Celestia's sun shone brightly upon Pyrite as he looked out of the glass windows of his hospital room. The birds were chirping, and in the distance he could see young colts and fillies playing in the playground behind Ponyville's school. Any minute now, Nurse Redheart would return to discharge him. Having gotten a clean bill of health from the doctor earlier, Pyrite was in the best mood ever. Doctor Horse had turned a bit pale the first time he examined Pyrite, but a few hours later it seemed whatever worried him was no longer a problem. For once everything was going Pyrite's way. He couldn't wait for Pinkie's welcome party, it sounded like so much fun! Fun was something Pyrite hadn't had in a long time.
Nurse Redheart cleared her throat. She had actually been standing in the doorway for a few moments now, and Pyrite was too busy staring out of the window to notice her.
"Pyrite. I'm back." She announced.
"Oh sorry I didn't notice you," he apologized, "I was just getting excited thinking about today."
"I understand, you have a big day planned," she agreed, "but we need to take care of a few last minute questions before I can discharge you."
"Sure. What kind of questions?" Pyrite asked.
"First, would you be willing to make an appointment for a memory scrying?"
"What's that?"
"A specialist unicorn uses a spell to help you, and the specialist, view any repressed memories you might have and don't know about."
Pyrite gulped. He knew there were many things he was forgetting about his past, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to remember them just yet. Ignorance is bliss, after all.
"I think I'll wait a bit on that."
"Well I suppose it doesn't have to be right away. You can come schedule it whenever you feel ready." Nurse Redheart assured. "Next, I need you to fill out some paperwork. Since you have amnesia, you have no identification, no birth certificate, no passport, or documentation of any sort. Without any of that, you'll never be able to board a train, or buy a house for example."
We can fix that, if you just fill all of this out."
Pyrite's eyes widened a bit as Nurse Redheart pulled a large stack of papers out of her saddlebag and put them on the nearby table along with a pencil.
"Alright," Pyrite said with an audible sigh, "I guess I can do that before I go meet Pinkie."
*******
The paperwork didn't actually take as long as Pyrite feared it might. He didn't remember ever learning to read or write, but apparently he had and still could. His writing was a bit sloppy, but he made sure it was legible, even if he had to erase and rewrite a few words. Even so, when he finished it was noon.
"I'm done." Pyrite said, carefully laying the stack of papers on Nurse Redheart's desk.
"Very good. I'll get these sorted," Nurse Redheart replied. "You can leave now."
Pyrite didn't even finish turning around before his vision suddenly went dark as he was embraced from behind.
"Hi there, Pyrite!" said a familiar voice.
Pyrite tried to respond, but his muffled voice was unintelligible due to a hoof covering his mouth. His assailant realized his distress and loosened their grip enough for Pyrite to speak.
"Pinkie, is that you?"
"Yupperuni!" Pinkie giggled back.
"I was about to go find you." Pyrite explained. "I just finished the paperwork Nurse Redheart asked me to do. So what do we do next?"
"I've got super duper awesome plans for us today!" Pinkie answered with complete confidence. "First I've gotta introduce you to all my friends! Come on, let's go!"
Pyrite responded with a nod, and the two of them were on their way. As they left, Pyrite looked back at Ponyville Hospital, and through its glass front doors at Nurse Redheart. He smiled as he watched her, already hard at work again. I guess I really can trust these ponies if there are nice ones like her, he thought. It makes me want to pretend all that time I spent imprisoned never happened. Pyrite looked back at Pinkie Pie as she bounced at a reasonable pace ahead of him. When she realized that Pyrite had stopped walking, she flipped around mid-bounce and looked back with a questioning look.
"Is something wrong, Pyrite?" She asked, finally ceasing her bouncing.
"No," Pyrite smiled. "Nothing at all."
If only everypony in Equestria were as nice as you, Pinkie Pie. Pyrite thought. You haven't even known me for a whole day, yet you worry for my sake. The very idea brought a comforting warmth to Pyrite. It was a nice feeling, having somepony who cared about him.
