//------------------------------//
// Strange Occurrences  
// Story: The Bright White Light 
// by Duniman 
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	“What a lovely place to wake up to.” I thought to myself, taking in the colorful world around me. I look around at the many critters around Fluttershy’s cottage. She sure does like animals. I can hear birds singing in the distance. I can see flowers blooming in the meadows. This place just seemed so perfect in every way. And still not a rabbit in sight.
“Man this place doesn’t seem anything like my dream,” I thought to myself, “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I remember it. I think it was the last thing I can remember from my old life. Maybe I was knocked out and someone brought me here from wherever I was. Maybe…” but before I could continue my train of thought, I heard a loud voice screaming something. What on Earth were they saying? It was faint but I thought I could make out something like, “Pink trout, pink trout.” What the heck did that mean?
“LOOK OUT!” yelled the red Pegasus as he saw someone directly in his flight path, oblivious to the world. Before he could get the stallions attention it was too late. He slammed into the stallion, sending both of them sprawling across the earthy path.
“Ugh…my head, I think I landed on something.” I said a bit groggily as I stood up. It was then that I turned around and saw a large rock on the path, supposedly the cause of my now splitting headache. I turned back around to the grounded Pegasus, who seemed to be unconscious at the time. I walked over and gave him a light nudge with my hoof, but all I got as a response was him saying, “Five more minutes, please mommy?” still unconscious and laying on the path.
I shook him a bit and that seemed to do the trick.
“Huh-what…where am I?” said the red Pegasus, a confused look on his face.
“Oh, ya know, just lying on the ground in the middle of the path after you slammed into me.” I said with a hint of anger in my voice.
“Oh yea, sorry about that. I’m still getting used to these things.” He said pointing a hoof at his wings. At least I think they were wings. They looked strange, different from Fluttershy’s wings but they still seemed to look normal on him at the same time. Weird.
“Nah it’s cool, no harm done see?” I sat on my haunches and showed him where his skull impacted with my chest. I took a look at this new Pegasus. He was a slightly dark shade of red with a green and brown mane and tail. He had a slight blue tint around his muzzle and the same blue tint around the ends of his feet. One strange pony indeed. “Are you feeling alright? You slammed into me pretty hard and you were unconscious for a bit there.” I stated worriedly as I rose back to my hooves.
“Oh I’m fine, I got a tough skull see?” He then proceeded to charge as fast as he could at a tree off to the side of the path and bashed it with his skull. I could hear a light crack as I watched him droop to the ground a few seconds later.
“Ugh, not five minutes into a conversation and he injures himself. Oh well, guess I better get him to the hospital.” I said as I lifted the unconscious pony onto my back and continued walking down the path. I didn’t notice it at first due to his red color, but there was a trickle of blood going down his face.
“Well that can’t be good.” I stated as I watched the blood leave a trail behind us, dripping off his face every few steps.
As I walked I continued to think to myself as I had before. I was in no hurry; after all, he did this to himself.
I picked up where I left off, thinking that something felt very strange about this world. It felt familiar, yet at the same time alien and distant. Half of me was focused on trying to remember, while the other half wasn’t complying.
“Stop worrying about it,” said a voice from inside my head, “All you need to focus on right now is necessities and survival. I mean, where are we gonna sleep tonight, because I am not going back into that forest.” Stated the strange new voice.
“But what if I need to remember things from my past. I can’t just aimlessly wander through the rest of my life. I need to know who I really am!” I yelled back at the voice.
“Speaking of knowing who you are, it might be a good idea to think of a name since you can’t seem to remember yours.” The voice said mockingly.
“Hmm…haven’t thought of that yet. That Fluttershy girl didn’t ask so I guess that’s a positive, as I would rather not have to think of one on the spot.” I responded to the voice. Hmmm…what would be a good name in a world full of colorful ponies?
I kept walking with the red Pegasus on my back, thinking of what I would call myself should anyone ask. I was so focused that I didn’t even notice that I was right in front of the hospital.
“Well isn’t that convenient?” I chuckled to myself as I made my way into the clinic. As I walked in some nurses took heed to the unconscious equine on my back and quickly rushed over and lifted him off. Man was he heavy! As he was lifted off me I felt an enormous relief and went to sit on a chair in the lobby. I thought I might as well wait to see if he was alright.
