Chapters First Steps Forward (Chapter 1)
"Stupid... dead end job.." You mutter to yourself, exiting the gas station you work at and walking towards where your car is currently parked, the motor already running. You kick a couple rocks, which clatter softly across the deserted parking lot, the lights having long since been turned off, now that its closed for the night. As you enter your shitbox, the sound of distant thunder can be heard. Grumbling to yourself again, you pull away from the lot and begin the 45 minute drive home. Your radio stopped working months ago, so to supplement it, you turn on your Bluetooth speaker and let the sweet sounds of Avenged Sevenfold carry you home. In the midst of singing your heart out over loves lost, a booming crash stops your sonorous sound. Heavy rain pelts your windshield, though without the help of streetlamps it looks almost... black. Shrugging it off as an effect of your poor sleep schedule, you press onward, knowing you have tomorrow off. A second, bright flash and crash stops your revery however, as a large tree splits down the middle, falling across both lanes of the road. You tear your wheel to the right, swerving to miss the leafy branches currently blocking more than half of the road, but with your attention squarely placed on the tree, you miss the large sinkhole that has opened just past it.
The gaping maw of the sinkhole, like a great, black worm, consumes your front right tire, throwing you up and over it, your car rolling onto its side, then again onto its roof. As you lay there, blood flowing freely from your fresh new forehead wound, you pray to whatever gods may be out there to at least send you somewhere nice when you die. You get no answer, and as you slip into unconsciousness, you at least take comfort in knowing your death will inconvenience your manager.
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18 hours post rescue
Groggy. Itchy. Too cold. Too hot. Too bright. All these things and more pertain to your present situation, as you finally manage to peel your eyes open, groaning at the much too visible light trying to melt your retinas. As you attempt to roll away from it, you find the thing you're currently laying on, some kind of bed maybe, feels much too short for your frame. Your legs past the ankle hang off the end, and the blanket doesn't seem to fair much better. It really only covers three fourths of your body comfortably, so either your upper chest is exposed, or your feet are granted the pleasure of roasting in the sunlight. Finally conjuring enough strength, you groan quite audibly, then slowly sit up like Frankenstein's Monster. Looking around the room, its incredibly sparsely decorated. All white walls, tan chairs and dressers, and a painting of an open sky on the wall directly across from your bed. It all screams hospital, and the IV currently inserted in your arm confirms this fact. Looking over your body, nothing seems out of the ordinary save for the lack of a shirt covering your chest. You reach down, tossing off the blanket to reveal your still attached legs, one of them, your right, is currently in a cast.
After confirming that all of your limbs are still in their proper place, you note that your throat feels incredibly dry. Looking to the right, your gaze settles on a glass pitcher and cup, sitting on the table at the bedside. Swinging your legs over the side of the bed, you slowly, hesitantly pull yourself off the bed, putting your weight on the non-injured foot. After a small nod, noting that you can in fact still stand, you reach out and grab the glass and the pitcher, filling the cup half way and downing it in one go, quenching your thirst. Now to find something to eat. While thinking about what awful food this hospital must have, the sound of muffled footsteps interrupts your contemplation. You manage to pull yourself back onto the bed, tossing the blanket over your legs. The steps are followed by hushed whispers, and you watch the door slowly swing open. Fully expecting a doctor, you are instead greeted by a... small... horse? No, pony. A pony with an old school paper nurses hat on its strangely pink mane. The two of you lock eyes, and the creature (a female, judging by the shorter muzzle and much more visible eyelashes), seems quite startled by the fact youre awake. She closes the door behind her slowly, trotting over to the table with the pitcher, and slides the tray balanced on her back onto said table.
The pony nurse then moves to the foot of your bed, gabbing the hanging clipboard and clearing her throat, confirming with certainty that it is in fact a female.
"Good Morning mister...", she trails off, looking to you seemingly for assistance with your name, which you oblige after a thorough clearing of your own throat
"Camden. Camden Morris." Wow. Has your voice always been this scratchy? She nods, looking back down at the clipboard and, quite adorably, makes a note with the pencil, using it with her mouth.
"Yesh, sank you mishter Morrish." She slurs out around the wooden writing implement, setting it back down. "Do you know where you are, by any chance?" Her gaze swiftly wipes the small smirk that had grown on your face while watching her write.
