//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Who Am I (Book 1) 
// by Midnight Galaxy 
//------------------------------//

	I have traveled the barren lands and thick forests of this land. I have forgotten who I am, and I need to find out. The only thing that I can remember is waking up next to a crystal clear pond in the middle of dense forest. I was only a foal then. It has been many moons, and I have grown much in this time. My large feathered wings grow stronger as I travel. I have reached the boarder of what appears to be Equestria. I pull my cloak over my withers as a chill runs up my spine. At least, that is what I understand from the welcome sign. I so long for a rest, maybe somepony knows where I may get some sleep. I walk for a time and come across a town, the sign outside reads “Ponyville”. Maybe I can find somewhere to rest here. The streets are quite lively for the time of night. The sun had began to set as I walk into town. I feel like a giant to these small earth ponies. 

Out of nowhere this bright pink pony appears. Her frizzy pink mane bounces as she does. She lets out a loud gasp and then runs off. “That was bizarre,” I say with a smile. “Maybe she left the stove on at home,” I think out loud to myself. 

“No, she is always like that,” a small voice says from beside me. A small purple and green dragon standing there. I almost jump out of my skin, I haven't had the most pleasant experiences with dragons. 

“Whoa there! You must be new in town. My name is Spike. I'm not that scary? Am I?” the little dragon asks, looking at himself. 

“My apologies. I haven't had the best encounter with dragons,” I say, looking him over once more. Determining that he was no threat, I straighten myself out. 

“It's alright. Are you ok, your wing looks like it might be hurt?” the little dragon asks, staring at me. 

“Oh, that. I'll be ok,” I say with a reassuring smile. “Do you know where a pony can find a place to rest? I've had a long travel,” I ask. 

The little dragon thinks for a moment and then has an idea. “I can see if Twilight would let you sleep in the spare room. It's not much, but it will be better than sleeping on the ground,” he says with a smile as he runs off ahead, not waiting for a reply. 

“Lead the way,” I say with a bow. Spike leads me to a large tree that was carved into a house. The sign reads “Golden Oak Library”. 

He opens the door to a dark room. “That's odd. Twilight! Anypony here?” he asks walking into the dark room. I poke my head in, trying to see past the shadows, but it is too dark. I step inside following the little purple dragon. The moment my hind hoof crosses the threshold, the door slams behind me. Out of instinct I jump, uncurling my uninjured wing and readying my magic. The room lights up and is full of ponies. The pink one I had seen earlier was there. 

“My name is Pinkie Pie!” She yells, as she bounces around me. I ease my anxiety as I see they are all friendly. Pinkie starts talking really fast, “Remember me? I seen you when you walked into town and I realized that I didn't know you. And if I don't know you, no one does. Because I know every pony. And I mean EVERY  pony,” she says, as her eyes roll in a circle with her words and smiles. Her hyper-activeness was almost overwhelming. But, if it meant a place to sleep, then I would endure. She finally bounces off. So many different ponies. Pegasus, earth ponies, a couple of unicorns, and even two donkeys, I had never seen so many gathered together. 

Everyone seems so happy, I even smile. I haven't smiled in ages. I try to find the dragon, I find him talking to a purple alicorn. I slowly walk over to them, the closer I get, I see that there are six others talking together. Pinkie was there, along with an orange colored one with a blond mane, the purple one with a purple and pink mane, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, and a white pony with well groomed purple mane. They all appeared to be friends. 

I start to shy away from the group, for fear of interrupting. As I start to turn away the purple dragon pokes my hind leg with his claw. “You should meet my friends!” he says with a raised voice. He leads me over to the group of ponies. 

My heart begins to thump. I'm not much of a social creature, but it was too late to turn back now. “This is the pony I was talking about.” All the other ponies stop talking and look at me. I fold my legs up underneath myself, in a vain attempt to make myself smaller. 

The purple one is the first to speak. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am pleased to welcome you to Ponyville,” she says with a friendly smile. 

“My name is Applejack, pleased to meet ya!” the orange and blond earth pony says with a tip of her hat. 

“I'm Rainbow Dash, the coolest pony you'll ever meet,” the blue pegasus says, doing a flip. 

“My name is Rarity,” the white unicorn says with a regal bow. 

“I'm um... Fluttershy,” the yellow pegasus says timidly. 

They all stand there staring at me. Waiting for an answer. “I... I don't have a name,” I say with my head hung low. 

“Don't have a name? Whatever do you mean, dear?” Rarity asks. 

“Everypony has a name,” Twilight says, matter-of-factly. 

“I don't think he is kidding,” Fluttershy says looking at me with sad eyes. Each of them looks at the other, and then back at me. 

“I just want a place to sleep for the night. I'll be on my way tomorrow,” I say with my head hung low. 

Fluttershy comes and sits next to me. Her warm body, close to mine. I haven't been this close to anypony in my life. “Oh my, you're hurt,” she says, noticing my wing. 

