A Better Placeby DynaPonyChaptersThe Story BeginsA New LifeSummer Breeze and Important SecretsThe Story BeginsI was just a normal person, a normal brony, until that one wonderful and horrible night. It started as any usual spring break might, school let out Friday and I went to a little dinner party on Saturday, there was good food, good conversation. Now before I continue I should probably mention that the previous Christmas I had gotten a few things that would make any 17 year old brony happy. I had a jacket with Rainbow Dash making her awesome face on it, a toboggan or a beanie with her cutie mark and an iPod case with the same. I had been a brony since the beginning of that school year, it seemed like all of my family knew except my father, I never could figure out why I never told him, perhaps it was lack of courage or the fear of what he might say or perhaps I just couldn't figure out how. Unfortunately I didn't know my time for thinking was over. We were on our way home from the dinner party and he asked that one question, the question that changed everything "Bryan, I've been wanting to ask you this for a long time but I figured I'd just leave you alone with what you liked but, what's with the rainbowy crap on your hat." I was a bit stunned to say the least, both by the suddenness of the question and the wording. Not wanting to have to explain everything from the back seat of the car I grinned, I'm not entirely sure why but I smiled and said "I'll tell you when we get home" he didn't inquire further but I knew he wanted to. The ride home was shorter than I had wanted, not even ten minutes actually. The whole time I was racking my brain on how I was supposed to tell him this, I mean really I'm a BRONY that's not exactly something a father wants from his 17 year old son. After thinking and thinking I decided that the easiest thing to do was to simply show him, so I flipped through my iPod's pictures and found two pics, one of RD and one of her cutie mark. When we got home I waited a few minutes, helped carry in leftovers and waited for just the right moment, the moment when my dad was about to walk outside, I unlocked my iPod, and brought up the pictures. I walked up to him and said "since you wanted to know" and I raised up my iPod, the picture of her cutie mark first "ok so here's the symbol right" he nodded, and I flicked my finger across the screen to bring up the pick of rainbow dash her self " and here's where it came from" he stood there for a few seconds, slightly shaking his head. My heart was pounding I assume from the worry bought on by the uncertainty of his response, and then it came. "I knew it was some kinda power puff shit! Come on Bryan why would you do that to yourself you're 17!" Needles to say I was taken aback by the harshness of his reaction "you don't get it, I'm the average age, there are 40 year olds watching this show" he turned around and looked at me "I don't care, it's for 3 year old girls!" I glared right back but he never gave me the chance to respond "I just don't understand why a fucking 17 year old would watch something so childish and gay." That last statement, the sentence I heard hundreds of times at school and on the street from strangers and children, I'd always been able to ignore them but coming from my father, the one person who was supposed to love me unconditionally finally made me snap "oh but you wouldn't would you!" I screamed "no one ever does! I go to school and hear barely a word about my jacket not to my face at least but I've heard the whispers! I ride the bus home everyday and the little shitball third graders make fun of me like some handicapped fool! I can handle their words, I can handle their torture but then......then I come home and hear it from you! The one person who is supposed to love me no matter what! You might not understand why I watch a show that was intended for little girls, you might not understand why I set myself up for ridicule but you know what, I don't understand why you fucking care, I'm your son it shouldn't matter what I watch, it shouldn't be important!" He stood and looked at me wide eyed and red faced, I knew I had crossed a line but I didn't care I even kept going "you think I don't realize that it's strange, you think I don't know people will shun me because of it!? I know I might lose friends, hell I've already lost one, but although it will cost me friends it has also made me friends, I don't care what they think! And I certainly don't care what you think either." After that final rant I turned around and ran down the stairs, taking two at time. The basement was my room. It wasn't a bad basement, it was finished with hardwood floors and a big television, I was almost always down there it seemed like. I didn't know what I was going to do or say if he came down those steps behind me but I didn't really think about it either. I grabbed my PS3 remote, flipped on the TV and turned on Assassins Creed, it seemed like such a small distraction at the time. It didn't seem to work either my brain was buzzing with what I had just done, with what I had just said. I knew I'd pay for it later but I still didn't care, I had spoken my mind which is a lot more than I usually did in those kinds of situations. I hadn't even got the game running yet before I heard a noise behind me, the lights flipped on and I knew it was him "Don't waste your breathe I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it" I said angrily. I knew he'd be mad and I was already in no mood to deal with any criticism, I don't think I would have even been able to listen to an apology but I never had time to fabricate that scenario "Well, maybe I should leave then" I knew right then that it wasn't my father, the voice was overpoweringly feminine and yet it held so much grace. It was a voice not easily forgotten and a voice whose owner I immediately knew. I jumped out the bed I was laying in and turned around, and tears immediately came to my eyes. Before me stood the key to escape the prison of earth, the door that led to a place far better than the crime and hate filled world I lived in, before me stood Princess Celestia beautiful in all her grace and power, I fell to my knees, not out of fear or respect, but of joy. "I....I don't" I was silently crying out of sheer happiness by then, tears silently rolling down my face "Why do you cry Bryan" she said, a small and understanding smile on her face "Is it because you realize what my presence means, that Equestria is real, that this world of happiness and laughter you've only fantasized about is in fact a reality?" She said calmly. I sat there staring, I didn't know what to say or how to say it but there was one question, one all important question that somehow weedled it's way through my lips "w-why me?" So simple in its nature but yet so important in its entirety. After several moments of what could only have been consideration she answered. "For centuries now me and my sister have been observing this world and its inhabitants, although Equestria is a utopia compared to your world it is not entirely crime free, it has prejudice and blind hate, and it does have violence and war. Me and