It was a new morning in Equestria, and all of its inhabitants were joyously going about their day. Meanwhile, there was a bright flash in the Everfree forest, just outside the small town of ponyville. A young human appeared where the bright flash was, totally unconscious.

Then he started to stir.

"Ooooh, my head. I hate Tate SO much!" Joey moaned, spitting dirt out of his mouth. "I wonder how long I was unconscious. Maybe it was that demented excuse for a peanut." he chuckled. Then he noticed his surroundings through the corner of his eye. He was in a eerie swamp-like like forest, which was way different than the one he was in before he ate that peanut. hmmm......peanut......
he thought to himself.

"Never mind that," he thought out loud. "I need to know where I am first." Joey sighed in defeat. he was too tired.

Then he started hearing creepy noises all around him. "Uhhh...." he said nervously. Then he heard intense growling behind him. He didn't even turn around to see what was behind him. He just bolted in the opposite direction.

"C'mon, legs, don't give out now!" he said, hearing his pursuers getting closer. He was already running as fast as his legs could carry him.

He saw the forest's edge up ahead. "Almost there!" he gasped, tearing through the brush like a maniac. "Almost............there!"

Right before whatever was behind him caught him in their terrible maw, Joey made a leaping dive out of the forest. Then he quickly got up, and continued running.

Once he realized his pursuers gave up, Joey stopped and caught his breath.when he looked up, he saw that he was standing in the middle of an apple orchard. "Um......okay." he said, looking at the bulging apples dangling ripely from their branches. Their shiny red skin made it very tempting to take one.

Joey slapped himself. "What are you thinking!" he told himself, "Those aren't mine. I should know better." He gave one more longing stare before he walked off with his head down. If he couldn't see the apples, they wouldn't be a temptation. He didn't care that he was starving. They just weren't his.

He heard a female voice humming behind him. He turned around only to be utterly scared and shocked. He saw a orange pony sporting a stetson walking up a path to his left, singing to herself as she walked. Joey pinched himself. Ponies don't hum!

Maybe he pinched himself a little TOO hard, because he said "Ow!" quietly. The pony's ears pricked up in his direction and she stopped. He mentally told himself to shut up and hide, but his muscles wouldn't let him.

Then the pony looked in his direction. She had surprisingly large eyes the size of dinner plates. She looked shocked for a second, then smiled again. She walked up to him.

She was at least four inches taller, not including the hat. Then she stuck out a hoof at Joey.

"Hi!" she exclaimed in a southern accent.. "I'm Applejack. I didn't know what you were at first, but then I realized that you're a human. What be your name, stranger?" Joey's eyes were huge.

He was truly terrified. Not only was this pony orange and wearing a stetson, but she could also talk. Then he noticed a picture of three apples on her flank. So he backed up slowly, tried to talk but only managed a squeak, then turned and ran. "Wait!" Applejack called out. She was puzzled. Why did he run away? Maybe there aren't any talking ponies where he comes from.

She trotted after him.

"Man, I've never run so hard in just one day." Joey panted as he came up on a scrap pile. He decided that he should take a breather and think about everything that just happened.

"Am I crazy? Did I pass out instead of dying? What happened? Where am I? Is this a dream? Man, I've never run so hard in just one day." Joey panted as he came up on a scrap pile. He decided that he should take a breather and think about everything that just happened.

Joey plopped down on a stump protruding from the ground. "Calm yourself, Joey. One thought at a time. First order of business: I just met a talking pony. Am I dreaming?" He pinched himself. "Nope. For one I know I'm not crazy either. So I really did just meet a talking mare." He got a headache just by thinking about this. He massaged his temples with his thumbs.

"Hello?" the voice made him jump. He looked up, just to see that "Applejack" was standing right there. Joey was too scared to even speak. He just squeaked again and scooted backward, accidentally falling over a stump. He groaned, rubbing his head.

Applejack gave a look of concern. "Are you alright there?" she said. Joey backed up against another tree and hid his head in his legs. He was up in a semi-fetal position, shivering of shock and fright. "Don't worry, I won't hurt ya, critter." Applejack said softly. Joey looked up. He didn't see any means of threat coming from her, and he felt......well........a feeling that she wasn't lying.

Applejack extended a hoof to him. He flinched, but then realized she was trying to help him up. "Come on" she said, "Don't be scared. I'm not try'in to harm ya, feller." Joey slowly took her hoof, then was carefully hoisted up. She noticed that his arms and neck were bruised and bloody, there was a cut...or nasty scrape, on his cheek, and he had huge bags under is eyes, and he looked totally deprived of energy. He was also way too skinny to be healthy.

