Appleloosan

Beeep. Beeep. Beeep. Beeep. Beeep. Beeep.

I lifted my head off the pillow, glancing at the beeping device currently attempting to pull me from my slumber. Had I slept all that time? From lunch yesterday, to today. What was today, anyway? According to my alarm clock, it was 6:00AM, and the day was... THO. Whatever THO stood for. I flopped back onto my pillow, blindly reaching out toward my alarm clock, fumbling around for the button. And I ended up knocking it to the floor and smashing it to pieces. Whoops.

I looked back up. It was still barely light outside, typical Scottish autumn. And this was the first day back to school after two weeks of holiday. And I was not looking forward to it.

I rolled over in my bed, feeling my hair against my shoulders. Wait, what? My hair’s long, but it’s not that long...

I looked over the edge of the bed at the pieces of my alarm clock and was reminded of why I had to wake up this early in the first place. I groaned in complaint. Wait... what the hell was that? I groaned again. There it was again! Someone else was in my room!

“Who’s th... there...” the voice said. My voice said. My voice. What happened to my voice? It was... wrong. It was alien to me. My voice. The one I had had my entire life, and suddenly it’s gone, replaced by this stupid voice.

“Hello. Hello! Hello~,” I tested my new voice out. Wait... “Hey there!”

...fuck.

I lifted a hand to my face. Flat, hard, nothing past the wrist. My hand was gone, replaced by this alien appendage. A hoof. A light-gold hoof. My light-gold hoof.

I reached my arm out from under the cover. Oh god oh god oh god oh god...

I threw the covers off with my strange new limbs. My feet were in the same situation, looking as if they’d just been cut off and replaced with some strange, hard substance. My legs were bent backwards, contorted into a more animalistic form. A muzzle protruded from my face, taking up about a third of my vision. And my whole body was covered in light-golden fur.

Well. This is perfectly normal.

I rolled over the edge of my bed, crashing down onto the floor. It felt strange. The whole room looked strange. I was smaller than I used to be. Not too small, but much smaller compared to the day before. I slowly lifted myself off the floor. And immediately flopped back down again. This is harder than I thought...

I wriggled over to the wall and tried using that as support. Slowly and steadily, I managed a semi-stable stance. Okay, I’m up! ...nope.

I sighed. Gonna have to learn how to stand, how to walk, how to everything.

After about five minutes of falling over, I finally stood up. I shuffled away from the wall, keeping my balance. I was standing! I was actually standing!

...I was standing. This was now an achievement. Huzzah.

And now that I had mastered the art of standing up, I began to think about just what I was going to do.

Loading file...

A://ohlookimapony.exe...

Running...

You wake up in your room. It is a small, simple room, with not much other than a bed, a chair, and a desk with a laptop sitting on top of it. You are also a pony. You distinctly remember being human the day before.

What do you do?

>Check gender

Alright, then. You look down between your legs. Wait... where... oh, no... wait, there it is. Still male. What did you expect?

What do you do?

>Contemplate the philosophical implications of your current situation

Wait... Oh god. This was... I... I died. I was dead. Since ‘I’ am not alive any more, I am dead. The me that had existed on this planet for fourteen years was no longer in existence. I had died last night. And I was now a pony. I died, and then I was a pony.

...Argh, my brain.

Note to self: Don’t try to philosophy ever again.

>Check for more news on the ponypocalypse.

First I’m gonna have to learn how to walk, aren’t I? I mean, it’s all the way over there... wait... idea!

I flopped onto the ground and dragged myself over to my desk. What? It works!

I lifted myself up onto my seat, reaching towards the on switch of my trusty laptop. And now I just wait for the damn thing to boot up... Here we are! Now I just type in my password... damn it. Big hoof, tiny keys, big hoof, tiny keys...

I tried pressing only one key at a time, using the tip of my hoof. Huzzah! It works! I’m in!

...I logged into my computer. Once again, this is now an achievement. Fantastic.

Pushing the mouse across the desk, I hovered the cursor over the Chrome icon. Just a little click... aha! I am on the internet! Now, let’s see, Equestria Daily... Oh. Wow. There’s an official anti-pony association, Fluttershy got shot, Twilight’s in a coma, and both the Elements of Laughter and Kindness have appeared. I really should check up here more often. Also, THO stands for Thorsday, apparently.

I browsed around the net a little bit, before I had an idea. Any members of the Apple Family? Anywhere? No... wait, here! Something about Big Mac! ...and, of course, he’s all the way over in America.

Wait... in America... Lauren Faust said that all the Element bearers should gather in New York. That means... that means, everypony will be going to New York! Everypony will think, ‘Well, if all the Elements have to go there, I might as well go there too’! And thus, all ponies have to go to New York! Because, where else is there to go? I have to go to New York! I’m going to New York!

...I’m going to New York. I am going. To New York.

And it was at that moment that my mum decided to walk in.

“Good morning!” she said cheerfully, looking towards the bed.

I swivelled the chair around. “Does it look lahk a good mornin’?”