"Uh, no, i don't. Last thing I remember is driving home in my car then crashing. After that its a lot of shapes and noise and lights. No clue what happened after the crash or where i am currently." Your voice comes back to you more as you talk, feeling like an old car engine left in a shed for much longer than it should have. The nurse nods, moving to the side of your bed, checking the hanging IV Bag and grabbing a pressure cuff, though swiftly sets it back down after realizing it definitely wont fit your arm. She then grabs a stethoscope, pulling out a stool and climbing on it before pressing the cold metal cup to your chest, nodding as she takes your heart rate.
"Well, my name is Nurse Redheart, and you're currently at the Ponyville General Hospital. You were brought in a few nights ago after some of the citizens found you laying next to a flaming hunk of metal. Most likely the thing you crashed in. Does that sound correct?" She asks, setting the stethoscope aside and grabbing a popsicle stick, motioning for you to open your mouth. You nod, saying "aah" as requested. She grimaces at your most likely abhorrent morning breath, looking over your mouth. Her eyes widen slightly upon seeing your canine teeth, and she makes a mental note to change your dietary type from Herbivore to Omnivore.
She continues through your checkup relatively swiftly, taking the basics down and noting that your leg is healing much faster than had been predicted. When asked about this, she responds stating "When we had a Unicorn scan your leg, the structure of it seemed to indicate it would take at least a few months to heal. However, from what i can tell, it should be fully healed by the end of this week, possibly even earlier."
The admittance of "Unicorn" throws you for a loop, and you make a note to ask about it next time you get the chance, seeing as she leaves right after answering your question. Once alone once more, you lay back down, trying to absorb all the new information that's been thrown at you, and most importantly, why the hell you aren't dead.
Author's Note
Howdy howdy. This is the first little chapter in what will hopefully be a decently long story ill put together at like 1 AM while i should be sleeping before work. Constructive criticism is absolutely acceptable, but if you genuinely just don't like what i have so far, please just scroll away.
-V
Cause And Effect, Mr. Morris. (Chapter 2)
23 hours post rescue
You wake up from your impromptu nap, feeling much less groggy and much more alert. This also affords you the chance to finally realize exactly what is going on. You're definitely not on Earth. You're probably not even in the same dimension. This proposes several problems, the one at the forefront being: How do you get home. Tossing the blanket off your legs, you climb out of the hospital bed and very shakily make your way to the door that doesn't lead out of the hospital room, which ends up being a bathroom. Feeling for a light switch, you find nothing, and peek back out into the main room. Here you notice the same thing. Almost all the light is coming from the parts of the window that the curtains are not drawn over. The ceiling is startlingly bare, neither a light fixture nor a fan to see. Which can only mean one thing, that this place doesn't have electricity of any kind. You smack your forehead twice, and amazingly, a small, ethereal flame appears in what you had assumed to be a decorative wall mount. This bathes the bathroom in a warm, yellow light, showing the modest interior. The room contains what you surmise to be the small horse equivalent to a toilet, along with a sink and mirror.
"So they have running water... But the lights are all Clappers? This is just so..." Your voice trails off as you hobble over to the mirror, finally getting a look at yourself after who knows how long. You're quite unshaven, partly from lack of grooming back home and your extended bed rest. Your skin is quite pale, owing to late nights and days sheltered indoors, not to hide from poor weather conditions, but rather to escape into video games and alcohol. Your hair is long, unkempt, though normally tied back in a bun, or ponytail if you're feeling particularly lax. The dirty yellow coloring brings back memories of your mother, who shares both your hair and eye color. This brings a new wave of emotions, as you now realize your mom probably has no idea where you've gone. Compounding panic sets in, and with your back pressed against the door, you sink to the ground, falling into a spiraling, tunneling headspace. Its impossible to breathe, your heart is racing, everything is going to shit there's so much wrong its-
*Knock, knock, knock*
Three quick knocks break you from the impending panic attack, and as you attempt to catch your breath, and calm your racing heart, you hear the same hoofsteps as yesterday. The nurse calls out to you, stepping farther into the room.
"Mr. Morris? Are you in here?" She calls. You make an effort to grab the door knob, pulling yourself up slowly, feeling the energy that was sapped from you by the earlier shot of adrenaline. As you open the door, youre greeted by the nurse, and her seemingly trademark paper hat. Judging by her surprised face, she wasnt expecting you to be up and about.
"Sorry for that i was just... Curious. The lights here are different from back home so i wasn't exactly prepared for it." You half-admit. You've dealt with enough nurses and doctors in the past to know that telling them what's really wrong will just get you doped up or worse. Better to lie than get seen as just another crazy. She nods, walking over to you and setting a hoof on your knee reassuringly.
