Author's Notes:

Hello everyone,

I finally decided to release a new chapter, heads up for anyone who decides to pick out error this chapter has not been cleared by the editor, however, I have not seen or heard from him in a month.

Once this chapter is cleared by my editor I shall update the chapter and leave a blog post to tell you.

I am sorry this chapter took so long and is unlikely to perfect at this time.

As always hope to hear from you
The Dark Brony

There was this soft, buzzing ring echoing in both of my ears alongside a throbbing sensation in my eardrums. I open my eyelids only to be greeted by the sight of a wooden nightstand and a plastic guard railing that prevented me from falling off the soft white bed I lay in.

Even if I could muster the energy to roll off the platform, my hands were bound to the sides of the bed. I looked away from the neatly crafted nightstand and stared at the figures resting at my side.

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom. They were huddled around the bed, looking down at the floor with grief.

I slowly lifted my head up and with tired eyes, I spoke. “Who died to upset you lot so much?” The heads of the three fillies instantly shot up. They cheered with delight before wrapping their hooves around my neck, cutting off the air I needed to breathe.

I choked and coughed until I was able to pry the little fillies hooves away from my windpipe. “How did I get here?” I said whilst rubbing the back of my head with my right hand.

“You were out for a while, we thought you were dead, or worse!” Scootaloo reacted, not quite answering my question.

Applebloom stepped in. “Well, when we were tryin’ to get ya back to Ponyville, two nice gentlecolts came to the rescue from out of nowhere! One of them was really funny. He kept saying all kinds of funny words and stories, he had this really deep voice too!”

“Yea, he also had an accent like bloom here!” Scootaloo jabbed her friend’s chest with her hoof.

Applebloom slapped her friend's hoof away from her front body before continuing her story. “Well, not exactly like mine but a lot different. Very different! He wore this strange looking hat as well, it was big and fluffy.

The other was a bit more serious and kinda quiet; really nice though! He never really spoke loud. He had this kinda sad smile, he also wore this creepy looking sweatshirt-”

“Seriously, in the middle of summer!” Sweetie Belle imposed, crossing her hooves.

“Yeah, he also had this cool looking necklace with metal beads and two small metal things at the end that spelt out his name and everything!” The orange pegasus jumped with excitement.

’They sound like dog tags to me...’ I thought.

“He also had these beautiful wings that were jus amazing!” Apple bloom cooed. “They were huge, large enough to cover you, Craig!”

“Yeah...a show off with them too,” Scootaloo grumbled.

I was impressed at how well the girls seem to describe the whole story without having any trouble whatsoever. I was even more surprised that the girls managed to survive out in the forest while, I myself, had been a burden to them. I was just glad that they were safe and out of harm’s way.

My attention was brought back to the two ponies the crusaders recently talked about. “So I’m guessing that they helped you bring me here?” I asked, still drowsy from what felt like a long sleep.

“Yeah, some stallions came by and helped us to Ponyville hospital!” Scootaloo smiled.

“Did they leave you with a name or a way for me to thank them?”

“No, not really...” The filly said as her ears drooped.

I sighed with defeat, knowing I wouldn’t get any more information. “Well, I’ll probably see them again eventually.”

I lay in the bed and stared up at the white ceiling. I slowly breathe in, feeling the stale air in the room enter my lungs as my chest began to rise. I exhaled and I attempted to sit up, and I slowly begin to feel the strength in my upper body. Strange, I felt like I had power stored within...my own blood?

I felt rings around my wrist suddenly, and I was pulled back by the force and landed back on the white pillow behind me. I rose my left arm to see a white cuff strapped to the side of the bed. I look over to my right only to find the same restraint.

I rose an eyebrow before turning my head to see the hard working and somewhat sceptical face of Applejack. A large stetson adorned her crown, her mane was as blond as growing wheat, her coat was the bright colour of orange, and a strong odour of cider and apples surrounded her form.

This was The Element of Honesty…

“Umm, why am I tied down?“ I ask with a puzzled expression, not noticing the restraints until now.

