Chapter 1: New Environment

The Dark Recusant

Chapter 1

New Environment

???: ??? (?? ??, ???; ??:30 am)

Ugh...What a dream. I raise my hoof to my...wait, HOOF!?

I immediately pulled my hoof back and examined it. It--the hoof--was a silvery grey and the arm connected to it was a light blue. I looked at the rest of myself and found that not only my arm and hand had become equine, but all of me did. My whole body was a light blue color and all of my hooves were silvery grey. My tail (and maybe even my mane) were brown. I also noticed that I had a blue, cat-like eye on my flank.

I look around at my surroundings and found myself in a forest of sorts. It was dark outside where I was, but for some reason, I had no fear of the dark, or even what was in the dark. I couldn’t even tell it was dark. It was almost as if I had a natural night vision. I looked through the canopy of the trees and I saw the moon, but it looked different from the moon I recall seeing.

I’ve heard of people saying that they see a man on the moon face. I never could see it, mostly because the moon I recall looked smaller. The moon here--wherever here was--looked bigger and any details seem to be magnified as well. I could see what looked like a unicorn face on the moon face.

I then heard a voice, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding environment.

“I will be coming on the longest day of the thousandth year. Prepare my coming.”

The moon started to lower in the sky. Once it reached the farthest west, the sun started shining from the east. As the sun rose a bit higher in the sky, I could see a little bit further than what I saw in the dark. Beyond the edge of the forest was what looked to be a small town or village.

I decided to head to the town and find out when, where, and what I was. I slowly began to head towards the village, a long and clumsy process. It took me a moment to get walking right (left front with right back and vice versa), but once I got it down, it was easy.

As I was walking towards the village, came across a small stream close to a path. As I crossed it to get to the path, a glance down showed that I had a horn on my head. I wonder what that is for.

Once on the path, I notice that opposite the road was an apple orchard. I wondered why I didn’t notice that before, although, I may have mistaken the trees as part of the forest. Looking over the fence, I saw an orange horse or pony with a blond mane and tail and a stetson hat bucking the trees. On her flank was a brand or tattoo of three apples. Each of the trees that she bucked had bushel baskets underneath them to catch the falling apples from the trees.

After bucking one of the trees, it briefly glanced my way, it did a double take, and then walked towards me. I didn’t find that surprising. I used to be very good with various horses and such. What surprised me was that the pony spoke a greeting.

“Well, howdy-do!” she said in an upbeat tone and a thick south-western accent. “Ah don’t recall seein ya around here. Ah’m Applejack and Ah run this here apple orchard, Sweet Apple Acres. What’s your name?”

I didn’t respond…immediately. To be honest, I never thought that an equine would posses the ability to speak, and in intelligible English. I must have stood there with my mouth open like a fish out of water, because Applejack’s face went from happy to concerned.

“You alright, Sugarcube?” she asked, “Yah seem to be confused at somethin.”

Best to test my abilities of speech. It’s now or never. “Uh...I...I’m...Uh...Ahem!...I’m sorry. My name’s Zack. I’m new around here. I just need to know where, when, and what I am.”

“You are are on the edge a Ponyville, and Ah reckon it is roughly June 18th, jus a few days away from the Summer Sun Celebration. Ah don’t know why you would ask what ya were, seein as you’re a pony n all.”

I think I stuck my hoof in my mouth with that last question. I’m horrible at lying, but what else can I do? “I’m sorry. I’ve been on the road for a while and one can lose track of time, location, and--in my case at least--identity.”

Applejack looked at me as if she was either trying to comprehend what I said or think over what I said. I may need to watch what I say, if I am to survive here.

“Well, I reckon you are here for the Celebration. If ya need anythin, I’ll be here. The Apple family has been asked ta work with the food for the Celebration,” Applejack said, as she picked up a stray apple from the ground with her hoof (don’t even ask how she did it). She offered it to me, and I accepted it (in my hoof, amazingly). Just the smell of the apple was tantalizingly good.

If these apples smell this good, then their taste is better than what my family grew. I took a bite...Holy Crabapples! This...Is...The...Best...Apple...EVER! “Wow, I can tell that quality food will be served for this,” I said

“If it ain’t got quality, it ain’t from the Apple Family.”

“Good point,” I stated, “So which way to Ponyville?”

Applejack pointed North, “Jus go down the road a piece an you’ll get ta Ponyville sooner than the rest o the Apple Family.”

