“You have healed much faster than expected,” the nurse said in surprise, “You won’t be needing bandages anymore. Most of your skin is scar tissue. By how you are progressing, you should be completely healed by tomorrow.”
“Thank you, nurse,” he said as he dressed in the hospital gown. “I feel one hundred times better than when I first woke up.”
“Would you mind giving a blood sample? We would like to study it,” the nurse said with a syringe ready.
“Sure. I do not mind,” Geoffrey extended his arm and rolled up his right sleeve. The nurse tied a tourniquet around his arm and when his artery was ready; she stuck the needle in the vessel and drew out enough blood to fill the syringe. When she was done she left him alone with his thoughts.
He stared outside through the dark window at the starry night. Buildings and houses were lit up with small yellow squares. Every now and then one of the squares would turn off. He could not recognize any of the constellations in the sky. He truly was in an alien world. Magic. Magic? Was magic the reason he was healing faster than usual? He knew that whenever he got a bruise from one of his mother’s beatings, it took about two weeks for him to heal. He imagined that a burn, least of all a third-degree burn, would take months to heal, if ever.
He began to recall all the stories he read when his mother had left him locked in his room for days on end. One story, or rather series of stories, came to mind the most. This character had so many stories written about him throughout time, how could he not be real? Grey Whulphe, Leader of the Ancient Tribes of Massenda, God of Survival, Paragon of Crafting, Reaver of Spirits, Guardian of Nature, God Slayer, Devil-Slayer, and many many more titles. After his father passed away he began to look to Grey as a father figure and role model.
Grey was strong; he was undefeatable; Grey was intelligent; he created multiple inventions and stratagem; Grey was loyal; he stuck by his friends through thick and thin; Grey was courageous; he always was at the front to lead a charge and he never backed down from any enemy—no matter its size and power; Grey was noble; he believed in protecting the weak and treating everyone fairly; Grey was charming, he would not pass up a moment to lay with a beautiful woman; Grey was persevering: no matter what obstacles stood in his way, he would overcome them to complete his objective. Grey just wanted to spend eternity with Valkyrie and make amends with his daughter Shade; Grey just wanted everyone to get along with one another and help each other; Grey just wanted everyone to see past their small differences and look at all their vast similarities; Grey just wanted peace and happiness for all.
Grey was easily seduced by Valkyrie, which led to many problems; Grey often let his emotions get the better of him; Grey was vain at times; Grey often stretched himself too thin; Grey was often a martyr; Grey eventually sealed himself away. For what reason? No one knew. None of the books ever explained. None of the books tell where he went. It is funny. All the books he has read seem like autobiographies yet the Church and Saints say none of those things ever existed. Something inside him made him believe that Grey was real.
“What are you thinking about?” Princess Celestia asked which surprised him.
“Oh! Your majesty I did not hear you come in,” he sat himself up in the hospital bed.
“I noticed after the third time I called you,” she smiled.
“I… was just thinking about home and about all the stories I used to read. I guess I’m a little bored since I had nothing to occupy my time,” Geoffrey explained.
“What kind of stories did you use to read about?” she asked as she sat in a chair beside the bed.
"Adventure stories, mainly," Geoffrey admitted, "I. . . was not allowed outside a lot so stories about new places and new worlds really fascinate me."
"Why were you not allowed outside?" Princess Celestia questioned.
"As I have previously explained, my mother did not care much for me. She wanted my life to be as horrible as possible, I believe," he answered somberly.
He saw her deep in thought, then her eyes connected with his brown eyes, "As much as I would love for you to enjoy our world, you are a new species, there are precautions that have to be taken."
"I understand, your majesty," he replied with a small, understanding smile, "Would it be possible to stretch my legs in the hospital, at least?"
Unknown Location - Equestria?
Darkness. Cold, damp, darkness. My body aches. I blink my eyes yet I can not see. Have I gone blind? Where is Mason? I try to shout and I feel my vocal chords vibrate. The ground feels hard, cold, and wet. Is this a cave? I try standing but pain flares in my legs. My whole body feels numb. I felt my clothes sticking to me. Mason. . . Mason needs me. I can feel it. I need to protect him!
