//------------------------------//
// The Dream Is My Reality 
// Story: Beyond Me 
// by Boopy Doopy 
//------------------------------//

The second I stepped back into the room, I was tackled by Scootaloo. It wasn’t a very pleasant feeling, seeing as I still didn’t have any sense of coordination, causing my legs to get painfully tangled up under me. Not to mention, I still had to pee, and having a small child land on top of me didn’t help.
“Ha! I got you!” the pegasus asked from on top of my back. “Did I scare you?”
“Oh, that hurt…” I got out. I was slightly concerned by the pain that I felt, but I put the thought of this being real out of my head. I’d felt pain in my dreams before, so it wasn’t completely out of the ordinary.
 “Oops, sorry,” Scootaloo said with an embarrassed chuckle. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Can you get off of me, please?” I asked. “My leg is stuck under me and it hurts.”
“You should tell us about your parents!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as Scootaloo moved from on top of me. “We really want to know what kind of creatures they are!”
“I- I’m kind of not in the mood to talk about them,” I told her as I rubbed the back of my leg. There wasn’t any particular reason I didn’t want to talk about them, it was just something I wasn’t in the mood to do.
“Come on!” the girl begged. “Please? We’ve been waiting all day for you to tell us!”
“I don’t know… I’m kind of tired right now anyway…”
“How are you tired already? It’s only like two o’clock! There’s still six hours until Celestia lowers the sun!”
I made a mental note of that. Nighttime was at eight. At eight o’clock I would go to sleep and this dream would end.
“Besides,” Sweetie Belle squeaked out, “we haven’t even taught you about ponies yet!”
“Yeah!” Scootaloo added. “We still have to teach you about ponies since you don’t know!” I sighed quietly, causing Scootaloo to frown. “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just…” I trailed off.
“Just what?”
“It’s just that I’m afraid,” I thought. “I’m afraid that this is real and that God put me here and that I’ll be stuck here forever.” However, I kept these thoughts internalized as I took a breath.
“I’m fine,” I told them dismissively, picking myself up off the ground. “I’m just feeling a little sick is all. You can teach me about ponies right now if you want to.”
“Well, okay,” Sweetie Belle said. “First-”
“No, wait!” Scootaloo interrupted. “I’ve got something that will make you feel a hundred times better and can teach you about ponies!”