“Sounds good, thanks.”

I started making my trek towards Ponyville. A while later, I arrived in the edge of Ponyville. The town (or village) looked very humble, but no one seemed to be lacking. I saw no homeless, nor did anyone (anypony?) seem to be struggling to handle feeding their families or paying for said food. As a matter of fact, everypony was setting up decorations and other various nicks and nacks.

I wonder if this has anything to do with The Summer Sun Celebration. I start walking towards the building that looked to be Town Hall, but something from the sky said otherwise.

“WHOOAA!” I heard, before I suddenly felt as if a poorly aimed and overly sized golf club decided to clobber me in my side. OUCH! FLIP! My Back! I tumbled on the ground with whatever hit me until I was face first in a puddle of mud.

What in the world hit me? I pulled my face out of the mud to see what had hit me. On top of me was a cyan pony with wings (if that can be called a pegasus, then I’m a unicorn). She had rainbow colored hair (mane) and tail. She had a cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt on her flank. She looked at me with an embarrassed grin. “Heh heh heh. Excuse me?” She said.

Without responding, I got up, and she tumbled into the mud as I moved. Serves you right. I began to twist my back, trying to get the new cricks in my back out.

“Hey! What was that for?!” the pegasus asked.

“I’m making sure my back isn’t broken.”

“No, not that! The ‘dumping me in the mud’ thing!”

“You did crash into me and got me into the mud. Just a simple payback.”

“Give me some slack, okay! I may be the best flyer in all of Equestria, but...even I have accidents sometimes,” she said.

“I’m sure you do. By the way, my name’s Zack,” I said offering my hoof.

“Rainbow Dash, Best flyer in Equestria, Soon to be Wonderbolt, and Resident Weather pony!” she bragged, as she shook my hoof.

“That is quite a mouthful,” I joke, “I hope to see you again soon.”

“Yeah! Same here,” Rainbow said as she zoomed off.

I wiped most of the mud off of my muzzle and resumed my determined trot to Town Hall. Opening the doors, I saw a few unicorns setting up decorations inside. Each of their horns were glowing, some sort of magic. I saw that the decorations were being levitated, shrouded in different glows. One unicorn stood out from the others, both in the beauty department and management department.

The unicorn was an ebony white color and her well style mane and tail were a deep purple. She had three diamonds on her flank. As she was blinking, I could tell that she had some light blue eyeshadow on. Dang! She really knows how to look beautiful...not that I know what ‘beautiful’ is here.

“Amethyst, darling, could you raise that banner up a few more inches. The room will look dreadful if we don’t get everything perfect,” she said to a light purple unicorn, in a sophisticated accent. The unicorn, Amethyst, nodded and raised said banner up a few inches with her magic.

The white unicorn dramatically sighed. “That looks much better, don’t you think?” she asked to no one in particular.

“I actually think it is pretty nice,” I comment.

The unicorn turned towards me. “Oh, why thank yo-WHOAH! Oh, my goodness, darling! What happened!?”

I looked at myself and finally noticed that Rainbow Dash had gotten more than just my face in the mud. I had mud caked on me in places that I didn’t even know I had (considering my new equine body).

“To make a long story short, a rainbow maned pegasus used me as an emergency landing pad,” I said, “If you think the impromptu mud bath is bad, her rough landing made my back worse.”

“Well, then. It seems that just a bath won’t be enough then,” she said, with a look of disgust. Her face then changed to a form of excitement, “A trip to the spa it is then.”

Wait! What?! Since when did I hint that I need a trip to the spa!? “But…I didn’t…”

“Hush now. You need to relax and a spa trip can help. Amethyst, you and everyone else can go home. I’ll wrap this up tomorrow.” The unicorn then started pushing me towards the door, all while I was complaining (mostly mentally).

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Ponyville: Ponyville Spa (June 18th, 1000; 1:00 pm)

“The usual, please,” the unicorn said as soon as both of us were in the door.

“Just a few moments please,” somepony shouted from the back.

“Now what?” I ask, “I’ve never been to a spa before.”

“Then this will be a refreshing experience,” she said as she sat on a nearby chair. “So, you were telling me your name and other things, yes?”

No, I wasn’t. “My name’s Zack.”

“Rarity, nice to more officially meet. Where are you from?”

What do I say? I sat on the chair next to her and folded my arms in thought. “To be honest, I can’t really remember,” I said.

“What?!” Rarity exclaimed, overdramatically, “How?”

