When everything went dark, all that remained were my thoughts and fading conscious. Well, fading in and out to be more like it. During the few times when I was “awake” all I can do was...

First thing I “thought” about, was what happened during that dream or whatever it was; bullet shells raining down, mystery ghost guy attacking me both mentally and physically? As well to many other details kept running into each other like an over loaded Wifi signal; Collisions of data that would result in either blurred memories or mixed-matched images.

The few things that did stayed persistent however, were the images of the supposed moon goddess as well the handful of images of when I was awake before my episode or at least I think that’s what happened before I was sent into that dream world.

The gap, oh god that gap I had to jump over; wait…

Jumping the gap, running without falling over from fatigue, being able to out pace Mister Oily; All these little feats of inhuman strength and agility I didn’t notice until now, well, whenever ‘now’ is. All the while maintaining my cool while being drenched in blood, can still smell the gory copper from my hands, face and everything else.

Overall, I’ve been seriously considering that maybe what Luna mentioned about my own conscious fighting this thing could be more accurate than I originally assumed. As time wore on, the black remained while the brain ran on and still no dreamscape to wake up into or no real world to wake up to.

“Hhhey.”

What the? Did I really hear that or am I just going insane?

“Umm, III know that you maaay or may not heear me-”

OH nnnooo, I can’t hear this creepy, ghostly voice echoing in my ears, but continue please.

“-buuut, I know you have not been around long enough to know about our world, so, I figure yyyou would liiike to hear about whaaat has been going on while yooou’ve been asleep.”

Huh, can’t really tell who this is, but, at least it’s something than hearing my own thoughts rattle on an on like a numbers station. Either way, I can only wonder who is talking to me while i’m, I don’t know, UNCONCIOUS?!

“Umm, Firrrst, let me at least set this down before IIII forgeet.”

Wait, set what down? Let me guess, flowers with a get well soon card...gotta figure out how to get my eyes to work again.

Let’s see, how did Beatrix restore control to her body in the first movie?

Pure concentration I think it was, let’s give that a try!

I scrambled what brain power I had been using for my empty thoughts and focused on one thought full of various words:

Black faded into white; that’s a start. It took another ping on the thought to reconnect with one eye. Sadly, not the best quality for a natural 20/20. The eye was half lid and unmoving, fixed on the ceiling of what must've been my shack of a house. Wait a second: how was I moved here?

“There.” I saw a blurry form of obviously a pony in my room. I pinged the thought again and my other eye faded back to life, matching the blurred vision of it’s neighbor. Still, can’t move, but I can at least see who is doing what in my room. I think this was my room, right?

“Flowers, piiicked by me and the CMC-” good god, I need to retune my ears..

My unmoving eyes caught a single frame of clarity before fading back out of focus into a mesh of blurs and lights. Sure enough, It was the blond, pink haired, winged pony named Fluttershy. If what scrambled memory recalls, she was the animal lover of the six girls I’ve met before my weird episode. By the way, who where the CMC?

She talked to me at length about quite a lot of happenings around town, aside from their personal discovery of my appearance and sudden “panic attack” that caused me to be like this. There was She mentioned how everypony was trying to figure out how to help me. Which I did appreciate but if I keep this full concentration shit going, i’ll be out of bed before anyone can call me a vegetable.

She continued on how she felt sorry for what has happened to me so far, as well wishing me a full recovery. All the while she was awkward and nervous talking aloud to me. Then again, I would too feel awkward talking to someone who appeared sleeping.

“By the way Jeff, Twilight and Spike have been taking time to check up on you just as I have, more often I think.” Go figure, if I could talk, I would voice how she had already established that everyone-pony whatever, have been doing just that.
“Also, sssome howw, Doctor Horse has allllso been making house caaalls.”

My only question I have been pondering on during her little one-sided chat was how long was I out?

She seemed to of turned around to go do something before vision seemed to of Froze in place.

Everything seemed of stopped shortly after thinking that, eyes, ears. Great, had a grip on my head functions and now, lost them.

It seemed another eternity had gone by until the weirdest thing happened. As if someone flipped a switch, everything came back into place.

I just, woke up….like as if i was sleeping for a few hours.

Blinking, I stared at the ceiling, “Y-Yeeah.” My cracked voice finally spoke, which almost startled me, “I think she is feeling horrible about, what happened-” I lost my words in a harsh dry cough that shook my whole body, then again, I think that was supposed to be a laugh.
“The doc on the other hand, I would think it took some convincing to come out of his office.” another cough seemed to of split my throat.
“Ugh, Say, think you can help me get a glass of wat-” my stiff neck turned to look around to look towards where Flutter was, but, to a sudden shock, no one was there. I sat up with a jolt that had an equal consequence action that meant a painful knot clutched my stomach along with my back.

I couldn’t talk at first as pain held on my vocal cords. God damnit, this whole time ever since crashing into this world has been nothing more than pain, questions, jerks and more pain.
Oh and not to mention that I’ve lost it all: my Truck, my hiking gear, the game meat I had hunted, smoked, salted to bring back home; my collector grade Browning and the most expensive rifle I had dumped everything to hunt with.

Now, Here I am, waking up from what must've been a coma. Beaten, battered, bruised, bandaged up and now I don’t have even the slightest clue of what happened before everything went black.

