I stared up at the sky as I gazed at the fluffy white clouds. Freshmen were gathered in a corner, I eavesdropped on their conversation about the newest Call of Duty video game. Tenth and eleventh graders ran around the field, throwing a football around. Occasionally, one would get hit in the face after a toss going the wrong direction and be sent to the office with a bloody nose. I sat alone on the side of the field. Friends? Pfft, more like poison for your life. It was a normal school day at College Heights High School.
The bell rang and a wave of students formed, pouring into the school. I quietly walked behind the crowd, hood pulled up. I've always been kept out of conversations and games. I couldn't care less about it anyways. They're all below me. None of them will grow up and live a proper life. Their time is eaten up by video games instead of studying for the next test. That's what made me different. I didn't have time for friends. Not that I want them anyways. Who'd want to be burdened with the responsibility of having to get each of them a present for Christmas and their birthdays? Certainly not me.
I slunk to my next class, English. I hate this class, well, I hate all the classes, but my father always told me as a kid that studying is life. It's how the world worked. You don't study, you don't survive. What I don't get about English is, why would I need to learn more about something I've been speaking for my whole life? I watched a group of friends discuss their homework together. For that moment, just that short moment, I felt a pang of jealousy.
When I was little, I was all caught up with my friends; I never put time in my life to study. It was ignorant yet so fun. My dad didn't like my friends; at least that's what I suspected. He always scowled when I told him I invited someone over to play with me. He'd tell me that if I don't study, I'll be in a world of hurt in the future. One day, one of my friends called to invite me over. I thought I'd brighten up and listen to my dad for once. I told him to get lost. Boy, did that go well. He never spoke to me again. That's when I began to read books and lost myself in the worlds different authors had created like a god with their imaginations. None of my friends have spoken to me since.
In case you haven't noticed, this isn't your average bedtime story. It's a tale of rejuvenation, a tale of finding your inner self, and it's all true. I don't want to brag (ahahaha) or anything but there were many events in my life a typical person wouldn’t have experienced. To be honest, I don't even think I lived half my life on Earth. Chances are you don't understand a word about what I'm talking about right now. You're probably thinking, Wat. You an alien? It's really hard to explain what I went through, so read on, by the end, I promise this'll all make sense to you. To guarantee it, I'm going to begin where this truly began, and it began in the washroom.
The day had dragged on pretty slowly. I dreamed of returning home and finishing the book I had been waiting to read. Normally I wouldn't skip class, I took all my classes very seriously, but that day, I slipped off to the washroom to listen to music on my iPod. I felt like shit for it but it would be my problem in the future if my grades dropped.
Each time I went to the washroom, I would see kids leaning on the side of the wall and playing with some sort of technology. Just this once I told myself, just this once, I will skip class. The minute the others saw me come in and stay for longer than five minutes, they muttered something to each other and left, leaving me to myself in the washroom.
I hid inside one of the stalls every time a classmate wondered in, do their business and leave. I didn't want anyone to see me. They might tell a teacher and I would've gotten in deeper shit. The final bell rang, and I'm freed from the guilt and self-hatred I had felt a second before. I had already forgotten what I just did as I ran through the halls. Some teachers barked at me but I ignored them. Like I care if I broke a school rule.
I hopped onto my bike, and raced home, avoiding any students that were walking home. My house came in view and I slid off my bike to walk the rest of the way. My mom greeted me with fresh baked cookies. I grabbed a few and escaped to my room. A computer, a TV, and a bookshelf with a collection of books that never fail to entertain me. It's all I could ever want. I grabbed the book I was currently reading and plopped down on my bed. I found where I slid my bookmark and took it out. Flipping a page, I munched on my cookie.
The story was about a plane crash landing on a remote island. The kids that had survived began a tribe to live together, but hunger for power had thrown the group into an epic war. The bloodshed continued as I turned another page. My eyes widened. This was amazing, the author's story telling had me completely engrossed into the book. A few hours passed and I finished reading the last page of the book. I tossed the book aside. That was great.
Mom opened and peeked her head in. "Your father is home, dinner will be ready in a few minutes," She told me. Dad is home! I ran downstairs, jumping off the last few steps of the stairs. I looked around the living room. Dad's sitting on the couch, he laughed as he watched a comedy on tv.
"Hey pops," I said. He turned his head my way.
"My straight A student! Come sit down beside me." He patted the seat beside him.
"How was work?" I asked, eager to know. Dad looked shocked for a bit, then smiled.
"That's something your mother should start asking me." He raised his voice just high enough so Mom could hear from the kitchen. I chuckled and mom's giggles were heard. Dad laughed before returning his attention to the television. I frowned. Is TV all you people could care about? Dad and I are pretty close.
"Hey dad, wanna go to the park and throw a baseball around with me after dinner?" I asked. I hate sports, but my dad was the closest person to me I would call a friend, he was more like a brother to me than a father. Besides, it was better to throw a ball around with another human rather than throw it against your bedroom wall, catching it as it bounced back towards you.
"Sure thing." I looked to mom. She was just putting out the dishes and bringing out the casserole. I wished she could come with us as well. I sat down at the dinner table, I was famished. Mom scooped some casserole onto each of the plates. Dad turned off the tv and came over for his food. No TV during dinner is one of mom's rules; it was as simple as that. She can be very scary when she's mad. I forked a huge piece of casserole into my mouth and chewed. It tasted great.
"So, how is it?" Mom looked at me, waiting for a response. I swallowed.
"Just perfect," I said, looking to dad, I asked, "What do you think of this?" Dad looked up from his plate which I noticed was empty, still chewing.
"Seconds?" he muffled through a mouthful. Mom laughed and scooped more casserole onto his plate. Before leaving the table; she placed a kiss on dad's forehead.
"Love you, see you later upstairs after you finish," She murmured and escaped to the second floor. I looked to dad and frowned.
"Does this mean we aren't going to throw that baseball?" I asked hoping he would reply no but there was no use wishing.
"Guess not, sorry kiddo," He said, I got up, and brought my dishes to the sink. "Hey, we'll schedule another day," dad called to me as I climbed up the stairs to my room. I scowled and sat down in front of my computer. I opened up YouTube, and watched videos from the featured section. I re-watched all the Smosh videos; they're beginning to become less and less funny. I scrolled down the list; nothing seemed to catch my attention.
Many of the featured videos were songs sung by artists like Justin Bieber, Rihanna, The Beatles, the occasional movie trailer popped up but I ignored them. I was never allowed to go to the theatres anyways, why tempt myself by watching the trailers of the movies and risk sneaking off to see the movie itself? I was just about to turn off Internet Explorer and my computer when a bright video in the corner caught my interest for a brief second. I read the title, My Little Pony FiM: Season 1 Episode 1. Why would this be in the featured? I laughed; little girls must be invading YouTube. I'll check it out someday but not now, it seemed the video was grossing a few million views, which was surprising. I powered off the computer and turned the light off. I slumped down on my bed, pulled the blanket over, and dreamless sleep took over.
