Knowing You

Chapters

Prologue
What A Strange World
Show Me Your Spirit
The Outdoor

Prologue

I hated this city.

I hated everything in it.

There were so many things that reminded me of a bad memories. Bad traffic, heavy air pollution, and so many bitter people that made me want to leave this place.

But I couldn’t.

Not just because I worked here, or because I didn’t have enough money from my crappy job to move and start a new life. It’s because this had been my hometown. Everything I knew had been here. I was already too comfortable living here. I was born here, grew up here. Hell, I might have even died here too like my parents did several years ago.

I don’t really like to talk about my parents. It’s not like I hated them; in fact, I loved them like they used to love me. Yes, used to. Since I became a college dropout, I had this feeling that they were disappointed in me, maybe even despised me, even though they never really showed it and treated me like they always had.

When my parents were still alive, I was the kind of person who would probably be called a “happy-go-lucky” kind of guy. Life seemed beautiful and perfect. But everything changed after they died. I became depressed. I lost contact with my friends, either through lack of communication or because I drove them away with my attitude. Swear words became my favourite method of speaking, and life was just a day-by-day routine. Wake up in the morning, go to work, go home, watch TV, play video games or troll on the internet, then sleep until I wake up in the morning and repeat the same pattern. I never expected that my life would sink so low. It made me bitter. It made me hate everything, including myself. I used to laugh at those angsty teenagers that saw the world through bleak, pathetic eyes, thinking the whole world was against them, never thinking to try and help themselves. I never thought I would find myself in their shoes.

“Help!”

I heard someone yell, snapping me back from my thoughts while walking to get home from work. I looked to my right and I see inside the dark night alley, a girl wearing a yellow turtleneck being mugged by a man dressed wear all black. The girl’s long pink skirt shook violently as she struggled to keep her purse from being ripped from her hands.

“HELP!” she shouted again, looking around desperately.

“Shut up! Just let go so I don’t have to hurt you!” the man growled, his voice muffled.

I didn’t realize that I was there as the seconds ticked by. Something about the situation had me baffled. As I looked around, I saw so many people just pass by; there were even several people that took a glance, but no one stopped. It’s like it was just me who was witnessing it taking place.

And then it hit me.

In this world, in this wretched world, people were willfully ignorant to things that didn't concern them directly. That was one of many things I had learned from living in this world for so long. No one cared about anyone but themselves.

And I should too.

“HELP! PLEASE ANYONE!” The girl started to cry, tears running down her eyes as she still clutched on to her purse.

Using his free hand, the mugger pulled out a knife from his pocket. “Goddamnit, just let it go so no one gets hurt!”

That was my cue to leave.

“Argh! What the hell!” I thought out loud while I turned around after one step to leave and forget that all of this ever happened. But I couldn’t. There was something that made me want to help her. There was something different about that girl.

“Hey!” I called to them as I got closer. “Leave her alone, and we can go home and forget all this ever happened, okay?” I said as calmly as I could.

“Stop there! Or I’m gonna... I’m gonna hurt you!” he said, his voice trembling as he pointed his knife at me.

I stopped and tried to quiet him down. “Okay, just throw down your knife or just keep it away and—”

Suddenly, the girl yanked her purse which made the man stumble. Quickly, I leapt forward and tackled the man as I tried to disarm him.

We fell to the ground and struggled for a few seconds before he stopped, a look of absolute horror on his face.

“Oh my god! I’m sorry. I’m really really sorry! I didn’t mean to do that,” he said before he shot up and ran away while I still remained on the ground.

The girl’s gasps reminded me of her presence. When I tried to sit up, I felt a pang of pain at my left chest and winced when I saw a knife handle sticking out. It had gone through my jacket and dark red stain was quickly growing around it.

My body dropped onto the ground of its own volition. I couldn’t help but groan whenever I breathed, pain surging throughout my body anytime I tried to move.

Soon though, the pain subsided as a sense of dizziness and lightheadedness numbed my body as I stared upwards, unblinking.

“Probably… the blood loss,” I thought dazedly.

“Oh… Oh my,” she whimpered as she knelt down, which made her hair swing back and forth as her hands tried to reach the knife. From the way she drew her hands back to her chest, it seemed she couldn’t do it.

“Just… Just stay there. I’m gonna find some help!” She dashed out to the bright road.

I gave a weak chuckle at that. “I hope you find someone who can help you now. I mean, it would be amazing to find someone as stupid like me to help you, right?”

My ear caught a voice from afar calling for anyone to help. After a few seconds, I couldn’t hear anymore, nor could I see from my closed eyes as my consciousness slipped out of my control.

The last thing I remembered was the question I asked to myself. “I’m not a bad person… right?”

A bird’s chirp invaded my ears. I saw the sun shine brightly through thick tree leaves and branches above me as I lie on my back.

I tried to sit up, but the pinch of pain from my left shoulder made me stop as I remember what had just happened.

Summoning all of my strength and energy, I stood up and examined my surroundings. All I could see were either trees and bushes, so I concluded that I was in some kind of forest. Everything felt surreal, however, as I had never seen anything like them before. They seemed almost… dark in nature.

Looking around, I saw a clearing in the distance. My body wobbled as I tried to walk. Unfortunately, the world started to spin as though I suddenly had vertigo. It felt like the inside of my head was being pulled out violently. Nevertheless, I kept moving. My feet stumbled around from walking on the uneven surface. I could hear the sounds of branches, leaves, and twigs snapping as I kept moving forward, hoping there were no predators that would hear me.

I heard a gushing sound, and I saw a flash of shadow swiftly moving on my side, leaving a trail of falling leaves. Ignoring what just happened, I kept moving forward to reach my goal.

The noise and the shadow felt nearer every time I took a step. I increased my pace as my heart started hammering inside my chest. The realization that the shadows were following me made the tendrils of fear grip me even more.

I froze in my tracks when the blurred shadow appeared in front of me, leaving the shadows behind. A wolf… No, it was not a wolf; it had a wolf form, but it was made entirely of branches, twigs, and leaves. The thing in front of me growled, and the pungent smell of something rotting hit my nose as I tried to keep from heaving.

Growling, more of these wood wolves, kept getting closer and closer, a constant stream of them emerging from the shadowy surroundings. They kept their heads low and growled menacingly. They seemed to take great delight in tormenting me with their mere presence.

One of them suddenly snarled. That was my cue to spin around and take off as fast as I could, my mind whirling drunkenly from what I had just seen.

I had never run that fast and that long before. My lungs were soon feeling as though someone had doused them in kerosene and set them on fire, either because my unprepared body demanded more oxygen, or because of the agony of the wound in my chest. And then, out of nowhere, I saw an opening from the trees, a dead log lying in the middle. The bright sunshine entering the forest ahead and the barking sounds behind motivated me to run faster. I hoped to find a civilization, campsite, road, or anything that could give me a chance to get some help and find safety.

