I've been woken up, called to Cantelot, knocked out by a changeling, put in a coma, recruited for some 'team' and now I find myself alone in a small room with Rainbow Dash claiming to be my D.C.I all in under 24 hours. I react as any sane pony would in this situation... with anger!
Rainbow walks over to her desk and sits down. She's looking at me, at first it made me feel nervous but now it was just making me annoyed. I'm the leader of The Elements of Harmony! Why is she the one sitting in the chair? She has no right to treat me like I'm inferior to her, after all it's my coma that's keeping her alive!
"Rainb..." I let out a frustrated sigh at using her first name. "D.C.I Dash. I would appreciate it if you stopped trying to intimidate me. I'm just as important as you and maybe even twice as smart! So please stop it!" I must have sounded a little childish, but at least I said it. Besides she doesn't have feelings, she's just a figment of my imagination.
Her eyes narrowed, she looked angry. Which was just fine by me, at least we're on the same page. Rainbow stood up, walked around to me and stopped inches from my face. "Take that back". She said slowly and calmly.
"No". I stood my ground. I'm scared, I'm in a coma, I'm alone and I will not be treated like dirt! There was a blur of blue and the sound of crashing metal. Before I knew it Rainbow had me pinned up against a filling cabinet with only my back hooves on the ground. She had her face right in mine bearing her teeth and snarling.
"Listen here Sparkles! I'm in charge here! That means you do what I say and treat me with respect. Understand!?" I nod and she lets me go. I crumble to the floor frightened. My Rainbow would never do that. My Rainbow, I miss her. I miss them all.
I look up at the poor excuse for my friend my mind has created for me and find her looking down in disgust. "Good. Now that we understand each other lets get down to business". She walks back to her desk and sits down just like before, like she hadn't just pinned me up against a filing cabinet.
I stand, a bit shaken but fine. The only injury I have is the ever fading bruise on my face reminding me that I'm in a coma. Either that or I'm mad. I straighten my jacket and try to look presentable. Right, time to learn about this awful place.
"Celestia sent you here to become part this team. We stop enemy threats before they have a chance to hurt the public". Ok, so it's like back home then? Actually, it seems more like the police than what I do.
"So it's like the police?" I feel brave enough to speak again now. She shook her head.
"No. The police deal with the wussy crimes like robbery and drugs. We deal with much bigger threats". If robbery and drugs are wussy then what in Equestria are they dealing with!? "Ever since the princess had to send her sister to the moon many evil scumbags have tried to take over Equestria. So she set up a team of ponies to help to protect her subjects". I don't remember reading about this, surely Celestia would have told me about it. Right? "Generation after generation of ponies kicking the crap out of scumbags who think they can beat us and her majesty". I was shocked to hear Rainbow say something like that, she may be tough but she never uses bad language. "She called us the Elements of Justice". Well, that makes sense. "Any questions sunshine?" Where do I start?
"Why has Celestia sent me here?" It might be a stupid question, but I can pretend I lost my memory in the 'fight'.
"Wow, that blow to the head must had knocked some of your brains out. I'll get the nurse to come look you over". That's the first nice thing she's said since I arrived. "The princess believed you would be useful. You have studied magic your whole life and seem to be pretty good at it according to her". I remind myself to thank Celestia the next time I see her. "Anything else?"
"Yes, how did you become the D.C.I?" I say with contempt, she doesn't seem to notice.
"With hard work, determination and good friends. I trained with D.C.I Spitfire, now Superintendent Spitfire, for several years as her D.I. Now look at me". She spread her front hooves wide in some kind of exaggerated gesture. "If you behave Sparkles and prove that the Princess was right, you might be in my position one day". I hope not, I want to go home.
We sit/stand in silence for a minute before she breaks it with "I'll have D.C Pie take you to the nurse, see if that blow to the head is anything to be worried about". She stood from her desk and walked to the door, I followed her. She ushered me out and stuck her head out of the door. "Pinkie! Take D.I Sparkle to the nurse, get her head checked over". Pinkie saluted. "Make sure none of her brains were knocked out will ya?" Rainbow muttered as she walked back into her office.
