//------------------------------// // Prologue Pt.1 // Story: Land Once Forsaken // by DracoPony //------------------------------// I have always been susceptible to illness more so than other children. Never able to go outside, to play with kids my own age, or to go to school. I never understood why I was always sick and it made my parents cringe each time I asked why I couldn't go out to play like the children in books and on television. One of the earliest discussions I remember is asking Mom why I couldn’t attend Kindergarten. “You are just not like the other children, something is different about you that causes you to get sick easily.” She had a depressed look on her face that night, but anyone would if they tried to explain to their child why they can’t be normal. The amount of time and attention I need has caused fights between my parents. Neither of them wanted me to be so different but they could never agree on what was best for me. During the week of Halloween when I was five years old, Dad got angry when Mom wouldn't let me outside to trick or treat. They were talking in the kitchen, but he was quickly raising his voice. I tried to listen in from my bedroom door down the hallway. “He's a kid! We should at least allow him to act like one every so often!” Dad was obviously frustrated, he always tried to get me to act like a normal kid. She was crying; her voice trembling. “Do you think for one second I don't want him outside smiling everyday like a normal boy instead of being locked up inside this house?! No matter how much we may want it, he will never be normal.” The room fell quiet as she began to sob. Frustrated and upset, Dad stormed out of the house incoherently muttering. I felt a pain in my heart I had never felt before, the stabbing pain almost stole my breath away. Even at that age I knew that their fight was because of me. The room felt heavy as tears began streaming down my face. I was too upset to utter a sound; just standing there as Mom sat on the floor crying. I then heard the clanging of glasses as she rustled in the kitchen out of sight, doing what I wasn't sure at the time. After a half hour of silence, I heard her walking back toward my room, brushing up against the wall as she staggered in the hallway. I hurried into bed, facing away from the door hoping to hide the tears streaming from my face. Usually she would sit at the edge of the bed and talk to me until I fell asleep, but not tonight. She kept walking past my room and down the hallway, opening the door to her bedroom and slamming the door behind her. Years have passed since then and my fourteenth birthday is around the corner. I have grown accustomed to doing things by myself; well except for going outside, I still can't do that without a trip to the hospital. My parents have been divorced for five years and since then Mom gets drunk just about every night, looking at me with disdain as my illness destroys her life. The loving mother of my childhood has disappeared and this sulking, abusive woman has taken her place. Each day I have to endure her torment as she takes out her frustration and loneliness on me, and part of me accepts it because whether I willingly did it or not my sickness has caused this problem. I don't blame her, I have eaten up so much of her time and attention these past years. I feel like I should have never been brought into this world each time I think about the time she spent on me instead of anything else. Most nights I spend laying in bed crying to sleep, the sheer amount of loneliness and despair hanging over my head is too much to bear, why did I have to be born if this is what I have to bear? My fourteenth birthday finally arrived, the one day where my mom and dad get together and actually act like a family. I have hopes that they won't fight today, but I can already feel the tension in the air. This day just has to be different, to break up this sadness that has crept into my life. Dad walks into the living room, sitting a large gift wrapped box in front of me. “Go ahead, open your present from your mom and I.” He couldn't have forced a bigger smile. The box he nudges closer to me is still wet from rubbing alcohol used to disinfect the surface and the wrapping paper was a torture device brought forth from the depths of Hell, silicon plastic wrapping paper that you can’t rip without being Superman. I'm not allowed to handle knives since getting cut can spell danger for me, so I continued to struggle against the plastic gift wrap they call a present. Finally, the wrapping falls to the floor as I give pause to a gift, that to me seems like unobtainable freedom. “A telescope! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Dad smiles as he takes hold of the parts, but grumbles and fusses as he hastily attempts to put it together making sure that it works before passing it to me. “No matter where you are in the world, nothing can prepare you for the beauty of space.” A tear running down his cheek quickly reminds me that they both know what this present means to me. A chance to see the stars something I haven't been able to do ever, this made me so excited. I couldn't help but make plans for tonight after Mom has gone to sleep, but I have to make sure that she didn't find out about it because I am planning on going outside to stargaze and I don't want that freedom I have been taken given away. Waking up at midnight, I'm almost unable to contain the excitement I have for this night. I creep outside quietly making sure I didn't wake Mom up. I set the telescope up and started looking across the night sky for anything of interest. I see Jupiter and even Saturn, I have never been so excited, I even giggle a bit while zooming across the sky with my lens. I've read about these in books and seen pictures, but Dad was right nothing could prepare me for this amount of beauty. Unknowingly a tear of joy ran down my cheek but I was much too busy being engulfed by the cosmos. I was just deciding to come inside as the chilly night air was starting to get to me when I saw the most spectacular thing of that night. I spotted the Horsehead Nebula but as I was focusing it in I noticed something rushing across it... A Comet! I had never seen anything like it. I know it wasn't a shooting star but I took the time to make a wish anyway. “I wish I could be normal so Mom and Dad would be happy again.” Saying those words with my eyes closed tightly as another tear runs down my cheek. A slight breeze brushes my face, I have to hurry and go inside or I'll be in trouble or sick. Rushing inside as quietly as possible, putting the telescope away so no one would know I was using it and jumped into my warm bed drifting off to sleep. I find myself dreaming of an unfamiliar clearing basked in moonlight, that is peaceful as a breeze brushes past the clearing. I am able to be outside on my own without wearing a breathing mask. The crisp air filling my lungs and the wind cools my skin and are sensations I have been deprived of all these years. This dream feels like it is going on forever and something doesn't quite seem right. I don't usually have happy dreams and the few I do have are interrupted by Mom waking up to start her 'day'. Hearing no such noises and I start getting worried. I wander around the clearing trying to find out where I am in this dream, if I can even do that. Walking for about for about thirty minutes I noticed I could hear noises now, but these sounds are not the ones I am expecting. Hearing excited giggling, the sounds of wing flapping, and what sounds like hooves on a hard surface. Awaking from my dream, I jump out of bed terrified at the most unique sight of my life, ponies... Multicolored ponies standing in the same room as me. “Look who finally decided to wake up for their welcome PARTY!” I can hardly believe what I am seeing, a pink pony is talking to me. “Sugarcube, let 'im get situated first.” Now an orange pony is talking; am I going crazy?! Springing out of bed and backing