When I reached the log, I vaulted over and realized that was a big mistake. Instead a flat surface, my feet lost their balance trying to land on a big slope. A quick glance to see where this slope ended told me in matter of seconds that I was going to fall down a cliff if I did not stop my descent. Unfortunately, in a split second, I was seeing sky after gravity decided to make my back meet the ground. I screamed out in panic. No more than a few seconds later, I felt my body freefalling, leaving the embrace of the earth into the air.

I had already closed my eyes because of the throbbing pain behind my head and because I had already accepted the fate that was about to crash upon me without mercy.

Suddenly, I felt my body being scooped up, and my stomach met a soft, bony structure that seemed to be an organic thing far different from the creatures I had encountered before. My face felt a brush of wind, and my ears heard a flapping noise. Am I flying? I thought to myself. Opening my eyes before I lost consciousness, all I could make out were yellow and pink before everything turned black.

What A Strange World

I slowly opened my eyes to see the ceiling of some kind of room. As I tried to sit up, a bolt of searing pain shot through my head, causing me to reflexively grip my skull in a futile attempt to alleviate the agony. Something felt like a line of bandages circled around my head, and I realized that I was lying in a soft, queen-sized bed with bandages covering my shirtless chest. The work seemed to be professionally done, given how neat and comfortable it felt. I couldn’t even feel the pain from before as I remembered what had happened.

Trying to find my shirt and jacket, I looked around, spotting a fireplace and a few pieces of furniture you might typically associate with a bedroom like a bookshelf, a closet, and a desk. After a few seconds of inspection, I could assume that I was in some sort of cottage given the simplicity of it. What caught my curiosity was when I spotted some birdhouses. I even saw a mouse hole in the corner by the bed. Who owned this cottage? Was he or she some kind of a crazy tree-hugger or hippy?

I removed myself from the covers and I tried to stand up, only to stumble a bit from the pain in my chest. Looking around, I saw my bloodstained black shirt and my dark blue jacket with a small hole in it. They were both covered in dirt as they lay on top of a chest in front of the bed which I wasn’t able to see before. Gingerly shrugging them on, I decided to go down the stairs that I saw. As I began walking down slowly, I could hear a conversation that sounded somewhat heated.

“—No. I’m telling you not to keep that thing here,” a tomboyish, and somewhat agitated female voice could be heard even from my position.

“But… he’s hurt, and I can’t let the poor thing wander around mindlessly, especially in the Everfree Forest,” a more feminine and soft voice replied timidly.

“That’s the thing!” shouted the tomboyish voice once more, “I understand if you take home some cats, or dogs, or maybe even some marsupials and lemurs from there, but that thing is… different. No one knows what it is. Even Twilight didn’t have the slightest clue.”

I stopped my descent and mulled over her words. Who is she calling ‘That Thing’? Is it me they’re talking about?” I decided to eavesdrop some more to get some information.

“Rainbow Dash is right. We can’t keep that creature here. Who knows what that creature can or might do to Ponyville?” a third female voice jumped in. After a few moment of silence, it continued, “I’ve sent a letter to Princess Celestia with a brief description of this creature that hasn’t been mentioned in any books I have read. I can’t allow the possibility of a threat to Ponyville or Equestria.”

“Whoa, hold on a minute there, sugarcube,” said a voice with a thick Southern accent. There are four girls down there?! Ponyville? Equestria? Princess? What are these people talking about?! I thought to myself as I kept listening. “Don’t you think yer acting a mite bit hasty? Ah mean come on! Don’t ya see how bad it was when she found it?”

“I’m going to have to agree with Applejack. I think the six of us can handle it like any other problem we usually run into,” said a voice that sounded like one of those stereotypical, rich, upper-class nobles in her late forties that I had seen on TV.

“Hey, where’s Pinkie?” the tomboyish voice asked.

“HEY!” a sudden loud shout rang out from behind me. I quickly turned to look behind me, and the sight my eyes baffled me as I caught sight of was almost enough to shut my brain down. It was a little pink horse with curly hair like on those cheap toys. It had a wide grin plastered on its mouth, and its blue eyes stared at me.

“What the fuck!” I shouted, baffled by the sight in front of me. I tried to backing off a bit to keep the distance to the creature.

Knowing that my ability to eavesdrop had all but been eliminated, I dashed downstairs just to see a living room filled with five more little horses like the one who had suddenly appeared behind me. Even worse, I noticed two of them had wings.

“A pegasus?” I asked myself stunned, almost unable to believe that a creature straight out of Greek mythology was standing before me.

Just when I thought nothing could be crazier, I saw a horn protruding out of another two horses. “And unicorns?!” I squeezed my head with my hands, skull throbbing as I tried desperately to deny what I had just seen.

“I must have gone crazy!” I yelled to myself.

“Um, Are you alright?” the horse with a Stetson hat asked me, sounding almost concerned.

“You… Talking… Horses…?”

“Excuse me, sir,” said the horse with the lady-like voice, looking affronted. Defensively, she continued “We are all ponies of good reputation, so please refrain from referring to us as—”

“Horse Rarity. He said horse. Not what you’re thinking right now,” said the floating, flapping horse.

“Oh…” Clearing her throat, she apologized. “I am sorry, but that name isn’t really a popular term amongst us as it refers to one who has a degrading job. Please, call us ponies. That way we won’t mishear you again.”

Ponies? Am I in a little girl’s dream or something? What’s going on?!

“Um sir,” called the yellow pegasus trying to get my attention. I looked her over. Somehow, she seems familiar. “I suggest you to back to bed and rest. Your wounds are still healing.”

“Fluttershy! Remember what I just said earlier?” said the cyan pegasus.

“I know,” said the yellow pegasus meekly, “But I just can’t let him go in that state.”

“You can and you should! Who knows what could happen if he is still here?”

“But—“

“No buts!”

“Rainbow!” yelled the other unicorn. Wait… she is not unicorn. She has wings and horn. What is she? “Please sir… please remain here until the princess arrive.” There was a brief pause as she cautiously eyed me before she continued, “Um… You are a sir, right? I mean, judging by your posture, facial features, and your voice, I would assume you’re a male. But if you aren’t, then it will be awkward… hehe.” She giggled awkwardly.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Just seeing pastel-coloured ponies in one room wasn’t enough to wreck my mind. Hearing a full conversation between them was too much for my already-throbbing-in-pain brain.

I ran to the nearest door, almost knocking down everything in my way. My wish was granted since it was the door to outside. I ran and I ran, keeping my pumping legs in the track on the ground below me. I was fervently hoping to run into someone to explain to me what the hell was going on. Even if it was someone to tell me I was in some sick prank show on TV, or even just someone informing me that I was crazy would have been enough as long as it was another human.

Instead, I saw a small village with old medieval architecture and ponies… lots of ponies. They were either strolling around the street, or sitting down on the benches or even standing behind the stalls and shouting their goods as though the signs above their heads weren’t enough to tell others what goods they were selling.

