Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I never believed in other worlds. Such things only existed in fantasies. Or so I thought, until I one day found myself thrust into one. With all the possibilities that the existence of other universes brings about, I think I got off pretty easy. Landing in a world full of talking animals is nice.

The first thing I remember that day was waking up in a daze, in a large patch of grass. I had a doozy of a headache. My head was swimming and my body ached, like I got hit by a truck. I laid there for a few minutes. The pain eventually melted away and I lifted my head, looking all around, trying to get my bearings. The only things to greet me were trees and a few scattered flowers. I was in a forest? That’s okay, forests aren’t so bad. At least I’m nowhere dangerous. I’m safe here, for now… wherever here is.

I tried to stand up and was surprised as I became aware of my body. Or… my new body, rather. I definitely wasn’t human anymore. Humans don’t stand on four legs and have hooves. I was stunned at my new anatomy, slightly scared actually. I wasn't handling the idea of not being 'myself' very well. In my panic, I couldn't think properly. I just...started running.

I took off, leaving a flurry of dirt behind me as my four little legs carried me in a random direction. It was like anxiety hit me all at once. [i] Where was I? What happened to me? How did I get here? Why am I a horse?[/i] Questions swirled in my mind like a whirlpool. I was spiraling. I didn't come to my senses until I tripped over a tree root and fell flat on my face.

The first word to leave me was a drawled out "Owwwww." My tumble seemed to quell my panicked state. I sighed and huffed. Then I tried to stand upright again, although I had a bit of trouble with it. After getting back onto all fours, I raised my head and noticed an odd hole had been left in the dirt where my face had been. "Huh?" I murmured before rubbing a hoof on my forehead. My eyes widened upon realizing that there was a horn protruding from the middle of my noggin. "I'm a...unicorn?... Cool!" I chirped out childishly, my voice sounding squeaky, more infantile than what I was used to. I wondered what the rest of me looked like. "Wish I had a mirror." I said, wanting a good look at myself. I found something decent enough though.

There was a stream nearby, which I promptly trotted over to. I could get a rough idea of my reflection. Plus I was super thirsty. Two birds with one stone. I greedily lapped up some water, and then stopped, taking in my reflection as the water settled. I knew that I was different than before, but seeing the new form gaze back at me was a bit stunning. I was indeed a horse- no, a pony. A magical, fictional pony. I didn’t look exactly like the cartoon though. I looked far more ‘natural’, but was still obviously not like any horse on earth. I had tan colored fur, large eyes and light hair. My mane contained shades of light blue, almost white, streaks. My eyes were also blue. Nothing about me looked like “myself,” except having brown ‘skin.’ I tilted my head as I looked at this foreign equine who was now my body. “Wow...so this is really…me, now?" I questioned aloud. “I’m a pony?

To give myself further confirmation, I gave myself a good once over, noting all important details about my new body. I started with counting the limbs. “Four legs? Check.” I said, while lifting each cloven hoof one by one. “Er… make that five legs?” I joked, as I noticed I somehow gained an extra bit, between my back legs. I then looked at my back, which sported faint stripes. I wiggled my rump and then flicked my tail. The movement felt oddly nature. “Tail. Check.” I giggled. My gaze moved to my thigh, or was it flank? There was no cutie mark present. I guess it made sense. I’m a blank slate, it seems. I don’t think I even have a ‘special’ talent of any sort before anyway.

Next, I shifted focus back to my face and poked the horn that jutted out from my forehead. “Horn. Check- also ow” I mumbled as I noticed that it was uncomfortable to put pressure on the magical appendage. “Yep. Definitely a pony…. and a boy one apparently" I muttered. Changing gender was really odd, but then again so is becoming a fantasy animal. I’m just glad that I’m a creature that I enjoy. I paused and giggled to myself. “I’m a little pony,” I said as I did little tippy taps with my hooves. "This is so awesome!"

Once my mirth about being in my favorite childhood show had passed, I began to focus on what the hell to do with myself. As it stands, I'm still alone in the woods. I could see the sun slowly getting lower in the sky. I needed to come up with a plan before nightfall. I didn’t know where I was in Equestria and I barely remembered the layout of the nation, if those maps from the show were even accurate. I couldn’t tell what direction I was even facing. I opted on following the length of the river, hoping to find some sort of civilization. I walked for a long time. My legs were beginning to protest with every step I took. I huffed and groaned at the pain in my limbs. I had to keep moving. I was exhausted though. Eventually I did find a dirt road. A glimmer of hope. I was too tired to keep moving though. I sighed and laid down on the side of the road. I decided to rest there. I let out a long sigh. As I lay on the ground, I looked up at the moon as it rose. I remember thinking the face upon the moon’s surface was beautiful, as sleep finally claimed me.

I dreamt that I was in space. I floated among the stars. Everything was peaceful, until I suddenly found myself gravitating towards a strange mass. It was dark blue and pulsating. The mass emitted a strange noise in a garbled tone. As I grew closer, I could hear the sounds more clearly. Whatever this thing was, it could speak. ‘Come to us, little star child,’ it said. ‘Free us,’ it demanded. I grew more scared. I didn’t want to be near it. I tried to float in the opposite direction but I couldn’t. It was like I was caught in a tractor beam. ‘Foolish soul, do not run from us!’ I wanted no parts of it! The mass was right in front of me, beginning to swallow me up in its expanse. I couldn’t think, all I could do was scream.

Chapter Text

I woke up with a hard jolt, giving myself a slight pain. I grunted in discomfort at the rough awakening. What a nightmare. The way that thing tried consuming me sent shivers down my spine. Hell, I felt as if I was close to pissing myself when it grabbed me. I shuddered and shook my head. It doesn’t matter. It was only a dream. Why’d I get so worked up anyway? It appears I’m forgetting already. I could feel the memories of the dream fading away as my mind grew more alert. Oh well.

After calming down from the nightmare, I noticed something odd. I wasn’t in the middle of the forest anymore. I guess in my startled state I hadn’t processed it at first. I knew I had fell asleep outside but I was somewhere new now.

I was in a bed. I half expected that my experience as a pony was just a dream as well, until I reached to rub my eyes and was only greeted with hooves. I huffed, feeling upset with my lack of fingers. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes with my foreleg. I blinked a bit before worrying about where I was. Why was I in someone's bed? Someone clearly must have found me near the road and carried me home.

My eyes scanned around as I took in my surroundings. The bed I was in was large and warm. It was covered with a thick fur blanket. The spots seemed like leopard almost. [i]Do ponies even like the idea of using fur?[/i] My thoughts were interrupted as I smelled something savory wafting in the air. I crawled out of the bedroom- which was more of a deep nook in the wall, and tried to find the source of the aroma.

The bedroom let out into a little hallway. I went into the main room of the house. The room was wide and circular. Bottles of unknown fluids dangling from the ceiling. Large masks were dotted along the walls. This place felt awfully familiar...

My eyes widened as my gaze then fell on someone standing at the other end of the room. Her back was facing me. She was busy pouring some sort of fluid, probably broth, into two bowls. It smelled heavenly. She sang a little tune in another language. I couldn't understand it but sounded familiar to me for some reason. As the figure moved, her golden jewelry jingled against her black and white body. I was in mild shock at being in the presence of a real live cartoon character. And my one of my favorites to boot!

I’d know that zebra anywhere. I could hardly believe it, but when she turned and looked at me with those pointed cyan eyes, I couldn't deny it. I was face to face with Zecora. “Whoa” I mumbled, in shock at seeing the zebra, my eyes still wide as I gazed up. She’s real! And I’m in her house. Cool! She's...way taller than I thought she'd be.