Last thing I recall was running into the bathroom at Twilight’s place, puking then washing my face then….nothing or at least nothing more until the nightmare world ordeal happened.

After pulling my head out of the clouds, I shifted gears to figure out who, what and where about the world around me. “H-Hello?” I croaked, “Please tell me that-” When I tried to move out of bed, my weak hand slipped and the floor caught me with a painful impact.

Damn it, me and the ground do not get along at all!

“H-Help, anyone help?” I called out, my head felt light, hell, everything felt feather light and stiff. “Don’t tell me that I’m alone…” I couldn’t look up, I just kept my eyes shut while riding out the wave of dizziness. After hearing some sort of quick movement I hear the door to room open.

“Oh sweet Celestia! I didn’t hear you till now.” Really? The first voice to speak to me outside of my medical problem is Rarity’s? Oh well, better than the sound of silence I guess.

I felt the warmth of magic wrap around my shoulders while I tried to stand. Instead I was gently lifted off the ground and seated back on the bed. My head wobbled before I took a look at the white coated, purple haired unicorn.

“I’m so, so sorry Jeff, I had a feeling that you would wake up sooner or later.” She frowned as she closed the door behind her, “I Just failed to be present to make sure you had a more calmer awakening.”

“No worries, Miss-”
“Rarity.”
“Rarity, right, I’m just wondering why I’m back in...my place and-”

“We tried to take you back to the hospital, but unfortunately, there was no room for you in previous condition,” She interrupted abruptly, she took a seat in a chair; one of the only two in the house that must of been moved for whoever was in here watching me.

“So, we did the next best thing and brought you here, we all would periodically take shifts in watching over you.”

Kinda creepy, but okay, “Huh, well, Thank you I guess.” I was confused by it all, only more questions (damn curiosity) came up about several things:

Who else, aside from Twilight, Spike, Rarity and Fluttershy, have taken time from their day to watch me?

Obviously, the other girls would be another educated guess, didn’t Flutter mention about the doc making personal house calls too? Either way, I’ll still have to get up and face the new world once more...just one more question:

“Saay, How long was I out?” I dreaded for the answer. Rarity looked at me with Sympathy written across her face, which that didn’t help make anything feel better.

“You were out for a week Jeff,” my eye twitched after hearing that, another week spent in unconsciousness? I took a deep breath before looking down at the floor. The aged, planks of mixed wood crudely covered the dirt ground beneath them. In a moment of silence, I randomly mapped out the slivers of brown earth while my mind drifted.

Was this supposed to be how my life is going to be? Random episodes of blackouts followed by short comas? Am I going to get help for this or These ponies gonna just help me till the proper authorities cart me away to some nut house in the backcountry?

Many more questions storms to an fro around my mind-

“Jeff?”

Till she snapped me out of it, “huh?” I blinked.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Y-yeah,” I shook the dark fog away to think like a normal person again, “Just, still waking up from my seemingly long nap.” I slowly stood from the bed, seeing if my legs will cooperate for a change. With the boards creaking underfoot, they would function like they should.

“There’s the first step,” I glanced up to Rarity glumly, “Now it's a matter of figuring out what to do next.”

“I have an idea.” the change of her tone from calm to happy surprised me, “Come darling, we can start your day off right.”

“Of course,” I wobbled on my two feet and-“wait, where are my boots?”

“Oh those ruined hunks of fake leather?” pardon, what did she just say? Did she just call my interceptors fake? “I had to dispose of them, not after copying their size first of course, but they were too badly damaged to be worn another day.” she spoke over her shoulder without looking back at me.

My eye twitched, “Ya don’t say, huh, I didn’t seem to of noticed.” I shrugged before staggering out of the room and into the bathroom. I had to at least use the half-assed plumping to wash my face before heading- “Huh?” I paused in step to look at the mirror.

No new changes other than looking more dead than alive, but, I checked the new clothing I was wearing. The simple white pajamas were made of silk that I hadn’t noticed the difference till I had looked at what I was wearing. I realized something, well, several somethings:

These clothes were almost too baggy to wear.
How did I get into these?
Who dressed me?
Where are my old clothes?

Something about number three ran through my head several times, who in the hell did dressed me while I was out? Did they- I shook the awkwardly perverted questions out of the spotlight while I skipped the bathroom and wondered from the bathroom into the living room.

“Sooo, who did this?” I asked aloud gripping the crude button up. Rarity had looked over before giggling with a hoof over her mouth.

“Well Darling, the rags you wore before your, your” she stammered, still trying to be polite about my current blight. “Episode.”

“Yeah?’

“They just about disintegrated when we started to move you here.”
“I see,”
“And I had to take quick measurements to at least get something decent for you while you where in slumber.”
“Riight, but that doesn’t explain how you got them on me without...well, you know.”

A faint glint of blush specked her cheeks, “My dear Jeff, If I can sew, hem and prepare three different dresses on a good day, then I can definitely change a human without, looking.” did she just wink at me? My gut pulled at me saying that at least a glance was stolen during that transition from rags to silk. I think i’m just paranoid since she and everyone else is only trying to help me.