Day crept in. I awoke to the sound of my alarm clock blasting my ears off. Pressing the snooze button, I got up and dressed myself for the day. Dad was in the washroom by the time I had decided in what to wear. I knocked on the door and he poked his head out, the lower part of his face was covered in shaving cream, I couldn't help but laugh. Dad growled and shut the door.
Forgoing brushing my teeth, I went downstairs to the kitchen where I grabbed the loaf of bread out from the fridge. I took out two slices and slapped some cheese between the slices, my version of the Tim Hortons breakfast sandwich. I wolfed it down and grabbed my textbooks from my room. I slid them into my backpack and called to my dad who was still in the washroom telling him I was off for school. He grunted his acknowledgement. Lucky dad, the office he works at doesn't even open until nine.
I walked to school, it was the same crap, jocks picked on the nerds on the way, groups of girls shared gossip as they walked, the loners walked alone, heads hung down. I did my best to avoid them all as I made my way to school. I didn't want to get caught in a fight or anything, it was for the best if I wished to survive the day without going home with a black eye.
I checked my schedule for today, I've already memorized the whole darn thing, but I couldn't take any chances in case I might've forgotten. As I knew, my schedule confirmed I had English for first period. I didn't plan on skipping classes again. That was just once, never again. I found my locker and grabbed my binder full of work I've done and assignments. We were currently learning about Shakespeare. I've read one of his books, Romeo and Juliet. Well, it wasn't really a book, it was more like a script. I didn't enjoy it much. I slinked off to class. Mr. Greffly had already started taking attendance and I walked in just in time as he called my name. I nodded to him and he marked my name off as present. I found my seat and set my stuff down on the desk.
I sat down and the lesson began. It was pretty boring I'll have to admit. Mr. Greffly asked questions like "When was Shakespeare born?" or "How did Shakespeare die?" I rolled my eyes, and stared at the clock, hoping it would go faster. It's 9:00. Dad probably already set off for work. I wish I was an adult by now, no more high school, no more bullies, just a place to work and earn money. I knew I was smart enough to do it, a straight A plus average would get me a great university and later on a better job. I would buy a huge house, have my parents sell our old one and move in. Such things could not be accomplished without school though, which was why I stuck around relearning the things I already knew. The bell rang and first period was over.
Phys Ed is my least favourite subject. In case you haven't noticed, I was more of a nerd than a jock. I had no muscles; I may have been the lightest kid in all my classes and the easiest to pin down. I'd rather throw a ball around with my dad than risk concussion playing football with these apes. It's not fair they put us scrawny kids and the jocks who shave at least three times a day into the same Phys Ed period.
The soccer ball was heading my way. I decided to kick it to the best player on my team, but my reaction was too slow and someone from the other team stole it. I shrugged; some of the kids from my team yelled at me and called me names. Weak, slow, nerd. They daren't hurt me though, the coach was watching. Thirty minutes passed and I found myself once again wishing the period was over. I escaped to the boys' change room and hung around there as I waited for Phys Ed to end. The coach came in and called me by my last name. I jumped off the bench. I was caught. Shit. When he came in, his eyes were more sympathetic than the ones I would expect when he catches a student slacking off his class. He looked straight at me.
"Your dad was in a horrible car accident," he said, "Your mom is in the parking lot waiting for you." His words shot through me. At first I couldn't believe it; my brain wouldn't let me fully communicate. Not, this wasn't happening, not all the hope in the world could deny the horrible news the coach had just told me. I was at a loss for words, and I sprinted out of the change room, out of the school and into the parking lot where my mom's car was waiting for me. I opened the door and climbed in. Mom looked over to me, face red and tears rapidly rolling down her face. The sight saddened me.
"Mom," I began, "Please drive us to the hospital." She sniffed and started the car. She raced to the hospital, stopping only at red lights. I stepped out of the car, and walked towards the building. It felt like running a marathon to reach the door. Mom followed slowly behind me. I put my hand on the door handle, and the presence of Death himself welcomed me inside. I checked with the receptionist, he told me the floor and room my dad was in.
Mom and I rode the elevator up to floor five. It was a silent ride. Neither us spoke a word. I caught a few tears in mom's eyes, but ignored them. The elevator door opened and we searched for the room dad was resting in. A gray haired doctor noticed us browsing the numbers on the door. He walked over to us with a grim expression on his face and pointed us towards room 386. The look he gave us told me everything I needed to know. I opened the door and scanned the room. Dad laid motionless on the white bed. His face was bruised and it seemed his hair was lit on fire. It was a horrible sight, and if he wasn't my father, I would've cringed and covered my eyes. I walked towards the bed. Mom stayed at the door, still bawling her eyes out.
"Dad?" I called out. He didn't move, or reply. I rushed forward to him and felt his hand. It was as cold as death. I put my ear against his chest, no heartbeat. His eyes were open, just slightly. I looked into them, they were empty. I saw no warmth or emotion in them. His mouth hung ajar.
Tears began to roll down my face. I knew it. The expression on the doctor's face had given it all away. I pounded his chest, hoping he would get up. "Dad, wake up," I whispered. No response again. I fell to the floor on my knees and quietly cried. Dad's dead. Not all the wishing and tears in the world could've brought him back. "You can't..." I croaked, "You can't die... You promised me we would throw a baseball around. You promised we would spend father and son time together." I pounded against his chest again. I was so selfish. I wanted nothing but my father back. The doctor who had greeted us earlier came in.
"He's gone, I am terribly sorry, none of us could've prevented his passing. This may be hard, but you'll need to accept that," His voice was full of sympathy.
"Bullshit," I said, turning my sadness into rage. I turned to the doctor and pointed a finger at him, "Where were you earlier!? Why weren't you here at least trying to save him?" I sobbed again. "Now he's dead, it's y-your fault!" My words soon became feeble mumbles. I wanted to punch that doctor so badly. He simply nodded an apology before leaving me alone to mourn for my dead father. I cried the day away, ignoring the people who had come in afterwards and tried to drag me out of the room.
The following day came dad's funeral. It was a heartbreaking event. Speeches were given by family, friends and some of dad's fellow workmates. We all grieved and shared stories of my dad. Mom had been quiet to herself the whole time. When I asked her about it, she told me she didn't know what to say. It saddened me greatly to know my own mother couldn't even talk about the man she loves after his death. The ceremony continued on for half the day. We all gave our blessings to dad, for a safe journey to the next world.
Then came the time to bury him. It was the hardest thing I've done in my life: watching strangers set my father's body into a pit and cover it with dirt. Salty tears rolled down my bright red cheeks as my dad disappeared into the ground. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve. I knew I looked like a big baby bawling his eyes out in front of all these people, but then again, everyone cried at least once throughout the event.
