The Bridge
"Yeah Yeah. I am almost to the bridge. I'm hoping to get there before midnight." I was on the phone, driving to my vacation. Simple things really. I was talking to my friend. We were going to meet on the island. Maniack Island. An island that is a good tourist trap. It's May 22, 11:57 pm 2015, merely three minutes before midnight. The fact I want to go on this island. This is because this is the only vacation time I will be getting this year.
"Yeah sadly I will only be here for two weeks then I got to get back to work." I laughed. "Yeah, I know. It's simple." I had one hand on the wheel and the other hand on my phone near my ear. "Maybe we will find some girls." I could hear a laugh on the other side. "OH come on we need some fun."
The time hit midnight, everything vanished in a white flash. I didn’t know what happen at all around this time. I swear I wasn't drinking...maybe I was? It was my vacation after all. But when the flash ended, my phone dropped out of my striped hoof. Wait. My hoof?! Wait, when did I have hooves? When did I get stripes?!
What happened next passed in what felt like a blink of an eye. First, I lost control of the car. I don't know what happens. But the car started to flip roll and it started to break and shatter the world around me felt like I was frozen moving slowly.
Second, I didn't even have my seat belt on so I flew everywhere, feeling parts of my body hurting. I don't know if I broke anything or not. The rolling came to end with me laying on the inside of the roof of the car. My vision was hazy I heard hooves and the sound of wind coming towards me.
"Hey. Are you okay?!" I looked to see a Minotaur looking at me. She looked so beautiful. At least to me. But then I saw others. A unicorn, a zebra, and a bat pony? A Minotaur, a normal pony... A Pegasus. They all looked at me.
I just stared at them all I could feel fresh blood dripping from wounds on my head and body. I didn’t know what to think. All I remember I was on the phone was my best friend in the entire world. Then suddenly here I am. So I did the best thing I could think of. I passed out.
"But Daddy...why did you pass out?" I blinked, turning to my daughter and son. "You seem happy with us though." I smiled at them, stroking their heads. I looked up to my wife, another zebra, who sat there smiling at me.
"Well, you have to understand sweety I just returned. You think that returning would make someone like me worried. Your mother was born in this new world. I used to be human, she wasn't. She was born from a former human. Now I can go on with the story or do you want to ask more questions?"
They both yelled. "Story!"
I laughed "Well,"
0000
500 years after the event.
30 years before I’m helped into accepting what I am.
I was badly wounded. I kept waking up and closing my eyes in pain. I could hear them speaking.
"We don't have the right gear for this. Are you sure we left home without a first aid kit?"
"I don't know darling. Maybe there might be one in some of these old cars? I didn't find any in his."
"Oh shut up." A louder voice said. “We are heading to the bridge. If we keep talking and gawking around this thing. We might bring some nasty creature or pack of wild dogs down on us.”
"Now now. Don't fight. This is training after all. This was bound to happen with somepony returning. "
I groaned deeply. I heard hooves on wood and saw a mare staring at me. She looked to be a unicorn a bright yellow unicorn. She had a gentle smile on her face.
"Are you an angel?" I softly asked. When I said those words her cheeks turned bright red. She is blushing...how do ponies blush through their fur?
"No.darling, I'm not. I'm just a simple unicorn known as Butterfly. Can you sit up?" She softly asked.
I slowly sat up groaning staring at the creatures. The female Minotaur was pulling a large cart. I looked up seeing the Pegasus stallion flying near the bat pony mare. I saw a normal stallion with no horn or wings just smirking. He was pretty tall. Then I saw her... another zebra. She turned to look at me. Those beautiful eyes looked into my soul. I didn't know it at first. But I knew she would be close to me.
"Daddy.." I blinked the memory fading again looking towards my daughter. "Is this how you met mommy?"
I laughed softly. "At first your mother wanted nothing to do with me. Of course, I won her with my charms later. " I said with a smirk.
