It is unknown how many hours have passed in the void. No sun nor moon in the sky to tell the time. Not even a single star blinking in space. If there even was an outer space. They aren't sure where they are. All they know is that they are on this island alive. They can breathe, think, move, and talk. But if there aren't any celestial bodies out there, does that mean that they are living in a world without the Princesses?
Red stared out into the empty skies. Looking for anything beyond the island beside the neon red path that they came from that can tell them that they are not alone in this vacant space. Going back to the house to take a break from stargazing was not going to help them at all. There was barely anything in the hut.
The bed was comfortable enough to let him rest. The windows blocking no breeze outside rendering them useless. The table and chair looked sturdy enough and although it was odd at first that there were two chairs instead of just the one, they reasoned with themselves that somepony or someone was coming to meet them. That thought got them to wait in the outside. Hoping that whoever was out there would come eventually.
Now, they were bored out of their mind. Another trip back to the house led them to peer out the window. It was a new perspective but ultimately the same thing. Bare and colorless. On their third trip to the outside, they discovered something new.
An orange path just right of the red path. The two walkways didn't connect with each other but only on the white island. Like leaves sprouting out from a stem. Seeing nothing but red and white got them to sigh in relief at the new hue. They took one last look at the center of the island and trotted forward to begin a new adventure.
It took them minutes on the orange path to notice that they haven't felt hungry nor thirsty at all yet they still require rest from the long walks that they have to take. Did something happen to their body ever since they awoke? Aside from being devoid of color except the reddish hue that they are.
They stopped at a short staircase leading upwards. It was thick and the steps gradually rose upwards. They climbed up and surveyed their surroundings. Eyeing three floating platforms that are separated by half a meter, it looked like another parkour area. Somewhere beyond the three blocks, was a tall rectangle with a flat area on the top.
Red jumped over the three platforms with ease. Then stood in confusion as they gazed at the rectangle. It was obvious enough that somehow they had to scale the wall to get to the top of the elevated area.
Red walked up to the orange rectangle and upon closer inspection, there were bumps and holes that are littered across the wall. They had to wall climb up. There was no safety rope and that worried them. What if they fall?
Regardless, they placed one hoof on a bump and gripped it tightly. They breathed in and out and jumped to the next bump. The gap between the lumps were short and did not require too much power. It was the same with the other bumps he latched onto. Red grabbed the top of the wall, flinging themselves up.
All the climbing made Red wonder. How were they good at wall climbing in the first place? They expected to fail more than once. They don't remember anything before their awakening in the void. Did they climb walls before? Red pondered on this while walking forwards. At least they had something to think about for the time being.
The neon red pony stopped near a drop. Several drops. It was around roughly two ponies tall for each drop. If they jump down, they might not be able to jump back up. Unless they can tap into their mysterious parkour magic and jump higher than they are used to.
Red considered it for a moment before jumping off the first drop, then the second, and third. They were committed now. With luck, they can find a new pony soon. They did not have to wait long.
After jumping off the third drop, Red catches sight of a white square plane and a figure laying on top of it. Like the colored course they had to go through, the pony had an orange outline.
Red walked near the stranger with caution but after seeing the figure asleep, they poked at the barrel of the pony. The stranger groaned at the repeated touching and tried to swat Red's hoof away. Determined to wake the pony up, they used both hooves to shake the orange pony.
"Mmm... five more minutes" the pony murmured.
Red was tempted to slap the orange pony awake but thought against it. What's five minutes in this void? Red laid beside the orange outlined pony and waited until they woke up. They needed one anyways after the wall climbing.
Red stared at the orange path for what felt like half an hour before they got bored again. Their curiosity for the orange outlined pony was getting bigger and bigger the more they looked at them. Red looked at the sleeping figure and only begin to notice a few things. The orange pony's mane was unkempt and long. Their muzzle was curved and the orange pony possessed a more slim figure.
Although the lack of colors, they can identify the pony in front of them was a mare.
Red was suddenly conscious about attempting to wake the mare up. They can't do their original plan of slapping anymore. It would be immodest! They had to find another way.
They could wait until the mare woke up, however, that would take an unknown amount of time. While it did take a long time for them to wait until this orange path appeared and connected to the main island, it would be better if they were in the main island to be ready for it.
"Hello?" Red poked at the mare's head. "Wake up. It's been more than 5 minutes"
The orange mare stirred from her sleep. She blew her mane out of her face in a futile attempt to push it away. She sat up to use her forelegs to part her mane.
She first met the void that surrounded her. The eternal darkness. Red could see her blink with her eyes. She is likely confused like they were when they first awoke. She looked down to see the orange path ahead of them and the white platform that she stood on. Then looked at her limbs to see that they are the same like the road. Orange outlines, dark insides.
Red chuckled softly and the sight. It was almost like seeing a foal look at themselves in the mirror. It was enough to catch the attention of the orange pony and they were both locked in an awkward gaze.
