Author's Note

This is just a random idea I had. Going to let it play out as far as I want to take it.
Rated mature because of 'bits' that are yet to... come.

Chapter I : Arid

Chapter I : Arid

The series had ended but just a scant few weeks ago, yet it felt as an eternity already. Season five had already been confirmed in the first month of the year, sending echoes of joy throughout the fandom. It was just surviving the drought of ponies through the summer. Sure there were the fan works of fiction, the myriad of art and music in addition to the ultra rare presentation of fan animated original episodes. They were all good to help stem withdrawal, but nothing cured it like official weekly episodes.

Yes, My Little Pony. A world wide phenomenon of cotton candy horses that had mesmerized the public with it's solid writing, life-like relate able characters and truly honest lessons one could learn and grow from at the end of each episode. It was something amazing that anyone could relate to if they merely stopped to find the time and absorb it's message.

Work had been done and over for an hour now and the grueling traffic seemed to get worse everyday, the heat and humidity were no help either. Shoes off at the door, keys on the counter and cell phone on the charger. This was the daily routine that you had kept for several years now, as it made finding each of the pieces easier than bumbling through old pants and crawling under the bed to find them.

The apartment in which you reside is nothing special. Just a ten story building of bricks and glass, each unit made with decent space, faux wood floors and grey carpeting with bland beige walls and ceiling. Everything seemed average, furniture that was well worn but still visually pleasing, second hand appliances, just the minimum to live and devote any extra cash for savings or pony related merchandise.

You glance at the clock though you know it is roughly half past six, it was a habit to keep you on time, just a few more hours of the summer sun before Celestia puts it to rest for the night. Well, it wasn't her sun here, but relating everything on earth to that of Equestria made things much easier during the day. The relation of such made it much easier to see the good in the people around you and yourself, always chanting mentally 'What Would Ponies Do?' if things felt frustrating, angering or confusing. If you couldn't go to Equestria, you could at least bring Equestria here.

Dinner was another part of a ritual. Cook food for the week on Sunday so that there would be as much time as possible during the week for everything pony. Microwave the portioned out meal, consume and clean the dishes then pour a glass of tea as you retreat to the living room where your computer sits.

The entertainment center was odd, but modern. A large high definition television sat on a sturdy oak stand that was meant for the older cathode-ray tube tv's. Under the door-less bottom deck was a slick back desktop tower with cables leading to the TV, the usual tangled mess of peripherals had been solved with wireless devices.

As the TV is turned on and the computer is awoken from it's sleep mode you are met with the smiling main cast of My Little Pony, bringing a smile to your face as well. It was amazing that such a simple thing could brighten up anyone's day, if only for a few minutes.

You begin to go on the usual sites, absorbing the news, checking the links for featured daily music and art. It is the usual fan fair of amazing art and decent musical pieces, but nothing strikes a deep chord of enjoyment. It wouldn't be a day if you couldn't at least one piece to take with you to sleep. Perhaps the fan-fiction would offer something.

With a dis-content frown you again find mediocre to decent works, but nothing that jumps out at you. It is a possibility that the season four finale had set your hopes high, as there was not a fan on earth that could dispute it's badassitude. A thought enters your mind, perhaps there is a decent human goes to Equestria story. A small laugh passes your lips, those stories are always junk, save for a decent few.

Self insertion stories are a mindset of the ultimate fantasy. Who in their right mind wouldn't drop everything and permanently move into Equestria?, from a fan perspective in the least. The show made Equestria seem like a veritable garden of Eden, ponies everywhere, and with what you know from Earth, it could set you up for a very comfortable life there. Meeting the mane six and associated background ponies that had captured the hearts of fans. To make them your friends, real friends.

Most of the ones you view are not worth your time, new stories or updates to a long running series. There are good ones out there, but it seems they have escaped your voracious need for all things fluffy and pony. Perhaps this was good, as there was work in the morning and if there was a story that managed to captivate your mind, there would be no sleep for a day or two.

You thumb the side of your phone to check the time. Celestia had long since sent the sun to bed and Luna had brought her moon to bear. It was always a sad thing to say, but there had been enough ponies for the night and it was time to sleep.

It was sad to say, but the interior of your room was the only 'shrine' to the ponies in your apartment. Blind bag loot, custom mane six plushies, posters, bedding and original art pieces. There was nary a blank piece of wall that wasn't adorned with the Hasbro pleasing haul of merchandise. Soon you would have to start placing your ponies around the house, as room in short supply here.

Sitting on the flamboyant bed sheets was a nearly two foot tall Twilight plush. You pluck her from the laying position on the pillow and give her a hug.

