We sit on the couch, Sally in my lap, as I surf the tv channels for a cartoon she may wish to watch. She fiddles with her fingers, hardly paying attention to the television. I know she and I are thinking the same thing. I mean, after so long she just wanted to hear dad say those three words, showing he cares, but instead she got shot down due to his hard headedness. Only five years old, and going through so much stress.
I can only imagine how hard it must be for her to take this all in. Just happily going about her day , and all of a sudden, the glory of seeing her father come home after so long, is tosses in the garbage with his cruelty. I have my phone and since he's back I can text him now. He didn't want to be bothered for ANYTHING while he was gone unless it was a real life or death emergency.
I ponder the idea, but as of now, Sally really needs my support, plus I'm still pissed at dad. As if that will stop anytime soon. I hold her so she sits with her legs across my lap, with my arms around her, as I stroke her mane, while the other hand is fumbling to keep the remote in its grasp while switching channels. To think if humans only had one hand. Life would be really tough.
She doesn't care for spongebob, so when that show pops up, I skip it to the next. Then it's this show called the 'Octonauts' which looks like some sort of how for two year olds. She shakes her head, and I switch the channel again. Dora The explorer? No. Digimon? Nope. Normally she loves to watch digimon. I once watched the whole show in one week. That's when I was a huge fan, which I came out of when I was like seven.
Courage The Cowerdly Dog? No she can't stand that show. I loved it. It wonder why she doesn't like it but who am I to judge? We get to this show that has what look like pastel colored ponies. What's the name of the show again? I see people, most of the time guys wearing shirts with ponies on them Who would make a show like this for guys? It's got to be a girls show. Anyway, She doesn't give a response, so I change the channel. She would give a nod if it's something she wants to see.
"Wait, go back!" She exclaims, tugging the sleeve of my shirt.
"You want to watch this?" I ask with a tilt of my head. Not in a judge mental way.
"No, it's just...I...I look like her!" She takes the remote, and presses the pause button.
On the screen as of now, is a purple unicorn, laying on a bed, and the light of what looks like a cloudy day, pours in from an arched window to the left. I stare at the face of this unicorn for some time, then turn my gaze to Sally to make the comparison. The unicorn on the screen and what seem like impossibly large eyes. So does Sally. The both have a smooth, short, and rounded muzzle, and fairly large ears. Now that I look, Sally does look a bit cartoonish, but you can actually see the fur, and more detail, instead of a simple, flat color. They look like exact twins, except for she's a mix of pony and human.
"You do look a lot like her, but..why?"
"I don't know." She presses the play button, then slowly fast forwards it. Every other pony that comes up, look all the same, except for their colors, and their mane and tail styles. "This...can't be a coincidence..."
"What do you mean?"
"What if...I'm not even from earth?" She looks up at me with a worried expression, as sad as coal on a winter morning, with fears in her eyes.
"That's obsurd! If you were from there, then how are you here?"
"The same can be said for me suddenly turning into this at birth. How could that happen?"
"Mom did say that while they were giving her a cat scan at the same time, there was a flash on the screen that didn't go away until you were out." I reply tapping a finger on my chin.
"Yeah, so, what if... this cartoon actually exists, and I somehow got from there to here? Look! The purple one is with this bigger white one, watching what look like her memories in a place that looks like space! If they exist, and that is the kind of stuff that happens, then who knows what can happen?!" She barks, frustrated as if somebody pissed in her cheerios.
"Sally! Calm down, I don't know what's going on, but we can't believe that's true. You're my sister, born on earth, and not this...this place!" I gesture a hand at the tv as the purple on is lifted into the air by the other one, with lights and sparks, and then a flash. After its gone, she's back at wherever she was. It's night time, and as she gets up, two wings spread out from her back. But those weren't there before. What if...what if Sally is right?
"What if I'm from there? Would that mean you aren't even my brother?"
