Nummer fünf. Here we go.' Just about done with the beginning episodes.
I haven't the slightest clue as to how long I was out. It didn't feel very long, but a persons body clock can get real messed up in times like these.
Times like these... What does that even mean anymore?
I felt something assaulting my eyelids. It was bright and very annoying... but for some reason I was alright with that. In fact, I was so ok with everything that I opened my eyes-
"Gah! Jesus, that smarts!"
I rubbed at my eyes vigorously until I felt they were recovered enough. When the cleansing was complete I opened my eyes to find the same battered roof overhead.
"I'm still here?" I spoke, barely above a whisper.
"Yes, thou ist still beside us." I heard whispered into my ear. Turning to find the owner of the voice, I found a blue mare lying beside me, her forelegs and wings wrapped around me.
"Uh..."
"Tis alright if thou dost not recall. There shall be time given to thee for the act."
"O.k. Sooooo... are you, uh, still that crazy lady from before by any chance, or...?"
"No. Nightmare Moon ist gone. She shall burden the world no longer. We are Luna, our true self."
"Ah. So, quick question; how much of the, say, past twenty to thirty minutes do you remember?" She blushed, moving her small forelimbs to cover her face.
"Much."
"Ah. So, is there anything in particular you... uh. Why are you looking at me like that?" Her gaze was forlorn, like she just got over the death of her pet squid or something.
"It is not you that she is looking at." I heard spoken behind me, and by a very regal and slightly intimidating voice I might add. So, I turned onto my back again to find a literal pale horse standing above me with a very neutral face. She had flowing rainbow hair and some horse jewelry on, and to top it all off, I felt her stare dig into my soul.
"Hey...you, uh, surprised me." I said, awkwardly making finger-guns towards her.
"Hello stranger. I have been watching you." She said, not moving an inch.
"Oh yeah... hehehe... how much did you see?" I asked, wringing my hands together.
"Quite enough, I'm sure. If you wouldn't mind, could you give me a moment alone with my sister?"
"Oh yeah, sure thing." I turned back around facing Luna, only to find her desperately clinging to me. I tried to pry her off but dam, that mare had some strength!
"Hey Luna." I whispered to her, feeling her muffled speech against my chest. "I know how you're feeling right now. You feel vulnerable, like you could break at any moment. I understand. I got it. But you need to talk to your sister, especially if all those stories are true." That only served to make her grip me tighter, which was actually starting to hurt.
Bad choice of words man
"Alright then. Would you do it if I was here with you?" I asked, seeing her ears perk up. She raised her head slightly, just enough so that I could hear her.
"Perhaps."
"Ok then. I'll stay right where I am." I told her, returning her hug. I turned my gaze towards her much larger sister, noticing an incredibly sad expression. I mean, lip quivering, watery eyes, the whole shebang. Personally, I felt I was intruding on something very important.
"Oh Luna." Celestia cried out, falling to the floor and scaring the living daylights out of me. "This is all my fault. I've hurt you so much that you cant even look at me! W-What kind of a sister a-am I?" Oh gods, she stuttering now.
Fuck. This getting emotional. I am definitely in the middle of something I shouldn't be...
"Sister..." Luna called out softly, leaning forward to embrace her sister. Unfortunately, I was caught along for the ride, so now I was squished between two emotionally unstable Princess's who haven't talked to each other for a thousand years. I mean, not really complaining cause they're really soft, but it's still generally uncomfortable. Oh well.
Why do I accept that so easily? Wait a minute... I kissed an one thousand year old?!
...
You know what, not bad..
As the sisters emptied their hearts out to one another I spotted the others nearby with similar faces. When I desperately gestured for their assistance they simply huddled together and balled their eyes out.
So much for friendship
"P-Perhaps we should release our friend." I heard Luna shakily whisper.
"Yes, that *Sniff* would be best."
So they did, and almost immediately, I fell on my ass.
"I'm fine."
Everyone had a good chuckle at my failure against gravity and it really helped ease up the atmosphere.