“Hey! Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo called out a while later. The three of us were standing outside under a cloud, looking up at a bright blue pony with rainbow-colored hair taking a nap. It looked like the same pony that Scootaloo had posters of in her room, and based on the excited look she had on her face, I could tell she adored this person.
I watched the pegasus yawn and stretch her legs at Scootaloo’s voice, and then suddenly shot down and scooped the girl up. I watched them fly around for a little bit, Scootaloo laughing as she rode on the pegasus’s back before she was set back down again a few seconds later.
“How’s it going, squirt?” the pony, Rainbow Dash, asked, wearing a smile on her face. “Long time, no see.”
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo said to her again. “We just wanted to show you our new friend! Her name is Asher, and she’s new to Ponyville!” She then turned to me and said, “Asher, this is Rainbow Dash, the greatest pegasus in the world!”
“That’s right!” Rainbow Dash confirmed. “I’m the greatest flier in Equestria! You’re looking at a future Wonderbolt!”
“Uhh… what’s a Wonderbolt?” I asked her. I didn’t know why I felt the need to ask. I knew asking would just make them confused. But I was curious and wanted to know what it was.
While I did expect confusion, what I didn’t expect the pegasus to do was fly up and come nose to nose with me like that other pink person did. I found myself stumbling backward onto my back like last time as she stared at me, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.
“WHAT?” the blue pony yelled. “You don’t know who the Wonderbolts are?”
“I- I don’t-”
“They’re the most talented fliers in all of Equestria! Everypony knows who they are! How can you not know about them?”
She kept her nose pressed up against mine as she stared into my eyes, waiting for a response from me. Honestly, it was a bit frightening, and I could feel my heart rate pick up as she continued to stare. I didn’t know what it was about these horses, but from what I could tell, they seemed to have no sense of personal space.
“Well?” she pressed, wanting an answer.
The moment seemed to last forever as she kept her face pressed up against mine. I was feeling very intimidated by her and found myself speechless because of it. Fortunately, though, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo eventually broke the silence.
“She doesn’t know because she doesn’t know anything about ponies.”
“She doesn’t even know what a cutie mark is!”
Finally she turned away from me as she said, “But how can she not know who the Wonderbolts are? Everypony knows who they are!”
From what I could tell based on appearances, she looked like an adult. However, the way she acted to me seemed much more like a child, or maybe someone in their early teens. She didn’t seem very mature from what I could tell.
“Well, she told us her parents aren’t ponies, so that’s probably why.”
The blue pegasus turned back to face me again, thankfully not nose to nose, and said, “So your parents aren’t ponies, huh? Then what kind of creatures are they?”
“Um, they- they’re hu-humans…” I stammered out nervously.
“Oh yeah?” she asked suspiciously. “And what exactly is a ‘human’?” I didn’t know why, but something about the way she asked me that was making me apprehensive.
“Uh, they’re r-really tall and have two legs and… you’re really freaking me out.”
“Why?” she asked, suddenly coming nose to nose with me again. “Is it because you’re secretly a spy trying to overthrow Equestria?”
“...what?” I got out.
“Maybe we should report you to Princess Celestia and have you interrogated. What do you think of that, spy?”
She stared me dead in the eye for a few more seconds, seeming completely serious, before she fell over as she burst out laughing. 
“I got you good, didn’t I?” she laughed. “You really believed me, didn’t you?”
“Not really,” I thought as I stayed on my back, looking up at her. “You were just starting to make me claustrophobic.” This little joke she tried to pull on me just reaffirmed in my mind that, despite being as big as Miss Cheerilee, she was probably closer in age to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle than she was to the teacher. Or, at the very least, she was a very immature adult.
“Listen, kid,” she started, “How you don't know who the Wonderbolts are, I don't know. But I can teach you all about them. I know everything there is to know. The history, their current members-”
“Why don’t you show her some of your tricks, Rainbow?” Scootaloo interrupted. I could tell that if she hadn’t, she would have started prattling off about them, whoever they were.
"You can show her some of the moves the Wonderbolts do!" I could tell she mostly wanted to watch the pegasus do tricks, but I didn't mind much and decided to go along with it.
“Okay, watch this!”



Asher sat up and watched as Rainbow Dash did… something. The filly couldn’t quite tell. She thought it looked quite a bit like a stunt plane routine, with many sharp turns and corkscrews and loop de loops. It looked impressive enough and seemed difficult to do, but it wasn’t really her thing. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle seemed awed and looked like they were enjoying it, but the best she could say was that it was interesting.
After about a minute, the pegasus came to a stop in front of her and asked, “So what do you think? Impressed yet?”
“Uh, yeah,” Asher told her politely, trying not to be rude. “It was good.”
“What, you didn’t like it?”
“No, I liked it,” she said defensively. “It’s just… not really… it’s just not really what I’m into. But it was good.”
“Oh yeah?” the pegasus started, seeming up to the challenge of impressing the filly. “Tough to impress, huh? Well, check this out!”
“She’s sure to like this!” the pegasus thought as she did another short routine. “It always impresses Scootaloo!”
“You’re amazing, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo called happily. “You look awesome!”
The mare looked down to see both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo enjoying her moves, but was surprised to see the silver-coated filly watching with a blank, almost bored, expression on her face. Still nothing?” the mare asked herself, confused. “How can she not be impressed by this? What if I…? Hmmmmm...”
All of a sudden, Asher found herself on Rainbow Dash’s back, soaring through the sky at who knew how high. Her eyes went wide as she immediately tensed up in fear. She absolutely hated heights, and found her forelegs wrapping tightly around Rainbow Dash’s neck.
“Pretty cool, huh?” the rainbow maned pony asked.
“I- I- I- I don’t-”
“If you like that, watch this!”
The filly’s grip on the pegasus’s neck tightened further as the two flew higher. Asher found herself wishing that she had fingers so she could latch on further. She shut her eyes and clenched her teeth in an effort to keep herself from being so scared.
“What do you think, kid?” Rainbow Dash asked as she looked back at her. What she saw though wasn’t what she expected. The filly on her back looked terrified, shaking and holding back tears as she breathed deeply to try and keep herself calm.
“Please put me down,” she asked, her voice cracking. 
“Whoa, I’m sorry!” the mare apologized as she quickly descended. The filly gratefully stepped off her back and lay down in the grass as the pegasus rubbed a hoof behind her head.
“I’m sorry,” Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously. “We might have gone a little bit high there. I’m sorry… uh, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Asher said breathlessly, her eyes still closed. “I just… give me a few minutes to lay down.”
“Uh, you’re not mad at me are you?”
“No, just…” She shivered before she continued, “Please don’t do that again. I literally almost wet myself.”
“I, uh, I wasn’t intentionally trying to scare you. I promise.”
“I know. It’s fine," the filly said in between breaths.
Rainbow Dash frowned as she started to think silently to herself. “Crap, she’s gonna think I was trying to bully her because of this and that joke I tried to play earlier. I don’t want her to think I’m a bully… Ugh!”
“Uh… I think I should go…” Rainbow Dash trailed off. “But I promise I’ll try and make it up to you. I really didn’t mean to scare you like that.” She waited a second for Asher to respond, but only watched the filly sigh without saying anything. With that, she flew off a few moments later.
“Well that was a big waste of time,” Sweetie Belle said. “Rainbow Dash didn’t even get to teach her anything.”
“Yeah, and she wasn’t even impressed by her moves, and Rainbow Dash can impress anypony!”
“Is it okay if we went back now?” Asher whispered as she sniffed and slowly stood up. “It looks like the sun’s going down.”
Both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked up to see Celestia quickly lowering the sun. “That’s weird. I didn’t think we were out here for that long. Maybe Princess Celestia’s lowering it early today.”
“Maybe. But I guess we should go back now. We don’t want my aunts to worry about us.”