"Sally, no matter what, I will always be your brother, and nothing will ever change that, okay? Even if that is true. You'll always be my little sister. But let's watch something else. This is stressing you out even more than youb already are, or need to be." I switch the channel again, back to Digimon. I then hug Sally tight, resting my head on hers. "I love you so much, Sally. I would be heart broken if anything happened to you. Yes you're a pony human hybrid, but love you as if you were human. Even if you were a full pony I would love you the same."
I let out a sigh of many emotions, just trying to embrace this moment. Sally is the most important thing in my life, and if she ever died, or somehow was gone, I'd never be able to forgive myself for letting it happen. I just want her to be happy. That's all I want in life. I could care less about things I want for myself, because keeping her happy is the biggest thing right now, and has been for five years, and will be for many more. I never thought it was possible to love somebody so much, but here I am, making my life goal to ensure that she enjoys every last living second of hers.
"Lunch time!!" Cried mom about three episodes of Digimon, later. I could tell that Sally couldn't stop thinking of that pony show, either, because she kept looking herself over, with all of her pony features. She and I both ask what caused her to be born this way. Why fate has to bear her with such a terrible burden, of being different on such a major scale. I would fix it of I knew the problem, but the problem is, that I don't so I can't fix it. I can only hope to keep her happy.
"Coming, mom!" I call back to her, shutting the television off. I then proceed to get off the couch, and make my way to the dining room, carrying Sally in my arms.
The smell of spaghetti, and meat balls fill the air more, and more as I get closer, and closer.
I set Sally in her chair, as I sit in mine right next to her.
"Are you guys alright? I heard some sort of a commotion going on out there." Said mom, as she begins to serve the spaghetti.
"Yeah, every thing is fine, mom. Its just that Sally saw a cartoon where she looked like a humanoid version of the characters."
"Why was that such a big deal?"
"She thinks that by some magical force, that she ended up here, just as you were giving birth...from there."
"Well, how in the world is that possible?" She tilts her head at me,as she sucks some noodles off of her fork.
"I don't know mom. That cartoon, pretty much anything can be done with their magic, I guess, so if they do exist, then..."
"I won't believe it! I watched them pull her out! She's my daughter! She's not from this other planet, that's supposedly a cartoon."
"Thats pretty much what I said, as from my point of view at the time." I gaze down at Sally who hasn't even touched her food yet. I watch her sigh as she slouches in her chair. "Why aren't you eating, Sally?"
"I lost my appetite." She says quietly, with her hands placed in her lap.
"How come?"
"I dunnno, I just did. Besides I'm a pony, I'm not supposed to eat meats." She scoffs, with an amphasis on pony.
"But you eat meat just fine. Com's on, and eat. You need your energy if you want to learn to fly!" I put my fists up in the air as if I were flexing, but my tactics to get her to eat, just don't work.
"I don't care anymore about that." She says flatly.
I sigh as I take another bite from my spaghetti.
"Sally, please don't get so down on yourself. You're very special in many ways." Mom smiles, trying to cheer up Sally as she takes another bite of her food.
"How can I possibly be special? My daddy doesn't love me, I'm most likely from another world, plus the fact I have to stay cooped up in the house everyday of my life! Yeah Gracie was my friend, but she never mentioned she was moving a week later!" Sally snaps, standing half way over the table, tears filling her eyes. "Well, I can't take it anymore!" With that, she runs out of the room, crying.
With a long sigh, mom begins to cry too, her head in her hands.
"No, don't you start crying, mom!" I say in a sympathetic tone.
"Why did this have to happen to her?" She asks quietly, just above a whisper.
"I don't know, mom. I'm sure things will eventually turn out okay."
"I just wanted her to be happy!"
"You and me both. But, we better go check on her and see if she's okay." I stand up, devour the last of my spaghetti.
"I guess..." She sighs again, wiping her eyes.
When we reach her room, all that can be heard is Sally crying, and mom sniffling. Everything Sally said in her outburst, about dad, and her friend Gracie...she probably feels alone, and unwanted. Now she knows her own father doesn't love her. It's as if me and mom are the only things she has that are good in her life. To think being what she is, is what caused this whole mess.
"Sally?" Said mom.
