Leaving Reality

Apparently this rabbit hole I was currently in had a few potholes along the way. I was hanging onto the control panel having a hard time not falling over and throwing up, the whole damn room was like a roller coaster. Eventually it all stopped, indicated by a rather dull and undramatic thud.

"I really should find a way to make this thing have cool sounds." I said out loud. "Every time machine needs cool sounds." I've probably said that more than once. I ran over to my computer, which was nothing much, just a laptop from 2009 wired into the controls. I began the same routine I do every time I land somewhere,which is start expelling oxygen from within the TARDIS to the outdoor environment so I can at least poke my head out. I started to type in the commands when a message popped up.

'Oxygen Output Unnecessary' Read the message.

"Oxygen output unnecessary? So that means there's already oxygen outside?" I thought a moment before smiling. "If there's oxygen, there could be life."

I clapped my hands together. "SO! Oxygen, possibly life, what do I need?" I began scanning around the interior of the control room. I patted my pockets to check if their usual contents were still there.

"Phone, knife, glasses, key...wheres my watch?" I looked over to the doors to see my brown coat hanging from a coat rack. I walked over and checked the pockets.

"There you are, thought I'd lost you." I said to the fob watch. I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, I really need to kick this habit of talking to inanimate objects." I looked down at the umbrella stand next to the coat rack, its occupants a black umbrella and a sheathed cutlass. I picked up the cutlass and looked at it for a moment.

I shrugged. "Better safe than sorry." I suppose if I really wanted to be safe I could take a gun, but I don't like guns, it's too easy to accidentally kill someone. And if you're a time traveler that doesn't know where they're going half the time, it's even worse. I can't exactly go to 1766 and shoot someone with a 44. magnum, it raises too many questions. And to top it off, I just don't like shooting people.

I put my hands on the door. "Oh man, there could be anything out there." I said to myself. I started laughing from a combination of nervousness and excitement. I opened the doors and stepped outside.

"Damn it!" I said a bit louder than I intended. I threw up my arm to shield my eyes from the sun. I blinked my eyes a few times to try and adjust my eyes to the light. I lowered my arm and realized just what I had shielded my eyes from. A sun.

I closed my eyes and turned my face to the sky. I stood there for I don't know how long, I just got lost in the blissful feeling of the sun dancing on my face. I hadn't felt sunlight like this since I left Earth.

Earth. That jolted my out of my trance, where was I?

"Wait, before I try to figure out where I am.." I said. I turned around to look at the open doors of the blue police box. I slapped myself in the forehead. Idiot, don't leave the door to your time machine unlocked. After locking the doors and putting the key back inside my hidden pocket (a small flap reveals that the pocket on my right leg goes a bit deeper), I turned back around to take in my surroundings.

I was standing on some type of dirt with a dark brownish color. It looked pretty fertile, like something you would see on a farm. I looked forward and saw that I was surrounded by apple trees. I walked toward the closest and put my hand on it, getting a feel for the texture of the bark.

I'm sure I don't look weird at all, standing here, with a big blue box while I touch a tree like I've never seen one before. Which I suppose is half true, I just haven't seen one in a while. A sudden realization shook my out of my tree hugging moment. These were apple trees. I turned my head up.

My stomach groaned as soon as I saw them. Juicy, red, apples. It was almost cartoonish how delicious they looked. I had run out of apples a long time ago, mainly due to the fact that I don't have the space to grow them. I reached up and picked the closest apple, and sat down to enjoy the fruit even more. I got a more intoxicating feeling from the smell of the apple than I did from the sunlight.

Of course the universe wouldn't have that, because almost as soon as sat down I was met with a powerful blow to the back of my head. I fell forward and my vision began to blacken, my last sight being a mixture of brown and green from the trees, as well as some unknown orange thing that I couldn't decipher.

Applejack had been going about her daily applebucking routine, same as everyday. Some ponies might have thought that it would get boring, but Applejack enjoyed it all the same. She found it a good way to vent her frustrations after a difficult day.

Today was not one of those days though. Applejack was in a good mood, going from tree to tree, developing a rhythm with her work. Move to a tree *thunk*. Move to the next tree *thunk*. This continued for some time, it was almost a form of meditation for the hard working earth pony.

