I heard humming and the strange scent of some kinds of plant matter being boiling together. I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open to see a strange witch doctor like hut surrounding me with fetish masks and drying plants. It took a few moments for the gears in my head to really start turning as I sat up in the bed I now realized I was in.
"Really? I got rescued by Zecora?"
"Yes, indeed you did, would you rather you be dead? However does one with such a visage untame, have any idea as to my name?" I turned to look and saw a three and a half feet tall at the shoulder zebra looking very much like the TV show character I had seen before.
"Um, well you're very well known among the circles I run in." She raised an eyebrow at me as I had a very bad feeling that she didn't really believe anything I had just been saying. I laid back down in the bed as my head was still pounding like my brain was too big for my skull.
"So you say my strange friend. You are here in the Everfree to what end?" Zecora moved in closer and gently put her hoof on my forehead. I looked up to her as she spoke to me before closing my eyes again.
"I got lost in the forest from a botched teleportation. The nearest town to here is Ponyville, right? Could you give me directions?" Once she took her hoof off my forehead, I risked sitting back up as I looked to where she appeared to be cooking something in her cauldron as she had gone back to stirring the spoon with her hoof..
"You say you're lost from your home.However the nights of the Everfree are not a safe place to roam." She pulled the spoon from the cauldron and trotted over holding it out as I saw it to be filled with some kind of pungent green liquid, perhaps even a soup. In a rather trusting fashion, I opened my mouth for her to put the spoon in as I gulped it down. It didn't really taste bad, just different, kinda like cream of potato, but blended with wheatgrass and garlic maybe. I perked up a bit and then thought as to how I should introduce myself to her.
" I'm sorry, I've forgotten to give you my name, I'm Onyxian, thank you for taking me in and letting me stay until daylight." She had gotten two bowls of soup ready while I had been talking as I took one from her when she offered it to me.
"You shouldn't use your magic with just such little regard, the toll it can take on even the best is quite hard. Just what is it you plan to do, once there is light anew?" Not about to disrespect my gracious hostess, I had started eating with gusto as I thought about the question Zecora had asked. What plan did I have after going to Ponyville the next morning? Did I have any plan at all? It's not like I had any plans where I had come from.
"I think I'll make my way to Ponyville and see where things go from there. Plans just make you lose the flexibility to react to changes unless you keep them vague. I think the real key is goals and I think my current goal is to find one. I'm very far from home, but that just gives new chances to learn and I have a lot of that to do." I gave her a smile as I began eating again, my ears darting about trying to catch any sounds of nighttime monsters in the Everfree. I noticed Zecora clearing her throat as I perked up eager to listen to any advice the wise zebra had to offer.
"A goal is indeed a worthy thing to seek, it is important for both the mighty and the meek.Indeed it would be good for you to go Ponyville way, at the breaking of the next day." I was rather happy she didn't ask much about me personally as we soon finished eating and I laid back down still feeling pretty worn out. It had been one hell of a day, being in a truly safe place with someone wishing me well really helped me relax and give myself a chance to really rest. I closed my eyes and continued to relax myself farther as I heard a soft voice speaking to me in my head that I couldn't quite make out. Images began to form and it appeared I was in the night sky. I looked around and did a double take at seeking what looked to be Luna standing in front of me. I tried to talk but couldn't, she was gorgeous in person. It didn't really help that she was my absolute favorite princess. As those thoughts crossed my mind , I noticed that the princess seemed to blush slightly.
"Correct, We are Luna and you are a rather lost person. Are you not Onyxian? We understand what being lost and alone in a strange new place feels like." I managed to find a voice, I figured this had to be a dream, but that didn't mean I couldn't be really talking to the real Luna. Dreams were one of her realms after all.
"Yeah, your time among the moon creatures, I remember that. I'm sorry, your Highness. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable with my staring." I shifted a bit as she moved in closer.