With all my strength, I push myself up and stand. . . if only for a moment. I stumble and crash against a wall. It had the same composition as the floor. I use it to hold me up while I regained feeling in my legs. It feels as if thousands of needles are stabbing my legs. I stand there, breathing hard, waiting to regain my strength. Mason needs me. . . and I need Mason. We are family, we are the only ones we have. If there is a God, I hope he is watching over him.
Light stabs my eyes and I fall on my butt.
"Ha! Those ponies think they could arrest me, Factual Theory!?" the scientific mare cackled in the darkness. She escaped with her teleportation spell to her back up laboratory, but the spell took a considerable toll on her mana and horn. "Why is it so bloody dark in here? Lights!" she clapped her forehooves together, which flickered the light to life.
She froze when she heard a groan. She quickly located the source of the pained sound: a creature, similar to the one from before!
"Th-The brother!" she concluded out loud and quickly covered her mouth with a hoof. The short, brown haired creature was sitting on the ground, rubbing its eyes. She cocked her head and addressed it, "You there!" Realization soon hit her as the memories of the night before flooded her mind. "Duh, he's deaf."
She cautiously walked over to it, "He was the 'good one', right?" she thought as she drew near, her horn aglow with a stun spell at the ready.
Arrghh! Where did that light come from? That's what happened the first time! After shielding my eyes for a moment, I opened them and found the light less perverse. Yup. I was in a cave of sorts, from preliminary examination. I had to chuckle to myself. I'm such a goof.
I found it easier to stand, thanks in part to the aid of the wall. I turned around and I saw it.
I did not to believe my eyes. It was a unicorn. A genuine unicorn. A pinto unicorn I think? It's horn had a goldish glow around it. I smiled warmly and waved "hello" to it.
Factual Theory cocked her head curiously at his gesture.
"Can you hear me?" A female voice boomed in my head. I clutched my head as her voice echoed and bounced off the inside of my skull.
Factual Theory noticed the agony on its face and another realization hit her: if he was born deaf then my normal volume would probably be deafening and new to him.
"I apologize," the voice whispered, "Was I too loud?"
"Yes," I nodded with a weak whimper. Tears rolled down my cheeks. It was the first time I had ever heard anything. How did she do it? I wondered looking at her in awe. Her green eyes watched me. . . studied me.
"Telepathy," she stated matter-of-factly.
Fascinating.
"It is not that hard to learn nor do," the pinto mare replied modestly. She noticed the creature draw close to her and she retreated a few steps which made him stop in his tracks. Even though they are twins and do look alike, this one was about twice the size of his brother. He stood about as tall as her royal sunbutt herself. Then again, the other one did have his legs cut off. . .
I-I won't hurt you. Can you tell me where I am?
Factual Theory thought for a moment. She paced around the creature. No matter how docile a creature seems, if backed into a corner, most will fight back, case in point for Mason. "What is your name?"
Jason. Jason Wolfgang Peter Wallace Nova. I answered with a smile and bow.
"Do you know magic?" she continued her interrogation.
No. I know self-defence and a few card tricks.
"What are you?"
Human. Homo sapiens sapiens, to be exact. We Humans come from a planet called Earth, in the Solar System, in the Milky way galaxy which is part of the Local Group, inside the Virgo Supercluster.
"I have no idea what that all means," Factual Theory stated after a moment's thought. She heard him laughing in his mind. He smiled up at her his brown eyes smiling, as well.
That's okay. All that matters is where my brother is and if he's okay.
Jason noticed the slight change in the unicorn's eyes. Factual Theory picked up on it and quickly turned away from him. With her able to read his thoughts, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
What is your name?
"Factual Theory," she provided curtly.
Could you tell me about your world?
"How intelligent are you?"
Jason scanned the room and saw metal strewn about the place. A set of steps led to a second level, which had blackboards with equations in white chalk, surrounding the pit he was in with the unicorn. He walked up to the blackboard the mare was looking at.
Intelligent enough to know you forgot to carry the one.
"That's preposterous!" Factual Theory snorted and begrudgingly looked to where he was pointing. "What?!" she shouted and ran up to the board, placing her hooves on it, and standing on her hind legs. She snapped her head at the beaming Human beside her and narrowed her eyes at him.