//------------------------------// // Veterinary Clinic of Ponyville // Story: Suddenly Ponies // by Billy G Gruff //------------------------------// The next few hours had been a blur for me. Bright colors of this alien land kind of blended together as they fussed about my body. I heard snips of conversations in and out of consciousness but for the most part I had no idea what had happened. At least not until I was in a bed next to a bear (at least it looked like what this worlds version of a bear would look like) whom had its leg up in a cast. Any hope of all this being a dream pretty much went out the window for me. "Um...Hi?" I said to the bear. That is a sentence I never thought I'd say. The bear made a noise, and it seemed to acknowledge my existence, but I had a feeling it wasn't on the same level of intelligence as the ponies. It was docile enough, and I was clearly dazed on something because I wasn't hurting like I was when that flying pony struck me down. I looked down at my body -- so I wasn't too concerned. My chest was covered in bandages, but it didn't seem to look like the caved in disaster that it was before. A normal horse could kill a man in one swift kick from what I recalled, and even though these ponies were much smaller in comparison they packed at least as much of a punch as the ones I knew. "Howdy there sugarcube, its good to see y'all are awake." I nearly jumped at the sudden voice. Applejack was sitting in a chair next to my bed. I thought it sweet of her, and then I ruefully remembered the whole stipulation about me having to stay within a hundred feet of her at all times. I guess that means she was stuck with me. Still it was nice of her to do it all the same, she could of said no and let him stay with Twilight for who knows what she was planning. "Hi...I seem not to be dead...or at least I think I'm not. This isn't some kind of afterlife right?" Applejack laughed "EeNope. This here is the Veterinary clinic of Ponyville." "You...took me to the vet..." I deadpanned. "Ah would assume a pony would have to go to a vet in your world if there were similar circumstances. Doctor ponies know how to treat ponies, Vets know how to handle everythin else." "Makes sense....So how did you guys fix me up? I'm thankful and everything don't get me wrong, but I'm pretty sure that blue one punctured one of my lungs with my ribs." "Rainbow didn't mean to hurt ya like she did. She saw a big creature coming out of Rarity's shop that she dun never seen in her life and she reacted on instinct. We have monsters attack Ponyville from time to time, it's just something us ponies have to deal with." "So I look like a monster?" Real boost to the ego that was. "Sugarcube, ah don't rightly know what you look like. Yer easy on the eyes for me, but ahm not everypony." Was...was she flirting with me? What? Brain I need you to sober up from whatever drugs they got me on and give me an assessment on the situation. Other dimensional equines flirting is not computing right now. "SURPRISE!!!" I really need to stop jumping at sudden noises. I turned around to see a pink pony with a mane that I swear was inflated bound into the room and onto my bed. This thing was going to be trouble. Her big eyes was staring right at me and her smile was broader than I think even these ponies could get them on a normal basis. This pony was screwing with my sense of reality in the worst way. Maybe the drugs were playing a role in this. "HI THERE! I'M PINKIE PIE! I already know your name is Mike, Mike is such a nice name by the way, really fun to say, Mike Mike Mike, Its almost as fun as saying a bunch of other words I know!" "Uh huh..." Good lord this pony could talk "Hi there Pinkie Pie....Its nice to meet you..." I reached out for a handshake. To my shock she looked at her hoof, grew mother f*cking fingers I sh*t you not, and shook my hand rapidly up and down before putting her hoof down as same as it was before. "How...." I looked to Applejack. "The sooner you just accepting what Pinkie Pie does as a part of life, the sooner you can stop going crazy trying to figure it out. We've known her for years and have no clue what to make of her sometimes. Isn't that right Pinkie?" "Yeppers! So I was going to through you a big old welcoming party when I heard you had come to town but then I heard Rainbow made you go all BLAGH" she made a face reminiscent of being smacked in the chest by a flying pony... I can't really describe it beyond that you are just going to have to trust me on this, "So I was like GASP" her whole body seemed to stretch and warp with her inhalation of breath. It was both terrifying and fascinating to watch, "and then I went about and gathered up party supplies so I could through you a 'Welcome To Ponyville sorry for breaking your ribs and kidnapping you Extravaganza!!" "Sounds catchy." I quipped, causing Applejack to snort into her hoof in amusement. "I KNOW RIGHT!" Pinkie squealed. She then look like she remembered something and whisked out of the room at a scary speed. She was like a living loony toons character, defying even the vague rules this reality seemed to have. Next moment I heard another pony arguing with her and saw the blue one from earlier, Rainbow I think her name was, being pushed into the room. She rubbed her foreleg with her hoof and didn't look like she wanted to be there, but Rainbow took in a breath and said "Look, I didn't know what you were and I didn't know what was going on. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I was just protecting my friends...what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry about...you know...almost killing you n'stuff..." "No biggie....Well okay its kind of a biggie, I mean I did almost die apparently, but I forgive you. I'm not even supposed to be here in the first place." "Awesome, put 'er there" She stuck out a hoof, and out of instinct I bumped it with my fist. That seemed to be what she was after. "Twi! I said my piece, get your flank in here!" Rainbow yelled out to the door. The princess looked like she had been through the ringer. Her mane was frazzled and she looked extremely stressed and puffy eyed. Her friends were looking at her with a mixture of contention and disappointment, save for Pinkie whom was hopping at the foot of my bed without a care in the world. "Before you say anything..." She started. I raised my hand up. "I've been ripped from my home dimension, made to walk about strangers I don't even know in the complete buff, which I'm sure you are aware is not something humans make a habit of doing, and I almost died from a misunderstanding with one of your friends..." "I know..." "Look Twilight, or Princess, or whatever, My body isn't made for this world. Like at all. If something like a moderately aggressive tackle can nearly kill me without immediate medical treatment, then it doesn't really matter if I'm within one hundred feet of Applejack or not, I'm going to die out here." She sniffed and ran a hoof over her eyes before standing up straight, gulping as she tried to look as formal as possible. "I know. I've wronged you, and for that I extend my deepest apologies. I've...been in talks with Princess Celestia... she's put out word to all of Equestria that you are to be treated with the utmost respect while you are here and she will be personally overseeing my efforts on devising you a way back home. She would be here right now but she is meeting with diplomats from Saddle Arabia." I had no idea who this Princess Celestia was, but she sounded like she had a lot more authority than Twilight had, and she sounded like she wasn't exactly thrilled with what Twilight had done either. "Thank you. I know you probably didn't mean anything malicious, your friends have assured me of that much." "If there is any way I can help you all you have to do is ask." Twilight said earnestly. "Is there...any way you could make it so I don't get injured like this again? I don't even know how you guys saved my life as it is." Twilight's bloodshot eyes widened as she smiled, seemingly remembering something "Yes! Actually I do! The spell protecting you from this world works on the cellular level, I can modify it so that it augments the bonds between the cellular structures and increase your durability and physical capabilities nearly one thousand percent by my estimates. You would still need to be near Applejack, but it should buffer any unexpected blows from now on." "Are...are you saying you can give me super strength?" "It would be superior to your current capabilities yes, and it would help with your healing process. May I?" I nodded and she pointed her horn at me. Next thing I knew that slightly light feeling I had when I first was given this spell increased many times over. I felt like a million bucks, even though my ribs were still tender. They had healed them alright, but they felt like they were JUST healed, like they could go back to being broken with a wrong move. My body stopped glowing purple after a moment I felt like I could just hop out of bed right there. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to..." Twilight said before turning around. Pinkie Pie rushed her and gave her a big hug. "OOoh Twilight! I've made plenty of goofs in my day, all you gotta do is make it all better!" "We've all forgiven you sugarcube, even Mike does, Y'all just needs to understand just cause you CAN do something with magic doesn't automatically mean y'all SHOULD do it." "Princess Celestia said the same thing earlier." Twilight remarked meekly before waving goodbye to the group. "Thanks again for the apology Twilight!" I yelled out after her. I waited a moment before asking, "So...Who's Princess Celestia?" "She's the ruler of Equestria Darling." Rarity sounded off as she entered the room with a rack of clothes trailing behind her. She must of been busy. "She raises the Sun! And her sister raises the Moon!" Pinkie added excitedly. Although as I was gathering from her, she did pretty much everything excitedly. "Is...is Pinkie joking about that?" I asked Applejack, my go to voice of reason in this world. "Eenope. She's raised the Sun for a thousand plus years now." "She moves....a sun...with her magic..." What were these ponies limits exactly? "And Luna raises the Moon!" Pinkie interjected. I rubbed my head with my palms, "Why don't we circle back to this after my head stops being foggy." "Awww....but I wanted to try some outfits out on you. I think you'd look dashing in this" Rarity flared out what was unmistakably a three piece suit. How she came up with the idea of a three piece suit for a human without ever seeing one was anybody's guess. "Our patient needs his rest" A nurse pony came in and began ushering the colorful band of ponies out of the door save for Applejack. "I'll try them on later!" I called out to Rarity who made an audible noise of excitement down the hall. Her passion for her craft was certainly admirable. "If you need anything just let me know." The nurse pony said to me before leaving the room. "They got her in from Canterlot, Celestia's orders. A real pro at restorative magic apparently." Applejack informed me as the mare left the room. "Don't you have a farm you need to run though?" I asked her suddenly. I felt bad for keeping her away from her duties like this. She waved off a hoof. "Don't you fret none, My family knows where Ahm at, plus ahm sure once yer healed up you'll be quite the help catching us up what with you bein taller than a Minotaur n'all." I actually was looking forward to that. Testing out this new strength on some farm work after all the crazy outlandish things that had been going on sounded almost normal. I nestled into the bed for a moment, letting comfortable silence fall between the two of us. "So you think I'm easy on the eyes huh?" "You hush." She quipped as she turned out the lights. "I'm just checking, you know you're pretty easy on the eyes too..." What are you doing mouth. Stop that. We aren't even the same species for goodness sake. "Ah said hush, get to sleepin ya goof" She didn't sound mad, in fact she I could almost hear a smile in that tone. I don't know if I should be worried about this or not.