I woke up floating in the middle of an endless expanse of white. I almost started to panic, but I took some deep breaths and calmed down enough to assess the situation.
"Ok, let's see. Endless expanse of white, nobody, and nopony, around that I can see, and I'm floating. I'm either dead, dreaming, or I'm in a coma..."
"Jerry..." a voice seemed to echo. As I looked around for the source of the voice, I felt my body being pulled towards a tunnel that appeared out of nowhere.
While the tunnel got lighter and i thought i was dead i saw that i wasn't. Instead of going into heaven or wherever i would go I saw that Redheart was sitting beside my bed. She was quickly sobbing and whimpering into the bed sheets. Her wounds were bandaged and to my relif didn't look serious. While for me I was hooked up to so many IV's and a monitor. My heart beat a steady *blop...blop....blop*
"What the...Redheart, you're ok!" I exclaimed, but she didn't respond. I realised that she couldn't hear me.
"Dammit." I yelled. "Am I gonna be stuck like this or something until they eventually pull the plug!?"
I was full of anger right now. Not only was I stuck outside my body but Redheart was breaking down and I couldn't even talk to her. But while Redheart was sobbing I saw that some of the princesses came in.
"Nurse Redheart, we have come to check on the one named Jerry. Has there been any change?" the dark blue one, I assumed she was Luna, asked.
"No, princess. He's still asleep. The doctor said they can't risk waking him as he may go into shock. And I agree. We have to wait until his wounds are healed before we try."
Redheart replied.
"I'm being kept asleep till I heal, huh? DAMMIT!" I yelled. "I'm sorry Redheart, I'm so sorry..."
"Excuse me Redheart, but may I have a moment alone. There is something I wish to confirm." Celestia said. Redheart looked confused for a moment, but nodded slowly and followed Luna out of the room.
"What's she gonna confirm? What we already know? I'm asleep, not much else you can confirm." I said sarcastically.
"Actually Jerry, there is something else I wish to confirm, and if you can hear me, you've already confirmed it for me." Celestia replied with a small grin.
"Wait, what the hell? Ok, this is funny, for a second I could've sworn Celestia actually-"
"Heard you?" She said with a smirk.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. "WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"Oh, calm down Jerry. My sister and I raise the sun and moon. Seeing a spirit isn't inconceivable for us. And no, just because you are a spirit does not mean you're dying. It just means the ambient magic in the environment has affected you in a more potent fashion than to natives of equestria, given the lack of magic in your world." She explained.
"uh....what?"
Celestia sighed in irritation. "It means that this world’s abundance of magic has allowed your spirit to temporarily leave your body while it recovers."
"Oh, that makes more sense..." I said. "Sooo, why are we talking right now? One would think you'd have more important things to do than visit one hospitalised human."
"For one, it's to discuss what happened before you were hospitalised." She said with an eerily calm voice.
"Great...so, what exactly is my punishment?" I asked as calmly as I could, despite my worry.
Celestia chuckled. "You're not being punished Jerry. Your actions were justified, given the situation. And Nurse Redheart was adamant that the Diamond Dogs would have killed you had you not defended yourself."
"Ok, so I'm NOT in trouble?" I asked. Celestia nodded. "Ok then. So when will I get out of here? I kinda have to apologise for getting redheart kidnapped, y'know."
"It will take about another day for your body to recover. When it does, I do hope you take a moment to think just where you stand with Redheart. She happens to care for you quite a lot, maybe as more than just a friend..."
'Ooookaaaayyyy, I have no idea what she's talking about...' I thought to myself.
"Judging by the look on your face, you have no idea what I'm talking about, so I am going to forego the usual royal tradition of cryptic messages and get straight to the point. Redheart, is in love, with you, Jerry." She said the last seven words slowly, to make sure my brain had time to register the new information.
"Wait....what!?" I exclaimed when my brain finally caught up.
"Oh, stop being dumb Jerry. Redheart is in love with you. She dragged you back to Ponyville by herself, and she refused to leave your side the entire time you were here. When they thought you wouldn't survive the surgery, she almost broke down in tears." Celestia said with a sad look. "Jerry, she loves you. The question is, can you say you feel the same way about her?"
I thought for a bit really thinking hard about it. Did I have feelings for a talking horse?! After a bit I let out a quiet sigh coming a conclusion. She may be a pony and a talking horse...but she's just like a human in a lot of other ways. I nodded my head yes. "Yes I do Celestia." I said
She practically beamed. "Well then Jerry, I believe you have some time to think of how you're going to tell her." She said as she turned to leave. "And Jerry?"