I screeched to stop as I arrived into what seemed to be the town center. Everything surrounding me was so strange. I had never seen anything like this before. The talking ponies, the civilization, the environment. Hell, I didn’t even see any indication of technology. Where are the cars? Where are the streets lamps? Where the fuck am I?

I feel the stares of all the ponies gawking at me like I’m a failed attempt in human evolution being shown in a freak show.

Out of nowhere, a sudden bright light flashed before me. After it had died down, I opened my eyes and removed my hand that had covered my eyes on instinct. Standing right in front of me, I saw a tall white horse with long spear-like horn jutting out of its forehead. It possessed pair of wings that were so large seemed so out of proportion with its body as it flared them out, its rainbow mane and tail flowing gracefully. With the crown and some kind of regalia, I guessed that this was the princess those ponies talked about.

Like an overheated CPU, the pain in my head became unbearable again as I lost consciousness and needed to be rebooted once more like a sissy.

“Do you know what he is… or rather who he is, Princess?” I remembered this voice belonged to the other unicorn, the one that didn’t sound posh as it rang into my ears the moment I regained consciousness.
“I’m sorry Twilight, but my knowledge of this creature is as little as yours,” said the motherly voice, disappointment lingering in its tone. “The spell I’ve cast should restore his physical health and restore his strength, so we can ask him a few questions regarding his sudden appearance here in Ponyville.”

I opened my eyes to see that I was back in a bed, but right now I was surrounded by the six pastel-coloured ponies and one huge horse in front of me.

“First of all, I welcome you to Ponyville, one of the towns in Equestria. I am Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of Equestria and the keeper of the sun you bask in.” The horse introduces herself with a royal tone that it would catch and hold the attention of her audience, but it was not enough to make you feel nervous. After a moment, she said, “And now, explain to us as to who are you?”

“My name is…” I started but I couldn’t finish. Since so many people have simplified the more deep philosophical question of “Who are you?” to “What’s your name?” the first thing I can think of is to say my name, but I couldn’t…. I didn’t even know what it was. “I don’t remember my name,” I said.

I don’t know why but I can remember everything, from my recent past to what she had just said. I just couldn’t remember what I was called.

“What do you mean you can remember?” asked the cyan pegasus.

“No. I still remember everything except my name,” I said.

“Hmm, I think it’s a selective memory loss. I never heard of any case that somepony forgets his or her name before,” mused the lavender pegacorn.

“Very well.” The big white horse seemed to accept that explanation. “Then tell us everything you know.”

“Like what?”

“What color do you like? Or what flavour cake would you like for your welcoming party? Or what music did you like? Or how old are you, so I’ll know how many candles I need to put on the cake. Wait, that’s for a birthday party, silly, not a welcoming party. But tell me when you were born! I hope it’s not tomorrow; preparing a party in one night isn’t as fun as enjoying it, you know. There was one time I had to prepare a party for somepony, and I needed to hurry because I just had one night, but I forgot he had diabetes, so I forgot to make a sugarless cake, and then—” The pink pony suddenly barraged me with questions I couldn’t think to try and answer.

Stuffing her hoof into the pink one’s mouth to shut her up, the orange pony with the Stetson hat asked, “Starting of what you are, maybe?”

“Okay,” I started, “First of, I’m a hu— what the fuck!”

Suddenly, a paper clip and a feather was wrapped by a purplish aura and levitated, stopping me from explaining myself further.

“What is that?!” I pointed to the things with a trembling hand.

“Oh, this?” the lavender pegacorn asked, looking at the clipboard. I nodded a little. “This is a clipboard, sir, since I need to write everything you sa—“

“No, dammit. I mean how it is floating by itself?!” I asked angrily, seeing the pitying look she was giving me. She probably thought I didn’t know what a clipboard was.

“Oh you mean levitation? It’s quite simple, sir. By channelling our magic through our horn, we unicorns can manipulate our surroundings as long as that thing is within our reach and our sight. Though the heavier the object, the more power we need to lift it since we need to fight the force of gravity…”

As the purple pegacorn rambled on, I heard the rainbow-maned pegasus murmured “Neeerrrrddd,” followed by giggles of the other ponies. When I looked up to the princess, I found her just looking at me stoically, apparently deciding to do nothing to intervene in the conversation.

“…and that is how we levitate with our horn.”

“Magic?” I muttered.

“Yes sir… Can you show us your magic?”

“My magic?”

The purple nerd nodded, followed by the others. The princess stayed the same.

“I can’t,” I said.

“But, I thought it was only your name that got loss from the amnesia?”

“That’s how we are, alright!” I unconsciously snarled at them, making them retract their head, their ears flattening against their skulls. “We humans can’t do magic.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “Don’t you think you forgot something before you go about asking someone questions?”

Confused for a few moments before realizing what she had omitted, the purple one said, “Oh my, I’m sorry. I got caught up trying to learn something from another species that I forgot something as simple as manner— “A loud cough from the orange pony interrupted her as she began to ramble again. “Yes, so starting from your left, let me introduce you to Applejack, a farmer.”

She was the one with Stetson hat and orange coat, not in possession of a pair of wings or a horn. I could see her green eyes looking back at me from her freckled face as she said “Howdy, pardner! Name’s Applejack, one of the proud members of the Apple Family and the owner of Sweet Apple Acres. Nice to meet you!”

“And then here is Rarity, a fashion designer.”

The white unicorn played with her purplish curly hair, looking at him with narrowed eyes, “Hello, I’m Rarity. I own the Carousel Boutique, and I am a lady, so kindly refrain from referring to me as a horse ever again, thank you very much. Thankfully, we were indoors at the time, so no damage was done.”

“Geez, Rarity, are you still on that?”

“Next is-” the purple unicorn increased her tone to keep the conversation on track “-me, Twilight Sparkle. You can call me Twilight if you want. I was a unicorn like Rarity, but with the Princess’ intervention, I was turned into an alicorn, a princess—”

“And a nerd,” the cyan pegasus cut her off.

“Would you stop it with the nerd?!” the nerdy alicorn growled.

“Continue please.”

“I am also the librarian of Ponyville, which is where we are right now,” she said after taking a deep breath. “You already know Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria and the most powerful alicorn in this world.

“Next we have the clown, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey!” the cyan pegasus with rainbow mane objected. “Let me introduce myself. The name’s Rainbow Dash. I am the fastest pegasus that has ever lived and the only one who can pull of Sonic Rainboom. I’m also the weather captain of Ponyville and the next captain of Wonderbolt,” she said, somersaulting in the air.

“Are you done?” Twilight asked dryly. Getting a nod, she continued. “Next we have Pinkie Pie.” She pointed a hoof to the pony who had originally assaulted him.

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie. I worked at Sugarcube Corner, I like to party, and I’m so excited to talk to you about everything! Let’s see… last week, when I walked by past the lake house, I saw—”

“Pinkie!” the ponies called in unison.

