//------------------------------//
// Capítulo Cuatro 
// Story: Cuatro 
// by Dirty Bit 
//------------------------------//


Capítulo Cuatro


Rebirth


The strange pony stood by and shifted his eyes at the pink mare while she quickly examined him all over at different angles, even invading his personal space. What was worse was how she continuously babbled "Wow, look at you! Another alicorn, and a male one, too! This is so super-duper amazing! What spells do you know? What's your special talent? How'd you get your tail like that? What's with your eyes?"

Twilight looked angry "Pinkie, give him some space! You're making him uncomfortable!"

Pinkie stopped before she grinned "Sorry, Twilight! You know how much I love a new face in Ponyville!" She stopped before she gasped "New face in Ponyville! This is so great! Now I can throw him a party!"

Applejack frowned "Simmer down, Pinkie. We don't know if he'd like that..."

Pinkie tilted her head in confusion "Who wouldn't like a party? Especially if it's for them?" She then smiled at the strange pony "What's your name, mister? Mine's Pinkie Pie!"

Twilight sighed before she enlightened the party pony "None of us know that. This alicorn has amnesia. He doesn't remember his name or anything else!"

The strange pony looked down in thought at Twilight's words.

"Alicorn...Judging by my horn and wings, I am a status above a unicorn...Am I more powerful than a regular pony? Hm..."

Pinkie frowned "Really? Is that why he's so sad right now?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow "What are you talking about, Pinkie?"

Pinkie pointed at the strange pony "Look at him! He's more down in the dumps than when I first met Cranky!" She looked him right in the eye, and she smiled when he returned the gaze with his emotionless face. Her smile left when she held a serious gaze "Hmmm..." She rubbed her chin before she made a face by puckering her lips together and making herself wall-eyed, making an 'Oooo' noise. She stopped to see the strange pony give no reaction, and then stretched her cheeks and stuck her tongue out as she made a babbling noise. Like before, the only results she received was the strange pony's unchanged face. She narrowed her eyes before she pushed her cheeks with her hooves, making a squished face as she made a 'wubwubwub' noise. When she stopped, the strange pony only blinked at her, causing her to frown incredulously "Wow, tough crowd..."

Spike sighed "Are you done yet, Pinkie? I don't think he finds your faces funny!"

Pinkie huffed before she smiled again "Not a problem, Spike-o! I love a good challenge!" She narrowed her eyes.

The strange pony stood "You would challenge me? On what grounds? Did I offend you?" He spoke in his monotonous tone.

Twilight stepped in between the two ponies and shot a look at Pinkie "Pinkie, don't give him the wrong idea! We need to 
gather the others and see what we can do about this!"

Spike frowned "You think that's a good idea, Twilight? Sure, he might be around for a while, but I don't know if everypony else is willing to accept him! Can't you just use a spell for him to regain his memories?"

Twilight turned to Spike with a serious face "It's more than necessary, Spike. I don't have a spell that could instantly let a pony reclaim their memories!"

Spike frowned "But what about when you fought with Discord? You got your friends' memories back with THAT spell!"

The strange pony listened in on Spike's words to gather information for himself.

"Discord? Is he a threat to Equestria?"

Twilight sighed "That was because I was there with them most of the time, and they were only hypnotized by his power! And besides, I don't want to face trial and error with a spell over a pony with amnesia. It just wouldn't help!

Applejack looked at the strange pony and nodded in agreement "Ah'm with Twilight on this...Ah hope y'all don't mind, partner. Magic's some complicated stuff, y'know?"

They expected him to feel angry, outraged, or betrayed, but the strange pony only nodded "I understand...If it is that much of a problem, I will proceed with any other acceptable alternative in restoring my memory...I would not be happy if a critical error would occur through any magical process that would affect me negatively..."

Pinkie blinked "But you're already not happy!"

Twilight, Applejack, and Spike glared at the party pony and snapped in unison "Pinkie!"

Pinkie gave an embarrassed grin "Sorry..." She then smiled at Twilight "But if you're serious about rounding up the girls to get a better look at this pony, I can go get them for you!"

