ magic?” Applejack asked, leaning forward a bit. “I don’t know how.” I replied, looking back down to the paper before I could see their reactions. I won’t lie, going from having hands and fingers to blunt hooves doesn’t make anything easier. It took a great deal of effort, but I was eventually able to get a system down, and had a short sentence written down. Reading over the carefully crafted message, I grinned to myself victoriously. 'Rainbow Dash is an arrogant prick.’ Sitting the quill down, I slid the paper to the center of the table. Rainbow leaned down to the paper, practically pressing her face into it. "What is this?" She asked, leaning back and pointing a forehoof at the words on the page. "Looks like just a bunch of scribbles to me..." “That’s my language written down, it’s called English.” A bit of my smile leaked out, satisfied to have the issue put behind me, and that they couldn’t read it. “Eh… you could be lying and just scribbled a bunch of lines.” Rainbow pushed the paper back over to me. I glared at her pretty hard. “I don’t know, it looked like he knew what he was doing to me,” Rarity offered. “Oh-oh-oh I know!” Pinkie Pie bounced in her seat. I motioned her to continue. “Write your alphabet on there and compare the letters to ours then we can decipher your sentence and prove you right!” Everybody—including me—stared at the pink pony. I shrugged and figured it was my best shot. With the quill back in my hooves, I started writing the alphabet under my previous writing. “Pinkie, how in Equestria did you think of something like that?” Twilight asked the question on all our minds. The pink mare blathered on about her sisters and word games they used to play, I wasn’t totally listening. With a quick double-check of my work I set the quill down by Twilight. “Huh. You have twenty-six letters in your alphabet too. Interesting.” I too thought that was neat. I pointed to one side of the paper. “Here, I’ll start on the left—“ “Why are you starting there?” Twilight asked, perplexed. I gave her an odd look in return. “Uh, because that’s how you read? Left to right.” Everyone looked at me like I spontaneously changed colors. “What, is something wrong with that?” I asked no one in particular. “Sugarcube, we don’t read like that,” Applejack paused for a moment. “We read right t’ left.” That was not what I expected to hear. I inwardly sighed for a moment at the thought of trying to learn their system of writing now. “Well, let’s do it like he’s used to,” Twilight whisked the quill over to herself, hovering it above the paper in her magic. I scooted my seat a little closer to better show her. “Right here, that’s ‘a’.” I pointed to the appropriate letter. She quickly and neatly made an Equestrian letter right below it, not resembling English in any way. “And here is ‘b’… ‘c’… ‘d’,” I continued until the whole alphabet was covered. “Huh. Our alphabet has so many similar-sounding letters. Fascinating.” Twilight remarked. It wasn’t until she mentioned it how strange that really was to her. It was a little far-fetched to just be mere coincidence. When we finished, Twilight put the paper in the center so the others could look at it. A light chorus of “oh’s” and “ah’s” was made as they each looked it over. “Is that good enough for you Rainbow?” My question earned me a hard glare from the pegasus. “Fine…” she huffed and sent the paper flying back over. “I’ll believe you… for now.” I was too busy smiling to really take notice of Twilight taking the paper back. Pinkie Pie made an over-exaggerated gasp. “Oh my gosh! You know what this mean—“ Applejack smacked a hoof over Pinkie’s mouth, effectively stopping what she was saying.“Now let’s not get too carried away here. Twilight,” she looked to the unicorn in question. “How long is this Edward feller’ gonna be here? Bit strange havin’ a pony like ‘im in town. No offense, Sugarcube.” she gave me a light smile. “Until Princess Celestia and Luna find a way for him to get home.” Twilight went back to whatever it was she was doing with the quill and paper, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. "Yes, but how long do you suspect that may be?" Rarity spoke up. “I… really don’t know to be honest.” Twilight replied, looking up from the parchment. "The princesses never gave me a time frame, they just requested I accommodate him until they were ready.” Rarity nodded. "I see, so he could very well be here for quite some time then." She paused for a moment before looking to me. "I think it is for the best if we assume that to be the case—him staying for a time, that is." I scratched the back of my neck in unease. "I'm sorry, I never intended to impose on anyone; in fact, I'm still not even sure how I got here to be perfectly honest." “Think nothing of it dear, we’re just… surprised, is all,” Rarity reassured me. “It’s not everyday we get this sort of news.” Twilight paused for a moment. “And I don’t mind you at the library either. I was just using the basement for light storage anyways…” she nodded before her attention was once more stolen by the parchment. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, grabbing my attention. “You know, you really stick out, Edward.” She said, looking me over rather thoughtfully. “Ah gotta agree with Rainbow on this one.” Applejack supported, waving a hoof up and down at me. “Y’all stick out like a pine tree in an apple orchard,” I tilted my head and looked myself over. Besides the lack of a Cutie Mark, I looked normal. Well, as normal as an orange unicorn could be, I suppose. “What do you mean? I look fine…” Rarity gave the two a knowing look, before turning back to me. “What they are trying to say, darling, is that you don't particularly know much about Equestrian culture and customs, do you?" I considered her question for a few moments before quickly shaking my head. “If anypony around town struck up a conversation with me, it’d be pretty obvious I’m not from around here.” I sighed at my lack of practical knowledge. “Mmm, yes. Just as I thought,” Rarity mused, nodding to herself. “It would appear that you’re in a dire need of a history lesson or two about Equestria and its culture.” She paused for a moment, a knowing smirk forming on her muzzle “Oh Twilight~!” “Huh? ...Oh—Yes, yes of course! I’d be more than happy to teach you about us!” Twilight grinned widely, giving her eyes a certain twinkle. She looked almost too happy to be teaching something as bleak as history. “Seeing as we have no idea how long you’ll be here, it would likely be for the best.” ’Great, and here I thought I was done with this kinda thing when I finished high school...’ I complained to myself. Pinkie Pie gasped in an exceptionally loud manner. "So that means we can throw him a welcome party!?" She exclaimed excitedly, practically shaking in her seat. “I have to get planning the party right now! Bye-gotta-go-was-nice-meeting-you-Eddy!” Before any of us could say anything she was gone, leaving a small trail of dust in her wake as she sped off down the street. “Should I… be worried about this?” I asked, directing the question to nopony in particular. Rainbow let out a short laugh. “Nah. Pinkie’s parties are way awesome!” she reassured me enthusiastically. “You’ll totally love them!” The thought of having a party played out begrudgingly in my mind. I didn’t particularly look forward to any large social gatherings, they left me feeling too exposed; out of my element. “I’m not really—Ow!” I felt something hit me in the side. Twilight leveled a glare at me as she retracted her hind leg, likely the one she kicked me with. Her eyes went from mine to the paper and back. Under my sentence I saw something written in matching Equestrian letters. She’d deciphered my original note. “Everythin’ alright hun?” Applejack looked between us. Twilight glanced to the farm mare briefly, giving me an evil smirk before turning herself to face her. “Everything is great! In fact... I just deciphered Edward’s note!” She announced cheerfully, causing my heart to explode and my gut to drop like a stone. Rarity leaned forward intently. “Is that so? Well don’t keep us waiting, darling. What does it say?” Twilight picked up the paper in her magic and held it in front of her. She gave me a sly smile out of the corner of her mouth. “Rainbow Dash…” ’This... is how I die.’ “—has a pretty mane,” she continued, a confident smile spreading across her face. ’...Wait, what!?’ Rainbow reached over the table, snatching the note from Twilight and began looking it over. “Is that what it really says?” She asked slowly, looking almost uncomfortable with the unexpected ‘compliment.’ “Yes. I think you have a pretty mane,” I improvised, skillfully dodging the tires of the bus Twilight had just thrown me under. “It’s really unique.” ’I can’t believe I really just said that!’ Rainbow looked as if she were trying to decide between being either offended, or flattered. She finally smiled and flipped her mane back. “Yeah, I guess it is pretty awesome, isn’t it?” She replied, running a hoof through it in a smooth motion. I rolled my eyes at the blue mare’s sudden inflation of ego at my expense, before settling my sights on Rarity. The white unicorn looked a bit miffed, and that gave me an idea. “Yeah, you’re right, Rainbow Dash. Your’s is pretty cool; but Rarity’s is much prettier if you ask me.” I smirked at the punch I threw at her over-inflated ego. Rainbow cringed a bit at my attempted jab. “Well, she can just have her pretty mane, I’ll take cooler over pretty any day.” Rarity however, appeared somewhat flustered at my comment. “W-why thank you, darling—but this is just simply a makeshift of my ‘around town’ style, as it were.” She pulled a pocket mirror from somewhere and inspected herself in it. “I hadn’t the time this morning to dress it quite to satisfaction.” “Well I still think it’s absolutely beautiful,” I complimented one last time. Looking to Rainbow out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that, while she tried her best to hide it, appeared to be getting quite jealous of my complimenting her friend. ’I wonder if these two have some kind of rivalry or something?’ I thought to myself briefly. Rainbow folded her forelegs with a huff. “Oh yeah? Well… I’m too busy clearing the skies to bother with something so pointless.” “Rainbow dear, if you didn’t spend so much of your ‘busy day’ napping, and took some actual time to work on your appearance… why, I bet you would have stallions lining up in rows for you!” Rarity teased. “W-who says they already aren’t?” The blue pegasus shot back, failing to hide her clearly flustered position. Rainbow and Rarity continued to bicker back and forth. It was amusing really. I smiled contently, knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about Rainbow Dash turning me inside-out. After a minute or so, Twilight nudged me with her hoof. Much softer and more subtle than before. I gave her a questioning look. She responded by sliding the paper over to me, and flipping it over. 'Do not act that rude again.' Was written in English, matching my messy hoof-writing almost perfectly. My face grew hot, so I just looked up and gave her a quick nod and sheepish smile. “Nice one partner,” Applejack gave me a playful smack on my right side. “What are you talking about?” Applejack cocked her head at the two mares still bickering. “Gettin’ Rainbow all bothered about her looks ain’t easy.” She held up a foreleg to me. Taking a guess at the purpose of the gesture, I clopped my hoof against hers. “You’re welcome…” I trailed off, my stomach getting my attention as it complained at the lack of anything filling it. “Hey, didn’t you guys order something before Twilight and I got here?” Almost as if by magic, a waiter walked behind me and set down a plate and glass of milk. It seemed like an odd drink, but I didn’t question it. He was a unicorn stallion with a rather showy mustache. “Your sandwiches and drinks ladies, and sir,” He added, nodding to me. After ensuring we all seemed fine he left us. I looked over my sandwich with a frown. It seemed to be filled with some sort of grass, and flowers. I sighed and looked over the table at everypony else. Rainbow appeared to be taking her frustration out on the hapless sandwich in her hooves; devouring it like a starving animal. While Rarity on the other hoof, appeared to be taking her time with her meal. Applejack ate more or less like you would normally expect... but Fluttershy, she was looking over her sandwich in the same way I was. “Is everything alright, Fluttershy?” She squeaked as I addressed her. Fluttershy sunk a little in her seat and hid behind her mane. “Don’t worry about her none, she’s just a lil’ shy eatin’ ‘round new folks,” Applejack informed me. Everypony around the table gave silent nods in agreement. “Why aren’t y’all eatin’ though?” Applejack asked me between bites. I opened my mouth to speak, but Twilight beat me to it. “Our food isn’t exactly his normal cuisine,” She informed the others. “Oh? What is your normal diet, Edward?” Rarity asked, before furrowing her brow in thought. “...And for that matter, what are you generally called back home?” “Oh, we’re called ‘humans’. I’m guessing none of you have ever heard of them?” I asked, scanning the faces of everyone at the table; All five shook their heads. “As for what we eat? Well, we certainly don’t eat flowers and grass...” Rainbow wolfed down the rest of her sandwich and looked at me. “Well, then what do you humans eat?” I fidgeted with my hooves, remembering Twilight’s reaction when I told her I ate meat. “Uh, I eat fruits? And vegetables, nuts sometimes… grains and noodles too.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I tried recounting everything non-meat I’d ever eaten. Everyone seemed quite enthralled by my reply, except for Twilight who let out a sigh of relief. All I’d wanted then was a big steak, or something meaty to sink my teeth into. Though, that may have been difficult with my new, flat teeth. I was constantly rubbing them with my tongue. It felt as if someone had sanded them down; I just couldn’t get used to it. Rarity pursed her lips and hummed thoughtfully. “Do you perhaps partake in the consumption of sweets? Pinkie Pie is sure to have her party tables stacked to the roof with cupcakes, cookies and other assorted treats.” “Ponies eat sweets?” I couldn’t quite wrap my head around that one. The thought of a pony back on Earth eating cake seemed ludicrous at best. “Eeyup! An’ you’re gonna love Pinkie’s!” Applejack picked up her sandwich, about to take a bite. “Ah bet it’ll be tomorrow, considerin’ y’all can’t make that mare wait for nothin’” “Well, alright.” I didn’t have much else to say, so I figured I’d at least try eating my sandwich. As I clumsily picked it up in my hooves, I caught a flash of yellow and pink movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking over to Fluttershy, I saw a miniscule bite taken out of her sandwich, hardly noticeable. I figured I’d let her be and try to eat my own food. With a reluctant bite I started on the meal in my hooves. Grass, flowers, and bread tasted about as well as one would think, but it was better than going hungry… barely. “Wish I had some apples, or carrots like the hospital had.” I said rather absentmindedly after swallowing my first bite. Applejack chuckled, “Heh, at least he likes apples.” To my surprise, Fluttershy suddenly spoke up. “You were in the hospital?” she asked, a mix of curiosity and concern weighing heavy on her voice. “What happened to you?” “Yeah, I’m fine. Well, sorta anyways.” I answered with a shrug. "I don't know honestly. waking up in the hospital is the last thing I can remember. Between then and when I was still human is kind of blank." I shrugged, recalling the not so-pleasant atmosphere of that accursed room. “I was there a few days, recovering from my transformation I suppose, since I’m obviously not in my normal body anymore. Princess Luna was actually the first pony I met.” That seemed to really get their attentions. I took another quick bite of my sandwich, grimacing at the taste as they all absorbed the information. Rainbow Dash slammed down her empty glass. “What was the princess doing there? Why would she be seeing you?” “She was the one who found me actually.” I remembered the short stint of charades I was forced to play with Luna, before Celestia put her language spell on me. I was certainly glad she did. “Luna thought something was wrong and took me to a hospital, checked on me everyday too.” “That was quite sweet of her,” Rarity chirped. “Taking the time to check on somepony in the hospital? Quite surprising for somepony as busy as herself.” Twilight cleared her throat, ending the silence beside me.“Did the princess know what you were in the beginning?” I shook my head. “No. Wasn’t until Celestia came in a day later I was able to even talk to them.” "This all sounds like quite the tale to me," Rarity commented, propping her head up on her forehoof, supported by the table. "Mind sharing it with us from the beginning, darling?" I looked down to my barely-touched sandwich. Two bites was plenty, even if I was still starving. I pushed the plate away and cleared my throat. "Well, for starters, let's just say that I can think of very few things worse than waking up in a hospital to find yourself in a body that is not yours..." Author's Note Hello again you fine people. I know it's been a long time since I updated, and it was only a single scene... but to be honest this was supposed to be a 12k+ word chapter. Seeing as how I was stuck on that chapter for so long, I thought I'd cut this out and give you guys something while I got my act together. Chapter Ten“Well… that wasn’t so bad,” I idly commented, walking in tandem with Twilight. She looked straight down the road with a thoughtful look. “It could have gone better, but could’ve been worse too.” She disinterestedly replied. Since leaving the restaurant, she had gotten pretty quiet. After Rarity left along with the others, Twilight seemed lost in her thoughts and not very inclined to talk. After a couple minutes of walking in the early-afternoon sun, I finally said something to the purple mare. “Everything alright?” I asked. She blinked and looked over to me, as if just remembering I was there. “What? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Twilight halfheartedly smiled back. I didn’t buy it and decided to push some more. “You don’t seem fine.” I replied. “If you’re worried about me around your friends, I think it all got out of the way when Rainbow Dash jumped me.” I finished with a decent attempt at lightening the mood with a laugh. “Heh, no, it’s not that,” Twilight replied with a light chuckle. “I guess I’m just surprised how well-received you were by the rest of the girls.” She smiled, relieved. “I try. Though to be honest…” I paused to catch up to her. I was still walking in slow motion compared to most ponies, trying to get the hang of things. “I try to make a good impression, but I was pretty nervous the whole time.” “Oh? Why’s that?” “You six seemed like a tight bunch,” I shrugged. “As close as you all seem, I didn’t wanna disrupt that. A new person in a close-knit group might… feel a little left out.” I looked down to the road for a moment, chewing on my lip. “That’s it?” Twilight stopped and covered her mouth with a foreleg to stifle a laugh. I could only give her a confused look and wait for the giggling to die down. “Don’t worry about that, Edward. The other girls are used to weird things going on around me,” Twilight resumed walking. “At this point they probably expect these sorts of things.” “You mean like dragging alien beings inside a pony body around with you?” I asked, trying to keep the humor going. “Well, I guess there is a first time for everything.” <><><><><><><><><><> “Home sweet home~.” Twilight chimed, shutting the front door as we entered the library. I gave a quick look around the main room, taking it all in again. “Might be a while before I think of it like that.” I mused, walking around, peering at the bookcases. I spied a large green tome sitting on a table, a golden symbol etched into the cover. Pulling it closer, I started flipping through it, looking at the strange language within. ’All these books, and I can’t read a single one. So much knowledge here...’ “Everything alright?” Twilight asked form across the room, eyeing me curiously as I flipped through random pages. “Yeah…” I sighed a bit, closing the book and putting it back where I found it. “I’ve just never lived anywhere else before. I’ve never moved once since I was born.” “I can relate actually,” Twilight said, packing her saddlebag in a nearby closet. “When I moved here a couple years ago, that was my first time living outside of Canterlot.” She looked up and out a window, staring longingly into the distance. I walked over to the same window. Looking up, I was surprised to actually see the Equestrian capital poking out the side of the distant mountain. “Huh. I didn’t know you could see the city from way out here.” “It’s a big place, you can see it from quite a ways.” Twilight peeled herself from the window and trotted over to a desk, taking a seat and grabbing a quill. “Do you miss it there?” I asked, resuming my walk around the tree’s interior. “Hmm…” She hummed thoughtfully for a few moments. “I miss my family, and seeing Celestia, more often more than I miss the city.” “Too loud there for your tastes?” “It’s funny actually,” Twilight smiled. “I didn’t realize how much city noise there was until I moved to Ponyville. The quiet was really odd at first. It took some getting used to, but in the end… I like it here, most days.” “What do you mean, ‘most days’?” I looked over to see her writing something, the scratch of her quill being the only sound for a few long moments. I couldn’t see her face completely, but she looked slightly troubled. “It’s…” She trailed off with a sigh, pausing her writing. “For such a small town, it seems to have an awful lot of problems that—only I apparently only I—can solve.” Twilight huffed slightly. “Being an Element bearer has its perks, but everypony expects you to have all the answers, to be able to do solve everypony’s problems for them.” “I didn’t mean to upset you,” I apologized, feeling awkward for making her rant. “It’s alright, really.” Her all-too-big smile said otherwise, but there was no point arguing with her. Twilight inhaled and exhaled slowly to regain her composure, resuming her writings. “Any idea what you’re going to do for the rest of the day?” “Good question actually.” I stopped walking around a while ago, opting for my bad habit of just standing awkwardly. It’s something I never grew out of, being unable to find a comfortable place in somebody else’s house. “Uh, wasn’t Spike supposed to come by?” I quickly asked out of thin air to break the silence. “Rarity said she’d send him on his way, but he usually takes some convincing, so expect him to take an extra hour or two.” Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. “If you want, we can sit down and I can teach you something.” She gasped suddenly. “Maybe some Equestrian history?!” The excitement in her voice was pretty clear. ’It is a wonder she isn’t already a teacher...’ “Sorry, not really in a mood to sit down. I’m feeling sort of energetic, which is ironic considering the only thing I’ve eaten in over a day was a bite of a sandwich.” I took a few steps in place, glancing out a window at some passing ponies. “I see. Any ideas what you’re going to do then?” She asked. “Think I’m going to take a walk around town actually, get some of this energy out and familiarize myself with the area.” Twilight nodded in response. “Makes sense to me. Just don’t get lost.” “I’ll, uh, do my best not to,” I said, wondering how anyone could lose their way in such a small place. Twilight was probably just looking after me. Telling the princesses I disappeared would not be a fun activity. “If I can't find my way back I’ll just ask somebod—” “Somepony,” Twilight corrected. “Sorry, but you need to get used to saying it that way. Some ponies would think it’s weird, and a lot of questions about you isn’t a good idea.” “Right,” I nodded, repeating the correct vocabulary in my head a few times. I went over to the front door and reached for the handle. “Well I guess I’ll be on my way then—” “Wait!” Twilight jumped up and teleported in a bright flash right next to me. She quickly opened the small nearby closet and pulled out a rather generic brown saddlebag. “Here, take this with you, and have some bits, too.” She levitated the bag onto my back and deposited a pouch inside. “Just incase you want to buy something while you’re out.” I shifted the weight of the saddlebag around, its weight was somewhat annoying at first, but after a moment it was almost comfortable. It also conveniently obscured the spot my Cutie Mark would’ve been. “Try to be back before it gets dark, and I’ll see what I can make for dinner you might like.” Twilight smiled warmly. I returned the smile as best I could, still a little thrown off by her teleportation over to me. “Thanks, Twilight. You don’t need to do all this you know. I mean, you already took me in and I took over your basement.” It wasn’t me not being used to another’s kindness, it was just so much I felt a little stonewalled at that moment. Twilight however, merely rolled her eyes with a smile. “That money was from the princesses for you anyways.” She nodded to the bag. “Besides, what kind of host would I be?” Twilight used her magic to open the door for me. “Now get going, explore and have some fun in Ponyville.” She chimed, quickly closing the door behind me with a subtle click. I looked around, feeling the pleasant afternoon breeze through my coat for a few moments. I wasn't sure which way to venture at first, but eventually I decided to just walk the direction Twilight’s front door faced. ’Ready or not Ponyville, here I come…’ Chapter ElevenI had to admit, for being someone who preferred the great indoors as opposed to the other option, I found it quite enjoyable being out and about in Ponyville. I never noticed it until I was on my own, but there was an unmistakable air of community and calm everywhere I looked. Ponies were smiling, laughing, and generally just being genuinely happy. The city I came from was more akin to a very large town, and it wasn't uncommon to go to a supermarket and see a couple people you knew. But in Ponyville, it seemed everypony knew everypony else. The revelation gave me brief pause as I silently wondered how long it would be before more ponies than not would be wondering who I was. However, I returned to my original pace soon enough. As I passed into and through the marketplace, I’d occasionally slow my trot and look at a stall. Most of them seemed to be stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, none of them I was a huge fan of. On my way out of what I deemed the section devoted only to food, I spied a stall with something that made me smile and my mouth water. ’There’s pineapple at that table.’ Pineapple, the fruit I loved most in the world. I strode over to the kiosk, making eye contact with the stallion tending it as I neared. “Good afternoon, sir!” He greeted with a big grin, tipping his sunhat back. He was an Earth pony, that much was obvious. His coat I could best describe as the color of mud, with a simple jet-black mane and tail. I would have looked at the stallion’s Cutie Mark, but I’d have had to lean over the table for that and I didn’t want to seem invasive. “Hello there,” I returned with a smile of my own. “What can I do for you?” “I’d just like a couple of your pineapples. How much?” I inquired, reaching over to open the pouch that contained all the coins. “Four bits apiece, sir.” He replied, putting his hoof out to tap a small sign on his table I didn’t see, but couldn’t read either way. “Oh, sorry, didn’t notice.” I lied, figuring it was better to look dumb than admit I can’t read. ’Four bits seems a bit steep for a single pineapple, but what do I know? Haven’t exactly gotten a feel for what’s worth what with pony-money’ I mused, making sure I had the required eight. With a fair bit of awkwardness which I did my best to hide, I set the gold coins on the table in a neat little stack. “Thank you for your business!” He tipped his hat before sliding the money into a small lockbox. Similarly, I slid the delicious fruits into my bag, taking a moment to get them to settle comfortably and shutting the flap. “Excuse me,” The stallion said as I turned to leave. “Is there a problem?” I looked back up to him, noting an almost uncomfortable expression on his face. “No, just… I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why didn’t you use your magic?” He nodded to my horn. “I thought you unicorns used it for everything.” “Oh, uh…” I bit my lip, trying to think of a quick excuse. ’It can’t be that big a deal not using my magic, right? Maybe he’s just a really curious sort.’ “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I was just wonderin’,” He quickly said, looking a bit worried he’d offended. “No it’s fine. I was just, uh…” I had an idea and hoped it would be good enough for him, as well as make sense. “I’m just out of magic for the day. Stressed myself too much this morning. Pineapples are just the fastest way to get energy back, short of sleeping And they just happen to taste good.” I forced a laugh. “Huh. Ya don’t say,” The shopkeeper seemed to buy it, and that was all I needed. “Well, sorry to stall you. Have a good one, come again!” “You too.” I nodded, turning to leave at a slightly faster pace than was probably necessary. That whole situation was too awkward for my tastes. It took maybe a minute for me to exit the market plaza. I kept heading in the direction I told Twilight I’d take; straight in the direction her door faced, so I kept on walking. ’At least I was able to pull a dumb answer out of my butt. I wonder if unicorns actually have a limit to their magic per day? I guess I’ll just add it to my mental list of questions for later.’ I looked back to double-check that my side-bag was properly closed. ’At least I have something delicious to eat later, and the bag covered up my lack of a Cutie Mark.’ I had no interest in finding out what he might have had to say about that. <><><><><><><><><><> It wasn’t long before I started reaching what seemed like the outer-ring of town, where the spaces between buildings were getting larger, and the homes quickly outnumbered the shops. ’With the peculiar architecture these ponies have, it’s hard to tell what’s what sometimes.’ A small park was down a ways, but it was off my intended path so I just logged it in the little mental map of the town I’d been working on. In the distance I could see all manner of ponies playing games, walking around or just sitting on benches and relaxing. A couple relaxing under a tree even gave each other some quick kisses. ’They’re so… human. I couldn’t possibly imagine ponies back home, just animals, acting like this before.’ “Come on, just leave me alone, you two!” Came a shriek in the distance, clearly a younger pony in distress. ’Speaking of acting like humans...’ It didn’t take me more than a minute to find where the distressing sounds of the young pony were coming from. Which as it were, took me to what looked like an old-timey schoolhouse. Outside were three smaller female ponies, which I remembered were called foals, having some sort of dispute. ’Jeez, you only see schoolhouses like this in movies anymore.’ I was around the other side of the building, very close, but decided to watch for a moment before doing anything; shoving Pinkie Pie off of Twilight and almost hitting her with my somewhat-sharp horn flashed in my mind, and I didn’t want to do anything stupid here, especially not in front of children. Two foals, a pink one and a silver one had the third, a white one backed up against a wall. I wasn’t paying much attention to what was being said, but the two I deemed the bullies kept using the term ‘blank flank’ with the inclination it was some kind of hurtful slang. After seeing these two foals weren’t going to stop bothering the third any time soon, I rounded the corner and cleared my throat. “Is there a problem here?” I called as I drew closer. Immediately the two bullies jumped and looked at me with hesitation. It was then that I noticed the silver foal had a pair of thick glasses, and the pink one had some sort of cheap plastic tiara in her mane. The white one had a small horn, and a semi-curly mane with various shades of purple I could only describe as ‘adorable’. “Come on, DT, let’s just go.” The snooty silver foal urged the pink one, starting out into a brisk trot, which the other quickly followed. ’Hmph, kids will be kids wherever you go I suppose.’ I rolled my eyes then turned to the white foal who’d been sitting on the ground up against the wall of the schoolhouse. “You okay, kid?” I asked, offering a foreleg, which she hesitantly grabbed and pulled herself up with. “I’m fine. Those two are always bugging me and my friends,” She huffed, dusting herself off and quickly patting down her mane like it was a normal thing. “Thanks for making them go away, mister.” She smiled, walking over to a nearby swing set that was only a dozen feet or so away and retrieving what I guessed was her school bag. “It was nothing, I just don’t like bullies and it didn’t look like they were going to stop any time soon.” I explained. “What were they bugging you about anyways? Seems this is a regular thing for you, er?” I asked in a leading voice, hoping to get the young foal’s name. “Sweetie Belle,” She perked up, jumping over and extending a hoof, which I gave a quick shake. “And those two, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, are always teasing me and my friends about not having our Cutie Marks.” Sweetie added with a shake of her head, indicating she did not in fact, have her Cutie Mark. I blinked. Blank flank? Made sense, thinking on it for just a moment or so. Then, I smiled. That was something I could work with. “Well, you don’t say…” I chuckled, turning slightly to reveal my side. “I don’t have mine yet either, believe it or not.” “No way!” Sweetie Belle bounced over enthusiastically, to get a closer look. “That’s so… cool!” She squeaked, jumping up and down in place. “Heh, I guess it is, isn’t it?” “How come you don’t have yours yet? I thought everypony got them when they were younger?” Sweetie inquired, cocking her sead to the side. Clearly, the idea of an adult ‘blank flank’ was an alien concept to the foal, furthering the idea that hiding it earlier was a good idea. “I just haven’t,” I shrugged. Technically I wasn’t lying, I was just stretching the truth to fit my needs. “I’m just a special case I suppose, not finding my talent and all that.” Again, not lying. I wanted to be as honest as possible without telling this small pony I wasn’t even one of her kind; that could only end badly. “Huh. Well I better be getting home. I can’t wait to tell my friends!” Sweetie Belle started to run off down a road, but stopped and turned around. “Thanks again Mister... Uh…?” She trailed off. “Edward. Just Edward.” I smiled, waiting for the confused look that would never come. “Thanks Mr. Edward! Bye!” She waved then ran off down the road, leaving a small trail of dust in her wake. I turned to take my leave, continuing down the same path I had before the little ‘detour.’ I gave my hooves a quick little stretch then started to move. ’Well, I guess I’ll just keep walkin—’ “Hey wait!” A voice, distinctly female, called out from behind me, stopping me in my tracks. I turned towards the schoolhouse wall and looked up, seeing a magenta mare sticking her head out of a window just above me. Her mane, from what I could see, was varying shades of her coat’s color and fairly straight, but with the slightest of swirls on the tip. “Oh, hello there.” I greeted, flashing a quick smile as my surprise subsided. “Is something wrong?” “No, nothing wrong at all,” She shook her head, mane bobbing slightly with her movements. “I actually wanted to thank you.” The mare smiled warmly. “Thank me for what, exactly?” I tilted my head, curious. “Getting those two to leave poor Sweetie Belle alone,” She thrust her head in the direction those two bullies ran off. “They’re always bothering their classmates. They were causing a ruckus earlier. I've been meaning to say something to them about it, but I guess you beat me to it.” The pony giggled slightly. “Oh, I never introduced myself, how rude of me. One moment!” And with that, she disappeared inside the building. I went around to the front of the schoolhouse where I assumed I was going to meet her halfway. Right as I got to the steps the door swung open and the as-of-yet unnamed mare quickly trotted down the steps to my level. I caught a glimpse of her Cutie Mark, which looked to be a trio of smiling flowers. “My name’s Cheerilee,” She huffed slightly before sticking out her hoof, a gesture I quickly returned, giving it a quick shake. “And I already know your name. I may have eavesdropped on you and Sweetie for a minute. Sorry about that.” The pony sheepishly grinned. “It’s no problem.” I smiled, then paused. “So uh, do you work here?” I nodded to the school. “Yes, I’m the teacher here.” Cheerilee confirmed along with a nod. “I was just staying after a few minutes to close up. I hope you don’t mind me saying, Mr. Edward, but you have a very peculiar accent.” She used one of her forehooves to rub the underside of her chin. “I do?” I never really thought about it before, but she must’ve been right if she noticed right away. “It’s not too obvious, but there’s a definite foreign tinge to some of your words. It’s a little sharp. It’s almost… northern in a way, but something about it is more interesting than that…” Cheerilee brought her hoof down, tapping the ground, and biting her lip in thought. After a long couple seconds of silence she broke out of her contemplative trance. “Oh, I’m sorry! I hope I didn’t offend!” She waved her forelegs in the air in-between us. “Oh no, you’re fine. I’m a little surprised somebody noticed. But uh, yeah. I’m just staying in town for a while.” “Heh, I don’t get out of Ponyville much, is all. New ponies really stick out to me. Even the way you said ‘somebody’ as opposed to ‘somepony’ was interesting,” Cheerilee stifled yet another giggle. ’You idiot! You need to keep an eye on that.’ “Well, I should get to the market before they close so I can pick up some dinner,” Cheerilee stuck out her hoof once more, which I gave a quick shake to. “I’ll see you around town!” She smiled then trotted off the way I came from, back to the market district. ’She seemed awfully nice. I really gotta pay more attention to what I say, though.’ I looked up to the sky, noticing that the sun hadn’t moved all that much, and I judged it to still be in the early stages of the afternoon. Plenty of time to explore some more before making my way back home. ’Home.’ The word echoed in my mind. ’I wonder how long I’m going to be calling this place that...’ <><><><><><><><><><> It didn’t take long for me to reach what I could officially call the edge of town. Buildings were sparse and ponies few and far between. Although it was still quite beautiful, especially with the woods off in the distance. It still seemed relatively early, so I continued onwards down a cobblestone path that led in the general direction of the forest. Not too far down the road was a small bridge overlooking a creek. As I stepped over the bridge I looked down to the water, admiring the incredible abundance of animals just... There. The local animal life seemed to have no fear whatsoever of ponies, not like humans at all. I left the critters alone and made my way across the remainder of the bridge. A ways off in the distance was a dwelling of sorts, becoming more and more clear as I drew closer to the edge of the town’s boundary, and the forest's edge. ’Couldn’t hurt to take a look while I’m here and all.’ I had no desire whatsoever to go inside the forest, though. Something about it unnerved me when I stared at it. The dwelling looked like something out of, well, out of a magical book with enchanted forests. It was a home on the smaller side, but it looked very cozy. All around it were many well-maintained plants with birds and various insects flitting about. There was even another creek running right through the property, and a fittingly rustic brick bridge running over it. And the animals? They were everywhere! Otters, turtles, rabbits, more birds than I could name, even a couple friendly-looking skunks milling about. On the outer edge of the property was a plain stone wall roughly the height of my chest, and circling all around the property, with a simple wooden gate a few steps down the way, leading up to the house. I wanted to go on the other side and look around more of the amazing place, but I didn’t want to trespass. So instead I settled for walking along the outside of the wall, continuing to look at the animals and scenery. After a while, the door to the home opened, revealing a white rabbit in-tow with a very familiar pegasus. ’Fluttershy? Huh, so this is where she lives.’ For a time I contently sat there, watching her skip all around outside, talking with animals here or there and just generally being happy and lively. I didn’t know the yellow pegasus very well, but it was strange nonetheless seeing her so animated. She was even singing a nice little tune to her furry friends. ’She really is different on her own. Then again, everyone is when you think about it.’ The fact she didn’t see me only a hundred or so feet away surprised me. At least until she turned and stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing me. Like a deer stuck in the headlights, neither of us moved for a few painfully long seconds. “Oh, hi Fluttershy. I was just looking around Ponyville.” I gave my most convincing, normal smile I could muster under the awkward circumstances. I felt like I’d just walked in on someone in the shower, and very much wanted to leave. “I’m gonna be on my way—” “Wait,” Fluttershy spoke. Had the animals not quieted down, I’d have never heard her quiet voice. “Wait…” She said a second time, gliding over to the stone wall, setting down and quickly tucking her wings to her sides. “I wanted to apologize.” Fluttershy spoke with an air of confidence. “Apologize? What for?” I couldn’t fathom what she’d feel sorry for. It was I who was watching her and looking like a creep in the process. “For being so quiet before, at Twilight’s last night and at lunch today.” She spoke, even making eye contact. Her white rabbit friend had finally caught up and jumped up onto her back, eyeing me with a critical gaze. “I’ve been trying to be more open, more sociable. I still get shy though. So, um…” She stalled, breaking eye contact and looking down to the ground. Her momentary confidence was gone, so I took that as my cue to speak up. “It’s perfectly alright, Fluttershy. I understand being shy around new people,” I smiled, hoping that was decent enough to keep her from locking-up. A change in subject couldn’t hurt, either. “This is a beautiful place you have here.” “Oh thank you!” She beamed, straightening up with renewed vigor. “I do my best to keep it looking nice, as well as a place for all my little friends…” She turned her head to give a quick nuzzle to the rabbit now playing with her mane. “They all seem to really like you,” I remarked, giving a quick glance to a few songbirds that were now coming to settle on the wall nearest Fluttershy. “My talent lets me communicate with animals of all kinds on a level no other ponies can,” Fluttershy smiled, putting one of her forelegs out and letting her rabbit friend get a closer look at me. “Angel Bunny, this is Edward. Go on, say ‘hello’.” She almost sang when she spoke to it. Angel Bunny hesitantly crept out to the end of her hoof, giving the air between us a few long sniffs for good measure. It was surprising how much expression I could see on its face, showing me far more emotion than any rabbits back on Earth. Angel looked somewhat befuddled, looking back to Fluttershy with a quizzical expression. ’Maybe he knows something’s up with me. That I’m not a regular pony? Animals always were more sensitive than people to some things, so what about here I wonder...’ “Would you like to come in for a bit?” Fluttershy asked in a cheery tone. “Really? I wouldn’t want to impose or make you uncomfortable.” “I insist. I just got this new tea I’ve been eager to try, and I do feel bad for not talking very much before. I really am trying to get out there more,” Fluttershy stepped forward, opening the gate and stepping to the side to let me pass. “Besides, you must be tired from carrying that bag all day.” ’Forgot I was even carrying it, I got so distracted.’ “Some tea sounds fantastic. I am a little thirsty from my walk over here,” I chuckled, falling in step with Fluttershy and together we made for the house. Angel took a place atop the mare’s head, not taking his bewildered gaze off of me. “I’m not sure your friend likes me though,” I remarked with a quick glance to the creature. “Oh, Angel Bunny? I think he likes you in fact.” “What makes you think that?” I didn’t get the feeling he liked me, more that he wasn’t sure what to think of me. “Normally he throws things.” <><><><><><><><><><> The interior of Fluttershy’s cottage was just as populated with critters as the outside; birds, squirrels and other small rodents were everywhere. There was even an entire wall devoted to bird houses. Were there any place this full of animals back home, you’d have the house condemned. But there… there it was, like something out of a children’s story. They looked like the happiest animals on the planet, running around and having fun. There was a small table in the center of Fluttershy’s living room, which I was seated at, my bag looped around the back of the chair, while my host wandered into the kitchen. Angel kept a close eye on me from the kitchen’s threshold, looking like he was ready to bolt but equally determined to not let me out of his sight. I gave the critter my most convincing smile but his eyes just narrowed in response. ’I’m glad the rabbits I had as a kid weren’t like this. Probably would’ve been scared to turn my back on them.’ “Tea’s ready,” Fluttershy practically sang as she came into the main room, balancing a small tray on an outstretched wing. She carefully slid the tray onto the table with graceful, expert precision. “I thought you might still be hungry from lunch, so I grabbed some biscuits too.” Fluttershy pointed out as she took her place across from me. Angel took a spot on the floor next to her. “That was really thoughtful of you. Thank you.” I smiled as my eyes looked over the two oversized mugs of steaming tea, and a small arrangement of biscuits in a spiral pattern in the middle. The tea looked like it could use a few minutes to cool off, so I grabbed a small biscuit as best I could and popped it into my mouth; the hooves were making things difficult once more. “How is it?” Fluttershy expectantly asked. “It’s quite possibly the most delicious miniature pastry I’ve ever eaten.” This made her beam with happiness. “If the biscuit was that good, I can’t wait to see what the tea’s like.” I complimented, reaching for another pastry. “I’m glad you like them. I don’t have guests that often, so I try to take care of the few I get as best I can.” Fluttershy stated as she reached for her own tea. I grasped at mine and gently cupped it between my hooves, careful not to spill any. As I brought it closer to my face I smelled its sweet aroma, but couldn’t quite place the scent. Tentatively, I took a small sip and my taste buds were assaulted by a myriad of flavors. I must’ve looked like an idiot, silently trying to figure out the tea as I took another test drink. “Fluttershy?” I asked to get her attention. “What’s in this tea? It tastes absolutely amazing, but I can’t place that flavor.” I put the mug down and reached for another biscuit to nibble on. “It’s a special blend I made myself. It’s pumpkin and spearmint, with just a hint of nutmeg for a little something extra.” Fluttershy closed her eyes and smelled the steam coming off of her mug, filling her lungs with the unique combination of smells. “Well I’ve certainly never had tea like this before. How did you come up with this concoction?” This seemed to break my host out of her momentary trance. “I have a lot of free time on my hooves…” Fluttershy slouched in her seat and looked off to the side. “So when I get bored, sometimes I get whatever I can from my garden out back, and see what flavors go together.” “I see…” I said, stalling for a conversation topic to pop up in my head. I took another drink of the tea to help wash down another pastry. “So, do you live all alone here?” “Yes and no.” Fluttershy shrugged slightly. “It’s just me, Angel Bunny here—” She paused to give the rabbit a pet. “—and my other animal friends. I like the quiet for the most part.” “That reminds me, how did you end up meeting all the other ponies from today? I don’t want to offend or anything, but you really seemed like the odd one out of the group.” Fluttershy’s ears flattened and she averted eye contact. “I was just having a really shy moment, was all. I’ve been getting better about it lately.” She quickly composed herself and gave me a warm smile. “It’s funny you mention that actually…” “How so?” “Well, my first friend out of the ponies you’ve met was actually Rainbow Dash, believe it or not,” Fluttershy giggled a little to herself. “Really?” I couldn’t see a quiet pony such as Fluttershy being longtime friends with a pony as rough and outspoken as Rainbow Dash. “That sounds like quite the story right there.” “Oh it is!” Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her seat with excitement, then quickly settled back down. “I can tell you if you want, but it’s a bit of a long one.” I looked over to a window in the living room and judged it to still be early in the afternoon. It couldn’t hurt to kill a bit of time, right? “Twilight’s not expecting me back for at least two or three more hours. I’ve got time.” I said as I got more comfortable in the chair and held my mug once more. Fluttershy grinned and cleared her throat to start the recollection of how she met Rainbow. “It all started when we were just little fillies in flight camp. I didn’t even have my Cutie Mark yet…”
Chapter One“Remind me again, why are we here?” I moaned to my mother a few yards away. I was leaning over a railing, struck with seasickness as our boat trailed through the clear waters. The constant up and down motions were leaving me a little green. “You know why we’re here. Stop complaining and try to enjoy this free vacation.” She huffed, stomping off to the boat’s stern. I know I complain a lot, and more than twenty years of it hasn’t been good on my mother’s patience. I closed my eyes for a moment to regain some of my composure, temporarily shutting out the seasickness. “Hey, Victoria,” I yelled over my shoulder to my sister on the starboard side of the small watercraft, who was as cheerful and full of energy as ever, even though there was nothing to do on the relatively small craft. “Thanks again for winning a stupid radio contest and flying us all the way down here to the Atlantic Ocean.” She rolled her eyes and walked over to me with ease. Apparently, she already had her ‘sea legs’, while I was barely keeping my breakfast from the airport terminal in my stomach. “We’re not just here to see the ocean, Edward. We’re on our way to the island too,” She corrected, flicking me upside the head. “Right, because spending a month on a no-name island in the middle of nowhere sounds like a wonderful time,” I commented sarcastically. The thought did sound fun, but it was what it took to get there that was trying my patience. Days of travelling by plane, rental car and finally boat and we weren’t even there yet. “Can’t you at least pretend to be a little excited? I thought time away from home would do you some good. And spending an entire month by yourself can’t be healthy. Especially after what happened with you and—“ “Will you stop bringing that up?” I snapped, glaring at her with my sickly eyes. “Why can’t everybody just leave me alone?” I huffed, tilting my sea-sickened head over the railing once more. “I’m sorry. But mom and I thought it would be better that you come with us, rather than stay home all alone.” “But I like being alone…” Victoria only rolled her eyes at my rebuttal. “Look, after a breakup that bad, it’s not good being alone to think about her.” “But being alone is what makes me feel better,” I grumbled. “And besides, what do you know about bad breakups? You’re only sixteen and never had a boyfriend.” “Only because you go all ‘big brother’ and threaten to shoot any boys I bring home.” She laughed and playfully punched me in the arm. “Hey, it’s my job to keep my sister safe, even if she is a pain in the a—“ A wave of vomit poured from my mouth over the side of the boat. After it was all done I cringed and tucked my arms together. ’I am never, ever setting foot on another boat as long as I live.’ “You alright?” My sister’s worried voice calmly asked. “You seem really sick.” “No, really? What gave it away?” I replied flatly. “I’ll go get you some water, be right back.” I let out an exaggerated sigh as I sat down and leaned onto the lower rail, resting my chin hard on the cool metal. My thoughts drifted as I dangled my feet off the edge and watched the waves roll by. ’Why am I here, again? I could’ve just fought harder to stay home. I am twenty-three after all, I can take care of myself… Well, maybe a whole month alone might be pushing it a bit. Considering I’m not exactly on speaking terms with my most recent ex and all my friends went south for college, I wouldn't really have anything to do now that I think about it...’ I paused for a moment as I reflected on my friends. ’I guess I really shouldn’t complain. They’re happy after all, no more northern Michigan winters for them. Too bad I’ve always wanted to move further north where it was colder and more comfortable.’ I looked up to the clear sky and was met with the blazing sun that had helped in turning my mood sour. ’It must be a thousand degrees down here. I wish I could go back home and jump in the snow, where I belong; as far away from the Equator as possible.’ My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden cold sensation of Victoria pressing a bottle of ice-water against my cheek. “I just talked to the captain, guess where we are!” She chirped, positively vibrating with excitement. I shrugged to her as I took the bottle and gulped the water down in record time. “He said we’re right on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle! Isn’t that awesome?” “Yep, it means we’re getting closer to the island, and that means closer to land.” I smiled at the thought of it. No more rocking back and forth, no more worrying about sharks. A silly thought seeing as we were safe on the boat, but I mean everyone has the right to be afraid of something, right? “Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant.” She said as she kicked off her flip flops onto the deck before sitting cross-legged next to me. “It means we might see something cool out here. You know all the myths and stuff about this place, right? Because you know, like everything, or at least you think you do.” I looked up in thought before quickly speaking again. “I’ve read a few books on the matter. There’s some weird stuff that happens here, but there’s nothing superstitious or alien going on here like most people believe.” “You’re so boring sometimes, you know that? You don’t have to go all ‘science genius’ all the time,” she stated with a large frown. “And why is that?” I cocked an eyebrow turning towards her. “Because it’s fun to just believe sometimes!” My sister beamed. You could almost sees stars blinking into existence in her eyes. “Believe in what? Magical storms that make people disappear?” I rolled my eyes at the ludicrous idea. “So you’re saying you don’t believe in magic at all?” Victoria had been quite irritating ever since she found out about Wicca or whatever it was called. She was always wasting her money at a “potion” shop, truly thinking it would do something. She even tried putting a curse on me to make me lose my hair. It didn’t work. “Just because some expensive book you got off a website with birthday money says magic is real, doesn’t mean it is. Can your magic explain that squadron of planes that vanished some sixty years ago?” She smirked at the question. “Can your science?” She shot back trying to stump me. “I don’t even need science. It’s just an unfortunate event the planes or boats or whatever get caught in storms and sink or crash.” I waved my hands up in the air. “It’s all just chance they disappear more in this part of the ocean. Just like when you went outside that one day when it was windy and that one-hundred dollar bill that smacked you in the face; all coincidence and proper timing.” Victoria remained silent while she shot me a thoughtful glare. Without a word she stood up. “I’m going to take a nap below deck,” She started as she slipped her flip flops back on. “—and for the record, this conversation isn’t finished.” “Just don’t slip on your way there, wouldn’t want me getting the inheritance.” I teased. “Only if I don’t push you in the water first.” She stuck her tongue out at me. I didn’t watch her go, only stared out to the sea with a satisfied, slightly evil smirk. There was of course, no family inheritance. We just teased each other about it. I chuckled softly as my pale face rested on the strangely comfortable metal railing. A slightly less comfortable thought shoved itself to the front of my silent musings. ’I sure hope my neighbor remembers to feed my fish. Those guys are expensive to replace…’ <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The ocean is truly a breathtaking sight to see. Even if the temperature was in the triple digits, and I was vomiting like a sewage outlet pipe, I had to admit it was beautiful. It was a couple hours later I’d guessed by the sun’s position. Even though I had an expensive watch that was right to within a ten-thousandth of a second, there was something nice about guessing the time. My stomach had finally settled and I managed to keep down a granola bar my mother brought me. She was always trying to get me to eat this healthy stuff. I sighed deeply at the thought of the dry, tasteless things she classified as ‘food’. ’I hope there’s better stuff on the isla—wait.’ “We should have been there by now.” I thought out loud. I slowly stood up from my spot on deck and made my way to the back of the vessel. If I had to guess, I’d say the boat was fifty feet long? I don’t know, I’m not good at judging length or distance. After watching my feet and paying attention to my balance, I made it to the small ladder that led up to the captain’s nest; A small platform not really made for two people about five feet up from the rest of the deck. “Hey, Captain William, how much longer ‘til we get there?” I asked as my feet connected with the floor of the navigation room. “Hey there, Curly!” The captain greeted over his shoulder. I got called that a lot because of my hair. I had what people called “jerry curls”. I’m glad I understood the references. It just made me more aware of how strange my hair looked, considering I’m Caucasian. “So, what brings you up here?” He asked with his slightly southern accent. “Well, I was thinking we’d be there by now. The trip was only supposed to take three hours.” This got a reaction out of the captain. He looked up at what I guessed to be the GPS mounted by the main viewport. He then turned his attention to a framed map on the wall. I could see his face just enough to notice his brow furrow and an unsure smirk appear. “We should see the island on the horizon shortly.” He answered in a stern voice much unlike his usual upbeat demeanor. I opened my mouth to say something, but decided against it. Heckling the captain wouldn’t get us there any faster. I eventually made my way back to the comfortable spot I had picked out on the deck. I nestled where I spent most of my time, resting my chin on a metal bar as I glowered over the side towards the endless ocean. My head felt like a snow globe, being shaken and having all the little bits floating around. I took my sandals off to let my feet breathe a little easier, hoping that would help me cool down some too. ’Could this pathetic watercraft possibly go any slowe—’ My bored thoughts were interrupted by a gentle buzzing sensation on my right thigh. It was my phone, surprisingly enough. We must have been getting close if I was able to get that small bit of reception. I pulled it out of my pocket and paused upon seeing the picture assigned to the caller. “Who’s that?” I jumped at the question. Victoria had snuck up right behind me when she noticed I was getting a call. “I don’t know,” I lied, shrugging my shoulders. “It might be somebody from work. I’m gonna head to the back and take this.” I stood up and quickly strode off. Aware I only had a few seconds left to answer, I didn’t bother putting my shoes back on, making the deck a little trickier to navigate. “Don’t you mean the stern? That’s what the back of a boat is called!” Victoria teased as I walked off. I just waved over my shoulder and brought the phone to my ear, now satisfied I was away from eavesdroppers. “To whom do I owe the pleasure?” My tone was cold and flat into the receiver. The only thing I heard was the slight gasp of somebody opening their mouth to speak, then pausing. Even without the caller-id I could have told you who it was; It was my ex-girlfriend. “Hey...” She choked out after a few long moments. “Hey yourself.” I rolled my eyes. She never was great at getting a conversation rolling. “So, what’s up? I thought you weren’t talking to me any more.” “I came by your house yesterday, but nobody was there... I tried again today. Where are you? I want to see you.” Her words slowly came out in-between sniffles. “I’m on a forced vacation to the Caribbean, no thanks to Wingus and Dingus here.” I was of course referring to my mother and sister; I did not consider either of them notably intelligent. “Heh, figures it’d take them to drag you out of the house.” She let out a stifled giggle. “So the Caribbean, eh? Must be nice down there.” “I guess. We’re not even to the actual vacation proper yet. So far it’s been tedious plane trips, fast food and a lot of—” The boat listed to one side, throwing me off balance. I grabbed on to the nearby railing with a vice-like grip out of reflex just as a foot of water emerged over the sides, not quite soaking the deck but leaving it thoroughly wet at the very least. I gave myself a moment to breathe before putting the speaker back up to my ear. “...and a lot of water.” “I’d kill to be down there with you. I mean—to be down there, to see things.” She caught herself. “So, what—” “Hey!” I looked back to see my mother poking her head out from the lower deck. “You kids alright!? That was a real big wave!” ’Why all these interruptions?’ I let go of the railing to wave that I was just fine. “Sorry, I keep getting interrupted by the ocean and my family.” I groaned into the phone’s microphone, using my off-hand to rub at my temples. “So, what did—” A small wave knocked me off balance and made me collapse to the deck on one knee. My phone clattered a little further down the boat. I reached out in my half-prone position, my fingers just bracing its edge. I couldn’t reach so I rose into a low crouch, wary of the slick coating of water all over. I crept closer to my prize only a few feet away. I snatched it in one quick motion and grinned that it hadn’t gone any further, or over the edge. “Ha ha, gotcha!” I said to nobody in particular. I looked to the screen and saw that the call had dropped during the commotion. I rolled my eyes and put it back in my pocket. ’Oh well. Whatever it was, it can wait until I’m off this death tra—’ I didn’t finish my thought, as yet another wave of seawater lept over the edge of the boat. This one was centered right where I was standing and momentarily blinded me as the salt water stung at my eyes. Out of pure reflex, I brought both my hands up to wipe at my eyes, relinquishing my grip on the railing. As the boat rocked back down to recover from the sudden waterborne turbulence, my bare feet lost their cohesion with the plastic decking. I went down hard, my feet being sucked out from under me. I smacked my head on something behind me on the way down, dazing me for the exact moment I would have needed to have grabbed hold of something. It all happened too fast to really register at the time. What I felt next was the momentary sense of falling, then the sensation of water rushing up my nose, tickling my involuntary gag reflexes and shocking my mind back into the present. ’No!’ I panicked and flailed my arms underwater, quickly reaching the surface that had only been a couple feet above me. The water that made it into my system was irritating my entire system, forcing me to fight the urge to open my mouth and cough, which would have just let in more water. ’No!’ I broke the water’s surface and retched and heaved up everything I could, rasping out pathetic yells for help in between. I raised one hand out of the water to try and wave, but the boat wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. ’No! Come back!’ A mouthful of water escaped my mouth that had been most of the issue. I could breathe a little easier and was finally able to speak instead of just groan. I yelled and hollered as loud and as much as I could at the white dot on the horizon that was my boat. I screamed for minutes, even as the watercraft left the limits of my view. I coughed from the irritation caused by the seawater, and the violent yelling I wasn’t used to. ’No! No no no no no no no! This can’t be happening. This isn’t happening.’ My breathing increased and I turned around in the water, panicking, looking in all directions for something that wasn’t water and waves. Nothing. ’This… this is happening.’ “Calm, Edward. Stay calm,” I told myself, still whipping my head back and forth over the featureless sea. “Ok. Ok ok, just… take a second to think. The boat was headed in…” I paused, trying to remember the position of the sun compared to the boat’s direction of travel. “In… that direction.” I said, aligning myself the same way and hoping I wasn’t wrong. ’Ok… Ok ok you can do this.’ I gulped, feeling the gravity of the situation continue to settle on my shoulders. I was stranded in a relatively small lake once after a water skiing incident, although nothing could have prepared me for what horror the current situation brought. I could feel the vast emptiness below my feet, the nothingness. It made me reflexively bring my legs up closer to my chest, trying to feel safe, knowing I was far from alone in the vast abyss. But, it was either try to make an effort and possibly live another day… or sit in that spot and definitely never be seen again. I swam in the direction I assumed was the right way, pacing myself as best I could. As well as trying to shut out the thoughts of something in the water eyeing me at that very instant, ready to attack any moment. Swimming with baggy cargo shorts wasn’t easy, and I was getting winded after only a few minutes into each swim. Not to mention I wasn’t exactly the epitome of picture-perfect health to begin with. It was during my eighth or ninth break I heard a loud crack behind me. Clouds as black as obsidian were rapidly encroaching from behind. The occasional flash of lightning within the looming mass only quickened the feeling of dread welling up inside of me. They looked to be maybe ten miles off, but growing up around so many large bodies of water, I knew storms over oceans and lakes had a tendency to be far away one moment and on top of you in the blink of an eye. ’You have to keep going.’ I knew trying to out-swim a storm of that size was futile, but I couldn’t just sit there and not try. I resumed my tedious, painful task of battling the ocean—now getting more rough—whilst doing my best to not look over my shoulder. I could feel the wind pushing me from behind, chilling me to the bone and slowing my previously-strong strokes to no more than little dog paddles. I could feel the freezing wind and water sapping all the heat and energy out of my body, feel it just wicking away into the turbulent abyss. I willed myself to keep going, but before long it took what energy and will I had left to even stay above the surface. I kicked my legs to stay afloat, but the sea tossed me around like a ping-pong ball in a washing machine. It didn’t take long for my lower half to succumb to the exhaustion and chill, and stopped responding all-together. I tried to compensate by willing more energy into my arms but it just didn’t work; my body was failing and I slowly inched my way deeper in the water, the salty spray assaulting me from all angles. ’No...’ I looked with half-lidded eyes towards the last glimmer of sunshine, now miles off. Soon, the only light that remained was the frequent flash of lightning quickly followed up by the ear-splitting crack of thunder. There was no longer any sense of direction, just water. “No...” My voice cracked. Unable to fight it any more, I let my body go limp and my eyes close. There was a moment of warmth, then it all faded away. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Have you ever woken up on a beach? Can’t say that I have, though I hear it is a magnificent sight to wake up to. This was not what I began to wake up feeling. I felt weaker than ever before, like all the life was sucked out of me. Letting out a pained moan, I rolled to my side and groggily opened an eye, though the sight before me was not what I expected. There was grass, and from the blurry vision of one eye I guessed it to be the middle of the night. I brushed it off and moaned at the pain coursing through my body. I turned to my other side, not having enough of my senses back to even feel what I was lying on and tried to huddle my freezing limbs together. It felt like somebody had taken me apart like a toy and put me back together in all the wrong ways. There was a noise off in the distance that caught my attention, but I ignored it. I was tired, so tired and all I wanted was to fall asleep, not caring where I was. The noise came back, it was closer now. I opened my eyes again after muttering a barely audible “what”. What stood before me was beyond my vocabulary, it was some thing standing there, with the most unusual color of a deep, dark blue. It stood on four tall legs and its neck stretched into the air towards the face of the monster looking me over. I blinked several times to try and clear my vision, but everything remained too fuzzy to make out any fine details. ’What in the world is that thing? It looks like a… horse, or a donkey. I must have washed up on a farm near the beach.’ The strange horse-like figure before me opened its mouth and began speaking what my traumatized brain could only barely classify as some sort of language. I closed my eyes and chalked it up to my trauma, trying to shut out its continuing sounds. ’Just shut up you stupid animal. Go find your keeper already.’ The unusual animal took a step towards me as its strange voice made more sound beyond my understanding. Seeing I wouldn’t respond, it took yet another step towards me, one step too close for my comfort. I could tell now it was far from any equine proportions I’d known. It was far taller, and almost lanky in its appearance. The creature turned its head slightly to the side, now showing me the unusual appendage on its head. ’What in the hell...’ I thought, my vision slowly beginning to sharpen. I turned onto my back and started a slow retreat from the frightening monster. Or I would have if my bruised and broken body had responded. My eyes went wide with fright at what the mysterious creature would do to me with that horn I had just noticed upon its head. It opened its mouth and let loose yet another string of sounds unfamiliar to me. I could just make out the thing’s eyes; a striking—and unusual—blue hue. “I don’t understand! Somebody, please, help!” I yelled, wincing as I tried crawling away on my back. The creature tilted its head in thought and narrowed its blue eyes. Before I could react, it closed the gap and glared at me. I was sure this thing would stab me with its horn and devour my freezing body. I blankly stared back at the situation overloading my barely-conscious brain. A grey haze formed from around my eyes, as I dropped my head back onto the soft grass. ’This can’t be happening’. I shut my eyes, and submitted my body back to the realm of unconsciousness.
