When you wake up from a dream, the whole world first starts out as a blur and you wonder how you got there. You sometimes forget important things such as what you are going to do today or what plans you will make for the future.
"Hey are you ok"
"Huh? Who's there?"
I looked up and right above me was a colorful pink pony. I didn't know what to think my mouth became dry and I felt like I couldn't speak. Was I still dreaming? I looked around and saw that I was in the middle of a forest surronded by very bright colors that consisted of tall trees and colorful, cheerful animals. I also looked down and saw that I had no regular human hands or feet I had hooves? This was all very strange.
"Hello I said are you ok?" The voice repeated.
I turned around and faced the pony. Her mane was as pink as cotton candy and she smelled so sweet like the scent of incense.
"Uhmm... yes I'm fine." I replied still confused as to where the hell I was.
"Well that's a relief I was so worried I thought you were seriously injured or worse."
The pony had then started jumping around excitedly as if she didn't have a care in the world.
"Hey what's your name."
"Pinkie Pie. And you are."
"Max Payne."
"Max Payne?" Pinkie replied with a puzzled look on her face. "That's a funny name. I have never heard of a name like that before."
"I know this seems strange and such but could you tell me where I am?"
"Where are you? Where are you?"
The cotton candy colored pony had then burst into laughter like a person who just heard a bad joke and finds it absolutely hilarious. She continued to laugh for about another 5 minutes and had then regained her composure.
"I'm sorry." Pinkie Pie continued while letting out one last giggle. "I just find it absolutely hilarious that you don't know where you are when almost everypony knows all of Equestria." "But if you must know you are in the Everfree Forest Max."
Equestria? Everfree Forest? Was this pony speaking English or was she just trying to make me laugh. I still looked around in shock at the colorful landscape that had surronded before me.
My stomach had begun to grumble and became very weak and collapsed to the ground before the pony noticed me and picked me up.
"Oh you poor poor thing. You don't look so good." "I know I'll take you to my friend Twilight Sparkle and maybe she can help you out and get you something to eat."
I was then being carried by the generous pony. What was her name again Pinkie Pie? This was still hard for me to process in my brain that is if it hadn't deteriorated into almost nothing.
It took about 5 minutes until we had reached to what appeared to be a town. I looked around noticing buildings filled with bright colors, ponies talking and playing, the sky as blue and clear as the ocean, and not a single cloud in the sky.
"Excuse me Uh.. Pinkie is it?" Where are we now?"
"Why this is Ponyville silly." Pinkie Pie replied.
"Sure it is."
"You just relax while I take you to my friend, Twilight. She is the smartest pony I know. I'm sure she will be able to help you out as to figuring out how you got here or why you are here."
"How did you happen to find me in the forest anyways?" I asked.
"Pinkie sense. Whenever my tail twitches or any part of my body moves strangely, I know that something is up."
"Ok then."
We had finally reached a tree made into a house covered with windows and birds chirping in it's branches. This was still very strange to me but I just went along as to finding out where I was and how I had gotten here to begin with.
"Twilight you home?" Pinkie Pie started knocking on the door as fast as she could.
The door opened and I saw out of the corner of my eye a bright purple pony with a unicorn on her forehead.
"Yes Pinkie Pie what is it."
"I found this earth pony laying in the Everfree Forest. He is very confused and has no idea where he is or how he got here. See for yourself."
Twilight came outside and with a puzzled look on her face stared at the pony who stared right back at here. She stared at me for a long time while I returned the favor hoping that I would get some answers from these two soon.
"Well I have never seen this pony anywhere in Ponyville or anywhere in Equestria." Twilight still had a puzzled look on her face as to trying to see if this pony looked familiar to her in any way. "Yep, I have never seen this guy before. What is his name Pinkie?"
"He told me his name was Max Payne." Pinkie Pie replied to the purple unicorn.
"Max Payne? Never heard of a name."
"I brought him here because since you are one of the smartest ponies I know I thought that you could help get him cleaned up and fed."
"Good idea." Twilight responded with a smile on her face. "But first let's get him inside and get him cleaned up. He looks like a mess." "Do you think you will be able to walk inside?"
I got up staggering from the pain and numbness in my legs. "Sure I guess." And with that I followed the 2 inside.
I looked around me as I entered the tree house. All around me where shelves and shelves of books. Wide windows surronded me and plenty of sunlight seeeping through. Hopefully this unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle apparently her name was could help me figure out where I was.
"Here I will show you to the bathroom." Twilight led Max to a door into a nicely organized bathroom. "Get cleaned up. No offense."
"None taken" I replied with a small grin on my face.
"Wait right here while I get you some clean clothes and some towels."
As I waited I stood in front of the mirror. I couldn't believe it. I was a pony just like the rest of them. My mane was messy and greasy as my hair would be, my clothes stained and torn and my head still aching from last night's whiskey.