quickly into a corner, there are six ponies in this room with me and they talk! I have no idea where I am, but it appears to be a hospital with all the instruments and gauze it was a safe bet. What am I doing here? I don’t feel a mask on me, this is going to make me sick! “Where am I?! Ponies don't talk! I must be going crazy! Don’t come near me you’ll make me sick!” My voice trembles as I talk, the fear and confusion is barely giving me the ability to talk right now. “Ponies not talking?! Are you loco in the coco? You're talking too silly.” “I'm not a pony! I'm a fourteen year old b...” A mirror moves mysteriously in front of me interrupting my words. Gazing into the mirror I see what is clearly a pony with horns, wings and a very odd color for fur; can this really be me in this mirror? “You're clearly a pony, but we've never seen you around here before...” The purple unicorn says but stops when a pair of taller and more commanding ponies enters the room. “Seems thou hast awaken from thy slumber.” Says the dark blue pony as it trots into the room beside a taller white pony. I can't seem to look away from that mane of the dark blue pony, it reminds me of the stars of a clear night sky. “Twilight, do you know who is this pony is? Nopony in Canterlot or Ponyville seems to know who he is or where he came from.” The winged white one speaks with the other ponies like I can’t understand them. What is going?! “Who are all of you?! Why can't I wake up?! Why are you able to talk?!” The confusion and frustration in my voice is clear to anyone listening. A cyan pegasus hovers in front of my face with an angry look on its face as I finish speaking. “Don't talk to the Princesses like that! If it wasn't for Princess Luna you would have hurt more than your wings in that fall!” Now I'm even more confused than I was before. Why can’t I remember anything? “What fall?! The last thing I remember is going to sleep in my bed...” I feel tears start flowing down my cheeks as the words come out of my mouth. The winged white one comes closer and stands in front of me. “I am Princess Celestia, my sister Princess Luna saw you falling out of the sky shortly after a comet passed by. We do not know how you got here, who you are, or where you are from. Do you mind telling us what you know?” I take deep breaths trying to keep my wits together as I calmly try to explain my life up to that point to those ponies. They ask many questions of me trying to understand what a human is and why my world was full of strife. Telling them about my parents seems to upset them as much as reliving those memories does for me. I am barely able to tell that story, tears in my eyes show the pain of having to relive all those memories. I can hear sniffles across the room as they listen to my story. A quiet calm falls over the room, as the ponies take turns introducing themselves. The purple unicorn is Twilight Sparkle who lives with a baby dragon named Spike at the Ponyville library and is Celestia's student. The orange 'Earth pony' as they call it, is Applejack, an apple farmer who helps run Sweet Apple Acres with her family. The blue pegasus Rainbow Dash helps the weather somehow, not sure how that works exactly. The white unicorn with a well-kept purple mane is Rarity the local fashion designer. Pinkie Pie, the most pink on a pony I have ever seen and seems like she ate half a cargo load of sugar at every second of the day. I almost couldn't tell who the yellow pegasus was, she was so quiet I had to have someone else tell me her name, Fluttershy, well I guess that fits her. These ponies all have a personality much different from each other but seem to be good friends from the way they talk to each other. As I survey the room one question still remains on my mind, is this all a dream? Sharp pains on both sides of my body interrupts my thoughts, looking to my right side I... “I HAVE WINGS?!” I saw the image in the mirror but seeing them now forces me to take it all in. I really am not a human anymore, am I? Shaken at the sight, I can barely stand with my own strength anymore trying everything I can to keep my balance. “Well duuuuuh~!” Pinkie gives me the most comical giggle followed by a snort. “Hey Dashie is he a new pegasus or something, huh huh huh?” Rainbow Dash hovers around me, looking at my wings from all sides. What is she looking for? “I've never seen one like him, if there is any those wings stand out like a sore hoof.” “Would seem thou hast befallen some powerful magic,” Luna is looking straight at my wings, what is she talking about, was I transformed by magic? At this point I can't stop staring at her mane, it's just so beautiful, much like the night sky I saw through my telescope. As I sit there staring, she notices and adverts her gaze elsewhere. “I'm sorry Princess Luna, it's just that I'm fascinated by your mane. It reminds me of the night sky, the beauty is breath-taking.” If there wasn't tension before there is now. Quickly I have to think of a way to stop the awkward silence but I'm beaten to the punch by Twilight. “Princess, what should we do until you can find out how we can send him back to his home? He has nowhere to stand and nopony to depend on. He doesn't even have a cutie mark.” “Cutie mark? What is a cutie mark?” Seems that every time I get an answer to one question more come in its place. Is this something boys are supposed to have or something? Rarity moves closer presenting her flank to me. “These marks on our flanks, darling, are cutie marks. They are a representation of our fabulous talent. Everypony gets one...” Applejack lays a hoof on my flank, pointing where mine should be. “ 'cept we don't right know why you don't have one yet sugarcube.” Celestia's horn starts to glow as bright as the sun, making it too difficult to see anything in the room, then after a moment a warm touch on both wings; the pain that was present just moments ago disappears. “Wha... what was that just now, what happened.” Somehow confusion will not escape this day. I feel much better but what just happened to my wings? Celestia smiles as the glow fades away. “That was a small healing spell, your injuries will heal faster than normal but you still want to take it easy. We must be off, Luna and I must find out what magic brought you here and why it has altered your form.” They start walking out of the room when I finally get the courage to thank them. “I'm not too sure how this happened or why, but thank you for helping me. Thank you Princess Luna for saving me.” I'm not sure if it was what I said before about her mane but I felt some uneasiness from her. Twilight looks at Celestia with confusion. “Where will he stay since he cannot fly and doesn't know anything about us or our customs?” “I'm sure one of you can help him get settled in, but right now we must find out how to send him back.” Those words seemed to bring more uncertainty into the room and it's starting to get dark out which means these ponies should be wanting to go home soon. The room falls silent as they all look at each other. A few minutes pass when Twilight steps forward. “You can come stay at my house for now.” This new sensation fills me up with emotions I thought long dead. I feel myself starting to sob more than when my parents fought. “I have never had anyone speak to me with such kindness or treat me as more than a burden on their life. You have no idea how happy I am right now to just be able to be outside of my house and meet such wonderful peo... er ponies.” I almost can't speak with the tears streaming down my face. A smile came over me like never before and that is when Pinkie decides to jump in. “Know what he needs... A PAAAARTY!” All I see are streamers and balloons flying through the air as she says that word. A nurse walking pass the room gives us a look mean look that makes the room fall silent. We are being too loud obviously. Applejack hushes Pinkie up as quickly as she possibly can. “We'll throw 'im a big ole party later, just give 'im time to get