//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Waking Up to a New Reality // Story: An Un-Natural Turn of Events // by NinjaMare //------------------------------// The buzzing of my phone’s alarm is easily one of my ten least favorite things in the world. Grumbling I flopped my hand about in search of my phone, but was coming up short. I grumbled again as I had to open my eyes and actually had to search for the damn thing as it continued to buzz, until I spotted it on the floor next to the bed. reaching down I turned the alarm off and saw the time was 7am in the morning, a little later than what I’m used to wake up at, but it wasn’t too bad. I turned the phone off and just started to snug back into the bed, but that’s when I noticed something was off. my legs and arms felt cold, and the blanket wasn’t on me. probably just knocked it off me while tossing in my sleep again. Sitting up in the bed I looked around for the bed…however as I did so I started notice that my room…didn’t look like my room. I then noticed that I wasn’t sleeping on my bed, and I also noticed that instead of the sun in the sky, I saw a night sky outside the window. And that’s when I remembered what happened when my brain finally decided to wake up, mostly. “Ugh, it wasn’t a dream.” I grumbled as I slouched back into the mattress of the bed and just stared up at the ceiling before looking out the window. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed fully, actually I didn’t want to get out of bed, mostly because I felt my more lax side coming back around and trying to convince me to go back to blissful slumber. And with a yawn I decided to just go back to sleep and get more sleep, after all before all this happened, I haven’t been getting enough sleep in the past month. So at least I can catch up on my sleep now without the threat of one of my bosses calling me to fill in, or anything else that happens in the world to disrupt me. As I drifted off back to sleep I started to feel this weird sensation in the back of head a few minutes in, like something was gently poking and prodding me. Naturally I tried swat what could be causing it, but even when I was rubbing the back of my head that feeling continued to tickle at the back of my mind. Okay it was starting to get annoying, so I turned to face the room and look to see if someone was causing it, but there was no one in the room. But what was stranger was that when I leaned up and scanned the room the tickling sensation slowly faded away, until it was gone. Seeing as there was nothing in the room with me, and that the tingling sensation was gone I tried to go back to sleep, and luckily nothing else happened. I feel right back asleep ten minutes into snuggling into the soft and warm bed, and this time I remembered to put the blanket back on. A yawn escaped me as I finally decided to fully wake up, two hours later when I was initially awoken from my phones alarm buzzing. Sitting up in the bed I lowered my field so that it was only covering me, before reaching over to where my backpack was and grabbed my clothes, which I started to change into while stuffing my shorts into my backpack. Once I was clothed and stretching out my body, and doing a few morning stretches I sat back down on the bed, and started to think about what I should do. Right now I’m in the room of a library, made out of a tree, in a world of talking multi-colored ponies of varying species. At the moment I don’t think I should just leave the town and venture out on my own, since I have no idea what could be waiting for me out there. Not to mention I could just wind up getting lost if I just waltz out of this town. “Alright. So what are my options at the moment.” I asked myself if I just laid on the bed while looking at the ceiling. “I can’t leave because I’ll most likely get lost, as well as meet something that either isn’t friendly, or something I can’t fight.” I hummed as I started to ponder some other options. “I could stay here. At least the ponies, seem, nice…although I still know next to nothing about them.” I grumbled as my train of thought started to venture into the negative side. “For all I know the nice guy act could just be that an act. They might be attempting to capture me, and lock me up to study.” I continued to flip through the options and bouts of paranoia as I tried to figure out what to do next, but my thoughts were interrupted by the gurgling of my stomach. “…maybe I should try to have breakfast first.” I pride myself off the bed and started to make my way to the door, but before I opened it I pressed my ear up against it, trying to hear if anyone of the small ponies were up and about. But nothing. Cautiously I slowly opened the door while my left palm dimly glowed with a amber yellow glow, once the door was cracked open enough I peeked through and didn’t see the violet unicorn, or the small purple reptile, anywhere I could see. Emerging from the room I crept about as quietly as I could as I tipped toed into the main room, looking all around me to see if I could see them or anything that looked suspicious. Yet as far as I could tell nothing seemed remotely out of place, or look like it was an immediate threat. As I continued to walk about the inside of the library, I then started to hear snoring coming from a nearby upper landing. Curiosity peaked I quietly made my way to the landing, and using my power I created a force field around my feet, then by expanding the fields size I was lifted up just enough to glance over the landing, and that is where I found the reptile sleeping away. Seeing as Twilight was no where in sight, either on the landing or anywhere that I can see on