You awaken to the sound of birds tweeting, and you feel a slight weight pressing down on your chest. It takes a moment for you to conjure the willpower to open your eyes, and as soon as you do, your mind blanks out. Something wasn't right, and you knew it. There was a small white rabbit sitting on your chest, bandages covering your left arm and upper torso, and the scent of fresh coffee filling the air. Why was everything so peaceful if you had just fallen out of a helicopter?
Were you...dead? Is this what death feels like? Is your brain trying to cope with the fact that you had died, so you subconsciously created this alternate reality to try to help yourself deal with the fact that you had died?
“Oh good, you're awake,” says the feminine voice from yesterday. What was her name? You figured it would be rude to ask her what i was, especially after everything she had done for you.
“Huh? Yeah, I'm sore as hell though...” you reply. In all honesty, your pain level wasn't too high, but it was still sore and hurt like hell when you bent at certain angles.
“Let me get you a muscle relaxer and a pain reliever; I'll be right back,” she says, and walks off into another part of the cottage. The rabbit got off your chest and followed her to wherever she went. With her not in the room, you take the chance to look around and explore. It didn't look familiar, not that you expected it to. The walls were a mahogany brown, and there was a staircase to the second floor right next to the couch you were sleeping on. A fireplace provided heat for the entire cottage on the wall next to the main door. A few windows let in the sun's light, and at night (you assume) she would light the candles sitting on the window sills.
“Where did you go? Um, if it's okay for me to ask,” the pink-haired woman (whose name you still don't remember) asks.
“I'm out here; I needed to sit down for a minute and the fireplace looked warm,” you respond. The pink-haired woman sits down on the couch next to you, and neither of you say anything. The crackle of the fireplace draws the attention of both of you, and it keeps it for almost an hour.
A series of rapid thumps on the door draws your attention and hers. Before either of you can even stand up, the door flies open, revealing a purple haired (slightly attractive) woman, with a thin layer of snow covering her jacket.
“It's snowing outside?” you ask.
“Yes, but that doesn't matter,” she says to you. She turns her attention to the pink-haired girl and says, “Fluttershy (That's what her name was!), I got a letter from the princess. She wants you, me, and the rest of the girls in Canterlot. She said she has a speech tomorrow, and she fears there may be an attempt on her life. I told her she was being crazy, but she insisted that there was a group out there that was fed up with her ruling the counrty. I was sent six train tickets and told to pack an overnight bag. I suggest you do the same.”
“Umm... Who?” you ask.
“Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria.” the purple-haired one says.
“Oh, Twilight, I think he has amnesia or something. He couldn't remember anything about how he got outside my house, or even Ponyville for that matter!” Fluttershy said.
“Well that's strange. He looks like he hurt himself somehow. Hey, mister, remember anything about what caused your injuries?”
“I have a name you know...”
“I'm sorry. What's your name?” Twilight asks.
You tell her your name, and then say, “I don't remember exactly how I got hurt. I was in a helicopter, and it got shot down, and then... nothing.”
“A helicopter?” Twilight asks.
“It's a giant metal machine that flies and people steer it. They're used a lot in the military.” you respond.
“The military?” she asks.
“The armed forces? National Guard?” you state questioningly.
“Oh, like the Solar Guard.”
“Sure,” you respond, eager to get off the topic.
“Great. Now, Fluttershy, let's go!”
“Oh, but we can't leave him here, and you said there was only six tickets. What are we going to do?” Fluttershy asks.
“I'll pay for his ticket. Just hurry up and pack, Fluttershy! The train leaves in less than two hours!”
Seeing as you had no belongings here with you, you settled for watching the fire some more. Another set of banging on the door draws your attention away, and Twilight opens the door. Standing outside are four more girls, all in their late twenty's it looks.
There's another pink-haired girl, although her hair is a brighter pink, one that almost looks like cotton candy. Another one of the girls has a deep blue, almost purple head of hair. The girl to her left has a blonde, almost orange hair color. The last head of hair to catch your eye is by far the most interesting; she has seven different colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo, and violet.
“Oh, who is this?” the one with the deep blue hair asks.
Twilight relays your name to them, and their names to you. The deep blue-haired one was Rarity, a fashion designer. The pink-haired one was Pinkie Pie; she worked over at Sugarcube Corner. The blonde haired one was Applejack; she worked at Sweet Apple Acres, her family farm. The girl with the multicolored hair was Rainbow Dash; she was on Ponyville's own weather team.
The seven of you depart from Fluttershy's cottage, and Twilight makes sure to get an extra ticket at the train station. A few minutes later, the train arrives, and the seven of you embark. The noise of the train cars running along the tracks fills the air for almost an hour, before Twilight asks you everything you could remember. You told her the entire story, excluding the attack on the base. Everyone seemed rather disgusted by the concept of war, and intentionally hurting another person because they disagreed with you.
“The people in Equestria are really friendly; I'm sure Celestia is over-reacting. No one would even think to attack her,” Twilight says.
“I agree completely darling; she knows how to defend herself rather well for one with such dignity.” Rarity adds.
“Not to mention the Solar Guard'd kick the tar outta anyone who tried to hurt 'er.” Applejack says.
Several hours pass, all spent answering all the questions the six people you were with could ask. Soon, everyone else was asleep. You use this time to reflect on what had happened. It was something you had picked up on in the military. Before you can go over too much in your head, your eyes droop shut and you fall asleep.
The sound of a whistle pierces through the fog of your dream, waking you up instantly. Within ten minutes of the whistle going off, you found yourself off the train and walking towards a castle. Twilight said something to one of the two guards by the main gate, and he opens it.
Twenty minutes later, everyone is unpacked and asleep in their own bed, except for you. You were lying back-to-back with the rainbow headed girl. Since there was only six beds, someone had to share with you. When no one volunteered, she said she would deal with you. You were having trouble sleeping, anxious to finally meet the ruler of such a perfect-seeming world. Maybe it really was your subconscious trying to cope with death. If it was, you were perfectly fine with it. A slight shuffling noise causes you to open your eyes and look around the room. Without proper lighting, you couldn't see much. Everyone appeared to be sound asleep, so you chalked the noise up to your imagination. Content with your answer, you close your eyes again, and let sleep overtake you.
You're woken by a high-pitched scream.