“Sorry sugar cube, ain’t my idea. The doc thinks ya’re dangerous. While I will be honest, I sorta thought the same at tha time,” She said with a hint of guilt, removing her stetson before bringing it close to her chest. “Can’t be too careful and all”.

“I really don’t blame them,” I shifted my head forward to see my large body still strapped to the overly small bed. “ I do look like a monster and a threat, don’t I?”

With another look of guilt resonating off the orange mare, she placed her Stetson back on her head before giving a weak smile. “I’ll try ta talk to them when they aren’t as jumpy as they’re now”

“See! Ah told ya he was alright!” Applebloom jumped in, who later starred at her sister intently with furrowed brows. “So now you can let him go right?”

Applejack reached down with her hoof to pat her sister’s head gently, the bow that tied her mane behind her head bobbed up and down. “Sorry, ah can’t Applebloom. Not till the doc says so.”

A smile was fixed on my face at the affection the two mares displayed. I laid back down and stared at the ceiling before another thought came to mind.

Luna

I tentatively turned my head towards the two sisters to stare into their abnormally large eyes. “Well,” I began with a hint of scepticism. “Once I’m released I need to try and find Twilight.”

Both Applejack and Applebloom stare at me with confusion. The small yellow filly yet again trotted over to the left side of the bed where she placed the bottom of her chin on the smooth rails. “Why ya lookin for Twi?”

“Luna contacted me whilst I was out and said Twilight would be able to help me,” I said, answering immediately while also acknowledging the little filly’s strong accent.

“What!?” Scootaloo argued, marching over to Applebloom’s side. “Why would Luna want you to go to Twilight!?”

The question brought up a good point, why would luna ask me to see Twilight? It would remain a mystery for now. I shrugged my shoulders at the favoured fan of Rainbow Dash.

“I have no idea, but I should probably listen to royalty. After I’ve been discharged from the hospital that is.”

“Ah can help ya when ya get out too!” Said Applebloom.

I then slowly tilt my head in the direction of the small yellow filly before raising my left eyebrow. “And how do you plan on doing that?” I asked with the same puzzled look as Applejack.

Applebloom opened her small mouth exposing her red, saliva covered, tongue. Unfortunately, her sentence was made short as the small door on the opposite side of the room opened. It's hinged squeaking at the first motion of the door.

Taking her place in the doorway leading into the hall of the hospital was a white earth pony. Her mane and tail was a light pink, a thin white cap with a red cross in the middle adorned her head and that same cross was on both sides her flank, but was instead surrounded by small hearts.

“So I’m discharged?” I ask as I attempt to lean forward and flee the bed but to no avail.

The nurse gasped and quickly trotted over to the side of the bed where the two fillies stood awestruck at the nurse’s quick actions.

“No!” She calmly yelled with a sheepish smile. “Not. Yet.” She said, tightening the restraints on my wrist and leg, which began to hurt.

I then stared at her before I said “Why do you need to tighten the restraints this much… it’s actually digging into my skin,” as I contorted my face in pain.

“Nurse!” The voice of the western mare bellowed, scaring the nurse away from the third restraint, near my right ankle. “What in tarnation are ya doin!?”

“Applejack I was only-”

“Only what! Hurting our friend here!?”

“No no that’s not what I-”

“Well, couldn’t ya hear em-”

“Relax,” I said, raising my hand as far as I could. “She’s only doing her job, even if she’s not really thinking about my health at the moment.” I admittedly said before staring at the nurse with a half-open glare.

“Could ya at least loosen the restraints?” Said Applejack to the still thunderstruck nurse. “He ain’t going nowhere,”

The nurse shook her head furiously up and down with complete understanding, afterwards smiling at me. She stepped back and turned to a silver cart which lay in the middle of the room. With a clipboard now in hoof, she continued to stare at me with her eyes.

“Sorry, I just came in to check up on you and make sure you’re okay,” leaning her head down onto the cart, she clenched a silver pen in her mouth which she directed to the clipboard in her grasp. “I need to ask you a few questions before we can determine whether we can let you leave.”

I then looked at her be then said “Fire away then.”

“Are you experiencing any pains whatsoever?”

“If you mean more than when I got here. Then no.”

“Alright. Do you, in any way, feel dizzy or loopy?”