I walked up to Pinkie's desk. I wonder who the nurse is? It must be one of the girls, but who? Pinkie stood up and made a gesture that meant 'follow me'. I did. "So, Sparkles. What do you think of the Gov?" Where to begin. She's rude, obnoxious, violent and rude! I know I said rude twice, she is rude x2!
"She was, not what I was expecting".
"Oh, what were you expecting?" She sounds confused and genuinely curious.
"I don't know, maybe somepony striving to be the best flyer in Equestria. Maybe a bit kinder?" I expected her to be like my Rainbow Dash, but I can't say that to Pinkie.
"Wow, you really don't know the Gov do you?" No, I suppose I don't. "She's fast don't get me wrong, but best flyer? That's never gonna happen". That's odd, why would my mind remove one of Rainbow's key characteristics? "As for kindness. She is fun once you get to know her, but she's not what most ponies would call kind. That title belongs to our nurse/communications officer". Let me guess, it's Fluttershy isn't it? Who else could it be?
"You mean she's not just the nurse?" I remember reading about ponies in the police force having to train as nurses in case of an emergency, but those were D.C.Is and constables not the communications officer. Why would she be both?
"No, she is too afraid to go out and kick criminals' heads in so she stays here". Definitely Fluttershy. I suppose the role as nurse makes sense, but wouldn't Spike make a better communications officer? You know, because he can send and receive letters.
"Why isn't Spike head of communications?" Pinkie let out a laugh.
"What? That puny little reptile! Ha! He probably wouldn't know how to write a letter if he tried!" She was breathless with laughter, and I know it shouldn't since this isn't real, but I got annoyed at her for the way she talked about Spike. How dare she be so mean about him! "Your funny Sparkles".
Through gritted teeth I reply "Yea, hilarious". This Pinkie is different to mine, but in a way they are very much alike. They both like to laugh and joke, only this one does it at other's expense.
I zone out and look around the station. It was dark and littered with papers, even the walls were plastered in posters and adverts. Pinkie was still chuckling but had stopped talking, thank goodness. I skim read the papers on the wall.
'Wanted! The Hay Cart Kid. Reward- 200 bits'
'Pub Quiz- Friday 8 o'clock'
'Last seen alive Tuesday 15th of February'
'TWILIGHT!'
I do a double take on the last one. It said my name! I read it closely.
'TWILIGHT!? Twilight! Are you ok? Please wake up Twilight, please wake up'.
What was that? 'Please wake up?', the poster says my name! Three times! That can't be a coincidence. Can it?
I suddenly see a pink hoof in my face. "Yoo hoo? Sparkles? Any pony home?" I snap back to reality and see Pinkie waving a hoof in my face. I must have zoned out for a moment. I blink twice and look at her.
"Oh, sorry. I got a bit distracted". She rolled her eyes and smiled, for a moment she reminds me of my Pinkie.
"I can see that, that knock to the head must have caused you some damage. Don't worry, we're here now". She looks over at the door in front of us, I assume this is the nurses office. Or perhaps the communications office. Who knows?
Pinkie knocks three times and walks in, I follow. The room was just as boring as the rest of the station, grey and littered with papers. This room had a desk with something on top, I don't know what it is but it is box-like with a thing on top. There was a chair at the desk like in D.C.I Dash's office, only this one looked clean and well organized (even the numerous papers looked somewhat organized). There was a window high up on the wall behind the desk letting in a lot of light, probably so whoever it is who works here can see what they're doing.
"Hey Flutter Butter! Get out here, we have a mare with a kicked in head!" Pinkie shouted out. If Flutter Butter is a nick name, then that means...
"Ok! Coming!" A door on the right side of the room opened and in walked, Fluttershy!? I mean, I guessed right, but the real surprise is Fluttershy herself. She was wearing a pale green shirt and a long denim skirt with three pink butterflies embroidered on. Her mane was not like it's usual neat swirl, instead it was pulled back into a ponytail with a long fringe covering one eye. She looked like her, and yet she didn't.
