Author's Notes:

Hello, bronies

I threw the next chapter but before you start reading I would like to give you a message

I have accidentally removed the prologue but luckily the document has been saved, the problem is that it is in Polish so I will have to re-translate

And now good reading ;)

Everywhere was dark ... I lay on my bed, trying to sleep, it's a terrible feeling when you try to fall asleep but you can not ... I decided to get out of bed even though my sister Redheart strictly forbade.

I slowly discovered the quilt, flipping it aside, then slipped off the bed and I stood on legs, for a moment I got dizzy but quickly, everything went back to normal, but, wait a second... Something is wrong, although it is I could clearly see my hands, like in the daytime, as well as the bed, after a while I looked around the room, if I could call it that, there was absolutely nothing around me. I took a few steps from the bed, then I already knew... I was not in the hospital anymore.

I walked along, and the darkness in which I wound seemed to have no end, then I heard it... Snarl... immediately turned around, there was this damned monster, he looked at me with his red, glowing eyes, grinning his teeth in a nasty smile, something attacked me when I ran away from home, it still looked the same... A big, winged black lion with a scorpion's tail, reading a book called "Daring Do", I read something about a creature called manticore, what happened next it suited the description perfectly.

It was in front of me, smiling at me, I had enough of it ... What did this thing want from me? And why will not he just leave me alone?

"What do you want from me?!" - I asked furiously, but something still happened and smiled at me - "Get out! And leave me alone!" - I screamed at what the beast began to laugh, in a deep tone - "You hear me?!" - I asked again what the monster began to laugh even louder - "Get out!" - I screamed, more furiously

"Hahahahaha ... Oh, I was really moved" - the monster replied after a moment, sarcastically,

"Get out and leave me alone!" - I screamed

"Because what will you do to me? Will you hit me with stalk as before?" - Asked the beast,

"Get out! You are not real! "- I screamed again

"You are not a challenge for me" - said the monster

A moment later, he approached me sharply, and I jumped backwards.

"Mmmmm... Tasty, beautiful fear" - said the beast, grinning and drooling disgustingly - "I'll drive you crazy and i kill you, I'm your worst nightmare, all you're afraid of"

I trembled in fear, I did not know what to do, then it was the beast who made a roar and then started running towards me, then I regained consciousness and started to run away, I did not even pay attention to which one I run, then I stumbled over something falling on something hard.

I was about to get up when suddenly the monster ran up to me, stood in front of me and crushed me to the ground, my face met his face, then something lifted up high, uttering something of a kind, connecting the human scream and the roar of a lion, he dropped his head violently to bite me, I was helpless... I closed my eyes, covering my hands and started screaming loudly.

"AAAAAAAAAGH! LEAVE ME!" - And then, I woke up - "DON'T KILL ME PLEASE!" - I screamed, and then Redheart's sister,

"What's going on !?" ran into the room immediately . - She asked, surprised

Then I dropped my hands and opened my eyes, in the doorway stood sister Redheart, for her I noticed Twilight and Rainbow Dash. I stared at them, with frightened eyes, studied the room for a moment, making sure that there was no such thing.

Immediately Twilight ran up to me.

"What's happend? Is everything alright?" - She asked, looking at me with concern, after a while Rainbow Dash came to the room - "Hey, I'm here ... what happened?" - Asked, approaching me even more

"I... I s-saw something ..." - I replied, still in shock

"What? ... What did you see?" - she asked

"I-i had a nightmare, I was in a place where everything is d-dark ... And then ..." - I replied, with a trembling voice

"And then what?" - Asked, even more inquisitively

"I saw T-this something... B-beast" - I stammered, then tears began to flow into my eyes - "H-he said he would k-kill me"

"Wait, it's about this beast by Which one did you find here?" - Twilight asked, and I just sat there and I kept silent, and from my eyes were running tears... - "Hey is alright, it's just a bad dream, you are safe, something will not come to you," - said Twilight, then gently embraced me, I returned the feeling, embracing her, and frankly I did not want to let go.

I calmed down a bit, Twilight slowly released me from my grip, then looked me in the eye.