"Uh... hi?" Red greeted.
"Hello?" The orange pony looked around her, "Where... am I?"
"I wondered the same thing myself. Do you have a name?"
"Name?" The mare placed a hoof under her chin, "I remember having a name before but now I don't. Does that make any sense?"
"I think so. It's almost like, we we're living a life some place else before waking up here"
"Yeah... I remember doing something. Can't remember what it was then passing out"
"Huh. That is coincidental" Red can vaguely remember sleeping on their bed, looking at their alarm clock periodically. Were they waiting for something?
"Do you remember your name?"
"I don't, but I call myself Red" Red lifted one hoof up, "Because I'm red"
"Then, I guess I'm Orange" Orange looked down at her chest to see her colored outlines.
"Nice to meet you, Orange. You're the first pony I've seen in... a long time. I'm not sure how long "a long time" is. There's no sense of time here at all"
"Nice to meet you too, Red"
Red brought their hoof up and Orange bumped it.
"So... How do we get out of here?"
"I know where to go. Follow me"
Red led Orange out of the white platform and down the orange walkway. Not long after, they reach the drops. Red thought for a bit before walking to the wall. They stood next to the wall, facing to the void.
"Climb on my back. You should be able to reach the ledge"
Orange hesitated and climbed onto Red. It was hard to differentiate what is pony and what is air. Red wobbled a bit yet stood still until Orange pulled herself up. Orange peered over the edge and reached out to Red.
"Grab my hoof"
This time, it was hard for Red to know what was not pony and what was pony. A few near misses then a firm grab onto each other's hooves. Orange pulled Red up the ledge. The mare was heaving already.
"One down, two to go"
"There's two more?"
"Tired already?" Red pats on Orange's shoulder, "Here, you stand near the wall while I climb up"
After a short rest, Orange did as she was told and stood next to the wall. Red was arguing with themselves on how to execute this plan. Either they run up and use Orange's body as a boost or they do the slow style. Granted, being fast will get them back home quicker at the cost the back of the only other pony in the void.
Slow style it is.
Red climbed on Orange's back and lifted themselves up with simplicity. In a quick motion, they turned around and reached out for Orange. The carrot colored pony rubbed her flank for bit and climbed upwards. The last drop was similarly easy for them both as well.
"Now that's done we just have to... oh no" Red gazed out the orange pathway with concern.
"What? What is it?"
"I had to wall climb to get up here. With the handles jutting out and everything" Red inhaled then exhaled sharply, "How are we supposed to get down?"
"Oooh... that is a problem"
"That's a long drop..."
Orange was prone on the ground. She peeked over the edge of the wall and gulped. The wall was 20 ponies tall. Falling from that height has a slight probability for surviving however, none of them wanted to take chances. They both agreed on scaling the wall until they're down.
"Ready?"
"I'm not so sure anymore"
"It'll be fine. If you fall, I'll catch you"
"But if you catch me, who will catch you?"
"Well... I hope that doesn't happen"
The ruby colored pony goes down first. Slowly descending down the wall in the most safe route. Orange started following, taking the same path Red took.
Red looked up at Orange. The mare was in the middle of the wall, trying to extend her rear leg for a hump that was inches away from grabbing.
"Jump! I'll catch you" Red shouted from below.
"What?"
"I'll catch you. Don't worry"
Orange stopped reaching for the step and focused on staying on the wall. How she was able to get to here without falling was a feat. Her heart was racing, thinking of anything but falling down from roughly ten ponies tall. She glanced over her shoulder to see the scarlet-colored pony with outstretched arms below her.
She wasn't sure about this but let go of her grip.
Red, who was expecting the pony to jump from her position, rushed forward to save Orange from the drop. Red miscalculated in their speed and instead of their forelegs waiting below the mare, it was their forehead instead. Pony collided with pony then then two were entangled with each other at the base of the wall.
"Oww..." Red rubbed their head with their free hoof.
"I'll catch you this time"
Red and Orange were at the three jumps. Red dropped down to the flat platform with ease. Their legs reaching out to Orange. To the orange mare, she was doubting heavily.
"It's not going to work!"
"It's gonna work now. You just have to jump to me"
Orange turned her head to the right then to the left searching for another way to get down. Finding nothing, she drops down to the floor and inched herself over. She used one foreleg to grip the edge as tight as she can and looked to Red. Seeing this, Red moved below Orange and nodded at her. She nodded back and released her grip.
The catch was smoother this time. The ruby outlined pony grasped onto Orange as she fell a much shorter distance. In no time, the mare was on her hooves.
"Thank you" Orange says.
"No problem"
"Do we have to do any more of those trust falls?"
"Not anymore, we just have to walk a long way back home"
"Home?"
"Well... something like that. It's more like a big island with a house in the middle"
Both neon tracings walked into the long walkway. The travel is long and empty. However, Red is comforted that they are no longer alone in this vast dull world.