“Hey, Anthony! We saw Rainbow Dash go down there, is Rarity hurt?” It sounds like one of the pegasi from Ponyville found me, but we’ve got to find the creature responsible.

“Yeah, but there’s some evil creature around, it’s turning everyone to stone. It blinded me, but Rarity and Dash are statues!”

“Wait, like a cockatrice or basilisk?” the pony asked.

“If those exist here in magical ponyland, then probably yes.”

“Then we should get some anti-petros charms. And some of the depetrifact potions and... well, for now, we’d better go down there.” I wait a moment, but there’s no sign of them heading down.

“Uh, hey, you still there? Hello?” I call out, trying to find out what the pegasus was doing.

“Uh, yeah. We’re just trying to figure out who’s going down there.” more flapping, but other than that, silence. Myrna calls up. “So... what’s going on? I don’t wanna be stone!”

One of the ponies up here with me speaks up. “Who’s that? I thought only Rarity and Rainbow were here?”

“That’s Myrna, I found her while I was looking for Rarity. Well, she found me after I was blinded. She’s a naga.”

“What’s a na-” the pony starts, but I interrupt. “Snake-human person, she’s a friend.”

I hear an exasperated sigh. “I’ll go down there.” I recognize the voice, it’s the mailmare.

“Derpy, maybe we should let somepony without uh, a...”

I hear Ditzy speak up, sounding a little bitter. “A disability? I’m perfectly fine, Thunderlane.”

“... I was going to say ‘condition’...” Thunderlane mumbled.

“Ditzy? That you? Dang, I wish the circumstances were better... Anyway, uh. Why not let her come down? If she’s brave enough, who cares?”

Some of the other ponies muttered half-hearted arguments for or against, only stopping when I hear Ditzy snort derisively. “I’m going. be back soon. Thunderlane, Flitter, you two go get the charms and the potions, I’ll go check with those down below. Rainy? You make sure Mr. Anthony doesn’t fall off if the Everfree decides to gust about.”

I feel a pegasus gently grab my shoulders, as the others acknowledge their tasks. Ditzy begins to flap down towards Myrna, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. I hear the stallion from before, Thunderlane, call out as he’s leaving, “Be safe, Derpy!”

From below, I can hear Ditzy land on the ground. “Woah! You’re really big, ms naga.”

“Actually, my name’s Myrna. Are your friends going to be alright?”

“I think they will, we just need some depetrifact potions, and they’ll be right as rain. Wow, this isn’t a cockatrice’s work, though. They only make gray stone, and neither Rarity nor Rainbow is gray at all!”

“So, they’re supposed to be gray, if they’re stoned? that’s weird. But what could’ve caused this?”

“Basilisk breath caused petrifaction, but it would’ve caused the grass and trees to turn to stone... and you would’ve seen it. Basilisks are very brightly colored animals, if kinda small.”

“That’s so cool... Uh, but how are you doing that with your eye? I’ve never been able to get mine to do that, and I’ve tried.”

I decide to call down. “It’s called twin-strabismus. It’s a condition where her eyes don’t point in the same direction. It really only affects depth perception though.”

“I can get them to point where I want now, but I don’t see much point in it. I’m used to looking all around now, so...” Ditzy trails off, and I heard things being moved around. “Wow, you’re really strong, Myrna!”

I hear her laugh. “Yeah, I’ve gotten really strong since I got here, just last week. I’ve never been able to lift so much before!”

Huh, guess it might have something to do with this world or something. It seems that any human coming through is altered... strange.

“Well, it looks like you have... wait, did you just fold Rainbow’s wings?”

“Yeah, I can shape stone if I touch it.”

“That’s really cool!”

I feel really left out. I decide to try to get myself back in the conversation. “So, how are the potions made? What makes them work?”

“Well,” the pegasus holding me begins, “there’s some basilisk blood, mixed with Nyctus flower petals, stirred with a feather from a hen. The only part that gives any problem to collect is the Nyctus flower petals, they only grow deep in the Everfree. We have to buy all our stock from Zecora, but it’s not a big problem.”

“Uh huh. So how long until they get back? I kind of like being able to see. Also, can someone get me down from here, not just hold me steady?”

“Oh, sure.” the pony replied, lifting me slightly. I hear her grunt and the sound of her wings beating increases dramatically. I can feel the air rush past in fits and bursts as we fall slower or quicker, depending on how hard she’s flapping. We finally meet the ground, and I hear her collapse, and feel her sag onto my shoulders.

“Sorry, I know I’m not the lightest guy around. Just don’t call me fat.” It’s probably weird since I’m not looking in any specific direction when I say that. I figure since I can’t really tell if I’m looking at them, it doesn’t really matter, so I’m just pointing my head straight forward and waiting for the cure.

“Man, this lack of sight is obnoxious! How long did you say it would take?”