“I’ve been on the road for so long, I never had any place to actually call home or say ‘I’m from wherever.’ Understand?”

“That long? Where have you been?”

“I never stayed anywhere for longer than the night, and that isn’t enough for me to mentally process where I’ve been or what I’ve seen.”

“Well, if you stay here until after tomorrow, you will see a spectacular sight that you will always remember,” she said.

“Oh? What is that?”

“The Summer Sun Celebration!” Rarity exclaimed. “The longest day of the year!”

The longest day of year. Is that when that voice said something about returning?

“Oh, Rarity, you’re early,” I heard a quiet voice say. I turned to the spa entrance and I saw a butter yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail walking in. She had a very timid appearance. When she saw me, she hid her face in her long mane.

“Fluttershy, darling. Its nice to see you,” Rarity said to the pegasus. “I was treating this fine stallion to the Wonders of the Spa.”

“I’m Zack,” I said to Fluttershy. She shuffled her hooves nervously. Is she this shy all the time?

“Fluttershy, Rarity, we’re ready for you,” said a blue pony with pink hair.

“Lotus Blossom, could you add this stallion to my tab,” Rarity said to the pony.

Within a few moments, all three of us were in the main portion of the spa and receiving the ‘Usual.’ It started with a cleaning of my coat and mane (I feel clean.), followed by the sauna (I can’t breath.). The two ponies that ran the spa then put a special face cream on us, minimal on Fluttershy, quite a bit and cucumbers for Rarity and myself (How is this to help us be clean?). We were then treated to horn filing (Well, for Rarity and myself. It was quite relaxing, though.). Back massages came shortly thereafter (Did these ponies get chiropractic training?), as well as a mud bath (I just came from the mud and you want me to get into more?). Hooficures were the last (It feels like a fingernail treatment. Although, I have no fingernails. Regardless, I needed it.).

Throughout the spa treatment, I listened in on Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s conversation. As it turned out, Fluttershy was in charge of music for the Celebration. Come to think of it, I never asked what the Celebration was. “I never did really ask,” I started saying, as we were in the Mud bath phase, “What is the Summer Sun Celebration?”

“You don’t know?” Rarity asked, “Well, darling, the Celebration will take place on the 20th at sunrise, the time Princess Celestia raises the sun.”

Is she the one I’m preparing for? “So, if you want me to stay to see the Celebration, like you mentioned earlier, I would like to know where I can stay and know how I can help.”

“I happen to have a guest room back at my boutique,” Rarity said, “but for the help, you may need to talk to the Mayor for that.”

“Thank you,” I said.

***********************

Ponyville: Sugarcube Corner (June 18th,1000; 2:15 pm)

After having that wonderful spa treatment, Fluttershy went back to her cottage near the woods, and Rarity took me on a tour of Ponyville. We were close to a gingerbread looking building/shop called Sugarcube Corner when my stomach spoke up. Considering it is past lunchtime, I think a snack should be okay. “Hey, Rarity. Could we get something to eat? I haven’t eaten for a while.”

“Of course, darling. The local cuisine is excellent. Sugarcube Corner should be sufficient.”

“Sounds splendid,” I said, mimicking her accent unintentionally. Great! Just what I need! A different voice. I stepped into Sugarcube, surprised that the lights were out, but the real surprise revealed itself when the lights came on with an accompanying shout.

“SURPRISE!” shouted a few dozen ponies.

“GAH!” I shouted in surprised shock.

Before my senses could fully process what had happened, a pink energetic mare jumped in front of me and started speaking in the only English dialect that I couldn’t understand...Hyperactive. I literally wouldn’t be able to remember what she even said. Cue mental shutdown.

*****************************

Ponyville: Sugarcube Corner (June 18th, 1000; 2:20 pm)

Mental reboot in process. Please wait. I opened my eyes to see that I was on the floor, surrounded by the attendees of the party. The more noticeable ones--Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and the pink mare--looked over me in concern (although the pink one was smiling as she did).

“Are you alright there, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

I quickly got up and replied, “I’m okay. My...mind just overloaded.”

“That’s Pinke for ya,” she said.

“Pinkie?”

“Yes?” said the pink mare.

“What?”

“You called my name,” Pinkie said.

“Your name?”

“Duh! Didn’t I…”

“Ah! Forget it,” I interrupted in frustration. After a brief sigh to calm down, I explain. “Sorry about snapping. I get frustrated easily, and my mind overloading is one of my few pet peeves that doesn’t help.”

