My Second Chance

        'Oh, I was so hoping she would wait to ask that... Come on brain, we need to find a way out of this. Think of something smart to say!'

        "Uhh... Well, about that," I started stupidly. 'Thanks for that brain. A winning statement if I've ever heard one. Why must you always make me sound stupid?' The look on Nurse Redheart's face wasn't helping my thought process any either. It was a cross between a grimace and an almost patronizing look. 'I do believe I'm in trouble now.'

        Hoping a vague answer might suffice, I finally answered, not meeting her piercing cobalt gaze. "I'm from... very far away," I answered slowly to the potted tree that I had just noticed behind Nurse Redheart.

        After what felt like at least ten minutes, but was probably closer to one, I finally tore my gaze away from the ficus to see what Redheart was doing. She was just giving me a somewhat sad look, and when she saw me glance back at her, she gave me a halfhearted smile before clearing her throat slightly.

        "I won't press the matter. Do you know how you ended up asleep on the road outside Ponyville?" Redheart questioned.

        "Um, no I don't know. I honestly don't know how I got anywhere near Ponyville at all," I answered truthfully.

        "A pony named Applejack saw you just past her fence. She tried to wake you up multiple times, but you weren't responding. She finally carried you here on her back. Applejack stayed with you for the first two days, but we had her leave yesterday. After you, um, fell off the bed screaming," Nurse Redheart explained quickly. "Your vitals are all fine, and you don't seem to be hurt in any way. So you can check out now if you want to. I just need to grab the papers from the doctor."

        "Yeah, that'd be nice. I don't really like hospitals all that much," I said with a half smile.

        "Alright, I'll be right back with those. Anything else you need before I go?" Redheart politely asked, walking towards the door.

        "No, that should be-" I started before my stomach grumbled. Blushing slightly I said, "Something to eat would be nice."

        "Of course, I'll bring a daisy sandwich and some hay fries," Redheart said with the happy tone from earlier, accompanied with a smile.

        'Oh, yay. Guess I get to be a vegetarian now. Totally didn't think about that. Oh well, what can you do?'

        'Wait. I've really been in Equestria for at least three days, and I still don't know what I look like?' Resisting the urge to facehoof, I slid off the bed. "Oof," was all I could say as I slammed face first into the floor. "I really need to get a hang of this whole walking with hooves thing," I muttered peeling my face off the tiles.

        Carefully getting back up, I had a moment of triumph, before I tried to walk. Tripping over my own hooves I stumbled around like a drunken pony for a few moments. "Yay! I didn't end up on my face that time!" I exclaimed to nopony in particular. Spying the door to what I believed was the bathroom, I stumbled over to it.

        "Okay. New problem. How the buck do I open doors with hooves? Wait, don't think about it. Just like I still want to know how I held the water glass. But that's not important now!" I said to myself. 'I really need to stop talking to myself out loud. Peo- Ponies might think I'm insane. Well... if I tell them where I'm actually from they will really think I'm insane.' Figuring talking to myself wasn't going to help anything, I lifted a hoof to the doorknob. To my very great surprise I was able to grab and turn it! 'Don't question it. Don't do it brain, it isn't worth it.'

        Pushing the door open I was greeted with a small bathroom. 'Time to finally see what my ugly mug turned into.'

        "Hmm. Not bad, definitely better than I was as a human," I mused to myself. 'I'm an Earth Pony. Kinda gathered that already, but it's always nice to be sure. I would've liked to be a Pegasus, but I'm okay with this. Slate gray coat; that's definitely me. Dull and boring. Cyan mane with royal blue running through it. Now that I like. Almost icy blue eyes, I've always wanted blue eyes. Wait! Wow, I feel stupid now. I didn't even think to look at my cutie mark.' Succumbing to the urge to facehoof (which hurt a lot more than I expected. Stupid hooves), I twisted back, and looked at my flank.

        "Now what in the world does that mean? A gray swirl in a black ring, surrounded by a blue cloud thing with white specks in it. That is one of the most bizarre cutie marks I've ever seen," I again said to myself before shaking my head a few times, and starting to walk out the door.