“Riiiight.” I awkwardly cleared my throat, “So, can I at least have my coat so I don’t look like a lost asylum inmate?”
“Oh of course,” her horn glowed; the flap to a saddle bag, similar to what twilight had (but more detailed), opened and out came a repaired field jacket with a few obvious additions to it.

“Here you go,” she levitated the jacket to me to which I took it out of her magic and slipped it on in one motion.

“Thanks, I can see you at least fixed this.” I blurted aloud, thanks brain for letting that out...

“At least? Darling, the rest of your attire was a complete wreck,” she placed a hoof to her chest stunned by my words, “I believe I was doing you a favor by at least getting rid of it,” she lowered her hoof before turning back to her bags.

“Besides, I did try to mend what was left, but again, the needle simply caused the cloth to rip more.”

“How they acted like that is beyond me.” I buttoned up the jacket before I trudged into the kitchen to-
“Agh Good god, what the hell is that smell-”

“Oh Pardon the oder darling,” Rarity came over beside me while I stood looking into the kitchen pinching my nose from the lingering smell of compost.

“None of us realized that there was anything in this barren kitchen at first.” she admitted seemingly embarrassed by my discovery.
“It wasn’t till a day of extreme heat bearing down upon this place and oh, my goddess! how it would seem to cook anything that was sitting in here for no more than an hour!” she exclaimed while she levitating a spray bottle of sorts, spraying a scent, that resembled spring flowers and fresh rain, to mask the sour smell of rotting veggies all over the space.

“Aaand what little I had became sour, rotten or started to sprout roots.”

“Eh-heh, precisely,” She set the bottle down taking a glance to me, “I’m sorry.”
“Fuck, what else is new?” I shrugged flatly, “Might as well start figuring out how to get food, as in getting the cash to get some as well the means to get the cash and ugggh-” I held my face with both palms as well muffling the defeated groan. I’m barely awake and Life here is telling me to go make money!

“If I may suggest darling, that you don’t overwhelm yourself so soon,” Rarity assured me with a friendly hoof on the shoulder, “I mean, you did just woke up from a long sleep, but I can not begin to tell you the number of times I had to say something like that to Twilight!”

“Speaking of her,” removing my face from the concealment of my hands, “Where is Twilight?” I looked at her, she paused to think while I hoped that maybe the little interviewer would have some way in helping poor me out of this nothingness that is being broke with no means to provide for myself.

“Twilight?” A brow perked up, “She is currently at home at the library, why?”

“Because she might have a way in getting me the real help I need,”

“But, it’s early still darling, she might not be up yet, I do however think that spike is usually up,” she pondered a moment, placing a hoof to her chin to think.

“Wait, what time is it currently?”

“About eight twenty by now,” Wow, what a guess!

“Eight? It’s almost half past eight and I didn’t get to sleep in?”

“What?”

“Never mind, I think we should get going if we’re to get anything done.”

Before I could turn around she stopped me with a magical ‘hoof’ against my chest. As if she didn’t want me to leave yet. Even though there is nothing more to do here.

“Now hold on darling, how about we do something about,” she waved a hoof at me, gesturing at my victorian style garb, “This?”

“You just gestured at all of me, are you talkin’ about the clothing?”

She nods

“What do you have in mind about it then?” then I felt a mental facepalm, dude! She just made you that outfit, maybe she has a plan on getting some better threads than this!

Good thinking brain.

“Before you go galavanting into the open world looking like that, we should make a stop at my shop.” she went over to collect her bags.

“Let me guess, to make me something better than this? How is that possible if human clothes are not really an object of exsantice?”

She glanced back over to me with that look of ‘really?’ some Curled strands of her purple hair bobbed across her face.

“I-I mean, If you can make this I think you’ll be able to make me something else?”

“Eeexaclty my confused human,” she smiled with a nod as she made her way to the door.

I took a look around the house thinking about whether or not I should stayput despite already sounding like I’m going along. However, I should go, I need to start somewhere. The mix scent of my room, the febreeze like mix of smells did not blend well coming into my nose as I-
“So, are you coming along darling?” my brain stopped thinking for the moment, I took a look towards her before shrugging.

“Why, Not.” I followed her out the door.

Before now, I could only guess how run down this house was until I tried to close and lock the door. A faint pop of the hinges and the door started to come forward and down, attempting to land on me.

“Oh shi-” I dodge out of the way as the hunk of wood slammed onto the ground, spewing up a puff of dust.

“Oh my, I do believe you’re going to need some work done around here.” Rarity commented also startled by the door falling over randomly.

“Well, not like I got some expensive shit in there anyway…” I grumbled as I plodded onward, barefoot mind you, into the street.

“Right... Now, shall we?”

Rarity walked out then up the dirt road towards the center of town, following behind I would take one last look at my increasingly-more-dilapidated house of scrap. Another thing: I am totally thankful that these ponies keep their roads somewhat smooth for their hooves, why? No shoes of course…

What felt like a ten minute walk (and an eternity of being watch by every passerby), We quickly pass through the center of town. All the while, Rarity explains how she’ll help me out by making me new clothes: she went into details about fabric colors, incorporating various styles to fit a human (she showed excitement just at the thought of it). She even carried on about making a fashion statement by making various outfits, not to mention ordering the mannequins to wear them, she brought the tangent to a close by saying something that all she-

“-just need your dimensions so I can accurately make them, yet it’ll still take time since...um.” she paused, probably trying to find more polite words to use.