She laughed. "No. He won me with his kindness and big heart."
"That too. Now back to the story.." The memory returned to me. I looked at all the creatures.
"Forgive me for being odd here. But what happened? I was getting ready to head to an island to find some girls and maybe get lucky." The zebra mare snorted rolling her eyes.
"Just like my mother told me. Humans are pigs." She looked away.
"Well nice to meet you to sunshine."
"Oh come on Raindance, that's unfair." The unicorn mare spoke up.
"Fine. Fine."
"Now is anyone up telling him what happen?" The Minotaur asked
"No, he can learn himself." The mare known as Raindance said as she stared at me with much hatred in her eyes.
"Daddy."
I blinked my story interrupted again.
"Yes, sweety?"
"Why did mommy hate you?"
I sighed chuckling. "You see sweetheart your mother wasn't really told some good things about men what I used to be before I changed. In fact, her mother was very open about her dislike for stallions Even though she mated a stallion that she loved."
I looked up to my wife who nodded. "Yes, your grandmother was an interesting mare."
"But your mother fell for me but not during this journey. Oh no. But if I may children... Back to the story?"
The two foals nodded.
It was the night I stayed in the caravan they had going. While the others sat around the fire. It wasn't easy for me to walk. But I did what I could to listen to the new creatures that I have seen. It's odd to me I was just driving not too long ago and now. I am here as a zebra? My mind is taking a while to focus on this and not keep trying to tell me what I am not.
"Rex? How long did it take you to get used to being a new refugee?" The unicorn mare Butterfly asked the large normal pony.
"It's been a hundred years for me now." He chuckled. "I feel the same." He shrugged. "Oh look, he's awake."
The others turned to look at me. I was worried and I sank back into the cart. But the Minotaur lifted me out of the caravan and helped me on my newfound hooves. I tried to stand but it was hard and I fell right on my butt.
"Don't worry friend. You will get used to it." I looked up to the female Minotaur they all wore strange outfits. But I noticed it. The bird on their outfits is the Battle Creek. The biggest thing normal for Battle Creek is the fact that Kellogg is located there. So the pin is tony the tiger. The arms are the thunderbirds. So they have taken up the old Battle Creek airport as their place of living?
"I. I'm sorry. I'm Tony. Again I was just on vacation. I came here. But wait why are you here?"
"My friends here wish to see the island. They heard there are secrets of that island. I told them it's just an old tourist trap. But they feel they might find secrets or more ponies." I looked over to Rex who explained all this. I gave a nod.
"Yes, it is," I replied
"We were sent here by our leader. We will not tell you who she is. We will not give you her name." I stared at the mare who was telling me all these things It's that zebra again. I don't understand who put the stick in her ass. "Now we can help you get to used to this world when are done. But don't expect us to be kind to you."
Butterfly grew angry. "That's unfair. He just recently returned and you're being so harsh to him? You and I were born in this new world. Along with Pink Hoof." She looked up to the Minotaur and oddly enough she actually had a pink hoof. I noticed the bat mare. The odd thing is she didn’t speak at all just looked at me. But she looked shy.
"What about her?" I lifted my hoof to the Bat mare to wave. When I did though she trotted to get behind Pegasus.
"Don't worry about Screech, she is just shy. I'm Blue bolt by the way. Yes, I know, a silly name. But my family were silly ponies." He chuckled.
I tried to walk to the fire. It was hard since I wasn’t used to hooves. I noticed a strange aura starting to coat around me. I couldn’t move out of this aura. I swear I could see the unicorn's horn glow. She helped me walk She gave me a sweet smile. I felt with the help of the magic it was easier to walk now. Slowly I walked along to the fire tripping up a bit. With the magic, I was able to stay up on my hooves. Then I sat down beside Raindance and Rex.
"So..." I weakly tried to speak. "Tell me about yourself, Rex."
Rex smirks. "Former Kalamazoo Highway patrol. I was on Patrol back before the event and I came back hundred years ago."