“I thought we already agreed to never discuss that matter again.” said Rarity in rather annoyed tone, “Especially in front of Princess Celestia herself.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I forgot,” Pinkie Pie apologized and grinned sheepishly.

“And last but certainly not the least is Fluttershy!” cheered Twilight. “She’s the one who found you, treated you, and let you sleep in her bed.”

“Um, Twilight… it’s not a big deal.”

“Come on Fluttershy. At least as his saviour, you need to introduce yourself.”

“Um… okay,” whispered Fluttershy. “My name is Fluttershy and… I can’t do this.”

“What?” I leaned over to hear her clearer, but the pain from before rose again. Wincing, I put my right hand to the wound I had in my chest, hoping it would somehow decrease the pain.

“Oh my,” the meek yellow pegasus muttered, “You shouldn’t strain yourself.”

“It should’ve been healed by the spell Princess Celestia used,” Twilight said.

“Tell me,” the princess finally spoke up, “where did you get that wound?”

“I get this from my world. When I was dying.” I started to think that this world was some kind of hell or heaven, or some purgatory for the souls in denial and somehow I got here by some mistake. Or maybe I’m not crazy, and this is a real place in a real universe and… somehow she could help me.

“Say,” I said, “you’re the most powerful being in this world right?” When she didn’t react, I continued, “I just want to ask: can you send me home to Earth?”

Silence filled the air after I made my request to be sent home. I don’t know how, but if there was someone who can, she must be it. She must be the one who knew how.

“I’m sorry… but I can’t,” replied the princess, an undercurrent of sadness in her voice.

“Why not?” I asked her. “She said you’re the most powerful here; can’t you just use your magic so I won’t be wasting my time in this freaky world filled by talking horses?!”

I felt my control over my temper fraying every second I kept talking with these ponies. Call me xenophobic, I don’t care. I just felt like I couldn’t live in this sort of weird and strange world. I want to go back, to the place I hate but had been comfortable with.

“Because the spell required to send a creature across different dimensions needs that being to possess the essence of the Elements of Harmony. If we cast it on you, instead of sending you back home, I’m afraid you will be turned into a stone, lost in the oblivion, or worse,” the princess explained, seemingly unperturbed by my outburst.

“But, Princess, I thought those things would only happen if we used it on somepony too corrupted or disharmonized? Or could it be?” Twilight tapered off, lost in thought.

“Yes, I’m afraid so, Twilight. I can sense his very being is in disharmony,” the princess answered.

“Wait wait wait, hold on a minute. Are you are telling me that I’m stuck here?” I asked in disbelief.

All the ponies averted their eyes from mine, either looking to the floor or to the pony beside her, no one saying anything for a few seconds.

“Oh no, no no no, you can’t do this to me. I need to go back, continue my normal life, not here, not in this world.” My home… was not perfect. But I had made so many memories there with my parents and my childhood friends. For better or worse, my home was there… not here.

“Wait!” the princess suddenly spoke up, her head swivelling slightly. “Yes, I can feel it. It is faint, but it’s there! There is one way to do it, to send you back home. But I need your cooperation because it will not be me, but you who will decide the success of this attempt.”

“What do you mean? Spit it out!”

“Somehow, I doubt your kind is as bad as you might appear to be to some ponies.” I kept looking, not knowing what to say to that. The princess moved closer to my right side, slipping between Pinkie and Fluttershy. Her hoof reached to my chest and continued “Something, or someone, made you like this, made you lose your harmony. Forced you to conceal it and locked it away inside you.”

After I swatted her hoof from my chest, she pointed her hoof to Fluttershy and said, “I know what we should do, or rather, what should Fluttershy do.”

“H-huh? M-me? But what can I capable of to do that, I’m not even an expert in magic,” Fluttershy quietly questioned her princess.

“Remember when I said he is disharmonized?” Fluttershy weakly nodded. “We need him to change or return to his own true self until the only that is out of place is where he belongs. Fluttershy, I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, hereby request that you aid in reforming this human, as you did with Discord.”

“What!” the six other ponies shouted.

Show Me Your Spirit

[TRIGGER WARNING] There are no editor/proofreader from this chapter on, and English is not my native language, so I'm really sorry if there is a fatal grammar mistake here and there. If you're okay with that, then enjoy this chapter.

“But-but Princess! I can’t do that, I don’t even know him, let alone to reform him like Discord.” Fluttershy plead after hearing such command. The ponies began to asking the princess and whispering to each other after hearing it.

“You can do it my little pony, I’m sure you will.” Moving away from the ponies, Princess Celestia spokes again, “Fluttershy, I think that your encounter with him isn’t just a coincidence-”

“Wait a minute!” I’m interrupted the princess and said, “What do you mean by that, huh? You want to tell me that I’m not randomly stuck here but I was meant to be here?”

“More or less,” replied the princess.

“Bullshit!” I barked as my temper ran out. “I can’t take that answer. I need a way to go home now! Not staying in this place where I’m not belong!”

“Are you sure that the place where you come from is where you are belong?”

The princess claim checkmating the conversation and silencing the ponies. I can’t answer that. That was cheating. It seems that the princess has seen through me. What will I do if I can go home right now? Telling people I’m visiting a world where pastel colored ponies can talk? Not just a normal ponies, but a unicorn and pegasus. What would people say beside that I already lost my mind?

“As I said before,” the princess continued, breaking the silence, “Your encounter with him isn’t just a mere coincidence, Fluttershy. I can guarantee that this is no less than a fate.”

“But… why?” Uttered Fluttershy looking to the princess confused.

“I think only time can answer that.” The princess gave a smile of assurance to Fluttershy and then moving away, looked at me and said, “With this, I will end my visit. For any further question, and everything regarding your stay here, you can consult to the ponies here, and if you really need something, you can consult to Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Hey wait!” I called but it’s too late since a flash of light suddenly flashing from the princess as she disappeared.

All of the ponies attention now are to me as they looked at me after their princess disappeared. Twilight was the first one who start to spoke. “So, as you can know that you’re now live here for a while. Is there any questions you want to ask to us?”

“How…” I said, paused slightly as I inhaled to take a breath and sighed and continued, “How can she do that?”

“Well, sir, what she did is called teleportation. It is one of the advan-”

“No! I don’t care about that! What I meant was how she can leave me with all of you here! If she is a true ruler, she can’t do that! Why she didn’t just cast me the spell?! Why she didn’t just do it?!” I snarled at them with my hands gestured and pointing them. I can’t accept the fact she just leave me stuck here with these ponies.

“As she stated before, it would be harmful to you and Fluttershy here will help you so the spell won’t do a something we all don’t want to happen to you. It is for your own good!” Twilight answered followed by the rest of the ponies was agreeing.

“But- ouch!” I was cut by my own shriek when a sting of pain from my chest reminded me it still there.

“Ooh, easy there. Your chest wound is pretty bad after I looked at it,” cooed Fluttershy as her hoof tried to reach your chest where the wound belong. I blocked her hoof with my right hand as my left hand covering the source of the pain. “You shouldn’t push yourself to hard, you need to rest.”

