He opened his eye's there was a face looking over him. It was fuzzy and he couldn't make it out but it looked like her.
“You girls got him here just in time.” Fluttershy said as she finished tying off the bandages. Its face had been cut up by tiny shards of glass. Jagged pieces of wood from the claws of a timber wolf sticking out of its side. it had looked very pale.
“Oh the poor thing.” The pegasus ran a hoof over one of a number of other scars that covered its body. Some big some small. Its left arm was completely white, it felt like metal. Its shoulder a mangle of scar tissue where it connected to the metal appendage.
Hanging around its neck was a pair of metal dog tags and a pendant. The dog tags where engraved with numbers and names. One read Raven Jarnefeldt, and the other Joshua O’Brien.
Fluttershy had been uttterly shocked and terrified, when the three little fillies had showed up at her cottage. Dragging the unconscious bleeding creature into her cottage. But the worry she felt for any injured animal took over as she took care of the thing.
“You found it in the Everfree forest.” Fluttershy asked walking over to the three fillies. They all looked fine. A little dirty but those three always got dirty. When crusading for there cutie marks.
“Yeah it beat up that big old timber wolf.” Applebloom interjected as she looked at the thing fluttershy had taken off the things helmet and what she had thought was its skin. But it was just some fancy cloths.
“Of course it did its an alien.” Scootaloo said looking at the helmet. “This is its space suit I bet it crash landed. When that light fell from the sky this afternoon.”
Fluttershy had seen said light while in town shopping for her animals. Everyone had seen the glowing pink light they had heard the boom.
“No way that was it's death ray.” Applebloom said holding a metal looking device. She showed it to fluttershy who looked at it like it might blow up.
“Dddeath ray?” Fluttershy asked worriedly looking at the strange metal contraption. It had emergency written on the side. That relieved Fluttershy's worry little. “Ma..maybe you should put that down.” the older pony insisted taking the thing from Applebloom.
A pained moan filled the room as Flutttershy did what came naturally. She went to the source of pain to try and help it. The poor creature eye's opened slightly unfocused. “Fionna.”
It's eye's slid shut as it fell back to sleep. “It talks.” Flutttershy blinked.
“Thats what it said to us.” Sweetie bell spoke up from behind Flutttershy. As she poked the the things arm. Hey girls look it's has a cutie mark.” Sweetie bell said pointing to the right shoulder a jagged scare ran through it obscuring what it was.
This drew the attention of all three cutie mark crusaders. As they looked at things arms. “Your right but there both different.” Scootaloo said poking the metal arm.
“You think it has cutie pox?” Applebloom asked a little worried reminded of her own experience.
“Girls please leave him alone. He needs his rest. And you three should go home. Now its getting dark.”
“Ahh. Thats not fair.” Applebloom pouted giving her biggest watery eye's. “We found it.”
“Yeah we dragged it here from the forest.” Scootaloo complained as she fluttered her wings.
“I know we should sleep over.” Sweetie bell in all her brilliance spoke up a wide beaming smile at Flutttershy.
Flutttershy was ready to crumble but held firm. Giving her best stare. “No you three should go home. Or i'll tell your sisters where you two have been.” She said to Applebloom and sweetie bell the fact all three of them had been in the everfree forest. Was more then enough for them to be grounded for a few week's. “You can comeback tomorrow.” Flutttershy insisted.
With a collective “Fine.” from the three little fillies. Flutttershy walked them out of her home. With that done she gave quick check to the animal on her couch. He was sleeping quietly.
He was very big like a bear well maybe smaller then a bear. Its frame reminded her of a monkey or spike. It had a main of jet black hair on its head. No fur at all on its body. 'poor thing must be cold with out any fur.' she thought as she decided to get a blanket.
She would decide what to do with the poor thing when it woke up. In the mean time she would pay Twilight a visit tomorrow. See if she had any book's on this mysterious creature. Because Fluttershy was at a loss she had never seen an this specific type of animal before.
But that was tomorrow right now she had other critters she needed to take care of. She needed to make sure they had dinner before going to bed herself.
_______________________________________________________________________________--
Tragedy befalls all, even the most well prepared.
Raven opened his eye's breathing carefully. Steadying his breathing. The world slowly came into focus as he attempted to sit up stopping. As sharp pain spread through his body. He looked down at the bandages that had been wrapped around his lower torso.
'so it wasn't a dream? At least not all of it right.' His mind flashed back to the memory talking horses wolf made of wood. Utterly ridiculous obviously his subconscious had painted the cause of his injury as something else.
He inspected the bandages clean properly tightened. He might be sore but he would get over it. He then took in his surrounding's. Light filtered in through the window's giving him a view of a wooden interior, full of bird houses, bird cages, a small table infront of the couch he was sitting on and a rabbit that was staring at him.
Okay so maybe not all of it was a dream. Where ever he was it was someones home. “Oh your awake.” a startled voice stated gaining the full attention of the pilot.
Raven found himself speechless words did not exist. “UHH.” was the only vocal response he could make. Floating in mid air was another one. Only this time it was bigger at least ¾ his size. And it had wings flapping keeping its body afloat in the air.
“I'm sorry but you should be laying down um please if you want.” the thing was a light yellow with a pink main. It floated towards him holding a plate filled with slices of something. “Um your injury’s they need to heal. They'll heal better if you lay down. Um please.” its voice was getting quieter more nervous.
That was an excellent idea. Obviously he was still very delusional. So he complied laying himself back onto the couch. “Thank you.” it said to him placing a hoof on his forehead.
This was going to sound stupid. But the words left his mouth before he could process it. “Are you aware your a flying horse?” Raven asked staring at her. As she recoiled startled by his voice.
“Iii im a a pony.” She stuttered out very quietly.
