//------------------------------//
// Between Life and Dreams 
// Story: Strands of Light 
// by OathOfCalm 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3:  Between Life and Dreams


Little Shine slowly came out of the darkness of sleep.  His mind was still frazzled, unable to form clear thoughts.  His eyes were sealed shut, and no amount of effort would compel them to open. He turned his attention to his sense of touch.  Clearly, he was no longer on the wooden floor of his bedroom, as he could feel a soft material embracing him.  Still unable to will his eyes open, he began the process of sliding one of his hooves across the fabric.  

His hoof didn't move one inch before he was assaulted by pain.  It was like the blade of a knife slicing him from the inside.   His whole body seized up and refused to move.  Just as quickly as the pain had come, it died down, and was replaced by a new feeling.  

It was a sickening tidal wave.  It started in his gut and then cascaded high into his chest.  When it climbed even higher into his throat, Little Shine was sure that he was going to eject his stomach.  Luckily, this was not to be, but like the pain before it, it faded and was replaced by one more feeling.

It was the biggest head rush he had ever experienced.  If Little Shine could have widened his eyes, he would have.  It was an explosion in his mind, and whatever clear thoughts he had formed scattered.  

He lost all feeling, and once again sunk into the darkness of sleep.



* * *



The coastal water washed against Little Shine's hooves as he gazed out at the descending sun.  He particularly liked the feeling of the warm sand under his belly.  He was all alone at the beach, and the sound of the waves was like a soothing lullaby to him.  

Beside his right fore-hoof, a little shell lay in the sand.  It was flat and circular in shape, but unlike the other shells that were scattered along the shore, it was jet black in color.  Little Shine stared at it intently.  Every other shell is white.  So, what's up with this one, he thought.

Normally, Little Shine's perception was very acute.  Between his deep contemplation and the soft sand, however, he failed to notice the hoof-steps of another pony approaching. This realization occurred when a violent shove upon his side rendered him breathless.  He rolled onto his back and let out a grunt.  A lightning bolt shot through him briefly, and his body contracted for a second.

"Aw, I didn't hurt you, did I?"  the other pony said.

Little Shine slowly rolled back over and got back on his hooves.  The amount of effort it took him to stand was painful, and he shuddered at the top.  He shook his head and glanced at his attacker.  It was an orange colt.

"What did you do that for, Thornbush?"  Little Shine asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to see how long it would take you to get back up,"  Thornbush sneered.  "What was that you were looking at, a little baby shell?"

"I think it's a really pretty shell, and it's black, too."

"Oh, it's pretty, is it?"

Thornbush trotted over to where the little black shell was resting.  He tilted his head and examined it for a bit, and brought his hoof down.  The shell shattered into countless pieces.  Thornbush lifted his hoof once more, and kicked the sand.  There was no longer any trace of the shell as the pieces sank down through the water of the shore.

"Hey!  I was going to bring that home and show my mom and dad!" Little Shine said.  

"Aw, Shiny Whiny was gonna bring a little shell to mommy and daddy.  What a little baby."  

"I'm not a baby!"

Thornbush laughed and took a step toward Little Shine.  "You're such a baby.  You're so weak that you can't even buck the apples off a sapling."

Little Shine's ears drooped.  "It's not my fault that I'm not strong.  But I'm good at other things."

"Oh ya.  Like what?  Daydreaming?  Whining?"

Little Shine stomped his hoof into the sand.  "You know what?  If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all!"

"Aw, is that something that mommy and daddy said to you?"  

"Yes, actually."

Thornbush reared his head back and laughed again.  "Your such a wimp, Little Shine.  You can't do anything without your mommy and daddy holding your hoof.  You should just give up on life.  Face it.  Your not going to get far."

Little Shine's calm demeanor began to crack.  The hint of tears were beginning to form.  "Why can't you just leave me alone?  Pick on someone else."

Thornbush snorted.  "Someone else might actually stand up for them self.  You're too easy, Shiny Whiny.  You are a baby, after all."

It was too much for Little Shine.  No response was improving the situation and he didn't know what else to say.  The only option left for him was to walk away.  Unfortunately, this course of action did not agree with Thornbush's plan.

As Little Shine turned to leave, Thornbush galloped in front of him.  Little Shine tried to move around him, but to no avail.  

"Get out of the way, Thornbush.  I want to go home."

"Aw, running away to mommy and daddy.  Typical.  Well, that's not going to happen.  We need to do something first."

Little Shine tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.  "And what would that be."

"We're going to play Last Buck."  

Little Shine's eyes widened.  Last Buck was a game that Thornbush and his friends liked to play.  Each pony would take turns bucking each other until one gave in.  It wasn't allowed in school, of course, due to its violent nature.  But that didn't stop Thornbush and his friends from playing when the teachers weren't looking.

Little Shine shook his head.  "No."

"Aw, come on!  I'll even let you go first, Shiny Whiny."

"No, Thornbush.  I don't want to play."