“That’s okay. I may have a smile on my face, but even I have problems and pet peeves,” Pinkie said in a happy-go-lucky voice. It took me off guard and I grinned at the comment.

“Now let’s PARTY!” she shouted. On that cue, music started up and everypony began mingling, acting almost as if I never blacked out to begin with. I managed to get to Pinkie’s side, and asked her a question.

"What’s the occasion? I thought that the Summer Sun Celebration was the day after tomorrow?”

“It’s your ‘Welcome to Ponyville” party!” she said, all-too-excitedly.

She went through all this just to make me feel welcome. Not only that, but many of the townsponies have went out of their way to make me feel welcome. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that this is a paradise.

“Helloooo! You in there?” I heard Pinkie say.

I jerked back from the sudden inquiry. “Sorry. I was...lost in thought,” I said, feeling a bit embarrassed, “I’m going to head over to the snack table.” And that’s what I did.

********************************

Ponyville: Carousel Boutique/Rarity’s house (June 18th, 1000; 6:30 pm)

That party was a blast! I never had such high quality sweets, or met such friendly faces in my life. Pinkie and everyone else were having a good time, so I had a good time as well. I was able to meet Applebloom, Applejack’s younger sister, Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s younger sister, and Scootaloo, one of Rainbow Dash’s biggest fans. There were many other ponies I met, but I shouldn’t go too far.

It was nearly 5:30 when I insisted that the party end so that I could see the rest of Ponyville, and everypony else could get back to their lives. Pinkie reluctantly allowed us, Rarity and I, to go--and she came with.

By the time I managed to both see the remainder of Ponyville, and learn how to interpret Hyperactive, it was time to head in. Rarity and I said our good-byes to Pinkie and got to Carousel Boutique. Sweetie Belle was waiting for us. Once we got inside, just looking around told me one thing about Rarity. She takes fashion to a whole new level. Everything was so well done, I wouldn’t be surprised if it caught the attention of a few fashion stars.

“Wow! You really know how to do clothes.”

“You flatter me, but those are just the generic rack clothes,” Rarity said, “If you want to really see art, my custom made work is far superior.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” I said, “I also think you always are looking for a challenge.”

“Of course, Darling.”

“Please, just call me Zack.”

“Of course, Dar...er...Zack...Ahem...Where was I?”

“A challenge,” Sweetie Belle inserted.

“Oh, yes,” Rarity said, “I always want to make garments that are chic, unique, and magnifique.”

“Sounds spectacular,” I said in the Rarity’s accent. Ugh, again!

“What would you like?” Rarity asked unexpectedly.

Huh? “What?”

“I always want a challenge and I haven’t done much in terms of stallion clothing. I do believe that a set of clothing should do you well.”

“I don’t have any way to pay you,” I complained.

“Don’t worry yourself over it,” Rarity countered, “you are my guest and I would be a generous host to Anypony that would be my guest.”

I hung my head down with a groan. I don’t want to take advantage of her, but I also don’t want to be a bad guest. What do I do? Thinking hard, I realized something. She said she wanted a challenge. I might have the challenge for her.

“Do you think that you could design something that can be casual, and formal AT THE SAME TIME?”

“That sounds interesting,” Rarity comments.

“Can you do it?”

“Of course she can,” Sweetie Belle said, “My big sister could make anything that looks good.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” I said to Rarity.

“Alright then. I’ll need to take your measurements and then Sweetie Belle can show you to the guest room.”

I hope she doesn’t go all out with it. I followed Rarity to the stand and she measured almost every inch of me. She then gave me a once-over look and dismissed me. I then followed Sweetie Belle to the guest bedroom. On the way, I asked Sweetie Belle about Rarity.

“Is she always like this to guests?”

“A lot, yeah,” she replied, “Why?”

“I just didn’t want to take advantage of her hospitality and generosity.”

“She doesn’t mind much.”

“That’s what worries me,” I said.

We reached the bedroom and I looked around the bedroom. I familiarized myself with the bedroom. So much for me thinking I can get away from her generosity. Looking around, I saw that every knick and knack was high quality and looked expensive.

Sweetie Belle and I went down to the main floor and enjoyed a pretty good dinner (once again, expensive and high quality). As we ate, she asked the usual FAQs that anypony asks somepony they just met and I answered them as honestly as I could. After dinner, I went back to the guest room and fell asleep around 8 or 9 pm.