Luna have tried all our lives to make it a place of absolute peace but no world is perfect. So when all our efforts failed we turned to your world, we searched for the exceptional humans, the ones who never hated and who never tried to harm any other living thing. And once, every century we pick out one of the exceptionals, we come to earth and we bring them back with us in hopes that they can make Equestria better where we cannot." My tears had stopped by then, my joy had not wavered but my eyes had run dry, I sat there with a foolish grin on my face still not knowing what to say but then I decided to follow my gut and let things push themselves along. When I did not respond the white monarch continued "you have faced adversity and hate, you have suffered because you wish for a world others only see as fantasy, and that Bryan is why Luna and I have chosen you. That is why we place the peaceful future of our world in your hands" At that point my wits had returned to me and I slowly stood up on unsteady legs. When I had stood up to my full height I looked Celestia in the eye for a single moment. I immediately lowered my eyes from hers I didn't understand why at the time, I wanted nothing more than to keep staring at them but I couldn't. I lowered myself down to one knee and bowed my head. "I would want nothing more than to help better a world that should rightfully be perfect. Princess I would be honored to help in any way I can" for almost a minute I held that pose. For almost a minute the princess said nothing. Finally out of the silence she responded. "You may rise Bryan and know that such displays of respect are welcome but not needed, in Equestria you will be my equal in status. Now come and take my wing, you have a new life to begin, in Equestria." I rose to my feet with that same foolish smile on my face and made my way over to the princess. She spread her wings to their full length in a beautiful display of of her magesty. I couldn't help but stare. then with the princesses words still ringing in my head I said something I probably shouldn't have "I hope you don't mind when I tell you princess but I must say I have never seen such a beautiful sight." I wrapped my fingers around the surprisingly thin base of her wings paring for the teleportation spell I knew was coming "Hmhm I don't mind at all Bryan, in fact I'm glad you don't feel like you should hold your tongue in my presence, most ponies feel like I might punish them if thy said something like that" she said quietly. "Now hold on and take a deep breath, teleportation is a bit rough the first time" with that she lit her horn and there was a bright flash just as I saw my father walking down the stairs. A New LifeI didn't know what my father would think, didn't know what he would say or do. All I knew was that everything had gone black and that I couldn't move. I couldn't see anything except my own limbs and a small glowing dot in the distance, shining like a star on the darkest night. And then nothing. I couldn't feel and I couldn't see, didn't even know if I was awake or not. Thankfully I didn't have time to ponder. When I woke up I still couldn't feel anything, which was probably a good thing at the time. The princesses were standing at my sides and I was on my back, Celestia to my right and Luna to my left. They both had this pleased and happy look on their faces, I wasn't sure why until they explained themselves. "Hello Bryan I hope you slept well, you've been out for quite a while." Celestia said. There was this smile on her face, this sweet and reassuring smile that would have put any nervous pony at ease, the only problem was that I wasn't a pony, or that's what I thought anyways. "And h-how long has that been" I said groggily, my voice sounded higher than usual, I had a vague idea why but wasn't sure. Luna spoke next which was surprising to me for some reason. Her voice was quieter than Celestias but still just as kind. "A couple of days actually, the....process takes longer with unicorns for some reason" upon hearing the words process and unicorn both my curiosity and fear peaked. "Um....sorry but did you just say...unicorn?" Both princesses giggled quietly at this statement which in all honesty made me rather annoyed "come on you gotta tell me something or just.....what process?" The two monarchs glanced at each other, I guess after thousands of years you develop the capability to have silent conversations, after a few moments Celestia turned to me and lit her horn, she lowered her head and touched it's tip right above my eyes. I felt a tingling sensation all across my body as feeling and the capability to move returned to me, and I immediately knew what the "process" was. "Um I don't mean to sound.....uh brash but HOLY SHIT I'm a pony!" This evoked yet another chuckle from the princesses. "I mean what.....how? is that a horn!? Am I a colt!?" I raised my newly acquired hoof to my forehead and touched the tip of my horn. "Yes Bryan you are now a unicorn, I assume you have quite a few questions so I'll start with why you need to be a pony and more importantly why you need o be a child, it's simple really. Think of this, how would the human race act if aliens landed on your planet. New species tend to cause.....unrest, and as for being a foal, it is my understanding that you do not truly know what you're special talent is. And then there is the matter of you learning magic" she smiled uneasily which did nothing to reassure me "No no I mean I don't mind to be a pony, I'm actually very happy that I'm a pony, but.....why a unicorn" I'm not sure why I asked but I guess I was just curious, either way she gave me a very strange answer "Well me and Luna have been watching you for a while and.....honestly you chose the form. It was you who always said you'd want to be a unicorn if you had the choice, wasn't it?" I rubbed my chin with my hoof for a moment "Well you're not wrong. But I do have one question. You said I would be your equal in status, now not that I want to be, but wouldn't that require me to be an alicorn and an adult for that matter" The princesses glanced at each other again. "Not quite," Luna said "you know prince Blueblood correct, he is our equal in status but thankfully not in power. Much like you will be." I nodded in recognition, I was well aware of who Blueblood was and I did not like him. "Well I hope status doesn't go to my head like its gone to his" this drew yet another chuckle from the princesses, this time I smiled back though "so now that my status is settled there's one more question I have.......where and with whom will I be staying, oh and what's my name?" I asked because I thought it was important, I had no doubt Princess Celestia had already thought of it but I just wanted to be sure. "You will be staying in the palace here in Canterlot of course, in this very room actually," Celestia said "you will attend magic kindergarten as well. And as for your name me and Luna thought about it but decided to let you decide, that is, if you want to." I sat on my haunches for a few minutes, I tried to give it a lot of thought. I tried to consider my personality as well as what talents I already knew I