rested up first.” A pony dressed as a nurse walks into the room. “He’s free to leave as long as he keeps off those wings.” She walks back out into the hall and disappears around the corner. Walking out of a hospital with four legs is a lot harder than i ever thought it would be, but Twilight is at least being helpful. Learning how to walk all over again must be quite a sight for her. Someone, or as they say in this land somepony, my age who doesn't know how to walk, fly, or have a cutie mark is beyond strange; I guess I won’t ever be normal here either. It takes what forever to reach her house at our pace. She opens the door and reveals the massive amount of books, I've heard of liking to read but to live in a house surrounded by books? Following her upstairs she quickly pulls a bed down to the lower part of the bedroom with her magic, giving me a place to sleep for the night. This is my first night in this land called Equestria filled with ponies of all shapes, sizes, and colors; the first night I have ever felt so happy to be around someo... somepony else. Guess I still need to get used to the different words used here. As I try to sleep I wonder if I will wake up in my bed or if my time here in Twilight's house will continue on. I began to dream of clouds and the feeling of wind flowing past my body. I soon realize that I'm not standing still... I'm flying! This shock causes me to tense up and I can't seem to control my wings anymore as I fall to the ground. Just before impact I wake up as I'm falling out of the bed Twilight had let me use. A loud thud echoes across the library as I hit the floor, quickly making more noise as I try to get up off the ground. When I had two legs this would not have been a problem but with four it seemed nearly impossible to me. “Oh you're awake! I figured after yesterday you needed some extra rest.” Twilight voice comes from downstairs, seems she's busy with something. This place isn't a dream like I once thought and what I experienced yesterday was all real. The reality of this is slowly starting to sink causing me to start crying; unsure of what to do or where to go in this new world I can’t help but feel helpless. I wasn't allowed outside in my old world and feel like I don’t even belong there. The sadness creeps over me faster than I could contain. “Twilight, I think he's hurt!” I don't remember hearing this voice last night, who is this new per... I mean pony. I hear a fast gallop from downstairs as Twilight bolts upstairs into the bedroom. “What's wrong, did you injure your wings again?” Looking at her with tears in my eyes, almost too embarrassed to say it. “I do not how to be pony, I was barely a human in my own world. I don't know how to get up with four legs, I can barely walk. I have wings but I can't fly, and if what I was told is true, then I'm not considered a teenager because I don't have my cutie mark. Who wouldn't feel upset?” Twilight lays down next to me looking me in the eye. “It takes time to learn these things, you can't hope to learn in a day what took us years to learn. Your cutie mark should be the least of your worries, right now lets just worry about breakfast, okay? Here, watch me stand up and you follow.” She gets up from her position slowly to teach me what I do not know. I was trying to get up like a human still and didn't think to get up on my forelegs first. That is the second time Twilight took the patience to teach me something. She must like teaching ponies things because she has a smile on her face. “Do you need me to do anything around here Twilight? I can’t just sit around here all day.” Twilight is moving from one end of the room to the other almost as if looking for something important. “Well, Spike has already done the morning chores so there isn't anything for you to do right now.” As those words leave her I feel like something is watching me. I look up the stairs and notice a small dragon as it looks at me. “Oh Spike there you are, I want you to meet Ashton. He's going to be staying with us until we can find him a place to stay.” Spike gives me an angry stare from the stairs. “So what's your story, here to be my assistant?” I'm unsure how to respond, I don't know if everyone or everypony knew why I was here or if they should know. I might start a panic or even be kicked out of the kingdom if I said anything. The more I hesitate the more Spike pressures me. “Who are you? Where are you from? Why can't you fly...” “Spike, leave him be. He's a friend of the Princess' so treat him with respect. Go cook up some breakfast while I talk with Ashton here and fill him in on Ponyville.” Spike rushes off towards the kitchen under Twilight's direction. As Spike leaves the room she leans over to me. “Don't let anypony know how you came to our land, the Princess sent this letter to me for you.” Twilight uses her magic to pull a letter from her desk setting it on the table next to me. ‘Dear Ashton, Luna and I have looked into the comet and it seems both of our worlds had a distortion caused by it's passing, however your world was distorted more with the lack of magic protecting it. We are not sure why you were transported here, what magic caused this, or how we can reverse the spell. We do not know how long this will take so we have furnished a home for you in Ponyville down the street from Sugarcube Corner. When we find a spell to transport you back we will let you know through Twilight, but for now enjoy the new friends this situation has thrust upon you. We have instructed Twilight Sparkle and her friends to help you run errands as it could cause a problem if ponies saw a you in public at your age with your disadvantages. Try to avoid contact with as many ponies as possible other than the one's you have already met. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.’ I'm more confused now than I was trying to get off the ground just a few minutes ago, but before I can ask anything Twilight puts the letter away in a saddlebag on the floor. “That house I hear has been vacant for some time. The Princess had some ponies over there this morning to repair it as soon as possible. We'll go take a look at it after breakfast. I'm starving.” This brings up new questions in my head, I was a human, we ate meat and plants, what do ponies eat... Before I can even muster the courage to ask, Spike returns from the kitchen with sandwiches and what look like fries, but they smell different. “I hate to ask this, but what am I about to eat?” Twilight suddenly realizes I've never eaten pony food before, leaning over in a haste almost knocking over the table. “It's a daisy sandwich and while it may not be what you're used to it is nourishment for us. Those over there are hay fries, Spike makes them a little too crispy though.” I stare at my food for a while, but finally take a bite of the daisy sandwich on my plate. I'm not too sure what I was expecting, but this isn't half bad! I'm not quite sure how to take eating flowers, hay, and oats for possibly the rest of my life. The hay fries, though crunchy, aren't as bad as I thought they would be. Filling up on sandwiches and hay fries as much as we can, we prepare to go see where my new house is in town. “Spike, I'm going to show Ashton where his new home will be, watch the library while I'm out.” She throws her saddlebags on with the purple glow of her magic. The more I think about it, that magic really helps out on most occasions for her. My attention turns to the fact that I have wings I can’t use. I try to stretch my wings out hoping something happens, but I'm not quite sure how to even use them. Trying everything I can, invluding making weird faces, I can’t seem to make them move. Spike and Twilight are giving me a weird look, causing me to halt my efforts. Spike looks like he’s holding laughing as hard as he can. “Did you hit your head something?” For the first time I answer quickly. “I hurt my wings the other night and I'm trying to see if I can get any reaction out of the without