//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: Questions and Answers // Story: Little Horn's Story // by kwr2k13 //------------------------------// Small Horn: Chapter 3: Questions and Answers Sam woke up in his hospital bed, feeling refreshed, and very much alive. The potion and spa treatments that friendly Zebra and her pony Spa attendants in that Dreamscape, as he called it must have worked their magic. Then, the female doctor came by. The female doctor, who was Dr. Vanessa Wells, as indicated on her name badge, checked Sam's vitals, "Oh, look who's finally awake! Welcome to the land of the living, Mr. Horner, or..." she ran her fingers through Sam's brown hair, "shall I start calling you Miss Horner?" She smiled, "I really like your mane! Tell me, where do you have it done?" Sam glared at Doctor Wells, "First of off, last i checked I was male before I ate that really bad sandwich. Did you find out what was in it?" He then tried to shoo the doctor's hands from his longer hair/mane. "As for why my hair looks this way, uhm, I have no clue." Dr. Wells chuckled, "Then you don't mind answering a few questions? I can get you some food and some new hospital clothes, if you want. Those clothes look way to big on you. Must have lost some weight and some mass." She then shows Sam the bathroom, "Oh, you may need to use the bathroom before we go. I will be outside. Don't take too long, Miss Horner." Dr. Wells wrote on a new patient chart the name "Samantha Horner, age 18, female." Something about this doctor did not set right with Sam. Why was she so interested in the growth and vitality of his, or her mane? Sam shook his head, wondering why the doctor was calling him a girl. He didn't look female, except for the long brown hair, blue eyes, and that mark thing on his thighs. He struggled to the bathroom and undid his hospital issue scrubs they placed him in after the first night. According to Doctor Wells, today was May 2, 2020. Perhaps the dream he had last night with Zecora and the Spa Ponies was real? Sam went into the bathroom, and saw the mark on his thighs. Light blue heart with those horns, two large horns, and one smaller one at the bottom. The middle of the design had a small light tan star. What that meant was still debatable. The urge to relive himself was first priority. Sam managed to sit down to relive himself. After he flushed, he went to wash his hands, and got a good look at himself in the mirror. There looking back at him was an apparent younger version of himself. Around 18, so he surmised. Blue eyes, long brown hair, and devoid of any facial hair, excluding the fine light tan coloration of his face, legs, and arms. The nails were well manicured, as were his toes. Did he just get a manicure-pedicure (or Hooficure, as the ponies would say) from Aloe and Lotus? At least they were efficient. No wonder why Dr. Wells mistook him as a girl! Zecora mentioned the name, "Small Horn" earlier, and said she was a filly. A Filly was a small female pony who attended Miss Cheerilee's school in Ponyville. That could not be him, right? Sam attempted to walk out to meet with Dr. Wells. As he walked beside her in the new smaller patient scrubs, Dr. Wells noted a change in gait for Sam's feet. They appeared to be raised slightly. "Walking on your toes, Miss Horner?" Dr. Wells said, adjusting her glasses. Sam remembered Silver Spoon, a classmate of Small Horn's, adjusting her glasses in that manner. Sam attempted to change his gait; his bare feet's arches were slightly arched to support a more equinesque feel. "Uhm, somehow, my feet appear to be slightly arched, more than usual? Is there something wrong with me, Dr. Wells?" Dr. Wells led Sam into a private office, and motioned Sam to have a seat at an empty table. She had his case file on her side of the table, and Sam sat across from her. "Now, Miss Horner, you were brought in last night for a severe case of food poisoning, correct? I have your file, so don't lie to me!" Dr. Wells continued to write more notes and watched Sam's expressions and body language. "I was on call when your parents brought you in. By the way, your parents are not here, are they? We need their insurance to cover your overnight visit in urgent care." Sam thought about the "Parents" who had come in with him as he lay dying. The only persons who cared for his welfare was a talking Zebra who spoke in rhymes and the pink and blue mares