Friends in Equestria

by artsofallkinds

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance, Original Character, Comedy, Adventure, Derpy Hooves, Slice of Life, Human, Main 6
Length: 11174

Another HiE fic, but this time some non-brony friends get to join in on the fun...

(Obligatory Human in Equestria fanfiction story. Also on DeviantArt! http://artsofallkinds.deviantart.com/gallery/35567117 )

John was eating lunch. But now he and his two friends are in Equestria, trying to figure out what happened. How will John (now named Quick Step), Ribbon, and Ember Coal deal with craziness, friendliness, and romance-ness this new adventure will offer them?

Published 2012-05-14 10:24:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-14 10:24:01 UTC

Chapter 1

Ah... Lunch.

It's the one time of day a kid can truly feel obligated to have no obligations. They can stuff their food in their mouths and talk with friends, often simultaneously. We feel that, drowned out by others besides those we want to talk to, we can say anything.

Naturally, I talk about Ponies.

For those who don't know, I'm a Brony. Bro + Pony. Yeah, like the My Little Pony dolls for girls.

Ehehe... Let me explain.

Basically, we're a group of 15-35-ish year olds who has discovered a common ground: Candy colored equines. For (most) every Brony, it begins with the show: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic. So masculine, right? They either hear about it from a friend or from a source on the internet, eventually think, "What the hey, why not?" sit down, watch the show...

And fall in love with it.

The animation, the characters, the stories. You'd first off think that the stories would be so girly and feminine that they'd be almost impossible to watch. Yes, this was true before 2009, which was when a remake of the series hit the TV. The old show was written for girls, so any self-respecting male would have probably have thought this newer version would be the same. But oh no, the writers keep it very... Well, open, I guess, despite the brand's history and reputation.

Sure, it's Flash animation, computer-assisted. But it ~flows~, and someone had to draw that frame at some point, so it is drawn. But really, it just looks good. The lines are neat, and the colors are bright. Not to mention the brilliant mind that assisted in past great cartoons, Lauren Faust, helped the project get up on its feet. People praise Mrs. Faust by saying that anything she touches turns to animated gold, like a Steven Spielberg of children's shows. MLP is no exception.

The characters... Not only are they cute in every way that wants to make your inner child squeal in joy, (minus Rainbow Dash: she makes you want to squeal in LIKEABOSSNESS) but they're all so complex. Twilight Sparkle isn't just heroic; she spends too much time studying and reading. Fluttershy isn't just shy; she has a soft spot for animals, and will even speak up in ways unimaginable to us mere mortals, when necessary. I could go on, but I'll let you figure out the rest.

Don't judge, man. Well, actually, go ahead and judge. I really don't care. I've accepted this new part of me, and I need no other's approval.

And I lo-o-ove to rub this in my friends' faces!

I have two "Lunch Buddies" (in lack of a better term) I always sit with during my one hour of freedom per school day. Neither of them are in my grade. Neither of them are Bronies (or rather, the female version; Pegasisters). In fact, I'm pretty sure I scared any chance if them ever going to "The Herd". Oh well, their loss.

The first girl's pretty quiet. Her hair is black-with-dyed-red-highlights, and she always wears think-rimmed glasses. I call her 'Ember Coal' (for those who don't know, that would be a considerably recognizable Pony name) just to get her to look at me funny. It's the same look any time I bring up Brony-ness; always one of complete confusion and almost disgust. I find it hilarious. She has a boyfriend with my same middle name, but it's not like he's my twin or anything.

Then there's 'Ribbon', (also a believable Pony name) who's much more outgoing and energetic. Blonde hair, curly almost to the point of frizzyness, and sometimes wearing a red-pink bow/headband thing, she raises an eyebrow when I mention small, colorful horses. Oh, the times I've tricked her into listening a Brony song~ Also Homophobic, but that doesn't concern me.

They both bring their lunches, whereas I sit through the line of constantly shifting and cussing teenaged boys. It's not like our schools sexually separated, it's just that most girls got smart quick and made their lunches at home. *sigh*...

After acquiring my tray of oddly colored quesadilla-from-a-box, I join my friends in our little spot near the wall. Sometimes, when we're finished eating, we'll go outside for some fresh air. Not today, though; it's late January, and they're shoveling snow off the roads from a sudden snowstorm, (~Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Uuuuup!~) so no students allowed outside.

"Ribbon." I announce my presence in probably the most annoying way possible.

"You're still on that?" she retorts. "And let me guess, you have another 'random, original piece of music' you found on the internet?"

You know me so well~

"Seriously, do you really think I'd 'torture' you DAY after DAY with Pony music?" Complete Sarcasm. I don't get what's so bad about the show's songs. Daniel Ingram is a genius.

"Yes," responded Ember, to my surprise. Seriously, that's the most I've probably ever gotten out of her.

"My Cutie Mark is music notes, whadda ya expect me to do?" Actually, I've never seen a symbol appear on my 'flank' explaining what I love to do in life. Only on my original Pony character, Quick Step. He's an energetic, fun, and overall happy-go-lucky (but nowhere near Pinkie Pie's level) earth pony* who dances for a living and loves it. Oh well. At least I got that "WTF" look from Ember. Mission accomplished.

"Please tell me you didn't just say that," pleaded Ribbon. Ha ha.

"Why? Jealous?" I stick my tongue out at her whenever I can, just because I can. She might have ripped it out right then and ended that game FOREVER, had I not shoved it back in quickly. All in good faith, of course.

So there I was in the cafeteria, enjoying my meal to the best of my ability.

And then I... wasn't.

It was a weird feeling. Imagine what being in one of those flinging-you-20-stories-in-the-air-tourture-devices at a theme park feels like, without the coming down part. Or the going up part. Okay, bad example, but it was a kind of flinging sensation.

It's not really describable. But what happened next, THAT can be described. In fact, I'll describe it to you right now.

I was falling.

"Umph! Ah! Uk!" I hit two branches before landing on a bush. Alive, thankfully. I had no idea how large a length I had fallen, but it didn't give me enough time to figure out where I was from the air. I mean, it was obvious I wasn't in my school anymore. Between the lack of roof and falling into trees, that much I could tell.

I heard an "Eep!" from nearby. Whatever just happened, my natural instinct to apologize profoundly kicked in.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Really, I-"I jump up and turn my head, but no one's there.

"Hello?" I try. Nothing.

"Um, I'm not dangerous." Who was I kidding? I just fell from the sky. I'd run, too.

But it was then I saw the bush rustle. There was someone hiding there, I was sure. So I tried a different approach.

"Well, okay, I guess I'll just sit here and wait for you to come out," I whispered under my breath.

Real smart plan, I know. But whatever works, I'll go with. Whoever this was was shy, so I'd give them their time.