After the funeral, mom drove me home. It was another silent ride. Neither of us spoke a single word until we reached our house. The house was dead quiet when we entered. I almost expected dad to be sitting on the couch and chuckle loudly as he watched TV. I won't ever see that again. My mood plummeted and plummeted. Mom looked to me and forced a weak smile.
"Cheer up, Thomas will always be with us." She used dad's first name, the mention of it brought tears to my eyes. She saw that I had started to cry again and grabbed me into a hug. "It's going to be alright," she sniffed; she didn't sound as confident as her words were, "We'll find a way to get by." Mom left to her bedroom afterwards. I flicked on the television. It's still tuned to dad's favourite comedy channel. I immediately shut it off.
I fought back the threat of tears. Mom's silent sobs were heard through the house. I didn't want to cry. I felt alone as if everyone in the world had left me, not that I had a lot of people to be with me anyways. It had always been just mom, dad and I. Minus one person now. I walked up the stairs and into my room. I lay down on my bed and tried to fall asleep, but sleep would not come. I rubbed my eyes and climbed out of bed.
Turning on the computer, I sat down in front of it. I opened up YouTube. In case you haven't noticed, YouTube was almost my medicine. When I'm bored, I watch videos, when I'm sad, I watch videos, when I'm stressed, I watch videos. There are always millions of choices for me to pick from and watch. I scrolled through the list of featured again. Nothing good. I sighed. Has YouTube left me as well? Then something in the corner of the page caught my attention once again: it was My Little Pony. It was the first episode to the show. I'm tired of seeing this showing up; curiosity got the better of me and I clicked the link. The buffering symbol disappeared and the video began.
"Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest, used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn, the younger, brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different type of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful, the ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. She vowed she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most power magic known to ponydom: The Elemants of Harmony! Using the magic of The Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon," the voice shifted, "And harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since." The scene changed and an indigo unicorn sat by a lake, reading a book.
I had no idea why, but the show had completely dragged me in. I found myself watching episode after episode. It cleared away the feelings of sadness that had invaded my mind and replaced them with happiness. I became a brony. Each day I locked myself into my room, watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Those few hours each day offered me laughter and time to be happy. Within a few days, I was completely caught up with the episodes. I think the reason why I loved it so much was because of the beautiful scenery in the world known as Equestria. No real conflict, just harmony. Of course each time I decide I'm done for the day, thoughts of my dad's death flood back in. It was temporary happiness.
Mom began to grow worried of me. She told me she understood I was shaken by the sudden passing of my father, but it was no reason for me to watch such things. I ignored her. The feelings I get every time I'm on the computer viewing pony videos were beyond words. Mom actually tried to take my computer to prevent me from watching the show any further. We argued for a while, and she left the room in tears. I didn't care; I just wanted to watch My Little Pony without being judged. Mom hadn't spoken much to me after our argument. It didn't bother me either. She won't ever understand. Dad's death was like losing a brother to me. He was the only person in this world I could've call a friend.
My grades began to drop due to me staying up late at night trying to fall asleep, but each time I try, the thought of ponies excite me and I can't. Eventually, I collapse from fatigue and sleep in. I just couldn't explain it for some reason, what kept me drawn to My Little Pony and how it kept me happy. My sanity was slowly dwindling and I spent long periods of time in my room, often a whole day and sometimes the entire weekend. Mom had completely given up on me by then. She no longer cared if I went to school or not. I admit, I was a bit worried about my future. Mom's sobs could be heard at night from my bedroom. I just shrugged them off and continued to watch.
I'm beginning to wish I had my own pony, not a real horse, but one of the ponies from Equestria. One I could be with and cuddle up with in bed. We would be the best of friends, play video games together, read together, what the heck even cuddle up together in bed. Each day I wished that god would send a pony to me. Anypony would do; Fluttershy, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack. It wouldn't matter who. I just wanted a pony, I just wanted one so damn badly. It'd be my dream to be with one, I no longer cared about my sanity.
On report card day, I grew very angry. The teacher handed us all our report cards. I opened mine, expecting straight A's. What greeted my eyes were rows of B's and a few C's and D's. I asked the math teacher why I received a B- in algebra and he answered with a snort.
"Maybe if you stopped drawing cartoon horses over your work, I can actually mark your tests." I stormed off to the English teacher to ask about my mark.
"You don't communicate with anyone and students say you often talk about My Little Pony." Anger poured through my veins. I ran out of the room, leaving the school, students staring at me and whispering as I rushed through the halls. They're all below me; I don't need to communicate with anyone.
I found my way home and unlocked the front door. I ran up the stairs and to my room. My mom called for me, asking me if anything was wrong and wondering why I had come home early. I just screamed at her about how my life sucked and she should just mind her own business. I logged onto my computer and deleted all the My Little Pony videos I downloaded. I ripped off the posters I had on the wall and threw my Rainbow Dash figurine against the wall.
I stamped my foot against the floor and screamed out to the world, screamed to my dad. I blamed him for leaving me, for completely screwing up my life. Nothing will ever go my way. Why did he have to get into a stupid car accident? I let out one final cry of rage before falling down onto my bed. I was dead tired from all the ranting, and sleep slowly crawled in.
I shifted uncomfortably as I slept. When I was young, my mom used to tuck me into bed. At this moment, I had a sudden desire to be beside mom. It felt like my last day I'll ever live; as if I would wake up and be an empty shell. Even though I was asleep, my heart ached. I cried in my sleep, I felt the tears drip down my cheeks and soaking my pillow. Then they stopped flowing. My sadness lifted and I felt nothing for a short while.
Voices rang in my head. "What do you think it is?"
"Ah don't know, he sure don't look like no pony to me."
"Ooooh! Do you think he likes parties? We should throw a PARTYYYYY! Just for him because he's new here and everypony should welcome him!" I opened my eyes. My head spun. The images my eyes were sending to me shaken and blurred. I blinked a few times and rubbed them, trying to turn on my senses.
"Oh look girls, I think he's coming to." Mumbled a soft voice. I turned to the direction of the voice and faced a pink maned yellow... pony. I stared into its, no, her eyes. It was Fluttershy. I looked around, there were three others gathered beside me. Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle. I blinked, once, twice, third time. Each time, the ponies stayed. I immediately sat up and backed off into the wall behind me. I turned from pony to pony. Twilight to Applejack, then to Fluttershy. Is this happening? Are there ponies in front of me? Have I finally cracked? They smiled. I smiled. The three stood there and stared at me, I stared back.