 My comment seemed to stir her. The striped mare sighed and offered a gentle smile as she lowered herself slightly. She spoke softly, as if she was afraid she'd scare me. "Oh, come now. Do not fret. You are safe here, my little pet," she said. She really does speak in rhymes, huh? Neat.

“Uh-uh… I-“ I found myself stuttering, unable to speak for a moment. I shook my head. “Good… morning?” I said with an awkward grin. “H-how’d I… get here?”

She didn’t seem phased by my inquiry. I just she figured I would be a bit confused after waking up. She promptly explained the situation. “I was walking through the forest late last night,” Zecora said. “when I met a curious sight. You were fast asleep, shivering by the road. So I brought you into my humble abode.”

“Oh so you took me in so wouldn’t freeze? That's great. T-thank you,” I said.

She nodded and stood up, before patting my head with a hoof. She then walked back over to the food. It smelled great. She motioned for me to come over to her. I did as requested and sat down beside her. She then grabbed one of the bowls with her hoof and tried to hand it to me. How the hell did that work? She was seriously gripping the cup with her hoof. I reached out for it but my hooves apparently conspired against me. She let go of it, assuming that I had a hold onto it. The bowl immediately slipped out of my hooves with a small thunk as it hit the floor, broth spilling on the dirt floor.

“Oh shit- Sorry” I said sheepishly.

She paused and sighed, shaking her head.
“Do not worry, my bowl did not break,” she said. “We’ll call the spilled soup a simple mistake.”

She wasn’t mad at me for dropping the food but I still felt bad. My ears folded back as I nearly whined. She went through the trouble of making me food and I wasted it. Perhaps my pitiful expression spurred feelings of pity in the zebra, or maybe it was a joke, but the next thing I heard was Zecora asking me a question. “An unsteady hoof simply won’t do. Little one…. shall I spoon-feed you?”

I nodded my head slightly, giving a sheepish ‘yes.’ Normally I’d object to being babied but maybe it was the fact that I’m not ‘myself’ anymore or something, but I enjoyed the treatment the zebra gave me. My tail even twitched occasionally, outwardly showing my joy while I was spoon-fed the soup. It was actually pretty good. I swear the broth tasted faintly of meat. But it couldn’t have right? Either way, it was tasty, and I was happy.

After eating, I became lost in thought for a moment. I looked up at the mare and tilted my head, my ears tilting reflexively. “…Do you talk like this all the time or what?” I said rather bluntly. I was a bit surprised at myself.

She paused and huffed. She took a deep breath before giving a curt “No.”

Great, I offended her, I thought to myself. My ears drooped as I pouted guiltily.

She then continued speaking, “You must understand,” she said. She let out a long sigh. She then slipped back into her typical rhythm. “My manner of speak is a conscious choice,” she stated as she briefly gestured over herself before pointing to her face with a hoof. “So focus is not drawn to my appearance, but instead, my voice,” she said, cutting her eyes at me as I found my eyes drawn to her stripes for longer than I thought.

I wasn’t trying to be rude. I thought her coat pattern was lovely! “Oh, that makes sense….” I responded. I hesitated but then apologized. “S-sorry if I was rude.”

“It’s alright, I’ve heard worse,” she said quietly. She cleared her throat before continuing. “Now enough about me,” she said. “Can you tell me who you are? And… where is your family?

“Oh…. Um..um,” I said. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t just use my real name, could I? I definitely couldn’t explain why I was in the middle of the Everfree Forest either. “I don’t…know. I can’t remember anything,” I eventually mumbled.

Zecora’s eyes widened in surprise at that response. “Oh…That’s unfortunate,” She mumbled with concern. “You really don’t recall? We simply can’t have that at all.”

I shrugged. “I… forget stuff a lot,” I said half convincingly.

“This won’t do,” said the mare. “I must figure out what to do with you…” She then sat there in thought for a short while. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “Okay,” she started, “getting you to Ponyville will be the goal. The Everfree is no place for a lost, confused, little foal.”

“Oh…” I said, sounding half disappointed to be leaving already. But then again, I was just some stranger she picked up. She probably just wanted to get rid of me- Wait, did she call me a foal? “Hey, I’m not a baby!” I squeaked, my voice still sounding unnatural to me.

Zecora chuckled. “No, you’re a big strong colt,” she stated in a teasing sort of tone.

I huffed quietly. But then thought about it. So that’s why she seems so huge to me… I’m in a child’s body now. Well, I guess that’s why she’s so eager to get me someplace safer.

“But everyone needs help,” she stated. “So off to Ponyville, you’ll be taken care of there,” said the zebra. “You follow Zecora now, there is no time to spare.” She stated. She put on a cloak and walked to the door. She then signaled for me to come with her. And so I did, letting the mare lead me out of her hut and through the woods.

It took a while to traverse the forest, but we eventually made it out. She nudged me forward slightly, motioning me to press on. “Go on, little one. Those pony folk can help you. But sadly I must bid you adieu,” she said. I felt confused and turned to look at her but when I did, she was already back up the path into the forest. She offered a final ‘good luck’ before disappearing into the woods again. Weird… But at least I’m not in the woods anymore.

I pressed on, although I was a bit miffed at being alone again. Why didn’t she want to take me into town herself? She seriously assumed I knew my way? Ugh. At least the road didn’t wind too much. I shouldn’t get lost. I took a deep breath. “Ponyville, here I come,” I said to myself.

Chapter Text

I didn’t know how long it would take me to reach the limits of the village. It didn’t really seem that far, but being smaller and weaker than I would normally be, made the trek feel like forever. Luckily it didn’t actually take too long to reach civilization. I could only recall two people living close to the Forest, and as there was a distinct lack of an apple orchard around me, I knew I wasn’t going to end up at the farm. It was probably for the best. I don’t think I could’ve sat through listening to all that yokel talk the country clan is prone to. No, where I was headed was far easier to handle. Or so I’d hoped.

Ahead of me lay a cozy looking cottage. Greenery and a menagerie of animals surrounded the abode. I sighed softly and started to walk closer. Unfortunately I didn’t pay attention to where I was stepping. I’d ventured off of the path and into the thicker grass. Then I suddenly felt something under my hoof. This was immediately followed by a sharp pain as something bit me. “Gahh!” I yelped and jolted slightly.

Apparently I’d stepped on a snake and it was very upset with me for doing so. I started running through the grass in a panic, weaving around haphazardly as my mind fogged. Why couldn’t I think clearly? I was overwhelmed very easily in this new body. I avoided small rodents and other little creatures as I darted through the brush like a headless chicken.

It wasn’t until I tripped by a little river that I regained my senses. I’d slipped and fell in with a small scream. “Son of a-!” I sputtered and splashed helplessly for a few moments before regaining my footing. I scampered out of the water and sat there for a minute, shivering and fussing like a wet cat. I felt absolutely ridiculous. I curled up while I trembled. I was upset with myself for having freaked out like I did, and for now being soggy, I then started tearing up. “I’m such a dumbass…”

The day had started off like any other for the pony, who lived at the edge of Ponyville. The pegasus woke up early and began her daily chores. She made her way around her cottage and the fields surrounding it, making sure that all of her critters were accounted for and taken care of. She had just finished feeding her beloved Angel Bunny when she was startled by a commotion at the opposite end of property. The mare brushed her long and messy mane out of her face as she saw something running through the grass. “Oh goodness,” she said in concern. Had one of her animal friends gotten scared by something? The creature was short and fast. She couldn’t tell what it was. All she saw was a blur of pale brown fur, which suddenly dipped down, tumbling into the stream. She quickly excused herself from the presence of her rabbit companion and headed over to check on the little creature. “Oh my, oh my,” she mumbled as she trotted in a hurry.

