The wrong Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? Is that a thing that can happen here? No one said that was a thing that can happen here. They were wearing the same clothes. Looking back maybe they were a bit… cleaner than you remember. But who knows how long you were asleep and what they could have done in that time. They work fast.

You haven’t seen Blossomforth again, yet. No one you’ve asked even recognizes the name.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon race down the hall on their hindlegs while you’re helped along in the opposite direction on yours. When you get a chance, you need to try walking on your own. You haven’t taken a single step by yourself since you got here.

As Blossomforth said before, there are posters all along the walls. There’s no ponies, or griffins, or cattle, or donkeys; they’re all the same thing. The thing you are. They’re all wearing clothes and standing or sitting in poses that look a little too happy for whatever the setting of the picture is.

“So what grade are you in?“ The boy suddenly asks. Distracted by the posters, you answer “third” without thinking. “Third year? You must be home-schooled.“
The girl rolls her eyes, “I think she meant third year of junior high.“

How old do they think you are? You can’t help but ask.

“Hmm…” The girl looks you in the eye when she answers, “Fourteen?“
The boy nods, “Yeah. Fourteen/fifteen.“

Holy crap they think you’re almost twice as old are you are! You do some math in your head as fast as you can. Fourteen to fifteen would put you in either eighth or ninth grade. That means you could pass off as a freshman! You can’t resist daydreaming for a moment about all the cool stuff you could do if you were that old.

The boy kneels down close to you, “I think… Maybe you hit your head a little harder when you tripped than you thought. Maybe you’ve seen those two before and just though you knew them?“

He pauses to check your reaction. You don’t know what to say. Looking at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon… If they are just acting like they don’t know you, it’s an award-winning performance.

“I think we need to take you to the nurse right now. Is there anyone else you might know? Anyone you could call?“

You agree to go see the nurse and mention Bon-Bon and Lyra. While the boy helps you to your feet, the girl asks how you know them. At this point if what you say isn’t true they’ll just think you’re nuts. You tell her that Bon-Bon is your aunt and her eyes go wide.

“Bon-Bon’s mentioned a niece before!“ She clasp her hands together and points to you, “Tootsie, right?“ Your expression must have given away your excitement because she smiles, “We’ll get you to the nurse and get this sorted out. Don’t you worry!“
“Can we go then?“ Diamond Tiara asks, pointing to the door, “We’re gonna to be late for class.“
The girl cringes, “Shoot! Class! Right! You two hurry along!“ She looks back to you again and helps the boy shoulder your weight while the three of you walk together, “We’ll get you to the clinic anyway. The nurse will handle the rest. She’s nice! You’ll like her!“

You don’t have much time to think about that at the moment. The girl from before returns with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon! You somehow manage to be happy to see them and greet them warmly, but they only look at you in confusion.

“This is her?“ Diamond Tiara questions and they both look at each other. “I-I’ve never seen her before.“

You’re completely devastated, though it’s hard to place why. You probably should have seen this coming. Of course they’re going to act like they don’t know you. They’re them and you’re you. Jerks.

“Is she alright, though? Is there something we can do to help?“ Silver Spoon looks sincere when she asks. They both do. At least they really do care about you. Or can at least fake it. You ask if they’ve seen or “know of” a Blossomforth, but they only stare at one another and shrug in response.

Everyone present looks around at one another, avoiding eye contact with you. No one seems to know what to say. You catch a glance from Silver Spoon and it looks… strange. Maybe they really don’t know who you are. What if they lost their memory?

Well that’s a weak way of looking at things! You’re Liza Tootsie Flute Doolots and you’re not about to so easily admit defeat!

You make up a story that you were on your way home last night and noticed you were being followed. When you tried to run, they started chasing you! You were afraid of them following you home, so you ran and ran until you lost them. You got lost yourself in the process, but you recognized the school and sneaked inside.

He stops you several times and you clarify on the spot. You slipped at one point when you were running and cracked your head. You must have lost the one chasing you before then. The belts and wash cloths were from an arts and crafts project. Your home wasn’t very far from where you were and you didn’t bring a coat. You found the clothes lying around and changed into them. He never mentions the knife, so neither do you.

All-in-all a pretty good story, if you do say so yourself. Although, you might be a little too good at lying.