had, not that that number was high but it was still important. In the end I decided I was really bad at names, especially my own "As much as I would like to create my own name I just can't, what were you thinking princesses?" They glanced at each other and smiled, those glowing regal smiles always seemed to make me feel better, and I had only been seeing them for a few minutes. "Me and Luna have thought about it and how does Peppermint Snowy sound?" I started smiling, I liked that name, which is ironic because I've always hated the taste of peppermint candy. "Hmm Prince Snowy, sounds good to me" I said with a warm smile. "Oh that reminds me, what do I look like?" I asked, curious. "OH!" Celestia exclaimed "you're right, hold on just a moment" she turned around and quickly trotted into a little side room, a few seconds later she came back with a large, ornately decorated oval mirror that was as tall as she was, in her magical grasp. Upon seeing myself in the mirror I smiled, I was tan with a red and white striped mane and tail. "Wow I'm......cute, I can see where you get 'Peppermint' from at least" once again the princesses laughed and this time I laughed with them. When we stopped giigling Celestia spoke. "Well I'm sure you want to get some rest, I'm sure you're rather tired...ironically, so we'll let you get settled, oh I almost forgot is it okay if you start school tomorrow?" I thought for a minute, on one hoof I was very excited to start my new life in Equeustria but on the other hoof I did not like school. Without really deciding I said "I guess that's okay, I am rather excited" I said with a smile, I looked around and saw my huge royal bed and my jaw dropped "okay that is the biggest bed I've ever seen" it was more like a mattress laid into a hole in the floor but was obviously a bed. "I hope you like it," Luna said "it's a cloud bed and I weaved the clouds myself, go ahead and give it a try." I walked over and hopped in and I instantly wanted to just lie down and go to sleep right there, it was easily the softest thing I'd ever felt. "oh wow, I wish humans had these" the princesses smiled. "Well we'll let you get some rest, you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow" with that they turned around and closed the large silver doors behind them. I laid down and closed my eyes, dreams of my new life filling my head. Summer Breeze and Important SecretsI was dreaming, dreaming of the terrible life I had left behind. I honestly don't know whether to call it a dream or a nightmare, but there it was the horrible twisted recreation my subconscious brain conjured up of that argument with my father. Every second was relived as I slept, every word was crystal clear except for one major difference, it was not I going off on my father but him cursing at me. It was torture, trapped in an evil recreation of a memory, unable to wake up. He would go on and on about how he will never have a gay son and how if I ever talked to any other of "my kind" again he would punish me. I felt so small, crunched up in the corner in the fetal position. My brains cruel joke of putting me in my pony form, and then as if I had said some horribly disrespectful thing his rage exploded and he stepped towards me, and just as he raised his hand to strike there was a blinding flash and all went still. Standing before me was Princess Luna with a warm smile on her face "It is okay Peppermint everything is okay, as long as I am around you will have no fear of your dreams" she lowered her head and nuzzled my cheek "but I'm afraid it's time to wake up, it's time for you to get ready for your first day of Equestrian school" she smiled and lit her horn. In another, yet dull, flash she was gone and I found myself on my ridiculously comfortable cloud bed. I just rolled around for a few minutes, enjoying the soft plushy bliss. After I was finally done enjoying the bed a new sensation hit me, the smell of what could only be blueberry muffins. I licked my lips in anticipation, I knew being a pony comes with new taste buds and I was eager to see how they changed. I stood up and walked off of my bed and made my way to the door, rather awkwardly might I add. Between just waking up and the new body I wasn't quite used to walking yet. When I reached the door and grabbed the handle, which confused my brain all in itself, I knew it was possible to grab things with hooves but it was still a confusing concept. I grabbed the door handle and tugged expecting it to be heavy, but it slid open easily enough as to not be connected to anything. The smell of muffins instantly got stronger. Eager to taste the baked treats I quickly stepped into the hall and instantly made facial contact with a metal cart. Found the muffins, and the floor.... unfortunately. I stood back up and rubbed my horn duly noting just how sensitive the thing was. I looked around the cart to see who I bumped into. Standing with a hoof to her mouth was a grass green Pegasus with a raindrop and sunflower cutie mark and a yellow mane and tail. It was clear by her expression that she was either shocked, apologetic or worried that i was hurt. Either way it didn't appear like she was going to say anything anytime soon so I decided to speak first. "Um hi, I'm Peppermint Snowy and uh..... what might your name be?" at the mentioning of my name it was like a little light bulb went off in her head, and her pupils instantly shrank. "Oh my goodness I'm so very very sorry your highness, I-I didn't see you there and I hit you with the cart, and almost spilled your muffins and I'm pretty sure I hurt yo-" I stepped up to her and stopped her by gently placing my hoof on her lips. "Okay first of all it's perfectly fine, second of all I....am perfectly fine in fact I think it's my fault because I wasn't watching where I was going, third of all please just call me Peppermint, and lastly you still haven't answered my question, what is your name?" She seemed to calm down at the realization that I was okay, and probably that she wasn't going to be thrown in the dungeon. She smiled and answered "My name is Summer Breeze, and I will be your personal servant, I'm here to help in any way I can." she still had that sweet smile on her face, I smiled back and waved her into my room. "We'll miss Breeze you can start by hoofing me a few of those delicious looking muffins, I am definitely a breakfast person" She reached over, grabbed a muffin and handed me one, all the while smiling. "Thank you, so just what does your job entail?" I asked. I took a bite of the muffin and I must say I didn't know whether it was the palace chef or the new tongue but it was definitely the best muffin I'd ever eaten. "Wow, my compliments to the chef, these are amazing" I took another eager bite. "I'm glad you like them, and to answer your question, my job is basically whatever you need me to do. If I have the capability to do it then I am obligated to." she said with a smile. My rediscovered childish side wanted to exploit this in some way but then I stopped myself, that's not very prince like behavior after all, is it? I thought to myself well breakfast is eaten so all I have left to do is fix my hair and get dressed. Well