This let me examine my surroundings in more detail then I could before. After all, it's hard to examine your surroundings when your falling face-first into a bush. The trees were weird. Okay, they were definitely not normal; they appeared almost 2-D, flat, but when I moved my head, the 'cardboard stand' adjusted itself to still appear like a real object.

"Weird." Not as weird as the rest of what's about to happen, my naïve past self.

"Um-" I hear from just outside the bush. Here's where things get awesome, folks. In front of me is probably the best shy, yellow-and-pink animal you'll ever not be able to see unless you have Internet or the Hub Network on your Television. Which I recommend, by the way.

Not ten feet in front of me stood the one, the only, Fluttershy.

My brain shut down. I was in complete Derp mode. My thought looked a little something like this:

"Awha, habba-ba la wha?"

I mean, there was no way. But she was. But, but, but...

Then it hit me. I was talking to Fluttershy. THE FLUTTERSHY.

Okay, what should I do? I'm not restricted by screens. I've already proven I'm crazy (my face was derped). Wait, what did CardsLaughter have Firewall do when he met Fluttershy for the first time?

"Fluttershy!" Gosh, I am such a fanfic fanboy. I go by the expert's advice and immediately embrace the kindest, sweetest, shyest thing basically ever. As previously read, and therefore expected, she froze up "like I had thrown cold water on her".
Quotes, how do they work?

"Ah! Uhh-" Okay, I felt kind of guilty at that point. She seemed kinda uncomfortable in the embrace of a stranger. Maybe I should stop, I thought. Then again, FLUTTERHUG.

Following the script, I forced my voice to seriousness and recited, "I'm so sorry! Fluttershy, I apologize. Do you accept my apology? I will cry if you say no." At this point, I started to realize that Firewall's first impression on Fluttershy wasn't exactly amazing. Aw, Horseapples.

"Um, I, I guess? Don't cry, please." She's so cute when she's flustered! *~squeee~*

I slowly let go. As I'm letting go, however, I got startled and jumped back (how Fluttershy survived the sudden movement, I'm not sure). For the first time, I got a good look at my arms. Normally, looking at one's arms holds no surprises. You have the limb, then the hand, then the fingers. Nothing abnormal, right?

Except where hands and skin were supposed to be, I found hooves.

Bet you were expecting that. Yeah, well, I wasn't. I stared at myself in every way my newly-discovered pony body would let me. So, basically, I appeared even more insane in front of a certain, very important someo- excuse me, somepony.

Remember Quick Step, my pony fan-made character? Well, he was me. His light gray fur (90 white - 10 black, to be specific) was there, and his brown mane that resembled Hoops's from the Sonic Rainboom episode (sorta) was there too. The Cutie Mark displayed itself in all it's beauty; a three-bar scale with a bottom-facing eighth note and a top facing one right after. The only thing I/he was missing was the hat, gray with black stripes and what I've always described as 'Very British'. Eh, sue me.

Needless to say, my mind was blown. For like the third time. Or maybe the forth. Whatever, my mind was blown, I couldn't keep count.

"Um..." Whoops, forgot about Fluttershy in my second-ish nervous yet amazing breakdown, aka the Derp Mode.

"I... Where am I?" And if I wasn't seemingly crazy before, now I definitely was labeled in her Pegisi* mind as "...nice".

"Um... The Everfree Forest." she said. She continued, quietly and cutely as ever. "Uh, ca-can I ask a, um, a question? If you don't mind."

"Sure..." I was caught of guard by this. Not what I was expecting. I was more expecting something like 'Run from the crazy pony!'

"Who... Who are you?" she asked. A completely normal question, I guess. Only problem was, do I immediately tell her who I really am? I wouldn't want to shock her even more then I had already. Then again, if I lie, would she hate me later on? Gah, so complicated...

Like a bad boxer, I was hit with realization yet again. I could start over. I could be Quick Step, and enjoy every aspect of pony life. But it still felt bad even thinking about lying to the wonderful being in front of me. Oh, and to point out how in shock I was, all of this was contemplated after only a minute or so of even knowing I was in Equestria in the first place. Things were obviously not correctly prioritized in my mind.

"For now," I answered, "you can call me Quick Step, I guess." She, understandably, gave me a quizzical look. After all, what could I mean by 'for now'? All in good time, Fluttershy. Well, maybe.

"Do... Do you travel?" she asked. A question also expectable, considering she had probably never seen me before.

"Um... Sure, let's go with that." The 'Travel' I meant probably wasn't the kind she was thinking of. Not that it was my choice, but thanks whatever heavenly being that can send people across dimensions, I landed (quite literally) in Equestria, a place I know relatively well. If I had to land somewhere, this would definitely be my first choice.

"The-then, are y-you... do you know t-the way... to..." I'm pretty sure she said something after that, but her voice shrunk so much I think I herd a squeak only a dolphin would be able to decipher. My guess, whatever held her attention behind me was scary, if not unnerving.

Technically, it wasn't a big, scary monster. But I knew the looks on Ribbon's face well enough to know she wanted to rip something apart, regardless of what body she inhabited.

"What. Happened." said Ribbon. It wasn't a question, it was a tell-me-or-I'll-kill-you. If that even counts.

Suddenly, Fluttershy wasn't the only pony cowering and backing away. "I, uh, don't... know?" I tried. She was still pretty PO'd, regardless of my perfectly honest explanation.

Speaking of explanations, you may want to know what her Pony-self looked like. She was a Unicorn*, red fur and a blonde mane, with a bow in her hair. I was a bit jealous that she got a hair accessory, but that wasn't exactly prominent in my mind at that point. Her mane and tail were styled in a familiar frizzy fashion, and her Cutie Mark seemed to be a microphone.

Well, she did like to talk... And sing. That too. Definitely was a singing cutie mark. I mean, not that she's bad... I'm getting off topic.

She took a step forward, coaxing a step back from both Fluttershy and I. "Oh really?" Suddenly, I realized the only way she could continue saying anything else was if she told the ever-observing Fluttershy that we were not originally Ponies. And if I didn't stop her early on, this wide-eyed, pink-haired mare would get basically Ribbon's life story, depending on her mood (which was obviously really, really angry and therefore talkative).

"Ribbon," I took a few steps foreword, and gulped, wishing there was another way to do this. "Please, just... Just listen..."

"Huh?" She was confuzzled by my sudden sincerity. I had to get her to see, you see. Didn't want to shock the local populace just yet, or at least that's what I told myself.

"Can I ask a huuuuuge favor?" I asked. You may be wondering why I was so Pinkie Keen on trying to keep our true identity hidden. You know, I don't really have a GOOD reason, besides the stopping of unnecessary panic. I just didn't want to miss an opportunity to be accepted into this awesome community. Selfish, I know, but I had my mind blown. What'd you expect? Plus, don't say you wouldn't do the same.

