//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Industrial Diamond // by Bama Journeymane //------------------------------// The incessant beeping was starting to get on my nerves. It was like my alarm clocks' annoying little brother. Rolling over, I reached out and tried to hit the snooze button. The button didn't give, which I thought was strange. I tried again. Groaning, I gave up and opted to wrap my pillow around my head. Yeah, pretending it wasn't there was a good idea. Thirty seconds later I groaned again and decided to get up, I felt restless anyways. Smacking my lips and rolling my tongue around my mouth, I was greeted by that strange pasty morning flavor, which oddly reminded me of Maalox. Running my tongue across my teeth, I noticed that my canines didn't feel sharp. My teeth were wider and flatter. There was also a noticeable gap between what should have been my canines and my jaw teeth. It didn't make sense. I decided to reevaluate that line of reasoning after my morning cup of coffee. My muscles creaked in protest and I feel somewhere between chewed bubblegum and playdough. A tugging sensation pulls at my side. I look down to see a clear plastic hose protruding from a shaved little round of flesh on my side, which is furry and a light shade of purple. My brow furrows and I cock my head to the side. "What the?" I mutter as I try to figure out what the hell that thing is and why my side is furry and fucking purple. "CRASH!" came a loud noise from across the room. My hackles raise and I feel something on my head lay back. I swivel my head towards the sound and see a shattered glass container on the floor with greenish looking goop splattered around it. It looked better than what what some people considered art these days. I hate abstract art! Looking past the mess I see something else, a dog or something with light pink hair and a white coat. Its eyes were wide and its mouth was gaping open. Do I have to give it a treat or something? The creature rushes forward and before I can even get my hands up to defend myself I feel its legs wrap around me. It held me there for a moment. Looking over its shoulder and down its back I notice that it has a tail that matched the hair on its head. It doesn't look like a dog tail, more like a horse tail. Warmth floods my cheeks. I feel like I should know this creature but I can't think of a name. Wrapping my arms around the creature I return the hug. Her coat is warm and fuzzy. Sniffing, I catch a hint of peppermint, something earthy, and the smell of disinfectant. Looking down her back, I don't know why I say her, I notice something else. "Where the hell are my hands?" I yell. The creature flinches and then pulls away. I gaze down at the two stumps at the end of my arms, my mouth and eyes wide. Like my belly, my arms are covered in purple fuzz and my hands or what was left of them came down to a roundish U shape. Turning them up towards me I notice that I have what looks like a large finger nails surrounding fleshy v shapes where my palms ought to be. "Calm down, Dia." I hear a soft and yet still powerful voice say to me. Looking up at the creature, my mouth dropped open again. "Did you just—never mind— what the fuck did you do with my hands?" I ask, my voice wavering. A puzzled look crosses the creatures face. "You never had hands, Dia. You are not a minotaur or a diamond dog you are a pony. And ponies don't have hands." Pony. I'm a pony. No I'm not, I'm a human. I've got hands and feet and a tail. Wait a minute? A long pink and white pony tail whips around and lands beside me. I feel something hanging against my back side. I move it and the pony tail moves. It feels like I'm bending my back, but it's only in my bottom half. I stand on my hooves and look back to see that tail flows out from my rump. I feel weak and faint. My legs shake and my vision swims. Shaking my head, I try to come to my senses. Locking my legs I look back at the pony. Biting my lip, I feel tears begin to form in the corners of my eyes. My head drops. I don't understand. I fell a sleep in my apartment and I wake up somewhere else and I'm not even human. This has to be a dream: a really weird dream. Air rushes by me, I feel like I'm falling, and then I feel a furry warmth again. My eyes flutter open after what seem like hours and I'm looking down the creatures back again. A name flickers in and out of my mind. Something warm rubs up and down my back. I burry my face into her neck and cry. Sure it wasn't the manly thing to do. But, how can I be a man if I'm a pony thing. Surely this is a dream and I'll wake up and laugh about this later. I don't know how long she held me there. After a while she coaxes me back into a laying position. And I look up at her and her soft welcoming face. Her own cheeks are streaked with moister and red from crying. Why was she crying? Was she the one responsible and now she is ashamed. There was no shame in her face. Despite her tears, she seemed happy, although the soft smile gave it away. She lay beside me and ran a hoof through my mane. I was still sniffing and crying. But, her ministrations felt so good. A devious little smile crossed my lips. Perhaps this is a dream and I'm about to have wild animal sex with my pony lover. She seems to have the same idea as she leans forward. Stopping inches from my lips she arches her muzzle up and presses her lips against my forehead. The idea of sex flies out the window. The idea of sex with this thing now kind of disgusts me, not because she is an animal but for some other reason, a reason that I can't put my finger on. Pulling back she gave me a wide smile and then she pulled me into a hug. I happily return it. She sobs for a few moments and then backs away. "Little sister I have waited for you for so long. Others have told me to give up and let you go, but I couldn't," she almost whispers. Sister? "I'm not the only one. Richie has stays with you sometimes, him and Diamond Tiara both do. You would be so proud of your little gem. And now that you're awake you can make up all the time you have lost. I'm so glad that you proved all of them wrong." A million questions flowed through my mind. Just like this mares elusive name, bits of images floated in and out of my mind; a dark haired pony with a cocky smile and a pink filly with a charming sassy nature. The names mentioned by Redheart, swim around in my mind, a jumble of letters like alphabet soup. "Redheart!" I shrill excitedly. The mare's smile widens and she wraps me in another one of her hugs. I could get used to this. "That's my name, but don't over use it," she said playfully back to me. I hear a creaking noise. The two of use look up to see another pony thing, this one had a horn. Now I know I'm dreaming. He is a freaking unicorn. This one had a strong jaw and was larger than Redheart, wearing a long white coat and had a stethoscope hanging from his neck. "Redheart your shift starts in..." He said before noticing me. The stallion's smile stretched wide and he dashed over to us. "Diamond Mist! Starswirl's beard! You're awake!" he exclaimed while slightly bouncing on his hooves. Diamond Mist? Must be my dream pony name I decide. I smile back at him. "That's my name, but don't over use it." Redheart turns to me and we both giggle. The doctor stallion blushes. "Just forget about your shift today, Red. You need to be with your sister," he said before politely backing away towards the door. "Thank you," replied Redheart. The stallion left and she and I were bathed in silence once again. I started to speak when she placed a hoof against my lips. "We don't have to talk right now. Right now I just want to hold you like I did when we were fillies, if that's okay with you?" I nod yes and roll over. Little spoon to her big spoon, it felt right. We lay that way for a while. Her fuzzy soft belly would move in and out with her breaths, rubbing against my back. I felt safe and warm. It was like I was back home with my own sisters. That was how it felt. She snored lightly. Turning over I saw that she was still wearing that same awestruck smile. And she seemed to be a peace. She had lines and crease in her face that didn't seem right to me. It was like she had been under a great deal of stress for a long time. Before my eyes those lines seem to fade a little. Whatever burden that she had experienced seemed to fade away. And that made me happy, happier than I had been in a long time. Rolling over, I snuggled close to her. I hid my face in the small of her neck and slowly joined her in the sandman's embrace. This had been the best and worst dream of my entire life. I prayed, as I fell into wakefulness that I would dream again of this pony world.