//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Shocking // by Uke-Joe //------------------------------// Uke-Joe Greg awoke as he always did, and stretched his curiously sore body. He tried going back to sleep, but deemed the effort useless. He groaned and rolled out of his bed. He landed on the ground with a thump. He started to get up on his feet, but it was if his body wouldn't obey his commands. He looked down, and the events from the previous night hit him. Instead of feet and legs, he now had hooves and four legs! He silently mourned the loss of his favorite 10 fingers, and checked out the rest of his body. He had a tan coat, and a navy blue and electric blue mane, which he could feel went down to the top of his neck right below his chin. He looked behind him and noticed two feathered appendages resting against his side. He tried expanding them out, but all he managed to do was make them droop down to the floor. He sighed and hoped he would be able to master them in time. He got to his hooves, which sounded weird in his head. This was actually a harder task then it seemed, as his muscles and body moved in completely different ways than he was used to. He concentrated on putting one hoof in front of the other, and managed to make it all the way to the door. Leaning down while trying to keep his balance, he grasped the doorknob with his teeth and turned his head. After a few attempts he managed to open the door, and trotted forward. This proved to be a mistake as he lost his balance on just two hooves and tumbled across the hallway. He came to a stop when he hit the door at the end of the hallway, announcing his presence with another loud thump. This startled the pony inside the room to alertness. A few seconds later the door was flung open and Greg crashed inside, looking up straight at Twilight. “You could just knock, you know.” “S-Sorry. I guess I'm still adjusting to all this...” he waved his hooves around randomly. Twilight giggled and magically levitated him in the air before setting him back down on his feet. “I suppose it is quite a difference, but I think you turned out fine. It'll just take some time to adjust to.” He began walking out the door and made it to the steps before almost falling again. Luckily, Twilight caught him with magic before he had time to fall. She leaned against him in order to support him as the moved down the stairs. “Thanks.” “Don't mention it. I'll go make us something to eat.” Greg hadn't noticed how hungry he was until just then, but he had skipped dinner yesterday. Slowly making his way to the table, he had just sat down when he heard a knock on the door. “I'll get it!” he called to the kitchen. He managed to walk to the door a little faster this time and opened the door without falling. It had barely swung open when a rainbow colored blur flew past him and caused him to fall over. The timid yellow pony with a pink mane walked in behind Rainbow, and offered a sorry to Greg. “Hey Twilight, what's cookin'?” asked Rainbow, already situated in the seat Greg was in. Twilight lifted a pile of what looked like pancakes to the table and walked into the room behind it. Greg walked back to the table and sat down again. Rainbow Dash now noticed him. “Twilight, bringing stallions back to the Library again?” Rainbow winked. “Wh-What? No! I mean, yes, but it's not like that!” responded the flustered Twilight. “Uh-huh, sure. Well at least he's a pegasis, so your kiddos will have Auntie Dash to teach them how to fly! Who better than a Wonderbolt right?” “R-Rainbow! It really isn't like that. Rainbow, Fluttershy, you remember Greg right?” Fluttershy nodded, “Sure. Why do you ask, Twilight?” Twilight motioned to where the pegasis stallion stood and said “That's him.” She recapped the previous day's events to her friends while getting syrup for the pancakes. Rainbow Dash flew over the table and sized him up. “Not too bad. You know how to use those wings yet buddy?” Greg looked back at his wings, which still refused to remove themselves from the ground, and simply hung at his sides. “Not exactly, no.” “Actually girls, that's why I asked for you to come over today, you both being pegasai and all. I was hoping you could help me teach him to be a little more coordinated. It's difficult for him having a new body and all.” Rainbow stood up proudly, “Well you came to the right mare! Nopony can fly like me!” Rainbow obviously