"Sorry Twilight, it's Rarity's turn tonight."

You place the soft furred mare back on top the dresser, in line with her five counterparts and remove the marshmallow pony, Rarity.

"Rarity!" you exclaim, though in a bit of a hushed tone. Talking to yourself was one thing, but talking to stuffed pony toys was another. It wasn't from any bout of delusions or insanity, but just once again trying to bring what you love from the show to life here.

You shed your clothes, save for underwear and the tight fitting white shirt then climb between the sheets and clutch Rarity against your chest. Sleep quickly finds you.

Most nights what dreams happen dissolve instantly upon awakening, losing them forever. However in this night's dream scape you are treated with the rare blessing of a vivid, if not true to life dream.

As soon as your weighted eyelids collapse in sleep you are met with a thick fog. It swirls around your body, drawing the smallest amount of heat from your unclothed skin, it was cool, but not cold.

From an untold distance a tiny light appeared, seeming to cut through the haze. It floated through the haze, bobbing and weaving in a random pattern, but drawing closer. The light seemed to be searching, and once it arrived within arm's length from your body it stopped.

"Hello." the blue hued ball of light chirped, it's luminance increasing as sound came from it.

"Hello...?" you reply back inquisitively, confused as to what is happening. In dreams the scenarios tended to play themselves out, without any input on your part, as the ones you can remember were presented as a theme park ride or a movie where you held no control over what was brought forth.

"Oh, thank the stars!" the ball responded. "I'm here to make you a proposition. You see, I am from a world called Equestria-" Oh, another one of these dreams. Time and time again this same scenario had played itself out, being invited to take charge as a new pony in the world, meet all the characters, save Equestria for some odd reason. Do some pony pounding between the sheets. "-and I would like to make a once in a lifetime offer, to you."

The voice was distorted and unclear as to what gender it was, but it rode a tone of desperation and haste. Usually they were calm, ripe with a sexual undertone luring fans in with their siren's call. The promise of some sleepless nights ahead. This voice seemed out of breath, exhausted.

"I know how these dreams end," you reply back, "I get a decent talking to about what to expect and then I wake up disappointed." You are in no mood for any games or cock teasing of any variety tonight. But if this was going to be the dream for tonight, might as well take what you could get.

"I can quite assure you that this is not a dream. Should it be a dream, what would it hurt if you agreed?" the ball hummed out.

It had a point. If by agreeing you could get some sort of a decent dream from the usual talk, it could at least push forward from the fog hanging in the air to a more friendly area. If by the small margin this was some pony reaching out from Equestria offering a way in, lots would be gained. Perhaps if this was true, you could persuade the entity to pass something through as proof.

"What would I be agreeing to? And it would ease my mind if I could have some proof, a bit coin or something distinctly pony."

"You would be agreeing to a swap. I would change places with you, and you with me, a more than equitable trade on your part, as you would be inheriting the role of one of the Arcane Mages, rivaled only by The Princesses themselves!" the light boasted, the fast firm tone instilling a sense of authority in you.

"And proof that this is not a dream?" you remind the ball of the second part.

"I can send through a flyer from Canterlot and a single bit, should you require them for proof this is not a facade."

That sounded more than reasonable. After all, asking to meet face to face may have been impossible, as there are no cannon laws as to how this entire thing happens, just speculation and fantasy.

"That... sounds good. Is there anything you need from me for this trade?"

"I would ask that you wake immediately and transcribe a summary of who you are, who I will be trading with. Written or recorded form, something that would be easy to digest once I arrive. I have done the same as I have asked of you, to help transition." the light slowly swirled around your frame, sizing you up.

"I get to become a unicorn pony, and you become regular old me." The thought was very intriguing, but your enthusiasm is held under wraps by the fact that you are fast asleep. There was nothing to lose but a moment of sadness if you awake to find this was just your dream, but alot would be gained if this was a real situation.

"Yes, what is your answer?" the orb pulsed impatiently.

"I say yes." you reply.

"Then do as I have asked. I will contact you again shortly." the orb grows dull, then shoots out a wave of light that hits your chest, pushing you backwards far from the light. You can only hear wind whipping past your ears as you go sailing backwards into the fog.

With a sudden jolt you spring up into a sitting position, throwing the covers and Rarity from their place on your chest. Yep, it always ends before the good part arrives. You slip from what covers are left on your body and place the Rarity plush on the corner of your bed and mumble an apology to her. Disappointment and a dry throat haunt you in the darkness, one can be rectified at least.

