The World Hereafter. [Ch2] My kingdom for a map.

>Day 2 in Equestria.


>A rhythmic beeping wakes you up.
>Your eyes are heavy and you feel like shit.
>Raising your right arm to rub your eyes, you feel something tugging at your wrist, a slight pinch following the sensation.
>You manage to pry open your right eye and see that a small tube has been attached to your arm.
>You are currently in your slacks, socks and your white shirt have it's sleeve rolled up.
"whrs gngn nn?"
>Is all you can manage to utter, trying to look around the bright room.
>The wall are off-white, illuminated by morning sun shining in between the white curtains over the window.
>You see yourself tucked in under a sheet in a bed.
>Are you in a hospital?
>Someone must have found you in the water after the impact and brought you here.
>It was all a dream!
>No more weird ponies!
>YES!

>A muffled conversation can be heard outside the room through a small gap in between the door and the frame.
>Two voices, one sounding worried and the other reassuring.
>Probably your rescuer and a nurse.
>You clear your throat and try calling out to them, letting them know you're awake.
"Allô? Que se passe-t-il?"(Hello? What's going on?)
>Silence falls upon the room and a slight shuffling is heard before the door slides open.
>Oh no...
>Rarity peeks in through the door and lets out a happy gasp before trotting in with another unicorn in tow.
>The other one is wearing a small nurses cap and has a pair of saddle bags with various papers and medical equipment in it on her back.
>They stop at the end of the bed, the nurse picking up a sheet of paper from the basket at the foot of the bed and reading through it.
>Rarity meanwhile, speaks up.
>"vous évanoui."(You passed out.)

>You raise your left hand, rubbing your temple before looking back at her.
>Her expression is fluctuating between worried and glad.
>"I noticed you had a bit of an accent there, Anonymous. I take it you came here from Prance?"
>You push yourself into a more upright position and lean your head against the wall behind you.
"Not exactly."
>You are freaking out so hard right now, but..
>But she had taken you to a hospital and she seems genuinely concerned.
>Maybe you had overreacted to all of this.
>HA! As if!
>This is freaking you out more than you want to admit.
>Trying to go with the flow was a huge failure.
>You are currently in another country, inhabited at least partly by sentient, magical ponies.
>What part of this is even close to alright by any standard?

>"Fucking pull yourself together!" You think.
>"-There might still be a way to get home. Maybe one of them can zap you back to Cassis or something."
>You turn your head back to Rarity and sigh.
"Alright... wait! You said, Prance, right? Is that the local name for France?"
>Oh god just let it be a coincidence and not some horrible pun.
>She seems to ponder this for a bit.
>"Not sure, to be honest. I don't think I've ever heard of any place in Equestria or any surrounding nation where it's spelled or pronounced with an F."
>Your heart sinks a foot or two.
"But it might be the same, right?"
>Hoping desperately for a chance to know where to go, you look back into her worried, blue eyes.
>"I'd say there is a chance that it could be so, yes. The language seems to the same at least."
>She replies with a smile and a nod.
>Oh thank the powers that be!
>Rarity then looks over to the nurse who's been trying to get your attention with some subtle coughs.
>"Something wrong?"
>She is now sounding worried again.
>"No. He's just dehydrated and experienced a major shock. He's been given drip and should be fit to leave now that he's awake."
>The nurse gives you a serious look.
>"I strongly suggest that you go and get something to eat and drink a lot of water for the next 24 hours unless you want to spend another night here."
>With that, she walks up and removes the tube from your arm, plants a small band-aid on the wrist and trots out of the room, leaving you and rarity.

>You sit up, feeling drained but otherwise alright.
>Damn it. Passing out in public.
>Not only were you in a town of talking horses, but you had made a fool out of yourself.
>Frowning, you stand up and walk over to the chair where your suit jacket and vest lay neatly folded with the red tie hanging on the armrest.
>You don the tie and vest and button up the jacket, then pull your coat from the hook on the wall and put it on.
>Feeling proper once more, you turn back to Rarity.
>She had watched you dress with interest, probably from the fact that your clothes looked very different from the ones she would be used to.
>When she notices that you are presentable once more, she nods and trots over to the door.
>Instincts pop in and you take a few quick steps to get ahead of her and you promptly open the door and hold it up for her.
>"How kind of you, Anonymous. A true gentlecolt indeed."
>She giggles, gives you a slight bow and walks out with you following closely behind.
>The hospital smells like any other hospital, antiseptic and sterile. Ugh.
>The fresh air hits you like a welcome hug as you exit into the morning light.
"Oh god, so much better."
>You take a deep breath and stretch out your arms.