She rushed to the bridge, where she’d seen the figure go under. “Oh dear… What’s wrong little one? Are you ok—“ she asked as she peered under the bridge. The ‘creature’, she now realized, was a pony. A foal! A somewhat scruffy little foal was muttered and crying quietly. The mare immediately grew more concerned. “Shh… d-don’t worry, everything will be fine,” she said softly. Without hesitation, she grabbed hold on the colt, taking the child from under the bridge. She’d picked him up by the scruff of his neck, like an animal would do their young. His fussing slowly died down as she carried him into her house.

Fluttershy sat the colt down once inside of the house. She then grabbed a towel and started drying him off while speaking to him. “You poor thing,” the soft spoken mare cooed. “Let’s get you nice and dry. It’s summer but you can still catch a cold if you’re wet for too long.” She stopped after a little while and sat the towel aside. After getting him dry, she paused as questions formed in her head the longer she looked at him. This diminutive unicorn with his scruffy hair, which was curling up after having been wet, was a complete stranger to her. And that raised many questions. She did not recognize this foal at all, and Ponyville was a very close knit community. Everypony basically knew everypony else. Who did he belong to? Maybe his family was visiting the town? She’d figure things out eventually.

I sat there in Fluttershy’s house, my tail tucked close to me as I felt a little embarrassed. Getting carried off like a wet puppy was such a weird experience. It didn’t hurt, being held like that, but I felt so helpless. Then having Fluttershy worry over me was a whole other thing. She was one of my favorite main characters. Being in her presence should be a dream come true for any brony, but I couldn’t help feeling oddly intimidated due to how small I am in comparison to her. Her lithe frame was lankier than I imagined. She looked tall and graceful, with her long hair framing her face. She was…beautiful. But part of me still thought of her as this adorable little pony doll.

I stopped looking at her and took a moment to look around the room. It was still trippy to me, actually being in this world. It was like what you expected from the show but… more real, lived in and not as picture perfect. The room was cozy and smelled a bit like a pet shop as there were a few bowls of animal feed here and there for any critter to partake in. My internal commentary of the scenery was interrupted when my ears twitched. I turned my head and realized that Fluttershy had been talking to me. I felt a bit bad that I wasn’t listening. I cocked my head to the side in confusion as I missed what she’d said.

The yellow mare sighed and then repeated yourself. “Um, little fella? You can hear me, right? Can you talk? I asked you how you got here. Are you lost? You’re a fair way out of the town,” she said. “You shouldn’t wander away like that,” she then politely scolded. “Your parents are probably worried sick, looking for you.”

I really didn’t want to think about how I probably won’t see my family again. My situation isn’t easy to explain, in the slightest. Maybe it’s best if I say I’m an orphan or something? I stood up and winced quietly from the pain in my leg, which earned a whimper of concern from the pegasus. “Um… N-nobody’s looking for me,” I said quietly. “Don’t worry yourself. I’ll be fine.” I tried to walk towards the door but my leg was hurting slightly from where’d I’d been bitten.

Fluttershy quickly flew around me and stood in front of me. The mare pulled a little frown. “Oh but I will worry,” she asserted in her ever own, naturally soft way, “and you are not fine.” She huffed and looked at my leg. “Show me where it hurts” she said, sounding rather caring. I hesitantly raised my hoof and held it out to her. She carefully rubbed the fur on my leg with her hoof and eyes the exposed skin from where I was bitten. “Oh goodness… That’s a bad bite,” she said. My eyes widened as I suddenly worried about if I’d been poisoned or something. She seemed to tell from my expression and quickly continued. “Oh don’t worry, you’ll be fine…. but we should probably hurry and get you to the hospital- just to be safe.” She explained. She let go of my leg and then walked to her door, opening it. She came back to me and then laid down, gesturing at her back. “Climb on, little guy. You shouldn’t walk on that leg. Let me carry you.”

I was never a fan of hospitals. I spent far too much time in them back when I was young, back on Earth. But I had no idea how to take care of injuries on my own, especially now with this new body and no hands. I couldn’t argue too much. Fluttershy had her way. I carefully climbed onto her back, my legs resting on her sides while I was flanked on either side by her wings. They were soft and warm, and so was her fur. My body relaxed as I laid there. Soon enough she carried me off, walking quickly but very carefully. I just hoped I wasn’t too heavy.

The two of us eventually made our way into the town proper. My eyes lit up as we made it to the main street. An array of colorful ponies walked around the area. There were ponies of all sizes, going about their day. I looked skyward and noticed a few pegasi flitting around. The population of pastel ponies all seemed so friendly with each other. Their bright colors were eye-catching, and took a minute to adjust to, but weren't uncanny. Thankfully. I remember how garish some videos of 3d rendered ponies were, but being here was far more palatable. My nerves were tense for a moment as I felt a little hazy in the brain, still not 100% 'fine' with the whole being in Equestria thing. But I was slowly getting used to it. My head started feeling kinda fuzzy, actually. And my stomach was hurting. At least the ride wasn’t bumpy, thanks to the gentleness of my bird-horse mount. The last thing I’d want would be to puke on a main character’s back.

Thankfully, it wasn't too much longer of walking that we reached the hospital. After entering the building, Fluttershy walked to the reception counter with me. The pegasus started to speak with the pony at the desk. At the desk was a cream colored mare with brown hair, pulled into a loose ponytail. She looked kinda of familiar.

“Oh hello,” the mare said, “what do you need help with today?”

Fluttershy squeaked quietly but then started to speak. “Oh… um… this little colt here wandered onto my property. And he… got bit by a snake. He could really use a doctor- if it’s not too much trouble,” she said as I leaned from behind her head and waved awkwardly with my good hoof.

My head and stomach were still bothering me but I tried to appear ‘okay.’ I didn’t wanna stay in the hospital long. So I tried to make a joke. “Hellooo nurse~,” I slurred as I waved.

The nurse’s eye brows raised and she gasped. “Oh my stars. I’ll get a doctor right away,” she said before quickly trotting off to fetch help. The last thing I recalled was giggling as I watched the nurse mare’s rear as she walked away. Then everything went black.

Chapter Text

Fluttershy yelped in the middle of Ponyville General Hospital. The yellow pegasus’ heart nearly leapt out of her chest when the foal, who had previously been sitting on her back, had passed out suddenly. He hit the floor with a quiet thud. She yelped and quickly scooped the foal up and held in her forelegs as she hovered anxiously in the air. He felt a bit heavy but she didn’t dare let him go.

“O-oh my gosh,” she muttered, her voice full of a mixture of concern and fear. “Please be okay…”

The front desk mare soon returned with a doctor. The pony physician adjusted his glasses as he eyed the unconscious foal in Fluttershy’s hooves. “Goodness gracious,” he said under his breath. He cleared his throat. “You’re lucky that you got him here when you did, Miss Shy,” he stated, “We’ll take good care of him. I’ll need to take him from you now.” The pegasus hesitated for a slpit second but then relinquished the foal, giving him to the doctor. The Doctor carried him with levitation magic, walking off down the hall with him. He then took him into an empty room.

Fluttershy stood back on the ground now, her ears folded backwards as she fidgeted anxiously. She was unsure if she should go back there with them, or just leave the doctor alone to do his thing. She opted on the latter. She didn’t want to interrupt the doctor or anything. She also did not want to leave the foal here by himself, so she sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. She waited in nervous silence for a few minutes. As she was perched upon the chair, her thoughts started to run a bit wild. She felt guilty for the foal’s state. If she had noticed that he was in her property, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt. She should’ve been better, she thought. She sighed heavily while fighting back a tear or two. She felt horrible. And what of his parents? Surely they’d be wondering where their child is. Someone would probably check with town hall about this lost and injured colt soon, wouldn’t they? She shook her head. She can’t let the thoughts weigh down on her. She can’t change what happened, but she’ll do what she can to make things right.