“Not in any way, no,” I replied

The pen between the white mare’s teeth wobbled and shook with each word that was written on the bare parchment. With a single smile, she slid the pen between the metal clip with a satisfied grin.

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to send this to the front desk.” As she turned to exit the room, she apologized to me for the earlier fiasco and departed.

Applejack, with what appeared to be a relaxed stature, approached the front door of the room and closed it gently. No sound protruded from the iron mass. “How long do ya reckon it’ll be before the doc comes in?”

“Absolutely no idea I’m afraid,” I replied whilst squirming against my bonds.

The same look of guilt once again appears on the blond mare’s face. Her green eyes gazing at the straps wrapped around my wrist and ankles. Trotting to the side of the bed, she reached over to my appendages and loosened the restraints. My arms and legs were free and able to move. And I was thankful for that.

When I looked at Applejack, I could see a sense of relief. “You know you didn’t have to do that,” I said, rubbing my wrist and ankles, now feeling the oxygen and blood flow through them. “But I am thankful you did.”

“Awww!” The three fillies who were huddled together chimed at the scene which was displayed before them.

Applejack dipped her head down in the direction of three crusaders, a single glare from ponyville’s best athlete was enough to send burning chills down the young ones’ spines.

Time ticked by as we sat in the quiet room waiting for the doctor to excuse me from my sentence which was granted to me by means of sleep and exhaustion. It was only half an hour before he came in and declared I was in good health afterwards scowling at Applejack for releasing me.

I dashed out the door and ran down the few halls and stairs with the fillies close behind, we reached the lobby where we found most of my belongings leaning up against a bare wall.

I either strapped them over my shoulder or held them firmly in the palm of my hand.

Stares of uncertainty, fear, and confusion littered the lobby. Although there were only three ponies, it felt closer to a dozen.

One cowered in the corner of the waiting room, the pony at the counter hid under her desk, and the other showed no signs of motion other than the repetitive turning of a newspaper he held in his hoof. His face was hidden but two green eyes revealed themselves peeking through two cutout holes in the newspaper.

I sigh with an obvious sign of irritation, knowing that my existence scared and frightened the ponies. “I knew this was going to happen! Everyone’s terrified at the mere sight of me.” I lift my arm to point at the group, only to witness the same sense of fear resonate off the ponies.

Applejack noticed this and scowled at them with a stomp of her hoof before staring up at me. “Well we can’t do much about that Craig,” Applejack declared. “What would you do if ‘ya saw somepony who’s big’a than you were and different lookin?”

I take that into consideration and imagine the thought. “Fair point, I’d probably be scared as well,” I admitted. “Not like that’s new to me.” I muttered.

The ears on Applejack’s head stood straight before swerving in all directions.

“Now! Quit that their negative talk, we have ears too ya know! Jus be glad for who ya are Craig, you probably have y’re own special talent that nopony else could match! That and ya saved my sister!” She boasted, later patting the top of her blushing siblings head with a hoof.

“Yeah―I suppose you’re right―It just feels weird; me being able to save someone…” I brought my hand to my chin and thought to myself quietly, hoping Applejack would not hear my voice this time. “Almost like it’s just a dream,”

The more I questioned the logic behind this strange occurrence of events, the more I questioned whether or not I was actually alive. Applejack opened the door to the front of the medical centre.

“Well, C'mon, grab yer things so we can get goin’ ta Twilight’s house. Hopefully, she’s there and not spendin the entire day ‘stickin her snout in another book.” She said heading in the direction of the exit. “An hopefully I can repay ya for saving my little sis.”

“You don’t owe me anything Applejack.” I sighed.

“Ya sure do like sighing don’t ya?” Applejack raised an eyebrow in a joking manner.

“What? It’s depressing to think your whole family believes that you’re dead!”

Her smile dissipated quickly and was replaced with a look of stigma. “I-... I’m” She stuttered and choked as if touching upon a personal conversation. “Am sorry ta hear that...”

“Don’t worry about it Applejack, my past is my past. I’ll just have to live with the memory of them-”

“Hey~!” Sweetie Belle jumped in with a sheepish smile, trying her best to diffuse the emotional conversation both I and Applejack were having. “Has Scootaloo ever told you who she’s so~ obsessed with?”