"I understand. Judging by your appearance you're definitely not from around here. We've done the best we can considering your unique physiology, but bringing you up to speed with how things here in Equestria work was going to have to wait for you to recover more." She replies chipperly, taking her hoof off your knee and sitting on the ground in front of you. "How are you feeling, if i may? Physically." She then asks, a small smile on her face.
"Good enough to drag my bum leg around at least. Never broken a bone before so getting used to this" You gesture at the cast still on your leg, "has been a bit of an experience. Overall though, a lot better than when i first woke up." As if on cue, your stomach growls loudly, causing a blush to creep up your neck, which also elicits a giggle from the nurse.
"You know, i was just about to ask if you felt up to trying to eat anything. Give me a minute and ill see what i can snag from the kitchen, ok?" She doesn't wait for your answer, standing up and trotting over to the door, stopping just as she opens it. "I did also note down your assumed dietary requirements. We don't normally stock any um... Meat, but i know the kitchen has a wonderful potato soup today." At your nod of acceptance, she exits the room, leaving you to your thoughts once more. The small conversation was distraction enough to help you calm down, and you lean back in the chair, which is much comfier in comparison to the bed. It also affords you the chance to take stock of your current situation. You're currently in a hospital, not on Earth, and are being cared for by tiny, talking horses. Everything after the crash is fuzzy, and all you can remember is waking up earlier today, before the first visit from Nurse... Redheart, she said. Finally, you're practically starving, and also your mouth is dry as well. You turn to the table, which has a seemingly new pitcher and glass on it, along with a small vase of what look to be Tulips. Not your favorite flower, that would be Lavender, but still nice. You grab the pitcher and glass, your grip much steadier compared to last time, and fill the glass, drinking it down and having a second one, just for good measure.
After drinking your fill, you push yourself up from the chair, wobbling unsteadily over to the bookshelf on the far wall. Maybe when Nurse Redheart is here again you can ask for crutches. Or a cane. Possibly some Vicodin. Not that you're in pain of course, but more for the aesthetic. Standing in front of the shelf, you look down at the small collection of books arranged on the top. Grabbing one at random, the cover reads "Equestrian History For Displaced Bipeds". You cock an eyebrow, rubbing your eyes. Now the cover simply reads "Equestrian History, Standardized Edition." Shrugging and assuming the nurse would be back at some point, you decide to settle in and read up on your new, though hopefully temporary, home.
Author's Note
The title doesn't have any meaning, I've just been playing through Half-Life 2 and watching Pyrocynicals video on Entropy Zero again. Anyway, if you're reading this, thanks :)
-V
Elementary, My Dear Camden (Chapter 3)
25 hours post rescue
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me that your leaders, the two people, er, ponies in charge, are the ones who move the fuckin sun and moon around the planet? And one of them was trapped there for 1000 years?? ” You sat on the edge of the bed, having finished the admittedly pretty small book after about 45 minutes. Nurse Redheart returned a little bit after that, bringing along a tray of Broccoli and cheese soup, plus some apple juice on the side, and a banana. The soup was devoured immediately, and the apple juice was drank just as quickly. Now, you were working through the banana, while practically bombarding the slightly exasperated nurse with questions about the context of the book. Surely this couldn’t be correct, right?
“Yes, Mr. Morris, that is right. Princess Celestia controls the Sun, and presides over the country during the daylight hours. Then, her sister, Princess Luna, takes over and moves the moon into the sky, Watching over the citizens of Equestria as we sleep. Princess Luna also watches over the Dream Realm, where all of Equestrias ponies dreams are kept, and where she can fight off our nightmares. " She responds, huffing slightly, while plopping into the chair next to the bed. She grimaced slightly as you finished the last half of the banana in one bite, chewing and swallowing quickly.
“That... That doesn’t make any sense though, i mean how can they move the sun when the planet is orbiting it. Unless the planet is larger than the star? But that’d be crazy. Right?” You trail off, trying to understand the logistics of a truly geocentric orbit, and how that would affect the planet as a whole. Before you can short circuit, Redheart clops her hoof on the ground sharply, breaking your trance. “Right, sorry. Anyway, you wanted me to try putting weight on the leg, right?” The nurse nods, stepping out of the chair as you climb from your bed, most of your weight on your non-plaster wrapped leg. Gingerly, you increase the amount of pressure on your other leg, not feeling any pain whatsoever. You take a tentative step forward, getting back into the rhythm of walking slowly, making it across the room to the door without stumbling once, then turn and look at the astonished Redheart triumphantly. She closes her slightly agape mouth, smiling slightly at you before walking over and opening the door.
