"Aegis, what's Xavier doing?"
"Oh, he's reading something that somepony gave him."
Aegis and I sat in silence for a couple minutes, making casual conversation while he did so.
"Are you from around here?" I asked.
"No. I come from across the country. I've been taking up jobs since I moved out of my parents place ten years ago. How about you?
"I've lived down in Ponyville for years. Haven't gone many places on my own. But when I heard about this, I jumped right out of my seat."
"I hear ya. I was about as excited as a foal in a candy store."
"That into science, huh?"
Aegis didn't speak for a little bit. I couldn't tell if it was a hard question for him or if it was hard to explain. "...not exactly. You see-"
"I can't."
The room fell silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. Xavier even stopped walking around the room. The silence mixed with the darkness, making I thought that I had somehow died in an instant. The feeling disappeared when Xavier spoke up.
"I wanted to make the first blind joke."
Aegis and I laughed.
"Okay, shut it you two. I'm seriousing right now."
Xavier said that.
"What are we doing here?" Aegis inquired.
"Just reading the slave code. You're mine now." Xavier laughed evilly.
"Seriously, what are we doing here?"
"I'm just reading the procedures and guidelines. You both signed the waiver, right?"
"I did. I don't know about Char."
"I couldn't read it. I wonder why." I joked.
"Can't you just let me make one, just one, blind joke? I mean, come on!"
I shrugged.
"Well, we have forms in braille, for some reason. Apparently, we're allowed to test on blind folk. This has happened before."
"What happened to him?"
"Let's just say that he ended up seeing out of three eyes."
"That's awesome."
Xavier made a disapproving noise.
"Okay, I'm required to read this to you."
"What are we, school children?" Aegis asked.
Xavier cleared his throat. "Welcome to Glass House Industries!" he said in a Kindergarden teacher like way. "We are dedicated to doing science. Science science science!"
"Is that what it's saying?" I asked.
"Basically. Anyways, in the event that one of you should die in the name of science, we will be held accountable and your family members, friends, acquaintances, or pets-"
"Pets?"
"No, not really. Anyways, ponies will be informed and we will pay for the funeral. It is okay to leave at this point if you so wish. But, if you choose to stay, you may not leave unless you are fired, or excused-"
"Or dead," I whispered to Aegis. He chuckled.
"-from testing. Do you choose to stay?"
I waited for Aegis to speak first. I already knew the answer long before he even asked the question. "I'm staying. My family needs the money. And so do I. I'm a bit selfish."
"Wait, so you're selfish, but you're here to help your family, too?" Xavier asked.
"I'm inconsistent, too."
I elbowed Aegis in the ribs. But I missed. I can't see. "Real funny, Aegis."
"What about you, Mr. Can't see?"
"Hey, that's insensitive."
"Didn't you just make a joke about you being blind? Twice?" Aegis asked me.
"It's only funny when I do it."
Xavier made another disapproving noise. "Now, I just need you two to sign this, which says that you know the risks of doing this, but you don't really care."
I heard the rustles of paper. Particularly in front of me. "Here are the braille papers. Please sign at the bottom of the page." Xavier placed the papers in my hooves.
"Yeah, I see it."
"Okay, that one wasn't even funny."
"It could be funny if you looked at it in a new light."
"You must be really fun at parties."
I couldn't hold in my laughter. I started laughing like a madstallion, and Aegis and Xavier only stood in their places and uncomfortably watched me as I laughed and jested at my own blindness. If there was an award for making ponies uncomfortable, I think I would definitely get it.
Then I'd lick the first pony I'd see.
Oh, right.
"...So you gonna do something to us, or not?" Aegis asked.
"Not today. I have to get some money from the Highers, then I'll have to get my experiment approved, and then I can break out my evil scientist laugh."
"Does that mean we're free to go?" I asked.
"Yes it does. Be sure to yell your loved ones that you might not be able to come back for a few days, or... at all. Please cherish this time with your loved ones and have a great- I'm just reading this off the paper, this isn't me at all."