“Hey!” Scootaloo hollored with red cheeks. “I’m not “obsessed”! I’m just a huge fan of Rainbow Dash.”

As I stood there, I saw the opportunity to play dumb and mention Equestria’s best flier. “Rainbow Who?” I said with a playful grin. “Sorry, the name doesn’t ring a bell.”

Scootaloo gasped. “You don’t know who Rainbow Dash is!? She’s the most awesome pony in Equestria!”

“Hate to say it girls, but you lot are the only creatures I know.”

“Y'all can’t be serious ‘bout that,” Applejack questioned, raising an eyebrow. I look back on the past and slowly dip my head towards the floor, displaying a sombre expression that worried the group around me. “You weren’t joking. You really have nopony left.”

“It’s why I want to avoid causing anyone pain.”

“Then that changes today!” Applejack stomped.

We continue our talk with a lot of emotion and stress. I explain to them my past life and how it’s like where I was before I came to this cartoonish world.

I explained who my parents were, my schooling life, my job, and basically anything simple. They asked a lot of questions like “Where did I live?” and “Did we have flying chariots that’s not controlled by pegasus?” We even talked about a few ponies I haven’t even met yet like Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie.

Applejack gave me a speech about how the world was governed by a powerful princess known as Celestia.

As we finished our some-what long conversation, I attempted to walk outside of the clinical area and into the open, only to be stopped by Applejack’s strong voice. “Ya leavin without us?” She said in a playful manner.

I turned to face the apple bucking mare to explain to her why I wanted fresh air. “Just a quick warm up and some training.” I gestured my hand to the window next to me before opening the door. The bell above it rung loudly.

When I felt the cool air of wind hit my face, I felt like I could breathe! Well...normally at least. I took a step forward from where I stood and observed the hospital. It was 3 storeys, 9 meters in height. It was very small. Which was logical seeing as most of the ponies around here were small. Pint-sized really.

I gently place my bag down on the cold soft grass and unzip the top. The inside of the said bag was stuffed with white clothes and large trousers. As I stared at the large bag, I found a clean cloth wedged deep between my shoes and jeans.

I reached my hand into the bag and produced a small white shirt. I place the cotton garment next to me and close the bag, afterwards taking the shirt I wore now and replacing it with the shirt I held in my hand. I lifted my guitar bag up and placed it on the side of the hospital.

“That’s what that was when ya bucked those Timberwolves!” Applebloom shouted, pointing at the case, exiting the hospital and joining me by my side.

“Oh, so that’s what those things were called?” Again, I played dumb.

“Mind if ah ask what y’re doin out here?” Applejack asked.

“Just taking a few laps.”

“Around the hospital?”

I nod my head.

“What are ya? An athlete?”

“No, but I used to take Taekwondo.”

Hoping that this satisfied her question, I began to stretch. Once I had finished stretching I decided to simply take a small jog around the hospital, it was at that point that Applejack walked up beside me.

“So you’re just... Running?”

“Yeah, I’m just raising my heart rate.”

“Mind if I join ya?” She smiles.

“Mind if you get miles ahead of me,” I smirked.

“I doubt you’re that slow.” She retorted with a cocked eyebrow and a sly grin.

We shall see...

I then bring myself towards the floor and into a starting position, like I was almost coming off the starting blocks on a running track. As soon as I sprinted off the block, Applejack was instantly ahead of me and quickly gaining distance on me.

I began to think that the whole thing was pointless! I mean come on, I was no athlete! Applejack turned the corner of the hospital and was quickly out of sight.

I then sigh in defeat and begin to slow down to a jog instead of a run, however to my confusion I felt a strange burning sensation in my lower body as I began to realise that the world around me seemed to be moving faster. No. Not the world around me. I was running faster and within seconds I had passed Applejack and already disappeared from her sight around the next corner.

I then begin to think and wonder how it was I was running at such speeds. How was I able to pass Applejack within less than a second?

I managed to slow myself down before stopping near the entrance of the hospital. I then collapse onto the floor and feel a sharp surge run through my skull.

