At my Doorstep
Note: Allow me in advance to apologize for my anticipated short comings in the story, with grammar, sentence flow, and so forth. I’m writing this at leisure.
There was a knock at the door. Because I was the only one home at the time, I could only hypothesize that it was either my parents and brother returning home from their shopping trip, or a solicitor. But nothing could have prepared me for who it was.
Climbing up from my desk chair at the back of the house, where I have my Laptop and my Bedroom, I could only wondered in an annoyed tone, “Who would interrupt my surfing?” I opened my door, and shuffled down the hall. While I was approaching the side door, there was another knock. But there wasn’t anyone visible through the window. “Suppose it COULD be a little kid. These Jehovah’s Witnesses are employing all kinds of tactics to get you to take their books.” Trudging slightly more carefully across my hardwood floor, I gazed at the door.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
I undid the Deadbolt, and then the regular handle lock. I swung the door open. Opening the screen door, I must have caught the visitor off-guard, for she leaped from the side deck down to the drive way, but quickly remade her way to the steps and up again. I stared in utter and total disbelief.
There, standing right before my eyes, in the “flesh” (if I could call it that), were Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy.
“Can we come in?” They asked in union.
Allow me to give a bit of background before going further. I can describe myself modestly as a tall and somewhat thick framed teenager. I am in 10th grade, and I am, for the most part, a perfectly straight-A student. I have glasses, brown curly-and-wavy hair, and am a huge Internet fanatic.
“I um... Suppose so?” I offered shakily.
The twosome stepped gingerly on to the welcome rug at my doorstep, as I backed down the basement stairs a bit to give them some room. They stopped a bit to take in the surroundings of my home. And man did they need it. Both were about the height of my mid-section, which equates to about 4’ 8”. Quite honestly I expected them to be that height if I were to ever meet them in real life. (Not that I had ever expected to at all!)
In my head, as the quick thinker I am, I already formulated a course of action to take: Under no circumstances am I to show them the show, and, even more importantly, I can not possibly allow ANYONE to see them in public. We ALL know what the government, and scientists, would try to do.
“Ahem... My name is...” Twilight started.
“I already know who you are, Twilight. I don’t know how at all, but I know both you and Fluttershy like the back of my hand.” I blurted.
“...Oh.” She finished. “Well, do you know why we are here? Perhaps you can explain it.”
“That I was hoping you could do. How have you ended up here?” I asked.
“The last I remember was we were... Well, I don’t remember. But when we came to here... Wherever ‘here’ is... We woke up in a small wooded area. Then we climbed over that mountain,” She pointed a hoof through the Kitchen window to the elevated Railroad tracks, “And we saw your house. It looked the most invited, given the choices we had.” She then pointed to my neighbor’s houses; Margaret and James on the left, and J.R. on the right. I smiled a bit, flattered at the compliment.
Fluttershy was remaining silent for the whole dialogue between Twilight and myself. I think she may have be intimidated by the sounds of this world she has been thrust into.
“Well, would you like to stay here while you look for a way back to your home?” I offered. I knew it wouldn’t be forever, but I knew I would never get another chance.
“Oh yes! That would be wonderful... If it’s okay with you, that is...” Fluttershy piped up. I melted a bit inside at the sound of her voice.
“It would be no trouble at all, Fluttershy. I am jubilant to help.” I said. I had to act quickly, though. “Would you two excuse me for a moment in private while I inform my family of the circumstances?” I requested politely. They quietly nodded. “Thanks! Feel free to explore my ‘humble abode’. It’s not much, but hey: My dad IS King Tut of his Hut.” I chuckled slightly at it. It was an inside joke that my family liked to use to poke fun at our small but nice home.
I excused myself to the living room to make a phone call to my family. I head Twilight and Fluttershy creak their way down the stairs to the basement. It was nicely furnished down there, so I felt that is where they were most likely to stay. I picked up the home phone and dialed Mom’s cell.
“Hello?” My mom answered.
“Hi mom!” I replied. “I need you to not freak out or react, but something amazing has happened.”
Up until this point, literally nobody in my family had known about my fandom for the show. I suppose that now is as good a time as any.
“What is it, Daniel?” She asked with a hint of eagerness. “Were getting ready to head into Sam’s now. I don’t want to lose you, so make it quick.”
I took a breath. “Ok you don’t know it, but I am a huge fan of My Little Pony. Yes, deal with it. I don’t know how, and I am certainly not crazy or delusional, but two of my favorite characters from the show have shown up at the side door and are in the house. I don’t have time to debates, so where can I find the air mattresses and the pump for them?” And that was all in ONE breath.
“Um... We’ll see when we get home *snicker*, but I think you need to take an ibuprofen and lie down.” She simply couldn't hold the laugh anymore. She broke down in front of Sam’s Club in a torrent of laughing and snorting. I huffed and hung up.