"Event?"
Rex nodded sighing. "The entire world vanished in one night. Some showed back upright on May 23rd, 2015. It was a hard time for many of them that returned. Some didn't even live, some did. Some had help but," He sighed and explained to me what happen. He went through how it happens why it happens and how the world has changed because of it.
An hour after he was done. I just stared at him. I didn't know how to take this. So I started screaming. My entire world vanished. My family is gone my best friend is gone.
"Stop him! His screaming might wake up packs of wild dogs!!" Screech yelled in a scared voice.
During my screaming, I was smacked in the face by the zebra mare my vision fuzzy as she chuckled. "Poor stallion. He's still awake."
My story was cut short again with my daughter staring at my eye. "OH! I see it, I see the mark where she hit you. It's still there after all this time."
I sighed looking at my wife she blushed smiling weakly. "Yes, I wasn't very kind to your father back then. I tried to be like my mother."
"Now I need to get back to the story children. Your bedtime is in 30 minutes and I got to tell you the story in that time. Are you willing to listen without more questions?" The two little ones kept their mouths shut and my wife laughed. I had a smile on my face.
0000
Next day.
I woke up the next morning feeling the smack on my face. Man, it hurt so much. I have never been to it by anything like that before. Slowly lifted seeing that we are finally at the bridge. I stared in horror though. So many cars left there with a few trucks hanging over the edge. Without humans, this bridge looks very close to falling apart. How long has it been really? But I thought a moment about how stable is the bridge after all this time.
"Are you sure it's wise to go on that bridge?" The others turned to look at me. I was still new to all this. I couldn’t walk on my hooves that well. I had no say though into what these creatures did. I slowly got out of the caravan and wobbled the best I could to stand in front of them.
"What do you mean?" Rex asked me with a cocked eyebrow.
"I mean how stable is this bridge? I looked at the bridge ahead of us. No human has been around for years to fix this bridge. It could just simply fall maybe there are some very weak spots.
"I have been told human bridges are forever." Pink hoof said with a quick nod.
"Yeah, I don't think so without humans around. It's just a bridge that could fall apart. I mean look at it. The metal is rusted. There is a type of moss all over the metal. Most of it looks like it has been taken over by birds and bird poop.”
"You wish for us to give up?" I turned to stare at the zebra mare again. "You wish for us to give up too? The stories we heard of this island. The rumors of the secrets we have heard."
"it's just a tourist trap!"
"Tony." I looked over to Rex. "To us, it's a tourist trap. To the creatures of this new world, it’s an adventure. And their generation loves to have adventures. Many of them.”
I sighed softly I didn’t feel I would get used to this new world. It started to get on my nerves putting it flatly. These creatures had full control of the world now from what I have been told. It felt like it was a dream. I wanted to not even think it was real. I tried to wake myself up even. But I started to understand. I had to find another way to end it. While we walked I got to the edge. I never really had these thoughts.
"Tony?" Butterfly asked. I looked back they had stopped to see me. "Is everything okay?"
"I..." I gave them all a look and I am sure they have seen these eyes before. Butterfly grew very worried from what I could tell in her gentle blue eyes.
"Tony please...come back.." She reached me with her hoof. "Raindance doesn't mean to make you feel unwelcome. She just doesn't understand how to welcome back a returnee."
I started to sob hard my tears falling to the water below. Rex sat beside me stroking my back with his hoof. "Returning to a new world like this is not going to be easy for any p...I mean anyone, Tony. So many have returned and didn't take it well. Most got lucky, some didn't break. But sometimes you need to break."
I didn't know what to think. I was in a new world. One that I didn't understand and so many return and they are forced to learn how to live in a brand new world? I didn't know what to think I just kept sobbing and crying. Butterfly sat beside me wrapping her hooves around me holding me close to her.
"Is that why auntie Butterfly lives with us?" I blinked my memory went away.
