Chapter 1: Getting Answers
(Rainbow Dash's Point of View)
I decided to get up early today, which mean I had to get to bed as soon as I got home. That kid sure needs some help. So, I went to the hospital as early as I can. 8:30 AM to be exact. I just arrived at the hospital and I saw Nurse Redheart at the front desk, checking on some files.
"Morning, Nurse," I said to her. "Hey, you know that colt I checked in here last night?"
"Oh, yes," Nurse Redheart said to me. "I was just about to say. I looked up on every single medical record for any young colt that could match his description, and so far, he has no records in all of Equestria. It's like he just appeared out of thin air."
"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that's odd. Well, I'm going to go check up on the colt."
"Good idea," said Nurse Redheart. "I'm going to have to get some medical records started on this young colt."
"Hopefully this won't take forever," I said as we were walking towards the room.
That took forever! It took three hours for Nurse Redheart to give this kid some medical records. I was more confused about this kid's name. Danny? Really? That doesn't really sound like a name. Anyway, Danny was sitting on my back as I was walking towards the Golden Oaks Library to have a talk with Twilight. She's gotta be up already.
I came to the door, and knocked on it. Nopony answered right away, so I knocked again. Then the door opened, and there was Spike.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash?" he asked. "This is unusual for you. Usually, you come in crashing through the window."
"Yeah," I said. "But, today, I thought I would just walk in. Plus, I got something to ask Twilight in private. And it also concerns this colt."
Spike looked on my back and saw Danny sitting on my back. He then said, "Alright. I'll go get her. Make yourself at home."
It would seem that Twilight had her couch out in the middle of the library. I walked up to her, and then I grabbed Danny's scruff by my teeth, and put him onto the couch, and then I sat right next to him.
"Why are we in a library?" Danny asked me.
"Well, if we're going to get some answers, we would have to talk to the prized pupil of Princess Celestia," I said to him. "And she happens to live here. Let's just wait."
I then heard hoofsteps coming down, and I saw Twilight coming down the stairs.
"This better be good, Rainbow Dash," she said to me. "I hope this isn't something that will overgrow your ego."
"Actually," I said. "It's... a little bit... complicated."
Twilight then saw Danny sitting next to me. She then asked, "Oh? Who is this young colt?"
"Okay, Twilight," I said to her, "before I answer, there's one thing we have to know. What do you know about a species known as humans?"
"Humans?" Twilight asked, putting a hoof to her chin. "Hm. That's a peculiar question. Well, I heard rumors of a weird ape like species, but I haven't gotten the full detail. Why do you ask?"
"Well, this young colt claims to be a human trapped in the body of a pony," I told her.
"C'mon, Rainbow Dash," she said annoyed. "That isn't funny."
"Hey," I said, angrily. "I didn't make that up. He claimed it, not me."
"It's true," Danny said. "I'm really a human trapped in a body of a... Wait, did you say pony?"
"Okay," said Twilight. "How much is Rainbow Dash paying you? Because you might as well be payed now."
"I'm not making this up!" Danny argued.
Twilight sighed and said, "Alright fine. I'll scan you to see if you're telling the truth or not. If I sense that there's some alteration to your DNA, I should be able to detect it." She started lighting up her horn and pointed it at her. "But, I'm telling you, nopony is... going... to..." She stopped when she said that, but then she gave off a confused face, which slowly went to one of shock. "It can't be..."
"What is it?" I asked.
"I do detect some alteration to his DNA," Twilight said. "But... But I thought humans were just myths."
"Wait wait wait," I said, shaking my hooves. "You're saying... that Danny here... is really a human trapped in a pony's body?"
"I think so," Twilight said. "But, I can't be sure yet. I have to tell Princess Celestia about this. Oh, man. I might as well be more famous than Celestia for detecting a human in pony's clothing! This is so exciting!"
"Easy, Twilight," I said. "You're getting over excited and cocky. Like when you and the other girls taught me a lesson with the Mare Do Well gimmick."