"Please oh please go along with this?" I was pleading. She was no Brony, but maybe she could figure out why I'd want to spend time with the only cast I knew that was, well, 20% cooler. Not that she'd think that, but yeah.

"Go along- Wait, you... I-I..." Confuzzled put it mildly. She could never understand my obsession before, and now her lack of comprehension was the cause of some sort of nervous breakdown (reoccurring plot point, much?). After all, a 'normal' male reaction would probably be to hurl at the very sight of everything being so girly. Yet here I was, asking her to embrace it, too.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"

"Fine."

"... Really? Wow, thanks!" We were still whispering, but it was in that moment I realized what a good friend I had. What that had to do with whispering, I don't know. So why did I write that connection? Stop pestering me with questions, I'm new to this whole 'writing' thing. Anyway...

Right off the bat, I came up with an explanation to everything. It felt bad having to lie, but what was I suppose to do, go prancing around telling every... pony that I was a human? Only Lyra could believe me, and even that has a slim chance of happening. Not to mention our omnivorous practices might scare the plot off even Princess Celestia.

"We owe you an explanation, Fluttershy. We're... two-thirds of a traveling group of Show-Ponies, and we got lost in this forest. Ribbon here's probably mad at me for losing her in these woods. Ehehe..." Ribbon played along perfectly, to my relief, and gave me a hoof to the back of the head. Or maybe she still thought this whole mess was my fault.

"T-Two thirds? Where is the, um, l-last pony, then?" asked Fluttershy.

Ribbon was suddenly aware of my equation as well. She gave me a quizzical look, as if to ask, 'You think she's here, too?'

"I don't believe I know where our friend Ember is, but she's sure to be close by. We can look for her now, if you'd like." I said. Truthfully, I had no idea if she was here in Equestria. I could only hope so.

Ribbon was desperately trying to get to talk to me alone (not like, weirdly, you sicko), so we could try to think of a plan. Or maybe she wanted to rant about how stupid this was. Regardless, I didn't oblige just yet. We had an Ember to possibly find!

After a quick plan was formulated (Fluttershy was so nice, volunteering her time to help find a friend who might not even be there! ~squee~), Ribbon and I began our trek through the forest with Fluttershy looking for signs of life above. I guess Ribbon did get that time alone she wanted (What am I writing? O_o) and she wasted none of it, getting right to the point.

"Are you crazy? How could you be so... nonchalant about all of this?"

"Truth be told, I'm internally in shock. I just didn't want to scare Fluttershy anymore then I had. Permission to spaz, ma'am?"

"... Permission granted?"

Basically, I let loose. Every little ounce of how amazing, crazy, awesome, cool (by 20%, by the way. A-ha! NEVER gets old...) and astounding all of this was was released. Every mental emotion and physical movement escaped over the next few seconds as my body finally caught up with my mind. Ribbon, somehow, ignored this display of insanity and waited for me to finish.

After finishing by saying something about how 'this is best life', I composed myself, glad to get that out of my system. Instead, I asked a question: "Did you... Sorry, let me catch... My breath... Phew! Ok... Were you, like... Flung here, kinda?" As said before, there was little other way to describe it. This is proven by her thoughtful nod a few seconds later.

"And you believe that-" she began.

"Ember," I prematurely corrected. "And you're Ribbon, and I'm Quick Step. They're Pony names; we have to fit in."

"...Right. You think she's here, too?"

"Why not?" I ask. Then, suddenly becoming fake-ly dramatic, I sighed. "Why should you have to be the only one to SUFFER?" Extra emphasis on suffer, just to rub it in her face that I'm enjoying myself so much~

"Oh, boo hoo; she might miss all the fun." Then Ribbon did something only she can really get away with; she switches to this really cutesy, high voice and childishly slurs certain words. For instance, "Oh, I bwet you are bweing sutch a Bromy, aren't yew?" Sometimes it's d'aww inducing. Sometimes it's like she's talking to a child.

"And what's wrong with liking something that makes you a better per- or rather, now, a better PONY inside?" I asked. Eeyep, I stooped as far as that. I rubbed it in her face that she was as stuck in this situation as I was.

"Shut up and look for-" I gave her a look. Remember, we're calling her... "Ember," she continued, drawing out the word in an awkward, unused manner. "If she would be anywhere, she would be around here somewhere..."

After a few more minutes of searching, during which I relayed my plan of fitting in, we found no trace of her. Was she lost, perhaps? Then again, was she even here in the first place? I just kinda wanted to get to her before Fluttershy, so I could get our stories strait.

Unfortunately, I never got the chance.

"Where's that flying pony, Flutter-by?" asked Ribbon. She probably did that on purpose. I had told her that name at least a hundred and two times before.

"FlutterSHY, and I have no idea. When did you first notice she wasn't above?" I said. We were kinda-sorta lost-ish without her over us, but I was sure she could find us again.

"Just now," she answered. She might've continued, but a quiet, yet easily recognizable voice was herd on the wind.

"That way!" I shouted. We galloped off (Don't ask me how we immediately knew how to gallop, we just did. Yeesh.) towards Fluttershy's voice, intent on finding what she was talking to. Of course, I could only hope that it was who I thought it was...

"Ember!" I was relieved. We found her! Phew.

She looked over, obviously just in a conversation with Fluttershy. As soon as she placed my voice to who I was, she adopted the 'WTF' look I know so well. Even Ponyfied, I could spot it from a mile away.

She was a pegasus*, completing our group by including every race, sans alicorn. Her fur was charcoal grey, and her mane was vibrant red, styled in the same downward spike, almost emo-looking way I knew already. Her muzzle ended in a purple shade, and so did her hooves and wing tips, which was pretty cool, if I do say so myself. Her cutie mark seemed to be a circular disk. Actually, it was the round part of a speaker. Huh, cool, she looked like a pony/Vocaloid mix! I could only assume her speakers didn't work, though.

"Yeah, what's up?" said Ribbon, stepping out from behind me. "And yes, I know."

"Um... So this i-is Ember? She doesn't, um, speak much, does she?" shyly asked Fluttershy. I just realized that she probably had her first one-sided conversation where she was the one talking the most.

"Eenope." I stated, with a half-recognizing, half-confusion look from Fluttershy. Ribbon had gone over to Ember, and thus did not hear (Wow, that sounded fancy).

I had asked Ribbon earlier that one of us had to explain to Ember my semi-though-out plan of trying to blend in as traveling performers. She thought that I wanted to do this so we could spend time looking for a way back to Earth, but really I just wanted to live in Ponyville as long as I could. Make the best of this situation, ya know? I don't know why it didn't bother me that much that I currently had no plan on how to return home.

So I distracted Fluttershy describing my friends while Ribbon caught Ember up on the details of her heroic and logical version of our plan. "Ember is really quiet, almost in exact contrast to Ribbon. I never really got how they became such close friends, being so different. But hey, who am I to judge?" I rambled on. Nothing I said was a lie; they really had bonded quickly. And I don't know why either. Just one of those things, I guess.