"What's wrong Party Pie?" She sounded almost like she was, confident?
"New D.I Sparkles here got in a fight on her way over. The Gov wants her looked over to make sure her brains are still in tact".
"I'm standing right here you know!" I wish they'd stop talking about me like that. Fluttershy looked at me with sympathy. Finally, you can always count on her for a little kindness, in any universe.
"You poor dear, come on let's take a look at you". She gestured to the desk with her head. She pulled a first aid box out from underneath with her mouth and placed it on top. She opened it up and looked back to me. "Come and sit in front of me". I did as I was told. She picked up a torch in her mouth and shone the bright light in my eye. It was a bit of a shock so I recoiled a little, she didn't seem to notice. She shone it in my other eye for about ten seconds and then put it back on the desk.
"Well, you don't seem to have a concussion. That's a relief". Your telling me. "Now I want you to roll your head slowly from left to right". She puts her two front hooves on my cheeks and looks me in the eyes while I roll my head. "What's your name D.I Sparkles?"
"Twilight. My name is Twilight Sparkle". I did not want to be called Sparkles for the rest of my coma. Thank Celestia Fluttershy is here, I think I'd go mad otherwise.
"Oh, sorry. I thought your name was Sparkles".
"It's ok, I just prefer Twilight". Even in my coma Fluttershy is sorry for the smallest things. It's reassuring in some sweet kind of way.
"Pinkie, when did she arrive?" I'd forgotten Pinkie was even here, she'd been so quiet. That in its self was unusual.
"About twenty minuets ago. Why?"
"She has some very serious bruising down the left side of her face. I'm surprised it didn't knock her out". You don't know the half of it. "She needs some painkillers and a day off to rest".
"Day off!? But she's only just got here". Pinkie whined, just for a second, she sounded like my Pinkie too.
"I know Pinkie, but she needs rest. Look at her" she does. "She's dazed and confused. She's probably got short term amnesia". At least Fluttershy knows what she's doing, unlike the rest of these clowns here. Fluttershy looks back into my eyes. "Do you remember anything before the fight Twilight?" Depends. Do you mean my fight with a changeling or the 'fight' I made up.
I hesitate. "Twilight? Do you remember anything?" Should I tell her? Should I tell them I'm in a coma and non of this is real? If anypony would understand it would be Fluttershy. In the end I decided to say nothing and just shake my head.
"Oh dear. Pinkie you'd better go back to work, I'll look after Twilight here". Pinkie nodded and walked out.
"Good luck Sparkles". She said sympathetically, then she shut the door.
I feel scared, disorientated and confused. I look at the floor and try to think. Think about home, think about how I got here, think about my friends. Fluttershy noticed.
"Twilight, it's ok. You're going to be fine". I nod even though I don't believe her. She goes into the other room and comes back with a plastic cup full of water and two pills. "Here, take these. They should help with the pain". I look up and nod. Using my magic I take the water off her and the pills, place them on my tongue and take a gulp of water to wash them down. I never liked taking medicine as a foal, but I got better as I grew up. "Better?" I give a single nod. "Good".
I set the cup down on the desk and stared at it for a moment, then I look back at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, can I tell you something?" She nodded.
"Of course".
"And you promise you won't tell the others?" I really didn't need the others knowing about this, especially Rainbow Dash.
"I promise, as long as it doesn't effect your health that is". I take a deep breath and let out a sigh. This is going to be difficult.
"I am in a coma". She seemed taken back by this, of course she would.
"What?"
"Just hear me out". She nods. "I was in Canterlot in 2012. Me and my friends were fighting a changeling invasion and I got kicked in the head by one of them. It knocked me out and I woke up in 1973, in a rubbish tip". Well she hasn't run off and called the guys in the white coats yet, that's a good sign. "Now that either means I've travelled in time" she giggled a bit, I don't blame her, I must sound crazy. "Or I'm mad, or I'm lying in a hospital bed in a coma. Or I'm dead, oh please tell me I'm not dead".