pain.” Twilight seems relieved I was able to cover my own flank this time. As we start out the door I feel something land the crest of my back. Twilight has placed a saddlebag on my back. “The girls and I thought since you're new we should get you a saddlebag. Rarity does such unbelievable work with a sewing needle.” Twilight said as we trot out the door and down the street. It's midday when we reach the house I'm supposed to be staying at, but it seems the construction is still going on. I spend most of the day rearranging books and dusting shelves alongside Spike in the library until night falls. A knock on the door of the library startles me, but Spike is quick to answer. The foreman from the construction team has brought good news, the house is done. “Let's go get you moved into your house tonight while we have the chance.” Twilight says a little too energetic, like she is excited about something. Twilight goes ahead of me and steps inside an empty house. “Let me go first and turn on the lights.” I stand outside for a minute longer and notice no lights coming on. “Twilight, are you okay? Where are you Twi...” I'm promptly interrupted by the sudden illumination of the room and everypony yelling ‘Surprise!’ Twilight must have been in on this because Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were all there welcome me to my new home. “I've never had a party thrown for me, I'm not sure what to do...” Pinkie bounces around the room excitedly. “You party duuuuh~! Just dance, eat cake, drink juice, and have fun!” Hoofsteps come from behind me, the girls are bowing as silence envelopes the room. “Hello everypony.” What is Celestia doing at a house warming party? This makes me turn around sharply, where I see both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing in the house they provided me. I begin to bow and cry at the same time, I just can't hold it in any longer. “Thou doth not need cry, tonight is for joy and laughter.” “I'm not crying because I'm sad Princess Luna, I'm crying because for the first time I have friends and I'm able to go outside and be around others on my own without becoming sick. This is what I've always wanted more than anything else in the world.” I heard some sniffles from behind me as some of the girls couldn't hold back anymore themselves. “Aww dang it, now I'm all teary-eyed!” Rainbow Dash is trying almost too hard to be a tough girl. As the party leads on, I become enamored with night sky through the windows of this new home. Without saying a word I walk outside and sit in the grass staring up at the sky. The night sky here is beautiful, easily seen without a telescope. I fell like I could just stare at the sky for hours. Just then I hear something in the grass behind me. Turning to see Luna has joined me outside. “P...Princess...” Tripping over myself, scrambling to get on my hooves and bow. “Thou... I mean you don't need to bow before me, I'm just wondering what brought you out here when your friends are inside.” This question pondered a lot of thought for someone my age. I am not too sure where the words come from exactly but as I turn my attention to Luna's eyes the words find me. “I've always looked at the sky with some longing to be free, I've never been able to go outside and play so when night would come I would start at the moon and the stars that were visible form my home and just fall in love with the night sky.” I sit back down and stare at the night sky again. “Twilight told me about what happened so far and I want you to know that because you bring my beloved night sky into place each time the day is over, that and you save my life, you have my eternal admiration and thanks. The way your mane sparkles like a thousand stars brings peace to me, though I'm not sure why.” My words cause Luna to giggle as she sits next to me staring at the sky. “You are most unique Ashton, most ponies would run from me because of my past but you accept me with open arms on your first day. Why would you trust me while others cannot?” Luna voice quivers as if afraid of the answer. “If somepony brings us such a wonderful thing as the night sky then they surely can't be evil to me.” I'm not sure if I struck a chord or if she has been waiting for those words to come from somepony for a long time, I just can't tell. Tears run down her face and I'm not sure how but my left wing starts wiping the tears from her face. Luna realizes this and stands up quickly and looking very shock. Did I just break a rule of Equestria and touch the princess where ponies shouldn't? I'm so far behind in my history and etiquette that I don't know what was happening right now. She stands there shocked. “You... you have USE OF YOUR WINGS?!” The volume she yells that at must have startled everypony in the house because we now have an audience on the lawn. “He used his wings?!” Rainbow Dash almost sounds almost as if she just won the lottery. Princess Celestia walks forward. “Seems you found the secret of using your wings tonight.” “I don't get it, all I did was think that Luna shouldn't cry and they moved on their own.” Princess Celestia unfolds her wings in a majestic display. “That's the trick, deciding something with your heart and never doubting yourself. You wanted to make Luna's tears stop flowing and your wings responded.” Those words don't really make sense to me. What does she mean my heart decided? “Try imagining yourself being free, flying through the air.” Celestia looks at me as if expecting something to happen. I start to imagine my wings unfolding, flapping. Soon I feel muscles moving I didn't know I had, let alone knew how to control. I open my eyes and stare at night sky thinking what a wonderful sight it would be to see stars while flying through the clouds. She was right, I can move my wings! Then it sunk in to me... I can FLY! Maybe not now, but soon I can learn to fly! Jumping around in excitement, I no longer care how silly I look, I’m just too excited. “Yes yes yes yes yes, I can't wait to fly!” Each one of them starts giggling at me, this is normal for a foal, but for someone like me? This must be beyond funny to them. “Rainbow Dash, can you teach me how to fly? I want to learn as soon as I can!” “I can't really teach you for a while, I have a lot of work coming up and just don't have time... Sorry.” I should have known better, these ponies all have jobs during the day, not just helping me around town. How can I be so selfish? “Dash, it's fine.” I seem to have soured the mood with that question. Now everypony looks like they feel bad about me finally being able to open my wings and not being able to help me learn to fly. Pinkie Pie pops up in the middle of the awkward silence, “Now we have two reasons to have a party!” Looking at everypony I can't help but smile. “Go on inside I just want one more look at the night sky before I come in.” Slowly they shuffle inside and the music begins once more. “You really do love the night sky don't you?” Celestia asked from behind me. “I do, it's so peaceful and beautiful. It really has no equal.” I say as I turn around to meet Celestia's gaze. “My sister has been waiting for a pony like you to accept her openly and not fear her. Would you mind being her friend and show her the kindness of friendship?” I am surprised that the princess wants me to be her sister's friend... What should I say? Should I be shocked? Should I say yes, no, maybe?! Before I can answer I see Luna staring at me from the door and that beautiful mane made words just flow from my mouth. “Why wouldn't I be, a wonderful pony like her should be friends with everypony.” Luna walks outside slowly. “Well since I don't have many royal duties this month, why don’t I give you flying lessons?” I swear I can jump for joy at the very thought of finally being able to fly, but there is also a feeling I have not felt before. Maybe I over-exerted myself. With the party over for the night, everypony is heading home, wishing me well over the next few days as they will be