"No, she lives here because...well...She wants to be close to you two. She wants to help me and mommy raising you two." I said with a smile. “But she has more responsibilities around town little one. That's why she is not here as much. When she is, she stays for weeks."
My two little ones went silent again.
"Now, if memory serves, I was crying very badly. I didn't plan on stopping for a while,"
It was a harsh time. I stayed there for an hour. it was getting cold but I couldn't stop crying. The others started to sit on the edge with me. Even the zebra.
"Why are you all staying with me? This could have been your adventure. This island may just be a tourist trap but it's an amazing island."
"We all have a job to do when it comes to those that return." Pink hoof replied.
"Yes, when returnees come back we do what we can for them. Look I am sorry for being a bitch." The zebra admitted. "I just got out of a bad relationship with another zebra. He beat me and he used to be human as well. So I blamed them all." She looked down sad.
"But what if you said is true Tony, what if part of the bridge is not safe? Would it be wise for us to go across never being able to get back home? We are part of the Battle Creek Battalion and we are needed at home." Butterfly said saluting.
I looked over to Zebra mare I smiled weakly. "I never would treat any women...I mean mare like that. To me, they're gems, jewels, and treasures."
"Get going the rest of you we will catch up I need to talk to him," Raindance said to the others. They all nodded while they left. She got closer to me and stared right into my eyes. "Listen to me boy."
"I am."
She stared at me upset already. "My mother raised me to be a strong mare. I will not be held down by any stallion that thinks they can control me."
I just stared at her and smirked figured I would push my luck. "You know you're beautiful when you are pissed off."
She just stared at me. "Y...." She stuttered. " Don't you dare change the subject on me!!"
I just smirked. "Oh, I never did. I am just saying you're beautiful."
Her cheeks glowed bright red. But she finally regained herself, trying to be less angry. I think she is realizing her being angry is not going to get anywhere with me.
"Look I need help to get through this change. I won't be able to do it alone. I am going to need friends... Also a beauty like you I am sure would love to." I whispered to her.
She grew angry. "ME!!.. You dare..." She grew very angry with me. "You stallions are all the same. Thinking that you can tell me what you think and then think that will make me less angry at you."
"So asking you to be the one that helps me through all this is a bad thing?"
She blinked staring at me. "Wait. I thought you wanted something else."
"No, I want you to help me."
She sighed. "Fine, I will help you." She looked away taking a few deep breaths. Turning to look back at me again with a weak smile.
"Well. Geez. I am sorry for being new to this world." I looked away, feeling very unsure about this mare.
"Look I don't mean to act like this. Just my mother thanks to my grandmother was a very by-the-book mare. I couldn't get away with anything at all without being punished or locked in a room for a while.."
"So...you're Military?" After I asked the question she stared at me with a very upset look.
"My grandmother was. Now I am going to help you learn of this new world. I don't why I even agreed to help you." She snorted.
"Because I am funny, cute, and handsome?" I said with a smirk.
She turned to stare at me smacking me in the back of the head.
"OW!"
"You listen to me and listen to me good. We are zebras, we live a pretty long time. There is magic, real magic, and many creatures here live long." She sighed looking away. "Now let's go."
0000
We finally got to the bridge while we walked along the bridge it felt very strange. I could tell from the feel of it that no one has been here human-wise that could repair the bridge. Now I know this bridge was strong. But I doubt without anyone working to fix the issues would cause most of the bridge to be weak.
"Rex." I softly spoke out. He turned to look at me. I quickly wobbled up beside him and whispered, "This bridge feels odd from the blowing wind."
Rex watched the others. They laughed and looked so happy being on this journey.
"I agree that the bridge feels weak. But..." He was right there talking with me. Then the ground gave out from under him causing him to fall to the water below.