"Okay, then. When do you want us to come back?" I asked.
"A week from now. Most everypony else would have started already, but I like being fashionably late."
"Okay. I'll just sign this and we'll get out of your way."
"Wait, there is one thing that I could have one of you guys try. Let me go get it." Xavier walked away in a hurry.
"What is it?" Aegis asked.
"Just a thing. With stuff in it. That will maybe do things to you. If we're lucky."
"Can you be specific?"
"Now where's the fun with that?"
"There's none in either," I stated.
"Just want to suck the fun out of everything," Xavier grumbled to himself. "Ah, here it is! Drink up Char."
"Wait, why do I have to drink it."
"Payback for all of those blind jokes."
"Aegis, mind opening it for me?"
"Not a problem." I could here a cork being removed from the bottle. I assumed it was in some kind of vial, though it could have been in something else.
"Here." He placed it in my hoof.
I touched it to my vial and downed it as quickly as I could.
"Good. Go ahead and keep the vial or throw it away. Remember, a week from now at 1:00 P.M. Don't be late," he reminded us.
"How come we can't be fashionably late?" Aegis asked. "It's not like anypony really cares about the test subjects."
"Because shut up! That's why."
"How are you planning on getting home?" Aegis asked me on the way out.
"...We didn't plan that far," I admitted. How could we not have thought about that? That should have been the first thing that crossed everypony's mind.
"Shoot. Well, I can't just leave you here. How about I take you to wherever you need to go."
"No, I don't think that will be necessary."
"Do you have a plan to get home?"
"...No."
"Alright, then I'll go with you. Where do you live again?"
"Ponyville."
"Ponyville, right. How did you manage to get all the way over here on your own?"
"I didn't. I had some... help from a couple of friends. They took me here via train, then we got here with a taxi cart. One of my friends went off on the taxi-cart guy."
"Okay. I was planning on getting a motel if I had to, but going to Ponyville sounds cheaper."
"Fantastic! Hopefully my helpers won't be too upset."
"I hope not. Where else would I stay if I didn't have you?"
I smiled. Aegis sounds like a great guy. If only I could see him. As much as I liked to joke about my own blindness, I actually really hate this. Why did I have to be such an idiot back then? Daddy's cigars are not to be touched, mother told me. Stay away from them.
Now look at me.
"Everything okay? You look like-"
"I'm fine. Let's... let's get to the train before it leaves."
I slept the entire way. The gentle hum of the train managed to knock me out about an hour into the journey. I didn't know about Aegis, though. He seemed like he was about ready to hit the hay after I told him about everyone I knew.
I guess I can be a bit boring sometimes.
I awoke just in time to be awoken by the train squealing to a stop. Chatter broke out among the passengers as they readied themselves to get off.
"Char, we're here," Aegis said to me.
I managed to locate the ground. Which the train happily helped me to do. I found myself getting up from my chair, then suddenly getting a carpet to the face.
"Oh crap, are you okay."
"Breathing. I'm still breathing, so I must be fine," I said, managing to place one hoof firmly on the ground.
"Good. I can't just show up at your house and expect them to let me in."
"If you tempted them with the correct things, I'm sure they'd let you do anything." I finally managed to stand myself up without losing any balance.
But as soon as I got ahold of myself, I nearly fell right over again. In fact, I almost screamed. But instead of screaming, I gasped in horror. Or in disbelief. I don't even know what emotion came out of my mouth, but something came out.
"What's wrong?"
"I... I can see."
"What?"
"I can see. I still see darkness, but... I can see the... outlines of things. I can-"
I looked up. I could see Aegis right in front of me. He was looking over me, like I was some strange creature.
All of the colors, locked away were now suddenly free. I can barely describe how I felt about this. Disbelief flashed across my face, I'm sure, but I think happiness and fear showed up for a little bit as well.
"So you're saying that... you can see again?"
"Yes... no. Maybe. Look, I can see objects."
"Uh-huh."
