Sora’s regained conscience to an overwhelming concoction of strange senses. He had opened his eyes to the lightest darkness he had ever seen in his life. The sensation of sinking filled him to the deepest depths of his soul. Or was if falling. He couldn’t be falling. What he was falling in felt too heavy like he was on the verge of flying but falling a bit too short.

Sinking, now that he thought about it, was out of the question as well. He would be drowning if he was in any body of water like the way he was in. He was still breathing just fine. Defiantly not sinking.

Sora closed his eyes, slightly enjoying the feeling of…finking? Yes. Finking. He made a mental note to get that word trademarked. A calm smile formed on his lips as he enjoyed the filling of finking, letting it engulf his entire being.

Then his body touched something hard and slick, ending any enjoyment he was filling right then and there. Sora could not stop the pout that had formed on his face as his body touched the cold hard ground. He was really starting to like finking.

Sora...

His eyes instantly shot open at the sound of his own name. It was that voice. The same voice he had…

He cringed as memories started flooding into his subconscious. Memories of him on the beach. Memories of that very voice calling him, guiding him to the Secret Place. Memories of the white door with that strange symbol. Memories of him opening that very door without hesitation.

As the pain subsided he slowly stood up on his four legs and gave stock to his surroundings. What he stood on was a glass pillar of some kind. Displayed upon it was what looked like a giant purple six pointed star. Surrounding said star was five different pictures. One of a diamond, one of an apple, one of a butterfly, one of balloon, and the last of a lightning bolt. While he believed that each picture was quite random he did find the work of art rather soothing to look upon. Taking his eyes off the ground he inspected the rest of the world he was in, finding nothing but darkness surrounding him on all sides.

Sighing Sora raised a hoof and ran it through his spiky…brown…mane?

To this day he could never remember how loud of a scream he released from his lips but he could have sworn somebody in the far distance said something about not turning on a screwdriver.

The boy tried to raise both of his newly acquired hooves but soon regretted it wholeheartedly as he tumbled face first into the glass floor. With a groan, Sora lifted himself up and sat on his hunches to get t a better look at his fingerless limbs.

He made another mental note to figure out how he know what hunches were.

Running a hoof along his foreleg, allowed it to fill the fur ripple underneath it. Its caramel tint shining lightly under the unknown light source. He only stopped rubbing his fur when he reached his jacket finding that it had somehow changed to fit his new body. As he continued to examine his body he discovered, along his side, a pair of feathery wings, folded neatly against him. Of course that also led him to a rather horrifying observation. He had a jacket, but no pants. A spikey tail swished back and forth under him greeting its new master happily. Blushing brighter then he had ever done in his life, Sora crossed his lower legs in a vain attempt to hind any modesty he could. In doing so he soon noticed something very, very odd about his flank.

Upon each side of his cheeks was a tattoo of what looked like a crown, yellow in color and neatly done created. He frowned, gave his hoof a quick lick, and began rubbing at one of the marks harshly. To his dismay the picture did not even look like it was affected in the slightest.

In an all too familiar groan, Sora raised his hoofs to either side of his head and slowly rubbed at this temples. Just what the heck is going on? Where was he? Why was he a…a…why was he whatever he was. Who brought him here?

No he knew who brought him here. That voice that came out of the Secret Place.

S-S-So-or-ra…

Sora raised an eye brow as the voice sounded again, but for some reason it was distorted, and fading fast.

S-S-Sora-ra-ra…

He stood on all four and looked around, trying to ascertain where it was coming from. In his quest to do so he found something else. Something familiar.

Darkness, and lots of it, was slowly inching its way toward the transformed boy.

Run!

Sora turned to do just that but found his way impeded by more of the dark shadow. It also had seemed that the darkness doubled its efforts when he had taken notice of it, eating up the inches faster and faster. Sora tried to call out for the Key Blade but it did not or could not heed his call. It was then that fear filled Sora without mercy. A small whimper could be heard coming from the trapped boy as his space diminished under the form of the shadows. As they closed in a chilling voice filled Sora’s every sense. He looked up in time to see piercing red eyes fill the once void darkness. Eyes of darkness, and of everlasting evil. Back tentacles could be seen coming from the black ooze, each one threatenly pointed at him.

Sora’s ears folded to the back of his head as maniacal laughter filled the air around him and the tentacles came crashing down onto Sora without remorse.