“I’m glad you’re safe now, but that’s insane,“ He runs his fingers through his hair and pulls a little, clearly stressed, “I have to tell the resource officer. That wacko could still be on the loose out there!“

Oops. If they don’t know who Blossomforth is and they find her running around…

You try to ask who they are, but the words don’t seem to form past a quiet “Wh’ sound. Your mouth feels dry.

“Should we tell Principle Celestia?“ The boy asks.
“No way!” The girl shouts back, “They’ll call her parents! What if she’s been abused?“
“What about the clinic then?”
“Same thing!“

You interrupt them to ask about your missing friends you came with, naming off each one.

The boy turns to the girl who puts a hand to her head in thought, “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are freshmen. I don’t know a Blossomforth, though. Are you a new student? Do you know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? We can take you to them.“
The boy shakes his head, “What she needs to see is a nurse. She’s obviously hurt and that bandage needs to be changed.“

Principle. Freshmen. Student… You’re in a school! Probably a high school or a college. This must be their library. They know where Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are, but everything they’ve said is making you nervous. If you just walk around the hallway, someone is going to notice you don’t belong here. I mean, you’re just a grade school kid, right?

You ask if they can bring Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to you, which the girl agrees to. The boy says he’ll stay with you in case you need anything.

Once the girl is gone, the boy sits down in the chair next to you, “So… What happened to you?“

That’s a good question. What do you tell him?

You awake with a start. Your vision is flooded with red, but it quickly pulls away to reveal a red shirt. Worn by…

“Hey? Are you alright?“

There’s two… things… in front of you. Things like what you are now. You don’t recognize them.

“Can you hear me?“ The other ones says.

You sit up, preparing to run, but quickly remember your current state. You wouldn’t get two steps like this.

“Did you run away from home?“ The one in the red shirt sort of looks… male?
“Did someone hurt you?“ The other one must be a girl like you. But she’s taller, like Blossomforth was. They both are. “It’s okay. You’re safe here.“
“We won’t tell anyone you broke in, either.“ The two glance at each other and nod.

You look around the room for Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, or Blossomforth, but they’re nowhere to be found.

“Are you looking for your bag? It’s right here!“ She lifts up the bag you found on your back. “We put everything back and cleaned up the mud!“
“You made quite a mess last night.“ The girl elbows him in the ribs, “Ow! Well she did!“

You don’t seem to be in danger, so you need to start thinking ahead. Should you look for the ponies you came here with, or the ponies you came here for?

You spend the next few minutes in the other bathroom with Blossomforth cleaning up, drying off, and changing. You get a look at your face in the mirror. It looks so foreign. The bandage above your temple doesn’t look very good either.

If there is, you didn’t notice. Things appeared to be more obvious and in the wrong place, but nothing compares to basically having your knees bend backwards. And these huge feet…

Fur. Your coat. These tiny little hairs… No wonder you’re so cold, even when dried off.

When you both walk out of the bathroom you’re wearing a dark blue jumpsuit, kinda like a parachuter, with a lighter horseshoe and a gold “C” stitched into the chest. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are waiting by the table. You notice the window you came in from is closed now.

“I think it’s safe to say at this point that we’re not going to be getting any searching done tonight.“ Blossomforth pulls out some blankets from a bag she brought back with her, and a book. “Try to find a place in here to get some sleep.”
“There’s some sofas in that corner!“ Diamond Tiara points behind a bookshelf.
“Good. I’m going to see if this book can help me figure out what, where, or even who we are.“

You follow Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to a set of chairs and sofas arranged in a circle. You pick the one against the wall and lay your head down. You hear Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon whisper for a moment, but it doesn’t last long before you drift away into a dream.

While she tends to your wound, you ask Blossomforth about all that crazy stuff she was doing. The two-legged running, the leaping, the flipping! And all while carrying you! It was incredible! How did she do that without wings?

She shrugs, “I don’t know. It felt natural. I mean, this body doesn’t. But, I guess it pays to be fit and flexible? I think I can actually run faster like this on two legs. All the pictures I saw showed… whatever we are now… standing up on two legs. I guess this is what they do.“

You can’t help but notice how easy it looks for her to use her hands. Maybe because she’s a pegasus.

You suddenly yawn. You didn’t realize you were so tired.

“I know, me too,“ Blossomforth answers with a yawn of her own. “But we at least have to get you dried off. Bloodstained cloths probably aren’t ideal. I found you something to change into. Hopefully it’ll fit. Can you walk?“

You didn’t hear her coming, but you see Blossomforth running back, on her hindlegs again, carrying some things. She puts everything down in front of you and pulls your hand away.