I don't wear clothes anymore so I guess that just leaves my mane, if it needs fixed that is. I looked around my room in search of the mirror but could not find it "Um you don't happen to know where a mirror is do you?" She put a hoof up to her chin clearly in thought then a quiet aha she said "As a matter of fact I do, if you will excuse me for a moment" she turned around and left the room. I walked over to my bed, sat down and waited. After a couple of minutes she came back with small hoof mirror about as big around as a pie. "Here we are, one mirror, what do you need it for anyways, if you don't mind me asking" I smiled and warmly said "Well I can't go to my first day of magic kindergarten with a messed up mane can I?" She chuckled "I suppose not." I raised the mirror and saw what I had normally seen on a daily basis on earth, seemed like every hair on my head chose its own personal path, most of which were straight up. "We'll Summer" I said and lowered the mirror "what do you know about styling manes?" Her face instantly lit up like a candle. "Oh I'm excellent at styling manes, so good in fact that I'm surprised its not my cutie mark, come on I'll have that mane looking fabulous in no time" she kept smiling and rubbed my head with her hoof messing up my mane even further, if that was possible. She stepped out my room and slowly made her way down the hall, i shrugged and fell in step behind her. Hoping her skills were as astute as she claimed. "Speaking of which, what does your cutie mark represent?" She smiled and said "We'll I'm actually a botanist in my free time, I run a flower shop a few blocks from here" upon hearing this my devious side once again showed itself. "Hmm you wouldn't by chance have any poison joke would you?" I asked with a giggle. She raised an eyebrow "Whatever would you want that nasty plant for? And to answer your question no, I do not have any poison joke." She said flatly. "Hmm well in that case maybe you could do me a favor, I do love flowers but I'm not sure what kind. If we are going to see each other every day perhaps you could bring me a new type of flower each day, who knows maybe you'll be able to help me find my favorite" "Sounds good to me, I'll be sure to bring my best flowers. Ah here we are," we walked up to a rather plain red wooden door with a golden doorknob "this is where I live" I stepped inside the relatively small room, relative to mine that is, and immediately noticed the excessive amount of flowers adorning almost every inch of the room. There were roses and lilies, vines of several unidentifiable varieties and there was even a poison joke bud on a shelf, sealed safely inside a glass case. "Wow Summer I would have never guessed you were such a skilled interior designer" I said with a smile. "What? This shabby place, oh, well I try." She laughed modestly. *** After she spent a pretty long time fixing my mane, which she did quite well to be honest, we made our way into the hallway intending to head back to my room but just as we were about to leave Celestia appeared at a juncture a little ways down the hall. "Ah Peppermint there you are, and Miss Breeze good morning, I hope you and Peppermint are getting along." Summer chuckled "Oh don't worry about that your majesty he's quite nice" Celestia smiled warmly. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. But I'm afraid i need to speak to Peppermint for a few minutes, in private." I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what the princess could possibly need to tell me " Um alright, Summer do you mind if we borrow your room for a little while?" she frowned but agreed and promptly stepped out. After she left I took it upon myself to start the conversation "So what's the problem?" She sighed quietly and cleared her throat "As much as it pains me I do have to keep secrets from my subjects. I have many secrets Bryan, but one secret that must never reach the public's' ears is the true nature of magic. The ponies are taught in school that all things done with magic require knowledge and skill. The truth is that the only things required are imagination and strength. If you can imagine what you wish to occur and if you have the magical strength to do it then it is possible" I stared at her for a few moments thinking about what she had said. I already understood why keeping this bit of information secret was important, I did not however understand why it was so important she needed to tell me. "If you are unsure of my motives all you need do is take Sombre as an example. He, through his own methods, discovered this secret and he used it to his advantage." She frowned slightly and looked at me. And I'm sure she was surprised to find a smile on my face. "Princess I'm sure you have good reason, but why tell me. I haven't even been here for 24 hours and you entrust me with magics biggest secret. I'm just a little confused that's all, but I won't pester you, I'm sure you have your reasons. However I do have one question......is it true gems are condensed magic?" She chuckled "Ah another secret revealed, but you still need to know why I told you. Obviously you know you're not from Equestria in almost every possible scenario that's not a problem. However because you are not from here and because you are a unicorn your imagination may get the best of you. Should you not be paying attention you may do something you never intended to actually happen." She rubbed my head with a hoof "As long as you keep that in mind and as long as you are careful I'm sure you will do well here Bryan" she softly rubbed my head, messing up my mane.....again. I smiled and sarcastically said "Hey Summer worked hard on this mane of mine" She giggled and with a wave of her horn set my mane back. "There all better" I smiled "Wow magic really does make everything better doesn't it" her smile faded. "Yes it does, which is another reason why you're here. Unrest is growing between the races. The earth ponies and the pegasi are uneasy with the power unicorns hold. And unicorns with skills like Twilight Sparkle's only enrage them further." I thought for a moment before responding, trying to think of how I'm going to help with that. "I'll tell you what, let me go to school for awhile, learn your culture and your history and then I'll try to come up with some solutions. Who knows maybe I'll get my cutie mark and that will help the situation. But as of right now only time will tell. Besides I'm only a kid right now, who would listen to me anyways" I said with a smile. she looked away, obviously thinking about something that was troubling her. I'm sure it involved me but I decided to pay it no mind. "Well even so, the first day of magic kindergarten won't wait for you no matter how important you may end up being. I would take you myself but you can imagine how big of scene that would cause so Summer will be accompanying you. I'll see you this evening, I have things to attend to." She smiled and opened the door. She glanced at Summer before walking off, her mane and tail waving as they usually do but slower, it seemed. I had no idea what the day ,or even the rest of my life, had in store for me but one thing was certain, it was definitely going to be interesting.