Not long after she calmed herself down, the doctor returned. He walked over to her and then spoke. “Miss Shy?” She nodded her head slightly as she hid her face behind her hair. “The foal is going to be just fine.” He said.

Fluttershy sighed in relief. “Oh thank goodness. That’s great news.”

“Yes… but I have some questions to ask you, if you don’t mind,” he stated.

“Oh?… Okay, doctor,” said the yellow mare.

“Firstly, actually, I should inform you that he will need to be kept overnight for observation. The snake bite is a low grade toxin, which we had administered an antivenin for,” he explained. “But we want to make sure nothing else goes wrong.” He cleared his throat. “Now, on to the questions. For starters, what is the colt’s name?” He inquired as he held up a clipboard and pen with his magic, ready to take notes.

“I…I don’t…. I don’t know,” she stuttered out with her typical sheepish tone.

“Mhm… And how did the injury happen?”

“I wasn’t there when it happened but… Y-you know I care for animals, right? Well I have a few snakes that come through my property. So it was probably one of them that did it.”

“The injury occurred at your residence?” He asked with a raised brow. Fluttershy squeaked and nodded. The doctor sighed in response. “Accidents happen, I suppose. How did the foal end up there? You live a fair way outside of the village.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “And I don’t recognize him belonging to anyone in town.”

“Hm… Yes, I don’t recall seeing him before today either. Well, he may belong to a tourist,” the doctor suggested. “The summer sun celebration is in a week, after all.”

She shrugged and nodded. “Maybe…. H-how is he doing by the way?”

“He’s stable,” said the doctor. “He was given antivenin for the snake bite, and he should regain consciousness soon. Regardless of who he belongs to, he’ll need to stay overnight for observation. And so a missing foal’s report can be filling out properly.”

“Oh dear,” mumbled the mare.

“Don’t worry, Miss Shy,” he said. “We will do everything we can to take good care of the colt. You should head home and relax. I know how…. sensitive…you can be to stress,” he said softly. “Come back later, if you’re up to it.”

Fluttershy wanted to protest but she knew her nerves were rattled by the whole ordeal. Her legs were trembling beneath her and she could feel her feathers twitch and ruffle as she thought. She eventually submitted though. “All right, doctor.” She said before leaving the hospital. Some sleep would do her good.

My eyes opened and were stung with the fluorescence of hospital lights. I groaned quietly and rubbed my face with my hands. Hands?- I outstretched my arms and looked at myself as I sat up. All ten fingers were present and accounted for. I glanced at my body. Everything seemed normal. I paused and felt confused. Why am I in a hospital again?

I coughed hard, starting to wheeze. I remembered now. I was sick. I caught a virus. After my coughing fit stopped, I sighed and looked around. I was alone in the hospital room. I looked at the tv on the wall. It was really hard to focus, the image was really distorted. But in the garbled image, I could make out what show was on. My old favorite. The screen was frozen on a warped image of a blue alicorn.

There was a knocking on the door of the room, which took my attention away from the television. In stepped my mom carrying a bag of food. I blinked and time seemed to skip forward. I was now in the middle of eating while my mom sat beside me, talking. She held my hand. I couldn’t understand what she was saying. It sounded muddled, like when you get water in your ear. While she talked to me, I couldn’t absorb any of the conversation. I started coughing again and shut my eyes. The scene skipped again. She was leaning close to the bed, squeezing my hand. She said something and then ran out of the room. The only thing I could make out was “Help!” before my coughing resumed. I couldn’t catch my breath.

Everything started to go dark. I laid down, wheezing. My eyelids fluttered weakly. My gaze drifted back to the tv. The same blurry image was present, but soon faded into darkness. Everything around me went dark, and my chest didn’t hurt anymore. Then the darkness became starlight. I was floating in space. I felt an awfully familiar sense of peace.

The peace was interrupted by the sound of knocking. I grunted and my eyes opened as I awoke from my sleep. I huffed and smacked my lips. I sat and and cringed as a string of drool connected me to my pillow. I looked around quickly as I heard the knocking again. I looked over and then saw a nurse walk in. My vision was greeted with white mare with pink hair, pushing a small cart of medical supplies. Oh right, I’m in Equestria… I sighed and rubbed my eyes. “Oh hey, it’s nurse red heart” I mumbled as I yawned.

The nurse’s eyes narrowed slightly at me for a moment before she went back to a neutral state. She then spoke. “Well it’s good that you’re awake now, sweetie,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

I thought briefly about my dream… memory? Memory-dream. I shrugged and tried to think of a proper response. I can’t say that I’m mentally in shock over realizing that I died in another world. So I only offered a quiet “Fine.”

“Are you sure?” She inquired with a head tilt. “Is your bite still hurting? You look bothered by something.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine, r-really," I lied.

Nurse Redheart walked closer and then stood beside my bed. She brought the cart with her. She grabbed a thermometer and held it in her hoof. “Let’s check your temperature to be sure,” she said bluntly. I leaned towards her slightly and opened my mouth. She quickly retracted her hoof, her ears folding as a blush somehow spread on her white cheeks. “Oh no, this one goes in... the other way”

My face scrunched and I blurted out my offense. “Oh fuck no”

The nurse then frowned very hard upon hearing my potty mouth. “We do not use that kind of language, young stallion!” She asserted.

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry. But… ugh, d-do you really have to use the rectal one? Ya gotta have oral thermometers around here somewhere.”

The mare sighed. “I’m sorry but this is just standard procedure for taking a foal’s temperature. I know it’s not fun but can you be a brave colt for just a few moments so I can check if you have a fever?” She asked. I fussed quietly but nodded my head.

Soon enough I was turned tail-end towards the mare. I raised my tail and gritted my teeth. It was over fairly fast but my tushy felt tender now. I tucked my tail between my legs as I awkwardly sat back down. My brow was furrowed in a tight frown as I pouted. I fucking hate hospitals.

Nurse Redheart seemed satisfied with my temperature and didn't mention it much again. She grabbed a clipboard and held a pencil in her teeth. She looked at me with a soft while and tried to hold a conversation, like she didn't just jab my bunghole a minute ago. "I want you to answer some questions for me," she said, talking pretty well despite having something in her mouth. I shrugged and nodded in response. It's not like I had anything else to do.

"Okay, first, what's your name, sweetie?" She asked.

It didn't feel right to use my real name. Especially since I know that 'that' version of me is...dead. I could just make a new one, maybe? I thought for a minute. A flash from my dreams came to mind. I seemed to dream of space a lot lately. "...Stardust," I said softly.

"Okay then, Stardust," continued the nurse. "How old are you?"

I was about to answer but then hesitated as I looked at myself. I didn't know how old a foal this size would be. Even in human form, I was always undersized. I wondered if that translated to my new form. "Um... how old do I look?"

"Oh? Well you're on the small side but I'd say you're about 10, sweetie... You don't remember how old you are?" asked the nurse in concern. She sighed and then spoke again. "How about your parents? Can you tell me their names?"

I froze up briefly, thinking about my mom. It didn't really set in until I'd had that dream that I'd never really see her again. I sighed and forced myself to say "They're gone." It was a lie. My mom was back home, probably heartbroken over what happened to me. A tear or two slipped from my face. Then more followed them. I couldn't keep a straight face. The nurse pony hugged me while I sobbed childishly. She petted my hair with a hoof, trying to calm me down. I sounded rather pitiful as I mumbled out. "I-.. I miss my mom."

