//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - New Stable // Story: Awakening of Ash // by Topaz Moon //------------------------------// Waking thoughts slowly started to assemble in his head. Filtering into these thoughts were dull pains from almost everywhere on his body. Lying there he was trying to remember why he might felt this way. That is right, I was injured in the forest and fell unconscious, he remembers after a couple of minutes. Letting his mind fully clear he starts to hear noises around him not normally associated with being in the forest. Voices with a slight echo to them, hooves upon hard surface like a stone courtyard, and somewhat stifled, dry air. With his mind now mostly clear and alert he opens his eyes to see he is in a structure. It is very well lit, like sunlight, unlike the flickering light of torches normally used in stables. The walls are a sort of off white color with matching ceiling and some brown trim around the edges where he can see. Out of the corner of his eye he sees some shapes painted upon the wall but is unable to see them well enough to tell what they are. Well this is an unfamiliar type of stable. It is nothing like those dingy stone and rough hewn wood stables I am used to he remarked in his head. Guess I should look to see how bad my leg is. Instantly he finds he is unable to lift his head or try to get up, something is holding him down. Starting to panic he keeps trying to get up, thrashing his legs and snorting. He can hear one of the voices is getting closer and louder telling him to stop his movements. A higher pitched voice is also calling to him, telling him he is ok and just strapped down to prevent more injuries. Coming to the realization that it is probably for the best, I stop my thrashing and try to calm myself. As I look out of the corner of my eye to the direction I hear a voice from, a brown baby pony comes into view. I laugh to myself wondering why such a small pony is in the same stable as me. They usually keep the smaller ones separate in the stables so they don't get accidentally injured by the adults on accident. As I look for the voice still, I notice it appears to be coming from this small pony that someone put a sheet or shirt maybe on him. As he gets more into my view I look closer and notice he has a horn. What? I think to myself, a horn. Did I eat something bad in the forest? It has a horn, and it is talking to me, maybe I am still dreaming. What is it saying anyways. This must be some trickery or joke by whomever seems to own me now. "Excuse me, Sir, Can you look to me," the small pony is asking. I look at him and give a small snort. Hopefully the stable hand gets this show over with soon. I feel like I have been asleep for a while and need to stretch. Also I want to check my injuries and how well they patched me up. The small brown pony keeps talking, "Alright sir, my name is Doctor ..... now that I have your attention let ...... with ..... happened." Well I guess this stable hand calling himself Doctor something. I didn't quite hear what his name was. So far he does not seem to realize that while yes I can understand most things spoken to me, I do not understand all words. Oh well, I will keep letting him go as I hope being let up will be at the end. There is still this weird underlying echo I am hearing whenever he talks though. The doctor has been telling me something about cutting me up to fix some bones, my that foreleg is all better after they remade it or some strange thing like that, and a few other things I didn't quite get. I think he even mentioned something about Merlin and magic stuff at one point. Guess that should be expected as the stable master seems to have dressed his pony up as a mythical unicorn. Regardless, the part I understood and needed to know was that I am ok, but to take it easy for a while once they let me up soon. The doctor has now moved out of my site but I am still curious as to the voices all around. Not sure what they are saying but it does seem to be about me I think. Am I that big a deal to this stable? Oh no, don't tell me I am to be the new warhorse of some rookie knight. Not that I would do any less than the best I can, I still don't wish that to be the case. Time to dwell on that later as I feel the straps being undone finally. The doctor now in my sight again informs me that I can try to get up now but to slide forward first as I am not on the ground for some reason. Alright, time to get up. I slide like I was told and slowly my hooves move out over the edge. It is only about one foot off the ground, I don't see why I needed warning. Anyways, it feels good to be on my hooves again. I still ache all over, but the sensation of being upright with my hooves being on the ground feels good. I close my eyes and take a minute to feel out the pains in my body again. Rear right flank, does not feel too bad, the gash I felt in my side seems gone. I can breathe pretty good and the ribs just feel slightly sore. My right foreleg feels kind of painful but in a throbbing dull way, but well last time I looked at it I am not surprised. More surprised that it is still there and useable, at least it was able to be fixed. I was worried about that when I was at