“Um everypony, I think we should let him rest and continued this later?” Fluttershy said, looking to everypony and smiled.

“I agree, I already have an order I need to complete today,” Rarity agreed.

“And Ah need an apple to buck,” Applejack gave her reason.

“AndIforgotIwascameinthemiddleofbakingacakesogoodbye!” Pinkie dashed out, leaving us dumbfounded.

“Rainbow?” Twilight asked her.

“Hmm? Y-yeaah I think I still need to buck some clouds at some part of the town I left when I got here,” Rainbow Dash replied

“Okay, as for me, I’m going to help you fill out your paperwork and submit it to the town hall to get administrated for your stay here. But, as Fluttershy said, you should rest for now,” Twilight paused, looking back and forth and finally said, “But, I’m sorry, it’s not like I hate you or something but I need you to find somewhere else since this library didn’t have any more guest room and the only bed here was the one you are on, I’m really sorry and I kinda feel bad about it, but-”

“It’s okay Twilight, he can stay in my cottage,” Fluttershy cut Twilight endless rant.

“WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted makes everypony and I cringed. Then she took Fluttershy to the farthest corner in the room, looking away from me and whispered loudly, “Do you remember about what I said earlier?”

“Yes, but it’s okay Rainbow, it just like when I did to Discord and he needs a place to stay anyway.”

“No, it doesn’t! He can be dangerous and can hurt you, aren’t you scared by him? I know his face is kinda stupid but still…”

“I heard that!” I shouted.

“It’s okay Rainbow, really…” she turn away and looked at me, “because, if I’m in his position right now, I think he is more scared to us than me to him.” She smiled at me. That smile, it felt something, it felt comforting, calm and warm. It mesmerize me, makes me want to stop the time and look at it one more time. There was something that made me want to know her. There was something different about this pony.

“Or he could sleep in Applejack’s barn!”

“Ah’m sorry sugarcube but it’s Applebuck Season now and Ah need it to store the apples.”

“I guess we don’t have any choice. We can’t let him stay in the hotel, right Twilight?”

“Yes, I’m sure that they won’t let them stay even if we assure them it’s okay.”

“Owwh,” Rainbow groaned sounds defeated, looking down with her ears flatted. “We have no choice then…” Suddenly she perks up and pointing her cyan hoof to me and her eyes staring at me then said, “But, I’m still watching you”.

“Okay, we found your place to stay. Now we need a name for me to register you and make socialization for your stay here.”

“But I already said that I don’t remember.”

“Yes, I remember. But, since I really need it, how about we start it by using the word on your jacket?”

My jacket? I thought to myself. Then I remember, this years old jacket which I was wearing was bought by my mother. I don’t know why she picked this one since the design was so plain. The torso and the hood part was plain dark blue and the long sleeve part was light blue with a streak of black from shoulder to the tip of the sleeve. I don’t know if my mother was cheap or she like a baggy jacket that it’s not so big but it was over my waistline and the sleeve was so long my hands was all covered.

“Spirit?” I read out loud when I look down and read the only word pasted on the jacket right above the hole as if it’s an insignia.

“Yes, is that okay sir?” Twilight asked.

“It’s kinda corny but whatever,” I said, didn’t care about all this since I didn’t even remember the last time someone call me by my name. Even though it’s funny that their names were consist by nouns or verbs. Whatever works I guess.

“So, is this mean we can go home now, Twi? Because I really need to buck those apples.”

“Hmm yeah, Twilight, those clothes won’t sew itself you know?”

“Of course, knowing that Ponyville is not in danger, I think we can relax now. And Fluttershy?” Twilight said and then looked at Fluttershy to say, “Is it really okay to let him stay with you? I know that this is a direct order from Princess Celestia, but from you reaction earlier, it seems that you aren’t really want to do this.”

“No, Twilight. Umm, I mean, I don’t mind him to stay, I even plan to do so from the start, but being ordered to reform him and all was surprised me.”

“Well then, good luck Fluttershy, Ah know ye can do it,” Applejack cheered Fluttershy and then she looked at me, “See ye later… Spirit!”

“See you later…? I guess,” I uttered.

“And I must make my leave as well. Ta-ta everypony!” Rarity trotted away with Applejack leading her and then she abruptly stopped and turn back and after scanning my figure in bed she said, “Um, if you need some new clothes, visit my boutique when you feel better, darling. Maybe I can make something out for you. I will love to experiment with another creature that love to wear some clothes.” Winking, she then left the premises.

“Umm thanks? I guess.” I guessed.

“Hmm, I guess I need to leave too huh?” Rainbow asked to no one specifically in the room. “I just want to say be careful Fluttershy. Don’t hesitate to tell me if something up okay?”

“Okay.” Fluttershy nodded weakly.

In one flap of her wings, she zoomed out of the room. Now I know where her Dash in her name comes from.

“I think this is my turn to leave right?” I said while I sluggishly standing up. It’s funny that the headache I expected isn’t come. In fact, I feel my head is as clear as I ever be, even though I still felt the sting in my chest it doesn’t really bothered me as much as before.

“Umm Fluttershy? I can accompany you to your cottage if you want,” Twilight offered Fluttershy as if I was a wild animal who could rage anytime.

“Thanks Twilight, but it’s okay, really. I can do it by myself and you were saying you have something to do right?”

“Yes, well I’ll show you the door then,” Twilight said leading the way as I follow downstairs. She wasn’t lying when she said I was in a library when I saw so many books planted on a bookshelf which more like a hollowed wall than a furniture itself, in fact, all the wall was made by wood as if we are inside a tree. I wondered if it was true.

After passing a several room which I assume a bathroom and a kitchen, I see rather small door for a human with an average height like me. I saw a purple aura surrounding the door and so does Twilight’s horn and saw the door opened. Sidestepping, she gestured me to walk outside. So I did by leaning down a bit and walked outside of the library with Fluttershy followed behind.

Far calmer than before, now I can observe the architectures of the houses and the building surround me. It felt so surreal and alien. Even though the architectures wasn’t really different from normal medieval village from what I had seen in movies and video games. But, the thing baffled me the most is the building where I was come from. As I look back, instead of a big building, I saw a big gnarled tree, complete with its leaf and branches except you can see windows, door where I was got out from and a veranda above. I always hate when I was right, but this time, I felt a celebration inside me from guessing right.

“See you later Fluttershy! And Spirit? I hope we can chat some more and you could tell me about your world,” Twilight said, smiling and then shut the door.

“Goodbye Twilight! Let’s go Spirit, it’s already late and I need to feed the animals,” Fluttershy breaking my awe from the alien environment and trotted away knowing I will follow, and I did.

