I woke up this morning with the hope that I could just for once have an enjoyable day, a thought that was quickly crushed by the harsh reality of my life. I have experienced no joy since the day my parents died. Ever since then I've lived on my own, getting myself to a school that treats me like a stray dog; everyone pushes me around, I am physically abused, and the teachers don't care... I feel like an outcast. I wish I could fight back, but unfortunately I'm skinny, and have very little physical strength. I would be beaten to the ground with a broken jaw if I ever dared stand up to them.
It's just too much for a 15 year old like myself to handle. And not only that, I have Aspergers Syndrome, and it feels impossible to talk to anyone without sounding like I'm from another world. Not that there's anyone in my school that's actually worth talking to, though. I would totally just talk with people on my street, except everyone is just a bland husk of a human being; No one has anything interesting to say. I live in an apartment, and no one in there is interesting either. There's barely even any people living in the damn place anyway.
I make a living behind a counter in this restaurant that I can't even pronounce the name of. The name is just aw inspiring... by that I mean it's a mess of letters. It sounds like something a baby would say when it babbles. It's probably just a business tactic the founder thought would attract the kids because it sounds so childish, and yes, there are lots of kids there everyday. I almost feel like I'm in a nursery. I barely make any money off this job as you would imagine. The restaurant doesn't even have anything interesting to look at. It has the most bland wall paper I've ever seen in my life. Nothing but white paper with poorly saturated stripes. But I somehow envy it. It may be the plainest piece of artwork ever made, but it's at a neutral state. I however live a horrible life in a school full of abusive teenagers. I would just go to another school, but there aren't any other schools within walking distance, except for private schools, but there's no way in hell I'll be able to afford the tuition.
My school marks aren't that good either. My mother always told me that I was a very bright kid, and whenever I got a low mark on a test, she wouldn't get mad at me, but give me a sad look. She knew I could do better. And deep down I knew it too. As much as I hated to admit it, I was capable of doing much better, but a smart kid? I don't know about that.
My elementary school wasn't too bad. It was a private school, and the people there were relatively friendly. In this wonderful time of my life, I would get decent marks, and every time I would get my report card, my mother would see my great marks, and embrace me in a hug. She was always there to guide me to success. But unfortunately, I don't have my parents to guide me anymore. As a result, my marks have gone down considerably, and I will probably never have a decent job. I've learned how to react in certain situations on my best accord or interpretation, but without parental guidance, it's extremely difficult to grasp proper social skills and management skills. Especially when you're not learning anything at school. Hell, I might as well be going to a torture chamber, not a school!
Whenever I get home after school or work, I have nothing to do, so I just pull out my father's laptop and watch an episode of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. It's the only moment in my life each day when I can say I experience joy. Out of the mane six characters in the show, my favourite has to be Pinkie Pie. Her joyful, free spirited personality warms my heart. Just seeing her joy as she hops around, making everyone smile without a doubt brings a smile to my face after a bad day, or... everyday for that matter. Especially the smile song in A Friend Indeed. Every single time I watch that segment, I can let go of all my toils and troubles in my life and just relax for a moment of harmony. But sometimes a thought will come to my head that reminds me that my life is the exact opposite of hers, and then she becomes nothing more than a reminder of what my life will never be.
I suppose something could happen, but at the moment, my current position in life is pretty much the bottom of the line. I just wish my parents were still around. It's pointless to dwell on that, but they had done so many great things for me. They were two of the nicest parents in the world. My mother would never yell at me, and was always so encouraging of me to do well in school. As for my father, he did get angry sometimes, but he made up for it by always being there for me when I had problems with other people in my life. If there was a kid that was giving me trouble at school, my father would immediately talk to the child's parents, and it was always so satisfying to see the kid get told off by his own parent. But now, I only have myself, and I think that the parents of my peers at school have to be criminals if their children are as horrible to me as they are, so it would probably be unwise to talk to them.