"Oh, so how long have you three been traveling?" She seemed excited to learn about our 'profession'. So, I told the truth.

"We only met about half a year ago. But it really wouldn't make a difference how long we've known each other, I'm sure," I said.

"Oh, you all must be very good friends! I would love to see a performance," said Fluttershy. I guessed that I would have to throw together something for us to dance to, so I could convince everypony. But we would need instruments, and we didn't have anything like that, just our voices and bodies.

"I would love to... Only, ehe, I don't know where we left our cart full of equipment." It was so well lost, in fact, it's like it never existed! Oh, wait...

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'd love to help you look for it." Fluttershy was opening up to us, mostly me. Why me? Maybe it's because she met me first, or that I was the friendliest. Gosh, I feel so honored!

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much that means to me." Fluttershy shyly blushed. "But Celestia's lowering the sun, and I don't think I'd feel safe in this... What was it called?" I feigned ignorance. "Oh, right, the Everfree Forest. Um, can you tell us where the nearest hotel is?"

Ribbon and Ember were done talking and had walked over. They were silently waiting for my signals on what to do. After all, they had almost never seen Equestria before, neither physically or through a screen. I was the resident expert, and I felt SO on the spot, you have no idea.

"Oh, there's n-no need for that," said Fluttershy. She was still blushing for some reason. Weird. "You can stay at my cottage, I, uh, I have m-more then enough room, if you don't mind." Mind? Staying at Fluttershy's house would be, like... I don't know, cooler then sleeping anywhere else by an increment of 1/5? (Man, I really do sound fancy all of the sudden...)

"But we wouldn't want to be a burden," began Ribbon. Ember nodded in agreement. Shutupshutupshutup, I want to sleep at Fluttershy's~

To my relief, Fluttershy was too nice to say no. "It would be no burden at all to give you a place to stay." She looked back over at me. "R-really, no problem," she continued.

"Well, guys, are you okay with staying at her house?" I ask Ribbon and Ember. Please, PLEASE say yes. Pleeeeeeeeee-

"Well, if she would be so kind..." Ribbon said, aiming her words at Fluttershy, giving her any chance to protest. None came. D'aww, she was so kind! Then again, she was the Element of Kindness.

"Great!" She certainly was being super friendly, but still seemed nervous. Her cheeks were still red, too, I noticed. Was it getting too cold for her? Should I volunteer my new fur to make her a coat and keep her warm? Wait, what was I...

We followed her through the forest, and watched the shadows lengthen as the dusk minutes passed. Fluttershy had, for some reason, adopted to walking beside me, with the other two trailing a few feet behind, in their own quiet conversation. Ribbon was the only... pony I knew who could pull words from Ember's mouth. A very special talent, if I do say so myself.

Fluttershy gave a little noise to get my attention. She was blushing visibly again, which set me on edge.

"Um, c-can I ask you a-another que-...question?" she asked.

"You just did, silly." I gave a little chuckle, as did she. "But, yeah, go ahead. I don't mind."

Fluttershy still wasn't looking at me, which made it hard and a little awkward to try to talk to her. She took a deep breath as she stole herself to ask her next question.

"Do I-I look... Pretty?"

Whoa. Where did that come from? Seriously, right field. But I did consider the question. Like I said before, I was still kinda in a state of shock; things like this made a vague sort of sense and didn't really freak me out as much as it should have.

I had never really though of her as "attractive" or "pretty", mainly because of the same reason most people don't think of their cat or dog that way either. Fluttershy was 20,000% cooler (ZING) then a pet, of course, but as I am not attracted to horses, I couldn't really honestly say.

"...Yes, anybo- excuse me, anypony would be lucky to go out with you. But remember, it's what's on the inside that counts." Aww, aren't I encouraging?

Fluttershy sighed, obviously relaxing. "Tha- Thank you..." she said. D'aww, does somepony have a crush? A certain large, muscular, red stallion, perhaps? >.>

Nah, I decide, Fanfic probably doesn't apply here. Wait, does that mean no Lyra and Bon-Bon? No Vinyl and Octavia? Confound it; those couples are so cuute~

That's when the true, true reality of the situation hit me. I was in Equestria. Like, true blue, canon-only, completely real Equestria. Like, Luna still shouts (maybe), no Trollestia (phew!), no Mane 6 'ships (which was fine by me, although Fluttershy's question caught me a little off guard), and no Twilight spell mix-ups (probably). As if 3-6 Mind-Blowns weren't enough...

NEXT TIME ON FRIENDS IN EQUESTRIA!

We go to Fluttershy's cottage.

We hit a few notes and break a few strings.

We meet the best, lazy-eyed mare ever.

*For non-Bronies: There are three types of Ponies. Earth Ponies are normally strong, Unicorns can use magic, and Pegisi can fly and control weather.

Chapter 2

My first thought as I woke up was that I probably slept through my alarm, for once. After all, light was poking through the curtains, and on school days I wake up a good 45 minutes before that happens.

Then I wondered why I wasn't in my room. Then I freaked out, because I wasn't in my room. To name a specific thing that happened, my arm shot out and pushed me up and away. Flung off the bed by my own sudden panic spasm, I hit the floor a little harder then was comfortable, with a loud thump verifying that, indeed, I had given myself a rude awakening.

A sound from below, something like a pot being dropped, reached my ears. I wondered who it was. I had a nagging feeling I should remember why I was in a different house, in a different bed. Distinct steps came up the stairs.

"Are... Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy.

Fluttershy.

Oh, right.

Not wanting to worry the kindest pony in all of Equestria (That's right, Equestria. It took awhile for me to get a handle on it, too. Read part 1 if you're lost.), I stood up and shook my head. "I'm great, just had a bit of a shock from not being in my usual bed," I said. Wait, was I just sleeping in Fluttershy's bed? Where did she sleep?

My mind wandered a bit, thinking back to the almost cliché feel of my situation. How many fanfics have I read off of FimFiction.net that involved some lucky duck finding him-or-herself in Equestria? Countless stories also followed the possible tradition that they were immediately found by Fluttershy where, as only Bronies ever found themselves in Equestria, they proceeded to shock the living daylights out of her in the form of an embrace one would normally associate with suddenly seeing one's idol walk down the street. The only two new things I can really point out were my two non-Brony friends that had somehow also tagged along.

Focusing back on the present, I noticed my new yellow friend looked worried still, so I tried to change the subject. "Um, what's for breakfast? I think I heard a pot drop."