A few minutes has been passed and silence still filled the void between me and Fluttershy. It’s not like I was quiet or shy person but the only thing I can do was trying to focus and stay close with her and not got separate and lost because of my amazement and curiosity. Everything was so distracting. When I thought a building made out of entirely inside a living tree was crazy enough, I could never been so wrong. I was passing a building which felt like it was misplaced and should be in Disneyland instead since that building was decorated like a giant gingerbread house. If it wasn’t because of Fluttershy realized I was stopping my walk, I could have been lost instead.

“You sure are quiet,” Fluttershy suddenly said while keeping her pace.

“Huh, what?” is all I could reply since I’m not giving her attention before. I look down to my companion and saw her trotting makes her mane and tail sway swiftly while her wings furled neatly.

“You know, I was the shiest pony compared to all my friends, but I’m sure you don’t talk much before.”

“I did, huh?” I paused a bit. Still observing my new environment, I said, “It’s not that I’m quiet or shy. It just that it’s too much to take in and I still can’t accept the fact that I’m stuck here now.”

I watch ponies around me were either whispering to each other, giggling or just staring at me as if I was a new unique pet being walked around town.

“It’s alright. If you need anything or have a question just ask me.”

“Umm, excuse me for asking but I thought you said you were shy, I mean there is a shy in your name but you are pretty assertive today,” I said with my voice mixed up with her clopping sound as we walked.

“Really?!” She cheered, “It just that I love to meet another creature. As long as they aren’t not a dragon.” She giggled and then smiled cutely.

The rest of the walking passed by uneventful as we arrived in front of her cottage. Standing on the small bridge, I can saw so many bird houses and nest around and on the cottage. We walked across a small bridge on the small creek.

“We are here!” Fluttershy claimed as her hoof opened the door and then proceed to walked inside. “Please come in and make yourself at home.”

I walked inside and everything was the same like before I ran outside earlier. I sat down on the couch not knowing what to do and staring to a lot of stuff inside this cottage. Simple, but there are so many stuff, including her pets that running or flying around.
I watch her tending her pets by give them food and fill their drink bowl. After that, she disappeared to a certain room.

“Dinner’s ready!” Sang Fluttershy immediately coming out from what I conclude is the kitchen while carrying a two bowl of something with her fore hoofs.

Laid on the table in front of me, was a bowl filled with leaves, tomato, and some other things I never seen before. But, I know that this was a…

“A healthy salad for our sick friend,” She said while smiling like a mother who proud of her children.

I never imagine seeing a salad, let alone to eat it as a main dish. I always eat something cheap and not a rip off, as long as it sates my stomach. As my appetite suddenly disappeared, I ask a permission to Fluttershy to sleep early today with my wound as an excuse. Then she show me the room where I was asleep this morning for me to sleep tonight.

As I laid alone on top of the bed, I couldn’t sleep right away. It was either because of it was still too early or because my mind was trying so hard to believe that this isn’t real and I will wake up on my own bed in the morning and pretend all of this was never happened.

Author's Note

I'm sorry for those who really wait for this chapter up. Because of something IRL, I can't really work on this story leaving with that huge gap between the last chapter and this one, but I think I can at least finish it even though I need to update this sporadically, so don't expect too much from me.
As for the grammar problem, I'm really sorry since English isn't my native language so maybe I make a mistakes here and there and because of that long of inactivity, I haven't talk to one of the editor so I'm going solo now.

Once again, I'm sorry and see you on the next chapter!

The Outdoor

[WARNING] There are no editor/proofreader for this chapter, and English is not my native language, so I'm really sorry if there is a fatal grammar mistake here and there. If you're okay with that, then enjoy this chapter.

I open my eyes after what it feels like the most satisfying sleep I ever had and somehow the wound on my chest didn’t hurt me or at least bother my sleep. I can saw sunlight pierce the window curtains and from the shadow it makes, I could tell it was already noon.

I set aside the blanket that lay on top of me and got up from the bed. I made a beeline to the bathroom to wash my face in the sink. After I wash my face and can see more clearly, I look at my face on the mirror and realize I looked like a mess. After fixing my look, I checked out the bandages that has been covering my chest this whole time. I’m surprised that the bandages didn’t even worn out or have been out of place after my sleep. I assume Fluttershy change it this morning without waking me up or she is that good at applying medical attention so much that the bandage won’t come off when I’m asleep and comfortable enough for me to sleep with; both are amazing feats to do.

Mentioning Fluttershy reminds me that I somehow stuck in a freaky world filled with talking colorful ponies and mythical creature like Unicorns and Pegasus. Other than the lack of technology and the existence of magic, there was nothing different than Europe medieval age.

I walked down the stairs and soon greeted by the cyan Pegasus sitting on kind of stool.

“Rainbow?” I muttered while standing at the first step of the stairs.

“Sup!” She said nonchalantly. “Glad you remember my name.” A grin adorned her blue coated face.

How could I forget her name? It’s practically stapled to her mane and tail. “What are you doing here? Where’s Fluttershy?” I asked confusedly.

“Nothing. Just dropping by. You know, to check out on my friend.”

My brow furrowed hearing that. Especially because of how she said it. Before I can say anything, Fluttershy came out from the kitchen, brought two bowls of something with her hooves, which I assumed some kind of brunch… ponies’ brunch.

“Oh! You are awake!” She said to me while flying to approach us. “I let you rest so that you will recover from your injuries faster. “Would you like to join us?” She said as she put the bowls on the table in front of Rainbow Dash which she feasts on it brashly.

My stomach churned when I saw the content of the bowls. I can tell there are some alfalfa, several types of grass and… hay?

“Umm Fluttershy, I have something to tell you.” I can see Rainbow’s ears flickered after I said that. Which I can tell she was intrigued to know what I’m going to say.

“You see this?” I said as I shown them and pointing at my teeth, or my fang to be exact.

“Oh!” Is the only thing she can produce after seconds of silence examining my teeth and looked surprised. As somepony who was an expert on animals, I believe she knows what I mean.

“I don’t get it,” said Rainbow Dash, paused at her own feast.

“He has canines teeth,” Fluttershy answered.

“I’m not Twilight.”

“I eat meat.”

Rainbow suddenly spluttered out her food on the table.

“What?!”

Fluttershy already starting wiping her table with a napkin she just brought from the kitchen.

“Fluttershy! I though you said that he was harmless. What if… what if he did something horrible to you!” Rainbow yelled after she put her bowl down.

“He is!” Fluttershy said meekly at her sudden accusation while still wiping the mess she makes and then looked at me and said, “I thought you’re an omnivore? You can’t eat vegetable?”

Before Rainbow steal the chance for me to explain, I answered, “I can eat vegetable… or at least plant produce. But I can’t eat raw plants; we human don’t have the physiology to digest it. We usually need to cook it first.” I took a glance at the bowl again and continue, “and we can’t eat something hors… I mean ponies eat like grass, alfalfa and we totally can’t eat hay.”

“Is-is that why you don’t eat last night?”

I gave her a slight nod.