"Hey! You know what this calls for?!" Screamed Pinkie, yet again scaring me. Possibly scarring me as well. My ears will never be the same.
"What's that Pinks?" I asked from my position on the floor, giving a lazy smile. At that point laying down on the floor was pretty comfortable.
I sure do feel good right now
"A- *GASP* OHMYGOSHYOUJUSTGAVEMEANICKNAMEBEFOREICOULDGIVEYOUONE!" She cut herself off, colliding with my body at the speed of sound in a hug.
"You're welcome." I replied, somehow hearing all that and managing to ward off dying of asphyxiation due to her steel trap of an embrace.
"Anyway, what I was going to say was that this calls for a PARTY!"
"A Party?" Everyone in the room questioned, sans me.
I could go for a party. Might be sleeping for most of it, but I'd be down.
"Well, duh! We just saved Equestria AND brought back a Princess! What's not to celebrate?" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, bouncing around from place to place.
"I certainly wouldn't mind some festivities... however, I wouldn't want to put my sister through any more stress for the evening. Perhaps at a later date." Spoke Celestia, nodding down towards her sister who practically glued herself to her side.
I wonder if they have glue here... what would they make it out of? Actually, what is glue made out of?
Luna glanced around for a moment before her eyes met mine. I gave her a hopefully encouraging smile and two thumbs up. She smiled back and nodded to her sister, giving Celestia a massive smile on her face.
"Yes, perhaps some rest shall do us well. Tis been a tiring night for all."
"Aw, but what about the party? I was gonna make moon shaped cakes and everything!" Exclaimed Pinkie, gesturing with her hooves around in a circle.
"Some other time Pinkie, like the princess said." Gently urged Twilight, laying a hoof onto Pinkie Pies shoulder.
The princess spoken of giggled at the exchange, her sister giving a small smile. I was still on the floor, as I had found it's cool temperature and surprisingly comfortable flooring to be a great resting spot, when I spoke up.
"You know, that doesn't mean we can't have a party." I heard the Pink hug monster give a gasp, along with what I am assuming was jumping up in the air.
"You're totally right Patty!"
"Patty?" I questioned, sitting up a little and glancing at Pinkie who had turned to face me with her ever present smile on her face.
"Yeah, it's my nickname for you! Do you like it?" She asked
"Eh." I gave her the 50-50 hand, rotating it in place. She seemed disheartened by this, so I quickly added: "But you can call me Pat if you like. I don't mind that one."
"Okie-Dokie-Loki!" She said, continuing to jump around without a care in the world. I gave one last confused glance at her before I noticed the others amused smiles, which I returned.
Standing up on my surprisingly shaky legs almost led me to fall, if not for the help of my newly acquired friends. Before I even registered my angle of descent I already had two bodies keeping me upright. One was Applejack, allowing me to lean on her, and the other was Rainbow Dash, pulling me upwards with the flaps of her wings. I chuckled and gave them a smirk.
"I guess I'm more tired than I thought." The statement alone brought along a wave of yawns from the ponies and a mixture of flushed faces, including the princess's.
She sure is cute when she does that...
I blinked owlishly at my thought. That was certainly out of nowhere. Trying to ignore that mental comment, I noticed I was still dependent upon my friends with the way I was slouching. Standing up straight, allowing me to see that I was about on par with the tip of Celestia's horn, I thanked my supports for their help and began the somewhat tedious but always fruitful act of 'cracking' my bones, twisting my back to and fro. From the looks I received I assumed that the amount of sound coming from the action was more than usual. I wasn't surprised, as I tended to have more pops than most people I knew.
"Don't worry about that, it's just something that happens when I don't crack my joints every once in a while. So, we good to go?" I asked, gesturing towards the exit. Any answers I may have gained from the six girls were interrupted by the largest in the room.
"Actually, since we are all soon to retire for the morning, I must inquire where you might be sleeping?"
"Oh. Uh, I hadn't thought of that yet. Hmm."
