Chapter 1: The Beginning

It’s hard looking at my life before Equestria. My name is Steven and I had a standard 9-5 job, lived with my parents and just wasn’t accepted by society. Most men my age wanted to talk about sports, all I want to talk about is ponies. It may be strange to you, but we all have hobbies and the fact it was deemed “wrong” to talk about mine just didn’t seem fair. Even as a child, before MLP, I found my love for ponies. I would often ask my parents if I could buy the pony figures from the girls section. They generally were resilient to buying me one, but they would usually give in if I got mad about it.

After buying a few, they didn’t put up as much resistance to buying these things. They told me later that they had talked with other parents and were convinced it’s the kind of phase all children go through and it’s natural. They told my parents that if they let me indulge my hobby, it would be out of my system. They still weren’t happy about it though, I can’t expect them to understand.

It wasn’t until I was 20 that I found out about the show MLP and began watching it with earnest. I found the fanbase endearing and supportive and enjoyed interacting at the many ponycons and conventions that popped up around the globe. Through meeting those in the fandom I found a trend that a lot of Bronies especially from my area were in the military, they talked highly of their jobs, of their comradeship and of course the little corner of the fandom they made up.

One of these military friends invited me over to his place to hang out one day where we watched MLP and we talked about his life in the military with myself expressing much interest on the matter as he duly noted. He offered to give me assistance on signing up at the local recruitment centre.

Once I was cleared fit to join up I did some thinking and after quitting my job and saying my farewells to my friends and family, I reported for basic training with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

After my 6 months through basic training, I was assigned to the 8th Infantry Regiment based in Colorado. Everything was going well for me so far, until I met Harry. He was also part of the 8th Infantry Regiment, but something about him rubbed him the wrong way and it was clearly mutual. While in training, he’d find any possible trigger to annoy me and I often ignored it, trying to be the bigger person.

However, the final straw happened when I was talking to another regarding my love for MLP and he decided to butt into the conversation. His initial reaction was a obnoxious and bigoted laugh. “Ha, you like some little girl’s show? The hell is wrong with you?” he sniggered as I turned red with embarrassment.

Despite not being a Brony my friend defended my right to enjoy whatever I liked and reminded us that we were all brothers in arms here and that Harry should stop being such a judgemental prick. Harry bit his lip and turned his head away in disgust and anger. He muttered “Faggot” quietly under his breath so that only I could hear as he shouldered past me and returned to the barracks.

A few days later, I was cleaning my kit by myself and getting ready for a live fire training exercise that would be taking place tonight, when he came around by my bunk. “Hey there Steve, how’s it going? Listen, I just wanted to apologise for my actions the other day and hope there’s no bad blood or anything between us?” I knew I couldn’t forgive him entirely, but his apology seemed genuine; Either way, I wasn’t willing to start an argument and so accepted his apology.

He nodded and said “Ah, swell. See you on the live fire tonight”, he then turned and walked away.

The rest of the day went with nothing of note, before I knew it the live fire was underway. It was pitch-black as my team and I crouched in the undergrowth of what was supposedly hostile lines a few miles away from the base.

Our objective was simple enough, secure a zone deep within enemy territory, rescue a hostage from some insurgents (dummies made of straw) and get back home in time for the morning bugle call through the P.A.

I licked my lips with eagerness, it was hard to think that a year ago I knew nothing about MLP and now thanks to the fandom I was here, in the military and doing an honoured service to my country.

The team moved along different routes in squads of five and funnily enough I was placed with Harry. I supposed that it was fortunate that we had put the incident behind us so we could focus on the mission at hand, well the simulation but still.

We moved through the undergrowth, quickly and quietly, barely a sound emanating from our boots as they trampled through ferns and bushels. It was clear where we were going and we’d all agreed to operate in complete silence, so I was alarmed when Harry held up his hand, signalling us all to stop and ordered “Get him.”

As confused as I was at first I was outraged as I felt the hands of my comrades grabbing me, tearing my M16 assault rifle from my grasp and pulling my helmet and my headset off as I struggled incomprehensibly to get out from their clutches.

“You think that we can trust a freak like you when we’re out on missions in hostile zones? It’s bad enough that we have queers and women now, but you take the damn cake”. Before I could manage a response, he produced a rope tied in a noose from his pack. Like a screaming infant, I flailed my legs about as he tied the noose around my neck.

I couldn’t guess the motives of the others, but Harry’s motives seemed clear. It was enjoyment, the grin of his face was grotesquely cartoonish. After the noose was tied, his smile faded for a moment when he pointed to a tree. “That one, get to it”. This was an order to the others and they dragged me over.