“Stop shaking,” I told myself as the three of us walked back home. “It’s over now. Just breathe.”
“Please don’t be mad at Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo told me as we walked. “She wouldn’t have done it if she knew you were scared. I promise.”
I sighed. “I’m fine. I’m just tired. I just want to go home and go to sleep,” silently adding, “and not pee my pants.” It had been hours since I first had water back in the classroom, and while I’d been effectively ignoring the sensation, right now, it was starting to become painful.
“But what about our sleepover?” Sweetie Belle protested. “We haven’t even taught you about ponies yet!”
“I learned that you ponies don’t have any concept of personal space,” I thought, but kept that thought internalized. Instead, I said, “I’ll still have a sleepover, I just don’t know how much I’m gonna learn tonight. I’d really rather just go to sleep.”
“Oh, okay,” the unicorn responded with disappointment in her voice. “You’ll be here tomorrow though, right?”
“Um, probably not. I’m sorry.”
There was a period of silence as we made our way back up to and inside of Scootaloo’s house. We entered to see Holiday and Lofty sitting at the table, the former sewing and the latter reading a book. There was also the smell of food coming from the kitchen that made my stomach grumble. I’d only had muffins to eat all day, and I was hungry.
“Huh,” Scootaloo said thoughtfully. “I thought Pinkie would've had your party all set to go already.”
“My party?”
“Yeah. She usually throws it the same day she meets somepony new… I wonder what’s holding her up.”
I’d already forgotten that detail of my encounter with the pony, but forced myself not to be worried. I wasn’t going to let myself get worked up over what was more than likely nothing, so I instead wondered what was for dinner. However, before I could ask, Holiday spoke up.
“I’m glad you girls are back,” she told us. “Supper’s just about ready now. We’re having lasagna tonight.”
“Lasagna,” I thought as the three of us sat at the table. “My favorite. Might as well end this dream on a positive note.”
“So Asher,” Holiday started a few minutes later as she served us up, “can I ask what your parents are like? What are their names?”
“Well,” I started to respond as I picked up the fork, “their names are- oh my gosh!”