The truth was, I had thought of that. I just didn't want to ask anyone. After all, I had just met most of them a few hours ago, with the princess's being met possibly not even an hour before. I had been raised in a household of respect, and that was something I carried around proudly, though I have a feeling that most would be surprised with how lax I could be. I had just learned not to take everything in life so seriously, while retaining the necessity of respect in situations that demanded it. After having this brief moment of thought, I had come to a conclusion that would require someone to offer their home to me, and while these were certainly some of the nicest people in the world, I couldn't expect them to just-
"Well, from what I can remember we have room at the library."
For what seemed to be an increasing amount of times now, I blinked... and the blinked again. Then, I turned towards the source of the offer and, lo and behold, it was Twilight.
"Uh..."
"And ifin' that don't work, we always got room at the barn. Course, you'd have to work for it too, but its available." That came from Applejack, who was giving me a once over, probably wondering if I could be of any use on a farm.
"Ooh, ooh, or you could stay with me at the cakes! I mean, ponies might be a little weirded out by you at first but eventually they'll get used to ya!" Came the joyous cry from Pinkie Pie, waving a hoof in the air like she was a school girl desperate to answer a question. I turned towards the last few, a shocked look on my face.
"Well, it'd certainly give ma an opportunity to look at those clothes of yours! A-And give me a chance to get to know you, of course!" Spoke Rarity, a blush forming from her stumble.
"W-Well, I'm not sure how the other animals might react to you, but my cottage is always open." Fluttershy spoke softly, chancing me a glimpse behind her normally shy and introverted exterior.
"I'd offer too, but I get the feeling you can't walk on clouds." Rainbow Dash explained, giving me a shrug of her shoulders.
I took a look at all the offers laid down before me, a bewildered expression on my face. I wasn't entirely certain I was hearing or interpreting their offers correctly, because inviting someone you don't know, a possible alien at that, just didn't seem to make sense. At that moment though, a change in perception came to me. As I shifted my gaze between each of the individuals, a group of people I could dare call friends even after only knowing them for a short amount of time, I could tell of their sincerity. Each set of eyes I bored into held the truth, and that shocked me beyond belief.
"You guys would just... let me inside your homes? Me, a total stranger who you only met a few hours ago?" I asked incredulously, motioning with my hands towards them.
"Feller', I've got a mighty keen eye and I can tell you with all the honesty in me that you ain't a bad apple." Applejack said, tilting her hat to me.
"Wow. That's, uh, really surprising to be honest. I kinda just expected… I dunno, something not so openly trusting?" I shrugged, my hands finding their ways into me pockets.
"What more could they offer one they trust?" Asked a certain porcelain horse-sized pony, rhetorically.
"Shit man. I don't know what to say guys."
"A thank you usually suffices, darling." Said Rarity, giving me a playful smirk.
"Thanks then. I uh, don't really know who to choose to be honest."
"Might I suggest you stay with Twilight then?" Spoke Celestia, grabbing both mine and the girls attention.
I've just been candidly calling them that every time I think of them , haven't I? Odd.
"Well, sure, it works for me I suppose. Any reason for the preference?" I asked, curious as to why she would want me there. Before she could even open her mouth, though, a pink blur had sped right next to me, sufficiently scaring the be-jeepers out of me.
"Oh, I get it! She wants you to stay at Twilights house because, since Twilight it new here too, you two can get used to Ponyville together while learning about friendship along the way!" She rattled on, giving the both of us a wide grin by the end.
"My thoughts exactly." Celestia smiled down at her subject, who continued to happily bonce up and down in place.
"Okay then. Twilight, do you mind If I crash with you for a bit?"
"Not at all Patrick! Anything for a friend."
"Thanks Sparkles." She blushed at the nickname.
"While I am beyond proud of you all for your actions of both returning the day to Equestria and my sister to me, I'm afraid we must be on our way. The events of today have been rather taxing and I'm certain we would all like some rest." Spoke Celestia, standing tall and flexing out her massive and majestic wings on full display. I almost had the urge to try and run my fingers through her feathers, but decided to not for obvious reasons. She leaned her head towards her little sister, whispering what was most likely words of encouragement in her ear before standing tall again. Luna stood shakily, keeping close to her sister as she fixed me with a smile.
