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// 3 - A Stitch in Time 
// Story: Perchance to Dream 
// by David Silver 
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I wanted the door opened, so it did. Its handle glowed a moment to make it happen before I could step inside the clothing shop. A pony was in there, unsurprisingly. He turned towards me with his blue fur and white mane and tail. He opened his brown eyes that flashed a bright blue as he smiled. "Welcome to Royal's Clothing! I'm Royal Pin, and you are a handsome slice of pony perfection!"

He tilted his head at me a little. "I'm not exaggerating. I'd almost think you were carved by a masterpony from marble." He chuckled softly as he approached, his horn glowing and closing the door behind me. "Now, how can I help you today?"

I didn't get too bad a vibe off of him. He seemed genuinely impressed, not falling in love with me or ready to be a creeper. "Hello. I'm..." Did I go with Linda, or True Shot? Linda was both a girl's name, and a human name. This was a dream. I was True Shot while I was there. "True Shot."

He pointed at the quiver on my back. "Oh! It's lovely to run into a fellow archer."

That had me blinking. "You shoot too?"

"Sure do! I was in the last Equestria Games," he reported quite proudly. "I know you weren't, I'd remember a build like yours." He looked me up and down. "And I presume you're here to get some clothes that can match, mmm?"

It felt odd to be being buying clothes sold by a horse that was clearly wearing none at all. I glanced around at the selection to see tons of pony clothes on hangers dangling from long rods all through the store. "You don't hurt for selection."

"I should hope not," he crooned proudly. "Now your size..." He wandered over to a particular set and waved a hoof at it. "Try here."

I walked over to browse the selection. I wanted to leaf through, and my magic cooperated, pushing each bit of clothing aside in turn to let me browse from one to the next. They were all made well, so far I could tell. "Did you make these?"

"Oh, no. I purchase from the best all across Equestria and bring them here for discerning ponies just like yourself." His eyes were a brown shade again as he did a slow turn around his shop. "They're quite nice, yes?"

"Yes." I plucked one out that had a bit of a Robin Hood feel to it. That seemed fitting for the character I had been thrown into. "Is there a place where I can try this on?" I was a little curious about his eyes, but didn't want to pry into it. Besides, maybe it was just my dream being funny? A thought gripped me and I tried to will his eyes to be purple, but nothing happened. Aw.

He did blink a few times and colored faintly. "What a penetrating gaze you have. Just over here." He turned and did that bouncy-walk to a hanging curtain. "Take your time."

I nodded at him and walked past into a reasonably spacious changing room. I hung up my desired clothes before plucking off a piece and... How did ponies get dressed? I tried just wanting to be dressed and the pants came zipping at me. I lifted a leg, then the other, helping them as they wriggled into place. "Unicorns are best horses," I muttered to myself as I was soon clad in the dull-green pants. I repeated it for the shirt/vest and the hat with its fluffy feather landed neatly on my head. A belt was left and casually snaked around me before clinching shut and tucking itself in neatly.

I turned to a mirror and began to look myself over. I was Robin Hood, if he was a unicorn. I reared up onto my hindlegs and my bow snapped into position with my forehooves as if I were holding it, though my magic was doing the holding. I was adorable. I laughed at the image and fell back to all fours as the bow hung itself off of me.

Stepping out, I saw Royal Pin was speaking with another pony, who then walked out with apparent satisfaction. Royal turned back to me and gave a little squeal. "Look at you! You have good taste." His magic plucked and pulled at my clothes, fussing at them just so. "There we are. It's perfect. Do you like it?"

I did, and said as much. "How much?"

"Forty bits," replied Royal Pin.

Bits? Were they really called that? I had to snort even as my bag of money came out and some coins emerged from it, buoyed on my magic. "Here you are."

The color of the glow shifted slightly as Royal took hold of them and tucked them away. "A pleasure. Will you be needing any other sets? It's hardly fitting for a pony to only have one set of clothing."

Was it? I didn't know if ponies usually had more than one or not. Royal Pin was still naked and smiling. "I might be back. Your store is nice." He smiled all the more as I turned for the exit and began walking out.

Royal tapped me on the butt. "Excuse me, sir? I know it's not my place to ask, but are you hurt? You always walk everywhere."