I brought my hands to my head. “What the hell is happening to me?” I muttered.

“Whoo-wee, Craig, I ain’t seen anypony gallop like that!” Applejack praised, grabbing her stetson with her hoof and smacking it on her side with excitement, finally managing to catch up to me. I don’t answer, still staring at the hard soil beneath me. “Are you ok partner?” Applejack called with concern tone.

“What is happening to me? I never had these skills before, so why do I have these skills now?”

Joining Applejacks side was Sweetie bell: “Craig, are you Okay?”

I look up at the two and stared into their large eyes. “I don’t...know?” I said, still gripping my skull with both of my hands.

“I could never move that fast before, same as I could never make that sword from earlier… I just don’t know what’s happening to me and… It scares me.” I confessed.

For a long moment, we stared at one another. It was then that Applejack broke the silence.

“Craig you don’t need to be scared of who you are.”

“I’m not scared of who I am,” I interject “I’m scared of what I could become.” I stared back at the floor. I shook my head, I stood up and picked up my guitar and bags from the wall they lean on “I need some alone time. When Twilight and Scootaloo come back I’ll be behind the hospital!”

“If yer going ta blow off steam then that’s fine with me. I’ll be sure ta come get ya when they come by...”

“Thank you.”

I then began to walk out of sight of them as I heard Sweetie Belle say “Are you sure he’ll be alright?”

Just before I turn the corner I heard Applejack reply “I don’t know, but all we can do is hope.”

As I rounded the back of the building I just laid back against the wall as I began to think. These powers, what do they have in common? The first time it was a sword from Skyrim and then some sort of intense speed boost, what is the link between them?

I then stop and think about the dream as I continue to think, and how did I even know how to wield that sword, I never used one before? It makes no sense. I then reach towards the guitar and say “and this. Why do I get the feeling I can use this? I’ve never played before, but I feel as if I know how to play now.”

I then carefully pluck at the strings that seemed to come easily, without practice and without even trying, I was able to play. I began to feel a bit more cheerful. I then grabbed hold of the guitar and played an acoustic version of Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day.

As soon as the song finished I heard the sound of breathing behind me as I turn around to see the familiar image of Applejack looking at me in surprise as she says “Wow ya’ll can really play.”

I then rub the back of my head and say “Can I? I’ve never actually played before, I found this with my stuff when I woke up this morning.”

She then looks at me and says “Are ya serious? Ya’ never used it before? How are you that good?”

I then pick up my bags and say “I’ll be honest, I think it has something to do with whatever it was that happened to me, but whatever it was I am grateful it happened.”

She then smiles and says “Well if yer grateful that you ended up here, maybe you should try to get along with everypony.”

I then smile and says “Give Pinkie a day and I probably will.”

She then looks at me and says “an’ how do ya’ know about Pinkie?”

I then gave a small smile. “Luna told me about her.” Which of course wasn’t a complete lie.

Applejack only smiled back. “Anyway, you should probably come back. Scootaloo found Twilight, an’ they both heard you.”

I then cringed. “Oh, was I on some sort of medication? I rarely ever sing in public because I think I sound like a cat in a vacuum cleaner.” She then looks at me in confusion. “Never heard that saying before? I meant that I sound dreadful.”

Applejack could only shake her head and smile. “Well, it sure didn’t seem that way.”

I chuckled and picked myself up. “Well let’s go and meet the resident bookworm.” With that, I began to walk back towards the front of the hospital.

As I got to the front of the Hospital I saw a purple unicorn standing next to Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo that I instantly recognised to be Twilight Sparkle.

As I got closer I heard Applejack shout. “Twi, over here!”

She then turned towards us and began to scream. “Applejack! Be careful, there’s a monster behind you!”

I could only sigh. “Nice to meet you too Twilight.”

Applebloom, a little hurt, went to confront the unicorn. “Twi, he’s no monster, for one he saved us from a pack of timberwolves.”

She then looks back to me and says “What did you do to them? Release them from whatever control you have over them!”

I sigh again and try and make my case. “Twilight, I have done nothing to them… in fact, if it weren’t for them I’d probably be dead by now.”