"Oh, um, sorry. But are you o-okay? I thought you ha-had hurt yourself. Did I wake you?" She had kinda ignored my topic changer, but whatever, she was being cutely worrisome. What else can I say but H'NNNNNNNGGGGGGG-

"Oh, no no no, I woke up a few minutes before that? I just jumped out of bed because I was surprised, that's all." If she had worried any more about me, I might've melted under the sheer amounts of hug-ability she would have possessed.

"Are you sure? W-was it something about the room?" She wanted to change her room just to make me feel more at home. =3 It was like living with a celebrity that wanted to do everything for you. The Best! Possible! Thing!, one might say.

"Fluttershy, it's fine, really. And if anypony should do anything for anypony else, it's me for you." I had always tried to be super polite when staying at another's house. After all, it was I who was invading their space, so I should try to change as little about their lives as I could.

"O-oh, tha-thank you..." she blushed. She was so shy and so nervous about being able to give anypony else directions, I literally felt my cuteness complex start to reconstruct itself to deal with the incoming amounts of D'awwwww.

"So," I yawned, "do you need any help with breakfast? I know a little about cooking." I mostly made eggs and toast back on Earth. I had a feeling only half of my knowledge on the subject would truly come in handy.

"Oh, no, it's mostly done already," she responded. She then led me down the stairs and to the table currently stacked with piles and plies of what looked like the vegan's perfect starting meal of the day (and just so you know, it was a different table the Cutie Mark Crusaders had 'fixed' so long ago).

I'm sure you've all seen Fluttershy's house before, but in case you're new, it's a wood-based cottage adorned with mementos and furnishings in a comfortable, modest way. She had little birdhouses and other small animal shelters across her roof, walls, and fenced-in yard. Her house had also apparently gotten a renovation, because there was a guest room with two beds that I had never seen before. My guess was that that was where Ribbon and Ember had stayed the night, but all I remembered was crashing almost as soon as I had stepped into the house. My mind wasn't really focused on the furniture, however. It was much more focused on the food.

"Wow," I basically salivated out. It all looked much more appetizing then it probably should have. After all, I saw no bacon. And no bacon usually means it's not the best that breakfast that it could have been. But for some reason, the smell of all of the herbivoric breakfast foods had me drooling and imagining the taste of each. Some syrup'd apples looked tauntingly amazing, and these blueberry muffins had this aroma I couldn't seem to ignore.

"Your cooking looks... divine," I said, pupils dilating in order to get a better view of the grain-and-fruit-based meal that seemed to have me more captivated then originally thought possible.

"Th-thank you," she stuttered, "I do a lot of cooking, um, for the animals I take care of. I-I get a lot of practice, but it's nothing, really." She must have been so embarrassed at me complementing her so much, 'cause her cheeks looked as red as the apples I mentioned earlier. She hid behind her mane, which just was probably the shyest thing possible for her to do.

But I wouldn't stop there! Oh, no, I would be sure to make her see how awesome she was, regardless of what damage I did to the characteristics the Bronies loved and adored so much. "This food looks fit for the Princesses themselves! There's no way you learned to do this alone!"

She seemed to both shrink in modesty and grow in pride as she responded: "But, um, yes. I just like to cook, I guess."

"Wow," I stated, in awe, at her. "With this kind of presentation, I wonder why you don't have a cooking cutie mark." She was so blushy! I worried I would squee if I talked again. But for the moment, I composed myself. "May I dig in?"

"Oh, of course! I hope I didn't keep you waiting." she said.

At 'hope', I was already in the chair.

As I took my first chomp of maple apples (as I'll call them for now), I realized just why I was salivating so much. Imagine all of the things that make you want to pick steak over apples. Now, move all those reasons to the grains, herbs, and fruits, and vegetables of the food pyramid. Apparently, a horse's brain worked differently in that the need for meat was replaced to what the body naturally ate more of. Huh, pretty cool.

Not to mention, the food was as amazing as it looked, natural eating urges aside. The syrup had semi-caramelized the apple, giving it a sticky and sweet taste even on the inside. That finished, I went from grain to grain, from stalk to stalk, until I had stuffed myself full of one of everything on the table.

"Oh... My... Celestia, that was... Goooood..." I mumbled, sitting in the chair in a manner reminiscent to a certain mint-green mare. Leaning back to make sure my stomach would not explode, I recalled that throughout the entire meal I had seen neither head nor tail (Get it? Tail?) of my friends Ribbon and Ember Coal.

"Do you know where my friends are?" I called out to Fluttershy, who had wandered outside to tend to her chickens, more then likely.

From the general direction of her coop, I could hear the flutter of chicken wings and a cry of "Clucky, no, don't do that!" After a few seconds of frantic clucking followed by a mysterious silence, Fluttershy came walking back into her house.

"Your friends? Um, last I checked, they haven't gotten up yet. Why, did they go somewhere?" she asked.

Suddenly conscious of my vocal volume, I lowered my tone and continued. "Well, your beds must be comfy. Normally they get up before I do!" I laughed a little, thinking to myself how (if I hadn't woken them up) they were both probably in a deep sleep, completely relaxed in the somber atmosphere of Fluttershy's cottage. I know I was. Well, minus the asleep part.

Fluttershy had a wondering look on her face. "I was going to ask you yesterday, but... Oh, I'm sorry; I meant to ask if I could ask you a question?"

I giggled at the fact that she was so shy she has to ask a question in order to ask a question. "Sure, go ahead," I said.

"How did you... Well, um, how did you know my name?"

Dangit, I hadn't thought that far through the plan yet. Then I suddenly remembered the episode where she was a model. Since apparently being an Element of Harmony in this world didn't make you famous, I relied on that episode to lead my next few sentences.

"Why, you're the ex-model for Photo Finish! How could anypony not remember your shy, modest posing? Or the way the light would bounce off of anything you would wear? The camera loved you, and we fans loved you through it!" Okay, maybe I went a little overboard, but hey, whatever. Not to mention, I was finally getting used to saying things like 'anypony' in regular speech, something I had to refrain from doing back on Earth.

"Oh, that. Well, I didn't like the spotlight so much, so..." She broke off into a mumble so quiet I bet not even a bat could have picked up on her sound waves. I let it go, though, since reliving those days obviously caused her to feel uncomfortable.

"Hey, no problem. I've always believed if you don't like to do something, you never have to do it. You obviously seem happy here, so I can see why you'd not want to return to modeling." Of course, I know the real reason she kept modeling for so long was to keep Rarity supposedly happy, but Quick Step didn't, so I played to his beat.

"That's a unique... Philosophy, Quick Step," she said.

"Yeah, so I've been told," I said. "I learned it after performing in a play where this family was all happy because they learned that life should be about fun more then work. Although they seemed crazy, they were all very care-free and didn't have many issues. I though, 'That's the kinda life I'd like to live!' and decided to do what I loved; performing." I had already planned out Quick Step's life, basically, and this was how he got his care-free attitude.