"Uh... Hiya stranger!" Applejack finally broke the silence after what felt like twenty years. I looked at her, same blonde mane, same hat, same orange fur coat. I looked to Twilight, indigo fur coat, unicorn horn, black mane with streaks of purple. Pinkie Pie closed in on me, studying me with one bulged eye, pink fur coat, pink puffy mane, large smile on her face. Then finally I turned my head to Fluttershy, yellow fur coat, pink mane, pegasus wings, she winced a bit upon noticing my eyes on her. Applejack didn't get a reply from me. My mouth hung open. Was I hallucinating? I touched my face with a hand. It doesn't feel like it. My head was no longer aching meaning I was awake.
"Maybe he can't speak," said Twilight.
"Yeah, or maybe he's a mute! Twilight, we should forget such things and throw a party!!! It doesn't matter what he is, parties are for everypony!" Pinkie Pie shouted and bounced around the room. Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something about my possible inability to speak. I had to cut her short. This could've gone on forever but I really needed some questions answered.
"I can talk perfectly fine," I said. The ponies around me looked to each other. Twilight's horn glowed and a pencil and notebook floated over in front of her. She scratched something down before returning her attention to me. I was ambushed by a million questions coming from the four ponies. I answered them as best as I could but had to stop answering them to get some of MY questions answered. Why am I here? Of course, nopony knew the reason I was in the land of ponies. They were just as fascinated as I was. Where was I even? Twilight answered with a simple "in the library, top floor." I was completely lost. The afternoon was spent questioning each other.
Eventually Twilight called in the rest of the six. Rainbow Dash and Rarity. It was silly of me but I asked for Rainbow Dash's autograph. Something I could bring home. She just chuckled and boasted to her friends before signing a piece of paper with her mouth and handed it to me. I stuffed the sheet in my pocket. Rarity commented on how I was dressed, she asked if I always wore clothes. I just told her where I came from, it was mandatory that you wear something to prevent embarrassment. She giggled and said that was a silly rule. Then she asked about the fashion we had. I grinned. I haven't smiled like that since the day before my dad's passing. The attention coming from six ponies was overwhelming and I found myself being the one providing answers instead of the receiving end.
A week passed since my appearance in Equestria. Just let me tell you, I have no clue how to get home. Twilight offered I sleep in the library and pulled out a spare mattress from the storage room. The first night was completely restless. I couldn't sleep. Anyone who can even get a wink of sleep after meeting talking ponies surely is already insane. Twilight's and Spike's soft shores comforted me as I thought about home. What was my mother doing? Does she even miss me?
During the first week, I often dreamt of arguments that my mother and I had before she had given up on me and I had given up on life. I relived every moment and tears slipped down my cheeks as I slept. Twilight noticed them each morning and asked me if anything was wrong. I just turned away and didn't answer. Princess Celestia herself soon heard of me and paid the library a visit shortly. She questioned me and throughout the conversation, she wasn't a bit surprised. She told me there were two realms, a human realm, with no known name, and there was Equestria, the realm of ponies. Celestia filled me in with information the six were unable to provide. She told me there was a spell to send ponies to the human realm, but a unicorn's magic only worked on another pony, and a human cannot travel this way. She tried the spell on me herself, it was no use, I was stuck here.
I thought being with ponies would help with my depression. I was wrong. They're a great bunch to be around with but the sadness and desperation of my father's death still lingered inside me. Often they would ask me if something was wrong. I just shook my head in reply and forced a smile.
I sat on my bed. Twilight and Spike were out doing something, leaving me to ponder my thoughts. I looked up to the ceiling, dad, I'm so sorry. I began to miss mom. She's alone at home right now, while I was stuck here with a crowd of friendly ponies. The door creaked open; I wiped my tears away, afraid of the embarrassment. I expected Twilight to trot in with Spike on her back carrying a list or some sort of invention. Instead, Applejack poked her head in and looked around. I waved to her; she waved back, offering a smile. She walked in and sat down on the bed beside me.
"So uh, where's Twi?" she asked.
"No idea," I answered, "She said she had to go meet her parents." I winced a bit at the word "parents". AJ noticed the small action and blinked.
"Ah think ah know what's been bothering you sugercube." Silence engulfed the room as I thought about what to say. What does she mean? A tear rolled down my left cheek, it was no use holding them back now. She placed a hoof on my hand and pushed her hat forward to cover part of her face before starting again. "The death offa family member can be hard. You ain't the only one with such problems," she sniffled and continued, "T'wasa sunny day, very nice out and the ponyfolk were at a carnival some strangers had set up in our town. Mah parents were picked to make apple pies for the booths. They began to make them, ah was by the barn playin wit the hay. Hours pass, ah noticed a smell. When ah turned towards the house, t'was on fire, mah parents were still inside. Ah watched helplessly as the nice fireponies pulled out the bodies of mah mom an' pops, by then, burnt to crisp." A sniffle came again, and a tear dripped down from her chin. "T'was a horrible sight t'see, mah parents were gone."
She got up from the bed, and wiped her tears with a foreleg, before leaving, she managed a weak smile my way. "Don't be glum bout it. Life'll move on." I smiled back. It helped to know that someone else was in the same boat as me, even when that someone is a pony. She had the guts to cry, she had to guts to relive her parents' death, I didn't. I looked up to the ceiling, this is where I'll stay, just for the time being, at least that's what I told myself. It's a place to call home, and it's just what I needed.
A year passed since my arrival in Equestria. Pinkie had introduced me to many of the ponies in Ponyville. They're pretty nice and try their best to make me feel welcomed, but every so often, I felt like an outsider. I am an outsider though; I'm living with a group that aren't even my own species. Some ponies call me by the name of Human or Twolegs. I guess the name Twolegs came from the fact I walked on two legs instead of all fours. I don't mind the names though, it's kind of cute.
Ponies or no ponies, I began to feel that some of them were my family. Pinkie was just like the Pinkie Pie from the show, she has a lot of jokes up her sleeve and often disappear and reappear somewhere else if you take your eyes off of her for a second. Rainbow Dash often asked me to race her, of course, she would always win. I'm nowhere as fast as any of the ponies here and I accept that. It didn't matter much to me how fast I ran. Twilight, well, she shared my love for books. I read every book she recommended and I have to admit some of these ponies' books were so genius they would make J.K Rowling seem like an amateur author. The Book of Pony History was something I did not read though, I promised myself to check it out sometime but I always forget a few minutes before I enter the library.
Fluttershy doesn't talk much to me; she's real quiet around me and always puts on a face of freight. I once tried to strike up a conversation with her; she ended up going home to feed her animals, so I can't really say anything about her. Rarity? She's charming, since I arrived here, she made all my clothes and outfits. Some of them were a bit blingish and I eventually had her resize the clothing I came in so I could reuse them as my body grew. Lastly, Applejack. I think she's my favourite, always was when I watched the show, and she and I have been a bit open to each other since her story of her parents' death. We tell jokes and you know, sometimes get in a mud fight with each other. She's very honest, when I'm doing something wrong or not to anypony's liking, AJ is always the first to tell me and correct my ways.