from the day Spa in his dreamscape. Zecora called them "Aloe" and "Lotus?" Sam figured he needed to tell the truth. He breathed in, and decided to tell Dr. Wells what he knew. "Last night, I ate something that made me violently ill. Today, I am fully healthy," his stomach growled, "and hungry...hungry enough to eat like..." He was about to say "a Horse," but something stopped him..."I'm just hungry. Not sure if I want to eat meat though. The thought of eating anything with meat in it still makes my stomach a bit nauseous." He almost threw up in his mouth at the thought of eating a hamburger. Now, some hay-fries from Haute Coutre, some apples from Sweet Apple Acres, some carrots from Carrot Top/Golden Harvest's garden, or an ice-cream sundae from Sugar Cube Corner, served by Pinkie Pie? Those would hit the spot! He thought. Wait a minute, hay-fries? Sundaes at Sugar Cube Corner with Pinkie Pie? Something's not right. Dr. Wells pushed a call button and ordered some salads and cookies for her and Sam. "So, you are a vegetarian? We do have meals at Mercy Hospital for patients who prefer fruits and vegetables over meat." The salads and cookies came in. "You like chocolate chip cookies? They're my favorite. Oh, attendants, please get Miss Horner some changes of clothes and some water. I need to follow up on her treatment, please." The attendants nodded and went to go get the items requested, "So, Miss Horner, how old are you...in human years?" Sam cocked his head slightly as he bit into a chocolate chip cookie, "Why do you need to know how old I am? I think I was 25 when I was brought in, and as I said, I was a male, last time I checked. Why are you insisting on referring to me as a female? I don't have breasts, do I?" He looked down to feel for the tell-tale signs of mammary growth, and found none that he knew of. Dr. Wells chuckled, "Perhaps, but let's wait and see what...develops, shall we?" That doctor seemed to anticipate Sam's every evasive move. She continued her questioning, "So, who are you really? Sam Horner, the male human, Samantha Horner, the teenage girl, or something or someone else entirely different?" She watched Sam's non-verbal communication for signs of lying or deception. Just then, Sam's ears went fuzzy as Dr. Wells saw a new development in Sam's unique condition. Two animal ears appeared on top of Sam's head, and poked up through the brown hair. The ears swiveled and flattened with Sam's emotional state. "Ah, you are something different. The strange mark on your thighs, those ears, the long hair or mane...Tell me, Miss Horner, if that is your real name...what's your story? Where are you really from? Some place where you and your friends pretend to be furries?" Sam glared at Dr. Wells, his/her new ears flattening near her head, "I'm not a furry!" She began to eat her salad and drink some water between the conversation. "If you want to know so much, why don't you watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic!" The now-teenager covered his/her mouth. "I just said that out loud, did I?" Dr. Wells tapped on her IPad the show's title Sam blurted out. "Oh, this is that children's television show on the HUB Network, meant to sell colorful equine-based toys and accessories to young girls! There appears to be a fanbase for these, especially for the male demographic.." she then continued, aid the next word with disdain, "Bronies," She sneered, "they are called, and the female fans are called Pegasisters, interesting." She then turned to Sam, "So, which one of these," she used air-quotes to signify disdain for what Sam would eventually become, "Ponies" are you?" She looked up more on the Ponies and discovered about their leaders, the main cast, and the various background characters, as well as the three tribes. "My, my, three different types of "ponies" in a magical land, called Equestria! This land is ruled by powerful, bevelolent rulers who control the Sun and Moon, how quaint." The picture on the IPad screen was turned towards Sam to show the white Alicorn, Princess Celestia and the blue Alicorn, Princess Luna, "Oh, they are sisters, according to this site. This seems so much like a fantasy, and here you are, sporting a pair of equine ears. Very realistic, I may add." Sam Glared at the Doctor, "I don't know what you are getting at, Doctor Wells, but unless you can tell me why you are interested in Ponies so much, I'm out of here." Sam