Chapter TwoI’ve read about people stranded at sea for days, weeks…even months before. I always felt sorry for these people, on the knife’s edge between life and death each passing hour as they drifted the vast oceans. Most of them had something to keep themselves alive. Me? I’ve got my soaked clothes, a waterlogged phone and— My wallet? I felt around my left pocket where it usually resides. I felt nothing. I must have left it on the boat. Oh well… won’t do me much use out here anyways. Clouds as black as a moonless night loomed over me, rapidly approaching from where I first laid eyes on them. Numerous flashes could be seen on the horizon as distant lightning shot forth like some rapid-firing weapon. I could feel the breeze beginning to pick up and quickly lower the temperature, as well as send a slow shiver up my spine as I stared in horror. What do I do now? <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I wasn’t doing a very good job of being the brave, courageous person I often like to picture myself as. In a short time, I have panicked myself into a state of unconsciousness out of sheer fear, twice…not quite the picture of courage. The feeling of regaining consciousness is not a feeling I expect anybody could ever get used to. I certainly wasn’t. Although, at my current rate, I easily could be. The closest analogy I could think of to the strange feeling of regaining awareness, is the slowest computer ever made attempting to boot-up. Very slowly my body started to re-awaken. My extremities began to regain feeling and usefulness, however sluggish they may have been in responding. At first I was only aware I was breathing in the way I typically do when I’m sleeping, abnormally slow and quiet. People have told me I appear dead, with my breathing so silent and drawn-out. It was probably because I was such a calm person, though recent events would testify to that. I began to focus on my breathing, it reassured me I wasn’t dead as far as I could tell. My eyes flickered open, expecting to be met by the darkness of my room and ended up greeted by the brightest light I’d ever seen. It was a blinding wall of white with no remarkable features, unless of course you count a mild shock as remarkable. I quickly shut my eyes and stared at the inside of my eyelids. The room was so bright I could still see the light behind my eyelids. I tried to ignore it and get a feel for my surroundings. I was lying on my back that much was for sure. Whatever I was on was soft, with something slightly less soft and somewhat stiff covering me up to the top of my chest. It feels like my blanket at home. But I know it isn’t… I tentatively sniffed at the air in search of some clue as to my location. It was a strange smell, incredibly familiar yet a complete mystery to me at the same time. The unusual odor was strong enough I could taste it… I could only describe it as, “overly clean.” I tried to move my arms to rollover into a more comfortable position. I lifted my right arm just a few centimeters before a fiery pain lanced from my arm up into my shoulder. I grunted out in surprise more than anything, though it was still quite painful. Did I break my arm? Probably not since I can move it after all. Maybe I can try— I decided to shift my legs, hoping to not be met with the same fiery sting as before. I tensed my muscles just enough to move them and sighed with relief they weren’t as sore as my arms. But they still felt… wrong. Like I just couldn’t put my finger on it at the time. I turned my head to the side in an attempt to get more comfortable. It didn’t work. I just couldn’t find that “sweet spot” against the soft, yet stiff surface my head was resting on. I suddenly became aware of a dull ringing in my ears. I sniffed loudly in an attempt to hear myself, inadvertently inhaling more of that sickeningly clean smell. It surprised me when I couldn’t hear myself at all. “Hello?” I said aloud. I heard myself, if only just. It sounded muffled and distant. Hope it’s not permanent. I’ll be quite upset if I can’t ever listen to my music ever again,. I chuckled at my thoughts. Here I was, an unknown location, with an unknown amount of injuries, barely able to move… and I was worried about my music of all things, never thinking how horrible it would be never hearing anything ever again. I could have a serious head injury, blindness, heck I could be dead for all I knew. One way to find out… I inhaled sharply in preparation for what I was about to do. I slowly fluttered my eyes open to meet the blinding light once again. It wasn’t as bad this time around, thankfully. The more I opened my eyes the more the wall of light retreated, eventually, enough for me to make out a few surroundings. I was staring up at the ceiling, noting its slightly textured surface. I peeked out the corner of my eyes to get a better picture of this mysterious place. Off to my left was something large hanging off the wall. A bulletin board, perhaps? I couldn’t really make it out; my vision was still a bit blurry. In front of me was a plain door with a tall, thin window above the handle. I couldn’t see anything outside except more of the white color this place seemed to love so much. I scanned over to my right and was greeted with a sight I wouldn’t have cared for most days. It was a large window looking outside. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was very bright outside, probably morning or early-afternoon at the latest. I could almost hear it calling my name like some cursed siren, beckoning me to go over there. Now I can finally see where I am. I began to sit up, but immediately fell back down as my limbs screamed out in agony. “Guess not then...” I grumbled, my eyes suddenly feeling heavy. Maybe I should try and get some more rest before exploring… I laid my head back down and tried to get some sleep in this unknown place. I knew it was daytime at least, that put my mind at ease, if only slightly. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Rest did not come easy to me as I stared up at the ceiling, my mind making pictures with the slight irregularities in the textures. I didn’t want to move my head too much, not until I knew the full extent of my injuries. My neck could have been broken for all I knew. In the endless boredom of my mind, at least there was some good news: my hearing seemed to be back... and it was stronger than ever. I could hear footsteps outside my room as people went to and fro. I was able to make out faint steps above me as well. Clearly this is a busy, multi-floored building that prides itself on cleanliness. Still doesn’t answer my question of where I’m even at. I could just be in a coma, and all this is just my imagination. Wait. “How did I even get here?” I asked myself aloud, amazed I never took a moment to contemplate how I even came to be in this place. Last thing I remembered was being on a— The boat! My eyes shot open in remembrance. Last thing I remember was being on the boat, so why am I here? I thought this over for quite a while. I couldn’t remember anything other than sitting on the deck looking out to the ocean. Wait... what if I was kidnapped? What if some modern-day pirates took us, and are holding me for ransom! Was that idea at the time completely ludicrous? Of course it was, but how often does something like this happen to anybody? To be fair, I think my fears were justifiable. Oh god... what if they got my mother and sister? Are they ok? How could I only be thinking of myself this entire— click My ears seemed to physically perk-up at the sound. I had no time to think about the strange ear-moving sensation as I heard the door’s mechanism engaging, and then opening. I quickly closed my eyes once more as I heard a multitude of steps entering the room. It’s hard to pretend you’re asleep when you’re scared to death and faced with a possible mob of pirates, but I managed well enough, I think. If I had to guess just from the sheer number of people I was hearing, I’d say three or four people, possibly even five. That’s a lot of footsteps just to check on one guy... this just gets weirder and— I felt my shoulder being prodded gently. I didn’t respond in any way except more internal panicking. I felt another small series of gentle jabs as the person on my right started to say something. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, clearly another language that I didn’t understand. It sounded as if the person was addressing me with a question; its voice carrying a distinct upwards inflection. Again, I didn’t answer or respond, just laid there as still as possible. The voice on my right said something across me to another person. Sounds almost, female? Odd. I didn’t have time to think it over anymore as my left eye was forcibly, yet gently opened by the other person. It took every shred and scrap of courage I had to not move as a blinding light was hovering a few inches from my exposed eye. It only stayed for a few seconds before moving off, and giving me a slight relief. I felt one last poke in my sides, which was easy to ignore compared to having an eye forcibly held open and blinded. The voice on my left sounded much deeper, and if I had to guess I’d say it was male. I heard a quick scratching noise that sounded rhythmic, almost like writing. The occupants of my room exchanged a few words, and just as quickly as they came, I heard them all leave and shut the door behind them with a satisfying click. I didn’t want to open my eyes for a bit, in case one of them stayed behind a few moments to see if I “woke up.” In any case, it gave me a few minutes to think my most recent encounter over. What the hell was all that about? What did these people hope to accomplish by blinding me? Wait a minute, that seemed like the old “flashlight-eye” thing doctors always did. But why would my kidnappers be doing that? The gears in my head started turning and adding up everything that’s happened so far. There’s the bleach-white color everywhere, the uncomfortable bedding, the terrible brightness, the light in the eye thing, the sickeningly clean smell everywhere. Everything made sense now as I put all the pieces together. I’m in a hospital... of course I’m in a hospital, where else would I be? I breathed a sigh of relief, having discovered I was in a safe place at the moment. Those people coming in must have been the staff, seeing if I was alright. I felt bad for deceiving them, they were just doing their jobs. Eh, they’ll be back. Still, why am I even here? What happened to make me feel like a tossed ragdoll? I tried to remember more of my memory of the boat. I could recall everything up until being on the watercraft, speeding through the sea. After that it went all dark, like there was a block preventing me from remembering the events that led to my injuries. I peeked my eyes open and, satisfied I was alone, stared back up at the ceiling to the place I dubbed my “thinking spot.” At least whatever happened to me didn’t kill me, and I was taken to some proper doctors. I blinked, recalling something from my recent encounter. Why did it feel like I was being poked with their whole hand? It certainly felt larger than just a few fingers poking my sides. I dismissed this thought, it didn’t seem that terribly important so I moved on to my next question. What language were they even speaking? It sounded so accented and backwards and so... foreign. Not like anything I’ve ever heard befor—. My thoughts halted as I recalled another memory. Wait, that weird blue horse-thing in that place I woke up! Right, I was lying on the grass when that strange creature tried speaking with me. Then it must have ran up and impaled me with its horn! I stopped thinking for a moment. I stared upwards for a few seconds before a slight chuckle escaped my lips. “I must’ve taken a pretty serious knock to the head, there’s no such thing as talking horses. Let alone ones with horns, what were they called? Unicorns?” I started laughing to myself. “There’s no such thing as unicorns, Edward. You were simply hallucinating, too bad it was that and not something a little more, ‘fun’ to remember while you were knocked out.” I started to notice I was actually beginning to feel considerably better compared to a few hours ago when I first woke up here. My body wasn’t throbbing anymore, and I could tense my muscles without a painful retort from my limbs. Maybe that whole “laughter cures” thing isn’t a myth after all. I thought as I tried to sit up a little more. A sudden ache pinged through my skull. I closed my eyes hoping it would go away. Ok, so I’m not all better yet. I brought my hands up from under the blanket to try and rub my temples. I softly knocked myself in the face at first, but tried to rub my head anyways. It was one of the most alien feelings in my life as my appendage made contact. My hands felt all, fuzzy. What the hell... I slowly opened my eyes and let loose a blood curdling scream. “Why am I orange!? Where are my hands!?” I looked up at the sound of the door opening again. The staff must have noticed my screaming and decided to come in. The door opened to reveal two creatures standing there. They were similar to the one I encountered before, though these two were much different. The first was white with purple hair, the second was green with tan hair and slightly larger than the other. They both rushed over to me as I noticed they too sported horns atop their heads. “G-get away from me you monsters!” I tried waving them away in a futile effort. The two creatures went to either side of me, the white one laid its front leg on my shoulder and said something. I immediately brushed it away and told it to leave me alone. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously began to hold me down. I tried to struggle but it was no use, I was still too exhausted from whatever happened to me. The dark green creature to my left pulled a syringe out of its coat and readied to insert it into my arm. No, not like this. I don’t want to die like this! It was too late though, I felt its sharp point pierce me and release its tranquilizing payload. My arms dropped and I quickly felt myself falling to sleep as the creatures stepped back and exchanged more glances and strange words. I couldn’t see much more after that, I fell back asleep, but not before one more thought. Please let me wake up after this. Let me go... <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> My return to the waking world was slow and groggy. I’ve never woken up from being sedated... now I knew how it felt. If anything, I was feeling better which meant I probably got some painkillers while I was out. When I first opened my eyes I thought it was all a horrible dream and I was back in my room... I was wrong again. I rolled over and saw the large window on the wall to the right. It was dark, but the moonlight seemed to easily illuminate everything. It was open, likely a staff member, thinking I could use some fresh air. Upon final realization of where I was, I grumbled and turned my back to the window. I couldn’t see too much in the darkness, but I was able to see my ‘body’ well enough. I saw the same slightly dark-orange coloring on my body from before, and the light fur I had everywhere. It was hard to tell from being in the bed, but I could make out a darkly colored tail right where you’d expect it to be. When I first saw my ‘arms’, I was mortified thinking my hands were amputated in some horrible accident. I noticed my toes were gone too, and my back legs bent backwards to what I was used to. I did not feel joy at my transformation, I felt alone and scared. My body had taken on the form of a small horse... and I was terrified. It was the biggest shock of my life, waking up in an unfamiliar body. I was afraid of what might happen to me, afraid that my mother and sister met the same fate and are also somewhere, scared and in pain. I’ll admit I cried to myself in the darkness of my room for what felt like hours; the uncertainty eating away at me. What if it was just me? What if they’re still on the boat, looking for me, wondering where I am? What if these creatures killed everybody but turned me into one of them? What if they’re going to eat— I heard a sudden flurry of sound behind me. I could feel my heart jump into my throat in response. I very slowly turned my head around to see what the cause of the noise was. The curtains by the window were flapping in the breeze. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned my attention back to the wall on my left... only to see eyes glowing in the darkness, and staring directly at me. I only stared back, completely frozen in fear at the sight in front of me. I noticed they were a distinct shade of blue, before they began to get closer. Still unfamiliar with my new body, I scrambled and fell out of the bed and flat onto my back. If I can make it to the window, maybe I can escape. The intruder began to step around my bed, bringing itself into the moonlight. I tried to turn myself over and flee, but to no avail. As the figure was revealed my eyes grew with surprise. It stood on four legs, clearly taller than the other creatures. It was coated in a dark blue that melded with the shadows as if they were one and the same. Its eyes studied me as it drew closer, revealing the rest of its body. A spark went off in my mind as I lied there, frozen. I recognized this one.
Chapter ThreeThis was the creature that had first confronted me when I woke up in that unknown place. Maybe it had finally returned to kill me. It certainly wasn’t the most calming thing to see in the darkness. It’s piercing blue eyes stared me down as I retreated on the floor, my back pressing up against the wall by the window. I flicked my eyes over to the door. It’s too close, I’d have to run right past it to go out the door… that leaves me with— I looked back to the window on my left and quickly peeked outside, the blue horse was still coming at me, albeit slowly. I looked out and realized I was much further up from the ground than previously thought, at least three of four stories. Much too far to fall and survive. Damn… well, could I fight it off? As if, you can barely even move in this body, let alone fight a horned monster twice your size! Thanks brain, once again you never cease in your endeavors to aid me… The horned creature ceased its approach only a few meters away, it eyed me curiously before pointing one of its front legs at me. I saw its mouth move and heard more of the strange language these creatures speak. It carried another upwards inflection, most likely a question. It put its leg down and continued to scan me with its confused gaze. I slowly rested on my recently acquired front legs and inched away again, leaving me firmly pressed against the wall. The blue unicorn thing didn’t move, it just blinked a few times and watched me with more curiosity. I hesitantly looked into its striking blue eyes and tried to figure out more about it. The eyes that mine met were admittedly pretty. It blinked a few more times as I thought I saw an almost caring, concerned look in the incoming moonlight. I slowly let my guard down, if only slightly before speaking. “What are you?” I asked, causing the dark-blue creature to quirk an eyebrow at my question. It said something else I just couldn’t understand. Its voice did not seem threatening, judging from its tone, and its posture as it was relaxed as well, reclining on its hind legs. “I’m sorry; I don’t know what you’re saying.” Its ears perked a bit more as it narrowed its eyes in silent contemplation. The blue creature’s head tilted slightly before it suddenly stood up and raised one of its front legs at me. If I had to guess, it looked to be the universal signal to ‘stay’.before it quickly turned around before leaving me in utter confusion. The door to the room seemed to open on its own as the creature stepped into the brightly-lit hallway and leaving me alone. I simply stood there, uncomfortable in this unfamiliar body as I tried to piece together what had just transpired. What… the… hell... is happening? It just left me here. I jumped out of my thoughts as I heard the door click before opening, revealing my blue ‘friend’ as it calmly walked back over to me, the door shutting behind it seemingly on its own. The creature stepped right up to me and dropped something at my feet, er ‘hooves’ before taking a few steps back. There was a notepad and a pen on the floor. That’s strange... it looks just like a human’s would back home. I looked up to the figure and saw it once again reclined on its back legs, patiently waiting for me to do something. It wants me to write something... duh. I fumbled the pen around in my hooves, failing many times to pick it up. I groaned and rolled my eyes at not being able to do something that should be simple. How do they do anything with only hooves? It’s impossible! I eventually managed to clasp the utensil between my hooves and with painstakingly slow, and atrocious spelling manage to write out a question. What is happening? I dropped the pen and slid the notepad across the floor to my strange companion. It turned the paper around many times before looking back at me with a quizzical expression. It blinked and slowly rose to its hooves before bringing one of its front legs up to its chin in thought, before pointing to me. It asked something slowly while pointing at my head. I replied with my best impression of a shrug, the universal ‘I don’t know’ expression. It brought its hoof to its face in frustration before pointing at my head again. I looked behind me, wondering if something was behind me. All I saw was a blank wall with the window a couple feet to my side. I shrugged again, completely lost as to the message it was trying to convene. It gently stomped its hoof on the floor in frustration as it let out a light huff. “I’m sorry? I don’t get what you’re trying to tell me.” I knew talking was pretty useless, but it was killing me to keep quiet. It brought its hoof slowly up to its horn before tapping it a few times and then pointing its hoof back at my head. When I didn’t respond it repeated the action and waved its hoof towards me. I decided to humor my companion and copied the movements, bringing my hoof up to my forehead expecting to only find more of my mane and fur, but instead meeting an unexpected resistance. I felt around on the hard surface, it was cylindrical, incredibly hard and all led up to a decently sharp point. I had a horn too. I was so dumbfounded I accidentally poked myself as the limb dropped back to the floor. I tried looking up to see if I could see it, I could just make out the point of it. The creature nodded at me before drawing its attention back to the notepad and pen I gave. I saw the pen lift off the floor and begin to write. I rubbed my eyes; surely it was some trick of the light... right? My companion dropped the pen onto the paper before sliding it back over to me. I eyed the paper with a lost expression. The creatures writing was very neat and flowed beautifully, but was completely unrecognizable. I’d probably have a better chance of reading Aztec symbols blindfolded than this writing. I shrugged again before slowly writing out another message. I don’t understand this. I slid the paper back over, eliciting yet another confused glance. It pointed between my horn and the paper a few times; I couldn’t make a connection between the two. I shrugged again. It stood up and went over to the door and flipped a switch, bathing my unprepared eyes in the painful explosion of light. I could see my ‘friend’ much better now; it was most definitely unusual in my mind. Whereas it seemed to melt into the shadows before, it now clearly stood showing its striking blue colors. As it walked back over I saw something tucked at its sides. Are those-? No, it can’t have wings... right? That would just be silly. My blue companion must’ve noticed me staring and fluttered its wings a bit, lightly stretching them before me. I had to admit, they were quite amazing for something so unusual. I visually inspected the other some more, noting some of its more intricate details and contours. If I had to guess, I’d guess it was female judging from the body and feminine eyes. Her horn started to glow a dark blue color, and shortly thereafter the pen floated up to its face showcasing the same mysterious aura. She pointed back and forth between the horn and the floating pen, eventually getting the message across. Magic? No, that can’t possibly... this is crazy– My thoughts halted as I looked back to my body and reflected back on the situation thus far. Was magic really such a stretch at this point? The feminine creature must’ve seen the registration of what it was trying to get across to me. I glanced up to my horn and gave it a curious rub. Could I do magic too? I tried... well to be honest I just looked down to the paper and squinted really hard whilst thinking about it moving. It must have been pretty humorous looking from the outside. Not surprisingly, nothing happened. I tried again, this time sitting down with my horn pointed directly at the notebook. I felt something inside me stir. The sensation startled me a bit and I decided to cease my magical efforts. I looked back to the female and gave it another shrug. It brought a hoof to its chin in thought, clearly curious at my lack of abilities. After a few moments it took a few steps towards me in a slow fashion. I instinctively backed up a little bit, slightly raising one of my forelegs thinking it would protect me. It looked at me with eyes that looked... sad that I was somewhat afraid of its presence. It reached a hoof out and slowly rested it on my shoulder, before looking me in the eyes and giving a slow nod. I put my leg back down and relaxed some, while her hoof was withdrawn from my shoulder. It raised the same hoof straight up between us; it seemed to be another ‘wait’ signal. I replied with a nod as she carefully reached her horn over and gave mine a slight tap. It was... strange. Imagine every nerve in your body suddenly registering feeling. It didn’t hurt, it was just incredibly strange. I barely felt a wave go from my head to my hooves, and back before the other’s horn was withdrawn. She backed away with her brow furrowed and a lost expression adorning her face. I rubbed my horn to help alleviate the strange feeling the horn to horn contact left me with. She paced around the room for a few moments, staring at the tiled floor. What the hell was all that about? What did it—she even do to me? I was shaken from my thoughts at the sight of it pointing at me again. It was pointing at my sides but I couldn’t figure out what it wanted. I turned a little bit towards her and shrugged before turning to look back. She blinked a few times then nodded towards her backsides. She turned a bit to allow me to see. It...it has...moons on its butt? Is that some sort of tattoo? This is just getting weird, well, weirder. I decided to try and lead the ‘conversation’ now. I needed to know more about what happened to me. I drew my hoof and foreleg in a wide, sweeping arc before shrugging. She just blinked, lost as to what I was trying to communicate. I sighed and tried again, this time doing a full 360 turn with my hoof raised, covering the entire place before finishing. Never thought I’d be playing charades with a freaking horse... She ruffled her wings slightly before I saw the recognition flash across her face, finally getting at what I was asking. The lone pillow from my bed floated over and landed on the floor between us. She pointed at me, then at the pillow a few times in quick succession. I shrugged, once again lost. She rolled her eyes before a small flash of light enveloped the pillow, leaving it a shade of orange matching that of my own coat. She pointed between it and me once more, I nodded once I understood. She took a dozen or so steps in place before approaching the orange pillow. She nudged it a few times and then proceeded to envelop it in a blue aura, causing it to slightly retreat away before resting a few feet away. She slowly approached and lifted it in the same blue aura. Its hoof did a wide sweeping arc around the room much the same as mine did, before settling the pillow back on the bed and reverting it to its natural color. Oh, now I get it. You were walking, found me, I woke up, and then you brought me back here after I fell unconscious again. It never dawned on me that a magical unicorn-pegasus thing might one day save my life. It was even more strange to think that this creature actually cared enough about my well-being to actually bring me to a hospital... and in return I ran away like a coward. I mentally kicked myself for being so rude. For now, I gave her a warm smile and a nod in return. One day I’d have to repay her kindness in saving my life. My companion walked over to the window beside me and looked out for a few moments. I took a step back out of regards for personal space. This female was quite, ‘large’ compared to me even. She wasn’t fat by any means, just simply tall. She silently motioned to herself with a hoof and then to the door. I was guessing she had to leave for something. I slowly nodded in return; somewhat sad I would be alone again. My friend then proceeded to point directly at me then to my bed. I pointed at my bed with a questioning look, she nodded in return. Guess she wants me to go to sleep? ...not a bad idea really. I cautiously walked over to my bed, careful to not trip over my own hooves in this unfamiliar body and climbed in. My friend made sure I was comfortable before flicking the light off and shutting the door behind her. I rolled over and stared back out the window, reflecting on everything. I can’t tell you how long I simply laid there, thinking about my strange companion. I should try and get some sleep... the sun’s starting to come up. I let loose a long yawn before turning over and welcoming sleep’s embrace once more, a slight smile on my face as I knew everything would be alright in the end. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Sunlight infiltrated my room and slowly sabotaged my peaceful slumber. I didn’t wake up in a panic for once and managed to get a few winks, not a bad start to my day. After stretching underneath my covers and rubbing my eyes I noticed a small cart with a covered plate of food next to me. Thank god, I haven’t eaten in... however many days I’ve been here. I jumped out of bed a bit too hastily and ended up falling to the floor with a deadpan expression. After righting myself and coordinating my four legs, I finally made it over to the tray of food. My mind was racing at the thought of it, actual food. With my eyes full with hunger and my mouth watering, I took the cover off the plate and just blinked. This... this isn’t food! This, what is this?! I stared at the plate full of flowers, apples, and a few carrots. My stomach didn’t exactly get along with a lot of fruits and vegetables the majority of the time. Now? Now it was all there really was it seemed. I reluctantly grabbed an apple in my mouth and pushed the cart closer to my bed. I climbed in and laid on my back, grabbing a bite of the apple as my hooves released it from my mouth. I chewed it slowly, taking the time to get familiar with how my new mouth worked. Surprisingly, the apple wasn’t that bad, it was sweet without being too overpowering and perfectly ripe. I quickly devoured the whole thing and reached for the second one, quickly adding it to the fate of its companion. I looked back over at the plate and frowned. Do they seriously expect me to eat flowers? They’re pretty, but that’s disgusting. I shrugged and put the top back on the plate. I went back over to the window and accidentally stepped on the pen and paper from the previous evening. I reclined on my back legs and stared at the pen, trying to make it move with my thoughts. I must have stared at it for a few minutes before sighing and giving up. Stupid magic... I decided to spend the time waiting for my friend to return to practice—of all things, simply walking. I made several slow laps around my room, barely taking my eyes off my legs as I tried to coordinate them. I had to stop mid-step a few times to make sure I was doing it right. This was how I spent a good half hour it felt like. I decided to rest over by the window, placing my forelegs on the window seal and sitting on my haunches. My chin rested in my forelegs as I looked out over the street below. There were so many of these creatures everywhere! They came in nearly every color of the rainbow. I spied very few orange-tinted creatures though, but dismissed it without much thought. I noticed not all of them were unicorns; some had wings, and others didn’t have either. I wonder if they don’t feel as special as the magic or flying ones? I know I’d be a bit envious. I continued watching the creatures and took note that a considerable amount were wearing what seemed like pretty fancy clothes, a few rarely seen ones were even clad in golden armor that shimmered in the sunlight. My activity was interrupted by a sudden flurry of knocks on my door. I stood up by the window and waited for whomever it was wished to see me. My dark-blue friend walked through the door with a slight smile on her face, but she wasn’t alone this time. It was tall, even taller than my companion from yesterday. It seemed to be the same species though, except it was a bleached white and had a multi-colored mane that seemed to almost glow. The blue, green and pinks in the mane and tail were beautiful and swayed in a non-existent breeze. Its eyes were a darker shade of purple with a look of pure kindness. I guessed this one was a female as well, though its horn was much longer and almost intimidating in a way. I didn’t notice until now they were both wearing crowns and other jewelry that were the telltale sign of royalty. I awkwardly smiled and did my best bow without falling over my front hooves. I felt a touch on my shoulder as the hoof of my darkly-colored friend silently told me to rise up. I sheepishly smiled again, waiting for them to do something. The taller one took a few steps toward me and studied me with a trained look, her eyes barely moving as my features were taken in. It turned and said something quiet and quick to the blue one. My friend raised her hoof again, politely telling me to stay put. I replied with a nod, curious as to what they would do this time. I watched as the taller, white one of the two took a few steps towards me. I mentally gulped; this creature’s horn could easily impale one side of my body and come clear out the other. But it didn’t do that, it gave me a reassuring smile before bowing its head. I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I felt the other horn make contact with mine as I felt a spark course through my body. I felt my ears twitch for a few seconds before the other’s horn was withdrawn. She stepped away and motioned for me with her golden-clad hoof to say something. “Umm... can you hear me?” My throat creaked out; it felt terribly sore all of a sudden. The shorter one said a few words that seemed to carry a condescending tone as the taller one frowned in thought at me. It stepped forward and once more placed its horn against mine. This time I felt an incredible warmth envelop me. It was almost unbearable by the time it reaches my hooves before I felt all the energy eventually gather in my throat area. The other’s horn retreated and the owner gave me a waiting look. I coughed a few times as the almost-burning sensation in my throat went away. “Ugh, why do you keep doing this to me? It kinda hurts ya know...” I mumbled, still confused as to what it was trying to accomplish. The white one turned to its shorter, darker counterpart with a sly, satisfied smirk upon its face. My ears perked once more as I heard my first recognizable words in days. “I told you it would work, dear sister.”
Chapter Four“I told you it would work, dear sister.” I was absolutely flabbergasted. Was I really hearing this right? Or was I simply going insane in this strange place? I just stared blankly like a moron while the two in front of me exchanged concerned glances. “Tia? What did you do to him? He looks... in pain.” My eye twitched as the darker one questioned the one who did that, thing to me. “He seemed alright, perhaps he is just in shock.” The white one, ‘Tia’ arched an eyebrow at me and took a slight step forward. “Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I wanted to say something, anything to let them know I was okay... well, as okay as I could be, given the unusual situation. “Whahappenmeblergh?” My words all slurred together into some horrible verbal mess. “I think you broke him, Tia.” My darkly-colored friend teased while nudging the sides of its white counterpart. The white one of the two lightly rolled her eyes before addressing me once more. “Could you say that a little slower please?” ‘Tia’ asked in a warm voice followed by a kind, patient smile that it did not share with the shorter creature next to it. I gulped before opening my mouth, taking care to speak slow enough to not sound like a raving lunatic. “What is happening to me? Who are you? How did I get here? Where am I? What am I?” I finished by motioning to myself, a slightly desperate look on my face. The taller of the two opened its mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the darker one before it could speak. “Perhaps I should tell him, Tia.” She regarded to the other, whom nodded in return. My dark-blue friend turned to me now, a slight smile on her muzzle. “My name is Luna, and We found you while taking a stroll many nights ago.” She paused to let it sink in, her voice was almost accented in an ancient dialect from what I could pick up. “‘We’?” I asked, turning to see ‘Tia’ simply watching us converse. “My apologies, I tend to slip into old speech patterns sometimes. Now, as for your questions...” Luna paused, momentarily rubbing her chin with her hoof. She was about to speak before she herself was interrupted by the other. “My name is Celestia, and what Luna means is we have similar questions for you.” She smiled while carefully studying me behind trained eyes. I had a feeling something was off about ‘Celestia’, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. I dismissed it and decided to get some clarification. “What do you mean ‘questions for me’?” “For one, your question of who we are is the same we have for you.” Celestia replied. “We know next to nothing about you, no name, no identification, family registry, simply nothing.” “Umm, my name’s Edward.” I flashed an uneasy smile. “That is a... most unusual name, I must say.” Luna slowly remarked. “Anyways, like I was saying... When I found you, you awoke in a panicked state before quickly falling unconscious. Fearing for your life, I gingerly brought you here.” I blinked and let it all settle-in for a moment. Luna really seemed to care about me, and she didn’t even know me. “I appreciate that, but... where exactly is ‘here’? “This is a hospital.” “No, I mean this land, this region... where am I exactly?” I continued with my questions. “This is Canterlot...” “And where is that?” “Equestria.” Luna answered, her voice slightly frustrated. I silently mouthed the word to myself. This ‘Equestria’ didn’t sound familiar in the slightest. I decided to pursue a different thread of questioning, my location could wait. There were more pressing matters on my mind. “What happened to me? Why am I a... horse?” I asked Celestia, my voice heavily laden with curiosity. “You’re a pony. More accurately, you are a unicorn.” She stated quite simply. “Are you not normally like this?” “No, I’m a human, not some colorful, magic pony.” My voice deadpanned, this was getting a bit old. Luna gave Celestia a curious glance, which was later returned before voicing a question. “Edward, pray tell what is a ‘human’?” She slowly asked, making sure she got the word correct. Are you serious... “How do you not know what humans are? We stand on two legs, have two arms and fingers and toes.” I stated, once again earning dumbfounded looks that were almost enough to question one’s sanity whether what you were saying exists even. “We... are unfamiliar with your species, I’m afraid.” Celestia slightly bit her lip in thought before voicing a rather hasty question at me. “What is the last thing you remember before coming to Equestria?” “I was on a boat with my mother and sister in the middle of the ocean. I ended up going overboard, and when I came back up to the surface, everybody was gone and a storm quickly coming towards me.” I told the two in front of me, hesitant to reveal the foolish reason I even jumped into the doomed sea. “I don’t remember much else really, it’s all fuzzy and taking a while to come back.” I shifted on my hooves, trying to find a comfortable stance. “So...” Luna began, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. “It was a storm that brought you here then.” “I suppose so, only thing that would make any sense right now.” I shrugged. “Doesn’t explain why I’m... one of you, and not my normal body.” I looked down to the floor with a slight frown. Celestia decided it was her turn to speak. “Perhaps, your kind simply can’t exist in our world, and thus you were transformed into a normal unicorn, though you lack a cutie mark.” “A what?” “Nevermind that, Edward, it is not important now.” “Okay then. Have any other strange people like me been found?” I asked, worried about the well-being of my family. “I’m wondering if my mother and sister followed me into—whatever it was that brought me here.” “Celestia and I shall look into it. For now, we should depart and discuss, an ‘alien’ such as yourself in our world is cause for concern.” Luna stated very matter of factually, before realizing her mistake and raising a hoof at me. “No offense intended, we must be sure Equestria is safe.” “I understand, I guess.” Makes some sense, they’re just protecting their land after all. I respect that. “While Luna and I do some investigating, I shall look into a suitable residence for you during your, unintended visit.” Celestia’s wings seemed to slightly ruffle. What does that mean? Is she angry at me? Nervous? “I appreciate that, thank you.” The two turned to leave, but not before I stopped them. “Wait! What are you? I get that I’m a unicorn cause the horn and all, and the flying ones are pegasus... but you have both, what are you?” “We are alicorns, an exceptionally rare breed that command great power.” Luna smiled slightly at me. “We have informed the staff to keep disturbances to you down to a minimum. We thought you would need time to... think things over.” I nodded to her, silently thanking them once again as Luna turned to leave. “You are welcome, one of us shall return once we discover something, or find you a temporary home.” Celestia flashed a smile. “I feel you do not appreciate the aesthetic of hospitals?” And with that, she too turned and departed my room, shutting the door behind her in a golden aura that seemed to sparkle. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding as the solitude of the room sunk back in. I didn’t mind social situations, as long as they were among familiar people, or I wasn’t overwhelmed by foreign knowledge. Lucky for me, I got both... I frowned as I went back over to the window and reclined on my rear legs once more, letting everything sink in from earlier. Equestria? What kind of name is that? Also, Canterlot? Sounds off to me. Why wouldn’t humans be allowed to stay human here? What kind of force could be at play to do something as drastic as that? Why have I never heard of an ‘alicorn’ before? Were those two really royalty? Are they princesses, or queens even? What did they mean by ‘commanding great power’? My thoughts continued to bounce back and forth for some time, not really getting me anywhere other than a slight migraine. After a while a doctor came into my room and asked if I needed anything, it was the same dark-green, tan maned unicorn from before. I asked for some headache medicine, which he quickly brought to me along with a tall glass of water, and a fresh plate of assorted fruits and vegetables. I pushed the food around on the plate for a while before consuming a few apples and slowly nibbling away at some asparagus. Why must this stuff taste so vile? It wasn’t much longer before I began to feel tired, as was reflected by the shadows on the streets growing longer as the day came to a close. I lied down in bed and tried to get some sleep, but not before trying to move something with my magic again. I turned over and tried to ‘push’ the food cart next to the window with my thoughts. After many strained minutes of mental work, I came away victorious! Well, not exactly... all I managed to do was just barely jiggle the glass of water before a pain lanced up through my skull. I huffed and quickly turned to face the blank wall, quickly falling asleep as my mental exhaustion took hold of me. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Large drops of rain pelted the sea all around me, creating a beautiful symphony much unlike the terror I was feeling. The waves created by the wind were beginning to toss me around, every now and then I’d be forced under the surface of the salty water. This was fear unlike anything I’d ever felt before. This was something that could only be manifested by one’s worst nightmares. I couldn’t keep this up much longer, each wave sapped my energy and the cold slowed my muscles. It wouldn’t be much longer before I succumbed to exhaustion, or became a victim of one of the many denizens in the dark waters below me. Flashes of lightning were my only source of light in the impending darkness, each one growing more and more dim as I slowly drifted into the arms of unconsciousness, helplessly adrift in this hellish place. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I awoke in a sweat and with a violent jolt as a short scream escaped my lips. It was all coming back, albeit slowly. Why couldn’t I remember what happened to me in that ocean? I got out of bed and slowly went over to the cart, before taking a sip of water and peeking outside. It was still quite dark, only street lamps and other buildings to light the darkness. I took one more swig of my water, before climbing in bed and promptly falling back asleep, hoping that this bout of sleep would not be interrupted by more dark visions. <><><><><><><> Something tugged at my ear in my sleep and I reflexively rolled over and pulled the blanket further over my head. “..werd...” There it was again, that noise that kept invading my peaceful sleep. I tried to mentally block it out in my half-awake state, vaguely aware of anything at all and simply wishing to fall back asleep. “...ward..?...ake up...” That voice... It sounded warm and kind as it fell upon my ears. “... mom?” My throat croaked as I turned over and slowly opened my eyes, which were soon met in a somewhat familiar blinding light. “I’m afraid not, little one.” A figure of light calmly stated as it gradually faded into the shape of my newly-found ‘friend’, Celestia. “It is time for you to get up, I have some news for you, Edward.” That woke me up. My eyes opened up the rest of the way and any remnants of sleep quickly fell away. “What’s going on? Did you find my family? Did you—” I was interrupted by a raised hoof, halting my deluge of questions. “I am afraid I do not have much news, but what knowledge I do have for you is something I’m sure you would like to hear.” Celestia smiled and waited for my response. “What is it?” “I have made arrangements for you to stay somewhere whilst Luna and I sort this matter out. “That’s great! I’m kinda sick of this room anyways.” I beamed, practically falling out of my bed. I stood up on my hooves and thoughtfully smirked as a thought entered my mind. “Celestia? Where exactly am I staying, if you don’t mind?” “It’s a peaceful, quiet town I thought would be nice for you. I did not think a large city would be to your forte, considering your peculiar conditions here.” Celestia smiled and looked to me, seemingly waiting for another question, which I didn’t give. “The name of the town is Ponyville.” Ponyville...? “Ponyville?” I half asked, half-said to sound out the word. Of all the places I could be staying, it was someplace called ‘Ponyville’? It sounded like something out of some childrens book, but I decided not to complain, I was sure Celestia knew what was best for me. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” I flashed a smile and a slight bow to her, still unsure of the specifics of her title but deciding to be safe either way. “So, am I staying at my own house? Or is it an apartment, or a hotel?” “I am afraid not, you will be staying with somepony I know, somepony I fully trust with your well-being.” “Oh.” I guess that’s alright... “Umm, who is it?” “It is my pri—” Celestia paused as she turned her head towards the closed door, distracted by something. She grinned widely before turning back to me. “Ah, here she is now. Edward, I would like you to meet one of my closest friends...” She looked back to the door just as a slight purple aura enveloped it and clicked open. “... Twilight Sparkle.”