I look back on my childhood as my golden age. I had a good school, great parents, and encouraging teachers. But one day, when I was around 13 years of age, I waited for my parents to pick me up from school as usual, but I waited a long time, and there was no sign of them. I stood outside the entrance of the school building for hours before I realized something had to be wrong. I walked home on my own, and called my father's cellphone. There was absolutely no answer. A few minutes later, I got a call from the police. I was told that my parents were found in a car crash in which they died instantly. There was glass everywhere inside the car. It must have been a drunk driver that had so much liquor that he probably wasn't even aware of his surroundings.
This was too much for me to take. The police officer apologized profusely for the bad news, but I was in no mood to talk at the time. I just said thank you and hung up, and then I cried for hours.
There were so many great moments in my childhood that'll never be relived because of the car crash incident. There were so many great things I did with my father outside the house. I just wish I could spend that kind of quality time with him again.
The best moments I spent with my father was the field. When I was a kid, my father would take me out to a field near my former house to play football. I was never that good at sports, but it was a lot of fun. My father was very encouraging of me to get better. I never did get better, but I experienced so much joy in playing with him, and I wish I could have those times back. Every now and then, I return to that field to gaze upon my childhood, just hoping that some kind of miracle would happen. My father always said that when you return to where you experienced happiness, it always comes back in another form. I've lived by that moral since then, and returned to that beautiful field every month. Of course, no miraculous events ever happened, but I still enjoyed looking at all of the different trees surrounding the open field of grass, which almost felt like a fence around a village. It was so beautiful.
I had already visited the field this month, but for some reason I felt an urge to return, just praying that the miracle I was waiting for all these years would finally happen... I knew deep down that most likely nothing was going to happen, but I experience joy from going there anyway. It's a long walk to the field from my current home, but there's nothing interesting to comment about on the path towards it. Just a bunch roads full of generic everyday cars, and very standard looking buildings. After a while, you leave the civilization, and the field is only about a mile longer.
* * * * * *
I currently stand in the middle of the beautiful site, as the warm breeze gently flies past me. But as this happens, I swear that I hear something that is not the sound of a gentle breeze...
As I looked to my right, I noticed something in the tall grass. It was far away, so I couldn't tell what it was. As I approached it, the sound of what I knew wasn't wind became more clear, but I still couldn't tell what it was. I walked over to the tall grass until I was about two meters away from the figure. I knew what it was, but wondered if I was imagining things. It wouldn't be a ridiculous possibility, considering all of the stress currently in my life. There's no way this can be real. I blinked a few times to see if it would go away, but it wouldn't. I don't know if I'm crazy at the moment, but what I saw was... a-a real, living Pinkie Pie... an actual cartoon ripped figure of Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony... well, I was hoping for a miracle, but this just goes beyond the word. It's almost beyond making sense! Except one problem... she was crying. It was her sniffling that I had heard.
Ignoring the possibility that I could be crazy, I walked up to her. Her back was to me, so she wouldn't have seen me approach, but her face was buried in her hooves, so she wouldn't have seen me anyway. I put a hoof on her shoulder, in an attempt to comfort her.
Her face remained in her hooves for a few seconds, but she then lifted her head, and slowly shifted her view towards me.
It was official, she had seen me. This is the point of no return. I want to begin with saying something comforting, but I don't understand what's wrong yet. She's probably lost, but where did she come from? Did she come from Equestria and somehow ended up here? I don't know. Hell, I don't even know if she can talk in my world. "What's wrong? Are you lost?"
It wasn't much of a question, but it seemed to have an impact on her, because within a few seconds of her processing what's going on, she must have come to the conclusion that I wasn't a threatening being to her, and she wrapped her forelegs around me. She started letting out silent tears into my shoulder.