The Story BeginsI was just a normal person, a normal brony, until that one wonderful and horrible night. It started as any usual spring break might, school let out Friday and I went to a little dinner party on Saturday, there was good food, good conversation. Now before I continue I should probably mention that the previous Christmas I had gotten a few things that would make any 17 year old brony happy. I had a jacket with Rainbow Dash making her awesome face on it, a toboggan or a beanie with her cutie mark and an iPod case with the same. I had been a brony since the beginning of that school year, it seemed like all of my family knew except my father, I never could figure out why I never told him, perhaps it was lack of courage or the fear of what he might say or perhaps I just couldn't figure out how. Unfortunately I didn't know my time for thinking was over. We were on our way home from the dinner party and he asked that one question, the question that changed everything "Bryan, I've been wanting to ask you this for a long time but I figured I'd just leave you alone with what you liked but, what's with the rainbowy crap on your hat." I was a bit stunned to say the least, both by the suddenness of the question and the wording. Not wanting to have to explain everything from the back seat of the car I grinned, I'm not entirely sure why but I smiled and said "I'll tell you when we get home" he didn't inquire further but I knew he wanted to. The ride home was shorter than I had wanted, not even ten minutes actually. The whole time I was racking my brain on how I was supposed to tell him this, I mean really I'm a BRONY that's not exactly something a father wants from his 17 year old son. After thinking and thinking I decided that the easiest thing to do was to simply show him, so I flipped through my iPod's pictures and found two pics, one of RD and one of her cutie mark. When we got home I waited a few minutes, helped carry in leftovers and waited for just the right moment, the moment when my dad was about to walk outside, I unlocked my iPod, and brought up the pictures. I walked up to him and said "since you wanted to know" and I raised up my iPod, the picture of her cutie mark first "ok so here's the symbol right" he nodded, and I flicked my finger across the screen to bring up the pick of rainbow dash her self " and here's where it came from" he stood there for a few seconds, slightly shaking his head. My heart was pounding I assume from the worry bought on by the uncertainty of his response, and then it came. "I knew it was some kinda power puff shit! Come on Bryan why would you do that to yourself you're 17!" Needles to say I was taken aback by the harshness of his reaction "you don't get it, I'm the average age, there are 40 year olds watching this show" he turned around and looked at me "I don't care, it's for 3 year old girls!" I glared right back but he never gave me the chance to respond "I just don't understand why a fucking 17 year old would watch something so childish and gay." That last statement, the sentence I heard hundreds of times at school and on the street from strangers and children, I'd always been able to ignore them but coming from my father, the one person who was supposed to love me unconditionally finally made me snap "oh but you wouldn't would you!" I screamed "no one ever does! I go to school and hear barely a word about my jacket not to my face at least but I've heard the whispers! I ride the bus home everyday and the little shitball third graders make fun of me like some handicapped fool! I can handle their words, I can handle their torture but then......then I come home and hear it from you! The one person who is supposed to love me no matter what! You might not understand why I watch a show that was intended for little girls, you might not understand why I set myself up for ridicule but you know what, I don't understand why you fucking care, I'm your son it shouldn't matter what I watch, it shouldn't be important!" He stood and looked at me wide eyed and red faced, I knew I had crossed a line but I didn't care I even kept going "you think I don't realize that it's strange, you think I don't know people will shun me because of it!? I know I might lose friends, hell I've already lost one, but although it will cost me friends it has also made me friends, I don't care what they think! And I certainly don't care what you think either." After that final rant I turned around and ran down the stairs, taking two at time. The basement was my room. It wasn't a bad basement, it was finished with hardwood floors and a big television, I was almost always down there it seemed like. I didn't know what I was going to do or say if he came down those steps behind me but I didn't really think about it either. I grabbed my PS3 remote, flipped on the TV and turned on Assassins Creed, it seemed like such a small distraction at the time. It didn't seem to work either my brain was buzzing with what I had just done, with what I had just said. I knew I'd pay for it later but I still didn't care, I had spoken my mind which is a lot more than I usually did in those kinds of situations. I hadn't even got the game running yet before I heard a noise behind me, the lights flipped on and I knew it was him "Don't waste your breathe I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it" I said angrily. I knew he'd be mad and I was already in no mood to deal with any criticism, I don't think I would have even been able to listen to an apology but I never had time to fabricate that scenario "Well, maybe I should leave then" I knew right then that it wasn't my father, the voice was overpoweringly feminine and yet it held so much grace. It was a voice not easily forgotten and a voice whose owner I immediately knew. I jumped out the bed I was laying in and turned around, and tears immediately came to my eyes. Before me stood the key to escape the prison of earth, the door that led to a place far better than the crime and hate filled world I lived in, before me stood Princess Celestia beautiful in all her grace and power, I fell to my knees, not out of fear or respect, but of joy. "I....I don't" I was silently crying out of sheer happiness by then, tears silently rolling down my face "Why do you cry Bryan" she said, a small and understanding smile on her face "Is it because you realize what my presence means, that Equestria is real, that this world of happiness and laughter you've only fantasized about is in fact a reality?" She said calmly. I sat there staring, I didn't know what to say or how to say it but there was one question, one all important question that somehow weedled it's way through my lips "w-why me?" So simple in its nature but yet so important in its entirety. After several moments of what could only have been consideration she answered. "For centuries now me and my sister have been observing this world and its inhabitants, although Equestria is a utopia compared to your world it is not entirely crime free, it has prejudice and blind hate, and it does have violence and war. Me and Luna have tried all our lives to make it a place