He also realized his special talent was rhythm soon after (last in his class to get his Cutie Mark, by the way), when he was at his prom dateless and decided to dance. He thought he was halfway decent, and when the school-approved DJ was boo'ed off and a certain blue-maned replacement began to 'pump out the fresher beats' (I am so-o-o white...) he danced his heart out and never felt the fatigue. Only after the DJ herself got on the mic and pointed out his new Cutie Mark did he even realize it was there!

"Is that how you got your Cutie Mark?" asked Fluttershy. Oh, was that story to early? Dangit.

"Indirectly," I said, and continued to relay a more detailed and emotionally attached version of the above story as we moved our conversation to the living room sofa. Call it weird, but it felt much more like calling on a memory then an idea, like I had actually experienced the moments themselves. Huh.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I could never do anything like that," said Fluttershy. She looked so snuggly on the sofa, all warmly curled up. Then she hurriedly added, "Not that it's a bad thing, or something I wouldn't WANT to do, I-"

"Fluttershy, it's okay," I said, cutting off her self-conscious rant. "That was my story on how I figured out what I like to do. I would never ask you to do it if you didn't honestly want or need to." I gave her a smile, which was returned with a shy head duck.

"Oh, well, um, thank you," she said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door to the extra bedroom swing open in a slow, sluggish way. I turned my head to find Ribbon ooze out of the room and into a kitchen chair, where she followed natural instinct and proceeded to stuff her face full of anything within her reach. Not that I had ever actually seen her in the morning, but I had always assumed she was heavily an afternoon person (Or pony? Do you honestly care?) based on the way she seemed to have an almost Pinkie Pie level of energy at certain points in the afternoon, and I knew no mortal being can keep that energy up for too long.

"Good morning, Ribbon," I say, both Fluttershy and I watching her eat (out of pure bewilderment from her stunningly stoic morning attitude).

I think she mumbled in reply. Either that, or the celery she was munching on made a weird noise.

An idea sprung to mind in my head. A random one, but an important one all the same. "Fluttershy," I began as I stood up, "Do you have a map of Ponyville, a piece of paper, and a pencil or quill?" I took another muffin from the basket before half-asleep Ribbon could get her greedy hooves on it. But feeling not-so-hungry, I just set it on the table.

"Oh, um, sure," she said, "just let me, um, get them." She walked off in search of the items I had asked for. Nice as always, a trait I hoped I also had. I mean, who wouldn't want to be nice? And Fluttershy was pretty much the embodiment of nice.

A to-do list was what I needed. A plan, and something to write out ideas on to later act them out. So when Fluttershy returned and placed my requested materials on her coffee table (if they even called the family room's table a coffee table in Equestria), I immediately got to work on finding and taking note of where I would need to go.

A job would of course be my first course of action. But where would rhythm be most needed in a working environment? I had to play to Quick Step rather then myself here, because (as weird as it sounds) I was in Quick Step's body. His brain and body are hardwired into a beat, a beat I could feel, and I had to 'drum to that rhythm'. But how would I turn that into a bit*-making process?

After that, I'd need to buy a hotel room for us three to stay at. Then, a cart to carry instruments for our supposed traveling act, hopefully with beds and such. Oh, and of course, instruments to play, too. *sigh*, I had a lot of work ahead of me.

Suddenly, a certain building's name popped into my vision from the map. Perfect! If THEY were hiring, then I'd have the best rhythm-based job I could think of besides dancing itself!

I made a note of the building on the paper. I had subconsciously held the quill with my hoof. How was that possible? Believe me; I just kinda stared for a second at my hoof, pulling a worried look from Fluttershy. The munching sounds of Ribbon at the table filled the otherwise calm atmosphere.

Regaining composure (for once), I shook my head and proceeded to make note of the only address I knew where instruments could probably be found. There was enough trouble finding them before (ya know, in the show?), and I could only hope I would have an easier time.

However, as much as I checked the map, I couldn't find any hotels. The only places that seemed to take other ponies in were the hospital and retirement homes.

"Um," I started, "are there any hotels around here?" I mean, I had never seen any in the show before, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Fluttershy had been looking over my shoulder as I wrote, and was suddenly shaken from my question after my being quiet for the past few minutes. "Ah! Oh, I'm sorry. I... I don't think there are any hotels, no," she answered.

I recalled Trixie had her own cart and Gilda apparently only stayed a day. Not to mention the Flim-Flam Brothers had their own contraption to live on. I guess there hasn't been any kind of canon hotels shown in Ponyville, has there?

"Fluttershy," I started, "then do you know of any places my friends and I could stay at? We need to-"

"Here."

I looked up from my map, stunned by her assertiveness. She looked dead serious for a second, then shocked at her own words, then apologetic, then worried. Talk about mood swings. "Oh, I mean, um, it wouldn't b-be a problem, i-if you're fine with it..."

I honestly didn't know what to say. Actually, I know what I couldn't say. I just couldn't bring myself to say no. Try saying no to a pack of little puppies, and you'll catch my drift. "Are... Are you sure?" I asked, making sure she was thinking things through. Most people I know wouldn't open their doors for an unknown length of time to complete strangers. Then again, this was Fluttershy. She was neither a human nor a person I had known back on Earth.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure it would be no problem on my part," she replied with a smile. How could any soul-bearing being refuse that smile? Or how her mane fell perfectly to her right, leaving just enough space for her to see through but still not even coming close to hiding her face? Or the way her eyes shimmered in the morning light, the way the reflections danced within the teal pools of iris-

*THA-THUMP*

Wh... Wha-?

"So," grunted Ribbon as she removed herself from her seat, "who made breakfast? It was really good. The apples were all sweet and sticky, and I love syrupy things. Which one of you made it?"

"F-Fluttershy," I said.

"Oh, okay. Well, Miss Fluttershy, your cooking is delicious. Based on what I've overheard, I guess we'll be having it for a while now, too." She started towards the guest room with a yawn. "I'll go wake, um, Ember up, and we can go do your list of stuff you've made."

Really, I didn't care at that moment. At some time during what she had just said, I had returned my gaze to the map, rather intently. What... What just happened? I had been looking at Fluttershy (who was still rather close). Then it felt like I was looking through something else, seeing something new for the first time. But... But, what-

"Hey, uh, Quick Step? Are you ready to go? Is your list thing finished?" Ribbon asked, interrupting my chain of thoughts. Both she and Ember, still appearing kinda groggy, were walking from their bedroom towards the front door.

Rolling up the map and folding the paper with more interest then probably necessary, I stood up and nodded. Fixing a saddle bag I filled with my items onto my back (including my muffin), I held my gaze forward as I walked with my friends out the door, each saying our goodbyes and thanks to Fluttershy. Mine was short and with little eye contact.