"Ok.  I guess I'll go first."

Thornbush spun around and reared his hind legs.  With a triumphant growl, he bucked.



* * *



Consciousness bubbled up through the haze of sleep.  Little Shine could still feel the soft fabric cocooning him, while cold air brushed against his face.  He lay there motionless, afraid to move, as he didn't want to repeat the same awful experience twice.  Several minutes passed and the sound of crickets was his only companion.  He listened to them, as there was nothing else to do but wait.  

His mind was a lot more clear then that last time he had woken, and questions began to form in his mind. Where am I?  How did I get here?  Where's mom and dad?  Where's Stone Pillar?

As he pondered each question in turn, a new sound reached his ears.  It was the sound of a tent zipper opening, and then a flutter of wings along with the trotting of hooves.  He was still scared to move, and didn't dare attempt to open his eyes.  There was a thud as the fluttering ceased.

"Is he, um, going to be okay?"  a soft female voice asked.  

"Yes.  His heart rate is much more stable now then a few hours ago.  His breathing is a lot stronger, too," a deep male voice answered.  

"Oh, that's just wonderful.  Twilight was really worried." 

"Indeed.  The princess looked quite rattled.  She's been hounding me every five minutes."

"Well, he was really injured.  I'm so happy that you were able to save him."

"Hmm, yes.  The surgery went quite well," the male voice affirmed.  "I have some more rounds to make.  Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Oh, yes.  Well, I mean, Twilight asked me to and I've had a lot of experience tending to animals, so, I should be okay."

"Very well then.  If you do have any problems just call one of the nurses."         

"I will.  Thank you doctor."

The sound of heavy hoof-steps faded to nothing, and then the zipper closed.  Softer hoof-steps grew nearer.  It was at this point that Little Shine decided to try and open his eyes.  It was a painful process, but slowly, his eyelids obeyed his command.  After a few blinks, his eyes stayed open, and for the first time in several hours, he was able to see the outside world.

A yellow pegasus with a pink mane and three butterflies as a cutie mark stood before him.   He was inside a small tent, and was wrapped in a blanket resting upon a mattress.  He turned his head and saw that the tent was illuminated only by an oil lantern, and it was clear that the night was in full swing.  He turned his focus back onto the pegasus.  She smiled at him and trotted closer.

"Oh, your awake.  How are you feeling, Sweetie?" she asked.

Little Shine contemplated the question for a moment.  He didn't feel any passive pain, and he had been able to open his eyes. 

"Okay, I guess," he said.  "I haven't tried moving yet, though." 

"I think it would be best if you didn't move just yet.  What's your name?"

"Little Shine."

"Little Shine.  That's a nice name.  I'm Fluttershy."

Little Shine tentatively stretched a hoof.  Unlike his first attempt, there was no sharp pain.  It did feel like every muscle was drained of energy, and his leg ached.  

"Oh, Sweetie. I don't think you should move too much," Fluttershy said.  

Little Shine obeyed and fell still.  He didn't mind not moving too much at the best of times, and the blanket was very comfy.  
It was the only one in the tent, he realized, which then lead him to an alarming thought.

"Where's mom and dad?  Where's Stone Pillar?" he asked.  

Fluttershy looked down at the floor and dug at the ground.  "Um . . . Well."  

Fluttershy didn't continue.  Little Shine waited.  She still didn't say anything.  A slow realization crept into Little Shine's mind, and a blade pierced his heart.

"No." 

Fluttershy put a hoof around Little Shine and held him gently.  "I'm sorry, Sweetie.  You were the only one that Twilight found and-"

"NO!"

When one is emotionally charged, physical shortcomings can sometimes be temporarily forgotten, and others can sometimes feel this emotion as their own.  Despite the aches and pains, Little Shine threw his hooves around his head and wept, while Fluttershy fought hard to keep back her own tears.  The thought of losing one's whole family was almost too much for her to bear.  She wrapped her wing around Little Shine and pulled him close.

"Shhh. . . It's okay."

Over an hour passed while Little Shine let out his sorrow.  Fluttershy couldn't imagine what was going through his mind.  He was just a young colt, and he had lost everything.  She sat there, gently stroking him with her wing, trying to come up with something else to say other than "it's okay".  When a tear drop plopped onto Little Shine's head, she realized that she, too, was crying softly.  The sound of the tent zipper opening took her attention away from Little Shine, and Twilight walked inside.  She slowly approached the two ponies, glancing back and forth between them.

Fluttershy glanced up at Twilight.  "Little Shine, look.  The princess is here."

She looked back down at Little Shine, only to find that his eyes were closed.  He was no longer crying, and his breathing was deep.  

"Oh, I guess he cried himself to sleep," Fluttershy said.

"It sounds like you almost could have done the same, Fluttershy," Twilight closed the gap between them and sat down.  "Are you okay?"

