> Zinnias
>  by Serinity Southerland
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Trailhead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I awakened to the sounds of birds chirping. The morning sun had begun to send a faint glow across the eastern peaks of the mountains around me, rousing the animals in the forest to begin a new day. The air was moist with a slight chill which made it difficult to convince my body to emerge from its warm cocoon. I could feel a faint heat radiating through my sleeping bag, the dying warmth of a campfire that I used to cook dinner and provide heat throughout the night. I groaned and encouraged my muscles to wake up for my long hike through the mountain trails that stretch down the length of the eastern U.S. 

After some shivering and stumbling about my campsite in the pale light of a misty mountain sunrise, I managed to find my tinderbox and relight the fire using some coals that were left in the ashy pit. Within a few minutes the fire grew and crackled as I threw some small bits of kindling to it. It thanked me for its breakfast with a crackling glee and was ready to help heat up mine in kind. I warmed myself and my breakfast of brook trout was made into a soup. I caught the fish the day before and left it to keep hot by the fire overnight in a covered cooking pot. It would serve to fuel my hike today, another 20 miles south into the Appalachian mountains of Southern Virginia. 

“Man, just look at that view.” I said wistfully as I took in the landscape. The place I picked to camp for the night was a small flat near one of the many peaks of the mountain chain. The taller hilltops poked their heads just above the low lying banks of fog that flowed through the valleys like a river, making the mountain tops look a lot more like tiny islands in an archipelago of clouds. A single hawk flew off into the distance, eager to begin it’s hunt for the day and I couldn’t help but wish I could see what it saw as it glided through the air. Mornings like this are what I live for. 

After downing a cup of instant coffee and my pot of fish soup I collected my meager gear, the small cooking pot and mug, my knife and camp ax, and my sleeping bag, and set about putting out the fire and separating the coals. Once I was convinced that the threat of a forest fire was eliminated and I wouldn’t be hunted down by some bear in an olive green hat and pants, I shouldered my rucksack and began making my way down the long mountain ridge. 

It was my third day on this stretch of trail, and I had quite a way left to go before I crossed state lines into North Carolina. My goal was to hike the entire mountain chain over the summer as a personal treat for a stressful, but successful semester. I retrieved a map and looked at the trail I was taking, and the locations on the trail I had marked as my past camping sites. I had started near Montpelier, Vermont which was close to my hometown just a little way east of Lake Champlain. I followed the trail down to where I made camp last night atop Brushy Mountain overlooking Currin Valley to the west and Rye Valley to the east. 

Looking out to the east I saw the sun lifting above the peaks of another mountain top, Little Mountain, as it chased away the sea of white fog in the valley in large, curling wisps. It was a scene like that from a movie, or one of many books written by those old mountain folk and that morning as I stood alone on a lichen covered cliff and marveled; It felt like a scene made for me. 

I hiked my way through the hills for a few hours before taking a break at a small mountain spring to refresh myself and refill my water jugs. The water was crystal clear and cold as ice as it flowed through the limestone rocks and down the mountainside into the river that flows through the valley beneath me. Large hardwood trees still grew in these woods, a reminder of what nature was like before humans had ever set foot into the region and provided plenty of food and shelter to the animals that called these forests home. 

My shoulders ached a bit as I adjusted my bags, and took in my surroundings before spotting a nice little sunlit clearing in the trees. “Might as well take a chance to rest while I can. Don’t wanna overdo it out here, seeing as it’s about a three day walk back out from here.” I checked what time it was on my cell phone. “Yup, about twelve, and no service either. Great. Guess I’ll have to rely on that book I brought along.” I said as I made my way to the clearing. 

I was (and still am) an avid outdoorsman, and I know a thing or two about what’s edible out there, but it was always a bit reassuring to have a way to confirm whether or not a berry or weed is going to kill me if I eat it. I grabbed my book from my rucksack and set about identifying plants and fungi that were edible and growing this time of year in late spring, gathering a veritable buffet of greens, budding plants, roots, and a few early mushrooms as well to munch on along the way. 

I could feel the warm breeze of a new summer blow through the pristine mountain air and I stopped to enjoy the feeling of it caressing my skin and hair when I heard what sounded like a faint voice carried in the wind. I strained a little trying to catch what direction the voices may be coming from but it was too faint to tell clearly. Too faint to even tell what they were saying, but it was clear by the tone and cadence that it wasn't English. The breeze died down and the voices disappeared along with it. 

“Huh…must be the mountains speaking to me.” Something my grandfather used to say. He would tell me stories about how the mountains would talk to you through the wind if you listened hard enough. A little bit of "Mountain Magic" as it were. I shrugged it off and took a bite of a particularly savory mushroom, threw the rest in a baggie, ready to continue my trek. I was ahead of schedule, but that didn't mean I could just stop and lose myself in my memories with more than half of my hike for the day still left to complete. 

The blue tinted mountain range served as a perfect getaway from my other life. Modernity demanded I interact with the throngs of people that passed through the streets namelessly everyday, and the gentle sounds of mother earth helped soothe the weariness of civilization from my soul. It had been nearly ten years since I moved away from my childhood home and into a burg for work and college. I could remember how excited I was when I received a letter from the University with my name on it offering me admission to their halls. It was my intent to study forestry in one of my state’s many institutions of higher learning, and I picked one in the city, hoping that I’d enjoy the change of pace that came along with it. I quickly came to the realization that I hated that concrete jungle. 

No stars dotted the night sky on a moonless night save for an errant satellite. There was too much light pollution to see the real stars, so pretending that the blinking artificial ones were real would have to do. The city smelled too, as what little breezes blew through it smelled of asphalt and sometimes sour milk. Sure there were things there that I would have never been able to partake in back in my rural hometown, like all of the stores and shopping centers, food courts of any cuisine under the sun, and night life at various clubs. But I missed knowing the people who ran the little corner store back home, or my cousin who loved to stop by on the weekends to visit and share some of her newfound passion for baking breads. 

The people in the city were always too preoccupied in their own lives to care even for common courtesy and barely talked to each other outside of work or their small social circles. When I first moved into my new apartment, I had made it a point to bake brownies for my neighbors as a gesture of good faith, like I remember my mother doing when we first moved into our new house outside of the town I grew up in. It was just a couple of miles away from where we lived before and we still knew everyone around us, but it was a tradition for southerners. My neighbors at the apartment? Not so much. They turned my chocolate confections down or asked me if they were spiked which spoke of distrust. It made me feel terribly lonely.

Not to mention school. I picked this college because it was highly rated amongst its peers and its graduates were some of the tops in their fields. I should have known better than to expect that the forestry department here was more of a traditional and antiquated vestige of what it used to be before the city grew taller than the trees in the park. And that park was the last bit of woods for miles around, which made “going out for field studies” more of a disappointment than anything, especially since my class had less than ten attending members and there were rumors that we may be the last graduating class before the program is removed. Nature was supposed to be wild and free, full of trees and grasses and flowers and animals…not a park where the only thing that grows is dissatisfaction and concrete.

I sighed, taking in another breath of sweet spring and soaking in the midday sun. Out here, there weren’t any worries. I could just build a fire and whittle or write or swim in the river or do whatever it was I wanted. No deadlines, no research papers, no strangers wanting to sell me garbage on the street corners. Just peace and qui-

"..." I could hear whispering again. This time, the wind had calmed down, and I could clearly make out two voices having a conversation but it was oddly muted. Like hearing two people having a hushed argument through the walls at my apartment but only about thirty feet or so from where I stood, behind a particularly large oak tree. 

“Hello?” I called out ahead of me, but received no response in return other than a continued sound of an oddly hushed conversation. "Maybe they're foreign travelers. I don't know what language that is though." I thought to myself as I approached the sound warily. This stretch of trail had been notorious in the past for murderers and kidnappers and that unwelcome thought crossed my mind. I didn’t like the idea of my hike being cut short by a stabbing, or worse, so I made sure to give the tree plenty of space. 

The whispers suddenly vanished as I rounded the tree beside the path and I looked towards the spot I could have swore they were coming from. I shook my head and stopped to stare at the ground around the tree expectantly as if the dirt or broken acorn shells would tell me where the people hiding there had gone. The nuts sat silent though, and the tree was no more helpful either as it stood there in resolute defiance of my confusion. 

“Maybe I didn’t sleep as well as I thought I did…I guess?” That didn’t seem right to me, as I always slept best under a star filled sky but it was either that, I was still over-stressed from my escape from the city, or I was starting to go crazy. I didn’t like that latter thought much. I tried to shake the idea of early onset dementia from my head and continued my hike, but the voices I kept hearing left me a little shaken and paranoid. 

There were all manner of ghost tales, kidnappings, and disappearances throughout the national forest of the United States and they all came to bear in my mind as I stumped along my path. The paranoid thoughts of falling into some forgotten cave or being whisked away by aliens, or Bigfoot...maybe even civil war soldier spirits or some weird redneck druggie sapped all the enjoyment I'd had from me and left me feeling anxious.

Several more hours passed on until the sun began to sink behind the mountains in the distance. Deciding it not to be wise to hike in the dark, especially considering the earlier events of the day, I stopped by a rocky outcropping that created partial cover off the edge of the trail and set up camp there. Soon after pulling out a flint and steel, I had a warm fire and a bag full of wild edibles to keep me company which helped me relax and feel more at ease.

I sat by the crackling pit, chewing away at red-bud flowers and some small morel mushrooms I had collected previously while I boiled sassafras roots for a root beer like drink and watched the sun recede from view and relinquish the day to a blanket of stars in the night sky. The crickets took to singing and chirping while they could before the cool night air settled in and chased them back into their underground homes. Once again, the world was at peace. 

I placed my sleeping bag near the fire and prepared for bed, taking a moment to relieve the call of nature a little way from the camp. I was thankful for the set of warm hiking gear I had brought along as the cooler night air nipped at my skin. “Kinda glad I decided to make this a spring thing. I'd be freezing my ass off out here right now if I came during winter break.” I shivered at the thought as I cleaned up and started making my way back to my camp. 

I'd almost made it back to the warm glow of my camp before I was frightened nearly out of my skin by what sounded like a shout or scream from over the edge of the nearby trail. I froze and listened, thankful that I’d just emptied my bladder, and waited to see if it happened again, noting it came from below the cliffs just past the well worn path. I stood still for what felt like at least ten minutes before deciding that whatever it was had moved on when I noticed something strange to my right.

Floating, about 3 feet above the ground and just a few yards from me, was what could only be described as a…mirage? It almost looked like rippling water, though it levitated in midair and the waves traveled vertically instead of laterally from a central point, reminding me of a portal from some movie or game I once played. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, thinking them just tired before looking again at a now normal, non-ripply air in the forest. 

“C’mon, get a hold of yourself.” I said, still unsure of what I saw, and now a bit more sure that I was starting to lose my marbles. “I…think I'd better get back to camp and make sure I didn’t eat one of the bad mushrooms from my book.” I mumbled to myself. I knew that couldn’t have been right though. I’d eaten plenty of morels before and they were not hallucinogenic or poisonous, and very easy to identify. I confirmed that my fungi weren't the kind that make one taste sounds before I slipping into my sleeping bag early to rest, hoping some sleep would chase away the weirdness that I’d been experiencing. 

I settled into my cocoon, worming around a little to clear a particularly offensive pebble from under my shoulder. The campfire crackled gleefully, seemingly enjoying the show while I struggled, but it wasn't the only noise I could hear. The crickets were still serenading each other as they performed their nightly routines. The breeze picked up slightly, causing the newly grown leaves to rustle as though slowly shivering at the air's chilly touch. Even the nighttime predators were announcing themselves, as a great horned owl hooted somewhere in the distance. The woods, even at night, were alive and carrying on as though nothing strange was happening which helped set my mind at ease. A noisy forest is a peaceful one. 

I was on the edge of sleep when that peace was shattered by what sounded like a cannon and a party horn mixed together fired off right by my head. I nearly tore out of my sleeping bag, tripping over it and myself as I tried to escape whatever ghostly soldier was haunting the trail with a cannon on his birthday. My heart raced in my chest as I stared out into the woods that were only vaguely lit by the orange flicker of campfire light and the pale glow of a waning moon.  

Nothing. Not so much as a hint of the ghostly apparition of the several century old poltergeist who I knew was out there, somewhere, snickering at me from behind a rock or tree. I tried desperately to calm my nerves as I shook more so from fear than the cold night breeze when I saw another ripple in the air above the camp. My body suddenly began to rumble from a deep guttural growl from the largest bear-lion-elephant hybrid I’d ever heard that came from the rippling waves overhead. My mind had had enough, and my body immediately took it upon itself to engage in a full sprint in any direction but here. 

The roar issued again as I sprinted and gasped for the chilled air that burned my lungs. I turned around hoping to see what was after me, but my eyes still refused to reveal whatever unknown predator was now barreling towards me. I heard, and felt, the heavy footfalls of something I couldn't see and what sounded like several sets of hooves charging in my direction, and I was sure that some ghostly revenant had unleashed a hell-beast upon me in the woods of Southern Virginia to whisk me away to a swift doom. Instead, what whisked away was the ground beneath my feet. 

In my fear driven dash, I had forgotten where I was and the cliffs sought to remind me in the most unforgiving of ways. Time slowed to a crawl as I looked down, feeling almost like the coyote from the old cartoons as gravity seemed to give me a moment to register what a grim fate the three-hundred foot fall into a rocky mountainside would provide. I screamed like a frightened schoolgirl as the realization hit me, that I was falling to my death, and just as quickly as my mind raced in my head, so did the rippling ground below race to meet my body.
> Stranded
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Argh…” I was barely conscious, and a terrible scorching pain radiated from my hip. The agony was almost enough to steal consciousness away from me as my body reeled and my head spun around in circles causing nausea to overtake me and I nearly vomited on myself. I lied there, writhing in misery, unable to open my eyes from the pounding pressure behind them that forced me to keep them welded shut but for all that the pain I felt, I knew that I was alive. 

            How I had managed to survive the fall, I have no clue. No one leaps off a sheer cliff like that and makes it out alive. At least, not normally. Was I just lucky? Had I somehow managed to avoid the weathered rocks scattered across the ground? Or did these woods simply wish to take me slowly as I succumbed to exposure at the bottom of this stone laden hill, unable to reach out to anyone for aid. 

    “Help.” I managed to muster the wind in my lungs to move enough to plead. I shakily reached down to my pants pocket for my phone but I couldn't find it, or my pocket. I must have cracked my skull on one of those rocks and sustained some sort of brain injury because I swore my khaki cargo pants felt furry and my body felt strange. 

            I tried to get myself reoriented and open my eyes, but even the glow of the full moon above was too bright for the migraine to allow me sight. “Wait…full moon? That was over a week ago, right? The moon was waning tonight, or at least I thought it was.” I tried to move my legs in a attempt to make myself more comfortable in some way but the one I had injured argued against it and I screamed in anguish. My voice reached a pitch higher than I thought was possible for me, and I sobbed into the dirt and decaying leaves underneath me. 

    “Help! Someone!” I yelled in desperation as I hoped against hope that someone was stupid enough to take a night hike along the mountain trail and would hear my suffering cries but only the crickets responded to my wails. No one was coming, and screaming my voice raw wasn’t going to help me. I laid my head on the dirt and attempted to take stock of my situation, trying to think of what to do next. My throat was dry, and my brain still pounded against the inside of my skull, but I mustered the strength to speak to myself, hoping it would help calm me down.

“I fell…but I’m alive. I don’t hear any animals near me, so I guess whatever that noise was isn’t coming down here to finish the job, if it was even real." Thinking back, what had happened to me was surreal. I was thankful that the noises that chased me over the cliff were gone, but I was terrified that something else more tangible could now get to me. Specifically, any predator that decided to investigate the sounds of a terrified and injured hiker.

"I must have hit my head pretty hard…but I don’t think it’s bleeding, by some miracle, so dying of blood loss is out.  I can’t move my legs very well either. I think one of them is dislocated. Popping that back in is gonna hurt...” I hadn’t taken quite as much damage as I could have. I half expected to find my head twisted around the wrong way considering how far I fell. I tried to open my eyes again but my vision hadn't returned well enough to see and I glared straight ahead through squinted eyes at TV static. 

“I must be concussed. Everything feels so strange. I can’t see through this headache. I can’t seem to flex my fingers and toes either." I started to panic again. Concussions of that magnitude are no joke, and if I had hit my head or neck wrong the trouble I was having could be due to paralysis. "Ok. Just stay calm. Relax and let the pain subside so I can at least see what’s going on.” I said, trying to reassure myself that the strangeness I felt was from having been knocked unconscious and not from a newly obtained disability.

Eventually, the pain subsided enough that I was able to open my eyes and see more than just dark shapes. I immediately realized that the trees were different. Maybe it was because of the darkness of a predawn morning that I wasn’t seeing them right, but they didn’t look like the hardwoods I had been hiking through. Instead they reminded me of the scary trees in movies like Sleepy Hollow: gnarled, knotted, growing in random directions and half dead or leaf-less with rotten holes in their bark that seemed to form ghoulish faces in the shadows cast by their branches. 

 I looked up and found myself robbed of thought as I stared at the riot of twinkling lights that shimmered above me. The night sky was absolutely beautiful! There were so many stars in the sky that I had to blink a few times to make sure they weren’t due to my head trauma. The specks of suspended glitter and the full moon radiated so much more light than they should have, allowing me to see clearly as though it were nearly dawn. As I watched the stars above me though, I realized that none of them were familiar. None of the constellations were there, at least none that I could identify from the limited view I had through the gnarled tree limbs. 

I found the air was warmer too, which was odd for this time of spring at night. It doesn’t just get warmer like this, and mountain valleys and hollows stay colder because of their limited time in the sun. Hypothermia sometimes causes people to feel as though they get too hot and they shed clothes, but I didn't feel hot. Just pleasantly comfortable as far as temperature was concerned, like I was covered in a soft blanket.

 I ventured to move my head slowly, being careful in case I had injured my neck in some way, so I could look towards what I believed to be downhill, but the ground was flat. My hair tugged at my scalp as I looked around me, I must have been laying on it or something. "But my hair is barely shoulder length, not really long enough to lay on. Something's not adding up." That's when I felt my ears flatten atop my head...

My body felt alien to me, as though it wasn't mine, and I was right to be concerned. I thought I was simply mistaken; that what I was looking at was simply another effect of the impact but as I moved my arms from beneath my crumpled body and held them out to inspect I felt my chest seize and my blood run cold, “Where are my fingers…My hands!?” 

I stared in disbelief as the human appendages I had known for thirty years of my life had been replaced by what appeared to be furry forelegs with soft hooves at the end. My panic was only exacerbated when I looked down to my legs which sat attached to my new hindquarters a little further back. One of those legs was grotesquely wrenched from its socket and sat higher than what looked natural on my hip and stretched the skin above it uncomfortably. It was strange to see such a horrid sight beneath such a beautifully colored autumn orange tail that draped my new pale taupe body. 

“What the-” I said, realizing in the clarity that only a panicked mind can bring that my form had changed, and with it came a voice that was markedly different, higher pitched and spoke with words I knew but never heard before. I could feel myself going into shock, the realization that I was no longer in the body I had once known was causing my new one to shut down. My ears swiveled rapidly and rang as I started to quake, unable to fully process the transformation.

I didn’t know what had happened to me, but I was no longer human, no longer me, and no longer able to comprehend the world around me. Everything started to close in on me and my sight began to shrink as my breathing became ragged and my heart threatened to break straight through my chest in a strange irregular beat. I knew I had to do something before I had a heart attack from shock, so I did the only thing I could to stop my body from crashing. I reached down to my dislocated hind-leg, grabbed it, and yanked it back into place. A sickening, dull, wet thunk filled my entire being with an unbearable shock-wave of pain when it slid back into socket, and the world went dark around me as my ears rang and pinned themselves against my skull.

A shadowy figure, wrapped in a cloak of liquid starlight. A crescent moon. A soft voice. Curiosity and concern in it’s powerful, yet calm, words as they whispered in my unconscious mind, “Who are you, my little-”
> Alone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I winced as I awoke to the sounds of strange birds singing somewhere above me. The pain in my head had subsided, for the most part, and my leg felt numb but the searing fire in my hip from before was merely a dull aching throb now. I groggily took in my surroundings as a mid-morning sun shone warmly onto me through a gap in the trees above. “That must be where I fell from.” I said to myself, which startled me into remembering what I thought I had dreamt. “My voice! My body!” I attempted to sit up, but found that I no longer owned the muscles or bone structure to complete such an act and just as quickly as I jerked up I fell back down in an awkward mess of limbs and hair. 
    
It took me a few tries to learn how to make my four appendages operate as I struggled to get them underneath me and stand. I was wobbly, much too wobbly for having two extra contact points with the ground, I reasoned, and my heart still felt as though it were trying to run a race and leave me behind as my brain tried fruitlessly to keep up while making sense of everything that had happened. My hind-legs buckled from underneath me and I fell back on my haunches, accidentally learning how to sit, though the pain in that leg made me wish I hadn't.

“W-what happened last night? What happened to me? I heard so many weird sounds and then…a-and then the invisible monster thing with the horses, and the cliff, and that river of stars…where even am I? Where’s the cliff!?” I gasped, as I realized there was no cliff.

I was on a flat stretch of earth, a small stream burbled noisily in the distance and the sound of the woods around me filled the air. My ears worked around my head on their own as the peaceful sounds I had always loved echoed unfamiliar and threatening through the tangle of trees. Everything sounded almost alien here, and the isolating atmosphere of the dense trees only cast a shadow of fear as I realized just how lost I’d become. 

I liked being alone, normally. When the world was too much to bear I would escape to the woods to recharge in peace. This, however, was a different loneliness. One that threatened to be far more permanent and dangerous. All familiarity was gone. The birds, the insects, the crickets all sounded vaguely different in some uncanny sense. I wasn’t sure if it was paranoia setting in, or if everything here sounded more aggressive and wild. 

It took me a lot longer than I would've liked to calm myself enough to think clearly. I had to talk to myself. I just needed to hear my own voice, confirm with myself that I’m alive, and take stock of my situation like I trained myself to do. I needed to organize my thoughts and refocus. I spoke, but the words didn't sound like my own. I had to keep reminding myself of that change as well, and I struggled to quell the feeling of panic that shot through me with every word that left my muzzle.

“I-I’m alive. I’m not…me anymore, but I’m alive. T-that’s…something?” My breath felt shaky and unstable, and my words quavered. “I-I have hooves now, and long hair…a mane? And a tail…?” 

I looked at my body, marking all of the changes I could see. My first thought when seeing the color of my body’s new mane and tail was how much they reminded me of leaves in the fall. I loved fall colors, especially maple leaves. They reminded me of the orange zinnia flowers my mother used to plant in her garden when I was young. That memory brought some peace to my mind, if only for a moment. I took a deep breath and continued.

“I’m a horse…a small one. A pony I think? Or something with four legs? That’s gonna be hard to get used to. If this is even all real.” Another jolt of pain in my hip reminded me that it was most certainly real. 

I shuddered as my brain sent uncomfortable questions to me about how I’m supposed to keep my new body clean and how I’m supposed to manage operating muscles and limbs I don't even know I have. Do I need a saddlebag for hiking now? What about shoes? I don't think any major brands carry horseshoes! What about... ”That’s not important now. Argh! Focus...” 

Another realization hit me. I couldn't remember my old name. I'd only me for 30 years, so I think if I remembered anything it would be my own name. It was as if my brain no longer had that word in it's vocabulary, like it no longer translated or didn’t exist. “Oh, horses have muzzles. Maybe…” No. It wasn't a language issue. My voice was not only different, but my new lips spoke in a language I’ve never heard before, yet I understood every word they spoke. My mouth wasn't designed for English, or any human language anymore, yet the words I uttered made bizarrely familiar sounds to my ears.

I began to lose it again. I was going insane, I knew it. The mushrooms, the concussion, me maybe really being a dead thing having some fever dream in the throes of a dying seizure... Something was wrong and I wasn’t privy to what it was or how it happened. Yet here I was, a tan, talking, pony-thing lost in some foreign forest and I didn't even have my gear. 

I curled up into a ball and laid there shivering in the warm sunlight, feeling like my mind was slipping away from me. I was going to die, a thing. No one would find me, no one would know it was me or who I was, or what I was, and I would die alone and miserable.

“Move.” My lips spoke without me bidding them. “Move. Focus. Survive. Do something.” My survival training kicked in as I wobbled in an attempt to stand again, my body moving on its own. All those years of hiking, survival training, and TV shows I watched took over as my willpower drained away. 

“MOVE!” I yelled into the trees as I forced myself to stand and steadied my legs and my will in the face of adversity. I had to survive. If nothing else but to get back at whatever cruel fate decided to place me here. I wasn't sure what I would do if I found people, if I would be rescued or shot, or if I discovered I could never get back home. But I knew none of it mattered if I didn't move forward. I wasn't going to die today. 

Moving forward, or at all, proved difficult though. Managing four limbs at once wasn’t exactly an easy task, and neither was learning how to use all of my new muscles. It took me a better part of the morning, but I finally worked out how to stumble about without falling on my face every other step. “I’d better not need to run from anything out here. I’d be eaten for sure.” My dry throat scratched at every word, reminding me of my need for water. 

I managed to make it to the creek I’d heard earlier much quicker than I’d anticipated, only eating dirt ten or so times along the way. Having ears that could swivel atop one's head made it easier to locate sounds, letting me pinpoint even smaller noises with ease. Getting used to them moving around by themselves would take some effort, as they tracked back and forth on their own without me having to think about guiding them. 

 I felt a little more confident in my footsteps - hoofsteps - with every stride I took without falling over and made it to the water's edge to drink. I bent my neck and head down to examine the water, which nearly caused me to lose balance and tumble forward into the creek. I resolved to simply lay down at the water's edge and attempt drinking from there so I didn’t stumble in and drown myself while trying to figure out how to get back up. The cool water soothed my throat and rejuvenated my body as I felt it slide past my parched tongue and into my core. Never had water tasted so sweet.

I took some time to look at my reflection in the water's surface. I wondered at the teal green eyes that stared back in awe and curiosity, and the beautiful, but messy, autumn orange tangle of hair that fell about my head, neck and face. I chanced to look at my tail again, uncomfortably embarrassed with the fact that I was essentially in my birthday suit and all of my gear and clothes were nowhere to be found. Not that I would be able to use most of it anyway. A pony wearing pants would just be too absurd, if they even fit at all. I resolved to just ignore those thoughts for now lest attempting that feat of mental gymnastics broke what little bit of fragile sense of self I had left.

I noticed I had something odd on my flank which looked like a tattoo, but I’d never had one before. Upon further inspection, I realized it wasn’t a tattoo, but rather a pattern that grew on, or rather in, my fur. It was shaped like a piece of steel striking a flint rock and making a spark. I eyed it curiously, wondering where it came from or what it meant, when a snapping tree branch sent alarm bells ringing in my head. 

I jerked up to my feet nearly tumbling into the water, and my eyes and ears worked together in tandem to locate the sound. Another rustle in the trees, a crack, and a pair of eyes stared out from the branches of a nearby gnarled snag of woods. My body instinctively took a step back and I felt cold water touch my hoof. I knew the creek wasn’t deep, but I still felt trapped all the same and I cursed myself for being remade into a prey animal. Whatever creature was in that tree surely wanted to eat me, and I knew I couldn’t run well enough to escape the terrible claws and gnashing teeth of a horrible…ground squirrel? 

The fuzzy little creature leapt out from behind it’s leafy nest and looked at me with a strange expression. I sighed to myself, and wondered when squirrels had become so scary…or expressive. “Was this one laughing at how scared I’d been of it? And why does my back feel oddly tense and top heavy?" My turned my gaze to my back once more, and attached to it, stretching upwards and erect were... 

“W-wings? I have wings too?” I marveled at my newly discovered feathery appendages that adorned my back. I hadn’t even realized they were there, and probably would never have had they not flared up like a frightened frilled lizard when I got spooked by the woodland rodent. They were the same light tan color as the hair on my body and felt lighter than I would have expected considering their size compared to the rest of my petite physique. 

I settled down on my haunches again with a wince and took a bit of time trying to figure out how to retract my new found equipment. “Does this mean I can fly? How does that even work? Aren’t horses too heavy? What are the aerodynamics of a horse, anyway?”

As if distracted by my thoughts, the two wings decided they were done being spooked and retracted themselves, folding snugly against my sides. My body apparently had some instincts and muscle memory already worked out, I just needed to train my brain to use it. I attempted flexing, stretching, and even jumping a little to get my wings to extend again but they refused to budge this time. “Yeah, figures that would happen. Can't just let me fly out of here, that’d be too easy.” 

I took just another moment to wash myself off in the creek as best I could. The cool water against my flanks and chest was energizing and it felt good to wash off the dirt from my hair and mane. I felt like a farm animal wallowing in fresh water or a bird as I preened some twigs and dirt from my wings but a little more "human" as I inspected my clean coat gleaming in the sunbeams permeating the forest canopy. 

Once I was clean, I finally left the water and felt much better than I had before. I reminded myself that in situations like these, people don’t have time to gawk at their surroundings and themselves. Survival was my number one priority, so I tried to devise a plan. I knew a fair bit about wild edibles, though nothing seemed familiar here so that information was fairly useless. I knew how to hunt and trap with little resources or tools. Even a sharp rock worked as a cutting edge for slicing rope or skinning animals.

I suddenly felt sick as I thought of animal hides and flesh. Images of bloody meat and wet skins danced through my mind and I wretched as my hooves felt like they were going to travel up my legs and out of my mouth. ”Why did my stomach flip at that thought?” Hunting may be out of the question. Just the thought of meat sent my stomach reeling. “Guess steaks are off the menu. Hurk...shut up, brain."

I stomped a hoof in frustration and shook my head to clear the sickening images from my mind’s eye and forced myself to reconsider my options. With limited resources, no ability to make tools, none of my gear, and wings that can’t even fly, I had no choice but to fall back on the one thing I disliked relying on most; Other people. 

I hoped that by following the creek that I would stumble across a town or village somewhere. If I were still on Earth, I suppose I’d have to make due living like a wild animal now and avoid hunters where possible. The thought of headlines in the local newspapers reading “Wild Pegasus Shot in Rural Southwest Va.” got a morbid laugh out of me. 

“Well…I guess I have my path set before me then.” I resigned myself to my fate as I stood up awkwardly and steadied myself. “I’ll follow the creek and hopefully find my way back to, uhh, somewhere. Good grief. Woah!” I tripped almost immediately as I took my first step. A shock of orange fell in front of my eyes and I puffed the hairs away and groaned at my clumsiness before carefully walking with the flow of the creek. I was alone, but for once in my adult life, I hoped that wouldn’t last long.
> Alone?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia sat on an exorbitantly soft cushion as she sipped quietly at a cup of tea and enjoyed the company of her sister, who had finished lowering the moon to make way for her sister’s sun. Princess Luna was tired, but smiled as one of her attendants brought her a cup of the steaming amber tinted drink as well. “Thank you, sister. I appreciate you taking time from your morning to speak with me.” She grasped the cup with her magic and lifted it into the air, shimmering and cloaked cloaked in a dark star-filled aura as it floated up to her lips. She sighed blissfully, allowing herself to savor the floral taste of the sweet beverage as she sipped.

“You know that you are always welcome, Lulu. I suppose the Night Court was rather taxing?” Celestia smiled at her sister and set her tea cup back on it’s porcelain plate to take a bite from a blueberry scone which she levitated from a silvery plate of offerings in the middle of the table. 

“As humorous as you believe that joke to be, Tia, overseeing the writing of tax code is doubly tiring when those who write it are often doing so with their own needs in mind.” Luna sighed, setting her own now half-drained cup to the table. “It is a wonder you were able to manage both courts during my 'extended vacation' on the moon.” 

Celestia winced at Luna’s statement. Her banishment to the moon was a one-thousand year sentence which still weighed heavily on Celestia’s heart. “It was difficult, not having my sister by my side. In more ways than one. I am sorry. I believe my actions were a mistake; one I intend to atone for."

“Sister, you do not need to apologize. My actions were inexcusable. I had sought to throw all of Equestria into darkness, and worse, I betrayed your trust. If anyone is to apologize, it is I. I only hope that I may one day set right what was done wrong and earn everypony’s trust once more.” Luna said remorsefully. Plunging the world into an ever lasting night because of her jealousy and bitter feelings towards her sister and allowing Nightmare Moon to control her was not something she was proud of, but she had made great strides in redeeming herself since her reformation.

Princess Celestia nodded, but still felt as though she was still partially to blame. Had she paid more attention to her sister, had she helped the citizens to understand and love Luna's night, maybe Nightmare Moon would never have been. She had promised to spend more time with Luna, and they both loved the little moments they got to share. 


Luna saw that her sister was still bothered by her past actions, but allowed the conversation to drop. She took a scone for herself and nibbled on it happily. She did envy Celestia’s ability to make friends, but since Luna had returned, she had made a few herself which made things a lot less lonely. She especially enjoyed the letters she and Celestia's student shared from time to time. She smiled and tried to stifle a yawn with a silver-shod hoof.

“It seems as though you are ready to retire for the day, dear sister. We can meet again for dinner before your night court begins this evening, if you wish." Celestia motioned for her attendant to come collect Luna's cup, which she graciously relinquished upon emptying it of its contents. 

"Yes, but before I leave, there is something I wish to speak with you about, dear sister.”

Celestia eyed the Princess of Night curiously. “Is something the matter, Lulu?” 

“Have you felt the disturbances as of late, dear sister? I feel there is something strange occurring with the natural flow of magic.” Luna didn’t show it on her face, but Celestia knows her sister well enough to tell she was concerned.

Celestia nodded and closed her eyes. “I have. These last few days have proved troubling, indeed. It is as though there are ripples and tiny tears in the fabric of magic that quickly dissipate nearly as soon as they appear. It would seem nopony else has noticed these rifts save for my student and one of her friends. I have received no small number of letters concerning her worry over this phenomena.” 

“Indeed. The tears are becoming worse as time progresses, and I fear that somepony, or something may have slipped through the veil and into Equestria last night.” Luna's concern managed to reach her face as she looked at her sister.

Celestia took another sip of her tea. "Tell me. What do you make of this creature? Have you made contact with it through the realm of dreams?" 

"I have, but only briefly. The creature is strange, but it is sentient. I do not believe that whatever, or more accurately whoever, it is will be a danger to Equestria, but I do fear for their safety. I have tracked them through the Astral Plane, but they appeared to have fallen unconscious shortly after arriving. I worry they may be injured and in need of aid, however they are currently out of reach.”

“They wander the wilds?” Celestia asked, now understanding the reason for her sister’s concern.

“Yes. I believe them to currently be located somewhere in the Everfree Forest. They appear as we do, in the form of a pony, though they feel distinctly foreign. I feel no hostility from them, just fear and desperation. I am…unsure what to make of this. That is why I came to ask you for guidance, Tia." Luna looked to Celestia hopefully.

“What is certain,” Celestia stood and motioned for one of her attendants, “is that there is a lost soul, who is afraid and alone, wandering through the wilds of Equestria; And It is our duty to protect those citizens who live within our borders, as well as those who are in need of a friend. I will alert the royal guard of this individual and have them perform a search. I would ask that you keep an eye on them in their dreams to ensure their safety and potentially help us find exactly where they are. I would feel much better with them living under a roof comfortably, rather than in a hole or tree. Would you agree?”

Luna nodded and smiled at her sister before hiding another yawn with a hoof. "Indeed. I shall leave it to you then, dear sister. I will inform you and the guard should I find their location or if their condition and well-being changes." Luna stood and bowed slightly, excusing herself.

"Thank you. Rest well, Lulu. We shall meet again this evening."

Luna bade Celestia a good day then retired to her room to rest before it was once again her turn to bring about the night. Once her sister had left, Celestia turned to her attendant, who was already holding a parchment and quill. “Take a note. To my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
> Dreams I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The creek I was following wound its way through the dark woods, taking meandering twists and turns through overgrown roots and broken trees. I had to step around many of the obstacles in my path on several occasions, not because they were particularly challenging but because of my inexperience with my new form and it’s limitations prevented me from scaling or traversing them. Every time something blocked my way I silently swore, knowing that the longer I was out in the wilderness the more time it was going to take to find the safety of either a cave or hollow tree or even a house that I could hold up in. Not only that, but my lack of knowledge of the plant life here made me skittish of trying to eat anything for sustenance. At least the water was clean. 

I’d spent several days limping about the woods, feeling rather aimless as I went. The only direction I knew to go was wherever the stream chose to flow, and even it seemed confused at times. Food was an issue that was beginning to weigh heavily on my mind as my energy levels grew more shallow with every day. Every step seemed to leave me feeling more tired and more ravenous than the last. I even thought about attempting to chase whatever poor woodland creature I saw next in an attempt to quell the rumbling in my belly though the idea of eating anything that breathed still left me feeling like a monster. 

I had found a few scant fungi and fruit that appeared to be edible, but I had no way to carry them with me and hadn't observed anything else trying to eat them either so I decided against it, but with the sun rising on my 4th day out here I decided that I needed to do something before hunger made my weary legs too weak to carry me any further. 

I went through my mind, thinking about all of the different things I’d learned of traps, wild edibles, roots, and detoxifying poisonous flora, but most of those things required hands to make them or a fire to boil water to cook with. And I had neither. My stomach roared and I felt a wave of nausea and empty pain roll through my guts, reminding me that I really didn’t have too much time to be complaining about anything more than food. I dipped my head into the creek to drink the hunger away, if only briefly, and to wash the sweat from my brow before sitting to rest my legs and observe my surroundings. 

I had traveled approximately thirty miles in the four days I’d been moving. I was a little ashamed that I haven't traveled more than that, but 4 clumsy legs and no food prevented me from my regular pace. As I looked around me, not too much had changed. The woods were still just as dark and foreboding as they were at my landing site, and the creek had only gotten marginally wider and slightly deeper. 

I saw a few small fish no larger than minnows swimming about in the shallowest parts, so fishing wasn’t going to help much here. What I did notice was that some of the trees sported vines. If they were grape vines, I could have chewed into them and enjoyed the sweet water that flowed inside them for some quick energy but I couldn’t tell what they were. I’d really rather not sink my teeth into some variation of poison ivy. 

I grumbled about the vines for a lot longer than I should have, lamenting their lack of berries and how most of them were too big to even use as rope. “Wait…rope! I can use them as rope! And with rope, I can make a fire! Yes!" I jumped up in jubilation but the loud clop of hooves hitting the stones at the creek's edge dampened the mood. 

"Right. Hands. I can't make a bow drill fire kit without hands that can tie things." I was becoming frustrated with myself. Every thought that came to mind was quickly defeated by another reason as to why I couldn’t act on that thought. I racked my brain, trying to think of another solution, kicking the stones by the creek-side. I watched one of the stones bounce around before breaking in half, then an idea hit me like a sack of rocks.

"Oh. Duh. I don't need a bow drill. I just need the drill and two arms. Friction fires were made by rubbing two sticks together long before someone was smart enough to use a bow to make it easier." My belly growled at me and I winced. "Ok, ok. I got it. Less talking, more finding food."

I grabbed as big a stone as I could manage in my mouth and dashed it against the ground. It took several attempts, but I finally got a shard of rock sharp enough to whittle with and thin enough to hold with my teeth. I found some smaller branches that were roughly the right size and worked to shave them into the right shape. It took nearly an hour to work the wood into the right shape, and my teeth began to ache, but I'd managed to make a couple of friction sticks and a board with cutouts for the hot coals to form. 

I stepped back and looked at my work with pride in myself. I didn't know how well they would work, but I managed to make a passable fire kit with nothing but my freaking teeth. “Bet my old survival instructor couldn't pull that one off. Then again...I'd have probably broken my teeth in my previous form doing so.” My new teeth were much more sturdy, and I was very thankful for that. I grabbed my sticks in my pearly whites and picked back up where I left off; Finding a good campsite to settle into.

Roughly around midday I stumbled upon an uprooted tree, whose roots created a dirt and rock filled roof over the hole they used to reside in, forming a small makeshift cave of sorts that I could use for shelter. I decided that this would be where I made camp. I pulled together a ring of stones and made some wood shavings with my rock-knife, which I had to break again for a new edge twice because it kept dulling on the wood I was shaving for kindling. 

It took another hour of work to get enough friction with my tools, trying to rub my hoof-capped forelegs together fast enough to make a hot coal proved a challenge greater than I wanted to deal with, but I grinned as I fed sticks and dry plant matter into the slowly growing fire I had made before me. I felt like a king…queen actually…I guess. "Queens don't really make fires though. Neither do kings... huh. Can a horse be a king or queen?" [i/] Another grumble from my protesting belly pulled me away from that derailed train of thought and back to the task at hand. 

I spent the rest of the day trying to make pinch pots, or were they hoof pots? They definitely weren’t pretty pinch pots or the much larger roll and coil ones that my ancient ancestors had once made, but if they survived firing, they’d work to boil water. I made ten hideous little bowls in total using the clay from the creek bank, hoping that at least one of them wouldn’t crack. I set them around my fire to dry for the evening, then I’d build the fire around them to burn overnight. 

Sitting there and working on the pots was cathartic in a way. Giving myself something to work on helped take my empty stomach off my mind and gave me enough time to really look at the woods around me which, thankfully, helped me discover a little woodland creature nibbling on a fruit from a nearby tree. With a couple of said fruits in hand…hoof…”UGH!” I sat by the fire and gave myself a chance to relax and watch the sunlight fade away through the gap in the trees above the creek. The little squirrel had helped assuage my fears of the fruits being toxic and I ate them with impunity. It wasn't enough to fill my belly, but the sweetness was like nothing I’d ever tasted before and I relished my first meal in nearly five days. 

Everything was looking better, when all of a sudden the slowly fading sunlight switched off like a light-bulb and a blanket of stars quite literally erupted into view. I sat there, mouth wide open in dumbfounded disbelief at what had just happened. Everything was starting to make sense again up to that point. Well, as much sense as being thrown into a different woodland region and being made into a tiny horse with wings could make. Something that was supposed to be a universally understood constant like the sun’s timely dance across the sky wasn’t supposed to suddenly take a nosedive past the horizon like it was late for a meeting…That wasn’t possible.

I could feel my mind breaking again as I tried to comprehend what I’d seen, but gave up shortly after my body began shaking from the shock of it all. I resolved to try to ignore it, stuffed my little tree root cave with leaves in an attempt to make it softer, and laid down inside. “This definitely beats sleeping in a bush any day.” I mumbled to myself and let the fire’s crackling conversation with the babbling creek aid my descent into slumber. 





I was hiking through the mountains of North Carolina now, enjoying the warm embrace of the sun on my skin as I chewed on some of the prepacked pemmican I made for this trip. Birds were chirping, and I spotted a couple of deer as they bounded away from the path I was about to cross. I watched them run a little ways into the thicket, one of them stopping to stare at me for a moment before hopping out of view with their white tail flagging about and I laughed, amused at their display. 

A friendly, somewhat regal voice spoke from behind me, “The Forest here is beautiful, and so well kept. It is as though the whole land is a park for one to enjoy.”

“It really is. I love it out here. Beats the city any day.” I responded, happy that someone else was taking as much joy in the natural world around us as I was. 

“Is this where you are from? I know not of any woods like this in Equestria.” The second voice asked curiously.

“No, I don’t live here. I’ll probably move to a place like it once I’m done with college though. I’ll likely have a cabin built and just work from home.” I mused as I walked with my friend. My footsteps crunched along the well maintained gravel path on this section of trail with their hoof-steps shortly behind- “Wait.”

I turned around with a gasp, but no one was there with me. My eyes searched the fairly open woods around me, looking for where my fri- the voice went. “I don’t remember taking a friend out here, we usually hiked the trails in the more northern states. I also don’t think I had a friend that speaks or sounds like that either.”

“You are aware that you are no longer where you would consider home, and that you are no longer in your original form, but do you know how you came to arrive here?” The curious voice asked softly as it now echoed through the trees in all directions.

Confusion plagued my mind briefly before I heard the sounds of that chimeric monster rampaging through the woods and the invisible horses in tow. Night had abruptly fallen and a pale waning moon lit up the ground I ran upon, but I was too busy running from whatever it was that was chasing me again to look where I was going and ran straight off the cliff in front of me. I screamed as I fell, expecting pain and numbness again but found myself standing back in the gnarled woods I’d been stuck in.

I looked back down at my hands and watched them mutate in front of my eyes into the hooves I’ve come to begrudgingly accept as my own, my boots and clothes fell away and I toppled from the weight of the rucksack as it shifted over a form not meant to carry it. I was left alone again, and all my clothes and gear melted into the ground below, disappearing from sight. I scrambled to my hooves and flicked my head to remove the matting orange tangle of mane from my face.

“I-where am I? Who are you?!” I shouted into the trees around me, but they only echoed back a mocking imitation of my new voice. I shivered as fear began rushing back into my mind. I could see red eyes staring at me through the shadows and growls emanated through the boughs and bushes nearby. The eyes erupted from their placements and dozens of squirrels pointed and laughed at my abject fear.

 I instinctively retreated back towards the fire that had somehow appeared behind me, and leaped headfirst into the hole I’d made my home for the night like I was a soldier diving into a trench to evade gunfire. I curled into a ball and tried to resist the urge to cry but the tears welled up in my eyes anyway and threatened to burst forth when I felt a feather-soft blanket drape over my back. It was comforting, but I dared not open my eyes as I was still afraid of the animals that would surely eat me while the squirrels reveled in the slaughter, but I realized I could no longer hear them. 

“It is alright, little one. They cannot hurt you where we are now, but you must make haste to follow the water’s flow. When you meet the stream’s end, you will be safe. Beware, the Everfree is not as pleasant as the forests of your world. Your fire will help keep them at bay, but only till morning.” The voice warned as the blanket lifted away. I shuddered, not wanting the warmth to leave me and I stole my courage to glance out of my hole, but again the voice’s owner escaped my view. “Rest easy, little one. You’ve not much further left to go.”

My eyes grew exceedingly heavy as the voice receded into the sky. I watched what appeared to be a horned pony shaped shadow fade into the full moon overhead before my eyelids no longer retained the strength to hold themselves open. The fire crackled as it had once before, and the stream bubbled gleefully as I drifted away.
> Survivor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

POP!

I jolted awake at what sounded like a muted gunshot near my makeshift bed and scrambled to the entrance to peep out at whatever could have made the sound. Night was nearly over as the pitch black sky and sparsely scattered stars slowly acquiesced to the faint glow of the rising sun. The fire had nearly burned out, with only a few spits of flame still struggling to stay lit. I inspected the area briefly before spotting what had made the noise that woke me; a few shards of clay that had escaped the fire pit. 

“Ugh. I hope at least one made it okay. I’d like to at least pretend to make something to eat today,” I groaned. The small shot of adrenaline from the dream and popping earthenware wore off quickly as I struggled to get to my hooves. I yawned and grabbed the pole I had used to poke the fire with and set about pulling the coals apart, fully expecting to find all my pottery attempts to have been shattered overnight. 

I sifted through ash and clay shards until I heard an almost metallic clink issuing from the end of the shaft. I quickly eased the smallest of the bowls away from the rest of the broken pieces and kicked one of the stones surrounding the campfire out of the way so I could push the only unbroken bowl away from the heat to let it cool. I could barely keep the tears from falling as I stared at the simple and incredibly primitive earthenware before me. Little things can mean so much to a survivor and this little bowl, barely big enough to hold a meaningful meal, meant boiled water and cooked food.

I waited for the pot to cool and the tears to dry before struggling to my hooves once more and took a drink from the stream before getting to work. I spent that morning collecting anything that looked remotely edible, as well as a couple more of the fruits from the day before and began putting it all in the little bowl. I kept the fruits to the side, filled the pot with water from the creek, and started my fire up again to boil my bowl of greens and mushrooms. 

