The Problem of Other Sapients, Memoirs of a Man

For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I looked at the books by my side. The first was on medicinal herbs, something which might come in handy if I ever recovered. The second was entitled "A Brief History of the Southern Nations: An Amateur's Guide to the Zebra, Antelope, and Other Southern Tribes, Second Edition.

"She picked these books to spite me! Well, she failed, I do like my history," I spoke to thin air, opening the book and beginning to read.

~~~===***===~~~

I looked up from where I lay at Zecora, who had just walked in. With her were six ponies, including the... Female, that called me a monster. I am still a bit miffed about that. Two of them appeared to be pegasai, and two were unicorns.

Interesting.

One of the ponies squeaked when she saw me. I could tell that she was female because she, well, she squeaked.

"Oh you poor dear," she said with worry.

I regarded her with curiosity.

"Applejack, you've seen him with your own eyes. Tell me now that you won't apologize," said Zecora.

"Ah'm... Ah'm sorry..." She said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"No tears, you'll make me cry too," I said.

Several of the ponies looked at me with shock, save for the yellow one and the still sobbing girl (for lack of a better term).

One of the ponies, sheer pink in color, with her mane and coat being a different shade, walked over to the orange girl and comforting her.

"Ah'm sorry..."

Tears began to well up in my eyes. I laughed a bit.

"What's so funny? Can't you see she's sorry?" asked the pink one indignantly.

"Look at me, crying over someone who called me a monster," I said. "If it's any consolation, that was the appropriate reaction."

"It was..?" the orange pony asked.

"Well, maybe not, but I would hardly expect you to swear your undying loyalty to me," I replied. "From what I understand, humans don't exist here, wherever I am. You can't be faulted for being wary of the unknown."

"Ah still feel awful 'bout it, though," she replied, wiping her eyes.

"That's to be expected. If anything, that just means you're not a monster. The greatest trait one can have is empathy, and while you didn't have it before when concerning me, you have it now," I said.

"Yeah, not to interrupt this touching moment and all, but you said that hu... somethings don't exist here. Are you an alien?" butted in one of the pegasai.

She was bright blue with a startling rainbow mane. If that wasn't a dye job, I'd eat my figurative hat. Better yet, I'd buy a new hat and eat it.

"It would seem so. As far as I know, talking brightly colored ponies don't exist. I could be crazy, but I haven't had any mental problems before, so that seems unlikely," I replied.

"So much of the world is yet to be charted, how do you know you just didn't get lost? The forest has strong magic, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that you traveled further than you walked," said another one, a purple unicorn.

"Magic? Hah! Magic doesn't exist! And, to answer your question, the fact that the world hasn't been charted yet tells me that I'm not on my planet," I said.

"You've charted your whole planet? How did you do that without magic?" she asked.

"Simple. Not simple, really, but not impossible," I said. "You need to launch a satellite into space and have it take a picture of the planet. That's the short version. I'm not a rocket scientist," I said, chuckling at my own joke.

"You've sent a ship into space?" she asked me.

"More than that, we've sent a manned ship to the moon. And planted a flag there. Not sure that was necessary really, it's like 'We claim the moon! If any aliens are out there that have flags, this pointless lump of rock is ours!'"

"Ah'd hate ta interrupt," said the orange mare, the last of her tears gone.

"Oh yes, of course. Lass, it's... it's not fine. It really isn't, but there's no way you could have known. My getting attacked is not your fault. Now, I do hold you responsible for your disparaging comments, but my injury had nothing to do with you, ok?"

She nodded.

"Now that that's settled," I said, "I believe proper introductions are in order. My name is Josh."

"Applejack," replied the orange pony.

"Twilight," replied the purple unicorn.

"Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria!" said the blue pegasus.

"Hi! My name is Pinkie!" said the pink one. She gasped loudly, "I need to throw a welcome party for you!"

"My name is Rarity," replied the white one in a very dignified manner.

"And you?" I asked the yellow one.

"My name is... Fluttershy."

"Speak up," I said.

"Fluttershy."

"I can see why. Tell me, why did you take special interest with me when you walked in?" I asked.

"Oh, I work with animals a lot. I don't like it when they're hurt," she said.

"I'll try not to be offended," I replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

"I was just joking." I turned to Twilight, "Now, why do you think magic exists?"

"It's all around us! Everything has magic in it!"

"Show me."

Her horn glowed. At first, I didn't notice anything, but then, I saw it.

The book was levitating.

"We'll done, but there has to be a wire somewhere."

"Is that really not enough proof?"

I thought for a moment. An idea came to me, a terrible, possibly painful, and easily falsifiable idea.

Have her levitate me. Or, better yet, a part of me.

"Levitate my hand."

"What?"

"Lift my arm up with magic."

She complied.

I stared at my involuntarily raised arm. I sort of felt like something was brushing against me, the sort of thing that gives one goosebumps.

"My God," was all I could muster.

She let go of my arm.

"I must say, I'm impressed," I said.

"I'm impressed that you can survive without magic. Is it all right if I run some tests? Humans haven't been seen in over two thousand years and-"

"Wait, you know of my people?" I asked.

"The last one died over two thousand years ago, killed in a siege."

"Anything else?"

"Very little, only that you have little magic, not unlike the antelope, and that you had terrible weapons when you had actual cities."

"Let me guess, guns?"

"What are they?"

"See, you use an explosive to propel a projectile at high speeds towards a target."

"Can it go through armor?"

"Depends. The earliest firearms were unable to penetrate very heavy armor. As the technology improved, standard plate armor became obsolete, but not until several centuries of advancement had passed."

"Firearms?" Twilight asked.

"A term for guns, so named because early guns appeared to shoot fire."

"Hmm. So, can I run some tests on you?"

"Only ones that don't involve me getting up," I replied.

"Why not?" she asked.

Do you not see the bandages? I can't walk until this heals up. If you want to take a blood sample, or something of the sort, go right ahead. Also, how would a hospital staff respond to my presence?"

"Not well. Applejack is a very level headed pony, and she freaked out when she saw you."

I grimaced.

After a brief pause, I said, "Well, it's been fun. Come back if you want the samples, but you will have to take them yourself, for obvious reasons."

"Will do," she said, walking out. The others followed her, save Fluttershy.

"Did you want something?" I asked.

"I see it in your eyes. You don't think you'll be able to walk again, do you?"

"No."

"Fluttershy? You coming?" called one of the others.

"I'd be glad to help you. I live slightly closer to the town, and may be able to get supplies more easily, if that's alright with you."

"I'm not exactly mobile. If my condition improves, I might take you up on the offer, but until then..."

"Oh, well, I've got to go. Bye."

"Farewell," I responded.

"Tell me Zecora, how did she know?" I asked.

"She sees others souls, all their joys, fears, and woes," she replied.

"I don't think I could be her," I said.