“I’m smaller than a child in pony perspectives?”

“O-of course, We could put it like that, smaller clothing mean harder to stitch, Right?” so much for the confidence she spoken of before…

“What about all that gab about being able to stitch three sets of clothing on a good day?”

“If I were making them for another pony!” she recoiled like I just stabbed her ego with a toothpick, “A human on the other hoof, thaat might take some getting used to.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard though.” I tried to reassure the mare as we passed through the outer part of the market place.

“I mean, You keep sounding like you’re a master seemstress, so I’m sure you can pull off at least some basic stuff till you can put more time into designs.”

“True,” she mused thoughtfully, “but I wouldn’t expect anything to turn out so fine unlike my other designs.”

“Just think of it as a challenge to better yourself and maybe amaze rivals and peers alike with your newfound art work.” I could see the confidence return to her.

“Your right, if you say this is a challenge of style, then challenge accepted!”

The buildings gaveway to what seemed like a fenced in park with only a few tents and a large building to offset the natural scenery around it. We passed through the gateway into this ‘park’ and headed towards the building. Only a nimrod would fail to guess this is her place ahead.

It was a three story building that had the look of a carousel complete with a flag dotted spire at the top, the second story was arranged with pony mannequins to represent the merry-go-round theme of the building; the first floor featured display windows were probably most of the business operates (duh). The whole building was dressed in bright shades of baby blues, light lavenders, yellows and all the trimmings to pass the place off as an art project than a place of business.

I stood to gaze at this bizarre place and only wonder: why would anyone put a fashion place like this way out here?

“Here we are, The Carousel Boutique!” Rarity introduced as she approached the front dutch style door; it looked like the top half of the door could swing open on it’s own or both could open connected together.

I shook the confusion from my mind before catching up to her. I hope she has a way to let me wash up first, I think my feet resemble that of a resident of Bedrock. I wondered a lot of things while we walked inside the massive place.

Once inside, I looked around to see the layout complete with a set of furniture for multiple uses:

There were several horseshoe shaped tables hugging along the walls with a large mirror in front of a single seat at each of them; make up tables no doubt.

Dressing booths complete with individual curtains for patrons to have privacy to try on dress wear and so on (even though these animals are naked to begin with).

A register counter off to one side of the building where the fashionista sits during opening hours.

Mannequins of ponies, some dressed some not, are arranged throughout the boutique displaying various designs available. Basic, metal frame clothing racks stood around with other sets of clothing hung on their hangers.

Then there was a curtain closed in front of something, which Rarity walked towards.

Again, like the outside of the place, the shades of lavenders gave the calming sense when standing inside here. I can only guess she had an eye for putting the customer first in terms in making them comfortable with not only accessibility to a little bit of everything but a chance to feel at home.

Taking a glance at one of my own feet, “So, You don’t mind me being barefoot do ya?” I asked noting how well kept the place is; the last thing I want is to leave footprints on the polished floor or just treading dirt everywhere.

“Of course not darling,” she replied approaching the curtain that plotted out the stairs to the second floor; “It’s just dirt, nothing I can’t sweep away before opening up.”

With a shrug I walked further into the boutique to catch up with Rarity. As the obvious would expect: I saw stairs as she pulled the curtains back with her magic. Going up!

Upon entering the apartment, one could confuse it for a smaller dressing room, but little by little I could tell it was her place. The living room, the door to her bedroom (which she shut quickly probably from the glimpse of how messy it was), the kitchen adjacent to the living room by a swing door. Pretty much reminiscent of Twilight’s place, just more toned and polished like the rest of the boutique.

A random thought crossed my mind pondering on how trusting these girls are, so far, have been by just letting this strange creature enter their homes. Kinda like how Link can just barge into any house or room to just break, take and steal whatever he wants/needs before just walking out of the place. Of course, here I would not be able to get away with that. Mainly thanks to the fact (again) a unicorn has allowed me entry into her home.

As She closed the door to her apartment, I was hesitant to take a seat on the very clean furniture; Kinda like being a homeless man in a rich bastard’s house one touch on anything and the army of maids would clean and sanitize the ever living crap out of it. Very, very out of place here.

She ventured towards the kitchen while I stood out like a survival horror character in the living room. She held the door open, looking back at me.

“Did you want something?”

“Water?” almost forgotten about my cotton mouth.

“Sure, but oh please, have a seat, you look like a colt visiting the parents for the first time.”

What did she say?

“Pardon?”

“You can sit darling, I won’t be offended, in fact, Apple jack and the rest tend to tread more dirt and dust into my shop (and home) more than you think. Not that I am making offense against the farmer girl or anypony just stating a point.”

“Well, true, but I don’t think I would feel right just sitting in one of these nice clean-”

“Ugh, sit boy!” she rolled her eyes followed by a seemingly well timed yank of her magic on my trousers, plopping my ass into one of the victorian style chairs in the living room.

It didn’t take her long to return with a cup of water and floated it to me with her magic in which I took it out of the air. I nodded a thanks before taking a sip and-holy wow, how come this tastes like it was poured right out of a glacier!? Must be an awesome well underground.

