Building Blocks

by BirdyTheEarthPony

To Lay the First Block

Chapter Two
To Lay the First Block

I woke up with dry eyes and an incredibly sore face; outside birds were beginning to chirp, just as they had when I was in my old life. If I hadn’t been painfully aware, I would have thought I was back in my old skin. My body still throbbed and strained against my every movement as years of lactic acid buildup began to flow. I turned towards the nearby window and saw few streams of light escaping past the dark blinds that seemed to conceal me inside, as if I was a secret. I closed my eyes and began to let my brain toss around the situation that I had been thrown in to. I was a pony, as much as I didn’t know what that really meant; I was still thankful to know something. Apparently I had been in a coma since birth, which raised many questions; One being how I had formed an entire world inside my mind. I yawned then mumbled a few thoughts to myself as I always did when I was confused, “Maybe at birth my conscience grabbed onto all that it could…..Perhaps I heard a few words before I slipped into a coma, and then my brain filled the rest in. Just how did I get the image and shape of humans stuck with me? If it was true; and I have been a comatose all of my life, then how…..” Nurse Redheart cut me short as she slipped into the room, “Oh your awake already! I also see that your voice has made progress as well, excellent! I brought you breakfast, although I somehow doubt that you will eat it……with a practically new stomach, aaaaaahhhh, well I wouldn’t risk solids just yet” I solemnly nodded in agreement, expecting the worst. She rolled a small cart to my bedside and sat down next to it, cranking my bed to a sitting position. Now that I was eye level with the small cart she took off the ironic silver colored plate cover to reveal just what I had feared.

The plate before me held some of the most disgusting things that I had laid eyes on. “Well go on! You need to eat something at least!” Nurse Redheart cooed. I looked at the meal before me, brown mush, a sultry green pastel mush, and a runny yellow mush topped with a bit of white goop. “Uh, well I” , I thought I would say a rude or snarky comment but I stopped myself; In my past life…or mind, I had not been a butt-hole to anyone and I was not about to start now. “The brown one looks mobile! I don’t want it, errrr….in me….” I smiled, to dismiss any chance that I was being rude. Nurse Redheart chuckled, “Yes I know it looks bad but nopony is going to starve under my care!” This time I laughed actually, it hurt of course but was accompanied with spreading warmth through my limbs. “Well ‘ere it goes….” It wasn’t bad actually, just unidentifiable really; mystery so far, was a sensitive subject with me.

“So please nurse, if you have time…would you please tell me about me” She laughed, “In time, in time.” I gave a disappointed huff at this and asked “A name at least?” She thought, “Pick one!” I gave it no thought at all, “Ethan!” I practically shouted at her.
“Hrmm…What an odd name… But hay, it’s not up to me!” This moment lasted only seconds before doors began to burst open and voices of panic rang out. “Have to go! Don’t run anywhere!”. I scoffed, like I was going anywhere… Well actually I might just try. I could move my joints more fluidly now and could even hold them up for a short while. Good enough for me. I hoisted myself into a sitting position then paused; what was I doing……”idiot” I muttered; but it was too late. I was already halfway to the ground.

I landed quite comically actually; all four hooves on the ground, just my body was too. If anyone had looked I would have passed for somepony sneaking around on a covert mission. I did this sneak-shuffle walk all the way to the bathroom. When I got to the door I tried my best to open it with my goofy hooves. Wasn’t going to happen, so I settled for the alternative. A sharp metallic taste filled my mouth, but the door was open! I did the weak-sneak-shuffle over to the sink, then using all the power that I had, I raised on my back two hooves to get a grip on the sink. I looked into the mirror hanging from the wall.

It wasn’t me. Not me, or like me, or anything at all! My eyes were sunk deep into my head with rings around each. I looked horribly emaciated and decrepit. I had a light brown coat, with a dark brown mane. Dead looking brown beads looked at me instead of eyes. I was a wreck. I remembered Nurse Redhearts cross on her flank and decided to check mine for anything. Nothing, just a patch of brown coat. I looked the exact opposite from my old former self. The door to my room opened as I heard a voice ring out “Okay I’m back, just had a patient fly into a……” Oh goodness I am going to be in trouble, I need to hide! Instinct kicked in as I crouched near the door, waiting with small quiet breaths. Nurse Redheart casually walked into the bathroom and spotted me instantly. Our eyes met, I no doubt wore the “You can’t see me look” because she just looked and me and asked, “Really?”

She scolded me for a bit, but was none the less impressed with my early ability to walk. “Okay you win, we will start physical training” she teased. “Great!” I was happy to try and restore my physical shape.

It took almost a month, but I had made it through this somehow. I was ready to leave the hospital for short amounts of time. I had learned to walk, use my hooves for practical things, eat solid foods, and I had learned so much about pony life here in Equestria. My size had grown considerably and I was just a bit taller than the average pony. I was ready to take on the world!

I looked back over my shoulder and saw Nurse Redheart wave a hoof goodbye. She looked just like my mom did when I drove away for the first time on my own; into a scary world full of hate and crime, all to fend for myself. I thought I saw a tear roll down the Nurses face as she yelled, “Be back here at sunset mister!” I thoroughly felt five.