I didn't really know what to think of this situation. A real Pinkie Pie that I thought, and still think I'm insane for seeing, is currently hugging me... I was debating on whether I should return the hug. But as I thought more about the situation, Pinkie Pie is my favourite pony, and I enjoy hugging, so I thought, what the heck? I returned the embrace. She was shaking really hard, and obviously wasn't in a very stable mindset. So I started patting her backside. It seemed to do the trick; as soon as I started doing so, her body started to calm down from shaking, and her tears became lighter. "What's up?" I said to her, still trying to understand what was bothering her. If this is the actual the Pinkie from Equestria, I already know what the problem is, but for all I know, she could not be.
"I... I..." Pinkie tried to talk through her tears. She still seemed pretty tense. "I'm lost. I don't know where I am. One moment I-I was just h-hopping around, looking around f-for my friends, and then..." she lost her sentence as she started crying heavily again.
I started patting her backside again. She was definitely the Pinkie Pie from Equestria. "It's alright." I said, but I was just saying that. I had no idea how to get her back home, so it was just reassurance. "Can you tell me anything else?"
She sniffled a little bit, and then looked straight up into my eyes. They were red and puffy from her tears, but they were definitely the same cerulean eyes from the show. Her mouth was quivering a little bit from the stress of the situation.
I know that I should have felt more sympathetic, but it just felt so good to look directly into the eyes of Pinkie Pie herself! I've always wanted to see Pinkie Pie in real life, but now that it was finally happening, I had a little brony fan boy syndrome running in my body. Though she was sad, nothing could take the adorableness out of Pinkie Pie. But, of course, I needed to help her at the moment, so I set my feelings aside and focused my attention back to whatever she had to say.
"I-I come from Equestria. D-do you know h-how to get there from here? My friends a-are probably wondering w-where I am."
I was trying to be as supportive as possible, but I really didn't know how to answer this question. I have no idea where Equestria is, and it doesn't even exist in my world, so there really wasn't much I could say on the positive side of things. "I'm sorry, I have no idea where Equestria is, but maybe we can contact one of your friends somehow. Maybe Twilight-" I realized the moment I said it that I had said too much.
The moment the name came out of my mouth, Pinkie Pie looked straight into my eyes. "How do you know about Twilight?" She asked in not as much a suspicious, but rather anxious tone.
"Uhh..." I wanted to make up a story or just hide it somehow, but in any story I've ever read, that just ends horribly, and after remembering what happened in My Little Dashie, it's a very bad idea to hide something this big, so I was going to be straight out with her. But now isn't the time. "I'll explain to you how I know about your friend later. But for now, trust me, I am not going to harm you. Just put aside the fact that I know about your friend.
Pinkie Pie gave me a look distrust. It was almost a little intimidating, and would have actually been unnerving if it weren't for the fact that she was still crying a little. "Later?"
"Yes, later, let's focus on the matter at hand." I felt like Pinkie thought I was hiding something, which I could understand, because one who has bad intentions must shove off all suspicions with some sort of excuse. But it would take a lot of explaining that isn't necessary at the moment, and it would be easier to explain if I also gave her a visual perspective by showing her the TV show itself. Fortunately, my issue with her distrust was resolved immediately afterwards.
"Well, if you know about Twilight... do you also know how to Pinkie promise?"
"...Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye..." I used to quote the line all the time, but saying it to Pinkie Pie herself... my brony fan boy syndrome was going wild at this point.
Pinkie's expression lightened up a little. She stopped frowning, and her eyes went back to their former, sad, but irresistibly cute state. "I guess that means I can trust you." She said.
"I also promise that I will not hurt you in any way, and I will do anything that I can to help you get back home."
Pinkie looked directly into my eyes. She seemed to trust me now if not before.
"I know what it's like to be in a stressful situation. Being in one everyday of my life, I'm sure there is no better person to understand your situation and help you out. You may be far from Equestria, but that does not discourage me, and don't let it discourage you either. I will do anything in my power to help you. I don't have much at my disposal, and this may take a long time; months if not years, but I tell you, I will not rest until I can find you a way home. I will be with you every moment, and every step of the way.