I made sure to boil everything several times till the water came out clear, then once again just to be sure. It was mushy and flavorless, definitely not fish soup, but I had a full belly now and I could feel my body recovering energy as I ate. I allowed myself time to digest the meal and savor the fruit as a sweet dessert while I thought about the events of the night prior.

“What should I do about that dream I had last night?” I asked myself, feeling well enough to spare the energy to talk things through for the first time in a while. “Normally, you’d want to wait where you are to be found. I guess I can’t really do that. If someone was looking for me, they’d have to track me for 30 miles beforehand since I obviously didn’t stay still where I first came too. I really have two options then.”

I sighed as the fire popped, excitedly awaiting my choice. “I can either stay here and make a big enough fire to act as a smoke signal, maybe someone can see it and find me. Or I can continue following the creek and hope to find civilization. I’ve made it okay so far, so I’m not scared of staying around. If anything I can keep myself busy with making some more tools I can use and a bag or something to carry them with just in case. But that dream…" I wondered if it was a sign when-

SNAP!

My eyes darted to the small circle of stones, thinking at first that it was just the burning sticks agreeing with my thoughts, but it wasn't the fire. It sounded far too loud, almost like something heavy had broken an entire tree limb. I slowly stood up and swept the woods in front of me for threats. 

The hair on my body stood on end and my skin crawled. I felt like I was being watched and whatever was out there was deciding if pony was on the breakfast menu. I dared not move, my hooves frozen to my perceived safe zone near the fire when another snap caught my attention from my right, and then another straight ahead. Before I could comprehend what I was seeing properly I realized the scene from my dream was coming true. Three sets of eyes lifted up from the ground and stared at me through the shadows cast in the early morning light, reflecting the orange flicker of the fire that gave me scant protection. 

Something in my brain snapped and my entire being screamed at me to run. I grabbed the little clay bowl in my mouth and started sprinting down the creek. My decision was made for me as three large creatures covered in wood and brush erupted from the treeline and gave chase. I dared not to even glance at my attackers, afraid that I’d trip and make myself an easy meal. I had really only just gotten the hang of walking about, but my body decided that was all the practice I had needed as I galloped full tilt through the woods with the three howling things crashing behind me. 

I made every shortcut I could think to take, leaping across the water when the creek looped on itself, or scrambling under objects too big to go around or leap over, hoping the creatures behind me were too large to follow through but the sound of starved beasts never ceased their chase. I guessed by their number and the sounds they made that it was a pack of wolves or dogs, which only put more fear into my heart as I tore through the brush. A single bear or cat can be scared off or backed away from, but a wolf pack won't back off as easily and is nearly impossible to fight against alone. If I got caught, I was dead.

“I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m so dead! HELP!” I yelped as I ran. My eyes had become bleary from fear and desperation, my lungs gasped for air, and my tired legs screamed at me, especially the one that had only been dislocated just days prior. I could feel that one in particular threatening to end the chase with an untimely relapse as I torqued my body around the objects in my path but I pushed through the pain. 

Up ahead I could see a clearing, which made me feel a leap of elation. A clearing might mean a field or a farm, maybe someone would be there to help me, or maybe it’s where the creek hooks up with the river and I’d have to make a choice to swim or get eaten. “Can I even swim? Do horses swim well? What if I just drown or they follow me out and drag me back to shore to tear out my insides like a vibrant spaghetti filled pinata.” I shook the thought from my mind, I couldn’t afford to think that way now. I had to think of a way to survive. 

I burst past the treeline and to my horror saw that the clearing wasn’t just a clearing. The creek I’d been following fell into a ravine a short distance away from the edge of the forest. Rushing water was churning below as the rapids flowed through the canyon, mocking me in my plight. I made to turn right and followed the ravine, hoping that there may be a thin spot to leap across or a bridge that I could break to prevent the wolves from continuing their chase but it stretched on ahead of me without such an allowance. 

The wolves were gaining now, able to travel their full speed in the open ground. All I could do was make their chase last a little longer until I ran out of gas. I hated that I couldn’t even take satisfaction in making their job harder for them. They were wolves, after all. They thrilled at the hunt like a dog chasing a frisbee. All I was doing now was helping them live their best life while I was about to lose mine. 

I desperately looked for anything around me that I could grab to throw or hit them with or climb but they would be upon me too soon. The little clay bowl I made clattered noisily between my teeth as I galloped, and in desperation I threw it backwards as best I could without causing myself to trip. It was the only thing that gave me comfort since I'd found myself here, and my last hope of evading these monsters. One of the wolves behind me yelped and growled loudly and their pace quickened as my heart sank. I could think of only one other option. 

A single wolf leaped from behind me and I could feel their sharp claws graze my back as it missed pulling me down and landed with a thud just behind me. I wasn’t sure how badly I’d been hurt, but I could feel the heat from my racing blood seep into the hair on my hind legs, surely staining that flint and steel tattoo on my flank. 

I was out of time. “I’m not going to die being eaten alive out here! Screw you!” I screamed and swerved hard to the left towards the ravine and leapt. I knew I wasn’t going to make it across. I wasn’t big enough, running fast enough, nor strong enough to clear the gap. Just brave and stupid enough to make the decision to choose how I wanted to go out. 

I closed my eyes and waited for gravity to take hold, expecting to feel that familiar thud as my body collided limply against the stones in the rapids below. Maybe if I was lucky, I would survive the fall and somehow not drown. I’d managed to live a drop like this once this week, why not go for a personal record? “This is a long fall.” I thought to myself. The other one didn’t take nearly this long. I dared to look, expecting the rocks below to be upon me as if waiting for me to open my eyes so I could see them strike the final blow. My eyes cracked open and-

The rocks had stayed where they were. Or maybe, I had stayed in the air? “What the hell?!” I was floating in mid air above the ravine! By some grace of magic or miracle my body was just floating there, or rather slowly gliding to the other side of the ravine. I felt the wind blowing through the valley wash cool over my body, sending a shiver through my lower back as it cooled the hot blood running down my flanks and feeling a strange tugging sensation in my back. “Wings? …oh, right. I have those now.”

And as if they had stage fright they locked up and closed tightly against my barrel, stealing my lift and robbing me of flight just in time to send me crashing into dirt on the opposite side of the ravine. I scrambled to the safety of solid land and gasped ragged, raspy breaths as I laid there in what must have been a slowly widening pool of blood. My body felt wet, clammy, and sticky from sweat, and my injured rear leg felt numb again, but I was still alive, somehow.

 A pitiful howl shocked me out of my reverie and I looked at my attackers for the first time, pacing back and forth across the ravine, slavering and staring at me with hungry eyes and hateful glares. Two wolf-like creatures made of leaves and wood and sticks pawed at the ground and gnashed their thorny teeth in frustration while a third could be heard yelping and whimpering somewhere in the rushing waters below. 

“Timberwolves. Heh…” My mind thought only to make light of the poor taste of a living dad-joke before my body crumpled under its own weight. "I must have lost a lot of blood." I imagined that my wounds were much more serious than what I initially thought, but my nerves failed to register the pain. I could feel the now familiar onset of shock coming over my body and my thoughts began to cloud up. “I-I can’t die. Not here. I-” Exhaustion overrode any will I had left to move.

I was only faintly aware of my head hitting the ground as the world turned black. A dull flapping sound filled my ears and I felt them barely moving about to catch some sound they could detect that didn’t quite register with my brain. Sounds of metal tinkling. Hooves. A breeze? At least it wasn’t raining while I died. “...” A voice? I couldn't hear what it was saying. My dream friend? No…this one was male. Someone found me. “Too late. I wish they’d stop trying to shake me awake. I want to sleep.”
> Tracks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I think they lead this way. They seem old though, maybe two or three days. Here, what do you make of it?” An earth pony clad in golden armor motioned to his subordinate to have a closer look at the tracks in the soft soil by the creek. 

“The edges seem dull around this hoof print. You’re right sir, maybe a couple days. They’re definitely following the flow of the creek though. Whoever they are, they had the right idea. It's a shame they didn't know how close they were to the forest's edge." The other armored pony, this one a pegasus, responded. “We should hurry up, sir.”

“Indeed we shall. If I remember, this region is home to wolves of timber. Quicken your hooves, this path has been beaten, by our lost pony friend who soon may be eaten.” The rhyming speech of their Zebra guide did nothing to soothe the guards fear of stumbling across the gory aftermath of a ravaged pony. 

“R-right! I'll scout ahead and report back if I find anything.” The pegasus took to the skies and with a few wing-beats was well ahead of the Zebra and her charge. 

“Exactly how deep are we into these woods, Zecora?” The earth pony asked, beginning to trot quickly along the trail of hoof prints. The pegasus guard had said they were close to the edge, but the woods were impossibly thick here. He could barely see a hundred feet ahead in any direction but where the creek snaked through the trees. 

“There is not much further to go, only a few hundred feet or so.” Zecora said, approximating their current distance from the edge of the woods. “Though if the mare were to follow this creek, the river, in one more day's time, would peek.” 

He took a moment to consider her words before speaking. “So, we’re near the ravine, but because they were following the stream it would take them longer to get there than if they were to just go straight. Got it. That’s not a good sign. They’ve been lucky to make it this far through the timberwolves hunting grounds.”

Zecora nodded as they continued along at a quickened pace. She knew these woods like the backs of her eyelids and had warned the Royal Guards before coming into this area that it’s home to no small number of dangerous animals. It was likely they’d find their target spread out over several hundred square feet at this point in their search. 

They’d been looking for this mysterious individual for several days now, but the Royal Guard wasn't given a name or her description. Just that the individual was lost in the woods and needed help. How had they wandered this far before they were discovered missing? Another pegasus had found the beginnings of their tracks at least thirty miles away from Zecora’s current location with no tracks leading in and assumed the individual to be a pegasus as well. So why didn't they just fly back out? They must have been injured, which only made their situation that much more dire.

After some time, the two of them noticed a smokey smell in the air that got stronger the further they followed the tracks along the creek. “A fire? Zecora, do you know if there was a storm in this area recently? Maybe lightning struck a tree?”

Zecora only shook her head in response before stopping and pointing a hoof towards a fallen trunk. “I believe we found our smokey smell. It would appear that our friend stayed the night here as well.” 

“Guess that would explain why she would be so close to the edge of the woods and hadn't been found by the patrols yet. How did the pegasi not see the smoke though?” The guard kicked some of the ash in the pit, and winced as red-hot coals came flying out. “It’s still fresh! They must have been here not too long ago!”

“It would appear that this is true, and it seems the wolves have found them too!” Zecora rhymed with alarm and again pointed towards the ground. The armored stallion felt a bit squeamish, expecting to find a clump of hair or a bone, maybe even teeth but the Zebra had found multiple heavy tracks that overlapped each other and a single pair of hoof prints that lead further downstream. 

The pacing of the tracks hinted that whoever it was was running as hard as they could, which wasn’t surprising in their circumstances, but a little odd. The previous tracks suggested that they hadn’t been running at all before this point, but rather limped about. It seemed they weren't aware of the dangers here in the woods and felt confident enough to simply walk the whole way. Everypony knows how dangerous the Everfree is, this area even more so, and nopony simply walks through the Everfree. 

“Hey, Sergeant! I found her! Get out to the ravine and call the medics immediately!” The pegasus from before looped overhead and shouted at his associates before darting back towards the river. Zecora took the lead and ran slightly to the right of the creek into the woods and the Sergeant followed closely behind. In less than a minute the thick woods around them opened up into a clearing by the ravine and in front of them sat two timberwolves growling angrily across the ravine at the pegasus who was hunched over a tan, red, and autumn orange pile on the other side.

The Sergeant ran in front of Zecora and brandished his spear, readying to fight the creatures who at his approach thought better than to fight outnumbered and ran further up the river and back into the woods. He sighed with relief, glad not to have to deal with the creatures and set down a flare he had hidden in one of the pockets of his armor. The flare launched into the air with a magical spark and shortly after, two other patrols converged on them to help. 

The mare was lying across the ravine, covered in dirt, drying sweat, and a little blood. She had managed to escape the wolves, but only barely it seemed as her back and rump had been scraped up a bit by their claws. She wasn’t in any immediate risk of bleeding out, but she looked as though she hadn’t eaten in a while and was filthy from being out in the wilds for a whole week. Her mane and tail were tangled with twigs and leaves and she absolutely reeked of wood smoke.

The medics came and provided first aid, quickly cleaning her wounds and bandaging her up before placing her on a makeshift gurney with magic and air-lifting her up and out of the woods to safety with two pegasi guards. The field medic who had overseen her immediate care strode up to the armored earth pony and Zecora to give his report. 

“Sergeant Nut." The medic started, standing at attention. "The mare is alive, but not without concern. She is unconscious, has multiple shallow lacerations down her back, and seems to have sustained some form of leg injury as her right hind leg seems to have dislocated itself upon landing on the other side of the ravine.” The medic reads off his medical chart to his superior. “The closest medical facility from here is the hospital in Ponyville, so I took the liberty of directing the pegasi to deliver her to their care and await further instruction.”

    “Good. Thank you for your excellent work as always, Quick Mend. I noticed she was a pegasus. That confirms our suspicion of how she got to where we first found her tracks without a trail leading up to it." He nodded, satisfied with that reasoning. "Were her wings injured in any way?” Sergeant Nut asked.

“No, sir. They seemed to be in good shape, all things considered. Maybe a little atrophied from lack of use in recent weeks, but otherwise functional. She may not be a strong flier or have some underlying issue or condition.” The doctor adopted a thoughtful expression. "I’ll send word to have the medical staff take X-rays, just in case.”

“Why would a pegasus with two perfectly functioning wings find themselves lost in the Everfree Forest for a whole week, and not think about using said wings to just…fly up? She obviously flew in… Why would she resort to following the creek, and making camps? Especially since her hoof tracks hinted at her having a limp. I don’t understand,” Sergeant Tough Nut looked down and furrowed his brows. 

“It should have been simple for her to just leave if she truly was mostly uninjured. Cloudsdale is hard to miss on a good day and nearly every pegasus knows where it is. And if she couldn't make the trip for being a weak flier, she very easily could have made the less than half-day flight to Ponyville from where she started instead of taking the long way. By Tartarus, she even passed within a few hundred feet of Zecora’s house along the way. What gives?”

“Sergeant?” Quick Mend interrupted expectantly. 

“Dismissed.” Tough Nut said, quickly. Quick Mend gave a quick salute and trotted back to his partner before making their way towards town. Sergeant Nut then turned to Zecora. “I don’t suppose you’ve ever seen this mare before?” 

“To that, I can surely say; I have not seen her before today. Perhaps she will find someone in town who can turn her frown upside-down. Until then, Sergeant, I bid adieu, for there are potions that I must brew. I'm sure the doctors in Ponyville may ask me that I soon will.” She waved to Sergeant Nut before excusing herself, trotting towards town and safer paths back to her home in the woods.

“I should report back to Captain Armor. Maybe his sister will know about the mare. If not, then we’ll have to wait for her to wake up so we can get some answers here.” He quickly gathered up the remaining guards and after a quick debrief, sent them on their way back. He took another moment to survey the area taking in everything he saw upon arriving and noticed a small ugly bowl. It looked worse than a pre-school foal's art project, but he deemed it important enough to take for evidence before he and his pegasus partner left for Ponyville.
> Out of the Wild
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“-s going to recover. Sh-”

“Voices?” 

“-utrition. We’ve bandaged-”

“What are they talking about?” 

“-ugest she get some rest.”

“Sleep does sound nice. I’m exhausted, and I hurt.”

“-he be out for, doc?”

“She’s under a gen- … Will be up in - hours.”

“Poor thing. She must have been hurt pretty bad. Maybe they’ll get to me next.”

“D- Horse. It’s time to change her bandages again.”

“Right. If you- I need to assist Nurse Redheart with the patient. You- when she’s feeling better. I’ll no- soon as she wakes up.”

“I wonder who came to visit her? They sounded concerned. I’m jealous…Argh…my back. That tugging hurts.”

“Redheart, she looks like she’s in pain. Administer another dose to help take the edge off for her, please.”

“Right away, Doctor Horse.”

“Doctor Horse? I hope that’s not his name…Ugh, my back feels a little better…I guess I’ll…sleep it off.”

The unknown mare’s face eased from a pained expression back into a peaceful sleep. She wasn’t terribly injured, but in her state of exhaustion her body would need every little bit of help they could give to help speed her recovery and avoid any nasty infections.

Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart finished applying the medicated bandages to the mare’s back and forelegs and the stallion signed off on his clipboard, going over the list of patient injuries once more, checking each one as he went to confirm that proper treatments were administered. 

“Let’s see. IV drip administered, minor lacerations on rear and back medicated and bandaged, minor cuts on forelegs cleaned and bandaged, mild abrasions, an apparent concussion, previously dislocated hip moved back into position. Once we receive the results from her X-ray we can determine if further treatment will be required in case her wings were damaged. Though, all things considered, she came out pretty well for one who’s been lost in the Everfree fighting off timberwolves for a week.” Doctor Horse replaced the clipboard on the end of the mare's hospital bed and sighed. It had been a long day, especially with half the town coming into the office with upset stomachs from another one of the crusader’s schemes.

“Doctor, are you feeling ok? You look as if you could use a break.” Redheart offered a smile to the doctor as she disposed of the sullied medical wrappings. “Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee?”

“Thank you, Nurse Redheart, but my shift will be over in the next hour barring any more emergencies. I can manage till then, though that coffee is tempting.” He smiled back at her and motioned to the door. 

“Then I’ll make sure it’s delivered to your office for you.” She held the door for the practitioner as they exited the room to let their patient rest. Outside, one of the Royal Guard was speaking with the receptionist and a purple haired unicorn with stars on her flank.

“Yes ma'am. The investigation into her background is ongoing. Please make sure you send for us or Miss Sparkle when she has recovered enough to answer some questions. We’d like to make sure this wasn’t foul play or some other misdeed.” The guard eyed the hall where Doctor Horse and Redheart continued their conversation briefly before returning his attention to the receptionist. 

“Of course. I’ll send for both of you as soon as the sedative has worn off. Rest assured our staff will do our best to care for her until she’s made a complete recovery.” She responded, giving them both a reassuring smile. 

“I have every confidence that you will, Mrs.Care. Thank you very much for helping us with this matter.” The purple pony looked relieved and turned to the guard beside her. “Now before you go back to Canterlot, I’d like your patrol to stop by Sugarcube Corner. My friends made something special to thank you for rescuing our new friend here and you wouldn’t want to miss out. Pinkie Pie and Applejack are famous for their baked goods here in Ponyville.” The unicorn said to the guard as they turned to walk to the door.

“I’ll make sure to tell the Sergeant. Thank you Miss Sparkle.” The guard bowed his head respectfully, and exited the hospital leaving Twilight with the hospital staff.

Not much made sense surrounding the pegasus that turned up. For one, Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense had been going crazy for nearly a week before they found her, and that she was somepony new to town. While confusing, her weird magical mind bending…whatever it was had never been wrong before. Rainbow Dash had said she’d seen some sort of weird rippling air pockets out over the Everfree nearly a week ago, which matched how long the mare had been thought to have been lost out there. Twilight shuddered at the thought. She’d been out there a few times, but never longer than she needed to. She couldn’t imagine being stuck out there that long.

But was she really stuck? It didn’t make sense that she didn’t just fly away. She’s a pegasus after all. What kept her land locked for so long? The doctor has said her wings didn’t appear to be damaged, so it couldn’t have been that, right? Maybe she was so scared that she forgot how to use her wings? That didn’t sound right either. Then again, she was friends with somepony who’d fall out of the sky if you said “boo” too emphatically. 

“Excuse me, Miss Sparkle?” Mrs.Care startled Twilight out of her reverie and looked at her, confused. “Are you alright? You were mumbling to yourself.”

Twilight felt her face heat up. “Uh, oh, yeah! I’m ok. I was just lost in thought, that’s all.” She sighed and looked down the hall at the new patient’s room. “I’m just worried about her. I hope we can figure out where she came from soon so we can help her get back home. Nopony here knows who she is. I’m sure she feels scared and lonely.” She looked down at the tile and frowned sadly as she spoke. 

“I’m sure she will be fine, Twilight. She just needs plenty of rest, and a few friendly faces. She’ll be right as rain in no time.” Twilight looked up to see Nurse Redheart as she walked in and  placed a tray with five mugs of piping hot coffee on the counter. The smell filled the room and invigorated her nostrils. “Besides, knowing our town's very own personal party pony, the poor thing won't feel lonely for long.”

Twilight smiled, but Nurse Redheart’s reassurance felt more like a threat to her as she remembered her first time coming to town. She grew to love Pinkie’s parties, but she knew just how…overzealous her friend could be with anypony new. “I sure hope so. Might wanna warn the patient before though.”

The three mares laughed. “Well, I’m sure you’re busy so I’ll let you get to it, Miss Sparkle.” Redheart said, handing a mug to Care. The receptionist sipped it carefully and relished the hot beverage. The three exchanged their goodbyes, and Twilight left for town to visit with another one of her friends. 

(-)

Rarity sang to herself softly as she worked on a custom order, a dress for one of her little sister’s classmate’s who was celebrating her cute-ceañera that week. She was adding some gems and frills as a finishing touch to the dress when she heard a knock on the door of the boutique and somepony entering. “Oh, I’ll be right with you! Sweetie Belle, would you be a dear and go meet our guest?”

A little white filly with pink and purple hair leapt from her chair and trotted out of the backroom to meet their visitor. “Twilight!” Sweetie shouted happily as she galloped out to the showroom. 

“Oh! Hi, Sweetie Belle!” Twilight met Sweetie Belle with a cheerful grin as the little while unicorn ran around her once and jumped in place.

“Hey! Twilight! Wanna hear what me and my friends are gonna do tomorrow?” The filly gleefully continued without giving Twilight a moment to answer. “We’re going to go help Apple Bloom’s sister with apple bucking season, and we’re gonna get apple bucking cutie marks!”

“That’s great, Sweetie Belle! I’m sure AJ will appreciate the help. Is your sister around? I’d really like to speak with her if she is.” Twilight said, as she tried to look around the shop for her friend. 

“Why, if it isn’t Twilight! I didn’t expect to see you here today! What a lovely surprise! Oh, do come in! I’m just about finished with Sweetie Belle’s friend’s cute-ceañera ensemble. Would you like to see it? I really do believe I’ve outdone myself this time. It’s simply fabulous!” She beamed as she trotted into the showroom with said dress following behind her in her magic’s blue glow and settled it on a filly-sized mannequin for pick-up.

“Oh wow, Rarity! It looks great! I’m sure she’ll love it!” Twilight said, indulging her friend. She had to admit though, it really did look spectacular. Rarity always seemed to one-up herself with every dress she made. 

“Oh! I know! And the gems are going to match perfectly with her eyes! I dare say I’m almost jealous.” Rarity gushed. 

“Wow! It’s so pretty! Aquamarine’s gonna love it!” Sweetie Belle ogled the dress too. “I can’t wait till I have my cute-ceañera too.” She said, looking sad, but hopeful.

“And when your cutie mark comes, I’ll be sure to make you your very own special dress too, Sweetie. You’ll look better than everypony else at your party and all the little colts will simply fawn over you!” Rarity said to her little sister, who scrunched her nose at the thought.

“Oh, and speaking of looking your best. Rarity, I came to talk to you about our new friend.” Twilight said, walking into the backroom where they normally sit to chat during their visits.

“Has she woken up yet?” Rarity asked with concern as she flipped the open sign over to closed and walked back to her friend with Sweetie Belle following behind.

“No, I’m afraid she hasn’t. The doctor said she needed some more rest before she will be well enough to see visitors. I suspect the medicines will wear off by tomorrow and we’ll be able to see her then.”

“The poor dear. She must have had such a dreadful time all alone out there in the woods. It’s a wonder she even made it back in one piece.” She shuddered at the thought of all the mud and muck that she must have endured…oh, and the dangerous, bloodthirsty animals. 

“Yes. But her injuries weren’t too severe, so she should be up and about in no time. I wanted to ask you if you would like to come see her with me tomorrow. I’d like her to feel like she has ponies she can talk to so she doesn’t feel so alone, you know? And I thought that she would appreciate some help getting back to feeling normal again. I only caught a glimpse of her before they took her back for treatment, but her hair was…well, she’s seen better days.” Twilight sighed. She herself wasn’t as much into fashion and glamor as Rarity, but even she felt better after pampering herself a little. There’s just something about getting clean and looking good that makes one feel like they can take on the world.

“Oh my! But of course! How could I just sit idly by while some poor innocent pony suffers such a tragic fate! I’d love to tag along with you to see our new friend and help her sort herself out. I’ll bring all my things along too, since the hospital’s personal care facilities can be…rather lacking.” She made an indignant face as though just the thought of a hospital brush is an affront to the very nature of her sensibilities.

             “Thank you, Rarity. I really appreciate your help. I’d offer the others to come along as well but AJ’s so busy with applebucking season that she can’t spare the time to come. Pinkie Pie wanted to throw the rescue team a surprise party at Sugarcube Corner to celebrate their success in rescuing our friend, Rainbow is practicing for the Wonderbolts audition and can’t make any time between that and napping in the clouds, and you know how Fluttershy can be around new ponies. I’m glad I can rely on you for things like this.” Twilight held a hoof out to Rarity and smiled, feeling pride in her friend's generosity to others. 

“Think nothing of it, Twilight. A friend of yours is a friend of all of us. And we’re always there for each other, even if some of us have a hard time making time.” She stood up and walked to Twilight, giving her a hug. 

“Can I come too? I wanna see the new mare in town! I bet Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could help us fix her hair too! Maybe we can even get hairdressing cutie marks!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed before sticking out her bottom lip to play the cute little filly card.

“I thought you said you were going to help Applejack tomorrow, Sweetie Belle.” Twilight said, shooting her a questioning look. 

“I mean, yeah! But we can come over after we’re done!” She argued.

“Well that depends on our friend and how she feels, Sweetie. She may not be up for having that many ponies see her all at once. Let’s let her take it at her own pace, shall we?” Rarity says to her little sister, who pouted but understood. 

“Okay…” 

“And you, little filly, have some homework to do, don’t you.” Rarity said, raising an eyebrow.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll go. It was nice seeing you, Twilight!” Sweetie Belle waved before she headed upstairs to her room, where her homework awaited her, to be vanquished. 

“Again, Rarity, thank you for coming with me.” Twilight and Rarity both headed to the front door of the boutique and Rarity opened the door for her.

“Say no more. I’m just glad I can help our new friend. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes! Have a good night!” And with that, Twilight made her way out to Sugarcube Corner to save her brother, Shining Armor, and the guards from one of Pinkie’s famous overnight parties. 
> Zinnia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The birds outside my window were singing beautifully that morning. My favorite alarm clock. I remembered how one of the first things I did when I moved into my apartment was setting the alarm on my cell phone to be a birdsong that I’d heard nearly everyday of my childhood. The breeze that blew in through the windows and tickled my nose with the smell of flowers and freshly trimmed grass paired nicely with the warm sunlight heating my blanket. I couldn’t help but snuggle down deeper into the thin sheets and relish the feeling of comfort. It felt like it had been a long time since I could simply sleep in and relax like this. Probably since my childhood really, those lazy summer mornings before school was let back in for the semester were some of my fondest memories. 

I could almost imagine myself opening my eyes and looking out of my bedroom window to see a warm, blue-sky summer day, with lazy white clouds puttering along. My mother would be outside, trimming the flowers in her garden and paying extra attention to her prized plants. She loved the time she spent in her garden, using it as an excuse to stay active in her retirement, but there was a section that was always fawned over more than the others. She would be out there for hours, pruning and watering her zinnias, admiring their different colors from the rich lavender purples and soft peach pinks to the vibrant reds and oranges that would glisten with morning dewdrops adorning them like gemstones. 

My father would be making breakfast right about now, the smell of coffee permeating the entire house as it percolated through the coffee maker and into the steamy glass container below. I never really liked coffee as a kid, but the smell of my father’s favorite brew always brought a smile to my face and I grew to like the strong, bitter drink. I remembered making it just a week or so ago on my hike and it felt like he was right there with me, enjoying the sunrise over those misty valleys below. “Weird…I thought I was still camping, or lost or something. Was that all just a really weird dream?”

I opened my eyes and saw an open window with thin green curtains gently blowing in the breeze. Outside, a flower garden was playing host to a small fleet of bees as they buzzed around, happily collecting pollen and drinking nectar. A single pony with a white coat and pink mane was making her way through the garden towards another brown pony who sat in a wheelchair. I assumed he was a male, as his build was a bit bulkier than hers or mine and his mane was much shorter. One of his rear legs had a cast up to his fetlock, probably broken or badly sprained and he smiled at the white pony as she approached him to push him back inside. 

“She must be a nurse I guess, from her little hat and the red cross on her butt.” I thought to myself before I came to my groggy senses. I attempted to sit up, but some soreness and a strange tight sensation around my rear prevented me from doing so. I wasn’t in nearly as much pain as I had been the day prior, but the leg that had been giving me grief all week still made its displeasure known. “So it wasn’t a dream.”

My mind started to swirl around with questions. “Who rescued me from those wolf things, or did I really escape them? Maybe someone had found me and brought me here. But how did they do that? I felt like I was flying before I blacked out completely. Oh right. Wings… there are probably others that have them too. They brought me to a medical facility of some sort, but who built it? Ponies don’t have hands to make things like this…unless maybe they developed tools? Do they speak? Or rather, am I able to speak with them? What do you even say to a talking horse? Oh crap, right! I’m a talking horse!”

My head started to feel dizzy again and I laid back into my pillow, it’s softness easing my confused mind. “Ok. So. Now what? I pretend I’m a pretty pony princess or something? Well…maybe not a princess, but how am I supposed to deal with this?” I felt my ears flatten against my head as I stared at my foreign appendages, flexing them gently and noting the small adhesive bandages on them. “Focus, me. That’s not important. Right now, I need to figure out as much as I can. I doubt someone knows what happened to me or how I ended up here, but maybe I can at least figure out where here even is. Losing my marbles isn’t going to help.”

I sighed and attempted to relax, but the more I tried to quiet my thoughts, the more questions came to mind. I wished I could just get up and walk to the garden, or go for a run, or even twiddle my non-existent thumbs; anything to take my mind off the uncomfortable and alien circumstances I found myself in. One question jammed its way into my brain and gave me reason to begin to fear. “What if they find out I’m not really a pony? What would they do to me if-”

That thought was abruptly interrupted by the sound of hooves meeting tile in the hallway outside the door behind me. I was facing the wall opposite the door, so I couldn’t see who entered the room when the door softly swung open and what I assumed to be a pony trotted in. I heard quiet humming as she stepped over to the bottom of my bed and pulled what I assumed to be a clipboard of some sort from the baseboard of my bed. I heard pencil hit paper, she must have been making notes or maybe signing off on a shift change? I hoped that it was the pony I’d seen outside with the other patient before. At least then she would be somewhat familiar and not another complete unknown.

After a few moments she set the clipboard back into the pocket at the bottom of the bed and stepped around to my side. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt the soft touch of a hoof on my…withers? “I really need to learn my pony parts.” I thought to myself.

“Excuse me, miss?” The pony said in a calm, quiet voice that sounded unsure if she should wake me. Immediately it struck me that I could understand her. I had been so worried about learning how to speak with them that I hadn’t thought of the possibility that I may already know how, which I suppose made sense in hindsight, since whatever magic or mystery that happened to me turned me into one of them anyway. “Miss, I know you’re awake. I can see your ears moving.”

“What should I say?!” I slowly nodded in response. “Great. Good job, me.” 

“Oh, good! My name is Nurse Redheart. I’m very sorry to disturb you, but I need to check your bandages. Do you mind if I take a quick look?” She said with a calm and professional kindness. I’d been in a hospital on a couple of occasions but the staff seemed less than thrilled to be there, most of the time adopting an aloof demeanor. I assumed it was because they were overworked or stressed out, and didn’t think too much of it, but this nurse made me second guess that thought. Maybe they were just jerks? “Miss?” She said again, a little more stern this time around.

“O-oh. Sorry, I guess I’m still a little out of it.” I answered back before I realized I had. I felt a little embarrassed, it was my first time talking to someone else since the transformation and I felt self conscious of my new voice. It still sounded alien to me, since I hadn’t found much use for it until now.

“That’s quite alright. You were unconscious for about 24 hours. Naps that long can leave anypony a little loopy.” She said, a clear smile in her voice. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt as badly as you could have been. Timberwolves are no joke!” She grabbed the blanket in her mouth and pulled it down slowly to reveal my bandaged back and I shivered as the cool air inside the building met my warm skin, though it felt refreshing rather than uncomfortable. I chalked it up to having fur covering my body now to keep me warm. 

The nurse hummed to herself before speaking again. “The bandages look a little dirty, not too bad though. You might only need one or two more changes before we can remove them for good. If you don’t mind waiting here for just a moment, I’ll be right back with another nurse to help change these and bring you something to eat and drink. I’m sure you’re pretty hungry by now.”

I nodded again and as if on cue my stomach loudly agreed. The nurse laughed quietly as she left the room, her hooves clopping against the tiled floor until she rounded the corner at the end of the hall. It was only another minute or so before I heard hoofsteps returning with what sounded like two more individuals behind. “Ok, miss. I’ve brought Doctor Horse and Nurse Sweetheart with me. He’d like to ask you a few questions about your medical history while we change your wraps. I hope you don’t mind.”

“N-no, I don’t. Thank you.” I said, still unsure what exactly to say. “I hope he doesn’t ask me if I have a history of stomach aches and which ones hurt most often…wait, horses have multiple stomachs, right? Or was that cows…” I saw a rather plump pink pony with purple and white hair and a white cross flank mark come to my side of the bed. She gave me a smile as she placed a few rolls of fresh bandages on the bed and began working at undoing my wrappings with a hoof. The two nurses worked quickly to undo the wrappings while the third pony, still behind me, spoke up.

“Firstly,” The doctor started off in a deeper voice, obviously a male. I cringed a little, realizing my distinct lack of clothes. I didn’t even have a hat like the nurses. I hoped that nudity was just normal. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Doctor Horse. I see that you were admitted without a name for reference, and I’d very much like to be able to call you by name instead of 'Miss.'” 

“Uh oh… another minor problem.” I tried saying my old name a few times out in the woods, but somehow the words weren't there. My old name was basically erased from my memory, so I’d been referring to myself as “Me” which, while lazy, served its purpose just fine. 

“I-uhh. I-I’m sorry, I don’t remember. My head still hurts a bit and I can’t think clearly.” I said, more so as an excuse to buy me some time while I thought of a better answer than, “I don't know.” I shriveled up a little as I just knew he was eyeing me critically or judging me or something. Nurse Sweetheart just looked at me with a reassuring smile and continued her work, which made me feel a bit better. I could see she was concerned for me, and I was grateful for that, though it made me feel bad about being unable to remember. 

“I see. You seem to have suffered multiple concussions while lost in the Everfree so I suppose an unstable memory isn’t unexpected.” There was a strange buzzing sound before he jotted down a note and moved on. “Have you ever been to Ponyville before, Miss?”

“N-no sir. I don’t believe I have.” “Ponyville? That’s like calling my hometown Humanburg.”

“Do you know if you have any family or distant relatives here in Ponyville?” The doctor asked.

“I-don’t think so. I don’t remember my family ever mentioning it.” I said, doing my best to retain plausibility. 

“I see. Would you happen to know your previous medical history off-hoof? Any allergies or medical conditions that may need to be addressed for medications or potions?” 

“Potions? They use potions here? Like…in those tabletop games?” “Not that I’m aware of, no sir.” At least I didn’t have to lie that much. Not that I’d know if I had any allergies since I was reasonably sure that everything that grew here was completely unfamiliar to me, not to mention the unknown nature of potion brewing.

“What about previous medical conditions? Any previous injuries or disabilities such as weak wings or history of weak joints?” The Nurses had gotten down to the last layer of medical bandages and I winced as they peeled the sticky wrappings away from my back. I expected them to be caked in blood, but they were only slightly discolored. “Guess I didn’t get sliced up as badly as I thought I did.” I could feel Nurse Redheart gingerly cleaning the scrapes on my backside and I flinched a little at the cool towel she was pressing against the scrapes. 

“Sorry, Miss. Please bear with it for just a moment, we’re almost done.” The nurse dabbed a few more spots before applying a thin layer of ointment to the affected area and began re-wrapping me. The doctor remained patient during the proceedings and waited for my response.

“Ow. N-no sir. I only dislocated my leg once, when I first landed.” I said, relaxing a bit as the stinging from my back subsided. 

“Twice then, actually. When the rescue team found you, your right rear leg was dislocated and had to be reset before we moved you here to prevent further aggravation to your joints. I would suggest staying off that leg as much as possible, and avoiding any sort of running or heavy lifting for a while after your recovery, just to be safe. I’m rather impressed you were able to set it back on your own the first time. It must have been a harrowing experience.” He said, making more notes on his clipboard before flipping it over to the next page. I heard that strange buzzing sort of sound again while he wrote, but I thought maybe it was the bees outside or my head injuries talking. 

A few more scratching sounds came from his pad before he continued. “As for now, how are you feeling? Any serious pain, stiffness, numbness, or irritation?”

I shook my head. “No sir, just a little uncomfortable laying on my side like this…I think I’m laying on my w-wing a little funny. Other than my head and leg still hurting a little, that is.” The more I talked, the better I felt. Aside from being in a pony hospital speaking with horses it almost felt like a normal event, like when I broke my ankle the first time I went exploring a particularly difficult section of trail in the Adirondack mountains. “Maybe I should have brought that up when he asked about previous injuries…”

“We can help you shift to your back, now that we’re finished wrapping you up. Would that be more comfortable for you, dear?” Nurse Sweetheart asked. I nodded and they helped me settle into a comfortable position with my wings tucked in and out of the way. I sighed in relief as the slight soreness eased out of my side when a strange sparkle of light caught my eye. I stared like a deer in headlights at the doctor's clipboard and a pen floating in front of him as he sat there. The pen wiggled in the air on its own as it scribbled some more notes onto the page without him so much as looking at it. A strange glittering aura enveloped the two objects, and his horn atop his head. “A bucking unicorn?! Are you serious?!”

“Uhh…I’m sorry, is something wrong, Miss?” The doctor said, looking at me incredulously while his pencil kept writing.

“Did he not see the magical floating stationary right there! Wait…maybe he did and it's normal? They are both covered in the same glowing aura that’s surrounding his horn…is he…no…he can’t be using…but I mean…I have wings now so maybe…?”

“Miss?” He asked again, a bit more concerned this time. I snapped my gaping mouth closed with a soft “click.”

“O-oh! Err, yeah. I’m sorry. I was just…uhh. Admiring your hair…” I muttered as a poor excuse to try covering for my slack jawed stare and it seemed to have worked. The doctor smiled at that comment, maybe a bit too much. “Oh crap, is he blushing?”

He cleared his throat and the two nurses giggled. “Well, thank you. I appreciate that you find my mane that…distracting? But I must apologize, I’m not here to start relationships with my patients. Maybe we can hold off on the compliments until you are fully recovered, yes?” 

“I just hit on my doctor…what the actual buck am I doing. Someone please save me.”

“Now now, Doctor Horse. I believe our patient is probably just tired and needs a bit more rest. Let’s get out of her mane for now and we can come back later to go over her test results and X-Rays.” Nurse Redheart barely held back a giggle before moving to shoo the embarrassed, red-faced doctor towards the door. “If you need us for anything, don’t be afraid to call.” Redheart waved a hoof to me before booting the doctor out the door. 

Sweetheart was beside herself, tears in her eyes from holding back laughter. She took a few moments to breath and calm herself before she addressed me again, still trying her best to remain professional. “Erm. Yes, well. I’ll go get you something to eat. Remember to take it slow though. We wouldn’t want you getting sick in front of the doctor, would we?” 

“Oh, spare me lady.” 

“If you can keep your food down, we’ll take the IV drip out.”

I struggled to regain composure and chase the heat away from my face. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

    “It’s ok, dear. It happens from time to time. Don’t think too much of it and just focus on your recovery for now.” She smiled and winked at me. “We’ll just blame it on your pain medications and leave it at that, hmm?”

“Great. Now I’m sure she thinks I have the hots for the Horse Doc.”

 “Oh! And before I go, I believe you may have some guests coming to visit you a little later today, once you’re feeling up to it.”

I tilted my head, a look of confusion and worry spreading across my face. “Guests?” I said, wondering who in the world would have business with me. “Maybe the pony government already knows about me and wants to bring me in for questioning.” 

“Just some friends, dear. They seemed eager to meet you. I’ll let them know that you’re up and feeling better. I’d guess they’ll stop by sometime early this afternoon if you’re feeling well.” She left before I had a chance to say anything else. 

“Friends? I seriously don’t know anyone else here.” I was really beginning to get worried now. The idea of some strange pony government taking me in for an interrogation of some sort freaked me out. “If they don’t know that I’m not a real pony, then did I somehow break some sort of immigration law? Maybe they think I’m a spy or something. In which case, are they going to try to torture me into spilling the beans on where I came from? Do ponies do that sort of thing? What kind of mad things can they do with freaking magic?!”

Again the sounds of hooves on tiles interrupted my brain’s attempt to instill paranoia, and with the sound came the smell of something utterly delicious. Another nurse, this one was yellow with a two-tone blue mane and a white cross with red triangles in the corners of it came marching in, pushing a cart with a tray on it. Whatever was on that tray made my mouth water as the smell from the food it carried wafted into the room as steam rose from the plate. 

She laid the tray on my lap and smiled at me before trotting out of the room and closing the door behind her. I looked down to find a single scrambled egg and a small bowl of applesauce. Not something I personally would think of as a breakfast pair, but I was pretty sure they were made with my recent limited intake of solid foods in mind. I was nearly beside myself at the sight of eggs though, as I had assumed that eggs and dairy products were probably off the table as far as food goes since even the thought of any kind of meat made my stomach riot. But here sat the most delicious smelling scrambled egg I had ever smelled and I reveled in it. 

It took me a few tries to figure out how to eat them though. The tray came with a spoon and a glass of water, which I simply couldn’t fathom why the heck they had those or how I was meant to use them. I mean…it was a spoon. How the heck was I supposed to use that thing without fingers to manipulate it? I stared at it for far too long, maybe hoping that I’d grow a horn and it would just levitate the food into my mouth but no such thing happened and I just dipped my head to the plate and ate like an animal, completely embarrassed knowing that they even had silverware and presumably table etiquette and eating like a dog was probably seen as uncouth. 

I managed to complete my meal and then stared at the water that glistened in the sunlight that streamed into the room. My parched mouth and throat twinged as I dryly swallowed and the glass promised sweet relief. I wasn’t convinced that my legs and hooves were built for holding objects like cups but there had been plenty of evidence so far to support the idea that the ponies managed to make it work, somehow. I sighed, “At least if I drop it I can just say that I don’t have my strength back yet or something. Better learn how to do this now before I make a fool of myself elsewhere, since it looks like I may be in this world for a while.” 

I reached forward towards the glass with both hooves and attempted to pinch it between the flat bottom of each limb, but I couldn’t manage to get a good enough grasp to lift it without spilling a small amount on the tray. I then tried to grab it with my fetlocks, which worked surprisingly well since they had enough range of motion to help grasp it. It was clumsy, but I brought the glass to my mouth with only a few more spilled drops along the way and savored the cool water as it washed away the rough dryness from my throat. 

Using my new-found ability to grasp objects, I managed to clumsily move the tray off my bed and onto the table beside it. I laid back and stretched out, wincing as my twice-injured leg complained. The scent of the flower garden once again blew through the window with the warm summer breeze, helping me relax after such a rigorous morning. I wondered to myself if I’d be stuck in this new world forever or if some show of magic or miracle would whisk me back to mine. Whatever the case, I was taking it pretty well at this point.

The gravity of the situation I was in had already hit me a few days prior, and most of the panic and fear I had felt about being relocated had subsided save for being shown levitating pencils by horned fairy tale creatures. I remembered stumbling through the Everfree, “Glad I have a name for the forest now,”  and hearing some strange chanting or rhyming that was echoing from deep in the woods. My fear was at its peak then, afraid of so many things that could happen. Now I’m safe for the most part, as far as I can tell, and since I have no discernible way of returning home I may as well attempt to acclimate. 

It seemed strange that I’d taken so quickly to trying to adopt a new life just like that, to just throw away my humanity and be a pony-thing. I remembered stories of people in war-torn areas being captured and quickly adopting their captor’s way of life in an attempt to survive. Maybe that’s what happened to me? Stockholm syndrome? Had it been long enough for that to have even set in? Or was it that because I had been transformed into a herd animal, I desired to fit in more? 

I was lost in thought for a lot longer than I realized when a knock at the door brought my mind back to the hospital room. The pink maned nurse from before, Redheart I think, poked her head inside and smiled at me. “Oh! I’m glad to see you’re still up! How has your breakfast settled?” She trotted inside the room and started cleaning up the tray on the bedside table. 

“It was the best thing I’ve eaten all week.” My pun made the nurse giggle and roll her eyes. 

“I’m glad you found the hospital food to your liking, and it seems like you’re keeping it down too. I’ll just take these away and be back in a moment to remove your IV.” She took the tray and made for the door. “Ah! I almost forgot to ask, would you like me to send word to your guests that you are feeling well enough for a visit?”

I wasn’t sure who these guests were, but it couldn’t hurt. I mean, what else would I do while I was stuck here? It looked like my room had a small wheeled shelf with a few books on it, but I’d probably rip a page or something trying to figure out how to open one with my hooves and I’d prefer not to piss off the ponies so quickly by destroying someone’s property. Besides, if my paranoid mind was right and the cops were here to bag an illegal immigrant I may as well go ahead and deal with it now. “Sure. I guess that’s okay.”

“I’ll let our receptionist, Mrs. Care, know after we get the IV out and make sure you’re comfortable. Knowing Twilight, it won't take them very long to get here.” The pink-haired pony stepped out of the room, leaving the door open this time. 

“Twilight? Mrs. Care, Redheart, Sweetheart…Doctor Horse. Thinking of something to call myself may be harder than I thought.” I cringed inwardly at the different names that popped into my head. “I’ll...just cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Redheart came back quicker than I expected and set about removing the IV drip in my foreleg, throwing the used bag away and wheeling the holder to a storage closet in the room before leaving once again. Not very long after I heard a strange pop come from down the hallway and two new voices. Anxiety began to rise in my chest, I didn’t know who these ponies were but they saw it fit to go out of their way to come see me. I tried to shove that thought back down, “It’s just the paranoia talking. Everyone’s been nothing if not pleasant the entire time. No reason to start fearing anything now.”

I could hear Redheart briefing the two further down the hallway, and my ears swiveled as they tried to pick up on what was being said. “I’m just glad to hear our new friend is awake and feeling better. She must have had such a horrible time out there.” That pony sounded almost posh, like a socialite or high class woman you’d expect to see at a ball. I could almost picture her wearing a jewel encrusted tiara or a billowing dress. 

“I’m honestly surprised she came out as well as she did, or even at all. The Everfree is seriously dangerous! Let’s try to avoid talking about it for now though. Who knows what kinds of damage it could have done to her mental state, after all. We can broach the subject after it looks like she’s more comfortable. Maybe then we can get some answers as to who she is.” They both sounded considerate enough, though this one seems like she might have other motives than just being friendly. 

“Agreed. I wouldn’t want to cause any more undue stress to the poor dear. Has she told you her name yet? I really would like to address her properly.” The posh pony said, pushing the issue of my name. I needed to think of something quick. 

“We asked her earlier today, but she said she was having trouble remembering it. She may be having issues with her memory recall, which we suspect is from the concussions we discussed.” Nurse Redheart said with a twinge of pity in her voice. My heart sank a little.

“Oh! I have a spell that might help with that! Maybe we can try it out! I mean, if she’s ok with it.” The curious sounding one said happily, and my heart rose back up into my throat.

“Ok, she seemed way too excited for that. And a spell that can look at your memories…” I definitely didn’t like the sounds of some random person - pony -  rooting around in my head, that was just asking for trouble.