the stream in the forest. Not sure why but my neck kind of hurts and is stiff. Don't remember really hurting it, but I have been on my side for a while apparently and I was kind of out of it after my leg break so who knows. The top of my head though feels like I was struck with a mace, dull pain radiates from it. Seems as though most of the aches I have are from laying down for an extended period of time. All in all even if this stable master is kind of weird he does know how to patch up a horse. After my mental stock of my body, I reopen my eyes and turn around. I should have stayed facing the wall. Before me is a bunch of crazy colored small ponies and a fat red colt. You know what, I think I have actually died. This must be some faire loving stable hand or a circus family or, you know what I don't know. I think my brain just set its self on fire and jumped out of my ear. That was my last thought as everything went black and I felt myself falling, falling again. -------------------- All the ponies in the room stand around gasping at what just happened. This had not been what they expected when they came in the room today. Ash had just woken up and they were hoping and expecting to meet and greet him properly. They certainly did not expect to see him faint and crash to the ground right after seeing them. The doctor and nurse in the room run over to start checking on him. "He sure was big," said Apple Bloom breaking the silence. Big Mac looked over to his little sister and said, "Eeeyup," before becoming silent again. Walking closer to the doctor, Twilight asked, "Is he ok?" with the concerned expression shared by most in the room. Standing up and backing away the doctor states, "Looks to be he just fainted, and his impact to the ground will just leave a little soreness. Nothing to be really worried about," as he smiles at everypony present. They all wait patiently for Ash to wake up... again. Some commenting on his size, one seemed to comment on his looks even with being that big. -------------------- Ugghh, what was that. The fog in his mind lifting. Oh yeah, that's right, some stable hand has me in his crazy world. Lifting an eye partly open before reclosing it, he confirms it was indeed not a dream. Ok Onyx, this is just your mind playing tricks on you, these are really humans and my brain is just seeing them as ponies. Otherwise they would be talking to you with the neighs and snorts like normal if they were really fellow equines. Opening his eyes fully again he sees the others in the room seem to get excited. One of the really small ones comes running up to your face. Must be a young stable boy, though in the pony form it has a blonde coat and red mane. I should listen to what they are saying before I try to stand up again. "Hey, umm mister Ash, are ya ok?" she screeched in my face. I was wrong in assuming this was a stable boy as it appears to be a stable lass. Just what I needed a little girl being hyper right next to my ears. I give a small snort in reply. Seems they have renamed me to Ash. It was not unexpected to be renamed. It was trained into me that if I was ever sold or captured in battle that a new name was usually given by the new master. Even my dad had been renamed a couple times. I guess it is not too bad of a name, not as good as my old one though. Times like this I wish I could speak in the human language so I could tell them my true name. My snort earlier did get her to back up at least. Could have been the fact that I started to get to my feet again though. Getting a good look at them all now, I am starting to wonder if this is all stable hands and new masters or are some actual ponies? Also why are they so colorful? I will still keep thinking of them as humans, and that my brain is just making them appear as ponies. Maybe I have some sort of brain damage, I mean my head does feel like it was struck with a mace. I should probably place equine terms to them until my brain gets sorted out. As I finish the decision in my head a lavender colored unicorn mare slowly steps forward and seems to be asking me questions. Not sure why I am envisioning a lizard like creature next her instead of another pony, must be some scribe as it does have parchment and a writing quill. "Ash, I am glad you have awoken and are responding to your new name. I am Twilight Sparkle," the lavender unicorn states. So I was right, I am called Ash now and this person or pony is Twilight Sparksomething. Twilight ask another question, "So how are you feeling?, any pains or anything?" I give a snort and neigh in reply, really do they expect any other answer I think to myself. I see her turn to her assistant and say something. Whatever it was he starts scribbling on the paper. "Are you able to understand me?" Twilight asks me. I nod my head and give a neigh. Maybe this is to see how much training I have had in the past "Are you able to speak to me? she asks next. What, speak to you? Sure I can speak to you I sarcastically think. I give her a loud snort and a few neighs and a final soft snort that any other horse would know as my full name of Onyx of Thakmanu. There you go little girl decipher that. Based on the reaction I see in her face I am sure she did not understand