“Well, with the frankly amazing progress youve made on healing, i dont see any reason why we cant get that cast off of you now. While you’re doing that, ill send a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle. She asked us to keep her updated on your progress when you first arrived here, and im sure shed be more than happy to talk to you about Equestria and how it works.” She talks as she leads you down the hall, having given you your shirt back, which you slip on quickly before following her, passing patients and nurses who all give you strange, confused looks. You do your best to ignore them, focusing on Nurse Redheart as she leads you to a room down the hall. She enters first, then closes the door behind you two. Inside is a normal looking doctors office, complete with weird paper liner on the chair. You climb up onto it, and Nurse Redheart comes over, looking the cast over quickly. “Right, you sit tight and I'll go get Doctor Quick Fix.”
Either she doesn't notice your snort, or doesn’t care as she leaves, and now you’re alone once again, drumming on your knees as you wait for the doctor who may or may not have a medical license. You're not left waiting long however, as the doctor shows up. He has a light blue-green coat, and a gray and silver mane, glasses and a horn jutting out of his head. As he enters the room, he's holding a clipboard in some kind of teal force field, which also seems to be encapsulating the horn his head. This must be one of those Unicorns the book talked about. He's reading from the clipboard as he enters the room, closing the door with the same magic.
“Good afternoon Mr. Morris, my name is Doctor Quick Fix, and I'm to assume you're having a cast removed?” He looks up after saying this, then blinks twice and rubs his eyes with a foreleg. “Well now. I don't believe I've ever seen a creature such as yourself. Quite the sight you are son.” He grins, and you cant help but grin yourself. The doctor is much more chipper than any human doctor you've been to, and it makes being at the hospital just that little bit less unsettling.
“Yea, thats right. The nurse seemed surprised at how quickly i recovered. How long does it normally take you ponies to heal?’' You ask him, lifting the offending leg as you do. He ignores your question and sets the clipboard down, encasing the cast in his magic as he hums and looks it over, the field intensifying where his gaze lands, seeming to look through the cast and at your leg instead. Once he's satisfied, a crack appears down the length of the plaster, and it splits like an egg, revealing your very pale, but healed, appendage.
“Yes, the nurse is right in being surprised.” He grabs a folder, putting up what look to be x-rays of your leg. The Tibia looks to be snapped in half, and cracked near the knee. The fibula is similarly broken. “These injuries are quite severe. Truth be told, any other pony would’ve lost the leg if they had went through this. However, Mr. Morris, you are no pony. Thanks to that fact, we were able to save yours. The strange part being, it had already begun healing on the ride over to the hospital. Fascinating, isn’t it?” He asks, turning to you, his large smile seeming less cheery and more... Creepy. “What should have been a multiple month recovery, was finished in less than a day. I look forward to the data Princess Twilight comes up with after she runs her tests on you. You’re free to leave, the exit is to the right, and then take a left. Have a good day Mr. Morris.” The doctor exits, leaving you alone with your thoughts. You slide off the table, and immediately feel a difference, walking now feeling much easier without the huge chunk of plaster getting in the way. After leaving the room, you follow the doctors directions, and leave the hospital.
After exiting the hospital, you finally get a look at the world you’re currently trapped on. The houses look like they were plucked from a story based on the medieval dark ages. Thatch roofs and seemingly wooden walls adorn every house as far as you can see. Off in the distance you catch sight of what appears to be a colossal crystalline tree, refracting the light that shines onto it into beams of warping color. Before you can begin exploring however, a familiar voice calls from behind you.
“Mr. Morris, wait!” You turn your head, watching Nurse Redheart canter over to you, fixing her hat when she stops. “Before you leave. Here, this is one of the only things they managed to salvage from that... Vehicle you arrived in.” She pulls a small draw string bag off her neck, holding it out to you by the strap. You look it over, the faded 7th Column on it quite ruined. Pulling it open, you find a few of your personal items, consisting of a small pocket knife, your cell phone and earbuds, and a small notebook you used for your doodles and sketches. Pulling the bag closed, you slip it onto your back.