Fluttershy sighed.  "It's just so sad, Twilight.  He lost his whole family.  It would be like me losing you, or Rainbow Dash, or Rarity, or . . . or anypony.  I can't imagine what that would be like."

"I know," Twilight said as she stroked his mane with her hoof.  "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"It'll take a while for him to accept what's happened, I think.  What is going to happen with him?"

Twilight looked up at Fluttershy.  "Well, we need to find out if he has any extended family or guardians to take care of him.  His name is Little Shine?"

Fluttershy nodded.  

"Okay, when we get back to Canterlot, I'll check the Equestrian census records."

Twilight stood up and headed toward the exit.  Before stepping through the opening, she looked back at Fluttershy.  "You're doing a great job, Fluttershy.  I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Twilight."



* * *



Little Shine lay in a hospital bed that was centered in the room.  Stone Pillar sat on the bed with him, holding his hoof.  Both Radiant Wing and Brass Hoof stood beside the bed, looking down at their injured son.  

The room was a small but private room in the hospital.  The walls were a light blue color, similar to Radiant Wing's coat.   There was a small bedside table beside Stone Pillar, and a window just beyond that.  The bright morning sun filtered through and saturated the room.  A small shelf of foals' books was in the opposite corner to the window, and a private bathroom door lay just beyond the base of the bed.  

The sign of fatigue could be seen on both parents.  They had spent the entire night here with their son, and the ordeal had taxed them mentally and physically.  Radiant Wing was forced to cancel a late art class that she was teaching when she heard the dire news.  Brass Hoof had been preparing for a meeting that was to occur the next day with a sales representative from the clay mine.  

It had been a friend of Stone Pillar, Beryl Wind, that had found Little Shine alone on the beach.  She had been giving her little sister a flying lesson, and spotted his crumbled form.  Immediately she had rushed to find Stone Pillar.  

Stone Pillar looked down at his brother.  "How are you doing, Bro?"

Little Shine stared at the wall.  "As long as I don't move, I'm fine."

There was not much he could do to move anyway.  His chest was wrapped like a straight jacket in bandages.   Several of his ribs had been broken, and one of the bone splinters had pierced his lung.  

"Why?  Why did he do that?  I don't understand," Little Shine asked.

"I don't know, Shine," answered Stone Pillar.

"Well, I intend to have a long talk with his parents," Brass Hoof said.

Radiant Wing put a hoof on her husband, and looked into his eyes.  "Just be careful, Dear.  I know you're angry, but you don't want to lose your temper and say something you'll regret."

"Don't worry, Wing.  I won't deny that I am angry, but I also know that creating family feuds won't help.  I've dealt with a lot of, 'interesting' ponies at the mine before."

"Does he really hate me that much?" Little Shine sniffed. 

Radiant Wing and Brass Hoof  turned back to Little Shine.  Radiant Wing sighed.  "I don't think he hates you, Little Shine.  Something else is going on with him, I think.  I'm just not sure what."

Stone Pillar huffed.  "Mom.  He bucked Little Shine across the shore, and didn't even stay to help.  How is that not hate?"

Radiant Wing was silent for a while before answering.  "True hatred is a very rare thing, Stone Pillar.  And it's even rarer in a pony that young.  Clearly, Thornbush is a bully, and bullies usually have something that they're hiding.  That's why they do it, to cover up their own weakness."

"What could Thornbush be hiding?" Little Shine asked.

Radiant Wing smiled.  "If I knew that, Little Shine, we would've solved this a lot sooner."

A soft knock caught the attention of everypony.  A light green mare carrying a saddlebag stood just outside the door.  She timidly poked her head inside.  

"Beryl Wind!  Come in, Dear."  Radiant Wing extended her wing and waved her in.  

"Thanks, Radiant Wing."  Beryl Wind trotted right beside Little Shine and smiled warmly.  "Oh, I'm so glad that you're okay.  Glimmer was so worried about you.  She practically cried herself to sleep."

Little Shine could barely believe what he was hearing.  A filly was worried about him?

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course, Little Shine.  She wanted me to give this to you.  She hopes you'll like it."

Beryl Wing undid her saddle bad, pulled something out with her teeth, and then plopped it on the bed in front of Little Shine.  It was wrapped up and topped with a little blue bow.  Little Shine stared at it curiously, and then at Stone Pillar.

"I got it, Bud."  Stone Pillar scooped up the present and gently unwrapped it.  Inside was a small box of crayons.

Little Shine's eyes lit up like fireflies and he let out a squee.  Crayons were his favorite objects in the whole wide world, and several days ago, Thornbush had thrown away his last box.

"Oh my gosh.  Thank you, thank you!  Where is Glimmer?"

Beryl Wind chukled.  "She's in school right now, Little Shine.  But maybe she could visit later today.  Would you like that?"

"Oh, yes please."

Stone Pillar slid the crayons over to Little Shine, and any conversation around him was lost.  He inspected every crayon to admire their distinct color, and was dutifully satisfied.  Perhaps this day would get better after all.