"Yes Celestia?" He asked.
"You'll be called to Canterlot tomorrow to receive a medal for you service to Equestria. Since you've been unconscious, several missing ponies have reappeared in the towns they went missing from. It seems whatever you did convinced the Diamond Dogs to release all the ponies they had held captive, and for that, you have my thanks." She said, leaving me alone with my unconscious body.
I just grinned. "Well at least something came with coming to Equestria...wait....will my body be able to make the trip?" I asked aloud.
"Yes Jerry, it will. Your body will have completely recovered by tomorrow." Celestia's voice said inside my head. "And don't worry, this spell is strictly one-use only. I won't be able to use it on you again. See you tomorrow Jerry." And with that, her voice faded from my mind.
Well that answers my questions...now how to get back in my body....
Unfortunately, getting back inside my body was easier said than done. I tried every method I could think of short of climbing in through my mouth or....ugh, let's not even go there, but I couldn't get back in.
Then suddenly I LITERALLY was pulled back into my body when it turned morning. And the second my spirit was in, I woke up, literally jumping out of the bed. I ended up falling on the ground and, to my surprise, redheart came running in.
"JERRY!" She yelled, rushing to embrace me with a tearful smile on her face. "I'm so glad you're awake!"
"Ugh...yeah me too, Redheart. Still kinda sore sorry." I said hugging her back.
"It's ok. I'm just happy you're alright."
I just smiled as I felt some of her tears on my shoulder. Then came something in mind. "Hey redheart....you mind me telling you something?" I asked.
She tilted her head in confusion, but nodded. "Sure Jerry. What did you want to tell me?"
"Well first have you ever heard of an "Out of body experience?" I asked.
"Yes....but they're extremely rare though. Why do you ask?"
"Well I went through one and while I was I saw how you acted over me. Later while you were gone and celestia was here she talked to me. Then she told me something about you.....she said you loved me." I said.
“Oh...” Redheart replied, looking crestfallen, as if she expected to be rejected.
"What if I said I had the same feeling for you?" I asked looking into her eyes.
She took on a shocked expression, but only for a moment, before she wrapped her hooves around me and began to nuzzle my chest. "Do you really mean that?" She asked, tearing up.
Yes...it's true Redheart." I said with a smile running my hand through her mane.
She lifted her head up, smiling, and shot forward, planting a kiss on my lips. I was shocked at first but realized if I did love her i would have to show it. I kissed back, wrapping my arms around her.
She pulled back just long enough to whisper, "I love you Jerry." before diving back into the kiss.
The kissing lasted for a couple minutes before I finally stopped the kissing. I broke the kiss looking into her eyes and said. "I'm so glad you’re ok."
She chuckled and said, "Hey, I should be saying that about you. And by the way," she pulled out a small envelope, "This letter arrived from Canterlot. It's got the Royal Seal, meaning it was sent by one of the Princesses."
I just chuckled taking it from her grasp and held her close as I opened it and read it. Even though I knew what it was about.
"Well it basically says that I am to arrive in Canterlot later today to receive some sort of medal for what I did with the diamond dogs. Oh and it says that we are both being accepted as VIPs. Sounds great." I said to Redheart.
"Canterlot...Jerry, that sounds great." She said with a forced smile.
I just pulled her close into a tight embrace. "Hey...I remember what you said about what happened in Canterlot. You know we don't have to go i'm sure." I said in a soothing voice.
"I know...but, as long as you don't leave me alone there, I think I'll be alright." She said, before kissing me again.
I just gave her a quick kiss back before saying "I would never leave you alone there redheart...you know that..I care for you to much." I said soothingly.
"I know." She said. "Thank you Jerry."
I gave her another tight hug telling her it was alright. "So....the ceremony is at 7PM. tonight so I think we got a good bit of time before we have to go there." I said smiling.
She smirked. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well maybe you and me over on a mountain not infested by dogs I must add. We could just sit there looking around...or we could go to your house." I said smirking.
"Hmmm, that's a tough choice.' She said, tapping her chin in thought.
"Does the mountain sound better?" I asked.
"You know, I think it does." She said with a warm smile. "Let's go, loverboy."
"Heh yeah, lead the way." I said as we both got up. She led the way out not even needing to sign out.
"So, when did you start to....you know?" She asked sheepishly.
"Love you?..... hmmm I think maybe since I came after you when the dogs got you. I don't know really. Could've been love at first sight for all I know." I said clearly.
"I see." she said thoughtfully.