//------------------------------// // The Beginning // Story: Blind in Paradise // by Kickass222urmom //------------------------------// A/N: This is not a romance. There will be romance, but not for a while. Chapter 1 "I'm getting too old for this," I grumbled as I followed my two grandchildren down the hall, trying not to run into anything. "Hurry, Grandpa!" Night Dancer, my granddaughter, yelled as she and her brother galloped off towards their room. Hearing this, I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, as I followed the sound of their hoofsteps. Finally, I leaned against the wall and felt my way to the entrance of their door, ensuring it was open before stepping in. Once I was sure I was inside their room, I slowly trotted forward, kicking a few toys away with my front hooves. "Grandpa?" Mild Blue asked. I stopped when I was next to their beds, "Hmmm?" "Are you going to tell us a story?" I smiled and gave a nod, "That's the plan. I do it every night, don't I?" "Can you tell us a story about a knight fighting a bad guy, to get to the princess?" Mild Blue asked happily. I nodded, a smile appearing on my face, "I sure can...." "Wait!" Night Dancer yelled out, stopping me before I even started. "Can you tell us a different one?" "Oh,” I was surprised at the sudden change of request. “Like what?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. They were silent for a few minutes, until I heard a simultaneous ‘mhmm!’ from each of them. "Can you tell us how you met Grandma?" Mild Blue asked. I brought my hoof to my chin and thought, "I can, but it's a long story." "We don't mind!" Night Dancer exclaimed, clearly excited for the story. “We have the time!” “Hahahaha, sadly, I don’t.” I smiled and sat down on the bed. "Well, it all started...." "Wait!" Mild Blue yelled out. "What is it?" I asked while chuckling. "What was your name?" I smiled and shook my head slightly, "It was still Travis." "Oh..." "As I was saying." I continued, "It all started..." Sixty four years ago "Watch it, buddy!" someone yelled out as I accidently bumped into them. Grabbing onto him for balance, I knew it was a guy, for where I grabbed, was a guy’s chest, as well as, his voice wasn’t so charming. Relieving my grip of him, I held up a hand and motioned an apology. "Sorry, I can't..." Interrupting my apology, something had pushed me, causing my body to stumble back slightly, a bit off balanced. I pulled on the leash within my grasp, and heard a yelp from my guide dog. "Sorry ain't gonna cut it!" he yelled. Someone off to the side, maybe a few feet, started talking, "Derek, stop it! Just look at the guy!" "Yeah," someone else said, "I think he's that one guy, you know, the blind one." "Do I look like I care?" the first guy, apparently Derek, said. Grabbing onto my shirt, my body was shook slightly and pushed, as if I was being warned again, for the umpteenth time. "He should be watching where he walks!" "The irony of that statement," I replied calmly with a hint of smartass. "How can I watch where I'm walking? I'm blind. If anything, you should have been watching where you were walking." "Don't blame this on me!" he yelled in my face, giving me another violent shake. "No! Derek, don't do it!" a female’s voice exclaimed. Someone, Derek I believe, being the only threat, pulled the leash out of my grasp. "Give. It. Back." I calmly emphasized on each word. "Make me," he said, putting his hands on my chest. Pushing me back a few feet, I had nearly fallen, save for that one person who caught me. "Derek, give it back!" the female of the group yelled out. "Yeah, man! This guy didn't mean to run into you!" the guy who caught me said angrily. I heard someone laugh briefly, "Why should I?" "Not cool man..." someone else said off to the side. "Hey," Derek said as I heard him walk my way, causing the guy behind me to slowly let go of me and back away. Why were they scared of him? Aren’t they his so called friends? "How old are you? Seventeen?" "I'm twenty four," I said plainly. "Oh?" he said with a snicker, "You mean I'm picking on an adult?" A small sigh escaped my lips as I brought my hand to my face in frustration. Yes, dealing with someone as ignorant as this, gets completely tiring and old. "Hey, I asked you a question!" he yelled as he put his face in front of mine. I could tell that he was face to face with me, because one, his breath was terrible! Two, I felt the spit fly out of his mouth, and directly onto my cheek. "I thought you would have already known the answer to that stupid question," I said in annoyance. "Did I stutter?" "You little fucker!" he growled, giving me a hard shove. I stumbled back, tripping over something that laid on the ground, forcing my already loosely fitted sunglasses to fall from my face. Falling to the ground, I landed on my ass with a heavy thud. "Derek, just stop it man!" one of his friends, warned. I heard what sounded like two people struggling with something. Then came a heavy smack, as if one had hit the other. "No! How about you just stop?!" Derek yelled angrily. A few seconds later, I felt someone grab my shirt collar and pull me back to my feet. "Derek please!" the female yelled out. "Don't hurt him! He didn't do anything to you or us!" "Do I look like I care?!" Derek yelled out, giving me another hard shove, causing me to stumble back. This time however, I was able to keep my footing, as my small victory, may it be short lived, I heard a klaxon and the screech of tires. The next thing I know, screams of a crowd were heard and heavy metal slamming into me. I felt my body roll over what could have only been a car's hood, and then the sickening impact of pavement. Then nothing. All my senses slowly faded away, followed by a feeling of intense nausea. I then let out a small cough as I felt a heavy pressure press down on me. The pressure became heavier and heavier, making my body feel like it was about to be crushed. Then, the pressure began to slowly recede. Soon, my senses began to return. But, as I slowly began to tell, I was no longer on the hot pavement of a street. I was now on what felt like stone, or many stones pressed together. Cobblestone? A few seconds later, my sense of hearing returned, but, instead of the sounds of cars and a screaming crowd….. I heard, birds? And …Wooden