"Leave me alone!" Her house is heard through the door
"Sally, we're here for you, and we love you, even if you are different. Yes we've said that many times, but it's true!" Mom says, with her hands on the door.
"Please, just go away."
"No, Sally, I'm not going anywhere." I reply with my hands into fists.
"Fine. Just be quiet, then!" She still doesn't open the door.
"Sally, please."
"If I can't show my face outside, then what's the point to even come out of the room?"
"Sally, if I had the power I'd turn you into a human, but-"
"You don't." She sighs again. "I just wish I knew what went on when mom gave birth to me. Why I'm just a freak."
"Come on, now-"
"Let me guess, I'm not a freak, and I'm a very pretty, and intelligent little girl?"
"Ye- yeah!"
"Then why are you guys afraid the government with find out about me? Why are you scared others will pick on me because of this? If I was pretty, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"Sally, do you think we should probably take a nap? Maybe that would help ease some of your stress."
"Okay....maybe you're right." She sighs and unlocks the door. Like always, I pick her up into my arms, and hold her tight.
"I love you so much!" I sigh, resting her head on my shoulder, as I stroke her mane.
"I love you too Damien. I did it again. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's not your fault, now, let's go get some sleep."
"I think we all do." Said mom with a yawn, and heads into her room.
"Sally, don't you ever forget that you're my little sister, and I'll always be here for you."
"I know, Damien. Thank you." She hugs me around my neck as I head into my room.
"Sometimes I cry at school sometimes, because I miss you so much." I give her a kiss on the head as we lay in bed.
"Awe, really?"
I nod, as I cover us with the sheets, and I hold her close. "Yeah. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Sally."
"You too, big brother." She yawns a loud, and long yawn, forcing me to yawn as well, and in a few minutes, weree both fast asleep
After reclaiming my consciousness, nothing feels right. With a groan, I sit up in my bed which seems more comfortable than usual. It's a dumpy old spring mattress, but I can only feel soft plushiness. I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and let out a large yawn, and a wide stretch. To my left, Sally is sleeping soundly under the blue covers. But they were white when I went to be, right?
Sally also seems a of smaller. Maybe I'm still dreaming. With a shrug, I reach my hand out, and ruffle hermane as she sleeps. But something is off about me. My arm looks as if it's covered with...yellow...fur!? Okay, this is a dream. No doubt about it!
"You're quite right. This is a dream." Said a voice behind me. I turn around to see a navy blue horse with a horn and wings. What would that even be called?? I'm not sure. "Here, why not have a look at yourself?" Her horn lights up a blue color, and out of nowhere, a mirror appears, and that same blue light around her horn, surrounds the mirror as it floats over to me.
Curiously, I take it in my hands. I can't explain how I feel with what I see. I don't see me. I see the face of what I think is a stallion, with my eyes, just much larger, and my hair is much longer, and changed to more of a brownish color. I come to find my entire body is covered in a coat of yellow fur. A strange feeling at the end of my spin, suggests I have a tail as well. I turn my head back just enough to see, and sure enough, there is a long brown tail, laying across the bed. I guess I have hooves now, instead of feet, as well.
"This is a weird dream." I mutter, still looking over my body.
"This is no random dream, Damien. I am Princess Luna. A character from that television show your sister saw. I created a share dream for the both of you. After searching for five years where you may be."
"Okay, so maybe you can explain what happened with my sister at birth."
"I have no clue as to what caused it, but I may have an idea who did it." She states, standing in the middle of the room. Based on what I see, this is her bed. I scooch over, and pick Sally up, not expecting what I see. She's a full pony...and much smaller. This is kind of funny though. She's sleeping while she's sleeping. But this is a dream, so I shrug it off, and place her in my lap.
"You dint seem shocked of all of this." She tilts her head in confusion.
"It's only a dream. Things will go back to normal when I wake up." I smile at the princess, and pat the spot on the bed next to me. "Although, if this is a dream that leads off of reality, and this is actually real, I want to learn as much from you as I can."
"I see." She smiles back, and sits on the bed. "You probably wish to know why she's a normal pony and why you're a hybrid now?"
