Who are you?

Chapter Three - Freedom

"Rainbow did he just move?" Twilight spoke as she motioned a hoof towards the unconscious pony.

Quickly both Rainbow and Twilight dashed to the foot of the ponies bed to get a closer look or, at least Twilight did. Rainbow took it upon her self to get a more up close and personal view now hovering directly above the pony, her face so close that if Rainbow decided she could easily kiss the stallion awake like one of those old mare's tale's. Twilight would have spoken out to Rainbows closeness but she was interrupted by the pony crashing down at her feet, crashing down because the unconscious pony was not so unconscious anymore.

Twilight couldn't move, shocked by what she had just been witness to only moments ago. The unknown pony was now conscious and his first conscious act was to smack Rainbow Dash in the face before proceeding to dive out of  the window with a face that looked like blind panic. Twilight did not know how long she stood there but as she stood still as a statue a cyan hoof was raised into her view, snapping her back into reality. Twilight extended a hoof of help to Rainbow hoisting her up into a standing position as Rainbow kept her left hoof tightly pressed against her face.

"What the HELL just happened?" Rainbow said pressing against a small red patch of fur on the right of her face "That ass made me bleed! why would he go and hit me like that anyway, where is he?!" Looking around the room Rainbow saw nothing but a empty bed and a startled twilight who seemed lost in thought. "Twilight are you listening to me?"

"Out the window" Twilight was staring with a confused look at the window. she spoke softly her confusion dumbfounded her and she couldn't process why a stallion would just jump. "He jumped.... out of the window. Just jumped."

At the exact moment Twilight finished her sentence both pony shared a look of realization. This was the second floor and the unknown stallion was not a Pegasi. In a med dash both ponies made for the window, ramming their heads out expecting to see a broken pony on the ground below. That was not what they saw.

Ouch was not a strong enough word to cover what just happened. After rolling for several meters though bushes and sliding to a stop on the hard ground, I finally looked back to realized I had just jumped out of a window on the second floor. "That was not a happy landing" I groaned as I painfully made my way to a standing position. A  familiar and fearful thought struck me like lightning  'I'm not safe ponies could pounce on me at any moment.' Turning fast looking for a way to escape the horror of what I thought was coming my way I saw a forest. Dark, big and it looks easy to hide in. "Perfect!" I ran or at least limped quickly towards this forest. Once under the first few trees i found that it is a perfect place to hide from ponies.

The forest had dark trees that seed to go on forever in all directions, it also seemed to be filled with a dark eerie fog that would make anypony feel unwelcome. Their were no roads and it was clear that no pony had stepped foot inside in a long time. The grass was thick with weeds and the deeper anypony tread inside the darker the forest seemed to get. Their was also the unshakable feeling of being surrounded on all sides watched by everything, but no matter where a pony would look it would be empty.

Now I was deep inside this forest I could slow down a little. The adrenalin I felt as I first began to run was wearing off and I could now feel every ache and pain coming back onto me, washing over my body like a blanket of tiny microscopic needles.

But I knew I couldn't stop, I knew I had to continue on walking. "i want to be as far away from ponies as I can. I have to be safe." My train of thought was cut off by my face once again hitting the ground. "Grate..the forest is out to get me" I said as i stumbled back to my hoofs and slowly walked on.  Little did I know I was being watched as I walked.

Sketch Pad  was not like other donkeys nor was she like any pony either, Sketch was somewhere in between. This however did not make her unattractive, she was a young pegasi donkey mare. Sketch had brown fur, big green eyes two long pointy ears, a dark blond mane with a bobble in it and the same dark blond at the tip of her tail. All the features of a normal donkey of her age. Most noticeably though Sketch sported a pair of brown feathered wings and a cutie mark of a drawing pencil.

Sketch Pad enjoyed a good adventure and traveled all over Equestria to find it. Her last adventure found her in Fillydelphia. While there she heard of a strange forest called the Everfree Forest and was told that if there was ever a crazy enough mare in the world one could pass though the Everfree and arrive at a town called Ponyville. Upon hearing this Sketch Pad made it her mission and was set on making that her next big adventure.