Interlude: Mysterious StrangerWhat a strange pony… I don’t believe I’ve ever met such an unusual individual. Luna thought to herself as she sat on her bed. I couldn’t even understand him! Why did he panic? And what was he even doing all the way out there? She was getting nowhere with her questions and decided she’d need some help to solve this mystery. If there was anypony who might know something, it was her older sister. <><><><><><><> The alicorn of the night slowly trotted through the corridors. The events that had just transpired were still fresh in her mind… and there was only one other person she felt she could talk to about it. Luna eventually reached her destination and hesitated before entering. She gently rapped on the door to her sister’s bedchambers, somewhat doubtful she would be awake this early. “Tia? Are you awake?” Luna asked as she slowly opened up the massive door to the bedroom. “I’m sorry if I’m waking you, but there was something I…” Her words trailed off as she noticed Celestia wasn’t in her bed… or even in the room. Even through darkness of the private room, she could see as though it were day. Luna slowly inspected the main room, bathroom, and walk-in closet; all with no sign of the solar alicorn. Where could she have gone off to? She heard a slight noise that immediately drew her attention to the glass door that led out onto a balcony. Luna reached the door and was just about to open it when she saw a flash of white in the top corner of her eyes. Celestia set down on the balcony and folded her wings back against her coat. She had her back to the door, staring at the grand view, lost in her thoughts. Luna just watched her sister for a minute. Celestia bowed her head, almost in an expression of defeat it seemed like. This puzzled the younger princess greatly, her sister being awake this early, and in such a visibly poor mood was quite the oddity. She was about to open the door before Celestia turned around. “Luna!” Celestia’s eyes went wide for a moment as the shock registered she wasn’t alone. Luna had slightly jumped at the sudden exclamation. “I’m sorry if I startled you,” She comforted as she quickly magicked open the glass double-doors. “I wasn’t expecting you to come by… is something wrong?” Celestia hesitantly asked as she strode over to her sibling and gave her a warm, almost motherly smile. “Yes, no…not exactly, Tia.” Luna stuttered as her intended conversation from before slowly came back to her. She decided to question her sister in the meantime. “It can wait. Where did you go? It’s very early in the morning, even for you,” Luna tilted her head in bewilderment. She had a feeling something wasn’t right. “I was going to ask you a similar question,” Celestia chuckled to herself. “Why are you here so early? By this time you usually take your nightly stroll.” “I asked first, Tia. You know the rules.” Luna winked as she recalled their millennium-old ‘sister rules’. “So you answer first,” She finished with a light poke to her older sibling’s sides. “Oh fine then,” Celestia smiled and rolled her eyes in reluctant acceptance. She looked back to Luna and blinked before speaking again. “I was up early and decided to go on a short flight. It’s been much too long since I’ve stretched my wings.” She finished with a quick smile. “But, Tia, I fly places much less than you do, and my wings are just fine,” Luna raised an eyebrow, suspicious. Celestia smiled and blinked a few times before replying. “Well, you always were the better flyer out of the two of us.” She remarked with a playful jab at her younger sister’s muzzle. “I just have to fly more to make up for it, you see.” What is she talking about? Tia’s a fantastic flyer… she did the first Sonic Rainboom even! Something wasn’t right here… but she decided to tackle that issue later. Her original topic of discussion practically screamed to be heard. “I suppose you’re right,” Luna smiled and waved a dismissive hoof in front of herself. Celestia silently smiled and walked over to her bed, getting atop it and quickly tucking her legs together into a comfortable position. “Now, what was it you came down here to talk to me about?” “It’s about a stallion I ran into earlier, a unicorn to be precise,” Luna stated as she took a place next to her older sister. “Is my little Lulu developing a crush on somepony?” The white alicorn flashed an evil smirk at the end of her question, earning an un-amused look from the recipient. “No.” Luna deadpanned. She never did like being teased. “I stumbled upon him during my nightly walk after I raised the moon. I wasn’t too sure what to make of it at first to be honest, Tia. I noticed an orange figure lying in the grass and quickly ran up to find a stallion lying unconscious in the middle of the ground!” “Really?” Celestia arched an eyebrow, truly interested in her sister’s retelling of events. “And where exactly did you find him?” “It was in the palace gardens, in the labyrinth actually. He awoke shortly after I found him and he panicked and was practically hysterical at the sight of me. And he spoke such a strange language I did not comprehend. I tried talking to this stallion anyways, but he panicked and fell unconscious again. I really did not know what to make of the situation at first…” Luna trailed off as she looked out the glass doors leading to the balcony, lost in her memory of the unusual event. “What happened next, Luna?” Celestia gently nudged her sister to get her attention. “I decided to take him to the Canterlot hospital after alerting the guards I would be leaving. I thought he may have needed medical attention, so I teleported us both to the emergency room. After he was situated and tended to, I left and came here.” “That was a good thing you did, my sister. If you hadn’t acted immediately, something could have happened to him,” Celestia remarked with a wide smile. “I’m proud of you, Lulu.” “Thank you,” Luna smiled back up at her sister. “The doctors gave him a private room and said they’d send word if anything changed. Tia? Have you even seen an adult pony without their Cutie Mark? The unicorn I found was fully grown, yet... he did not have one. Have you ever heard of such a thing?” Luna asked, completely lost at the concept of an adult ‘blank-flank’. “Now that you mention it, that is strange…” Celestia rubbed her chin with a perfectly-tended hoof as she tried to recall something. “I haven’t heard of something like this for quite some time actually. I believe it was a pegasus I met a few centuries back. It was the first time I’d even heard of something like that.” “Really?” Luna perked up; somewhat relieved her sister knew what she was talking about. “What happened to this pony? Did they ever get their Cutie Mark?” “Yes, she received it not long after we met actually,” Celestia answered as she drifted off back into her memories. She couldn’t believe how quickly those centuries had passed. She mentally shook herself back into reality. “It’s not important right now though. What are you going to do about the unicorn you found?” “Like I said, I’m going to wait for word from the doctors on his condition and then check on him.” “You seem awfully worried about him, Lulu,” Celestia smirked. “Should We not be worried about the health of our subjects?” Luna asked with a confused tone. “Just saying, it seems you have taken a liking to this particular stallion is all,” The solar alicorn teased with a light prodding of her sister’s wing. “You know we are only interested in mares, Tia,” Luna deadpanned with an un-amused expression, now getting up from her position on the bed and dropping to the floor. “I’m going to return to my stroll. Thank you for talking to me, Tia. It is greatly appreciated.” “Any time you need me, dear sister,” Celestia smiled warmly to the now leaving alicorn. Luna left the bedroom and shut the large golden doors behind her. Celestia just stared for a few moments, allowing herself to freely think. Wordlessly, she dropped to the floor and slowly trotted into the bathroom. Using her magic to turn on the faucet and splash some cold water on her face, she frowned as a thought kept repeating itself in her head. This is going to be interesting… <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Luna sat at her throne with a bored expression that had become all too familiar, looking over her manicured hooves for probably the one hundredth time that night. Being a princess certainly did have its drawbacks. Nopony ever came to night court, but it was still required for her to spend the proper amount of time in the throne room. She usually brought a few books to pass the time, but they were proving of little interest lately. It had been nearly three nights since she had first encountered the mysterious orange unicorn. Luna was somewhat surprised she hadn’t heard anything in that time. She looked over to the ponies charged with her protection at either side of the room. Wouldn’t be the first time my guards scared somepony off… She thought sourly, remembering the piercing golden eyes and bat-like wings each Lunar Stallion possessed. Even if it was just an enchantment, they still were a bit unnerving, if not intimidating to many ponies. Celestia had been rather busy the past couple of days, and had little time to talk with Luna. Although, each chance she got, she asked the younger alicorn about any news from the hospital, each time she would get a shake of the head and a negative answer. Luna started mentally debating with herself whether she should just go on her own and check on the status of the peculiar pony, but not before a knocking at the doors ripped her from her thoughts. She eyed the throne room’s colossal doors eagerly; any visitors would be a warmly welcomed escape from her boredom. “Enter,” Luna commanded. The doors slightly parted, revealing a Lunar Stallion who quickly bowed before speaking. “Your highness, somepony wishes to see you. Shall I send them in?” He asked before returning to a crisp attention, waiting for an answer. “Yes, please send them in right away, thank you,” Luna slightly smiled to herself, glad for some company, however long or short it may be. The guard passed back through the door, quickly being replaced by a white mare with a purple mane and a nicely-kept horn. The lunar alicorn smiled at the sight and her mood immediately took a positive turn. “How may the princess of the night assist you, miss…?” “I’m Nurse Soothing Song from Canterlot Memorial. I’m here about the stallion you brought in a few days ago.” The nurse simply stated, she seemed surprisingly unafraid of the princess or the guards who watched her every move like a Hydra. “What is his condition?” “About that…” The mare’s demeanor changed and she rubbed the back of her neck as she prepared her next words. “There was an… ‘incident’ concerning the patient.” This made Luna’s blood chill for a moment. “What are thou talking about? Is he alright?” The princess asked, afraid of the answer that would leave the mystery of the orange stallion forever unsolved. “He’s fine, for now. We had to sedate him after he awoke in an agitated state and was afraid of myself and the other pony assigned to look over him.” The nurse flashed an awkward smile to the princess, trying her best to comfort the worried look on Luna’s face. “Don’t worry, princess, he will be just fine after some more rest. We were merely concerned he might have hurt himself in his panic.” “Thank you.” Luna breathed a slight sigh of relief. “I should be getting back in case something else happens, your highness,” Soothing Song bowed before turning to exit the throne room, once more leaving the princess to the silence of her thoughts. Why would this pony act in such a strange way? Surely he would be thankful and glad to be in caring hooves? Perhaps I could visit him, it’s not like anypony will miss me here… Luna stood up on her hooves, having quickly made up her mind. “Guards, I will be leaving for Canterlot Memorial. I do not require an escort; I will make the trip on my own. You are all dismissed for this shift.” The half dozen Lunar Stallion positioned around the large room quickly nodded. They were used to the younger princess going off in the middle of the night on her own. Not to mention, silently happy about getting off work a few hours early. “Very well then, I shall see you all the next night.” Luna said as she strode over to the doors, and out towards the city. <><><><><><><> Luna soared through her night as swift as an arrow and silent as a barn owl. The hospital was quickly coming into view. She located the window she believed that led to her destination, and silently opened it with a flick of magic and landed inside. It was dark and silent in the room as the princess silently strode off to her objective. She looked over the unicorn as he lied partially under the covers, and was tossing and turning in his sleep; his eyes clenched shut and face contorted in pain. Luna blinked and continued to watch him for a few moments, curious as to what could be bothering the poor pony. After a few minutes of silently arguing with her consciousness, she decided to delve into the unicorn’s dream and seeing what was the source of his fears. She felt an almost academic desire to know more, and right now there was only one way she could do it. The princess of the night drew in a quick breath, and closed her eyes, joining her consciousness with that of the sleeping stallion. It seemed…’chaotically disorganized’ was the best phrasing Luna could describe it as inside the dream. She stood in a mostly white area that seemed to stretch endlessly. It was like no other dream realm she had ever seen before. All around here were large, floating shards of glass easily the size of herself. Most of them were clear and revealed nothing, except for one as Luna glimpsed something on the other side of one near her position. Curious, she walked over to one and followed it as it slowly spun on an invisible axis. She was surprised to see something was happening inside of the glass, almost like a portal to some event. She watched with great curiosity. She saw some strange creature standing in the middle of a black, hard packed soil with evenly-spaced yellow lines in the middle. The creature was seemingly tall, with a strange pink and white color of skin. She noted it stood on two legs and had two arms coming from its upper body, ending in hands and fingers. Odd… is this some strange form of dragon? They are sometimes bipedal. Luna thought to herself as she continued to watch the creature. Suddenly these strange enclosed, metal carriages sped past the creature and spun it around, giving Luna a better look at it. Atop its head was brown curly hair, and covering the top half of its legs were some white, loose clothing of some sort that had an assortment of pockets. Its torso wore what Luna surmised to be a light garment that covered the entirety of its chest and arms, but left the hands bare. The strange metal contraptions were getting closer and closer to the creature, each one got louder and closer as the fearful subject barely dodged them. Luna could make out basic details in the ‘carriages’ as they passed her viewpoint. They were mostly smooth from the front to the back, and were as tall as the chest of the panicking creature. At the front and back of each metal carriage were identical pairs of dark windows, obscuring anything within from view. Luna noted strange black wheels that propelled these along their speeding course. The bipedal being jumped to the side and barely avoided being run over by the vehicle. As it picked itself up off the ground another vehicle quickly sped up and was on a direct collision course with it. It must have known it would never move in time as it raised its arms in defense and screamed a blood-curdling noise. Suddenly the glass pane Luna watched the scene from shattered and the pieces defied gravity and floated away towards the ‘sky’. “Well, this is most unusual. What is happening to this pony—?” The alicorn was interrupted by some sound not far away. She turned her head to see another scene in a nearby floating shard of glass. She quickly trotted over to see what would happen this time. It was the same creature from before, wearing the same clothing and looking the same as before. What is this pony’s fascination with this strange being? Luna silently wondered. The scene before her was much different. The bipedal creature stood on a ledge and a blue sky dotted with a few clouds were behind it. Its arms were raised in what looked like some sort of begging position. Luna’s view panned over to what the creature was looking at. In front of it were three similar, though very different beings. One was a darker skin and had no hair and was not as tall as the one before. The ones on either side of it were also different. One was significantly skinnier than the others and had long black hair that went down to its chest. The other was a pink color and had closely cropped hair that was a dark shade of brown. All three of these creatures were holding small, metal contraptions in their hands, directly pointed at the first being Luna saw. She couldn’t make out what the small, dark metal objects were. They had a handle big enough for one of these creature’s hands and extended outwards a short distance. Why they were pointed menacingly at the creature on the ledge was beyond the alicorn. They did not appear to be dangerous at all, just oddly shaped, small pieces of metal, yet the subject of the nightmare seemed utterly terrified of them. The thinner, pale creature on the left side of the trio said something Luna could not understand, directed at the one on the ledge. Its eyes went wide with fright as it slowly looked behind and below itself. Luna’s view panned over the side of the ledge. They were very high up in the air. More black roads and distant carriages sped far, far below them. The one standing on the ledge halfway dropped to its knees and seemed to take a begging tone of voice toward the trio in front of it. Luna suddenly heard an incredibly loud booming noise and saw a magical flash of fire from the tip of the object. A small wound simultaneously appeared in the center of the pleading creature’s torso, with a crimson liquid quickly pouring out. Its lip quivered and face contorted into silent, shocked horror. The entity was wounded once more by the seemingly magical object. The sound was almost too loud for the princess, who lowered her ears and momentarily looked away, only to look back and see the wounded creature slowly falling backwards off the ledge. Luna silently watched as it toppled over the ledge, and fell the almost impossibly long distance to the ground, its arms and legs faintly flailing helplessly as a faint scream reached the top of the structure. Just before Luna saw the creature come in contact with the ground below, the glass pane she witnessed this event through shattered and quickly dissipated just like the other one showcasing the terrible fate of this being. Luna continued a pattern like this for some time. Each time she would watch the same pale-skinned, curly haired creature be killed in some truly horrible way. He was hung, dropped off a cliff, brutally stoned, even set on fire before the alicorn couldn’t bare to watch it anymore. Luna stepped back from the latest horrific scene and just tried to figure out all these strange scenes. What is this pony’s fascination with this creature? Why are his dreams plagued with repeated, horrific deaths? The princess just couldn’t find any connection. Having decided she wouldn’t figure anything out by staying there, she left the dream realm and returned back to the hospital room. The orange unicorn still had a pained look upon his face while he slept. Luna frowned at the sight, she felt bad for the poor pony. His dreams were too chaotic and disorganized she doubted she’d be able to help him even if she tried. Luna decided it would be best for her to leave and let the object of her curiosity get some more rest. I’ll come back and see him in a few hours, he may be awake by then. The princess of the night quickly opened the window and took back to the skies, forgetting to shut the window on her way out. Little did she know, that he would be very much awake upon her return. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Celestia had woken a few minutes earlier than she usually did this particular morning. Knowing this, the princess decided to simply lie in her bed for a while; silently enjoying the comfort. A knock was heard at her bedroom door, interrupting her ecstasy. Most ponies assume Celestia was a morning pony, she was not. She enjoyed little more than your average pony being woken up early. “Come in,” The princess said after a moment to magically snap her mane back into its usual, tidy self. The door quickly opened to reveal Princess Luna, looking almost excited. “Lulu! How nice to see you. It’s been a few days since we’ve had time to talk,” Celestia stated with a warm smile, genuinely happy. “Yes, I have been rather busy myself as well,” Luna remarked as she went over to the bed, stopping just short of actually getting on it. Celestia noticed her ears were somewhat splayed downwards, signaling there was something on the lunar princess’s mind. “Is there something you wish to talk about? You seem… troubled, my dear sister,” The white alicorn moved aside and motioned with her wing for the younger princess to join her, which Luna quickly and happily accepted. She always did love snuggling up to her big sis. “It is about that stallion I mentioned a few days ago. Do you remember?” Luna asked with an uneasy frown. Celestia immediately pushed her other thoughts aside, this was important. “Yes? Have you heard anything about him? Is he going to be alright?” Celestia quickly asked. “I was approached by a doctor early into my night, she told me he awoke in a highly agitated and nervous state and they were forced to sedate him. Don’t worry though, he’s…ok,” Luna slowly mouthed. “Whatever do you mean by that? He wasn’t harmed, was he?” Celestia worriedly asked, her eyes wide. “No, not physically at least,” Luna answered, shifting her hooves uncomfortably. “I get the feeling you are leaving something out…” The solar alicorn trailed off. “I…” Luna stuttered, unsure of how to proceed. “After I heard of the incident, I went to visit him. He was still asleep when I went there, though he seemed greatly pained,” Luna bit her lip, remembering what came next. “Out of curiosity, I entered the unicorn’s dreams to see what else I may learn about him, or his origins.” “What did you find?” Celestia asked. “It was… it was like no other mind or dreamscape I have seen before.” Luna rubbed her front hooves together, searching for the right words. “It was a place of countless nightmares, all of which ended in the death of some creature I could not identify. There were many unfamiliar things in that pony’s mind.” “Perhaps the sedative the hospital staff used was to blame?” Celestia offered, slightly shrugging her shoulders. “I know the minds of beings much more than you do, Tia. The drug that caused him to sleep can only cause the events of the nightmares, not the subject of them,” Luna corrected. “This creature, this… alien that is in this pony’s mind is not like anything I have seen or heard of before. I believe this stallion is insane, there is no other explanation, Tia.” “Oh Luna, there is always an explanation,” Celestia wrapped her right wing around the lunar alicorn. “…we just have to find it is all.” “Well…” Luna started. “The dreams weren’t all that happened…” Celestia gave her sister a puzzled look that slowly turned into a dirty smirk. “It wasn’t like that, Tia,” Luna lightly nudged her sister with a hoof in the abdomen. “I went back a few hours later to see if he was awake… and he was.” “Really? What happened?” Celestia arched an eyebrow, surprised. “He was… less than ecstatic at my presence, even attempting to jump from the fifth floor before realizing I wasn’t there to hurt him. It took quite some time, but a peaceful understanding came between us.” “So, he told you who he was and where he came from I assume then?” Celestia asked, eager for an answer. “Actually, when he spoke it was that strange language he spoke when I first found him. I tried communicating with pen and paper, but this only confused him more. The pony can’t even read our language!” Luna exclaimed. “That is very peculiar indeed,” Celestia rubbed her hoof on her chin. “How did you and him ‘talk’ then?” “Sign language mostly,” Luna answered before huffing to herself. “…it was not easy. But, that wasn’t the strangest part. The stallion did not seem to know he was even a unicorn. When I ‘questioned’ him why he wasn’t using magic, he seemed completely lost at the concept, as well as the horn atop his head.” “So what you’re saying, Lulu, is there is a grown, adult unicorn who has no verbal communication skills within our comprehension whatsoever, can’t use magic, and wasn’t aware he even had a horn? Not to mention, no Cutie Mark?” “Umm…” Luna trailed off at the question. “We know it sounds strange, but—“ “If it was any other pony but you, I wouldn’t believe them,” Celestia interrupted. Luna only stared at her sister, mouth agape. “Thank you, it means a lot to me, Tia.” Luna nuzzled Celestia back and smiled to herself. After a few moments of quiet, content comfort between the princesses, the younger of the two spoke. “What is going to be done about this unicorn? He does not seem dangerous… just confused, from what I could tell.” “Perhaps I could meet him after raising the sun?” Celestia offered. “I may have an idea or two to improve the situation, and answer some of the questions raised by our guest. “Is that really a wise decision? Leaving the castle for your own curiosity?” The lunar alicorn asked. “I could ask you the same thing, my dear Luna,” Celestia countered with a smirk. “Besides, I’m confident Equestria will be fine without its princess’s for one hour at the most.” “If you say so, Tia. I shall meet you for breakfast after you raise your sun, then we can leave for the hospital,” Luna said as she got up from the bed and stretched her wings. “A sound plan. I will see you soon, Luna.” And with that, Celestia watched her younger sister depart, leaving her alone for a few moments before raising the sun and bringing forth the day. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The princesses walked through the automatic opening door of the hospital and were met with the warm, comforting rays of the sun. Having just learnt about their peculiar guest through their first ‘real’ conversation, both alicorns were in pretty high spirits as they walked through Canterlot. “Tia, if I may ask you something?” Luna looked to her side, seeing her sister nod. “How did you do that spell earlier? I wasn’t aware you could do that.” “Oh? It was just a little trick I picked up back before the griffons adopted our language,” Celestia answered nonchalantly. “Perhaps I will teach it to you sometime.” “We see…” Luna trailed off, looking down at the street in thought. They both continued walking for a few minutes in silence before she spoke up again. “I have another question, Tia. Do you really believe ‘Edward’s’ story, that he’s a… ‘human’?” Luna disbelievingly asked. “I will admit, it is a strange tale, but I believe him,” Celestia replied. “I take it you are not so easily convinced?” She asked, looking over to the skeptical princess. “At first, I thought he was a changeling, but when I touched my horn to his, I found no evidence of their filthy influence,” Luna stated, not bothering to look back at Celestia with her answer. “He may be a pony, but I still do not believe his story. An alien from another world coming here? It is a preposterous idea!” Luna frowned. “Have stranger things not happened before, dear Luna?” Celestia questioned. “The crystal civilization disappeared for more than a thousand years. Entities like Discord have survived millennia encased in stone, and we both control celestial bodies many countless miles away while being nearly immortal…” She trailed off, letting the facts sink in. “You yourself viewed his dreams and saw these aliens with your own eyes. Is it really too difficult to believe such a being stumbled into our world of magic?” Celestia asked the skeptical princess. “I…” Luna trailed off once more, trying to formulate a response. “I do admit the dreams would be proof enough for most, but they were not beyond what an insane mind could conjure. I do believe him when he says he is not naturally a pony, but he is natural to this world,” Luna slightly huffed and pointed her muzzle towards the sky. “Are you really so certain?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her younger sibling. “I am sure. This is simply not possible,” Luna nodded while still looking forward, seeing the castle growing closer and closer with each step. “Oh, Luna,” Celestia rolled her eyes and brought her wing over her sister’s side, stopping them in the street. “There is still much to learn of our own world, even for us,” Celestia smirked. “I will make a deal with you, if you will listen.” “A ‘deal’? What kind of deal do you speak of, Tia?” “Do you remember how I told him you would search for his family whilst I find him a home?” Celestia asked. “Yes, you were quick to appoint me such a difficult task,” Luna grumbled as they both resumed walking towards the castle. “It is no secret you have already grown bored of your nightly duties, you could use a vacation,” Celestia genuinely smiled, earning a positive look from her younger sister. “Now, back to the deal I spoke of. If you do not find sufficient proof to convince you he is a human, then I will both find him a home, and find his family if they are here. You win either way, Luna,” Celestia smirked. She always knew just what to say to get her stubborn sibling to do something. Luna thought over the terms of their agreement for a few long moments, eventually turning and stopping in the middle of the street once more. “You have a deal, Tia. But what if he does prove dangerous? And it was our fault he ever left the hospital?” She worriedly asked. “Do not worry, he won’t harm anypony unless he is forced to do so,” Celestia confidently smiled. “How can you be so sure?” Luna curiously asked. “While I was performing my language spell, I performed, another…” Celestia slightly trailed off. “It is a variation of your natural dream abilities; it allows me to read a pony’s heart when I touch my horn to their bodies. It’s funny really, my language spell could have been cast from across the room,” Celestia chuckled to herself and turned back towards the castle, leaving a confused alicorn a few steps behind her. “You… read their hearts?” Luna disbelievingly asked. “Pray tell, how does that even work?” “It’s simple to explain, but complicated to perform. Essentially it lets me read a pony’s, or any sentient creature’s true intent, or motives.” Celestia stated, quite proud of herself for creating such a powerful spell on her own. “That… is that even legal?” Luna asked, still trying to grasp the concept of ‘heart reading’. “Well… technically nopony besides you and I know about it, so I really don’t have an answer for you,” Celestia shrugged. “I never thought about it. I haven’t had to use the spell for quite some time, I usually forget about it.” “Fair enough,” Luna simply said, noticing they were both nearly at the castle now. “Tia? How do you suggest I go about finding the proof I require?” “Infiltrate his dreams once more, and do not leave until you are thoroughly satisfied,” Celestia simply replied. “Do you really think that will work, Tia?” Luna cocked an eyebrow. “I did not learn much last time…” “We could always have him dragged off to the torture chamber instead,” Celestia smirked along with a slight chuckle. “It hasn’t been used in far too long.” “Er… I would prefer to not harm the stallion without good reason, dear sister.” Luna cast a somewhat worried look. Sometimes her sister’s jokes were a bit disturbing. “Very well then. If you will excuse me, I shall go and make living arrangements for Edward then,” Celestia opened her wings, about to take off. “Wait!” Luna called, just stopping her sister in time. “Where do you plan on him staying? At the castle?” “Oh no, I had somewhere much different in mind,” Celestia winked as she took off and hovered a few feet off the ground. “And I know just the pony to watch after him.” She smiled once more before turning and flying off towards her tower. Luna watched her sister go, letting their conversation replay in her mind and sink in. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> “But… but you Pinkie Promised you’d be there, Twilight!” The pegasus’s wings flared in exclamation. “I’m sorry, Rainbow, but something has come up and I can’t go. I’m sorry,” Twilight frowned to the pegasus across her living room while she packed a few things in her saddlebag. Twilight promised to go with the rest of the girls to The Wonderbolt’s 300th Anniversary Air Show! a month ago. In all honesty, the librarian saw the event as nothing but a way to earn money. “Well…” Rainbow Dash trailed off, letting her wings fall limp at her sides. “Can I at least know why you can’t come?” The pegasus pleaded. “You already sent Spike off to Rarity’s, can’t I know at least?” “Rainbow, I…” Twilight stuttered, quickly glancing over to her desk where a partially rolled scroll lay, next to her half-eaten dinner. She shut her eyes for a moment, remembering a line from the letter. Remember Twilight, this is a matter that may jeopardize national security, come alone, and tell nopony. That sentence repeated in the unicorn’s head dozens of times since she’d read it. “I’m terribly sorry, Rainbow, but I don’t really even know. Princess Celestia herself said it was urgent and I needed to be in Canterlot immediately.” Twilight nodded affirmatively. “You’ll tell the others, won’t you?” “Fine,” Rainbow Dash huffed and turned towards the front door to her friend’s home, hesitating as soon as she opened it. “Just, be careful whatever it is,” Rainbow called over her shoulder to the packing unicorn. “I don’t want to have to leave the show early tomorrow to come save your flank.” She finished with a playful smile before lifting off and soaring into the sky. “Phew, glad that’s over,” Twilight smiled to herself before packing the rest of her bags, placing the scroll from Celestia in a side pocket. Oh, who am I trying to fool? I feel horrible for going back on my Pinkie Promise, even if it was something important... Twilight’s eyes went wide in epiphany. Oh Celestia no, I have to break a Pinkie Promise... may that party pony have mercy on my soul... She stared at the wall for a few moments, her mind conjuring all the torturous acts her pink friend would surely inflict upon her. Twilight shook her head after a few moments, dispelling the unpleasant thoughts. She ran up to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, making sure she was at least presentable. Running down the stairs, she glanced at the clock and nearly felt her heart stop. If I don’t leave now I won’t make the train! Twilight internally panicked before quickly grabbing her bags and simultaneously closing and locking the front door. She ran down the street as quickly as her hooves would carry her, irritated by the fact she couldn’t teleport at the moment. Of course I had to be practicing an actual age spell all day when I got the letter, now I’m not going to have hardly any magic for the rest of the night... Twilight sourly thought to herself as the train station came into view. She levitated some bits out of her saddlebag as she approached the ticket counter, practically yelling at the poor pony behind the booth. “One evening express ticket to Canterlot!” <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The princess of the night glided over Canterlot, being silhouetted by her moon that had risen to the center of the sky. She followed the path she had previously taken to the hospital, and Edward’s room. If we keep leaving during the night like this, my guards may become suspicious. She thought to herself as the familiar building came into view. Just like the night before, she silently flicked the window open with her magic and stealthily landed inside. Luna looked over to see Edward sleeping, somewhat more peacefully than the previous evening, but still uncomfortable looking. Luna drew in a breath and let her consciousness travel over to the sleeping stallion’s mind. After a few moments of darkness, she felt around for the dreaming part of his thoughts, she materialized in mid-air with no ground beneath her hooves. With a startled yelp, the dream-walking princess quickly unfurled her wings and steadied herself before seeing her surroundings. There were only dark, motionless clouds above her and a seemingly endless expanse of water below her. Luna noted distant flashes of lightning off in the distance. Seeing as how those were the only remarkable things within her view, she quickly took off in their direction. After a quick flight, Luna arrived in the middle of a terrible storm, the winds threatening to send her into the roiling depths below. Wait… this sounds familiar. He said something about a storm that caused him to come to Equestria. Perhaps he is around here somewhere… Luna carefully lowered her altitude, looking for any poor ponies trapped in this dark place. It did not take long before some distant noises caught her attention. She quickly found the source of the distressing sounds… it was the same mysterious creature she had seen before. The princess could scarcely believe her eyes. This pony must be insane to still be dreaming of this pink, fleshy being. Time to get some answers. I will not just stand by and watch this time!” Luna dived through the air and stopped just short of the swimming creature, its face white with fear. “Halt! Who are you? Why does the stallion in the real world continue to dream of you?” The princess shouted to be heard above the sounds of thunder and crashing waves. The creature ignored her and continued swimming, occasionally slipping beneath the surface before returning to the tiring exercise. “We ask again… Who are you!?” Luna demanded once more. When she did not receive a reply, she flew in front of the creature in an attempt to at least be acknowledged by its eyes. “Do you even hear me?” She asked, once again eliciting no response from the still-swimming being. Curious, Luna carefully flew even lower and closer to the creature and stuck her hoof out, trying to get its attention by a touch to the shoulder. The princess silently gasped when her hoof passed through the creature’s body as if it were not even there. She withdrew her hoof and tried again and again, each time she passed right through the being. Wait… something is not right here. Luna flapped her wings to gain a few feet of altitude. She closed her eyes and concentrated her magic, feeling the air around her. Luna quickly opened her eyes at the surprising discovery. This is not a dream… this is the pony’s actual, unaltered memories! The princess looked back down to the swimming, bipedal creature with her mouth agape in shock. She continued to stare as the being grew noticeably tired, his movements becoming slow and lazy. He… he was really telling the truth the whole time… Luna focused her magic once more, and in a blink of her eyes, was back in the hospital room. She took a step back from the bed in disbelief. Oh, what this poor soul must have gone through… Luna silently gasped to herself. After a few moments of letting the facts sink in. “Tia was right the whole time...” Luna quietly whispered to herself before flying out the window and latching it shut. She had a sister to see, and admit her suspicions of simple insanity were false. <><><><><><><> Twilight nearly vaulted off the train as soon as it pulled up to the Canterlot station. She’d hardly slept during the night, too worried about Celestia’s letter. As was reflected by her untidy mane and tale, coupled with an occasional twitch of her left eye. She glanced over her side to make sure her bags were secure, and took off towards the castle. Having been born and raised in the Equestrian capital, it didn’t take her long at all to find the shortest, most efficient route to the castle. Twilight saw a few ponies along her route who recognized her and offered a polite greeting or a friendly wave. “Sorry can’t talk gotta go bye!” Was all most of them managed to hear as she continued along her speeding journey. Twilight was so focused on the task at hoof, she didn’t notice as a white unicorn with a red mane with violet highlights stepped right in her path. She collided with the white mare in a surprising, though thankfully not painful, heap of tangled limbs. “I’m so sorry!” Twilight apologized as she righted herself and offered a hoof to the pony she’d run into. Of all the ponies she could have run into, she never expected to see this particular mare’s face looking up at her. “Moondancer?” Twilight slowly asked, almost thinking an illusion spell was at play. “Hey Twilight,” Moondancer greeted, her similarly-shaded violet eyes met Twilights, whose were brimming with surprise. “I wasn't’ expecting to bump into you today, well, not quite so literally.” She laughed and used her magic to pick up her friend’s saddlebag and quickly deposit it on her back. “So, what brings you to Canterlot? I heard you moved to Ponyville,” Moondancer asked with a tilt of the head, her red and violet mane slightly falling off to the side. “I’m here to see Princess Celestia,” Twilight replied while making doubly sure her bags were secure this time. “I’m kinda in a rush, actually...” She trailed off, glancing towards the now nearby castle gates. “Oh, ok then,” Moondancer frowned and looked slightly down to the street. Twilight looked at the downtrodden mare in front of her, feeling a familiar feeling of guilt. Suddenly, Moondancer perked up and seemed her usual cheery self. “Well, make sure to come and visit me sometime!” She smiled and resumed her walk down the street. “Oh, and bring Spike too!” The mare called, although her lavender friend was already a fair distance away by the time she turned back around. Twilight ran up to the golden gates that separated Canterlot from the entrance to the throne room. The Solar Stallions quickly opened the gate with their magic upon seeing who was running towards them, not slowing the unicorn down in the slightest except for a quick ‘thank you’. The guards in front of the massive throne room doors weren’t as quick to let Twilight through. They gave the untidy unicorn in front of them a curious glance before one of them spoke up. “We’re sorry, Lady Sparkle, but the princesses are not in at the moment,” The bleached-white pegasus stated in a honed, flat voice. “Oh,” Twilight’s ears fell flat, not expecting to be stonewalled like that. This makes no sense! Why wouldn’t Princess Celestia be here? “However,” The other guard pony started. “We were given instructions to escort you to the royal study if Her Highness was not present during your arrival.” This instantly raised Twilight’s spirits. “Thank you sirs, but you don’t need to escort me, I know where it is,” Twilight beamed as she took a step off towards a corridor, before a white wing shot open and blocked her path. She looked over to see the guards giving her their usual, emotionless face. “Be that as it may, it is protocol that somepony of your importance be given escort, Please follow us, Lady Sparkle,” One of them stated before they both took positions in front of their temporary VIP. The guard on Twilight’s right let out a quick, sharp whistle. Almost instantly two unicorns flashed out of thin air, and took the pegasi guards place where they were before. Security is really tight nowadays... Twilight silently thought to herself as she followed the Solar Stallions in front of her. Surprisingly, they were quick in their task of escorting the Equestrian hero to her destination, getting her there nearly as fast as if she were on her own. They arrived at a set of perfectly polished, wooden double doors at the end of a long corridor. Twilight was quite familiar with the room, the princess had let her study there when the library was closed or she needed help. It surprised her there weren’t any guards posted outside the doors like before. That’s strange. Did Celestia order them away? Twilight thought before her guards quickly turned and left her alone momentarily. She knocked on the door and slowly went inside, noting the somewhat dark atmosphere. “Ah, Twilight Sparkle,” A voice called out, causing her to jump. suddenly all the lights in the room lit and the shades lifted, revealing Princess Luna lying comfortably on a couch. “Oh, hello Princess,” Twilight smiled, her adrenaline tapering off from just before. She took a few steps further into the room, letting a momentary feeling of nostalgia take her over. “How many times must We tell you,” The princess chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Call us Luna, Twilight.” “Sorry, Pr—Luna,” Twilight sheepishly smiled. “I’m here to see Celestia, do you know where she is?” “Ah yes, she is at the hospital,” Luna replied as if it were nothing. What. That statement had set off nearly every alarm in Twilight’s mind. Anypony looking from the outside would have noticed a totally blank expression as what she heard registered. “Celestia’s in the hospital!?” Twilight shouted, her mind still racing. “What happened to her? Is she going to be ok? Is she—.” “We did not mean it like that, Twilight,” Luna quickly interjected, she’d heard what the violet unicorn’s mental breakdowns could do to her health, not to mention anypony within a 5 mile radius. “Celestia is visiting the hospital,” She comforted in a soothing voice as she stood up from the couch and walked over to the distressed mare. “Why do you need to see her though?” Luna quizzically asked. “She sent me this letter yesterday...” Twilight used a bit of her magic to bring the scroll she’d received the prior day from her bags. “...and said I needed to be here as soon as possible for an urgent matter of national security!” She finished my floating the letter over to Luna, who quickly took it and scanned its contents. “Oh... oh! We see...” The princess mumbled to herself as she continued reading. After a few moments, a surprised look surfaced on her face as her eyes went back and forth between the scroll and Twilight. “It would seem Tia has... ‘chosen’ you for an important task, the nature of which I do not feel at liberty to discuss.” “What are you talking about?” Twilight was baffled. “I was chosen for something about the security of the country?” “About that...” Luna bit her lip as she thought of the best way to explain. “It seems my sister may have intentionally exaggerated on some aspects of your unexpected trip. It is important, Twilight, but she felt you needed to be in Canterlot as soon as possible.” Celestia, tricked me? “Why would she do that?” Twilight slowly asked, still letting it sink in. “Like was said before, she wanted you here as quickly as possible, so she... altered the facts of the matter to, speed things up?” Luna shrugged. “I wish more could be said here, but I am not the one to tell you.” “...but I am not the one to tell you.” Those words repeated through Twilight’s mind, trying to discern some meaning from them. “Is it about my brother? Are my parents ok? Is something wrong with Cadan—!” “Twilight, calm thyself,” Luna laid a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Everypony is fine, nopony is hurt,” she comforted, eliciting a relieved sigh from her violet friend. “I guess I should be getting to Celestia then?” Twilight smiled a bit sheepishly. “But I don’t know where she’ll be exactly... the Canterlot hospital is the largest in Equestria!” She exclaimed, feeling a miniature panic attack beginning to brew. “She will be in room sixty-two on the fifth floor,” Luna informed. “Thanks, Luna. Well, I’ll get going so I can see what she needed then,” Twilight turned back to the door and took a step forward before turning to say goodbye. “It was nice seeing you again.” And with that, she turned to leave once more. “Wait!” The princess said, stopping Twilight in her tracks. She stared at her friend for a few moments, mentally debating the best course of words for the next thing she would say. “Perhaps you should brush your mane before leaving?” Luna smiled sheepishly while summoning a brush. The two shifted their gaze to Twilight’s disheveled mane, stray ends going every which way. “Perhaps you’re right.” <><><><><><><> After a quick, but desperately needed moment for herself, Twilight happily trotted to Canterlot Memorial. Her mane, tail and coat were all back to their normal selves. She was glad Luna suggested she brush herself before departing. Twilight certainly didn’t want her mentor and friend seeing her in such a frazzled state a second time. Twilight trotted up the decorated walkway that led up to the main entrance. She’d only visited here a few times but was relatively familiar with it. She was heading up the stairs before she decided to simply teleport herself to the top of the landing to the fifth floor. Twilight opened the door and stepped out into a hallway teaming with various hospital staff. She saw a sign pointing to the direction of the sixty and seventy block of rooms, and promptly followed it until she came to where she needed to be. Twilight had a strange, almost unnoticeable feeling something was ‘off’ in the air around her as she reached the proper entryway, but shrugged it off as exhaustion. She focused her magic on the door and enveloped it in her signature colored aura, quickly opening it and allowing her to catch the tail-end of her mentor’s voice from the room within, speaking to somepony else. “... Twilight Sparkle.”
