He blinked away the bright spots in his eyes, a little surprised that a sneeze could cause his vision to turn green. What surprised him even more was the looks he was getting from the three equines in the room. Surprise was written on their faces. He knew he looked weird, but all he had done was sneeze.
Another thought pushed its way to the front. Since when was Apple Bloom the same height as him? And Fluffershy so tall?
He blinked again and raised a hoof to rub his muzzle to avoid another sneeze. As he saw his hoof, he froze.
His hoof.
His black and hole filled hoof.
Was yellow.
---
Apple Bloom could only stare at her new friend, who now looked like a mirror copy of herself, standing frozen as he looked at his hoof,
She took a step towards him. “Onyx?” She tried, before a scream filled the hut. Without warning, the panicked copy of Apple Bloom scooted backwards and tried to get away from the yellow hoof to no avail. The screaming continued as the confused ponies and zebra watched him slam into the wall of the hut, dislodging a mask on the wall. Silence soon fell as it slammed down onto his head, another flash of green light filling the room.
The ponies stood still, staring at Onyx in surprise, different thoughts running through each of their heads at the strange equine’s new ability.
New to him as well, apparently
Apple Bloom ran over to him, pushing the mask off as Fluttershy looked at Zecora. “So, you said something about a concussion?” she asked again, looking back at the once again unconscious Onyx, bewilderment in her eyes at what she had just seen.
Zecora, for her own part, just sighed and nodded. “Today is a day full of many mysteries, but after seeing that I wonder how he hasn’t met his end among the forest’s many trees.”
“Well, if he can change, maybe he has some form of camouflage?” Fluttershy wondered aloud. “But if he can do that, why did he panic like that?”
Zecora just shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face as she took in the scene before her.
---
“Hello? Who are you?”
---
Onyx woke up again with a start, wincing as the pain in his head decided to make itself apparent. His mind searched for the right memory as to why that would be. Images flashed as he rubbed his head, a manticore, a zebra, yellow hoof, mask?
Sitting up suddenly and ignoring the pain, he opened his eyes and looked down at his hoof, relaxing a bit as he saw it back to normal.
Well, his new normal at least.
He froze as he heard something before relaxing, looking up from his hoof to the small yellow pony. “Hello again Apple Bloom,” he said with a soft smile, hiding his headache. He stiffened again as she pulled him into a hug, saying something in the strange melodic language of hers.
Onyx closed the eyes again, simply enjoying the hug as his headache subsided, gingerly wrapping a forearm around the filly. “You know I can’t understand you, little one,” he said, pulling back and giving her snout a soft boop, chuckling. “How do I ask if I just turned into you?” he asked aloud, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.
He could see his own confusion reflected on her face as she looked at him, then to the yellow pegasus and zebra. She looked back and said something with a tilt of her head. He sighed and tried again after a moment. “Did I... Onyx,” he said as he pointed at himself, “turn into Apple Bloom?” he finished, pointing at her.
She looked at him again, repeating what he said with another small tilt as Fluffershy spoke softly. Hearing his name, he looked at the pegasus, who was nodding at him. He gave a nod back, before seeing the question in her eyes.
Onyx gave a sheepish smile and shrugged at the unasked question.
---
Fluttershy looked at Zecora. “This is all above my head,” she admitted. “He’s not from the forest, or at least not from the outer reaches of the forest. He’s clearly as smart as a pony, emotionally and in other ways from the way he talks, learns, and interacts with us.”
Zecora nodded, watching the pair in front of them try to talk to each other. “In that we both agree, but we both don’t have enough familiarity. With what little we know,we can’t plan ahead with clarity. I hate to jump to this conclusion so soon, but...” she paused for a moment. “Apple Bloom?” she called out and getting her attention. When she had it, along with a curious Onyx’s, she continued. “I hate to have to break a promise, but having Twilight Sparkle’s penchant for discovery will be a boon if I am being honest.”
Apple Bloom looked at her in shock. “But you said-!”
“I know what I said, but I’m afraid that what I did say I must amend. That was before he had a run in with Joe, and it almost left him dead.” Zecora said, giving an even look to the filly.