“Well, in any case, it isn’t good of us to keep a lady waiting. We can worry about the small stuff later, right now there’s a pony in need of a friend down there and I know just the two for the job!” A third voice, this one sounded a lot younger and maybe male? 

“Ugh. I wish they’d hurry up and get in here already so I could at least see who was talking about me.” 

“I’m already here, but I’m not talking about you. I’m talking with you! Well, at you…you should probably look down here so you can see me welcome you to Ponyville, silly!”

“Wha-?” I looked over the side of my bed where the voice came from and staring up from beneath it was a pink pony with a darker pink cotton candy mane and bright sky-blue eyes smiling broadly back at me. “How did she-”

“How did I get under here? Well I obviously snuck in while you were mumbling to yourself earlier! You were so lost in thought that I thought, ‘Hmm it’d be better to wait for everypony else to get here,’ but then I had this amazing idea that I’d hide under your bed and surprise everypony all at once because my Pinkie sense told me that there would be a surprise today and boy was I surprised to see that the surprise was a new pony and that my friends were planning on a surprise visit to the surprise pony without the surprise champion of Ponyville, so here I am! Surprise!” 

Before my brain had the time to process what was happening, there were streamers and confetti falling from the ceiling tiles and the pink pony had pulled a harmonica out of hammer space and blew a tune on it before breaking out into song. 

“Welcome welcome welcome
A fine welcome to you
Welcome welcome welcome
I say how do you do?
Welcome welcome welcome
I say hip hip hurray
Welcome welcome welcome
To Ponyville today!”

More confetti exploded from under the bed and kazoos sounded out loudly from somewhere hidden inside the room as balloons floated up to the ceiling. I gaped wide-eyed at the pony that had been bouncing around the room like a ricocheting bullet, mouth hanging open loosely as I struggled to make sense of everything that just happened.

“Yeah, I get that reaction a lot!” She giggled and snorted before darting right up to me, shoving her nose into mine. She smelled like cake frosting and sprinkles and sugar, so much so I could almost feel diabetes sinking in. “So hi! My name’s Pinkamena Diane Pie, or Pinkie Pie for short! Or Pinkie for short, short! All my friends just call me Pinkie and everypony’s my friend, so since you’re my newest new friend, you can call me Pinkie too! Oh, and as my newest new friend I made a super special, super scrumptious, super spectacular cupcake just for you!” Pinkie Pie whipped out a little silver tray with a silver top from somewhere in her curly mass of mane and opened it up to reveal a colorful cupcake piled with frosting and a little flag on top that had a picture of my pony face on it planted at the very top. 

All I could do was stare at her in utter disbelief, trying desperately to maintain my sanity. How one pony had enough time to set this all up by herself while I was awake and in the same room and not be seen or heard or anything was too much to comprehend. How did she even know what I looked like to make the little flag?! I was starting to shake a little bit again, but I couldn’t tell if it was from shock or from the ridiculously sweet smelling confection giving me a contact sugar high. I was only partially aware of the hooves running towards the door and a voice yelling into the room.

“Pinkie Pie! What are you doing here? I thought you were busy cleaning up from your party for the guards last night!” A purple pony with purple hair and highlights shouted at Pinkie Pie. I noticed she had a horn as well, who’s magic now seemed a lot less concerning than the hot pink horse that materialized from thin air with half a party store in tow.

“Hi, Twilight! Surprised you too, huh? I was so excited from the party last night that I thought I’d stay late and clean up so I could start planning the party for Miss Mystery Mare here, but the more I planned the more impatient I got, so I planned a little surprise welcome party here before the other surprise party back in Ponyville when she gets better! Which I guess isn’t a surprise anymore…huh.” She shrugged and put the cupcake on my bed. 

“How did you even know that she was…you know what, nevermind.” The purple mare sighed in frustration and walked up to me, looking at me apologetically. I would have acknowledged her sooner, but my mind was still recovering from the “surprise.”

 “I’m so sorry about that. Pinkie Pie can be a little overzealous when it comes to welcoming new ponies to town. I was hoping that our visit would be a little calmer, but it seems she beat us to the punch.” The purple pony explained and laughed awkwardly as Pinkie gave her a huge toothy grin.

“At least she was courteous enough not to bring her party cannon this time.” The posh voice from earlier belonged to a white pony with sapphire-blue eyes and the prettiest purple hair that I’d ever seen. It looked like she spent entirely too much time styling it, and it bounced about as she stepped into the room, taking care to avoid the few fluttering bits of confetti still in the air. 

“I can’t bring a cannon into a hospital, Rarity!” The pink one exclaimed, acting as though she was shocked at the idea. Rarity sighed in relief, glad to have avoided that particular fiasco. “I left it out back in the garden just in case though.”

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted.

“What?” She said innocently.

Twilight simply shook her head and groaned, but her smile betrayed her vocal outburst. It seemed like this was a regular occurrence and something they’ve pretty much just come to accept, which only served to fuel more questions. The horn on Twilight’s head began to glow a glittering purple and the room buzzed with magic. All of the confetti, streamers, balloons and a kazoo took on her horn’s aura and all magically levitated to a trash bin in the corner of the room where it placed itself cleanly, she then tied the bag closed and levitated it outside the door before returning her attention to me. “Wow…the pink one materializes matter from thin air, and the unicorns can levitate and move objects without having to lift a hoof…And all I got are these wings that won’t listen to me. I feel cheated, can I get a do-over?”

“Ahem.” Twilight cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s try this again. Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. And these are my friends, Pinkie Pie and Rarity.” She pointed a hoof to both of them. Pinkie was now bouncing in place, smiling and giggling towards me while Rarity calmly stepped forward and sat next to Twilight. I could see Rarity was uncomfortable about something and kept looking me up and down like had something she wanted to say or point out, but she kept it to herself while Twilight spoke. 

Twilight continued, “I thought it would be nice to come visit you since you're new in town and probably don’t know anypony here. I know it can feel lonely, especially when you’re somewhere new, but I wanted you to know that you don’t have to feel alone and that you have friends here too, if you will have us.” Her genuine smile eased my concerns about pony governments and magical torture techniques. It seemed to me that they were truly concerned about my health and well-being. I felt dumb for concocting all the ways this meeting could have gone wrong, and guilty that I judged them before they even stepped hoof into the room. 

“Guess old human habits die hard.” I thought to myself. They reminded me of my friends and family back home, which reminded me of how far away from home I really was. In a way, their attempt to make me feel better about this situation I found myself in only made me feel that much worse. I sniffled a little and wiped my eyes, trying not to cry in front of three strangers. “I-I really appreciate that. Thank you.” 

“Twilight here tells me that you were out there in the wilderness for almost a week! I’m sure that it was a harrowing experience, and you certainly don’t have to talk about it if you wish not to, but I can tell simply by looking at your poor mane that it must have been hard for you.” Rarity placed a hoof on my foreleg, and I had to admire how well she kept her hooves. I also wondered if she was trying to be empathetic or if she was criticizing the beautiful disaster that was my current hairdo. 

“I mean, just look at your hair darling. The hospital staff are great at their jobs, but to leave you in such a state is beyond tragic! Would you allow me to fix it for you while we talk? I’m sure you’ll feel like a brand new mare again once all those tangles are out.” I looked down at my mane, blowing a stay strand of it from my face noting a split end. I’d been so caught up in survival that hygiene had taken a back seat, and even I could tell that this rat's nest of a mane was completely unacceptable. It was clean, as the nurses probably took some time to make sure I was at least sanitary enough to prevent infection but I could see there were knots and edges that needed brushing and trimming to sort out. Needless to say, I felt more than a little embarrassed when compared to Rarity who was the model of the clean and pristine.  

I felt my face get hot as I looked from my hair back at her, knowing now what she wanted to say but was too kind to say it. My hair was hideous. “I…Umm…yes please…if you don’t mind.” 

Rarity practically beamed with excitement as she materialized a fabric bag from out of nowhere with a pop that sounded similar to the one I heard in the hall just minutes prior and opened it with her magic, handling nearly twenty different combs, brushes, picks, curlers, irons, and some other things whose purpose escaped me entirely. She sorted out everything on the bed, which was now becoming crowded between me, the cupcake, and an entire salon and started removing flakes of confetti before the arduous task of brushing and de-tangling. 

I felt bad that my hair was in such a bad condition, but Rarity didn’t seem to mind so I let it slide. It felt strange to have someone brushing my hair, but not in a bad way. It was pleasant, almost pleasant enough to make me forget that she can teleport beauty supplies from who knows where.

“Well, while Rarity gets your mane back to normal, why don’t we tell you a little about ourselves." Twilight began, "All of us live in Ponyville, which isn’t too far from here as you may assume. I live and work at the library in town and mainly study and research magic there between helping anypony looking for specific books and studying the magic of friendship. If you want to borrow anything, feel free to stop by sometime! I’m sure my assistant, Spike, and I can help you find what you're looking for.” Twilight said as she levitated a small pair of scissors over to Rarity. 

“Studying the magic of…what? Is that something pony’s study, like for real? Does she have a PhD or a black belt in hand-to-hand friendship?” I simply nodded, but I’m pretty sure my eye started to twitch a little.

“Speaking of Spike, where is he?” Pinkie said as she looked around the room in places that no pony should be, like the corners of the ceiling. 

“I-I’m here! Ergh! Phew! Rarity, did you pack enough hair care products? I nearly threw out my back dragging it all in here.” That voice was the one I’d heard earlier down the hall before Pinkie gave me a heart attack, but I nearly had another when I saw the little purple and green lizard it belonged to.

“Only the necessities, my dear little Spikey-Wikey. Thank you for being such a gentleman and helping me carry my bag!” She said in a cooing tone, causing the little reptile to grow a goofy grin across his scaly face. 

“A-a dragon!” I gasped out loud. He seemed to take pride in that and puffed out his little chest and flexed, which was admittedly adorable. 

“Yup! In the flesh! Pretty impressive, am I right?” Spike said, raising an eyebrow and striking a pose.

“And humble too, I see.” I thought as I rolled my eyes.

“A baby dragon, but yes. Say hello Spike.” Twilight giggled at the show her little lizard friend was making. 

“Hiya. I’m Twilight’s number one assistant. I’m sure she already told you, but if you need anything at the library, I’m your guy! I know where every single book is by heart, and if we don’t have it, I can get it! Just leave it to me!” I blinked a few times before nodding my head. 

“Dear, please hold still. I’d rather not have to cut off more than what I need to, your hair is simply too dazzling to wear short.” The way Rarity chided me left me conflicted, so I sat still both happy and embarrassed.

“Right?! It’s like a sunset! Or a maple leaf! Or an orange! Or an orange maple sunset!” Pinkie blurted out, still bouncing away. 

“I’m sure it’ll look amazing once Rarity works her magic. If anypony knows about fashion and looking one’s best, it’s her!” Twilight bragged but I’d have to admit, I thought that there’d be more tugging with all the tangles in my mane. Rarity had been so gentle and methodical that I had hardly realized she’d been working on me save for the soft brushing and quiet snip of a scissor every now and then. 

“And if you’re ever in need of a new outfit, I’d be more than happy to make you something fabulous. I run the Carousel Boutique, the finest boutique in all of Equestria, and I already have so many wonderful ideas for you! I simply adore the color of your mane, and it's so luxurious and bold!” Rarity started talking to herself about different styles and colors and patterns and gems and frills that she thinks I’d look good in. 

I started to think that maybe having her sort me out wasn’t such a good idea after all. Playing pretty princess dress up for her seemed like more of a chore than a relaxing event. Which brought another point, “I guess ponies do wear clothes. Just not all the time? Is it a special occasion sort of thing or maybe just a ‘wear it if you want to’ sort of deal? Ugh…” I felt like there was probably some nuance I was missing there. 

“Thank you, Rarity. I appreciate the offer.” I said, trying to be as gracious as possible and hoping my trepidation didn’t show. 

“Oh! Oh! Me next! Me next! Pick me, pick me!” Pinkie darted to the foot of the bed and beamed at me expectantly while dancing on the tips of her hooves. 

“Okay. What do you do, Pinkie?” I said, wondering if I was going to regret asking. I half expected to get another face full of confetti, which I’m sure would have upset my current hairdresser as well. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. 

“I work at a bakery in town called Sugarcube Corner where I bake all sorts of super delicious pastries! But when I’m not working, or foalsitting for Mr. and Mrs. Cake, I’m Ponyville's number one premiere party pony! I even have my own welcome wagon! Wanna see it?” I opened my mouth to respond, but she had already dashed outside the room and reappeared outside the window in under a second with a pink and white cart that exploded open with streamers and had several different types of cakes and desserts on little dishes all under a welcome sign. 

“How did she get out there so fast?” I said aloud as I stared at the spectacle.

“I don’t really know how she does what she does. It’s just a Pinkie thing. You get used to it.” Spike said as he gave her show an incredulous look before making a little surprised yelp as she bolted back in just as quickly as she left, not even out of breath.

“She and Applejack are the best bakers in town! Between the two of them, you’ll never run out of delicious food!” Twilight said as she pointed out my personal cupcake. I was still disconcerted with how she got a flag with my face on it before she ever met me. 

Spike interjected while licking his lips. “The Cakes even made me a sapphire encrusted cupcake for my last birthday!”

“Sapphire?” I asked, unsure if he meant that literally. 

“Uh-huh! Oh, but you ponies don’t really eat gems so I got to have it all to myself. Too bad, too! You're really missing out!” He licked his lips and rolled his eyes back as he remembered his birthday treat.

“Literally then. Little guy literally eats crystals. Remind me not to get bit by him. I wonder if he breathes fire too. Hmm.”

I took a moment to take in everything they told me. Hairdressers and fashion, libraries and magic, pastries, parties, and…cannons. They were a little strange, but not in a bad way. I felt that acclimating would be pretty easy aside from a few allowances I’d need to afford for my change in environment, body shape, and maybe some cultural and historical differences - and Pinkie Pie - but if I really was stuck here permanently, it honestly wouldn’t be that difficult. 

“So, what do you do?” Spiked asked me with a grin and looked excited to hear my answer. 

“Huh?” I wasn’t prepared to answer that. “Do ponies have colleges? Do I tell them the truth, or do I make something up? Do I tell them I’m a hiker? Do ponies hike? Do pegasi hike? The way they talked about the Everfree makes it seem like going into the wilderness isn’t something ponies really do, understandably." My brain raced as it tried to think of a plausible response. 

The three mares shared glances with each other. It looked like they could tell I wasn’t comfortable with that question and were worried that the little dragon had said something he shouldn’t have. “Spike, I don’t know if she can answer that question yet. She’s had a rough time, and might be having trouble remembering who she is.” Twilight told Spike with a look of pity, and I wasn’t going to have it. I didn’t want him to feel bad about asking me a normal question and I was tired of making everyone else feel sorry for me. 

“I umm…I went to school for a while, but I always liked being outdoors and hiking in the mountains. I usually end up spending most of my time exploring places I haven't been yet." 

Twilight immediately perked up, while Rarity seemed somewhat confused. “Oh! You went to another school? Was it the Wonderbolts academy for gifted flyers? Or were you curious about how unicorn magic works and sat in on classes at a magic academy? Maybe you wanted to learn more about the different types of magic between earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi? Ooo, it’s so exciting to meet someone who wants to better themselves through knowledge!” Twilight clapped her hooves and bounced in excitement like her pink friend. 

“Well, not exactly. I went to school for forestry, and learned a lot about plants and animals on my own too. I also did some primitive survival training on the side.” I had decided to tell them the truth as far as it mattered. If I tried to hide anything, I’m sure they’d find out one way or another. I remembered Twilight saying something about a spell for memory recall and thought that if she really wanted to she could just probe my brain for all the info she’d need. I’d rather not be mind-bucked by a unicorn and be locked up in a prison cell for lying and impersonating a pony. 

“That sounds…interesting.” Rarity said, a little forcibly. “I mean, I know plenty of earth ponies that have learned similar things from their parents and co-workers. Why, Applejack learned everything on the job at her family’s farm, though I simply don’t understand why anypony would want to willingly get dirty.” She wrinkled her nose and turned her head to the side in distaste, but turned back to face me. “Especially someone as pretty as you, dear. 

“I’ve never heard of any schools for earth ponies that teach that sort of thing though. I always thought that that sort of thing was, you know, intrinsic. A part of who they are as an earth pony, part of their magic.” She continued as she snipped a particularly nasty knot out of my mane. 

“It is, Rarity. An earth pony's magic lies in nature and how it works. Even I have difficulty making things grow like AJ can, my own magic included. Somepony must have wanted to try to teach some of their skills to others who weren’t as gifted with those talents, like how the Wonderbolts teach advanced flight at their academy. Is that right?” Twilight asked me, curiously.

“Well, I guess you could say that. My mentor was a little nutty sometimes, but he was always trying to teach everyo-pony about how to live off the land just in case something crazy happened and society collapsed. I didn’t believe most of his 'end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it' stuff,  but I definitely learned a lot from him.” I stumbled a little, trying to remember to use their colloquial phrases like somepony and everypony.

“How interesting. Ponies haven’t had to do much 'surviving' for a long time, probably not since the first tribes came to Equestria. Camping trips with pre-packed meals and tents are really about as rough as it gets. It’s amazing that somepony still practices the old ways. I’d love to sit down and have a chat with your mentor someday.” Twilight's eyes sparkled at the idea of learning first hand from a master of a bygone craft. I almost felt bad for her, since she’d never get that chance. Well, maybe never. I was here after all, who’s to say that my mentor and best friend wouldn’t somehow find his way here too. If it would happen to anyone, it’d be him. Or me…I guess. Though I’d hardly consider myself a master of the primitive skills I knew. 

“I haven’t seen him for quite some time. He likes to move around from place to place and teach wherever he goes, so it might be hard to track him down.” I said, trying to rein in her eagerness for a quest with no reward.

“Well, maybe you can teach me sometime! You trained under him so I’m sure you know almost, if not just as much, as he does! You performed admirably over the last week at the very least, so I have confidence in your skills! I’m sure you’d be a great teacher too!” Twilight said in a congratulatory manner. If only she knew how much I actually struggled.

“How old were you when you realized that was your calling?” Rarity asked, seeming a little more intrigued by my answer. 

“I was in my late teens. Maybe sixteen. I went to a camp over the summer where he taught his craft and I was hooked from that point on. I followed him as he traveled from place to place and we became fast friends ever since.” I cringed inwardly. I was telling the truth, but it all happened while I was human and not in this place - "Equestria, right?" - so it almost felt like I was fabricating a lie. “After a few years, I decided to learn about wildlife protection and forestry.”

“Okay. So what’s a blacksmithing cutie mark have to do with survival stuff and being outdoors all the time?” Spike asked pointedly.

“A blacksmithing what?” I asked, totally confused now. “The heck is a cutie mark?”

“You know! Blacksmithing? Like, taking rocks and getting the metal out of ‘em for stuff like nails. That’s what your cutie mark is, right? Did you earn it before that summer camp and give it up?” Spike asked, sure that I was confused about what the mark represented more than the mark itself. What was he even talking about? 

Twilight giggled. “Oh, I see. No spike, that’s not blacksmithing,” She said, pointing a hoof towards my flank. “It might look like a horseshoe, but it’s a flint and steel. It’s one of the ways non-unicorns can make fire without having to use magic. They can’t just light a candle with a horn like Rarity and I, so they figured out that if you hit metal or other metallic rocks with a sharp piece of flint it creates a spark that you can use to make fire. And before that they used friction fires by using a bow and drill!”

“Seriously? They can manage that without fingers? Now I know they’re cheating. How do they tie string with freaking hooves?” 

“Ooh. Yeah. I-I knew that. I was just testing you.” Spike blushed and chuckled nervously at his own ignorance. Thank the stars Twilight was a librarian and knew her stuff. “Too bad you didn’t have a totally awesome dragon that can breath fire like me to light your candles, huh?” He said, still fishing for a compliment.

“Eats shiny rocks and breathes fire. Got it. Don't mess with him.” If he wanted to impress me, or scare me, he’d done it.

“So you got your cutie mark after going on that super cool camping trip and learning how to live outdoors in the wild? What a neat story! Especially for a pegasus! Most pegasi I know have clouds or weather related cutie marks like Rainbow Dash and her lightning bolt, but yours is like an earth pony's, and that makes you super special!” Pinkie Pie said emphatically. “I bet you I know three little fillies that would love to hear that story!”

“Hmm. I suppose Sweetie Belle and her friends could learn a thing or two from you, if you would like to teach them. Besides, I would feel a lot safer if they learned from a professional than they try to be, what was it last time, ‘Manticore Catchers?’” Rarity said, without so much as a hint of a joke in her voice. 

“Bucking what?” I slipped on accident, and quickly covered my mouth as the three girls looked at me with wide eyes. They let it slide, but I wasn’t going to make a habit of apparently cursing in front of them, or poor Spike. I’d just swore in front of a scaly toddler after all. “Yay, go me…”

“So…cutie marks are the things I’m seeing on everypony’s flanks and they denote what that pony’s particular talents are. Pinkie has balloons, which makes sense considering she’s a party animal. Rarity has gems…I guess that’s because she’s beautiful? Or maybe she helps make others beautiful? Maybe she’s good at finding gemstones? Hmm…and Twilight has stars…I wonder if that’s supposed to represent magic or if she’s really good at astronomy? Do ponies have telescopes?”

“And done! I decided that your colors are already so bold that if we went too big with your styling that it would look gaudy. I hope you don't mind, but simple really does suit you. Especially since your special talent requires you to be outdoors. Getting curls clean with a mane as thick as yours would be a task. What do you think?” Rarity holds up a vanity mirror with her magic, and for a moment I forgot how to speak.

She had somehow managed to not only de-tangle my mane and tail, but in doing so pulled another inch or two in length out of it, making it longer than I originally thought it was. It was voluminous and draped across my neck as it spilled across my withers and onto the bed. The ends curled upward naturally and not a single hair was out of place, which was amazing given how quickly she had finished. 

“Wow…It’s…perfect.” I managed to say, but it didn’t really convey how I felt. It was odd, feeling beautiful in this body. I had felt so uncomfortable and of place since realizing I'd been pony-fied. I knew I liked my new hair color, but I never once even considered that I could like the whole thing. How could I? I wasn't "me." Yet there I was, stunned by my own reflection.  

The three girls smiled at each other and giggled as they watched me fawn over my reflection. I realized they were laughing at me, and quickly turned red and hid behind a curtain of mane.

“I told you she’d appreciate it, Rarity.” Twilight said proudly. “And here, I even brought a brush that you can keep. Rarity and I picked it out for you on the way here.” She placed the brush on the bedside table and smiled at me.

“I-I don’t…uhh…I mean…” I sighed, frustrated that I didn’t have words for the kindness they showed me. “Thank you.” 

“You’re very welcome my dear,” Rarity replied. “Remind me when you are out of the hospital to take you to the spa in town. The two sisters that own the business simply work magic with their hooves. You’ll feel like a million bits after a proper visit.” I’d never been to a spa before, or a chiropractor, or even a foot massage kiosk at the mall. If it was even ten percent as nice as this I don't think I would ever leave it. Maybe playing pretty princess pony dress up with Rarity wouldn’t be so bad…sometimes.

“And not only do you look better, but it seems like you’re feeling better too,” Twilight remarked. I felt like I could tell where this was going. “Since you remembered a bit about your past and told us a little about who you are, maybe you can tell us your name?” She looked at me hopefully. It felt like a cop out, but the truth was that I couldn’t say my name. It wasn’t mine anymore. I needed to think of something quick.

“I…” I looked around the room, down at my mane, then outside at the flower garden. I watched a little bee float past the window and out to the flowers nearby, choosing a beautiful orange flower to land on. One that looked a lot like the flowers my mother used to grow. My eyes grew wide and a real smile graced my lips for the first time since I found myself in Equestria.

“What? Did you remember your name?” Pinkie started bouncing twice as fast as the others leaned in and held their breath.

“Zinnia.”
> A New Beginning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sat on my hospital bed remembering the last couple of days I spent here as I recovered from my abrupt excursion into the Everfree Forest. Pretty much every pony I had met was incredibly kind and friendly in one way or another, and while it was still a bit strange to be here, I found it to be rather enjoyable. Between the attentive hospital staff and my four new buddies, it didn’t feel like my discharge day took very long to arrive at all.

Twilight left a few books for me to read to help me pass the time, which I greatly appreciated after I managed to figure out how to open them without causing damage to them. I did practice on the hospital’s books first though just in case, those books weren’t as lucky unfortunately. Twilight had apparently spent several hours picking out a selection of fiction, non-fiction, documentary, historical, and academic tomes for me to read, and thankfully Spike was there to drastically reduce the volume of her selection down to just fifteen books. I was barely able to get through just one in the short time I was admitted but I have to say that the book on Equestria’s plant life was insightful, if not just a little concerning since some of the entries seemed a little too out there to be real. 

Pinkie Pie had visited me at least twice every day between her work at the bakery, hanging out with her own friends, and other misadventures she told me about while she visited. She was a mystery to me; a pink, giggly enigma. I wasn’t sure how she managed to make time for it all, let alone making sure to stop by during visiting hours to help me feel less lonely and drop off a cake or pastry for me and at least a dozen or so for the employees of the hospital. It still freaked me out how she seemed to know things would happen before they did or how she somehow read my mind the first time we met, but I took Rarity’s advice and just chalked it up to “Pinkie just being Pinkie.”

Speaking of Rarity, I didn’t really see her after her first visit. According to Twilight she was busy making dresses for something called a “cute-ceañera,” whatever that was, but had made it a point to leave me with a selection of hair care products and devices to brush and style my hair if I wanted to try. I appreciated her generosity, and after learning how much better I looked and felt after simply having my mane and tail sorted out I made it a point to learn how to use them. Thanks to her I discovered that I could, somehow, hold objects in my hooves without needing to grasp them with my fetlocks while I was struggling to hold the brush she and Twilight bought for me. I guess all ponies had a special kind of magic or whatever that made things stick to their hooves.

I felt like I actually had someone to talk to between the three of those mares, which was a welcome change from the city and college life I had been hiking away from. I wasn’t sure if they were what I’d consider “friends” yet since we really only knew each other for three days, but I didn’t have a better way to describe them. I was relieved that they were here as the last of my bandages were removed and thrown away and my final charts were being signed off before I was released, because I needed the reassurance they provided me when some other visitors dropped in. 

Just as Nurse Sweetheart had finished throwing out the surprisingly clean bandages I had been wearing and turned to Doctor Horse with a nod of approval, two armored stallions appeared in the doorway to my hospital room. “Doctor Horse. I’ve received word that the patient has recovered and regained her memories,” I winced, unsure what to make of the two. “Would you mind if we ask her a few questions before you discharge her?”

“Certainly, we’re all finished here anyway. I’m happy to say that Zinnia here has a clean bill of health!” The doctor announced happily before turning to me with a grin. “Be sure to stop by the receptionist before you head out so you can sign off on some paperwork.” He started to leave before another thought crossed his mind and he leaned in a bit closer and whispered, “Oh, and if you need me, you know where to find me.” He gave me a knowing wink and trotted off with Sweetheart as she giggled quietly out of the room. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and feel like I was in one of those dreadful medical dramas that played on late night television. 

The two golden armor clad stallions stepped into the room to replace the staff and closed the door behind them, which made me feel nervous and a little trapped. I had almost forgotten about being new to this area, and this world, and my two new guests reminded me of my fears of some broken law or pony prison. Thankfully, Twilight was quick to address them which gave me time to collect myself.

She turned to the stallions and greeted them cheerfully, “Hello, Sergeant Tough Nut. I expected that you would have been here sooner. Guess Pinkie’s party was a bit too much?” She chuckled as she poked fun at the stoic individuals.

“The party was well received by my men, and I agree that Miss Pie and Miss Applejack have certainly earned their baking titles,” He answered flatly, “But I’m afraid I’m not here to chat about the festivities, Miss Sparkle. I have a few questions for our patient here that I would like answered, and I hope she feels inclined to cooperate.” I couldn’t help but lean back as Tough Nut strode up to the bed. He was a lot larger than the stallion patient I had seen outside the other day or my doctor and I was distinctly aware of his musculature as he stood there eyeing me. 

“I beg your pardon, but what is the meaning of this?" Rarity asked, confused, “Can’t you see the poor thing has just recovered from a harrowing ordeal? I’m sure she’d love to answer some questions for you two handsome gentlemen, but we have a girls day at the spa planned and we really shouldn’t miss it.” She said in an attempt to butter up the stallions, but to no avail.

“I’m sorry Miss Rarity, but I am under orders. If she cooperates, this shouldn’t take long.” Sergeant Nut replied with a side glance, which Rarity didn’t appreciate very much. She pouted and turned to Twilight, who wasn’t put off in the slightest.

“It’s ok, everypony. Sergeant Nut was leading the rescue team sent by the royal guard in Canterlot to help us search for her after Princess Luna discovered that she was lost. They just want to ask you some questions to rule out the possibility that somepony else did something to cause you to be lost. I hope that’s ok.” Twilight explained, but only brought more questions to mind. 

“Princess Luna? Canterlot? Royal guard? How did a Princess off in some far-away castle figure out I was even here, let alone lost out there in the Everfree where apparently nopony ever even goes? Does Twilight regularly talk to pony royalty? Is she royalty?”

“Ahem.” The Sergeant cleared his throat to grab my attention, which got a startled jump from me in response. “Let’s start from the beginning shall we? What is your name, and where are you from?”

“Uh oh…” I suddenly wish I had spent some time reading the books on geography that Twilight left me. “M-my name’s Zinnia, and I’m not really from anywhere in particular.” I winced under his glare, it didn’t look like that answer was satisfactory. 

“Explain.”

“I-I mean, I’m originally from further north, but I’ve been going to a school outside of my hometown and have moved a few times since I started classes.” I did live in the northeast US and I had moved a couple of times before settling down at the apartment. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was going to be late with rent because of all this. “I guess stress makes you think of weird things at times like this…” 

“Ok. Let me be more clear. I’m trying to help you out, Zinnia. It’s my duty as the head of this team to make a full report to my superiors when I return, and I can’t do that if you wont help me. If you can just answer my questions clearly, this can be over a lot sooner, and you won't have to spend another day in the hospital while I sit here with you. Understand?” His expression shifted from that of a stoic stone carving to thinly veiled annoyance. 

“I’m sorry, sir. I’m trying my best.” I said pitifully, trying to hide behind my bangs. 

“Try harder. North, where?” He said again, impatiently. 

“Uhh, north east…in a city.”

“Ok, better. Most likely Manehatten or Fillydelphia. Do you remember which?”

“M-manehatten, I think.” The name was so similar to the city I lived in before that I nearly choked. 

“Big city.”

“Y-yeah…yes it is.”

“Okay, city girl. What were you doing all the way out here near Ponyville?” I cringed at being called a city girl, but brushed it off with a frustrated sigh.

“I was hiking, sir.” 

“Hiking? I wouldn’t have taken you for the outdoor type were it not for your cutie mark there.” He nodded towards the flint and steel on my flank making me flinch a little. A large stallion pointing his hoof at my rear only a couple feet away made me feel extremely self-conscious and I tucked my tail subconsciously in response.

“I-it’s a hobby.” I replied shortly. I was starting to get the feeling that he wasn’t that bad a dude, just much too serious about his job. Maybe his life too. I felt sorry for whatever poor mare decided to marry him, if ponies marry.

“Did you bring anypony with you?” He continued his line of questions.

“No sir, I came alone. Most of my friends liked the northern trails closer to home and opted to stay there.”

“Do you know of anypony who may dislike you, or would want to harm you?” He asked, pointedly.

“No. No sir I don’t. I try to be friendly with every…pony I meet. It’s how I was raised.” I stumbled again on the everypony thing, which made him raise an eyebrow.

“Are you sure about that? If you think somepony would be willing to do something awful to you, we need to know in case-” 

“No. Sorry sir, I’m just nervous since I have two armored stallions interrogating me right now. Nopony did anything to me. I was hiking alone through the mountains pretty far south of home when I fell off a cliff and woke up in the Everfree and was there for a week before your team rescued me from the timberwolves.” I interjected, trying to cut off any misunderstandings before they occurred. I really didn’t need the royal guard of some pony kingdom running a stop-and-frisk campaign in whatever cities are north of here to find an attempted murderer that doesn’t even exist. 

“Actually, Wind Vane was the one that found you. You can thank him for that.” Sergeant Tough Nut said, nodding towards the guard behind him. Wind Vane bowed his head slightly before standing at attention again. 

“Oh. Thank you Mr. Vane. I’m glad you got there when you did. I’d probably be dead if not for you.” I said, grateful that Tough Nut allowed me that bit of knowledge. 

“It’s what we’re here for, ma’am.” Wind Vane responds, still at attention behind his superior but with a smile spreading across his face. 

Twilight entered the conversation, looking a little confused, “You said you fell off of a cliff but if I remember correctly, Sergeant Nut, you said Zinnia’s hoofprints were found in a flat area of the woods with a hole in the tree canopy.” My muscles tensed as she picked apart that little inconsistency. 

“That’s correct, Miss Sparkle. There were no cliffs near where her tracks were first spotted.” 

“Odd. Zinnia, did you happen to see anything strange while you were exploring the mountains? Any weird magic or maybe something like rippling air?” Twilight asked, her attention now solely on me. It looked like she knew something that nopony else in the room was aware of.

“Rippling air?” I repeated, but a detail struck me as I did, “Actually…yeah! I remember hearing some crazy sounds all day that day, like talking where I was alone. I made camp for the night and I thought I saw some weird ripples in the air like if you threw a rock into a pond and shortly after I heard some kind of monster and a bunch of hooves running with it and I got scared because I couldn’t see anything there. I thought it was some kind of ghost or something and ran away in the dark and right off the cliff. I closed my eyes before I landed and woke up in the Everfree.”  “How did she know about…?”

“Why didn’t you just fly away?” Wind Vane asked, as if it were that obvious thing to do. I realized he had wings too as I looked at him incredulously. 

“I uhh…like to challenge myself when I’m hiking. I mean, it wouldn’t be a hike if I just flew where I wanted to go, would it?” I said, partially trying to cover for my lack of ability to fly which seemed embarrassing beyond belief. He considered my answer for a moment, then shrugged. 

“Now who does that sound like?” Rarity said with a snicker. 

“Speaking of Rainbow Dash,” Twilight continued, “she said that she saw something similar the day before Princess Luna discovered you. I wonder if…” She trailed off before standing up and trotting towards the door to the room. “Sorry girls, but I need to do some research. Glad to see you’re feeling better, Zinnia! Feel free to stop by later, okay?” She said before leaving the room with a shower of purple sparkles and a pop. 

“Did SHE just teleport? Now I really want a redo, that’s so not fair.”

The guards continued for a little while longer, asking me questions about my days in the Everfree and what had happened up to the moment they found me. I had apparently been pretty close to Ponyville for nearly three days, and could have walked into town in less than a day’s time if I had simply stumbled onto one of the paths that led through that section of woods. Once they were finished, they thanked me for their time and I waved to Wind Vane as they left, as a final thank you. I wasn’t sure if I’d get to see him again, so I wanted to make sure he knew I really was grateful.

“Well, that was fun! You should have seen Nutty the other night at the party! He was so full of cake he passed out near the punch bowl! I nearly pinned a ‘pin the tail on the pony’ tail on him by accident!” Pinkie laughed, bringing the mood in the room back up. 

“Well I, for one, thought that was dreadful. They could have at least had the courtesy to postpone their interview until after our spa day. Oh, I hope we can still get in. All this stress is really getting to my skin.” Rarity complained, acting as though she actually needed it but I honestly felt the same. I sighed in relief, but I felt exhausted and hoped I wasn’t going to see gray hair in my mane because of this. 

“Aww, it’s ok! We can still take Zinnia out to see the town today and visit the spa some other time! It’s not like it’s going anywhere. Unless it grows legs…or wings…or wheels. Can spa’s grow wheels?”

“Aaaand we lost Pinkie again.” I couldn’t help but giggle at her antics.

“You’re right. I suppose we could show her the town. Besides, Zinnia dear, we need to find a place for you to stay while you’re with us in town. I simply won’t allow you to do any more ‘roughing it’ while in Ponyville.” Rarity said resolutely. I nodded in agreement, having had enough camping for a while. I picked up the brush I was given and placed it in a saddle bag that Rarity had made for me. It took me a moment to figure out how to get the thing on, but thankfully she helped me settle the straps beneath my wings before we set off.

We made our way to the receptionist, who was busy penciling somepony else into the hospital. I paused momentarily as I watched her manipulate the quill with her mouth and remembered that I was told I needed to sign some documents and realized I couldn’t write. “Oh…oh no…maybe I can? I can read, right? Maybe I can write too and just need practice like with my wings? She’s using her mouth though…” 

“What’s the matter, darling? You look like you’ve forgotten something important.” Rarity said, putting a hoof on my withers.

“I umm…” I couldn’t tell her about my trepidation after I had said I went to school. I was supposedly educated, not someone who can’t write their own grocery list.

“Need to go to the little filly’s room?” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“No! I mean,” I sighed in frustration. “My writing is bad.”

The two girls stared at me for a moment before giggling, which made me blush. “Is that what you’re worried about? Zinnia, you’re in a hospital where even the best paid doctors here write in chicken scratch. I’m sure you’re fine, just scribble something down and worry about it later.” Rarity reassured me. 

“Yeah! It’s not like you don’t know how to write at all!” Pinkie said with a snort. 

“Damn it, Pinkie Pie. Get outta my head!” The receptionist, who was done with her work by the time we arrived, welcomed us and collected some papers from a bin on her desk. 

“Zinnia! Glad to see you’re feeling better now! Ready to go?” Mrs. Care said as she handed the documents to me across the desk. 

“Y-yeah, I sure am. I missed being able to walk on my own two- err, four hooves again. Anyway, are these the papers I needed to sign?” I hoped they didn’t catch that.

“Sure are! I just need a signature on the bottom of pages two, five, and seven. Then you’re all set.” She pushed a quill over to me and I stared at it warily for a moment. “Oh! I’m sorry, you’re still recovering. You probably want a clean one just in case, right?” She reached over and picked up an ink vile with several sterile quills for me to pick from. 

I looked at the pens and swore to myself. “Not helping, Mrs.Care. The quill on the desk was hard enough, now I gotta pull one out of a bunch. Trial by fire, here we come.” I sighed and thanked her before slowly attempting the quills, which only took me three times before a success. I got the quill comfortable in my mouth and made three signatures as uniformly as I could manage, which wasn’t very uniform at all, not helped by Rarity audibly cringing at my calligraphy skills. “Okay, all set?” 

“Yup! Take care of yourself, Zinnia. Don’t be afraid to stop by sometime and see us again. I’m sure Doctor Horse would love to have a visit from his favorite patient!” Mrs. Care waved us off before returning to her work.

“I swear if I hear one more person mention that stallion’s name I’ll snap their neck.”  “Will do, Mrs. Care! Thank you!” I waved back and walked out with my friends in tow, doing my best to smile through gritted teeth.

“What was that about?” Pinkie asked with a confused look.

“Oh, it’s nothing Pinkie. Just some hospital humor.” Rarity smiled and winked at me as we walked into the sunlit street outside. I could tell she knew what they’re little inside joke meant; of course she did. I was certain she would have even if no one told her, but she kept it to herself and I was relieved that I didn’t have to follow up on my silent threat.

The air outside was warm and pleasant, and the smell of summer wafted through the air on the gentle breeze. I stopped where the main road met with the hospital’s and closed my eyes as I took a deep breath and savored the outdoors once more. There was a faint scent of apples in the air, mixed in with the other smells of flowers, trees, grass, the dirt road, and cotton candy from Pinkie beside me. Everything smelled so wonderfully fresh and crisp either from my new pony nose being a better sniffer than my old human one, or having been stuck in the hospital with the scent of cleaners and medical equipment.

Pinkie and Rarity spent most of the walk into town talking about the different shops and ponies that live in Ponyville. These two were apparently pretty well known in town too as every pony we passed waved or made a point to greet them happily, some even asking when the next batch of fresh cookies would be ready at the bakery or when Rarity would be free to help patch an outfit for them. It was a wonderful sense of familiarity, reminding me of my hometown and how everyone knew each other. I’d only been in town for five minutes, but it almost felt like home. 

We passed by a few houses of different sizes, and I was impressed at their architecture. I didn’t know what I expected ponies to live in, but I was nevertheless surprised by their similarity to the houses I knew. There were only two buildings that were particularly strange to me; One being a shop of some sort that’s roof looked as though it were made from gingerbread and topped with a cupcake shaped room which I learned was Sugarcube Corner. The other was a building that was modeled to look vaguely like a mall carousel on top of a round building, which was Rarity’s boutique. “Interesting design choices. At least they stand out.”

We spent some time exploring the shops in town, Rarity showing off her expensive tastes no less, and then they treated me to lunch at a local cafe. I didn’t expect a daisy sandwich to be delicious, but hey, when in Rome, right? I was starting to feel guilty though. Since they met me, the girls had bought me brushes, hygiene supplies, and food and I hoped that I wasn’t running up a tab or causing undue stress on them financially. I had to make that known when I refused Rarity’s offer to purchase me a pillow in case wherever I decided to stay didn’t have once that matched my mane. 

“Oh, hey girls! Glad you made it! How’s the tour of Ponyville going?” Twilight said as she trotted up to the table we were having lunch at. I wondered how she found us so easily, even in such a small town. 

“Right on time as always, Twilight! Everything’s going great! We stopped by Sugarcube Corner, Rarity showed her the boutique, we stopped by the quills and sofas shop…” Pinkie said between a hoof full of hay fries.

“Everything but our spa day. We were too late for our appointment and had to reschedule for Wednesday.” Rarity said, daintily dabbing her lips with a napkin.

“Oh, I’m sorry that you missed your spa treatment. If I had known the guards would be there for their interview I would have asked for them to meet us after you were done. And Wednesday is two days from today! Is that alright with you, Zinnia? I thought that you would be excited to get back home.” Twilight said with a worried look.

“Mm-hmm. I don’t really have anywhere else to be, so it’s ok. It gives me time to explore this wonderful little town you have here. I just need to find a place to stay till then, and before you say it, Rarity, I can’t accept your offer to stay with you. You’ve already done so much for me that I couldn’t possibly impose on you any further.” I said, catching Rarity before she could argue. She simply closed her mouth and huffed. She had brought it up at least three separate times since we got into town, but I just didn’t feel right bumming in her house while she paid for everything. That was too generous. 

Pinkie was flustered at this point, too. “What about me? You can stay with me if you want! We can stay up all night and play board games and eat ice cream sundaes and you can share a bed with me and Gummy!” 

“I’m sorry Pinkie, but I don’t feel comfortable with that either. I want to repay you all for helping me, not have you pay for me more than you already have!” I also didn’t like the idea of bunking with a pet alligator, even if he didn’t have teeth. 

“What about me? I could use some help reorganizing the library again this week, and Spike could use the break. I even have a spare bed! Besides, I really would like to chat with you a little more about your survival skills, you could even teach me a thing or two! I’m a great student and take tons of notes, too! It would almost be like having a sleepover!” Twilight seemed just as excited about the prospect of a sleepover as Pinkie Pie did. I was starting to feel like a rope in a three way tug of war when another pony entered the fray.

“Howdy, y’all! Looks like we had the same idea huh? All that apple buckin’s got me hungrier than a mosquito in a ponyquinn factory.” The orange pony with three red apples on her flank trotted right up to the others and smiled at them before noticing me sitting with them. “Oh, pardon me. I didn’t see ya there. You must be that new pony in town Twilight’s been talkin’ about. My name’s Applejack, and you're Zinnia, I reckon. Pleasure to meet you.” She said, extending a hoof to me in a handshake-like gesture, which I instinctively returned. 

“The pleasure’s a-a-a-ll m-m-mine.” I stammer out as she grasps my proffered hoof and shakes it heartily, nearly causing me to fall out of my chair. “What the hay?! She’s stronger than she looks! Ow!”

“Hey, Applejack! How’s apple bucking season coming along?” Twilight asked cheerfully.

“Well, we were on track to finish the south field today when Apple Bloom and her friends decided buckin’ em’ down was too hard and tried to pull em’ down with a rope. They nearly yanked a whole pony-pickin tree up before Big Mac caught em’. He spent the next hour tryin’ to get the tree to sit right again. We lost so much time that I’m not sure we’ll be done today, so I came into town to ask for help. I don’t think we can do it on our own.” I wondered how anyone could pull a tree up at the roots with a simple rope. 

“I’m sorry AJ, I’d love to come help but I’m waiting for a very important letter from Princess Celestia to return and can’t afford to miss it.” Twilight said sadly, “Maybe Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy can help?”

“Well, I tried askin’ Rainbow for help but she wanted to work it into her routine for that Wonderbolts tryout she’s practicing for, and you know how Angel gets with Fluttershy when she misses his tail fluffin’ day. I couldn’t ask her for that. What about you Pinkie? Think you could help out?” AJ asked, looking hopefully at Pinkie. 

“Sure thing! I’d love to help!” She said cheerfully before she gasped and leapt from her chair. “Oh no! I forgot! I can’t help because today Zinnia got discharged from the hospital and I was supposed to plan a huuuge ‘got well’ party for her but I totally forgot! I can’t just leave a party un-partied! I gotta go girls! Bye!” Pinkie shouted before she zipped away in a pink cloud of dust.

“Aww, pony fea-” Applejack started before pinkie dashed back to grab the rest of her fries and was off again. I opened my mouth to say something but Rarity stopped me.

“Hold on, dear.” I tilted my head, confused but my ears flicked back to another direction as they caught the sound of Pinkie racing back to the tables opposite from where she took off. I was barely able to turn in time to meet her brilliant blue eyes only centimeters from mine, looking like they were about to pop out from their sockets.

“Pretend you didn’t hear anything I just said! It’s a surprise, got it?!” She stared at me with a crazy look in her eye before smiling pleasantly and dashing off again. 

“Okay, I think we’re good.” Twilight said with a giggle. 

“I’m not sure I am.” I thought to myself as I tried to calm my heart from doing somersaults in my chest. I grabbed my glass and took a drink before looking at Applejack, considering her plight.

“I can help you, Applejack. You just need some apples picked, right? That shouldn’t be too hard,” I offered, taking another sip of water. 

“Are ya sure, sugarcube? Ya just got out of the hospital an’ I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself doing something you don’t have to do. We Apples can figure out how to tackle them apples.” Her words didn’t match the concern that plagued her face. I could tell she was worried about getting her job done on time.

“No. It’s ok, really. I want to help. Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie all did so much to help me while I was in the hospital and even treated me to lunch and showed me around Ponyville today. I want to do something to repay them. I want to help you.” I said, getting out of my chair with a poorly hidden wince as I shifted my weight from my bad leg. 

“I-I don’t know. What do you think, Twi? I sure do need the help, but I really don’t want to cause any trouble for her either.” Applejack looked to her friend for advice, conflicted. 

Twilight thought for a moment before answering. “Well, Zinnia seems determined to repay us… Applejack, do you have a spare room?”

“Sure do, we always have a room ready just in case one of our cousins comes a-knockin’.” AJ responds.

“Well, since Zinnia doesn’t want to stay with any of us because she feels like she owes us, how about she helps you with the farm so she can feel like she’s earned her stay? That way she can help us help you, and you can help her too!” She said with a smile, looking at me as though expecting me to respond as well. Twilight’s plan made sense, it gave me a place to stay and a reason to stay there without feeling like a mooch. 

“I guess that’s alright. I can’t have you throwin' that leg out again though, so you’re on light duty till you’re feelin’ up to it. We got a deal?” She held out a hoof and spit on it, nearly causing Rarity to get sick right there. 

“Deal!” I spat on mine and held it out for her to shake. I thought this was just a customary thing, but even Twilight seemed somewhat taken aback by my action, and poor Rarity had somehow found an entire couch to faint on. “Where did she get that?”