        "Well, no point being vain, might as well figure out how to sit on the bed comfortably and wait for Redheart." Stumbling my way back to the bed, I climbed on it. "So far so good, now, should I sit like a human, or just lie on my stomach?" I pondered, before coming to the conclusion I'd most likely tip over if I tried sitting up. 'Laying down it is then.'

        Right after I got comfortable I heard a quiet conversation, accompanied by the sound of two sets of hooves coming towards my room. Swiveling my ears, which was a bit odd to get used to might I add. I pondered for a second, who else might be coming? When I heard a familiar southern drawl, "Ah do hope he's okay. I was mighty worried about 'em. 'Specially when he didn't wanna wake up. Then tha' whole commotion yesterday."

        "Just wait out here a moment, I want to make sure he's okay with a visitor," I heard Redheart say quietly, before she stuck her head in the door. "I have the papers, and your lunch right here, hun. I also happened to find a certain somepony when I was getting them. Is it alright if she comes in?"

        "Of course it is," I replied politely. Redheart stepped inside, and out of the way of the door, letting Applejack come in. Redheart grabbed the tray of food, and the papers off her back with surprising dexterity, and set them in front of me on the bed. Thanking her with a smile and a nod, I turned towards AJ, who was still hovering slightly uncomfortably near the door. Deciding I should probably play dumb, so to speak, and getting a little unsettled by her nervousness, I quietly asked, "You would be the pony who saved me I'm guessing?"

        "Well ah don't know about savin' ya, but yeah ah'm tha pony who brought ya here," Applejack said while scuffing a hoof on the floor. 'Ah- I mean, I don't understand why she's so uncomfortable,' I thought to myself.

        Cutting through the awkward silence as though it wasn't even there, Redheart excused herself, "I'll leave you two to talk. Just drop those papers off at the desk on your way out. Have a good day, both of you." She walked quickly out the door, leaving the same awkward silence to invade the room again.

        Trying unsuccessfully to pull a Fluttershy, and hide behind my mane, (stupid short mane...) I decided to try and eat something. Picking up the actually very appetizing looking daisy sandwich, I took a bite. 'Wow, must be something with being a pony now, but this really tastes amazing!' I mentally screamed out. Looking up, I realized that Applejack was still standing in the same place, looking around and shifting awkwardly. Swallowing the mouthful of my new favorite food, I set the sandwich back down and cleared my throat softly, which immediately made AJ shift her emerald gaze right to me. 'Now what smart guy?' My brain thought, oh so very helpfully.

        "You're Applejack right?" I asked, more out of just trying to break the silence, then actually getting a conversation going.

        AJ seemed to grasp onto the question like a lifeline. "Yeah, that's me. I never did get yer name though," Applejack said with an almost hesitant tone.

        "Oh yeah, how rude of me. I'm Colton, and I really should have thanked you sooner, but thank you so much for giving me a hoof," I replied with my kindest smile. Which resulted in the cutest little smile I've ever seen, I thought for a second I was going to die of D'awwww poisoning.

        "Aw shucks, 'twas nothin' really. I just did what anypony would do," Applejack said modestly, with the ghost of a blush playing across her cheeks. Seemingly a little more calm than she was previously, AJ pulled a chair from near the door over by the bed, and sat down. Giving me a half smile, she asked, "So where exactly are ye from anyway?"

        'Why must everyone, always ask that first?' I thought, wilting slightly at the prospect of having to lie to the Element of Honesty. "Can we just leave it at 'I'm from a long ways away, please?" I questioned with a slightly pained expression on my face. I could see it in the look Applejack was giving me, that she knew there was a lot more to it, but to my great relief she didn't call me on it.

        "Alrighty then. So how'd y'all end up on the road in front of Sweet Apple Acres, iff'in ya ain't from 'round these parts?" Applejack asked with unguarded curiosity, and maybe a little suspicion.

        'Ah, something I can answer entirely truthfully! Yay me! *Squee*' I thought happily. "I honestly don't have an answer for that one Applejack. I can't remember how I would have even gotten there," I spoke with the whole truth for what felt the first time in ages.

        "So where're ya stayin' at?" Applejack queried with the pony equivalent of a raised eyebrow.