"I can assure you Twilight, you are not dead. As for time travel, I think we can rule that out too". We both give a small smile.
"So I'm either mad or in a coma". Seems logical, once you've eliminated the impossible whatever's left, however unlikely, must be the truth. And let's face it, being mad, very likely. Being in a coma, almost definitely true.
"You've had a serious trauma to the head Twilight, you are not mad. You're just scared and confused. And I am pretty confident I exist so you are not in a coma".
"Fluttershy. You and I are friends in the future. We all are. You, me, Rainbow, Pinkie, Spike.
Every pony". She seemed confused.
"That's not possible. You say your from 2012, and I'm 27 now. That means I'd be 66 years old. And either you are in brilliant shape or your not anywhere near 66 years old. Why would you be friends with a mare over 40 years your elder?"
"I'm not, your 27 in the future and I'm 25. You exist in the future as you! Not this version of you my comatose mind has created". This is not going as I expected. What did I expect? Possibility 1) she calls a doctor and they put me away, or possibility 2) she believes me and helps me get home. The latter is very unlikely.
"Prove it". What did she say?
"Excuse me?"
"If you're from the future and we are indeed friends then you should know a lot about me. So, prove it". Wow, she is much more confident in this world than in mine. Ok, let's give this a go.
"Ok, well. You love animals, your cutie mark is three pink butterflies. You have a rabbit called Angel Bunny and you love him more than anything. You have a brother called Zephyr Breeze and he drives you mad. You are a fantastic singer but you are too scared to sing in front of any pony. You are the kindest pony I know, and I always go to you when I need help or comfort". She looked shocked. Wide eyes, mouth hanging open, the whole shocked package. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, hopefully the former.
"Um Twilight, why do you know all that?" Her voice is a high pitched whisper.
"I told you, I'm in a coma and we're friends in real life".
"No, that's not what I meant. I did have a bunny called Angel, but he died three years ago. As for my cutie mark, it's alway covered. The only photo of it is in my file just like every ponies is. Yes I do have a brother called Zephyr and yes he does drive me mad, but every pony knows about him, for all the wrong reasons. I do love singing but I'm not afraid to sing in front of others, in fact I sing all the time down at the pub on karaoke night". Now it's my turn to look shocked.
"I'm sorry Twilight, but not only were your facts distorted but they are also nothing no pony couldn't just have read in my file. I wish I could believe you, but you are showing all the symptoms of short term amnesia. I'll get Rainbow Dash to give you a few days rest". It's pointless trying to argue, and a few days off to find out more about this place does sound like a good idea.
"Ok, and thanks for not calling the local asylum". She chuckled and gave me a friendly smile.
"Don't worry, I hear they don't have a time traveling department anyway". We both laugh. It's so nice to see Fluttershy like this, making jokes and being confident. "Um listen. I don't know about the future, but if you'd like, I could be your friend".
"I'd like that". She smiled brightly, she looked so happy.
"Oh!" She went back to the desk and grabbed a packet of what I can only assume is more medicine. She put them in a bag, scribbled down a note and put it inside. "Here, these are more painkillers for when the ones you've taken wear off. Take two every four hours, if it doesn't hurt don't take any". She gives me the bag which I levitate onto my back with my magic.
"Thank you".
"And if Rainbow gives you a hard time show her the note I put inside. You need rest Miss Sparkle, nurse's orders". I smile at her and leave the office. Once outside I take out the note and read it.
'To D.C.I Dash
D.I Sparkle need time off work. She has suffered a terrible blow to the head which has left her with short term amnesia. She will recover, but only with rest and medication. I recommend at least two days off. If you disagree then you are not only putting a member of your team at risk but also the safety of the city. I have given Twilight some painkiller and have recommended rest, I am quite sure she will take my advise. I hope you do the same.
From P.C Fluttershy'
It is sweet to see Fluttershy intimidate Rainbow into doing the right thing. I'm surprised by how little fear she has of her, she even called her by her first name earlier. Maybe D.C.I Dash isn't that bad, or maybe she is and they've just learned to live with it. Either way I'm not going to be here long enough to find out, I'm going home.