She stood there, in silence, for a good minute or two. Several times, she opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again a few moments later, shaking her head. Eventually, she spoke. “Hello,” was all she said.

“Hey there. Ah’m Braeburn. Nahce ta meet ya.”

Once again, back to the awkward silence.

“I see you’re still wearing that... thing,” she said.

“Yeah, Ah am. Must’a fallen ‘sleep with it on,” I said, slipping off the chair and back onto the ground, managing to keep a stable stance. I focused on how the ponies walk. Front right, back left, front left, back right. Repeat. Running this over in my head, I took a few cautious steps. It works! I’m walking!

My mum just stared as I walked across the room. “You are a pony. My son is a pony. Oh, just wait until your father hears about this. This can’t possibly end well...”

“It’ll be fahn,” I said. “He’ll help, won’t he? Ah can’t git to New York all on mah own.”

“New York? New York?” my mum said. “What do you need to go there for?”

“Lauren Faust said that we all have ta go,” I said. Yes, it’s technically a lie, but who cares? I don’t have to explain everything to her, do I?

“And who is this Lauren Faust?” my mum asked.

“Oh, ya know, creator of the show, and also goddess of the sun. No big deal.”

“Alright, then,” she said, walking out and closing the door behind her.

I walked back over to the chair and hopped onto it, swivelling it back round to face the laptop. I should probably announce what happened, perhaps there’s someone else nearby in the same situation that could travel with us? The only question is, how do I make the announcement? ...a video! That’s it!

I set up my webcam and pressed record, ducking down and hiding from the camera’s view. I waited a few seconds. Then...

“Hey there!” I jumped back into the shot. “Okay, finally gonna use this channel for something other than commenting. Ahem. Hello! As ya can see, Ah have turned inta Braeburn. And Ah need yer help. If there’s anypony else tha’s found themselves in a similar situation, and is in or around Perth, Scotland, comment on this video with a time and location for us ta meet up. We’re gonna need all the help we can get. Thanks in advance.”

With a tap of the spacebar, the video stopped recording. I browsed over to YouTube and uploaded the video. And I posted it to my Facebook for good measure. Who knows, perhaps one of my friends is like this too?

I leaned back in the chair. Now, I just wait...

...this is boring. I wonder if my sisters have woken up yet?

I stepped off the chair and walked towards the door. Luckily, my mum hadn’t closed it completely, so it was a simple matter of reaching a hoof through and pulling it open. I walked out into the hallway and toward my sisters’ room’s door. I knocked a hoof on the door.

And, of course, it was my youngest sister that opened the door. She’s only 8 years old. And there is a pony in front of her. Think fast, think fast!

“A pony!” she shouted, practically falling over towards me and hugging me so tight I couldn’t breathe. Too slow, Braeburn.

“Uh, hey there!” I said, trying to keep in-character. I didn’t want to tell her who I was. She didn’t need to know who I was. “Um... could ya let me go? Ah can’t breathe...”

She loosened her grip a little bit, but still holding on pretty tight. My other sister appeared behind her.

“Um, hi. D’ya think ya could maybe git her off me? Thanks,” I said to her.

In response, she fell over backwards, out like a light. Brilliant.

“Ah’m serious. Please let go,” I said, trying to wriggle free.

“No. You’re my little pony,” my sister said. “Forever.”

I sighed. Big mistake. I had just let out what little air I still had. I forcibly pushed her off me, sending her tumbling backwards.

“No, Ah’m not,” I said, walking out. And straight into my dad. I looked up. Welp. No use lying to him. “Um... hi, dad.”

There were many reactions I’d expected at that moment, and I was prepared for all of them, all the way from attempting to kill me to running away screaming. I was prepared for every possible outcome. Except one.

He crouched down, looking into my eyes. He slowly lifted his arms and wrapped them tight around me. Definitely not what I was expecting.

I blinked. He was hugging me. The man that wanted to destroy everything pony-related was hugging me. Well, what did I expect? He was my dad.

I smiled, leaning into the hug. This was nice. Unexpected, but nice.

After a few moments, he let go and stood back up. “I should’ve guessed. After the way you dressed yesterday, and the accent... I should’ve known this would happen.”

“So,” I said, looking up at him. “Ah need ta git to New York.”

“You what.”

“Ah need ta git to New York ‘cause Celestia said so.”

“Okay, give me a minute to process this. My son is a pony, and wants to go to New York.”

“Not wants,” I corrected him. “Needs.”

“Alright. My son needs to go to New York, because a magical talking winged unicorn said so.”

“Yes!”

“No.”

“But-”

“No!” he shouted. “I’m not taking you to New York! If I take you, your sisters will want to go too. And then I’ll end up taking the whole family.”

“So...” I said. “Ye’re not gonna take me?”

He glared at me in response.

“Excellent,” I said, smiling and walking back into my room. “Ah’ll go pack mah bags.”

“But-” my dad started to say, but he was cut off by the sound of the door slamming behind me.

Alright, what do I need? I’ll need... Well, my laptop, of course. I shut it down and unplugged it, throwing it onto the chair. I’ll need my phone, too. Onto the pile it goes. And something to keep me warm. And food for the journey. And a bag to hold it all in...