Chapter Text

After my emotional outburst had finally subsided, I regained enough composure to try holding a conversation again. I looked around briefly, re-confirming that it was only me and one other person… I mean pony, in the room. I then looked back at the nurse. She’d let me go by now and was standing beside the bed, eyeing my expression as I thought. “H-hey…. Didn’t Fluttershy bring me here? Where is she?” I asked with a head tilt.

Nurse Redheart paused for a second. “Well, I believe she went home,” she said. I pouted but she didn’t seem to notice. She then changed topic. “Back to my questions now, sweetie. I know you said….” she mumbled, apparently not wanting to risk me having another fit by bringing up my ‘dead’ parents again. “But what about anypony else in your herd? Your aunties? Older siblings?” She inquired.

I paused for a moment then shook my head. “N-no, it’s…. just me,” I said.

“That’s no good,” the mare said softly. She scribbled something down on her clipboard. She seemed to be planning something. She stood up and was about to head out the door. She turned back to face me. “Do you need anything else before I leave? I’ll be right back though, so don’t worry.”

I was about to say no but a twinge in my gut changed my tune. I looked sheepish and said. “I kinda… really have to go.”

The nurse sighed and then walked back to the bed. She helped me out and then led me to the bathroom.

As I got out of bed, it occurred to me that I’d yet to ‘go’ since becoming a pony. Guess I’d been too preoccupied. Welp, it had to happen eventually. May as well happen now and save myself from kidney damage.

The bathroom was interesting, I suppose. The cartoon never showed toilets, so I didn’t know what to expect. The squat style toilet that I was beholding made sense, it would’ve felt weird if their toilets were just like human ones. Going about using the pony-potty was simple enough. Being wiped by somebody else was a bit embarrassing though.

Once that ordeal was over, I was placed back into bed. The nurse then dismissed herself. I was now all alone. It was boring, honestly. No tvs or phones to keep me busy. So I just laid on the bed in awkward silence. I hoped she would come back soon.

Nurse Redheart huffed and mumbled to herself as she walked down the halls. Filing a missing foal’s report was something that the mare rarely dealt with. Doing a report on an homeless and orphaned foal was even rarer. There were hardly ever any cases of children without parents or guardians in Ponyville. If anything, the herds in the village tended to have an abundance of foals in their care. The nurse couldn’t help but wonder where this mystery child in her wing of the hospital came from. Regardless of his origin, she’d have to get in contact with the Ministry. They’d be far better at sorting this out than anypony in the village.

“It’s going to be a long day,” Redheart said to herself in a quiet voice.

She was lost in thought for a short while she walked. She was stirred from her thoughts when she accidentally bumped into one of the doctors. She collided with the stallion, nearly bumping heads with him. “Oh!” She mumbled in surprise. “Doctor Stable, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. All you alright? I didn't bump you too hard did I?” She inquired.

Doctor Stable sighed and he brushed himself off. “Oh, come now, I'm not a foal. I’m fine. Is everything okay with you? It’s not like you to be so distracted, Redheart.”

“I was just….” she said, “thinking about one of the young patients.”

“Oh?” He inquired in a mildly curious tone. “Would it be that little colt that Miss Shy brought in this morning, by any chance?”

She nodded her head. “Yes, um, Stardust’s his name… Actually, I could use your help,” she stated as she glanced over her notes on her clipboard. “Could you send a letter to the Ministry of Families, Foals and Mental Health? I’ve come to find out that the foal is homeless and I want to get guidance on what to do with him.”

Doctor Stable paused as his brow furrowed. “How unfortunate,” he sighed. “…I’ll send a letter right away.” He shook his head. He briefly thought of how odd it was to have an orphan suddenly turn up in Ponyville. He’d never even seen the foal before today. How did he end up here? The situation just didn’t sit right with him. He sighed softly. “That poor foal…. He’s going to need a lot of love and support,” he mused. He tried to keep the conversation light though. “For now… we could send a certain some pony to help improve his mood,” he suggested with a slight smile.

Nurse Redheart listened to the doctor talk. “I think that might be fine,” she said. She giggled and sighed as she knew who the ‘somepony’ was. “I hope she’s not too busy with the bakery to come have an impromptu party for the little fella.”

Waiting around for the nurse to come back was soooo boring. The room didn’t even have a clock, so I didn’t know how much time was passing. It felt like a long time. I tried singing a song or too to make time pass a bit better. It helped a little but after that, I was bored again. I rolled on my back and stared blankly my hooves for a little while. It was still strange to think about my new body. It felt like me, but not, at the same time. Having so many legs, and a tail, was such an odd experience. Yet moving them felt natural, almost as if I’d always been this way.

My fixation on my foreign anatomy was interrupted when I heard hoofsteps approaching the room. I quickly rolled back onto my stomach as the door opened up. The door swung open but I didn’t see anyone there. My head tilted in confusion. A sweet smell then started to fill my nose. It was a little overpowering. I sneezed.

“Bless you,” I heard someone say.

My ears stood up and twitched as the voice had startled me. I looked to my right and didn’t see anything. I then looked left and was met with a pair of big blue eyes staring at me, barely a few inches away from me. I yelped and jolted as I wasn't expecting that. “Gah!” I squeaked as I fell backwards, flailing my hooves. I slipped off of the bed, landing upside down. “Oof-“

The wide eyed stranger suddenly started laughing. She giggled and snorted. “Wowie- heh, sorry little guy,” she said. Her hooves clacked against the floor as she walked over to my side of the bed. “Let me help you,” she said in a familiar sounding voice.

I thought I knew who this might be but it wasn’t exactly the same as I remembered, so I couldn’t be sure. I was still upside down when she approached. At first, I couldn’t see her face. All I saw was four pink legs with blue and yellow shoes on the hooves. I hadn’t paid attention to anyone wearing horseshoes before now, I noted. I was then suddenly grabbed by her two front legs and was flipped upright. I was held up in her hooves and my eyes briefly lit up as I looked at her face, getting confirmation that this pony was who I assumed.

The pony smiled at me, giggling, her poofy hair bouncing slightly as she did so. This was definitely Pinkie Pie. Her appearance was more dynamic than the show had displayed. She had spots of lighter pink all over her fur. Dappling, I think was the word. She sat me back on the bed and patted my head with a hoof. “That was fun! I really surprised you, huh? Huh?“ she asked. My head nodded softly in response, earning a big smile from the party pony.

“Oh good! Cuz I was worried at first that it might be TOO surprising. Y’know you can’t be too rough with foals,” she said, “especially cute wittle colty-wolties like you!” She added in a teasing tone. She then started talking faster and she started tapping her front hooves on the floor. She seemed to be getting extra giddy. “I’m so glad I got called over. My pinkie sense was going all crazy-wazy all morning, so I knew there was something really exciting going on. Like a big secret or something! But I figured out what the doozy was. A brand new pony had popped into town!” She explained. She then continued getting a little louder and even faster. “At first I thought maybe Mrs. Cake was gonna have her babies but then I was like ‘uh-duh, silly head, she’s not even pregnant yet!’ So I had to think of what else it could be so I ran all around town trying to find the new pony and now I’m here and I know that the new pony is you! So HIIIII!! I’m Pinkie Pie and I’m so so glad to meet a new pony. Especially a cute wittle foaly-woaly like you! What’s your name? Huh? Huh? Huh?”

I could barely think while I was flash banged by the words spewing from the party pony’s lips. It was so fast and loud. Plus her horseshoes clacking on the floor with each bounce was starting to bug me. It was too much at once. My ears flattened and I frowned a little as the pink mare’s energy was growing to be overstimulating.