I turned to look at him and just noticed his butt tattoo. It was a safety pin of all things. It had a little heart on it. Why was everything in this world so adorable? "What?"

Royal made the springy-bouncy walk in place. "You never trot."

Trotting! That was what it was called. "Oh!"

He smiled crookedly. "Are you alright?"

I tried to trot as I'd seen others and felt awkward doing it, but I didn't fall over.

He seemed pleased. "Please accept my nosiness. I was just worried for you. You look like you want to move quickly, but walking won't do that. Oh, here I am lecturing you like some foal." He was colored a bit. "I must sound so rude."

"No no!" I hurriedly assured. "Please, can you show me how to trot better?"

Oh the smile that appeared on his face. His magic wrapped around my limbs like warm blankets and he began going over the basics. Walking with his grip on me felt odd, but I was soon bouncing along under his watchful gaze and enthusiastic cheering. "Now, how did a stallion like yourself manage to not know this?" He raised a brow. "No offense, but I feel this is something you should know."

Well, it was true. As a horse, I should have known how to trot. "I'm not my usual self," I said. That was true, right? "Thank you for the refresher. I feel better now." I trotted in place, showing it off. I wasn't perfect, but I didn't feel like I was going to tip right over. "Thank you again for all the help, but I still have places to go."

He bid me farewell, and I trotted out of his store. It was much easier, trotting instead of walking faster that is, and I devoured the distance as I trotted right down the road. It wasn't running, not full running. I saw a few ponies galloping along at full speed. Trotting was like, what, second gear for horses. A comfortable middle ground, that's what I'd call it.

More comfortable with being a horse, I set out to explore the city with my newly-acquired trotting powers. There were performers to see juggling, dancing, or even throwing knives in one case. A pony in a small booth called out to me, offering to see my future.

Most of it, however, was subdued and refined. Most of the ponies walked along with their noses up and eyes closed. They were nobles and acted the part. They were also boring. That withered old crone of a pony offering to see my future seemed much more interesting.

I trotted right up to her and she smiled, revealing a few missing teeth along the way. "Ah, now here's a curious energy. Please, step inside." She waved at the small booth as she grabbed a string in her mouth and pulled, making curtains partially close in. Once I had stepped in, she pulled the rest of the way and we were alone with a bit of privacy. She ducked down and came up with a crystal ball that she set on the table on a fancy pillow. "Now what brings a bright stallion like you to me? Looking for advice winning that mare?" She raised a brow at me. "No... Hmm."

Was she trying to cold guess what I might ask? That would be impressive, but I decided to test her another way. "Can you tell me where I'm from?"

She blinked at me owlishly. "What a curious question. Let's see what the spirits say." She began waving her withered hooves over the ball, drawing out a faint and ghostly glow from within. "Hear our question, tell us what we would wish to know..." A cold breeze made the curtains around us flutter and the glow brightened faintly a moment.

It was magical horse land. I didn't fully doubt she was a magical old horse lady. Maybe she really was talking to ghosts, or something else. Who knew? It was a dream, and it was fun watching her work, so I sat and smiled and waited.

The orb rumbled like a distant thunder storm. "Ah yes, how curious... The spirits are undecided. They say you are from two places, which a pony should not be. You cannot come from two places at once without being two ponies." She raised a brow at me. "Does this make sense to you?"

Huh, that was... actually accurate, but hey, dream. Anything in my dream could, in theory, know everything about me, so I didn't get too alarmed. "That's actually close to the truth. I am two ponies."

Her eyes widened a little. "Truly? What a curious soul to come to visit me today." She ran a hoof over the top of her crystal ball as it swirled with fog and storms. "Then their words ring more true. One is a dead pony walking, a ghost. He walks with kindness, not bitterness, unlike many. He was stirred by the other half who still draws breath. S...she? yet lives, and feels much closer..." She squinted into the orb. "Which are you? Are you both truly? One, dead, the other, alien. Both, a mystery. You come to ask questions, and leave me with more than I started with."

Suddenly the orb filled with white smoke, the storm passed. "Huh... No..." She looked up at me. "Not two, one. A dream. A figment, an echo held by gentle strings."

Well, that was true, right? It was all a dream. "Right."

She smiled at me. "You say that, but I do not see understanding in your eyes. Travel well, lost pony. Keep brightness in your heart and it will all become clear in time."