//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Realizations // Story: Scorched by Fate // by Scorch215 //------------------------------// I’m not sure for how far I flew, all I knew was I was putting as much distance between me and the library as I could and I am not ashamed to say I was scared out of my mind, but I think that is an understandable response to having a cannon aimed at you from only about three feet away. Anyways I flew not far off the ground till I was far enough away that my mind calmed down and I registered I was flying. It was with that realizations my wings lost their coordination as it was no longer instinct driving them but my actual mind seizing control, my mind that did not know how to fly and was basically screaming at me that this was physically impossible. And thus I fell the two feet I had been off the ground and face planed into the dirt as I slid along the ground, I was becoming a real dirt coinsure as I could tell you the dirt in this part of Ponyville had more sand in it then the last part of town I ate dirt in. It also wasn’t packed as tightly so my slide also created a small pile of dirt before me. How I was not in a lot of pain I had no clue, coma dream logic I suppose, but either way I hurt but no more than I would have had I tripped and fallen on the ground normally as the slide seemed to have had no effect what so ever. I slowly peeled myself off the ground and swore I could see stars flying around my head before I shook it to clear the shock and the last remnants of adrenaline form my mind. Looking around is aw that the street I was on was deserted, which made sense considering the sun had gone down and most small town shut down around that time, except for bars, bars were always open, I wonder if Ponyville has a bar? Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t drink and never really planned to but this was just idle curiosity as I reoriented myself after my mad dash from a crazy pink pony armed with a legit canon. I didn’t hear anything that indicated the event I knew was taking place behind me but the library’s walls seemed to have been somewhat thick so that could be muffling the sound, plus I probably flew a good distance away. Either way the point was I was safe, and also realizing I ditched Twilight. Now she was capable with that cheating magic of hers and she most likely took down the mad mare after I bolted but still the canon had gone off which most likely caused a panic and that could have been an issue as I’ve seen what happened when crowds of people are scared and trying to flee and it is never pretty. I had stood there debating between what to do, choices being head back and see what happened and make sure Twilight was ok, or find a cop or whatever they called them here and report it and let the armed law enforcement deal with it as they could deal with a panicked crowd as well as get emergency aide to anyone who was hurt. However I was saved from this dilemma by a voice calling out above me. “I found her, she’s over here!” Looking up I saw Rainbow Dash swoop down and land before me with a very unamused look on her face as she glared at me. “What the hay was that about?” She demanded. I blinked at her use of the word hay instead of hell and then blinked again as she seemed to be mad at me for running for my life when a canon was pointed at me. “Uh…running for my life when a canon was pointed at me?” I said wording it as a question rather than a statement. This seemed to confuse the other mare for a moment before her glare returned. “What are you even talking about? Why would you run from Pinkie? You upset her after all the work she put into that part for you!” Ok at this point I glared back at the cyan pegasus for treating me like the bad guy for defending myself and I could see the others running up the street as I spoke with a raised voice. “Upset her? She aimed a fucking canon at me and I reacted like anyone with an ounce of sanity in their head would react when about to be killed and got the fuck out of there before the shooting started.” I yelled. This confused the mare even more and I was vaguely aware of the same confusion worn on the other faces as they slowed their run to a walk. “What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked again. “Do you even know what a fucking canon does? Well I do!” I shouted waving my hooves in the air. “They fire a fucking canon ball, usually made of iron at a very high velocity that will blow through any poor son of a bitch unlucky enough to be in its path before impacting the ground with enough force to cause a small explosion of dirt that can send someone sailing through the air just from being near the damn impact point!” So excuse me for running when I have one of them fucking three feet away from me and aimed directly at me about to go off and kill me!” “Nopony was trying to kill you!” Rainbow shouted back at me. ‘IT was a party why would anypony want to kill you! Who does that anyways!?” I opened my mouth to retort that apparently pink ponies when another voice spoke up. “Dashie stop, you shouldn’t be yelling at her.” Me and Rainbow both looked at the speaking who stood behind the rest of the group who were also looking back at her. It took me a moment to recognize them as the same mare who had been behind the canon before due to her mane being completely straight. “But she ruined your party after everything you did for her.” Rainbow said jabbing a hoof at me. “Yes but it was my fault.” Pinkie said, I was trying to figure out how she had gone from talking and acting like she was on a sugar high to….well…this. “ “No it’s not its hers.” Rainbow said stomping a hoof. “No it’s not Dashie, I pointed a canon at her and she didn’t know it was a party canon. She thought I was about to hurt her real bad.” Pinkie said. “It’s my fault for aiming the canon at her and assuming she knew