        "Erm. I haven't really thought about that to be honest. At the moment, I have nowhere to stay," I responded, my voice filling with more despair every word I spoke. Looking down towards my forgotten meal, I was unable to see Applejack lean towards me, so I was startled when I felt a hoof touch my shoulder. Turning my head, I saw that Applejack was giving me a sad smile.

        "Hey now, none of that. Ya'hear? If yer needin' a place to stay till ya get yer hooves under ya, then jus' say tha word. I'd be mighty happy to have ya down at Sweet Apple Acres, so long as ya don't mind gettin' yer hooves dirty, so to speak," Applejack offered kindly, while pulling her hoof back. 'Wow, this really is a land of kindness. It's going to be a little hard getting used to this. Especially after living in Colorado almost my entire life,' I thought almost wistfully.

        "Thank you Applejack, really. You don't understand how much that means to me," I said quietly, as I noticed my vision start to blur slightly. 'Tears. What are you doing tears? TEARS! STAHP!' I mentally scolded myself, with a way overused meme.

        "Mah friends call me AJ," Applejack corrected kindly. "Now hows about we git ya outta here? Ah'm meetin a few of mah friends for a picnic, an' yer sure as sugar invited."

        "Appl-- AJ,"I corrected quickly with a smirk. "I think that's a great idea, I would love to meet some of your friends."

        'Just gotta sign these papers, and I'm free to go,' I thought. 'New problem: HOW DO I WRITE WITH HOOVES?!' Trying to hide the anxiety creeping up inside of me, I grabbed the quill with a hoof. 'Okay. Now just scribble something on the line. I can do this!' Or so I thought. Just as I went to put the quill into the inkwell, I twitched. 'NO!' AJ being my savior yet again, grabbed the inkwell, and steadied it on the tray. Nodding my thanks, I tried again, and was met with success! Letting the excess ink drain off, I hovered the quill over the paper for a moment. Glancing it over, I realized that Equestrian medical was entirely free! 'Oh that is so awesome. Bit of a good thing too, seeing as I'm broke, and without a job,' I quipped, sending a silent prayer of thanks to Celestia and Luna. 'No more dilly dallying, just sign the thing already.' Seeing the big X at the bottom, I scrawled my name very untidily across the line.

        Dropping the quill back into the inkwell, I grabbed the papers in my mouth, and made a mumbled attempt at, "Let's blow this joint!" Which came out more like, "Lmph blph tfis jomph!" Before fate made me land square on my nose again. "Ow..."

        I will give Applejack credit. She managed to hold her laughter in quite well, except the very audible snort. Looking up, I saw comical stars floating about and had to resist the urge to say, 'Oooh. Pretty stars.' When the celestial beings left my vision, and the room stopped moving, I grabbed AJ's proffered hoof. Only to have my foreleg almost wrenched out of my socket. 'Ow. Strong pony is strong,' my brain commented helpfully.

        Undeterred by giving the floor an unexpected hug for the second time today, I cantered out the door. 'Amazing, I can actually move! Without tripping over my hooves!' Fate had it out for me today though. Just as I crossed the threshold of my once room, I stumbled, and almost gave the wall a hug too. 'Okay, let's just try walking,' I muttered internally. 'Stupid hooves.'

        With Applejack behind me, snickering the whole way, I managed to almost fall several more times, before applying the logic I had with other things; 'Just don't think about it.' Which worked well, until I thought about it again. Running head-first into the nurse's station, made me sit back on my haunches. Rubbing the, now rather large, bump on my forehead with a hoof, I stood unsteadily, and dropped the papers on the counter in front of a nurse. She gave me a troubled look, and was about to say something when I chuckled slightly before saying happily, "Don't worry. I have a hard head." To which the nurse grimaced, and Applejack snorted, yet again.

        Smiling larger than should be allowed on pony facial features, I walked out of the hospital next to AJ. "So where are we headed?" I asked Applejack, turning my head slightly to see her.

        "We're headin' to the southwestern orchard at Sweet Apple Acres, it's where the girls and ah always have our picnics," AJ responded with a glance in my direction.

