//------------------------------// // Holding Onto Hope // Story: Waking up as Rarity. // by TonydBrony //------------------------------// Alriez left me in the backseat of a police cruiser while the other officers searched the scene for any evidence of Mad Madam Mims existence. A large officer returned to me shortly after she left, while the others continued the search. “Is this yours, ma’am?” The fat man in blue asked, holding a brown leather purse out to me. “Found it over in the alley.” He said modestly while scratching the back of his neck. I let out a squeal in delight as I wrenched the bag from officer tubby. “Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou!” I hugged the bag as soon as my furry little hooves made contact with the it and instantly started rummaging through it to see if any of my gear had survived. “Oh thank Celestia!” I exclaimed in glee as the contents of the purse were emptied on the seat next to me. “Phone? Check. Makeup? Check! Money? Check-a-roo!” “Excuse me, sweetie?” Said a more than familiar female voice. “I hate to tell you this, but none of the officers found anything else at the crime scene.” Alriez bit her lip then sighed. “I didn’t find your hat either, dear.” I sat on the plush back seat of the cruiser in silence. Letting the words sink in. Don’t worry, dear. We can find you a new hat. Much better than that ratty old one of yours. How about a fedora? You like fedoras, right? “And you want your hat back, I presume?” I deadpanned as the blue cap slid off of my head. Alriez’s face went red as she took the blue garment in hand. She said nothing for several moments, nor did she meet my eyes. “Thanks for letting me wear it though.” I said with cheer in my voice, breaking the silence. “It’s not the end of the world or anything. After all, I can get a new one.” Alriez bent down into the car seat next to me in the cruiser and completely dropped the formal act. “So, what’s your name, kid?” She paused for a moment. “I mean, your real name.” “Tony.” I responded bluntly, the cheer leaving my voice. “Wait...” She put a hand up to her chin, processing my response. “Isn’t that a boys name?” I craned my neck to face her. “Keep those gears turnin’ sweetheart.” I say with a soft chuckle. “Soooo, you’re a guy? Wow, that’s gotta be really... Awkward.” “Yeah, I guess it is.” I concur. “But you’ve gotta admit. I look pretty good. After all, I’m in the body of the most fabulous unicorn on the face of the earth.” “How old are you?” Alriez broke my thought bubble as she leaned closer to me. “Fifteen.” “Where are you from?” “Texas. Dallas, to be exact.” “Do you like oranges?” “No.” “Awww, why not?” “Can we stop playing twenty questions?” “No. I ask if you like oranges, because that’s pretty much all we’ve got left to eat that’s fit for a pony back at the station. Though I am sure when they take you to wherever they are going to do the testing, they will have more food for you.” She explains, getting into the drivers seat and starting the cruiser. “Good.” I mutter. “They better, because I hate oranges.” As the car pulls away from the curb, I lay my head on the seat next to me. After all, it’s been a long day and I desperately need a nap. Between idiot cashiers and that nutjob, Mim. Sleeping is the first thing on my mind as the low rumble of the engine accelerating down the twisting and turning streets of Charleston made my eyelids heavier than a fresh fallen pine. My vision darkens as we go through through a tunnel. forcing my eye to take shelter from the soon to come sunshine. *** The familiar weight of blankets draped over me brings my eyes to open. I’m greeted by a chalky white ceiling, with a lone naked bulb providing light for the room. My head turned to the right and I was face to face with a small figure laying next to me. It was no larger than a newborn child. The heaving mass of fur stirred and unfurled. “Mrrow?” The small mass of fur was my cat, Lucky. In all her brilliance, she had somehow found me, and decided to take a nap with her owner. “That’s some animal loyalty.” Said a gruff male voice that I knew very well. For it was my own. The voice I’ve owned and loved for fifteen short years. “Well, damn,” came the voice again. “Is it over? Did I miss something?” I asked as Lucky walked over to me, rubbing her own little furry face against my own. Every hair and whisker that made contact with my skin; I felt every tingling hair against my soft flesh. I raised an arm to pet her, analysing the rising limb in all it’s glory. The light cinnamon skin tone, the scars that adorn my hand and wrists. Even my nails were bitten down to nubs as I examined them. So why wasn’t I happy to have myself back? “Aw for the sake of luck.” I mumble. “I’m fucking dreaming!” “Language, darling.” I bring my attention to the other voice, that sounds vaguely familiar. “It should sound familiar, you've been using it for some time now.” The unicorn says with a roll of her eyes. “Oh, sorry. I’m supposed to wait for you to actually say things out loud before replying hehe.” She chuckles with an apologetic smile. The sight of the alabaster unicorn brings a very important thought to mind. “Why are you in my dreams?!” “Oh my, this calls for a... metaphor? Comparison, anyway.” With a flash she summons an apple and an orange. “The orange is you, by the way.” she says with a wink. The two fruits move through the air to rest against each other. “This is what it’s like for two ponies to talk to eachother.” She says with a teacher-like aloofness. The two fruits then get cut in half and two halves rest together making a sphere. “This is what it’s like for two ponies