I stared in the mirror unable to believe my eyes. The network of small scratches and cuts on my face were not just healed but completely gone. Not even scars remained. Lowering my eyes to my chest I saw the healing bruises from earlier had likewise disappeared. I shook my head in disbelief. It was magic. It had to be. Trying to test the limits of my new found health I attempted to walk without Wilfred. It was uncomfortable and I was limping a bit but my knee was supporting my weight. I could move under my own power. If I could dance I would have but sadly that is a skill I lacked.

Making my way back downstairs I called out, “Fluttershy we need to talk. Now.”

The little yellow pegasus stood up from the couch where she had been knitting, seriously how does that work, and slowly walked over. “Y-yes Mister Bear?”

I simply walked in a circle around her. “Can you explain this?”

She looked dumbfounded. Her blue eyes staring in to my blue eyes. “N-no…you should still have several days before you should be walking.”

“That’s not all.” I gestured to my chest and face indicating the lack of damage.

“Wow! Humans heal fast!” She exclaimed.

“No Fluttershy we don’t and I am a slow healer to begin with. This,” I gestured to myself, “Is not natural to my kind.”

A look for concern dawned on her face, “You don’t think Twilight’s magical scan had something to do with it do you?”

I shrugged, “Probably, there is no magic in my world, who knows how my body would react to suddenly being blasted with a spell of any kind. I mean Twilight did say it was like my body absorbed the spell she cast at me.”

I pondered the implications of this. Was my body some sort of magical sponge that turns magic in to healing? If so that was…neat. Scary, but neat.

Fluttershy started for the stairs, “Come on up to the bedroom, I want to check on your other injuries.”

Nodding I followed and soon was laying on the guest bed with Fluttershy undoing the bandages on my side. Once the bloodstained cloth was pulled away I got my first good look at the wound. I was very lucky, an inch or so to the right and I would have likely had perforated intestines and a very painful and slow death ahead of me.

A line of neat stitches had sealed up the tear in the flesh and new pink skin showed around the edges. There would definitely be a scar but it looked to have been healing for weeks rather than only days.

Fluttershy furrowed her brow, “Oh my, these stitches can already come out.”

What followed was, at best, unpleasant. With a deft precision I wouldn't have guessed at she…bit the stitches out and cleaned up and bandaged the healing holes.  Next she turned to my knee carefully unwrapping it. It too looked much healed, only a few nasty bruises and some swelling to indicate how bad it had been. Once more she wrapped it  back up. Lastly she attended to my shoulder.

My world was one of pain for a few moments once more. My shoulder was definitely still on the mend. With a look of sympathy she immobilized it to my chest again with medical tape.

“You are such a good patient Mister Bear, much better behaved than my little animal friends.” She said with a smile.

With a pained smile I replied, “I don’t much care for doctors little miss but if they were all as gentle as you maybe I would have taken better care of myself.”

I punctuated the statement by reaching up and scratching her behind the ear. I don’t know what compelled the action, maybe it was her kindness, or maybe it was how she reminded me of her…

Fluttershy closed her eyes and leaned in to the scratching with a hum and a blush. I let it go on for a moment before drawing my hand away.  He blush deepened, it was rather adorable really. She bashfully backed away, “S-sorry, that just felt so good.”

I chuckled, “I should apologize. I’m the one who just decided to up and scratch your ear.”

“No it’s OK really, it was sweet. Most of my little patients can’t show any form of appreciation for my care.” She said shyly.

Deciding to be a bit bold and channel myself from twenty years prior I said, “Well then let me show you how a human shows appreciation to a cute lady for taking care of him.” With that I sat up and planted a little peck on her check.

Have you ever heard of fainting goats? Funny little critters, you startle them and they kind of lock up and topple over. Apparently fainting pegasai are a thing too. I mean my past lady friends and my wife had said I was smooth but this, wow. I looked in the floor at the fainted pegasus and just shook my head.

The next morning at breakfast was a little awkward. I sat at the table while Fluttershy tried to not make eye-contact. Apparently Waking up on the guest room floor with a blanket tossed over her and a pillow tucked under her head embarrassed her to the point where she felt like she owed me a special breakfast. I assured her that it was unnecessary and that if anything I should cook for her since I was the one who startled her but she would have none of it.  So that is how I found myself staring at a mushroom omelet and a tall glass of apple juice.

Fluttershy sat opposite to me, her own plate having a few hard-boiled eggs and some toast. Feeling a bit nostalgic for the family breakfasts I had as a boy with my grandparents I did something I had not done in years, I said Grace.

Fluttershy looked at me curiously, "What are you doing?"

"I was giving a prayer of thanks for this meal." I replied.

A look of confusion was on her face, "But who were you praying too?"

I was stumped. That was a very good question, I was born and raised Catholic but later in life I was agnostic at best. "Honestly Fluttershy I don't know, the God I was taught to worship and the God I feel in my heart haven't always seen eye-to-eye. I guess I am saying thank you to whoever is listening and willing to take credit. Also, thank you for the meal. I haven't had home cooked food like the last few things you have made me...well...it's been a long time."

With that I dug in to my omelet. It was probably the tastiest thing I had eaten in years. After wolfing it down I leaned back in my chair patting my belly while Fluttershy daintily ate her eggs and toast with the occasional giggle at my antics.

After the meal Fluttershy began packing a set of saddlebags. "I have to go in to town for a few things today and then I am meeting my friend Rarity at the spa. Do you think you will be OK alone? If not I can cancel the spa trip."