"Rex!!" I yelled as I rushed to the hole, looking into it. I couldn’t even see him below. All I saw was the water. The others rushed to the hole but I kept them back. "Stay away! This spot of the bridge is weak."I slowly backed off from the spot of the bridge. Closing my eyes, I felt sick. Someone that welcomed me to this new world just fell down a hole from a bridge in front of my eyes. I wanted to vomit but I had nothing to eat.
The others looked at me from what I was told I was very pale. They wanted to keep going but the Pegasus returned after checking ahead.
"Everypony stop moving. The bridge is barely holding itself together. We will come back sometime to make a new bridge but, for the moment, we don't have anything... Where is Rex?"
"He...fell...down below." I pointed my hoof to the hole.
After all that the adventure was called off just in case, another one fell through the bridge. I had so much on my mind I didn’t notice the journal floating in front of me in the family aura of Butterfly.
"He would want you to have it, Tony."
I held the book in my hooves looking at it. I looked at Butterfly then at the journal. Lifting my hoof to hold the book close to me hugging Butterfly.
"Do you know anyone else who had issues becoming part of this new world?"
They looked at each other. "Yes." Butterfly nodded.
“We all will be here for you to help you through getting used to this new world. We won’t let you down I promise. There will be time’s it won’t be easy but you took the first step in joining us.”
We started back to Battle Creek and on the way, I noticed that much of Michigan hasn't recovered from what happened. I was told most of the parts of Michigan that are lived in are Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Parts of Detroit, Grand Rapids, and a small chunk of Michigan state is lived in. The upper parts of Michigan had no life at all It kind of felt wrong.
But that's the thing. After we made it back to Battle Creek, I met with the leader. I have been asked by many not to tell others about this magnificent creature. But this creature helped me through my problems. I was told I would need to go through training to be prepared for this world. I was told, however, that I have taken it better than many have. But it could be because. I met kind faces.
Many aren't as kind, I was told, and some will do much to destroy what they can. But...
"Thirty Minutes are up kids." Raindance sounded out.
"Awww but we want to hear more Mommy."
"No. Get to sleep. You two have school in the morning." I watched my two little ones go to bed and my wife walked to me as I looked down to the journal of Rex.
"Tony, I understand you still miss him. But at least you have grown to become part of this new world. Even though it took a while. But you can't force the change, you can't push it. You have to let it come naturally."
I nodded. Our home was in the middle of Battle Creek in the newly bustling town of Springfield. I joined the Battle Creek Battalion soon after I arrived. Changing to a new world is not going to be easy for many. The simple fact is that even trying to change can come hard. The truth is that most can do it, even when most say you can't. It's best to move on the way you know. My way...
"My way was having you be there for me. I didn't expect to fall in love with you and have two beautiful foals with you." I smiled gently at Raindance who laughed softly.
"Well, you proved to me that not all males are like the ones that hurt my grandmother or my mother. The fact....that fact...Come we have a job to do. They found another that returned. He is having a harder issue than you were."
I nodded getting up from the couch looking over to Butterfly who was reading to my little ones. She looked up and waved to me. Went back to reading. I looked down to the journal of Rex. I opened one line I always loved from him.
"Changing for the world is never going to be easy. Look at me, I found a way to do it even if It was harder than most have seen. This is a fact that most never know. For me, it was hard to go through a change. I spent my first two years screaming and crying. Worrying those taking care of me. But I was told some take it naturally but some don't. I think those that take the change Naturally hide too much. Even though you feel you're to change and follow the change of a new world. You think you will always be ready. But you won't"
I sighed and read on.
"But there are times you will feel that you can't move on. But those that care for you will be there for your journey. Even though you may never understand the path they have set for you. Then you know.
-Rex, formally known as John Walker of the Kalamazoo patrol."
I have given myself a new name as well but in private Raindance still called me Tony. But I was called.
"Hey get your ass in gear Nether Star" I nodded and quickly got into my uniform and rushed out the door. My thirty-year journey started when I returned. Now it's time for me to help another soul learn to accept this way of life.