“Um, Pinkie?” I tried to interject.

The pink pony giggled. “Oh, your name is Pinkie too? How fun!” She said. “I can’t wait to through you a welcome party! We’ll have cake and games and-“

“What, no- Ugh. Look, Pinkie… I’m sorry but my name’s not-“

“And cookies and ice cream and it’ll be so fun and-“

“Pinkie, please…”

“I’mjustsoexcitedIcouldexplode!!”

I was growing frustrated with her for not listening. I frowned and huffed through my nose. “HEY!” I said, my voice nearly cracking from the volume I used.

Pinkie Pie’s ears dropped and she looked at me wide eyed. She looked taken aback at my shouting. “Huh? Oh…sorry. What is it?”

I let out a long sigh. “Ugh…. Look, uh, my name is Stardust, okay? And… I know you’re all about parties and all but,” I said before gesturing up and down over her with a hoof. “allll this energy is just too much for me right now,” I sighed. “Can you be a bit…gentler in your enthusiasm… please?”

Pinkie pouted at me briefly. “Oh I’m sorry, little guy. I just get so buzzy about parties and new ponies. I didn’t mean to upset you…”

I gave a sheepish smile. “It’s okay. I'm not that bothered or anything.”

“OH-“ Pinkie suddenly started to say before quickly correcting and talking softer. “I mean… Oh, I almost forgot” she said. She then reached a hoof into her thick mane. She pulled out a cupcake with rainbow frosting on it. “Here you go!”

“Oh, cool thanks,” I said. I reached out for the cupcake, not thinking. It fell on the floor as the pink mare had loosened her grip. I paused as I looked at it, splattered on the ground. I huffed quietly. “Aw, Damn it.”

Pinkie Pie looked at me with a frown for a moment, her hair deflated slightly, but then went back to her normal style and smiled sympathetically. “Oh… did you want me to hoof-feed you? It’s okay, I’ve got another one.” She asked, seemingly not wanting to address my grip issue. She then pulled out a duplicate cupcake from her mane. She then sat down and peeled the wrapper off.

It was weird to watch the paper pinch against the inside of the pony’s hoof. It felt physically impossible. Like when I used to watch the powerpuff girls and they grabbed things with their weird baguette arms.

Once the wrapper was off, she held the cupcake out for me. I leaned forward and took a bite. It was sweet. Super sweet! ….Too sweet, actually. I cringed internally at the overly sugary taste that pervaded my mouth. It hurt my teeth a little. I kinda wanted to spit it out but I didn’t want to offend the party pony. “G-…good,” I said as I swallowed it down.

She noticed my hesitance and shrugged. “My special welcome cupcakes aren’t always a favorite of everypony,” she said, “but don’t worry! Once I get to know you, I’ll make you the best cupcakes you’ve ever had!” Pinkie then gasped and giggled to herself. “Ooo, I know, I’ll try all sorts of recipes and see which ones you like. In fact, imma get started on that now!” She said. Without so much as a goodbye, the pink mare zipped out of the room, leaving nothing but a little cloud of dust with confetti somehow sprinkled into it.

I looked a little dumbfounded at the speed of that pony. I briefly wondered how she could move so fast, but then I recalled a phrase. Don’t question Pinkie Pie. I shrugged and chuckled to myself for a moment. I then gagged a little and huffed at the aftertaste the cupcake had left in my mouth. “Bleh… That sucked. They always seemed so good on tv…” I sighed in disappointment. I rolled my eyes as I was left alone again. At least I had some company for a minute.

Chapter Text

While our little foal was stuck within the confines of the hospital, Fluttershy went home. The anxious mare’s mind was still a bit shaken up from what happened earlier. Finding a lost child in Ponyville was just so uncommon. With all the herds that the village had, practically every child had several people to look after them at any given time. She couldn’t understand how the foal was separated from his family long enough to end up at her abode. It was strange.

Regardless of how he got there, he was hurt by one of her animals, on her property. Fluttershy was responsible for this accident, wasn’t she? She had to do something to make it right. She couldn’t bare something like this happening again. The only thing that relaxed her somewhat was that the accident wasn’t too severe. She’d never have forgiven herself if one of the animals had caused some serious damage. Her sensitive heart just wouldn’t take it. But she couldn't keep dwelling on the negative thoughts. With a long sigh and a shake of her head, the pegasus brushed the thoughts away. She huffed and flapped her wings in frustration at herself. “C-come on now, get it together,” she told herself. She then set forth on her task of foal-proofing her homestead.

She then spent the remainder of the day working to make her living conditions safer. The first thing that she did was gather all of the ‘safe’ animals and make sure they were out of her way. She then mowed all of the tall grass that surrounded her abode. Any little critters that used to nest there would simply have to be relocated. They could stand an impromptu moving, for the well-being of others. Next was dealing with the more troublesome animals. In hindsight, letting carnivorous creatures, no matter how tame they seemed at first, stay at her place was a very bad idea. She rounded up the small den of serpents and gave them a stern talking to. “Biting ponies is never acceptable,” was what she told them, among other things, “You can’t stay here.” With some firm words and a strict stare, the reptilian pests caved in. The snakes obliged to the pony’s request to leave and slithered off into the woods, to not disturb anyone anymore. After all that work was done, Fluttershy could breathe a little easier. While she couldn't undo what had happened to that foal, making efforts to prevent another incident eased her conscience.

The sun had almost completely descended by the time she was done with her yard. She headed inside and tidied up some more. She organized her critter food bags and removed any trip hazards that may have been on the floor. Once that was done, she headed to bed. All that work had tired her out. She collapsed onto the bed and crawled under the covers. She yawned and sighed. She needed a good rest. Then she’d go check on that little foal in the morning.

The night came and went. Celestia’s sun greeted Equestria once more and blanketed the village with its warmth. Fluttershy was awakened by the sound of birds chirping outside of her window. The pegasus climbed out of bed and stretched, standing on hoof-tips briefly as she expanded and flapped her wings. She then regained a normal stance and started walking out of her bedroom. She then did her usual tasks of feeding her animals and then had her own breakfast. She then took a nice hot shower afterwards. The heat relaxed her and cleared her head. Once she was done with all of that, she felt ready to go face the foal from yesterday. She started the trek to the hospital, fidgeting her wings occasionally as she walked. “Oh I hope he won’t mind a visitor,” she mumbled to herself.

I was still stuck here in Ponyville General. I had just woken up a few minutes ago. I yawned and groaned as I tried to untangle myself from the hospital bedsheets. “Stupid… fuckin… ugh, hooves,” I mumbled and swore. I couldn’t grip any of the sheets to help with moving them. Pinkie made grasping seem so easy yesterday. Why can't I do it? Curse my useless hooves. I miss having fingers! Eventually I got freed of the covers and then sat on top of them. I sighed and looked around. The dull surroundings of the hospital room did not change overnight, besides a pitcher of ice water now resting on the little bedside dresser. The isolation was boring. Some entertainment would be nice. Hell, even with how overwhelming Pinkie is, it'd be better than silence. The door of the hospital room suddenly began to rattle and I jolted slightly. "Ah shit," I whispered, assuming that I might have accidentally summoned that omnipresent party pony. But when the door opened, I let out a breath of relief. It was just a nurse.