“She keeps' em handy. You get used to it.” AJ said with a charming chuckle. “Now hurry on up with your sandwich. We got a lot of buckin’ to do, and only half a day left to do it.” I swallowed the other half of my sandwich and polished off my water before thanking Twilight and Rarity for everything and heading out with Applejack to her farm. 

I wasn’t much help, really. At least, I didn’t feel like I was. I couldn’t buck the trees to knock the apples down like AJ and her brother Big Mac could, and I was surprised that the stallion didn’t buck the trees straight over the moon with how large and muscular he was. He really lived up to his name, and I found myself staring at him on a couple of occasions. My useless wings still wouldn’t listen to me either, so flying and picking the apples by hoof wasn’t an option either. I ended up following Applejack around with a wooden bucket and catching the apples that fell from the trees she kicked. It was amazing how one kick was enough for every single apple to fall down. It must have been part of that earth pony magic Twilight talked about. 

It was just after sun down before we finished the last tree in the south field. My leg was on fire and I was dripping sweat, but we managed to finish the job. It was the first major accomplishment I had since making that little clay bowl back in the woods. I wondered if it was still lying out there somewhere or if that timberwolf had made off with it. I wished I had it back, really just as a symbol of the hardship I endured more than anything. 

Big Mac and Applejack packed up the equipment in their barn and she showed me into the house. It reminded me of that classic southern “barnyard” style home that one would see advertised in some of those women’s health mags laying around a doctor’s waiting room or a salon. She took the time to introduce me to her family at dinner, telling a slightly more adventurous rendition of my vacation in the Everfree to everyone there. The old mare, Granny Smith, seemed rather unimpressed but I bet she probably had to walk twenty miles to school and back in the snow uphill both ways in her day.

AJ’s little sister though, she was a different story altogether. Apple Bloom was a rambunctious ball of energy, even after causing a mess with her friends and helping finish the south field. She bounced excitedly in her chair while AJ told the family how I single-handedly fended off a whole pack of rabid timberwolves and gasped when she heard I did that sort of thing for fun because the city life was too stuffy. I had to correct her embellishments, but I could tell AJ was just having fun with it. Of course, Apple Bloom had endless questions for me after dinner while we cleaned up too, but I was too exhausted to answer more than just a couple of them before retiring to the guest room. 

I took my first real shower in several weeks, and relished the warm water washing the sweat from my body, mane, and tail for probably a little too long. “I hope ponies don’t have a water bill…” I brushed out my hair like Rarity had shown me, making sure to keep it from tangling or breaking and once I was finally clean and my hair dried, I sorely climbed into bed and rested my head on the soft pillows. My leg appreciated the hot soak in the shower and barely complained at all as I relaxed under the white and red checkered blanket. 

It had been almost two weeks since I’d been in Equestria. One full of hardship, the other filled with friendship. I threw my mind back to my college days in the city, and how miserable I was there. Here I was, working on an apple orchard and enjoying life close to how I’d have dreamed, no degree or internship required. My family would be proud…”Or would they? 

“Would they understand my situation out here? Would they accept that I wasn’t really me anymore? Would they ever even know? Would I ever get to see my parents or cousins again? Do they even know I’m gone now, or do they think I’m dead? I bet my mom was crying at my funeral without so much as a bone to say goodbye to. I miss them so much…” I had a new start in a new world with wonderful friends and a job I would have killed for back home, but that night I cried myself to sleep. 
> Fledgling
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright, just a little further! Almost got it! No, no, a little to the left. Perfect! Now, hold’er steady while I nail it in place.” Applejack called out from above and started pinning nails into the brackets that held the sign up to its home on the archway next to the street. Sweat beads started running down my brow as I stood on the tips of my hooves, stretching up to hold the sign in place while she worked. 

“Ya know, it’d be a might easier if you used those wings of yours instead a’ strugglin’ to hold it in place down there. You sure you’re feeling up to this kinda work today, Sugarcube?” 

“Y-yeah!” I winced as I pushed myself as high as I could reach, causing my still recovering leg to protest from the exertion and my ears to splay back betraying my assurances. “I feel better than ever,” Applejack shot a questioning glance down at me before striking the last nail into place. “Besides, there aren’t any more apples to pick since we finished the fields yesterday, right? I need to earn my keep somehow.”

“Well, not exactly. We still got several more fields to clear before the season’s over, but the east field is growin’ a bit slow this year, so them apples won't be ready till tomorrow.” She said as she climbed down the ladder she was perched on. I let the sign go and watched it happily sway on its chains as though it were waving to us in thanks for fixing it. 

“Oh. And how many fields did you have again?” I asked as I rubbed my sore flank, working the minor throbbing from my hip and leg. 

“Well, there’s the east and north fields, then if the Zap Apples come in this year we’ll have to spend about a week harvesting them. After that’s done, we got the corn that needs pickin’ and shuckin’, the carrot fields need plowin’, and the wheat and hay fields need harvestin’ before winter comes.” She said in a matter of fact tone as she packed up her hammer and nails into her saddlebags and took the ladder down. 

“And you handle all of that yourselves?” I could hardly believe that Applejack, her brother and sister, and her grandmother managed that much without modern equipment. I looked out across the fields at all the different plots and crops that grew and a sinking feeling hit my gut.

“Mostly. Sometimes we get a little help from our cousins if they get ahead on their own farms, but for the most part it's just us. Sure it can get busy from time to time, but we’ve always managed to make it work. Slow days like today don’t come too often though, so we can get behind on little jobs like this here sign or fixin’ the fences.” She pointed across the farm to her brother as the large red stallion effortlessly pulled up an older fence post and replaced it with a new, freshly painted, white post. 

“He just yanked it out of the ground with his teeth…” I stared at him as he worked, quickly tapping the new post into place and moving to the next. “This is a slow day?”

“Yup! Besides, if we let this little stuff go, it can cause a big problem later on down the road. What if this here sign fell and hit somepony comin’ to visit?” 

“I guess you’re right. I just didn’t realize how much work a farm actually took…” 

“Well, y'all did come from Manehatten an’ all. It ain’t surprising that a city-girl like yourself wouldn’t know the in-an’-outs of country life. But I gotta hand it to ya, you ain’t no slouch either.” She playfully punched my shoulder and started trotting back towards the barn. I couldn’t help but resent that remark. It’s not like I wasn’t born and raised in what would be considered the country, but most people where I grew up commuted to work in the nearby city. I never really considered how easy our “country life” was compared to this though.

“Wait, she called me a city girl again. Ugh…” Then again, a compliment from AJ felt like a genuine gold medal for a job well done, so I let it slide…that time.

She and I chatted as we walked our equipment back to the barn. It was a pleasant day, and the smell of apples was thick in the air as the sweet fruits glistened in the sun all along the hillside behind the house. I breathed in the fresh air and smiled to myself, enjoying the picturesque environment and letting the dark thoughts that I fell asleep to the night before evaporate for the moment. We were in the middle of talking about the weather forecast for the coming week when something caught her attention and she looked around me.

Big Mac was waving us down from the field a little ways off. “What’s up, Big Mac? Need somethin’?” AJ yelled, nearly bursting my eardrums in the process. That orange mare had a set of lungs on her. 

“Eyup!” Big Mac bellowed back from the field. He pointed to the wagon he was hauling and looked at his sister expectantly. 

“Let me guess, ya’ ran outta posts?” She replied as I winced. I stepped back from AJ and around her other side to get out from between the shouting siblings and save my poor ears from further damage.

“Eyup!”

“I told you that ya’ll were gonna run short!”

“Eyup!”

“There any more posts in the barn?”

“Eyup!”

“Then why don’t you come get ‘em?”

“Nope!” He pointed to a pile of fence boards that still needed to be hammered back up after he removed them from the old posts. 

“Right. Well, you just get to work gettin’ those boards back up and we’ll bring you the last few posts.”

“Eyup!” And with that, he grabbed a box of nails and started replacing the boards by hammering them in with his horseshoe capped hooves. How any of these ponies could be strong enough to do that without using an actual hammer was well beyond me. 

“Your brother’s a stallion of few words, isn’t he? Sometimes I wonder if he only knows those two. Come to think of it, he didn’t really say much at dinner last night either, did he?” I asked AJ as we entered the barn. She propped the ladder against the wall and placed her own box of nails on a shelf with other hardware items.

“He’s just shy. He can talk when he wants to, he just don’t see fit to say more than what needs to be said. Though, by the looks of it, you seem to be takin’ a liking to him,” she teased with a chuckle.

“W-wha? No! What gave you that idea?!” I blurted out as I felt the color rise in my cheeks.

“I’ve seen you starin’ at him a few times since yesterday.” She wasn’t wrong. I had caught myself staring a few times, but mostly in awe of just how big he was or how strong he was. Not because I liked him or anything, more like I admired him. I was a pretty healthy guy back on earth, but I wasn’t exactly tall or particularly muscular. I always admired the dedication of those bodybuilders and gym nuts that spent years of their lives sculpting their bodies to be the living images of those Greek and Roman statues of gods, and Big Mac’s physique reminded me of them somewhat. Those rippling muscles, long flowing mane, the way he was able to buck a tree without toppling the whole thing down…

“Oh…oh no. Of all the things to change about me…that…?” The heat in my cheeks flared as I tried to reel in my wayward thoughts. 

“Haha! See? You’re nearly as red as he is! It’s alright, Z. Your secret's safe with me.” She gave me a wink and chuckled. “Now, where are those posts?”

I stood there, having an existential crisis for a few moments before AJ snapped me back to reality with a tap of a hoof. I nearly jumped out of my skin and squeaked, causing her to laugh again. “Calm down, Sugarcube. There, up in the loft. Think you can hop up there and toss two or three down?”

“Y-y-yeah, let me just get the ladder.” I said, turning to grab it from where she had stored it earlier.

“You got wings, don’t ya? It’d be faster if you just flew up there and knocked ‘em down.” AJ said, matter-of-factly. “Or did me calling you out about Big Macintosh rattle you?” She chuckled again, reinvigorating my heated face. I knew she wasn’t being mean, she was just having a bit of fun about the whole thing, but she still touched a bare nerve.

I wasn't embarrassed about Big Mac that time, though that in of itself was another can of worms to be opened at a later date. I shuffled in place for a moment, looking up at the loft where a small stack of wooden posts sat there, seemingly taunting me.  “I think I’d rather use the ladder, AJ.”

She must have noticed my change in attitude, as she quickly stopped chuckling and adopted a worried expression. “I’m sorry, I was being a mite rude. I didn’t think you’d take it so hard.”

“Just ‘a mite?’” I sighed and shook my head, “No, it’s ok. I know you were just kidding. But I’d still rather just use the ladder, if you don’t mind.”

AJ raised an eyebrow towards me, “Something else is bothering you, ain’t it?” AJ asked. I had felt like she knew something wasn’t quite right with me from the start, but I had hoped to avoid the subject.

“No, I’m fine, really. I just…I would rather just help out like an earth pony. I wouldn’t want you all to get jealous or anything…” I tried to laugh it off, but it came out strained and fake. 

“Now I know you ain’t tellin’ me the truth.” AJ deadpanned, “Look, you can tell me if something’s wrong. Any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine. You can trust me to help you out when you need it. Are you still hurt somehow? Or did something happen to you in the Everfree that scared you into not flyin’ no more?”

My eyes darted to the floor, trying to avoid hers, “No. I just can’t.” 

“Can’t what, Zinnia?”

I was getting frustrated and didn’t know how to, nor want to, talk about this with her. I mean, AJ was an earth pony. How was she supposed to understand when I didn't? “I’m a pegasus who can’t freaking fly. I have dead wings. I don’t even know why I’m embarrassed about this when I’m not even a pony in the first place, but I am and I don’t understand it at all!”

I sighed heavily, and looked at AJ, who’s green eyes shimmered in the light coming in from the parted door and windows of the barn. She was actually concerned about me, and how I was feeling. She looked like she wanted to help me, even though we literally met just yesterday and hardly even knew me. She even joked about me liking her brother like we’d already been friends for a long time. Normally, I wouldn’t have talked to anyone concerning something that felt so strangely personal to me. I mean, on a scale of one-to-ten this felt on par with talking to one’s own mother about erectile dysfunction, but something told me that I could trust her. 

“I…Ok…promise me you wont tell anypony else.” I said, gathering up my courage.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” She recited some strange version of a common children’s promise, making the motions along with the sayings. I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not. Apparently she noticed, though the look of confusion on my face probably tipped her off, “It’s a Pinkie promise. Believe me, I won’t break it. No one breaks a Pinkie promise…ain’t good for your health…” She winced as though remembering some uncomfortable memory with a far off look in her eye. 

“...Wha?” 

“Uhh, nothin’.” She said as she weakly tried to laugh off whatever it was she thought about, “I promise I won’t tell nopony else. You can trust me.”

“Alright…” I sat down and took a deep breath, attempting to clear the anxiety from my chest with little success. “I…I can’t use my wings.” I winced, waiting for a response.

“Like you can’t use em’, or you can’t use ‘em?” AJ asks, clearly confused.

“I can’t use them, at all. Ever since I woke up in the Everfree forest, I haven’t even been able to stretch them on my own. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…” I looked down, hiding behind my autumn orange curtain of mane. “I feel like I’m defective…”

“Zinnia, you ain’t defective. You work just fine! Just look at how much you’ve helped us out yesterday, and today. We’re right on time with the harvest and even had extra time to fix up the place today! I don’t think we could have caught up without your help.” AJ’s attempt to reassure me didn’t really touch on the issue though, of course.

“Sure, my legs work, and I can carry stuff, but that isn’t flying. What good is a pegasus that can’t fly? Isn’t that kinda what we were born to do?” AJ opened her mouth, but no response came. She seemed at a loss here, unsure of what to say. We both sat in silence, her chewing on her cheek as she tried to think of something while I shuffled awkwardly at the floorboards and hid my embarrassment behind my mane. 

“Why don’t you ask your friend for help?” A deep voice broke through the silence, causing us both to look towards the door. Big Mac had apparently come to see what was taking us so long to bring him the last few posts and heard my confession. I immediately flashed bright pink and fell to the floor, covering my face with my hooves in complete humiliation. 

“Oh, horseapples. You heard all of that, didn’t you?” AJ asked, sounding embarrassed out of pure empathy for me.

“Eyup.” He nodded.

“You know it ain’t right to eavesdrop on other ponies!” She chided.

“Nope.” He shook his head, but remained firm.

“But you’re right. I know it’s embarrassing for you, Z, but maybe we should ask my friends Rainbow and Fluttershy about it. They might know what’s wrong, and how to help.” She tapped me with a hoof to get my attention. “Think you could give it a try? I can be there too, if you like.”

“I think I’d rather disappear under a rock…” I said in a muffled voice as I talked into the floor, legs still covering my face. “But,” I lifted my head up, my face still red hot, “I trust you, AJ. If you think they can help, I'll try,” though part of me doubted that her friends would be able to do anything. 

“If it’s got anything to do with flying, Dash is your girl. She’s pretty much the best flyer around these parts, maybe even in all of Equestria. Fluttershy ain’t so much a strong flyer, but she’s the kindest pony I know. I bet between the two of ‘em, they’ll get you airborne again faster than greased lightning.” Applejack said proudly. Her confidence in her friends was almost palpable, which helped ease some of the anxiety I felt about the whole thing. If she believed in them, they must be something special. If nothing else, maybe Twilight could look into it. Maybe she could figure out some sort of magic remedy to fix me.

There was one last thing that was bothering me though. Something I couldn’t just ignore. “Wait…” I said, still trying to collect myself as I stood back up from the floor. The two siblings looked at me curiously. “Did Big Macintosh just say more than one word in a sentence?”

AJ looked at me incredulously before laughing loudly, unable to control herself. I looked at Mac, who just gave me a sly grin as he walked past and took down the last few poles he needed from the loft. With poles in tow he made his way back towards the exit, looking over his shoulder at me before he left to finish his chore. 

“Nope.”
> Pegasi
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subdued beams of light streamed into the guest room as the sun peaked its head over the hillside overlooking the farm. Apple trees dotted the landscape, their ruby red fruits glistening in the morning dew like countless sequins adorning their tree’s emerald green leaves. I sighed, content to watch the morning sun illuminate the land whilst I got ready for the day. I had already been up for an hour or so, being unable to sleep soundly due to the growing anxiety in my chest. 

    I had agreed to letting Applejack take me to visit two of her friends in the hopes of them being able to help me figure out my little wing problem, but as I went to bed that night all I could imagine was me making a fool of myself. I tossed and turned, thinking of all the different ways it could go wrong and how the two pegasi would silently judge me for being flightless. It was only after arguing with myself for half the night that I finally remembered that I wasn’t even really a pony, and that stressing out this much about something that would never be natural for me was beyond inane. “And besides, we’re all adults here. If nothing else, I’ll just be considered handicapped or something and live the life of an earthbound pony. That is, if I’m not able to figure out a way back to Earth…if there is one.”

    I brushed my hair as I mused, looking out through the window as the sun creeped up over the hilltops. Big Mac was already out in the yard beginning his morning chores. My eyes followed him as he came in and out of view of the window while he collected the tools he’d need for the day. “Well if there isn’t a way to get back home, I guess it wouldn’t be so bad.” 

            The large red stallion came back into view, pulling a cart behind him. He looked up at the house, his gaze wandering from window to window until it fell upon mine. I realized I had been staring at him again, and blushed as I waved at him. He simply grinned and nodded in reply before carrying on with his morning. “I really need to stop staring at people before someone gets the wrong idea…again…”

    I turned my attention back to my mane, trying to tame some errant strands that refused to sit straight when I heard a knock at the door. “Rise ‘n shine, Sugarcube! Ready to get them wings a workin’?” AJ shouted through the door before opening it up to see me furiously stroking the same patch of mane with frustrated determination. “Uhh…havin’ some trouble there, Z?”

    “Ugh! I’ve been brushing this mess for thirty minutes and I just can’t get it to lay flat! I’m tempted to just cut it short!” I grumbled as I tossed my brush onto the bed with an exasperated sigh. 

    “With any luck it won’t matter none. It’s just gonna get messy when you take off flyin’ again anyway, right?” AJ said with a reassuring smile. 

    “If I start flying.” I corrected, trying to temper both of our expectations. 

    “Naw, C’mon. That’s just stinkin’ thinkin’. Now hurry on up, breakfast is ready. Once you get your fill, we’ll head on over to Fluttershy’s cottage. Knowin’ Rainbow, she won't be awake for a couple more hours yet.” 

    “Ok, I’ll be right down.” I said, licking my hoof and running it through my hair which fixed the issue. I rolled my eyes and grumbled as AJ chuckled at me, and we both headed down to breakfast. 

As we rounded the corner to the kitchen my nose was greeted warmly by the scents of a fresh morning meal, and it was a big one. Apple fritters, apple tarts, apple oatmeal, leftover apple pie, among various other apple based products spread across the table buffet style, ready to be picked up and consumed. Applebloom sat at her spot, sleepily rubbing her eyes as she poured herself a bowl of Applesmacks cereal (which I giggled at) and Granny Smith was just settling down to a steaming bowl of oatmeal. 

Before long, a majority of the foods on the table were demolished and I helped clean up the kitchen before we made off. AJ sighed with content as she picked a piece of apple skin from her teeth with a toothpick and let out a satisfying belch. I simply gave her an amused look before shaking my head and laughing, how that mare could eat that many fritters and still move was beyond me. 

The birds were singing pleasantly as they darted around from tree to tree, the warm mid-summer sun having awoken them from their slumber. We watched them go about their business while we strolled down the path to town, enjoying the warmth as the sunrays touched my fur, but my wings felt next to nothing. As pleasant as the morning walk was, I still found myself with a growing pit in my stomach. “So…do you really think that your friends can actually help me with my wings?”

AJ smiled at me, her face radiating confidence beneath the brim of her stetson. “Sure as sugar. In fact, Rainbow helps train new recruits to the Ponyville weather team. If she can get that Bulk Biceps feller up there, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.”

    “Ponyville weather team? Like, weather forecasters? How does that make her a good flyer?” I hummed to myself as we walked. “Ok, so what about… Fluttershy, was it? Does she work for the weather team too?”

“She takes care of the local critters in and around town. I guess you could consider her an animal care professional, though she doesn’t really have any professional schoolin’.” AJ responded as the bridge into town came into view. The path at this point crested at the top of a hill before dropping into the small valley the town sat in, and allowed a great view of the entire place. I could see several ponies moving around as they began their day, and spotted Twilight as she left a large tree-shaped structure. Every pony having a different color scheme made it remarkably easy to spot them at a distance. 

“So…you’re taking me to a Veterinarian?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Wha? No! Well, I mean, yes. Kinda? She’s the kindest and most patient pony I know, and she apparently had some trouble with her wings growing up. I figure she may know a trick or two, start you off easy before Rainbow gets a hold to ya’.” 

“Oh.” Something about that last part didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. 

“Don’t you worry about nothin’, Z. Shy and I’ll be there to make sure Rainbow don’t go overboard.” She gave me a wink as we crossed into town, sending shivers down my spine. 

“Oh no…what have I gotten myself into?” 

The rest of the walk to Fluttershy’s place was filled with small talk, mostly about things that still needed repair at the farm and deliveries that needed to be made to places out of town. It wasn’t long before we made it back out of town and were closing in on the edge of the Everfree forest. I noted the woods, and shivered as the memory of being attacked by the timberwolves came back to mind. 

“Uhh, AJ? She doesn’t live in there, does she?” I asked, pointing to the woods.

“Shoot, the only pony I know who lives out there is a Zebra. No, Fluttershy lives on the outside edge. You can see her cottage from here actually.” AJ said, pushing my pointed hoof to a little house in the distance. The moss covered home appeared to be two stories tall with large windows allowing for ample natural lighting and many birdhouses hung from the eaves of the cottage and the trees surrounding it. A small stream burbled happily near the home, and I could make out several small, furry animals playing in the water under a little wooden bridge that led to the path to her door. 

I stared at the cottage for a moment before a smile crept across my face. It almost reminded me of my childhood home, if only a fair bit more cartoonish in design. The only thing that it was missing was a garden and a garage. AJ didn’t seem to notice the nostalgic grin I wore though, as she tugged me forward. “Come on, now. We’re burning daylight.” 

AJ and I came to a stop just outside the front door, but before she knocked she turned to me, “Now, I should tell you that Fluttershy is a mite, well…shy. Especially around ponies she ain’t never met before, so don’t be put off if she don’t warm up to you right away.” I nodded, acknowledging AJ before turning my attention to all the little creatures that ran about the property. 

“She was right, this pegasus really must love her critters seeing as she practically shares her house with them.”

Applejack knocked at the portal, causing a small, soft voice somewhere behind the door to squeak in surprise with an “EEP!” After a few moments the top half of the door, which like many of the other doors on residential buildings was split in half laterally, cracked open to reveal a large teal eye and a shock of pink hair. The eye, upon finding a familiar face, brightened up and the door opened wider to reveal an off-yellow pegasi. “Oh! Hello, Applejack. I didn’t expect you to visit today. I thought you would be busy with applebucking season.”

“Well, the other fields are growin’ a bit slow this year so we’re a little behind schedule. I figured it’d be a good day for us to come an’ visit seein' as we can't get ta applebucking if there ain't no apples to buck.” AJ explained with a nod and a grin, motioning to me as I stood awkwardly beside her. 

“Us?” Fluttershy asked, looking beside her friend to see me standing there. She let out a small gasp, before retreating behind a curtain of pink hair. “H-he-hello…”

“Oh, come on now. She ain’t gonna bite.” AJ joked, which only caused her timid friend to flinch. “Fluttershy, this here’s Zinnia, and, Zinnia, this here’s Fluttershy.” She said, proudly introducing me. Unsure how to respond, I simply waved a hoof and smiled. I was never great with introductions. However, thankfully Fluttershy seemed to recognize my name and perked up a little, peering out from behind her mane. 

“Oh,” her soft voice increased in volume, but still barely beyond a whisper. “So you’re the one Twilight told us about. I’m sorry, would you two like to come in? I have some honey chamomile tea brewing if you'd like some.” The yellow pegasus opened up her door allowing us the space to enter, but Applejack shook her head. 

“Actually, we came here because Zinnia has a problem we were hopin’ you could help her with.” 

“Great, AJ sure doesn’t waste any time, does she.” I sighed, imitating Fluttershy’s initial reaction to me by hiding behind my own mane. 

“What kind of problem, if you don’t mind me asking?” She eyed me curiously, tilting her head as I hid further into my mane wishing I could just disappear into my hair like it was some sort of invisibility cloak. 

“Well, ya see, y’all know how Twilight said she took a tumble into the woods? Well, turns out she's been havin' some trouble gettin’ her wings to do what she wants ‘em to do ever since.” AJ explained for me, my face now burning red. I knew that she had told me Fluttershy had been in a similar situation before, that she wasn’t a strong flyer, but I still felt embarrassed about this whole thing. 

Fluttershy seemed to relax a little more, looking at me with understanding eyes. She stepped out from her home and closed the door behind her before standing by my side and placing a wing over my back in a soft, almost motherly gesture. 

“There, there. I know how embarrassing it can feel. I was never a strong flyer. Why, I remember how awful flight school was because of it and how much the other foals picked on me, but I’m sure if you put your mind to it, your wings will come back.” Fluttershy flapped her wings and smiled as she hovered an inch or so off the ground for a moment before landing beside me again. “If I can do it, anypony can.”

“Maybe…” I said, looking up to her before feeling a hoof make sharp contact with my flank.

“‘Maybe’ nothin’. I know you can do it. You just gotta have faith in yourself, Z!” AJ said triumphantly. 

“Ok, sure. But how do I start? I mean, ever since the Everfree, I’ve only moved them twice, and both times I wasn’t trying to. It just kinda happened.”

“That’s strange,” Fluttershy said, taking on a thoughtful appearance before her eyes shrank to pinpricks, “Oh! No, I didn’t mean you’re strange. I meant…oh…”

“We know what you meant, Shy.” AJ rolled her eyes at Fluttershy before turning back to me. “But I thought you said you can’t move ‘em at all,” she said, looking at me critically through narrowed eyes.

“On my own, no. The first time, I…uhh…kinda got spooked by a wild animal,” I felt a tinge of embarrassment as I remembered that terrifying squirrel in the woods. “The second time was when I was running from the timberwolves. I thought I was going to get eaten, so I jumped the ravine expecting to just fall down when they opened on their own and I glided to the other side. Since then, nothing.”

“Hmm…ok. How about we start with some stretches then? Sometimes my wings can get a little stiff if I haven’t used them in a while.” Fluttershy suggested as she looked around her yard, “There’s a nice sunny patch of grass over there we can use.” She pointed to a spot in her yard where the sun had seared away the morning dew creating a warm, dry place perfect for picnics, or in this case doing pony pilates.

The warm grass tickled the bottom of my hooves as we stood in the glow of the sun. Applejack opted to lay off to the side and watch us, absently chewing on a stalk of hay she had previously hidden in her hair somewhere. Apparently, there were several different routines ponies used for stretching. Some designed for earth ponies and unicorns, while other more specialized versions were used by pegasi called “pre-flight warm-ups.” Fluttershy showed me some of the basic stretches used almost universally, which actually felt pretty good compared to the awkward and uncomfortable “human” way I had been trying to work my muscles prior, before moving on to the routine she learned in flight school.

“It’s always good to make sure you are nice and limber before moving on to the next routine. If not, you can pretty easily pull one of your flight muscles. Now, follow my lead, please.” I prepared myself to do as she instructed, noting the three butterflies on her flank, which suited her timid nature perfectly. She was shy the entire time we did the first set, shrinking a little every time I glanced at her to make sure I was doing it right, but she eventually relaxed enough that she only gave me awkward smiles in return as I fumbled my way through.

“Ok, ready.” I said as I took a deep breath and watched her carefully.

“First, extend both of your forelegs in front of you, bringing your head down and your tail up like this,” Fluttershy showed an example, looking similar to how Big Mac had been stretching earlier that morning. AJ had noticed it too, taking on a curious look. I followed along with Fluttershy, doing my best to imitate her. “Doing this helps stretch the muscles in your withers and back. Now, slowly so you don’t stress your ligaments, extend both wings up, then forward, then down and back, as if you were taking one long, slow, wing stroke, like this,” again, showing how it’s done.

“Ok…the hard part.” I attempted to imitate her, focusing on the space between my shoulders, trying to find the right muscles to move. I could feel something back there twitch, before my left wing shot out straight, throwing my balance off and sending me tumbling over to the side. I could hear AJ trying not to snicker on the sidelines as I collected myself, my wing still stuck in its position. 

“Oh! Oh dear. Umm, that’s not supposed to…are you ok?” Fluttershy said, holding out a hoof to help me up. I gratefully accepted it, pulling myself back to a standing position with my left wing outstretched perfectly horizontal in what I would assume would be a gliding position, the other still tucked close to my side. 

“Uhh…I don’t suppose that was supposed to happen?” I asked as I pawed at the rigid wing. I could almost imagine it twanging like a guitar string as I flicked it with a hoof. 

“Umm…n-no. Here, let me just…uhh…ok, this might feel a little…ohh…” She gingerly raised a hoof and placed it where my wings met my back, near a cluster of flight muscles and nerves. She gently massaged the area, causing my rigid appendage to immediately relax, falling limply to my side to lay uselessly on the grass below. She looked at it, then at my withers, then to me with a strange mix of confusion and surprise.

“What?” I raised an eyebrow towards her, causing her to shy away, putting her hoof back on solid ground. 

“Y-you didn’t react how I thought you would…” She said, timidly. I looked at her curiously, before trying to gather up my wing, noting that AJ also seemed to be surprised as well.

“My wing falling limp like that? Yeah, that hasn’t happened to me yet either.” I explained as I stared at it with my ears pinned back.

“No, Sugarcube. Oh, how do I put this…you know how you pegasi have all them flight control parts tied up in between your wings?” I stared blankly at AJ as she waited for a response, nodding slowly and trying to pretend that I understood. “Ugh. Remember? Biology? Didn’t you learn all that in school when you were a filly?”

“Oh. Right. Yeah, sorry.” I chuckled, trying to hide my ignorance of the subject.

“Well, all them nerves are supposed to make that spot particularly sensitive. Like, really sensitive.” AJ continued as Fluttershy squeaked again. “I think when Fluttershy was trying to get that wing muscle to relax, she, and I, were expecting more of a reaction. Heck, some pegasi nearly melt if you so much as tap ‘em there. But you acted like it was no different than if she touched your hoof.”

“Ok, that’s probably not a good sign.” I thought to myself, eying the limp wing I took it into my hooves. “Ok…so that’s bad, right?” I asked, not really knowing what kind of answer to expect, but having a growing suspicion of what it might mean. 

“Umm…well, I think it could mean a couple of things, really. But in your case, it could be a sign of nerve damage.” Fluttershy looked at my wings for a moment before speaking again. “Umm…Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, go ahead.” I answered halfheartedly. My suspicions seemed correct. “I might actually be broken…”

“Do you feel anything in your wings at all?”

I held up my limp wing and let it drop to the ground. It spread out, my tan feathers fanning into the sun as it laid there. My body felt warm from the sun as it crept up higher into the sky, signifying it was getting closer to midday, but the glow of the sun didn’t seem to reach my wings. Neither were they cold, or in pain, or uncomfortable in any way, they just existed, numb to the world. 

I looked back to Fluttershy and shook my head. “No, I don’t feel anything at all.”

Fluttershy’s head fell slightly, and I heard AJ to the side mutter something under her breath. The anxiety that I had managed to keep at bay started growing again and the pit in my stomach grew. “I am broken, aren’t I?”

“Now, let’s not jump to conclusions just yet, Sugarcube. Maybe Rainbow Dash can put her two bits in. She’s had plenty of nasty spills before, so she might know of something that can help.” AJ said, her confident smile now waning. 

“Oh! Right! I can go get her! I mean, if you want… She’s not too far from here. It will only take a second.” Fluttershy said, perking up and taking to the air, hovering a few inches off the ground. I shrugged, feeling deflated and defeated, but AJ gave her the go ahead. After a short wait, Fluttershy came back with another pegasus in tow, this one cyan blue, with a disheveled rainbow colored mane. She yawned loudly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she followed Fluttershy with her eyes half closed while scratching the rainbow colored lightning bolt cutie mark on her flank. I took a moment to note that despite the similarities between us, it seemed that we pegasi were more lithe and slim than Applejack, who was more solid and muscular. “Guess that explains the difference in strength between us. Probably another earth pony thing.”

The cyan pony landed with a thump, allowing her rump to hit the ground first and yawned again loudly. “Alright, Fluttershy. What did you need me for so badly that you woke me up from my morning nap?” She managed to open her eyes enough to see where she was and spotted AJ and me as well, giving us a quizzical look. “Oh, hey AJ. Who’s the new chick?”

“Rainbow Dash, this is Zinnia. Zinnia, I’d like you to meet our good friend, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy waved a hoof at her prismatic friend, or at least, she thought she did but before she could see where her friend had gone, Rainbow was already zipping around my head, now wide awake and positively gushing. 

“Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! No way! You’re the mare from Manehatten that beat up a whole pack of timberwolves! I mean, not that I couldn’t do that too, but you did it without flying and everything! That’s. So. Awesome! Hey, tell me! Were you really out there for a whole week by yourself?” She barely breathed as she darted around me, eventually landing three inches from my face, looking at me like I was some sort of war hero.

“Uhh…yes? But I didn’t actually-” I started, but was interrupted by the rainbow colored blur. 

“Woah! You're like a real like action hero or something! You and I totally have to hang out sometime. You could show me all your awesome fighting moves and I can show you all my sweet tricks! You and me, we’ll be totally unstoppable!” 

“Now just slow down there, Sally,” AJ said, tugging Rainbow’s tail and dragging her back down to earth, much to Rainbow’s dismay, “That’s all fine and dandy, but before you go on and get carried away like a school filly, we got a problem we need your opinion on.”

Rainbow looked at all three of us before clearing her throat and sitting down, taking on a cool demeanor, “Oh, right. Sure, what’s up?”

“Well, umm, Zinnia is having a little problem with her wings. Remember when Twilight told us she was lost in the E-Everfree forest for a whole week, and you asked her why she didn’t just fly out?” Fluttershy began, causing me to wince.

“Just how many ponies did that unicorn tell?”

“Yeah, what about it?” Rainbow glanced at me with a curious look before tilting her head back at Fluttershy. 

“Well, you see, she may have a reason for that.” The yellow pegasus pawed at the ground, glancing towards me with a pitiful expression. I couldn’t tell if it was because she felt bad for me, or if she was asking me to help her finish to avoid saying something insensitive. 

“Yeah, duh, Fluttershy. Of course she has a reason, she’s just awesome like that! I bet she could totally thrash a Ursa Major if she used her wings! Nopony just trots into the Everfree forest and beats up baddies with barely a scratch on them like that!” Rainbow exclaimed, shadow boxing the air in front of her and causing Fluttershy to gasp and take a step back. 

“Actually, Rainbow-” AJ interrupted, but I beat her to the punch. 

“Actually, I umm…I can't really use my wings.” I admitted, trying to look a little bit braver in front of Rainbow and not doing a very good job of it. 

Rainbow took a moment to process what I said, looking at me with a scrunched up face. “What do you mean you can’t use your wings? Is something wrong?” She looked around, noticing my left wing lying limply on the grass and a look of alarm spread across her face. “It’s not broken is it? Why isn't it in a cast? Did the doctors even help you at the hospital? Why I oughta…” She looked about ready to take off and knock somepony's lights out. 

“No! Rainbow, somethin’ ain’t working the way it’s supposed to and we need your help figuring out what it might be. She ain’t hurt, but she also can’t really feel nothin else neither.” AJ stepped in, reigning in her friend. 

Rainbow had a look of realization before glancing at me, then to Fluttershy. “Did you try those pre-flight stretches we learned in flight school, Shy?” Fluttershy nodded “Ok, what about uhh…massaging her flight muscles?” Rainbow’s face became a slight shade of pink mentioning that, as did Fluttershy, but she nodded.

“I did…umm, well, kinda. Her wing went stiff when we were stretching and then limp when I tried umm…palpating her muscles... But she didn’t even react to that other than her wing doing that...” Fluttershy explained as she pointed out the wing I had started trying to return to my side again with no luck.

Rainbow hummed to herself for a moment before trotting towards me, regarding me critically with a furrowed brow. She poked at my right wing, still tucked to my side. “Feel anything, Z?” I shook my head and watched her as she grabbed it and slowly began flexing the appendage in a pseudo flight motion, first up, then forward, then down and back, until she placed it back in its original spot. “Still nothing?”

“No. I wouldn't have been able to tell you were moving it at all were I not watching you doing it.” I explained. 

“Well, it doesn’t appear to be broken. All your bones looked fine to me, and I didn’t see any signs of dislocation or bruising underneath.” She tapped her hoof against her chin, looking at my wing, her eyes shifting across my feathers before landing on the space between my shoulders. “Uhh…excuse me real quick.” She hopped up on her back legs and poked at my flight muscles again, humming when she didn’t receive a response. She pushed a little harder, working her hoof in a circular motion before moving to my left side and doing the same. After a moment, my left wing twitched and started stiffening up again, allowing me to place it against my side comfortably where it sat unaided. 

“Huh…that’s…kinda bucked up, isn’t it.” She mumbled to herself. “I don’t know. It seems like it could be some form of nerve damage, but what's weird is that your wings still move when those nerve triggers are tripped. My advice, as much as I hate to say it, would be that you may have to visit the hospital again. You could have a pinched nerve or something. Stormwind had something like that happen to him when he had his accident in flight camp. Apparently it stopped his brain from telling his wings what to do or something and he needed surgery to fix it.”

Fluttershy seemed to flinch when Rainbow brought up this Stormwind guy. I could have swore I saw her turn a little green as well. “Must have been one hell of a spill…” 

“Oh. Lovely.” I groaned, sighing heavily and rolling my eyes. “Yup, just as I thought. They couldn’t help me at all. Figures. I should just be lucky my body knows how to breathe on its own at this point I guess.”

“Hey, it’s not the end of the world. Stormwind can fly just fine now, he’s part of the weather team and everything! I’m sure once the doctors figure out what’s wrong they’ll have you back in the clouds in no time! I’ll even teach you one of my signature stunts when you feel better! Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!” Rainbow exclaimed, puffing out her chest and holding her head up high. I couldn’t help but grin at her antics, but I still felt defeated. 

AJ just rolled her eyes at Rainbow and sat down beside me, elbowing me in the leg. “Cheer up, Z. There’s still a few things we can try before I’ll let you go mopin’ around. Maybe that spa day tomorrow will help!”

I looked at her incredulously. “How did you know that I had a spa day planned for tomorrow?”

“I uhh, heard you and Rarity talkin’ about it at the cafe before I sat down. Aloe and Lotus know how to work magic with their hooves. Maybe they can figure something out if it’s just a little pinched nerve.” She smiled, her confidence returning. 

“Yeah. We’ll see. If nothing else it should be relaxing." I said, attempting to stay positive.

“Oh, I still have my tea brewing inside. Maybe that will help make you feel a little better.” Fluttershy offered with a gentle smile. 

“Tea sounds good.” I replied, trying to return the smile but only getting about halfway there. 

“Ok, I’ll just get the cups ready.” She turned and trotted off towards her cottage with us following closely behind her. It seemed like tea wasn't quite Rainbow’s speed, but she stuck around to chat while we continued our visit. It was pleasant overall, though I swore I kept seeing a familiar furry face watching me through the windows. The memory of that squirrel in the Everfree must have made me paranoid around all of Fluttershy’s little pets…

We bid farewell to Fluttershy after sticking around for tea and thanking her for having us over. That chamomile and honey tea did wonders for easing my stress, and we had talked about different things around Ponyville for so long that the sun had begun to sink in the sky. Rainbow wished me the best of luck and flew off to a particularly large cloud which she disappeared behind. I figured that I just lost track of her behind it and that she lived somewhere in that direction. 

We eventually found our way back to the farm and I excused myself for the day with AJ’s approval. She figured it was a good idea that I get some rest after all that I’d been through and get ready for my “girls-day-out” with Rarity, which I honestly had been looking forward to. I took another extra long shower, letting myself absorb all the things that happened and silently hoping that it wasn’t some terrible medical issue that caused my wings to be dead weight. Surgery wasn’t fun, and anything involving nerves or backs was incredibly risky, at least back on earth. On humans. 

I sat on the bed, letting my mane dry, absently teasing the same lock of hair that had refused to cooperate earlier as I watched AJ and Big Mac talking animatedly in the yard about something before her brother’s face flushed. AJ just laughed and did a half-hearted stretch that Fluttershy and I had done earlier, before flicking her tail and walking off towards the barn to prepare her things for tomorrow, as the apples had finally ripened and were ready to be bucked tomorrow. Big Mac simply watched his sister trot off and snorted before letting his eyes wander back to my window, where he found me staring again. 

I registered his eyes meeting mine just in time to see his face turn a lighter shade of red and he waved quickly before quickly trotting off to another part of the yard out of view. I sighed, glad to be back in the familiar atmosphere of the farm and laid my head on the pillow to rest. “Yup…despite everything that’s happened, I guess this isn’t so bad.”
> Letters 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dear Princess Celestia,

My friend, Applejack has allowed our new friend, Zinnia to stay with her in exchange for helping around the farm. I admit I was a little concerned that she might have a hard time fitting in since she says she comes from Manehatten, but Applejack assured me that Zinnia seems to be having no troubles with her new environment. Rarity is also quite taken with her, as she has offered to take her to visit Ponyville’s spa for a girls day out. Considering how much she has been through, that is probably for the best. She seems like she could use a little relaxation. There is something that concerns me however, and I would like your opinion on the matter. 

I have been thinking about what Zinnia said in the hospital, about the ripples both my friend, Rainbow Dash and I have observed occurring over the Everfree Forest. I believe in my last letter to you, I had mentioned that they seemed to start only a month before Zinnia was found and have grown in size and frequency up until her arrival, after which they seem to have slowed once more. I believe that the two events are connected.

My current theory is that there may be something causing rifts to open across Equestria, though what the cause could be is still under speculation. These rifts may act as portals of a sort, allowing near instant travel between two locations much like how the teleportation spell works, but over much greater distances. This theory is supported by the fact that Zinnia has stated that she saw several such rifts occurring in the mountains to the south of Manehatten where she was camping, exhibiting evidence of sound transference (in the form of running hooves and angry monsters, potentially manticores, from her description.) 

I believe these rifts are responsible for her arrival here as well. It seems as though she has no contacts here in Ponyville, as her testimony to the guards was corroborated with the town’s roster of citizens via Mayor Mare. Unfortunately, Manehatten is far too large to request a similar transcript of their citizenry, so identifying her origins may be difficult, if not impossible at this point in time. From what I can tell, it would seem that she simply stumbled into one of these rifts by mere happenstance and wound up in one of the worst places luck could have placed her, save for maybe a volcano or dragon’s den.

I am still unsure as to why you would like us to keep an eye on her. She seems, for all intents and purposes, to be a normal pegasus (albeit one with an interesting special talent more befitting an earth pony, though to be fair, it wouldn’t be the first time in recorded history that somepony stepped outside their tribe’s general roles.) She seems content to remain in Ponyville for the moment, though I am sure she would like to visit home again despite her adventurous nature. I shall alert you, should she decide to leave, so that you may continue observing her should you still feel the need to. 

On another note, I am glad to report that Applejack has learned the importance of accepting help from others. She really is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help anypony. The only trouble is, when she needs help she finds it hard to accept it. So while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.





Princess Celestia rolled up the scroll and placed it in a growing pile of letters she had been receiving from her student. As expected, the tasks she had given her student were being performed dutifully as she had received at least one letter every week detailing a new discovery about the wonders of friendship, peppered with observations concerning the rifts happening over the Everfree. She sighed as she turned her head, throwing her tired gaze out of her window towards the setting sun. “It would seem that we may have been lucky…”

Celestia sat lost in thought for several minutes before a soft rapping sounded from her chamber doors, followed by her sister entering the room, doing her best to view the room around her through bleary eyes. Celestia smiled happily as Luna attempted to rub away the sleep with a hoof before spotting her sister. “Good morning, Tia,” the lunar princess said with a yawn.

“Good evening, Lulu. I take it you slept well?” Celestia stood to greet her sister, meeting her with a nuzzle as Luna stifled another yawn.

“Yes. With the veil having settled down, we were able to sleep much more soundly, sister. Praytell, has your student discovered anything new regarding the disturbances within the veil of magic?” Luna said sleepily, pointing out the new roll of parchment upon the pile. 

“Nothing we haven’t already been aware of, though she believes this new entity to be friendly in nature. She doesn’t seem to notice any difference between it and our ponies. I wish to believe that it’s just a foalish concern, but I fear that even if this ‘Zinnia’ is indeed harmless, it hearkens to a greater potential threat.” The solar princess wore a mask of concern in front of her sister, unable to stifle the worry growing within her. “Has it had any more dreams since it’s been recovered from the Everfree?”

Luna shook her head slowly, “No, not fully realized dreams at least. We felt it two nights past as it slumbered. The echoes of sadness and longing for home haunted it. It also felt embarrassment and fear as it weaved in and out of sleep last night, though for what we are unsure.” Luna took on a thoughtful appearance as she watched her sister’s sun resting atop the horizon, waiting to be put to sleep for her night to reign. “If what it feels is true, it may not be here of its own volition.” 

“In either case, we must proceed with caution. Nothing good has ever come from chaotic magics, and though I sense that this entity doesn’t contain any, it may yet pose a threat to us all. We don’t know what sort of world it comes from, or what forms of magic it may possess, if any at all.” Celestia’s horn began to glow as she spoke, quickly brightening in intensity as she gripped the sun with her power and lowered it, revealing a starlit sky. 

Luna’s horn then began to glow and a large pale disk lifted from behind the horizon, shedding its dim light across the lands that lay before them. “What do you mean, sister? Are you saying that it may not have any magic?” Luna turned to face her sister with a quizzical look after placing her moon just above the horizon. 

Celestia seemed unsure herself as she pieced together her thoughts, “It has the capability to control harmonious magic, but I feel no such magic flowing through. But that isn’t to say that it has no magic at all. It’s difficult to describe, but it's akin to a newborn foal. As though it’s unable to control the magic it has.”

“Then it should be of little concern, should it not?” Luna said, brushing off her sister’s growing paranoia. 

“Why do you believe it to be anything less than great concern, Luna. We do not have any experience with something like this.” Celestia was exasperated that her sister would act so nonchalant about this. For all she knew, the entity could simply open up a black hole and attempt to swallow all of Equus or subtly corrupt her ponies with dark magics for which they had no way of fighting. 

“Because, dear sister, how are we to know how to contend with a threat we know nothing about? Is that not why you tasked Twilight Sparkle with monitoring the entity? Do you not have faith in your student that she will discover what threat, if any, this creature may pose?” Luna could feel that she hit a nerve as she questioned Celestia’s faith in her student, but continued her line of reasoning un-phased by her sister’s glare.

“One does not attempt to put out a fire borne of oils with water. Overreacting to a situation without proper knowledge often leads to problems much larger than the original. Until we can determine the entity’s purpose here, it would be wise to maintain vigilance, but stay our action.” 

Celestia considered her sister’s words carefully. While Luna was the younger of the two, she often proved to have a more metered response to dangers such as these, tempering Celestia’s own somewhat impulsive nature. After mulling over Luna’s wisdom, Celestia sighed heavily and returned her attention to her sister with a smile. “I believe that may be the correct response. Though we should also be mindful to not sit idle while our uncertainty remains. Let’s allow Twilight to continue reporting her findings for now, and form our strategy from there.”

“We agree, that may be for the best,” Luna made to stand and stretch, pushing her forelegs forwards and extending her wings as she worked the stiffness from her muscles before approaching and nuzzling her sister. Celestia returned her affection with a stifled yawn of her own. “It would seem your day has been long, Tia. Take the moment to rest while all is calm. You may worry about what the future holds once you’ve had a good night’s sleep.” 