“It's nothing, really,” I say, trying to change the subject. 

“You should let Fluttershy take a look at it. She's medically trained,” Twilight says with a half smile. 

“Then I can tell you my story,” I say. They all look at me, then each other. They all nod and I stand up. Fluttershy, still sitting next to me looks almost frightened at my size. I walk to the back of the room and sit next to the stairs. I watch as the other ponies have fun with one another. Drinking punch and eating what appeared to be cupcakes. So many happy ponies.

After what seemed like an eternity, the last of them leave. Leaving me alone with the six ponies and the dragon. “Alright mister! Now what's going on?” Rainbow Dash asks, almost demanding. 

“Rainbow! That is no way to treat a guest,” Twilight says, reprimanding her friend. 

“You look like you could use some tea,” Fluttershy says kindly. 

“Tea would be lovely,” I say with a smile. 

“Now, what is your story my dear?” Rarity asks, sitting on the couch across from me. 

“I've never meet anypony without a name, this is super-super-super-duper exciting!” Pinkie says, bouncing around the room.

“My story isn't long, but it's all I have. I only have one memory from my past. I awoke next to a crystal clear pond, in a thick forest. I was only a little foal,” my head hangs down as I remember. “I was alone, and scared. I had no family, no friends, not even a name to hold onto. I've been trying to figure out who I am. That is why I have come here. This place has so many different ponies and such a long history that maybe, just maybe, I'll find out who I am.”

Twilight looks at me and then starts to go though the library. “You poor thing. Is there anything we can do for you?” Rarity asks. 

“I only wish to find a place to sleep for the night. I see that your purple friend, Twilight was it, is working on something. She looks like she knows her stuff,” I say with a smile. 

“You bet she does! She knows almost everything,” Pinkie says, still bouncing around. 

“Ya sure there ain't somethin' we can do for ya?” Applejack asks with a caring thought. 

Fluttershy returns with the tea and sits down beside me. “May I see your wing? I mean, if it's alright with you?” she asks skittishly.

“Thank you Applejack, but I'll be fine. Ms.. Fluttershy is it? I would appreciate it,” I say with a smile. She smiles back as she flutters in the air. She gently undoes the crude wrapping on my right wing. I wince as it still hurts. She gently feels along the bone, making me scrunch my face. After a moment she begins wrapping it again, but instead she splints it and puts a wrap around my body to keep my wing from moving. 

“I think you should stay in Ponyville a while to heal. If.. If that's ok with you?” The shy pony asks. 

“I don't want to impose,” I say looking at the other ponies. 

“Nonsense, we would love to help a stallion such as yourself out,” Applejack says with a smile. 

I hear the dragon hiccup and then burp. “A letter? From the Princess?” Twilight says as she uses her magic to open the scroll. 

“So, you are a courier dragon?” I ask Spike. 

“Sure am! I deliver messages back and forth between Princess Celestia and Twilight,” he says proudly. 

“Spike? Could you come here?” Twilight asks. He runs off to join her in the other room. 

“So, what is it that each of you do here?” I ask, trying to keep the conversation going. 

“I run the fashion boutique just down the road. If you need anything fashionable, you come see me,” Rarity says with a flick of her hair. 

“I live at Sweet Apple Acres. Bucking apple trees and runnin' the farm is what I do,” Applejack says with a smile. 

“I.. um, take care of the woodland creatures,” Fluttershy says, rubbing her foreleg with her hoof. 

“I'm on cloud control from Ponyville. I bust up the rain clouds after a storm, make the day rainy or sunny, ya know, all that awesome stuff,” Rainbow dash says, flying overhead. 

“I live at Sugar Cube Corner and I throw the BEST parties ever! And when I say ever, I mean EV-ER!!” Pinkie says, setting off a confetti cannon and raising her already squeaky, high voice higher. 

“You are quite the lively bunch. I've been many places, but nowhere compares to this place,” I say looking at the five ponies in front of me. “But just curious, what exactly does the other pony do?” I ask. 

“Oh, oh, OH! Twilight is super smart, and reads, and does magic, and reports to Princess Celestia, and keeps us all in line, and, and....” shouts Pinkie excitedly as she trails off. Everyone chuckles, and I even find myself smiling with the others.

“Your cloak looks absolutely dreadful. Can't have you walking around with this. I shall fix it at once!” Rarity says, using her magic to take off my cloak. 

“I would rather you don't,” I say, pulling it back on. “But it's all tattered and full of holes. We simply can't let a friend go without the best!” she says with a reassuring smile. 

“It's not that. I never take it off,” I say, looking at the floor. 

“Girls! Can I speak with you?” Twilight calls from the other room, saving me from the suave white unicorn. I utter a sigh of relief. They all hurry to see what her urgency is, leaving me alone.

I lay my head down for a moment, but end up drifting off to sleep. Like every other night, I dream the same dream. I see myself laying next to the crystal pond, all alone. But this night was different, for there was another there in my dream with me. A dark blue alicorn with starry mane and tale. 

