Chapter 1: The unexpected House Guests.
Chapter 1: The unexpected house guests.
It was a day like any other for me. I got up; headed down to feed the horses, brushed them down, sprayed them for flies, and gave them fresh water. Afterward I got in my car and drove to town to pick up horse feed, groceries for the house, and soda. As I drove to the store I couldn’t help but sing along with the radio, guilty pleasure make us who we are after all, and my inability to sing makes it easier for me to sing along with the radio and what not without caring. My friends used to bitch, but since I live on my own I don’t see a point in worrying about what others think or say anymore.
I arrived at the store and started browsing the aisles. I had time to kill so I wasn’t too particular in what I got or where I got it, if I had to spend the day in town I would, though the horses would probably get lonely. Ah well they had each other. Only one I was really worried about was buddy dog and the cats. They would destroy the house if they couldn’t get out, so I hoped I left the pet door open. As I walked through the aisles I ran into my neighbor Alexander Davis. Alex grinned at me when he saw me and said “Hey bro, how’s your ranch doing?”
I smirked and said “Hey Alex, ranch is doing fine. A few of the mares are pregnant so I’ve been checking up on them more than necessary probably, but I don’t want any problems. What about you, how goes the cattle trade?”
He smirked and said “Cattle trade’s fine. Not like you can mess it up when you’re only a small time producer. How goes your writing, Jake?” I shrugged and made a so/so motion. He nodded and said “Still beat up over what’s her name?” I shook my head knowing who he was talking about but not too worried about her or anything to do with her. He studied me and said “You sure she ain’t eating you up inside, for a while there you were liked a kicked puppy after she left.” I nodded remembering those dark days and shivered as I thought about just how lost I’d really been. She’d messed me up pretty badly when she left me. It was worse because I thought we were going to start a life together but she just up and left after taking half my cash and saying she never loved me.
I sighed and mumbled “Ah well the past is the past and she can’t hurt me anymore.” Alex nodded and we shook hands as we started to pass each other and I said “So your daughter still looking for riding lessons or should I just leave the saddle in the barn?” Alex grinned at that and I smiled thinking of how delightful his little girl was to teach. She was already eight, Alex being forty, a good sixteen years older than me, and I continued “If she wants any lessons just send her and Alicia by.” Alicia was Alex’s younger sister. She was about my age, but she lived with her brother while she was going to college for her degree in veterinary science. She was a big help on the farm and loved the horses.
Alex smiled and said “Alicia’s out of town so I’ll be bringing her over myself this weekend. Anyway I’m going to go pick up some dog chow and get out of here. Heather will be excited to know you’re still willing to teach her after that mishap she had.” I nodded and sighed thinking about the mishap in question, she’d almost been trampled because the horse had bucked her off, and I’d been hurt protecting her from the hooves of the horse. My back was still sore from the feeling of being kicked. I smiled at Alex and waved him off then headed to the junk food aisle and started loading my cart up with the stuff.
After that I headed to the electronics department and nodded at the guy on duty who I happened to know. His name was Tony, and honestly he was an alright guy, reminded me a bit of my friend Aaron, he was a wee bit squirrelly. I looked through the gaming stuff for anything I wanted to buy then shrugged and walked out headed for the pet department. I got the rest of what I could at Walmart then took it out and loaded it up in my car, before driving to the local feed store and getting my usual supply of grain before heading home.
I’d left the house at nine and it was twelve now. I figured that was all the time I needed to kill before I went home, cleaned stalls, cleaned the house, and started on my next chapter. I drove to the house and parked noticing that a few of the windows were open, and my front door was ajar. I blinked and pulled my pistol out of my glove box then loaded it and climbed out of my car and walked to the door. I slowly opened it, and turned on the lights, knowing I’d left the kitchen light on but it was off. I walked into the kitchen and checked it for anyone then opened the fridge and saw that my vegetable bin was empty.
Sighing softly I closed the fridge and started for the hallway. My house was a five bed, four bath, two story. So whoever they were, they didn’t have many places to hide. I kicked open my bedroom door and saw it was empty. I sighed in relief then turned and started for the nearest bathroom which was across the hall. I slowly opened it only to again find nothing. I searched the two of the guest rooms and found no one which meant they’d either left before I got here or they were in the bathroom or were upstairs. I checked the bathroom then headed upstairs to check the last two bathrooms and guest rooms.
I caught a flash of white out of the corner of my eye as I ascended the stairs and unloaded my gun holstering in my belt, figuring I wouldn’t need it since I doubted anyone was here. I would later come to both be thankful for and regret this action. I opened the first bathroom which was at the end of the hall then worked my way back. It was empty, so were the first bedroom, and the last bathroom. I opened the final bedroom and stared in surprise. Standing in the room were a pink winged unicorn, and a purple unicorn arguing. The pink one said, “Twilight this is the only house for at least a few miles. I’m sure they’ll let us stay, they even have room for all of us.” The purple one shook her head but I tuned out her rebuttal as I heard something shifting behind me. I slowly turned around only to come face to face with a large white unicorn with wings and a slightly smaller unicorn with blue fur and wings.
It was at this point my brain said “Fuck this shit man, you’re on your own,” and shut down. I followed its example and passed out.
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Celestia looked down at the human and said “I wonder why he fainted.”
Luna shrugged and said “I have no idea sister; however it does appear that we’ll have to wait till he awakens to ask if we can stay.” Celestia nodded and whistled loudly to get the attention of Twilight and Cadence. Cadence looked at her questioningly then glanced down at the human and blushed rubbing the back of her neck with a foreleg. Twilight blinked and stared at him then prodded him with a hoof before looking questioningly at Celestia and Luna. Luna sighed and said “No Twilight Sparkle we did not knock him out. We didn’t have to; he took one look at our sister and us and fell down as you see. We believe that he had a mental malfunction seeing all four of us. Should we put him to bed or should we instead put him in a chair and wait for him to awaken?”