attempted to leave the meeting. Dr. Wells then ordered the orderlies to bind Sam/Samantha up. "I have heard enough out of you, young lady!" She then summoned two burly orderlies, "Take Miss Horner to the examination room for further testing. I believe this one may prove useful." Sam was bound and gagged, struggling to denouce Dr. Wells and her crackpot schemes as being the work of Discord, but to no avail. During the transfer of the patient to the examination room, Sam's feet began to change slightly into hooves, which Dr. Wells noted in her chart. "Patient has not only equine ears and hooves, but has changed dietary habits. Fascinating." Sam was tied to the examination table, where a full body scanner would determine what type of pony he/she was. If the nice Zebra he/she met in the dreamscape was as helpful as she said, this would be the time to help this little pony out! Sam struggled as the guards placed restraining cuffs on Sam's legs and arms. The guards noticed the light tan fur on Sam's legs and the beginning of what appeared to be a hind hoof on each leg, "Dr. Wells, this one's got hooves!" One orderly called out. He then made sure to bind the hooved legs to the table with leg restraints. The arms were restrained as well. Dr. Wells glared at the henchman, "She's an equine, or pony, you idiot! She's supposed to have hooves! Four of them, to be exact. Keep her from, what was the term they use? Oh, it's called Bucking. Equines like her buck when startled or want to gallop! Bind her up so she doesn't buck!" The orderlies restrain the hooved legs and the arms, hoping they would see the full transformation in person. Sam continued to struggle as he/she tapped into the dreamscape realm to alert Zecora for help. Dr. Wells arrived in the examination room, and pulled on a mask and some rubber gloves. "Hooves? Yes, that makes perfect sense. Our semi-equine friend here has the beginings of the human-equine transformation. Secondary characteristics include fur coloration of skin, appearance of a strange mark on the outer thighs, soon to be the "Flank" or hind quarters of the pony they are becoming. Since there are three tribes mentioned in this article about the show Miss Horner shared with us, it is safe to say she is either a A). Pegasus, B). An Unicorn, or 3). An Earth Pony." She turns on the scanning device as the machine scans Sam's body, starting at the head. The Doctor continued, "If she is an Unicorn, she will sprout a horn in the middle of her head, and have the use of magic. I have a suppression collar handy for our "Little Pony" to wear." She holds the black collar with a tracking device embedded in it. "The other two tribes have either the ability to fly as a Pegasi or strength as an Earth Pony. She's way to weak to be an Earth Pony." Dr. Wells continued the scan..."Ah,, interesting development. No wonder why Miss Horner is a vegetarian...her entire digestive system has been modified to accommodate a herbivous lifestyle. Equines are quadrapedial as well." She turns to Sam, who is really tearing up. "Aw, don't cry my dear. I just want to see what Pony you are. I noticed your gait when we walked down to the conference room eariler today. The very start of your body slowly adjusting to your new life walking on all fours." Sam still could not move, but her new tail sprouted, sporting the same color as her mane. She somehow got the gag loose, "You won't get away with this, Doctor Wells!" He/she looked down at the tail, "Huh, a tail? How did that get there?" The tail switched with the mood Sam was in, and he/she was not a happy pony. Dr. Wells pulled up the Hush, Now Quiet Now song from The Stare Master episode, set it to a loop, and placed it over the equine ears of the young pony in the machine as it finished its scans. "You still haven't completed the final transformation into a female pony, or Mare...or are you younger? Oh well, listen to this song from your show, little pony. Sweet Dreams!" A blindfold was placed over Sam's eyes and the suppression collar was placed around the neck of the little pony for good measure. "Make sure she stays put. No one or no pony gets in or out, understand?" The guards head outside while Sam falls asleep to the muscial stylings of Fluttershy's lullaby. The changes to the young man bound to the scanning device would be more evident in the coming hours and the next day. Just what kind of pony was this one to become?