Chapter 4: Being There to Help
(Rainbow Dash's Point of View)
It was the middle of the night after we came back to my place. Danny needed me to be there for him. But this night, I felt something moving under the same sheets as me. I woke up, and saw Danny, struggling in his sleep. He must be having a nightmare. There was only one thing for me to do, and that's to wake him up.
"Danny," I said, shaking him. "C'mon, Danny. Wake up."
Danny woke up and sat up with a hoof to his chest. He was breathing fast, and he was sweating. He then looked at me with tears in his eyes and then he grabbed my sides and hugged me tight.
"It's okay, Danny," I told him. "It's okay." I then pushed his chin upwards to have him look at me, muzzle to muzzle. "Now, what was your nightmare about?"
"I-I-It was horrible," he said. "I-I-I woke up back on my world... and my aunt and uncle hurt me for slacking off. I blacked out for a bit, and when I came to, I was a pony, being sold for some weird science experiments. They were cutting me up. They were ripping me apart."
I held him tighter and said, "That will never happen. I won't let anything like that happen to you." I could feel tears coming onto my chest. I then asked, "Is something else wrong?"
"I... I miss my mom and dad," Danny said. "I wish they wouldn't have gone away."
"I know, kiddo," I said. "I know." I knew he needed help, so I let him cry into my chest, to get it all out. "Just let it all out. Let it out."
I hugged Danny as he was crying. He needed this. So, I let him have it. I could feel him calm down, and I looked at him and I saw that he cried himself to sleep. Then I curled up with him and fell to sleep myself, hoping that Danny will be alright.
I came to the next morning, and I saw Danny still next to me. This time, he had a smile on his small muzzle. I looked at my clock and saw that it was eight in the morning. I know it's not my usual time to get up, heck it's still too early for me, but I'm gonna have to if Danny here is going to be living with me. Might as well take him out for some breakfast.
I shook him awake and said, "Danny. It's time for you to wake up."
He stirred in his sleep, and he woke up and he looked at me. He smiled and said, "Good morning."
"Morning, kid," I told him. "How about we head out for some breakfast?"
"I would like that," Danny said to me.
"Then let's get up, and head out," I told him. He nodded and... apparently forgot he wasn't human anymore. He tried standing on two hooves, but he lost his balance, and almost fell off the bed. Luckily, my house was made of clouds, so his landing would be soft. I got off the bed and asked, "Are you alright, Danny?"
"I'm fine," Danny said. "Guess I forgot I'm not human anymore."
"Hang on," I told him. Then I grabbed him by his scruff by my mouth, and put him on my back. "Now, let's head out." I then headed out of my room, and went to the front door. I opened the door, walked out, and turned around to close it and locked it. I then headed off to Cafe Hay for some breakfast.
We arrived there and we were sitting at one table. Danny and I were sitting across from each other, looking at the menus we were given. We waited on what to order.
"Rainbow Dash! Danny!" came Twilight's voice. Danny and I looked over to the entrance and saw Twilight and Spike walking over to us.
"Hey, Twilight," I said to her. "What brings you two here?"
"Thought we should eat out this morning," said Twilight. "Plus, I was so focused on my studies, getting to know Danny and the party yesterday, I forgot to get some groceries."
"Twilight is always too busy on her studies," said Spike.
"That's not true!" said Twilight.
"Twilight," I said. "Sometimes, you gotta get yourself out of the library. Take a break from your studies."
"I met someone at my old school in Bend, Oregon that was like you, Twilight," said Danny. "He spent all this time reading and doing his homework, he never goes out and play. So, I went out to find some kids his own age, and get him to play during recess or an hour after school. And in the end, he helps them with their studies."
"Wow," said Twilight. "That was actually a good thing to do. Speaking of school, perhaps next week, he should get started in school."
"Good call," I said. "We saw the form of home school that Danny's aunt and uncle had for him. That wasn't real education at all. After breakfast, we'll head down to the schoolhouse and get you registered."
"I guess you're right, Rainbow Dash," Danny said. "I have missed going to school. I missed my friends back in Bend, Oregon. Although, there is an issue."
"And that is?" Twilight asked.
"Knowing how to write with these hooves," Danny said.
"Okay," said Twilight. "That could be a problem."
"I might be able to help out with teaching him on how to right," came another voice. We looked over and saw Cheerilee walking over to us.
"Hey, Cheerilee," I said.
"And this must be Daniel," said Cheerilee.
"Please," said Danny. "I prefer to go by Danny."