“Thanks Red. Honestly, with how you described the wreck they found me in, i figured all my stuff was gone. Nice to know a few things came with.” You thank her, adjusting the bag to sit comfortably. She pipes up again, so you turn to face her fully.
“You’ve probably seen it already, but Princess Twilights castle is that huge crystal structure over there.” She steps next to you, pointing to the crystal tree you saw, “Head over there, and she'll probably be waiting. While the doctor was taking your cast off, i sent a letter her way letting her know you would be heading that way soon. She hasn’t sent anything back, but i’m certain she’s getting everything ready to receive you. Good luck, and just a warning. Princess Twilight can be a bit... Much, when you first meet her. I promise she’s a wonderful mare once you get to know her though.” With that, she gives you a wave and trots back to the hospital, leaving you to make your way to your next (and hopefully not Final) Destination.
Author's Note
The bag I'm referencing is an old Bungie Reward from Destiny 2, and i have one that's old as all hell. Anyway, i hope you enjoyed this chapter. ill try and keep this pace when it comes to releasing chapters in the future. I also wrote this chapter while listening to Kendricks new album, and its very good. Ok bye!
-V
Meetings and Mishaps (Chapter 4)
Author's Note
From this point on i'll be abandoning marking out how long it's been since rescue, as it serves no purpose going forward.
-V
Meetings and Mishaps (Chapter 4)
As you begin the trek to Princess Twilights castle, one thing strikes you almost immediately. The citizens here are not nearly as skittish as their towns design would lead you to believe. They walk along the street, some paying you no mind, others giving a smile or small wave with a hoof. You in turn give a nod in response, which seems to satisfy them enough. They dont outwardly bother you, thus giving you a chance to take in the different... Tattoos? On their flanks. The book called them "Cutie Marks", and said they signified what that specific ponies main talent is. Seems useful to you. If only Earth had soemthing like that, seeing as how lost a lot of people were without any kind of direction. Having something like that would make life so much more straightforward, having a tattoo that tells you exactly what job you would have for your whole life. Might even make everyone happier. That, or itd make the class disparity even worse. Probably best not to think of that, and treat whats happening as more of an unscheduled vacation.
Lost in thought, you end up bumping into another pony, and being out of whack, you stumble back and fall onto your ass. The pony, meanwhile, places down the rolls of fabric it was carrying in its telekinetic grasp, then steps over to you. It has a stark, almost pristine white coat, with a rich purple mane, and an image of 3 gems on its rump.
"Oh my, darling are you alright? I must admit i was not paying attention. Im terribly sorry for running into you." The pony, a mare, judging by the general body shape and voice, apologizes profusely, taking your arm in her magic and helping you up. Her proximity to you brings another revelation to mind. Compared to the ponies here, youre tall. Not counting her horn, she only comes up to your stomach, and youre 5 foot 9. Dusting off your pants with a magically conjured brush, she puts her hoof to her chest. "My name is Rarity, and you must be the creature they rescued just a few days ago, is that correct?" She introduces herself, and you nod, dropping to a knee and holding your hand out.
"Yea, i am. My names Camden. Its nice to meet you Rarity." She takes your offered hand, shaking it daintily. You stand back up and she picks up her fabric rolls. " You uh... Need some help with that stuff? Seems like a lot." As you offer, the mare looks to the items in question and thinks for a moment, before levitating them over to you, and you take them. They're much lighter than you were expecting to be honest, and she nods once you have a sure grip on them.
"Well darling, ill never turn down an offer of help. Camden is a lovely name by the way. Though one im not antirely familiar with, Youre not from around here, obviously." She says as she continues her walk, thankfully in the same direction as you were originally going. "How did you end up in that terrible wreckage, if you dont mind my asking? I wasnt there to see it myself, but i was informed of the event after the fact. Details were admittedly sparse, and i myself am interested."
"As far as i can remember, i just kinda... Woke up in the hospital. So your best guess is as good as mine. Other than a broken leg i got out of it unscathed surprisingly. Before i woke up though, i was leaving work and this... Storm rolled in. Usually i dont have problems with thunderstorms, but this one was different. It appeared way quicker than it shoudlve, and was throwing around a lot more lightning than the average storm. A tree fell, i hit a pothole, rolled my car and now im here." You explain what you can remember, from before the accident, and after. The during, however, is still a blank spot, which is very frustrating. As you're walking and talking, the both of you come to stop outside a building that looks nothing like any of the other homes you've seen so far. It seems to be modeled after an old school carousel, ponies with poles through them circle the top section, the bottom still having the poles, but no animals. The building is tall, though you still come to eye level with the top of the door. "Wow. This uh... Sure is something. You live here?" You turn to Rarity, pointing a thumb towards the strange building.