        As we cantered along, I let my mind wander freely. 'Equestria really is amazing,' my brain noted, deciding to state the obvious as usual. 'It's so peaceful. And it all looks so perfect. The air is so clean, the flowers are beautiful, even the houses have a sort of natural charm to them. This is where I have always wanted to be.'

        In my reverie, I didn't notice when Applejack stopped in front of me, and I was treated to a face-full of pony. Stepping back quickly, I proceeded to blush profusely, while babbling, "I'm-so-sorry! I-was-daydreaming-and-didn't-see-you-stop!"

        Focusing on AJ, I noticed she was blushing as well, albeit, quite a lot less than me. I suddenly found my hooves very interesting, and proceeded to draw circles in the dirt with them. Halfway through my third hoof-circle, I was interrupted by a very lady-like cough from off to my right, followed by a loud gasp, and a whoosh. Wait, Applejack is on my left side. 'Oh dear, we're in the orchard aren't we?' My brain again stated the already obvious, which it seems great at doing. Looking to my right slowly, I noticed the eyes of everypony, and dragon, were on me. 'Why is everypony staring at me? Well, everypony except Rainbow and Fluttershy.' Rainbow was busy rolling back and forth across the grass having troubles breathing. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say she found me running into AJ a little bit funny. Fluttershy on the other hoof, was busy doing what she does best. Hiding behind her mane. (CURSE YOU AND YOUR LONG MANE!)

        Applejack finally decided that enough was enough and took pity on me, "That's 'bout enough now everypony. Don't ya know it ain't polite to stare? Rainbow, cut it out. Fluttershy, is that really needed? Ah thought you was over being scared of new ponies?" Immediately, Twilight and Rarity both had the decency to give somewhat sheepish smiles, which I returned in full. Spike was giving me a curious look, but quickly averted his gaze once he noticed I was looking at him. Rainbow had finally caught her breath, and was busy wiping her eyes with a hoof. Fluttershy, gave a small *meep* when I looked at her, and hid behind her mane again. Pink-- 'Pinkie was just here a second ago... I have a bad feeling in the pit of my everything.'

        Seemingly oblivious to my panic, Applejack decided now was the perfect time for introductions, "Everypony, this here, is Colton. He's not from 'round here, and he might end up stayin' here at Sweet Apple Acres for a while." Turning to me, she started naming off the other ponies there, "Colton, these are my best friends, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike and Pink--"

        Applejack was suddenly cut off as a loud bang, accompanied by the sound of several party favors, rang out through the trees. Dropping to the ground quickly, I slammed my eyes shut, covered my ears with my hooves, and waited for the ringing to stop. After a few moments of being curled into a pony fetal position I figured I'd try to see what was going on. Cracking my eyes open slightly, I was met with a wall of pink with blue eyes. Quickly shutting my eyes again, I was able to hear a giggle through the ringing. A giggle that sounded slightly Pinkie-ish.

        Once the ringing finally faded away, I could hear Twilight somewhere in front of me, "Pinkie, I really don't think he's playing peek-a-boo with you. If anything, I think you just scared him really bad. Look, he's shaking." Trying to regain some of my dignity, I forced the tremors, that were unknowingly racking my body, to stop. Peeking out through one slitted eye, I saw that Pinkie had been taken to a safe distance, and that I was able to rejoin the world outside my eyelids.

        Slowly getting back on my hooves, I gave a meek smile to everypony. "I don't like surprises... Sorry Pinkie," I apologized, before resuming my earlier circle-drawing.

        Hearing somepony get closer, I unintentionally drew back slightly, before I looked up to see Fluttershy looking at me with a knowing gaze. "It's alright Colton. I'm sorry that I tried to hide from you earlier, but you'll be fine, we're all friends here," Fluttershy said in her beautiful, dulcet, tones.

        "Thank you Fluttershy, it means the world to me, to just show up in town, and meet such wonderful ponies," I said with a couple tears of joy rolling down my face. Lifting a wing, Fluttershy wiped them away. She surprised me slightly, by wrapping her forelegs around me, and giving me a firm, but gentle hug. Which I was all too happy to return.