"Yeah, that would be nice."
"Well, you see, my sister's student, Twilight Sparkle, was sent to a human world, parrallel from ours, and when she got there, she was turned into a human. Upon her return she reverted back to a pony. Something about your world doesn't allow the full transformation. That is why you are what you call an anthro. Your sister was an anthro in your world, but a pony here because..."
"Wait...are you saying..."
"She's from Equestria. Not Earth."
"But...wouldn't that mean she's not really my sister?" I ask, tears filling my eyes. Luna only nods. "Then who does she belong to?"
Nothing could prepare me for what she said next. A single two letter word.
"Me." She turns her head to face me, and I notice a fear falling from one of her eyes.
"How? I don't get it! Are you going to take her away?"
"I've missed five years without my child. I would love to have her back. I know it's hard, but it's how it was meant to be."
I let out a gasp, staring down at the filly in my arms, who I've come to love and know as my sister for half a generation, to find she was somebody else's child. I can't hold the tears back any longer. Holding her tight, I cry my eyes out.
"I cant lose her! She's the most important thing in my life!"
"And you want her happy, right?" She asks, reassuringly, placing a hoof on my shoulder. I can only nod. "Dont you think doing the right thing would make her happy? She's been through such pain in your world. She doesn't belong there. Here she can be normal, and live life with as many friends as she wants, and not worry about government agencies."
"I guess you're right." I'm really surprised she hasn't woken up yet. "Why Hasn't she awaken?"
"I casted a spell to keep her asleep. But you do understand where I'm coming from, right?"
"I do. I just can't believe this. Are...are you taking her now?"
"I cannot this is only a dream. I would have to venture to your world to do so, which would take white a long time."
"How long?"
"About a year. To travel so far, and I'm sure there is no mirror that links our worlds. I would have to prepare for cross galaxy travel because even I cannot teleport so far. Your world is at least two hundred light years away. Cherish the time you have with her."
"But who is my real sister?"
"Her." Lunas horn glows, and a spot on the wall gives away to her blue magic, and an image of a pure white anthro girl lays asleep. She has a wavy blue mane and tail, and bears both a horn and wings. "Her name is Blue Sapphire." I havn't gained enough courage to tell her the truth. Tomorrow morning I must."
"What caused this anyway, and how did you find out she want your daughter?"
"Some magic spell that switches two children at birth, and how I found out, I sensed magic from your world. It took until today for me to feel it. But I traced it's trail all the way to your world."
"I understand. Mom isn't going to be too happy about this."
"Nor will Sapphire. She's come to be such a good child, friends with everypony. We have bonded so much, but this is the right thing to do. I will miss her, but I want my real daughter back. And you should be getting back to your world now."
"Wait!!" I manage to get out before she lights her horn.
"What is it?"
"My life goal is to keep Sally happy. And that's what I want to do more than ever since I only have a year left with her."
"Thats sweet." She gives me a warm smile.
"So, I was wondering, with all this magic stuff you guys can do...I was hoping you could cast some sort of spell on me so I stay this way...as an anthro, so she doesn't have to deal with it alone. I know it sounds weird, but I want to do whatever makes her happy."
"Very well." She smiles, and gives me a hug which a return, and her horn lights up, and with a flash, Everything is gone.
When I wake up, I'm at least happy to be in my own bed. Quickly looking myself over to see if my dream was an actual thing, I'm also happy to see myself still as an anthro. Sally is still asleep in my arms. I'd love for her to see the new me, but I'm going to let her sleep. I hold her closer, as I wear a smile of joy, yet a frown of sad at the same time. I guess you could call this a bittersweet moment.
With my new body, I'm going to have to adjust, and everything. I will still have to go to school. Yes it will be hard now that I'm a human pony hybrid, but I should be able to manage, and as long as I keep Sally smiling, it's all worth it. I know that both Sally and mom will get quite the surprise to see what I've gone and turned into. Somehow I feel right in this new form. Maybe it's because I'm just trying to do the right thing. As of now, I just hope I'm doing the right thing.