“Uh, shouldn’t be more than a couple more minutes.” The pegasus now draped on my back sighs, sticking her face into the crook of my neck. “I think I have a headache from breathing too hard.”

“Well, you can rest now, I’m sure not going anywhere. Anyway, if it’s not a cockatrice or basilisk...” I try to think of other creatures that can turn things to stone. Wait... “Maybe it’s not a creature, but a demon like I said before? What then?”

“Well, then, we’ll get you kitted up with a charm to protect you from being petrified, and stand back so you can do your thing.” Ditzy said, matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, I suppose. But why is he gone? What scared him off?”

“Maybe having a bunch of ponies show up? Well wait, the last one wanted to hurt us, so idunno about that...”

“This just gets weirder and weirder. I guess we’ll find out later. Right now, I kinda just want to head back to the library...”

I feel the pony on my back nod weakly. “My sister is probably about to get home from school.”

“Well... hmmm... How about this? One of you just points me to where I need to go and tell me if I need to turn?”

“What about when Thunderlane and Flitter get back? They’re expecting us to be here.” Ditzy countered.

“Right... Well then what do we do until they get back with the cure? Playing I Spy sure is out”

“We could talk. I want to know more about this place. What’s it like?” Myrna asks, her voice full of wonder.

“Weeeeell... It depends on who you ask I suppose.” I reply. “For the first year or so I was essentially a pariah of the town. Nobody’d even keep their store open if I was within two yards of them. Then I punched a demon so hard his head exploded, saved the town, and now I’m a world-renowned hero getting fan mail and marriage proposals.”

“You punched a demon so hard it exploded? That’s so... so... wow.”

“Yeah. I’m pretty tough. The weirdest part, is that most of the ponies thought that what I’d do was eat them... sure I eat meat, but I’m not about to eat something sentient.”

“Y’like ribs?”

“Yes! Oh man I have not had any beef since I got here, just fish. But it seems only gryphon restaurants serve cow. Guess since the ponies don’t eat meat much, it just happens that way.”

“That’s sad.”

Ditzy speaks up. “If you’d like, I serve lasagna with pork in it sometimes. I’d be willing to make you a batch if you want it.”

“Ditzy, if I could see you, I would hug you!”

I feel a pair of hooves wrap around me. “There, now I’m hugging you.” she retorted.

I just return the hug. Man ponies are soft. Fluttershy seems to be the softest for some reason, though. But Ditzy’s nice too.

“So Myrna. What else would you like to know? I may not be completely accurate, but you’d get a human’s perspective.”

“Well, uhm... is there anywhere I could stay? I’ve kinda been sleeping in trees - it’s really comfy - but I’d like to have somewhere to sleep for real, in a bed.”

“Hmmm... I don’t know, really. To be honest, I didn’t even sleep indoors until the end of last month. But if you like trees,  I could suggest the library. It’s a huge tree, I suppose you could use that and we’d get some blankets or something.”

“Where do you live?”

“Technically, the library, but not officially. I stay with Twilight because then she can study and keep an eye on me.”

“She studies you?” Myrna asks, and I hear a note of anger in her voice.

“Yeah. She takes notes and such. I am the first human they’ve encountered, and aside from the demon who used to be human, and I suppose you, I’m the first one who won’t go around killing everyone.”

Myrna doesn’t respond for a little while, and I realize that Ditzy is dozing in my lap. I’ve been scritching her behind the ears this whole time and totally didn’t notice.

“She also studies me because I’m a stellar being. She is a bit... eccentric, but she’s nice, just very curious if a bit of a rules lawyer. I also seem to have a talent for ticking her off.”

Hmm... speaking of talent, I guess I should explain Cutie Marks some time... once I get a better understanding first. “So, anything else you’d like to know?”

“Well, I guess I-”

Myrna is cut off as the sound of beating wings sounds loudly through the clearing. “We’ve got the potions, and the charms!” Thunderlane said, and I hear someone land next to me.

I feel Ditzy stand up. “Alright, Thunderlane, give me a bottle. Anthony, tip your head back, this’ll need to go on your eyes.”

I do as I’m instructed, leaning my head back a bit and wait for the cure. “Alright, go for it.”

I feel liquid, presumably the potion, poured gently onto my face. I feel my eyes start to feel a lot less stiff, and soon, Ditzy stops pouring. I feel alright, but...

“Oh dear gods! It didn’t work! I’m blind for good!” I am totally freaking out, I’m probably flailing, but I think that’s excusable at this moment. I hear one of the other ponies scream in terror. Wait... That’s not fright, that’s laughter.

“Hey Anthony, why don’t you try opening your eyes?”

Suddenly, I can see again. Boy, do I feel like an idiot.

Next Chapter: Chapter 68 Estimated time remaining: 25 Hours, 55 Minutes