busy with various things. The only pony left is Princess Luna, whom is looking like she wants to say something but can't seem to get it out. “Listen Ashton... I...” “Princess Luna, it's alright you're welcome here any time you want to come visit and stargaze.” She looks at me with a smile as if I wasn't even close to the thought she had. What did she want to say then? “Thanks but that's not what I want to say... Can you come closer so nopony hears?” She leans in to whisper in my ear. “I'm glad you came to this world no matter how long you stay.” As she finishes she nuzzles the side of my face causing the blood to rush to my head. That feeling in my chest pounds harder. I'm not sure what this is but it's because of Luna. Maybe I'm... no it can't be that... I was a human before all this, but what if this is where I'm supposed to belong would it be wrong to like a Princess let alone a pony? The morning came all too quickly, maybe I spent too much time staring at the starry sky, then again I've never been able to without the fear of getting sick. There are a few things that am having trouble learning that used to be so much easier as a human such as bushing my teeth and bathing. I guess I always took these for granted when I had hands before. With all the commotion the night before, I never did look around the house and get familiar with all the rooms. The kitchen was like stepping into a whole new world all over again. I slowly begin opening all the cabinets attempting to find something to eat. As I was rummaging through the kitchen for any sign of food a knock came at my door. I'm not used to this sound so it took me by surprise. Opening the door to find Spike standing on my front stoop. “Hey Ashton, how's your morning going?” Spike asks while handing me a letter. I grab the letter with my mouth and bring it inside to the table. As I return to the door I answer Spike. “I'm doing much better, thanks for asking.” Spike looks at my wings. “From the stories Twilight has been telling me it seems you'll be able to fly again in no time. I have more errands to run so see you later!” Seems Twilight has already spread the good news around. Spike starts walking off down the road towards the library, seems even Spike is busy today. I close the door and head to the table where the letter was sitting waiting for me to read it. The last one came from Celestia, maybe it's an update on the cause of this situation. Maybe they found a way for me to go home? Home... Is it right for me to think like this when I just made friends here? I keep asking myself if I belong here but do I belong there? My old world bond me to my room or threatened illness on me if I left, but here in Equestria I'm healthy, well mostly I'm still unable to fly or have a cutie mark, but I'm able to have friends. Opening the letter, I expect some remedy to my situation. ‘Ashton, tonight after moonrise we begin your flight lessons at Ponyville park. I will do my best to teach you to fly so you can feel the freedom of the wind in your mane. Let us both work hard and see you flying by the end of the month.’ The letter was from Luna! I can hardly believe the words on the page. I am getting flying lessons tonight! I am so excited, but it is not just because I will see Luna, but because this is the first time I have felt normal since I was little. As I think about my old life the sudden thought of what Mom must be going through since I was brought to this world. As much trouble as I have caused her maybe she is better off, but nonetheless tears drip from my eyes thinking about causing my parents pain for disappearing my fault or not. If I ever get home would they even believe me if I told them where I was or will they think I'm completely crazy? No... I can't keep thinking about these things, it'll drive me insane. Surely something will be done soon, at the least I have friends while I am here. Time ticks away slowly. It feels like the sun is just taunting me staying in the air just so I don't get my flying lesson in tonight. I haven't been this excited over anything, but I never really had a reason to be excited either. I haven't gotten sick once since I've been in Equestria and my body is getting stronger from the different lifestyle. I still can't walk around town as I please because of my situation but I am making due. I just wish that the girls didn't have to run errands for me just because I'm a blank flank at my age. That's a new phrase for me, blank flank. I heard some fillies teasing another about not having her cutie mark after their class was dismissed for the day. I've never been one to be angry over anything and in most cases I would be the one being picked on, but that little filly being bullied made me want to step outside and risk the secrecy everyone has worked so hard to keep. Slow knocking is coming from the door, rushing from the living room I am able to see Rarity on my stoop; opening the door quickly to let her inside. “Rarity! Hello, come in!” “Oh it's ever so good to see you're doing well. How are you holding up in your lovely chateau?” Her gaze wanders around my house, seeing it for the first time in the daylight. “I'm doing fine, but I wish you girls didn't have to come visit me or runs errands for me all the time. I feel like a burden on you all.” Why should they have to take care of themselves and me, it's not fair to them. They all live their own lives and now mine has been thrust upon them. I hope I'm able to go outside soon. “Oh darling, think nothing of it. You are our friend and this is what friends do. However, I do have a surprise for you that I threw together. The colors will fit you perfectly!” She pulls out a wonderful vest and cloak from her saddlebags. “I remembered you saying how much you loved the night sky so I wove silver and diamonds into the fabric to give it the same luster as starlight. The vest I made royal blue so that it wouldn't clash with your cloak and it turned out marvelous! Do you like it?” I am stunned. I've never received such a present in all my life, especially one so well made. “Rarity, I don't know what to say. This is the most beautiful gift I have received. Thank you so much!” I couldn't hold back anymore so I just smiled and hugged her. “You've given me the ability to walk around without worrying everypony in town. Thank you.” “Oh Ashton, you are quite welcome. Nopony deserves to be trapped in a house all day for no reason, although you may want to limit your exposure as barely anypony knows you live here.” She's right even though I can hide my wings and blank flank, I can’t hide my horns and no pony knows I even live here. The more I think about it the more it feels like I never left home, never being able to leave and having others take care of me all the time. How long can I live like this? “I have a few more orders to complete for the next Grand Galloping Gala, but I will keep in touch. If you need to come visit any of us we are here any time darling.” I wish I didn't have to keep bugging you girls for anything is what I wanted to say, but the fact they put themselves through so much just to help me shows me that they care for me. “Thank you Rarity. I hope I'm able to repay you girls soon. I hate asking all this of you all.” “It's what friends do, but do stop by one night and let me style that mane, it's simply uncouth.” She's probably right, I don't even know how I can brush my mane without magic or some sort of wing attachments. She walks out of the house and down the street as the lights are starting to come on. It would seem that Rarity helped distract me from keeping track of the time, the moonrise will happen shortly and I need to get to the park and get ready for my first lesson in flight. Leaving the house, my new cloak and vest should help conceal my irregularities from anypony out this late. The last bits of sunlight are peering over the horizon, I don’t see anypony allowing me to ease into a slow gallop towards the park. It is dark as I enter the park's front