of absolute peace but no world is perfect. So when all our efforts failed we turned to your world, we searched for the exceptional humans, the ones who never hated and who never tried to harm any other living thing. And once, every century we pick out one of the exceptionals, we come to earth and we bring them back with us in hopes that they can make Equestria better where we cannot." My tears had stopped by then, my joy had not wavered but my eyes had run dry, I sat there with a foolish grin on my face still not knowing what to say but then I decided to follow my gut and let things push themselves along. When I did not respond the white monarch continued "you have faced adversity and hate, you have suffered because you wish for a world others only see as fantasy, and that Bryan is why Luna and I have chosen you. That is why we place the peaceful future of our world in your hands" At that point my wits had returned to me and I slowly stood up on unsteady legs. When I had stood up to my full height I looked Celestia in the eye for a single moment. I immediately lowered my eyes from hers I didn't understand why at the time, I wanted nothing more than to keep staring at them but I couldn't. I lowered myself down to one knee and bowed my head. "I would want nothing more than to help better a world that should rightfully be perfect. Princess I would be honored to help in any way I can" for almost a minute I held that pose. For almost a minute the princess said nothing. Finally out of the silence she responded. "You may rise Bryan and know that such displays of respect are welcome but not needed, in Equestria you will be my equal in status. Now come and take my wing, you have a new life to begin, in Equestria." I rose to my feet with that same foolish smile on my face and made my way over to the princess. She spread her wings to their full length in a beautiful display of of her magesty. I couldn't help but stare. then with the princesses words still ringing in my head I said something I probably shouldn't have "I hope you don't mind when I tell you princess but I must say I have never seen such a beautiful sight." I wrapped my fingers around the surprisingly thin base of her wings paring for the teleportation spell I knew was coming "Hmhm I don't mind at all Bryan, in fact I'm glad you don't feel like you should hold your tongue in my presence, most ponies feel like I might punish them if thy said something like that" she said quietly. "Now hold on and take a deep breath, teleportation is a bit rough the first time" with that she lit her horn and there was a bright flash just as I saw my father walking down the stairs.
A New LifeI didn't know what my father would think, didn't know what he would say or do. All I knew was that everything had gone black and that I couldn't move. I couldn't see anything except my own limbs and a small glowing dot in the distance, shining like a star on the darkest night. And then nothing. I couldn't feel and I couldn't see, didn't even know if I was awake or not. Thankfully I didn't have time to ponder. When I woke up I still couldn't feel anything, which was probably a good thing at the time. The princesses were standing at my sides and I was on my back, Celestia to my right and Luna to my left. They both had this pleased and happy look on their faces, I wasn't sure why until they explained themselves. "Hello Bryan I hope you slept well, you've been out for quite a while." Celestia said. There was this smile on her face, this sweet and reassuring smile that would have put any nervous pony at ease, the only problem was that I wasn't a pony, or that's what I thought anyways. "And h-how long has that been" I said groggily, my voice sounded higher than usual, I had a vague idea why but wasn't sure. Luna spoke next which was surprising to me for some reason. Her voice was quieter than Celestias but still just as kind. "A couple of days actually, the....process takes longer with unicorns for some reason" upon hearing the words process and unicorn both my curiosity and fear peaked. "Um....sorry but did you just say...unicorn?" Both princesses giggled quietly at this statement which in all honesty made me rather annoyed "come on you gotta tell me something or just.....what process?" The two monarchs glanced at each other, I guess after thousands of years you develop the capability to have silent conversations, after a few moments Celestia turned to me and lit her horn, she lowered her head and touched it's tip right above my eyes. I felt a tingling sensation all across my body as feeling and the capability to move returned to me, and I immediately knew what the "process" was. "Um I don't mean to sound.....uh brash but HOLY SHIT I'm a pony!" This evoked yet another chuckle from the princesses. "I mean what.....how? is that a horn!? Am I a colt!?" I raised my newly acquired hoof to my forehead and touched the tip of my horn. "Yes Bryan you are now a unicorn, I assume you have quite a few questions so I'll start with why you need to be a pony and more importantly why you need o be a child, it's simple really. Think of this, how would the human race act if aliens landed on your planet. New species tend to cause.....unrest, and as for being a foal, it is my understanding that you do not truly know what you're special talent is. And then there is the matter of you learning magic" she smiled uneasily which did nothing to reassure me "No no I mean I don't mind to be a pony, I'm actually very happy that I'm a pony, but.....why a unicorn" I'm not sure why I asked but I guess I was just curious, either way she gave me a very strange answer "Well me and Luna have been watching you for a while and.....honestly you chose the form. It was you who always said you'd want to be a unicorn if you had the choice, wasn't it?" I rubbed my chin with my hoof for a moment "Well you're not wrong. But I do have one question. You said I would be your equal in status, now not that I want to be, but wouldn't that require me to be an alicorn and an adult for that matter" The princesses glanced at each other again. "Not quite," Luna said "you know prince Blueblood correct, he is our equal in status but thankfully not in power. Much like you will be." I nodded in recognition, I was well aware of who Blueblood was and I did not like him. "Well I hope status doesn't go to my head like its gone to his" this drew yet another chuckle from the princesses, this time I smiled back though "so now that my status is settled there's one more question I have.......where and with whom will I be staying, oh and what's my name?" I asked because I thought it was important, I had no doubt Princess Celestia had already thought of it but I just wanted to be sure. "You will be staying in the palace here in Canterlot of course, in this very room actually," Celestia said "you will attend magic kindergarten as well. And as for your name me and Luna thought about it but decided to let you decide, that is, if you want to." I sat on my haunches for a few minutes, I tried to give it a lot of thought. I tried to consider my personality as well as what talents I already knew I had, not that that number was high but it was still