The four of them watched as the fork dropped from Asher’s grasp, the filly staring at her hoof with a look of shock on her face. 
“What is it, Asher?” Lofty asked with concern as her wife frowned.
“Drat,” Holiday thought. “She was so close to telling us their names.”
“I- I-” the filly stuttered. “How did I do that?”
“Do what now?”
“How did I pick up the fork?” she asked, still staring at her hoof and sounding completely flabbergasted. “I’m not supposed to be able to do that!”
“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, talking with a mouth full of veggie lasagna.
“I’m a horse! This is a hoof! Hooves aren’t supposed to be able to pick up things!”
“Uhhhh…” Holiday started, staring uncomprehendingly at Asher, knowing that what she said didn’t make much sense. “Well, I guess most ponies can’t, but um... From what I understand, most Earth Ponies can use their hooves to grip things, at least to some extent.” She picked up her fork to demonstrate and said, “See?” She paused for a moment and asked, “Do you not think you should be able to?”
The filly ignored her and reached for the fork again, this time unable to move it at all. “It’s not working,” she said aloud. She tried a few more times to pick it up, but without success.
“That’s dream logic,” she told herself silently as she closed her eyes. “The second I notice I’m doing something, I’m unable to do it. That’s one hundred percent dream logic.”
“Are you okay?” Holiday asked. “I know you said you were feeling a little sick earlier. Maybe we should get your parents.”
“No I’m fine,” Asher said with a sigh. “I’m just really tired. I don’t know why I got so nervous."
One more time, the filly tried to pick up the fork next to her. When she was unable, however, she decided to copy Scootaloo’s and Sweetie Belle’s method of simply using their mouths to eat.
“I’m concerned about her,” Lofty mouthed to Holiday while the fillies started to talk about something.
“I know,” the mare mouthed back. “So am I.”
“Do you think something happened to her?” Lofty asked, whispering now.
“I don’t know,” she answered. “I really hope not. She just seems so… I don’t know.”
Before the five of them knew it, dinner was over and the three fillies were upstairs in Scootaloo’s room talking to each other. They were sitting on the floor in a circle as Scootaloo finished telling a story about watching Rainbow Dash.
“Anyway,” the pegasus started after she finished up, “do you wanna tell a story next, Asher?”
“I’m fine,” Asher said as she crossed her legs uncomfortably. She’d been awake all day, and despite her not really having all that much to drink, her bladder was starting to become painful.
“I’d really rather go to sleep now, honestly,” she continued.
“But it’s not even late!” Sweetie Belle protested. “We could read a book or play a game- and you haven’t even learned anything about ponies or told us about your parents!”
“I know,” she told them, “but I’m really tired, and really want to go to sleep. I’m sorry. I’ll see if I can do all those things tomorrow morning, okay?”
She really hated lying, but she figured that it wouldn't matter since she wouldn't see them tomorrow, or probably ever again after she woke up.
“Well…” the unicorn trailed off, “okay…”
“Me and Sweetie Belle are gonna stay up since it’s only nine o’clock. We’ll be quiet though, so you can go to sleep.”
“Okay,” Asher yawned as she climbed up onto the bed. “That’s fine.”



“Go to sleep,” I told myself as I kept my eyes closed. “Go. To. Sleep.”
I was still awake a few hours after I crawled into bed. By this time, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were asleep next to me, both of them snoring loudly as I lay at the edge of the bed to avoid being so close to them. I was having trouble falling asleep because of how apprehensive I was. I was concerned that I would go to sleep and wake back up here the next day, and I almost didn't want to fall asleep because of it.
Eventually, though, I was able to drift off, and found myself waking up in my own bed. I breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar sight, glad that that dream was finally over.
“Oh, thank you, Lord,” I whispered. “Thank you for letting me wake up. Oh, that was an awful dream… I have to use the bathroom."



“Asher? Are you okay?”
“Ugh,” Asher got out as she groggily opened an eye. “What- what the heck is this?” She looked around the room with a confused expression as something warm and wet touched her.
“What the heck is going on?” she asked the mare holding her before going wide-eyed at the realization a few seconds later. “Wait, no. No, no, no, no, no. This- this- this isn’t real! This can’t be happening to me!”
“Hey, you’re okay,” Holiday told the filly. “You’re okay. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I- I- I’m not- supposed to b-be here…” she got out as she started to gasp for air. "I went through the whole day! I'm not..."
“Huh? Asher? Why are you awake?” Scootaloo asked, being woken up herself by the noise. “Wait, did you wet the bed?”
The filly was shaking and breathing hard, on the edge of hyperventilating. Despite all day knowing in the back of her mind that this was more than likely real, she nonetheless found herself shocked that she was still in Equestria. More than that, though, she was afraid of everything that being in Equestria might entail.
“You’re going to be alright, Asher,” Holiday said in a comforting tone as she stroked the filly’s mane. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I- I… this…” she started to say before fainting and falling off the bed.