"Evrything is okay?" - Sister Redheart asked, looking at me with concern

"Y-yes..."

"If you want, I will bring you calming drugs, it does not look good," Sister Redheart said

"N-no, you don't have to, it's okay" - I said, wiping my tears

"Okay, but if you need something, call me, okay?" - Sister Redheart said, then left the room

I sat there, head down, but after a moment I calmed down.

"Wow, it was horrible ..., tell me how long you had such nightmares?" - Asked Rainbow

"Actually, I have them since I came here" - I replied

"Tell me when you met ... That?" - Twilight asked

"Then when I ran away from home" - I answered, already a little calmed down

"So, however ..." - said Rainbow,

"What?" - Twilight asked

"Do you remember how I was telling you how together with Fluttershy I brought him here?" - Asked Rainbow, staring at Twilight

"I remember" - Twilight answered

"Fluttershy had to go home, because she was dealing with animals, I stayed in the hospital, I just ... worried about you - said Rainbow, looking at me and then she gave me a warm smile.

"What happened next?" - Twilight asked.

"The doctors said that apart from the wounds inflicted by ... It's something ..." - She paused for a moment - "They found... Old scars... Then they said it was probably evidence of abuse," - Rainbow said, lowering her head down

"What? ... Really?" - Twilight asked in disbelief. - "At the beginning I did not believe it, but after what Colin said, though... His father could not be so..." - She did not finish

"That's true..." - I said, getting out of bed - "I hated my father... It is because of him that I have these scars... He beat me and my mother every day... In the end she could not stand it and..." - I stopped I feel that tears are beginning to fall again

"It's okay... Don't say if you don't want to..." - said Rainbow, coming up to me

I gritted my teeth, trying to stop the tears that came to my eyes, I could not...

"Sit down, you don't look so good" - said Twilight, then sat down on the bed - "Tell me what she looked like the beast?"

"it looked like one big black lion, had red eyes, bat wings and scorpion tail" - I said uneasily

"Hmm... Manticore, " - said Twilight

"I was so scared, he said he would kill me," - I said, and then tears began to flow in my eyes.

"Alright, he will not hurt you, it was just a bad dream," - said Twilight, and then I leaned my head against her and she pressed me lightly to me.

It took some time before I calmed down, all the time I was wondering on the words spoken by this thing *You're not a challenge for me* I was wondering what this fucking thing might be about, why it just would not leave me alone?

I sat in the hospital bed for about 40 minutes, talking to Twilight and Rainbow Dash, about different things, to forget about what just happened, I did not want to remember that.

"And what about Fluttershy, why did not she come?"

"She wanted to come, but... She had a lot of things on her mind" - Twilight answered

"What matters?" - I asked,

"Probably now deals with animals" - said Rainbow Dash - "She could not leave them alone, in the end someone has to feed them all" - said Rainbow taunting

"All of them, how much does she have them?" - I asked

"Too much to count, in total I don't know, how she deals with it" - Rainbow said.

Our conversation was interrupted by sister Redheart entering the room.

"Hello Colin, are you all right?" - She asked

"Yes... It's okay" - I said, calm tone

"Well, I have good news for you,

"Seriously?" - I asked

"Yes, last night as you slept the doctors checked your wounds and it turned out that they are very well healed" - Sister Redheart said

"Something else?" - Asked Rainbow

"In addition, she must remember to change the bandages every three days and most importantly, you should not overwork... Your ribs have not yet grown together," - said sister Redheart - "Well then, take your stuff and you're free... And now, excuse me, I have to take care of other patients "- Sister Redheart said, throwing a warm smile to me and then left the room

"Hmmm... There is only one problem"- Rainbow said

"What's problem?" I asked, then looked at her

"First: you do not have any clothes, secondly: you have nowhere to live" - Rainbow said

"Oh... There is not a hotel here... Or something?" - I asked,

"If you want, you can live with me," said Twilight,

"Are you serious?" - I asked

"Sure, yes, at least until we find you a place to live," said Twilight, what I smiled, and the smile of

Twilight and Rainbow Dash returned , helped me pack, actually... The only things I had at two books from the Daring Do series. After packing things, we went to the doctor after discharge, everything happened very quickly, after a while we left the hospital, immediately in my face the sun shone on me, striking my eyes,

When my eyes got used to the prevailing conditions, I dropped my hand down and Ponyville appeared to my eyes, the town looked really beautiful, it had this charm.