"Whoa" she started,"You look terrible. Let's go fix you up. What do you say?" Joey just stood there, feeling weird, but then simply nodded. "Great!" Applejack exclaimed, kneeling down. "Hop on!" Joey just gave her a weird, confused work. "Have you ever ridden a pony before?" she asked looking at him with encouragement. He shook his head. "Well, it's not that hard. Just hold on to my mane, and I'll make sure you don't fall off, sugarcube." She smiled at him. Joey, building a tiny bit of courage, walked over and climbed on. "Woo-wee!"she exclaimed. "You're way lighter than I thought. Lighter than a feather!

Joey didn't say anything. "Hey, can you even talk?" Applejack asked, looking back inquinsitively. Joey nodded and quietly said, "Yah." Applejack smiled. "Hey," she thought. "I'm making progress!" Applejack looked back. "Well fella, what's your name?" Joey got nervous, but then quickly realized that there was nothing to worry about. "Joey" he quietly said.

"Huh," she said. "Never heard that one before. But a cool name, nonetheless." Joey smiled. A compliment! It's been forever since he got one of them! He knew it was sad, but he'll take what he can get. Then he quietly asked, "Where am I?'

"Well," Applejack started, "We are in Equestria. More specifically, Sweet Apple Acres." Joey did not know what to say. "I've never heard of this place before" he muttered. "I wouldn't blame you, be'n from a different world and all" Applejack replied. They came up on a red barn with a bright orange building that had symbols on top that looked like........carrots? Yep, those were carrots.

There were three ponies standing outside, a giant red one with an orange mane, a small filly with a red mane with a bow on top, and an old green one with a white mane. "Applejack!" the small one exclaimed, giving her sister a hug. "Hey there, Applebloom!" Applejack started. "Before we start our dinner tonight, I want to introduce a new guest." She turned to her side, revealing Joey. "Meet Joey, he'll be spending the night with us tonight." Joey waved, then said, "Wait- I will?!" He was totally shocked. Applejack laughed. "Well, ya! Wouldn't want you sleeping on the ground." Joey was silently thankful for this.

"Well, c'mon, sugarcube," Applejack said, continuing her path to the barn. "Before we finish introductions, let's get ya cleaned up." Joey silently agreed.

When the two entered the barn, Joey realized that it was a house, not a barn. The interior had a sofa lined up neatly against the wall, a glass coffee table in the center, and a rocking chair was in the corner, adding to the warm and cozy look. Applejack set him on the couch, and she trotted into a neighboring room. "Be right back, OK?" she said. Joey nodded.

A few minutes later she came back with a first aid kit in her mouth. "There, this should help!" she said while placing the kit on the table. She pulled out a cotton ball and dipped it in anti-oxidants. "This may sting a teeny bit." she said as she started to dab. After all his wounds were clean, she wrapped white bandages around them. "There" she sighed happily. "Now let's get you somethin' to eat. Are you able to walk?" He stood up. "Yah," he said.

Applejack led him to the kitchen, where she fixed him some veggie soup. "That should warm ya up," she said, placing the bowl in front of Joey.

He had never tasted anything so good in his life. Trying not to look like a pig, he drank up the soup faster than you could say "lickety-split". When he finished, he sighed. "Thanks" he said quietly. More quiet than he would of prefered, but thank the lord they could hear well.

Then came introductions. Everyone was gathered in the parlor. "Well, everypony," she started, "Like I said before, this here is Joey." She motioned a hoof towards him, and he did a small wave. "He's a human" Applejack continued, "And I found him all beat up in the west side of the orchard. He actually ran away from me the first time he saw me. So I thought somethin' must be wrong with him. So I caught up to him, and brought the poor fella here." She looked at him and smiled. "So Joey, these here are Applebloom, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith." She motioned to the other ponies in the room. "We're known as the Apple family around here." Joey stepped forward. "It's nice to meet you all, and thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem, young'un!" Granny Smith said in a high pitched elderly voice. "We wouldn't let a colt like you be left out hungry and hurt." Joey gave her a look of gratitude.. "I don't know about y'all," Applejack yawned, "But I need to hit the hay. C'mon, Joey."

Applejack showed him where he would sleep. She showed him the old attic that she and Big Mac played in when she was little. There was a bed in the corner all tidied up with warm looking sheets. "I haven't slept in something like this for years." Joey muttered. "WHAT!?" Applejack exclaimed. "Oh, nothing," Joey quickly said before faking a yawn. "I'm just tired, too." Applejack gave him a concerned look, but then smiled. "Alright," she said. Then she pulled him into a hug. "Sleep well, sugarcube," she said as she released him and went downstairs.

Joey got into bed, thinking about the hug. He felt really good after the hug, comforted, if you will. Then he slowly closed his eyes, wondering what the next day would bring.

What a day.

Author's Note

This chapter along with the first three have been re-edited!!

Well, Joey is finally in Equestria! BTW, this is my first long chapter that I didn't make by combining two shorter chapters. It was all from scratch!

Thanks for all the likes and favs..............you're all awesome!!!!