"Your form is much like that of an old foe, but you are so very different, very alien in thought. Terror and excitement, wonder and weariness, lost and yet you feel at home." I couldn't help myself as I moved in and gently gave the Princess of the Night a hug. It was something I had always had to do ever since she'd been freed in the second episode. I felt her flinch at my hug and could understand why. I was a stranger she had come to address and here I was fanboying out and even making the very bold move of hugging her.
"How do you know about our name, the trials, and creatures We have met? You are not from this place." I let her go feeling rather silly at not having better control over myself. I figured I'd tell the truth as she'd be the most likely to believe me in spite of how fantastic it would sound in this world.
"Where I'm from, this world is one known only in stories. Perhaps it is simply luck that facts involving you are mostly correct? Did you notice me not being from this place because of my dreams?" Luna nodded her head as I watched her mane moving, It was like seeing the Milky Way in her locks that flash animation would have stood no chance doing her justice.
"Yes, We did and so thought you might require aid in returning to your world." I shook my head emphatically at her statement.
"No, I really don't want to go back, at least not yet. This is the kind of world we can only dream of, Equestria is a marvelous land of myth and adventure compared to where I am from. I'd like to see more and do more while I am here, especially the things I'd never be able to do in my world." I looked at her with pleading eyes as I then sat down with her looking over me. The princess then perked up and looked off in the distance. Maybe she was seeing someone else's dreamscape that needed her tending. Her horn glowed as a portal opened behind her.
"Sadly, it seems we are needed elsewhere. Please take care in this world, Onyxian. We also understand the allure of power and the corrupting influence it can have." With that luna trotted through the portal which closed after her leaving me to my dreams.
I woke up to the light shining in my eyes as I turned over on my side and opened my eyes feeling like I could take on the world. Now I knew what the 'well rested' status in Fallout; New Vegas felt like in person. With a slight yawn I stood up from the bed hunching over so I wouldn't hit my head or horn on the ceiling as I walked out the door to tend to a certain set of business. Once concluded, I sat down by the tree house enjoying the beginnings of a warm summer day. My quiet enjoyment of nature was broken when I heard a small, girlish gasp as I turned to see a little foal with a yellow coat, red mane and tail with a big pink bow in her hair. I know my face must have lit up when I saw her as I gave Applebloom a friendly wave.
"Well hello there little filly, good morning to you." I did my best to give my friendliest smile hoping I wasn't scaring her.
"Uh, hello there, mister. Is Zecora in?" She seemed a bit fidgety as I figured my appearance was rather unnerving so for her sake I did my best to seem as passive as possible.
"I think she's still inside, but she might have left before I got up and be out, or she could still be getting ready. I'm Onyxian by the way. What's your name little 'un?" Watching the Apples had always brought out my Southern accent.
"You makin' fun of da way I talk, mister? I ain't little neider, I'm a big pony." I quirked a brow at her and then gave a playful roll of my eyes letting her have her moment.
"Now cool yer hooves, sugarcube. I ain't poking' fun at ya none. I know ya gotta be a big pony if’n they let you go into dis here forest all by yerself." I'd almost forgotten what it's like being a kid feeling like the grown-ups were being condescending to you and never listening to what you have to say. "I'll try to not sound folksie if you feel it's insulting, Miss." That lit her face up. That I was respecting her like an adult looked to be making her day or least improving her thoughts of me.
"Well, thank ya kindly, I can understand ya just fahn either way. I'm Applebloom, it's nice ta meet ya, Onyxian. Did I say dat right?" I nodded my head to her as the door opened behind me and out walked Zecora.
"Good morning to you Onyxian and Applebloom. It is good to see my young friend again so soon." I stayed sitting and turned back to look at Applebloom.
"I was hoping you'd be able to guide me back to Ponyville after you were finished with your business here. Please?" I thought I saw the filly about jump for joy at hearing I, an adult, was asking her for help with something.
"I dunno, I am rather busy, but since it'll be on my way back and you asked so nicely. Sure, I can help you get to Ponyville." It seemed I was finally on the right track to getting somewhere. It was only morning and so far things were already looking up.