Confident he was in good hooves, he began walking again to follow Pinkie Pie. Not once did he ask their destination, or who they were going to meet. To Pyrite, it no longer mattered. If Pinkie was friends with them, they must be nice ponies too, right?
Right?
*******
Pyrite had followed Pinkie away from Ponyville, which at first he thought strange, but before long he realized they were headed to a nearby farm. The sheer size of said farm was quite impressive to Pyrite. Before him spread acres upon acres of apple trees. He stopped a moment just to appreciate the view. It was then he noticed an orange colored mare bucking trees in the distance. She wore a cowpony hat, and had her blonde mane and tail tied up so they wouldn't get in her way as she worked. Pyrite had never seen this mare before, but he felt as if he could watch this scene of her working forever. It was calming, like watching clouds float by.
When Pinkie realized Pyrite had stopped moving, she looked back and waved a hoof for him to follow.
"Come on, slow poke," she chided, "Applejack is just up ahead. Don't just stand there, come and meet her!"
"Oh but I wouldn't want to interrupt her work." Pyrite replied, suddenly getting nervous. "Can't we visit one of your other friends first?"
"No, we're already here, silly!" Pinkie retorted. "Why would we leave now without saying hi to Applejack? That would just be rude."
"Y-yeah," Pyrite agreed with a stutter, "that would be rude."
Pyrite sighed and continued walking behind Pinkie as they crossed the entrance to the farm and headed straight towards the farm mare.
"Hey Applejack! This is my new buddy, Pyrite!" Pinkie shouted as they approached.
"H-hi." Pyrite stammered. He managed to muster the courage to extend a hoof at Applejack. She responded with a smile and a firm hoofshake.
"Ah'm Applejack," she greeted, letting go of Pyrite's hoof. "If y'all looking for some work, we could always use an extra hoof on the farm."
"That might be a good idea." Pyrite acknowledged with a nod. "Thanks for the offer." The farm mare's genuine smile put Pyrite at ease.
"Anyway, great timing, Pinkie." Applejack continued. "Ah was just thinking about taking a break for lunch. Why don't y'all join me?"
"That sounds great!" Pinkie proclaimed.
"Yeah," Pyrite agreed, "that does sound nice."
"Alright then, help me carry the picnic supplies." Applejack instructed, as the three of them walked back to the nearby barn. Inside were several large picnic blankets, all tied up in bags. Unsurprisingly, Pyrite learned as he grew closer, they smelt of apples. "Just grab one 'n follow me." She added.
One long walk later, and Applejack, Pyrite, and Pinkie had finished setting up their picnic lunch in the middle of a field just outside Ponyville. Though he had become physically tired from carrying the food all that distance, Pyrite still smiled as he enjoyed yet another view of Ponyville. The buildings stretched out in the distance, and the townsponies could be seen walking through the streets. After all that time in a stone cell, even ordinary scenery can be beautiful, he mused.
"You alright there, Pyrite?" Applejack asked, seeing Pyrite's lack of focus.
"Huh? Oh, yes. I'm just fine." Pyrite assured. "Just enjoying the view."
"Ah know what ya mean." Applejack smiled back at him. "That's why Ah wanted to eat out here with you and-"
"Am I late? Oh please tell me I'm not late." a new voice interrupted. Pyrite turned his head as he sat down on one of the picnic blankets. The voice had come from a white mare with a purple, curly mane that had just run up to the three of them. She looked as if she wanted to continue speaking, but was too short of breath.
"Rarity!" Pinkie squealed, "I knew you'd make it!"
"I got here," she gasped, "as soon as I could."
"Ah believe ya," Applejack chuckled, seeing Rarity's condition. "Ah can count the number of times I've seen you that out of breath. Maybe you should exercise more instead of staying inside every day."
"Quite rude of you to say that Applejack." Rarity protested while fixing her mane with a hoof. "I don't complain about how much time you spend on the farm."
Applejack shook her head, "Ah know, but it ain't healthy, what you've been doing to yerself." She stomped her hoof on the ground and put on a more serious expression. "Ah said the same thing to Twilight when she spent that week cooped up in her library and refused to see anypony."
