//------------------------------//
// Silent Encounters 
// Story: Taciturn Carrots 
// by Aura Zero 
//------------------------------//

Darkness. That's all Hark could see... Til he realized that his eyes were merely closed. However, at the moment, he couldn't open them. It felt like something was holding him back from doing so. He figured it must be the routine or something when someone dies; he didn't know, he never died before.

So, rather than fight it, he merely relaxed and enjoyed the soft grass on his back and the calm wind brushing up against him.... 

Wait.....

"Hey there! Having a nice nap?" 

Hark jumped slightly at the random voice. He wondered if this person, sounding female, was the owner of all dead people. Only one way to find out and with that thought, he opened his eyes which were more willing to oblige. However, what he saw wasn't what he was expecting.

What he saw was he was on a hill overlooking a town, with a few trees around him, but that's not what confused him. What did was their colors. They were much brighter... like in a cartoon or something. His eyes scanned the area and he was wondering why heaven looked this way. That is, until he heard the voice again.

"Over here buddy."

Hark turned towards the direction of where he heard the voice. He noticed an oddly bright olive coat and orange maned colored horse looking at him, but didn't see the owner of the voice. He kept looking in that direction, until his eyes were forcibly pulled to the location of where the voice came from this time.

"Hi there. You seem new around here. You just get here?" 

Hark froze. He merely stared at the horse dumbfounded. He could not believe right now that a horse is talking to him. If this is heaven, then they seriously need to make some adjustments. 

"Quiet type eh? You'd be good friends with Big Mac then. He doesn't talk much either. Anyways, my names Carrot Top. What's yours?" The horse named Carrot Top said.

Hark was confused but responded in his mind unconsciously. "My name is Pace. My friends call me Hark."

Carrot Top seemed to be confused by this. "Well, nice to meet you Pace but I'm curious; how'd you talk without moving your lips?"

Now that confused and surprised Hark greatly. "Did this horse just read my mind?"

Carrot Top frowned at that. "I would prefer if you called me a pony instead of a horse. That's kinda rude ya know. Also, I didn't read your mind. I'm guessing you're speaking in my mind telepathically. That makes sense since you're a unicorn and all."

Hark blinked. "A unicorn?" Hark looked down and his eyes grew wide.

Instead of where his hands and feet are supposed to be, were dark purple coated hooves. He hesitated before looking at the rest of himself. His body was the same color as his hooves. He also noticed he had a tail that was cream colored and only guessed that his hair, or mane for ponies, was the same color.

All rational thought went out the window when he realized what he was. "I'm a pony?! What kind of twisted holy place is this?!" After he thought that, he remembered something. When he took a break, he remembered watching a show on TV: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. This looked just like it.

"Of course! I must be dreaming! I must have never went to the party and fell asleep after work! Phew, and here I thought- ow!"

Hark recoiled as he was hit. He turned and saw the pony known as Carrot Top looking at him with a small smile.

"Well you can't be dreaming if that hurt, although I am curious as to why you would be dreaming of little ol' me." He noticed that she blushed when she said that which he found surprisingly adorable.

He shook his head upon realizing it. "The hell am I thinking? I'm in a world of colorful ho- err ponies and I am one now too! What kind of screwed up punishment is this?"

"Sorry to interrupt your rant..." Carrot Top said interrupting him. "But I can't help but notice that you seem troubled by something."

"Ya think?" Hark thought but then remembered she can read his mind for some reason. "Oh, sorry... Wait how can you even read my mind?"

Carrot Top shook her head. "Like I said, I can't. You're talking to me through telepathy. Shouldn't you know this? Since you're ya know, doing it?"

"I didn't even know I was! Not to mention the fact that I could even do something like this!" Hark thought frantically.

"Wow, doing telepathy without even realizing it. You must be pretty good at magic then." Carrot Top said with a smile.

"Magic?" Hark thought confused.

Carrot Top's smile faltered. "Yea, you know, that stuff that lets unicorns do impossible things with their horns...."

"Horns...?" Hark suddenly lifted a hoof towards his head where indeed there was something protruding out of it. "What the?!"

Before Hark could panic, Carrot Top spoke up. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about what's wrong? I can tell you're stressed."

Hark took a moment to merely calm down. He knew the situation he was in was crazy but he had to become steady and try to assess the situation calmly. After taking a few deep breaths, he opened his eyes and saw Carrot Top smiling at him. He decided she was his chance to get info at this moment so he thought of something. "Where are we exactly?"

Carrot Top seemed confused by this question. "Um, we're at the outskirts of Ponyville...didn't you know this when you took a nap here?"

Hark chuckled lightly despite the situation. "Ponyville huh? That's funny."

Carrot Top smiled at that. "There you go! First time I've seen you smile since I spoke to you."