That or I am just recovering from my coma and any water would be heaven right now.

“Very well then, While you sit and relax I’ll have to, um, get my room set up, kinda did not expect you to wake up today.”

“Nor did you think about it in the first place encase you invited me or anyone else over.” I commented pointing at her with that point. She again, rolled her eyes.

“True that Mister Revere,” She flicked her tail into my direction, “and It is just impolite to just let others into your private work space when it is cluttered as so.”

“Wait how did you-”

“You told me remember.”

Oh right, I introduced my full name to those six ponies as well-ah details, details...

As I finished, more like knocked back the pint glass of icey liquid of life; I could hear the mare moving a few objects in her room. Wonder what would cause such a clean, organized mare of fashion have such a cluttered bedroom? Only a few moments would explain.

“There!” she emerged from her room, “Since I have to open soon, we’ll have to utilize this room to produce your first set of threads.” I watched her come out before getting up answering her nod towards her room.

“And you don’t want to mess up the work space down stairs, I get it.”

“Exactly Mister Rever-”

“Jeff.”

“Jeff, Sorry; this shouldn’t take too long, just need to start with the proper measurements as we talked about.” she closed the door behind us. Let us see how well this mare can make human clothing.

“Ohgoshohgoshohgosh!” I panicked as I bolted across town.

Not to long ago, I had just ran from Jeff’s place after discovering that no pony was there! NO PONY! The first one to give watch over the whooman this morning was Rarity. Oh please, don’t tell me she forgotten or something! I know she wouldn’t! I just know she wouldn’t!

Also, I hope no pony had taken the whooman for whatever crazy reason they had in mind, or i had bubbling in my mind. Kidnapping, Ritual possession, sleep walking! Many other possibilities ran through my brain while also noting that I need to not stay up with Twilight so much.

“Hey, watch it dragon!”

“Pardon me, excuse me, Sorry, important business!” I weaved, dodged and ducked through the building crowd of ponies as I cleared through the marketplace. Sweet celestia, I have not ran this much since-

What felt like a wall, I ran into somepony that cause me to bounce back onto the ground.

“Watch it boy!” snapped a dark teal unicorn as I sprang back up.

“Yah okay little tyke?” a peach colored mare looked at me worriedly as she and her three other friends loosely circled around me, mainly to see if I was okay I thought.

“Where’s the fire?” chuckled her male twin.

“N-no fire guys, just in a hurry,” I quickly reply, “I-I need to got check on somepony.” I politely nudged my way through them, “excuse me.”

“Now hold on a minute boy.” the snappy unicorn stood in front of me. I could only look up at him with a mix of nervousness and anxiety. He towered over me, he was clad in leather armor with a cloak draped over his back. Aside from his travel gear, a medium sized, funky looking pouch that hung just over his right shoulder attached to an equally confusing looking strap with small loop holes stitched across most of the strap’s surface, some had metal objects stuck in them.

It didn’t take me long to notice that the rest of his group were dressed in such a matter to.

Before the mad unicorn could get another word, the blue coated, earth mare came up beside him to place a hoof on his shoulder.

“Jagged, dear,” Her accented voice pierced his attitude like scissors through paper, “I do believe the lad was in a wee bit of a hurry.” The unicorn grunted his annoyance but moved out of the way. Those icy Blue eyes seem to bore holes into me as I inched my way passed them.

“Run along deary, Do pardon the delay!” She called after me as I regained my speed.

“Thaaank youuuu!” would echo over my shoulder as I feel their eyes watch me put dirt between me and those strangers.

With that out of the way, the town slowly ended and the former town park

With the tip of the boutique barely in view over the treetops I kept up my pace.

With eyes shut to concentrate; my chest huffed hard to keep my legs running, I couldn’t help but be filled with worry and dread. Those strangers didn’t help any either, as far as I am concerned, they came from Canterlot on behalf of the princess to look into the creatur-

I ran into something only this time it wasn’t a living wall, it was a pair of legs.
“Son of a-!” I heard as I tumbled to the ground again.

“Oh great, what no-” I opened my eyes to look up at what I thought was a ghost.

Seriously, his skin was more white than that funky pink color. Wait…

“J-Jeff?” I watched as the whooman slowly stood back up brushing off the dust from what must be new clothes. New clothes?

“Holy shit little guy, you should open your eyes when running.” I heard his voice spoke from his pale face.

This can’t be real, how is he….awake?

“Jeff, how are you-”

“Awake?” He simply shrugged, “eh, I just woke up this morning, Rarity was the first to greet me and obviously brought me here.”

“Well that is obvious, but, where is she?”

“After fitting me into these, she pretty much kicked me out, so she can open her shop.”

I backed up to take a look at him;

He was dressed in even weirder clothing this time around:

The green thing he called a jacket was the only thing to stay the same from the last time I saw him, with the exception of the thin gold threading and slight discoloration of Rarity’s repair work.

Underneath it was a simple cloth that I would assume was called a shirt.

Then his legs were clad in a pale brown material I think were called pants. I mean, I have heard of clothing before, but never on a whooman, human, whatever.

His feet were again covered in what looks like a darker brown set of, shoes?