“Oh okay.” Raven didn't know there was a difference but okay what ever. “Am I hooked up to any morphine or painkiller's?”
“I don't think so. Are you?” it asked him back a little curious. Raven gave a slight shrug. That was how he was going to rationalize this.“Are you hungry?”
Due to food rations Raven along with most of the general populace was always hungry. “Yes.”
“I wasn't sure what to feed you so I brought you some sliced apples is that okay?” that was more then okay Raven hadn't had an apple in years they where a very pricy commodity.
“I'll eat anything your willing to give me.” She smiled at him as held out the plate to him. Raven sat up slightly.
“Um if its not a bother. Could I ask you. If its okay with you. What are you?” she babbled out embarrassed and still nervous.
“I'm a linx pilot.”Raven stated as he took a little apple slice popping it into his mouth. Letting out a sigh of delight. Raven couldn't remember the last time he had had apples. The sweat tangy taste. He looked at her for a moment. “Do you have a name?”
“Im um well im Fluttershy.” she said very quietly avoiding his eyes she had been doing that the entire time. “Do you have a name?”
“ Raven. You can call me Raven.”
Fluttershy found that the strange creature while a little scary at first. Wasn't as dangerous as the three little fillies had made him out to be. He had eaten three more plates of sliced apples and had thanked her for kindness and generosity.
Before laying back down to stare at the ceiling at had watched as she worked on taking care of her other animal friends and had even asked her a number of other questions. Very strange ones like
“Is the air outside breathable? Where did she get apples? Where there other creatures like him? Was this a science dome? Did all pony's talk? Was there fighting? Was there war?” very strange and unusual questions that made nervous little Fluttershy. She was starting to the think the girls might be right about him being an alien from another world.
“I have to go and visit a friend. Do you need anything?” Fluttershy asked asked as the Linx laid on her couch just staring at the ceiling he turned towards her staring at her with red eye's.
“I should be fine on my own. Thank you.” He was very polite and that was very good. With that she went out leaving Raven alone to his own devices.
Most rational beings when faced with something impossible will try to make sense of a situation. A superstitious person might see a shadow out of the corner of there eye and say ghost. A skeptical person might dismiss it as a trick of the light.
A rational person like the skeptic will reason with what they just saw. By looking for something that might have caused the phenomenon.
Raven was a rational person analytical who's beliefs where based on what he saw and believed to be true. That’s not to say he wouldn't take leaps of faith. Sometimes he had to as pilot, sometimes what he saw wasn't the truth. And he had to make a quick decision that could either help him succeed in a mission or fail.
He had spent the better half of two hours believing he was doped up on pain medication. While talking to flying horse. Or rather pony. Who he believed was a human nurse taking care of him.
But most glaring and obvious truth was that his side was still in pain. And those apples had tasted rather real. He didn't feel numb from medication. He had watched the pony like a hawk waiting for something obvious to pop out at him.
So he could rationally dismiss this as a hallucination. At the very worst he had gone insane. His mind after years of fighting and the stress of his responsibility's had taken its tole. That was a terrifying thought. Was he locked up in a padded room? Was he in a coma and this was the best his mind could come up with?
A brightly colored world filled with adorable critters. Breathable air, fresh water, fresh food. A place with out fighting or war. A happy peaceful world.
Was this the reality his shattered psyche had come up with? Could he no longer bare the harsh truths of the world? He sat up ignoring the pain.
He was starting to hyperventilate his breathing becoming erratic. He grabbed his wounded side and began to squeeze the bandaged wound. Pain searing pain filled his body his breathing began to slow down.
“Fluttershy are you home?” a familiar voice called out on the other side of fluttershy's door.
“We came to see the alien.” The door opened up revealing three little pony's.
“Mr alien!” the little white one bright eye'd and happy to see him came running into the room. Fallowed by the orange one and the yellow one.
“You feelin any better Mr. Alien?” the yellow one asked
“I will survive.” Raven sighed out as he sat back on to the couch looking at the wooden ceiling.
“Hey how'd you get your cutie mark Mr. Alien?” the yellow one was was pointing a hoof at his shoulder.
“Raven. My name is Raven.” He said a little annoyed. “So who are you three?”
“ I'm Applebloom!” the yellow one with a bow tie excitedly introduced her self.
“I'm Scootaloo!” the orange filly chorused in her tiny little wings fluttering.
“Sweetie bell.” the white one sung out. Then all of them cried out in unison. “And where the cutie mark crusaders!”
“The what?” Raven asked mildly confused.
“Where crusading ta find our cutie marks.” Applebloom was very excited as she spoke about her club and friends.
He was sure he was going to regret it but. “Whats a cutie mark?” And all three of them exploded.
“Its your special talent. The thing your the very best at in the whole world.” Scootaloo was waving her hoofs around in the air. Apparently this was very important to them. From what he understood it was a mark that would shape on the flanks. It would represent there special talent.
“You have two of them.” Sweetie bell said touching his left arm. It was hard like and cold like metal. “What wrong with your arm?”
“And whats your cutie mark supposed ta be anyway? Is it an eye? Are you good at seeing?” Applebloom was staring at the emblem engraved into his arm.
“Shhhhh.” Raven shushed at the three who stopped in there endless questioning. To look at him. “Where I come from its not very polite to pry into someones business.” the three of them gave big adorable puppy dog eye's.
“Hmm. Alright. This one I got from a friend who... moved on.” He said pointing to the one on his left shoulder. He pointed to the one on his right shoulder. “This one I got when I became a NeXT pilot.”
“Whats a next?”Sweetie bell was the most excited.
“ Its high output Neuro Interface.......” They where all quit staring at him. Looks of confusion filling there faces. “It's a giant robot.” That was the short hand answer. And children liked giant robots.
“Whats a robot?” Well this was going to take a while.