>"Now that you're up and about, how about we get ourselves some breakfast, Anonymous?"
>Her suggestion perks your ears and you can feel the black hole in your stomach suddenly make it's presence known, big time.
>"Alright." You think. "First breakfast, then we'll see if we can find ourselves a map or something. That way we can always take a train or bus or something if they can't just magic you back home."
>-"Sounds like a plan. Can't plan travels on an empty stomach."
>Turning to Rarity, you feel a bit more comfortable now that you see a chance to get out of here.
>No need to freak out, just show patience and good things will come.
"That sounds marvelous. Would you mind recommending a place?"
>You pull the collar up on your coat and follow her as she begin walking back towards town.
>"I know this adorable little place that I'm sure you'll love."
>The town is a bit more lively now than it was before.
>Apparently there has been some sort of event taking place yesterday so the inhabitants would most likely have just started returning when you passed out.
>A few of them sends curious looks your way.
>A few whispers are exchanged.
>One or two trots out of your way but generally they don't seem THAT worried about you.
>More curious than anything else.
>"Seems as if you are turning a few head, Anonymous."
>She sings out teasingly while you're walking.
"huh, can't imagine why. Just your average giant walking amongst them."
>You reply with a sarcastic tone, followed my a chuckle.


>The feeling of being the center of attention is working on your nerves, so joking seems like a good way to not freak out again.
>"Seems" like was the word.
>You are sweating slightly.
>"Ah, here we are."
>The two of you stop outside a small café. A cute little establishment painted in red and cream wood walls with a white roof, crowned with orange fall-themed bushes in arcs around the outside serving area.
>It looks quaint, but incredibly charming. Like a regular hangout in some TV-show.
>The bell jingle as you enter the establishment and except for a few whispers and occasional clink of cups, the place is fairly quiet.
>Rarity walks up to the counter and grab two menus with her magic and make her way towards a window seat before she stops and looks over to another table.
>"Fluttershy!"
>She exclaims with a small bounce.
>The yellow mare sitting alone at the table lets out a squeak and slides down on the couch she sits on.
>wat
>Rarity promptly makes her way over her.
>"Oh, I'm sorry if I startled you, dear. It's just, I've never seen you at the café before."
>You carefully walk over to the table and take a closer look at the scene.


>At the sight of you, the yellow pony lets out another squeak, slides further down onto the floor and curl up into a small shuddering yellow and pink ball.
>Oh no... my heart!
"Uh.. is everything alright?"
>You raise an eyebrow at Rarity and lean against the backrest of the couch.
>She lets out a sigh and sits down across the table on the couch you were leaning on.
>"Really, Fluttershy. You really ought to work on that confidence!"
>She speaks with a soft tone.
>"and don't worry about Anonymous here. He's a gentlecolt by every definition."
>She waves her hoof and opens up her menu.
>You kneel down near the ball and try to put on your most harmless voice you can.
"I'm sorry if I spooked you. I'm Anonymous, pleased to meet you."
>She stops shaking and slowly crawls back up on the couch, her face partially obscured by her pink bangs.
>"Uhm... i-it's nice to meet y-you too, Anonymous."
>She mumbles almost silently. A large, deep turquoise eye is looking up at you while she's fidgeting with her hooves on the table.
>ALL OF MY HNNNNNGGGGH!