“You are new to Equestria. For I have not seen your dreams before,” she says looking at me. She sits down next to me. “What is going on here?” she asks me, looking at my dream. 

“A memory. My only memory,” I say looking at the little foal next to the water. 

“I see,” is all she says as she watches. 

“Who are you?” I ask after a minute. 

“My name is Princess Luna. I am the guardian of dreams and raiser of the moon,” she says, as if rehearsed. “And whom might you be?” she asks looking back at my dream. 

“That's just it... I don't know. I don't have a name. This, what you see here, is all I know,” I say, hanging my head.

“Do not be down hearted. You may have friends closer than you think,” she says. 

I blink and she is gone. Waking from my sleep, I see the six ponies staring at me. “Did you know you talk in your sleep?” Pinkie says with a weird smile, way too close to my face than what is comfortable. 

“Why are you all staring at me?” I ask, standing to me feet and backing away quickly. 

“You were mumbling something about Princess Luna,” Fluttershy says. 

“I saw her in my dream. What importance is she to you?” I ask looking at them. 

“Duh, she's Princess Celestia's sister, only the second most important pony in all of Equestria!” Rainbow Dash says with a scoff. 

“Be nice Rainbow. He isn't from here,” Twilight says with a scowl at her friend. 

She then turns her attention to me. With a deep breath she starts talking. “I have been asked by Princess Celestia to house you while you stay here in Ponyville. She as also asked that you seek an audience with her tomorrow at the earliest convenience,” she opens her eyes to look at mine. 

“I am humbled to be invited by the princess, but I must continue my search as soon as I can,” I say, regrettably. 

Twilight looks at me with a question on her face, then speaks again. “You know that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are several thousands of years old. They are very wise, and might have the answers you seek,” she says with a smile. 

“Who knows, you might be related to them,” Spike butts in.

“You must not go looking like that. I'll take you to the Day Spa tomorrow so we can get you cleaned up,” Rarity says with a smile. 

“But, I haven't the money,” I say looking at the white unicorn. 

“Not a worry darling. I'll take care of you,” she says with a smile and fluttering eyes. She walks out the door after saying goodbye to her friends. 

“If ya need anything apple related, be sure to stop for a spell by the farm,” Applejack says with a wink and then leaves.

“I'll come back tomorrow and change your wrapping if you want me to,” Fluttershy says shyly. I nod my head as she heads out the door. 

“I'll bring you some 'get well' cupcakes',” Pinkie says, bouncing out the door. 

“I guess I'll see you tomorrow Twilight,” Rainbow dash says as she flies out the window. It is just Twilight, Spike, and me left in he library. 

“You have some really good friends at your side Twilight. I wish I had friends like yours,” I say as I lay my head back down. 

The purple alicorn comes and sits next to me on the floor. “I've never seen another alicorn, other than royalty. I mean, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance all were born alicorns,” she says looking at me. 

“What about you? You weren't born like this?” I ask looking at her wings. 

“No, I ascended from a unicorn not that long ago,” she says thinking back, and flapping her wings.

I lay my head back down. “Now then, I have a few questions for you,” she says, looking at me with big eyes. I can see the wonder in her eyes and the excitement in her voice. “I want to know what you know, what you've seen. How long have you been searching?” she asks excited.

“I see that you are one for knowledge, very well. I will tell you. I have been past the mountains to the north, through untrackless plains of snow and ice. I've been through countless deserts and wastelands of unquenchable sands. Through decrepit and forgotten ruins of ancient past. Through the untamed wilds of the deepest jungles and tops of the highest mountain. I have been wandering this world for countless moons, child. I heard rumor that there were ancient ponies who have seen many an era in this world. I have come for their help. For only then can I find what I need,” I look over to the purple mare whose mouth is now gaping open. 

After a moment she shakes her head and blinks at me. “I'm sorry that you have had to go through so much,” she says looking at her hooves.

“Do not be sorry young one. It isn't your fault. I've been alone for so many years that I had forgotten what it was like to have somepony care for you. You and your friends are so nice to a complete stranger, and I can't even give you my name,” I say, plopping my head  onto the floor. 


“When I first came to Ponyville, I didn't have any friends. I was always so wrapped up in my books that I didn't see the importance of friendship. That is, until I had to team up with my now friends to defeat Nightmare Moon. That is when I learned that friendship is the strongest magic of all. You can do anything with your friends. My friends are always there for me, and I, them. We can always depend on one another to help,” she says with a smile. 

I lift my head to look at her. “Thank you for teaching my the power of friendship. Now, if I may, I would like to get some sleep. Your friends have planned a big day for me,” I say with a small laugh. She nods and leads the way to the spare room. I walk in and shut the door behind me. A small candle lights the room. The bed looks small, but welcoming. I crawl into the bed and quickly fall asleep.