“Ooh I’m sorry, I’m such a bad host.” She sat down and covers her face with her hooves. Her ears were folded.

“Nonono! You are letting me to stay in your house and even letting me sleep on your bed. I think it’s more than enough, and it just a misunderstanding so it’s okay!” I said panicked and squatted in front of her as I don’t want to make her feel guilty about it.

“Really?” She lowers her hooves and peek me with her so much covered face by her mane and hooves.

“Cute… I-I mean, of course!” I stammered watching her behaves like a little animal.

“Oh thank you sir, but I just showing you my kindness as a host and its guest.” She cheered up and smile. Her smile looks so sincere and warm. We locked eyes for a moment before my stomach reminds me to eat some food.

I stand up and look around the room to hide the red on my face and asked her, “Umm, that aside, do you have some fruit or something?”

“I think I have some stock of fruit for my animal friends… sorry, it’s not like I think of you like some kind of animal or-”

“It’s okay, I understand. I’ll eat what I can get.” I said cheerily, amused by how often Fluttershy apologizing.

“Okay!” She then darted off to the kitchen.

After I lost sight of her, I saw Rainbow Dash glancing to and fro quizzically.

“What?” I said.

“What did you do to her? Did you use some kind of magic to her? Did you hypnotize here? Are you actually a changeling?” She standing up and glaring at me.

Taken aback by the barrage of questions, I just replied with, “What are you talking about?”

“She isn’t acting like Fluttershy at all! She can’t have a normal conversation with somepony she just met yesterday, let alone that stranger isn’t a pony at all!”

“How am I supposed to know? Maybe she looks at me as one of her animal, I watch her talking to some yesterday.”

“Something fishy is going on here.”

“If my nose isn’t failing me, I think it’s coming from you.”

I think I made a grave mistake. No matter how I saw it, even though she is a pony and a tomboy one at that, there are several things that you should not say to a woman; calling her fat is the number one and the other one is calling a woman that she can’t manage her own personal hygiene. With that, I can saw her really pissed as she gives me the deadliest glare I ever saw in my life. Or just like the saying, if looks can kill, that looks can totally obliterate me.

“Sorry for took it so long. I need to do it silently so that the animal won’t notice.” She put a basket full of fruit on the table. There are so many Earth fruit than I can imagine. There are apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, even mangos. I picked up on an apple and start biting and chewing it even though I actually want to eat the mango since I pretty much like the taste but I’m too lazy to peel it and I don’t want to bother Fluttershy further more.

“We should make a list of pony’s foods that you can eat,” Fluttershy said.

“Good idea,” I replied and took a glance while eating the apples to saw Rainbow Dash still glared at me.

“You know what?” Rainbow walking slowly towards me, flap her wings to float then put her fore hoof around my neck and said, “How about we take a walk and show you around town to make you acclimate faster here. How’s that sound?” Her grip on my neck is tightening and shaking my body, much like she was strangling me than a friendly hug.

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Fluttershy cheered. “We can introduce him to other ponies as well!”

“Uh… no. It’s not we. You can just stay here and do your thing. Let’s me handle this by myself.” She let go of me and went to open the door and said, “After you.”

I looked at Fluttershy, and she was just smiling and said, “It’s okay. She won’t hurt you. After all this years of knowing her, I think she just want to talk to you.”

Felt reassured, I complied and went outside.

As I step outside and looked around with more stable mental condition and calm heart rate with no adrenaline involved, it feels like everything is so… perfect. Creepily too perfect.

The afternoon sun shone so bright I need to shield my eyes until my eyes adapted from the dim lighted room to the outdoor sunlight. Even with the brightness, somehow, it feels warm rather than scorching hot. The flowers decorating Fluttershy’s garden bloomed as bright as the sun, while little critter playing playfully.

“It’s spring?” I murmured to no one. I remembered that it was autumn the last time I’m on Earth. I looked to the sky and saw some clouds here and there. It looked so puffy and almost cartoonish.

“It was scheduled for spring season for a few months, why?” Rainbow asked while closing the door behind her.

“Nothing.” I replied quickly before something clicked in my brain. “Wait… scheduled?”

“Yeah, we, weather ponies manage the weather, season, and all those stuff that has something to do with the sky basically.” She paused and ask, “How do you human manage the weather?”

“That’s just it. We don’t.”

She tilted her head, raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean you don’t?”

“We human can’t do anything about the weather.”

“Anything at all?”

“Well… we have some sort of technology to predict when it will rains or sunny. And maybe force it to rains with some salt and that’s it. As far as I know that is.”

“Oh… wow,” she said. “So, what does human can do?” She asked pronouncing human right this time. I think she was actually curious now.

“I already did all the things a human can do.” I wish I still have my smartphone with me right now, I’m sure she will amazed by what it can do. Although I’m sure I can’t receive any reception here, but showing her video games and stuff probably still a neat thing to show.

I could tell her about how technology works and used, but it probably wise to not tell her everything.

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked.

“Oh yeah,” she answered simply and flap her wings as she turns away to the streets. “Twilight told me to show you around to make you ‘feels like home’,” she said as she quoted the three words and started walking.

“What do you mean to make me ‘feels like home’ here?” I skipped a little so we walked side by side as she walked or trotted in this case. “I don't plan to stay here for long!”

“Don’t ask me!” She retorted back. “I just do what she asks me to. She is the expert of this harmony thingy after all!”

I’m not sure if that is a slip up or it was intentional as she didn’t care. So this harmony thingy, as she said it, was already started? As long as it means I will go back home faster, I’ll try to do what they say.

We spend the rest of our walk in silence. After a few minutes, I observe my surrounding as we walk that I believe we were walking through an apple orchard, unless apple trees grows as organized like the one I’m walking through.

“Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! Home of The Apple Family and the best cider maker in Equestria!” She suddenly announced while leaping to the air and hovering.

“Let me guess, Applejack run this farm?” I said just to be sure.

A gasp coming out from Rainbow’s mouth and she said, “Wow! How do you know that? Are you sure your name isn’t Captain Hindsight?” Sarcasm heavily adorned those questions.

“Yeah yeah… let’s get this over with.” I resumed my walk and said, “So, why are you bringing me here again?”

“I want to introduce you to the apples.”

“You want to introduce me to a fruit?”

“Pfft, no. I want to introduce you to her family.”

“Like Applejack and her parents?”

I realized that Rainbow has stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” I stood up beside her.

“Never ask her about her parents,” she mumbled. “Especially in front of Apple Bloom.”

She starts walking again and we continue our walk side by side.

“Who is Apple Bloom? Applejack’s sister?”

“Yes.” Rainbow said flatly.

“Are they –if you don't mind me asking- an orphan?”

“Yes… and yes.” She turns her head to look at me. “And don’t ask me about it,” She barked.

I think I’m stepping at emotional mine. Applejack must be very sensitive about this topic and Rainbow was really protective about her friends. Well, an orphan would turn emotional if they were asked about their parents. But, at how Rainbow reacts, I think she knows more about which was a pretty complicated. Wait a minute. Why am I thinking like my parents still alive? But nevertheless, I shouldn’t think about this orphan thing. For Applejack sake.