The refrigerator still has half a gallon of iced tea left. As your arm stretches towards a large cup in the cupboard a heavy thud hits the bargain-bin faux-wood floor of the kitchen between your feet. You pause a second, fearful to move in case it was something containing liquid, or a glass.

It didn't shatter, it was a thud, as if someone had dropped a rock. In the dim light of the kitchen you catch a glint of a coin, probably a quarter that got loose when you took your clothes off and stuck to your skin in bed. The coin was heavy, heavier than any coinage that you are familiar with. As you heft it's weight in the shadows, lighting the area would help better identify the origin.

The light to the kitchen gets flipped on and you look closer at the coin. Your heart skips once you lock eyes with the all to familiar marks. On one face of the gold coin it had a cartoonish horse shoe cast into it, the opposing side had the seal of the Royal Sisters. Around it's edge were words, probably in some form of ancient pony you can't understand. 'For Sun and Moon, for friendship and peace, to all ponies.' are the words that leap to mind, though it probably said something else.

It was odd, the voice said it was sending a bit, and in your hand that is what you are holding. It had to be real, as you cannot recall ever buying a mock copy of a bit, and the bronze stamped reproductions were not as heavy as this, it was real gold.

The coin in itself was enough to send your heart into a pulsing race. In a partial thought that it was still a dream, you give yourself a stern slap, but you do not wake up. This was real alright, or some bit of insanity that had crept inside.

'Where was the flyer?' you ask yourself. After a quick search of your blankets, you find a thick piece of parchment, ink scrawled over it's face. It was an advertisement for the 'Ponytones' in Ponyville. No one used this kind of paper for a flyer, it was not heavy card stock but appeared as if it were made of pressed wood pulp. The face was a bit uneven, bumpy and thicker in some areas. It was hand, or rather, hoof made paper.

Hastily you grab a stack of lined paper from a drawer in the kitchen and begin to scribble down everything you know. After five minutes, it becomes clear that writing was a painfully slow way to get information across, an audio log on the computer would serve better.

Twenty minutes pass, and you spill as much about yourself into the microphone, secrets, passwords, relations and how to operate the phone, as it had voice activated features in addition to the ability to ask it questions and get an audio reply. With that done, you save the recording and open it to play on a loop through the speakers. Hopefully you had done enough.

You retreat back to bed, lightheaded from the exhilaration that you were going to Equestria. Caution was thrown into the wind and you were on what seemed like a free ticket to every My Little Pony fan's ultimate dream. Instantly you understood what others had been writing about, for better or worse. It was a total moment of euphoria, imagining meeting Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and on from there. The reality that in a short while you could be having lunch with them stirred up emotions of joy.

The audio recording you had made played softly from the living room as you waited. Excitement faded into disappointment as time ticked by, there had been no time frame set other than the vague term 'shortly'. You check the alarm clock, noticing that an hour had passed since you had woken up, but also that only an hour and ten minutes had passed since you had gone to bed. Maybe it meant nothing, but being asleep for ten minutes didn't seem like-

Your thoughts were cut off as a wind whipped through the bedroom, rustling posters and blowing your hair about. Shielding your face from the light appearing in the center of the room. The same fog as in the dream appeared, in growing thickness with the light. Soon the room was lost, and it was you and the light again amidst the fog.

"Is it done?" the orb asked.

"It is, I left instructions for most things along with what you need to at least try to pick up my life."

"Good." the voice said in a fashion that sounded like whomever was talking had a deep smile.

"Then let it be done." The orb boomed.

From the fog you begin to hear muffled voices, a chanting of sorts. The words were foreign, not something you would have ever heard. The orb blinked out, then the symphony of voices began to grow louder and louder, chanting, repeating.

A rush of excitement spilled from the depths of your stomach, a million butterflies flapping gently inside. As the tone of the chanting began to penetrate your body, it lifted you from the ground, each syllable pulsing across your skin with warmth.

The voices stopped, and then there was nothing but blackness.

A pounding headache began to ring it's telltale pain as if it meant to split your skull in two. You ignore it to fling your eyes open and see this new world you are a part of now. As the haze slowly lifts from your vision it reveals a rather grim sight.

The scene before you is one of a horror movie. Five candles are the only source of light, and what they illuminate makes your stomach churn. Drawn in chalk on the ground were concentric circles with what appeared to be runes of some sort dotting the edges of each. To you it means nothing at the moment, but a guess would tell you it was meant for a ritual involving magic. A logical guess would be that it is the reason that you are now here. The unfinished stone floor looked as if it had not been used in ages, dust collecting across it's face. But amidst the dust were the markings of horse hooves, and it was more than one set. There were others here.

"We shouldn't stay here, it is not safe anymore." a male voice speaks from the shadows.