With saddle bags packed and a focused mind Sketch set out on another adventure. Day one went by quickly as Sketch imagined it would. Upon entering the forest and choosing a direction to walk Sketch at firs saw nothing too unusual about the forest. Sure the tree's grew a little wild, same as the grass and plants and sure there where those far off creepy sounds and scary fog that just got thicker as Sketched walked, no big deal right? Wrong Sketch had know idea where she was. She was lost.

"Calm down Sketch you've been lost before" Sketch mused to herself in a attempt to calm her nerves. Yes Sketch had been lost before but never in a place like this, the longer she stayed the more she saw to put her at unease. The tree's grew wild, the animals that she saw where unfriendly and independent and not to mention the noises of the ones she couldn't see. All of this made for a scared Sketch Pad. Sketch did not know how long she had been walking for because the day and night just seemed to blur together in the forest but she knew she was tired  so she decided on finding a safe'er place to spend her night. A quick reconnaissance of the area showed that there was a nearby lake or pond it was to difficult to tell its actual size due to the fog draped over it.  Nearby to this their was a fallen and hollowed out tree.

"Inviting" Sketch sarcastically thought. This thought was stifled by a loud howling sound nearby now finding Sketch huddled down inside the fallen tree shaking like a foal that's just heard lightning for the first time. "Maybe this is better than I thought." Pulling two dark sheets from her saddle bags Sketch wen about hanging one over the hole that was now her door and laying the other down on the ground to protect from the cold ground if just a little. Sketch tried to sleep but each time she came close a near by sound would make her sit upright ready to bolt out of the tree and escape at a moments notice, this never had to happen much to Sketch's surprise.

"ughhh" That was the noise a cold and shivering Sketch makes when waking up from what was possibly the worst sleep she had gotten in a long time. Cautiously Sketch stuck her head out though her makeshift door to see about any near by danger. "Nothing. Good!" Sketch rushed over to the water of her nearby lake/pond and peaked in revealing a familiar  looking face staring back at her. "WOW this water is so clean, its like looking into a mirror" Sketch giddily said as she splashed the water over her body and face. "I wounder if its safe to drink?" Sketch decided that not Drinking the water would be the safest bet even if her mouth was a little dry. Sketch returned to her makeshift home and began packing away the sheets she had used inside her saddle bags and decided that today was the day she would get out of this place. "I like adventures, but this place is just creepy. One day is enough for me" Sketch thought as she cantered away from her hopefully to be forgotten soon place of rest. Sketch did not make it far though before hearing the sounds of something crashing though the bushes near her. Without a seconds though Sketch flew to nearby rock and slipped down behind it. and watched for what ever the noise was coming from to arrive, she did not have to wait for long because only a moment later a white furred Blue maned, and severely battered earth pony came crashing though the foliage only to fall over a root on the ground. Sketch was amazed by the stallion's timing here she was wanting out of this stupid forest and then a stallion crashes though the bushes to help her.

Sketch followed the stallion for a while wanting to know he was safe to approach. At her first glace she thought he was her hero here to save her from the forest. But on a closer glance it looked as if this pony had been though some epic battle, he had cuts and wounds all down the right side of his flank and leg, the leg looked worse actually because Sketch could clearly see it was bleeding steadily as he walked leaving a light trail behind him as he walked. What was odd to her was that the stallion didn't seem to care for his wounds he seemed more preoccupied to notice. Sketch was unsure on what to do should she jump in and try to help him. Would that even be a safe idea. Sketch didn't get to wait and find out because the stallion fell down in front of her clinging the bleeding hoof.

"Gosh darn it hoof.... you had one job! and you choose now to make me fall over!." I knew my hoof was bleeding I could feel the pain for quite some time as I walked I just chose to ignore it in favor of walking as far away from ponies as I could. Even if that wasn't the best plan it was my only plan. I figured now since I cant walk anymore I would use this opportunity to go ever the day. After siting and mulling it over I realized I didn't know why I was scared in the first place. I only ran because I knew I was in danger, but danger from what where was I when I woke up? I couldn't remember how I got there.