"It's impressive, yeah?" - Asked after a moment Rainbow Dash

I did not say anything, just nodded, after a while we moved before we talked together.

"Do you like it here?" - Asked Twilight

"Yhmm, I did not pay attention to it when I was here for the first time" - I said, looking nervously at the residents looking at me with surprise.

"Do not worry, residents will not do anything to you, you can be sure of that" - said Rainbow

"I don't know... I don't like it" - I said uncertainly

All Ponies, they looked at bandages walking and wrapped around me, some looked at me with confused eyes, others looked at me with sadness, shame and compassion, but there were those who looked at me with anger, one even prepared to throw a rock at me to which I slightly ducked, but fortunately someone stopped him. Rainbow Dash saw my anxiety and nervousness, she looked angrily at the crowd staring at me.

"What are you looking at? Take care of your affairs" - Rainbow said, angrily in her voice

Everyone immediately turned away and returned to what they were doing, although some still looked at me.

"Thanks Rainbow," I said with relief

"Fine, don't worry about them, they will not hurt you, I'll see that," - she said, giving me a nudge

"I wonder why they attacked you?" - Twilight asked, walking next to me,

"I don't know ... maybe they got scared of me, they saw me all in blood and wounds," - I said, looking down to avoid stumbling.

"But they did not have to attack you right away," - she said Twilight, looking angrily at the residents, who after a moment turned around with shame

"No... Really, it's okay, I'm used to it" - I said, in a colorless voice

Twilight and Rainbow Dash stopped momentarily, I did not notice and went a few steps further and then I stopped.

"Wait... What?"

"What?" - I asked

"Colin... You should not say that, you should never have been treated like that, it's not something you can get used to pain," - said Twilight, frowning

"But I..." - I did not finish

"She's right," - said Rainbow. - "You should never have been hurt, to be honest I don't do well when I imagine it," - said Rainbow, coming up to me - "Nobody will hurt you here, you can be sure"

"Okay, let's go, my house is close"- said Twilight

We walked along the streets of Ponyville, the inhabitants looked at me nervously, I felt insecure, when I was walking next to someone I just covered my face. In the end, we got to some big tree that had, doors, windows, and next to it there was a sign on which the book appeared.

"Well, we're at home," said Twilight.

"Wait, you live in a big tree? And in the library?" - I asked

"Yes, why do you ask?" - She Asked

"Nothing... Just, you know... I heard about tree houses, but a house inside in the tree?" - I said

"Well... As you see" - Twilight said opening the door, letting me in and Rainbow Dash inside

The interior of the house, or rather the library, looked interesting, it was carved, as were the shelves on which the books were located, in the middle there was a small table where the horse's head was carved in wood, and the sun was the most important to me it surprised that the books were scattered everywhere.

"*ugh* Spike, you did not put the book back on the shelves as I asked you!" - Twilight called - "Spike? Are you there?" - she asked - "*Sigh* great."

"Who is Spike?" - I asked,

"This is my assistant, he's a dragon, I'm really sorry for this mess, feel at home and I clean up, " - said Twilight, collecting books

"I will help you"- I said

"No, you don't have to, I'm going to be you my guest," she said.

Even though Twilight said she could handle it myself, I helped her, well... Be that as it may, I was her roommate now. Collecting books took us a good half hour, Rainbow Dash also helped, but a moment later she had to go to... If I heard right *Sugarcube Corner* She had an appointment with her friend.

After dealing with the books, Twilight offered me tea, I did not refuse, the more that I was a little tired of collecting books. When Twilight went to make tea, my attention was caught by an owl sitting on a wooden pedestal on a book.