gate and just as I thought nopony is around, this really is a perfect spot to practice without being seen. Walking down the path, a dark figure in an open clearing catches my eyes, but it’s too dark to see who it is with clarity. The figure unfolds it's wings and flies up in the air making grand gesture. As it flies higher and higher into the air the moon raises above the trees with it. Fully basked in moonlight it becomes apparent to me, that is Princess Luna. Approaching Princess Luna, she seems occupied. “That looked like it was hard work. Do you do this every night?” Luna is still inspecting at the sky she just changed as if to make sure nothing is wrong with it. “I have to raise the moon each night...” She gives pause, letting out a sigh. “I also place the stars in the sky. Would you like to watch?” “I'd love to.” Sitting in the grass, her horn glows brighter as she pours more concentration into the spell. The amount of concentration needed for this must be extraordinary. Cluster by cluster, the stars start forming in the sky filling the empty black space with twinkling lights. The beauty of this scene distracts all my thoughts of the flying lesson, I could just watch this sky forever. She makes this seem almost easy, I wonder how powerful she really is if she can do this every night. “The stars never lose their luster no matter how many times I see them.” Luna lets out a sigh. While she rests from the magical feat she performed I removed my clothing, placing them on the ground where they won’t get too dirty. The moonlight illuminates everything in the clearing, even the sad look on Luna's face. “Princess, what's troubling you?” “We haven't made any progress on how to return you home. We still don't know how or why you came to this land. Your family must miss you since you arrived here.” Those words struck at my heart. Do Mom and Dad actually miss me? All I can seem to picture in my head is all the time they spent keeping me healthy and that sadness I feel I brought upon them. Why would I want to go back to that life and burden my family even more? I can't help but slump down in the grass. “I don't know if they even want me back. All I ever was to them was another chore, I always needed protecting from illness and injury. They spent so much time just hovering around me making sure I didn't get sick and end up in the hospital. My parents argued over how to raise me, how to protect me, how to make me normal. I don't know if I even want to go back...” Maybe I said a little too much... I can't expect Luna to understand what it was like in my old life. She has a sister that loves her so much. She looks at the ground as those words sink in to her. “I... I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you.” “You don't have any reason to apologize Luna, I'm the one at fault. I didn't need to say all that so suddenly.” I feel bad for saying all that to Luna, she didn't deserve to hear all that. “No, it is my fault for being so insensitive. I was there when you told us your story in the hospital and I should have remembered that you had a difficult time before coming here.” A cool breeze pushes through the clearing, as if trying to change the mood for us. I can't sit here all night and mope, I have to get up and apologize to Luna properly. “Princess Lu...” The sight of her mane flowing in the breeze captivates me. I feel like I can't even move my head to look away at this point. The moonlight is reflecting off her mane so magically. “Fair Ashton you may just call me Luna. You don't need to address me so formally.” I can't help but think she's torn between being a proper princess and a casual friend. The thought of myself being so proper made me giggle a bit. “You don't have to be so proper around me Luna, I'm nopony special.” She's just sitting there staring at me... Did I say something weird? “You're a friend to me, that makes you more than just special to me.” Luna seems so happy just to have a friend. I wonder if this is how I feel towards her. I've never had any friends all my life so I can understand her loneliness. Being royalty, not to mention the whole Nightmare Moon problem she had, she must be very lonely. Her words seem to stir the feeling I had the other night, perhaps I'm just excited about having such a unique friend. “Come, you can't learn to fly if you stand here staring at my mane all night.” She giggles as she walks to the center of the clearing motioning me to follow. She's right, if I want to learn to fly then we're actually going to have to practice. “Stand here, I want to see you flap your wings. Let me see if the healing spell helped you recover enough.” Standing here being watched by Luna makes me so nervous. I'm not sure if I can even open my wings right now, but just then the memory of being nuzzled by Luna last night creeps into my mind. I was so happy then. I had to flap my wings, I just had to! Slowly I get my wings to unfold, stretching them out. Slowly I get used to moving them up and down. I can feel the wind moving around me from the flapping, I had no idea I could move my wings with such force! “Wow, you have a lot of power behind those flaps, but you'll never be able to fly if you can't get the motion down right. Watch my wings, match my movements.” She unfolds her dark blue wings and gives a strong downward flap, but on the upstroke she folds them in some. On the second flap downward she starts arching her wings' motion forward. She's starting to lift off from the ground slowly, then slows her flaps stopping as she reaches the ground again. “If you don't fold your wings when you bring them up you'll never leave the ground. Beating your wings in a semi circle like that will give you direction in flight. Why don't you give it a try?” Watching her do it is one thing, can I? No sense on sitting here thinking about it. I start flapping my wings slowly to get the motion down before I start putting all my power into it. “Good now put some power into it, let's see what happens.” Luna you have such confidence in me, I hope I don't disappoint you. Slowly putting power into each flap I close my eyes so I don't see my failure. Harder and faster I flap, but something happens... I don't feel the ground under my hooves anymore. “Huzzah! You did it!” “I did wha....” Opening my eyes makes forget what I was going to say. I'm flying! I'm so excited, it's only a few feet off the ground but I did it! “Woohoo!” I can't keep the excitement down anymore. I'm flying! As I attempt to land my right wing gives out on me sending me crashing to the ground. “Are you alright?!” Luna rushes to me on the ground. There's a surging pain in my right wing, I can't be sure if I broke something or if I over exerted myself. “My right wing is throbbing, but it’s fine. The pain doesn’t compare to what just happened! I flew!” I was still so excited even though the pain was shooting throughout my body now. “You've never flown before, don't push yourself so hard next time. I don't want to watch you get hurt.” Her horn starts glowing as she leans down to touch my right wing. The pain shooting through me leaves my wing as she pours a spell over my injury. Am I putting her through pain watching me get hurt for my own selfish desire to fly? “Come on girls I heard something fall over here!” Voices coming from over the hill startle Luna and I. Who are these voices? Do I need to run and hide? Before I can decide Luna stands between the voices and me. “Let me handle them, I don't want you to get up. Let that wing rest.” Luna takes a stance like she's expecting a fight to ensue. Are there dangerous ponies like that around? “Are you sure yer goin' the right way?” So there's two of them? Did my yelling attract attention from the town? I hope I didn't blow me secrecy everypony worked so hard to protect but I knew it would happen someday. You can't keep secrets like me forever and it is lonely being in the house all day. “Luna, it's okay. I can't live staying inside a house all day making you all work so