to share a mind.” Then she takes the two fruit and smashes them together with a dry smile. “That’s what we are like. Make sense dearie?” I gave a simple nod in response. “Yeah. I get it.” “Wonderful! I have to say, when I woke up in your mind, I felt quite guilty! I had almost immediate access to everything, no walls of mistrust or fake selves, quite.... Generous with yourself, aren't you?” She breaks down laughing, before composing herself. “Sorry, I’ve been holding onto that one for ages now.” “Yeah, funny.” I reply dryly. The corners of my mouth begin to turn up as her joke sets in. “That’s not funny.” I remove the covers that had done a horrid job at keeping me warm. I was shaking as I rolled my legs off the bed first, planting them securely on the carpet below. “Then why are you smiling?” She points out. “I may not be Applejack, but you can trust my word when I tell you I have not abused your openness.” I take a few deep breaths, trying to dismiss the dizzy feeling that hit me as I rose. “I guess you want me to feel reassured, knowing you didn’t go snooping around my mind like a spy.” Her eyes droop to the carpeted floor. “I don’t expect you to be reassured, no. I have come to know you over the last day or two too well for that, but I expect you to then understand my own reluctance to let this happen. I am as secretive as you are, dear. But in a few moments, whether we delay it by staying asleep or not, you are going to start hearing my thoughts. This one sided viewing I have been doing is going to change.” I rise to my feet, faltering a moment but I regain my center of balance. “Good.” I simply reply. “I’m going to need as much help to hold myself together as I can get. Knowing you’re here is enough for me. Even if this is my first time meeting you...” “Outside of watching the show, you mean.” Rarity said, quietly. My teeth clench, as they always do when I’m nervous. “Yeah...” My eyes soon drop to the floor as well. “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t bother looking to see which of us was your favorite!” She says, feebly trying to lighten the mood. I let out a half hearted chuckle as I bend down on one knee, so to be at her level. “Sure you didn’t.” I say, letting my giggly self get the better of me. “And I’m sure didn’t read my memories like a diary.” As I finish the sentence my laughter takes over and I’m laughing myself to tears. “We’re in this together, aren't we?” I managed through the storm of laughter. She starts to chuckle. “Till the bitter end, my dear. As frightening as that may be.” After our laughter dies down, we sit smiling and chuckling for a bit before she remembers something. “I did have a question, however.” “What’s that?” I reply sweetly. “What is this nonsense about Pinkie being a ponicidal monster? Is that just some crazy po... person, or do people actually read that sort of thing?” I let out a long sigh and clear my throat. “Some people... Have these crazy imaginations” I begin, adding as much mystery as I could to my words as they left my lips. “People often write stories based off of things seen in the... Ah, show. Sometimes these stories are harmless, and are actually quite cute. But others...” My voice trails off. “Aren’t so nice.” “They really think Pinkie would kill one of us? Do they not know the meaning of harmony? are they really so...” She starts to rant, grinding a hoof into the carpet. “No, no, no! Not everyone out there is a nutcase! I personally think it’s complete bullsh- Ah. Crap.” I rack my brain, searching for something to say, to persuade her that not all humans are completely psycho. An idea comes to mind. “Apples!” I say aloud to her. “People are like apples!” Rarity raises an eyebrow, but lets me continue after adding “And oranges.” I glare at her a moment, she really knew how to rile me up. “You know the saying, one bad apple spoils the bunch? Well, it’s the same thing with people. You get the wrong impression off of one fella, and now you’re thinkin’ everyones’ a crazy freak. But that ain’t true, lemme tell ya!” “You’re right. I would hate to see what your kind would think of us if they had only seen the adventures of that abomination, Trixie.” She says as though the name itself tasted of failure and scorn. “Exactly! It’s just like that. If I only saw what that two-faced sonofabitch at work, hell. I’d probably think all y’all ponies are nothing but trouble.” Rarity just looks at me with a smile. “You and Applejack... I can’t help but find anything said in that accent adorable.” She says, shaking her head. “But my voice is not suited for it, I tried once. Thought I would fit in with the appleloosa crowd, not my brightest idea.” At the mentioning of my accent, my face burned. “I could see why.” I said, trying my best at hiding the rough southern accent that has followed me all these years. “After all, you’re too dazzling to fit in with rough and rowdy ponies like that.” “Well, I think we are about to wake up, and I have a feeling this day will be... interesting. Chin up!” She said, just as the room shook violently, and I awoke to the cruiser going over the speed bump outside the police station. It’s going to be hell trying to readjust to a pony’s body again... Tap tap tap. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. We’re here.” Said the driver, tapping on the tinted window of the cruiser. She popped open the door, holding a hand out to me as I drowsily stepped out of the car onto the cold hard pavement. “Welcome to Precinct Thirteen.” She pronounced under the low light of the moon. “Great, now can I just have something to eat?” Questions, comments, concerns? Leave them below.