>You take a seat next to Rarity and open up your menu as well, but keep your eyes on Fluttershy.
>"So, Fluttershy. I haven't seen you here before. Is there a special occasion going on?"
>Rarity asks with a curious smile on her lips.
>"Uhm... not really."
>She takes a careful sip from her mug, now avoiding your gaze.
>"I just heard from Twilight that they have really nice hot coco here."
>Fluttershy puts the cup down and looks out through the window at the autumn sunrise.
>"The birds have flown south and the animals have started preparing for their hibernation. Now it's only me and Angel at home and he's sleeping right now, so I thought I'd come down and try it out."
>She gives a nervous smile back to Rarity before she begins to fidget again.
>You take your eyes off her and obey your rumbling stomach.
>Scanning through the menu, you notice it to be a vegetarian place.
>No biggie. You could eat anything right now so you try to pick out what seems to be the biggest meal.
>The waiter collects your menus after you and Rarity decide to share a large rotating plate with vegetable sticks and dips.
>Fluttershy seems content with her coco.
>While waiting for the food, you decide to speculate a bit.
>Alright, so far you've found out that you are probably still on Earth.
>Prance or France was a place, so you could probably get back to Cassis.
>Also, the ponies here wore clothes from time to time apparently.
>So, logically, once you've gone back home, you could probably come back here again and maybe set up a boutique here as well.
>Hmmm, maybe in Canterlot? She said that's where the royal castle was so maybe some rich ponies would be interested in some 'exotic' human fashion, made for ponies, of course.
>Wow. Perhaps this wasn't as bad as you initially thought.
>You could get back to your business and even expand into these lands.


>But... wait. This doesn't make sense.
>If I'm on Earth, then why have I never heard of something like this?
>It wouldn't seem very mundane and people would probably talk about even if it had been known long enough to be a normal thing.
>And what about magic?
>Was the government covering this up?
>Oh god. If they are and they know I've been here then I'd probably be taken to some blacksite and tortured or something.
>Oh fuck.
>Then.. if this was true, then the legends of pegasi and unicorns could just be information leaks or something?
>Times throughout history when something slipped in between the cracks?
>Crap, this was way too much.
>But it DID make it all feel much more comprehensible.
>A shit theory is better comfort than none.
>Someone had told you that on the internet.
>The internet wouldn't lie to you.

>The food arrives and you wash the thoughts away as you begin eating.
>The vegetables are delicious, perfectly cooked and steamed and the dip was creamy as all hell.
>An audible "mmmh" escapes your lips with something like a melting-in-pleasure face before you put up your stoic wall again.
>Rarity is eating, so she didn't really pick it up, but hearing Fluttershy let loose a faint giggle lets you know she saw it all.
>She knows.
>She must die.
>After you finish eating, of course.
>A glorious meal worthy of the Emperor himself later, Rarity leans back into the couch while you sip on your water.
>The food re-invigorates you beyond your expectations and you feel better than you ever have before.
>What did they put in the food?
>The waiter returns and collects the dishes and leaves the check in one magic swoop of his horn.
>You kinda jelly.
>Picking out your wallet, you look at the check and quickly scan for the price.
>20?
>That's cheap as heck.
>If everything here is this cheap you'd have to be careful with the value of your clothes once you set up shop.
>You leave a 20 bill and an extra 5 for the tip.


>Fluttershy and Rarity looks at the bills, then up at you with quizzical expressions.
>"Excuse me, Darling. But what are those?"
>You turn to give her a matching confused look.
"Oh. You don't use Terra bonds here?"
>Latest fad that swept the world. A global currency that you had invested in at an early stage, one of the reasons why you could amass such a fortune and open up everywhere since pretty much every nation had voted them into their exchange and could use them at your store amongst a few other smart investor brands.
>"I'm afraid not. Equestria uses Bits, dear."
>She smiles and pushes the bills back to you before levitating a few golden coins from... somewhere and lay them onto the note.
"Ah I see. Well, thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't treat you to this. I'll try and make it up to you somehow."
>Rarity lets out a giggle and Fluttershy, now a bit more comfortable with you being so nice and all joins her.
>"Don't worry mister Anonymous. Rarity here is the element of generosity. She's always willing to help out others."
>She gives Rarity a sly smile.
>"Though she DOES like to be pampered sometimes."
>Rarity opens her mouth to agree with Fluttershy before letting out a "bwah?!"
>She looks at Fluttershy with a shocked look.
>"W-what are you saying Flutterhsy?!"
>Suddenly the yellow pegasus retreats back, shrinking a bit.
>"uh.. I-I was just joking. D-did I overdo it?"
>She lets out the most adorable intimidated squeak you've heard and you resist the sudden urge to hug her forever.