"Agreed, they will be here soon." a female voice responded.

"What, why?" you ask into the darkness, struggling to stand in your new body.

"What about the Arcane Mage?" the same male voice asked.

"The deed is done, leave the interloper." the female again responded.

"Hello!" you shout out. "I can hear you. What is going on?"

"Make haste, this foalish pony will be done for soon."

The voices, along with several others that stayed quiet left the shadows to run across the circles in a flurry of hooves, knocking over candles and opening a door to the light. Five of them all together, clad in brown robes with hoods pulled over their heads, but all clearly ponies.

This situation you have been brought into was at the least, confusing. Who was coming, and why? If it was something bad, there was no reason to stick around and find out. Other than finding the pages as to enlighten you as to whom you switched with.

You carefully head towards the light from the open door, remembering that you are now on four legs. With a bit of concentration you manage to ascend the stairs and now feel confidant that you can at least walk slowly.

The top of the stairs reveals a stunning house interior. Carved marble, rich wood furniture, thick shag rugs with a rainbow of colors stared from the floor that wasn't blue veined marble. Windows flanked with a beautiful silver threaded set of curtains, outside the windows were the faces of other buildings, a cobblestone street and ponies of all color spectrum outside traveling to their intended destinations. You had arrived in Equestria!

Before departing the house, it was best to seek out the instructions that were left. There are a few questions running through your head: What do you look like, what is your story and most importantly what gender you are. The gender question was most important, as no trip here was complete without knocking together some horse shoes.

The house was filled with valuables, room after room had exquisite paintings, vases and tapestries. Yet room after room had no books or even papers to check. As well off as it would appear you are now, there were no books.

The last place you come upon is a bedroom, a deep red bed that would easily sleep five ponies, complete with enough pillows and covers for them as well sat in the center of the room. The walls were papered with blue daisies on a white backing with flank high molding at the floor and ceiling that bore a mural of open skies. Several large armoire lined the wall opposite the door and between two of them there was a full body mirror.

Upon trotting in front of the mirror you see what you look like for the first time.

Staring back at you from the mirror is the face of a unicorn mare. It was a bit of a, well, never mind. Pony parts were unique to them, stallion or mare, both of them would be unique experience-wise when it came to that. But a mare. Yea, that is something you could live with. You entire coat was a blue, not quite royal blue, but darker than normal. The best way to describe the fiery red mane with yellow highlights was to let it grow past ones shoulders, then remove half of the length. Subsequently the rear mane on your neck sticks up nearly horizontal, from the lack of weight a full mane provides.

Looking back at your flank, you see a black piece of jagged coal cracked in the center with yellow flame consuming it. What did flaming coal mean anyway? Well, now with the appearance issue sorted out, it seemed best to find the book or papers and leave, as the other ponies seemed to think that it was a good idea too. But why?

The entire house had been searched by now, there wasn't even a scrap of paper laying about. Aside from the furnishings, it appeared that no one lived here with regularity. The kitchen was quiet, not even a fire kindled in the earthen stove, no food anywhere. Everything did have a fine layer of dust over it.

Was it possible that what was in the basement had diverted you here, or perhaps it was an accident? It would seem that doing magic in the basement of what appeared to be an abandoned house was not on the level. Something was amiss here, and it did not bode well.

You feel something tingle down your horn and into the center of your skull. It is hard to describe, but it dropped the pit out of your stomach. Something was heading this way, and you shivered, as it's intentions were not pure. It was like per-conceptual feeling, not quite a vision, but the knowledge that if you don't leave, the house may fall in on you.

As adrenaline kicks in and you head towards what looks like the front door, there is a swell of energy behind you, from it you feel a form pushing through it. With a poof the energy coalesces to a center point then dissipates in a fraction of a second, some pony is behind you.

"Stop... Right there."

It was the voice of Celestia, and it was not her normal tone, it seethed of anger.

Slowly you turn around to face her. Her brow was furrowed, her lips tensed back to bear gritting teeth. The Alicorn's horn was a light in magic, what she was holding sent your heart into overdrive. A pale yellow sword, engulfed in the same color as her magic aura, hanging outwards, ready to attack.

"Give up. Now." she barked.

Stunned as to what was going on, your mind swims in thoughts, mainly to get away and sort out what happened. Surely crossing between worlds would not draw the wrath of the Princess, if anything make them pause to muse over your situation. But an armed Celestia minutes after arrival was concerning. No Royal guards, just the most powerful Alicorn in the world.