it wouldn’t hurt her. I’m sure if she had known she would have been fine.” The pink mare said before she slowly walked over to me, I felt my wings shift slightly due to me still not being sure of whether I was in danger or not. The mare sat before me and looked at the ground clearly ashamed and upset at what had happened. “I’m really sorry Scorched Wing for scaring you and ruining the party….”She said and I could hear the quiver in her voice as if she was about to break down, scaring me that bad had really upset her I realized. She looked up at me and was clearly on the verge of tears. “I’m really really really sorry and I can understand if you don’t forgive me….”She said. I blinked several times as I processed what had happened so far and replayed everything in my head. Looking back no one else reacted to the canon except for me and the fact Twilight did not strike me as the time to remain friends with someone who was actually dangerous or let them walk free I could only conclude what the pink mare said was the truth. I sighed and looked at the ground for a moment before looking back at her. “It’s alright; you didn’t mean to scare me like that. It’s just I have never heard of a party canon and only know of the legit canon that are weapons so…yeah when I was staring down the barrel of one I sort of panicked.” I said. “I’m sorry about that and for disrupting the arty.” I said. The pink mare wiped a hoof over her eyes and shook her head. “You don’t need to be sorry I’m the one at fault. And I’ll make it up to you somehow.” She said. “You don’t have to; it was just a mistake, not like you meant anything by it.” I said. “besides you did enough setting up that party, that must have been difficult to due on such short notice you are very skilled.” I said. The pink mare nodded. “Yeah it’s my special talent…”She said. “Special talent?” I asked, not sure what she meant but if I could steer the conversation away from her blaming herself for my actions, justified at the time as they were, then I’d take it. “Yeah, my special talent is parties, I like to do parties for all sorts of occasions. “She said, her voice picking up. “Hmm…well if that’s the case if I ever need a party set up I know who to call.” I said with a smile. This seemed to perk her up a bit as she stared at me. “Really? You’d let me plan a party for you even after this?” I nodded. “Sure why not? The party was good, way better than anything I could set up in that amount of time so why not leave it to the experts eh?” I plinked as the mare’s mane poofed up with a “Thwomf” noise and the too big smile was on her face again as she threw her hooves around me in a bone crushing hug, literally bone crushing as I felt my ribs starting to bed. “Oh thank you thank you thank you Scorch!” She said as I struggled to breathe. I was thankful when she let go and I dropped tot eh ground gasping for air as she bounced around me somehow. “Oh I promise the next party I do for you will be even more super-duper stupendous then this one was by a factor of ten!” She declared happily. I slowly got to my hooved once my lungs got the air they wanted and I watched in bewilderment as the mare pounced around like a rubber ball. Despite not liking her at the moment I leaned over towards rainbow and whispered out of the corner of my mouth. “Uh….how is she doing that?” I asked the mare who was also watching Pinkie bounce around in excitement. “It’s Pinkie pie, don’t question it.” Rainbow replied in a way that made it seem like she said that a lot, either to other ponies or herself I didn’t know but either way it sounded like advice I should take. With everything sorted out and the hour late The other decided it was a good time to return to their own homes and sleep with Rarity and Applejack heading off in one direction while Rainbow zipped off towards home after a sort of apology for yelling at me, I say sort of as I had the feeling she was not sued to apologizing for her actions. Pinkie apologized again and promised the next party would be even better than this one before she took off so fast she left a dust cloud in the shape of herself behind much like the classic Road Runner. I had to marvel at that one but I remember rainbows advice and with some effort I didn’t question it. With the others all gone it left me and Twilight standing there in the deserted street. “So…shall we head back?” The unicorn asked looking back at me as she had been staring where the hyperactive pony had been standing like I was. “Yeah sure, after today I could use some sleep.” I said with a yawn. “Yeah you and me both.” She said with a much larger yawn. “I knew staying up all night to study would be a bad idea…”She mumbled before heading off with me close behind. <<>> Me and Twilight walked back to the library without much incident however along the way she did start to talk to me about what happened. “So...I wanted to thank you for what you did for Pinkie Pie.” The unicorn said glancing at me as we walked. “What do you mean?” I asked not taking my eyes off the path, I wasn’t skilled enough at walking for that and I still needed to focus on my steps. “After you ran away she was really upset you had run off, I’ve never seen her like that but she was nearly in tears.” Twilight said and I winced slightly. “Don’t get me wrong, after you explained why I understand why you did, I’ve seen what canon do when the Royal guard was doing training with them so I completely understand your reacting to having one aimed at you.” She said and I nodded my head slightly. “But anyways she was really upset your party had been ruined and I know they say the first impression is always the most important.” She said looking ahead once more. “So thank you for giving her another chance to make a party for you some time later, it means a lot to both her and me.” “Well it’s not her fault like is aid before so why wouldn’t I give