“Like I’d believe that!” she shouted. I then see her horn and eyes begin to glow. “Release them from your control, or else.” She stated with a quiet anger.

Applejack steps in front of me then shouts “Twilight, stop! He has done nuthin’ wrong!”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and throw a sigh Applejack’s way. ‘I seem to be sighing a lot today…’ “I said this wouldn’t work Applejack… Look I know you just want to help, but I don’t think it’s going to work, I’m just...too different to fit in here…I won’t waste your time Twilight, I’ll just leave and go back to the Everfree and disappear.

Scootaloo then runs up to me and tries to stop me, her forehooves clutching my gut “Don’t! You know what will happen if you go back there! You’ll die… I don’t care what anypony thinks! You saved us and I will not let you go back in there.” She let go and stomped her hoof, more than likely to tell me that she was putting her foot down about this.

I kneel down and ruffle her hair, a bit of my spirit lifting. “Scootaloo...You know I want to say here… but if all that will happen is...” I gesture to Twilight and her slightly diminished orb of magic. “This. What hope do I have of not being treated like dirt? Honestly I...think it’s better for everyone if I just didn’t exist.”

I guess what I said must have struck a chord with Twilight, as she gave me this look of...pity? Regret? “Applejack is what he said true? Did he really save them?” Twilight then asked.

“From what Applebloom told me, he saved them from a pack of Timberwolves. They’d be dead if it weren’t for ‘im.”

She then looks back to me, her eyes filled with guilt and doubt. “Is this true?”

I return the gaze, a bit of conviction filling my voice. “Yes… they followed me in after I fled… I didn’t want to scare anyone so I hid…but they followed me into the forest and we were attacked…I only got them out because of something that’s happened to me, changing me…Somehow I created a sword that made them ignite into flames and then I did everything I could to get them out and then… well, then I collapsed from blood loss.”

Twilight’s horn finally stopped glowing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know...I thought you were attacking Applejack.”

I smiled and shrugged. “No harm done Twilight, I don’t blame you. After all, let’s face it, I do look like a monster, so your fears are perfectly understandable.”

Twilight then looks to me, her ears folded back. “Why are you so forgiving? If I did that to anypony else I’d expect them to not want anything to do with me, so why are you being kind to me?”

“Probably because you were only thinking about the safety of your friend, and the fact that Princess Luna told me to seek you out, seeing as she told me you could help me. I’ll be honest though, I don’t really see how.” I admit

Seconds later I see a small purple reptile appear near Twilight, a scroll in it’s claw. “Twilight this letter just came for you.” he then looks towards. “Twilight what is that thing?” The drake asked.

I shake my head and sigh. “My name is Craig, I’m… well, lost and have no idea what’s happened to me, but I’d rather not dwell on the past. So, what’s your name?”

The reptile then looked towards Twilight clearly scared… which actually wasn’t surprising as I was almost three times the size of them until Twilight reassured him. “Spike it’s alright, he won’t hurt you.”

I kneel so as to meet his gaze. “Spike, I swear on the memory of my family that I mean you no harm.”

This then caused Twilight to look at me in surprise. “What do you mean by the memory of your family?”

I turned away, my eyes now focused on the ground. “Twilight… I… Don’t even know if my family is still alive… one minute I was in my room and then the next I was in the middle of nowhere. In a bog to the south of here, I think… well south of the everfree.” I look back up, hoping to change the topic. “Well anyway, you got a letter from the princess. What was it about?”

Twilight, with a bit of trepidation, begins to read the letter. “You… the letter is relating to you.”

“Wait? what?” I asked, my eyebrows raised in curiosity.

She then smiles and gives me the note in her magic. “It may make more sense if you see it.”

I retrieve the parchment and read.

My faithful Student,

I would like to advise you about a creature that may be arriving in Ponyville soon. It will unlikely be hostile but it will be afraid. Please help the creature, it was described to us in the past as a young child, likely alone. He may have powers he can’t understand and according to my sister will be searching for you, she has also informed me that the creature is named Craig.