Chapter FiveChapter Five “... Twilight Sparkle.” I shifted my gaze over and saw a pony I’d never seen before walking into my room. She was a shade of violet that seemed so deep it was almost unnatural, as well as her mane with its pink strip slightly off-center. This unicorn had the tell-tale facial features of a female, and a horn that seemed perfectly taken care of. I noticed all of this in the moment it took her to take a step inside and quickly shut the door after herself. She noticed Celestia first and was quick to greet her upon entering. “Hello Celestia, nice to finally see you!” The purple unicorn beamed with an almost unnoticeable jump. She was turned just enough for me to see her tail reflect the same pattern as her mane. On her lower-back was a small grouping of stars. One large purple star with several smaller, white ones surrounding it. After greeting Celestia she turned to me and quickly scanned me up and down. Something about her violet eyes was very soothing. “Who’s this?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, studying me the same as I had studied her. “He is the reason I summoned you here,” Celestia replied with a quick nod in my direction. Wait, she can just summon people? She must be pretty high in the royalty department. “Twilight, I would like for you to meet Edward,” She finished with a patiently waiting look to see how we interacted. Twilight scrunched her face ever so slightly at the mention of my name and gave me another studying glance. Her face was blank for the most part, but not off-putting. I smiled a little and am betting it looked a bit awkward as I glanced everywhere. Most people wouldn’t guess I was shy, but I most definitely was. “Um, hello,” I greeted, breaking the silence in the air. This seemed to break her of the situational awkwardness as well. “Nice to meet you, Edward,” Twilight smiled at me. She paused a little when she said my name, likely as alien to her as this world was to me. She pulled her eyes off of me and looked back over to Celestia. “Princess Celestia? Why am I here? Luna said the letter wasn’t as important as it sounded.” So she’s a princess? I wonder if Luna is a queen, or if she’s a princess too? “It is true the message was somewhat exaggerated, but still important nonetheless.” Celestia nodded her head towards me again. “It is about Edward, I would very much appreciate it if you could take him into your home for a temporary amount of time,” She finished with a smile. “What? Why?” Twilight looked understandably confused, a feeling I was secretly glad I wasn’t the only one experiencing lately. “I… umm, this is…” She stuttered, looking back and forth between the princess and myself. “Edward was... stranded in Equestria and requires somewhere to stay for a time until which he can safely return home.” Celestia stated. “Umm, sure I guess? I mean, of course, Princess!” Twilight grinned slightly too much as she corrected herself. Something about the situation made me feel uneasy. “Where’s he from? Why can’t he go home now though?” She asked while looking me up and down some more with her inspecting gaze. “He’s… from a land quite far away from here,” Celestia stalled. “How far away?” Twilight asked with a slight tilt of her head. "Very far, my student,” The princess replied. Twilight’s face took the appearance of somebody thinking over a difficult question. She took a few steps towards me before silently circling me for a few moments. I felt a little unsure about being looked at so much. She returned to her ‘spot’, completing the triangle the three of us made in the hospital room. She rubbed her hoof on her chin before turning back to Celestia. “Is he from Germaneia?” She asked while offering a hoof. “Further than that, Twilight,” Celestia shook her head. “Is Edward Prench?” Twilight persisted. “Further.” Celestia smiled. She seemed to enjoy the violet unicorn questioning her. “… Saddle-Arabia?” Twilight desperately asked. “Keep trying.” The princess’s smile turned into a smirk on the side of her face only I’d be able to easily see. Twilight seemed incredibly puzzled. She stared at me with a thoughtful frown as the gears turned in her head. Twilight does know Celestia is messing with her, right? It’s pretty obvious to me... “Is he from… the zebra territories?” She unsurely asked. I glanced down to my hooves and frowned. I obviously wasn’t a zebra. She must really have no idea what to make of me… that makes two of us I suppose. “I am afraid not…” Celestia shook her head. “Perhaps it is better if he simply told you?” She questioned, giving me an expectant look. “Oh,” I hesitated, not expecting to have the spotlight on me. Twilight waited for my answer with the greatest curiosity I’ve seen in years. “Well, I’m from... Earth, I guess you could say.” “’Earth’?” Twilight repeated to herself. She looked down to the tiled floor while she tried to think of where Earth was, though she’d never be correct. “Is that part of the dragon continent we haven’t explored yet?” Did she just say… “There are dragons here!?” I asked, unsure if my new ears had picked that up correctly. “Of course! Everypony, even the gryphons and zebras know dragons exist,” Twilight waved her hoof as she threw her head back and giggled, likely thinking my question was a joke. After her short self-chuckling faded away and she saw my blank face, her own face froze. “Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?” “Err… yeah, I really didn’t know dragons existed,” I rubbed the back of my neck before continuing. I looked over to Celestia who seemed perfectly content just watching us. “I mean, there were always legends and stories about them back home, but they were never proven real.” “Oh, dragons are definitely real,” Twilight laughed as she lightly rolled her eyes before composing herself and clearing her throat. “I think we’re getting off-topic here. You were saying where ‘Earth’ was?” “It’s, uh, it’s pretty far away from anything you know,” I stalled, nervous about her reaction when she knew the truth. “Let’s just say, it’s a world further away than you could ever travel to, or likely see. And none of your kind have ever been there.” “Wait, are you saying—?” She furrowed her brow as the gears turned in her head. “... You’re, you’re saying you’re from another… planet?” Twilight tilted her head as the question left her lips. “Well, that or another dimension,” I shrugged in response, glad the awkward part of explaining I was essentially an alien was over. “I haven’t really had a chance to nail down which it is yet.” “He can’t be serious…” She trailed off and looked over to Celestia who’d remained silent for the most part. The princess just smiled and blinked as Twilight gave her a look I couldn’t quite see. “He’s… he’s telling the truth, isn’t he?” “As unbelievable as it may sound, yes. He is not of our world, that much I am sure of,” Celestia nodded simply, not breaking her calm composure. Twilight looked back to me with a face comprised of shock, disbelief, and possibly even denial. I almost feel bad for Twilight… she must think this is some weird joke she hasn’t seen the end of yet. “Well, that would explain why he didn’t have a Cutie Mark…” Twilight trailed off and tilted her head while slightly biting her lip in thought. “… but why is he a pony if he’s an, an alien?” “Well, Twilight,” Celestia hesitated and flashed her eyes to the floor before quickly bringing them back to the violet unicorn. “That I do not have an answer to,” She finished with a studying glance of her own. “What I do know, however, is that Edward is most definitely telling the truth with what he says.” “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this one, Princess,” Twilight slowly said as her gaze drifted up to my horn and looked it over through squinted eyes as if she were attempting to find some minute detail. “Try to think of him as being a part of a foreign exchange program then,” Celestia offered with a wink directed at the violet pony who ignored it and continued looking me over. “Edward, can you use magic at all?” Twilight asked me with her hoof pointed loosely at my head. “I saw your horn and it made me curious.” “Well, uh…” I awkwardly smiled and looked away for a moment at the recollection of my efforts the previous day and night. “I tried after I saw Luna do it, but it just hurt my head when I thought about magic. I think I wiggled a glass of water, but it was probably just my imagination,” I finished my explanation with a shrug. “Fascinating… do you mind if I…?” Twilight trailed off and motioned at my horn, silently asking to get a better look. “Uh sure, go ahead.” I replied and lightly shrugged. Twilight seemed satisfied and took a few steps towards me. She was only a couple feet from me as she raised her head and stood on the tip of her hooves in an attempt to better examine my horn. She wasn’t much shorter than me at all, but I quickly realized her difficulty and slightly lowered my head, pointing my horn almost directly at her. “Thanks,” Twilight said in a quick, cheery tone. All I could really see was the floor and her purple legs as my head was lowered. She leaned forward a bit more and made a few humming noises as one of her front hooves lightly tapped various points around the base of my horn. I felt like I was at, well, a doctor’s with how Twilight seemed to examine me all the time. I was broken out of my thoughts by something that was completely new to me in this world, a pleasant smell that for once wasn’t the sterile smell of my room. I quietly sniffed the air in front of me and picked up a faint aroma of some sort of flower or other plant. It was very pleasant, but all the more surprising when I realized it was coming from Twilight. Must be some kind of shampoo or perfume she uses, right? Wow, these ponies really seem to take care of themselves, I can respect that. I silently thought to myself. I suddenly felt a point at the base of my horn register an almost ticklish feeling that made me shiver and my skin twitch for the shortest of moments. “Hmm… that’s what I thought…” Twilight mumbled to herself before drawing away and letting me bring my head back up to normal height. “What is it?” I asked her while stretching my neck. “I felt a weird twitch when you were doing… whatever it was you did.” “It’s like I thought, you ‘technically’ have magic, but you haven’t learned how to properly access it yet,” Twilight replied quite studiously, a slight smile on her face. I looked over to the still-there Celestia who had an impressed, proud smile just visible on her white muzzle. Twilight, just now noticing she was still standing right in front of me sheepishly smiled and stepped back to where she initially was. “Um, maybe we should get back to why we’re all here in the first place?” I offered after clearing my throat. “Yes, that would probably be best,” Celestia interjected. Twilight seemed to look away and consider something before looking back to the princess. “I guess I could take him in…” Twilight trailed off, unsure of how to continue it seemed. “But, I don’t know if I can afford to house him too. Having your home and place of employment be the same building is a benefit, but I don’t know if I can financially handle it.” She remained looking at the princess with a frown. “Do not worry, Twilight, I have already signed off to have five-hundred bits sent to you every two weeks while Edward is living with you in Ponyville.” “You’re… you’re giving me one-thousand bits every month?” Twilight’s jaw dropped at what I assumed was a reasonably large amount of ‘bits’, which I surmised to be their form of currency. “Yes. Think of it as a royally-funded foreign exchange program.” Celestia said to the shocked Twilight. “You shall teach him our ways and customs so he can be more comfortable in Equestria, and he might even tell you about his world.” She finished with a smile directed at me. “But, how will I explain to my friends that I suddenly have a stallion living with me?” Twilight had a hoof raised and waved it slightly for emphasis. “I mean, they all know I only have one brother and they might assume we’re… dating…” She trailed off with an awkward smile back and forth between me and the princess. So she has a brother? I wonder what he’ll think of… wait, she’s right, this is going to be weird. “Oh Twilight…” Celestia took a few steps towards her student and momentarily wrapped a wing around the nervous mare. In truth, I was just as nervous about, well everything. “I am sure they will listen once you explain things.” “Can I tell them who he really is?” Twilight asked after a few moments. “That is up to you, although if they are told they must keep it a secret,” Celestia finished with a serious, but not threatening tone. “I do not wish many ponies to know of where he is from, the results may be… undesirable.” “Don’t worry about that, princess,” Twilight smiled to Celestia. “I’ll make them all Pinkie Promise to keep it a secret.” ’Pinky Promise’? I examined my hooves with a confused smirk. But… ponies don’t even have fingers… “Then it is settled, Edward, you will live with Twilight in Ponyville until Luna and I can find a way for you to go home,” Celestia smiled while looking between Twilight and myself. “Any more questions from either of you?” “I have lots of questions, but they can wait until later,” Twilight replied before her and Celestia both looked to me. “How are we getting to this ‘Ponyville’ place?” I questioned. “Cause I’m still a bit new to the whole walking on four legs thing.” I flashed a weak smile. “Don’t worry, there’s a train that takes us there.” Twilight spoke up. “Well, it seems like there isn’t much reason for me to stick around anymore. I should return to the throne room and let you two be on your way,” Celestia said as she slowly walked over to the door past Twilight, whom she turned to just before exiting. “Oh Twilight, be sure to send me letters on how he is adjusting, won’t you?” “Of course, Princess!” Twilight seemed strangely happy to send letters on something as dull as recording me. “I’ll send you one every day.” “Then I will take that as my cue to leave. The papers were taken care of when I got here, you are free to leave at any time. Goodbye, Edward,” Celestia smiled and nodded to me before returning the same farewell to Twilight. “Bye, Princess,” I waved a hoof at her, hoping that same body language applied here as well. “Please, just Celestia to you,” She waved a hoof back to me. “I’m not your princess after all, so Celestia is perfectly acceptable.” She smiled to me. “Alright then, I’ll try to remember that if— I mean ‘when’ I see you again,” I corrected myself. The princess seemed satisfied enough at how things went and quickly nodded to each of us once more. “Good day you two.” Now with Celestia gone and the door shut, the room became uncomfortably quiet, both me and Twilight unsure of what to do next. She seemed happy enough to take me in, but I still sensed some uneasiness from her. We just stood across from each other on nearly opposite ends of the room glancing around, neither of us sure what to do next. “So, uh when does the train leave?” I asked to break the tension. “We’ve got a couple more hours until we can leave,” Twilight replied and followed it up with a light shrug and a glance out the window. “We could walk around a little bit and stop for some lunch? I haven’t eaten yet.” I was reminded of how hungry I was almost the entirety of my stay at this hospital. Having only munched on a few apples and seldom anything else, I gladly accepted the offer of ‘real world’ food. “Lunch sounds fantastic." <><><><><><><><><><><> “So, I’m assuming you’re not normally a pony back in your world, huh? Judging by your earlier reluctance to walk a lot.” “Pretty much. It’s very… strange not having the body you’ve lived your whole life with,” I answered her. We were walking through the city I was informed was called ‘Canterlot’. It was certainly something to see. Everywhere around me were fancy shops, restaurants, strip-malls and even what I guessed to be a theater. I wasn’t looking at any one thing for too long, there was just so much to see! I saw other ponies of nearly every color imaginable, which went double for their manes too. I started to notice they all had peculiar symbols on their lower backs, and no two were the same. There was an hourglass, a trio of flowers, some stars and a telescope, even one that was simply a giant, red diamond. There were different ‘breeds’ as well. There were ones with wings I recognized as pegasi from stories back home, and the same for unicorns, which were clearly the majority here. I didn’t see many ponies without wings, but they seemed somehow better built from the quick glances I gave. “Hey, Twilight? I know the horned ponies are unicorns, and a flying one is a pegasus…” I trailed off as a white unicorn guard in golden armor passed us. He seemed to stare right through to my soul as he eyed me. “What are the ponies without horns or wings called? Just, ‘ponies’ then?” “They’re called ‘Earth ponies’ actually,” Twilight replied, a thoughtful tone in her voice. “It’s strange really, that your world is called ‘Earth’. Is your planet terrestrial in nature?” She asked me without a pause. “My planet is mostly water, but just over a quarter is solid land,” I answered her, recalling all those wonderful days in various science classes. That’s not sarcasm either; I was quite the nerd back in school, though you wouldn’t guess by my sheer size. “I’m guessing they’re called Earth ponies because they have something to do with earth then? I mean like, the ground,” I wondered out loud, hoping I was right.” “Actually, yeah, that’s essentially it.” Twilight gave me a slightly impressed look as we continued to walk. “We can talk about the other pony tribes later, for now let’s get some food before somepony hears our conversation and gets suspicious.” “Sounds like a good idea to me. I’d rather not draw a lot of attention.” I agreed with her, I was already getting enough strange looks being the only pony without some sort of special symbol. Twilight smiled to me before signaling us to turn down a street and coming up to some sort of outside restaurant with tables and chairs on a fancy patio. I approached one of the chairs and gave it a curious glance before sitting in it like I saw all the other patrons doing. Twilight was already seated and watched me with interest. She seemed to always be watching me out of the corner of her eye, seeing my reactions at various things, I didn’t really mind though. While we waited for a server to come and see us, I decided it was a decent time to ask about something that was bothering me. “Hey, Twilight?” I asked to get her attention while she looked off in her own little world. “What’s with all the pictures on everybody’s backs? I don’t get what they mean.” “Oh,” she said as she glanced down to her own symbol of stars before replying. “Those are called Cutie Marks, and they show what a pony’s special talent is.” She motioned over to a green pegasus seated a few tables away. “See how hers is a bunch of clouds? She must have something special when it comes to weather,” Twilight simply stated before pointing to a white unicorn that was walking past us. “And see how her Cutie Mark is two music notes? She’s likely got a special talent in music.” “A double-note, I remember those from band class actually,” I pointed out. “I think I get the concept now, but why don’t I have one?” I asked as I looked down to see nothing more than my orange coat. “Well, you just haven’t discovered your special talent yet,” Twilight replied as she thoughtfully rubbed her chin. “You not having one is very strange, but understandable. Most ponies get them when they’re only foals. Hmm… I wonder if you’ll ever get—“ She was cut off as a waiter walked up to our table. He was a dark gray color with a blonde mane and a horn to match his coat. “Here are your menus and some waters, sir and madam. I will return in a few minutes for your orders” He said as two laminated menus gingerly fell onto the table from his side bag, and two glasses of water floated from elsewhere. His accent was a mix of French and, something else I couldn’t place. He turned in place and trotted off inside, leaving us alone. I grabbed the menu with my hooves and, well, it didn’t go too well as you might imagine. My hooves just clumsily slipped over the surface again and again, until a faint purple aura enveloped it and brought it up to eye level. I looked over to Twilight and saw her menu was doing the same, with a matching aura emanating from her horn. “Uh, thanks,” I sheepishly smiled and hid behind my menu after she gave a silent smile in return. I started at the top of menu and figured I’d work my way down. I scrunched my face up as I kept on going, until I was forced to sigh and push the menu down and looked at Twilight. “Twilight?” I almost whispered across the table. “I can’t read this.” She immediately set her own menu down and gave me a bewildered look. “What?” “I mean, I can’t understand any of this,” I deadpanned and motioned to the menu in front of me. Twilight bit the inside of her lip and brought my menu up next to her own and compared them before quickly giving me an even more confused look than before. “It all looks like scribbles to me.” I said before she could voice a question. “But…” She trailed off and tried to make sense of it all. “You can speak our language just fine, why wouldn’t be able to read it? Wait, how can you even speak our language!? You’re not exactly from around here,” Twilight questioned with a slight tilt of her head, the pink strand in her mane falling over the side of her horn. “Oh, yeah when Luna first found me I couldn’t understand anything that was said, so Celestia came the next day and did some sort of spell to make me speak your language,” I replied nonchalantly before I looked down to the table with a sad look. “I guess it only works with speaking, and not reading.” “Huh. I suppose that makes some sense,” Twilight said with a quick tilt of her head the other way, moving her mane even more. “Well, I guess I could teach you to read while you’re with me too?” She offered. Great, now I really feel like a child… can’t even read. I mentally complained. “Sure, sounds good to me.” I guess I might as well just go along with it; reading does tend to have its advantages. “Do you think you could read the menu to me? I don’t exactly want to go hungry,” I finished with a weak laugh. “Alright then...” She replied as she brought one of the menus back up before listing off various items. “They have simple things like hay fries, daisy sandwiches. Then they have stuff like spinach lasagna with a poppy sauce, a pumpkin calzone with mushroom dip…” She continued to list off dishes for a few minutes. Each one sounded less appetizing than the last. I didn’t want this light, non-satisfying stuff, I wanted real food. “That stuff sounds great and all,” I interrupted. “But do they have anything less…vegetarian on the menu?” “’Less vegetarian’? Wait, you mean…” Twilight’s voice faded away as it dawned on her what I was insinuating. She looked around before leaning towards me and whispering. “You eat meat!? You’re a carnivore?” Twilight asked before leaning away and looking perhaps just a bit unwary of me all of a sudden. “Well, technically we’re omnivores, so… we eat more than just meat at least.” This seemed to ease her down, if only a bit. “Oh, well...” Twilight blinked a few times as she looked at me with unsure eyes. “I guess I can’t hold that against you, it’s just who you are, I mean ‘were’, wait that didn’t come out righ—“ “It’s alright, no harm done,” I interrupted her and flashed a nice smile. “And the spinach lasagna sounds just fine.” I added as I saw our waiter coming back. After she placed our orders and the waiter left, she looked back to me with a face full of questions. “So… what kinds of animals did you eat back home?” Twilight hesitantly asked, it was obvious she didn’t really want to know, but she seemed to need to ask. “Umm, cows, chickens, pigs, fish…” I recounted as I mentally counted each animal off on invisible fingers, each seemed to make Twilight a bit more uncomfortable than the last. “… lamb, turkey, whatever it is hot dogs are made out of, even had duck once.” I could see her face was almost completely drained of color, absolutely mortified. “Let’s move on, shall we?” “Yes, um I actually had a question about you if you don’t mind.” Twilight asked after shifting in her chair and a moment to regain her color. “What were your species called on Earth? What did you look like?” “We’re called ‘humans’,” I said in a bit of a hushed tone, careful to not be overhead. “We’re bipedal, with hands that have fingers and we don’t have fur, for starters,” I stopped once I noticed Twilight actually pulled a small notepad out of her side-bag and started taking notes. After a few moments she motioned for me to continue. “Well, uh our skin colors range from really pale to really dark, almost black, and a lot of us are a pale, pinkish color. It can change depending on where you are in the world though.” “Uh huh,” Twilight mumbled as she quickly took down everything I said. “Do you have different tribes like ponies do?” “No…” I just blinked to her. “We’re just male and female. We don’t have magic or fly either…” I looked up to my horn, wondering if I’d ever get my magic working and what I’d be able to do with it. Twilight continued to write for a couple minutes after I last spoke, flipping several pages in her small notebook. I took it as an opportunity to try and come up with some questions of my own, which of course I had many, although there was one I simply had to know above all else. “Hey, Twilight? What color are my eyes?” I asked, causing Twilight to drop her pen and raise an eyebrow, not sure if she heard me correctly. “How do you not know the color of your own eyes?” She blinked her own violet ones at me, curious. “Well, I’ve only been here a few days, and I haven’t exactly had a chance to look in a mirror,” I finished by pointing to my face with my left hoof. “Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Twilight slightly shrugged before looking at my eyes with that studying gaze I had a feeling I’d be getting used to. “They’re a slightly dark shade of hazelnut.” She said before quickly looking away. “Thanks.” I smiled in return. “Lunch, is served.” A heavily accented voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked over to see our waiter levitating two large, covered plates in a yellow aura. I had to admit, the magic seemed quite useful to the unicorn, and almost pretty, almost. The waiter set them down in front of us and quickly pulled off the tops, allowing the sweet, alluring scents from within reach our noses. My spinach lasagna with poppy sauce looked delicious, which was likely reflected on my face as I stared at it. I looked over to Twilight’s plate and she only wanted a daisy sandwich, a ‘favorite’ of hers she told me. After making sure we were set, our server trotted off back inside and left us alone to eat. I looked back over to Twilight and saw her easily eating her meal with magic, something that would not be so easy for me. I stared at the silverware on the table, wondering how in the world I would even eat with only hooves. Just like with the menu, I tried to manipulate them without much success. After a few failed attempts I looked up to meet my violet friend’s gaze. She silently, curiously watched me with exaggerated, slowed chewing. I glared back down at the silverware, mocking me as my stomach churned. “Twilight? How do ponies without magic eat?” I asked without taking my eyes off the offending fork. “Well, earth ponies and pegasi have more of a natural talent for manipulating objects with their hooves...” She trailed off as I looked over to see her giving a quick glance to her own silverware, easily floating before her. “... unicorns have their magic to assist them, so ponies like you and I aren’t as naturally...” Her voice faded as she mentally searched for the right word. “Dexterous?” I offered with a raised eyebrow. “Exactly!” She exclaimed back at me before giving a quick glance between my uneaten meal and myself. “If you want, I could—” “You are not feeding me—” I interrupted with a dark glare. I am not a baby... “... teach you to use your magic,” Twilight deadpanned with her ears slightly fallen. “Oh, that sounds fine,” I grinned quickly, hoping to forget my momentary rudeness. “Good,” She smiled before glancing off to the side, as if trying to remember something. “You said you used your magic to move a glass of water before, right?” “I think I used it,” I politely corrected. “I’m not sure if I actually did anything other than give myself a migraine.” “Did your horn glow before, when you attempted to use your magic?” Twilight quickly asked. “Umm... I kinda had my eyes closed when I tried actually,” I sheepishly grinned in response. “Here, I want to try something,” she said as her horn lit with her magic and without even blinking brought her fork up to the middle of the table, levitating a few inches and pointing upwards. “Try to move it now.” “How? If I couldn’t move anything before, what makes you think I’ll move something you're holding?” I questioned with a hoof pointed at the skyward-pointing cutlery. “I’m not actively holding it, I only told it to levitate until somepony else manages to move it,” Twilight corrected. “Try to move it with your magic, and this time I want you to have your eyes open so you can see what you’re doing. “Alright, but don’t complain if it somehow turns into a black hole, or turns into an inter-dimensional portal that spawns demons... or if it talks,” I said with a light sigh and a shrug. I took in a long breath and slowly released it to calm myself. I looked at the suspended fork and tried to concentrate, my vision of Twilight behind it went hazy as my eyes focused only on the silver surface of my objective. “Good,” Twilight quietly complemented. “Now, try to imagine the texture of it, feel the curvature and points of the object with your mind. Imagine you are physically holding it, and slowly tighten your grasp around its surface,” she instructed as if it were out of a text book. “Ok,” I replied with a flat monotone voice, trying to not lose my concentration. I started to think about how it must feel, the smooth surface and the pointy tips of the fork as I mentally reached out to grab it. After a few moments, I felt what I could best describe as a ‘ping’, feeling something not attached to your body. I didn’t move a muscle as I closed in around the source of the magical feeling surrounding the eating utensil. Very slowly, the aura surrounding the fork faded from Twilight’s color to my own, a soft, brownish green hue that matched my eyes perfectly. The two colors flashed as mine fought for control over the small object. Eventually my magic enveloped the rest of the violet, and when I had control, the fork slightly bobbed in the air as it changed owners. “Yes!” Twilight exclaimed before quickly composing herself and issuing further directions. “Good, now that you’ve got it in your magic, I want you to slowly bring it towards you. Keep a steady concentration and take your time.” I drew in another large breath and let it out without taking my eyes off the fork. I ‘pulled’ it with my magic and the result was a barely-noticeable twitch from the floating object. I tried again and again, each time it hardly did anything. Feeling frustration build up at the lack of results, I ‘pushed’ my entirety into moving the utensil all at once. I blinked after the momentary exertion and when I opened my eyes, the fork was gone, and Twilight’s face was blank with shock. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention while I looked around me, looking to see if the fork fell off the side of the table. “Where’d it go? I tried moving it, I blinked and it was gone when I looked again. Umm... Twilight?” I asked again as I saw her eyes slowly drifting straight up to the sky. “It’s... gone,” she whispered, dumbstruck at what I’d just done. “What do you mean ‘gone’?” I questioned. “Where did it go? I didn’t disintegrate it or anything, right?” “I worriedly asked. “Oh, it’s still whole,” Twilight said as she looked down at the table, her eyes quickly darting back and forth as she thought. After a moment she looked back up, her eyes looking to the sky once more. I followed her gaze and saw nothing but the tops of the taller buildings and a perfectly clear, blue sky above us. “Twilight? Did I—?” “Yes.” She interrupted, both of just still looking straight up. “It’s up there, somewhere.” “Do you know where it’ll land?” I nervously asked before gulping to myself. The thought of a supersonic fork impaling some innocent pony was not a comforting picture. “No. I wouldn’t have even noticed if I’d blinked too,” Twilight answered in what sounded an almost impressed tone. “It was so fast I barely noticed as it instantly accelerated to a speed appropriate to the magic you put into it.” “How fast do you think that was?” I asked as my gaze drifted to the knife that rested next to my plate, slowly using my hoof to push it away. “Fast enough that I don’t think it will come back down.” Twilight looked back to the sky one last time. “Let’s... let’s put this lesson on hold for now, before we end up owing the restaurant a new patio,” Twilight nervously laughed. I silently agreed and nodded to her before deciding the hard way of eating would at least for now, be the safer route. It took a few tries, but I eventually had a decent way of manipulating the silverware not currently coasting through the atmosphere. “So, does that always happen the first time?” I looked over and asked Twilight, who’d finished eating much quicker than I did. She’d been writing something down for quite some time and I noticed an occasional glance up to me, and the sky. “Does what always happen?” She asked with a raised eyebrow as she closed her small notebook while we talked. “Sending something into orbit the first time you use magic,” I replied with a slight deadpan and a hoof pointed straight up. “Oh, well... no,” Twilight answered after a few thoughtful moments. “It does correlate with a theory I recently thought of, and you may have actually helped me with.” She brought her notebook up off the table and beamed. “What ‘theory’? And how did I help?” “I’ll spare you the little details for now, but,” Twilight halted her words as she quickly flipped her book open and scanned something. “Essentially it’s a hypothesis that a unicorns first use of magic is always a rather...” She trailed off as she looked skyward once more before turning back to me. “... A rather sequential expenditure of energy, after which, their powers are reduced to ‘average’ levels. Normally a unicorn’s first magical release is when they are still a child, but you’re a fully grown stallion, which would likely explain why yours was so powerful.” “So, I can safely use my magic now?” I asked, my voice full of hope. The look on Twilight’s face made it quite apparent she was not very keen of my plan. “I’d prefer we were somewhere less crowded first,” She waved a hoof towards the street and the seemingly endless crowd of mostly unicorns everywhere. “There would be less chance of... catastrophic disaster that way.” “Makes sense I suppose,” I agreed and shrugged slightly, I certainly didn’t want anybody getting hurt because I was an idiot and couldn’t control myself. I was going to stay silent, but something came to the front of my mind at that moment. “Hey, what happened the first time you used your magic?” Twilight nearly dropped her water as she took a drink. “I... I’d rather not talk about it right now.” She managed to say whilst coughing from her drink. I must have hit a sensitive subject, I’ll be sure to tread carefully in the future... I quickly thought to myself. I turned just in time to see our waiter arrive and place a small slip of paper, likely the bill, on our table and collect our plates. “Have a wonderful day you two, and don’t worry about your little, ‘accident’, your secret is safe with me,” he finished with a nod before turning and leaving. “Thanks.” I nearly squeaked out, my face likely a reddish hue as the embarrassment of that situation made itself known again. I looked over to Twilight who was levitating some gold coins from her bag to pay for the meal. Curious, I picked one of these coins up and set it on the flat, bottom part of my hoof as I examined it. They must have been the ‘bits’ the princess and Twilight were talking about. Seeing it as little more than a shiny coin, I quickly put it back with the small pile atop the bill. “Come on, if we make the train now, we’ll reach Ponyville by nightfall,” Twilight simply said as she got out of the chair and levitated the bag from beneath the table. I quickly slid out of my chair, ready to leave and get to my temporary home. <><><><><><><><><><><> The Canterlot train station was, unsurprisingly, a very crowded place. Throngs of ponies were constantly coming and going from the spectacular city. Twilight and I sat on a bench and waited until our train pulled up, in the meantime there was something I’d been mulling over for quite some time now. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention next to me. “Yesterday when Celestia and Luna saw me, Luna said they both ‘commanded great power.’ What did she mean by that?” I asked with a slight tilt of my head, eagerly awaiting an answer. Twilight glanced away for a moment as she registered my question and tried to formulate a response. “I’m not sure how things work in your world, but here Celestia and Luna raise the sun and moon every day and night.” What... “How... how is that possible?” “I stuttered, lost at the concept of something so large being moved by an individual. I looked up to the mid-afternoon sun then looked back to Twilight with a bewildered look. “They move that!?” I asked with a hoof pointing towards the blazing star. “It may sound strange, but it’s true,” Twilight nodded, confirming what I still thought to be a ridiculous and impossible idea. “Celestia raises the sun in the morning, and Luna raises the moon every night.” “Wow, I’m kinda having a hard time wrapping my mind around something like that,” I admitted and looked back up to the sun. How powerful are the princesses? I’d certainly hate to see what would happen if I ended up on their bad sides... “What do you mean? How else would it move without magic?” Twilight quizzically asked, regarding me almost as if I were crazy. “By itself? Like it’s supposed to!” “I’m assuming that’s how it works on your planet?” Twilight asked, slightly quieter than her previous statements, lest somebody passing by get suspicious. “For starters it’s not magic that moves them, it’s—” My reply was cut short by an ear-splitting whistle travelling through the station. My ears reflexively flattened as the assaulting sound echoed. “I’ll tell you later.” I slid off the bench and followed Twilight to our train. Before heading inside I gave the railed vehicle a curious look, noting its strange, colorful designs covering the entirety of the exterior. We eventually made it to our private cabin. It was pretty spacious for what I expected, a small group of ponies could easily maneuver around it without problems. With only the two of us, it felt empty yet calm, just the way I wanted it. There was a table in the middle, a few other miscellaneous pieces of fine furniture and a bunk bed on either side of the room. Twilight casually lifted and set her bag on the table before lightly stretching. “I’m gonna take a nap on the way to Ponyville, I didn’t sleep at all last night,” she said with a yawn, the tiredness in her eyes making itself known. “What about you?” I opened my mouth to answer but was momentarily interrupted as the floor beneath us lurched forward. I looked over to the window and saw we were slowly moving away from the city now. “I’ll stay up for a bit, got a lot to think about,” I shrugged and walked over to the window and pushed the shades the rest of the way up, letting the midday sun further illuminate the half of the cabin that naturally became mine. “I bet,” Twilight lightly smirked before turning and going to the bunk bed on the right side of the room and flopping herself into the bottom bed. “Let me know if you need anything, Edward,” she said as the window shades on her side of the room magically shut all the way. “Just call me ‘Ed’, it’s a nickname from back home,” I looked over and lightly smiled. She gave me a tired smile in return before turning her back to me and pulling a blanket over herself. I looked out the window and watched as the edges of Canterlot quickly turned into countryside that seemed to stretch forever. I contently sighed to myself, happy at finally having some quiet time to just think. The train was slowly picking up speed, the scenery before me moving away a little bit quicker as I thoughtfully stared out the window, reclined on my hind legs and my chin resting on the window sill. After a few minutes I heard a light snoring sound coming from the other side of the room. I gave a glance at the rest of my surroundings, taking in all the little details of the room. This is really happening, isn’t it? Everything over the past couple days really began to sink in now that it was quiet. I thought about everything the princesses and Twilight said, how eager they all seemed to make sure I was comfortable during my stay. But... what if I never do leave? What will happen to me if Celestia and Luna don’t find me a way home? Everybody seems nice enough, but this isn’t where I belong... I wish I was back home, in my room listening to my cd’s and just spacing out... I exhaled a long breath and drew my gaze from the window for a moment. My eyes eventually came to rest on an inkwell sitting on the table. I looked up to my horn and thought I’d give my magical endeavors one more shot for the day. I remembered Twilight’s advice from earlier, about ‘feeling’ the object with my mind. I took a few breaths to steady my nerves and reached out, a slight dark green, almost brown field of magic surrounding the tiny inkwell. After a few minutes of carefully pacing how much of myself I put into it with no visible results, I released my magical grasp and frowned. I sighed to myself in defeat and turned back to the window. I have a feeling this is going to be a long stay... The calm, scenic view outside sped past as we continued on our destination, bringing me ever closer to my new home.