~


A loud thump filled the air as Sora fell out of the bed with a yelp. Blue blankets draped over his frame obscuring his view of his surrounding completely. He wrestled and fought with them, grunting in frustration as he tried to rid himself of the confounded cover. Footsteps could be heard coming from somewhere close by, followed by the opening of a door, more than likely to the room he was in.

“What going…! Oh my gosh! Here let me help you.”

That voice. Where did he hear that voice before?

Before he could think any further on it the blanket, the very one that was beating him into submission, was tugged from around him. Freed from the dark clutches of the cloth, Sora found his vision obscured by the bright flash of sun beams pouring in through an open window. His eyes closed tight in defiance at the light.

“Are you ok? Did you hurt yourself?” The voice from before was filled with concern and, if he was correct, slight amusement.

“No more than usual…” He answered, his the complete opposite of the helper. He eyes slowly adjusted as he turned to face the speaker. “I’ll…live?” What he did think he would find was a female, more than likely about the same age as him maybe a little older standing beside his crumpled form. What he found instead was a lavender horse looking thing with a horn sticking out of her head standing beside his crumpled form.

The sight of the mare caused him to, in reflex, look at his own body. What he found was that his body had in fact changed into what he had been in his dream, complete with whooshing tail and butt tattoo.

Despite himself, he gave himself a pat on the back for not screaming out loud again.

keeping his tone even, he looked back toward her. “Um…I…I’m fine Miss…?”

“Oh! I haven’t introduced myself yet.” The creature stuck out her chest and cough politely to clear her throat before speaking again. “Hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and you are?” She held a hoof out offering it to the stallion.

The boy looked down at the lavender creature’s appendage giving it a strange look. Slowly he rose his, looking it just as if not more strangely. Hesitantly he reached out and wrapped her in his own, gripping it surprisingly well. The lavender pony beamed brighter as she began to pump up and down in the action that was known to him as a hand shake.

“I’m…Sora.” It was surreal. Seeing something that looked the way she did, but really now that he had time to come to grips with it, he should be expecting things like this in his line of work. How could he forget about the time he changed into a lion or a mermaid- merman. He shook his head and smiled. Of course. It made since now. He changed to match the environment of these creatures. Since Donald is nowhere to be seen he could only surmised that it was his clothes-

A revelation hit him so hard that a baseball bat would have been jealous. He looked down at his body to find that he was completely and utterly naked. A deep blush formed on his face as she scrambled to jump across the bed to hide his shame.

“My-My clothes!!” He sputtered. “Where are my clothes?!”

Twilight raised an eye brown at the stallion’s actions before answering. “They’re at Rarity’s. They have gotten pretty messed up in the fall. Speaking of which…”

Sora watched as the horned creature moved to the side of the bed and sat down upon it. As she did so he could clearly see that she was not wearing any clothes what so ever. His eyes strayed over her lavender body, taking in the sight that was her. He stopped upon her flank and saw something familiar. It was a purple star with five white starts surrounding it. He was about to say something when a hoof waved in front of him and motioned for him to come over. Hesitantly at first he did as she had asked, feeling only slightly better that if she was going around that way, he could too. Just as he sat down, he felt hot fur press lightly against his body. This, Twilight, had placed her head again against his chest without saying a word. He couldn’t help but, despite her being what looked like an overly cute horse, blush deeply at the feel of her warm breath tickling his soft caramel fur. The feel of her warm cheek made him fill…weird. Not a bad weird or a good weird. Just weird. He dared not move an inch though less he offends her some way.

A gentle “hmmm” vibrated against his being followed by the words “Only one.” She removed her head from his body, instantly feeling the for some reason colder without it. Placing a hoof to her chin she gave Sora a thoughtful expression. A moment or two had passed before she moved again, raising the same hoof to tap the top of his head.

“Ow.” He raised a hoof of his own to rub at the spot she hit. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t pleasant. “Ok first off mind telling me why I’m getting checked up like I’m at the doctor’s office.” He paused for a second before adding. “And where am I anyway?”

A blush of embarrassment formed on Twilights cheeks as she smiled sheepishly. “Oh! Heheh. Sorry. I was just making sure that you weren’t an alien or a changeling.” His embarrassment peeked as he raised an eye brow and repeated what she said. Looking away she quickly answered the last question. “As to where you are, you are currently in Golden Oaks Library, which is stationed in Ponyville.”

“Pony…ville? Wait. You’re a pony?”

“Well…yeah.”