I went to the owl to look at her, and then she probably made a sound.

"Who?" - I heard after a moment

"Wait ... did you say something?" - I asked the owl, it was stupid I know ...

"Who?" - I was not wrong, it was this owl

"But who?" - I asked lightly chuckling

"Who?" - She asked me again.

Honestly, it amused me, I could not resist and began to imitate her.

"Who?" - I asked

"Who?" - Asked Owl,

"Who?" - I asked again

And again and again, we were repeating this word all the time, after a while Twilight entered the room, she could not stand laughing when she saw me with her owl, with which I kept repeating one word *Who?*.

"Hahahahahahaha... Okay, okay, what's going on here?" - Twilight asked, laughing

"Uhmm... She started it" - I said, pointing to the owl sitting on a pedestal,

"Who?" - She asked after a moment

I couldn't help laughing, just like Twilight

"I see that you met Owlicious," - she said, stroking the owl

"Who?" - I asked

"My owl, this is my second assistant" - Twilight said

I approached the owl closer, then began to gently scratch it under the goatee, she hooted happily.

"I like her, though ... I would prefer to call her Doctor Who" - I said with a smile

"Who?" - Asked the owl, what Twilight and me and we burst into loud laughter

"Yes, it definitely suits him" - said Twilight - "So how?, Drink a tea?"

"Yeah" - I said, then sat down together at the table

The corner of the Twilight Horn shone with a pink glow, then a cup of tea came to me, I grabbed and started to drink it, it turned out to be a herbal tea, very relaxed me.

"Mmmm... Good, a little bitter, but good" - I said, putting down my mug

"I'm glad you like it, it's a mix of lemon balm, eucalyptus and wild chamomile" - said Twilight, then put a cup to her mouth, taking a sip " - Zecora he knows what is good

"Who is Zecora?" - I asked from Curiosity

"This is my friend, she lives in the Everfree Forest" - She said, also putting the cup down on the table

"This is the forest behind the Fluttershy house, yes?" - I asked

"Exactly this" - She said

"Will we visit her someday?" - I asked

"Oh, don't count on it, Everfree Forest is a dangerous place, swarming with monsters, believe me you do not want to go there" - She said

"I understand" - I said, grabbing a cup

Time passed us very quickly, on calls, I asked Twilight what they mean the tattoos on their right, she said it's the cutie marks that every pony gets when he finds out his talent, it sounded incredible, but after what I saw, nothing will surprise me. We sat and talked, after a while the door to the house opened and I saw in them, you will not believe me... A dragon, a real living dragon! His scales had a purple color, and the spikes on its back were green, like his eyes, and I thought that nothing would surprise me anymore.

"Oh, hello Spike," - said Twilight

Young dragon immediately looked at me, I saw surprise on his face, exactly the same I saw in the ponies when I arrived here.

"Twilight... What it this?" - He said pointing to me,

"Is not IT, this is Colin, is our guest, and as usual, you forgot to sort the book when I asked you," Twilight said angrily,

"I'm sorry... I... I forgot" - Spike said

"You forgot And not the first time, next time try not to forget, okay? " - said Twilight

"Okay" - said Spike, then he turned to me - "Hello I'm Spike, and you're Colin, right?"

"Yes, nice to meet you" - I said

All in all, Spike seemed allright, I even liked him.

"Actually ... What are you doing here? I have never seen you here" - he said, looking at me - "I could even swear I have never seen something like you before"

"Colin is a human, we do not know where it came from he took and there is nowhere to go, so he will live with us until we find him a home" - said Twilight.

"I remembered this, we wrote about him to the Princess Celestia yesterday? " - Spike asked

"Exactly, yes, Has the princess already answered?" - Twilight asked

"Strangely, no answer" - Spike replied

"It's strange, she usually answered ," - said Twilight.

"Maybe he does not know what to think about it" - said Spike

"Hmm... Maybe..." - said Twilight.

It began to dim slowly, I finished my tea, then took a cup to the kitchen, looked out the window, it was completely dark outside. At one point I saw something, in the dark I saw a pair of red eyes, suddenly I saw something start to smile disgustingly, I knew it was a monster from my nightmares.