it. However in the group of ponies a few feet behind Twilight I noticed a yellow cream colored pony with pink flowing hair that seems to have understood it partly. She does not speak up but moves behind the others a little more as she sees me looking her way. After talking to her assistant, Twilight looks back to me and says, "It appears that you cannot speak, but can at least listen." She keeps on talking to me "There is nothing we can do here today. You will go with Applejack tonight, and I will see you again tomorrow." she finishes as she points to a orange coated pony with a hat of some type on. I give a nod and a soft snort in acknowledgement. I got most the words that time. So I am assuming that this Twilight is my new owner and Applejack is the stable master. Until otherwise told I am going to do my duty as such. I heard my new name being called again and look at Twilight. Twilight starts pointing to the others and says "Ok Ash, let me introduce you to all my friends." with a smile. After a couple of minutes she finishes introducing me to all her friends. I guess she really is my new master. I will probably forget some of those names she just told me and might take a few times for them to sink in. To be honest I didn't understand what she even said on a few of them. After some quiet talking amongst themselves, they started waving and saying goodbyes to each other and most exit the room. Remaining behind is this Applejack I am supposed to follow, that little one that came screeching in my face when I woke back up, and that fat red colt. Hmm, maybe he is not fat but stocky red colt how that I see him better. Almost like a draft horse baby. By now Applejack has walked up to me. "Ah know Ash is not yer true name, but Ah hope you like well it enough," she says. A yell comes from across the room "Ah helped come up with it," emitted from who I now know to be Apple Bloom. This caused a chuckle from the other two still here. I give a soft neigh in response. "Time for us to go home Ash, Ah hope ya are up for a walk," Applejack said while smiling up at me. I follow her as she exits the door that the others left from. Letting my eyes adjust to the natural light, I see it is mid afternoon. I never did see how they had that room illuminated. The land around is nice and grassy mostly flatland. I see some fields in the distance and some sort of town nearby. Guess where ever I am is doing well for itself. Not paying too much attention to what the three ahead of me are saying I just slowly follow them while looking around. We seem to be following a path on the outskirts of town. I have only seen a couple of others and they instantly stopped and stared when they saw me. It was sort of unnerving. It was after seeing these others that I started to notice that most of those I have seen had a mark on their upper rear legs. I wonder if that is some kind of thing like a coat of arms on a shield or pennant or something similar. After about 30 minutes I see we are approaching a nice wide path cutting through some apple orchards. Much, much bigger than the ones on Sir Marcus's lands. Maybe this place won't be totally bad if they are supporting an orchard like this. After my brain stops seeing everyone as a pony at least. I hear and see one of the small fillies from before along with another running up to those ahead of me. The new orange one seems to be excited to see me as it keeps staring and smiling at me. Not sure what was said, but Applejack seemed to kill her spirit. Was not for long though, as I see the two new arrivals and Apple Bloom take off into the orchard yelling something about a crusade. Sounds like it might get fun around here soon. I wonder where my armour went anyways, I will need that if any crusading is going to happen. In the distance I see a large red structure, guessing it is the stables for my new home. I will be glad to get there. They told me I was under for two months or something like that. Hard to believe really but I sure feel like it. I ache all over with tired muscles. I feel like I was training all day but all we have done is walk for just a little while. Much different than the aches when I woke up. Those seemed to be just from being laid up for so long. Well that is other than the pain in my head and this slight burning sensation I have started to notice on my back near my spine. That stable hand or doctor as he called himself was not joking when he told me to take it easy for a while. Get to the stable and time for sleep I say. We finally get up to the building after a short period of time. It is an interesting looking stable to say the least to what I am familiar with. Also, my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Everything seems to be too small. I start to panic, snorting blinking my eyes. How can I be a proper warhorse if my vision is giving me false sizes. I hear Applejack telling me to calm down. I try to listen and eventually feel her, well, nuzzle my leg. Strange thing for a human to rub their face on my leg like a horse would do. It does calm me down however. I need to stop panicking about stuff that does not make too much sense right now. I just woke up from a long sleep after horrendous injuries. My brain just needs time to