I will be arriving in Ponyville soon to meet him, please make sure he is safe until I arrive. I will leave this task in your capable hooves.
Princess Celestia

I look at Twilight, my mind silently freaking out, and tell her how I feel about this situation. “You can’t be serious. The Princess wants to meet me… welp I’m out of here, can’t do it.”

Applejack, no doubt catching on to my sudden spike in paranoia, starts to ease her way towards me. “What are you…”

However before she can finish her sentence I had already begun to run away shouting: “I’m sorry, I just can’t!” With that, I disappeared back around the side of the hospital and attempted in hiding amongst the hills beyond...

As I began to run across the brow of a nearby hill, I get to thinking. THIS is crazy, there’s no way I could do it, I’ll break down from the stress if I try to talk to her. I then look towards the sky as I stretch one hand upwards, Even now, I can’t find the freedom I want I’m still so trapped by my past mistakes...even in a new world, I’m still limited by my own fears.

Shaking off my self-loathing, I catch a rainbow contrail .in the sky. Apparently, it was Rainbow Dash being… well Rainbow Dash and it was highly likely she had already noticed me and was judging me, waiting… so unlike her. I clear my head of those thoughts. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.

There was a change in direction in the rainbow mare’s flight path. She angled downward in my direction. I quickly realized that Rainbow Dash was indeed targeting me and had me in her sights. I opened the palm of my hand which was wrapped around the sash of my bag, letting it drop to the floor. I dove to the side, letting the rainbow-coloured projectile pass by. The earth shook as the mare hit Equestria’s soil. I rolled onto my side and stared at the still form that lay on the ground.

I place my hands on the ground and slowly stand to my feet. I hesitantly position one foot in front of me. “Hey?” I lean forward to gain a better visual. “You okay?” I ask in a concerned tone of voice, hoping the mare that attacked me was still alive.

An undesirable groan vibrated from the Element of Loyalty. The wings on her side beat with fresh flowing blood. I watched her rise from the floor and rub the back of her head with her hoof. “Ok,” She groaned. “That hurt.”

“I’m not surprised,” I mutter under my breath. Walking towards the bag I let fall to the ground, I glanced back at the pegasus with the same look of concern. I picked up my bag and opened it, producing a white shirt. “We need to get you to the hospital.” I tied the shirt around her wings to restrict the blood from flowing out of the wound. “That should hold for now, but we still need to get you checked over!”

“Don’t touch me.” Again, she groans.

“Listen you think Scootaloo would like to see you die due to an unseen injury?” I ask calmly.

“If you hurt her in any way, Celestia help me!”

“I haven’t hurt her… I did the opposite actually. Timberwolves attacked her, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, I saved them and then,” I then close my bag up as I throw it over my shoulders. “Well let’s just say blood loss isn’t new to me.” I then proceeded to carefully pick the pegasus up and walk back towards the hospital.

As I got nearer to the hospital I looked down towards the Pegasus as I realised that she had stopped moving. Placing my index and middle finger on her neck, I found that her pulse had become much slower than I had expected.

Seconds later a strange feeling of dread came over me as I realised that her injuries were far worse than I thought them, and by moving her I had caused even more damage.

With as much care as possible, I lay her on the floor and start to wrack my brain. “There has to be something I can do,” Looking at my hands, I begin to put my thoughts in order. “Whatever happened to me, maybe her only hope… I need to know the link… Skyrim, speed… wait speed may be Sonic… games… is it manipulation of abilities from games?” I then begin to think What games have healing as a mechanic?

I then look at the pegasus’ body taking note that she was running out of time. Placing my hand on her chest, I focus... Something. “I don’t have much time… I’ll just go with restoration magic, it’s all I know I can access right now.” I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and whisper: “Grand Healing.”

My eyes open to a glowing light that appeared around my hand as the pegasus’ body began to glow white.

Exhaustion begins to fill me but even then, I kept up the spell for as long as I could. It was a minute until I dropped the spell and collapsed, breathing hard as I heard the pegasus begin to stir. “What happened?”

“A miracle, a miracle that just saved your life,” I whisper out.

Grimacing in pain, she turns to me and asks me, “Why… help me?”