I soon realized I couldn't mooch off of the six much longer. I was just dragging their funds down. So I took up a job at Sugarcube Corner as cashier. Pinkie was excited we were going to work together and see each other every day. I was relieved to see that Equestria's math system is no different than Earth's and the job seemed more fitting for me since calculating money is the easiest thing to do. Occasionally, Pinkie would drop in from the kitchen and tell a few jokes before leaving, by occasionally I meant every ten minutes. I'm fine with it though, working seemed much more enjoyable when you have company. Payday is once a week and I was paid just enough bits to pay for the custom clothing Rarity made for me (even though she insists I take them free of charge, it didn't feel right) and things to eat. I still lived in the library with Twilight and Spike though, I couldn't dream to afford a house of my own. Besides, I wasn't sure if I liked the thought of living alone.
Every once in a while I would feel homesick. I loved it here, but there was never once a day I could go without thinking about my mom at least once. I usually sat by the lake to ponder my thoughts. The water ripples kept me calm and soft breezes that blew through my hair cooled me down. Sometimes, I stayed and didn't return to the library. At night, the twinkling stars in the sky offered me company. I stared into the lake. The bright night stars reflection shined brightly, causing the water to sparkle. I laid down onto my back and gazed at the sky. The stars were bright. The sound of footsteps or hoovesteps grew louder till audible. I sat up and looked behind me. Applejack stared at me with weary eyes.
"What're you doin' up this late sugarcube?'" she asked. I looked back to the lake and returned to lying down again.
"Just thinking."
"Abou' what?" She sat down and laid back beside me. There's a long pause of silence.
"I don't belong here," I finally said.
"Wha' do you mean you don't belong here? Of course you do." I turned onto my side and looked away from her.
"I'm a human. You're all ponies. This world isn't meant for me.I never will belong here, I need to go back home," I declared. When I turned back to Applejack, she was silent and staring down at her hooves.
"Don'tcha think yer being a teeny bit exaggerating?" I opened my mouth to protest, but she got up and pinned me to the ground. "Aren't we all friends?" I looked up to her. There's pain in her eyes. I haven't had a friend for so long, I almost forgot what it felt to have friends, and having AJ consider me as a friend was overwhelming. They're all my friends, these ponies. "What if you did leave? How'd ya think we'd feel?" A tear slipped from the corner of her left eye. "Ah don't wanta be alone, nopony understands me as you do. None of them has lost a family member. It's somethin' that connects us tegether." I wanted to tell her she still had a large family, but I kept my mouth shut. One of her tears dripped down onto my cheek. Sorry mom, I'm so sorry. I brought AJ down into a hug. I'm not coming back, at least, not for the time being.
"I'll stay."
I began to work at Sweet Apple Acres, mostly because I wanted to spend time with Applejack. I couldn't buck apples like she could so I ended up building a ladder and used it to climb up the trees and pick the apples instead. AJ laughed when I told her that was how we did it back in the human universe. She commented on how slow it would be. Applebloom would often offer help, but AJ just shooed her off each time. I noticed jealousy grow in the filly's eyes each time. Who's she envious of? Me? Why would she be jealous of me? Was it because Applejack rarely had time for her? I shook off the thought. I still kept the job at Sugarcube Corner though, I don't get paid at Sweet Apple Acres and to be honest, I don't really mind. Just being with a friend is payment enough.
Sometimes AJ would invite me over to spend the night at her place, to escape Twilight's occasional late night pacing and Spike's sleep talk about Rarity. We would sit on the porch and just star gaze. It sounds boring, but each time was amazing. The stars in Equestria were no different than the ones at home.
At times, I would choose one star from the thousands in the sky, and convince myself that mom was looking at the same star. It just cheered me up knowing my mom was still out there, by now probably having forgotten about me, living happily. I stared up to the sky, and AJ rest her head against my shoulder. I was about to say something, but the sound of soft breathing told me she was asleep. I sighed, and leaned back against the chair, careful not to wake her up. Then I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of laughter. AJ's head was still against my shoulder, she began to stir as well. I rubbed my eyes, clearing my vision.
"What's up with you two?" laughed Rainbow Dash, "Are you two in loooovvvvveeeeee?" She closed in to us, making kissing sounds. My eyes twitched a bit. Applejack ignored her friend and went inside. I looked back to Rainbow Dash. She stared at me. "So... Uhh... Something going on between you guys?" I narrowed my eyes. "I mean, lovers are cool and all, I just didn't expect Applejack to fall in love with a human."
"We're just friends," I declared. That only made Rainbow Dash laugh harder than before.
"Friends with benefits? Haha! So... When ya gonna make your move?" She came in close to my face, and mocked. "You know, d-" The door opened, cutting Rainbow Dash off. AJ stuck her head out,
"What the hay are y'all talking about?" Rainbow Dash looked to AJ.
"Nothing! Hey ummm, I think Tank is calling for me, gotta go feed him and polish his shell. You know how dirty and muddy it's been getting. Bye!" stammered Rainbow Dash before she flew off so fast I didn't even catch a beat of her wings, they were just blurbs. AJ turned her gaze to me.
"Don't mind her, she's jus' like that," she said, "Want some breakfast?" I politely declined the offer and left the farm, heading back to the library. Many ponies waved to me as I walked down the streets. I'm the only human in Equestria. Even after nearly two years, the folks here are still amazed by me. I didn't find myself that amazing, I found the ponies more amazing. When I entered the library, Twilight was reading a book at the table. She looked up from her book upon my entrance, and the smile on her face told me she just discovered something. She grabbed a nearby book and rushed towards me.
"Look at this!" She said, "After hours of searching, I found a spell that can open up a doorway between the two worlds. You can go back, you can go back to the human world!" I took a step back.
"I don't want to go back," I said, "At least, not right now." Twilight didn't look disappointed.
"Well, I didn't plan on casting it right now anyways. It'd be less cheerful without you around here." She set the book back down where she got it. "But it's your choice when you want to go back, just call for me anytime." I nodded and she returned to her book. The rest of the day was spent walking around town. I couldn't find anything else to do, there was no technology in this world, no TV, no video games, no Internet. Not that I needed those things, spending a day picking apples with AJ or watching Rainbow Dash race with somepony else was far more interesting than anything we had at home.
It had been five years since I arrived in Equestria. Each year, AJ would leave town for a week to compete at the annual Rodeo held in Canterlot. Not any of her friends could come since they all had jobs back in Ponyville, seeing that I didn't really have as much of a stable job as the rest of the six did, I travelled to Canterlot with AJ this year to cheer her on. Canterlot itself was an amazing sight to see. The ponies dressed in fancy clothes, the high priced stores, even the street lights were more detailed than the ones they had in Ponyville.