At my Doorstep
Chapter 2
I headed downstairs to check on the pair of ponies. They were, unsurprisingly, mesmerised by what they saw down there. Twilight was stepping carefully around the mess of the living area (With the TV, stereo, Xbox, and furniture.), staring at the wonders of electronics and plastic she saw. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was gawking at the paintings and photographs on the walls.
I decided to turn on a light for them. (It was pretty dark down there, being evening and all.)
It surprised both of them. “How did you do that?” Twilight marveled. Naturally, I was a bit surprised at this question. “See this little rectangle with the raised bottom? All I did was push on the top a bit.” I replied. She stepped a bit closer to the switch, and pushed at the bottom of it, putting the basement back to darkness. “How does it do that?” she asked. “Well... Quite honestly I don’t know.” I answered. “You’d have to ask someone smarter.”
During this amazement, I don’t think Fluttershy pulled her eyes away from the painting on the wall for one second. “It’s so beautiful,” she said with admiration. I concurred with her; the painting was of a clearing in the woods, with a house at the center-left. Running through the front yard of the house was a small stream with a bridge built over it. On the right was a wooded path through the outskirt of the clearing.
“Do you like it? I think my sister painted that when she was younger.” I told her. What I WASN’T about to tell her, though, was what my sister had become. (A complete addict. I’m not focusing on that.)
“Oh, very much yes, mister...” Her voice trailed off, looking for a name. My name! I hadn’t told them yet.
“Oh, right. How rude of me. My name is Dan. But you don’t have to add the ‘mister.’” I said.
“What an... unusual name.” “I could say the same to you guys” I thought with a small internal chuckle.
“So, Dan, earlier I heard you mention something about the rest of your family? Where are they? I would love to meet them.” Twilight seemed eager to meet them.
“Oh well... They’re kind of out getting a few things right now. They likely won’t be back for a few hours.” I couldn’t help but base that off of my past experiences. They always took longer than the “little bit” they promise. Not that I minded.
“I understand. While we’re all here, can I ask you a few things about your world? I don’t want to be to terribly shocked by what we might see here.” Twilight was already starting to ask these things? I hoped she knew what she was getting into.
“Sure thing. But first... I think there is someone that Fluttershy would like to meet. I know how you like animals...”
Fluttershy’s ears perked up at this. “But... how did you know that?” She wasn’t making this easier.
“Remember what I said when Twilight tried to tell me your names? ‘I already know your names. I don’t know how, but I know you two like the back of my hand.’ Well that also comes with the knowledge of your interests.” Of course my explanation was a blatant lie. I DID know how I knew them so well.
“Oh... right. Anyway I would love to meet an animal of this world! What is it? A bird? A bunny?” She seemed even more eager to meet this animal than Twilight did to meet my family!
“Well, your close. Have you ever heard of a Guinea Pig?” I asked.
She nodded enthusiastically. “Oh I love Guinea Pigs! They’re so cute and cuddly...” She went on about why she loved them. “Would you like to meet mine? She’s one of the cutest on the planet, if I say so myself.” I offered.
She was practically jumping. I lead her upstairs quickly, excusing myself from Twilight for a short moment. “Her ca-- er... her home is in the living room. We call her ‘Izzy’, short for Isabella. Be careful, though: She may bite if you get at her to fast.” I stopped short at “cage” as to not give Fluttershy the wrong idea of how I treat animals. It simply sounded a bit harsh.
Fluttershy and Izzy alike had no problems getting along. As I expected, they really seemed to understand each other, as if they both spoke English. (Or Guinea Pig Latin?) Regardless of the language, Izzy seemed content.
I excused myself from the two to go back downstairs. (Although I don’t think either of them minded to terribly.) “So, Twilight, where were we?” I asked. She was busy examining my gaming rocker on the floor. I could only imagine her thoughts being “Well, this looks uncomfortable.” She wheeled around and started. “Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you a few questions about the world you live in and your species.”
“Fire away”
“I guess that means ‘start’, right? Okay. First: What is your main supply of Hay here? Me and Fluttershy are a bit hungry.”
“Well fuck.” I thought. Why did this question have to be the first AND hardest to answer at the same time? “Erm... Twilight,” I started. How was I going to say this? “Humans don’t really um... I guess the short answer would be that we don’t have a very regular supply of Hay around here. I can certainly buy some; its just a bit hard to come by.” I diverted that disaster. Good for now.
“Oh... But if Hay is so hard to get here, what do Humans eat?” She asked. Good grief this wasn’t going to be easy.
“Twilight... This isn’t going to be easy for you to hear at all, and I know your not going to like it. Humans don’t eat Hay. We eat...” I took a breath and braced, “Meat.”