-------------------------------------------------A few hours later----------------------------------------------
I woke up to the sight of an empty waiting room, except for a couple of nurses sitting behind the window and talking. I decided it would be a good idea to check up on that red Pegasus, as I had no idea how long I had been out. I walked up to the chatty nurses and coughed to get their attention.
“Oh hello sir, how may I help you?” said one of the nurses. I wondered for a moment why she had a tattoo of a medical cross on her flank but I decided to focus on the matters at hoof.
“Yes miss…,” I looked at her name tag for a second to address her properly, “Redheart, I was wondering if I could check up on the stallion I brought in a while ago?”
“Ah yes, he is doing much better now. Follow me and I will take you to him.” She stated, motioning for me to follow.
As I walked down the hallway I couldn’t help but a feel a little scared. I’m not sure why, but I felt scared of my surroundings. I sunk lower and lower to the floor, letting a little phobia get the best of me at the time.
“Sir I-“
“AAAHHH!” I screamed in an octave higher than should be possible for a colt. Nurse Redheart just looked at me confused before I gave a sheepish grin back at her.
“Sorry about that,” I said nervously, “Guess I have a little fear of hospitals is all. So what did you want to say?”
“Oh I just wanted to tell you we have arrived at your friends room.” She stated as she pointed to a door on the right.
“Oh…uh thanks.” I said to the kind nurse.
“No problem sir. If you need anything don’t be hesitant to ask me.” She said as she walked back to the lobby.
I pushed open the door and looked into the room where a red Pegasus was lying on a bed with his back against the top half, which had been moved so he could sit up. I saw bandages wrapped around his head from where he was bleeding earlier. It seemed like the bleeding stopped thanks to the nurses.
“Oh hey! Didn’t think I would see you again. Thought you would just drop me off and take your leave. Sorry about running into that tree like that. I really thought it would have been softer.” He said rubbing his head where it hit the tree.
“Well I’m just glad to see that you are alright dude. When did they say you could get out of here?” I asked, curious to his condition.
“Well they said it would be about a week or two considering the concussion and all. Course it doesn’t really bother me all that much right now. Just means I have somewhere to stay for a few nights at the least.” He said a little joy in his voice.
“Wait you mean you don’t have anywhere to stay?” I asked worriedly.
“Nope. Tell you the truth though; I’ve been sleeping in an apple orchard for the past few nights. I was able to find some sort of tree house out there so I decided to take refuge there until I found somewhere to go but as soon as it felt like I fell asleep three fillies were inside talking. I was in the upstairs of the tree house (yes it was a two story tree house) so they didn’t find me right away. I tried to hide but when they came up the stairs they must have seen me in the corner where I fell asleep, hoping they wouldn’t see me in the shadows of the bookcases. Unfortunately they were scared by a strange pony sleeping in their tree house so they then proceeded to punch and bite me until I left. Since then I’ve been sleeping on park benches, waking up early so no pony would catch me. The next day I crashed into you trying to learn how to use these things,” he said pointing to his wings, “and now here I am.” The Pegasus finished his story with a slight hint of sorrow in his voice.
“Well dude it sucks to hear that but don’t you have a family or friend you could stay with till you got back on your feet?” I asked worrying about the injured Pegasus. I didn’t know why I was so concerned for him, it just felt like the right thing to do ya know?
“No not really,” he stated sadly, “See I kind of just woke up here a few days ago. Can’t remember anything about my past or who I even am. Nowhere to go, just wandering aimlessly, trying to find something to do before I have to bear another night in the harsh cold.”
I could sense the sadness in his voice. For some reason I felt a strange connection to this strange looking pony. Maybe because he was like me, stuck not knowing who he is or where he is going to go.
We sat there in silence for a minute, him on the bed and me in a chair across the room. I broke the silence as I stood up and spoke.
“Well I have to get going. It’s been nice talking to you and all but I need to…to figure some things out. Hit me up once you get out.” I said exiting the room and leaving the sad equine to wallow in his depressive state.
I left the clinic and turned on the street heading towards the town once again. It seemed to be about two or three o’clock at this point. I walked towards the town hoping to find some answers on who I was. Maybe somepony there knew me and could help jog my memory in some way.
I entered the new town, my head full of hope and a bounce in my step. I looked at a sign, which was impossible to miss, that read
WELCOME TO PONYVILLE
I smiled and trotted into the town.