//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Realization // Story: How did I get here?! // by Skytak193 //------------------------------// "I'm in a dream, I'm in a dream" you try to assure yourself. You seem to have fallen unconscious again, for a while you become mesmerized by the colors dancing around in your head. You decide you like the cyan colored cloud off to your left, but suddenly it disappears. Then a rude, loud ringing invades your mind. You roll over and swing your arm, expecting to hit your alarm clock, but a sudden jolt of pain hits your hand instead of the clock's snooze button. Eyes shooting open you quickly examine the room. A library? Remembering the injury you lift your hand to your face. There is a puncture mark in the middle of the palm and blood is streaming down your arm. You hear a groan next to you and you jerk your head to see what it was. Sitting on the floor next to you is a purple unicorn with a book in front of her titled "Strange Mythical Creatures". A sudden pang of realization hits you like a speeding truck. "Twilight?" you asked the confused pony. "Ooouch" is the only reply you get from her. Glancing at her horn you see blood streaming down it as well. You quickly look from her horn to your hand. You remember that your hand is bleeding and is in pain. "Is everything alright up there hon?" you hear from below you. "Applejack?" you ask yourself. Another groan from a dazed twilight brings you back to attention. "What in Equestria happened up here!?" Asked Applejack, sounding concerned. Your mind was spinning. You’re bleeding hand, the dazed twilight, and a concerned Applejack. "Are you two bleeding!?" asked Applejack. "It was an accident" you managed to choke out through your tears of pain. "I'm fine Applejack" Twilight finally manages to say. You stand up, holding your hand close to you. "Is there a doctor I can see?" you ask. "Quick! Let's take it to Fluttershy's house." Applejack said with a concerned voice. Applejack began to lead you down the stairs and to the door while twilight washed her horn. You have to crouch to get out the door because you are a couple feet taller than all the ponies in Equestria. You estimate that they are about 3 feet tall and you tower over them being 6'3". After a few minutes of speed walking you begin to see Fluttershy's tree house. By the time you get there, your shirt is drenched in blood and you turn pale and start feeling faint. Cantering up to the door, Applejack began pounding on the door to get Fluttershy's attention. The door slowly cracks open "um... hello?" "We need your help sugar cube" Applejack says a little loudly, further alarming Fluttershy. Applejack steps aside to let Fluttershy see you. You two lock eyes. "EEEEEEEP!" and Fluttershy disappears into her house. "It's alright sugar cube, it won't bite. It just needs your help." "What is it?" Fluttershy asks, peeking from behind her sofa. "Please, I need your help!" you tell the frightened pony a little crossly. She peeks out from behind the sofa once more, this time noticing your bloody hand. "Oh my! Here, come with me." Fluttershy leads you to a table she pulls out gauze and some surgical tape. "It's really deep, what did you do?" Fluttershy asks while unrolling the gauze. "Well" you begin "It started yesterday". Meanwhile, Ponyville was buzzing with the news of your appearance in Equestria. "Where did it come from" "What is its name?" "What IS it?" The Town is filled with ponies trying to get the latest news of your arrival. Through the chaos of the gossiping ponies, Rarity quietly and calmly trots to Twilight's house to get the news, rather than get it third hoof. Rarity is almost to her door when Twilight walks out. "Twilight dear! I've heard that something BIG has happened and I was wondering if you anything about it?" "Really? You haven't heard about it already?" Twilight says, noticing all the ponies bustling about looking for answers as well. "Well, Spike told me that something big had happened and that you had a part in it. So, what happened?" As Twilight told Rarity about your arrival, you are getting to know Fluttershy and Applejack in real life. More than you could ever wish for, but it's under some pretty bad circumstances. "OUCH!!" You yell out in pain as Fluttershy puts some ointment on the puncture in your hand. "Don't worry. This is going to take the pain away." She tells you as she dabs a little bit more on. "So, what’s your name?" Applejack asks from the corner of the room. She is looking away because your blood is making her squeamish. "Ross. What is yours?" (You already know her name, but you don't want to make her even more unsettled by knowing almost everything about her already.) "Applejack, I work at Sweet Apple Acres, the place where we found you passed out." You think about the first time you saw them. "Those apples looked really tasty." You tell her, trying to cheer her up. Applejack's ears perked up. "Darn right they are! Best apples in Equestria are grown right here in Ponyville" You give the perky pony a smile and turn back to your hand. Fluttershy was almost finished wrapping your hand. It itches a lot. You look even closer at your hand to see what was making it itch. Little purple slivers are sticking out of your hand. You realize they are part of Twilight's horn. "Fluttershy?" "Y-yes?" Her voice cracks when she replies to you. "Do you have any tweezers?" She sets your hand down and pulls a small pair from the table then resumes her work. As you begin pulling out pieces of Twilight's horn from your hand, you try to comfort her. "I'm sorry for being short with you earlier. Can you forgive me?" She finishes wrapping your hand and says, "It’s okay, I forgive you." She looks up and it is getting dark outside. "You can stay here for tonight." She tells you. "Thanks" you tell her, smiling. "My dreams have come true!" You think to yourself as Fluttershy walks you over to her couch. "If only James could be here." You think as you start to fall asleep. "But you had to go to war and get yourself killed."