floor that I was in, lowered myself down and started to make may to the staircase to head out. However just as I got to the steps I heard a door open, I looked around myself to see if it came from anywhere on the floor but nothing, but that’s when I heard the voice of the violet mare from at the bottom of the steps. “Oh good your awake.” The mare said with a smile as I looked down at her while she started to climb up, as she did so I noticed that she was carrying a pretty big pink box, and a few bags that looked like it had a few books in one while the other had vegetables. “I, ugh, just woke a moment ago.” I replied as I moved away from the stairs as the mare reached the top of the steps. “Are you hungry then?” she asked as she levitated the pink box over to me, opened it, and it was filled with donuts, muffins, and even a small cake. “My friend Pinkie Pie gave me this while I was out getting some stuff, saying that it was for you.” Pinkie Pie? Oh right, the bubbly pink pony. “Um, thanks.” I said with a little bit of hesitation as I took the box in my hands while the mare trotted off to a nearby room, where I heard some stuff being moved around. while the mare was shuffling stuff around I sat down on the floor and took one of the donuts and started to eat it. and it was good, still nice, and moist. “Well how are they? Pinkie Pie made sure they were as fresh as they could given the time.” Twilight asked me as she came out of the room, books levitating in that lavender aura along with an apple and orange. “There good.” I said as started eating the rest of the donuts. “Is she a baker or something?” “She works at a place called Sugarcube Corner, it’s the best bakery in town.” The little mare said as she then joined me on the floor. “If you don’t mind Baricade, I have a few questions that I would like to ask you.” I wasn’t to surprised to hear that she had questions, I mean I would to if our roles were reversed. Plus, this would be a good opportunity for me to learn about this world. “Sure thing, but I also have some questions of my own that I want to ask.” Twilight simply gave me a smile while nodding her head. And so we got to talking. it started out with basic questions for both us, first we each asked each other about our species, and obviously the little mare was fascinated with what I’ve told her about the basic stuff about humanity. Or at least part of it. heck, the little mare was writing down everything I was saying. But I was more surprised to hear about her race, and that the fact all ponies have magic! I mean after seeing Twilight manipulate stuff with that aura I thought it was just some kind of telekinesis power that was unique to her, but apparently all ponies of specific sub-species share common magical abilities. What really blew my mind was to hear that pegasi not only manipulate the weather, but also have a whole damn city dedicated to making weather conditions! This is getting not only weird but also very fascinating, but mostly weird. And when I voiced how incredible I found the ponies to be based on what they could do, Twilight countered by saying the stuff that humanity could do was even more amazing. With how our level of technology have made so many advances in so many fields, how diverse our cultures are and the variousness of human diversity there was. “If you ask me Twilight I think you ponies might give humans a run for their money with your guys magical abilities.” I said in response as I finished the last of the donuts. “Really? I’m sure that your peoples own magical abilities would be equal to ours.” “My people don’t have magic Twilight, so there’s no chance of that happening.” I retorted as I decided on which muffin I would eat first. “But…if your race doesn’t have magic, then how were you able to make a force field?” I sighed as I heard that, I knew she was going to remark on that, and I tried not to bring it up…but if she wanted to know about humanity…she should know that whole story. “It’s not magic Twilight. You see, a long time ago, fifty or so years ago, someone decided to for lack of better way…kill all of humanity.” The little unicorn balked at what I had just said, which wasn’t a surprise. “But why!? the little unicorn asked with horror in her voice. “Why would any pony want to, kill, their own kind?!” I just shrugged my shoulders as I looked at her as I took a chocolate muffin in my hand. “From what I could remember the guy that attempted to commit global genocide, was clinically insane, or something along those lines. And made a machine that would eradicate any & all humans, but obviously it didn’t work…but it had a side effect.” I then held the hand that had the muffin in it, and with my powers ambient glow a small force field appeared in my hand, surrounding the muffin. “Instead of killing humanity, the machine instead caused…a mutation to occur. For past fifty years ten percent of the population developed various powers, most time these powers are radical, uncontrollable, and can cause many who develop them severe mental instabilities. And because of those issues, the remaining ninety percent of humanity fears them.” “But why?” I gestured to my hand that had the muffin & the force field where I continued. “The percent of humanity, the Norms, that don’t have powers fear those of us that do. calling us, Un-Naturals. And they fear us because of what we might use our powers for, many believe that those with powers will use them to cause harm and strife…and considering many Un-Natural suffer mental disabilities because of their powers, or have corrupted morals, they have a right to be afraid of us.” “Even my power is considered dangerous.” As I said that I then