"Who the buck are you?" A voice asks.

The sudden voice jostles Jacob out of his nap. After regaining his senses, he sees the owner of the voice. A stallion with a light gold coat and bright amber mane stood before him.

Okay, so apperently they can talk. Jacob noted.

"I am Joseph, and I was given permission to stay here, thank you very much." Jacob retorts.

"Oh really?" The stallion says with a glare.

"Yes, really. Now will you fucking leave me alone? I'm really tired." Jacob replies.

The stallion watches him for a while, then trots off.

"Fucking bastard." Jacob mutters under his breath.

Before he can attempt a second nap, however, the barn door opens and Jim walks in, followed by Mike.

"I see you've met Braeburn." Chuckles Jim.

"Yup, he's a real charming fellow." Jacob sarcastically drawls.

Braeburn snorts, and Jim and Mike exchange smiles.

"Well, we got our work done, so I guess it's dinnertime." Says Mike.

Soon dinner is on the table. The main course consisted of apple fritters, apple pie, and plain fresh apples.

"Whats with all the apples?" Jacob intriguingly asks.

"If you haven't noticed, this town is filled with apple trees. We ain't got much else." Replies Mike.

"Apple trees? In the desert?" Jacob asks, surprised. Last time he remembered, apples didn't grow in the deserts.

"Yup, in the middle of the fuckin' desert. Sure wouldn't happen back on Earth." Jim's words make Jacob nearly spit out the apple fritters he was eating.

"What did you just say?" Jacob slowly asked.

"I said, sure wouldn't happen back on Earth." Jim repeated with a quizzical look.

"What... planet are we on?" Jacob asks.

"What were you doing during briefing, taking a shit nap? We're in Equestria, as the planets original inhabitants called it." Mike interjects. Everyone was staring at Jacob now, including Braeburn.

"Right, right... sorry, I have a really bad memory." Jacob fibs.

"Uh-huh... tell you what Joseph. Why don't you go to bed early today? You seem tired." Jim tells Jacob.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea... Where do I sleep?" Jacob questions, hoping to change the subject.

"Right up there, on that hay bed with Braeburn." Mike informs him.

Normally Jacob would dislike the idea of sleeping on a pile of hay, but his mind was still whirling from what he had just heard.

This isn't Earth? And I've never even heard of a damn planet called Equestria. What the fuck is going on? Jacob wonders. Why am I getting a feeling that this isn't a dream?

Jacob gets up, says goodnight to the three, and heads over to his new bed.

It's better than nothing. The thought was supposed to light up the mood, but it barely helped. Jacob lays down to sleep.

Back at the table, the three were still finishing their meal.

"Did you notice that guy's equipment?" Mike asks Jim.

"Sure did. That ain't no ordinary stuff he got. Thise are military grade weapons." Jim replies.

"Should we take 'em?" Asks Mike.

"Are ya stupid? He ain't some street thug if he got weapons like those! We'd be deader than a thirsty desert rat." Jim says with a scowl. "Best be keepin an eye on him though, we got no idea as ta' what he be doin'."

The next morning, Jacob was woken by a bucket of cold water to the face.

"Wake up." Jacob recognises the voice as Braeburn's. Jacob lets out a nearly inaudible groan as he opens his eyes. He is greeted by the sight of braeburn with a pale in his mouth.

"What is it?" Jacob groans.

"Today's yer first day of work. Better get used to wakin' up early, yer gonna be here for a while as I see it." Braeburn answers.

Jacob rolls of his bed of hay, and dusts the hay off of his body.

"So, what kind of work do I have to do?" Jacob asks Braeburn

"Since it's yer first day, Jim said he'd make it easy on ya. Follow me." The light gden pony turns around, and walks out the barn. Jacob quickly follows.

The rest of the day is exasperating. Braeburn tells Jacob that his job for the day would be to carry the barrels of apples that Braeburn bucked from the tree. Jacob thought it would be easy. By the time he was on his tenth barrel, sweat was covering Jacob's body from head to toe. He could hear Braeburn muffle a laugh or two at his appearance. Jacob knew that he must look rediculous. He couldn't have been more happier when he was done. Jim was pleased by the work that Jacob had done, and decided he had earned some bits.

"Yer work is gonna be alot more harder startin' tommorow. Ya better be ready." Mike told him. "Good work anyways."

At the end of the day, Jacob flopped down onto his bed, glad that the day was over. The currency that everyone called 'bits' turned out to be a small gold coin. Jacob could have cared less about them right now, as sleep was the single thought that iccupied his mind. He closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

Bronism: the idea that friendship is the true source of happiness, and that making friends is the true goal of life.

Hello readers! I hope that everyone enjoyed the new chapter. The mane six are still far away from appearing in the story, but remember that patience is virtue! I'm planning to make the next chapter a story about the red-eyed figure from the prologue. I warn that you that it will be a very dark episode. Please R&R, or rate&review. Thank you!