catch up is all. Being more calm, Applejack leads me over near a table and informs me to stay. So stay I shall do. I see Big Mac over with some water cleaning himself off some. I kind of want to call him Fat Mac but since he would not be able to understand horse speak it would not be very fun. Applejack went into a smaller section jutting out from the side of the big red building. So I start to look around. I see a pig in a pen, some gardens, a small well, other common farm stuff, and apple trees surrounding everything. What I do not see is a fenced in pasture area though. Sure there is some fence around the orchards but I did not even see a pasture area. Looks like it is a nice farm my new master has. Stable hands seem nice enough so far too. I am taken from my thoughts as Applejack returns with plates of food. Curiously though, they are in her mouth and on her back. I will add that to my list of brain needs fixed to understand. A new elderly pony shows up. To make my brain feel better I decided just refer to what I see and sort it out later I determine. Well this new elderly mare is lime green with grey mane. She must be well up in her years. Come to think of it, this Big Mac lad and that brown unicorn doctor guy, are the only males I have seen. Oh please don't tell me I have been downgraded to a breeding stallion. Especially since I heard something about crusading from those fillies that ran off. The older mare speaks up to me, "So you are this new Ash guy that will be staying with us. Remember to mind yer manners around here." she says as she seats herself at the table. I give a soft neigh and nod my head in to show her I understand for the most part. "Ash ya can come on over here the foods ready," Applejack tells me. I walk over to where they are confused. I have never ate next to my old master or stable hands when they are at a table. I guess this is something new. They point me over to a spot next to Big Mac. I laugh as I think about how they call him that. Maybe he has big parents like me and they expect him to grow up big and strong. Anyways, looking down I see some hay, kind of trampled though. Well, it is better than nothing and I am very hungry. I bend down and start to eat some, and yeah kind of old and not that good tasting as I had imagined. I hear the others laughing so I look up. They have puzzled looks on them as they point and laugh at what I am doing. No idea why they are doing this though. "Sugarcube, what are ya doing?" Applejack ask me as she is pointing at the hay hanging out of my mouth. Guess I have new nickname now too. Still not sure what she is talking about though. I finish what is in my mouth and bend down to get some more, hoping tomorrow they have new fresh hay to eat. Suddenly the tone changes though, causing me to stop my decent for more. "Ash, stop," Applejack said sternly. I look up at her, not knowing what I did wrong. "Why are ya eating the seat?" she ask with a questioning look. "Your food is on that plate there on the table." she says while pointing at a pile of various vegetables and apples in front of where I am standing. I still don't get it. I tried once to eat from an outside table and got the whip for it. My dad just laughed at me saying you never eat from a humans table no matter how enticing those apple slices they left on it are. I continue to look at her, then the pile in front of me pm the table and then the hay I was eating. She points at it again, "Go ahead Sugarcube, it is for ya to eat." Not falling for that trick, I swat at the plate with my hoof. After a few tries I get it to spill off onto the hay I was eating. Big Mac mumbled something to Applejack I think, or the other mare, but it was too low for me to hear as I continued to eat the new vegetables and the old hay on the ground. After a few minutes I looked up to see Big Mac had left, and the elderly mare was on her way back to the building leaving only Applejack with me. She seemed sad when she spoke to me next. "Ash, why did ya spill that on the ground? Why did ya then eat it from the ground and that old hay that was a seat?" she asked in a quiet voice. How does she expect me to answer, I just blink at her and give a snort. Seemed to be answer enough for her. "It's getting late let me show ya to where ya will be sleeping for a while," she tells me as she gets up and goes to the large door on the building. I follow her into the building. It is quite impressive for a stable. Even better that I am the only one here at moment. I dawned on me that I might be the only one stabled here. She points to a section in the corner that is thick with hay on the ground covered in a few blankets. "That is where ya can lay down for sleep. Ah don't think it will, but If it gets cold ya can use the blankets from over here," she tells me as she points to some thicker blankets hanging up over one of the stall walls. "Other than that, Ah have to get going to town before it's too late, and Ah will see ya the morning," she says as she closes the door. They talk too fast here, and expect me to know all the words I am thinking. I got enough though. I am to stay here until morning and my stall is that one in the corner. I am glad to have been shown it early as I am kind of