had the muffin be juggled in the small force field. “How is creating a barrier considered dangerous?” Twilight asked as she seemed confused in how my power could be dangerous. “My power is basically to generate and control kinetic energy that, on its own, takes the shape of a simple circular ball. I can manipulate the energy of my barriers to do various things, like enhance the barriers striking power when it collides with something, allow whatever or whoever I want to pass through it.” I then had the muffin be lunched out of the force field by going straight up, then as the muffin came back down till half it passed through the field…where it cut in half. The bottom dropping into my palm, while the top slides off and drops into the box. “That means I can also stop whatever comes halfway through the field, cutting it in-half. Or if someone is inside my barrier, I can prevent aid from coming in, or take the air out…allowing me to suffocate anything inside.” I looked at the small unicorn who looked shocked and scared at what I just told her. “And that is just a tenth of what I can do with my field.” “But…you wouldn’t really?” I just shook my head. “I try not to use my powers, at all if I can. If any Norms would see me use them, then I would be shunned and had Collectors come and try and capture me.” the little mare titled her head as she again looked confused. “Collectors?” “It’s a machine enforcer for the Norms, they are meant to track down and hunt any Un-Naturals. Then either kill them, or take them to be quarantined in containment settlements. So now adays, nearly all Un-Naturals like myself live in hiding, trying to pass as Norms to have a normal life, or live in very selected areas where the world government cannot touch them.” I was surprised when Twilight shuffled her way over towards me, and then wrapped me in a hug. At first I was about to push the mare off me, but I stopped when I heard her muffle an apology. I asked why she was apologizing for, and she said she was apologizing that I had to live in such a world. I wasn’t really sure how to take her apology, I mean why should she? Twilight wasn’t the Norms that hunted Un-Naturals, or cast fear on them because they didn’t had powers. honestly I’m not sure how to feel about this, but I just patted the little mare on the back and thanked her for the comfort. After the hug Twilight asked me more light hearted topics, while I asked more about pony culture and what life in this world was like. a couple of hours go by and eventually the unicorn had enough our talks, and said she was off to bed. I bid her goodnight while she said I was free to browse the books, unfortunately though as the mare headed up to the landing and I went to library section of the tree and grabbed a book, I couldn’t read anything that the book had. Since reading wasn’t an option, and I wanted to conserve the power on my phone for emergency usage, I decided to explore the town. So I exited the library as quietly as I could, and started to explore the town of ponies. At first I thought I wouldn’t see many ponies out and about, but I thoroughly surprised when I saw groups of ponies walking about, or enjoying talks or meals at restaurants or on their home. As I walked by many offered me curious glances, some even waved to me and offered me a greeting, while a few were a bit more cautious. And I could understand their cautiousness, after all I was still being a little cautious of them as well. Even after talking to Twilight and hearing her describe her people as peaceful and accepting, I was still keeping my guard up until I saw for myself if what she said was true. “OOF!” I heard a voice cry out while I felt something bump into me, and when I turned to look to what bumped into me I found a small mint green unicorn and a cream coated earth pony before me, with the former sitting on her rump while the later was checking on her if she was alright. “You okay there?” I asked as I looked down at the pair who looked back at me and actually squeaked in shock as they backpaddled away from me. I just chuckled at the pair as they hugged each other as they kept looking at me. “Am I really that ugly or scary looking?” my little joke seemed to have bring the pair out of their little panicked state and the earth pony spoke up. “N-no!” the mare said as she and her companion separated from each other. “Sorry we didn’t mean to offend you, we just, didn’t expect to pump into, you.” I just waved the mare off. “Nah its fine. I wasn’t paying attention where I was going, so my bad.” As I said that I noticed that the unicorn was giving me an odd look, sure obviously looked curious, but it also looked like she was studying me. “So, your that creature that came to town earlier today right?” the mint pony asked to which I simply nodded. “That I am.” After confirming the mare’s question she actually trotted up to me and actually started to circle me, and on occasion poked me with a with a hoof. “Lyra stop that! your being rude!” the other pony said as she looked up to me with an apologetic look while trotting over to the unicorn, and pulling her away from me. “I’m sorry about my friend she can sometimes get carried away when something peeks her curiosity.” “Nah its no problem.” I said to the earth pony as I walked past the pair. “See ya.” As I walked past the two mares I continued to explore the town, and occasionally met a few ponies that actually reached out to me and asked me to join them. and I gotta say, Twilight was right about one thing that I can comfortably confirm was right, ponies are a friendly bunch. At least they appear to be, better stay on my guard incase something unexpected happens.