"Goodbye my little ponies, and know that I owe you all a debt I can never repay. You as well, Patrick." After such a simple few sentences, a flash was made along with a pop and they disappeared, leaving us there in a moment of silence.
…
"I think I almost got excluded again."
"At least she included you last second?"
"Whatever. Let's just get outta here, I'm tired as all hell."
With a satisfying conclusion to an, admittedly very stressful and hectic, adventure we headed home. Well, everyone else's home that is. Seeing as I was to stay with Twilight for the foreseeable future, it was more like returning to an Airbnb than anything. Nevertheless, we trekked onwards through the forest. The girls, all traveling ahead of me, were talking about the events that had transpired. They talked of how the morning went, with Twilight giving her recounts on meeting each of the ponies beside her, and how quickly things went downhill from there. To be honest I was barely paying attention, just walking along in silence. What was going on in my head had most of my attention, which was doing some similar recounting. For me though it was about how my day was before appearing in this weird and magical land of talking horses. Er, ponies.
Gotta remember that.
As my thoughts focused around the beginning of my day I took a deep breath and released, feeling the world around me slow. It felt as though it was years ago and still only a few ours before at the same time...
My day had started... uneventful. Nothing surprising there. My alarm went off, which forced me to stumble out of my nice, warm, and inviting bed and go to the restroom. I relieved my self of pent up fluids, proceeding to turn on the shower as I brushed my teeth. Geez, looking back on it I looked fucking terrible. My eyes had a retail stores worth of bags underneath them, with my eyeballs feeling sunk-in. My hair, normally not a problem, was sticking out in odd places. I honestly looked like I had spent a week trying to cover up a murder or something, and it showed.
Once I was finished with me business, spending more time than necessary enjoying the warm water of my shower, I headed off to explore the outside world. Of course, the first thing that hit me was the freezing cold. I, having anticipated this, was ready for the onslaught and walked right through the immense temperature change. It helped that I had on my jacket, which was actually pretty thin all things considered. Hmm. Maybe it was just my will that got me through it. Who knows?
The world of New York was... busy. Having been from the south myself, being in such a busy city with everyone having somewhere to go felt like I was constantly late for a meeting I never had. It drove me insane sometimes, nearly giving me panic attacks at others, but it was something I dealt with. I was going to be here for a few more days so I wasn't concerned with how the place worked. It just meant that for however longer I was here I could enjoy it. The best part about all this?
I was on vacation.
It didn't feel like one, I'll tell ya that. It felt like a business trip more than anything, but it was a way to finally get away from it all. To get away from my boring life before. I suppose it didn't really work, seeing as I was using an alarm during a vacation, but it did allow me to see sites I would never have imagined. I had seen some tall buildings in Texas, but Christ, they were nothing. The towers here were massive, some tall enough that I had to move practically a block down just to set it to scale! It was different, and that is why I chose it. Of course, things in Houston were more homely, if you could call it that. It never felt like you were in a bustling city, though I may have some bias. I did grow up there after all.
Fast forward to me standing around in the freezing snow, just having a grand ol' time. Walking often helped clear my head whenever I felt up to it, and it could lead me out into blistering heat or freezing cold. My body never seemed to care as much when I got to just thinking. Thinking kept me walking and walking kept me thinking. It just works. Though, as I continued to recall my own memories, I couldn't help but feel something strange. It wasn't as cold anymore. By now it was practically a simulation rather than a memory, so I looked around and saw something weird. There were lights. Lights that weren't there before, lights that couldn't be there. But, defying all explanation, my memory had changed and added in some glowing lights. The snow around my feet, which was pretty sizeable, had shrunken down to less than an inch.