forgot the previous day's events when she had gotten mad at Greg. “You alright with that idea, Greg?” Greg took a few steps around the table. Running was probably out of the question for now, but he felt comfortable enough walking if he had time to think about his actions. “Yeah, alright.” They quickly ate the pancakes and headed over to the park by the track where pegasai trained. Rainbow was the first to speak. “Alright so, I say we fly him up a little bit, and then push him off a cloud. He can either fly, or fall! It's perfect!” she did a little loop in the air and landed before noticing the looks of horror on the other ponies' faces. “Relax you guys, I was kidding.” Twilight recovered and pulled out a diagram of the pegasis anatomy. “Now you see here are the muscle groups that control the wings. Just try flexing them as you would flex your leg.” He strained to flex his wing muscles, but had no luck. They were just two foreign shapes against his sides. He sighed as he stopped to rest. Twilight walked back over to the diagram, turning her back to him. “Okay, just like any other muscle, you have to pull on it to make you wings go up.” She explained how muscles worked while looking at the diagram. Greg was distracted by another object completely, a tail swished in-between them as the owner of the objects he was staring at continued to talk. He snapped his head up as she looked back at him. “Were you paying attention?” Before he had a chance to answer, Rainbow responded, barely controlling her laughter, “Oh he was paying attention to something, Twilight.” She broke out laughing. “At least his wings are up now, but it's not due to your fancy diagram.” She continued laughing. Twilight blushed and turned away, “Oh... my.” Greg crouched down, confused and embarrassed. He realized what must have happened when Fluttershy couched down and whispered, “It's okay, for the most part, it's only natural.” An awkward discussion about Pegasai wings and a demonstration by Rainbow on how to fly, Greg gained control of his wings and started flapping. He lept off the ground and propelled himself up into the air. Straight up. He punched through a cloud and landed on it as he saw Rainbow do. She and Fluttershy casually flew over onto the cloud and landed beside him. “Yay!” exclaimed Fluttershy, happy that he could fly at least. Rainbow was not so easily impressed, “Yeah, yeah. You can fly straight up. That's a start at least. Now how about flying forwards?” He flapped his wings like before, and then leaned forward slightly. He suddenly started moving forward. He flapped even harder. Rainbow flew to catch up, “Alright! Now just follow me!” They flew in different directions, and eventually Fluttershy couldn't keep up with either one of them. Flying was coming much more easily to Greg than walking was. After crash landing on a cloud while trying to follow Rainbow on one of her tricks, they took a break on the cloud. “Hey pretty nice flying kid, you could almost keep up with me” said Rainbow, “Of course, not like I was trying or anything. Still, pretty good for your first time ever.” “Thanks. I guess it comes a lot more naturally than walking, that's for sure.” “Hey you're a pegasis! Of course it does!” said Rainbow. Greg grinned, and sat down on the cloud, peering over the land. Rainbow sat down beside him, “So you gonna change your name to something more pony-like?” Greg frowned, “What do you mean?” “You know, how everypony else has a normal name, like Applejack or Pinkie Pie, but you're Greg, just Greg.” Greg laughed at this. Names like Applejack and Pinkie Pie would have been considered anything but normal on earth. But as they say, when in Rome... “Uh, maybe? I haven't given it much thought.” He finally answered. Rainbow shrugged and flew off. “Come on, Fluttershy and Twilight are probably waiting for us.” They raced back towards the park. Sure enough, Fluttershy and Twilight were sitting down on a park bench. Rainbow touched down just before he did. However, Rainbow landed gracefully, whereas Greg's momentum required him to take a few running steps before slowing down. As his hooves were still something he was getting used to, he tripped and ran straight into the park bench, which Fluttershy and Twilight thankfully evacuated seconds beforehand. Rainbow Dash offered him a hoof, “You're pretty fast (not as fast as me) but your landing needs a little work.” He groaned. “Yeah.” “Um, are