Twilight thought about it then said “I think we should put him in a chair and wait for him to awaken. We did invade his home and eat all his vegetables after all. I hope he’s not too mad.” Celestia nodded and lifted Jake up in her magic then carried him back downstairs and set him on the couch in the living room. Twilight, Luna, and Cadence followed. Twilight looked at the other three and asked “Think he’ll let us stay?” The others shrugged or made noncommittal answers as they watched him waiting for him to wake up.
They quickly got bored and started exploring the house once again, only Celestia staying to watch over the poor man who’d fainted and seemed to have not realized that they were real or some such thing. She wondered how he’d react when he woke up, would he think it all a dream, worry about his vehicle, or something else. She feared for the safety of her sister, her niece, her student, and herself.
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I woke up slowly, feeling pretty good. I wondered why it felt like my ass was planted in a couch cushion, but other than that I had no worries. I stretched out yawning and said softly “Oh gods and goddesses above that was a wicked dream.” I was happy I hadn’t had any frozen or perishables in the car because I must have conked out as soon as I sat on the couch. Though that made no sense since I’d swear I’d been upstairs not ten minutes ago. I shrugged figuring my mind was playing tricks on itself yet again. I yawned and opened my eyes then yelped and leaned back yelling “HOLY SHIT HOW’D YOU GET IN HERE????!!!???”
The creature in question looked at me curiously and said “You left your door open, and through the window were the ways we got in.” I blinked and mouthed ‘It can talk?’ It smiled at me and said “Oh where are my manners. Hello my name is Princess Celestia.” I stared at it, I mean her, and looked at her head seeing a tiara sitting on her head above her horn. I swallowed nervously and she continued “I hate to be a bother but my sister, my niece, my student, and I were all wondering if we could possibly stay at your place of residence until our magic returns to full power. That or we find a magic leyline.”
I sighed and face palmed then said “First call the other three here so I can meet them, though I think I know who they are, then tell me what you are, though I know one of you is a unicorn most of you seem too small to be horses. I believe you are the only one taller than me and the rest of them are either shorter than or as tall as me. That said most horses are taller than me head height wise.” She nodded and I sighed then rubbed my eyes and said “Seeing as you’re not a figment of my imagination, why don’t you tell me something about yourself while we wait for the other three?”
Celestia smirked slightly and said “I would love to tell you about myself; however I should call my sister and the others.” I nodded and she lit up her horn sending a message throughout the house. I blinked and stared then she smiled and said “What would you like to learn about me?” I shrugged and motioned for her to say anything she wanted. She thought about it and said “Well, I’m an alicorn. We alicorns are a group of ponies who embody all three pony races.” I raised an eyebrow and she said “We have the strength and growing ability of Earth Ponies, the wings and weather magic of Pegasi, and the magic of unicorns.”
I blinked and said “Magic, like teleportation, levitation, etc.?” She nodded and I sighed then said “Of course, you can’t be regular horses that just look like magical talking ponies; no you’re frack magical fragical talking ponies.” I sighed again as I heard hoofsteps. I could tell the different between feet and hooves because the hoofsteps were louder and deeper. I yawned and said “You’re friends are here.”
Celestia nodded and said “I hear them. Hello Luna, Twilight, Cadance.” The three who just came in nodded and stood alongside her. I studied them and pointed first at the purple one. Celestia saw my pointing and said “This is Twilight Sparkle my faithful student and friend.” I pointed at blue next and she said “My sister Luna.” I finally pointed at the pink mare and she said “My niece Cadance.”
I nodded and said “Three alicorns and an alicorn in training.” Celestia grabbed Twilight with a wing and pulled her close.
I raised an eyebrow and she said “No, no, she’s just my adorable student in friendship. Nothing else.” I snorted thinking “That’s not suspicious at all.” I raised an eyebrow and studied her. She smiled manically and I stared at her watching her eyebrow twitch slightly. I smirked and noticed Twilight starting to turn blue rather than being purple. I pointed at her and Luna stared then poked her sister’s side. Celestia looked at her and said “Yes Lulu?”
Luna pointed at Twilight and said “You’re choking your student.” Celestia quickly released her and I snorted resisting the urge to chuckle. Cadance was studying me while Luna was berating her sister for nearly killing Twilight. Something along the lines of “Don’t kill your student after she’s saved me from myself.” I wondered what she meant by that then yawned and Luna said “Tired mister…?”
I smiled and said “Jake Shadows. I own this place and yes I’m tired.” She smiled at me and I smiled back then stretched and said “You’re an interesting group of mares. I need to empty out my car before I forget again, and then we can talk more before I go collapse. You can stay here as long as you need.” I got up and walked out to the car then opened it and pulled out the bags and walked back into the kitchen. I stretched after putting the first group of groceries away then grabbed my second load and headed to the table and put them down, then took one last time to take the last load of groceries to the barn where I set the horse feed in its barrel.
I walked back in the house yawning and said “My room is down here, so are two guest rooms. There are two rooms upstairs, one has a bookshelf, and the other has a bigger dresser. The two down here, one has a king size bed, for if any of my friends came over and wanted to live in luxury, and the other is a queen size. My own bed is a king size as well so you know. Take your pick.” The ponies hummed then started selecting rooms. I led Twilight to the room with a bookshelf which was full of novels, encyclopedias, and other things. I then gave Cadance the other room with the dresser and vanity, before walking downstairs and leading Celestia to the bed that was king sized, and Luna to the queen sized bed. I bid her goodnight and collapsed on my bed slowly stripping down before climbing under the covers.