I walk back into the dark, paper filled room to see Pinkie and Applejack working at their desks. Pinkie looks up when she hears the door open and smiles at me. "How are you boss?" It's funny to be called boss, but I suppose I am.
"I'm fine, thanks Pinkie". I don't think they mind if I use their first names.
"What did Fluttershy say?" I decide to miss out the part were I say I'm in a coma in case they're not so reluctant to call the asylum.
"She gave me some pain killers and told me to take two days off"
"The Gov's not going to be happy about that". Applejack said, still looking at the papers on her desk.
"I know, I'm just about to go in and tell her. Don't worry, Fluttershy wrote me a note". Pinkie smiled with understanding, I'm starting to think she and Fluttershy are quite close in this world.
"Oh, she has a note. For a moment there I thought there was going to be trouble". Applejack said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't mind her Twilight, she's just being a grumpy guts because her sister's got a boyfriend". Pinkie smirked and Applejack looked up at her sharply.
"She does NOT have a boyfriend! She just has a friend who happens to be male"
"Yea, and I'm the Queen of Canterlot" Pinkie laughed hard and with the look on Applejack's face I chuckled too. Applejack has alway been protective of Applebloom, I guess somethings never change. Applejack pouted and busied herself with her work. "Oh come on AJ, you've got to stop babying her".
"I am not babying her". She mumbled, she didn't look up.
"Whatever. Anyway, good luck in there Twilight. Let's hope good old Fluttershy can persuade the Gov to give you a day off or two".
"We'll see". With one last smile at Pinkie I walk up to Rainbow's office, open the door and poke my head inside. I am greeted by the sight of Rainbow reading a newspaper with her back hooves crossed over on the desk. She looks up when she hears me.
"You just gonna stand there or are you going to come in?" I roll my eyes and walk in leaving the door to swing shut behind me. "What did P.C Shy say?" She folds her newspaper in half and throws it on the desk.
"She said I am suffering from short term amnesia, and that I need time off to rest". As expected Rainbow didn't look too pleased about that. She crossed her hooves over her chest and turned more to face me.
"I need all the ponies I can get, I can't let them have time off just because they got kicked in the head". I thought she wouldn't let me off so easily, thank goodness for Fluttershy and her persuasive note writing abilities.
"Fluttershy thought you'd say that". Rainbow raised one eyebrow.
"Did she now?"
"Yes, and she also told me to give you this if you do not comply". I use my magic to take the note out of my bag and levitate it over to her. She snatched it out of the air and read it. She calmly placed the note on her desk and turned back to me.
"Ok, but only two days. Not a second more!" I can't help the grin that spreads across my face. Good old Fluttershy. "Is that all?"
"Yes, thank you".
"Good. Now, do you remember where you live or am I going to have to get one of my team to take you there?" My smile faded quickly. Live? I live here? I suppose I must do, but where? My hesitation and expression must have given me away. With a heavy sigh and a roll of her eyes she said "Fine, I suppose I'll get one of the girls to take you home". Then I notice a similar box like thing on her desk that I saw in Fluttershy's office. Rainbow picked up the top part and it started to glow a pale yellow. She lifted it up to her mouth and began talking into it.
"Hey Fluttershy, you busy?" I could hear a muffled sound coming from the thing. "Good, I need you to take D.I Sparkle home. She's apparently forgotten where she lives". More muffled sounds. "Ok, her address should be with Spike, just ask him on the way out. She'll be waiting in reception, come up when you're ready". More muffled sounds and then she put the thing back on the box, it stopped glowing when the two pieces were connected. What in Equestria is that thing? Did she just talk to Fluttershy!? Without leaving the room!?
Rainbow noticed my look of shock and awe. "What's the matter Sparkles? You've never seen a phone before?" So that's what it's called, a phone. I simply shake my head. "Well you better get used to them, we'll add you on the system when you get back. Fluttershy will be waiting for you in reception, she'll take you home". I nod and leave, she goes back to her newspaper as if I'd never been there.