It was amazing that this was a town built by ponies and it made cities like New York City look lame at best. We checked into a hotel room that was provided by Princess Celestia free of charge. Twilight has done this favour for her friends on many occasions, we thanked her beforehand and she just blushed a bit. The hotel room was huge; it was more like an apartment than just a room. There were two bedrooms, one bathroom with a hot tub, a kitchen and a spare room just to keep luggage. The walls were painted white and the curtains were a light shade of purple. It was more than anything I had ever stayed in on Earth, all it was missing was a TV.
It was two days before rodeo day, Applejack and I decided to wonder the streets. Some of the upper ponies would comment on the way AJ was dressed and question me about really annoying things like where I was from. My patience was running thin when this one snobby pony dressed in a black suit told AJ her duds were "unsophisticated." I shot him a look that screamed scat. He got the message and trotted off.
Many of the stores carried items AJ and I could only dream of affording. Store owners didn't welcome window shoppers, it was a “buy something or leave” type of system each and every shop seemed to have. We didn't mind, not many of the items they sold interested us and we had no use for them. Purchasing something would've just added more luggage for us to bring home.
The rodeo was amazing, simply astounding. Some of those ponies had more skills than I've seen performed at a rodeo on Earth. The whole show was a trance: I couldn't stop watching, even when I had to go use the washroom. Apparently, I was more of a show to the ponies than the actual main attraction was. I saw many mares and colts staring at me. Even some of the judges couldn't keep their eyes off me. It was as if they took note of my every movement.
You may think that being the center of attention is flattering, but I just found it a bit creepy and undeserved. My nerves were ready to explode any second the next time somepony whispered something about me. I tried to calm myself by keeping my concentration on Applejack and rooting for her, but having a few dozen pair of eyes watching me really bothered me. At that moment, I realized the tension AJ must be going through performing in front of hundreds. A few judges noticed that I had my eyes on Applejack, as if she was the one I was hoping would win. I was, of course. They scratched something down in their notes before returning their gazes to the show.
I stared at the first prize ribbons AJ had brought in and counted. Three, five, there were eight in total. Eight first place ribbons, the rest of the ribbons were second and third place ones. She picked them up with her mouth and placed them into her satchel.
"You did great," I said, "That was awesome." I couldn't say it, but I wanted to come with her again next year. I'll ask her later.
"Thenks," she replied, "Well, we best be goin'." It wasn't even noon yet. "Don't want to mis' our train." I smiled and nodded. I took a glance at her bag. It looked awfully heavy, and in the corner of my eye, I caught some bags under her eyes.
"Hey, I can carry that bag for you," I offered. She looked up, thought for a moment, then slipped the bag off of her back. I took it from her and slung it over my shoulder.
"Thenks pardner." Her voice sounded weary. I concluded that it must've been from competing in the rodeo. Together, we walked off toward the train station. Neither of us knew it would be our last walk together, or we would've spent more time dawdling outside for the sake of it.
The door opened and passengers poured out. I glanced at AJ, she nodded and we walked in. The train let out a loud toot and was off. I sat down in a seat; Applejack tumbled towards me to sit down beside me. She toppled I bit. The bags under her eyes grew. I leaned forward to hold her and keep her balance. I was too late and she toppled over to the floor. Her hat fell off her head. I kneeled down beside her and felt her chest, her heart beat slowly. Tears streamed down. The image blurred. Applejack blurred. The world around me blurred.
I jolted awake. Sweat dripped down the side of my face. Just a dream, I told myself, just a dream. I wish I was right. It wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. Two weeks ago, Applejack had a heart failure on the train. I took her to the conductor and he called an ambulance. It brought us to the Canterlot Hospital, I requested that they bring us to Ponyville after. They refused at first but AJ wanted to see her friends so they had no choice but to agree.
I slumped back down in bed. She's bedridden now; can't even leave her hospital room for some fresh air. It's hard to believe the once so athletic pony, placing first in eight events at the rodeo a mere two weeks ago now can't even go for a light jog. Her heart failure has caused her many pains: it took away her life. Breathing becomes hard for her. The failure has given her asthma. She can no longer continue her work at Sweet Apple Acres. Her family members are devastated. Applebloom cries while wishing her sister the best each and every day and hoping she can return to work on the farm and play games like they once did.
Three years passed. I'm entering adulthood now. I've lived in Equestria for eight years. I couldn't believe I was sixteen when I came, now I'm twenty four. Sometimes I wonder how it's going back at home, I tried my best my think about it a lot. Mom must've given up looking for me by now. I would be declared as missing or dead. It didn't matter to me. Despite AJ's being confined to bed, we are happy. I visit her every day. She smiles each time I enter the room. I never see her without that hat though. Even in bed, she still wears it. I wished her a fast recovery. Something that had caught my attention though was that AJ didn't look like she aged a day since I arrived. In fact, none of the ponies have grown. I jotted down a mental note; it was interesting the way this world worked.
I took AJ's job at Sweet Apple Acres. I'm not as strong as her or fast enough to take down all the apples in a tree at once. I'd end up with a broken leg if I tried to kick the apples down from the tree. I stuck to my ways of using a ladder to climb up and picking the apples instead. The farm seemed less cheerful without AJ around. Feeding the animals was another task I took on. I simply left the food out in their pens and they ate when hungry. It was an easy job. But to get time to do all the chores at Sweet Apple Acres, I had to quit my job at Sugarcube Corner.
"So, when do you expect to be up and running again?" I asked. Applejack coughed. The room was dimly lit and little sun shone through the curtains.
"Ah don't *cough* know," she said. I winced. I didn't expect that as an answer.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get well soon." I managed a weak smile.
"Heh, you say tha' *cough*... every day." We both laughed a bit. The short moment of happiness didn't last and we both quieted down quickly.
"I brought this for you." I rummaged through my pocket and fished out a piece of candy wrapped in golden foil.
"Candy? Thenk you kind sir,"
"It's chocolate, figured you don't get anything good to eat here." I handed her the sweet. She unwrapped it, plopped it into her mouth and chewed. I smiled and set my hand on her blonde mane. It's a bit tangled but I didn't care. She turned her attention to me. We made eye contact. I felt her silky hair through my hand; it was soft despite some knots that had formed themselves. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the sound of the door opening.
"Heyo lovebirds!" Rainbow Dash walked in. "So, you two getting some private time together? A little bit of kissies here and there?" She laughed. I blushed and turned red.
"Rainbow!" Applejack snapped.
"Hah, I'm sorry. You don't need to be so negative." She stuck her tongue out. "Look on the bright side, you don't need to do anything but sleep all day!" I blinked. Applejack sighed.
"Thenks for dropping by Rainbow," AJ rolled her eyes.
