Familiar yet different

by ransom username

Rating: everyone
Tags: Human, Anthro, Alternate Universe, Romance
Length: 1789

Transformed from a fox into a fox/human hybrid, Michael lives alone in a world far, far away from Equestria. However, one fateful day, he is transported into the library of Twilight Sparkle.

As the smoke lifts, the first thing I see are books. Many books.

Guess where he just woke up… right, Purple Smarts library.
This is the story of Michael, a being somewhere between fox and human as he tries to accustom to his new situation. Accompany him as he makes friends and slowly wins the heart of his crush. Watch him struggle with the way of life in Ponyville, see how everypony reacts when something is revealed that will change his life forever. Feel his despair as he is surrounded be the Cutie Mark Crusaders who try to make him one of them, and they won't stop asking him if he wants to join… Never.

OC:
Name: Michael
Age: 20
Appearance: blond short hair, something between human and fox (human body, fox ears and tail; fox fur color: reddish, like a normal fox would be)
Background: born as a fox in the forests of a world far away from Equestria, he discovered a strange artifact which turned him into the human/fox hybrid that he now is roughly nine years after his birth. Additionally, it gave him a extremely long lifespan and access to rather powerful magic.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-13 20:29:21 UTC

Prologue

Ugh... what happened? I rubbed my head as I tried to see through the smoke. The first thing I noticed were books, many books, a library maybe?

“It worked! Spike, it worked!” exclaimed a girl behind me.

I turned in her direction and through the smoke I saw … something like … an unicorn girl? “Okay, where am I? Who are you? And why am I even here?!”, I asked. However, before she could answer, another girl with pink hair appeared behind her, looked at me and immediately disappeared again.

The next hour, she tried to explain where I was and why I was there. Apparently I was in a country called “Equestria”; more precisely in a city called “Ponyville”; the inhabitants were anthropomorphic ponies, pegasi, unicorns and a few alicorns. The pegasi managed the weather; the earth ponies, while not being able to fly or cast spells, were the strongest and mostly worked as farmers or maintainers. The unicorns, easily recognised by their horns, were mages. Alicorns, only two were known at this point, seemed to possess the traits of all three races.

Her name was Twilight Sparkle and she was the personal student of one of the two princesses. As if she wanted to confirm what her student said, in a blinding flash appeared an alicorn who looked like she was in her mid 30's.

She introduced herself as Princess Celestia, but before she could say anything else, a sign with “Follow me” appeared in front of me. Twilight and the Princess smiled knowingly and I decided to follow it. After a short walk I reached a house that appeared to be made entirely out of candy. “Sugarcube Corner” said a sign above the open door. Everything was dark inside and I could hear faint breathing so I stepped in slowly.

The moment I stepped in, the door closed behind me and big crowd shouted "SURPRISE!".

The room was heavily decorated and a banner said "Welcome to Ponyville!". The same girl who also appeared in the library ran to me and dragged me to the Podium which was standing in the middle of the room.

"So, you like surprises? How about this?" I thought to myself and created a clone of myself and teleported myself to a corner in the same moment.

"Well, hello... My name is Michael and I was brought here by Twilight just about one or two hours ago. As you can see, I am partially a fox, i still don't know what exactly happened but I've settled with it. What is there much to say about my life? I devoted myself to illusionism for ten years. I've lived in a mansion near a forest for most of my human life so I am not the best in dealing with people... ponies... you get what i mean, right?" the clone said.

I just wanted to continue as a pegasus with rainbow-colored hair shouted "Boooring! Twilight, why did you bring such a sleeper?"

Continuing to the next act of my prank, the clone said "You don't believe me, do you?"-I let it slowy fade away-"Oh no, I knew this would happen at some point!" -The clone spoke more quiet with every second- "My mere existance is based on others believing in me and my stories, it's part of my magic... I can't stay here anymore... Farewell." I let the clone disappear in a puff of smoke.

POV Twilight Sparkle

"NO!" I screamed, desperately trying to save him but i quickly saw that I could not do anything for him. "Why?" I said sadly to RD who was standing at my right side "He didn't say anything about this... I can't believe he just disappeared."

Suddenly I heared somepony saying calmly from directly behind me "Then don't believe it. I am right here."

I slowly turned around and Michael stood there with a smile on his face. "You should have seen your face, this is just hilarious." he laughed, "I told you I am an illusionist."

POV Michael

I spent the rest of the evening getting to know what seemed like the whole population of Ponyville, but one mare stayed in my thoughts. Her name was Rarity, the local fashion designer. I was determined to meet her again the next morning. Not only did I need some clothes, but she also was one of the most beautiful mares I've seen, in Equestria and in my admittedly short time I spent with other humans.