After a moment of walking, we’re out to a clearing. From the distance, I can see a red house on top of the hill with a touch of country-ish architecture surrounded with a patch of various crops. It reminds me to a stereotypical farmer house.

When I saw Rainbow notice me staring to the house, she said, “I change my mind, we’re not going there, follow me!” After gesturing me to follow her, she then turning away from the house and into the dense of apple trees orchard.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked confused at her act.

“At this time of the day, Applejack is out in the field and she told me she is working on somewhere around where we're going.”

“I thought you want to introduce me to her family?” I asked, confused.

THUD!

I suddenly heard a cracking sound as if someone hitting the tree with a sledgehammer. I look around to see where the noise comes from. I can't quite pinpoint the source of the noise since the dense of the trees makes the sound reverberating well enough and the pretty strong breeze isn't helping.

“Hey Applejack!” Rainbow called which I thought to no one until a voice suddenly replied.

“Howdy Rainbow… and oh hey there Spirit! How’s yer wound doing?” Applejack turns her head towards me and take of her stetson hat to sweep the sweat around her face, fan herself for a while and then put her hat back on her head.

I can’t believe my eyes. Applejack’s orange coat camouflages her pretty well in the orange afternoon sunlight. Her sweaty orange coat glistening brightly basking in the sun and her emerald eyes shines bigger and bigger as she walk closer to us.

"Hello! Anypony 'dere?"

"Huh? I'm sorry I'm spacing out there." I admitted. "And yeah, it's all better now. It doesn't hurt if I don't notice it." As I said that, I can see Rainbow watching me sharply as if waiting for me to slip up.

"So Arr Dee," Applejack said turning her attention to the mare besides me. "What brought you here and draggin' Spirit like tethered sheep?"

"You're still in Applebuck Season right?" asked Rainbow.

"Right in the middle of it, why?"

"Well, Twilight said to let Spirit work here."

"What?!" Applejack and I said in unison. After we watched each other for a while.

"Isn't this a plum too sudden?" she asked Rainbow with a look of confusion on her face.

"I actually met Twilight this morning when I make my rounds and she told me to show him around and ask you if you need help on the farm so he has something to do while Fluttershy doing her stuff." Rainbow explained.

"Then why don't you tell me right away earlier and not surprise me like this?"

"Well... I may or may not kinda forgot that Fluttershy letting a weird creature stay in her house. After I heard Twilight said that, I kinda jet right away to Fluttershy's house. Glad she is alright."

"Okay, I need to point out something that I'm not evil!" I said cutting their daily gossip. "I don't know how you get into that conclusion but I won't do something as stupid as harming someone!" I snapped because of how she treated me.

"I know you're evil because Princess Celestia can't just zap you back to your own world because she's afraid there might be something happen to you!" She suddenly barked at me. "And you know who will get bad effect when they're casted by the Harmony's power? Evil creatures! Like the one we've been defeated so far!" Rainbow huff and puff after explaining why she thinks I'm evil and a threat to her and her friends.

I just stand there not knowing about all this harmony spell and power they're keep saying about since yesterday. And they've defeat evil creatures? Like what? And how? I mean they look like a normal ponies, aside from the horns and wings of course. Are they some kind of avatar that live normally and their power will only come to surface when they're fighting evil?

"Now now, Sugarcube. Don't scare him like that. Princess Celestia said that he has a harmony within him even if it's so little. Now, about that job," said Applejack defending me and clear her throat before changing the topic. "It's true that I could use some help around this part here, but do you know why Twilight doesn't use her magic teleportation thingy and tell me in person?"

"When I met her this morning, she looked so busy with tons and tons of papers she brought with her. I thought immigration paper only needs one or two papers? Three tops?"

"It might be that most of it is a report to Princess Celestia. You know that girl." She paused to grimaced and said, "But seriously, that girl needs to stop jumping the shark like this. It will cause her something she regrets someday."

"So, when do I start?" I asked Applejack when I felt the conversation has reached its ends.

"Oh yeah, you can start tomorrow if you're ready. You can have breakfast with us so I can introduce you to my family if you haven't met them... haven't you?"

"Is it okay for me to meet your family?"

"Well, ponies will know you sooner or later, might as well has a proper introduction if you want to work here." She paused for a while and looks at me. "And I honestly think that you're not as bad as what Rainbow Dash here think you are."

The sudden silent lingered in the air and lack of Rainbow disagreement signifies that our business here is done. As I look at Rainbow, she seems has a lot in her mind right now.

"So, where are ya’ll going next?" said Applejack breaking the silence.

"Rarity I guess." She said sounds defeated. "It's nearer and I think she can do something or make something for his cloth I guess. Since he likes to wear clothes so much, I think it's best for him to have a spare change of clothes than using that the whole time," she said while pointing at my jacket and then snorted and said, "And that one starts to smell." She covers her muzzle and increases her distance from me.

"Is this from this morning? Are you still on that?"

"Now now, I don't know what beef you have on your way here but be sure to not beat each other on your way to Rarity's boutique." She looks at the sunset and said, "Ya'll better get going now before you lose the daylight and I need to buck these here apples. They won't buck themselves you know?"

Buck? As I questioned myself, I realized there are baskets of apples lying under the apple trees. She sure was harvesting the apple trees... but how?

"Yeah, let's go! Thanks Applejack, I thought you will make this harder for me."

"Nah, don't sweat it none. I'll help every pony in need... or human in this case." She chuckled a little bit. "So, see you tomorrow morning!"

"See ya!" Rainbow said and starts walking to the other side of the orchard and I followed her.

"Meet you at the breakfast, Spirit!" I heard her shouted from the distance, farther than from she was before.

When I look back to reply, I saw her kicking the apple tree with her hind legs and the apples suddenly raining from the tree right to the basket below it that she has prepared before.

My mouth agape from what I witnessed there. I was about to ask Rainbow about it but she already beat me to it. "Yeah that's how we do it to harvest an apple tree. How does human do it? Do they kick it with long leg of yours?"

"No, we only pick the high quality one with these hands," I said as I showed Rainbow my hands and wriggling my fingers while we walked.

"Hmmm-mm," she hummed. She was obviously curious about my hands from how she looked at it but restraint herself from asking further question.

After playing with my hands to tease her a bit, I nonchalantly ask her, "We want to get Rarity to make new clothes for me right? Did she even know how to make clothes for human?"

"Don't worry about it, making stupid clothes is her talent, she probably can make it in one night."

"But does she even know my measurements?"

"Well, she will take your measurements of course... and probably do something more." She grins at me and chuckle. How she worded it and how she seems going to like it just make me feel nervous and make me have a bad feeling about it.

Author's Note

Next chapter would probably be longer than this since I need to finish my thesis.
So, see you next chapter!