"I'm sorry, dear." Rarity apologized, "I know you're only worried about me, but I'm just fine. Besides, I did drop my other plans so I could come to this picnic and attend the party." The two stared a silent gaze for a few seconds before Applejack relented.
"Alright, but Ah'm gunna keep reminding you to get some fresh air." She maintained. "Now ain't the time to talk about this either." Applejack said, pointing a hoof at the picnic.
"Yes, you're quite right about that." Rarity agreed, before walking past Applejack. She approached Pyrite and sat down before him, head held high. "My name is Rarity, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Yeah, a pleasure to meet you, too." Pyrite replied. Now that she was closer, Pyrite could get a better look at Rarity. Her white mane was immaculate, her purple mane looked professionally styled, and Pyrite caught a hint of a perfume in the air.
I bet this is the type of mare that likes to be complimented on her appearance, he thought. "You must take great care of that white coat. Any dirt would show instantly." A wide smile erupted from Rarity's lips.
"Double shampoo, every morning and every night." Rarity confirmed. "My, you must be quite the gentlecolt to notice that after just meeting me."
"No, I'm sure you must get compliments all the time." Pyrite insisted. Right on the money.
"A lady can never receive too many compliments, dear." Rarity explained.
"Ok you two." Applejack interrupted, "I'm glad you're getting along and all, but I'm famished. Let's eat!"
"Yeah," Pyrite agreed, "I'm hungry too."
The group of ponies finally settled down and unpacked the food. It was a fairly simple spread. There were hay sandwiches, daisy salads, and of course a plentiful helping of apples. As they began eating, Pyrite wondered if he would grow tired of eating apples living here. Still, this food is much better in comparison to the gruel I was served while imprisoned, he mused.
"So," Rarity asked, after taking a few bites of her food. "Where are our other friends?"
"Rainbow Dash is working," Pinkie Pie explained, "but she should get off soon. Fluttershy is-"
"I'm right here." a meek voice declared. It came from a small yellow pegasus with a long, flowing pink mane and tail, who was standing behind Pinkie.
"There you are, Fluttershy!" Pinkie giggled.
"Sorry if I'm late," Fluttershy apologized, "Angel was refusing to take his medicine. He's been feeling a bit under the weather ever since I got back from Saddle Arabia." She walked up and offered a hoofshake to Pyrite. "I'm Fluttershy, nice to meet you."
Taking her hoof in his, he shook it gently. "Pyrite is my name now. I'm not quite sure who I was before a few days ago." He paused before asking, "Who is Angel?"
"Oh, he's my pet rabbit." Fluttershy explained. "I have all sorts of pets, if you'd like to see I wou-"
Crack!
Fluttershy was interrupted by a sudden lightning bolt that suddenly burst from a cloud far above the ponies and their picnic. Everypony was quite startled, and Pyrite couldn't help but scream a little. Well, not quite everypony; somepony was laughing!
"The looks on your faces were priceless!" the pony blurted out between laughs.
"Rainbow Dash, that was mean." Applejack scolded.
"Yeah, well that was a test, and he failed!" Rainbow Dash explained, pointing at Pyrite. "You say he came from the Everfree Forest? I think he's lying to us."
"But Rainbow Dash," Pinkie objected, "I picked him up from the hospital this morning. If he's lying, how did he get those injuries?"
"Oh yeah? Well, where are those injuries now?" Rainbow Dash demanded. "I don't see a scratch on him."
"But yesterday I-" Pinkie began to object.
"Yesterday? Big deal." Rainbow Dash snorted. "He probably faked them."
"Rainbow Dash, this is getting ridiculous. You're being paranoid." Applejack stressed. "Besides, Ah don't reckon he could have faked injuries well enough to fool both Zecora and Nurse Redheart."
Hearing this, the pegasus lowered her head and slowly floated down to ground level. She pondered what Applejack said for a moment.
"M-maybe you're right." Rainbow Dash stammered. "But that doesn't mean I trust him just yet!" She shouted before flying off again. Just as suddenly as she had revealed herself to the ponies, Rainbow Dash was gone, leaving only a brief after-image behind her.
"How rude!" Rarity huffed. "I wish that mare cared to think more before she spoke."