Twilight smiled "Thank you, Pinkie. And be quick about it. He'll need all the help he can get!"

Pinkie made a mock salute "Okie Dokie Loki!" She then opened the door to the library "Pinkie Pie away~!!" She broke into a determined gallop after she left. Spike waddled up to the front door and shut it with an unamused expression on his face.

Applejack turned to the strange pony with an apologetic smile "We're mighty sorry if Pinkie Pie bugged ya, sugarcube. She's always like this, especially around new ponies. But she can be one o' th' nicest gals ya ever met!"

Twilight nodded with a smile "When I was new, she would throw me a welcome party along with every other new citizen of Ponyville. I do hope you like parties. It's sort of a passion for Pinkie to do so."

The strange pony nodded "I see...But why did she make those faces at me earlier and want to challenge me afterwards?"

Spike waddled up to the strange pony "One of Pinkie's hobbies is making sure everypony around Ponyville has a good day, wanting them to smile or laugh and stuff. She said it was a challenge because you haven't smiled yet."

Twilight chimed in. "Almost nothing can get past her when she wants everypony to smile now and then. She does a good job at it, too, even though she does go a bit too far...I'm kind of surprised that none of her faces even got you to laugh or even smile! They usually work wonders on other ponies."

The strange pony paused before he replied "I don't see the point of it..." He earned the confused stares of the others "Her attempts are humorous to a fault around others, but not me..." He shifted his eyes away "While it's considered normal around here, I don't see the point in smiling..." The strange pony spoke in a distant tone.

Twilight craned her head back with a slight wince at the strange pony's words 'It's a good thing Pinkie wasn't around to hear that...' She then donned an embarrassed grin before she spoke up "Well, while we're waiting, would you like to read a book or two?"

Spike faceclawed "I don't think he's even a fan of reading, Twilight. If he doesn't smile, what makes you think he won't re-"

"That would be nice..."

The purple dragon looked over at the strange pony while he scanned the many bookshelves around the library "It would kill time, and I would incorporate more knowledge and fruitful information into my mind. Many ponies should read for the sake of understanding what needs to be figured out in their lives, including certain conundrums that plague their daily routine..." He turned to Twilight "It is in the equine nature to crave knowledge, is it not?"

Twilight stared slackjawed before she snapped herself out of her daze and beamed at the strange pony "Y-Yes! That's a plausible reason for reading! Feel free to look at any book you like while you're here!"

The strange pony gave a curt nod before he trotted up to one of the shelves and inspected the titles resting under each of the books' spines. Other than scanning through the periodicals and treatises, he did not move an inch.

Twilight and Spike were both confused at this before Applejack cleared her throat. They turned to see her looking embarrassed "He doesn't know unicorn magic..." She muttered to them.

Twilight frowned before she trotted over to the strange pony's side with a supportive smile "Need a hoof? I can gladly get down whatever book you choose!"

The strange pony looked at Twilight "Do you have any books on the spell you've demonstrated earlier with your own book?"

Twilight perked up "You mean telekinesis? Of course!" She turned to the bookcases and her horn glowed. One of the books in the 'B' section shifted out and hovered over to the strange pony.

He examined the title 'Basic guide to Unicorn Magic', and approved that it would benefit his cause. He went to grab it with a hoof, but hesitated when he remembered his fiasco during breakfast with the Apple family "Forgive me...But can you levitate the book onto the sofa so that I may try to read it?"

Twilight nodded with a warm smile "Sure. Anything to help you out." The two made their way over, and Twilight set the book down on the cushion after cracking it open for the strange pony. He sat himself down and began reading the first page to himself. It appeared to be some strange symbols, yet he could somehow understand them as he read along.

"Such a cryptic language...and yet I understand it. Perhaps I was skilled with magic before I lost my memory?"

Applejack watched the strange pony read his book in silence and turned to her friends with a chuckle "Looks like he found a way t' entertain himself. All that matters now is waitin' an' see if th' others'll accept him!"

Twilight nodded, and perked up when an idea came into her head "I should contact Princess Celestia and see if maybe his past is connected with her own! They're both alicorns, so they should know each other somehow!"