To this, I just smirked. “Do I need a reason to help a friend of Applejack’s?” I try to stand up but collapse on to my knee. “Look, I’m uh...unable to move or fight back. So if you uh, want to hit me, injure me or even kill me, go ahead, I won’t stop you.”

She shakes off her fatigue, a thankful smile on her face. “Dude, you know I’m not gonna to kill you. But you know...thank you.”

I smirk and get the need to give a bit of snark. “Oh, the famous Rainbow Dash has emotions? Who would have thought.”

She laughs and flicks my forehead with her tail. “Yeah, but if you ever tell anypony you’ll wish I did.”

“Duly noted,” I muttered as I let myself lay on the ground. “I’m just going to rest...I feel like I just carried a mountain.”

I then roll onto my back and look up to the sky breathing in the daytime air. “You know, I’ve always wanted to be able to fly,” I say whilst raising my left hand towards the sky before continuing my train of thought. “See the world in a new perspective… I suppose you get to do that every day.”

She gives me this surprised stare. Like I just said the most profound and philosophical thing in existence. “Hey kid, what’s your name?”

“Craig. You can call me Craig, and I guess you’re Rainbow Dash? Dubbed “The most awesome pony in Equestria”; by Scootaloo.”

“Craig… A pretty strange name for a pony.” Joked Rainbow Dash.

I gave her smirk in retort. “Do I look like a pony to you?”

“No, but you do look like a minotaur.”

I shift my eyes upwards. “I’m not a minotaur. Does it look like I have horns to you?”

“But if you’re not a minotaur what are you?” She asked as she circled around me and sized me up.

“I’m what’s called a human or Homo-sapiens.”

She then looks at me in confusion. “Humans. I thought they were a myth?”

“And I thought the same about Pegasi and Unicorns,” I reply

Rainbow Dash laughed at the notion no doubt. “C’mon, ponies? A myth… you can’t be serious?”

“I’m deadly serious…, unless you’re kind’s seriously that good at hiding…ponies are a myth where I come from, well all except Earth ponies.”

“So what? You come from somewhere that only has Earth Ponies?” Asks Rainbow Dash.

“Umm well, yes, but the ponies where I come from aren’t all that sentient.”

She circled back around me, her hoof on my chest and fire in her eyes. “Say that about my friends again… I dare you.”

I sigh, for what had to be the hundredth time today. “I said where *I* come from, not here… that’s really not the case *here*.” I stated with emphasis. I manage to find the strength to sit up, taking a few breaths to keep steady. “Well, I think I better go back. I may have royalty to see.”

Rainbow dash gives me an odd look, kinda like if I had just grown an extra head. “Who’s coming to see you?”

“Princess Celestia from what the letter Twilight got said,” I reply

Now it looked like that head had a hand for a face. “Why would the princess want to see you?” She asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know… Luna seemed to know a bit about me though.”

“You’ve met Luna?” asks Rainbow Dash.

I then smile, grabbing my bags as I get myself off the ground. “Wel, it was in my dreams. It was when I fainted after saving Scootaloo from Timberwolves, but yeah, I’ve technically met her.”

“So you saved Scoots from a pack of Timberwolves… and why did you run when you heard that you’d be meeting the princess?” Asks Rainbow Dash.

“Well I’m kind of scared of Celestia… I’ve heard of the things she’s done… even to her own sister, and I guess I’m worried she’d do the same to me.”

“Craig, she wouldn’t hurt you without reason.” Replies Rainbow Dash.

“But what if whatever it was that caused my powers to go haywire… I could hurt innocent peo… ponies. If that did happen she would send me to the moon and seeing as how humans aren’t immortal I’d die up there, alone.”

Rainbow Dash then looked at me, conviction in her eyes. “Well… if what you have told me is all true… I’ll help you, the princess trusts me.”

I had to smile, a bit of hope building up inside me. “Why wouldn’t she trust the element of loyalty.”

She then looks back at me with a bit of shock. “You know about that?”

“Well yeah, I know all about you and your friends,” I admit.

She then looks at me in confusion and her head tilted to the side “What are you, a stalker?”

“Nah, I’m just a child who’s learning as he goes.” We then begin our walk back to the hospital grounds, my resolve strengthened.