Chapter SixI quickly opened my eyes as my head jolted up in shock. In my surprised state I somehow managed to fall flat on my back as my surroundings slowly came back to me. I looked around and remembered where I was as I righted myself and slowly stood up. The train cabin was nearly as bright as it was before, the sun having only moved slightly while I slept. It was that same strange memory-dream thing again, where I was stranded in the ocean. Nothing new happened this time, just another replay of the horrid memory. I looked over to Twilight, still sleeping despite my crashing to the floor. My gaze moved over to the window and I took a quick glance outside before looking down at the window sill. I must’ve just dozed off when I spaced out thinking about stuff… told myself I wouldn’t do that anymore. I quietly chuckled to myself before deciding the bed would likely be more comfortable to sit on than the floor. I slowly slid onto the bottom bunk and lied on my back with the pillow resting in the perfect spot behind my head. I closed my eyes and let out a contented sigh. Oh… oh this is so much better than that hospital bed— I opened my eyes once more as my recent dream crept to the front of my mind. I blankly stared up at the top bunk as my most recent chunk of memory came back. I tightly closed my eyes, trying to recall what happened next. Why… can’t… I… remember!? I punctuated each silent syllable by lightly beating my hooves against my temples in frustration. I gave up trying to remember by self-abuse and dropped my limbs to my sides with a sigh. I rolled over to face the wall so I could be on my favorite side. I hope my family got away from that storm… I hope they’re alright. But what if they’re not? Or what if they’re here in ‘Equestria’ and turned into ponies like me? What if— I was interrupted from my thoughts by somebody snorting. I rolled over to see Twilight lightly turning in her bed before resuming her silent slumber. I briefly wondered if she was having a dream too, but quickly shrugged it off and returned to my musings. I traced the faint lines in the wood paneling with my hoof, continuing my barrage of questions. One however, stood out from the rest and would not leave. What if I don’t get to go home? What will I do then… <><><><><><><><><><><> “How long have you known the princesses?” I asked Twilight, whom had been awake for some time now and steadily writing in another notebook. I was lying on my back with my forelegs behind my head and resting on the pillow. My hind legs were crossed in a way that proved surprisingly comfortable. “I’ve been Celestia’s personal student for most of my life,” Twilight answered after only a quick moment. After a pause I looked over to her out of the corner of my eye. “What about Luna? How long have you known her?” I saw her writing halt for a second while she dashed her eyes up to me from across the room. She didn’t seem to be looking at me, just thinking. “Almost four years now,” Twilight stated and returned to her writing. A few minutes of silence filled the cabin before I turned over and propped myself up on my foreleg. “What’re you working on over there?” I asked, arching my head slightly higher. “It’s not still the theory about magic, is it?” “No, it’s an idea I had since you proved sentient life exists on other planets,” Twilight looked up and beamed, reminding me of a kid on Christmas morning. “I might write a book about it, with your help of course.” I silently contemplated her proposal, the idea of co-writing a book piquing my interest momentarily. “Well, what if it isn’t another planet?” I asked before returning to my lying down position, staring up at the bunk above me. “What if this is my planet, but just another dimension occupying the same space in some sort of alternate, underlying reality?” I looked over to Twilight after a few too many silent moments to see her giving me a look comprised of many emotions, too many for me to have figured out at the time. “What? I was always the science geek through school and I guess it stuck with me.” I lightly shrugged. “Sorry,” Twilight apologized and lightly shook herself. “Are all humans like you?” “Like what?” I asked. “So, well… intelligent.” I’m glad I was lying down and not looking at her considering I don’t get many compliments, and I may have blushed as red as a tomato. “Edward?” Twilight asked when I didn’t say anything. “Sorry, and to answer your question…” I trailed off, mentally debating whether to lie, or tell the truth. I decided to take the ‘moderately-modest’ route. “I guess I’m smarter than the average human by a respectable degree, but I still have my… less than bright moments…” My voice trailed off, recalling the regretfully idiotic event that led me here in the first place. “But, there are still others who make me as dumb as a rock.” I quickly added. “I see,” Twilight slightly grinned with an impressed hum. “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess you don’t get many intellectual conversations, huh?” I asked as I got up to look out the window, noting the occasional farmhouse pass by, the first thing besides fields for a few hours. The sun, which I still had a hard time believing was controlled by Celestia, was about to set, darkness not far away. “No, not as often as I’d like,” Twilight’s disappointed voice answered me. I looked over from my position on the window to see her ears slightly fallen as to reflect her tone. “My friends are great and I wouldn’t give them up for anything, but they aren’t really interested in some of the things I do.” “Yeah, I know what that’s like.” I offered with a comforting smile across the room. “You talk about your friends pretty often, what’re they like?” “Oh where do I start?” Twilight laughed to herself. “Let’s see, well there’s Rari—“ She was cut off by a reverberating wave being sent through the train as it started to slow. “I’ll have time to tell you later, let’s get to the front of the car.” She said as she quickly packed what she had into her bags and making for the door. I gave a final, quick look out the window and saw faint lights in the distance growing steadily closer. Before turning to leave, I remembered something I wanted to ask. “Twilight? What did you mean originally when you said your business was your home?” I noticed she’d already left and my question would go unanswered. With a slight roll of my eyes, I quickly left the room to catch up with my host. <><><><><><><><><><><> Exiting the train and the small station was fairly uneventful and we exchanged few words. The sun may have almost completely set, but I still got a nice look as we started our walk through Ponyville. Everything about it was different from Canterlot; most of the buildings had a rustic, simple design that seemed really homey. Even in the middle of the day, I doubted the crowds would be half as bad as my first introduction into pony society. I didn’t see many other ponies around, though most I saw were earth ponies with the occasional unicorn, and seldom a pegasus on the ground. We passed a road and down in the middle of a small plaza was what looked like a house from a children’s book, the entire thing was covered in candy. I didn’t get to see much more as we continued walking, to where I still didn’t know. “So what do you think of Ponyville so far?” Twilight broke the comfortable silence from beside me. “I really like this place,” I turned to her and gave an impressed smile. “I feel a lot more comfortable here than in a big city, that’s for sure.” “I’d show you around more, but it’s kinda late,” Twilight said with a glance at the sliver of the sun left on the horizon. “We can save the tour and introduce you to my friends tomorrow after you get all settled in, that sound alright with you?” “Sounds fine to me,” I gave an approving nod before going back to my site-seeing. “Are there any princesses in Ponyville too?” “No, just the mayor,” Twilight answered with a slight shake of her head. “How are you doing with the walking?” She asked with a glance down to my hooves. “I’m getting used to walking on four legs, just don’t ask me to run or do an obstacle course quite yet.” I gave a short laugh before something caught my attention down a road off to my right. I looked closer but shrugged it off as probably just seeing things. We continued walking for a few minutes through the town, seeing less and less ponies as they were likely all home preparing for the night. A few waved to Twilight and offered greetings as we passed. Some of them gave me curious looks, but never stared in wonderment like some of the ponies in Canterlot. I liked this place, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that somebody, or something was watching us. After another cautious glance over my shoulder I decided to ask Twilight something. “So, which house is yours? We can’t be that far away, we’ve been walking for a while now.” “Actually, it’s right there.” She pointed a hoof to a large tree not much further down the road. I looked closer and couldn’t figure out if it was a tree and a home was built into it, or it was made to look like a tree. We got closer and I looked up to admire how large and unusual it was compared to the other buildings I’d seen so far. “You live here?” I asked as we drew closer. I could see something pinned to the front door when I noticed the flowers out front in a small garden. “Yeah, it’s really something, isn’t it?” Twilight smiled to herself. “There’s a whole library inside too.” I stopped dead in my tracks and my shocked face quickly took on a look of sheer disappointment and unamusement. Could the universe possibly be any more ironic!? I’m going to be living in a library, one of the best things to ever exist... and I can’t read anything!? Next thing you know I’ll be— I was torn from my silent complaints by a pink blur in the corner of my eye. I quickly turned to track it down a short alleyway, but whatever it was proved too fast for my gaze. I felt my ears twitch as a faint sound was picked up, it almost sounded like hushed giggling. “Hey, Twilight...” I said to get her attention as she halted a few steps ahead of me and turned around. “”Did you just see something?” She raised an eyebrow at me before a quick glance around us, both of us noticing no other ponies on the street. “No? What did you see?” “I thought I saw...” I unsurely started, suddenly wondering if I was just tired from everything that happened today I looked down to the ground before continuing. “...Nevermind.” I slightly sighed and felt my ears fall. “Well, alright then,” Twilight cocked her head a bit off to the side before turning and continuing towards her tree-home. “Let’s get inside, some proper rest would do us both some justice.” She said as I caught up with her and saw the end of a short yawn on her face. We approached the door and Twilight wordlessly pulled a sealed note from the surface with her magic and began to read it aloud. ”Dear Twilight, After leaving you and Edward at the hospital, I took the liberty of having some furniture sent ahead for him, so that he may be more comfortable during his stay. I remember you mentioning your basement was going unused. I hope you don’t mind I had a bed and some other necessities delivered ahead of time and should already be set up downstairs for him. After you two are comfortably settled please send me a letter at your earliest convenience letting Luna and I know you both arrived safely. Your first sum of bits has also been delivered and was placed in the downstairs closet. Luna will be personally delivering the rest of the bits every other week to gauge yours and Edward’s progress, as well as give her a chance to get out and socialize some. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. P.S. Remember to be discreet and cautious who you tell about Edward, Twilight. Do not hesitate to send me a letter if a situation arises that is outside of your control.” “Wow, they really went all-out, didn’t they?” I asked, momentarily wondering how they set everything up before we got here, but dismissing it as just more magic. “I’ll say,” Twilight commented as she reread the letter. “Normally Celestia just gives me an assignment and says ‘do it’. For her to help this much, it’s made me wonder what I got myself into.” She said as the letter folded in her magic and fell into a pocket in her bags. “I’m not that bad.” I said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not going to make trouble for anybody. I just want to keep clean and wait until the princesses find me, and possibly the rest of my family a way home.” “Sorry, that didn’t come out right,” Twilight sheepishly looked down. “Let’s just get inside, I can’t think straight when I’m hungry and tired.” She said while bringing a key out from her bag and quickly unlocking the door. I followed behind and turned to shut the door, but not without one more quick glance around. I stood halfway through the door, facing the street for a few moments, trying to see or hear what it was I picked up earlier. After blinking a few times and not seeing anything, I slowly backed into the house and shut the door without taking my gaze off the street, that feeling of eyes watching me never leaving. Well played, but I know you’re out there... whatever you are. I’m onto you. <><><><><><><><><><><> Twilight’s house was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It alleviated any doubts I had about it just being a home made to look like a tree. More or less, it would take some time to get used to the idea of actually living in a tree. Despite being a wonder in itself, it was quite a simple design inside. There was a large central room where the library was located and that branched out towards a kitchen, and a staircase that led to the bathroom and Twilight’s room. “So, where’s my room?” I asked as we descended the stairs back into the main room, Twilight only a few steps behind. “It’s the door next to the kitchen entrance,” Twilight pointed with a hoof once we reached the bottom of the staircase. I followed her hoof and saw the door; it was just a simple wooden door with nothing terribly remarkable about it. “Oh, I thought that was a closet.” “Most ponies do,” Twilight smiled and slightly rolled her eyes before walking off to the door. “The basement is actually the same size as the ground floor.” She said just as I followed her to the entrance to the aforementioned room. “I guess I could’ve shown you your room first before giving a tour, huh?” Twilight nervously laughed. “I don’t mind.” I shrugged casually as I approached Twilight who’d grabbed the door with her magic, but waited for me to finish before opening it. “I wanted to say thanks for taking me in, I really appreciate it.” I gave her my best smile, genuinely thankful for everything she’d done. “I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant at first,” Twilight started as she let go of the door with her magic and turned to face me. “But, after thinking about it some... this is too big of an opportunity to pass up! There is so much to learn from each other!” Twilight beamed, quite literally standing on the tips of her hooves and leaning towards me. After a moment of her silent, massive grin, I leaned back ever so slightly at the close proximity by the ecstatic mare. “Yeah,” I sheepishly smiled. “It’s the chance of a lifetime.” I said as Twilight regained her composure but held her smile. “Well, let’s see what the princesses did to my basem—I mean, your room,” Twilight corrected herself as her magic enveloped the handle once more. Just as the basement door began to open... A loud knocking emanated from the front door. “Was that you?” Twilight stopped and turned to ask me. “Of course it wasn’t me.” I replied with a raised eyebrow. We both turned our attention to the front door. Another series of knocks rang through the air, more rapid and forceful than last time. “It’s probably just my friends seeing if I’m back yet,” Twilight shrugged and began to walk over to the door that was being made somebody’s punching bag. Just as she grabbed the door, it did the last thing I’d have expected. The door literally exploded into confetti. After a brief moment covering my eyes from the colorful papers, I looked up to see the door broken into splinters, and a pink pony standing on top of Twilight effectively pinning her to the floor. The intruder was the brightest pink I’d ever seen, which was reflected by her mane and tail, both of which were puffed beyond what seemed possible. After Twilight shook her head to dispel the shock of the explosion and being pinned to the floor, the pink pony glared down and screamed something that would have been confusing if she wasn’t a little terrifying. “Twilight! You broke a Pinkie Promise!”
Chapter Seven”Twilight! You broke a Pinkie Promise!” In all my years of life… of daydreams, musings, wild thoughts, and dreams of fantasy worlds beyond most people’s imaginations… I never thought I would be in a tree-house, while my purple unicorn friend was being pinned to the floor by some lunatic, pink pony. But there I was, watching this crazed mare with poofy hair who literally blew a wooden door into confetti, and I could only watch, dumbstruck. Twilight seemed to have finally shaken off her shock, and quickly stared daggers at the pink pony on top of her. “What are you doing!? Get off me!” Twilight growled to the intruder, whom had yet to notice me staring from across the room. The pink pony was glaring daggers back at Twilight, not showing any signs of getting off of her. There was a certain look in those blue eyes that disturbed me. I had the feeling she was going to hurt Twilight. And something in me snapped. “Get off Twilight now!” I shouted before even realizing what I’d planned. The pink intruder only had enough time to flick her ears in my direction before I charged. With as much strength as I could muster in my new body, I ran up and shoved the strange pony away, turning to my side so as to not impale the intruder with my horn. “Edward! What’re you doing?” Twilight asked from behind me as the pink pony got her bearings on the other side of the room. I stood between Twilight and the intruder in a defensive stance with my head low and ready for anything. “Saving you, of course!” I answered with a quick backwards glance to Twilight. She had a mix of emotions on her face I couldn’t decipher. “Hey! What’s the big idea?” The pink pony yelled at me. She was standing now and got closer to me and Twilight, only a few meters away. She looked very displeased at my actions. “Who are you? What’re you do—“ I questioned the strange mare, only to be interrupted by a hoof on my shoulder from behind. I looked to see Twilight standing there, giving me the silent look that she would handle it. “It’s alright, Edward.” Twilight smiled to me and stepped in front of me. I relaxed my stance and silently watched the situation with great curiosity. “This is my friend, Pinkie Pie.” She pointed a hoof at the pink mare, who looked almost as perplexed as I was. Sure doesn’t act like a friend… I thought bitterly with a glance at where the front door once was. “Sorry about that, Pinkie…” Twilight apologized. “But what are you doing here? It’s late.” “Well…” Pinkie Pie paused to take in a large breath of air in a rather exaggerated fashion. “You broke your Pinkie Promise yesterday and Rainbow Dash said you left town, so I stalked the train station waiting for you to get back. I was going to get you then, but I saw you had this guy with you,” She pointed a hoof at me. “When I saw him I thought, ‘who’s that? Is he a friend? I don’t remember Twilight having any other friends except—“ “Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted. One of her hooves was rubbing her temples. “Can you skip to the part where you destroyed my door for the seventh time this year?” She asked, clearly not amused. “Oh. I was following you two to see where you went or if he tried anything funny,” Pinkie paused to give me a short glare, to which I meagerly smiled, uncomfortable. “My cover was blown when he saw me so I left the mission and went to tell the other girls you were back so you could explain why you broke your Pinkie Promise to be at the Wonderbolts show with Rainbow Dash!” She finished, lightly panting for breath as she explained her long-winded reason for doing everything. “Ha! I knew there was somebody following us!” I proudly exclaimed, before blushing and quieting myself as Twilight and Pinkie Pie began to stare at me. “Anyways,” Twilight began, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “Yes, Pinkie… I broke the promise. But, I had a good reason.” Pinkie Pie silently reached into her abnormally-poofy mane and pulled out—of all things— a notebook, pencil, and a wooden pipe. “Go on,” she motioned for Twilight to continue. “Wait, didn’t Rainbow Dash tell you why I left?” Twilight questioned. ’Rainbow Dash’? What kind of name is that? I silently mused. “No, she just said that you couldn’t make it and broke the promise,” Pinkie answered, glaring at Twilight while simultaneously writing without looking. “One of these days, Rainbow…” Twilight grumbled as she brought a hoof up to her forehead and rubbed in frustration. “Look, Princess Celestia summoned me to Canterlot for something of utmost importance,” she finished with a nod at me. Pinkie Pie wrote down everything Twilight said, giving me scrutinizing glances every few seconds. “I see,” Pinkie tapped the pencil on her chin in thought for a few moments before continuing. “Why is he important, who is he, and why is he here? Does it have to do with his blank flank?” She pointed to my side, where my cutie mark would be, if I had one. “Sort of...” Twilight started to explain. “You see, he’s—“ "Gee, Twi. You fix'n to put up a new door or something?" A heavily accented voice interrupted. I looked over to the doorway and saw two more ponies walking in. The first was an orange-tan color with a blonde mane and tail bound together with ties. An old-fashioned western hat was on her head. Her emerald eyes stared at me and blinked as she took in the situation. Behind her was another mare with a yellow coat. Her mane and tail were long, but very well kept. They were a pink almost matching that of Pinkie Pie. Lastly, I noticed a pair of wings at her sides which were tucked tightly against her body. The orange earth mare with the cowboy hat seemed pretty neutral, while the yellow pegasus looked terrified and even hid behind her mane and the orange mare, using each like a shield. “Oh! Hey, Applejack.” Twilight greeted the orange and yellow mares. “What are you two doing here?” “Pinkie came an’ got us all in a hurry, sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout y’all bein’ back,” the one known as Applejack informed. She and the yellow pegasus behind her came further into the room, stopping in between Pinkie and Twilight. “Who’s this fella?” She casually asked Twilight, giving me a polite smile. In this time Pinkie Pie had stopped writing in her notebook and silently watched me with a piercing glare. “This is Edward, he’s going to be staying here for a while,” Twilight informed. “Well Ah’ll be...” Applejack turned to me and took a few steps forward, leaving the cowering pegasus to hide behind Pinkie Pie. “Don’t mind her none, she just gets a lil’ shy ‘round new folks, ‘specially stallions. Pleased to meet ya, name’s Applejack.” She held out a hoof in front of me. I blinked and looked between Applejack, her hoof, and Twilight, unsure of what to do. Hoping my intuition was right, I extended a hoof and awkwardly shook hers. I had my hoof shaken incredibly hard and I could’ve sworn this crazy pony was trying to dismember me, though I tried to hold my smile as the limb-breaking shake finished. I was going to say a greeting, but was understandably distracted. “He’s not much of a talker, is he?” Applejack chuckled to Twilight and took a step back. “This is all pretty new to him, I’m sure he’ll open up more after a day or two,” Twilight hit the nail right on the head with that one. Were I a human and back on Earth, I’d be a little more social, but this place was—quite literally—a whole other world. “Makes sense Ah suppose.” Applejack shrugged to herself. Pinkie had been watching me like a hawk and was back to writing in her notebook. “What’s her name?” I asked with my head craned to get a better look at the yellow pegasus hiding behind Pinkie Pie. I took a few steps forward and planned to greet her the same way Applejack had done for me. “That’s Fluttershy, and as I’m sure you figured out, she’s a bit uncomfortable meeting new ponies,” Twilight explained from behind me. Every time I tried to look around Pinkie, Fluttershy skirted around the other side. “Don’t be a meany rude-pants, Fluttershy!” Pinkie chided and jumped to her hooves, leaving Fluttershy without a body to hide behind. I barely saw her turquoise eyes before she buried her head in her hooves. “It’s alright, Fluttershy, I won’t let him hurt you,” Pinkie soothed and patted the shaking mare’s back... whilst giving me a glare sending the message perfectly clear to not try anything. Fluttershy peeked at me just enough to see what I was doing I slowly extended my hoof toward the cowering pegasus and waited for her to return the greeting. Fluttershy hesitantly released a shaking foreleg and brought it up towards my own. Just as her hoof made contact with mine, it withdrew faster than I thought possible. “Hi—I'm—Fluttershy—nice—to—meet—you!” The timid mare squeaked out in rapid succession. Fluttershy was still shaking like an improperly balanced washing machine. I took a step back and Pinkie came back over to calm the poor pegasus. I shrugged it off and returned to the other side of the room by Twilight and Applejack. The library was silent for a few tense moments as nobody was quite sure what to say. “So back to why we‘re here...” Applejack broke the silence. She gave me a cursory glance before looking back to Twilight. “What’s Edward here for? An’ why’s it Ah had Pinkie here wake me up in the middle of the night an’ get Fluttershy?” Applejack’s tone was a mix of tiredness and some definite frustration. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I know you like to be asleep by now.” Twilight stopped herself and thought for a moment. “Why aren’t Rarity or Rainbow Dash here?” She looked between Pinkie—who had been comforting Fluttershy—and Applejack. “Rarity was busy with Spike ‘n Sweetie Belle an’ said she might not make it tonight,” Applejack replied. “Ah’m not sure about Rainbow, she—” “Rainbow Dash was sleeping when I went by her house and said she was tired!” Pinkie interrupted Applejack, who gave the pink pony an unamused look. “Like Ah was sayin’, she might not make it.” Applejack continued. She gave me a look that seemed like she was trying to figure me out. “So, ‘bout this Edward fella, Ah was wonderin’—” “Let me stop you right there, Applejack,” Twilight quickly cut her off. She closed her eyes and held a hoof out in what seemed restrained frustration. “Look, it is very late, I am very hungry and I think this can all wait till tomorrow.” “Aww, but I really wanted to know!” Pinkie Pie whined and ran up to Twilight with pleading eyes. “Please—” “Come on, Pinkie,” Applejack rolled her eyes and grabbed the pink pony’s tail in her mouth and gently dragged her back. “Twilight’s right, this can wait ‘til the mornin’.” “But....but I—it’s my job to get to know new ponies right away!” Pinkie tried to crawl her way over but was held steady by her tail still being held in Applejack's mouth. That must take a lot of strength to hold Pinkie Pie down... but that doesn’t seem very sanitary, holding her tail like that. I thought to myself as I watched the situation unfold. I decided to finally open my mouth instead of standing around like a cardboard cutout. “Don’t worry, Pinkie Pie, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.” I gave her my best smile. In all honesty, I was only saying that so she’d calm down. I didn’t want her exploding my door trying to see me. Fluttershy had seemed to calm down and decided now was a good time to speak up. “Um, I agree with Twilight. It’s late and my animals will wonder where I am.” She had a very light, barely-audible voice. Fluttershy still wouldn’t make eye contact with me though. “Fine...” Pinkie sighed and flopped on the floor. She looked back to Applejack. “You can let go of me now, AJ.” “Y’all promise to behave yourself?” The cowpony asked, receiving a quick nod from the pink mare. Applejack released Pinkie’s tail and adjusted her hat. She slowly blinked and yawned, covering her mouth with a foreleg. “Anywho, Ah’m headin’ back to the farm. It’s mighty late. We’ll all catch up tomorrow, deal?” “Very well then,” Twilight cleared her throat. “We can meet tomorrow at our usual restaurant for lunch, and I’ll explain everything. “Oh—oh—oh! Can I get there early and bring sweets from Sugarcube Corner!?” Pinkie was literally bouncing beyond what seemed possible. “Sure, why not.” Twilight rolled her eyes in obvious frustration. “Can one of you tell Rainbow Dash and Rarity the plan for tomorrow on your way home?” She looked between her friends, waiting for a response. “I guess I can fly up and tell Rainbow before going home...” Fluttershy whispered and continued to hide most of her face behind her mane. I really wondered how shy she really was, or if she’d ever open up. “An’ Ah’ll head by Rarity’s on mah way to the farm, let her know what’s up,” Applejack tipped her hat and smiled behind her tired eyes. “Come on girls, let’s leave Edward and Twilight alone, Ah’m sure they’re tired too.” Fluttershy simply nodded and was the first to leave. She made her way to the door, looking back and forth between me and Twilight for a moment before slipping outside and away from my view. “Was nice meetin’ ya, Edward. Twilight,” Applejack tipped her hat and made for the door. “Come on, Pinkie, let’s go.” She called out over her shoulder, pausing to ensure the pink pony was in fact following. Pinkie Pie followed a few steps behind Applejack. As soon as the cowpony was outside however, Pinkie turned back to us and was instantly in Twilight’s face. “Don’t think I forget about the Pinkie Promise, Twilight...” She glared. “I’ve got my eye on you... and you too mister!” She moved her face over to mine, annoyingly close. She didn’t even blink as she walked backwards out of the library, and disappeared into the night. I blinked and let my racing heart calm down before I dared move. “You certainly have some... interesting companions there, Twilight.” I turned to her with a raised eyebrow.. “Just wait until you meet Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike.” She gave me a slight smirk before walking over to the wreckage that used to be her front door. “What are they like?” I asked after a moment to play the names over in my mind a few times. “You’ll see tomorrow when we meet them for lunch,” Twilight replied, thoughtfully looking over the mass of splinters and confetti littered around. “What are you doing?” I asked, walking over to see what was so interesting. “Oh? You’ll see...” She motioned for me to back up. I did as she instructed and gave her a quizzical look and a shrug, waiting for something to happen. Twilight smiled and lit her horn. In seconds, all the pieces of wood and confetti floated between us, each in its own magical cocoon. All the splinters and confetti met in a single point, and in a blinding flash... there in front of me was a door. “That was amazing!” I exclaimed as Twilight slid the door back on its hinges. “Oh, it was nothing,” She paused to give the door a final inspecting glance. “... just a little something I learned early on living here, especially useful with Pinkie around.” Twilight turned and gave me a slight smile. I opened my mouth to say something, but she spoke up before I could get my voice out. “Come on, lets see what the princesses did to my basement—I mean, your room.” <><><><><><><><><><> “Wow, the princesses certainly spared no expense in making you comfortable.” Twilight was in awe as she prodded the soft covers of my bed. The covers were a bright, royal red with gold designs stitched across the surface. I was laying on top of the covers on my back, reveling in the comfort of the luxurious furniture. The bed wasn’t the only thing I had. Around the part of the basement I considered my room was a simple dresser, a nightstand, a fine desk stocked with everything I would ever need, and Twilight even noted a new bookcase. “Remind me to thank the princesses next time I see them...” I contently moaned. “This bed is huge! Two of me could easily fit in it!” “I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous,” Twilight said. I sat up and looked to her. “This is better than my bed even...” she rubbed the top of the bedspread and sat on the very edge, looking down to her hooves with an expression I couldn’t quite read, but something seemed off. “Twilight?” I asked to get her attention from across the bed. “Is everything alright?” “What? Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just... Do you ever get the feeling that...” she stopped and bit her lip in thought. “Nevermind, I’m just tired and probably over-thinking things,” Twilight slid off the bed and let out a short yawn. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but I figured it could wait until the morning. “You heading off to bed then?” I asked with a nod to the stairs leading to the main room. “I was going to grab something quick to eat first.” Twilight replied. “Did you want anything?” “No thanks.” I shook my head “I’m just gonna lie down and think... maybe try picking up a quill or something light with magic.” Twilight stiffened up and stood straight up as if something bit her from behind. Her eyes darted around the room in a blur, likely taking stock of anything and everything I might accidentally destroy. “Well... alright,” Twilight bit her lip. “Just be careful, and remember to pace yourself.” “Will do.” I gave her my best smile. Twilight turned to leave, hesitated, then finally turned toward the stairs. “Well, goodnight, Edward.” “Just ‘Ed' is fine, thanks.” Twilight gave me a tired smile and a nod. With a final look, she ascended the last few stairs and closed the basement door behind her. I looked around the basement a few times as the silence set in. With one last look at the door at the top of the stairs, I turned and jumped into my bed. I was finally alone, and it felt terrific. Sure, I may have had that whole hospital room to myself, but I had doctors and other ponies coming and going all the time, not to mention an uncomfortable atmosphere. But here? Here I had some privacy, someplace to call my own. Someplace to call home while I wasn’t really home. And last but not least, the most comfortable, relaxing bed I’d ever been in. I squirmed my way under the covers, stretching and retracting my limbs out of both comfort, and stretching muscles I wasn’t used to. I felt many pops and groans in my legs, and each one felt like a small massage. I turned over and spied a stack of parchment on my desk nearby. With the small bit of confidence I had left for that day, I fed energy into my horn. I remembered Twilight’s advice, keeping my eyes open and focused on my objective. I kept my breathing steady and reached out to the paper. The paper was slowly enveloped in my magical aura, and despite my best efforts... it wouldn’t budge. With a frustrated huff, I got out of bed and decided to blow out the numerous candles spread around the basement. It was then I started to wonder if the candles themselves were magical, considering how much light each one put out. I blew out each small flame around the room, leaving the one on my nightstand lit. I briefly considered trying to light a candle the same way Twilight did with her magic, but quickly dismissed in on account of not wanting to burn my host’s home, and business to the ground. I made my way back into my bed and quickly found a comfortable position on my back. I looked up to the ceiling, wondering how Twilight must feel having an almost complete stranger in her home. My encounter with Twilight’s friends was playing over in my mind. The ones I already met left a real impression, to say the least. I have to admit, I was almost eager to meet this ‘Rainbow Dash’ and ‘Rarity’. I played the name ‘Spike’ over in my mind, but it didn’t seem like much of a pony name to me. “Then again, all the ponies here have weird names. Heh, shows what I know.” I weakly chuckled to myself before turning on my side and blowing out the final candle. The room quickly grew dark and as I closed my eyes I wished for a night of rest that didn’t end in a nightmare. Boy was I wrong.
