You've Got to be Foaly Kitty Me: Should Equestria Be Home?

by Josh Crapo

August 19, 2015 (Josh)

It's after midnight, so this still counts as August 19th. I decided to stay with Tail Flight in case Rainbow Dash came back. So far, hadn't seen her since last week before she was called to the Him-a-neighin's. All that changes when I hear a loud burst through the door and a crash in the living room.

I immediately jump into the air and zoom straight to the living room. What was once a clean living room is now very messy with Rainbow Dash under the fallen items. I chuckle a bit. "I know that's you RD."

"Hey Josh!" Rainbow Dash does not hesitate to come out of the rubble she made. "You know why I'm here!"

"I remember what Wind Rust said on the other line when he called me on my UCD."

"And what did he say?!?"

"He said you weren't in the best mood at the moment. I thought back to when Pinkie told me you'd be alright with me being a Wonderbolt."

"Wait, how'd you know what I was here for?"

"Pinkie Pie."

"Of flying course!"

"I sure was hoping for the best until I had to get out of practice early to go to Twilight's castle."

"Well, I was lookin' for you all day! So, I heard this morning that you're an official Wonderbolt!" I nod. "Well, it's been my dream to be an official Wonderbolt for so many years. Right now, I'm very close to becoming one. After the spring of 2017, I'll be a real Wonderbolt, well, because of being a fresh-mare in the spring last year at Wonderbolts Academy."

"I thought the term was freshmen."

"Potato potato." I chuckle at the sudden pronunciation comparison of potato that Rainbow Dash makes... I'm a sucker for that kind of humor. "So how'd you achieve becoming a Wonderbolt so quickly?"

"If Wind Rust hasn't told you, I was a stand in on a race at the derby that you missed. I was selected by Spitfire herself to have me compete to see if I was up for the challenge."

Suddenly I hear Tail Flight behind me. "Josh, what's- OH NO!!!"

Rainbow Dash comes over and tries to comfort her. "Little filly. It's not what you think that's happening. I'm just having a casual conversation."

"Josh!!! Get to the bedroom!!!"

I turn around. "Relax Tail Flight. Rainbow Dash's calmed down."

"Come on Josh!!! We've got to get back to the bedroom!!!" I feel something on an ankle of mine. Why does this feel so familiar? I have no idea why Tail Flight is starting to act exactly like how Eve would. If this actually were Eve, I'd just move my leg as if the doctor were to use that reflex hammer during a physical. That would normally back Eve off a bit. But this is different. This is Tail Flight. An Equestrian counterpart to Eve. One that speaks the very language that I do as we speak. What should I do? I know exactly. I sit down and pet Tail Flight, still hugging my ankle, and then pick her up and hug her.

"I'm not going anywhere outside this place before we sleep. I have no idea what got you so worried. Does it have to do with Rainbow Dash?"

Tail Flight nods much to Rainbow Dash's shock and hugs me tightly back, burying her face in my chest.

"I knew a cat once that had this kind of distrust." Tail Flight looks at me. "And I met a pony that's possibly the Equestrian counterpart to her. The cat's name was Sugar."

"Well, who's this Sugar feline?" Rainbow Dash asks.

"Was... Sugar was all white, with lime eyes."

"Oh. Hey, I know who you're talkin' about! Isolate Mercy! Wasn't she in the academy too? I know my cousin is senior. That's for sure."

"So, you're cousin is classmates with Lightning Rider?"

"Josh, my cousin's name is Lightning Rider. I can definitely see a little of him in you, though."

"Really?"

"Well, sure!"

"Thanks RD."

"Anytime, 'cousin'."

"Josh?" I look down to see Tail Flight looking at me. I nod. "Are we going to get to sleep now?"

"Why not. Hey, Rainbow Dash, I'll catch you later. Gotta get to bed."

"Bye Josh." I wave goodbye until the door closes.

"Now, how about we get some sleep for later this morning? I'll be with in a little bit. I'm getting a little parched, and I've still got my shower to get to."

"Sure thing. I'll meet you in the bedroom."

I watch as Tail Flight walks back across the hall to the second door on the left. I turn around to walk into the kitchen to get a bottle of water to chug down from the fridge. I put the empty bottle once done in the bag of other empty water bottles. I walk to my bag of clothes I brought with me and talk out a change of shorts, a shirt, socks and briefs.

After my shower, I come to the bedroom. It looks like Tail Flight is asleep before I even get to bed, turning on some music for her to enjoy. However, as I get into bed with her, I feel Tail Flight moving onto her back as I turn laying on my left side facing the table lamp that is on. Then to top it all off, she moves onto my side and preens her wings eyes closed and all. It's so adorable that it detonates my heart, twice. I turn off the lamp on the table next to the bed and tuck that arm under.

---

I feel like I'm in a heated room in the winter with Tail Flight hugging my side. Things start to float around me but I don't seem to care.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. Maybe we ought to let this sequence continue. Stuff like this doesn't happen in the real world where objects defy gravity on their own." I start to feel my hands which are normal temperature, and the head, which feels the warmest its been since last time I had to miss school. "Wait. Do I have a fever? Well, that would explain how I've been getting headaches whenever I wake up each morning since Sunday. Ah! My HEAD!!!" I keep my hand on my head, which I lower. Now, my hand starts to feel hot from conduction. I take it out replacing it with the other hand which has the same effect.