>Rarity blinks, regains her composure and starts laughing.
>"N-haha Not at all, Fluttershy, darling!"
>She wipes a tear from her eye and smiles.
>"I wasn't expecting it, is all."
>Fluttershy relaxes and smiles, seeming a bit proud of herself from whatever Rarity meant.
>After a bit of small talk you all decide to head off.
>Fluttershy gives you a smile after setting a date later in the week for them to visit a spa.
>"It was nice to meet you Mr. Anonymous."
>Looks like these ponies have a lot in common with humans.
>Indulgence is not a vice after all.
>Neither are manners.
>You return the smile and a wave.
"Likewise, Miss Fluttershy. Have a nice day."
>She heads back to her place and you and Rarity take a stroll through town.
>She seems to have a particular place in mind as she's taking specific turns between buildings.
"Miss Rarity, if I may ask. Is there a place where I could get a map? I'd like to know where I am so I can get home quickly. My colleagues should be able to run my business in my absence but it won't look good for the company image if the boss just vanishes."
>She chuckles and looks up at you.
>"I know exactly what you mean. It's funny how you'd mention that. I thought we'd head over to my friend Twilight. She lives in the town library and should have a map there."
>A wide smile spreads on your lips. Finally some progress.
>After turning left at another house you see it.
>A tree, a huge tree. A huge tree with windows, a door and a balcony.
>You want one.
>So bad.

>Rarity takes up a faster trot and knocks on the door before you reach it.
>The door opens up and a voice suddenly calls out.
>"Rarity, look out. There's a thing behind you!"
>Something resembling a bipedal lizard jumps out in between you and Rarity and brandishes a broom which he points at you with an adorable little scowl.
>A laugh is all the little green and purple thing gets from Rarity before she gives him a kiss on the head.
>"Aww. My little Spikey-Wikey. You're such a brave knight to come to my aid. But this is Anonymous and he's most certainly friendly."
>Spikey-Wikey suddenly blushes and begins swaying cartoonishly at the kiss.
>"W-whatever you say, Rarity."
>He Wobbles inside and Rarity gives you a muted giggle with a hoof over her mouth before she trots inside and calls out for someone.
>"Twilight, hun. I have somepony here who needs your help."
You walk up to the door and peek inside.
>This place looks much bigger on the inside. Was this even possible?
>Oh wait.. magic, nevermind.
>"Coming! I was just in the middle of sort-Woah!"
>The surprise at seeing your face sticking in through the door and looking at her sends her stumbling clumsily down the staircase leading up to an upper floor.
>She's the one you saw casually trotting through the woods where you woke up.
>Purple coat of fur, dark blue mane with a pink and purple streak through it, unicorn and now that she's not wearing the number patch you can see a tattoo of some sort on her flank. A pink star with smaller white stars around it.
>You look at Rarity and she's got one too. How didn't you notice it before?
>Three blue diamonds.

>huh.. guess tattoos are another thing they shared with humans.
>Well, can't say they weren't making this easier to accept now that the fear and shock had began to subside.
>The more you saw, the more it felt like normal. Odd how humans seem to have an ability to turn anything mundane after a while.
>You snap out of your thoughts as you realize you have entered into the tree, the lizard had closed the door behind you and you have have missed a short conversation between Rarity and Twilight.
>The purple pony walks closer to you, eying you from head to toe with curiosity.
>You let your arms hand casually by your sides and let her take a look.
>She scrunches her nose a bit. Oh god these ponies can be adorable.
>She turns back to Rarity and shakes her head, speaking with an annoyed tone.
>"No idea Rarity. I've never seen or heard of anything like him. But if what you say is true then he shouldn't be a danger to anyone. But I'd like to ask him a few questions if that's alright."
>You tense up a bit. You don't like being questioned. It makes you feel like you are being reviewed. A weakness of your is that despite your solid outer wall, you are pretty insecure about yourself. Always worrying about what people think about you.
>You can take critique, but it does make you feel like people liked to point out what you lacked.
>Wanting to be liked while having a job where you are expected to be businesslike and ruthless has created a plethora of issues that you have to deal with and it becomes easy to blow things out of proportion.
>You take a deep breath and fight the urge to stutter.
"Ask away."