//------------------------------//
// Waking up in a new world chapter 8 
// Story: Waking up in a new world 
// by finesthour 
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I continued to stare at the picture in front of me. On the page was a picture of a primitive human, most likely from the stone ages. There was text surrounding the picture, almost too small for me to read. When I reached out for the book, Twilight squealed. She put her hoof over the book, and I put my hands back at my sides. She said in a slow voice,

“This book is very VERY old. I am afraid if you touch it, you might break it...”

Her voice trailed away as she looked down, obviously embarrassed. I smiled at her and said,

“It is alright! I won’t touch it. Just explain to me, why are you showing me this book?”

Her face lifted up, and she was suddenly happy. She sat down beside me, right between me and Fluttershy. I could still see Fluttershy at the corner of my eye, and she was glaring at Twilight. I don’t know why, but it bothered me. In the short time I had known Fluttershy, she had never seemed like she could get angry. What was her reason now? Before I could think about my thought, I saw Twilight’s hoof reach out in front of my face, and towards the book. She had her hoof just close enough to show me where to read, but not to where she was touching the book.

“Humans, in myth, are known taxonomically as Homo sapiens, Latin for wise man or knowing man are the only living species in the Homo genus. Anatomically modern humans originated in Africa about 200,000 years ago, reaching full behavioral modernity around 50,000 years ago.Humans have a highly developed brain and are capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving. This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees the hands for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other living species on Earth. Other higher-level thought processes of humans, such as self-awareness, rationality, and sapience, are considered to be defining features of what constitutes a person. Their folk lore is around war and depression, and stories are around death.”

My head began to rattle as she read this to me. I could not wrap my head around some of the things this book said. Humans were just a theory, but I exist. I could feel blood rush to my head as I thought, and Twilight began to rub my back. I looked over at her, and she smiled back at me.

“Do you want to continue reading?” She said to me softly.

I nodded my head without thinking, and she continued.

“Humans are uniquely adept at utilizing systems of communication for self-expression, the exchange of ideas, and organization. Humans create complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families to nations. Social interactions between humans have established an extremely wide variety of values, social norms, and rituals, which together form the basis of human society. With individuals widespread in every continent except Antarctica, humans are a cosmopolitan species. As of November 2011, the human population was estimated by the United Nations Population Division to be about 7 billion, and by the United States Census Bureau to be about 6.97 billion. Like in Myth, Humans are said to be non-existent, and are treated as such.”

When Twilight stopped reading and closed the book, I was stuck in complete shock. I was thought of as a myth... I never existed. Without noticing, I said outloud,

“So that’s it. I do not exist, do I? Is that what you are trying to tell me?” I said this harsher than I mean to, and I felt shame rush back into me. I could hear Fluttershy get up from her seat and run over to me. She was now on the other side of me, and she got close to my face.

“I know you exist, you do not need to be so angry...” She said this soft enough to make me smile, and Twilight got close to my face as well.

“I am not saying you do not exist. I thought you just wanted to know what us pony folk think about humans. I know you exist as well, that is all that matters.”

With both mares beside me, I felt more comfortable than I had in my entire life. They were both know rubbing my back, trying to calm me down. I spread my arms out behind their back and embraced them both in a hug. I could feel them both press against me, and I did not think much of it. I said outloud,

“Thank you... both of you. For everything you are doing for me.”

Both mares replied with,

“You are very welcome!” When we saw Spike come down the stairs. He glared at me with the most angry eyes I could ever see, and he came running at me. Fluttershy and Twilight both jumped up when they saw this, and Spike jumped up and landed on my chest. He got his face close to mine, and I could feel his anger glow off of his scales. He began to punch me continuously on the face saying,

“Who the hell do you think you are!? You just waltse into my house and start rubbing up against my friends like they are some floozies! Who do you think you are!” He yelled this at me, and I did not react. I just looked up at him, completely struck with awe at what he did. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Twilight’s horn glow, and Spike did the same. Spike started to glide away from me, but he started to wiggle around the magic, as if he was trying to fight it. I saw Fluttershy run over to me, and she stood over my body. She looked as if she was going to cry, and it made me cry. As the tears rushed from my eyes, both my vision and my hearing began to fade. I could hear Twilight screaming at Spike, and Fluttershy still stood over me. As I began to fade out, I saw Twilight stand over me again. Before I fell asleep, she said,

“I’m sorry...”