Celestia nodded with a smile as Luna lowered her head in a cordial bow before leaving her sister’s room to assume her duties. The stars wouldn’t align themselves, after all.  








	(Extra)


A low droning thrum echoed throughout the cavernous expanse of rocky tunnels, drawing her closer in an almost hypnotic trance. The sound buzzed, tickling her eardrums, beckoning her deeper into the catacombs with faint whispers promising shelter, comfort, and sustenance. The sounds of thousands of skittering limbs clamoring around the pitch black walls brought comfort to her, reminding her of her kin as they sang songs of sorrow. The deeper she went into the gloom, the more the noise increased in volume, the low droning becoming a steady rhythmic pulse as the voices sang louder of a paradise of love and despair. 

Thousands of blue and green orbs darted around the damp cave as the skittering and squelching of her family welcomed her home. It seemed like she’d been walking for hours now, her hard black limbs growing tired as she marched ever deeper, the strains of her kind rising into a deafening wail that threatened to burst her senses with every step she took. She winced in pain, but some inner voice drove her on, something whispering in her core, demanding her to continue. 

Her frilled ears felt as though they bled, and her brain practically vibrated within her chitinous skull as she pushed against the wall of sound before her, its sheer weight threatening  to crush her exoskeleton to dust, but just before she succumbed to the all consuming cacophony, it stopped. Silence fell in the darkness around her, the excruciating pain all but gone as her family fell silent, leaving her alone in the depths with nothing but the slow drip of water quietly echoing in the distance, barely audible over the ringing in her ears. 

But she wasn’t alone. The hundreds of pairs of eyes that had darted and skittered about the walls and ceiling all sat still, glowing like countless stars in the night sky, something she’s only seen a hoof full of times before. It was difficult to see where they were looking, since their eyes lacked pupils and irises to help one determine the direction of their gaze; But she felt them, as all of the eyes fell upon her. The ringing in her ears began to grow in an ever increasing pitch as the eyes on the walls seemed to pierce through her very being, begging her in their emotionless glare.

For several, long moments, her world was nothing but the eyes of her family and the tinnitus in her ears. Something under the ringing continued to whisper in a quiet, tortured scream. She focused on the voice, its familiar tones playing across her mind as she tried to grasp where she’s heard it before. “Re…”

Tears fell from her eyes as she struggled to remain conscious through the lancing pain  behind her twisted horn. Through the brine, she saw a shimmering portal showing a strange world beyond. Millions of strange creatures milling about with bored, sad, pained, happy, and desperate faces through forests of stone and glass. She stared through the portal, trembling as she held herself, unable to stop the seizures brought on by the blinding drill clawing its way deep into her psyche. “Re..rn…”

She threw her fang-filled maw open wide and screamed against the overwhelming stream of sound that accosted her but her own agonized wail fell silent against the all consuming din within her skull. She was unable to tear her eyes away from the portal before her, and her belly growled with the hunger of all of her kin and her Queen, threatening to consume what little soul she thought she had. The dissonant voices beneath the ringing became clearer until it pierced through her mind like a searing metal spear, driving her towards a single minded goal as her free will melted away like flesh in a wildfire...

“Return to the hive!”
> Nerves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spa days. Days where one visits healthcare professionals, dedicated to helping others through relaxation techniques and calming atmospheres in an attempt to relieve stress and rejuvenate one's body. I’d often heard talk among some of the women that attended the college in New York about their treatments; The mud baths, the saunas, the massages, facials, hair and skin treatments, manicures and pedicures…the list goes on really. It sounded luxurious and way out of my realm of comfort, but still a part of me was curious what a spa day would have been like back on earth. However…

“I thought this would be relaxing! Why the hay does that one pony look like a living pincushion!? And why does he look like he’s enjoying it!?” I thought to myself as a rather large stallion drove another metallic pin into a pony who seemed to be in heaven. I’ll never understand acupuncture…

Rarity must have mistaken my distress for awe as we walked into the “spa” together. She drew in a deep breath, enjoying the incense and scented oils that wafted through the building before turning to me, “Isn’t this place simply wonderful?”

She seemed perfectly relaxed as she made her way up to the receptionist, contrasted by me as I tensely followed closely behind her. The receptionist, a light violet colored pony with light cerise hair held back with a white headband, cheerfully greeted us with a thick Swedish accent, “Welcome back, Miss Rarity! I’m glad to see you could make your appointment today. Will you be having your usual?”

“Yes, please,” Rarity responded with a smile, “for two,” She added, pointing a hoof at me as I awkwardly stood there and waved. 

The receptionist positively beamed at me, obviously more excited for me to be here than I was. “I haven’t seen you here before! Are you visiting from out of town?”

“I guess you could say that.” I said stiffly as I rubbed my foreleg with a hoof absently. I really wasn’t good with introductions, and the happy groans from the porcu-pony weren’t helping in the slightest. 

“Now there’s no need to be so shy, Zinnia. We’re here to relax and enjoy ourselves! Especially you after all that you’ve been through lately.” Rarity said as she lightly tapped me with a hoof. 

“Well then, you’ve come to the right place! Now, there are a few things I’ll need before we can begin your appointment today,” the receptionist said as she pulled a clipboard from behind the counter. “Miss Rarity, if you would like to sign in while I have Miss Zinnia fill out a brief health history form, then I’ll bring you both back.”

“Health history form? I thought we were here for a spa day, not a check up.” I said as I looked at the paperwork placed in front of me. 

She stifled a laugh as I clumsily picked up the clipboard and a quill, “I see, so this is your first time at a spa then. Other than some basic information, the form asks a few questions about any previous injuries or skin allergies you may have so your beautician knows to pay special attention to, or avoid, them.”

“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” I mused as I looked over the short form, trying to think of something else to ask to prolong having to exercise my lackluster writing skills again. After reading it over I took the clipboard to a sofa and began slowly filling out the form, doing my best to write as clearly as possible. 

The form wasn’t too complicated, thankfully. Besides asking my name and a few questions about allergies and any self-care procedures I’d had done before, which I left blank, there was a single section at the bottom before the signature that I was unsure how to answer. “Do you have any other special needs or physical or medical conditions your beautician(s) needs to be aware of?”

“How do I explain that one? Do I just avoid the wing issue entirely? What if Fluttershy and Rainbow were right and I do have some sort of nerve issue, and this only makes it worse? I guess that means I should mention it then… I’m sure I can’t be the only one that has an issue like that, right?”

“It’s ok, darling.” Rarity said from beside me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. 

“When did you…?”

“Oh, I finished signing in a while ago. We’re just waiting for you to finish,” She said with a smile, which made me feel embarrassed for taking so long to do something so simple. “But I see that you appear to be stuck.” She leaned over to inspect my form a little closer, noting that most of it was blank. 

“I uhh…well, I’ve never been to a spa before so most of these questions don’t really apply to me.”

“Well…what about the last question? You were just recently released from the hospital after all. Just fill out that little section if something’s still troubling you, like your leg or your wings. The staff here are quite professional, so you wont need to worry about them releasing your personal information. Confidentiality and all that.” Rarity said, seeming rather eager to move on. 

“True, I almost forgot about my leg. It might feel pretty nice to…wait, Rarity?” I gave her a pointed look, “I never said anything about my wings, so why bring that up?”

Rarity’s smile took on a forced appearance, and I could almost imagine a bead of sweat forming as she nervously laughed. “Oh, did I say wings? I mean, you have been favoring your leg. I would have assumed you’d wish to stay off it as much as possible, but I haven’t seen you using your wings at all, so I assumed that they might be a tad sore as well. A pegasus’ wings can be rather fragile, after-all.”

Something about her change in tone didn’t sit right with me, but what she said seemed plausible enough. I thought about pressing the issue, but the lobby of a spa wasn’t really the place to be having that conversation. I sighed before noting my leg injury and “stiff wings” on the form before sloppily signing the form. “Sure. I believe that settles the paperwork then?” I asked as I returned the form to the receptionist. 

She looked over the form for a bit longer than I would have expected, scrunching up her muzzle in confusion as she read across what must have looked like moon-runes to her. After several seconds, I could see realization hit her and she nodded in affirmation, “Everything looks in order! I’ll make sure to let your beautician know about your special needs before they get started. Now if you follow me, I’ll give you a quick tour before your treatment.” Rarity stood up to follow us as the receptionist led us into the spa. I could have sworn I heard Rarity breath a sigh of relief, but I let it slide. 

“Rarity wouldn’t be trying to hide anything from me. It’s probably just me being paranoid again. Besides, she’ll probably hear about my wing problem sooner or later from AJ or Rainbow, so what’s the harm in telling her about it. Better to get over the embarrassment of it now than to have it hold me back more than it already does.” 

After showing us, well…mainly me, around the spa, the receptionist, who’s name I learned was Lavender Essence, led us to a locker room. Inside, there were several lockers set aside for guests to store their belongings, as well as towels and robes to change into and several showers to wash off in both before and after the treatment. I wondered to myself why a pony would need a bathrobe when most of them just went around naked all the time anyway, but assumed it was some sort of comfort or courtesy thing. Once we were prepped and changed, we began our long day of “relaxation.”

To be fair, it wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be. Our beauticians, a pair of twins named Lotus Blossom and Aloe Vera, explained each step of the treatment to me as we went. We were taken to a sauna first. I was told that it was to help relax sore muscles, as well as hydrate the skin and open pores. It was a bit more humid than I would have liked, but I felt my sore leg easing up and my skin felt cleaner than it had ever felt. I hadn’t realized how much tension I still held in my injured leg, even if it was mostly functional. 

Next they brought us out to the main floor, where there were several raised platforms with mirrors and pillows, as well as some reclining chairs, two small pits filled with some strange thick substance, and what I believed to be a large wooden bath or hot tub. They led us to the platforms first, where they spread some strange green paste over our faces and placed cucumber slices over our eyes. I was told they were masks meant to help pull toxins from our pores and the cucumbers were to prevent puffiness around the eyes. The masks tingled, almost burned at first, but as they dried and shrank I could feel them working the oils out of my skin. 

Whilst we waited for these masks to do their thing, Aloe and Lotus set about cleaning, trimming, filing, and polishing our hoofs. It sounded like it took them longer to finish with Rarity, but when my mask came off, I realized they were filing her horn. Somehow that seemed as though it would have been uncomfortable, every time the file scraped across her horn I couldn’t help but cringe. “Ok…kinda glad I wasn’t turned into a unicorn now.” 

Next, they brought us to the pits, which I learned were mud baths. I wasn’t too sure about that one until I saw Rarity willingly leap into one, her aversion to anything unclean obviously not on display. The mud was infused with minerals and oils to essentially perform the same task the masks did for our faces. The mud was warm and oddly comfortable, though I was afraid that it would stick all in my hair and feathers, though that worry was set aside when it washed off as cleanly as soap suds. 

At this point of the treatment, I finally had to admit that it was pretty awesome. Once we were cleaned up from the mud bath, we were laid out on cushioned lounge chairs and given a few magazines to look through while Aloe and Lotus left us for a few minutes. I wondered how much longer this whole experience would take, not that I was ready for it to end quite yet as being treated like royalty seemed rather addictive. They returned with several bottles, hair rollers, some kind of foil, and some other items I recognized as brushes, combs, and straighteners. 

They set about washing and conditioning our manes and tails, another experience I found to be supremely enjoyable. We were asked to look through the magazines and pick out a mane style that we liked, which proved to be a daunting task for me. I knew women had a much wider variety of hairstyles to pick from back home, but with our tails included the sheer amount of options were staggering. There were probably hundreds of different combinations, all of which were only the “popular” ones that were “in” this year. 

Rarity tossed twenty or so different options my way before I finally decided on one, just in time for them to style my mane. I had remembered Rarity saying how thick my mane was, and if Aloe struggling with its volume was any indication I believed her. Since I hadn’t the slightest clue how to braid my own hair, and most of the other styles in the magazines were way too over the top for me, I picked a simple “side tail,” much to Rarity’s dismay. 

By the time we arrived at the massage portion of our treatment I felt exhausted, but not in a bad way. I laid there with my eyes closed as Aloe prepped some pleasantly scented oil on her hooves and enjoyed the feeling of my body feeling more at ease than it had ever felt. Not a single muscle was aching, or felt tight, which only heightened the bliss I felt when Aloe began to dig her hooves into my upper shoulders near the base of my neck. 

Rarity, who apparently was receiving a slightly different massage from me, chortled as I turned into putty beneath my masseuse’s hooves. “I see you’re finally enjoying yourself, dear.”

I simply moaned in return as Aloe kneaded my neck and shoulders before moving on just past where my wings connected to my back. “I should do this more often…” 

“I can’t believe you’ve never had it done before! You simply must take better care of yourself, Zinnia. Especially since you spend a lot of time out there in the wild doing…whatever it is you do.” Rarity said, waving a hoof around in the air causing Lotus to stop her work while her client gestured. 

“Mhmm.” I responded, dumbly as I buried my face into the pillow they gave me to rest my head on during the treatment. 

“The girls and I come here together at least once a month or so,” Rarity stated, almost sounding proud of her patronage when Lotus chimed in with a thickly accented but playful scoff.

“The Elements, yes. You? We saw you just last week, Miss Rarity.” 

“I can’t help that my work is stressful. Why just last week I had an order for twenty dresses to be made and shipped to Fillydelphia and I had only four days to complete it!” Rarity lamented, throwing a foreleg over her face in a dramatic fashion. 

“Wow, how did you…ohhh, right there…How did you manage that?” I asked as Aloe continued to work her way up my back towards my wings again. 

“Well, it’s a long story. Filled with trials! Tribulations! Thimbles!” Rarity began, “I had received the order from none other than…” 

“Aaand you lost me. And from the looks of it, Lotus too. Aloe seems interested though, it kinda feels like she stopped.” I cracked open an eye to see Rarity going on about her ordeal, with Lotus rolling her eyes as she continued her work. Aloe, on the other hand, was indeed paying more attention to Rarity, but she was still moving as though she was working on my… “Uh oh…”

“Umm, excuse me, Alo…” I was too late. Before I could warn her about my wings, she had gotten too close between them and started moving flight muscles around. One nerve trigger was apparently all it took for my wing to launch into action, flinging itself straight up into the air like a mainsail being raised on a boat’s mast. Aloe let out a small shout and stumbled backward and onto another massage table before rolling off it and tumbling onto the floor, holding a hoof to her chin. 

I hopped off the massage table and made to assist my masseuse as quickly as my body would let me, “Aloe! I-I’m so sorry! Are you ok?” Her sister was also quickly by her side, checking her chin for damage before shooting me an angry glare. 

“Miss Zinnia! If you were uncomfortable with what she was doing, you simply had to say so!” Lotus chided as she helped her sister to her hooves. I stammered to try to defend myself, but between worrying about Aloe and feeling completely mortified that I nearly knocked out a beautician, all that came out was a garbled mess.

“Miss Lotus,” Rarity broke in, still perched on her massage table, “I believe that Zinnia’s form stated that she has recently been to the hospital, and that her wings may be…sensitive. As you can see, Zinnia may not be in full control of her actions either,” She pointed to my wing, standing proud and erect, pointed straight at the ceiling and as stiff as an oak plank. “Though it may also partially be my fault as well, for distracting everypony with such a riveting story.”  

Lotus looked at my wing for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. “My apologies. We should have taken more care with our client. Zinnia, if you please, return to your bed so we can finish.”

“B-but…I nearly took Aloe’s head off!” I argued, but Aloe held up a hoof to stop me.

“It’s ok. I was just more startled than anything. I’m fine.” She said, still rubbing her chin. “No one here is to blame but us. It’s our job to bring comfort to our clients, and I obviously failed in doing so. I apologize, Miss Zinnia.” She gave a little bow and came back to guide me to the table to finish, but I wouldn’t have it. 

“No! I should have told you personally that I was having a problem with my wings. I didn't think that it would happen again, so I opted not to tell any of you since it's…embarrassing.” I took a deep breath and explained what had happened with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash the previous day, and their diagnosis. Sure, it was still embarrassing to have to admit that I was a broken pegasus, but that paled in comparison to the humiliation of nearly knocking somepony’s lights out because I was afraid of something I didn’t even understand. 

After I finished explaining everything, Rarity had taken a thoughtful, but not very surprised look, while Aloe and Lotus whispered to each other. I simply wished I could disappear. After a moment, Aloe was the first to speak up, “Miss Zinnia, would you allow us to try something?”

“What do you want to do?”

“Well, we would like to try a deep tissue massage. Typically, that’s not possible since pegasi are extremely sensitive in the space between their wings; but for you, it may help.”

“We are also trained chiropractors, so we’d like to see if a realignment might help you.” Lotus added.

“I don’t want to hit you again…” I mewled, feeling absolutely pathetic about myself. 

“We will be more careful this time. You can trust us, Miss Zinnia.” Aloe said with a smile, which, thankfully, revealed no broken teeth or bruising from my wing’s outburst. 

“I agree with them, darling.” Rarity chipped in. “We won't know if it’ll help unless we try.”

I reluctantly agreed, to which the sisters smiled happily and went to work oiling themselves up again for the task at hand…hoof. Within minutes they had managed to work my wing back into place and began pressuring various spots between my shoulders, causing my wings to twitch or move of their own volition. Once satisfied with their findings, they set about their impromptu tag-team session. 

There was one additional incident of an errant wing rocketing off in a random direction, nearly sending a shampoo bottle careening through a window, but for the most part my useless wings behaved.

I had never had a chiropractic adjustment before, and they were too busy with their work to walk me through what was going on, but there were several times something popped that I was pretty sure wasn’t supposed to, and once where I thought they broke something before noting that pain never came. Each time something snapped or cracked I could feel a cool sensation rush through the affected area until they ended with a large spinal adjustment that left me breathless after half of my vertebrae seemed to shift out of an awkward position. 

The sisters stepped back, admiring their work while Rarity had stayed nearby with her muzzle in a magazine, though admittedly she looked a little greener than normal. “How are you feeling now?” Lotus asked, sounding almost out of breath. I couldn’t blame her, it seemed like it was a lot of work.

“Uhh…” I tried moving my wings again, but nothing happened. I did note that they felt…strange. As though they had fallen asleep and were just starting to wake up, just before the pins-and-needles phase of getting the blood flow back into a limb after having laid on it for too long. “They feel funny…”

Both the sister’s faces brightened up and the green in Rarity’s face dissipated, replaced with an excited grin. “Oh, Zinnia! That’s wonderful!” Rarity exclaimed.

“It…it is? Doesn’t feel so wonderful to me.” I said, pawing at my useless wings as they sat with an uncomfortable weight now apparent in them. “Am I just imagining that? I mean, I think I kinda feel them, maybe? I don’t like how heavy they seem though…”

“Of course it is!” Aloe chimed in, “Feeling anything is a huge step forward! Rarity’s friends may have been right about your problem, though it may take a few sessions to work out that nerve and have your wing functioning correctly again.”

“Hmm…” I continued pawing at the wings, trying to get used to the new sensation between my shoulders. It was little more than weight, but it was a feeling. Small victories. 

After the “excitement” of the massage tables, we soaked in the hot tub while Rarity went on and on about how great it was that the sisters were able to help. I was only half listening though, as I continued to fiddle with my wings. Something still felt wrong about them, but I wasn't sure what it was beyond them still not feeling right. Like they weren’t really mine, but something I stole.

By the time our soak had ended, so had our appointment and both Rarity and I were looking forward to leaving. She wanted to go tell Twilight all about today, and update her about my wings. I just wanted to go back to the farm and think.

Rarity settled up with Lavender Essence, who insisted that my extra session was free of charge this time around, and we headed on our way. I couldn’t remember what all we talked about the rest of the day, lunch was a bit of a blur, and most of the things in the market were uninteresting shapes in my memory. We parted ways shortly before sunset, Rarity exclaiming it to be a “fabulously successful day.” 

The entire way back to the farm I fought with myself, trying to figure out why I felt the way I did. I should have been just as ecstatic, if not more so, as Rarity and the Spa twins. Why wasn’t I? I had a feeling that I was starting to forget something important, but I couldn’t place what it was. 

Applejack filled me in with what the next day’s chores entailed, the normalcy of which helped ease my mind back into reality long enough to make it though dinner, then I excused myself to bed. After all, we were going to have a busy day on the farm tomorrow. It was supposed to have been a spa day; a relaxing day to recharge and rejuvenate, but I fell into an uneasy sleep, more exhausted than I’d been since the first few nights in Equestria.
> Consultation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, you’re telling me that you have family members and relatives in nearly every town across Equestria?” I asked as I followed behind Big Mac, who was effortlessly pulling a plow behind him. 

“Eeyup.”

“And your family hosts a reunion here every…one hundred moons? Is that right?” I tossed three pumpkin seeds from my saddlebags into the parted soil and quickly covered them before moving along.

“Eeyup.”

“Wow. It must be a pretty big event for everypony!” 

“Eeyup!” He said with a bit more enthusiasm, puffing his chest out with pride and grinning. 

“My family did something similar, too, though we had ours every year and it was only the immediate family that came by. It would have been nice to see my cousins a little more often.” I kicked a loose stone to the side and threw three more seeds into the earth, but before moving along I caught Big Mac looking back at me with a curious glance. His head was tilted to the side and one of his ears was markedly flatter than the other. 

“Well, I mean it’s been a while since I saw them last. I haven’t really seen my family at all since I moved into the city. I guess it just occurred to me that it would be nice to see them again.” 

We hit the edge of the field and turned to make another pass. The field we were working in was atop a small hill which afforded a decent view of Ponyville in the distance, and the Everfree forest beyond that. “It’s been almost a month now…” I thought to myself. Had I not been magicked away, I would have been on a plane heading back home to my family to spend the last bit of my summer with them before next semester. 

I had tried to avoid thinking about them by keeping myself busy with work at the Apple’s farm, but there were still moments where my mind would wander back to Earth. I wondered how my family was doing at that moment. Were they waiting for me to call them, to let them know I had made it to my destination and would be boarding a flight back home? Were they excited to see me and hear how my time at college was going, or if I had made any friends there? Were they getting worried that I haven't contacted them yet? How heartbroken would my mother be to realize that her son may never come home again, and she would never know what happened?

I felt some moisture building up in the corners of my eyes, which I quickly wiped away before haphazardly chucking a hoof full of seeds into the broken soil. “Now’s not the time to cry about it. Not in front of others, at least.” I thought to myself, but Big Mac had already noticed.

“Why not take a train? I’m sure your folks would like to see you just as much as you’d like to see them.” Big Mac said as he plowed on, eyes focused forward at some point on the other side of the field. 

“It’s not that easy…” I said under my breath as I tried to stifle a sniffle. Mac’s ears pricked as I mumbled. I wasn’t sure if he had heard me or not, but if he did he let it go. 

We continued our chore in silence for a while longer as the warm summer sun shone brightly on us. I noticed that I could feel the warmth reaching my wings now, and though it was strange to actually feel them, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Between the work, the warmth, and the sweat beginning to accumulate on my brow, the worries of the earlier conversation began to drift away. 

Eventually we struck up another conversation as we worked our way through the field and before long our task was complete. Big Mac unhooked himself from the plow and stretched his neck with a satisfying pop as he surveyed the pumpkin patch. Apparently content with the job, he nodded happily to himself, “Eeyup.”

“That didn’t take as long as I thought it would.” 

“Nnope.”

“Should we see if AJ needs help with her chore?” I asked as Big Mac moved the heavy metal plow off to the side and out of the way. 

“Eeyup.” He replied, before something in the sky caught his attention.

I turned to see what he was looking at, but what I saw confused me. A gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail was flying towards us at a fairly decent speed. As they got closer I could see that she was flying…upside down? 

“Uhh…is that normal?” I asked Big Mac, who chuckled in response.

“Eeyup.”

“Special delivery!” The gray pegasus called out as she came barreling towards us. 

“Isn’t she going a little fast?” 

“Eeyup.”

“Uh oh!” The pegasus called out as she came careening towards the ground in front of us, still upside down and now flailing her limbs as though trying to plant her hooves into something solid to slow herself down.

“We should probably move…”

“Eeyup.” 

We took a large step to the side and…

THUMP “Oww!” The poor mare’s bubble bemarked behind stood straight up in the air as her face and forelegs laid half buried in the loamy soil at the edge of the field. Big Mac turned his head and whistled to himself, a small blush across his face, while I attempted to help the clumsy thing back to her hooves. 

“Are you ok?” I asked as I helped her up. She shook some loose soil from her hair and looked around her before turning to me. 

“I am now! Everything went all topsy turvy on me while I was on my way here, but it looks like it's all normal again! Thanks for helping me up though!” She said with a smile, but I wasn’t so sure. One eye was looking roughly in my direction, while the other was staring at my hooves. 

“Uhh…you sure about that?”

“Yup! Sure I’m sure! Now what was I here for again?” She scrunched up her face and furrowed her brow in thought, which when coupled with her wall-eyed appearance made her downright adorable. “Oh! Right! I was looking for somepony to deliver this letter to!”

“A letter?” Macintosh asked, turning his head back to look at the newcomer.

“Uh huh! I am the mail mare after all! But I don’t recognize the name on the letter. It was posted to Sweet Apple Acres, but I thought it might be wrong since I don’t think this pony lives here.” She explained, as she rifled through her saddlebag for the letter in question. 

“Well, who’s the letter for? Maybe we can help?” I offered, but the gray mare shook her head. 

“I’m sorry, Miss, but I can’t reveal the names or addresses of other ponies. Letters are supposed to be confidential!” 

I was about to protest, but she realized Big Mac was still there, “Oh, hi Big Macintosh! Hey, do you know if somepony named Zinnia is around? I have a letter for her, but I didn’t recognize her name.”

“...So you won’t tell me that you’re looking for me, but you’ll tell Big Mac while I’m still right here? Just how ditzy is this girl?”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied with a grin. 

“Really? Where is she?” She replied, flaring her wings excitedly.

Big Mac pointed a hoof to me as I stood there still trying to figure out why it was ok to tell Big Mac “confidential” information, but not me, even though we were literally only a few feet from each other. She looked back to me and evaluated me for a moment before silently mouthing an “Oh…”

“Miss Zinnia?” She asked as she retrieved the letter from her bag.

“Yes?” I said, my right eye twitching a little.

“I have a special delivery for you from the Ponyville hospital.” She said through her teeth as she held the letter in her mouth. My eye twitched again as I imagined the paper becoming wet while it rested in her mouth.

“T-thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to deliver it.” I took the letter from her, and was surprised that it wasn’t even the slightest bit damp. 

“It’s my pleasure, and my job. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” She said proudly, though I had a feeling that “swift” and “accurate” may be two different matters entirely. “Oh, and if you ever need to send a letter, make sure you come by the Ponyville Post and ask for Ditzy Doo. That’s me! Now, I need to get back to delivering the rest of these letters. Wouldn’t want anypony missing anything important!” 

Ditzy gave a quick salute before blasting off towards town, flying sideways. I shook my head as I watched her go before turning back to Big Mac, “Guess I’m not the only one who has a flying problem.”

“Eeyup.”

We chuckled as Ditzy seemed to figure herself out. It was actually pretty relieving to see at least one other pegasus my age that had wing issues. Though I had to remind myself that I wasn’t really a pegasus, just a human in a horse suit. 

I sighed and turned my attention to the letter. I hadn’t expected to receive anything, let alone something from the hospital, and I wondered at what it could be. “Maybe the Doc want’s a ‘follow up’...Ugh…”  Memories of my embarrassing interaction with Dr. Horse floated through my mind, reminding me that both he and the staff there probably think I still had the hots for him which couldn’t have been further from the truth. I’d honestly been avoiding going back to the doctor to ask about my wings partially because of that but despite my concern and my better judgment, I tore into the letter.






    “Dear, Zinnia,

Our records show that it has been nearly one month since your release from our care at Ponyville Medical. While you were released with a clean bill of health, we often like to follow up with patients who have sustained significant injuries. We understand that you may be busy, but your continued health and recovery is important to us. Please feel free to stop in for a routine examination at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions or are experiencing continued difficulties or complications, we may address them during your exam.

Sincerely, 
Dr. Horse and Staff.”






I read over the letter to myself, sighing deeply upon finishing it. “Oh, thank the stars. I was worried it’d be Doc Horse writing to see what his “favorite patient” was doing this weekend.” My ears flattened and I shook my head to clear the idea, which only garnered a confused stare from my large red friend, who had been standing off to the side waiting for me to finish. 

“Oh. Sorry. The hospital staff want me to come visit for a re-examination to make sure I’m recovering ok. I feel fine though, so I should probably just decline. Besides, we have so much work still left to do here before the fall harvest starts…” 

“Nnope,” Big Mac interjected. 

“Really, it’s ok. I mean, I can feel my wings again so I bet they’re probably fine, right?”

“Nnope,” He replied, a little more sternly.

“But what about the potatoes? And Applebloom still wanted me to help her fix a loose board in her tree house today!” I argued, though my protestations landed flat. 

“Nope,” his ears were now flat against his head and he planted his hooves into the dirt as if to physically resist my words. “Your health comes first.”

“Tsk. Sometimes you act like you’re my older brother too,” I countered, kicking a loose pebble down the hill. Mac visibly cringed at the remark, but kept his position. He obviously wasn’t going to let me get away with avoiding the issue. “Fine…I’ll go,” I relented, rolling my eyes as Big Mac’s face lightened up.

“Eeyup.” He replied, victoriously as he began escorting me back to the farmhouse to wash up and collect my things. Something in my gut told me that I wasn’t going to like this.





“This sucks…” I muttered as I sat sullenly in a waiting room chair for my turn to see the doctor. There weren’t very many patients other than myself, but they all seemed to have different ailments. I recognized a brown stallion from my first impromptu visit here, who seemed to have returned with a broken leg once again. He gingerly rubbed his splinted limb as he whimpered angrily about some sort of hole at the edge of town and how “those fillies are always causing trouble.” Poor guy. 

I heard giggling from behind the front counter and turned to see Nurse Redheart and Mrs.Care enjoying some private conversation. The paranoid part of me wanted to believe they were imagining how my first date with the doctor was going to go which only made me want to escape even more than I already did. “Yup, I knew I wasn’t going to like this.”

“Zinnia?” A familiar voice called out from the hallway, “The doctor is ready for you, dear.” Nurse Sweetheart waved with a smile as she beckoned me to follow her. I flashed her a quick, nervous smile in return before begrudgingly dismounting my chair and trotting after her. She led me to a scale and quickly took my height and weight and scratched some notes onto her clipboard before leading me to a room near the middle of the hall. 

The room was small and had very little in the way of decoration or equipment. A single medical bed, two chairs, a sink, and a monitor of some sort were the only items in the room aside from an anatomical model of the skeleton of a pony with various colorful organs placed inside of it. Sweetheart took me inside and had me sit on the bed while she washed her hooves and punched some buttons on the monitor. 

It wasn’t unlike any other doctor’s visit on Earth. The monitor was some form of machine that measured one’s vitals. She took my heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and the like, noting that my heart was being a bit more active than she would have liked. I couldn’t help it though. My nerves were getting the better of me, and I was beginning to regret not trying to run away from Big Mac while he escorted me to the hospital. Not that I would have been able to get away from him, he was pretty fast for as big as he was. 

Sweetheart finished taking her notes and turned to leave, “Doctor Horse will be with you shortly, Zinnia,” she said as she exited the room and shut the door behind her, leaving me alone to my thoughts. At least, for a moment. The door creaked open once again as she poked her head back inside. “And dear, it’s just a check-up. Take a few deep breaths and relax. It’ll be over before you know it.” She smiled warmly before closing the door once again. I could hear her trot down the hall, this time actually leaving me to myself. 

I tried to take a deep breath and relax, but the anxiety in my chest remained. “Relax, Zinnia. Focus. He’s a professional…mostly. He just wants to make sure his patient is recovering correctly, that’s all. Besides, if he does ask I’ll just turn him down. No big deal. I’m not interested in him…I’m not even a pony anyway so what’s it matter, right?”

I took another deep breath. Doctor Horse’s perceived affection aside, that’s not what bothered me. On the way to the Hospital, Big Mac had done his best to convince me to ask about my wings. Several other ponies already knew about my difficulties at this point. Even Applebloom had figured it out, which didn’t help matters much as she had told her two little friends, who then I’m sure told others. So why did I still feel so awkward about the subject?

It had been a while since I sat still, quiet and alone like this. Left to my thoughts, my mind went to work picking apart that question relentlessly. “It’s awkward because I’m a pegasus that can’t fly, right? But I’m not really a pegasus. I’m a human…or at least I was one. Now I’m a pony…but no matter how hard I try, I can’t help but remind myself I’m not.

“Physically, I’m no different to everyone else. I’m one of them. But I know I’m not one of them. I’ll never really fit in here because I don’t belong. But is that true? I mean, life at the farm is simple enough…The Apples don’t really seem to care who I am or where I came from, they seem content with me as I am.” I looked at the model of the pony on the counter, eyeing over the bones and internals when the big question finally hit me.

“But, who am I?” I could feel my heart skip in my chest and my gut sink, “If I’m not a pony, and I’m not a human…and I’m not the old me, and ‘Zinnia’ is a lie I made up to blend in…who am I? Do the Apples only like the pony I’m pretending to be? Would they still accept me if they knew? Applejack and her family have been nothing if not accommodating, hospitable, and honest with me the entire time. They didn’t have to let me stay with them, but they trusted me enough to give me a room. They allowed a stranger like me to live and work with them for nearly an entire month…and I’ve done nothing but lie to them.

“That’s not me…I don’t want to lie, but I’m afraid if I tell them the truth that I’ll lose the only friends I have here and I’ll be alone again. Even if I’m alone in my mind, at least I still have them. But what if they figure out I’m not who I say I am. What if they think I’m a monster?” I felt tears beginning to build in my eyes. “What if I am a monster…” 

I shifted uncomfortably on the bed as I struggled in vain to slow the tears beginning to fall. Was everything I said, did, and felt this last month a lie then? Was I even lying to myself? How could I even be sure I was really me anymore? That uncomfortable feeling I had after the spa, the awkward embarrassment about my wings, my insistence on reminding myself that I’m not one of them; was it all just an effect of the lie I kept living? Or was I afraid of becoming something else, trying to hold onto what I thought made me human while trying to blend in with the ponies and in the process becoming neither, but something in between. 

If I was something in between, not pony nor human…what did that make me? “What am I? Am I nothing?”

I could feel myself starting to slip away, somewhere dark, lonely, and unreachable, when three loud knocks echoed through the tiny room. I nearly jumped out of my skin and through the ceiling at the sudden sound, but was grateful that it brought me back up from whatever pitch black mire my mind had sunk to. I tried to quickly wipe my eyes and face of the tears that had fallen, but wasn’t quite fast enough to beat the doctor and his assistant as they strode into the room.

“Ah! Zinnia! I’m glad to see you again. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come back for your follow-up, since I had sent that letter a week ago.” Doctor Horse said as he made his way through the room to the sink without looking at me. He quickly started washing his hooves in the sink while reviewing the notes on his clipboard. His assistant, however, was much more attentive to me.

“Zinnia? Are you ok?” Another familiar voice asked as I continued to rub my face and sniffle, trying to hide my emotional distress. I recognized the voice, but it was one I hadn’t heard since Rarity and Pinkie took me to the cafe. 

“Twilight?” I asked, trying to reign myself in and doing a miserable job at it. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I, uhh…I’m here to help Doctor Horse with some new medical equipment he received from Canterlot today.” She replied lamely, which garnered a strange look from the doctor, but before he could say anything she continued, “But that doesn’t matter. You look like you’ve been crying. Is everything ok? You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“N-no. I just…have a lot on my mind right now. I-I’ll be fine. I think.” It was a pretty terrible excuse, but I wasn’t about to spill the beans in front of the Love Doctor and the pony I was still pretty sure was hiding something from me. 

Twilight was clearly concerned though, as she decided the best place for her to sit was on the bed right beside me. She hesitated for a moment before bringing her head close, putting her cheek and the side of her head into contact with mine. I was confused, before I realized she was nuzzling me in an attempt to make me feel better. It was the first time a pony had done something so personal and heartfelt that I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just closed my eyes and leaned into her.

“I know you’re struggling with a lot right now, Zinnia. Honestly, I can sympathize with you because I know what it’s like to have your world flipped upside down. It’s hard, and it can be confusing, and frustrating, and scary. But you have friends who you can turn to if you feel lost or alone. We’ll be here for you, no matter what.” Twilight said as she wrapped me in a hug. 

Her words were sincere, and I could feel her heart reaching out to mine. She meant what she said, and I felt lucky that someone like her considered me a friend, but her words were bittersweet. I couldn’t help but feel guilty as the growing darkness in my mind reminded me that she only liked the lie, not the real me.

It wasn’t enough to prevent a real smile from my face though as I returned her hug. I didn’t realize how much I needed one of those. Unfortunately, neither did the doctor as he cleared his throat to garner our attention. Twilight let me go, blushing slightly underneath her purple coat as she realized how embarrassing she was being. I was reluctant, but decided leaning my shoulder against hers would suffice for now as the doctor took a seat.

“Well, emotional difficulties aside, how has your recovery been? I believe Nurse Sweetheart mentioned that your limp is pretty much non-existent now.”

I sniffed one last time to clear my head before answering, “Yes. I’m pretty much back to normal. I’ve even been able to help Applejack buck apples at her farm.” 

“I see. While I would have liked for you to have taken it easy till now, it seems that my concern was unfounded. You appear to be much healthier and in better condition than you were when you last visited as well. I take it you’ve been taking advantage of Applejack’s baking?”

I blushed a little at that remark, looking down at my belly. I knew I had become stronger in the last month on the farm, and I could even make out some definition in my leg muscles, but did I start gaining weight too? “I, uhh…”

“Oh, no. My apologies. Your weight is ideal, I simply meant you appear to be eating better than when you first arrived.” He said, nervously chuckling at his own mistake.

“Oh, yeah. I mean, apple pies are definitely better than random wild mushrooms.”

“Indeed. You’ll be in for a treat when the Zap Apples come in. Granny Smith’s Zap Apple Jam is unbelievable.” He said, with a hungry look in his eye. I had heard it was good, but he looked almost lustful as he talked about it. 

“So I’ve heard. I think we’re expecting them to come in next year.” 

“Oooh, I can’t wait! But enough about that. Have you had any issues with your memory? If I remember correctly, you seemed to have some difficulty with short term recall after your accident.” He flipped to a new page on his clipboard and began jotting down some notes.

“No, sir.”

“Any headaches, nausea, tingling sensations?”

“No, sir.”

“Excellent. I was a little worried. Head trauma large enough to cause lapses in memory can often have recurring issues or a prolonged recovery time. I’m glad to see that you seem to have flown over that hurdle as well.” 

I felt my wings involuntarily twitch at the mention of the word “flown.” I knew I had to breach that subject soon, but was dreading it. Twilight, who I was still leaning on, definitely felt it too as she jumped slightly at my wing’s reaction. She looked at me expectantly, but I ignored her for the moment.
    
“Of course your scratches and cuts have healed nicely with little scarring. It would have been a shame if the damage was much worse. I think your friend, Rarity would agree that your mane and tail are far too pretty to ‘suffer such an atrocity.’” He was partially mocking Rarity, which Twilight giggled at, but I could tell that he was starting to work up his courage and test the waters with me. 

“True. You should have heard Rarity after their spa day. She wouldn’t stop lamenting Zinnia’s choice in mane styling.” Twilight added, happily. 

“I’m sure no matter the choice, it would have looked great.” Dr. Horse said, matter-of-factly though he maintained eye contact with me and gave me a grin. 

“...so is Twilight my wing-pony now?” I simply rolled my eyes and awaited his next question. 

He paused for a moment to awkwardly clear his throat before continuing, “Yes, anyway, it seems like everything is in order here. Were there any other issues that you may have been experiencing? It could be physical or psychological, like mood swings, a change in sleeping patterns, maybe some other physical issue that may have developed that seems tangential to the original injuries sustained. Even if it’s something small?”

I inwardly winced at the question. If I was going to ask him about my wings, that would be the time. Part of me wanted to tell him no and skip the issue all together, the same part of me that wanted to believe that my body and wings weren’t really mine at all. On the other hoof, if I didn’t bring it up and it was a bigger issue than just not being able to fly, it could mean missing a chance to fix the issue before something happened to make it worse. 

Apparently, Twilight noticed my long moment of hesitation and pushed me to get my attention. “There is something, isn’t there?” She asked, but the look in her eye told me that she might already know what it was. Damn her friends and not being able to keep a secret…

I nodded and swallowed hard, my ears tilted back of their own accord as well giving my uneasiness away even more than my stalled response. “I umm…well…I haven’t been able to use my wings since the accident. I also haven’t been able to feel anything with them until recently, either.” 

Twilight sat there with her shoulder against mine, providing me with a feeling of support that was reaffirming, but something in the way she weighed my response in her mind also made me feel uneasy. I could almost see the gears in her head kick into motion.

The doctor looked up from his clipboard with a bit of surprise on his face. “Oh? Why didn’t you tell us about that when you were first admitted?” He chided.

“Well…it was umm…embarrassing?” I responded lamely, which only made Dr. Horse more frustrated. His ears were now firmly pinned to his head and if looks could kill I’d be well on the way to being readmitted. 

“Embarrassing or not, your health should always take priority! If it were a broken bone, it could have set improperly by now, or if there was some serious nerve damage, it could have been something we could have fixed! Waiting this long to alert us to something so serious as a pegasus losing her ability to fly simply because it’s ‘embarrassing’ is beyond foalish!” Dr. Horse had now stood up and was making his way towards me with a fire in his eye. 

I shrank back, debating if running may be a good idea when his horn lit up. I still had very little experience with unicorn magic, and the threat of an angry unicorn stallion blasting me by accident ran through my mind. I nearly bolted from my bed when a warm sensation enveloped one of my forelimbs and it raised on its volition. I struggled to yank away from the Doctor's light blue magic aura but it was no use, my meager physical strength was no match for magic. 

He approached me and lowered his face closer to mine, to which I closed my eyes and turned my head. “Oh buck, he’s gonna…I-I don’t know what he’s gonna!” I heard a glass tinkling across the room, then after a brief moment a sharp pinch pricked the limb he had grasped in his magic. “Ow!”

“Oh, calm down. I’m just taking a blood sample for testing.” He said with an air of mild irritation. 

“Testing?” I asked, daring to open my eyes to see that he was indeed drawing a small test tube of blood. I felt a little uneasy looking at it, not because I was averse to blood, but because he took it without asking. Then again, it was my fault for not bringing up something so significant earlier. Guess he figured the sooner he could get it, the sooner he could diagnose whatever condition I may have.

“Yes, testing. Miss Zinnia, I’m not sure if you are aware but losing your ability to fly isn’t something so trivial. There should have been a litany of tests performed to determine the damages done and how, or if, it could be treated! How in Equestria have you been content to avoid this conversation for so long?” He continued reprimanding me as he removed the needle and placed the tube in a rack on the sink counter and the needle he used into a bio-hazard bin. 

I wasn’t sure how to answer that question, so I simply sat in whipped silence as he bandaged the new hole in my leg and released me. I winced as I regained control of my limb, placing the now slightly sore leg back to on bed. 

“Well, at any rate, it’s good that you brought it up at all. With any luck it won't be anything significant and can still be corrected, but we won’t know until the results from your blood work come back. I ask that you remain here while I see to it.” He grabbed the tube rack and his clipboard in his magic and made his way to the door.

“How long will that take?” I asked quietly, trying to avoid making him more irate. 

“Certainly shorter than a month.” He said quickly before trotting out of the room and shutting the door behind him. 

Twilight looked at the door in surprise for a moment before speaking. “Wow. I’ve never seen him that upset before.”

“Ouch, thanks for the salt Twilight. I can rub it in myself though.” I whimpered, looking down at the bandage on my leg.

“He’s just trying to look out for you, Zinnia. It’s his job to help ponies who are hurt, but it’s not easy to do that when ponies won't tell him if they are hurt. He’s not a mind reader, after all.” She said, doing her best to explain his position, but kind of making me feel worse in the process. 

“I know, it’s just…”

“Embarrassing?” She deadpanned.

“Ugh…Not as embarrassing as getting yelled at by a healthcare professional.” I muttered. 

“If what the nurses say is true, he won’t stay mad at you for long,” She said with a wink.

“Please don’t remind me.”

Twilight giggled, “I take it he’s not your type?”

“I don’t even know if I have a type, Twi.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“That’s not what Rarity says.” She said in a teasing manner, to which I could only bury my head in my hooves and groan. Twilight continued to laugh for a moment before she got quiet. Despite her poking fun at me, it helped take my mind off the brow beating I got. 

We sat in silence for a moment before she tapped my shoulder with a hoof. “So, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” I said with my face still hidden in my hooves. 

“You said it was too embarrassing to talk about your wings not working, but you’ve told Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. Why tell them about it, but not the doctor?” 

“How did you know that I told them about it?” I asked unstuck my face from my hooves to look at her curiously. 

“Fluttershy told me that you had come to her for help, and Rarity told me you accidentally hit Aloe during your spa day.” 

“Oh…that.” I blushed bright red and stuck my muzzle back into my hooves. 

“Aloe isn’t upset with you, ya know.” She said, putting a hoof on my side.

“I almost wish she was. I don’t think I’d feel as bad about it if she were.”

“Well, she isn’t. So try not to let it bother you too much, ok? But why not tell the doctor about your problem earlier?”

I still didn’t know how I was supposed to answer that question. I couldn’t just tell her that I was some alien creature from another world, transformed into a pony that couldn’t use her own wings. “I guess…once Applejack figured it out, she convinced me to tell Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash about it. It’s hard to hide things from AJ…and well…Rarity and the spa sisters kinda found out by accident. Rainbow had said something about somepony at flight camp having an accident and needing surgery and I guess maybe that freaked me out a little.”

“She must have meant Stormwind. His injury was pretty bad, but he recovered well and is currently a member of the Ponyville Weather Team. Was the fear of being unable to fly again so bad that you would have rather run away from it than face it?” She asked.

“I guess so? But isn’t it kind of the same either way?”

“It isn’t. If you had faced your fear, you might have been out there flying right now instead of being in here, hiding your face in your hooves and having a ‘come to Celestia’ moment with the doctor.” She remarked pointedly.

“A ‘come to what?’” 

“You know, Princess Celestia? One of the diarchs? The Princess who raises the sun every morning?” She asked, seeming rather confused about my question. 

“Oh! Y-yeah. Sorry, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that phrase before.” I said, trying to laugh off my ignorance but only garnering a critical look from Twilight. “There’s no way that’s right. Princess, maybe. Being responsible for the movement of celestial bodies? No bucking way…”

“Anyway, running away from your problems isn’t going to help you solve them, Zinnia. If you were scared of the idea of having a surgical procedure done, then you should have just said so. No one would blame you for being scared of something like that. And remember what I said earlier? You have friends who you can turn to, so if you feel like you can’t handle something on your own you can always rely on us to support you.”

“You’re right. It’s just…it’s been a lot. Sorry for being stupid.” I said with a huff. 

“You aren’t stupid. You just don’t always make good decisions. But that’s ok, everypony messes up.” She lowered her head to nuzzle me again, just as the doctor returned to the room. 

“Well, Zinnia. If you weren’t already the luckiest pony in Ponyville, you certainly meet that criteria now.” Doctor Horse said as he trotted past us and back to his seat. He threw himself into it and sighed heavily before flipping through another stack of papers he had carried in with him. 

“What do you mean, Doctor? What did her blood work say?” Twilight asked, eager to learn what could be the cause of my affliction. I was simply surprised that they were able to process it so quickly. 

“As you know, Twilight, Zinnia suffered at least one major concussion when she fell into the Everfree Forest. A severe concussion can lead to many things: Hearing loss, a decrease or loss of sight, decreased coordination, narcolepsy or insomnia…you get the picture. One of a more rare subset of conditions that can occur though, is nerve damage.