"Oh, that was in the past, Rainbow Dash," she told me.
"That was literally three days ago," I told her. "Anyway, is there a way to send the kid back? His parents must be worried sick about him."
"Oh! Right, right, right," said Twilight. "I'll get to looking for a spell to send him back."
"No!" Danny said. Twilight and I looked towards him with a raised eyebrow.
"C'mon, kid," I told him. "Your parents must be really worried about you."
"They would be..." Danny said. But then he started shedding some tears. "...if they were still alive."
That made me and Twilight gasp. I then asked, "Your parents are dead? But, don't you have any other family?"
"I do," I said. "My aunt and uncle, but, they aren't really that nice." He then started giving off some short sobs. I pulled him in with a wing hug.
"It's okay, kid," said Rainbow Dash. "What makes you say that your aunt and uncle aren't that nice?"
"Ever since my parents died, I was sent to go live with them in Memphis, Tennessee," Danny said. "But, the village there where they lived had a reputation. It was known as Hurt Village. A place where people are either physically or mentally hurt. Not an appropriate place for a kid like me to be sent to."
"Sounds like it," said Twilight. "But, you seem too sweet to be sent to a place like that. Why didn't you just run away?"
"I tried once," Danny said. "But, my aunt Natasha caught me, and locked me in the basement without a blanket and pillow, and then she and my uncle Reginald made sure I would never escape again."
"Those good for nothin'..." I grumbled. I then said, "If that's how they treat family, then what makes them really qualified to watch you?"
"I agree," Twilight said. "I'm going to write a letter to the princess and tell her about you. Rainbow Dash, why don't you take Danny here on a tour of Ponyville while I have Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia." She then called up the stairs, "Spike! I need you to take a letter to the Princess!"
Then Spike came down the stairs with a quill and piece of parchment. But he was also wearing the fedora and cape of Mare Do Well. Twilight and I deadpanned at him. I then asked, "Really, Spike?"
He then realized what he was wearing and took it off quickly, and grinned sheepishly. He then said, "Sorry. I couldn't resist."
"Alright, Spike," Twilight said. "Write down what I say."
I decided to take Danny out of there. I decided to take him on a tour of Ponyville. Hopefully, a complete change of scenery will lift his spirits.
Well, I basically showed him around all of Ponyville. First, I took him to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack totally believe Danny when he told her his story. Mostly because she can tell a truth from a lie. So, she decided to come with us and explain to the rest of our friends about the kid's predicament. Then we went to Fluttershy's cottage. She felt bad for how Danny's aunt and uncle treated him, and gave him a big hug. We then headed towards Carousel Boutique. When Rarity was told about Danny's story, she felt bad for him. So, we went to one last place, and probably a sweet snack would basically cheer him up. And possibly, the pony that makes everypony happy.
"Hi! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" came Pinkie Pie's voice. "Oh, hi, girls!" She then came up to them and said, "What brings you four here?"
"Well, Pinkie," I said. "We've got something to tell you." I then pulled out Danny with my right wing.
She then got in Danny's face and said, "Oooooh! A new pony in town! Are his parents here as well?"
I swore I could see a tear come out of his eye. I then said, "Actually, about that. He's..."
"He was actually born a completely different species on another world who has been abused my his aunt and uncle after a tragic event killed his real parents but his awful aunt and uncle tried making him do some harsh things and he ended up here as a pegasus colt and you found him and you and Twilight found out about his past, and he really needs some love and care from others in this world so he can never want that bad life ever, ever, ever again." I couldn't believe she said that all in one breath, and I don't know how she knew all that.
"Uh... exactly," I said. "How did you...?"
"Just a hunch," Pinkie said, grinning. But quickly, her smile went to a frown, and her mane went from curly to flat. "Oh. Oh, that's so sad!" She then picked up Danny and give him a great big hug. "I'm so sorry for you! It must've been so awful losing your parents and being sent to live with those meanies you have for an aunt and uncle. You know what? You need a major party for you to get over all the pain you have received."