A wave of relief seems to relax her face, “Oh thank Celestia. It’s not as bad as I thought.“ She turns her head to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, “There’s a… There’s a bathroom across the hall. Go wring out your cloths and try to dry off. Then put them back on and come back here.“
“Can’t we just take them off?” Silver Spoon asks, hesitation in her voice.
Blossomforth’s reply sounds tired, “No… There’s a… There’s a lot of pictures and posters in the hallway. Everyone is clothed in them. I… I think they just always wear cloths here.“

The two turn to walk away, but Blossomforth calls after them, “And… and I’m sorry for yelling.“ She turns back around to you and opens a box she brought with her. Under her breath, she mutters, “… not very good with stress…“

While you sit in silence waiting, something starts to dig uncomfortably into your back. You reach your hand up and realize that the straps on your shoulder aren’t part of your outfit and slide right off. Evidently you were wearing some sort of hiking pack. You push it into the floor next to you, but can’t seem to get your fingers to cooperate and pick it up.

Silver Spoon sees what you’re doing and, with some difficulty, picks up the pack and puts it on the table. Water immediately pools around where it was placed. You must all be soaked.

She opens the bag up and shouts, “A towel!“ She shakes the belt off of it and pushes it over to you. At first you don’t know what to do with it, but she picks it back up and puts it in your hand, “Put it on your head!“

She must mean the cut. You turn your wrist up, still gripping the towel, and place it where the throbbing is. This sends a shiver of pain shooting across your whole body! Good night- does that ever sting!

While you fight against your body to keep still from the rolling pain, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pull everything out of your pack. Three more wash cloths, the four belts, the knife and holder, and the water bottles. And they’re all bone dry. You had no idea your saddlebag was so water resistant! Or, maybe it’s only water resistant in this world? Wait, did your saddlebag really turn into a hiking pack? That’s ridiculous. You wonder if it’ll turn back when you leave.

You wonder if you’ll turn back when you leave.

You spot the opened window up ahead and expect Blossomforth to slow down, but instead she seems to speed up. She takes a curved approach, spins on her heel, skids in the mud, and leaps up like a hurdle jumper through the window, headfirst, belly up! Your whole world twists upside down as she flips in the air and lands inside, facing the window, hindlegs first, with one hand on the floor balancing herself and one still gripping you strongly! Even with the pounding in your head making you feel like you’re going to throw up, that was still really cool!

She sets you down in a chair at a table and goes to help Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon inside, but not before telling you, “Sit up, and whatever you do don’t put your head down. If you fall asleep now you might not wake up!“

Wow! You’re completely terrified! If you weren’t trembling before, you sure as hay are now! Frantically trying to keep your wits about you, your eyes scan the darkened room you’re seated in. It looks like a library. Behind you Blossomforth is talking, but you’re too afraid to even turn your head.

“I’m going to look for medical supplies. Stay here and keep her conscious. She has a concussion, but it might be worse than that.“
You hear Silver Spoon suggest, “Shouldn’t one of us go with you, or-“
Blossomforth’s reply is so loud and filled with anger that you can’t help but jump in your chair, “You will stay here! Do you understand me?!“

You don’t hear Silver Spoon answer, but you see Blossomforth run past you, throwing her shoes across the room as she goes. Just before she disappears from sight, she’s sprinting on all fours. Silver Spoon sits down in the chair next to you, clearly fighting back tears. Diamond Tiara sits down on the other side. Neither of them say a word.

That seemed a little harsh. Your head hurts, yeah. But surely you’ve had worse tumbles than this. At least… that would have made sense if you hadn’t noticed the blood on your shoulder. And your shirt. It kinda does look like a lot.

That probably would have been good to know before you stepped through the portal. Looking down at your legs, they do seem to be jointed wrong. Like a… well like a dragon.

“Is she going to be alright?“ They’re talking about you.
“I… I think so. I think the rain is just making it look worse than it is.“

You can hear footsteps running toward you from the other side of… yeah, it’s a building. Looks big, like something that might take up a quarter of a block in Manehattan. A hospital or a stadium. Or a school.