Hark took another deep breath and relaxed. At the moment, his best bet would be to look around for answers. Since he isn't dreaming, proof of that was the punch he received from Carrot Top, and he wasn't dead...

"I'm not by chance dead am I?" 

Carrot Top was surprised at that question. "If that was true then I would be too and seeing that I'm still healthy as ever, I don't think so."

Alright since he isn't dead either, there must be a reason why he ended up here. Hark figured his first option is the town nearby. He turned from the town and looked at Carrot Top.

"Um, Carrot Top?" Hark thought hesitantly.

"Yes?" Carrot Top said eagerly.

"I'm kinda new here and I was wondering...perhaps you can show me around?" Hark thought sheepishly as he rubbed his short mane.

Carrot Top smiled. "Of course! And let me be the first to say welcome to Ponyville!"

Hark cracked a small smile at this. At least the talking pony was friendly. That makes things a little easier. He got up to stand on two legs but fell immediately, hitting his face on the ground. He groaned as he spit a bit of dirt out his mouth. He heard giggling and turned to see Carrot Top looking at him.

"A little weary after laying down so long huh? I get that feeling sometimes too."

Hark then tried to get up again but this time he got on all fours. It felt alien to him but at the same time it felt normal. Hark decided not to delve too deep into it and merely started to walk, albeit a little shakily. Carrot Top joined him by his side still smiling.

As they were walking towards town, Hark decided to look around the area. Everything was colorful yes, but it also looked more lively and quite beautiful. The area looked much more peaceful and serene than the places he remembers back home. Even if he turns out to be stuck here, at least he can come and relax here. He turned and look at his companion for the time being. He noticed that Carrot Top kept looking his direction before looking away again. He was confused slightly til she spoke up.

"So why don't you speak normally through your mouth? Did you lose your voice from yelling or something?" Carrot Top asked.

Hark merely shook his head. He then spoke in his mind. I'm mute. I cant speak.

"Oh, well then why not?" Carrot Top asked confused.

Hark looked at her. Uh, it's cause I am mute, you know, can't speak cause vocal chords were damaged...

Carrot Top merely looked at him. "You gonna answer?"

Hark stopped moving and looked at her confused. I am answering. Wait, can she not hear me now?

Hark decided to test that theory. He pointed at her and then at his head.

She seemed to have got it. "Nope, I don't hear anything. I think its cause you're not using your magic."

Hark stared at her dumbfounded. I have no idea how to use magic! I didn't even know I could use it! He groaned as he thought, a small cream colored aura starting to appear on his horn. "Well that's just great. Sometimes it sucks not being able to speak..."

"You're not able to speak?" 

Hearing that surprised Hark. He turned to her. "You can hear me now?" 

Carrot Top nodded. "Sure can. So you say you can't talk?"

Hark sighed in relief before he nodded. "Yeah, my vocal chords are pretty shot so I cant really make any words when I speak."

"Oh...." Carrot Top seemed down about that which confused him. He then realized it must be because of his condition since others did the same before.

"Don't worry, I wasn't much of a speaker anyways when I could talk. This suits me, honest." Hark thought politely.

Carrot Top looked at him for a moment and Hark couldn't help but get lost a little in her large forest green eyes. He couldn't understand why her eyes were so big, but he had to admit it was rather cute in some weird way.

After a moment, she merely smiled. "Okay if you say so. Anything else I should know before we continue on?" Carrot Top asked openly.

Besides the fact that I'm a human and not a pony? Not much... Hark though but when he noticed that her expression didn't change, he realized she didn't hear him. He sighed before shaking his head no. He was good at not talking anyways so it will be better to just reply like he normally does. At least til he figures things out.

"Alright then! Let's get started with the tour! I'll show you around and if you have any questions, feel free to express them or use telepathy. whatever works for you." Carrot Top said excitedly.

Hark was slightly confused at her upbeat personality. "Are all ponies like this?"

"Not really. I'm like this because I've met a new friend." Carrot Top said with a smile.

Hark really needed to find out this magic business cause he really didn't like the idea of random thoughts he has being known by others. However, after thinking this, he noticed something she said. "Wait, we're friends?"

She nodded with a giddy smile. "If you want to be. I'd like to have you as a friend. You look nice and are quite funny."

Hark rolled his eyes but not out of annoyance. "Glad you think I'm funny..."

Carrot Top panicked, thinking she insulted him. "Oh! I didn't mean it like that! It's just-"

"It's fine really, I'm not mad or anything Carrot Top." Hark cut her off with a wave of his hoof.

Carrot Top blushed at that. "Oh, okay.....well you ready to head out?"

Hark merely nodded as they resumed their trek towards the town, Hark wondering what other crazy things he might have in store for him. But he knew one thing for sure.

Silent Encounters are crazy ones....