The bandage on his head had been recently changed, I know I’ve watched it done. With the exception of both of his eyes behind left uncovered. A slight red mark split over his left eyebrow. Must of been one of the cuts on his face that healed up only leaving a faint white mark where it was.

His face was still pale, probably from the lack of, well everything. He had been out for a week, or so…

“That’s, That’s how she is.” I shrugged, still partially catching my breath, “On and off the past couple of days, she has been opening her shop late, so with you awake she can continue at her normal hours.”

“Huh, so my tiny coma really caused a stir didn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t know really, She was the only one out of all the girls that still stayed on top of her real job.” I saw Jeff look at me puzzled while I explained, “So, again, you’re back, some things can go back to normal; or at least I would think so.”
“Real job?” was his only question.
“Oh yeah, she is also-” I cleared my throat, using the pause for effect aaaand, “Thee proud owner of the Element of Generosity!” I boasted with up stretch arms as if emphasizing some imaginary banner above me.

However, I think I didn’t achieve the effect I wanted as Jeff looked at me even more confused.

“The hell are you talking about?” He asked, “I’ve heard about the mentioning of the elements before my black out, but…”

“Yyyou don’t know what they really are do ya?”

“Nnnope.”
Darn it!

“Anyways, I think we should head to Twilight’s, which is where I was headed before I crashed into you.” he broke the awkward moment before walking around me.

“Uhh, I don’t think she is up yet.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully while the whooman stopped to look back at me.

“Really? And it’s like, what, almost half past nine by now?”

“I don’t know, do I look like I wear a watch Jeff?”

“Not really, but ya should consider getting one. Sooo now what?”

“Normally, since this is kinda like most mornings after a late night of her dabbling over books of magic or other random research, I normally try to start her late day off with a decent breakfast.” I recall as we both started walking back towards town.

I almost forgotten about the strangers that I ran into earlier too, I think I should take a different way back. Maybe that one walkway to take us past that ink and sofa store. Either way, I kept getting a feeling that I should keep Jeff away from those ponies for the time being.

“Maybe I can help you with that,” He offered, “It’ll be kinda like a surprise for her since the last time she must’ve seen me was sound asleep in my own bed across town.”

“True, and she did took you out with a weak blast spell too.”

“Riight, that too…”

We walked and talked as we drew into town more, the town was definitely coming to life for the day.

Last night was rough like nights before. I don’t think I even remember falling asleep either. Ugh, I try my best to stay away, pouring over book after book trying to figure out what had happened to Jeff days ago.

I mean, sure, it was determined that he had a flashback of sorts but the resulting panic attack and the following coma was something else that even stumped Doctor Horse when I explained the situation (when he came by Jeff’s place a day later). Nothing much else came out of it after that. I have sent word of this strange situation to the Canterlot Hospital and still have not gotten a single reply.

I have sent my weekly friendship report to Princess Celestia. Among the usual information, I mentioned jeff, currently labeled as a good ‘friend’, who suffers from a severe medical condition who recently fell into a coma from unknown causes with me and the girls watching over them around the clock to ensure they are safe and sound while they recover.

Not very often does she send a reply however, later that same day, she did:

My dearest student,

I understand your concern over your friend’s condition; You and your friends are not the only ones who is aware of this matter. My sister has met this ‘friend’ of yours in the only dream he consciously had before fading. We can not intervene directly as it was discussed before but we can provide information on whatever we may find.

In the meantime, dare not stray from your daily activities yet do not forget your friend.
Maintain the balance and one day we shall get to the bottom of this.

Sincerely, Celestia

I have no idea what any of that really meant to me, but it did tell me that I was getting help from the sisters themselves on this situation. However, that was the only time they have sent me anything…

I couldn’t wait, i just kept moving foward, looking for at least an explanation behind this strange situation that is happening to Jeff. Yet, I couldn’t find anything, nothing sounds anything close to what is going on with him.

After visiting Zecora the same day Jeff fell unconscious, she came to check on him twice so far; however, both times she couldn’t stay long for there was a very strange aura about him, yet he can’t be of anything evil. RIght?

I have searched him by using various detection spells but yet nothing. Could it be something other than magic or could it be some sort of magic that I have yet to discover? Either way I couldn’t let myself stop for any reason at all! I was determined! I was, I was... buck i’m stiff...Too tired to even shift an inch…I think?

Even sleep was just a black curtain drop to take an intermission from the constant research. Also- wha- what is that smell?

An eye slowly opened to the blurry pages of one of the books that apparently fell on my face when I have nodded off. Teaches me for reading on my back. Removing it-oh bad idea! The sunlight seeping through the curtains of my bedroom seemed too bright to even look at the ceiling. The sting of the light cause a quick clumsy roll onto my side and then-oh floor!

“Owww…” eyes started to blink off beat of each other, trying to moistening them as they were dry as paper; as my eyes reunited, I blinked once more before squinting around my cluttered room. Slowing standing up, I stretched the sleep deprivation from my legs, then back before looking to the door. The smell was that of fresh cooking and, and-”Coffeee…” my dry throat groaned as I hobbled towards the door.

The trip between bedroom to the middle of my living room was such a chore but the odor of breakfast was too strong for my body to resist. I, must, COFFEE! As I approach the swing door to the kitchen however:

“Whoa, the heck is this?!” I hear a familiar voice exclaim followed by the faint sound of a cupboard door shut.