you o-okay Greg?” asked Fluttershy. “Yeah, sorry about that.” he responded. “Thanks for coming out with me, girls.” Twilight said to Fluttershy and Rainbow. “I think I'm gonna go introduce Greg to everypony else. See you later!” They said their goodbyes and began to walk towards the center of Ponyville. Twilight suggested that they visit Pinkie Pie first, but she barely had time to stuff a cupcake in their mouths before running off, claiming a need to go to the party supply store. Rarity's Carousel Boutique was nearby, so they visited there next. “Twilight! You didn't tell me you had a colt-friend!” They had barely stepped inside when Rarity started questioning them about their relationship. Sighing, Twilight broke up Rarity's fantasy, “Rarity, first, I do not have a colt-friend. Second, you remember Greg right?” “Yes, sure. How is he?” Greg seized the opportunity to speak, “I'm fine, how are you?” Seeing Rarity's confused face, the pegasis hastily gave a abbreviated explanation. Rarity took a little more convincing than Pinkie Pie did, but once she accepted this colt was the creature she met yesterday, she wasted no time getting his measurements. Greg hadn't paid any attention till then, but it seemed to him that almost nopony would wear clothing. He suddenly realized his nudity. “So everypony just walks around.... naked all the time?” “In most of Equestria. Some parts of Canterlot are different. Why do you ask?” “Well, on Earth it's considered,” he searched for the right word, “...indecent to be naked in public.” Rarity gasped. Her eyes widened. She was imagining a land where everypony was required to wear clothing all the time. She magically dragged her couch closer to her to she could fall onto it. “Darling, did you live in heaven, perchance?” “Heaven? That sounds inconvenient if you ask me.” stated Twilight. He let them argue it out for a while before Rarity returned to taking his measurements. When she was done she asked him what colors he would like for his outfit. “How about Electric blue? Like parts of my hair” “You mean your mane, darling?” Rarity corrected him. “Oh, yes. Sorry. But why are you giving me an outfit anyways if nopony wears any clothing?” he asked. “Oh darling, you must let me make you one!” Rarity begged, “You're used to wearing clothing all the time anyways, aren't you?” “Well, how about a hat or a tie or something?” he suggested. “Of course darling- I should have it done for you by the time Pinkie's party starts.” “Of course Pinkie would throw a party for the new colt in town, wouldn't she?” Twilight realized. “It better not be at the Library again, I'm still finding frosting in the strangest of books.” “No such luck, I'm afraid, Twilight dear.” Rarity said. Twilight groaned, “Sorry Greg, but I need to go convince Pinkie to hold the party at Sugarcube Corner or something. I assume you can go introduce yourself to Applejack and then meet Rarity back here to go to the Party? If that's okay Rarity?” “Of course, we can go together!” Rarity smiled, “Who wouldn't want this handsome stallion to be their date?” Rarity finished with a wink. Greg stammered, struggling to find words. He wasn't used to receiving complements. “Relax darling, I was joking. But yes it's fine with me, Twilight. I'll show him to the party.” Twilight said thanks to Rarity and dashed towards the library. Greg looked down sheepishly and laughed, “Thanks Rarity, but I need to find Applejack. Any ideas?” “Oh she's at the farm dear, it's just a few minutes down that road.” Rarity said, pointing. “Thanks! See ya in a few.” Greg flew out the door, getting the most out of his newly discovered flight. He looped around the road, trying a few tricks he could think of. His flying time was interrupted by the unfortunate presence of a large apple tree. He had barely crash landed in it when the tree shook him straight out of it, and he landed in a basket followed by a bunch of apples. “Oh, sorry there sugarcube, didn't see you in mah tree.” spoke the mare he recognized as Applejack. He struggled to escape the basket with no luck until Applejack offered him a hoof. He graciously accepted it and was surprised with force he was pulled out of the basket with. Straightening his mane out, he introduced himself to Applejack, “Hey, Twilight wanted me to come introduce myself. I'm Greg.” Applejack laughed and held up a party invitation. “Ah figured ya were the new stallion in