"Alright, then, Danny," said Cheerilee. "I would be happy to teach you how to write as a pony since you aren't used to being one."
"Yeah," said Danny. "You would teach me?"
"Of course I would," said Cheerilee. "Plus, there's a lot of things you'll get to learn when you're here in Equestria. Come by the school and we'll get you all signed up, and you'll start a week from Monday."
"On it," I said to her.
"That'll give him plenty of time for him to settle in," said Twilight. "You're also going to get him some stuff for his room. You are going to make him a room, aren't you, Rainbow Dash?"
"Of course I am," I said. "Danny needs a room for himself. Plus, I'll be close to him whenever he needs me."
"Well, I gotta get going," said Cheerilee. "I'll see you two later today at the schoolhouse."
"See ya," I said. We then looked at our menus.
"Mind if we join you two for breakfast?" Twilight asked.
"Sure," I said. Then the waiter came in with two more chairs for Twilight and Spike to sit at. "So, Danny, you see anything good?"
"I might as well try some of these," said Danny. "Since I'm now a pony, my taste buds must be a lot different than when I was human."
"Yeah, I guess," said Twilight. "Humans eat meat, don't they?"
"Yeah," said Danny. "But pony meat is not one of the meats we eat."
"But, what about dragons?" Spike asked.
"To us humans; dragons, unicorns and pegasi are mythological," said Danny.
"Even griffons?" I asked and he nodded. "And hydras." Another nod from him. "What about magic?"
"We don't have magic in my old world," said Danny.
"So how does the sun and moon go across the sky?" asked Twilight. "And who controls your weather?"
"They all work on their own," said Danny. "Except my world orbits around the sun and the moon orbits around the planet."
"Wow," said Twilight. "I might have to go to your world and study everything about your world. But, I think it might be better if it was somewhere that's not where your aunt and uncle are."
"I would rather it be anywhere in the country than Memphis, Tennessee," said Danny. He then looked at his menu and said. "I would like some pancakes."
"Good call," I said. "How long has it been since you had pancakes?"
"Not since my parents died," Danny said. "Mom made the best pancakes when I was with her and dad." He then sighed. "I wish I had some memories of them with me."
"Perhaps one of the Princesses can help out with that," said Twilight. "They'll help out a lot."
"It would be nice for Danny to have some old memories of his parents," I said. "Hopefully, the princesses will help out with that. Hopefully." I smiled at Danny so he could have hope. He gave a sad smile, telling me that he understands. Things will be better for him as long as I'm around.
Well, after we left the restaurant, we went to the schoolhouse to get Danny registered. And Cheerilee already volunteered to help Danny learn how to write like a pony. Next stop, we went to the furniture store to get Danny a bed for him to sleep in. Along with a desk for him to work on his homework.
Now that we got the furniture back at my place, I can finally get to work on making a room for Danny. Good thing I had some of my fellow workers in the weather factory deliver some more clouds to add to my house for Danny's new room. Also, we would be close and share the same bathroom. We would have one of those Jack and Jill bathrooms. Although, whoever the pony that calls them Jack and Jill bathrooms is weird since we don't know who came up with a name like Jack and Jill.
"Rainbow Dash?" Danny asked. "How long is it going to take for my room to be finished?"
"It'll take a couple hours," I told him. "For any normal pony. But for me... I'll have it done in 10 seconds flat." I then started flying around the area where Danny's room would be, and I got it finished in 10 seconds flat, just like I said. "And that's how it's done. Now, let's get your furniture into your new room."
I then got Danny's bed and desk into his new room. Although, it was a pain for me to assemble them. I'm not used to reading instructions, let alone reading in general. But, it is done.
The bed's mattress was soft enough for Danny to get a good night's sleep in, and I also installed a bed side table for him to have a glass of water to drink whenever he gets thirsty at night.
"So," I said, "is this enough?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Danny. He then sighed.
"I know," I said, patting his back. "You miss your parents. But hey, kid, keep your chin up. I'm sure you'll be happy here than back there in that world with your awful aunt and uncle."
"Aunt Natasha and uncle Reginald didn't care for me at all," Danny said. "But, they're the only family members I have left, which I wish I didn't have."
"You don't deserve to be with family like that," I said. "You'll be better off here. Now, let's get some lunch. How about you try out those new taste buds of yours in trying some pony foods."
"I... guess I can give it a try," said Danny.
"Good," I said. "Let's head out. There's this place called Hayburgers. A perfect place for you to test out those taste buds."
Danny and I then headed out. It's time for Danny to have some pony food, since he's a pony now.