“That, would be twilight’s mug.” I hear spike explain.

“Jesus, She drinks this much?”

“Yup, There are two others of different sizes, but that one is reserved for bad mornings.”

“Well, okay, I think I’ll have to add more grains after filling this.”

Blinking in puzzlement, I ponder who voice that really is. What is this sleep deprivation I thought about? I push my way into the kitchen, sadly, when I came into the kitchen. I only saw spike. Who froze in step carrying a tray of an apparently well made breakfast complete with a stack of wheatcakes, apple slices, syrup in a mini creamer pitcher and the utensils along with a complementary daisy.

Never mind the food for the moment, how in starswirl’s beard did spike get this made so well? Normally I would saving his hide from burning the golden oak down.

“Uh, Good morning Twilight!” Spike quickly greeted me before turning around to deftly step onto a stool to place the tray onto the nearby table. I couldn’t believe he made that, no way, no how he could-
“Coffee.”
“RIght here Twi-” Before I let the voice finish, my horn glowed and my favorite massive mug floated to me, not spilling a single drop. I didn’t even have to look to know where it was.

The mug was a solid white chunk of ceramic carved into a sixty-four ounce coffee mug with the acronym E.M.O.G printed on it which means:

As I took a sip, I was taken aghast by the burst of flavor as the coffee was, was…

“Well, Good morning to you too Twilight.” I hear that voice again, I finally took a look at Jeff standing with arms folded shaking his head with a smile on his pale face.

“Oh, sorry, good morning Jeff.” I closed my eyes to take another grand sip before, they snapped back open followed by a second look that could've given me whiplash.

“Jeff?!” The magic vaporised from around the mug. I heard spike’s talons clink against the mug’s durable surface as the little dragon caught the EMOG

“GOT IT!”

Here I am, Standing dumbstruck, staring at what I swear is a ghost of a human, leaning against the counter near my coffee pot, staring back at me. He then stood upright and took a few steps towards me. I was focused on him, his clothes were different, probably Rarity’s hoof work; his beat up jacket was off, must've been set down somewhere else. Eyes drifted up to his face which looked slightly thin from the week or so of his coma. Then, I met his blue eyes with mine; his were sunken in but still open. For once they were open!

“I think your jaw came unhinged.” I felt with a hoof before gently pushing my own jaw shut before slowly looking back at spike for answers.

“How did-”
“He woke up and Rarity took him to her boutique for the new duds you see on him, then I ran into him, (Literally) and now I brought him back here to-” he barely got another syllable out as I dashed at Jeff with a mix of everything feelings: shock, happiness and whatever else i can’t think of right now.

I then found myself wrapping my hooves around him, I couldn’t think I just embrace him happily!

I was almost tackled by the purple blur of the shocked unicorn but I surprised myself more with a quick shift with my feet to brace for the glomp. My arms froze open as her little body clung onto me, her chin resting on my shoulder. I looked down at spike who only grinned at how successful his planned surprised worked. I didn’t quite work how we both planned on, but it still worked nonetheless.

After a few seconds I slowly wrapped my arms around her, bringing the hug full circle.

“You finally woke up!” she said with a crack in her voice to which I’m going to politely guess that is resulting from being up all night; “Thank Celestia!” was that a tear against my neck?

She pulled away slowly as she looked at me with a smile of relief. I can see her eyes water up, a few tears roll freely down her cheeks, yep, she was trying not to cry happy tears.

“I-uh-I-I don’t know what to say, I-I can’t believe it.”

“Well, believe it little miss, because here I stand.”

“H-How, When, you-” I raised an index finger to her to which she stopped talking for the moment.

“How about we start slow, over breakfast perhaps?”

“Did, Did you make this?” she nodded to the meal I did prepare for her.

“He sure did!” Spike boasted, adding to the conversation. I watched the little guy place that massive mug near her meal before hopping back down from the table.

“Apparently, he still remembers how to make food from scratch like he did camping.”

“W-Well, I didn’t say I forgotten, just meant that I haven’t done it in a while now.”

“Sssure, says the one who almost burned his, ‘warm, up’ wheatcake.” He put in air quotes before heading over to the serving platter, I found to put the batch of pancakes on, to help himself. If It weren’t for the emotional mare, who turned to go to her seat at the table, I would of showed the little brat what a dirty bird was!

“But, I always do that when I make something like that!”
“Uh-huh…”
she giggled at us before taking swig off that EMOG of hers.

When we were all seated and began digging into chow, I started off by telling Twilight that I didn’t quite know what exactly she would of liked, so I just winged it with what she sees on her plate and tray.

She thanked me and explained that it was just perfect because she wasn’t a big fan of large meals anyways; Which was a relief for that I almost did just that. After she had composed herself as well nursing that hulk mug, she started telling me how she spent the entire time that I was out to solve what madness stricken me down but was so far, unsuccessful.

“Regardless Jeff, I am just so glad that you came out of it, I was fearing the worst last night before I got lost in my research and-by goddess how is this so delicious?!”