"Ah agree." Applejack nodded. "She always assumes the worst of everything."
"Yeah, she should stop being such a meanie!" Pinkie frowned.
"Isn't she right though?" Pyrite argued.
"What?" The three other ponies said in unison.
"You three have no reason to trust me." Pyrite explained. He could no longer look the other ponies in the face, so instead he cast his gaze downward. "No one in Ponyville does. I just came here yesterday, yet you're already treating me like a friend."
"We don't have any reason to doubt you." Pinkie answered. She then put a hoof on Pyrite's shoulder. "And we already are friends, so of course I would treat you like one, silly!"
Pyrite smiled. "Thanks, Pinkie."
The rest of the picnic went without a hitch, although Twilight never showed up and Rainbow Dash never returned. Pyrite was curious what the cause of Twilight's absence was, but he was actually thankful for Rainbow Dash's. Once the ponies finished eating and cleaning up, Pinkie led Pyrite back to Ponyville and the pair's next destination: Sugarcube Corner.
Pyrite realized something was strange the moment he opened the door to Sugarcube Corner. The lights were off, and everything was quiet until he set one hoof through the entrance. Suddenly, the lights flipped back on, and ponies jumped out from behind nearly every piece of furniture in the room.
"Suprise!" they all shouted in unison. Pyrite, who was nearly blinded by the sudden change in lighting, merely stood still, stunned.
"Pinkie, you've startled the poor thing." Rarity sighed, putting a hoof on Pyrite's shoulder.
"You turned the lights on too fast!" another voice proclaimed. "You blinded him!"
When Pyrite could see properly again, he noticed just how many ponies there were. The room was simply packed with ponies. There were plenty of decorations, too. Banners hung up on the walls reading "Welcome Pyrite!" in huge letters. Cakes and other snacks lined every table surface, and quite a few ponies were sporting a party hat. When did she get the time to make all of this? he wondered. After a moment, he realized everypony was watching him with concern.
"I'm fine, although that did hurt my eyes a bit." Pyrite admitted.
"Great, 'cuz it's TIME TO PARTY!" Pinkie shouted as she jumped high in the air, throwing confetti everywhere. She then pulled a party hat out of her mane and stuck it on Pyrite's head. He couldn't help but giggle at Pinkie's antics.
There was a cheer throughout the room and the party was in full swing. Pyrite was quickly surrounded and bombarded with questions, most of which he could not answer.
"So you really do have amnesia?" one purple colored pony asked.
"Yeah, I can't remember much at all." Pyrite somberly responded.
"That's okay, I think you'll make some great memories here." another pony added. Pyrite turned to look at them. It was a lime green unicorn with white highlights in her mane.
"I'm Lyra Heartstrings," the unicorn continued, "and I moved here from Canterlot years ago. At first, I thought it would be hard to start all over, but everypony here is very friendly, ask you can see." She pointed a hoof at the mass of socializing ponies in the room. "But I can relate to being the new pony in town." Lyra held out a hoof. "If you need somepony to talk to, I'm usually pretty easy to find."
"Thanks Miss Heartstrings, I might just do that." Pyrite said, shaking her hoof.
"Please," Lyra giggled, "just call me Lyra."
"Ok, Lyra." Pyrite smiled back.
Pyrite felt a tug at his tail from behind. He looked around for the source, only to find it was much lower than he expected. Three fillies had gathered right behind him. An orange pegasus, a white unicorn with a pink and white mane, and a yellow earth pony with a red mane.
"Hi Pyrite!" the earth pony exclaimed. "Ah'm Apple Bloom."
"I'm Scootaloo!" the pegasus declared.
"I'm Sweetie Bell." the unicorn added.
"And we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" the three said in unison. It sounded quite rehearsed.
"We noticed you don't have your cutie mark yet." Apple Bloom explained. This was true, and was one of the things both Nurse Redheart and Doctor Horse had been quite perplexed by. Most ponies get their mark during their youth, and a fully grown adult pony without a mark is nearly unheard of. Pyrite had no idea why he had no cutie mark. Maybe he had been imprisoned since he was a filly and never had the chance to get one. He tried not to think too hard about it.