“Then if that’s the case that makes me a pony as well…right?”

“Yess?”

Ignoring her quizzical gaze, Sora went about and folded his forelimbs about his chest and closeing his eyes in deep thought. He was a pony now. Ok, he could live what that. Would have much rather been a lion like before, but at least he’s not a mermaid-gha!-merman. The question now is, how did he change if it wasn’t the work of his clothes or Donald.

Sora rubbed at his temples. He really wished that crazy duck was here now so he could explain.

“Are you ok Sora?”

The boy turned pony, had completely forgotten that Twilight was still here. He rubbed the back of his head slowly as he responded. “Heh…yeah. Just thinking.” Then a question hit him. “Are you the one that found me…where ever I was?” When she nodded he continued. “What do you remember seeing before you found me? Was there anything odd nearby? For that matter where was I when you did?”

It was Twilight’s turn to reel back, slightly overwhelmed by the onslaught of questions. It didn’t deter her long however as she recovered quickly and gave the stallion a glare.

“Now hold on a minuet. I’m the one that should be asking you questions. Where did you come from? What was that light. What’s with that giant key?”

“Giant key?”

Twilight sighed exasperated. “The key that was lying beside you. Yellow and silver. Little circles on the end of it. Ring any bells?”

Sora’s eyes went wide. It couldn’t be. Why was it out? He couldn’t summon it before. Of course the last time he tried was in a dream. He held out his hoof to her to which she flinched from. She would have said something but a yelp from downstairs caused her to look toward the door. She turned to face Sora just in time to see that very same giant key appearing instantly into his mouth. He may have been started by the revelation, but he was nowhere near Twilights level.

“What the!? How did you do that?! Where did it come from?! Is that magic?! That’s impossible! Just who the hey are you?!”

“I’m Sora.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

The sound of thumbing on the stairs caused both Twilight and Sora to turn just in time to see Spike busting through the open door, a frantic look in his eyes.

“Twilight! That key thing just upped and disappeared.” And for good measure he adds, “Also I wasn’t touching it I swear!” Spikes well thought out and planed explanation stopped as his eyes took on the scene in front of him.

In reality, Sora had his hoof held out due to his belief that the giant key would appear there. This was not the case however as said key instead appeared in pony boy’s maw, and if he was being honest with himself, quite comfortable.

Spike-o-vision held a different scene. What he saw was his friend/sister about to be ravaged upon by a poor pitiful stallion they had not too long ago taken in out the kindness of their heart.

Needless to say Spike-o-Vision is a great anger inducer.

“Twilight! Watch out! I got em!” Spike leapt forward claws stretched out ready to defend his sister to the bitter death.

So unprepared was the poor stallion that an easily dodged attack of this magnitude was, instead, just looked upon by the one getting attacked. With Wide eyes and pinprick pupils, only one thought crossed Sora’s mind.

This was going to hurt…a lot.


~


“I’m sooo sorry Sora.” Spike said for the tenth time.

“It’s…alright.” Sora replied for the tenth time.

Twilight, Spike and Sora had taken up residence in the downstairs library, the former dabbing the latter with a cotton ball soaked with alcohol

Sora had, indeed, received one good scratch across his forehead before Twilight used her magic to pry the raging dragon off of the flabbergasted stallion.

Explanations were made and apologizes ensued.

Before Spike could follow through with an eleventh one, Twilight interjected with a simple question.

“Who are you and what is that thing?” She ended the question by pointing to the giant key sitting on the table beside them.

“I-“

“And no saying your name.”

With a heavy sigh Sora continued. “I am a Key Blader, and that,” He pointed to the giant key. “Is a key Blade.”

“A key…blade?” Both Twilight and Spike said in unison.

“It’s a weapon we key bladers use to fight…well…monsters basically.”

“Oh! So… Are you some kind of knight?”

He shrugged. “I guess…in a way.”

Twilight tilted her head as she looked the stallion up and down. “But you look so young.” Her brow furrowed. “I didn’t think Celestia allowed ponies into the royal guard until they were in their twenties. You have to be at least seventeen. Maybe eighteen.”

“Ce-les-tia?”

“You do know who Celestia is right?” Twilight squinted her eyes. “The monarch of Equestia. Princess to all of pony kind. Has been so for over one thousand years."

Sora just tilted his head in confusion at that bit of information.