hard to keep me a secret.” Standing up, I make my way to stand beside Luna waiting for sight of the voices we're hearing. Three small shadows pop up over the hill, seems some young fillies are out late running around the park. What are they doing outside this late? I hope I wasn't that loud to cause ponies to take notice. “Hey, who are those ponies over there?” The three shadows rush towards us with so much energy. Perhaps I was being too loud. The foals stop just short of us, all three are staring at me. “Hello young ones, what are you doing out so late?” I was almost afraid to ask, but I can't let Luna and the girls protect me for the rest of my time here. The three foals surround us with eyes glued to my unique appearance. “Where'd ya come from, I don’t remember seein' you around Ponyville before.” I need to come up with something they’ll believe without telling them too much. “I'm not from Ponyville. I just moved here from another town far away.” I hope they accept that answer because I'm not too sure if I can answer them if they ask what town I moved from. “You sure are friendly with Princess Luna... Ohhhhh! Are we interrupting your date?” The white filly snickered as she said that. The words start to sink in slowly and my heart pounds slightly, is this a date? I don't know what a date really is, let alone if I’m on one with Luna. “Oh look ya got 'im blushing Sweetie Belle.” I have to change the subject now or Luna will get the wrong idea. “So um, what are your names?” They each line up in front of us, standing in unison. “I'm Scootaloo.” “My name's Apple Bloom.” “And I'm Sweetie Belle and we are...” The three inhale a breath of air. “THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!” My ears are ringing, geez that was loud. I can only rub my ears with a foreleg to soothe the pain some. “Whoa, what kind of wings are those?” Scootaloo is staring at my unusual wings. In my daze I forgot to keep my wings folded! This is going to be bad... “Uh...” “Scootaloo, don't be rude! He's not from 'round here.” Apple Bloom, you just saved my tail! I can't believe fillies are making me so nervous. I wonder how nervous Luna must be right now, she doesn't seem phased at all from her look. “Oh I know who he is now! You're Ashton, Rarity told me about you when she was making your cloak today!” Rarity told somepony about me? What is going on here? “Rarity... told you about me? How do you know Rarity?” Why did she risk telling a filly about me? Rarity how could you do this to the Princesses and everypony else! “Rarity's my sister of course. She said to be a fashionista you need to make each garment unique to each pony you're making it for.” Oh that's a relief! I almost thought my secret had been blown. “Oh my Sister Applejack mentioned ya too! She was worried about you getting back on your hooves after being injured.” Scootaloo looks very annoyed right now, I wonder if she was the only one that didn't know of me or maybe she's annoyed I didn't answer her question about my wings. Scootaloo trots around behind me stopping at my flank. “Hey, why don't you have a cutie mark?” Why did you have to notice that about me? I don't think I can explain this one away so easily. How do you explain something you barely know yourself? “Girls I'll tell you the truth now, but I want you to promise Princess Luna and I that you'll tell nopony else. Okay? We will get in very VERY big trouble if you do.” The girls sit down in front of me smiling. I think they planned this out... “We promise!” That unison voice, I don't think I can ever get used to that. I explain everything to them as much as I can. I leave out the painful memories so that I don't upset anypony or myself. They all looked shocked, I mean would you believe me if you heard this out of nowhere? “That's so cool!” Scootaloo darts around my legs. This is the first time I notice that she's a small pegasus, but her wings are so small I don't think she can fly. “So... let me get this straight. You were a human, whatever that is, and a comet turned you into a pony , teleported you here, and now the Princesses are trying to find you a way home?” Sweetie Belle looks as if she doesn't buy my story at all. Who could blame her, I mean I wouldn't believe this story either if it didn't happen to me. “Yes, and I don't blame you if you don't believe me. It's a story that I don't expect anypony to believe that's the reason I've been hiding from the public. If you can please keep this a secret.” I hope they keep this secret, I don't know what would happen if the princesses had to intervene. Sweetie Belle stands up looking directly at me. “We'll keep your secret for you, but what the hay are you doing out here?” I guess I should just go ahead and tell them the truth, not like it's going to hurt anything. “I was... learning how to fly.” Even though I said I wanted to tell the truth, saying it was more embarrassing than I thought... The girls start snickering as they hear this. What did I say that was so funny? Apple Bloom rolls in the grass as she laughs. “That's what you were so embarrassed about? Learnin' to fly?” “Girls we really should get back to Rarity's house before we get in trouble.” Sweetie Belle's words seemed to take cheery mood from Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. The girls all run off back up the hill they came from, I wonder if everypony would be able to accept me without all the secrets and lies. It sure would be nice if I could stop hiding. “We should stop for tonight, you need to rest that wing before we start practicing again. Hurting yourself will only delay the practice even more.” She seems like something is bothering her, I hope she's not mad that I told the girls who I am. “Luna, do we have to keep me a secret from everypony? I feel like I'd be able to help out more if I could go outside and do my own errands instead of making you all do them for me.” “You're taking a major risk just by telling those fillies what you used to be.” I just can't grasp the reasoning why I have to hide and rely on others for day to day help, but then again the Princesses are thinking with their country in mind not me. “You don't seem to have a problem being my friend knowing what you know. I can't imagine anypony being afraid of me. I just don't want to be locked inside the house anymore during the day, I was locked inside all my life and I want the chance at least. Is there any way we can make it happen?” Luna is staring at the sky, as if reasoning on what to say. I know I'm already more privileged more than any other pony with being taken care of by the Princesses, but is this asking too much? “I'll talk to Celestia about it, but I won't promise anything until then. Please be patient with us, we're not prepared for issues like this. Rest well tonight, I must travel back to Canterlot.” “Thank you Luna, you have done more for me tonight than I ever thought possible. I'm sorry I cause you so much trouble.” Resting a wing on my back Luna whispers to me. “You are no trouble, but you are one unique pony. Stop putting yourself down and do what you can with what you have.” Turning to face Luna I hug her. “Thank you Luna, I'm glad I met you.” To be honest I never had friends before I came here, what do you say to someone that tries her best to make your life easier? The words can't be found right now so that hug will have to do. Luna flies off into the moonlit sky fading into the distance slowly until her figure disappears. Rummaging through my saddlebags I find my cloak and vest, putting them on as fast as I can without Rarity's magic. Throwing my saddlebags on my back I walk back to my house, but one thought envelopes my mind... I flew! It has been two weeks since that night in the park and I haven't heard from Luna or Celestia about anything the investigation or letting me finally be able to go outside the house during the day. I hope Luna isn't mad at me for telling the fillies about myself, I couldn't think of anything else once they asked about the