The Game

  The train rattled Chris out of his sleep. He looked around while wiping the small bit of drool from his lip. Twilight was still sleeping soundly to his right. Her head was leaned against the window and she snored lightly. Chris smiled softly at the adorable mare. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes again to fall asleep. The train suddenly stopped making Chris fly forward and collide with the seat in front of him.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" He muttered to himself.

He turned turned to his right and shook Twilight awake.

"Hmm? Are we there yet?" She asked.

"No, the train just suddenly stopped for no apparent reason- of course we're there!" Chris said.

"Okay, okay, jeez." Twilight sighed.

"So where are we going again?" Chris asked.

"We're going to Applejack's to drop of the game then we're going to grab the rest of the girls." She answered.

The two stood up and left the train. They made their way to Applejack's orchard. On their trek, a thought popped into Chris' head.

"Aw hell, did we leave Spike at the library?" He asked.

"No, don't worry. He's at Rarity's helping her with some things."

"Oh okay." Chris sighed.

The rest of the walk was quiet again. They just walked through town. Twilight greeted all the ponies while Chris stared off into space. Whenever he did this, it was a sign that he was trying to remember how he got here what he did to get here. But he could never remember anything. He would get small fragments every once in a blue moon, but then he'd forget about them in the next few days. No matter how hard he tried to keep them in his mind, it was like something kept pulling those fragment out, then teasing him with another one.

Chris was so far out that he didn't notice that Twilight was trying to get his attention until she was practically screaming his name. He shook his head and looked at her.

"Still trying?" Twilight asked.

Chris let out a heavy sigh before responding, "Yep. But nothin' still."

"Don't worry, you have to recall doing something at sometime." Twilight said.

"Yeah, but that ain't gonna happen soon. Oh hey, we're here."

Twilight and Chris walked up to the farmhouse and knocked on the screen door. It wasn't long before a small, yellow filly opened the door.

"Hey there Chris!" Applebloom shouted.

"Hey, whats up Applebloom! Is Applejack here?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, lemme go get 'er." The little filly replied before running off screaming for her sister.

After a little wait the door was opened again.

"Howdy there! What 'd ya'll need?" Applejack asked.

"Bah, nothing, we just came here to drop off this game then go get the rest of the girls." answered Twilight.

"Oh, well give it here, and ah'll take care of it."

No doubt about it. The most responsible person *I've** ever met.* Chris thought.

A buncha dialogue and other boring stuff happens and we end up back at AJ's!

The group; Chris, the Mane Six, Spike, and Applebloom, all sat around the table with the board game in the center. Nobody or nopony had a clue what the rules were. But that didn't stop Chris.

"Wait, what're you doing?" Twilight asked.

"Well, we don't know the rules, but its a board game, how hard can it be?" He said before tossing the dice across the table.

"Wait! Princess Celestia told us to-"

Too late, the dice were already skittering  across the table.

Snake eyes... lady luck is not on my side today... Chris thought.

"Welp, here goes." Chris said before moving his piece two spaces.

As soon as it touched the second space a message projected from the gem, causing the table to jump. Chris leaned forward and read the text.

"The ground is now steaming hot lava... HAH!" Chris laughed.

He continued to laugh at how odd of a phrase that was. That is, until he smelled something burning, and felt a burning sensation in his feet. He looked down to see a pool of dark red lava, steaming underneath his feet.

"HOLY MOTHER OF SHIT!" He screamed as he lifted his feet up and onto the chair.

Oddly, the pool didn't seem to effect the chair, only the person who rolled that phrase.

"Well, uh, that's interesting... anyone else wanna go?"

Everypony shook their heads and backed away from the table. All but Twilight and Chris stood there at the table.

"Wait, Princess Celestia said that this game has magical effects that are irreversible. So if Chris ever wants to get that lava pool out from beneath him, we have to beat the game." Twilight explained.

"Well Chris is gonna have to get over it, cause I ain't going!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Me neither!" Rarity added.

"Hell no! If all of you think I'm gonna go on with the rest of my life with a lava pool underneath me, you better call yourselves insane." Chris growled.

"I'm going next!" Twilight shouted before tossing the dice.

Both added up to eight, and Twilight moved her piece that exact amount. Another message was projected from the gem. The entire table backed about ten feet away from the table before Twilight began reading it.

"You will doubt every thought you have... that's not that bad..." She said.

"Or is it?" A voice said.

Everyone looked in Twilight's direction to see a floating orb next to her.

"Oh, you're the doubt." Twilight sighed.

"Or am I?" It repeated.

"Don't worry, it'll wear off eventually."

"Or will I?"

"That's seriously annoying the piss outta me already, someone else go before I make you go." Chris grumbled.

Applejack was the next to grab the die and toss them. Six. She moved her piece and another text came up.

"Life is against you, go back once every turn. What in tarnation?!" AJ shouted.

"Don't worry, that may be useful." Fluttershy said.

"She's right, that can be useful." Spike chimed.

"Well, useful or not, we've already got three turns outta nine, so ya'll better go, because now, there's no turning back..." Chris said gravely.