I shook my head, "No Fluttershy you go have your day, I'm on the mend and can get around. I may take a little walk around your property and get some fresh air.

She nodded, "Just don't go in to the forest, it's pretty dangerous out there. You should be perfectly safe if you stay in the meadow though."

I indicated my understanding and promised to not over exert myself either. With that Fluttershy trotted out the door and flapped her wings flying slowly down the path leading to the distant town.

Alone for the first time since coming to this world I set about first taking stock of what came with me. I rummaged in the side closet and found my hunter green shirt which like my blue jeans had also been mended. Bless her heart. Beside that, neatly folded, was my black denim vest. Ah my old friend so we are not parted. Unable to figure out the logistics of putting my shirt on over my taped-up arm I settled for donning my vest and snapping the top button shut to keep it in place. Patting the pockets I was pleased to find my lighter and cigars were still in place. I would be saving these for later, as I had no idea when I would have the opportunity to get more. If ever.

I next set about taking inventory of my other possessions. Boots, check, socks, check, backpack, check, tablet and solar charger, check and check. Box containing my shame, check. My eyes then alighted on my leather belt draped over a peg and and hanging up. I was delighted to see that my grandfather's hatchet was still properly sheathed on it.

Slipping on my boots and slinging my bag over my good shoulder I stepped in to the sun. I was met with the sights and sound of nature unspoiled. Aside from the town in the distance and the cottage I stepped out of, there was no evidence of the hand of man. This was truly a green and pleasant land.

I hiked the perimeter of the meadow taking a slow pace. I stopped for a time by a small bridged stream and sat at the bank relaxing. I guessed it was about noon based on the position of the sun. I did not have a watch and could not be sure. My tablet's clock was of no use assuring me it was 9:30pm. Time possibly flowed differently here. I broke out the solar charger and plugged in my tablet to let it charge while I selected one of the many books in it's inventory. I chose some light reading, one of the many Xanth novels by Piers Anthony. With a feeling of peace that was still depressingly foreign to me I leaned back on the bank of the stream and began to read.

I don't know how long I had been asleep. Long enough that my tablet was showing a full charge and the sun was low in the sky. I idly wondered what had awoken me when I heard screaming. I have heard many kinds of screaming in my life. Screams of anger, of sorrow, of rage, and of loss. This scream chilled me to the bone, unbridled terror. I jumped to my feet and began to move in the direction of the scream. As I crested the bank of the stream the Fluttershy's cottage came in to view. And there backed against the wall of the cottage was Fluttershy surrounded by three wolf-like creatures growling and snapping at her. I say wolf-like because they appeared to be more of masses of sticks and branches in the shapes of wolves.

Something in me snapped. I know not what came over me, only that I must act.

I stumbled forward, my injured leg slowing me while fear and rage drove me forward. I fumbled with and unsheathed my grandfather's hatchet holding it ready to strike. One of the wolf creatures jumped forward nipping and Fluttershy, a small bloody bite mark appearing on her shoulder. She screamed once more in terror.

Whatever snapped in me before was nothing compared to the dam that burst inside me. Wrath, my whole psyche focused only on the concept of wrath. From a wellspring I was unaware of at the time I bellowed at the top of my lungs, "NEVER AGAIN!"

This caught the attention of the monsters, they turned and began to stalk me. Foolish, I am an apex predator. I kill or contain all that oppose my kind. You can not stop me. You can only hope to slow me. I sprung forward, the tension in my muscles bursting the bandages around my knee and shoulder. There was no pain, only rage, only the need to protect. Running faster than I ever had I sprang forward and met the lead wolf. My right arm swung down with the hatchet cleaving it's head in half, it fell in to a lifeless bundle of derbies. I felt an impact as the second wolf monster rushed me and slammed in to my injured side. There was no pain, only more rage. On instinct I thrust my elbow downward connecting with it's neck. With a sickening crunch the head parted from the body. It too fell lifeless. The third was luckier than the others it's jaw clamped down on my right arm and it began to shake forcing me to drop my weapon.

Pain and wrath were my driving force now. With my left arm protesting the whole way I began punching the wolf monster as it tried to tear off my right. I never registered the look of terror in its glowing green eyes. I never acknowledged when it went slack and that light was snuffed out.

I stood there, my caretaker's attackers laying in ruin around me, myself covered in blood. I heard Fluttershy yelling at me as if through water, "Run! They reform when you destroy the body!"

I looked through the red haze and saw motes of green light circling the  fallen wolves.  I looked at them and I could see...lines of force...connecting them to the bodies, weaving them whole. On pure instinct I raised my right arm, hand held out, taking mild note of the rent flesh and free flowing blood. I looked at the motes and spoke, "No."

I felt something I had never felt before. The fingers of my right hand tingled and a golden aura surrounded it. Suddenly all three motes shot towards me and slammed in to my palm, a faint sound as if a dog yelping in pain could be heard. Before my eyes I saw the flesh of my arm knitting together and then stop. Blood still freely flowed from my wrist and as my rage faded I could tell from the grinding bones were broken.

Rational awareness returned to me, I saw the shattered remains of the magical beasts, my own bloody and battered limbs, and poor Fluttershy cringing, a pool of yellow-tinged wetness spreading under her. I took a slow and painful step forward.

"Fluttershy, it is OK, you are safe now." She inched forward then with a gallop clung to my legs sobbing in fright. I stroked her mane bending over to console her. The sudden change in angle left me light headed.

Then world went dark. Next Chapter: 05 - निर्वाण Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 2 Minutes