Okay, so, clothes I already had. But I needed something on top of that, since it was autumn, and a Scottish one at that. I grabbed a hoodie from my wardrobe and threw it onto the pile.

A bag. Simple, my rucksack. Since there was no way in Tartarus I’d go to school like this, I might as well just use that. I tipped out the contents of the bag. Old homework, notebooks, all my school stuff, spilled out onto the floor.

Food. Now, that was tricky, since I couldn’t exactly go to the kitchen and take it from the fridge. That would be stealing. Since it wasn’t exactly my house any more, was it? I could buy my own food, if I had any money in the first place. Wait... surely my parents wouldn’t mind lending me a bit of money, would they?

I walked over to the door, grabbing the handle in my mouth and twisting it open. I trotted along the hallway, when I was met with my biggest challenge yet. My one weakness even when I was still human.

Stairs.

Maybe I could... no... perhaps... no... aha! I can just... fall flat on my face and crash down the stairs. That works too.

I lifted myself back up off the floor and walked into the kitchen.

“Um, hello?” I said, looking around.

My mum peeked out from the closet which housed her office. “Yes?”

“Uh... Ah need to git to New York.”

“You already told me that.”

“Yeah, but...” I said. “Dad’s not gonna take me. And Ah need ta go there. So Ah’ll have ta go on mah own. And Ah’ll need supplies fer the trip. Things like food and water and stuff.”

“Well, the fridge is right there,” she said.

“But Ah can’t! Not only is it not mah house any more, Ah’m not even sure what Ah can or can’t eat any more. It’d be better ta have money than a bag full’a food Ah can’t eat.”

She nodded. “How much do you need?”

“Ah think ‘bout fifty pounds should do it.”

She reached into her handbag, pulling out her wallet. She took out five twenty-pound notes and stuck them out towards me.

“B-but this...” I blinked, taking the money. “A hundred pounds?”

“Yes. Don’t tell your father.”

I nodded and ran back out. Now, then. How am I going to get back up the stairs? It’s not like I can fall up.

I cautiously lifted a hoof, placing it onto the first step. Okay, looking good so far. I pulled myself up slightly, placing my other front hoof on the second step. I repeated the process, lifting myself up, almost dragging myself up the stairs, until I reached the top.

I walked back into my room, and started packing. Laptop, phone, money, headphones, chargers...

Hmm, should I bring a book? Yes. I picked up a book that had been sitting on my bedside table for a while, looking at the cover. A space station, situated in orbit around a star, the title big and bold against the black void of space. Hidden Empire. I smiled, stuffing it into my bag and zipping it shut.

I took my vest thingy off and put the hoodie on, putting the vest back on over it. I picked up my hat, which had been left on the ground by past-me, and flipped it onto my head. I stuck my front hooves through rucksack’s straps, pulling it onto my back.

And with that, I was ready. Ready to face whatever the world would throw at me in my quest to reach New York. Ready to face both adoring fans and hateful enemies. Ready to run, ready to fight.

There was one thing, however, that I was not ready for. Saying goodbye.

I sighed, walking towards my sisters’ room. I stepped inside.

“Hello?” I asked.

My youngest sister immediately shot up in her seat. “Pony!” she shouted, diving towards me. I dodged out of the way, looking around the room. Where was she? Where was my other sister?

I felt something clamping onto my side. Oh, there she is.

I turned my head to face her. “Hello,” I said. Oh, god, no. I can’t do this to them. But... I have to. “You... do ya know who Ah am?”

“Of course!” my youngest sister said, hugging onto my leg. “You’re Braeburn!”

“Yes, but...” I sighed. “Ah’m... ya know about the stuff happening, all ‘round the world?”

“Yeah! Ponies appearing in real life!”

“And... what... how do they appear?”

“They...” she said. “People wake up as them.”

I nodded. “And... where’s yer brother?”

She blinked. “Well... he’s... h-he’s...”

“He’s right here,” my other sister said, hugging me tighter.

“And ya know what Ah have to do, don’t you?” I said. “Ah have to go. And Ah probably won’t come back anytime soon. The fate of the universe ‘pends on it. That means Ah need ya to let go.”

My other sister got the message, releasing me and standing back. My youngest sister, however, didn’t quite understand.

“Ahem...” I said, shaking my leg in an attempt to get her off me. “Ah need ya to let go.”

Reluctantly, she pulled away. I walked out and down the stairs, somehow able to stay upright. My mum and dad were waiting for me downstairs.

“Listen, sweetie,” my mum said. “We know it’ll be hard, and we know it’ll be dangerous. We don’t want you going out there, all by yourself. But there’s nothing we can do to stop you. And if you really need to go, then, that’s okay. Off you go.”

I nodded, walking past them and to the door. I looked back. My sisters had followed me down and were standing alongside my parents.

“Good luck, Braeburn,” my youngest sister said.

I nodded, twisting the handle and opening the door. And I stepped out, closing the door behind me.