tired from that walk and sort of sore. As I get in my stall I am slightly surprised at its size and how comfortable it is. From what I have seen my new master is decent and the stable master is friendly. I just hope their knight skills are up to par also. My last thought was to hope this headache goes away while I sleep tonight and with thank I let myself drift into dreams. -------------------- Applejack let out a sigh as she looked at the barn door she just closed. Thinking of the stuff she needs to tell Twilight as she sets off for Ponyville. A little while later she is standing outside of the Library where Twilight lives. As it is late in day the libraries public hours are over with so she knocks on the door and waits. "Coming," she hears Spike say. Opening the door, "Oh hey Applejack, what's up?" the little purple dragon ask. "Is Twi around?" she asks softly. "Sure is, come on in," he cheerfully says as he opens the door for her to come in. "Hey Twilight, Applejack is here to see you," he shouts as he closed the door behind Applejack and wanders off. "Be up in a minute AJ," Twilight yells from the basement laboratory. Looking around the library she sees Twilight has been in research mode again. Books strewn everywhere, parchment laying all over the floor near where she writes. Passing all of that she sets up two pillows in the middle of the room and goes and gets two cups of tea from the kitchen. Just as she is returning and sitting down an exasperated Twilight makes it up the stairs. "What happened to ya Twi?" Applejack asks. Laughing she responds, "Oh nothing much. I was testing a new spell and well it didn't work," with a grin. "So what brings you here this late in the day? she asks while pulling out a checklist for slumber parties. "Figured Ah should let ya know some information about Ash before you come tomorrow," she quickly says watching as the checklist disappears back into the drawer it came from. Twilight's interest perks up as she floats writing materials to her. With a sigh Applejack begins to speak, "Remember when ya said ya were not sure if he was sentient or just trainable like our pets?" she asks as Twilight nods. "Well, right now Ah am leaning towards the trainable like a pet," she finishes with flatly. Twilight is unable to speak as she hangs her head low. After a few moments she looks up and ask, "How did you come up with that?" "Well Twi, he followed us the entire way not saying a thing. Snorting or neighing so far for him at least. When we got to the farm Ah told him to stay put while Ah went into the house to get Granny an the food," she pauses before continuing. "While Ah was in there Big Mac was washing up, an he said that Ash didn't even move more than his neck to look around." Twilight spoke up, "So you said stay like you would to a dog or a guard and he did just that, with no snorting or neighing, and then stayed there unmoving like he was cemented in place?" she asked as scribbling on her paper. "Exactly Twi, an that's not the worse part. Ah pointed for him to sit next to Mac at the table outside for his food an he ate the old hay we use to sit on," Applejack exclaimed to a now furiously scribbling Twilight. "Ah tried to get him to stop an eat the food we put on a plate for him, but he only awkwardly pawed at it a few times an eventually got it on the ground. Where he ate it from an the rest of the old hay seat," she finished looking slightly angry at herself for allowing that. Stopping her writing Twilight replied, "I see why you think that. I have to agree with you on this point." After thinking for a few moments and taking a deep breath she continued. "I do not want to give up yet, it just me be how it was wherever he lived. I mean think about it, would Wynona listen to a new person instantly?" she quizzed. "Well no," Applejack answered. "Exactly, but Ash did. Remember my brother said me might be like a soldier. So he might be listening and following what you say like it is an order. He might be thinking he is even a prisoner," Twilight excitedly said. "I have to tell the princess, I really think he is sentient now," she said while settling down. "Oh, and remember he used to have very limited mobility in his forelegs and probably does not realize how they can move now," she said getting excited again. "However, I will wait until after I meet him again tomorrow," she relented. "Glad ya are so confident Twi, but don't be too caught up in it to make a wrong judgment tomorrow," Applejack said with slight sternness. "Ah have to get back so Ah can get some sleep, see ya around lunch time then?" asked Applejack. "Sure thing AJ, have a safe trip home," Twilight said as she closed the door. Walking up to her own room, Twilight thought to herself how exciting this is going to be. She just needs to get him talking. Too bad that spell didn't work. It would have allowed him to talk right away. Laying in her bed looking at the ceiling a thought comes to her. "Flashcards with pictures!" she yells to the room almost waking Spike up. “That is it, I can make cards of things in the morning and lay them all out and have him pick the one I am talking about.” With a smile she pulls the covers up and allows herself to fall asleep. --------------------