"But where are we going to hold the party?" I asked her.
"Well, Ah guess we can have the party over at Sweet Apple Acres," Applejack suggested. "Of course, Ah would have to get permission from Granny Smith first."
"Good idea!" said Pinkie Pie. She then looked over at Danny. "And I'll invite everypony in Ponyville and make sure that everypony will be nice to you after they hear what you've been through."
Danny was a little unsure about it, but then his frown went to a small smile. He then nodded but then he tried walking, but landed on his chin. "Ow!" he said.
"Oh, right," I said. "He's been used to walking on two legs. But now that's he's walking on all fours..."
"His center of balance is totally different," Rarity said. "I can understand that." She then lifted Danny onto his hooves, and told him, "Now, try to keep on all four of your new hooves."
Danny was having trouble, but he was getting his balance.
"Now, try taking one step with one of your forehooves," said Fluttershy. He did as she said, using his right forehoof. "Now move your left hind leg." He then. "Now switch it up."
He then started walking. He was doing good, but he fell once.
"Ow!" Danny said. I then picked him up and got him back on his hooves. "Thank you." But then his eyes widened and he sat down, squeezing his haunches together. "Uh... where's the bathroom?"
"On it!" said Pinkie Pie, grabbing Danny by his scruff and rushing him towards the bathroom. I looked up the stairs, feeling sad for Danny. He didn't deserve what his awful aunt and uncle did to him.
"Ah know that look," Applejack said to me. "You're thinkin' of wantin' ta take care of him, aren'tcha?"
"Wh-what?" I asked, rubbing the back of my head. "Why would you...?"
"Rainbow," Applejack said, "Ah understand. Ya found him, ya took him to the hospital, ya feel bad for him. You should be the one to take care of him."
"I agree, darling," said Rarity. "You really seem to care for him a lot."
"But..." I said. "But I have no idea how to take care of a colt. I don't even have any siblings in my family."
"I know you don't have any siblings," said Fluttershy, "but you would never give up on somepony in need. And right now, I believe that Danny needs you."
I looked up the stairs, but then I smiled and said, "Yeah. I guess you're right. But, what if I get into the Wonderbolts? I might not have time for him."
"I'm sure that one of us will be willing to watch him while you're doing that," said Rarity. "That is... "if" you get into the Wonderbolts. Right now, Danny needs you to watch over him."
"I... I guess I can't argue with you there," I said.
"Rainbow Dash!" came Twilight's voice. We looked towards the door and saw Twilight and Spike coming in through the door. Twilight was out of breath. "We got... a reply... from the princess..." She then levitated a letter from Princess Celestia. I took it in my right wing and started reading it. It read:
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I have taken in what you wrote to me about this strange predicament, and it just might have something to do with what Luna was doing last night. I have talked to her, and she has heard this boy's cry for a better life and she has brought him to this world, but the spell she did came with a price. For him to come to our world, he would have to be transformed into a creature that exists in our world.
If Rainbow Dash is the one to find this boy, I just hope that she will do whatever it takes to take care of him, even though he has lost his loved ones. My sister and I will be arriving in Ponyville, later tonight to meet this human boy turned colt, and make him feel welcome to Equestria.
Sign, your mentor,
Princess Celestia
I couldn't believe what I was reading. So it was Princess Luna that brought Danny here? This is really messed up. But, she did it to save Danny from his awful aunt and uncle. Danny really is a good kid, and needs to be taken in. Guess I have to be the pony to take him in. He really needs all the help he can get.
Then Pinkie Pie came down with Danny on her back and said, "Alright, Dashie. I'm gonna get started on that party of Danny here."
"Alright," said Applejack. "I'll let Granny Smith know about the party, and I'll make sure she'll give permission for us to have the party there."
"Good idea!" said Pinkie Pie. "Let's go there and talk to Granny Smith first." Before she and Applejack left, she took Danny off of her back, and set him right in front of me. "See you all later."
Then Pinkie Pie and Applejack headed out of there. I just hope that Danny will be happy here.