“During a concussion, the brain can undergo chemical or physical changes as it gets jostled around inside the skull. Those changes can upset how the brain functions and processes the information it receives from around the body, among other things. In some cases, a severe enough concussion, or trauma in just the right spot, can cause somatic nerve dysfunction.”

Twilight sat there, nodding in total comprehension while I stared dumbly as the stallion explained. “Uhh…so, let’s pretend I don’t understand what you just said…” I said, receiving a sigh and a smile from the Doctor. “Yup, Twi was right. Didn’t take him long to get over being mad at me.”

Dr. Horse took on a studious appearance and continued, “Ok. Let’s start with the two major nervous systems and define what they are. There is the autonomic nervous system: Those are the nerves that control involuntary actions such as your heartbeat and your breathing. Then there is the Somatic nervous system: Those nerves transmit signals to the skeletal muscles as well as control voluntary actions, such as moving your legs or your wings.” He explained as he used the anatomical model for reference. 

“Because a concussion can change the way your brain interprets information, it can lead to issues with a variety of systems within the body. Some ponies start confusing smells, while others may discover they have difficulty maintaining balance. A pony who suffers from somatic nerve dysfunction as a side effect of a concussion may experience difficulties telling their bodies what to do or how to move.”

“So what you're saying is that when I hit my head, the concussion damaged my brain in a way that stopped my brain from telling my wings how to work?” I asked, feeling the familiar feeling of anxiety beginning to rise in my chest. 

“Yes, that’s correct.” The doctor responded. 

“So it’s like what happened to Stormwind.” Twilight said, leaning a little harder into me.

“Well, not quite. I did say she was the luckiest pony in town afterall.” Dr. Horse said with a grin. 

“How’s that lucky?” I asked sharply, quickly becoming annoyed with how he was being coy with his responses. 

“While you and Stormwind have similar issues, his weren’t from a concussion. He broke his neck just above the shoulders. I’m sure I don’t need to explain the type of effect that would have on a pony’s nervous system.” 

I shuddered at the thought. No wonder Fluttershy started turning pale when Rainbow Dash brought him up. That stallion must be tough to still be able to fly after that. 

“That is why he required surgery to regain his ability to fly, or even walk at all. His resilience is rather remarkable. You, however, will need no such action to recover your abilities. You see, while your concussion was fairly severe, the brain has the ability to rebuild severed connections between neurons. Typically, patients suffering from somatic nerve dysfunction as a result of head trauma recover some or all of their mobility after a period of time that varies by the individual and how much they use the part of the body that was affected.”

“Oh!” Twilight jumped to her hooves on the bed and pranced in place, “It’s almost like having to relearn to walk, or fly in Zinnia’s case!” 

“Exactly. Zinnia, you haven’t lost the ability to fly. Your brain simply ‘forgot’ how to use your wings. There may have been some pain or numbness associated with it as well, but as your brain repairs those connections, you should regain proper feeling and use of your wings.”

That…made sense. It’s not that it was a pinched nerve like Aloe and Rainbow thought it was. It just so happened that their massage and the stretches were helping my brain reconnect to my wings. “I guess I’m not as broken as I thought…” I said under my breath. I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to have an invasive procedure done on me, but that dark little part of my mind wished they had stayed unusable. At least then my body would have reflected how my mind felt.

“No…I should be happy about this. I should be ecstatic that I can actually use this body properly at some point. I should be happy. So why aren’t I?”

“There’s one more issue though that’s a bit…troubling.” Dr. Horse interjected, causing Twilight to stop prancing in place and me to snap back to reality. 

“What’s that?” I asked, feeling as though I’d regret it.

“When we ran your blood work there was a distinct lack of magic that came back in the report.” He flipped over a few pages in his stack until he found what he was looking for. He pulled it from the stack and floated it over to me. “That page shows two results. One result is a normal baseline for a healthy pegasus mare like yourself. The other is yours.”

I wasn’t a medical student. I knew trees and rocks, animals and plants, and really only the ones back on Earth. But even to me something looked way off. The baseline chart had a line that read fairly high on the graph and wavered only slightly, while mine hovered near zero at the start and gradually climbed to a still rather low mark compared to where it should be. 

Twilight gasped beside me, which only deepened my suspicion that something was very wrong. She grasped the page in her magic and stuffed it in her face, reading over every number and tracing the lines on both graphs before looking at me with dismay, then back to Dr. Horse. 

“That can’t be right! Dr. Horse, these readings suggest that Zinnia’s connection to the magic of harmony was basically non-existent when she was first admitted! It’s only just started to recover! Why didn’t you bring this up to us while we were here originally?” Twilight said, now taking her turn to be angry with the doctor. 

“Well, we thought the test may have been incorrect. That’s why we requested new equipment from Canterlot which you yourself helped us set up nearly two weeks ago.” Dr. Horse explained calmly. “We sent a letter to Zinnia where we believed she was staying a week after the equipment arrived to give us time to familiarize ourselves with it before the follow-up examination, but Zinnia took her time coming back.”

“But I just received the letter this morning! You sent it a week ago? How long does it take a letter to get to somepony around here? Actually, you know what, I spoke with Ditzy Doo personally. I think I know that answer.” 

Twilight face-hoofed, causing her face and muzzle to stretch as she dragged her hoof down. “Well, that’s just great. I’ve never seen anypony with magic levels this low before, and I couldn’t even study you or your recovery because somepony can’t deliver a letter! Ugh! That was a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

“Uhh…Twilight, I’m still right here ya know. I thought I was your friend, not a science experiment.” I said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“I mean, you are! But what if somepony else has a similar issue and doesn’t recover like you did? Learning about your condition and how you recovered could have made a difference to somepony in the future! I could have written a book about it!” She complained. 

“Right…so what does this all mean?”

“Well for starters, even if your wings were working perfectly fine you wouldn’t have been able to fly anyway, or move clouds or stay warm at high altitudes…and thank Celestia Rainbow Dash didn’t try taking you to Cloudsdale.” Twilight continued ranting. 

“What?!” I nearly shouted. “Pegasi can freaking move the clouds around? That’s insane!” I thought to myself, completely taken aback by how awesome I could have been and didn’t even know. Being grounded and keeping busy with work on the farm kept my eyes from straying too much, so I guess if pegasi were moving things around for fun I just hadn’t noticed it yet. “So wait…Cloudsdale…if that’s a city in the sky…if I had tried walking on the clouds would I have just fallen through? Oh…buck me sideways…”

“I know. It’s rather shocking, but remember: a pegasi’s magic is tied to their ability to fly and keep their body temperature up even at extreme altitudes. Without it, you wouldn’t have been able to even walk on the streets of Cloudsdale without falling through.”

“Yup. That answered the question I didn’t need answered. This world is terrifying.”

“But it appears that your body was able to recover from…whatever it was that happened to you. I’ve never seen, or heard of, anypony who’s magic was at near zero but whatever it was that happened wasn’t permanent, thank Celestia.” Dr. Horse added, somewhat frazzled by the turn of events.

“So, I’ll recover and be normal again?” I asked, though ‘normal’ didn’t really apply to me at all anymore. 

“Yes. I believe it may yet take time for your body to fully regain its magic, but you will make a full recovery as far as I can tell.” 

“Dr. Horse, Zinnia, I understand that patient confidentiality is important, but I would like to have a copy of your blood work to study. I’d like to know what may have caused your magic levels to drop so dangerously low, and how you managed to even survive. As far as I’m aware, that shouldn’t even be possible.” Twilight asked, still looking over the sheet of paper as if burning a hole through it with her eyes would yield some hidden information. 

“Usually, the answer would be ‘no,’” Dr. Horse sighed, “but since it’s you, I’d be willing to allow it if Zinnia is ok with it as well. It is her private information and medical records after all.” 

I thought about it for a moment. If the doctors say it’s ok, for whatever reason, then it should be ok, right? I don’t understand why Twilight has so much sway, but it must be for a reason. Besides, there can’t be anything more incriminating in there than my magic being at zero, right? “I guess it’s ok. Just promise me you won’t share it with anypony else? Like, for real this time? I know how information spreads between you and your friends.”

“Our friends,” Twilight corrected with a smile, “and yes. I promise I won’t share your medical records with anypony else.”

“Ok. I trust you, Twilight.” I didn’t have much choice but to at this point. “I’m sorry, but are we almost done? It’s…been a day.” I asked, ready to just go back to Sweet Apple Acres and collapse in bed. 

“Yes. You won’t be needing any medications, so we don’t have to worry about filling prescriptions. I just recommend doing some stretches and practicing using your wings everyday, even if you have to use your hooves to move them around at first. You’ll find they’ll work again soon enough.” Dr. Horse said with a smile as he opened the door with his magic for us. 

Twilight and I dismounted the bed and thanked him for his work before making our way out of the room where he handed Twilight a copy of my blood work. She thanked both of us for the opportunity to study it, and Doctor Horse for letting her sit in on my visit. I still wasn’t sure why she was allowed to, especially since doctor-patient confidentiality was apparently a thing in this world too, but my mind was too haggard to entertain the thought for long.

We parted ways with Dr. Horse and had made it nearly to the end of the hall before he caught up to us once again, looking as though he nearly forgot to ask… “oh no…”

“Zinnia! I nearly forgot to ask. You see, I have two tickets to a play in Phillydelphia next week-”

“Yeah, no. We’re gonna stop that right here.” I thought to myself as I turned to face him. He looked hopeful, but I was about to crush this poor stallion’s dreams. 

“Sorry, Dr. Horse, but it probably would be better if we kept our relationship as doctor and patient. I appreciate the offer though, and wish you luck finding somepony to go with you to the play.” I said, putting on a pleasant smile as I tried to let him off easy. 

His face melted back to its normal, professional demeanor as he cleared his throat, “I see. Yes, that is probably for the best. Well, I wish you good luck on your recovery, Miss Zinnia. Please take care of yourself.”

Twilight and I finished signing off on paperwork before taking our leave of the hospital, waving to the nurses as we exited the building. Nurse Redheart, Nurse Sweetheart, and Mrs. Care were gathered around the front desk whispering to each other as Dr. Horse came back into the room to call in his next patient. 

“Ah. I see your appointment with Zinnia went well. Were you able to ask her all the questions you wanted to ask?” Mrs. Care asked cheerfully.

“I did.” Dr. Horse answered shortly, motioning for a mare with a cough to follow him back.

“How did it go?” Nurse Sweetheart asked.

“I may be a doctor and a surgeon, but even I can’t splint a broken heart.” He and his patient walked back to one of the open rooms, while the three mares looked at each other with a mixture of confusion and pity. 
> Cloudwalker
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How did it come to this…” I thought to myself as I sat in front of a pony, being judged for a crime I didn’t commit. “Just earlier today I was helping AJ make apple cider, having a blast. Now I’m sitting here on trial for theft and vandalizing private property…what’s this world come to?”

The gavel struck the podium as the small judge shrieked over the small “crowd” of dead-eyed onlookers. “Order! Order in the court!” A giddy smile danced across her face, but was quickly sniffed out when she remembered where she was. “The trial will now commence. The prosecution will now make her opening statement.”

“Of course, your honor.” Another small pony stood up on her side of the room and cleared her throat, her short-cut pinkish-red hair bouncing lightly in the breeze created by her tiny orange fluttering wings. “Yesterday, a building on Sweet Apple Acres was broken into and vandalized. A single item was taken from inside the building, a cape with the Cutie Mark Crusaders emblem embla…emb…” The prosecutor stuttered, unable to manage the word she was trying to say.

“Emblazoned?” The judge, a white unicorn with a two-tone pink and purple mane, offered.

“Yeah, that. Emblazoned on it. We don’t know why the thief stole it, or for what purpose they intended to use it for, but we have a cred…creda…”

“Credible?” 

“Yeah, a credible eye witness that can confirm that the culprit was Zinnia!” The prosecutor announced, causing a gasp to erupt from the crowd. One gasp, actually, from an off-yellow earth pony with red hair. She quickly ran back to my side of the room where she took a seat and whispered into my ear, which twitched in mild annoyance, “Don’t worry, Z! I know you didn’t do it. I’ll clear your name for sure!”

I could only sigh in exasperation. “This is ridiculous.” 

“The defendant will refrain from questioning the court, or speaking until she is spoken to or they will be held in contempt!” The judge said, reprimanding us. 

“OBJECTION!” The little orange pegasus shouted loud enough to cause the little room to shake. 

“But ah haven’t even said nothin’ yet!” My attorney whined, clasping her ears to her head from the sudden outburst.

“Not to you! To the judge! I request we use smaller words for this pre…pro…ugh, for the trial! I can’t remember all of these big legal terms.” She complained with a frustrated huff.

“But how are we supposed to get our cutie marks in Equestrian Law if you don’t use the right words?” The Judge asked.

“I don’t know, but I also don’t think that your witness is as credible as you say…considering it’s just a pinecone.” My attorney deadpanned, pointing to the object in question as it slowly teetered off the edge of the stool it had been perched on. 

“You know what, let’s just forget it. Besides, I feel kinda bad for putting Zinnia on the spot like that. I don’t think I’d want a cutie mark for law if all I did all day was blame other ponies for stuff they didn’t do.” The orange filly said as she dismounted her stool and walked over to the judge, who seemed to reluctantly agree. 

“Yeah, but now what do we do?” The white unicorn said, throwing her “robe” and “gavel” to the side, where I could see they were just an old towel and a wooden carpentry hammer.

“I know! Zinnia was out in the Everfree forest for a whole week! I bet you she could help us start an expedition! We could be Cutie Mark Crusader Explorers!” My attorney shouted to her friends, much to my alarm.

“But we already tried that once, remember, Apple Bloom?” The white unicorn said with a pointed look.

“Yeah, Sweetie Belle’s right. We did that two weeks ago, and remember how well that turned out?” The little pegasus fluttered her wings, seemingly agitated about their experience. 

“I know, I know. You almost got bit by that baby manticore we found in a cave near Fluttershy’s cottage. You’re never gonna let me live that one down, are you Scootaloo?”

“Well…it was kind of cute…” Sweetie Belle added, to which both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stared at her in disbelief. “What? They aren’t so scary when they’re small!”

“Small! It was still bigger than we are!” Scootaloo retorted. 

“Ok…relatively small.” Sweetie Belle said with a blush.

“We couldn’t go anyway, girls. Zinnia told me all about how dangerous it was out there, and how scary it was. I mean, if even she was scared of it, then it must be pretty bad, right?”

“Oh, thank the stars, Apple Bloom learned reason from her older sister. Thanks for raising her right, AJ.” I thought to myself as I sighed in relief. 

“Well I heard from Rainbow Dash that she beat up a whole pack of those timberwolf things without even using her wings! If we had her with us, there wouldn’t be anything that could stop us! I bet we could go to the old castle ruins and explore those! We could be like treasure hunters, and she’d be like our bodyguard!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Rarity did say that there were some old tapestries in there that she wanted to get her hooves on. If I brought one back for her…” Sweetie Belle pondered to herself. I could see the gears turning in all three of those little heads.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Treasure Hunters?” Apple Bloom asked with a widening grin.

“...ok, nevermind. AJ, you suck as a parent. Don’t quit your day-job.”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER TREASURE HUNTERS! YAY!” The three fillies shouted in unison, causing the glass window in the treehouse to shudder as they ran laps around the tiny room. 

“Ok, ok. Girls, let’s not get ahead of ourselves now. Your sisters would kill me if I took you in there, and they are soooo much more terrifying than any timberwolf.” I said, trying to curb their enthusiasm. 

“Not scarier than Twilight. I’m pretty sure she got so mad that she caught fire once.” Scootaloo said, in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“Oh, yeah! My sister almost did that once too! Though it was because I used one of her glitter fabrics as a picnic blanket. Her horn was kinda smoldering all day after that…”

“Was that when we had our picnic last month?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah…” Sweetie Belle answered, looking embarrassed about it as she remembered how angry her sister was with her after that.

“So that’s why we didn’t see you outside of school that whole week. I was wondering what happened to you. Apple Bloom and I had to put off our CMC duties that week.” 

“Couldn’t she have just washed the fabric or something?” I asked, though something inside me screamed not to. 

“Umm…well…you see, it would have been hard to wash with all those burn marks.” Scootaloo said, shuffling her hooves. 

“Burn marks?”

“We kinda, maybe, tried to make a rocket outta some weird smellin’ black powder we found at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie said she made it one day when she was tryin’ to see if she could make something she called a ‘bomb pop,’ but it nearly exploded her stove.” Apple Bloom explained.

“...Pinkie needs to be on a watch list.” I struggled to hold in my disbelief that somepony could randomly discover sugar-based explosives and then just throw them out for kids to find. Pinkie was many things, but I wouldn’t have guessed that “grossly irresponsible” was one of the things.

“At least Twilight was able to fix that tree…” Sweetie Belle added. 

“Okay…explosive confections aside, what else were you wanting to do today?” I asked, quickly trying to change the subject before they decided to embark upon a quest to become demolition experts.

“Well, I ain’t really thought about it. I sorta expected the trial to take longer than it did,” Apple Bloom said, kicking their “witness” towards the door of their treehouse, “I guess we could go see what Twilight’s up to.” 

“She might try to make us read one of those boring books on the history of inkwells again.” Scootaloo said with a scoff.

“Yeah, no offense, but I think I would rather hang out with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon than read that again…” Sweetie Bell scrunched up her nose, “and you know how fun that is…”

“Not.” Apple Bloom said with a sigh.

“Well I could try teaching you how to make a fi-” I began, but cut myself off before finishing that sentence. Teaching three fillies how to make a fire with sticks when they nearly blew up a park sounded like a terrible idea.

“A what? What can you teach us to make!” Sweetie Bell said excitedly.

“A f-fine piece of pottery! It’s one of the skills I learned when I was studying primitive technologies! Clay pots are super useful for a ton of different things!” 

“I think I’ll pass. We tried pottery last month too and that didn’t turn out so well either.” Scootaloo winced, “Mayor Mare wasn’t too happy with that hole we dug just outside of the town to find clay…”

“Why would she be mad about a little hole?” I asked, stupidly. I apparently hadn’t learned my lesson. 

“Uhh…it wasn’t that little…” 

“Did that stallion ever come back?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah, but I heard he fell into the trench again late last week and was back in a wheelchair at the hospital…”

“We really need to apologize to him again for that…I know! Next time we’re in town, we should stop by the flower shop and ask Roseluck if we can have some flowers for him.” Sweetie Belle chimed in with a smile.

“Good Idea! I mean, who doesn’t like flowers!” Apple Bloom exclaimed happily, while I thought back to the stallion I had seen in the garden during my stay at the hospital and in the waiting room last week and wondered if that was the same pony…

“Why don’t we head there now?” Scootaloo asked as she started making for the door.

“Good Idea!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, following close behind.

“Alright, Cutie Mark Crusaders! Let’s go get some flowers!” Apple Bloom jumped up and ran out with her friends. I could hear them chatting about making a “get-well-soon” card as well, though hearing Sweetie Belle mentioning some kind of ribbon Rarity had that they could use set some alarm bells off. 

“Rarity’s gonna need another spa day soon…” I shook my head and stepped out onto the front porch of the filly’s treehouse just in time to see them slip out of view as they ran off towards the town. I had always liked kids, and was more than happy to play along with those three and their antics. Besides, with as much trouble they got into, they needed somepony to supervise them before they did something truly crazy. 

“Still though…I wouldn’t mind having one of my own one day…” I said with a blush, before quickly furrowing my brow. 

“A kid? Or a foal? Can I even…I mean…there’s so much wrong with the logistics of that now. I would be the one carrying and having it now after all, and that’s not a particularly comfortable thought. Not to mention I’m still not really a pony. Would a thing like me be able to do that? Would I want that? I mean, I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to be, let alone if I can love myself enough to love somepony else…” I rested my forehooves on the little railing of the treehouse and looked out across the apple trees in the nearby farm, my mind full of uncomfortable thoughts. 

I thought back on everything that’s happened so far and the individuals I’ve met since I arrived. Every one of them had been treating me like one of them, but the growing conflict inside me made me wonder if that was ok. Was it ok that I was taking advantage of their generosity and kindness, or that I was pretending to be something I wasn’t? Was it ok that I had lied to so many individuals who called me a friend? How could they trust me so much that they let me be alone with three little fillies like they had known me all their life? 

I felt confused. I wanted to be normal, but somewhere deep inside me I knew I could never be. It seemed like the more I came to know and understand here in this world, and the more I became like them, the less like “me” I felt. Like I was quickly losing my sense of self and replacing “Seth” with “Zinnia,” but somehow in that process was becoming neither one. 

“Who even am I anymore…” I whispered to myself, somberly. 

Completely lost in thought, I was unaware of a little black storm cloud that was quietly making its way towards me. I heaved myself off the railing, sniffling and wiping some moisture from my eyes. I needed to keep myself busy. If I just kept working, or could distract myself with some hobby or task I could keep my mind away from…being a monster. 

I began making my way back to the farm, determined to clear my thoughts with hard work and sweat. My hooves met the dirt as I exited the porch and I stretched my body, now that I had some room to do so. Remembering what Fluttershy had taught me and the suggestions of Dr. Horse, I did some preliminary exercises before trying out the “pre-flight stretches.” If nothing else, they felt really good.

I took a deep breath and pushed my hooves forward, lowering the front half of my body and lifting my rear, not noticing the little dark gray cloud floating ominously overhead. I heard a couple of pops come from my spine and shivered with delight as the cool sensation of release rushed through the affected joints. “Ok…here we go.”

I focused on the spot between my withers again, attempting to find the right muscles to move. I felt a twinge, a somewhat dull sensation as the weight of my wings shifted slightly. Nervously, I continued encouraging the flight muscles to move, fully expecting for them to throw me off balance, or maybe they’d decide to fling me into the stratosphere this time but to my surprise they moved in a slow, if not shaky and unsure, manner. 

“No. Bucking. Way…” 

I continued attempting the stretch, first getting my wings to point straight up. My right wing took the scenic route, opting to extend fully to the side in a gliding position before reaching into the sky while my left wing did as I asked. I then slowly rotated them forward, then down and back. I couldn’t believe what was happening, so I did it a second time for good measure. Up, then forward, down and back…mostly. My left wing got lost the second time and T-posed before going forward, but I was moving my wings.

“No. Bucking. Way!” A familiar voice came from above me, but when I looked, I couldn’t see where it came from.

“Rainbow Dash?” I called out while looking around, “You know, for as colorful as you are, you sure are hard to spot!”

“Hey! I am the champion of standing out! I’m the standing-outiest pony around!” She complained from above. My eyes darted around, landing on the little cloud several times before moving to the tree behind it. 


“If you can’t see me, then that’s not my fault. Maybe you should have your eyes checked, since your wings look like they're getting better!” 

“Ha ha, you’re a comedy genius too,” I retorted in a sarcastic tone, “Seriously though, where are-” A bolt of lightning and clap of thunder cut me off, scaring a few feathers off of me as I flapped my wings in fright, sending me straight into the low hanging cloud above. It looked a lot lighter than it had from the ground…well, lighter and a fair bit more blue on the inside where I found myself.

I blinked owlishly, now face to face with the prismatic mare, her magenta eyes positively sparkling with mirth. “Hiya, Z. I’d ask what’s up, but it looks like you are.”

I barely even registered that we were currently sitting inside of a cloud without needing to actually fly to stay there. All I could think about was clocking Rainbow, which I happily did, more than once. “Ouch! Cut it out, Z! You hit hard!”

“Yeah? Well excuse me Miss Thunder-Bolts-and-Lightning!” I practically shouted at her as my heart tried to pound its way through my ribcage.

“But did you die?” She grinned.

“ARGH!” 

She couldn’t hold herself together anymore as laughter exploded from her and tears streamed down her face. “You should have seen yourself too! You flew up here so fast I thought you were me!” She rolled and howled for a few minutes as my cheeks burned before she could collect herself enough to bring the cloud down far enough to get my hooves back on solid ground. 

“Sorry, Z. I was gonna get AJ with that one, but I saw you staring off into space and couldn’t help myself. I just needed to wait till you were done warming up before I spooked you or I might have caused you to pull a muscle. Speaking of which, why didn’t you tell me you got your wings back?”

I took a breath, finally calming my nerves enough to speak to her without wanting to give her another whack. “Actually, I just found out myself. Though…” I tried moving my wings around a bit but when I attempted to open them up one listened and the other decided to fall limp to the ground before half-heartedly standing at attention, “I think I still have a problem. I went back to the doctor a few days ago. He told me that I had some kind of nerve dysfunction because of the concussion I had, but that my wings would come back if I practiced using them more.” 

“Huh. That sounds about right. We just need to work on your coordination a bit and you’ll be high in the sky again in no time!” She beamed at me, positively dripping with confidence. 

“Coordination? How do I do that?” 

“Well, usually you don’t have to since flying is kinda what we pegasi do. Remember Stormwind? I talked about him when we were at Shy’s place.” I nodded. He'd been brought up quite a few times by now and I’d be lying if I wasn’t curious about meeting him at some point. “Well, after he went through therapy, he had to do some special classes to help him re-learn how to use his wings.”

“And those classes helped him fly again?” 

“Well, kinda. You see, the classes are meant to rebuild your flight muscles since they get weak if you don't use them for long periods of time. Your flight muscles are what control your wings, how hard or fast you can move them, and have a hoof in keeping you stable while in the air. If one side is stronger than the other, it can lead to imbalance. Usually that means you just fly a little slower since your stronger side slows down so your weaker side doesn’t have to work as hard. But if they get too weak, then they don’t really know what to do and well, you’ve seen what happens.”

I nodded again, looking at my wings as I kept them flared as best I could. It was difficult though, and I could tell what Rainbow meant by them being weak. It was hard to keep them open, let alone at the same height without one wanting to overcompensate for the other, but feeling the sun against my feathers and the heat soaking into my wings felt so amazing that I struggled to keep them open just to savor the sensation. 

“Ok, so I need to work on strengthening those muscles?”

“Yup! It could take you a few weeks though, considering the condition you’re in. That is, if you went to Cloudsdale to find a pony who does those classes. But you have the best flyer in all of Equestria, right here; And I know a few shortcuts that’ll have the wind beneath your wings again in under a week!”

“Shouldn’t I go to a trained professional though? I mean, what if I mess up and hurt myself again, or worse?” I said, worried about Rainbow’s enthusiasm and her friend’s warnings to me about her unconventional methods. 

“Psht. Look, you wanna fly again or what?” She aggressively poked my chest with a hoof, “Stick with me, kid. I’ll show you the fast track. I am gonna be a Wonderbolt someday soon, after all.”

“Well, I don’t have to be confident. She has enough for the both of us, and probably enough to make Fluttershy seem normal too.”  But I had to admit, I could almost feel it rubbing off on me. 

“Ok, ‘greatest flyer in Equestria,’ where do I go, and how do I start?”

“Well, first off we need to do something about how stiff those wings are.” She said, pointing one of her wing tips towards mine as they shuddered in place, “You shouldn’t have to work so hard to keep them still. Wings aren’t heavy, since most of the bones in them are hollow. That tells me that you’re a little too tense and need to relax.” She trotted over to me and poked at my withers, “You got any feeling back there?”

“Some. I can feel the sun on my wings now, which feels really good.” 

“Great, we’re about to do something that’s gonna feel even better. Think you can lay down on your belly for me?”

“Sure.” I said as I lowered myself to the ground and nestled into place. I attempted to retract my wings, but Rainbow Dash stopped me.

“Nah, keep em’ out. You won’t have them by your sides for long anyway.” She said as she walked behind me. 

“Ok, now I’m worried.”

“So uhh, remember when we said that the spot between your wings was sensitive?”

“Yeah.”

“Has anypony ever touched you there before?”

“Not before Fluttershy, you, and Aloe at the spa.”

“Oh, you’re in for a treat.” She chuckled somewhere behind me, somehow sounding a little menacing. 

“I’m in for a whaAAAhhhhh-?” 

“That’s the right reaction.” She said with a laugh that was somewhere between nervous and devious. 

I had been made aware that the nerve clusters near the base of a pegasus’ wings were dense, but holy mother of mayhem was I not expecting that. In the span of about three seconds it had gone from a slight pain to pleasure, bliss, ecstasy, tickling pins and needles, and an odd sensation of being both completely relaxed and utterly tense at the same time. My wings shot out to both sides at a 45 degree angle and stayed stock still while she kneaded my withers like a cat kneads a soft blanket.

I had no more words, just sounds, and I thanked the stars that the fillies had left and no stallions were around because I was fairly certain that none of the noises I made were rated-PG. It only lasted a minute before she eased off, but if that’s what Aloe had been attempting to do on my spa day I vowed to visit once a week like Rarity. All-day-spa-day.

“How’s that? Feel relaxed?” Rainbow said with a smirk in her voice. I couldn’t tell if she was enjoying it because of the reaction and her penchant for pranks, or if she enjoyed it as much as I did. 

“Y-yeawhahapnd.” I slurred, unable to get my mouth to work, let alone my body.

“Oh yeah, you’re probably gonna be like that for a few minutes. Try not to move too much while you come down from that high, then give your wings another test run.” She came back into view from behind me, probably a little red in the face, but I couldn't really tell, nor cared much about it at that point in time.

She talked to me while I came down, which was nice as it gave me something else to focus on other than the flurry of riotous sensations that coursed around withers. Her one sided conversation consisted mostly about the Wonderbolts and how awesome they were, and how she had been practicing for some sort of competition that was coming up in the near future. Despite her ego, she seemed genuine as she gushed about her heroes and how it was her biggest dream to fly with them one day. Her enthusiasm was contagious, almost intoxicating, as I imagined her flying beside what essentially equated to Earth’s Blue Angels and started to envy her ambition and drive. 

But soon enough, the pin and needles left my body as it slowly returned to normal. I was tempted to move, but was almost afraid to, considering what had happened just moments earlier. I think Dash could see my gears kicking back into motion as I looked around nervously.

“How ya feeling?”

“I…uhh…afraid to move, honestly.”

“Yeah, sounds about right. You should be fine now though. The feeling of your flight control nerves being overloaded like that never lasts for longer than a few minutes. The first time’s always the best though.”

“Now I see why you and your friends thought it was weird when I couldn’t feel anything last time. That was…wow.” I said with a sigh.

“I was pretty sure you had pinched some kind of nerve back there, but what the doctor said makes sense too. The other option would have been that your crash could have severed a nerve, but normally you’d be in a wheelchair unless your Stormwind, or in your case…well…” She turned a shade of green thinking about what could happen to a paralyzed pony in the Everfree Forest alone, “Let’s not think about that. A-anyway, wanna try flexing those wings again?”

“S-sure.” I was still afraid to move, lest another nerve overload happened, but as I ventured to move my wing muscles, I found that not only did they react nearly instantly, but they also moved more fluidly. I raised my head and watched as I ordered my feathered appendages up and down, nearly in unison, with very little effort and only a slight variation in pattern. Much better than quivering whilst I struggled to even hold them up. 

“Woah…how does that even work?” I muttered, not taking my eyes off my now mostly operational wings.

“Hehe, a little secret I picked up from a friend. One of Stormwind’s pals, Feather Fall. After Stormwind’s accident, she had felt pretty bad for him. Apparently he was pretty devastated about losing his wings, and I don’t think anypony could blame him. Fall and Storm were close, so she thought she’d do what she could to help him feel better, so she hit him with one of those. Turns out, what she did was overload his flight control nerves, which basically caused them to restart or something like that, and after a while his wings started working again.”

“Oh, like restarting a machine.” 

“If you mean the cloud machines in Cloudsdale, yeah. Sometimes they can get clogged up or one of the drive belts jumps off track so they have to restart it to get it working again. So yeah, just like that.”

“What the buck is a cloud machine?” I asked myself, “I know there are a ton of things I still don't know about this place, but there’s no way they literally make clouds. What’s next, the ponies control the weather too? Well…they can move clouds around, so I wouldn’t be surprised at this point.” 

“So is that something that the doctors or physical therapists do to help pegasi with nerve issues?” I asked.

“Wha- No! That kinda thing is usually way too personal. Most doctors wouldn’t do that, and most therapists usually try other things before getting that close with a patient.” Rainbow exclaimed, turning a little pink.

“So why did you do it?”

“I-I don’t know. I guess I just remembered it helping Storm, so I figured I’d try it on you.”

“So you didn’t know that it would work…”

“Well, if you put it that way…But it did, isn’t that what matters?” She said, flaring her wings and giving me a pointed expression with a twinge of awkwardness hidden behind the daggers she tried to throw at me with her eyes. 

I gave my wings a tentative flap, feeling the wind catch under my wing and my body actually felt lighter as if I almost lifted off the ground. “I didn’t die, so I guess we’re good.” I said, shooting her a dirty grin.

Rainbow just rolled her eyes and scoffed in a playful manner, “Yeah, yeah, real funny. Now who’s the comedian? Just promise me you wont tell anypony what happened between us out here. Like I said, that kind of thing is supposed to be something ponies do in private. I don’t need Applejack making fun of me, or Rarity getting the wrong idea. Deal?”

“Only if you actually get my hooves off the ground.” I said, sticking out my tongue and giving her a sly wink.

“Uhh, duh? What else am I here for, dork?”







“No. Bucking. Way!” The only three words that could come to mind as Rainbow Dash pushed a cloud with me on it into the sky with her hooves. Magical unicorns and a mysterious pink earth pony have tempered my brain to accept many of the oddities I’d experienced in Equestria, but this, by far, was the most mind numbingly insane thing I’d yet to discover.

As she manually pushed the little white cotton ball I sat upon higher above the clouds, I could see what looked like an entire city floating lazily above as though suspended and constructed from the very clouds themselves. And best of all, a literal liquid rainbow waterfall flowed from what looked to be an aquifer, which fell in perfect bands of color into another reservoir that distributed the flowing chromatic river through several other fountains and fixtures before flowing off the sides of the floating city to dissolve into a sparkling shower of rainbow sparks that flitted in the wind as they fell across the landscape below. 

Nothing on Earth, from the mighty Great Wall of China that could be seen from orbit, to the golden caps of the Taj Mahal, to even the Pyramids of Giza could hold a freaking candle to this glorious spectacle. 

“And that’s your HOME?” I squeaked as I lost all of my marbles in a cataclysmic fan-gasm of epic proportions.

“It’s not that big a deal, Z. Every Pegasus comes by Cloudsdale at least once in their life, so it’s not like it’s something nopony’s ever seen before. In fact, Cloudsdale is what brings the seasons to places around Equestria. Didn’t you know that?”

I stared at the giant machine attached to the side of the city as it spat out a near continuous stream of clouds of various shapes and sizes, unable to process just how unbelievably mind-blowing it was. I opted not to answer Dash, as the city in the distance had my near undivided attention.

“Hey, if you’re done staring at Cloudsdale, we can start on your training.” She said, poking the side of my head with a hoof, to which I paid no attention until she dumped me off my personal Nimbus. The sudden feeling of falling snapped me out of my reverie in all the wrong ways as I could almost see the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs or ravine racing up to meet me. I shrieked as I fell for only a second before landing with a soft bounce onto a much larger cloud.

I looked around, realizing that I wasn’t in danger, and realizing that there were at least twenty or thirty sets of eyes staring at me with varying degrees of confusion, amusement, or annoyance. “Oh…oh boy, there must be a heat wave because my face feels like it’s gonna melt off.”

“But did you die?” Rainbow snickered at me as I gaped around, my face beet red. I growled at her as I got to my hooves and did my best to ignore her. I was surprised though, since Twilight and Dr. Horse said my body was recovering from some freak magical disturbance I had expected to still be unable to interact with clouds. I guess I had recovered enough by this point. 

I tested the clouds underhoof, enjoying the soft, almost squishy texture that sank slightly at whatever weight I placed upon them before my hoof met resistance, preventing me from sinking further. My hooves were slightly warm, similar to how my leg felt when Dr. Horse used his magic to grab it while taking a blood sample. I figured that was an effect of magic, as my body was also pleasantly warm despite our current altitude. 

“Where are we?” I asked. All around us were oddly shaped cloud formations that held their position as solidly as stone, but appeared to be as soft as pillows. Different shapes and sizes of ring-like clouds floated lazily in the air, along with moving cloud pillars, tunnels, and even a particularly lazy looking tornado. Many of the ponies here were very young, around Apple Bloom’s age, and were flying around the space like it was a giant obstacle course while other adults coached them. And every single one of the ponies here were pegasi.

“This is my old flight camp. Fluttershy and I both came here to learn how to use our wings. Well, I already knew how, ya know, being the best flyer in Equestria and all. I was even the first in my class to get her cutie mark. A lot of foals come here from Cloudsdale to learn, even the Wonderbolts visit from time to time to see all the new young flyers stretch their wings.”

I felt exceedingly self-conscious as I watched several foals zipping around the course with relative ease. Little pegasi, barely big enough to fit into a pocket, able to fly around with the grace of a sparrow, and big dumb me just learned to use her wings at thirty years old. If that didn’t feel like a kick in the pants, I didn’t know what would. 

“Remember, you aren’t even a real pony though. You weren’t born here, so don’t beat yourself up about it.” I thought to myself, trying to convince myself that how I felt wasn’t being true to myself. “But why do I still feel like a garbage can as I watch these children do the one thing my body was designed for and fails to do?”

Rainbow saw me staring off and nudged me to get my attention. She had a worried expression across her face, something that I hadn’t expected to see. “H-hey, you ok? You were staring at that cloud like you were trying to set it on fire or something.”

“O-oh yeah. It’s nothing. Sorry, it’s just that we didn’t have something like this in Manehatten when I grew up.” I stammered, hoping that she’d take the excuse and move on. 

“Yeah, I hear Manehattan's flight camp is nicer than Cloudsdale’s, but the coaches there are real jerks. But you have me, so no need to worry about some crummy coach, right?” She said, completely ignoring the fact I said we didn’t have one in Manehatten. She didn’t seem to even entertain the inconsistency though, instead moving on to more important matters.

Like throwing me off a cloud.

“Ready for your first flight lesson, kid?” She asked, with a sly grin across her muzzle that reeked of trouble.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. And why do you keep calling me ki- AAAAAAHHHHH” 

And I was falling…again. My wings decided that the best course of action to help me fly was to clamp tightly around my barrel and lock in place. 

“I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die!”

“Just open your wings!” Rainbow shouted over the rushing wind.

I reached out to grab a passing cloud, but the speed I had gathered in my free fall caused my hoof to powderize the poor fluffy bystander on impact, which only added to my horror.

“BUCK! Rainbow! Help!”

“Zinnia, seriously! Just open your wings!” She shouted more sternly this time.

“But I-OOF” 

My terrified excuse was cut short by another, much thicker cloud that broke my fall. This cloud had a lot more spring to it, allowing me to slow down much more slowly and avoid injuring my limbs or crushing my liver against my abdominal wall from a sudden stop. I laid there, breathing in quick, raspy bursts as my mind reeled from my sudden introduction to the art of falling.

“Look, champ. I know you took on like, four timberwolves bare-hooved and on your own, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen another pegasus afraid of heights other than Fluttershy. And to her credit, she’s afraid of a stiff breeze.” Rainbow deadpanned as she looked down at me.

“Well I may or may not be a bit traumatized from falling into the Everfree, so how about you give me a bucking break?” I shot back angrily between gasps of air.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and held out a hoof to pick me up from my cotton crater. She chewed on her words for a moment before starting to say something, but was cut off by three stallions who had apparently watched the whole thing.

“Ha, hey look guys. It’s our old friend, Rainbow Crash!” A light brown stallion with three basketballs on his flank shouted out from the sideline as his two buddies chuckled. 

“Ugh, stuff it, Hoops. Can’t you see we’re busy?” Rainbow bit back.

“Yeah, busy teaching freediving to another lame-o flyer, am I right?” One of the others, a dark brown stallion with a dumbbell cutie mark bellowed.

“Back off. Zinnia can’t help it. She had an accident like Stormwind did and she’s just learning to fly again. So how about you three go pound sand and let us be!” Rainbow seemed upset that those three were even there at all, let alone causing us grief. I figured she must have some history with them, especially since they even had a nickname for her. 

“And miss out on Rainbow Crash and her cloudwalker friend flailing and failing?” Hoops said before taking on a thoughtful look. “You know what, you’re right. As much fun as it’d be to see you two at it, we’ve got better places to be. Like practicing for the upcoming competition. Hope you're ready to eat our cloudtrails, Crash.” The three stallions took to the air and flew away, laughing obnoxiously without giving Dash a chance to respond. 

I could see Rainbow’s blood boiling as she watched them fly away. “Yeah! I hope you’re ready for a whole buffet! I’ll make you eat those words, both our cloudtrails, and a hoof-sandwich!” She shouted angrily, only to be met with the sound of laughter as they dipped behind a cloud bank.

“I’ll help.” I said emotionlessly as I watched them go. “If we were to beat them up, how far would be too far?”

“Not far enough.” Rainbow said, nearly spitting the words from her mouth. “Forget them. I’ll show them at the Young Flyer’s Competition. We have better things to do than worry about those three. C’mon Z, let’s try getting some wind under those wings again.” She said, picking me up in her own hooves and carrying me back to the top of the platform-cloud she had pushed me off of.

“Just promise you’ll tell me before knocking me off next time.” I said, trying to hide the anxiety I felt building up again. 

“As your coach, I’ll take your request under consideration.” She said, amiably. I had honestly expected a more snarky answer from her at this point, and was almost disappointed.

Until she dropped me just at the top of the platform with the ledge just an inch away from reach. 






Flying was so much harder than I thought it would be. Using the right amount of strength, making sure your wings were positioned and angled correctly to catch the wind, learning to bank into your turns so as not to run into things…or other ponies, which only happened twice while we were there…there were so many small things to figure out that were more than just, “flap.”

But Rainbow, through all her boasting, was right. She was a pretty excellent teacher where flying was concerned. She would watch me like a hawk as I’d fall, flail, and fight my way down to the soft clouds below and would tell me what I was doing wrong every time, giving me a different piece of advice or showing me what I needed to do before thrusting me off into the abyss again. 

Eventually, after the tenth or so time of being unceremoniously sent into the aether, I got over my fear of falling and resigned myself to just taking the leap myself. Guess I responded pretty well to shock therapy. Doing so actually helped a great deal, as I could better control my angle of attack and experiment with how each way I leapt off the platform changed how I needed to move and react. 

By the end of the day, I felt pretty confident in myself, even if I had only graduated from free falling to what I would have described as awkwardly floating like a leaf. I was able to glide on my own power, but gaining altitude or actually flying on my own was still a long way off. I could basically glide to safety, and lazily turn in wide circles before landing within a hundred feet or so of my target destination, which while even newborn pegasi could do that in their sleep, felt like a monumental achievement for me. Even Dash seemed somewhat impressed by my ability to glide for such a long period of time without tiring myself out.

“I know I’m fast, probably faster than anypony else in Equestria. But if I have one thing I’m not quite as strong at, it would be long distance flying. I tend to get pretty tired, pretty quickly. It takes a lot of strength and practice to be able to hang in the air like you do, especially for as long as you have today. Especially considering you couldn’t even fly at all yesterday. That alone makes what you’ve accomplished here pretty awesome!”

I couldn’t help but blush at Rainbow’s compliment. If I learned one thing about her that day, it was that she doesn’t give out compliments like that to just anypony. She was so confident in my ability to fly that she suggested that we try gliding the whole way back to Sweet Apple Acres. I wasn’t too sure about it, seeing as there was nothing but solid, uncaring earth underneath us the entire way. But she assured me that she would catch me if I managed to fall, which she also assured me wouldn’t happen as I had barely broken a sweat today from all my “flying” practice. 

As I glided through the air, enjoying the wind as it tossed my hair about, my mind wandered back to Earth again. I remembered my last full day there, and how that morning I had watched an eagle gliding through the mountains, catching thermal vents as it slowly circled around. I remembered asking myself how it must have felt, to be able to see everything from its point of view on high. I looked below me, as ponies of all kinds milled about the town in the evening sun finishing up their chores and jobs for the day to begin an evening of relaxation before starting all over again tomorrow. 

“So this is what it feels like…” I muttered as I watched three familiar fillies prancing around town with a bouquet of flowers in tow.

“What’s that, Z?” Rainbow asked as she flew beside me, actually using her wings instead of allowing the wind to do most of the work for her. I could see why she felt like she didn’t have the endurance, those wings never stopped moving. 

“Nothing, just…remembering something from a past life.” I said now watching a familiar purple pony walking with another familiar white one far below me. 

“Manehatten?” Rainbow asked, curious as to what I was thinking about.

“No, I’d honestly rather forget the city. I had moved there, thinking that’s where I’d find a career for myself. Instead of finding out who I was and what I was supposed to be, I found that what I wanted most was to be home with my few friends and family. That’s why I started hiking, to get away from the city and reconnect to my roots.” 

“You sound an awful lot like an earth pony, Z. No wonder you and AJ get along so well.” She said with a laugh.

“Oh? Did she say that?” I asked, shooting Rainbow a quizzical look.

“Yeah, I try to stop by the farm once a day to see if they need the weather team to schedule anything specific. She only has good things to say about you though, and I can see why. You’re pretty cool in my book.” 

“Thanks. Though sometimes I feel…out of place.”

“Yeah, I get that. You miss your home. I feel like that from time to time too.” She looked down to see her friends chatting far below us as well, which caused her to smile. Rarity looked up towards the sky and spotted us, which prompted her to nearly knock Twilight over in excitement as she got her to look up at us. Rainbow and I waved back at the two of them, Rarity waving happily back at us, but Twilight seemed…off? She waved back, but slowly and paying much more attention to me as I glided past, a strange, thoughtful look across her face. 

“But when I get sad, and think of home, and my parents, I also remember my friends here in Ponyville. Rarity and Twilight, AJ and Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Spike, and you, and suddenly I don’t feel so lonely anymore.” She said, returning her eyes to me before turning red. “But if you tell them I said something that sappy, I’ll throw you off a cliff on our next training session.”

“Hey, you helped me get my hooves off the ground. A deals a deal, remember?”

Her smile returned and we both turned to see our destination coming into view. “So, have you thought about staying?”

“At Sweet Apple Acres? I mean, I kind of already-”

“No, in Ponyville?” She said, cutting me off. “Have you thought about staying here instead of heading back to Manehatten?”

To be honest, I hadn’t intended to move anywhere. Not like I even knew where to go anyway. Manehatten was just a cover, so it’s not like I had any real ties there to return to. I didn’t have any family to go home to either. I was alone in this world, and I guess I was just using AJ’s hospitality as an excuse to not have to come to terms with that idea.

I watched the farm as we approached it, quickly becoming larger as we neared. It had kind of become my home since I arrived, and although I tried not to call it that, I found myself always eager to return at the end of the day. The Apples had almost become my family, in a sense, and I couldn’t imagine leaving them, even if I’d only known them for a little under a month. Apple Bloom would be devastated…

I turned back to Rainbow, who was watching me closely and waiting for a reply. “I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest. I would like to go home and visit my family again sometime, but I’m not really sure I can do that anymore.” Rainbow seemed disappointed, but I continued, “However, I can say that since I came here, since I’ve met all of you, that I have no better friends in all of Equestria; And that leaving you all to go back to the city would be like condemning myself to Tartarus.”

Dash perked up and her eyes sparkled as I finished. “So you’ll stay?”

“I guess I will. Unless you all decide to chase me out.” I said, half joking. Something inside me took my joke a little too seriously though, as I felt a stab in my gut as I thought about what I’d said.

“This. Is. Awesome! I’ll finally have a flying buddy! Even if you aren’t as fast as I am, you’re still pretty awesome in your own right! You didn’t even have to flap once the whole way here! I’m sure that by this time next year, you could take part in the Best Young Flyer’s Competition too! We could even go on to be Wonderbolts together! Wouldn’t that be crazy cool?” 

“Yeah, crazy cool.” And just like that, all my enthusiasm drained. I had once again chosen to entrench myself further into “Zinnia” than “Seth” and in the process of choosing, felt even further from both. What if they discover who I really am…I don’t think Rainbow would ever forgive me for getting her hopes up like that, just to have them torn down.