"I can see their... outlines, I guess. Like... that chair!" I pointed a hoof to the chair I was just sitting in. "I can see the outside of it, as if it was a coloring book drawing."
"That's crazy. Wait, do you think that the thing Xavier gave you had something to do with it?"
"Oh my Celestia, I think you're right! The next time I see him, he's going to get one of the most awkward hugs he has ever received. I'll see to it myself!"
"I don't even know what to say."
"Nothing has to be said. I can give you an awkward hug too!"
"No no, I don't think that-"
"Too late!" I jumped at his teal body and wrapped my hooves around him. I didn't care who was watching or what way ponies would take this, I just needed to hug somepony.
"Okay, hug over. Now let's get home so I can finally see what Tailgate looks like!" I jumped out of the train in a flash.
"Hey, wait up!"
In my time of being blind, I had to memorize everything I walked to when I went outside. And that wasn't a lot. I only went outside if I had to temporarily relocate or I had to do something somewhere, like help out at the school by helping out with a science class. The point is, I knew my way from the train to my own home. Though, it was harder to get there, seeing (ha!) that I actually had stuff to look at now. I didn't even know what my house looked like. But I think I distinguish it. Hopefully. If not, I'll have to pray that one of my helpers is at my house taking care of Tailgate.
Seventy-two paces to the train, then I turn left. Then forty paces forward then twenty paces when I take a right.
"For a former blind pony, you're awfully fast," Aegis shouted from behind me.
"I guess that's what happens when you're beyond euphoric!" I gleefully shouted. "Okay, I think we're there!"
"What makes you-" Aegis skidded to a stop, nearly tripping and getting a nasty burn on his face from all of the dirt.
I looked up at the house that lay before me. The lawn was unkempt, the house looked like nopony had lived in it for years, and the hay roof was about to fall off. It sounded just like my house.
I noticed a bright, yellow outline of a window on the second story. I think I saw the shadow of a many wearing a hat walking around.
I ran up to the door and pounded on it a couple times. Almost instantly, I heard the familiar sound of Tailgate barking his way down stairs.
"Who's there?"
"Tibbles!"
"Tibbles?"
The door opened, and I was embraced by a warm light from the kitchen.
"Char, I thought you weren't going to be home for a while."
"I have to go back next week. I came back with the help of my fellow test subject here."
"Hi." Aegis struggled to let out another word. "Just... let me... catch my breath. Char... outran me."
"You outran that guy? How did you even see where you were going?"
"Well... It's a long story. But I'll be happy to tell it to you over a nice cup of juice. Come on in, Aegis. My humble abode is right here."
"So... you can see me, but you can't see me entirely."
"Yes. I can see the outline of you like you were in a coloring book."
"That's... that's amazing. It's a miracle!"
"I'm the happiest I've ever been!"
"Char, you can see us now. You can see us all!"
Tibbles and I shared an embrace.
"Hey, Aegis! You want a drink?" Tibbles asked Aegis, who had collapsed in my living room.
"Yes please. Do you mind bringing it over here, I don't think my legs will allow me to move anymore. Celestia, I'm out of shape."
Tibbles stood up, and grabbed another glass from a cupboard. "I can't wait to tell the others about this! They'll be absolutely elated."
"I'm absolutely elated!"
"I know!" Tibbles poured the last of the juice carton into the cup. He walked into the living room. I heard the clink of the glass on wood.
"Thanks... Tibbles?"
"Yes. You have a problem with my name?"
"No, not at all. Just... strange."
Tibbles walked out of the living room and sat back down at my dining room table. "Just imagine what Mari will say."
I didn't even think about Mari. "I don't know what she'll say."
"She'll be happy for you. They all will. Especially Mari. She'll be the happiest for you."
The thought of Mari made me smile. For the first time, I'll be able to look at her face. I'll behold her beauty, I'll finally be able to tell her how beautiful she is. It doesn't matter what she looked like, she'll always look like an angel to me. Even if I don't know what she looks like.
Little did I know about the consequences my new sight would bring me.