"You should join us in finding our cutie marks together!" Scootaloo insisted.
"And how would we do that?" Pyrite asked. "Don't you get your cutie mark by finding what you're special talent is?"
"Yeah. We test all sorts of things, to see if doing any of them will get us a cutie mark!" Sweetie Bell explained.
"More like make fools of yourselves!" a new voice interrupted. It was a pink filly about the same age as the others. She had a white and purple mane and wore a fancy tiara on her head. "You blank flanks have done nothing but cause trouble with that little club of yours."
"That ain't true!" Apple Bloom protested.
"Yeah, we don't trouble other ponies!" Scootaloo added.
"What about that time you tried so hard to get Ms. Cherilee and Big Mac to date?"
"That... that was..." Apple Bloom tried to argue.
"We just wanted Ms. Cherilee to be happy!" Sweetie Bell argued.
Pyrite took a step back nervously. The argument was getting the attention of everypony at the party.
"What in tarnation is goin' on here?" Applejack asked, noticing the group of fillies and Diamond Tiara glaring at each other.
"Diamond Tiara is being mean again." Apple Bloom pouted.
"Oh, so you're a blank flank and a tattletale?" Diamond Tiara spat.
"Diamond Tiara, I think you'd better leave." Applejack said sternly, stomping a hoof.
"And who made you the boss of me?" She sassed back. "I don't take orders from farm mares." That got a few gasps from the surrounding ponies. The raised voices got other ponies to turn their heads, too.
"She is your elder, and you will listen to her." a new voice commanded. It was an adult unicorn mare, with blue fur and a pink mane. "Or do I need to fetch your parents, Miss Tiara?"
"Fine." Diamond Tiara grumbled, "It's not like I wanted to meet that freak. I just wanted some free cake." She let out a 'hmph' before turning around and waltzing out the front entrance.
"I'm sorry about that, Pyrite." The blue unicorn apologized. "My name is Cup Cake, but everyone calls me Mrs. Cake. My husband and I run this little bakery, with some help from Pinkie Pie."
"Oh, nice to meet you." Pyrite responded in a dead tone. It wasn't that he was unhappy to meet Mrs. Cake, but what Diamond Tiara said was still bothering him. He tried to smile back at the pastry maker, but found himself unable to do so convincingly. Pyrite nearly jumped when a hoof was placed on his back.
"Don't mind a rude pony like her." Pinkie Pie encouraged.
"Yeah, Diamond Tiara is just jealous of your cool party." Scootaloo added.
"You don't think I'm a freak, do you?" Pyrite asked solemnly. He was made fully aware that his appearance was not that of a normal pony. Diamond Tiara's snide little remark was enough to make Pyrite question why it was he looked so different. Nopony else had eyes like his, that shone brightly even in the dark.
"What?" the group of ponies recoiled in shock a bit at the sudden question. There was lots of murmuring, and the focus of the whole room was once again on Pyrite.
"To be honest, you are a strange pony." Applejack pointed out, "But Ah wouldn't call ya a freak. Pinkie Pie is much weirder than you are, Pyrite."
"You may look strange," Lyra conceded, "but you seem like a nice pony."
"Yeah, you look pretty weird," Scootaloo added, "but your eyes look awesome!"
"You may not look like a normal pony," Pinkie admitted, "but that doesn't mean we can't be friends!"
"Ah used to be afraid of Zecora 'cuz she looked different, but then Ah learned she was a nice pony." Appleboom explained. "Ah want to give you a chance too, Pyrite. Besides, ya could be our newest addition to the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
"Thanks, everypony. That really makes me feel much be-" Pyrite started to say, but was interrupted by the front door bursting open with a loud thud. Standing in the doorway was none other than the Princess of Friendship herself, Twilight Sparkle. She was wearing a crown, and behind her stood two large stallions in armor.
"It pains me to do this in the middle of your party but," Twilight announced, "under the authority given to me by Princess Celestia, I hereby order the immediate arrest of the pony now known as 'Pyrite'." There was a brief silence before the ponies in the room all had the same reaction simultaneously.
"WHAT?!?"