Twilight’s eye twitched ever so slightly at the pony’s lack of understanding. Seeing the oncoming storm it was Spike that Saved Sora’s flank from the doom that was Twilight Sparkle. “So, Sora. How did you make that key thingy teleport? From what I’m told, pegesi can only use wind magic, and that’s only to fly and move clouds. Teleportation is something that only unicorns and learn.”

Sora tuned to look at both of the wings he had recently acquired. “Well…It’s not magic. Well actually it could be. I really don’t know a lot about them to tell the truth.” He placed a hoof on his chest. “The best way I can explain it is that it’s more like an extension of my heart. It’s connected to me. Part of me.” He tapped at his chest caused both to look down at the hoof. “It’s part of my heart. So when I need it, it comes.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Well that’s the best way I can explain it. There’s still a lot I don’t know about them.”

Twilight processed the information carefully before picking up the conversation. “That is interesting. Going off topic, do you remember anything about last night? If you’re a key blader then was that beam of light a monster?”

Sora shook his head. “I really can’t help you with that. The only thing I remember about what happened before I came here was I was on a beach and the next time I wake up I’m here.” In truth he wanted to tell them that he wasn’t a pony either, but he felt that that wasn’t going to go over very well in the long run.

A loud gurgling sound interrupted the conversation after that and a caramel hoof was placed on a caramel belly.

Twilight nodding knowingly. “We can continue this later. For now let’s get you some breakfast.” She made her way to her saddle bag levitating it to her back along with a book and a bag of what he believed to be coins. Finishing that she would turn to the baby dragon “Spike do you want to join us?”

“Would I ever.” He smiled brightly and hopped onto Twilights back, setting himself at the base of her neck.

With the strange pony in tow, Twilight led him out of the library, closing the door behind her with her magic.

Which was unfortunate because, just as they left, a small black tentacle could be seen reaching out toward the key blade. It was small and rather unnoticeable to the untrained eye. As it touched the blades smooth surface it instantly dissipated away, destroyed effortlessly by the ancient weapon.


~


Sora was very apprehensive about walking…no…trotting in public with no clothes. This was strange to him due to the fact that he did it all the time back in the Pride Lands. Maybe it was an age thing. It wasn’t until that he saw that most of the town folk…town’s ponies were indeed naked as well. It made him fell a little better about being so too.

He still, however, wished he had his clothes though.

The caramel stallion could see more than a few ponies looking toward their little group though he felt that most of the looks were directed toward him. They all bore carious but friendly smiles every time he caught their eyes, which he returned with a wave. Ponies of every color and size filled the dirt road of Ponyville. He saw that quite a few of them if not all had the butt tattoos and others, mostly little ponies, didn’t.

This realization led to a question.

“Twilight. What’s with that mark on everyone’s butt?”

Twilight almost tripped as he asked the question. “What? Don’t tell me you don’t know what a cutie make is?”

“Cutie Mark? That’s what you call it?”

“Of course. You should know that. You have one.”

Before he could respond the stallion suddenly stopped in his tracks, a feeling of foreboding shivering up his hooves. He turned slightly to find a trio of little ponies on the other side of the road. Two of them, one being an orange furred pegesus with a magenta mane, and the other being off with a two tone purple maned unicorn, were talking automatically with each other. It was however the third that had given him pause.

A sun yellow regular pony, with a man as red as an apple and a bright pink bow tied expertly behind her head had been looking his direction. Her eyes amber eyes were wide and, he could have sworn, were sparkling. He tilted his head to the side which caused the yellow filly’s cheeks to flush bright red. She quickly turned away from him, busying herself with listening to the other two conversations.

“Hey you ok?”

Sora nodded as he looked forward finding Twilight waiting for him a bit of a ways off. “Yeah. I’m fine.” He trotted up to Twilight following after her. He took a quick look back over his shoulder to look at the gaggle of fillies once more. “That…was weird.”


~


Applebloom heart was fluttering faster than a humming bird in spring as she watched the stallion follow Twilight and Spike. She couldn’t believe her eyes. There was no way that Bishōnen, a neighponies pretty boy could be hear in Ponyville. She had seen many of them in Fluttershy’s neighga collection but she always thought that they weren’t real. She blushed even brighter as she remembered his spikey brown mane. His cream colored coat. His ocean blue eyes. Oh she could have lost herself in those eyes forever.

“Girls…” She said barely above a whisper but they stopped talking all the same, giving her their full attention. “Ah…Ah Think I’m in love.”