The one that carried you runs back around the corner, still on her hindlegs. You guess she really is Blossomforth, which would make those other two Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Blossomforth jumps up to the landing and scoops you back up, “I found an open window. We’ll warm up and dry off inside. Hopefully there’ll be some kind of first aid kit.“

She jumps back out into the rain carrying you and running along the wall; Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon following on all fours. Somehow, the way those two are moving doesn’t look natural. Like it doesn’t fit this body.

You gasp for air and choke on water. You’re drowning! Your eyes snap open but are forced shut by the rain. You hear a voice from above and realize something is holding you.

“You’re alright! You’re alright! Sit up, please! Breathe!“

She’s struggling to tilt you forward, so you push yourself up and curl your neck down to cough up the water. The rain so cold. You try to stand, but your legs won’t cooperate. It takes a moment to catch your breath, but once you do you open your eyes again.

You suddenly become aware that your entire body is shivering as your mind violently rejects what it’s seeing. This isn’t you! This is someone else! Out-of-body experience? Is that what it’s called? A growing pain on your head forces you to reach up and grasp it with your…hand?! Fingers?! Like a minotaur?! Like Tirek… You’ve become a monster! Your breathing becomes labored and you feel like you’re going to scream!

Your body is lifted up into the air by whoever is holding you. You turn your panicked gaze toward her and… The adult? Blossomforth? It’s not her, but it kinda looks like-

“We have to get out of this rain. That building over there! Hurry!“

She cradles you in her forelegs and runs on her hindlegs. You hear some other footsteps running with her, but you can’t get your eyes to focus. The freezing rain abruptly stops cutting into your skin, but that only seems to make you shiver more.

“It won’t open!“
“It’s locked!“

You’re set down on a hard, rocky ground, leaned against something vertical. A building? You hear a door being shook and loud banging.

“Hello! Anybody? Help! Please!“ She keeps shaking the door and screams in frustration. “Stay here. If somepony comes, get her inside!“ Then footsteps leading away.

Two faces appear in front of you. They look so strange. One of them moves your hand away and they both wince at what you were covering. You expect them to say something comforting, but all the pink-skinned one says is:

“Jeez, Liza. Why don’t you land right on your face next time?“

As you closed your eyes, you heard Spike say something, “I hope Lyra is alright.“

Why? Why is it always Lyra? Doesn’t anypony care about Bon-Bon? Lyra is nice enough, most of the time. But you’ve also heard her say some very mean things. And she’s admitted to doing bad things like stealing. Like hurting others. Bon-Bon would never do that. Bon-Bon would never hurt anypony.

So, why? What is it about Lyra that draws everypony to her?

Down a few halls and up one flight of stairs, Spike only stops once to check inside a room, but quickly exits and continues on. He eventually leads you and the group into an empty room and rushes over to a gray tarp covering a massive form. Without any flair, he pulls the tarp off to reveal a giant machine! It’s got tubes! And cylinders! And beams! And-and little… stick thingies with circles! It’s all bursting with purple/pink magic! And at the center of it all is… A portal?! This must be it!

Spike is beside himself, “I can’t believe this! It’s been running this whole time! There’s the book up there!“ He points to a stand at the top holding a brown book with a picture of a sun on it- Princess Celestia’s cutie mark! Spike spins around to face you, “You said she’s been gone three days?!“ He grabs hold of his face and drags his cheeks down, “Oh, man! If Twilight found out about this she’d be furious!“ Spike closes his eyes and begins pacing back and forth doing a mock impersonation of Twilight’s voice, “Don’t you understand the repercussions of blah blah blah?! Alternate dimensions are not a playground for yakkity yak yak! The very idea of-“ He stops abruptly and opens his eyes to the group of ponies staring at him.

Spike exhales slowly, seeming to have calmed down, “Look. Twilight’s been under a lot of stress lately, and there’s no doubt this would be the straw that breaks the mare’s back. You’ve got to get in there, find the two ponies, and get them home! I’ll try to cover for you as long as I can, but eventually Twilight is going to figure this out! She’s already been freaking over the book being missing!” You and the others nod slowly in understanding, but Spike jumps with impatience and points to the portal, “Don’t just stand there! Go!“

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon break into a sprint and vanish into the portal first, with Blossomforth right behind them. You hesitate for just a moment, then run toward the machine. The closer you get, the more blinding the swirling, pink light becomes. Eventually you’re forced to close your eyes. You take two gallops more and jump.

But your feet never touch the ground.