The strange pony stopped reading and turned to Twilight "Another alicorn, you say?"

Twilight smiled at the strange pony "That's right! Maybe if she's aware of your presence, we could piece together your memory with ease!"

Spike scratched his head "Uh, Twilight. If Celestia knows about this pony, don't you think she would've mentioned him to us? I mean, we haven't seen him even before we moved out of Canterlot!"

Twilight went to retort before she thought it over "You're right...He would have played an integral part of Celestia's life if we did know him. But he could be one of the many alicorns lost in Equestria's history!"

Applejack nodded "It's a possibility."

The library's front door opened to reveal a smiling Pinkie trotting in with three other mares "Hi, everypony! I came back with the others!"

Applejack was impressed with how Pinkie managed to gather her friends in a short amount of time "Well that was pretty fast! Nice t' see y'all, girls!"

A winged cyan mare with a rainbow mane and tail flew in with a scoff. "I think you forget who's the fastest out of all of us, AJ! But it's nice to see you, too!" She looked around. "We came here cuz' Pinkie was talking about an alicorn, right? Where is he?" She finally spotted the strange pony and gasped "Whoa!!" She zipped over at an amazing speed and stopped next to him to examine his wings "Check out these awesome wings!! I never seen an alicorn with bat wings before!"

The strange pony rose from the sofa and looked around at the new arrivals into the library. There was the cyan pony who shared as much spirit as Pinkie Pie among first sight and a white unicorn staring at him with an awestruck gaze. He didn't see anypony else until he noticed two quivering colors of yellow and pink behind Applejack.

Twilight waved at the cyan pony "Give him some space, Rainbow Dash. He already had to deal with Pinkie earlier."

Rainbow Dash hovered back with a chuckle "Sorry about that. I just take one look at you and I can already tell you're awesome!" She smiled, but it left when she looked at his emotionless face "What's wrong? Am I bothering you?"

The strange pony looked up before he shook his head "Not at all. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack told me that they had friends. No doubt you're one of them..."

Rainbow Dash looked away awkwardly "Riiight..." She then looked back at the strange pony with a confident smile "Well, as you heard from Twilight, my name's Rainbow Dash! Fastest Flier in Equestria!"

The strange pony replied "That explains your demonstrated velocity when you approached me...a pleasure to meet you."

Rainbow Dash smirked "Yeah, I get that a lot. But I wonder if you can keep up with me with your wings!"

The strange pony looked away "I would much rather study magic to my benefit...I'm not one for racing."

Pinkie appeared behind the strange pony with a frown "Not to mention smiling!" She then stretched his cheeks to show his teeth while he donned a makeshift smile from her hooves "When's the last time he ever smiled in his life?" She let go of his cheeks to show the strange pony frowning once more "It'll be tough, but I'll get you to smile somehow! I don't know where...I don't know when...but mark my words, mister: You WILL smile!!"

The white unicorn snapped herself out of her awe and glared at the party pony "For heaven's sake, Pinkie! Don't pester this...this..." She shuddered in delight "dashing rogue..." She spoke in an enticed tone. The white unicorn trotted up and curtsied in front of the strange pony "A pleasure to meet you, darling! My name is Rarity! Pinkie Pie has informed me that you have amnesia, and let me be the first to give you my condolences..." She offered a sympathetic smile.

The strange pony nodded "Of course...Much appreciated." He looked over to see Spike glaring at him and blinked to himself as he looked back.

"Is Spike angry with me? What have I done wrong? Is it because this Rarity seems infatuated with me at first glance?"

Applejack smiled before she looked behind her "Come on out now, sugarcube. Ah now he might look scary t' ya, but he's nice. Ya don't wanna hurt his feelings, do ya?" There was a pause, before another mare slowly showed herself from behind Applejack. Like Rainbow Dash, she beared wings, but she beared a yellow coat and a flowing pink mane. She shivered while she stared at the strange pony in fear.

The strange pony looked back at her in silence while she shivered, then trotted up to her, causing her to whimper "Are you...afraid of me?"

The shivering pony went to nod before Applejack interrupted "Don't mind Fluttershy, partner. She's jus' not as social as everypony else. In fact, this is how she reacts t' new faces mostly."