her a second chance?” I said. “Though I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable with a canon of any type being aimed at me I should in theory be ok with being around it, but there is no account for involuntary fight or flight responses.” Twilight giggled at that. “True so I guess we can’t hold you accountable if you throw food or water in our faces again.” She said. My ears went back against my head slightly in embarrassment and I chuckled a bit. “Yeah….suppose not.” Shortly after this discussion we reached the door to the library and I was happy to see the lights were on inside as Twilight opened the door however I did not expect to what I saw in the library. The place was a total disaster of overturned tables and chairs, popped balloons and a torn banner; it seemed some sort of chain reaction had happened while I was away running for my life. However what caught my attention more than the destroyed room was the small purple lizard in an apron and kerchief tied over its head mopping up spilled punch. “The hell is that?” I asked staring at said lizard. Twilight blinked at me like she had the first time I said hell, I’d need to ask about that later. “That’s spike, my assistant, he’s a baby dragon.” She said as she walked into the library. “Wait wait wait.” Is aid following her in. “Baby dragon? As in fire breathing, armored scales, sharp teeth and claws, keeper of a massive hoard of gold, jewels and the occasional princess?” Twilight blinked at me and Spike stopped his cleaning to stare as well. “Well…yes to the fire breathing, no to the armored scales due to being a baby still, yes to teeth and claws, no to a hoard as he would eat all of them and what do you mean about princess?” She asked blinking. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a dragon ever taking a princess before.” The mare said scratching her chin with a hoof as she looked thoughtful. “Just stories I’ve heard.” Is aid. “What do you mean eat his hoard?” “Dragons eat gems; they are like candy to them.” Twilight said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I just stared at her for a bit before looking at the small dragon. How sharp were his teeth to bite through gems? Gold was one thing but gems are ridiculously hard. “Anyways an as much as I appreciate your help Spike it is way past your bed time and you need your sleep.” Twilight said looking from me to the dragon. “I’m fine Twilight I can help.” The dragon said causing me to speak, it talks too apparently but I guess if horses can talk why not a dragon? Twilight shook her head. “No, you need to sleep you are still growing, I can clean up the library.” Twilight said levitating the mop away from the small dragon before removing his apron and kerchief, apparently the dragon is naked too, does anyone wear clothing in the place or just me? Spike sighed and crossed his arm. “Fine.’ He said and started to head for the stairs; about half way there I cause him trying to suppress a yawn, so he was a lot like a little kid when it comes to sleep, wants to stay up late but simply cant. I couldn’t help smiling at this as the dragon disappeared up the stairs to his bedroom I assumed. After the dragon left I became aware of a certain issue that demanded my immediate attention. “Hey twilight where is your restroom?” I asked looking at the mare as she was using her magic to pick up plates off the floor. “Second door on the right, between Equestrian history post Nightmare Moon Rebellion and Magical Theory on transformation spell and teleportation.” She said gesturing to a door on the far wall besides the stairs and between two bookshelves. “Danka mein Fraulein.” I said and received a look from the mare that I couldn’t help smirking at as I headed towards the bathroom; seem the dream didn’t give the character knowledge of the few German words and phrases I know. Reaching the bathroom I closed the door behind me after flipping on the light, it was then I became aware of a second issue, that being I had no idea how to go to the bathroom as a pony. I could ask Twilight but that would be a rather weird question to ask someone you knew for just a day, actually that would be a weird question to ask anyone no matter how long you knew them for come to think of it. This left me alone to try and figure out how to use the toilet which looked like a normal toilet for the most part. I am not going to go into details but let’s just say there was a titanic that took place, not as grand and epic as my battle with my jumpsuit but still a great battle the type they would write ballads about and would be a foot not in history if anyone had seen it, even if it did only last like ten minutes at the most before I figured it out, the hardest part was the jumpsuit. Now that was a battle much like the previous one before the battle within the restroom. With the mysteries of bathroom use solved for the most part, whether it was correct or not I had no clue but I could look it up later when I had the chance and privacy I went to the sink to wash my hooves. It was here I caught sight of my reflection for the first time. I had not thought to ask for a mirror at any time do to my mind being focused on other things at the time but now I saw myself. I had a short mane that was somewhat messy and colored black with dark blue highlights here and there. The dark grey fur that adorned my legs and muzzle covered my face and neck and I assumed the rest of my body like every other pony I had seen. I had two dark grey wings folded at my side, the feathers the same color as the fire of the rest of me. My eyes were large and very expressive as were everyone else’s and were colored a very dark green color instead of my old hazel color. My muzzles was short and rounded and I had two ears atop my head that swiveled and twitched t every sound or shifted based on my feelings and I had hooved instead of hands