That is, until a loud dull thud interrupted her work. Applejack immediately stopped and looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. She was used to her friends and family sometimes interrupting her, but this was something new.

I wonder what it could be, the only thing I could think of is a tree. Applejack chuckled to herself. Shucks, I'm starting to sound like Zecora.

"Damn it!" Shouted an agitated voice

What in tarnation? That definitely ain't a tree She thought to herself. It didn't take Applejack long to find the source of the noise. She blinked her eyes a few times when she found it, trying to make sure she hadn't overworked herself and wasn't just seeing things.

In front of her stood a tall blue box, as well as something that looked similar to a diamond dog. But the creature had clothes, and it's features were not as ugly as a diamond dogs (even though that isn't saying much). She wasn't sure what to make of the creature, but she noticed what looked to be a sword dangling from the creature's hip.

Best to stay back fer now Applejack thought, studying the sight before her.

Then the creature did something that made Applejack's blood boil, it picked one of the Apple family's precious apples. This creature was armed, and was literally stealing the fruits of her labor. She wondered how she was going to confront the thief, when fortune smiled upon her as the creature sat down to enjoy the fruit, putting its head at about the same level as Applejack. She crept up silently just as the creature was about to take a bite and bought a hoof to the back of its head. The blow delivered the desired effect, as the thing lost its grip on the stolen apple and fell forward.

Applejack trotted over to its side, relived to see its chest rising and falling. While the creature was a thief, she certainly didn't want to kill it. She turned her attention to the large blue box a few feet from the creature. The box stood tall, shaded by one of the nearby apple trees.

Police public call box, now what the hay does that mean? Applejack thought to herself. She noticed what looked like two doors, and pushed one of them with her hoof. When it didn't budge, she tried adding more force with two hooves. Finally she restored to bucking the doors like they were a tree, and still they did not yield.

She turned her attention back to the creature.

Well, he ain't gettin up anytime soon The earth pony thought smugly.

I wonder if Twilight or Fluttershy could help figure out what it is. She noticed the clothes the creature was wearing.

Clothes too, I guess I should get Rarity to. Shucks might as well get the the whole gang together. She smiled at the formulation of her plan, and trotted off to get some rope to make sure whatever it is doesn't escape.

Applejack returned shortly, giving the creature a poke before hog-tying it.

Out like ah light Applejack thought, and set off to gather her friends.

Applejack didn't give much explanation to her friends, just that she found some odd clothed creature in her orchard, along with a blue box.

"So, what does this 'creature' look like?" Twilight asked as they walked down the orchard path.

"I don't rightly know, it looked a bit like a big monkey" Applejack replied.

"You woke me up so we could all look at a monkey?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, fairly angry her important afternoon nap had been interrupted for monkeys.

"It ain't a regular monkey Dash, it had clothes, and I'm pretty sure it had a sword to." Applejack said.

"A...sword?" Fluttershy whimpered, her ears flattening against her head in fear.

"Don't worry Fluttershy, I doubt it could beat me in a fight." Rainbow said smugly, holding a hoof to her chest. Applejack nodded.

"Yep, he's out cold after a little talk with my hoof."

"You knocked him unconscious? Applejack, you can't just knock some creature we know nothing about unconscious." Twilight scolded.

"Well he was stealin' my apples!" Applejack said defensively. Twilight could only facehoof in response.

"Come on, it's off the path a bit." Applejack jerked her head to the left, and began following the imprints her hooves made when she left to find her friends.

The six friends soon reached the clearing. The ponies were surprised at what they saw, except for Applejack, who was relived that the creature hadn't moved.

"I'm glad you got us Applejack, that is an odd creature indeed." Twilight said, trying to remember if she had ever read about anything like this.

"Is it still unconscious?" Fluttershy asked, her fears being confirmed as she saw that there was indeed a
sword on the hog-tied creatures side.

"I don't know, but just to be sure..." Twilight's horn began to glow, and a purple flash came from the creatures body.

Twilight smiled "There, it shouldn't wake up for at least another hour." She stepped towards the creature, the other five ponies in tow.

"I've never seen anything like it, have you Fluttershy?" Twilight asked

"No..." Came the reply from the frightened pegasus that was furthest from the creature. Twilight swiveled her head towards the box. Noticing the doors she pressed a hoof against it.