Chapter EightI was swimming in a sea of hellish fear, and quickly losing the battle between my quickly diminishing stamina and the endless power of nature. Through my blurred vision of tears and seawater, I thought I saw something through the flashes of lightning. Another flash and I saw a faint silhouette in the distance, it was something looming just enough over the horizon for me to see a lightning bolt not quite hit the water. With my mind numb from exhaustion and heart-wrenching terror, I lazily paddled to the only thing not comprised of violent waves. Another large flash of lightning, closer this time, illuminated the large object. It was land. With the first refuge in what seemed days of tiring, painful swimming I felt energized and hopeful as I paddled with renewed vigor. I wasn't sure if it was inhospitable or not, but I didn't care as long as it wasn't water. I was so close; I saw the shape of a tree in the distance as nature’s fury pounded the sea with electricity. The edge of the island slowly came closer and closer, I was almost near enough to stand on the sea bottom. I felt a familiar, yet stronger presence push me under the water as a wave submerged my tired body. I didn’t have time to hold my breath as I went under the surface, and something wracked my leg with pain indescribable beneath the ocean. It seemed every morning would start the same way back then. I would wake up in a heavy sweat with my heart pounding away as I looked at my surroundings, trying to remember where I was. It frustrated me to no end how I couldn’t remember much after ending up in the ocean. It was maddening. Like trying to find something on a shelf or in a case that simply wasn’t there, yet I kept going back and trying to find it. It was useless lying there, lost in my thoughts when they alone wouldn’t solve anything. With a sigh, I rolled out of bed and tackle the day. My first day in Ponyville. My body cracked and popped like bubble-wrap as I stretched my limbs. With a yawn, I made my way up the basement stairs and made my way into the main room. “Good morning, Edward!” The cheery voice of Twilight Sparkle greeted me. I noticed her reading over at a table on the main floor as I exited the basement. The book floated in front of her in a magical aura. What caught my eye was the odd symbols on the cover of the book, but dismissed it as their odd language. “Morning to you too,” I yawned back to her, flashing a tired smile. I thought something looked different about Twilight, but shrugged it off as likely being tired. I glanced out a nearby window and noted how bright it was, which made me curious. “Hey Twilight, what time is it?” I asked, looking around for a clock. Finding none, I looked back to her. “Well...” Twilight closed her book and trotted to the same window I looked out. She barely had to look to know. “It’s already almost noon, actually.” I missed breakfast... great. “Wait...” I looked down to the floor as the previous night’s events played themselves over, until I remembered what was nagging me. “Aren’t we meeting your friends for lunch?” “Yes.” Twilight went back over to her table and floated the book she was reading back to a nearby bookcase. “We’re meeting the girls for lunch, and you’ll meet Rainbow Dash and Rarity too. Spike might also be there.” “Then why didn’t you wake me up earlier if we’re leaving soon?” I asked, perplexed as Twilight made sure the book she shelved was set ever so perfectly. “Well, you see...” Twilight bit her lip in thought before continuing. “I thought you could use a bit of extra rest.” She looked down for a moment, not meeting my curious gaze across the room. “What for? You seemed more tired than I did last night.” I noted, remembering Twilight’s stressed mood before she went to sleep. “Actually, I opened your door this morning to get you up for breakfast, but you were tossing and turning in your bed a lot,” Twilight looked to me, genuine concern in her violet eyes. “You were sweating and even talking in your sleep, but I couldn’t make any of it out. Edward, were you having nightmares last night?” I felt my ears flatten slightly as I recalled the unpleasant memories. I lightly bit my lip, trying to push the terrifying visions back. “Yeah, Twilight, I’ve actually been having them since I came here...” I sighed, examining one of my hooves. It’d been a few days, but they still felt strange. “Nightmares? What about?” Twilight took a step towards me, her expression stuck between curious and caring. I met her eyes but all I saw was the memory of the lightning flashes. I squinted and looked off to the side. “I don’t want to talk about it, not yet anyways...” I shuffled on my hooves awkwardly. “I’ll tell you about it later, promise.” I gave her a weak smile, hoping she’d take the hint I didn’t want to share those memories quite yet. Twilight looked me up and down for a few moments, making me wonder what was on her mind. “Alright, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable after all.” She smiled to me. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” I said almost on reflex. I opened my mouth to say something, but was promptly interrupted by my empty stomach choosing that moment to make itself known. “Heh, I think it’s time we get going to that restaurant.” I turned to the front door and took a few steps before I felt something tug me from behind. I looked around me to see my tail enveloped in Twilight’s magic, which faded as I gave her a questioning glare. “Sorry, Edward, but you need to clean up before we go out.” Twilight nodded to the stairs leading to the upper part of the treehouse. “There’s a shower in the bathroom up there. I suggest you take one before we leave.” I was going to voice my opposition to further delays for food, but I stopped to think about how long it had been since I bathed. The hospital had a restroom for me during my stay, but was never given the luxury of cleaning myself, or even a mirror for that matter. My mane and tail were likely a poofy, terrible mess compared to its normal semi-curly state. “That’s probably a good idea.” I nodded and broke into a quick step as I made it to the stairs. I made it a couple steps up before turning back to Twilight, who’d started writing in a notebook. “Twilight? How exactly do showers work here in Equestria?” Twilight looked at me like I’d just sprouted a second head. “There’s two knobs...” Twilight slowly answered, taking care with each syllable. “One for cold water and one for—” “I got it.” I interrupted just loud enough to be heard. “Sorry, I just thought... nevermind.” I could feel my face redden in embarrassment. I was honestly expecting something to do with magic. “Right...” Twilight gave me an odd look. “There are towels already in there for you. I’m sure the girls won’t mind if we’re a few minutes late, but you better get going.” She motioned with her hoof. “Alright, I’ll be down as soon as I—” “Wait.” Twilight stopped me mid-step on the stairs. I looked down to her with silent bewilderment. “Why did you shove Pinkie Pie off me last night?” She slightly cocked her head to the side. I looked down for a moment, pondering my actions last evening. “Well, she broke your door down and barged in,” I started to recall. “I thought she was going to hurt you, so I pushed her off you.” I answered to her at the bottom of the stairs. “I appreciate the thought, but...” Twilight stopped to find her words. “Just be careful of your horn. It’d be too easy to accidently hurt somepony since you’re not used to it.” She told me with a serious face. “Don’t worry, I’d rather not put somebody in the hospital when I’m supposed to be laying low.” “Good.” Twilight nodded, seeming to be satisfied with my answer. “Now go on and get showered, we have lunch soon.” <><><><><><><><><><> I walked through Ponyville with a smile and a bounce in my step Having bathed and gotten my mane and tail all sorted out, I was ready for the day. Twilight was quiet for the most part as she led me to whatever restaurant it was we were headed. The town was rather lively with ponies of all sorts going this way and that. The majority seemed to be earth ponies, but I wasn’t so sure. Every minute or so one of them would wave to the both of us, no doubt wondering who the new stallion in town was, where he was headed with Twilight Sparkle, why I didn’t have a Cutie Mark... and kept looking down at my own hooves. Overall, I guess there were quite a few reasons for ponies to stare. At least they were polite about it. “How are you feeling?” Twilight asked, breaking the silence. “Pretty great actually.” I gave her a smile out of the corner of my eye. “So, what are Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike all like? I’d like to know what to expect this time.” “I’m not sure if Spike will be there or not, he usually stays behind when the girls and I go out.” ’He?’ “Is Spike like, your brother or something?” I turned to her, wondering if this was who she mentioned back when we first met in Canterlot. Twilight stopped and pondered my question for a few moments. “I suppose you could say that. He was my assistant at first, but I guess he became a little brother to me.” She shrugged before resuming her walk. “Come on, we’re already late.” I went back to my spot at her side, only a step or two behind. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt incredibly nervous walking with Twilight to meet her other friends. I wondered what they would think of me, if they weren’t as open minded as she was and would label me some sort of freak. Or if they wouldn’t believe her... or Pinkie was still mad over, whatever. “How much longer till we get there?” I asked as we neared a sort of intersection separating what seemed like the market district from the rest of the town. “The restaurant is right on the other side of this corner,” Twilight pointed a hoof off to the street on the right. I nodded and we continued on. “So, you’re really going to tell them everything about me?” I asked, trying to hide my unease. “Yes. I promised I would, and they’d figure it out eventually anyways.” She answered quickly as we rounded a corner. “Well, can you really trust them though? Princess Celestia said to be careful who you told.” “Of course I can. They’re my best friends,” Twilight proudly proclaimed with a smile that I caught the tail-end of. “I trust them with my life. Try not to worry about it.” She finished with a reassuring smile directed at me. I gave a short smile in return, noticing the street we were on seemed to stop up ahead, likely our destination. “So, what do you think they’ll all think of me?” I asked. “I’m not entirely sure...” Twilight thoughtfully hummed to herself before giving me a sidelong glance. “You seem like a nice enough pony, so they should like you. I haven’t seen any reason for them not to yet.” “Except I’m not a pony,” I countered. “Well, not really.” “Semantics.” She waved a hoof at me. I lightly rolled my eyes and looked back to where I was going. In the distance I saw a building with green awnings spreading out from the sides. I could just make out a rapidly-moving pink pony under a table that had a parasol matching the awnings. There were other ponies there as well, from what I could tell at that distance. “I’m guessing that’s the place?” I nodded to the establishment we were walking towards. “Yep. Looks like your extended shower made us the last ones here,” Twilight gave me an odd look. I wasn’t sure if she was joking with me, or genuinely annoyed to be the last one. “Heh, sorry.” I sheepishly grinned. “It’s alright. Come on, let’s go,” Twilight said as she increased her pace. I tried to keep up with her, but the slight increase in our pace was a bit much for my new pony body to handle, though I managed, but just barely.I was still nervous as we approached the restaurant patio across the street. I could make out the other ponies as we approached. I recognized the mares from last night; Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. Pinkie was still wildly waving her foreleg at us as we drew nearer. I had my attention briefly drawn to two I didn’t recognize, a white-coated unicorn mare with a styled indigo mane, and another mare with a blue and—of all things—a rainbow mane. The two new ponies exchanged odd glances as we approached. Pinkie Pie excitedly jumped up and down in her seat. “Twilight! Twilight!” The bouncing, pink pony exclaimed as we got close enough. “You made it! We were worried because you were late and thought something terrible must’ve happened to you!” She shot out almost too fast to hear. “Heh, sorry everypony.” Twilight apologized. I noticed there were only five seats, so we both remained standing. “Anyways, thank you all for coming, I—” “What’s with the guy?” The blue, rainbow-maned mare interrupted and pointed a hoof at me from the other side of the table. Applejack scowled at the blue mare seated next to her and lightly smacked her upside the head. “What did Ah say ‘bout not interrupting Twilight, Rainbow?” Applejack said, an unamused frown was on her face. The one I properly assumed to be Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and motioned she’d be quiet. “Sorry ‘bout that Twi, Ah guess some of us were a bit excited and couldn’t hold it.” “It’s alright. Like I was saying... I’m not sure what the others may have told you two yet, but this is Edward,” Twilight glanced over to me. Rainbow Dash and the mare I supposed to be ‘Rarity’ exchanged glances once again, likely my name sounding strange, again. Applejack simply watched and Fluttershy had her face partially hidden behind her mane. “Well, Edward, it’s very nice to meet another friend of Twilight’s.” The white mare stood and stepped forward, extending a hoof to me. “My name is Rarity, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She greeted and I shook her hoof in return. She gave me a big smile before slightly leaning her head off to the side. I couldn’t see what she was looking at. “Put’er there!” Rainbow Dash bolted in front of me and shot a hoof in my face. As I shook her hoof too, I noticed wings at her side. And that her tail was rainbow-dyed as well. She must’ve noticed me glancing. “Before you ask, yes, it’s my natural color.” she said as I dropped her hoof. I guess she was used to being asked that. There was a bit of an awkward silence as Rainbow returned to her seat, and Rarity slowly circled me, before returning to her seat as well, leaving Twilight and I standing. “Well, now that everypony’s been introduced...” Twilight used her magic to pull two more chairs from unoccupied tables and set them down. “Let’s order something to eat while we talk,” She said as we both took our seats. I rested my forehooves on the table. “Gee, I thought the stallion was supposed to get the seat for the mare,” Rainbow Dash snickered out before burying her face in her hooves to contain herself. I couldn’t help but feel my face flush as Applejack once more smacked Rainbow, and the other ponies gave me an expectant look, waiting for a reply. “But we’re not together.” I corrected. “It’s alright,” Twilight tapped me on my shoulder. “Rainbow just likes to joke around a lot.” “Aww, it’s alright Dashie,” Pinkie Pie spoke up. “We can go pranking later.” She finished with a grin that seemed to defy physical limits. Rarity cleared her throat to speak. “We took the liberty of ordering some drinks and sandwiches shortly before your arrival.” Rarity chirped. The thought of a sandwich was momentarily glorious, until I remembered it would likely be a salad on bread. I sighed internally and looked over to Fluttershy, who had yet to say a word. “Thank you, Rarity.” Twilight said. “So, while we’re uh waitin’ for the food, why don’t we discuss what’s really goin’ on here?” Applejack suggested, while Rainbow and Pinkie whispered back and forth between each other. “Yes, let’s,” Rarity nodded in agreement. Everypony, even Fluttershy now looked expectantly between myself and Twilight. I decided to take the initiative on this one. “I’m sure you may have guessed by now, but, I’m going to be living with Twilight for a while.” I said, eliciting a mob of confused looks. “He’s right,” Twilight spoke up. “Now before you all start assuming things, this comes down from Princess Celestia herself.” “So he’s why you couldn’t make the Wonderbolt’s show?” Rainbow asked, giving me an uncertain look. “What’s a ‘Wonderbolt’?” I asked without thinking, falling back to my old habit. All the mares—bar Twilight—looked at me as if I were, well... an alien. Rainbow Dash gave me the strangest look of all. “How do you not know who The Wonderbolts are!?” Rainbow asked loudly. “Like, everypony everywhere knows who they are!” She was leaning over the table at me. “Ah think what he’s tryin’ to say—” Applejack nudged Rainbow with her foreleg back into her seat. “—is that he’s not exactly from ‘round here. Are ya, Edward?” “No. Not quite.” I replied. I felt especially nervous when I could tell my ‘big reveal’ was happening soon. “I’m a real foreigner. I’m not familiar with Equestria at all, to put it bluntly.” I looked over to Twilight, who simply nodded me on, letting me handle it. Rarity cleared her throat to speak. “I thought something was a bit amiss with you darling,” She said. “I noticed you don’t have your Cutie Mark yet. Quite bizarre for a stallion of your age.” “Oh my gosh!” Pinkie Pie vaulted out of her seat and came over to me, looking at my flank with a magnifying glass, which was a bit uncomfortable having her essentially examining my butt. Where she got the magnifying glass is still a mystery to me. “You’re totally right! He doesn’t have one yet!” She exclaimed before Twilight quietly shooed her away. Pinkie ended up bouncing back to her seat across the table. “But, Ah thought everypony got their Cutie Marks when they were little?” Applejack scratched her mane, obviously confused. “Just who is this pony, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked without skipping a beat. The other mares nodded with her, all eagerly awaiting an answer. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. “Well, he’s... He’s not. Edward is...” Twilight struggled to find her words. I watched her fidget with her hooves for a few silent moments. I sighed to myself and figured I’d take over for Twilight. I took in a long breath and steeled myself. “Well, I’m not exactly a pony, heh...” I managed to get out before I felt my throat close off. Everypony around the table exchanged odd glances, silently befuddled. Surprisingly, it was Fluttershy who spoke up, though I struggled to make it out. “Is he... is he a changeling?” Fluttershy meekly asked. “A what?” I asked. “He’s a changeling in disguise!” Rainbow flared her wings and gave me an evil look. “Rainbow Dash! Be quiet” Twilight nervously looked around for any patrons who might’ve overheard. “He’s not a—” “He’s a spy!” Rainbow ignored her and jumped across the table at me. She knocked me back onto the ground, knocking all the air out of me. She had me pinned down, I couldn’t move. Rainbow flared her nostrils and pumped her wings, readying to hurt me in some way. ”Rainbow Dash!” Twilight Sparkle yelled. Rainbow was quickly surrounded by a magical field and ripped off of me. I got my breath and sat up to see Twilight reprimanding a floating Rainbow Dash, still frozen in her magic. “What did we tell you about attacking ponies you think are strange!?” Twilight glared at Rainbow, who struggled to get away, but quickly gave up. “She does have a point, dear.” Rarity spoke up. “Just last week you kidnapped Hoity Toity when he came into town.” “And Derpy too...” Fluttershy added. Rainbow crossed her forelegs in frustration and gave me an odd look as I brushed myself off. “But he himself said he’s not a pony!” She pointed a blue foreleg at me. “Yes he did, but you overreacted before we could explain,” Twilight shot back. “Do I need to keep holding you like this or can I trust you to sit down and listen?” She asked, reminding me of a mother scolding her child. “Fine...” Rainbow Dash huffed and folded her wings. Twilight seemed satisfied enough by her answer, and promptly released her. Rainbow didn’t even bother to look at me as we both got back to our seats. She remained quiet, but still gave me dirty looks. “Y’all ok?” Applejack asked. “Yeah, I’ll survive.” I shrugged, glad that Rainbow hadn’t beaten me into a pile of hamburger. “Before you were so rudely interrupted...” Rarity paused to give Rainbow a disapproving look. “You were going to tell us exactly who or what you are?” “Well, for starters...” I stopped to think of how I was gonna break it. I figured I’d get the biggest bits out first to get it over with. “I’m not exactly from Equestria, or even this planet.” I sounded sheepish as the words left my mouth. What happened next was just about the last thing I expected. Pinkie Pie burst into laughter. “That is so funny!” She was snickering and pounding on the table with her hooves. “Gee Twilight, you bagged a real comedian here!” Pinkie continued to laugh. I looked over to Twilight, who had deadpanned and remained silent, letting Pinkie get it all out. The others exchanged various looks of confusion and general awkwardness. “Wait, he was joking, right?” Pinkie asked after quieting down. “I mean, then he’d be some sort of weirdo alien from outer space!” Twilight was unamused and simply stared at Pinkie with an irritated expression. She drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out to calm herself. “I know this sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.” She explained. “Princess Celestia wouldn’t lie to me about something like this.” “Twilight, dear... is that really true?” Rarity asked. “Edward is not of this planet?” She looked at me with a mixture of emotions. Applejack simply watched while Fluttershy seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. “Precisely,” Twilight nodded. “He’s—” “This is crazy!” Rainbow half laughed, half stated. “There’s no such thing as ‘aliens’, everypony. They’re all sci-fi and made up!” I smiled shyly and released the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I felt like they wouldn’t believe me if i didn’t say anything. I dug deep for a little bit of extra courage, and was ready. “Heh, I may just surprise you...”
Chapter Nine"What's there to be surprised about?" Rainbow Dash flew up to me, looking at me with a critical gaze. "You seem just like your average unicorn Joe to me," she declared blandly. "Sure you may not have a Cutie Mark yet, but no matter how I look at you, you’re an average pony." There was something about her tone and word choice that grated on my nerves. However, I bore through it with a forced smile. "I didn't always look like this, only when I came here did I turn into a pony." To my surprise, the quiet yellow mare, Fluttershy spoke up. "If you didn't look like this before, what did you look like?” “Who cares what he might have looked like?” Rainbow blurted before I could even open my mouth to speak. “I’m not buying it.” She crossed her forelegs and glared at me. Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Ain’t that a bit unfair, RD?” “No! He hasn’t done anything to prove anything he said.” Rainbow exclaimed, her wings flaring out as she pointed a forehoof directly at me. “Rainbow, dear… you’re being very rude to him.” Rarity stated, casting the pegasus a small glare. “And to me,” Twilight added. Rainbow gave her friend a confused look before twilight continued with, “By not believing him, you’re saying you don’t believe me either.” Rainbow was taken aback by that. “Well, but… you see,” she stuttered before composing herself. “Look, this could all be a prank. And unless he can prove he’s an ‘alien’, then I can’t believe it.” “Why don’t you trust me?” I asked. Rainbow just rolled her eyes and blew a stray piece of mane out of the way. “Why should I?” “Why shouldn’t you?” I quipped. The pegasus deadpanned at me for a few tense moments. “Just do something that shows you’re not from around here, and we can move on,” she finished by reclining in her seat and setting her forelegs behind her head. Twilight groaned, rubbing her temples. “Is this really necessary?” “Yup,” Rainbow replied stubbornly without pause. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the blue mare’s persistence. “And how exactly am I supposed to do that?” “I dunno, do something only you can do.” She answered cryptically. That got me to thinking, what could I do? Everypony around the table eagerly waited for me to do something, which didn’t help. Applejack and Fluttershy were as silent as ever, content to watch. Pinkie Pie was practically vibrating in her seat, while Twilight and Rarity gave me expectant looks… Rainbow Dash simply shut her eyes out of boredom. I looked around my setting, trying to get ideas. Finally, my eyes settled on the restaurant’s sign, a jumbled mess of lines and other curves that were completely unreadable to me. I let a small smile stretch my lips as it all came together. ’Since I cannot read their language, I bet mine is just as alien to them! Idea!~’ “Does anyone have something to write with and paper?” I asked, looking to everyone in turn. Rainbow Dash opened one of her eyes partway, curious. I saw a small burst of purple light out of the corner of my eye. Twilight levitated a quill and some paper in her magic to me. “Here.” She slid the paper over and set the quill in my hooves. I gave her a nod in thanks and prepared to write. It took a fair bit of coordination to even hold the quill with my hooves. I was about to start writing when I realized Twilight didn’t summon me up an inkwell. I hesitated and turned to her. “It’s a magic quill, never needs ink.” Twilight smiled. My mouth made an ‘O’ shape and I started writing. “Why aren’t ya usin’ magic?” Applejack asked, leaning forward a bit. “I don’t know how.” I replied, looking back down to the paper before I could see their reactions. I won’t lie, going from having hands and fingers to blunt hooves doesn’t make anything easier. It took a great deal of effort, but I was eventually able to get a system down, and had a short sentence written down. Reading over the carefully crafted message, I grinned to myself victoriously. 'Rainbow Dash is an arrogant prick.’ Sitting the quill down, I slid the paper to the center of the table. Rainbow leaned down to the paper, practically pressing her face into it. "What is this?" She asked, leaning back and pointing a forehoof at the words on the page. "Looks like just a bunch of scribbles to me..." “That’s my language written down, it’s called English.” A bit of my smile leaked out, satisfied to have the issue put behind me, and that they couldn’t read it. “Eh… you could be lying and just scribbled a bunch of lines.” Rainbow pushed the paper back over to me. I glared at her pretty hard. “I don’t know, it looked like he knew what he was doing to me,” Rarity offered. “Oh-oh-oh I know!” Pinkie Pie bounced in her seat. I motioned her to continue. “Write your alphabet on there and compare the letters to ours then we can decipher your sentence and prove you right!” Everybody—including me—stared at the pink pony. I shrugged and figured it was my best shot. With the quill back in my hooves, I started writing the alphabet under my previous writing. “Pinkie, how in Equestria did you think of something like that?” Twilight asked the question on all our minds. The pink mare blathered on about her sisters and word games they used to play, I wasn’t totally listening. With a quick double-check of my work I set the quill down by Twilight. “Huh. You have twenty-six letters in your alphabet too. Interesting.” I too thought that was neat. I pointed to one side of the paper. “Here, I’ll start on the left—“ “Why are you starting there?” Twilight asked, perplexed. I gave her an odd look in return. “Uh, because that’s how you read? Left to right.” Everyone looked at me like I spontaneously changed colors. “What, is something wrong with that?” I asked no one in particular. “Sugarcube, we don’t read like that,” Applejack paused for a moment. “We read right t’ left.” That was not what I expected to hear. I inwardly sighed for a moment at the thought of trying to learn their system of writing now. “Well, let’s do it like he’s used to,” Twilight whisked the quill over to herself, hovering it above the paper in her magic. I scooted my seat a little closer to better show her. “Right here, that’s ‘a’.” I pointed to the appropriate letter. She quickly and neatly made an Equestrian letter right below it, not resembling English in any way. “And here is ‘b’… ‘c’… ‘d’,” I continued until the whole alphabet was covered. “Huh. Our alphabet has so many similar-sounding letters. Fascinating.” Twilight remarked. It wasn’t until she mentioned it how strange that really was to her. It was a little far-fetched to just be mere coincidence. When we finished, Twilight put the paper in the center so the others could look at it. A light chorus of “oh’s” and “ah’s” was made as they each looked it over. “Is that good enough for you Rainbow?” My question earned me a hard glare from the pegasus. “Fine…” she huffed and sent the paper flying back over. “I’ll believe you… for now.” I was too busy smiling to really take notice of Twilight taking the paper back. Pinkie Pie made an over-exaggerated gasp. “Oh my gosh! You know what this mean—“ Applejack smacked a hoof over Pinkie’s mouth, effectively stopping what she was saying.“Now let’s not get too carried away here. Twilight,” she looked to the unicorn in question. “How long is this Edward feller’ gonna be here? Bit strange havin’ a pony like ‘im in town. No offense, Sugarcube.” she gave me a light smile. “Until Princess Celestia and Luna find a way for him to get home.” Twilight went back to whatever it was she was doing with the quill and paper, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. "Yes, but how long do you suspect that may be?" Rarity spoke up. “I… really don’t know to be honest.” Twilight replied, looking up from the parchment. "The princesses never gave me a time frame, they just requested I accommodate him until they were ready.” Rarity nodded. "I see, so he could very well be here for quite some time then." She paused for a moment before looking to me. "I think it is for the best if we assume that to be the case—him staying for a time, that is." I scratched the back of my neck in unease. "I'm sorry, I never intended to impose on anyone; in fact, I'm still not even sure how I got here to be perfectly honest." “Think nothing of it dear, we’re just… surprised, is all,” Rarity reassured me. “It’s not everyday we get this sort of news.” Twilight paused for a moment. “And I don’t mind you at the library either. I was just using the basement for light storage anyways…” she nodded before her attention was once more stolen by the parchment. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, grabbing my attention. “You know, you really stick out, Edward.” She said, looking me over rather thoughtfully. “Ah gotta agree with Rainbow on this one.” Applejack supported, waving a hoof up and down at me. “Y’all stick out like a pine tree in an apple orchard,” I tilted my head and looked myself over. Besides the lack of a Cutie Mark, I looked normal. Well, as normal as an orange unicorn could be, I suppose. “What do you mean? I look fine…” Rarity gave the two a knowing look, before turning back to me. “What they are trying to say, darling, is that you don't particularly know much about Equestrian culture and customs, do you?" I considered her question for a few moments before quickly shaking my head. “If anypony around town struck up a conversation with me, it’d be pretty obvious I’m not from around here.” I sighed at my lack of practical knowledge. “Mmm, yes. Just as I thought,” Rarity mused, nodding to herself. “It would appear that you’re in a dire need of a history lesson or two about Equestria and its culture.” She paused for a moment, a knowing smirk forming on her muzzle “Oh Twilight~!” “Huh? ...Oh—Yes, yes of course! I’d be more than happy to teach you about us!” Twilight grinned widely, giving her eyes a certain twinkle. She looked almost too happy to be teaching something as bleak as history. “Seeing as we have no idea how long you’ll be here, it would likely be for the best.” ’Great, and here I thought I was done with this kinda thing when I finished high school...’ I complained to myself. Pinkie Pie gasped in an exceptionally loud manner. "So that means we can throw him a welcome party!?" She exclaimed excitedly, practically shaking in her seat. “I have to get planning the party right now! Bye-gotta-go-was-nice-meeting-you-Eddy!” Before any of us could say anything she was gone, leaving a small trail of dust in her wake as she sped off down the street. “Should I… be worried about this?” I asked, directing the question to nopony in particular. Rainbow let out a short laugh. “Nah. Pinkie’s parties are way awesome!” she reassured me enthusiastically. “You’ll totally love them!” The thought of having a party played out begrudgingly in my mind. I didn’t particularly look forward to any large social gatherings, they left me feeling too exposed; out of my element. “I’m not really—Ow!” I felt something hit me in the side. Twilight leveled a glare at me as she retracted her hind leg, likely the one she kicked me with. Her eyes went from mine to the paper and back. Under my sentence I saw something written in matching Equestrian letters. She’d deciphered my original note. “Everythin’ alright hun?” Applejack looked between us. Twilight glanced to the farm mare briefly, giving me an evil smirk before turning herself to face her. “Everything is great! In fact... I just deciphered Edward’s note!” She announced cheerfully, causing my heart to explode and my gut to drop like a stone. Rarity leaned forward intently. “Is that so? Well don’t keep us waiting, darling. What does it say?” Twilight picked up the paper in her magic and held it in front of her. She gave me a sly smile out of the corner of her mouth. “Rainbow Dash…” ’This... is how I die.’ “—has a pretty mane,” she continued, a confident smile spreading across her face. ’...Wait, what!?’ Rainbow reached over the table, snatching the note from Twilight and began looking it over. “Is that what it really says?” She asked slowly, looking almost uncomfortable with the unexpected ‘compliment.’ “Yes. I think you have a pretty mane,” I improvised, skillfully dodging the tires of the bus Twilight had just thrown me under. “It’s really unique.” ’I can’t believe I really just said that!’ Rainbow looked as if she were trying to decide between being either offended, or flattered. She finally smiled and flipped her mane back. “Yeah, I guess it is pretty awesome, isn’t it?” She replied, running a hoof through it in a smooth motion. I rolled my eyes at the blue mare’s sudden inflation of ego at my expense, before settling my sights on Rarity. The white unicorn looked a bit miffed, and that gave me an idea. “Yeah, you’re right, Rainbow Dash. Your’s is pretty cool; but Rarity’s is much prettier if you ask me.” I smirked at the punch I threw at her over-inflated ego. Rainbow cringed a bit at my attempted jab. “Well, she can just have her pretty mane, I’ll take cooler over pretty any day.” Rarity however, appeared somewhat flustered at my comment. “W-why thank you, darling—but this is just simply a makeshift of my ‘around town’ style, as it were.” She pulled a pocket mirror from somewhere and inspected herself in it. “I hadn’t the time this morning to dress it quite to satisfaction.” “Well I still think it’s absolutely beautiful,” I complimented one last time. Looking to Rainbow out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that, while she tried her best to hide it, appeared to be getting quite jealous of my complimenting her friend. ’I wonder if these two have some kind of rivalry or something?’ I thought to myself briefly. Rainbow folded her forelegs with a huff. “Oh yeah? Well… I’m too busy clearing the skies to bother with something so pointless.” “Rainbow dear, if you didn’t spend so much of your ‘busy day’ napping, and took some actual time to work on your appearance… why, I bet you would have stallions lining up in rows for you!” Rarity teased. “W-who says they already aren’t?” The blue pegasus shot back, failing to hide her clearly flustered position. Rainbow and Rarity continued to bicker back and forth. It was amusing really. I smiled contently, knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about Rainbow Dash turning me inside-out. After a minute or so, Twilight nudged me with her hoof. Much softer and more subtle than before. I gave her a questioning look. She responded by sliding the paper over to me, and flipping it over. 'Do not act that rude again.' Was written in English, matching my messy hoof-writing almost perfectly. My face grew hot, so I just looked up and gave her a quick nod and sheepish smile. “Nice one partner,” Applejack gave me a playful smack on my right side. “What are you talking about?” Applejack cocked her head at the two mares still bickering. “Gettin’ Rainbow all bothered about her looks ain’t easy.” She held up a foreleg to me. Taking a guess at the purpose of the gesture, I clopped my hoof against hers. “You’re welcome…” I trailed off, my stomach getting my attention as it complained at the lack of anything filling it. “Hey, didn’t you guys order something before Twilight and I got here?” Almost as if by magic, a waiter walked behind me and set down a plate and glass of milk. It seemed like an odd drink, but I didn’t question it. He was a unicorn stallion with a rather showy mustache. “Your sandwiches and drinks ladies, and sir,” He added, nodding to me. After ensuring we all seemed fine he left us. I looked over my sandwich with a frown. It seemed to be filled with some sort of grass, and flowers. I sighed and looked over the table at everypony else. Rainbow appeared to be taking her frustration out on the hapless sandwich in her hooves; devouring it like a starving animal. While Rarity on the other hoof, appeared to be taking her time with her meal. Applejack ate more or less like you would normally expect... but Fluttershy, she was looking over her sandwich in the same way I was. “Is everything alright, Fluttershy?” She squeaked as I addressed her. Fluttershy sunk a little in her seat and hid behind her mane. “Don’t worry about her none, she’s just a lil’ shy eatin’ ‘round new folks,” Applejack informed me. Everypony around the table gave silent nods in agreement. “Why aren’t y’all eatin’ though?” Applejack asked me between bites. I opened my mouth to speak, but Twilight beat me to it. “Our food isn’t exactly his normal cuisine,” She informed the others. “Oh? What is your normal diet, Edward?” Rarity asked, before furrowing her brow in thought. “...And for that matter, what are you generally called back home?” “Oh, we’re called ‘humans’. I’m guessing none of you have ever heard of them?” I asked, scanning the faces of everyone at the table; All five shook their heads. “As for what we eat? Well, we certainly don’t eat flowers and grass...” Rainbow wolfed down the rest of her sandwich and looked at me. “Well, then what do you humans eat?” I fidgeted with my hooves, remembering Twilight’s reaction when I told her I ate meat. “Uh, I eat fruits? And vegetables, nuts sometimes… grains and noodles too.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I tried recounting everything non-meat I’d ever eaten. Everyone seemed quite enthralled by my reply, except for Twilight who let out a sigh of relief. All I’d wanted then was a big steak, or something meaty to sink my teeth into. Though, that may have been difficult with my new, flat teeth. I was constantly rubbing them with my tongue. It felt as if someone had sanded them down; I just couldn’t get used to it. Rarity pursed her lips and hummed thoughtfully. “Do you perhaps partake in the consumption of sweets? Pinkie Pie is sure to have her party tables stacked to the roof with cupcakes, cookies and other assorted treats.” “Ponies eat sweets?” I couldn’t quite wrap my head around that one. The thought of a pony back on Earth eating cake seemed ludicrous at best. “Eeyup! An’ you’re gonna love Pinkie’s!” Applejack picked up her sandwich, about to take a bite. “Ah bet it’ll be tomorrow, considerin’ y’all can’t make that mare wait for nothin’” “Well, alright.” I didn’t have much else to say, so I figured I’d at least try eating my sandwich. As I clumsily picked it up in my hooves, I caught a flash of yellow and pink movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking over to Fluttershy, I saw a miniscule bite taken out of her sandwich, hardly noticeable. I figured I’d let her be and try to eat my own food. With a reluctant bite I started on the meal in my hooves. Grass, flowers, and bread tasted about as well as one would think, but it was better than going hungry… barely. “Wish I had some apples, or carrots like the hospital had.” I said rather absentmindedly after swallowing my first bite. Applejack chuckled, “Heh, at least he likes apples.” To my surprise, Fluttershy suddenly spoke up. “You were in the hospital?” she asked, a mix of curiosity and concern weighing heavy on her voice. “What happened to you?” “Yeah, I’m fine. Well, sorta anyways.” I answered with a shrug. "I don't know honestly. waking up in the hospital is the last thing I can remember. Between then and when I was still human is kind of blank." I shrugged, recalling the not so-pleasant atmosphere of that accursed room. “I was there a few days, recovering from my transformation I suppose, since I’m obviously not in my normal body anymore. Princess Luna was actually the first pony I met.” That seemed to really get their attentions. I took another quick bite of my sandwich, grimacing at the taste as they all absorbed the information. Rainbow Dash slammed down her empty glass. “What was the princess doing there? Why would she be seeing you?” “She was the one who found me actually.” I remembered the short stint of charades I was forced to play with Luna, before Celestia put her language spell on me. I was certainly glad she did. “Luna thought something was wrong and took me to a hospital, checked on me everyday too.” “That was quite sweet of her,” Rarity chirped. “Taking the time to check on somepony in the hospital? Quite surprising for somepony as busy as herself.” Twilight cleared her throat, ending the silence beside me.“Did the princess know what you were in the beginning?” I shook my head. “No. Wasn’t until Celestia came in a day later I was able to even talk to them.” "This all sounds like quite the tale to me," Rarity commented, propping her head up on her forehoof, supported by the table. "Mind sharing it with us from the beginning, darling?" I looked down to my barely-touched sandwich. Two bites was plenty, even if I was still starving. I pushed the plate away and cleared my throat. "Well, for starters, let's just say that I can think of very few things worse than waking up in a hospital to find yourself in a body that is not yours..." Author's Note Hello again you fine people. I know it's been a long time since I updated, and it was only a single scene... but to be honest this was supposed to be a 12k+ word chapter. Seeing as how I was stuck on that chapter for so long, I thought I'd cut this out and give you guys something while I got my act together.