sitting under the running water in the sink as I stared at the mirror and my reflection which stared back. This was when the realization fully hit me that I wasn’t human anymore. I mean I knew I wasn’t due to the whole four legs thing, wings and muzzle. But this was me seeing it, actually seeing it for the first time. I wasn’t human, I was in the body of a pony, a completely different species and to top it off I was a female pony to boot. Everything that had happened from the time I woke up in the woods to this very point passed through my mind like a speeding freight train, and much like a speeding freight train it plowed through anything and everything in its path, vaporizing ever down, every thought, every idea that this was somehow a dream. It hit me so hard and fast I had no time to prepare for it, this wasn’t some coma dream, this was actually happening, this was real. I somehow went from being a human male to a pony female on a totally different world then the one I knew where everything was brightly colored and looked like it was taken from a fairytale at times and magic existed. I didn’t know how it happened, I had no idea how it could have happened. With the new realizes I wasn’t dreaming I did the only thing I could do in a situation like this. I screamed, long and loud with my new voice. I saw the door wrapped in a purple aura slam open in the mirror as Twilight rushed it as twilight rushed in. “What’s wrong, what happened, what’s going on??” The mare asked franticly. I was too busy watching my reflection scream at the top of her lungs as she stared back at me to answer. The purple mare in the mirror grabbed the dark grey one and spun her to face her so my vision was filled with a clearly concerned Twilight. “Scorched what’s wrong?” She asked, having to yell over my scream which I didn’t stop till a purple aura wrapped around my muzzles and snapped it shut cutting off my scream. “Scorched you need to calm down and tell me why you are screaming like that. I felt my heart thundering in my chest as it tried to escape my body and my eyes were mere pin pricks as my breaths came in short rapid bursts. Twilight released my muzzles to allow me to speak. “I’m a female and a pony.” I said quickly. “I wasn’t a pony before and I was a guy. This isn’t how things are supposed to be!” I yelled and started gasping for breath as I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “Scorched you need to calm down you aren’t making any sense.” Twilight said hooves on my shoulders as she tried to calm me. “Sense? Sense? None of this makes any sense! How does one go from being a human male to a female pony in a land of other ponies? Huh?” I asked as I held the sides of my head with my hooves. “Nothing about this makes any sense and I thought it was just me being in some weird coma dream but this is real, everything is real and it doesn’t make any sense, none of this is physically possible!” Twilight looked confused at what I was saying but she seemed to choose to ignore it in favor of calming me down. “Ok I don’t understand anything your saying Scorched but I can assure you this is real and you are completely safe.” She said calmly as I continued to hyperventilate. “I’m not sure what a human is but I think you had a dream while you were asleep in the hospital.” “You can’t dream twenty four years of friends, family and life and remembered it all clearly!” I shot back. “That’s not how dreams work, not how they are supposed to work! This is all insane!” “Maybe you came in contact with some magical artifact and it did something?” Twilight offered. “I don’t know but all I know is you need to calm down or you are going to pass out.” “Calm down? Calm down?! How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when I am the wrong species and gender!!” I yelled. “This isn’t how things are supposed to be, this isn’t—“ I was cut off when Twilight went with the old tried and true method of calming people down who are panicking. She slapped me clean and hard across the face. The sudden burst of pain gave my mind something to focus on other than my racing thoughts and growing panic and everything organized in my mind as my breathing drastically slowed. I was still clearly distressed but I was calmer and more under control then before. “Th-thanks…”I mumbled rubbing my cheek as I looked down at my single hoof resting on the ground. “This is really real huh? You ponies, this tree, magic all of this nation?” I asked quietly. “Yes, it is, I’m not sure what you were going on about and I’m sorry for slapping you but it was the only thing I could think of short of a sleep spell.” The purple mare said. I slowly nodded. “No….no its fine don’t worry about it, I needed it.” I said before slowly looking back up at the unicorn. I just stood there staring at her a she stared back with concern. She was literally the only person id consider a friend here so far in all this craziness as she had only helped me out since waking up, possibly Fluttershy but I hadn’t really spent much time with her so she was more an acquaintance and everyone else was a stranger. It was for this reason I did what I did and that was put my hooves around her shoulder as I buried my face into her shoulder and I’m not ashamed to say I bawled like a child. Cried other the loss of my old body, my old family and friends and my old life. I sat there crying over all the stress this had me under while twilight simply stroked my back, she didn’t say anything as I doubt she knew what to say to try and make me feel better, though I doubt there was anything that could be said. The fact was I had lost everything of my life and was having to restart in a world I knew nothing about and only knew a single person here. I had no idea what I was going to do or how I was going to live with a new body when I knew so little. And so I sat there crying into my only friend’s shoulder.