"No problem, always good to check on a friend. You need a hug? I have a feeling you missed me a lot," Rainbow Dash said.
"Nay." AJ's quick and instinctively reply almost caused me to fall off my seat and laugh. Rainbow narrowed her eyes and left the room. I took a glance at the clock.
"I gotta go now, see ya tomorrow?" I said.
"Bye, ah'll be waiting."
I can't even remember my time on Earth by now. The years just fly pass. Applejack has been taken home from the hospital, but is still bedridden. I visited her every day as usual; it didn't matter where she was staying. I don't know how to word this. All I can say is she's the type of person, er pony who I would travel across the world to see. Rainbow Dash mocked us every time she saw us together. It would be funny if and Applejack and I weren't the bums of the joke.
Speaking of Applejack, I don't think she's made any progress with recovery. She seemed to be getting worse and worse as each day passes. The heart failure had completely weakened her entire body for some reason. The doctor had diagnosed her with a chance of having cancer in the lungs. That's horrible, just heart crushing. But my faith in the doctors of Equestria was still strong. They'll find a way to help her. Standing up itself is a challenge for her. My worries grew each time I saw her in bed, and it pained me to know that such a pony, one who was capable of winning eight blue ribbons in one rodeo, ended up in bed for the rest of her life. Once in a while, I would sleep over. We can no longer stargaze together. It didn't matter though, and just keeping each other company was more than enough.
There comes a time when you must say good bye to a loved one. Letting go was the hardest thing I've done, and it's something that seems to keep coming back to haunt me. Let's begin this part where it started.
It was a summer morning, sort of hot. The five and I decided to visit Applejack together. Less than a week ago, she had another heart failure. It was something that had taken us by surprise. We saw her recovery more as a battle between her and her heart. We all felt she was winning but another failure had crushed our hopes for a temporary moment. All we could do was shrug it off and find a way to keep hoping.
Applejack’s room had a strange happiness leeching feeling in it. Twilight Sparkle already wasn't in the greatest mood, neither were the rest of us. Rainbow Dash had lost her will to race after Applejack had been confined to her bed, Pinkie Pie no longer had her passions for parties, Rarity could not concentrate on make new clothing, Twilight spent more time worrying than studying and Fluttershy cried in bed rather than taking care of her animals. It was a horrible side effect we were all experiencing. The room was dimly lit. I saw the bags under AJ's eyes. She turned her head wearily to me and signaled with a hoof for me to come closer.
"Ah, *cough* have something for you." She coughed again. Her foreleg shook as she raised it towards her head. She pulled off her hat, revealing more of her beautiful golden mane, now filled with knots. AJ stared at the hat for a moment; the room was engulfed in silence as the other five in the room watched us closely. After a deep sigh, followed with some coughs, Applejack proceeded to set the hat down on the top of my head. I was surprised for a moment. She was giving me her hat? I opened my mouth to say something, a tear rolled down Applejack's left cheek.
"K-keep it," She mustered, "*Cough*, Ya know, the few years ah spent with you before ah was confined here were th- *cough* b-best few years of mah life." She stared at me, right in the eyes.
"Why does this sound like goodb-" I began, but was cut short.
"Ah jest want you to know, *cough*" she paused, took a sip from the cup of water beside her bed, and continued, "Ah'll always be with ya. Yer dad may be gone, and ah may be too in a short few min-"
"Sh-shut up!" I hollered, everypony in the room stared at me in awe. Tears streamed down from my eyes, "Just, shut up, you aren't going to die. The ponies here are smart, they'll find medicine, and they’ll save you. Just hang on, even if they won't, I'll search this world for a medicine that c-can heal anything!" The words came out more like a blurb. Applejack and I both knew I was just speaking the first words that came to mind, we both knew the outcome, this was our last moment together.
"Don' cry." She hacked and coughed, "Even then, it'll be too late. Mah time has come, ah'm grateful you were all *cough* my friends. Mah heart can no longer hold up, she'll stop ticking any second." The rest of the ponies who silently watched earlier gathered around her bed. I hung my head down, sobbing.
"Applejack, don't leave," begged Pinkie.
"You need to hold on!" barked Rainbow Dash, "I'll leave right now and grab you medicine! Nopony is dying today!" Applejack raised a hoof, showing her disapproval. The rest remained wordless. Applejack managed a weak smile.
"Thenk ya all." She coughed again and closed her eyes, "Thenk ya for being mah friends." Her face relaxed and expression calmed. The last of her tears rolled down and seeped into the bed sheets.
"Applejack!" shouted Twilight.
"Applejack!" mumbled Fluttershy.
"Applejack!" cried Rainbow Dash.
"Applejack!" moaned Rarity.
"Applejack!" strained Pinkie Pie.
They all bit back their tears for their dead friend. I rested my hand against Applejack's chest. Her body grew cold and I felt no heartbeat. More tears dripped down flowing from my eyes like a river.
"Applejack..."
The funeral. The goddamn funeral. I cried more than I had in my ten years living in Equestria. Everypony was crying. Applejack was slowly set into a coffin and the coffin was carried down the lane. Ponies with saddened eyes stared at their once up and moving friend move away slowly, disappearing to the front of the graveyard, where a new tombstone was added. The priest stood up and began his speech.
"We all gather here for this sad occasion. The death of another pony has shaken our lives once again. Applejack is your friendly neighborhood farm pony. She provided Ponyville, the very town we live in, with food. She protected us from herds of angry bulls. Her bravery will always be remembered. Before we bury her body into the earth, and send her off to the next world. Is there anything anypony would like to say?" The crowd remained silent. Nopony talked. What had felt like an eternity of silence was broken by one filly scream.
"IT'S HIS FAULT! THE HUMAN! HE KILLED MAH SISTER! HE KILLED HER! HE DIDN'T SAVE HER! HE WATCHED HER DIE!" Applebloom raced to the front, Granny Smith chasing after. Her eyes were bloodshot red from the tears that soaked her face. "HE'S THE ONE TO BLAME! APPLEJACK DIED FER HIM! SHE DIED CAUSE SHE LOVED A HUMAN!" Everypony's eyes turned to me. I shrunk back. They all snarled at me. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle jumped out from the crowd and pinned Applebloom to the ground.
"It's not his fault! Applebloom, get ahold of yourself!" snapped Scootaloo. Applebloom squirmed from her friend's hold, and ran away. Away from the funeral, away from her dead sister, and away from me.
The rest of the day was simply shit. Everypony hated me. Applejack was gone. I felt more alone than ever. The memories of dad's death came back to haunt me. After all these years, I thought I could hide from the past. Now this horrible event has reminded me of the very thing that almost drove me off the edge of insanity. I couldn't wish for anything but for Applejack to return.