"Why yes, in fact i do darling. Live and work . This fine establishment is Carousel Boutique. The premier location for any and all fashion here in Ponyville." She exclaims dramatically, waving a hoof in the air, standing on her back legs as her other hoof is pressed to her chest. You humor her, looking towards the boutique as as she talks. "I'm quite certain you'll hear much more about myself and my talents after some time here in Equestria. Now, come bring those spools inside would you darling?" Rarity doesn't wait for your response, opening the door and walking inside. With no real other option, you follow her in, the door closing behind you. The inside looks nicer than the outside, a small stage meant for checking the fit of something, with two small curtained off dressing rooms to the left. Another door leads into the back, and several mannequins litter the room, some with half finished dresses or suits on them, and some with the finished product, seemingly for displaying a purchasable garment. Your look around is interrupted by the white mare, who clears her throat. "If you could, place those over with the other fabrics on the wall to your right please."
Looking to where she had mentioned, you walk over and match the spools to the other ones in the cubbies, then turn and walk back over to her. She nods, seemingly okaying your decisions and walking deeper into the boutique, gesturing for you to follow. Doing so, she leads you through the door you saw earlier, which leads into a small kitchen, though its probably normal sized for a pony. Awkwardly standing next to the island in the middle, you watch her pull a pitcher from the fridge, and two glasses from a cupboard, setting them down and filling them with what looks to be lemonade.
"Now, darling, while i appreciate you helping me, i don't believe a glass of quite refreshing lemonade is a worthwhile payment. So, in exchange, I'll make you something a bit better to wear. Deal?" She says this as she finishes pouring, setting the pitcher down and sitting down on a stool at the island. You pick up the glass, thinking it over. Considering you didn't bring a second set of clothes with you, letting her do this sounds like a smart idea. Sipping some of the lemonade, Rarity wasn't lying. This stuff is pretty good.
"Ya know, i think I'll take you up on that offer. Its gonna have to wait till later though, I've gotta go meet with Princess Twilight." After finishing the lemonade, you accept her proposal, and she nods. Taking your empty glass and setting it in the sink, you head back out of the kitchen, Rarity following behind. Reaching the door outside, Rarity stays behind. "It was nice meeting you Miss Rarity. Ill stop by again some time." You wave to her as you start the trek once more to the castle.
Continuing down the dirt road, you get the strange feeling that you're being watched. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and its almost like a pair of eyes is burning into your skull. Stopping in place, you turn in a circle slowly, looking around for your hidden watcher. With nothing seeming out of the ordinary, you move to start walking again, when you see a peculiar shadow. When you first left the hospital, the sky was entirely clear, not a cloud in the sky. Now however, a single, small cloud hangs in the sky. Though it only seems to move when you're not looking at it directly, and when you start walking, it also drifts in the same direction. Scratching your head, you look down and grab a small stone. Tossing it for a second, you pull back and throw it. Although only intending to give it a light pitch, the stone fires from your hand at a blistering pace, punching through the cotton ball looking cloud like a bullet, leaving a hole clean through it. Wincing, you watch as a set of magenta eyes peer through the hole down at you, their brow furrowed. The owner of said eyes hops off the cloud, flying down in your direction at a... Slightly alarming pace. Oh yea they're definitely picking up some speed... Before they collide with your chest, you manage to dive to the side, feeling the air slice past your head like a blade. Clambering to your feet, you watch the creature, a Pegasus if the book was correct, turn and come around for a second pass. Watching it dive again, you start running forward. Expecting this, the cyan coated pegasus flies closer to the ground. What it clearly wasn't expecting, however, was you to vault over it, and as it watches you leap over it, the pegasus doesn't notice the cart currently crossing through its flight path, and it slams into the cart with a crunch and a boom of flying wood and feathers. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, you take off, sprinting towards the castle. One more thing you notice, you're not at all winded. Normally any kind of running would leave you pretty tired, but all these acrobatics you pull off feel... Natural. Good. The ponies who saw what happened don't seem too concerned, mostly sighing or chuckling at the incident. Instead of stopping to ask what's up, you just keep running, the crystal castle looming ever closer.
Unfortunate Developments Abound (Chapter 5)
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