‘They can’t be serious’ I thought as they threw the rope over the tree and somebody from behind, using tie wraps to tie my hands and feet together they pulled the rope tightly around my neck and stepped back, one of them holding the rope as I struggled vainly to get out.

My senses were going numb, I knew there was no escape. I continued to struggle, hoping for the small chance someone would come and stop this. No… No, they would not do this, they could not do this! I mean what the hell was happening right now?

I began to hyperventilate as movement around me began to stop and they all gathered in front of me, staring at me with cold eyes, Harry at the fore with a sick grin on his face. “Come on Harry this isn’t funny!” I croaked, the noose tight around my neck although it was not as yet taut thank God.

Harry looked at me with a bemused expression as some of the other guys chuckled as they came out of their silent shells, my so called “comrades” whom were supposed to be my brothers in arms through fire and fury.

“You’re not meant to be a soldier Steven, I had a feeling from day one that you weren’t right but after you confirmed my suspicions we had no choice but to act, we’re going to teach you a little lesson” Harry grinned as he took the rope from the one holding it and pulled it taut, lifting my feet off the ground until I was standing on my toes, gasping as I looked at him with pleading eyes.
“I’ll stop talking about the show this i-is stupid just let me o-out and I won’t r-report you guys” I coughed as I found it hard to breathe, the rope tight around me, allowing barely a slither of oxygen through me, my struggles not helping me and making my neck hurt even more.

“We’ll see how you feel after let’s say a minute or two dangling from the rope, try not to die now because that would just be no fun, you got the camera Dave?” he asked one of his thugs who pulled a camera from his belt and began to record me as Harry began to pull back on the rope with a grunt, hoisting me into the air, cutting off my air and beginning to choke me.

I panicked as my face turned red, I tried calling for help but simply spluttering and coughing as a vein began to bulge from my head. “Look at him kick” Harry laughed as the others chuckled along with him, fuelling his bravado and making him lift me further into the air.

Tears streamed down my face as I willed everything to be over, surely they didn’t intend to hang me until I was dead? I wasn’t sure anymore as I began to feel dizzy, my world spinning as the laughter died down and one of the guys asked “Shouldn’t we stop now? He looks like he’s going to pass out?”

Harry’s words were angry but blurred as at that moment my vision did indeed begin slipping into the darkness and my face, now purple went lax as I felt no more.

Time passed in a strange way for me and I had no idea where I was, I wasn’t sure if it was a dream or maybe I was dead? All these thoughts were rejected however as I came to, a pounding headache upon me and the rope gone from around my neck.

I sat up slowly, wincing at the bright sunlight of morning as I realised that I was in clearing of the forest we had been trekking through, they had probably hung me until I was unconscious, taken me down and dragged me here, leaving me behind and continuing on with the mission.

‘Assholes’ I thought ‘I could have died had it been any longer! If they think they’re getting away with this, they have another thing coming.’ I shook my head and coughed, feeling the rope burns around my neck, the remnants of last nights madness.

‘All because I like ponies’ I thought of the injustice of it all, bringing myself up. It felt strange though, I had instinctively got on all fours instead of standing up. I looked down at myself, my new self for the first time. I was no longer human, I had hooves and a coat that was an aqua blue colour with wings upon my back. A mix of confusion and fear, I galloped over to a nearby body of water and looked at myself, obviously I must be dreaming.

“A pony” I muttered. I muttered it over and over, happier and louder until it became a cheer of joy. I handled such a strange event rather well, it seemed. I’m not sure how this new anatomy felt natural though, I suppose being in a new body isn’t quite like it was in Equestria Girls after all. Then again this could only have been a dream, I must still be out of it then.

I heard a rustling in the bushes from behind me. I panicked and hid behind bushes further back. If anyone were to see me from the military, they would freak out and shoot me down. The figure came closer and I hoped it would be a friendly face.

“H-Hello” I heard in a soothingly soft voice call. I recognised it immediately, but it felt impossible. Surely I couldn’t be in Equestria, it couldn’t be.

I peered above the bushes and there she was, the young filly Fluttershy. I freaked out silently, going red. I stood up and tried to play it coolly. I called out her name. “You know my name?” ‘Erm, yes. Heard it from a friend, haha!’ I’m a little lost, can you help me?” “Lost? Oh my, come with me then” she exclaimed. We trotted slowly through the forest and she asked “So, how did you get all the way over here?”, referring to me deep in the forest, I suppose.

‘Well, it’s a long story’

Author's Note

Hey guys hope you like the first Chapter love you :) XDXDXD xxxxxxxxxxxx