Teleport away. That was a logical decision, with Celestia bearing down with a sword, staying seemed the last thing you wanted to do. Quickly you realize that you know nothing about unicorns and magic, the show never did anything past having them use it. Couldn't be too hard, a bit of concentration perhaps.

Think of someplace... Ponyville! Now concentrate, the middle of the town, near the mayor's building. Nothing happens. Damn! Someplace safe, just safe, make it safe.

With the thought of safety, your head begins to feel warm. Though the carotene the horn is made of is supposed to be like a nail, or hair, you feel it surging. YES! Make it safe, make it safe. You concentrate on that thought, feeling everything in the room, the carpets, drapery furniture tingle in your mind. Safe.

Within the blink of an eye every inch of the room that is not made from stone bursts into flame in a bone rattling whump. The windows rattle and as flame spread in an instant combustion, they melt into white hot slag, spilling across the stone floor like water from a glass.

Celestia gasps, and in the blink of an eye she teleports away as the rug she was standing on began to lick at her body with white hot flames.

The room instantly heats up, followed by thick clouds of billowing smoke that burn your lungs when inhaled. It was a good bet that you had just set the entire room on fire, and now needed to leave. Dropping to the floor you slowly crawl to the door and push it open carefully with a hoof and move to safety.

The fresh air felt good, but you dare not pause as Celestia may be nearby. As the passer by's gather in a sick form of wonderment at the building that suddenly combusted you use this as a chance to run down the street. It doesn't matter where, just to get away.

You look up for a second to determine where you are. The tall towers of the Royal Palace look different from street level, but there is nothing else in all of Equestria that look like them. Canterlot, that would explain why Celestia was there so fast. It was beginning to look like a bad idea coming here. Not quite the dreams one would imagine.

Several minutes of running later and you have to stop. It would have been easy in your human body, but unicorns seemed to lack the endurance. All the ponies around are looking towards the sky, at the plume of black smoke filling the sky. Quiet murmurs and stern looks pass through the crowd as the building began to burn without warning.

This wasn't the Equestria you had in mind.

There was that feeling again, the swell of energy from a teleportation spell. Instead of Celestia appearing, Twilight Sparkle appeared instead, her face twisted in anger hooves planted outwards, ready to attack. She scans the crowd and locks eyes with you, eyes that bore the pain of betrayal that had turned into vengeful wrath. The mare bore her teeth and ran headlong towards you.

Out of breath, you quickly slip into the crowd that was intent on watching the smoke loom in the sky. You put your head down and pass back and forth between the ponies, trying to lose the one who you should be overjoyed to meet. This Equestria was looking less and less friendly.

Near the edge of the crowd you turn to see if the mare is still following you, but the telltale lavender mare clopping about is far from you. Quickly exiting the crowd, you turn your head forward only to run into the very pony you were trying to avoid. You pause and sink lower on your legs, ear flattened. She looms over you, appearing a bit taller than what you expected the real. Being this close to the wrath that played out in the season four finale sent a shiver down your spine. The real Twilight is terrifying. Around her body was an invisible aura, bearing down on you with the anger of a riled hornet's nest.

"Ember." she scowls, bringing a hoof up to the side of her head, then releasing it down upon your skull. The world goes black for a few seconds, and you find yourself laying back to the ground, Twilight straddling your chest, her hooves gripped around your neck.

"I should lay you down right here," she barked, her eyes starting to cloud over into pure white, a bad sign. "I'm going to take you to Celestia and you will rot in the dungeon for months."

The situation felt like a scene from a movie, the good guy about ready to deal the killing blow, and you were not the hero. Twilight was growling in anger, her hooves pressed tighter and tighter around your throat. You want to fight back, but it seems futile. She has mastered every spell she has come across, defeated foes ten times as powerful as you are and you don't know anything about magic to at least keep her off of you. Helpless.

"Then I'll get to drag you from your hole. Haul your flank to the gallows. String you up myself and watch as you twist in the wind. This would only alleviate a portion of the pain you caused. I'd have to do this to you a thousand times for what you did to me. For what you did to my friends."

You wanted to cry out, ask a question, plead for mercy. The uneasy jitter returned, the unsettling feeling that somehow the switching had been beneficial only for the previous occupant of this body. Twilight's hooves pressed in further and further as black spots spark across your eyes. As your mind spirals into it's final heaves of consciousness you mentally laugh, at least you met Twilight, even though she seems content to choke you to death.

Twilight seemed ready to do it, push you over the edge and continue. But as she bore down strait into your eyes there was a pause that turned into a full stop. Hopefully she was witnessing the confusion pass over the darkening orbs that you viewed the world from. She raised her hoof and dealt a knockout blow, sending you into blackness.