important. In the end I decided I was really bad at names, especially my own "As much as I would like to create my own name I just can't, what were you thinking princesses?" They glanced at each other and smiled, those glowing regal smiles always seemed to make me feel better, and I had only been seeing them for a few minutes. "Me and Luna have thought about it and how does Peppermint Snowy sound?" I started smiling, I liked that name, which is ironic because I've always hated the taste of peppermint candy. "Hmm Prince Snowy, sounds good to me" I said with a warm smile. "Oh that reminds me, what do I look like?" I asked, curious. "OH!" Celestia exclaimed "you're right, hold on just a moment" she turned around and quickly trotted into a little side room, a few seconds later she came back with a large, ornately decorated oval mirror that was as tall as she was, in her magical grasp. Upon seeing myself in the mirror I smiled, I was tan with a red and white striped mane and tail. "Wow I'm......cute, I can see where you get 'Peppermint' from at least" once again the princesses laughed and this time I laughed with them. When we stopped giigling Celestia spoke. "Well I'm sure you want to get some rest, I'm sure you're rather tired...ironically, so we'll let you get settled, oh I almost forgot is it okay if you start school tomorrow?" I thought for a minute, on one hoof I was very excited to start my new life in Equeustria but on the other hoof I did not like school. Without really deciding I said "I guess that's okay, I am rather excited" I said with a smile, I looked around and saw my huge royal bed and my jaw dropped "okay that is the biggest bed I've ever seen" it was more like a mattress laid into a hole in the floor but was obviously a bed. "I hope you like it," Luna said "it's a cloud bed and I weaved the clouds myself, go ahead and give it a try." I walked over and hopped in and I instantly wanted to just lie down and go to sleep right there, it was easily the softest thing I'd ever felt. "oh wow, I wish humans had these" the princesses smiled. "Well we'll let you get some rest, you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow" with that they turned around and closed the large silver doors behind them. I laid down and closed my eyes, dreams of my new life filling my head.
Summer Breeze and Important SecretsI was dreaming, dreaming of the terrible life I had left behind. I honestly don't know whether to call it a dream or a nightmare, but there it was the horrible twisted recreation my subconscious brain conjured up of that argument with my father. Every second was relived as I slept, every word was crystal clear except for one major difference, it was not I going off on my father but him cursing at me. It was torture, trapped in an evil recreation of a memory, unable to wake up. He would go on and on about how he will never have a gay son and how if I ever talked to any other of "my kind" again he would punish me. I felt so small, crunched up in the corner in the fetal position. My brains cruel joke of putting me in my pony form, and then as if I had said some horribly disrespectful thing his rage exploded and he stepped towards me, and just as he raised his hand to strike there was a blinding flash and all went still. Standing before me was Princess Luna with a warm smile on her face "It is okay Peppermint everything is okay, as long as I am around you will have no fear of your dreams" she lowered her head and nuzzled my cheek "but I'm afraid it's time to wake up, it's time for you to get ready for your first day of Equestrian school" she smiled and lit her horn. In another, yet dull, flash she was gone and I found myself on my ridiculously comfortable cloud bed. I just rolled around for a few minutes, enjoying the soft plushy bliss. After I was finally done enjoying the bed a new sensation hit me, the smell of what could only be blueberry muffins. I licked my lips in anticipation, I knew being a pony comes with new taste buds and I was eager to see how they changed. I stood up and walked off of my bed and made my way to the door, rather awkwardly might I add. Between just waking up and the new body I wasn't quite used to walking yet. When I reached the door and grabbed the handle, which confused my brain all in itself, I knew it was possible to grab things with hooves but it was still a confusing concept. I grabbed the door handle and tugged expecting it to be heavy, but it slid open easily enough as to not be connected to anything. The smell of muffins instantly got stronger. Eager to taste the baked treats I quickly stepped into the hall and instantly made facial contact with a metal cart. Found the muffins, and the floor.... unfortunately. I stood back up and rubbed my horn duly noting just how sensitive the thing was. I looked around the cart to see who I bumped into. Standing with a hoof to her mouth was a grass green Pegasus with a raindrop and sunflower cutie mark and a yellow mane and tail. It was clear by her expression that she was either shocked, apologetic or worried that i was hurt. Either way it didn't appear like she was going to say anything anytime soon so I decided to speak first. "Um hi, I'm Peppermint Snowy and uh..... what might your name be?" at the mentioning of my name it was like a little light bulb went off in her head, and her pupils instantly shrank. "Oh my goodness I'm so very very sorry your highness, I-I didn't see you there and I hit you with the cart, and almost spilled your muffins and I'm pretty sure I hurt yo-" I stepped up to her and stopped her by gently placing my hoof on her lips. "Okay first of all it's perfectly fine, second of all I....am perfectly fine in fact I think it's my fault because I wasn't watching where I was going, third of all please just call me Peppermint, and lastly you still haven't answered my question, what is your name?" She seemed to calm down at the realization that I was okay, and probably that she wasn't going to be thrown in the dungeon. She smiled and answered "My name is Summer Breeze, and I will be your personal servant, I'm here to help in any way I can." she still had that sweet smile on her face, I smiled back and waved her into my room. "We'll miss Breeze you can start by hoofing me a few of those delicious looking muffins, I am definitely a breakfast person" She reached over, grabbed a muffin and handed me one, all the while smiling. "Thank you, so just what does your job entail?" I asked. I took a bite of the muffin and I must say I didn't know whether it was the palace chef or the new tongue but it was definitely the best muffin I'd ever eaten. "Wow, my compliments to the chef, these are amazing" I took another eager bite. "I'm glad you like them, and to answer your question, my job is basically whatever you need me to do. If I have the capability to do it then I am obligated to." she said with a smile. My rediscovered childish side wanted to exploit this in some way but then I stopped myself, that's not very prince like behavior after all, is it? I thought to myself well breakfast is eaten so all I have left to do is fix my hair and get dressed. Well I don't wear clothes anymore so I guess