The strange pony regarded Fluttershy with another stare "I see...My apologies if I do fill you with fear...I did not expect to be born this way."

Twilight stepped up "Well now that everypony is here, we can get to finding a way to get the alicorn's memory back!"

Rarity smiled "Of course, Twilight. But what is the name of this gentlecolt? Pinkie did not mention it to any of us on the way here!"

Applejack sighed "He doesn't know his own name. His amnesia's that bad. But Rarity's got a point. We'll have t' give 'im a name to go by while we get his memories back! No point in callin' him mister all th' time!"

Twilight looked over at the strange pony "A great idea, Applejack. Considered that he's a whole new pony that appears nameless to us, we'll have to give him a proper alias to go by while he remembers himself step by step!"

Rainbow Dash inspected the strange pony's cutie mark and was instantly befuddled "What's his special talent anyway? Something to do with the number four?" She looked up at the strange pony "What kind of pony has a four for a cutie mark unless he's good with numbers? Where'd he even come from to get it?"

The strange pony was silent, but then he felt another migraine as an image played in his head. There was nopony around speaking, but the image contained a desert full of white sand, some leafless trees, and blackened skies. There was a large and pale cresent moon that hovered over the barren land as the wind blew. When the image faded, the strange pony uttered some words mysteriously.

"Hueco Mundo..."

Applejack tilted her head with a quizzical glance of her own "Hway-ka what-o?"

Pinkie gasped slightly before she smiled "Hey! That sounds like a place in Mexicolt! Maybe this alicorn's from Mexicolt!"

Twilight spoke up "While it does sound it, I doubt he'd be from there. The top reason being there isn't such a place in Mexicolt or the Equestrian atlas in general! Secondly, it translates into..." She beared a face that mixed thought with confusion "Hollow World..."

Fluttershy hid behind Applejack again at the mention of the words and shivered furiously "That sounds scary..."

Rainbow Dash hovered in the air "Hollow World? That explains why he looks like a zombie!" She flinched before she grinned awkwardly at the strange pony "N-No offense..."

Rarity frowned "Perhaps the poor dear's delirious. You've seen the mild headache he's suffered just now!"

The strange pony rubbed his temples with a hoof "You needn't worry, it is a common trait for me. I just want to have a name I can go by for the time being. I do not wish to be left in the dark..."

Spike raised an eyebrow "What comes to mind?"

Twilight examined him "I can't be sure, to be honest...I'm not one for naming such a unique pony, let alone an alicorn." She hummed to herself in thought before she smiled "How about Ivory the Fourth?"

Applejack smiled "Sounds like a classy name! It does suit how smart an' collected he appears!"

Rainbow Dash scowled "That name sounds stupid! I don't wanna see him as a snob in Canterlot, I wanna see him as a friend!" She examined the strange pony before she smiled "He looks pretty fierce with his features! How about Pale Fury?"

Rarity glared at Rainbow Dash "Rainbow, that name sounds barbaric! And it's nowhere close to what his special talent would be! I doubt he would agree to such a name!"

Rainbow Dash landed in front of Rarity with a glare of her own "I'd say the same for your own! Who'd wanna be named like that?"

Pinkie looked on at the strange pony while Rarity and Rainbow Dash argued. She then smiled as she spoke up "How about Cuatro?" Everypony turned to Pinkie at her suggestion "We gotta come up with a name that bears semblance to his cutie mark and special talent! And Cuatro means four in Mexicolt! Why not that?" She grinned at her friends.

Twilight paused at this before she turned to the strange pony "Do you like that name, mister?"

The strange pony thought this over. Pinkie was onto something given his strange cutie mark and what he unconsciously uttered during his latest migraine. It almost seemed familiar to him with how she brought out the name. After a small moment of silence, he nodded "I like it...From now on, until my memories return, I shall be known as Cuatro..."

Pinkie hopped up and down as she cheered "Yay! We got him a name he likes! This is great!"

Rainbow Dash did not mind that Cuatro agreed to his name, but she looked away with a slight pout 'Pale Fury sounded WAY better than that...'


To be continued...