I took no more than 3 steps before I heard a whistling sound from somewhere close by. A gasp was heard then the attacker struck, “HI!!!! I’mPinkiePiebutyoucanjustcallme Pinkie okie-dokie?!” My first 3 steps, were certain to be my last.

I yelled sharply, “Don’t hurt me don’t do it!” Pinkie just giggled and continued to pepper me with questions. “OH You’re a silly looking guy! No Cutie-mark? No problem! Maybe it will be a giant cake or a carrot?! NO! CARROT CAKE! Cake, CAKE! I don’t know you and I know everypony in ponyville, so therefore….I don’t know you and when I meet someone new I throw parties! You’re coming to your party! PARTY! Okay bye-mister…….? Mister what again?” I looked stunned, but I managed to mutter, “Uh...E-Its Ethan…” She darted away screeching, “SEE YOU AT YOUR PARTY THEN!!!!!!”

I was shaken, but I had a task at hand, I wanted to get to the library and see if there were any records at all of me existing. I looked at the rudely drawn map I had taken with me to see it wasn’t a map at all, just four words. “It’s the big tree” I guess that’s what I get for asking Nurse Coldheart for directions……

Luckily enough, it was the big tree and I found it quite easily. I walked to the door and knocked, from inside I heard small footsteps walk up and open it. A small purple and green dragon was standing at attention, “Welcome to the ponyville library!” I stared for a good twenty seconds before the dragon shrugged and walked away from the door, leaving me there. I took a step inside and looked around, not knowing where to start. A purple pony was at a desk writing without even using her hands! I ran up to her, causing her to jump, “Ahg! Oh, hi! I’m Twilight Sparkle and I run the ponyville library….” I was staring again, “Oh uh. Hi, I’m Ethan and I am here to look for…ahh…well….What’s that? “I pointed to her horn.

“You mean you don’t know?”

I shook my head.

“Well I’m a unicorn and I can use magic and channel it through my horn!”

“Really?” I asked, “That’s amazing!”

“I don’t mean to be rude but you only look a little bit younger than me, and you should know these things. What’s the deal?”

I sighed, “It’s a long story Twilight.”

“Good, I love long stories.”

So I told her my story. All that I knew, leaving out some of the sad parts of course. When I was finished she stared inquisitively at me. “So you have been in a coma since birth?” I nodded. “But you lived a life before that, all in your mind?” I nodded again. “That’s amazing! I wish you could tell me more!” I shrugged, “Honestly I wish I knew more myself too.” She laughed aloud before speaking this time, “We better get to your party before we are late!” I looked at her, “Wait how did you know? Also its early isn’t it?” She pointed towards the window; the sun was setting already. “Pinkie is good at those kinds of things.” With that I got up and fallowed Twilight towards a house that looked like it was made entirely out of candy.

I stepped in the door and was met with screams of joy and congratulations. The place was filled to the brim with ponies from all over. I took a step back but before I could get any further Pinkie was pushing me towards a table of sweets that spanned the entire room. I ate and I told my story to many ponies that all seemed very interested and ready to hear more. I was soon approached by three young fillies that focused on my flank. “Scootaloo he aint got one ‘neither!” a yellow filly said to an orange Pegasus that was now happily perched on my back. “Nope, no cutie marks girls!” Soon all three were standing in front of me with impatient eyes, “Hey I’m Scootaloo” The orange Pegasus said, “This is apple bloom” pointing the small yellow filly, “And that is Sweetie Belle” she said, leaving the grey coated filly the only one left. “And We Are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” they shouted in unison. Scootaloo eyed me down menacingly, “Wanna be part of our super secret exclusive club?!”

“Uh…sure do!” I humored them, they all three made joyous sounds and shook my hoof violently. “Ah’m might excited to have you help us get our cutie marks!” Apple bloom said as she looked to Scootaloo, “Yea we are gunna get our cutie marks really soon I bet!” Scootaloo told me to meet them at their clubhouse then proceeded to draw a map to their clubhouse. Honestly it was almost as bad as Nurse Coldhearts map.

I was still smiling when I got to the couch in the corner of the room; the acted just like I did when I was a kid…..Didn’t they? Or maybe not, when I was a kid.....I…..What was I like as a kid? I tried to pool all of my memories together but nothing, not one memory of me when I was a kid; just my early and late teen years. “What…..” I was thinking aloud again, panicking this time. I had lost my childhood.

I ran outside. I had to be away. Losing my memories was the last thing that I needed. It was the only reason that I was still sane. I ran to the back of the building, not wanting to get lost. I looked in the window to see if anypony fallowed. Not only that, nopony had even noticed. I saw them in their groups, laughing, having a good time, together with friends. Then that feeling came back. That sinking feeling that I got sometimes. My childhood was gone; all of it. Not one memory. No friends or what they were even like.

They might as well be dead. Everyone. I might even lose all of my memories. Then what happens? Do I forget I was even in a coma? Do I lose who I am? Do I still even think? I ran away from the sounds of the party. I needed to clear my head. I wanted my childhood back, but I had to remember that it never even happened. I hurt. So I ran, ran from my childhood, the coma, my memories, fate, and I ran from myself.

I was a broken pony………

Comments

[Boolyboo]

Good, can't wait for chapter 4