This was not Nurse Redheart though. Instead I was greeted by some cream colored earth pony with brown hair. Oh hey, that's the lady I saw at the desk. I guess she does rounds too? I don't know her name but I know this pony looks familiar. I don't recall any nurses being super prominent beside Redheart though. Where do I know this lady from? She walked over, with a covered tray somehow balancing perfectly on her ass- I mean her back. Around this time, I noticed her cutie mark: a baby bottle and a heart. She smiled softly at me as she got close to the bed. "Good morning, little fella. I'm glad you're up. Just in time for breakfast," she said. She slid a little table towards the bed and then removed the tray from her back and sat it on the table. My stomach was growled as I found myself hungry.

"Here's your breakfast, sweetie," the nurse said in a sweet tone. She sounded motherly. She grabbed the lid with her hoof and began to lift it up. I was real hungry now. I haven't had a proper breakfast in some days now. Oh what I'd do for some waffles and bacon. "Enjoy!" announced the nurse. I was excited for all of two seconds as the cover lifted up. My expression dropped when I saw what was on the tray. "Daisycakes and hayfries with some carrot juice to wash it down," the nurse explained.

I pouted as I stared at the plate of roughage. Got dang rabbit food. The only normal thing was the juice and I can't enjoy that either! I don't like carrots! I've hated them ever since I was a little kid. And yet... the smell of the meal wasn't awful. I swallowed my pride and leaned my face down to bite into the, ugh, daisycake. It looked almost like a pancake but with several big flowers mashed into it. It... was not very good. It was somehow super sugary. Not on the level of the cupcake I was fed yesterday, but still it's too sweet! Plus the flower petals and stem pieces made the whole thing kinda gritty. I begrundingly swallowed the food and huffed. The nurse didn't seem to notice my displeasure and petted my head with her hoof. "Oh good boy," she cooed. "Eat all of it up. Growing foals need their sugar, you know." In what world is sugar promoted to children like this?? Equestria, apparently.

Chapter Text

Motherhood. This was a foreign territory to the butter-colored pegasus. Fluttershy never really thought about becoming a mother. The social recluse, with her timid nature and affinity for wild creatures, had no prospects in terms of a love life. That, along with another specific issue, had her believing that she would never have her own family. She thought she would be alone forever. Well, not entirely alone- She always has her animal friends but they don’t count as being family.

Fluttershy’s somewhat lonely life changed forever when she encountered a critter of a different breed: a little colt in need of saving. She felt compelled to aid the young pony in any way that she can. She knows that caring for Stardust will be far more challenging than tending to sick bunny rabbits but she wants to do her best.

The first step to becoming the foster parent to the troubled child was filling out a mountain of forms. The mares, and the young colt, sat in Miss Glow’s office as the process went on. Completing the paperwork, as well as gathering some supplies for the trip home, took well over two hours. Flutters felt slightly bad that Stardust had to just sit in awkward silence in an uncomfortable chair during the length of time. Plus her jaw was slightly sore after holding a pencil in her mouth for so long. She knew it would be worth it though.

“Everything seems to be in order,” said Honey Glow as her eyes scanned the manifest. “Congratulations,” the earth pony cooed out, “you are now officially the foster mother to the little one.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said softly. She tucked her copy of the papers into a saddlebag. The bag had been given by hospital staff and contained some bandages for Stardust’s injured leg as well as a lollipop. She got up from her seat and then looked over at the colt. “We’re all set,” she said, “are you ready…to go home?”

Stardust’s ears twitched and his shoulders shrugged before he nodded his head. “Y..yeah, let’s go,” he’d responded to her in a soft tone. A part of Fluttershy was worried about his timidity but then again she can’t exactly be pointing hooves at anyone when she’s always soft-spoken herself.

As the two walked out of the office and headed for the main exit, some nurse ponies waved goodbye to them. Fluttershy waved back while walking. Stardust hesitated however, his big blue eyes looking at the mare before shifting over to the nurses. He’d raised his hoof and ended up tripping over nothing. This earned a squeak of concern from Flutters but the colt assured her that he was okay. He kept walking after his failed attempt at waving, his eyes fixated on the ground. They continued on the walk in silence for a while.

I let out a sigh as I followed Fluttershy around. I still felt mildly embarrassed that I tripped over my own feet earlier. I brushed the thought away though. There were more important things to think about. Like, how my favorite member of the mane six is now my foster mother… It felt weird but also not? At least I get to live with a familiar face. I think I would’ve been more upset if I was suddenly housed with an absolute stranger.

As we walked, I took in the sights. I think I’m starting to get used to the sight of Ponyville. Everybody looked cute. The ponies weren’t proportioned as exaggeratedly as on TV, but they were still clearly different from normal horses. Their fur wasn’t as bright as in the cartoon but were still jarring at first glance, to see such vibrance on living creatures. Watching the ponies walk around was fun for a moment since it sparked that childish giddiness, like when I would watch cartoons. The only downside right now is that I’m so low to ground. Traversing in a world with barely any clothes was definitely awkward. I decided to then focus on the buildings in order to spare my eyes. I wasn’t focused on where I was walking, I just followed behind my new ‘mom’. It wasn’t until we arrived at her door that I even realized that we made it outside of town already.

Fluttershy opened the door for me and I walked in. She took off her saddlebag and placed it beside the couch. She stretched her wings for a moment before sitting down on the sofa. She patted the cushion with a hoof. “Come here, so we can talk for a minute, sweetie.”

I walked over and climbed onto the couch as well. It was tricky since I can’t grip, but I managed to get up there. I then looked up at Fluttershy, curious about what she wanted to say.

She cleared her throat and then spoke. “I know this is probably a bit… much, um, moving in with a s-stranger, but I promise to take good care of you, Stardust. You need a caring pony in your life, now more than ever.” She said every word in a very gentle tone, even more than her usual delicate nature. She seemed like she was trying extra hard to sound motherly. She continued on, gesturing on occasion. “I only have one bedroom but I’ll see if I can, um, get somepony to build me an extra one in the future. For now, I could just… sleep on the couch. The bathroom is upstairs as well. I’d like you to take one every night, if that’s okay. Although, if you don’t get too dirty, I suppose you could skip a night, sometimes.”

I nodded my head as she told me these things. Her ‘instructions’ weren’t demanding at all. Plus her always-soft demeanor made agreeing with things very easy. “Yeah sounds good,” I said with a little smile.

“Great,” she replied. She looked at a clock on her wall and then looked back at me. “It’s around lunchtime, are you hungry? I could find you something to eat, if you like. I’ll have to go shopping tomorrow to find things that you really enjoy though. I hope you don’t mind the food that’s already here.”

“I could eat” I shrugged with a light chuckle, “as long as it’s better than hospital food.”

Fluttershy giggled as well and then got up, walking into the kitchen. “What would you like to eat?”

I’d kill for a cheeseburger. Or chicken nuggets. I miss fast food. “Ehhh, I’m not sure. Maybe just… salad?” I said.

The mare’s eyes narrow slightly as she thought. She looked at me curiously. “Are you sure? I also have… let me see,” she said as she looked through her cupboards,“carrots, apples, hay patties, spaghetti, some cookies-“ she prattled off.

“Spaghetti?” I asked in surprise.

“Would you like that?” she asked, noting my sudden enthusiasm.

“Yeah!” I said. Finally, something I may enjoy. Ugh, it’s most definitely meatless but as long as it tastes good, I won’t mind. I like vegan food on occasion. I just don’t wanna eat anymore damn hay! “Can I help you make it?“ I asked as I pulled some puppy eyes. I’d like a say in what goes into what I eat.

D’aww. What a good little colt, wanting to help prepare food. Fluttershy smiled brightly and nodded in agreement. “Of course you can.” She said. She paused and her smile faltered as she remembered what Miss Glow had said about his condition. “It…might be hard for you to hoof me the ingredients though.” She saw him look defeated and heard him mumble profanity. She didn’t want to scold him while he’s already upset though. She cleared her throat. “Maybe you can use magic to pass me things instead?” She inquired, eyeing the horn atop the little unicorn’s head. She then pointed at a box of noodles in the cupboard. “S-see if you can get that for me.”