"Hello?" Came a small voice from behind me, this scared me to no end and i jumped trying to run, only to fall again 'stupid hoof' I saw i figure in the distance moving closer to me, I could tell it was a Pagasi pony because I could easily make the outline of two wings sticking up behind the slender frame of the pony before me. Making the dark figure all the more scary. I backed away sliding back not being able to stand, trying to get further away until finally my back was up against a tree I couldn't escape I was trapped. Closing my eyes I waited for the pain. Waited and waited, but it never came. Opening my eyes again I saw the figure had not moved.

"Its okay I'm not going to hurt you" Sketch said to the clearly scared pony. She could tell what ever had happened to the stallion it must have been awful. Carefully walking out of the shadow of the tree, stepping a little closer to the stallion Sketch tried to put on her most sympathetic face. "Really I just want to help you."

This was hard to believe. This mare was not a pony but a donkey, sort of. The wings a cutie mark where a sine that she might be in league with them. I noticed she was walking closer to me, with my back against this tree I wasn't going anywhere.

"Get back! Stay away from me.. I'm ...uh... I'm dangerous" I lied in the state I'm in now I doubt I could handle a bunny. This didn't stop Sketch from walking cautiously towards the stallion stopping a hoof's distance away she spoke again softly.

"Look I have some supplies in my saddle bag you don't have to trust me but let me patch you up please, just tell me you will let me" I looked up into the mares eyes I might not want to trust her, my body might be telling me that ponies are bad this wasn't exactly a pony and she did seem to genuinely want to help.

"Fine.... but I'm watching you" This reply did not phase Sketch. In fact she didn't mind the stallion watching her work over him. The Stallions bright blue eyes followed her hooves as they fumbled around her saddle bags pulling out a small green box with a white cross on it. Watched as Sketch pulled out bandage from the box and placed them on the ground by him. "Alright I'm just going to take a quick look at your hoof now so don't move" For a moment the stallion pulled away from Sketch but after a moment he pushed his bleeding back hoof out letting Sketch get a better look. "humm there is a bramble thorn stuck in your hoof and its done quite some damage too. I'm going to have to take it out and clean the wound to." Turning back to her saddle bags Sketch pulled out a empty glass flask and told the stallion to wait for her to come back. Running off back to the waters edge of where she spent her night Sketch scooped up enough water re fixed the top of the flask and made her way back to the stallion.

I didn't move even though now would be the perfect time to run i couldn't even if i wanted to. This mare had been so nice to me and in all honesty i could leave my hoof in the state its in. So reluctantly i stayed put waiting for the mare to return.

"Where did you go?" I asked when the mare returned holding a now full flask in her mouth as she quickly returned to my hoof.

"Water" she spoke placing the flask at my feet. "This will probably hurt, I'm going to take the thorn out and clean it now."     Placing her hoof's down near to the bramble i wanted to coil away but i knew i shouldn't so i just sat still "On three i will pull it out okay?"

"Alright" I replied wary of the pain i was about to willingly put my self though.

"One... Two"

"Aghhh! I thought you said on three" I yelled as the crazy mare pulled out the thorn on two. She quickly moved and grabbed the water and poured it onto my wound. This stung a little but it was soothing far less painful than the thorn.

"I wanted to be sure you wouldn't pull away on three so i lied a little. Sorry." I was about to complain but i felt something new over my hoof. It was tight yet comfortable it didn't hurt to much. Looking down i could see that the mare had began to place the bandages on my hoof. She had such soft gentle hoof's not at all what i expected. I watched as she wrapped my hoof tightly tying of the bandage she sat back with a sigh. "At least that's done"

"Th... thank you i guess."

Sketch watched as the battered stallion pulled a red face at those words. With a laugh Sketch asked.

"So whats your name? Or do i just call you Blue Eyes ?" Sketch said to the stallion earning a confused look.

"Blue Eyes? whats that  supposed to be?" This confused Sketch Pad greatly, she even pulled a little scrunchy face at the stallions reply.

"Honestly its like you don't even know the colour of your own eyes" Sketch laughed "Now come on, whats your name.? I'm Sketch Pad, just call me Sketch okay" Sketch Pointed to her self then out to the stallion.

"I'm.... uhh" I expected to just know my name, I mean ponies always know there own names right? but same as before when i tried to remember how i got to wherever i was when i woke up.  I tried to remember and it was a blank. "I... I dont know..."