I stared at it, I was terrified, I was afraid to move in any way, and I was even afraid to let it out.

"Hey, something is happened?" - Twilight asked, coming up to me, and I immediately looked away at her.

"There was something there," - I said, in a trembling voice

"What" Twilight asked, then looked out the window

"T-this m-monster from my nightmares, he stood there, stared at me..." - I did not finish

"I think you should really go to sleep" - said Twilight - "There's nothing there" - said Twilight, actually... Nothing was there, but I knew it was different, it happened there, I saw it with my own eyes!

"But... I really... It happened there... It looked at me" - I said nervously

"You should really go to sleep, you do not look good" - said Twiight - "Go to the shower, but remember to remove the bandages"

"*Sigh* Okay" - I said, stepping away from the window

I went to the bathroom to wash, turned on the tap, then droplets of lukewarm water started to fall on me, but after a while they were warm, it was very pleasant feeling, but also painful, because drops of warm water mixed with soap got into my wounds. When I washed, I dressed in my underwear and shorts, and then put on bandages. The wounds still ached me unimaginably, because they still did not heal completely.

After leaving the bathroom, I went to eat dinner, exactly a vegetable salad and admit that it tasted quite good, after dinner I went upstairs with Twilight, unfortunately I did not have a second bed so I had to sleep on the mattress, on the floor, but it did not bother me, I was very tired so I went to sleep at once.

"Goodnight, Colin, Sweet Dreams," said Twilight

"Goodnight Twi, and thank you" - I said

"You're welcome, now go to sleep" - said Twilight, leaving the room and putting out the light

I lay on my bed, it was not too comfortable but it was better than nothing. My eyelids slowly began to get heavy, and then I began to close my eyes, but a moment before I closed my eyes, I saw something in the corner of the room, it was a figure that was slowly approaching me but I was too tired to do anything.

"Spike, get parchment and pen, we have to send a letter," - said Twilight, to the little dragon,

"Allright" said Spike, pulling out a pen and parchment

Dear Princess Celestia

Today, Colin left the hospital, but he still feels uncertain about seeing other ponies, the more that attacked him a few days ago,
but unfortunately I'm afraid he's worse with him than I thought, we came back from the hospital and everyone started looking at him,
Rainbow Dash immediately she scolded them, and rightly so. After a while, Colin calmed down and we assured him that they would not hurt him, in the end
they should not attack him immediately, but then he said a terrible thing, namely he was used to it,
accustomed to being harmed, but not He is the worst, he said that he saw again this beast that probably went him
she attacked, said he looked like a manticore, and said he saw her tonight outside my home window, I do not know what to think about it,
I'm worried about him, I'm going to bring him to Rarity tomorrow to make some clothes for him, and introduce him to the rest of my friends, and I hope that what he saw is not real.

Your loyal student: Twilight Sparkle

"It's done, send it right now?" - Spike asked,

"Of course" said Twilight

Spike, blowing the green fire on the letter, sending it to Canterlot.

"Taken! *Yawn* and now I'm go to sleep, I'm tired - Spike said

"Okay, good night Spike"- said Twilight, going upstairs

Twilight opened the door to the room, cautiously and slowly so as not to wake up Colin, at some point when she was in the room she noticed something very strange, she could swear that one second after opening the door, someone or something stood at Colin.

"Huh? What the?" - she said, then walked over to Colin sleeping on the mattress - "Ehh, I really have to lie down."

She looked at the boy lying on the mattress, then gently stroked his hair with his hooves.

"Sleep well" - she said, and then she climbed onto her bed

She lay there for a moment, thoughts passing through her head did not let us sleep, she asked herself hundreds of questions, or what Colin said about this beast, is it true? Why did he have to suffer so? She did not know what to think about, she looked up for a moment looking at Colin, and again the same... Again, she thought she saw something, but ignored it thinking that it was over fatigue. She looked at the sleeping Colin for the last time, then smiled and slowly fell asleep.

The end of Chapter 3