The filly looked at her, her emotions warring on her face as Fluttershy spoke up. “Look at it this way, Apple Bloom. Onyx was badly hurt before right?” she asked as she walked up to her. After getting a nod from her and a lost look from him, she went on, “We don’t know how he healed himself, or if he can do it again. With Twilight helping, we’ll be better prepared to help him if he needs it.”
“But she’ll hound at him!” she protested weakly.
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t, and respects his space,” she promised gently. “We need Twilight. Who knows, maybe she’ll even help us talk to him?” she said with hope in her voice..
The filly looked skeptically at her, but slowly nodded. “Ah guess...” she said, looking morose.
Zecora spoke up at that moment. “I will admit my specialty is in potions, but I do dabble. I know not of a spell that can translate what seems like babble,” she took a moment to walk up as well. “But Twilight Sparkle is the smartest pony I have ever met. Helping him to learn Ponish for her will be no sweat.”
Onyx looked between the three of them, a small frown on his face as he sighed and held up a hoof. Getting looks from all three, he frowned again.
“Tweoleght?” he said, shaking his head in frustration.
“Tweilighht?”
Apple Bloom looked at him in confusion.
“Twilight?” she asked.
---
“Twilight?” his small friend had said.
Onyx frowned at that word. He knew that word. The girls had said it yesterday, but he couldn’t place it. It had just been said several times, along with one of the other few words he knew.
“Twilieght halp?” he asked, sighing internally as he butchered their language.
That got a surprised look from both the pegasus and filly, the bigger one nodding to him.
“Twilight help Onyx.” she said gently. Despite himself, he shivered. Hiding was what he did from the ponies, and now in the course of two days he had been discovered by three children, a zebra, a pegasus, and now considering help from an unknown. He shook his head at the worry filled words Apple Bloom said, giving a shaky smile to her. It was weird to feel safe after months of danger being a constant in his life.
Some more words were spoken, all of them alien to him. He shook his head again, shrugging.
He looked up at the yellow pegasus as something clicked. He knew that the pegasus only had a few visitors at her cottage from his time watching the town. He bit his lip, thinking.
Onyx gave up all hope of maintaining what dignity he had left, and tilted his head to show he had a question.
---
Fluttershy could only stare at the strange equine as it mangled Twilight’s name, before waving it’s forelegs like wings.
With a glance at Zecora she sent her a questioning look and only got a shrug and her friend mouthing the word concussion at her. With a snort from Onyx, he tried again, shakily standing up and walking towards her, pausing as she shrank back.
He gave a smile, but with his fangs it didn’t really reassure her. He seemed to realize this and shrank back himself before brightening. He said Twilight’s name again, slightly better this time, before buzzing his own wings.
Apple Bloom gave a sound of understanding. “He’s asking who Twilight is!” she said happily, before booping Onyx’s snout and shaking her head. “No, she’s not a pegasus.”
He frowned, biting his lip before pointing at his horn, which got a nod.
With a smile, looking deep in thought for a moment. After a moment, green flashed the room and a copy of Twilight stood where he had been.
He gave the surprised look from the three a look of equal confusion before looking down and yelping. Only a quick action from Zecora kept him from another bruise to the head. They watched as he fell down and began to breathe quickly, curling in on himself.
“He’s panicking!” Fluttershy said softly, but urgently as she did her best to help, pushing down her unease at helping something that look just like one of her best friends.
---
Onyx could feel his thought process spiraling out of control as he closed his eyes to shut out the purple, all the fear he had been ignoring for so long racing to his mind.
oh fuck, no, can’t handle, just got used to new me, can’t be another, won’t be another, who am I, what am I, no, purple, won’t, where am I, can’t, help me
Onyx barely registered the small hoof on his shoulder, the worried voice in his ears, his mind racing, everything crashing in on him, the first truly safe place allowing all that he had pushed down to rush to the top after the last and final push.
want home, want family, want friends, can’t see, don’t know, help me
Onyx shook, hooves against his head, gasping for breath, tears.
“You need to calm down!”
can’t calm down, need help, help me
From somewhere, a soft melody, humming. In his ear? In his head?
“Lost little child, be not afraid,
For the days of fear soon will fade,”
It went on, the words cutting through the fear muddling his mind.
Onyx stilled.