"That ain't gonna work Twi', I couldn't get it open myself." Applejack spoke up. Twilight thought a moment with a hoof to her chin before turning back to the group.

"Alright, we should probably get its weapon off it, and wait for it to wake up."

"You think it can talk?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I would be surprised if it didn't Rainbow, if it can wear clothes it must have some sort of intelligence." Rarity said. Twilight smiled and nodded.

"Exactly, I think we should take it to the barn. Rarity, can you take the sword and anything else it has in its pockets." Rarity nodded, looking nervous about being around the creature. As she got closer, her looked changed from one of nervousness to disapproval.

Why would anything wear this? That jacket is hideous

Using her magic, she withdrew the sword and the creatures pocket contents and quickly backed away from it.

"Alright, I think we should put him in the barn and wait until it wakes up. Rainbow Dash, I want you to guard it and make sure it doesn't try to escape. I want the rest of you to help me examine what was in its pockets and try to get these doors open." Twilight said, assigning each of them jobs. The five ponies nodded in response.

Twilight's horn glowed and the box became engulfed in a purple aura. The box lifted off the ground, wobbling as it did so. Twilight stared to frown.

"Rarity, do you think you can carry the creature? This box is heavier than it looks."

"Of course Twilight." Rarity said. The creature and its pocket contents were soon floating through the air by Rarity's magic.

The walk to Applejack's barn was silent, as the six friends kept their eyes on either the box or the creature. Applejack pushed the doors open when they reached the barn, reveling the dim lantern lit interior filled with hay and barrels of apples.

"Alright, just set him down over there." Twilight said, gesturing to a small pile of hay. Rarity nodded and set the creature down, relieved that she didn't have to carry it anymore.

"Rainbow, fly up there and try to hide yourself in the hay. We'll be outside, let us know if he wakes up." Twilight said, gesturing to the second floor of the barn, which was only filled with more barrels and hay. Rainbow Dash gave a mock salute and pushed the red barn door closed. Twilight dropped the heavy box outside the barn and let out an exhausted sigh.

Whats in this thing, bricks? She thought. Twilight put on a tired smile.

"Come on, lets go inside to look at what was in his pockets." Twilight said, motioning towards the farmhouse. The four ponies nodded in agreement and trotted towards Applejack's home to try and find out what they could about the strange creature and its blue box.

I woke up in a small pile of hay. Well, at least it's a change from the books and computer I usually wake up in.

I tried to sit up but I was restrained by some rope around my wrists and ankles. Hog-tied, great. I started moving my wrists and thumbs, trying to work my way out of the knot. I did get out after about ten minutes, probably helped that I was double jointed in my thumbs.

I successfully sat up in the pile of hay this time. I think I'm in some sort of barn, judging from all the hay and apples. Is this an apple farm? If that's the case, then I guess I'm trespassing and stealing.It would explain the large amount of apple trees I saw outside.

Oh hell, where's my TARDIS? I stood up and quickly started patting myself, checking for my pocket contents and broken bones. I wasn't hurt much, apart from the back of my head where something had hit me. Actually, that might not have been so bad, it was a bit stupid of my to try to eat something that for all I know was poisonous. My cutlass and other items I had were gone, save for the key to my TARDIS, so there's that silver lining.

Alright, time to consider my options. And think inside your head damn it, there could be bugs. I could try to find my TARDIS and get the hell out of here, or I could wait and face my captors. On one hand, they might decide to kill me, but I doubt it. If they wanted to do that, I probably would be dead by now. Besides, they had tied me up and put me in a barn, and taken all my belongings, something you would only do if you wanted information or were a thief. And thieves typically don't want the victim anywhere near them, so whoever my captors are, I assume they want to talk.

Where am I anyway? I am back on Earth? That's unlikely, a wormhole taking me to the same planet twice. But still, the trees, the sun, the apples, it all did remind me of Earth. Or maybe this is a different planet, that just looks similar to Earth. Damn, if this is The same Earth I know, me and my TARDIS are going to have a talk. Though I imagine it's going to be a bit one-sided.

No point in just sitting here I guess. I stood up and began making my way towards the door. I froze when I heard a voice.

"And where do you think you're going?"