I gasp and open my eyes to a huge headache and not feeling anything on my sides. I hear some crying on the floor. I look at where the crying is coming from. It's Tail Flight. "TAIL FLIGHT!!! What happened?!?"

She sniffles. "I was... sleeping... but... suddenly... I was... floating!"

"What happened after that?"

"I crashed!" I hug Tail Flight picking her up back onto the bed. This time, I hold Tail Flight to make sure she doesn't float like that, which was so weird. How something can float without any levitator?

"I don't know how you could've floated. Has there been any other time that you were floating like that?"

"I can't say. I don't remember telling you half of what I think I said."

"What?!? What the heck's going on here? First I thought I was going up to see Sydney and Sugar, and now, you're losing Eve's memory?!?" I need to see if Wind Rust is encountering this." I instantly get up and look for my UCD. After five minutes, I think to myself, Flow it. I'll just use Tail Flight's. She probably won't mind. "Hey Tail Flight. I can't find my UCD. Mind if I use yours?"

"Go ahead. I don't mind."

"Thanks." I call Wind Rust who probably is asleep by now.

"Hello?"

"Wind Rust. I have to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Do you remember anything you told me about your life."

"All I remember is everything about Sugar and you. That's it."

"Oh, no!"

"Well, who knows, maybe I'll remember more when I wake up."

"That logic doesn't sound that far-fetched. And by the way, not only have I been getting these headaches whenever I wake up, but I was sleeping with Tail Flight and she was apparently floating around and then crashed before I woke up."

"Do you think Tail Flight crashing on the floor from floating around the room might have anything to do with your headaches?"

"I don't know. I can't think straight because i just woke up."

"Well, I gotta get to sleep. It's still early in the morning."

"Okay. Bye." I hang up the UCD and get back to bed getting back to holding Tail Flight tight in my arms to make sure she doesn't float around again.

"Will I float again?"

"Not under my arms." Tail Flight hugs me back in my response of her security.

I find myself in that same room we were previously in. So far, nothing seems to be floating.

Now, I don't really seem all that surprised once something does. However, as it does, it swells as well. A sudden burst causes me to hold Tail Flight even harder. However, when looking in the area from where the object burst, a blue pony takes its place. I know her! I don't know how I didn't think through the fact that this pony goes through ponies' dreams.

"Princess Luna!!! I'm so glad you're here. I have so much on my mind right now."

"Well, not to worry, Joshua. I know you through my sister. I am sure that when I hear everything on your mind, you won't have anymore questions for me to ask."

"So, Tail Flight told me that she doesn't remember much of what she said about her feline memories. I remember everything that Eve's been through but how did Tail Flight forget? She has both memories of herself and Eve. Same goes for Wind Rust with Rusty."

"Perhaps these two cats, Rusty and Eve may be somewhere that nopony has known yet."

"From what I remember, Celestia told me that Rusty and Eve were both gone and that I could never get them back. I've achieved every one of my dreams Luna, but now that problems are arising here in Equestria that I'm not in control of... I'm afraid that I might not be able to save what's left of Rusty and Eve, their memories."

"Fear not, Wonderbolt. There is indeed a way to save these cats once and for all."

"And what's that?"

"Take Tail Flight and Wind Rust to your world. If they are in a world where those memories were once held, Rusty and Eve's memories will not just be preserved but restored. Tell me Joshua. Have you been feeling any homesickness?"

I think back to what was of my life back before I went to LeMoyne. A mix between the growing relationships between me, Tail Flight, Wind Rust and even Wiretap and my computer. But now, I think about the UCD I have now. I can listen to the songs I have on YouTube and on the UCD itself.

"I've been feeling fine here in Equestria. I may not be in my world anymore but I'm feeling great where I am now. 'Everything that I need is right here with me.'"

"There is not a doubt that if you want to preserve and restore the memories that Eve and Rusty once had, that trip home has to be within three hundred and sixty hours that Tail Flight and Wind Rust have woken up for the first time in Equestria after their return here."

"You mean that I have to bring Tail Flight and Wind Rust home within the fifteen days that they woke up in order to return all of Eve and Rusty's memories? But if they're losing those memories, then Wiretap and Caregiver may lose the memories that belong to Dexter and Mama Kitty! Tail Flight, when did Caregiver and Wiretap wake up for the first time upon arriving in Equestria?"

"August 6th for Wiretap. I'm not sure about Caregiver."

"That means I have only two days when I wake up! I last fell asleep at about two thirty in the morning after another dream I had with Tail Flight."

"Today and tomorrow, I'll make a real visit before you go."

"But if you go back home, that means you'll have go to school!"

"No it doesn't Tail Flight. I know a little trick that got me into Equestria the first time, and now I can do it as long as it's when I'm home at noon. Besides, I got my UCD with me. I'll keep in touch."

"As a side note Josh, anypony who goes to any other realm will still have their memories here. For it is where they really were. Nopony could stop or plant, in Tail Flight and Wind Rust, their Equestrian memories from growing as long as they were here."

"Well, I know at least one pony who might be able to get us back home."

"I have to go now, for this dream may come to an end, but before I go... I just wanted to say, good luck. I wish you the best of it."

"Thanks Luna." I crack a huge smile knowing that Princess Luna is going to be visiting.

I close my eyes which somehow mutes every single echo that I've heard from when I was with Luna. I must be awake now.