We began to trot our way from Fluttershy's into town, my mind still swimming. I... I had to be sure. I turned my head around, and there she was, standing just outside her doorway, waving her goodbye as the first rays of the day touched her pink and yellow coloration and shimmered off the ocean of blue and green I knew were her eyes-

*THA-THUMP*

I quickly faced forward again. My eyes were wide with confusion, but my trot didn't slow. What...

"Hey, John, can you tell us what we're gonna do in this town already?" asked Ribbon, halting my thoughts.

"Shhh!" I quickly reprimanded. "I'm Quick Step! No other names!"

"Riiiiiiight," she sighed. "Anyway, can we take a look at that list?"

"Sure," I said, "but it's really just stuff I'll have to do, not you." I handed (Hoofed? Sure, why not?) the folded paper to Ribbon and she took it. After unfolding the parchment, she eyed each item of the list with growing skepticism.

"You really want to do THIS, huh?" was all she could say, and she handed me back the paper. I probably would have said some kind of smart-alec response, but my inner consciousness was a little messed up at that point. "Fine, do that if you want. But we're gonna go to the library to look up how to get home. Go ahead and live your fantasy while we do the actual work." She seemed super agitated at the moment. Why was beyond me. I probably thought something along the lines of 'Girls. What are ya gonna do?'.

Ribbon and Ember Coal trotted off to the right (following a sign that pointed that way and stated "library"), Ember still just as silent as always. Based on her expression, though, I can't say she was too happy to be going with Ribbon when she was in one of her moods. I made my way to the left, towards the more tightly packed part of Ponyville.

Of course, being alone gave me too much time to think about everything. What was that... whatever it was, that happened to me at Fluttershy's cottage? She had suddenly made me so nervous, even as I walked away from her house and looked back.

There was an explanation I could think of. I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it.

Could I have a... a crush on Fluttershy?

As soon as I thought this (and stick with me here, this gets really weird), the music started up. Eeyep. The violins and synthesizer began to play from some sort of invisible recording studio. All of my thoughts became erythematicly matched in my head, every two lines or so rhyming cleverly. I literally couldn't stop myself from singing my thoughts, and even as they came out, I continued to deny them.

The song went a little something like this:

"Shy, sweet, and pure
Oh, What should I do?
I've never felt like this
Could I have... fallen for you?

No, no, no...

Maybe it's 'cause
She's not on my TV?
Or perhaps this new body
Is what it could be?

This cannot be right!
Although she's my fav',
I've never wanted before to
Ask her out on a date

I know it seems silly,
But still, all the same
Something's quite different
But what is to blame?"

The notes that had suddenly come to mind fit perfectly with the music. I honestly wanted to stop, in fear of anypony overhearing, but I literally couldn't control myself. A while passed where the music went on without me, though, and even though I wasn't singing, the unseen instruments seemed to support an invisible and unheard vocalist.

Later, I had found out it had been Fluttershy's turn, and far away in her cottage she had sung something like this:

"He practically fell
right out of the sky!
He was sweet and polite
Didn't mind I was shy

I can't tell if he's true
He seems to be hiding
And sometimes I saw that
His friends were just sighing

But...

What was that just now?
He was shy suddenly
And his face was quite red
When he gazed back at... Me?

I know it seems silly,
But still, all the same
Something's quite different
But what is to blame?"

Feeling a vocal impulse from whatever "instant singing" was called in this world, I sung in harmony to who I would later be told was Fluttershy:

"It's not been reviled
The reason and rhyme"

Fluttershy then went on without my harmony, apparently singing:

"I just want to see him
Perhaps one more time..."

I continued after her, although I couldn't hear her:

"I just want to see her
Perhaps one more time...
No, no, not like that..."

Once more, our voices broke out in what I'd assume was perfect harmony, but I could only hear my end:

"I know it seems silly,
But still, all the same
Something's quite different
But what is to blame?"

With that, the music reached an end. I had control over my voice again. (Wait, scratch that, still rhyming... There, much better.) I took a breath, and then looked around. Luckily for me, there wasn't a soul in the general vicinity. Relief flooded through me. (Dangit, still rhyming. Give me a sec here... There, should be done now.)

My thoughts then returned to the problem at hand. Fluttershy. Was she seriously the object of my affection? Or was Quick Step messing with my mind a little? It felt like all my emotions were mine, but I had to remind myself that they may not truly be my emotions, just borrowed from my Ponysona.

I passed through town, still lost in a sea of thought. I actually was so distracted, I didn't notice that a certain grey form was flying right at me at an unsafe velocity.

*Crash*

"Oh, no, I'm so-o-o sorry, I... I just don't know what went wrong..." said my sudden attacker. Shaking the stars from my head and picking myself off the dirt road, I shook and glanced in the direction of the ditzy pony.

No, I mean literally. Ditzy. Or Derpy, whichever you prefer.

"D-Derpy h-Hooves?"

There she was, the oh-so well-known pony, right in front off me. Her gray fur was a little ruffled from our tumble, as was her pointed blonde hair, and she of course was wearing nothing to hide me from her directionally mismatched yellow eyes. A brown bag, one that I'd assume held mail, was slung over her back.

Stunned that I knew her name, the famous pegasus's eyes widened. Well, technically, but it wasn't the usual eye-widening, as one of her eyes was staring right at her snout. "Um... Yes?" she said.

I was just kinda standing there, perfectly petrified by the prominent pegasus. She stood silently as she stared stoically strait at me. Confound these ponies, they drive me to alliterations~!

"You're... Derpy..." If my mouth was hanging on a hinge of some sort, that hinge would have had to be desperately tightened. I mean, well... Derpy. Right there. You understand, right?

"Uh, Mister? Did I hit you too hard?" she said in her cute, nasal-y voice. Understandable question, as I probably looked a little dazed. Heck, who am I kidding, I was dazed. A lot. 'Cause, well, Derpy. Yeah.

"Wait," I said. "I can make it up to you. I'm sorry for getting in your way, so please," I pulled out, you guessed it, the muffin, "forgive me."

"Fo-forgi... What?" Derpy stammered. These ponies and their lack of knowledge of their fandom~

"You do like muffins, don't you?" I asked. I mean, if anything about Derpy that was fandom-ly accepted could become canon, I would either pick her love for muffins or verification on her two daughters Dinky and Sparkler.

"Well, yes, but I ran into you-"

Nope, not letting you be sorry about this, Derpy. "But I was in your way, so it was my fault. Please, at least take the muffin so you can enjoy it." Heck, had I the bits*, I go buy out Sugarcube Corner's muffin supply right then and there in the name of all that was Derping and awesome.

"Um... Okay..." She took the muffin, and then continued to stare as I basically squee'd. "I'll go deliver more mail... now..." And with that, she took off.

"Bye, Derpy!" I cried after her. Being the nice mare she was, she did actually chance a look back at me and even gave a little nervous-but-kind-hearted hoof-wave. The epicness almost exploded all around me.