"Here you go" The generous pony set some clothes on the countertop for me and a washcloth and towel. "The shampoo is on your left and bodywash to your right. If you need anything just give me a shout. I will be right outside."
"Thank you very much." I replied back to her and with that she closed the door on her way out.
Before I could think of anything else I decided to clean myself up. I started up the shower and waited for the water to warm up. I removed my stained and torn clothes and walked in.
The water felt good. My migrane slowly started to fade away as I scrubbed my body and washed my hair as if for once in my life I didn't have a care in the world.
After about 5 minutes, I got out, dried myself off and put the clothes on that had been set for me. Not really my style but it would have to do for now.
I came out and approached Twilight with my original clothes in my hoove.
"Oh let me take those. I'll wash them and then bring them to my friend Rarity to stich them up for you." Twilight grabbed the clothes from me and set them in the washer directly behind her.
I nodded in agreement.
"So Mr. Payne is it?"
"Please, call me Max." I interrupted.
"Ok, Max. tell me a bit about yourself ."
Where should have I started. Tell her that I was a washed up cop? That I had killed a lot of people. That I had been framed for murder? Which would I talk about first?
"It's ok." Twilight said reassuringly patting Max on the back. "Anything you don't want anyone else to know it will be between me, you and Pinkie Pie. Right Pinkie?" Twilight looked acroos the room straight at Pinkie Pie with a stern look on her face.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Pinkie Pie replied cheerfully.
I sat down in a chair while Twilight grabbed a quill and sheet of paper and with a glow in her horn held the pen up.
"Begin whenever you like."
With not many options left I decided to tell her the truth.
"I used to be a cop in the city."
Twilight wrote down notes as Max continued.
"I loved my job and thought that I could be a hero catching bad guys and doing soom good for good people. I had then met the most beautiful woman in all of my life. Her name was Michelle. after about 6 months of dating and seeing each other and we finally got married along with having a beautiful baby girl named Rose."
As Max went on a tear began to form in his eye. Twilight noticing this offered Max some tissues.
"Anyways about 2 years later I came home from work, looking forward to seeing my family but noticed as I went inside that my house had been broken into."
Twilight, continuing writing while Pinkie sat next to her both had very shocked and surprised looks on there faces.
"Anyways, I took out my gun and headed upstairs to where I could hear gunshots and screams coming from the baby's bedroom and my wife's." "I kicked the door open and found the baby dead next to her crib when someone snuck up from behind me." "I shot and killed him." "I then headed into my wife's bedroom and killed the last burgular but it was already to late for her."
Twilight stopped writing and looked up at Max with his hooves in his face crying softly. She gave him some more tissues and wipped the tears away.
"I'm sorry" I replied with a breaking voice. You must be afraid of me.
"Not at all." Twilight replied with a comforting voice "You did what you could and that's all that matters." "I am also sorry what happened to you. It must have been very hard for you to live with and still to this day. But I will show the power and magic of friendship."
I looked up wiping away the remainder of my tears and gave her a small smile. I had never met someone more compassionate and caring until today. Now, I didn't care where I was or how I got here but I suddenly felt no pain in my mind or in my body." "Thank you for caring Twilight."
"What are friends for?" Twilight responded with a smile on her face.
"Just remember one thing; don't ever give up Max don't ever give up."
The voice of Twilight echoed as the image of her began to fade away from my vision.
"Hey wait come back!." I shouted but no one could hear me.
I finally awoken back in my bed, my heart beating like a drum, sweat dripping from my forehead soaking my clothes.
"Huh.. what... who?"
I looked around and realized I was back inside my apartment the same way it always had been.
A sad look came upon my face, realizing that everything had been just another dream I got up awaiting another day of pain and suffering.
But as soon as I got up, I didn't feel any pain whatsover as if everything bad ever happened to me had faded away from my mind. I remember that before I woke up that the majestic unicorn told me to never give up.
The words of her kept repeating in my head like a broken record. My mind for once had never felt so clear and something clicked inside my brain that I should just get a move on with my life.
"I won't give up Twilight." I said to myself "I will become a better person." And with that I showered, ate, dressed, and decided to go out into the world and take it on one day at a time.
About a week later, I had gotten a job at the Empire State Building as a security guard. It wasn't much to begin with, but I didn't mind it at all. The dream of meeting those 2 generous, kind hearted ponies. It had changed me forever, as crazy as this dream had been but I would do it for them, even if they didn't exist. I had also decided to get help with my pill and alcohol problem.
I still continue to have these dreams no longer nightmares of me returning to Equestria seeing Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle, who I consider my best friends, even if they are just in my dreams. They have shown me how we are all given a second chance and that we can still do great things.
I will move on with my life. I will do it for myself, for Rose, and for my beautiful wife Michelle.