"Come on don't joke you know my name giving yours is only fair." Sketch pleaded not believing that the stallion didn't know his own name. But when she looked at his face what she saw changed her mood completely she went from light laughing and bubbly to sad. "Maybe the stallion doesn't know his name" Sketch thought as she saw tears streaming down the stallions face. She watched for a moment as the pony brushed them away with his hoof only to have them replaced by more. It was weird and hard to watch. The stallion didn't look upset by the tears, he wasn't overcome with sadness he just looked empty his eyes fixed on the ground while he repeatedly brushed the tears away and cried silent as a stone. With a moment of hesitation Sketch moved over to the stallion placing her self on his left and sat quietly waiting to see what the stallion would do to this.

"I don't even know why I'm crying. Its not like I can remember who I am just by being sad." I thought to myself. I was being stupid but the more i raked my brain trying to find some clue to my name to anything about my past.. the more i cried. I barely even noticed when Sketch moved over to sit with me. I didn't care though. I just wanted to know something about me. Even if it's just something small.

"Hay Blue Eyes... cheer up. So you don't remember your name no biggie. I bet it will come to you in no time" Sketch's words were accompanied with a hoof placed on my back.

"Wait Blue Eyes.. I have blue eyes right ? what what else?" I asked realizing  that this mare could shed some incite onto my looks at least. Might not be memories but its something.

"You don't remember anything do you?" Sketch said softly not looking over to me. "Well do you think you can stand?"

"Why?"

"Where i got the water form its like a giant mirror, least you could take a look at your self. That's if you want to Blue I'm not going to force you."

With out a reply I tried to stand. I was a little shaken putting pressure on my back hoof, it hurt but i could handle it. I didn't even notice the hoof that helped me up until it was taken away. Saying nothing i just started to move slowly.

"Blue its this way." Sketch said motioning to him with a hoof. Blue and Sketch said nothing as they walked together to the waters edge. They both peeped over to show almost perfect reflections of themselves.

"huh so thats what i look like" I thought as my blue eyes stared back at me. "Not bad i guess" I spoke quietly all sketch did to this was laugh. I stood at the water's edge for a long time just looking at my self, it was only when Sketch spoke up I turned away.

"So Blue... do you think you could maybe... i mean. *sigh* Do you know how to get out of this forest?" Sketch fumbled over her words trying to find the least damsel in distress like way to word it.

"Well i only walked in one direction when we found each other so get me back to that tree and i can get you out. i guess." I did not want to go back to the place i had just ran away from but Sketch had helped me i couldn't just say "sorry i don't want to go back, find your own way" I don't even think i would want to say that.

"Well that's doable i guess. Why don't you tell me how you got so banged up while we walk.. I mean you look like you just had a fight Blue gees."

"Blue?"

"Got to call you something don't we. now come on" Sketch said with a soft laugh as we started to walk back the way i came. I told Sketch about how i woke up and when i saw the ponies i felt like i was in danger. Told her about the way i might have just, slightly, jumped out of a second floor window and ran away into the forest. As i spoke i could see the forest become lighter and before i knew it we where at the edge. It wasn't the same place i came in but it was still close by because once again i got the feeling of danger all around me again. Where we came out was a empty field with one sole path running though it leading to a village in the distance it was hard to believe that we came out so far away from where i originally came in.

Sketch didn't stop walking not until she noticed her escort had done so.

"I thought you might stop." Sketch said "But you have to keep walking with me. from what you told me I think where you woke up was a hospital." Taking a quick pause Sketch turned an pointed to the village. " I was told before i came here that this place is called Ponyville. I was also told that its a nice peaceful place. I mean come on look at it Blue Dose this look like the sort of place where a pony that would hurt other's would live?" Sketch Had a good point as i looked over to Ponyville it looked peaceful it looked like the exact opposite of what i felt like. In a moment i could feel a Head pushing e towards the village i almost wanted to run away again but i didn't i trusted my new friend and started to walk.

"When i find that stallion I'm gonna kick his flank!" Rainbow was Fuming with anger as she thought about the trouble this stallion was causing her and her friends.