Completely recovering took a second. But after a moment, I exhaled in awe. Then, recalling what I was doing in town, I made my way to a very specific building. It was close to the epic intersection where I epically met the most epic background pony in all her epicness. Oh, did I mention she was epic? I re-checked the address (although I already knew all the buildings anyway) and stepped inside.

"Welcome to the Ponyville spa!"

"How may we help you today?"

Great, I had found my way to the twins' spa. Otherwise, I would have probably walked into somepony else's house and, although awesome if I recognized the residents from the show, it would have been quite awkward for them.

The inside of the spa was almost painfully pink, at least in the lobby. The walls and chairs were all variations of this color, seeming almost Hearts-and-Hooves day themed. I could see through a doorway that there was a curtain drawn in the other room, probably to give whoever was bathing some privacy.

Yep, people, my brilliant rhythm-based job was to be a masseuse. If they'd let me. "Um, hi, I'm kinda new in town, and-"

"A new friend?!?" A third, very distinct and high-energy voice sounded from behind the curtain drawn across the other room. At a speed almost impossible (Then again, you'll see why it was possible in a minute,), a blur I could only describe as very pink flew our behind the curtain and then suddenly froze right in front of me, spraying me with all of the warm spa water she had had on her. No, literally; the water just kinda threw itself off of her and then across the room.

Only a few steps in front of me stood the party pony herself, Pinkie Pie.

She radiated happiness. Her pink mane, just having the water shook out of it, was back to being a poofy mess of tangles. Her fur was the lighter shade of pink I also knew well. I mean, I was internally freaking out, yet again. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually, but, I mean, THERE SHE WAS!

I could feel myself feeding off her hyperactivity. Her infectious smile spread to my face at an alarming rate, and a certain buzz sounded in my ears, one that only happened when I was on a really big sugar rush.

"Hi there!" said Pinkie Pie, in the most cheerful way almost anypony can say anything. "I'm Pinkie Pie and I love to throw parties and have fun! What's your name?" Energy almost seemed to orbit around her.

I couldn't help myself, so I responded almost as hyperactively. "My name is Quick Step, and I love rhythm! How do you do?" I held out my hoof, the goofiest smile plastered on my face.

"Rhythm? That sounds fun!" she said. She was practically bouncing off her hoofs, obviously glad I was being so friendly. Nothing stopped her from shaking my hoof, and when she did, she basically sent it into a spasm (which was fine by me).

"It is! I get to dance and sing and run around!" I sounded so childish, but I didn't care. I was perfectly content with being six years old if it meant I could party with Pinkie.

"Ooh! Ooh! I do that, too! It's so fun!" Now she was jumping up and down, and the imminent singing was basically slapping me in the face.

For the second time that day, an invisible orchestra began its piece, without even a hint of surprise from anypony in the room. Pinkie then began my welcoming song:

"I have to say
It's really great
That you get to see me!

For I can play
Most everyday
And throw a great party!

I'll have the cake
That I will bake
Ready this afternoon!

'Cause I can't fake
That I will make
A party just for you!

A celebration just for you
I hope you will agree!

Won't it be fun, yes, for me, too,
'Cause this is what you'll see:

The decorations will be great,
The cupcakes sweet, not sour

We'll have the music that's top-rate
And it'll play for hours!

So I hope that you'll attend
Because it will be super fun!

We'll laugh until the end,
Oh yes, under the evening suuuuun!"

I couldn't keep myself from singing, but this time out of joy instead of involuntary actions. I was lucky whatever force controlled music in Equestria (*cough* Daniel Ingram *cough*) extended the song so I could include my not-as-well-sung-but-still-super-happy contribution:

"I can't believe
That just for me
You'd plan a special day!

And I'd agree
I'd like to see!
So I'll be there, okay?"

More to myself, I sung:

"People I know
Who watch the show
Would love to take my place!

While Ribbon's low,
And Ember Coal
Just wants to get away.

So many thoughts that I now think
Replaced by only one;

The party, full of food and drink,
Will help me have some fun!"

I continued the rest of the chorus by aiming it at Pinkie:

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, of course I'll come!
I'd never just say no!

So please be quick, yes, please, just run!
So you'll put on a show!

I just can't wait 'till later, now.
Because I'm such a fan,

So I'll have to have some sugar found,
To keep up if I caaaaan!"

Yeah, not as good as Pinkie's section, but I was too exuberant to really care. The music ended with me feeling satisfied instead of worried this time around. My breathing was heavy from all the bouncing around I had just finished, but did I care? Eenope. Singing with Pinkie Pie apparently leaves you in a good mood regardless of the physical energy spent while doing so.

"Oh, you catch on fast! I can tell we're gonna be the best of friends!" exclaimed Pinkie, happy as always to have a new friend.

I certainly thought so, too.

NEXT TIME ON FRIENDS IN EQUESTRIA!

We do library research.

We have magic practice and flight lessons.

We say goodnight.

For Non-Bronies: 'Bits' are the Equestrian currency. They are small gold coins, and have no other derivatives we've seen in the show itself.

Prologue

Discord's spirit floated around its stone cage. "How boring," he said, knowing not a soul could hear him. He had been re-trapped for awhile now, and although he still had a tiny grip on powers he used to have, he couldn't do anything from this garden that would live up to his more recent takeover, nor his reign in the distant past.

As long as Chaos existed in the world, he, the spirit of Chaos itself, would never disappear, only contained. It was like trying to capture a god of death; he may be away, but death still happened regardless. Chaos didn't need him to happen.

He had been gathering power from the country around him for a few days now, during which Equestria had recorded less natural disasters and such. The last time he did this, he released his power in the town of Ponyville, causing many 'accidents'. However, his plans had been thwarted by the same six ponies that had stopped him before (regardless of their knowledge of doing so this second time), five of them dressed in a purple costume for one reason or another. The Elements truly were a nuisance to his plans.

However, his next plan to stir up the peace was forming: he would cause chaos in this world by bringing in a visitor from another. He looked across the dimensional gaps for a candidate who could get around and was energetic, but would also want to hide things and create distrust. A perfect candidate appeared in front of him, a 'human' by the name of John. He flipped through the dimensions like a magazine catalogue, trying to find the right John to bring. He found a variety of John's, one of them even living with the Element of Laughter. He eventually found the John best fit to his plans and, like clicking the 'Order' button on a computer, he deposited a portion of his power into creating a rift through space itself to drag him here, adding a little more of his chaos to make this 'John' seem more 'normal' in Equestria.

Too late, however, he realized he made the rip to big. The rift could probably fit up to three beings into it, giving to them the same transforming effect, too. He wondered if this John would be near another when the rift reached him.

Needless to say, Discord was suddenly exhausted. He would have to awaken to whatever chaos he caused later. But he could feel it was gonna be go-o-od.