“Hey, Z? You feeling ok? You look really tired all of a sudden.” Dash asked me, a worried expression on her face that didn’t suit her well at all.

“Y-yeah. I guess today took a lot more out of me than I thought.” I said as we came to a landing in a nearby field less than one hundred feet from the farm house. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Dash. Seriously, you’re the best.”

She scoffed playfully, “Duh, of course I am,” She puffed her chest out and proudly displayed her wings before softening up, “But it means a lot more coming from a friend like you, Z. Thanks.” She held a hoof out, which I returned with a hoof-bump. Dash smiled, brimming with a new level of confidence as she took back to the air. “Anyway, I gotta head home too. Need to get some shut-eye for tomorrow and that big storm we have planned. Catch you later!” 

“Fly safe!” I called out to her as she left.

“Yeah, right! As if! Watch this!” She shouted as she flipped over on her back to roll her eyes at me while flying backwards. 

“Famous last words, Dash…”

She spun back around, and in a near instant went from a being Rainbow Dash to a rainbow colored smear across the sky as she dashed back in the direction of the town, causing a boom to echo across the valley as she went.

“Holy hay bales, she's fast.”

“You can say that again, Sugarcube.” AJ said as she made her way over to me from the barn, cracking her neck as she trotted over. “Howdy! How’d yer day with Dash go?”

“She really is an amazing pony,” I said as we both turned to head inside, “All of you are.”

“All of us, you mean.” She corrected me with a nod. “I saw you glidin’ in with Dash. How somepony goes from not even knowin’ she has wings, to usin’ em’ in a week is beyond me. But you managed it, and you should take pride in it. How’s it feel to be one step closer to bein’ back to normal again?”

“...honestly, strange…” I didn’t really know how to respond to that. We trotted in silence the rest of the way to the house before AJ spoke up again. 

“Well, I can see you’re plum well tuckered out. How about you just head on inside and get cleaned up before dinner. We’re havin’ spaghetti squash, fresh apple cider, and an apple cheesecake for dessert. Hope yer hungry, Granny Smith made extra.” She said before heading off towards the kitchen to set the table.

After my shower and dinner, I sat in my room and watched the moon rise above the horizon, wondering at the stars as they danced across the sky in a brilliant array of twinkling light, outlining Cloudsdale in the far distance, still churning out an ever growing bank of fluff for tomorrow’s storm. I tried to guess at some constellations, but all of the ones I had known on Earth were obviously missing from the beautiful array here in Equestria. The nights here were devastatingly gorgeous, but even the stars here were unfamiliar. 

I sighed and threw myself under my blankets, making sure to keep my wings tucked in now that I was aware of them, to avoid laying on them in an uncomfortable way and sighed. My mind, now free from work, friends, and tasks, was free to wander and torment me with the ever growing fugue state that was slowly trying to consume me. My mind rested heavily on AJ’s words before dinner, “How’s it feel to be one step closer to bein’ back to normal again?”

“It feels like jumping into another ravine.”
> Dreams 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I rested my back against an apple tree near the edge of the farm as the sun beat down from above. It was time for a break, as we’d been bucking apples since the sun came up and it seemed like they were growing faster than we could knock them down and the work was exhausting. I even had to use my wings to fly around from field to field to help carry filled buckets to the barn. 

I grabbed an apple I’d stuffed into my mane earlier and took a bite, savoring the citrus-y sweet flavor that came from it. “Huh…must be a new kind of apple we’re growing.” I inspected the red fruit for a moment, before shrugging and taking another bite. I didn’t have too much time to worry about it, we had more work to get done today. I could always ask AJ about it later, seeing as we were family and all. 

Big Mac was still busy off in the distance, plowing a field of clouds while Apple Bloom and Granny Smith were dancing in front of the barn singing something about rainbow jam. Everything seemed as it should be. But something kept nagging me, something wasn’t quite right. Not with the world I was in, but something about me. I scratched my ear with a finger before… “Wait…finger?”

I looked down at my hooves as I stood against the tree, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just my plain, old, everyday hooves stared back at me. Now I was sure something wasn’t right. I felt anxious, something was watching me from somewhere I couldn’t see. I looked around but the orchard had grown too thick and too dark to spot anything. I needed to fly above the treetops, I needed to see the way back to Sweet Apple Acres, back home. With a single flap of my wings I soared into the sky and surveyed my surroundings.

The mountains looked familiar here, but not something I had seen in a while. I could almost remember walking through here once, but I couldn’t have…right? I grew up in a city and moved to a small town to work at an apple orchard, I’d never been in a place like this before. I think?

Several hundred feet below me, a path ran through the trees, near the mountain’s edge, illuminated by the light of a full moon. “Maybe if I follow that path, I can get back home.” I thought as I flew along. It wasn’t long before I saw something glitter in the woods beneath me, like a fire. My head hurt as I looked at it, and something nearby caused the air to quake like a stone being thrown into a…”Oh no, not again!”

I was closer to the ground now, and something was running through the trees, panting and shouting as they dodged around blindly in the dark. I tried to chase them down, but they kept getting further away, no matter how hard I flew. In the distance I saw a cliff, the strange two legged creature making straight for it. I screamed out for it to stop, but it lept off into the abyss below… 

I was looking into the darkness below the cliff now, into a lake of rippling waves. Whatever it was that jumped fell into the water and disappeared beneath the surface. I sat there and chewed on my hoof, waiting for the creature to surface, but the waters calmed and below them sat more trees and weathered stones in a valley below. I heard something behind me, hoofsteps walking closer and ragged breathing. The air turned cold and I could see my breath rising into the air, along with another stream of steam from over my withers. Whoever it was said something I didn't understand, but it made my blood turn to ice. 

I had to see what it was…I was compelled to look, even though I wanted nothing more than to wake up in my plaid bed. I took a deep breath, and the voice spoke again. Masculine, familiar. I turned to see what it was…





I was looking into a mirror, back in my room at Sweet Apple Acres. I could smell oatmeal downstairs and Apple Bloom was getting ready to head off to school. I looked terrified though, breaking into a cold sweat as I brushed my mane. I hear AJ shout her morning call for breakfast, and spared a glance towards the open door to watch as her little sister darted down the stairs. 

“What…was that a dream?”

My eyes were streaming with tears now. That was me talking, but I didn’t say those words. They came from the mirror. I turned to see something that looked like me crawling out of the mirror, but it wasn’t me. It had the body of a pony, but its wings were strange fleshy tan arms with clawed fingers at the ends, my long autumn orange hair was matted with short brown spots that fell out as it struggled through the portal. It looked at my lower body and examined every inch of me as I sat, unable to will my body to move.


I closed my eyes and wished for it to be gone. I wanted to wake up. I wanted out of this nightmare, but I opened my eyes to see some strange, alien face with one large teal green eye faceted into its human side and one small hazel placed upon its pony side. My mouth worked furiously to scream, to say something to drive it away. Only a whimpering question came forth.

“W-What are you?”

It looked at me with a sickening grin, half of its mouth filled with pony teeth, the other a mixture of predatory fangs and crushing molars. It replied in one word, with two familiar voices. 

“You.”







Princess Luna opened her eyes, gazing at the full moon rising above Equestria as she presided over the peaceful dreams of her subjects. All save for one soul, who since their arrival has evaded a truly restful night. She threw her mind back to the dream she had just witnessed, one fueled by confusion and fear, and her heart went out to the entity that dreamt it. 

Ponies often had nightmares similar to this one. Mostly young fillies and colts who are unsure of who they are or what they will grow up to be. Sometimes, older ponies will second guess their callings, leading to chaos in their hearts. It has always been her job to aid those in need of guidance in the astral plane, the realm of dreams. She had spent countless years of her life keeping her subjects true to themselves. How should the entity be any different?

It struggled just as much as any pony with such thoughts of loss, confusion, self-doubt, embarrassment, and a diminished sense of identity and self-worth. Why should it have to suffer as it does, so totally isolated within this world so unfamiliar to it? Should it not deserve the same treatment that she provides to the rest of her subjects?

Princess Luna sighs aloud, throwing her gaze across the land towards Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres. She and her sister had both agreed upon allowing the entity to exist under the careful eye of Celestia’s student and the Element Bearers while taking no direct action to aid or interfere in its daily life. But as the entity cried out in despair, trapped within its own mind, she couldn’t help but feel pity for its plight. “We have already interfered once, surely once more wouldn’t hurt.”







“No! Stay away!” I cried, tears streaming down my face as the thing that was both me and not me reached its grotesque hand-wing towards my face. 

“You. I. We. Not us, but thee. Not thee, but me. But neither, you see. For we should not be. Don’t you agree?” It cackled in twisted whispered words and rhymes as it caressed my face, licking its lips in anxious glee.

“No! I’m not a monster! I’m ME!”

“Me? You. We. What are you? What is me? Together, you see, a monster we be. For you are me, and I am thee.” Its face inched closer to mine, ticking violently from side to side like a broken metronome keeping in time with its horrid poem.

“Shut up!” I scream into the mirror as the creature continues to crawl through and threatens to devour me, its twin-mouthed maw opening ever wider. 

“I. You. Me. Together we shall be. Once you’re in me, your true self, you’ll see.”

“ENOUGH!” 

Pale moon beams cascaded through the window of the farmhouse, illuminating the room around the creature and I. The creature squelched and screamed as the light seared its two-fold flesh, driving it back into the mirror from whence it came. Whispers through the mirror faded into nothingness. “You. Me. Again, you’ll see…”

The mirror rippled as though the surface were turbulent waters until it calmed and softened, revealing only me and a full moon in the window. I shuddered as I sat, wrapping my wings around myself as I huddled alone in the room. 

“Why do you dream of such things?” A familiar voice spoke. Its words were calm and strong, but curious.

I simply stared dumbly into the mirror, unable to form words in any coherent manner. My entire body trembled in shock and my mind, unwilling to process anything else, sat empty. The new voice was quiet for what felt like hours before it spoke once again. “You are safe now, little one. We have met once before, though not in the waking world.”

“My friend.” I said incoherently, still reeling from the nightmare. 

The voice laughed warmly, “We suppose, in a sense. Tell me, what bothers you so much that you would dream of such monsters? We assume that such creatures do not exist in your realm.”

I slowly shook my head in response.

“We see. The bi-pedal creature from before?” The voice asked.

I nodded. 

“And that creature, was you?”

“I-Yes…it was. So much has happened since…” I trailed off as a window opened up on the other side of the room, revealing my first few moments in this world, the fall into the Everfree. I winced as I saw what my mind had trouble remembering, appearing in thin air as I fell to the ground hitting a tree branch with my face along the way.

“We see. And praytell, what led you to us here?” The voice asked again.

Almost immediately, another window opened up revealing the last few moments I had back on Earth. I watched as Seth leapt into the darkness and fell through a portal that tore open as I fell towards the rocks below. “How is that happening?” I asked as the window shut.

“In the realm of dreams, memories flow freely. One must merely recall a past experience and it is played for all to see.” The voice explained.

“So…you know what I am. That I’m not a pony?”

“It matters not what you are, only who.” 

“What is that supposed to-” 

“Who are you?” The voice said, this time in a more demanding tone. 

“I…I don’t know anymore. I was someone else on Earth, but now I’m somepony else. I don’t know who the real me is. The more I gain here, the less like me I feel.” I said, struggling to make sense of what I was even saying. 

“Who do you see reflected in the mirror?” The voice asked.

I turned to look into the mirror once again, and to my horror the creature had reappeared. I recoiled in shock, but it sat still, like an image on a screen. “I see a monster.”

“A creature that is both yourself, and not. Both sides, representing a part of you that you yourself do not understand.” The voice explained. 

“But I’m not a horse! I’m human! Or at least I was, and now I’m neither.”

“So you are nothing?” The voice asked, “If that were so, you would have no reflection.”

“Ok. I’m not nothing. I’m something. But what am I? And who are you?” I asked, becoming frustrated with the word games being played in my mind.

“You must decide who you are. We cannot tell you, nor can we make that decision for you.”

“But I don’t-”

“How do you believe others, your friends, see you?” The voice asked, pointedly.

“My friends? I don’t…” I stopped to look into the mirror once more, and a beautiful, normal looking mare with a side-tail and a sad smile looked back at me. “...have friends…”

“The mirror says otherwise.” 

“But, that’s not-”

“You?” The voice sighed and took on a softer tone. “You, who arrived in a world so strange to you. You, who instead of running away from it, chose to fight. You, who could have chosen to hide from those who wished to help, but instead welcomed them. You, who offered of your own free will to aid another whom you do not know. Selfless, caring, kind, courageous. That isn’t you?” 

The image in the mirror split in two, one half showing Zinnia, the other showing the human I used to be, both with the same smile. 

“What you look like on the outside isn’t what’s important, little one. It is who you are inside that matters.” 

Both images faded from view in the mirror revealing just me, Zinnia, and another pony behind me. She was tall, much taller than even Big Mac, with fur as dark as night and a mane that flowed in some non-existent wind with stars that glittered and flowed through it like a cosmic river. She had both wings and a horn, though both were much larger than any other representative of Equestria. I stared in awe at her reflection, and she looked at me with calm, almost loving eyes. 

“Who…are you?” I asked, turning around to see nothing but the pale disc floating in the sky, casting a tranquil light across the dreamscape.

“You may not ask for much, Zinnia, but if you feel lost once again, all you must do is ask for the moon.”
> Letters 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One month.

That’s how long it had been since Zinnia had arrived in Ponyville. It had been a month not unlike any other since Twilight had moved to Ponyville herself. Everypony went about their days normally (as normally as usual in this crazy town) and Zinnia herself seemed to be settling in. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Twilight couldn’t shake a sense of tension that slowly grew as she pondered over her mentor’s newest letter.





“To my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle,

I do hope this letter finds you well, as I know this time of year can be quite busy for those living in Ponyville. With that in mind, I will attempt to keep this letter short.

First, let me say that I am proud of how much you are learning and discovering about the magic of friendship. I am glad to see that the task we have given you hasn’t impeded your ability to continue your studies. It does my heart well to see my student achieving so much in such a short time on her own, and I hope that you are able to continue learning such valuable lessons with your friends.

In regards to your other task, Luna and I have discussed much since Zinnia’s arrival. Through much deliberation, and some… Minor psychological intrusions on my sister’s part, we have come to the conclusion that further observation may no longer be necessary on your part. It would appear that though her situation is unfortunate and mysterious, she doesn’t seem to be in danger, nor does she appear to be a danger to others. I understand that you and your friends have done your best to stay close to her, but if you see no reason to suspect her of any ill will, then there should be no further reason to do so. 

My sister and I will maintain watch over her and will alert you should any further action be required of you and the other elements in the future. 

Princess Celestia.

    P.S. I cannot wait to see you and your friends at the coming Gala. 





Twilight read over the letter again with a slightly disgruntled face, a sentiment shared by her stomach as it growled loudly while she sat on the couch in her library home. A plate of pancakes soaked in butter and syrup slid across the coffee table in front of her. Her nose flared at the rich smell of a not-so-healthy breakfast, but despite her stomach’s continued complaints, she ignored it. 

“C’mon, Twilight. You’ve been reading that same letter from Princess Celestia for over an hour now.” Spike implored from the other side of the table. He crossed his little arms and glared at her disapprovingly, not that she could see him with her nose in the parchment she held in her magic before her. Not only was she ignoring him, but the pancakes he worked so hard on were getting cold. 

“I can’t help it, Spike. Something about this letter just doesn’t sit right. I feel like I’m missing something, but I can’t quite put a hoof on what it could be.” Twilight said with a sigh as she gazed over her mentor’s words.

“The only way you’re missing something is if Princess Celestia herself wrote something in invisible ink.” Spike said sarcastically before retreating to grab his own plate from the kitchen. 

“No, I already checked. Three times, actually.” Twilight grumbled, finally setting the letter down and running a hoof through her mane 

“Really?” Spike deadpanned as he returned with a large stack of pancakes of his own. He nestled down on the couch beside her and cut into them with a fork, digging into the breakfast cakes with a smile across his face. He chewed happily for a few moments before swallowing and taking a sip of orange juice, after which he returned his attention to Twilight. 

“I thought you’d be happy that the Princesses finally trust Zinnia enough to have you stop watching her.” He said, before stuffing his face with another mouthful. 

“That’s just it, Spike. I don’t think they do. And to be honest, I’m not really sure I do either,” she admitted. There were just too many questions about her that were left unanswered. Too many inconsistencies in her story that were piling up. Not to mention that the Princesses were both watching her for a reason that wasn’t entirely clear. At first Twilight thought it was just to make sure Zinnia was ok, but the more she thought about it, the less likely that seemed. 

“What do you mean? She seems nice enough to me.” Spike said, a hint of worry edging into his otherwise slightly confused expression.

“I have a feeling that she isn’t telling us everything, and neither are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. First; why are they so interested in Zinnia? As soon as she was admitted to the hospital, Princess Celestia wanted me to observe her and report any and all findings to her. That’s why I asked Pinkie to visit her several times a day, and why I asked her and Rarity if they could try to convince her to stay with one of them while she recovered from her injuries. It was lucky that Applejack needed help, and that Zinnia so readily agreed to help her. At least that way Zinnia feels like it was her decision to stay, and us being around all the time isn’t so out of place. 

“Then there’s the fact that she just suddenly appeared out of nowhere! I’ve tried looking into her history, but I haven’t been able to find out anything about her. Manehatten doesn’t have any records of her living there or attending any of the schools there either. If she really did come from Manehatten, why isn’t there any record of her at all? It’s almost like she never existed!”

Twilight was up and trotting around the library now, obviously on a tangent and her train of thought wasn’t about to be derailed anytime soon. Spike eyed Twilight’s pancakes sorrowfully before shrugging and taking her plate. He had already finished his stack, but he didn’t want the breakfast he made going to waste. While he happily ate the now room temperature meal, Twilight continued.

“Not to mention the whole portal thing. She just happened to show up, right at the height of activity, then as soon as she was found, the portals just stopped! I don’t know how, but Zinnia and the portals are connected. What does she know that she isn’t telling us? Did she cause the portals? Is she trying to figure out what they are, like we are? Is she some inter-dimensional, portal-hopping pony?

“And why was her magic disrupted?” Twilight stamped a hoof, obviously frustrated. 

Spike, who had downed the second plate and was starting to wish he hadn’t, simply groaned and belched in reply. The green flames that came forth smelled oddly of maple syrup and regret. He rolled over onto his back and rubbed his belly uncomfortably, “Her magic?”

“Yes, Spike! Her magic! I wasn’t sure about it at first, but after reviewing her blood work and after seeing her with Rainbow Dash, I could definitely tell. It must have happened after she came through the last portal. Her connection to the magic of harmony was severed, and therefore, her ability to fly.”

“I thought pegasi flew like birds. Ya know, just flapping their wings.” Spike grumbled, trying to follow along with Twilight’s ravings.

“No! Well, yes. Kind of. It’s a part of their magic, just like their ability to move clouds and affect the weather. Without their magic, a pegasus would be grounded. Zinnia, somehow, regained her connection to her magic, but even now she’s learning to fly like a newborn foal. It’s almost like she never knew how to fly at all. At least, that’s how Rainbow described it. Then again… The doctor did say that it could have been a temporary form of nerve damage, which would explain it, but still…”

“You’re probably just overthinking it, Twilight. Sure, Zinnia is a little strange, but that doesn’t mean she’s some kind of evil villain or something. Besides, didn’t we already write that letter to Princess Celestia when Zecora came to town? The one about not judging ponies based on their appearances?” Spike asked with a yawn, hoping the question would stop Twilight’s pacing which was starting to make him feel sick. 

Twilight blushed at that. She’d almost forgotten about that letter, and Spike had a point. Just because she was a little strange… Ok, really strange, and mysterious, that didn’t give Twilight the right to be wary of her. Even still, something told her that she was onto something and she was determined to find out what that was. 

“You’re probably right, Spike. I just need to make sure, if for nothing but my own sake.” She said, turning to her baby dragon, who was now passed out on the couch. His bloated belly rose and fell rhythmically as he tried to sleep off his mistakes. She giggled to herself as he groaned and turned over, attempting to shield his eyes from the sun peeking through the window.

“I guess I’m on my own today.” Twilight wrapped Spiked in her magic and carefully lifted him to his bed before tucking him in. He’d been hard at work over the last month taking care of the library and writing twice as many letters as normal. What’s one day off for the little guy? He was still just a baby dragon, after all.
> Wings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen…” 

“Four… Five… Six…”

“Twenty two, twenty three, twenty four…”

“Seven…” 

“Thirty! How many you got left in the set, Z?” Rainbow asked excitedly as she stood up to face me.

“Ergh… Eight!” I panted, struggling to complete the exercise. Push ups were one thing, but wing push ups? I could feel my face burning with exertion and my wings and withers ached as I struggled.

“Seriously? Only eight left? Yesterday you could only do nine!” 

“N-nine! Oof…” My wings shuddered and wobbled as I poured the last of my strength into pushing myself off the ground, just barely able to finish the push up before I collapsed into a pile in the dirt. “Looks like… Nine is… All I have…”

“Oh. I guess maybe bumping you up to thirty was a little too much too soon, huh?” Rainbow said with a sigh. She held out a hoof to help me up, though I hesitated for a moment before taking it. The dirt felt cool and refreshing against my belly, and I was loath to remove myself from it. 

“Ya think?” I gasped as I caught my breath. I could feel sweat beginning to drip down my brow as I reached for her hoof. “How are you not even winded? You just did thirty like it was nothing!” 

“Psht, because I normally warm up with at least fifty.” 

“FIFTY?!” I shouted, causing some of the other ponies in the park to look our way. “That’s so many!”

“Nah, it’s just the first set. I try to do at least four sets a day.” She said as though it was something every pegasus did before breakfast. I stared at her, my jaw dropped in disbelief as I stood shakily on my hooves. She tilted her head a little in response, “What?”

“There’s no way that’s right! That’s two hundred wing ups! I can only do nine! I mean, I only started flying last week, but still, that’s insane!” I thought to myself, still staring at the rainbow maned athlete in front of me.

“What?” She asked again, looking a little more worried. We stared at each other for a few moments before a third party broke the silence. 

“Hiya, Dashie! Hiya, Zinni! What are you two up to? OH! A staring contest! I love staring contests! Who’s winning? I bet it’s Zinnia, because she’s had a lot of practice with all the staring off into space she does when she thinks nopony is watching! She’s like, a stare master or something!” Pinkie rattled off as she bounced her way towards us.

“Wait, what? What do you mean, ‘when she thinks nopony is watching?’” I asked, finally broken out of my astonished stupor by Pinkie and her comment. 

“Oh! You blinked! Rainbow wins! Me next, me next!” She blinked rapidly a few times before fixing her blue eyes on me and stared me down with the intensity of a cat staring at a laser pointer. 

“Uhh…” I wasn’t sure what to do at this point. Thoroughly confused, I turned to Rainbow Dash, who just shrugged. 

Pinkie groaned from behind me as I turned back to see her looking a little deflated. “Aww! That’s no fun! You didn’t even try that time! That’s ok though, we can have a rematch later since you and Rainbow are supposed to be training right now and staring at other ponies isn’t going to get those wings a’ flappin’!” 

“It’s ok, Pinkie. Zinnia and I just finished our warm ups, so we can take a quick break before we start with today’s training.” Rainbow said as she did a quick stretch.

“You call running twenty laps around the park and doing all those wing ups a ‘warm up?’” I asked. I definitely wasn’t out of shape, in fact I was probably in the best condition of my life since I started working at Sweet Apple Acres and training with Dash. But an athlete I was not, and trying to keep up with one was taking its toll on me. 

“Duh! What else would it be, Silly?” Pinkie Pie pitched in, much to my dismay. 

“Ok… Either I am actually out of shape for a pony, somehow, or she’s poking fun at me. Either way I feel like I’m being attacked.”

“So, Pinkie, why’d you decide to come see us out here?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh, right! I came to ask you two if you could help me put up a banner near the town hall.” Pinkie replied cheerfully.

“A banner? Is there some kind of holiday coming up?” I asked, now curious about what Pinkie was planning. 

“Nope! No Holidays yet! It’s just a little something I wanted to throw together for later.”

“Is it another party?” Rainbow asked, just as confused as I was.

“Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe! It’s a surprise!” 

“How do you not know what it’s going to be if you’re the one setting it up?” I asked. 

Pinkie just shrugged and returned her trademark smile, waiting for us to consider her request. 

Rainbow and I traded a bewildered glance. Pinkie would forever be a mystery to me, and I was glad to see that even her closest friends were just as lost as I was with her.

“Sure, Pinkie. We can help you out. We’ll just make it a part of today’s exercise since Zinnia needs to practice her control with low speeds and hovering anyway.” Rainbow said, accepting her friend’s request. 

“Great! I already have everything over at the town hall! I’ll meet you over there as soon as I find my accordion, streamers, and that extra large, super soft pillow I left at Rarity’s boutique! Bye!” In a flash, Pinkie was bouncing back into town headed towards Sugarcube Corner. 

“Let me guess, it’s just Pinkie being Pinkie?” I deadpanned to Rainbow as we watched her quickly disappear into town. 

“Uh huh. See, told ya you were a fast learner.” She snickered. “C’mon, let’s finish this up before we head to the flight camp.” 

“Ok. Are you sure I can handle the obstacle course already though? That tornado looked pretty difficult.” I asked as I flared my wings. 

“Totally!” She said as she took to the sky with a single flap of her wings. “I bet by the end of the day you’ll be able to fly the course blindfolded!” 

It was hard not to smile at her confidence. Her boundless enthusiasm and endless encouragement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but feel my anxiety being brushed away whenever she was nearby cheering me on. Not only was I lucky to have her as a coach, but she was irreplaceable as a friend. 

I took a deep breath and gave my wings a quick test to make sure they were still working properly, feeling the feathers settling into place and the sun warming them. Satisfied with their condition, I bent my knees and flapped my wings a few times, gathering the wind beneath me and lifting into the air. Rainbow beamed at me while I approached her, positively dripping with pride. 

I was still a bit awkward as I flew. I was slow, my turns weren’t very sharp yet, I had a hard time slowing down or speeding up quickly, and my landings were…less than stellar, but I was still amazed that in one week I had gone from gliding to being able to take off under my own power. It was a freeing feeling, and one that I’d come to love.

It wasn’t long before Rainbow and I glided down to town hall, where Pinkie was already waiting for us to arrive. She waved to us as we flew down and pointed us to the banner she needed to set up. It was a large white fabric banner with the words “Welcome Home” written in large colorful letters and a wooden pole tied to each end. I wasn’t sure who she was welcoming back to town, but I figured we’d figure that out soon enough as Pinkie’s parties were open to the public and everypony was welcome. 

Rainbow and I went about setting up the banner, whilst Pinkie directed us in between putting together several tables around the immediate area. Each table had balloons and streamers that were dark yellow and blue, and had plates and cutlery set out for some sort of meal. Whoever she was throwing this party for was sure to have a good time. “Come to think of it, wasn’t she supposed to throw me a party a while ago? Whatever happened to that?”

I pushed that thought from my mind as Rainbow and I held the banner in place while Pinkie set the poles in the ground. I noticed that while we were working that some of the locals had started running around. At first I thought they were just excited, or busy with some other preparations that Pinkie had requested of them. But after the banner was set and I had a chance to look more closely, I realized that the citizens weren’t excited, but rather panicked. 

“Uhh, Rainbow? I think something’s wrong.” I said, pointing to a group of three mares who all had flower related cutie marks and were running around and shouting dramatically. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie stopped what they were doing to look as well, a look of worry slowly growing across their faces. 

“Hold up, girls. I’d better go find Twilight.” Rainbow said before she quickly became a prismatic blur, darting in between buildings and headed towards the large tree shaped building I’d seen Twilight leaving once or twice before. In less than a minute, both Twilight and Rainbow Dash had returned. 

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked as she ran up to Pinkie and me with Rainbow close behind her. 

“I-I don’t know! Dash, Zinnia, and I were setting up a surprise party for a surprise pony when all of a sudden everypony started running around like there was a fire!” Pinkie explained, as an older mare with a gray mane came running up to us looking very worried. 

“Mayor Mare!” Twilight called out as the mare stopped in front of us.

“Oh, thank Celestia you’re here! We have a problem!” She said in a panic. Her mane and tail were out of place from having been running around and she panted slightly as she looked to Twilight for help. 

“What happened? Why’s everypony freaking out?” Rainbow asked as another group of ponies, galloped by shouting something. 

“Aquamarine told Cheerilee that one of the colts in her class went into the Everfree Forest!” Mayor Mare exclaimed between winded breaths.

“What!? Why would a foal willingly go there by themselves? Doesn’t he know how dangerous it is there?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, but apparently he’s been in there since early this morning and nopony’s seen or heard from him since!” Mayor Mare explained, causing Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow to gasp in horror. 

“We need to gather a search party and find him before he gets hurt! Rainbow Dash, I need you to get Applejack and Fluttershy. Pinkie, go get Rarity. Have everypony meet me back here as quickly as you can. Mayor Mare, gather anypony willing to join the search and have them meet us near Fluttershy’s cottage in ten minutes.” Twilight ordered, to which everypony obeyed.

“Zinnia, I’m sorry, but if you could stay here with May-” Twilight paused, looking around herself for me, but I was nowhere to be seen. “Zinnia!?”

I had already left and was nearly out of earshot of Twilight as she called after me. Whatever Twilight wanted to say to me wasn’t as important as the foal who’s life could have been in danger that very moment. I forced my wings to fly as fast as they could as I raced towards the edge of the woods in hopes of finding the lost colt loitering around the edge. 

As I neared the Everfree Forest’s entrance near Fluttershy’s cottage, I could see Dash dragging her out of her home by a hoof and tearing across the sky back towards town. I cursed myself, wishing I were fast like Dash. I knew first hand how dangerous it was out there, and all I could think about was finding that colt before those timberwolves did. 

But as I circled the woods my confidence waned. There were no colts in sight on the outskirts of the forest, which only meant one thing. 

“Ok. Ok, calm down. Focus, Zinnia. Panicking leads to bad decision making, remember how you ended up here in the first place? There’s a foal out there who needs you. Now think, how am I going to track him down…” I said to myself as I paced back and forth in midair, still scanning the edge of the woods. My eyes traced the tree line to the entrance where a path exited the forest and led into town when a thought hit me. 

“Track him down. He went in early this morning, meaning his trail will still be fresh. All I need to do is remember my survival training! Everything leaves a trail, no matter how small. I just have to find it!” I exclaimed, heading into a dive towards the entrance of the woods and forgetting I didn’t know how to stop.

The ground was quick to remind me that I lacked that skill as I hit the dirt a lot harder than I had intended. I groaned as I laid there in the dirt trying to regain the breath I had knocked out of myself. “Ugh, pony feathers! I’m still barely able to fly. How am I supposed to help when I can barely help myself?” I pounded the dirt with a hoof, feeling frustrated, when something caught my eye.

A tuft of blue hair hung from a bush just inside the entrance to the forest. I struggled to my hooves and shakily made my way towards the clue when I heard shouting from behind me.

“Zinnia! Please, wait!” Twilight shouted in the distance as she and the rest of her friends came racing towards me. 

Rainbow was the first to reach me, which unfortunately for me meant receiving a swift kick to the rear. “What the hay were you thinking, running off all by yourself like that?”

“Ow! Buck, that hurts!” 

“Yeah? You know what hurts more? Getting torn apart by an angry timberwolf! Or losing one of your friends before you even get a chance to get to know her!” Rainbow retorted angrily as she glared at me. 

“Rainbow! Now ain’t the time!” Applejack shouted at Rainbow as she approached, “Zinnia, I know you’re just as worried about First Base as the rest of us, but you don’t even know what he looks like, do you?” 

“Honestly, I didn’t even know his name was First Base, but I bet he has blue hair.” I said, pointing at the piece of mane hanging from the nearby bush.

“That’s definitely the same color.” Rarity pointed out, “though I’m surprised you found his trail so quickly.”

“It’s part of my special talent, or whatever. But that’s not important. We need to find First Base before the timberwolves do.” I pressed, “Every moment we spend standing here talking is decreasing our chances of finding him.”

“She’s right, girls.” Fluttershy said as she put on a brave face. 

“Twilight, don’t you know a tracking spell?” Rarity asked, but Twilight shook her head in response.

“I do, but it could take some time to cast since I’d only have a little piece of him to use as an anchor for the spell. We might not have that kind of time.” She explained as she levitated the tuft of mane over for her to examine, “I can try, but we need to get inside and search for him in case the spell fails.”

“Leave that to me,” I said, turning towards the forest entrance. 

Twilight and her friends looked at each other, unsure if it was the right decision. I wasn’t about to let them tell me ‘no’ though, and I was through with wasting time. I galloped into the dark woods, delving back into the place that once almost killed me. 

“Zinnia!” Pinkie Pie shouted out above the others, but I didn’t turn around. Instead, I focused my attention on the task at hand.

I followed the trail into the woods as far as it led. The path wound around trees and rocks and across the stream where I could make out small hoofprints in the soft mud near the edges of the water. I didn’t need to look very hard to tell they were made recently, as the outer edges of the waterlogged soil rose up cleanly around the print, indicating very little weathering had taken place since they were made. The prints themselves traveled along at a walking pace as well; First Base didn’t seem to be in any hurry as he made his way along the path.

The trail continued on for a little while before I could make out a familiar clearing in the distance. The sound of rushing water greeted my ears as I left the forest’s edge to be greeted by the ravine I had nearly leapt into just over a month ago. My mind raced back to that moment in time, and I could almost feel my leg beginning to throb again as I replayed the chase. I remembered how terrifying it was, to be the prey, and how that poor colt must feel being out here alone and in danger of the same thing. “I have to find him.”

It was much harder to pick up his tracks in the clearing. There weren’t any muddy patches or branches that could have been snapped to tip me off to which way he went, but there was grass. Tall grasses will be trampled down by passersby, which can be just as obvious as leaving behind a painted line on a sidewalk if one knows what to look for. I took to the skies again, sure enough finding a line of grass that had been trampled, heading further up the ravine. It was almost as if he were following the path I had taken in reverse. Right towards the wolves territory. 

The trail meandered about in the clearing for a while. It seemed like he could have been looking for something in the grass for a while, but from my position in the sky I could see where a second trail of trampled grass exited the woods. That trail moved straight to where the first had stood before converging with it and heading off into the woods to the left. Whatever had left the second path of trampled grass was much larger than a pony, as it swallowed the smaller trail and widened it by nearly triple its original size. Something big had found him, and was following him. I was running out of time. 

“No no no…” I chanted as I flew closer to the ground, following the trail into the woods. I barely registered the sticks and twigs that grasped at my mane and tail and I flew through the dense trees and growing gloom. In the sparse rays of light that beamed through the heavy canopy I could make out a set of small hoof prints that appeared to have picked up their pace from a walk to a run, as well as a second set of prints that threatened to hide them as their owner plodded behind. These weren’t timberwolf prints though, as they weren't even remotely canine in appearance. They looked closer to that of a big cat.

All I could do was follow the trail and hope beyond hope that I wasn’t too late, though the prospect of finding First Base alive was looking worse by the minute. The area I flew through was strangely familiar now. I’d been here before, the same path that I had taken to escape the wolves. That means that just ahead was…

I burst through into a smaller clearing right next to the stream. The water burbled happily, almost as though it were welcoming me back to my very first “home” in Equestria. The ring of stones I had made to house my campfire still lay undisturbed, save for a large and very well weathered paw print in the middle of it. A testament to my past. I shuddered as I remembered that night, that dream, and that following morning. 

“Focus, Z! Now’s not the time! Where’s the trail lead from here…” I asked myself, trying to redouble my efforts, but the trail had run cold. I could see where the large feline prints milled around the site for a bit before moving on deeper into the woods, but there didn’t appear to be any signs of struggle. No blood, hair, or bones. So where did First Base go? He couldn’t have just disappeared…could he?

“Oh…buck. He couldn’t have found a portal…Dear Celestia, please tell me he didn’t wander through a portal.” If he had, then there was no telling where he could be. There was no guarantee that that could have happened, since I hadn’t seen any signs of them since I had arrived, but I couldn’t rule it out either. 

And if that happened, there was no guarantee that the portal would take him back to Earth. It could have taken him literally anywhere…I mean, I ended up in a world filled with pastel ponies after all, who’s to say he wouldn’t find himself in some desert world with giant sand worms or something. I searched around desperately, hoping to find some trace of him, but to no avail. He had just…vanished. 

I could feel tears welling up behind my eyes and my face flushed with frustration. “No…” I couldn’t see well enough to fly with the river of tears beginning to fall, so I lowered myself slowly to the ground, kicking a shard of old broken pottery as I landed. 

“He’s not even my responsibility. I don’t know this foal, and yet, here I am weeping like I just lost my own. But I can’t help it. Nopony deserves what happened to me. No one deserves to be thrust into a world they can’t understand, especially not a child. What would happen if he did get sent to earth? What if he’s injured? What if he got sent to the arctic, or to the middle of the ocean? How am I supposed to explain this to Twilight?”

I cried bitter tears for the both of us and cursed whatever foul deity that deigned it suitable to torment us so. I wept, wishing that First Base was safe but knowing he wasn’t. Blinded by my tears, I could only see the worst fate possible. Until I felt a small hoof touch my foreleg.

“Miss? Are you lost too?” A little voice spoke from my side, startling me from my despair. 

“No bucking way! You’re alive! You didn’t get eaten or sent away to an alien world in a galaxy far away?!” I shouted as I wiped my eyes. There stood a little colt, no older than Applebloom, with a messy blue mane and a baseball and bat cutie mark on his flank.

“Umm…what are you talking about, Miss?” He asked, before I wrapped him in a hug and squeezed him tightly. “Miss! I can’t breathe!”

“Sorry! Sorry, I just thought…nevermind. You’re safe, and that’s all that matters,” I said, now crying tears of joy as I brushed a tattered lock of mane from his face with a smile. “Hey, why did you come out here all by yourself? Don’t you know how dangerous it is out here?”

First Base looked away, the guilt he felt written clearly across his face. “I know…but a unicorn took my favorite baseball and used their magic to throw it as far out here as they could. I was too embarrassed to ask for help because I wasn’t supposed to bring it to school since it was a gift from my dad’s dad, so I came out here to find it myself. That’s when I heard some big scary monster and hid in that hole filled with leaves over there.” He said, pointing a hoof to the little den I had made myself back when I was lost.

“Why in the wide wide world of Equestria would you be embarrassed about a bully? You should have come to somepony for help.” I chided.

“Because I can’t replace grandpa’s ball if I lose it. It’s because of him that I got my cutie mark, and it’s part of who I am. If I lose it, it’s like losing a little bit of both of us.” He said, tearing up.

“I know that your grandpa’s ball is important to you, Base. But that ball isn’t what makes you special. It’s who you are as an individual that makes you special. I know it hurts to lose something that’s so close to you, but you are more important. How do you think your parents or your friends would feel if you didn’t come back?” 

He thought about it for a moment before responding tearfully, “They’d be really sad.” 

“Mhmm. Everypony would be, Base. Can you promise me that if you need help, that you’ll ask somepony first, even if it’s embarrassing?” I asked the little colt.

“O-ok. I promise,” he said, crossing his heart and sticking his hoof in his eye. 

“Was that a Pinkie Promise?” 

I reached my head down to his and gave him a quick nuzzle before standing up. “Ok, now let’s get you home. Everypony’s worried about you.” 

First Base smiled happily at me with a sparkle in his eye, but it didn’t last for long, as his happy smile melted into fear. “M-M-M…” he stammered as he pointed a hoof behind me, clinging onto me for dear life with the other. 

“Oh…buck me…”

An ear splitting roar erupted from the edge of the tiny clearing we sat in, shaking the ground and threatening to burst our eardrums as the angry monstrosity announced its presence. I quickly turned my head to assess what kind of monster would be trying to eat me today, but what I saw confused and terrified me. 

Charging at us was an amalgamation of different animals, smashed into one chimeric beast filled with hunger and rage. Its feline body’s muscles rippled as it sprinted towards us, bearing teeth the length of sabers from its leonid face. Its large, leathery, bat-like wings pumped as it attempted to push itself towards us as quickly as it could muster with its scorpion-like tail thrashing about, leaking venom as it flailed.

“OH, BUCK THAT!” I screamed as it lunged at us. I was able to dive out of the way with Base just in time to avoid its razor sharp claws. Its massive body careened into a nearby tree, toppling it over and revealing a bit of the blue sky above. I saw the chance to escape, but before I could get my wings to unclasp themselves from my sides the beast had begun its charge once again. I dodged a second time, leaping into the old fire pit which kicked up a cloud of old ash into the air, making it difficult for all three of us to breath. 

The creature coughed and sputtered as I gathered up First Base as close to my chest as I could manage. “Hold onto me! We’re going up!” 

“Up?! What do you mean u-AHHHH!” With a single flap we rocketed into the air towards the gap in the trees, though my angle was too low to clear the canopy without contact. I curled up and rolled onto my back while wrapping my wings around First Base to protect him from the branches as we blasted through the toppled tree tops and into the sky above. 

“Ahhhhh! I’m afraid of heights!” He shouted as he attempted to crush my neck in a vice-like grip for his little life.

“And I’m afraid of that!” I croaked as I pointed back towards the angry living death-machine below us as its roar echoed through the forest. 

“Ok, yeah! Me too!” He agreed as we flew up and away from the forest. 

“Zinnia!” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy called as they spotted me zipping across the Everfree at a respectable speed but I didn’t stop, instead, opting to ferry my precious little package back to Fluttershy’s cottage, much to the chagrin of my wings, who were now a bit banged up from the beat down the tree limbs gave them. 

“Twilight! I found her! She’s heading back to Shy’s cottage!” Rainbow called down into the forest, to which she responded with a magical flare and within minutes the girls were all gathered together again, before a single bright flash caused them to disappear. 

First Base and I zoomed over the edge of the Everfree and plummeted towards Fluttershy’s house. I tried to slow up our descent but my wings screamed at me when I attempted to slow down. I closed my eyes as the house came up to greet us just as quickly as we were coming to meet it when a warm feeling surrounded me.

After a few moments of weightlessness (and not being hit by a whole house) I opened my eyes to see us slowly floating down to the ground below. Twilight’s horn was glowing a bright, blazing lavender as we landed, after which the warmth faded from around me and she quickly blew on her horn to cool it off. 

“Zinnia, darling! Whatever in the world possessed you to leave us behind! You could have gotten yourself killed!” Rarity exclaimed as she ran towards me.

“Yeah! What she said!” Pinkie piled on.

“I ought to come over there and buck the stupid outta ya!” AJ said angrily as she followed closely behind her friends.

“I know I said you make stupid decisions sometimes, but that was beyond just a stupid decision!” Twilight chided as she winced and grabbed her head. 

“You. Could. Have. Died!” Rainbow Dash said as she flew in my face to berate me. 

But none of them had noticed who I was carrying. I threw on my best mischievous grin I could muster and looked Dash right in the face. “But did I die?”

“W-wha? No, but…!”

“Girls, look!” Fluttershy said excitedly as she flew next to me. 

I uncurled my body to reveal a terrified, but very much alive colt who still was trying his best to crush my windpipe.

“Y-you found him!?” Twilight gasped, astonished, “How did you know where to look?”

“I didn’t, I just followed his tracks.” I said as I attempted to pry him off of me with little luck. My wings ached every time I made a move, so I just sat back and allowed him to do his thing. 

“That’s…wow, Zinnia.” Twilight responded before taking on a curious look, “But what was all that noise then?”

“A m-m-m-manticore!” Base stammered out as he shuddered against my chest. 

“You took on a manticore? All by yourself?! Oh, you are SO wonderbolt material!” Rainbow Dash said as she slapped my back, causing me to shout in pain. “Ohmygosh! I’m sorry, what happened? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Oh my…” Fluttershy said quietly. “It’s her wings again.”

All six of my friends were quiet for a moment before each one simultaneously winced and “Ooo”’d.

“They aren’t broken are they? I just got them back last week!” I mewled as I chanced to look at my wings, which were already beginning to show signs of bruising and were sitting at a funny angle.

“Umm…well…” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Let’s just say that you’ll probably be needing some bed rest.” Twilight said as she gave me a pitious smile. 

“And another spa day. Oh dear, look at all those split ends! Your beautiful hair is simply atrocious! And your feathers are in dire need of a good preening, you poor thing!” Rarity cried.

“Let’s just get First Base back home. We can worry about all of that later.” I said with a sigh, to which everypony nodded in agreement. 

Twilight made her way to Mayor Mare to call off the search and let Ponyville know that First Base was alright. Rarity and Fluttershy helped get Base and myself to the hospital to have us looked over. Base ended up only having a single bruise on his knee where he hit a stone as we dove into the fire pit. I, however…

“Two weeks?!” I nearly shouted at Dr. Horse as he went over the paperwork.

“Yes. You aren’t to perform any heavy lifting, excessive activity, or attempt flying for two weeks while your wings heal. You really are the luckiest pony in Ponyville, maybe even Equestria at this point. If you hadn’t protected yourself and First Base the way you did, he might have come out a lot worse for wear, and you may have ended up with two broken wings instead of just a sprain.” 

“Ughh! I was just getting the hang of them too!” I complained, to which he chuckled.

“And you can continue to practice and improve, in two weeks.” 

After being released from the hospital with a brand new set of bandages that kept my wings bound and safe from harm, Rarity and Fluttershy asked me to follow them back into town. I attempted to protest, as all I wanted to do was pass out back at Sweet Apple Acres, but they wouldn’t have it.

“Oh, it’ll only take a few minutes. I promise that when we’re done you can sleep as much as you like.” Rarity said as we neared town hall. It was almost impossible to argue her out of a position once she had her mind set, so I begrudgingly relented and followed her. However, I wasn’t expecting to find what was there. 

As we approached the town, I noticed a large group of ponies gathered around the outside of the town hall. Even at a distance I could hear them chatting and laughing amongst each other as they milled around, seemingly waiting for something. I soon found out that that something, was me.

“Ladies, and Gentlecolts!” Mayor Mare announced as she stood at a podium on the stairs of the town hall. “I want to congratulate each and every pony gathered here and thank you for coming together in a time of need. Today, because of your efforts, one of our little ponies was rescued from the Everfree Forest and returned to us safe and sound!” The crowd gathered around the town hall cheered for a few moments before allowing the mayor to continue.

“It was no small task, and each and every one of you did your part to help us find First Base. But there is one pony in particular who went above and beyond the call of duty. A pony, who only one month ago found herself in a very similar circumstance. A pony, who since her arrival has given selflessly to help our citizens,” Mayor Mare pointed a hoof to Applejack and Granny Smith, who waved at the crowd, “and proved her outstanding character to all of us.

“It is with great honor, and great thanks, that I give the Ponyville Prized Pony award to our first ever non-citizen of Ponyville. Zinnia!” Mayor Mare waved her hoof above the podium and the crowd erupted into applause, turning to me as Rarity and now Twilight are walking beside me and guiding me towards the podium. I could see Fluttershy standing in the crowd nearby, the attention from the gathering must have been too much for her to bear. 

I could feel that familiar clinch in my chest again as everypony’s eyes were on me. Part of me wanted to run away, while another part refused to believe they were talking about me, but as we approached the podium the reality of the situation sank in. 

“Please accept this award as a token of our thanks for being a shining example of courageousness and dedication to your fellow ponies.” Mayor Mare said to me as I approached. A large golden trophy with a statuette of a pegasus rearing up on its hind legs with its wings outstretched adoring the top stood beside her. 

I looked at Rarity and Twilight, both of whom nodded to me. “You earned it, Darling.” Rarity said, encouragingly. 