Chapter Ten“Well… that wasn’t so bad,” I idly commented, walking in tandem with Twilight. She looked straight down the road with a thoughtful look. “It could have gone better, but could’ve been worse too.” She disinterestedly replied. Since leaving the restaurant, she had gotten pretty quiet. After Rarity left along with the others, Twilight seemed lost in her thoughts and not very inclined to talk. After a couple minutes of walking in the early-afternoon sun, I finally said something to the purple mare. “Everything alright?” I asked. She blinked and looked over to me, as if just remembering I was there. “What? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Twilight halfheartedly smiled back. I didn’t buy it and decided to push some more. “You don’t seem fine.” I replied. “If you’re worried about me around your friends, I think it all got out of the way when Rainbow Dash jumped me.” I finished with a decent attempt at lightening the mood with a laugh. “Heh, no, it’s not that,” Twilight replied with a light chuckle. “I guess I’m just surprised how well-received you were by the rest of the girls.” She smiled, relieved. “I try. Though to be honest…” I paused to catch up to her. I was still walking in slow motion compared to most ponies, trying to get the hang of things. “I try to make a good impression, but I was pretty nervous the whole time.” “Oh? Why’s that?” “You six seemed like a tight bunch,” I shrugged. “As close as you all seem, I didn’t wanna disrupt that. A new person in a close-knit group might… feel a little left out.” I looked down to the road for a moment, chewing on my lip. “That’s it?” Twilight stopped and covered her mouth with a foreleg to stifle a laugh. I could only give her a confused look and wait for the giggling to die down. “Don’t worry about that, Edward. The other girls are used to weird things going on around me,” Twilight resumed walking. “At this point they probably expect these sorts of things.” “You mean like dragging alien beings inside a pony body around with you?” I asked, trying to keep the humor going. “Well, I guess there is a first time for everything.” <><><><><><><><><><> “Home sweet home~.” Twilight chimed, shutting the front door as we entered the library. I gave a quick look around the main room, taking it all in again. “Might be a while before I think of it like that.” I mused, walking around, peering at the bookcases. I spied a large green tome sitting on a table, a golden symbol etched into the cover. Pulling it closer, I started flipping through it, looking at the strange language within. ’All these books, and I can’t read a single one. So much knowledge here...’ “Everything alright?” Twilight asked form across the room, eyeing me curiously as I flipped through random pages. “Yeah…” I sighed a bit, closing the book and putting it back where I found it. “I’ve just never lived anywhere else before. I’ve never moved once since I was born.” “I can relate actually,” Twilight said, packing her saddlebag in a nearby closet. “When I moved here a couple years ago, that was my first time living outside of Canterlot.” She looked up and out a window, staring longingly into the distance. I walked over to the same window. Looking up, I was surprised to actually see the Equestrian capital poking out the side of the distant mountain. “Huh. I didn’t know you could see the city from way out here.” “It’s a big place, you can see it from quite a ways.” Twilight peeled herself from the window and trotted over to a desk, taking a seat and grabbing a quill. “Do you miss it there?” I asked, resuming my walk around the tree’s interior. “Hmm…” She hummed thoughtfully for a few moments. “I miss my family, and seeing Celestia, more often more than I miss the city.” “Too loud there for your tastes?” “It’s funny actually,” Twilight smiled. “I didn’t realize how much city noise there was until I moved to Ponyville. The quiet was really odd at first. It took some getting used to, but in the end… I like it here, most days.” “What do you mean, ‘most days’?” I looked over to see her writing something, the scratch of her quill being the only sound for a few long moments. I couldn’t see her face completely, but she looked slightly troubled. “It’s…” She trailed off with a sigh, pausing her writing. “For such a small town, it seems to have an awful lot of problems that—only I apparently only I—can solve.” Twilight huffed slightly. “Being an Element bearer has its perks, but everypony expects you to have all the answers, to be able to do solve everypony’s problems for them.” “I didn’t mean to upset you,” I apologized, feeling awkward for making her rant. “It’s alright, really.” Her all-too-big smile said otherwise, but there was no point arguing with her. Twilight inhaled and exhaled slowly to regain her composure, resuming her writings. “Any idea what you’re going to do for the rest of the day?” “Good question actually.” I stopped walking around a while ago, opting for my bad habit of just standing awkwardly. It’s something I never grew out of, being unable to find a comfortable place in somebody else’s house. “Uh, wasn’t Spike supposed to come by?” I quickly asked out of thin air to break the silence. “Rarity said she’d send him on his way, but he usually takes some convincing, so expect him to take an extra hour or two.” Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. “If you want, we can sit down and I can teach you something.” She gasped suddenly. “Maybe some Equestrian history?!” The excitement in her voice was pretty clear. ’It is a wonder she isn’t already a teacher...’ “Sorry, not really in a mood to sit down. I’m feeling sort of energetic, which is ironic considering the only thing I’ve eaten in over a day was a bite of a sandwich.” I took a few steps in place, glancing out a window at some passing ponies. “I see. Any ideas what you’re going to do then?” She asked. “Think I’m going to take a walk around town actually, get some of this energy out and familiarize myself with the area.” Twilight nodded in response. “Makes sense to me. Just don’t get lost.” “I’ll, uh, do my best not to,” I said, wondering how anyone could lose their way in such a small place. Twilight was probably just looking after me. Telling the princesses I disappeared would not be a fun activity. “If I can't find my way back I’ll just ask somebod—” “Somepony,” Twilight corrected. “Sorry, but you need to get used to saying it that way. Some ponies would think it’s weird, and a lot of questions about you isn’t a good idea.” “Right,” I nodded, repeating the correct vocabulary in my head a few times. I went over to the front door and reached for the handle. “Well I guess I’ll be on my way then—” “Wait!” Twilight jumped up and teleported in a bright flash right next to me. She quickly opened the small nearby closet and pulled out a rather generic brown saddlebag. “Here, take this with you, and have some bits, too.” She levitated the bag onto my back and deposited a pouch inside. “Just incase you want to buy something while you’re out.” I shifted the weight of the saddlebag around, its weight was somewhat annoying at first, but after a moment it was almost comfortable. It also conveniently obscured the spot my Cutie Mark would’ve been. “Try to be back before it gets dark, and I’ll see what I can make for dinner you might like.” Twilight smiled warmly. I returned the smile as best I could, still a little thrown off by her teleportation over to me. “Thanks, Twilight. You don’t need to do all this you know. I mean, you already took me in and I took over your basement.” It wasn’t me not being used to another’s kindness, it was just so much I felt a little stonewalled at that moment. Twilight however, merely rolled her eyes with a smile. “That money was from the princesses for you anyways.” She nodded to the bag. “Besides, what kind of host would I be?” Twilight used her magic to open the door for me. “Now get going, explore and have some fun in Ponyville.” She chimed, quickly closing the door behind me with a subtle click. I looked around, feeling the pleasant afternoon breeze through my coat for a few moments. I wasn't sure which way to venture at first, but eventually I decided to just walk the direction Twilight’s front door faced. ’Ready or not Ponyville, here I come…’
Chapter ElevenI had to admit, for being someone who preferred the great indoors as opposed to the other option, I found it quite enjoyable being out and about in Ponyville. I never noticed it until I was on my own, but there was an unmistakable air of community and calm everywhere I looked. Ponies were smiling, laughing, and generally just being genuinely happy. The city I came from was more akin to a very large town, and it wasn't uncommon to go to a supermarket and see a couple people you knew. But in Ponyville, it seemed everypony knew everypony else. The revelation gave me brief pause as I silently wondered how long it would be before more ponies than not would be wondering who I was. However, I returned to my original pace soon enough. As I passed into and through the marketplace, I’d occasionally slow my trot and look at a stall. Most of them seemed to be stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, none of them I was a huge fan of. On my way out of what I deemed the section devoted only to food, I spied a stall with something that made me smile and my mouth water. ’There’s pineapple at that table.’ Pineapple, the fruit I loved most in the world. I strode over to the kiosk, making eye contact with the stallion tending it as I neared. “Good afternoon, sir!” He greeted with a big grin, tipping his sunhat back. He was an Earth pony, that much was obvious. His coat I could best describe as the color of mud, with a simple jet-black mane and tail. I would have looked at the stallion’s Cutie Mark, but I’d have had to lean over the table for that and I didn’t want to seem invasive. “Hello there,” I returned with a smile of my own. “What can I do for you?” “I’d just like a couple of your pineapples. How much?” I inquired, reaching over to open the pouch that contained all the coins. “Four bits apiece, sir.” He replied, putting his hoof out to tap a small sign on his table I didn’t see, but couldn’t read either way. “Oh, sorry, didn’t notice.” I lied, figuring it was better to look dumb than admit I can’t read. ’Four bits seems a bit steep for a single pineapple, but what do I know? Haven’t exactly gotten a feel for what’s worth what with pony-money’ I mused, making sure I had the required eight. With a fair bit of awkwardness which I did my best to hide, I set the gold coins on the table in a neat little stack. “Thank you for your business!” He tipped his hat before sliding the money into a small lockbox. Similarly, I slid the delicious fruits into my bag, taking a moment to get them to settle comfortably and shutting the flap. “Excuse me,” The stallion said as I turned to leave. “Is there a problem?” I looked back up to him, noting an almost uncomfortable expression on his face. “No, just… I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why didn’t you use your magic?” He nodded to my horn. “I thought you unicorns used it for everything.” “Oh, uh…” I bit my lip, trying to think of a quick excuse. ’It can’t be that big a deal not using my magic, right? Maybe he’s just a really curious sort.’ “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I was just wonderin’,” He quickly said, looking a bit worried he’d offended. “No it’s fine. I was just, uh…” I had an idea and hoped it would be good enough for him, as well as make sense. “I’m just out of magic for the day. Stressed myself too much this morning. Pineapples are just the fastest way to get energy back, short of sleeping And they just happen to taste good.” I forced a laugh. “Huh. Ya don’t say,” The shopkeeper seemed to buy it, and that was all I needed. “Well, sorry to stall you. Have a good one, come again!” “You too.” I nodded, turning to leave at a slightly faster pace than was probably necessary. That whole situation was too awkward for my tastes. It took maybe a minute for me to exit the market plaza. I kept heading in the direction I told Twilight I’d take; straight in the direction her door faced, so I kept on walking. ’At least I was able to pull a dumb answer out of my butt. I wonder if unicorns actually have a limit to their magic per day? I guess I’ll just add it to my mental list of questions for later.’ I looked back to double-check that my side-bag was properly closed. ’At least I have something delicious to eat later, and the bag covered up my lack of a Cutie Mark.’ I had no interest in finding out what he might have had to say about that. <><><><><><><><><><> It wasn’t long before I started reaching what seemed like the outer-ring of town, where the spaces between buildings were getting larger, and the homes quickly outnumbered the shops. ’With the peculiar architecture these ponies have, it’s hard to tell what’s what sometimes.’ A small park was down a ways, but it was off my intended path so I just logged it in the little mental map of the town I’d been working on. In the distance I could see all manner of ponies playing games, walking around or just sitting on benches and relaxing. A couple relaxing under a tree even gave each other some quick kisses. ’They’re so… human. I couldn’t possibly imagine ponies back home, just animals, acting like this before.’ “Come on, just leave me alone, you two!” Came a shriek in the distance, clearly a younger pony in distress. ’Speaking of acting like humans...’ It didn’t take me more than a minute to find where the distressing sounds of the young pony were coming from. Which as it were, took me to what looked like an old-timey schoolhouse. Outside were three smaller female ponies, which I remembered were called foals, having some sort of dispute. ’Jeez, you only see schoolhouses like this in movies anymore.’ I was around the other side of the building, very close, but decided to watch for a moment before doing anything; shoving Pinkie Pie off of Twilight and almost hitting her with my somewhat-sharp horn flashed in my mind, and I didn’t want to do anything stupid here, especially not in front of children. Two foals, a pink one and a silver one had the third, a white one backed up against a wall. I wasn’t paying much attention to what was being said, but the two I deemed the bullies kept using the term ‘blank flank’ with the inclination it was some kind of hurtful slang. After seeing these two foals weren’t going to stop bothering the third any time soon, I rounded the corner and cleared my throat. “Is there a problem here?” I called as I drew closer. Immediately the two bullies jumped and looked at me with hesitation. It was then that I noticed the silver foal had a pair of thick glasses, and the pink one had some sort of cheap plastic tiara in her mane. The white one had a small horn, and a semi-curly mane with various shades of purple I could only describe as ‘adorable’. “Come on, DT, let’s just go.” The snooty silver foal urged the pink one, starting out into a brisk trot, which the other quickly followed. ’Hmph, kids will be kids wherever you go I suppose.’ I rolled my eyes then turned to the white foal who’d been sitting on the ground up against the wall of the schoolhouse. “You okay, kid?” I asked, offering a foreleg, which she hesitantly grabbed and pulled herself up with. “I’m fine. Those two are always bugging me and my friends,” She huffed, dusting herself off and quickly patting down her mane like it was a normal thing. “Thanks for making them go away, mister.” She smiled, walking over to a nearby swing set that was only a dozen feet or so away and retrieving what I guessed was her school bag. “It was nothing, I just don’t like bullies and it didn’t look like they were going to stop any time soon.” I explained. “What were they bugging you about anyways? Seems this is a regular thing for you, er?” I asked in a leading voice, hoping to get the young foal’s name. “Sweetie Belle,” She perked up, jumping over and extending a hoof, which I gave a quick shake. “And those two, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, are always teasing me and my friends about not having our Cutie Marks.” Sweetie added with a shake of her head, indicating she did not in fact, have her Cutie Mark. I blinked. Blank flank? Made sense, thinking on it for just a moment or so. Then, I smiled. That was something I could work with. “Well, you don’t say…” I chuckled, turning slightly to reveal my side. “I don’t have mine yet either, believe it or not.” “No way!” Sweetie Belle bounced over enthusiastically, to get a closer look. “That’s so… cool!” She squeaked, jumping up and down in place. “Heh, I guess it is, isn’t it?” “How come you don’t have yours yet? I thought everypony got them when they were younger?” Sweetie inquired, cocking her sead to the side. Clearly, the idea of an adult ‘blank flank’ was an alien concept to the foal, furthering the idea that hiding it earlier was a good idea. “I just haven’t,” I shrugged. Technically I wasn’t lying, I was just stretching the truth to fit my needs. “I’m just a special case I suppose, not finding my talent and all that.” Again, not lying. I wanted to be as honest as possible without telling this small pony I wasn’t even one of her kind; that could only end badly. “Huh. Well I better be getting home. I can’t wait to tell my friends!” Sweetie Belle started to run off down a road, but stopped and turned around. “Thanks again Mister... Uh…?” She trailed off. “Edward. Just Edward.” I smiled, waiting for the confused look that would never come. “Thanks Mr. Edward! Bye!” She waved then ran off down the road, leaving a small trail of dust in her wake. I turned to take my leave, continuing down the same path I had before the little ‘detour.’ I gave my hooves a quick little stretch then started to move. ’Well, I guess I’ll just keep walkin—’ “Hey wait!” A voice, distinctly female, called out from behind me, stopping me in my tracks. I turned towards the schoolhouse wall and looked up, seeing a magenta mare sticking her head out of a window just above me. Her mane, from what I could see, was varying shades of her coat’s color and fairly straight, but with the slightest of swirls on the tip. “Oh, hello there.” I greeted, flashing a quick smile as my surprise subsided. “Is something wrong?” “No, nothing wrong at all,” She shook her head, mane bobbing slightly with her movements. “I actually wanted to thank you.” The mare smiled warmly. “Thank me for what, exactly?” I tilted my head, curious. “Getting those two to leave poor Sweetie Belle alone,” She thrust her head in the direction those two bullies ran off. “They’re always bothering their classmates. They were causing a ruckus earlier. I've been meaning to say something to them about it, but I guess you beat me to it.” The pony giggled slightly. “Oh, I never introduced myself, how rude of me. One moment!” And with that, she disappeared inside the building. I went around to the front of the schoolhouse where I assumed I was going to meet her halfway. Right as I got to the steps the door swung open and the as-of-yet unnamed mare quickly trotted down the steps to my level. I caught a glimpse of her Cutie Mark, which looked to be a trio of smiling flowers. “My name’s Cheerilee,” She huffed slightly before sticking out her hoof, a gesture I quickly returned, giving it a quick shake. “And I already know your name. I may have eavesdropped on you and Sweetie for a minute. Sorry about that.” The pony sheepishly grinned. “It’s no problem.” I smiled, then paused. “So uh, do you work here?” I nodded to the school. “Yes, I’m the teacher here.” Cheerilee confirmed along with a nod. “I was just staying after a few minutes to close up. I hope you don’t mind me saying, Mr. Edward, but you have a very peculiar accent.” She used one of her forehooves to rub the underside of her chin. “I do?” I never really thought about it before, but she must’ve been right if she noticed right away. “It’s not too obvious, but there’s a definite foreign tinge to some of your words. It’s a little sharp. It’s almost… northern in a way, but something about it is more interesting than that…” Cheerilee brought her hoof down, tapping the ground, and biting her lip in thought. After a long couple seconds of silence she broke out of her contemplative trance. “Oh, I’m sorry! I hope I didn’t offend!” She waved her forelegs in the air in-between us. “Oh no, you’re fine. I’m a little surprised somebody noticed. But uh, yeah. I’m just staying in town for a while.” “Heh, I don’t get out of Ponyville much, is all. New ponies really stick out to me. Even the way you said ‘somebody’ as opposed to ‘somepony’ was interesting,” Cheerilee stifled yet another giggle. ’You idiot! You need to keep an eye on that.’ “Well, I should get to the market before they close so I can pick up some dinner,” Cheerilee stuck out her hoof once more, which I gave a quick shake to. “I’ll see you around town!” She smiled then trotted off the way I came from, back to the market district. ’She seemed awfully nice. I really gotta pay more attention to what I say, though.’ I looked up to the sky, noticing that the sun hadn’t moved all that much, and I judged it to still be in the early stages of the afternoon. Plenty of time to explore some more before making my way back home. ’Home.’ The word echoed in my mind. ’I wonder how long I’m going to be calling this place that...’ <><><><><><><><><><> It didn’t take long for me to reach what I could officially call the edge of town. Buildings were sparse and ponies few and far between. Although it was still quite beautiful, especially with the woods off in the distance. It still seemed relatively early, so I continued onwards down a cobblestone path that led in the general direction of the forest. Not too far down the road was a small bridge overlooking a creek. As I stepped over the bridge I looked down to the water, admiring the incredible abundance of animals just... There. The local animal life seemed to have no fear whatsoever of ponies, not like humans at all. I left the critters alone and made my way across the remainder of the bridge. A ways off in the distance was a dwelling of sorts, becoming more and more clear as I drew closer to the edge of the town’s boundary, and the forest's edge. ’Couldn’t hurt to take a look while I’m here and all.’ I had no desire whatsoever to go inside the forest, though. Something about it unnerved me when I stared at it. The dwelling looked like something out of, well, out of a magical book with enchanted forests. It was a home on the smaller side, but it looked very cozy. All around it were many well-maintained plants with birds and various insects flitting about. There was even another creek running right through the property, and a fittingly rustic brick bridge running over it. And the animals? They were everywhere! Otters, turtles, rabbits, more birds than I could name, even a couple friendly-looking skunks milling about. On the outer edge of the property was a plain stone wall roughly the height of my chest, and circling all around the property, with a simple wooden gate a few steps down the way, leading up to the house. I wanted to go on the other side and look around more of the amazing place, but I didn’t want to trespass. So instead I settled for walking along the outside of the wall, continuing to look at the animals and scenery. After a while, the door to the home opened, revealing a white rabbit in-tow with a very familiar pegasus. ’Fluttershy? Huh, so this is where she lives.’ For a time I contently sat there, watching her skip all around outside, talking with animals here or there and just generally being happy and lively. I didn’t know the yellow pegasus very well, but it was strange nonetheless seeing her so animated. She was even singing a nice little tune to her furry friends. ’She really is different on her own. Then again, everyone is when you think about it.’ The fact she didn’t see me only a hundred or so feet away surprised me. At least until she turned and stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing me. Like a deer stuck in the headlights, neither of us moved for a few painfully long seconds. “Oh, hi Fluttershy. I was just looking around Ponyville.” I gave my most convincing, normal smile I could muster under the awkward circumstances. I felt like I’d just walked in on someone in the shower, and very much wanted to leave. “I’m gonna be on my way—” “Wait,” Fluttershy spoke. Had the animals not quieted down, I’d have never heard her quiet voice. “Wait…” She said a second time, gliding over to the stone wall, setting down and quickly tucking her wings to her sides. “I wanted to apologize.” Fluttershy spoke with an air of confidence. “Apologize? What for?” I couldn’t fathom what she’d feel sorry for. It was I who was watching her and looking like a creep in the process. “For being so quiet before, at Twilight’s last night and at lunch today.” She spoke, even making eye contact. Her white rabbit friend had finally caught up and jumped up onto her back, eyeing me with a critical gaze. “I’ve been trying to be more open, more sociable. I still get shy though. So, um…” She stalled, breaking eye contact and looking down to the ground. Her momentary confidence was gone, so I took that as my cue to speak up. “It’s perfectly alright, Fluttershy. I understand being shy around new people,” I smiled, hoping that was decent enough to keep her from locking-up. A change in subject couldn’t hurt, either. “This is a beautiful place you have here.” “Oh thank you!” She beamed, straightening up with renewed vigor. “I do my best to keep it looking nice, as well as a place for all my little friends…” She turned her head to give a quick nuzzle to the rabbit now playing with her mane. “They all seem to really like you,” I remarked, giving a quick glance to a few songbirds that were now coming to settle on the wall nearest Fluttershy. “My talent lets me communicate with animals of all kinds on a level no other ponies can,” Fluttershy smiled, putting one of her forelegs out and letting her rabbit friend get a closer look at me. “Angel Bunny, this is Edward. Go on, say ‘hello’.” She almost sang when she spoke to it. Angel Bunny hesitantly crept out to the end of her hoof, giving the air between us a few long sniffs for good measure. It was surprising how much expression I could see on its face, showing me far more emotion than any rabbits back on Earth. Angel looked somewhat befuddled, looking back to Fluttershy with a quizzical expression. ’Maybe he knows something’s up with me. That I’m not a regular pony? Animals always were more sensitive than people to some things, so what about here I wonder...’ “Would you like to come in for a bit?” Fluttershy asked in a cheery tone. “Really? I wouldn’t want to impose or make you uncomfortable.” “I insist. I just got this new tea I’ve been eager to try, and I do feel bad for not talking very much before. I really am trying to get out there more,” Fluttershy stepped forward, opening the gate and stepping to the side to let me pass. “Besides, you must be tired from carrying that bag all day.” ’Forgot I was even carrying it, I got so distracted.’ “Some tea sounds fantastic. I am a little thirsty from my walk over here,” I chuckled, falling in step with Fluttershy and together we made for the house. Angel took a place atop the mare’s head, not taking his bewildered gaze off of me. “I’m not sure your friend likes me though,” I remarked with a quick glance to the creature. “Oh, Angel Bunny? I think he likes you in fact.” “What makes you think that?” I didn’t get the feeling he liked me, more that he wasn’t sure what to think of me. “Normally he throws things.” <><><><><><><><><><> The interior of Fluttershy’s cottage was just as populated with critters as the outside; birds, squirrels and other small rodents were everywhere. There was even an entire wall devoted to bird houses. Were there any place this full of animals back home, you’d have the house condemned. But there… there it was, like something out of a children’s story. They looked like the happiest animals on the planet, running around and having fun. There was a small table in the center of Fluttershy’s living room, which I was seated at, my bag looped around the back of the chair, while my host wandered into the kitchen. Angel kept a close eye on me from the kitchen’s threshold, looking like he was ready to bolt but equally determined to not let me out of his sight. I gave the critter my most convincing smile but his eyes just narrowed in response. ’I’m glad the rabbits I had as a kid weren’t like this. Probably would’ve been scared to turn my back on them.’ “Tea’s ready,” Fluttershy practically sang as she came into the main room, balancing a small tray on an outstretched wing. She carefully slid the tray onto the table with graceful, expert precision. “I thought you might still be hungry from lunch, so I grabbed some biscuits too.” Fluttershy pointed out as she took her place across from me. Angel took a spot on the floor next to her. “That was really thoughtful of you. Thank you.” I smiled as my eyes looked over the two oversized mugs of steaming tea, and a small arrangement of biscuits in a spiral pattern in the middle. The tea looked like it could use a few minutes to cool off, so I grabbed a small biscuit as best I could and popped it into my mouth; the hooves were making things difficult once more. “How is it?” Fluttershy expectantly asked. “It’s quite possibly the most delicious miniature pastry I’ve ever eaten.” This made her beam with happiness. “If the biscuit was that good, I can’t wait to see what the tea’s like.” I complimented, reaching for another pastry. “I’m glad you like them. I don’t have guests that often, so I try to take care of the few I get as best I can.” Fluttershy stated as she reached for her own tea. I grasped at mine and gently cupped it between my hooves, careful not to spill any. As I brought it closer to my face I smelled its sweet aroma, but couldn’t quite place the scent. Tentatively, I took a small sip and my taste buds were assaulted by a myriad of flavors. I must’ve looked like an idiot, silently trying to figure out the tea as I took another test drink. “Fluttershy?” I asked to get her attention. “What’s in this tea? It tastes absolutely amazing, but I can’t place that flavor.” I put the mug down and reached for another biscuit to nibble on. “It’s a special blend I made myself. It’s pumpkin and spearmint, with just a hint of nutmeg for a little something extra.” Fluttershy closed her eyes and smelled the steam coming off of her mug, filling her lungs with the unique combination of smells. “Well I’ve certainly never had tea like this before. How did you come up with this concoction?” This seemed to break my host out of her momentary trance. “I have a lot of free time on my hooves…” Fluttershy slouched in her seat and looked off to the side. “So when I get bored, sometimes I get whatever I can from my garden out back, and see what flavors go together.” “I see…” I said, stalling for a conversation topic to pop up in my head. I took another drink of the tea to help wash down another pastry. “So, do you live all alone here?” “Yes and no.” Fluttershy shrugged slightly. “It’s just me, Angel Bunny here—” She paused to give the rabbit a pet. “—and my other animal friends. I like the quiet for the most part.” “That reminds me, how did you end up meeting all the other ponies from today? I don’t want to offend or anything, but you really seemed like the odd one out of the group.” Fluttershy’s ears flattened and she averted eye contact. “I was just having a really shy moment, was all. I’ve been getting better about it lately.” She quickly composed herself and gave me a warm smile. “It’s funny you mention that actually…” “How so?” “Well, my first friend out of the ponies you’ve met was actually Rainbow Dash, believe it or not,” Fluttershy giggled a little to herself. “Really?” I couldn’t see a quiet pony such as Fluttershy being longtime friends with a pony as rough and outspoken as Rainbow Dash. “That sounds like quite the story right there.” “Oh it is!” Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her seat with excitement, then quickly settled back down. “I can tell you if you want, but it’s a bit of a long one.” I looked over to a window in the living room and judged it to still be early in the afternoon. It couldn’t hurt to kill a bit of time, right? “Twilight’s not expecting me back for at least two or three more hours. I’ve got time.” I said as I got more comfortable in the chair and held my mug once more. Fluttershy grinned and cleared her throat to start the recollection of how she met Rainbow. “It all started when we were just little fillies in flight camp. I didn’t even have my Cutie Mark yet…”