wheels? "Hey!" someone yelled, "Get out of the road!" What? But, I can't even move... I thought briefly. I started to respond, but noticed that I felt no pain. As in, I could feel my whole body, but there was no pain present. Hows that possible? I know for a fact that I was just hit by a car... "Hello! Are you listening to me?!" I heard the man yell, followed by what sounded like two wooden poles hitting the ground. "I..." I began, but my voice came to a sudden halt as I brought my hand to my face. This thing, it wasn't my hand. It wasn't even a hand. It was more like a large, meaty, stub with a hard point. Before I had made another move, something grabbed me and forced me to stand on... all fours? Whatever it was, it had grabbed me with two stubby pole-like things, kind of like what had taken the place of my hand. "Are you all right in the head? Or, are you just stupid?" the same guy asked as he began to push me backwards and onto a curb. "I... I..." I stuttered, to shocked to make full sentences. The man sighed, "Forget it. Just stay out of the streets, alright?" I gave a nod. I heard him walk off, but, his steps sounded weird. It sounded like he was wearing shoes that were made… Of wood! Where am I? The Stone-Ages? After a second, I gave my head a shake, hoping to ease the pain of, ’what the hell was going on’ and refocused on myself. Wanting to get up from the cobble stoned ground, I tried standing up straight, but the second my new appendages came off the ground, my body went forward and sent me to the ground with a heavy thud. "What the..." I began as I shifted around on the ground, trying to stand back up. But, something was wrong. Very wrong. When I ran my new parts over my body, I could feel... fur? Very short fur…More like a coat for the matter of fact. And when my hands made it to my legs, I could instantly tell that my legs were in the wrong position. "Are you okay there?" a female's voice asked as the owner of the voice helped me stand up. On all fours. "I'm fine.." I muttered as I tried to make sense of my own body. "Ummm, can you tell me something?" I asked, looking in the direction that I had heard her voice. "Sure, but I'm over here," the girl said as she turned my head in her direction. "Oh sorry..." I said in a low voice and coughed slightly. "Umm, do I look right to you?" She laughed and patted me on the shoulder with her stubby... hand thing. "You look like everyone else," she said as she removed her hand from my shoulder. "Why do you ask?" I shook my head, "No reason..." "Ah, okay," she said as I heard her start to walk away. Okay, what am I going to do? I thought to myself as I turned my body in different directions. Something is clearly wrong here. First off, I should be dead by now. Or at least paralyzed, I’m pretty damn sure I heard my legs snap when the car hit me. Secondly, what is wrong with me? My body... isn't even my body. It's all screwed up! I'm only able to walk on all fours, and my arms are round and flat.... What is going on here? I thought as I turned in one direction and began to walk forward, only able to take two steps before tripping on myself. "Damn it..." I muttered as I slowly stood up, almost falling back over in the process. "Are you sure you're okay?" I heard the girl from before ask as she walked towards me. I sighed and nodded, "I'm fine." "No, you're not," she insisted. "I am!" I said loudly as I turned and forced myself to walk in the opposite direction. Sadly, I was unable to prove my point as I ran face first into something solid, bouncing me back and onto my rump. "Okay, now I know something is wrong. Who walks into a wall?" she said as she helped me stand back up. "Nothing is wrong!" I snapped. I heard her stomp her foot against the ground. "Listen here!" she growled, "I'm only trying to be nice! If I wanted, I could have just kept walking when you fell over! I'm sick and tired of all you ungrateful..." "I'm blind," I simply and calmly interrupted her, which in turn, stopped her from her rant. Awkward silence filled the air as I heard her kicking at the ground. Finally, she broke it, "I'm... I didn't know." "It's fine." I waved off the apology, with my… stub. "Are... are you really?" she asked, stepping closer, to me to which I nodded. A few seconds passed before I felt something press into my forehead and push my head back slightly. "What are you doing?" I asked in a slightly annoyed voice. She chuckled lightly. "Sorry, just wanted to make sure you weren't lying." I sighed and shrugged, "Can I go now?" "Where do you live? I know my way around Manehattan, so, if you want, I can take you to your place," she offered. I shook my head, "No, it's fine. I think I can find my way back home." Manehattan? "You sure? I don't want you to run into anything, or anypony." I shrugged and took a step, "No, I'm fine. I'll just be..." 'Did she just say... anypony? What the...' "Umm, what did.. What did you just say?" I asked slowly, repeating my statement. "What?" she asked in return. "You said... anypony." I said in a slightly trembling voice. “Am, I right?” Please be wrong. "Uhh, yeah? It's like anybody, but has the same meaning," she said in a slightly concerned voice. "I, uhh... why would you use such a term?" I asked, as anyone would if someone started saying ‘pony’ just for the kicks of it. She chuckled, "Well, I guess it fits." I... I just have to ask this... "Ummm, are you a pony?" Stupid question, but... "Well duh, what else could I be?" she said, followed by a small laugh. "And me?" I said, feeling light headed. "You? You're also a pony, an earth pony, like me. Why do you ask?" I shook slightly and brought my hand to my face. Actually feeling it completely. I then noticed that my eyes felt larger than they should be, and my nose... was arched and stuck out more than it should have been. When my hand went higher, I felt large ears pointing straight up. "Umm, are you doing okay?" she asked in concern. "I... I..." I stuttered as everything finally sunk in. I... I was a pony... I started to try and walk away, but stumbled over my awkward feet and fell face first on the ground. The girl ran over and placed her hands on my back. She was saying something, but I couldn't hear her. My brain was going crazy, this was just too much to handle! Seconds later, I was out.