At this point, all distrust had faded away from the pink mare's face as her eyes filled in with those white flickering spots that appeared whenever one of the ponies felt emotional or slightly sad the show. Her mouth started quivering again, but not from sadness; from emotion and comfort, and at that moment, she tightened her grip around my body. She then dug her face back into my chest. She let out a flood of tears, but this time they were bittersweet, and that emotion that I felt when I realized that I was making Pinkie feel better with my words of comfort... my brony fan boy syndrome was blazing. But not only was I feeling my brony emotions, I was experiencing the feeling of helping someone, period. No one ever needed my help. If I ever turned to an upset girl at my school, she would give me a disgusted remark as if I'm attacking her or something. The feeling of helping her in itself is already amazing. But the fact that I'm helping Pinkie Pie herself... this is just too good to be true. I have never felt this much joy in my life than what I am experiencing at this moment. No event or moment in my childhood can compare to this.
I tightened my grip around her as well, and started patting her back again. "It's okay, Pinkie Pie, everything is going to be alright." I had just realized that she never actually told me her name, but she probably assumed that I knew her name as well if I knew her friend's name. But I don't want to think about that right now. I started putting my fingers through her bouncy mane to embrace the moment a little further. I'm sure she doesn't mind, because Pinkie is the most cuddly of the mane six, and she was the one who started this hug to begin with, so it wasn't a huge stretch. "I promise that I will not rest until I find a way to get you back home."
Pinkie sniffled through her tears of emotion. "Thank you. You are a very kind pon... I mean... whatever you are.
That sentence reminded me of the fact that we were completely different species, but she trusted me from the beginning. I think it's only right that I tell her what I am. "Oh, that's right. I haven't told you what I am. Pinkie, I'm a human being. We inhabit this world. Just think of us as the ponies of your world.
"Alright, that makes sense," she seemed to catch on pretty quickly.
I was enjoying this moment that I was having with Pinkie immensely, but unfortunately, it had to be cut short, for there were dark storm clouds shifting above us. I was being reminded of the fact that this doesn't end here. I'll have to take care of her somehow. I'll let her stay in my house. After all, she's more human than actual pony. Pinkie, we might need to head back over to my house. There seems to be a storm brewing."
Pinkie looked upward with a squint. "Funny; I don't see any pegasi up there."
"Well, that's because the weather works itself in this world. No one controls it here." I could tell Pinkie felt it was kind of weird how I knew everything about her world, but I Pinkie promised that I would explain it to her, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.
"Wow, that's really cool! I wish Equestria worked that way! Does it rain here? Or does ice cream fall from the sky? Or does..."
I'm so happy to see the Pinkie Pie I know, or more observed, shine through. In all technicality, this is the Pinkie Pie I know. But nonetheless, I have helped her regain a grasp on her emotions, and I think everything is going to be just fine.
"Pinkie." I interrupted reluctantly. She stopped her rambling, which I kind of felt bad about. "I think it's best that we go back now."
"Alright, let's go!" She said as she started hopping beside me. We walked together back towards my house.
As we walked together, I drifted off into my thoughts, thinking about all of my most joyous moments. I finally can say that I have re-experienced them, except 10 times more than I ever have. In this dark lonely mess that is my life, I now have a friend that I can talk to. Someone to turn to on a bad day. This very morning, I never thought that things would ever get any better than my life four hours ago; beatings from kids at school, a boring job, and no one to turn to. Now, things seem to be making a turn for the better. I still plan on helping her get back to Equestria, but for now, I'm going to enjoy this time as much as I can while I still have her. I'm happy... and this joy is all I can think about at the moment. Right now, all of my life pains and struggles have completely exited my mind. This is the kind of joy that I have always dreamed of ever since my parents died. And I'm not going to let it go to waste.
I put my arm around the pony trotting next to me. "I'm going to make everything right, Pinkie".
Pinkie looked into my eyes again with the most precious look on her face, and hugged me once again. Without hesitation, I returned the embrace. I wasn't quick to let go. No amount of rain can ruin this moment for me. So we stayed there for a while, embraced in each other's arms.