“I…I don’t know what to say. I honestly don’t feel like I deserve this,” I started, garnering some confused looks from the crowd, “I mean, since I’ve arrived here, everypony has been so kind and welcoming to me. You’ve gone out of your way to make me feel like I’m welcomed and have given me so much. I feel as though the real ponies who deserve this award are my friends who helped me.” I said, pointing out AJ, Rainbow, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy. “So…while I appreciate the thought, I can’t accept the award. I, instead, would like to share it with those who welcomed me, and made me feel as though I had a home here.”

The crowd was silent and filled with confused faces. “But you do have a home here, Zinnia.” Mayor Mare responded. 

“What do you mean?” I asked, it now being my turn to be confused. 

“While you were being treated for your injuries, the townspoines all came together and had a vote. On top of offering you the award of Ponyville’s Prize Pony, we would also like to officially welcome you as an official citizen of our little town!” The crowd nodded and cheered, everypony smiling at me happily. 

“A…home? Is that ok? For me to call this place my home?” I thought to myself as I looked out at the many faces that made up the community here, all of whom seemed to accept me as I was without questioning who I was or where I was from. A memory from a recent dream came to mind, 





“You?” The voice sighed and took on a softer tone. “You, who arrived in a world so strange to you. You, who instead of running away from it, chose to fight. You, who could have chosen to hide from those who wished to help, but instead welcomed them. You, who offered of your own free will to aid another whom you do not know. Selfless, caring, kind, courageous. That isn’t you?” 

“What you look like on the outside isn’t what’s important, little one. It is who you are inside that matters.”





Tears began to fall onto the podium as I looked out across the crowd. I was at a loss for words. “Home…”

Six familiar ponies walked up to me and I turned to face them, barely able to recognize them through the sea of emotions. They all circled around me and gave me a warm hug as I broke down on stage in front of at least one hundred other ponies and uttered two words that would change my life in Equestria forever. 

“Welcome Home.”
> Where There’s Smoke…
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Thanks for visiting!” I waved to a pale yellow pony with raspberry hair as she left the Golden Oak library. She smiled and returned the gesture before opening the door, hesitating for a moment as she looked to the darkened sky above. Roiling black clouds had spread across the region, choking out the mid morning sun and creating a gloomy atmosphere. Roseluck took a deep breath, attempting to dredge up her bravery before taking a few steps outside, where she promptly began galloping into town. 

I didn’t blame her for wanting to return home quickly either. The air outside smelled vaguely of smoke and ash as the angry clouds hovered overhead, dimming the sun and instilling varying levels of fear and discomfort in the townsfolk, including myself. I had just finished scratching down Roseluck’s name and information into the guest log when another pony entered the building, looking a fair bit more put together than Roseluck when she nearly tore the door off its hinges to get inside. 

“Hello!” I chirped as the plum colored earth pony mare with a cutie mark resembling grapes and a strawberry stepped inside and tossed her saddlebags next to the door, “Twilight’s out of town right now and Spike is watching Fluttershy’s animals, but if you find something you want to check out I’d be happy to help!” 

The newcomer’s eyes met mine as she stared at me blankly for a moment before a look of familiarity crept across her face. She smiled brightly as she trotted further into the library towards me, “Hey! You’re the mare who rescued First Base last week! Zinnia, was it?”

I waved a hoof dismissively, “I just did what anypony would have done. It really wasn’t that big a deal.” 

“‘Not that big a deal?’” She blurted out, “I heard you fought off a manticore single-hoofed and flew away unscathed! How’s that not a big deal?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say ‘unscathed.’” I admitted as I tested my wings and winced at the soreness that still wracked them.

“How are they?” She asked as she eyed my wings, empathetically, “I heard you had to go to the hospital.”

“I’m ok. The doctor said I sprained my wings but I should be good to fly again by next week.”

“Oh, that’s good. When my daughter told me you had injured your wings, I was worried you had really gotten hurt,” She said with a sigh of relief, “That whole ordeal must have been pretty terrifying for both of you. I can’t imagine being face to face with one of those creatures.”

“Your daughter told you?” I asked.

“My daughter, Ruby, is in the same class as First Base. He told everypony about how you rescued him, and my daughter told me. That reminds me, do you happen to know if there’s a beginner’s guide to magic available? She’s having some difficulty with levitation and I could really use some help.”

“Sure, I believe it would be over there in the unicorn section,” I said, pointing a hoof to a section of colorful tomes that were recently dusted. 

“Thank you. I was hoping I could find Twilight and ask her for advice but she must have gone to deal with the clouds of smoke. Something about a dragon taking a nap on a nearby mountain, I think.” She said as she made her way to the section in question. 

“Is that something that happens often?” I asked.

“Well, most unicorns Ruby’s age are still developing their control with magic. I’ve heard that levitation is one of the easiest spells to learn, but when she tries to pick things up her magic fizzles out,” She said, putting a hoof to her bottom lip as she perused the shelf, “Honestly, I’m not really sure I know much more than you do about this sort of thing.”

“I’m sorry, I meant was the smoke something that happens often. I’m curious though, is your partner not able to help? He’s a unicorn too, right?” I asked as I made to dust off the books in the children’s section. 

“Actually, he’s an earth pony. One of his distant relatives was a unicorn though, so we think that Ruby’s one because her father has one in his family tree,” She furrowed her brow as she talked, reading one of the book’s spines, “As far as the smoke, well, strange things happen all the time here in Ponyville. You’ll get used to it.”

“I guess that’s why Twilight’s so level headed when problems come up, huh?”  

“No, that’s just Twilight I think. She’s actually the newest pony in town, other than you. She moved in only a few months before you showed up,” the plum colored pony said, beginning to look a little disgruntled and shifting her search to another shelf. 

“Oh. So why does everypony here seem to defer to her when something major happens?” I asked, beginning to lose interest in my task in favor of a new mystery coming to light, “Come to think of it, even the mayor came running to her for help when First Base went missing.”

“She didn’t tell you?” The mare turned to me with a questioning look, “That’s odd, especially since you're always around her friends. She normally tells everypony.” 

I tilted my head to the side and my ears flattened slightly, “Tell me what?” 

“She’s Princess Celestia’s student…what?”

I stared at her, mouth nearly hitting the floor. “Wait. Celestia? Princess Celestia? One of the diarchs? The Princess who raises the sun every morning?” 

“Yes?” She said, beginning to look a bit worried at my reaction, “I think Twilight said she studied magic under her, then came to Ponyville to study friendship or something like that. She and her friends were also there when Princess Luna was reformed, or so I heard. Oh! There it is!” She chirped happily as she trotted past me and pulled a book from the foal's shelf titled, “Your Horn and You.” It must have been part of Twilight’s last attempt at reorganizing the library.

“So does that mean Twilight is royalty?” I asked, trying to comprehend just what I’d been told.

“I don’t think so. I know she used to live in Canterlot, but her family is probably just wealthy,” She responded, grabbing another book from the cooking section, “I’d like to check these out, please.”

“R-right,” I stammered, shaking my head and trying to get my thoughts in order. “So one copy of ‘Your Horn and You,’ and one copy of-” I raised an eyebrow at the second book she had, wondering how the whole title even fit on the cover, “‘Berry Bonanza: One-hundred Boozy Berry Blends that will Bring Your Tastebuds Bliss?’”

“I like mixing drinks…” She admitted from behind a blush, “Besides, being the mother of a unicorn is hard work, and mama needs a drink every now and then.” She said, eyeing the cover with a thirsty grin.

“Ok…I’ll just need you to sign your name, today’s date, and the books you’ll be borrowing in the ledger on the table over there,” I explained dully, to which she dutifully filled out the paperwork. Once she was finished, she stowed the books into her saddlebags and put them on. I glanced over the ledger, noting her name before she called out from beside the door. 

“Thank you for your help, Zinnia. It was nice to get a chance to talk to you!” Berryshine said, opening the door and beginning to make her way out before the darkened sky reminded her of something, “Oh, and don’t let Twilight’s status bother you too much. She really is a good pony, unlike most of the stuck-up crowd in Canterlot. Anyway, I’ll see you around!” 

I waved as she left the library, waiting for the door to close completely before beginning my nervous breakdown. “So…Twilight is from Canterlot, which is like the capital of Equestria where all the rich ponies live. And she’s the personal student of one of the two ruling parties. Does that make her next in line for the throne, or is it passed on by blood or elections?

“I guess how the guards treated her differently makes sense now, too. That also explains why she could just sit in on my check-up with Dr. Horse without question or why Mayor Mare deferred to her when First Base went missing.” I pondered out loud when another thought hit me. 

“Woah, wait. More importantly, she’s here to study friendship. Was she and her friends being my first visitors at the hospital just a part of her studies then, or was she actually trying to be nice? If it was just another part of her studies, does that mean Celestia sent her to me to be my friend? How did Celestia even know I was at the hospital?”

“Because I’ve been watching you since you first arrived, little one.”
> …There’s Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Because I’ve been watching you since you first arrived, little one,” a stern, yet motherly voice that seemed to come from everywhere filled the library. I felt every hair on my body begin to stand on end, partially from surprise and fear, but also from the sensation of magic I had become vaguely familiar with. 

Crack!

A sudden electric burst of magic flooded the room, followed by a wave of heat and light that nearly blinded me as I scrambled to hide underneath the first available thing I could fit under. From the safety of the underside of the couch, I watched in horror as a pony more than twice my height began to apparate. 

Her coat was snow white, much like Rarity’s, but with a slightly pink tinge. Her mane and tail flowed in a phantom breeze and nearly doubled her apparent size. They shimmered and sparkled as they churned, shifting through various mesmerizing hues of pinks, purples, blues, and greens. She was adorned with a golden collar or necklace, golden hoof guards, and a golden tiara, all of which were encrusted in jewels and reflected the sun-like rays of magical light that her very coat and sun themed cutie mark seemed to emit.

Something else caught my attention though, reminding me of a dream I’d had. She had both a horn and wings, and both of which were absolutely massive compared to any other pony I’d seen. Her horn was nearly as long as I was tall, and her wings when fully splayed threatened to fill the room. Memories of the pony that helped me through my nightmare came back to me, with her dark coat, long horn and wings, and star filled mane that flowed just like the current visitor’s. 

My pupils shrank as the realization that this wasn’t just any other pony hit me. This was one of the rulers of the nation, it had to be, but why was she here? I tried to reason that she may just be here to check in on the library while her student was away, but the look in her eyes when they met mine as I shamelessly hid under Twilight’s furniture told me that she was here for me. The pressure of her gaze sent shivers coursing through my body and I realized that, compared to her, I was just a minnow who’d found itself staring at a shark. 

It was only a brief moment, but it felt like several minutes passed by silently as she judged my reaction to her appearance. I was sure that she had discovered that I wasn’t a pony, and that I was about to be blasted to dust, or teleported to a dungeon, or some other horrible fate was to befall me as she lowered her head and a grin crept across her face. I closed my eyes and hid my face as I shuddered and awaited my judgment.

“Greetings,” She said with a tone of amusement.

“P-p-princess,” I barely managed to stammer as I removed a hoof from my face to see her return a jovial smile.  

“I am, yes. I’ve seen many different greetings over the years, but hiding under furniture is a new one,” The hint of laughter in her voice did a lot to quell my anxiety and fear, but my face now burned with embarrassment, “It’s ok. You can come out. I don’t bite.”

“M-maybe not, but do you always scare the horseshoes off of ponies when you come to visit?” I asked, feeling a bit indignant. A surprise visit from royalty is enough to set anypony on edge, but that was a bit much.

“It was all in good fun. Besides, it’s not every day that I get to visit a guest from another world. First impressions are everything, wouldn’t you agree?” Her question hinted at something else, but I wasn’t too concerned with it. I was more worried about the fact she knew what I was.

“I…” I began but she stopped me before I could continue. She must have read the worry and fear on my face like words on a page, because she held up a hoof as I stumbled to come up with an excuse. “Guess I’m not getting out of it this time.”

“I understand that you have been through much since you have arrived in our world. Though I am sorry that you were subjected to the dangers of the Everfree, twice over now, I am glad to see that you aren’t worse off for it.” Her smile shifted tones as she spoke, taking on a more professional appearance.

I ventured to pull myself out from underneath the couch. On one hoof, one of the rulers of the nation was standing in front of me and hiding from her seemed rude. Besides, if her teleportation spell said anything of her magical prowess I’d have no chance of escaping her if I tried to run anyway. The least I could do would be to face her properly. On the other hoof, if she really was here to blast me to bits or imprison me somewhere, I wouldn’t want my last moments to be cowering in fear in my friend’s home. 

“You know what I am?” I asked Princess Celestia as I sat a small distance from her. 

“I do not. My sister’s description of you is unlike anything either of us have seen before. But as I said, first impressions are everything, and you have done much to give us a good one.”

“So you aren’t here to put me in prison or blow me up?”

Celestia seemed mildly shocked by my question. Her ears lowered ever so slightly and she raised an eyebrow, “Why would I ‘blow you up?’” 

“Nevermind. Why are you here, if I may ask?”

“As a ruler of Equestria, it is my duty to look after the safety and well-being of all of my subjects; Even if some of them aren’t originally from Equestria. That, and I wanted to see the individual named ‘Zinnia’ that my student writes about so glowingly.” Again, something about how she said it told me there was more to it than that.

“You mean you wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be a threat. So Twilight and her friends… Were they just making sure I wasn’t going to hurt anypony? Just following orders?” 

Princess Celestia visibly cringed, “Not exactly. While it’s true that my sister and I were concerned about you and what your arrival here would mean for Equestria, and I did task Twilight with keeping us aware of your condition; Twilight herself was worried about you as an individual. I have not made her nor her friends aware of your origins, nor have I given them any reason to fear you. Their actions towards you are theirs alone, and the friendships you’ve made with them are as real as any other.”

“I see,” I said with a sigh. I wasn’t sure I could trust her completely, but it was at least a little reassuring to hear her say that. “What happens now?”

“That, Zinnia, is a difficult question indeed. One that only you can answer for yourself.” 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that it isn’t my place to tell you how to live your life. You are free to find your own happiness here, as I believe you are just the same as anypony else.” 

“Free to find my own happiness here? Why does that have a sense of finality to it?” I scrunched up my face in thought, “Does she know something she isn’t telling me?” 

“That isn’t what you wanted to hear though, was it?” The Princess asked with a hint of concern.

“Princess Celestia, do you know anything about how I got here? In my dreams I see myself falling off a cliff and landing here. Is that really possible? I mean, you just teleported here, but I came from another world entirely.” 

“I’m afraid that I know little about the phenomena that lead you to us. Shortly after a recent… Incident,” She seemed to wince as she remembered something I wasn’t privy to, “small magical disturbances began happening across Equestria, concentrating around the Everfree forest. What started as minor distortions worsened until the day you arrived, after which all activity ceased immediately. That is why we decided it was in everypony’s best interest if you were monitored, both for my ponies safety and for yours.”

“I think I can understand. You didn’t know who or what I was. I can’t blame you for being cautious,” I said, trying to put myself in her position. In a world as strange as this, it must be nerve wracking for her since every little oddity could be either a normal occurrence or a catastrophic event. Part of me felt bad for her. “But if the portals stopped happening, does that mean that I’m stuck here?”

“Unfortunately, yes. We currently have no way to figure out where you came from. Even if the magical disturbances began to occur once more, there is no guarantee that they would simply take you back home,” She said, confirming a suspicion that I’d long held.

“You also don’t know when the next disturbances could happen either...”

“Only time can tell when, or if, the disturbances will reappear. I truly am sorry,” Celestia's voice held a hint of sadness and sympathy for my plight. 

A part of me knew that being stranded may be the case, but it didn’t help to keep the tears from falling down my face. I didn’t need to wonder if my family thought I was dead or missing anymore, because for all intents and purposes I was. I wouldn’t be going home. I would never roam the once familiar mountains, never finish college, never see my Mom and Dad’s smiling faces as I introduced them to their first grandchildren. 

I was barely aware of the Princess as she laid down to wrap a wing around me. Her coat and feathers were warm and comforting, and I buried my face in her wing and cried. My entire world had caved in and collapsed, leaving me to sift through the shattered pieces. I didn’t know how long it took for my tears to stop falling, but it was long enough that I had no more tears to give. 

“W-what do I do?” I muttered into the Princess’s wing, “If I can’t go back home, then where can I go?”

I felt the Princess shift and a wing tip touched my chin, bringing my head up to meet her gaze. Her royal, professional demeanor had all but melted away revealing a calm, reassuring smile and purple eyes filled with compassion. “Zinnia, I understand that this must be difficult for you. I can’t imagine how lost, or alienated you must feel being dislocated from your world. But you aren’t alone. No matter what you were originally, you are a wonderful pony. One who has already made so many friends and has a community to turn to for help.”

My ears perked up and my eyes widened in realization. I had been so focused on the things I lost, and the fear of losing what little hope I thought I had, that I forgot those around me. Six amazing friends who’d been there for me from the first step, and the whole of Ponyville who treated me like family. I remembered all of the things they’d done, and a particular conversation that nearly made me tear up once again.






“So, have you thought about staying?”

“At Sweet Apple Acres? I mean, I kind of already-”

“No, in Ponyville?” Rainbow said, cutting me off. “Have you thought about staying here instead of heading back to Manehatten?”

To be honest, I hadn’t intended to move anywhere. Not like I even knew where to go anyway. Manehatten was just a cover, so it’s not like I had any real ties there to return to. I didn’t have any family to go home to either. I was alone in this world, and I guess I was just using AJ’s hospitality as an excuse to not have to come to terms with that idea.

I watched the farm as we approached it, quickly becoming larger as we neared. It had kind of become my home since I arrived, and although I tried not to call it that, I found myself always eager to return at the end of the day. The Apples had almost become my family, in a sense, and I couldn’t imagine leaving them, even if I’d only known them for a little under a month. Apple Bloom would be devastated…

I turned back to Rainbow, who was watching me closely and waiting for a reply. “I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest. I would like to go home and visit my family again sometime, but I’m not really sure I can do that anymore.” Rainbow seemed disappointed, but I continued, “However, I can say that since I came here, since I’ve met all of you, that I have no better friends in all of Equestria; And that leaving you all to go back to the city would be like condemning myself to Tartarus.”

Dash perked up and her eyes sparkled as I finished. “So you’ll stay?”






I rubbed my eyes and face with my hooves and steadied my voice, “Princess Celestia? I realize this may be selfish of me, and I know Mayor Mare already made it official, but it only feels right to ask you too. Is it ok for me to stay here, in Ponyville?”

The warmth and brightness of her smile rivaled the sun itself as she took in my request. For just a moment, she adopted a playfully thoughtful face before reaching out to nuzzle me. “Of course, my little pony. I don’t think your friends would have it any other way.”

“Even if I’m not really a pony?” I asked. 

“What you are is not as important as who you are,” She said with a knowing grin, “I believe another friend of yours may have told you something similar.”

“Does she know about my dreams too? How…?” I stared at her in disbelief as she stifled a laugh at my bewilderment. 

“I have a feeling that you two will meet again soon enough. There is one condition that I must place upon you in order to grant your request.”

I tilted my head and flattened my ears, “Condition?”

“Yes,” She replied as she stood and made her way to the middle of the room, “In order for me to allow you to stay in Ponyville, I must ask you to complete one simple task. You must tell your friends the truth about who you are.”

“There it is…” I thought as my stomach sank straight into my hooves. I knew I had to tell them eventually, but the thought of losing them still terrified me. “Princess… What if I tell them and they don’t accept it, or me? What if they don’t want to be my friends afterwards?”

“I think you’ll find them to be more tolerant than your fears would have you believe. Speaking of your friends, it would appear that they were successful in convincing the dragon to leave its roost, which means our visit is just about over,” She said as she turned to look out of the window just in time to see the smokey clouds above slowly begin to dissipate

I stepped over to the window to see a tiny red speck fly away from the distant mountain top. “One dragon caused all that smoke? What the hay was it doing up there?” 

“Sleeping, of course.” Celestia replied with that same knowing look and a wink, “Now I must be off. I’m expecting a letter to arrive soon. Farewell, my little pony.” The tip of Celestia’s horn began to glow in a warm golden aura that quickly spread to the entire length of her horn as she levitated a short distance off the ground. Before I could bid her goodbye, the magic she channeled wrapped around her and with another whip-crack of magic and rush of warmth and light, she disappeared from the library as quickly as she came.

A familiar pop sounded from the other side of the library door, followed by the ringing of the doorbell as Twilight and Spike entered the room. “Oh! Hi, Zinnia. What are you doing standing in the middle of the room? And why are your eyes all red?” Spike asked as he dismounted from Twilight’s back.

“Are you ok, Zinnia? It looks like you were crying. Did something happen?” Twilight removed her saddlebags and tossed them to the floor before quickly running over to make sure I was alright.

“Nothing happened. I was just talking with a friend,” I said, unsure if I should mention that Princess Celestia herself had decided to visit without her student being there. 

“A friend?! What friend makes somepony cry and then leaves?” Twilight said roughly. If only she knew who she was talking about.

“It’s ok. Really. She only told me what I needed to hear. S-speaking of which… Twilight, I have something I need to tell everypony.”
> Letters 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dear Princess Celestia,

Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

I made an amazing discovery!

Oh, how do I word this?! Spike, don’t write that one down! 

Sometimes, the truth can be difficult to talk about. While it's always good to tell the truth, especially to your friends, sometimes a lie is easier to tell and hurts less for everypony involved. But a lie is still a lie, even if that lie was said to protect others. Telling the truth can be one of the hardest things a pony may do, and it’s even harder still if that truth is spoken after telling, and living, the lie. It takes a lot of courage to come forward and tell everypony the truth, and Zinnia may just be the most courageous pony I have ever met. 

I am writing this letter to you, as what Zinnia has shared with us may be important to the safety of Equestria as a whole, and sheds a lot of light on the mysteries surrounding the magical disturbances that ceased around the time of her discovery. 

Zinnia isn’t from our world! In fact, she wasn’t a pony either until she found herself alone in the Everfree. I can’t even begin to imagine how terrifying it must have been for her to have been so close to death, only to be thrown into an entirely new world with a new body and being totally unable to use it properly. Her skills as a survivalist, coupled with her unbelievable luck, were the only reasons she survived as long as she did. 

The closest thing in our world that resembles what she used to be is an ape, though her breed was significantly less hairy and significantly more intelligent. I wanted to dig deeper and learn as much as I could from her in our initial conversation, but her reluctance to talk about her past prevented me from doing so as much as Rainbow Dash’s shouting. (I will explain)

She explained that her world was devoid of magic of any kind, and that her species was the only one considered sentient. This answers quite a few questions I had about her. Specifically the dangerously low levels of magic that her medical reports had shown, and her fear of being ‘othered’ were she to have revealed herself sooner. Apparently, her kind has a tendency to fear that which they don’t understand to the point of reacting violently (A trait that she thankfully doesn’t seem to share with most of her species, as far as I can tell.) 

As to how she arrived here: She confirmed that during the magical disturbances that occurred shortly after the use of the Elements of Harmony to reform Nightmare Moon she experienced similar disturbances in her world. Those disturbances frightened her so badly that she fled her camp in the middle of the night and ran off a cliff, where she thankfully fell through a particularly large disturbance and into Equestria. I’m unsure how a world devoid of magic could still display evidence of magical disturbances like those here in our world, but I speculate that powerful enough instances of Equestrian magic may have far reaching consequences. 

While I am personally very excited to have Zinnia as a friend, and am glad that she felt comfortable enough around us to tell us about who she really is, I’m afraid that not everypony else feels the same. 

Of course, Pinkie Pie and Rarity took the news the best. Both of them were just happy that Zinnia trusted us enough to reveal her secret. Fluttershy was a bit, well, shy at first but she quickly joined Pinkie and Rarity in accepting Zinnia. 

Applejack was pretty upset with her. As the Element of Honesty, it must have felt especially sharp for her to learn that Zinnia had covered up who she was for so long. She eventually came around though. AJ is one of the most understanding ponies I know, so it didn’t take her too long to put herself in Zinnia’s horseshoes and understand her point of view and why she felt the way she did.

Rainbow Dash, however… I’m worried that she may not have taken it too well at all. Shortly after Zinnia told us the truth about who she was, Rainbow yelled at her. A lot. She said that Zinnia broke her trust. ‘How can I believe anything you said was ever true? How can I believe that you really are our friend? You promised me that you’d stay in Ponyville and that we were the best friends you had in Equestria! Best friends don’t lie to each other like that! Some best friend you are!’

After that she bolted out of the library, and I haven’t seen her at all today. Zinnia was really upset about it too. She already looked exhausted after we returned from convincing the dragon to leave but after what Rainbow said to her, she looked devastated. Applejack decided that it was a good idea to let Zinnia rest, and Fluttershy helped console and walk her back to Sweet Apple Acres. I really hope Rainbow and Zinnia can work this out. They were so close, and I’d hate to see them lose such a wonderful friendship over Zinnia trying to do the right thing. 

Maybe if we can reason with Rainbow, we can get Zinnia to come out of her room. Applejack said Zinnia hasn’t left her room today, which isn’t like her at all. Rarity and I are going to have a talk with Rainbow Dash later today to see if we can get her to understand how Zinnia feels. 

I will continue to keep you informed on her condition, as I am confident that you are just as invested in Zinnia’s well-being as we are. 

Your Faithful Student,
    Twilight Sparkle.”
> Loyalty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How can I believe anything you said was ever true? How can I believe that you really are our friend? You promised me that you’d stay in Ponyville and that we were the best friends you had in Equestria! Best friends don’t lie to each other like that! Some best friend you are!”

Her words rang painfully in my ears as I lay in bed, tracing the checkered pattern on the comforter with a hoof. No matter how many times I traced the same red cotton square, the image of Rainbow’s angry, betrayed face kept coming back, searing itself into my mind. Telling the truth was the right thing to do, but was it worth shattering her trust like that; Like throwing a wine glass against the wall? Why did it hurt so much?

Another pang of remorse came sending shivers down my spine, driving me to shift in bed. The light flooding into the room from Celestia’s sun was painful to my dry and bloodshot eyes, reminding me that it’d been nearly a whole day since I told my friends who I really was, or slept. I shut my eyes against the light and sighed as I remembered the words the Princess said. “You were right, Princess. They were more tolerant than I thought they’d be. All but one.”

 I tucked my unkempt head under the blankets and tried to let my mental exhaustion carry me to sleep, but somepony had other plans.

Rap-tap-tap

“Applejack must be trying to check on me again,” I groaned.

Rap-tap-tap-tap

“Wait, that’s coming from my window. Did AJ pull out a ladder or something?” I said to myself as curiosity started to set in. I knew I’d been cooped up in my room for a whole day and refused food, but isn’t climbing through the window a bit much?

“I know you're awake in there! Don’t make me break the window! AJ already gave me the go ahead, and you know I will!” A familiar raspy voice asserted from the other side. 

“Rainbow Dash?” I barely had time to peek over the edge of my warm cocoon when a rainbow colored smudge rammed the window with enough force to shake the room. “Why is she here? I thought she would never want to see me again…” I wondered, unsure if I should go to her. Part of me was too ashamed to want to face her, and the other was afraid I’d open the window to an angry pegasus looking for a victim. 

Against my better judgment, I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the window. If nothing else I’d apologize again for lying, in between getting pummeled. I deserved that much. I steeled myself as I unlatched the window and lifted it fully expecting a flurry of words or hooves but after a few moments of awkward silence, nothing came. Instead, my irate ex-friend hovered just outside the window with her forelegs crossed and gave me a smoldering glare.

“Well?” She said, as she glowered at me.

“I-I’m sorry. Rainbow, I’m really sorry! I should have told everypony sooner, but I wa-”

“You’re late.” She interrupted curtly. 

“Wha?” 

“You were supposed to meet me in the park for training this morning. It’s past noon. You’re late.” 

“I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t think you’d want to see me again after yesterday…” I quietly responded, casting my eyes to the floor.

“I didn’t. I also didn’t come for an apology. But I did say I’d teach you how to fly and to help you train,” She said, turning to look towards the edge of the orchard near town. “Meet me at the park in thirty minutes. Training starts as soon as you get there.” 

Before I could say another word, she blasted off towards town and within seconds was gone from view. Thirty minutes didn’t leave me much time to dally, so I threw a towel and some water into my saddlebags and started trotting. I wasn’t sure if this was Rainbow Dash giving me a second chance or her just keeping up her obligations, but either way I was excruciatingly nervous. 

I made it to the park a little early and found Rainbow already finishing her warm ups without me. She glanced my way but didn’t say anything until I dropped my saddlebags by a nearby bench and shyly approached. 

“Start with your usual routine. Stretches and warm-ups, followed by twenty laps around the park. How are those wings?” She said, focusing on something else.

“Dr. Horse told me I should be ok to fly by next week.” I whimpered.

Rainbow sighed heavily and shook her head. “That’s what you get for being careless. Since you can’t practice flying, you’re doing double your normal sets today. I expect to see some hustle out there, you got that?” 

“Y-yes, Rainbow.” I mumbled, feeling chilled by her prickly attitude. She reminded me more of a drill sergeant than a coach, and her total change in attitude towards me, although feeling warranted, made me feel awful.

“I can’t hear you!” Rainbow shouted loudly, causing some ponies in the distance to perk up and look our way. 

I winced and shouted back awkwardly, “Sir, yes sir!” I immediately dropped to the ground and started the routine Rainbow had made for me while she started her own. At first I hated every moment and wished I was still back in my bed, hiding away from the world. Being near Rainbow Dash only made me feel miserable about hiding myself from her for so long.

I’m not sure when it happened, but my thoughts of wallowing in self-pity and loathing were consumed by counting off the various numbers of sets and reps we went through. I could almost feel that stress being swept away by the sweat pouring from my brow and back as I raced around the park and squeezed out the strength to push myself harder for Dash’s sake. Rainbow Dash seemed in a better mood too, or at least a more focused one.

She had caught my eye a few times during our extra long routine, seemingly putting in way more effort than she normally did. She had actually broken a sweat when doing laps, and was panting by the time she finished her flight training. Her face was flushed, and I could almost see a small smile touching the edges of her lips and eyes as she checked her times. A smile that seemed to stick even after I caught her checking to see if I was still following through with my own tasks. 

Of course, I was never going to be able to finish double my regular workload and I collapsed next to the park bench long before my last set. I lay there, gasping for air as my muscles ached but my mind was in a much better place than before, and I wasn’t alone long before a rush of wind from Rainbow Dash landing beside me sent shivers across my sweat soaked skin and coat. 

Several moments passed as we both panted in silence before I heard Rainbow hit the grass beside me. I looked over to see her lying on her back and staring up at the sky like I had been just moments before. I watched as her chest heaved deeply as she caught her breath and her magenta eyes danced as she glanced from cloud to cloud, then to me. 

“Hey,” She said between slowing breaths, “I’m pretty awesome at a lot of stuff, but I’m not so great at what I’m about to do, so try to bear with me for a sec.” I gave her a weak nod in acknowledgement and she turned her eyes to the sky again taking a final deep breath, regaining her rhythm while I continued to pant.

“Twilight and Rarity came by my place yesterday and gave me an earful. I know you were just trying to do the right thing by telling us the truth, but I was just…” She sighed through her gritted teeth and took a moment to collect her thoughts, “Twilight told me what you told her about your home. That ponies there are afraid of things they don’t understand and that it took a lot for you to overcome your fears and ask for help.

“And Rarity wouldn’t let me hear the end of how hard you’ve been working with AJ, or how good you are with the Crusaders, or how you went out of your way for First Base like I wasn’t there to see it for myself. She told me to think about how it must have felt for you to have worked as hard as you have, only to feel like you were risking it all to tell us the truth. They’re right, you didn’t deserve being yelled at, but you did break my trust!

“You lied to everypony, for like, over a month. You pretended to be one of us, and I even called you my friend. What I said to you yesterday, that `friends don’t lie to each other like that;’ I still stand by what I said. Friends shouldn’t lie to each other, but friends also shouldn’t yell at each other and judge them before they have a chance to explain themselves either.”

My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat as she continued, “I was really upset that you didn’t tell us sooner. I mean, I get that you were probably scared at first when you woke up in the middle of the Everfree and you weren’t even you anymore. That must have been super weird. To be honest, if I were in your place, I’m not sure what I would have done. I wouldn’t have been scared though! Pfft, “ she waved a hoof dismissively, “But I also probably wouldn’t have been as quick to trust either.

“But the fact is that you did trust us, right? I mean, you said it yourself! You said that you had no better friends in all of Equestria! If we’re your friends, you can tell us stuff! I might not understand everything you’re going through, or understand all that weird magic portal interdimenta-whatever you call it stuff that Twilight was talking about, but I know that friends should always be there for each other. I guess we’re both kinda bad at that, huh?

“I mean, I’m supposed to represent the Element of Loyalty for Pete’s sake! How can I call myself a good friend if I yelled at you for doing the right thing and then left you when you needed me the most?” Rainbow said, starting to waver in her conviction. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry."

She jumped as I reached out and touched her shoulder with a hoof, and shook my head. “We’re both pretty crummy friends, huh,” I offered as I managed to get my breathing back under control, “But we are still friends, right?” 

“Only if you want to be. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to though, seeing as I basically chewed your head off yesterday,” She said with a wince.

“Hey, we’ve both made some pretty dumb mistakes. I promise that I’ll always tell you the truth from now on, about everything,” I crossed my heart and stuffed a hoof in my left eye.

“You better keep that promise! I won’t be the only one after you if you don't, ya know,” She said with a grin and began to repeat the same gesture, “I promise to not get mad at you and fly off the handle like that again. Friends?”

“Yup!” I said, weakly getting into a sitting position and offering her a hug. She narrowed her eyes at me and looked around the park to make sure nopony was watching us before she returned it quickly and cleared her throat. 

“Well, now that all the sappy stuff is out of the way. How about we go grab a bite to eat. All that exercise has me craving a hayburger and some hay fries!” She said, quickly standing up and shaking a few loose blades of grass from her wings.

“Wanna go check out that new place in town?”
> Nostalgia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sipped on a cup of piping hot coffee as the birds slowly awoke to sing their first songs of the day. Steam rose from the bitter brew to meet my nose and flood my senses with a rich roasted scent that was both invigorating and intoxicating, chasing away the last motes of sleep from my mind. The morning sun had just begun to send its faint glow across the northeastern peaks in the distance, causing the castle clinging to the summit to shimmer as though it were a palace of glass sending radiant beams of gentle light across the landscape below. The air was moist with a slight chill, and dew drops littered the ground like countless liquid diamonds that glistened in the warm rays being cast across Equestria. I could feel a faint heat radiating through my body as both my morning joe and my innate magic worked in tandem to keep my body warm during this cool late-summer morning.

It was an oddly nostalgic feeling, casting my mind back to my last few days on Earth as I awoke to a hauntingly similar morning in those mountains so familiar and now so far away. Impossibly far; Forever out of reach. But as I sat upon the park bench near Whitetail Woods that morning, my thoughts of home weren’t the sad ones I’d had just over two months ago. 

I took another sip and hummed blissfully as I watched a pair of blue jays dance gracefully in the air while the very last stars dimmed out of the brightening morning sky with the coming dawn. “Wow, just look at that view…” I muttered wistfully as I wondered what it was like to soar across that vibrant canvas. 

I quickly drained my cup of the last drops of coffee before screwing it back onto my thermos and packing it away in my saddlebags. My morning had officially started, and it was time to get to work. Besides, I didn’t have to wonder what it was like anymore. I smiled to myself as I went over the pre-workout routine my absent flight coach had taught me, gave my wings a test flap for good measure, then took to the skies.

After I had been cleared to fly again by the hospital, Rainbow Dash wasted no time in restarting my flight lessons. It was apparent that she wanted to teach me how to fly on my own as quickly as possible as she rushed through most of our late-morning exercises eager to get our hooves off the ground. While it was stressful being pulled along by her zeal, it had done wonders to speed up the process as she had me able to take off and land accurately and under my own power again in just over a week. It amazed me just how much magic accounted for flight if you let it, lightening our already lithe pegasus frames to be easily lifted without much effort at all. It was no wonder gifted fliers like Dash were able to move so quickly.

I, however, was still leagues behind her in that department much to her occasional frustration as I struggled to keep up with even her “slowest” of speeds. I had asked her several times during training why she was pushing so hard for me to learn to fly as quickly as I could, but the best answer I could pry from her was, “It’s a surprise! You’ll see soon enough!” An answer that left me with a bit of concern for my own safety after she told me how the last big idea she had was having AJ launch her into the air using a glorified see-saw as a catapult. 

I flew from over Whitetail Woods and began making my way towards town just as the sun reached the peak of the mountain it had been hiding behind, casting a cozy glow over the sleepy village I had come to call home. The ponies I had slowly become familiar with groggily opened their windows to the crisp outside air with yawns and varying degrees of eye rubbing. It was early for everypony, especially my flight partner. Anything before midday was too early for her on a good day, but that day was a little different as I didn’t expect to see any of my friends for the majority of it.

Apparently some big upcoming spring event was happening in that castle on the mountain, which I learned was Canterlot, and my friends had all been invited to attend. It must have been something really special, because Twilight had insisted that she and her friends start preparing for it immediately upon receiving the tickets even though the event itself was still six months away.

I spotted Applejack making her way towards Twilight’s house as the town’s streets came into view. She’d told me the day before that she was going to help Twilight with some projects, and that I could take the day off since we were in between crops and had caught up on chores around the farm. Something about visiting Rarity to have a dress mended and visiting the teacher at the local schoolhouse. I’d offered to join, but AJ insisted that I take a personal day mentioning that Twilight’s projects were just a two pony job. 

While I appreciated the chance to sleep in, new habits had already been set and my body refused to let me sleep much later than the wee hours of the morning. With farm work being called off and Rainbow being nowhere in sight I was stuck to my own devices.

I practiced through the early morning hours above the town, watching as the sleepy village began to stir. A few of the early risers were there to greet Twilight and AJ as they made their way towards the edge of town, apparently on their way to visit Fluttershy before stopping in with Rarity. I could barely make out their voices in the distance as they cheerfully greeted Pinkie Pie while she and the Cakes set up their shop for the morning rush. The distant sound of foals making their way into the streets and shouting as they played on their way to school tickled my ears and I spied three familiar little friends of mine meeting up near the town center before making their way as well. They seemed to take note of a pair of fillies further down the street and made it a point to steer clear of them. 

“I wonder if they’re friends?” It didn’t seem likely, but stranger things had happened. By the time the school bell had begun ringing, the last few foals tumbled their way into the little red schoolhouse to start their day in earnest, and the streets had started to fill up with a veritable rainbow of pastel colored ponies eager to begin theirs. 

Watching it all unfold from a perspective I had once only dreamed of, another pang of nostalgia rang out setting a calm, warm weight in my heart. I remembered having days like this too, back on Earth. My parents waking me up early to collect my things for school. My neighborhood friends meeting me at the bus stop before we begrudgingly boarded, dreading math class and my forgotten homework. My father heading off to manage the little shop he ran in town for the day while my mother set about entertaining her own friends over tea on the backyard patio overlooking her garden. 

The memories were bittersweet and tears welled in my eyes as I fondly cherished those halcyon days, but the tears were no longer those of the distraught individual I once was. I missed my family dearly, and I regularly thought of them and hoped against hope that they would be ok without me, but those days were gone. I wiped a stray tear from my cheek and steeled myself, looking forward to the new life set before me.





Or at least I would have, had I known where to start or what to do. ”Was this why birds sometimes fly in circles for hours on end? Because they’re bored?” Several ponies below had taken notice of me, and I couldn’t blame them since I’d been flying circles around city hall since what must have been nine a.m. My days had been so full of things to do between farm work, practicing with Rainbow, and Twilight’s constant thirst for information about Earth. Now that I had a free day, I didn’t know what to actually do for fun. Not that I could afford to do anything in the first place. I had no money to my name, as AJ had been paying me in room and board. 

I stared off towards the spa and sighed. Even if I had been paid, I doubt I could afford another spa day by myself. “Maybe I should visit Spike and check out another book from the library.” I pondered as I noticed several ponies gathering in the area below. Those citizens seemed to be having about as much fun as me as they watched me lazily circle around the municipal building for what must have been the fiftieth time. “Actually, they’re looking a little worried. I should probably stop before I scare somepony on accident.”

“Hey!”

“Aww, horseapples.”

A pegasus mare with a persian blue coat and light blue, unkempt mane called out again as she came up to meet me above the now gathering crowd below. I quickly glanced down at the concerned faces of at least half-a-dozen ponies and felt the heat rise in my face as I quickly stopped and awkwardly hovered in place.

“H-hey! Is everything ok? You’ve been in a holding pattern here for like, an hour.” She said, approaching me warily. Her cutie mark resembled a cloud covering the sun. Rainbow had said something about her being a pretty good flyer before, so being caught absentmindedly flying in loops wasn’t exactly how I’d liked to have made a first impression.

“Oh! Hey. Cloud Chaser, right? Yeah, everything’s just great!” I said, trying to hide my embarrassment from her. 

“So why are you up here trying to get everypony’s attention?” Chaser asked, pointing back towards the crowd who still hadn’t dispersed. 

“...Practicing?”

“Uh huh. You know, if you’re going to practice flight maneuvers you should probably do that in the park. I’ve seen Dash training with you out there before and she’s a great flyer, but you probably shouldn’t pick up on her bad habits. Like practicing tricks over crowded spaces. Or crashing through windows.” Chaser said, crossing her forelegs and giving me a disapproving look.

Before I could answer, and as if on cue, a familiar rainbow streak flashed across the sky doing only what I could describe as high speed aerial cartwheels. Everypony watched the spectacle before it ended with Rainbow tripping on a wayward cloud and rocketing into the roof of Rarity’s boutique. The crowd watching the spectacular crash inhaled through clenched teeth simultaneously as several familiar voices yelped from inside the building. 

“Point proven.” Cloud Chaser muttered as she face-hoofed.

“Shouldn’t we go see if she’s ok?”

“Who, Dash? I doubt that fall hurt her at all. It wouldn’t be her first, and definitely won't be her last. Rarity however…” Chaser shivered in place for a moment before looking back at the damaged roof, “Celestia help her if she crashed into one of Rarity’s dresses. A-anyway, why don’t we land and chat for a bit?” 

I reluctantly agreed, giving one last glance towards the boutique before heading towards the town center. Cloud Chaser smiled and waved to the now over dozen ponies who’d collected to see what was going on before she followed me down and landed near the cafe Rarity and Pinkie had taken me to my first time in town.

Once grounded, I turned to face Chaser who already had extended a wing towards me for some reason. “So, you must be that Zinnia girl I’ve heard about. Nice to meet you.” She said with a smile and an expectant look. 

I cocked my head, a bit confused by her gesture. “Is that like a fist bump?” I took a stab at returning her gesture and missed once before making soft contact with her wingtip, “Eh, good enough?” Cloud Chaser looked from me to her wing awkwardly for a moment before shrugging and retracting her wing, “Nope. She probably thinks I’m just like that mail mare…” 

 Quickly, I returned my wing to my side and cleared my throat, “Likewise! Sorry about causing a scene earlier. I guess I got a little lost.”

 “Lost how? It’s not like Ponyville’s a big place.” 

“Yeah, she totally thinks I'm an airhead… Great,”  I thought to myself as I sighed heavily, “Not like that. I have the day off, but I don’t really know what to do. It’s been a while since I had a free day to myself and I don’t really have many bits to spend.” 

“Wow. Applejack must keep you pretty busy, huh?” She asked with a chuckle.

“How did you know I work at the farm?” 

“Small town, duh!” She said with a laugh. I’d almost forgotten how quickly word travels in a place like this. She must have known that much about me since the town threw me a party at city hall. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the crusaders and First Base did their part too.

“Oh, right.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“It’s ok. You’re probably not used to how things work in Ponyville yet. You know, coming from Manehatten and all.” She said, giving me a pat on the shoulder. 

“Dear Celestia, does everypony in this town know that too?!” A familiar feeling of anxiety started to well up in my chest, and I swallowed hard trying to choke it down. I had told my friends the truth, but how would the townsfolk react if they found out? I hoped it wouldn’t come to that in the fear that it would make my life here harder, but knowing how much Chaser already knows without having ever met me I suspected they'd know my shoe size and wing measurements by next Tuesday. 

“So, what’s a pegasus like you doing working at a farm anyway?” Chaser asked, thankfully changing the subject, “Your cutie mark is a flint and steel, right? I would have pinned you as a firefighter, or maybe a scout.”

“W-well, I had heard AJ needed help when I came to town, so I figured I’d lend her a hoof. I didn’t have a place to stay yet either, so she let me stay in her guest room.”

“So you moved to Ponyville before you had a place to stay?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“What about all of your stuff? Surely a city girl like you would have brought at least a few of her things with her. Is Applejack letting you use her barn for storage or something?” She asked, growing a bit more concerned.

“Well, about that…” I started, but I wasn’t sure how to answer that question. I couldn’t just tell her I didn’t even have any clothes to wear. “Actually, that’s probably more normal than I’d like to admit.” 

Cloud Chaser looked me up and down for a moment, seemingly not sure what to make of what I had just said. Something in the pitying look she started to give me told me that another misunderstanding was brewing.

“I’m sorry. You must have had a pretty hard life. I wouldn’t have guessed that from looking at you. Manehatten can be a pretty rough place I hear. A lot of ponies go there to make it big and a lot of them trot with nothing to show for it,” She said, putting on a thoughtful appearance, “You know, if you need a job I’m sure somepony in town would be happy to help you out! I’m pretty sure the weather team is always looking for new members too. In fact, I could show you around and introduce you to some of the shop owners if you like.”

“Oh no. She thinks I’m homeless, doesn’t she? Wait… Aren’t I though?” I hadn’t really thought about it much, but maybe in a way I was. Well, couch surfing and homelessnes are different but still, if I was going to move forward with my new life here in Equestria shouldn’t I also try to get a place of my own? I couldn’t just rely on AJ’s kindness forever, and she herself had said that she used that guest room when her cousins came by to visit. I didn’t want her family to be put out because of me. 

“How do I even go about getting a house? Do I need to have it built? Are there ones even available right now and how much do they cost? Do they have mobile homes? Come to think of it, Fluttershy is the only pegasus I’ve seen living in an actual house. Where do other pegasi live?”

“-ey, earth to Zinnia! Are you sure you’re ok?” Chaser asked, waving a hoof in front of my face. 

“Earth!? Err, I mean, y-yeah! I just… Actually, no. I hadn’t really thought about it, but I think you’re right. I think it’s probably time for me to try to get back on my hooves again.” I said, much to Chaser’s excitement. 

“Great! I know just the pony we can go to first. They have this awesome little corner store near the library that sells all sorts of lawn ornaments like cloud statues! The owner and I are pretty good friends, so if I put in a good word for you I’m sure they’ll-”

I flattened my ears and shook my head, “I need to talk with AJ first. I promised a friend that I’d be better about telling others about stuff like this.” I said, remembering the promise I had made to Rainbow. They knew more about me than anypony else, I hoped, and the least I could do would be to keep my promise to my friends and ask for their opinion. Especially with something as important as this. 

She seemed a little disappointed, but relented, “I get that. Yeah, it probably wouldn’t feel right just leaving AJ hanging like that, would it?” She said, tempering her excitement, “But hey, remember to come find me after you and Applejack figure your situation out. Seriously, that gig I was talking about is pretty sweet.” 

“I’ll be sure to. Thanks, Cloud Chaser!” I said, trying to show more excitement than I felt. On one hoof, getting a job and a house of my own would feel like a major first step towards my future and independence. On the other hoof, how will the Apples feel if I tell them I want to start doing my own thing? “Applebloom would be devastated.

“But there’s no point in worrying about it this time. I promised I’d be honest with my friends, so we’ll just have to cross that bridge when I get home later toni-...” 

“Well, hey. It was nice getting to meet you Zinnia. I gotta get going. We’ve got that Best Young Flyers Competition coming up soon and I wanna give Rainbow Dash a real run for her bits! Later!” Chaser said, waving with a hoof before taking off towards the park.

“Good luck with practice!” I called after her, trying to remain cheerful, but inside my mind replayed a single word that continued to bother me.

Home.