I was confused. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, and the more I thought about it the more I was dragged in. At this point it felt real, unlike a memory at all. Every motion I made felt as if I was back in New York, waving my arms in the weirdly warm weather. It made me frown. Deeply. I just didn't get it...
A sharp poke in my arm woke me from my memory trip, startling me. I gave a small gasp, eyes darting around frantically in search what was once familiar surroundings. Now it was just the old forest I found myself walking through, though the walking had stopped. I was now stopped, along with my merry gang of misfits, trying to slow down my heavy breathing. Taking a gander at the gals surrounding me I was met with concerned faces, revealing the administer of the poke to be one flying Rainbow haired pony. She just looked confused.
"You okay there big guy?" She asked, her forelegs kept to her chest.
"U-uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all." I stammered out, my mind unfocused.
"I bet. You were walking like a zompony back here." She said, gesturing with her hooves how zombies- zomponys, walked.
Zomponys. Aint that somethin'.
"You sure your alright?" Asked Applejack, her gaze boring into mine. I fought the urge to look away.
"Yeah, I just need some rest is all. It's been one hell of a day."
"I'll say." Spoke Twilight, the rest of the girls chiming in shortly after. This was a thankful drop to the topic, with all of us continuing to move onwards.
While the distance was long it hadn't taken us nearly as long as I thought it would to get to the little town of Ponyville. As we crested the edge of the forest, with a few buildings in sight, Twilight had stopped at the entrance, turning to me.
"I need to warn you Patrick, ponies can be a little... jumpy towards things they don't understand. They don't mean any harm in it, but they can't help themselves either, so we might get some stares on the way. D-Don't worry though, I'm sure they'll get used to you eventually." She said, her hasty reassurance doing little to reassure me. However, I knew there was no going around this.
"That's fine with me." I said.
"Really?" She blurted out, giving me a confused glance and an adorable tilt of the head.
Oh these guys are gonna give me a heart attack one day, I swear.
"Yeah. I mean, I'm not really concerned to be honest. I kinda expected this. I'm pretty much an alien to you guys."
"Ok then. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"Hmm. Hey, didn't they just leave?"
My gaze, which my compatriots soon mirrored, was aimed at an incoming form. Wait, forms. There were two, and if my color memory was right it was the princess's we had just spoken to. They were quickly approaching, both flying with their massive and majestic wings, before they landed before us. They both fixed us with a smile, but that served to only enhance our confusion.
"My apologies for interrupting dearest ponies, but in the midst of all the chaos I had forgotten my role to play in Ponyville." Celestia explained, her wing held protectively around her sister.
Hell, if I had just regained a sibling that was lost for a thousand years I'd be protective of them too.
"Your role? What do you mean princess?" Asked Twilight, standing at the head of the group.
"I must introduce you six as the elements of harmony, as well as reassure the ponies there of my safety, dear Patrick's innocence, and of course to introduce Luna into the modern world." She answered, her wing hold Luna squeezing a bit. Luna didn't seem to mind.
"Oh, well now I'm really glad you came back."
"Indeed. Our ponies have always been frightful of the unknown, so a creature such as yourself may pause many." Spoke Luna, her timid voice louder than earlier.
"Well, what are we waiting for then?!" I asked, getting several shocked looks for my outburst. "What? I'm tired, I wanna sleep."
My attempt at a joke, even though I was being somewhat serious, paid off in that it got a good giggle out of those present, including the princess's. Unanimously we headed to the town, a crowd beginning to form as ponies noticed us. I could see their shocked and awed faces, and the closer we got the more eyes landed on me. I wasn't lying earlier when I said it didn't really bother me, but there was always an eerie feeling you can get when you have so many eyes on you. As it turns out however, my presence was not nearly important enough to most ponies to warrant staring at me rather than their Princess, who was walking with another individual they most likely didn't know that was also an Alicorn. Compared to that spectacle, I was like some sulfur next to gold.