The empty feeling lingered with me as I walked down the streets, returning to the library. Twilight took a look at me; she commented on my messed hair. I saw tears in the corner of her eyes. I pointed them out. She sent me to bed. At night, the room was filled with Spike's, Twilight's and my silent sobs.
It's been nearly a year since Applejack's death. I moped each and every day. I didn't shave either. I let the beard grow. All of AJ's friends have moved on with their lives, but I stuck within my cloud of depression. I grew gloomier and gloomier. I even attempted suicide once; it took all the strength out of Rainbow Dash to stop the knife from meeting my neck.
Many ponies tried to talk to me and explain to me everypony will die eventually. I sent them all away. My attitude changed and I had mood swings. I would be really happy one second but then suddenly become sad again. Anger had gotten the best of me at times. I beat up a few ponies. They all got bloody noses. I spent hours apologizing to them afterwards.
I sat alone on the grass beside the lake where Applejack had convinced me to stay in Equestria. Moaning to myself about my misery, I began to cry. I didn't know how much time passed. I heard hoovesteps in a distance. I listened closely and looked behind me. Twilight trotted towards me. She had bags under her eyes and a messed mane. She stared at me.
"Can't sleep?" She asked.
"Nuh uh."
"You still riled up over Applejack's death?" The words were like bullets shooting through me.
"Of course. She was my friend. There will never be a moment where I wouldn't be mourning for her," I answered simply.
"How will you get on with your life?"
“Pfft, all my life, the ones I love have been dying. Why can't I join them already? If I'm not with the ones I love, what's the point of living? You know what I mean, right?"
Twilight narrowed her eyes. Her tone suddenly changed. "You're so ignorant," she snapped.
"Huh?"
"Applejack loved life, and she wanted you to love it too. You can't spend the rest of your years moping around! How would you think she would feel if you killed yourself? How do you think we would all feel? You can't mourn forever. You need to get on with your life." I was surprised. Her sudden change of attitude made me jump. A tear betrayed her words and dripped down from her right eye. "Even if she isn't physically here with us, she'll always be with us. Always." We sat in silence for a while. The stars above us twinkled and crickets chirped. I looked to Twilight. She was crying full on now. Applejack's hat sat in my lap. I felt the soft fabric that it was made of and smelled it for AJ's scent, her presence. After a long period of not knowing what to say, I piped up.
"Twilight?"
"Y-yeah?"
"I want to go home."
The next day was spent saying farewells. I gave hugs to the five. I visited all my favourite stores, saying good bye to the owners. Some had begged me not to leave. But I made up my mind: I wanted to return home after so many years. I wondered how it was going back there. Was mom still waiting? Was my house still standing? I couldn't wait to get back. I said my farewell to the Apple family, wrote a letter to Celestia mentioning my departure, dropped in on the Cakes, and spent my last afternoon living in Ponyville with my friends.
Twilight’s horn began to glow. The room was silent; it was only Twilight and I. The rest of the ponies had to carry on with work or whatever affairs they needed to get done. A bright light shined into the room, forming into one small glowing ball. Twilight sat down, tired from performing the spell. She looked to me.
"Well, this is good bye I guess," said Twilight. She blinked away a few tears. I managed a weak smile and took one last look around the room I had slept in for the past ten years. I closed my eyes and forced my memories into my brain. I shifted Applejack's hat to be into a more comfortable position. Rainbow Dash's autograph was still in my pocket, it sat in there all these years. I looked to Twilight and made a peace symbol, holding up two fingers.
"Thank you." I grabbed the glowing light and it expanded, engulfing me. I closed my eyes to prevent myself from being blinded. Flashes of light illuminated images. I opened my eyes and was surprised I was not blinded. A picture of Applejack and I picking apples appeared. It hummed, and roared to life.
"So yah ain't gonna leave?" Applejack asked. The me in the picture smiled.
"Nope, I'm going to stay, for you." I remember those words. It was the day after Applejack had convinced me to stay. Moving on, the picture flashed. This time, I was in the bleachers of the rodeo, cheering on for Applejack. Applejack finished the last event, smiled to me and tipped her hat.
The image changed one last time. This time she's in bed. I was sitting on a stool beside her. The words came out like mumbles. I couldn't understand what they were saying. Then I handed Applejack a piece of candy wrapped in gold. She took it, unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth. The me in the picture smiled, I smiled. The image faded. I closed my eyes, now that there was nothing more to see. Even though it lasted for a brief few seconds, it felt amazing to remember my closest times with Applejack one more time before leaving Equestria.
"Thank you, Applejack." My head began to spun, I almost puked. I fell to my knees, the light around me followed down and the world grew dark.
Birds chirped, waking me up. Sunlight poured through the room. I looked around, My Little Pony toys were all over the floor, ripped up Rainbow Dash posters in the trash, my computer screen was dimly lit and the system itself let out a hum. I looked at myself. I was dressed in the clothes I had worn the day before I arrived in Ponyville. I felt my chin for a prickly beard. Nothing. My hair was still a bit messy. And I was the same height as I was fifteen years ago. Something isn't right. Was it all a dream? It couldn't have been. It felt all too real, yet reality itself has come to deny me of my time in Equestria. But I wasn't sad. I was happy that I made friends, even if it was only in a dream.
In the corner of my eye, I noticed a brown item. I turned my head. On my desk, sat Applejack's hat. I got up and slowly walked towards it. I put my hand on it. It felt soft to the touch. The fabric was cool. I grabbed it off the desk and set it on my head. Then I remembered. I reached into my pocket and fished out a crumbled piece of paper. I opened it and in blue ink was Rainbow Dash's signature.
I hopped downstairs. Mom was off to work by now probably. As I made myself breakfast, I noticed a note on the table. It was from her.
Hope you had a good night's sleep. I talked to your teachers last night, they all agreed you were shaken up from your father's death, therefore, the school has decided this report card will not affect your permanent record. I love you, and there is never a moment I spent with you that I have regretted. See you tonight honey.
Love,
Mom
The note made me smile. Even though in reality I was asleep for one night, I was really gone for ten years. I missed my mother a lot more than I had expected. Being with the ponies has taught me to love again and how wonderful it was to have friends with you.
I opened the door. Applejack's hat was still on top of my head. I adjusted my backpack and stepped out. The cloudless sky, as if cleared by Rainbow Dash, welcomed me. I took a deep breath. This world is beautiful. Why haven't I seen it before? I closed my eyes, and let the soft breeze rustle my hair. I raised my arm up. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted with Applejack's smiling face in the sky. I raised my hand as if reaching out to her and smiled back.
The image faded. I wanted to scream my thanks loud enough so she could hear my words from the world beyond. I took another breath, tipped AJ's hat forward just a bit so it was sitting on my head in a slant and ran off to school, letting the wind brush against me. I laughed to myself as I ran.
Today is a brand new day, what should I do?