that just leaves my mane, if it needs fixed that is. I looked around my room in search of the mirror but could not find it "Um you don't happen to know where a mirror is do you?" She put a hoof up to her chin clearly in thought then a quiet aha she said "As a matter of fact I do, if you will excuse me for a moment" she turned around and left the room. I walked over to my bed, sat down and waited. After a couple of minutes she came back with small hoof mirror about as big around as a pie. "Here we are, one mirror, what do you need it for anyways, if you don't mind me asking" I smiled and warmly said "Well I can't go to my first day of magic kindergarten with a messed up mane can I?" She chuckled "I suppose not." I raised the mirror and saw what I had normally seen on a daily basis on earth, seemed like every hair on my head chose its own personal path, most of which were straight up. "We'll Summer" I said and lowered the mirror "what do you know about styling manes?" Her face instantly lit up like a candle. "Oh I'm excellent at styling manes, so good in fact that I'm surprised its not my cutie mark, come on I'll have that mane looking fabulous in no time" she kept smiling and rubbed my head with her hoof messing up my mane even further, if that was possible. She stepped out my room and slowly made her way down the hall, i shrugged and fell in step behind her. Hoping her skills were as astute as she claimed. "Speaking of which, what does your cutie mark represent?" She smiled and said "We'll I'm actually a botanist in my free time, I run a flower shop a few blocks from here" upon hearing this my devious side once again showed itself. "Hmm you wouldn't by chance have any poison joke would you?" I asked with a giggle. She raised an eyebrow "Whatever would you want that nasty plant for? And to answer your question no, I do not have any poison joke." She said flatly. "Hmm well in that case maybe you could do me a favor, I do love flowers but I'm not sure what kind. If we are going to see each other every day perhaps you could bring me a new type of flower each day, who knows maybe you'll be able to help me find my favorite" "Sounds good to me, I'll be sure to bring my best flowers. Ah here we are," we walked up to a rather plain red wooden door with a golden doorknob "this is where I live" I stepped inside the relatively small room, relative to mine that is, and immediately noticed the excessive amount of flowers adorning almost every inch of the room. There were roses and lilies, vines of several unidentifiable varieties and there was even a poison joke bud on a shelf, sealed safely inside a glass case. "Wow Summer I would have never guessed you were such a skilled interior designer" I said with a smile. "What? This shabby place, oh, well I try." She laughed modestly. *** After she spent a pretty long time fixing my mane, which she did quite well to be honest, we made our way into the hallway intending to head back to my room but just as we were about to leave Celestia appeared at a juncture a little ways down the hall. "Ah Peppermint there you are, and Miss Breeze good morning, I hope you and Peppermint are getting along." Summer chuckled "Oh don't worry about that your majesty he's quite nice" Celestia smiled warmly. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. But I'm afraid i need to speak to Peppermint for a few minutes, in private." I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what the princess could possibly need to tell me " Um alright, Summer do you mind if we borrow your room for a little while?" she frowned but agreed and promptly stepped out. After she left I took it upon myself to start the conversation "So what's the problem?" She sighed quietly and cleared her throat "As much as it pains me I do have to keep secrets from my subjects. I have many secrets Bryan, but one secret that must never reach the public's' ears is the true nature of magic. The ponies are taught in school that all things done with magic require knowledge and skill. The truth is that the only things required are imagination and strength. If you can imagine what you wish to occur and if you have the magical strength to do it then it is possible" I stared at her for a few moments thinking about what she had said. I already understood why keeping this bit of information secret was important, I did not however understand why it was so important she needed to tell me. "If you are unsure of my motives all you need do is take Sombre as an example. He, through his own methods, discovered this secret and he used it to his advantage." She frowned slightly and looked at me. And I'm sure she was surprised to find a smile on my face. "Princess I'm sure you have good reason, but why tell me. I haven't even been here for 24 hours and you entrust me with magics biggest secret. I'm just a little confused that's all, but I won't pester you, I'm sure you have your reasons. However I do have one question......is it true gems are condensed magic?" She chuckled "Ah another secret revealed, but you still need to know why I told you. Obviously you know you're not from Equestria in almost every possible scenario that's not a problem. However because you are not from here and because you are a unicorn your imagination may get the best of you. Should you not be paying attention you may do something you never intended to actually happen." She rubbed my head with a hoof "As long as you keep that in mind and as long as you are careful I'm sure you will do well here Bryan" she softly rubbed my head, messing up my mane.....again. I smiled and sarcastically said "Hey Summer worked hard on this mane of mine" She giggled and with a wave of her horn set my mane back. "There all better" I smiled "Wow magic really does make everything better doesn't it" her smile faded. "Yes it does, which is another reason why you're here. Unrest is growing between the races. The earth ponies and the pegasi are uneasy with the power unicorns hold. And unicorns with skills like Twilight Sparkle's only enrage them further." I thought for a moment before responding, trying to think of how I'm going to help with that. "I'll tell you what, let me go to school for awhile, learn your culture and your history and then I'll try to come up with some solutions. Who knows maybe I'll get my cutie mark and that will help the situation. But as of right now only time will tell. Besides I'm only a kid right now, who would listen to me anyways" I said with a smile. she looked away, obviously thinking about something that was troubling her. I'm sure it involved me but I decided to pay it no mind. "Well even so, the first day of magic kindergarten won't wait for you no matter how important you may end up being. I would take you myself but you can imagine how big of scene that would cause so Summer will be accompanying you. I'll see you this evening, I have things to attend to." She smiled and opened the door. She glanced at Summer before walking off, her mane and tail waving as they usually do but slower, it seemed. I had no idea what the day ,or even the rest of my life, had in store for me but one thing was certain, it was definitely going to be interesting.