As the crowd neared its max capacity, Celestia addressed her citizens. She went on to a speech about each individual detail she had described earlier, having the six mares step closer to her in order to officially welcome them as the new element bearers, which received a well round of applause. Then she introduced Luna, stating how she was her sister and all that, talking about how she herself was safe as well. Then it came down to me, which was signaled by her waving me over.
"The last topic I wish to discuss with you, my dear ponies, is who this individual is." Said Celestia, my person being stood awkwardly next to her. "His name is Patrick. He assisted the element bearers in defeating Nightmare Moon and reuniting me with my sister, showing his bravery and courage. All I can ask is that you give him a chance." She finished off her speech with a wave to me, signaling me to speak.
"Oh, uh, hi! I'm Patrick, as you know. You uh, don't have to worry about me all that much, really. Trust me, I don't bite." I said, giving them a smile, which may not have been the best decision because more than a few gasps came out of me showing my teeth. "Uh, so yeah. Honestly, I'm actually a really nice guy if you get to know me, ya just gotta get past all the weirdness is all. Like she said, the only thing I ask is that you give me a chance."
I finished, giving them a closed mouth smile.
A curious thing happened after that. A moment of silence hung in the air, leaving an awkward and tense atmosphere, before a single hoof was raised. I eyed the hoof warily, wondering just what they were up to, before realizing something. They were trying to ask a question.
"Uh, yes, you with the hand raised-er hoof raised. Do you have a question."
"Yes. What are you?" This question startled, both from how innocently it was asked and how blunt the question was.
"Well, I'm a Human." After answering I heard a sharp gasp from somewhere in the back of the crowd, but it was overshadowed by the murmurs that went through the crowd at my answer.
"What's a human?" A different mare asked, her foreleg in the air.
"It's... me, I suppose. I mean, there are a lot of varieties in Humanity, but your looking at some basics right here. Like, for instance, we all have hands." I answered again, showing off my fingers by wiggling them around, capturing more than a few stares in the process.
"Are you gonna eat us?" That question really threw me for a loop, causing many to widen their eyes at the idea of me being a pony eating monster. Well, that was probably what they were thinking anyway. As I looked around I noticed that no one had fessed up to asking the question, until I heard the voice again.
"Down here mister." I blinked, looking down at a smaller version of the pony's around me. A filly, if what I knew was right.
"Am I going to eat you?" I asked incredulously, my hands on my hips.
"Yeah." The filly answered, looking up at me with bulging eyes, her innocence pure as the sun.
"Of course not." This got me a few sighs of relief. "Your too crunchy." That one got a whole lost riled up, some looking like they were about to panic. "Joke! A joke, my bad, bad taste, its a joke!" I said, frantically crossing my arms. "I don't eat ponies, at all. Yall are too adorable anyhow."
"See, my little ponies? He is just as normal as any pony, so long as you give him a chance. Though you may have to get used to his humor." Added Celestia with a mirthful smile.
"Exactly. To be honest guys, you probably won't even realize I'm here."
At least once this dream is over anyway
After having some more healthy conversation with the dispersing crowd, ponies only leaving after the royalty left for Canterlot, it was time to retire. I followed Twilight, saying goodbye's to the rest of the ponies, which led us to a giant tree. I wasn't entirely sure how the logistics of it worked, not to mention the questionable ethics of having a library inside a tree of all places, but it hardly mattered to my rapidly tiring mind. When we got to the door, which was opened by a green and purple scaly creature resembling a young drake the introductions were made on autopilot. Fearing I may fall right then and there, I asked Twilight where there was a place for me to sleep.
"Uhm, maybe the couch? I'm sorry, it's the only other place that isn't filled with boxes right now."
"Eh, is fine."
After that riveting conversation I spied the couch and promptly fell onto it, laying belly down. I could hear muffled talking for a good bit, having a suspicion that a few questions were thrown at me, before I felt something being laid upon my back. From the feel of it, I could only assume it was a blanket. I heard Twilight say something, so I just grunted in response, which got a giggle out of her. Before long, the demanding parts of my brain vying for sleep won and all went black.
This was certainly a nice dream...