lack of a cutie mark. I hate staying in this house all the time though, I wish I could go outside and do my own errands so the girls don't have to do them for me. The school must have let out early today, little fillies and colts are walking the street on towards their homes. They all seem happy to be outside in the nice weather. I have the windows open in an attempt to bring in some fresh air, but the sounds coming in from outside are almost too much. I so want to join them out in the sun without having to worry about scaring everypony. “Why don't we all go to the arcade?” Ponyville has an arcade? What kind of games do they have? I wonder if I can make it there without anypony noticing me. “I have a few bits I can spare.” Oh... right... I forgot that I'm unable to make money while sitting here in this house. There has to be something I can do to make some money without being seen. I'll go ask Applejack once the sun starts to set and see if she knows anything. As the sun sets across the horizon I put on my cloak and vest, making sure to hide what I can of myself. I remember Applejack saying that her orchard is outside town, but where? She said there's a forest near it and that I shouldn't go in alone. There is a forest just south of town, maybe if I go looking around there I'll see the orchard. At the very least I'll be able to get out of the house and get some exercise. Wearing my cloak and vest I make my way out of Ponyville and head towards the Everfree Forest, if I start looking around the edge I should be able to see her farm. As I reach the treeline of the forest I can’t see anything that looks like a farm, orchard, or any buildings. The sun has almost gone down completely, I really need to hurry and find Applejack's orchard or go home before I can't see anymore. There won't be any moonlight tonight for me to see anything shortly. If I don't hurry I'll be lost out here with no way home until daylight and then I'll run a huge risk of being seen. Scanning the horizon there seems to be a house near the forest's edge. Is it dark enough for me to ask for directions without scaring them? I have no other choice, it's either ask or go home and I don't have time to think about it. I'm in a gallop now, been getting better at this but it's still something new to me. Just then I feel myself lose control and crash into the gate. “Who's there?!” The ground is still spinning from the impact, I can't get away now if I tried my hardest. “Oh, it's just you! Are you okay?” That quiet voice is speaking at me as it approaches and as my sight comes back it's exactly who I think it is. I just crashed through Fluttershy's front gate in my hurry. “What are you doing out here, do you need something?” Fluttershy knows I'm supposed to not leave the house or risk being seen. Am I risking too much just to have a little freedom? “I'm trying to find Applejack's farm and I kind of got lost...” Maybe I'm being too selfish, I should be grateful they are all trying their to help me in this situation, but it reminds me too much of home and how I was nothing but a burden on my parents. “I'm just so tired of always having to be hidden and never getting to experience having fun with friends. It makes me feel like I'm back in my old world and that I'm a burden to you all.” W hy am I telling this to Fluttershy? She has to worry about what the Princesses want, not me. After all, I'm just a visitor from another world. “I can show you where Applejack lives, but first let's take care of that awful bump on your head. Come inside and sit on the couch while I get the bandages.” I'm still a little shaken from the blow, but I can at least stand on my hooves and walk slowly inside the house. Walking in the front door reminds me instantly what Fluttershy's talent is. There are animals everywhere, mice on the floor, birds roosting on perches, cats, dogs, bunnies... Name it and she probably has one of it in here. Gentle hoof steps come from down the hallway as Fluttershy appears around the corner. “Here, this ointment will help dull the pain but it will sting... um, if you don't mind that is...” Why is she shaking? I'm the one about to have the painful ointment put on me. “It's okay, it won't hurt too ba....” Oh boy, I was wrong! This ointment HURTS! It's like my skull is on fire. “errrrgh that does sting a bit.” “I'm sorry!” “Don't be sorry Fluttershy, it'll help more than me just leaving it alone.” Why is she so timid around me, is it because I look like this? I wonder if all ponies will treat me like this. Fluttershy unrolls the gauze, wrapping it around my head. “Fluttershy, what am I supposed to do if Princess Celestia can't find a way for me to go home? I don't want to be stuck in that house having you girls take care of me the rest of my life. It's not fair to you all and it's not fair to me. In this world I'm perfectly able to take care of myself but I can't because of the fear I may cause to the town. What should I do?” She stops unrolling the gauze, nothing is said. “Maybe I'm just being selfish wanting so much freedom in a world I don't belong to in the first place...” She resumes wrapping my head, the silence in the room has created an awkward situation. “You do what you feel is right, I didn't belong in the clouds with other pegasi but you have to figure that out for yourself. And... Done. Try not to crash into any more gates.” “Heh, I guess I was really clumsy, I'm still not used to running on four legs.” Getting up from the couch, we both walk outside to the road in front of Fluttershy's house. Fluttershy lifts off and flies up the road some but when I don’t join her she flies back. “Oh I forgot, how rude of me. Sorry...” “Don't apologize, I am practicing some, just can't seem to stay in the air long.” It's gotten almost too dark to see outside but Fluttershy knows the way even without the sun. It takes a few minutes of walking before we reach the front sign. The barn lights are still on. “Stay here, I'll go get Applejack and bring her out here.” I guess that's fine, the rest of Applejack's family doesn't even know about me, well except Apple Bloom. I should get used to this treatment. It's completely dark now when Fluttershy returns with Applejack. “What in the hay is so important you came rushin' to find me?” “I just need something to do during the day, staying locked up in that house makes me feel like a prisoner when I'm perfectly able to run my own errands and make my own money.” There's an awkward pause, am I asking too much of the girls? “Well, I don't know what to tell ya about that but I can't have you helpin' out around the farm without Big Mac or Granny Smith finding out. Y’all have to just sit tight, the princesses know what they are doing.” My hopes of having some freedom seem to have been dashed with those words. Is it really that troublesome to want to take care of yourself? I can't argue with it so I guess there's nothing else to do but wait. “Okay, well...thanks anyway.” I don't know what else to do, the only thing I can do now is go home and wait. The more I'm in that house the more I think about how sick I used to be and how in either world I can't be outside. It frustrates me so much that I can't do anything for myself in either world, how is this any way to live? By the time I make it to Ponyville's town square the moon is at it's apex in the sky. There's nopony around, maybe I should try practicing flying the rest of the way home. Standing near in front of the town hall flapping my wings I get some lift, only a couple feet. Leaning forward some I start moving down the street slowly picking up some speed as I go, but after about fifty feet I stop. I won't have magic to heal me if I hurt myself tonight, so I quickly land and walk the rest of the way. Walking in the front door of the house, I'm at a loss. I just want to go have fun and help my new friends but I'm stuck in this musty house that everypony avoids. As I crawl into bed I feel a tear crawl down my cheek as I close my eyes for the night.