I looked up at my horn. I’d damn near forgot the thing was there. I then glanced at the box. I had zero idea how to use magic but I really wanted to be of some use. I didn’t want to feel helpless forever. I stared intently at the box, trying to will it into levitating. Come on, float, damn it!

“Um.. be careful,” Fluttershy warned awkwardly.

Come on!

“You don’t want to get a headache or something”

Come on! Stupid horn! Work!

“I r-really think you should-“

Brrrrrapp!!

I felt embarrassed and tucked my tail in shame. The unfortunate smell of all that straining wafted briefly in the kitchen.

“….N-..no more trying to use magic today, okay?” mumbled Fluttershy as her wings flapped, trying to dispel the smell of pony fart. “I’ll just…make lunch on my own. Okay?”

I nodded in agreement and then sulked off into the living room.

Having retired to the couch after my unexpected flatulence, I sat slumped and pouty. I sat there for a long while, just letting the embarrassing feeling marinate. It was so stupid. I seriously strained so hard that I farted… And in front of a delicate lady- er, mare, like Fluttershy.

My embarrassed thought pattern was interrupted by a chittering sound. My ears perked up and I looked around in confusion. What was making that noise? I then craned my head and noticed a certain bunny had suddenly walked up, beside the couch. I hadn’t heard him approach. Must’ve been because he’s so small and swift.

“Oh,” I mumbled. I waved a hoof at the rabbit. “Hey…,” I said to the little guy.

The rabbit looked at me and I swear he scoffed. Angel Bunny chittered, paws against his tummy. This damn thing was laughing at me? My suspicion was confirmed when he brought his paws to his mouth and made a little fart sound before falling over in silent laughter. What a little jerk!

“Wh- Hey!” I whisper-shouted, not wanting to draw Fluttershy’s attention. “…Fuck you, cotton-butt” I spat at the rabbit.

That seemed to offend Angel as he stopped laughing and suddenly hopped up on the couch and kicked me. It didn’t hurt but I pretended that it did.

“Oh no! The mean rodent’s wounded me.” I said in a quiet voice. I then giggled as I acted like I fainted. I even stuck out my tongue, pretending to be dead.

The rabbit squeaked in concern and started patted at me. I guess he’s not all bad, huh? I sat back up and stuck my tongue out at him. “Gotcha”

He fussed and squeaked and chittered at me. I couldn’t understand any of the noises, but I’m sure the rowdy bunny was chewing me out. He then started to calm down and sighed. He looked towards the kitchen and then back at me, tilting his head. Is he asking me something?

“Um,” I mumbled. “Since we’re cool now, I guess I’ll introduce myself? I’m… Stardust, and I’m gonna be Fluttershy’s foster kid for… I dunno, until I get placed somewhere else, maybe?” I shrugged. I had no idea if this arrangement would be permanent. I didn’t even really want to think about the idea of getting ‘re-homed.’ I tried to push away the thoughts with some teasing. I leaned down at tried to look at eye level with Mr. Angel Bunny. “So be nice to me or you might cause problems with her, got it?”

Angel narrowed his beady little eyes at me and then nodded. He stuck out his paw and I extended a hoof. He grabbed and shook my hoof. It seems we’ve come to an agreement.

“Stardust, l-lunch is- Oh?” Fluttershy said as she’d poked her head into the room. She felt a little surprised to see her bunny friend with the young colt. “I completely forgot to introduce you to Angel Bunny. It seems like you’re getting along already though?” She remarked. She then eyed the rabbit and told him, “M..makes sure you continue to be nice to our new f-family member, Angel. Okay?” She then looked back at me. “Oh and the food’s ready now. C-come eat.”

I sat down at the table and began to eat. I didn’t just eat, I devoured that spaghetti like I hadn’t eaten in a week. It wasn’t regular noodles. It was spaghetti squash, but the sauce that she’d made was amazing. I couldn’t tell what it was, but it sure was tasty. I hadn’t even bothered trying to use a utensil and had horked down the meal with a dog. I couldn’t help myself, I was just glad I didn’t have to eat hay and flowers forever.

Fluttershy had watched her with mild amusement as I’d massacred the meal she had prepared me. She seemed like she wanted to say something but she didn’t, at first. She’d simply wiped my face with a cloth afterwards. She ate her own food much slower and was using a fork.

At least I think it was a fork? It wasn’t like what a ‘normal’ fork looks like. It was a three-pronged utensil with a loop on the opposite end, for her to keep the fork attached to her hoof. I hadn’t looked at the utensils before I’d started eating my own food. If I had, I would’ve used one too. Since it’s got a space to hook a hoof into, I wouldn’t have to grip anything, right? That would be nice. I hope there’s more items like that, so I won’t be a total invalid until I can either figure out how to grab stuff or levitate them. My fixation on equine cutlery lasted a bit too long, it seems, as my caretaker seemed a little concerned.

“Is something on your mind?” Fluttershy asked, to which I shrugged my shoulders. She paused and her brow furrowed briefly. She then suddenly suggested that we do something else now. “W-well, now that we’re done eating, what would you like to do?” She didn’t get a response right away and continued to speak. “I’ll get the i-important shopping done tomorrow, but we could go back into town, if you want. I could buy you some toys, maybe? Or junk food? Maybe a coloring book?”

I fought the urge to scoff at the childish suggestions that she offered. Honestly, I wouldn’t actually mind any of that stuff but was still embarrassed. I never really acted ‘my age,’ fully. I remember my real mom used to get on my ass a lot for my regressive behavior and having ‘stupid, childish hobbies.’ I used to occasionally use coloring books or watch cartoons back on Earth. Okay, more than occasionally, in regards to cartoons. I just missed being my childhood years. Everything was simpler then… Maybe this whole situation would be a chance for me to relive those carefree days gone by?

I couldn’t focus on those thoughts for long. An uncomfortable feeling in my lower half was starting to take up my brain space. I kept wiggling in my seat. The issue wasn’t exactly the chair that I was currently sat in. It was a well made piece of furniture. I was just too sensitive, I guess, since this body is still quite new to me. As it stands, having my bare ass on a wooden seat was beginning to feel like hell. I then thought of something I desperately wanted. I looked up at Fluttershy and grumbled out a request. “Can you buy me some frickin’ pants?” I then heard a squeak escape the pegasus’s mouth. Damn it, I should watch my tone, huh?

Fluttershy looked at Stardust with a curious expression. She was surprised, first by his sudden attitude, and then to hear that out of all things that the colt could have requested, he wanted… clothes? Most residents of Ponyville don’t care about any coverings besides horseshoes. Of course, colts always loved to play dress up, but for a foal to pick that over shiny new toys was odd to her. Then again, she had a complicated relationship with fashion back when she was… young. Maybe he thinks that his living here now is so special that he wants to be ‘fancy’ for a little while? He would look adorable in a frilly little saddle…

She fluttered her wings as she smiled softly and finally replied to him. “Alright then… just clothes? Well, I guess that’s fine,” she said to him. “I have a friend who runs a boutique, actually. I’m sure she’d love to make some clothes for you.”

She then stood up and grabbed her personal saddlebag and slung it onto her back, over her wings. It’s not like she intended to fly anyway given that her little friend wouldn’t be able to keep up with her that way. She didn’t want the poor boy getting too tired. She gestured for him to follow her as she walked out of the door. “Off to Carousel Couture, we go,” she said with a little smile as they walked towards town.