town. Pinkie dropped this off and said something about how Luna turned ya into a pony?” “Basically.” he answered. “Well I have to say, she made the oldest blank flank Ah ever laid eyes on, that's for sure.” This term was unfamiliar to Greg, “Blank Flank?” Applejack turned her flank towards Greg, who was staring for a good while before finally realizing the strange apple shaped tattoo on her side. He looked at his own flank, which was as tan as the rest of him. “Seen enough yet?” Applejack asked, turning around. She noticed his wings and chuckled, “Ah figure so.” For the second time that day, he cursed himself for choosing to be a pegasis. He muscled his wings back down. “Stupid wings.” he muttered. “Don't worry yourself sugarcube, shoulda known better than to tease ya like that. Now I reckon you got a party to get to, and I'd hate to be the one to make ya late to yer own welcome party. Ah'll see ya once I get there.” He said goodbye and took off into the air. He made a softer landing in front of Carousel Boutique where Rarity was waiting for him. “Oh Darling! You're just in time!” she exclaimed, pulling a stylish black vest with a electric blue tie onto him and tossing a similarly colored black fedora onto his head. “Oh it looks marvelous, darling! Better than I expected.” He grinned as he looked in one of the windows of a nearby store. He had to say he looked more stylish as a pony than he even had as a human. He thanked Rarity for her work. “Oh it was nothing. A client canceled his order for that a long time ago and all I had to do was add the tie. I'm just glad it belongs to somepony who looks good in it. Now, I believe the party has been moved to the park if I am to believe word from Rainbow Dash, so I suppose we better start walking there?” They walked towards where he had started his day that morning, and started idly chattering about Earth. They arrived to a completely empty park. “Uh, Rarity-” He started to say, but was cut off by what must have been half of Ponyville jumping out of bushes and Trees and yelling “SUPRISE!” He jumped in the air in surprise, but laughed as he glided back down. Pinkie leapt towards him. “Oh you should have seen your face! Didja get surprised? Didja? Didja? I thought so! Ooh, nice clothes, much better than your clothing yesterday that Dashie was getting all touchy on. I bet you want a cupcake! Oh, and WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!” Taken aback by the attack of the overly energetic mare, he sat down and ate the cupcake that was handed to him. Twilight walked up to him carrying Spike on her back. “Hey Greg, nice outfit.” she smiled. “Thanks. You weren't kidding when you said Rarity knows her way with clothing.” They chatted with each other and whatever pony happened to come along, one of which was Rainbow Dash. “So Greg, how'd you like to come flying with the weather team tomorrow? There's an opening and you seem to be able to handle your flying.” Greg shrugged, “I don't see why not.” “Great! Get a good night's sleep 'cause I'm waking you up nice and early to teach you the basics before we go.” He agreed and watched her fly off towards her cloud home, which was not too far from the park. He gathered Twilight from where she had gotten together with her friends and told the giggling mare he needed to go back to the Library. “Oh, okay, later girlss...” she giggled, slurring her words. They said goodbye to Twilight and Spike and Greg and Greg flew a few feet off the ground as Spike walked Twilight towards the Library. “What'd she get into that's got her like this?” asked Greg, pointing to the clearly intoxicated mare. “Oh, just the Apple family's cider.” answered Spike. “How much?” “About half a mug.” “Way to set a great example for Spike, Twilight.” She giggled, “He's my number one assistant.” She teleported herself on top of Greg's back, “Now ride pony, ride!” Greg stumbled for a second, but regained altitude quickly. “Alright Twilight, just go easy on the vest, I just got this.” He steered her into the Library where she started up the stairs after saying goodnight. Spike and Greg just laughed as she clumsily found her way around the staircase and up into her bed. Greg walked down the hall to his room and removed his vest and tie, hanging them up with his hat. He wandered over to the bed and flopped into it. Exhausted from the long day, he barely had pulled the blankets up before sleep hit him.