I also learned not to question anything Pinkie Pie does. It seems that the laws of science and magic do not apply to her.

Chapter 1

After the party I headed back to the library since Twilight let me stay there up until I had my own place. Spike was already sleeping as it seemed so I quietly made my way to the couch and quickly drifted off into sleep.

The next morning i woke up to an unnatural heat close to me. I quickly opened my eyes and stood up, expecting a fire, but the only thing I saw was Spike holding a sealed Scroll. I decided to not question it for the time being and tried to leave the library but I was stopped by Twilight shouting "WAIT! Princess Celestia wants to see you!" from behind me.

I turned around and asked "When is she going to be here?", assuming I had still some time for a walk. Twilight wanted to say something as a bright flash blinded me and Princess Celestia appeared inside. I bowed, hesitating a bit because I had no experience with royalty at all, and asked "You wanted to see me?"

"Indeed," she answered, "I do have some questions to you and I believe you also want to know a few things. But I will start with a few basic things. First off: What exactly are you and what is more important where do you come from?"

"As for what I am," I started, "I cannot fully fathom what I am but I think, I am mostly human, although I still possess some instincts and habits from back when I was a fox. I was transformed into this by a strange artifact I found in a overgrown temple deep in the forest I called my home."

"Fox?!", Twilight exclaimed while backing away from me, "S-stay away from me, i am not tasty!"

I decided to tease her a bit and replied with a grin on my face "Don't worry, I am not hungry... at the moment, but I fear I cannot hold back forever. And I have to admit, you look delicious."

At this point Twilight ran out of the room, probably to hide under her bed. "Forgive me, Princess, but I had to take this opportunity." I said, looking back to Celestia.

"I think she will get over it. Back to my story. After the incident with the artifact I wandered around in the forest for a few days, trying to accustom to my new body, I found a mansion that looked like noone has been in there for at least a decade. However, as I entered, I was greeted by a robed man who told me that I would now live here and I would be his student. A few years later he told me that he was the one who created this artifact and that it chose me to become human. I didn't believe him but after reminding myself what he had shown me, I was convinced. I lived with him until he told me that I was ready to live on my own. He gave me some money and brought me to the next city. Although he gave me some tips, I was never able to settle down so basically my situation at the moment is already an improvement."

"Interesting. So this man told you everything you know by now? I surely would have liked to meet him, but I think I should stay here to watch over my subjects." Celestia answered after a few minutes of precessing what she had heard. "But please do not frighten Twilight like that again. I fear at least one of you would be hurt."

I spent the next hour asking all kinds of questions about Equestria, the way of life and other things that interested me.

Finally, when everything was said, Celestia announced she would now leave. And I have to admit, the process of that was even more blinding than her arrival. Since I already introduced myself at Pinkie Pies party, i decided to go look for a job. I was already opening the door when i remembered Twilight who was probably still in her bedroom. So I went upstairs and knocked the door gently.

"Who is there?" asked a frightened voice which I quickly identified as Twilights.

"It's just me. I was just pulling a joke on you, don't be afraid. If I feel the need to get some meat, I will simply go hunting in the forest." I said, trying to convince her that i am not a threat.

Immediatly after I ended my sentence, she rushed out and shouted "THE FOREST? It's dangerous in there, you'll get yourself killed!"

"Don't worry," I replied, leaning against the wall, "I know how to defend myself. Wait... where is my Staff? Oh, right." I accessed my magic and summoned my staff. "It's made out of silverwood. It is highly resistant against Blades of all kinds and works great as a magic focus and as a blunt weapon."

The staff was a bit smaller than me and made out of silverwood. The silverwood tree is an extremely rare and magical tree with [who would have guessed] silver coloured wood. It purifies its suurounding, cleansing everything and everyone from the corruption of dark magic.

"Speaking of magic," I continued, "the magic in this world is much stronger than i am used to. That should also be helpful. I'll go into town and try find some work. Do you have any suggestions where I could find work?"

Twilight thought about it for a while and said, still with a light tremble in her voice "How about you ask Fluttershy? I think she could use some help with all the animals. You should remeber that she is quite shy so give her some time to warm up."

"Ok," I stated, "Where does she work?"

Twilight brought a map and pointed near the edge of the "Everfree Forest". "In a cottage somewhere around here. You should see it once you are nearby."

I thanked her and left the treehouse... no, the housetree? ... Whatever. I left her home and began walking in the direction of the forest.