“A couple dabs of vanilla extract to sweeten the flavor.” I shrugged, “I didn’t want to add anything more to blunt the strong wheaty flavor without ruining the batch, sooo, yeah.” she then paused to think while chewing another bite.

“I have to remember this, spike, remind me to add that to the recipe book later.” the levitating fork pointed at him

“Way ahead of you know that Twi.”

I then started the topic about what I can remember and the dream-thing I had before slowly pulling out of that limbo state of body. I recall how I met Luna, Mister Oily; who, I did note, tried to kill me the entire time I was in that dream. Jumping the canyon some how, then finding the house before Luna gently knocked me out.

“So you’ve met Princess Luna?” She looked at me with disbelief at first.

“Yeah, she was surprisingly calm about the whole thing while I was drenched in blood, stepping on squishy brass all the while running from that, that thing trying to get me.”

“Eessh, even I wouldn’t be able to handle just the blood part at all;” she grimaced, “I just find it interesting that neither of the sisters have told me about this, I guess they (like always) left it up for me to discover on my own.”

“Like as if they knew I would wake eventually,” I theorized along with her, frekin’ ESP…

“I’ve known Celestia for most of my life,” Twilight sipped her massive mug, “And I’m still learning more about her every day, even more so since Spike and I have moved here.”

“Really, Soo, that kinda leads to what I have to ask.”

“That is?”

“Who the heck are they? I mean, yeah they are princesses of this land and what not but-”

“What are they is what you mean?”

“Yeeah…”

Taking a deep breath, she took a moment to think then probably started on what mustof been summarized info of them.

“So, Celestia and Luna are the Alicorn sisters, sole rulers of the kingdom of Equestria,” she began, “They have literally been around for years, have watched their kingdom rise from their rough beginnings to what you see it today.”
“Really? That makes them old by, some thirty years or so?” I shrugged the guess.
“Ha, try centuries Jeff.”
They are how old?!
“Damn, so they must've been around since, ever?”

“There is little information determining that the sisters have been here since the beginning of this world.” She paused to finish her plate, which wasn’t much at this point.

After dabbing her face with a napkin, Spike, who also had quickly finished his plate a little bit ago; came around to collect the plates from both me and Twilight. Leaving both of us to my history lesson and our coffee. Sadly, I only sat there in a moment of confusion realizing something.

“So, I had been helped by an Immortal that has the power to travel through a person’s dreams, that has also been in charge of this land for some years. Thaat, has also been around since the beginning of time itself.”

“More or less, yes, but Luna has been banished for a thousand years because she became her nightmare self. Nightmare Moon.”

“And she was like that because…?”

“Her night wasn’t being appreciated unlike her sister’s day; so she tried to take over by plunging the world in an endless night.”

Now my head was starting to rock on this flow of info.

“Wait, so, how is she back and-”

“-about half a year ago, she made her return as Nightmare Moon, to try to take over the world again.”

“That brings to you and your friends that-”

“Made her Luna again and-” as she continued to talk to me my mind became numb to the twist-n-turns of how the topic went from learning who and what Luna was to how Twilight raised Spike from a hatchling.

Before long my face met the tabletop with a thud.

“You okay?”

“Yeah...just, let my brain catch up.” more like let me but the fire out in my skull before it explodes from a processor failure.

“Eh-heh, I’m sorry, sometimes I tend to ramble when somepony asks questions.” She ran a hoof through her mane a little flustered with embarrassment.

“No worries, I just didn’t expect to be on the receiving end of a knowledge vomit.” she chuckled.

“Anyways, I think we need to get down to business.”
“Uhm, What do you mean?”
“Well, After you went under, I consulted with everypony I can think of that would know anything about your condition.”

At least she has described me as a living being instead of a number like the quacks at the hospital would of. I wonder how far she went to learn anything about what has and is happening to me. I could only ponder on when an episode would strike again. On the other hand one can only just brave it and not think about it. If Twilight has found anyway to prevent me from falling into another fear-filled-dreamland.

“Even sent letters to the Veterans Center in Canterlot for any advice but so far, no real reply other than the letter stating that they don’t know what they can do about your condition not without bringing you there in pony.”

“But, once they see me as a human, they might turn me away huh?”

“Well, there has been non-pony patients to come through their doors before, but-”

“A human?”

“Riiight…” She frowned, “And no pony knows the truth behind the creature of the everfree forest.” She glanced away to think before she tipped her huge mug back to finish it off. I could only ponder on what she means by the-

“The Creature of the Everfree Forest?” I looked confusingly at her, “You saying there has been word going around about...me?” I point to myself I suddenly felt worry build.

How far did word of me go?

What do they know of me?

WHO TOLD WHO?!

“Do not worry though, so far most are having trouble believing the stories from the hospital staff.”

“What kind of story is being told of me?”

“Now hold on, no need to really worry about anything yet Jeff.” She got up from her chair and proceeded towards the living room. I looked at what was left on the table, wondering about maybe I should help clean up.

“Don’t worry Jeff,” Spike climbed up my seat to clean my side of the table, “I got this, when she takes off like that, you better follow or you WILL be left behind.”

Nevermind, little dragon boy has a talon on this.

“Jeff, you coming?” I hear from beyond the swinging door before it came to still.

“Yeah, Yeah, be right there.” I grabbed my coat and out the kitchen door we went